Chapter Nine
Nearly two weeks had past and Dash Rendar sat tending a large drink in a half filled glass inside the cantina on the outer planet of Arossus, the second planet orbiting the twin Adegan suns. Here at the Knolla Spaceport on the mountainous planet is a thriving metropolis of a thousand species mingled freely together sharing their knowledge and furthering the causes of peace. The renowned Jedi civilization that thrived on Arossus' sister planet of Ossus has all but been destroyed. All that is left of the Jedi is a fabulous lore of the once powerful and great protectors of the Force and the ancient famous Jedi Code.
The planet now is a peaceful metropolis and Dash enjoys the solitude of the Cron Cluster Cantina that is busy with numerous locals partaking of the fruits of their labors. Dash is setting with three other freighter captains at a table against a darkened wall to the far side of the room.
Soon a large reptilian creature known as a Trandoshan walks over and stops at Dash's table, standing over him in a threatening stance. Dash, who failed to notice his approach, was downing the last of his drink.
The creature spoke, ' Is your name Dash Rendar?'
Dash looked up over his shoulder and to his surprise saw two protruding orange eyes looking down at him from a huge green scaly skin creature that was dressed like a warrior; common in the Outer Rim regions.
'Yeah, who wants to know?' Dash replied in a tough voice.
' My name is insignificant , but what I have to tell you is,' The creature continued,' I heard that John Massant was one of the men that was with you in your little skirmish against Prince Xizor. I was told that Massant escaped from Vergesso just prior to your venture.'
' That's true, he did escape just a day or two before our little venture as you put it,' Dash replied, ' What of it. How do you know about all of this and besides what's it to you anyway?'
The creature raised one of his sharp three digit claws and pointed down at Dash and growled, ' He didn't escape from the stockade, in fact, he's still there. I know because I just got released last week and he was my cellmate. There was an escape, but all of them were killed that same night and Massant wasn't one of them.'
'This can't be! I saw him, I helped him get off the Asteroid Vergesso myself. I talked to him, it was John Massant. I know it was him!' Dash exclaimed.
'I don't know who you talked to or who that was that was with you but it wasn't John Massant, he's still in the stockade. I have no reason to lie to you, but I was friends with some of those freighter pilots who lost their lives in that disaster. So I'm telling you, it wasn't Massant, he wasn't there. You can go to Vergesso and check for yourself if you don't believe me.'
The creature turned and walked out of the cantina, it's large three clawed toes scraping on the wooden floor. The sound of the creature's sharp claws was easily heard over loud noise of the partiers.
One of the freighter captains at the table broke the momentary silence, ' Can that be? If it wasn't Massant than who was it?'
'I don't know, but I'm sure going to find out,' Dash told him, ' Any of you guys with me?
' Yeah, I'll go. I've got to see this for myself.' The captain said.
'But what if it's another trick by Prince Xizor, ' Another one the men added, ' He could be setting another trap to get the rest of us. I'm not going to take that chance. He doesn't know our names, just yours, so why should we take a chance and get caught?'
'Your right,' Dash answered, ' So maybe I better go alone. Like you said, he must already know my name. That creature came to me and asked for me by name. So if it's a trap, they only know my name. I'll go alone.'
'Are you sure?' The first man answered,' I'm not afraid, I'll come if you want me.'
'No, he's right. It could be a trap. ' Dash said, ' It's safer if I go by myself. I'll let you know when I find out.'
Dash stood and went out the door headed for his vessel and the great unknown that lies ahead. In his mind, he went over and over his contact with John Massant. On the circumstance that led to their narrow escape and how Massant reacted and behaved during that time. To Dash, everything seemed in line with Massant's behavior. Nothing seemed out of place. It was Massant, it had to be Massant. Cloning is a fact of life, but the clones were different than the host subject. They didn't have the same memory or intelligence of the host and they had to be taught from scratch everything they knew. No other technology exist that could change that. That would be impossible.
Throughout Dash's journey to Vergesso, he thought about the possibility that John Massant wasn't John Massant and that if it wasn't him than who was it and what happened to the real John Massant.
The Outrider settled down at the landing port at Vergesso Base in the Lybeya system once again and Dash again made his way down the short tunnel into the wide street, turning to the left towards the activity down the street where he entered the cantina, the Drunken Drummer.
