Mandalore Uprising
By Buck Tadlock
"Behind the generator!" shouted Bebo Lokk, as several laser bolts flashed his way. bebo was crouched down behind a transformer box, indicating to his teammate the whereabouts of their foe in this mock up of a central processing unit that is standard on any planet in which the civilization uses modern technology. Jebb Bluu, his fellow soldier, did a tuck and roll, jumped to his feet and was in position for the perfect shot. One, two, three shots were released and the indicater lights on the assassin droid went dead, indicating that it had received a fatal shot. Stun settings are all that are permitted inside the simulation quarters of the training facilities.
Bebo is a direct descendant of one of the Elder Counsel members, who are the only remaining Mandalores that survived the Clone Wars. Bebo's father, Gleen Lokk, and several other of the former commandos of the upper Mandalore ranks, were amongst the few that had managed to escape the fierce Jedi Knights that reduced their ranks to near extinction. Gleen and other members of his troop retreated to the outer rim of the galaxy, landed on a secluded planet called Memakk, it was far beyond their homeworld of Mandalore. The planet was habitable, though no signs of sentient species were present, the world was readily available for farming. The remnants of the unit managed to bring in some of their families and others looking to escape the war, they began building and building until, after years had passed, their super fortress was complete. A new generation of warriors were being raised, along with recruitments from across the galaxy. Sworn to secrecy, all these recruits were, the new age of Mandalore warriors, they would soon be.
To become a full fledged commando, one would have to be a first class mechanic, an ace pilot, serving a designated amount of time in real space and in the simulator, graduate from technical schooling with a passing score in both mechanical and chemical engineering, have a masters token in hand to hand combat and be a weapons expert. All soldiers were put through a rigorous training program that would eliminate the weak and allow only the most capable of soldiers to become a "super commando".
"Another job well done," Bebo said, as they left the mechanical room simulator, one of the many in their training facility.
"One of these days it's going to be that mechanic on Ethel that will be on the receiving end of one my bolts." Jeb made the comment in haste, Bebo knew he was giving an evil smile under the visor of his helmet.
"Speaking of which, my father asked me just this morning if I would make a supply run to Ethel for him in the near future. Should I say 'hello' to your friend for you?"
"No, you had better not even mention my name, especially to any of those laborers in sector 211."
Bebo knew Jeb had been involved with several of the workers on the industrial moon, helping them when in dept and so forth. Bebo turned back to face Jebb once again, "has that one fellow ever repaid all those credits that he owes you?"
Jeb stopped in his tracks, "No! but I'll get my monies worth out of him, one way or another." Jeb laid the barrel of his blaster across the upturned palm of his left hand as his head nodded back, indicating what could be the ultimate payback for an outstanding dept one owed.
"You had best leave all their dirty work to the ISG (Industrial Sector Guard). You know that we aren't allowed to leave orbit if it may give anyone reason to investigate or follow you back and see what is going on here," Bebo said in a more diplomatic voice.
There were only a chosen few whom were allowed to leave the confines of the fortress without notifying the proper authorities of their business. When Soldiers do leave the planet, they must leave all signs and indications that would link any outsiders to Memakk, where the secretive operation to restore the Mandalore warriors to the elite soldiers of the galaxy had been in place.
Once you were allowed to visit the planet you had to take an oath of silence, if you ever were caught offworld discussing the operation on Memakk, the penalties were steep. Incidentally, many had done just that, they, along with those doing the listening were never heard from again, disintegrated, dismantled or had complete memory wipes.
Gleen stood proudly in front of his child. "My son, it is urgent that you go to the industrial moon of Ethel. Look up a man named Marvin of Kuat, he will give you the supplies that I have requested." Gleen handed a compudisc to bebo, "this contains a complete readout, make sure nothing is left out."
Bebo took the disc, nodded and left the chamber. Uncomfortable, that was the best way to descrebe how Bebo felt when he was in the great chamber, confronting the Councel of Elders. They were headed by his own father, there were an even dozen of them on the Counsel Committee, and another dozen or so that held other positions of authority within the system.
When inside the Chamber, Gleen and Bebo kept their relationship strictly business. Sometimes that was hard to do for Gleen, send his son out on a dangerous task, knowing the risks involved.
"He is one of our best," Kokker said.
Kokker was also a member of the Counsel, and a close friend of Gleen.
"With the leadership of the various labor unions on Ethel doing almost anything for support, it is no wonder smugglers and private shippers are being ratted in to the ISG. That is the reason we must only send our best, those who can definately handle matters on their own." Kokker was trying hard to lighten the spirits of Gleen.
