Grand Admiral

Nine years, six months, and five days after the Battle of Yavin...

Or forty-four years, six months, and five days after the Great Resynchronization.

How was it in those old school problems?

"Given," "Find," "Solution"?

Well, roughly around these same theses, my thoughts revolved all the way from Ciutric IV to Tangrene. I had been putting off a meeting with Moff Gethellis, who controlled the Ante Meridian Sector, because I was afraid of being set up with the same trap as in the D'Asta Sector – yet another "noble" assignment...

And now I've gotten what I fought for, as they say.

Well, then, let's brainstorm. Once again.

Given: money from the Prince-Admiral. Cash. And that is seven hundred million. And even if Krennel paid this sum for five promised ships, one hundred and forty million each, the essence remains the same. A huge amount of money. Considering my savings on the purchase of Rendili hyperdrives and the money from the sale of trophies – it amounts to something around a billion. Very, very good. This amount could allow for the construction of several Imperial Star Destroyers - five, to be precise. The cost of building them has increased compared to the Imperial period. In general, it would be possible to order and immediately increase my fleet… But judging by the speed at which the destroyer, which the Imperial Ruling Council supposedly intended to transfer to my command, is being completed at the Bilbringi shipyards, the construction speed, despite the increase in cost, has also increased. By about a couple of months. Of course, I could not waste time placing orders with third-party shipyards, as I have one right here, but then again – the supply of parts is still necessary. In fact, if Reyes and his people start construction, they will need modules from which the ships are assembled - they cannot produce everything they need on their own. Therefore - either build ships at other shipyards of the Imperial Space, or, not bother with increasing the number, but focus on quality. Currently, I have eight "ones" and four "twos" at my disposal. They need repairs. What's the point of building new ships, if it will result in a long delay, while I could limit myself to a high-quality repair of the existing ships? And there are other starships too.

So it's decided, the money goes to maintain the army, mercenaries, and the fleet. It will most likely be necessary to purchase equipment and weapons again, since our reserves tend to run out.

I decided to keep the one hundred and forty million received from the sale of two battered Mon Calamari star cruisers - one captured at Rugosa, the second taken as a trophy during the attack on the New Republic ambush – as an untouchable personal reserve. Only Tierce knows about its existence. For the rest, such generosity from the Prince-Admiral will remain a secret. It will be enough to talk about the seven hundred million and the sale of four captured ships to him. All that remains is to find five more star cruisers in good condition and hand them over, then the contract will be closed. Almost.

We move on to the "Find" category. And this is where the search for the promised starships comes in. Krennel understands perfectly well that, firstly, he spent a large but not ultimate amount of money. And he will get a certain result for them - five capital ships, plus the destruction of the enemy. And the latter is where the problems lie. I wasn't going to destroy the population of Sluis Van and its shipyards. And if I don't fulfill this condition, then Krennel and his two-colored-eyed girlfriend will be able to spoil me. I have no doubt that Isard is already calculating options for why I so easily agreed to hand over the ships to the Prince-Admiral, while I myself need them. I'm sure that she is well aware of the problems that the maintenance of New Republic prisoners of war and the possession of their captured ships will cause for Krennel. If the Prince-Admiral might not understand the fact that I am thus shifting the "blame" for the attack on the New Republic onto him, then the former director of Imperial Intelligence is not so kind and indiscriminate in gifts. Therefore, we need to expect retaliatory measures. The question is, what exactly?

All the way back to Tangrene, I analyzed the situation. I assessed Isard's possible reaction and her attempts to counteract me. And the fact that she would keep Krennel until he played his role, was not to be disputed.

So, we move on to the "Solution".

Sluis Van is canceled as a target, without a doubt. I will need its infrastructure in the future. Moreover, I wasn't going to break my rule - not to destroy the peaceful population where it can be avoided without threatening myself.

There were several alternative goals.

And the first and most obvious of them is Hast Shipyards. There is extremely outdated information about what is there and what we can expect. Lieutenant Rederick and Mr. Fodeum Sabre De'Luz should check the information and gather what will definitely help in striking a blow.

If I remember correctly, there are a couple of Imperial Star Destroyers and five to seven Mon Calamari star cruisers there. Five to seven... I probably subconsciously voiced this number to the Prince-Admiral, as I consider the loss of this many trophy ships more or less tolerable. Wherever the attack is carried out – at Hast or Sluis Van. Although, frankly, I was planning to sell the Mon Calamari ships from Hast to Baron D'Asta. I don't like these starships anyway. The only interesting thing about them is the automation systems, thanks to which the crew on this starship, with a hull length of 1,200 to 1,600 meters (yes, Mon Calamari don't know how to build two identical ships) is only... a little over five thousand people. Whereas the "Imperial" requires almost seven and a half times more with similar dimensions. Well, there is a great hope that the employees of Chief Engineer Reyes, during the repair of these ships, were able to gather interesting engineering solutions, which, coupled with the Rendili automation system on the heavy Dreadnought-class cruisers, will allow us to reduce the bloated crews on the main ships of the fleet.

Just think about it... If we reduce the number of watches by at least half, then eighteen and a half thousand people of practically the same qualifications can be removed from the thirty-seven thousand crew members. And therefore, they can be moved to other starships of the fleet. At least the Errant Venture, Freedom, Invidious – currently do not have crews. And I'm not even talking about heavy cruisers and so on. There is a real opportunity to invest money wisely and get a worthwhile result, without waiting half a month to prepare a crew for one Star Destroyer.

And, speaking of them. We need to come up with other names for them. Returning or leaving the old ones... is somehow wild. These ships have disgraced themselves by being in the hands of the enemy. During our compulsory service, the boatswain told us stories about how the ships of the Russian fleet that surrendered in disgrace or tainted their names by participating in a revolution, like the battleship Potemkin, were never mentioned in the fleet under their old names, even if they returned back under their native flag. In some cases, the head of state directly prohibited assigning the names of the ships that surrendered in shameful captivity to future fleet units.

