Hoth System

Sixth Planet of the Hoth System

It would appear that a single lingering task force would make no difference to the massed onslaught of forces protruding around the planet Hoth for what was thought to be the final real assault on the Rebel Alliance. But alas Lord Vader had given strict orders that all forces must arrive on time, seconded by Rear Admiral Ozzel. And so, Task Force Etherway had dawned itself from the pseudomotion of hyperspace until it had managed to merge itself with the rest of the Death Fleet.

Death Fleet, Lord Vader's personal armada designed specifically to hunt down and destroy the Rebel insurgents that had sought to destroy the Empire and reign chaos throughout the galaxy with their pitiful terrorist strikes on populated systems such as Yaga Minor and Darost. Three years ago, after the Battle of Yavin, the emperor had specifically declared total war on the Alliance to Restore the Old Republic - or the Rebel Alliance - and such the Galactic Civil War was up in full sprite.

And so now stood Vice Admiral Fearsons, aboard the Imperial-Class Star Destroyer Disrupter, flagship of the Task Force Etherway. To the starboard side of the flagship was Vader's personal Imperial Star Destroyer Garret, and further still were the twin strike cruiser Lolk and Maw. To the port of Fearsons's Star Destroyer were the two strike cruiser Evelious and Kogan.

He wiped a gland of sweat he only now realized developed on his forehead, just above those glowing red eyes that so many had commented on. Some had even threatened his rank, claiming he was an alien from some uncharted region. Fortunately, DNA tests are hard to prove wrong. Especially when done by Palace Scientists themselves.

Gazing out of the forward viewport, beyond the glinting transparisteel of the bridge, Admiral Fearsons could see the enroaching figure of the Executor, Vader's - whom was more of an uncle than a lord to the admiral - personal flagship and head of the Death Fleet.

Only recently had it finished construction at Fondor along with one other craft that had been dubeed classified that even Ozzel did not have access to. Of course, that was not surprising. The man's arrogance and over confidence often portrayed why Lord Vader showed such a keen disliking of the man.

The Executor, even after weeks of being seen by the admiral, still casted an elusive awe over his very presence, and he vowed that one day he too would be allowed to command one of his very own. That is...if the design survived the war. Apparently that specific model had had severe modifications for the specific appeasal of the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Shields up," Captain Eerial suddenly said to the helmsman. He looked back at the admiral, seeking his calm, smoothe face for disapproval. He found none. The Star Destroyer's deflector shields immediately charged themselves to full, and the turbolasers lay primed. Eerial turned to face the admiral and saluted briskly. "Sir, fleet is in position, orders?"

"Stay ready," he said smoothely, resting back in his command chair, focusing now on the stars beyond the ice ball of Hoth. "The rebels know we're here."

"Sir how could they-"

"Enemy planetary shield online sir," the tactical officer reported from the strategic hologlobe of the planet. Fearsons, despite his current enemy's advantage, eased a smile over his lips.

Through the limited Force training that Vader and the emperor had taught him, he suddenly felt a flash of anger, then pain, then release. Lord Vader too had noticed the energy shield's activation.

"Prepare to move to the port side of the planet and focus all turbolaser batteries fore. Arc should be at twenty degrees downward, broad side focus," he gave out the orders as if the battle had already begun. Perhaps it had. Seeing as the AT-STs were already being loaded out of the Garret's hangar bay.

But even if the first shot had not been fired, the admiral was still living in his own world of war, where he was calculating every possible feature of the upcoming conflict with the Rebel Alliance.

"Shield opening," the tactical officer said suddenly, and Fearsons looked up slightly. He gazed outward toward the planet and smiled tightly to himself. Over the comm unit, which was stationed to the right of the command chair, an uplink came up from the Garret.

"First transport moving into position sir."

"Excellent, our first catch of the day," Captain Jeerard of the Garret gloated over the comms. Admiral Fearsons really had to wonder what Vader saw in him to put him in command of the Garret. Afterall, he was arrogant, selfish, and usually a poor tactician, using Admiral Fearsons as a crutch most of the time.

"Captain I'd advise you moved your Star Destroyer twelve degrees port side," Fearsons advised back through the commlink. There was a slight snort.

"With all due respect sir, we intend to get the first kill."

