Vader joins the Executor

On the bridge of the Executor, the massive Dreadnaught Class Ship, the Imperial Flight Officer frowned at the unusual blip on his screen. It was a TIE fighter Imperial designation but a strange one. There were no landings scheduled for the ID code.

"Imperial fighter, identify yourself!" he said gruffly.

"Dreadnought Executor, this is your lord. I will be landing now," came the deep-voiced reply over the COM.

Lord? Thought the operator. Pilots should know better than to joke around with flight control.

"Now look here pilot, what is your landing code and what are you doing in—ahhh."

Suddenly the Imperial felt as if a strong hand was constricting his windpipe. He could no longer utter a sound.

"I am in no mood for your insolence," came the reply. "This is Darth Vader. Clear the flight deck for landing now!"

The poor controller was now in the unfortunate position of needing to obey the order but being unable to speak. He ran to the closest Fight Lieutenant shoving him away from his station.

"Hey! What's the big idea Johnson?" said the startled and irate officer.

Just before he was about to collapse, Johnson typed lord vapder rewqests clerance fr landing nowww.

Deciphering the misspelled message the officer said, "Have you lost your mind Ensign? Lord Vader is currently on the new battle station!"

Now the officer's COM squawked loudly, "Lieutenant Hawkins, if you value your life clear the hanger for my landing!"

Having heard Vader just once before, the voice was etched into his memory. Hawkins' face became white as his heart went into his throat.

Johnson fell to the floor.

Hankins fumbled with the COM switches.

"Attention all fighters cancel all launches and divert from main hanger bay, repeat, cancel all launches and divert from main hanger bay!"

Johnson exhaled a loud gasp and breathed once again.

Inside the cockpit Vader's blood was virtually boiling as he gave in to his anger once again. He felt the familiar pain from where his artificial limbs met flesh. The sensations were getting worse. Using the Dark Side he blocked out the pain. The rebels would pay for their brazen mission that destroyed the Emperor's pride and joy.

He was not looking forward to the upcoming conversation with his master.

A cold welcome

The Millenium Falcon glided toward the village of Fort Ypso on the icy planet of Vandor. The sky was clear and bright as they flew over the mountain range that surrounded the fort. The Corrilian freighter settled into the assigned hanger bay, the ramp dropped and Han and Luke were met with a cold blast of air. They walked out in hooded, earth-toned robes with wraps that covered their faces. They were disguised as merchants who occasionally visited the village as to not stand out to the Imperial soldiers who milled about in groups of two.

They were scheduled to meet O'in Teillord—a nefarious trader who had formed a tenuous relationship with the Neelabi, the largest tribe on the planet. The Neelabi tamed vast herds of Tauntauns and rode on the snow lizards. The Alliance needed a small herd to be able to survive on the cold planet of Hoth.

The two rebel pilots were still riding high from their unlikely victory over the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin. Now they turned to a less prestigious but equally important mission for the survival of the Alliance.

Leaving Han's hairy Wookie co-pilot on board the Falcon, Han and Luke used a navigation watch as they walked the short distance through the streets to a local watering hole called the Reso Lizaweh, translated the Blue Lizard. The pair entered the bar and looked for a human in a gray and green flight suit. Han was on alert because it reminded him of the meeting with Greedo in a similar place. That encounter seemed so long ago. They soon found Teillord in a corner booth with his worn helmet on the table.

Han spoke in the Neelabi language thanks to the translator system that he wore over his mouth and ears.

"O'in Teillord I presume. I hear you have a herd of Tauntauns for us."

The trader smiled, "At the right price," he said.

As a bounty hunter Han had experience haggling with characters who thought they could take advantage of him. So Luke stayed mostly silent. The two dickered until they agreed upon a price. Han bickered and used the phrase "trade route robbery," and Teillord complained about his shrinking cut of the profits. But both knew they were getting a fair deal. The two rebels arranged to pick up their acquired herd of Tauntauns at a large breading ground far from the eyes of the Empire. An Alliance Mon Calimari cruiser would land to meet the Neelabi traders in a remote area of the planet.

Teillord handed Han his datapad with his bank account pulled up. Han made the agreed deposit in Imperial credits which was properly rerouted a few times. The transaction could not be traced. The trader would get the rest upon delivery.

"Well O'in, I suppose it was acceptable doing business with you," Han said grudgingly.

Teillord smiled, nodded and said, "Solo."

Han and Luke made their way out of the bar and back to their ship where they sent an encrypted message to the Alliance command ship currently orbiting Hoth.

Empire forces dispatched

The on-deck Imperial personnel stood at attention as Darth Vader strode into the bridge of the Executor. His dark eyes turned toward the officer-on-duty.

"Summon Admiral Ozzel," he said.

Vader tramped across the raised platform over the command center to the large window. He looked out over the Imperial fleet docked near the man-made ring of space stations that surrounded the planet Kuat and waited. (The Kuat Drive Yard Corporation produced most of the large warships for the Galactic Empire.) Soon the commander of the Executor arrived.

The mustached Admiral Kendal Ozzel gave a little bow as he said, "Lord Vader."

Then he smirked and said, "I understand that the Emperor's battle station was completely destroyed killing Governor Tarkin and a great many officers and troops. I believe— "

"Never mind that Admiral," Vader interrupted. "The pressing matter is taking care of the Rebels on Yavin 4. Make ready the fleet immediately and prepare for an air and ground assault."

"Yes Lord Vader," Ozzel bowed curtly, turned and left the platform.