Geneel was an ugly world of dry brushy lands stretching into infinity. Even its full stage, the planet's moon, Shearva, failed to do any favors for the bleak landscape. Despite the inhospitably of Geneel, it was the perfect place for an old Imperial base. Located on a meaningless world on the very edges of the galaxy in the Outer Rim, this world was as forgotten and ignored as the slowly deteriorating ruins of the base. The Imperial base was one of the few Imperial installations that had been spared from destruction during the Galactic Civil War.

Phasma carefully led her troops slowly through the thick patches of thornlike brush. She scanned the surrounding landscape with her helmet's night vision. Nothing but shadows of the brush could be seen in the darkness. The faint shape of the Imperial base rose in the distance like a darkened mountain range.

It was quiet, and that's what troubled her the most. She had learned on her home planet Parnassos that situations were never as they seemed. She had dealt with individuals and groups that feigned benevolence but had turned out to be the opposite. That same sentiment filtered through the air here. She held up her hand, signaling for her troops to pause.

To her left, her Lieutenant and second in command, FN-2734, glanced up at Phasma, "Captain, is there something wrong?"

"We are being watched, FN-2734," Phasma whispered. "Scan the area for cover." Prolov will not be taken without a fight, Phasma reasoned mentally. And that's all we have done with this farce of a peace conference. You are provoking him, Hux.

Deep inside, she was furious over this ridiculous plan to lure Prolov into a meeting with her, only to surround him with stormtroopers and force him to comply with the First Order's demands. It was disastrous to try to pull such a scheme on a man like Prolov. Phasma cursed under her breath. She silently wished Hux would be stupid enough to pull this off. He deserved to face Prolov's wrath, and she might even be willing to join in and help him fight against the distasteful First Order General.

"Captain, there is a dry creek bed we can use for cover until we secure the area," FN-2734 said softly. "We can arrive at it in couple of minutes."

"Perfect," Phasma replied. "Order the unit to move out."

From Phasma's perspective, the force she had been given wasn't much of a unit. Forty stormtroopers were pulled from different divisions and ships in the fleet. The only one among them that had ever accomplished anything, besides herself, was FN-2734. The rest were amongst the lowest ranking and scoring individuals in the fleet.

Absolute scrubs, Phasma thought as she visually scanned the ragged line of stormtroopers. This is insulting to an officer of my caliber. Is that what you think of me, Hux? How dare you send me into a potential battle with walking targets?

The creek bed became more prominent in her night vision. She scanned her surroundings and noticed nothing but brush on both sides of her troops. Then something caught her attention. The land on the edges of the creek bed was free from brush and debris. It was unnatural for the landscape. She adjusted her visor's resolution and examined the ground closer as she walked with her troops. It was strangely smooth.

What is going on here? She silently asked herself. The images in her visor became crisper, and she gasped. The ground was covered in marks as if something had been dragged across it. This area has been purposely cleared. We are being led into a trap.

"Take cover in the creek bed!" Phasma shouted.

A barrage of red blaster fire filled the night air. One bolt tore through the eye of a stormtrooper's helmet, blasting a hole the size of a fist through the back of his helmet. Gore splattered the armor of the troops next to him. Another trooper was struck in the throat. He fell convulsing to the ground as more blasts tore into his chest and abdomen.

Phasma fired two blasts before diving into the creek bed. She braced herself against the bank and glared over to FN-2734. "Lieutenant, contact the Finalizer and request reinforcements and air cover!"

FN-2734 pulled a holopad from a pouch on her side. She stared at the display and looked up at Phasma. "Negative, Captain. They cannot assist us."

Phasma rose and fired two more shots and then dropped back into the creek bed. "Why not?"

"The Finalizer has left the system!" FN-2734 shouted over the blaster fire.

"What?", Phasma exclaimed before thinking, I will kill you for this, Hux! And I don't care if it imprisons me for life or sends me to my execution. You will not get away with this disgrace!

Three of her troops rose to take shots. Volleys of blaster fire ripped into their bodies from different directions, sending them down into the creek bed in lifeless heaps. Phasma gasped when she realized the gravity of her situation and in the revelation she had just witnessed.

Those blasts came from all directions, she reasoned silently. They have us surrounded!

Quickly Phasma came to the only conclusion that made sense for a person of her temperament. She decided to fight to the death.

"All troops, fire at will!" she shouted. She positioned herself to take a shot and then was struck in her shoulder by an intense blast. She tumbled down the bank and slammed against the hardened bottom of the creek.

Aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Apollyon, Captain Aveen glanced over to the helm. "Hold position, Ensign."

A slender officer turned his head towards Aveen. "Sir, are we sure we are doing the proper thing?"

Aveen glared at the officer. "I have my orders from the Admiral himself, Commander Lessel. We are to remain in this system and await further commands. The First Order is testing us again. We are not taking the bait."

"Understood, sir," Lessel replied. He turned his gaze out to the stars beyond the bridge viewport. "I concur with your interpretation of this situation. With that said, may I ask a question?"

Aveen kept his gaze on the subordinate officer. "Make it quick, Commander."

