Trachta breezed through the doorway into the luscious lounging room, almost startling the young Regent who lay reclining in one of the comfortably padded chairs munching on rhyscate.

"I see you're already working on expanding your stomach to that of a more typical monarch."

Kach ignored the comment, knowing that the head of Imperial Intelligence had been in an irritable mood as of late. He had been in the same mood as well, until he'd given into self pity and indulged himself on the comforts as living under the title of Regent. He saw what he was doing now as a foreshadowing of what was to come when he was crowned Emperor, a move that Trachta was supposed to be finding out how to accomplish after their latest plan backfired.

True, blackmailing Park Kraken with his family had gotten them to their current positions, but he had countered them by bringing his family out into the open, proclaiming his wife Empress, his sons Princes, even as they joined the Imperial Military to follow in their father's footsteps. Intelligence rated as low the likelihood that killing off one or more members of his family would help to achieve their goals.

"While you've been lounging about, I've discovered the means to advance your career," commented Trachta. That one sentence triggered a spewing of half chewed rhyscate all over the imported Bantha fur rugs as Kach looked up at him in disbelief.

"How?" came the one worded question.

"We will poison him," said Trachta simply.

Kach sat back into his chair, winded as a loud sigh left his lips.

"Even you should know that would never work. We, or at least I, would be the highest suspects on the list," muttered Kach just loud enough for Trachta to hear.

"There will be no list."

Kach looked at him pointedly, "If there is no list produced for his murder of the most likely suspects by Imperial Intelligence, then that would highly implicate you. Are you willing to take the risk to advance my career just so I could pardon you? At that point, most people would see it as a double conspiracy, with our reign lasting only as long as a coup d’état could be organized by our military. We might be able to purge the military in time, but then that would leave us helpless against the advancing Reavers. No, I could never see this working."

"There will be no murder."

"Okay, you have me interested. Let's hear it."

"This is a former Intelligence project that was long ago buried after the need for it became irrelevant. This was way back when the New Order was first becoming established. We had many enemies, but not necessarily the military might to deal with them all. Measures were conceived to help us out in that regards, including biological agents. This particular agent is designed to enter the body, induce the victim into having a stroke, while working to erase the portions of his brain where the memory is concerned, before dissipating. Once he awakens, he will have a severe and permanent case of amnesia, reducing himself to a shell of the man he once was. He will be forced to abdicate, and with that abdication will come your ascension to the position of Emperor."

"Ahh, excellent. How will you administer this poison?" asked Kach, sitting up straight now.

"If you must know, it will be inserted into his food at one of his 'Royal Banquets'," commented Trachta dryly.

"What about the cooks and the taste testers?"

"After the tragic loss of most of the Regent's staff on Coruscant, a lot of staff locally was hired on to replace them. Much of the staff has positions within another government agency that our esteemed Emperor doesn't know about," said Trachta mockingly.

"Imperial Intelligence," answered Kach with a smile.

"Correct. So very soon now, you will become Emperor."

"Emperor Thorton. I will have another Rhyscate to that," said Kach, lifting his stuffed fork up to his mouth as Trachta turned about and left the room to carry out their plans...

The Royal Imperial Ball, Grand Isle on Vladet

Agent Opore glided through the doors, around the other matrons, and into the main dining and festivities area, carrying the tray of appetizers bound for the Emperor's table. No communication was made with the other agents, saved for friendly smiles and bows that were also given to the other guests and normal staff at the annual Royal Imperial Ball, first annual one that is. It would soon be up to Emperor Thorton as to whether or not the event would happen for a second year and thereafter.

But this was not a Coruscawood Holothriller, this was real life. There would be no dramatic fight scenes, no sleigh communications and dead drops, no syringes that carefully squirted the substance onto the food. No, he was not Agent Jack James Bonauer, known as Double J Two, the two being his last name's first letter's place in the alphabet. Nor was he Coruscant Jonsey, seeking out the Vanished Empire of the Skyfire Femur while under the duress of evil Rebel Agents seeking to overthrow the New Order, including the indomitable Leia Organa Solo, who sought all of the New Order's secrets. No, he was Glannel Opore, known to everyone who knew him personally as Glanny, a simple matron serving appetizers.

