The Gorgon's last stand...

The blue mist of hyperspace surrounded the Imperial-class Star Destroyer
Gorgon as she travelled through it, her once ivory hull was scarred by
laser damage and her armour pealed where the Cauldron Nebula’s supernova 
engaged her in a deadly race which destroyed the Basilisk. On the bridge,
Admiral Daala stood at the observation point. Her uniform managed to be in
immaculate condition with her rank insignia shining , her long copper mane
hung over her right shoulder neatly. Her emerald eyes were sunken into the
grey pits that surrounded them, the signs of fatigue fought for control of
her expression.
"Admiral?" Commander Kratas was at her side.
She snapped upright and spun around on her heels and tried to smile weakly,
but she couldn't, defeat and failure ate away at her confidence, the
screams of the dead affected her conscience.
"Yes, Commander?"
Kratas had been rallying the troops for the past few days and leading by
example, she didn't know where she would be without him.
"May I have permission to speak freely?"
"Certainly, I value your opinion."
"Admiral, you have been working on the bridge, very hard, since the
Basilisk was destroyed six days ago. I' d like to suggest that you get some
sleep."
She shuddered, when she slept the ghosts of the dead came back to haunt her 
and the spectre of  Tarkin would scorn her for her failure. Kratas noticed
her shudder he wanted to hold her and make her feel OK and secure, however 
his professional manner stopped him, but it couldn't stop the look of
concern spread across his face. 
"Admiral, if you don't rest soon, you will place yourself and the rest of
the crew in jeopardy, I'm not speaking as your subordinate but as your
friend."
She touched his arm, "Commander, you are a good man," her voice hardened and
raised in volume so the crew could hear. "But without me here, who will
command the ship?"
"I can do that, hyperspace travel is pretty standard, I can call you if
anything major happens."
She thought for a moment as she realised she was exceedingly tired and
nodded feebly. "All right Commander, for the next six hours the bridge is
yours." she lowered her head and began to walk away down the causeway.
"Admiral...Sweet dreams." Kratas said softly after her.
She spun around and smiled softly, for the first time in days., Kratas
stared after her and closed his eyes in thought.
"Sir." A lieutenant stepped up with a data pad with a maintenance report.

Daala entered her quarters, unlike the rest of the crew herself, Kratas and
General Odosk didn't share quarters, after the hull breach troopers and
crewmen shared cramped conditions where ever possible. She stepped over 
the remnants of an ornate vase that had been destroyed in the rush to get
out of the Cauldron Nebula. She passed from the reception area of her
quarters to her bed chamber. A pale blue image glared at her from the
opposite wall, the tall skeletal mans sunken eyes seemed to pierce her soul, 
Grand Moff Tarkin was back from the dead and in her chamber. She dropped
to one knee and drew her blaster. 
"To successfully subjugate a world, terror must be instilled into the
populous until they are unable to resist." His precise and clear accent was
punctuated by a raised finger
She released a sigh of relief, it was her holo records of Tarkin, she must
have left it running on repeat play as she often did when she was trying to
form strategies. She walked over to Tarkin's image.
"What would you suggest to me now?" She asked wistfully.
"Remember there is no excuse for failure." the holo continued.
A tear welled up in her eye as if the holo was the real Tarkin and had
reminded her of the past few months. She reached down and deactivated the
holo emitter. She opened a cupboard and withdrew a folder filled with plain
paper. She removed her gloves and allowed her hands freedom. The red folder
sat in her lap in beautiful condition, this file was her pride and joy, she
opened it to reveal a wonderful sketch of  the sun setting over
Slantioone's mountains as seen from her bedroom back home. The drawing had
taken her days to finish, she smiled as she remembered her brothers taunts
as she sat continually sketching the scenery. Her brother! "I wonder how he
is?" she thought. She turned the page, the woodland of Slatioone greeted
her and a Frejde elk filled the centre of the scene, she began to smile
remembering the good times, her life before the Empire, she turned the
page.

