Home One-General Cracken's office
Cracken led General Solo, General Syndulla and the slicer Maleen Cripps into the office then shut the door.
"Solo, you are part of this organization now, and it's important that we know where to find you when you are with the fleet. It took you fifteen minutes to answer your comm!" General Cracken shouted angrily.
"Look, I was asleep. I'm sorry. I'm here now. So, what's this about," Han answered sitting down next to Hera Syndulla and rubbing his head.
"And not sleeping in your ship! Never mind that. We'll discuss this further. This is important. General Madine has sent a group of his pathfinders to Rattatak. While Madine is in a safe location, the team is trapped and they need an extraction. They have obtained an important chip that we have been able to retrieve from spies who placed the information in a transmission we desperately need in order to go forward with our plans. The spies, though successful in the transmission of these files, themselves did not survive. I will need a slicer and two good pilots, and with both of you having other needed skills as well, I thought it best that you two join me in extracting our trapped men. Cripps, you will stay with General Madine and analyze the information so that we may be able to send it off to headquarters." General Cracken explained showing a holo of the planet and the area where the pathfinders were trapped,
"It is in ancient enclosed facility inside a large rock formation. General Madine and his team have been unable to open it since it sealed itself shut, probably some kind of old security mechanism. There has been a light amount of Imperial activity on the planet in that region, but Madine has not seen very much since we made the drop off there some time ago. We will be using the Imperial shuttle and I'm sure that one of you will be able to obtain transmission codes if they are needed to get that shuttle on the planet. The plan is to get in, break into the bunker, then release them."
"When do we leave, sir?" Hera asked elbowing Han who was starting to fall asleep.
"In four hours, meet me in the hanger and get some rest. Syndulla, bring your droid. Solo, follow me." Cracken ordered.
He led him down the corridor to a small room and they went inside. There was a cot and a chair and little else. Cracken got up into Han's face and said, "Look, I don't like it when I can't find one of my people, but I need to be able to find you when you are on call. Your behavior has been unseemly, because I have a very good idea of where you were." General Cracken said in an angry tone. "And I imagine you've been drinking. I can smell it on you. I expect my officers to be leaders and a glowing example to the rest of our forces."
"I just had some wine with dinner," Han said quietly. "And I don't have to take this! It's none of your business where I was. I had my comm and you were able to get in touch with me. Chewie knew where I was."
"Wine with dinner?" Cracken shook his head. "How much sleep do you need?"
"Couple of hours at least," Han said. "I really don't need much."
"Well, there's a cot, get to it. You don't even wear a uniform. I can let that go, but I need to be able to find you, understand?" Cracken said a bit quieter.
Han shook his head.
"Yes, sir." Cracken ordered.
"Yeah," Han said laying down on the cot.
"Just stay on this ship. Get some sleep and get your Wookiee or whoever to bring what you need and be in that hanger, understood?" Cracken ordered.
Han waved his hand in the air, then turned his back to him. Cracken shook his head and slammed the door.
Back in Luke's room, in the early morning hours, cramped from sleeping in such a tight space, Luke woke in a sitting position with Wes sleeping in his lap. He checked the chrono, then nudged his friend awake knowing that the first shuttles would depart shortly.
"Oh hey, Luke, didn't mean to fall asleep here. What time is it?" Wes said taking a deep breath and yawning.
"It's almost time for the first shuttle out for the Liberty if you want to catch it. Fresher's down the hall." Luke said standing up to stretch. "Come back and I'll have some caf for you."
Luke walked down to the fresher with him. When he was finished, there was an area down the hall where caf was dispensed so he got two cups and brought it back to the room where Wes had already returned.
"Thanks, Luke," Wes smiled. "It was great to talk to you last night."
"You too," Luke said as Wes left the room.
Luke stretched out on his cot to work out the kinks from sleeping in an odd position and then relaxed and began to meditate. He tried to reach Ben and Yoda again, but he had yet to see them again since leaving Dagobah. He knew they were in the Force and they were with him spiritually as they said, but he didn't understand how he could just not call them and have them come and speak with him anytime he wished it to happen. He then just started simply with sensing the beings on the ship, feeling the life Force in them and then out into the galaxy. Until something had reached him. "Father?" He called.