The cantina was crowded as Dash moved through the smoke filled noisy room to the bar and ordered his usual drink, the Rangoon Fizzer. As he turned and peered over his shoulder at the crowd around him to his surprise he spotted Soria Uehara and Josh Olson seated at a booth against the far wall. The two men were in a deep conversation and hadn't noticed Dash's arrival.
Dash finished his drink, ordered another one and with it stood and proceeded toward the two men. He arrived unnoticed and stood along side the open booth when suddenly Soria looked up from his intense conversation and spotted Dash. In a surprised voice, he spoke out, ' Dash ! I can't believe it's you. Where have you been? Why didn't you contact us. We didn't know if you were dead or alive. Man, it's good to see you. '
' It's good to see you guys too. I didn't know who was left or anything. Some of the other freighter pilots that I met on Arossus really didn't know too much about who made it out of Kessel alive. Everybody scattered in a hundred different directions. Nobody really knows who's alive or dead. Have you heard anything? '
' Not really too much. I know that Jose was killed and that Colby Rosmott, you know the guy that was piloting the targeted freighter, managed to get his cargo to port. So he made it out of there. '
' What about John?' Dash asked, ' Did he make it? '
' Well, I don't know, ' Soria replied, ' That's what we were just talking about. We don't know for sure if that was John! '
' What do you mean not John? ' Dash said playing dumb not wanting to give away his suspicions.
' Well, we heard that it wasn't John, ' Soria paused, ' We heard from this guy who said he was in jail with John up until a week ago and that he was still here on Vergesso. So that is why we're here. I arrived yesterday and John isn't here. I know because I checked and Josh checked again today, he just ain't here, so we don't know what to think. '
'I heard the same thing, ' Dash told them, ' It came from a Trandoshan, a reptilian like creature with orange eyes. Was that who you got your information from, you couldn't mistake him cause he only had three fingers on each hand and three prong toes. Was that him? '
' No, the guy that told me was human and said that he was in the next cell. He said that he was there during that night when four men made an escape and that John Massant wasn't one of them because they were talking about the escape later that night. He said that John was still there when he was released last week. '
' Did he say anything about the T'doshok? Were they released about the same time? ' Dash asked.
' No, he didn't say anything about anybody else, ' Soria said, ' He just told me about John because he heard that we had trouble and that John was suppose to be with us. That John planned and led the attack against Prince Xizor. News has got around. Just about everybody I've talked to knows about the attack and the outcome.'
' Yeah, Soria got a hold of me and we met here to find out if John was here or not. I went there today and I talked to some of the inmates and they said he's not there, but none of them have been there too long neither. I know that doesn't really help us much. We can't verify if John was here last week or not!' Josh Olson said.
' Well that's great! We don't know if those two guys were telling the truth or not, ' Dash paused and then continued, ' But, what if for instances that wasn't John. Who in the hell was it then!'
' Well, I've heard rumors about Kaminoan scientists being smuggled Off world and sold to the highest bidders. Maybe the John Massant that we went into battle with was actually a clone. That would explain a lot of things. Especially about the trap that was sprung on us. ' Josh told them.
' Yeah, but what happened to John?' Dash quarried, ' If he was released in the past week or so, where is he?
' Besides, it took years for those Kaminoans to clone those templates into adulthood and besides that how could any clone have John Massant's memory. They just didn't have enough time. John was only arrested that same morning before he escaped.'
The two men sort of looked at each other dumb-founded not knowing the answer and both shrugged their shoulders. Then Soria finally answered, ' Man, we just don't know! Maybe somebody has developed a new technology that can clone a full adult with memory of a certain individual. Who knows, anything can happen these days.'
' Yeah, that's it, ' Josh added, ' Maybe those Kaminoans have produced a new technology that uses multiple templates with those features. '
' So, what's the next step, ' Soria asked, ' What do we do now?'
' Well, I guess we just get tight and piss the night away. What else can we do?' Dash told them as he emptied his glass and ordered another round of drinks from a passing waitress.
' Yeah, that's alright for tonight, but how about tomorrow, ' Soria insisted, ' What do we do then? '
' I don't know, ' Dash answered, ' Maybe we'll think of something later, unless you guys have any ideas. '
The two men looked puzzled and gave Dash a shrug of their shoulders at nearly the same time.
