Star Wars - Tales from the Outer Rim

"Self Reflection"
by Nyah Darasar

Location: Jedi Temple
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

Her day had started much like any other, with a run on the grounds surrounding the Jedi Temple. Things were becoming clearer now. From the day in the Jedi Council chambers to now. In time all would be revealed.

Yes there were still instances when Nyah had to ponder why things happened the way they did. Why her formal training had begun so late. Though it was simply part of the entire process. To learn to trust and have faith when answers weren't available.

Nyah had been placed under the guidance of her Master, Alisson Blair, for a reason. In return she'd resolved to learn everything she could from her mentor. Sometimes the tests weren't all that obvious but those lessons were part of her training as well. Occasionally she thought about her family but didn't let that distract her from the main reason for being at the temple.

In recent days Nyah had learned things didn't happen all at once. Sure it felt good when she could gain some sort of control over a new ability or skill but frustration also visited her along the way when that didn't happen.

Today her meditation session had lasted longer than some others because she needed to clear her mind. Perhaps a chance to just contemplate her journey so far. Becoming a Jedi wasn't an easy road, though something Nyah wanted and had committed herself to. Finally she rose from her position on the floor. Other matters required the Padawan's attention at this time.

"Infiltrating the Underworld Space Station"
By Taja West - NPC+
Saman Retar - NPC
Aaron Asd - NPC
Grand Moff Gustalv - NPC

Location: Space Station Worthy of The Empire
Underground Realm (commonly known by rebels as Underworld)
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

The space was calm and empty, for quite some time. It was only about an hour that the last ship had passed by. That part of the galaxy only the people that had something to deal or the fools who adventured this part of the galaxy, since two Star Destroyers, a Victory Star Destroyer, the new SD, the Ravage Star Destroyer and Super Star Destroyer where circulating Moff Gustalv's Space Station called Worthy of The Empire Underground realm, but it was called by the rebels: Underworld.

The two Star Destroyers were the Firster and the Nexus Point. The Victory Star Destroyer was the Starnova, the Ravage Star Destroyer was Ravaging Heart, and the Super Star Destroyer was the known as Endless Whisper.

These five ships constantly secured the safety of the Space Station, Underworld, that was placed on a huge moon that was more like a floating asteroid in the middle of nowhere. The station itself was the base of operations where Gustalv secured the planet of Corellia, but he for quite some time didn't dominate the planet, but with this space station closed the circle that made some Core Worlds separated from the rest of the Galaxy. The only way that could pass through the rest of the planets and the Core Worlds was passed by Underworld and every person had to pay a fee or venture through the Graveyard that was once Alderaan.

After the death of Admiral Tarkin in Tae'Karada a lot of smugglers, pirates and even some convoys had taken their chances through there, only not to pay the high fee Admiral Gustalv's people charged for the ships that went by.

Taja set her ship "Freefall" in one of the hangar bays of the Underworld. She gathered her things and walked out of the ship. She then approached the Chief of the Hangar. "Hi. My name is Taja West, transferred from Tarkin's fleet. I'm expected by Grand Moff Gustalv!"

The chief of the hangar looked to the screen computer and he wrote her name down. After a brief second the chief of the hangar looked finally to her face and grinned. "There are orders from Moff Gustalv to take you to him when you arrived. Also it seems that your background file didn't arrive... Well you had to clear that up with the Grand Moff." He paused and the looked again to the screen. A protocol droid appeared with arms in arch like it had something that stopped to go near the metal thorax.

"You called, chief?" the droid asked with a rusty mechanical voice.

"Show Miss West the way to the Grand Moff's office," the chief said and dived again on the computer.

"I'm Asfived, protocol droid at your service, Miss West. Please follow me."

Taja didn't open her mouth, but she followed the protocol droid to the Moff's Office. After a few seconds waiting outside the office, Asfived exited. "Grand Moff Gustalv will receive you now."

She entered and saw that the office was well arranged with extravagant things that were from across the Galaxy. This office was a luxurious one; even the desk had different things and to the left and right two grand tables where there were different things on it. A bald mulatto man exited from the right far door and looked to Taja.

"Bless my eyes to see such beauty, Miss West. If I was dead, I assumed that you were the Goddess of Beauty to receive me in paradise." He smiled, cleaning his hands with a towel that he brought from the other room.

"You flatter me, sir! I was blessed by my beauty, but it was my hard work that brought me here." She smiled and thought, It's not entirely false, because to get here I had to work very hard.

"Yes it is strange that now suddenly, after a few months after the death of Tarkin you were transferred. Strange that Tarkin's men after the death of their Admiral didn't join the other Remnant factions of the Empire. They want to continue following him even if he is now on hell. Why were you transferred?"

"It's because they are stupid and ignorant that they let the rebels destroy Tarkin SSD, it was their incompetence that the rebels were able to kill Tarkin," Taja stated without excitation. "Also I think it would be best for them to join you has I did, sir."

I almost have him! Taja thought.

"Why do you say that?"

"Everybody knows how Tarkin's brothers were the Emperor's favorite Moffs, only that they had the idea of the Death Star, but everybody knows that you were a far more brilliant tactician than both Tarkins." Taja smiled.

"Now it is I who is flattered, Miss West."

Got him! Taja thought.

"There is another point I want to discuss. It is about your background!" Gustalv spoke has he sat in his chair.

"Sir? I sent the résumé to you like you asked, sir!" Taja nodded, surprised.

"I know, Miss West. The résumé is quite impressive to have someone skilled as you are, but I like to compare the résumé with the background, because people like to put some more extra credit on their respective résumés. The background is created and changed by people specialized in it. Now why couldn't I find your background?"

Taja kept her eyes looking to Gustalv, because if she moved her eyes he would know that she was lying. "Sir you may know Tae'Karada fell to the hands of the rebels. Some Imperial officers tried to move the central computer, but an attack to the palace was quick before they were able to erase it completely, so they used the method of exploding it. Tarkin's men that survived the defeat tried to retrieve some of the files, but some of them were destroyed. Well, my background is one of those files, sir."

"I see... That is quite true, Miss West, I see you are genuine as you write here on your résumé. I tried to get some of the files for secret projects that Tarkin supported and a list of personnel and it seems that most of the data is lost forever." Gustalv inclined his body backwards.

That was a close call. Luckily I do my homework. I was as good as dead if he found out that I'm not from the Empire, Taja thought.

"Miss Taja welcome to Underworld. If you continue your perfect record in no time you will occupy an important job here. Until that time report to Major Asd, he will introduce you to your commanding officer, Colonel Retar. Have nice day, Captain West."

Taja bowed and exited the room. Asfived showed where was her private quarters and she quickly reported to Major Asd. As she entered the control room two people were inside. A man that was with a grey bluish uniform and another with a brown uniform. There were three chairs, two on the side that had monitors in front and the third a huge desk with different monitors.

Taja entered inside the room. "Excuse me I'm looking for a Major Asd?"

The person in the grey uniform turned, showing that he was a man. The other continued to work. "I'm Major Asp, who is asking?"

"I'm Captain Taja West, reporting for duty." Taja saluted.

"Ah, yes. This is Colonel Saman Retar." He pointed to the person with the brown uniform. When he turned Taja saw that he was she. "Colonel the new captain is here."

"I see that, Major Asd. Keep working and speak when I speak to you is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Aaron Asd spoke, turning around to continue his work.

"Captain West... I will only say this once and only once. Do your work or I will personally kill you. If you speak when I didn't speak to you, you will spend time in the brig. The penalty to lack of work or much time speaking to your colleagues will mean reduced payment. Do you understand these rules?" Colonel Retar spoke with cold in her voice and look.

"Yes, sir." Taja stood there; her voice showed that she wasn't afraid of her threats.

"I see that you have trouble written in your forehead, but I see I have to... No! Major!" Major quickly turned facing his Colonel. "Show the Main computer room to the Captain."

"Yes sir!" Major Asd saluted the colonel and walked to the end of the room. Taja followed after she saluted the Colonel.

