Things move into a new phase with this installment. Shaak starts laying down the law and Ahsoka and Maris work together to find a solution to a new vexation. The timeline jumps around a little on this chapter so that we may go back and forth between different scenes.

Chapter 14: Somewhere in the Hills

The Unknown Regions, Far West, 1 ABY 4 months, 24 days

The dark world-ship, seemingly commanded by Darth Magnifica, but actually on a pre-programmed course, was passing slowly through hyperspace. Among other things, this ship was also a battle station of immense size, one that not only contained immense weaponry, but also could deploy thousands of craft in various sizes and capabilities, while also harboring huge fabrication plants that could churn out hundreds more of these ships every hour.

Two weeks prior, the ship had entered a system with thousands of smallish asteroids, containing millions of tons of raw metal, which could be added to the synthesized materials the world-ship already stored. Tens of thousands of droids had been sent into the field of asteroids, systematically breaking down the smaller ones and scooping up tons of metal from the larger ones. Magnifica presided over the operation, having been given a mission by her beloved Supreme Leader, the one known simply as Su to those who were fortunate enough to make her acquaintance. The ultimate purpose of the mission was unknown to Magnifica – her only concern was seeing that Su's wishes were carried out. As the world-ship emerged from hyperspace, Magnifica was in one of the many command centers it contained and presently was visited by a holo-image of the Supreme Leader. The blonde warrior who tended to favor garments in red was seated at the head of a conference table in consultation with various officers who were responsible for different functions of the ship. Everyone was in rapt attention as Su spoke, her image facing her 'daughter':

"My child, is everything in place?"

"Yes, my queen. We await your direction."

"State your current position."

"We are entering the Chiss Ascendancy. An Imperial battle group has formed."

"Very good. Implement the next stage."

"It shall be done, my queen."

"I will visit with you in ten hours. I expect the Imperials to have more questions than answers," Su seemed to laugh softly.

Magnifica rose from the table in her shimmering red gown and bowed to her adoptive mother. "We shall be most honored, Supreme Leader." She turned to the various commanders and stared.

As one, the group rose and bowed, then spoke. "All hail Supreme Leader. The bringer of light and peace."

Su's hologram faded and disappeared, as she seemed to stare directly at Magnifica.

While this was taking place, the Ravager and its battle group of five ISD were making preparations. Ahsoka, Anakin, and Maris were together in a small meeting room near the command bridge. They were discussing options for exploration of the area. Maris opened a display portal.

"This is the latest diagram of the area we are in. You can see they have well-charted hyperspace lanes among their home group of systems and planets. Everything here is with a two-hour journey at most."

Anakin nodded. "Let's zoom out."

As Maris made the adjustments, it became clear there were roughly equal areas of space on either side of the Chiss Ascendancy.

Ahsoka stroked her chin, reaching out with the Force. "It's a very large area. If someone wanted to hide, they would have much to choose from. But I'm glad our blue-skinned friends here have been able to do as much research as they could."

Anakin stopped suddenly, stood up and cocked his head to one side.

"What is it, dear?" Maris asked with concern.

He remained silent for a minute, then responded. "A strange current in the Force. Ahsoka … do you feel it?"

She stared at him. "Let's join hands. Maris?"

The Zabrak nodded, and soon all three of them had formed a circle.

"Concentrate," Anakin directed.

It wasn't long before Ahsoka picked up on it and she started a gentle surge of energy into Maris, which pulled her firmly in. At that very moment, the three of them heard a strange, but gentle, voice.

"Welcome, Imperial visitors. I've prepared something for you."

Aboard the SSD Punisher, 1 ABY, 4 months, 25 days

As the ship was entering the Hutt Space, the Empress was in a plain black silk gown and velvet robe and slippers. She was preparing for a meeting with the Grand Hutt Council on Nal Hutta. Advance word had been sent to the Council that Shaak would be arriving and she would be accompanied by a strong show of force. Muu'saama, Reema, and Ezra were preparing for the visit wearing light and loose-fitting garments as the planet was similar to Felucia in terms of humidity. Nal Hutta was once a more hospitable environment many millennia ago when it was known as Evocar, but when the Hutts took over, the environment changed into one more suitable for their physiology.

