3 Months before GC Declaration of War

Trachta sat quietly in his garden office at the top of the central operations tower that oversaw all operations on the thousands of automated factories on Mechis III. He listened quietly to the rippling water as he sat at his desk, gazing at the pieces of information displayed before him on his computer screen. He'd been busy for a while but now he was working on a pet project. The Empire had ships vanish every once in a while. So far though, every ship had been accounted for, whether in the hands of some group of rogues or in pieces. Some had been successfully recovered, but not too often. Now, as he ran down the list, something came suddenly made his eyes jump to four lines, each after the other. What really made his blood run cold was the fact that all four ships were Imperial Star Destroyers and they had all gone missing at the exact same time.

That’s not possible

Trachta just stared at the four names for a moment as he considered what he had found. He couldn’t believe no one else had brought this up.

Or perhaps they had?

If that was possible, why hadn’t anyone investigated this situation? No one in the whole Empire was seriously that brain dead, were they? Four fully operational Imperator-Class Star Destroyers were still missing with no sign of their reappearance ever since they had gone missing.

But why? Why has no one noticed it?

Trachta looked at the names coldly and then tried to dig deeper only to find their access locked out by some high ranking Imperial official. As he continued to probe it, he began to get immensely annoyed as more and more blocks came up and he was forced to override them with more and more ISB override codes. Soon, a name came before him and Trachta just sat there dumbfounded for a moment.

“What!” Trachta bellowed, his cool shattering and his metallic voice sounding all the more inhuman than ever as if some horrid creature from someone’s nightmares or some sithlord’s creation from the great wars long before the Old Republic had suddenly materialized in his office.

The name before him brought forth a wave of thoughts dating back to the times of true stupidity within the Empire. He couldn’t even believe it at first and tried to dig deeper, soon realizing that there were very few besides a Grand Moff who could lock up this secret good enough to keep it from being brought up by the Empire’s automated sorting systems. Trachta clenched and unclenched his gloved fists for a moment, the servomotors in them whirring slightly. Within moments the disgustingly sycophantic 3D-4X arrived.

“Most gracious lord, is there a prob….. ERK!”

The droid’s body stood there for a moment, the place where its head had originally been now empty with a neck that had sparks flying out of it. Trachta stood at his desk, blaster pistol still leveled directly where the droid’s head had been, the barrel smoking from the energy release. Trachta then calmly lowered the blaster and holstered it. He then promptly walked around the desk towards the droid’s still standing body, its gyroscopic systems maintaining its last stance before its current decapitation. Trachta looked down at the severed head, its photoceptor still glowing brightly.

“Let this be a lesson; never enter my chambers unannounced,” Trachta said as he walked up to the headless body and extended his right gloved hand. He promptly nudged the droid with his index finger and watched it suddenly fall to the ground.

“Stupid droid,” Trachta said mercilessly as he walked back to his desk and promptly summoned some maintenance droids to take the body and head away to have them reattached to one another.

Soon Trachta dug as deeply as he could into every file he had on the man that had suddenly become the subject of his investigative fascination. He kept on digging, finding everything he could that this man had graced with his support or presence. He had done something with those Star Destroyers and Trachta was hell-bent on finding out just what it was. He had to know where four of the Empire’s main vessels of warfare had vanished off to along with why they hadn’t been heard from for so long. As Trachta continued to dig, he cursed the automated portion of the bureaucracy. Most droids and computers in that area obeyed and relayed orders without question. Something was not right within the annals of the bureaucracy and Trachta planned on finding out what. As he did so he found some other bits and pieces of other things linked to some of the Empire’s higher ranking officials which he stored away in his personal files for later use in any powerplays he might make within the Empire.

My time will come, oh yes, but not right now

Trachta continued to bore onwards trying to figure out just what all this man had done while he had served within not only the Galactic Empire, but also the Old Republic. He had quite a service record, including the deaths of a large number of Ghorman protestors by literally landing his Carrack cruiser right on top of them. Trachta looked at that information and remembered learning of it during his days at the academy. It had been called the Ghorman Massacre. It was the first act that would lead to this man’s further actions as he tried to instill his doctrine within the New Order and the Galactic Empire it ruled. Trachta hadn’t understood then why someone would do what this man had done, but now he knew perfectly.

