Jedi Cool Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 chapter 1: Corran Horn looks into the silver glow of the lightsaber and knows he made the right decision. Luke Skywalker had explained how Corran’s father, Valin Halcyon, had been adopted by CorSec officer Rostek Horn after Valin’s real father, Nejaa Halcyon, had died in the Clone Wars. By marrying Halcyon’s widow and adopting his friend’s son, Horn had been able to protect them from being investigated by the authorities. Valin had grown up as Hal Horn and had not given much detail about the Jedi to his own son. Corran had turned down Skywalker’s offer to learn to become a Jedi himself. There are things he must do. First among them is to hunt down the Lusankya, the Super Star Destroyer that had been buried on Coruscant, serving both as a prison for Ysanne Isard and a place where she attempts to convert prisoners into Imperial agents. She’d tried and failed with both Corran and Captain Tycho Celchu. Corran had promised to help the prisoners he’d left behind when he’d escaped. Among them had been two older men named Urlor Sette and Jan. It was only after viewing a holo of Rebel Alliance heroes that Corran realized that Jan must have been General Jan Dodonna who’d led the defense at Yavin IV. Dodonna was presumed killed during the evacuation of the planet, but Corran believes he was actually taken prisoner. Mirax Terrik stands at the doorway and asks if he’s changed his mind. He wonders if she means the Jedi’s offer or becoming involved with her. She acknowledges the former, but she can handle the latter if it’s necessary. He tells her that believing she was dead left him feeling dead inside. She felt the same way when she thought he’d been killed during the liberation of Coruscant. Cracken had told him that she’d gone onto Borleias and missed being ambushed at Alderaan by Zsinj’s forces. Mirax would have preferred it had gone as scheduled. She would rather have been thought of as a privateer who stole bacta than have the whole convoy destroyed. Corran reminds her that she is not responsible for all of those deaths. She counters that he is not responsible for Isard making off with all of the Lusankya prisoners either. He knows that but he won’t tolerate the situation staying as is. He points out she could be looking at a lot of trouble staying with him. After all, there’s just him, his squadron and one X-Wing. If she adds her ship to that, then that’s all they have against three Star Destroyers, a Super Star Destroyer and whatever defenses the Thyferrans already have in place. She argues that the rebels have always relied on doing what it takes to win because they had to. The Imperials have never had to go that far. Corran and his friends will have need for more material but it’s not impossible.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This idea of Dodonna being captured as the rebels left Yavin IV is interesting. From the Rebel Force books, we know the Alliance did not evacuate Yavin IV for a considerable amount of time after the destruction of the Death Star. The base was still on Yavin IV through all six books in that series. Dodonna appeared in those books, but disappeared from all novels after that. There was nothing to indicate that General Dodonna was presumed dead or anything else about him, besides that Dodonna Tactical thingamabob that they had to use in the Truce at Bakura.Wouldn’t Corran have been debriefed after showing up so unexpectedly? I would have thought he would have provided all kinds of information about his experience, including the other prisoners there. I’m surprised someone else did not suspect that the old man Jan might be Jan Dodonna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 chapter 2: Wedge feels uncomfortable being out of the service, but he knows it’s for a good reason. He understands that the New Republic cannot overthrow a Chief of State installed during an internal revolution lest other worlds fear the same thing happening to them. His decision to leave was the right one. Tycho reminds him that they have the ten million credits that Isard put in accounts under his name in order to frame him as well as the five Z-95 Headhunters he’d procured for them to liberate Coruscant. They are not hyperspace capable, but many entertainment and antiquities venues are desperate for them. The Bothan Martial Academy really wants the one Asyr flew. Selling them would help build up their funds even more. They’d been forced out of Rogue Squadron’s headquarters, but several citizens had offered them offices and storage spaces. Mirax and Winter are looking into places where they can raid to get more supplies. The SoroSuub corporation offered them the use of their skyhook but the New Republic has grounded all skyhooks out of safety concerns for the population. The collapse of one during Lusankya’s departure had crashed onto the surface of the planet and the remaining ones can be used to house displaced citizens. Besides, using a skyhook gives Isard one target when she comes after them and anyone living underneath it would be at risk. They are going to have to find a base where Isard would not target the population. Pash Cracken arrives, his rank of captain reinstated. He explains he’s been reassigned to Commander Varth’s wing and they are going after Warlord Zsinj. They are staging out of Folor near Commenor which isn’t much but it’s better than Generis which is so far out people there probably don’t realize that the Old Republic has fallen. He offers to resign and join them if Wedge wants, but Wedge points out that having him along would give the appearance that Alliance Intelligence is involved in this mission and they cannot link the New Republic to it. Once again, Pash’s father being the head of Alliance Intelligence inhibits Pash rather than helps him. He does mention that they’ll be headed out to Yag’Duhl and make sure that Zsinj doesn’t use the station there to retreat to. He thinks it might be a good place out of which the ex-Rogues can stage their operations. If Pash’s group can report the place is uninhabitable, it might keep Isard away for awhile. Wedge asks Pash how he feels going back to his old unit. Pash will miss the Rogues, but he feels he’s learned how best to fight in a team and has gotten some perspective on his flying abilities. Now that the former Rogues have a place to operate from, all they need is ships, munitions, supplies and tools to repair their new home. It’s too bad they don’t have Emtrey with them, but they’ll have to make do.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wasn’t 15 million credits deposited in Tycho’s name? What happened to 5 million of it if there’s only ten million now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 chapter 3: Fliry Vorru hates the life, the humidity and the corporate stagnation on Thyferra. The Empire’s setting up of a monopoly on this world has given the Xucphra and Zaltin families little motivation to become more efficient or to diversify. A lot of waste occurs here, as well as nepotism, in setting up supervision over the largely competent Vratix who really don’t need management at all. Now that the Xucphra have been successful in installing Isard as their Chief of State, the Zaltin family has either fled or been killed. Vorru is stuck as Minister of Trade, an off-worlder in charge of a single family who now holds the means of production of the entire bacta trade. He meets Isard in her office and she brings up his asking after Kirtan Loor. She goes over how Loor had hoped to have Rogue Squadron destroyed with the convoy at Alderaan, but had failed when the Rogues were delayed. She had leaked the convoy’s location to Zsinj who had destroyed all of the ships, including the ones Loor had sent painted up to look like Rogue Squadron. Obviously, he feared her displeasure since the message containing his plans arrived after she’d enacted her own, so he ran to the rebels. He’d given them information regarding the operatives still on Imperial Center. The reason she’d had Vorru station his men around Imperial Center was because the rebels had a surprise witness to present in Tycho Celchu’s trial that she assumed was General Derricote. It turns out Derricote was killed by Corran Horn and Loor, the actual witness, was killed by Isard’s agent on Imperial Center. The agent himself was killed by his own wife. Vorru feels sorry for Iella Wessiri whom he’d worked with on Coruscant to set up post-Imperial operations on the planet. He had come to admire her loyalty and bravery. Doubtless, killing her own husband is tearing her up. Isard finds the situation very satisfying. Knowing that her husband’s mind belonged to Isard at the end must be very hard on Iella. Considering all the trouble he has caused Isard, Corran Horn has a lot to answer for. Vorru points out that he could have told her that as the Horn men have all been very driven. Further, Isard has no other agents on Imperial Center to get her information. She knows Rogue Squadron has resigned and has vowed to come after her, but she finds it more amusing than threatening. Vorru reminds her not to be too confident in her superior forces here. It’s his job to keep her from making the same mistakes as her predecessors. He points out, for example, that the New Republic may change its stance on supporting Antilles, other forces may help them if the bacta supply becomes more strained and they cannot discount the Ashern rebels. Although they are the minority among the Vratix, they have struck at key facilities in the past and those attacks have been more precise over the past year. They may be getting help now from members of the Zaltin family. He compliments her on utilizing stormtroopers as defense only while allowing the Xucphras to establish a Thyferran Home Defense Corps. Soon, the humans on this world will see the Imperials as allies and as a bulwark against being killed. Erisi Dlarit is heading up that squadron in order to show the Thyferrans how valuable they are. Isard minimizes the rylca that the New Republic is promoting as a cure for the Krytos virus. If all had gone according to plan, the virus would have wiped out Imperial Center. As it is, the New Republic is hard pressed to continue to treat the virus and, as Isard restricts the supply of bacta, member worlds will start to feel the strain. The rebels cannot hide anymore behind elusive attacks. By being in charge, they are the ones who are being looked to for resolutions and, when they cannot provide them, the population will look for someone who can provide stability. In essence, Isard looks for the people of Imperial Center to invite the Empire back. In the meantime, people like Antilles and Horn have proven how troublesome they are and will have to be dealt with soon.