Galactic Conquest: The Rise of the Imperials

[Diego Varen]

Good Chapter. And no, I haven't read the other Chapters.

[Renegade Puma]

Great two chapters RC. Very exciting and well done. I can't wait to see what Dodonna decides to do. I hope he stays and kicks Dylan's butt. Cause the capital ships already took care of the threat on the other two planets.

 

And yes I meant "sic' Not "sick". Keep up the great work.

[RC-1162]

thanks dude, but if you really want to spoil the suspense:

 

 

i wouldnt tell you anyway

 

[RC-1162]

SIXTEEN

 

“Commander Jalen,” said Dodonna into his comlink. “You’d better listen to him. Give the order to your troops to retreat.

He received an affirmation as a reply and the capital ships under Jalen’s command slowly revered direction.

 

Dodonna opened a channel with Dylan.

“You are a smart man, Dylan, some would say scheming.”

 

“Glad you think so,” replied the Imperial Admiral.

 

“But know this,” said Dodonna with a confident air. “The Rebel Alliance will not sit idly by as you conquer.”

 

“I don’t think that will make a difference, Admiral,” replied Dylan. “Within two months, the size of my fleet shall double, and the very sight of my Battleships will intimidate your leaders. Now get out of here, before I scramble my fighters.”

 

Dodonna’s capital ship finally turned around and jumped into hyperspace.

***********************************************************************

“I am most pleased with your performance, Admiral Dylan,” said the man in front of him. He sat in his ornately designed chair, or some would say throne, facing away from Dylan, staring out the window, set 75 stories high in the Imperial Palace. The chair slowly swiveled and revealed:

Emperor Palpatine.

The Sith Lord stood up and walked forward a few steps.

 

“Your Spynet is now operational, Admiral,” said the mottled old man. He made the slightest of signs and one of his Royal Imperial Guards, dressed in full red armor, came forward, escorting a humanoid reptilian species. The figure had green skin and sharp, curved claws. Though it was an alien, its features were like those of a man, a handsome man.

 

“This is Prince Xizor,” said Palpatine. “He is the overlord of Black Sun and has a vast Spynet of his own, second to none, equal to the Bothans. Do doubt, what you hear may be received by the Rebel’s too, but if you need any other…services, he will help you.”

 

Xizor, a Falleen, bowed slightly to Dylan and the Admiral returned it.

 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Admiral,” said Xizor smoothly in perfect Basic. “My services are at your dispersal.”

 

Dylan nodded. “I’d like your men to give me the exact whereabouts of the Rebel fleet every three hours. Would that be possible?”

 

Before Xizor could reply, the Emperor cut in.

 

“Discuss your business elsewhere,” said the Emperor. “I don’t think my chambers are your briefing stations, Admiral.”

 

Dylan bowed low. “Forgive me, My Master.” He said and the two figures quickly left the room.

Outside, in the turbolift, Xizor turned to Dylan and said,

 

“I’ll give you all the recon, you need, Admiral, but I want a favour in return.”

 

“Name it, I’ll try to help.” Replied Dylan.

 

“I want authorization to have surveillance on Darth Vader.”

 

Dylan inhaled sharply. He thought about Vader for a second: tall, black armored, Force-user.

Killer.

Murderer.

 

“I…have to think about it,” said Dylan slowly.

 

“Take your time, Admiral,” replied Xizor, not looking at him. “I’m in no hurry.”

 

“May I ask why?” said Dylan.

 

The turbolift stopped and the duo stepped out.

 

“You may, Admiral,” said Xizor and looked at him. “But don’t expect an answer.”

[RC-1162]

is that chapter good? my brain clogged somewhat

[Renegade Puma]

A good SHORT SHORT chapter RC. I am very interested to see if Xizor is really working for the empire or not. Keep up the great work. BTW I was expecting Vader to be in the chair, not Palps, nice one!

[RC-1162]

and unclogged.

BTW, this fic is about to end. any climax suggestions?

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SEVENTEEN

 

Dylan knelt on one knee, head down, in front of the Dark Lord of the Sith.

