Tales From The BBS

presents:

Menace Project

By: Menace 64

After the destruction of the Second Death Star, the galaxy was united in celebration. The REBEL ALLIANCE had set up an organization on Coruscant, the core world of the known-galaxy. What was left of the Empire had broken up into bands. A group, named the GALAXY'S BANE, had created a plan to reunite the falling Empire and bring down the New Republic. Soon the Galaxy would be thrown into turmoil and the strength of the New Republic would be put to the test...

Chapter I: Black 1 | Chapter II: Menace Project | Chapter III: Ambush At Juro | Chapter IV: It Begins | Chapter V: A Hero Arises | Chapter VI: Allegiance Falls | Chapter VII: Allies And Enemies | Chapter VIII: Trust Obliterated

Chapter I: Black 1
It was a peaceful day on the planet of Annatine. Suddenly the sound of TIEs piercing through the air raged as 50 bombers and interceptors shot towards the Jyrk Mountain Ranges. "Black Company, this is Imperial Command. Your targets are the colonies deep within the Jyrk Mountain Ranges. Leave no enemy installations standing. Good hunting." Black 1, the lead fighter of this attack, was piloted by the best Imperial in the Galaxy's Bane. After the second Death Star was obliterated, this character came to Galaxy's Bane in search of his destiny, and he found it.
"Imperial Command," the lead pilot announced, "I have a visual of the outlying compounds. All bombers in range begin your Bombing Runs. As for the rest of you, continue on to the colonies." A click from each pilot over the com was relayed back to Black 1, signaling that they understood. The slower, but shielded, bombers released their blue missiles at their designated targets. Explosions fired into the air as they continued their attack. Suddenly turrets burst up from the ground and began pelting the oncoming onslaught. Fighters discharged in mid-air.
"This is Black 1 to Imperial Command. The colony has defenses, we must retreat!"
"Negative, Black 1. Continue with the mission, take out that Field Emitter." At the center of the colony there was an emitter that shielded the nearby planets from the frequent meteor showers. Lead pelted a turret that was shooting down his comrades and ordered his wing mates to do the same. His ship was shaken hard back and forth. The TIE Interceptor began spinning out of control, on a crash course for the rocky surface. He jettisoned from the cockpit and in good time. The TIE exploded before it could crash. He landed and immediately looked around for safe cover until the battle ended. He was shocked to notice what was taking place in the sky above him. Every ship in the air was exploding, plummeting, spinning, and crashing. Inside his mind, he raced to discover why this had suddenly taken place. Then he remembered the Field Emitter. It must have caused this to happen! If it could destroy meteors, then it would have the same effect on fighters as well. The pilot of Black 1 stood up, and quickly found a blaster pistol from a dead soldier. He sprinted through the streets of the settlement and reached the emitter. It was tall and reminded him of the generator that was used on the forest-moon of Endor. He found an entry hatch and blasted the control panel that sealed the door. He kicked it open and noticed a large stair well to his right. He looked up and saw that it was about 10 or so floors up until he would reach some kind of a control room. The pilot reached in his back pocket and pulled out a little cylinder attached to a hook. A grappling hook. Standard equipment was issued to all pilots in case they had to eject over hostile territory. He pointed the tube upward at the ceiling of the stair well and pressed a small black button. The hook shot out and slammed into the ceiling and began to retract, pulling the pilot up at tremendous speeds. When he reached the top, he looked to his left and noticed the end of the stairway and a heavily sealed door. Nothing he couldn't handle. Again, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white orb. As he was secured to the grabbling hook still, he threw the orb at the door and a crackling explosion followed. The door blew inward and he swung from the hook and landed in the doorway. Several technicians and a few guards were all around the room, some sitting at computer terminals. A large window at the left of the control room overlooked the entire compound. They all stood up towards the blown door, and the guards raised their weapons. He leveled his blaster and fired. The guards went down first, then all of the technicians, except for one. This man was sitting in a chair, dazed by all the commotion. "Are you going to kill me?" The man asked the pilot of Black 1. "Not yet. Tell me how to shut down the field emitter."
"It can't just be shut down," He replied, "You have to go through a series of circuits and programs to successfully terminate the-"
"You have one minute." He stared coldly at the technician as he turned pale. "Well, there is a quicker way." The techie said. He swiveled around towards his computer and entered a series of codes. Red sirens popped down from the ceiling and began flashing. He stood up out of his chair and said, "The field Emitter will self-destruct in one minute." Black 1's pilot turned around and started running out of the control room when the surviving technician said, "Take me with you... Err, I mean, I am more use to you as a prisoner, right?" The downed fighter pilot pointed his blaster at him and motioned for him to follow him. They exited the control room and the pilot jumped over the railing of the stairway and caught the wire from the grappling hook. He slid down gracefully and ran out of the complex. The technician looked over the side of the railing, noticing for the first time how high he really was. He stepped back a few feet and lunged out at the wire. He missed with the first hand, and his foot got caught in the wire. He dangled there for a few moments and then untied the rope as he grabbed it by his hands. He held the wire so hard as he slid his hands were a bright red when he finally came to a stop at the bottom. He ran as fast as he could out of the emitter and ducked behind a building as it began to explode.
Chapter II: Menace Project
The Imperial-Class star destroyer Pitfall orbited a lifeless planet far into the Outer Rim. Its massive engines were shut down. Then, a small Piltog War Freighter sped toward the nearby star destroyer. The freighter landed in one of the Pitfall's many docking bays. It was shaped like a Gammal Hiron, but had two heavy blaster cannons mounted on either side of the cockpit. A hatch extended downward from the underside and an armored figure appeared. He was dressed in layers upon layers of armor, all painted black. His helmet fit tightly around his head and a small metallic visor showed a glimpse of his eyes. He looked unarmed, but behind his small cape there were two modified E-12 Blaster Rifles, and an assortment of hunting knives. He carefully turned his head from side to side, taking in his surroundings. In front of him, a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers, the militia force of the old Empire, approached him. They stopped little more than a meter away and they parted into two rows. An Imperial officer came down the middle aisle and stopped directly in front of the newcomer. "Tegarend, welcome to the Pitfall. I am Captain Finrod Felagund." Tegarend gave Felagund a cold, hard stare. Tegarend was a bounty hunter. His past was as fearsome as was his assault tactics. He preferred a gruesome death, not provided by a blaster. Many of the hand weapons he carried were of his own design, but the blasters were only for emergencies. Tegarend did not enjoy being employed by this Imperial faction, and he let Finrod see it.
"Felagund, dismiss with the welcome, I am here to complete my mission, not to chat."
"I see," the captain said, "We have much to discuss, bounty hunter, we have everything-" As quickly as an X-Wing, Tegarend reached behind his cape, drew a knife, and pulled Finrod by the neck. He wrapped his arm around the captain's head and held the knife up to him. Every stormtrooper raised their weapons in unison.
"I would be happy to slit your throat, and at one point I will." Some of the troopers edged closer to the warrior. Tegarend took a glance at them and chuckled, "Pathetic, you need blasters to do away with me. Take one shot at me and he dies." He pointed his head at the captain's direction.
But it was just a show for him. He had already proven his dominance. He released Felagund and allowed him to straighten up his uniform with a gentle tug before saying through his dark helmet, "I just can't let you die now."
"I hope, for your sake that you never try again." The captain turned around and directed his squad away from the bounty hunter. Inside his helmet, Tegarend just had to smile. A few hours later, Captain Felagund walked into a small briefing room. A few other officers were already seated, and he did the same. An admiral sat at the end of the table. He was bald and was in command of the Pitfall. Felagund leaned over the table and said to him, "Admiral, this bounty hunter is dangerous. We don't need him to complete Menace Project."
"That is where you are wrong." The admiral simply stated. Then Tegarend walked into the room and took his seat at the opposite end of the table. He gave a quick glance through his helmet at Felagund. The other officers stared at the bounty hunter with disgusted looks, thinking that bounty hunting is the worst possible occupation in the galaxy.
"Now we can begin," The admiral stood up from his chair and activated a view screen on the wall behind his chair. It displayed a picture of two human males and one female.
"Tegarend, we have employed you to help the Galaxy's Bane complete something we have named Menace Project. Your job is to track down three New Republic officials, and bring them to us, dead or alive. Their names are Jenson Tallatouri, Yurin Ane, and Yodarth. As you are fulfilling your assignment, the Galaxy's Bane will launch a full-scale attack on several Mid Rim planets, creating a diversion for an assault that I am not at liberty to discuss with you." The admiral clicked a small device in his hand and a holo-projector came up from the center of the table. It showed a 3-D map of the Mid Rim planets. Some of those planets were shaded red, the rest were blue. He continued, "The red-highlighted planets are the ones that are to be attacked. We began an assault on Annatine, but they proved to be more resilient than expected. Before you begin your mission, the Galaxy's Bane has another favor to ask of you," Tegarend took in all of this information, and stayed silent, "One of our best pilots was shot down at Annatine, and we believe he is still alive. We would like for you to retrieve him at all costs," He clicked the device again, changing the picture on the wall, "His ship was Black 1, and his name is Mavena."

