[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEFQfIFQt5A]Coruscant...[/link]

The Emperor was old. His deeply lined face was further corrupted by the dark side, a weathered, gray visage with a long, braided beard to his chest. Only his eyes showed life - bright and yellow. It was said by some they glowed in the darkness. Still, he stood erect, and his regal bearing had not diminished in the slightest since he had won the war. His voice, too, remained rich and deep, seductive, the sort of voice that spoke directly to your heart. "I sense General Grievous is troubled. Perhaps we should reach out to him."

He spoke to his former apprentice and the current Grandmistress of the Empire's Fist, Asajj Ventress. She had arrived with her own apprentice, one Mara Jade, a promising acolyte plucked, parentless, from a razed city. The young girl was beautiful, as Ventress had been in her youth. And her power was vast. So many young Sithlings would envy her now, apprenticed to the Grandmistress, gladhanding with the Emperor. Yes. He would show her affection. He would show her preference. So much the better that the bootlickers hated. So much the better that Jade learn to defend her position, or die trying, in the which case she would be proven undeserving of her current position.

The Emperor stood from his throne and began to walk to the door. "Follow me, my former apprentice. Your learner may find this...educational. Let us call the General. Let us learn of his failures."

TAG: Teegirloo, JediMasterAnne
[i]Over Tatooine...[/i]

The buzzers zoomed towards the pod, impacting hard, cracking the viewports and causing structural damage. Still, for the most part, the plan worked: the buzzers were destroyed. Unfortunately, the odd behavior of the buzzers attacking this particular escape pod drew the attention of many others.

[b]TAG: TheSithGirl, DarthXan[/b]
[hr]
[i]Dantooine...[/i]

Ackbar took over. "Four prototypes were stolen on Fresia, along with the plans and the Incom team. Three prototypes were unable to make the jump, and the pilots self-destructed rather than allow themselves and their ships to fall into Imperial hands. Jump coordinates were extrapolated from the fourth, who likewise self destructed when the [i]Invisible Hand[/i] followed them to Toprawa - the [i]Tantive IV[/i] reverted to realspace to find Grievous' flagship there waiting. They quickly jumped away to engage in the next step of the plan, which was to funnel the plans through the Hutts."

[b]TAG: DarkLordoftheFins, spycoder9[/b]
>

 

Mace Windu
Dantooine


The important gathering of head officials wasn?t surprising, especially when the subject of the meeting was about the children of the Chancellor. And what a Chancellor she was. In the time he had known about Padme Amidala, she had always been a sign of strength. When the Chosen One had fell, there had been a great sense of grief around her. . .but she just used it to fuel the love for her children. And magnificent children they were. At the current time, her title fit her perfectly.

Listening to the suggestion made by the Admiral, he thought it would be a possibility, but it did trouble him. Resting Luke and Leia's lives in a slimy Hutt's hands. . .it didn?t rest well on his shoulders. The worst part of the whole statement was the comment about Hett. . .He wouldn?t even let his mind wander down that path. Master Saa spoke up. Her words had more meaning to them that the Admiral?s had been, but when she came to the part about Luke and Leia, Mace could feel in the Force a chill that just oozed from Amidala. He cared for Luke like a son. The bond between the two of them seemed to have been much stronger than it had been with Depa. Maybe it was because he had cared the boy since he had been a child.

The Chancellor showed she was willing to accepted the Council?s orders. But she looked sad even as she said it. There was always sadness lingering underneath her. Always had been.

?I agree with Master Saa. Our contacts are the key. Once we receive word as to what has happened, we can react.?

Then he turned to the Chancellor, ?And don?t think I am doing this because I don?t care about the fate of Luke and Leia. They are the number one things on my mind, and they have been since their birth. I care for them both dearly, more than anything else.?

?If I could, I would run to Tatooine and rescue them before you could take another breathe. I would risk my life for them. But to do that would be foolish, and at the moment I realize that. It would risk everyone of the Republic member?s lives. If things get even a degree worse. . .? The Master stared into her eyes, ?I will be the first person out to save them.?

?You just have to trust my judgment, Chancellor.?


TAG: Fin, Matt

 

Hoole
Penumbra facility

The Falleen complimented his teaching and Hoole nodded grateful. These gestures were part of Xizor´s own training. Part of the way he worked, the way he treated people. The code through which he communicated was complex. Hoole had studied it. Less because he had thought he would serve him for such a long time, but more because it told him so much about Galen.

"I have a mission for him to undertake. A trial. Tell me, Hoole: how powerful is a Skywalker?" The Duke asked.

Hoole turned his head. His face stayed as unmoved as always, but the way he moved his head gave away his surprise. ?They are powerful indeed.? Hoole said and stopped. His concentration turned to the task at hand. ?They say the potential of Anakin Skywalker was unlimited, yet his training kept him back. His children have inherited much of his power. I never met them, obviously . . . and Jedi can hardly be trusted, their need for another messiah might cloud their judgment . . . but all I hear is they are remarkable. Each of them is probably a prodigy in the force. Much like your protégé.? Hoole raised his brow. Something that took effort in his face that had become almost a motionless mask over the years. He nodded. Galen was indeed powerful. A power unlike any he had ever felt in such raw form. Asaja Morine, Xenly, Brandl. Even Yoda. Their raw power was overshadowed by Galen´s. But the Skywalkers . . .

Hoole began to walk again. Analyzing the task they would give his apprentice he lowered his head and pulled his hood over his head. Serving with the insight Xizor could not have was essential for now. It was what kept him useful and therefore alive.

