Transcendent to every universe, there is a question toyed with: what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.

An Imperial officer made fast his passage to the bridge of the star destroyer. Why had the Admiral switched off his master communications link? Perhaps he didn't want to be bothered while engaged with what seemed to be a simple matter, stop the renegade star destroyer which had been hijacked from the Death Star. Now, though, it created an immediate need for this Imperial communications officer to leave his post and dash madly to deliver a message from Darth Vader himself.

The officer ran across the bridge calling in a moderately loud voice, "Admiral… Admiral…"

The Admiral was busy directing orders to those around him, "It appears we have no choice, instruct the lower division to open all canons and destroy the renegade star destroyer."

One of the officers beside the Admiral nodded and made way to give the orders to the firing brigade. Passing him midway was the communications officer with the important news, "Admiral… Admiral…"

The Admiral turned to the communications officer, irritated at being interrupted, "Yes, what is it?"

The communications officer, slightly out of breath, said, "Orders from Lord Vader himself. Do not disintegrate the renegade craft. Take all prisoners alive."

The Admiral raised a brow, "What?"

The communications officer nodded, "We have to take them alive. They have something Lord Vader wants."

The Admiral gave the order, "Stop all firing immediately."

Both Imperial destroyers ceased fire on the renegade star destroyer. The Admiral's eyes widened in horror, "Is the renegade increasing speed?"

From behind the Admiral came a confirmation, "Yes, Admiral. The renegade is increasing speed and still approaching."

The Admiral muttered to himself, "They intend to ram us." The Admiral turned to his command and yelled, "Full reverse! Halt and full reverse!"

One of the command members stood and pointed out into the direction of approaching renegade destroyer, "Admiral!"

The Admiral turned back to the outlook of space. The renegade destroyer had spun forty five degrees to the left, now skidding sideways towards them as opposed to head on. Then it did something even more terrifying, it rolled over on its side like a fallen bantha, still approaching ever so steadily. By some strange vertigo, the Admiral had the sensation his craft was diving down into the top of the renegade destroyer. He knew, while his craft had come to a complete halt before spending backwards, crashing was inevitable. The Admiral winced and called out, "Full deflectors, for what it's worth. Prepare for impact."

The renegade craft struck the two offensive star destroyers and the three crafts blossomed into a ball of metallic confetti before igniting into a flaming spark of energy. Watching as they fled inside an Imperial deep space shuttle was the humble crew of the now vaporized renegade destroyer. Joel clapped his hands with excitement, "That's how it's done." Joel then turned angrily towards Grutex, "The message we intercepted from the Death Star… why do they want you alive?"

Grutex replied, "I am not sure."

Joel rasped, "Well think about it real hard, because I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of them."

Grutex maintained, "Still, I am not sure."

Sheila asked Grutex, "Did you see anything or take anything from the Death Star they may want?"

Grutex thought for a moment; then he said, "There is one thing." He reached beneath his tunic and brought out a shiny cylinder; a light saber. "Unless they are after this."

Joel asked, "What is that?"

Karl marveled, "It's a light saber. I have never seen one."

Sheila asked, "A light saber? That's it? They want a light saber?"

Grutex said, "I witnessed Vader murder a man who wielded this. Just before, Vader had tried to kill me. I saw into his mind; Vader killed my family many years ago before he was Darth Vader."

Karl said, "No doubt the owner of this light saber was a Jedi. Maybe the last Jedi." Karl laughed and nudged Grutex's shoulder, "Not bad. You took old Vader's trophy there. You could be a grand pirate like us yet."

Joel was outraged, "What? I am not following much. So you stole Vader's trophy? Vader? The Darth Vader? Couldn't you have taken some soap from the restroom or something?"

Sheila said, "Joel, take it easy."

"Take it easy? Karl! This is all your fault. You and your, 'aren't you a bit curious about what's beneath the mask.' "

Karl shrugged, "I thought he was dead." With an apologetic glance Karl said to Grutex, "It's true. I did think you were dead in the snow."

Joel continued his tyrant, "Ever since we brought you on board it has been nothing but trouble."

Grutex said, "Being that I am a Tusken Raider and Vader truly wants this returned, he will no doubt send someone to Tatooine to look." His mind turned to Sandagra and Babgrat, and he feared for their lives more than ever. "We must go to Tatooine and warn my people."

