HannibalWasBetrayed

The door to Conference Room Epsilon-2 opened abruptly, keyed by an individual with sufficient rank to know the location of the Admiral at all times, even after such a defeat. Tallin strode quicly into the room, his eyes gaging the assembled officers. He knew the Admiral well, having stood beside him at the messy dinner on Coruscant, and had seen many hours of footage of his military actions. He had also meet the commander, at one of the many Imperial functions, where he had also learned, at least by name, face and rank, most of the others gathered there. The monstrous being who had just finished speaking seemed familiar, perhaps, but he could not recognize him. Briskly, Tallin saluted the admiral, as he was the highest ranking officer that the Zabrak respected, now that the Empress had been captured. He turned slightly to include the rest of the room, gaging them with weary, bloodshot eyes. "My apologies for my late arrival, Admiral Pilon. I had a difficult time making it off of the Shipyards, most of the transports had fled or been destroyed, and my own ability to fly compromised. It was only by luck that I found a functioning fighter and a willing pilot, which brought me here. I also had to stop at the medical facilities, as..." Tallin paused, gesturing at the remains of his left arm. The duel had left it heavily damaged, too damaged for anything but removal or a long stay in the Bacta tanks. So he had it removed within the medical hospitals erected by the Moff Hohenlohe, a metal cap on the stub which ended just above his elbow. With the Empress captured, a long inactivity was not an option. He was the Captain of the Imperial Guard, and he had failed to protect his Empress. But he would not fail to avenge her. "I had to get this taken off. Dead weight anyway, I guess right? For those of you who do not know me, I am Imperial Guard Captain Tallin Abraxas. I was faced by a Sith warrior in the shipyards, and like our companion, also defeated him, and took his lightsaber. Most of the Imperial Guard is dead, fallen by the side of their Empress. As soon as matters are decided, I shall begin the process of finding and training a new branch, in the ashes of the old. I do, however, have one squad ready, as they remained behind to take part in the rebuiling efforts on this very moon. What are our orders, Admiral? How many of the Moffs survive? Any news of the fate of the Empress?"

It was as if a massive hand swept through the air, carrying all before it in flurry of wind. The Sith jerked backwards, thrown back by the impact of a dozen bolts at point blank range. Tallin scrambled to his feet as his left arm hung limply at his side, a cursory glance telling him he would not be able to use it any time soon. His other hand still clenched the blaster, ready to deliver a final flurry of shots if necessary. This time, however, his fire had results. The fire had punched through the strange armor he wore, leaving shallow wounds across his lower body and arms. In addition, a wound had opened up on the abdomen. Here, the armor had been hit several times, finally succeding in damaging the flesh beneath. This wound, no doubt, was what had kept him down. Tallin leaned forward, falling heavily to one knee beside the body. Now that the stress of the duel had momentarily broken, his face twisted in pain and hate, words slipping through clenched teeth in a grating hiss, "Damn you, scum. Your kind is a plague upon this galaxy. Would that I could simply kill you now, blow your brains across this floor and spit upon your worthless corpse. But the Empress may yet have a use for you, and the Inquisitors will certainly wish to have a word. You act like you can just walk in here, walk..." The Zabrak stood back up, glaring down at his foe. "Hmmmm, walk..." With a grin that would not cheer even the most dour of humours, Tallin leveled his blaster at the left knee of the Sith, and depressed the duel triggers. Shattered bits of blood and bone sprayed across the cold floor as the socket disintegrated, the lower leg held on by a shred. Without a pause, Tallin turned toward the other knee, and fired again. For a moment, he stood still, watching the pain of the Sith without emotion. He sighed, then reached down to grab the discarded lightsaber, its terrifying beam temporarily halted, slipping into a spare holster on his belt. He had little fear of any attempts from the Sith to recover it, the Ysalimiri on his back surviving the encounter. A final surge of strength swept through him, and he lifted the Sith up by the top of his clothes. "I know where to put you, Sith." The loss of blood would soon begin to tell on him, but for the moment, a portion of his strength still remained. Dragging the man down the hallway, the Imperial stopped at a small door at the side of the hall. Opening it with his override code, Tallin pulled the man to the door, looking down over the trash compactor below. Fortunantly for the dark side being, it had not been emptied recently, or the drop would likely have been fatal. Without further words, Tallin tossed him in, immediately shutting the door and overriding the manual controls. He would not have his prisoner so unceremoniously disposed of. His strength failing him, Tallin stumbled down the hall, weakly clutching his bleeding arm. This time, he was headed for the rear. He had done his part in the battle.

