"I'll tell you, what, Thix." Talon Karrde spoke. It had been a long while since either had said a word. Karrde's idea with the slicers hadn't struck gold yet, and they had been searching and probing the Holonet for the last four and a half standard hours. Frankly, Thix was exhausted.
"Huh?" Thix responded. He hadn't caught all of Karrde's statement.
"I'll tell you what, Thix," he repeated. "I've got this in hand. We've been monitoring all ships going off-planet, and we've got my team of slicers running at their top speed doing their best work. Ibran couldn't have a better chance of being found within 24 hours."
"I'll take your word for that, but I do believe you."
"So, why not allow me to supply you with a ride home? I could refuel and re-supply your freighter and X-Wing, and loan you a pilot for the freighter as well."
"Whoa, whoa, I can't leave now! The show's just beginning! I can pilot that freighter, by the way."
"There's really nothing that you can do here, Thix. Everything's being taken care of by my people. I swear I'll let you know if anything at all turns up," Talon stated solemnly.
"Well...Alright."
"Excellent! One of my most trusted pilots, Dies Suum, will accompany you." He gestured to a smallish Sullustan who was working a scanner on the opposite side of the room in the Wild Karrde. "He'll be there simply to dock the freighter with your base, and he'll take public transportation back to this sector."
"Alright. I guess I'll be heading out in that case... Take care."
"May the Force Be With You."
Thix and Dies had to make a drop out of hyperspace to negotiate a small accounted for gravity well in their course when it happened. They had been discussing the finer points of Corellian fast food (which Dies hated, and Thix loved), when their subspace radio blared a deafeningly loud mayday.
~TO ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING! THIS IS FLIGHT OFFICER ALEX CROSS OF THE REBEL ALLIANCE! I'M BEING HELD PRISONER ABOARD THE SHIP NOVA CHILD! IMPERIALS ARE IN THIS SECTOR! NEED ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATELY!~
"Holy gundark toes!" Thix rubbed his ears. Dies has fared a little worse, being that Sullustan's hearing and eyesight receptors were, on average, better than human. "That was a mayday! We've gotta do something! I wonder where he is?"
A string of coordinates rolled along the screen.
"Perfect, thank the force." Thix realized that this jump was astoundingly close to where they were
now.
Thix whirled in his seat. "I'm going for my X-Wing."
Alex darted through the hallways of the Nova Child, furtively hoping that his next turn wouldn't be into the waiting arms of a squad of stormtroopers.
So far, he'd been lucky. He calculated that his next priority was to see about getting off his boat and away in one piece.
'Slim chance of that, what with you being stuck in a ship of hostiles, surrounded by ships filled with hostiles.'
he thought to himself.
He made his way to the hangar bays without any further incident -- shooting incident, anyway -- with guards and blasted the electronic lock off of it. As he forced his way in he was greeted by the stunned face of a technician holding a hydrospanner as a weapon. Alex's shot took him point-blank in the shoulder, spinning him like a top and landing him on the floor a good yard away. Unfortunately, someone else must have been in the room, because seconds after the first guard's demise, two shrill alarms began to screech in the hangar.
"Gotta find a ship, quick!" He would have preferred his X-Wing, but the closest ship in the bay was an old model Z-95 Headhunter.
It was better than nothing. He hoped it had a hyperdrive as he climbed into the cockpit.
Blaster bolts began to "spang!" off of the hull of the Z-95 as squads of guards entered the room and began firing.
Alex engaged the repulsorlifts and spun the Z-95 in a 180-degree midair turn.
With a flick of the joystick, he blew away the hangar bay doors of the Nova Child.
The unfortunate guards were sucked, along with the Z-95 and some other
equipment, into the blackness of space moments before the bay's pressure automatically stabilized.
"Attention,
Nova Child. This is Commander Thix Barkon of the Rebel Alliance Navy. My readings say that your shielding is down and your engines are inoperable. Be warned: I have a pair of proton torpedoes locked on to your damaged area. Any
harassment by your or Imperial forces will result in your utter annihilation."
In his X-Wing cockpit, Thix grinned. He'd always wanted to say that.
~'Commander' Barkon, this is Commander Leise, of the Empire. Our Star Destroyer has you in it's sights and is prepared to destroy you on a whim unless you surrender. Immediately.~
"I'll have fired before the bolts hit, Commander, and then you'll be toast, along with the entire crew. Think it over."
