Message-ID: <11238eli$9805131457@qz.little-neck.ny.us> X-Archived-At: From: "Walter Slaven" Subject: {Walter Slaven}"STAR WARS: The Tie Fighter"( MF MMF MFF cons Sci-Fi ) [3/5] Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d Path: qz!not-for-mail Organization: The Committee To Thwart Spam Approved: X-Moderator-Contact: Eli the Bearded X-Story-Submission: STAR WARS THE TIE FIGHTER Part Three- From the Badlands to the Death Star GUSTAV had been in orbit about Resead for three days. Our mission during this time was to fly patrols in the surrounding system to guard against any further Rebel attacks, while the stormtroopers and other ground personnel solidified Imperial control of the planet. The badly damaged orbiting platform was also undergoing repairs. In addition to the patrols, I used the time for training. Our TIE squadrons and those of our sister frigate SHAMUS, which had been badly damaged in the attack on Resead [see pt 2], needed to learn to work together as an extended team. This only made sense because with SHAMUS sidelined indefinitely for repairs, her flight group would be part of GUSTAV's crew for the foreseeable future. I was in GUSTAV's packed hangar, going over pre-flight instructions with the SHAMUS flight leader, Captain Kao Ijuf of Tau squadron. One of the few female starfighter pilots in the Imperial Navy she had shown me during the Resean battle that she was both an exceptional starfighter pilot and an inspiring leader. During her first few days onboard she had fully supported me in integrating the fighter groups and in making the SHAMUS pilots feel a part of the crew, despite the crowded conditions. In addition to her obvious competence as an officer, she was quite stunning physically. I often found my mind wandering as I fantasized about her. Very un- professional, I know. The only thing about her that I found somewhat unsettling was her intensity. She seemed to be single-mindedly focused on combat with the enemy to the exclusion of all else, and she approached that subject with a fervor that bordered on zealotry. "The next training flight," she was saying as we stood between a pair of parked TIE fighters and looked out over the hangar deck, which was bustling with activity, "will be six fighters- three each from GUSTAV and SHAMUS groups." She looked up from the roster she held. "Sound alright to you, captain?" "Sounds fine to me, captain," I responded, wishing she wouldn't be so formal but understanding her desire to appear professional. "Who's going to lead this one?" I wanted her to feel that she could assign personnel to key positions. If she was surprised by my question she didn't show it. She responded without hesitation. "I think your Lieutenant Acer should lead this one," she said referring to my wingman and friend Dromo Acer. "I think he could use some leadership experience." "Agreed." I said. "Dromo's a good pilot and a fine wingman, but he hasn't had much opportunity to actually be in charge of a flight. I think it's a good choice." Kao cracked a smile. "Glad to hear you say that." I looked at her, and saw that her steely blue eyes were actually twinkling. I think it was the first time that I had seen her eyes reflect anything other than a cold, blue, professionalism. "You've already told him, haven't you?" I asked, trying unsuccessfully to contain a grin. "Yes, captain. I have." Her eyes positively glimmered now, and she tossed her head slightly, which sent shimmers through the waves of long red hair. "What if I had not agreed?" I asked her, a little impishly. "Then I would have convinced you that you were wrong," she replied in a matter-of-fact tone. She probably would have. "So," I said playing along,"you think I can be convinced so easily?" "No, I don't," she replied. "But I would have had some help." She indicated Dromo who was approaching us from across the hangar. He bounded up to us, his face brimming with enthusiasm. "Captain Ijuf says I've been assigned as flight leader for the next training mission," he said rapidly, excitement hurrying his words. His eyes darted back and forth between Kao and me. I nodded. "That's correct, Lieutenant," I said evenly. "You've got this one." Dromo's handsome face broke out into a smile that was beaming. His chest swelled up so that for a moment I thought his flight suit might come apart. "Great. Thanks," he stammered. He seemed dazed. "I guess I'll go brief the other pilots." He turned to leave, then stopped and turned around. "Did you see that shuttle that just came in from the planet?" he asked. Kao and I both shook our heads. "No," I said. "Anything interesting?" Dromo nodded. "A whole bunch of Resean traitors," he said, his voice heavy with disdain. "These scumbags were the leaders who helped convince the populace to join the Rebels." He spat on the deck in disgust. "It did my heart good to see them in chains." With that he turned and walked off toward one of the briefing rooms. Kao and I looked after him a moment. "He certainly seems to dislike our adversaries rather intensely, doesn't he?" Kao said, turning to me. "That's Dromo," I replied. "His family is real big in Imperial circles, so he's been exposed to the anti-Rebel sentiment for a long time." I paused, then added, "He was a bit more dramatic just now than he usually is." Kao nodded reflectively. "So his loyalty to the Empire and disdain for the Rebels stems not from a personal commitment or experience, but rather is a result of his family's position?" I wasn't sure where she was going with this, but I was mildly intrigued. People in the Imperial service are generally very guarded about their personal feelings and beliefs, lest they be used against them. Here was someone who seemed to want to talk about this subject, so I went along. "I guess you could say that," I said, attempting to answer her question. The hangar was filling with noise as several TIEs began winding up and the overhead cranes moved into position. Maintenance personnel shuttled about on carts making last minute checks. In the distance I could see Marina Haarkov supervising a maintenance crew. Kao and I moved to the far end of the hangar where it was quieter. "I don't think that Dromo has any strong personal commitments to any particular cause or philosophy," I continued when the noise had abated somewhat. "You must keep in mind that he is still young, cares more about chasing women than just about anything else, and has been told by his family what to think since he was a baby. Members of his family have prospered under the Empire, so they support it." "I suppose we all have our motivations," she said quietly. "At least he's hating the right people." She paused for a long moment, looking at me intently, her eyes searching mine for something. Then she smiled. "And what about you, Captain Tallig?" she asked. "What brought you here amid all this?" She waved her arm, indicating the hangar deck. Again I checked myself, unsure how to respond. I knew that from time to time the Imperial High Command planted agents among the rank and file to "purge disloyalty." Since "disloyalty" could mean just about whatever a particular agent or High Command official wanted it to mean, most service members were very reluctant to say anything to anybody that they didn't know well. This practice also had the negative effect of stifling open discussion and criticism. I decided that Kao Ijuf was no such agent, and that she was merely seeking conversation; trying to fit into her new surroundings. I measured my words, however, because.....hell, you never knew. "My homeworld of Kuan had known little but civil war, strife and hardship for many years," I began. "Then the Empire showed up. The wars stopped, it became safe to travel, and, after a while, we began to enjoy a little prosperity." I didn't tell her that the price for all this had been a very restrictive Imperial imposed government and the exploitation of Kuani resources, both human and material, to support the Empire. "Like many Kuanis," I continued,"I joined the Imperial service as a way out of difficult circumstances, and, of course, out of appreciation." Kao nodded, but said nothing. "The academy wasn't open to us, of course," I said, "so I joined as a maintenance tech, learned to fly a TIE, and here I am." I smiled and shrugged as if to say 'that's all.' Kao looked at me earnestly for a long moment, her steely blue eyes seeming to bore right through me. "So," she said after a pause,"you are motivated neither by a strong sense of commitment to the Empire, nor a personal disdain for the Rebels." Although she said it as a statement, her eyes were questioning. I hesitated, hating myself for not having a quick answer. Was she right? If so, did that make any difference? "Of course my loyalties are with the Empire," I said somewhat testily. After all, every morning I awoke aboard an Imperial starship, put on an Imperial uniform, strapped myself into an Imperial starfighter and did battle. Who could question that? Captain Ijuf, of course. Indirectly. "Loyalties, yes," she said softly. "But what about commitment?" Before I could think of an answer, which probably would have sounded lame, she continued. "Let