INVASION OF NABOO
The skies over Theed were thick with fightercraft engaged in deadly dogfights, the naboo pilots fighting an uphill battle that they could never hope to overcome. Through this massive storm of blasterbolts, falling debris, crashing fighters and still active fightercraft engaged in deadly combat, a single medium transport dodged its way down towards the city itself; the Wayfarer-class clearly sporting heavier shielding than was standard as it took hit after hit and let nothing through to strike its hull.
The Wayfarer transport came in low over the landscape and soon was escorted by several Federation fighters that made sure no naboo pilot managed to get too close. The transport managed to brake through the city's shields and made a rough landing along one of Theeds wider avenues, plowing up the stonework and creating a wake of dirt and gravel as it went, leaving a deep gash in the ground behind it.
The large forward hatch of the cargo-compartment opened and out of the Wayfarer rushed nearly a hundred gamorrean warriors, all armed to the teeth. Within moments, the gamorrean mercenaries had engaged the guardsmen of House Amidala that were defending the city and the gamorrean leader, Captain Ugluk, was at the fore with his battle-axe and his left arm replaced with a blaster-cannon.
A few minutes later and a second transport followed the Wayfarer, and landed not far behind it and under a much more controlled maner. The Barloz-class medium freighter touched down and from its cargo-hold disembarked close to sixty heavily armed and battle-hardened mercenaries from twenty different worlds, supported by three armored troop-transports to carry them into combat.
Up ahead, the gamorreans provided enough of a distraction to allow the mercenaries from the second transport to deploy without taking any fire, apart from the odd stray shot. Once they had all deployed, Captain Gormbacc and Captain Sheelal Greivous set foot on Naboo soil and surveyed the situation, the city and the combat further up the street. Gormbacc growled and snarled as he pointed at a tower off in the distance and the shield-generator at its top.
"Take it out" Grievous said. "I will join the battle up ahead."
Gormbacc joined his mercenary-company and headed down the smaller streets of the city, intent on destroying the closest shield-generator. Captain Grievous placed over his head a warhelm of classic kaleesh design, a terrible facemask intended to strike fear into the enemies of the wearer, and then freed from its scabbard his slightly curved disruptor-sword, activating the devastating energies of its blade as it was removed from his hip.
THE ROYAL PALACE, THEED CITY
Queen Amidala stood at the windows of her royal court and watched as the battle unfolded in the skies above the city. Theed had lost two of its shield-generator arrays and orbital bombardment was hitting strategic targets in the city. It was a dysmal sight; crashing fightercraft, explosions, stray blaster-bolts and burning buildings.
Captain Panaka, standing next to a holographic projection of the planet that depicted troop-movement, turned to the gathered nobles. "They seem to concentrate at six landingzones across the planet, judging by their deployments and bombardments" Panaka concluded. "Once their troops are on the ground, Naboo will be overrun. Our only hope is to defeat them in the air."
Baron Louka could not hide his fears. "Do we even have enough fighters to halt this attack?"
"We must have faith in our troops" Amidala said, but it was obvious to everyone that she barely believed in her own words herself.
"My queen" Baron Sio said gently and walked up next to his regent. "I beg of you... Escape while there is still time."
Amidala could not take her eyes away from the burning buildings, not even flinching as crashing fighters disintegrated against the force-fields. "No" she finally replied to her trusted advisor, her thoughts seemingly distant. "As long as our troops are fighting, I will not abandon them."
Naboo and Federation fighters clashed in deadly dogfights, blasterbolts filling the skies like a deadly rain and burning fightercraft crashed and tumbled towards the surface, one by one. Beyond the forrests surrounding the Naboo capitol, Federation landing-craft touched down. Trade Federation ground-troops had landed.
CITY OF DULAC, NABOO RIVERLANDS
Trade Federation landing-craft and fighters flew in low over the rooftops unopposed, and the citys outskirts were already seeing the first companies of Federation ground-troops marching down the streets. People were scared and unsure of what the future would bring. Large holograms of the Steward of House Gelda announced all across the city and the barony that House Gelda had surrendered to the invaders in order to protect the lives of the people. The steward also urged all citizens to not resist but to comply, informing everyone listening that resistance was a futile gesture.
