Governor's Gambit - Star Wars SI into Imperial Governor

[GrimmKenway8646]

For every Guild merchant sent from the Myto Sector carried news of this land, and was paid by the Sector for immigrants they freely shipped back.

For the Moff would have no resource untapped.

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No wonder we have so many omakes of Myto becoming an Imperial bastion post-Endor. Las just has that dawg in him. Poor ISC old guard tho, they just wanted to relax and not do their job but nah more budget for you!

 

[The Returned]

This shit fought me harder than a child fighting the urge to yell slurs in a live chat. I don't know why, because this shit is straight ass, but it took way too much time and effort to scrounge this garbage up. I feel like if I try to rewrite or revise a single thing here I'll throw up, so Imma toss it out here.

-Freefaller

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Far be it from me to point out you created your own Sector in..... Star Wars..You as the Op are allowed stories/omakes about what happens inside your sector. ( Totally....Rascist bit about Twileks(Black Wemon) in the Sectors of the DMV ....You dont need to make everything about the Myos sector "Totally Equality Greatness!!" Youve already established it as reasonable government.....and unfortunately easiest stories about how a government works is how it conducts war........Start Killing MoFos\Other governments.. Op. Im so Drunk right now. Im sry. Ive checked this 3 times. MODS punish me!!!

 

[RandomDragon]

oh shit...this is going to turn the myto sector into a damn powerhouse if nothing is done soon enough, and the hyper-com/holo-com trick only works *ONCE*.

this is going to be a brutal when the govener starts putting defense stations across the sector, even if its a basic one with a shipyard attached.

 

[Wratus]

A planet filled with Coaxium... congratulations Moff Mola you just gained the personal attention at least for a little while of the Emperor and Lord Vader, for that is a super strategic resource that must be in the hands of the Empire and no one else can be allowed to have majority control of it... only thing that could make it "worse" is if you where to find Kyber Crystals, Phrik and Doonium.

 

[OrderedOrb]

I'm sorry, did that guy on the Myto char just say they found a huge COAXIUM vein!? That's the equivalent to finding a multi mile vein of the purest and most valuable rare earth metals to us, what a find. That's the kind of stuff used for the creation of hyperfuel and hyperdrives. It is the SINGLE most valuable thing in the setting.

 

[AHHGKS]

tftc!

 

[XelianEmperor]

Kinda want more social media stuff and maybe star wars in world memes

 

[oscar e Sampedro Lopez]

Thanks for the chapter Great story as always.
Gold rush season!

 

[Top Sun]

The Myto sector gonna end up as a combination of colonial-time USA (expanding into inexplored lands) and Switzerland for being fuck-off rich by good governing decisions !

Thank you for writing !

 

[aokway]

Myto_Native_88

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How much money
You don't have to say but for fun
How much money did it cost to buy this account
Because.. that number is way to "neat" and low to not be worth at least a large capital city apartment
Maybe a large house in nature with 4-7 years of maintenance both home and body

Companies and colonizers alike salivated at the untouched land, the ripe resources, the potential for profit sitting right there

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because this shit is straight ass,

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Nah
If it's ass then it's the ass of a Pixar MILF(..I think? Aro-ace that kinda metaphor is not easy for me)
Cause that? The "pull people in, get more resources used by people, show off the stuff to more people repeat" is the main draw of the entire story
That is the loop that made ME at least stay
Get people
Oh fuck a lot of People
Figure out where people go
Put them there better than the others do
Need more people
It's like the signifier of a new "major" arc is the large amount of immigrants coming being noted

 

[Earl Silver]

I'm sorry, did that guy on the Myto char just say they found a huge COAXIUM vein!? That's the equivalent to finding a multi mile vein of the purest and most valuable rare earth metals to us, what a find. That's the kind of stuff used for the creation of hyperfuel and hyperdrives. It is the SINGLE most valuable thing in the setting.

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What you're saying is that someone is about to cosplay the USA discovering a small country that has rich oil fields?

