Chapter 34
In a heap lies the second soldier where he collapsed unceremoniously. Captain Jov’aine, not completely sure of what had just happened, holds his blaster tightly aimed at the Sith officer after confirming both soldiers were indeed deceased. He gruffs, “Y’ssane, do you see everything we need?” The frantic young woman is now pacing through the room, her head swiveling from side to side making rapid scans of the parts and crates. She exclaims shakily after many moments “Here! In this crate. I need it opened.” Jov’aine moves to her position, blaster still on target as he orders Sella who still remained on the ground, “You, open this crate.” The scientist gathers himself and slowly makes his way to their location with his hands held high. With a few quick keystrokes the lid unlocks. The Sith, without being asked, assists with removing the lid and continues to help with extracting the contents. Y’ssane quickly combs through the multiple parts located in the crate until she finds the items they came to retrieve. The scientist’s facial expression drastically changes when he sees what the young woman now possesses. He reveals to Y’ssane some details on the device, “Ahh, you have a hyperdrive core module for a Centurion class starship. But this is an older model. We have since upgraded from that module. Follow me.” Y’ssane, embracing the help without question, follows the elder man as he leads the way to the door. He continues as though he had known this group for some time, “We need to go across the hall to a different room.” Y'ssane looks to her Captain for approval. Jo’vaine nods and holsters his blaster before speaking softly to Sun, “Ma’am, we need to move. Here let me help.” Captain Jov’aine lifts Sun to her feet, supporting a bulk of her weight as she straightens. The Padawan’s nausea is slowly receding but she is slightly disoriented and small threads of yellow still persist in her irises. He continues, “It appears we have some inside assistance. The Sith whose life you saved seems to want to repay his debt.” With Sun’s arm draped across his shoulder, the Captain grips his blaster once more and gives the signal to move.
In the docking area, Rend and Mirr have moved the last crate and are walking back to the freighter. Rend pauses slightly as they arrive at the base of the ramp. After confirming no one is in earshot, he speaks to the Mandolorian quietly “Mirr, something is wrong. They should have been back by now. I can barely sense Sun's presence. There was a pair of intense, somewhat dark flares in the Force but now she feels very faint. We should gear up and prepare to assist.” Mirr nods and the two men jog up the ramp into the freighter.
The scavenging group along with their newly found friend enter the corridor once more and continue to the right a dozen meters or so before stopping at another durasteel door. The Sith man opens the door and makes his way to another crate, briefly scanning the content readout once he arrives. As before, he opens the crate with a few inputs on the keypad and reveals a different style, but roughly the same dimensioned core module. He presents the item to Y’ssane and says, “Here, this module will serve you better than the previous one. Although I am confused as to why you are here or even have a need for such a device, I am indebted to you all for saving my life.” Y’ssane receives the module and inclines her head shyly then distracts herself by doing a cursory examination of the unit. The Scientist continues, “Now go, before they find the two soldiers.”
Inside the freighter Mirr is clipping on his last piece of armor before he dons his helmet. Rend speaks to the freighter’s captain in the cockpit, “Should anything go wrong, take off and free your crew. Otherwise, we stay here until the remainder of my team returns. Got it?” The Captain responds, “Understood.” Rend departs and joins Mirr just inside the loading ramp’s threshold now dressed in their typical attire when Mirr spots the other three on the far side of the dock, somewhat in cover as they exit from the same maintenance corridor they had entered. He declares to Rend hastily, “General! There.” The General looks in the direction he is pointing to and can barely make out who is who. Mirr continues, “It appears Sun is injured. The Captain is practically carrying her.” No sooner than finishing his sentence, an obnoxiously loud siren starts sounding over the entire facility. A mechanized voice rings over all the commotion, “All personnel and freight crews report to the muster stations for immediate inspection.” The same message repeats in different languages as people begin falling into line in the large hangar. Rend sees soldiers pouring into the area from all directions, counting a minimum of twenty before he addresses the Mandalorian, “Get HK here! The others are not going to make it to this freighter in time and they are likely already scrambling fighter squadrons to lock down the facility. Our escape will be too much for this freighter to handle. They must leave immediately.”