"Well, isn't this just peachy" Eadan said as he was looking out the viewports of the cockpit as another formation of landing-craft with fighter-escort flew in overhead.
"You have to admit" Dash Rendar said as he too watched the armada flying past, "the Federation doesn't mess around when it gets upset."
The nautilan frowned. "All I know is, if we don't get out of here with a shipment of spice, we wont get payed by Jabba."
Leebo, tinkering with some electronics in the cock-pit, reminded his two crewmates that all was not so bleak. "Remember that Gardulla owes us for delivering the data-tape to Hondo."
Dash nodded at the point made, but was not feeling particulary cheerful. "My problem right now is how to get off this rock with our ship intact and in one piece."
INVASION OF NABOO
Federation troop-carriers were harrased by Naboo fighters as soon as they entered atmosphere, despite their heavy fighter-escorts. Some, but far from enough to stop the invasion, were shot down and forced to crash out of control as burning wreckage towards the surface. But despite the odd success, the Naboo pilots were fighting against hopeless odds and simply could not contend with the sheer number of enemies penetrating the Naboo defenses. The Naboo sky was filled with ongoing battles as fighters clashed in deadly dogfights.
On the surface, the Federation troops had secured six major landingzones across the planet at strategic locations. From here, the Federation army slowly expanded its influence and secured more and more territory, gaining more control with each ship that made landfall and deployed reinforcements to increase and fill out the ranks at the frontlines.
THE BOGMARKS, NABOO
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi left the massive concentration of Trade Federation troops behind as they snook into the Naboo marshes. Behind them, dozens of troop-carriers settled down on the planets soil and began unloading troops, vehicles and supplies to add to the regiments that had already established themselves on the planet. The sheer number of troops being deployed was both terrifying and impressive to witness all at once. Having found cover in the bushes, the two jedi took time to reflect.
"Well, we made it past the Naboo defenses and the Federation army" Obi-Wan concluded with a slight smirk. "Now what?" he added as he took a look at their surroundings.
Qui-Gon merely grunted. "Now we find a local, a guide, someone, who can direct us at the nearest ship capable of taking us past the Federation blockade. The sooner we can alert Coruscant of what is happening here, the sooner the Republic can come to the aid of the naboo."
XXX XXX
Several hours later, the two jedi, having traversed marshes, forrests, rivers and grassland, witnessed Trade Federation forces attacking a Naboo settlement. It was all too clear that it was a very one-sided battle and the defensive actions of the naboo troops, allthough heroic, was nothing more than futile resistance fueled by desperation.
"We should do something."
Qui-Gon glanced at his apprentice. "Focus, my padawan. Do not allow yourself to be governed by emotion and sudden urges. Reflect, think and be mindful. We serve the naboo best by completing our mission and get word to the Jedi Council and the Supreme Chancellor."
It was almost with reluctance that Obi-Wan nodded and took a deep breath to clear his mind. Just as he did find inner peace, the padawan noticed his master gradually subduing a growing tension within him. Obi-Wan knew that something was amiss. And sure enough, within moments the two jedi saw several scout-speeders, so called STAPs, manned by B1 security-droids, coming at them through the trees and bushes. Within moments, blasterbolts were fired at the jedi and their lightsabers came to life, deflecting the incoming fire with incredible skill.
Two STAPS took hits as the blasterbolts were deflected back at the Federation speeders, crashing violently as a result into the ground and plantlife. Obi-Wan cut down two more of the agile vehicles as they swept past him during their strafing-run, each severed part glowing hot where the lightsaber had cut and spun out of control as each individual part veered off into the forrest and marshes.
Qui-Gon relied on the force to push a security-droid free from its STAP, sending the droid crashing through a thick tree and smashing the thing in the process, while the speeder itself continued on its own until it eventually crashed and exploded as it struck solid ground. A second STAP swooshed past the Jedi knight with a few inches to spare as Qui-Gon expertly dodged in the last second, and then proceeded with throwing his lightsaber after the hostile scout-speeder, slicing it and its driver in half as the spinning weapon struck before returning to its owners grip.