 

[Watching]

The ISC simply didn't have enough people in the region. So, using their newly inflated budget, they took to advertising themselves. Posters, holonet ads, commercial breaks in popular dramas, they did it all.

Explore the galaxy! Find hidden treasures! Serve the Empire!
Join the Survey Corp TODAY!

-ISC recruitment poster, circa 2.9 ABY

The Director thought it enough.

"If we spend all our money on these shitty ads, then we won't have the money to do our jobs, and we can slack off again!"

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Poor guy accidentally built starfleet.

 

[Yacov]

In the void of space before me sat the Arbiter-II, newly built to celebrate the opening of the new Belladoon shipyards. In every way an upgrade from the original. Not just a kitbash of other Imperial ships stitched together in an emergency, this was purpose built.

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The sheer convenience of having a purpose built ship is worth the redesign in terms of maintenance and production, even if the improvements end up minimal.

The party had started that way, but I deployed an age old method of getting rid of unwanted guests.

Being boring!

For me, that meant yapping about political/economic events I studied as part of the job in excruciating detail. These people are all business owners and industrialists. If I talked taxes or trade they'd be salivating for even the tiniest bit of insider info.

But a day by day breakdown of the economic consequences of the blockade of Naboo? Perfect.

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Las being the most boring Moff is repelling hangers ons more effectively than being a Dark Side user. Just ask Vader how many airheads walked up and began spouting their supposed importance at him.

The Auditors' very public arrests were getting to people, and I'd had no less than a dozen different magnates show me their companies quarterly reports as though to flaunt how compliant their companies were with the various anti-corruption and pro-labor laws I'd put in place.

The Auditors are only there to arrest Imperial officials of high standing, not businessmen, but I guess their reputation is really up there.

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To be fair, most tools of Imperial law enforcement tend to be a bit… indiscriminate when choosing targets and accepting collateral damage. Probably see it as not taking chances.

"It seems to have become something of a culture in the region. Few of the contractors can build anything up to the Generals standards, which many have said very rude things about."

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I mean when you are dealing with having a very low population sector with lots of money, going for maximum quality just makes a bit of sense.

Sure, on occasion they found systems in use by pirates or cartels, but the MRX-BR ships they were using had been upgraded. Faster engines, stealthier systems, and more, the MRX-BR could slip in and out of a system unseen by the shoddy sensors of pirate scrap-heaps.

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This is probably going to do more to cut down on piracy than any singular military operation. There is an entire dark community in every sector devoted to the criminal underworld. Finding and going after these support networks is going to hamstring the pirates and smuggler groups in Myto. It would also cripple the local Rebel Alliance if you found any of their safe worlds with this method.

Wow, I'd love a beach house on that coast. I've got three on Dubrillion and they've started to get boring, when will the colonization phase start?

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These people are some of the most important colonists. Mainly because companies are less likely to invest in the infrastructure beyond what's needed to extract the resources. These rich dodidles? They are going to buy an estate and bring the disposable income necessary to found a community.

I am shaking. Retiring early! Was running deep thermal scans on a new rock—forgot what our team even named the planet, who cares! Board lit up like a supernova. Look at the spectrograph. That is a pure, hyper-dense vein of raw coaxium running straight through the crust. We just hit the jackpot!

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For reference, 100 kilograms of refined coaxium is worth around 60 million credits. This is the stuff that gets mined in Kessel.

 

[AdrianXIV]

Idea: What if Las's one of sciencists did reverse of what "normal mad sciencists" do (turning non-combat droids into assassins), and invented "Universal Assistance Droid" based on chassis of BX Commando Droid?

Like, imagine something that looks like "white-painted BX" making someone a dinner or babysitting kids. (For obvious reasons they would lack any kind of "combat protocols" outside of "non-lethal self-defense")

 

[Wratus]

Hmmm well since he has found Coaxium wouldn't it be funny if suddenly he where to gain a summons to Coruscant to stand before the Emperor in order to personally report about the yield of the vein that has been found, and with it comes a budget increase with the explicit instructions to build up Imperial mining and refinery operations, and a Imperial Naval base/headquarters on the planet to insure that it serves the Empire first in foremost.