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 chapter 4: Corran finds Iella in the Corellian Sanctuary on Coruscant. The strained relationship between the New Republic and the Corellian Diktat has made returning the remains of dead Corellians impossible. As the Alderaanians shoot their dead in capsules into the Graveyard of their world, the Corellians cremate theirs and compress the ashes into diamonds that are used to create a makeshift starcape of constellations seen from their world. Iella tells him that Diric had done nothing wrong. Corran assures her that there was nothing she could have done to detect what had been done to him. He doesn’t know how he resisted Isard’s conditioning, but he knows what she does to her prisoners. Diric did, after all, not reveal Iella’s location. For all they know, Isard might have used threats against her to get him to cooperate. He resisted in other ways, too, by helping Aril Nunb to recover in Derricote’s lab and by helping with Tycho’s case. And he did shoot Loor. Diric would not have wanted her to live so unpeacefully after all he sacrificed. She asks how she can get over watching him die from wounds she inflicted. Corran tells her that he still expects to see his father walk into a room or to be able to call him at the end of a day. Those memories never go away but they transform into something else that allows him to remember his father with love. She wants to leave Coruscant and get away from these painful memories. He tells her that he and their friends are leaving, too, and want her to come with them and help inflict some pain on the person responsible for hers.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 chapter 5: Wedge explains the hierarchy now. Things are going to be a bit more democratic here since they decide on the missions instead of higher ups. Wedge is in charge, Tycho is his executive officer, Winter is Intelligence Officer and will be sharing quartermaster duties with Mirax. Tycho explains they have 17 million credits which may or may not help them much. Word of their resignation has passed along so many people want to help them, but the cost will be high because they know the squadron is desperate for ships and material. Add to the fact that Zsinj is also hiring means that most sellers can name their price. It may become necessary to use mercenaries and their equipment. Winter calls up the objective of Thyferra. She explains that it is a tropical climate that bodes well for growing bacta. There are three spaceports, the biggest of which is now being called Xucphra City, where incoming ships stop for customs and immigration before being sent onward. The population is only 10000 humans. With the Zaltins largely exiled or killed, their housing is being used for the Imperial forces which vastly outnumber the Thyferrans. It is only a matter of time before Isard occupies the planet. For now, she is allowing the humans there to form the Thyferran Home Defense Corps. The native Vratix are used for the manufacturing of the bacta in the same way that ale manufacturers brew their product. Qlaern Hirf is one of the Vratix verachen. There are Vratix among the corporate heads of the companies, but Imperial policy required that they take no active role in the leadership positions. The humans live very luxurious lives while the Vratix live modestly in the rainforests. Though the coup took place only two weeks ago, it was probably planned before then and installed Ysanne Isard as Chief of State. She was the daughter of the Imperial Director of Intelligence. After she provided evidence to the Emperor that indicated her father was going to defect to the Rebellion, she took his place. That evidence may have been manufactured as Winter has no knowledge that such a defection was planned. Most other information about Isard is merely speculative, but she’s not known to pilot a ship so it’s unlikely they’ll have the chance to outfly her in a space battle. On the other hand, they will also have to deal with Fliry Vorru. He had been the Imperial Moff of Corellia before being sent to Kessel which is where the Alliance retrieved him in order to help them liberate Coruscant. It is unknown when he actually began working for Isard, but it might have been as soon as he landed on the planet. He was certainly working for her when he was put in charge of the constabulary. Much of their difficulty bringing down the planet’s shield that had been attributed to others might have been his work instead. Finally, they all know Erisi Dlarit who was a mole in Rogue Squadron. She is a member of the Xucphra family on Thyferra. It appears her ability to be of use to Isard was minimal. She was able to provide Corran’s command codes to Isard, reveal Bror Jace’s location and betray the bacta convoy, but wasn’t able to stop the liberation of Coruscant because of the communications blackout Wedge had put in before the mission. At best, she was able to fly her ship into the construction droid they were using. Even though she didn’t cause a significant amount of damage, it’s still hard on the pilots because she’d flown with them. Defending Thyferra is the Lusankya, the Avarice, the Virulence and the Corruptor. The latter is captained by Ait Convarion who’s had some success cleaning up pirate activity in the Outer Rim. Taking this planet may be impossible. Wedge has sent out communications to people who might be able to help. They have to keep the Destroyers far enough away from each other so they cannot provide support; for example, getting them to protect bacta convoys. They’ll need weapons, too. Shiel suggests finding the Katana fleet, Wedge comments that maybe the Outbound Flight project will come back with a bunch of non-human Jedi to help them and Gavin asks about the Another Chance. The ship was the one that had all of Alderaan’s weapons on it when it demilitarized. It was supposed to have been able to return if needed. Winter explains that it was already found. The rebels used the weapons on the ship – most of which were Clone Wars era – to supplement their infantry after the loss at Derra IV. Most members of the Alliance are not aware of that as it allowed the Empire to continue pursuing the ship itself instead of them. Wedge tells them they don’t need a miracle ship. Winter has located some Imperial supply depots, most of which have been cleared out, but not everything is accounted for. Mirax will be taking Corran and Gavin to Tatooine to deal with Huff Darklighter. Gavin’s uncle had cleaned out a cache of weapons, using some to supplement his security force and claims to have sold the rest off. Wedge isn’t sure he did and wants Gavin to try to convince him to give it up. Corran will be able to ferret out any secrets Huff has. The others will be moving to their new headquarters. This will be a covert operation, but they don’t really expect that, over time, Isard won’t be able to find them.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Prior to this book, the author had only a vague mention of the Outbound Flight project to work with. We know, of course, by reading Outbound Flight that it was intended to be a civilian project headed into the Unknown Regions. There were Jedi aboard it, as Wedge mentions Jorus C’baoth, but there was nothing to indicate that the purpose was to go out and create new Jedi among non-human populations. C’baoth himself may have planned for something like that, but there really shouldn’t be any records left regarding what his intentions were. A couple of things here, Wedge mentions that, unlike the Katana fleet and the Outbound Flight, the Another Chance is not the stuff of myths and legends as it actually exists. Well, we know for a fact that the Outbound Flight existed and was disabled as it entered the Unknown Regions by Commander Thrawn of the Chiss Expeditionary Force. I find it hard to believe that the Fleet’s existence is up for debate. Secondly, it also implies that Jedi were largely human as Wedge considers only a bunch of non-human Jedi showing up to help them. Again, we know these oddities exist because this book was written before so many others were.No offense to Winter, but I would say that Erisi caused plenty of damage when it came to that bacta convoy. However, did she have access to Bror Jace’s flight plan? The prosecution made it a point to claim that Tycho plotted Jace’s flight plan which implicated that he was the only one who could have provided it to the Empire. If Erisi had access to it as well, it’s hardly a significant piece of evidence against Tycho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 chapter 6: Corran complains about the dust, the heat and the dubious character of Chalmun’s Cantina in Mos Eisley. Mirax points out that hot shot pilots gather here who may have the type of cargo they need. Besides, her father used to bring