So it will be here too. A beautiful tradition. And, frankly, I haven't studied the history of the Imperial fleet so well to say for sure whether there is something similar in departmental orders or not. I will need to carefully find out this issue.

But again, all these are matters of distant future days. Now I am more interested in the present and the near future.

So, Hast shipyards are becoming the priority target. There are a considerable number of starships. Attacking this facility will simultaneously satisfy Baron D'Asta's desire for revenge and, with a certain amount of luck, it will be possible to fulfill Krennel's wishes. What does he want? A total sweep of enemy positions? And what does this imply? That's right – there should be no trace left of New Republic objects at the battle site. This coincides with my plans. All that I will need is to take what is necessary with me, arranging everything like the catastrophe on Ord Pardron in the Dafilvian sector.

And immediately the question arises – how to do this. If it is more or less clear with the starships that they will have to be taken by boarding when they are able to move but not resist, and we have enough capital ships and boarding means for these purposes, then what about the "Golans", repair shops, and the junkyard of equipment... The inner "hamster" told me that when retreating, one should not leave even an extra tin can to the enemy, because "everything is useful in the household". Okay, let's be honest with each other – this is what the quartermaster of the unit I served in used to say. Oddly enough, he was not a man of Slavic origin, but he was stingy... Who knew that friendship with him would result in such a mania for me...

However, this is all lyrical again. I am starting to be distracted by unnecessary details. Control, control over myself! First of all – control!

We've fixed the thought – take everything you can. The question is – how to do it? Not everything there can fly. Just like not everything that flies is able to go into hyperspace. So, what is the result?

That's right, we are returning to the initiative I tested with the "Golan" station. Reyes's subordinates should have already started solving such a problem, because I set it for them in advance. But the calculation for the theft of all the protective and repair stations of the Hast shipyards came from the plan that the attack on them would be carried out later than Sluis Van. During this time, Reyes should have come up with suitable ideas and calculations... I wasn't afraid to attack one of the main shipyards of the New Republic without the support of all the Dark Side's heavy cruisers. In his time, the original Thrawn coped with far fewer ships. By the end of this month, I will have up to fifty starships in service. And this is a force capable of breaking through any defense and seizing the disarmed ships of the New Republic. The enemy resistance in the Sluis Van system is minimal – there are only a few full-fledged capital ships on duty, plus escort forces are present. At other times, either loading or unloading takes place at the shipyards... It is only necessary to guess the required moment of time.

And now, trouble. The Sluissi will still play a role in my plan. It is not worth causing serious harm to them for Krennel's sake. He's a small fish if you look at his position.

I have to adjust my plans again.

So, how do the first, second, and third models of Golan-type stations differ from each other? First of all, in size and armament. What they have in common is that they are all strong and are assembled on-site, as they are delivered in parts to their base location. I don't have time to arrange for their dismantling. Therefore, it's time to teach them how to fly. As well as the two first-type orbital repair shops that are located at Hast. And in fact, if you compare them with the one on Tangrene, what are the differences between them? Outwardly – they are the same. But the first type does not have a hyperdrive, they are also assembled on-site. Which creates a problem: the integrity of the hull during transport. Will it fall apart in the jump? And the answer to this question can only be given by Mr. Reyes's engineers. And I really hope that it will be positive. I very much hope for this – because in this case I will have three orbital repair shops at my disposal. And one of them, if provided with suitable parts and production, is even able to build ships.

And what is needed for this? That's right – suitable hyperdrives. Which we don't have.

But there is the planet Kai Fell, where these same hyperdrives are manufactured for the Kuat Shipyards. And this is... wonderful. Why?

Because both first-type orbital repair shops, as well as their second-type counterpart in Tangrene orbit – are built by Kuat Shipyards. Which means – the technologies on them are Kuatian. And it won't take long to install the necessary systems. And most importantly – on Kai Fell, suitable hyperdrives for this type and size of stations can be found. Not to mention that such second-class mechanisms are needed for the starships of the Katana Fleet.

A week ago, through Pellaeon, I issued an order to intelligence to infiltrate our people onto the planet. It will be necessary to inquire about the results. If the defense of the planet is too strong... I will still have to take a risk.

So, Sluis Van remains an unattainable goal for me again. And the longer I hesitate, the greater the chances that by the time of the attack there will be no more starships that interest me. According to reports from "Source Delta", Advisor Fey'lia, who seized the post of Commander-in-Chief of the New Republic Armed Forces, ordered the withdrawal of capital-type ships - Star Destroyers, cruisers - from transport operations. He intends to use freighters, frigates, corvettes for this... I wonder, is this particular botanist really not our secret agent? It's just that whatever he does, it's all for the good of the Empire.

After all, if he returns the capital ships to the armed forces, and then also forces them to sit at bases, then... the combat escort of transport convoys is significantly weakened... I am not even talking about the fact that one capital ship spends less time and fuel for transporting a specific volume of cargo than a hundred frigates with their small cargo holds. Therefore, the botanist is only increasing the economic abyss that has opened up under the feet of the New Republic...

Interesting.

So, in five minutes we will be at Tangrene. We need to collect and summarize the data on Hast – there should be a report on Mr. Fodeum Sabre De'Luz's weekly trip to the shipyards. In addition, some data on Kai Fell should appear. It will take me some time to work out the operation on the latter planet – everything is ready for the first one, it only needs to be adjusted. Most likely, the trophies will soon be in service - in addition to the Errant Venture and our damaged Victories. The Crusader is almost ready and armed, but the Steel Aurora will have to move by intermediate jumps for another couple of days. Our two Interdictors are also completing repairs – the power frame and plating are being restored, and the turret artillery is being installed. Only the Sentry and the Neutron Star remain in the orbit of Lainuri – everything is complicated there. However, in a day, the Rendili cruiser will complete the engine repairs and will be able to move to Tangrene, where it will join the defense fleet of the planet instead of the withdrawn attack frigates.

Well, thanks to Krennel's money, we can solve the problem of the Hast shipyards and pay off the "debts". It might be possible to earn a good profit from the sale of republican goods and equipment - not to mention the fact that, in addition to capital ships, there are a significant number of smaller starships... in just a couple of blows you can increase the size and combat capability of your fleet many times over.