Karin DeLumar was overseeing the final elimination of the Rebel forces on the planet.
Her plan had been executed perfectly: Playing herself for the final portion, she had 'visited' the Imperial compound in her Corvette.
With her, she brought the plans for a new strategy that Grand Admiral Thrawn had developed to root out Rebel insurgents.
The bait had been too much for the Rebels to pass up, as she had anticipated.
Now she looked down at the face she had recognized weeks ago: That of
Colonel Tycho Celchu. Beside him were a Gand, Ooryl Qrygg, and a human, Gavin
Darklighter.
"Sir," the man at the sensors station announced. "I have four X-Wings and a Shuttle outbound from the first moon and the surface."
DeLumar was cool. "How long until they meet up?"
"Approximately forty-five seconds."
"Send up a squad of TIEs after them, but just for show, I don't want any pilots dying unnecessarily." She looked at a chronometer.
For a moment, Celchu's eyes shone with triumph, then confusion. It was announced that the Rebels were moving to destroy the Corvette. Then, five seconds before the five Rebel ships would be in range to attack, the sensors officer gave another update. "Sir, multiple new contacts: One Victory class Star Destroyer, two Corvettes, and a Cruiser. They came in right on top of the X-Wings."
Karin smiled as the Rebels faces returned to stone, and walked to the com station. "Lieutenant," she hailed her flagship, "excellent timing. Intercept the fighters, attack plan 9.
Moments later, the Lieutenant's voice came over the comm. "Sir, all Rebel craft have been destroyed. We eagerly await your return."
Tycho remained hard as rock, but the man from Tatooine's face echoed his shock, and then he balled his fists in rage.
He screamed, and launched himself at Karin. The Stormtrooper behind him hit him hard in the back of the neck, sending Gavin sprawling
unconscious.
Karin looked at one of the men that had accompanied her to the planet. "Bind the prisoners, and prepare my shuttle.
I'm looking forward to reporting my success to the Grand Admiral."
Pirate hunting. Sergus Lanox sat on the bridge of the of the Imperial Star Destroyer
Cyclone. His small fleet was ready for action but the enemy had not arrived yet.
"Lt. Briggs, what was the appointed arrival time of the convoy," Sergus said.
"0800. It is 0803 now. They should be here any moment."
His battle group had, for the last three years, battled numerous pirates and won.
And Sergus hated it. He was ready for a transfer.
At this thought the battle klaxons went off. "Sir I have almost 20 ships coming out of hyperspace.
15 fighters, numerous types. 5 Corvettes," Lt. Briggs said.
"Launch 2 squads of TIEs and 1 of Interceptors. And a bomber squad to attack the Corvettes.
All other fighters launched are to engage those fighters."
He watched his bombers launch and one by one fire concussion missiles at one Corvette.
Two missiles hit it, then six more, then six more.
"Are shields down on that Corvette?"
"Yes, sir."
"Destroy it." His frigates, the Shadow and Hawkbat, fired at the damaged Corvette.
Another torpedo hit it in the bow portion of the ship and it crumpled.
"Give me a count on enemy fighters."
Lt. Briggs said, "Nine left sir. We have lost 3 fighters."
"All ships are ordered to fire at will."
After less than 15 minutes, three of the four Corvette's shields were down.
Another bomber run proved fatal for one Corvette and the turbolaser fire of Cyclone
destroyed another.
"Captain Lanox, damage to forward shield. It's almost down. And the remaining fighters, six of them, are setting up for a bombing run."
"Forward shields at maximum. Brace for impact."
Alex turned his new ship toward the X-Wing and freighter he saw close by. He glanced at the
Nova Child and was surprised to see that the damage didn't look too bad from the outside.
His com unit blared to life. ~Flight Officer Cross, this is Commander Barkon. Dock your ship in the freighter immediately and we'll get you out of here, I have you
covered.~
Alex blew a breath of relief as he proceeded to align with the freighter for docking procedures.
He didn't fail to notice the Star Destroyer hanging nearby. They probably weren't happy about their buddy being destroyed.
That gave him an idea.
"Commander of the Nova Child, this is Alex Cross of the Rebel Alliance.
I just wanted to say I consider ourselves even. Although you tried to capture me and turn me over to the Empire I have to be fair and admit that you were the one who saved me from the other Star Destroyer and all those TIES.
I couldn't have done it without you. By the way I wish you hadn't taken my droid, it has all the visual records of what happened.