The noise of engines not too far off told Qui-Gon that they were not safe yet. "A scouting-detail. They will have reported our location as they attacked us. More Federation troops will come."
"We can not outrun them, master" Obi-Wan pointed out. "And we can not fight them all."
Qui-Gon was forced to agree. "We will need to hide and soon. Let's hurry."
They took off into the woodlands and marshes at quickened pace, knowing fully well that their position had been revealed and it was only a matter of time before they were found again. All they could do was to keep running and trust in the Force to guide them.
CORELLIA
Satele Shans ship, The Frozen Star, approached the planet and entered atmosphere, a tricky prospect considering the heavy traffic and shipping to and from the planet - not to mention the thick layer of stations and shipyards in orbit that added to the layer of obstacles surrounding the planet - the droids taking the vessel in for landing at the surface-coordinates provided by Arthan Gom; the small city of Kell'Rylo.
XXX XXX
Satele and her twi'lek padawan entered the tavern mentioned to them by the chevin back on Kramalg, the Hyperleap Corner. It was a place filled to the brink with scum and villains, pirates, smugglers and thieves.
"Certainly looks like a place where we might find this Sandahar" Kayo said.
"Keep your mind on the present, padawan, where it belongs" Satele reminded the twi'lek.
Satele walked over to the bar to try and get some information out of the bartender. Waiting for him to serve, a viscious looking sullustan came up to her and grinned creepily.
"You are not interested in me" Satele said, raising her finger ever so slightly, before the sullustan had a chance to utter a word and almost instantly he seemed to forget all about her and walked away. Kayo only smiled.
Eventually the bartender came over to Satele, an old corellian freighter-captain, an arm, leg and eye replaced with cybernetics and what skin he had left was covered with tatoos from all over the galaxy.
"I'm told you are an old friend of Arthan Gom" Satele said and the bartender quirked his one remaining eyebrow.
"Arthan? A friend?" the man chuckled and grinned and then leaned against the bar with both hands. "Look lady, I haven't done any deals with that old fool in years. So are you having any drinks?"
Satele leaned in closer to the corellian. "I'm not interested in your relationship with the chevin" she said, "I am interested however in finding a man named Sandahar."
The corellians features hardened as the name was mentioned. "Sandahar Sing?" he said. "Haven't heard that name in a long time."
"So you know of him then" Satele asked and the bartender nodded.
"I know of him" he said, "and he is nothing but trouble if you ask me. If I were you, I would stay away from him and out of his way."
"Not possible I'm afraid" Satele revealed. "What do you know of artefacts from a planet called Korriban? Is there a market?"
"Korriban?" the man said. "Never heard of it. If you excuse me, I have customers to tend to."
Kayo leaned in so Satele could hear her as the bartender walked off. "He knows something. I can feel it."
Satele nodded in agreement. "I feel it also. Impressive, padawan, you have come far."
"Thank you, master" Kayo said, but then stiffened. "Where did he go?"
Both realized the bartender was nowhere in sight and they hurried after him, jumping over the counter and running out the backdoor. They spotted the bartender rushing towards a speederbike and straddling it in a well rehearsed move, followed by him shooting off into the air on the vehicle. Satele took chase by jumping up on a cargo-speeder heading in the same direction as the bartender. When she saw her target veering off in another direction she jumped over to another vehicle that would keep her on track.
Kayo Kai Kahn ran out into the street and when she saw a speederbike coming her way, she reached out with the Force and knocked the driver from the saddle and replaced him by leaping onto the speeding vehicle as it shot past, allowing her to take chase.
Satele jumped between speeders and haulers, even hanging from a monorail-train a piece of the way, running along the length of a tanker-transport, almost bouncing between vehicles, jumping over walkways and ducking under commercial signs.
The bartender could not believe his eyes when he realized that Satele was up ahead of him, up on the trailer of a cargo-speeder looking straight at him. He was even more amazed as the woman lept into the air, flipped a full backwards circle and landed kneeling on the bartenders speederbike right infront of him. By now the bartender was beyond believing what he was seeing, as the woman had impaled his speeder upon landing with a double-bladed lightsaber, the yellow blade forcing the vehicle to crash as the engine was destroyed.
