Chapter Eleven

The Apocalypse was finally free of the repair dock. Six weeks after her near fatal battle with the spire, Alliance engineers had declared her spaceworthy again. The crew of the Apocalypse had also suffered in what had almost been her last battle, of an original compliment of seventy-five crewers, only twenty-eight would join her out of the repair dock. Furthermore, only two of the modified B-wings known as the four riders of the Apocalypse, survived their last ride. The destroyed B-wings having been replaced by a pair of standard X-wings.

As a result of the high number of casualties among the officers of the Apocalypse, her command staff had to be almost completely replaced. The late Captain Arkin had been replaced by the newly promoted Captain Challis ex-commander of base station Heracles. Other key personnel that had been recently promoted included: Executive Officer Commander StJohn Hawk, Chief Engineer Ensign Rathbone Loegin, and Marine Commander Captain Carek Argonaut.

The team would however no longer include Rex and Roberts, for they had decided to leave the Alliance. Rex had decided that after attending officer's school, that he would rather return to his first love, that of tramp freighter captain. He and Roberts pooled their credits and purchased an old stock light and left the day before the Apocalypse left the repair dock.

The Apocalypse's first mission since clearing the repair dock would be to conduct negotiations with the Mon-Calamari. The meeting would be held in a remote area of the Empire and would concern the Mon-Calamari desire to further assist the Alliance.

During the outbound trip to the rendezvous, the Apocalypse responded to controls well and the trip was accomplished without problem. The Mon-Calamari had arrived ahead of time in one of their beautiful passenger ships that had been converted into a warship.

"Signal our guests that we will be docking in fifteen minutes." Said Captain Challis. When she received acknowledgment from the communications officer, she turned to face her staff. "We are about to begin very important negotiations. None of you, nor I are experienced diplomats. We have however been trusted to do what's best for the Alliance. We will meet in dress uniforms in ten minutes. Any questions? Very well, dismissed."

"Dress uniforms in ten minutes, has she lost her mind?" Said Rathbone as the members of Team Bantha that had been assigned to the crew of the Apocalypse, rushed back to their quarters to change.

"Have you forgotten that she's a Jedi?" Responded Lazarus.

"Or do think that she's so bedazzled by your technical abilities that she doesn't mind a little insubordination?" Added Kyle. "I think you're the one whose lost their mind. Now get a move on!"

The team and select members of the crew of the Apocalypse, met with the Mon-Calamari aboard the Mon-Cal cruiser Hope. The meeting was drawn out as each clause was covered in meticulous detail. After eight hours of negotiations, Captain Challis pulled StJohn aside.

"This is going to take several more hours to conclude," She said. "and I had wanted to contact the mining cartels on the planet De'lamar while we were in the area. I want you to get team Bantha on the Spectre, get to De'lamar, and see if you can negotiate mineral rights for the Alliance without letting them know that."

"You got it Skipper," Said StJohn. "anything to get out of that meeting and out of this monkey suit."

The Spectre launched twenty minutes later with StJohn Hawk, Rathbone Loegin, Carek Argonaut, Ardent Belial Mo'dugalozen, Lazarus Maxenties, and Kyle on board. It was only a two hour hyperjump to the De'lamar system from the rendezvous point, and the jump was accomplished without mishap.

"De'lamar Traffic Control," Said Carek from the co-pilot's seat. "this is the free trader Spectre requesting landing clearance. Over"

"Free Trader Spectre assume parking orbit alpha alpha niner two four and state your business here on De'lamar."

"We have to tell Traffic Control why we're here," Said Ardent who always came up to the bridge to observe landings and departures. "what kind of planet is this anyway?"

"A busy one, going by the number of bulk transports both in system and in orbit." Said StJohn. "I guess they don't have time for ships that just want to engage in idle chatter."

"So they screen them in orbit. Very efficient." Added Carek. "Well we have to tell him something soon or he is going to get suspicious."

"Let me talk to them," Said StJohn. "De'lamar Traffic Control, we are here to establish a trading contract for high grade copper and tungsten ore."

"Free trader Spectre, understand your wish to negotiate a trading contract. State whom you are negotiating for."