The Hutts were an unusual species, but one that had thrived for thousands of years in the eastern regions of the Galaxy. They had no skeleton as such but were able to move around due to the strong muscles in their tail sections, so they slithered like giant slugs – although some grew so large as to become virtually immobile. They had small, almost vestigial, arms, and no legs. Their skin was quite resistant to all but the more corrosive chemical substances, and underneath it, thick layers of blubber and muscle protected their vital organs. The species lived around 1000 years (reaching maturity only after 200 years) on average as they had almost no natural enemies on the worlds they inhabited, and they were resistant to most poisons and diseases and rarely became ill. Among their many unique features was an ability to see ultraviolet light – usually invisible to humans and most alien species such as Twi'lek, Togruta, and Zabrak – and this provided them an advantage that they employed when others visited their palaces on the planet Nal Hutta. They also could regenerate body parts when injured – though this process could take decades. Unfortunately for most of those who came in contact with them, they also exuded a strong body odor that could upset a sensitive human stomach. The average mature Hutt could weigh over 500 kg and were the size of a normal human.

Culturally, the Hutts played by different rules than most others in the Galaxy. They had little concept of morality and were chiefly concerned with gaining and maintaining power, as their appetite for it was as insatiable as their appetite for food. A twisted sense of humor was another characteristic and it was understood that flattery was one of the best policies when dealing with them. Across the Galaxy, it was commonly believed that Hutts were all involved in a life of crime, but the very concept of "criminal" held no meaning to them and there was no equivalent term in Huttese language – it was simply seen as a basic way of life. Because of their great longevity, Hutts were highly intelligent beings that possessed great patience, but they also could hold a grudge for centuries and the "law of revenge" was a deeply ingrained concept for the species. The larger the Hutt, the more powerful it tended to be, and thus underweight members were scorned and treated as lowly slaves. In fact, slavery was commonly practiced on Hutt-controlled worlds, and members of alien species – including humans – were often kept, sometimes as "pets." However, large scale slave labor was seen by them as impractical, due to lack of motivation, rebellions, and other issues associated with forced labor. Far better was to provide incentives to those willing to enter into voluntary servitude under contract.

Hutts were very loyal to their extended families, or "clans", and most decisions were made on the basis of how the clan benefitted from them. The clans, in turn, controlled the "kajidics" or criminal syndicate empires, and the money these groups held controlled the politics in Hutt society. Inter-clan rivalries could be fierce and often led to violence. Due to the clan structure, the naming of individual Hutts was somewhat complex. But to outsiders, a Hutt would normally only give his or her personal name, and would thus be known as "the Hutt" instead of their full name. Jabba, for example, was a member of the Desilijic clan and had the surname Tiure, but was simply known as "Jabba the Hutt." A council of elders was charged with oversight of the Hutt Space region of the Galaxy and all Hutts were ultimately accountable to it.

Before their arrival, Shaak went over all of these details about the Hutts with her three Order members, wanting them to be very aware of what they would be entering into. Reema, in particular, listened with rapt attention, as, in her mind, many of these ideas explained the nature of the world she was born into, the dangerous Coruscanti Underground. As usual, she had questions and wasted little time in asking them.

"Master Shaak, Ahsoka once told me you were friendly with the Hutt called Jabba. Is this true?"

Shaak chuckled, and smiled at Reema. "Young one, you waste little time in getting to the heart of a matter. Yes, it is true to an extent. Hutts don't make 'friends' in the way that other species do, they are more concerned with business relationships. Jabba provided me valuable information at one time, and he and I formed a mutually beneficial alliance."

"But now that you are Empress, what do you need from him?"

Ezra also perked up at this, nodding in Reema's direction.

Shaak continued to smile. "I suppose you are aware of my desire to reduce the power of the crime syndicates, especially in the Eastern regions of the Outer Rim. I am not under the illusion that this can be done quickly or easily, despite my own power and the military might of my empire."

Reema nodded. "So we are going to meet with the Hutt Council?"

Shaak laughed. "Young one, it would be best now for you to observe and learn. I admire your inquisitive mind, but often is the case when education comes from self-teaching. Such lessons tend to have a greater impact on one's development. This has been the case with me."

Reema blushed a little. "Yes, my Empress. I know what you mean. But thank you so much for taking the time to teach us about these strange people."

Shaak chuckled. "They are quite different, to be sure, but even though their ways are loathsome to me – and many others – they did not reach their current position in the Galaxy by accident. They have a long and proud history, and are worthy of respect, if not emulation."

At this point, a deck officer entered the Empress's suite aboard the Punisher – one she'd had installed for her on all SSD craft – and informed Shaak that they had dropped out of hyperspace.

"We have arrived, your majesty. Shall we contact the Hutt Council?"

