STAR WARS: ENDGAME
Episode IV: The Yesterday Jedi
Timeline: 40 ABY (hours to moments after Episode III)
CHAPTER ONE
5,040 years ago (5000 BBY)
Two mighty Sith dreadnaughts, both bristling with weapons, orbited the planet known as Phaegon III. Located in the Grumani sector, it was primarily known for its moon, which was rich with the ore Lignan. Knowing that Lignan crystals were very powerful in the dark side of the Force, the Dark Lord of the Sith had sent the two warships to retrieve it.
Standing on the bridge of his vessel, the Harbinger, Saes Rrogon watched as his crew slowly but surely recovered the crystals. He knew that they were being pressed for time, for Lord Naga Sadow would need these crystals for his upcoming invasion of Kirrek.
Growling impatiently, Saes said, "Status report."
"Harbinger recovery team is at seventy-five percent," said Colonel Los Dor. "Omen team at seventy-two."
"Tell them to go faster," Saes snarled. "Lord Sadow will be contacting us any moment now. He won't be pleased if we tell him-"
"Won't be pleased with what, Rrogon?"
Saes cursed under his breath as he turned to face the life-sized holographic representation of Naga Sadow, ruler of the Sith Empire.
"My lord," the Kaleesh captain murmured. "The process of recovering the Lignan ore is... going slow."
Even from across the galaxy, the Dark Lord's severe disappointment could be felt. "It's been nearly four hours, Rrogon," Sadow said coldly. "I would think you'd be done by now."
Saes scowled behind his tribal mask. "Perhaps if I were assigned a more efficient partner rather than that fool Korsin-"
"Are you questioning my judgment, captain?"
Saes quickly lowered his head in shame. "No, my lord. I will see to it that my crew performs faster."
"Please do," the Dark Lord said. "I will be seeing you in less than an hour."
With that, Sadow vanished from view. Saes then snapped his attention to his crew.
"You heard him. Move it!"
* * *
Under the notice of the two Sith warships, busy as they were, an infiltrator starfighter exited hyperspace, being careful not to attract the dreadnaughts' sensors. Likewise, its two passengers did well to cloak themselves with the Force so that none of the crew sensed them.
Watching the two dreadnaughts as they extracted strange minerals from the moon of Phaegon III, Jedi Padawan Drev Hassin murmured, "What are they digging out?"
His master, Relin Druur, watched with similar curiosity. "It's certainly an ore of some sort... very strong in the dark side."
"Which is probably why the Sith want it," Drev muttered.
Cautiously, they brought their starfighter towards the nearby asteroid belt and watched the dreadnaughts from afar. They had been pursuing the warships for a while now, ever since they were spotted breaking away from the Sith armada at Primus Goluud. After the Republic had been informed of this, Relin and his apprentice had been sent to pursue the ships and find out what they were up to.
Upon getting a better look at the moon which the Sith were extracting the ore from, Relin realized what exact type of crystal it was.
"Lignan," he murmured.
"Lignan?" Drev repeated in an incredulous tone. "I didn't think they actually existed, and if they did, very few places had them."
"Clearly the Sith have found such a location," Relin said darkly. "I can't begin to imagine what Naga Sadow wants to use it for."
Drev smiled. "I doubt for decorative purposes."
Relin gave his Askajian apprentice a sharp look. "This is serious, Drev. The Sith could win the war if they got a hold of these crystals."
Drev's shoulders sagged. "I know, I know. Just trying to make light of the situation."
"Not everything has light to be found in, my young Padawan."
"That's not what my people believe," Drev said. "We believe that you can find happiness in everything."
"You can also find pain in everything," Relin noted. "But we're wasting time in discussing cultural differences. Bring out fighter closer to the Harbinger while I fetch a flexsuit and a packet of mag-grenades."
Drev frowned as his master left his seat. "What are you planning?"
"To ensure that those crystals don't go anywhere."
* * *
"Status report."
"Harbinger extraction at ninety-six percent, Omen at ninety three."
Saes nodded in satisfaction. Both crews had gotten the memo and were working at their fastest pace. By the time Sadow contacted them again to check on their progress, they would already be bringing the Lignan crystals to him.
"Captain?"
The Kaleesh Sith Lord turned his gaze to a human officer. "What is it?" he growled.
"We've detected an unidentified starfighter. Not one of our own."
"Deploy the blades," Saes ordered. "Have them destroy the fighter."
"Yes, sir."
* * *
Relin knew that he was pressed for time; the Harbinger would be detecting his and Drev's starfighter any moment now.
Clad in his flextsuit, which would allow him to survive the vacuum of space for a short time- at least long enough to get onto the Harbinger- Relin stood in the infiltrator's airlock, waiting for a shuttle transporting Lignan to the dreadnaught to pass.
"I'm going in, Drev," he told his apprentice via comlink. "Wish me luck."
"Right," Drev replied. "And, just a word of advice... it wouldn't hurt to smile every once in a while."
Relin frowned. "What good would that do me?"
"Never mind." He heard Drev sigh. "May the Force be with you, master."
At that moment, the shuttle came up close enough to the starfighter for Relin to make the jump. In an instant, Drev was flying the infiltrator away. Moments later, a squadron of Blade-class starfighters where chasing after him.
As the shuttle came closer to the Harbinger, Relin sighed, bracing myself. He knew who awaited him on the dreadnaught, and he could only hope that, just maybe, he could bring his former apprentice back to the light or die trying....
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