She saw the big doors open and followed her Major. As the doors shut her Major spoke. "This is the corridor to the main computer. Here we have four cameras that enable us to see if there is any intruder when we are here, also the floor will be activated when me or the Colonel aren't here. When activated it shuts down both doors and a poison gas comes out, but here is the beauty of our system. This door opens only when you insert the correct code. You have three tries; after that it activates lasers to scan and chooses the optimum way to kill you and learns if you were able to avoid its traps and chooses from there new ways to kill the intruder. After the code is inserted correctly, you have to have the passcard that only me or the Colonel have." Major punched the keyboard and passed the passcard. Inside the room was a hexagon with the main computer in the middle.

"This is the main computer. As you can see it has three different screens processing at the same time millions of processes. This computer creates and sends out the codes for our ships. Any questions?"

"What is the matter with Colonel Retar?"

"Well, she's always in bad mood. Ever since her brother and husband died on the second Death Star. She wants to fight in some front line against the rebels, but the fact is that she was refused a transfer because she doesn't have the qualities of a soldier, but my opinion is that Gustalv sees her as indispensable."

"Ok. Let's go do our jobs or the Colonel will say that we took long," Taja stated as they left the main computer room.

Moff Gustalv has a fine station here! Better start what I was hired to do. Get any single information and send it to the rebels. It was wise of them to hire me. If they put one of them in here they would be spotted right away. Gustalv knows when a person is a rebel, because the rebels have a certain attitude, a certain distinction of being distant from other people. To penetrate the station like this you don't have to only act like one of them, you have to be one of them.

"The Doctor"
By: Liam Zaneth
Yara Zaneth [NPC+]
Va'Lesh Zaneth [NPC+]
Dr. Death [NPC+]

Location: Mos Eisley, Tatooine
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

The sand was everywhere, in everything. That was the way of life on Tatooine. Liam Zaneth scanned the horizon with his naked eyes, looking for any signs of speeders approaching. There were none. He turned back to the small settlement in which they stood. Mos Eisley. Despite its famous reputation, it didn't appear to change its image for its new celebrity status. But, then again, perhaps being the site where Han Solo and Luke Skywalker blasted free of an Imperial blockade to then go on and save the galaxy didn't mean much here.

Liam closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. "He's here," he finally said. "Yara, you'll come with me inside. Lesh and Shaza, you stay outside and watch for trouble. Keep the speeder ready in case things turn bad. I don't have a sense that they will, but from what I've heard the doctor is paranoid."

"We'll be ready, Liam," Shaza said, then glanced at Leshie.

Va'Lesh nodded to her, then turned his attention to Yara. He stepped close to her. "You'll stay safe," he said as he took her hands into his. "I'll see you soon."

"Yes, Va'Lesh," she answered neutrally, but in her smile was affection for her lover. After a light kiss, Yara stepped past him to join Liam. With a brief wave, they started off along the scorching sand, the Force as their guide. "When we confront him, Liam Zaneth," Yara asked curiously, "what will we ask him?"

"When we confront him," Liam said, "we ask him if he is able to complete the procedure for Yelara. I don't know if he can, but he should know."

"And will he do so?" she inquired. "And what of balance, Master Zaneth? Will raising Yelara Zaneth from the dead not disturb the universe's equilibrium?"

"In my meditations, my conclusion is that it will not disturb the balance. Her death should not have happened as it did. Dargus Kandran forced her death before her time, and her life force still lingers. But if there is a price to pay for this, I will gladly pay it to have her back. I would pay any price to allow Yelara to see her son grow up, to meet the two of you, to...to live."

"I see..." she answered pensively, then sucked in a quick breath to ask, "But what if she is not the same when she returns?"

"I don't know," Liam said. "The Force hasn't given me any guidance in that area."

"Perhaps it does not know yet," she supposed. "But we will see soon enough, will we not, Master?" Yara smiled up at him.

"We will," Liam said with a smile. "I think I see the speeder on the horizon there." He pointed into the distance. "I believe that's them."

"We must be ready for anything, correct, Master?" Yara asked. "It is difficult to tell with this place...all around I sense deceit and violence."

"It is a dark place," Liam answered. "But, we're strong enough to persevere here. Do you sense danger approaching now, Yara?"

Yara frowned. "I sense it everywhere, Master. But from that approaching speeder?" She shrugged lightly. "They are devious, but whether they will employ that to attempt us harm, I cannot say, Master."

Liam nodded. "Exactly," he said. "I sense that as well, but it is not directed or focused." The speeder was closer now, and would soon pull to a stop before them. "I do not believe we will require our lightsabers for this, but is yours ready, just in case?"

Yara pushed back her cloak for a brief moment to display the weapon to him. "I am ready, Master. Don't worry about me."

"I know there is no need to worry about you, my dear. You are a remarkable student and person. Here they come, be ready."

Yara stood tall beside her master, but coming nowhere near his height; combined with her slight frame, she imagined her attempt at appearing imposing was not succeeding. Though if it came down to direct combat, she would likely dispel any false assumptions regarding her innocuous stature within moments.

The speeder swerved to a halt before them, exposing its lateral side to them. One man - skin darkened from time spent in the sun and loose-fitting clothing concealing the densely muscled form beneath - stepped out of the speeder and waved them over. Yara glanced aside at her master when another hatch opened for them.

Liam nodded to Yara and started toward the open hatch. To the one outside the speeder, he said in Huttese: "Your timing is prompt. We are ready to move." It was the code that would identify them. He was just glad it wasn't something sillier, like was usually found in the HoloNet dramas.

Seated in the back seat now, the driver looked askance at Liam and Yara, and the passenger gave them both appraising stares. His eyes lingered a moment too long on Yara, but the unwavering intensity with which she returned the gaze encouraged him to look away. Soon, they were off and silence befell them all.

The windows of the speeder were tinted darkly, either preventing them from seeing where they were going, or keeping others from spying who was within. The doctor's men were calm and at ease, despite the presence of two Jedi seated behind them. Yara imagined they had dealt with far worse in their time. It momentarily unnerved her, knowing they did not fear, but as Liam had taught her, she allowed the emotions to dissipate and regained her inner quietude.

The ride was shorter than Liam anticipated. Soon they arrived outside a small moisture farm. There were several armed guards stationed around the area, looking at once both relaxed and ready. The doors of the speeder were opened, and Liam led the way out with Yara just behind him. Once they were on the sand again, the large muscled man led the way toward one of the small round hovels in the center of the habitation area of the farm. They were led inside, down a short flight of stairs and into a darkened room.

"The doctor will meet with you shortly," he said, then disappeared.

Liam looked to Yara and raised an eyebrow. "I sense nothing. You?"

"It is...quiet," she replied. "Is that not odd, Master?"

Liam tilted his head to the side as if listening. "Perhaps not," he said. "I would imagine that some doctors are fairly quiet. We will see if it is odd or not soon enough, I imagine. Can you sense Va'Lesh and Shaza?"

Yara nodded. "But they seem very far... Perhaps it was too dangerous to get closer."

"Perhaps," Liam answered. "We'll be fine enough here, I believe. I sense our host approaching."

The stairway creaked to herald his arrival, slow, methodical footsteps that bespoke of a man who was leery of the strangers who had come to meet him. Yara squinted into the darkened doorway to glimpse the doctor, the one who would revive Yelara Zaneth, but the single overhead light above their heads was hardly powerful enough to overtake the darkness. There was the scraping of boot soles, attesting to a shuffling gait; Yara thought she detected a limp, as well, by the unevenness of his footfalls. A moment later, there was silence and in the doorway she could barely perceive the outline of a body, not overly tall but with no distinct features visible.

Yara glanced hesitantly aside at Liam. "Is that--" she whispered.

Liam nodded slowly, then stepped forward. "Greetings, honoured Doctor," he said with a bow. "I come seeking your service, to revive one lost who was taken before her time."

"You wish to provide me with a specimen," he corrected in an accent that was thick and muddled. The laughter that followed was grating and sickening; Yara cringed. "It is not every day I'm sought to give life - it is usually mine they search for, and to take it!"