me ask you this," she said. She moved very close to me, her eyes locked onto mine. "If the Rebel Alliance, and not the Empire, had provided solutions to your planet's problems, would you now be out there flying an X-wing?" I was somewhat taken aback by the directness of her question. "I'm afraid I haven't thought about that possibility," I responded. As soon as I said it, I knew it probably wasn't the right answer. "Well, then, captain," she said with a wry smile, "perhaps you should." With that she abruptly turned and walked away, red hair streaming, her incredible ass swaying gently. I stood there a moment, somewhat confused. I wasn't sure what she had been trying to get at. Was she really all that concerned with my personal motivations? Or was she toying with me, establishing herself as a co-equal even though she was not on her own ship? What were her motivations? Hell, I told myself, she could just be making conversation. Maybe she even found me attractive and was checking me out. Maybe she was just a bitch. I smiled to myself and shook my head. I took another look around the hangar then headed for the exit. I had several hours before I was scheduled to fly another patrol, and I was starting to feel horny, so I went to find J'Una . J'Una was wailing like a banshee as she savagely bounced up and down on my erect cock. This was our first fuck in quite a while- what with the Resean operation and all- and she was really getting into it. I was lying on her bed in her quarters with my hands on those beautiful black hips of hers trying to keep her from snapping my dick off on the downstrokes. "Fuck me, Vel. Fuck me deep," she said looking down at me, red eyes glazed over with lust. "I want it." And she slammed herself down on me yet again. I reached up and grasped her tits, rolling the nipples in my palms. She had great breasts and I could never keep my hands off them. I squeezed and tugged at the luscious globes, causing her to moan as she rode me. As she approached her climax J'Una leaned forward, grasped my biceps and, with a great heave, rolled us over so that I was now on top. Her long, powerful legs closed behind me, pulling me into her. Her Bardin cunt muscles went to work and, in a few short strokes, I was right there with her. I pounded my cock into her, my balls slapping her ass. As I fucked her I raised myself up so that I could bend my head down and suck on her nipples. I took one into my mouth and licked it and bit it gently. That drove her crazy. She cupped her hands underneath her breasts and offered them to me. "Do them," she said, almost pleading. "Do them hard." I knew what she wanted. Shifting my weight over to one arm I continued sucking and biting one tit as my free hand found the other. I squeezed and twisted it roughly, knowing she loved that. She moaned and thrust her cunt up at me even harder. I kept pounding away and mashing her tits, trying to bring her off. I didn't have long to wait. J'Una's moaning got louder and her thrashing about more intense. She grabbed my arms with her hands, her fingers digging into my flesh. Her head was thrown back, her whole body tensed and her legs squeezed me even tighter. "That's it," she gasped. "That's it!" She thrashed wildly about, her hands clawing at me, her legs damn near cutting me in half. I thrust forward and my cock spasmed as my balls let go. Sperm shot up from the base of my penis and burst forth from the head, pouring into J'Una's cunt. My cock continued to pump cum into her until I felt it overflow her pussy. I lay atop her for a few moments, kissing her and licking her tits, while she stroked my hair. Finally, I disengaged and lay beside her. My cock was covered in cum and cunt juice. Second to those of Commander Cibock, Commanding Officer of our ship, the Imperial Frigate GUSTAV, J'Una's quarters were exceptionally comfortable and boasted a huge skylight over her bedroom. I lay back and looked out at the stars and the planet Resead, which Imperial forces had recently conquered, and about which we were orbiting. The planet shimmered, reflecting light from its sun. It was an incredibly beautiful sight. Gazing up at it, I almost forgot that, at that moment, Imperial troops were solidifying control over the place. J'Una curled up next to me and ran her hand over my chest. She looked at me intensely, with those fire red eyes of hers. "You seem lost in thought, Vel," she said softly. I looked at her and smiled. "Not lost," I said. "Just thinking about what we're doing here." I looked back up through the skylight at the planet. "About what is happening down there." J'Una raised herself up on an elbow. "You know the drill, Vel," she said, sternness entering her voice. "The system went over to the Alliance, and now they're paying for it." "Yeah," I said. "That's the drill. Forced evacuations and imposition of a military occupation. Shuttles full of prisoners unloading in our hangar. Transport to a prison planet somewhere. Some liberators we are, eh?" J'Una sat up. "It's not a question of liberation and you know it." The sternness had been replaced by a softer tone. "The Rebels made the move out here and we countered it." "What I can't figure," I said, "is why the Rebels are making so much noise way out here. This is the Epsilon quadrant. There isn't much out here." I reached up and tweaked one of J'Una's nipples. She smiled down at me, white teeth flashing against the blackness of her skin. "There's always the possibility," she said quietly, "that this is where they want us to be focusing our attention." "A decoy?" I asked. "It's been discussed at high levels," she replied, nodding. "If that's the case, I'd say it has worked." I continued tugging at her nipple, eliciting a soft moan. "Yeah," I said, agreeing. "Not long ago it was just us out here patrolling the badlands, busting smugglers and pirates. Now we've got fleets running around, and we're conquering systems that we didn't care about." "Makes you wonder, doesn't it?" J'Una said. "Wonder what?" "Well," she said removing my hand from her breast for a moment, "If the Rebels' intent was to shift our focus out here, it could be that they're planning something in the inner sectors." "Like what?" I asked. She laughed softly. "That is the question, isn't it? I haven't a clue, and if High Command does they certainly haven't told us. I don't think they do, either, though. I have seen some message traffic referring to the Death Star, so maybe that's involved somehow." She returned my hand to her tit and I resumed my tweaking and massaging, knowing she really liked that. "Death Star?" I asked, curious. J'Una nodded. "That battle station that Admiral Thrawn talked about on Mofta IV. [see pt 2] That's what it's being called. There's no way that something that huge and that powerful can be kept secret for long. And I'm sure that the Rebels won't sit around and let us develop something that can instantly annihilate them." I lay there quietly for a moment, playing with her breast. "J'Una," I said looking up at the planet again. The ship's orbit had taken us around to the night side, so I could only see an outline of Resead. "The Rebels must have known the Empire would come here, especially after they set up that communications platform." She nodded. "I think that was their whole plan. Remember how they ambushed us in the middle of our attack? I think they were trying to inflict as much damage as they could, hoping we'd retire." "Which means," I said, bitterness rising in my voice,"that the Rebels used an entire planet as a decoy to lure us out here, then, when things went wrong, abandoned it to us, knowing what would happen." "Some liberators they are, eh?" J'Una said as she bent down and began licking and sucking my cock, bringing it back to life. I stretched, delighting in the feel of J'Una's hands and mouth on my dick. She grasped the base of my cock as her tongue worked its way up the shaft and flicked the head. I was beginning to enjoy this when, abruptly, she stopped. Her grip tightened on my cock and she looked at me mischievously. "By the way," she said, "how are things going with Captain Ijuf?" Uh-oh. J'Una obviously knew that Kao Ijuf and I had been working closely together since the SHAMUS groups came aboard. She saw us together at daily briefings and knew that we were scheduling our missions together. She also knew me, and probably figured that sooner or later I'd be trying to get into Kao's flight suit. Of course, she was right. Although I was suprised by J'Una's question, and concerned about the grip she had on my cock, I didn't really think her question was prompted by jealously. Our relationship had always been fairly loose. Nevertheless, mindful of her grip, I answered carefully. "Things are going just fine with Captain Ijuf," I responded. "She's very professional, her pilots are very good. We'll have quite a strike force." J'Una flicked her tongue across the head of my penis. She did not loosen her grip. "So, your evaluation of her is purely professional?" "Sure," I said cautiously. She still had that grip. "She's a great pilot. She's a little intense sometimes. Works her people hard. Something's driving