Official RPG - Chapter Two

[E-wing 3]

Dan and Raana stood at the door way to an office. Their light sabers out and there senses

searching for danger. "Hurry up Maerthan we need that evidence." said Dan.

Maerthan, who was working at the computer in the office, said "I going as fast as i can."

"Work faster. Ka'al can keep them distracted forever. Someone will notice you in there

system eventually." said Raana.

"And when they do every guard in the place will be after us." said Dan.

"I think I got it.........I think I got it.........I got it" Maerthan said as he pulled a data disk

from the computer and held it up triumph.

Before Dan could say anything his danger sence came to life. He turn on his light saber

and bloocked a blaster shoot headed for his face. "I think it's time to go."

"I think your right." said Raana. "Let's go Maerthan."

The 3 Rangers ran for it. As Dan rounded a coner he came face to face with a 1/2 dozen armed guard. The guards opened firer. Dan bloocked a few shoots as he dived back around the coner. Raana helped Dan up as Maerthan shoot at the men following them.

"Are you ok?" asked Raana.

"I'm fine. I was just surprised." said Dan. "We got to get to the stair way their guarding. You two with me?"

Maerthan nodded and Raana said "You bet."

"Let's go!" The 3 Rangers charged around the coner. They expected to see 6 guards with thier weapons ready. What they got was 6 guards that were out cold and a female alien with a very big smile. "Ka'al what are you doing here? Your should be down on the first floor keeping the guards busy."

"I know but I got bored." said Ka'al. "So I came up to see what you all were doing."

"Do you ever follow the plan?" said Dan, but before he could say anything else a blaster bolt shoot passed them. "Up the stairs, now!"

As they were chased up the stair Dan said "It's times like this I wish Melinda's over protective boy friend was around more offen."

"Leave Michael alone. He is around more offen then Aurora. And he has saved each of are lives at least once in the past 2 years that we have knowen him." said Raana.

"True." said Dan.

"Speaking of Melinda, Where is she?" said Maerthan. "Shouldn't she Be here being shot at like the rest of us."

"Before Michael left this time he not only told Mel were he was going he invited her along. She turn him down at first because she didn't want to leave in the middle of a mission. After He left I saw how much she really wanted to go with him, so I gave her leave and told her not to worry." said Dan.

"Oh, ok." said Maerthan.

That's when they got to the roof. The 4 Rangers ran to the other side of the roof. Seconds later almost 3 dozen guards joined them. Before they could open fire Dan yelled "Wait!"

The head guard said "Do you wish to give your selfs up."

"No, but I was hopeing you would." said Dan.

The guards just laughed at him. They took aim, but before they could fire a shuttle rose up form the steet behind them. The Rangers flatend them selfs aganst the roof and the shutttle fired. A minute or so later the shuttle stoped and as the smoke cleared all of the guards and a good part of the roof was gone. The shuttle moved in closer and lowered it's ramp. The Ranger ran into the ship.

When Dan got to the cockpit he sat down in the co-pilots seat and said "What took you so long?"

"The traffic was awful." said Haladar.

"Come on. We have to get this data to NR intel HQ and then meet with Master Luke." said Dan. They flew the ship up toward space and a few minutes later where save and sound in hypre-space.

[E-wing 3]

Count Reeku gazed out his view port. There he saw his future. The funny thing was that

he could not stop thinking about his past. A long time ago, before even the Death Star's

time, Reeku was a Jedi hunter in the time of the great Jedi purge. He was the Emperor's

best. Reeku's Jedi kill count was 2nd only to Lord Vader. About 5 BBY he retired and

went to rule over his kingdom of 4 systems some where between the outer rim and

unknowen space. That is when Reeku took the title of Count.

"What do you think?" asked a voice form behind him.

Count Reeku turned to face the other man in the room. "It's magnificent, Shadow."

Shadow was Reeku's most loyal agent and his 2nd in command. He was wearing all black

as usual. He had two weapons a hi powered blaster and a throwing ring that belonged to

his people. "What is it's status?"

"All systems, save for the primary weapons, are online. 5 of the 8 major weapon are

ready and the other 3 will take one month each." said Shadow.

"So it will be ready in 3 months." said Count Reeku.