"That is what you're being sought for this time," Liam said. "I have heard you possess the talent and skill to do so, therefore I wish to hire your services to restore life to my wife."

His deep, troubling laughter seeped out once more and he finally took a single step into the room, enough to throw light onto his face. Yara was too intrigued to feel revulsion and simply stared, as Liam had tried to school both she and Va'Lesh not to, in a way that made the object of their interest seem a curiousity. The unmarred half the doctor's face sneered, nearly matching the disfigured portion in repulsiveness. "What is it, young one? You have never met a monster before?" He leaned forward, peering back at Yara; she made no move to shrink away. "I am that monster," he whispered, fetid breath creeping up Yara's nose. "They fear me, my genius, my power.... They should worship me, no? Proclaim my brilliance...yet they hunt me!" he raved, and in his fervour his mangled nose nearly brushed Yara's. This time, she did lean away from him, just as his head snapped upwards to regard Liam with disdain. "You are Jedi. I should help you why?"

"Because I do not hunt you," Liam said. "Because I offer credits for the procedure. And, because I don't come to you as a Jedi, but as a husband and father. I come as someone seeking your service."

He snorted, the nostrils of his contorted nose flaring. "And what of this one." His hand waved towards Yara. "She is here for your protection? Or perhaps you thought maybe I would be more gracious if you brought the pretty little girl along?" He twisted his head towards Yara again, subjecting her to his ever growing smile of rotted teeth. "A live specimen, eh? You would like to be beautiful forever?" There was a flourish of his hand before Yara's face, then it flew forward and grasped her chin roughly. She barely flinched. "One hour, and I can give you eternal beauty." The laugh returned, this time almost expressing mirth. "Maybe as beautiful as me, no?"

"She is my student," Liam said firmly. "And, she is not part of this arrangement. We make the necessary arrangements, and I will have the body of Yelara brought here. I wish only to have her life restored to the body. She is not an experiment for you to work on."

He released Yara indelicately, leaving the reddening impression of his fingers upon her cheeks, and regarded Liam through a single, narrowed eye. "I am an artist, you see," he explained, hands spread wide. "I strive for perfection, though sometimes even I cannot achieve that." He sighed, resigned. "I will tell you this, Jedi, if the specimen is as beautiful as this creature here, I will give her life once more." He tipped his head quickly and struck the air with a raised forefinger for emphasis. "I will!"

Liam nodded. "I shall have Yelara brought to you," he said. "Where will the procedure take place? Here?"

"Bring the specimen here," he affirmed and already began pottering about the room, flicking on lights and opening compartments hidden in the walls. "Come to me at suns down," the doctor called back. "I will be ready then."

Liam bowed. "I will bring her to you then," he said. With that, he turned toward the door. "Come, Yara."

She followed eagerly, though made every effort not to show it. They were both halted as the doctor addressed them one final time. "And make certain the young one comes with you. I may need to harvest some flesh." Yara gazed up at Liam, wide-eyed.

Liam turned. "Yelara's flesh is intact," he said. "You will need no excess from the young one."

He chuckled deeply and cast a single-eyed leer askance at them. "Of course not," he muttered, and only looked away after securing an intensive study of Yara's form. It chilled her, and without waiting for Liam, she started up the rickety staircase.

"I recommend you spend some of the time before we return to control any urges you may have to decorate either women," Liam said. "It has been a very long time since I walked the path of darkness, but if you do anything I deem harmful to either of them, and I assure you it will push me back." His eyes flashed in the darkness. "I assure you, Doctor, that is not something you wish to be the cause of."

"You Jedi," he snorted, withdrawing a long, gimlet-like tool and raising it to the light. "So arrogant, so secure in your own invincibility." The doctor ran his fingers with morbid affection over the instrument. "Death is my business, Mr. Jedi - that is why you are here, no?" The functional side of his mouth stretched into a grin. "You bring me your specimen and I will show you such power as you have likely not seen with your impressive Force abilities." His hand closed around the tool and he emitted a gratified sigh. "Tonight, Mr. Jedi, I will give life. Then" --he chuckled-- "then we will see if you do not worship instead of threaten."

"We will see," Liam said, then turned and started up the stairs, his cloak swirling around him as he went. He met Yara at the top of the stairs. To look at her, she seemed calm and composed, but he could tell from the look in her eyes she was still shaken. "Let's return to the others."

"Yes, Master," she murmured and walked significantly closer to him than when they'd entered. "Master...what sort of doctor is that man? He is...odd."

"There are some who refer to him as Doctor Death. From what I know of him, he has found a way to give the dead life again. That is why I have sought him out. I am uncertain now, but we shall see what happens. I will not allow anything to happen to you, Yara. No matter what demands he makes, it is not worth harming you or Va'Lesh. If that is the only option he presents, then we will have to seek elsewhere."

"No, it is alright, Master. I am not afraid. You do what you must to revive Leshie's mother." She smiled, and for comfort to both, she slipped her hand into his.

"Bringing Yelara back isn't worth disfiguring you," Liam said. "If he can bring her back without that, then I will willingly accept it. If it requires that he turns you into something like him, that is a price I am not willing to pay."

"I understand, Master." She squeezed his hand a little tighter.

Once they stepped out of the installation, the stout man from earlier escorted them to the speeder. As the vehicle shot forward with the four of them occupying it, he turned back, grinning. "You've made a deal with the doctor, then? Not many are willing to pay his price, you know."

"We have not come to terms on price," Liam stated. "What is his going...rate?"

His smile was at once amused and cryptic. "If you don't yet know the price, then you won't be ready to pay it." Without elaborating, the man turned away.

"Master Zaneth?" Yara whispered, gazing up at him curiously. "What does he mean?"

"It means our efforts here may be in vain," Liam said. "He's implying that the doctor's price is one that we will be unwilling to pay."

"We have come too far, Liam Zaneth," Yara stated with uncommon conviction. "We will find a way. I am certain."

"There is always a way," Liam answered with a smile. "We will find it, even if the Doctor's services carry too expensive a price for us to pay."

Although his words were straightforward, the emotions backing it seemed misplaced to Yara. He was worried and seemed aware of just what the doctor would demand for his services, in spite of claiming ignorance. Yara said nothing, however, and simply accepted his statement on face value. Despite the sun having reached its zenith, Yara felt chilled to the bone.

"All Battles Have a Start"
By Taja West -NPC+
Saman Retar - NPC
Aaron Asd - NPC
Grand Moff Gustalv - NPC

Location: Space Station Worthy of The Empire
Underground Realm (commonly known by rebels as Underworld)
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

Taja glanced over her computer terminal and examined both Saman Retar and Aaron Asd. Both were considered the very best in computers and droid repairs, but the rank that Saman had was superior than everybody in here, so she could treat anyone as she pleased. Saman Retar was cold, cruel and simply not a nice person. The reason was simple: the loss of her brother and husband made her hate others and that pushed her aside of the rest of the people and that made her not a very easy person to openly talk about herself, but it wasn't impossible. Also she knew that there was a lot more than that, to create so much anger in Saman's heart. Taja knew that she was able to put her to talk about her past life and feeling. If not...at least Taja tried.

Aaron Asd was a different kind of story; he was a bright and clever chap, but he had a mouth so long that it compensated for his large brain. If she pushed some interesting conversation and with some drinks mixed up she could easily take more information from Aaron than Saman, but there was a single catch about Aaron. He could be the biggest snitch that she ever met and he could tell that she was asking too many questions. So the only way to get information was with Saman.

Taja had been working for straight eight hours and her shift was almost over, but she could work for another eight hours. Taja knew that Saman's shift was over within minutes and she could use that to her advantage, but Saman wouldn't accept such invitation, but she knew what to do.

Taja closed her terminal walked near to Aaron. "Major Asd! So you are the one that is taking the long night?"

"Yeah, today is change of codes day, so a lot of work lays ahead me. Good night, Captain!"

"Good night to you too, Major." She walked away towards the entrance. She looked back and saw that Saman was closing her terminal and walking away, she then saw Saman delivering a card to Aaron. That is the card I have to get my paws on, but only on the right time, Taja thought for a brief moment.

