T-minus 0: The Beginning of the End

"From Super Star Destroyers to torpedo spheres, it has been nearly impossible to overestimate the amount of destructive force available to the average Moff or Sector Group Commander"

―Arhul Hextrophon, on the Empire's obsession with super weapons.

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Shiplord Fhor'Tress of the Kentarian Battlesphere Protector watched as they docked at the Imperial shipyards at Fondor for refueling. His crew docked the vessel with steady hands, and he was proud of them. He stared out the window at the vessel finishing construction less than ten thousand meters from his own immense vessel.

The first of the Imperial Super Star Destroyers was beginning its start up tests. The ship was gigantic, and over eight miles long from tip to engines, it boasted enough firepower to take on a fleet of lesser vessels. With over 5000 weapon emplacements, and multiple wings of fighters, it was truly a vessel of war. Fhor'Tress listened to his comm officer as they finished docking. "We are allowed two standard hours for refueling, Shiplord."

Fhor'Tress nodded. "We will only need one."

He kept his eye on the Super Star Destroyer as its engines flared to life, and it slowly began to leave its immense dock. "Its not the only one, you know." came a voice from behind him. Turning, he faced his second in command, Subshiplord Kr'agg stood near him, observing the trial flight of the new Imperial Warship. "We have reports of others being constructed all across the galaxy from our Bothan allies. There is the Reaper, being constructed in the Corellian shipyards. Then there is the Guardian, being constructed in orbit of Coruscant along with its sister vessel Lusankya. There is the Terror, being constructed at the Imdaar shipyards, and then Annihalator, and the Brawl, being constructed near Kuat. Once all of them are finished, they are to be given to the Grand Admirals to serve as flagships for their respective fleets. Already there are reports of them arguing over who should possess such a vessel."

Fhor'Tress nodded his great head, watching as the Super Star Destroyer turned and headed outsystem. "And this one? Who would command this one?"

Subshiplord Kr'agg looked at his Shiplord and sounded apprehensive. "This vessel is known as the Executor... and it will be commanded by Darth Vader."

"Vader." Fhor'Tress said. "Is he still where he was last reported?"

Kr'agg nodded. "Yes. Vader was last seen heading towards his throneworld Bast."

Fhor'Tress turned, his hands locked behind his broad back. "I will see to our 'passenger' and let her know that we are still on schedule. Barring any interferrence from the Imperials, we should arrive near Bast within a few hours."

Kr'agg looked at his Shiplord for a moment. "Permission to speak freely, my lord."

"Always, my friend. You know that I value your counsel."

"Our passenger... she is not what she appears to be. I sense something from her. She is... dangerous,"

Fhor'Tress did not argue. "I agree. While she appears little more than a child, I feel that she is capable of becoming a threat... even to us." Kr'agg nodded, and Fhor'Tress turned to walk to the 'human' section of the ship, where the gravity plating had been turned down so that it was near 1 standard G, as compared to the Kentarians normal gravity of ten Gs.

It took Fhor'Tress a few moments to get used to the low gravity, and then stepped into the transport section. Inside, a small girl sat playing a little hologame, humming to herself and looking for all the world as an innocent child. Shiplord Fhor'Tress was not fooled. "We will be at Bast on schedule, my lady."

The girl smiled and nodded. "Excellent."

A comm signal chimed through the room. Fhor"Tress touched the control and spoke. "Report."

Subshiplord Kr'agg's voice came through the speaker. "The Imperial control does not wish to serve our ship first. There are three Imperial vessels before us, and they have ordered us to wait. We will have to adjust our timetable."

The little girl stood up and walked over to the comm. "You call that control officer and tell him that he will serve this ship first. Tell him to look up priority code Alpha 331-Omega, and that should be that."

There was silence over the comm, and finally Shiplord Fhor'Tress spoke. "Do it."

After a few moments, Kr'agg's voice came back. "We are being fueled even as we speak, Shiplord."

The little girl smiled and sat back down, playing with her holocomm game as if nothing happened. Fhor"Tress stared at her for a few moments. The only reason he had taken on this little delivery to Darth Vader's throneworld was because he had been asked by Vice Admiral Thrawn, who had saved some of his family on the Horizon. He didn't even know the child's name. Finally, he stepped towards the girl, towering over her with his huge mass.

"You are much more than you appear."

The little girl nodded, and looked back up at him with a glint in her eye. "Arent we all?"

Unnerved by the small child's complete lack of fear of him, Shiplord Fhor'Tress left her alone, returning to the normality of his bridge. He turned to face his second in command and found that his three hearts were beating quicker than normal. "Once we are fueled, make all haste towards Bast. I wish to be away from that... creature."