 

“You have done well in bringing this to me first, Admiral,” rumbled Vader. “Had you given him access without me knowing of it, you would have been…dealt with.”

 

Dylan felt relief and fear at the same time, but managed to keep calm. “Should I deny him permission, My Lord?”

 

“While that would be the most logical answer, since we have our own Spynet, it would not be the correct course to take,” replied Vader.

 

Dylan was confused now. Here was Vader, telling him that the Empire had their own Spynet, and half an hour ago, the Emperor told him that Xizor’s Spynet was at his disposal. As if he could read the Admiral’s thoughts, Vader spoke.

 

“The Emperor thinks our Spynet is too…incapable.” said the Sith Lord. Dylan could hear the verbal sneer in his voice.

 

“What should I do about Xizor, My Lord?” Dylan asked, rising at Vader’s signal.

 

“Give him permission, but set our own recon on him,” said Vader. “Send our best commandos.”

 

Dylan bowed. “Yes, My Lord.”

 

Vader turned away from him and made his way to the exit. “You are dismissed, Admiral.”

***********************************************************************

“The Admiral has given me his permission, Mystery Man,” said Xizor to the hologram in front of him. “No doubt Vader has his own surveillance on me now. You had better pay what I asked.”

 

“Don’t worry, Prince,” said the man. He wore a thick cloak with a hood that covered the top half of his face, but Xizor could make out a neat beard from under the shadows. The man’s voice was raspy, almost like a synthesized voice. “As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, I’ll hold up mine.”

 

Idle curiosity overcame Xizor. “May I know why you require these services?” he asked.

 

“I am sorry, but no,” replied the figure. “And I beg your pardon, but I have to leave, I have some pressing business to attend to.”

 

Xizor nodded. “I hope we can do more business together.”

 

“So do I, Prince,” replied the figure and the holocomm faded.

************************************************************************

Darth Vader smiled under his helmet. Xizor was no fool, he admitted. He liked to have a challenging adversary in this type of thing, since he had none who wielded a lightsaber.

 

“Can your technicians put a trace on that call?” he asked the Officer operating the comm. signal regulators.

 

“We’ll try, My Lord. But it will take a lot of time.” Replied the Officer.

 

“I am in no hurry. Go ahead, officer,” replied Vader.

 

He waited for what seemed like an eternity. He was sitting in his chambers, meditating in the Dark Side, when the officer came to him.

 

“My Lord, the voice was scrambled through a filter, but we managed to crack it and get a positive voiceprint on the person.”

 

Vader smiled again.

***********************************************************************

And so did Xizor, at the report of his aide.So it was a Rebel officer that sent him the transmission. The Rebels were clever, yes; he would give them that, because they were able to hide the true identity of the officer from him, but not enough to match Xizor, who would do his best to uncover the secret.

 

“Good work, officer,” said Xizor and sat, contemplating his next move.

***********************************************************************

Across half the galaxy, on a world known as Yavin 4, a certain someone cut his transmission with Xizor. The same someone opened another channel to Admiral Dodonna. Five minutes later, he was out of the great Massassi spire and into the dense jungle, on his way to the Great Temple. A polished tube hung at his side inconspicuously, and his long, flowing cloak billowed out behind him. He pulled back his hood, and there, in the filtered sunlight of Yavin 4, was Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi.

[Diego Varen]

17 was a good Chapter. I have a suggestion for a climax. An explosive battle which ends in this one and begins in the next one.

[RC-1162]

ill take that in mind, but ill implement it later. thanks for the quick reply, Pottsie.

[RC-1162]

EIGHTEEN

 

The security cam’s automated systems were put on stand-by. Under manual control, its lens zoomed and swiveled to best capture the image.

The image of Darth Vader and the Emperor.

 

“What is thy bidding, my Master?” asked Vader, head down with respect.

 

“You will take the new fleet and capture Chandrila,” the Emperor replied. No niceties there, as usual. The Emperor was known for his to-the-point attitude. Even with his pet, Vader.