Tallin grimaced as the jarring kick of his opponent smashed into his right wrist, bone and muscle both screaming in pain as the force almost knocked the blaster from his loosened fingers. Doubtless, if the Sith warrior had not been falling backwards, the kick an afterthought as he pulled back to regroup, the blow would have been enough to shatter the comparatively weak bones of his arm. Even so, the power contained with the strike knocked his arm away, ending the stream of bolts as the barrel swung toward the far wall. His expression further darkened as his opponenet's second kick impacted into his leg, just below the knee. Thankfully, he had been facing the Sith at an angle, having used his momentum to place his left side closer to the Sith. As it was, his opponent's kick knocked one leg out, dropping the larger warrior to one knee with a metallic thud. It was not a good position, off balance and beneath the level of his opponent, but still able to strike. The rain of blows that followed continued to knock him back, the smaller human still capable of landing powerful blows. However, the heavy Imperial Guard Armor he wore succesfully blocked much of the initial impact of each blow, and prevented the broken bones and heavy brusing that may have followed. His first reply since the beginning of the duel hissed out in his growling voice, made deep and abrupt by the stress of the situation and his loss of breath, "Damn your etiquette. You have attacked the Remnant, and we care nothing for your rules." As he continued to fall back, he saw the Sith pull his lightsaber for a final coup-de-grace to his stumbling opponent. Tallin immediately stopped attempting to arrest his fall, and dropped heavily onto his back, the sides of the metal cage with the ysalimiri within digging painfully into the metal plates covering his back and roughly arching him up. The rough kick that had knocked him back actually saved him, as the upward swing of the lightsaber, unassisted by the Force and directed by a warrior with blood streaming across his rapidly moving face, missed the majority of his body. The blazing blade, however, cut deeply into his left arm, cutting through the heavy metal and burning away a chunk of flesh. The Sith was once again off balance from his aggresive attack, and Tallin opened fire with his other hand, bracing the blaster against his uninjured side. Lying awkwardly on his back, Tallin opened fire, rapidly dumping the remaining rounds loaded into his blaster. This time, Tallin started out aiming for the feet and legs of the Sith, where he doubted the mesh extended to. Rapidly he strafed up his opponent's body, his aim to kill or disable his opponent, ending the fight, for he knew the risk of failure. (3) (Thanks for the duel mate) (Request guest ruling by Charles Hall)