Of course this would most likely be an inevitable situation if he where to also find a planet with either Kyber Crystals or Doonium as they are critical resources for the Death Star, and with Doonium also for the construction of Star Destroyers so if he where to find that a lot of the neighbouring Moffs would start to get som very nervous sweats as any further sabotage would actually have major consequences as the Emperor would deem the Myto-sector as critical for his plans.

 

[AdrianXIV]

Btw about Emperor, what if reason for "holonet blackout" was a test whenever Myto Sector is viable target for "Operation: Cinder".

 

[TheEldritchKnight]

Operation Cinder is not part of this AU so it is not going to happen.

 

[Yacov]

Omake: Thiltisians

Biological Classification

Designation: Sentient

Classification: Reptilian

——

Physical Characteristics

Average height: 1.8 meters

Skin color: Silver

Eye color: Green

Distinctions:

• Clear reflective scales
• Downward curved snout
• Heavily diurnal
• Very poor night sight
• "Sunglasses" layer of eyelids
• Cold blooded

Average Lifespan: 50 years is the average. Some Thiltisians live as long as 90 years if they are very lucky.

——

Sociocultural Characteristics

Place of Origin: Sunwelp

Language: Thiltish

——

Description:

The Thiltisians are a species of sentient reptilians located on the sunny grassland world of Sunwelp. Their civilization has recently progressed to the Industrial technology level with an emphasis on sustainability and managed growth. Thiltisians at a glance can be described as pious, generous, and open to discussion.

Biology and appearance:

Thiltisians are slightly above the galactic average in height and have reflective silver scales covering their body. This scales are theorized that their ancestors used them as a defense mechanism or a way to trap heat in their dens. An extra layer of eyelids helps deal with the worst of the reflected brightness. These days keeping one's scales shiny and unmarked is a sign of prestige and wealth.

One of the most prominent features of Thiltisians is the heavily diurnal nature. Through a combination of their cold bloodedness, their poor night sight, and other biological factors, Thiltisians struggle immensely operating at night. Thiltisians settlements are therefore kept intensely well lit with fire, gaslight, and then electricity. This is especially done at night in order to make the ordeal bearable for those forced to work past daylight. Light pollution is so heavy that constellations are difficult to identify unless far away from a settlement.

Society and culture:

Thiltisian Government

The Thiltisians of Sunwelp is organized into a strict Timocracy. Issues in politics are resolved by a logocratic method of whoever can submit the most compelling written proposal is approved and implemented by the Assembly of Honor. Participation in Sunwelp's government is excluded to only those who are the most Honorable. The most elevated Thiltisians are allowed into the Assembly of Honor, the main legislative body. Assemblies of Petty Honor are held in each province to handle local issues and staffed by those of comparatively lesser Honor.

Sunwelp's government is also a confessional state that recognizes The Great Pursuit of Daylight as the state enforced and funded religion. Large amounts of government revenue are spent on building and maintaining Solar Temples of The Great Pursuit of Daylight. Having the recognition and approval of the relevant Solar Temples is a virtual requirement for obtaining and remaining in office.

Thiltisian Honor

Honor is defined by Thiltisians as the ability to provide for the community, with the Solar Temples as the main arbitrator. This includes generous donations to interest groups which can influence debates in the Assemblies. A patronized Thiltisian will generally not write a counter-proposal against the proposal of their patron. This tradition of gift giving also applies to political positions as well with high ranking officials and members of the clergy required by tradition to host lavish events and rituals in order to maintain their standing.

Naturally this definition of Honor excludes a vast majority of the poorer classes on Sunwelp leading to a great degree of stratification in Thiltisian society. Not to the point of a caste system yet, but upward social mobility is fairly limited. The most Honor the vast majority of Thiltisians can hope for is to make their layperson votive offerings to their local Solar Shrine and potentially be made a lesser initiate. Those the Solar Temples deem Dishonorable are denied entry to land owned by the Solar Temples and are condemned to the dark corners of Sunwelp. One example of these dark corners the Dishonorable are exiled to is the Scalding Wastes, an area of the planet where rainfall can be absent for over half the year and there is near-boiling rain for the other half.

