Mass Wars:
Episode 2: The New Order:
A New Galactic Order has emerged. In the unknown regions of the galaxy, the sinister and mysteries FIRST ORDER has begun to carve out an empire of their own. This very thing had both the CITADEL COUNCIL and the REPUBLIC OF ALLIED SYSTEMS worried since this group was responsible for the attack on the Citadel several years ago. No one knows what the order wants.
A combined force of both the Republic Rogue Squadron and the Citadel Spectres have been investigating but so far have discovered nothing useful about the order, nor their connection to the REAPERS, a race of artificial intelligences said to destroy civilizations after so many years, both sides belief that the Reapers are just a story.
But not everyone believes this, a pro-human movement known as CERERUS believes the Reapers are still out there and are a threat but the only person who knows more about them is dead, the great JANE ALICE SHEPARD. Cerberus believes it has the solution to this problem and has sent one of their top operatives to the distance moon NAR SHADDAA to meet with a smuggler who holds the key to this problem.
NAR SHADDAA: Hutt Space:
Nar Shaddaa was a moon of the planet Nal Hutta, the home planet of a species known as the Hutts, a notorious race of enormous slug like creatures that was also some of the most notorious gangsters and criminals of the galactic Underworld. The Hutts dealt with all kinds of crime from smuggling, slavery, extortion and funding warlords. The Hutts had been a major player in the Terminus Systems region of the galaxy for hundreds of years and had their own region known as Hutt space which was controlled by a council of the most powerful Hutt crime lords who would also fight each other to gain more power and influence. Nal Hutta was a massive swamp world that was once filled with many cities but after hundreds of years, the cities fell into the swamps leaving only a few spaceports while the main cities moved to Nar Shaddaa with was covered in vast cities although these cities were filled with scum and villains who would rob and extort innocent people so most people except for bounty hunters and smugglers tended to avoid Hutt Space altogether.
But this moon was where one smuggler was heading to meet his employer. On board a Corellian YT-1300 Light freighter known as the Millennium Falcon, two smugglers, a human and the Wookie were looking forward to relaxing and getting paid after retrieving their cargo. This had been a though mission though the Falcon's extensive modifications had made getting here easier. Although the ship's model was now seen as outdated, the Falcon had extensive modifications including an upgraded Hyperdrive and drive core allowing the ship to outrun even some of the Republic's fastest fighters and scan proof compartments to allow extensive use of smuggling.
In the ship's cockpit, the human looked to his Wookie companion "Alright Chewie, we're ready nearly done with this job, soon we'll get paid and I can finally pay off my debt to Jabba."
The Wookie spoke to the human, his name was Chewbacca but was better known as Chewie, he spoke in the usual Wookie growls but the human could understand what he was saying. "I know we may have gained an new enemy in Vogga but the money offered was too much to turn down. Besides since when does Han Solo turn down a job.
The pilot was known as Han Solo, he had been an orphan from Corellia and had grown up being involved in crime just to try and feed himself. When he had been old enough, he joined the Republic pilots and had actually been the youngest pilot involved in the Battle of Corellia during the Verge War against the Batarians but his recklessness and usual routine to disobey orders had led to him being court marshalled and imprisoned, rather than wait, he stole a fighter and made him way alone and had been able to avoid patrols sent to look for him. He had taken up with a small gang where he met and rescued Chewbacca from a fighting pit and soon the two of them began known smugglers. They would smuggle weapons and substances but both very strongly refused to be involved in slavery, there was a line that they drew when it came to what they would do and slavery was a no-no.
Han had recently gotten himself into a bother when he had angered one of the most powerful Crime Lords Jabba Desilijic Tiure after he had ejected some valuable cargo he had been smuggling for him and now Han had been warned to pay off the cost of the cargo or he would put a bounty on him. Han had been worried until he had received an offer that would gain him the money he needed to pay off that debt. The job had been simple on paper but more difficult in practice. He had been told to steal a valuable artefact from another Hutt crime Lord called Vogga from his estate on Canto Blight and then bring it to Nar Shaddaa where he would be paid for it. The artefact was currently in transport but it had a special code that Han could use to find it. Getting to Canto Blight had been simple and Han was use to using the sewers to get around and after scouting, he managed to find his way to Vogga's estate and had been able to find the artefact and bring it back to the falcon. Vogga had no idea that he had been robbed until he came to find the artefact and by that point, Han was long gone from the planet.
