Boyzilla: Thank you. As for your question, I'm asking it myself. I have planned to confront Space Ishtar with several Force-Sensitive people. I admit that I have not yet decided on anything, I am still thinking about it. The only certainty, in Fate the Magecraft is limited by the laws of nature. However, in Star Wars the Force can alter the laws of nature. Moreover, rather than defining the Light Side as the Good Guys and the Dark Side as the Bad Guys, it would be more accurate to say that the Dark Side followers use the Force to impose their will on the world around them rather than being guided by the Force.
Have you read Tolkien's *Silmarillion*? I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or intentional, but one could read a similar idea. The description of the Ainulindalë (the song of creation) and the creation of Arda by the Ainur are quite similar to the divergence between the Light Side and the Dark Side. While the Ainur faithful to Ilúvatar sings without altering the theme, Morgoth and Sauron introduce their own themes, resulting in a painful cacophony.
ZoyeZest: Do not disclose personal data on a public site; there are many malicious people on the Internet.
The Capture
of
Coh Veshiv
(Prologue)
Fondor, Freeworld Territory, Tarpani Sector, Colonies.
Fondor was a planet resembling a red marble ball. Even from the far orbit, under the clouds, one could straight lines stretching thousands of miles and vast circles too regular to be natural. In the night zone, these same lines were illuminated signaling cities and heavily used roads.
Under normal circumstances (but since the beginning of the Galactic Civil War, what could be considered normal?) thousands of ships were built simultaneously in orbit of Fondor. After all, Fondor Shipyard was vast, very well equipped, and used to build large civilian and military vessels. During the Clone War, the Fondor Shipyard was one of the builders of the Republic's Venator and Victory lines of Stardestroyers. Then, after the takeover of Palpatine, the shipyards had manufactured Imperial Star Destroyers. Nevertheless, these constructions had inexplicably stopped a few years earlier... The planetary system was now off-limits for trade and only ships commandeered by the Imperial Fleet were allowed to enter and only after a strict inspection.
This draconian blockade, and the fact that the Fondor Shipyard no longer accepted any contracts, had strongly intrigued the Rebel Alliance. They had sent a team of spies... then saboteurs after discovering what the Empire was manufacturing in the orbital yards... but this story has already been told elsewhere (1).
The most important fact was that Fondor had been forced to refuse any contract because the Empire had entrusted this shipyard with the construction of the largest warship ever commissioned: the Executor. Given the pervasive climate of paranoia on the planet and in its orbit, the martial law, as well as the restrictions imposed on civilians in all areas, the Fondorians had little reason to be happy with the honor bestowed upon them by the Emperor.
At first glance, the Executor seemed finished. The immense ship was like a gigantic sword of more than 19 kilometers long. However, only the exterior hull was completed. There was still a lot of work to be done inside the ship. A Star Destroyer of the Protection Fleet was approaching the rear of the Super Star Destroyer under construction. She used her tractor beams to bring a KDY-Executor50.X Engine (almost as large as her) closer to an empty cavity in the alignment of the stern nozzles.
Besides this Star Destroyer, reduced to the status of a mere mechanic, a second white triangular warship... tiny in comparison with the cosmic monster... floated near the Executor. It was a highly symbolic scene since this ship was the DSI Devastator, Darth Vader's current flagship.
A Lambda-class shuttle seemed to fall from the prow's bay-hangar before spreading its wings and accelerating.
Two TIE fighters caught up with the light skiff to act as an escort.
Hangar bay B-204 had been completed several weeks earlier, but most of the adjacent hangar decks remained open to space, resembling dark holes devoid of atmosphere or artificial gravity. Only the Durasteel partitions had been installed. In other areas of the Executor's ventral bay, the light from plasma torches operated by droids illuminated busy job sites.
As both TIE fighters veered to return to the Devastator, the Lambda shuttle folded its wings and crossed the atmospheric retention field of bay B-204 before landing inside the hangar. The ramp of the shuttle was lowered as jets of carbon dioxide hissed.
Within the vast metallic hangar, the temperature was chilly, but it grew frigid as a figure clad in black armor descended from the shuttle. An orchestra of droids began to play the "Imperial March," while the Stormtroopers snapped to attention, presenting their weapons like rigid, white plastoid statues.
