Chapter 4

A new assignment

Ensign Nera Kase and Captain Lars Dodanna walked with Princess Leah as she inspected the ongoing work inside the cave on Hoth. The base was designated with code name Echo. It had been more than two weeks since the entrance door was completed to protect against Hoth's sub-zero temperatures at night. The barracks and command center were coming along quite nicely. The cave was also big enough to support a hanger bay for the newly acquired T-47 light airspeeders.

Upon arriving at Hoth, Kase was quickly assigned as crew chief for all rebel craft. The three walked to a nearby airspeeder.

"Ensign Kase, how are the T-47 modifications progressing?" said Princess Leah.

Hoth's extreme cold caused the T-47's power generators to lock up since they ran hot. The low altitude vehicles had been acquired from a remnant of Partisans on the planet Jedha. The Partisans were a militant insurgent group founded by Saw Gerrera. He and most of his guerillas were killed one year ago by a Death Star blast that decimated Jedha's Holy City.

"My crew technicians have almost completed insulating the radiator fins with side panels," said Kase. "We've tested out the modifications and they do decrease the heat exchange enough to compensate for the extreme cold."

"Good," said Leah. "Then I have another assignment for the two of you.

"We've received word that there is a decommissioned Praetor-class Star Battlecruiser that has been left derelict by the Empire. The ship has deflector shields and a reactor system that should be strong enough to protect Echo base, but we don't know the location of the ship.

"I want the two of you to take a small force to Coruscant to meet with a bounty hunter named Dengar who knows the location. He's a shady character, a human, who has had dealings with the Empire—but he's getting up there in age and these days he mostly stays in Couruscant's Uscru District. You'll most likely find him there at the Outlander Club because he also has a habit of gambling. Hopefully he will be in need of credits and you can buy the information from him. He should be willing to help us when he finds out how much we'd be willing to pay.

"I don't need to tell you both that discretion is of the utmost priority. Don't get caught by the Empire."

"We'll do our best," said Dodonna.

"Do better than that, Captian. Succeed," said Leah.

A meeting with Dengar

Eight rebels in heavy disguise entered the Outlander Club in pairs of two. They carried well-hidden weapons and had been instructed to mingle around the back of the club where the gambling was taking place.

Nera and Lars walked into the club dressed as blue-collar workers from one of the many power plants on Couruscant. Nera just had to put on one of her many grease-stained jumpsuits and abstain from washing her hands.

The pair had studied an old picture of Dengar in a white hood and turban and a brown flight suit. The bounty hunter had deep scars on the right side of his face.

"Well he shouldn't be too hard to spot even though he is a bit older," said Nera.

The pair walked through the crowded bar area into the back of the club where several game tables were set up. Before long Lars spotted a gray-haired man with his distinctive scars.

He nudged Nera and said, "Look there he is."

Dengar was engaged in a game of Sabacc near the back of the smoke filled room.

The players looked intense because of the large pot in the center of the table. Dengar's stack of chips was the lowest of the group. The player before him was a green reptilian character, and he made a significant raise to the pot. A few moments later the bounty hunter decided to go all in to remain in the hand. The three other players quickly folded.

Dengar and other player revealed their hand. The green fellow made some sounds that resembled laughter, and Dengar slapped both hands on the table. He was out of the game. He downed the rest of his drink and pushed back in disgust as the winner drew in the large pot. Dengar walked over to the bar and ordered another drink.

"Perfect," said Lars. "He'll be in need of some quick credits at the moment."

Nera and Lars slowly made their way over to him and approached the bar on either side of him. The two leaned in toward the bounty hunter.

"Hello friend, I couldn't help but notice that you recently ran into some bad luck," said Lars.

"What's it to you?" he snapped.

"Well," began Nera. "What if I told you that your luck was about to change?"

Intrigued Dengar looked at the ensign and said, "Yeah?"

"I hear you happen to know the location of a certain old Battlecrusier with a certain large shield and reactor system," said Kase. "We'd like to know where it is."

"The one we are interested in has been scuttled by the Empire but the shields and the reactor system are still functional," said the captain.

Dengar smirked and took a sip of his drink. "Yeah, I believe I know the one you are talking about. I know where it is."

He took a long pull of his drink.

"But if you're going to make it worth my while how much are we talking?"

Lars reached for a nearby napkin and wrote a number on it. He slid it to the bounty hunter.

Dengar whistled. "Well if you are willing to pay this much a little more wouldn't hurt would it? And of course you could also buy the next round."

Dengar snatched Lars' pen, wrote a number of his own and slid the napkin back.

Lars frowned and took the napkin over to Nera. They spoke for a bit in hushed tones. Then Nera said, "Yes, this is acceptable."

Lars got the attention of the bartender and said, "Three Captain's Specials, make them fatal."

Dengar smiled and said, "Now we're talking!"

Nera said, "Of course, we would like to keep this quiet from anyone. You never saw us."

"Never saw who?" said the bounty hunter.

The bartender mixed their drinks. The three took them and walked to a small, unoccupied table in the corner of the room.

"First I want my credits," said Dengar.

Nera and Lars looked and one another. Nera nodded. Lars produced a small datapad and handed it to the man. Dengar punched in some information and pulled up an account.

"Here you can send it to this account. And be sure you reroute it a few times," he said.

"Of course," said Lars. He pulled up another account and made the few transfers that he had been instructed to by the Alliance.

Lars handed the datapad back to the bounty hunter.

Dengar smiled when he saw his account significantly increased and said, "Okay, the Empire controls a desolate prison planet called Wobani.

"The Praetor-class Battlecruiser is named Colosses and they scuttled it there about ten years ago after they figured repairs and modifications to bring it up to standards was too expensive. The Empire don't watch the ship all the time or most of the planet, but plan to board when the ship is on the far side of the planet to the prison. Here are the coordinates."

The bounty hunter grabbed another napkin and wrote a series of numbers and dashes.

Lars smiled and stuck out his hand.

"Nice doing business with you," he said.

Dengar shook his hand, smirked and said, "Likewise I'm sure."