“Rule not by force, but rather the fear of force”

Trachta sometimes used that as he personal mantra when dealing with the more difficult citizens of the Empire, especially those of the criminal variety. That group he knew especially how to deal with due to his earlier parts of his life. Before…….; before they stripped him of his humanity for good. Trachta looked at his screen, mentally glaring at in concentration as he considered his options. For now though, he just stared at the name of the man who was causing him so much trouble, even though he was now long dead.

Wilhuf Tarkin

Trachta paced quietly around his chambers as he considered his options of what to do with this find he had. He knew couldn’t mention it to many because then Imperial Intelligence would most likely try to dig its claws into it and the last thing he needed was for that witch, Ysanne Isard, to be involved.

Ice Heart

Trachta muttered as that woman’s famed nickname entered his mind at the thought of her. He viewed her as an internal enemy because she was dangerous. She knew too much for her own good and would happily use it to get control over almost anyone. The only people she probably couldn’t touch were the Regent and the Grand Marshal. However, she wasn’t just an internal enemy, she and Imperial Intelligence were the civilian counterpart of the Imperial Security Bureau, which retained its power through being a major division of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR). This made them the rival of the ISB as well as forcing the Imperial Security Bureau to be the clean up crew for any major acts committed by Intelligence as well as some of the more trigger happy members of the Empire’s military who were always being watched by the ISB.

How am I to find these ships? Will they still be there when I find them? Would this all be for nothing?

These questions raced through Trachta’s mind as he decided upon what to do about the situation. Trachta then considered something that kept lingering at the back of his mind; Imperial History. Why did that keep coming to mind as he wondered what happened to these vessels? Why? What happened to them and why did their names start to sound more familiar? Trachta sat quietly considering this as he suddenly opened his files and looked up the ship names and who was their commander. As he read into them he started to remember why those ships sounded so familiar. They were part of an incident involving the disappearance of one Admiral Daala.

Daala?

Trachta just looked at the name and the picture in the profile. Daala was still quite young compared to many Imperial officers and was probably the first female to hold such a powerful position before Bhindi Drayson and her Demothesians were brought into the fold. Trachta then brought up files that only Emperor Palpatine was supposed to have had access to before he died at Endor and then his reborn form died again. After those lapses in life, the Empire had been adrift only for a small time before the New Order was brought about again. Now they had the Regent, but Admiral Daala hadn’t resurfaced since then. Trachta realized now that he had some work to do to start tracing these missing ships and also one of the places they had been stationed at the longest. Trachta brought up Grand Moff Tarkin’s files and easily broke the file locks on them and began pouring through the Grand Moff’s most private files, seeing what he could learn. As he did so, he found a location that few in the Empire knew of and even fewer of those who knew of it spoke about it: the Maw Installation.

It was the legendary facility where the first Death Star was rumored to have been designed by the engineer, Bevel Lemelisk.

Trachta pulled up more files and soon found that Bevel Lemelisk was also MIA as well as the nefarious admiral.

I will find them, but first, I must investigate this installation and see what I can get out of it for use by the bureau.

Trachta turned towards his desk and activated the holoprojector linking him to the Mechis Cluster fleet. The man in front of him was Captain Ilyim, a man known for his staunch loyalty as well as his ambition. Trachta looked at him coldly with his red photoceptors practically digging into him with the burning intensity in the lowered light of the garden office in its nighttime setting.

“Yes sir?” Captain Ilyim asked calmly as his image stared back at Trachta unflinchingly.

“Captain, I want all of my Shrouds prepared immediately for action and have their holds ready to receive any cargo as well as have them ready to staff a good number of ISB agents and Stormtroopers. You will also have the Inquisitor ready to perform drop off and supply operations. You will receive the lists of everything within a few hours along with the necessary orders and forms to obtain everything I need. Understood, Captain?” Trachta asked.