"I know, I know," said Gleen as he bowed his head. After a brief moment he glanced back and forth, as if studying each member of the counsel. "Our day is coming, soon, we will be ready to let our presence be felt in this galaxy once again. This time we will not support any agents of doom, willing to cut us a deal for our services so that they may obtain higher power within the political system." Gleen continued to stare into the eyes of his panel. "Dismissed."
Smog filled the dense atmosphere on the industrial moon of Ethel. Steam bellowing out of relief ports and smoke expanding across the horizon from the sky scraping flarestacks. From pole to pole, Ethel is almost completely covered with distillation columns, flare stacks, boilers, exchangers, storange tanks, reactors, transmition stations, towers, cranes, manufacturing and fabrication bays, landing ports and any other type of production equipment that might be found anywhere else in the galaxy. A landing platform loomed in the distance.
"Creeping Death clear for landing at dock 00024394 in sector 0211," a voice rattled over the ships com link.
Bebo glanced over the control panel to make sure everything was secure. Creeping Death was an innocent enough looking ship from the outside, but concealed some of the most highly advanced weapons ever created in Mandalore technology.
The former owner of the ship had been recruited and sworn in to the brotherhood, but decided that there was more money in being an informant. In order to preserve the secrecy, Bebo headed a small group to fullfill the soldiers oath. As a reward for a job well done, Bebo was given his Corellian model light freighter as his own ship.
"Lock down and arm security systems," Bebo ordered his onboard communications droid, CD8, whom Bebo had many uses for.
"As you wish, my captain," the droid responded in a synthesized stereo voice. The droid had a humanoid shape to it and was painted a glossy black with stainless steel trim.
"For what length of time shall I expect you to be out for?" asked CD8, as it began to punch buttons, turn knobs and flip switches on a side control panel.
CD8's main function was to translate for Bebo, but he had upgraded the programing so that the droid could do many other functions that would allow Bebo to operate on his own, have an aide at the controls and not have to worry about sacrificing a living being.
"Hopefully," Bebo began, with a smirk on his face, "I will be back in about two standard hours, I will contact you for vessell entry using our basic codes."
"So the boy has arrived?" asked Kokker, as he sat in his private quarters talking into a vox unit.
"Yes," another voice answered over the vox, "I shall have him put into custody as soon as possible."
A grin rippled across the face of the devious Mandalore that had an agenda of his own for the super fortress in which he helped build. "I shall have my ship readied, I will meet with you in Mos Eisely in seventy two standard hours, after I see that everything is proceeding correctly."
"Excellent," the voice continued "I shall give the word to the Grand Admiral just before I evacuate this moon. He will be most pleased, and let us not forget our arrangement either."
"I do remember, and the Grand Admiral has agreed to our terms I'll take it?"
"Indeed he has."
As Bebo exited his ship he was greeted by Mit Nonac, one of the lead mechanics in this sector. Though he was in charge over several facilities, he was liked by very few, his personality somewhat less than desirable.
"If you have come to harrass me about my dept to your buddy Jebb, I do not have them in my name just yet. Is he with you?" the mechanic asked.
"No, and I am not a messenger either. Whatever you two have going on is between the two of you."
Bebo looked at him with a stone cold face. Sometimes it was easy to hide emotion behind the visor of his armor, but he wasn't permitted to wearing it off world. " I can say this" persisted Bebo "he is getting a bit fed up with all your excuses."
Just then another man showed up. Bebo recalled seeing him before, somewhere else.
"Does there seem to be a problem here?" The man asked.
He was a larger man, with a slightly oversized head, wearing a khaki jumpsuit like most of the laborers in this sector wore, only he wore some kind of insignia that probably meant he had rank.
"Phesh!" Bebo muttered, recalling the mans name.
"Ah, you do remember me. Very good, I was beginning to think I didn't make an impression on you," the man said, wearing a large ear to ear grin. "I am now the head supervisor over all operations on this moon. From the looks of your ship, I'd say you are not part of the Union Fleet, so you had best let my mechanic back to work." Phesh turned to walk away, peering at Mit, who frowned and followed him through a doorway to a turbolift.
Bebo began walking down a dark corridor when a short squatty man strode past him.
"Follow me," the man said as he made a turn into a side room.
Inside the room, the man pulled the hood from over his head, revealing who he was.
Bebo relaxed a bit, taking his hand off of his blaster. Never hurts to be ready in case the man was to lead him to danger.