"Son..." he heard back in that raspy respirator voice.
Luke started to ask a question, but he fell away from him. He couldn't keep the connection. Why was it so hard. He had made contact on his own, and he wasn't asleep. He imagined it surprised Darth Vader as much as it did him, but he really didn't know. He remained calm, breathed in and felt everything around him again. And then another voice came to him. He didn't recognize this voice at all.
"Always keep an open mind, Luke. Always use your instincts. Live in the here and now," he said in a very calm voice.
"Who...who are you?" Luke asked wondering if this was someone who he should pay attention to, or dismiss. Was he sending him in the wrong direction?
"You seem to fear what I say. Use your instincts, Luke. What do they say?" the voice answered.
"They say I should listen. How did you find me?" Luke asked not seeing a person but hearing only a voice.
"Through your father. When you contacted him, I connected to you," the voice answered softly.
"Are you a Sith? Were you a Sith? Where are you?" Luke asked almost afraid. His feelings though were to trust it as the Force was guiding him through this person.
The voice laughed, "No, I am not Sith. I am part of the living and celestial Force now, but once I lived. Though never truly gone."
"Are you with Yoda and Ben, um, Obi-Wan?" Luke asked he was sitting up but he still tried to maintain his focus, it was becoming hard.
"In a way yes, think of the right now though, Luke, right now I am with you, stay focused," the voice said. "You are heading in the right direction. You may feel lost sometimes, but your instincts will serve you well. Let everything else go, there is only the Force. Then you will know the truth and what it is you should do." the voice told him.
"Who are you?" Luke asked as he was drifting and couldn't hold on.
"Luke, stay focused..." the voice faded away.
Luke was very frustrated and tried yet again to reach the strange individual, but he couldn't get him back. He needed to stay focused, he said. Something Yoda told him often. Yoda often chastised him for not being in the here and now, and this person was guiding him to do the same. Trust your instincts. He remembered a bit about a Jedi Code, but this didn't seem to necessarily go along with that, as wouldn't it feel selfish to do that. Yoda had used that same phrase once, however. Yoda and Obi-Wan seemed so rigid and when he felt he needed to leave that he protested what they had warned, and did what he wanted anyway. Yoda was right, but was he trusting his instincts in that instance, when he fell into a trap and was deceived? Or was it just that he was doing what he wanted. Destroying his father, Darth Vader. He knew that it was Yoda and Ben who said that he needed to destroy him. Was it his own feelings that kept him from doing that, or was it his instincts? He felt his father still had good in him. That was instinct. He was sure of it. And this strange person? Who was he? It sounded like a man. Should he trust him? Was he really talking to him or was he going mad?
Luke talked to himself loudly in frustration, "Am I thinking too much!" and he pounded his fist on his bed. Maybe he did have trouble staying focused.
/
Death Star
"His Excellency is coming here?" Sim Aloo spoke in surprise standing next to his fellow advisers as Moff Jerjerrod addressed the men upon hearing word directly from the acting Emperor himself.
"He wishes to do a full inspection of the work which has already been done. As we've diminished the staff to a bare bones maintenance crew, as per his wishes, he merely wishes to tour the facility." The Moff informed them.
The six advisers put their heads together quietly and talked among themselves. Then Greejatus nodded and addressed Jerjerrod, "I wonder if this means that the work will continue! Though of course, we shall always mourn our dear Emperor Palaptine."
"Certainly. We have more men on the ground than here on the battle station. Do you believe we should prepare anything?" Jerjerrod questioned the men.
"I'll check in with Tashu in Coruscant. I'm sure he'll send the preparations needed."
"Very well," Jerjerrod nodded then took leave.
"Why did we first hear this from the Moff and not directly from Coruscant?" they began to chat and have a discussion about the matter when they got a message from the moon of Endor. One of the advisers checked the message and spoke, "It looks like our guest has arrived."
