Grand Admiral

Volume 1 Chapter 3 - Shards of former greatness

Nine years, four months and nineteen days after the Battle of Yavin...

Or forty-fourth year, four months and nineteen days after the Great ReSynchronization.

The distance between the planets Myrkr and Wayland is just under three hundred and fifty light years. And you can overcome it relatively quickly by the standards of a galaxy far, far away - in a few days. If you press it.

"I will order you to move at maximum speed," Captain Pellaeon voiced his decision.

"There is no need for such haste," I said, settling into a chair on the bridge of the Chimera. The green surface of Myrkr slowly floated before my eyes. The world we are leaving. Today, but not forever. - Weyland has been waiting for us for many years, he will wait a few more days.

"Of course, Grand Admiral," while Lieutenant Tschel and the troops on the surface, with the help of Karrde's people, collected the ysalamiri and delivered them aboard the Star Destroyer, I had a lot of time to familiarize myself with the military regulations of the Galactic Empire. And we must pay tribute to those who created them - they are written extremely accurately, as befits a document regulating the activities of military organizations. There are no double interpretations, everything is clear, understandable, and effective. You look at what is written and understand, filled with faith in order, clarity of organization and...

And all this is in the past.

Career military personnel with extensive experience in fighting make up just over forty percent of the modern armed forces of the Imperial Remnant. The crews of starships are made up of newcomers who have just graduated from various educational institutions of the Imperial Armed Forces. It is clear that their effectiveness is slightly above zero. Now some of Thrawn's actions to increase the coordination of the forces subordinate to him become clear.

Along with the elite of the army and navy who have died in recent years, many military traditions, diligence and much more have remained in the past. Now it is clear why the Imperial Navy, which in its best years numbered millions of warships - from super star destroyers, destroyers, to gunboats and auxiliary vessels - fell into decay so quickly. After the death of Palpatine, in the hands of ambitious military leaders who had the same plans as I do now - to build their own states - they found themselves with trained military personnel, a sea of ​​equipment and a desire to fight. It is not surprising that during five years of incessant civil strife, the imperials, on their own, destroyed everything they had.

It's a pity that this happened, but there is no point in being sad about it - what happened is gone. We had to deal with what we have now.

"Tell me," Pellaeon said quietly to me, "do you really think that Karrde will want to work for us?"

"On the contrary, captain," I said. "Our mission had as its goal exactly the opposite.

- Sorry? - Pellaeon widened his eyes. - I thought that we just needed his help...

"And we got what we needed from Karrde," I pointed to the metal cage in which Ysalamiri sat on a perch made of her favorite wood. For Chimera technicians, assembling such devices was not a troublesome task. And now almost all lizards have become the owners of their own cozy houses. - Otherwise, he can only cause problems.

— From a simple smuggler? — Pellaeon expressed skepticism.

"Don't underestimate this kind of intelligent contingent," I said. "Karrde is not only a supplier of goods, but also a trader of information. Highly respected in his community. If necessary, he will be able to organize all this rabble, not dangerous in itself, but huddled in a flock... They can hinder us.