?The boy is said to have inherited many skills of his father. Piloting especially and his prowess with the energy blade. But I have confidence he will be no match for Galen in this stage of his training. He has not yet been declared a Jedi Knight, after all. The daughter. The Princess. She is something different. Her power lies in thoughts and words. Doubt, deception, lies and reason can all be powerful weapons against one of us .? Hoole faced the hills in front of them who suddenly appeared amidst the forest. Their apprentice, in a way he was both their student, raised a giant rock over his head with the power of the force on the lowest of the small hills. The time Hoole had ordered him to do so had already run out, but as usual Galen showed he was stronger than expected and still held it above his head with the pure power of his mind.

?Together they could be most dangerous foes. Too dangerous for him, even. But divided they are weaker. Less experienced than Galen. They will be interesting prey, I am certain. But prey, nevertheless. And their sense of morale will be a weakness I have prepared Galen to exploit. I would say a worthy trial indeed. A worthy trial, indeed.? Hoole turned to his student and with his barking voice, dark and raspy he barked the name of his apprentice. ?GALEN!?

Tag: Sir_Draco, Winged

 

Captain Salvo
Dantooine

Salvo didn't need to be a highly-trained specialist or an ex-Senator's son that had been taught to look for such physical cues to take note of how the Antarian Ranger brought a finger to his chin where a scar ran diagonally across it. That...was either a good sign or bad. Good because it meant that the man had in fact been on Tatooine and may have some knowledge, bad because his time spent on Tatooine may not have necessarily been good. Could that be a complication? Salvo hoped not but he couldn't deny that the man's knowledge may be valuable.

"It's not exactly my idea of fun, either. But something tells me you're looking for someone to take the plunge, right?"

Salvo kept his expression impassive but it didn't have to take a genius to know that, that was exactly what he was getting at. Instead, he scanned the rest of the group that was seated at the table: a Wookiee, a Yuzzem, the Antarian Ranger, and the older man he had been questioning about the ship. An odd group that he had seated here but that was probably what would make them the best for the Chancellor's purposes. A YT-1300 would not shout "Republic vessel" to Imperial forces and the Yuzzem's Gun Tug could prove to come in handy. Add an Antarian Ranger, a Wookiee, and you had yourself a discreet group that could mix well with Tatooine's population without looking suspicious. And if they all died it would be more difficult for the Republic Remnant to trace this back to Amidala then if it was a party of clones.

And Salvo would be there. Or at least he thought he would be on this mission considering what Amidala was entrusting him with. He may have to look for other volunteers but, right now, this group would suffice.

He turned his head around to look at the surrounding area. All the other would-be cardplayers and drinkers had left, probably scared off by either the appearance of the Chancellor or Salvo having walked over. This would do. Dropping a hand back to the compartment, Salvo wordlessly slid out the datapad that the Chancellor had given him. Taking a moment to lower the volume so that the words would only be heard by this assembled group, he set it down on the table before sliding it towards the center so that everyone would be able to hear. It was only then that he played the message.

The recorder didn't even need to identify herself; her voice would've been unmistakable.

"As you will probably know I am Chancellor Padme Amidala and the mother of Leia and Luke Skywalker. If you receive this message one of my most trusted confidants will have considered you to be both trustworthy and discreet enough to receive what is an utmost critical and dangerous mission. I am about to ask you to serve the Republic and me in a secret mission that cannot be revealed to anybody, including the Jedi and High Command. If you feel uncomfortable about this, I understand and you should leave now. If you find this acceptable though, I ask you to serve me in a critical and difficult attempt to secure years of work that might be crucial in our quest to retake the galaxy."

It was at this point that Salvo reached down and paused the recording before scanning the faces of the chosen volunteers. This was the part where anyone that didn't want to join could back out. He actually did not expect any of them to do so. The older man, Jadak he remembered, had previously volunteered his Stellar Envoy for the role that the Tantive IV had played and the Yuzzem had just volunteered his own vessel despite Salvo not saying what it would be for. But then there were the Antarian Rangers that were here that did give Salvo a moment of pause. The Rangers had meant to aid and train with the Jedi and perhaps there would be a conflict of interest between following Chancellor Amidala and following the Jedi Order what with this mission being a secret kept from even the Jedi Masters.

Of course, if they had a problem with it they could just walk away right now.

TAG: HSolo, MitthFisto, BobaMatt

 

Anakin Lars
On Tatooine

"That's your problem, Ani, you're always worried that you're missing something."

Anakin was rather grateful that Cammie had chosen to walk past him to get to the landspeeder, or otherwise she would have noticed his right eye twitching, just slightly. Unlike Laze, who teased out of some kind of overwhelming sense of self superiority (Because, had he mentioned lately, he was Laze, savior of Tosche Station, god-king of the mechanics, et cetera et cetera), Cammie's jabs tended to rest on some kind of underlying assumption that he was perpetually seven and thus perpetually had a crush on her. As if.

"Yeah, well, I sure as hell ain't missing anything important on this dirtball. Whole stinking galaxy's at war and I get stuck on Tatooine as heir apparent to a moisture farmer," Anakin griped, walking over to the landspeeder. "I tell you guys, if there's a bright, wonderful center to the universe, this -" he swept his arms out to indicate the surrounding area "- is the planet that is farthest from it. And then some. Scenic Tatooine: So Worthless we Let the Hutts Have It."

TAG: Matt

 

IC: Han Solo
Dantooine

The soldier regarded them in silence, no doubt feeling them out and soaking in all they had said. Had they said the right thing? Then again, did it really matter? If the Chancellor had sent this soldier here to condemn them, there was nothing they could say that would stop him from carrying out his orders. These kind of soldiers were hard like that. Han didn't trust them.

