Star Wars Invasion: Episode I, Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

Leia Organa Solo stared grimly at the hologram projector that laid before her. The setup displayed the Outer Rim world of Taris, which was scattered with red-colored dots. Beside her stood some of the Alliance Defense Force's high-ranking officers, as well as a few members of the Jedi High Council.

Admiral Sien Sovv, Supreme Commander of the Defense Force, stepped forward and pointed at the red dots with his baton. 

"These represent the many sightings of the Rakghoul plague," the Sullustan admiral informed his audience. "According to local historians on Taris, this incident has actually happened before, nearly four thousand years ago. We are not sure what is causing this plague, but we have to stop it before it reaches other worlds."

"And just how will we do that?" asked the Bothan admiral Nek Bwua'tu. "I don't want to risk taking my men there and have them get infected by this plague."

"Governor Al'rin has told me that he is going to put the planet's major cities on lockdown," Sovv replied. "Meanwhile, we shall send a squad of troopers- both Alliance and Imperial- with heavy armor to Taris and wipe out the Rakghouls."

"My men can do the job, sir," said General Hawk, commander of the 791st Squad.

Sovv nodded. "Very well. Your shuttle awaits. May the Force be with you."

As soon as Hawk had left, Sovv pressed a button on the holoprojector's control panel and the holographic world of Taris vanished only to be replace by another planet, one which Leia found awfully familiar. 

"Now then," Sovv muttered, his tone grim, "for those of you who remember- and you surely must- nine years ago, Toah Jarsan, hero of the Imperial Sith War, embarked on a journey and never returned. Many of us thought him dead. Until now."

The Sullustan admiral gestured with his baton at the planet which the holoprojector displayed. "We have received a message from Toah Jarsan, who is on Dromund Kaas. All it says is, 'Beware the Glorians.'"

*  *  *

"'Beware the Glorians?'" Han said bemusedly, once Leia had told him and Anakin of what Sovv had revealed. "What's that supposed to mean? What's a Glorian?"

"That's exactly the problem, Han," Leia said as she paced back and forth in their apartment on Mon Cala. Neither of them had liked living on Corellia, partially because of Han's reputation, both good and bad.

"We don't know what these Glorians are and why we should beware them. Admiral Sovv is talking about sending a team of Jedi to Dromund Kaas. But what is it's a trap?"

"Why would it be?" Anakin asked. "Toah's a Jedi. He's our friend."

Leia nodded sadly. "Yes, but he might be being used as a ruse. Besides, his message didn't say anything about wanting to be rescued."

Anakin opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the apartment's door opening. He and his parents turned to see Anakin's brother, Jacen, walk in, wearing a grim look on his face.

"Hey, kiddo," Han said, his eyebrows fixing with concern. "What's wrong? Did everything go all right on Korriban?"

Jacen shook his head, his expression mixed with sadness and dread. "We defeated the Sith and captured them, but...as soon as we left..."

He closed his eyes, as if hesitant to recall the bad memory. "Master Plun Kil and Commander Krotan's men stayed behind while Tenel Ka, the others, and I returned to the Valiant. Shortly after we had settled down, Kil contacted Captain Tomas and told him to return here. Right before we jumped into hyperspace...I saw Korriban, and its sun, just...vanish."

Leia let out a small gasp. "And Master Kil?"

Jacen frowned. "I believe he's dead, along with Krotan and his unit."

For a while, the four of them sat in mournful silence, until Han finally spoke again. "So they're all dead, right? The Sith, I mean."

Jacen slowly nodded. "Yes, I believe so. I guess Master Kil didn't completely die in vain."

He sighed and sadly, and then looked from his parents to Anakin. "So what were you talking about before I walked in?" he asked. "I thought I heard Anakin mention Toah..."

"It's nothing," Leia said, a bit too hastily. Anakin understood the worry in her voice; many years ago, before the war, Toah Jarsan had briefly been Jacen's master. If Jacen learned of the message discovered on Dromund Kaas, he would likely make a foolish act to find him.

Jacen seemed startled by his mother's hasty tone, but did not press further. "I'm going to see how Zarin's doing," he said instead. "He's devastated about Master Kil's death."

As Jacen walked out of the room, he nearly bumped into C-3PO on the way out. Once Jacen was gone, the golden protocol droid poked his head into the doorway.

"Er, Mistress Leia? Jedi Master Baran wishes to speak with you...and Master Anakin."

Leia visibly tensed as she stood up. "Very well," she said quietly. "Thank you, Threepio."

As Anakin got up to follow her, he felt the same sense of worry and dread that he felt when Jacen had walked in from her. He wanted to ask her what she was worried about, but chose not to.

Because, somewhere deep down, he already knew the answer.

*  *  *

Cal Omas sighed with frustration as he sat at his desk, the Senate and the Corellian Council still in recess. His secretary had just told him that the Imperial Remnant had just settled on Coruscant, although their military still remained on Mon Cala with the Alliance's Defense Force.

This worried Omas greatly. What if the Imperials tried to regain galactic control by taking over Coruscant? That would shatter the peace that had been promised between them nearly a decade ago.

Normally, of course, if Gilad Pellaeon was still in charge of the Remnant, Omas would not have anything to worry about, for he trusted Pellaeon and knew that he would not make any attempts to usurp the Alliance. However, Pellaeon had retired a a year ago and was succeeded by Grand Moff Rolan Verradun.

Omas wished that Pellaeon had gotten rid of the Moffs, who were just as greedy and power-hungry as they were in Palpatine's Empire. But he also knew that the Imperial Remnant needed the Moff Council in order to hold strong. And with Pellaeon gone, nothing was left to restrain them.

But there was still hope yet, Omas supposed. Baron Soontir Fel and his son Jagged were still loyal to Pellaeon's ideals of a peaceful society and, hopefully, they could ensure that the Moffs made no trouble. 

The Chief of State's musings were interrupted by the chime of his desk's comlink. The voice of his Twi'lek secretary spoke through.

"Sir, Grand Moff Verradun wishes to speak with you."

Omas' eyebrows furrowed. "Patch him through," he said.

Soon, the holographic image of a short, but lean man appeared before Omas. A cold smile crossed his light-skinned, bearded face.

"Hello, Chief Omas," Rolan Verradun said. "I come to you with a proposal."

Omas did his best not to give a glowering look at him. "You and the Moff Council are on Coruscant, aren't you?"

Verradun's smile faded only slightly. "Ah, yes, it looks wonderful. The people who repaired it did a wonderful-"

"What's your proposal, Verradun?" Omas asked, his voice bitter.

"Well," Verradun said, acting casual, "I was just wondering that, since it appears you and the Senate are stuck on Corellia, it would be easier to-"

"Before you say anything else," Omas interrupted, "I just want to let you know that there is no way am I leaving you in charge of Coruscant."

"Not permanently, no," the Grand Moff replied, his smile returning. "But I thought it would be a good idea to let us...organize things here. You know, get everything ready for your...dramatic return."

Omas eyed him skeptically. "Do I have your word that you won't do anything I would disapprove?"

Verradun nodded curtly, raising his hands. "My complete and utter word, Chief of State."

"Good." Omas gestured a farewell. "You are dismissed."

The Grand Moff nodded again as his hologram vanished, although his cold, suspicious aura lingered on, giving the Chief of State a rather bad feeling about things to come.