Back on Annatine, Mavena pushed a pile of rubble and debris off of him and checked for injuries. None. He stood up and began searching for survivors and noticed a hand under a collapsed wall. He pushed it aside and saw the disfigured body of the technician who helped him. He turned away and continued walking. He couldn't die like this! He was Mavena, the best fighter pilot in the Galaxy's Bane. Suddenly a strong gust of wind pulled him off of his feet and he landed a few meters away. He stood up and looked at where it came from. Atop the mountains, a storm approached the destroyed compound. He looked all around him at the mountain range that surrounded him. No where to go. He began running through the compound, trying to find a standing building. He found one. A large chunk was missing from one side, but he entered anyway. "Okay, now I have to find an underground cellar to get away from the storm." He said to himself. Within a minute he found a stairway and he went as far down as he could, right to a dead end. "Well, this will have to do." Mavena sat down in the corner of the dead end as all of the lights went out and he was thrown into pitch-blackness.
Chapter III: Ambush At Juro
Juro, a planet that had been deserted for millennia. Huge ruins from the civilization still existed, though. Recently the New Republic began colonizing the planet and small cities started to appear. A hovertrain sped through a large plain toward the main city, Kimll. Senator Yodarth sat at his seat admiring the view through his window. A slender serving droid approached him and asked, "Would you like something to drink, sir?"
"No thanks." Yodarth replied as the droid diverted his attention to another passenger. The senator looked back to his window and saw a small ship in the distance. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better view of the craft. Suddenly, the ship changed course and sped towards the hovertrain. Yodarth stood up, pointing his finger at the craft and exclaimed, "A ship is heading right for us!" Other occupants of the train looked towards the direction of his hand and they began to panic. A voice filled the passenger compartment.
"This is your captain speaking. An unidentified object is on a collision course with the train. Brace for impact!" Everyone grabbed hold of the rails alongside the train. Yodarth saw two missiles appear from the craft and an explosion followed. The train was blown clear of it's tracks. The senator looked ahead of him and saw a young human mother holding her daughter tight. Fire exploded from the cockpit, consuming the small family and other people. Screams and shouts were all Yodarth could here as the train hit hard ground and his eyes went black.