Thiltisian Religious Property and Corvée Law

As a result of the dominance of The Great Pursuit of Daylight, a vast majority of land both urban and rural in any given area is owned by the local Solar Temples. This land is then ritualistically bequeathed to an individual for the duration of their life or if they are labeled Dishonorable. The land is consecrated by the clergy for the purpose it bequeathed for such as a farm, factory, etc. After death or Dishonor, the land is returned to the Solar Temple's control to be purified and then lent out again at their discretion. Provincial borders are more defined by the lands of a collection of historically allied Solar Temples than any geographical boundary.

Every Honorable Thiltisian is expected to perform their three weeks of religiously mandated corvée labor on unbequeathed Solar Temple land. This obligation was originally meant provide a religious militia to defend holy sites alongside dedicated temple guards. However the long period of peace on Sunwelp has turned the duty to more productive purposes. High class Thiltisians will spend time polishing, cleaning, and politicking in the luxuries Grand Solar Temples made entirely of glass and mirrored surfaces. Middle class Thiltisians will maintain the solar panels and other technical systems needed to keep the Solar Temples functioning. While the vast majority of Thiltisians will be working in the Temple fields or workshops making the products necessary to sustain the clergy and conduct the Solar Temples' rituals and charitable activities.

Thiltisian Technological Focus

Thiltisian technology is heavily focused on light and solar energy. Temples and major buildings are lined with mirrors, windows, and solar panels. Architecture is to emphasize natural and artificial light being able to shined in every corner of the structure. If most other sentients were to spent a day in a Thiltisian city, they would risk eye damage without protection due to the excessive brightness. This is partly due to Thiltisians' poor night sight making dark rooms hazardous and unappealing.

The emphasis on solar power has left Sunwelp relatively pristine in terms of environment despite the technological advances of the Thiltisians. Thiltisian emphasis on purity and cleanliness have kept the worst effects of mining operations and pollution at bay. However only having the ability to generate power about 50% of the time and an intense reluctance to work night shifts have resulted in slow progress in further technological and industrial development.

——

Another species to potentially populate one of those 6500 "uninhabited" systems in the Myto Sector currently being explored. The theme I went with the Thiltisians is "The Calcification of Light". Order and brightness turned up to eleven, even to the point of detriment. Things look and sound good on the surface, but time and complacency have taken their toll underneath. These folks are in for some upheaval once they start interacting with the rest of the galaxy. Especially since Thiltisian settlements and cities stand out like giant glowing beacons that can be seen from orbit once a ship enters the system.

Crossposted on SB and SV

Edit: dunHozzie over at SB sent me another image. This time of what the Thiltisians might look like. Figured this one is a priest in the city.

 

[Tookie_breh]

Omake: Thiltisians

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Cool. Would love to see how the rest of the Galaxy would react to a Sun/Light worshipping Disco-ball Reptile.

 

[Yacov]

Cool. Would love to see how the rest of the Galaxy would react to a Sun/Light worshipping Disco-ball Reptile.

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It will also be interesting to see how the Thiltisians react to the rest of the galaxy. These reptiles are swiftly approaching late Tokugawa Shogunate levels of rigidity and brittleness with their civilization. Things might be peaceful and stable, but that is heavily reliant on things staying exactly as they have "always" been.

They are in no way prepared to adapt to being introduced to the wider galaxy, which only makes it more fun. All it will take is a trader or merchant showing off its wares and spreading them a bit too freely, to say nothing of even a small Imperial patrol showing up. The chaos and upending of societal norms and institutions would make for some real (and maybe literal) fireworks.