"No sir, it will not. We lack the fighters." said Shadow.

"What do you mean?" asked Reeku.

"The Station was made to hold 6 wings of star fighters. That is 36 squadrons. Right now

we have 3 TIE Defender squadrons on board. That's only 1/2 a wing." said Shadow.

"I see, that is a problem. What do think we should do about it?" asked Reeku knowing

Shadow already had something in mine.

"You have 6 star destoryers under your command. One protecting each of your planets

and two protecting this shipyard. If we were to move the intercepter, bomber, and 2 of

the four fighter squadrons to the station we would have 4 more wings of star ships. The

star destoryers would still have some fighters onboard plus what ever ground based

fighters the planets have." said Shadow.

"That only 4 and a 1/2 wings. What about the other 9 squadrons?" asked Reeku.

"I'm sorry but to move any more starfighter would weaken the defences of the places they

protect to much. Maybe you could ask the Imperial Remnant for the fighters." said

Shadow.

"I would sooner trust a hired gun then a politician." said Reeku. "Hmmmm. Shadow,

what would the risk if we were to use mercenaries to fill up the other 9 squadrons.?"

asked Count Reeku.

"If we closed off a part of the station for them to live in and payed them well it would be

minimal." said Shadow.

"Then that's what will do. We will of course have to test them. The best will join us." said

Count Reeku. "Then the enemies of the Emperor will come to know that Pulsar Station is

not a tirck by Isard so many years ago, but my little toy I will destory them with."

[^Hal^ 1]

The mood in the cockpit of the rangers small ship was light.

"So, did you guys get the evidence?" Said Haladar.

"Yep, I got it right here," replied Maerthan.

"Good. I think Master Skywalker will be convinced that this is a good idea now," said Haladar.

The ship cruised on...

[Andy 60]

The YT-2000 Frieghter flew through hyperspace.

Ulic Feyyat and Kyp Talarin sat in the cockpit. A warning siren briefly sounded.

"Five minutes left till arrival" Ulic said.

"I'm interested to know why the Jedi want to hire mercenaries." Kyp said

"Yeah, they don't give much away do they" Ulic replied.

"Don't worry, they always have a reasonable answer to everything" said Kyp

"Or an excuse" Ulic mumbled. Kyp pretended he didn't hear anything.

"Why would Jedi want to hire mercenaries?" Ulic continued

"Could be any number of reasons," Kyp explained

"We'll see" Ulic said.

[tahiriveila 0]

Terra Rhy'dor sat in a darkened little booth in the corner of a seedy cantina. Across from her sat a Rodian, who needed transport for three cases of glitterstim, and one case of andris. The fiery red-head smuggler chewed on thoughtfully on her lower lip. "And where, exactly is this cargo headed?" she inquired.

The Rodian honked. "[i want it delivered to Corellia by one stnadard week.]"

"This will cost you. A smuggle to Corellia from here, safely and avoiding any confrontations with Customs, is getting expensive. 5000 credits upfront."

Terra grinned inwardly, as the Rodian paled to several shades lighter green.

"[ I will have to consider your offer, Rhy'dor.]" he honked.

"You do that, Dibato. And if my partner will deliver it to Corellia, you will accept our delivery date." Terra smirked to herself. He has to accept my offer, whether he likes it or not.

"[i will be back, Captain Rhy'dor.]" said the Rodian rising to his feet, tossing a datapad on the table.

Terra regarded him with stormy gray eyes. "I will be on planet for one standard week, and my partner possibly two."

The Rodian nodded, and Terra picked up her drink, and finsihed it off. She raised her hand, flagging down the server droid. "Gimme another Ryllian Terminator." she reached down and unclipped her comlink from her belt. "Artic? You there?"

Lan 'Artic' Storm's, her partner, voice crackled back. "Yea, Ter. I'm here."

"Listen, our favorite Rodian wants some cargo taken to Corellia. I told him 5000 up front, and I'm transmitting the rest of the data to you now." she whispered. "And, actually, there's been some other traffic, but nothing worth our time, really. But, if you take that Corellian run, you can combine loads. Anyways, I'll wait here, see if we can get any other options. Spice dealing's been dropping recently, and I haven't the faintest why."