Joel said, "What? No! It's not my fault you have doomed your people as well as us. I should dump you out in space right here and now."

Karl said, "Captain Joel, whether we get rid of Grutex or the even the light saber, they are coming for us. Not to mention we smashed three star destroyers to bits. I'd say we are wanted for sure. We have to deal with it now."

RP said, "Three small Imperial deep space fighters approaching."

Joel said, "See? The trouble is never over. Can we outrun them?"

RP said, "No sir. The fighters will be on us soon."

Grutex said, "Wait, didn't the star charts show us in the Maw quadrant?" RP confirmed. "There is a smaller black hole in this quadrant. We pass by it close enough to make the fighters retreat, then we go into a hyperspace jump and head to Bespin as you wish."

Joel said, "Are you out of your mind? No one goes to a black hole on purpose?"

Karl said, "Could work. Sheila?"

Sheila said, "If we pass outside the event horizon, it may work."

Joel said, "We will get sucked in. It's a black hole people."

Grutex said, "The hyperspace jump should get us out of the gravitational pull. Our pursuers will think we were sucked in when they see us vanish, if they are brave enough to follow us that close. It will buy us time, at least enough time to get us to Bespin. As long as we are in this shuttle they will be able to track us in time."

Joel said, "RP, do the math. Can we do it?"

RP said, "While possible, the calculated risks are overwhelming."

Karl flashed his broad grin, "Come on Cap. It will be a hell of a ride."

Sheila said, "Strange, the fighters are visible behind us now, but they aren't firing."

Joel nodded, "They want our Sand Head alive, at least until they get Vader's prize back. Then we are all dead." Rubbing his temples with the span of one hand, Joel said, "I can't believe I am saying this, Sheila, take us by the black hole."

Sheila suppressed a naughty smirk, "Yes sir, captain."

Karl placed a hand on Grutex's, "I don't care what the Captain says; things have been way more exciting with you around."

The small Imperial shuttle made full speed ahead, as well as the following fighters. It was apparent to them all soon, something setting before them in space was abnormal. It was if the stars were floating on top of a murky black pond, bouncing on the waves and ripples, and in the center was a sphere of the darkest dark. The shuttle was like a fly headed to the mouth of a sarlaac, and they weren't even close to the event horizon yet.

The blackness had overcome the view from outside the cockpit; Karl said, "I thought you said this was a small black hole."

Joel said, "I take it all back, this is the craziest thing we could ever do."

Grutex said, "The fighters aren't backing off."

Joel said, "Yeah, how about that. This part of the plan isn't working so much. I sure hope the IMPORTANT part does."

The shuttle and crew began to vibrate and tremble with waves of gravity from the black hole; Sheila tightened her grip on the stick, "It's getting kinda intense."

RP said, "The margin of distance for the event horizon is shrinking to a most dangerous point. We must make evasive actions soon."

One of the fighters shot past them from overhead and dropped down in front of them, "It's trying to cut us off and turn us around," Karl noted.

Suddenly, the fighter before them bounced madly into a blur and vanished in an instant into the black hole. Joel exclaimed, "Sheila, we have to do something now!"

Sheila pulled hard on her stick and pushed the throttle with all of her might. Everyone inside the shuttle braced themselves on anything close by as the gravitational tremors felt as though their very teeth would shake loose. Karl opened his mouth in mighty circle and screamed out, "Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhhh…"

The small shuttle began to bounce madly in space.

Sandagra fell violently to the ground in the dark fire lit cave. The war lord stood over her, growling madly after shoving her to the hard floor, "You belong to me. Enough of these games. You will fall in line as the rest of my females."

Trembling, she kept her face turned away, "I am sorry… lordship. I am young. I am fearful."

"If you are waiting for Grutex to return, then stop wasting my time. He is dead by now. I sent him to a planet where the cold is deep and hard, and his heart will freeze in his chest."

She felt a tear trickle down her cheek, and her heart was more lost than it could ever be. Beneath her masked attire she said, "It's not that at all, lordship. I am young is all. I need more time."

The war lord grabbed her by the elbow and bent to threaten her by her ear, "Maybe you would like to join him?"

She shook her head, "No. I need time." She reached up and caressed the side of his mask with a shaking hand, "I need time."

One of the other females stepped from the darkness and took the war lord by the shoulders, "Oh, leave her be. What is wrong with one of us? Are we not as good now?"