 

“Yes, My Master”

***********************************************************************

For once, Dylan was wrong. And for once, being wrong was a good thing. He has confidently said to Dodonna that in two months, the Imperial fleet would double. Well, it only took the massive factories of Kuat half that time to make the ships.

It was one month after Dodonna was threatened away from Kuat space. The Imperial fleet had increased at an alarming pace and there was nothing that could stand against it. No doubt the Rebels must have worried themselves silly trying to figure out which planet the Imperials were going to attack next. Dylan had scrapped the attack plan that the Rebels had managed to steal and was targeting planets at random; useful planets that is.

On receiving orders from Vader to attack Chandrila, he felt a new surge of excitement, something he had not felt in a long time.

***********************************************************************

*This is too easy,* thought Dylan, as his TIE Bombers eradicated opposition and the drop-off shuttles transported groups of Stormtroopers to the surface to strengthen the hold. He was lounging in his chair when a transmission came through.

 

“…der att……need hel……possible,” was all he heard.

 

“Where did that come from?” he demanded.

 

The tech worked a few keys and replied, “Kuat, sir.”

 

Dylan felt his exhilaration draining from him to be replaced by a feeling of utmost dread. He sincerely hoped that what he thought had happened had not happened.

 

Call back the fighters and set a course back to Kuat,” said Dylan.

 

The tech gave the signal and 15 minutes late, when all the fighters were in the hangars, the Imperial fleet jumped back into hyperspace

***********************************************************************

The planet looked peaceful enough, no Rebel capital ships, just as he had hoped. But there was something that did not feel right to him. Like the full contingent of Star Destroyers waiting right in front of them. Dylan had never ordered them to stand guard. And the warships were aligned in a way Dylan had never seen before. That wasn’t an Imperial Academy position.

 

“What’s going on?” Dylan heard a voice behind him. He turned to reply.

 

“My Lord, we received a distress transmission from Kuat while we were above Chandrila,” explained Dylan.

 

The Dark Lord remained silent. Dylan could not know for sure, but he was positive that Vader was searching the area with the mystic ‘Force’ that he commanded.

And sure enough, he was. He felt a powerful surge in the Force. His eyes jerked towards one of the Star Destroyers before them, and realized, it was time for another skirmish with his old Master.

***********************************************************************

Obi Wan Kenobi stood in the bridge of the captured Imperial Star Destroyer. As soon as he had received Xizor’s transmission, he had taken his stolen Star Destroyer from the previous campaign and raided Kuat. The ground forces were easily disposed of, seeing that they were not expecting a full assault, not when the Imperial Fleet was at its maximum. Once in control, they had taken the Star Destroyers which were just finished and sent a false message to the fleet over Chandrila.

 

“Fire,” said Obi Wan casually through the comm. The 15 Star Destroyers under his command fired at the fleet in front of them in unison. In 10 seconds, the Star Destroyer behind Dylan’s exploded. The other warships tried to evade, but the Rebel-Destroyers were on them in no time. Dylan’s ship was under heavy fire for three of the the Rebel ships. Suddenly, just before it exploded, a Command-Level escape pod burst through and streaked for the surface of Kuat.

Obi wan went to the Hangar Bays of the upper level. The only personnel of the ship were those on the bridge and this place was resultantly deserted. He got into his shuttle and zoomed out toward the crash site of the escape pod. He had another chance to redeem his protégé. He would try his best to do so.

[Renegade Puma]

Awesome awesome chapters RC. I can't wait for the duel. And a nice trick by the rebels to capture the Imperial's ships and turn them on them.

[Diego Varen]

Good as always RC. Can't wait to see what happens in the next Chapter.

[RC-1162]

as promised to Renegade Puma, a , with some... extras. you had better like it, i didnt write 1500 words for nothing.

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NINETEEN

 

The escape pod streaked down into the uninhabited, thin forest of Kuat. With a resounding thud, it crashed, uprooting several trees and setting dry leaves aglow with temporary fire because of the red-hot friction-burned outer skin of the pod. As the skin cooled enough for the occupant to exit, a light transport craft landed outside the forest, which was not far off.

