FORSAKEN - Target: Zero

CHAPTER SIX

Inspector General Ilza Eisvolk had never gotten what she wanted in her career. No matter how hard she tried or how good she performed, things never turned out the way she planned. She had graduated top of her class from Coruscant Republic University—now the Royal Imperial Academy—a year ahead of the rest of her peers. Eisvolk dreamt of a Star Destroyer assignment to see the galaxy as a signals intelligence officer for the Naval Intelligence Agency. But her tendency to eschew procedure in favor of her instinct irked enough of her superiors to land her a ground assignment in the Republic Center for Military Operations. Notwithstanding, Eisvolk strove to outshine her peers.

Opportunity would materialize a year later with the onset of the Clone Wars. Unlike peacetime, military methods adapted quickly to meet the challenges on the battlefield. Eisvolk's unorthodox methods became an asset when decrypting Confederacy codes. This brought her to the attention of her superiors under a different light. Eisvolk climbed fast up the ranks, becoming head of her unit during the first year of the war.

When her commanding officer called her into his office, Eisvolk thought she had finally earned her way to her chosen assignment; to serve aboard the Resolute under renowned admiral Wullf Yularen, right in the middle of the action. Instead, she became the intelligence liaison between the department of the navy and the Jedi Temple in Coruscant. A prestigious duty without a doubt, but one far away from her desired goal.

Eisvolk had never worked with the Jedi before. Like everyone else in the galaxy, she had heard of the spiritual Knights with light swords who kept the peace in the Republic and who served as generals and commanders during the Clone Wars. This decision by the Republic high command had puzzled Eisvolk from the beginning. The Jedi were extraordinary combatants, insightful advisors, and adequate negotiators. Good field leaders, but not tacticians. Eisvolk found them naïve, idealistic, aloof, and even arrogant. At times, their devotion to their ancient religion blinded them to the obvious.

Eisvolk had worked alongside the Jedi for two years, providing signals intelligence, and had become familiar with their methods and mindset. This particular insight came in handy when the order turned against the Republic, corroborating fears within the military leadership about their reliance on a self-contained, self-regulated group of outsiders. Eisvolk became essential in dealing with the Jedi threat.

Ironically, Emperor Palpatine named her Director of Intelligence Operations of another extra-military organization, the newly-formed Order of Inquisitors—another thwart to her ambitions. The Inquisitors served at the pleasure of the Emperor and his enforcer, Darth Vader, in what became known as the Great Jedi Purge.

Intercepting and breaking Jedi communications the first year after the war had been easy. Eisvolk's department brimmed with intelligence allowing Vader and the Inquisitors to hunt down fugitive Jedi. This bonanza of information didn't last long as Lord Vader annihilated most of the traitors, and those who managed to survive grew craftier and more careful. To Eisvolk's delight, the task of finding actionable targets became more challenging. Four years after the rise of the Empire, locating a Jedi became akin to finding an X'Cal.

This gave Eisvolk the confidence to request transfer to somewhere her talents would be better used. Darth Vader denied it. There were still Jedi in hiding and he wouldn't rest until he had killed them all. Even so, Eisvolk's outstanding service earned her a promotion to commander and the position of Inspector General of the Naval Intelligence Agency, awarded to her by the Emperor himself. This allowed her to relocate back to the Imperial Inspectorate Headquarters, away from the Inquisitors' home base in a skyscraper at the Works District, before they were relocated to a secret underwater base in the moon of Nur. She would only make the trip when absolutely necessary.

Eisvolk's promotion also gave her a new goal, becoming Director of Naval Intelligence. She knew the quickest way to achieve this was to continue proving her worth to the Emperor, and nothing accomplished this better than helping his enforcer hunt down the remnants of the Jedi Order.