The tray was delivered and the matron was heading back to the kitchen. He didn't glance back at the taste testers who chewed on the pieces of meat and cheese that had been sprayed with Falleen pheromones to enhance their desirability to be eaten, nor as the tray with the prize was still intact passed to the Emperor's table. He did turn to take an order from another table, before proceeding back into the kitchen. His work was done, but he wouldn't be leaving just yet. After all, it would be rather less suspicious if he was present as normal kitchen staff would be in the event that something such as was about would in fact happen. Mentally he rehearsed the answers to the inevitable questions from the security agents as he went about his duties.



Park sat back and relaxed with his guest as they enjoyed both the stage performers, the music, and even the holovids playing old Coruscanti classics, including some of Face Loran's and Tetran Cowall's Holothrillers, even old black and white Holovid classicals like Tatooine, starring Bun Timmer who's famous saying "Here's looking at you, pup" while speaking to the pretty young Togorian.

He was absently munching on some appetizers when a growling noise emanated from his stomach. Park laid a hand on his stomach, but then brought it up to his heart as it seized once, then twice more. At the same time his head began to hurt, a terrible migraine, even as he hunched over in cardiac arrest. His wife and the Royal Guards nearest him immediately noticed what was going on, with one of the Guards calling for an ambulance and reinforcements.

The party effectively came to a halt while everyone gawked and muttered as their Emperor was wheeled out on a gurney, wires and holodevices already hooked up to his system, along with bacta syringes ready in case an injection was needed into a damage organ or two. More Royal Guards arrived and began rounding up the matrons and kitchen staff, all of whom were accounted for in short order. Accompanying the Emperor with concerned expressions on their faces was his wife the Empress, his eldest Prince son, the Regent Kach Thorton, and some of his closest staff and military advisors.

"I sense...the hand of an evil power at work here. This..isn't natural," gasped out Park in between racking coughs as the medics worked to stabilize him. Only his wife, Empress Melina Kraken, rode with him in the emergency hover carriage.

"Dearest, you've been highly stressed by the happenings of late. You just had a mild heart attack, you'll be fine," whispered his wife reassuringly.

"No, this is no heart attack. I can feel myself growing weaker by the moment...my brain refusing to function, memories slipping away. Someone has poisoned me, I know it. Ah..an...and I know who it was. Inform young Jonathan that...," Park paused with a coughing fit that produce a spittle of blood from his mouth, "that he is now Heir to the Empire, to take my throne should I pass on."

"No, don't speak like that. You'll be fine soon, we're almost at the hospital, you'll see," Melina stuttered as she shook her head side to side.

"And advise Vos...," Park whispered as his voice faded away from him, "That he is now Supreme Commander of the Empir....," he trailed off at his head slipped heavily into her hand embrace as he slipped away into a deep coma.

The Empress sat back, confusion clouding her brain. Not only was Regent Thorton supposed to be the next in line to become Emperor should Park abdicate, or something happen to him, but Brigadier General Wesley Vos was supposed to be in command of the Expansion Protectorate project. Was he supposed to be coming back to Vladet?

Melina sat back with tears stinging her eyes, even as they reached the hospital and Park was wheeled away into the hospital. Her eyes looked about, seeing young Prince Jonathan K. Welmsley, taking his father's name as his middle name, staring at his father as he was wheeled by, the Regent Kach Thorton's hand resting reassuringly on his shoulder. But Empress Melina could see buried under his grief and worry, the hint of a smile on the edge of his lips, and knew.

The Empress turned away and walked towards her arriving Royal Guardsmen Escort. She walked straight up to the commander and whispered in his ear.

"Arrest Regent Kach Thorton, under the charge of treason and conspiracy to assassinate the Emperor. I want him held while Imperial Intelligence looks into this matter thoroughly. Also, I will be giving an announcement soon, as my husband designated his eldest son to the throne should he pass on from whatever this ailment is," whispered Melina. She turned her head, her cold tear streaked eyes glaring daggers at Regent Thorton. As her Royal Guardsmen surrounded him, he turned to meet her expression; his questioning gaze turning to a gaze of one whom realizes his greatest aspirations is crumbling to dust around him.