her. I'm not sure what. She seems a little too fond of combat. But I think she'll be a real asset for as long as the SHAMUS people are here." J'Una chuckled. "And you've never looked at that cute ass of hers and wanted to fuck her brains out?" I grinned down at her. "Well," I said, "the thought had crossed my mind once or twice. What about you?" J'Una just laughed. She loosened her grip on my cock, then lowered her head to take it in her mouth. It wasn't long before I shot my cum deep into her throat. Contrary to popular perception, or misperception, military life is not all glamor and excitement. Mostly, it's dull, boring routine. In fact, Commander Cibock, GUSTAV's Commanding Officer, once de- scribed military service as 97% boredom punctuated by 3% sheer terror. I'd say that about sums it up. I hated boredom just like every- one else, but since that 3% sheer terror usually consisted of someone trying to kill me, I've learned to appreciate the boredom. I had seen enough combat to know better than to seek it out. If you're in the Imperial Navy and there's a war on, combat will usually find a way to seek you out. I have always been wary of people who seek glory through combat, and who salivate in anticipation at every opportunity to charge off into battle. People like Vice Admiral Thrawn and our own Major Maarek made me nervous. I was beginning to feel the same way about Kao Ijuf, too. I find nothing glorious in blowing up a space platform, shooting apart a starfighter or savaging a planet. Unfortunately, the Imperial Navy is full of those who do, and they're usually in charge. And so it goes. Dromo and I had just returned from another long, dull, boring patrol around the Resean system. No blips on the scanners. No intercepted transmissions. Nothing. About halfway through the patrol I could tell that Dromo, who is one of those glory types I was talking about, was getting bored and impatient. To liven things up we practiced dogfighting techniques on each other. I called a halt to that and resumed our patrol after Dromo almost crashed into me in his zeal to simulate a kill. Getting killed by a Rebel pilot in combat is one thing. Getting killed by my own wingman is something I refuse to contemplate. The tractor beam operator gently set my TIE down in its stall in GUSTAV's crowded hangar deck. I went through the post-flight checklist quickly, disconnected my comm link and lowered myself through the hatch in the bottom of the starfighter. I dropped to the deck and pulled off my helmet. Around me the hangar deck was alive with activity. TIEs were being craned into launch position for the next patrol, and weary maintenance crews, who now had nearly twice as many starfighters to care for, were struggling, along with their repair droids, to keep the TIEs operational. I was walking away from my TIE when I was approached by an obviously very tired Marina Haarkov, one of the maintenance officers. She had a large tool bag slung over her shoulder, and a set of maintenance schematics in her hand. Her blonde hair was badly tousled, her face and hands were smudged with grease and other lubricants and her blue eyes were blood shot and rimmed with dark circles. In short, she looked like hell. "Got a minute, captain?" she said. "Sure, ensign," I responded. "What's on your mind?" Marina shrugged her shoulder and the tool bag dropped to the deck with a loud thud. "Well, captain," she began wearily, "I think we need to consider slowing down the pace of the patrols and training flights. My people are working themselves to death trying to keep all these birds flying." She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, streaking it further. "We have nearly twice the normal number of TIEs onboard and I'm not operating with a full maintenance crew. Remember, we lost some people when we took that torpedo hit [see pt 1] and they haven't been replaced." "What about the repair droids?" I asked. "We've pushed them past their own scheduled maintenance, sir," she responded. Although Marina and I had shared some very pleasurable sexual encounters, we maintained a professional distance out in public. It avoids a lot of gossip and unpleasantness. "Have you spoken to Captain Ijuf, ensign?" I asked. Marina nodded. "Yes, sir," she said. "The captain wasn't very sympathetic." "No?" I asked, surprised. I knew that Kao was fairly intense, but she didn't strike me as the type to ignore advice. "She said that our pilots needed as much flight training as possible so that they would be able to kill the enemy." "'Kill the enemy'? She said that?" I was a little more surprised now. I found that a unique choice of words. Of course, killing the enemy is usually what we end up trying to do. It's not something you hear re- ferred to in that manner very often, however. Marina nodded again. "Yes, sir. She was deadly serious, too." I sighed. I agreed with what Marina was telling me. Her people were tired, her equipment overtaxed. That combination usually leads to mistakes and accidents. One thing a TIE pilot has to be absolutely certain of is that his ship is in first rate condition. After listening to Marina, I no longer had that certainty. The problem was that I didn't want to appear to override Kao. It could dampen our relationship and turn Kao and Marina into bitter enemies. We certainly didn't need that. A warship needs all of its elements working together in harmony to defeat the enemy, not each other. So, I fell back on a time honored leadership quality- I equivocated. "Tell you what, ensign," I said thoughtfully. "Let's stay with the current schedule for the rest of the day, and I'll talk to Captain Ijuf and Commander Selena, and we'll see about tomorrow's schedule." Marina nodded thankfully. "Sounds good to me, sir," she said. She picked up her tool bag, heaved it over her shoulder, winked at me and headed back toward the hangar bay. I followed her with my eyes, marvelling that someone so good looking, and such a good fuck, could also be such a competent and dedicated officer. Must have been her military upbringing, I said to myself. I exited the hangar and headed toward my quarters, intending to grab a shower and a nap. No such luck. "All senior officers report to the conference room. All senior officers report to the conference room." The ship's loudspeakers blared the announcement. Shit. Another fucking briefing. I turned around and headed forward, still in my flight suit. So much for the shower and nap, I thought. I arrived at the conference room and sat down next to Kao Ijuf. I placed my helmet under my seat. Most of the other officers had already arrived. "Any idea what this is about?" I asked Kao. "I think we've received new orders," she responded pleasantly. "Perhaps we can get away from babysitting this planet and go somewhere where we can kick some more Rebel ass." "Or get ours kicked," I responded dryly. Kao gave me a sharp look. "In any case," I continued, "I'd like to discuss the flight schedules with you after this meeting." Kao smiled. "I see you've been talking to young Ensign Haarkov," she said. I nodded. "She complained to me earlier, but, frankly I think that the training opportunity is too important to pass up. At least as long as we have to be here." Kao was about to continue, but was interrupted by the arrival of J'Una and Commander Cibock. "Attention on deck!" somebody shouted. We all stood up. Commander Cibock waved us all back into our seats. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "we have received orders to leave Resead, leave the Epsilon quadrant and return to the inner sectors for a very important and delicate mission." There was a buzz in the room at this pronouncement. Leave the badlands? We had been out here for so long that I'm sure many of us thought we'd never leave. Cibock nodded to J'Una who stood up and faced us. "As soon as we recover our starfighters on patrol," she began,"we will jump to hyperspace and proceed to the Fest system in Beta sector. There we will be boarded by the newly appointed commander of the new Death Star, Grand Moff Tarkin himself, who was on an inspection tour." Another buzz, more intense, filled the room. Tarkin? Coming aboard us? I had never met the guy, but I'd heard of him. Everyone in the Imperial service knew of Tarkin. He was the Emperor's right hand man who had helped the Emperor overthrow the Senate and assume power. He was a real prick, from what I'd heard. As a starship captain he had massacred a group of innocent civilians who were protesting excessive taxes at a place called Ghorman. This action helped precipitate the fall of the Republic. Tarkin threw in his lot with Palpatine and had been the scourge of the Rebels and their sympathizers ever since. He was the most visible symbol of Imperial autocracy and power, and it was no secret that the Rebels wanted him dead. And he was coming aboard our little frigate? I leaned over to Kao. "Well, you wanted a change," I whispered. Kao nodded but didn't reply. J'Una was continuing. "Once we arrive, a shuttle will bring the Grand Moff and members of his staff to GUSTAV. Captain Tallig," she said looking toward me, "you and Captain Ijuf and a handpicked