That's why when the soldier finally reached within a compartment on his person and produced a small object, Han was ready to defend himself. His palm was instantly back on his blaster, but he stayed his hand when the soldier placed the object on the table and he finally got a good look at it. A recording device. Han stepped back from the table and glanced up at the other man, brow raised in curiosity.

Again, the soldier remained silent as he activated the device:

[blockquote]"As you will probably know I am Chancellor Padme Amidala and the mother of Leia and Luke Skywalker. If you receive this message one of my most trusted confidants will have considered you to be both trustworthy and discreet enough to receive what is an utmost critical and dangerous mission. I am about to ask you to serve the Republic and me in a secret mission that cannot be revealed to anybody, including the Jedi and High Command. If you feel uncomfortable about this, I understand and you should leave now. If you find this acceptable though, I ask you to serve me in a critical and difficult attempt to secure years of work that might be crucial in our quest to retake the galaxy."[/blockquote]

The soldier paused the recording, leaving Han to just stand there and exchange glances with his companions. This wasn't about condemnation at all; the Chancellor had come to them - the Rangers - to carry out a vital mission. It was a mission that could potentially sever the ties between the Rangers and the Jedi due to all the secrecy. Han smiled at that thought. It was a good thing the Chancellor had come to the right person. He said it once and he'll say it again - he would not allow the Rangers to control the course of his life. Besides that, it was something to do. Maybe he would even get lucky and it would put him in good standing with the Chancellor, which could lead to more interesting quests...

Releasing a heavy sigh, he stepped forward, not even bothering to look over to acknowledge either Chewie or Poh. "I'm in," he said simply.

TAG: Sarge, Mitth, Matt

 

Galen
Penumbra, The Hills


GALEN!

The words echoed in his mind and he felt loosing concentration. The rock moved. Angry the Master had cheated him by distracting him from the task he send a ripple through the force. Strengthening it with a silent scream of anger. The stones above did hold up against the kinetic power of his rage. He was surprised himself sometimes, how fueled his powers became when he was angry. It felt as if they went into overdrive. The stone shattered and with both hands waving he send it flying away. His lightsaber hilt leaped into his hand immediately and his thumb pressed on the button just enough to ignite the blade any second. His Master often used the weakneed state after training to test his abilities in combat. One day that would be Hoole´s end, Galen promised himself . . . again. The promise was renewed almost daily.

[image=http://images.wikia.com/swfanon/images/8/88/Galen_Marek_evil_clone.png]

But the thumb did not press the ignition button, that had been adjusted to the reverse grip Galen preferred in combat. It loosened and his hand attached the lightsaber hilt back to his belt, as he felt the second presence. His Master, his true Master was here. The man who had raised him, adopted him and created him. Duke Xizor did visit them rarely. Usually Galen was summoned to him, whenever the need for his services arised. But when he travelled here, it was to be assumed it was important. An urgent mission most likely. Galen stepped towards his two Masters and then looked up. His eyes showed his anger on Hoole and they expressed it in the sickly yellowish glow they had so often lately. But the glow vanished, as he turned his head to his true Master. "Duke Xizor. I am glad to see you. What brings you to Penumbra? We did not expect a visit from you."

Ignoring Hoole who would usually have had the right to lecture him now, he stepped next to his Master.


Tag: Winged, LordT

 

OOC: To clarify on Dantooine, Poh and Chewie are Antarian Rangers. Chewie was working as a Ranger when he saved Han's life, and Han's joined up with them.
[i]Tatooine...[/i]

Cammie and Fixer didn't respond, and their laughing could be heard above the wine of Fixer's landspeeder as they headed off towards Anchorhead. There was a long silence as they became nothing but plume of dust before the setting suns, a parallel to the faint trail of flame and smoke in the sky.

Anakin's comm chimed. It was his Dad. There was work to be done before the day was out, and they had to be up early the next day. Hell, as farmers they had to be up early every day, but they had a lot to get done now before the sandcrawler rolled by their homestead. The Larses were in the market for some new droids.

Plus, night brought out the sand people. The Larses had a troubled past with sand people.

[b]TAG: Ramza[/b]

>

 

Asajj Ventress
Coruscant

[ul]Asajj Ventress was boiling with rage at being a second fiddle, but never on her pasty white face, nor her actions ever showed. For she was the Grandmistress of the Empire?s fist. A former apprentice to the Emperor himself. Former was the right word to say for in her eyes the Emperor was old. Too old to be in charge, yet still reigned. Someday she would be in charge, but that day is not now. Soon but not now....

Her yellow eyes looked upon Emperor Dooku as he looked at her newly assigned apprentice, Mara Jade. She was beautiful, an envy of many with her long red hair, but most importantly her position. Asajj was indifferent to the apprentice. She showed promise, but the Grandmistress never showed affection.

She believed in a stern approach, one that would make an apprentice strong and disciplined. Ventress wondered what the Emperor thought of her apprentice now that she is before him. Would he favor her? or would just simply ignore that she existed. Ventress eyed him closely.

"I sense General Grievous is troubled. Perhaps we should reach out to him." He said.

?I sense it too and agree my Lord.? she replied back.

The Emperor stood from his throne and began to walk to the door. "Follow me, my former apprentice. Your learner may find this...educational. Let us call the General. Let us learn of his failures."