On the bridge Commander Kratas watched the serenity swirl past as the
Gorgon continued her trek. A sensor officer slapped his console in a vain
attempt to keep it working. 
"Warrant Officer Jar, you should not strike your console." Ensign Parlldeck,
the pit officer reminded him.
"I'm sorry sir, I received an anomalous reading that well....doesn't make
sense, I assumed it was a malfunction."
"Go on." Kratas stood above him.
"I am reading a gravity well up ahead."
"Helmsman." Kratas barked.
"There is nothing on the charts, sir."
The ship began to shake and shudder dangerously, in her current condition 
Kratas feared she may shake herself apart.
"Sir, we are being pulled to real space!" the Helmsman yelled.

The three Corellian Corvettes hung in real space their quad lasers fully
charged, a fourth hung back, it's specially modified hull sported three
gravity projection wells. On the command point of the lead corvette, the
Mutilator, a tall rugged looking human with sandy hair and eyes a deep brown
which were as dark and cold as the vacuum of space itself. The bottomless
eyes watched space with a greedy intensity, waiting for a ship to appear.
The Imperial class Star Destroyer appeared with a bang. The man cursed
loudly.
"We've done it now!" he yelled at the crew. "Prepare to get out of here."
The Aqualish beside him on the sensor station grunted at him .
"What do you mean she is heavily damaged?"
A hologram appeared full size on the bridge. The Imperial officer stood
forward, his uniform sat squarely around his frame and his cap snugly on
his head.
"This is Commander Kratas of the Imperial Navy's Star Destroyer Gorgon, what
is the meaning of this?"
"I am Captain Mourn of the "Independent Traders" ship Mutilator, we
apologize.  We were just testing out this ship we refitted, the Gravity
projection wells obviously test out."
"What would traders want with Gravity projection wells?" Kratas countered
his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"We acquired the ship and are preparing it her for sale." Mourn said
feebly, it was a half truth.  They had captured the ship from the Corellian
Free Trading Company and had refitted it from black market Gravi projectors
taken from part of the Kuat Drive Yards owned by Siener Fleet Systems who
were building Interdictor Cruisers for a warlord.
Now that she had been refitted they would use it to capture new ships and
plunder.  If this Imperial got too curious or decided to attack then his
tiny fleet would not stand a chance against a fully armed Star Destroyer.
"Very well, power down your weapons and we will leave you to it."  Kratas
nodded slowly. He knew full well they were space pirates and despite his
private aversion to pirates he knew that the current state of the Gorgon
would not hold and hopefully his bluff would work, he hoped that they
weren' t able to scan them. He looked over to Ensign Jar who signalled that
he had been successful.
"Thank you, Commander." Mourn cut off communications, and the hologram
disappeared. The Aqualish sensor officer pushed him and in a stream of
grunts he conveyed an exciting message to Mourn.
"You say that they have low powered shields, they are leaking radiation, they
have no twelfth deck, and little weaponry." Mourn confirmed.
"Murroggh." The Aqualish nodded.
"What are we waiting for then? There is enough scrap there to make me.. I
mean us all rich! Full ahead!"

The Corvettes roared into action quad lasers firing and striking the shields. 
Kratas shook his head in annoyance .
"Warrant Officer Jar, what went wrong?" he asked the Sensor officer.
"I'd say that somebody scanned us." Ensign Parlldeck observed coolly.
"Damn thing!" Jar kicked his console at the base of it's supporting column,
the screen shimmered then the power came full on. 
"Huh, wouldn't you know it," he muttered, casting a sly glance at Ensign
Parlldeck.
"Fire remaining turbolasers." Kratas ordered.
Daala strode onto the bridge anger filled her eyes as she scanned the
bridge and events outside. 
"What is going on here?" She fumed trying to maintain control over her
anger.
"We have been pulled out of hyperspace  and engaged by pirates Admiral,
some how they managed to scan us." Kratas reported.
"Launch Ties..."She remembered there were not enough to waste with out
further support. "No launch our Lambda's, deploy them along the ships
structure and get them to fire their lasers at the corvette with the
projectors."
"Yes, Admiral."
"Concentrate fire on that lead corvette.  Helmsman, maintain a permanent
lock on the Core systems."
"Yes, Admiral."

