Summary
Here is the untold story of the events that took place in other parts of the galaxy between Episodes lll and lV; a novel in which the brillant young pilot, Dash Rendar, battles a powerful villian named Prince Xizor, who is the evil equal to his nemesis Darth Vader.
It is a time before the great revolt, the galaxy has been ruled by the evil Empire for several years. Dash Rendar is earning a living running spice from Kessel to the planet Ylesia for the ruthless Jabba the Hutt. Hijacked during a mysterious crime spree sets Dash at odds with Jabba. Rendar looses his vessel, the Outrider, in payment to the Hutt, who sold it to IG88 to recover his loses. As Dash Rendar sets out to recover his ship, he discovers the plot of the hijackers. Rendar, along with other freighter captains, develop a plan of their own to turn the tables on the bandits, who are under the leadership of the crime lord, Prince Xizor.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the familiar characters or locations that pertain to the ' Star Wars ' movies, books and/or video games.
Prologue
Dash Rendar was tall a Corellian, a human species, from the planet Corellia and a long time friend of the famous Han Solo, who is one year his senior at 25 years of age. He has a bit of Han's impudent and bold manners to his appearance and a indolence about his work ethics and an unwillingness to exert himself. In his early years, he was a young cadet in the Imperial Academy.
The Prince owned a legitimate shipping concern , Xizor Transport Systems, that he funneled much of his ill-gotten gains from the Black Sun crime syndicate. He also put the Besadii Hutt clan in his pocket by helping Durga the Hutt become clan leader, making him one of the Black Sun's nine lieutenants, or vigos, and establishing partnerships with him and Jabba the Hutt in many business schemes.
Prince Xizor amassed incalculable wealth as head of the Black Sun and spent millions on his Star-Viper Virago and the capital warship Vendatta and constructed a luxury skyhook satellite, the Falleen's Fist, that remains tethered in a low planet Coruscant orbit. He also purchased a lifelike human replica droid named Guri for nine million credits, and trained her to be his second in command.
Dash was expelled from theAcademy shortly after his brother died when his vessel crashed into the Imperial Museum and his family was banished by Emperor Palpatine as a result. Dash was then forced to make his own way in life. He tread down the path of deceit and crime at first becoming a thief and a shiftless vagabond wandering from place to place searching for a means to survive.
Rendar finally found his way piloting freighters in the employment of several crime bosses and anyone who would pay the price, eventually earning enough credits to purchase his own ship, the Corellian YT-2400 freighter named The Outrider. Soon after purchasing his freighter, Dash became an independence contractor and later bought himself a small second hand companion droid of the P2 series and had the unit updated with R2 series capabilities. Then later during a visit to Rodia , in the Tyrius system, an entertainer traded him a LE-BO2D9 droid, by the name of Leebo, in exchange for passage off planet to Talus in the Corellian system
Leebo became more of a co-pilot and companion to Dash rather than a machine that he possessed and was always set apart from the other such units by carrying a tool bag that was always slung over it's left shoulder. Dash considered Leebo an equal to himself and would split whatever profit's the two of them earned equally.
Both Dash and Leebo, who was on consignment under the employment of one of the Desilijic clan members known as Jabba the Hutt, from the planet Nal Hutta, was making a spice run from the planet Kessel to the spice factories on the planet of Ylesia, a major spice processing center owned by criminal kingpin Zavval the Hutt. Spice was one of the major industries in the Outer Rim Territories.
Dash had left his freighter the Outrider on the Hutt's home planet, parked on the landing platform just outside of Jabba's domicile. He left his P2 unit on board to make several maintenance repair jobs while he piloted a larger company freighter owned by Jabba to the spice mining planet of Kessel.
He and Leebo had just picked up Jabba's spice load which was provided by Jabba's main supplier, Moruth Doole, who was skimming his contraband from miners on Kessel. Selling it to the Hutt under cost, as well as to several others to whom he dealt with under-handedly. Rendar and Leebo had just left the confines of Kessel, navigating past the planet's four orbital moons, on their journey throughout the Outer Rim region of the Galaxy headed to Ylesia.
The Adventures of Dash Rendar
A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away….Star Wars-Episode 3.5
Dash Rendar and his droid companion LE-B02D9, better known as Leebo, have just left the mining planet of Kessel on their run to Ylesia , a major spice processing center in the Outer Rim area of the galaxy. They are soon to be overtaken by two Y-wing fighters and a star destroyer of Prince Xizor under the command by one of his henchmen, commander Zircon.
Rendar, who has taken the loaded spice freighter run as a commission from Jabba the Hutt, is seriously out numbered and outgunned by his oncoming hijackers and faces potential disaster.
Prince Xizor is trying to expand his hold over the Outer Rim territories by siphoning off some of the Empire's diminutive influence over that part of the Galaxy to improve his status as a Galactic ruler in an effort to win favor from Emperor Palpatine.
Chapter One
The scene opens in mid-battle as a Xiytiar-class freighter is being chased by two Y-wing fighters and the capital warship Vendetta with turbo blasters firing at the loaded transport. The Y-wings are gaining ground as the freighter heads for an asteroid field for cover, dodging several large rocks on the outer reaches of the field, a maneuver that's just enough to keep the hijackers off her back and at bay.
' Angle our deflector shields!' screamed the freighter's captain Dash Rendar. 'Where in the hell did all those ships come from? ' He asked as he headed the vessel deeper into the asteroid field.
'I believe from one of Kessel's four moons, sir,' calmly remarked Dash's droid companion LE-B02D9. 'Sir, are you sure you want to enter that asteroid field. The chances of successfully navigating through it are…3,720 to one. My computer sir, doesn't list any freighter that has successfully navigated through a type one asteroid field in the past ten years. Sir, it also informs me that the star logs is listing this particular field as a type one-point five.'