Ninety-seven Light Years from Vladet

"Are you sure the report is correct?" Colonel-General Wesley Vos leveled his gaze at Commander Nabatt Nyang, leader of the intelligence-specialized Red Squadron of the SS Kommandos. His twelve troopers, along with Rhytrian Thrahn's Black Squadron, had infiltrated Vladet a week earlier, immediately upon Vos's return from the Unknown Regions, to gather intelligence on the military dispositions and the state of Imperial government.

Having been sent to the Unknown Regions during the battle for Sullust upon a command that was to be obeyed without question, Vos spent six standard months doing nothing but sitting and waiting. He had a Super Star Destroyer snapping up pirate raiders and adding their ships - and some were quite well-made - to his fleet. Nevertheless, when the follow-up orders and confirmation to the given order were not received, Wes began to suspect foul play on the part of either Supreme Commander Thorton or one of his agents, or perhaps even on the part of Emperor Kraken. So, instead of waiting another six months while a possible traitor consolidated his power, he decided to return quietly to the galaxy and figure out what was actually taking place.

He had immediately sent Red and Black Squadrons to Vladet, the new Imperial capital, to reconnoiter and even spy upon Park and Kach. Gray Squadron had been sent to the SS base on Thoraza, and Green had traveled to Oversector Outer to meet with Moff Zhukov, an appointee of Wes, to see what they could learn. He based the rest of his fleet in deep space, some ninety light years away from Vladet, and waited.

Nyang, the first to return, nodded in response to his question. "Yes, Sir," he said. "It appears that Emperor Kraken has fallen into a state of mental illness. Supreme Commander Thorton has been arrested pending investigation, and in his last cognizent statement, Emperor Kraken declared you Supreme Commander in his place. He declared his young son Emperor, but things seem to be falling apart."

Vos frowned. "What do you mean, falling apart?"

"Well, Sir, it appears that many of the captains surrounding Vladet were extremely loyal to Commander Thorton. When he was arrested, they turned their guns on the capital and demanded his release. They've put the planet under blockade, Sir."

Wes's eyes widened. "Imperial captains did this?"

Nyang nodded. Wes's face grew rigid, then began turning red. His jaw set, eyes narrowed, he whirled to the comm system. "All ships," he said, "prepare for a jump to Vladet. Bring all weapons on line, all shields up immediately upon return to realspace. Several Imperial captains and their ships have committed a direct act of treason upon the Empire and have blockaded the planet. We're going to break their backs."

***

The SS fleet, well over one-hundred ships, including the Super Star Destroyer Tyrant, dropped out of hyperspace precisely in attack formation. Before them sat twelve Imperial Star Destroyers, Mk. III - all part of Thorton's personal fleet. All were in blockade formation.

Even so, Vos would give them one chance. "Open a comm channel to those Destroyers," he commanded. When the channel opened, he addressed the captains. "You are considered to be in violation of Imperial Code 2-3041(b), committing an act of treason against the Empire. Surrender now, and you will be imprisoned rather than executed. There will be no negotiation; you have one minute to comply. You will surrender and stand down."

Sixty seconds passed, and no response came from the ships. "Commence firing," Vos commanded.

Immediately, the four ISD-V's surrounding the Tyrant opened fire with their super turbolasers, landing hits at maximum range against Thorton's destroyers, which did not have the range to return fire. The remainder of the fleet surged forward, launching fighters as they did so, preparing to slug it out Imperial style. They Tyrant itself also moved foward, matching pace with the Star Destroyers around it.

The sides were fairly evenly matched, without the Tyrant, in numbers. Wes, however, had the advantage that he was already in battle formation. Thorton's ships were, instead, scattered around the planet in blockade. If he could incapacitate or destroy two or three of Thorton's ships before the others arrived, the odds would be overwhelmingly in his favor. Recognizing this, he ordered all ships to concentrate fire on the three closest destroyers.