?Indeed.? she said as she motioned her hand for her apprentice to follow. [/ul]

TAG: Matt, JediMasterAnne

 

IC: Poh
Dantooine, Where the truth meets Sabaac

Mind my own business? What kind of sick race came up with idioms? Probably the Arkanians or the Kaminoins, either way they would be the one?s to come up with removing ones mind from the body to integrate it with one?s business. That or else the Geonosians.

Okay, he could ignore that, Chewbacca didn?t need a wounded being in debt prior to a mission. Taking a slow deep breath he listened and slowly exhaled. Then it got a lot more interesting. It was confirmed that this would be a mission for the Chancellor, another blurring of lines similar to what Palpatine had started before he was assassinated while a POW. Some beings had no true concept of honor.

The trooper paused prior to leaning over the table and placing a player on the table which was issuing the Chancellors voice. The fact remained though that in this overstep it might be seen as a slight or possibly in the wrong for a Ranger to do this mission. After all it was not the Order that was asking it of them, it was the Republic, it was a Mother.

Which brought to mind his own youth, a young Yuzzem fresh from the cradle, raised by aliens that the galaxy nearly as a whole considered ?weird?? Not knowing his own parents for some years until his later life, as they finished what the strangers had begun in raising him.

Shaking his head he cleared away the cobwebs of memory, and to double checked that no one had disturbed his cigarra or cards. Hard to say with those clone types what they might do to make a point. He had had a good hand but this looked like it was going to make sure the machine shifted some of his cards.

When the trooper paused the recording his mind was issuing it?s own little battle, something Solo didn?t seem to have a problem with. Not much of a surprise there. Still he didn?t walk away either. The part about not revealing the mission to even the Jedi though, that chaffed. High command he could understand, the Jedi though? If you couldn?t trust the own Jedi after you entrusted them with a majority of raising your child, that was just. . .wrong on some level.

Getting up he crouched down to stare at the trooper, it was not a clone and so it had aspirations, it was a he with a past. Taking another deep breath he breathed in the scent of the man, memorizing and noting it. Leaning back slightly he spoke out his own thoughts on the matter.

?The Order is Uncle, the Order is Aunt. If it for the good that I think it will be, then it is for the good of them without their knowledge. Add four storage containers of Lizard-Kintarn Stew and I am good to go.? Leaning back he allowed himself to literally fall back onto his chair which groaned in protest.

It had been done before, though before his time, and it could be done again. So be it. . .with extra stew on the side.

TAG: HSolo, Sarrge, BMatt

 

IC: Mara Jade
Coruscant

Her face was a mask, and though she kept perfectly still?determined not to show any sign of intimidation?inwardly, Mara was squirming under the Emperor?s scrutinizing gaze. Her new Master?the Grand mistress of the entire Sith Order, no less?was not helping, either. Student and teacher were still getting used to each other, and Mara was not about to start off on the wrong foot by disappointing her Master in front of the Emperor. She had worked tirelessly to earn her place?long hours of study and endless practice had finally paid off, and she was going to prove herself worthy of her new position.

She listened in observant silence while the Emperor and Master Ventress discussed General Grievous?s recent foul-up.

"Follow me, my former apprentice. Your learner may find this...educational. Let us call the General. Let us learn of his failures," the Emperor said.
?Indeed,? was Ventress?s short reply, as she beckoned for Mara to follow. The apprentice immediately fell into step behind her Master and the Emperor.

Educational indeed?if anything, Mara knew one thing she would take away from the coming demonstration: a warning not to get on the Emperor?s bad side. She knew, as well as any, that he did not well tolerate failure.

Tag: Matt, Teegirloo

 

[blockquote]
Xizor

Penumbra, Falleen Rainforests

Hoole's assessment of the Skywalkers was thorough and insightful. The respectful tone of the Weequay's voice, the surprised movement of his head as the subject was raised...these small details were also revealing. Xizor had held the Skywalkers in high esteem for for their political and military status, but he had not known much of their facility with the 'Force'.

It had been twenty years since Xizor had accepted the unique strengths of Force-sensitives. He had been reluctant to acknowledge them in his youth. It had irritated him that this extraordinary power was one that he was utterly unable to acquire, in spite of all his wealth and cunning. But then he watched the first Sith Knights enforce the Empire's will, and knew that if they were ever to turn their gaze upon Black Sun, everything he had built would be shattered beneath Dooku's fist.

So he had taken certain measures. He had funded research into lightsaber-resistant armour and shielding. He had privately consulted experts in the art of hunting Force users. He had an entire team of scientists on Myrkr whose sole purpose was to study and breed yslamiri.

But his boldest move had been the capture and imprisonment of a family of Jedi, fleeing toward refuge on Dantooine. A group of opportunist smugglers had offered them safe passage before turning them over to the Prince. They were known as the Marek family, and they had a boy who was only a few years of age. The parents were dealt with (as were the smugglers who had turned them over- it was highly dangerous to leave loose ends who were so easily bought). And the boy had been cleaned up and dragged before his new 'father'.

Now he stood with the musculature of a man, though perhaps not the mental maturity. He was still servile in nature, though that suited Xizor. Of more concern was the boy's pallid, sickly look. For months now his physical appearance had been becoming less and less aesthetically pleasing. Falleen were able to alter their skin pigmentation at will, but it was unusual to see such change in a human. However, it was Xizor's policy not to question the effects of Hoole's training. So far the boy had passed every test administered to him, which was the important thing.

"Galen," he said, smiling warmly. "I am delighted with your progress under Master Hoole. According to the reports I receive, the guards here are more fearful of you than they are of the local predators. I have a small gift that may be of use."