group of pilots will launch and fly escort." "Are we expecting trouble?" I asked. "Nothing specific," she answered. "Rebel intelligence has been very effective lately. Too effective. It is only prudent to assume that they know about the Death Star and that Tarkin has been appointed to command it. With that in mind, it is only reasonable to also assume that the Rebels will try to disrupt our operation." She paused, then smiled at Kao. "The extra fighters from SHAMUS may prove to be most valuable." Kao nodded in acknowledgement. "Once aboard," J'Una continued, "Major Maarek's stromtroopers will provide security for the Grand Moff." Major Maarek shot up from his seat to stand ramrod straight. "I assure you," he intoned, "that the Grand Moff will be quite safe once he is aboard. My loyal stormtroopers are ready to lay down their lives if necessary to ensure his security." "Thank you, Major," J'Una said, somewhat annoyed at the outburst. Maarek sat down. "Where are we taking the Grand Moff once he gets aboard, Commander?" Kao asked. "Why, to the Death Star, of course," J'Una responded. "When the Grand Moff gets aboard he will divulge to Commander Cibock and myself, only, the secret location of the Death Star, which is still under construction, but nearly operational. We will proceed to that location, deliver the Grand Moff and his staff, and await further assignment." "Commander," I said, "what about all of the operations out here? I thought we were supposed to join Admiral Thrawn when we are done here and continue chasing Rebels in this quadrant." "Orders change, Captain," J'Una said sternly. "The forces under Admirals Thrawn and Vaalco are deemed sufficient. The transport HININBURG has returned and will assume control of the Resean operation." Kao leaned over to me. "I guess she told you, eh?" She smiled sarcastically. I frowned and said nothing. This bitch was getting on my nerves. "Once we get to Fest," J'Una was saying, "we'll have to go into a high orbit because of the heavy asteroid belt surrounding the planet." I grimaced at that statement. "Commander," I said, "that will mean that the shuttle's transit time from the surface will be tripled, not to mention that asteroids are a great place for the bad guys to hide." J'Una looked at me for a moment, then smiled sweetly. "That is why, Captain," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "we have entrusted the Grand Moff's safety to your capable hands." I shut up and sat back. Kao looked at me and grinned, obviously enjoying all this. Commander Cibock stood up. "Thank you for the briefing, Commander Selena," he said. J'Una nodded and sat down. Obviously Cibock wasn't interested in our banter. "For your information," Cibock continued, "GUSTAV has been tasked with this mission because the star destroyer GARRETT, which the Grand Moff had been using, has suddenly been called away on other business." "GARRETT?" somebody in the back asked. "Isn't that Lord Vader's ship?" Cibock nodded. "Yes, it is." At the mere mention of Vader's name a sudden hush fell over the room and the mood of the people visibly changed. Lord Darth Vader's origins and background were largely a mystery to those of us in the Imperial service. Some said he had once been a member of some cult called the Jedi. Others said no. I didn't know and, frankly, didn't much care. What everyone did know was that Vader was a very close associate of the Emperor's and ruthlessly carried out Imperial edicts. Some people admired him as a great servant of the Emperor. I thought he was little more than a glorified hatchet man, but, of course, you never said anything like that. Vader was a very powerful individual and, in that crazy black get-up he wore, he was very intimidating. He ruled by fear and terror. Ultimately, I think that's why he failed. He failed to get the best out of his people because they were always so scared of him. You aren't much inclined to take a risk or implement an innovation if the slightest setback or mistake can result in you getting murdered by your boss. I was amazed, however, at the effect that that name had on us. I also found it ironic, and sad, that we always seemed to fear our senior commanders more than we feared the enemy. Commander Cibock looked around the room. Though he tried hard to maintain his professional military bearing, he was not unaffected by the mention of Vader's name. "If there are no further questions," he said solemnly, "this briefing is concluded." He quickly walked out of the room as we all stood to attention. As the room cleared out, J'Una approached Kao and me. She seemed thrilled by this new mission. "Well, captains," she said, smiling broadly, "this ought to prove interest- ing." "At least it gets us out of here," Kao said. I nodded. "Yes," I said, "and it will give the maintenance crews a break while we transit." Kao shot me a look, but said nothing. "I'm not sure," I continued, "that I look forward to being responsible for the safety of the Emperor's number one pal." J'Una smiled that wonderful smile of hers. "It could be a great oppor- tunity, however," she said. "How so?" "I hear there's an opening on Tarkin's staff for a commander with recent tactical experience," she said. "This will give me a chance to check it out." I was floored. "You mean you'd actually go work for somebody like that?" I exclaimed. "Like I said," J'Una replied as she turned to leave the room, "it could be a great opportunity." She strode purposefully out of the room. I just sat in my seat, dazed. Kao looked at me harshly. "What's the matter, captain?" she said sarcastic- ally. "Afraid you might lose some of your regular pussy?" Now, I was pissed. "Look here, captain," I said angrily. I really wanted to punch her right in that sanctimonious grin of hers. "My relationship with Commander Selena is none of your fucking business." She laughed. "Spare me, captain," she said. "I've only been onboard a few days and even I know that you fuck her." "What's that got to do with anything?" I said, seething. Kao paused a moment. "Well," she said, "if you'd stop thinking with your cock, you'd realize what this could mean to Commander Selena. You know how difficult it is for non-humans, particularly female, in the Imperial Navy. Joining Tarkin's staff could be a great opportunity for her, and instead of being supportive you start whining." I started to say something, but stopped myself. Was she right? Did I think of J'Una only as a convenient lay? Kao reached out and patted me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, captain," she said sarcastically, "you'll still have little Ensign Haarkov to nail when you get horny." She gave a shrill laugh and walked out of the room, red hair streaming behind her. I was angry but couldn't help noticing her ass. I sat back down in one of the chairs in the now empty conference room wondering what in hell had just happened. The transit to the Fest system was quick and uneventful. We had just enough time to rest the maintenance crews and still get the TIEs ready. We decided to launch two flights of TIEs to escort Tarkin's shuttle. I would command one flight, Kao the other. Although I was still pissed at her, I behaved in a strictly professional manner, knowing that our cooperation was crucial to the success of our mission. Neither of us mentioned our conversation in the conference room, and I got the feeling that maybe she felt she had gone too far. Not that I expected an apology or anything. Reflecting on what Kao had said, however, I had to admit to myself that I was more concerned with how the possibility of J'Una's departure might affect me, than I was for what it meant to her. I had little opportunity to discuss the situation with J'Una. It was by no means certain that she would join Tarkin's staff, though I was certain that that was what she really wanted. Knowing J'Una as I did, I knew that the Grand Moff was in for the lobbying effort of his life once he came aboard. Getting him aboard alive was what I was worried about. Although we had no direct intelligence that the Rebels even knew where Tarkin was, much less that they were planning anything, they had interfered with our plans enough recently to put us all on edge. As J'Una had said, their intel network was damned good. GUSTAV was approaching the Fest system and preparing to come out of hyperspace. Kao and I gathered our pilots in the hangar for a quick last minute briefing. "GUSTAV will be in a very high orbit due to the asteroid rings around the planet," I told them. "This means that the Grand Moff's shuttle will have a long way to go to get here. It also means that any Rebels that want to interfere will have a lot of places to hide in the asteroids, so be extra alert." There was a murmur of agreement from the pilots. "I will lead Gamma flight," I continued. "We will thread the asteroids and meet the shuttle shortly after it lifts off. Captain Ijuf's Tau flight will remain above the asteroids. This will allow for better surveillance and position them to provide assistance if necessary." Kao smiled. "We'll be happy to save your asses again, captain," she said, referring to her group's timely intervention