Framed by several high-ranking officers, a man dressed in multiple layers of robes and a cylindrical hat with flaps approached Vader. His face was unhealthily pale, and a large wart beneath his left eye furthered his unsettling appearance. The most disturbing feature, however, was his gaze. His eyes reflected the meanness of a narrow soul, but also the greed of a scavenger.
The individual, Advisor Coh Veshiv, was one of the many characters forming the imperial court, an assembly of idlers, lazybones, and parasites that Palpatine tolerated in his entourage. That was Vader's opinion... and, for once, not a member of the Rebel Alliance would have contradicted him.
The Imperial Advisor Veshiv stepped forward and bowed deeply before Vader.
"It's good to see you again, Lord Vader! Did you have a good trip?"
Without even looking at the diminutive man, the Dark Lord of the Sith answered with a stony voice.
"The Emperor has asked to see me."
"Yes, please follow me."
And the little disgusting toad turned around and headed for the nearest Turbolift, followed by the silhouette of the being half man, half machine whose mechanical breathing haunted the nightmares of the entire galaxy... an atypical duo to say the least.
The door of the Turbolift opened on a vast dark room guarded by Imperial Royal Guards in red armors and red capes armed with forcepikes.
Veshiv trotted awkwardly to stay at the height of Vader who was walking towards the end of the room, not used to physical exertion his face was flooded with sweat.
When the Dark Lord of the Sith knelt, he copied the movement with a slight delay.
"My Master."
Vader addressed the back of a throne facing a vast Transpasteel's porthole. Suddenly, the black seat turned to face the newcomers. An old man with a ravaged face and dressed in a black robe was sitting on it, his forearms resting on the armrests.
"Get up, my friend, you too Coh."
The two men stopped looking at the ground and turned to Emperor Palpatine.
"Report to me, Lord Vader."
"I found no trace of the threat you felt, my Master."
"That is a pity, Lord Vader. So, I am to understand that you have not properly fulfilled the mission I gave you? My instructions were clear. Do I need to repeat them? You had to go to Sullust and find out what happened in that sector. Such a bust of energy so violent that the Force has echoed it all over the galaxy must leave some traces, witnesses must have seen something."
Although Palpatine's condescending voice sharpened Vader's anger and resentment, nevertheless he replied in a calm voice... but only because the Dark Lord of the Sith maintained a calm voice, even though he had to force himself to do so. What irritated him most was Coh Veshiv's presence. This unworthy individual was smiling. Sidious aimed to lower Vader in front of a lesser individual, reminding him of the leash around his neck and that the other end was in the Emperor's hand.
"Yes my Master, I didn't forget your instructions. I went to Sullust but found that the planet was facing an infestation of rebels. It took me a while to restore the order back. As the governor was an incompetent, I had him replaced."
Palpatine smiled, revealing yellow and worn teeth.
"Yes, I got a report on that, my friend. You are working the governors very hard... literally to the death."
The Emperor laughs at his own joke... a very unpleasant sound to hear.
"I then went in search of witnesses, my Master," continued Vader, imperturbable. "My preliminary investigation concluded that two groups of people were present on the site at the time of the disturbances. A band of pirates under... 'Prince' Shiraz and the crew of the Imperial Escort Frigate Far Orbit."
"The Far Orbit?" Palpatine's face darkened in the shadow of the hood of his black robe. "You mean that mutinous frigate?"
"Yes, my Master."
"What about the pirates?"
"When I arrived at their base, following the Far Orbit, I discovered that Shiraz's asteroid had exploded."
"I see..."
Palpatine frowned and meditated for a long minute.
"In this case, the most urgent thing is to find the Far Orbit... and capture her intact."
"This would be a task for the ISB, my Master."
Palpatine looked at his student as if he were surprised that Vader could have his own opinion. Then the old Force's sorcerer smiled.
"Of course, I can't waste your talents chasing after a mere frigate. All right, my friend, stay here and watch the construction of the Executor. I'm going back to the Imperial Center. I hope Cronal..." The Emperor cackled. "Oh, yes, I completely forgot. Now, we must call him 'Lord Darkhole'... so I hope that Lord Darkhole has been able to trace the Far Orbit. I hope so in his own interest."
