Star Wars: Reconstruction

The planet Juthruul was an unimportant little spitball, notably solely for its proximity to the Unknown Regions. Just at the moment, it boasted one other feature which made it of interest to the outside galaxy: a delegation of Yuuzhan Vong.

In the years since the Yuuzhan Vong war had ended, the surviving Vong had for the most part confined themselves to their new homeworld of Zonama Sekot, or Yuuzhan'Tar as they called it. However, small parties of Vong did occasionally make their way out into the wider galaxy—usually to worlds well outside their former invasion corridor—seeking trade or knowledge or asylum or adventure, or any of the other tangible or intangible riches which lured sentient creatures away from the familiarity of hearth and home to visit new worlds.

This particular group of Vong were apparently part of a burgeoning new religious sect composed mostly of members to the former priestly cast and Extolled Ones, who'd been granted minimal license to visit Juthruul's capital city of Usuna to study at an H'kig Monastery.

All of this information was only of academic interest to the Trandoshan mercenary Nessk. She and the other three members of her team had been hired by a group of wealthy Bothans to do one thing and one thing only: ensure that none of the Yuuzhan Vong left Juthruul alive.

Nessk and her Duros partner Enzede snuck through the corridors of the ninth level of Valatus Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Usune and a regular lodging house for visitors to the city. The two mercenaries were garbed head to toe—or head to claw, in Nessk's case—in regulation stormtrooper battle armor, two generations old, but fully restored and upgraded with some less-than-legal additions.

The Vong were being housed in the High Summer Suite, and according to all Nessk's informants, they would be sound asleep at this hour.

As Nessk approached the door to the Vong's room, she felt her muscles tensing in anticipation of the kill.

"I believe that's far enough," a voice said from the shadows further up the corridor. "Drop your weapons, if you please; we don't want to disturb the guests now, do we?"

Nessk cursed as she and Enzede both swung their blasters to point in the direction of the voice. How the vape had another creature—a human by its voice—managed to sneak up on them without their armors' sensors picking it up?

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," said the voice, and then with a distinctive snap-hiss, the unmistakable red-purple blade of a lightsaber erupted from the shadows. The glow cast by the newly-activated lighstaber revealed a humanoid figure robed in black, several centimeters shorter than Nessk and Enzede. "I say again, drop your weapons and this will go much easier for you."

"Who-who are you?" Nessk demanded, cursing herself now for the catch in her voice. With a bit more confidence she added, "What is your business here?"

"My business is to protect peaceful Yuuzhan Vong from the unthinking retribution of those who would hold all Vong guilty for the crimes of their leaders. You can tell Clan Hest'lya and the others as much, after I've finished with you. As for who I am well, my name," the figure said, reaching up its free right hand to pull back its hood, revealing an ugly pale pink face with a thin brown pelt on top of the head and just above its eyes; "my name is Anakin Solo."

"Anakin Solo," Enzede gasped. "Impossible, you-you're dead."

"I was," the black-clad human said. "I got better."

To be continued …