during the battle at Resead. Several pilots laughed. I was one of them. "Captain," I said in reply, "you can save my ass anytime." This was met with a great deal of laughter and a few cat calls. Kao took it good- naturedly, smiling at me. "Alright, alright," she said, quieting the pilots down. "We should be coming out of hyperspace and going into orbit very soon, so let's get to our TIEs, and if those Rebel bastards show up, we'll kick their asses!" The pilots cheered and applauded as we dispersed to our ships. I had to hand it to Kao. She knew how to get them pumped up. I climbed into my TIE, strapped in, hooked up the comm link and swiftly went through the pre-flight check-list. The overhead cranes began picking us up and positioning us for launch. As usual, I was first in line. GUSTAV had come out of hyperspace and Commander Cibock was maneuvering the ship to put her into a high orbit to avoid the asteroids that circled Fest. The charts I had seen depicted a fairly thick field of asteroids with objects ranging in size from a few meters to hundreds of kilometers. Flying through that kind of stuff is bad enough. Trying to dog- fight X-wings while escorting a VIP is damned near impossible. GUSTAV had attained orbit and the launch lights came on. The launch doors in the bottom of the ship slid open, the crane lowered my TIE through them, then released me out into space. I engaged the twin ion engines, powered up the lasers and established communications with GUSTAV. "Gamma One, GUSTAV," J'Una's voice, professional, take-charge, and always sexy, was in my ear. "The Grand Moff's shuttle has just lifted off. Rendezvous with it and escort it through the asteriod field." "Roger, GUSTAV," I replied. "Any word on our Rebel friends?" "Nothing solid, Gamma One," J'Una said. I could hear a bit of tension creep into her voice. "I would expect company, however." "Understood, GUSTAV," I responded. Shit. That's all we needed. "What's the shuttle's call-sign?" "Caligula," J'Una said. She paused a moment, then said, "Remember, Gamma One, that our sensors don't penetrate these asteroids very well. You'll be on your own once you enter them." "Understood, GUSTAV," I replied. By this time the rest of my flight had launched. "Gamma One to Gamma flight, formation Beta," I instructed them. Formation Beta is a loose grouping of TIEs. I chose this to allow the pilots maximum room for maneuvering through the asteroids. "The shuttle has lifted off," I informed them. "Let's get through the asteroids quickly and pick it up." They all acknowledged. Dromo, as always, was on my port wing, though a little further away than he usually was. We entered the asteroid field at high speed and began to thread our way through it. You really had to watch it. Those damn things seemed to spin and bounce around all over the place. My TIE's joystick and maneuvering jets got a real workout as we penetrated deeper into the field. "Unless we get company," I told the flight, "safety over speed. Everybody through in one piece. Watch out for the gravity pull from the bigger asteroids." Because the TIE is unshielded, even the smallest of asteroids can be fatal if you hit it. Shielded craft like the Rebel X-wing or Y-wing can shrug off a couple of hits from small rocks and keep going. That gave the Rebels an advantage in the event of a dogfight inside an asteroid field, and was preci- sely the reason I was convinced that, if the Rebels did show up, it'd be while we were in among the asteroids. Minutes passed, however, and nothing happened. We exited the asteroid field to the full glory of the planet Fest. A very large blue-green planet, Fest's image blotted out most of the visible space. I enjoyed the sight for about two seconds, then got down to business. My sensors located the shuttle and I maneuvered my flight group toward it. It was a Lambda class T-4 Imperial Shuttle which meant that it had shields, and a couple of laser cannons. Although it was slow, at least it could defend itself. "Shuttle Caligula," I called,"this is Gamma One, Captain Tallig of the GUSTAV. We are on station and ready to escort you to the ship." "Roger, Gamma One," replied the shuttle pilot. "Lead us through." I split my group so that Dromo and I preceded the shuttle, and the rest were on either side of it. Although the formation would be disrupted by the asteroids, I felt that this would provide the best protection for the shuttle, and position us for quick response. "We're reentering the asteroid belt," I called to the flight. "Maintain formation as best you can, and be alert." Dromo and I penetrated the field first, followed by the rest. So far so good, I told myself. At least no one had hit an asteroid. "X-wings! X-wings at one-five-five coming out of..." One of my pilots yelled a warning before his TIE was destroyed. I jerked my TIE around in a violent turn, nearly smashing into a big drifting rock. "Gamma Two, let's go," I called to Dromo who had already turned. "We've got trouble." "I'm right with you, captain," he replied. Our formation, such as it was inside the asteroid field, had been totally disrupted. TIEs and X-wings were dancing around among the rocks and boulders and I really couldn't tell how many Rebels there were. There seemed to be a lot, however. Once again, we'd been ambushed. This shit has got to stop, I thought. I spotted the shuttle maneuvering in between two large asteroids with an X-wing on its tail. I activated my missiles, powered up and dove to intercept, Dromo hanging onto my wing. The missile targeting system isn't very effective in an asteroid field (not much is) so I decided to get as close as possible to the X-wing before launching two of my four missiles. I silently thanked Admiral Thrawn and his technicians on Mofta IV who had modified our TIEs to carry missiles. I dodged two big boulders as I continued to close on the shuttle and its pursuer. The X-wing pilot, I knew, would have his hands full evading the asteroids and trying to get a shot at the shuttle. He launched a missile but it hit an asteroid. Apparently he had the same problems with missile targeting. I was getting close now. I ducked behind one of the larger asteroids to shield my approach. The asteroid was between me and the shuttle and the X-wing. I could feel the asteroid's gravity begin to tug on my TIE. The gravitational pull wasn't real strong, but it was there. I accelerated to maximum speed (very risky in an asteroid field) and continued my circumnavigation of the asteroid, fighting its gravity all the way around. I saw the shuttle, darting and weaving, emerge from behind the asteroid's limb. I knew the X-wing was not far behind. "Stay with the shuttle, Dromo," I called as I energized the port side retros. The retros slung me around the asteroid and, in combination with the asteroid's gravity hurled me toward the X-wing at nearly twice the TIE's maximum speed. I launched two missiles as I energized the starboard retros to help slow me down and avoid another asteroid. The X-wing never reacted to my approach. I think he was too intent on the shuttle. My missiles blew him apart. I spied two more X-wings threading their way through the rocks and debris, heading toward the shuttle. I rolled my TIE to the right, passed underneath an asteroid and came up firing behind the X-wings. I had switched to dual fire lasers and poured it into the first X-wing. In rapid succession I took his shields down, then, before he could evade, my lasers chopped his upper port wing off. He careened into an asteroid and exloded. I was forced to make a hard left turn to avoid the debris and I lost the second X-wing. >From listening to the chatter on the commlink I knew we had a major engagement on our hands, but it was hard to tell. I contemplated asking for help from Kao's flight group but decided against it for now. More fighters, I thought, would add to the confusion and we might need them to get the shuttle from the asteroids to GUSTAV. So, I closed on the shuttle wondering where that second X-wing had gone. My question was quickly answered. A laser bolt passed uncomfortably close to my port solar panel and slammed into an asteroid I was passing. Somehow, the bastard had gotten behind me. My first thought was to lead this guy away from the shuttle, so I turned hard left and passed in between two large rocks. The X-wing stayed with me, occasionally letting loose a laser shot at me. Dodging laser bolts while maneuvering through a bunch of asteroids at high speed is just about the most nerve- wracking experience anyone could have. Sweat poured off my body, soaking my flight suit and pooling in the seat of my pants. I didn't have time to worry about my discomfort, however. I was twisting and weaving my TIE through the asteroids trying to either shake the X-wing, or fly him into a rock. This was guy was evidently a veteran pilot and didn't fall for any of the obvious tricks. Additionally, his laser shots were getting closer. I dove under a boulder, narrowly avoiding it, and saw it glance off the X-wing's shielding. Damn, I thought. What I wouldn't give for a shielded starfighter right now. The X-wing and I continued our deadly dance through