Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas, and I do not own Star Wars or any of the other authors characters etc mentioned in this story. I am making no money off this, so please do not sue me.
20. The Last Royal Guardsman
On the planet Potrass deep within the Outer Rim Territories, Kir Kanos has established his current base of operations, under his bounty hunting ails of Kenix Kil. In the years, since the Emperors final death Kir Kanos, under his bounty hunting ails of Kenix Kil has been able to build up a formidable reputation as a bounty hunter. His small compound is maintained entirely by droids, with his own small intelligence gathering unit (controlled via covert communications from "Kenix Kil" to his people) to monitor his fellow Imperials, Kir Kanos also uses this intelligence gathering unit to find the location of whomever he is hunting at the time.
Kir Kanos fortified compound is contained surrounded by a high and heavily reinforced wall, with only one visible entrance in and out. Within the compound, are Kir Kanos living areas and a landing pad and hanger for his modified X-wing fighter. Kir Kanos fortified compound is operated entirely by droids, with a modified protocol droid overseeing the other droids operations and maintenance/security of his compound.
The irony is not lost on Kir Kanos that his skills as a guardsman has made "Kenix Kil" bounty hunting services popular throughout the known galaxy, his abilities have allowed him to gain a considerable fortune in a very small amount of time. The vast amount of credits (numbering in the millions of credits) Kir Kanos has only spent a small fraction of his wealth, the rest he has invested via a shadow company in the Corporate Sector Authority. These investments have been paying Kir Kanos a considerable return on his investments as they have grown.
The only people to visit Kir Kanos compound are those that are seeking "Kenix Kil" bounty hunting services, the population of Potrass have learned to keep clear of this bounty hunters compound.
Contact
Kir Kanos was having a meal when the comm went off, with his protocol droid saying, "Master an Imperial warship has entered orbit over the main colony."
Kir Kanos asks, "Do you have an identification yet?"
His protocol droid replies, "Yes master, it is a Tagge Industries Modular Taskforce Combat Cruiser, its Identification Friend of Foe (IFF), identifies it as the Phoenix."
Kir Kanos thinks for a few moments, then says, "Put the compound on silent alert"
His protocol droid replies, "Yes master" and signs of, silent alert put the compounds defences on standby without revealing that they are active, this also triggers his X-wing fighter to be prepared for launch.
Kir Kanos thinks to himself, the Phoenix was not supposed to come here, though if the Empire was out to kill me they would have sent a much bigger force, anyway the bounties from the Empire against me have been cancelled nearly a year ago, so why is the Phoenix here?
A few moments later the comm goes off again, with his protocol droid saying, "Master the Imperial warship, has launch a shuttle with four fighters escorting it, from current indications it is headed in the direction."
Kir Kanos asks, "What are the types of shuttle and fighters?"
His protocol droid replies, "Master, the shuttle is a standard Lambda class the four fighters and listed as TIE Defenders."
Kir Kanos replies, "I am on my way to the control room now" and heads towards his small control room. On his way to the control room Kanos thinks to himself that this is strange, no one in to Empire knows that Kenix Kil is really Kir Kanos. Just before entering the control room Kanos shakes his head at the thought that the Empire would know his true identity.
Once in his control room Kir Kanos can see on the display that the shuttle along with its four escort fighters are approaching his compound, he says, "Send a warning, that if they attempt to land in the compound they will be fired upon"
His protocol droid replies, "Yes master" a few moments later the droid says, "Warning sent, however I do not believe that they will land in the compound master."
Kir Kanos asks, "Why?"
His protocol droid replies, "Master, the shuttles flight path indicates that the shuttle will land just outside the compound." Kanos thinks, after all if they want to hire the bounty hunting services of Kenix Kil that would not be a bad opportunity, to make some Imperial links.
Kir Kanos looking at the readout, his droid is right, he says, "Allow the shuttle to land outside of the compound, let's see what they want."
His protocol droid replies, "Yes master" and goes about instructing the other droids in the control room.
Kanos compounds defences are quite formidable, these include a shield that can protect the compound from orbital bombardment, along with a small set of concealed automated anti starfighter laser cannons and a single battery of missiles that can either engage in surface to air or surface to surface to modes.
Several minutes later, the Lambda shuttle lands a few hundred meters from the entrance to the compound, with the four TIE Defenders climbing back into orbit.
Kir Kanos watches the display as the dust clears, the ramp of the shuttle lowers and an Imperial officer walks down the ramp with two stormtroopers flanking him, at the bottom of ramp he indicates for the two stormtroopers to wait at the bottom of the ramp while he heads towards the entrance of Kir Kanos compound.
As the Imperial officer approaches Kir Kanos focuses on the officer's face, Kir Kanos jaw drops slightly as he recognises as one of his fellow guardsmen. His face then changes to suspicion that this maybe an impostor posing as one of his fellow guardsmen.
At the entrance of Kir Kanos compound the Imperial officer stopped, pressed the buzzer, the droid asked what he wanted, the Imperial officer replied that he wished to see Kir Kanos and said that his name is Grodin Tierce. Kir Kanos who was listening to this, then heard Grodin Tierce says something in the secret code only known to those of the Royal Guard.
His protocol droid then asks, "Master shall I admit this guest or have him killed?"
Kir Kanos replies, "Have this guest admitted and show him to the visitors room."
His protocol droid replies, "Yes master"
A short while later, as Kir Kanos enters the visitors room, he sees Grodin Tierce waiting for him, Tierce is the first to speak, "Greetings brother, I see you have been doing very well as a bounty hunter" waving his hand casually around to indicate not only the room but also the compound as well.