The small ship began its ascent away from Juro. It was a sleek craft, with missile launchers and laser cannons mounted on all sides. It was painted black. The pilot inside jerked the joystick hard to the left, preparing for another attack on the hovertrain. He switched to manual fire-control as the train came into view. Some of the carts were separated, and others were not to be found. The pilot fired two concussion missiles toward the wreckage. Huge explosions filled the area. This time, the craft left and began orbiting the planet. As the starship traveled around Juro, the pilot left the cockpit. He walked down a small, winding corridor until he came to a metal door. He approached as it slid open and sat down at a small table. Next to the round table were a cot and a slender closet. The man responsible for the attack at Juro clicked a small button on the back of his helmet, releasing it. He took it off and the helmet was replaced by the face of Finrod Felagund.

Back at what was left of the train sparks and fire plagued the area. The whole train had been destroyed, and no moans or screaming could be heard. A large slab of durasteel was suddenly raised up and tossed aside. Yodarth clambered up and got his bearings. He was having a hard time hearing. The senator felt a sharp pain in his forehead. He brought his hand to it and noticed a large slash there. Blood was dripping from his mouth and nose. Yodarth tried walking around, but collapsed. He lied on the rubble and wondered, who would do such a thing? Yodarth looked around and found no other survivors. I have to get out of here, before that ship returns. He slowly stood up, and began steadily walking away. He began walking towards the small city named Beld. He reached the end of the valley and stood before a decent-sized hill. In his condition he would never make it far, and he knew that. Yodarth stood and looked at the hill for a moment, then began his hike towards Beld.
Chapter IV: It Begins
An Imperial fleet approached Annatine. Star Destroyers of every model surrounded the small planet. But one starship dwarfed them all. It slowly advanced towards Annatine. Control towers and docking bays covered the hull of the monstrous cruiser. It had the same color as an Imperial Star Destroyer, but the make was entirely different. The ship looked like half of a large sphere, with a large hole going through the mid-section of the cruiser. Onboard, Grand Admiral Fram Framson, the leader of the Galaxy's Bane, stood next to Lieutenant Cabbage on the bridge. "Lieutenant," The Admiral said as Cabbage snapped to attention. "What is the readout on the Ionic Charger?" Cabbage checked a viewscreen to his left, then answered the Admiral. "The charger is at full operating status."
"Good. You may fire when ready."
"Yes, sir." The Lieutenant pointed his finger towards an officer in the pit of the bridge. The officer flipped several switches and the ship began to slowly rumble. A bright-blue beam shot out of the hole in the middle of the ship towards Annatine. As it collided with the planet, a shock wave spewed out in every direction.

On planet, the shock wave fried all of the mechanical circuitry and technology. Entire spaceports, building complexes, and speeders exploded simultaneously. From orbit, the devastation was clearly visible. Fireballs shot towards the atmosphere everywhere.

After several minutes, the lieutenant spoke up. "Successful elimination, sir." Cabbage said after looking at a read-out screen. "Not one technological signature appears on the planet."
"Good job, Lieutenant." The Admiral turned and walked away to his quarters.