"Thank you, Lieutenant. My apprentices and I are going to the bridge. I will conduct matters with our hosts at that time."

"Very well, your majesty."

Coruscant, Imperial Senate building, 1 ABY, 5 months, 0 days, 9 hours

Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila and Bel Iblis of Corellia were having a working breakfast in the Capital. The workings of the Senate were proceeding smoothly in the four or so months after Shaak had reconvened the body and Valles gave her rousing support to the Empress. At the time, it was a general feeling of relief that they could all once again meet as a deliberative body and discuss the issues, after the year or so that it had been shuttered by Palpatine and Tarkin. The Empress had indicated her desire to see a working legislature and had also created – by decree – a lower House of Delegates that would represent the Galaxy more fully, due to its much larger makeup. But Mothma, in particular, began to see Shaak and Valles's plans in a different light, and she sounded out her colleague in a general discussion.

"Garm … maybe I'm being a bit too cynical on this, but I've come to feel that Shaak created that other body for the purpose of diluting our influence. After all, she has told us that we must both approve any legislation before she will agree to it. And, despite her promises, I have yet to get a full meeting with her. Only five minutes here and there, when she is in the mood."

"What are you, saying, Mon? That Shaak is still very much a dictator? She signed the non-corruption bill, and allowed us to form committees for oversight purposes of the various ministries she and Valles have created. Running a galaxy is a rather complex task."

Mon sighed. "I know. And I still believe Shaak has good intentions. It's Valles that I don't trust. She's always got an answer for everything. And the people she sends up to see us are very well rehearsed. I for one was rather surprised to learn how many of Palpatine's people are still with us."

Bel Iblis nodded. "I can't deny that. But the thing is, Palpatine didn't pay much attention to ministerial matters. It appears Valles merely asked them to swear allegiance to Shaak, and then let them carry on as before."

"Valles is very clever and she's rather sneaky. It's clear to me that many of the Delegates are directly able to report to the Empress – in reality, the Grand Vizier, because Shaak rarely gets involved directly on anything that doesn't concern the military – and thus can act to keep their systems in line. It's a perverse process, and who can say that certain … inducements … aren't being proffered?"

At that moment, the Senators were joined by the Chancellor of Delegates – the elected leader of the lower house – Strem Gicahglo, of the Core world of Brentaal. He was one of fifty delegates chosen from this home world, the most populous in the Galaxy, with over 60 billion sentients.

"Hello, Strem," Bel Iblis said heartily, as he rose and they shook hands.

Gicahglo bowed to Mothma, who also rose. "Senator Mothma."

"What can we do for you, Mister Chancellor?" She said pleasantly.

"May I sit down?"

Bel Iblis nodded toward an empty chair.

As Gicahglo took his seat, he cleared his throat and noted, "word has gotten back to me that a number of members of the Senate are interested in more aggressive oversight regarding the Grand Vizier. Do I have that right?"

Mothma's eyes narrowed somewhat as she thought it over, then she spoke in a lighter tone of voice than her facial expression indicated.

"It's not so much aggressive …" she turned to Bel Iblis, whose expression betrayed nothing. "More of a case of us attending to our legislative duties."

"Ah, yes," the Chancellor smiled. "Many of my fellow delegates have been quietly pushing for that as well. The word is getting out that Lady Santhé is more the day-to-day empress than Shaak herself. How do you suppose Her Majesty might respond to that?"

"Well," Bel Iblis broke in. "It was much the same with Palpatine. Mas Amedda was the day-to-day prime minister and much of what he wanted became policy. We had little say in it after Tarkin and the Moffs took over. You might say that the Emperor was more concentrated … on other things."

"You are both correct, of course," Mothma noted. "But Amedda was nothing compared to Santhé in terms of her organizational mindset. I've been doing some study on her. It seems some of the Liannese are more willing to talk about her than others."

"What are they telling you, Mon?"

"That she is utterly ruthless, despite her pretty exterior and her usually unflappable demeanor. The lady is hard as nails underneath."

"And brilliant, as well," the Chancellor remarked. "I've heard she started running part of the family firm – the one that makes so many of our galactic armaments – at age 16, and was fully in charge when her grandfather passed away eight years later … and – get this – she didn't stop there. She's quietly become the de facto ruler of her home system and the surrounding sector. All this before she got so friendly with the Empress."

"A rather ambitious woman," Bel Iblis muttered. "But she is so charming … it's hard to find anything wrong with what she says regarding the government. And Shaak seems to totally trust her."