As the ships closed to range, Thorton's Destroyers began firing return shots as they swung to face the threat. The space between the ships was filled with green energy and the little specks that were starfighters and picket ships. Occasionally, a turbolaser bolt would come too close to a fighter and obliterate it, but most of the explosions were fighter-to-fighter combat. Against the SS Schutzstaffels and Hurrikanes, the standard Imperial fighters were not doing too well. Both the Schutzstaffels and Hurrikanes carried shields and better armament than the Interceptors, and even the Defenders were no match for the Hurrikane's turreted cannon.

As Thorton's fleet moved forward in a broad line of attack, Vos consolidated his forces into a cone-like dagger formation, the Tyrant taking point. Fifteen rapid salvos from every one of the SSD's port cannons obliterated one of Thorton's Reigns, while the starbord cannons disabled the shields, engines, and reactor of another. A few cannons continued to fire, but the TIE Hurrikanes, freed from the dogfight, swept in and silenced them.

Behind the Tyrant, the remainder of the SS fleet began to split into four distinct groups, each with an Astrus-class Star Destroyer leading. They each descended on a single Star Destroyer, concentrating all their fire on one vessel. Soon, four more enemy ships were either destroyed or severely disabled - out of the fight, either way.

Thorton's fleet, meanwhile, had managed to consolidate into two unequal fleets. Towards the Southern Pole of Vladet, a small two-Destroyer fleet, surrounded by several cruisers and smaller vessels, was beginning to harry the southern-most Astrus battlegroup, led by the Tyrannus, Wes's former flagship. Towards the northern pole, a much larger fleet, including four Star Destroyers, swept towards another of Wes's battlegroups. Wes intercepted several messages - short-range messages - calling for aid, so he knew he needed to eliminate this threat and move back into open space before whatever additional ships Kach had on hand could jump in and trap him against the planet.

Sending a third battlegroup to aid the Tyrannus in its combat, Wes focused the Tyrant's attention on the larger group. The Super Star Destroyer spat green death as he closed on the enemy. This part of the battle was not going as well; taking its cue from Vos's attack, Thorton's Destroyers had focused all their fire on one of Vos's ISD-IV's, the Incinerator. Its shields had failed and its engines and most of its weapons were offline. While the rest of the battlegroup hammered the four attackers, cruisers and frigates harried their flanks, keeping them from focusing their fire.

That was until the Tyrant arrived. Three full salvos obliterated several frigates and a cruiser as the ship opened a path to its beleaguered ally. Another salvo wiped out the shields of the closest ISD-IV, and another destroyed half its engines. But the attack was too late; the other three Destroyers sent blast after blast into the Incinerator's hull, finally scoring several hits on its main reactor. The resulting explosion scattered the battlegroup and damaged several of the smaller ships with debris. The Tyrant alone plunged forward into the fray, finishing off its current target, then eliminating another of the Imperial Destroyers. The remaining two turned and fled. Fighters and TIE Storm bombers harried them all the way back to the planet, with the result that one of them no longer had the power to maneuver. That one began a long, slow, decaying orbit towards the planet itself. It spewed escape pods and shuttles, which were quickly picked up by the Fire-class light frigates, which received the occupants' surrenders. The remaining ISD managed to slingshot past the planet and make a quick jump into hyperspace.

Vos ordered his vessels to regroup, then set a course for the most likely reinforcement point. They were careful not to get too close; Coruscant had taught them what could happen to a ship that was too close to a ship reverting to realspace. There they waited, ready for whatever would come next.

Inwardly, Fleet Admiral Carson had been seething for the past week. Two weeks after what was being termed "The Second Battle of Rachuk" incident, his flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Dominion, had been the only military vessel orbiting Rachuk under his direct command. The other destroyers and accompanying lighter vessels had been ordered either to Rachuk or the outer system, and in their place a dozen Imperial Mk III Star Destroyers from the Regent's personal fleet had been assigned orbit, under the command of one of the Regent's Admiral lackeys, a political dog that brought little more capability than the typical service line captain.

