Revan's Heir: Age of the Empire

Chapter Four

Kicks took the controls once more and expertly guided the ship through the open hangar bay doors, bringing the ship to rest behind a line of TIE Interceptors. From the view of the cockpit, they watched as pilots in their black flight suits and helmets bustled about the hangar, while Stormtroopers stood guard at each hangar entrance. One lean officer dressed in a green uniform that matched her own made his way toward the ship.

"They are much busier here than they were at the Academy," Delphine commented. Allana straightened out the creases of her uniform and wiping a speck of dust from her black leather combat boots. Grabbing their equipment packs, Allana lowered the boarding ramp and she descended with Delphine to the floor of the Star Destroyer. The young officer stood waiting for her; his blue eyes mostly concealed by the brim of his hat. He was fair skinned with dark hair, a pointed chin, and little shape to his face.

"Good evening, I am Lieutenant Lyste," the young man introduced himself, his alto voice trembling and nervous. The sight of Allana had caught him off guard. It was seldom that female officers were assigned to the Chimaera, and none before had compared to the splendor that stood before him.

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Amaryllis," Allana said, offering her hand. Lyste shook it unsteadily, however briefly, while struggling to meet the gaze of bright cerulean eyes that sat symmetrically with her high cheekbones. Warm freckles speckled over the bridge of her nose and both of her cheeks, luminescent against the beige of her skin. She grinned politely as she greeted him, her full, toasted almond lips revealing a seemingly perfect smile. As a man, he couldn't help but notice the way the shirt of her uniform clung snugly to her hourglass frame, or the fact that her bust seemed to be sizable in comparison to her hips.

"And this is Lieutenant Siegel," Allana added, gesturing towards Delphine, who nodded her head in acknowledgment but offered little else.

"Yes," he acknowledged, clearing his throat, "We've been expecting you. I will escort you to Grand Admiral Thrawn's office, at which time you may present your credentials to him. Lieutenant Siegel will be escorted to the med bay for probationary training."

"Thank you," Allana said as she followed Lyste, waving to Delphine as she was escorted by another officer and a med bay staff member. Delphine was hesitant, but lowered her reservations as another medic began to engage with her in conversation. Allana was taken aback by the massive size of the Star Destroyer. Her years within the walls of her palace home and the Academy of Carida had not prepared her for the expansive space within the vessel of steel the Empire had forged. They passed several Stormtrooper patrol groups and huddles of officers as they made their way through the winding halls toward the ship's elevators.

Lyste was timid and uncomfortable, his hands remaining firmly clasped behind his back as they ascended toward the upper levels of the Chimaera. Lyste's tension induced a new wave of anxieties within Allana. She could feel her stomach turn within her as the elevator came to a stop, the doors sliding open before them. As they departed, Allana could see that the upper levels of the Star Destroyer were not as eventful as the ones below. Lyste led her to a door where a Stormtrooper stood guard.

"Lieutenant Lyste here to present Lieutenant Commander Amaryllis to the Grand Admiral," Lyste told the trooper, who reached for the door's controls and opened it for them. Allana drew a breath before stepping inside behind Lyste, consumed by a heavy weight as soon as she entered the office. Immediately, she was met by the piercing red eyes of Grand Admiral Thrawn.

The Chiss officer sat with his hands folded on his desk, looking toward the door as if he knew when they would walk in. Under the artificial light, she could see him in greater detail than she had in their initial meeting. His skin was a chilling blue that brought to mind unbearable cold, which was offset by the black color of his short hair. His face seemed to cling to the sharp bone structure of his skull, his cheek and temporal bones seeming to protrude outward from the rest of his face. His dark brows rested just above the irradiating scarlet of his eyes. The brim of his nose was sharp, seeming to connect to other portions of his temporal lobes that rested high above his brow. These details in culmination with his sharp chin gave his face a seemingly elongated structure.