Lessel shrugged. "What if the First Order desires to see a demonstration of Imperial firepower? What will we do then?"

Aveen's face displayed a smirk. "Then, by the Admiral's good graces, we will give them one."

In his office, Prolov studied the holographic star charts of the Janunis System where his fleet had taken position. It was an unusual system of four minor planets and a dying star. Devoid of life and completely uninhabitable. A perfect location for a battle fleet to lie in wait. He glanced at a digital image of a young woman with sparkling blue eyes and long sandy blonde hair. This system was much like his life after he had lost his beloved Annalisa.

"I wish you were here," he whispered while stroking the image with his index finger. "What am I to do without you?"

He leaned back in his chair, folded his arms across his chest, and closed his eyes. As he relaxed, the room around him seemed to disappear. Instantly, he floated through the confines of space and time. He quickly opened his eyes as he came to rest on a bed of what felt like soft grass.

A warm breeze gently caressed his face as the sounds of crickets filled the air. Off in the distance, an owl sang its repetitive nighttime chorus. Peace coated him like a comforting blanket, and at this moment, he laid back in the grass and stared upward as a majestic night sky wavered into view.

"Garren, which star system is that?" a young woman asked, breaking his concentration.

Garren Prolov rolled over on his right side and gazed at his girlfriend, Annalisa, lying on her back as she stared up at the sky. Her long blonde hair sprawled out in the grass around her head as she beheld the wonders of the night. She twisted the adjustment knob on the monocular as she continued to gaze at the stars.

"The system's star is small and white," she said as she placed her elbows on the ground to assist in holding the monocular steady. "And I see something that looks like a dark cloud near it."

Garren smiled as he looked down at her. He reached over and lightly touched the top of her head. He ran his fingers through her soft hair as he admired her beauty. She was the only thing in his life that could take his mind off of the spectacles of the heavens. Even though they were only teenagers in this moment of their lives, a love had burned furiously in their hearts ever since the day they met as small children during the S'Varian Festival of the Night Sky.

"I believe it's the Sycottha system," he finally replied as he continued to stroke her hair. "And if you look just to the left, you'll see a larger bluish object that is the planet Amosia, and just above it is a nebula-like cloud which is all that remains of the planet Turasia. This is the only night of the year the rest of the S'Varian Quartet is visible from our planet."

Annalisa chuckled as she lowered the monocular. Her sapphire blue eyes reflected the moonlight as they peered at Prolov. "It took you long enough to answer me. And I was beginning to think my astronomer boyfriend was losing his touch with the universe."

"Not hardly," Garren said as he laid next to her in the grass. She moved closer to him and placed her arm on his chest. He smiled as he gazed at the sky while he held her close. He gestured towards the stars with his left hand. "I've always known that I'm destined to walk among them someday. The stars will be my kingdom, and my ship will be my throne."

She shifted her position so she could stare into his eyes. "Will you take me with you?"

He chuckled as he touched her face gently. "Of course, I will. What's a king without his queen?"

She leaned in and moved her lips across his. He embraced her as they engaged in a long moment of passion. He became lost in their bond as her long hair tickled the side of his face. He wanted to freeze this instant and relive it for the rest of his life.

When their faces parted, she looked down at him. "I know how special celestial events are to you, Garren. Tell me, what do you think about the prophesied S'Varian Alignment? Scientists claim they know the exact day and year it will occur. Let's make it our wedding day."

He laughed as he brushed strands of hair from her face. "That's decades from now, darling. We'll be old by then. Are you sure you want to wait that long?"

"Don't be silly, my love. We'll wed on that day while we are still young," she replied with a chuckle before lightly kissing his forehead. She moved her head to look into his eyes while playing with his dark hair. "We'll celebrate our anniversary as the years pass. When the Alignment finally comes, we'll ascend this hill with our children and grandchildren and watch it with them."

"Do you think you can tolerate me for that long?" He asked as he playfully touched her nose.

Annalisa leaned in close to him with her hair hanging down like a golden veil. "I'll be just as much in love with you then as I am now, Garren Prolov."

"I was hoping you would say that-" he replied, only to be cut off when her lips met his in another passionate kiss.

Annalisa suddenly pulled her face away from his. Prolov studied her stunned expression. "What is it, dear?"

"You need to beware of her, Garren," Annalisa warned. "She is using you for selfish gain. She will betray you, darling."

"Who are you talking about?", Prolov asked while reaching out to gently cup the back of Annalisa's head in his hand.

Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked down at him. "That woman who you allowed to board your ship. She usts after power, and you are her steppingstone. And there is another you need to beware of, Garren."

Annalisa's form quickly vanished. The quiet S'Varian night began to twist and morph into a vortex of darkness. Prolov found himself lying prone on a blackened rock surface. A sinister crimson light covered the dark landscape. Prolov rose to his feet and turned to see a dark silhouette of a throne with a tall, hooded figure seated upon it.

"You would be wise to listen to her, Prolov," the figure hissed in a feminine voice. "Phasma is not your friend. She will never empower you as I will. Come to me…"

A chime brought him out of his dream-like vision. A chime suddenly rang out, bringing Prolov out of his thoughts. He pressed a button on his desk. "Enter."