Tallin hissed out a curse as the laughing Sith disappeared into a side room beside their corridor battle. Most of the bolts had missed or been dodged, only one perhaps wounding his dangerous opponent. His taunts continued even as he hid behind the wall like a coward, unwilling to challenge his Imperial foe except in slights, taunts or surprise attacks. It was now a surprise attack he feared, the only way his opponent was now likely to attack. Without a ranged reply, or even an attempt to use any of the strange and wonderful Force powers Tallin had seen during his training with the Inquisitors and on Holo-Vids of the old wars, he doubted the invader would try anything but a point blank attack with a lightsaber, or some other trick. It was strange that the Sith would insult his honor, while betraying himself by hiding from a foe the dark being no doubt despised. The Zabrak's eyes opened wide in suprise as, many long seconds later, the door behind him hissed open, and a sharp blow rained instantly on his broad shoulders, beside the cage the angry lizard waited in. The keen blade pierced the thick armor of the Imperial, driving into the flesh beyond, but most of the force had been robbed by the metal covering, and the blood that trickled slowly down his back reminded him of his former home. At the same time, a shrill beep emmited from the belt at his side. It was one Tallin had heard but a few times, the warning sound when someone tampered with an Imperial-issued thermal detonator. As the Sith no doubt tried to activate it, and instantly rid himself of his opponennt in a less than honorable way, green and blue lights flashed within the duraloid housing. It was not the telltale pattern of activation, but instead the warning that the three-digit code required to activate Imperial detonators had not been entered. This code was entrusted on a individual bases to Imperial warriors, a program that had begun long before the Empress or Tallin had been born. And this Sith did not know his code. The briefest smile crossed Tallin's face as he realized that perhaps the Sith had attempted to use the Force in some dark and nefarious way in conjunction with his sneak attack, but the force-blocking bubble emitted by the Ysalimiri on his back. Each of the attacks of the Sith had largely failed, primarily due to the smaller man's lack of knowledge regarding Imperial techiniques. Tallin's methods were much simpler. He simply needed to land an accurate shot into the chest or head of the Sith at close range, and the fight would be over. Happily enough, the Sith was now immediately behind him. The act of lunging through a doorway while attempting to stab an opponent and reach for his side with the Force would no doubt cause him to become imbalanced, overextending for the sure success of his close range attack. The Imperial immediately threw his mailed elbow back, aiming for the head or upper body of his lunging opponent. At the same time, he began to turn around, lending his swing the force of his body and starting to twist the impedded dagger from the hand of the invader. Should his close-range swing connect, the force would likely be enough to stun or break bone and force the enemy back a pace. Tallin's free hand brought the heavy blaster around, his finger depressing the hair trigger the moment the barrels centered on his wily enemy. At such close range, the advanced weapon would be able to punch through heavy armor, and certainly through that damned cloak. ((2))

The tall Zabrak paced rapidly through the corridors toward the main battle in the shipyards. He had stayed behind to coordinate the last few squads of Imperial Guard to repel sepearted parties of borders, but with all forces now engaged, his place was at the front, at the side of the Empress. It was rare indeed for an Imperial Officer to be transversing the long cold halls by themselves, but such was the emergent situation at the front, that not even a fireteam could be spared as an escort. The once pristine stationed was now covered in the scars of battle and the filth of the invading Sith and Black SUn, a filth the former slave knew well. As Tallin turned another corner, a dark figure stood waiting in the hall before him, quietly watching for him. The figure stood alone, an assassin unguarded by soldiers or beasts. No weapons were easily visible, but the calm assurance with which the invader stood told Tallin he would be no easy victim. Not that this scared the scarred Imperial. The Zabrak was fully armed, the E-22 in his arms charged and ready, while a ysalamiri in its cage rested on his back. His mobility was limited somewhat by the creature he carried, but he had rigged the cage so it could easily be dropped should he need to run. If the enemy made it past his bolts, he would be ready, armed with a force pike and the knowledge and skills of watching and participating in dozens of street fights, and the dozens of hours of Imperial Guard training. He paused in his stride as the dark figure before him spoke coldly, his words slithering forward like the darkness that consumed the Sith warrior's blackened heart and mind, "None of it is for you, Sith. My soul belongs to the Remnant, and to the Empress." Tallin immediately opened fire, his powerful E-22 sending bolts flying down the hall. His enemy stood some thirty yards away, where a corridor intersected that which the Imperial warrior stood in. A few doors with tiny inlets dotted the walls between them, while another corridor intersected some forty paces behind the Imperial. As he opened fire, Tallin backpedaled toward the hall and the obvious cover there. Every second round he fired was directed towards alternating sides of the Sith warrior, an attempt to block the much greater mobility Tallin suspected the Sith possessed and to prevent him from getting into close range. Of course, the Imperial's trump card was the ysalamiri on his back, and the Thermal Detonators at his side. ((1))

The massive ships of the Black Sun and the Sith crowded the viewport from the station as they prepped for battle, sirens warning of interdiction already sounded. They had not yet attacked, and it was a desperate race to get the Empire ships and troops into position before the attack. The sheer number of Empire officials stuck on the planet signaled a crushing defeat for the Remnant should the defense at Kuat fail. Not for the first or the last time, Tallin cursed the hardheaded and foolishly aggresive Galactic Alilance officials for ending the fledging alliance and their doomed attack on Onderon. In one attack, the powerful position that the Tripartatie Alliance had held disapeared, their forces shattered or under extreme pressure. If Kuat fell, there would be no one to stop the steamroll of the Dark Side. "Empress, I will stand beside you, and die for you should our efforts prove in vain. You must not die this day."