' Well, see Leebo. At least it's not a type one!'
' But sir, that's only a half of a point difference.' Leebo warned him.
' Well, a half a point is better than no point at all, isn't it?' Dash quiped.
'Besides, we don't have much choice, Leebo,' Dash answers. ' Those Y-wings are gaining on us. If it wasn't for this load of spice, we might be able to out run them. We still might have to dump it.'
'Oh my dear, Jabba the Hutt will not like that' Leebo worried, ' Not like that at all.'
'Well, it's either that or we'll end up as space debris,' Dash explained.
On board the star destroyer, The Vendetta, commander Zircon stands watching the action, when a tall reptilian figure, Prince Xizor enters ' Release the A-wing fighters you fool, before they get away! Must I do everything!'He orders, his dark blue eyes flaring and his dusky green skin turning colors into a shade of dark purple as his pheromones rise with his rage.
Prince Xizor is a tall humanoid reptile from the planet Falleen near the Corellian Run, the head of the Black Sun crime synidicate and the third most powerful figure in the galaxy. His powerful Falleen pheromones can sway the emotions of other beings, enticing and influencing them to do his bidding
Commander Zircon could feel Xizor's physiology influence as if he had been sprayed by some fragrance that emitted a control inducing sweet-smelling odor he couldn't deny as he answered in compliance, ' Yes sir! '
He turned and ordered his radio operator, ' Release the A-wings!' Then his operator at the control panel relayed the order to the officer of the day below deck. A split second later, the operator turned his head back and looking up at the commander said, ' A-wings away sir!'
' Excellent!' Prince Xizor announced as his reptilian skin color returned it's normal shade of green bringing a smile to commander Zircon's face.
' Watch my dear and you'll see how its done,' Xizor tells his tall, attractive blonde protégé, Guri , whose always at his side and who he still continues training as his second in command.
' These A-wings will over take that freighter in a matter of minutes and it's captain will either have to surrender or be destroyed along with his ship.' Xizor instructed. ' Stay out of the asteroid field commander and let our A-wings take down that vessel. No use putting our destroyer in jeopardy. Radio the Y-Wings and tell them to stay out as well, our little fighters will do the job.'
The commander turned to Prince Xizor and asked, ' But sir, what if the freighter out maneuvers the A-Wings and takes them deep into the field, we'll lose them.'
Prince Xizor's elevated, sharp reptilian spinal ridge raised even higher and turned a fiery shade of red, his sharp black finger nails clenched as he glared at the commander in a more aggressive rage than before and demanded,' Commander Zircon, I gave you an order, now follow it! If that freighter captain is willing to risk the destruction of his ship as well as his own life than he would have to be insane. He'll come out, if not now than later. We'll wait for him, and when he does come out we'll blow him out of the sky. Now give the order!'
' Yes sir!' Zircon spoke out sharply as he turned and relaid the command.
Moments later, twelve small A-wing fighters can be seen emerging from underneath the Imperial starship, The Vendetta. The commander told his radio operator to call off the Y-Wings and also told his engineers, as well as his two escorts, to plot a course parallel to the asteroid field and wait for the freighter to come out.
Prince Xizor looked down towards his female assistant Guri, put his arm around her and squeezed her against himself. He spoke to her in a low voice so only she could hear him, ' You see my dear, sometimes you have to be firm. Never let anyone dissuade you from what you believe is right.'
' Yes, my master.' Guri replied.
Immediately, the A-Wings swarmed toward the freighter like a large mass of bees firing upon the ship with numerous laser blast while closing the distance between them. The numerous fighters advanced in a swirl like maneuver in circular spin as each fired at a particular moment when they were clear of the vessel ahead of them. A maneuver that was meant to distract their victims and make it harder to lock on to any of the moving targets. Unfortunately, once they penetrated further into the asteroid field, their maneuver was too dangerous to undertake. A fact that Dash Rendar's Academy training taught him well.
'We've got company, sir' remarks Leebo.
'Take over the controls, I'll man the rear guns,' Dash orders as he unfastens his shoulder straps and climbs out of his pilot's seat. He starts to rush across the hull's deck towards the rear gunner's cockpit, but then he stops after taking just two steps and turns back to Leebo to give him more instructions as Leebo turns to look at him.
' But sir, I've never navigated through an asteroid belt before,' Leebo warns.
'You'll be okay, just don't hit any of those huge rocks. Like that one right there.' Dash shouts as he points towards the viewing window in front of Leebo.
Leebo turns back his head to see a huge asteroid nearly on top of him. He cranks the controls and just misses the missile. 'Oh my dear. Oh my dear,' Leebo remarks worriedly, ' How am I ever going to do this. I'm just a robot, I've never done this before. Oh my dear, oh my dear.'
'Just keep your mind on what your doing,' Dash says as he climbs into the seat in the gunner's bubble cockpit. 'Okay baby, let's show these rascals what we're made of.' He said as he patted the side of his laser cannon before grabbing the controls with both hands.
As the A-wings approach, Dash fires rotating his swivel chair from left to right while firing continuously. 'Man, these things are too quick,' He remarks as several shots miss their mark.' So you want to play that way, ah!' Dash counters as he makes some adjustments to his gun.
'At least the deflector shields are holding up on this bucket of bolts.' As a shot shakes the ship, 'I should of never let Jabba talk me into using this crate just because it carrys a larger load. I sure wish I had my Outrider instead, then we'd sure lose them,' Dash remarks as the A-wings circle around to prepare for a second wave of attack. 'Okay puppies, try me this time. I'm ready for you now.'
The A-wings advance, scoring several hits on the freighter that shakes the ship. 'Come on baby, hold up,' Dash pleads as he looks around skyward and then readies himself for the next wave.