Xizor's left hand slipped into the recesses of his silken robe, and came back clutching a rough silver gem.

"It is a Firkrann crystal," he explained. "Retrieved by Imperial miners on the planet Rafa V. I am reliably informed that such crystals were once used by Dark Lords of the Sith for their lightsabers. I know you already have one blade of your own- but perhaps you can use this crystal to construct a second."

He placed the crystal in Galen's hand, catching the boy's gaze.

"But I am not here simply to bestow gifts. I require you to visit the planet Tatooine, a Hutt-controlled world on the Outer Rim. Some sunshine will do you good, I suspect."

Tag: LordT, Draco
[/blockquote]

 

Anakin Lars
On Tatooine

Anakin's angry observations about his situation would have to wait, it seemed. Those vaporators were not about to clean themselves - much as he might want them to - and knowing his dad he was due to wake up in ten standard hours. Sleep, to the Lars, appeared to be an overrated phenomenon that you had to accomodate periodically. "Sure thing Dad, be back in a bit," he replied.

He got a good, solid look at the twin sunset off in the distance. The suns he'd been born under.

The suns he was going to die under, at this rate. He let out a long, low sigh, and headed for home.

TAG: Matt

 

ooc: I understand Xany is away a bit. So I´ll try to move forward a bit without pushing her too much, in hopes it is in our best interests.


Luke Skywalker
Over Tatooine


It had worked and yet it got them more attention.

"Updates."

Luke hissed. Last time he had faced buzzers they had not such a refined search software in their search&destroy programming. Well, Dooku learned from msitakes, that much was certain. Breathing in Luke reminded that there was always more than one way to defeat an enemy. He did not have to destory the droids. They would loyaly follow the pod into the atmosphere anyway and burn there. What he had to do was buy enough time so they survived that long.

The search programming. It reacted to influences? Like pods defending themselves? Luke smiled. "I think I know how I can get them of our backs, Leia. Just try to make our way into atmosphere as short as possible, will you?" Luke yelled out and breathed in, than in a spasm of his muscles his hands grabbed forward. His face showed all his concentration. He grabbed in the force an objects that was not only far away and moving fast, it was also heavy. Size did not matter was always a relative thing, he experienced all too often. Luke hissed out and faced the second escape pod flying parrallel to them and then with a scream he pushed against it. Hopefully correcting it´s course a little. Making it part with them. Making it look, like it tried to escape. As if the crushing of buzzers had been a distraction, while this pod was the one really making a run. Hopefully that would be enough to draw the buzzers attention to it. And away from them. Long enough to make their way to hte planet.


Tag: BobaMatt, Xany

 

Tatooine...

Scans were reporting multiple atmospheric entries.

Lord Krayt did nothing.

The General would fail, here.
[i]Coruscant[/i]

Beside General Grievous' prostrate form, the Sith Knight Darth Krayt's head flickered into existence.
[image=http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/b/b3/KraytHS-LW2.jpg]
"Greetings, Lord Hett," the Emperor spoke. He refused to use the man's Sith name before the holographic General. "It would appear you two are to be acquainted with one another. The General was about to tell us about what happened above your home, Hett. Perhaps he can fill you in as well."

The General hesitated, coughed. Finally - reluctantly, the Emperor noted - he continued. "We've completely ton apart the corvette. The plans are not aboard. All eight escape pods were launched. I dispatched fighters and buzz droids to disable them. A number of them began to behave erratically, and yet every one we found in orbit, disabled, was devoid three are unaccounted for. We found the crew manifest - all troops are dead except...the Skywalker twins' bodies are unaccounted for."

The Emperor grinned, slightly. The Skywalkers were a blight. "Comb the desert, General. Make it clear to the populace that anyone with information on the Remnant's secrets will be handsomely rewarded. Anyone harboring Remnant agents will be punished. Keep us updated. And pay Lord Hett a visit - he may be of some help."

The two figures flickered and disappeared. "Tell me," the Emperor said, turning to the Sith apprentice Jade, "what do you think of this situation? If you were Empress, what would you do?"

[b]TAG: All, TheSithGirly, TEEGIRLOO[/b]>

 

Captain Salvo
Dantooine

"I'm in."

Salvo nodded his head at the man's agreement to the mission and was, truthfully, heartened by it even if his face did not show it. Well, that was one Ranger that he managed to rope in and it gave him some confidence that the Chancellor's mission can come to fruition. But while this man would provide the extra guns, Salvo did want some of the others that possessed their own ships to do the same. Directing his gaze to the others at the table, he grew a bit tense when the alien - the Yuzzem - stood up but that was simply because of how...well...big it was. By human standards, Salvo knew that he was in peak physical condition due to his training into the ARCs but that was by human standards. Those same standards could really fluctuate when you threw in the physical condition of alien species such as the Yuuzem.

Yes, Salvo had experience with other alien races but he could always still get surprised - and intimidated - nonetheless.

Fortunately, that did not seem to be a problem. While Salvo had stared back at the Yuuzem as evenly as he could - only blinking when it took a particularly deep breath -, he had relaxed when the alien showed no hostilities and, instead, voiced something particularly...odd.

?The Order is Uncle, the Order is Aunt. If it for the good that I think it will be, then it is for the good of them without their knowledge. Add four storage containers of Lizard-Kintarn Stew and I am good to go.?

Though Salvo did his best to mentally translate, he couldn't get the details down. But he understood the general meaning: the Order didn't have to know if the mission was only to be good for them so the Yuuzem didn't have a problem with it. ...As long as he got four containers of Lizard-Kintarn Stew. Salvo wasn't sure if he was going to bother the Chancellor with such a request but the trooper got what he wanted. After another long look around the table, waiting to hear or see anyone that wished to tag along or leave the table and, thus, the mission, Salvo finally pressed play on the recorder to complete the message.

