Star Wars: Heir to the Sith (Part 3)

Chapter 45: "Anyone can be ruthless when they believe they are right."

Neerada awoke in her quarters aboard the Reaver. She tried to move and her right side burned in agony, her muscle fibres seared by Mahon's wound.

Glancing down, she saw her abdomen was bandaged, with a bacta pack covering the wounded area.

She took a deep breath of air and settled back into her bed, thinking of all that had happened since she had been lured into the trap by Vader in the Cirdym system. Commander Duscan was right: Vader had turned the Assayers on each other, taking steps to avoid using the Imperial fleet to keep it out of the Empire's command structure. Now the head of that command structure was severed.

So where did that leave her?

Pina was loyal to her, she was sure of that. She felt she understood him now and that meant she could use him as she needed. At heart he was a good man, and as long as she allowed him to indulge his weaknesses then he would be compliant.

And she was also sure that her position in the Empire's hierarchy was unchanged. That too would be key to her survival.

Mahon, Rastapewl, Vitra, and one other Assayer who was unknown to her were dead. Four of nine. All but one of them in the Syreal sector. Had all but the one murdered in the Hosnian HoloNet explosion been sent here? Had this sector, due to its remoteness and the presence of the Gateway facility, been used by Vader as his killing ground?

If so, it meant that there were four other Assayers out there, waiting.

Neerada turned to her bedside. On the table lay a dim red crystal and the shattered remains of her lightsaber. She was an Assayer without a weapon now.

Next to it lay the comm that she could use to communicate with Ella. Two of them, together. But the girl was still untrained and unwilling to fight. Would that be enough against the four others?

Her thoughts were disturbed by the entrance of Janus. The ISB officer stood to attention and waited for permission to speak.

"What is the Reaver's situation?" Neerada said after a moment's silence.

"The ship is still combat ready. We have received damage to power relays and tractor beam controls, and shield coverage is weaker over our aft. Turbo laser efficiency is down to ninety percent. Commander Teleon is confident that a few weeks docked in the Syreal station will give us enough opportunity to repair. The super structure has also been damaged, with initial damage assessment putting hull integrity at eighty-two percent. Again, Teleon thinks that this can be repaired but that will require a longer period out of action at Syreal. It will be nearly impossible to make this repair if the ship is required on active duty."

"That's all acceptable," Neerada said. "We will return to the Syreal system very shortly and the repairs can be started. What of Pina himself? Has he been loyal?"

"I believe so, your Emminence. He has ordered our rescue teams out of the Assassin. We cannot save any more of the crew. Pina has spoken with the rebel leader, Lady Valois, and has informed her of his intention to destroy the ship. She has reluctantly accepted this as there is no alternative."

"That surprises you Janus?" Neerada felt the feeling inside her.

"I didn't expect Captain Pina to be so ruthless."

"Anyone can be ruthless, especially when they believe that what they are doing is right and noble."

"Yes your Eminence."

"But it will be good for Pina too. The crew will fear him now, and his reputation as a ruthless commander will help him in dealing with other Imperial officers."

"He thinks he is being merciful."

"And he is. If you knew what those on the Assassin felt." Neerada tried again to block out the feelings of agony that filled the void between the ships. Their lives had become pitiful things now. "Indeed he is. What else?"

"Lady Valois will send a delegation from the republic to Syreal Prime in the next two weeks. She and Pina have agreed to lay down terms for the cessation of hostilities between both sides. The Captain made it clear that this is not an Imperial surrender, but rather a compromise to avoid unnecessary loss of life and an effort to ensure that citizens throughout the sector have stability. A slight problem does exist in that some of the rebels, led by a pirate called Ruskin, have gone rogue and will no longer answer to any authority. This man murdered the rulers of Farsalt in the battle, trying to disguise it as a friendly fire incident."

"And does Pina know you are spying on his communications?"

"He would be foolish if he didn't suspect it, your Eminence."

Neerada smiled. "Indeed he would. And I don't think the young Captain is as foolish as we once thought him. You have done well Janus. But now we have to fortify our position. The Gateway facility, though not able to function for the moment, is still highly valuable. Each one of its S-Threads is worth more than a medium system's economy. So it will need reinforcing with fighters and capital ships. We have a short window to work to as the facility is still secret, but that won't remain so for much longer."

"It would take a big hauler with tugs to try and steal one of them."

"Yes. But I want it guarded nonetheless. And I want it repaired."

She didn't need to tell Janus of Vader's experiment. There was no need for her to know that.

"Sarn. Is he still alive?" Neerada asked quietly.

"He is. He has been placed in a bacta tank. He is aboard the Reaver now."

"Then send him to Farsalt. Let his presence be a test to Princess Ella. It will be interesting to see how she treats the man who ruined her planet and killed so many of her people."

"He is a still a senior Imperial officer, your Eminence. If we hand him over he could give the rebellion useful information."

"Since Endor his knowledge is of little importance. The galaxy has been too shaken up now. And it will give the rebellion cause to trust Pina as a man who will keep to his word. Trustworthy, yet utterly ruthless. Captain Pina's reputation is set, and he will be all the more useful to me because of it."

Neerada said no more, content to let her eyes drift close. When she did finally open them again, Janus was gone, and she was alone.

Her eye fell on the comm on her table. Ella was at the other end of it.

Let her wait, she thought, for she will have challenges of her own to deal with before we meet again.

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