Cross out."
Alex burst out laughing as he docked inside the freighter's hangar. He didn't know what the relationship was with the
Nova Child and the Empire but he hoped that maybe that little comment got him in trouble.
Probably didn't but one could hope.
As his craft touched the floor of the hanger a voice came on his radio. ~Flight Officer Cross.
Welcome aboard, stay inside your ship for a little while longer as we are heading to
hyperspace.~
No sooner did the message end when Alex felt the ship lurch and knew that they had hit lightspeed.
He was looking forward to meeting Commander Barkon and then a refresher unit and bed.
When Rek reached the bridge still dressed in full combat uniform he saw Commander Leise and said, "I'm extremely sorry about this sir. But........"
"Would you explain this?" Leise cut him off and gestured to the comboard. Flight Officer Cross's voice said:
~Commander of the Nova Child, this is Alex Cross of the Rebel Alliance. I just wanted to say I consider ourselves even. Although you tried to capture me and turn me over to the Empire I have to be fair and admit that you were the one who saved me from the other Star Destroyer and all those TIES. I couldn't have done it without you. By the way I wish you hadn't taken my droid, it has all the visual records of what happened. Cross out.~
"You don't actually believe what he said?" with as much disbelief in his voice as possible when he was angry, "I mean he is a gloating Rebel."
"Well we will see about that." He turned to a stormtrooper and said, "Bring that droid up here at once!"
"Yes sir" the stormtrooper talked into his comlink and then said, "It appears that the droid and the X-Wing were completely demolished after the explosion by a falling support grid. Its fuel cells ignited and it blew up."
"You seem to be a very lucky man Lavaran."
"Thank you."
"I will be shuttling back to the Blackfire and sending a repair team over to help with the damage control." And with that he turned and walked off the bridge. Rek sent a guard with him, but they were turned away by the stormtroopers.
"What's our current state?" he asked an Ensign.
"We have lost two sublight engines and the hyperdrive. There has been heavy damage to the hanger bay and we have lost 12 people."
"Well I guess it could be worse. Get all the repairs done as fast as you can.
And keep and eye on that repair team he's sending over. Call me in a hour.
I'll be in my quarters." In his quarters he took off his armor and extra weapons.
Then he began thinking of what he was going to say to his Lord Domino de Devastator.
He sat down but was too tired. He could compose his speech later couldn't he.
Besides a little rest would be good.
#####
"You WHAT?"
Commander Leise flinched. "Sir, I told him we'd be sending a repair crew over to the Nova Child promptly."
"And you left your troopers over there! I believe you have made an error
in judgment, commander. This could have turned out bad, but I will fix it
before disaster strikes. First, we extract our men from the Nova
Child, then we order her support craft to stand down and prepare for boarding action."
Captain Vreldt was white hot with anger, but he fought to control himself.
"Rebel or not, we can't take the accusations of Flight Officer Cross lightly.
The
allegations will have to be investigated thoroughly. Imperial star Destroyers Black
Belt and Adamant are due to arrive here at any moment to help tow Lavaran's
vehicles to our nearest spacedock. That Nebulon-B will get its repairs there."
"As for Lavaran," he concluded, "The Dark Lord has a desire to meet with him.
It seems the pirate captain has an
appointment with destiny."
The shuttle landed in the hangar of Domino's palace. 'This is like no hangar I've ever seen. It makes the landing bays in Celanon's spaceports look like Mos Eisley.'
Benoah could tell Alia was in awe. "Quite a place, don't you think?"
"It's okay, I suppose." Alia tried to sound casual.
Rayla could hardly contain the laughter. "You don't need to hide it from us. We had our first time on Deominia at one point in our lives as well." she turned to look at Alia as she pressed the switch to open the boarding hatch. "Lord de Devastator will be meeting us here in the hangar. He is quite anxious to meet you."
Alia conjured every last drop of sarcasm she had and replied, "Great. I can't wait to meet
him too."
As they walked down the ramp, she saw him. She saw him and knew why they called him the
Dark Lord. From 20 meters away his evil reached out to her, and yet she
did not feel repulsed by him but compelled to draw near.
He threw back his cloak and walked toward them. Rayla met him first and practically fell
into his arms.
"My servant. So good to have you home. I trust Marquis played the part well."