/
Home One-Mon Mothma's private office
"General Cracken, I can not believe you would bring such a trivial matter to my attention at such a time. Fifteen minutes does not seem like an unreasonable amount of time to answer a comm, and the man did say he was sleeping. What if someone was in the shower? I don't understand why this needs my attention at all. The mission will go as planned, that is what you should be concerned with," Mon Mothma stood stoically and calmly.
General Cracken was red with anger, "With all due respect ma'am, I am aware of your own dalliance with fraternization. That is what I'm addressing here in the end. I've looked the other way, you are our leader and you outrank me. I've kept quiet and that man you keep is not under my command. He is Admiral Ackbar's problem, but this one is one of mine. I was present at one point when Princess Leia declared to everyone in the hanger that General Solo was involved in an affair with Commander Skywalker. And when I checked the security holos, it was Princess Leia's rooms that General Solo had exited after he declared that he had been sleeping after he finally answered my hail to him. Do you know who else I saw on surveillance coming out of her room? She's the symbol of our cause and a member of High Command cavorting in such a way with multiple individuals. Wes Janson, one of the pilots from the Liberty came out of her room earlier just last night. Oh, don't think I won't inform General Rieekan of this! I'm sure he will be quite interested. I know how fond he is of his princess! I looked the other way some time ago, when Commander Skywalker was recovering from his injury and she spent quite a lot of the time staying with him in his room. I know they are friends, but now with this? Not to mention the food fight I witnessed in the mess between she and Skywalker. I don't know what that was. I can only guess. What would her father think? Does the Princess have a revolving door policy? I had one of my men go through Lieutenant Janson's things and they found a datapad. There was a list of the Princess's conquests, with Lieutenant Janson adding hearts to his name among them."
Mon Mothma looks at the scan from Wes Janson's datapad. "General Cracken. I'm sure that Lieutenant Janson's visit with Princess Leia was perfectly innocent, and the information on the datapad is mere speculation. Janson tends to be a practical joker and I have been made aware of his involvement in innocent games of chance that seemed to have only improved morale among the crews. You mean to tell me though that when you signed General Solo on as an official member that you did not realize he was already involved with Princess Leia in a committed monogamous relationship? I haven't heard of her being involved with anyone else in that fashion, and Commander Skywalker is merely a friend who is family to her. Her outburst in the hanger is probably the result of the constant speculation of the Princess and her habits as entertainment. You do realize they used to refer to her as the 'Ice Princess'? I imagine that after you go on your mission and return that if you make any inquiries, you will learn the Princess will have been sleeping on the Millennium Falcon with the Wookiee on board. Surely you don't believe that she and Chewbacca are also engaged in an affair. I am absolutely positive that there is no improper conduct or favoritism involved. If anything, it has eased my mind as to her well being, as I believe many times such friendships and close relationships have saved lives in this rebellion. If you like, I may question the Princess herself about Janson's visit, but as for searching the man's bunk... Oh General Cracken." shook her head.
"Well, I just, I'm surprised to hear about that as I was not aware of that when I signed him on. I do remember how he used to insult her publicly and their constant arguing, which even made me personally find him crass, however, he had proved his worth to us as an independent contractor that I was eager by that point to sign him on." Cracken spoke in a softer tone.
"Do you not remember when children would tease each other by pulling their hair because they liked them, Cracken?" Mon Mothma asked with an exasperated face.
"I merely was concerned with the reputation of a valued member of High Command and the behavior of one of my officers, ma'am. I assumed he had been some kind of personal bodyguard after her rescue on the Death Star, or something of that nature, and I never understood why she would defend him in light of that verbal abuse. When I realized he was somewhat valuable as far as the missions and assignments he had been given, I merely assumed that it was the reason that she put up with it. And as for your relationship with General Calrissian? What of that, with all due respect, ma'am? Is that a committed relationship under your guidelines?" Cracken said bluntly to the leader of the rebellion.