' Well than, here's to you! ' Dash replied as he lifted his glass as if in a toast and then proceeded to down his drink.
As the night wore away, the three men finished round after round of drinks with each one taking turns buying as the cantina got even more crowded as freighter captains throughout the system entered and exited throughout the night.
At times a few fights would break out and a huge Gamorrean whom acted as a bouncer would break up the fisticuffs and toss out the participants to the displeasure of the crowd. Then things would return back to normal until another ruckus would interrupt everyone's drinking.
The fact that the creature was working as a bouncer instead of a freighter pilot puzzled Dash and the others, who knew of the species' reputation. Hard times must of fallen on him to take such a job far beneath his capabilities and that fact encouraged Dash and the other two freighter captains to ask the huge creature to join them for a drink when he rambled past their table on his way back to where he was stationed.
' Sure! Why not?' The large green-skinned porcine Gamorrean answered in it's high-tech like voice, as it grabbed a close available chair, ' My name is Gortorian '
The three men proceeded to asked him why he was working in such a place when it was obvious that he was capable of much more. He then told them of his trouble as a freighter captain. He told them that he was hijacked several times and ended up losing his vessel in his last battle to save his load. After that, nobody would hire him to pilot their freighters because they thought that he was jinxed or something. They said he must be an inferior pilot to be so hexed.
Dash and the others told him of the deal that Prince Xizor had with Jabba the Hutt. They also told him of the strange mystery of John Massant and then in the middle of that story, Gortorian interrupted, ' I've heard of strange rumors about cloning and that a woman by the name of Guri brought several scientist here several weeks ago and that they were experimenting with a new technology of cloning.'
The huge snout nosed creature looked at the faces of the three freighter pilots and saw that his story interested them greatly, his jowls giggled as he continued, ' In fact, I heard that they succeeded in cloning an adult human. I've heard other outrageous things that they did but I can't believe everything I've heard. It's just too ridiculous.'
' What's that!' Dash asked, ' What have you heard? Please tell us. Leave nothing out no matter how ridiculous.'
' Well, I've heard that these scientist can manufacture memory, ' the horned Gortorian answered, his twin tusk swaying as he moved his head back and forth grunting all the while, ' Not just any memory, but they could take someone's memory and transplant it into the clone. But that's too unbelievable. How could they do that?
' Then it's true! ' Soria interrupted, ' Everything we've been talking about is a reality. I can't believe it but it must be true. How did you come by this information, who told you this? '
' Several people, ' Gortorian replied, ' Working in a place like this you hear all kinds of stuff every night. I've just sort of pieced all the stories that I've heard together and sort of came to that conclusion. I could be wrong, but I don't think so especially from what you guys have just told me. '
' I don't think you're wrong either, ' Dash confronted him.
The Gamorrean oinked and grunted several times, ending in a sharp squeal of excited compliance. The creature tried to subdue it's outburst, putting his paw over his snout trying to muffle his oinks and grunts until he regained his composure.
' I did hear of the great attack off Kessel and about several pilots getting killed but why was never revealed until now. Well now I know why. I only wish I knew earlier and maybe I could have joined you.'
' I guess it's a small world isn't it? ' Dash pronounced.
' Do you know anything about John Massant ? ' Soria asked, ' Was he still here when the battle was going on. Is he still alive? '
' I can't say for sure, I've never heard of this John Massant, but I do know that they executed several inmates awhile back in order to clear some room for more prisoners. Anyway, that's the rumor that was going around last week. Maybe he was one of those. Nobody knows who they killed only that they did executed several. The exact number isn't really known either. I hope your friend wasn't one of them. '
' I'm afraid he might of been, ' Dash admitted.
' I also heard that all those scientist relocated to a planet called Falleen. Maybe you can find out the answers to your questions there! Anyway, that's all I can help you with on that, but if you decide to go there, I'd like to join you. That is if you don't mind having me along? '
' No! That would be no problem. What do you guys think? ' Dash asked, ' Should we go there or what? That would seem to be our next step. What do you guys think?'
' What other choice do we have ? ' Josh Olson asked.
' Yeah, I guess it's our only lead. ' Soria added.