Rendar fires and destroys two attackers , one to the right and one to the left. 'Ah ha,' He exclaims,' Take that you poachers. Hey Leebo! I just got two of them.'
' Excellent, sir' Leebo hollers back as he slightly turns his head not wanting to take his eyes off the window and the incoming projectiles in front of him. Suddenly, the asteroid field has gotten more dense as they fly deeper into the belt with the less than dozen or more A-wings hot on their tail. The further they fly into the belt, the harder it is for the A-wings to make contact with their laser shots. At the same time, it made it harder for the freighter to shake it's pursuers, as it now becomes a contest to see who can maneuver the best through the field.
All the while, the A-Wings continue shooting at the freighter as the laser blast explodes into the rocks around the ship. Some of the explosions send small pieces of rock into the ship, as the rocks bounce off the ship's deflector shields. The noise of the many rocks that hit the vessel echo inside the hull of the ship where the two pilots are busy fighting off the attack.
Some of the exploding rocks cause many of the small quicker fighters to alter their flight direction as they twist , dip and summersault over and under the flying debris. Some barely escape mid-space collision as the skim past the life-taking projectiles.
Leebo maneuvers the freighter to the right around a huge asteroid as three A-wings swing around the rock right along behind the ship missing with laser blasts that strike the asteroid causing large explosions. Then Leebo turns the vessel to the left missing another rock and drops down below a large oval shaped asteroid as the rock rolls over the top of the ship barely missing the freighter. All the while several A-wings follow in pursuit with two smashing into a couple smaller rocks that comes all of sudden from beneath the larger asteroid.
In and out Leebo moves the vessel in between, around and underneath as the asteroid field gets thicker and more dense than before. He navigates the vessel like a master shipman whirling the freighter through the jigsaw pattern of the multiple asteroid puzzle design.
Dash looks over his shoulder at Leebo with a lopsided smiles and cranks his head with a short jerk to the left in awe of his piloting prose. Then Dash turns back to his task of shooting at the small menacing attackers. He fires numerous shots that miss due to the fact that Leebo's piloting is throwing off his aim. ' Can't you hold this thing still. I can't hit a thing if your going to fly like that!' Dash screams.
But Leebo is too much into skirting in and out of the asteroids. He was too busy concentrating on maneuvering the freighter threw the asteroid field to realize that Dash was even talking to him. Several more large rocks approach the ship with two of the largest ones colliding together and then separating just enough to allow the freighter to go between them as two more A-wings crash into the gigantic boulders one on each side as they both panic not believing that the rocks would separate fast enough for them to go between.
Dash is still firing all the while hitting one A-wing with a lucky shot that explodes the little vessel just behind the freighter as two more A-wings zigzag quickly to avoid the explosion.
' Ah-ha!' Dash shouts as he was finally able to hit one of the pursuers, ' Finally, I got one!' He announced as if Leebo would be impressed with his ability.
Dash could see that the asteroid field had gotten denser and their unfortunate possibility of crashing the ship and he decided any further navigation of the asteroid belt was futile, so he leaned out toward the hull to yell to Leebo.
' Get out of this belt!' Dash orders, ' This isn't doing us any good. If the A-wings don't get us the rocks will!'
' As you wish, sir,' Leebo answers as he turns the freighter heading out of the cover of the asteroid field. As the freighter makes it's way out of the belt, the A-wings continue firing on the ship missing it but exploding some smaller asteroids near the vessel. The rocks from the disbursing explosion collide with the freighter causing several loud impacts that violently shake the ship.
' Boy, I'm glad we're getting out of here,' Dash admits as he ducks his head out of a nervous reaction to the oncoming rocks.
' I second that emotion, sir,' Leebo agrees.
Meanwhile, the star destroyer and the two Y-wings has followed along the outside of the asteroid field waiting for the freighter to exit the belt. They were shadowing the freighter from a distance laying in wait for their chance to pounce on the unsuspecting Dash Rendar.
Just as Leebo stirred the ship to the outer rim of the asteroid field, a huge rock is nearly upon them as Leebo has to fly the vessel in a circular summer-salt motion rolling over on it's back to avoid the dangerous obstacle as the freighter exit's the asteroid belt.
Now they are out in open space, Dash continues firing at the pursuing A-wings as he makes yet another direct hit on the closest one of the five remaining A-wings in tow. ' That leaves just four left!' Dash shouts excitingly. ' I told you I could handle these rascals! Come on, you want me, come and get me you bastards!'
' Now we've got them,' Prince Xizor tells GurI, as he waves his long purple, green and gold tinted robe around her, his long black hair that attaches to his bald dome like head in a topknot and ponytail swirls in the other direction as he squeeses her even tighter.
Commander Zircon orders his guns to fire upon the freighter. ' Tell the A-wings to recede commander, The Vendetta will finish her off, 'Xizor told him with a huge smile that revealed his sharp white teeth.
At that time, a huge blast jolts the ship. 'What was that?' Rendar asks.
'Sir, I do believe that we are now in range of the star destroyer,' answers Leebo as another blast shakes the ship even more this time.
'This ain't no good,' a panicked Dash remarks. ' That's it, we've got to dump the spice load. It's slowing us down, I'll put in the data for the coordinates to Ylesia.'
'But sir, Jabba,' Leebo warns as Dash moves to the control panel for the hyper-drive.
'I don't care. It's either that or us,'Dash relents as he quickly enters some coordinates and then hurries to the loading hatch controls. 'Well there goes nothing,' Dash says in disgust as the huge load of spice drops through the open bay doors and drifts out into space beneath the freighter.
Just then two more blast shake the ship and throws Dash to the floor. Rendar jumps to his feet, closes the bay doors and while looking up he yells, 'Hey, you got what you wanted, leave us alone.'