The LED inside the pod set near the door blinked, and Darth Vader popped the hatch and emerged, obsidian sheen mask gleaming in the sun. He could not remember being so angry before, other than the time Obi Wan left him for dead near the lava river.

Obi Wan. Vader clenched his fists in increased rage. The next time he saw Kenobi, the Jedi would wish he had never messed with him, the Dark Lord of the Sith.

 

“You don’t have to wait long, Anakin,” said a voice behind him. Vader turned, his rage increasing with the usage of his old name. It seemed impossible that the burning hatred inside him didn’t swallow up the whole universe in a giant flash of flame.

 

“What do you want, Kenobi?” Vader said, through gritted teeth.

 

“My old friend,” Obi Wan replied simply.

 

“You and the other Jedi were never my friends. You just used me; used my power. With the Dark Side, I have no restrictions, save this armor. The armor which you made me wear, Obi Wan. If you were my friend, you would have pulled me away from the lava.”

 

“I came to Mustafar to help you; to turn you away from the Dark path that you strode, but you tried to take my life instead. I had no choice.”

 

“Don’t give me that, Obi Wan. You turned Padme against me! I lost all the people that I loved: my mother, my wife, my child. All because of YOU!”

 

Vader yelled the last word with the absolute apitome of hatred and lunged at Obi Wan, lightsaber in hand. Obi Wan ignited his own blade in the blink of an eye and blocked the cut; just barely. Vader swiped at Obi Wan’s knees, putting all his power in the cut. Obi Wan leapt backward a few feet and spoke again.

 

“You lost your mother to the Tuskens, Anakin. And even then, instead of helping your mother through the Force, you took revenge on them. You killed their women and children. The same fate has been dealt to you.”

 

“ENOUGH!”

 

Vader threw his lightsaber at Obi Wan, directed by the Force. Obi Wan slapped it away with his blade and it returned to Vader. The Dark Lord of the Sith jumped up in an aerial leap with his lightsaber in front of him. Had Obi Wan no side-stepped in time, the cut would have chopped him in half.

 

“You were the one who turned Padme away from you,” continued Obi Wan. “Your actions became unbearable to her. You choked her when you knew, full well, that she had nothing to do with me being there.”

 

“You made me distrust her, Obi Wan,” said Vader. “You were the one who endangered her life.”

 

“No Anakin! Had I not stopped you, you would have killed her on the spot.”

 

“I had no inclination to do that. I want to know from you how she died.”

 

“She died because of you, not for you, but by your hand, Anakin.”

 

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Vader screamed and lunged again.

 

This time, they fought longer. Lightsabers flashed as the changing weather brought on rain clouds to cover the forest. A light shower washed down on them as they fought, lightsabers sizzling in the rain. They feinted, cut, lunged and jumped, Vader fighting to kill and Obi Wan to defend. Finally, they caught themselves in a saber lock and the blades sparked and spurred as they fought a battle of their own, to overcome the other.

 

“I did not kill her,” said Vader, the anger still apparent in his voice. “I want to know how.”

 

Obi Wan pushed harder and Vader matched it, keeping them in the lock.

 

“She lost the will to live, Anakin. She lost it because you lost yourself to her; because you turned to the Dark Side, away from her.”

 

Vader pushed with all his might and Obi Wan was knocked off his feet. The Jedi Master’s lightsaber clattered at Vader’s feet. The Sith Lord kicked it away into the bushes and raised his blade.

 

“I will avenge her death by killing you, Obi Wan.”

 

Vader jumped up and brought the blade down on Obi Wan.

And the Jedi Master had a blade to meet it. Vader stepped back, stunned. The hilt looked very familiar; then it struck him. He remembered the last image of Obi Wan he had seen with his unaided eyes: one of the Jedi picking up his lightsaber and walking away. That lightsaber now lay in his hands. Obi Wan got to his feet and called his own saber from where it lay and ignited it, and he stood, lightsaber in each hand, hissing in the rain.

 

“I vowed never to give up on you, Anakin,” he said. “I swore to myself never to let you die consumed by the Dark.”

 

“You will have to break that promise, Obi Wan,” said Vader, his mask covered with tiny rivulets of water, his cape soaked and clinging to his body armor. “I serve the Dark Side and the Emperor now.”