Rend opens a com link from the back of the ship and yells at the captain, “Get out of here, before they scramble fighters!” Rend and Mirr leap from the back of the ship as it takes off. The ship's movement draws the attention of six soldiers and they begin marching rapidly towards the duo in formation. Rend barks at Mirr, “Go find the others and bring them to the entrance of the dock. Tell your droid to provide cover fire once he enters so we can exit.” Mirr responds from behind his helmet, “Yes sir.” Mirr draws his blaster and begins shooting at the approaching squad of soldiers. They stand firm behind their shields and continue to advance on Mirr in a tight formation. Rend reaches to the small of his back and draws his dual bladed hilt. His left hand reaches out in Mirrs direction, tendrils of the Force grab the closest Soldier to Mirr. With a draw of Rend's hand the soldier is pulled towards Rend at an alarming rate and just before he goes by the young Jedi one of his golden blades snap to life, impaling the soldier and ending his life. Blaster bolts begin to rain upon the young man. He ignites the second blade and begins deflecting the bolts back at their source. While what remains of the original squad pushes in on Mirr, two more squads of soldiers make their way towards Rend’s position, attempting to out flank him. Two soldiers, with their staff energized, charge at Rend. The Knight grabs the one to his left with a force choke so violent that it crushes his throat instantly. The other soldier now a few meters away swings his staff at Rends head. Rend steps inside the swing and with a single slice, dismembers the soldier and quickly follows it up by spinning his saber above his head and landing the fatal blow as he brings the weapon down to his left side. The soldier's head gently slides off his lifeless body.
Mirr speaks over his com link while ducking behind cover for a moment, “HK! We need you in Bay 42-b to give us some cover fire, be quick about it!” HK-40 responds immediately with a joyful tone, “Right away Captain!” Mirr, noticing that his blaster is not making a dent in the thick shields, draws his Beskar sword and a grenade which he keys on before throwing towards the closest squad. As the enemy moves to shelter from the blast, the Mandalorian engages a soldier that is thrashing a group of Sith workers, not aware of the freshly thrown grenade. Mirr slides between the widely spread legs of the soldier and thrust his sword into the soldier's stomach. Mirr yells at the workers, “Run!” while pulling his blade out, causing the soldier to slump over exposing the nap of his neck, which is typically covered by his helmet. With a single downward stroke the soldier's head rolls off his shoulders. Mirr scans quickly to find captain Jov’aine, who is currently engaged with a group of four soldiers. Sun, still slightly fatigued and disoriented leaning against a nearby crate, force pushes one of the soldiers towards Mirr who leaps and stabs the unsuspecting soldier in the upper back which splits his spine as it glides through the soldiers body. Y’ssane pivots behind Jov’aine as he attempts to land shots on the guarded soldiers that are beginning to surround them.
The General sees a pair of soldiers near a group of Sith factory workers, their staffs illuminated, trying to control them. Rend expands his presence fully before leaping towards them. He covers the distance in an instant, severing the staff clutching hand of one soldier. He crouches after the attack to absorb his landing and simultaneously spins, removing the leg of the other soldier. As the soldier is falling, Rend stands and runs his weapon through his rib cage, vanquishing any life that was left. Two members of the sith group pick up the fallen soldier's weapons. They look at Rend and incline their heads in appreciation before running towards another group of soldiers.
A minute later a large eruption happens near the bay entrance. A deafening noise penetrates the entire complex as the blast came from a bolt fired from the stealth ship that had just entered, which collided with a particularly volatile crate in the far corner. Dust and debris fills the entire bay as the dark stealth fighter screams into the landing area and begins positioning for touchdown. Several cannons fire laser bolts into the facility causing massive holes and casting rubble in all directions. Over the ground team’s communicators, HK-40s excited voice rings out, “Hurry up, meatbags!” The ship lands swiftly, the ramp opening simultaneously exposing the droid holding his favorite heavy rifle. The brightness of his ocular sensors has multiplied from the satisfaction of causing so much chaos and he begins to open up on the nearest enemy soldiers.