"That is simply a meaningless affair if you must know. If it bothers you, I will end it. General Calrissian has proved his value to the Alliance, and I have no need to stand up for him as he does so himself. Really Cracken, your behavior surprises me. You should have said something when you were made aware of it if it bothered you so much," Mon Mothma said taking the datapad away from General Cracken.
"What are you doing?" Cracken demanded as Mon Mothma looked through the diary.
"Checking to see if Janson knew of my affair with General Calrissian. If he did not, then it wasn't a public spectacle. If Janson knew, then everyone did. You would be well advised to question him yourself in the future if you have such concerns, Cracken. Janson is someone who would know most of the publicly known secrets throughout the base, though many would just be idle rumors. I'm just surprised you didn't. Oh this is interesting," Mon's eyes grow wide. "Who is Agent Tala Surva? I don't believe I know her."
Cracken grew quiet then choked out, "She's one of Draven's agents in the field ma'am."
"That's a nice image of the two of you there, Cracken," she handed it back to him. "I was not aware that you were in such great shape, but then I've never seen you without a shirt before. You do both seem to be a bit chummy. I'm sure General Draven might be interested to see this as well? Maybe not? Go get ready for your mission, Cracken. Aren't you due to leave in a couple of hours?" Mon said smugly then sat down at her desk as she watched General Cracken quickly leave.
The door opened again, "Ma'am, it was just a celebratory party, I swear."
"I don't care, General Cracken," Mon then gritted her teeth, "You do have a mission to prepare."
/
Vetine – Imperial base
Darth Vader's shuttle landed on Vetine with his personal squad of his own 501st stormtroopers. A number of some of the others had already arrived and they were lined up as the ramp came down to greet him with a number of the officers who worked on the base. Many of those officers having lower ranks shortly before due to the elimination of some of the higher ranking officers who had not complied to the acting Emperor's orders.
With his personal splicer on board, Lord Vader made his way to the facility of suspicious droids discovered by his stormtroopers.
"You, General? You were the intelligence officer here previously? What can you tell me about these droids?" Darth Vader addressed the man standing on the end.
"Yes, Your Excellency. I was never told their importance, only that they were to be activated upon the Emperor's death...Emperor Palpatine's death, by a specific individual. I don't know who, Your Excellency, but that is the extent of my knowledge," the man gulped.
"We shall destroy them all, but hold off on this one, I would like to see what my splicer can find out about it's content," Darth Vader ordered.
They were sentinels, dressed in robes not unlike that of Emperor Palpatine's guards. Almost human save for having no face. Back ups for Palpatine's own guards perhaps? Decoys? Darth Vader looked at it curiously, then motioned his slicer to do his work on the object. He took his lightsaber and slashed it across the others, while the stormtroopers blasted the parts and carried pieces away to be incinerated. The splicer still working. There was blood and were bodies everywhere. This particular facility was loyal to death to whatever was contained here, even to the point of going against Darth Vader's own wishes. His men did well. Although it took some time, the slicer was able to get past the protection feature on the sentinel which required the blood of the targeted recipient. The slicer got the information via code through a transmitter than transferred it via a datapad and into a language he could understand. He handed the information to Darth Vader.
"This sentinel was to order the destruction of Candovant. See if you can find the targets in any of the remains of these others sentinels!" Darth Vader shouted as the slicer looked through the debris looking for memory chips or anything that may contain data.
"I found three that might be of use, give me some time, I'll see what it brings up," the slicer answered.
"You may continue incinerating the remainder," Darth Vader ordered as the stormtroopers resumed destroying the droids and cleaning up the bodies laying about the facility.
"Your Excellency, one is unclear, but Commenor and Naboo show up on the other two," the slicer said looking into the translator.
"Get what you can off of the computers in this facility!" Darth Vader ordered the splicer who went right to work.
Darth Vader ordered the squad leader to his side and then gave him instructions. "Monitor the clean up and when my splicer had finished here, you are to destroy this entire facility,"
Then Darth Vader commanded as he turned away to return to his shuttle and faced what remained of those Imperials still alive, "The rest of you will return to the garrison for a full debriefing."