Erin Fign-Masn sat next to her husband Shirrl Masn aboard their YT1300
freighter, her long copper hair was plaited and tied along the side of her
head and formed a bun at the back of her head. She scanned hyperspace with
a board eyes.
"I wonder if Gus and Borrsk have got their target yet." she mused.
Gus and Borrsk were ex-stormtroopers who defected and joined these two
bounty hunters after an unsuccessful bounty to Cloud City. They were now on
Nar Shaddaa to lay down the field work to capture a new bounty.
"Should have by now," Shirrl muttered, he had let the once cropped blonde
hair grow to more normal length finally abandoning his harsh Imperial look
that had been with him since his enrollment at the academy several years ago
before his home world  was destroyed by Tarkin. Unlike other Alderaanians he
felt that the Empire had been justified in destroying his home planet (at
the time but now he missed the landscapes and scenery) but he felt that
the battles of Hoth and Derra IV were far to harsh and he believed that the
Rebellion had been destroyed and would simply disband. He had
underestimated them. The ship shuddered and Erin glanced at him.
"We are being dragged into realspace!" he yelled.
The ship slowed down into realspace her engines humming as she shut down
the hyperdrive. Erin looked around the surrounding space. "We have four Corvettes 
on an attack run on an Imperial-class Star Destroyer." Shirrl checked the scanners. 
"The registration shows they are stolen so they are probably pirates."
"Lets get out of here!" Erin went to leave.
"No, we must help the Imperial."
"It's a Star Destroyer she can cope."
"She's heavily damaged and by the looks of it there are only the starboard
lasers working."
"Leave her Shirrl." Erin put on her begging voice.
"I-I can't ."Shirrl shook his head .
"You always do this." She sounded frustrated. "You gave up your commission
years ago!"
"I know but I still feel a sense of underlying loyalty."
The freighter swung towards the modified Corvette, her engines fired with a
pale blue fiery burst.

"Sir, we have another ship coming in." Jar said. 
Kratas marched over and stood above him. "Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yes sir, it is a modified YT1300 freighter."
"Not the same one that belongs to Solo?" Daala spun around anger in her
eyes.
"I don't think so, sir." The man said in fear. "Different weapon
configurations and...a specially modified Tie Fighter attached."
"A what??" Kratas barked.

Jarvax clambered through the access hatch of the StarLight Lady to his
specially modified Tie Fighter, since his defection during Erin's escape
from Cloud City a couple of years ago he had helped customise his fighter,
giving her a shield generator, small hyperdrive, boosted Tie Cannon and
four concussion missiles on two external launchers. He climbed into his
shock couch and flicked on his environmental controls checked his flight
controls, checked his flight suit, pulled the hatch over his head and fired
up the engines. "Jarvax to Erin, I'm ready for take off."
"Happy hunting."
The ship was released and dropped towards the stars, Jarvax noted eight
other Ties launching from the Star Destroyer, he checked the engines and
decided to boost the engines power to full throttle.
"This is Daala 1, unidentified Tie, you must help us destroy the pirate
flagship."
"That is a negative Daala 1, preparing to target the modified Corvette."
The other Ties began to ignore the corvettes and formed flanking position
around the Star Destroyer.

Mourn stood on the bridge of the Corvette, he watched his crew scramble
over their consuls. Victory was inevitable the Imperials and the incoming
ships were doomed it was just a matter of time. His crew were the best
available unlike the cheap mercenaries he could have drummed up, these were
the best. The ship shook and he fell from his chair.
"What was that??" He yelled.
A devil horned Devronian turned around in his chair sweat ran down his
forehead.
"The Gorgon is firing her concussion missiles at us."
The missiles fired randomly from the back of the cruiser, each one hitting
a different Corvette in various places. One of the Corvettes took a heavy
hit and slowed down to a stop as her engines powered down. The eight Tie
fighters roared forward targeting the damaged craft. 
"Bring the Interdictor forward to cover her." Mourn said.
"Yes, sir!"
The Modified corvette roared forward. 