Rend replies across his com, “Everyone to the ship!” Rend yells at the group of Sith he recently liberated, “Make for the ship, go quickly!” Initially surprised by the order, the small group gathers their witts and moves towards the ship. Rend backs his way towards the ship, repelling blaster bolts away from the half dozen people that were escaping. One individual drops from a bolt just outside the Jedi’s envelope, bringing frustration across Rend’s face as he leaps forward to the pair of soldiers responsible for the shot. One hefts their shield in a defensive manner and positions the spear for a quick thrust but it is deflected by the Jedi as he lands just in front of them. Rend snarls in a similar fashion to his master before delivering a front kick to the shield, knocking the man backwards exposing the individual with the blaster. The spinning dual blades slice through the shooter with ease before Rend spins to face the other soldier. With the Force aiding his movements, Rend’s foot swings around and connects with the inner part of the soldier’s right knee, resulting in a loud crack as the bones and ligaments break and tear. As the man falls to his knees in agony, a swift downward thrust of the General’s blade ends his life as it penetrates through the base of his skull.
Meanwhile, Mirr engages a soldier closest to Jov’aine, allowing him and Y’ssane to break free and move towards the ship. Blaster fire is intensifying due to the amount of rapid fire burst coming from HK’s position and Sun remains leaned up against a crate still suffering from an unknown ailment. Another pair of soldiers moves in towards the unprotected Jedi, unaware of Mirr’s proximity. With a yell, he barrels towards them, driving his shoulder into the closest one, dropping him to the ground and somewhat staggering the other. Due to the ferocity of the charge, Mirr stumbles over the man and falls to the ground, still gripping his sword as he attempts to roll to a somewhat defensible position. A strong sweep from the still standing soldier is barely blocked and the staff knocks Mirr’s sword from his hand. Defenseless as the soldier raises his staff for a killing stab, Mirr tries to backpedal on the ground, looking to where Sun had been and is shocked to no longer see her. Just as the blade of the spear begins to descend, a deep green blade screeches to life, entering the soldier's lower back and the tip exposing itself just behind the clavicle. The soldier drops and Sun uncloaks herself before moving to the remaining soldier that was knocked to the ground. With a focus that nearly brought a chill to the battle-hardened Mandalorian, Sun drives her blade into the defenseless man as he attempts to recover. After extinguishing her blade, Sun extends her right hand to the fallen Mandalorian, eyes still showing some yellow but her ailment seems to have passed for the moment.
Jov’aine and Y’ssane run through the chaos and collide with a small group of fleeing Sith, separating the duo as Y'ssane falls to the ground. The Captain doesn’t realize Y’ssane is missing until he is at the ship and turns backwards. He immediately begins scanning for the young engineer amongst the chaos and sees that she has fallen down. Wincing from the pain of taking the full fall to her shoulder in order to protect the hyperdrive components, Y'ssane rolls onto her knees and attempts to rise. Struggling to gain her footing, she slips down again dropping one of the minor components onto the hard deck. Dark red hands reach into her view causing her to scream involuntarily until she recognizes the owner. The Sith scientist helps her to her feet and picks up the fallen component before supporting the woman to the ship through the crowd. Jov’aine spots the two and rushes to their aid, firing several bursts towards the nearest squad of soldiers moving into position and maintains cover fire until they make it back to the ramp.
Rend watches the final crew members enter the ship after the ten Sith that had boarded a minute before. As Mirr races by, the General exclaims, “Get us out of here!” before moving up the ramp into the ship himself. He is the last up the ramp and hits the switch to close the ramp, allowing for just a few more blaster shots to be fired by HK before it seals.
Mirr jumps into the captain’s chair and throws the throttle full open, barely lifting the landing struts off the deck before the ship blasts forward. Once it passes through the entrance, he pulls the flight stick as far back as it would go. The XB70’s engines rage to life as the ship lifts at a blistering pace. Mirr takes evasive action to avoid the turbo laser blasts being fired from the station and lighter fire originating from the fighters that pursued them. Once outside the station’s defensive envelope Mirr sighs with relief. The fighters still pursued but they were losing ground to the much faster stealth ship. HK joins Mirr in the cockpit where he tethers into the ship's computer and sets the course for Zonama. The droid buzzes in an unusually jolly tone, “Jump coordinates are set. Ready when you are, Captain.” Mirr responds, “Take us home.” HK-40 throws the paralight engine control level forward and after a moment of the stars stretching, the ship disappears. Mirr asks his friend, “Why are you so joyful? We barely made it out alive.” HK leans back in a posture Mirr hasn’t seen in a long time before responding, “I have waited far too long for a day like today. I fulfilled my primary directive flawlessly. The enemy meatbags fell in waves at our feet.” Mirr only shakes his head in response, the light smile hidden beneath his helmet.