/
Remembrance- Leia's suite
"Right now?" Leia answered into the comm. "It must be important if they are sending you out so soon?"
"Yeah, Sweetheart. Cracken gave me a hard time about not being able to find me or something. Anyway, Chewie's getting my stuff together. If you could meet him down there in the hanger and call a shuttle to get you over here ahead of time, that would be great." Leia heard Han call into the comm.
Leia set up the details for the shuttle in her datapad so one would be available, and then rushed to get dressed. She checked her messages and then found one from Mon Mothma to contact her as soon as she could. Her hair was down, and it would take at least fifteen minutes to get it looking half way presentable. Why hadn't she put it in braids before she went to bed? Then she remembered that it was still wet then. She quickly twisted it instead and got some pins and looked in the mirror. It wasn't great, but it would have to do for now. Leia raced down to the Falcon where Chewie was waiting. The shuttle hadn't gotten there yet, so maybe she had time get get a caf on the run?
Chewie roared.
"I know Chewie, I know. Did you get everything?" Leia asked and Chewie just looked insulted.
Chewie roared.
"I know my hair looks weird," she peered out of the Falcon, there was still no shuttle. She then went in the fresher on the Falcon and with Chewie's help, was able to get a braid and pin it properly. "We'll have to take the caf with us."
She stepped out of the Falcon and saw the shuttle, but noticed that people were staring at her as she walked towards it. "Don't you know! Chewbacca and I are having an illicit affair," she cried out laughing.
Chewie roared and laughed then gave her a big hug.
A few people laughed. Then the shuttle pilot who helped her board whispered to her. "Princess, your boots?"
Leia looked down. She was wearing two different colored boots. One of her brown military boots, and one of her dress black boots she wore when she was wearing the black outfit Darth Vader had her wear. She hated that outfit, but she did like those boots. She would never not be entertainment for the troops it seemed, and she just had to hold back a laugh to herself. There wasn't anything to do about it now, as the mate for each were all in her suite.
"I was in a rush. I'm expected on Home One. If you don't mind, Chewbacca will be joining me." She said in a dignified tone to the shuttle pilot as she heard loud laughter when she got on board. "Chewie, maybe it will be the latest fashion trend?"
Chewie roared and laughed.
When they arrived on the hanger at Home One, the Imperial shuttle was being readied and General Cracken was there briefing Cripps, Hera, and Han on some of the details with Hera's droid, Chopper, moving around inspecting the outside of the ship as if he were confused by it. Luke ran over from the other side and gave Leia a big hug and she pecked him on the cheek which caught Cracken's attention and from the corner of her eye, Leia noticed the strange look on his face. They knew to keep a distance from what looked like a briefing of sorts. After it broke up, Han made his way over to the trio then picked up the princess and kissed her while she was still holding his bag. After he put her down, Chewie picked up Han and hugged him and Luke came up and gave him a shake and a half hug all while General Cracken watched shaking his head.
Leia saw General Cracken's expression and whispered, "What crawled up Cracken's butt?"
"Dunno. Will send a comm when we get back," Han answered.
Chewie roared.
"I will," Han said as he went to board the shuttle.
Through the Force, Luke silently asked Leia, (I don't think General Syndulla likes me. She avoids me most of the time I'm around.)
(That's ridiculous,) Leia answered.
Luke called back, (I just sense her avoidance. Maybe it's nothing.)
(Why, do you like her or something? I can talk to her when she comes back? Invite her for a get together?) Leia answered back as she walked with Luke and Chewie to mess.
(No, don't do that! And no, I don't like her. I mean I do, just not that way. I mean. I just wondered if she avoided me is all,) Luke answered.
(I don't think we should talk about people through our connection like this, Luke. It just seems wrong,) Leia said then jabbed him in the arm.
"Ouch," Luke cried out.
Chewie roared a question.
"Luke is just being a brat is all, Chewie," Leia laughed.