Marquis pulled the opaque contacts from her eyes as Rayla replied. "I taught her everything she knows, my Lord." Smiling, Rayla gestured to Benoah. "Alia, the woman you knew as Benoah is truly my associate, Marquis. She is not blind, but she sure is one fantastic disguise artist."
From the look on Alia's face, they could tell she was not amused. Domino raised his hands in a gesture of mock-supplication. "Do not be too angry with us. It is a trick such as this that will lead your father from your trail."
"What do you mean?" Alia demanded.
Domino offered her his hand as he looked at Rayla. "I decided to wait for dinner until your arrival." He turned to Alia, still holding his hand out to her, "Join me at my dinner table. All will be made known to you soon."
Two Gamma-class shuttles entered the hangar again and stormtroopers flooded the Nova Child. Rek grabbed his comlink as it squawked at him. "This is Lavaran."
~Sir, stormtroopers have begun placing our men under arrest...we weren't prepared to repel them when....~
Rek didn't even let him finish as he began to pull on his armor once more. Suddenly a voice started to talk on his comlink.
~Lavaran.~ It sounded Imperial.
Rek picked it up, almost unwillingly. "This... is Lavaran."
~Lavaran, this is Captain Vreldt of the Imperial Star Destroyer Blackfire. I apologize, but I must take you, your men, and your ships into custody. Your men will be taken to the Imperial shipyards at ORD Trasi. You are going to meet with Lord de Devastator.~
Rek Lavaran was furious. "What will become of my ships and men?"
~Your ships will receive repairs. Your men will be detained until after you have met with the Dark Lord. That rebel starfighter pilot made some serious accusations against you, and Domino de Devastator will want a moment of your time to check out the truth of it.~
Alia looked from Domino's hand to Rayla's much-too-amused grin to Marquis rubbing
her eyes wearily and decided then that if this was what it took, then it wouldn't be nearly
as dreadful as she had imagined it to be. 'At least the food will be better here that the
Academy,' she thought, resigning herself to the outcome of one stupid choice after
another.
She sighed and stepped up to Domino's side. "Thank you for your generosity,
Lord de Devastator," she said quietly without a hint of sarcasm. "I would
appreciate an explanation as to why you showed so much interest in me. A man of your power would
most certainly have more important things on his mind."
She saw confused
glances being exchanged between Rayla and Ben... 'No, Alia,' she told herself,
'Marquis!' The Dark Lord's agents looked at each other
questioningly and then at Alia 'I'm sorry ladies,' she
thought, taking Domino's proffered arm. 'I'm not a Sithspawn all the time.
I know
you two miss that already.'
"Tyne, look, snap out of it. So we lost the guy, we'll be fine."
"I don't think we're going to find what we're looking for, Staven."
Staven pulled his feet off of the console and turned to glare at his cousin. "What do you mean, we're not going to find it? What are we going to find? Nothing?"
"I think so. Look just put us into some semi-deserted system."
"So we can do what? Rot?"
"No," Tyne rubbed his temples. "I need to think."
"I need to think. We're wasting away out here and you want to think? About what?!"
"What to do with your dead body if you don't get us somewhere now!" Staven sat a little straighter and started punching data into the navicomputer, muttering something about ungrateful family members.
Marr quietly followed the two out of the hangar, setting the security as he left his ship.
He did his best 'silent, grim bounty hunter' impression, more because he didn't know what to say than anything else.
The two leading him were probably favored lackeys: their titles evidenced that.
Marr was interested in talking to de Devastator himself. He wasn't quite sure what he'd say, yet, of course.
He'd probably come up with something at the last minute, and he could always try to fake it.
How could he get some sort of profit out of this mess, when the Sith Lord was obviously very interested in the Trynyty girl?
Marr took note of his surroundings:
he'd never been to this planet before, that was certain. In fact, he'd never heard of a planet like this before.
To one slightly less traveled, the palace itself would be breathtaking, let alone the rest of the facilities.
The military on the base were highly trained, better than standard Imp fare.
Marr knew he'd have to keep on his toes if he was going to get out of here with his skin intact, let alone credits in his account.
~Well done, Captain DeLumar. I am pleased with your execution of your task. It was more fruitful than I had anticipated.~
"Thank you, Grand Admiral. I am pleased to be of service. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Karin was outwardly cool, and her insides weren't very nervous either. She knew that she'd done an excellent job with the Rebel incursion, capturing some of the Alliance's best people. She hadn't informed Celchu yet that the X-Wings he'd thought destroyed were in fact tractored harmlessly into the security bays. The pilots were being kept separate for now, and they would be sent on separate shuttles to Thrawn. Meanwhile, Karin had four Rebel X-Wings, which may come in useful in the future.