Later, on the Star Destroyer Vengeance Hammer, Grand Admiral Framson and Lieutenant Cabbage walked into a large briefing room. The other participants were already seated.
"As you already know," Framson started as the lieutenant took his seat. "The Menacer has completed it's first assignment." A holoprojector in the middle of the table came up and showed an image of Annatine.
"The Ionic Charger, mounted at the center of the Menacer, obliterated all mechanical technology on the planet of Annatine." The display of the planet suddenly was swallowed by a blue shock wave, a representation of what happened. A captain seated away from Framson spoke up, "It is a pity that we couldn't save Corporal Mavena, he was one of our best pilots."
"I would watch your words before you speak," The grand admiral said. He raised a comlink to his mouth and whispered something to it. Suddenly a bounty hunter walked into the room. "Gentlemen, I would like you to meet Tegarend, a bounty hunter. He rescued Mavena, who is now recovering."
"A bounty hunter!" The captain yelped as he stood up. "They can't be trusted! We could have dispatched a transport to pick our pilot up."
"Captain, can you not think on your own? If we sent an Imperial craft to pick up our man, we surely would have been noticed. A bounty hunter is much more discrete. Now sit down." The captain did as he was told.
"Tegarend," Framson said, changing his attention to him. "Did you eliminate Senator Yodarth?"
"I was about to, but someone else hit him before I could. Either way, he's gone."
"Good. What is the status on the other senators, Jenson Tallatouri and Yurin Ane?" The grand admiral asked. "I have yet the begin with them. I have pinpointed Ane's position, but Tallatouri's is most peculiar."
"How so?" By now everyone's attention was diverted to the bounty hunter standing in the doorway and the admiral.
"It's the location that is strange... Tallatouri is on this ship."

Alarms blasted throughout the Vengeance Hammer and Imperial Stormtroopers flooded the hallways. Tegarend walked around, with 15 or 20 troopers following close behind him. The bounty hunter had a small device in his hand, which would bleep every now and then. He turned and faced a door to a sleeping quarter. "Here." He drew a short-range blaster from a holster and signaled the stormtroopers with it. They began picketing the door panel with blaster fire until it finally blew inward. In a small corner of the dimmed room sat a slender man at a computer terminal. Tegarend walked in and stated, "Jenson Tallatouri, I was hoping for a hunt. Why did you have to fall in my lap?"

Interrogation rooms. The sound of screams and pain were common place here. Inside Jenson sat as Tegarend loomed over him. The bounty hunter slashed the senator across the face with one of his knives. Blood dripped from the wound. Later Tegarend exited the room and found Finrod Felagund waiting outside. "Well, bounty hunter, what information did you extract from our senator before spilling all of his blood onto the floor?" "A spy." Tegarend said. Finrod didn't understand the statement. "What?" He asked.
"Jenson Tallatouri is a spy for the Yussod Allegiance. He was filed with all identification of a senator, all of which forged. He was then sent here to monitor the Galaxy's Bane's movements."
"How could a spy get onto an Imperial starship?"
"More forgeries, you overgrown Womp Rat." Tegarend replied. He quickly walked away from the captain, who said to himself, "You will get yours, bounty hunter." Then he turned and left to speak with his superiors.
Chapter V: A Hero Arises
Yodarth was limping. His left leg was going limp and it was difficult for him to hear. He had been walking through a large valley for the last two hours and had just reached a tree. Yodarth slowly sat on a rock next to the small tree. Suddenly he noticed the searing heat coming from the star overhead. His only refuge was the shade provided by the tree, and he knew that wouldn't be enough. Yodarth's leg began pulsating with pain as he slid off the rock. I must reach Beld. His eyes went dark and his mind faded.

Yodarth's eyes slowly opened, as he saw a face of an attractive young woman rubbing his forehead. "So, you're awake." Yodarth's head was spinning, but he answered. "Where am I?"
"The Central Hospital of Beld. I am Confin Fantry. You don't know me. I was out in the valley and saw you collapse. I brought you here."
"I can't feel my leg." Was all Yodarth could manage to say. "Yes; the doctors said you suffered a concussion and a broken leg. Nothing a good swim in a Bacta Tank couldn't fix. What happened?" Immediately Yodarth's eyes shot wide open as he blurted out, "You mean no one knows?"
"Knows what?"
"There was an attack on a hovertrain near Asammar City,"
"An attack?" Confin said to herself. Yodarth continued, "A small freighter, I think Piltog-Class, fired upon the train. I am the only survivor. I must notify the military."
"I can. You stay here and rest."
"You know the hospital can't keep me here for long." Yodarth stated as Confin stood. "Have a Bacta bath, rest, then join up with me at the Military Complex. Okay?"
"Yeah. Sure."