"Alright. I got the data. It sounds like we might be able to turn a fair profit on this stuff. I'm gonna go work on the Tempest right now. You want me to add those new comm dishes to the Midnight's Revenge too, while I'm at it?"

Terra shrugged. "If you want to."

"You know where to find me." Artic said.

"K, Rhy'dor out." She clipped the comlink back to her belt as the serving droid set down her drink. She folded her hands and waited. It's gonna be a long day. she thought.

[Master MJade 0]

"Ka'al what are you doing here? Your should be down on the first floor keeping the guards busy."

"I know but I got bored." said Ka'al. "So I came up to see what you all were doing."

"Do you ever follow the plan?" said Dan, but before he could say anything else a blaster bolt shoot passed them. "Up the stairs, now!"

always the plan golly if we always think inside the box- all of a sudden Ka'al dropped to the ground as a shuttle flew a little low.

As the shuttle flew on Ka'al could not help but think that perhaps this flight was too smooth, not wanting to mention anything to ruin the mood.

"So what's the meeting with Master Skywalker about any one know?" askd Ka'al "cause I have a freind bring my driod and coming to meet me and i want to be there when she arrives."

"is this friend the one you met when you went home a few months back?" asked Haladar.

"Yes and she is also a Shadow Guard she joined after i left to come here the first time. i think i will get something to drink would an one like something?"

[Rogue 4]

Melinda sat in the pilot's chair on the Pursuing Dreams, her droid, E4 sat plugged into a console next to her. She had been in hyperspace for about four hours now, and would leave hyperspace in just under a half hour.

It was times like this, when she was all alone, that she thought about her past. Two years ago, she told herself, I would have thought about my mistakes. About where I would have been if I had not made the same choices. Now I'm glad I did. For a second, she thought about her parents. The parents she should have known. She wondered what they would think of her, were they here. Would they be proud of me? she asked herself. She'd had to be optimistic and say "yes".She didn't know much about her parents. Not even if they were still alive.

She shook those thoughts from her head, and looked at the chrono. Two minutes...

She couldn't wait to see Michael, and was extremely glad that Master Qal Strum had let her. She had sent a message to him , via holonet, before she had left. She hoped he had received it. ten seconds...five...four three...two...one...She pulled the hyperspace lever, and starlines turned to stars, as she entered the Exocron system.

[^Hal^ 1]

"So, Maerthan, let's have a look at this evidence," said Haladar.

"Alright, here's the disc," replied Maerthan, handing it to Haladar.

"Thanks," said Haladar.

Haladar got out of the pilot's seat of the small starskimmer, and went to the computer console at the back of the cockpit. He called the contents of the disc up, but it was encrypted. He tried what little hacking routines he knew, buut none of them woked.

"Hey, uh, Maerthan, d'you wanna have a go at this," he said to the hacker.

"Sure, gimme a sec."

Maerthan sat down at the console and started slicing the disc. Haladar watched intently, trying to learn some of the master hacker's skills. In a few minutes, Maerthan was done.

"There ya go, piece of cake," he said.

"Thanks," replied Haladar.

Haladar sat down again, and ead the contents. They were records. Records ofmonetary transactions, personal logs, and other things. Haladar skimmed down the list looking for interesting entries.

"Hmm... what's this. Some kind of drug deal. Good."

Haladar removed the disc, and gave it back to Maethan.

"Well, we've got the right guy. Let's just give this stuff to the New Republic wen we get back so they can go and arrest him. Mission accomplished," said Haladar to the rest of the rangers.

[Andy 60]

---

Ulic looked out at the vast metropolis that was Coruscant, the capital of the New Republic.

"Shall we stop off at our base, or head straight to meet Skywalker?" Kyp asked.

An alarm sounded, and the display behind them flashed up a diagram of the ship and a red warning marker.

"Damn, I power cable has split on the port side."

"Looks like we'll have to stop at the base for repairs"

"Yeah, probably picked up a few mynocks when we stopped at Taanab" Ulic commented

"I'll go and send a message to the Jedi then," Kyp said. "You know, cutoms are going to want to see us if they detect mynocks on our ship."

Ulic flicked a switch under the control panel "They won't be bothering us, to their scanners we'll look like a peice of space junk."