Taja exited and dropped on purpose some stuff only to make time for Saman to approached her.

Saman glanced to Taja and decided not to help her since she was finishing to gather all the things that fell to the floor.

Taja got up and ran near Saman. "Excuse me, Colonel?"

"What is it, Captain?" Saman spoke in a very cold way.

Taja acted like the tone of her voice affected her. "Sorry, Colonel, but I'm new on this station and I can get lost very easily, so could you take me to a bar or something that looks like a bar?"

"Oh... So you're a drinker?"

"Only when I'm off duty," Taja responded with a smile.

"I see... I knew that something in you didn't fit correctly in the picture."

"Oh sorry, Colonel, but no one is perfect. I have this awful taste that makes drinks taste wonderfully, wouldn't you agree?" Taja knew that she gaining terrain for a while: first step to have a drink, because with a drink everybody talked.

***An hour later at the bar of Underworld***

Laughter ruled over the bar. A lot of stormtroopers and officers hung out in this bar and it was visible that some were drunk.

"Look to them. Bunch of drunks! I don't know what goes on in the head of Moff Gustalv to let this kind of drunkenness to pass by." Saman swallowed a little of her drink.

Taja looked behind and smiled to some figures at the table behind her. "Look, they are having a good time. They're making every time they have worth while, because it's a hard time to us, because in one moment to the next we can die."

"Die? What is death, Taja? Do you know what is death?"

"Well... No, but I imagine that our souls go to a better place without suffering or our souls are divided and placed in the heart of others. Who knows?" Taja frowned towards Saman.

"Yeah I guess you are right, but I felt that something died with my brother and husband. I... I can't..." She started to cry but she quickly cleaned her tears.

"Look, Saman, I know what you are going through. I lost someone dear to me and I felt emptiness in my heart and I let anger fill it up and I did something terrible with it. In my own experience you mustn't forget the memories of those who died that you loved so much. You have to remember those memories in speaking to others, to your friends and bring them back to life. If you don't that void will get larger and larger and you will fill it with anger that can destroy your enemies and yourself, because you will lose them all over again." Taja looked towards the table behind and then towards Saman. "Look to them, Saman. Some of them will die in the next battle and the others that might survive will have these moments to think about their dead comrades..."

Saman sighed for while to the tables where laughter ruled. Saman glanced towards the happy stormtroopers and realized that what Taja just said made some sense. The fact she'd bemoaned the death of her brother and husband was not wrong, but she was replacing their love and filling that emptiness with anger. She couldn't do that; she loved her brother and husband above all and now they were dead because some idiotic ideals of an insane old man to control the Galaxy.

Taja looked to Saman's eyes and saw that Saman was questioning her allegiance. The pain and anger against the rebels that she might have had inside her, was now turning against the empire.

"My husband always believed in the Emperor and his pathetic lies. The Emperor thought he could rule by force and he almost achieved that, because his rule had a duration of near 20 years. Your rule is over, old man and I'm not going under to follow the same ideals that killed my husband and my brother. So from now on I follow my own ideals. Well I see clearly your point, Taja and I can see you have a proposition for me."

Taja smiled and inclined forward towards Saman. "How far you want to go?"

"As far as I can go to see justice prevail in this Galaxy. That equality and freedom of speech are equals to everybody."

Taja smiled and inclined backwards. "Well what do you say to paying our drinks and discuss it in my private quarters?"

"Sounds good." Saman smiled and Taja saw that she gained someone that she could trust in part to help her with her mission to leak information to the New Republic.

***Meanwhile on the Gustalv's Office***

Gustalv was seated behind his huge desk as two of his trusted admirals of the Nexus Point and the Ravaging Heart entered Gustalv's office saluted. Gustalv saluted. "At ease," Gustalv ordered.

"Now can you explain to me witch part of Conquering a Super Star Destroyer you didn't get?" Gustalv was clearly angry with his Admirals.

"Sir. We tried, but like you predicted they offered resistance," the Admiral of the Nexus point said.

"And?"

"Well, sir. We sent out attack vessels to board the ship, that was when a third ship appeared," the admiral of the Ravaging Heart spoke.

"A Third ship?" Gustalv got up, admired.

"Yes, sir. It attacked the New Republic SSD in the engines, the integrity of the engines collapsed and the entire SSD exploded, taking our Attack vessels and our fighter with it," the admiral of the Nexus Point responded.

"This third ship was another SSD and exited from hyperspace and attacked the New Republic SSD," the other Admiral said.

"So someone on my ship or theirs could have tipped this new SSD location of the New Republic SSD. What was the name of this mysterious SSD?"

The two admirals hesitated for a moment and then the Admiral of the Ravaging Heart spoke its name. "It was the Star Fire..."

"The Star Fire?" Gustalv thought for brief moments. "That's the SSD of Lara Tikaris isn't it?"

"Yes, sir, it is," the admiral of Nexus point said.

Gustalv got up and approached the window. "That bitch!" he said angrily. "So she really is fulfilling her promise since I said not to show allegiance to her? Very well, Lara, if it's war you want that is what you will get." He turned to the two Admirals. "Every personnel that is off-duty has their passes revoked, gentlemen. I want your squadrons to make practice runs every hour if you have to. I want them prepared for any eventual war scenario."

"Yes, sir," both Admirals said, saluted and walked to exit the room. Gustalv was a little apprehensive since he knew that he was going to take the blame. An SSD of the New Republic was now destroyed and he knew that was exactly what Lara Tikaras planned to do to eliminate any competition. Also he knew that if the New Republic found out that their SSD was destroyed he was their next target.

"Asler!" Gustalv turned to the entrance that was his secretary. "Change of plans. Contact the Admirals of the Nexus Point, Ravaging Heart and Firster to take their ships, to where the New Republic SSD was destroyed and tell them to eliminate any ships of the New Republic that appeared in that sector, until I figure out how to blame this on Lara. Did you get it all?"

"Yes, Grand Moff. I will take care of it right away." Asler exited the room.

Now soon he would have an idea, but was it in time to avoid reprisals from the New Republic? Only time would tell; he only hoped that time was on his side.

"Grave Choices"
By: Liam Zaneth
Yara Zaneth [NPC+]
Va'Lesh Zaneth [NPC+]
Shaza Nightshade [NPC+]
The Doctor [NPC]

Location: Tatooine
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

Liam Zaneth walked with Yara at his side. Behind him came Va'Lesh and Shaza. They pushed the stasis chamber that held Yelara's body. Liam glanced aside at Yara and nodded. "Are you sure you're ready for this again?"

"I am simply here to oversee," Yara stated evenly. "I will be quite fine doing so, Master."

"Very well," Liam said with a nod. "I only know you were uncomfortable there before. Has your discomfort passed?"

"There was no discomfort," Yara assured him. "The doctor is an odd man...and I was simply surprised by his eccentricity."

"I understand," Liam said as they approached the entrance to the doctor's hovel. "Come, let's go do this."

The sentries flanking the entryway crossed their blaster rifles over the opening, barring passage as they approached. The small group stopped, and the taller of the two nodded towards Liam. "Only you and the girl, the Doctor said," one of the guards informed gruffly.

Liam regarded the guard. "Can they at least bring the stasis chamber in?" He glanced back to Va'Lesh and Shaza. From the shaded carrier on Va'Lesh's back, little Leshie gurgled and waved his arms. "It will only be a moment or so to get the chamber inside."

"The doctor tends to get nervous with so many visitors." The silent guard watched the group with shifting glances, while the other focused on Leshie and Shaza. "You don't all need to help. Choose one of them, and hurry. The doctor is eager to begin."

Liam looked to Shaza and nodded. Va'Lesh took a step back whispering soothing words to Leshie as he did.

"Very well," Liam said, then gestured for the guards to lead them. He looked to Yara. "Please help Shaza with the chamber."

"Yes, Master," she murmured and took up Va'Lesh's place at the rear. As she and Shaza began steering it through the doorway, she gave Va'Lesh a tender smile. "I will be back soon," she whispered.

