It isn't going to help you, Jazelle Corona, a promise even more grim followed on its heels. For a moment longer I just stood there, considering while she disappeared into the cantina.

Most people are as predictable as rain... well, as the sandstorms on this miserable planet. They always return to the scene of the crime. This lady, however... Something was screaming at me that, although she did have her amateurish moments from what I could deduce, she herself was probably a touch smarter than most peeps hereabouts. Ok, so that wasn't saying much; than most peeps anywhere. How else did she manage to get herself this deeply involved in Hutts and missing spice shipments and illegal Imperial identification papers...?

Logic led to an obvious conclusion. She was not returning to the cantina because that's her favorite hide-out. She was returning because there was someone inside she was meeting.

I waited until she had finished her little accoutremental adjustment and had disappeared into the weather-beaten entrance of the seedy little cantina. After a moment or two had passed, I flipped the Toydarian a couple credits for letting me hang with him, and exited into the brilliant light outside his equally seedy little kiosk.

That almost blinding sunlight didn't even slow my pace; my visors darkened automatically in compensation as I strode purposefully ahead. In less than a worrt's hop-skip-and-snag-the-gleeberfly I was beside her speederbike. A moment after that, and it was disabled to the point where a quick fix just wouldn't cut it. Then, after removing the Imperial insignia from where she had stashed them in the bikes infinitesimal storage compartment, I did a quick scout of the cantina itself.

It was like any other here: completely without windows, and the only way in and out being the door into which she had disappeared. I smiled in thanks to the greedy operators of these dives, who didn't trust anyone-- with good reason, I might add --and thus wanted to be assured no one would be slipping quietly out of the establishment without paying. Everyone, and I do mean everyone who went in could only come out that single doorway, and Imperial officer impersonators were no exception.

The smile I had been maintaining widened further, and I tapped a comm-link back to the garrison. It didn't take long for a squad of crack troopers to come up... quietly... whereupon with a stealthiness matched only by their alacrity they moved into various positions surrounding the cantina.

I nodded my helmeted head once, made a motion that they all keep alert and ready, and was rewarded as to a man they all raised their blasters and remained tottering on the fine edge of anticipation. I didn't let them wait long.

Bold as a brass bogey I strode into the cantina, my visor now lightening to compensate for the lack of lighting therein. It didn't take me long to spot her whispering to an unidentified male, standing next to a table holding a couple fine looking fems and their companion who were watching the conversation with interest....

Dammit, was that Shawn Petrolu? I jerked a bit in surprise as I recognized the calm visage of that Jedi Knight. Then I shook my head.

I'm playing this hand out as it goes, I thought grimly as before anyone could quite register that I was there I lifted a gauntleted hand and let fly with my good ol dependable needler. Tiny darts shot out unerringly, finding their targets in the unprotected throats of the man talking to Jaz and the two women sitting at the table. I watched as the three let out little sighs and slumped, unconscious. Then I moved quickly in on the remaining pair, my blaster now held out and ready, knowing the three were out for a count of at least a couple hours. And what a headache they'd have when they awoke....

"Don't do it, Petrolu," I growled threateningly as I came up to them, pinning the pair in place. "I have no argument with you." Then--

"This is Imperial business!" I finished in a louder tone of voice, thus evoking the response I expected from this seedy cantina's seedier clientele. To an alien, they all turned back to their own mundane businesses, acting as if we weren't there. Which was good... for them.

Still holding my blaster out, tensed just the slightest and ready for anything, and standing beyond the reach of any sort of martial arts reaction on the part of either of the two, I turned to face the jedi, silently reminding him that I had not needled him whereas I easily could have. Then I let my visor join my blaster in targeting the startled-- yet somehow expectant --woman with the enigma that it was.

"Jazelle Corona, you are under arrest for the impersonation of an Imperial Officer," I intoned, holding up the insignia which she had ripped from her clothing mere moments before. "And that's just for starters.