"I wonder if the quad-laser turrets could pick them off" Kyp joked.

"Nah, I tried it once, they don't go down far enough." Ulic said, quite seriously. "Although if one was right on the very top edge of the cockpit" he said, pointing above his head, "You could just about do it."

Kyp wondered if he had actually tried this.

"Anyway, go send that message, I'll get us back for repairs."

---

[sarah 0]

The ship Apocolypse soared through hyperspace carrying its usual two passengers: the wookie Karyyyncca and her R2 droid splitzer. Kary and Splitzer were headed towards the Rangers base. Kary hand been asked by Luke to join a mission. he had to her that the Rangers needed her help and all would be explained in due time. Kary of course agreed. She was a wookie and as such very loyal and always willing to help a friend in need.

*Beep Beep Beep*

"We have arrived at the base Kary," Splitzer had informed in a machanical voice. Karyyyncca had modified the R2 droid to speak basic because she did not want to learn the chirps, beeps, and whistles of a droid. Splitzer had also been modified to speak over 60 forms of communication.

"Rrrowrrowr {All right, pull us in and land Splitz} ," barked Kary. She was just fixing up her holovid box. The pictures sounded like static not words.

As Splitzer was landing the ship Kary armed herself with the weapon she trusted most: a bowcaster. She relunctantly also clipped her green bladed lightsaber to her belt. She thought even though it was unlikely that she would use it, it never hurted to be prepared.

[MsSolo 1]

Aurora traced her hand along Steel's leg. She smiled up at him, and resting her head against his chest she listened to his heart beat. SHe hadn't been this calm in a long while.

"So you're not a jedi, but you are force sensitive?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she said, then added, "you know, not many people get that."

"I'll bet they didn't! So you agreed to this ranger thing?"

"Don't ask me why. I only pop my head around the door, so to speak, every now and then, and with everything we've been doing here..." She trailed off. The alien they had found recently had reacted badly to the VeritaSerum, and had, well, dropped dead. They hadn't even realised it wasn't human until it's skin peeled off to reveal it's true visage. She still had nightmares about that, sometimes. The significance of her own tattoes paled in comparison.

"The jedi are against the Empire?" Steel nudged her back to the present.

"Sort of. The Emperor wiped them out, so the new ones aren't too chuffed with the Imperial Remnant, but they don't go chasing them for no reason."

"The Emperor wanted to wipe out a lot of things. I spent six months in one of the Imperial jails for being a freak."

She stared up at his red eyes. "I don't think you're a freak."

"Funny, it was actually the first thing you ever siad to me. 'Freak', you hissed. I think you hated me."

Aurora blushed. "But not now."

"No, not now. Though I don't mind. I am a freak, a freak of nature."

Before Aurora could make any answer to this statement, her comlink beeped.

"Hey, Aur!"

"Don't call me that, Tria."

"Sorry, captain. A message just came in, that Rangers thing you signed up for. Why'd you do that, any way?"

"The jedi saved my life, and more besides. Call it obligation. What's it say?"

"Get your rear over to wherever it is you lot meet, there's trouble abrewing."

"Ok, what did it actually say?" Aurora gave Steel an apologetic look and left the room, still carrying the comlink and talking to her science officer. With only five of them, they tended to do each other's jobs.

Steel sighed and reached into his pocket. He held a slender ring in his hand, the jewel piece made to resemble one of Aurora's tattoes. She had only just told him everything, her life, her friends's deaths, the sith thing. None of that made him regret his desicion, but he wished that he'd had a chance to ask her. He just prayed all of her would come back this time. SHe'd changed alot after her first visit to the jedi, and not all of it was for the better. He was terrifed she'd refuse to marry him, terrifed.

[darthraptor52 1]

"Kyp!?" Comes the voice of Luke Skywalker over the intercom "I was expecting you..."

Kyp begins: "Sorry Master but it looks like we're gonna be a little late..."

"Anything seious?"

"Oh you know Master, just stopping off by some of the Coruscant night spots, or to be more precise the Service stations. We need repairs, we'll by running a little late."

"See you soon Kyp, may the force be with you" Finished Luke as the intercom crackeled to silence.