Erin swung the ship around and dived on the damaged Corvettes escort,
Shirrl linked the lasers together and fired them in conjunction with three
concussion missiles, Jarvax followed with one of the Gorgon’s Ties both
firing their lasers. The shields glowed under the bombardment and
collapsed, the missiles hit the backbone of the corvette rupturing one the
Gravity projectors which spurted flame out into the vacuum of space which
also damaging another projector.  
"We can go now!" Erin said
"No, look that lead Corvette is making an attack run on the Star Destroyer."

The Gorgon hung watching the battle as that is all it could do. Two of the
Lambda's had been destroyed as had two of the TIE Fighters. Daala watched
as the battle unfolded before her..Things did not look good. The melee of
laser blasts meant that she could not direct the battle as well as she
could have done. "We could do more damage if we had more weaponry..." she
thought.
"Sir, there is a Corvette approaching along the bow."
"If only we could open fire on her." Ensign Parlldeck muttered as he bent
over an officers console to check his readings.
"Admiral, if they thought it would make a difference the troopers would fire
their lasers out of the port holes." Kratas reassured her. She smiled at
him, with gratitude.
"Roll the ship to port! Bring those Turbolasers to bear on that corvette
and warn the shuttles!!" Daala yelled suddenly reactive as if Kratas had
attached a fusion generator to her.
The ship corkscrewed firing as it turned, the shots failed to hit the
corvette. Daala cursed under her breath.. The cold hard slap of defeat hit
her clean across the face, her hand flexed over the hilt of her blaster she
kept at her  side, what would Tarkin suggest to her? Was suicide a viable
alternative? No she must stay with her crew and fight on as Tarkin had.. It
was not over yet.
The Corvette latched onto the side of the hull and it's crew began to
besiege the Gorgon.
"Contact General Odosk, get some troops down together and down to the
trouble spot. I will deal with these rebels myself. Get him to meet me
there." She turned and strode up the causeway, drew her blaster and fitted
a new power pack into the hilt and stepped into the turbo lift.

Jarvax swung his Tie around again as his shields began to fail. The damaged
corvette exploded under the fire of the four remaining Ties. He launched a
concussion missile at the interdictor corvette. The affect was minimal.
With no more missiles left he decided he could do little damage to the
enemy and he wanted to survive and so moved all power from the lasers to
the shields and set a course for the Starlight Lady.
"Erin, it's me swing to point 0.59 for pick up."
"Copy, I'll be there in a second."
He slowed his fighter to a complete stop and waited for the freighter to
pull up above him and lower her docking clamps and secured the air locks.
Shirrl opened the hatch above him and Jarvax climbed out of his fighter and
into the ships main cargo area he removed his helmet and the darkness
resolved into stinging light.
"How was it out there?"
"Hellish... I'll get to the quad laser battery." He turned and jumped down
the gun well 
Shirrl watched him go, he smiled and walked back to the cockpit. Erin
turned and smiled.
"One more shot and we have to get out of here." she called.
"I agree." he nodded in agreement. The quad lasers fired in conjunction
with the last two concussion missiles. They all hit the target with enough
force to disable the modified Corvette. The light from the bridge windows
dimmed and all power went down around the ship leaving her dead in space.
Erin turned on the Nav computer and plotted a route through hyperspace.
"Call it." she said authoritatively, her voice made Shirrl shiver, he knew
he had to obey.
"Ready!" he called back to her.
Erin reached over and pushed the hyperdrive motivater and then pulled down
the leaver to activate the engines. The stars elongated and mottled as the
ship jumped into hyperspace.
"Good luck." Shirrl muttered.