StJohn looked at Carek. "Now what do I say?"

"Uh..." Carek thought furiously. "Bespin! Tell him the Bespin Trading Cartel."

StJohn turned back to the comm panel. "We represent the Bespin Trading Cartel, and we would prefer not to discuss any further business details on an open frequency. If you get where I'm coming from."

"We understand Spectre. You are clear to land docking bay one ninety four."

When the Spectre touched down, a group of security men met the team as they walked down the loading ramp.

"Welcome to De'lamar." Said Security Chief Robinson. "It is our policy that no weapons are allowed. You may leave your weapons on board your ship or you can turn them in to security."

"Why do I feel that I've heard this song before." Thought Carek as he recalled the team's visit to Aldaraan.

"We will leave our weapons on the ship. Thank you." Said StJohn. "We would speak to the head of your mining cartel to setup the contract we talked about."

"The Director is not on planet, he is inbound from Bespin and will be here in a few hours. I can take you on a tour of our facilities and then you may wait in the foyer of his office if you like."

"We would like that very much." Said Ardent. "Lead on good sir."

The tour lasted thirty minutes, it consisted of a view of the mines themselves, the smelting plant, the storage facilities, and as they returned to where the tour had started, the Admin building. The team was then shown a comfortable conference room.

"The Director will be here in a little over a hour, please make yourselves comfortable." Said their guide Robinson.

"Thank you again Chief Robinson," Said StJohn. "we look forward to meeting the Director."

When Robinson left, StJohn turned to the team. "Impressions?"

Before anyone could speak Carek staggered as if struck and gasped. "Something's wrong...I just felt a strong disturbance in the Force. I think we're in trouble."

"Do you have any clear ideas as to the nature of the disturbance?" Asked Lazarus.

"No, but I will try to see if the Force will give me a clearer impression."

"I don't know anything about the Force," Said Rathbone. "but our hosts have been nice enough to put us in a room with a computer terminal, and I think its time to let our fingers do the walking. Come on Kyle you're mister security by-pass and I'm going to need your help."

"Sure thing Rath, I want to know what's going on too."

Thus they began traveling two completely different paths to learn the truth. Kyle and Rathbone took the more mundane path of breaking through the computer's security to sift through their host's files. Carek took the path less traveled, by searching with the Force to see what was to be, or since the future is always in motion, what was likely to be.

Carek sat stiffly and concentrated. He then closed his eyes, when he spoke again, he spoke slowly with a dream-like quality to his voice. "Danger! Three-emm move the ship closer! Blasters everywhere! ARRGH! I'm hit!"

Carek slumped in his seat and Lazarus rushed to his side.

"Carek are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine I guess." Carek exhaled heavily. "At least I'll be fine until I get hit."

"You yourself said that you would be seeing only a possible future. You said that actions taken now can change that future."

"You keep very good track of what I say don't you?" Smiling now Carek turned to the team.

"We've got to get out of here guys. I saw extreme danger for us if we stay."

"Do you know what the danger is?" Said StJohn.

"I've got a good idea," Rathbone said from the computer terminal. "it looks like our hosts have been sending large amounts of ore to Coruscant, so it's a safe bet that the danger you sense is an Imperial ambush."

"So then let's bug out while we still have the chance." Said Lazarus.

Ardent walked over to the door and found it locked. "Looks like our hosts like us so much that they don't want us to leave." He said.

"I think I can fix that." Said Kyle as he went to work on the lock.

Fifteen seconds later the door opened, surprising the two men guarding the door.

"Wh..Where do think your going?" The brighter of the two men asked.

Carek responded with an imperious voice that he had been taught by both his noble father and by the Alliance Command and Staff school that he had just attended prior to being promoted to major.

"My associates and I are returning to our ship to obtain the copy of the Bespin Trading Cartel's perspectus to show your Director when he arrives. You don't want to keep the Director waiting do you?"

"I..Uh, No sir!"

"Good. Mister Hawk and Mister Loegin will stay here while we're gone."

"Uh, sir?"

"What is it now?"

"You have to have an escort, sir."

"Very well get a move on."

