Distress in the Dark
Hyperspace
Minister of State Lance Conn stood on the bridge watching stars and planets streak by the MC-90 as it hurtled through hyperspace. The Gotal communications officer, Yellk Blan, approached him from behind and startled the Minister when she asked, "I feel great distress in your heart."
"Captain Blan, you scared me," the Minister said. "I'm just not completely certain why the government on Woostri would respond like that. I keep going over my actions, seeing if I was the least bit hostile."
"Do not worry, Minister. Some civilizations believe they are better off if left alone and not swept up into the greater evil of the universe."
"Thank you, Yellk. By the way, do you know where we are headed?"
"No, sir. I do know it was a rushed hyperspace entry, so we will probably exit soon to replot our course."
---------------------
Admiral Sigrism's Office
Zike sat at his desk pouring over the losses at Woostri. An entire squadron of X-Wings were gone. He didn't so much miss the equipment, but the lives that were lost. The hull had also been breached, but thankfully it was at a storage location on the ship. The only things lost there was a days worth of foodstuffs.
The holoprojector on his desk beeped and the Admiral flipped it on, not realizing that he was expecting to be hailed. An Ithorian a little over six feet tall appeared on the other side of his office, and it appeared he was in much distress. "Admiral Sigrism, I am Jedi Knight Dretal Fratora of the Jedi Outpost on Iskallon. Our facility has come under attack from unknown forces and we require your immediate assistance. The Force help us if this does not reach you in time."
The projection faded and Zike jumped out from behind his desk and ran out of his office onto the bridge. "Commodore Dhray, plot a course to Iskallon immediately. The Jedi Outpost there requires our attention."
Persons on the bridge scurried to their positions as they relayed orders and the Minister approached Zike, "Something going on I should here about?"
"I just recieved a message from a Jedi Master Fratora. The outpost is being attacked, and they don't know who or what it is."
The Minister nodded and left the bridge, retreating to his quarters, realizing he had no need of being on the bridge during a battle.
---------------------
Iskallon
Fifty Jedi Knights slinked across the fields of Iskallon silently in the midsts of night. At the lead was Dretal Fratora, the most skilled Jedi on the outpost. Each Jedi cautiously advanced, keeping their senses attuned to an impending attack.
Expecting an attack from in front of them, no one expected the yell of terror as a padawan in the rear came under attack. Forty-nine lightsabers simultaneously came aglow in the dark, but remained steady. None of the Jedi could sense an intruder. Jedi Fratora doubled back to the attack site and found nothing but a trail of blood. Deep claw marks trailed from the padawan's throat to his groin. Teeth marks had dug into his chest and stomach.
Tyree Balfor, Master Fratora's padawan crouched beside him. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure, Tyree. The New Republic scientists haven't scouted the entire planet yet. But I guess they missed something local." Dretal jumped up as he heard a snickering growl and then hurried skittering among the brush to his left. "Tyree, get everyone back inside. If I'm not back by morning, send the Marines for me." Dretal used the Force to increase his speed and agility and he bolted across the plain and into the jungles of Iskallon.
---------------------
Coruscant
President Dack Johnson stood before the New Republic Senate, "Senators, I plead with you. This bill must pass for the betterment of the Republic."
The senator from Kothlis stood, a Bothan, "President Johnson, I have no intentions of passing a bill that requires that much money. If you feel like throwing money away, send a fleet of ships to Tatooine to guard it."
The senators from Tatooine, rich bureaucrats who ran the planet, stood with tempers flaring.
Dack sat back down. How would he ever get anything done?
---------------------
Woostri
"Is the New Republic ship gone?" Empress Reniel asked.
Tsuri bowed before her, "Yes Empress, it fled our system immediately."
"Well done, Tsuri. There may be a promotion for you soon."
"Thank you, Empress."
Klaxons suddenly came alive in the background and Reniel and Tsuri both looked at each other. "They wouldn't bring a fleet to take the planet would they?"
Tsuri shook his head, "The Republic claims to be non-oppressive."
Tsuri led the way to the communications bunker, followed closely by Reniel. Specialists gasped as the High Empress of Woostri entered the bunker, they'd never seen her outside her palace, or with so little protection. "What's going on?"
"The city of Brinthar is under attack."
"The New Republic is attacking our planet?"
Tsuri leaned over a panel, "No Empress, there are no Republic ships in the system." He looked to the nearest officer, "What's going on?"
The man looked down, "We don't know, Supreme Guard. We recieved an alert from Brinthar that they were under attack from an unknown source. Deep scratch marks were found on their security walls last night. We suspect an animal from the research facility has escaped and found Brinthar. But the research facility reports no missing specimens."
The man babbled on as Tsuri walked back to Reniel. She spoke first, "Get me an open comm feed to Brinthar's governor."
A woman approached her, taking over for the stricken man, "I'm sorry Empress, but their comm center is down. We've only been able to confirm a distress signal, but nothing else."
"Send guard teams from Vintoll to investigate and report back."
"Yes Empress," the woman said, "immediately."