The turbo lift door opened and the smell of laser smoke and ozone hit
Daala' s nostrils. She saw stormtroopers in a kneeling position in front of
her, they used wreckage that lined the decks and bodies of their dead as a
protective barrier. In front of them were aliens of all different races who
were ducking and diving from cover and doorways, squeezing off rounds into
the Imperial ranks. In the corner General Odosk was yelling into a comm.
link about needing reinforcements. Daala fired her blaster and seemingly
killed an Aqualish. The troopers were fighting a losing battle, their shots
were seemingly missing everything. 
"Why can't you advance?" Daala asked.
"We are pinned down, I can't advance!" Odosk called back to her.
"Rubbish, call for back up." She stepped up to the line of troopers. "You!"
she pointed at a trooper who had sergeant stripes on his armour. "Come with
me." 
She kicked down a piece of wreckage and began to advance down the corridor.
This was how it was meant to be, how she was meant to die if at all. Laser
bolts whizzed past her head, one struck one of the troopers behind her,
sparks flew from his armour illuminating the corridor and filling the area
above his charred corpse with acrid smoke. Odosk ran to her side and drew
his rifle and fired into the pirates ranks.
"I am with you, Admiral."
The Imperials action had forced the pirates confidence to waver, they lost
their footing and began to withdraw from the battle scene in confusion. A
Devronian ran in front of Daala, she turned and shot him without a second
thought. A Klantioonian aimed his rifle at Daala from behind a barrel, the
movement caught Odosk' s eye and he stepped forward with a single purpose.
"Admiral!" He lunged and pushed her clear and took the full brunt of the
blast for her. Daala hit the floor with a thud, rolled over and stared up
at the General. Odosk looked down at her clasping his abdomen. The troopers
halted fearing that both their commanders were dead. She imagined fear in
the men's eyes. Daala tried to stand but stumbled and landed on her knees.
"What are you waiting for?  Advance!" She yelled.
The troopers began to advance again. Daala crawled toward the fallen
General Odosk, he had pushed himself up against the wall and behind some
wreckage, he just sat groaning in agony.
"General? Are you all right?" she gasped, a supportive glance at him.
"Admiral, I am sorry." he whispered, his blue eyes were losing their energy
they once had held.
"Don't be. Thank you for saving me." She patted his arm, he winced. " Let
me look." she ordered. He moved his arm to reveal a large burnt hole in his
uniform and a blackened wound, Daala gulped she knew he would not survive
for long.
"Don't worry." She smiled, "The medics are on their way."
"Thank you Adm....." his smile faded and his body arched and went limp. She
closed her eyes, she was sick of the violence, sick of losing people
everywhere she went.
"I will avenge you General.  I swear it."
The stormtroopers had forced the invaders back within sight of their
boarding hatch. Daala guessed what they were going to do and reacted
quickly.
"Sergeant, withdraw your men quickly  They'll pull away and vacuum us all."
"Yes, Admiral." The troopers turned and withdrew past the admiral, her eyes
were tired and hollow. The stormtroopers clattered past her and into the
turbolifts, the aliens were withdrawing as well onto their corvette. Daala
dragged the generals body into the nearest lift, her last sight of the
alien invaders was the sneering Devaronian who was closing the hatch.

On the bridge, Warrant Officer Jar was making his report.
"The boarders have been removed from the multiple decks, the modified
corvette and one of her escorts have been disabled, and their flag ship is
still fully operational. She is forming up with the damaged corvette for
one last attack run."
"What of the freighter?" Kratas enquired desperately.
"She left twenty minutes ago." Jar said regretfully.
"We need a miracle now." Parlldeck muttered.
Kratas nodded with grim resignation, "Was this how it was supposed to end?"
he thought. "I wish Daala was here so that I could tell her...." His
thoughts were cut off by a miracle.