~No, Captain, not at the moment. Please resume your patrolling duties.~
"Yes, sir." Karin ended the transmission, contacted the bridge with their next destination, and decided to get some sleep.
Neb was not happy. "Tasha, you've been out for days, I'm not just going to leave you!"
"Yes, Neb, you are. I've told you the bare bones of what happened during those days, but I have much to meditate on.
I won't have time for you or anyone else for quite some time now. I'll contact you when I return, but until then you need to stay with your squadron.
They'll need you more in the next few months than I will."*
The invocation of his duty as squadron commander irked Neb, because he couldn't deny his responsibilities. "You'll contact me as soon as you're back in action?" Tashannoc nodded his assent. "Okay then.
Where are you headed?"
"Into the southern forests, where Kolon left me years
ago." He lifted his former Master's lightsaber. "I have some ghosts to bury, as well as some thinking to do.
Your shuttle leaves in an hour, and it will ultimately be going to Kashyyyk.
While you're there, tell my sister I am alright."
"Can do, General."
#####
Bjiatocah wasn't on Kashyyyk, however. Her squad's shuttle was just starting to approach the
Academy on Dantooine for some new field exercises. Some General or another had decided that Bjiatocah's knowledge of Jedi, coming from knowing her brother, would be invaluable in fighting any Dark Jedi that the Emperor would throw at them.
So she and her squad were going to get some Anti-Jedi training, and Luke had agreed to pick a group of students suitable for the task.
Bjiatocah had hoped to have another tactical discussion with Mara Jade as long as she was here, but apparently Jade had just left to help Talon Karrde with some task.
'Just as well,' Bjiatocah decided. She didn't need the distractions.
There were some Jedi who needed to learn that the Force wasn't the only ally worth having.
In the right hands, a bowcaster was a whole lot better.
*Translated from the Wookiee language
Alia sat at Domino's table for dinner, pleasantly surprised to find cordial service and exquisite food bestowed upon her. As she sipped from the cup in front of her, the Dark Lord smiled. "The nectar you drink is juice from the fruit of the Deominian Lampone tree. I thought it better suited to our meeting, as the wine we serve here is somewhat potent." he sipped from his cup. "I presume you would prefer to keep your wits about you."
Alia set her chalice down and nodded. "Forgive me, Lord de Devastator. Your hospitality has been more than expected, and your food is nothing short of amazing, but I need to know this. Why was I brought here and how do you intend to keep me from my father if my pursuer was brought here as well?"
"Fair questions." he replied, then touched a switch on his chair. "Lt Gibron, bring it in."
Domino stood from his chair and moved to the grand fireplace. Turning, he began to speak directly to Alia, oblivious to the presence of anyone else. "Your father and I have been rivals for many long years.
He has never cared for me, nor I for him." He prodded at the fire with a poker and the glow of the flames illuminated him from behind as his appearance became like a demon from some frightening tale. "When last we met, we clashed our sabers and he was successful in providing me with a severe wound across my back."
He paused to expose his back, revealing a faint scar. "Nothing serious, I assure you."
Domino approached the table as a lieutenant entered the room, followed by two men and a small repulsor cart. "It was at that time that I swore to your father that I would stand in his way for all of time.
His goals would never be allowed to come to fruition with me as his vigilant adversary."
Alia stood and moved toward the cart. "The bounty hunter that has been following you will be presented with your corpse." Domino said as he lifted the tarpaulin that covered the top of the cart.
Alia stood in horror as she recognized her own face, the death-glazed eyes looking back at her. The face, however, was all she had time to see as the sight overwhelmed her and she fainted from the shock.
"It is regrettable, Bounty Hunter Marr, that the situation could not be somewhat different." de Devastator said as he covered up the dead body of Alia's clone.
'Perfect. In appearance it is her. There is no way that anyone could prove that this is not the real Alia Trynyty.
Add in the fact that I slashed the life from this clone only minutes before Alia's arrival, and we have the perfect way to fake the death of
Kethren's daughter.
That renegade Sith conjurer will learn the price for opposing me. When Palpatine needed loyal allies, Trynyty thought to carve an empire of his own....'
"Excuse me, Lord de Devastator?"