the rocks and space debris. I had completely lost my bearings by this point. I didn't know where the shuttle was, and I wasn't really certain in which direction GUSTAV was. What I was certain of was that I had a very tenacious X-wing on my ass and I had no one around to help me. I jerked my TIE to the left just as the X-wing launched a missile. It passed to the right of me and slammed into an asteroid, peppering my ship with debris as I flew by. I was starting to get really worried now. I was running out of tricks and maneuvers and it was only a matter of time before my pursuer got a good lock on me or I flew into an asteroid. I figured I had one trick left, but I didn't much like it. Though outclassed by the X-wing in nearly all categories, one advantage the TIE does possess is the responsiveness of it's twin ion engines. When you want to go, you GO. When you throw the engines into full reverse, you STOP. When used in combination with the oversized retros (which the X-wing does not possess) the engines can stop a TIE dead in space very quickly, assuming of course that the vibrations don't shake the ship apart. I maneuvered around a boulder and picked out the largest asteroid I could readily see. It was easily a hundred kilometers in diameter, a small moon, really. I pointed my TIE toward it and diverted all power to the engines, draining the lasers. I didn't need them right now, anyway. I hurtled toward the asteroid, the X-wing hanging onto my ass and tossing laser bolts at me. My TIE was shuddering as the engines strained to give me even more speed. The asteroid loomed large in front of me as I got closer. Finally, I felt the tug of its gravity. It's now or never, I told myself. I threw the engines into full reverse and activated the forward retros. The shuddering increased as the TIE struggled to a stop. The X-wing shot past me, a red and white streak. I could see that he was struggling to pull out, but he didn't make it. His ship smashed into the asteroid with a violent explosion. I let out a deep sigh of relief, cut the retros, engaged the engines in the forward direction, powered up the lasers and turned toward the direction I thought the shuttle might be. Much to my surprise I exited the asteroid field. My sensors immediately picked up GUSTAV, in the distance, in her orbit. Closer, the shuttle was just exiting the asteroid field with a swarm of TIEs and X-wings dogfighting around it. I raced toward the shuttle. As I approached the melee I noticed that there were significantly fewer TIEs around now. I saw Dromo flame an X-wing, but decided that we needed help. "Gamma leader to Tau leader," I called to Kao. "We've just exited the asteroid belt and are being pursued by numerous X-wings." "Roger, Gamma leader," Kao replied. "We're on our way." "Caligula, this is Gamma leader," I called to the shuttle. "Accelerate to maximum speed and head for GUSTAV. We'll try to keep these X-wings off of you." "Roger, Gamma leader," the shuttle replied. I could see it pick up speed as it made its run for GUSTAV. "GUSTAV, Gamma leader. Shuttle inbound." "Roger, Gamma leader," J'Una replied. "Sorry about the X-wings. We didn't pick them up at all." I didn't answer. I had reentered the melee and was flaming an X-wing that had tried to get in behind the shuttle. Ruined his day. At that point I could see Kao's flight approaching, a wall of TIEs between the X-wings and their prey. I guess the Rebel commander admitted defeat because the X-wings broke off and headed back toward the asteroid field. Kao's flight group continued past us at top speed, pursuing. "Gamma leader to Tau leader," I called to her. "Let them go. Our job is to get the shuttle to GUSTAV." "And pass up a chance to flame these Rebel bastards?" she asked incredulously. "You get the shuttle to GUSTAV. We'll be back shortly after we've cleaned up this mess." I decided not to argue with her. Dromo and the remaining TIEs from our flight formed on me and we headed toward GUSTAV. I could see that the shuttle had already landed. I approached GUSTAV and switched to the flight control frequency. "GUSTAV, Gamma One requesting landing sequence," I called to the flight control officer. "Roger, Gamma One," he replied. "Engaging tractor beam." I cut the engines and released the controls as I felt the tractor beam take hold of my TIE. The operator skillfully set me down in my stall. Thankfully, the flight control people didn't have a trainee on duty today. I went through the post flight checklist quickly, disconnected the comm link and dropped through the hatch to the hangar deck. Pulling off my helmet, I saw J'Una standing with a group of people near the hangar bay doors. As I approached the group I saw that J'Una was standing next to, and had taken the arm of, a tall, thin man with lots of medals and other decorations on his uniform. Must be Tarkin, I thought. I chuckled to myself. J'Una wasn't wasting any time. "Grand Moff Tarkin," she said to the man, "this is Captain Vel Tallig, leader of our Gamma squadron. He commanded your escort." "I am very honored to meet you, sir," I said respectfully, head bowed. "On the contrary," Tarkin said pleasantly, "it is I who should be honored." I raised my head. "If not for you and your brave pilots," he went on, "I might not be standing here now." He turned to Commander Cibock who was standing in the group of people around Tarkin. "Commander," Tarkin said sternly, "we must get a report off to the Emperor at Coruscant at once. This was a deliberate assassination attempt and these leaks to the Rebels must be stopped." "Yes, sir," Cibock replied and left to carry out Tarkin's orders. Although Commander Cibock was GUSTAV's commanding officer, there was little doubt as to who was really in charge now. Tarkin had just established that he was. Grand Moff Tarkin was a tall, thin man with a hawkish appearance. He had a prominent nose, high, swept cheekbones a high forehead and thinning, grey hair. His mouth was firm and unsmiling, his eyes blue and very cold. An older man, he nonetheless gave the appearance of a strong, firm man who was very much in control. He turned to J'Una. "When do we get underway for the Death Star, Commander?" he asked pleasantly. "As soon as we finish recovering the fighters,sir,"J'Una responded. Tarkin nodded. "In the meantime," J'Una continued, "allow me to show you around our ship, then to your quarters." "I'd like that very much," Tarkin said, patting her hand. He turned to me. "Until later, captain," he said. I nodded, bowing my head again. With J'Una leading the way Tarkin and his staff exited the hangar deck. I saw Kao's TIE come in and set down. I walked over to it and waited until she dropped through the hatch to the hangar deck. "Well, Captain," I said. "How many Rebels did your group manage to get?" "Three," she responded warily. "And how many TIEs did you lose?" "Two," she replied. "Not much of a trade, is it?" I asked harshly. "Those Rebels damn near tore you to pieces," she said angrily. "And now there's three less to worry about." "And we're down two more TIEs and two more pilots that we can't afford to lose," I said. "Did it ever occur to you that the Rebels might have been laying another trap for you? That when they saw they couldn't get Tarkin they set up an ambush to get as many TIEs as they could?" Kao stood her ground. "Our mission is always to kill the enemy, captain," she said through clenched teeth. "Bullshit!" I exclaimed loudly, startling her. Several nearby maintenance personnel stopped what they were doing to look our way. After a moment they resumed their work. "Our mission," I continued, "is to achieve our assigned objective and bring our people back without unnecessary losses. Today's objective was to get Tarkin safely aboard. That objective was met the moment his shuttle passed through your flight group. Hell, even the fucking Rebels saw that. They turned away. Pursuit was unwise and unnecessary." "Are you questioning my judgment, captain?" she asked. Her voice was quiet, but threatening, and she was standing stiffly erect, blue eyes blazing. I glared right back at her. "No, captain, I'm not," I said quietly. "But I'll bet those two pilots would." I spun around on my heel and walked out of the hangar. I wasn't able to see J'Una alone during the transit to the Death Star. She was always too busy, or was with Tarkin or one of his staff members. I knew that she was using this opportunity to try to get onto Tarkin's staff and I guess that the realization that she might succeed was finally hitting me. I also realized that I didn't want her to go, but that I probably couldn't stop her, and shouldn't even try. J'Una had always made it clear that her career was first. She was driven by a deep desire to excel, in spite of her background, in spite of prejudice, in spite of all the odds against her. I had to admire her tenacity, though I tended not to share her enthusiasm for advancement in the Imperial Navy. I spent most of the time with my pilots, running them through the simulator, recreating the Fest action and trying to learn from it. Kao and I treated each other professionally, but coolly, almost sidestepping around each