Trogdor wrote:As desirable as that would be...why the hell would Palpy axe Jar Jar? He's no threat, and Binks was the one who proposed that Palpatine get emergency powers in the first place.
True, but that doesn't make Jar-Jar any less of a Xenos scum... wait, wrong empire.
Fanboy, it's awesomely goodly awesome. Keep it up.
Darth Fanboy wrote:But unlike Vader, there will not be as much of an 'armor component' to it, and Obi-Wan will probably wear some variation of Jedi robes over it all.
MAde two little teeny edits to the most recent chapter, and I'll see what I can get done, but ill be gone for two weeks starting at 6am Thursday June 30th. While i'm idle in various planes cars and possibly a boat or two I expect to handwrite a few things so you'll get plenty of content when I get back.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Trailer wrote:
Following the declaration of the Empire the planet Kessel had turned into the most impregnable fortress in the Galaxy. The head of Hoersch Kessel, a Skakoan named Mit Palldar who assumed his role thanks to a close relationship with former Techno Unit leader and fellow Skakoan named Wat Tambor, had begun consolidating every remaining CIS asset and assets of supporting corporations such as Baktoid and Haor Chall. The official goal was to prevent the Empire from nationalizing their industries as they had done to corporations across the galaxy, unofficially the goal was to provide a militarized haven for those who could be tried as war criminals by the former Republic.
A Muunilisti Admiral was reviewing the fleet strength "Three Hundred of our remaining Lucrehulkc lass battleships In addition to approximately twelve hundred supporting capital ships. Including Providence-class cruisers. I have elected to move the flag to the "Lucid Voice" following the destruction of "Colicoid Swarm" during the failed reprisal against Utapau."
Palladar had a complete roster of ships, and using his cybernetic enhancements he had already catalogued them and committed them to memory. But the Admiral was a Muunilisti, a banker, and as such he felt it necessary to go over every excruciating detail. Palldar didn't care, he was confident that this fortress system would hold out. They still maintained well secured holdings in the area and they had the raw materials to last for many years. Well beyond his lifetime, eventually the novelty of the Empire would fade and Palpatine would finally be rid of by the Republic. Then he would strike, making the consumer fodder of the galaxy pay for undermining those who had bartered hard for their right to rule.
Accessing some of his internal files, he recalled the last time he had spoken with Wat Tambor. In his heavily augmented voice he spoke of travelling to Mustafar, and that if anything should happen that the location of thousands of isolated-signal battle droids and equipment were being stockpiled across the galaxy. A result of Nute Gunray's wisely placed paranoia, one that would serve as a last ditch measure of defeating the Republic, and a measure that could be used in the case of preventing utter failure as well.
The Muunilisti was rambling on about repositioning droid fighters to different locations, altering the locations of in-system chokepoints along hyperspace lanes and changing supply routes to fool Republican missions targeting essential convoys. when he quit speaking, Palldar considered it a relief and nearly snatched his datacards and walked off before he was interrupted by Admiral.
"Cherished Executive, we have a situation. If you would accompanby me to central command."
Annoyed to the point of anger, Palldar sniped at his underling. "What is it now?"
"An Imp...err...Republican fleet inbound, we currently count close to one thousand ships inbound, confirmation of Acclamator and Venator class ships."
Palldar immediately switched from frustration to anxiety. The presence of the Republic's vaunted troopships and carrier ships meant only one thing, an invasion.
From the bridge of the ISD Imperator, Supreme Commander Anakin Skywalker gave the order over the holonet to all of the ships under his command. "Begin the attack."
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
CaptainChewbacca wrote:Why would they rally at Kessel, of all places? It barely has an atmosphere.
It's easy to hide on the edge of the galaxy and near the maw (giant Cluster of black holes)
Photography Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
And the garrison moon hasn't been blown up yet. Still seems like a rather odd choice, though.
"I want to mow down a bunch of motherfuckers with absurdly large weapons and relative impunity - preferably in and around a skyscraper. Then I want to fight a grim battle against the unlikely duo of the Terminator and Robocop. The last level should involve (but not be limited to) multiple robo-Hitlers and a gorillasaurus rex."--Uraniun235 on his ideal FPS game
"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force."--Darth Vader
Darth Fanboy wrote:There was no telling what sort of side effects would occur as a result, but she would live.
Will Luke and Leia be born with birth defects because of Sidious' influence, or will whatever mutations that occur-- Luke looking like Snake Eyes in my 'Transformers vs G.I. Joe' story, or Leia looking like Ayanami Rei, maybe?-- not be an obstacle to their becoming an asset to Palpatine?