Kneeled before the Emperor, Vader smiled under his mask. He didn't like Cronal, one of the Dark Side Seers, a bunch of so-called 'followers' of the Dark Side who had received only a few pathetic shreds of knowledge. The little they had learned was enough to make them deranged and megalomaniacs... Dark Side Seers... what a pretentious and ridiculous title! After the 'betrayal' of the previous ISB director, Sidious had placed Cronal at the head of this espionage service simply because... Cronal may have been crazy and lunatic but this Dark Jedi obeyed all the orders that Sidious gave him without ever discussing them. It was so typical of his Master to surround himself with obedient idiots... Pathetic!
Now alone in the throne room (the presence of the two royal guards didn't count... not to Sidious anyway) Palpatine pondered about the strange presence he had felt a few weeks earlier.
A mysterious being had suddenly appeared from the Dark Side without any warning. As the Sith Master reached into the mind of this newcomer, he sensed confusion and pain. It was clear that the arrival was not voluntary; rather, it resulted from some sort of accident that had left the being injured and disoriented.
Palpatine had seized the opportunity of this brief moment of weakness to attack with all his might... Unfortunately... or perhaps he should say, 'fortunately'... the being survived his attack, even if it had been strongly weakened to the point that his presence became tenuous, impossible to locate. Nevertheless, Palpatine sometimes felt a stir in the Force. The newcomer had found refuge somewhere in this galaxy. The Emperor intended to find him... to destroy him or (preferably) convert him to the Dark Side.
As he smiled at the thought, a servant came out of the shadow and knelt to the foot of the throne.
"Your Imperial Majesty, the Grand Admiral Nial Declann respectfully and urgently requests permission to speak to you. The Grand Admiral would like to discuss a serious matter."
"He... what?"
Losing all semblance of calm, Palpatine screamed.
Kneeling before him, Nial Declann grinned. He was a tall, robust human with black skin, creating a striking contrast against his white uniform. Unlike many of the Grand Admirals, who were typically older men, he was still young. As a follower of the Dark Side, he felt as though he was caught in the center of a cyclone as Palpatine's anger was unleashed.
At the other end of the room, the two Royal Guards wavered.
Fortunately, Darth Sidious exhaled deeply and ceased projecting his anger onto others.
Stepping away from the throne, the Emperor walked to a side window and stood there in silence.
"Repeat your explanation; I want to ensure I have understood correctly."
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!" Nial Declann replied, massaging his forehead with a trembling hand. He summarized his earlier explanation: "Coh Veshiv came to see me a moment ago. He mentioned that he noticed irregularities in the accounts of the fleets I manage. After discovering that I had taken more Durasteel from the depots than I had distributed to the fleets under my command, he deduced that I was selling this material on the black market. Imperial Advisor Veshiv... blackmailed me. He threatened to publicly expose that I was diverting Imperial supplies unless I included him in my 'scheme,' Your Imperial Majesty!"
Palpatine began to breathe quickly; holding back from calling on the Dark Side to express his anger... this room could not hold the eruption of his fury.
"What a fool!"
In a (rare) bout of self-criticism, Palpatine remembered that he was the one who appointed Coh Veshiv to the position of Imperial Advisor. When the Sith Master was Chancellor of the decadent and dying Galactic Republic, Veshiv was already a career diplomat and politician. Veshiv had not obtained a position in the Galactic Senate because of a glorious military past, or by his dedication to the service of the Old Republic, he had not been placed there by a political godfather or even by an influential family. No, none of that...
Coh Veshiv's talent was... uncovering other persons' secrets.
Veshiv was a worthless larva who knew how to discover the small shameful secrets that others hid. In exchange for his silence, he extorted favors and gained influence.
Palpatine had easily managed to recruit him into the COMPOR (the COMmission for the Protection Of the Republic). There, Veshiv had proved amusing, subtle, and occasionally useful. The Sith Master destroyed the credibility of his political rivals by making public some of the most embarrassing facts his new lackey uncovered or, by blackmailing them through Veshiv, he forced other politicians to support him. More than anything else, Palpatine enjoyed watching his advisor destroying the lives of others just to get small benefits.