Dash pointed at Gortorian and the other two knotted their approval and Dash added, ' Well okay, I guess it's all set. You can join us tomorrow, we'll take the Outrider if that's alright with everybody and we'll leave in the morning at seven early. '
Just then another brawl started and the Gormorrean said, ' Excuse me, but this should be my last official act in this place. I'll be back in a few moments.'
The huge creature didn't even bother to reason with the participants this time but instead grabbed both men by their collars and threw them both out the door with a massive force that caused the doors to slam open with a thunderous roar that caught the attention of everyone in the cantina.
At the same time, a cold blast of night air rushed in and gave shivers to all those within ten feet of the entrance. The doors closed back again but the shivers remained momentarily as those effected covered up with their jackets fending off the cold.
The cold air even reached Dash's table as Dash folded up the collar of his freighter togs and announced, ' Christ! That's cold, ' as he made a shivering sound, ' wooooo!'
' Give us another round madam, ' Soria asked of the barmaid that was just finishing up at the next table. She knotted and went away with their empties and returned with another round for Soria's guess.
The Gamorrean rumbled over to the bar took off his vest and tossed it to the older bartender and announced to him in a deep voice, ' I quit! That was my last official act as a bouncer here. Thanks for the job but I quit. You can pay me now if that's okay with you. '
The bartender gave him credits out of the till a little afraid of what the Gamorrean might do if he didn't do so. ' If that's what you want Gortorian, I wish you'd change your mind but I can see that your determined to do this. If you do change your mind, you can come back. I'd be glad to have you. '
Then the Gamorrean returned to the three freighter pilots' table and joined them picking up his drink that he had left on the table moments earlier.
' Here's to our adventure on Fallen ! ' Gortorian announced as he lifted his glass in yet another toast and struck the other men's glasses. Then they all downed their drinks in unison.
The night continued on in much the same way with alcohol flowing generously along with the noise and activity of the cantina until the freighter captains retiring to their vessels for a good night sleep.
In the morning, the men gathered aboard the Outrider and Leebo piloted the vessel out through the spaceport and into the dark night of deep space, through the asteroid belts into clear space and moments later the Outrider went into hyper-space headed for Prince Xizor's home planet Falleen.
As the Outrider came out of hyper-space drive, the planet of Falleen laid before them in a hue of blues, greens and purples with the once thriving planet.
The planet Falleen is an eery place as the haze of the multi-colored sky caused by the bio-weapon explosion that nearly destroyed the civilization itself. Everything around is enhanced with the same spectrum of colors as the many hues that cover the sky.
The Outrider came around and hovered momentarily before descending on the landing platform beneath them. A signal attendant flashed them and Leebo moved the vessel into the hangar that awaited them. Dash noticed that there wasn't many vessels in the hanger and remarked, ' It looks like we've just about got the whole place by ourselves. '
When they all exited the vessel, Dash repeated his remark to the attendant who looked at him with a smile and replied, ' We don't get many visitors, sir, but you must understand that this isn't our only spaceport, ' and then he continued, ' Actually, our main entrance is on the other side of the super-structure and I believe that is nearly full or they wouldn't have directed you to land here. This platform is kept for most visitors and the inhabitants use the other one. '
' How do we get to the Lars Imperial Sector? ' Soria asked.
' Easily, just go through that tunnel on the left and it'll take you where you want to go. The other \two will take you to residential area or the far side of the city that is mostly in ruins yet. There's not much there, so just stay to the left and you'll be alright.'
' Alright, thanks!' Soria replied.
Just then Josh spotted something that nobody expected to see through the open doors of the hanger and he called out in surprise, ' Hey! Look! Isn't that an Imperial Ship!'
' It sure is,' Dash answered, ' Not only is it Imperial, but it's a Star Destroyer. Whoever captains that is very important. An Admiral at the very least. '
' Where is it headed?' Soria asked.
' It's headed to the main spaceport, ' The attendant told them,' It must have been expected. An important vessel such as that always lands there.'
' Now your making feel bad,' Dash said dishearten.
' I guess we're just not that important Dash! ' Soria said laughingly.
' Maybe it's better not to be that important, if you know what I mean, ' Gortorian added, ' It's better to go unnoticed than to be under a microscope. You know, the underdog not the front runner.'
