<font color=maroon>It was better this way, he thought. What with Cryonics Industries monopolizing the Tibanna Gas Industry, it was only a matter of time before the Empire in turn halted their shipments to the Galactic Defence Initiative.
But then, Dxun Isstal had a backup plan for everything. And one of those backup plans included a sudden Imperial betrayal and loss of Tibanna Gas shipments. Certainly the lack of Bacta would hurt them, but that particular substance was attainable on the Black Market, and there was no lack of smaller, Bacta-producing outposts outside Thyferra. Yes, the loss of Bacta would hurt. But it wouldn’t cripple the Initiative.
“Captain, sir. We’re coming up on Taloraan now.” Captain Wai Soun, of the cruiser Defiance nodded. The ship, its escorts and transports in tow, dropped out of hyperspace. Halfway across the galaxy, Wai knew, a similar force would be mining the asteroid fields of Tava Yagen for something or other. It all had to do with this knew war. As the gas giant of Taloraan came into view, Captain Soun smiled.
“Commander, you are free to begin. Launch the transports and begin.” The other man saluted smartly and left the bridge, followed by two men who wore the insignias of ensigns.
Within moments transports and freighters were leaving the cruiser, spreading out among the floating platforms that stored Taloraan’s Tibanna Gas. Several dozen such platforms were maintained by an old firm that had worked out of Taloraan, but Rogue Imperial and Yuuzhan Vong activity had all but destroyed them. The platforms were empty now, but each still carried a full load of Tibanna gas. The Yuuzhan Vong who had tried to destroy them had lost several ships to the mammoth explosions as the gas ignited atmosphere laden with that same gas.
Now that Tibanna was being dragged aboard the waiting cruiser, which maintained its position inside the system with a wary eye open for enemy ships. Were it necessary, the ship could fight past almost any one ship their opponents were likely to throw at them, but their escorts had no such guarantee. They had to be very, very careful.
“Sir, we’ve captured all the platforms. We’re now moving on to the floating city to check for additional supplies.” Wai was silent a moment, considering that course of action. The city was likely to have a large amount of additional Tibanna, but if they were caught there when an enemy cruiser showed up they’d probably all be dead.
“Negative, Commander. We play it safe. If the Supreme Commander wants a further increase, we’ll have to bring in something further.”
“As ordered, Captain.”
Within the hour all the Tibanna gas was loaded aboard the cruiser and the few transports that accompanied it, and the fleet leapt into hyperspace. A war was to be fought, and the Galactic Defence Initiative would not be caught without the resources to fight that war.
But then, Dxun Isstal had a backup plan for everything. And one of those backup plans included a sudden Imperial betrayal and loss of Tibanna Gas shipments. Certainly the lack of Bacta would hurt them, but that particular substance was attainable on the Black Market, and there was no lack of smaller, Bacta-producing outposts outside Thyferra. Yes, the loss of Bacta would hurt. But it wouldn’t cripple the Initiative.
“Captain, sir. We’re coming up on Taloraan now.” Captain Wai Soun, of the cruiser Defiance nodded. The ship, its escorts and transports in tow, dropped out of hyperspace. Halfway across the galaxy, Wai knew, a similar force would be mining the asteroid fields of Tava Yagen for something or other. It all had to do with this knew war. As the gas giant of Taloraan came into view, Captain Soun smiled.
“Commander, you are free to begin. Launch the transports and begin.” The other man saluted smartly and left the bridge, followed by two men who wore the insignias of ensigns.
Within moments transports and freighters were leaving the cruiser, spreading out among the floating platforms that stored Taloraan’s Tibanna Gas. Several dozen such platforms were maintained by an old firm that had worked out of Taloraan, but Rogue Imperial and Yuuzhan Vong activity had all but destroyed them. The platforms were empty now, but each still carried a full load of Tibanna gas. The Yuuzhan Vong who had tried to destroy them had lost several ships to the mammoth explosions as the gas ignited atmosphere laden with that same gas.
Now that Tibanna was being dragged aboard the waiting cruiser, which maintained its position inside the system with a wary eye open for enemy ships. Were it necessary, the ship could fight past almost any one ship their opponents were likely to throw at them, but their escorts had no such guarantee. They had to be very, very careful.
“Sir, we’ve captured all the platforms. We’re now moving on to the floating city to check for additional supplies.” Wai was silent a moment, considering that course of action. The city was likely to have a large amount of additional Tibanna, but if they were caught there when an enemy cruiser showed up they’d probably all be dead.
“Negative, Commander. We play it safe. If the Supreme Commander wants a further increase, we’ll have to bring in something further.”
“As ordered, Captain.”
Within the hour all the Tibanna gas was loaded aboard the cruiser and the few transports that accompanied it, and the fleet leapt into hyperspace. A war was to be fought, and the Galactic Defence Initiative would not be caught without the resources to fight that war.