Chapter 2: The Dark Side
A day passed, and Bando received nothing from Phoenix Squadron. He peered out of his office window, hoping to soon catch a shift in the force. Then an officer entered the room. "Sir, you have a new order from the Emperor." He said, handing Bando a datapad.
"Vader is after the insurgents who stole the Death Star plans, and he wants me to guard the Death Star." Bando muttered to himself. "Very well. Officer, prepare my shuttle." He then said aloud.
The sith went down to the newly installed courtyard and approached his shuttle. He was met by a Death Trooper.
"Forty-nine people are accounted for." The trooper said.
"Good. The time has almost come." Bando said. Then he boarded his shuttle.
He made his way to the bridge and sat in his chair. "Set a course for the weapon." Bando shouted to his crew.
"Yes sir." They responded.
"The rebellion will see our true colors soon enough." Bando muttered. Then the shuttle lifted off, entered space, and took off at lightspeed.
After a moment, Bando went down to the prison level, taking an escort with him. When he entered the room, the forty-nine prisoners started shouting. There were seven cages, and each cage held seven people, chained to the bars.
"If you all don't cooperate, you will find yourselves in a worse condition." Bando shouted, soon calming the room down.
Then Bando entered one of the cages to interrogate the people. He looked at the prisoners, then kneeled in front of one who was hanging his head.
"What do you know about Phoenix Squadron?" He asked. The villager kept his head down. Bando lifted his chin and stared. The villager didn't need to see the sith's face to know he was glaring.
"Tell me, what you know, and I will let you go sooner." Bando said. Still the prisoner said nothing.
"I had troopers bring forty-nine specific people here for a reason. I don't pick random street rats to interrogate. And with every rebel attack, more of the peoples' intelligence of the rebellion grows. Of that I know. And you know of the punishment of uncooperation, so decide your fate wisely." Bando said.
"I don't know much about them, but I know that they're after a cargo I received news about." The villager said.
"And what cargo are you referring to?" Bando pressed on, bringing a hand up to his face, using the force to lightly tap his brain with slight migrane phases.
"A shipment of green crystals." The villager replied slowly.
"And where did you tell them they would find it?" Bando asked, starting to grin under the helmet.
"Passing around the Ryloth sector." The villager said.
Bando grinned and stood up. "Thank you for your cooperation." Then he quickly drew out his lightsaber and sliced up his chest, culling him, then pulling back. The prisoners stirred again.
"I didn't say that no one would die!" Bando shouted. "They get riled up so easily" He said quietly. He turned to one of the troopers and said, "Be sure to get this, so the rebels will."
And now Bando was being broadcast.
"In the past day, I have not yet received a reply from you rebels. Now witness the consequence." Bando said. He walked over to the doorway and motioned for the troopers to stand behind the doorway. Bando pressed a button and the floor opened up from under the cages and sucked them out into deep space, while still in hyperspace. The second the cages were out of eyesight, Bando turned on the shields to prevent him and the other troopers from getting sucked out.
"That was a bit less harsh than the first, and honestly more random." Bando mumbled. "Considered surrendering? Don't keep your precious innocents waiting, Phoenix Squadron. Oh, and I hope you enjoy my 'gift'." Bando said, then the recording stopped.
"It won't be long before they break." Bando said.
"Are we going to go after them, sir? They have the crystal." A stormtrooper asked.
"No," Bando turned to face the trooper before continuing, "They don't have the crystals. I sent the small fleet that was supposed to have the crystals. But thinking of the possibility that they could fall into wrong hands made me do otherwise. That's why I'm bringing in the crystals myself." Bando started walking away, but stopped to clarify. "Instead of the crystals, the rebels have received something better, and I know they'll have a blast with it." Then Bando walked away, quietly but maniacally laughing.