"Appearances can be deceiving. As long as I have known Shaak, I've had a great deal of respect for her. She was always one of the more politically minded among the Jedi, along with Mace Windu. That woman only shows what she wants you to see," Mothma noted, with a touch of admiration.

Bel Iblis stood up, checked his com. "People, I've got to get to work, some Armed-Services Committee matters to attend to. Mon, Strem, it's been a pleasure."

Mothma also rose. "Let's keep in touch, Strem. I have a feeling we can get more done by working together. There are at least a hundred senators that feel this way about Lady Santhé. How many delegates would you say might be on board?"
Gicahglo then stood, as well. He looked Mothma in the eye. "Possibly as many as 500. We've got some strong advocates for democracy in my House. Valles would do well not to take us for granted."

The three of them all shook hands, then went their separate ways.

The Unknown Regions, Chiss Ascendancy, 1 ABY 4 months, 25 days

After they heard the gentle voice, Ahsoka, Maris and Anakin released each other's hands and stared at each other. The Princess then remembered.

"I know who that was. The same voice Tri and I heard after our wedding. We saw a holo image of her, too. She called herself 'Su – ruler of all realms' and it was on this strange white holocron that Reema brought to us."

Anakin thought it over, and turned to Maris. "You don't suppose, this is the same image we saw when we were together on Mustafar?"

"I really don't know. What did she look like, Ashli?"

"Tall and elegant, all in white, she seemed to glow."

"I'd say it's the same," Maris concluded.

"The question is, what does she want?" Anakin pondered. "And what did she mean by saying she 'prepared something for you?'"

"Not a clue …" Ahsoka sighed. "But I also recall a beautiful song that played before she appeared. It was in some strange language. And she also referred to me as the Princess of the Primary Galaxy in group 17."

They didn't have much time to ponder it, when alarm bells began sounding all over the Ravager.

Anakin's com sounded. He answered it. A voice could be heard, in a frantic tone …

"We are under attack, Lord Skywalker! Suddenly hundreds of ships just appeared. And they started shooting!"

"Let's get to the bridge!" Anakin shouted, and the three of them were running for the transport tube.

Aboard the transport, Anakin thought it over and realized he needed information – much more of it. They soon arrived and came onto the bridge.

Fleet Admiral Sloane briefed them:

"Sir, all we know is that hundreds of light cruisers appeared just ten minutes ago in a formation, and then were followed by what appear to be the old vulture droids from the Clone War."

At the mention, Ahsoka's jaw dropped. "Vulture droids? How in the …"

Maris was busy studying the read outs and was working with a deck officer, scanning various view screens of the action. The cruisers started to form up and about three tore away from the main group and headed straight toward the bridge of one of the ISDs in the Ravager's battle group. To their horror, the attack was successful as these ships launched ominous weapons that did severe damage. The Imperials scrambled some TIE fighter craft that engaged and started picking off the vulture droids, but more cruisers showed up and continued the close-in attacks on the ISDs. After a while of watching this, Maris started to deduce something. She pulled herself away from the screens and found Anakin.

"Ani, I've been observing their plan of attack. They seem to be concentrating on what they perceive to be a weakness in the design of the ISD. The bridge and command area is too easy to target."

He looked at her for a second and the light seemed to go on in his head. "My dear, I think you have made a discovery, one that we really never even considered. But the bigger question in my mind is who exactly is this enemy?"

As they continued to discuss it, Sloane returned. "The ISD Hammer II has lost all control from its command deck, and the ISD Avenger III is close to having the same thing happen to it."

"That's Thrawn's ship. Has he reported in?"

"Yes, Lord Skywalker. Admiral Thrawn is calling for a full evacuation of the Avenger."

"Do we have override capability to the hyperdrive on either ship?"

"We are trying to determine that now, sir."

Ahsoka, hearing the commotion, joined the group. Anakin briefed her quickly.

The Togruta made a quick decision. "Thrawn is right. We must evacuate both ships. I'm ordering a general retreat until we know more about what we're up against. Those cruisers had to come from somewhere. Have we been able to capture even one of them?"

Maris broke in. "Yes, your highness. The tractor beams on this ship have locked onto two of them and are pulling them in as we speak."

"Very good, Lady Brood. Admiral Sloane, what is the status on the other ships?"

Before Sloane could respond, two deck officers ran up to the group, and interrupted.

"Admiral – the enemy seems to be breaking off the attack. All cruisers have pulled back to formation."