 

[FollowingStars]

Omake: Viper hover tank



Production Information



Manufacturer: Myto Sector Imperial Government



Model: viper hover tank



Type: medium hovercraft



Cost:

• 25,000 Credits

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Technical Specifications



Engine unit(s): EHS-1 hover module, 4 SFS P-s4 ion engines, 6 P-w401 ion maneuvering jets



Speed: 200 km/h



Shielding: none



Power: Fusion generator



Hull: Armored hull



Sensors: Equipped



Armament:

• 1 light repeating blaster
• 1 heavy laser cannon

Crew: 3

• 1 driver (front station)
• 1 gunner (top station)
• 1 tank commander (center station)

Minimum crew: 2



Cargo Capacity: 150 kg



Life Support: equipped



Consumables: 7 days



Other systems:

• Integrated fire control droid brain
• Myto Sector army standardized crew stations

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Usage



Availability: Military



Roles:

• Low maintenance armored vehicle
• Low cost armoured
• theater shield assault
• Flanking attacks
• Skirmisher

Affiliation:

• Myto Sector Imperial Army

——



Description



The viper hover tank is an armoured ground vehicle designed to accommodate an expansion of the Myto Sector Imperial Army. An increase of funding as well as a lack of useable local armoured vehicle designs in the Sector was predicted to lead to Myto Sector Army general staff being more willing to take a gamble on armoured vehicles of more unusual designs philosophy. This hover tank was made technology that any planet with the most basic starship parts manufacturing could make it.



Design



A viper is as mechanically and technologically simple as possible. Its chassis is a rectangular structure with rounded edges with turret on top. The turret is an elongated hexagon which is armed with a heavy laser cannon and a coaxial light repeating blaster for armored targets and for fighting infantry. The only truely innovative part is its EHS-1 hover module which uses low power ray shields like the kind used in starship environmental hangar shielding to from a zone of high pressure air under the tank like the ancient/primitive hovercraft of old expected without the vulnerable skirts that when damaged would allow the high pressure to escape. The other innovative was the use of readily TIE fighter parts such as the SFS P-s4 ion engines for forward propulsion and the use of P-w401 ion manoeuvring jets for manoeuvring and turning. Nothing else from its armor to the fusion engine is that innovative. It uses civilian and military components which are tried and tested and most importantly are open patents or patents that the Myto Sector already has access to.



The other notable thing about the Viper is the focus placed on ease of repair. The use of placing all of armament in the turret means there are fewer crew and things for the crew to keep track of in the middle of battle. Quality of life additions that are quickly becoming the standard such as environmental, temperature and atmospheric sealing and control modules, microwave ovens and water heaters for crew meal prep in environments and war zones that mean they can't leave for extended periods of time as well as the addition of an incinerator toilet



Each Viper contains 3 crew stations. One in the front for the driver to control the vehicle, one in the turret for the gunner to aim and fire the weapons, one in the turret on the opposite side from the gunner for the tank commander to issue orders, assign objectives, designate targets and to facilitate internal and external communications. This division is to allow each crew mate to maintain focus on a single aspect of the tank



Each crew station is designed in the same layout as the others. The rectangular steering wheel in the driver's station for driving the tank are the same type the gunner to aim the turret and fire the weapons. The internal communication system for the tank commander is structured the same as the external communication system the commander uses. All 3 stations use the same PAD screen for display and they all use the same program structure and operating system. Even the chairs are kept similar so swapping from one to other feels familiar to the crews no matter which station they are switching too. This also helps if a crew member gets incapacitated as it is fairly easy to have another crew member substitute and perform the bare minimum of that station.



Performance



In terms of performance the Viper is fairly standard even with its new hover module, it's a reliable tank. That reliability combined with its price allowed it to be deployed basically anywhere in the Myto Sector with minimal concern for logistics or terrain. However it was slower than the more ubiquitous and popular Imperial-class repulsor tank line. In addition to the stigma of being made by an Outer Rim designer meant it did not see wider adoption. Most Imperial Army commanders saw the Viper as an unnecessary design when current repulsor tanks can do the same while starting within doctrine.