' Yeah, maybe your right, ' Dash admitted, ' Especially, on the kind of mission that we're on, right guys? '
' Come on, let's get going. ' Josh pleaded, ' I'm thirstier than hell. There got to be a cantina on this rock. Let's stop there first, alright! '
The others knotted in agreement and than they turned and headed for the tunnels as peetwo beeped several times as the loading ramp to the Outrider raised. Peetwo was ordered to man the vessel as usual as Dash always left him in charge of the freighter when they were at a strange port except on rare occasions when he would allow peetwo to join them. Plus, peetwo would always make adjustments or repairs to the ship when necessary and even sometimes when peetwo was the only one who thought that such adjustments were indeed necessary.
The four men along with Leebo went through the tunnel until they came to the end and into view of the city before them. Several buildings looked brand new nestled among several other buildings that were in ruins or abandoned, but the streets themselves were very clean and tidy. The streets were only fairly populated with inhabitants, but they were clean and well dressed and the colorful neon lights made the whole scene a mixture of excitement and dreariness at the same time.
The inhabitants were ninety percent Falleen in origin with the other ten percent a mixture of several other species and a few droids thrown into the mix as well. Not as many mechanical inhabitants as on most planets as the Falleens believe in self sufficiency and a superiority over most mechanical beings.
' This isn't what I expected at all, ' Soria admitted, ' I guess the disaster was much more than I was led to believe. These are a proud people. This must have been very hard on them. '
' It seems that they are doing alright to me, ' Dash told him, ' They've only started rebuilding this past year. Not everyone is willing to return. Anyway, that's the story I've heard. I guess it'll just take awhile for the others to regain their courage or whatever you want to call it. It's a slow process, that's all. '
Then Josh spotted a cantina, The Green Lantern, and the four freighter pilots headed inside. The place was dark and dreary with loud music playing and about half filled with Falleens with only a few different species thrown in the mix. Dash and his companions were definitely out of place though nobody paid much attention to them, but continued with their own entertainment and conversations. They found an open table near the far wall and ordered a round of drinks from a waitress and settled in for a relaxing evening.
' Now this is what I had in mind, ' Josh exclaimed as he grabbed his drink and downed it in one long gulp, ' Another round little lady, ' He spurted out, ' This one's on me fellas! '
' Here, here! ' Soria called out, ' Keep them coming, madam. '
The four men started downing one round of drinks after another as Leebo made his way over to a game of chance in a little room off of the main barroom. There were several electrical gaming machines in the room with several participants enjoying themselves with the electronic facilities. Leebo found one to his liking and proceeded to feed the machine with coins.
The music in the room was also electronic as the band stage featured three mechanical robot-type entertainers that didn't move much, but poured out a loud and numerous array of music that filled the small room with plenty of volume. It seem that the fact that the music was piped in didn't matter much to the crowd as they all enjoyed the entertainment just as though as if it was live entertainment. When one of the mechanical musicians did a solo, the house roared with excitement and applause just as it might with a live performer.
' Man, this place really jumps!' Josh remarked.
' Yeah, just think what it would be with a real band, ' Soria replied.
Just than three Imperial soldiers came and looked around and than retreated back out the door as if they were looking for someone. Nobody inside the place even paid much attention to the soldiers as they continued their drinking and carrying on without missing a beat.
' You see those symbols on those storm troopers? ' Dash asked, ' They're part of the 501st Legion. That's the elite group of storm troopers that is Lord Vader's private guard unit. I know because I've seen them before on Coruscant awhile back. '
' You mean that's Darth Vader's Fist? ' Josh asked.
' Yeah, that must mean that the Dark Lord isn't too far away, ' Dash told them.
' What would Darth Vader be doing here, this is Prince Xizor's home planet. I didn't think those two got along with each other, ' Soria interjected, ' I've heard rumors that they were enemies or something like that. Didn't you guys hear that too? '
' Well, I've heard a lot of things. Right now nothing would surprise me if you know what I mean. ' Dash added. ' But it is interesting that he might be here on Falleen. '
' I guess we'll have to check into this, ' Gortorian said, ' There might be more to this than we thought. Especially if the Dark Lord is involved in this matter.'