"ZM1939NS. You are a slave. You have always been a slave. You will always be a slave. You will die a slave." "Every day I heard those words. Every day the truth of them was beaten into me. I heard it, lived it for so long I started to believe in it. Only hate kept me going. I was born into slavery on Nar Shaddaa, owned by a sub-captain in the Hutt Cartel. I never knew who my father was, some random pirate or raider who likely found my mother in some dark alley in the depths of the Capital of Crime, but my mother, ah. I loved her in the way only a child could, as if she was an angel in the midst of the grime. She protected me as best she could, selling herself just to feed me. She was beaten to death when I was only 6, for spilling a small glass of my former master's favorite Alderaanian Ale. As soon as I was able to talk my 'training' started. These slavers had long mastered the art of breaking children like me, a mix of constant pain, brief rewards followed immediately by worse punishments. They would set us up for failure just to punish us for their own cruel amusements. You know well what they do. The first time I disobeyed them, they slashed me with the vibroblade I know carry. Only by chance did I avoid losing my eye. I was not one of the those blessed, or perhaps cursed, with the ability to sense the force. Perhaps, my former companion was. Too many unusual events happened around her. She... chose a different path." Tallin cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly as he continued, "My companion drove me to break free, I saw in her my mother, and the eventual death all such slaves suffer. So in a moment of my master's weakness, we struck. We murdered them all as they slept drunkenly, exacting a small measure of overdue vengeance, and fleeing that city of terror and misery." The Zabrak sighed heavily, turning to face his Empress again, "Now I fight for you, and the Empire. You have taken steps to punish those who destroy the weak and the innocent, when no other would. For that you have my loyalty, and my abilities, such as they are. I would see the guilty destroyed, and the innocent saved. May I never fail you." As the first worried shouts came through Tallin's commlink, a widespread alert of the arrival of a hostile fleet, an immediate order was issued from the Captain to activate all Imperial guard units to protect the Empress and the other high ranking officers.

"Empress." Tallin began, as he watched the young human ruler practice the endless martial forms she had studied and mastered. They were alone now, away from the Moff council, the hungering ears of the Remnant's enemies and the clattering preparations of war. "Though you may not know it, you are a legend amongst the slaves, the battered and broken of the criminal worlds of the lawless planets. You rose high indeed from where you first began, and yet have not forgotten us. Your hand stretches across vast galaxies, to the hearts of those who have all but lost hope against the crushing tyranny of the cruel, and the crushing apathy of those who profess their righteousness and yet do nothing. If I might ask, how did you rise so far? The stories that circle regarding your tale is more myth and propaganda than fact, I think. I would feign know, so that I might better understand the one I am sworn to serve." The galaxy was plunged into chaos. The Jedi and GA had suffered a crushing defeat at Onderon. The moon above Coruscant, which Tallin had been near only a short time ago, had been destabilized and was on a collision course with the planet below. The Black Sun Syndicate was making herculean efforts to fill the crime void left by the defeat of the Hutts and the freeing of Nar Shaddaa and Nal Hutta. Attempts had been made to destabilize the Remnant from within, and every moment was spent gearing up for the war they knew was coming. But for a moment, in a small room on a crowded world, there was calm.

