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Synopsis:
Senator Garm Bel Iblis prepares to give a speech at
the Treitamma Political Center on Anchoron that is going
to rip the lid off what Emperor Palpatine really intends
to do with the galaxy. However, he is called away from
the center by an urgent letter from a Rebel named Aach.
He is told that “Tarkin’s project” has been
located. A “courier” with some inside info on the
project will be in Darknell in three days. Bail Organa
wants Bel Iblis to get this data tape. As they discuss
this, the Political Center is blown to bits by a thermal
detonator – taking Bel Iblis’ entire family with it.
The Senator is traumatised, but Aach forces him to his
senses – he was the bomb’s real target, and he had
better get out of sight if he does not want to join his
wife and children in death. Bel Iblis has always opposed
the Emperor and his policies, but now…. now it is
personal. He takes Aach’s offered ship and leaves
Anchoron for Darknell…
Meanwhile, at a tapcafe on Darknell, a thief named
Moranda Savich steals the datapack from the “courier.”
And on Coruscant, Imperial Intelligence head Armand
Isard sends his daughter Ysanne to get the datapack at
all costs…
Corsec officer Hal Horn arrives on Darknell searching
for the infamous pickpocket Savich. Ysanne Isard arrives
as well. Hal shakes down a junk dealer named Seb Arkos
for info on Savich’s location. At the same time, Isard
arrives. She passes herself off to Horn as “Katya
Glase of Darknell Internal Security.” They both come
upon Savich in the street. Isard’s partner Trabler
moves to kill her, but Horn uses the Force to deflect
the blaster bolt. Bel Iblis manages to drag the wounded
Savich off in the confusion. Now certain “Katya” is
not who she appears to be, Hal nevertheless continues
the hunt with her. Moranda is treated by Garm, but asks
for a way offworld before she gives up the datapack. He
agrees, and she tells him she hid it in Isard’s rental
speeder. Isard tries to have Hal killed, but he turns
the tables – he will still help her, but he wants no
more trouble. She adds one stipulation to that – a
choke collar. They decide to resume their search at a
nearby bar that stocks Moranda’s favourite drink. “Having
been shot the way she was, she will be wanting some
fortification.”
The trip there reveals that somebody’s helping Moranda.
Isard decides to hack into Darknell’s computers to
track her down. Horn advises against it – the locals,
particularly one Colonel Nyroska, would object to the
Empire riding roughshod over them. Isard could not care
less. Moranda calls Nyroska herself, lets him know what
is happening, then offers to give him the datapack for a
million credits. Observing Isard and Horn at the
ClearSkyes boutique, Bel Iblis spots the choke collar on
Horn’s neck. Moranda’s gotten to like Horn over the
years, and agrees with Bel Iblis that he should not be
sacrificed by Isard. She calls Isard by comlink and sets
up an auction between her and Nyroska for the datapack
at a warehouse north of town. Isard pulls some strings
to send Nyroska’s men out of the way. Horn himself
calls Nyroska at the same time, telling him that the
lifter’s at ClearSkyes. In disguise, Moranda
approaches Horn and disarms the collar. Nyroska arrives,
and Horn, Moranda and Bel Iblis finger Isard as the
datapack thief!! As he drags Isard off, Bel Iblis gets
the datapack from her speeder and heads for the Alliance
with it.
On Coruscant, Armand harangues his daughter for her
failure. Ysanne smugly informs him that the Emperor has
read her report – the full report of what happened on
Darknell. She declares her father a Rebel and a traitor
– blowing up the Political Center to ensure Bel Iblis
joined the Rebellion, as well as sending her on a
suicide mission to Darknell to both get rid of her and
ensure the Rebels got the tape about the Death Star. She
has the Imperial Royal Guard drag her father off to
certain death, and takes over his position at the head
of Imperial Intelligence…
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