 

“Padme’s dying words were that there is good in you, and I know it too. I will bring you back if it is the last thing I do. I will do anything to bring you back, my old friend,” said Obi wan, trying to be sympathetic.

 

“I will never return to the Jedi, Obi Wan. Anakin Skywalker is now dead. I am Darth Vader and in this alias, I have realized my greatest dreams. I will not let you take it away from me.”

 

“I won’t take your dreams away from you or you away from your dreams, Anakin. I will just take you away from the Dark Side.”

 

“The blood of many Jedi rests on my hands, Obi Wan. I will never be able to come back even if I wanted to.”

 

“The Jedi are willing to forgive and forget. You need to give it a chance. You were the strongest Jedi ever, the one who would bring balance to the Force, the one destined to destroy the Sith.”

 

“I was. I am no longer. The prophecy did not speak of me in particular. It can be anybody, but it is not me.”

 

“How would you know?” Obi Wan asked in desperation. “You never-”

 

“How would you know? Vader countered. “How would you know that the prophecy spoke of me?”

 

“Forget the prophecy!” Obi Wan finally yelled. “Forget everything else. I want you to be my friend again. There is no more Jedi Council, thanks to you. No more Younglings, thanks to you. No more Mace Windu, thanks to you. No more Tara, thanks to you. But you are still dear as a brother to me and I am begging you, for the sake of your friend, renounce the Dark Side.”

 

Vader turned to where Obi Wan’s shuttle lay and he used the Force to shove Obi Wan down.

 

“I am done speaking, Obi Wan. I will never join the Jedi again.”

 

Obi Wan got to his feet and extinguished both his blades.

 

“Then leave, I won’t stop you.”

 

Vader looked at Obi Wan, lightsabers off and hanging loosely at his sides. The darkness in him pushed at him. He could end Obi Wan’s life with one careless swipe of his lightsaber, and he wanted to. But something stopped him, and he realized, however much he disliked it, that Obi Wan was speaking the truth: there was still good in him. But Vader would do everything to extinguish it. Only then could he master the Dark Side as the Emperor had done. He turned and walked to the shuttle.

 

“There is still good in you, Anakin,” called Obi Wan from behind. “I have felt it.”

 

Vader continued to walk, and 15 minutes later, the rain-drenched Dark Lord of the Sith was en route to Coruscant in Hyperspace.

************************************************************************

An equally soaked Obi Wan Kenobi was the only one who looked somber at the celebrations in the big warehouse. Everywhere around him, Rebels: men, women, aliens alike, rejoiced at their victory over the Imperials; at their success in thwarting the Emperor’s plans. But Obi Wan’s battle was not over. He looked up into the sky through the open top of the warehouse. His protégé was lost; again. But he would not give up. Whatever else he did, Obi Wan Kenobi would not give up, and that thought cheered him up a bit. Finally, he calmed down enough to pluck a glass of juma juice from the nearest table and begin sipping it.

************************************************************************

THE END

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[Niner_777]

It was quite a bit of reading, but I was able to skim through it and notice its good quality. Nice fic. You're a good writer. I can't wait for part two.

[Diego Varen]

A great ending. Suprised Vader didn't know about his kids. I would have thought Obi-Wan would have told him. Other than that, it was good. There was great description in Vader and Obi-Wan's words. Like Niner, can't wait for Part Two.

[RC-1162]

Don't worry, part two will be out in 2 days hopefully

[Sabretooth]

Wow, that was good and a really great ending. I like it that your chapters are short. I can read through them real fast, that way unlike mine

 

Waiting for Part Two...

[RC-1162]

hehe, i though ppl like long chapters more thanks for replying, Sabre, ill get part two up soon

[Renegade Puma]

Great great stuff RC. Thanks for the duel. Your conversation between Obi and Anakin was perfectly written. Can't wait for part two. Keep up the great work.

[RC-1162]

actually, i have put up part two already. check my sig, or scroll down in the CEC main page. its name is "Rebel Rebound"

[machievelli]

read