The second Imperial Star Destroyer appeared in the system behind the 
Corvettes, her pure ivory hull remained unblemished and her bridge
observation points gleamed with reflected light from the stars much like
the Gorgons had once. She looked pale against the new stardestroyer that
had appeared as if from no where. A squadron of Tie Bombers were disgorged
from the belly and formed up well under the ship. The Turbolasers fired and
green light splattered out into the darkness of space. When they reached
their target they disintegrated the hulls of the modified Corvette. The
shields on the damaged Corvette glowed under the intensity of the blasts.
Then a ion cannons electrical bolts splayed out across the hull taking down
the electrical systems of the two remaining corvettes, the bombers formed a
line and struck out at the base of the damaged corvette. twenty four proton
torpedoes flew out from the bombers and into the base of the already
damaged Corvette. A long rippling explosion cut through the hull and lit
space with a fiery miniature supernova. The wreckage that spewed out in
liquid form flash froze into solid mis shaped metal. The flagship corvette
lay motionless in space drifting.
Kratas's jaw dropped at the expedient fighting and destruction. The
Communications officer cleared his throat to attract the shocked commanders
attention.
"Erm sir, we have an in coming holo." he said carefully.
An Imperial officer with a tall frame and medium build appeared before
Kratas.
"Commander, I am Commander Merrish of the Star Destroyer II Agregator.  I am
attached to the Slatioone fleet.  A freighter alerted us to your peril."
His tone was cold and precise.
"Thank you Commander, the admiral will be grateful." Kratas said.
"You have an Admiral on board???" Merrish’s tone quickly got excited.
"Yes, Admiral Daala of the Maw fleet." Kratas said slowly and suspiciously.
"Ah yes, I have heard of her, I know her father." He recovered his
professionalism. "Our commander, Vice Admiral Trell, was recently killed in a
rebel engagement.  We have recently attracted a lot of rebel attention and
we require a superior officer to defend her home planet."
"A desk job on Slatioone is not my idea of destroying the rebellion, and
would be a waste of my talents." Daala, the copper-haired avenger was by
Kratas's side.
"Admiral." Merrish nodded in acknowledgement. "Good to see you again ,Alista."
"That name no longer has any meaning for me," she waved a warning finger at
him, the hatred and oppression at the Imperial academy had conditioned her
to just live by her surname. "It is just Daala now." 
"Yes, Admiral." Merrish recompiled his composure and snapped to attention
full of respect.
"Now, Commander." She settled and adopted an official tone. "Thank you for
your aid. We will proceed to board the...." she glanced sideways at Kratas.
"Mutilator ." Kratas filled in the gaps.
"Yes. Recall your Ties."
"Yes, Admiral." he smiled. "May I suggest that you accompany our ships to
Slatioone."
"Yes, I will take you up on that offer." Daala nodded.

The Corvette lay dead in space, her crew sat in the dark waiting, for
death, salvation, or the technicians to get the engines running and out of
the system. Mourn sat at the bridge tapping his finger on the arm of his
chair. "Come on." he muttered repeatedly. Victory had been so close and
within his grasp but it had been snatched away from him at the last moment
by the other Stardestroyer. "But we will get the ship up and running and
out of here and rebuild a fleet better than this one." he thought, "And I
will never engage the Empire again."

The Gorgon’s broken hull released a shuttle like a dying breath. The Lambda
shuttles wings slotted into place and the landing lights glittered like
stars. The engines hummed serenely as the ship maintained a steady course
for the Agregator. The shuttle formed up and flew for the docking bay. The
Gorgon watched the shuttle and then her only engine fired up as she
approached the damaged corvette like a predator approaching her injured
prey.. As she approached she fired a tractor beam drawing the corvette
towards the gapping maw of the docking bay.