Amidala's voice spoke out again.

"A few hours ago my children have been intercepted by the Empire and they were forced to land on a planet called Tatooine. They have plans with them that are of great importance to our cause. I ask you to sneak on the planet, locate my children and the plans and bring them back to the Republic by any means necessary. You will be on your own in this and I advise to be as secretive about it as possible. Stealth will probably be your best bet. If you fail, me and the Republic won´t be able to help you. If you succeed though, this could be a great victory to all of us and a crucial strike against Emperor Dooku´s Empire. My hopes are with you and may the force be with you."

The recording ended there and Salvo once again looked to note the reactions of the, hopefully, soon-to-be participants. Despite the Chancellor's insistence to leave the Jedi Council and High Command out of this, Salvo hadn't been bothered by this in the least. This wasn't just about a mother's desire to save her children even if it meant taking matters into her own hands; it was about the good of the Republic itself. If Luke and Leia Skywalker had plans that were important to their cause then that just made them all the more important to retrieve for something more then just them being powerful Jedi and the Chancellor's children.

But would everyone else see it as such?

TAG: HanSolo, MitthFisto, BobaMatt

 

IC: Poh
Dantooine

The stiff didn?t say anything. Reaching up he flicked a switch, <Clone Troopers> he chuffed to Chewbacca. The fact that a couple agreements had been voiced, one freely and his with only the cost of a few measly containers of stew. A better offer he couldn?t think of, but at least the man finally put actions into motion before the temptations of cigarra and imperiled sabaac hand pulled him back in once again.

The Chancellors? voice once more rang true once more, it practically dripped with concern and honey. Sweet honey made from the local tree flowers with a hint of one of those puff ball creatures sprinkled in. Not that she sounded like she was about to pop, but still there was a strain. A strain that he doubted was from plans for the Republic, although it was plausible, as plausible as food poisoning but still plausible.

No the children were paramount. Though he had learned it from different perspectives growing up, first in the temple and then with his parents, children were something that was paramount. Just thinking about that and hearing her voice was making him antsy enough to start scratching the floor with his toe claws. Back and forth, scritch and scratch, and scrap and skitter upon the duracrete floor.

He snorted in agreement and pushed back to his feet again, it felt like if he stayed seated he would start to go stir mad. According to the last person he mauled who was trying to teach him meditation, it was best for him to meditate when eating or moving, and best not to try being still too long. At least that?s what the protocol droid was able to make out three weeks later from the humans murmurs.

<Deliver the food, and?> and then pausing he sighed, darn translators weren?t intuitive enough sometimes, although if they were he probably would only get into more trouble with it making the mistakes of how to say things. With another flick he resumed in basic, ?Say when, food bottom of Brenta ramp, and console mother that whole family once more we will bring.? By family being whole he of course included the Order in his mind, after all Order was Uncle and Aunt to him, and to others the Order is Mother and the Order is Father.

TAG: HSolo, BMatt, Sarrge

 

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxDm-4Jrg9w&feature=related]Tatooine...[/link]

Escape pods came packed with a great deal of standard survival equipment. Of most immediate use the previous night had been the blankets, and the heater - deserts could be surprisingly cold at night. As the suns rose in the wilderness, the rations, too, might be useful. The space suits less so; the air on Tatooine was one of the few things hospitable to life. The suits might be helpful in the case of a dust-storm. The pod would also serve as a shelter. Then again, they had hit hard and skidded for some great distance. Charred sand followed them, not to mention the sparking corpses of buzz droids scattered in their wake. It may be unwise to stay.

From this dune they could see for vast distances. Strange animals' skeletons had been bleached in the sun. In the distance, strange cries. Little sign of civilization.

And they needed to decide what to do next.

TAG: DarthXan, TheSithGirly

* * * *

Flyovers. Scans. They'd been searching all night. The T-series Tactical droid supervising this particular sand-combing operation, TX2-B had been spending large swaths of his time inactive, running on 75% processor power, trying to keep cool, trying to keep capable. This was a good time to employ machinery the likes of the old, bumbling B1s that poked and prodded fruitlessly as the gunships and probe droids did long range scans and flitted about. A droid for every job. Why they were even bothering, here, was beyond him, but then it wasn't in his nature to question orders. The escape pods tracked to this general vicinity had no signs of life.

Which is why TX2-B4 was so surprised when he was signalled by a simple B1. In the antiquated battle droid's grasp was a tiny...component? TX2-B4 did a quick scan. It was focusing ring from a minor visual component on an astromech droid. This particular model was used primarily on the Artoo series. The Skywalker twins were in posession of an Artoo unit. It was all perfectly clear.

Still, in the idiotic manner of B1s, the finder spoke. "Look, sir! Droids!"

If droids sighed, TX2-B4 would have chosen that moment to do so.

TAG: All

* * * *

"Anakin!" Owen's voice rang out across the farm. The suns weren't completely up, yet, but it had been a hard day at work already. Beru's breakfast would be cooking for them, now. In the distance, a plume of dust so large that it could only be a Jawa sandcrawler, making its weekly rounds. Good. They were in the market for some new droids. The boy knew droids and liked nice ones. Owen preferred ones that worked.

TAG: darthramza

[i]Dantooine...[/i]

Jadak burped, wiped his nose, tugged at the top of his pants. "Yeah, okay. That means you, too, Reese."