Domino looked at the source of the voice and realized that Dalon Marr had been speaking to him.
Drawing on the Force, the Dark Lord enhanced his own senses and short term memory to ascertain what Marr had asked.
"Yes, I am fully aware that by bringing back the corpse of your prize you are
ineligible for the full amount of the bounty.
As compensation I would offer you the difference between the dead and the live bounties, plus ten percent for the inconvenience.
The inconvenience I speak of is not just regarding the daughter of Lord Trynyty, but in the fact that I cannot allow you to leave the Deominian region of space under your own power."
Marr seemed about to protest when Domino raised a hand and smiled. "You and your vessel will be transported to the region of space that you met up with the Star Destroyer Domen Majesty.
Then you will be free to go your own way."
Three men stood on the bridge of the Eclipse Star Destroyer Deathwail. They were studying the extended plans of the Imperial war effort. Captain Delsin was obviously more concerned with the Navy's role in the war, though he recognized and respected the Army's role. General Tamar was certainly more dedicated to the aspect of planetary theaters, believing that the Army's ability to take and hold a planet would make the difference of whether the Navy would ultimately continue to exist. Admiral Emago was merely wondering how he got promoted to such a high rank when the two subordinates in his presence were certainly more knowledgeable.
'It is because of my father, Senator Emago from Ralltiir. If these two should begin to suspect that I am not their tactical equal their resentment would be enormous.'
The admiral listened for a while as the two strategists compared notes and discussed details, then he finally broke in.
"A fine idea Captain Delsin. I think we should call in Captain Sergus Lanox and relieve him from his 'pirate patrol' and add him to Theta Battle Group.
His abilities are most certainly being squandered in the outer rim."
"But then," Delsin countered, "Nobody seemed to shed a tear when Grand Admiral Thrawn spent so many years out of circulation in the rim."
Emago shot a mildly angry glare at Delsin and the captain snapped to attention. "Sir, I request the honor of calling Capatin Lanox myself."
"Carry on, Captain Delsin." Admiral Emago replied.
Lord de Devastator's Grand Vizier, Skien Graize sat at the head of the table and struck the gavel against the hard wood surface. Domino had his important meeting with the bounty hunter, Dalon Marr, and could not be bothered by the business that was at hand here today. "This meeting of the Board of Directors of the Galactastar Corporation is now called to order. Grand Vizier Skien Graize, acting Corporate Viceroy in Lord de Devastator's absence, presiding." He turned to the man to his left. "Secretary Maire will now read the minutes of the last meeting."
Twenty minutes later they were finally able to begin discussing fresh items on the agenda. Graize gestured to the nondescript woman at the far end of the table "Engineering Manager Gerrent has a proposal for us to consider."
"Indeed I have. Gentlebeings, research and development, or "R&D," has been working many hard months to harness the abilities of the element known as Virillium.
As you are all aware, the planets of the Deominian sector are rich in resources....."
The engineer spoke for a very long time, but in the end she had said two things of great importance.
The rest of her presentation was twenty-three minutes of verbal padding that they could have done without.
Skien rose from his chair and gestured to the hologram in the center of the table. "As you can all see, Manager Gerrent has given us two items to think about. R&D has developed a revolutionary starfighter with Virillium as a galvanizing agent for the metals used in construction. This M-Wing, as she called it, is the first item up for vote, and as we have seen in the demonstration holograms provided, it is well worth researching."
Graize looked around the room and Secretary Maire stood to conduct the vote. "All in favor of approving further funds for R&D of the M-Wing?"
Thirteen hands ascended to signify approval.
"Opposed?"
Skien stood once again. "As you all know, the corporation has acquired a planet through the graces of our Lord de Devastator for the purpose of creating an R&D and manufacturing center. This item has two issues which need discussion. Director Snyvis."
A wretched looking man stood from his seat and smiled at this fellow board members. His smile was enough to make one wish they had never seen it. "Greetings. The Dark Lord has provided the real estate. Now I believe we will require two more things. First of all, we need to allocate funds to design and build a research and manufacturing facility. This must be a state of the art complex, complete with military style defense, hopefully of Deominian quality, and housing and recreational facilities. Second, we not only need the defensive militia for this R&D planet, we need a 'testbed' group, if you will, to perform field testing of the M-Wing and other items we produce there."