The door to his office slid open, allowing Colonel Tyaal Veriss to stride in adorned in his TIE pilot's uniform. His left hand tightly grasped a helmet with red trim and the stages of a total solar eclipse emblazing the upper portions of the helmet. Veriss paused in front of the desk.

"You needed to see me, sir," Veriss said as he stood at attention.

"You don't have to be so formal, Tyaal. This isn't an official military meeting." Prolov replied as he motioned towards a chair. "Please have a seat."

Veriss quickly sat and placed his helmet on his lap. He straightened the red collar of his flight suit and gazed at Prolov. He observed the Admiral gazing down at the image of Annalisa. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything important."

"You didn't. I'm just reflecting on the past." Prolov replied as he pressed a control. The image of Annalisa instantly dissipated. He looked up at Veriss and leaned back in his chair. "However, I didn't summon you here for a history lesson, Tyaal."

"Of course, not Garren," Veriss replied. The two men were close friends who often referred to each other on a first-name basis when they were alone. It was an unusual practice among Imperial Officers, but between Prolov and Veriss, it was a normal standard of communication always conducted in private. "I assume you have a special mission for me to undertake."

Prolov studied Veriss for a few moments. His dark hair with streaks of silver was an unkempt mess, pressed down and tousled by the pilot's helmet he had worn during his combat starfighter patrol duty earlier in the day. His powerfully featured face was lined with age but still retained its boyish features accentuated by his hazel eyes. The man never smiled in the time that Prolov had known him, leading Prolov had often wondered if Veriss had been born without the facial muscles required to smile.

Veriss had proven in their decades of friendship he was a reliable and faithful individual despite all of those features. Those qualities had earned him not only the status of Prolov's assistant in the development of the TIEs comprising Phantom Squadron but also had elevated him to the distinction of becoming Prolov's best friend.

"You are very perceptive, Tyaal," Prolov said with a smile. "I want you to prepare a holodrone and carry it on Phantom Two. Phantom Three will fly with you as escort. Set course for S'Varia and release the drone that I'm going to program with a prerecorded message. Wait for their permission to land. If granted, then arrange a meeting with the current Adjudicator General to discuss the state of affairs on S'Varia. I need to know their political standings and who their allies are at the moment. I also need to know anything that could be a benefit to us. We don't have much time to spare. This demands your immediate attention."

Veriss rose to his feet. "Consider it done, my friend."

Prolov watched as Veriss moved towards the door. "And Tyaal?"

Veriss paused and looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"Do try to avoid any entanglements like the one you experienced last time", Prolov offered with a smile.

"I'll try my best, sir," Veriss replied as he stepped out of the door.

Prolov pressed a control on his desk, "Captain Aveen, bring the fleet to general quarters."

Phasma and her remaining troops were in a situation no battle-hardened soldier ever wanted to find themselves in. With every salvo of blaster fire, another stormtrooper fell dead. The enemy was close now. Their footsteps could faintly be heard over the blasts claiming her troops one by one.

It was then she heard a soft screech over the sounds of the battle. The sound grew in volume as its source drew closer. She looked to the skies again, and her eyes beheld streaks like meteors falling from the heavens. The screech was now a low screaming noise. To her ears, it was like a symphony orchestra. She recognized it immediately.

The first Phantom Squadron Imperial TIE Advanced x1 fighter flew low, firing its blasters into the line that approached Captain Phasma's position. With the enemy confused, Captain Phasma brought her blaster up and fired. Three men fell to her fire. Her troops followed suit, taking down a couple of men each. Still, the enemy had the advantage in numbers and by now had closed too tight for Phantom Squadron to strafe the line safely without jeopardizing Captain Phasma and the survivors among her men. Large explosions rocked the landscape in the distance on both flanks as well as to the rear.

Phantom Leader led Phantoms Four and Five up into the air and turned to begin another pass. "Frontline is too close for us to strafe, "The AI controlling the craft announced to the rest of the squadron. "Phantom Four and Five, form up on me!"

The three fighters pulled together in a tight formation and dove low to the ground. Just feet from the ground, they increased their speed, kicking up dust and debris as they moved. Their engines were screaming like a banshee. They flew over the line, blowing troops in all directions like paper in the wind.

"Stay on me, Phantoms Four and Five," Phantom Leader's AI ordered. "On the next pass, drop electromagnetic inhibitors."

"That will leave both sides defenseless," Phantom Three's AI protested.

"The First Order troops are capable of handling themselves," Phantom Leader retorted. "Follow me in."

The signature screaming of the Phantom Squadron TIEs filled Phasma's helmet again. She pressed against the side of the creek bed, awaiting their engine blast, but none came. Instead, a crackling sound erupted as the fighters passed overhead. Her blaster had made a ringing noise before its indicator lights faded.

"Captain, they disabled our blasters! What is the Empire doing?" FN-2734 asked frantically.

"Saving our lives, Lieutenant! Order the troops to rise and fight hand to hand!" She yelled back.

It was time to take the fight straight to the enemy.