Kir Kanos replies, "How do I know that you really are Grodin Tierce?"
For the next few minutes, Grodin Tierce tells Kir Kanos things that only a fellow guardsman would know, especially those things that went on during there time guarding the Emperor.
Kir Kanos removes his bounty hunter helmet and says, "Very well I believe that you are Grodin Tierce, you are welcome brother. What brings you here?"
Grodin Tierce says, "I would like you to join with an Imperial commander that I have aligned with."
Kir Kanos shakes his head replies, "Why should I, I have no allegiance to neither Admiral Pellaeon nor Admiral Daala."
Grodin Tierce responds, "Neither do I"
A slightly puzzled Kir Kanos asks, "Then who are you talking about?"
Grodin Tierce in an amused tone says, "Grand Admiral Thrawn"
Kir Kanos replies, "Thrawn is dead"
Grodin Tierce responds, "No Thrawn lives, I have proof that he lives" slowly removing a cloth covered box from inside his jacket and hands it to Kir Kanos, indicating for Kir Kanos to remove the cloth and open the box.
Taking the box Kir Kanos removes the cloth covering to reveal an unbroken Imperial seal that he recognises that dates before Endor, this seal is unusual as it the Emperors private seal.
Looking at Grodin Tierce, Grodin Tierce says, "Break the seal and open the box"
Kir Kanos breaks the seal and opens the box to reveal a Grand Admirals baton, specifically Grand Admiral Thrawn's, as each Grand Admiral had there own customized baton given to them by the Emperor himself. After looking over the baton for several minutes Kir Kanos says, "This is not a fake, it is real"
Grodin Tierce says, "Yes it is, Thrawn is waiting to meet you at this moment. Thrawn thought that this would be the best way to introduce himself to you," pointing at Thrawn's Grand Admirals baton.
Kir Kanos snaps up from looking at the baton to Grodin Tierce and realises what Grodin Tierce had just said, Kir Kanos says, "He is onboard the Phoenix?"
Grodin Tierce says, "Yes he is, Thrawn wants to put his proposal to you in person"
Kir Kanos looks back at the baton and the again to Grodin Tierce, then says, "Very well, but I will travel in my ship."
Grodin Tierce says, "That is fine, Thrawn already anticipated that request and your reply, your ship has been cleared to land onboard the Phoenix."
For the first time in a long while Kir Kanos smiles at what Tierce had just said, he shakes his head in amusement, as Thrawn as usual had predicted what he would do before even he knew what he was going to do.
Kir Kanos says, "I will follow you up shortly brother."
Grodin Tierce shakes his bother guardsman's hand and says, "I will see you in the Phoenix's main hanger bay shortly."
With that, Grodin Tierce leaves Kir Kanos for his shuttle and then back to the Phoenix to await Kir Kanos arrival and to report the success of his mission to Thrawn.
Shortly afterwards Kir Kanos X-wing fighter lifts off from his compound and heads towards the Phoenix, the one thing that Kir Kanos and that only Grand Admiral Thrawn would know is that they have met before, Kir Kanos also knows that Grodin Tierce is not aware of how he and Thrawn first met. If this is Thrawn, then he should be able to tell Kir Kanos how they first met, along with what happened during that time.
If not, then Kir Kanos will not join with Thrawn.
One Hour Later, Phoenix's Main Hanger Bay
As Kir Kanos climes out of his X-wing fighter in his bounty hunter armour were he is met by Colonel Tierce who welcomes him onboard the Phoenix. Once Kir Kanos has made his X-wing fighter secure, he follows Colonel Tierce to Thrawn's quarters, to meet Thrawn and to see if he will join with Thrawn or not.
A short trip later, Kir Kanos and Colonel Tierce area entering Thrawn's quarters.
Once in Thrawn's quarters, Thrawn says, "Greetings Kir Kanos it is good to see you again after all these years. I see that my calling card was sufficient motivation for you to come and see if I am who I claim to be?"
Kir Kanos replies, "Yes, the Grand Admirals baton, with the seal to the box unbroken is sufficient to get me up here and see for myself, also your anticipation of my reactions is something only a few could know about including Grand Admiral Thrawn."
This last comment from Kir Kanos surprises Grodin Tierce who looks at his fellow guardsman and asks, "You have worked with Thrawn before?"
Kir Kanos replies, "Yes along time ago, when was that Grand Admiral?" still testing Thrawn to satisfy himself that this is really Thrawn, as in the past several individuals have tried to convince him that they are someone else, like Admiral Pellaeon he is suspicious of those kinds of people.
A thin smile appears on Thrawn's lips and Thrawn says, "It was six months into my mission into the unknown regions, yourself and seven other of you fellow guardsmen had been assigned to act as both my bodyguards and watchers, just in case I decided to go rouge, though the Emperor was wrong about the second part."
Kir Kanos nods and replies, "Indeed" he thinks to himself so far so good.
Thrawn continues, "It was eighteen months prior to the Battle of Yavin IV, we where about to encounter a very deadly alien race that had come from another galaxy."
Grodin Tierce, is surprised at this information, as he had be serving the Emperor during many briefings and he had not overheard any of this, Tierce listens to Thrawn's recollection of the events of there first contact with the deadly alien race.
Over the next few hours Thrawn will not only tell the story of how he met Kir Kanos, but also of the alien race that they encounter in the unknown regions, this will come as a surprise to Grodin Tierce, Thrawn would later learn the race name of this alien race, the Yuuzhan Vong.
To be continued.