And that was that.

[b]TAG: Sarge[/b] >

 

ooc: Combined with LordT, as we wanted to do the flashback and he felt he would not do a lot anyway.

Galen
Penumbra facility


?Thank you Master.? He took the crystal with a deep respectful bow. Indeed those were hard to come by. Not that anything was impossible to acquire for Xizor of Falleen, but the gift was most gracious. Galen looked at Xizor, the only father he had ever known. Yet, the Falleen was a treacherous creature. Even Galen who often found understanding motivation extremely difficult had to admit that. Treachery was the one thing both teachers of him seemed to be truly skilled in. Was this his thoughts? Or was it Hoole who had finally implanted the right thoughts in his head?


The night before at the fire Galen had felt exhaustion over the days work, when his Master had attacked him. Their blades had hissed and crushed against each other in the midnight moonlight of the planets various moons. Galen knew Hoole was a Master with the blade. His swinging, fast moves balanced the need for power and swiftness and unnerved the opponent by showing weaknesses which always showed them to be traps, once you tried to exploit them.
His reversed grip gave his blocks some stability, as Hoole continued his cruel onslaught. The trees fell to their sides, as the Weequay cut through them and used them as distraction. One was ripped from the ground, when Galen tried to use his kinetic might against his teacher. It flew into the air. And finally a series of precise attacks unbalanced Galen and send him to the ground. His lightsaber flew away and stopped mid air as he draw it back to him. The foot of Hoole rammed into his stomach and as Galen screamed in pain and gasped out the remaining air in his burning lungs the lightsaber ended in Hoole?s hand. Like a scissor both red blades flanked his neck. Galen collapsed to the ground and starred up. Then he saw something in Hoole?s eyes, felt something in his presence and realized . . . this fight was not training.
?Why are you still alive?? Hoole?s raspy voice now burned with anger. ?Because you need me.? Galen spitted out. ?Not if you fail.? Hoole replied and the blades shut down. ?You need me because if I die Xizor would kill you.? Galen spitted out and sat up. Hoole had already turned and now slowly moved his head back, so he could see his young apprentice in the light of the giant white moon that illuminated the clearing their battle had ended on. ?Not if I kill him first.? Hoole replied and turned, slowly lowering until he cowered before his apprentice who still lay on the ground. His leathery face looked like a haunt in the pale light. ?Or do you think he has taken any measure that could stop me?? He whispered. Galen knew Xizor had prepared well for the sith knights. Cortosis, beskar armor, droids, hunters. But his father did not understand the power of the force. Or the nature of the Dark Side. Not as he did. Certainly not as Hoole did. A man like Hoole was not a knight. He had no armies, no Masters. He was death. Killing had become his nature. And he would always find a way. He was too powerful to be stopped. He should never have been kept alive in the first place. ?Probably not.? Galen said and Hoole sighed and returned to his feet. ?Except me.? Galen added then. ?That´s why you challenge me when weakened. The day I don´t need you I will protect my Master from you.? Galen said truthfully and with the force had made a backflip and ended up on his feet. Hoole still had his weapon though. ?Of course you will. Power is an absolute thing. It does not allow other powers beside itself. And you got power. And so does Xizor. And so do I. you will kill me, probably. Although I think me killing you is the more likely outcome. So far I have not been defeated with the blade. And then . . . ??

Galen starred at him. ?What is it you wanna tell me?? Galen asked. And to his surprise the Weequay threw the blade to him. Hole smiled. It looked strange and as if it took a lot effort to do so. ?You know it already.? And hole turned.

Yes, i

 

Luke Skywalker
Tatooine, desert

Sand, as far as he could see. How can anybody life in such a place?

They had water and food. Blankets. Some protection. They were hunted. Under normal circumstance he guessed 24 hours was most you could make in such a climate. But they were Jedi and the force would sustain them, when the world itself didn´t any longer. there were sand people of course. Hutts. Their hunters. And no fellow Jedi. except his sister and him. Luke smiled as he realized he felt great. relieved. Somehow the Jedi and all their expectations had recently been . . . depressing. the pressure had become too much. The expectations too powerful. Here he was fighting for the right thing and only his favourite Jedi around. His sister. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but he instead probed her with the force. he knew she did not react well to him playing bigger brother. Which was unsurprising as they were twins, after all.

Picking up a destroyed buzz droid from the ground he looked for their ff-comm. Friend and foe recognition could possibly hide them from the other droids or at least tell them when one was near. A trick he had learned from the Rangers.

"I´d say we head towards the skeletons. Animals means water. Water menas cities. Especially here." Luke said and pulled his eyes together to see in the burning suns.

"Dunno how about you, Leia. But I had imagined the panet where mum met dad a lot more romantic." Luke said then and smiled at Leia. He wondered if she had already realized this was THE Tatooine. The place their mom had told them so much about. The place where it all began in many ways.

Tag: Xany, BobaMatt

 

IC: Mara Jade
Coruscant

Somehow, Mara was not all that surprised when the Emperor directed his question to her, rather than her Master, but she considered her answer carefully before responding. Her tone was confident, even though she was not certain this was the reply he was expecting. ?I wouldn?t trust the General to accomplish what he has already once failed to achieve, even with the aid of Lord Hett. Let him have this chance to redeem himself, but in the event that he should fail again, I would send in someone else on the side, someone whom I could trust not to disappoint.?