Carek, Kyle, Lazarus, Ardent, and the now thoroughly confused guard headed for the Spectre. While the rest of the team were headed to the ship, Rathbone and StJohn continued to search the computer for information.

"Well look at that." Said Rathbone.

"Oh bloody great," Responded StJohn. "a pair of Imperial shuttles and a Victory class Star Destroyer. Those guys better hustle or we'll get a close up look at the Imperial facilities at the Kessel spice mines."

"I can signal them and let them know what's going on."

"Go ahead, they've got to know."

Ardent's comlink beeped softly.

"Go ahead." He whispered.

"It looks like a couple of old friends are on their way to visit you." Said Rathbone hoping fervently that Ardent would understand what he was trying to say without being so obvious that the guard would understand.

"Friends?"

"Yeah friends, and they've got their big brother looking over their shoulder."

"Ohhh those friends, don't worry we'll handle it."

The group had just reached the blast doors to the hanger, when Ardent pulled out his holdout blaster, shot the guard and grabbed the fallen blaster carbine.

"We got a couple of what I guess to be shuttles inbound and a larger ship in orbit." He said.

"Well then, I better get this door open." Said Kyle as opened the blast door's access panel.

"Now it's time for us to get out." Said StJohn.

"I had hoped you would say that," Said Rathbone. "and I have just the plan to get past the guard." He entered the office's fresher and pulled out his holdout blaster. "This ought to get his attention." He thought as he fired a bolt at the bowl of the toilet.

The muffled 'WHUMP' followed by an indignant, "What kind of place is this!" Brought the guard running into the room and right into a blaster bolt.

"Lets go!" Said StJohn as he scooped up the guard's blaster.

"How come you get the carbine? It was my idea."

"Why should I deny you the use of that holdout blaster, when you obviously have so much skill with it?"

"Oh never mind, let's get to the ship."

On the bridge of the Victory class Star Destroyer Revenge Lieutenant Rahos smiled. “Sir, the capture teams are in place, a squadron of TIEs have just launched, and all tractor beams are spun up and ready.”

“Proceed.” Was all the man in the black form fitting suit said.

“I’ve waited a long time for this sir, these rebels have eluded capture far too long.” Rahos turned and spoke into his comlink and began issuing orders.

The man in black canted his head to one side concentrating as if trying to hear something that was almost audible. “There is more to you than I’ve been led to believe.” He thought. “The emperor will be pleased to find one so close to completing his training.”

The silent figure watched a squadron of TIE fighters banking down toward the planet and waited to see how the capture would play out.

"Ready when you are Carek." Said Kyle from outside the hanger bay door. The team had managed to avoid contact with De’lamar security and Kyle was ready with his security lock out over ride.

Carek felt a touch of deja vu as he took Ardent's comlink. "Three-emm, bring the ship as close to door as you can."

The familiar, albeit muffled sound of blasters could be heard even over the repulsor drive of the Spectre and the frantic beeping of Three-emm.

"What's wrong with him?" Asked Lazarus.

"He keeps saying, 'They're shooting at me. They're shooting at me.' I guess this is the first time that he's ever been shot under fire." Into his comlink Carek said. "When you’re as close as you can get, set down with the ramp facing the blast door and give us two long and two short beeps."

More frantic beeps and then what Carek hoped was the binary equivalent of an okay. Kyle sat waiting with the two wires that would open the blast doors.

"I'm ready when you are." He nervously repeated.

Carek's comlink beeped with the required two long two short signal from Three-emm.

"Do it."

Kyle touched the two wires together and the huge blast doors sprang open. The sound of the blasters of two full platoons of stormtroopers no longer muffled was deafening.

"By the Force the blasters are everywhere." Thought Carek as the four rebels ran for the loading ramp ten meters away.

Kyle and Lazarus dodging wildly managed to make it across the open space and into the ship. Ardent and Carek followed also dodging madly but this time the troopers were ready.

"Ardent break right!!" Screamed Carek as a squad of stormtroopers popped up from behind some crates.

Ardent wheeled to face the new threat, and a bolt grazed him across the left shoulder, as Carek turned toward Ardent he was hit himself. Ardent stunned by the shock of the near miss, still managed to reach the ship.