Kyp Walks into the cockpit greeted by Ulic's angry voice

"Agh! SITHSPIT!" Muttered Ulic

"What's wrong?"

"Seems since this attack most people on Coruscant are a little nervouse of anyone now...the nearest repair ship was 5 bleeding parsecs away, a longer wait than need be."

"Guess we'll have to wait the time out with a little game of Sabacc" he said with a smile

"Guess so buddy"

[darthraptor52 1]

Ulic looks onto their nearly ruined Space Station that had been their home for a long time.

"It's not THAT bad, nothing we can't fix!" he said optomistcly hitting Kyp on the arm.

"Well, the blind rage is being fixed. I think we have a little time to futher prospone our outing to the Jedi" Said Kyp

"Well, lets grap the hydrospanner and the welding kit and get started"

"Yeah, and lets get some real food, I'm fed up of these Tatooine style Hydroplonic vegetables."

"Why not?" said Ulic "for the next two days, we can live like the kings were were always meant to be!"

[E-wing 3]

Michael, Jorj, Stinger, Backup, and Entoo Nee stood on the landing pad as Melinda's ship

set down. Jorj looked at his son and asked "So you haven't told me, is she cute?"

"Dad!" said Michael.

"What? I know looks aren't the most important thing to you. So when you tell me that you

are in love with this woman I know she is a nice person with a sharp mind. What I don't

know is if she is cute or not." said Jorj.

The boarding ramp descended and Micheal said "See for yourself." When Michael first

meet Melinda she was very cute, but as she walked down the ramp now he had to admit

that she was not cute anymore.

She was drop dead gorgeous.

"Wow." Jorj said softly. "You know I think I've seen her some where before."

Michael was not listening to his father. When Melinda saw Michael she ran forward.

They put thier arms around each other and kissed. They did this sort of thing when ever

they hadn't seen each other for a long time (anything over 10 or 20 minutes). They stoped

for air and Michael said "Hi."

"Hi." said Melinda.

"Well, Michael are you going to introduce me?" asked Jorj.

"Right." said Michael as he let go of Melinda. "Dad this is Melinda, my girlfriend. Mel

this is my father, Jorj Car'das."

"Nice to meet you." said Melinda as she reached out her hand.

"Like wise." said Jorj as he took her hand. As he touched her Jorj inhaled sharply.

"What is it?" asked Melinda.

"Nothing. I just remembered that I needed to speak to Michael about something. Alone if

you don't mind. Entoo Nee will show you to your room and Michael will be along sortly."

said Jorj.

"Ok." said Melinda. She gave Michael a kiss on the cheek and walked off.

"Stinger go with her." said Michael.

"You the boss, boss." said Stinger and did as he was told.

Michael was about to say something to backup when he noticed that the droid had

already floated over to Melinda's ship to talk to her droid. If i didn't know better i

would think those 2 had the same feelings as me and Mel. Then he turn to his father

and said "I guess you felt it."

"That girl has incredible power with in her." said Jorj.

"I know. I felt it when we first meet." said Michael.

"You don't understand. I have alway been able to feel anothers inner power. The only

person I have ever felt like her was Yoda and I think she might be stronger." said Jorj.

"And she has no idea." said Michael.

"She will in time." said Jorj.

"I know." said Michael as he walked of to go find Melinda.

[Link 3]

Am'ni sat down in the seat of Ka'als ship and looked at the controls.

"First time for everything," she muttered and pressed the power switch. Suddenly she heard a beep behind her and turned, startled.

"'Storm, my goodness are you trying to scare me to pieces?"

The little droid beeped his apologies and took a seat next to her.

"Well wish me luck because I'm gonna need it."

One Am'ni figured out how to use the ship and learned its quirks and manuevers, she felt more at ease.

After a while longer, she began her descent and landed, seeing Ka'al as she stepped off the ship, 'Storm behind her.

"Here is your droid and ship, all in one piece. Hard to believe I know."

Am'ni stepped forward and embraced Ka'al. "It's been quite a while since I last saw you. How are things?" Ka'al had a shadowed look on her face, leaving Am'ni somewhat puzzled and frightened.