Yes, some ships are not yet participating in the active part of the operations, like the Sentry, the Imperious, the Nemesis – but this is easy to change. In the last two cases, for sure.

We should also not forget that the return of the escort starships of the Katana Fleet and the Dark Troopers themselves is scheduled for tomorrow... Well, it can be said that things are not so bad after all...

Circumstances fail to subdue me.

— Grand Admiral, sir, — came the voice of Captain Pellaeon from the comlink. A worried voice. This practically never happens with him. Therefore, something very, very serious is happening. — Urgent dispatch from "Source Delta".

— Decrypted? — I inquired.

— Yes, sir, — Pellaeon replied. — I'm sending it to your computer.

One of the central monitors blinked, and the document opened automatically.

After quickly scanning the lines of gossip, rumors, and outright chatter, I ground my teeth upon seeing one of the last recorded speeches.

— So, this is how it is, — I said. — So Talon Karrde is ready to reveal to the New Republic all the information he has about me... One and a half billion in cash... A high price tag. Well, "Claw," what are you ready to hand over to them? And how did you find an approach to Niles Ferrier? The thief was clearly disappointing. Well, at least he didn't sell out for thirty pieces of silver.

Well, by god (or the Force), I wanted to solve the problems much more peacefully.

— Connect me with Captains Tiberos and Vain, — I said. I didn't want to be distracted from the operation at the Hast shipyards. Considering that the solution to the problem with traitors and "snitches" can be given to others. — We will need their services. We are starting Operation "Hunt for Judas."

A slight trembling of the deck coincided with the end of my words.

— Grand Admiral, — Pellaeon's answer was heard. — You'd better come to the bridge. It seems someone decided to sell us some Separatist antiques.

***

Mirax raised her head, tearing herself away from contemplating the metal surface of the interrogation table, in which she had been for several hours. A small room, created to instill in the prisoner a sense of hopelessness and the transience of being. The only thing that was different here, compared to other Imperial cells that she knew about from her father's stories, was a large mirror taking up a good part of the wall. As if it is transparent on the opposite side from her, which means only one thing: they can watch her all the time she is here.

Psychological breakdown. I wonder when they will bring in the interrogator droid and the torture will begin? Or is it already becoming a bit boring and...

The lock rattled, and the heavy metal door of the interrogation room opened. An Imperial stormtrooper entered, assessing the situation inside the cell. A check in case of an ambush... And why is that? As if they don't have recordings from surveillance cameras, and they don't see that she was sitting or sleeping at the table all this time. What's the point of carrying out any activity, if you don't even know where you are, and you were delivered to this "wonderful place" after being drugged in a cell aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer? Even running away is pointless – usually such prisons, again, according to her father's stories, were built by the Imperials almost everywhere. And it is unlikely that right behind the doors of her cell there is a landing pad with a fully functional ship equipped with a hyperdrive to escape from here.

Judging by what she had seen recently, in particular, from the cabin on the destroyer in the Rugosa system, the Imperials had recently decided to get smarter and act inventively for some reason. So one should not hope for their usual sloppiness.

The stormtrooper, having searched the room, left. Instead, a middle-aged man entered. He was dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Security Bureau officer. In his hands – a datapad and a small bag. Judging by the cubes on the command bar – a lieutenant colonel. Her mood finally fell into the abyss.

It's worse to deal with ISB than with anything else. No principles, no human qualities. Ruthless maniacs.

And now, one such decided to "drop in" on her. However, this one is still okay, cute. Severe, judging by his facial features, but this primitive cruelty is usually what women like...

Silently sitting down in the chair opposite her, the Imperial placed the datapad he had brought with him on the edge of the table. Then, without any preliminaries, he placed his bag on the table, and the zipper squeaked.

A small polymer tray, a couple of sandwiches, two fruits, a large bottle of cold berry drink, and paper cups lay in a neat row on the tabletop. The bag disappeared from the table, falling to the floor.

Mirax glanced at the food, remembering that she had last been fed on board the destroyer. Not great, of course. But still... And a lot of time has passed since then...

Her stomach betrayed her with a rumble. The girl looked at the traitor, her handcuffs clanging on her wrists. Oh, my. And she had already forgotten that she was chained to the tabletop with them. How quickly, however, you get used to all the bad things.

Meanwhile, the Imperial, having put the sandwiches on the tray, one of the fruits, opened the bottle, and poured its contents into two cups. Just as silently, he extended the tray to her side of the table. He placed a cup of drink next to it. He kept the second fruit for himself. What a miser.

— Eat, Mrs. Terrik-Horn, — his voice is low, hoarse, interesting. — The local guards sometimes forget that there are also sentient beings on this side of the interrogation room doors.

— Much obliged, — Mirax snorted. — But I won't eat it. I know this psychological trick.

— What one? — the lieutenant colonel's face tensed and expressed an extreme degree of misunderstanding.

— The one you like to use, — Mirax grinned. O-o-oh, who tied her stomach in a knot. I accept handouts from you, and then you use it to establish psychological contact with me. In the future, you will manipulate this to achieve what you want and... Hey, what are you planning?!

The girl recoiled in fear, pressing herself into the back of the chair until her spine hurt, but the chain of handcuffs passed through the bracket in the center of the table did not allow her to move further away from the suddenly rising Imperial. Meanwhile, while she was trying to distance herself as much as possible from this sentient, he, using a magnetic key, unlocked her bracelets. The chain jingled briefly, and the high-tech shackles went to the floor next to the entrance.

The girl squealed when the Imperial grabbed her wrists. He carefully examined the bruises from the overly tight handcuffs.

— No good, — he said. Returning to his bag, he took out some kind of aerosol canister. He turned to Mirax and was surprised to find that she, like a bird, had fluttered, ending up behind the back of her own chair. And very suspiciously looking at the canister in his hands.

— It's a bacta spray, — the Imperial said. — For wounds. We need to treat them before problems start...