"Marvin of Kuat," Bebo said. "Just who I am here to see."
"Yes, your father told me to look out for you, I saw you have already met the welcoming party."
Marvin of Kuat sat down on a bench and looked up at Bebo. "He also told me how tense you and your buddies are making some of the workers here. You know since Ka'per was assassinated, several factions here are claiming leadership, and none of them wants to deal with the non union merchants. I know you all need to keep the secret, but things could go really bad if some of the laborers decided they've had enough of you."
"That really wouldn't bother me too much," Bebo responded.
Just then several shots from a blaster came from nearby. Alarms began blowing and explosives seemed to detonating simultaneously.
"Come on!" Marvin said, gesturing for Bebo to follow him.
Marvin of Kuat led him to a small warehouse, "this is your shipment, you had best take it and leave, with cargo like this you could be in serious trouble if you are to get caught."
There were several large crates, Bebo inspected each one to make sure everything that was on the disc his father gave him was also in the crates.
"All clear," Bebo said, only to turn and find no one there.
Marvin of Kuat had slipped out while Bebo was inspecting the inventory. Bebo guessed that Marvin did not want to get caught smuggling contraban to any non affiliates of the Union Fleet.
Bebo carefully loaded his ship with the supplies. Securing them in hidden cargo holds aboard his ship.
Bebo strapped into the pilots seat and let out a sigh of relief, "here goes nothing," he warned CD8, as Creeping Death lifted off of the platform.
No sooner than the landing gear retracted, the ISG began pounding his ship with energy bolts.
Creeping Death, began weaving around the monstorous structures on the moon, trying desperately to loose their persuer.
"The odds aren't looking to good," Bebo said to CD8, "four on one, make that three, two," Bebo was beginning to have a good time picking off the ISG ships, "what the.."
Bebo lifted his hands from the control panel, "tractor beam."
"Mit Nonac!" Phesh shouted. "Give yourself up!"
Phesh had just fired Mit, in return, Mit and his group of outlaws, began to fire upon Phesh and his guards.
For months Mit had been secretly planting explosives in strategic locations. He and his band new the time was now for setting them off.
A small war of words had just turned physical, people where now dying, Mit and his group, that thought they should be in charge of the sector, against Phesh, who legally was the supervisor over the sector and had control of the ISG.
"Not on your life!" Mit yelled, as he unleashed several more bolts in the direction of Phesh.
Mit and his followers where still loyal to the remnants of the Empire, which only held authority in a couple systems. He was also secretly in contact with several of the commanding officers in the Imperial Navy.
Phesh and his group were loyals of the New Republic. The two sides didn't ever bring up their loyalties until the death of Ka'per, a silent feud had been in the making ever since. Both sides blaming each other for the assassination, hoping to gain control.
Y'ret, had been the chosen representative for the union in which Mit controlled, his puppet in the sector committee. At one time, Y'ret served in the Imperial Senate, so he was the likely one to head the political side of Mits' operations.
With Mit at head of operations and Y'ret being his voice in the political arena, their other associates include the likes of Andru Vazz, Nad Jodan and Captain Jones, all experts in their fields of study, marksmanship, flying or just fixing equipment.
Phesh, rapidly firing his blaster, haulted abruptly. "You give yet?" he sarcastically shouted to Mit. "You cannot and will not win."
Another voice chimed in, "better think again." It was Andru Vazz, Mits' crazy mechanic buddy, also very experienced in battle, a former elite stormtrooper who served in the Emporers' castle as a personnal guard.
Andru lit the room up with blaster fire.
Phesh, under a shower of sparks, made a run for the door.
"There he goes, get him!" Mit shouted. "I want him dead!"
In the corridor, Phesh encountered Ned Welder, his right hand man. "It's Mit, and his little rag tag band of losers! They are after my blood, we've got to stop them. Get on your com link and call Korb, tell him we need help down here."
"Korb, do you copy," Ned shouted into his comlink.
"I copy, whats going on, what blew up?"
Korb was a close associate of Phesh, he also served the Empire in a biker scout unit. He had surrendered after the battle of Endor, and became an chief officer for the New Republic and now works in the safety department. He came here to study the chemical processing procedures for safety reasons and walked right into the middle of this controversy.
"It's Mit, he's gone mad. Several men have joined him and they are blasting everything," Ned voiced in an exited tone.
Korb joined up with Phesh and Ned as they were exchanging fire with Andru and Mit.
"What are you doing?" Mit asked Andru.