Hyperspace
Minister of State Lance Conn stood on the bridge watching stars and planets streak by the MC-90 as it hurtled through hyperspace. The Gotal communications officer, Yellk Blan, approached him from behind and startled the Minister when she asked, "I feel great distress in your heart."
"Captain Blan, you scared me," the Minister said. "I'm just not completely certain why the government on Woostri would respond like that. I keep going over my actions, seeing if I was the least bit hostile."
"Do not worry, Minister. Some civilizations believe they are better off if left alone and not swept up into the greater evil of the universe."
"Thank you, Yellk. By the way, do you know where we are headed?"
"No, sir. I do know it was a rushed hyperspace entry, so we will probably exit soon to replot our course."
---------------------
Admiral Sigrism's Office
Zike sat at his desk pouring over the losses at Woostri. An entire squadron of X-Wings were gone. He didn't so much miss the equipment, but the lives that were lost. The hull had also been breached, but thankfully it was at a storage location on the ship. The only things lost there was a days worth of foodstuffs.
The holoprojector on his desk beeped and the Admiral flipped it on, not realizing that he was expecting to be hailed. An Ithorian a little over six feet tall appeared on the other side of his office, and it appeared he was in much distress. "Admiral Sigrism, I am Jedi Knight Dretal Fratora of the Jedi Outpost on Iskallon. Our facility has come under attack from unknown forces and we require your immediate assistance. The Force help us if this does not reach you in time."
The projection faded and Zike jumped out from behind his desk and ran out of his office onto the bridge. "Commodore Dhray, plot a course to Iskallon immediately. The Jedi Outpost there requires our attention."
Persons on the bridge scurried to their positions as they relayed orders and the Minister approached Zike, "Something going on I should here about?"
"I just recieved a message from a Jedi Master Fratora. The outpost is being attacked, and they don't know who or what it is."
The Minister nodded and left the bridge, retreating to his quarters, realizing he had no need of being on the bridge during a battle.
---------------------
Iskallon
Fifty Jedi Knights slinked across the fields of Iskallon silently in the midsts of night. At the lead was Dretal Fratora, the most skilled Jedi on the outpost. Each Jedi cautiously advanced, keeping their senses attuned to an impending attack.
Expecting an attack from in front of them, no one expected the yell of terror as a padawan in the rear came under attack. Forty-nine lightsabers simultaneously came aglow in the dark, but remained steady. None of the Jedi could sense an intruder. Jedi Fratora doubled back to the attack site and found nothing but a trail of blood. Deep claw marks trailed from the padawan's throat to his groin. Teeth marks had dug into his chest and stomach.
Tyree Balfor, Master Fratora's padawan crouched beside him. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure, Tyree. The New Republic scientists haven't scouted the entire planet yet. But I guess they missed something local." Dretal jumped up as he heard a snickering growl and then hurried skittering among the brush to his left. "Tyree, get everyone back inside. If I'm not back by morning, send the Marines for me." Dretal used the Force to increase his speed and agility and he bolted across the plain and into the jungles of Iskallon.
---------------------
Coruscant
President Dack Johnson stood before the New Republic Senate, "Senators, I plead with you. This bill must pass for the betterment of the Republic."
The senator from Kothlis stood, a Bothan, "President Johnson, I have no intentions of passing a bill that requires that much money. If you feel like throwing money away, send a fleet of ships to Tatooine to guard it."
The senators from Tatooine, rich bureaucrats who ran the planet, stood with tempers flaring.
Dack sat back down. How would he ever get anything done?
---------------------
Woostri
"Is the New Republic ship gone?" Empress Reniel asked.
Tsuri bowed before her, "Yes Empress, it fled our system immediately."
"Well done, Tsuri. There may be a promotion for you soon."
"Thank you, Empress."
Klaxons suddenly came alive in the background and Reniel and Tsuri both looked at each other. "They wouldn't bring a fleet to take the planet would they?"
Tsuri shook his head, "The Republic claims to be non-oppressive."
Tsuri led the way to the communications bunker, followed closely by Reniel. Specialists gasped as the High Empress of Woostri entered the bunker, they'd never seen her outside her palace, or with so little protection. "What's going on?"
"The city of Brinthar is under attack."
"The New Republic is attacking our planet?"
Tsuri leaned over a panel, "No Empress, there are no Republic ships in the system." He looked to the nearest officer, "What's going on?"
The man looked down, "We don't know, Supreme Guard. We recieved an alert from Brinthar that they were under attack from an unknown source. Deep scratch marks were found on their security walls last night. We suspect an animal from the research facility has escaped and found Brinthar. But the research facility reports no missing specimens."
The man babbled on as Tsuri walked back to Reniel. She spoke first, "Get me an open comm feed to Brinthar's governor."
A woman approached her, taking over for the stricken man, "I'm sorry Empress, but their comm center is down. We've only been able to confirm a distress signal, but nothing else."
"Send guard teams from Vintoll to investigate and report back."
"Yes Empress," the woman said, "immediately."