“Yes sir,” Captain Ilyim said and bowed before his image disappeared.

Trachta promptly walked towards the desk and casually brought up his order forms and orders and soon began to write up a very long number of requirements. He would, of course, need all of it for what he was going to have to do at the Maw so that he could see what he could get out of that facility. He even considered turning it into an ISB base which might work well since it was so well hidden that no one even knew of it anymore since its secret died with one man and the only other high ranker who knew was MIA but was on Trachta’s list of people to find after this.

Yes, I will finish up Tarkin’s business. Then I will use it for my own purposes to help further the ISB. No one, not even Director Yularen will stop me from doing that.

Trachta chuckled as he considered the white haired old man who had long since clawed his way to head the Imperial Security Bureau. It was said he had originally been aboard the first Death Star with Tarkin but had been called away on when a massive uprising had occurred on Eraidu with Tarkin absent. He had been the entire time during the Battle of Yavin and so was considered a very lucky man by most standards, especially for being so old even back then. Nowadays, its was well known he used illegal life extending drugs to keep going, which Ysanne Isard was said to hold over him should she ever wish to get rid of him. Thus many people called him the Puppet of Ice Heart. He bowed to her every whim, thus keeping the ISB under the lease of its rival organization. That was something that shouldn’t be occurring and Trachta would carefully and quietly implement plans to make sure that it wasn’t as well as place himself in a much more powerful position. The Bureau would return to its days of glory without a fool at its head bowing to the whims of a domineering, power-hungry woman like Isard.

As Trachta finished those thoughts, he hit the transmit button and sent his orders to Captain Ilyim to carry out his plans so that he could begin work on locating the Maw Installation and seeing what he could get out of it. Everything was going along nicely for now and his plan would make sure no one would detect his presence until long after he had done what he had needed to. After that, he would see what he would do.

Two days later

Trachta watched quietly from the bridge of the ISD Inquisitor as the vessel cruised quietly through hyperspace along with a fair number of temporarily modified Shrouds that would be the primary vehicles of this operation. They would have to be able to pass through Kessel space, which TNO had no influence over whatsoever. Thus, the Shrouds had to be used as a constant transport system so they could move about unnoticed by Farfalen. As Trachta turned away from the void of hyperspace, he saw Captain Illyim walking towards him.

“What is it Captain?” Trachta asked calmly as he regarded the man.

“Sir, we will be arriving at Alpha Zone in two hours, would you care to inform me the full parts of this operation now?” Illyim asked in a curious tone.

“Yes, follow me,” Trachta said as he walked off the bridge and to officer’s quarters where he walled carefully around the desk and activated a holoprojector which displayed a barren lump of rock, Kessel.

“Sir, is Kessel our target?” Illyim asked curiously as he looked at the display.

“No,” Trachta said plainly as he hit a button causing Kessel to pass and be replaced by a cluster of darkness.

“The Maw; but, sir there isn’t anything there. Why is that our target for this odd operation and why did you have those shrouds readjusted as you did? They aren’t much of warship, more like stealth cargo ships.”

“There are methods to my madness, Captain,” Trachta said as he pressed a button causing the image to actually zoom into the Maw going deep enough until what was displayed made Illyim blink in disbelief.

“Sir, what is that?” Illyim asked as he pointed at a cluster of asteroids floating there, almost unaffected by the Maw.

“That, Captain, is the Maw Installation. That is our target and that is why I need the shrouds able to function as stealth cargo ships. We are going to see what is left of the staff there as well as any useful toys that might be left. After that, we’ll decide what to do with it.”

Illyim eyed the facility in the hologram as he seemed to be assessing the whole situation he was now in. He then looked at Trachta with a bit of curiosity.

“Is High Command aware of this operation?”

“No,” Trachta said as he hit a button causing the images to suddenly disappear.