— It's the first time I see such bruises form from wearing handcuffs for a couple of hours, — Terrik-Horn said without changing her position, looking at her wrists.

— A couple of hours? — the Imperial tensed. — Mrs. Terrik-Horn, you have been in this cell for more than a day.

The girl arched her eyebrow in a questioning arc. Does he think she is a fool?

— Not the most successful joke, — she grumbled. — I'm sure you can do better.

— And this is not a joke, — the Imperial said. He demonstratively put the bacta canister on the table closer to her. — A day ago I was doing my routine work and did not know about your presence at the facility. And as soon as I saw your file, I decided to visit, to get acquainted personally, so to speak.

Oh, stomach, why are you rumbling so loudly? Even this Imperial's face has a smile. Such a "regretful" one... Although the girl could bet that there is nothing sincere in it. He, as she suspected, is trying to win her trust. The Imperials have strange tortures these days.

Meanwhile, the "security officer", as if losing interest in her, reached out and took possession of the fruit left on his side of the table. He bit into the ripe fruit with undisguised pleasure... Juice dripped down his strong-willed chin, but the man quite skillfully removed the moisture from his face with a paper napkin. So, where did he get it?

The young woman watched for a few more seconds as the Imperial, without any particular haste, bites into the ripe fruit. She wanted to turn away and not watch all this... She shifted her gaze to the side, and it fell on the tray with food. This is such a bait...

Her stomach betrayed her with a rumble. And her throat became somewhat dry...

Mirax, making a mental reproach to herself, reached out, grabbing a cup of juice. She will just take a sip to moisten her throat. No more than that... Oh, how delicious! Another sip...

— If necessary, they will bring more, — she heard the Imperial's voice as if in a fog. The girl looked up at him, feeling a strange aftertaste in her mouth... ham. Cheese. Greens...

Looking at the tabletop, the girl saw that only a fruit was left on the tray. And a small piece of sandwich in his hand. So small, defenseless, appetizing...

— Thanks, — she said, finishing the food. And stopped herself. Was that phrase that slipped from her lips?! Thanked the Imperial?!

— This is clearly not enough to satisfy hunger, — the Imperial said, watching her pour the remains of the juice from the bottle. — I will order to bring more...

— No need. — the girl felt that her stomach began to treat her more favorably. At least it is not indignant in public. — So, what do you want from me?

— Why did you even think that I want to get something from you? — the Imperial was surprised.

— Not you, — oh, you subcutaneous traitor! Is that not enough for you?! — Your commander. A blue-skinned one, with black hair, red eyes, in a white tunic, with gilded epaulets... Do you remember?

— Ah, the Grand Admiral, — the Imperial chuckled. — Yes, you are definitely as quick-witted as your father.

— And now you are going to tell me about how noble you were with my father? — Mirax Terrik inquired as indifferently as possible. At the same time, she tried to make sure that the Imperial did not notice that she had relaxed, returning to her chair. Dad is probably alive. The Imperial would not be so benevolent in an attempt to achieve cooperation from her if they had gotten rid of Booster. Most likely they want to carry out the initiative that the blue-faced one offered her - so that she would work for the Imperials. And her father is being held as a hostage - after all, they cannot get to Corran... Oh, Corran... I hope that at least you are okay and your violent Corellian head will not become the source of all the troubles.

— And why should I do that? — the lieutenant colonel specified.

— To assure me of how noble you Imperials are, — the girl snorted. — You wouldn't be keeping me here if you didn't want to achieve something. I understand that there are not many options. Most likely, you want to use me again to sell antiques, don't you?

— Where did you get that from? — the lieutenant colonel inquired.

— Because this is the only one of the Imperial initiatives previously expressed to me that your Grand Admiral can still somehow consider feasible, — the girl said. — I readily believe that my father could fight to the death for his ship with anyone. But he is always reasonable as much as the situation dictates. I'm sure that nothing happened to him and now he is alive, healthy, sitting somewhere in a similar place...

— Lieutenant Horn is extremely lucky to have such a quick-witted wife, — the lieutenant colonel smiled. — Yes, that's right. I am instructed to reach an agreement with you on mutually beneficial cooperation. You sell the valuables provided to you at the highest possible prices, receive a certain percentage of the transaction. We, of course, take everything else.

— I'm sure that the offer is insanely interesting, and you even in your head consider it to some extent mutually beneficial, — the girl smiled, trying not to pay attention to the urges of her stomach. — But I'm not going to work for those who killed my copilot, droid, captured my ship, captured my father, surely took away his ship from him, killing most of the crew...

— You can always find another new pilot, droids are sold, we blew up your ship, but we can provide another one in return or monetary compensation, — the lieutenant colonel continued matter-of-factly. — Yes, the Star Destroyer will not return to your father, but this is a matter of a completely different conversation. You are completely mistaken in thinking that we cannot offer you anything else.

— And will the threats of torture begin soon? — Mirax inquired in a bored tone. — Or is everything becoming somewhat monotonous...

— Oh, believe me, — the lieutenant colonel smiled, so that the girl's heart froze for a moment. He reached for the datapad and began to search for something on its screen. — There is something that will greatly interest you. You do love your husband, don't you?

Mirax did not answer. Of course, she loved him. Sometimes she felt the urge to hit him with something heavy, but she loved him. Although it all started with a great and one-sided hatred of Corran Horn, the pilot of Rogue Squadron. The father of her future husband had locked Mirax's father on Kessel for several years, which served as the foundation for a good hatred of the descendant of Horn Sr. on the part of Booster's daughter. And the one-eyed pirate himself clearly disliked his daughter's chosen one...

— So, Mrs. Mirax Terrik-Horn, — this time there wasn't a drop of benevolence in the lieutenant colonel's tone. Now she was being burned with the focused eyes of the Imperial, who himself looked more like an emotionless droid than a human. He seemed so alien at the moment. — Either you use your authority and connections to organize the sale of the antiques provided to you, or the fate of your father and husband in our hands will not please you.

— And here are the threats, — Mirax hissed through her teeth. — I recognize the good old Empire.