The impossibly huge metal body of the Imperial Star Destroyer II creak and groaned as it floated in the blackness of space, completely silent to the ears of anyone who might be drifting alongside in the vacuum of space. Polished leather boots squeaked as Tallin walked briskly through the halls toward the landing bay and the planet and shipyards below. Imperial fleet personal cleared the halls as he passed, rigid salutes answered with a few crisp motions of the Zabrak Imperial Guard Captain. No longer wearing his battlefield or bridge command uniforms, he now was outfitted in his full dress uniform, as he was now headed to speak with the Empress himself. The rest of the Guard that usually followed him was waiting at his private shuttle, Tallin himself running behind as he placed the final touches on his report, a joint work between himself, the regimental and fleet commanders, and Moff Hohenlohe. A detailed, in depth report, complete with brief overview and statements from the different commanders and from the Wookie government, the report had taken most of the return trip through hyperspace to put together. Details included the number of troops lost, damage to the ships, number of enemies killed, condition of the Wookies, and amount of supplies and aid delivered. Deeper in the report, where only analysts and techies dared tread, were lesser details like overall cost and amount of food each soldier had eaten, complied to be combed through by the unknown and unloved heroes hidden behind desks within the offices of the Imperial Navy. Normally the ranking officer of the Battle Group would present the report, but as the commanding officer was a Moff, it fell to Tallin to deliver it. A short flight to the surface was followed by a shorter walk to the location where the Empress and the Moffs were gathered, no doubt planning the next moves of the Empire. Tallin swiftly crossed to her, the accompanying Guard waiting some distance behind. With a single swift move, Tallin knelt to one knee before the Supreme Commander. "Empress, Battle Group Knight has returned."

Imperial BattleGroup Knight is now at Kuat With a brief rending of the fabric of space, the three capital ships of Imperial Battlegroup Knight exited hyperspace into the system of the Imperial Planet Kuat. Far enough from the normal hyperspace lanes to avoid accidently placing their massive bulk within the confines of another ships, the Imperial ships began the final stage of their journey from Kashyyyk, heading to the spaceport to refuel, rearm and allow the crews much deserved R&R. Surprise rippled through the bridge crews as they noticed the presence of the rest of the Imperial fleet already docked or on patrol around the planet. Clearly, some large scale conflict or mission was in the works. Tallin quickly received reports from the Imperial Guard stationed on the planet, informing the Zabrak that the Empress Raven Zinthos and Beck Pilon, amongst others, were currently on the planet. This was the largest gathering of Imperial forces since the meeting on Coruscant, and here there was no one to interfere with the mission of the Imperial Remnant. He was interrupted from his musings by a series of orders dispersing between regimental leaders and the officers of the other ships. "Wait for orders from Kuat command before attempting to dock, looks like we may need to join the rotation through the shipyards. Make sure that fuel and stores are at a sufficient level. We'll need to put in requests for new recruits to fill the holes in the regiments after Kashyyyk. Gotta get them trained and up to speed as well. And get a shuttle ready to take the Imperial Guard and the Moff down to the planet." Battlegroup Knight Total AP: 10 Ascalon Ship Class: Star Destroyer Type: Imperial II Crew: 40,000 crew Armaments: 50 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries 75 Turbolaser Batteries 20 Heavy Ion Cannons 8 Octuple barbette turbolaser 4 Concussion Missile Launchers 10 Heavy Tractor Beam Projectors Compliment: 4,000 Troops, 4 TIE Defender squadrons, 4 J-983 Javelin squadrons. Construction Finish: 03/06/2018 AP: 4 Agamemnon Ship Class: Star Destroyer Type: Imperial II Crew: 40,000 crew Armaments: 50 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries 75 Turbolaser Batteries 20 Heavy Ion Cannons 8 Octuple barbette turbolaser 4 Concussion Missile Launchers 10 Heavy Tractor Beam Projectors Compliment: 4,000 Troops, 4 TIE Defender squadrons, 4 J-983 Javelin squadrons. Construction Finish: 03/06/2018 AP: 4 Benedictus Ship Class: Frigate Type: Lancer Frigate Crew: 900 Starfighter/Troop Complement: 2 TIE Defender Squadron 2 Skipray Blastboat Squadron 2000 Assault troops Armament: 20 AG-2G2 quad laser cannons AP: 2

