The battle was rapidly drawing to a close. The micro-management and competency at every level of Aaron's fleet began to shine as his forces relentlessly pushed back the scattered rebel units across every sector.
The rebels had lost nearly all of their fighter escort, with only a handful of squadrons still active in the system. These remaining fighters were now being hunted down methodically by the pair of TIE Defender squadrons.
With the enemy opposition in disarray, the Imperial TIE squadrons were able to regroup and reform into a new battle line. Once reorganized, they plunged back into the fragmented rebel lines, escorting bomber squadrons that wreaked havoc across the enemy fleet.
Adding to the chaos within the rebel high command, Aaron had effectively removed their admiral from play. The Black Tomb, their flagship, was undergoing a full-ship jamming operation, completely severing all communication from the vessel.
Luthan had realized his mistake too late. Initially, he had intended to break away from the Victory-class Star Destroyer and escape the system. But in a surprising move, Aaron had sprung a trap — launching bomber squadrons equipped with ion torpedoes, which disabled the rebel flagship's engines.
Aaron stood at the observation viewport on the bridge, watching the last remnants of the rebel fleet desperately attempt to flee the system — only to be caught within the gravity well generated by his Immobilizer-class cruiser. Their attempted retreat had neutralized any remaining threat they posed, and now, under the protection of two Nebulon-B frigates, the Oblivion began advancing. Its only goal: to ensure no rebel ship escaped.
The retreating corvettes were immediately pounced upon by TIE Bombers and Interceptors, who targeted their engines. Meanwhile, the Carrack-class cruisers followed closely behind, pressing the advantage.
The battle was turning out to be an astonishing success. Aaron had proven once again that tactics weren't about flashy maneuvers — the rebel fleet could be destroyed through discipline, coordination, and by simply avoiding critical mistakes while predicting theirs.
But not every rebel had been accounted for.
There was still one major battlefield left — inside the ship.
In one of the corridors of the Relentless, the Victory-class Star Destroyer, an Imperial officer sat slumped against the wall. His back was against the bulkhead, his legs sprawled forward, his head tilted down, and his eyes closed.
This was Lieutenant Varen Harrex.
He had attempted to ambush the rebels alone, hoping to assassinate their commanding officer. But his brave effort had been cut short — quite literally — by a blade that had slashed through his right arm, sending him flying backward and severing the limb.
Yet, even in agony, through sheer willpower, Varen raised his comlink to his lips and muttered a few words:
"E6… breached. Destination… bridge."
Then he passed out.
Catcher raised his blaster and fired a single shot into the rebel lying beneath him, then stepped back as his men swept the area. They checked for pulses, signs of life, or hidden explosives. Suddenly, Catcher's helmet HUD pinged — a notification.
He tapped a button on the right side of his helmet, and a brief transmission played:
"E6 breached. Destination: bridge."
It was short, simple, and deeply concerning.
Catcher acted instantly. He opened a ship-wide comm channel and spoke with urgency:
"Entry Point Six has been breached. Last known trajectory is toward the bridge. I repeat — hostiles inside the ship. All non-essential personnel are to report to designated safe zones. All armed personnel, secure the bridge and reinforce designated weak points."
His voice echoed through every deck, patched into every Imperial comlink.
In response, engineers, deckhands, technicians, reserve pilots, and junior officers rushed to the nearest bunkers or lockdown zones.
Stormtroopers at various breach points turned on their heels and charged toward the bridge and fallback defense lines.
But before most of them could react further, the cold and calm voice of Captain Aaron Rysell echoed through the comms:
"Belay that order. All Stormtroopers, except Catcher's direct command, are to board the MC75 Cruiser. Capture its bridge. We need that data."
Despite their hesitation — torn between the ship they were sworn to protect and their captain's command — they complied. The majority of stormtroopers redirected under the coordination of Lieutenant Colonel Kael Sallan, boarding the crippled rebel cruiser.
Meanwhile, Major Catcher, his squad, and Captain Lux sprinted toward the bridge of the Relentless. Internal surveillance still provided momentary glimpses of the infiltrators, who were shooting out every camera in their path — but not before giving away their general direction.
They were heading for the bridge. There was no doubt.
On the bridge itself, Aaron stood before the internal security map, watching icons shift across the deck plan of the Relentless. Rebel intruders were closing in fast — but so were Catcher and his men.
"Seal every blast door between them and the bridge. Delay them at all costs," Aaron ordered without turning.
He faced his crew, calm but commanding. "Autopilots will assume control of all non-critical systems. I want every available crewman armed with E-11 blaster rifles and stationed in defensive positions."
Officers from gunnery and communications abandoned their stations and, under the guidance of the four Stormtroopers assigned to the bridge, began preparing for close-quarters defense.
Although Aaron personally preferred the improved E-22 blaster rifle, he kept a stockpile of E-11s for his crew. One such armory — built into the bridge level — allowed all 45 crew members to arm themselves quickly.
The bridge itself didn't offer many defensive positions, but the crew made use of pits, elevated consoles, and corners. The forward security foyer — located just behind the main bridge — was reinforced to serve as the primary chokepoint.
Aaron positioned himself there, alongside Luca.
His hand rested instinctively on the grip of his Imperial Super Commando pistol. He didn't draw it yet. We just have to hold out. Catcher is closing in. They'll be trapped between our lines.
His gaze drifted back toward the viewport.
Dozens of Sentinel-class landing craft and TIE-boarding shuttles were en route to the MC75 cruiser — reinforcements for the capture effort. The space battle had essentially been won, and repeated ion bombardments had rendered the rebel flagship helpless. Now, with no effective opposition remaining, Aaron had ordered the remaining Imperial ships to send troops for final boarding operations.
Aaron knew the MC75 cruiser was doomed — there would be no escape. Yet even as he stared at the dying rebel fleet, his mind lingered on the rebel commandos approaching his bridge.
More than starfighters or capital ships, the thing that Aaron feared most were commando teams.
He had seen what they could do — not just in battle reports, but in the holofilms.
Luke Skywalker, a moisture farmer turned Jedi, and two smugglers had infiltrated the most secure station in the galaxy: the Death Star.
They had not only escaped — they had blown it up.
Aaron had watched that same man destroy both Death Stars and kill the two most powerful individuals in the Empire.
That kind of luck, that kind of plot armor — that was what scared Aaron the most.
Not fleet movements. Not politics. But the idea that one person — or a small group — could achieve the impossible.
It was irrational. But it was rooted in every Imperial commander's worst-case scenario: the unthinkable.
His thoughts were interrupted by the ping of his comlink. He activated it.
"Bridge secured, Captain," came the voice of Sergeant Kreel.
Aaron allowed himself a small smile.
"Well done, Sergeant. Prepare for Imperial technicians. Ensure no data is erased."
He cut the transmission.
Hiring Task Force 99 really did pay off, he thought.
Now, all that was left was to crush the last sparks of resistance — within his ship and aboard the MC75. The battle wasn't over, but victory was finally within reach.
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I am back gang; expect 1 chapter a day for the next few days and maybe weeks. I have also released a new book about Harry Potter.
påetron underneath;
Pondsfyre - +20 chapters, alongside 5 other stories of mine. Each 50+ chapters.
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