(OOC: Sorry I took so long. Had all this typed up earlier today but work was crazy)
Fara Crispus sat quietly in the command chair. She let her gaze pass across the bridge at her crew. More than a crew, she thought. A smile played across her lips as she watched Relyr playing with his gadgets, Beecher standing painfully straight monitoring the intra-fleet communications, Tashika running the latest combat simulations, all the crew. I never thought I would find a family out here. Aboard this ship she felt as if she belonged.
You know that isn't true, a voice she felt, rather than heard, whispered to her.
Fara bolted upright, her eyes widening as she saw a shadowy figure materialize before her eyes. That voice . . . "No, no that's Impossible. You're dead. I saw you die."
The figure chuckled. Do you really think me that easily killed? I'm hurt. It sighed. You disappoint me. Keeping the same identity for all this time, despite everything I taught you. Keep an identity for over a year and you start to become it, remember?
"You make it sound like it was unintentional. Maybe I kept this name because I wanted to become it."
It shrugged. Perhaps, perhaps not. Regardless, your little vacation is over. Time for you to return to the fold. It has been far too long. Your Brothers and Sisters miss you very much.
"And what if I refuse?" Fara shot back.
You may choose whatever you wish. No harm will come to you. As to your so-called friends . . . Well, I cannot vouch for their safety.
Her eyes blazed. "You lay so much as a finger on them and I swear I will hunt you down and kill you." Instinctively she settled into a combat stance.
Good, good!! Show me who you really are. Let me see the killer from Brentaal, my most promising initiate! Suddenly, the phantasm lunged toward her. Fara quickly sidestepped, pivoting around to administer the killing blow—only to unceremoniously fall to the floor as the figure vanished, her momentum carrying her through the empty space where it once stood.
They will never accept you, never understand you as we do. Eventually they too will turn on you, just as all the others before them. I will be awaiting your return, dearest Serine. The feeling inside her head faded away, replaced by the silence of the bridge. All eyes were on her, except Lieutenant Relyr, who remained blissfully unaware of what occurred.
Ensign Beecher was the first to find his voice. "Ma'am, are you alright?"
Commander Crispus stood up. She could feel her face warming. Stang, they saw the whole thing. "Yes Ensign, everything is fine."
"Are you sure? You were just talk—"
"I SAID I'M FINE!" She yelled. Beecher's face went ashen. Stang, stang, stang!! Why do I always do this? Why do I always make things worse? Fara took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to flash a comforting smile. "I'm sorry, Ensign. I haven't been sleeping well recently. It must be getting to me. I promise I'll go to the infirmary as soon as Captain Nerix returns. Just, please don't inform him about any of this."
"Y-yes, Ma'am," Beecher shakily replied.
A Short Time Later
The lift doors slid open, and Captain Nerix entered the bridge. "Ensign Beecher, contact—are you alright, Ensign?"
"Yes sir, fine sir. No problems here, sir."
Nerix's eyes narrowed. "I see. Contact Naval Command. Inform them we shall be moving to Grand Admiral Madara's position to aid in an attack on a New Republic assault force." He walked toward navigation. "Ensign, prepare the fleet to jump to these coordinates," he said, handing over a data-disc.
"On it, sir. We should be ready momentarily."
"Excellent. Commander, a word." Kast walked away from the rest of the crew. "Send a message to the commanding officers of our fleet. Tell them to keep their eyes open."
"Are you expecting trouble?"
"I don't know. Let's just say I'm wary of the game Madara is playing," he replied, turning back to look at the young comms officer. "Is there something wrong with Beecher?" Come to think of it, the whole crew seems on edge.
"No, I don't think so," Crispus said. "I'll send the messages right away." She began to walk away, then stopped. "If it's alright with you, Captain, I would like to take the time we will be in hyperspace to rest."
Kast frowned. He knew his second, this was unlike her. "Permission granted, as long as you are back at your post by our re-entry into realspace."
"Thank you, sir." Fara saluted, then exited the bridge.
"Course laid in and relayed to the fleet, waiting on your mark."
"Take us out, Ensign." The stars turned to blurred streaks as Captain Kast Nerix and the Falchion Irregular Command* jumped into hyperspace.
A few seconds later, an Arquitens Light Cruiser jumped to hyperspace, following their trail.
*Falchion Irregular is made up of 1 Tector, 5 ISD-2s, 2 ISD-1s, 7 VSD-2s, 5 VSD-1s, 11 Dreadnoughts, 17 Strike Cruisers, 4 MTCs, 10 Carracks, and 5 Lancers. Some of the vessels have received extensive (and often unique) modifications.