Another blast shakes the ship as Dash scurries back into his pilot's seat. 'Let's get the hell out of here. Prepare to make the jump to light-speed.'
' But sir, we haven't got conformation for the heading yet. The computer hasn't double checked your coordinates, sir. Please, sir! We can't go to light-speed until we get conformation!' Leebo exclaims.
'We don't have time for that, anyplace but here is just going to have to do,' Dash explains as he switches several knobs.' Trust me. I know what I'm doing!'
Just then another blast from Xizor's star destroyer shakes the vessel and causes a loud noise.
'What's that,' asks Leebo.
'Too late now,' replies Dash as the freighter blast off into a blur of light leaving the pursuers behind in a tremendous thunder of sound, and a rainbow hue of blurred lights.
' Should we follow them sir?' asks commander Zircon.
'No,' replied Prince Xizor. 'Call back the A-wings, we have a cargo to recover,' Xizor says as he smiles at Guri, places his arm around her shoulder once again and walks her back out the sliding door from which they came. ' See my dear how easy it is to hijack a load of spice. I'll make you rich. Just stick with me my lovely maiden and some day all of this will be yours.'
' I will my Prince,' Guri whispered to Xizor as she squeezed him tightly as they walked.
Soon the freighter comes out of hyperspace drive but Dash and Leebo don't recognize where they are as Dash checks his star charts. A loud noise is heard like the ship is falling apart. 'Check that out Leebo. That don't sound good at all,' Dash orders.
Leebo plugs into the ship's computer and within minutes knows the answer.
'Well, have you found anything?' shouts an impatient Rendar, ' Well,' he continues ,' Well, what is it?'
'It's our main thrusters I'm afraid,' Leebo complies. ' We had better find a place to land for repairs sir. Some place with spare parts and soon I'm afraid. I don't know how far we'll be able to travel. I believe our stabilizers are also damaged on the port-side, and I'm detecting extensive damage to our deflector shields generator, sir.'
'It looks like we're nearing one of the moons of Nal Hutta,' Rendar points out. ' If I remember right, there's a smuggler's moon there with a repair shop and a place we can lay over for a while.'
' I have a feeling sir, that this repair job will be extensive. We are very badly damaged, sir,' Leebo told Dash. ' I only wish we had our little pee-two unit with us, sir. I think I'm going to need all the help I can get and his repair abilities would have been invaluable.'
' Well, he isn't with us so your going to have to do the best you can with what we've got,' Dash replied,' We needed to have pee-two work on the Outrider while we were making this spice run. It was the perfect opportunity for him to repair that dilapidated deflector-shield and to fine tune the hyper-drive. The Outrider has been running a little rough lately. Plus, he is going to install a sensor suite system that will help detect Imperial Custom ships. Yeah, the work he's doing right now is too important for us just to have him wasting his time on this milk run.'
' I understand sir, but I still miss him' Leebo answered as he continued to monitor the computer system through the outlet on the control panel.
So Dash and the copilot Leebo drift towards the nearest moon off the weary looking planet Nal Hutta, a planet in the Y'Toub system. A planet with four circular moons that orbit at different distances with only two maintaining life. The smallest but most populated sphere is the nearest to it's parent planet and is referred to as a habitat for smugglers, thieves, pirates, gunrunners and assorted criminals that take refuge here from the Imperial controlled part of the galaxy.
Soon a thriving city comes into view. One with tall structures protruding into the dark sky., with the numerous neon signs and bright lights in the many colors of the rainbow lighting the night sky. As luck would have it, they were nearing the metropolis known as the Vertical City on the Smugglers Moon of Nar Shaddaa. Dash spots a spaceport, one of many at different levels brightly lit with several different designs and colors at several locations among the many tall structures and heads the limping freighter towards the nearest portal. 'We made it,' Dash remarks as he set's the freighter down on the landing platform.
Soon a half-man, half-beast comes out and signals to Dash to move the freighter into a docking bay and Dash complies knowing the universal hand signals that the man-beast was giving him. Soon the freighter enters docking bay 87 and the attendant signals Dash to park his ship in a marked area and to cut his engines.
' Let's see what this place has to offer,' Dash says. 'It really has grown since the last time I was here. It was just a landing pad. But look, it's a huge city now. I can't believe how it's grown. I almost didn't recognize the place.'
Dash lowers the exit platform and he and Leebo leave the ship, but then circles the freighter to assess the damage. 'Oh my lord,' Dash exclaims, ' I can't believe we were able to even fly this crate. We must have someone watching over us Leebo. I can't believe we made it through hyper-drive with all that damage. But that must be what threw us off course. We're lucky we didn't hyper-drive right into some huge planet or something. ' Dash pondered. ' You think you can fix it, Leebo? '
'If they have the right parts, sir. I believe one of the right stabilizers is completely shot away and there's great damage to the main space drive. We'll need to get it to a repair shop where they have the right equipment. I'll have to pull that whole housing off to get to the damage. All this torn metal will have to be replaced.'
' You check out a possible shop, I need a drink,' Dash remarked, ' There's got to be a cantina or something on this rock someplace. I've got to transmit a report to the shipping authorities first and file an insurance claim with them. I promised Jabba, in case something happened, that I would do that right away. It's funny though, Jabba was real insistent about me filing a claim before we left him that morning. It was as if he knew we were going to be hijacked or something. Naw! That's just being silly, how could he know we were going to be hijacked. Ah! Maybe he was just being cautious, I guess he has the right. He was just trying to cover all of the bases just in case.'
' See you later, Leebo,' Dash said as he turned and went to the docking bay's office to file his report. While there, he paid the manager some credits to park his vessel there over night and then transmitted his report to the shipping authorities on Kessel via Chedak Communications, Inc., a diversified communications company that produces comlink and subspace transmitters and owns several subspace broadcast networks and holographic entertainment studios throughout the galaxy.