"I will await you here," he whispered, his eyes on hers. He watched them disappear and moved to a shaded spot near the wall.

Liam followed the guards, his senses sharpened to make certain there were no tricks being played. He felt no deception, so he continued on.

The deeper into the structure they ventured, the darker the corridors grew, only illumined by sparsely placed fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Yara could sense the doctor's presence and unconsciously trembled, though she fought to convince herself it was simply the drop in temperature they encountered the farther they travelled.

The route taken this time was different from the original, for it was now necessary to accommodate passage of Yelara's stasis chamber. Through a sealed catacomb, musty smelling and dank, the corridors inclined at a steep angle, making navigation precarious for the tube. Yara used her Force abilities to steady it and keep it from running away from herself and Shaza. She was determined to ensure Yelara made it safely to her procedure.

"Through here," the guard announced, and pointed his weapon through a darkened opening. "The doctor's waiting."

Liam followed on. Outwardly, he was calm. He was certain, in his cloak, he must appear as a Jedi out of legend. A serenity emanated from him and he felt peace. However, there was a stain in the serenity. There was anxiety and fear there, but controlled. He couldn't allow himself to give into it, couldn't allow it to affect him. What if it doesn't work, the darkness asked. What if it fails. There was nothing he could do now. For now, all he could do was wait and see what the doctor's work brought.

Partway through the cavernous hallway, their escort fell back, leaving them to go the rest of the way on their own. Yara watched the man from over her shoulder, and detected a vague sense of discomfort about him; she wondered how many of the doctor's operations he'd witnessed, though doubtlessly enough to create an apprehension about proceeding further.

At the end of the lengthy corridor, a pool of light collected upon the ground, spilling from a room at its terminus. Hums of electricity throbbed the air, and indescribable stenches hung thickly enough to induce gagging in Yara that was barely suppressed. She brought up one arm to cover her nose with her sleeve. As they drew closer, the ambient clatter of metallic instruments and the bubbling of liquid met them, as did a barely audible, mindless nattering. Yara knew it was the doctor, and knew there was nothing to keep her skin from prickling. She called upon the Force to give her the courage she needed.

"We are here," Liam announced. "And, we've brought Yelara. Are you set to begin?"

The Doctor halted in the center of the room, one that was a gleaming, pristine white opposite of the others they'd visited in the installation. His contorted, grotesque face seemed misplaced in comparison to the impeccable surroundings, Yara noted. She was grateful, this time, that his attention was fixed not to her, but to the stasis tube bearing Yelara. His twisted lips smiled.

"Is that the specimen?" he breathed, and scurried forth to view her. The Doctor smoothed his hand reverently over the glass casing as he leaned over it, sighing in delight. "Perfect," he whispered, then abruptly stepped back and ushered them into the room. "On the table...you will park it on the table." His words were hurried and exuberant.

Using the Force, Liam did exactly as the doctor asked. In but a moment, the chamber holding Yelara settled onto the table as he'd asked. "There," he said. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Of course," he snapped, taking immediate offense. The Doctor shooed Yara and Shaza out of his path as he moved up alongside the chamber.

Arching around the head of the exam table was a computer terminal, upon which he now inputted commands; a quarantine field flashed blue as it activated, then went invisible and only a steady hum indicated its presence. The Doctor's gloved hands came up to the stasis chamber's control panel, but halted. His single, functioning eye peered at Liam. "After this, there will be no turning back, Mr. Jedi. Are you certain?"

"She will be as she was before," Liam said. "Her life restored, her wound repaired? No scarring?"

He smiled slowly. "No scarring," he affirmed.

"No turning back," Liam said with a nod. "You may begin."

The Doctor activated the door release nearly before Liam had completed giving his consent. The transparisteel dome hissed as the seals disengaged, and retracted into the metal casing of Yelara's chamber. He sighed as the barrier between himself and his glorious specimen receded away, and with trembling hands he reached through the field, which shimmered as they flinched away at the last moment. "She is almost perfect," he whispered in awe to Liam. "How long was she dead before you placed her in stasis?"

"It was a very short amount of time," Liam answered. "Within thirty minutes."

The Doctor nodded vigorously in approval. "That's good..." His leering smile fell upon Yelara again. "Very good," he whispered, and backed towards the computer terminal with eyes still gazing upon the beauty. Blindly, his fingers tapped in another command, one that triggered a deep droning; from the ceiling, a slab of metal the length of the exam bed extended downwards. It stopped just above the chamber, and with the flick of a switch, the anti-grav unit gripped Yelara's lifeless form. She levitated freely from the chamber. "Remove it," he advised Liam, indicating the tube.

With a gesture from Liam, the chamber lifted from the table. It floated away toward an empty space on the floor that would be out of the way for the doctor's work. Liam's eyes, however, never left Yelara. With a deep breath to calm the rapid beating of his heart, he nodded toward the man.

The Doctor grinned crookedly and decreased the antigrav unit's output to lower Yelara towards the table. She halted a foot above it and remained suspended. With growing anticipation, he moved forward and retrieved the first of his instruments from the tray. He handled it with care, though the fingers of his free hand twitched excitedly as he penetrated the field once more. The tool activated and a thin, red beam of light a centimeter in length pierced from its tip.

Displaying great care and precision, he began passing it in a straight line through Yelara's dress. The fabric cut away neatly as the laser beam travelled downwards. Inch by inch, Yelara's naked flesh was exposed, and with each passing moment, the louder his delighted gasps became. "So supple and...vibrant.... Her flesh is brilliant...." As breasts and torso revealed themselves, the Doctor grinned, but when the dress was shed completely and fluttered to the table, his features darkened considerably. "Not good," he murmured, shaking his head troublingly. He sighed heavily and clucked his tongue at the gaping wound in Yelara's abdomen. His eyes flashed with anger towards Liam. "You mentioned nothing of this" -- his hand waved viciously towards her.

"You asked for no details on her death," Liam said. "You gave no indication that the manner of her death would have any consequence. The wound was made with a lightsaber. Are you telling me that you will be incapable of doing as we've discussed? I will lend my own Force energy to ensure the procedure is successful and her body is whole."

"I am capable," he snapped with a fierce glare. "But...it will take more work. The flesh must be rebuilt from the inside, out." The doctor sighed and dropped his laser cutter onto his tray once more. "I will need more grafts," he muttered worriedly. His gaze flicked up to find Liam's. "Fresh specimens. I need more."

"Tell me what you require," Liam said.

The Doctor peered at Liam hungrily. "Flesh," he whispered ominously. "I need flesh. You will find me some?" His gaze nearly drifted towards Shaza and Yara, standing at the far end of the room.

"How much do you need?" Liam asked. "I need specifics."

"I need a whole body," he answered lowly. "One that has yet to succumb to the effects of decay. I need a new body, Mr. Jedi. Can you do this?"

"A whole body," Liam said. "How close of a match must it be to Yelara's?"

Doctor Death waved vaguely, his fingers disturbing the field as they sliced through it. "It must be human, that is the only requirement."

"Very well," Liam said. "I will get a body for you."

"Hurry now," the doctor urged him. His single, movable eye admired the body hovering before him. "Time is short," he whispered, then emitted a deep chuckle.

As Liam strode towards the exit, Yara moved alongside him in a light jog to keep up. "Master...what are you going to do?"

"I need to find a body for the doctor," he said. "I'll need to return to Mos Eisley for that."

"Shall I come with you?" she asked.

"Remain here with Va'Lesh," Liam said. "Make certain nothing happens to Yelara's body. Shaza and I will go."

"But who will remain with Yelara?"

Liam thought about it a moment, then glanced back. "I'll go alone. The three of you remain here. I will be in no danger on my own. I will return very soon." He kissed her forehead.

She halted and watched his fleeing back in puzzlement. The kiss left a distinctly frigid sensation running through her, and Yara only wondered what Liam was setting out to do. Hesitantly, she returned to the exam room and barely watched as the Doctor began his preliminary treatments.

