Prologue:
The New Republic had been prospering for nearly half a century and a gradual overall peace had settled over the galaxy. As with all good things, it had to end, but no one expected it to end in this way.
Chapter 1
The Mon Calamari Cruiser Spirit of Yavin blew up and everyone on board was killed. Billions upon billions of shocked peope cried out on millions upon millions of worlds. The New Republic's reign of peace was about to be cast into chaos. Leia Organa Solo, Chief of State, was dead along with everyone on that ship. Her husband, Han Solo, Admiral Ackbar, Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, Mon Mothma and hundereds of other officials and senators were amoung the casualties. The government was in ruins. Courscant was in uproar along with hundereds of other worlds. Those few senators and officals who were not on that ship took temporary control of the New Republic and tried to keep things under control. Needless to say, it didn't work. There were too many acusations and arguments amongst themselves for them to actually control things. Those few who ignored all but their work were soon overtired, overworked, and were bending under the stress of the enormous responsiblilties which they had taken on.
Even the Jedi had their work cut out for them. Though Luke Skywalker was not dead, many of their kind were, and it was apparent that Skywalker wasn't going to be alive much longer. All pooled their resources to try to quiet the political upheaval and bring back things to the way they were. It wasn't easy and it wasn't working.
In the midst of all this turmoil, a new threat arose to grab control of the shattered Republic, much like the Empire had done nearly a century ago. The Peace Bringers they called themselves, and with no one to turn to, the people of the former Republic cast their lot in with them, blindly following their lies. Nearly 50 years had gone by before the majority realized that they were being lied too, and it was too late. The Peace Bringers were too powerful to be stopped openly, and so the undergrounds formed and joined together to form a New Rebellion, much as Mon Mothma and the others had done so long ago...
Rae dodged through the strangely deserted alleys of Mos Eliesly, trying to step silently in the blackened night. A chill wept through her; the desert was cold at night. The curfew set by the Peace Makers had long passed, and because of that, Rae was in mortal danger. If a patrol caught her without an official's pass, she would be killed on the spot-- or she would be carted off to be tortured and then killed in front of the entire community as an example.
Where was Cap Starglider? He should have been in view by now… Rae couldn't help but worry. If she didn't warn the spy of the New Rebellion that the Peace Makers had learned about his plan of attack, he would be walking right into a deadly trap that would spell the end for the New Rebellion. He isn't at the storefront! He was caught, he was killed, he's not here! Rae sprinted across the open street to the shadowy alcove that the door to the mechanic's shop rested in. The place was deserted.
Too late, she heard footsteps behind her. Rae struggled, but strong arms held her tight, and a steely hand clamped over her mouth. Rae tried to reach her blaster, but it magically disappeared from her belt. The figure dragged her to a darkened alleyway. A voice murmured in her ear. "Hey! Stop! It's me! Why'd you try to pull your blaster on me! A patrol just passed by two seconds ago! Why'd you dash across the street like that? You could've gotten the both of us killed!"
"Cap!" Rae whirled around to face the roguish spy for the New Rebellion. "You're in terrible danger! I just got news that--"
"Tell me something I don't know! But hurry-- first we have to get out of this place. The patrol will be back any second!"