(( Imperial Remnant Government Actions posted with permission)) The battle for Kashyyyk was over, with the slavers and mercenaries of the Black Sun and Sith destroyed and captured, and the forested world free again. A large portion of the hundreds of captured prisoners had been handed over to the Wookies for trial and execution, while the rest remained in the hands of the avenging Remnant and Jedi, where they would also face justice in death. Medical aid and food were immediately distributed to both the captured Wookies and those who had escaped the clutches of the slavers. The Remnant had come equipped to supply and aid in the rebuilding of the battered world, not just to fight the war to free it. The Imperial Remnant would not be holding onto the world, much to the contrary of the beliefs of many in the Jedi and GA. No, Kashyyyk was to return to its earlier status as a neutral planet, beholden to none. The extensive history between the Empire and the Wookies could not be easily forgotten by either side, the detailed records of past atrocities and the hundreds of years long memories of the Wookies ensuring that the past could not be easily forgiven. Still, the Imperial efforts to free the planet had two desired effects, a small amount of restitution paid and more good will restored between the former enemies, and the temporary halt of the expansionist policies of the followers of the Dark Side. Though the Imperials were taking a hands off approach to the new government which had returned from exile, they were leaving behind another of Moff Hohenlohe's Imperial Missions, similar to the one previously built on Nar Shaddaa. This Mission was enacted to aid in the long terms goal of rebuilding, and mitigating the suffering due to the disruption of their economy, homes, and tribes. As the Imperials would not be leaving any troops or ships behind to protect the planet, Moff Hohenlohe, with the support of the Moff council and the Empress Raven Zinthos, had arranged for the Nar Shaddaa Spaceworks to begin work on a Golan III and a Star Destroyer II to help defend the planet. These defensive weapons were designed entirely as a gift, with no intentions of repayment or long term allegiance to the Remnant. Much of the space monstrosities would be altered to function with the Wookies, a test of the capabilities of the Imperial Engineering Corps. Some military advisors and trainers would also come with the weapons platform, provided they were accepted by the new government. With matters finished on the green surface, the remaining men and women of Imperial Assault Groups Alpha and Bravo boarded their transports for the return trip to their homes aboard the ships of the Imperial Battle Group Knight. Many hands were hastily passed over hardened eyes as the thoughts of the veteran troops turned to their comrades who had fallen aboard the Golan and on the planet's surface never to rise again, to partake in a good meal, laugh at a crude joke or share in the intensity of a firefight. A single massive memorial had been held on Kashyyyk before they departed, and the names of each of the fallen recorded in the long registry of Imperial dead. As they returned to their ships, most of the Imperial Marines scattered to their respective barracks, to drink, carouse, and brawl to the memory of their comrades who were forever lost to them. With the flaring of massive engines, the Ascalon, Agamemnon, and Benedictus jumped to hyperspace, heading for Kuat where the rest of the Imperial fleet was gathered. ((Any follow up Imperial posts can be put into the "Space" or "Kuat" threads.))

