A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
Star Wars
Episode VII: The Bloodline Heir
A new Republic has risen following the defeat of the Empire and the death of Emperor Palpatine. Systems are once again represented in democracy, with liberty promised to all.
But not everybody is in support of the New Republic. The criminal underworld in the Outer Rim refuses to cooperate with the galactic ruling body. Some crime syndicates have gone so far as to threaten warfare.
The Republic sends a team of delegates, inclduing Senator Leia Organa Solo, to help negotiate peace with the angry Hutts. But a hidden danger is waiting until the right time to strike...
TARISThe polluted metropolis on the planet of Taris was silent in the night. Air traffic was minimal and mostof the city lights were shut off.
The city was distant as a lone, cloaked figure rode a long, thin speeder bike alongside the swamp into the jungle neighboring urban Taris. The man was slim, but muscular, wearing a concealing visor mask under his hood.
As he sped deeper into the swampy jungle, the man put a hand to the pair of curved lightsaber hilts clipped to his belt and caressed them, while gripping the controls of the speeder bike with his other hand.
Deep in the jungle, the man came across a series of many small huts, forming a tiny village. Several masked guards carrying rifles stood patrolling the camp. These guards were a mix of species, ranging from Niktos to Rodians to humans.
The masked man did not acknowledge the camp guards as he brought his speeder to a halt, climbing off and striding past the armed guards into the camp.
The camp was arranged in two rows of tents that formed a pathway to a large canopy tent.
The hooded, masked man walked past the two large Whiphid guards in front of the tent and ducked through.
Inside the tent, a middle-aged, bearded human male sat behind a desk with a small holoprojector on it.
"Ah, the Jedi Hunter," the man named Snoke said, "You're just in time. My spies have located the Republic delegation party bound for the Hutt planet."
"And the Jedi?" the Hunter asked.
"With them as expected," Snoke replied, activating the holoprojector to show a Republic diplomatic cruiser bound through hyperspace towards the Nal Hutta system.
"Time for me to make my attack," the Hunter said, watching the hologram with a smile behind his mask.
"I already have a crew of guerrilla fighters waiting," Snoke said, pointing with his thumb to the tent's back entrance, "As well as your ship."
"I will make quick work of them," the Hunter promised, moving towards the small flap.
"The Republic will know the name of the Freedom Coalition," Snoke said quietly, a small smile appearing on his gruff features.
A team of armed soldiers of mixed species was at the ready, stationed by a VCX-100 light freighter.
"Let's go," the Hunter said to the guerrilla fighters, stepping onto the open ramp and climbing in.
Soon, the modest-looking freighter lifted off over the jungle treetops and blasted into the night over the cities of Taris into space.
NAL HUTTA SYSTEM
"We've entered the Nal Hutta system," the pilot of the GX1 Short Hauler reported.
The captain stepped forward, gazing out the viewscreen at the crime-ridden planet, filled with marshy bogs suited for a Hutt.
"Time to inform the Senator and the delegation party," the captain replied as the GX1 Short Hauler approached the swampy surface of Nal Hutta.
"Over there!" the copilot exclaimed as two Dor'bulla class warships appeared, looping around the moons of the system and swarming in front of the Shourt Hauler.
"Prepare to engage fire, but send a communication first," the captain ordered.
Before the copilot could do so, a small hologram appeared on the control panel's built-in projector, revealing the blue, transparent image of Gorga the Hutt. Gorga was large and slimy, characteristic of his species, and wore a monocle.
"You dare enter Hutt space uninvited?" Gorga demanded, "We are not friendly to the Republic systems."
"The Chief of State made an agreement to meet with your leaders," the captain reminded him, "I'm here with Senator Organa and her diplomats."
Inside the Hutt Cartel's main headquarters, the Jedi Hunter stood surrounded by the entire Hutt Council, flanked by his army of guerrilla fighters. In his hand, the Hunter held a small holoprojector of the Freedom Coalition leader, Snoke.
"Ah, the Senator, of course," Gorga replied, "You may proceed with your landing.
Once the termination ended, Gorga spoke to his fellow members of the Hutt Council.
"Soon enough, Leia Solo will die, and Jabba will be avenged."
"I assure you, this arrangement will be mutually beneficial," the hologram of Snoke said to the Hutts, "The Republic and the Jedi have tried to interfere with our way of life for far too long. The Empire was no different."
To the Hunter, Gorga said, "See to it that the Princess is properly disposed of."