She pondered it for a second, as Ahsoka, Maris, and Anakin waited. "What about the vulture droids?"

"Clearly a decoy force, Madam. We have destroyed all of them, but they put up little beyond token resistance."

Ahsoka broke in. "How many TIE interceptors did we lose?"

"Only ten, your highness, out of a general deployment of 250."

She turned to Sloane. "Admiral, I want a full assessment of the damages, plus the current state of our intelligence on who – or what – this enemy is. Where are those ships coming from?"

"Yes, your highness. You will have it momentarily."

Ahsoka turned to Anakin and Maris. "Come with me. I need your input."

As the three of them started to head off, she turned back to Sloane. "Join us in the conference room once you have your report, Admiral."

Sloane gave her a crisp salute, then turned to join her command group.

Ahsoka and her two subordinates sat down to discuss the situation.

"I hope you two have some answers. This is a rather big development. The enemy – whoever it is – has broken off the attack, but they are still very much in theater. What do we do if they decide to strike at us again?"

Anakin spoke first. "It looks to me like they want us to know they can hurt us anytime they want to."

Maris threw out the question: "Ahsoka, do you think that maybe they want us to stay out of this area?"

The Togruta pondered it. "Perhaps, but it might be something much bigger. It could be a demonstration of our weaknesses. Who came up with the design for the Imperial Star Destroyer, exactly? I don't remember any of these from our days in the War. But what's strange is the use of old droid designs – or maybe leftover models. Do we really know what happened when the War ended and most of us were killed? Anakin?"

"All of the droids were supposed to be deactivated, that was the order. Dooku and Grievous were both dead. But … it is possible that some of this might have fallen through the cracks."

While they were thinking about it, Admiral Sloane entered the room. All eyes turned to her.

"We ran preliminary analysis on the captured ships. They were completely automatic, no sentient crew members of any kind, not even droids."

"Did you look for self-destruct programs?" Maris asked the Admiral.

"Yes, we did, Lady Brood, and found nothing."

"What about the status of their forces?" Ahsoka asked. "I would like to know where these strange vessels came from. Obviously, someone else is running the show here."

"I understand your concern, your highness. But we cannot get too close to the remaining ships. They've been shielded and whatever is generating it is impervious to our weaponry."

Just then, the admiral's com sounded. She put it on speaker.

"Madam, the enemy vessels have all disappeared. There is no trace of them now, but there was one curious observation. A large asteroid had been detected in the area during the attack. It too has disappeared."

"How large?" Ahsoka spoke up.

"Perhaps 3000 kilometres. It was difficult to get exact measurements."

"That's some asteroid. More like a small planet," Anakin noted.

Maris also spoke up. "Looks like we don't know what we don't know here. We're running blind."

"Exactly," replied Sloane. "Thank you, Captain." She switched off the com.

"What is the status on the evacuations?"

"85% complete, your highness. Those ships are stricken. I recommend total decommission and recovery operations."

"I agree," Ahsoka responded. "You may proceed with this. Keep me updated."

At that moment, the strange song – that Ahsoka quickly remembered from the night of her wedding – started playing again. It opened with an eerie mixture of instruments that was somewhat soothing, and this time, a female voice sang the lyrics in Galactic Basic:

"The breeze was cool, her kiss was fire … the night birds sang their trills
And when the moon was gone, hidden by the clouds,
I put the fire out somewhere in the hills.

New day, new dawn, and I have gone … in search of other thrills
The moon looks down and sighs – for those laughing eyes are crying
Silently somewhere in the hills."

(A.C. Jobim)

When it stopped, with a gentle fade as the melody continued to play, all four of them – Ahsoka, Anakin, Maris, and Sloane – looked at each other in disbelief.

"It seems like a strange message, but clearly one meant to provoke us." Ahsoka said gently.

"It's got my attention, that's for sure," Anakin also spoke in a low tone. "The moon, though. Could that be the missing piece?"

"Those ships had to go somewhere," Maris noted. "But how exactly?"

"Her kiss was fire." Sloane repeated the first verse. "I think I know what that means."

"There are many answers – but we don't have them." Ahsoka then closed. "Shaak and Yoda must be informed about this. I want as many minds as possible involved. I don't know what we're dealing with, but it could be very serious. I've recorded this whole meeting for playback."

The others silently agreed, nodding their heads. Sloane also noted, "This room is set to record all meetings with holo-images and sounds. There is a record of it here as well."

"Very good," Ahsoka smiled. "Provide me a copy of this record for the Empress."