"I've had enough of this," he said, rising to his feet from a crouched position. Andru ran hard down the hall, hoping to catch his foes off guard.
With a single shot, Korb sent Andru sprawling across the floor.
"No!" Mit shouted, knowing that he had very few under his influence to begin with, he couldn't afford to lose any manpower.
A door, several meters behind Mit slid open, revealing a red skinned humanoid, an older model Imperial shuttle was docked out on the pad behind him. "C'mon," shouted the stranger. "Ships ready-let's go!"
Captain Jones, Mits' personal pilot had been kept on alert lately, making sure the ship would be ready to leave on a moments notice. "Boy, am I glad to see you," he said in a relieved tone. "They got Vaz, we'd better bail outta here."
Laser bolts zipping millimeters from their heads, and splashing off the load ramp as they ran up onto the ship.
"Buckle up!" the Captain said, flipping switches an the control board. "This isn't going to be easy."
The shuttle lifted off the pad and headed up toward the upper atmosphere. From there they would head toward their safe haven, a warehouse located in a sector on the opposite side on the Industrial moon.
"They are in the hands of the ISG now," Phesh commented to the other two.
Korb looked at Phesh with concern, "Y'ret, Nad Jodan and several others just defected as well. What in the world happened between the two of you?"
"I fired him!" Phesh shot a Korb. "Now maybe all the scum will stay clear of our sector."
"It's an ISG ship," Mit yelled. He knew the ISG were not only a well trained security force, but many of the best pilots in the galaxy came here for employment once the New Republic took over. Wages were tops for a security pilot. No one had ever been known to escape them once they became engaged in a conflict. That held true for both the rebellion and Imperial forces.
"Hey, don't worry about it," the captain said, "remember, I used to be a commissioned pilot for the ISG, I know what they are capable of doing, and what I am capable of doing."
The guards ship was armed with several laser canons that were going to work on the shuttle. Jones had been one of the best pilots in the ISG when he was an officer, his skills in combat were all that were keeping his shuttle in one piece.
"Hold on," the captain said as he tugged the control lever back. The shuttle made a three hundred and sixty degree turn and was headed straight toward the ISG ship.
Jones began to return fire upon his enemies, severely crippling their ship, knowing where the power units were located, he was able to disable their ship.
The first pass was a success, one more guardship to go. If Mit's shuttle took much more abuse it would become a pile of scrap. "Come on baby, hold together," Captain Jones said, trying to sweet talk his ship.
Doing nothing fancy, Jones released all fire power onto the remaining attacker. It paid off. Glistening metal, sparkletts and streams of burning gas were all that had become of their pursuer.
"We are all clear now," Jones said. "Set coordinates for Tattoine, we have a rendevous at Mos Eisely."
Kokker looked at Gleen, the look on his face was that as if he had been shot in the gut.
"We just received this transmission from Ethel," Kokker said softly, handing a datadisc over to Gleen.
Gleen looked down at the disc, then back to Kokker. "Go ahead, tell me, what does it contain?"
Kokker tried to keep his spirits up as he looked at his head counselor and spoke, "They have captured Bebo Lokk, apparently he tried to aide some aggrieved union hands in the two eleventh sector. He reportedly returned fire on an ISG security ship, destroying several of them. Y'ret, sent the news. He... and I, suggest that now is the time to unleash our army, to get your son back, the opposition will be a worthy foe, the ISG are respected galaxy wide."
"Is he alright?" Gleen demanded.
"Yes," Kokker replied. "According to our information source, he had secured all the cargo and information before he disembarked his ship, or at least securtity checks did not show any contraband aboard. Y'ret has said he will try pulling all strings to get him released."
Gleen studied Kokker for a moment before speaking, "Marvin of Kuat, do we trust him, or should we begin to have him followed?"
Another of the counselmembers spoke up, Baul, he was one of the youngest on the counsel, barely a soldier when he fought against the Jedi Knights. "Marvin of Kuat can not be trusted! No one from that planet can be trusted."
"I have done extensive research on the man, I would trust him with my life," Kokker said.
Gleen Lokk had known Marvin of Kuat for quite some time, he became a great insider, being from Kuat and owning several companies on Ethel. Like all insiders, it cost the Mandalores for securing his services and keeping him quiet. During the beginning of this project, the main reason for secrecy had been the fear that the new order of the Jedi Knights would come hunting them down before they would be able to prove that they were deceived from the beginning, and are much wiser now. Once rumor had it that the great warriors of Mandalore were either extinct or a disbanded bunch of soldiers, the Counsel of Elders decided to let it be believed.