The Hunter again touched the curved lightsabers with his belt.
The Short Hauler sped past the Hutt-owned battleships into the foggy, polluted atmosphere of Nal Hutta.
Soon enough, the ship was sailing over the factories, spaceports and fortresses of the Hutt Cartel homeworld.
The Jedi Hunter and his army prowled outside of the headquarters, waiting in the shadows as the Republic vessel touched down on the swampy ground of Nal Hutta.
The Hunter made a gesture with his hand as the hatch to the Short Hauler slid open.
As the diplomats exited the ship, the Freedom Coalition fighters opened fire, immediately cutting them down.
One man tried to rush back into the ship, but he was caught by a stray jet of laserfire.
A large Whiphid turned his automatic rifle towards the cockpit and fired, drilling a smouldering hole in the ship.
The masked Jedi Hunter withdrew both his curved lightsabers from his belt and braced himself.
"Finally," he whispered, sensing what was to come.
The sound of three lightsabers igniting sounded inside the Republic craft. Through the smoke, the Hunter could see three distinct Jedi lightsaber blades. He listened to the hums of their blades as they exited.
The Hunter ignited his own twin lightsabers, each emitting a scarlet glow.
Two humans emerged from the damaged ship, a man and a woman, as well as a female Mon Calamari. The Hunter recognized his primary target, Senator Leia Solo of Corellia, as well as Corran Horn and Mon Calamari Jedi Cilghal.
"Stand down," Leia Organa Solo said in a firm, authoritative tone. She and her fellow warriors faced the Coalition army with their lightsabers in a defensive position.
Standing tall and regal, Leia was a figure of legend, remaining beautiful despite the years that had passed.
She had been a leader of the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War.
She was the sister of Master Luke Skywalker and a politican as well as a Jedi.
The Hutts had vowed to kill her after she had killed Jabba, Gorga's uncle and a powerful boss in the Hutt family.
Snoke and the Coalition likewise viewed Leia Solo as a primary target, standing for two of the worst enemies of the underworld, the Jedi Order and the New Republic.
"The Hutts are expecting you, Princess Leia," the Jedi Hunter said, approaching the three Jedi, "And so am I."
"I should have realized you of all people were behind this," Leia replied, addressing the Hunter with disgust.
"We're giving you and your men a chance to surrender," Corran Horn said, "Take it or leave it."
"I've been waiting a long time for a Jedi kill," the Hunter said.
He advanced rapidly on the three Jedi as his guerrilla army opened fire. The Jedi easily redirected the laserfire with their lightsabers, but were caught off guard as the Hunter attacked them all at once.
He struck at them with both blades, using one to strike against Leia Solo's lightsaber and the other to fend off Corran Horn and Cilghal.
Master Horn was unprepared for the Hunter's attack, crying out in pain as the red blade struck him across the chest. Horn dropped his lightsaber as he fell to his knees, gasping.
"No!" Cilghal cried out, striking back harder against the Hunter. She lunged at him as she and Leia both assumed the offensive.
"That's three of our own that you've killed," Leia Organa said, "Be grateful that we're not like you."
Her brash assertiveness had certainly not given way, the Hunter noted.
The Hunter now backed away as both Leia and Cilghal battled against him. Looking between his two opponents, the Hunter dodged to the right before swinging forward with his left blade, slashing hard against Cilghal's arm.
The Mon Calamari Jedi cried out in pain as the Hunter wounded her. Before Leia could cover the ground to aid her comrade, the Hunter plunged his other saber into Cilghal's chest, killing her instantly.
Recognizing how much of a threat the Jedi Hunter was, Leia pressed her attack, backing the Hunter towards a corner. He looked backwards briefly, finding a space and Force-leaping away from his opponent.
Leia raised her blue blade as she faced down her foe.
"You were foolish to think you could make peace here," the Hunter taunted, gesturing with his lightsaber at the two Jedi corpses.
Leia glared at him, responding coldly. "Maybe, but you were even more foolish to think you would get away with it."
The Hunter moved in for the kill, raising both his twin blades.
Leia removed one hand from her lightsaber and used the Force to catch the Hunter in his tracks.
She sent him flailing backwards until he was pinned against the wall opposite her.
"The Republic will not go down so easy," she told him, "I'm going to take you back and the Senate will make you answer for this."
The Hunter struggled as Leia held him in place. Then, he extended a hand and made a fist.
