Star Wars: Insurrection I - New Orders

Coast of Montrosa Ocean, Reytha
The star of the Reytha system caused the waters of the Montrosa Ocean to glimmer with light. The ocean was large, stretching over much of the planet's surface. Having a reasonably warm temperature, it attracted tourists who enjoyed swimming. The government gained quite a bit of credits from them. Not that they needed it. The agriworld was one of the busiest and richest in the galaxy. Which was exactly why the Empire was here.

Malcor looked on over the ocean from the AT-AT barge he was in. In the distance, he could see the Montrosa Islands. Small and relatively useless for agriculture, they made the perfect base for anyone occupying the planet. It was what the Rebels did over a century ago, and now the Galactic Alliance. Their Army established a shipyard there, probably from the ruins of the Rebel one.

The squadron of dropships and AT-AT barges skimmed the water as they begun to approach. The driver and gunner of his lead walker began making preparations for the attack. He stepped up to the command console, overlooking a holographic readout of the nearest island. The shipyard was on the coast, along with a dozen unfinished destroyers and frigates. Further inland was a small outpost.

Time to get to work, thought Malcor, as the barges begun to turn towards an empty spot along the island coast. The Alliance Army garrison must have noticed them by that point, and begun firing in their direction. They were to far away to hit any of the dropships of barges, though. His barge finally reached the coast, stopping and hovering over the beach.

The arms holding the walker begun lowering the AT-AT onto the beach. Malcor looked over at the base in the near distance, as the dropships landed infantry there. He could already hear the sounds of blaster fire erupting from that direction. The arms made a grinding sound as they let go of the walker and retracted into the hold of the barge.

"Turn the walker ninety degrees east, and begin heading toward the base," he ordered Lieutenant Tranqor, the driver, who nodded. Then turning on the comms of the walker, "We are here to eliminate the garrison base of the Galactic Alliance. This planet is to important for us to pass up, we must take it."

The AT-AT lumbered toward the base, with the rest of the squadron behind them in pursuit, as he got yes sir from various troopers back over the communications.

"Are we in range of the facility?" he asked Lieutenant Alvak, his gunner.

"Yes, sir," he answered.

"Very well. You may fire when ready. Target the administrative towers." Malcor told him.

Alvak complied, and fired at the nearby towers. They were destroyed quickly by the walker's heavy cannons, causing them to collapse on other parts of the base. Tapping into the comms of the Alliance defenders, Malcor heard various last-second screams from the dying occupants, as well as emergency alerts.

The walkers behind them also started firing. The base itself begun to be torn apart by the heavy laser cannons of the walkers. Smaller, two-legged Sith Imperial walkers begun to pass his AT-ATs, making toward the base to support the stormtrooper infantry.

"Advance on the shipyard, we will take care of the main base." Malcor told the officer leading the small walkers.

"Understood," came his reply through the comms.

A new voice came through the communications. "Sir, we've secured the shipyard. Shall we rig the destroyers with explosives?" the stormtrooper commander asked.

"No!" Malcor ordered. He smiled. "We better take them, I'm sure the aquatic Imperial Navy could use them."

"Yes, Captain Ashen," the commander answered.

The smaller walkers made it into the base, beginning to lay waste to the remainder of the Alliance infantry troopers. The AT-ATs targeted the last of the defensive batteries, destroying them. Their victory was secure. He turned on the channel to the orbiting Star Destroyer.

"Admiral Zyad, this is Captain Ashen," he said. "We've secured the shipyard and the base."

"Well done, captain," Zyad replied. He paused for a few moments. "Apperently, the Alliance just surrendered on Coruscant. An Imperial fleet was able to take it as they deployed their Core Fleet to other sectors."

Malcor couldn't see the faces of Tranqor and Alvak, but he knew they were smiling under their army pilot helmets. He looked at the ruins of the Alliance base.

"We're sending the transports down for your evacuation, stand by." Zyad said through the comms.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "Oh, and by the way, sir, can you inform Commodore Troax that a dozen destroyers are down here, awaiting to join the Imperial Navy?"

Zyad chuckled over the comms. "I'm sure he'll be pleased."

Aboard the Judicator, orbit of Reytha
Malcor sat down in his chair at the officers' meeting room, aboard the Star Destroyer Judicator. He just talked briefly with Commodore Troax, who was about to go down with a group of transports to examine the Alliance aquatic destroyers until a sudden meeting was called by Admiral Zyad. There was no explanation for what it would be about.

The rest of the Navy and Army officers arrived, most of them here. Zyad himself entered the room last, looking a bit stressed and worried. He walked to his seat, looking at the control panel at the table.

"We have received a transmission from Coruscant roughly twenty minutes ago." Zyad said.

"The Alliance surrender?" asked an Army major.

"No, some troubling news," the admiral answered. Everyone shifted in their seats, including Malcor. Zyad pushed a button on the panel, and a hologram activated at the center of the table. It showed a tall, dark-armored being sitting on a throne. The armor looked fairly disturbing; Malcor and several others leaned back in their seats.

"I, Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith, am broadcasting from Coruscant," he began. Several officers gasped, while others looked stunned. Malcor was surprised himself. ''"Just hours ago, the Alliance surrendered to the Galactic Empire. Yes, the Galactic Empire, not the Fel Empire. Minutes ago, me and several Sith Lords have overthrown the Emperor, Roan Fel, in a coup. We killed him. Now, I am the Galactic Emperor.

"The Empire will undergo mass reform to serve under the Sith leadership. The top commands of the military branches will be dissolved, directly giving the power to command them to us and the Moff Council. That will be my first reform."

The voice of someone yelling was heard in the background. Krayt pulled an officer into the hologram. Malcor recognized him as General Kiefer.

"Looks like one does not agree with the reform. That means he is a traitor."

Krayt took out his lightsaber out and sliced through Kiefer, killing him instantly. Malcor watched in horror.

"This is what will happen to all traitors. Take lesson from that. Anyway, the galaxy wil. Soon be 'reformed' as well. All units are to finish mopping up Alliance remnants and then report to their new posts."

The hologram turned off.

The room was quiet for several seconds. The only thing Malcor heard was the sound of the engines as he took time for the revelation to sunk in.

"What . . . what just . . . happened?" the Judicator's captain asked.

Zyad looked at him for a few seconds. "A coup. We have new leaders now. Our orders are to report to Coruscant. Make preparations."

The Navy officers left the room quietly and swiftly, to get over to the galactic capitol. Malcor was still surprised.

"Well, we are the Galactic Empire now. Not the Fel Empire." Zyad said.

"So, sir . . . was that a good thing?" Malcor asked silently.

"I am not a politician. I don't know," the admiral said. "I am needed on the bridge. Dismissed."

He left the room, leaving Malcor and several Army and aquatic Navy officers in the room. They slowly filed out, one by one. Malcor was the last to leave.