"ARRGH I'm hit!" Thought Carek fighting against the darkness trying to surround him. "I can't blackout!" He said as he staggered on and reached into the Force to tap the energy that surrounds every living thing and to use that energy to keep himself moving, basking in the glow of the Force, Carek used that energy to block away the pain and ran onto the ship with blaster bolts spattering all around him.

Kyle, Lazarus, and Ardent had reached the gunner's seats of the Spectre and had begun to engage the stormtroopers who had set up heavy repeat blasters in the hanger. Carek ran forward to the bridge and activated the navigation computer to begin plotting their course back to the Apocalypse.

"Lazarus."

"What? Kyle."

"Look behind that cluster of stormtroopers at eleven o'clock."

"You mean those barrels?"

"Yeah. Those barrels are marked 'Flammable handle with care.'"

"So what's the plan?"

"When I give the signal, you unload on those repeat blasters and I'll handle with care."

Kyle nudged Ardent to clue him in on the plan and the turrets of the Spectre shifted slightly.

"Now!"

The guns of the Spectre spoke as one catching the Imperials completely off guard. Lazarus trusted to the Force and destroyed all four heavy blasters that had been causing the most trouble. Ardent concentrated on crippling the two shuttles and managed to cause heavy damage to both.

Kyle's shots to the causal observer seemed to be way off target, until the palletized barrels of chemicals began exploding. The two shuttles were caught in the blast and left severely damaged, a third of the stormtroopers were also in the blast radius, which markedly reduced the volume of fire on the Spectre.

While the stormtroopers were recovering from the effects of the secondary chemical explosions, Rathbone and StJohn reached the blast doors. Unfortunately, three stormtroopers managed to reach the boarding ramp ahead of the two rebels and before Rathbone or StJohn could fire, they boarded the Spectre.

StJohn reached for his comlink as he and Rathbone raced for the ship.

"Hawk to Spectre. Intruder alert. You've got three bogies entering your six."

"Roger Hawk." Said Carek. "I'll handle them."

Carek hopped out of the pilot's seat and ran back toward the loading ramp, pausing long enough to run past his cabin and call his lightsaber to him with the Force before engaging the two troopers advancing on the bridge. Two lightning fast strokes and the two troopers were down. Carek then moved aft, where he met StJohn coming up the ramp. Rathbone was bringing up the rear from where he had trusted to the Force to lay down covering fire during their run for the ship.

"I got two. The other one must have headed for engineering." Said Carek.

"Rathbone quit showing off," Said StJohn. "there's one more in engineering and the Force only knows what he's doing there."

The three rebels found Ardent had reached engineering before them. He had his vibroblade drawn and was sneaking up on the lone trooper that was busy wrecking the control panels of the Spectre with his blaster rifle. Ardent caught the trooper completely by surprise and ran him through before the trooper could react.

"YAAAAHOOO!" A triumphant Ardent bellowed. "That's the first time I've dropped somebody with this thing."

"We're all proud of you, Ardent." Said Rathbone through clinched teeth. "But, if you would spare a moment from your wardance, you'll note the sea of red lights on the status board indicating that, WE'VE GOT BLOODY LITTLE TO CELEBRATE! YOU BACKWATER BONEHEAD!"

"Backwater bonehead? I'll give you a backwater bonehead!"

Carek could see where this would lead. "BOTH OF YOU SHUTUP! We've got too many problems and not enough time for this nonsense. Rathbone you get on the damage. Ardent man your turret. StJohn let's go."

The team taken aback by the power in Carek's voice, immediately moved out to their designated posts. The trooper had damaged the sublight drive and the lateral thruster array enough that StJohn would have no additional maneuverability and precious little speed.

"This thing handles like a cargo barge." Said StJohn as the Spectre lifted on its repulsor drive.

"Rathbone's on it StJohn," Carek Replied from the co-pilot's seat where he was beginning the astrogation plot. "just stay low and do the best you can."

The guns of the Spectre however were undamaged. Kyle firing the heavy laser blasted an opening through the hanger door as Lazarus and Ardent kept up the fire on the now disorganized stormtroopers. When the Spectre cleared the hanger the miners decided to get in the act.