However...
"Imperial Advisor Coh Veshiv endangers the Ilko project," insisted Nial Declann.
However, Palpatine never anticipated that Vashiv would uncover his most ambitious secret project. Of course, the Grand Admiral was not pilfering equipment from the Imperial Navy; Declann was acting on the Emperor's orders. The cargo he was diverting was stored in hidden warehouses in the Moddell sector, near Endor. This was in preparation for a large construction project that would require an enormous amount of Durasteel—enough to create an artificial moon...
Agamar, Mirgoshir system, Lahara Sector.
Twelve X-wings came out of light speed. The fast and agile starfighters escorted a Gallofree Medium Transport. Changing their route to avoid being spotted by the imperial radar of Calna Muun, the planetary capital, the ships headed towards the Arctic steppes.
The X-wings gracefully landed in a huge fighter's bay still adorned with a faded CSI logo.
As Luke Skywalker began to untie the straps that connected him to his fighter's ejection seat, he smiled at a burst of beeps and clattering that the R2 astromech unit spat on a dubious mode.
"But yes, R2, I'm sure See-Threpio will be glad to see you."
The droid's response was a faint sigh. No one knew how long these droids had been teaming. Leia had always seen them on board the Tantive IV and this ship already belonged to her father when she was a child. Yet, even if the droids were inseparable, they never stopped quarreling.
While a magnetic crane was lifting the small barrel-shaped droid, a technician pushed a ladder to the cockpit, allowing Captain Skywalker, alias Rogue One, to disembark.
Luke was a short, young man with dark blonde hair. He was currently wearing an orange pilot's suit and holding the helmet that he had just taken off under his arm. He had the holster of a blaster pistol at his belt and a cylindrical case... few people would have recognized an elegant weapon, a relic of a more civilized era: a lightsaber.
He turned his head at the sound of a Wookie scream and saw to an old, patched light transport. The alien from Kashyyyk was patching something in the starboard mandible of the YT-1300. A fusion cuter in one hand and welder glasses around the neck, Chewbacca waving shouting something.
"Salut Chewie, how are you?"
The furry alien replied in his native language, the Shyriiwook.
"Where is Han?"
Chewbacca moaned long while shrugging his shoulders before ending with an annoyed jibber.
"If I see him, I'll tell him to come help you with those repairs."
Seeing a golden shimmer from the corner of his eye crossing the tarmac, Luke turned in this direction. A droid passed between two small landspeeders loaded with mechanics or equipment, looking around as if it was looking for something. Luke waved.
"Here, See-Threepio."
The Cybot Galactica 3P0 droid stopped, seeming momentarily stunned, then raised a hand.
"Just heaven, I hadn't seen you, Master Luke." The droid turned his head one way, then the other. "There are so many people here; I have been nearly run over by speeders several times. Shouldn't they be driving more carefully?"
Luke smiled again. It was the good old See-Threepio. The droid still seemed disapproving, stubborn, and vaguely comic.
"You were looking for me," he replied patiently, the droid had a gift for getting lost in unimportant details when he had a mission to fulfill.
"... Yes... you are convened. The Provisional Council wants to hear your report."
"All right."
Luke turned to another Rogue who was signing the take-out form handed to him by a technician.
"Wedge, I'll let you handle the flight debriefing. I'm being called to the top," he said.
Wedge Antilles, also known as Rogue Two, smiled. "Sure, have fun!"
The phrase was ironic; reporting to the Provisional Council was always a chore.
With a hand gesture, Luke stopped a landspeeder that was bringing back pilots and technicians. Luke boarded with C-3PO and R2-D2. Sitting in his chair, with his helmet and gloves resting on his thighs, Luke turned to the golden droid.
"Is Leia all right?" he asked.
"Of course, Master Luke. The princess is fine. However, the council sessions are quite difficult. I could never understand these organics. Why do they argue over the smallest details? I'm exhausted. It's very challenging to translate the debates in a way that respects the intended meaning while remaining diplomatic."