"Yes, your highness."

Ahsoka then rose. "I am terminating this mission. We shall proceed back to the Chiss Space and see to our wounded crew members. And also provide word to the families of those who died today in service of the Empire. The reign of Empress Shaak is one of compassion for all who serve her."

The Planet Nal Hutta, Hutt Space, Eastern Outer Rim, 1 ABY, 4 months, 26 days

The SSD Punisher had entered into orbit around Nal Hutta, the Hutt home world and location of the Grand Hutt Council. Empress Shaak had asked for and was granted a meeting with them. The Council were well aware of her stated desire to lessen the influence of crime syndicates in the Galaxy, but they knew she would run into difficulty on this plan.

Shaak was planning to go to the surface in one of her specially designed shuttles, one that was adorned in her colors of pink and green, along with the "SR" insignia that indicated her reign over the Galaxy. Accompanying her were three young acolytes and members of the Order: Knight Reema Andujah and Padawans Ezra Bridger and Muu'saama. They were all in the uniform of the Order, olive and black, with golden insignia. A crack unit of one hundred storm troopers were also ready to accompany the Empress on her visit, to dissuade anyone that might want to cause trouble as the Hutt worlds were known to contain many bounty hunters and others now on the margins of Galactic society.

Since his elevation to co-head (with Maris Brood) of the Imperial Security Bureau, Anakin Skywalker had instituted a program to find and further train elite units from the storm trooper ranks. There were existing programs, but Anakin consolidated them and put people he trusted in place to run the new setup. The first graduating class had already been seated and was now placing its members on any ship that the Empress might be wanting to travel on. Anakin had already proudly introduced this first regiment to Shaak and she was appropriately impressed. A short ceremony took place on board the Punisher when they left Coruscant and each member bowed to the Empress and kissed her hand. She then dubbed them "Shaak's Fist" and this move was quite well-received. Shaak already knew much about how to inspire troop morale from her days in the Clone War. The group had undergone some training with regard to conditions on Nal Hutta and the nature of the Hutts and their various subservient species. Before they set out for the Grand Hutt Council, the Empress gave the troops a quick pep talk:

"Today, my legions, you serve the Galaxy by serving yourselves. As your Empress, I am proud of what you have endured to reach this level. My policies are meant to bring justice to every corner of our Galaxy. Let us go forward!"

With that, Shaak was raised on a seated throne that was carried by an honor guard that led the unit of one hundred troops. The three Order members were in front, and the group proceeded to the hall where the Council sat awaiting their arrival. On this day, the Hutt leadership ensured that anyone even remotely possible of creating a problem for Shaak and her group had been safely dispatched elsewhere on the planet, so no bounty hunters or other disreputable types were there for the Empress to witness. As they reached the hall, the group was heartily welcomed by Jabba himself, who dearly hoped that Shaak would remember their earlier alliance. If she did, however, she gave no sign of it at this time. Outside the entrance to the inner chamber where the Council met, Shaak ordered her group to halt and her throne was lowered to the floor and she was helped to her feet. At this time, the Empress was adorned in her royal colors of pink and green in a series of light silks that skimmed over her body and allowed her to endure the humid air of the planet, but she was as unflappable as ever.

Shaak smiled as everyone saluted her, then proceeded inside the chamber, trailed by Ezra, Reema, and Muu'saama, who each had stern expressions on their faces and were acting as the Empress's escorts for the occasion. Shaak then stepped inside the circular array of seated Hutts – eleven in all – who made up the current membership of the Grand Council, and began to speak. Her words were simultaneously translated from Galactic Basic to Huttese for each member to hear in their listening devices.

"Greetings, esteemed members of the Grand Hutt Council. I come in peace and wish to convey my overall sense of good will. As the sovereign ruler of this Galaxy, I have made it a priority to reduce the baleful influence of organized crime throughout the Galaxy. I have sincere hopes that you will wish to assist me in carrying out this policy and will readily agree that no citizen, group, or world should be forced into slavery or made to participate in any arrangement they did not willingly accept. As my reign continues, policies will be enacted by the Galactic Senate and House of Delegates to achieve these just ends. A word of caution, however – my expression of good will and pleasant demeanor shall not be construed as my acceptance of the status quo. There are many doings and organizations in this region of the Galaxy that do not conform with my stated wishes and these will have to be addressed – by whatever means necessary."

Shaak paused for a few seconds as the Council members spoke quietly amongst themselves. Presently, the current chairman of the council addressed the Empress in a somewhat conciliatory tone, which was translated into Basic for her convenience.

