Star Wars Invasion: Episode IX, Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

   "I never thought I'd see your ugly mug again," Donhran Remker said with a grin.

   Standing before him, Anakin Solo, and the Jawa known as Trek, were five individuals thought gone: Jedi Battlemaster Kyle Katarn, Master Taana Di, her apprentice Natia Dorn, Alliance trooper Arek Cobalt, and the assassin droid HK-47.

   Kyle returned the smile. "Speak for yourself, horn-head."

   "Okay, how the heck did that just happen?" Anakin asked Trek.

   He could have sworn he saw the Jawa smile. "In layman's terms? When the planet Kaal disappeared, everyone on it, including your friends, were sent to a planet in the Unknown Regions, where they would be put to work on the new Star Forge."

   "Wait," Anakin said, "you know about all of that?"

   "Yes, I am... acquainted with Animus and the other Exiles," Trek said. "Anyway, we happened to have a spy of ours among the Glorian ranks. He told us of a way to use the Star Maps to open a portal into the Unknown Regions, thus allowing your friends here to return."

   "Hang on," Remker said. "If you could open a portal into the Unknown Regions for Kyle's group, then-"

   "I know what you're thinking," Trek interrupted him. "Unfortunately, the portal can only be opened once per Star Map. And I don't think our spy has the time to prepare another one."

   "In that case then, I suppose we shall return to the Forge Seeker," the Zabrak Jedi said. "Let me radio Commander Jokar and-"

   "No need."

   Everyone turned to see the stormtrooper commander Ronn Jokar and his team, as well as the Wookiee Lumpawaroo and the Rybet Cyclops, enter the cave. 

   Upon seeing Kyle Katarn and the others, Jokar's eyed widened. "Whoa."

   Kyle smiled. "I know, right? I'll explain on the way back to your ship."

   "How's Jast?" Anakin asked the commander.

   "Zaylii and the other Jedi are healing him," Jokar replied. "I'll call Captain Jaon and tell him we're ready to leave."

   "In the meantime," Remker said, "we better leave before these Snatchers wake up. Trek, is it possible for you to download the Star Map's information."

   "I'll see what I can do," the Jawa said.

   The stormtrooper Vex Laedo dropped his mouth open. "A talking Jawa. Now I've seen everything."

*  *  *

   "Sirs!"

   Sol Paun, officer of GA Intelligence and and Coruscant Security, cringed as the two young Rodian males that served as the Forge Seeker's technicians rushed onto the bridge.

   "What did I tell you two about making noise?" Paun growled. "This is an Alliance corvette, not a school playground!"

   "But, sir!" the two brothers said in unison. "We've received a message from Commander Jokar!"

   "Let me hear it," Captain Jaon said, turning in his pilot's seat.

   The Rodians handed him a comlink and the human captain raised it to his ear.

   "Jaon, here," he said. "Did you find the Star Map?"

   "We sure did," Jokar replied. "Go ahead and prepare the Seeker. We'll be regrouping with the Bestine group soon."

   "Understood," the captain said. "Jaon out."

   As Jaon ended the connection, he said to Paun, "Contact Admiral Darklighter and tell him that we'll be returning soon."

   The Zabrak officer nodded and opened a comm channel to the Trucemaker. "Admiral, this is Forge Seeker. We-"

   Before he could finish his sentence, he was greeted with a loud burst of static followed by silence. After a moment's pause, he made a few more attempts to contact the admiral, with the same results.

   Upon giving up, he exchanged a concerned look with Jaon. "This isn't good...."

*  *  *

   Through her helmet's slit visor, the Ubese Snatcher known as Viper watched as the two Jedi and their companions left the cave the Star Map was in, its contents having been downloaded by the Basic-speaking Jawa.

   Behind the mask of her helmet, she smiled. They may have gotten what they had came here for, but that didn't mean they would leave alive with it.

   Raising her chest-mounted comlink to her helmet's speaker, Viper hissed in her native tongue. "Send them in."

*  *  *

   After they had regrouped with the rest of the team, which had gone to Tatooine's capital of Bestine, the gathered Jedi and troopers, along with Lumpy, Cyclops, Trek, HK-47, and the wounded but healing Jast, made their way back to the Forge Seeker.

   "So, Arek," Sev Nep said to his fellow trooper. "What was it like being on Kaal after it vanished from the map?"

   "Incredibly boring at first," Arek replied. "Then it came to the point where we tried to escape. Then it was incredibly fun."

   "Your definition of 'fun' must largely differ from mine," Kyle Katarn muttered.

   "Objection: I disagree," said HK-47. "I found it most enjoyable killing all of those meatbags you call 'Glorians'. Ah, it makes me wish I was constructed with olfactory sensors so that I could smell their smoldering corpses."

   Sev gave Arek a disturbed expression. "That is one creepy droid."

   Arek nodded. "Yup."

   They soon reached the spaceport hangar where the Forge Seeker was parked and found Sol Paun standing near the boarding ramp. The Zabrak raised his eyebrows upon seeing Kyle Katarn and his group but instead turned his attention to Commander Jokar.

   "Hurry up on board," Paun said. "I'm getting the distinct feeling that someone doesn't want us here."

   "Why do you say that?" Jokar asked.

   "Never mind it. Just get on board."

   The team did as told while Paun raised the ramp. No longer than a minute later, the CR90 corvette's engines roared to life and lifted off from the hangar.

   As the ship made its way into Tatooine's sky, Anakin followed Kyle, Remker, and Jokar to the ship's bridge, where Captain Jaon and his droid co-pilot sat at the controls.

   "What seems to be the problem?" Remker asked.

   "Admiral Darklighter isn't responding to our calls," Jaon said. "I have a bad feeling that we'll soon find out why."

   Sure enough, as soon as the Seeker came out of the atmosphere, they found the Trucemaker exactly where they had left it... albeit accompanied by Glorian warships.

   It was Kyle Katarn who voice everyone's mind. "Blast it."