Dorn: A Star Wars Story

31. Heralds

"How do I look?" Thesh turned to me, adjusting the cuffs and collars of our formal black uniforms as he did. "Thank the stars we get black. Perks of being generals and admirals." The only thing that amrkedus as special forces of any kind were three red bands sewn onto our upper left arms that matched the red markings painted onto our chest pieces, and even then I was the only one of the three of us sporting them.

"Do you know what this is about?" Sevens asked as he came in from an adjacent room. Starkiller Base, as Ilum had come to be called once the First Order had successfully commandeered it, was an engineering marvel that afforded we high ranking officers our own space, and as such... we obviously all just convened in Sevens' space anyway to get ready for this important event that Hux was so adamant that we attend. He was straightening his jacket when he walked over to me and adjusted my collar. "If we got pulled off the frontline for some stupid ceremony, I might just walk offstage."

"Right behind you."

"Me third."

The details of the base proper were mostly secret. I didn't bother flexing my muscles to pry, honestly. I ruffled enough feathers just be doing my job, and muscling my way in on internal First Order affairs was hardly at the top of my list when dealing with Venn was the higher priority problem. I knew that it consumed stars, hence the name, but I figured we were using it for some advanced planetary defense system. There had been some chatter about such technology in the Empire, so it didn't seem too beyond the realm of possibility in my mind.

"I hate this planet," Thesh's complaining dragged me from my thoughts and I saw him pulling the heavy coats we had been issued around his shoulders. "At least when Alderaan got cold, there was more of a view. I miss the mountains."

"What? Frozen tundra not your speed?" I inquired with an eyebrow raise that made him slowly turn to look at me like he wanted to absolutely launch me into the planet's core.

"Oh, yes, quite. I love vast expanses of nothing but ice sheets and a landscape that is about as depressing as you are," Thesh quipped back and made me snicker furiously as Sevens looked between us like we were both insane.

We all walked out together, sliding our caps on as we did and found ourselves being stared at by a small cadre of junior officers. I kept forgetting that we had a reputation. Even with my stripes covered, the all knew who I was. We didn't pay them much mind as we passed, Sevens pulling his coat closer around his shoulders as Thesh tugged a bit at his collar due to the tightness caused by his cybernetics. We were perfectly in step down the hallway, threading through them and up elevators until we made it outside. The cold air of Ilum was biting, but I took solace in it being better than Hoth. We made our way up to the platform, surrounded by other Generals and Admirals who had been called in, and took our positions towards the back center.

Sevens leaned over to one of the Admirals that he knew, "Do you know what's going on here?"

The admiral glanced over and leaned in, "Apparently, we're getting a demonstration of the Base's complete weapon capabilities. Why, did you Special Forces types not get more information?"

"I'm getting the feeling that we were a last minute invite," Sevens supplied as he looked back to us and shrugged.

Thesh snorted quietly and leaned over to me with a low chuckle, "Here's to front row seats gotten last minute."

I fought a smirk as we all waited for Hux to make his grand entrance, and enter he soon did flanked by his guard troopers, Phasma, and a few officers from his personal staff. The troopers down below all came to attention when he took to the platform, and all of us righted ourselves and tried our best to look attentive despite the biting cold nipping at our noses.