Tanaris’s fifteen gunships moved through space effortlessly, gliding across the radiation trails and dust particles that littered the entire region of space, not a stone’s through from Ignias itself.
Each gunship in the fleet bristled with enough firepower to detach a large cruiser, and each captain at the helm itching to do something of the sort.
Each vessel with a story to tell, each person onboard with a lifetime of experiences in their clutches. General Tanaris only wished he had time to learn them all . . .some, he would, eventually, others would more than likely perish in the eternal hellfire of battle, before their time, and before him . . .
It seemed that death came to everyone else but him these days, thought the chiss general as he fumbled with the white hairs of his beard that dangled from his chin and let his eyes wander out to the great expanse beyond the transparisteel viewport, basking them in the heavens which was right there but just out of reach.
Every battle he had survived, he seemed to garner another medal . . .for every fallen comrade was another rank pin on his uniform, and now, encased inside this technological safe house, an impenetrable fortress where death was denied passage, he sat waiting, and with the Gods in their hospital wards, time, the ravages of old age, ill health and mental degradation couldn’t provide an exit for this man.
So in realisation of his futile quest for peace, Tanaris gave in, accepted that he was destined to live a long, and unhappy life. His friends, colleagues, family, all gone, only to be replaced by a batch of new faces just as expendable as the last . . .yet he continued on, with only a jagged shard of hope that maybe one day he would join the long list of departed souls.
He continued on, serving the empire at the forefront of the fleet. He had been one of the best and most long serving commanders to ever step foot on the bridge of a starship. Sent into one danger zone after another, and coming out unscathed was the pattern that sprung from his career, his own survival at the cost of many others.
In all truth and fairness, Tanaris saved more than his share of innocent lives. Countless planets owed their survival to him and he knew that, however the suffering of others outweighed it exponentially.
Recently he had grown weary of everything he ever held dear being taken from his grip, this mission was the final decider of his life, the final nail in the coffin, of the final chapter of his tale.
The General let his hand trail from his beard and come down to rest on the arm of his command chair, his fingers finding their way over to the internal comm system.
Clicking the red rectangular button down, his gruff, weathered voice spoke out.
“This is General Tanaris to all ships, prepare to jump into hyperspace for kessel in one minute, we shall arrive on schedule in three days, you all have your orders, good luck. Tanaris out.”
He lifted his finger, depressing the comm switch, and shred a sigh.
His eyes drifted back out to the vast breach of black that lay ahead, watching, waiting and holding onto what hope he had left.
Each gunship in the fleet bristled with enough firepower to detach a large cruiser, and each captain at the helm itching to do something of the sort.
Each vessel with a story to tell, each person onboard with a lifetime of experiences in their clutches. General Tanaris only wished he had time to learn them all . . .some, he would, eventually, others would more than likely perish in the eternal hellfire of battle, before their time, and before him . . .
It seemed that death came to everyone else but him these days, thought the chiss general as he fumbled with the white hairs of his beard that dangled from his chin and let his eyes wander out to the great expanse beyond the transparisteel viewport, basking them in the heavens which was right there but just out of reach.
Every battle he had survived, he seemed to garner another medal . . .for every fallen comrade was another rank pin on his uniform, and now, encased inside this technological safe house, an impenetrable fortress where death was denied passage, he sat waiting, and with the Gods in their hospital wards, time, the ravages of old age, ill health and mental degradation couldn’t provide an exit for this man.
So in realisation of his futile quest for peace, Tanaris gave in, accepted that he was destined to live a long, and unhappy life. His friends, colleagues, family, all gone, only to be replaced by a batch of new faces just as expendable as the last . . .yet he continued on, with only a jagged shard of hope that maybe one day he would join the long list of departed souls.
He continued on, serving the empire at the forefront of the fleet. He had been one of the best and most long serving commanders to ever step foot on the bridge of a starship. Sent into one danger zone after another, and coming out unscathed was the pattern that sprung from his career, his own survival at the cost of many others.
In all truth and fairness, Tanaris saved more than his share of innocent lives. Countless planets owed their survival to him and he knew that, however the suffering of others outweighed it exponentially.
Recently he had grown weary of everything he ever held dear being taken from his grip, this mission was the final decider of his life, the final nail in the coffin, of the final chapter of his tale.
The General let his hand trail from his beard and come down to rest on the arm of his command chair, his fingers finding their way over to the internal comm system.
Clicking the red rectangular button down, his gruff, weathered voice spoke out.
“This is General Tanaris to all ships, prepare to jump into hyperspace for kessel in one minute, we shall arrive on schedule in three days, you all have your orders, good luck. Tanaris out.”
He lifted his finger, depressing the comm switch, and shred a sigh.
His eyes drifted back out to the vast breach of black that lay ahead, watching, waiting and holding onto what hope he had left.