18. Imperial Build-up

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." – Winston Churchill

At each of the four locations, the Imperial fleet's forces continues to arrive, at each of the four -locations there is a single Sovereign class Star Dreadnought as each fleets command ship.

The Sovereign commanded by Grand Admiral Teshik

The Monarch commanded by Grand Admiral Thrawn

The Emperor commanded by Fleet Admiral Feyet Kiez

The King commanded by Fleet Admiral Gilad Pellaeon

The assembling of these fleets has been done in such a way as not to draw attention to the fact that the Empire is building up for an attack, though this way is more time consuming it is much safer and will not reveal the Imperial build up.

The Yuuzhan Vong are unaware of the Imperial build up, the remaining Yuuzhan Vong infiltrators only see a shifting of Imperial forces to different points across the Empire, not the build up, nothing more.

On the bridge of the Sovereign, the former Imperial Inquisitor Adalric Cessius Brandl, could see his vision of the future coming true, as Lord Brandl looks at Grand Admiral in his command chair. Lord Brandl remembers his visions, 'The one part of his vision that scared him more than anything is the part where he is standing next to the command chair on the bridge of a star destroyer, every time he looks down at the man in the chair. He sees the man in the chair wearing the uniform of an Imperial Grand Admiral.'

The future that Lord Brandl saw is now coming true.

Later Lord Brandl Quarters

Lord Brandl was mediating in his quarters, as he was mediating he reached out with the Dark Side of the force, he could sense the ships around the Sovereign, along with the millions of troops onboard those ships. Lord Brandl could sense that the troops were afraid but they were also confident of victory with two Grand Admirals leading them, the troops are focused on the coming task ahead of them.

Then Lord Brandl suddenly sense another force user outside his quarters, Luke Skywalker, using the forces Lord Brandl opens the door and says, "Come in Skywalker"

Skywalker enters and the doors close silently behind him, Skywalker says, "I sensed the Dark Side of the force, is there a problem?"

Lord Brandl replies, "I have been having visions about the future"

Skywalker nods as he sits facing Lord Brandl.

Lord Brandl continues, "I have been having these visions since the Emperors final death. All of what I have seen has come true, without exception."

Skywalker is both suspicious and intrigued, he asks, "May I ask what visions you have had lately?"

Lord Brandl takes a deep breath and replies, "I can do better than that" then takes of one of his leather gloves and then says, "Take my hand and you too can see what I see."

For a few moments Skywalker hesitates, then he takes Lord Brandl hand, suddenly Skywalker sees the bridge of a star destroyer, in the command chair is Grand Admiral Teshik, the vision shifts, with Grand Admiral Teshik hand outstretched commanding all Imperial forces.

Then the visions shifts again, this time it is it is a battle against a forces that appear to be blind to the force (Yuuzhan Vong), the vision shows Grand Admiral Teshik and Grand Admiral Thrawn, then suddenly shows a third Grand Admiral, though the vision does not show this third Grand Admirals face.

This vision is shocking to Skywalker, he thinks to himself another Grand Admiral alive.

Then the visions shifts again, this time showing Skywalker serving Grand Admiral Teshik and the Empire as a form of police, just as the Jedi were in the Old Republic, the vision also shows that the Jedi and the Sith will be working side by side. This vision of the Jedi and the Sith will be working side by side is extremely strong in Skywalker's mind, as if his own force powers are amplifying this vision.

Images continue to come into Skywalker's mind, each of these visions reinforces that the galaxy will be much better off with Grand Admiral Teshik leading the galaxy rather than the New Republic leading the galaxy.

The visions shifts again, showing the Empire sometime in the future, run by Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, with Grand Admiral Thrawn at Teshik left and Lord Brandl at his right. The vision also shows thousands upon thousands of worlds under the leadership of Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, leading the Empire to a bright future.

Then the link is broken by Lord Brandl who takes a deep breath and says, "You have seen what I have seen Skywalker."

Skywalker replies, "You created these visions?"

Lord Brandl says, "No, you merely saw what I see, no more, search your feelings you known it to be true."

Skywalker in heart he knows that Lord Brandl is speaking the truth, then Skywalker notices for the first time, that Jaalib Brandl has been watching them, his face set in a grim expression.

Skywalker asks, "How long have you been here?"

Jaalib Brandl replies, "A while" nodding towards the time on the wall.

Skywalker looking at the time sees that over ten hours have passed since he came inside Lord Brandl quarters.

Lord Brandl says, "Jaalib, take Skywalker to see Teshik, I need to rest now."

In a serious tone Jaalib Brandl replies, "Yes father, come on Skywalker."

As they walk towards Teshik quarters, the Imperial crewmembers move out of the way of Jaalib Brandl, some out of fear some out of respect.

Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, Private Quarters

Once inside Teshik, private quarters, Skywalker noted that were Teshik sat there are a number of Ysalamir around Teshik private quarters, this did not supprise Skywalker, as the use of these creatures has been known to him for many years and a Grand Admiral using them would be a given.

Though onboard, the Sovereign the Ysalamir seem to have been placed in pockets so that Lord Brandl can still use the force, though once Skywalker and Jaalib Brandl both of them were now cut off from the force, though Skywalker seemed to be more affected than Jaalib Brandl.

Teshik looked up from behind his desk and says, "Welcome Skywalker, I would assume that Lord Brandl has shown you his visions of the future?" that was more of a statement than a question.

Skywalker sits down and replies, "Yes he has."

Teshik asks, "What do you think, would you like to lead the Jedi order in this new Empire, after all the New Republic was a nice idea, but it just did not work."

Skywalker says, "You are going to let me re build the Jedi order because of a vision from Lord Brandl?"