Armored formations have learned to appreciate what the Viper has to offer such as a higher readiness level, low skill ceiling, easier maintenance and lower overall ongoing costs In these formations The Viper tended to act more as Lower cost replacement of the lighter or equivalent weight repulsor tanks. Whenever a need for skirmishing, flanking, or vanguard duty came up, most commanders found it easier to trust the Vipers armoured, armament, speed and ease of repair as well as it relative expendable while keeping their heavier metal in reserve. This allowed these formations to maintain peripheral operations without running the risk of having their heavier vehicles unavailable for the primary battle due to damage or destruction by attrition.



The Viper proved quite popular with worlds that couldn't afford for the cost of repulsor tanks or wait for the shipping of such tanks from outside the Myto Sector.



Conclusion



The Viper was never meant to be the next big thing in military repulsor vehicles. It was designed to meet a design goal of being manufacturable on most worlds within the Myto Sector while being an adequately or better replacement of more expensive repulsor tanks within use in the Myto Sector Imperial Army and Myto Sector planetary defence forces

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I had a thought about if it's possible to make repulsor tanks without repulsor and so I thought that we already have hovercraft and I thought what starwars tech could improve our hovercraft then I remembered that Star Wars hangars have those atmospheric shields That keep the atmosphere within the ship while allowing ships to pass though. I don't think was able to truely express and explain what my I idea was but I hope that I was at least able to get it across in a way that was semi coherent

 

[Mistroz]

Excellent chapter.

 

[noblej7]

Am i weird for just wanting more Legends vehicles, ships, and gear showcased over entirely Custom stuff? It's not like there aren't plenty that exist but ultimately didn't get the PR and broad adoption due to Imperial politics. Despite being potentially superior.
Not to bash all the creative work done for this fic.. some is actually interesting to look at reference images and stuff.. i just find there's already such a deep pool of source material in legends that often gets forgotten or unmentioned because it didn't get into movies or games .. stuck to novels and illustrations. At least outside of Empire at war mods.

 

[Freefaller]

Am i weird for just wanting more Legends vehicles, ships, and gear showcased over entirely Custom stuff? It's not like there aren't plenty that exist but ultimately didn't get the PR and broad adoption due to Imperial politics. Despite being potentially superior.
Not to bash all the creative work done for this fic.. some is actually interesting to look at reference images and stuff.. i just find there's already such a deep pool of source material in legends that often gets forgotten or unmentioned because it didn't get into movies or games .. stuck to novels and illustrations. At least outside of Empire at war mods.

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Imma be honest, I'm not super knowledgeable about the more obscure legends stuff. If you have any suggestions feel free to post them.

 

[Yacov]

Omake: On the Marital and Martial Fringes

POV: Captain Dindass Brimp, Sullustan Captain of the Reef-Class patrol cruiser Roadguard, employed by the Blackwater Void Protection IGCPP mercenary company, Carnala patrol route besh, Myto Sector

"Exit from hyperspace has been completed with no signs of issues Captain Brimp."

Captain Brimp let out an internal sigh of relief that he always did when entering or exiting hyperspace. Something about the transition between faster than light and normal speed just set his nerves on end. Not that he could voice such concerns out loud. Wouldn't do for crew morale to learn their captain is jittery around jumps. Especially one still fairly freshly assigned to the ship like him.

Brimp had only got back into the captain's chair recently. After graduating from one of the lesser spacer's academy on Sullust, he had taken a minor posting for a supply shuttle for a subsidiary of a subsidiary of a subsidiary of SoroSuub. Not exactly prestigious or well paying, but enough to support the kids in their choice for higher education and occasionally contribute to the clan's finances.

That mundane life of routine supply runs would have continued, however Brimp's wife and her other husbands decided one day to move out all the way to the Myto sector. Apparently the businesses of several of the other husbands weren't doing well which left Brimp in the minority. Despite his objections the Warren-clan voted to move on to what looked to be more fertile ground. As Brimp was the only one in the clan with experience flying a ship, he resigned from his post and flew the family on the rickety bucket that looked like they purchased it from a junkyard.

