Captain Garren of the Victory Class Star Destroyer Rapier stood on the bridge of his ship watching the other ships of his fleet assemble. A Nebulon B Escort Frigate the Friant hung out in the silence of space. All the other ships were a collection of Freighter ships. Twenty five ships in all. Their Cargo was assorted supplies and munitions destined for bases and outposts in the Boreland Sector. Of late Rebel raiders have been taking a heavy toll of cargo fleets moving into the Boreland Sector. They would strike and then withdraw to some secret base that no Imperial Expedition has been able to uncover. It was becoming a serious embarrassment to the Imperial Navy.
Garren shook his head, a tight ball of tension burning in his Stomach. Things were getting serious in the Boreland Sector, supplies were running short and morale among the Imperial troops was sinking. Some freight was getting through, but only under heavy escort. This particular fleet was supposed to be protected more by secrecy than by the Imperial forces detailed to guard it. If Imperial counterespionage was able to outwit the Rebel spy network then things would be okay. If not... Garren knew that should Rebel forces appear here they were doomed. One Victory Class Star Destroyer and a single aging Nebulon B would not be able to stand up to a determined attack.
Lieutenant Commander Jaffe, the Rapiers first officer, came up to Garren.
"Sir, the last freighter is in position, we're ready to move to the jump point." the Jaffe reported.
"Signal the fleet to move out." Garren ordered.
"Aye sir." the Jaffe responded then turned and issued the order. "Signal the fleet to move out!"
Garren turned his attention back to the window. Something was wrong here, he could feel it. There was a definite sensation of danger, almost physical in it's manifestation.
"Scanners, report!" he commanded.
"No other vessels on our screens sir." the young officer at the sensors station reported.
"Is something the matter Captain?" Jaffe asked.
"I don't know." Garren said staring hard at the stars as if trying to force them to give up their secrets with his will alone.
"Shall I launch fighters to scout?" Jaffe asked feeling the discomfort and concern of his Captain, and now adding his own feelings of doubt.
"Not to much further..." Garren said. "We'd only have to wait to recover them at the jump point. The sooner we're out of this forsaken star system the better!"
Jaffe nodded in agreement.
The instruments at the sensors station started to chirp in alarm.
"Sir!" the officer stood up alarmed. "Ships sir, coming out of hyperspace!"
The electronic chirping grew in tempo with each passing second.
"Number and type!" Garren commanded. The time had come...
"Fifty, maybe more... X wings, Y wings... Cruisers..." the sensors officer reported fear now very evident in his voice.
"Damn!" Jaffe cursed. "Damn damn damn! How did they know!?!"
"It doesn't matter now." Garren said suddenly calm, almost glad to have the moment of crisis here, finally, rather than the knawing wait... "Sound General Quarters, send a signal to Fleet command and launch all fighters."
"Damn!" Jaffe cursed again.
Admiral Thrawn stood on the bridge of the Imperial Class Star Destroyer Titan. Around him were the four other ships of Star Destroyer Squadron 4 of the 2nd Imperial Flotilla. Thrawn stared passionlessly out at the hard points of lights. Captain Scard of the Star Destroyer Huntress came up behind him.
"We've recovered 300 survivors in escape pods." Scard reported. "Wreckage analysis is incomplete but the preliminary reports indicate that this is the work of Rebel forces."
"Of course." Thrawn said.
"What are your orders sir?"
"Set a course for the Hewitt system." Thrawn said.
"Aye sir." Scard responded then moved off to pass the order on.
Thrawn knew that the Hewitt system was a dead end. Eleven planets, a mildly uninteresting yellow star, a healthy number of comets and asteroids... Yet in the last three months every Rebel raider has fled in the direction of the Hewitt system. Scans show that Ion engines have been in extensive use in the Hewitt system. Yet Imperial forces have scoured the Hewitt system over and over searching for a hidden rebel base, or some other clue that would lead to another point in space, or another star system. Nothing had even been found.
Thrawn knew that the pattern would repeat itself. They would find signs that the Rebels had indeed gone to the Hewitt system, and then, seemingly vanished... Thrawn knew that he would find no Rebels in the Hewitt system. He also knew that leaving ships or probes behind would be futile, they would come under sudden attack or just vanish. Thrawn knew there were no rebels in the Hewitt system, but he also knew that the answer he sought lay there. He would go there, and he would seek that answer. Thrawn also knew that he would find that answer, or die in the trying. It wasn't much of a choice since failure would also mean death.
Thrawn sensed rather than felt the movement of the Titan then the stars stretched and reached for infinity before vanishing....