Synopsis:
Lieutenant Page and his commandos begin an
overthrow attempt on yet another Imperial warlord – this one being
Moff Kentor Sarne of the Kathol sector. The commando unit attacks
Sarne’s fortress on Kal’Shebbol, trying to lower the energy
shield over it to allow a fleet attack. Meeting with their Special
Ops contact Lilla Dade, they are led to the remains of an armoured
tunnel leading into the compound. Dade reports that Sarne’s men
were experimenting with something – something that could burn
through thick metal, yet not touch anything two meters away. They
also learn Sarne has a Carrack cruiser standing by to make his
getaway – and the shield controls are right next to it.
Page frees Sarne’s prisoners, including a Force-sensitive
ex-employee of Sarne’s named Jessa Dajus. She warns him not to go
any further – and it buys them time enough to discover the
booby-trap meant to destroy the whole detention area. Page invites
Jessa along. As they start towards Sarne’s escape route, Sarne
uses a mysterious-looking module to send a fireball through the
tunnel, eating through the metal walls! Then he uses another module
to send a mindwarping ray through to knock out the commandos and
makes good his escape.
Page wants to chase Sarne down, but the New Republic simply can not
spare any ships. Page insists – Sarne has got his hands on some
highly unconventional technology that could be a huge threat to the
New Republic. He is finally told if he find a ship of his own, the
New Republic will supply some crew. Jessa gives him the name of the
technology – DarkStryder. Page has an idea on the ship – he
would heard Sarne was modifying a Corellian Corvette for unknown
reasons. Jessa knows where it is and provides the location. On their
way there, Jessa runs into a Rodian ex-slaver named Gorak Khzam. She
would love to run him in, but he hints – and rightly – that she
may not be as “ex”-Imperial as she is led the New Republic to
think. They continue on to the Corvette, and Page’s team looks it
over. It is salvageable. Page hires commando members Keleman Ciro
and Kaiya Adrimetrum as captain and first officer, respectively.
Jessa and Calamarian doctor Akanseh (another ex-prisoner) joins the
crew, as does a Defel named Kl’aal, ex-pilot Darren Thyte, a Twi’lek
named Loh’khar the Finder, starfighter flight commander Ranna
Gorjaye, mechanic Brophar Tofarain, chief mechanic Lofryyhn (a
Wookiee friend of Kaiya’s), and Gorak (as security officer).
Twenty-eight hours later, the re-christened FarStar is ready to fly.
As the New Republic task force leaves Kal’Shebbol, the FarStar
sets off with a hundred crew to find Sarne, find out where this “DarkStryder”
technology comes from, recon and report on Imperial forces in the
Kathol Sector and the unknown space past the Kathol Rift, and
represent the New Republic as best they can. With this a volatile a
crew, that will take a miracle. |