Illyim looked up to find that he was staring directly into Trachta’s red photoceptors. He felt a chill run up his back as he thought Trachta might know something he wasn’t supposed to but then Trachta looked down again and pulled out a datadisc and handed it to Illyim.

“Those are your orders Captain, follow them to the word,” Trachta said, not even having to tack on or else because everyone in the Mechis Cluster knew what would happen if you didn’t follow his orders.

Captain Illyim took the orders and exited the quarters with a bow. Trachta watched him leave and then silently chuckled to himself at Illyim’s efforts to keep Trachta from finding out he had been dispatched to the Mechis Cluster on direct orders from Ysanne Isard. Trachta knew, and he knew more than just that. He also happened to know that Illyim was a deep cover agent, a watcher, dispatched to keep an eye on his activities since Trachta had begun using his worlds to train and house ISB operations. Trachta knew that would draw suspicion since not even Imperial Intelligence did that, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the ISB asserted its power and kept the Empire safe from spies and traitors, no matter the cost. Trachta turned towards the projector and reactivated the system and peered determinedly at the Maw Installation.

It’s been so long, can there be anyone left there?

Trachta zoomed in even closer on the projection; the last one made before the Empire had completely forgotten about the facility and abandoned anyone there, including any troops. That left the fact that Trachta planned on only using ISB agents during this operation because stormtroopers talk, and tend to talk a good bit after a few drinks at any local cantina where there could likely be an enemy informant. Trachta then brought up his plans and looked over them quietly as the ships cruised through hyperspace towards the base point where the Inquisitor would remain while the Shrouds moved in and began their work emptying the station of any remaining personnel or resources as well as data that the Empire might be able to employ later. Trachta personally planned on taking any of the remaining scientists and putting to work in laboratories he planned on setting up on Mechis III. It would keep them completely isolate since the entire planet was solely by Trachta and the droids under his command. It was the only world in the entire cluster that he knew he had total control over.

Two Hours Later

Trachta stood on the bridge of the lead Shroud cruiser and looked at its Captain, who happened to be a member of the ISB along with the entire crew of his ship and the rest of the Shrouds. Trachta was taking no chances with this operation since if it proved fruitless he didn’t wish to be in trouble with the High Command, even if he was using his own resources to carry out this operation. He also didn’t wish for Director Yularen to find out since that old fool would probably relay it to Isard.

“Begin operation,” Trachta ordered sternly as he crossed his hands behind him back.

The Captain of the Shroud nodded and then issued the order to he others as they activated their cloaks and moved away form the Inquisitor and made their way into the Kessel system and Farfalen space. The journey was a bit long and tedious, but Trachta was a patient man. You had to be patient when you relied on machinery to provide you with sight and the necessary air to breath. Trachta’s patience paid off as the Shrouds easily passed through Farfalen’s space without detection and entered the Maw. Soon, Trachta was looking at the compound that he had been working so carefully towards getting to.

“Transmit security override codes. Prepare all boarding parties,” Trachta said calmly as he watched as the first Shrouds approached.

The Maw Installation’s automated defense arrays were following them very closely until they suddenly went dead, indicating that the security override codes had been correct. Then within moments the first Shrouds were docking and Trachta listened to the closed military frequency as they ISB troops entered the facility to check for anyone left.

“Entry zone, check; Move it, move it.”

“Sir, this door’s been jammed.”

“Breach.”

BANG

“Move in, stun anything that seems hostile.”

“Sir, we’ve found someone.”

“Detain them for the Commodore.”

“Yes sir.’

Rustling sounds became audible as the troops move further on in silence.

“Sir, I’ve spotted movement.”

“You have you orders.”

“Yes sir.”

More rustling and voices as one of them men doesn’t use their com unit. It sound like he is talking to someone he may have found. There are a few moments of silence.

“Sir, we’ve found the officer who has apparently taken charge since the abandonment of the facility.”

“Excellent, hold him for debriefing.”

“Yes sir.”