In the back of the ship around the table sits a mixture of people, exhausted, stressed and some injured. In a separate area just forward of midship, Sun lies on a basic bead facing the wall. Rend enters the room quietly and moves to her side before speaking while looking over his padawan, “I felt the dramatic spikes in the Force. Are you alright, Sun?” Rolling away from her master she responds in a pained tone, “I don’t know, Master. I just want to be alone for a while.” Rend places his hand on her shoulder and responds, “When you are ready, I will be here for you.” She nods ever so slightly before he leaves and keys the door shut behind him. As it closes, her ability to maintain any composure dissolves and she breaks down, tears streaming from her eyes as her breaths become ragged.
Moments later Rend appears in the doorway of the larger room that is holding the refugees and his team members. Slowly he scans the room noticing how well everyone had started to mingle when Sella approaches him. The sith man bows deeply and speaks while still in the position, “We are in your debt, young man. You saved as many of my people from that wretched factory as our own government. I am Sella, former science officer of that facility. We were forced into that prison as a symbol of control and power. Are you the leader of your people?” Rend responds cordially, inclining his head “I am General Vega, Jedi Knight and leader of this small away team. We are apart of a larger force set against your oppressors.” Sella smiles slightly and responds, “What does a Jedi need with a Sith made hyperdrive core module?” Not totally sure of where his line of questioning was going, the General replies, “Our flagship was badly damaged in an encounter with an enemy fleet allied with those that ran your facility. We lost several ships completely and many good pilots.” The scientist continues to press, “Your flagship is of Sith make? Most interesting. Who do you report to, if you don’t mind me asking?” Rend appraises the man for a moment before deciding to respond, “I serve my master, Grandmaster Anhiel Dulcinae, High Admiral of the Shadow Redeemer and her fleet.” Sella’s eyes widen and a nearly fearful look creeps onto his face before he speaks again, “I have some information for your Grandmaster if she will spare our lives.” The science officer leaves the conversation before Rend could respond, leaving the Jedi perplexed.
About a half hour later, most of the refugees have found a comfortable spot to sleep as Y'ssane finds herself in front of the room Sun still resides in. Her hand shakes somewhat from nervousness as she knocks on the door three times. A faint voice on the other side invites her to enter after a moment of silence. The curly haired engineer keys open the door to find a young Jedi curled in a ball, on a bed, facing the wall and still wearing the freighter jumpsuit. Y'ssane steps inside and allows the door to close before she asks, “Commander, are you alright?” No immediate response comes from the other woman, prompting her to continue, “I wanted to thank you for what you did back there… Whatever it was… I am grateful. I do not think we would have gotten out of there unscathed if not for you. You also saved that nice Sith.” Still no response as the Padawan remains eerily still. Y'ssane frowns and turns to leave when a tearful voice breaks the silence, “I used a Force ability that I have only read about until now. I cannot practice it due to its lethality but I did not see a better option that did not put someone at risk.” Y'ssane, not fully understanding, queries Sun, “How does this ability work?”
Sun unfolds herself and rolls over onto her other side so that she is facing the other woman before replying, “The Force can be used to attack vital organs or pathways within the body, and if done correctly the target will perish rapidly, if not instantly.” She pauses and swallows before continuing timidly, “I was attempting to occlude their aortas but my technique is…unrefined. I felt the vessel shred beyond repair as a result.” Sun shivers, feeling nauseous again as she finishes, “They suffered unnecessarily.” The young engineer replies hesitantly, “Is that what made you ill?” The Padawan nods slowly and continues in a quiet tone, “I felt…different when I used it. I felt powerful, and that scared me. My emotions melted yet stood rigid in my heart. At that moment I was immensely clear of my intentions to end their lives to protect others. But I also felt a deep desire to end them both, as if they deserved nothing less for standing in my way.” Sun shakes her head in an attempt to clear it before stating, “I know I am rambling, let’s not speak about this anymore, for now. Were you able to obtain everything we need to fully repair the Redeemer?” Confused like never before, Y'ssane nearly misses the question but replies, “Yes, that Sith man you saved helped us obtain everything we need. I will need your help to install and test the hardware, if you are well enough.” A smile extends between the two female comrades as Sun replies, “I would love to help.” With that, Y'ssane excuses herself and returns to the common area towards the center of the ship.