Like most of the carefully planned and skillfully executed plans developed by the Imperial Remnant's Empress Raven Zinthos and Moff Council, victory on Kashyyyk proved inevitable. The Golan 1 floating high above the planet was the last great defensive hope of the slavers operating on the wooded planet, and its defeat and destruction without the loss of a single Imperial capital ship doomed the evil ravagers below. The final defensive lines of the slavers had been stormed with the iron strength and righteous resolve of the Imperial Legions. Though breaking through the heavily defended terrain was dangerous and difficult work, every fallen tree and rocky outcropping defended by heavy gun turrets and fanatical warriors, the rolling tanks and engineering capabilities of the 37th Mechanized Infantry proved impossible for the lighter arms and armor of the Trandoshan Slavers to defeat. The heavy tanks simply crushed their way through most of the fallen trees, while the lighter tanks deftly maneuvered over or around the fallen masses, flanking enemy positions while their bulky forms provided cover for their infantry supports. Tallin sighed as he continued listening to comm reports and scrolling through datapads worth of information, orders and messages constantly flowing in and out from his command team. His weapons remained at his side, though not a shot had been fired since the execution of the Trandoshan slaver earlier. The Regiment of Hohenlohe had performed particularly well in breaking the slaver's lines, their own memories of slavery propelling them in a tide of just revenge. Whenever a gap in the lines had opened, the constant flow of reinforcements from the ships and other units finishing their tasks would plug the holes, while the Trandoshans lacked the man power to fill their depleting ranks. As son as troops would clear an area, tree fire suppression, initial medical aid and other tasks would immediately begin, understaffed squads and support personnel stepping up to fill these needed roles. Hundreds of troops were dead or injured, but the heavy tanks of the mechanized regiment had limited casualties below the projected numbers, combined with the death of the Sith and Black Sun officers upon the Golan 1. As they approached the center of the Slaver Base and their stockpile of massive slaver ships, many of the slavers had begun to execute the slaves and the few captured Imperials in a fit of desperate revenge. Most of the Trandoshans had been slaughtered in the fighting, though some had surrendered before fighting and been captured by Imperials or the Jedi troops. The tall Zabrak had realized his order had been a bit hasty, and amended it to those bearing weapons only. Now, with the battle mostly over, the task of rebuilding had begun. With relief ships and officials dropping from the descending Star Destroyers above, the long term task of helping the Wookies begin their life again was in full swing. The Imperials would not be staying long, only long enough to get the Wookies back to their feet. It was not an Imperial planet, the presence of the Imperials were needed elsewhere, and it was time to disprove the common belief of the GA and the Jedi that the Imperial Remnant was simply looking to conquer territory. As Tallin headed toward the descending shuttle, he hoped some official would be arriving that would help the former slave with the planet's recovery. Life was much simpler when he was just a Corporal on Nar Shaddaa.

"Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces. Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces. Clear all generalized comm traffic and standby to receive new orders. Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces." Tallin's deep voice thundered out through the army-wide comm, his communication officers patching him into every comm from senior sergeants and lieutenants up through the ranks, even the officers in the Imperial ships and fighters high above receiving the call. "All Forces, new orders for all receiving units. The final major group of slaver scum have retreated and heavily entrenched themselves around their holding and landing grounds. Enemy troops estimated at 3-4 thousand. Reports state that thousands of Wookie captives are still being held at this staging ground, and will likely be used as meat shields. The 69th Regiment and the 37th Mechanized Infantry will be spearheading the frontal assault. All units no longer engaged or taking part in cleanup operations report to your co-ordination officers for placement in the battle line for the attack. Expect heavy resistance at all points from tanks, artillery and fortifications. All ships, be advised that any slave ships escaping past atmosphere are to be boarded and captured. Due to the likelihood of slaves on board, no ship is to be fired on except for disabling shots after authorization from the Moff's Command Crew. No bombing runs or ship bombardments authorized for assistance with ground operations. Close support via fighters authorized only in emergency situations. All Imperial Knights, Imperial Guard and Jedi are requested to assist the Spearhead Regiments with breaking the enemies outer line. Watch for Trandoshans executing Wookie slaves. Shoot with caution when slaves are present. With ALL enemy forces, weapons free. Take no prisoners. Good hunting in the name of the Remnant, Command Out." Most of the gear and personnel at Tallin's command post had already packed up and were ready to go before the orders ended, already knowing they would be heading much closer to the front lines. Tallin shrugged into his heavy armor with the assistance of one of his aides, ready for personal combat if needed. "Pack it up, we're headed for the front!"

A short message circulates into the greater Holonet without any attempt at inscription. Large blocky letters in standard print cover the add, no extra detail or ornament added save the symbol of Imperial Remnant. Translations from galactic basic into the other major languages stream slightly below. IMPERIAL INFORMATION HOTLINE A New and Improved Method For Any Seeking Information About the Imperial Remnant The New Imperial Information Hotline is your go-to method for learning about the Imperial Remnant. No longer do you need to search through forgotten data archives or scroll through dozens of tabloids looking for the facts, the Imperial Information Hotline is now ready for all requests. Whether your request is as simple as wishing to join the Imperial Legions or immigration methods, or as specialized as the current location of the Empress, we process and respond to all queries. For general requests, please post on this forum. For all specialty questions, please contact Captain Abraxas of the Imperial Guard at his work comm, (and no, asking where your tax credits are going is not a specialty question). *Calls may be recorded for quality assurance purposes. **Please do not post reviews based on the nature of the information you may receive. ***If the question involves sensitive matters, Imperial Special Projects may get in touch with you.