[Rogue 4]

Melinda was delighted to see Michael again. It may have only been days...but it felt like weeks. She hadn't even realized that other people were there until he had introduced her to his father. Jorj Car'das. She felt she had heard the name before, but couldn't place it. She decided it wouldn't help to keep thinking about it.

She walked up the ramp of the Dreams, and grabbed her luggage. It didn't amount to much, one bag. It did however, have everything she needed inside it, minus the powder blue outfit she was wearing, her white cloak, comlink, and her lightsaber. She lifted the bag with ease, and turned around to face Entoo Nee, and the three droids.

"We'll proceed, whenever you're ready." he said. She noticed that he seemed particularly excited, and unusually nice. Odd...

"I think we're ready. Did you shut down all the systems E4?" the droid gave an affirmative beep. "Great, then we're ready." They began to walk down the egress ramp, and Mel took a good look around at Rintatta City. it was a middling sized cluster of military-style buildings interspersed with about 50 landing pads of various sizes, surrounded by a ring of civilian-style homes, buisinesses and community buildings. All were nestled up against the base of a short but rough sided ridge of mountains...giving way to grassy plains on the other sides.

Mel realized just how close Stinger was staying to her. "And how have you been Stinger? Michael's taking good care of you, and Backup, right?"

"No more than usual." The droid said in perfect basic.

Melinda laughed. Michael always took excellent care of just about every mechanical item he owned, especially his droids."Then you don't have a thing to worry about do you?" She supposed that if the droid could have shrugged it would have.

Entoo stopped in front of a speeder, opened the door and motioned them in. "Aren't we going to wait for Michael and Mr. Car'das?"

"No, they're going to meet us there."

"Alright..." She was hoping that Michael would show her his home, but wasn't upset that he wasn't. He has matters to attend to....I wouldn't want to distract him. She climbed in, and after the droids were brought aboard, they sped off towards the mountains.

[Master MJade 0]

As Ka'al watched her ship, the Lighting Saber, land she smiled. Am'ni wasn't much of a pilot, but she belonged ot The Shadow Guards

"Here is your droid and ship, all in one piece. Hard to believe I know."

Am'ni stepped forward and embraced Ka'al. "It's been quite a while since I last saw you. How are things?"

"First off I bet you are Hungry? Correct, Am'ni?" asked KA'al seeing that her friend had scenced her troubled mood.

"of course, i am" replied Am'ni.

"Okay, let me go check in and inform Master Skywalker that you are here, and i'm going to take you to Mess hall for some good cusine. Then you will come with me to go to a meeting with the other Rangers. ANd AM'ni?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for Bringing my ship back in one piece!" said Ka'al with a smile.

As the two frinds walked to Ka'al's quarter with a Black and orange driod following, Ka'al was relieved that she finally had someone she didn't feel distant to because of, well, just because.

[Doc Ani Jade 1]

Kith Kalea, New Republic infiltrator, had been lying face down on a catwalk, wearing his camo cloak, watching the activities of the imperial manufacturing concern on Sarensis. With him were 3 fellow New republic infiltrators, monitoring, at various positions, the work here.

Technically, it was legal for him to spy on imperial places, under the treaty of six years ago, but He didn't want to consider the politival scandal that would happen if he was found...

"Kith! Hey, KIth! Check this out." whispered a New aRepublic operative over a com.

"Don't talk so loud, Jens. THis place isn't deserted." responded Kith, as he crawled over.

"Alright... but look at this"

Kith looked down and was astonsihed at what he saw.

"well, at leat we know that they're not making landspeeder anymore..."

Kith saw the part of the plant closed off from the public, and he understood why. The workers here were manufacturing heavy assault hovertanks, of sizes that were outlawed under the treaty. Kith couldn't see where they were going, but he was surprised. He knew from meeting with the cheif of slicing, Ghent, that

"Jens. Round up the others. Quietly. We need to leave immediately. Wessiri needs to know about this. WHoever owns these tanks has a serious force-they've been building here for a while.

Five minutes later, Kith, Jens, Latvik, and Tran were exiting silently down the wya they had come-through a hidden turbolift and stowing away on a skiff, when Latvik tripped over a stray piece of duracrete on the ground. The sound of him falling set off an alarm and guards came running.