***

The Doctor's mutterings and the sound of his equipment were the only noises in the room. It was almost too much for Shaza Nightshade to take. It was an undercurrent of sound that should have been intelligible, but wasn't. She needed something to engage her mind, something to drown out the gabbling. She sought out the most unlikely one for such a task: Yara. She moved up beside the girl and regarded her.

"How are you holding up?" she finally asked. "I'm certain he'll return soon."

"I am fine," the girl replied neutrally, though her face was noticeably pale. "I am trying to imagine how one could be capable of renewing life...but I'm afraid it is beyond me."

"Me too," Shaza said. "I doubt he would explain if we asked. And, even if he could explain, I doubt I'd be able to follow the science."

"Do we wish to know?" Yara pointed out. "It is...unnatural."

"I don't believe I wish to know," Shaza said and shuddered.

Yara gave Shaza an appreciative nod. "A wise choice, Ms. Nightshade. You are not as foolish as I once thought you were."

"I try not to be," Shaza answered. "I really am sorry for what I put you through before. I didn't intend to hurt either you or Va'Lesh. And, what I'd said wasn't entirely untrue. There was some truth to it."

"Truth in what?" Yara asked curiously. "That Liam Zaneth truly wanted me?"

Shaza nodded. "Had you not had Va'Lesh, I believe he would have chosen you over me...if he could have. He cares for you very much, in many different ways. And, that sort of desire is one of the ways. He loves you in the way he loves Kallia, and similar to how he loves Yelara."

"But I am nothing like them," she explained. "I look as my mother does, perhaps, but I am a different person, Ms. Nightshade."

"He loves you because you're you," Shaza said. "You may look similar to your mother, but you're still someone with many attractive qualities. You have a unique outlook on life. Everything is new to you, and when you come across something new and exciting, it shows. You're desirable in many different ways, Yara, and not just because you're your mother's daughter."

She pondered Shaza's explanation for a time, finding comprehension of the concept, but not truly understanding its intricacies. What purpose was there to loving her if he could not have her? If Yelara lived, Yara doubted there would be one.

In the background, the Doctor was weaving to and away from the exam table as he checked the intravenous connections hooked to Yelara's arms, either side of her neck, and other areas of her body containing major arteries and veins. Through the tubes flowed a stagnant, yellow liquid being funnelled from a bubbling capsule of it nestled in a raised, metal pedestal. Yara and Shaza hadn't noticed when he had brought it in, nor did they watch as he pierced Yelara's flesh and inserted the tubing.

Yara clenched her eyes shut and looked away. "This is wrong," she whispered. "Life cannot be given once it is taken away."

"Shouldn't, perhaps," Shaza said. "He may have found a way to make it possible. I'm not sure..." She sighed. "If she is revived...I will probably need to go away."

"If she is revived," Yara stressed. "And if she returns as Yelara Zaneth."

"If," Shaza said. "I guess we'll soon know the truth of the situation."

"And where exactly Master Liam went," Yara added. "He seemed...distant, Ms. Nightshade, and I do not know why."

"I believe this is tearing at him. It's forcing him to do things he wouldn't otherwise do. I anticipate a lot of meditation after this."

Yara nodded agreement. "I do not believe the Jedi code approves of this."

"I don't really know," Shaza answered. "I'm not familiar with the Jedi code. But, how can you truly deny a man this? When the woman he loved, who he had just gotten back into his life, is taken from him? How can you tell a man who's had his life torn in two that, even though such a thing is possible, his life cannot be restored? In some sense, it would be like telling a man who has lost an arm that he cannot receive a prosthetic."

"But the Jedi teachings tell us that for every loss, there is something gained; the Force always finds a balance." Yara gazed distantly at Yelara's suspended form, and murmured, "What if this shifts the balance?"

"What was gained in her death?" Shaza raised an eyebrow.

Yara sighed. "I do not know...but perhaps it is not for us to know."

"Maybe in doing this, balance will reassert itself." Shaza shrugged. "I do not know. Do you believe Liam is acting from his heart, rather than logically?"

"I am not certain, Ms. Nightshade," Yara replied pensively. "I believe he has looked to the Force for guidance...but I cannot be certain if he has listened." She sighed. "He loves her dearly."

"I'm afraid for him," Shaza said. "If it doesn't work, he'll be hurt. If it works, and she doesn't come back right, he'll be hurt. If it works and she comes back right...but the chances are so small."

"I do not think the doctor cares about probabilities," Yara stated, her trepid gaze falling upon the madman once more. "I do not think Liam Zaneth truly appreciates the costs involved in this. I do not think he cares."

"I believe that a part of him feels that any price is worth the return of Yelara."

Yara was silent, and her brow wrinkling slightly. She looked up at Shaza blankly, focusing on something unseen. "He's returned," she whispered.

Shaza turned and looked at Yara. "Is he...is he alright?"

"He is uninjured," Yara replied evasively.

The sounds of boots on flooring sounded, and a moment later Liam appeared in the doorway. He carried a body over one shoulder. It was covered. "I found a body for you," he said, his eyes hard.

The Doctor raised his arms in praise, then shuffled briskly towards a vacant exam table. "Lay it down," he instructed with slight impatience. "I must begin the tissue grafting...now!"

Liam did as he was instructed and laid the body on the other exam table. "The body is unmarred."

His ruined lips twisted again into a grin, and as he rubbed his hands together eagerly, he asked, "Where did you find it?" And threw back the sheet.

"Mos Eisley," Liam said. He regarded the body, now uncovered. She was young, maybe only a year or so older than Yelara. She had been dirty, but Liam had seen to that. It hadn't been hard to find her...Mos Eisley wasn't a pleasant place, and death seemed to hang over it like a fog. "I made certain she was unmarred and undamaged."

"Good..." the Doctor whispered, prodding the still resilient flesh, turning over hands and limbs for inspection. His malignant smile grew. "She will do," he declared, then turned away to retrieve another instrument. When he faced the body once more, his laser scalpel was activated and without scruple he began slicing away layers of flesh. Blood still flowed, and this seemed to please the doctor. "Very fresh... She hasn't been dead for more than an hour, I'd say." His single functional eye swivelled upwards to regard Liam with admiration. "Well done."

"Just do your work," Liam said. "I don't want praise for this. I just want my wife back."

He chuckled darkly. "As you wish, Mr. Jedi." Gaze lingering upon Liam's a moment longer, the doctor returned to his extraction of healthy tissue.

Yara watched Liam expectantly as he returned to their side, but said nothing.

Through the Force, Liam observed, and tried to guide where he could. He reached down and brushed his fingers over the back of Yara's hand. He glanced down at her and tried to give her a reassuring smile. Something in his aspect, however, caused Yara to involuntarily flinch away. She watched Liam with growing apprehension and recognition of what she had felt in his chilling touch. With a gasp, she staggered away from him and only stopped when the wall came up behind her. "I-I want to go back to Va'Lesh," she whispered in a quivering voice.

Liam glanced to her, and nodded. "Go ahead," he said.

Yara required no further encouragement; she slid along the wall, watching Liam with wide, fearful eyes, until she encountered the doorway and spun away into the corridor. The Doctor happened to look back briefly, then more fully as he noticed her departure.

"Where is the girl going?" he snapped. "She does not wish to witness my creation?"

"No, she doesn't," Liam said. "This process makes her uncomfortable. Continue your work."

His smarmy grin returned, and with a florid gesture and falsely unctuous bow, he answered, "As you wish, Mr. Jedi." He gazed across the room at him from beneath a single eyelid and added grimly, "As you wish."

Liam closed his eyes and watched through the Force, doing his best to subtly guide the procedure and bring Yelara back to him. If this failed... He quickly cut the thought off, not wanting to ponder the ramifications of failure. He would deal with that if it came.

"Buried Memories"
Kyra Ronso
Auron Ronso
Ellemiek Vermolen
Admiral Aknor - CRS Concordia CO (NPC)
Aeris Strife - NPC+
Miko Sarkin - Wild Cards Squadron CO (NPC)
Corey Vankils - Wild Cards Squadron 2º CO (NPC)
Doz Wo Stath - Kondor Squadron CO (NPC)

Location: Somewhere in The Green Forest, Gallor
Date: Lythe 18, 4 ABY

***

The air was hard to breathe because of the moisture and hot temperature. The day was cloudless with a heavy sun burning its surface, but the very thick and dense vegetation protected then from the hot sun, although it also made the line of sight short to look for deadly traps.