R2 began to beep, squeak, and whistle, which irritated C-3PO. The Protocol Droid responded by tapping the dome of the astromech droid.
"Of course, I know the Imperials shot you during your mission. But you were aboard an armed fighter! I suffered while being unable to do anything. Stop bringing it all back to you! You're not the only one with a tough job."
The little droid turned away sulkily, making a sound reminiscent of a child sticking out his tongue. Shocked, C-3PO comically shook his arms.
"How can you say something so rude? You are being very impolite! If Master Luke wipes your memories, you will have earned it!"
The young Jedi apprentice had to bite his lip to suppress a laugh. No one could get bored in the presence of these two droids.
Standing in front of the conference table, Luke (now wearing a yellow jacket and black jeans) was finishing his report.
"... the presence of the Emperor (2) on Fondor confirms the important role of the new Super Destroyer. The ship under construction has been named Executor and is expected to be the new flagship of Darth Vader."
The council's members looked carefully at the documents brought by the spies... but they did not know that the information was false. The Executor (called a 'Super-class Stellar Destroyer') was credited with only 8,000 meters in length and a main armament of 250 turbocharger batteries and as many heavy batteries (3).
True, the described ship was five times larger than a Star Destroyer. The false documents seized by the Alliance even described a ship outfitting all other ships of the Imperial Navy... except that the false-Executor appeared very unimpressive compared to the Death Star. But it was really hard to impress those who had destroyed this combat station.
A Bothan raised a hand.
Mon Mothna struck with her mallet.
"Councilor Borsk Fey'la has the floor."
The alien with a narrow dog nose and a leonine long mane spoke in a snarling voice, smoothing out his bristled coat with one hand.
"If I understand correctly, the empire has isolated an entire planetary system, just to build an enlarged version of a dreadnaught of the Mandator-class, Bellator-class and Assertor-class series. To me, the construction of this kind of vessel is just a propaganda operation. They cost as much as a fleet of smaller ships and do not have the firepower to shatter a planetary shield."
Collectively known as the Mandator-line, these giant ships had begun to be built before the Clone War and were continually being perfected. The Assertor-class, the most recent one had entered production shortly before the battle of Yavin.
Admiral Ackbar raised his hand to request the floor, which Mon Mothma granted.
"I remind Honorable Councilor Fey'la that the 'useless' Assertor and Wrath have launched multiple anti-Alliances actions in the Mid and Outer Rim Territories."
"Escorted by a whole fighting group" interrupted Feu'la. "Admiral Ackbar, I never said that giant dreadnoughts were harmless toys, I just said they were no more dangerous than a fleet of the same firepower. Remember that General Jan Dodonna calculated that dreadnoughts could be armed with a super laser like the one of the Death Star. But limited by the size of the generators, they would not have the power to destroy a planet."
Fey'la turned to Mon Mothma.
"It is alarming that the Empire is blocking a system to hide the construction of a new type of dreadnought, but no matter how big this new warship and how many these Turbolasers are, it does not change the balance of power. I would even go so far as to say that the Empire is doing us a service by spending its budget on prestigious projects of this kind. It would be faster and cheaper to build a fleet of Star Destroyers than one of these monsters. Also, this kind of ship is slow and one of them can only be in one place at a time while a fleet can spread over several targets."
The ensuing session degenerated into a long quarrel between Fey'la's supporters and those of Ackbar. Regardless of the subject matter, each vote produced almost identical results. It was obvious that the two aliens had an equal number of supporters and that they voted systematically for their candidate. The Chief of State seemed completely overwhelmed by the situation, desperately trying to shelter decisions without too much favoring one side or the other.
Mon Mothma hired Leia to work on various files and Luke had been waiting for her in the hallway. This had given him time to think about the situation but Luke found no answer.
When the Princess of Alderaan left the meeting room, the Jedi apprentice smiled at her and then hugged her. It seemed strange that a simple farmer from the distant planet Tatooine could be so familiar with the daughter of the last king of a planet of the Core, but... he had always felt close to her without really understanding why.
When she released him, he pointed to the door guarded by two soldiers armed with forcepikes.