Kith never figured out what happened next, but all of a sudden, the guards opened fire. Latvik and Tran were cut down instantly. Kith pulled Jens around the last corner and opened up with his slughtrower. To his dismay, it bounced off the guards' ceramic armor.

"Jens. I have an idea. I've got a frag grenade her we can use to keep them honest. Then, we sprint down the corridor and steal a speeder. Got it?" hurriedly whispered Kith.

After she nodder her head, Kith took the grenade, hit the timer and chucked it at the guard's. It exploded and they felll down, some injuered. Kith thoughtt all the guards' were unconscious but he couldn't check them as he tore past. He and Jens were almost to the chosen speeder when one of the guars, playing unconsciousness, took aim and shot Jens in the back of the head.

"Dammit! Why does every mission trun out like this!" he threw a vibroblade at the guards, and entered the speeder, blasted out of the hangar, and shot out of the manufacturing plant. Hours later, as he cleared orbit between six TIE interceptors, he entered the coordinates for Coruscant and leapt into hypersapce.

During the long trip from Sarensis to Coruscant, he thought about the mission, and what he had done wrong. Agian, he had lost his entire team in a short time! Again! He tried to sleep, but images of Jens falling, and Trans and Vindik being killed filled his sleep. To clear his mind he thought of hw he was oing to ask Wessiri and Cracken if he could retire.

Oh sure, that's going t happen he thought bitterly.

A day later, he landed at New Republic Intel headquarters, and presented his findings to Iella Wessiri. After he asked her afain if he could retire, she surprised hi by saying, "Well, that's interesting, because I just found out something. You have a message waiting for you--a group called 'the Rangers' needed mercenaries for something they were doing. I saw that they hired two already, but Master Skywalker, who's directing them, called me personally to see if they could hire someone with a little more, ummm, subtlety. So you should check it out. If you accpet, then I can grant you a leave of absence for it."

He thought to himself, "I don't care who they are. I'm going"

As he read the message, he thought more, "Well, this looks interesting Might as well, it beats taking a vacation."

[Andy 60]

---

"There!" Ulic explaimed as he finished patching up the panelling of the ship.

"Done it?" asked Kyp

"Well I never was much of a mechanic, but I think me and my little friend here have done an okay job." he said, patting the WED model repair droid next to him.

Kyp laughed. "How long will it hold out for?"

"My guess is it will be alright unless we try doing any fancy stuff, and I don't think it will like lightspeed either, so we'll just have to be careful"

"So we're using the skylanes?" Kyp asked

"For now, yeah" Ulic said. "C'mon, the jedi will probably be waiting on us"

Moments later, the Blind Rage was being controlled by the Coruscant air control computer, and was manouvering automatically into a lane designated for light starships.

[Link 3]

Am'ni followed Ka'al down the hall, anxious to meet Master Skywalker. Although she was a Shadow Guard Am'ni had never met Master Skywalker.

"Always have to be the new one don't I?" she muttered quietly. Ka'al turned around and gave Am'ni a hard stare. "Ka'al are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to live in darkness forever? You can't throw it out the window like some piece of junk ya know." Knowing immediately she'd said too much she spun around and watched out the window as several other odd ships landed. She had never seen ships like these and marveled at the size of them. Suddenly she heard a noise behind her and realized that Master Skywalker was peering out the door behind her.

"Master Skywalker!" she excalimed. "How wonderful to finally meet you." Am'ni bowed respectfully and waited for Ka'al to take over.

[Rogue 4]

Before long, Melinda, Entoo Nee, Stinger, E4, and Backup, had arived at what seemed to be their destination. It was an old light blue building, slightly up the slope of one of the mountains. One side of the house, looked incomplete, with only the frame of the house visible. Entoo Nee, pulled the speeder up in front of the small house, and motioned for them all to exit the vehicle.

"Come, Jorj and Michael are already inside."

Melinda helped E4 out of the speeder, and grabbed her bag. Her white cloak was blowing back in the breeze, and she pulled it close to her. Climbing down to retreive it was something she did not want to be doing right now. As they drew closer to the house, she realized the once-white door, was now chipped and fading. It just doesn't seem right.... Mel thought. Knowing Michael, there has to be something more here.