Each trooper had to monitor a 100 meters radius around him to pinpoint possible traps as well as the enemy who may lie ahead or around them. Kyra's unit was spread in a line of five to ten soldiers as a defense line. Behind them was a single line of troopers walking on the safe ground that the troopers in front of them had already walked.

Kyra was one of the soldiers sent ahead because of her skills to see potential traps and her lineage of being once an Imperial Black Operative. She was always picked up to do what was considered by New Republic troopers as the most dangerous assignments. And those who volunteered to be front men were considered as someone with one screw loose in the head.

On her hands she had a Blaster Rifle with a mounted sniper scope, but she hardly used it. On her belt she wore two repeating blasters, a vibrosword and a couple of grenades. Keeping her blaster rifle to her front to be able to engage the enemy quickly if needed, she examined the ground and the branches above for traps, but even someone as well trained as she was had difficulty seeing all the traps, because the enemy was an expert in concealing them.

A few meters away she saw some movement in the vegetation. She approached one of the nearest trees and set her left knee on the ground. She raised her hand, closed as a fist. Everybody stopped and kneeled where they stood.

"Captain Ronso, why did you stop?" someone asked. The voice came from Kyra's comm.

"Colonel, I think I see movement two clicks from where I'm standing," Kyra said.

"Captain Dertyn, do you see anything?" the Colonel asked.

"Nothing, sir! It's probably only the wind..." Captain Dertyn answered.

"Sir, my gut tells me that something's wrong in this place..." Kyra spoke, maintaining her position.

"Captain, when you see the enemy or a trap just point it out, but don't use the comm frequency to report a movement in the bush because of the wind! Now continue to move forward! This is an order!"

Kyra turned off her comm and spoke to herself. "Great, Kyra, you're doing it well!" She got up and continued to walk. She looked to the side and didn't notice where Captain Dertyn was. She looked everywhere and saw that he was in front of the line.

She turned her comm back on. "Captain Dertyn, hold on!You are ahead of the line. Hold your position until the line is next to you!" she said. Only Captain Dertyn kept walking.

"Captain!" someone spoke from behind.

"What is it, Don?" Kyra asked, keeping her eyes out for traps.

"I get the feeling that something's wrong in this picture, ma'am."

"Why do you say that?" Kyra asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Well, sir, it's simple. We are in the middle of the forest and for the last ten minutes I haven't heard a thing!"

She smiled. "What's wrong with that?"

"Well, I think it can be normal, but isn't it weird that there isn't one single sound made by animals?"

Kyra looked around and noticed that as well, her heart started to beat faster. Oh no! Kyra thought.

A second later Captain Dertyn fell with one leg inside a small hole. He noticed that he had activated something inside it. When his foot entered the hole it pushed a rope releasing two small pointy wooden sticks that penetrated his leg. His screams could be heard all over the place.

"HEADS DOWN, IT'S A TRAP!" Kyra screamed as she ran to hide behind a tree. Seconds later the enemy fire could be heard and they engaged it quickly. Kyra fired her blaster towards the place where the enemy fire was coming from, but the dense vegetation hid their correct position.

Kyra heard from her comm. "Line of defense under attack! All units engage enemy! I repeat, all units engage enemy position!"

Kyra looked behind her and saw several troopers falling down on the ground dead. Rade Jacen ran near Kyra when he was hit in his throat. He fell on the floor, grabbing onto his throat. "Rade has been hit! I repeat, Rade has been hit! I need medical assistance on the front of the line, now!"

Don ran towards Kyra and helped her pull Rade out of the line of enemy fire. Kyra took Rade's hands off his throat and saw that his wound was extremely severe. The energy ray of the enemy had trespassed, but besides the smell, the flesh had signs of having been burned. Kyra looked to the wound and quickly tried to stop the blood from spilling out.

She noticed his expression of horror. He wanted to say something but couldn't. She gave him a smile and wanted to tell him that he was going to be alright, but she knew that he wanted her to tell him the truth. She wanted to say it, but her words didn't budge from her throat.

After a while the medic appeared and started to help Rade, while Kyra continued to fire for cover, but it had little effect. She saw that only a few meters away there was a good spot to take out the gun that was taking the lives of her colleagues, her fellow troopers. She had to take down that weapon and fast!

"Don, prepare for covering fire!" Kyra said.

"Yes, ma'am!" Don said as he quickly took Kyra's position while she was preparing to run.

Kyra gave a big sigh and ran to the next cover point as Don opened fired. Kyra jumped to the hiding place as the enemy energy rays passed by near her.

She quickly picked up her blaster and took out the scope of her rifle and glanced with it to see the enemy. It was no wonder why Kyra and her companions couldn't hit the enemy, since he was inside a building that looked like a bunker of some sort. They are trained for mercenaries. Too well trained! Kyra thought. She hid again behind a huge rock and punched her comm. "Cedrik, move towards Don's position and then mine. I need your proton missile launcher here!"

"Yes, ma'am! On my way."

After a few seconds she saw Cedrik getting to where Don was and then looking to where Kyra stood. Alas, as he ran towards her he activated another trap. But this time it wasn't a hole, but a huge sharpen wooden spear that came his direction, hitting him in his thorax and trespassing him and elevating him a few centimeters off the ground. The huge stick hit the nearby tree, putting his dead body hanging off that tree. Kyra saw the position and was both admired and hurt to see another friend die. The wooden spear was covered in blood, as was the ground nearby.

Kyra now heard people screaming in help or cries of wounds. Kyra shook her head. "Major Alers, sir, I need Dall to reach me or we don't get out of this alive!"

"On my way, Captain!"

Kyra stood there, helpless to see more of the few of her companions die on battle. She wanted to shoot in the enemy's direction, but if she did so she would reveal her position. Come on, Alers, Kyra thought.

After a few minutes Alers was with Dall. Dall was a Zabrak and one of a kind type of soldier. Maybe for being Zabrak he had inside of him more talent than Kyra, but he was young and somewhat foolish. But then again, Zabraks were mature in this type of situation.

In the middle of Kyra's thoughts Alers and Dall were able to get there. "Ok, Captain! I'm here with Dall, what is your plan?"

"Well, sir, the enemy has a stronghold there. They are behind some kind of bunker, and that's why we can't hit them! There is a small entrance from where they are engaging us. If Dall is precise on the small entrance it can kill everybody inside and then we can move to take that position," Kyra said as Alers looked through her electrobinoculars.

"Ok. Dall can you penetrate a missile there?" Alers asked, borrowing her binoculars to Dall.

"Sure, no problem!" Dall said has he sat his launcher and then Alers' and put the missile inside. Dall took his time, but didn't last an eternity since friends of his were killed. He then fired the missile, and there was a huge explosion, taking parts off the wall that were thrown a few meters off the ground.

Kyra woke up at that point and looked around. She then realised that she was in fact at the Concordia. She looked to her side and saw that Auron wasn't there. She got up and got dressed and exited her room. She made her way to the hangar, but Auron wasn't there. However, Zendel was apparently making some adjustments on his X-Wing.

"Hi, Zendel. Did you know where Auron is?" Kyra smiled as she pushed her hair back, since she was looking down.

"Hi, Kyra! Well, I saw him going to the training room about twenty minutes ago. He's probably still there!"

"Ok, thanks!" she said as she walked away to the training room. As she entered she saw Auron making some moves, practicing his martial arts.

Kyra took some accessories over to a nearby bench, also taking her boots and socks off to feel her feet on the training carpet. She stepped in and placed herself in front of him. "Hi, Auron, why didn't you wake me?"

Auron saw her long after she spoke and after she spoke she gave him a smile. "Well, I guess you looked peaceful enough. One-on-one?"