Several Hours Later

Trachta looked down at a list of what had been found in both the labs as well as the computer files. He then looked up at the two men sitting before him. One was a soft looking man who was the standing chief scientist of the installation after Tol Sivron’s death. The other was a large harsh looking stormtrooper captain who had taken command after the disappearance of Admiral Daala and any other person with high rank status.

“So…. Captain Ardiv, I understand you’ve been running the installation since the disappearance of the higher ranking offers.”

“Yes sir, I took control of the station’s military operations in the absence of any other leadership.”

“Very intuitive of you,” Trachta said as he laid the list down and looked at the other man.

“And what of you, mister Yon?” Trachta asked the chief scientist.

“We’ve been running some projects, but with the cut off from Imperial High Command, we didn’t really have any direction to go into. Also we’ve lost a good number of our scientists including Bevel Lemelisk and Qui Xux. Director Sivron died when the prototype was sucked into a black hole.”

“Prototype?” Trachta asked curiously.

“The Death Star prototype,” Yon said matter-of-factly.

“Was the super laser functioning?” Trachta asked as he walked towards Yon.

“Yes, that is the only reason we built the damn thing. We were testing Lemelisk’s hammer tong theory. It proved correct, so Tarkin took him away and we haven’t seen him since. Then there was the force user incident where we lost Admiral Daala, the Sun Crusher, and Qui Xux. That is where we also lost the prototype.”

Trachta’s right hand squeezed into a fist, and if he wasn’t wearing gloves, both men would have noticed that he was squeezing so tight that his knuckles where even paler than his pale skin tone.

They were here! I could have had weapons of such amazing power at my disposal!

“Thank you, gentlemen, you are dismissed,” Trachta said, his mechanical voice trembling slightly as he tried to control the fury that seemed to be trying to overwhelm him at that revelation.

Both men stood up and bowed before leaving the chamber, leaving Trachta alone and the minute the door closed Trachta slammed both gloved fists onto the table and fell into a seat behind him. He then tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling.

The universe seems to enjoy tormenting me

Trachta’s body moved in a silent sigh as he looked back down and slowly stood up, taking a moment to readjust his uniform. He then turned towards the door and exited, making his way towards the bridge. As he walked onto the bridge he watched and listened as the Shrouds came and went in an basic convoy system, though cloaked. Anything that wasn’t bolted down was being taken from the installation and that included all weapon and technology designs that might be able to be used at a later time.

“Commander Grumel, I have a special assignment for you,” Trachta said as he turned towards one of his elite ISB operatives standing to the side

Four Days Later

Trachta watched as his Shroud, along with the other made their way back towards the ISD Inquisitor to make the final docking since they had finished stripping the Maw Installation clean of anything Imperial, including codes and programs. After that, they had left the facility in tact, but completely wiped the computer cores. Well…. all the computer cores except for one which only appeared to be wiped. That one was the one Trachta had had Commander Grumel install. It was a nasty Trojan horse system that would permit the ISB to keep a permanent eye on the installation, especially for what Trachta planned to do with it.

Several Minutes Later

Trachta was soon on the bridge of the Inquisitor and looking over the computer logs to make sure they had gotten everything. Now he needed to deal with two things. The first he would deal with right now.

“Captain Illyim, walk with me please,” Trachta said calmly as he turned and started to exit the bridge.

Captain Illyim followed quickly and soon they were walking down the corridors of the Inquisitor. Officers and other personnel were quick to step aside at the sight of the two primary officers of the ship. Soon, they entered the less watched portions of the ship where Trachta slowed.

“Why have we come so deep into the ship, sir?” Illyim asked curiously.

He found his answer as Trachta turned, his blaster pistol in hand. With a flash of light Trachta vaporized Illyim’s right knee cap, causing him to fall to the floor. Illyim let out a yell of pain as he reached for his comlink, only to find Trachta ripping it out of his hand. He now looked up at Trachta.

“You know, for an Imperial Intelligence agent, you aren’t living up to the intelligence part,” Trachta said, his mechanical tones cold and mocking.

“What? I’m not…. AHHHHH!” Illyim let out a scream as Trachta vaporized his other knee cap.