— On the contrary, — the lieutenant colonel noted. — I initially offered you the most optimal option: help us and you will not be disappointed. You decided to test your luck, well, we have an option for that too. Your father is now in the same complex. We have certain plans for him...

— What plans? — Mirax tensed.

— Certain plans, — the Imperial smirked. — And your husband... he is not to be envied. You remember the Jedi Master C'baoth, whom you met on board the grand admiral's flagship?

And now it became a little bit scary. Just a little bit. By the way, is it very noticeable from the outside that her hands are shaking?

— So, — the Imperial continued. — Our cooperation with this sentient has been terminated. But he is too dangerous to leave him unattended. And not so long ago, we discovered an interesting detail...

The lieutenant colonel turned the datapad he had brought with him towards her face. On it – a conversation between two well-known sentients. More precisely – part of a conversation. And a recording from a camera, indicating the explosion of Corran's X-wing...

— As you can see, Master C'baoth has prepared for a meeting with your husband, — the "security officer" continued. — Do you know about the Jedi past of Corran Horn's real family?

— Yes, — Mirax said hoarsely, unable to tear her eyes away from the image of her husband.

— So Master C'baoth decided that he should recreate the Jedi Order, — the Imperial continued. — And your husband will become his first student. He will learn from him "many useful skills", adopt C'baoth's point of view on the "strong hand" that rules everyone who is not sensitive to the Force.

— Save him, — Mirax said with demanding notes in her voice. — And I will sell everything you need for you. Even without commission.

— No, Mrs. Terrik-Horn, — the Imperial objected. — First, you will do what we need, and only then you will be provided with a meeting with your family members. Potentially, this suggests that the faster you complete the task, the faster your father and husband will be released. I do not require an answer from you right now, — the Imperial got up, scooping the things he had brought into his bag. Except for the bacta canister. — Think about it, we are not limited in time. But I advise you to hurry — Master C'baoth can't stand wasting time. And if you delay with the fulfillment of the mission assigned to you, your husband will turn into the same fanatic. Through your fault.

— Through yours, — Mirax hissed.

— You are mistaken, — the lieutenant colonel shook his head. — Your husband got there voluntarily, on his own initiative.

— For what reason? — the girl tensed. The motivation of Corran, who could just take and leave the ranks of Rogue Squadron, should be so solid that it is difficult to imagine. He loves his job, and even the thought that he could desert is... sacrilegious.

Of course, her husband undoubtedly learned about her disappearance - even if the relationship between him and Booster continues to be strained even after the wedding, her father could not fail to inform his son-in-law about the disappearance of his daughter. Therefore, Corran is definitely aware of what is happening. Could he have escaped from the armed forces of the New Republic to search for her on his own?

No, Horn is undoubtedly a hothead, but not that much. He probably took a leave or Wedge somehow covered for him. But why did Corran need this crazy Jedi?

Mirax felt cold. Then on the bridge of the grand admiral's flagship, the old man said that he had called her husband. That's probably how they found each other. And the Imperials are definitely somehow connected with this. It's logical — first the madman helps them, then they get footage of his meeting with Corran...

— I am a brave man, — the Imperial smirked. — But this old man is completely out of his mind. Sorry, but I personally will not dare to inquire about what is happening. At least until you help us.

Well, now everything fell into place.

— You're trying in vain, Lieutenant Colonel, — she smiled. — Your combination is as simple as can be. First, you lured me into a trap to lure out my father and his ship. Then you sent my husband to this mad old man to make a deal with me - I sell your trinkets, and you supposedly save him. No, Imperials, you definitely think that everyone around you are fools, if you thought that something like this would work with me. My husband is the smartest of the people I have ever met. So, whatever your gray-haired "Jedi" preaches to him, Corran will not fall for it and will get out of the trap set for him. And then he will come for me. And he will bring the New Republic with him. And then you'll have a hard time...

— Really? — the Imperial smiled. — He will come for you, but where, Mrs. Terrik-Horn? You don't even know where you are.

— Believe me, this will not be a problem for him, — Mirax tried to make her words sound confident. But in reality, she did not have such optimism. She only hoped that the Imperials, as always, had left behind a lot of traces...

— I readily believe it, — the lieutenant colonel chuckled, getting up from the table. — The only question is whether he will fly in before you run out of oxygen, or not.

— So you intend to cut off the ventilation for me too? — the girl snorted.

— Me? — the Imperial was surprised, throwing her a puzzled look. — No, sorry, I'm definitely not going to do anything, I have a lot of work to do. You see, you are in an experimental prison for particularly valuable prisoners. In space. In the thickness of an asteroid. Artificial gravity and life support systems are powered by a generator. Like the rest of the systems. And for a number of reasons, we need to test a number of systems, so you will help us with this. Whether you want it or not.

The lieutenant colonel ran his fingers over the keyboard and what she had previously considered a one-way mirror turned into a rectangular window. Outside of which there was only the blackness of space, diluted by the lights of distant stars. And in the immediate vicinity, literally a couple of hundred meters away, she saw another asteroid. And behind it – another one. And more... In each of them there were rooms burning with artificial light from within. Where, behind the transparisteel, were... sentients.

— Dad! — the girl rushed to the window, noticing a bearded strong man with a prosthesis instead of an eye. And many traces of beatings on his body. — You Hutt bastards! Let him go, I'll do whatever you want.

— In the end, yes, Mrs. Terrik-Horn, — the lieutenant colonel said. — I don't know why the grand admiral decided to give you a second chance, but as you can see, you are too emotional and proud to overcome yourself and do what will free you, your father, and your husband. I don't think you are valuable to us as an antique specialist anymore. But first you must understand - defiance is punishable by death. A long, agonizing death. And your death will be an example of cooperation for all of them, — he approached Mirax, stroked her head and pointed to each of the two dozen large asteroids, literally studded with windows and some kind of antennas, similar to shield projectors on fighters.

Unable to hold back her tears, Mirax, seeing that her father had also noticed her, burst into tears. Booster hit the window with his fist several times, tried to say something to her, but she didn't understand: she couldn't physically hear his speech, and she couldn't make out what he was saying from his lips.