Will Padme's mind be fried, or will Sidious be able to repair such damage, rebuilding Padme's mind so she'd be loyal to Anakin, no matter what-- and to Sidious when he activates a "failsafe" to keep Anakin under his control?
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
Sidious will probably want to get Padme out of the way permanently, if he twisted her mind Anakin would know (The novelization has him feeling her emotionally & mentally) .
Hel'l probably arrange an accident courtesy of the rebels/jedi, of course when Anakin finds out his Noooooo... should be much more impressive power wise (If he keeps gaining power like he did in the novelization), and he may manage to crush the Shadow
Photography Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
In the Dune Sea, Yoda walked away from the Sandcrawler he had called home for several days, and moved into an abandoned hovel. Armed now with knopwledge about local water sources he chose this spot through the Force as the best place for him to decide what to do next, and to commune with Qui Gon. It had taken hours but he had finally managed to reach his fallen comrade from beyond, but instead of new insights into the force or even a simple greeting, Qui Gon had only managed a warning.
"He is coming."
Following the declaration of the Empire the planet Kessel had turned into the most impregnable fortress in the Galaxy. The head of Hoersch Kessel, a Skakoan named Mit Palldar who assumed his role thanks to a close relationship with former Techno Unit leader and fellow Skakoan named Wat Tambor, had begun consolidating every remaining CIS asset and assets of supporting corporations such as Baktoid and Haor Chall. The official goal was to prevent the Empire from nationalizing their industries as they had done to corporations across the galaxy, unofficially the goal was to provide a militarized haven for those who could be tried as war criminals by the former Republic.
A Muunilisti Admiral was reviewing the fleet strength "Three Hundred of our remaining Lucrehulkc lass battleships In addition to approximately twelve hundred supporting capital ships. Including Providence-class cruisers. I have elected to move the flag to the "Lucid Voice" following the destruction of "Colicoid Swarm" during the failed reprisal against Utapau."
Palladar had a complete roster of ships, and using his cybernetic enhancements he had already catalogued them and committed them to memory. But the Admiral was a Muunilisti, a banker, and as such he felt it necessary to go over every excruciating detail. Palldar didn't care, he was confident that this fortress system would hold out. They still maintained well secured holdings in the area and they had the raw materials to last for many years. Well beyond his lifetime, eventually the novelty of the Empire would fade and Palpatine would finally be rid of by the Republic. Then he would strike, making the consumer fodder of the galaxy pay for undermining those who had bartered hard for their right to rule.
Accessing some of his internal files, he recalled the last time he had spoken with Wat Tambor. In his heavily augmented voice he spoke of travelling to Mustafar, and that if anything should happen that the location of thousands of isolated-signal battle droids and equipment were being stockpiled across the galaxy. A result of Nute Gunray's wisely placed paranoia, one that would serve as a last ditch measure of defeating the Republic, and a measure that could be used in the case of preventing utter failure as well.
The Muunilisti was rambling on about repositioning droid fighters to different locations, altering the locations of in-system chokepoints along hyperspace lanes and changing supply routes to fool Republican missions targeting essential convoys. when he quit speaking, Palldar considered it a relief and nearly snatched his datacards and walked off before he was interrupted by Admiral.
"Cherished Executive, we have a situation. If you would accompanby me to central command."
Annoyed to the point of anger, Palldar sniped at his underling. "What is it now?"
"An Imp...err...Republican fleet inbound, we currently count close to one thousand ships inbound, confirmation of Acclamator and Venator class ships."
Palldar immediately switched from frustration to anxiety. The presence of the Republic's vaunted troopships and carrier ships meant only one thing, an invasion.
From the bridge of the ISD Imperator, Supreme Commander Anakin Skywalker gave the order over the holonet to all of the ships under his command. "Begin the attack."
During the Clone War many of the bloodiest battles were marked by the brutal fighting on the planet's surface as the Republic and Confederacy fought to control vital resources. Geonosis, Praesitlyn, Kashyyk, just to name a few. But the Imperial fleet under Anakin's command was not interested in the planet Kessel itself, they were only concerned with killing every last rebel as the Emperor had begun calling them. The blloodiest part of this battle would take place in the void surrounding Kessel. With space warfare came the challenges unique to three dimensional combat. Defenses had been synchronized with the planets orbit so there were no gaps in coverage during any time of any day and the fleet was arrayed in a 360 degree pattern forming a defensive cocoon around Kessel, the shipyards, and the surface mining facilities which provided the badly needed capital to keep the fortification up and running.
