The New Face of Fear

The peaceful blue and green hues of the planet were marred by the sleek and angular shadow cast upon it by the shape of the Belligerent, amongst the first of her class of ship; the new Oppressor class Star Destroyers. The Destroyer was a Geonosian Hive of activity with shuttles, barges, and TIE Fighters flying between the surface of the planet and the battleship in a constant motion that strained one's eye to keep up with.


Captain Vikrax preferred looking at the holodisplay of the activity instead, whilst keeping an open ear on proceedings on the surface. They'd arrived in this system barely a few hours ago yet promising results were already coming in. The First Order was establishing itself and like any new military force they needed recruits. So here they found themselves, in orbit over a Republic world in the Outer Rim, formerly an Imperial Outpost, looking amongst their former brethren to see if any would be willing to fight for the new cause.


But as always, something would have to happen to interrupt the peaceful proceedings. Word was coming in of a fierce firefight breaking out at one of the villages a shuttle had been sent to. Waving his hand through the air delicately to maneuver the screens around, Vikrax quickly arrived to the displays of the scene at hand and witnessed a quickly departing shuttle being covered against ground fire by two TIE Fighters that'd arrived on scene. Tapping on one of the TIE Fighters revealed information about that particular ship, including which squadron it belonged to and a direct link access that he would make quick use of.


"Ash Four, this is Captain Vikrax. Please explain the situation."


"Captain, the courier was shot as soon as he started stepping off the shuttle. Three storm troopers were shot as well while recovering his body and retreating into the shuttle. They fired on us as well but we got the better of them. There were about a dozen attackers that we could see," came back the female voice of Ash Four.


"Very well then. Escort the shuttle back to the Belligerent," ordered Captain Vikrax.


This wasn't entirely unexpected of course, as encampments of Republic transplants had been found on Imperial Worlds before of course. That's why all couriers now were escorted by at least a squad of storm troopers but it was still a dangerous assignment.


"Captain Vikrax, a full report has been compiled from the planet. Apart from the one problem village, recruiting has exceeded expectations, with three thousand joining us now and another ten thousand strong making preparations. Total losses amount to just under ten personnel," reported Lieutenant Calam.


"Excellent news. Send the message to Stolhammer Base and ask for additional transports with an escort. Now there'll only be one last task to be dealt with."


With that being said Vikrax turned his attention back to the planet before glancing over at the display image of the resistant little village.


"Lieutenant, turbolaser battery seven scored the lowest in the last gunnery exercises I believe?" asked Vikrax.


"Yes sir, they scored considerably lower the next to the worst and it resulted in a few demotions."


"Well then, let's see how far along their replacements have come in training. Assign the obliteration of that pesky village to battery seven."


"Yes sir."


The Lieutenant left to carry out his orders with a smile on his face, one that was matched by the grin on Vikrax's face. These recruiting missions tended to be tedious work but just occasionally, there was a chance for some real pleasure.

As the obliteration of the insurgent village began in turn, Lieutenant Calam returned to Captain Vikrax.

"Captain, we have a return channel from Stolhammer Base. The Star Marshal has commanded you to make contact with him."

Captain Vikrax felt a pinprick at the back of his neck when the Lieutenant returned with the message, but it wasn't one of fear for he could think of nothing he'd done wrong. Rather it was one of anticipation, for it signaled a possible end to his current assignment and perhaps a more entertaining one in the future.


Making his way to the auxiliary bridge he hustled out the one or two junior officers present before sealing the bridge and activating the holonet suite. Bastille stepped onto the platform that would project a miniature of his image to Stolhammer Base as he began the message.


"Captain Vikrax of the Belligerent contacting Star Marshal Veers."

A larger hologram manifested itself before Captain Vikrax. Star Marshal Veers gave nothing away in his expression, which was as cool as water.

"I've received reports of your allegiance mission in the Troska system. Thirteen thousand volunteers is a tidy sum."

The only thing to show Veers approval was a momentary raising of brows.

"Do you have an estimate on the number of potentials at indoctrination age?"

The tiniest of vibrations in the deck below him ceased as battery four stopped firing. He knew that he would be recieving a momentary report on the datapad he was now consulting for data on the new recruits. Hopefully its information would be more pleasing then the response to the Star Marshal's question.


"Approx. six hundred fifty or five percent total, my liege. Most of the recruits were actual members of the Empire back in the day, Imperial Army and Navy veterans that will offer excellent trainer material in our acadamies," answered Vikrax.


He felt a slight pindrop of sweat on the back of his neck. A slight hum of anticipation was in the air.

"Perhaps they will."

Veers' words carried a degree of skepticism.

"Though I question their dedication if it took a few gun barrels to convince them."

The Star Marshal waved away his concern with a gesture of a gloved hand.

"No matter. The Supreme Leader can find a use for even fair weather followers. Have the potentials separated from the adults, and separate the men from the women for transport. We'll evaluate your catch later, Captain."

There were more issues on Veers' mind, and his gloved hands clasped together below his chin.

"You chose to settle the insurgents with an orbital bombardment. That's very...sanitary."

Once again the Star Marshal gave little away in his commentary. It may very well have been a compliment, or perhaps it was not.

"A bolt from heaven. Sudden and precise, isn't it? The problem with heaven is that there's no room for agnostics, Captain. We have no trouble being ephemeral. It's time for the Order to become real. The Supreme Leader has the Ren Knights for his ghosts and bogeymen. I intend to supply him with something more tangible. Consider that for your next assignment."

An involuntary smile crept up Bastille's mouth as the Star Marshal finished speaking about his next assignment. It coincided very well with something he'd been cooking up and while it was a longshot, it would certainly go a long way towards legitimizing the First Order as a credible threat.