Satele retrieved a grappler from her belt and launched the hook at an overpass and as the hook locked itself in place, the jedi grabbed hold of the bartender and pulled him with her as she jumped from the speeder only seconds before it struck ground and was obliterated in a ball of fire.
Swinging through the thick smoke of the explosion, Satele and her prisoner eventually touched ground and while the jedi knight made a skilled and controlled roll over her shoulder, eventually ending up on her feet, the bartender tumbled and bounced out of control.
Satele walked over to the bartender just as Kayo caught up and flew in to land. The bartender was slowly getting up on his feet, but not before the two women stood positioned infront of him. Looking up at them, he sat down and tried to catch his breath after the crash.
"Alright" the bartender said. "You got me. I'm Sandahar Sing."
Satele Shan crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't say."
XXX XXX
Sandahar was pushed into a seat onboard The Frozen Star by a not so gentle Kayo Kai Kahn. Satele sat down opposite of the notorious dealer of illgegal goods.
"So... Korriban you say?" Sandahar said, rubbing his aching head.
"Precisely" Satele nodded. "Artefacts from Korriban. What do you know about it?"
"Rare" Sandahar said, "Hard to find, even harder to sell. But when you do find a buyer, they are willing to pay almost any sum you come up with."
Satele leaned forward, resting her elbows against her knees. "Remember a nikto showing up some months ago? A male Kadas'sa'Nikto to be more precise, by the name of Sifo-Dyas."
Sandahar nodded. "Yeah, I remember him. Asked me who I was selling Sith artefacts to. So I told him. Have to admit, I have no idea why I did it, but it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time."
Satele could not help but smile, realizing that Sandahar had been compelled by a jedi mindtrick to tell all that Sifo-Dyas needed to know.
"So what did you tell him?" Kayo asked.
"I told him. Doesn't mean I have to tell you" the corellian said.
"As a matter of fact" Satele said, "It does."
Sandahar somehow realized he had little choice, as if it all of sudden just seemed like the most obvious course of action. "Alright, alright. The nikto asked questions about how the artefacts were smuggled off Korriban. Then he was really interested in what artefacts I had managed to smuggle past the Jedi outpost."
"And?" Satele inquired impatiently.
"He became especially interested in a bunch of crystals" Sandahar explained, "especially since they had been requested by a specific buyer. Even payed for up front."
"Crystals?" Satele took clear interest. "Red crystals?" she inquired.
Sandahar Sing nodded. "Yeah. They were not easy to find, let me tell you. Deep down in a cavern, surrounded by rivers of lava, and I swear there are ghosts hiding in the shadows of that place. Anyway, as I had gone through all that trouble reaching the surface undetected, I figured I could take some other stuff as well. You know, stone-tablets, art and other items. Once I have sold them all, I will be as rich as a Hutt. Of course, then that nikto showed up and I knew I had to lay low for a while. Didn't quite work out as I had planned."
Satele got out of her chair and started to pace back and forth. "The crystals, how many did you find?"
"The buyer wanted two. I came out of there with four. As you can imagine, I made quite a profit. Even kept one crystal, since I figured they would be worth even more out on the market. And Arthan did not let me down, let me tell you."
"Who was the buyer?" Kayo demanded. "Who payed you to go to Korriban?"
Sandahar was reluctant but eventually he gave in on his own. "Black Sun."
"Who?" Kayo said, obviously somewhat confused.
Satele was not as clueless, however. "Black Sun... The crime syndicate?"
Sandahar nodded. "That's the one. Black Sun payed me good money up front to go to Korriban and retrieve two red crystals from a cave beneath a specific ruin. Even gave me the coordinates."
Satele leaned in over the smuggler. "You will reveal your contact to us."
Sandahar could only chuckle and smirk. "And you will do what? Go after her with your Jedi ship? She will go into hiding the moment you enter the system."
"What about you?" Kayo said. "Will she hide the moment you show up?"
Satele understood what her apprentice was after. "I'm sure you have a ship of your own, do you not?" the Jedi Knight said. " A ship that is not recognized as belonging to the Republic or the Jedi Order."
"What of it?" Sandahar grunted.
Satele straightened her back and folded her arms over her chest. "You just gained two new crewmembers."