The chief planetary system in Hoersch-Kessel's portfolio, the world was rich in mineral deposits including several used in illicit narcotics. Late in the war the corporate governor's had struck a lucrative deal with the Hutts that allowed Hutt slave labor to mine for both the company and the Hutts. In return for their goods the Hutts paid handsomely. During the war it had been relatively unthinkable to attack the planet, its value as a major shipyard was diminished by its location and it was relatively insignifcant. Until it had become the last major world of the CIS, and the de facto capital of all remaining CIS forces.
The Emperor had assigned Anakin to personally supervise the operation, because he could entrust nobody else to decimate the rebels as thoroughly, and the new Imperator-class Star Destroyers and their heavier guns were more befitting to Anakin's style. But there was a touch of deception in the plan, something that could be attributed to Anakin's growing knowledge of Sith teachings and also to the newly appointed Governor Tarkin, who had been assigned to the area which included Kessel during his military service. Tarkin was especially well-schooled in the ways of applying violence, and he and his methods had found favor with the Supreme Chancellor turned-Emperor Palpatine.
Palldar watched as the Invasion fleet began streaking towards the planet, the Imperials had chosen to attack the night side of the planet. Probably hoping to catch the defenders in that portion of the defensive grid unawares. But it mattered little, droids did not sleep. Automated defense systems jumped to full readiness and the ships assigned to protecting those areas began converging into a defensive perimeter, with the immense Lucrehulk-class battleships heading up the formations.
This was where Palldar and the other holdout leaders knew that they could prevail. The Republic's most outstanding ships were the Venator and Acclamator class ships and neither of them could outperform in ship to ship combat like the Lucrehulk, the only ship the Kessel defenders knew they had to be wary of was the Victory-class Star Destroyer, and none seemed to be present in this fleet.
"The arrogance of the Empire is that of the Republic! They send troopships and fighter carriers to overcome our fleet? Finally they will have a taste of their own blood streming down their faces." Palldar screamed from within the control room, watching as the holodisplays of Providence-class ships finally completed the formations and began firing long-range barrages at the incoming Imperials.
Though both ships carried weapons that could rain death upon an unshielded planetary surface, the primary role of the Venator and Acclamator was not to kill enemy capital ships. Anakin knew this full well when he sent in the bulk of his fleet ahead with only minimal escort from Imperial Dreadnaughts. The rebels had arrayed their forces in anticipation that the invaders would begin invading the planet at once, attempting to land their ships and deploy their fighters in an attempt to overrun the planet and gain control of the lucrative mines and facilities.
Instead, Anakin had deliberately held back the new ISDs, hoping to draw the largest guns of the enemy fleet towards the front, so that he could crush them utterly, leaving nothing left of the Separatist Fleet but scattered debris and painful memories. The first wave of Venators had begun deploying fighters and engaging the Trade Federation Battleships.
"Commence the second wave, target those droid control ships and battleships with our heaviest guns. Leave no rebel alive!" The order spread throughout the fleet, and the thousands of clone pilots and soldiers roared with applause upon hearing the order from their hero.
From hyperspace the Imperators came, emerging right above the Venators thanks to sensor data being fed to their location. Within seconds they heaviest turbolasers had positive target locks on their adversaries and began firing. The heavy turbolasers of the ISD were unlike anything that had been mounted on a capital ship before and before long they were tearing the Lucrehulks to shreds. Although heavily shielded, the constant volleys of fire from multiple Star Destroyers began overwhelming them and it was not long before Palldar heard the screaming coming from his commanders.
"Sir! Star Destroyers overwhelming us in position three! Permission to......."
"Imperial ships have broken through the grid at........."
"Ion cannons have fried all of our droids! I can't control....."
Palldar shut off the loudpseaker. After that last transmission one of his battleships had plowed into a Banking Clan communication frigate that had been coordinating the message traffic. He turned to the Muunilisti Admiral, hesitating to shoot him dead with his sidearm, and screamed "Divert forces from the day side of the planet! Kill those star destroyers at all costs!"
"But sir, that would leave us..."
"I don't care! Just do it!"
The Admiral acknowledged, and began transmitting the orders via secure landlines on the planet. Before long, reinforcements from the day side of the planet began shifting into new positions to engage the enemy invaders. The grid could be restablished later once the Empire had been pushed out for good.
From his command console anakin watched as dozens of ships began breaking their formation and heading towards his fleet. Despite the fact that these new reinforcements could very well bloody him he gave a toothy and sinister smile. He motioned towards his bridge officer.
"Send the signal to Tarkin over the Holonet, tight beam transmmission, commence phase 3. Warn all ships in the fleet to prepare to engage enemy reinforcements."