"Ground based laser turrets tracking us!" Said StJohn as he yanked the lumbering Spectre into a tighter turn.

"We see them," Said Kyle. "Laz, Ardent get the one on the left."

The three turrets of the Spectre spoke once and the laser turrets were gone.

"Nice shooting." Said Carek. "but we got more trouble. Sensors show a squadron of TIE/Ins inbound at four o'clock."

StJohn began whipping through the best evasive course that the damaged Spectre could handle. The TIEs closed in easily, but then the gunners of the Spectre opened fire. The TIEs never really had a chance, all three gunners used the Force to guide their opening shots and the result was six TIEs destroyed and three more crippled. The TIEs, to give them credit, still pressed home the attack and managed to cause heavy damage before being wiped out, of the squadron's original twelve TIEs, only three crippled fighters escaped the relentless fire from the Spectre.

The rebels were just beginning to relax, when the proximity alarm went off and the Spectre was bracketed by turbolaser fire.

"What in the blue blazes!" Snarled StJohn as he forced the protesting Spectre away from the Victory class Star Destroyer that had sneaked up on them while they had fought the TIEs. "Carek how much longer for the plot?"

"Too long! I'll have to take us in on a partial!"

Carek activated the intercom. "All hands stand by for unplotted hyperjump." Turning back to StJohn.

"Go."

The Spectre leapt into hyperspace just before the Star Destroyer's tractor beams could lock on. The Spectre had escaped.

Lieutenant Rahos tensed and waited for the eruption, when it didn’t come he turned toward his commander his eyebrow raised in a silent question.

“If you were expecting a tantrum you will not see one from me Lieutenant. I was not trained by Lord Vader and do not believe in them. Your capture plan was sound, but it appears you have underestimated your quarry again. I found that whole exercise quite informative.”

“Informative sir?” Said Rahos in spite of himself.

“Oh yes, your failure here tells me that this ‘Team Bantha’ is indeed a worthy quarry. I also got a good read on the Jedi that Maldamon never seemed to understand. Please set a course for the following system, you will next encounter our quarry there.”

“Right away sir!” Rahos barked as he took the proffered datapad and watched the dark figure leave the bridge. “This is not what I was expecting when I was assigned here.”

"When the Spectre dropped out of hyperspace," Said Carek into the debriefing log terminal in the conference room back on the Apocalypse. "I used the Force to replot the correct course back to the Apocalypse. Total travel time: seventeen hours.

"One final report. While on the planet, I sensed a disturbance in the Force that had a distinctively evil aspect. During our escape I again felt this disturbance emanating from the planet's surface. I can only speculate on the nature of the disturbance, but it is my opinion that we were being shadowed by a Dark Jedi."

Carek finished his debrief and closed down the terminal. He then rose form his seat and headed for his quarters.

"The last thing in life I need is to have to face another Dark Jedi. Maldamon was better trained in the Force when I met him for the first time and despite everything I've learned in the last year, I get the distinct feeling that this new threat is going to outclass me again. At least Challis's negotiations with the Mon-Calamari were successful and we can look forward to their full support."

Carek reached his quarters and sat on his bunk.

"I understand the temptations of the Dark Side and why some Jedi fall down that path, I only wish that I could find a Master that I might be able combat the Dark Jedi on a more even setting."

Carek sighed. "Well, who knows, the Force is mysterious, after all I met Obi-wan Kenobi a week after his 'death' so in my book that leaves anything possible."

Carek then reached out with the Force, turned out the lights in his cabin and went to sleep.

The most notable thing about the Apocalypse since Captain Challis had replaced the late Captain Arkin, was the laughter that once again graced her corridors. The Apocalypse had, under Captain Arkin, a reputation as the most miserable ship in the fleet and even though Captain Challis was a severe commander, she was far livelier than Arkin ever was. Add to that fact, that a great many of the Apocalypse's crew were new and never had to serve with the brutal Arkin, a man-who had he not been killed-would have in all likelihood been tried for war crimes, gave the Apocalypse a whole new outlook.

