Entry 47

I should have realized earlier that the attack in the ballroom was a diversion. The assailants could have lobbed thermal detonators into the room and killed everybody, but they instead crashed through the glass roof, shooting erratically and causing as much commotion possible. During the melee the princess was snatched.

"Who has Leia, Solo?" I asked as I scanned the streets for the missing princess.

The smuggler didn't immediately answer, but started limping toward a landing field used by the various summit dignitaries. "Two Ithorians and a Dug snatched her while a very pissed off Fosh and an ugly looking Harch decided to pound me with their many fists." Solo activated his comlink and yelled into it. "Chewie, be ready to go when I get there."

"Go where, Han?" Luke asked.

Solo wiped blood out of his eyes from a nasty cut above his brow. "I saw the ship she was dragged aboard. It was a blue and white T-6 shuttle. Maybe we can intercept it before it gets to a hyperspace lane."

When we arrived to Solo's ship I stopped. Luke turned and looked at me expectantly. "Are you coming?"

I shook my head. "I can't abandon my General."

"Call him and get permission to come with us." Skywalker insisted.

When I pulled out my comlink to do so, Solo yelled at me, "Get aboard and call him from orbit."

"That sort of defeats the purpose of asking for permission," I pointed out.

"Haven't you ever heard of the saying, 'It easier to get forgiven than get permission," Solo yelled heatedly. "Come on, we're wasting time."

I was ready to turn around and return to the scene of the attack, but Skywalker grabbed my hand and began pulling me up the freighter's ramp. I gave a halfhearted protest before accompanying the Jedi. If my superiors gave me any grief over this decision, I would remind them I was ordered to keep Skywalker under surveillance.

Once on the ship I was greeted by a large and very agitated Wookiee who made a series of animated grunts and growls before grabbing Solo around the waist and practically dragging the man to the cockpit.

"Get us in the air, Chewie!" I heard Solo order the hairy creature as Skywalker and I followed them down the corridor.

Before we reached the ship's flight deck, Skywalker pulled me aside and pointed to transceiver in the crew section of the ship. "You can call your general from there. I'm going to make sure Han's alright." I gave a curt nod before settling down in the seat in front of the communication center.

It took a few minutes, but eventually General Iwanuk answered my comm and I explained the situation. I was surprised when the General Iwanuk ordered me to, 'Get those bastards. I don't need the New Republic thinking the Empire is in anyway responsible for this attack.'

"Can the Naboo Planetary Defense Force put up a blockade to stop ships from leaving the planet?"

"No need, Moff Nagen's fleet was a short jump away. During the attack he ordered them to cordon off the planet. Nobody will get through."

That comment made me cringe. First there is an attack on the trade summit and then suddenly there is an Imperial fleet blockading the planet. Hopefully General Iwanuk and Moff Nagen can calm everybody's nerves and reassure all involved that the Empire was not involved in this crisis.

"Can you talk to Moff Nagen and ask him not to fire on any outgoing ships. I know that at least one dignitary, Princess Leia Organa Solo, was abducted by the assailants. There could be more. The terrorists escaped with the princess aboard a blue and white T-6 shuttle."

"Affirmative," the general responded. "I'll disseminate that information to all involved. We'll find them."

I cut communications and wandered up to the flight deck where Solo and the Wookiee were finishing up their pre-flight checks. The smuggler turned to me and threw a thumb in the direction of Skywalker who was sitting an uncomfortable looking navigation seat behind the copilot. "Take a seat next to Luke and hold on."

I was barely seated before Solo's ship jerked upwards and then shot off in what I thought would be an impossible amount of acceleration for a beat up old freighter. As I tightened down my crash webbing I heard a buzzing of my comlink in my side pocket. I pulled it out and answered. "Coley, here."

"Lieutenant," I heard my general's voice. "A blue and white T-6 shuttle was spotted by Nagen's fleet. It is about thirty-five kilometers west of the attack site. It looked like it is headed to the town of Wesnorli."

"Thank you, sir." I repeated the information to Solo who immediately put us into a stomach turning barrel roll followed by two totally unnecessary aileron rolls before we even out and headed west.

"The New Republic captured a couple of the terrorists and they are attempting to interrogate them for information," the general continued. "I'm going to give them a few more minutes before I request to take over. I don't think the New Republic has the intestinal fortitude to do what needs to be done."

"Torture," I heard Skywalker whisper under his breath. I gave him a sidelong glance and witnessed his look of disapproval.

He may not like the idea of torturing prisoners, but I am positive he dislikes the idea of his sister getting slaughtered by some lunatics even more. "Sir, would you like me to return and assist you?"

I heard the general chuckle. "That's right, you're too young to know my reputation. The Mandalorians had a nickname for me, Kyramud. I liked it so much that I kept it as my official code name."

My grasp of the Mandalorian language was tentative, but I understood that word. "Assassin." I swallowed a lump in my throat when I realized whom I was dealing with. The agent known by the code name Kyramud was Palpatine's leading interrogator. He worked in the Imperial Security Bureau's Interrogations Branch. "Your reputation is legendary, sir, and crosses all generational boundaries. I just didn't know Kyramud and General Iwanuk were one-and-the-same."

"Well, now you know. Don't worry. I'll get the terrorists talking…when the New Republic gives up interviewing the perpetrators, that is."

"Yes, sir."

The general signed off leaving me shaken. Agent Kyramud worked closely with Imperial Internal Affairs. If anybody knew about the existence of the Emperor's Hand it would be that organization. I can only hope that the Emperor kept my true vocation a secret. Most people within the Imperial court thought I was one of the palace dancers. The Inquisitors sensed my power in the Force and assumed I was the Emperor's personal Inquisitor and spy. Nobody truly knew the close association I had with Palpatine—that I was an extension of his will. Of course, if General Iwanuk did know, he's known for at least a year. If he planned on doing something he would have done so already.

"Is something wrong?" Skywalker asked.

I turned to him and shook my head. "No, we'll find your sister." I looked down as my stained and bloodied formal uniform and frowned. "Do you have something for me to change into? An ankle length dress and shoes with three centimeter heels isn't the best fighting outfit."

The Jedi unbuckled his crash webbing and stood. "Sure, you look about my sister's height and weight." He turned to his brother-in-law. "Han, can I go into your cabin and grab one of Leia's outfits for Litassa to wear?"

The smuggler didn't look away from the viewport but simply nodded.

"Come on," Skywalker muttered as I stood. "I'll show you to their cabin."