Now, a large sum of credits could be obtained from someone for the information that Marvin held. It was risky having an outside source such as this man, but the payoff had been much to the Mandalores' favor.
"Marvin of Kuat," Gleen spoke, "has been a trusted ally of ours for decades, if what he says is true, it may be time for us to act. Call for a gathering of leaders in the main auditorium after evening meal has been served.
Gleen spent the next hour gathering all information he could on the layout of Ethel. Blue prints, personnell files, ISG information and who would help and who would not. "If we are to have a coming out party," Gleen said unto himself, "I want everything to go perfectly. Those of injustice shall perish."
Inside the auditorium, a hush fell over the crowd as Kokker took to the stand. "Leaders of the clan, Chief Elder, Gleen Lokk."
The leaders were several hundred strong, a weak round of applause was all they could muster up, they could sense something was wrong, tensions were tight.
Gleen guided cautiosly to the stand, going over in his mind the right words to say, never before had he made a call to arms. In the past, he was a soldier, taking orders, now he was calling the shot.
"Fellow soldiers, the time has come for us to take a stand against the forces of evil." Gleen glanced over the room as he addressed the crowd. "One of our own has been caught up in a civil war taking place on the industrial moon of Ethel. Y'ret has sent word that Bebo Lokk is locked up by the security forces there, and that the ISG has began to act much like that of the Empire. In my opinion, no one in this Civil war is right, we shall move in to replace the ISG, Y'ret will be put in control and Phesh shall be ousted, he is the head supervisor on the moon." Gleen went on.
Back in his quarters, Gleen prepared documentation for several luxory class cruisers to have clearance so that they would be permitted to land in strategic locations. "And now, let the show begin," he said unto himself.
"The Arrow head is being prepared," Jebb informed Gleen.
Jeb was wearing the modified version of the Mandalore armor the mighty warriors once wore. A few different technologies were incorporated into this version, smaller, easier to conceal armaments, inner squad com units and the armor itself had been upgraded. Painted in a dull coat of copper worn over a black thermosuit, the appearance of a warrior intimidating enough to make some of the hardest criminals in the galaxy go weak in the knees.
The Arrow head was Jebbs' ship, it is an eight man commando star fighter. Built for high speeds, easy manuverability and stealth. Another unique characteristic of the ship is that it was home made right there on Memakk by their very own mechanics. Jeb had only taken the ship out of the system a couple of times, it would not be recognized by any scanners.
Jebb knew that in the absence of Bebo, he would be in charge of the commando team. Chukk Barnoo would be his second in comand, with six others of the best warriors going with him.
Two Luxory class cruisers, normally for entertaining the wealthier private citizens in the galaxy, decked out for cargo transportation, only this cargo would be hundreds of soldiers. Upon arrival they would deploy and an all out ground assault would follow.
"Your team will lead the assault, the cruisers have clearance to land, stay back until every troop is in position, your job is to exract Bebo."
"Yes sir !" Jebb bowed and walked off.
Melvin Sonar, a technician, was unplugging his data analyzer when Jebb walked up. "Everything is in perfect order here," Melvin said with a smile. He was the technician responsible for the design and construction of the starfighter, or his 'baby', as he called it.
"Excellent!" exclaimed Jebb, "we are set for departure in oh, fourhundred hours, wish me luck."
"No luck, may the force be with you."
Jebb went aboard his ship. Sitting at the controls he checked and double checked coordinates, com links and all systems.
Unaware to Jebb, Melvin had slipped back aboard the Arrow Head . A sensor alerted Jebb that someone had breached security. He spun around, ready to draw his blaster, only to see the unarmed Melvin smiling at him.
"Jebb, I have something else for you." Melvin extended one arm out inviting a droid into the cockpit area. "This is CD8b, a communications droid much like that that I built Bebo. He can translate over three million languages, and he can also fly this ship, you can communicate with him through your helmet link. Even if you are Kilometers away."
"Whoa! this is great, thanks!" said Jebb, as he began examining the droid.
A bright chrome finish with blue trim and accessories.
The only way any individual within the fortress was allowed to have any type of transportation or a personal droid was to be approved and examined by the Counsel. So it was a great honor for Jebb to have his own droid.
"What's this?" Chukk Barnoo asked, as he joined Jebb in the ships control room.
"CD8b, my new toy, Melvin just introduced me to it. It will be your replacement on this mission," Jebb sarcastically threw at Chukk.