He had received the communications concerning what had transpired on the surface, and had been helpless to intervene. It would take a while for the Outer Defense Fleet to mobilize sufficient forces to stop the blockade. The Dominion by herself could tackle perhaps nine of the Star Destroyers, but the real game changer there was that those twelve Destroyers carried just over three times the number of star fighters that the Dominion did, and trench run disease weighed heavily on the mind of Carson.

Then everything had changed. Like an avenging ghost out of the night, Supreme Commander Vos had arrived at Vladet far ahead of his expected T.O.A., and had quickly engaged the dozen Destroyers in blockading formation. Carson's eyes swept over the formations, noting a lone Mk III ISD turning to engage Vos near them. The IFF tagged the Destroyer as the Constitution, updated information showing she had served under Thorton for almost two years now.

"Guns, target the Constitution, full broadside, turbolasers only," ordered Admiral Carson. Moments later, after the turbolaser barrels had elevated and targeting information fed to the gun crews, over four hundred batteries and cannons spat out almost three thousand bolts of green energy, cutting across space to strike the stern of the Constitution. Post-Battle analysis would indicate that the Constitution, believing the Dominion to not be a threat, had shifted ninety percent of her shield power forward, leaving her stern basically exposed to attack. The turbolaser fire had drilled through her shields, into her engines, then through her innards to her precious power core.

Almost simultaneously with the attack fading away, another bright light encompassed that area of space as the Constitution’s reactor went critical. When it faded, the Constitution was gone, replaced by an expanding debris field, of which there was no piece larger than a standard Imperial Shuttle, according to sensors. Already some of the smaller and faster pieces were bouncing off the shields of the Dominion. Great job Carson, you just obliterated thirty seven thousand fellow officers, soldiers, and enlisted personnel..

"Orders, Admiral?" asked Captain Reinhard.

"Move us into a supporting position for the rest of Commander Vos's forces," ordered Carson, shoving his negative thoughts into that deep area of his mind that he'd created following the assassination of his son. He wouldn't give in to those thoughts and become catatonic for several weeks, not now, not when he was needed. Although it appeared that everyone was waking up to the fact that now was their chance to break the blockade. A Golan Battle station, Vanguard Two, was engaging another Mk III Star Destroyer with a torpedo volley, while a stream of Planetary Ion Cannon fire from the surface had disabled a third Destroyer on the far side of the planet.

The move was hardly necessary as the battle wrapped up in short order. A solitary Star Destroyer escaped into hyperspace, bringing with it news of their defeat. Admiral Carson made a decision. As per the wishes of the Emperor, he would recognize Supreme Commander Wes Vos and acknowledge his orders. With Admiral Carson’s decision would go the Grand Fleet, the balance of the Home Defense Fleet, and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th fleets as well. The only unknown factor would be whether or not the former Regent had any additional forces stashed away somewhere, of which Carson would not bet against it….

One week later


"General Vos!" came a call from the communications station. "A message coming through. The sender claims to be former Supreme Commander Thorton!"

It had been one week since the destruction of the rogue captains around Vladet who had sided with Thorton in his treasonous coup attempt. No further reinforcements had been forthcoming, and Vos had secured the planet. Immediately following the skirmish, Wes had landed a full Korps of Waffen-SS troopers in the city and had declared martial law until such time as the events of the past few weeks were properly sorted out. He had met with Park Kraken’s wife while the Emperor was still recovering; thankfully, the poison – and poison it was – had not killed the man. It had been diluted by whatever it accompanied, and while it made him violently, even critically, ill, it was not enough to kill him. She had endorsed his actions publicly, legitimizing his hold over the planet.

Furthermore, Vos had sent messages to each of the fleet commanders, requesting that they secure their own zones in a similar fashion. Traitors, even suspected traitors, or suspected Thorton sympathizers, were to be executed immediately. Several of the commanders had made the trip to Vladet personally, and they, along with Fleet Admiral Carson, had declared their loyalty to the Empire and to Emperor Thorton.

