Chapter 1
***
The Galactic Irken Empire started as a small group of Irkens that moved to Hutt space by way of hyperspace.
Planning to conquer the basic trade routes from the Hutt's home planet, Nal Hutta, and its influential moons, Nar Hekka and Nar Shaadaa.
Their base of operations was a huge battleship with gleaming metal floors and shiny white walls. Almighty Tallest Red and Almighty Tallest Purple commanded the battleship from the main deck, while General Jek commanded the main army and planned most of the attacks.
As he walked, Jek straightened his Irken military uniform as he prepared to face the Almighty Tallest. Cursing both in his native tongue, the Galactic Basic that most Irkens had adopted, and in the Hutt language called, naturally, Huttese, he turned to face the podium where Red and Purple stood, and gave a stiff salute.
"My Tallest," he began. "We have twenty new Invaders fresh out of boot, and about ten squadrons of starships beginning their blockade of Nar Shaadaa." After reading military records from the ancient Battle of Naboo and the starfleet tactics of the legendary Battle of Tanaab, he had a pretty good plan for blockade and invasion. And he would command the main battleship, which would drop off squads of Irken Invaders to the planet.
Red smiled. "Good. I'll sign the new Invaders to a squad, and see to it personally that anyone leaving the planet is destroyed."
"Yes m'Tallest!" Jek saluted rigidly again.
***
The single, one-man star craft Cirrus flew off of Nar Shaadaa. Jek's battleship opened up its comlink channel.
"Who is this? In the name of the Almighty Tallests, speak!" That was Tep, serving as a comlink officer.
"I'm Kittch Krath, if you must know," the voice responded. "I'm just getting off-planet for some supplies. I'm a starship mechanic."
"Cargo?" Tep queried.
"Just myself, my droid, and my blaster."
Tep looked up from the comlink display and back to General Jek. "Should I let him go?"
"The Almighty Tallest said to see to it that all ships leaving are destroyed."
"Commence fire," Tep called to the gunner.
***
Krath hissed. "Arthree, I think they're firing at us!" R3-S6 beeped, a low, mourning whistle.
Krath opened a comm channel. "This is Krath. I'm being fired at..."
***
"...by the Irken blockade. They won't let any ships pass and I think-AHHH!"
A rush of static and a loud explosion followed. Ztivroh the Hutt tossed the comlink screen aside, then called for his friends and aides.
He then spoke in Huttese: "Friends. It has come to my attention that there is a blockade by Irkens over us Hutts. We have a few bounty hunters and some soldiers here and there, but we must find a better way to fight back. We have no real army."
The nexu below the trapdoor hissed and writhed, and someone in the gathering threw it a chunk of bantha meat.
Ztivroh continued. "This blockade hasn't let ships come out and hasn't let them return, either. Kittch Krath, a bounty hunter of mine, has just been killed. His alibi was a good one. It was the Irkens. They have no mercy. We need to fight back. These Irkens are under the rule of their quote-unquote 'Almighty Tallest.' They seem to have a plan. After the blockade, I fear an invasion."
There was a murmuring amongst the crowd.
Someone stepped out from the shadows. "I'll help."
***
The Galactic Irken Empire started as a small group of Irkens that moved to Hutt space by way of hyperspace.
Planning to conquer the basic trade routes from the Hutt's home planet, Nal Hutta, and its influential moons, Nar Hekka and Nar Shaadaa.
Their base of operations was a huge battleship with gleaming metal floors and shiny white walls. Almighty Tallest Red and Almighty Tallest Purple commanded the battleship from the main deck, while General Jek commanded the main army and planned most of the attacks.
As he walked, Jek straightened his Irken military uniform as he prepared to face the Almighty Tallest. Cursing both in his native tongue, the Galactic Basic that most Irkens had adopted, and in the Hutt language called, naturally, Huttese, he turned to face the podium where Red and Purple stood, and gave a stiff salute.
"My Tallest," he began. "We have twenty new Invaders fresh out of boot, and about ten squadrons of starships beginning their blockade of Nar Shaadaa." After reading military records from the ancient Battle of Naboo and the starfleet tactics of the legendary Battle of Tanaab, he had a pretty good plan for blockade and invasion. And he would command the main battleship, which would drop off squads of Irken Invaders to the planet.
Red smiled. "Good. I'll sign the new Invaders to a squad, and see to it personally that anyone leaving the planet is destroyed."
"Yes m'Tallest!" Jek saluted rigidly again.
***
The single, one-man star craft Cirrus flew off of Nar Shaadaa. Jek's battleship opened up its comlink channel.
"Who is this? In the name of the Almighty Tallests, speak!" That was Tep, serving as a comlink officer.
"I'm Kittch Krath, if you must know," the voice responded. "I'm just getting off-planet for some supplies. I'm a starship mechanic."
"Cargo?" Tep queried.
"Just myself, my droid, and my blaster."
Tep looked up from the comlink display and back to General Jek. "Should I let him go?"
"The Almighty Tallest said to see to it that all ships leaving are destroyed."
"Commence fire," Tep called to the gunner.
***
Krath hissed. "Arthree, I think they're firing at us!" R3-S6 beeped, a low, mourning whistle.
Krath opened a comm channel. "This is Krath. I'm being fired at..."
***
"...by the Irken blockade. They won't let any ships pass and I think-AHHH!"
A rush of static and a loud explosion followed. Ztivroh the Hutt tossed the comlink screen aside, then called for his friends and aides.
He then spoke in Huttese: "Friends. It has come to my attention that there is a blockade by Irkens over us Hutts. We have a few bounty hunters and some soldiers here and there, but we must find a better way to fight back. We have no real army."
The nexu below the trapdoor hissed and writhed, and someone in the gathering threw it a chunk of bantha meat.
Ztivroh continued. "This blockade hasn't let ships come out and hasn't let them return, either. Kittch Krath, a bounty hunter of mine, has just been killed. His alibi was a good one. It was the Irkens. They have no mercy. We need to fight back. These Irkens are under the rule of their quote-unquote 'Almighty Tallest.' They seem to have a plan. After the blockade, I fear an invasion."
There was a murmuring amongst the crowd.
Someone stepped out from the shadows. "I'll help."