In conjunction with the new found joie de vrie of the ship's crew, the recreation room had become the ship's social gathering place again.

Captain Carek Argonaut entered the Rec room hoping to find some of the members of team Bantha, instead he found Captain Challis painting.

"Good afternoon Captain, I didn't know that you painted."

"Actually this is my first attempt," She said. "I've had dreams of this thing for the last few nights, and I wanted to try and copy it down while it was still vivid. Here take a look."

"Well, that's certainly evil looking," He said as he sidled around to see what see had done. "you said that you've been dreaming of this thing?"

"Yes, actually it was almost like being contacted telepathically. I don't know what it means, I've never seen anything like it before."

"I have." Said a voice from behind them.

Turning, they found Sharra Aurora the Seleian light dancer standing behind them with her head tilted to one side as she inspected Challis's work.

"There are a few minor differances in the face and shape of the wings, but I'm sure I've seen this before."

"Where?" Demanded Challis.

"Uh...It's a Ma'olrin priest idol, from Ma'olrin four in the Kiosk system."

"The Kiosk system is under Imperial occupation." Said Carek, now uneasy as he remembered the last time they visited the Kiosk system and the cost to team Bantha.

Challis looked thoughtfully at Aurora for a few moments before speaking.

"Are you certain about this idol being from Ma'olrin four?"

"Absolutely."

"Captain Argonaut."

"Sir?"

"I'm now very curious about this Ma'olrin priest idol. I want you to get your team ready and see if you can track this idol down. I have the distinct impression that this item is Force related and I don't want it falling into the Empire's hands."

"We'll be ready to go in twenty minutes."

"Carry on."

As promised the Spectre departed twenty minutes later. Team Bantha on this occasion would consist of Carek, Lazarus Maxenties, and Ardent Belial Mo'duaglozen as the Marine detachment. The flight crew of the Spectre would consist of Leland Archimedes, reassigned back to the Apocalypse when the two X-wings were assigned, and Rathbone Loegin as engineer. Kyle was in officer's school and would miss this mission.

StJohn Hawk had found his true calling as exec of the Apocalypse, he had requested and had been granted that transfer.

The trip to Ma'olrin four was delayed for two hours, by a close call in hyperspace that dumped the Spectre back into realspace and caused some damage to the hyperdrive.

"ARCHIMEDES!" Bellowed Rathbone. "What have you done this time!"

"Okay, okay, I was off by point two seven on the X axis when we left. I'll replot and we'll be there in nine hours."

"You pilots never learn," Said Rathbone shaking his head. "excuse me, I have to realign the port hyperspace motivator, Try and get the plot right this time.

"You bet Rath, I'll get right on it."

When Leland was sure that Rathbone was gone he turned to Carek. "What a grouch."

"He's not the only one who's getting tired of you constantly misplotting Leland. If you will recall we are going to the Kiosk system, it was a misplot on your part that cost us the Bantha, and that in turn resulted in Ardent's and Rex's capture. Ardent may forgive you the torture he endured and the bionics that he had to have implanted, but I don't think Rex will ever forgive you for losing the Bantha." Carek fixed Leland with a piercing stare. "And I will not accept any more excuses. You screw up one more simple plot, and I will see you assigned to cleaning the Tauntaun pens back on Planeris. Is that clear?"

"You've changed Carek," Responded a saddened Leland. "You've changed a lot, but I get the message.

Rathbone got the motivator aligned in record time and when he returned to the bridge, Leland was ready.

"Course plotted and laid in." He said.

"Laid in to where?"

"I've handled that Rathbone," Said Carek. "if Leland says the course is ready, I believe him."

True to Leland's word, the course was plotted correctly and the Spectre arrived at Ma'olrin four without any further mishap. Ma'olrin four was a very primitive planet with no navigation aids in system. Leland was forced to pick his way slowly through the outer planets, while Carek scanned the sensors to avoid any surprises, natural or manmade.

"I'm getting a Mayday!" Said Carek as he reached for the comm panel to boost the gain on the signal. "High signal strength, low output. They're close."

"Can you pick anything out?" Said Ardent who had as usual come up to the bridge for the landing.