Dash thanked the docking bay manager and then left through a side door that lead him outside the spaceport to a large entrance with a series of hallways leading in several directions with signs above them saying their eventual destination. Over the top of all four exits written in phosphorescence purple and green paint was the words Vertical City-population 11,876,342. One of the signs immediately above one of the tunnels read Industrial Sector-Outland Spaceports, another read Corellian Sector midtown, a third said Second Street Lower Urban Zone, and the fourth read Meltdown Café District Upper East Side. Dash headed through the fourth tunnel entrance towards the busy district for all the smugglers traveling throughout the galaxy and the center of all the important business facilities, next to the Corellian Sector.
Dash made his way through several underground corridors until he reached a grim looking place with a greatly worn neon sign that read, 'Raja's Cantina.' He paused for a moment, and looked skyward gazing at the many beautiful lights and huge neon signs on the buildings and the glimmering reflections of the numerous headlights and red colored taillights of the thousands of passing vehicles. It was as if many colored rays of lights from a prism was jetting off in a million different directions bouncing off windows refracting back and forth among all of the many tall skyscrapers.
There were three different levels of traffic all traveling in two opposite directions as if on many invisible thoroughfares at different heights above. The street at ground level was just as crowded with numerous vehicles, noise and lights all passing by, but with the pedestrian foot traffic adding to the congestion and the clutter more so than the scene from above. Dash just shook his head in amazement, turned and continued through the door.
Inside the cantina is a crowded, dark and smoke filled room with loud music being provided by a live band in the back of the room. As he makes his way through the crowd towards the long bar to the right, an opening appears and he can clearly see the band in a wall cavity that was created as a stage . There situated in the front was the bands' synthesizer with a sign which read 'Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-Wailers.'
The band was fronted by three female dancers with purple-green skin, Rodian in nature. Two huge bug like eyes, a small tapir-like snout and short spear-like yellow-orange hair that protrudes straight out from their heads. The only way you could tell that they were female was the way they were dressed with nearly see-through skirts with necklaces and earrings dangling from their pointed ears.
The front player of the band was a short squat blue Ortolan with floppy ears, a snout, and bright blue velvety fur by the name of Max Rebo, a well known orchestra and keyboard player in the Outer Rim galaxy. Along side him was the band leader and horn player Evar Orbus, the Letaki . A species with eight tentacles, an egg-like head, four eyes and is shades of green in nature. Also to Rebo's left was a pudgy and leathery skin creature by the name of Snit, who played some long flute instrument that seemed to disappear beneath his overhung layered like face.
To Rebo's right was the lead singer and fourth member of the group, Sy Snootles, the reedy-voiced singer that stood on spindly legs, with a bulbous body and lips that jut out at the end of a proboscis.
Snootles looks like a gourd on stilts.
As Dash watches the dancers he remarks sarcastically to himself,' Not my kinda women.' But the music Dash thought gave the place a lively and exciting atmosphere. He found an empty stool at the bar, sat down and ordered his favorite drink, a Rangoon fizzer.
The bartender was a droid that stood just four feet tall and was barely visible over the counter. A Cybot Galactica's mobile mixR mastR with dark green eyes and a screened covered speaker for a mouth.
Within seconds the drink was made and sat on the bar in front of Dash. He apprehensively took a taste of the concoction, smiled as the taste met his approval and proceeded to down the drink, breathed a sigh of relief and spout to himself,' I needed that!' than he ordered another drink as he surveyed the surrounding patrons.
There was a shiny orange colored Monnok creature on top the bar at the end acting and excitingly dancing to the music. In between moves the creature would dip it's claws into a basket of nuts next to him throwing them into it's mouth followed by a drink of some kind of greenish brew that was only half swallowed as the rest ran down it's skinny body onto the counter.
A one-eyed Abyssin was positioned at a table just beyond the bar in the corner with it's female mate. Abyssin's are known for their bad tempers. They are fearless and violent and will start a fight over any minor incident. Abyssin's have hulking humanoid frames with long limbs and greenish-tan foreheads.
Several Grans from the planet Kinyen occupy two tables, along with several Rodians and a Yak Face creature who calls himself Saelt-Marae, who is a known informant, maintain yet several more tables against the bar's wall.
One of the Rodians seated at one of the tables against the wall with two of his fellow Rodians was the well known bounty hunter named Greedo. He stands out amongst most Rodians because of his unusual large buggy purple eyes and the way in which he dressed preferring clothes normally worn by humans. Green and tan colored freighter togs with a brown vest and high top black boots were his normal daily wear.
Saelt-Marae is an associate of Jabba the Hutt, whom he sells information to about the intrigues developing behind the Hutt's ample back. He poses as a trader who specializes in locating and selling religious artifacts from primitive cultures.
Also in the crowded room are five male Advosze, who are sited at the bar along side Dash and seven more that occupy two tables across the room. Advosze's are known smugglers who prefer to work for corrupt officials.
There are several humanoid men at the bar and at several tables who are joined by several women of the same species to Dash's left as Rendar downs his fifth fizzer now and is starting to feel the effects of the potent drink.
Time seems to past quickly as one song runs into another as Dash continues to down several more drinks turning his head from side to side; first checking out the entertaining dancers and then searching out the place for any possible good looking unattached women. But it seems that all of the female patrons are with someone, so drinking becomes his only companion.
In between songs, Evar Orbus mutters some indistinguishable words that catches Dash's attention as he turns to see why the band has stopped playing and sees a beautiful Twi-lek dancer out in front of the band. She stands there in a black largely knitted outfit that barely covers the vital areas of her body. Her slim green-colored body and twin head tentacles look attractive. Especially to a worn and weary smuggler that's already had too many Rangoon fizzers. Her bright red lipstick and bright orange eye makeup and colorful head dress made her look like a green goddess along side those other alien dancers.