Commander Kratas entered Merrish's office. The office had been
personalised with a wooden desk and a high back comfortable chair. A
painting of a sunset over rock formation on a desert world hung above his
desk. Merrish himself was sitting behind the desk signing some documents.
As Kratas entered the office Merrish stood up and extended his right hand.
Kratas shook it.
"Commander, it is a pleasure to meet you." Merrish gestured to a nearby
chair that lay opposite his desk, both commanders sat down.
"Thank you, Commander, your hospitality overwhelms me." Kratas said nodding
sternly.  "Can we cut to the chase?"
"Certainly." Merrish nodded.
"Admiral Daala is not willing to command a fleet however, she has offered
to donate the Gorgon for spare parts and the crew for your ships on one
condition."
"Yes?" Merrish asked suspiciously.
"That she be able to take a shuttle and leave with me and head for the Core
systems."
"It sounds fair to me." Merrish mused. "However I would have to discuss
this with the other commanders. You are willing to come with us to
Slatioone?"
Kratas remembered  how Daala had once spoken of her childhood there.
"Yes, Commander."
"Now, Kratas I must ask you if you will join us...The Victory Star Destroyer
Zenith is short of an experienced commander."
"No, thank you for the offer but my place is at Daala's side."
"Loyalty is a rare commodity in an officer...I respect your decision."
 He knew she had not wanted him to go with her to the Core systems but he 
wanted to stay with her, to protect her, and to be there for her.
Kratas rose from his seat and shook Merrish' s hand again, before leaving
he turned and saluted the other officer who returned the courtesy

The door that led to the air lock began to spit spark illuminated the
darkness. The aliens tightened their grips on their rifles and pistols. A
grim acceptance of what was sure to be their fate hung in the air. The door
exploded inward showering the defenders in debris, a cloud of smoke drifted
over them temporarily blinding them. Their stomachs knotted in anxiety.
There was a bang on the wall behind them, they strained their eyes to see
what it was. The concussion grenade exploded breaking through the darkness
and crew men.. The survivors reeled from the blasts and then  the two
stormtroopers appeared, they jumped to the sides of the hatch so they could
not be silhouetted against the light from the Gorgon’s docking bay. The
aliens fired back but it was wildly with most hitting the walls of the ship
or firing through the door. Within seconds the aliens had  all been killed
except for one wounded straggler. He stared at the access hatch. A tall
dark image stood silhouetted in the frame of the access hatch, darkness
covered her slender frame, but the light shimmered on her copper hair. He
reached out to her, his injuries caused him great pain and he gripped his
charred wound on his abdomen. the image stepped forward with a steady
clinking of her boots on the metal deck. The image drew a blaster and
pointed it at his head. 
"No.." the sound resembled the wind escaping through the leaves in the
trees. He thought he saw the image sneer at him then with the swift
movement of their finger a red beam left the barrel of the pistol and
searing heat and agony struck him followed by darkness.
Daala turned to her troopers. "Lets go, we can't spend all our time
indulging the view." The troopers snapped to attention and followed her as
did the others in the docking bay.

On the bridge Mourn was loading his pistol, the crew likewise were priming
their weapons. The tension was visible as the crew prepared for the
inevitable, reports had poured in from all over the ship of the Imperial
soldiers cutting through every checkpoint and over running every position
that had laid in their way, a copper haired avenger was leading her troops
with a severe ruthlessness. He wanted to confront this fearful woman and
teach her who was more superior.  The bridge crew were illuminated in the
glow from their consoles, fear filled their eyes.  A subdued clunking noise
got closer as the Imperials approached, he signalled to his men to be
silent and prepare. He pressed himself up against the wall between a sensor
screen and the door. The door blew open and a concussion grenade bounced
through the door and exploded. Most of the bridge crew were killed outright
others who managed to survive were mown down by the Imperial cross fire
from the two stormtroopers. With in minutes the whole bridge had been
turned into a smoking death hole with corpses laying over stations and
consuls. Mourn’s mouth fell open in surprise and pressed himself closer
against the wall. The two stormtroopers stepped through the door with their
rifles in a relaxed position, Daala followed them, her blaster holstered,
and began to survey the carnage, she nodded. Mourn thrust his blaster
forward and fired killing the nearest stormtrooper and went to fire again
but Daala reacted quickly, the other trooper raised his rifle automatically
and aimed for the pirate. Daala stepped forward with lightening speed and
extended her right arm knocked the pistol from his grip and wrapped the
same hand around his throat and pressed him up against the wall, lifted him
bodily off the ground by an inch and held him there. His eyes filled with
fear as he realised his mistake had caught up with him and there was no
escaping from it now.
"You are the commander of this "fleet." She spat the word as if it was
blasphemous. He nodded nervously in her grasp. She tightened her grip
around his throat and felt something internally crunch. 
"You are responsible for the death of my best general?" 
He wheezed something that was incomprehensible, her grip tightened again
and he began to gasp for air.
"You pirate scum." Her face contorted angrily, his body tensed up for the
last struggle then went limp and sagged. She thought she was holding a sack
of juri fruit. She let go and his body slid down the wall. She turned to
the other trooper and signalled to him so they withdrew.