"Alright, run a scan of this system and send out a squadron of Shallows interceptors. This system was last reported empty, but I will not excuse any negligence on a ship I captain."

True to form, the ship broke down irreparably even with Brimp's best efforts just as the family made it to the Minda system. This left Brimp out of a job while the other husbands flourished and vied for his wife's favor. All hope of prominency in the family dynamic seemed lost until he landed a job at Blackwater Void Protection, a Guild mercenary outfit based on a moon orbiting Minda's second world. Apparently they heard about his attempts to optimize his former employer's shuttle routes during long routine deliveries and wanted to make use of that experience.

They stuck him in a native ship design made by Abyssal Industries, a major company from the planet. The Reef-Class Roadguard was crewed primarily by Karkarodans and Quarren. At first they were skeptical of Captain Brimp's service record. However they became more comfortable once he demonstrated that he could comport himself on long flights away from starports without going stir crazy or glory starved.

Captain Brimp's employers sent him to take remote patrol contracts offer by the sector government. A lot of captains would be insulted at being made to patrol sparsely inhabited space. However Captain Brimp was on enough in years to appreciate the steady pay and being in control of a decently large warship with few able to challenge it in a subsector's radius.

"Initial scans of the nearby area seem clear Captain. Starting a deeper scan to see if there is anything hiding further out. Shallows deployed in a basic defensive formation per your instructions."

The basics were something Captain Brimp was very good at doing. Probably the only thing he ever got praised for back at the spacer's academy. For all his peers called his tactics as creative as a simulator, not once did he ever get scolded for forgetting to do at least the minimum of covering all his bases before trying anything unorthodox. That kind of thinking kept him firmly middle of the class all throughout his education.

Still, this part of the sector isn't expected to have much out here. The latest wave of the ISC had scoured these systems looking to strike coaxium. They didn't find any, but there was enough interest generated that there was talk of colonization. So the Roadguard's patrol was assigned to more frequently travel the routes to make sure no one was setting up to strike at any incoming colony fleets.

Every ship in the Captain Brimp's patrol was being run harder and being stretched further than before. Normally he would have a few escorts and a carrier or two grouped together with him in the system. However with everyone and their children rushing out into the void all at once, there was sudden sharp increase in the number of systems in Captain Brimp's contract area switched to active patrol status. The patrol had been spread out to multiple nearby systems to make sure all the routes for the upcoming wave are covered until the Imperial Navy came to relieve them. At least they were close enough to respond to distress signals in a timely manner.

"Captain! A heavily modified medium freighter spotted behind the asteroid off just above our starboard! They aren't transmitting any codes and launching ten fighters in our direction!"

A moment of terror gripped Captain Brimp. Instinct trained as a shuttle captain told him to turn tail and run for help. No! He was captain in control of a whole cruiser. He will not be made to run from a civilian ship with weapons bolted on. Half remembered lectures and simulations from the academy bubbled to the surface and coalesced into a battle strategy.

"Order the Shallows deployed to move to engage their fighters. Deploy a second squadron immediately to take over defensive duties in case the enemy has another surprise waiting for us. Comms, start broadcasting a call for reinforcements while there is still nothing jamming us."

The blue and white fighters broke away from their patterns around the Roadguard towards their more numerous enemy. Captain Brimp clenched his armrest at the momentary vulnerability as the second wing deployed from the hangar far slowing than he liked them to. Which would have been instant. By the time they finished Brimp received an update on the ongoing dogfight.

"First squadron report no losses or crippling damage and multiple enemy fighters shot down. Parity with enemy forces achieved and the advantage is growing."

Well that isn't too much of a surprise based on what scans showed the enemy brought to bear. One of the enemy fighters looks like they tried to put a long snout on a TIE. Regardless it appears that better maintenance and training were wining the day. Now was the time to take advantage of the enemy's poor form.

"Alright, begin heading towards the enemy armed freighter at a steady acceleration. Let's teach these ruffians the mistake of trying to pick a fight with the Roadguard!"