The four men all looked at each other in agreement, put down their empty glasses and started towards the door of the cantina. Just then the door slung open and to Dash's surprise, Yunel Laird and two other freighter captains came through the entrance.
' Yunel! ' Dash exclaimed, ' What are you doing here. '
' Hey Dash! Didn't Soria tell you, ' Yunel replied.
' Tell me, tell me what? ' Dash answered dumb founded.
' Soria called us and asked us to meet you guys here, ' Yunel explained, ' This is Colby Rosmott and his co-pilot John Cueto. Luckily, we weren't too far from here when we got the call and we came immediately. Hey Soria, didn't you tell him? '
' No, I didn't get the chance, besides I wanted to surprise him, ' Soria said, ' Surprise! '
' Okay, I'm surprise, ' Dash admitted, ' But, when did you call him? '
' Right after we left Vergesso, you were asleep that's why you didn't know. I put the call into Yunel and he said that he was with Colby and John, so I told him to bring them along because I figured we needed all the help we could get if we were going into Prince Xizor's home base. '
' Well, I'm glad you did cause this might be more than I figured anyway. I didn't know that Imperial troops would be here along with possibly Darth Vader. ' Dash admitted.
' Yes, Vader is here. He and his troops came in this morning, ' Yunel said.
' This morning! When did you guys arrive? ' Dash inquired.
' We got here yesterday, We were already in the system making a stopover when Soria called us, ' Yunel told him, ' Soria wanted us to make some inquiries so we did and we found out some stuff that will interest all of you. It's what you came here to find out! '
' Wait a minute Yunel, we'll talk about that in a minute or two, but first tell me what happen to you during the battle, we thought that you were dead. Didn't your ship explode because that's what I thought happen to you? We all saw that big explosion and than there was nothing left, what happened.'
' No, that wasn't me. I mean we were badly damaged but the two vessels along side of me exploded and we were also hit but we were lucky. The explosion shook our ship and actually sent us out of the way enough to save our lives. We limped to safety once we heard the call to break off the attack and we got the hell out of there. '
' Well, I'm glad you did, ' Dash told him, ' We lost too many good men in that disaster. '
' Hey, what's this thing about John Massant? ' Yunel asked, ' You really think that that was a clone and not John? Unbelievable! '
' Yeah, we're pretty sure of it, ' Dash said and then added, ' At least, that's what we believe right now. I don't know one hundred percent because it's just too outrageous. But that's the concession among us all. '
' Where are you guys headed right now? ' Yunel asked.
' Well, we're going to check out the Imperial Sector here and try to find out about this cloning idea that we heard about. We heard that some Kaminoan scientists that were on Vergesso were relocated here and that they're the ones that might of clone John Massant, but we can't all go like this in a large group. We need to spread out and see if we can find out where all this cloning is being done.'
' We can save you some time. Your right, there are some Kaminoan scientists here because we saw them yesterday going into this huge building in the Imperial Sector. It's called the Vetna Technological Labs, Inc. and I think it's one of the main labs of Prince Xizor. It's probably the same place where your headed right now, but it's no use because you can't get in. It's well guarded especially now that the Imperial troops arrived. They took over for the local police and have shut down all entrances. You have to have some kind of security pass or you can't get by the guards, ' Yunel explained, ' But don't worry, we found a way to get around all that. '
' What do you mean you found a way around it, ' Dash asked puzzled.
' Well, there's this air shaft that's been left unguarded, ' Yunel explained, ' We found it yesterday when we were checking around and I don't think the Imperial troops even know it's there because we checked it out after they took over and it was completed unguarded. Yesterday, there were only two policemen guarding the tunnel and after they left, well, I guess there must have been a screw-up or something because today there wasn't anyone stationed there at all.'
