A Long Time Ago...

"Intelligence has a report for you, sir."

The captain looked over from the bridge of the Star Destroyer to the young comm officer. "Well, what have they got for us?"

"Nothing really sir. Minor variations, but nothing drastic, and nothing certain, if that's what you're asking sir."

Indeed, that was what he was asking. It's all he ever seemed to ask for, but so rarely what he got. "Keep our sensors turned outward, and see what we can get. Engine variations hyperdrives coming online, combat manuvers, weapons banks warming up, anything."

"Yes, sir"

Four years. It had been four years since he had come on board the Relentless. He'd started out as minor fleet officer, but through his ingenuity and dogged determination he had been given command of the Relentless in his 3rd year aboard, and had gone about filling out his crew with the best men and women he could find. Some he had known from the academy, and others were new recruits from all manner and walks of life. He was proud of them, so it saddened him to know that although his next promotion would move him on to supposedly bigger and better things he would have to leave the majority of them behind. It was a big galaxy after all, and there was much he could accomplish elsewhere. Still...

"Sir?" The question snapped the captain out of his reverie.

"Yes?"

"What are we going to do about that?"

That happened to be an Imperial Star Destroyer that had jumped in system not all that long ago, with a captain that seemed to be similar to himself. Communications seemed to confirm this. And that the two captains and ships were similar, but far from being identical. It was clear though that the Relentless ran a much smaller crew, than this new one did, and that the Relentless did not have the same level of scanning technology either. And that fact was giving the captain fits. To his credit he made good use of what was available to him, but that he was still at the overall disadvantage. However it did seem that the Relentless had a better shielding system around it's core, but even that was uncertain. However, it was clear from the scarring on the hull of the Relentless that it had seen considerably darker times, but maybe that was simply because the captain was too proud to hide his wounds.

"Leave it be for now. Continue plotting a course to take us to any of our potential destinations. It doesn't seem to want to do us any harm, or particularily stand in our way, although it does seem to at least want to exert some influence."

"Aye, sir. What if their captain decides to..."

"To do what? Communications about our destinations haven't given us anything to work with. They're not going to simply blow us out of space for trying to run our course. They'll talk long before they'll fight about it. We're on the same side above all else."

"How do you kn--?" Then the ensign's eyes widened with sudden understanding "Captain, you want to fight alongside her don't you?"

The captain sighed. Yes, that was indeed the truth of the matter. The technical readouts of the Destroyers and profiles that he availabe about the personnel of each ship seemed to indicate that in combination that the Destroyers would form a verypowerful team. A lot was still uncertain, but it was the crux of the matter. They did know that while both ships flew under the colours of the Empire, that they were in different branches. Ultimately though, they served the same Emperor. Unfortunately with the Relentless due Coreward in the next four months, there was precious little time to explore the possibilites. Why float away from something so rare in the galaxy?

"Yes, ensign. I would like to very much," he said wistfully. Then his voice took on an edge, "Continue setting those courses, and ensure that everything is in readiness. Make sure all the systems pass their checks so that we can launch into hyperspace on schedule. This jump has been put off long enough."

"But, sir, I don't --"

"And, ensign, if anything occurs that changes my mind, we'll deal with it as it comes, and not before. Understood?"

"Aye, sir."