"Will you come with me peacefully, or are you going to make me gladly earn my pay? I ought to warn you that this is not my favorite place to be in the universe, and so far I have not been enjoying my stay here."

I tensed just a touch wee more, my fingers tightening about my blaster, curling in the vicinity of the trigger, ready to trigger as well certain other devices at my disposal should the need arise....

"Oh hell," I growled when she didn't reply as quickly as I would have liked. My other hand touched a button on my gauntlet, and my netgun discharged, entangling the woman in its silken yet unbreakable strings. I waved the tip of my blaster at her, yet the words I spoke were clearly for the still-quiet Jedi.

"You're being as smart as I remember you as being, Petrolu," I grated, reaching out to take the ensnared Jazelle by the net. "Stay smart, and you'll stay free."

A quick call on the comm, and the cantina was soon swarming with troopers, who reached out to take up the two sleeping women.

"Get her companion," I said, nodding toward the snoozing male and watching as they first searched, quickly disarmed, then picked him up none too carefully. As for me, I jerked Jazelle forward toward the door.

"You'd better be coming along too, Petrolu," I growled over my shoulder then fell silent. "If you're innocent of any wrong-doing you'll be freed.

"Not that I can say the same thing about your friends here."

With nothing other to say than that insidious threat, accompanied by the squad of troopers, I escorted our prisoners back to the garrison, and soon had them behind bars in preparation for interrogation.

[ 11-28-2002 03:44 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

--------------------

She looked over at her sister, whom shared her cell... She looked as though she had been awake for slightly longer then this time...

Allaria simply smiled to herself... She had sensed the troops... had to sensed the "dark" intent of that Sorben Tarnus... But had kindly kept that information between her sister, and herself... Desiring to be taken into the heart of it all... Where her thirst for blood might be quenched...

She walked over to sit beside her sister... Reaching out with her mind to locate the others of thier "party"

Paul was yet unconcious a few cells away, and that... Woman, was in the same room as the bounty hunter...

Shawn was seemingly in waiting, probably in a meditative state... she dared not look closer to him while he was in such contact with the force...

Allaria cast her gaze upon her sister with a slight smile in anticipation of what could, and hopefuly would come soon...

"What shall we do my sister? you do seem to alway's have a plan..."

--------------------

....A cell?

He was laying on the floor, cold to the touch, with his back against the wall.

He was still wearing his robe, but his blaster was gone.

Jaz...IllaAnda.... he thought. What happened to the others?

The Jedi crawled forward, as he felt little feeling in his legs. However, he was able to sit in the middle of the cell and cross his legs (after pulling them together).

Paul closed his eyes and meditated, to search for answers...

And though the weapon was now absent, his right hand continued to shake.

--------------------

Jamel stared through the window at his former home planet. He could remember his residence upon the planet like the color of the back of his hand. It was placed right before the catina's within the middle of the city so his father could venture quickly to his favorite spots. Yet Jamel never truly payed attention to their residence until the nearing of his residing of the planet. When he noticed how his father every night ventured out and came back beating him. It was never that way when his mother was around, he had something to do all the time, and someone to talk to. She was such a great mom, he loved her so much.

A tear rolled down Jamel's cheek in remembrence of the words his mother told him. All of those conversations, and situations they got themselves into. Jamel's mother was like a sister and a mother at all times which made her much more special then just a stay-at-home mother. She incouraged him to manufactor, or study in many arts of fighting. She always was behind him, and if not she explained herself and taught him the troublesome of his actions.

Suddenly the sound of a ship wushing by heading toward the foundation of the planet for a landing broke through the void of Jamel's mind. He glanced quickly at it the ship in intrest, and then looked down at his control panel to analize, attempting to find the activating control-which would start his engines for seperation of space into the the tide of Tattonie.

Placing his finger upon the button after he found it, he felt the rattling of the ship's engines, going gradually backward, pointing so that it would fire them toward the foundatoin of the planet. Uploading the engine's activating boosting control, the ship rocketed toward the atomsphere of the planet, prepared to rip through and land upon the surface safely.