— He says to hold on, Miss Terrik-Horn, — the lieutenant colonel said. — Promises that he will get out and punish everyone. Don't believe him. These are the words of a desperate man. I spoke to him half an hour before meeting you. I offered to give up all his fellow pirates and smugglers, especially the location of Talon Karrde's bases, his hideouts, caches, and supplies, especially the buzz droids. Which he supposedly sold, but we have completely different information. I promised to release you in exchange for this information, but he refused. An excellent father, I would not wish myself such a one, — said the Imperial. — He doesn't know it yet, but the corridor that leads from the docking port to his cell is depressurized. Even if he kicks down the door, he will die. And the fuel in his reactor is also running out. A cheap model, and in fact it is a test bench. But you can save him – just provide us with valuable information, and we will add fuel to his reactor tank. The more valuable the information, the faster your father will get what he wants. But I advise you to hurry – there is no more than a day's worth of fuel there, and we will show our gratitude only after we receive confirmation of the necessary information.

Tears rolled silently down Mirax's face. Fool, what a fool she is, that she behaved like that. After all, she could have solved everything without threatening her father's life... But maybe it's not too late yet?

— I will sell antiques for you, — she said, sobbing. — I will find the best customers, with a lot of money.

— It seems that I made it clear that we are no longer interested in this? — the lieutenant colonel inquired. — Valuable information, Mrs. Terrik-Horn.

— Rishi, — she said without thinking. — "Claw" has a base on Rishi. He stores military equipment there – army and fleet. It looks like something Imperial.

— Wonderful, — the Imperial said. — You bought your father a little bit of life. I think, another day. Of course, after we confirm your information. If, of course, it is true.

— Tatooine, — Mirax said quickly, realizing that the distance to Rishi is not close from any part of the galaxy. — Huff Darklighter.

— And who is this? — the Imperial inquired.

— A relative of one of the Rogue Squadron pilots, — the girl said. — He is a trading partner of my father. If Dad was going to the Rugosa system in a hurry, he dropped the goods off to him. They have old scores, from the Bacta War. Darklighter doesn't have a very good business, so he definitely couldn't sell anything he got from my father.

— Wonderful, — the lieutenant colonel said with a smile. — We will check this information faster. Pray to the gods, if you believe in them, that everything will turn out as it should.

Without saying goodbye, the Imperial left the cell, leaving the girl to play eye-to-eye with her own father.

***

Looking at the two sentients sitting in front of me, I tried to refrain from profanity.

— So, let's clarify the situation, gentlemen captains, — I said, looking at each one in turn. — You, Captain Vain, own a Separatist Providence-class carrier Star Destroyer. The Clear Voice, — the privateer nodded in agreement, without removing the satisfied smile from his face. — And you, — I looked at the second sentient, — Captain Irv, have the same one. The Colicoid Swarm.

— That's right, Grand Admiral, — said the first pirate commander, Yazuo Vain. The very one that Vain was supposed to have killed. How interesting. However, given the privateer's skills, it is not surprising that this happened - he knows how to mislead.

— And both of these ships are twins of General Grievous's flagship, the Invisible Hand? — I asked a new question.

— Exactly, — Captain Irv confirmed. — This was done specifically to confuse the Republic and misinform them about the movements of the Commander-in-Chief of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Tactics of intimidation and deception in action. "War is the path of deception." These words, it seems, belong to the Chinese sage Sun Tzu.

— How many more Separatist ships do you have? — I inquired, looking at Irv.

— Only this one, — he replied calmly. — I sold the rest to the Rebel Alliance. Yazuo got the penultimate starship from me that was at my disposal.

— Are you ready to sell them? — I inquired. Chief Engineer Reyes, who was sitting nearby, almost choked on air from indignation.

— No, — Vain said firmly.

— I am afraid I agree with my friend, — Irv said. — The Colicoid Swarm will remain my ship. And mine alone. I am ready to work for you as a privateer, for a good reward. But no more than that.

— Sir, I dare note that the combat value of these starships in the current realities is not very high, — Reyes inserted his five decicreds. After so many years, it is still surprising that they can even fly...

But these are carrier Star Destroyers. With a hyperdrive of class one point five, which is slightly better than the standard ones installed on Imperial Star Destroyers and other ships of our fleet.

— We already have starships that are echoes of the Clone Wars, — I noted. And the Providences, unlike the Venator and Acclamator, can release their entire air wing at once. Yes, they have outdated cannons, but they are armed with strike missiles. In fact, by including such a ship in our formation, we can deliver a good air group to the battlefield. Not to mention the fact that after modernization, the ship's shields and its armament can be increased. Yes, it will cost a lot of money, a suitable work estimate is clearly needed here, but is it not worth it? — Captains, do you have missiles for Vulture-class droid fighters with buzz droids inside on board your ships?

I immediately recall the third episode of the film saga, where droid fighters launched such missiles at Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's fighters, and the tiny droids were able to cause some damage. Since Booster Terrik's buzz droids are still unavailable to us, maybe there is a chance to get them in a different way.

Captain Vain shrugged.

— We have them, — Captain Irv replied calmly.

— Then I offer you a deal, — Reyes covered his eyes with his hand so that I could not see how he was rolling them. Calm down, chief engineer. Separatist technologies have been unfairly forgotten. They will find a suitable application within my armed forces. — I need two squadrons of Vultures and two squadrons of Hyena-class bombers. As well as all the buzz droids and the means of their delivery that you have.

— This will result in a considerable sum, — Captain Irv noted. A greedy light flickered in his eyes. Well, everything is clear with him. A typical mercenary. No ideology.

— Not more than the repair of your ships so that they don't fall apart in the first battle, — I retorted. — Captain Vain, I remember you said that you lost a third of your artillery in a battle with only six heavy Dreadnought-class cruisers?

— Forty-five percent, — Vain said, grimacing. — And the air wing was badly damaged...