her here sometimes when she was a child. Wuher the bartender would make fizzy drinks for her and some of the other smugglers would give her gifts from worlds they’d been to. They get the notice of a Devaronian and a Rodian who abandon full drinks at the bar to head their way. The Devaronian accuses them of sitting at their table. Corran is astounded that Mirax throws insults back at them until Wuher calls them off by telling them that she is Booster Terrik’s daughter. That produces enough of a conciliatory reaction to keep Mirax and Corran safe. Corran marvels at the influence people have here on Tatooine. She explains her father’s reputation was pretty solid before he went to Kessel and surviving that only made him more notable. As for Gavin, the Darklighters are pretty well known and powerful here. Corran would likely get the same reaction if his name were dropped at a Corellian tapcafe. He takes the opportunity to ask her if she’s told her father about them yet. She admits she hasn’t. At first, it was because she assumed Corran dead. Now she’s too busy and, to be honest, her father is hard to find now that he’s retired. He doesn’t smuggle anymore, but provides his services as a negotiator for friends. He’s happy and it’s less risky. Gavin appears and tells them he’s got a landspeeder waiting out front. His Uncle Huff refused to let him borrow one because of what happened the last time someone from Rogue Squadron had done that. After confirming with Wuher that the Devaronian and the Rodian paid her bill, Mirax leaves with both pilots. The landspeeder looks dilapidated and takes them half an hour to get to the impressive Darklighter estate where Gavin greets his Aunt Lanal. A number of children in the compound are hers. Biggs’s mother died before Gavin was born. After Biggs died, Uncle Huff was shaken up and he wanted more heirs which his second wife refused to produce beyond the one she’d already had. So she left. Lanal is Huff’s third wife and the sister of Gavin’s mother. So she’s his aunt on both sides. Obviously, Huff is doing well enough to put fountains on his estate and his library looks like the one Corran had seen on Coruscant. Doubtless, he’s made arrangements with the Imperial authorities to do what he wants here, but is willing to deal with the New Republic as well. Corran thinks Huff doesn’t like to take the blame for anything so he views his son’s death the fault of the Imperials rather than his own for arranging Biggs’s appointment to the Imperial Academy. Huff comes out and greets Gavin gruffly, telling him to let his hair darken and grow a mustache. He would be the spitting image of Biggs. Since Gavin looks nothing like Biggs, Corran surmises that Huff clearly reveres the memory of his son. Huff apologizes for the delay, but he’s in tense negotiations right now and has to go back to them. Corran refuses to budge, noting that Darklighter ships burn fuel faster than they should if they are carrying what they are supposed to be carrying. Gavin explains that Corran is from CorSec and the woman is Mirax Terrik. That name Huff recognizes and asks if she’s related to Booster Terrik. She explains she’s Booster’s daughter and wants to inquire regarding a weapons cache he cleared out a few years ago. They are here to purchase what’s left. Huff explains that his other visitor is here to do the same. Both sides claim that they can give him the best deal. He goes into the other room and tells his visitor that competition has arrived. A huge man with short white hair and a replacement eye barrels into the room asking them if they really want to deal. Corran attempts to intimidate him by telling him dealing won’t be necessary as his companion is Booster Terrik’s daughter. The man only laughs. Corran turns to Mirax and asks why it’s not working here like it did at the bar. Mirax explains that the beings at the bar were afraid of her father. This man is her father.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So let me get this straight. Biggs was the son of Huff and his first wife who died before Gavin was born. Huff remarried. His second wife only had one child. She left because she refused to have more. So was her child her own child or a half-sibling to Biggs?The incident with the landspeeder may have occurred in Rogue Squadron comics “Battleground: Tatooine” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 29, 2014 Author Share Posted October 29, 2014 chapter 7: Corran lets slip that Mirax must take after her mother, earning him some disdain from Booster Terrik who wants to know why he shouldn’t teach him why people fear him. Mirax introduces Corran to her father and he realizes this is Hal Horn’s son, giving him a further reason to want to beat him. Mirax explains to her father that he cannot do that because she and Corran are romantically involved. This causes all type of ire from Booster who points out that this would kill her mother if she weren’t already dead and that Corran’s father and grandfather would be equally incensed. She reminds him that the Emperor is dead and things have changed. This may not be what he wanted for her but it doesn’t change anything. She is glad to see him, though, and embraces him. Booster expresses his condolences over Hal Horn’s death, acknowledging that he’d admired the man’s tenacity. Corran responds that his father appreciated Booster’s ingenuity. As to the subject of the arms, Booster reminds Corran that his CorSec connections mean nothing here. But when his daughter tells him Wedge needs the material, Booster tells Huff to give it to them…literally. He threatens to expose some of Huff’s Palpatine-era transactions if he doesn’t. Mirax would rather find some other way. Forcing Huff to give up the material is what the Empire would do. She wants to know what Huff has and her father will determine the current going rate of it. The rebels will pay a discount because everyone knows that Huff Darklighter would not force his late son’s comrades to overpay. In exchange, he gets a fair price for goods he can’t use here on Tatooine. Huff wants to try to negotiate still until Mirax threatens to start with her father’s position. He agrees to her terms and offers her a job if she ever needs one. They accept an invitation to stay with the Darklighters. With Booster there and Gavin’s family joining them, it feels like a family reunion. Jula and Silya are more weathered people than Jula’s brother Huff who points out his wealth at every turn. The father seems used to his brother’s boasting and the mother reminds Corran of his own. Her worried eyes show the same concern for Gavin that his own mother had when he graduated from the Corellian Security Force Academy. Gavin regails his younger relatives with stories of his exploits, carefully leaving out how he’d nearly died on Talasea. Corran notes that his parents must know he’s holding back how much danger he’s in. Doubtless everyone here can only think of Biggs. The openness of this large family strikes Corran. The children are everywhere and accept every adult. The adults don’t mind the children approaching Corran so long as they behave. As an only child, his family was more like Mirax and Booster who have each other for support and comfort. His father would have liked being here with all of these people. Hal had known that his father was Nejaa Halcyon the Jedi, but never told anyone. Whenever Corran told him about a hunch, his father had told him to go with it, never explaining that it was part of a Jedi heritage. Surely, he’d needed to protect Corran from knowledge that would have been dangerous, but he must have wanted to tell his son about his true blood line. He might have if he’d lived to see the Empire toppled. Jula Darklighter approaches him and thanks him for supporting his son. Corran admits that he’s not used to such a large family and finds it overwhelming. Jula knows that Gavin is not telling him that he’s almost died. Corran tells him that they’ve all almost died. The Emperor may be dead but there are many people willing to fight over what is left. It is true that Gavin was attacked and nearly died, but he’s a fighter who has destroyed more than his share of the enemy. His heart is what keeps the Rebellion strong. Jula thanks him for his words and says that Corran’s parents must be proud of him. Corran admits that his parents are dead. Jula knows this must be hard on him. Corran explains that it is, but unlike being an Imperial prisoner, he doesn’t have anything to focus his anger on here. Jula advises him to let go of his anger lest it take him prisoner. He invites Corran in to the gathering and the other man admits that it’s nice to be someplace where he’s not reviled. The Darklighters treat friends like family and family like friends. They’re always glad to add another one to the clan.