Later, after Yodarth had healed, he was at the front desk of the hospital. He was given clean clothing and was talking to a secretary.
"So am I free to leave?" He asked. "Did your Bacta Cleansing go well?" The secretary asked. "Without a hitch. So..." Yodarth said, as he tried to speed up the conversation. "Yes. You are free to leave. Have a nice day." He swiveled around on his ankle and walked towards the main lobby doors. They opened with a faint hush and suddenly the sun's light poured down onto him. He took a moment to look around, then started on his way. Yodarth knew where the Military Complex was. He had visited it when he first arrived. In a matter of minutes he was walking through the very large corridors of the complex, searching for Confin Fantry. He didn't have much trouble locating her, though. She was talking to two generals, who were deeply attuned to what it was she was saying.
"Ah, here is Senator Yodarth now. Senator, could you please explain to Generals Wampa Dan and Jurido what is you witnessed?" Yodarth didn't know how Confin knew he was a senator, but he would find out later. Yodarth looked at Wampa Dan, and was shocked. He was a large wampa with bushy-white hair. A wampa!? What is this galaxy coming to when a wampa can be a general?
"Yes. Generals, there has been an attack on a hovertrain which was en route to Asammar City, from Beld. A small Prowler-Class Freighter fired a total of four concussion missiles directly at the train."
"Are you sure it wasn't aiming for something else?" General Wampa Dan asked.
"No, the train was heading through a remote valley at the time; no settlements. I was the only survivor. I remember the location. If you can arrange for an escort, I can show you."
"Why would you want an escort?" Jurido asked. "Because that train was a civilian transport," Yodarth said, "Most likely, that assassin was aiming for me."

A small caravan of speeders and defense fighters raced towards the crash sight. Yodarth, Confin, and the Generals were riding in an armored speeder. The caravan crossed over a hill and then saw the destruction. Small fires were still burning, wreckage was spewed everywhere throughout the valley, and dead bodies were picketed all over.
"Oh my." Was all the large wampa said as he saw it. The speeders came to a stop and the medics and officers, Yodarth and Confin included, clambered out of them. Large droids began removing the wreckage, and the medics began searching for survivors.
"Whoever is responsible for this will pay." Wampa Dan said as he slammed his fist into his clawed hand. "I know that Prowler engines are very different from normal ones. If I find the right ship, I should be able to track the assassin down." Yodarth said to the general.
"If you believe you can find him, just request what you need and I will supply you with it. Anyone from the New Republic is someone I can trust."

"Thank you. I'd like to help clean this up, but then I will track him down."
"I'm gonna come with you," Confin said as she tore her eyes away from the carnage. "You're going to need my help." Yodarth didn't argue, because he knew it was true.

The next day, Confin and Yodarth were making upgrades to a small starship named the First Thorn. They were shocked when Wampa Dan came stomping into the docking bay, wearing a small leather pouch around his right arm. "Hello, friends." He said as he came before them.
"General Dan, what are you doing here?" Confin asked curiously. "I grow tired of staying on-planet. I would like to join you."
"But General-" Yodarth started. "Please, call me Wampa Dan. I am on vacation. When will we be leaving?"
"Actually, Confin and I just finished. Come aboard." Yodarth said as the entered the Thorn. Soon they were space-born and quickly turned on the scanners. "The modified scanning equipment is designed to identify the Prowler's engine waste. From what I can tell, it left for the planet Kirrag II; about 3 parsecs away from here."
"Never heard of it." Confin said.
"It's in the Outer Rim. Not much there really. Wait a second... If I remember correctly, Kirrag II is where they design and launch Prowler-Class starships. This could be much more difficult than anticipated. Hang on."
The ship hurled into hyperspace, and deep into adventure.

Chapter VI: Allegiance Falls
The Imperial armada was in deep space. Grand Admiral Fram Framson was currently onboard the Menacer, along with other admirals from other star destroyers. Framson was briefing them on the next planetary attack.
"The New Republic has not yet received word on our assault at Annatine," He began, "And, if everything goes to plan, the next attack will be just as silent. We cannot begin until Yurin Ane is eliminated. Senators Yodarth and Tallatouri were excellent at getting information, as well as Ane. If any are not captured, or killed, when we start the next attack, the New Republic will surely notice. You already have your orders, dismissed." The group of admirals stood and exited the room and Framson finally sat down.

But there was a problem; the Vengeance Hammer had a bug. The same, sleek craft from Juro had attached to the star destroyer's hull. Onboard, Finrod was standing before a small hatchway, which separated him from space. He pushed a release mechanism and was pulled into space. His thick armor protected him from the deadly void, and the small jetpack propelled Finrod towards the massive star destroyer. When he was about 10 meters away from the monstrous hull, he pulled a thermal detonator from his belt. Finrod activated it and hurled it at the star destroyer in front of him. The sphere collided and exploded violently, which sent Finrod tumbling over backwards. His leveled himself out and looked at where he had thrown the bomb. An opening had appeared and Finrod slid through. As soon as Finrod had got inside the star destroyer, blast doors all around him began to close. The vacuum of space had to be blocked. Finrod leaped under the large barrier just as it shut behind him. Repair teams would reach the scene soon, so Finrod sprinted away. He knew exactly where he was going. Tallatouri's quarters. Soon he was there and took notice of the wrecked entrance. They got to him first. No matter. He rushed into the room and stood before the same computer terminal that Tallatouri was working at before being captured. Finrod inserted a disk into the computer, and everything downloaded onto it. He took it out, and placed the disk into his belt. He heard some people running by the room, so he found refugee behind the desk. As soon as they were gone, Finrod stood and exited the quarters. He looked to his right and noticed Lieutenant Cabbage staring at him. "Who- What?" Cabbage stuttered as Finrod raised his blaster.
"I'm sorry, old friend." He fired the blaster, which impacted Cabbage in the forehead. Finrod turned away and ran back towards the breach he had made. Sure enough, repair teams were already on the scene, beginning to install durasteel plates over the hole. Finrod leveled his pistol again and began firing. They all fell helplessly to the floor. Finrod activated his jetpack and raced out of the star destroyer. He entered his ship and sealed the hatch. Felagund ran to the cockpit and started the engines. He moved the craft away from the Vengeance Hammer, but turned back. He armed his missile launchers.