Fearsons bit his bottom lip as the three golden blasts tore from the planet just ahead of the Gallorfree and two X-Wings. The blasts collided into the Star Destroyer, no doubt jamming and scrambling their systems.

"I warned you."

Unfortunately the task force was not properly set up to repel the refugees, and they managed to sneak past the first portion of the blockade. Though the captain was snarling, the admiral kept his head cool and watched straight out the viewport.

"Sir," Captain Eerial said suddenly, "urgent message from the Executor."

"Patch it through."

"Encrypting now sir."

The life size holo of Captain Piett then flickered to life ahead of Fearsons's command chair. He stroked his jaw as he peered at the distorted picture, his gleaming scarlets eyes posturing the man's body as if examining for something. Then he saw the change: a new rank bar. Piett was wearing an admiral's bar and collar.

"Greetings Captain Piett," he said calmly...smoothely.

"That would be admiral now," he said in his crisp, clean Imperial accent. "After the late Admiral Ozzel." So that explained why he felt the sudden surge of pain from the Executor, Vader had caused him to pay for his incompetence.

"I apologize sir," he said, rising from his seat to stand at attention. The bar was correct, rear admiral then, one step higher than vice. "How may I serve the Empire?"

"Lord Vader has requested that the Disrupter fall to Echo One Nine and prepare for enemy evacuation attempts. Be ready to pull in rebels via-tractor beam," the newly promoted admiral explained.

"Yes sir, as you wish."

"And please...do not fail me," Piett said, his voice almost pleading. With that, the image faded and disappeared.

"Interesting...prepare to head to the new coordinates," Fearsons said, finding his spot back in his seat and gazing around the bridge. "This rebel stronghold has no hope of escape."

What was left of the enemy Gallorfree spat fireballs into its last moments of combustion, and in the end turned into nothing more than a crisp, burned out shell of what it once was. Admiral Fearsons turned a scintillating grin past Captian Eerial, whom also seemed to be smirking in his apparent delight, watching as the X-Wings tried frantically to dodge the far more manueverable TIE interceptors that were pursuing them. Needless to say, they did not make it.

What was left of S-foils spun around through the vaccuum of space, finally finding their end at the hands of further fiery explosions. The turbolaser gunners had done their job superbly, and Admiral Fearsons counted fifteen captured Gallorfrees and four destroyed. Unfortunately nine had managed to slip past his task force alone.

"One more coming up sir," Eerial said suddenly, and Fearsons rose from his seat. "Pardon sir, two incoming."

They were going to try to guard two medium transports at a time with only two X-Wings? Now the rebels were getting desperate.

"See if you can get an ID on the Gallorfrees before taking them down," he ordered as the TIE interceptors began making their rounds at the fighters. Captain Eerial acknowledged and turned to the comm unit.

"Gamma Six, break off and inspect the transports, respond with details," he ordered crisply with all the military discipline that came from Imperial training.

"Roger sir," the pilot stated, his voice neutral over the pilot helmet's inertial compensator and life support. The TIE broke off from the squadron, corkscrewing to avoid the sudden wave of red laser fire from the X-Wings. As he dodged he spun past the first medium transport and the cargo flashed over the data screens. T-47s...service speeders? Of course, from what the admiral understood, those T-47s were giving the AT-ATs a handful on the surface. Someone down there deserved an accomodation.

But the second Gallorfree won the admiral's attention without thought or hesitation. General Rieekan was aboard that transport.

"Focus all ion cannons on that second transport," he ordered suddenly. "Lock with tractor beam, do not hesitate, but do not destroy it."

There was a sudden silence to the admiral as the turbolasers exitted their confines within the batteries and pounded at the first Gallorfree. Meanwhile the ion cannons spat their blue ionic light at Rieekan's escape craft, the first two easily knocking out shields and sublight drives, the next two knocking out repulsors, and then finally the last four threw the ship into a complete disabled mess. Similar to the way they had left the Garret.

The tractor beams angled in like a hook on a fish, reeling the prize in slowly. Admiral Fearsons was slightly amused at how similar Captain Jeerard's and General Rieekan's fates were so alike. The KDY-150 had knocked out the shields and systems of the Garret, and now he was about to face the wrath of Lord Vader for allowing so many craft to escape. Meanwhile, General Rieekan's craft had been disabled and was now being boarded, no doubt Vader was going to probe him for as much information as he could before finally finishing the job that could not be completed at the battle.