Entoo Nee opened the door, and they walked into a room filled with old, dusty furniture. This seems like a meeting point...it looks like nobody's lived here for years... "Come, they're just ahead." Entoo said he went foward to open another door.

[^Hal^ 1]

Haladar was looking out the viewport of their small ship, staring at the Ranger space station, thinking about events gone by. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind and he looked at the console in front of him.

"oops, we're coming in." he muttered to himself.

"Should be a few minutes before we get down," he called out to the rangers in the cabin behind the cockpit.

Manouevering the quick little shuttle in and out of lumbering haulers, Haladar quickly got them through the shields and down to the landing pad. Master Skywalker was waiting fo them with Ka'al and another of her species.

Haladar descended the ramp last of all, with Dan.

"Hmm.. A couple of new recruits," said Dan

"Looks like it to me," replied Haladar...

[Master MJade 0]

"Always have to be the new one don't I?" she muttered quietly. Ka'al turned around and gave Am'ni a hard stare. "Ka'al are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to live in darkness forever? You can't throw it out the window like some piece of junk ya know."

Ka'al just stared at Am'ni as Am'ni quickly realized that she had said a little too much.

Ka'al felt him as he walked in.

"Master Skywalker! How wonderful it is to meet you at last." exclaimed Am'ni with a bow.

Ka'al sensing Am'ni's discomfort at the Jedi MAster's presence quickly took over.

"Jedi Master, this is my friend, fellow Shadow Guard and trouble-maker, Am'ni Selago. She has many talents some that you might find familar and useful, sir."

"Welcome Am'ni." Said the Jedi Master. " A friend of Ka'al's is a friend of ours. Come let us go and meet the other Rangers"

Ka'al thought to herself well that went good as they went back to the Hanger.

[Andy 60]

"Looks like quite a crowd" Ulic commented as they aproached the Rangers' station. The landing platform was full.

"Well they're giving us clearance to land" Kyp said, flicking through a couple of pages of sensor readings on the console in front of him. "Ah, there is another hanger round the other side."

"Good. As long as it's not too crowded..." he stopped as he looked at the other hanger, which was also full.

"They have a lot of fighters for a small base."

"Hey, you thing I could fit her in there?" Ulic said, pointing to a space that looked barely big enough.

"I dunno..." Kyp said, if you can't nobody can.

"Yeah, it's too risky." Ulic said

The comm clicked.

"Uh... they say there is a docking bay underneath, we'll have to use the top hatch to get in.

"You'd think they'd have enough space in the hanger..." Ulic said

Moments later the pair of mercenaries were climing up the ladder through the hatch and into the station.

[sarah 0]

Karyyyncca and Splitzer stood in the handar waiting for Master Skywalker to arrive. He had told them that the other new Rangers had arrived and it was time to meet their partners for the mission and to learn of the mission itself.

"Rrroooowrr," Kary growled.

"Don't be rediculous. Master Skywalker left the hangar two minutes ago. That's hardly a lifetime Kary." Splitzer replied. "You Wookies....no patience at all." If Splitzer had eyes to roll he'd do it now.

There was a moment of silence. Kary was a more than a little annoyed.

"Rrwoor wooroo" {This is the part were you're suppose to tell me that patience is a virture.} Kary informed.

"And just why exactly is that?" Splitzer asked.

"Rrroworrr" {Because everyone else in the galaxy does. That's their role. To keep us Wookies in line, right?}

"I'm an R2 driod, not a protocol. It's my job to assist you with your work, not to babysit."

Kary turned her head so that Splitz wouldn't see her smile. Kary was pleased with her droid. Splitz knew his duty and did it. He did not assume the role of playing "I know best" as many protocol driods obnixously did.

"Is your impatience driving you wild?" Splitzer asked.

"Rrrowr" {It's just about to break.} Kary replied.

"Good" said Splitzer.

"Rrwor?"{Why is that good?} Kary asked.

"Because Master Skywalker has just entered with an alienand what appers to be a human-alien." Splitz answered back.

Kary turned and looked. Indeed Master Skywalker was there with an alien and was that a human-alien!?

Quite interesting....well these people have no protocol droids with them. And because of that I just might be able to get along quite nicely with them. Kary thought to herself.