From his command post between the shattered husks of several of the massive Kashyyyk trees, Tallin and his team of officers, tacticians and assistants coordinated the assaults of the four thousand troops of Imperial Assault Group Beta. The troops of Assault Group Alpha were rapidly incoming from the former location of the Golan 1, many of these shuttles being placed in priority positions to flank or bypass key Trandoshan positions to end this battle faster and minimize Imperial and civilian casualties, many of the slavers trying to kill as many of the hated Wookies as possible before dying to the just wrath of the Imperial Army. Several of the officers with the tall Zabrak were constantly concentrating with finding paths through the shattered landscape for the heavy tanks of the 17th Mechanized Infantry, who were often blocked by the massive fallen trees, too large and heavy to be easily cut through or moved. Several more focused on the movements of the light Raks Raiders, whose limited armor often required assistance fromother forces to burst through the powerful defences the Transdoshans had set up. Tallin had previously spoken to several of the Trandoshan officers and troopers from within his own command, to sense if their loyalties or sense of justice might have been shaken as they attacked their kinsmen in what was the normal pursuit of their race. Yet to a man they had reiterated their loyalty to the Empress and the path she had taken them on, for they saw now a better way, where their offerings tot the Score Keeper might yet be fulfilled, and to cleanse the galaxy of the corruption their brothers had committed to. As the comm came in from one of the Jedi, Tallin quickly ended his comm with one of the captains of the Hohenlohe regiment where he had been ordering the landing, and listened to the comment of the female Jedi knight. He regreted not getting to meet the famous warrior before the battle, for one or both might not survive this battle. After thinking for several moments, Tallin replied in the comm, "All forces, if any of the slavers attempt to surrender without firing at Imperial forces, capture them to be brought for a fair trial. If, however, they attack Imperial troops, or have obviously slaughtered or harmed the innocent civilians of this world, they are to be executed with prejudice, either by our forces or the Wookies. May the cleansing fire of the Just guide and protect you." Almost before he had finished speaking, several of the Imperial Guard who had accompanied him along with several storm troopers dragged a Trandoshan of unusual size into his command post, and threw him to the ground. Of normal height, the Trandoshan was exceedingly broad and muscular, and with a darker pattern that suited well to the forest environment around him. "We caught this one close by, Captain," began the gravely voice of the older human male who led the new arrivals, "he was preparing to assault this camp no doubt. He murdered several of our sentinels before we could restrain him. And he bears these." Careful not to put his hand to close to the Trandoshan's mouth, the other Imperial lifted up a long string from around the warriors neck. Upon it were dozens of pairs of fangs, Tallin's eyes widening slightly as he realized they were from Wookies, and with sizes ranging from those of children to aged adults. His face a mask of hatred, Tallin stated, "You are charged with the crimes of High Murder of the Innocents, of war against Imperial forces and of resisting their lawful application of Justice. Have you any defence?" The Trandoshan laughed, his teeth bared in a feral grin, "I need no defence to you, Imperial lackey. You are no less a monster then I. You use force and might to bully others into following your path, a faulty judge at best. You bear the marks of a slave, of weakness and pain. We do what we must to survive. You are no better then I." Tallin crouched, looking the grinning slaver in the eye, "Perhaps I am no better than you, but I follow a cause breater than myself, and one for which I would gladly die. Are you ready to die for your trophies, to face the ScoreKeeper in judgement?" The slavers face lost his grin for a moment, before Tallin drew his bone handled knife, with which he avenged himself agianst his masters, and thrust it deeply into the slavers broad neck, forcing himself to watch the life drain from the slavers eyes as his blood dripped slowly down his neck. A thought briefly crossed his mind of the lives wasted in brining only suffering to the galaxy, of those who would not except the justice of the Imperials or the freedoms of the GA, but rather chose to take from others in a relentless pattern of pain. "Justice is served."