As the situation rolled out, and Jamel laid tranquilized in his seat for such a youthful boy in his position, the ship rattled and motioned from side to side before it came to a soft landing. They created an indintation upon the ground, it was a musy clay substance, but not strong enough to incacerate the ship to a motionless position, nor if it was to be hardened by the heat of the sun in a later time of the day. Jamel was prepared to exit..

Seated in his leather chair, staring down at his control panel he motioned his hand forward. The weight of Jamel's finger pushed the button downward, and slowly the glass cockpit topping hatched open in preperation of an exiting. Jamel stood up, leaping over onto the surface, and heading quickly toward the closest city; Mos Esily.

Jamel's feet touched the soil of Mos Esily, his fingers scrunched into a ball like a young child in the cold breeze. The white hair colored boy stood still as the warm draft ran through his clothing, shoving his small-sized overcoat into a flutter. The breeze picked up as his foot was beckoned forward, digging into the surface, gesturing a bodily expression of timid fury. these steps continued, heading twoard a catina, making a probable prediction that his father was there drunk as usual. Shifting his head downward, focusing his hazel white hued eyes on the movement of his feet down the steps. Opening the catina door, he absorbed the enviroment into his circular gems. The community was lit with dark shaded lights, imposing the iris of Jamel to widen and catpure the view.

The young boy ambled toward the bar. Arresting his walk at the frontier of the bar, he leaped upon a pedastal, staring forward at the waitress awaiting to grasp the attention of her for his sudden arrival.

Glancing about in the time between the recongition from the waitress, he observed the area, attempting to catch the view of anyone he saw around his beckon (One of which he told him to take the job) in previous rest on Tattonie.

Cutting his eyes to the side as his eyebrow rose, the lights shined upon his face, staring at the man ahead who was of Botan Disendance. He glanced around once more, absorbing in the many races and features of the beings. Their was nothing paciular about the area, he felt soon he should take his leave and venture off to find any other clues.

Coming to a stand, he headed toward the door, but on his amble to the doro he bumped into a being falling to the surface from the stern strenght of the body. Staring up he saw the face of the one who he believed beckoned him to the sandy planet of Tattonie.

"Hey..."

--------------------

One Love))

--------------------

He was innocent, and had never even approved of this plan. Allaria and IllaAnda...were just being dragged along in it, and really didn't have much to do with anything excepting they had somehow gotten entangled in it.

But Jazelle and Paul...

Shawn figured Sorben Tarnus would talk to them individually, at some point. He couldn't know who would say what, nor who would be spoken to first. All he knew, for the moment, was that they would simply have to wait, and that, with Allaria's condition, the sisters would simply have to be realized. And aside from that, they were innocent...

He'd simply have to wait and see what would happen next.

So he remained quietly meditating, bathing his mind and his senses in the life that the Force gave, unaware as to the passage of time for the moment til at length he finally heard Allaria query what they should do.

Quietly be spoke. "You should comply with Sorben Tarnus, as you are both innocent," he commented, then quieted once more.

[ 11-29-2002 12:30 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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"Who are you?" The boy questioned with whispered exclaimation, hopping not to have the response at a higher tone for the fact that the revealing of the creature could start a brawl upon such a outlaw-orientated planet.

The Bothan ran his hand along the hood, shifting it off to display himself. He was clearly not the one in the hologram, this man held a scar slashed along his face, down from his forehead ranging to his opposite sided cheek. It wasn't complete vivid if one had not observed, but the indintation on the furred skin as evident. Another opposite characterstics is the height of the man was smaller, and his body was slinder, yet this man was bulk-filled with muscular tone from head to toe, with a slighter larger stature. Yet with all these distinive charactersitics, it was unknown who this man truly was.

The scared Bothan's mouth opened, reaching down into his body to voice the words that he was searching for what he needed to state.