Now Dash gave all of his attention to her as the music began. Now the music had more of a rhythmic beat as she began to dance commanding all eyes from the crowded room. The back lights now turned to a dark green and a fog-like miss eluded from the floor as the smoke filled bar became an eerie place.
She must have been the main attraction as everyone seemed to have turned all their attention on her and the din of noise that previously made it hard to distinguish the previous lyrics could now be clearly heard. The large dance floor cleared giving her room to maneuver in her dance routine as she was now joined in the background by the other three dancers that performed earlier.
Dash finished his drink and was given another without even ordering it, something that might of annoyed him on any other occasion, but not tonight. He just shrugged his shoulders and accepted the concoction for it enabled his eyes to return back to the provocative dancer that had caught his interest.
Then he feels someone pulling on his arm. 'Dash,' a voice shouts behind him. 'Dash.'
Rendar swivels around and finds Leebo standing next to him. Leebo leans towards him and speaks aloud in his ear,' I found a mechanic to help us work on the ship. He has a shop, but he won't have the part we need until tomorrow.'
' That's fine!' Dash answers, 'Sit down, have a drink.' Leebo looks at him puzzled, knowing Dash knows that he doesn't drink anything, not even water. Dash realizes his mistake and offers,' Go ahead back to the ship. I'm going to be here awhile. I'll be back later.' Leebo gives up, turns and walks out the door as Dash turns back to the entertainment.
Moments later, Dash feels someone near him and catches a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his left eye.
'Ah, you street urchin, who did you rob tonight. ' Saelt-Macae mutters,' The Hutt wants his cut.'
Dash pushes him away with his elbow.' Get out of here, yak face,' Dash grumbles at this little annoyance and turns back to the entertainment, but checks out the intruder to make sure that he has left him alone, as Saelt-Macae leaves through the doorway out of the cantina.
Soon, the Twi-lek dancer and her accompaniment finishes their number and the Twi-lek makes her way over towards Dash as the band begins their next number, but without dancers as the floor is again closed off by a noisier crowd as if a signal has be given to continue their loud conversations.
..' ' Buy me a drink handsome stranger,' She asks of Dash. ' My name is Orsaa, what's yours kind sir.'
'Dash,' Rendar stutters,' Dash Rendar, madam.' ' Will you join me at my table,' She offers pointing to a table across the room and to the right side of the band against the wall were some of the band's mates are seated.
' Sure, why not,' Dash agrees content that he is welcomed to join the group and doesn't have to remain alone any longer. As he slides off his stool he ask,' What are you drinking?'
' Whatever your having is fine,' Orsaa replies. Before Dash could order the drinks, like magic the droid bartender places them before him. Dash looks at the droid in bafflement, reaches into his pocket and pulls out some coins and tosses the appropriate amount of credits on the counter and tells the droid,' Keep the change.'
Orsaa grabs Dash by the right arm as he retrieves the drinks and turns toward her direction following along side her to the crowded table. They slide into the booth as some of the others already seated made room jostling to their left one upon the other in sequence until there was plenty of room for the two newcomers. Some of the women began giggling at the comedy of the nudging and bumping against each other and at their playful bliss of poking each other in the ribs as they moved over..
' This is Daala and Shalookie,' Orsaa introduces Dash to the nearest two women. ' They are Evar and Snit's wives, and that rambunctious creature over there is Sly Snootles' latest squeeze, his name is Jerome. He's our protector when the band's on stage. The other two are Multa and Suwenna. They're just a couple of groupies that follows the boys around. No not really. They're just friends who like a good time, aren't you girls,' Orsaa says motioning to the two young Rodian girls to our opposite. Neither one says anything but they both giggle in high pitched voices as though on cue.
' So who's your man,' Dash inquires of Orsaa.
' You are right now,' She says with a smile as she clings to Dash's left arm. ' I don't have anyone permanent, if that's what you want to know.'
' I'm surprised that you speak my language and so well at that,' Dash asks.
' I speak several languages and even more dialects,' She offers,' My father was once an ambassador and I traveled throughout the galaxy with him.'
' How did you end up here,' Dash wondered.
' I wanted to entertain and I met Evar Orbus in a place on my home planet of Ryloth.' Orsaa continues,' He let me audition for the band, and puff, here I am.'
' Amazing,' Dash answers and as he turns slightly to catch the attention of a passing droid waitress,' Two more Rangoon fizzers, please !' Dash orders.
The droid mixes the drinks inside her metal body and soon a drawer opens up. The droid reaches as two drinks are brought out on a sliding tray and the droid places the glasses on the table. Dash tosses two credits into it's change pouch and says,' Keep the change,' with a sneer as he knows that he had given her the exact amount.
' Thank you kind sir,' The droid wisecracked back to him, an answer that brought a big smile and a chuckle to an unsuspecting Dash. ' What you know,' Dash canters,' A droid with a sense of humor. Who would of thought?'
While Dash was paying for the drinks and with his attention on the droid, Orsaa pours a vile of ryll into his glass. Ryll is a powerful drug that causes hallucinations and is one of the main exports from her planet, Ryloth. Orsaa accomplishes this feat undetected from the others at the table. She retrieves her glass leaving Dash's tainted drink alone in front of him, as he turns and starts drinking the concoction down.
Several more drinks later, Orsaa and the movements around Dash are becoming surreal and Orsaa seems more friendlier with each fleeting moment. Soon she whispers,' Let's go to my capsule.' So they both slide out of the booth and as they stand Orsaa has to steady Dash to keep him from falling.
' This way she says as she grabs his arm and leads him to a back exit that's just between their table and the band stage. By this time, Dash can barely walk, dragging his feet leaning on Orsaa for support.
