Chapter 3 Submission (Unassigned)

SUBMITTED BY: LT Antillies / Aurek Leader / ISD Chimaera / Imperial Navy
HOLONET REGISTRATION: <emperorfrecks@aim.com
SUBMITTED ON: 2008.05.16

Ramius Antillies slept peaceably, his chest rising and falling with equilibrium rhythm. He always slept better aboard a starship. The constant thrum of the engines had lulled him to sleep ever since his teenager years. Consequently, he usually never slept well when not on a ship. But with his current duty assignment, that was rarely a problem.
Ramius startled awake, eyes wide and breathing hard. He sat up and listened, swearing to the Force that something was wrong. But there were no sounds; no klaxons or the thud of boots on the durasteel floor outside his cabin. After a few more timid seconds, Ramius relaxed and went to lie back down.
The blow came so fast that all Ramius heard and felt was the sound of a metal rod contacting with his flesh and pain spider-webbing its way through the left side of his face. The blow also spun him around and Ramius landed hard on the floor of his cabin. Two gloved hands hauled him up by the armpits and sat him down in a chair, binding his hands and legs.
Ramius’ grogginess evaporated as adrenaline coursed through his veins, but a bright, white light pierced the darkness of the cabin and made his eyes want to shrink into his skull.
“Lieutenant Ramius Antillies,” A male voice said matter-of-factly, making it seem more like a statement than a question.
Ramius remained quiet and ventured a look. The light was still blinding, but second-by-second his vision adjusted and he could make out the form of a man standing behind the source of light. Ramius thought he could tell that the uniform was white. ISB Agent! Sithspawn! What do they want with me?
“Due to some recent events, it has come to our attention that our observation on frigate commanders has been somewhat lax,” The man said. “Did you know a particular Lieutenant Seldon?”
Ramius thought. He’d heard about the frigate Typhoon’s captain on occasion and had the impression that
Selden was an ideal officer. What did he do that got me in trouble? Ramius remained silent.
Ramius felt that the man smiled. “Your silence reveals much, Lieutenant.”
Frustration and rage was slowly building up inside of Ramius. He hated being so vulnerable. Why didn’t I have my blaster pistol near?
Light spilled into the room as the cabin’s hallway door slid open. In the doorway stood Ensign Konigstiger and four Stormtroopers, blasters in hand. Ramius’ interrogator was indeed Imperial Intelligence, a commander according to his rank and the look on his face made it clear that he had not anticipated such a timely rescue.
During the next few seconds, things happened very fast. A series of beeps, which Ramius knew as the priming of a grenade, resonated behind him. That same grenade sailed over his head and Ramius wished he could have done something to prevent Konigstiger from being so rash. The last thing Ramius saw was Konigstiger and the Stormtroopers running for cover.
Ramius awoke for the second time that day but he was, this time, in the MedLab. Or so he judged by the smell of bacta resonating in the air. The face of Ensign Konigstiger appeared in his vision.
“Welcome back to the world of the living, captain,” Konigstiger grinned.
Ramius smiled back and made the mistake of trying to sit up. “Thank you, Ensign –ugh.”
“Easy, captain,” Konigstiger suppressed a left, “The meds say you tore your back muscle.”
“We’ll I can recovery, did we have any casualties?” Ramius said, referring to the grenade.
“Only one and it was because of a blaster bolt to the chest,” Konigstiger gestured to a bacta tank beyond Ramius’ line of sight.
“And what’s his condition?”
“Stable. Those guys were definitely ISB rouges; we got a communiqué from command apologizing for their actions.”
“They send flowers or some Corellian ale?” Ramius smiled and lay back down to sleep.