With a resounding pop another X-Wing blew into oblivion, and the Gallorfree then locked into the Imperial Star Destroyer's hangar bay, where no doubt the stormtroopers below were readying themselves to board, capture, and seize the ship, taking Rieekan straight to the admiral before locking him into his cell within the detention centers.

"Take command Eerial, I would like to see Rieekan face to face."


*****************************************************


It was a stignant reminder of just how powerful the Empire was to General Rieekan as he sat, awaiting his fate aboard his personal Gallorfree. The transport was supposed to take him off and get him past the Disrupter, and then flee to the hyper buoy just near the Executor. Once there they would realign with the fleet near the Tingle Arm and prepare for their meeting at Sollust.

But no, the great military tactician had been thwarted simply by a few ion cannon shots and a lucky admiral. He had to wonder just how much he was going to be worth to Darth Vader, how much the admiral's buget was going to profit from his pain and death.

"They're getting ready to board," one of the infantry assigned to guarding the general reported, taking up a position near the main door that led to the cargo hold, which had been converted to a "luxuary" quarter. In all reality it simply had a couch and a holofeed with access to the overall fleet. Something that would have to be destroyed when the Empire boarded the craft.

There were a few clicks as the safeties were removed from the blasters amongst the nine guardsmen around the room. The plan was going to have to be initiated...and soon. There would be little hope to escape if the Empire would manage to completely seize Rieekan and immobilize him.

Cooperate with them at all costs he told himself with an exhalation of breath. Despite the many times he himself had been in combat, never could anyone go into it without fully suffering the effects of fear and worry. The adrenaline coursed through his veins, a highway of excitement and fear rushing through his body.

There were a few exchanges of laser fire ahead of the door, and it was then known that the stormtroopers were aboard the ship, and were no doubt decimating the few persons who had set up static defense before the command chamber.

Finally, the door hissed open, and the infantry inside let loose a sudden chain of red-gold laser fire on the enemies beyond, and the glimmer of fire where the blaster had hit in the shiney white armor of the Empire's shock troopers. There was a quick exchange of gunfire before the surviving six guardsmen threw down their weapons...and surrendred.

This was quite obviously a fight they could not win. Their power packs were already half empty from the escape of Hoth, and the Empire had a seemingly endless supply of stormtroopers to throw into the transport after him.

"There is no need to fight, I surrender," Rieekan said firmly, rising from his seat and trying to stop the shuddering in his hands. The glossy black of the stormtroopers' eyes stared back at him...piercing his very soul.

"Come with us," the first said. And that was that...General Rieekan had just been taken prisoner.

The sight of the infamous General Rieekan being brought before the admiral in stun cuffs was enough to bring a smile to the man's expression as he walked down the empty space of the hangar bay. His black boots softly clicked and tapped as they pecked the durasteel from his steps. The stormtroopers around him did not flinch, and their perfect coordinated formations showed the true extent of Imperial training.

Rieekan however was looking gloom, unlike the other senior military officers around him. He was held by his forearms by two heavily armed stormtroopers, sporting E-21 Light Repeating Rifles rather than the typical E-11s, Admiral Fearsons was not interested in letting his most enticing prey elude him.

"So General Rieekan," he said in an aluring voice. The general looked up at him with weary eyes, showing the exhaustion he must be feeling from the battle on the surface. Recent reports had just shown that General Veers had completely routed the Rebel presence there and they were now pursuing what was left toward the asteroid belt around the planet. "It is an honor to have you as a guest aboard the Star Destroyer Disruptor."

Rieekan turned an icy glare on the red eyed admiral, but did not reveal any other signs of disrespect. He inhaled sharply and sighed. "I suppose all guests get the luxuary of an Imperial interrogation?" he asked rhetorically. The admiral was amused.

"Take him to his chambers, see that he does not escape," Fearsons warned, and thus the general was off. What a delightful gift to turn over to Lord Vader he thought to himself.

He then turned on an about face and made off for the turbolift back upward of the ship. However something caught his attention...something like a movement. A flicker in the Force. He spun immediately and saw the one Rebel officer staring right back him from under the ship. He gulped and took off as fast as he could in the opposite direction, meanwhile the Imperial could fully sense the fear in the man. But there was something more than fear...there was...hope...hope and selflessness.