Several hours pass by with little commotion on the battle hardened X70-B when a red indicator light starts flashing in the cockpit. HK-40 silences the alarm and wakes his captain, “Captain Rust Bucket, we have reached our destination.” Mirr sits up and gives his co-pilot orders, “Disengage the paralight engines and take us to the surface. Send a priority communication to the Admiral that we are enroute.” The droid pulls the lever into its original position and takes control of the flight stick. The stealth fighter snaps into place just outside the planet Zonama’s atmosphere and begins to descend to the planet. While piloting, the droid drafts a message and sends it off. A handful of minutes later the ship breaks the atmosphere creating a loud boom. Immediately after a comlink opens and the voice of the High Admiral fills the cockpit, “General Vega, I trust your mission was fruitful. Debrief is scheduled for one hour from now in the war room. A special meal has been prepared for your return.” Rend, having arrived in the cockpit a minute prior, stands at attention and replies, “Understood, Admiral. We have approximately a dozen Sith with us as well, some are non-critically injured. I will fill you in on the details at the debriefing.” The link remains quiet save for the occasional sound of static until Anhiel responds, “I trust you have sound reasons for that. I will have lodgings prepared and medics on standby at the landing pad.” Bowing, Rend states “Thank you, Admiral” just before the link cuts.
HK lands the ship perfectly on the landing pad that is currently collecting more and more soldiers along the perimeter. At the very front of the line stands Athin and Joash, both watching the ship settle on the ground. The ramp slowly descends spewing steam from its sides, cloaking the exit as a single hooded figure steps off the ramp. A roaring applause erupts as the General steps into view. Rend smiles and raises his hand to quiet the crowd before he speaks, “We have brought several guests. They will need to be shown to the refreshers and the mess once their injuries are addressed.” He points at a Private near the front of the group and continues, “Private, show our guests the utmost hospitality and help them get settled.” The young woman stands at attention and speaks while holding her salute, “Yes, General!” Rend waves down the refugees, which causes a stir with the onlooking group of soldiers as they recognize the uniforms. While the group follows the private to the refreshers Rend speaks again, “I expect that our guests will be treated as one of our own. If not, I will personally see to those who bring shame to the name of our Admiral.” In unison the entire group responds after snapping to attention, “Sir, yes Sir!” The remaining crew exits the ship and the last to depart are Y'ssane followed by Sun who has donned the outer robe of her usual outfit and is keeping the hood pulled deeply over her head. Joash notes the peculiarity to her demeanor and unease in the Force and takes a step towards the young Padawan but a hand on his shoulder halts his progress. He turns to see who it is and the answer comes in Rend’s voice, “She is unharmed, Master Joash. But she needs some time to process some of the events that occurred. She will come to us when she is ready.” Creases form along the old Jedi’s forehead, unsettled by the statement and not knowing what had occurred. But the young woman’s master had requested she be left alone and he could do nothing but honor the request. He nods shortly in confirmation before turning away, deep in thought. Rend turns and begins to make his way to his quarters. Y'ssane and Sun had continued walking and now entered the main building.
Mirr and HK-40 skip the refresher and make their way to the mess where a wonderful smell catches Mirr’s attention, originating several dozen meters away. Before he can see the entrance his pace hastens as the fragrance intensifies. The Mandalorian pauses after he enters the large mess hall. A plethora of foods are arranged on five tables in the center of the room. The main course consists of large slabs of red meat smoked to perfection, garnished with locally harvested tubers and roots that had been roasted until tender. Another section displays sautéed fungus and smothered poultry with a fermented fruit drizzle. Another section had two large containers of leavened bread. However, none of those items caught Mirr’s attention. Instead, he found himself staring at the assortment of pastries, small cakes and custards that covered the furthest table. He removes his helmet, closes his eyes and inhales deeply allowing a large smile to creep across his face. Finally catching up to him, HK stands and slowly scans the room, perplexed by his master’s fascination. Mirr hands his helmet to HK-40 and begins filling his tray with multiples of each dessert item. He barely takes a seat before he devours the first pastry, followed by a cake with ornate frosting. HK-40 sits beside him and places the helmet on the table and stares at his Captain with emotionless eyes. Several moments pass while Mirr is taking large bites of each item, savoring every chew when Thea steps to the table. She wears a standard uniform with a plain apron overtop as watches the comical over indulgence of the Madalorian before addressing him, “I see you have a sweet tooth.” Mirr takes a large gulp and replies, “I haven’t had desserts like this since I was a child. Did you do all this?” Thea provides a brief smile and replies, “I prepared the menu and oversaw the preparations. But several others contributed other than just I. I must admit that the personnel responsible for meals in this fleet are quite skilled.” Mirr nearly cuts her off with excitement, “This is amazing. I hope this becomes a regular thing.” The droid buzzes in, “Inefficient meatbags.” Mirr looks at his partner with a piercing glare and asks him, “What are you talking about?” HK-40 replies, “Organic life forms require too much to survive. It is repulsive.” Mirr retorts, picking up a small bowl with an unknown custard, “Go recharge or something.” The droid stands up to leave when an Officer approaches them. He stands at attention and salutes Mirr before speaking, “Sir, the High Admiral requests your presence in the war room.” Mirr dusts his hands off and grabs his helmet before addressing the table, “No one is to touch my food. I will be back.” Thea chuckles at the continued enthusiasm from the otherwise quite stoic man as she picks up the tray and walks to the kitchen.