Han had no idea just what is was since it was still being transported in a box but according to what he was told by his contact, this artefact was something important to the group his contact was representing and had also been stolen from them and they wanted it back. It must have been very important since the he had been offered a huge amount for this job which was why Han accepted the offer.
They approached Nar Shaddaa spaceport in the capital city of Hutta Town which had many skyscrapers with patchworks of shanty towns that filled every space between the towers Nar Shaddaa had become known as the Smuggler's Moon and was seen by many as the capital settlement of the western Terminus systems. The moon could connect with nearly every other system and it attracted all of the type of scum that could be found in the area, smugglers, thieves, bounty hunters, murderers, thieves, fraudsters, counterfeiters, all could be found on Nar Shaddaa. This meant that crime was high on the moon but as long as you respected the Hutts, they wouldn't step in so coming to the Moon often required protection but Han knew the safest place to land.
He took a landing pad of top of one of the towers, this tower happened to be owned by his contacts so they allowed him to leave his ship here. He did not know the people here fully but they seemed to be some kind of organisation since they had well trained soldiers and a good financial situation. Chewbacca helped bring the crate using a hover to transport the crate since it was heavy and he was directed to one of the many taverns where his contact was waiting.
He soon found his contact sitting at a table. His contact was a young woman who seemed to flaunt her sexuality. She had silky black hair that went down her back and bright blue eyes. Her outfit was tight and showed off her curves. Men would lust after her but she had a means of protecting herself even without help from her bodyguard, a young black skinned man with short black hair who looked like he was former military because of his training. During one meeting with this contact, Han had seen one many get too close to her and then she watched as the woman threw the man back hard and had glowing blue balls in her hands. She had used a combination of both the Republic's force moves and the Citadel's biotics training so she had experience with both. The woman had then crushed the man's head and no one did a thing, that was how things worked on Nar Shaddaa.
"Ah, so Operative Lawson." Han greeted since that was what he knew this contact as "Job's complete."
"Ah, news has been spreading like wildfire." The woman known only as Operative Lawson replied "Vogga the Hutt is furious over the loss of his valuable treasure, not that it was his in the first place since he stole it from the people who stole it from us. He's now put a bounty out for the return of his treasure and to whoever finds the thief but no one knows who stole it. Apparently he killed his transport crew blaming them for the loss and he discovered that they were stealing from him anyway so it's not like they were innocent."
"That's how things work here in the Terminus Systems." Han replied "Life's not fair is it. So what is this thing anyway, seems like a lot of credits being offered for its return so this has to be very important."
"That's none of your business!" the bodyguard hissed
"Jacob!" Lawson shouted "Sorry about that, but I cannot say anything as this is a high priority."
"Ah, secret operation by a secret organisation." Han laughed "Well, I don't get involved with these power plays even if they sometimes make my job harder. I needed these credits to pay off my debt."
"Yeah and you might want to do that soon." Lawson replied "Jabba's apparently here for a meeting with the Hutt Council to discuss the ongoing situation with the First Order, they've been disrupting the Hutt cartel in the eastern region, they come to discuss what they can do. Jabba may have learnt that you're here."
"Well, I guess I better prepare to talk to him." Han said "Speaking of which."
"Of course." Lawson smiled and handed over the credits in a box "100,000 credits, make sure you use it wisely."
"Indeed I will." Han smiled "And if there's is anything else I can do for you, you know who you can call."
"Yes sure I do." Lawson sighed "Now I must be going before any more goons decide they want to have fun with me and I break their necks."
Just as she got up, the door opened and Han saw who walked in and recognised "Hey, take the door out the back." He warned "I'll handle this." Lawson and Jacob nodded and they took the hover-dolly from Chewbacca and they left the room while Han went to confront the person who walked in who was a Rodian that Han knew too well.