Kyra moved and stepped to the side, putting her right side towards Auron. She spread her legs a little, closing both her hands, making two fists. "Well, I ended up having a nightmare. If you had woke me up before leaving I wouldn't have had it... Ready?"

Auron moved forward, taking his fist towards her, but she avoided it easily. Auron then moved, quickly attacking with the other hand. Kyra moved to the side and avoided the second attack with her hands. She tried to counter attack, but Auron defended with the hand that made his first attack. He was then able to hit her in her thorax and Kyra moved backwards. "I'm sorry if I didn't wake you up, but I was used to waking up earlier and it seems my body is used to it. You were not ready!"

Kyra smiled. She took her shirt off and was now with a little black top. "I got a lot of weight on me. Now, let's party!" She blinked to Auron and smiled. She was then in position, but this time her left side was towards Auron and her hands were open.

Both engage one another. Auron tried to punch, but he quickly jumped since Kyra tried to bring him down with a spin kick. She continued her spin, jumping and extending her left leg towards Auron's chest. There was little that he could do, so he took the blow in his stomach, that launched him a few meters away. Kyra didn't stand there. Instead, she quickly tried to jump over him, but Auron was able to get off the way by spreading his leg and hitting her on her back.

"Like I said, you weren't prepared..." Auron said, as Kyra looked to the other side and gave a look of enjoyment. Auron got up as Kyra did the same. Auron quickly engaged but Kyra grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. She then grabbed both his hands and imprisoned him with her legs.

"The day you beat me will be when I'm incapacitated!" Kyra smiled.

"I see you beat me... again. Now, what are you going to do?" Auron looked to Kyra's eyes that were a mere centimeters away.

"Well, you are going to fall miserably now that I beat you, so I intend to support you with my love!" Kyra smiled.

"Yeah? I have a better idea what would lift up my spirit!" Auron kissed her on the lips and Kyra kissed him back.

"Oh please! Get a room you two!"

Kyra and Auron looked to the side and smiled to see it was Aeris. "Aeris!" Kyra said as she got up and helped Auron to get up. "Well, what brings you here?"

"The Admiral wants to see both of you, now! And by the sound of it, I think it's very urgent." Aeris crossed her arms.

"Ok, we're on our way." Auron turned to Kyra. "If this is so urgent, that means we probably are going to be moving out soon!"

"I agree... But let's see what this is about." Kyra walked to where she left her things.

Auron approached Aeris. "Aeris, you're my best pilot on the squadron, so gather the pilots in the hangar near my ship, because something inside me tells me that we are going to see action a lot sooner than I expected."

"Ok, Auron, I will." Aeris exited the training room and Auron went to the exit to wait for Kyra.

***Meanwhile, at the Bridge of the Concordia***

"Commander Ellemiek Vermolen, reporting in, sir!" she saluted as she entered.

"At ease..." Admiral Aknor nodded. "Commander, I have called you here after serious consideration. You're the leader of one of the top squadrons that I've had the pleasure to work with. And recently I've been told that you have done well in working together with Commander Ronso's squadron as well... I don't know what other people call it, but I call it charisma. And it has won battles over centuries for those who have it. Natural leadership..."

"Thank you, sir. But with all due respect, you haven't called me here to tell me this, have you?" Ellemiek asked.

"No..." the Admiral sighed. "I have called you here because I may have to send you and your men, along with Commander Ronso's squadron plus a handful of others for what seems a dangerous assignment. And I want you to take lead."

"Sir, you know you can count on me, but I'm sure that Commander Ronso is more experienced..." Ellemiek said, only to be interrupted by the Admiral who raised his hand.

"Alas, your squadron is more experienced than his. As is your time with the New Republic, and myself. It is my decision to send you as ranking officer, but first we must discuss the mission ahead, for which we must first wait for Commander Ronso..." the Admiral said.

Auron and Kyra were the last ones to arrive. He saw that Ellemiek was already there and there were also some other people standing around. One of them he hadn't seen in a long time. "Miko Srakin?"

"Auron, is that you?" Miko grinned with a raised eyebrow. "Gods! Ellemiek told me that you were alive but I couldn't believe it until I saw you now! How are ya?"

"Fine! Better than dead, of course. You?"

"Fine! Couldn't be better!" Mikos then looked to the Admiral who was waiting for them.

"Sorry, sir," both men said as they took their places. Kyra sat next to the Admiral.

The Admiral glanced around for a brief second. "First of all, this is a delicate situation. For that reason we have several squadrons on the mission. Miko Sarkin is representing his squadron, the Wild Cards, which is an attack squadron of X-Wings, and Doz Wo Stath is Leader of the Kondor Squadron, a Y-Wing Squadron. We brought them in specially for this assignment." The Admiral then looked at Doz and Miko. "I'm sure you're acquainted with Commander Vermolen and Commander Ronso of the Black Hawks and the Flying Blazes. We also have Kyra Ronso with us on this one, working as our intel operative. Kyra?" the Admiral motioned for her to continue.

Kyra sighed and activated the holoprojector as a Star Destroyer appeared. "This is the Starlight. A Victory Class Star Destroyer that the New Republic took control of a few months ago. Since this morning, the New Republic has had no contact with Starlight. During its last transmission we received intel that they had some information regarding a disease that was capable of devastating the non-human population of the Core Worlds. Luckily, this information had arrived via one other ship, but New Republic is concerned about the Empire Remnants who have intercepted the message and have moved to retake the Starlight and the info on the vaccine it contains..." Kyra said, then looking at the four Wing Commanders.

"And let me guess - we are going to look for the Starlight to see if it was apprehended by Imperials and retrieve the intel!" Miko said, crossing his arms.

"No. The New Republic wants us simply to blast it out of space permanently!" Kyra said in a cold tone that sent a shiver down the spine of Miko, Auron and Doz.

Auron looked at Ellemiek, then Kyra and the Admiral, not fully understanding what Kyra had said.

"But why?" Ellemiek asked. "Isn't there a chance that the Starlight is still intact and that the remnants haven't been able to overcome it yet?"

"Not according to our long range scanners, Commander," the Admiral stated. "We have read that two Imperial capital ships have gone to capture the Starlight back. And knowing that they were damaged and with low shield power, and with only one fully operational squadron, I wouldn't expect them to be much of an opposition."

"But they can still hyperjump, can't they?" Doz asked.

"Not as such..." the Admiral sighed. "One of the capital ships sent by the remnants was an Interdictor Class Cruiser, meaning the Starlight cannot hyperjump to safety."

"But we don't know for sure that the Starlight has in fact been re-captured by the imps..." Ellemiek said with a frown. "Are we to blast it in any case? Retaken or not?"

The Admiral looked at the others. "No. Chances are you will have to blast it. And then you have to deal with the other two remnant ships, not to mention blowing the Interdictor in order to be able to return. But if you find the Starlight still on our side and capable of salvage, then do it. That much I leave for you to decide, Commander Vermolen."

Ellemiek nodded and looked at Kyra. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"Yes, Commander Vermolen. To help in this situation, and since the graveyard is now a vast place of asteroids, to search a Star Destroyer can take weeks. So, we have the approval to hire two smugglers that know this location like the back of their hands. They are Vicks Mason and Adam Edwards. Both have already served the New Republic in the Tae'Karada's liberation as you may recall," Kyra said, then pausing for a few seconds. "We were able to establish contact with Mr. Adam Edwards, but Mr. Vicks Mason hasn't replied to us so far..." Kyra sighed.

"We are to contact with Mr. Edwards and ask him if he is willing to help us out once more," the Admiral said as a conclusion to what Kyra had said. "And if can get Vicks Mason as well, then so much the better! But, for now, I want you to prep for this mission. You leave as soon as possible. However, Kyra is going to have to go meet with Mr. Edwards. Since Commander Vermolen is the ranking officer on this assignment, I would expect you to go as well. And take someone with you."

"Of course..." Ellemiek nodded. "And if I may, I would ask permission to have Aeris, from the Flying Blazes, come as well."

"Very well," the Admiral nodded, then getting up and saluting. "Dismissed!"