An hour after landing, the young General steps into the war room, directly across from the entrance at the head of the table sits his Grandmaster. Rend takes a deep bow until Anhiel speaks, “At ease, General. Please sit beside me and display your report. The rest shall be joining us momentarily.” Rend straightens and moves to the seat just to the right of where Anhiel sat and pulls out his datapad. With a few keystrokes, data begins to display on the hologram at the center of the table and the young Jedi leans back in his seat, preparing his words silently. Over the next ten minutes, various officers begin to make their way into the room as well as Athin, Joash, Sun, and Y'ssane. As usual, Athin and Joash take up positions along the perimeter of the room. Sun and Y'ssane sit near Rend. The Commander is still shaken from previous events but her outward appearance is masking her feelings to those not attuned to the Force. A minute later Sella nervously enters the room which raises several eyebrows, including Rend. However, the General’s confusion increases as he notes the lack of surprise on the Admiral’s face. Without acknowledging the unspoken questions, Anhiel beckons to the Sith Scientist then indicates an open chair on the wall just behind her. Quietly, the man nods and moves quickly to take a seat. With everyone settled, Anhiel turns her eyes towards and queries simply, “General?”
Rend clears his throat and straightens in his seat, “Ma’am, I am happy to report that our mission was successful.” He makes an input on his datapad which shifts the hologram to show the equipment they acquired, “We were able to secure an upgrade model of the Hyperdrive Core Module. Lieutenant-Commander Barnes has indicated we should see a minimum increase in efficiency of fifteen percent once it is installed. Retrofits are already underway and should be completed shortly.” Anhiel nods quietly as she listens, indicating he should continue. “The mission was not without obstacles, however. Upon arrival, it became apparent that the Balmorra facility is under the control of our unknown enemy and we had to fight our way out.” Quietly and without realizing, Sella interjects “The Eternal Empire…” All eyes in the room move to look at the Sith and it takes several moments for him to realize he is now the center of attention. Finally, Anhiel turns in her seat, casting a gaze upon him that gives no indication of her emotions as she asks “What do you know of this Eternal Empire?” Sella swallows and speaks nervously, “Not much, Ma’am. What little I was able to glean is that they originate from a planet known as Zakuul, it is somewhere in Wild Space.” The Admiral appraises the man for many moments before inclining her head in appreciation, “Thank you. Once we are done here, please remain behind. I wish to speak with you more.” With anxiety rising, Sella nods and swallows before leaning back in his seat and fidgeting with his hands.
After facing forward, the Admiral states clearly, “Please continue, General.” Rend proceeds as directed and goes over the primary details of the mission, including the large battle that took place prior to their escape and how they came to rescue those Sith they brought with them. “Well done, General, to you and your team. Ensure everyone takes some R and R while we determine our next move.” The gathered officers nod in confirmation of the order and Anhiel looks over the room as Mirr arrives in the doorway. Without looking over, she rises from her seat and declares, “General Rend, Commander Sun, Lieutenant-Commander Barnes, Captain Styn, and Captain Jov’aine, please line up here.” With a wave of her right hand she indicates an open area beside the table. Those mentioned comply with the request, albeit with some confusion as they arrange themselves in a single line. Anhiel straightens her uniform before she moves to stand in front of the line and addresses those before her, “Your mission was not an easy one even before this Eternal Empire was found to be involved. But it was critical to acquire the necessary parts to keep the fleet operating at maximum efficacy.” She begins to walk back and forth in front of the line with her hands folded behind her back under her cape as she continues to speak, “In light of this achievement, I wish to recognize each of you for your actions.” She pauses at the end of the line on the left, standing in-front of Captain Jov’aine, her piercing eyes staring directly into the slightly older man’s dark eyes. The Captain straightens, listening intently to her words, “Captain Jov’aine, you have performed admirably not only in this mission, but in several prior despite the ferocity and tenacity of our enemy. In recognition of these efforts, as High Admiral I hereby endorse your promotion to Commodore.” Jov’aine salutes, stating briskly “You honor me, Ma’am. Thank you.”