Later the Agregator launched  "Tow ropes." and began to drag the Corvette
to Slatioone, the ropes were strong enough to drag the ship through hyperspace. 
In her quarters on the Gorgon, Daala sat on the end of her bed staring at
the state of her chambers. There was a chiming at the door.
"Enter." she said quietly and distractedly.
Kratas entered with a meaningful gait, but when he saw that she was not in
her reception area he slowed down and looked nervously into her bed
chamber. She was perched on the end of her bed, hand on her forehead
staring at the wall. He glanced around. Blaster scars covered the walls and
book case, the holos of Tarkin lay smashed on the floor except for one that
had escaped the raiders boot. Tarkin stood silently surveying the
desecration. A red file laid on the floor  with burnt pages ripped out and
scattered, more were ripped to piece. Kratas knelt before her.
"Admiral, we are ready to leave and Commander Merrish is preparing a
shuttle for us to go to the Core systems." he said gently.
She sniffed and wiped her eye.
"Commander, we are not going to the Core."
"Why not?" he questioned.
"Kratas, I have fought the rebellion most unsuccessfully, I have lost
colleagues, and crew. I am tired of the violence, the killing...I-I just
can't go on." she spread her hands in pure indignation. "I- I intend to
retire."
Kratas's eyes widened in surprise. "Admiral, you can't. How will we defeat
the rebels?"
She began to sob. For the first time Kratas saw her hard image that she
always tried to present crumble before his eyes and emotion seeped out from
her eyes. She pointed at the burnt out file on the floor.
"They destroyed my work. My pride and joy..." she broke down completely.
Kratas reached forward and embraced her weak and shaking form. He patted
her back and ran his hand through her fiery hair. To her he was being a
friend and supportive, and it was the same for him but on another level he
had achieved one of his dreams to actually hold and protect her, this
thought made him feel guilty but he knew that he was there for her and that
was all that mattered. The ship hummed beneath them. 
She calmed down and he released her, her voice came crisp and stern as she
said.
"Thank you, Commander."
"You are welcome, Admiral." he whispered.
She stood up, smoothed out her uniform and went to leave her quarters, as
she reached the door frame she hesitated and turned to him.
"Alista, call me Alista.." She turned and strode out leaving Kratas in the
dark.

Epilogue

Daala on arriving to Slatioone finds an Imperial fleet preparing to defend
her home world. She is talked into leading the defence by the commander of
one of the Star Destroyers. When the rebel fleet attacks she manages to
defend the planet and with a new burst of confidence she leaves for the
Core system for one last try at defeating the Rebellion. Slatioone
diplomatically argues with the New Republic and becomes independent of
Republic and Warlord Imperial affairs...

For more information on the up coming sequel which will be available by
spring (Hopefully.) please contact either my self or the pages
owner......Chris Sams

COPYRIGHT CHRIS SAMS JULY 1998 (c)
STARWARS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF GEORGE LUCAS 
DAALA, KRATAS, ODOSK AND THE GORGON BELONG TO K J ANDERSON.