Star Wars: Tie Fighter | End of the War

Chapter XVI. End of an Era

Yavin IV

The Liberation hovers above the forest moon, supported by its newfound support corvettes, previous cruisers, frigates, and Jan Dodannas's escort group at the exit of a different hyperlane.

Captain Shack stands in the rear bridge, looking over a holomap showing Imperial territory and military groups known to this Rebel cell.

"What's possible for us? Is there anywhere we can free from the Empire?" He asks, the hologram of Dodanna on the other end of the table.

"What is there to do? Our fleets are vulnerable and incapable of even fighting an Imperial fleet." Dodanna says.

"Is there anywhere we can strike where an Imperial task force cannot respond?" Shack again asks.

"No. The Empire is tight-knit on their defense and will likely not let any systems slip out of their grasp."

Shack asks, "Then what can we do?"

"Our best choice is to lay our fleets low, send out smaller groups of infantry and saboteurs to act as smaller rebel cells, make them think there isn't a single united Rebel force, aside from your fleet which they are searching near the gas giant of Endor for."

"Well, they're a bit off then." Shack jokes.

"And what of the spy that could have existed aboard your ship?"

"Captured, he won't get information to the Empire."

"Good. And have you received any word about that frigate going missing for the Empire? I'm sure they'd be curious where it had gone." Dodanna asks.

"We had the signal launched into a nearby nebula, all the Empire will know is that they did a weapons test at the wrong time." Shack responds. "Yavin is safe."

Imperial-I Class Star Destroyer Blade

Muunilist

Two months later

A pair of Imperial Star Destroyers menacingly hover in front of the blade in a reverse-wedge formation, escorted by two Victory-II Class Star Destroyers. Tie Fighters patrol in quad groups around the fleet as another Imperial Star Destroyer exits hyperspace in front of the fleet.

A Lambda-Class shuttle exits the hangar of the Star Destroyer, escorted by two Tie Fighters, landing in the lower hangar of Admiral Cruz's Command ship.

Several divisions of Stormtroopers stand at attention in neat rows as the shuttle slows and begins to lower, a darker grey stripe shortway across its nose.

It lands. Steam expels from its hatch as two Imperial Royal guards in their deep red capes and plasteel armor walk out, taking guard positions on each strut extension as the menacing blackened figure of Darth Vader enters, pausing once off the bottom of the ramp, then continuing past the army of Stormtroopers.

Admiral Cruz walks out through blast doors toward Vader, followed by two Stormtroopers. "Lord Vader." He greets, stopping in front of him.

"Admiral Cruz, we shall speak on the bridge. My ship will be joining your fleet for the time being, and I will be in command." Vader says, stopping to talk before continuing to walk toward the blast doors, followed by Cruz.

The pair exit a turbo-lift, entering the Blade's bridge, stopping near the front, watching out toward the continental planet's surface.

"We are heading into the outer rim to establish Imperial presence and destroy any Jedi or Seperatist holdouts, I have been informed by the Emperor that a fleet of Munificents headed by a reprogrammed tactical droid lies on the planet Mygeeto." Vader says, the two watching the Devastator form into the fleet, behind the blade making a diamond-shaped formation with the Starfleet.

"Might I ask why my ship is the command ship? I'd assumed the Devastator would head the Imperial spear."

"And so will the tactical droid. He will concentrate fire on my ship which will keep us In a secure position to strike through their formation."

"Then let us get started. Commodore, set course for Mygeeto, send co-ordinates to the rest of the fleet and prepare for the jump to hyperspace." Cruz orders.

"Yes, sir!"

The light blue hue of the rear engines begins to glow brighter as the remaining Tie Fighters land in hangars, the pair of Victory-IIs entering hyperspace, followed by the fleet of Star Destroyers.

Alpha Centauri

Uknown regions

A pair of US Navy frigates, rebuilt to be airtight and space-worthy with makeshift hyperdrives and ion thrusters exit hyperspace, floating above a colonisable planet in the system. slowly lowering to the planet's surface, launching drones and probes to test the atmosphere.

Readings come back positive as civilian cargo ships refitted with the same purpose exit hyperspace, following the military ships.

One of the cargo ships stops above the atmosphere, remaining in orbit to construct a small station as a relay between Earth and Alpha Centauri.

"Looks like they're starting to colonize Centauri. Glad they know what planets they can and can't colonize." David says aboard his Venators bridge, outside of sensor reach with a probe watching the process unfold.

"Good, we're keeping an eye on their politics, just make sure they don't detect you and suspect our plans." Senator Warthol says in hologram, speaking from Coruscant.

"When will operation summative go down?"

"That is yet to be decided, we do not yet know the full strength of Earth's military force, and they seem to have reverse-engineered our technology overly fast."

"Shall I start sabotage on Centauri or wait until we begin Summative?"

"Wait until we declare war on them. We will send an ultimatum in due time."

"Very well, Senator."