"Commander, with that hull breach, our shields are down!" A lieutenant said to his superior on board the crippled star destroyer. "I know, lieutenant."
"Commander, look!" All of the officers on the bridge looked at the screen as two missiles headed right for them.

Felagund's craft moved away from the ship as it was consumed by explosions. He jumped into hyperspace, leaving the fleet to wonder what happened. Hours later, he brought his Prowler out of hyperspace and sped towards a volcanic planet. There was a small, orbiting city looming over the massive volcanoes, all spewing molten rock. Finrod brought his ship down onto a docking platform and exited it. Two humans were waiting for him. One was Yurin Ane, and another was someone Finrod had never seen before.
"How's the Talon holding up?" Yurin asked about Finrod's ship. "Good." Felagund stared at the new face.
"Oh, Finrod Felagund, meet Franker Ottweiler." Finrod gave him a quick look, then stared back at Yurin. "Oh, you don't know," She said. "Know what?"
"He is the newly appointed Chief of the Yussod Allegiance."
"What happened to Chief Nirvak?" Finrod asked them. "A bounty hunter killed him," Yurin began; she directed her arm towards the entrance to the floating city, and they began walking.
"He was murdered in his sleep at a science facility on Fest. Some people remember seeing a human draped in dark armor leaving the scene." The three entered a turbolift. "Did anyone see the ship that the bounty hunter escaped in?" Felagund asked as the turbolift doors shut. Franker stood silent.
"No. It happened too fast. Sorry." Yurin stared at the mask that hid Finrod's face. "Don't worry," He said, "I will discover the assassin, and when I do, I will bring him to his knees."

The First Thorn sped through hyperspace. Confin and Yodarth were in the cramped mess hall, eating a small dinner. "So, Yodarth, what will we do next once we reach Kirrag II?"
"Well," Yodarth started, "First... Actually, I have no idea."
"Oh, that's real helpful." Confin said sarcastically as she continued eating. Wampa Dan entered the room and, with some luck, found a large chair to accommodate his Wampa-sized body.
"What's for dinner, friends?" He asked. Yodarth looked at him and said, "Fried Tauntaun, go help yourself." A large jolt shook the Thorn from stem to stern. "What was that?" Confin asked.
"I don't know, but I'm about to find out." The senator said as he jumped out of his seat and ran to the cockpit. The Wampa and Confin were close behind. "Scanners show that a Prowler-Class Freighter got real close to us."
"How close?" Dan asked. "Three meters. Look out!" Another Prowler was heading straight for them. Yodarth made a flashy maneuver, barely avoiding the speedy freighter.
"What is this!?" Confin screamed. "We're close to Kirrag II."
"But why are they getting so close to us?" Confin asked. "Their scanning equipment must not be able to pick up a ship this small. It's going to get a lot worse as we get closer to the planet. Brace yourselves."
Chapter VII: Allies And Enemies
"Damon Officer Rybo, there is an erratic frequency being picked up in Section 10-12, unidentifiable."
"Track it. Send out all General Landing Codes and order dock in Barrel Bay 2." Rybo turned to the large window and stared up at the dark, star-filled sky. He looked to where his subordinate's coordinates were, and he saw a small striking light of fire.
"Terminal Computer, magnify section 10-12, twenty times." Suddenly the large window began clicking, and it seemed to pull Rybo towards the small craft. The window had magnified the section and he was now staring at the hull of the First Thorn.
"It is a ship. But it is extremely small in size. Is the craft complying with our landing orders?"
"Yes, Damon, it is. Craft is moving to Barrel Bay 2 and is slowing speed." He replied. "Good. I will meet them there. Have a squad of Third Troopers secure the bay."

