Alters: A Star Wars AU

Chapter 1 - Korana has fallen

"It's only a matter of seconds until we're out of hyperspace." A silent nod was the only response from the chiss agent standing next to Admiral Ideon. The sound of nervous and quick footsteps echoed in the hallways of the ISD Imperium. General chaos was rapidly spreading, with officers and stormtroopers preparing for the imminent yet inevitable meeting with the Emperor. The chiss' gaze was solely focused on the landscape of stars expanding in front of the deck as the massive imperial spaceship decreased its speed to come out of hyperspace. It seemed like he was entirely lost in his thoughts.
"We have detected the Matriarch's ship. - Admiral Ideon declared — "I'll proceed by opening hangar 2 for the docking." The chiss nodded again, now slightly vocalising his movement.

Then he turned towards the exit of the bridge tower. His eyebrows were slightly frowning, showing his evident nervousness towards the events he was going to face. After all, project Astra was under his, and the Matriarch's, responsibility. The loss of an entire planet with such resources wasn't something the emperor would have let slide so easily, especially after the first Death Star's failure and the Battle of Lothal. 

His steps became more and more hasty, almost simulating the flow of thoughts that clouded his mind while he made his way to the hangar. As he crossed the threshold, a strong gust of air and gas hit him while the Koran ship was landing. He covered his face with one arm, holding his eyepatch, standing still on the spot.
He waited as the doors of the small spaceship opened. The only thing that could give him a shade of tranquillity was, finally, a familiar view. When he saw the slim figure of the Matriarch coming down the ship's stairs, convoyed by a group of 4 royal guards, his gaze softened. He removed his hand from his face and greeted the Matriarch with an unusual sense of delight in his eyes.
"Lady Kesyyr." he murmured, kneeling down in front of the woman.

The Matriarch was a tall, slim woman. Her dark skin had a lighter patch around her left eye, a typical trait of her species. Her long, blue hair was tied in a tight bun, only a few locks slightly covered her face. Given the importance and urgency of the mission, her body was still wrapped in her formal, royal clothes. A light vest adorned with a single golden epaulette with the Empire crest engraved on it, on her right shoulder.

"Diane", the lady answered. "You know I don't like formalities, Brother." The chiss smiled back. A quite rare sight, when talking about The Night Brother. He was known for not letting any shade of emotion shine through his face, even only his name was feared by every officer in the Imperium's crew.

"There's some important matter we shall discuss in your office, am I right?" He nodded, and the Matriarch raised her right hand to make the royal guards go away.

"So..." Diane sighed, her voice heavy with resignation as she sank into one of the office's stiff chairs. The small room, lined with cold, metallic walls, felt even more confining as the weight of their failure settled in. She leaned back, staring at the ceiling as if searching for answers that refused to come. "That's it. Korana has fallen."
The Night Brother stood by the large glass window, his silhouette outlined against the vastness of space. His hands clasped behind his back, he remained still, head bowed, his reflection a ghostly figure in the transparent surface. "It seems so," he finally replied, his voice subdued yet edged with a bitterness he couldn't quite mask. "I'm afraid there's nothing left for us to do. After the last Imperial base was destroyed, along with all its resources, we have no choice but to abandon Project Astra."
Diane lowered her gaze, trying to conceal the worry that gnawed at her insides. Her fingers nervously tapped the armrest of the chair, a silent rhythm of unease.
"I hope the Emperor won't be too demanding," she murmured, though even she knew the futility of such a hope. The Emperor was never lenient with failure. "We'll probably be reassigned to another project."
The Chiss, who had been standing a few paces behind, frowned, his red eyes narrowing in contemplation. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations and strategies, each one more desperate than the last. "No," he said firmly, "We were designed for Project Astra. Our training, our resources, everything was tailored for it. And, in any case, the Empire is now too preoccupied with the Rebellion to divert us to another mission."
Diane raised her head, meeting his gaze with a slight nod of agreement, yet her expression remained clouded with concern. "First Lothal, then Krennic's Death Star, and now Korana. I wonder..." Her voice trailed off, uncertainty creeping into her tone as she contemplated the future. "Will the Rebellion...?" She hesitated, as if voicing her fears might make them more real.
Before she could continue, the cold, mechanical voice of the ship's intercom interrupted her thoughts, announcing that the Imperium was finally approaching its destination. The message reverberated through the room, a stark reminder of the impending encounter with their superiors.
"Guess it's time," Diane said, forcing a hint of resolve into her voice as she pushed herself up from the chair. She straightened her uniform, the fabric rustling softly in the tense silence that followed. With a deep breath, she made her way towards the door, her steps echoing through the narrow hall.
The Chiss remained where he was, watching her retreating figure. A multitude of thoughts swirled in his mind—regret, frustration, and an uneasy sense of foreboding. His instincts screamed that their failure on Korana was just the beginning of a much larger problem, one that neither he nor Diane were prepared to face.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally moved, his boots clicking against the cold metal floor as he followed her out of the office. The corridor outside was dimly lit, the low hum of the ship's engines creating a constant background noise. As they walked side by side, neither spoke, each lost in their own thoughts, yet both acutely aware that the conversation with the Emperor would determine the course of their futures.
The door at the end of the corridor loomed ahead, a gateway to the confrontation they both dreaded.