"As it happens Star Marshal I already have something in mind that would accomplish that purpose. But for it I would need to borrow the services of an Interdictor cruiser," Bastille asked politely, knowing that the First Order only had a few such ships on hand at the moment.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Veers refused coolly, his lips pressed thin.

"The ships in Remnant space that are not directly committed to missions have been put on alert by the Supreme Leader himself. He has something special planned, and will need every available resource at his disposal."

The Star Marshal's calm expression remained unmoved, save for a glance to the side momentarily and a nod - presumably to one of his subordinates. He returned his attention to Vikrax immediately.

"However, there is another matter that deserves attention. One that I assure you that will have the Supreme Leader's eyes looking in your direction."

A gesture of one of Veers' hands summoned a peripheral hologram of a star system no-doubt familiar to the Captain.

"It's long been a farce of a secret that a tidy share of the old Empire's wealth on the outer rim has been held in custody by the Banking Clan. We have discussed this matter with the Muuns. Regrettably, they disagree with our claims to the ownership."

A frown appeared on Veer's face, a minute expression that merely served as punctuation.

"I do not believe they would be so foolish to keep the treasury warehouse on Muunilinst, as that would invite their ruin. Rather, they seem to maintain a series of vault worlds within their star system and the one adjacent.

I invited a senior member of the Banking Clan to discuss the location, with some convincing."

The Star Marshal's mastery of understatement was only undone with the slightest upturns of the corners of his mouth.

"He helpfully provided us with the code to neutralize the shield of the Imperial purse vault. Regrettably, he expired before saying which one it was."

Bringing his hands together again, Veers leaned toward the projector slightly.

"I want you to closely monitor the comings and goings of the Muuns from Muunilinst to the vault worlds. Discretion is key, so do not be discovered. When you have found it's location, bring your ship and secure the world with a surface attack."

The moment of disappointment with the refusal of the request was quenched before it could manifest in a physical form. The operation to rescue the high ranking commanders of the previous Empire would have to wait in the shadows it seems. They'll keep for now anyways, it wasn't like they're going to a different location.


Besides, the new plan that the Star Marshal was outlining is promising itself. If the old leaders couldn't be recovered then its wealth would be a close parallel.


"It shall be as you command Star Marshal," with a salute accompanying the words. No need to ask what their next assignment woud be after the completion of the new task; unlike the recruits from this planet, such important wealth should be escorted back to First Order space in nothing less then the likes of the Belligerent.


Already ideas were forming in the back of his mind for his methods. Some planning needed to be accomplished and....oh right, he needed to check on the results for battery four's assignment.

"I would expect nothing less, Captain."

The Star Marshal punctuated his words with a slight inclination of his head. Vikrax was being placed in a position with no shortage of potential energy. A fulcrum upon which success and failure were both likely and with kinetic consequences.

"Be assured that the Supreme Leader is watching. Don't make me regret choosing you for this task."

Veers punctuated his meeting with the raising of a gloved left fist.

"Order Prevails, Captain."

The transmission promptly terminated.

Muunilinst
- 2 Weeks Later -

"Shuttle Tosnia, you are cleared for landing in Bay Forty Three, Section Eight. Do not deviate from your assigned course," came the Muun voice over the intercomm. Their pilot looked back at him with a reassuring grin and dove the Lambda into the upper atmosphere of Muunilinst as the six passengers awaited impatiently for the beginning of the operation.


One balding and fattening man sat next to Bastille, a man his senior in ten years and yet five ranks his junior, someone who'd wanted to join the First Order to see the galaxy but had an uninspiring career since then after a couple of bad breaks. But that was his real life self, Major Maximhoff. Now he was playing the part of Warlord Graxima, the former Imperial who'd gone rogue following the absorption of the Empire into the New Republic, who'd ran wild in the Outer Rim with plundering shipping, and who was now looking to invest his hard won loot following a bad engagement with a New Republic Task Force that had been sent to hunt him down.


With them were their four stormtrooper escorts, some of the few 'survivors' of Graxima's glory days. The shuttle began shuddering as it flew through the atmosphere but then settled down as they passed the storm layer and began landing procedures outside the capital city. Once they'd landed a short walk to the lowered entrance ramp brought them face to face with their welcoming committee.


Three Muuns dressed in the Banking Clan garb awaited them with six Muun Security Guards. Marching down the ramp, the 'Warlord' and his associates had to do nothing more but behave normally to pull off their Imperial roles with the upper class posturing and walking with an air of disdain at having to deal with non-human species.


"Warlord Graxima, we welcome you to Muunilinst, your high and mighty excellency. The Oppressor of the Outer Rim is very welcome on Muunilinst as an investor," said the lead Muun as he took a quick bow.


"Ah, it is good to be amongst such fortune, which I might be contributing to soon enough. But first, who do I have the esteemed pleasure of dealing with?" asked Maximhoff with just enough of a hesitation before saying pleasure to imply that it was anything but. The major had originally been taking acting lessons before he decided to suddenly up and join the First Order.


"Em yes. I am Soon Nall of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. These are my associates, Fant Hill and Sandar Yash, along with our escort. Who is your companion, if I may inquire?"


"This esteemed gentleman next to me," said Maximhoff as he gestured sideways to Bastille, "Is my second in command, Basra Tillrax and we have our own escort as well."


"Umm, gentleman we have so much to discuss, shall we continue this inside the main hall? Refreshments await us there," said Soon warmly as he turned his eyes to the left. It was a hot day on Muunilinst and Bastille could barely hide a small smile at the discomfort the Muuns must be feeling at the moment.


"Yes of course, refreshments sound so good at the moment," replied Graxima as he patted his round belly. The fifteen of them moved from the ramp of the Tosnia and headed to the main building.