"Going somewhere Solo?" the Rodian asked in his native language with a gun out.
"Yes Greedo." Han replied to the Rodian who backed Han up towards a table where they both sat down "As a matter of fact I was just coming to see your boss. I now have the money I need to pay him off from my debt." The Rodian was a bounty hunter called Greedo, he wasn't a very skilled bounty Hunter but he had protection as a spy for the Hutts but he often acted tougher than he really was. He often tried to intimidate people with threats which he enjoyed doing since it made him feel powerful. Han however didn't care for Greedo, the two of them had clashed several times before with Greedo trying to steal bounties from him but often failing while Han managing to take credit from Greedo.
"It's not just the debt, I've been tracking you since you got it." Greedo smirked "I know what you did to get the money to pay it off. I know you stole from Vogga and he's put a bounty out so high that every bounty hunter will be chasing it. I'm just lucky I found you first."
"So what is it you want?" Han asked as his hand reached from his blaster under the table.
"You were given a huge amount for that job to steal from Vogga, give it to me and I won't tell anyone about what you did. Vogga still doesn't know it was you."
"If I do that what's to stop you from saying something anyway?" Han asked "And how will I pay off my debt."
"Well maybe you should have thought of that beyond you cost Jabba a lot of money!" Greedo hissed "Jabba has no time for smugglers who drop their cargo at the first site of a First Order star Destroyer."
"Even I get boarded sometimes!" Han protested "You think I had a choice?"
"Tell that to Jabba." Greedo sneered "Maybe he'll only take your ship instead."
"Off my cold dead hands!" Han hissed leaning in close and he levelled his pistol under the table.
"That's the idea." Greedo smirked "I've been waiting for this for a long time."
"Yes." Han said calmly "I bet you have." And before Greedo could react, Han pulled the trigger firing his pistol which stuck Greedo in the chest causing the Rodian to fall face first onto the table. Everyone looked at Han after the gunshot but they quickly went back to their own business while Han stood up giving the bar some credits "For the mess." He then walked away from the table and left the tavern to try and find Jabba and pay off his debt before things got worse.
...
On another Landing platform, Jacob and Lawson were followed by several armoured soldiers as they brought the crate onboard their shuttle. Once onboard, they opened the crate to see what was inside. They were happy when they saw that it was a bacca tank, a special medical device that was used to help cure people and they saw the person inside seemed to be alive. But Jacob was concerned when she saw the condition of the person.
"Seems like Vogga decided to open the tank to dress her Miranda." He said to Lawson.
"I can see that." The woman who was really called Miranda Lawson "I just hope that this tampering hasn't caused too much damage. We've already lost more time that we didn't have. Two years of work and then she's stolen from us and three years searching. I just hope it won't take too long to finish off what we nearly finished. The First Order is rising again, it may already be too late."
"We have to get her to a secure location." Jacob stated "The Illusive Man won't torelate any more failures."
"How was I suppose to know that Wilson was working for the Shadow Broker?" Miranda defended "It surprised us all, let's just get her to HQ, at least we won't have any chance of her being taken again."
"I just hope that she'll trust us when she wakes up." Jacob sighed "She doesn't have the best opinion of us."
"She knows the dangers." Miranda replied "She's a smart woman and knows that sometimes for the good of the galaxy, you have to make a deal with the devil. I just hope that she keeps that mindset and understands what's at stake here."
...
Back at Nar Shaddaa, Han and Chewbacca approached the Landing platform they had arrived on and saw that someone was there. Han had been unable to find Jabba but he was soon alerted that someone had arrived at the Landing Platform looking for him and sure enough, he knew who it was.
Waiting for him was a massive slug like creature with yellow and green scaley skin. This was Jabba the Hutt, probably one of the biggest gangsters and the one of the most powerful individuals in the Terminus Systems.
"Solo!" he yelled at the Falcon "Come out of there Solo! Solo!"
"I'm right here Jabba." Han called causing Jabba and his guards to turn to him. "I've been looking for you Jabba."
"Have you now?" Jabba mocked
"Did you really think I was going to run?" Han questioned
"Han my boy, there are times that you disappoint me." Jabba replied "Why haven't you paid me, and why did you have to fry poor Greedo."