Anhiel inclines her head before stepping to the right, now casting her gaze upon Y'ssane, “Lieutenant-Commander Barnes, despite being thrust into a command position which you were not prepared for, you have behaved in a manner consistent with my highest expectations. Your expertise and quick thinking have saved my ship on multiple occasions already, as well as the entire crew. And despite not being combat personnel, you went on this mission and performed your role with distinction.” She beckons to the private that had come to stand just a few meters away with a shiny black box. The young man moves quickly to stand next to the Admiral and opens the box revealing a few metals of various colors and designs. The Admiral picks up a silver medal in the shape of an amorphous cross and turns back to the young woman, “As a result of your actions, I present you with the Silver Cross of Distinction. A symbol of your continued excellence in the face of adversity.” Y'ssane straightens as Anhiel affixes the medal to its place on the woman’s left chest. Afterwards, the Lieutenant-Commander salutes briskly and Anhiel steps to her right once more to now face Sun. “Commander Veruna, I have heard you are responsible for not only saving this Sith but protecting Captain Jov’aine and Lieutenant-Commander Barnes. You also prepared the details of this mission and in recognition of these actions, as High Admiral I endorse your promotion to Captain.” Anhiel pauses, appraising the young woman with a knowing gaze, “But I sense the struggle you feel within. Only time and meditation will ease that burden but rest assured that your Master, your enclave, and I stand with you and will support you.” Attempting to maintain her composure, Sun only bows her head slowly in response before Anhiel steps down the line once more, now facing Rend.
“General Vega, you have grown much in a short time and have become an excellent leader. Your actions in this mission and previous need not be recited.” Once more, Anhiel pulls a medal from the box, this time a nearly circular shape in a gold color. “In recognition of your actions and growth, I present you with the Cross of Glory.” After she affixes it to a place on his outer robe, Rend bows deeply in response. Anhiel returns the gesture before moving to stand in front of the last member of the team. Mirr stands straight, still clad in his full armor, having not had time to change and store the gear. The Admiral remains quiet for a moment, looking upon his helmeted head with eyes that saw his expression despite the covering. “Captain Styn, you came to our group under curious circumstances, to say the least. I made it clear that you must earn my trust if you wished to join us. It is my understanding that you threw yourself at several warriors of the Eternal Empire in an attempt to protect Sun when she was indisposed. Is that correct?” Mirr merely nods, electing to remain silent. Anhiel continues, “And what happened to your Beskar sword?” The Mandalorian clears his throat before responding, “Lost, Ma’am. I dropped it when moving to Miss Veruna’s aid and was unable to recover it in the chaos.” Nodding slowly several times, Anhiel continues to cast a knowing gaze on the man before she holds out her hand to the left. The young Private places a cylindrical item wrapped in a velvety cloth in her hand. She moves the piece, unfolding the cloth to reveal a lightsaber handle made of a primarily black angular material with silver inlay. “I present to you the lightsaber I made at the end of my trials so many years ago. I know of no other weapon in the galaxy that could replace one as precious as the blade you once wielded. Those that wield a lightsaber are among the greatest to wield a blade. Let this represent your skill as well as be a symbol of my trust which you have undoubtedly earned. For as long as I live, I will count you as one of my closest allies and will come to your aid should you ever need it.” Mirr hesitates, looking over the weapon and all eyes in the room train on him in shock. He slowly reaches out to take the weapon from her palm before he thumbs the activation switch on, causing a pristine silver blade to erupt from the end. After admiring the blade for a few moments, he extinguishes it and folds his right hand containing the weapon across his chest then bows his head, “You honor me, Ori’vod. My blade shall be yours until you no longer have a need for me.”