Star Wars: The Tale of Darth Aolroth Book II - Darkness Incarnate

Chapter Eight

After finishing his personal mission in Balmorra, Darth Aolroth returns to the Devastator and meets with Commander Quinn and his apprentice Darth Xhax.

Darth Xhax: Master.

Darth Aolroth: Darth Xhax. I see you've recovered.

Darth Xhax: Yes master. Now I am ready to serve you once more!

Quinn: It is good to see you return, my lord. I trust your business on Balmorra went smoothly?

Darth Aolroth: It is done. I will say no more.

Quinn: I shall respect your privacy, my lord.

Suddenly, the holoterminal begins to beep.

Imperial Ensign: Commander Quinn! We're receiving a message from Grand Moff Regus!

Quinn: Patch him through!

The Ensign loyally complies and patches Commander Quinn to the Grand Moff. The holographic form of Grand Moff Regus appears in the holoterminal.

Regus: Commander Quinn. Lord Aolroth. I'm recruiting the Empire's finest for war against the Republic.

Quinn: War? But what of the treaty?

Regus: The Emperor is dead. Killed by the Jedi. This must not stand. By order of Empress Acina, the Empire is now at war with the Republic.

Darth Aolroth smiles at the news.

Regus: We are ready to begin our first attack. Operation Dark Ice. Lord Aolroth, do we have your support?

Darth Aolroth: We shall finish the Republic once and for all!

Regus: Good to hear. Have your forces rendezvous at the planet Ilum. The Jedi have a sizable force there. Our scientists have discovered a way to use the planet's Adegan crystals as an means of creating stealth warships for the Imperial Armada. Seizing the planet would surely grant us an advantage.

Darth Aolroth: Seizing the planet will also allow the Sith more access to these crystals for Lightsaber construction. You will have our aid Grand Moff.

Regus: I am honored to have your services. I look forward to meeting you face to face.

The Grand Moff spoke as his ended the communication.

Quinn: It seems we'll finally get the war we needed.

Darth Aolroth looks to the stars in front of him. This new war between the Republic and the Empire would be his opportunity to exact his own plans for bringing peace to the galaxy.

Darth Aolroth: We go for Ilum. We shall crush the Republic and the Jedi once and for all! And with their defeat, peace shall finally be a reality!

Darth Xhax: I am at your command master! I will be an instrument of your will!

With a purpose now given, Commander Quinn set the coordinates to Ilum and the Devastator and it's fleet made it's way there too. Once the Devastator reaches Ilum, Darth Aolroth and Darth Xhax board a transport ship on route to the Imperial Command Center with Sgt Pierce and the rest of Shadow Squadron.

Pierce: Looks like the Empire finally realized that peace with the Republic was never gonna last!

Darth Aolroth: Agreed Sgt. It was a foolish mistake to retreat when victory was in our grasp.

Darth Xhax: Now the Empire finally has grown the conviction to finish them off.

Pierce: Shadow Squadron will happily charge into enemy lines with you sir!

Darth Aolroth: I would be honored Sgt. I wouldn't have it any other way!

When the transport ship arrives at the Imperial Command Center, Darth Aolroth leads his apprentice and Shadow Squadron into the war room where Grand Moff Regus was speaking with Darth Malgus and other Imperial officials.

Regus: Lord Aolroth! A pleasure to finally meet face to face.

Darth Aolroth: Likewise Moff. Darth Malgus.

Darth Malgus: Darth Aolroth.

Moff Regus: Now that you're here, we can finally commence Operation Dark Ice. The Jedi think planet is theirs. They have ruins scattered around the place. Among the ruins is a Republic base with a Republic strike force led by Jedi Master Kaeden. They seek to launch an assault on our command center with another Republic detachment yet to arrive. You and Darth Malgus shall lead the assault on Master Kaeden. Kill him and we cripple the Republic's war effort.

Darth Malgus: One dead Jedi is nothing for the Republic. Killing one Jedi and a Republic strike force will hardly cripple the Republic's resolve. But they have something we want.

Darth Aolroth: And what would that be?

Darth Malgus: The base is guarding a large shipment of the crystals needed to create the Stealth Armada.

Darth Aolroth: And how do we even know that it would work at all?

Moff Regus: As I said before, Imperial scientists have discovered that these crystals have the ability to do so. If we apply the stealth aspect of these crystals on a grand scale, the Imperial Armada would be unstoppable.

Grand Moff Regus replies as Darth Malgus begins giving the Moff a death stare.

Darth Malgus: Then we shall get you these crystals. But remember, the last time we were on the verge of total victory, we were denied by the cowardice of your Imperial bureaucracy. We will not be denied again!

Regus: That is not for you to decide Malgus! If the Empress or I decide that the battle is not worth the cost, then you will obey!

Darth Xhax: Watch your tongue! You speak to Sith!

Regus: Watch your tongue you wretched alien! I don't know why they bother with.....

But before he could finish, Darth Xhax begins to choke the Moff with the Force.

Darth Xhax: I will not take any insults from a dog like you! I am a tool of my master's will! You insult me, you insult my master by proxy!

Darth Xhax growls as she chokes the Moff.

Darth Aolroth: Enough of this foolishness! Release him!

Darth Xhax: As you wish, my master.

Darth Xhax obeys as she lets go of the Moff.

Darth Malgus: Darth Aolroth. We have a mission. Let the Moff deal with his incompetence.

Darth Malgus says this as he and the two Sith leave to begin their mission to assault the Republic base and retrieve the Adegan crystals needed for the Stealth Armada.