"Stop him!" he yelled, lifting one arm, stretching the grey material on his shirt. The stormtroopers were quick to respond...but not quick enough. What was once General Rieekan's escape craft incinerated in a blurring ball of flames, the shockwave of the explosion throwing those around it off their feet.

He reached for his blaster at his side that he always carried in cases of emergancies, but already the man lay dead on the floor from numerous blaster shots to the body. Interesting.

"Stop that prisoner," the radio-like voice of a stormtrooper suddenly called, and Fearsons spun on his heels to see Rieekan making a mad dash for one of the escape pods. The DH-17 at his side was drawn and already took two frantic shots at the fleeing general, but it was too late, despite the several shots flung out by the stormtroopers, he managed to climb into one of the escape pods and was already at the countdown.

"Let him go," Fearsons warned, just as the pod initiated its rockets and shot out from the Star Destroyer. The frustration level had suddenly gotten high within the Disruptor, but it was ok, they would get him later. And what Vader did not know would not hurt him.

A sudden bleep on his belt however ended his train of thought. His comm link. He reached down, grabbed it, and flicked it on. "Admiral Fearsons," he said calmly.

"Admiral, priority signal from the Executor," Captain Eerial's voice sputtered over the commlink.

"Roger, I am on my way," Fearsons said and clicked off the comm link. With this he quickened his pace for the turbolift. Vader was not one to ignore.


*****************************************************


Fearsons's eyebrow lifted to the hologram of the dark robed figure. Darth Vader wanted to pull in the Disruptor just to hunt down one YT-1300 freighter? There had better be something extremely important aboard that ship.

"Yes my lord...may I ask the cargo of the ship then?" he asked quietly, almost worried about the Dark Lord's response.

"That is of no concern to you, Admiral," he said sternly. Admiral Fearsons gulped slightly.

"Yes my lord," he said and bowed. The hologram faded out and he looked back to Eerial. "All power to the engines and turbolasers...one freighter cannot do much to a Star Destroyer, shields or not."

"Yes sir," Eerial responded and turned off to relay the orders.

"Now..." he trailed off as he sat back kosherly in his command chair, gazing out of the forward viewport as the freighter came solidly into view. The Milennium Falcon. Green turbolasers immediately spat from the batteries amongst the Star Destroyer, but the pilot was definitely better than any typical one. He spun in a quick corkscrew before dropping and heading straight between two TIE fighters trying to cut it off.

Fearsons had to wonder...why did the name Milennium Falcon sound so familiar to him? It was extremely frustrating with the memory lingering on the tip of his mind and still he had no idea why it brought up such memories.

"Bring the TIE interceptors around on a cut off vector on his right flank, we need to cut him off," he ordered calmly, but a hint of frustration seeped up into his voice as well as his expression. Captain Eerial looked down at his admiral and gulped down slightly, he was so focused...so determined on the battle.

Facing back out on the chase, when the starfighters attempted their cut off, the freighter simply did another corkscrew and dove, then pulled up and did a quick loop. Two of the TIEs pursuing rammed into each other without even a second thought.

"He is good..." Admiral Fearsons commented slightly. But he was cut off by another bleeping of an incoming communique. "See who it is."

"It's Admiral Piett sir," Captian Eerial commented with a quick pinge of curiousity in his tone. "Should I patch it through?"

"Do so quickly," Fearsons ordered. His red eyes went wide suddenly as the YT-1300 skipped past an Imperial Star Destroyer's bridge, then evaded its lasers completely, and watched as two of which nearly collided, the third pulling off starboard as quickly as it could to avoid the jumble.

"Admiral Fearsons?" he heard from a familiar Imperial accented tone. He turned to the audio station near the command chair.

"Yes Admiral Piett?" he asked.

"I regret to inform you'll need to break off," Piett explained hesitantly.

"Oh? For what reason?"

"One of our outposts on the edge of the Varonat system is under attack...it needs your assitance immediately."

Fearsonsn thought suddenly and gazed straight ahead. Something was wrong.

"Rebels?"

"Yes Admiral."

How had they regrouped so fast? Was it possible?

"Yes Admiral," he echoed and turned back to Captain Eerial. "Break off the attack and set course for Platform DL-44, we need to go see what the Rebels are up to."