"I am Wyl Scylla-We must take this conversation outside. Their is much to talk about, and within a catina many things could happen as I got word something did happen earlier today. Now shall we take our exit?" Bothan stepped to the side, allowing his acquainted to depart before he, as a show of trustworthiness along with evident respect.

Jamel bowed his head slightly in formal terms of respect he headed toward the door. Placing his hand upon it, he shifted a small pint of strenght within his arm, pushing the door to an opening. Heading out, he placed his hands at his side. Followed quickly behind the footsteps of his acquainted. The two stood beside each other to begin their talk as they walked beside each other.

"Im here to purpose of you something. Would you like to join the Republic Rebel Union?" Wyl stated, glancing down at the boy for his response.

The boy was clearly shocked by the purposal, yet he had intresting questions that swirled his mind at that moment as well. He wouldn't respond in a 'yes' or 'no' fashion yet, not until he knew the full extent of the union, and his merging.

"Why do you want me to jon the union? What is so specia-" Before the young boy could finish his statement the Bothan interupted, stating the reasons in response, allowing the boy to understand the state.

"We know much about your background and were you could be heading at the moment. We have little numbers as well, but that isn't the true reason of my proposal. You wield strenghts in acrobatic and physical combatant skills. As well as the home-planet you are from-you are from the planet were we want to place our base. Yet we need your help in this dire position. Their are Imperail military postings here, we need your help to destroy of them. You know much about this planet's landscape and the ways of this planet as you once lived here if Im not mistaken? So I their are many reasons why you are special.." The Bothan of Scylla family came to an end, his head arising to capture the view of the boy, and absorb the reaction to the statements.

The boy was shocked, yet he followed beside the man. He noticed the full potiental of such a mission, he was only steps away from actually helping or being a warrior. It was a dream of his since he was 3 years old, and he was hoping it would come true soon. He wanted to bring joy to his mother-where ever her where abouts were.

"I agree, I agree!" Thorought the response his voice shot up in exclaimination and excitment.

The Bothan smirked with confidence in the boy, and pleasurment in the youth as he spoke the words of agreement.

"Follow me, we must buy things for the mission-and you must go immeditally." The two gestured to in response to the command. The bothan had the wealth to use on the objects, and items they wanted. Getting their things within a moment of time they ventured out the door to depart on different paths.

The Bothan was to give his last commands to the boy before their departure. The two stood side by-side, the boy atop a Flare-S swoop which he learned to manage and manufactor in his earlier days on Tattonie.

"When you make it into the military base through whatever precept you wish alert us immeditally. We will get you out and any prisoners as well. We must also destroy of the garrison as quick as possible too. Thats why you have that pack of your's." The man came to a finish, saluting the young boy with a smile crossing his face. Placing his other hand upon the bag which is crossed over the boy's body-showing him where his weaponary is for his rememberence.

The boy responded with a smile back, shifting his hand along the speeder driver control he shifted foward, heading to a turn with the motion of his body shifting the swoop. Heading toward the horizion and the coordinates of which he believed the military base was spotted from the Bothan known as Wyl of the Republic Union. Smirking with excitiming drilling through all his bones, he narrowed his eyes. The merging of his confidence and enthustastic attitude came to a harde collision upon his expression, his eyes darting downward in focus as well as his body motioning forward like a bullet. His lips curved into a optimistic smirk.

"Whooo-HA!!" He screamed as he head out.

--------------------

What they did first best was gather information... and Minna had an earful that she was certain whoever was in charge of the local Imperial garrison would just love to have. Certain enough to make the trip in person.

And hopefully whoever was in charge will be so grateful that he or she will order the parts "Forbiddance" needs, so I can get off this dustball and on to bigger and better things, she thought as she glided along.

The slender and insidious Bothan never spoke one word, but keeping her eyes and ears everywhere did in fact manage to gain the Imperial garrison, where she boldly -- if respectfully -- asked to speak to a Mr. Sorben Tarnus. She smiled a bit to herself, knowing what was probably going to happen next... and thus wasn't the least bit surprised when after a few moments a couple armed guards came up from nowhere to escort her to a holding cell.