They exit the noisy cantina out into the cold dark alley. As the door closes to the alley corridor in the back of the cantina, two Rodians jump Dash as one bashes him over the back of the head with a club and he tumbles unconscious to the trash covered side of the dark corner of the bar's outside wall. As the two robbers go through Dash's pockets and steal his remaining credits, Dash's semi-unconscious mind drifts into a confused dream as he seems to be falling down and down into a darkened pit.
The two bandits finish going through his pockets and rush down and out of the alley followed by Orsaa and are soon out of sight. Dash laid huddled among the garbage and crates in the dark shadows of the building moving only slightly in his semi-unconscious condition.
Dash's mind wonders back in time. Back to his days at the Caridan Academy on Carida where he was in training to be an officer in the Imperial Navy. He felt himself being rustled and then grabbed by the arm firmly.' Wake up,' a voice spoke,' Wake up, Dash!' His eyes opened only to find Soontir Fel over him shaking him into consciousness. 'It's time to get up cadet.' Soontir Fel ordered.
Soontir was Dash's senior officer, a Corellian who was one year his senior at the Academy and was already in charge of a dorm full of the new cadets including Dash. ' Get up,' He orders. 'We have our first bivouac assignment , and your trying to sleep right through it. What kind of officer are you going to be anyhow!' He quipped. ' Get up and get dressed and get to the transport before we leave you behind. You've got about five minutes and that was ten minutes ago!' Soontir injected.
Dash scrambled to his feet, threw on his uniform, that of an Imperial cadet, and hurried out of the temporary quarters and to a waiting transport that was already full of service men. Soontir was standing next to the opened transport entrance with a clipboard in his hand and as Dash hurried inside he placed his hand on Dash's back as if to help push him up into the vehicle and told the pilot ' Okay, that's everybody, let's go!' as he too climbed into the transport and sat next to Dash in the only two remaining unoccupied seats.
Seated across from Dash was his closest friend at the Academy and fellow cadet Jocko Nazont, who said laughingly , ' About time buddy! I thought you were going to miss all the action.'
Dash grinned sheepishly back,' Why didn't you wake me?'
' I did! You must of laid back down and went to sleep after I left.'
Just then the motors of the transport revved up loudly drowning out any further conversation as the two cadets exchanged worried stares.
The transport lifted off along with two other transports that had beaten them off the ground and swung around in mid-air barely clearing the wooded bivouac area where the company had settled for the night. The assignment was to clear out some combat arachnid, large monster-like spiders, that has endangered one of the outpost on the other side of the valley in the dense rain forests near the Ressl River.
The native Caridans who live there had put in an emergency call for help and the Academy Commander decided that it was a perfect training exercise for the young cadets. An exercise under fire that might help weed out any cadets that don't have the necessary backbone to become an officer.
Soon the transports arrive at a clearing at the edge of the dense forest near the foot of the mountain range that surrounds the valley. Here is where the arachnid are known to live in the many caves that punctuate the shear cliffs of the towering mountains above.
Immediately after setting down the troops started piling out of the transport and started spreading out to secure the surrounding area. The three sergeants, Soontir Fel from Dash's ship along with Han Solo and Mako Spince each from one of the other two transports started shouting out orders deploying their units to seal off the clearing. The commanding officer, Lieutenant Maximilian Veers soon joined his troops in the middle of the secured area along with his two aids as he pulled out a detailed map of cave locations and started planning his strategy for the search of the arachnid.
Lieutenant Veers was a well respected soldier who came up through the ranks earnings his stripes the hard way, by steady work and perseverance. He came from the working class with few if any political connections, but with a long history of military service. He was what everyone referred to as a soldier's soldier and performed his duties with a spotless snap and polish, and expected no less from his men.
He was an excellent example for all of the men he commanded, especially the three sergeants who have already been projected to advance quickly through the ranks. All three were still in only their second year at the Academy and each one was becoming legendary in his own right. They were considered the best cadets in the history of the Academy, not only for their quick advancement and legendary work ethics. but also for the highest marks ever achieved on the entrance exam. It was a great unit to be part of and Dash was more than grateful for the opportunity.
It was decided that one unit was to maintain the landing area and be used as backup with Han Solo's unit taking the lead and Soontir Fel's squadron would cover Solo's rear in case more than one arachnid was found. Solo's troops would enter the caves in a sweeping maneuver, to clear them one at a time and Fel's attachment would cover the wooded area to his back.' Good luck,' Soontir wished Solo,' We'll be right behind you if you need us,' Soontir assured his close friend.
The operation seemed routine at first as they sweep the first three caves without incident. Solo's unit entered the fourth cave as most of Fel's men were becoming complacent with the weary and uneventful job. 'Man, I sure wish I was going with them,' Dash told Soontir.' They're going to get all the action, and we'll get the boring routine job of mopping up.' Rendar told his sergeant disgustingly.
' Every job is important young cadet,' Soontir reminded him.,' We need to stay focused and do our part of the assignment. It's just as important, but in a different way.'
Many of the men were starting to talk among themselves, lighting cigarettes and taking their eyes off their objective, the woods. Soontir noticed the lax condition of his command. ' Straighten up, look alive,' Soontir shouted, but the crew was past caring at that point. Instead, most just shrugged off his alarm since they considered themselves out of ear range and could say that they didn't hear him if challenged. ' I'm with you Dash,' Jocko whispered,' This job sucks! I didn't join up just to stay in the rear.'
Jocko tapped Dash on the arm,' You want a smoke?' He said under his breathe offering a cigarette to Dash. Just then a rustling noise came from across the clearing.
Before anyone realized it a large arachnid came out of the woods and was upon them. Dash could hear screams as the two recruits closest to the trees were torn to pieces as body parts were flung everywhere by the monstrous creature.
