Brigadier General Basiv Vandevel is an officer in the service of the Great Garmillas Empire and captain of Sehrgut II, the one-time flagship of the powerful military inspector general Herm Zoellik. Vandevel earned a measure of trust from Marshal Zoellik in his position as flagship commander. Upon receiving word of the conviction and death sentence of one of Zoellik's presumed political foes, Zoellik shared the news with Vandevel, who congratulated him enthusiastically ("Out of the Forest of Memory"). However, Vandevel was not privy to the inspector general's plot to seize control of the empire. Vandevel stood behind Zoellik as he addressed a massive naval review at the planet Balun, but was stunned by Zoellik's announcement that Leader Abelt Dessler had been killed. As Zoellik made his cla