Chapter 3
Vader paced the bridge agitated; the first drop ship to land on Honoghr had failed to secure a landing zone. The bridge of the Victory-class Star Destroyer Vengeance had remained in shocked silence since transmissions from the ground had ceased. The crew found it inconceivable that a squadron from the fabled 501st had been defeated so quickly. Unbelievably, all intelligence on this planet showed it to be inhabited by sentient but non-technological species. The second squadron would be arriving at the last known location of the first squadron shortly. If this insertion did not yield better results he would be forced to lead the remaining two squadrons down himself. He stopped after turning back the other direction and moved his gaze to the command chair. Usually reserved for captains or fleet admirals, this one was occupied by the Lady Amidala, as many had come to call her. She had quickly embedded herself in the hearts of the Imperial citizens through her tireless work to better their lives. In her time on the Vengeance, the crew had fallen over themselves to please her. She in turn had shocked officers and crew when she had taken lunch in the mess with the enlisted personnel before she dined with the officers. Even the clone troopers, who were born to follow orders, took extra care with her. Vader's current concern was that she would insist on traveling to the planet with him, her own safety be damned.
"Lord Vader," the comm tech mercifully interrupted his thoughts, "they are at the LZ now." The Dark Lord strode to the comm station and spoke into the transmitter.
"Lieutenant, what is the status of Alpha squadron?" Static was his only reply for a moment, then the distorted voice of a ground officer answered.
"They're gone, my Lord." He sounded disturbed as he continued. "There's blood but no weapons or bodies; the drop ships have also been stripped of all weapons." The sound of blaster fire rattled across the comm. "Cover!" The lieutenant shouted, someone else's voice shouted out a direction, and the officer ordered to return fire.
"Status report." The Dark Lord demanded. The sounds of a pitched battle filled the bridge before the lieutenant answered. "Taking fire from unknown hostiles." Blaster fire and static interrupted him. "We're surrounded-" static interrupted again, "-eavily outnu-" More static and blaster fire echoed through the speakers. "Sir behind you-" Another voice rang across the comm followed by more blaster fire. "We're pinned-" static cut him off then blaster fire came from the speakers. "-end reinforce- uhhh" The shouting and blaster fire in the background slowly diminished into silence. Seconds stretched into long minutes as the comm tech tried to get anyone on the ground to reply. The sounds of something being dragged along the ground, likely the body of a soldier, was his only reply followed by the loud crunch of the helmet being destroyed.
Lord Vader straightened from the comm station and looked to the commander of the 501st. "Commander have the remaining troops assemble in the launch bay. I will lead you down myself." The commander nodded and left to carry out his orders. He turned to find the command chair empty and felt trepidation as likely scenarios of the Lady Vader's current actions materialized in his mind. When a cursory check of her suite and the officers and enlisted mess revealed nothing he proceeded to the hangar bay.
Vader entered the bay to find the 501st standing at attention in perfect rows to the right and left of the door creating an aisle down the middle. He strode confidently through the formation to the Commander waiting in front of a gunship. As Vader approached, the trooper executed a textbook salute and began his report. "All troops assembled as ordered, Lord Vader. Sir, if I may speak freely?" Vader nodded and waited him to continue. "My Lord these beings decimated two squadrons of the most elite troops in the Empire. Wouldn't it be prudent to eliminate a threat such as this permanently, from a safe distance?"
"You are suggesting an orbital bombardment." The Dark Lord stated.
"I know the capability hasn't been perfected but with beings as dangerous-"
"Think of what an asset they would be as allies, Commander." Vader chastised.
The commander bowed his head and stepped back. "Of course, my Lord." Turning from the Dark Lord to his troops the man started barking out orders to board the ships and be ready for anything.
Lord Vader entered the nearest transport and took one of the backwards facing seats behind the cockpit preparing for the trip to the surface. It was the figure seated at the very back next to a matte black translator droid that caused his blood to boil. He observed her clothing as he stormed to the back of the shuttle. She had dressed in a form fitting sky blue jumpsuit. Closer inspection revealed that her figure was blockier than it should be, meaning that the clothing was at least armored. He could make out the fact that she carried no blaster, in fact the droid and a light shawl folded in her lap seemed to be all she had brought with her. "Where do you think you are going?" He demanded when he was close enough to tower over her.
"It appears, Lord Vader that a military solution will not work. I am here to provide a diplomatic one before you gun down everything in the vicinity." She had not wavered or faltered under his intense gaze. When she looked up at him and raised a single eyebrow in challenge, and he knew this round was lost. "Surely you don't object to a resolution without bloodshed or a body count."
"Very well, but I will not be held responsible for the actions of the troops should anything happen to you."
She narrowed her eyes at him then spoke. "There will be no retaliation until I order it. Right, Commander Cody?" The commander, who was adjusting his safety harness, looked up wide-eyed at Amidala then Vader. The man did not get time to stutter out a reply before Vader waved him off and stalked down the aisle to sit beside the commander.