At least she was pretty certain it was a holding cell....

After about an hour's worth of inner fidgeting, she was rewarded as the Man Himself strode up to her. He cocked his enigmatic helmet at her, and waved to an accompanying guard, who then opened her cell and released her. A blaster then appeared as if by magick in the guard's hand; Minna immediately raised both her hands, ducking her head as if to say, "Hey. Don't look at me like that; I'm not stupid, you know."

The infamous bounty hunter, and now sidekick to Admiral Actar himself, bowed his head in her direction, cueing her to begin. She did so, and without preamble let out with a stream of information about an up-coming attack on the garrison, planned by a fellow Bothan. She left nothing out, spilling times and names and descriptions and weaponry as a rancor's disemboweled prey spills its guts; finally she wound down, her dark and shining eyes still staring boldly into Sorben's visor.

He remained silent, then nodded to her again. Turning to the guard, he indicated that Minna follow.

"Pay her what she desires," Tarnus ordered succinctly, then strode on rather quickly. There was suddenly much to put into action, and obviously there was very little time in which to do so.

Minna's smile only broadened and she began walking toward freedom, all the while reciting a rather long list of the parts and services Heaven's Forbiddance was going to need. With any luck, she'd have full repairs overseen and could be far away from this place inside of a week....

[ 11-29-2002 10:33 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Minna Manth ]

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What in the name of all the fates was going on out here? I growled to myself as I hurried back to the command center. First its a Hutt and a missing spice shipment, then the impersonation of a major, somehow tied into said shipment, I would just bet my bottom dollar on that. Now it's a planned attack on this garrison, whilst said impersonator is held prisoner, in the aftermath of the disappearance of said spice shipment, said attack planned by a Bothan???

What is wrong with this picture... besides all of it?

I drew in a deep and disgusted breath as I came up to Lieutenant Zhurelle, who I had left in charge.

"There's going to be an attack attempted upon this garrison," I said, quickly tapping in a new security code to switch the keying sequence of all the locks on all the prisoners' cells. "It makes no sense... at the moment, unless the prisoners we have just taken represent more than meets the eye.

"I want them transported immediately aboard Subjugator, and inform the captain that I shall be following soon."

No sooner had the order left my lips than it was implemented, and after a fairly short wait I was informed that the prisoners had been transported and re-incarcerated aboard the star destroyer Actar had pressed upon me. I nodded, then proceeded to link up to her.

"This is Tarnus," I began. "I want a legion of troops, full armor and equipment, sent down to the coordinates of this garrison immediately, with back-up."

I then closed the link with an authoritative snap, and strode out to where my own YT-2400 was waiting for me in my personal docking bay behind the garrison headquarters. In but moments more, I was soaring up and away from Tatooine and headed to where my destroyer lay in silken orbit about it. I then proceeded to the detention cells, to ascertain with my own eyes that the prisoners had indeed made it safely to their new destination.

Suffice it to say, they had.

[ 11-30-2002 04:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

--------------------

Jamel came toa stand, lifting his foot from the buckle of the swooper, and departing to a small ditch a meter from his swoop bike. Tightening his grip upon the bag strap he dragged it over his head, ducking under and placed it down beside him. Inspecting the tools he had within, he looked around for his eletric binoculers to inspec the situation. Placing them upon his eyes, he quirked with the controlling and the visual materailied before his eyes.

Gazing ahead, he observed every activity that they had. It was obvious they were prepared for the situation as all men were heavly equipted, or sheilded with enormous amount of armor compared to the attire of the young boy observing them. The boy ran his body closer, attempting catch a better view of the activity. Smiling with pleasurment of his actions, he drew his body to a slow stand.