"Forgive me, Director Snyvis," Director Hosax cut in. "You want a militia and a 'testbed?' Couldn't the militia serve as the testbed?" Hosax and Snyvis were long time rivals and they never passed up an opportunity to make the other look bad.
Snyvis didn't even blink. "Certainly that might be a good practice if we aren't interested in keeping our products a secret, but if we elect to utilize our products as defensive units, we risk espionage."
Director Piask slapped his big hand on the table. "I've heard enough. Let's vote."
Piask was one of the senior directors of the company and he had the utmost respect of every being in the room.
All discussions, including the whispered side conversations, were over. It was time for the vote.
Alia awoke what seemed hours later in another room of the palace, head stuffy and thoughts more than a little jumbled up.
She was almost ready to believe that she was living some sort of horrible dream until she opened her eyes onto the grand furnishings and lavish details crowded around her.
'This is just too hard to understand,' she thought, sitting up and shaking her head.
'That was me...or at least a clone. Am I really free of him?'
Alia pulled herself to one of the windows that looked out over the extensive grounds of
House de Devastator. 'Everything down there is so beautiful. Father always preferred fabricated surroundings and dark colors. I expected something like that, I guess.'
Alia caught a glimpse of the starport on the edge of de Devastator's estate and recognized almost immediately the ship of the bounty hunter that had been following her.
It had been slaved to another lifting ship that was most likely traveling to a waiting Capitol ship. She caught the edge of the bounty hunter's presence laced with frustration and disappointment, but still
relatively relieved.
'Can't say I'm sorry to see you leave,' she thought, with a tight smile.
'Can't very truthfully say I'm sorry you didn't get what you came for, either.
I hope the rest of your prey is just as fortunate.'
Footsteps passed her door and Alia just realized the ability to access the Force hadn't disappeared.
She tried the door and found it locked from the outside.
'Just as well, I can't into trouble here.' She returned back to the window in time to see several individuals begin tending the flowering bushes and pruning the trees and let her thoughts wander once more.
'I wonder if Evan will believe I'm really dead. This way his prediction came true, I'll stay away long enough this time to become strong enough to defeat Father.
Please Evan,' she thought, gazing at Deominia's atmosphere, 'don't give up hope for me yet.'
She heard footsteps again and these slowed as they neared her door. 'I guess this is it. I hope I'm ready.'
Neb sat in a small tapcafe, drinking some local beverage. When Tasha had said that he would ultimately arrive at Kashyyyk and rejoin his squad, he hadn't mentioned that there would be a five day layover while the pilot of the freighter that Neb hitched along with did some trading. Apparently, it had something to do with trading and smuggling, which was something that Neb knew very little about, despite his time slumming in Mos Eisley as a youth.
So, Neb had to find some way to keep himself occupied. The planet they were on was known as Corrus II, one of two planets orbiting each other, both habitable by most sentient life. Corrus I was known for its wildlife preserves and luxury accommodations, whereas Corrus II was known for its shipbuilding and repair facilities. The twin planets were themselves in orbit around a binary star system, which gave the whole Corrus system the nickname of 'The Twins." The planets were independent, but friendly to the Rebellion, which made his presence safe here. Besides, Neb doubted that there was even an Imperial bounty on his head, as he'd been careful the last few years to keep his head down. Sure, he didn't have an Imperial warrant like Wedge or Luke, but it beat the hell out of being recognized by every Imp patrol he might run into.
To keep himself occupied, Neb decided to find something relatively useful to do. He'd found the local Rebel consulate, actually a secret back room in someone's business. 'A lawyer,' he thought. Then he'd used his security clearance to download all available information on Alia's disappearance since she'd last been seen on Kashyyyk and Dantooine. Now he was analyzing the data, and enjoying the exotic aftertaste that his beverage left in his mouth.
Then he came across the accounts of Alia's escape from Dantooine, and the ship that had exploded, allowing a smaller ship to go after her. An all new taste entered his mouth, as he recognized descriptions of the smaller ship as that belonging to Dalon Marr, which explained why Tashannoc had thought that he knew the bounty hunter chasing Alia.
Neb set down his datapad and his drink, and stared at nothing, trying to decide who was more dangerous; the woman Alia had left with, or the bounty hunter?
Marr didn't trust Lord de Devastator. Therefore, the first thing he did once he had Alia in his ship was to do a quick genetic scan on her. It checked out against what he had on file, all right. So, what did the girl do that Domino had brought her to this place, only to kill her immediately? It didn't make any sense.