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If Corran’s mother saw him graduate from the CSFA, then she died after the Battle of Yavin. He’d been at the Academy when the first Death Star blew. No mention has really been made about Corran’s mother and how she died. It appears she may have predeceased her husband by only a short period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 30, 2014 Author Share Posted October 30, 2014 chapter 8: Wedge is awakened by Emtrey. Which is a surprise since Emtrey is the property of the New Republic and had to be left behind when the Rogues left. Wedge is exhausted, having to travel with Ooryl to procure some X-Wing parts which took longer than planned. He has Tycho brought in and asks for his explanation as to what Emtrey is doing here. Tycho explains that the companies that manufacture X-Wings and Y-Wings got nervous that the A-Wings, which were designed by General Dodonna before his capture, and the B-Wings were going to supplant their starfighters. They were hoping to renew their contracts with the New Republic when Rogue Squadron resigned and a rival company starts a rumor that it was because they were unhappy with the X-Wings. So Incom, the X-Wing fighter company, offered the New Republic modified A-Wings that they hope the Rogues would like better. The New Republic accepted and tossed out all of Rogue Squadron’s old material as broken and put up for sale. Winter found out about it and bought the whole lot, including their astromech droids and Emtrey. Since Zraii and the other mechanics resigned, they’ve followed the ships here. Clearly someone out there approvesof what they’re doing. Tycho gives Wedge a tour of the compact facility. Noting that there are still station personnel here from before Zsinj took over. Sending them away would alert Isard to their presence here sooner rather than later and leaving a lot of work left to them. The merchants here have formed an Economic Council so someone will have to be in charge of that and the employees seem to think that Isard would be a positive change from Zsinj but the Rogues’ presence will at least keep the scum of the galaxy from showing up here every time they have leave. It could cause profits to go down though. The Yag’Duhl system is home to the Givin who worked on the station after the Rogues hit it. Apparently, there was an altercation with the Twi’lek who ran things here and he ended up blown out into space. The Pulsar Skate is on its way in and Tycho noted a funds transfer to Huff Darklighter so the deal must have gone through. They just have to find out what they got in exchange.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Unless someone high up hoped the Rogues would get the ships, I’m finding it hard to believe that the X-Wings would be put up for sale as surplus. Certainly, Wedge’s X-Wing would be considered a valuable piece of merchandise, having been flown during two Death Star battles and destroying one of them. If not put in a museum, it could have been sold for a tremendous price. In addition, Emtrey being included with the stash strikes me as odd. Emtrey worked with Rogue Squadron on some highly important missions. It doesn't seem that he's gotten a memory wipe, so I guess it's really lucky someone with a grudge against the Rogues didn't end up with their ships and the droid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 chapter 9: Wedge is surprised at the appearance of the X-Wings. Tycho explains that they can’t use New Republic insignia or ID tags so they are all painting theirs in unique colors. Tycho’s is in the colors of the Aldeeranian Guard unit near his home before the planet demilitarized. He suggests Wedge paint his with Corellian bloodstripes but Wedge prefers the colors of the logo his father was going to use for his business before he was killed. Ooryl’s colors can only be seen by those who see in the ultraviolet. The Skate arrives and they note Mirax, Gavin and Corran who looks a bit subdued until Wedge sees the reason why coming down the ramp behind him. Booster comments on how Wedge has grown since the last time he saw him. Booster didn’t get out of Kessel until about the time Wedge was freezing on Hoth. He’d like to know why Wedge didn’t keep his daughter away from Horn. Wedge tells Booster that if he can’t control his own daughter he shouldn’t expect Wedge too, either. Booster joins him on the tour as Wedge asks Gavin what they brought with them. Gavin tells him they got a lot of weapons, armor and spare parts. Corran confirms that the armor and supplies could be used in a small insurrection. Two newcomers approach and Wedge introduces them as Elscol Loro and Sixtus Quin. Loro had flown on a few missions after Bakura while Quin was a Special Intelligence Operative who was betrayed by his Imperial Commander and helped the Rogues out on a mission to Tatooine. The two of them are experts at ridding planets of Imperial tyrants, something the Rogues really aren’t adept at. They organize resistance groups and Elscol means to do that on Thyferra. They’ll have to get rid of the Imp ships in orbit or a bombardment will ruin everything. She wants to liase with the Ashern rebels so they aren’t fighting them at the same time. Sixtus explains they have to control how Isard acts. They have to get some of the ships away from Thyferra but not all of them so that her target isn’t overwhelmed. To start with, they have to make Isard angry.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So Booster Terrik’s five year sentence to Kessel began about 2 year BBY. Wedge is about Luke’s age, so he would have been about 18 or so when that happened. Since his parents died when he was 17, I can see how he might’ve kicked around the galaxy for a year with Booster.The incident with Sixtus Quin occurred in Rogue Squadron comic series “Battleground: Tatooine”.Elscol Loro appeared in Rogue Squadron comics “The Rebel Opposition”, “The Phantom Affair” and “Battleground: Tatooine” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 chapter 10: Corran cannot shake the uneasiness that he is doing something wrong here. So far, everything has checked out on their mission to hit the Tyferran bacta convoy, but a man who devoted himself to law enforcement, whose father and grandfather – and likely his biological grandfather, too – had fought against, too, has now become a pirate. However, Elscol Loro had wanted to make Isard angry and hitting bacta convoys will do just that. She will be forced to divert resources to protect them and replace supplies by paying inflated prices on the black market. The convoy is right where it’s supposed to be. Wedge hails the freighters, but they do not recognize his authority. The X-Wings engage Thyferrans in Z-95 Headhunters as well as in Uglies – ships cobbled together from other ships – and TIEs. Some of the pilots are clearly green, but Corran has trouble getting one off his tail. By the time it’s over, Tycho reports that the freighters have agreed to make delivery runs for them and Wedge will let them go after that.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 chapter 11: Corran and Ooryl deliver a shipment of bacta to Halanit, a world with a small population and little in the way of resources. The administrator of the small colony, Farl Cort, is confused when they will not accept payment for the bacta which is desperately needed to handle an unusual virus similar to the Candooine Chills. The colony was started back in the Old Republic, but is largely left alone. The Thyferrans want to charge more for the bacta they need than the colony is worth. They explain that the shipment cost them nothing so they won’t charge anything, but do accept a hot mineral springs bath and dinner. The colony is largely underground due to the ice covering the surface. Nonetheless, they've built an impressive society here. Tycho Celchu has decided to make his Return. Alderaanians have taken to making this pilgrimage to the Graveyard where Alderaan’s remains float in space. The experience is said to be very life-altering and has become ritualized in some respects. While Tycho doesn’t want to make a very personal moment a ritual, he feels he has to do something, so he buys some trinkets that he knows his family would have liked in order to place it in orbit around his homeworld. His fiancé is another problem. They would have married after his first year of duty as a TIE pilot. Neither of them had expected the other would die before it was up, but Tycho had seen the last moments of her life, unknowingly, when the Death Star destroyed the planet while he was in the middle of a real-time HoloNet conversation with them. He’d known the Empire was responsible for this even though his Imperial indoctrination made him believe that the rebels could destroy a planet. They wouldn’t have destroyed Alderaan, though, where they received much of their support. The galaxy had changed him and the life he and his love could have lived is impossible now. They would have had to willfully ignore the Empire and its excesses. Though Alderaan was pacifistic, Tycho wonders how much of that was arrogance. They’d thought that disarming would keep them safe. Bail Organa had seen that error, but many people had clung to their pacifism. His fiancé would not have understood the need to fight evil and kill those who are beyond reason. That is what binds he and Winter together. So it was Winter who’d suggested a crystal sphere with Alderaan’s continents etched on it. He includes a holo of her inside and makes his transmission. He identifies himself as an orphan of the galaxy who hopes to be returned here when his life is over. He considers blasting the capsule containing the mementos with his lasers to keep treasure hunters from grabbing it. There are also those who have put forgeries of valuable objects in the ruins to prey on hopeful Alderaanians. Still worse are the people who claim that they are survivors of Alderaan and try to insinuate themselves into families who’ve lost nearly everyone. A great many survivors have access to a lot of off-world wealth which makes them easy targets. But he leaves the capsule as is and takes off to continue the fight.