/
Coruscant
Darth Vader was due back and Yupe Tashu was nervous. He was briefed on what happened on Vetine. Tashu was one of the few who knew all the details that Palpatine had put in place there in the event of his death. Since Darth Vader, a powerful Sith Lord, was in charge, Tashu knew all the pieces were not in place yet to continue with the Emperor's plan in the event of his death. They would need to make preparations, and one of those was planting the seeds that were to be set by the sentinels on Vetine. He only could hope that Darth Vader would not put him at the center of what he was in the process of destroying, dear Emperor Palaptine's plan. He was also made aware that Darth Vader had no prior knowledge of said plan, something which had surprised him, as the facility on Vetine was merely a small part of it. Oh there was so much more that was more important.
Darth Vader, who did not require a throne room of guards, and only a band of his personal band of stormtroopers, came into the palace with great authority and as the ultimate presence of power. Standing before him were a few of those who had been put in place during his absence, including Mas Amedda and Tashu, Tashu moving towards the front in a display of wonderment and bowing in an almost worship like manner. "Your Excellency. It's so wonderful to have you back," Tashu greeted him cheerfully.
"I merely wish to check on matters here, Tashu. You are to join me as I make a personal inspection of the battle station and it's security shields on the moon of Endor. I suggest you make your preparations immediately. Mas Amedda," Darth Vader said turning towards the large blue presence of his Grand Vizier.
"Yes, Your Excellency," he replied.
"I expect you to oversee everything in the capital during my absence and keep me informed," Darth Vader demanded his fist clenched. "Report to myself or Admiral Piett directly. That is all."
Tashu stood in the room, took a huge gulp, then went to make preparations.
/
Outside Rattatak
General Cracken had arranged for the Metacrawler, a freighter that was owned by Nien Nunb, to transport the shuttle from the fleet to local air space, as the shuttle's hyperdrive was inadequate to take it directly from the fleet to the designated point. When it came to actually flying the ship, General Han Solo and General Hera Syndulla both had a slight disagreement over who would pilot and who would co-pilot, forcing Cracken to intervene and Cracken decided that a compromise of one being pilot to the planet, and the other being pilot from the planet. However, that wasn't as bad on General Cracken's nerves as the conversation that took place on the way to Rattatak.
"Look, the Ghost is clearly the better ship, and it even has an auxiliary ship that can act as a star fighter and a shuttle if necessarily. You've got what? Escape pods?" Hera pointed out from the pilot's seat.
Han, feeling a bit put out being in the co-pilot seat argued, "Look sister, my ship is the fastest ship in the galaxy. With my modifications, I could out run your ship anyday. We should do that, race them between systems, see who arrives first. I'll just be waiting, leaning back and twiddling my thumbs, while you take your time."
"But in a battle? You'd stick out like a sore thumb. I'd be in and out of there without them even knowing what hit them!" Hera snapped back.
Han retorted with,"Oh, I've got my moves. You have to know where the blind spots are..."
General Cracken had enough of it and cut Han off shouting, "Would you two please stop this infernal game of my ship is better than your ship and focus on the matter at hand. You are giving me a headache!"
"Yes, sir," Hera answered.
Han sat there and mumbled, "It's clearly my ship."
"Had to get the last word in didn't you," Hera spoke softly.
"Does someone have the transponder codes!" General Cracken shouted.
"Taking care of that now," Hera answered.
"Now, we need to center on Madine's position and go from there," General Cracken ordered strapping himself in as they headed for the surface.
Madine and three of his crew were working out of old dilapidated building that was basically not far from just being a bunch of rocks. It was not far from what had once been part of an Old Republic base, and the computer inside the nearby bunker still had some access to the computer where their operatives had sent the sensitive information. There was a small Imperial base near the city some miles away, so that was a heavy concern. With everything in ruins, the doors became sealed, trapping the rest of the crew inside who were in charge of accessing the records. It gave them plenty of time to work without having to worry about any local garrison bothering them and they seemed to devise a method to extract the information stealthily, but it was too dangerous to transfer it outside of the network, which had some kind of access to the computer connected to the Imperial dispatcher on the planet. They were able to get what they needed onto a disk and then some, but with the men trapped inside, and Madine and his crew having no luck being able to open it, Cracken hoped that between the droid, Syndulla, and Solo that they would be able to somehow get into the door. Cripps and Cracken, who originally had planned to join them, were to stay with Madine analyzing what information they had already obtained, while two of Madine's crew joined the rescue team. They were all given ponchos which matched the rocky terrain.