The officer gave a swift salute and began sending the encoded signals through the holonet. Thanks to the galaxy-wide network of stations which provided the galactic access to the holonet the signal reached Tarkin's fleet not far from the Maw cluster within seconds. Upon recieving the signal, Tarkin ordered his group of 15 Victory class Star Destroyers to enter hyperspace and porepare to engage targets. Skywalker had managed to open a gap in the fleet, the battle data attached to the transmission showed Tarkin a nice wide opening through which to take his Star Destroyers through. The Separatist Rebels, foolishly believing that all of the Empire's VSDs were tied up in the remaining sieges in the Outer Rim, had mismanaged their fleet out of desperation and cowardice. The only challenge would be to try and spin this battle in such a way so that Tarkin got the credit for the victory for himself, without that brat Skywalker ursurping him.
The VSDs charged trhough space and emerged to little resistance from several Golan-I battle stations and a scant handful of Commerce Guild support craft that had been late in responding to Palldar's command to reinforce against Skywalker. The big guns of the VSDs obliterated their targets before acquiring locks on the essential facilities. Tarkin's ships began bombarding shipyards and annhilating them.
"Begin targeting the planetary shield at once." Tarkin quipped to his gunnery officer as he began analyzing the battle. Skywalker was more than holding his own against the chaotic separatists, who were already reeling from the losses of their porbital facilities. The gunnery officer began coordination with other ships in Tarkin's task force, aiming for those portions of the shield weakened by the falling debris from the shipyards. "Governor Tarkin Sir," spoke a slightly nervous and green bridge officer who was unsure of wether he should refer to Tarkin my his political or former military title. "Incoming message from General Skywalker." Tarkin repressed his emotions, maintaining his composure amongst lesser individuals was as much a part of being superior as anything else, but to those who knew him he was definitely annoyed. "Patch it through then." Tarkin had about as much admiration for Skywalker as he had for any other Jedi Traitor. Whatever it was about Skywalker that had made the Emperor spare him Tarkin still did not think him a worthwhile comrade.
"Governor Tarkin, you've destroyed the orbital shipyards, why do you not divert your ships to engage the enemy fleet as per our battle plan?"
Tarkin nearly scoffed aloud, feeling no need to explain himself to the brat before him. "General, in case you haven't noticed I have a clear shot at the planetary shield, Kessel will be hours within the hour if you would just quit..." Tarkin began to feel a tight grip around his trhoat but he did nothing, controlling his breathing instead by slowing his breathing and restricting his movements, but before he could speak Skywalker cut him off..
"Planetary shields do not concern me Governor, the Separatist fleet does. Your ships will begin engaging the rear echelon of the Enemy fleet nopw or I will see to it that the Emperor learns of your little mutiny."
The borderline blasphemy nearly burned Tarkin's ears. "I understand General, the Emperor has given you control of this mission." Tarkin ended the transmission curlty and then gave the order to proceed along Skywalker's orders. Tarkin was now incredibly angry, A General, even the Supreme Commander of Imperial Military Forces should not be able to dictate orders to a high ranking official such as himself. Skywalker's lack of political respect was maddening at times, but the Emperor had ordered Tarkin to follow Skywalker's command and to obey faithfully. For the time being there was no opposing Palpatine. At least, not until there was an opportunity great enough to equal the ambition.
It took the better part of five hours, but Skywalker's forces had laid waste to the bulk fo the last CIS fleet. What few ships that had been able to retreat were scattered to the four winds loaded with fleeing Separatists who feared the infamous Imperial War Crimes Tribunal. With the fleet gone Palldar was left with little to fight back with in space, and the Imperial bombardment was slowly wasting away at the energy shield which protected him. The fortress world of Kessel and Hoersch Kessel Corporation had fallen. With one last exasperated sigh, Palldar raised his sidearm to his head, and fired it for the first time. One shot, one kill.
General Skywalker had begun touring the conquered planet the next day. Star Destroyer-based bombers had decimated what was left of the droid garrison, caught on the ground unable to resist against the massive Imperial Armada. Anakin had taken it upon himself to begin touring the slave mines, where he learned of the Hutt Connection to Hoersch Kessel. After a short investigation, he returned to his flagship, and upon returning he immediately contacted his master via a secure holocomm. The image of Emperor Palpatine as Lord Sidious emerged, a blue ghost floating in the air before him.
"My Master, I bring news of victory from Kessel." Anakin said as he knelt.
"So I have heard Lord Vader, I trust that this marks the end of the Separatist threat then?"
"What remains is nothing more than a scattered group of cowards who fear our justice my master."
"And you have discovered the source of Kessel's income which allowed it to thrive despite the death of the separatist leaders on Mustafar?"
"I have my master. The Hutts supplied both slave labor and financial support to Kessel."
Sidious considered this, and began letting his thoughts merge into the Force, the framework of a plan laying before him. "This works to our advantage, the Hutts have yet to yield control of their systems to Imperial authority."
