Entry 17

We eventually arrived at an abandoned factory. Haus pulled the maglev train to the rear of the building where years ago InterCity transports would offload raw materials to fuel the area's once thriving manufacturing industry. He locked down the train and then motioned for us to follow him inside the old, dilapidated building. Den had a look of trepidation on his face as we entered. I don't blame him. The last time we were deep in the decrepit bowels of this city-world we were attacked by feral droids.

For some people feral droids were simply an urban legend, a thing of fancy, but I've seen them and what evil they can do. Den, I-Five and I encountered a group of homicidal droids a few months back. It was believed they had their programing significantly altered either by a rogue virus or by exposure to radiation that can be found in various hotspots in the lower levels. We saw a number of sentients beheaded and tore apart by the savage droids. One room we came upon looked like the crazed droids decided to repaint the walls with their victim's blood. I gave an involuntary shiver as I thought about it.

Haus led us to a dark room. He flicked on the lights and as the outline of a person was illuminated we all went for our weapons. "Whoa, don't shoot it!" Pol chuckled as he walked into the room. "It's I-Five's new droid body…if he likes it of course."

I-Five's Artoo body bumped Den out of the way as he came through the door. "An 501-Z police droid." I-Five said. His voice synthesizers gave his voice a reedy sound, but I thought I detected a hint of awe.

Prefect Haus came up next to the almost two meter tall SoroSubb Corporation droid. "It's an older model, but it is functional. I purchased it at a police auction. Our precinct was selling the older droids to make way for a newer model. The Law Enforcement transponder was removed along with all police decals from the chassis and the classified law enforcement programing has been wiped. The droids can now be reprogramed for civilian security occupations." He turned back to I-Five. "I know it is not the I-5YQ-series protocol droid body that you wanted, but I hope you like it anyway."

I'm positive that if I-Five was in his Human Replicate Droid body he'd be grinning ear-to-ear. "It is perfect Prefect Haus. I am grateful."

A pleased sound escaped Haus. "I'm glad you like it. I think you can use it on this mission to rescue Sheel." He motioned us over to an area with a table and chairs. Once we were all seated he began his briefing. "I discovered Sheel was on the Imperial prison barge Purge. The prisoners were disembarked on the planet Despayre. It is an Outer Rim Territory planet within the Atrivis sector. It is a terrestrial world with breathable air. It is a tropical environment with a lot of nasty indigenous creatures and plants, most of them poisonous. There are venomous flying lizards called Flit bloodsuckers, also there are Ratbats, rodent like creatures that I have been told are a staple of the prison population diet."

I saw Sacha make face at that comment. I guess rats are not her favorite dish.

"There are stinging Scorpion slugs," Pol continued. "Crab spiders as big as your hand and Virevols which are described as saber-tooth rats the size of wolves."

Den made a snorting noise. "Oh, is that all?"

Haus slumped in his seat. "I know, it's bad and I wouldn't blame you if you backed out, but if you do go, I want you to understand all the dangers. Not only do you have to worry about the guards and prisoners, but everything on the planet." He looked around the table expectantly. I think he thought we would bolt out of the room right about now.

"I was being sarcastic," Den laughed. "You should see what we had to go through to get Yimmon back. We had stormtroopers, Inquisitors, and Darth Vader. I think a stinging slug we can handle."

Pol gave a relieved breath. "Good." He pulled out a datapad and pulled up a map. "This map hasn't been updated for a few years, but I doubt much has changed on the prison planet." He turned the datapad around so those sitting across the table from him could view it. "This shaded area on the map is the Slashtown Prison colony. There is also a shanty town nearby called Dungeontown."

I-Five in his Artoo body was trying to tip up on his legs to get a better look. Magash picked up the datapad and allowed I-Five to view the map before putting it back down on the table. Sacha looked over the area diagram with a grim look on her face.

"At least there isn't a RapeVille or an VivisectionVillage on the map." Sacha's voice was full of sarcasm.

"The map hasn't been updated for a few years," Magash reminded her in a deadpan tone of voice. The corner of their lips curled up into twin conspiratorial grins before two women started laughing at the comment. They definitely were getting along much better than when they first met.

"What's the plan?" I asked Pol Haus.

He sat up in his seat as he ran a nervous hand over one of his cranial horns. "The prison planet has requested two D-904 garbage crawlers. Those are those continuous track trash vehicles you may have seen in the city. They have droid arms that seize garbage containers, lift them up and dump the contents into a payload bay where the trash is compacted. A Whiplash operative works for the company that manufactures the vehicles. He can get you onboard the shuttle bringing the crawlers to the planet. He'll be the pilot." Pol Haus turned to Den. "I figure you can be the co-pilot." He then looked back to me. "I could get you all onboard as crew, but the shuttle is normally a two man operation. That may be suspicious. We have in the past transported prisoners to these penal planets by way of civilian cargo ship. I am thinking the women can be sent in as prisoners and you as an Inquisitor."

I didn't like the idea of Magash and Sacha having to go in as prisoners. "Why the women and not me?"

Pol nervously drummed his fingers on the table. "I have been told that female prisoners have set up a system to stay alive in this mixed-gender penal colony. They either quickly hook up with a very large male that protects them in exchange for sex or they go to an area of Slashtown called 'Sisterhood Central'. There the women have banded together for protection. Any male found wandering around in the area is overrun by a mob of women brandishing rocks, spears and other improvised weapons and immediately killed. Guards don't even like going into that area. I don't even know if an Inquisitor would be safe from attack. My guess is Sheel will opt to live in the Sisterhood. Magash and Sacha can look for her there while you search for her in the other areas."

I looked at the two women who in turn looked at each other. "What do you think?" Sacha asked Magash.

A slight smile crossed Magash's face. "Sisterhood Central sounds very much like some towns on Dathomir. I have no objection to going in."

Sacha nodded and then turned to me. "I'm in."

"Thank you," Pol said gravely. "I have a old colleague working at the prison. He is not happy with his current assignment. He believes he was sent there for irritating his Imperial commander. I told him I might be able to get him orders out of there if he will help us."

I shook my head with apprehension. "If he isn't part of Whiplash why should we trust him?"

Pol gave me a weak smile. "He is an old friend and I told him the truth. I am sending in some friends to help rescue the woman I love…a women who was wrongly convicted. He doesn't see this as an insurgent raid, just one man doing anything for love. He lost his wife recently. He knows what it is like to lose a loved one. He doesn't know I'm part of Whiplash and he's not a rebel, but he doesn't have a huge love for this new Empire. He is just putting in the days before retirement." He hesitated as he looked at each of us. "I trust him, but he is one man in a big prison planet. He can't do much, but he'll do what he can and turn a blind eye when possible." He gazed at me intently. "If you go in as an Inquisitor, I can't tell him you're with me. He'd never understand why I would have a Sith friend. Inquisitors hop transports all over the galaxy. They don't have to be on a flight roster or even pay passage. They go wherever they want. I have never seen any of my men question an Inquisitor. Just flash a red lightsaber and that is your pass into any door. Unless you run into another Inquisitor you should be able to get in and out of Despayre easily, that is if you decide to take this mission. Are you in?"

I didn't like working with an Imperial who wasn't part of Whiplash or any other Rebel organization, but questionable help was better than no help at all. I heaved a big sigh before I spoke. "We're in. Just tell us your plan to get us out."