The First Thorn began its decent towards the designated area. "Do you know what you're doing?" Confin asked to Yodarth. "Of course I do, they want us to land in that docking bay over there," He pointed towards a long building in the distance.
"But what if they aren't friendly?" Wampa Dan asked from his passenger seat.
"Well then we're going to have to get out of here pretty fast," Yodarth brought the Thorn down, and into the oddly designed docking bay. "Just make sure you"re carrying a weapon, just in case." The three exited the ship, and saw the squad of troops surrounding the ship. Rybo was standing in front of the platoon. "I am Damon Officer Rybo 58. You are..."
"I am Senator Yodarth, from Coruscant."
"Ah yes, I have heard of this planet. Coruscant is advanced, yes?"
"Extremely." Yodarth replied. He turned to Confin. "Oh, I forgot," She stuttered, "I'm Confin Fantry from Juro."
"And I am Wampa Dan, from the Inviting Caves of Ice Plains on Hoth." Dan bellowed as he patted his stomach.
"Now, with welcomings aside, may I ask why you are here? It is of importance, I guess, for you were almost killed on your approach..."
"Yes, it is very important," Confin began.
"Please tell on the way to your quarters." Rybo stated. The small group started walking through the streets of the city Palandros, as Rybo called it. The Third Troopers were close behind. Confin, Dan, and Yodarth explained to Rybo why they had come to Kirrag II, in search for the Prowler-Class Freighter that had attacked Yodarth on Juro. Rybo stopped at a large, silver door and the others did the same. Rybo pressed the door with his thumb, and it shot upward into the wall above, and he walked in. The room was a huge suite, with paintings on all walls, a second floor, and a fountain at the center. There was a cooking area and there were separate rooms for all three guests.
"Wow..." Dan said as he looked at the large selection of meat in the eating area. He quickly found himself walking over to it. Yodarth and Confin turned to Rybo, "Thank you, Damon Officer. We are exhausted from our trip. May we start our investigation tomorrow?"
"Why certainly. I am anxious to see what turns up. I hope the night brings rest to you." They entered the room and shut the door.

Fest's only facility left was the one mentioned by Yurin Ane a few days ago. Finrod said to himself as he exited the Talon and began walking to the facility, which was about 50 meters away. My time here will be short. He entered and saw a scientist with a grim look on his face. "Finrod Felagund, I am the Chief Doctor. Please enjoy your stay."
"I won't be here for long. Where is your docking bay?"
"This way." The doctor turned and walked away. He stopped at a large hatch at the end of a hallway. A small slit of transparesteel revealed the harsh environment of Fest on the other side. "We haven't constructed an interior landing platform yet, and we haven't had many visitors, so we didn't think it was necessary-"
"You talk too much." Finrod said. The scientist turned and quickly walked away. Finrod opened the large door and walked outside and onto the docking bay. He saw some dark lines on the platform, and got down on his knees to take a closer look. He took a small vile out of a pocket and scooped up some of the ash. He stood again, and walked back inside. Another scientist was awaiting his return. "What happened to the other guy?" Finrod asked.
"Well, he gets nervous sometimes... Do you need anything?"
"Yes, a terminal that can examine dust and ash particles." Finrod said. "Oh, right this way." Soon Finrod was sitting at a desk, watching the computer analyze the debris left from the bounty hunter that killed Chief Nirvak. A small box appeared on the screen that said, "POSITIVE SPACECRAFT FOUND: PILTOG WAR FREIGHTER" Finrod Felagund jumped back out of his seat, which he then hurled at the wall. He lifted the computer terminal and smashed it into the ground. He sprinted out of the facility and ran to the Talon. He got onboard, and powered his engines. As the ship rose out of Fest's atmosphere, Finrod said aloud, "Tegarend."
Chapter VIII: Trust Obliterated
Damon Officer Rybo stood before the visitor's room. He knocked on the door, and soon Confin answered by opening it.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. Thank you for your hospitality. We're almost ready to begin the investigation." She replied. "That is good to hear." He turned around and stood by the door. A few minutes passed, then Yodarth, Dan, and Confin all exited the room. "Good morning, Damon Officer."
"Indeed." Rybo replied. "What?" Yodarth asked, bewildered. "It is indeed a good morning. Please follow me." They began walking until Rybo stopped at a small passageway. Confin looked up and saw a sign written in Basic that said, "Vader is Back".
"Yodarth, look!" She said as she pointed at the eerie sign. Yodarth took a glimpse at it, then drew his blaster.
"It isn't what you think." A voice from behind the group said. They turned and saw a young woman standing before them, arms behind her back. "What does it mean, Vader is back?" Dan asked.
"My name is Vaderis. The sign is programmed to tell where I am in the complex. I am back. My parents loved the Empire, and they wanted my name to have the title of the Dark Lord of the Sith in it. Charming, isn't it?"
"Ya," Yodarth said as he turned back to Rybo, who hadn't moved an inch. "What are we doing here?"
"Lady Vaderis will be overseeing the investigation."
"Are we free to begin?" Confin asked. "Of course, please excuse me." Rybo walked away. "So," Vaderis asked, "Where should we begin?"
Yodarth answered, "We need to see which ships landed here three days ago." Vaderis raised her arm, motioning to follow her, "Right this way."