Motioning out the small ditch. Kneeling down to the level of his bag, reaching in for one of his objects. Grasping tightly upon it, but securing it so it wouldn't break he drew it out. It was a yellow colored, tiny sized holocam. Tampering with the controllings of the holocam, finally launching it with the broadcast signal alerting with a beep within the basement of the basement of the homes of those apart of the Republic Union upon the planet of Tattonie that had recently settled down to prepare for their attack on the troops in the garrison.

Jamel quickly introduced himself, settling in a comfortable position before the holo-camera which broadcasted him inside all of the holopads within the houses of the Republic Union on Tattonie.

"My name is Jamel Garth, a boy who has became an affilate and laborer of the Republic. I am here on a mission in spying on the garrison to begin the battle. I alert you now that their is evidence that they have got word from a spy, or one apart of our legion that we were to attack. I suggest we go by sky, equipted with all we got and attack. They aren't expecting a sky attack from my observation. Before I leave I'd like to state that I will commence my attack on them from my point to hold them off as you guys come and take them from the air and place a few troops on the surface. Over and Out.." The holocam went blank followed quickly by the holopads vanishing.

Jamel placed the holocam in his bag and ventured off toward his swoop-bike. Placing the bag strap along his chest, he locked it down, preparing for his attack. Reactivating the repulsorlifter engines, the swooper bike shifted itself off the foundation wihth the dirt under it being crumbled by the antigravity engine. Rushing down the hill he suddenly hits the side of the hill by accident, throwing himself along with the bag along the sand of the hill, bouncing about 40 meters ahead of the frontier line of the military within the Imperail alligence.

"Uh-oh!" Jamel fearfully stated, watching as his adversaries observed him, prepared to fire. Placing their pistols up toward him and begin firing.

Thinking quickly as possible, he took his eyes upon his Flare-S swoop shifting forward. Looking into his bag he grabbed his detonation packs, throwing them with his full strenght. Immeditately on contact they attached to the un-riden vehicle. The transport consitited of 11 packs, prepared to be activated with an compelling fulmination, in which would throw Jamel's competiors back.

"Detonation Packs, a true friend of a gladuis" Jamel told himself under his breath as he placed his hand on the activation key within his palm as the vehicle touched one of the soldiers. In fear of the dustriction of the eruption Jamel ran toward his bag, covering his body. The sound of expiration overwhelming a being's life and the echoing of flesh ripping apart rapidly. The furrious tones of the end of ones life in a terrifying manner. Such tormentful conclusions to ones life, but it was an avenging method of this sadistic, twisted explosion. To avenge the Republic and its order, to return the crown of the kingpins of the galaxy back to the Republic Head.

Jamel came to a stand, his hand tightened around his leather materailed package. Grinding his teeth as his head ran over his shoulder, inspecting the remains of the explosion. Their were few remaining within the vacinity of the flesh-ripping detonation eruption. Their were still many alive, and their was no-way he could hold it off alone.

Rushing to the hill top, he dodged laser beams that flew his way in the middle of all this struggle to venture out of their range to defend himself. Grabbing the top of the sand covered hill, he pulled himself to the top, rolling along. Surveying the altercation over his shoulder, he watched the men struggle their way up too. Rushing ahead he felt the sensation of pain run through his arm as a laser beam grazed it. Falling into a struggling stummble, he came to a near fall upon the surface, it would have been his end if it wasn't for a sudden arrival of a helpful arm. Reaching out and grasping him at the mid-chest area he was placed atop the swoop bike to depart the area as the sound of weaponly equiped speeders and swoop bikes ran through the opposite side of Jamel.

The being who had grasped him was heading far away from the confrontation, allowing the figh to draw on and continue until their was a definate victor.

Jamel peeked back once more, and he fall quickly into an unconscious rest..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awakening to the smell of mourning air, which he could remember like the back of his hand when it acme to the Tattonie atomsphere. Rolling in on his bed, he heard the sound of commotion come from the entrance of the room.

A man headed into the room, he was the Bothan who had gave him the propsal. He had in his hand a fruit of some sort for the boy to eat.

