Imperial HQ

From TFC Galactopedia

IMPERIAL FORWARD COMMAND NEXUS, SSD MERCILESS, IN ORBIT OF THE OCCUPIED WORLD OF BETAZED, 2330 HOURS GALACTIC STANDARD TIME

Admiral DuPrey rose from his command console, his expression neutral. "Thank you for your report, Captian... I compliment you on your flawless execution of your orders."

Captian Relnik nodded and turned to go, thinking himself dismissed.

"There is just one last thing, Captian. I had a question about this... shuttle that you delivered to the Federation after the battle."

The panther stood, his expression still calm and under control. Relnik turned back toward him, slightly puzzled.

"With all respect, my Lord, what of it? The Federation can tremble with fear because of it, or ignore it as they like... I'm afraid I don't quite understand, sir."

DuPrey smiled coldly. "Yes, indeed.... they now know the true measure of the enemy they face, and let them tremble the more for it.But my question was actually a rather simple one...a technicality, really. Were you ordered to leave this shuttle and its combat recordings where they'd be sure to find it ?"

The officer gulped, beginning to sense the danger he was in, and glanced nervously at the two Stormtroopers guarding the door to Duprey's office.

"Sir, I... that is, No Sir, I was not. "

DuPrey nodded. "Captian, I'm not sure that you fully understand our situation here , so I shall explain it again to you. Grand Admiral Khal'Saad's plan calls for swift, decisive action during the communications blackout that our opening attack was engineered to produce. The whole point was to isolate and neutralize key Federation targets while they flailed about in the dark...and regardless of your effect on Federation morale, you have nevertheless damaged our operations in this sector."

Duprey moved around the desk and came to stand before his subordinate, his face darkening with anger.

"As a direct result of your actions, the Federation knows of the loss of that fleet hours before they would have learned of it themselves... and if you believe them so cowed by your powress that they will simply roll over and allow themselves to be conquered, then you are an even greater fool than I give you credit for."

Captian Relnik shuddered involuntarily as the panther went on.

"Captian, I fail to understand what possible gain other than your own sadistic pleasure you could have forseen by providing the enemy with valuable, timely strategic intelligence... but I do know what the consequences of such an act are. And so do you ."

Relnik swallowed heavily and nodded, his eyes locked forward as he stood at rigid attention.

"Captian, I'd be perfectly within my rights to have you excecuted for treason.However... in light of your recent victory, I believe that the Ministry of Thought may yet have some use for you as a propaganda tool. Therefore , rather than simply having you shot, I am hereby stripping you of all rank and privileges until such time as a court-martial can be quietly convened. You then will be found guilty of gross incompetence as an officer of the Navy , and you will be sentenced to live out the remainder of your days on the Hoth penal colony. Do you understand ?"

"Y...Yes sir. P-perfectly , sir. Thank you,s-sir!"

Duprey grinned. "Oh, believe me, Relnik, one day you'll come to wish I'd simply killed you. Guards, escort the prisoner to the detention block."

The Stormtroopers fell to on either side of the prisoner and escorted him from the room as DuPrey returned to his command console. The Velneer fleet would be arriving at Alpha Centauri within twenty-five minutes ,and his place would be on the bridge when that happened. The fleet was committed, already in hyperspace...and he could only hope that fool of a captian hadn't managed to alert the defenders in time.An overly costly victory was almost as bad as an outright defeat in the eyes of the Grand Admiral, and DuPrey knew that the responsibility for it would fall squarely on his own shoulders.