Cody watched in fearful silence as the Dark Lord dropped into the seat fastened, safety restraints, and crossed his arms over his chest--the very picture of an agitated husband. The next comments from Lord Vader would puzzle Cody for the rest of his life. "It appears, Commander, that my former master was correct One truly should avoid involvement with politicians at all cost." The shuttle lifting from the bay floor jarred the commander from further speculation brought his mind back to the task at hand.
The local Dynast watched in concealment as four more ships descended into the valley. A quick glance told her that the injured from the last engagement were being taken back to the village. The Noghri, while not advanced technologically, were not semi-intelligent brutes like Gamorreans. The planet was dying slowly. The plant life around the crash site had died first and had slowly spread outward over the next two years. Nothing as of yet could stop the regression. To the Noghri, this was a curse from these star travelers and all these invaders had been offered up to the gods. The Dynast knew that all of these travelers were not to blame but it was a small sacrifice to keep the superstitious masses pacified. These last two groups had landed in force though making an attempt at invasion. The Noghri would not stand by and let these beings gain a foothold on their world. The Dynast had been involved in the attack on the Jedi Temple two years ago, and she recognized the white armor. A runner had been sent to the next clan for reinforcements. She knew that they could probably take care of this without the help, but who or whatever was coming here intended to complete their mission at any cost.
The shuttles had landed and the ramp on the first ship lowered, but what came next surprised the clan leader. The white skeletal like warriors did not charge down the ramp as they had previously. Instead two figures, one dressed head to toe in blue and the other an awkward figure in black, descended the ramp. These two were followed by an enormous black figure with a billowing cape. The imposing black monster looked, for all they could discern, like a god, but the Noghri's gods did not allow outsiders so she gave the signal to attack.
Ten warriors attacked the three figures at once, throwing several daggers apiece. The daggers all stopped midair and fell to the ground at the intruders' feet. The large black being ignited a sword of solid light that the Dynast had seen before. Two warriors were cleaved in half before the blue figure called out and all stopped. The clan leader clearly recognized the Basic being spoken, regardless the smaller black person was already asking them in the Noghri language to stop attacking and please send someone to talk. The remaining warriors instantly found themselves pinned to the ground. The Dynast watched in shock. The black beast was surely a god to do such things, but it was the diminutive creature in blue that commanded the beast. The leader assured that the warriors not pinned were standing down and stood from her position. As she approached, she realized that the beast was in armor similar to the white ones that had proceeded. The small black being had identified itself as a protocol droid and was introducing the blue leader as Lady Amidala Vader when the Dynast stepped before them.
"I understand you perfectly." The small leader looked up at the droid then to Amidala. "There is no need for it to repeat you in our language. I am Maskhim Dynast of Clan Khim'bar and you are intruders here."
The Lady Vader stood very straight before speaking. "Dynast Maskhim we have come here in peace to retrieve the soldiers from a ship that crashed here sometime in the last three years."
The Noghri's eyes grew wide in surprise and she pointed an accusatory finger. "Then you are responsible for the death and you will be held accountable. You may yet defeat my clan but the full force of the Noghri will soon befall you." With the statement finished the small leader turned and started away.
Amidala looked to Vader in shock but he simple stood there impassive. She turned back to the clan leader and called out. "I am unaware of what death you refer to, but if there is anything we can do to stop it I will see that it is done." The Dynast stopped and turned back to Amidala and Vader. "If you will take us to the site of the problem our scientist can analyze it immediately.
The Noghri leader narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Why should I trust you?"
Amidala smirked slightly before she answered. "Because you have likely already killed anyone else who has come here intending to help." The Dynast nodded her head and motioned for the group to follow her. Amidala motioned for the rest of the troops to disembark and follow. Throughout the trip to The Death, as Maskhim called it, no other Noghri appeared. A cursory glance to her husband assured Amidala that they were indeed under surveillance. After tracking through the dense jungle for several time parts, they came to the rim of a valley and the devastation was almost too much to bear.
Almost to the top of the rim, all plant life was dead. At the center, the wreckage of a separatist ship sat exposed among the desolate landscape. The Noghri leader explained that this was once a lush jungle, not unlike what they had just traversed. Only since the ship had crashed here had the plant life started to diminish. Of even larger concern was the fact that similar areas had sprung up all over the planet. The poisons likely carried by the wind and rain would eventually turn the lush planet into a desert, not unlike Tatooine.
Amidala took the view in slowly not saying a word as the Dynast relayed the story of her home's slow demise. When the story was done she turned to the small leader with purpose and determination. "Maskhim, we have the equipment aboard our ship to begin undoing this." She gestured to the valley. "More equipment and crews will be sent as soon as my husband returns to Coruscant. I will remain here for the next two months to oversee the initial phase of the recovery myself will a small contingent of these troops. If that meets with your approval, I would like you to have one of your subordinates show Commander Cody an ideal location for us to put a portable garrison to house myself and the troops."
The Dynast studied Amidala's face in silence before speaking. "I find your proposal to be acceptable. Raka will show your Commander a suitable site." The commander barely maintained his composure as a warrior all but materialized taking his elbow to lead him away from the valley. "Come, I will show you my village." Amidala nodded and followed the leader back into the jungle after ordering the men to take care of the accommodations. She could sense that she had nothing to fear from these beings anymore.