“Don’t lie to me, Special Agent Illyim; Imperial Intelligence ID code 345-1. I’ve known who you were from the beginning. That @#%$, Isard, thinks she can get a leash on me. Well, she is going to be in for surprise. I’m no one’s puppet and when my time comes, I’ll be the one on top. I’m afraid though that you won’t be around to see that. I can’t have you reporting my actions here now, can I?”

With that, Trachta raised his pistol and shot Illyim directly in the head. Trachta watched as Illyim slammed against the wall and slid down it, a smoking whole in his head. Trachta then activated his comlink and summoned some of his more loyal men. Commander Grumel and three other ISB agents soon arrived.

“Make it look like the Captain was in power conduit accident, I want no evidence he was liquidated. Also, clear out his chambers and inspect everything in case the @#%$ already recorded my actions. If you find any information or device like that, dispose of it.”

The men bowed and watched as Trachta turned and walked away. As Trachta did so, he pulled out his own comlink.

“This is Commodore Trachta, prepare my personal shuttle for me. I have some business to attend to.”

Soon, Trachta was in the docking bay where a Lambda-class shuttle was waiting for him. A pair of ISB pilots stood at attention waiting for him.

“Where are we going, sir?”

“Kessel.”

With that single word and several minutes of going through launch clearance, Trachta’s shuttle made its way towards the Farfalen owned world that dominated the drug world with its glitterstim spice. Trachta intended on making some deals to make an even greater gain out of his actions so far.

“Farfalen space forces, this is Imperial Shuttle Constantine, we are requesting permission to land on Kessel. We are baring an emissary of the New Order.”

At Kessel, for the more recent seemingly forever amount of time, Farfalen forces stationed on the maroon landscape of Kessel, had been more active then Nerfs at the trough. Less than five thousand men were stationed on Kessel, all of them some of the most hardcore men alive.

"Well, they've been in their for quite some time." Remarked base commander Colonel Eir Mhir, he was a tall man, with his sharp features. His skin was a darker shade than most and his hair was thick, oily, and curly. He had been in the service long and finally got one of the best posts in all of Farfalen, command of a planet, even though the planet in all its size held a miniscule task force strong enough to run the planetary defenses and ward off attackers, all in the name of protection of the most valuable spice mines.

"So, what will we do then?" Piped up a fellow officer named Van Jgor. Jgor was wrapped in a pallor, that accented his stark white hair. He had achieved the rank of Commander from the starfighter corps. A rarity in this day and age as snubfighters were lacking in the fleet.

"Well, I'm thinking about sending the Verick and the Natalia to investiage." Colonel Mhir was talking about the two new ships that had recently been constructed. The Kessel class picket ship was designed for specific use in the Kessel region. A small, fast ship, that can pack a punch to deal law and order out in the smuggler infested sector of space.

Just as the men spoke, the Imperial shuttle identified as the Constantine decided to rear its shiney head and asked for clearance. Naturally of course, it was granted, a guard of forty-eight men as well as both Mhir and Jgor headed to meet the Diplomat on the Tarmac.

The shuttle touched down gracefully, its wings bending upwards into their landing position. With a low hiss and a whirring hum, the landing ramp lowered. Within moments, Trachta was walking down the platform and stood before the Colonel.

"Good day gentlemen, I believe I have some information that Farfalen might be interested in having," Trachta said as he mentally smiled to himself.

Colonel Mhir looked at the representative from the New Order. "Well, lets hear it?"

Trachta reached inside his uniform and pulled at small hand held holoprojector out of his internal compartment. He produced it and held it at eye level where he then clicks its activator with his thumb. An image soon shimmered into view of large asteroid complex.

"The location of a facility called the Maw Installation..."

"And what exactly do you want in return?"

"Perhaps some information that is worth the location of one of the Empire's greatest secrets," Trachta said as temptingly as he could with his vocabulator.

The Colonel takes out a data pad, showing the Imperial officer a planet and some information on it. The Imperial smiled, and the two made finished their barter.