As the Emperor regained some of his wits, he and Vos spent some hours in conference. The result was that Park decided he was too weak and too tired to continue his reign as Emperor. The nomination of a new Emperor was somewhat sticky; Park’s first nomination was his son, Jonathan. Vos argued that the boy was too young and inexperienced at such political games as would be necessary for a new Emperor. Besides, Wes continued, Hyfe was not known to be dead. Should he return, whoever was on the throne in his place would lose his life. Reluctantly, Park agreed. His second nomination, though, was just as bad; Simon Kaine had retired and disappeared. It was unlikely he would return to take the reins of the Empire, even if he could be found.

Finally, Wes suggested that a new Regent be nominated, with the Imperial throne to be left empty for now. He suggested Moff Zhukov of Oversector Outer. The sector had been the only one not to suffer violent upheaval in the previous year, and Zhukov was as politically savvy as anyone who could be named. Besides, he would give the Supreme Commander free reign to do as needed to save what could be saved of the Empire.

So Park agreed, and it was announced that within two weeks’ time, Moff Zhukov would become Regent Zhukov, to secure the Empire and hold it until its rightful ruler could return. General Wesley Vos would be named Supreme Commander. Kach Thorton was declared a traitor to the Empire, to be executed by anyone without penalty. A ten-million credit price was set on his head, to be paid upon proof of his death. SS Kommandos and Intelligence agents roamed the streets and airwaves of Vladet, rooting out and executing traitors and Thorton sympathizers.

The only thing that rankled in this whole mess was that somehow during the short skirmish in the space above Vladet, Kach Thorton had escaped.

No one knew how, or where he'd gone, but Colonel Selere postulated that some of his guards were sympathizers who had released him. On the off-chance that was true, Wes had had that entire shift of guards publicly executed. Sympathy with traitors to the Empire was not to be tolerated.

And now this message. Wes strode to the communications console and answered the call. Thorton’s face appeared, life-size, before him.

“General Vos, I’m sorry I couldn’t stay to welcome you in person. Know that I have always tried to do what is best for the Empire. I wish I could talk longer, but I must be going. I wish you the best in your endeavors, and I hope you enjoy the surprises I left for you. Goodbye.”

The message clicked off. For a long moment, Wes simply stood staring at the screen. Finally, silently, he strode back to the window, where he gazed over the city. Colonel Selere stepped up next to him.

“Sir,” Selere said after a moment, “if you want, I can hunt him down.”

“What makes a man like Kach Thorton, Colonel? Why does he do what he does?” Wes asked contemplatively.

“Sir?” Selere cocked his head and glanced at his general.

“Does a man like him truly believe that he is the best person for his government? Does he truly believe that such lawless actions can give him the authority of law? Or does he not care? Does he simply want what is best for himself, and to hades with the rest of it?”

Selere thought for a moment. “I truly don’t know, sir. I think perhaps that he is mentally insane.”

Wes shook his head. “No. No, he is not insane. In fact, if anything, he is too sane. He is methodical, meticulous in his planning. It would not surprise me if he had this coup planned for years, though I doubt he would have tried it with Emperor Hyfe. I still think he arranged for Zell to be killed on Coruscant. And it wouldn’t surprise me if he had planned for his failure. He probably has half the Borderland fleet waiting somewhere to cover his retreat; he may even have whole planets that he has induced to support his rebellion.”

Selere gazed out over the city as he considered this. “Sir, we can crush them.”

“No,” Wes replied sadly. “To go after Thorton now would bring such havoc upon the Empire that it won’t be worth saving. It may be beyond saving even now. Did you get the latest report from Oversector Outer?”

“Nar Shaddaa, sir?”

Wes nodded. “It appears even our strongest outposts are being lost to rebellion. No, we must consolidate what we have, drive back the strongest threats. And I must say, we will have to have allies to do it.”

“Sir?”

Wes shook his head. “Nothing. Just some ideas. For now, up the price on Thorton’s head to fifteen million. And try to get in contact with Beff Pike. Kraken had him working for the Empire at one time. We might be able to get him to work with us again.”