Tag: Matt, Teegirloo

 

Captain Salvo
Dantooine

His chosen team stayed where they were and, other then the Yuzzem's curious statement, Salvo assumed that everyone was going along with the mission. Well, they had no choice really; at this point it was either they were going or they were going to be detained until the start and/or completion of the mission to maintain secrecy. They were given their warning and at this point it was far, far too late to turn back now.

"Get your vessel prepped," Salvo spoke to Jadak. To the rest he said, "Get whatever you need prepared. Weapons and whatever other gear or equipment you think you'll require. This is supposed to be a quick extraction but delays may happen."

Of course, "delays" could be nothing more then difficulties with locating the Skywalker siblings to them getting stranded on the desert world. Or caught.

"We'll wait for our deployment orders," he continued. Deployment orders meaning whenever Chancellor Amidala told them to go. "Stay near the hangar so that we can leave as quickly as we can."

How they were going to keep themselves entertained until then was not Salvo's concern. He just wanted to make sure that they got ready. As for him, he had some of his own preparations to do; such as perhaps getting his hands on a couple speeder bikes or even one of the AT-RTs. Tatooine was a very large and very barren desert world and they'll probably need some recon vehicles. Salvo did have some strings that he could pull what with being Amidala's apparent "confidant" so it shouldn't be too difficult.

TAG: HanSolo, Mitth, BobaMatt

 

ooc: Clearing the table to avoid keeping people from playing when I am on my trip.

Supreme Chancellor Padme Amidala
Conference Room, Dantooine

He wrist comm hummed and she received the message the team was assambled. Despite the best intend of the present Jeid, she had never planned to wait for them. Her children and these plans would not rely on chance and the failure of the Empire to reach her. No, it was time to put her pieces on the board. Non-force using, sneaking, secretly operating pieces, that would probably win the match, before anybody knew they were even in the game. If she evaluated the Empire right, they would not even look for something as pwrless than a Balck Ops team. Arrogance had always been Dooku´s greatest weakness. And it had infected his Empire from the first day.

She send the prepared message to Salvo. A single word. He knew time was of essence now.


Proceed.

Then she turned to the Jedi Masters back, keeping her mind calm and empty. Not she expected them to dare read her mind. but if they were that cunning, they would not find anything there.

Only a slight sign of relief, probably.

And less trust in their abilities to save a life then they had themselves.
Anakin had tught her many things. His death even more than his life.

Tag: Sarge, HS29, Mitth, BobaMatt, others

 

IC: Han Solo
Dantooine

One by one, the others filed in behind him, pledging to help the soldier and in return, the Chancellor herself. All except one...

Chewie had yet to express his opinion either way and that worried Han. The Wookiees lived under a strict code of honor, which extended to the Rangers when Chewie joined their ranks all those years ago. Perhaps the furry oaf was having a moral dilemma over whether to turn his back on the Jedi and do the right thing.

Typical Wook. He better make up his damn mind because he wasn't going to stay behind this time...

"C'mon, old man," he said to Jadak as he crossed to the other side of the table, slapping the man on the shoulder as he passed. "Looks like we're finally getting off this rock."

The soldier followed up that comment with a set of instructions, ranging from gathering weapons and supplies to prepping the ship. That last part, however, was not aimed at Han and it stung. He was a pilot first and foremost and to see someone else take up that job among them bothered him to no end. Of course, he blamed the Rangers, but there was more to it than that. He had lost his first and only ship, a SoroSuub Starmite-class freighter named the Bria, in a series of events that eventually led to the...incident. And what good was a pilot without a ship? It left him empty and sometimes the desire to get back into the pilot's seat was too great...like it was now.

Han looked back at Jadak, deciding that the older man was becoming too drunk for his own good, and made his move. "But...you heard the man," he glanced back and gestured to the soldier, a mischievous glint in his eye. "We have to wait for the signal and since all we have to do is stay near the hangar..."

He walked slowly around the table until he came back to his chair and glanced down at the cards he left lying facedown. Smiling, he brushed his fingers over their surface as if the action would give him a streak of luck. "How 'bout we finish our game."

TAG: Matt, Sarge, Mitth

 

Ahh! Okay! Missed a bit; sorry about that ...


IC: Leia Skywalker
Tatooine

Leia let out a startled laugh. "That's right, it is." She had almost forgotten about that detail of the story - their parents' courtship had been a storybook romance in many ways (the dashing Jedi and the beautiful Queen of Naboo) but they had in fact first met here on this dustball of a planet when Anakin Skywalker had been a slave child and Padme was pretending to be her own handmaiden. That part tended to be left out of the holos.

Despite their rather dire situation, the young Jedi was oddly cheered. Sure, they were in the middle of the desert with nothing but a survival kit, a pair of lightsabers, and their wits. But they hadn't done too badly so far. Luke had done a fantastic job of dealing with the buzzers while Leia had accelerated their descent into the atmosphere as much as she'd dared, and now they were alive and unharmed and seemingly having escaped detection by the Empire.

Shading her eyes, Leia squinted in the direction of the bones and extended her Force senses. In contrast to her brother, Leia's Force training had focused more on the subtler uses of the Force like detecting nearby beings, and now she bent her talents towards finding the closest settlement -

There. A faint pulse of life, but far enough (or few enough) that Leia couldn't tell how far exactly or in what number. (Or if they were friendly, but Leia supposed 'unfriendly' was a safe enough assumption here.)

"I think there is life in that direction," she agreed. "I can't tell in what form, but there should be something there. It's a start."

She turned to grab a survival pack (the pod's survival gear had thoughtfully been divided up into human-carryable sizes) and grinned at her brother. "I don't think this is quite what Mom had in mind for this trip, do you?"

TAG: TSG, Matt