Chapter 3.

By Carycomic!

IMPERIAL CITY (CORUSCANT), 10 B. B. Y.

"What on Falleen. . .?" Prince Xizor exclaimed as he put the holovid on hold.

The bald Arkanian standing next to him smiled. His seemingly pupil-less eyes unnervingly magnified by the transparisteel goggles he wore.

"The hanadak is nothing. Just a three meter-tall anthropoid from Endor. But, its opponent? That's the true item of interest. My inspirational break-through, you might say."

Professor Hugo Strange gestured at the six-limbed reptile for emphasis.

"You are looking at a genetically engineered hybrid of nashtah and gundark!"

Xizor looked at him in open incredulity.

"A hybrid?! That's impossible. You must have doctored this holovid."

"Negative," replied a third voice belonging to a two meter-tall Yaka cyborg. "My optical transceiver shows no sign of tampering with the audiovisual data. This holovid is genuine."

The Yaka now looked at Strange. "My master wishes to hear your proposal."

And the geneticist's smile became a shameless feral grin.

"For a mere one million credits, I can send even more advanced creations to ensure that neither Fred Stryker nor Negaht Tam ever live to testify against Black Sun."

The Yaka raised his head towards the ceiling of Prince Xizor's living room as if he were having a vision. Five minutes later, he looked back at the Arkanian.

"Half the amount, now. The rest on proven completion of their deaths."

"Done!" exclaimed Strange.

BRUCE WAYNE'S SKYHOOK

(ONE WEEK LATER)

"Is this for real?"

Bail Organa looked at his nephew and grimly nodded.

"It was relayed to Alderaan by our people inside HoloNet News. This is definitely no fabrication!"

Bruce leaned forward and pressed the freeze-frame button. He could easily have used the voice interface to do the same thing! But, the former method allowed him to bend down on one knee and take a closer look at the graphic image of two rancor-like humanoids. . .

. . .and the Imperial City Policemen they were quite literally tearing limb from limb.

Bruce then started clicking the button, in order to advance the holovid centimeter by centimeter. A minute later, he stopped to examine some reddish-colored lines. Following which, he looked at his uncle.

"Pinpoint laser fire. Storm troopers were called in?"

Organa nodded: "Two APC's worth. And, even then, it took five more minutes for these things to die! If not for the force field keeping them confined to the landing pad, they might've crashed their way inside ICP HQ, and increased the body count."

"Total number of casualties?"

Organa paused before replying: "Twenty. . . including the two prisoners and their six-man escort from Gotham City-dome."

Bruce clenched his hands into fists and muttered something harsh under his breath. And, his uncle waited until the younger man had calmed down before venturing to make his next statement.

"Bruce? I know it's asking a lot, considering everything else you're already doing for the Alliance. But, we have to find out where these things came from. If only to counter Palpatine's propaganda that they're biological warfare weapons developed by the Alliance! Because, if he and Vader find the party or parties truly responsible. . ."

Bruce nodded: ". . .they could mass produce an army of them with the cloning technology already at their disposal. Consider it done, Uncle Bail."

Ironically, someone else was uttering a similar sentiment at that exact same moment.

"How did those monstrosities wind up on the ICP landing pad, Lord Vader?"

"That presents something of a problem, Master," replied the tall, black-armored figure. "Twenty fatalities are listed. But, the remains of only eighteen bodies were found. Two Anomid diplomats, who were supposedly on a tour of ICP Headquarters, are missing. Yet, the only traces we've found of them are their passports. . . and their surprisingly bloodless clothing."

"Are you saying that those incredible hulking things were once Anomids?!" demanded the Emperor.

"Forensic scanning of the clothing has shown no traces of Anomid DNA. Just the opposite, in fact. These creatures were apparently of the Xa Fel species! And, even more disconcerting? Each of them had a high concentration of. . . midi-chlorians. . . in their blood."

Palpatine stroked his chin with his right hand while he considered this information.

"Disconcerting, indeed, Lord Vader. Such creatures have not been seen in this galaxy since the days of the Great Terentatek Hunt. And, whoever is responsible for them must be found before the Rebel Alliance get their hands on him."

"I have already taken steps in that regard, Master. The ship which brought the so-called 'diplomats' here, from Yablari, came by way of Nar Shadaa. Consequently, I will begin my investigation, there."

Palpatine smiled. "Good thinking, my apprentice."

Vader bowed: "Thank you, Master."

Two hours later, Vader's personal flagship left orbit, bound for Hutt Space. Five minutes after that, Bruce Wayne's space coupe departed for New Cov. Whereupon, Bruce made a scrambled holo-transmission to his house in Gotham City-dome.

"Alfred? It's me. Get the Tappratine ready. Along with my. . . travel clothes."

"Your intended destination, sir?"

Bruce half-smiled. "Let's just say that the legend of the Hawk-Batman is about to spread to the Smugglers' Moon."

tbc