"How far are we from the city?" Han asked one of the pathfinders who went by the name of Rig.
"About an hour. We had some patrols go through, but we were able to hide from them. Madine set off a heat signature shield and they went on their way. I don't know if they'll be coming back." Rig answered.
Chopper scanned for sentient life signs, didn't find any and they continued through an open area, crouching and trying not to draw any attention. When they hit another rock formation, the four of them sat a moment then passed a canteen.
The other pathfinder, who went by Cav whispered, "It's not far now, but once we get there, we might be wide open to long range scanners."
"Maybe we'll go one at a time then Chopper can take a look before we start," Hera suggested quietly and the others nodded.
They were able to duck throughout large rocks until they could see the sealed door.
"Alright, I'll go with Chopper and get a look at it. Stay here and keep watch," Hera said putting her hand down and crouching towards the door.
Chopper tried the door, but some of the wires were broken and though he could repair them, Hera couldn't figure out which ones went where. She moved back and motioned to Han to have a look. Han got up in there, and put a few wires together. Chopper sealed the connection and they tried the door. It needed a code so Chopper went to work.
Han ducked back behind the large rock with the others, "I got it together. Your droid is trying the codes. If it takes too long, we'll try something else." The rest nodded.
Chopper did a few beeps and then did an override to the system. The doors opened and the five member team came out. Rig did a call signal, and they and Chopper hurried to the rock formation where the others were hiding.
Chopper started beeping.
"We hear it. Sounds like a speeder," Han said trying to look out from behind the rock.
It was coming closer. "Small speeder, three stormtroopers inside," Cav said peering into his macrobinoculars.
"Just hold tight," Han said quietly putting his finger over his mouth.
When it was in range, he tugged Hera's arm and they got the blasters ready. Han blasted the trooper in the passenger side, and Hera got the passenger in the back, when the driver stopped the speeder and said, "What the..." as he too fell hanging partially outside the vehicle.
Han motioned for everyone to come out after not seeing any others. They heard a voice coming from the speeder. "GK-657 you alright out there?"
Han picked up the communicator and tapped it a few times creating static. "Yes, everything's alright, just a razorwolf...heading back..." He tapped it a few times more to give the illusion it was malfunctioing.
Hera motioned for everyone to keep moving as Han caught up with them. Once they got back to Madine's temporary headquarters, the crew quickly folded up all the gear and headed for the shuttle.
"Where's the chip." Cracken called out as one of the guys from the bunker pulled it out of his bag.
"Get us out of here!" Madine called out.
Hera immediately went for the pilot's seat. Han sulked, but wasn't going to argue.
"Oh, General Solo, I'm sorry I forgot," Hera smiled as they blasted off to the jump to meet the Metacrawler.
Cripps went to work on the decryption.
/
Endor
Darth Vader inspected the facilities operating the shield as well as the bases that were protecting the DS-2 project via satellite. As he walked around the base, he sensed the natives in the trees in the background.
"Have you had any trouble with any of the natives? They appear to be close, perhaps too close?" Darth Vader asked the general in charge of his tour.
"They seem harmless. Very primitive. They've actually trapped a few stormtroopers in nets if you can believe it. I doubt this is true, but one went missing and his squad mates swear that they ate him," the general laughed.
Darth Vader stood there silently with only the sound of his respirator, his mask glaring at the man.
"I'm sure it's just a story," the general said feeling a bit frightened.
"I do not find it amusing. Tashu, have you contacted the Moff on the battle station?" Darth Vader commanded.
"Yes, he's expecting us," Tashu smiled and bowed.
"Good," Darth Vader turned to an officer. "Send for my shuttle, we will be arriving there shortly."