' That's great. Do you have any other information for us, ' Dash inquired, ' What about those scientists. Do you know anything about them? '
' Well, we don't know much about them, only that the main floor of the building is sealed off from any activity and the back section of the huge corridor is the most heavily fortified. That's where the Dark Lord has been going into all day. Through a check point that's manned by several armed Imperial guards. ' Yunel continued, ' That's probably where you'll find those Kaminoans. '
' Well, I guess we'll have to pay a visit to Darth Vader after all. ' Dash said, ' I was hoping to avoid him at all cost. '
' Maybe not! ' Yunel answered, ' He's not there all of the time, I've seen him leaving several times with this woman dressed in red. They go in and out all day to another building down the street that I'm told is the main head quarters of Prince Xizor's niece Savan, who is the ruler here. I don't know this other woman's name only that she must be very important because she don't go anywhere without at least eight or ten guards around her at all times. You ought to see this gal. She's a knockout. One of most beautiful women I've ever seen. Especially, in a place like this. She's stunning! '
' Yeah, I think I know who that might be, ' Dash told him, ' It's probably Guri. She's in second command to Xizor. Some of us ran into her on Vergesso. She's a human replica droid. '
' No shit! ' Yunel responded, ' Who would of guess. She's a droid, I can't believe it, she looks so beautiful and feminine. '
' Well, don't get in a fight with her you'll probably change your mind about that, ' Dash informed him, ' She's also an assassin and she has the strength of three men, believe me I know first hand. '
' Well than, ' Soria interrupted, ' We should plan our break in right after Vader leaves the building. '
' Come on, let's find a table and maybe you can draw us a map where this tunnel entrance is located so we can plan this thing. ' Dash said.
Meanwhile, inside the labs of the Vetna Technological Institute, Darth Vader is being given a tour of the facilities by Princess Savan and Guri as Savan introduces him to the head chemist, ' This is Doctor Isis. He and his fellow chemist have developed the process by which we can now clone mature human beings with the memory and intelligence necessary of an able technician for use in nearly any field of endeavor that we might require.'
' You mean you can developed a scientist as well as a controllable fighting man with the intelligence to make technical decisions necessary in the field of battle.' Darth Vader asked.
' Yes, most definitely. We can now program any kind of intelligence into our units with a full sense of maturity of that of a university graduate in the best schools in the galaxy.' Doctor Isis instructed the Dark Lord.
' We have made several experiments that have prove the efficiently of the process that Doctor Isis and his colleagues have developed. All the tests have come back positive. I'm sure these clones will be the best the universe has ever seen. ' Guri added.
' When we you be finished with your tests, ' Darth Vader asked, ' When will I be able to present these findings to the Emperor. I am most impatient as you can see. '
' We are now finalizing our tests and the answer to your question is soon, very soon Lord Vader, ' Doctor Isis told him.
The four continued to walk through the laboratory viewing several different stages of the process that the scientists had developed.
' This is our cloning room. We feel that a healthy body is just as important as a healthy mind, ' Doctor Isis said, ' Our models are of top quality. The best examples that have ever been artificially grown in a laboratory. Here we have developed an improved technique over previous cloning procedures in the past.'
They continued further down the long hallway and into another section and Doctor Isis announces, ' And this is our memory section. It's the newest and most revolutionary part of our scientific development.'
' Yes, it's here where these marvelous men of science have made their biggest contribution towards the advancement of a superior clone, ' Guri interjected, ' Not only can they now plant an established memory into a subject, but can also mold that memory taking out or adding certain individual aspects to it as to manage the unit's thought patterns to whatever use that they might want to develop.'
' In other words, we can control what kind of clone we create, ' Savan added, ' Controlling the clone's future responses by controlling it's past history and it's reaction to it. By learning how the host responded to certain events in it's past, we can go back into it's memory and change the outcome or response in the memory and then transplant that new impulse into the clone. It's a very remarkable development.'
' Yes, ' Doctor Isis agreed, ' By controlling how one reacts to a certain situation in it's past, we can accurately determine and even change how the unit will react in the same situation in the future. '
' And you can change those reactions in a clone in it's past? ' Darth Vader asked.
' Yes, of course! ' Doctor Isis confirmed, ' That's our greatest scientific discovery in this project. Just as Princess Savan has explained to you Lord Vader. We have discovered how to change the memory pattern in the host prior to transplanting a new computerized adjusted memory into the clone, giving birth to practically a brand new individual in mind and spirit. In this way, we can more accurately control the clone's future responses to certain events. Just like programming a computer, it's all the same engineering technique.
' I congratulate you and your fellow scientist on your great accomplishment, ' Darth Vader paused, ' This new prototype should be very useful to the Empire and the Emperor himself, as well as very profitable for us. '