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As an example of those who clung to pacifism, we can point to the survivors in Rebel Force #2: Hostage who even blamed Leia and her father for making Alderaan a target.Leia stopped by Alderaan’s remains herself in that book.Just a note to highlight the statement that many of Alderaan’s survivors are wealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 chapter 12: Vorru and Isard argue about the hijacking of the bacta convoy. She insists that the loss of prestige on top of the bacta shipments is unacceptable. Vorru has a plan to handle any credit Antilles and his men are getting. They will delay bacta shipments to any world that accepts it from him for free, charge them for the bacta they’ve already gotten from him as if he was just delivering it on their behalf, and will cut allotments to worlds to make up for the loss of what he stole. Soon, those grateful to him will become quite bitter. Isard wants blood, though. Vorru explains to her that they cannot enact revenge on Antilles until they know where he is. He already has criminal organizations looking out for him. She wants to add extra protection to their convoys, but Vorru thinks it would be better to require the customers to provide their own security at a prearranged rendezvous point. If Antilles hits the shipments after the transfer, he will not be fighting the Imperials, saving them both on resources they cannot afford to lose and on some of the cost of shipping. It also estranges him from the people he wants to help. Eventually, he won’t have any more allies. She is annoyed by the delays this will cause and by the fact that she is annoyed by them. She realizes that their opposing her directly is causing her to lose the detachment she had when they were opposing the Emperor. She will allow Vorru to proceed and then surprise them when she strikes. Wedge asks if Booster is going to see Mirax before he goes. He mentions his daughter is busy prepping Corran Horn for his mission. Wedge tries to put the best spin on Horn whom Booster is convinced is using his Jedi sorcery on Mirax. He’d asked Booster here to see if he would like to pilot the Mimban Cloudrider to Thyferra. It is one of the tankers they’d grabbed and has been sliced to include Mirax, Corran, Iella, Elscol and Sixtus as the crew under fake IDs. He wants Booster to take them to Thyferra where they will try to connect with the Ashern rebels. Booster refuses the job because it’s too small. Wedge reminds him that he’d always been told that being master of his own ship was the greatest aspiration. Booster recalls his time on Kessel. Some people go mad there, but he held on because he knew he’d get out. But day after day of mind-numbing work with the same people and the same life gets to a person. When he got out, he took one trip on the Pulsar Skate, but the time in hyperspace reminded him too much of Kessel so he gave it to Mirax and retired. Now he travels around, doing favors for friends and meeting new people so he can shake the isolation of Kessel out of him. However, he does offer to run the station for Wedge. The Rogues have shut down the station and made the Republic believe it’s been destroyed. The Imperials think that, too. But, in doing so, he’s cut off a resource that’s been here for a long time. Ships used to coming here can see it’s still here and will resent not being able to do business here. One of them will eventually sell him out, especially once Vorru starts cutting bacta supplies in response to all of these convoy hits. But, if Wedge opens up the station for trade, they can get revenue coming in, supplies brought to them and merchants who will not betray him to anyone lest they hurt themselves, too. Wedge considers that none of the rebel bases were ever betrayed by one of their traders. But he worries about what people will think about parts of the station that are restricted. Booster says it doesn’t matter. Rumors will fly all over the place and it will result in people bringing information to them that they think is useful. Pitting himself against Vorru when it comes to trade and information will definitely keep Booster busy.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Booster must have found out Corran is related to a Jedi…sometime in the last five chapters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 chapter 13: The Mimban Cloudrider has a bumpy ride down. Both Mirax and Corran know they could pilot it better, but figure they’ll survive. Corran practices his breathing, now appreciating the texts Luke Skywalker has sent him about the Jedi. Luke certainly knows what appeals to Corran, including tales of Jedi heroics with a special emphasis on law enforcement. He’s sent instructions on lightsaber maintenance and fighting which Corran has used to try to practice with a remote that has caused more than one sting. But he’s getting better. They note some very inorganic towers that look out of place here in the jungle. Mirax points out that she probably lives there. Corran knows she’s referring to Erisi, not Isard. They joke about leaving her a house-warming gift on the dangerous side. When the ship lands, they mingle among the crew who is more concerned about being docked pay for their unauthorized delivery. The Thyferrans only care about the bottom line and, since they hire laborers from all over the galaxy to do the actual work for them, they tend to be very Imperial in their attitudes. The spacers tend to avoid them. Corran has grafted a hydrospanner attachment to his lightsaber to disguise it and keeps his right hand free. He is questioned at customs about bringing a tool bag with him, but makes excuses until he joins the others. Their contact is nowhere in sight so he tries to remain inconspicuous. Then, on a trip to the refresher, he tries and fails to miss the notice of a stormtrooper who thinks he recognizes Corran. Trying the Jedi mind trick does not work at all, so he tries pulling his modified hydrospanner on the trooper who pulls up his blaster in response. Corran throws the spanner to the floor, the attachment breaks off, he picks up the lightsaber and cuts through the blaster. More troopers arrive and that results in the others pulling out blasters to fight them off. Taking cover, Corran tells Mirax he’s got an idea. He runs to the refresher station, knowing how embarrassing it would be to die there, jumps into a stall and cuts a hole that he pulls himself up through to the second floor station. There, he takes on several troopers with varying degrees of success until he falls over a guardrail, lands on a stormtrooper and then is landed on himself by one. Then he takes a hit to the chest that makes him think he’s dead. When he opens his eyes to see if it’s true, the sight of Bror Jace convinces him that he really is dead.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 chapter 14: Booster has lowered the temperature on the station in general, cut it off completely in unoccupied areas and increased it on the cantina and café levels in order to boost business there. He is saving a lot of credits and making a great deal more. Since notifying his contacts that he’s taken over the station, supplies are largely being delivered straight to them here at Yag’duhl. Right now, they are waiting for a Twi’lek ship to land. Wedge doesn’t know what it contains, but hopes it has more ryll to be sent to the rylca production facilities on Borleias. He greets Koh’shak the Twi’lek and Tal’dira, both of whom he met before on Ryloth. Booster ushers Koh’shak off to negotiate while Wedge takes Tal’dira to the cantina for a drink. The Twi’lek warrior laments that his people have not been able to do much in terms of fighting. He is too young to remember the Old Republic, but has been told stories of the Clone Wars. His people have reputations as merchants or criminals which overshadow their warrior tradition. Wedge compliments him on the fighter squadron his people had put together on Ryloth. By marrying the cockpit of a TIE fighter to the S-foils of an X-Wing, they have made a maneuverable and formidable force. These fighters are called chir’daki which means Deathseed. Wedge reminds him that the fact they’ve not been able to do much as warriors over the years speak to the Empire’s suppression rather than their courage. He invites Tal’dira and his Deathseeds to help him in his fight against Isard. He warns his friend that Isard may cut off bacta to Ryloth in retaliation, but Tal’dira explains that ryll is sufficient for their needs. Besides, any retaliation she makes will motivate his people to fight harder. Wedge welcomes Tal’dira to the Bacta War.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We know that the Clone Wars took place within the last three years of the Old Republic so, if Tal’dira heard stories of the Clone Wars, he heard them about the Republic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 chapter 15: Corran finds himself in a bacta tank, knowing that he’d probably injured himself severely enough that he would have died if he hadn’t had bacta. That makes him realize how trying to use Jedi powers and Jedi weapons without training makes him dangerous to himself and others. When he’s pulled out of the tank, he is reunited with his friends, including Bror Jace who looks very different wearing the thin, short clothing that is typical on the very humid Thyferra. Jace explains that he was asked to join Rogue Squadron because of his affiliation with the Zaltin faction. When the Empire formed the bacta cartel, they chose Xucphra first because of its Imperial leanings. While Zaltin was not eager to work with the Empire, some competition was required and if they didn’t accept the offer, they’d have been put out of business. But the Empire was the only thing to keep the cartel operating. Once they realized the Empire was doomed, the Zaltins wanted to work with the New Republic to maintain its profits. In the meantime, they began courting the Vratix, realizing that they could enrich everyone by forming an alliance with them. Bror began sending reports back but the Vratix work in planning groups in a way that requires those making the reports to be part of the group. So he was sent a message to come home on the pretense of the patriarch of his family dying. Tycho plotted the course, but Bror told Erisi about it, knowing that her family would keep an eye on him. On the way to Thyferra, he planted a bomb aboard his X-Wing that would make it look like a stray proton torpedo destroyed it and then boarded a freighter home. By the time Wedge reported his death, he was already home and in hiding. As long as the Empire and the Xucphra thought he was dead, he could continue to work. He sent Qlaern to meet with Wedge. For now, Elscol, Sixtus and Iella will be staying here. Bror will return to the squadron, while Elscol’s people bring in those with expertise in bringing down a planetary government. Corran asks if Iella is ready for this and reminds her not to do anything foolish in the name of revenge. In the meantime, Mirax will be ferrying Jace and the rest back to the base as soon as Corran gets some clothes on. Corran acknowledges he’d rather not use Jace’s tailor as he hates shorts. Jace remarks that, on Corran, no one would notice. Glad to be out of the bacta tank, Corran points out that he’s looking forward to working with Jace again as life has been too easy while he’s been gone.