"A simple display of strength my master, would subjugate them rather swiftly my master."
"Perhaps in another time that would suffice, but I sense within you a great storm Lord Vader, a storm which louds your judgement."
Anakin refused to respond, and instead clenched his fist and attempting to control his temper. Sidious glared at his apprentice and then gave one of those sadistic grins which usually preceded a set of particularly gruesome orders, as he had done before sending Anakin to the Jedi Temple.
"As long as the Hutts believe they can operate freely they will be a detriment to the New Order. Follow up a lead on this Hutt connection, and be sure to deal with it....appropriately."
The image of Sidious dissipated and Lord Vader arose, extending the fingers on his mechanical hand and reclenching it into a fist. He had already looked into the Hutt connection and he knew where he had to go, for his entire boyhood he had lived in slavery thanks to the Hutts, as well as thousands of others trhoughout the galaxy. As a boy he had dreams of wielding a lightsaber and freeing his mother and every other slave in the galaxy. OF course back then he though he would be a Jedi, back then he thought he would fight for freedom. But reality can be much different, and far stranger than a dream. Instead he wielded the blade of a Sith, and his fight would be under the pretense of justice, but fueled by vengeance.
The Hutts claimed Nal Hutta as the chief world in their holdings, and many influential Hutts lived and did business there or on the smuggler's moon of Nar Shaddaa. But everyone in the know of the galaxy knew that the most influential Hutt, the Hutt with the most money, the Hutt who happened to broker the majority of the slave dealings with the Hoersch Kessel company lived on a different world, and that Hutt was named Jabba. Anakin would confront Jabba, even though it meant returning to the world he hated most, Tatooine.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
I have both good and bad feelings on this last chapter, lemme know how I did.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Xero Cool Down wrote:It's ok, but I was expecting quite a bit more resistance out of the CIS.
Two responses to that:
One being that this is simply one last holdout, armed to the teeth but these guys weren't going much farther than the Kessel Solar System. Two being that I need the scattered tattered remnants of the CIS later.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Excellent chapter, Fanboy. Welcome back from yer vacation.
Falkenhorst
BOTM 15.Nov.02
Post #114 @ Fri Oct 18, 2002 4:44 pm
"I've had all that I wanted of a lot of things I've had
And a lot more than I needed of some things that turned out bad"
Is Yoda going to flee, or will he choose to face Anakin?
What happens to Tattoine? Will Anakin send stormtroopers to bring Jabba to him, so he can personally kill the Hutt? Or will he simply BDZ the planet into a lifeless cinder?
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
Sidewinder wrote:Is Yoda going to flee, or will he choose to face Anakin?
What happens to Tattoine? Will Anakin send stormtroopers to bring Jabba to him, so he can personally kill the Hutt? Or will he simply BDZ the planet into a lifeless cinder?
Find out next episode! Same Bat Time! Same Bat Channel! Or not, either way just keep readin somethings bound to happen.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Sidewinder wrote:Is Yoda going to flee, or will he choose to face Anakin?
What happens to Tattoine? Will Anakin send stormtroopers to bring Jabba to him, so he can personally kill the Hutt? Or will he simply BDZ the planet into a lifeless cinder?
Presumbly he has to torture Jabba about the whole CIS connection first.
"So this it it then Bail? You're just going to back out of the Alliance just as we are on the verge of establishing it?"
Mon Mothma's image projected onto Bail's desk at his residence on Alderaan. Seated herself, she was flanked by two beings. One of them was the three eyed Gran senator Ask Aak, and the other was a Neimoidian that Bial recognized as Lott Dod. The former senator who represented the Trade Federation in the Galactic Senate. Dod had been placed under house arrrest in his residence on Coruscant shortly after Geonosis and was reinstated as the Senator of Cato Neimoidia upon the conquest of that planet by the Republic, but his position was shaky at best as the accusations of prosecutors in the Imperial War Crimes Tribunal were calling for Dod's execution on charges of treason. Bail hadn't shed a tear when a subpoena was issued for Dod to appear in front of the Tribunal, Dod's incessant use of loopholes and red tape to bog down the Senate had been a point of contention for years. Without the support of Bel Iblis or any other major military backing Mon Mothma had been forced to seek elsewhere for firepower that would arm her rebellion. There was only one organization in the galaxy as well armed as the Imperial military, and these days there was plenty of former Separatists itching for a chance at revenge.
"I have told you repeatedly, the armed conflict you are suggesting directly contradicts what the people of Alderaan believe in."
"So you have said many times Bail, but just because Alderaan isn't a target yet doesn't mean you won't one day. How does the saying go? First they came for the Droids, then the Pacifists, then the Jedi, and then they finally come for you and there isn't a being left to speak up for you because you let them all be taken away."