Leia gasped as she felt her throat closing. She moved a hand to her neck as she struggled for breath, forced to relinquish her hold on the Hunter.
The dark warrior raced towards Leia, who, still gasping for air, raised a hand to push him back once again.
While the Hunter was temporarily neutralized, Leia dashed back into the damaged Short Hauler, racing to its comm radio.
Patching a signal, Leia spoke quickly.
"I'm in trouble," she panted, "everyone else was killed, Jedi Hunter..."
The Jedi Hunter appeared at the entrance to the ship, both lightsabers raised in a dueling position.
Leia ran into the cockpit where the captain and copilot had been killed and dove out of the hole that had been blasted into it.
The Hunter pursued her as she ran into the swampy fog of Nal Hutta, determined not to let his quarry escape.
CORELLIA
A team of New Republic Interceptors was assembled in orbit of the planet Corellia, Senator Organa Solo's home planet.
"Yes, this is Rogue Leader," a young pilot named Sam* Fel said into his A9 Vigilance Interceptor.
Sam Fel was only nineteen, but he was among the best pilots the New Republic military had seen. He had been quickly promoted to leader of Rogue Squadron, serving directly under the main general himself.
"Rogue Leader, what's the status?" Rogue Three asked.
"The General wants us to follow him to Hutt space," Sam replied, "Senator Organa Solo's in trouble."
"Copy that, Captain," Rogue Three replied.
"I've got the General's coordinates," Sam said to Rogue Squadron, "I'm transmitting them to you. Proceed into lightspeed on my mark."
Sam punched in the coordinates that he had received into his fighter's computer, transmitting it to his fellow New Republic pilots. Then, he led the Interceptors into hyperspace, following the general on their rescue mission.
NAL HUTTA
Leia dashed between buildings, through the barren streets and foggy alleyways. She hated to leave her dead comrades, but it was not tactically wise to remain in one place.
If she couldn't capture the Jedi Hunter alone, then the next best strategy was to stay alive until help arrived.
Leia looked up as the Jedi Hunter leapt over her and landed at the end of the alleyway in front of her.
"Why are you running?" he snarled from behind his mask, "A powerful Jedi like you should be more than a match for someone like me."
Leia pointed her lightsaber blade at the masked man, warding him off.
The masked Hunter spoke again. "You know where Luke Skywalker is keeping the rest of the Jedi. If you tell me where their new fortress is, I'll make your death quicker."
"He moved them because of you," Leia replied fiercely, "Because you murdered your fellow Jedi."
"The first of many," the Hunter replied.
He charged at Leia with both blades positioned for attack.
Leia tilted her blue lightsaber horizontally so that it protected her from both of the Hunter's sabers.
Up in orbit of the Nal Hutta system, the Interceptors appeared out of hyperspace, surrounding the planet.
"Time to begin the operation," Captain Fel said to his Rogue squadmates.
The Cartel Dor'bulla warships appeared alongside the planet, cannons aimed.
"Prepare for heavy firepower," Fel shouted as he opened fire with his Vigilance Interceptor on the Dor'bulla closest to him.
"Copy, Rogue Leader."
As the cannonfire persisted, Fel swerved around the streaks of ammuntion and aimed at the short, stocky fin-shaped wing.
"I'm going down!" a pilot yelled as the engine of his Interceptor was blasted open.
"We need the general!"
"There he is now!" Sam exclaimed, noticing a round, medium sized Corellian freighter manuevering around the Dor'bulla.
"We're coming in on them, Chewie!" General Han Solo shouted from the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, "You ready?"
From the gunner's station, Chewbacca gave a roar of affirmation, firing the Falcon's side and back guns at the Dor'bulla while Han shot at the other one from the front.
Both ships concentrated fire on General Solo's vessel, but his ace piloting was too fast for them to keep up.
"Just in time, General Solo!" Sam shouted with delight as he continued to fire at the Cartel warship's cannons.
"Wasn't going to let you claim the glory, was I, Captain?" Han replied with his trademark humor.
"Let's finish these slime vessels get moving," Sam said as he helped General Solo finish off the Dor'bullas, which erupted in fiery balls of debris.
As the Interceptors followed the Millennium Falcon towards Nal Hutta's surface, Han said to his Wookiee copilot, "We've gotten a lot better at flying casual, Chewie."
Chewbacca grunted a reply.
"No, that was the easy part," Han disagreed, "The hard part's going to be navigating through this foggy slughole."
*Name comes from George Lucas's sequel trilogy outline