"To her royal majesty the Empress, greetings and welcome to Nal Hutta. We are honored by your presence here today and would like to indicate our general agreement with your stated policy, and further, will seek areas where we can work together in a spirit of cooperation. We greatly respect your power and wish to convey our good will toward the Throne as well. Let this day be remembered as one when the Hutt nation forged a new alliance as a loyal part of the Galactic Empire of Her Majesty Shaak the First."

Shaak smiled at the group, then conducted a brief display for their benefit. In a matter of seconds, her body was seemingly consumed in a bright flame of pink and green and glowed all over the visible light spectrum and also reached the ultra-violet band – which only Hutts could see, while most sentient species could not. Outside the Council building, observers could witness a brilliant pyrotechnic display, one similar to what Shaak performed at her coronation ceremony months earlier. It was clear to anyone able to witness the display that she was greatly gifted in the Force and could access it any time she wished. Unstated of course were the implications of just how much power she could quickly summon, but the brilliant displays were meant to show that it could be quite prodigious. After about thirty seconds, Shaak ended the show and resumed her form as the elegant Togruta dressed in lavish pink and green garments.

The Council members further discussed this among themselves and came to an agreement quickly. The chairman again spoke.

"Your majesty, we are in awe of your magnificent powers and wish to convey our loyalty to you and your inspiring reign over the Galaxy. You have truly brought a new era for everyone in the Galaxy. We stand humbled."

Shaak again smiled, then turned to her escorts, who each snapped crisp salutes. She then addressed the Council.

"My sincere gratitude for this opportunity to come before you today, and I am looking forward to a fruitful partnership. I bid you farewell and good day."

The Planet Centares, Northeastern Mid Rim, 1 ABY, 5 months, 10 days

Leia Organa Skywalker and Han Solo were traveling in the Millennium Falcon on some "undercover" business. They had come to Centares because Leia and her co-workers in the intelligence group of the Interior Ministry were trying to learn the extent of Crimson Dawn's remaining influence in the Mid Rim. For this mission, Han was posing as the smuggler he once was and was carrying a cargo of coaxium and Spice, while Leia, looking nothing like the former Princess of Alderaan, wearing a gray jumpsuit with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

As the Falcon flew in low over the terrain, Han and Leia could both see the vast environmental degradation that had been caused in the past by the Empire during the Palpatine era – once rolling prairies had now been transformed into wastelands and a lovely natural reddish lake was now a cesspool of toxic chemicals.

Leia gasped as she saw this. "Han! This was supposed to be a beautiful planet, but look …"

The Corellian shook his head as he gazed out on the landscape. "Strip mining. Just get the stuff out of the ground and keep going. Empire didn't much care what they left behind."

"Shaak needs to know about this. She won't be pleased."

"I'm sure you're right, but … she's got a rather full plate right now, don't ya think?"

Leia sighed as she nodded in response.

They soon found a landing pad somewhere on the outskirts of the city of Muracie. It was a somewhat quieter location than the bustling city. Even though Centares was no longer one of the Galaxy's "garden spots", over one billion sentients still called the planet home.

"This looks like it – the one your contacts in the Ministry told us about," Han noted.

"I hope so," She laughed.

Soon they had landed and debarked. Both Leia and Han had holstered blasters and moved warily away from the ship. But before they knew it, they both felt gun barrels sticking into their ribs from behind. Their hands went up instinctively and their blasters were quickly confiscated.

"Welcome to Centares. We've been expecting you."

Leia wanted to say something, but Han nudged her and put a finger to his lips. Their captors didn't seem to care much, as they quickly hustled both of them into a waiting speeder van. As they got in, both Han and Leia were hit in the back of the neck, causing them to black out.

About two hours later, the pair had regained consciousness. Thankfully, they were being held together, but not in a detention cell. It was more like a pleasant lounge with comfortable furniture and a large-screen holo-vid viewer in one corner of the room. Han was eyeing the screen, looking for any clues as to their whereabouts and what was taking place, when, suddenly the door opened and in walked a rather confident young woman. She had black hair and a dark eyes and carried herself with a sense of swagger. At first, Leia thought she resembled Valles Santhé, but soon ruled that out.

The lady stepped over to Han and looked him in the eye. "Surely you remember me – Han Solo." He took another look, and then it hit him.

"Qi'ra?"

The woman smiled and nodded. "We've come a long way since then, haven't we?" Qi'ra spoke with an affected Core World accent that she felt gave her the appearance of a certain sense of breeding.