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ah, so Major Wortin really didn’t blow up Bror’s X-Wing, even accidentally, which meant his transfer to work under Thrawn was unjustified. Ironic that this relatively minor issue of getting Jace back to Thyferra in one piece is what led Captain Iillor and her crew to defect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 chapter 16: Wedge is glad to have Bror Jace back, irritated at Corran’s injuries but impressed at his honest assessments of the mistakes he’d made and more than concerned about the new escort services Isard is using for the bacta convoys. They cannot attack while the ships are under cover, especially those who are escorted by ships from the customer worlds. Fortunately, Bror has used the Ashern to insert code into the navicomputers of three of the freighters that will cause them to fly out from under cover to a position where the squadron can make off with some of the bacta. The ships won’t be able to move until or unless the squadron gives them the codes or they strip down their navicomputers. It’s risky but to do nothing deprives worlds like Halanit of bacta. Even Coruscant needs more for use with the rylca. It could be a trap, but setting an ambush would mean that Isard is leaving other convoys vulnerable. As it is, the three ships they are expecting are part of a convoy overseen by the Corrupter and captained by Ait Convarion of whom Wedge knows little save for rumors claiming the man is cruel and calculating. If it’s a trap, they could be in trouble. Wedge hopes Isard hasn’t gotten any Interdictors on her side. When the three freighters arrive, Wedge contacts them and identifies himself, ordering them to hand over their shipments. His X-Wings, along with the Deathseeds provided by Tal’dira, make a formidable force. He is contacted by one of the captains who informs him that Isard has threatened to kill all of their families if they cooperate with him. Wedge finds this chilling, but admits he has to call that as a bluff. Isard cannot expect more pilots to help ferry bacta if she follows through on these threats. If she does, Wedge can offer the pilots themselves sanctuary and help getting their families out. The captain, Bors Kenlin, gives up his ship, the Xucphra Rose, noting that Isard would be doing him a favor by killing his wife. Wedge gives orders for Corran and Ooryl, plus two of the Deathseeds to escort that ship to Halanit. He also advises that Isard has threatened the crew’s dependents so they’ll need to find out who they are so that Wedge can make arrangements with the Ashern rebels to get them to safety. The second vessel hesitates because the crew isn’t convinced they are safe from Isard. Wedge tells them they are going to Coruscant where they can surely hide or, if not, find passage off world to someplace safer. The final ship tries to fire on it when it begins to move out of formation, too. Wedge contacts the third ship and threatens to detonate a failsafe programmed into the software that brought them here in the first place, dragging them to Coruscant with a dead crew. A dozen crewmen against the lives of billions is an easy decision to make. They fall for the bluff and, after assurances that he will help their families, decide to cooperate. Wedge sends Gavin and Shiel along with two Deathseeds to escort that remaining ship when suddenly the Corrupter emerges from hyperspace. It launches a volley of lasers that evaporates the two Deathseeds and causes Shiel’s ship to blob and crash against the freighter itself. Then it destroys the bacta tanks on the freighter, too. Seeing no sign of Gavin, Wedge tells his pilots to exit the system now. He knows this is his fault. He could blame anyone from the hesitating captains to Isard to Palpatine himself, but he knows he has learned a valuable lesson. Clearly, Captain Convarion stayed at the exit point for the convoy ships and kept an eye on their courses. When the three ships were diverted, he followed them and came in prepared to fire on them. This man is a lot smarter than they’d thought. Obviously, compassion is not his strong point either so this war has become very dirty.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 8, 2014 Author Share Posted November 8, 2014 chapter 17: Vorru appreciates the Imperial splendour aboard the Corrupter. Ait Convarion is Imperial in every way up to and including the ambition in his eyes that causes Vorru to note that he would have had the man killed if he were a subordinate. Vorru knows the man is conflicted. He may have successfully ambushed Antilles and his pilots, destroying some and bringing back news that Ryloth is apparently supporting him, too; however, he also left the rest of his convoy unprotected while losing two of the three freighters he pursued and destroying the third when it didn’t respond to hails. Isard confronts him about firing on the third ship in the convoy as soon as the Corrupter entered real space, without giving it a chance to respond, as his report suggested. Convarion advises that he had every reason to believe it was cooperating with the pirates as it had been disabled, was under the escort of a few fighters and the other two had already defected. He believes in inflicting immediate punishment as he is aware of her policy toward collaborators. She determines then that he should have no problem with executing the families of the crewmen of that ship as she’s brought them with her on her shuttle. Vorru notes that Convarion is clearly uncomfortable with this, but he offers to do as she wishes. She communicates to him that what she wants is not as important as what she orders and does not expect him to exceed his mission parameters again. He asks if it is her order that the families be executed and she tells him that has already been handled. He has another assignment and she turns to Vorru for elaboration. Vorru explains that the monopoly on bacta is threatened by Antilles and his comrades who give the pirated bacta shipments away to client worlds. Vorru’s people know where those worlds are because they know the missing transports and crews and can track where they show up. Though much of the bacta goes to Coruscant, not all of it does. He has implemented a procedure to force the client worlds to pay for the stolen bacta. Some of them have, but some refuse. If there are worlds that refuse to pay, it makes the Empire look weak and encourages others to do the same. They have a list of worlds too poor to pay them back. Isard wants him to pick one off of the list and either take the stolen bacta back or take back the health that the bacta gave the population there. He will take along several wings of Thyferran fighters because she wants the Thyferrans to see this piracy as crimes against them and not just against the Empire. In return, they will become targets of Antilles and that will bind them more firmly to the Empire. Convarion is concerned that she sounds like she thinks these starfighters can topple her. She dismisses that, but acknowledges that the New Republic as a whole may decide to try to get rid of her, if only to have control over the bacta. While they’re distracted by Warlord Zsinj and are reluctant to get involved in Thyferra’s internal government lest they alienate other independent worlds, they will not be able to deal with her. Convarion realizes that the risk of losing their bacta supply will keep worlds from looking to the New Republic for help. If the Thyferrans continue to back the Empire, it will require an invasion to take the planet. Vorru doesn’t think dismissing Antilles is a good idea. His contacts are trying to locate the ex-Rogue and his base but that information is just filtering back now and it’s not going to be much. Convarion agrees to pick one world to punish for dealing in stolen bacta. He does, however, request that, if he is only allowed to operate within his mission parameters, she may wish to broadly define this particular mission so that he can have the maximum effect she desires.