"Is it always like this?"
"Council meeting? Yes... Borsk Fey'la was a politician, but in a Rebellion what matters is the number of soldiers and ships... and he reacts as a politician by trying to gain influence among the military. Ackbar is a military man who reacts like a military man. He doesn't know how to negotiate; he tries to win debates as if they were battles. Moreover, Ackbar is an idealist; he wants to win the war both militarily and morally. While Fey'la is a realist, he is ready to make a deal with the mob, smugglers, and pirates. Recently, not only has Mon Mothma supported the use of Privateers, but the Far Orbit, a Privateers' ship sponsored by the Alliance, has achieved brilliant success."
"And that strengthens Fey'la" concluded Luke.
"And that strengthens Fey'la" confirmed Leia, which makes Ackbar even more intransigent on the moral and legal aspect."
"Legal?" Despite the situation, Luke was amused. "Someone forgot to explain to Ackbar that we are a rebellion against the legitimate government?"
Perlemian Trading Route, near Esseles, Darpa Sector (Ringali Shell).
The Leprechaun a Strike-class cruiser, was drifting near an Action IV Bulk Freighter. Several TIE Interceptors were patrolling the area.
In the cockpit, Captain Jaru was standing in front of a holopod, speaking to an old man in imperial uniform, Vice Admiral Alpiett Gredge, commander of the Victory-class Star Destroyer Scourge.
"... that's the end of Captain Joh Steen's testimony."
Gredge thought for a moment.
"So the pattern is identical to previous hijacking. A Nebulon-B frigate, claiming to be an imperial ship, immobilizes a ship under the guise of an inspection but it is pirates who climb aboard. The boarding party locks the freighter crew into the cabins and sets the ship off to an unknown destination. There, Rebel ships unload the cargo and then the pirates bring the freighter back to her original position."
"Yes, sir."
The old Vice Admiral nodded thoughtfully.
"How much was stolen?"
Zellki Jaru quickly consulted his datapad.
"Transport A-175 was hauling power cells and power system components for Cambrielle SolidState, worth about 35 million credits."
Gredge shook his head, grim-faced.
"It's time to do something. The Rebels are using one or more captured Imperial ships for piracy operations. I will report your findings to Moff Gender Graffe."
"Yes sir. Do you have any new instructions for us?"
"No, keep up your anti-pirate patrols. Let's stay in touch, Captain Jaru. I may have news for you soon."
"Forgive the bluntness, admiral, but can I expect reinforcements?"
"I fear no, most of the Imperial Navy's personnel in the Ringali Shell are involved in the Ralltiir blockade and anti-rebel operations on the ground of this planet. It is our priority. When to call for reinforcements at the Imperial Center... the Navy has only 25,000 Star Destroyers while the galaxy has 150 billion stars. Do the math yourself. We're already lucky that you were sent here."
Jaru nodded slowly.
There were nearly 100 inhabited star systems and another 10,000 unpopulated ones in the Ringali Shell. Despite this, the ratio number of patrollers/ number of planetary systems to patrol was more favorable than in the galaxy as a whole.
The Rebel's pirate ship was like a very tiny needle in a very large haystack.
Note of the author: Here is the prologue of the new Arc. You have just met with Coh Veshiv, a very 'sympathetic' individual, isn't it? I also reviewed the situation on both the Empire and the Alliance sides. Starting with the next chapter, you will find out how the Far Orbit will kidnap Coh Veshiv to deliver him to the Alliance.
(1) Darth Vader Strikes, a comic printed in 1981.
(2) A significant change from the normal course of events occurs due to the arrival of Space Ishtar. Luke senses Vader's presence in the canonical version of the events.
(3) The construction of the Executor was used to mislead the Rebellion's intelligence services by conveying false information about the ship's size and weaponry. Locking down Fondor's planetary system and halting the production of other ships in the shipyard was not intended to prevent the Rebels from discovering the Executor's existence but to attract their attention. Meanwhile, another construction site at Kuat was secretly building a second Executor-class Dreadnought, known as the Lusanskya. This ship -intended to be the Emperor's flagship- was temporarily named Executor to conceal the building of a second ship of that type.