Chukk decided to get up with his crew chief before the mission, to go over a few details before their departure.
"So this droid will be able to fly your ship in case of an emergency?"
"Yes. fly and fix it" the proud owner added.
Chukk sat at his station and began to insert datacards into the ships computer. Instructions flashed across his monitor.
Chukk Barnoo was recruited by Bebo Lokk after he demonstrated his skills in helping Bebo blast his way out of a complex that was run by Bamba the Hutt. His loyalty and friendship have been what earned him a spot on the elite team. Not to mention his abilities.
Phesh sat alone in his private office, pondering the events that had transpired over the past several days. It all began with firing Mit Nonac, the troublesome mechanic he had brought in from the Kuat Drive Yards. Mit retaliated by blowing up several wings of the research and developement center and firing shots at him. Y'ret had gathered some of their sympathisers and abandoned the moon. The Independent Sector Guards stationed in the employees living colony had taken sides with Mit. Several chemical reaction complexes had been sabotaged, most likely by someone associated with Mit, and then Captain Jones and several of his flying budies had bombed several of the units in this sector.
Looking through his business log, Phesh knew business was going to get tough, especially since competition has been growing and demand getting less. The only hope he had rested in a new customer that would be arriving shortly, bringing in two ships for picking up some prefabbed building materials that had been produced by one of his companies here. The only problem was that they insisted on using their own ships and not the Union Fleet. The leaders of the fleet would probably file agrievance on him but he needed the business. Changes would have to be made in order for the survival of this moons economy.
Sector 211 was the largest sector on the industrial moon, for years, Ka'per was chief of operations over the entire surface. Ka'per kept his main points of interest in this sector , for it was the largest and by far, the most profitable. Sector 211 had always been the seat of the affiliated sectors, sort of like the capitol.
After the death of Ka'per, Phesh assumed his position. While leadership in most sectors agreed that he was the logical choice, there where the sectors and companies that did not agree with that decision. Most independent companies had a representative on the moons executive committee, so that all voices could be heard.
Wonderboy construction company was the organization Mit was employed by. Y'ret was their representative. They were the most opinionated and the loudest to protest Phesh taking over. They wanted an outright election.
Kokker sat alone in his private quarters as a light began flashing on his vox unit.
"Yes."
The voice on the other end sounded as though they were trying to whisper, "You called for me?"
"Ahh, Marvin of Kuat, Gleen has sent two transports loaded with ninety percent of our troops to Ethel. If you have done your part, I shall be departing here myself shortly."
"Everything is a go," Marvin said. "Hope you know what you are doing."
"Me, I know what I am doing. How about you? Think you can handle the responsibility of operating a system like that?" Kokker asked.
"I sure wish I could see the look on Gleens' face when he sees what is coming," Kokker put in. "Should have never tried to take up politics."
"Well with your past in politics, I am sure you will be quite the capable leader, just too bad you could not get your hands on the reins of Black Sun when chance presented itself," said Marvin.
Kokker smiled as he sat in his seat, "the time was not right, I had a lot to lose at that point if I were to have sold out then."
The room smelled of burned metal, cast iron walls surrounded him on three sides, the fourth wall was of wrought iron bars. The small prison cell contained an undersized cot for sleeping and a dirty, old fashioned sink. The floor, however, was kept brightly polished.
Bebo Lokk sat in solitude on the hard floor, fingers interlocked as his bent knees supported his arms. Several days had passed since he last communicated with a living being. Phesh had personlly booked him, on the count he was in with Mit and had been the one to plant the bombs in a couple on the units he was seen around.
Over the past couple of days, Bebo had heard several explosions and random laser fire being exchanged, he also knew Phesh was trying to keep production up, even while the outlaws pulled off hit and run raids. The overall damage had been minimal, but security had been largely increased.
During Bebos' lonely state of depression, he had not noticed that Phesh had entered the room, watching from outside the cage.
"You ready to fess up?" he asked. "You know there is no other choice for you." Phesh had placed his hands on his hips. The look on his face showed that he has been under tremendous stress.
"Look," Bebo said as began to stand. "The only other time I have ever even talked to this Mit character was in a casino on Bespin, a friend of mine loaned him a pretty good chunk, if you know what I mean. Honest."
Phesh looked deep into Bebos' eyes, he was a good judge of character. "Do you know what is even going on out there anyway?"
Bebo returned the glare, "all I know is that I got caught being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Phesh was beginning to look pale, in a saddened sort of manner. His shoulders were slumped and wrinkles seem to have accumulated almost overnight. Phesh sighed, then looked to the floor.