— You don't have one at all, — Captain Irv snorted. — Grand Admiral, I agree to sell you the necessary goods in exchange for the repair and modernization of my ship.

— In this case, a privateer's patent will be prepared for you, — I smiled. — Do you have any other information that might be useful to me?

— If I remember anything, I will definitely let you know, — Captain Irv said dryly.

— Good, — I said. — Now, a little analysis of what happened. Your ships need crews. Full-fledged sentient crews. Otherwise, your starships are not as effective as they could be. I am able to provide you with these ships. We have a large number of volunteers who do not have enough combat-ready ships at the moment.

— In exchange for what? — Captain Irv inquired.

— You will give me all the infantry droids, walkers, military equipment, and so on that you have on board your ships, — I said.

— Sorry, but who will service the starships when the privateer contracts are terminated? — Captain Irv inquired.

— I am sure that by that time we will be able to return a similar number of droids to you, — I assured him. — But I strongly advise you to consider the option of close cooperation with our forces as auxiliary ships of our fleet. In this case, you will not have to spend part of your loot to repair and rearm your ships after battles. The possession of capital combat starships already puts you at a higher rank than simple privateers. In fact, your ships can become the core for the creation of new combat groups that will operate directly under your command. You will receive orders from me and bring them to the attention of your subordinates.

Why not use Captain Tiberos' idea if it's really good?

— I am satisfied with my current contract, — Vain frowned. — I don't want to command a fleet - this ship is enough for me.

— The position of a privateer appeals to me more as well, — Captain Irv said. — Don't take it personally, Grand Admiral, but I have already fought under different flags. Discipline is not the strongest of my virtues. I am quite happy to act on your instructions. I will pay for the repair of my ship from the amount of my loot.

Money. This sentient is interested in enrichment. A very ordinary goal for this kind of personality. Well, I have the opportunity to maintain his loyalty. The main thing is that he transfers the necessary equipment at our disposal. Which will greatly allow us to strengthen. And their solutions open up very interesting prospects.

— Well, yes, I wouldn't refuse either, — Vain licked his lips. — To rob the republicans, and even "fat" caravans... Yes, this is a suitable occupation for me. But only... I have a problem with aviation.

— We have some headhunters and "uglies", — I recalled. — If you agree that our people are on board your ship - then we will transfer these ships to you, along with the pilots, of course.

— Great idea, — Yazuo Vain's eyes lit up.

— Grand Admiral, — Captain Irv calmly addressed me. — I would still like to leave a crew of droids on board my ship. If I need live crew members, I will hire them myself. No offense, but I don't trust any regime. You yet – too. I'm sure this will change after a few battles, but still...

— Your right, Captain, — I nodded almost imperceptibly. — You will not sell us walkers, tanks, and other equipment either?

— No, take those, — he waved his hand. — I'm not going to wage ground battles. Can we count them as payment for preventative repairs? I would like your specialists to inspect my ship before the first mission. Well, or pay for your first repair at their expense...

Everything is clear. He doesn't want to spend the money he received from Vain. He is saving up for a "rainy day".

— Okay, — I said. — Your desire is understandable. Transfer all the Separatist equipment that you consider superfluous on board your ship to Moff Ferrus, he will evaluate it and give his decision. I am sure that the first major repair will be free for you. Ships of your type require a lot of money to maintain it, and chasing freighters on it is not the most pleasant occupation. Mr. Reyes, — the chief engineer looked at me sadly. — Do we have the opportunity to put Captain Vain's ship in drydock?

— Yes, sir, — accepting the inevitable, the specialist said. — One of the destroyers is just leaving the cell and is being transferred to the "wall" for completion and armament.

— Transfer Mr. Vain's ship there, — I ordered. — Start repairing it. Study the systems and prepare a report on what and to what extent we can modernize. Captain Irv, — I turned to the second privateer. — How much time do you need to deliver your starship to Tangrene?

— Twelve standard days, — he said. I am more than sure that his answer is not true. He is simply misleading us so as not to reveal the location of his ship's base.

— Good, — I said. — Contact us as soon as you get to the starship and are ready for the mission. Mr. Reyes, in what period of time will we be able to commission Captain Vain's ship?

— At least a day is needed to assess the damage and raise the archives on the Separatist ships, — the chief engineer said categorically. — The armor is all sooty - it will take several more days to wash it... I will prepare my report as soon as possible.

— I have a better offer, — I looked at Yazuo Vain. — What if your ship changes its color and name?

— Uh... but why? — the privateer inquired.

— The appearance and the transponder data are the first thing by which the enemy identifies a starship, — Captain Irv calmly explained. — On Separatist ships, it is very difficult to turn off the "friend or foe" recognition system. It is easier to change its data, as it was done with these starships during the Clone Wars.

— As a result, the enemy will have the opinion that the Lucid Voice is operating somewhere else, — I continued the voiced data. — If it is possible, the emission characteristics of your engines will also be changed. Is this possible, Mr. Reyes?

The chief engineer, after thinking for a couple of seconds, nodded carefully in agreement.

— But this is not a quick matter, fine tuning and spare parts for the engines are needed, — he said. — And most preferably - just engines from a starship of the same type.

A snag...

— On Raxus Prime, for example, there is a junkyard of ships from the Clone Wars, — Captain Irv said calmly. — A couple of engines from the Providence can be found there. Probably. It is unlikely that they have all been sent to scrap metal.

— In this case, Captain Vain, — I said. — Get a "clean" ship from Moff Ferrus and go for engines and other spare parts for your ships. Inform Moff Ferrus about everything that you can find in a suitable condition. He and Chief Engineer Reyes will make the final decision. By the time you return, your ship will already be completely repainted in black and will change its name. Let's say, instead of the Clear Voice, it will be called... the Black Pearl.

— Hmm... — the young privateer thought. Then he shrugged his shoulders. — Why not. The name sounds good.

Well, yes. The main thing is that the crew does not turn into living dead.

— I will not detain you any longer, gentlemen, — I said. Both privateers got up, made a curt farewell and left the room.