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 chapter 18: Iella doesn’t like the plan Elscol has come up with. Though Elscol is clearly adept at what she does, her brutality stuns Iella. They are on a mission to kill Aerin Dlarit, an older gentleman who has been appointed general in the Thyferran Home Defense Corps, who is largely a figurehead. Iella considers this murder and tantamount to shooting people at random. She is further discomfited by the thought that, during the completion of this mission, some of Dlarit’s family, particularly the children, might become collateral damage. Elscol explains that there are no innocents here. Those who think that, by doing nothing, they are not choosing a side are fooling themselves. They prop up the status quo and that means they are choosing a side. In this case, it’s a side that is enslaving the Vratix and condemning beings all across the galaxy to die because they cannot afford a cure. Killing Dlarit sends a message that they cannot afford to do nothing. Iella thinks it’s no different than what Black Sun would do, especially killing him in his home. Elscol points out that he has the blood on his hands, too, because of the system he supports, as well as the families of the crew of the freighter Convarion destroyed. In addition, Erisi Dlarit is one of his children. However, she supposes that leaving minor children alive demonstrates some mercy and, while it could be problematic, it’s not impossible. Iella is part of this mission, along with Sixtus, several Ashern rebels and Zaltin refugees. They use the surveillance Elscol has been able to get to penetrate Dlarit’s estate, bypass guards, eliminate some and get into the house. They set up a holocam to record the action when they reach Dlarit’s office and find him sleeping in front of a huge hologram of a statue of himself. Iella has an alternate plan that even Elscol goes with once Sixtus gives his approval. She fires a stun blast into the man, they remove his dress uniform and then sneak out the way they came.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 chapter 19: Erisi Dlarit is approaching Halanit in her TIE Interceptor which really isn’t what she’d prefer to be flying, but Isard refused to use X-Wings instead. This attitude is only part of the reason why the THDC is being treated like stupid in-bred cousins. The other part is the fact that the holoimage of her father, Aerin Dlarit, sleeping naked in his office has spread throughout the Imperial forces stationed at Thyferra. Erisi considers this a personal affront, particularly since Iella Wessiri has been identified in the holo. That Antilles is now working with the Ashern rebels means that this attack on her father’s dignity is Iella’s personal snub to Erisi for getting Corran captured. Her bombers and Interceptors obliterate the colony. Even with no defensive fire, Erisi doesn’t feel sorry for them. This colony was doomed from the start with the colonists too prone to disaster to really expect to survive here. That they threw their lot in with pirates like Antilles was enough to doom them. She is invited down to walk through the colony with Convarion. Though he knows that the THDC is not incompetent, he clearly wishes to prove how superior his stormtroopers are. Gavin Darklighter had been protected by the hull of the freighter when the Corrupter had opened fire. After a blind hyperspace jump to get clear, he’d traveled to Halanit in order to get more fuel. The colonists were happy to help but they needed a couple of days to synthesize it. So, sleeping on an ice-covered world is quite uncomfortable to him, but loud noises jolt him out of his sleep. Farl Cort tells him there are Imperial ships in orbit. Gavin believes they have followed him here and quickly runs to his krayt-dragon-painted X-Wing to get out of here. He tells Cort that they will leave once he does, but to move everyone into defensive positions anyway. He gives Cort his blaster since they have no weapons down here and takes off to get the Imps’ attention. He has about ten minutes of fighting time before he will have to jump the system but tries to make it as bad for his opponents as possible before he does. Erisi lands and accompanies Convarion toward the underground colony. She acknowledges that they had little trouble traversing these caverns during their raid. Stormtroopers are now reducing much of the resistance in the tunnels. Then an Interceptor comes flying through pursued by an X-Wing that has been made out to look like a predator. She knows, without recognizing the ship, that it’s one of her old shipmates. The only way to stop it is to get to her own ship. Gavin fires at the stormtroopers firing at him, wondering why they are even bothering, when he realizes they are just stalling him until more TIEs can be scrambled from the Corrupter. He decides he’s done all he can for Halanit and takes off. Erisi has to divert power from the lasers to get her ship to start with a cold reactor, then flies up in enough to see that the X-Wing is too far away for her to reach him. She hails it and identifies herself, ordering it to land. When she finds out it’s Gavin, she tries to goad him into surrendering to her or be considered a coward. Gavin tells her he would have fallen for that a few months ago, but not now. She warns him that he’s doomed the people of Halanit. Gavin makes sure she knows that she’ll pay for this; it’s impossible for her to get out alive. Erisi tells him the impossible is what Rogues do best. Gavin reminds her that she was never really a Rogue and enters hyperspace. Seeing the ship vanish and the Corrupter emerge from around the moon, Erisi says that she just knows who the true power in the galaxy is.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 chapter 20: Corran has to be reminded by Mirax that he is not responsible for what happened on Halanit. Isard did it so she could set an example for those who receive stolen bacta. They all acknowledge that Gavin did what he could with what resources he had, but it’s still sobering to think of that viable colony gone. To make matters worse, though there are likely no survivors, even a rescue attempt cannot be mounted due to the lack of transports and probably booby-trapping of the colony by the Empire. Wedge tells his squadron that the colony lasted longer than it would have had they not provided the bacta. They will get back at Iceheart for this because she is limited in where she can go. While the Alliance can use their freedom, she is reliant on the bacta to maintain control of her position. Inyri Forge is concerned that she will attack other defenseless worlds. Wedge explains they will now use traders to deliver the bacta at low prices that undercut Iceheart’s. In that way, worlds won’t know where the bacta came from. Isard is dependent on the same traders for supplies so she cannot complain too much about them selling it. They are also going to take the war to her by hitting one of Thyferra’s bacta-producing colonies. They have to escalate this war against her because there are always people out there looking to restore the Empire and, if they don’t take her as seriously as they took the Emperor, there will be more dead worlds like Alderaan and Halanit. Corran and Mirax go to a tapcafe and relax. They talk about how the squadron has relaxed a little bit. Since he and Tycho and Bror have returned, there is a danger that they will consider themselves invincible. That’s dangerous for them and they are dealing with dangerous people. Mirax points out that Isard is particulary dangerous, but so are her underlings. Convarion is obviously shrewd, but Sair Yonka of the Avarice maximizes his victories and has had experience with pirates on the Outer Rim. Her father thinks that Joak Drysso of the Virulence is poised to take over Lusankya. If that happens, his second Lakwii Varrscha will inherit the Virulence. Both of them are standard Imps. Orryl arrives with three Gand and he’s quite nervous. He introduces them as Ussar Vlee, Syron Aalun and Vviir Wiamdi. Wiamdi uses the pronoun “I” which Corran remembers is reserved only for Gand who have done very memorable things. They are ruetsavvi – observers and superiors. He explains that they are here to observe Ooryl Qyrrg’s life and criticize it. Corran offers to be of any assistance they need as Ooryl has saved his life many times. He and Mirax wonder what all of this is about, but know Ooryl will never tell them. With Twi’leks and Gand aboard, Corran hopes Iceheart is as confused about all this as he is.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 chapter 21: The bacta refinement plant on Qretu 5 is their target. They are bringing in 24 ships, their three losses replaced by the three Gand ruetsavvi who fly heavily modified TIE bombers. They aren’t bad pilots and Wedge isn’t sure what exactly they are supposed to be doing, but he doesn’t question their presence. They fly over the mountains and spot their target, as planned. The X-Wings launch their torpedoes and missles onto ground targets and the refinery. When Wedge comes around, though, he realizes that they have caused a great deal of damage on the ground that is not limited to the refinement plant. Doubtless, numerous Thyferran, Vratix and other workers are being pummeled now, too. He could call off the Deathseeds, but orders them in. Eight TIEs come out to fight so clearly Isard had not expected anyone to hit with such force. They aren’t particularly good pilots either and are easily vaped. When Tycho says the plant manager is complaining, Wedge tells him to tell the guy to evacuate the plant and consider a career change. He knows that many innocents have been harmed today. The difference between the Empire and him is that he didn’t target innocents and tried to hit at a time when fewer of them would be here. Still, with Booster and several smugglers waiting to grab bacta in the system, he asks Booster to to make sure the survivors know that they will be taken care of.