"Listen Jabba, the next time you want to see me, come and see me yourself." Han stated clearly "Don't send one of these twerps, especially if they're trying to scam me and well as you."
Jabba sighed "Han, you must understand, I just can't afford to make exceptions. Where would I be if every smuggler who worked for me, dropped their cargo at the first sight of a First Order Patrol."
Han looked at him "Listen Jabba, you know it as much as I do as well as the rest of the Hutt Council. The First Order is on the rise and they're making jobs much harder. Even my secret smuggling containers are not immune to their new scanners. I do get boarded sometimes, you think I had a choice. At least now I have the money to pay you off for that."
Jabba smirked "I know, one of my own spies told me. He also told me how you got that money. To be honest I don't care how, Vogga's a fierce rival of mine and we Hutts compete with each other but understand, I cannot be tied to you if he finds out."
"He won't." Han replied "I've decided to lay low for a while, I have enough money to last me for a long time but I also want to find out more about the First Order's plans. They are a danger."
"I do know that." Jabba warned "Just don't cross me again otherwise I'll put a bounty on your head so large you won't come anywhere close to any civilized system."
"I understand." Han replied as he walked up the Falcon's ramp followed by Chewbacca and Jabba and his men left.
...
Back with Miranda and Jacob, their ship was travelling through hyperspace towards their organisation's HQ. Jacob had taken the Bacca Tank to the medical Bay while Miranda went to the communication's room to speak with the boss. Miranda activated the Hologram transmitter and soon a hologram of their boss showed up. It was a fine dressed man with gelled hair and smoking a Cigar.
"Operative Lawson, I assume your mission was a success?" the man asked
"Yes Illusive Man." Miranda replied "We have successfully recovered our asset. We're bringing her back to HQ to finish what we started."
"We cannot afford any more mistakes Miranda." The man known only as the Illusive Man replied "We've already lost valuable time; the First Order is rising and with it the ancient group known as the Sith Order. Shepard is the only one who can stop them."
"Illusive Man, may I ask a question?" Miranda asked
"What is it?"
"It's just well, even if we bring Shepard back, how will we know she will work with us?" Miranda asked "Shepard doesn't have the best view of us and wouldn't she think that we're just part of the First Order? I mean we're both seem to be pro-human organisations?"
"That may be slightly true but I only want what's best for Humanity." The Illusive Man replied "I believe that Humanity has a place in the galaxy where it is free from the holds of other races, we should be putting our needs ahead of others. Do what is best for humanity. Unlike the First Order, Cerberus has no interest in ruling the galaxy and destroying the Republic or the Citadel, we just want Humanity to be safe. The First Order on the other hand is tied to dark powers that could spell our doom and there is a possibility they're connected with the disappearance of colonies several years ago. Shepard is the only person who can find out the truth which is why I made sure to get people together who she will like rather than just regular Cerberus operative. My information did its job of locating her twice, now it's your job to finish project Lazarus as soon as possible."
"As you command Illusive Man." Miranda replied "Luckily Project Lazarus was near complete until Wilson sold us out. Now it will just take maybe three weeks at most to mend any possible issues that Vogga caused when he had Shepard in his collection."
"Good, when she awake and ready, let me speak with her, she needs to know everything that has happened since her near death." The Illusive Man finished before ending the call and then Miranda left the room as the ship carried on its way towards their group's HQ.
Chapter End:
Notes: Well here is the first chapter of my new story and the second instalment of the Mass Wars series. Unlike the first story in this series, this one will be different to the Mass Effect 2 Game as that had been one of the criticisms of the first story. I will be able to bring more Star Wars into this story than I did with episode 1 and a few changes have already been made such as the time between the two episodes which is five years here instead of just 2 from the Games. I did bring Han Solo into the story but don't expect him to be a main character, he will appear as an important character later on in the story but he is not a main character here, I'm sorry to Han Solo fans but this story will follow Shepard. Also while the Collectors from the Mass Effect Games will appear, they are not the only antagonists in this story and this will be explained in the next chapter.