Leia quickly picked up on it. "Han – you know this woman?"

He laughed. "It's been about eleven years or so, but yeah. She's originally from Corellia, same as me. Oh, but where are my manners? Qi'ra, this is Leia."

She chuckled. "Oh, I know about you, the former princess of a stricken world. Quite unfortunate, that was. My condolences." Leia glared at her, but Qi'ra seemed not to notice. "I understand you both are Imperials now, working for the Interior Ministry, underneath my good friend Lady Valles."

The mention of that name was too much for Leia, who spoke up quickly.

"So … Qi'ra … what is it exactly that you do?"

The Corellian brushed it off. "Forgive me for failing to properly introduce myself. I am Lady Qi'ra, the chairperson of Crimson Dawn. I also understand that you two were attempting to do some research on us."

Leia's mind raced. If this person is so close to Valles, I cannot imagine why our Grand Vizier would want herself associated with a leader of one of the criminal syndicates. Most interesting. It's as if Valles has utterly no fear whatsoever.

Qi'ra continued. "It just so happens that the business we are engaged in is now considered legal trade activity under the new Empress. We are most grateful for her indulgence."

Leia felt like contradicting her, but then realized that Valles had likely given them some kind of go-ahead. How many other syndicate groups have this kind of arrangement?

She responded sarcastically. "Good to know you are running a fine upstanding organization, Qi'ra. And that you will be happy to cooperate with the Interior ministry."

Qi'ra's expression changed slightly, but not her tone. "We have nothing to fear. But we also will not permit unauthorized snooping on our legitimate activities. Without an actual Imperial decree or other lawful order – we are free to pursue our business. You are free to go, provided you leave our sector and do not return. Otherwise, your next welcome will not be so pleasant. Good day!"

Qi'ra turned and left the room, and soon Han and Leia were given transport back to the Falcon. As they left the Centares system, they reviewed what they had seen.

"That planet has become a hotbed of syndicate activity – and it seems to have the sanction of the Grand Vizier's office." Leia noted. "But why, exactly? Valles is already the richest person in the Galaxy, what could she gain from working with the syndicates?"

Han scoffed. "Nothing she will admit to, that's for sure. You said yourself you didn't think Shaak ought to trust her. Now I see why … but there's more to this."

"How well did you know Qi'ra?"

"We were close at one time. The two of us kind of grew up together on Corellia and we'd made a pact to try to get off the planet. There was no future there as the place seemed to be run by various gangs at the time. I made it, but she didn't. Then, three years later, she turns up working for Crimson Dawn under a guy named Dryden Vos. Now she's the one in charge. She'd always been rather ambitious. It's hardly surprising she'd want to get close to Valles. I have one question, though. How legal is trade in coaxium now? Before Shaak, the Empire wouldn't permit it, and would seize any shipments."

Leia thought about it. "The House of Delegates passed a bill that the Senate is looking at. But I doubt Shaak will sign it. It's kind of sketchy."

"Yeah, it looks like there is still plenty of corruption going on. Shaak said she wanted to clean it up, but it's just too big. So Qi'ra and her friends appear to be bluffing, but who will now enforce the law?"

Leia shook her head. "Well, we are technically supposed to do that, but Valles will likely override us. Her greed is just endless."

Coruscant, New Imperial Palace, 1 ABY, 5 months, 2 days, 9 hours

After Shaak had returned home to Coruscant, it wasn't long before she received the report from Ahsoka about the happenings in the Unknown Regions, including the strange song that played for them after the attack was over. The Empress went into meditation soon after and she was certain that the mysterious "Su" had been behind the whole series of events. But what was the real purpose?

This time, however, Su paid her no return visit, either in her thoughts or physically. Whoever this unseen enemy was, it was clear they had detected flaws in Imperial designs and defenses and were ready to dish out more of the same, should there be a re-engagement. Shaak considered some ideas in her mind, but wasn't satisfied with any of them.

How might I contact you, Empress Su? It appears we have a one-way communication setup. You reach us any time you want, but we cannot do the same. I suppose I should be grateful for your demonstration of our inefficiencies, and if not for the quick thinking of our able leaders, possibly much greater casualties would have resulted on our side. For me, it is clear that another strategy session is indicated. But, in a bigger sense, what are the implications here? Are we essentially vulnerable to vastly advanced technology or is it really just one individual? If so, she's got us right where she wants us. But what does she really want …

To be continued …