The four investigators were seating in a row behind a desk. A large screen covered the wall across from them. "Display all recorded landings starting from 72 hours ago." Vaderis said the wall. It showed a list of hundreds of ships that had landed on Kirrag II in the past 3 days.
"792 matches found." The computer said.
"This is too broad," Confin said. Yodarth took in what she stated, then said to the screen, "Display all recorded landings of Prowler-class Freighters in the past 73 hours."
"4 matches found."
"Wow... Why are there only four?" Wampa Dan asked Vaderis. "We ship Prowlers," She started, "It isn't often that they land here. The only time that they would is if the ship was defective during takeoff."
"Does your security network scan incoming ships for damage before allowing them to land?"
"Well yes," She said, "It is an automatic procedure."
"Does it scan the defective Prowlers as well?"
"I don't see why it wouldn't. Why do you ask?" She replied to Yodarth. He stood and faced the wall screen, "Display all landings of undamaged Prowler-class Freighters in the past 72 hours."
"One match found. Request file information on Single Match?"
"Yes." Vaderis said curiously. A file came up with a picture of a Prowler and a list of information to the side. The ship had blaster cannons and other weapons attached to the hull of the ship.
"Does that kind of weaponry come standard?" Confin asked. "Never," Vaderis said in disbelieve. "We must speak with Damon Officer Rybo about this."

They began walking again, this time towards Rybo's office. Soon enough they were there, and Rybo let them in. "Do sit down," He said politely. "How is your investigation coming along?"
"It is almost over. We have found the ship that attacked Juro, but have yet to identify the pilot. Hopefully you can help." Vaderis said kindly. Under Rybo's desk, he flipped a small switch.
"Oh, of course. What is it you want to know?" He asked. Yodarth cut in, "Did you give clearance for a heavily modified Prowler to land here 3 days ago?" Suddenly the door slammed open, and four men armed with blaster rifles entered. "Place them under arrest." Rybo said, changing personalities in a snap. "We trusted you!" Confin yelled.
"Trust," Rybo stated, "A foolish thing, this trust is. You put the safety of your very being into someone that you barely know. Trust is for the weak, the insecure. You are weak."
"Vaderis? Did you know!?" Yodarth asked. She shook her head from side to side as she said, "I trusted him too." Yodarth turned to Dan and bobbed his head towards the guards. Dan slowly nodded. He lunged at them with all his might, bashing and hurling them against the walls of the small room. He roared and shouted as the guards flew left and right. He cornered one, and ripped an arm right off him. Another man was thrown down into the desk, shattering it. Rybo got slammed in the face during the crossfire, rendering him unconscious. Soon all who were left standing were Confin, Yodarth, Vaderis, and the enraged Wampa. "Good job, Dan."
"Thanks." They took the blasters and exited the office. "We have to get outta here!" Confin exclaimed. "No. We can't leave until we find out who belongs to that ship."
"This way." Vaderis said as she began to sprint down a hallway. They finally caught up with her in a room filled with terminals. "Jeez-You're-Fast." Confin said between deep breaths.
"I'm hacking into the mainframe computers, which I had tracking Rybo for the past few weeks."
"Huh?" Yodarth asked. "I had my worries about him for a while, so I decided to monitor his activities. Ah, here it is." They peered into the screen, which showed Rybo talking with an armored figure. Rybo began the conversation, "Welcome, Captain Finrod Felagund."
"It's just Finrod now, no captain." He said back. "You mean you aren't with the Galaxy's Bane anymore?"
"That is none of your concern. I just need refueling. I am currently on the run."
"I would be happy to oblige. Just tell me one thing," Rybo said. "And that is?" Finrod replied. "Do you know if the Galaxy's Bane will be unleashing the Menacer's power onto Kirrag II?"
"I do not know. Now I need a favor from you." Finrod said. "Yes?"
"In a few days a couple of humans might be here, looking for me. If they do indeed arrive, terminate them."
"Anything you wish." Rybo said, ending the conversation. Vaderis clicked the transmission off, "That's the last of it. Now let's get to your ship." Dan opened the door, and a blaster shot missed him by an inch. "Yow!" He yelled as he stumbled back. Yodarth returned fire, downing the attacker. "Let's go!" They were running again. Soon enough though, they got to the First Thorn, and boarded. "Take off right now!" Yodarth said to Confin as soon as everyone was seated aboard. The small ship raced out of the bay and took to the sky. "Hey Yodarth, I'm picking up three Prowlers closing on our position, and fast." Confin said, looking at a radar screen.
"Don't worry, they can't detect us, remember?" He was corrected by the sound of lasers bashing the hull of the ship. "They must have upgraded their sensors!" Yodarth exclaimed, not knowing what to do.
"Go into hyperspace, you nerf herder!" Yodarth came out of his trance and flipped a switch. The stars changed to streaks of light as they were thrown back into their seats.

"I analyzed the engine trail left by Finrod's ship," Yodarth said to the others, who were all crammed in the mess hall. "It leads to an uncharted planet in the Outer Rim, and is now travelling through hyperspace. As far as I can tell, he'll be there for a few days."
"So what do we do until then?" Confin asked. "Well, we can't track him again until he returns from hyperspace. I think we should just lie low until then."
"I have a better idea," Vaderis said. "Let's go to that uncharted planet you talked about and try to find some answers. We should gather more information before going on an attack. For all we know, he's in league with an Imperial Band, or maybe something worse." "I like her idea." Dan said. "Me too." Confin agreed, looking at Yodarth. "Okay then," He said, "Let's get going."