Immediately everyone started firing at once at the creature without much success as the huge spider ravaged the small unit. Several more men lost their lives as they challenged the monster with their lasers blazing, only to be torn to bits by the sharp teeth and claws of the fierce creature.
In a moment, Soontir Fel was thrown against some rocks as two of the men next to him was mauled by the blood thirsty killer. Dash was firing rapidly at the animal and at several times was nearly mauled himself. He rushed over to the injured Soontir, who was bleeding from the shoulder and the right side of his head. He called for Jocko to help him as Nazont was still firing at the creature
. Jocko rushed over and the two men helped Soontir to his feet and than Dash threw the wounded sergeant's left arm over his own shoulder and helped him to safety out of the clearing to a heavily fortified embankment as Jocko covered their retreat firing his blaster at the monster as they joined several others who arrived there before them.
' Over here guys,' Dash called out to the few other recruits still trying to maintain their position in the clearing.' Fall back you idiots,' screamed Soontir, ' Retreat I said, retreat!' Fel screamed even louder.
' Cover them men!' He ordered.' Hurry up, get over here, now!' Soontir reiterated,' I said, get over here, now!'
At about that time, Han Solo and his forces appeared at the entrance of the cave. His troops started firing which drew the attention of the arachnid off the cornered remainder of Fel's command. ' Radio for the backup unit,' Han's ordered,' And tell them to hurry!' Now with Soontir Fel's squadron in shambles, Solo's unit was equally cornered in the cave with no way to escape.' Tell the commander to bring some thermal detonators. These blasters don't seem to be doing the job. Tell them this is the biggest arachnid we've ever seen, that'll do it!' Han's told his radio operator.
Soon the reinforcements arrived as the combined firepower of Solo's and Fel's remaining soldiers was enough to keep the arachnid from over taking the entire command, even though the huge monster did maul two of Solo's men who ventured too far out away from the safety of the overhanging cave where the creature couldn't wheel it's powerful claws.' Stay underneath the overhang,' Han's warned his men after seeing those two lose their lives. ' Concentrate all of your fire power on it's soft spot in the neck,' Solo ordered.' Come on Mako make it in time,' Han's told himself aloud,' Come on ole buddy, I'm counting on you , now.'
Mako Spince and his troops finally reached the clearing as they fanned out and started firing on the animal with disruptors, the most controversial and reviled hand weapon in the galaxy. Disruptors are energy weapons whose blasts are so powerful that they break down the objects at the molecular level, leaving only a smoking pile of ash. Sure enough, three direct hits disintegrated the arachnid and leveled it completely as everyone of the remaining forces breathed a sigh of relief.
' I don't care what anyone says about the dangers of disruptors,' commander Veers remarked as he reached the gathered troops,' They're the best weapons in our arsenal and I'm gonna put that in my report,' He noted, knowing that he was ordered to use the weapon only in extreme circumstances.
' Call for the transports and let's get the hell out of here!' Veers ordered his radio operator. Than he turned and ordered some soldiers nearby, ' Bury the dead, or what's left of them.' He continued,' Sergeant, round up their dog tags and gather all of the men for a quick disembarkation,' Veers ordered Mako Spince, who was already in the process of doing just that.
' That was sure close.' Jocko sighed looking around at the nearly slaughtered unit and all the dead bodies scattered across the clearing. ' I not going wish for any more action ever again. Never!' He said as he turned his head as if to be talking to Dash only to find Rendar nearly unconscious on the opposite side of the sergeant's wounded body.
Dash laid listless next to Soontir Fel in a semi-unconscious state as he now sunk into that same surreal dream of falling deeper into that deep dark pit. ' Dash!' a voice called out,' Dash, wake up.' But Rendar was deeper than before. Then Dash felt a tugging on his arm as he begin feeling a great shaking. ' Dash! Wake up,' the voice continued,' Come on, wake up!' the voice pleaded.
All of a sudden Dash recognized the voice, it was Leebo! Suddenly, Dash opened his eyes and sure enough there was his droid companion leaning over him in that dark alley. ' Where am I?' Dash asks.' What's going on,' He wonders for a second only to slowly realize what had happened.' Oh yeah, I remember. Where's that girl and who hit me,' He continues checking his pockets. ' Oh yeah, they cleaned me out. What a damn fool!' Dash admits, ' I should of known better. Alone in a bar by myself. I should of left when you came to get me.' Leebo shakes his head in agreement. 'Next time that happens, remind me would you.'
,' I'll try, sir,' Leebo assures him,' But I'm not your creator, sir'
' Mother!' Dash corrects,' I'm not your mother!'
' Of course not, sir. I'm a droid, I don't have a mother.'
Dash laughs,' I give up. Your right, I'm not your mother!' He continues,' Let's get back to the ship, I'm beat' Leebo helps Dash to his feet as Dash mutters to himself, ' Man, what a night! ' ' What, sir!' Leebo inquires. ' Oh, never mind. You wouldn't understand.'
Leebo helps Dash as they star heading out the alleyway into the dimly lit street and when they reach the entrance to the to the semi-busy sidewalk, Dash pulls away from Leebo and announces to him,' You can let go I'm alright now. Besides, where are we headed anyway?' Dash inquires.
' I got us a room at a boarding house up the block, sir,' Leebo told him.
' What! Why don't we just sleep in the freighter. Why spend the money when we don't have to.'
' Sir, I figured you would want to sleep in in the morning, while I transport the ship to the repair shop. That way I wouldn't wake you with all of the noise.'
' You thought of that! Good idea! I'm glad to see you using some of that intellect besides just communicating with those damn computers. Good job, Leebo.'Dash congratulated him as he followed Leebo to the apartment that he had arranged accommodations for them for the next couple of nights.