Teshik replies, "Partially yes, the other reason is that the Emperor foresaw an eternal civil war without end unless the Jedi were eliminated completely, they Jedi were not eliminated completely therefore we ended up with an eternal civil war, just as the Emperor foresaw. But I propose a different way, with the Jedi become a 'police force' of the Empire along with the Sith, you probably think this will not work, but in the past the Sith and the Jedi have worked together."

Skywalker says, "No one has ever tried this sort of thing?"

Teshik replies, "No but it could work, Lord Brandl has agreed along with Jaalib Brandl and a few other Sith and Dark Side adepts that remain."

Skywalker says, "There are more Sith?"

Teshik smiles and replies, "Oh, yes, you see for the Jedi to exist you need the Sith and for the Sith to exist they need the Jedi, you cannot have one without the other."

Skywalker suddenly realized that Teshik is right and says, "Very well Grand Admiral I agree, but I do not think this will work very smoothly."

Teshik continues to smile and replies, "Oh, it won't, well initially, but given time it will, do not worry Skywalker, I have anticipated the problems that will crop up, I already have many strategies to deal with both rouge Jedi and Sith."

Skywalker shakes his head and thinks to himself, Teshik already knew his answer before he did never underestimate a Grand Admiral.

Skywalker leaves Grand Admiral Teshik's quarters to 'observe' the coming battle.

As they walk down the corridor Jaalib Brandl in a cheery tone asks, "Do you want to see a real super weapon?"

Skywalker is caught by the question and replies, "Sure"

Jaalib Brandl says, "Ok, follow me" and enters the nearest turbolift with a curious Skywalker in tow.

VIP Guest Quarters, Sovereign

Skywalker is surprised that they have come to the VIP guest quarters area, Skywalker asks, "I thought we would be going to the armory?"

Jaalib Brandl grins at Skywalker and says, "Nope, this is a far more potent weapon than any superlaser or Death Star."

Skywalker has a sudden knot in his stomach as if he already knows that answer but he cannot see clearly, even though he is no longer under the influence of the Ysalamir.

As the two of them approach a guarded guest quarter, the two armoured doors silently slip apart, revealing an entrance area, as they approach the inner door this door also opens silently, to reveal the guest quarters living area.

In the middle of the room is a large active holo display, with his back to the entrance in a man in a Grand Admirals uniform, Skywalker gasps a third Grand Admiral just as Lord Brandl vision has shown him.

As they come to a stop Jaalib Brandl polity clears his throat and the Grand Admiral turns around, it is Octavian Grant.

Octavian Grant with a smile on his face says, "Hello, Jaalib Brandl and hello Luke Skywalker."

The only thing that Skywalker can say in reply, "I thought that you have been killed?"

Octavian Grant still with a smile on his face says, "No, the Imperial team, that was sent was under orders to grab me and bring me back to Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik and to make it look like I was killed, very clever really."

Skywalker says, "But you joined the New Republic?"

Octavian Grant replies, "Yes and the New Republic turned on me, I could see that would happen, so on one of my attacks, I used tactics that only another Grand Admiral could recognize as mine. This would lead Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik to my location and here I am back within the Empire again."

Skywalker asks, "But Teshik could have been out to kill you?"

Octavian Grant laughs and replies, "No, Teshik is not that kind of Grand Admiral" then his tone changes, "Even Thrawn is not like that, any of the other Grand Admirals would have had me killed" his tone changes again, "but not Teshik"

A still stunned Skywalker manages to ask, "What are you doing here?"

Octavian Grant in a serious tone replies, "Helping to defeat this alien invasion of our galaxy, I understand that you will be joining us?"

Skywalker says, "Yes, I assume that you have talked to Teshik and got that information from him?"

Octavian Grant replies, "Not directly, we had a discussion several weeks ago, all three of us agreed that you would join us and that the Jedi and the Sith would unite, so there was no reason for Teshik to inform me of your decision. Everything is going according to plan."

Skywalker asks, "You cannot predict what everyone is going to do."

Octavian Grant replies, "True, but all we needed to do is predict what you were going to do Skywalker and of course Jaalib Brandl. Once Jaalib Brandl knew that there were three Grand Admirals we knew that he could not resist showing off when you came onboard."

Jaalib Brandl blushes slightly at being found out but says nothing.

Octavian Grant says, "Now if you will excuse me I have some battle strategies to iron out."

As they both exit Octavian Grant, Jaalib Brandl heads off on his own, leaving Skywalker to his own devices.

Skywalker has never been left alone onboard an Imperial warship, he deicide to head to the main bridge, because quite frankly he has nothing better to do!

As Skywalker exits the turbolift, he thought that he might be stopped. But as Skywalker walks on to the bridge, no one stops him Skywalker can feel the crew pits eyes in his back as he passes them it is mostly fear the crew of the Sovereign only know Sith, not the Jedi and they have learned to fear a Sith.

They do not know that the Sith and the Jedi do things is very different ways.

As Skywalker looks out of the main bridge windows of the Sovereign, he can see the growing number of imperial warships of all classes assembling for the upcoming attack, with three Grand Admirals leading this attack, Skywalker knew that the Yuuzhan Vong would be surprised and probably annihilated.

Skywalker did not like the idea of wiping out the Yuuzhan Vong, but he really did not have much choice, also this is only one fleet and Skywalker knew that stopping one fleet would not stop that attack he would just have to live with it.

What Skywalker did not realize is that he was behaving just as his father Lord Vader did, stalking the bridge of the command ship, just before a battle.

The Yuuzhan Vong is about to get the biggest surprise of their existence ever it will be the last surprise that they get...

To be continued.