other. There definitely was some sort of gulf between us that I wasn't sure could be bridged. I was relaxing in my quarters after one such training session when my intercom buzzed. "Captain Tallig," I called in response. "This is Commander Selena on the bridge, captain." J'Una's husky voice seemed to hum through the speakers. "We'll be approaching the Death Star shortly. Perhaps you would like to join us up here?" I didn't, really. I knew that Tarkin and his staff would probably all be up there and I wasn't real keen on associating with that crowd. They made me nervous. But I as sure as hell wanted to see this Death Star. My interest in seeing if it was everything everyone said it was overrode my abhorrence to what it was designed to do. Curious how that works. "I'll be right up, commander," I said. I arrived on the bridge and found J'Una. She smiled at me as I approached her. Commander Cibock and the navigation team were prepared to pilot GUSTAV to her berth inside the Death Star once the ship came out of hyperspace. Tarkin and several members of his staff were standing to one side, staring out of the forward windows. On Commander Cibock's command GUSTAV came out of hyperspace. The rich panoply of colors that had been streaking by the ship suddenly gave way to the most awe inspiring sight I had ever seen. There was a collective gasp on the bridge as the Death Star came into view. I was stunned by the image before me. The descriptions that ran through my mind: huge, immense, enormous, gargantuan, all seemed pathetically inadequate to describe the Death Star. Easily the size of a small moon the Death Star completely dominated the space in front of the ship. Though we were still tens of thousands of kilometers away, we couldn't see all of the station. It was simply too large to be completely captured by the ship's viewfinders at that range. What we could see, however, was damned impressive. I marvelled that such a thing could be constructed and, at the same time, lamented the fact that it actually had been. It was so imposing that it was frightening. The silence was broken by Commander Cibock's orders to the helmsman. "Steady as she goes. One half forward thrusters." "Steady as she goes, aye, sir. One half forward thrusters, aye, sir," the helmsman responded. In the Imperial Navy, as in most navies throughout history, standard commands and repeat back procedures on the bridge of a ship are rigorously enforced, and are the subject of intense training. It is absolutely imperative that there be no misunderstand- ings between the officer giving maneuvering orders and the crewmembers who carry them out. Commander Cibock had trained his bridge crew well. GUSTAV was maneuvered skillfully toward the Death Star. "Commander Cibock," the communications officer said, looking up from his console, "we have been given priority clearance to proceed to berth 17A. All other traffic will be held up until we dock." "Very well," Cibock responded. Tarkin moved to the center of the bridge. He seemed completely in awe of the sight of the Death Star looming larger as the ship approached. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly so that all of us on the bridge could hear, "behold the end of the Rebellion." He turned around to face us, his back to the Death Star's image. "With the power of this battle station," he said dramatically, "we will pursue the Rebels and their traitorous allies and destroy them." His eyes sparkled at the prospect. "We will expand Imperial control and carry the Emperor's will to all corners of the galaxy. No one will be able to oppose the Emperor for long. This is a great moment in the history of the Empire." He turned back to face the Death Star, acting like a kid with a new toy. "The Death Star's tractor beam has been engaged, sir," the Navigator called out. "Very well," Cibock responded. "Disengage thrusters." "Disengage thrusters, aye, sir," the helmsman responded. "Thrusters disengaged." "Very well." GUSTAV, now being pulled by the Death Star's powerful tractor beam, continued forward. As we got closer the enormity and complexity of this Imperial creation became even more evident. There were many ships and other craft moving in and out of numerous docking bays whose entrances dotted the station's surface. Communications towers and antenna were thick as forests and deep trenches ran along the surface almost like rivers. Dominating the upper hemisphere (the word is appropriate here) was a huge dish which looked like a weapons array. I shuddered to think of the power that that thing could generate. No wonder Tarkin was so confident. The Death Star was so big that it generated its own gravitational and magnetic fields. GUSTAV shuddered slightly as she passed through them. The docking bays were dead ahead now. We were so close that only a very small portion of the Death Star's surface was visible. To the right of one bay I noticed a long, narrow trench with what looked like an exhaust port near the end. I thought it strange that they should put an exhaust port there. Oh, well. I'm a pilot, not a designer. Still basking in the glory of the sight of his new command, Tarkin turned to Commander Cibock. "I want to congratulate you, Commander," he said smoothly, "on a most pleasant and professional journey." "Thank you, sir," Cibock replied. "You have a fine ship and an excellent crew," Tarkin continued. "You are all worthy servants of the Emperor." He paused, then smiled at J'Una. "Of course, I'm going to be stealing your fine Operations Officer, but I am sure we can find you a suitable replacement." I froze. My heart started pounding. Was I hearing things? Commander Cibock turned and he, too, smiled at J'Una. "Yes, sir," he said. "We'll miss Commander Selena here on GUSTAV, but I am sure she will be of great value to you on this new station." He and Tarkin turned back to face the Death Star's docking bay, which we were just entering. I turned and looked at J'Una in amazement. She gave me a weak smile and touched my arm. "I'll talk to you about it later," she whispered. I nodded, unable to speak, and unsure what to say if I could. One of Tarkin's staff officers approached him. "We've received a message from Lord Vader, sir," he said. Tarkin turned toward him and nodded for him to continue. "Lord Vader says he has just returned and will brief you on the progress of his mission after you disembark." Tarkin nodded again and the officer departed. He turned to Cibock. "Lord Vader has been chasing down a Rebel spy ring," he said. "Perhaps he has had some success." "Hopefully, he has, sir." Cibock responded. GUSTAV had reached her assigned berth and the thud of docking clamps engaging reverberated throughout the ship. Looking down onto the platform below I could see that an honor guard had formed to welcome Tarkin. Many obviously very senior officers stood in a group flanked by several detachments of stormtroopers. Amid the crowd, yet apart from it, stood a solitary black clad figure with a long cloak. Vader. With a quick "Thank you," Tarkin and his staff left the bridge, J'Una and Commander Cibock accompanying them. Somewhat dazed, I made my way to my quarters. I was a jumble of conflicting emotions and I really didn't want to talk to anybody. I entered my quarters, took off my jacket and threw it into a corner. I found a bottle of Arcturean something-or-other that Dromo had brought aboard a while back and knocked back a quick shot, ignoring its ghastly blue-green color. I was pouring a second shot when I heard my door chime. "Enter," I called. The door slid open and J'Una walked in, smiling. "Hello," she said as the door closed behind her. "Hi," I said awkwardly as I took another drink. That stuff was terrible! We stood silently facing each other for a moment. J'Una's fire red eyes seemed somehow softer, and I could tell that she was concerned for my feelings. Not that that would change her mind. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Vel," she said. "I guess I got busy and caught up in what was going on. You deserve better." "So, you're really going to do this," I said, stating the obvious. "Yes," she said quietly. "It's an opportunity I have to grab. You can see that, can't you?" I nodded. I could. And she knew it. "Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked. She nodded. "Yes, it is," she responded. "Tarkin's the Emperor's right- hand man, and people who serve him well are well taken care of. This is my chance to make it." "But, J'Una," I said, "serving on this battle station....." my voice trailed off. "I know. I know," she said quickly. "It's a terrible weapon. But if it can bring about the end of this war, maybe it's worth it." I looked into those beautiful red eyes of hers and I knew that she truly believed what she was saying. She walked up to me and gently stroked the side of my face. "Look, Vel," she said, "let's just hope that Tarkin can use this thing to end the Rebellion, and maybe you and I can go back to chasing pirates and smugglers together." She laughed at the thought. "Who knows? I may even make Admiral out of all this!" She laughed again. I looked at her and smiled. She just might. "So," I said sarcastically."How did you manage to pull this one off? Fuck Tarkin and half his staff?" She laughed, and smiled mischievously at me. "Well," she said coyishly, "not quite half the staff." Now it was my turn to laugh. "I hope the old guy was good," I said chuckling and shaking my head. J'Una licked her lips sensuously. "Old guys need to fuck, too, you know," she said impishly. "And, yes, he was good." She leaned forward and kissed me as she ran her hand down to my crotch. I grabbed her wrist. "I don't need a charity fuck, J'Una," I said. She laughed. "Who said this is for you?" she said, kissing me again. I released her wrist and she found my crotch again, massaging me through my trousers. Almost in spite of myself, I could feel my cock hardening. J'Una opened the front of my trousers and reached in with both hands to grab my now erect and throbbing penis. I suddenly didn't care what her motivation was. If she wanted a goodbye fuck, who was I to turn her down? Grabbing me by the cock, J'Una led me to a couch and shoved me down, throwing herself on top of me, her lips mashing against mine, her tongue probing deeply into my mouth. She was hot. She climbed off of me and stood next to the couch. Quickly she discarded her tunic and her pants which she pulled off over her boots in her haste to get naked. Then she stood naked before me, black skin gleaming, red eyes blazing, wearing only her shiny black knee high boots. Standing there, she seemed even taller than she was. She was truly beautiful, and I think I finally realized that my feelings for her went well beyond the physical. She looked down at me and smiled. "Your turn," she said. She bent down and yanked my boots off, nearly pulling me off the couch. I raised my ass off the couch and she pulled my pants and shorts off. My erection bobbed and slapped against my belly. I pulled my shirt off and tossed it somewhere. J'Una leaned over me and began kissing and licking my nipples. The hard points of her nipples dragged across my stomach sending electric jolts straight to my cock. It throbbed in anticipation. I put my arms around her and ran my hands up and down her sleek black flanks. Her skin was smooth, her body firm. I cupped her ass cheeks, then spread them, pressing a finger against her anus. She moaned and bit my chest. I thrust the tip of my finger into her ass and she shuddered, arching her back and shoving those magnificent breasts into my face. I cupped a breast in my other hand and squeezed it gently, licking at the valley between her ebony towers. J'Una grabbed my head and guided my mouth onto her tit. She had one hand cupped under the breast, feeding it to me. I sucked at it hungrily, flicking the nipple with my tongue, while I continued to probe her anus with my finger. I devoured the breast with my mouth. I could never get enough of her tits, and since this would be the last time for awhile, I licked and sucked and bit with a vengeance. What made it so pleasurable for me was the knowledge that J'Una loved it as much as I did. She was moaning and thrusting her tit further into my mouth. Saliva drooled out of the corners of my mouth and ran down the sides of her breast. Finally, I came up for air, her breast plopping free of my mouth with a loud sucking sound. By now she had both of those strong, shapely legs clamped tightly around my waist, and she was thrusting back and forth, rubbing her clit on the underside of my dick, while she gently caressed the head with one hand. I was struck by the thought that I'd love to have her jerk me off like that. But I could tell she was working up to something else. J'Una had buried her face against my neck and was beginning to clamp her teeth down. That, along with the way her body was starting to quiver and thrash about left no doubt that she was about to cum. Her sweet cunt was absolutely soaked, and the way she was rubbing it up and down against me was indescribably erotic. I could not believe how hard my cock was. J'Una detached herself from my neck, and whispered hoarsely in my ear, "I'm going to cum! Suck my tits again and make me cum! Suck my tits, Vel! Bite them! Please." I mashed my face against the other breast, and started sucking and nipping at it. She kept encouraging me to do it harder, until I was sure I must be causing her incredible pain, but I knew how much she liked having her tits handled roughly and she was rapidly approaching orgasm, so I kept it up. She was using her legs to slam herself against my cock, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and caught up with her rhythm. "I'm almost there, Vel," she moaned. "Damn, this is so good. So good." This last was smothered as she sunk her teeth into my shoulder again, and pulled my face even tighter against her breast. Pressed against her like that, I could feel a vibration starting somewhere down in her center, and spreading out through her entire body. Knowing what she wanted, I bit down on her nipple, at the same time lifting her off my lap and slamming her down, impaled on my cock. My sudden entrance into her cunt had the desired effect. Her pussy gushed, drenching my cock and she shuddered and vibrated atop me. I lifted my ass off the couch and hung there for a moment, both of us frozen, with her arching her back and the muscles of her pussy clenching around my dick. I knew I'd had it then. I lay back down on the couch, and started thrusting my cock inside of her, as she whispered in my ear, "Cum all over me, Vel! I want to feel your cum on my tits!" She didn't have long to wait before I started pumping my thick load of hot cum. The first couple spurts went deep inside her, then I pulled out, and leaned her back, spraying several thick gobs over her her heaving black stomach and breasts. Exhausted as she was, she eagerly grabbed my cock and pumped the last couple spurts out, smearing the sticky fluids all over herself, as she moaned and writhed in ecstacy. I had never seen her this hot. She raised a cum-covered hand to her mouth and sensuously licked it clean. It was an incredible sight. J'Una collapsed on top of me and we lay together for a long time, saying nothing, just holding and stroking each other. There was nothing left that needed saying. J'Una was packed and off the ship a short time later. Although GUSTAV had been berthed in the Death Star less than a day, we had already received orders to get underway again. "There's a civil war brewing out in the Sepan system," Commander Cibock told us. "The two peoples that live out there, the Dimocks and Replobans, have been rivals for a long time, but now their conflict threatens to erupt into a full scale war which could undermine Imperial interests in the area." Commander Cibock explained that Admiral Haarkov had been directed by the Emperor to proceed to the Sepan system and bring about a negotiated settlement, without resorting to an all out attack. As soon as the Admiral and his staff got settled onboard, the Commander told us, GUSTAV would be underway. Here we go again, I thought. At least Marina Haarkov ought to be happy about this assignment. She hadn't seen her father for some time. A short time later, the docking clamps were released and GUSTAV got underway. This time, however, I opted for the privacy of the observation lounge. I looked out the windows at the Death Star as GUSTAV slowly pulled away. Behind me I heard the lounge doors open and someone enter. I did not turn around. I wasn't interested in talking to anybody. "Vel?" Kao's voice, soft and gentle. She was standing behind me as I continued to look out the window. "I wanted to tell you," she said, "that I was out of line before when I said you cared about Commander Selena only as a convenient lay. I realize that you and she meant a great deal to each other and I wanted to apologize to you. I had no right to say what I said. It was unfair to both you and to her. I'm sorry." I turned around to face her. We smiled at each other, and I nodded in appreciation. Kao was a very proud individual. Although our relationship had been somewhat stormy, I respected what she was doing now. "Thank you," I mumbled and turned back to the windows. I heard Kao leave the lounge. I continued watching the Death Star recede as GUSTAV picked up speed. I was still gazing at it when GUSTAV jumped into hyperspace. END OF PART THREE DISCLAIMER: the following story contains graphic scenes of consensual sex between adults of various planetary origins. Prologue: The following story takes place in the STAR WARS universe, but is told from a unique and different perspective, that of a veteran Imperial TIE fighter pilot, Captain Vel Tallig. I have tried to remain true to the events, personnages, places, ship-types, weapons systems and technologies portrayed in the original three Star Wars movies and in the Lucasarts computer games X-wing, TIE fighter and their add-ons. This story began at a point in time prior to the events portrayed in the original Star Wars film: Episode IV: A new Hope. Enjoy. WalterS -- +----------------' Story submission `-+-' Moderator contact `--------------+ | | | | Archive site +----------------------+--------------------+ Newsgroup FAQ | ----