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 chapter 22: Booster and Mirax meet with Talon Karrde to deal for weaponry. Karrde is a graceful man with refined tastes, but he also took over pieces of Booster’s smuggling operation while the latter was at Kessel. Karrde’s second-in-command, Tapper, is a less genteel sort. Karrde knows enough to know that they are dealing on behalf of Wedge Antilles and that they will be paying in bacta as a result of the raid on Qreta 5. He should be able to get the weapons they want but not all at once. Booster will arrange for transportation from a rendezvous point to their final destination so they Karrde won’t learn more about their operation than he already does. He points out that he has not taken sides in the civil war. Mirax mentions that he might consider backing Antilles as it might gain him some gratitude from the Ashern rebels. Besides, it’ll open up the bacta trade. Karrde cannot deny that benefit. He assigns an associate named Melina Carniss to work with Booster to get the cargo delivered to him. Melina was a dance coordinator for Jabba the Hutt. Tapper jokes that Booster might want the Another Chance or the Death Star’s womb on top of it. Booster reminds him that there is a difference between wishing and thinking. The Another Chance was found and delivered to the rebels. The birthplace of the Death Star has hopefully died with the Emperor. Booster wishes that but doesn’t think so. But he does know that Isard will be brought down and it won’t be bloodless. Which is why betting against Antilles is a bad idea.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------In Choices of One, we found out that Jorj Car’das, a friend of Thrawn’s whom we met in Outbound Flight, left his vast smuggling operation to Talon Karrde.Tapper made his first appearance in Star Wars Adventure Journal #1: “First Contact” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 14, 2014 Author Share Posted November 14, 2014 chapter 23: Corran returns to find that Mirax has gone off with her father for a few days. Today is the fourth anniversary of his father’s death and he feels down. He’d joined Rogue Squadron a year ago near the third anniversary so he’d been busy then. But now, especially since he’s seeing Mirax, he feels like he’s betraying his father’s memory. To make matters worse, he’s having trouble with their most recent missions. Essentially, they are conducting hit and run raids on the bacta convoys, destroying a few TIEs and then scattering. While irritating for Isard’s people, it’s also frustrating for Corran as he feels like they aren’t accomplishing much to break the bacta cartel this way. They have no chance against a Star Destroyer while the larger ship could do considerable damage to them. He heads to the cantina where he finds none of his closest friends until Pash Cracken calls him. Pash's colleague, Linna, is here for repairs to her A-Wing so they are relaxing until it’s fixed. They trade barbs about A-Wings versus X-Wings before Corran settles down to tell war stories. Vorru has good news but doesn’t want to look too happy until he gauges Isard’s increasingly hostile disposition. The hot weather has only made things worse. As Antilles continues to hit their forces, destroying a couple of TIEs at a time, they have to continue to replenish their supply of fighters by trading bacta with self-styled warlords, like Harssk or High Admiral Teradoc who always comply with the requests with much derision accompanying the deliveries. However, he finds she’s in an anticipatory mood when he arrives. Vorru explains that he hasn’t found Antilles’s base, but he has an informant in Talon Karrde’s organization who has yet to lose the taste for finer things she’d acquired while working for Jabba the Hutt. She had advised him that Karrde’s organization is rendezvousing with Antilles’s people in the Alderaan system and given him the time. He thinks she should send as many warships as possible there to wipe them out. Isard has another idea. She is only going to send the Corruptor. Vorru warns her that the Rogues could just cut and run as they’ve been doing lately. She decides to let him in on her good news. She’s leased the Aggregator – an Interdictor cruiser- from High Admiral Teradoc. When the ships enter the Alderaan system, they won’t be able to leave.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Both Harssk and High Admiral Teradoc were mentioned in Rogue Squadron: “Masquerade” comic.Okay, so Hal Horn died 4 years ago. We know Corran was in the CSFA in 0 BBY. His mother was still living when he graduated but may have predeceased her husband as there’s been no mention of her in connection to his death. So she would have had to have died somewhere between 0 BBY-2 1/2 ABY with Corran’s father dying about 3 1/2 ABY which would put it sometime around the events of Return of the Jedi . It’s about 7 ½ years ABY right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 chapter 24: The X-Wings come out of hyperspace in the Alderaan system followed by the Skate and several freighters. They are followed by the Deathseeds. Tycho reports anomalous readings on his IFF, but they could be picking up an automated beacon left behind in the ruins. The huge asteroids in the Graveyard are enough to hide capital ships but there doesn’t seem to be anything else here. The Starry Ice arrives with another half-dozen ships to prepare the transfer of cargo when the warning signals the arrival of an Imperial Interdictor Cruiser. Wedge tries not to panic. After all, the cruiser can only keep them from leaving the system, cannot do much damage itself and has only about 24 TIEs to launch. He prepares to take out the TIEs when the Corrupter appears in space and begins firing at the freighters. Wedge orders Booster to move the freighters, the Deathseeds to shore up some of their ships to his own and Tycho’s while the rest to go after TIEs and for the X-Wings to slave their torpedo targeting to his computer. He flies his ship toward the Corrupter with Mynock wailing and him wishing his droid had a less cowardly name. He hopes to be able to hit the Destroyer in a way that punches a hole in its shields so that the fighters coming in behind him can penetrate the hull with their own torpedoes. The first wave hits, the second wave brings the port shields down. They move into a final hit when the Corrupter turns over to present its starboard shields intact. They have a limited number of torpedoes to pull this off. Then a huge ship arrives marked with colors Wedge recognizes as being of the same type that Tycho has on his X-Wing. It begins to pound the Corrupter. The Aggregator does what it can but cannot fight well, especially with the Corrupter in its way and then loses its shields before it flees the system. Escape pods are launching from the Corrupter which is falling into the Graveyard. Wedge contacts the remaining TIE pilots whose commanding officer explains that they are THDC fighters, are mostly trainees and none is Erisi Dlarit. They comply with Tycho's instructions for surrendering. Tycho explains that the cruiser is the Valiant which was apparently slaved to the Another Chance, got separated and came back here for more instructions. It thinks Tycho is the Another Chance since he showed up with Alderaanian guard colors and began transmitting its IFF code. The ship is automated so when Tycho’s targeting computer was slaved to Wedge’s, the Valiant opened fire, too. They’ll have to take it back to base and learn how to communicate with it, but it certainly helped their victory today.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Cool Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 chapter 25: Mirax is certain the leak came from Karrde’s people so asks Corran to look over a few things and give his professional opinion. Corran reminds her that his record for uncovering spies isn’t very good. Several others arrive for a debriefing which Wedge has called so that minds will be fresh. He acknowledges that things could have been much worse at the Graveyard where they got very luck with the arrival of the Valiant. He compliments all of the pilots, especially the Twi’leks, for their concentration on the task they had. He asks Winter if she can determine where Convarion got the Aggregator. She notes that it was last in the hands of High Admiral Teradoc who was nominally loyal to the Empire until Coruscant fell. Isard probably traded bacta for it, but not pilots as they were all THDC people. Booster thinks this shows a lack of confidence by Teradoc in Isard. Wedge reminds them that they have to plan for possibility that they could be jumped by another Interdictor in the future and suggests that they not tell their cargo ships where the rendezvous is until the last minute. Mirax points out that most cargo ship captains will not go for that. They’ll have to work with Karrde on that issue. In the meantime, they may have taken down one of Isard’s Star Destroyers, but it was the smallest one. The loss of Convarion will hurt, though. The remaining Destroyers will take a lot more pounding than the Corrupter did. Still, larger ships have more things that can go wrong with them and, if the squadron keeps hitting them, they will start to wear down. Booster will look into how the Imps knew they’d be there as the leak surely came from someone in Karrde’s organization. Winter provides information on the Valiant which was slaved to Another Chance along with two other warships, the Courage and Fidelity. At least one pirate attack on the Chance was thwarted by the protection sent with it. There’s a chance the other two ships are out there. Emtrey and Whistler are working on slicing into the Valiant. Wedge asks Booster if Valiant is too small for him. Booster would rather not command a ship of droids, so Wedge gives it to Aril Nunb to command with Emtrey’s help. He reminds the others that they got lucky this time. Isard lost her best chance to kill them so they shouldn’t give her another one.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A note here. Most of Winter’s information on the Another Chance and the ships that accompanied it come from stories she heard growing up. Since this apparently occurred after the Clone Wars, it would appear that Alderaan disarmed right after the CW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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