Wyl sat onto the bed, disrupticing the sleep of the young boy. Turning the boy over so that he could gape at his surrondings. The Bothan smiled down at him, placing the apple similar item down upon the boy's abdomen to eat.

"The republic fleet managed to destroy the base and many of the opponents fleet, but we didn't manage to take the area over, nor did the Imperails so its an open land for either of us, so its reasonable to say that another battle could rage on Tattonie. The remains of our men were attacked by Tusken Raiders before we could finish off the Imperails. None of our men truly had the ability to fight against the Tusken's as all our ships had been damaged, and the men were battiered and beaten. We only have 1/4 of our men that survived, I dont know about the fraction of our competetiors. You also did well out there, after you get a bit of sleep, we gotta go somewhere for another mission. We have some conflict on with one of our Generals. We need him here at the scene to help us create a base here, a garrison much like the Imperail. But you shouldn't worry your little head about that yet, just go to sleep.."

The boy couldn't open his mouth to agree before he was enforced to chew the fruit and go to sleep for his head was still weary from last night..

--------------------

I glared at the holographic image of the young once-Ensign-now-field-advanced-Lieutenant I had left in command of the garrison... or rather, from what he was saying, what was left of it.

"We followed up on your orders, Sir," he was saying, gasping just a bit, his gleaming battle armor smirched with carbon scoring and laser creases. "But they-- they had air support. How the hell--"

He cut himself off, making an obvious effort to gain his self-control back again and be the professional I knew him to be. He did not fail me in this, even though what he had to say appeared to be the revelation of defeat.

"We-- we were hit hard, Sir," he finally managed, then straightened. "The garrison is pretty much destroyed; we lost quite a few good men today..." Again a brief pause, then he went on, his expression turning stony.

"But they didn't get away scot-free; we managed to take down a good fifty percent of their offenses, and from what our little friend here says, the Tuskens took about another half of what was left." He now moved aside... to reveal a familiar face. I merely drew in a deep breath, and waited to see who would now continue, the Lieutenant or the Bothan who had come to us earlier.

I didn't have to muse long over this question. "I'm sorry I didn't get the information to you in time for you to prepare more heavily," the lady spy said in a raspy whisper. "That was unforgivable; let me make amends by offerring you something in recompense, if I may so attempt...."

I steepled my hands against my helmet, and remained inscrutable. She apparently took that as an affirmative, for before I could draw another breath or the Lieutenant could say another word she burst forth with but two items of interest: the name of the Bothan who had implemented this attack...

...and the location where he and the ragtag remnants of his troops were hiding.

I waited a few moments when she fell silent, then nodded to her. "Is her ship repaired?" I asked, tilting my head slightly to let the Lieutenant know I was directing the question to him. He shook his head.

"Not yet, Sir. We're waiting on some parts--"

I just nodded again.

"Very well, you may cancel the repair order at this time. But before you do, there is something I want you to do first...."

I then gave the young and rising military star implicit orders to take his remaining troops in hand and storm the location the Bothan had just imparted unto us... but stealthily. Ye gods, enough is enough with the flaming bursts of blasters and lasers... that would be taken care of forthwith, but I wanted to be certain this Bothan insurrectionist was taken first, and taken alive. Lt. Zhurelle was then to report back....

Later:

"Mission accomplished," the Lieutenant said smartly as his holographic image stood in satisfied salute before me. I nodded grimly.

"And these are the coordinates where they were operating from?" I repeated a string of numerals. He nodded an affirmative.

"Very well, Lieutenant. Now, if you would be so kind as to take the two prisoners... this Bothan and, who did you say it was? Some kid?! A 'Jamel' Something-or-other...."

I couldn't help but shake my head. This is a nek-eat-nek enough of a universe as it is; now Rebel scum were corrupting little kids....

I straightened.