"How did the saying go ten years ago? 'I will lay down my powers as soon as this criss has been averted.' You remember that line don't you? If you succeed and your rebellion overcomes the Empire how long will it take you to lay down your powers?"
"Well I am not going to just sit and let the Empire claim absolute control over the rights and freedoms over the galaxy. Senator Dod here feels the same way and he's willing to make up for his past transgressions to do something about it."
"Then consider this my heartfelt wish that you succeed Senator."
Bail quickly switched off the holoprojector and stormed out of the office, Mon Mothma's impatience would set back any sort of resistance for years. The resounding Imperial victory at Kessel had caused her to act quickly, thinking that she needed to begin forming a network before pro-Imperial sentiment could grow any further. Anakin's Skywalker's glorified exploits were giving the COMPNOR propaganda machine heaps of new material. The birth of the Skywalker twins was widely heralded across the Empire as well but it had hit particularly hard at home on Alderaan, where Bail was starting to become flooded with inquirieis as to why he hadn't a family of his own yet to continue the royal line and preserve Alderaan's heritage. Those requests had started to become quite irritating.
But Mon Mothma following through on her promises to align with former Separatists had been the final straw. She was genuine in her determination to win back the lost freedoms of the galaxy, of this Bail was certain, but in critical situations she would act without thinking and Bail was incapable of being the moderating influence against her that might have lured support. Continuing his brisk walk away from his office, and in to the adjunct building that served as the headquarters for the Alderaanian Defense Forces, he passed one of the newest officers in the military, who gave a gloved salute to the Senator that seemed just as friendly as it was professional.
"Greetings Senator Organa." came the monotone voice, mechanical but softened enough so that it wasn't as cold as a typical modulator spoke. General Ben Cody, formerly the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi, had recently been named the top military official of Alderaan. With the help of some expert Bothan slicers and a few eyes blinded by credits Ben Cody's record showed him as a faithful soldier who commanded The Tantive III as part of a Naval group that served in the lackluster campaign in the Drongar system. The Tantive III was destroyed and all hands lost, thanks to the subterfuge however Ben Cody's record now indicated a miraculous escape which resulted in spectacular injuries, necessitating the use of an extensive cybernetic life support suit. With Ben Cody having to living relatives, the role was perfect for Obi Wan to assume.
In the previous days the adjustment to the suit had allowed for tailors to shape the suit to have a professional military appearance, much of the components were concealed beneath a gray suit stitched to allow as much mobility as possible. In private Obi Wan had managed to incorporate a small case for a lightsaber into his right arm. Allowing him to carry it discreetly.
"Greetings General Cody. I apologize for my rudeness but there is a pressing matter I must attend to."
"Fair enough, but rmeember senator, your thoughts betray you far easier if you wear them on your sleeve."
Bail paused and reminded himself that despite his condition, Obi Wan was still a skilled Jedi Master, and keeping things to himself would take more than the standard "busy politician" dismissal he had been used to giving.
"Things are not going well my friend."
"It's Mon Mothma isn't it." Obi Wan said, not needing his abilities to sense what was going on.
"She's convinced that if we don't do something about Palpatine soon that we're done for, she's already in position to start another war. The last thing the galaxy needs is another war right now, especially another large scale civil war. The tighter we clench our fist in anger at the Empire, the more support we let slip through our fingers. War is not the answer, not yet."
"That is something you've been saying since Geonosis, I agreed with you then and I agree with you now. But you can't let your own reservations about her decisions change the fact that something will have to be done. Right now we have nothing going for us," Obi Wan looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping "and it was my own fault for failing on Mustafar."
"I apologize for what i'm about to say General, but speaking of Mustafar there is some news about your former...colleague...that you might find worth your time."
The ISD Imperator emerged from hyperspace unnanounced in the Hutt-controlled system of Tatooine, the Republic government had never sent a ship representing the Federal level, occaisional unofficial visits had been made in the past but for thosuands of years the Republic had generally left the Hutt Systems alone, abiding by an unwritten set of rules. Anakin looked down at the world of his birth, looking at the globe of sand. Many years ago, he had looked upwards from that desert towards the space he inhabited now, dreaming of a day when he would be able to travel smongst the stars. With modern technology, it was feasible to actually travel to a distant end of space and watch yourself from many years ago as the light travels across the void.
The desert held many meories for Anakin, and although he could recall the the happier times he could not feel them like he could feel the pain and the suffering he left behind. Never returning since departing for Geonosis. He wanted to reduce the world to the same rubble that Kessel had become. Every building on the planet had been levelled and the entire world turned into a maximum security prison. But the Emperor, his Master, had given him a task. The Hutts had to be brought into line with the Empire, Jabba would be the key, and then he could attend to a few personal matters before finally being able to abandon this world for all time.