— Speak, chief engineer, — you don't need to be a Jedi to understand that Reyes is extremely dissatisfied with the fact that he will have to mess with the ships of the Clone Wars again. And even to modernize them. The latter annoys him even more than the first.

— Sir, with all due respect, but these ships are not worth spending your time on them, — the Imperial said, flashing his eye implant. — The Providences are good in battle against a deliberately weaker opponent. The current battleships will break them in a "one-on-one" battle.

— That is why they will be used more as aircraft carriers for our strike groups, — I said. — We are losing to the enemy in the quality of aviation. Therefore, we will have to increase its number on the battlefields.

— At the expense of Vultures and Hyenas? — Reyes frowned. — No, I understand your desire to get buzz droids and the means of their delivery - the Morrt project. But droid fighters with variable geometry... That is the past. Now any novice pilot is able to deal with them. Not to mention that the power of their blaster cannons is noticeably lower. And I'm not even talking about the Separatist ship guns at all! Their power is lower, the accuracy is not comparable at all... These ships are more of a burden for us than support.

— It's not as bad as it seems to you, chief engineer, — I said. — We are suffering heavy losses among the pilots due to the poor quality of our vehicles. With the help of Separatist droid fighters you will develop our own version of droid fighters and droid bombers based on TIE fighters and TIE bombers. They can be used as "cannon fodder", while our pilots will use more advanced versions of TIE technology. As soon as I get the necessary technology. Do not forget that we are limited in matters of replenishing our losses. At a certain point in time, the use of droids will allow us to focus on improving the flying skills of pilots, and as a result, increase their survivability, which will increase the losses of the enemy.

— The Empire did not use droids so widely, — Reyes noted. — And those that were... were not cheap, compared to Separatist vehicles. Yes, I'm sorry, most likely, if we take the artificial intelligence of the Vultures and Hyenas as a basis, we will be able to develop suitable prototypes. Sir, but the issue of controlling droid fighters... Honestly, I wasn't a supporter of this technology before either, and after you pointed out this secret code to me, which allows the enemy to break through our defense systems, the security of controlling them from the mothership remains questionable. As in the case with plasma drills – intercepting control over these droids will be detrimental to us.

— That is why, while Captain Vain is looking for spare parts for his carrier starship, you will study the control systems that the Separatists used, — I said. — Like any other technologies of this ship. The security of our own systems is a priority in the development of automation and remote control systems. I hope you understand this, working with the heavy cruisers of the Dark Troopers.

— I just wanted to talk to you about this, Grand Admiral, — the chief engineer said. — Is it so important for the fleet to be able to use the Slave Circuit system, which allows controlling the entire fleet from the flagship, Katana?

— Do you want to remove this equipment? — I specified.

— Yes, sir, — he confirmed. — Its use can be dangerous for our ships - even if there is a full crew on board. This will in no way affect the operation of all systems. The crew will remain in the same numbers.

— In this case, remove it, — I said. — Is the Sunburn project progressing?

— The reactor that we removed from the depths of Mount Tantiss can very well be installed on board the destroyer, — Reyes said. — The hangar deck will be changed in favor of the main caliber gun, removed from the depths of the base on Lainuri. The air wing after the conversion of the interior will be fourteen squadrons – we plan to replace almost all free space with additional generators in order to bring the rate of fire up to at least one shot every five minutes. The more energy we have, the more often we can shoot and the higher the charging speed will be.

— According to the report received, — I managed to talk with the former-Jensaarai before meeting with the privateers, — in three weeks all the ships at the Hast shipyards will be in a transportable state. The Solar Burn must be tested in this battle. Is this feasible?

— If you provide me with additional specialists, yes, — Reyes said. — But I would not recommend using it directly in battle. We will literally be able to assemble the entire system in thirteen to fourteen days. Tests are needed...

— Focus on putting as many starships into service as possible, — I said. — I will need all that your shipyard can produce. Including the Acclamator - and for the battle on the planet Kai Fell and the export of hyperdrive cargo. This ship will also be used as transport in the operation at Hast.

— In this case, allow us to suspend work on the Errant Venture, — Reyes said. — I will transfer all my reserves to the repair of the Invidious and Freedom, as well as trophies from the Clone Wars.

— Do you have calculations for the movement of orbital defense stations and repair shops? — I inquired.

— Yes, sir, — the chief engineer said. — Frankly, they are not comforting, sir. The designs of the first types of repair shops do not have the same strength of construction set as the second ones that we have. We can prepare sets of equipment similar to what we have at our shipyard, but hyperdrives of the same type as at my shipyard are needed. However, I must warn - with a probability of seventy percent, the outer cells of both orbital workshops from the Hast system will lose their integrity when entering hyperspace. Destruction of the finishing walls, radiation contamination, violation of the integrity of the entire hull – here is an approximate scenario. Undoubtedly, the central sections may reach the destination, but... In general, at least half of the hull of the workshops will reach the destination for sure. If we have the resources and money, we will be able to restore them, perhaps even redo them into the second type, if there is such an order and a large supply of time.

— Good, — in fact, everything is very bad. I had neither the time nor the resources to restore the orbital workshops, which I wanted to get completely, and I had no desire to spend them. But it is impossible to leave them in place or simply destroy them. My conscience will not allow it. The main thing is not to show that I was somehow hurt by what I heard. Reputation, damn it. — Can we repeat our experiment with moving the Golans in hyperspace?

— Yes, sir, — Reyes said. — Due to their armored hull, they have greater strength of plating and sections. But again, a fourth-class Kuat hyperdrive is required – it is the most suitable for orbital structures of this type as a station. But again, the fact that depressurization will occur if the structural strength limits are exceeded during the jump is not excluded.

And this is already very good. The main thing is that Kai Fell has the hyperdrives we need in the required quantity.

In general, a rather interesting picture is emerging...

— Sir, — Reyes said. — And why do we need B1-type droids? As infantry, they are not worth even a volunteer recruit...

— Of course, — I agreed, smiling inwardly. — But at least it's not a pity to send them on board orbital workshops or Golans. Or for boarding. However, for the latter I have more suitable "candidates".