The war lord backed from Sandagra and aggressively embraced the intruding female, "Witch! You are siding with her?"

The older female laughed, "Of course not. Give her time. We will train her."

Another male Tusken Raider came bursting into the cave; he growled out loudly, "The Empire is here. You are being summoned."

The war lord responded, "I will be out in a moment."

The other male departed, and the war lord made a threat to the older female, "You see she gets trained quickly." He released her and stormed from the cave.

The older female sat closely by Sandagra, "You must dry your tears and find Babgrat. Find him, and leave. You are different from us, and this can only end badly for you."

Sandagra asked, "What of you? Will he not kill you when he finds I have left?"

The female laughed, "You don't worry for me. Something is happening. We have captured humans and now the troopers have returned. He is busy. Go, now."

Sandagra slowly stood and made her way to the entrance of the cave; she stopped and looked back, hesitant. The older female said, "Go, go away and never come back." Sandagra slid out in to the darkness.

Sandagra stayed in the shadows, making her way to Babgrat's tent. She moved inside, making sure she was unseen, which was not difficult, the rest of the tribe was busy observing the troopers marching through the homestead. She found Babgrat sitting alone, he looked up slowly to her. She said, "I miss him, too."

Babgrat said, "I can't believe he is gone. If only I could find him."

Sandagra took him by the hands and urged him, "It is said he is dead. But in my heart I will not believe it until I see him. I cannot believe it."

Babgrat said, "You are good, Sandagra. You are different. You were made for my Grutex."

"It is time for us to go. Come along."

Gently he stood and embraced her, heaving in chest as he sobbed, "My son."

She slowly pulled away and said, "It is time. Let's go."

The two left the small tent, not looking back.

Two of the troopers stood over a group of farmers who were tied and bound in a tight circle. One of the troopers asked the other, "What do you think this is all about?" motioning at the farmers.

The other shrugged, "None of our business."

Huff called up to the troopers, "Don't mind us. Should have known you slimes were behind everything anyway." Huff turned to Nade and said, "Don't worry, we will escape somehow. Anyhow, my son Biggs is the academy now, and they will take care of the likes of this Imperial scum."

The war lord was busy speaking to the head trooper, who was using a translation unit in his helmet. The war lord shook his head negatively, "No, we have not seen the Tusken you are speaking of. There is no Tusken Raider here with a light saber in his possession."

The trooper nodded, "Are you sure?"

"I am sure."

The lead trooper removed his finger from the translator attached to his helmet and pressed the button again, "Could you repeat that?"

"I am sure, there is no Tusken here with a light saber. I am positive."

The lead trooper gave orders, "He may return here. If he does, use this." The trooper removed a small device from his belt, "Just press the button. We will be stationed nearby. Remember, if he returns, press the button. Do not attempt to apprehend him. Make sure the light saber is here when we return."

The war lord asked, "This sounds important. What will it mean for me?"

The trooper said, "Triple the amount of payment you normally receive."

The war lord said, "Four times the usual."

After a pause, the lead trooper said, "Alright, four times."

The war lord chuckled. He was innately curious as to who this Tusken Raider was. The troopers were leaving and the war lord spoke to one of the other Raiders, "Have everyone searched, and search every tent."

Back inside his cave, the war lord summoned Sandagra once more. She was nowhere to be found. The war lord rushed from his cave and called out for Sandagra loudly. After moments of shouting and searching, the raider which had commissioned with searching the tents came to him. The commissioned Raider said, "Babgrat also is missing."

Ideas were churning in the war lord's head. Was Babgrat the Raider they were looking for? How would Babgrat have a light saber in his possession and no one else know about it? Then pieces of the puzzle began to fall in to place. Sandagra, Babgrat: these two names led to Grutex. Perhaps Grutex never made it to the cold planet. Perhaps the sands of fate had shifted, and Grutex had found himself on another path.

The war lord said to the commissioned Raider, "Gather three men. Get our best trackers. Send them to find Babgrat and Sandagra."

"Bring them back here?"

"No. Have them followed. If they find Grutex, then bring all three back to me."

The commissioned Raider said, "Grutex? I thought he was dead."

"Perhaps. But maybe not. Carry on."

The commissioned Raider trotted away to carry out his orders. The war lord held his distress call device and laughed, "The winds of the desert still blow in my favor."