"Business has been bad," he started. "Ever since the New Republic took command, the market became too competitive. Under the Empire, we had a large sum of the market share and things were good. Now, even though the governments better, business isn't." Phesh took a seat. He lokked like he was in need of someone to listen. "Our former head of operations, Ka'per, had been assissinated and I was chosen to take over. That didn't sit well with the sector leaders in certain parts of this moon. Ever since then, it has been plots and schemes, back talking and back stabbing. More emphasis on politics than on production. Now several of the sector leaders have gone out and hired hitmen, and a small war has broken out. I have to keep our main complex running, a pretty big shipment is to be going out soon, and if I can keep tight security and get this order through, I believe I will have a new ally."
Bebo listened patiently, enjoying company with a living being, even though it was his captor.
After their discussion had ended and Phesh had up and left, Bebo felt as though he had a better idea of what was going on down here.
"Bebo Lokk," a voice whispered from outsid the cell where he was being detained. He had just began to fade off into a nap when the voice startled him. Jumping to his feet, Bebo could't believe his eyes, right there before him stood several soldiers wearing the Mandalore armor.
"Jebb, Chukk, is that you?" he asked, already realizing that it was.
"Here," Jebb said as he dropped a small crate on the floor and blasted the lock.
Bebo opened the crate, realized what the contents were and grinned ear to ear. The time had finally come and Bebo realized it, he had been waiting his whole life to go into battle wearing this. With this technology, he was sure to have an easy escape.
"Your ship is being released from custody as we speak," Chukk said. "One of our decoders is working on the central computer system right now."
"How did you get past the guards?" Bebo asked. He knew the unit Jebb and Chukk were with could take on an ISG unit or two by themselves, but alarms would be going off and all of security would have come down on them.
"We had a secured pass clearing us for landing, several transports are bringing in the troops, your father had declared war on the ISG, not only for your arrest but for their Imperialistic ways," Barnoo added.
Bebo looked at him through the T-shaped visor of his helmet, if they could see through it, they would have seen his jaw drop. "We have to call off the attack, this is a small corporate dispute going on here, we have no business doing this."
Jebb took a step back in surprise. "What do you mean, you were scheduled to be executed, and now you don't even want to fight?"
"Executed!" Bebo yelled in horror, "For what?"
"Treason, to the ISG, we got that off the central computer as well," said Jebb.
It was a time in which most of the workers on the industrial moon had for rest and relaxation. An exchange of laser bolts were heard down a hall, out of the silence.
"Let's go!" Bebo said, as he took off in the direction the shots were coming from. Jebb and Chukk followed close behind.
Bebo entered a guard station first and looked on as he saw a fellow soldier leveling his blaster at a sector guardsman, who, in exchange held his blaster on a man dressed in a khaki jumpsuit, who was aiming his blaster on the Mandalore soldier.
The diversion the trio caused by storming in was enough for the battle weathered guardsman to take advantage of the situation. The guardsman blasted the mechanic dressed in khaki then dove for cover.
The four Mandalores began showering the room with more than enough firepower, the guardsman could not have survived.
The troops that deployed from the cruiser were met immediately by ISG, the death toll began to rise rapidly. It seemed the ISG were no match for the soldiers. Battles could be heard in several areas of the sector. Two cruisers had landed and the Mandalores began to spread all over the place, taking up strategic positions as they gunned down the ISG.
Bebo, along with the commando unit, made their way to the corporate offices, blasting their way into the personal office of Phesh. He sat alone, behind his desk, staring out the viewport.
"You won't gain anything by taking me," he said. "I no longer have any control over the ISG, Y'ret has taken over, all I have are my few loyalist here." He pushed a button and through a side door walked in Ned Welder and Korb.
Before they could fully enter the room four blasters were leveled at them.
"Don't shoot," cried Phesh.
Bebo stepped forward, "Thats what I would say if I were being slaughtered, as your ISG is, as well."
"That's not even it!" Phesh shouted back, "we are on your side, do you even know that the ISG has brought back up in?"
"What do you mean?" Jebb asked.
Phesh continued glaring out the window of his office, "unless they are with you all."
Bebo walked to the viewport, "great day in the morning!"
The other soldiers followed his lead and peered out the viewport as well, all in awe at what they were seeing.
Four Imperial Star Destroyers held high orbit over the moon. TIE interceptors and shuttles began pouring out from underneath.