"The signal's badly garbled, all I can get is 'free trader Piety.'"

"Well, lets see if we can find them." Said Leland.

The Spectre accelerated through the system and homed in on the Piety's signal.

"There." Shouted Ardent as he pointed out the roman candle of a ship starting its fiery re-entry.

"We're too late." Added Leland.

"No wait," Said Carek. "I'm picking up the transponder of an escape pod. Leland course 234 mark 6."

The Spectre banked sharply and dove down in pursuit through the thick and mildly corrosive red tinged atmosphere, landing no more than thirty meters from and thirty seconds after the pod touched down.

"Sensors show the atmosphere to be non-breathable," Said Carek after a quick scan. "but the rest of the environment seems safe. Looks like breather masks are in order."

"Okay Carek, who's going outside?" Asked Leland.

"I'll go, just in case the sensors missed something."

"I want to go too." Said Ardent.

"Okay get a mask and met me in the airlock."

The airlock cycled open to the view of a wide dry inhospitable looking plain.

"Almost like Tosca, except worst." Said Ardent. "Sensors didn't show anything poisonous in the air did they?"

"No just four percent oxygen, eighty seven percent nitrogen, and nine percent trace gasses." Replied Carek. "If they had twelve percent

more oxygen we wouldn't need these breather masks."

"Looks like we have company."

Carek looked to where Ardent was pointing and saw that one man had exited the escape pod and was walking toward the ship.

"I don't know who you are," Said the stranger. "but I can say that I'm very glad your here. Ma'olrin four is not a pleasant place to be stranded. Marcus Childers at your service."

"You'll excuse me if I ask what happened to your ship before we engage in pleasantries."

"I can understand that. I was attacked by a ship that was shaped like a bird of prey." Childers chuckled at this point. "They caught me in the fresher, the sublight was wrecked on the first hit and I never had a chance to recover. I sent the distress and headed for the pod. Now you know as much as I do."

Carek looked at Childers intently, but he did not use the Force to search through Childer's mind, but he did use the Force to talk to Ardent telepathically.

"Take his weapons."

"You'll understand if we take your weapons before we let you board."

"Under the circumstances, Yes I do."

As Childers handed over his weapons Carek reached a decision.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Carek, this is Ardent, welcome aboard the Spectre."

"Gods, I was hoping you'ed say that."

Childers climbed into the airlock and stood quietly as the lock cycled.

"So, if its not being too nosy, what where you doing in this Gods forsaken piece of space."

"Going to Cypryn to do a little speculative trading," Answered Ardent smoothly. "just happened to come out of hyperspace a little too soon and picked up your distress."

"Spec trading? That's tough on an Imperial planet."

"Uh...is there anything we can do to help besides giving you a ride?" Said Carek.

"I'd like to see if there's anything left of my cargo."

"Cargo?" Asked an incredulous Ardent. "What could you possibly been carrying that could have survived a flaming re-entry?"

"Actually what's left of my ship can replace my cargo."

"Okay, I think you've lost us both now." Said a now equally incredulous Carek.

"Ma'olrin four is very poor in metals. The natives pay in high grade petrochemicals for any kind of metal. I was carrying a cargo of scrap metal to trade. I guess my whole ship meets that discription now."

The airlock opened and Carek made introductions all around. Since Childers knew the locals, the team wanted to use him to make contact with the priests, so it was agreed to fly him over to the wreck of his ship. It only took ten minutes to reach what was left of the Piety, which had crashed seven hundred kilometers to the southwest.

"Well it looks like I've got enough left to make a decent cargo, if I can just get it to them." Said Childers after exiting the Spectre.

"I think that we can help you with that," Said Ardent. "after all when you're doing speculative trading, it doesn't matter where the cargo comes from. We'll take this cargo to your dealer, and we'll take whatever cargo you trade for, to wherever your going to."

"Now that sounds like a deal! I'll give you ten percent of the cargo's value when we get to Bespin."

"Thirty percent."

"Twenty."

"Done!" Smiled Ardent as he shook Childers' hand. "Now lets get this stuff loaded."