The Reef-Class began its advance towards the enemy at an ever increasing pace. By the time they had hit where the dogfight was occurring the enemy had been throughly reduced and was fleeing back to their main ship. Captain Brimp called the first squadron back into the hangar for combat repairs and resupply rather than give pursuit. No need to risk losing already damaged fighters to point defenses when the battle is going well.

Besides it looked like the enemy had chosen to meet Captain Brimp's challenge head on. They were burning towards us as fast as their non-military engines could take them judging by their speed. He had flown on civilian engines long enough to envy those who were of sufficient hierarchy or possessed the correct licenses for the faster ones. He took no small amount of pleasure with "testing" the Roadguard's maximum speed before setting off on this patrol.

"Entering range for long range weaponry. Firing! Confirmed hit. They are beginning to turn away from us!"

Now they want to run? What is their game here? They have to know we can outpace them and Captain Brimp doubts they would put a majority of their weaponry in their rear. Better keep going while keeping an eye out for trickery. Fortunately the Roadguard had just entered launcher range.

"Alright maintain fire and send off a salvo of missiles. Let's see if can we keep their point defense busy and give our fighters an opening."

Right, now to organize a strike with his Shallows. Adding some bombs shouldn't add too much hangar time to the first squadron getting service. Just have to wait until the medium freighter has fully deployed its defenses against the missiles and… eh?

Captain Bright rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right. The Roadguard's laser fire had broken through the enemy's shields just in time for the missiles to overwhelm what little point defense the enemy had. There must have been some fault with the enemy's hull because it only took a few hits for the whole ship to detonate into pieces. Even the enemy's fighters had been caught up in the explosion. All that was left was debris and a few crippled fighters broadcasting a distress signal.

"Hmm yes well, it appears the battle may be over. Send out somebody to disable any vessel with survivors and secure our prisoners. I want to know exactly what the enemy planned to accomplish here. Continue doing sensor sweeps in case further enemy vessels appear. If nothing shows up in thirty minutes, lower the alert level by one level and maintain it until reinforcements arrive.

Make sure to take note of any nearby systems the enemy could have arrived from. I shall file a report encouraging the ISC or even the Imperial Navy to do an in-depth survey in those systems. It wouldn't do for the new colonies to be marauded by a pirate haven."

Captain Brimp laid back in his chair and begin compiling a report about what he had accomplished today. He had engaged an enemy of his employer and the sector and emerged victorious without losing any crew or ship. This may result in him earning a bonus, maybe even a promotion. Wait until his wife sees the results Brimp has managed to achieve in such a short time. He might even be the one of the two to sleep by her side in bed on his next shore leave, what a privilege!

——

Meet Captain Brimp in an anticlimactic yet typical outcome when pirates end up in a 1v1 with a warship. Brimp is someone who I feel is a good example of a type of officers that would be quite common in naval forces: the mook captain. The ones who in video games would have their portrait just be a shaded outline on a blank background to save on design time. The kind of captains who you trust to make sure all the boxes are checked in a basic assignment, but would get beaten in a more even fight against an opponent whose name people actually remember. Not everyone can be brilliant tacticians and pull off Force-blessed daring gambits, some just do what is expected of them.

Thankfully the Imperial mook captains this far out in the Myto sector don't have to worry about fair fights too often with how well funded they are. Everyone they fight tend to be less supplied, less maintained, and/or have less tonnage than their ships. Low tier captains galore on every side as anyone more skilled wouldn't be out here. The kinds of fights they get into are where the naval tactical equivalent of charging forward and swinging at the enemy is often sufficient to get the job done.

Some of you are probably wondering why the pirates were so aggressive until the Roadguard started firing. Turns out it was because the pirates' sensor operators misidentified the fairly new Reef-Class as a large bulk freighter, not a patrol cruiser. This was compounded by the captain's assumption that any ship he couldn't identify was probably just some civilian ship or museum piece the Guild had acquired and pressed into service. To be fair the Guild's does have lots of armed civilian or obsolete ships in its service. Turns out it was the last mistake the pirate captain ever made.

Crossposted on SB and SV