Bebo, Jebb, Chukk, Phesh, Ned and Korb ran down halls and stairs, scrambling to get to their ships.
"They are going to blow the whole moon!" Chukk shouted.
Just then, the wall began to fall around them, "This way!" Phesh yelled, as laser fire and bombs blasted all around.
"Look!" said Bebo, as they all stopped to watch one of the cruisers that carried the Mandalores in, begin to lift off. "They got the right idea."
In unison, all six of the men flinched as the cruiser was hit by an ion cannon and blown completely to scrap.
Just ahead, Arrow head, lay docked in a hanger.
"Get out of here!" Bebo yelled to them.
"Youre coming with us," Jebb said.
"No, I'm getting my ship, it is located in a hanger several levels down, you all go!" Bebo shouted back.
Stormtroopers had begun to invade the interior of the office complexes and the docking bays that were attached to them.
As Bebo exited the hanger from which the Arrow Head was leaving, the door opened revealing several stormtroopers. Bebo began blasting them as they entered the hangar. Just as they were beginning to come through faster than he could keep them out, Jebb fired several shots from his ship, clearing the path.
Bebo Lokk made it to his ship with escort from Jebb, blasting the path clear. He had called CD8 moments earlier to prep the ship for takeoff. The entrance ramp to Creeping Death was already lowered as Bebo ran in, just ahead of more shots fired by stormtroopers.
As the two ships began to take off and escort the other cruiser, they were once again set back in shock as it exploded into flames while still grounded.
"I don't see any of our men!" Chukk called over the com link, "We are going to make a few passes to see if we can spot anyone."
"Roger that, I will take the units on the south side," Bebo said in return.
The two ships scanned the surface for survivors, all they could see were dead men, stormtroopers, ISG soldiers and Mandalore soldiers.
"I don't believe this," Bebo said. "Let's get out of here!"
"That was easy enough," said Kokker, as he and Marvin of Kuat walked down the aisle which was lined on each side by Imperial stormtroopers.
"I just can't get over why Gleen would send everyone off and leave the fortress defenseless," Marvin said. "I mean this was easy. What do you plan on doing with Gleen?"
"I am waiting for my report from Y'ret, when the troops there have been wiped out, he will call, so I should get to my quarters to recieve the message."
Kokker began to walk off but was interupted by Marvin, "what shall I do with the prisoners?" he asked.
"Whatever you like."
Marvin spoke with a commanding officer over the troops. He walked off, taking a few stormtroopers with him.
"The rest of you," Marvin spoke to the troopers, "I want a firing squad lined up right here, right now!"
The surviving Mandalores, beaten down, bloody and abused, lined up in front of a duracrete wall.
"Fire!"
"I don't know how we are going to explain this one," Chukk said, as the two ships entered the upper atmosphere of Memakk.
"Look at that!" damanded Bebo. Down below, they could see several Imperial Walkers as well as a couple of shuttles.
"Get back up so they won't pick us up," cried Bebo.
The Arrow Head and Creeping Death both lifted up to the darkness of space.
"We need to enter the planet on the far side, fly in low and set up camp about five kilometers from the fortress," Bebo said. "That we will not be picked up by any of the scanners, being that there only the few of us, we should make it in undetected."
"I don't like the looks of this," Chukk said in a worried tone.
"Word finally came from Ethel," Kokker said to Marvin. "It appears the only one that remains in our way is you," said Kokker, pointing to a beaten Gleen Lokk.
"I cannot believe you have done this," Gleen said.
"Believe it!" Marvin added. Your trusted buddy here has had his hand in many devious businesses, right under your nose. Now, with my help, he will become supervisor over this garrison that will soon be the greatest training facility in the galaxy, and once we are ready to emerge and take over the galaxy, he may become the new Emporer."
Kokker began to laugh, "not so soon my friend, in time, maybe. Just to bad you won't be around to see it my friend," Kokkers' smile faded as he leveled his blaster at Gleen and squeezed the firing button.
"Nooo!" a voice from the hallway yelled, then came barrelling in, sending shots in every direction as a shower of sparks rained down.
Both Marvin and Kokker lay on their backs, looking up in horror, as a Mandalore warrior stood over them, "How could you do this?" Bebo asked.
"You are supposed to be long dead," Marvin said.
Bebo raised his weapon, anger about to lead him to take the lives of the two men who betrayed and murdered his entire community.
Jebb entered the room abruptly, "We've got to get outta here," he said.
"Very well, I have all my answers." Bebo then looked at the other two,"you haven't seen the last of me!"