When the Spectre was loaded, Childers guided Leland to the nearest village. The Mal-ori were an amphibian race that possessed large deep chests, long thin limbs, and huge frog-like eyes. The village was a ragged cluster of huts that looked as primitive as was possible for a race that was considered sentient to build.

"I'll talk to them first," Said Childers. "I know they look very primitive, but they're smart enough to know this isn't the Piety and I don't want to spook them out of a sale."

Childers made contact with the chieftan and then motioned for the crew of the Spectre to come forward along with SM3PO so that all could follow along. Childers began talking to the chieftan and Sam translated.

"These are starmen just like me, they will cherish your ancestor's memory as I do."

The chieftan spread his long arms, then crossed them across his chest and bowed to each member of the team. Carek caught on and repeated the movement, the rest of the team followed Carek's lead and each member of the team mimicked the gesture completing the ritual of greeting to the chieftan's satisfaction.

"Fellow starmen of Friend Childers, what may I do to help you?"

Leland asked Sam to find out if the locals had seen a large metal bird in the skies recently.

"The sky thundered with the crossing of a great starbird two hands of days ago."

"The locals only have three fingers," Said Childers. "thus the guys that bushwacked the Piety have been here for six days."

"Ask him if there is a tribal elder that we may speak to." Said Carek."

"The Gifted One would be honored to meet with starmen. Please come with me."

The chieftan took them across the village to a hut that boasted a skull of some insect-like creature. The chieftan stopped before the hut and called out in a warbling whistle. The Gifted One was a wizened Mal-ori wearing a tattered cape and leaning heavily on a staff made from an old repulsor sled linkage. The elder stood before the chieftan until the chieftan bowed low and turned toward the human visitors. The elder looked upon the humans for the first time and Carek sensed a wave of kindness radiating from the old Mal-ori. He smiled and Sam began translating.

"You have traveled far to learn of the one known to us as the Ravisher. The Ravisher is an evil representation of a vision from an ancient obelisk that I saw in my youth. The idol that was carved long ago by the Gifted One of my youth, lies many plaktans from here. The chieftan must lend you grillas for your journey. Come I will chant the rite of discovery for you, so that you will be shielded from the evil that will plague you on your journey."

The Gifted One hobbled into his hut and the rebels followed. Each was given a small carven stone and asked to drink from a mug of steaming herbs. To complete the rite the Gifted One called to each member of the team and rubbed a fragrant oil onto their head. As he finished each member he bade them farewell.

Once Carek, the last to be anointed, exited the Gifted Ones's hut, the chieftan led them to the grilla pen. Grillas turned out to be a very large grasshopper-like insectoid riding beasts.

"You've got to be kidding." Said Leland.

"Don't offend the chieftan," Snapped Childers. "he is giving you a great honor by lending you these things. I know it's not the same as a repulsor sled, but it's all he has and you're just going to have to learn to like it."

"But why can't we take the Spectre?"

Childers began to get irritated.

"The locals do not have any means of unloading cargo except manually, they can't work around repuslors, the frequency of the repulsors resonations damages their hearing. It will take them at least three days to unload the scrap metal and reload the minerals that we negotiated, I have to stay and supervise, so your ship is simply unavailable."

"Come on Leland," chided Rathbone. "since when are you going to let someone say they can drive something that you can't drive?"

"I can drive anything."

"Well now's your chance to prove it." Said Childers.

The rebels entered the grilla pen and where given a quick demonstration on how to control them. Once everyone was comfortable with their mount, the rebels headed out of the village and toward the low lying hills just barely visible in the distance.

The trip dragged on through the day and into the next and into the next. The rebels had entered the low lying hills hours ago, but they were still several hours away from their goal.

The monotony of the march was suddenly broken by a piercing shriek from above. Reacting to the sound the rebels spotted half-a-dozen reptilian flying creatures diving from the down from the nearest crag.

"I'll start from the left!" Ardent yelled as he jumped free from his grilla.

"I'll start from the right!" Answered Laz, as he too rolled off of his mount.

Blasterfire ripped into the beasts from two sides, and when two of them fell smoking to the ground the rest broke off their attack for food that was easier to catch.