Chapter 2

Waylayed

Deep space

The starship anagrossa drifted through space, its engines silent, its entirety, to all apperances, dead. Within however there dwelled Darth Horde, laquered into the wall by Xenomorph resin as the drones of the hive swarmed about, his greatest tools had not turned on him however, through weeks of experimentation, he had discovered that the one true way to control a hive is to be a Queen Xenomorph, and so, his hood draped over his face, he focused on the embryo deep inside himself, shaping it and prepairing it, mutating it to recieve his mind once gestation had completed.

It was then that the telltale cracking of ribs signaled it, his breath hitched in his chest as he felt his heart fail, "yessss...my transformation..." his eyes glowed red for an instant as the transfer occurred, then the front of his robes soaked with red, the chestburster tearing through his chest cavity, tearing itself free of the now lifeless husk, flopping to the floor with a barely audible gargle, "Perfection at last..."

Tatooine

rebel soldiers had arrived in the early morning before the first sunrise bringing with them a refitted CP0 droid fitted with a defense protocol and weapons should there be a problem. Ellie shed tears as she said non verbal goodbyes to her two sons, "momma, be safe." said Galen, Aryn looked up at Deryn, "kick butt okay daddy? bring me a head or something!"

Ellie swiftly swatted at Aryn's rear in a disciplinary motion, wagging her finger at him, "sorry momma..." he hugs her and fresh tears are born, Luke sighs, "I'm sorry I had to ask this of you, not a lot of Jedi still exist in the universe, let alone any that would be able to help me." Derryn sighs, "I think it's about damn time I got up off my ass, personally." finally Ellie stood, she had on her old sith attire, a black cloak hid a black leotard that traveled up her neck but exposed her legs and arms, on her arms are long elbow length black silk gloves and knee high black boots cover her feet and upper shins, "all ready and packed?" Asked Luke, she nodded, looking at Derryn who was checking his satchel, "you can never have too many explosives, I learned that fighting mandos" with that, Luke led them outside to his speeder, "you have your own ship?" Deryn nodded, "mine's stashed up at the spaceport, been keeping it on hand just in case."

The group arrived at the spaceport, revealing the private hangar that Derryn had commissioned, "so what kind of ship do you have" asks Luke, Derryn touches the nose of his helmet as they approach on foot, the doors swing wide to reveal a TIE crusader painted Green. Luke gasped, "a TIE crusader?! how on earth did you get one of those?!" Derryn let out a loud belly laugh that his respirator put a choke on, making him double over coughing, "ehm..." he regained his composure, "My daring escape from Ellie's Mistress' ship was a tale for the ages, and it was all in THIS baby."

Luke blinked, "how've you kept this secret?" Derryn breathed deep of his respirator, "i paid the hutts off." Luke looked at Derryn in shock, "the hutts?' Derryn nods, "they were all too happy to set up this private hangar for me after I started working for them." Luke shook his head, "do I want to know?" Suddenly the on ramp opened up to reveal a heavily armored R-7 droid, a B1 battle droid arm protruding from a compartment in it's central area holding a heavy blaster, it swiftly rolled down the ramp, whistling and clicking angrily, "hey, hey R-7 its me!"

the droid scanned Derryn before moving on to Luke, "HEY! he's a friend, this is Luke Skywalker!" the astromech looked back at Derryn, it's single red photoceptor glaring at him, "would I lie to you?" in response, the droid arm holding the blaster retracted into the droid's chassis, Luke looks confusedly at Derryn, "sorry, I modified my R-7 to guard the ship in my absence as well as preform maintenance." Luke felt the thick almost tank-like plating that coated the entire droid, "is this Phrik?" Derryn nodded, "more than a few sith have gotten slash happy with my personal belongings." Luke nodded, "That makes sense, get in your ship and I'll send you the coordinates from my X wing." Luke turns and exits the private hangar while the couple boards the Crusader with R-7.

Ellie sat down in the passenger seat, looking around in nostalgia, "I know, right?" Derryn commented, "R-7 kept the place real tidy, good job R-7!" the droid emitted a droning beep as it ascended into it's droid slot, "did you receive the coordinates?" asked Derryn as he hung up his coat, the droid beeped a negative and he sat down. the removal of his coat revealed the flexiplate neck armor that travelled down from his helmet to a chest piece still hidden under his clothes, however the respipac on his back was clearly visible under his shirt and vest. As Derryn sat, the droid buzzed an affirmative and Derryn nodded his head, "alright, lets get underway then."

the crusader took off into the sky and was soon followed by Luke's starfighter.

In orbit above the planet Dantooine

the Anagrossa floated, dead, almost too close to the planet, finally after excruciating silent hours falling into an orbit, it's engines suddenly springing to life as the new life within it began to truly take shape. within the ship, the new creature stood before it's former husk, it's skin now a pearly white, it had molted several hundred times by now and was standing upright, it's extremities numbered 5, five fingers, five toes a smaller tail, the arms and legs more heavily armored, its torso less skeletal, broader, the almost human like tongue had replaced the inner mouth, it WANTED the robes worn by it's former self, it tore into the cocoon and forcibly ripped the sith garment from it's unworthy predecessor, gracefully and exaggeratedly adorning itself in a small mockery of the sith coronation ceremony, "Look at me now master, now...I...am...emperor."

once fully adorned in his old robes, Darth Horde reached out and his Light saber came to him, the taxidermized Xenomorph tail springing to life in an elongated blade, "now I am truly master of these beasts." with that, Horde let out a shriek and the others came running, stopping just short of the entrance, "now, my pets, see my mind, see my plans." the entire hive seemed to bristle as they received their first real command from their new leader.