Back on Coruscant, now officially renamed Imperial Center, Palpatine was finally finished with the official daily business of running the galaxy, and able to continue machinations he had set aside elsewhere across the galaxy including the chain of events that would ensure Skywalker's loyalty to him, loyalty that would keep Anakin from turning on his master, giving Sidious the time to increase his power enough so that he could destroy Vader as well has ensuring that his death contributed to his own cause of course.
In his own mind Anakin was a true friend, and a beloved apprentice, but it was also his duty as a Sith to one day rise up and overthrow his master just as it was Sidious' duty to train the most powerful apprentice he possibly could, replacing him as he saw fit and striking down any coup attempts so that the most powerful Sith Lord in existence is the master, as it had been since the time of Darth Bane.
Vader was becoming more immersed in the dark side with each act of malice, Sidious knew that his apprentice would have avoided Tatooine entirely for the rest of his life unless ordered to do so. At first it had been simply a possibility, one that Sidious had been reluctant to pursue. But the eyes and ears of the Empire were everywhere, especially in the Outer Rim where sedition was beginning to rear its head once again, and when it had been confirmed it had been immediately brought to the Emperor.
Of course Yoda had not died during their battle, but there was no way he would ever live openly again either. Sidious had been content to let Yoda die a lonesome miserable death in exile on some uncharted world, but when the passenger roster for a transport heading to Tatooine listed a diminutive passenger who gave no name, paid for fare in hard currency, and carried no posessions with him, Sidious had sought his answer in the Force and recieved it. There would be no need to tell Vader, he would come to that conclusion on his own eventually. The battle with the final Jedi would cement Anakin's darkness, and erase that last string of the light he held on to. With that complete, there would be no one for him to turn to once the next stage of the grand design went into play. Ruling an Empire was but a minor accomplishment when compared to true immortality.
The natives of Mos Eisley rarely left their city, largely because moving to another planet was cost prohibitive and occaisionally because the statute of limitations had not yet expired on past misdeeds. But Mos Eisley was full of travellers from across the galaxy as well, and many of them found quick fortunes in the Clone Wars. These were the beings that were familiar with the white armored Imperial Clone Stormtroopers that were marching in a column in one of the city's largest plazas. Of course Commandos had already landed in order to secure a spaceport berth and clear the area of possible antagonists to clear the way for the symbolic gesture. On the Emperor's orders Anakin was to march his troops trhough the town in order to signify the coming of Imperial rule. Anakin as a young child had never been to Mos Eisley, but one Hutt City looked just like the next. Supposedly Anchorhead was a lot different, but it really didn't matter.
As soon as the March was completed Anakin signaled the ship to begin landing prefab buildings in specific locations, the first steps in constructing a garrison. Soon after he was on his way to Jabba's palace via LAAT, along with a team of ARC Commandos that despite their increased independence were quite loyal to the General who had led them to victory over a seemingly invincible droid enemy. Anakin felt no need to be subtle, nor a need to be cautious as he approached the great door of the palace. According to the background information he had been given, the palace was an old monastery created by the B'omarr monks ages ago, their unique practice of preserving their brains within small mechanized bodies allowed Jabba to simply assume the structure as his own. As he got closer Anakin sensed a slight disturbance in the Force and held his ground when a long mechanized arm with a visual recorder, almost definitely part of a larger security system relaying information to some of Jabba's trusted lieutenants.
"Chuba ki aspa isti?" the arm asked. Anakin was already frustrated enough as it was without some bottom-rate thug inquiring about his business. As soon as it was possible he would drop the false pretenses he was working under and allow himself a release of the anger brewing within him.
"I bring a message for Jabba the Hutt, on behalf of his majesty Emperor Palpatine, and on the behalf of the Imperial Senate." Using the Force Anakin began subconsciously ordering the ARC troopers to begin doing a sweep of the area. High yield explosives were not out of a Hutts price range, even a stingy Hutt like Jabba. Nothing turned up though, and Anakin decided to proceed.
"Chuba ki naga ke ji isti?" The arm asked almost sarcastically. "Tolpa da banki danko."
"You can tell your master, that if he decides to ignore my request, then the Star Destroyer in orbit will reduce this palace and all of his assets on this force forsaken planet into the deepest craters he has ever seen, that is, if he lives to survive it. Tell him that General Anakin Skywalker delivers this message personally. You have five standard minutes to open these doors or I will enter of my own volition."