"I want you to personally see to their arrival aboard Subjugator, Lieutenant. I'll have detention cells waiting. And bring the lady spy along as well, I think we just might find a use for her. Please don't forget to tractor her ship with you as well. We can begin repairs aboard Subjugator, and if more intricate work is needed it can be accomplished on Coruscant."

I may be turning more and more to that nekside of the universe anymore, but after all, a promise is a promise.

"Carry on," I finished, then turned to initiate Phase Two...

...which was over in the blink of an eye. Down on the dusty surface of Tatooine, a certain nondescript home, said home full of the remaining and now sleeping rebels, was targeted by Subjugator's onboard lasers. I myself didn't even blink as I enabled the control which sent death ravening down from the sky, an blast of pure energy seeming to have come from the gods themselves...

...which impacted the house and utterly destroyed it, killing each and every last one of the rebels sleeping within.

I nodded, then activated my private comm-link to Actar.

"Excuse me, Admiral," I began when he came online. "Tarnus here, Sir. You may wish to send out some heavy ships to Tatooine space, Admiral; not only to we have a recalcitrant Hutt on our hands, but there are some Rebel riffraff running about tooting their little horns rather too loudly. The base was destroyed... but can be rebuilt sir, as they did not take control of the situation.

"Suffice it to say that was their mistake; I have taken two prisoners, one of them their leader, and... eliminated the remainder. I am inbound to Coruscant with these two, along with our impersonator, Jaz Corona.

"Lieutenant Ghorn Zhurelle will be in charge of maintaining order until reinforcements arrive; although this garrison may be without much of a physical headquarters and may be lessened in troops, it is in capable hands. I do not hesitate to depart at this time, Sir."

I waited a few moments longer, receiving the Admiral's reply and counter-command to me.

"Very well, Sir," I nodded my head in respect. "ETA in seventeen hours; it will be good to see you again, Sir.

"And yes, I haven't forgotten about that ship."

I then closed the connection, and went to the detention cells to check on the arrival of the two new prisoners. As before, their transport aboard was flawlessly executed; I found them both in individual and quite featureless heavy security cells, dressed in flimsy paperine prisoner's garb. I smiled at them through the tiny view-slit in the otherwise solid durasteel doors they each found themselves behind, even though they couldn't see it.

Then I turned away, nodding to the Gaoler in Charge, and proceeded to escort Lieutenant-soon-to-be-Captain Zhurelle back to his waiting mini-transport, that he could proceed back to Mos Eisley and begin the uncovetable task of rebuilding the garrison to its former strength. That accomplished, I gave the order to get us underway for Coruscant, and Subjugator was soon lost amidst the heady star-smears of hyperspace.

Then I headed to my quarters, to find something for the killer headache I was starting to get, and to catch a little sleep before turning my attention once again to the destroyer's newly invited "guests."

[ 11-30-2002 04:06 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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No Food..
No Love..
Nothing..

Jamel's teeth gnashed against each other as if trying to rip his teeth apart in a showcase of his fury. The young boy swung his hand toward the adamantine materailed. The collision created a echoe through the four walls as he slid down pathetically to the floor.

Tears rolled down his tender, youthful flesh, splashing down onto the surface. He couldn't take such pain, such fear. The slavery that he had to deal with at his early age, the laying in condensed, filthy places. It was a nightmare he never wanted to return to. He wanted to save those of whom couldn't see the light, and bliss of the mourning because they were in factories working for the goverment.

Jamel couldn't handle that. He just couldn't..

Then came yet another horrid blow tot he wall creating a small indintation from the powerful collision. His body slid down the wall to a sitting position, falling into silence. The strenght from his bruised soft hands was lost on that blow, and so was his hope. His head hung down in solemniness, and a tears quickly ran along his cheeks continiously, such as a rain from the sky on a darkened day. The gloom of the uncharacterized room created the atomsphere, but the tears broke through the silence with its splash of thunder, and moisture of rain.

Fear was on his face, as much as the storm in a sky.

"I want my mom, I want my life, I want my freedom."

[ 11-30-2002 05:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jamel Garth ]

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