Sense or no, Marr sat patiently, until he was given clearance, then followed the lead ship to the Destroyer waiting for him in orbit. He followed the lead ship so closely and skillfully, that to an untrained observer, it might look like his ship was slaved. However, nobody slaved the Rancor's Maw; not while Marr was alive to prevent it. He docked with the ISD, and waited for the bay doors to open once again and release him into space.
Once again, it seemed to take almost no time at all to return to where he had run into the Destroyer in the first place. He couldn't even remember feeling the acceleration into hyperspace. But they must have made a jump, mustn't they?
As soon as he was off board, he calculated a quick random jump into empty space, then contacted the person who had made the bounty. His transmission was rerouted, and he was given a set of coordinates to rendezvous to drop off the body. Yes, she was dead. Yes, there was nothing to be done to help it, did they want the body or should he jettison it now and save himself the trouble.
After the standard rigmarole, Marr set a course for the rendezvous. Once in hyperspace, he started looking for a nearby planet to get some upgrades on his hull and shields, a worthwhile place to spend some of his credits. After a little bit of searching, he found something perfect. Only a couple dozen light years from where he'd offload the body, a nice quiet planet called Corrus II. Ought to be a nice place to relax after all the excitement he'd had recently.
Kethren Trynyty listened to the message in his office in the dead of night, his best time to conduct any personal business. Actually he listened to the message more than a few times, believing each time that somewhere, somehow there was a miscommunication. But the message was the same.
~Sir, I regret to inform you that the bounty hunter has returned with your daughter's body. He received said corpse from one Sith Lord Domino de Devastator and is dropping off said corpse at pre-set coordinates. Said bounty hunter is requesting his bounty for capture of Siona (aka Alia) Trynyty dead to be deposited in pre-set account. Agent Gamma out, sir.~
Kethren finally delegated the message and leaned back in his chair. 'Domino de Devastator, you made good on your threat, didn't you? You're going to pay for that, my lord. I'll see you...'
"Kethren? You've got to learn to sleep like other people. I flat out refuse to..."
"Do hush, Jadrek. The bounty on my daughter is to be halved and deposited into this account," he said, indicating a nearby datapad.
"Siona's dead? I'm sorry Kethren, truly."
Kethren stood and gazed from his window out into space. "Not as sorry as someone out there is going to be, Jadrek."
#####
Evan Mynoram threw his datapad against the bulkhead and watched it shatter into millions of tiny pieces that he knew would give the cleaning droids fits somewhere in their tiny, wired brains. He threw himself at his computer terminal and accessed and sliced and anything else he could come up with to reach Capt. Aswad Landau, commander of his personal spy network. Considering the late hour, Capt. Landau looked fresh and awake, something Evan had come to expect as normal.
~Sir, you wanted to see me, sir?~
Evan ran his hands through his hair as it stood up on end, giving him the look of a madman. "How long have you known?"
~About Siona, sir?~ Evan nodded and Landau shifted position guiltily. ~Several hours, sir. To speak candidly, sir, we weren't exactly thrilled at the prospects of telling you.~
Evan glared blaster bolts through the image and watched Landau grimace nervously. "Any other details, Captain?"
~No, sir. Everything we sent you is everything we know and not a micron less.~
Evan squeezed his eyes shut. 'I know Siona, she wouldn't give up, not without a fight. Not even against Devin Destrustor or whatever his name is. She wouldn't just let herself be carved up with a lightsaber. It's just a single wound.'
~Are you all right, sir?~
Evan glared back irritably. "No, I'm not all right, sir. I want more men out there looking. This isn't her."
Landau frowned. ~Uh...sir, every genetic detail matches that of Mistress Trynyty, there's no question about it. I'll check the results myself if that would ease your mind.~
"No! That's not her, I know it's not and I'm not going to believe that Siona died quietly with one lightsaber wound! It makes no sense and if you wish to keep your status as the commanding officer of my men, I suggest you follow my orders. I'm not asking for mass murder, I'm asking you to keep with what you are doing, find out all you can and report directly to me."
~And de Devastator, sir?~
'Oh yeah, that was his name.'
"Leave him to Kethren. There's something going on there that I'm not going to bother with, much less interfere with."
~Yes, sir. Landau out.~
Evan leaned back in his chair and stared at the dark ceiling above him. 'It's not all over. It can't be.'
This is a good place to conclude for
now.
The story will continue in the next archiving.
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