On that final note two of the ARC troopers hefted a pair of rocket launchers and the mechanical appendage wasted little time darting back into wherever it came from, it took less than a minute for the large doors to open. As thick as the hull of a starship, the rockets may not have been enough, but whomever it was observing must have noticed the LAAT off in the distance, LAATs had gained instant renown for their handling of departing starships at the battle of Geonosis. Between those rockets, and the beam turrets, the door would have proven as effective as a flimsi shroud.
Anakin called on the Force to guide him through the darkened chambers, as if he needed the extrasensory perception to tell that Gammorean guards were stationed along the route. He could smell their foul odor in the air and his hearing picked up barely muffled grunting sounds. Nothing in their demeanor suggested an attack, it seemed more like an attempt to make Anakin uneasy. Methods like these were more suited to someone like Count Dooku, Anakin summoned the Force and caused two pairs of guards to crash into each other, their thick skulls impacting with a sickening sound, a small gesture intended to give mild concussions, but enough of a gesture to turn the tables.
The ARC troopers followed in, using their HUDs to gain a tactical assesment of the situation and communicate with their comrades. Anakin paid them little attention, walking as he would down any other hallway while the ARCs acted as they would behind enemy lines. Fanning out in groups of two, and logging every possible threat, including the various booby traps and ambush locations. Alpha, the lead trooper, had initially planned on planting explosives over the entire compound, but Anakin had said that would not be necessary, and that if it was necessary to destroy the palace that a fighter strike would suffice. Alpha however wished he had still done so anyway, as he and his troopers watched Anakin stride confidently into Jabba's throne room. He turned his headset to the squad frequency.
"All right, while the General is doing his thing we're going to do ours. Any information we can gather we will take, any vehicles we find we will disable, and any hostile we encounter we will kill. Break off into pairs and maintain comm silence." It didn't take any motivation to get the ARC troopers moving. In order to be the best, you had to succeed in every mission regardless of orders, and the ARC Troopers were the best.
Within his hovel, Yoda felt the cold presence of Darth Vader, the man who had once been Anakin Skywalker. Although it was almost impossible that Anakin would be upon him so quickly, there was nothing Yoda could sense that a battle was impending, as if Anakin were on Tatooine for different reasons. His new residence was far from the larger cities, but through his connections with the Jawas he had befriended he knew that Clone troopers, soldiers he once led into battle, were marching in the streets. Yoda found it almost humorous, the Empire was attempting to bring order to the most lawless region in space. If history stayed true to form, any attempt to impose law on fringe regions such as Tatooine would eventually end in failure as corruption and apathy set in amongst the occupiers. But history was a funny thing as of late, thousands of years of history behind the Republic, and thousands more behind the Jedi Order had been wiped out in one deft stroke.
"Of course the same thing had happened to the Sith at one point as well." Qui Gonn had been quick to remind him. But Yoda was not ready to follow the same course the Sith had in their resurgence. A master and apprentice alone were enough to bring the galaxy to its knees, but far from enough to spread the peace and true freedom that was the right of every sentient being. The Jedi had been rebuilt from the brink of extinction before, shortly after the Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civil Wars. Of course the specific factors that contributed to that had been lost to history ages ago, but what knowledge that was retained clearly stated that the Order needed as many possible Jedi in order to rebuild. Other legends and ancient texts spoke of how the most powerful Jedi would arise in the darkest of times.
"Enough of a mess we are in, because of prophecies." Yoda spoke to himself as he hobbled over to a small chest where he kept his lightsaber. Gripping the hilt of a weapon he had wanted to forsake so badly many years ago. Even before Geonosis, he had contemplated leaving the Council and focusing more on teaching. After Naboo however, he felt that he best served the Force as a member of the Council.
"They are all with the Force now Master, in time they will learn to join with the Force as completely as I have."
Yoda clipped the blade to his belt, knowing where Anakin would go next as soon as he finished whatever business he was attending to.
"Anakin remains the Chosen One, he will still yet bring balance to the Force."
Yoda pulled his robes over his head to shield himself from the inevitable gusts of sand, and lowered his head hoping to find an Eopie o another creature that would carry him.
"There is still good in him."
Obi Wan had also said that there was still good left in him. IF there was then Yoda could not see it, whenever he closed his eyes he could only see the dead lying all over the Temple. Luminous beings all of them had become, but Yoda still grieved for them, seeing Obi Wan covered in machines shattered his resolve utterly. There was still one way however, that things could be made right. He closed the door behind him, following the directions given to him. Directions to the Lars homestead.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Comosicus wrote:Nice chapter. Can't wait to see the confrontation between Jabba and Vader. Will Jabba feed the Dark Lord to the Rancor?
That'll be... short and to the point.
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