Chapter Text
Welcome, my friends, welcome. It warms my heart to know that you wish for me to continue this saga. I know that the previous part of my tale left many of you saddened by what happened to the people we had come to love, but I assure you that no matter how dark things may seem, there is always a spark of hope. Now, listen closely, my friends and I will tell you how that spark can turn into an inferno.
It is a period of civil war. For the last nineteen years, the Empire has ruled over the world, but now Rebel ships, striking from a hidden base have won their first victory.
During this battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans for the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star, a mobile armored fortress with enough power to destroy entire nations.
Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia Organa races home aboard her corvette as the custodian of the secret plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the world.
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Off the coast of the lowly desert land of Tatooine, cannon fire broke the stillness of the hot mid day air. A lone Alderaanian corvette fled from a colossal Imperial Star Destroyer as explosive cannonballs slammed into the smaller ship's shield wards. The magic barriers shimmered and rippled under the brutal assault, but still held for the time being.
The corvette did return fire, but it was built to transport diplomats, not for combat. What guns it had were meant to hold off pirates in vessels of sizes equivalent to or smaller than the corvette and did nothing against the superior wards and armored hull of the Star Destroyer.
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A young man stood on the shoreline of Tatooine in the junkyard of Tosche Station on the outskirts of Anchorhead looking through the assorted scrap that Merl Tosche had for sale. The sound of cannons out to sea caught his attention. The man squinted and saw the clouds of gunsmoke on the water's surface. He pulled out an old pair of brass binoculars and focused them on the cloud.
An Imperial Star Destroyer was firing at some ship that was too small to clearly see, even with his binoculars. After watching the battle for a couple of minutes, he rushed through the junkyard towards the building nearby.
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Another shell hit the corvette's wards and they finally shattered. A subsequent lucky shot exploded against the main mast, splintering and toppling it over as deck crew scrambled away. Immediately, the ship started to slow from the loss of propulsion and the drag created by the fallen mast.
Inside, two automata listened to the cracking wood and snapping ropes as they moved down the corvette's main corridor. Alderaanian crewmen rushed past them, gripping their weapons tightly as alarms wailed.
There was another loud bang and the gold diplomatic automaton, See Threepio, turned to his white and blue nautical automaton counterpart, Artu-Deetu. "Did you hear that?"
Artu beeped in acknowledgment.
"I think that was the foremast. We'll all be destroyed for sure. This is madness!"
Artu chirped and whistled a retort about his friend's pessimism.
In the boarding corridors perpendicular to the main one, the crewmen moved into position behind the white wood supports and in open doorways. Threepio stood in the intersection. As far as he could remember, he had never seen the crewmen this tense. "We're doomed..."
Artu chirped and whistled.
"No, my little friend. I don't think there'll be any escape for the Princess this time."
The little nautomaton let out a soft mournful wail.
From outside the corvette's starboard side came the loud clanging of metal as though a giant iron door was opening. This is, in fact, what it was. Outside, the Star Destroyer's portside drydock doors opened, sliding apart sideways wide enough for the corvette to fit inside. Two cannons inside the hangar fired harpoons on chains into the corvette's hull and began to reel the ship in.
Once the corvette had come to a stop inside, the crewmen braced themselves and fixed their eyes on the starboard boarding door. There came an almighty clang and the center of the metal door bowed inwards slightly. Another clang and the door bowed more, cracking the frame. With one final blow, the frame failed catastrophically and the door flew down the boarding corridor.
Gunfire erupted from the doorway, striking several crewmen before they had a chance to open fire themselves. Gunsmoke rapidly filled the corridor as white armored Imperial stormtroopers advanced into the ship. The first few ranks fell under the crewmen's gunfire, but more came, forcing back the crewmen that hadn't been killed.
See Threepio and Artu-Deetu had taken refuge in one of the rooms off the main corridor, but the sound of running feet led the gold automaton to peek his head out to see how things were progressing. A retreating crewman nearly bowled him over and the automaton quickly ducked back into the doorway. No sooner had he moved back than gunfire from the stormtroopers tore down the hall. Soon after, the crewmen returned fire, but with limited success.
As he sheltered in the doorway, Threepio realized that the lift was on the other side of the corridor. If they could get to the over to it, they could take refuge on one of the higher decks away from the fighting. Threepio explained his plan to Artu and the two steeled themselves for the crossing. Even though the crewmen and the stormtroopers continued their gunfight, miraculously, none of the bullets struck the two automata.
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Once the young man was inside of Tosche Station, he called out for his friends' attentions. "Big news, everyone. There's a-" One of the faces he saw excited him. "Biggs?!"
Biggs smiled broadly. "Hey, Luke!"
"I didn't know you were back!" Luke ran over and hugged his childhood friend.
"Yeah, I just got back this morning and thought I'd stop in. I didn't think you'd be up this early!"
"Ah, good to see that the Academy hasn't killed your sense of humor." Luke suddenly remembered why he had run inside. "Oh, right! There's some kind of sea battle going on outside with a Star Destroyer! Come on!"
Laze, another of Luke's friends laughed. "Come on, Luke, not again!"
"I'm serious!"
Luke's friends followed him out, but most were skeptical.
Laze's girlfriend Camie Marstrap laughed. "I think Luke might be getting too much sun."
The group went to the edge of the rocky cliff overlooking the sea and squinted in the direction Luke pointed. Biggs asked for Luke's binoculars. "That's no battle, hotshot. Definitely a Star Destroyer, I'll give you that. Strange to see one out this far, though."
Luke couldn't even see the smoke anymore. "But there was cannon fire earlier..."
Camie snatched the binoculars and looked out to sea. Laze sidled up beside her and she passed the binoculars to him.
Biggs slapped a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Ah, it's like I've said before, Luke. The Rebellion's a long way from here. This place has nothing to offer but sand and rocks." He chuckled. "I doubt the Empire'd even fight to keep it."
Camie casually tossed Luke's binoculars back. "Like I said, too much sun."
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Back at the corvette's boarding door, stormtroopers checked for any signs of life in their fallen comrades. The sounds of heavy footfalls and the clanking of plate armor caused them to stop and snap to attention. A man in stygian black armor standing a head taller than the stormtroopers stepped through the door.
This intimidating figure was the infamous Darth Vader, personal enforcer for the Emperor and master of the Dark Ways. He stopped and looked at the mixed corpses of the stormtroopers and Alderaanians, though his helmeted face concealed any expression of his feelings on them. Vader moved onwards wordlessly with the stormtroopers following behind.
In the upper levels of the corvette, Artu had snuck away into the portside escape balloon passages. The nautomaton whistled and chirped as a slight figure in a white cloak carefully placed a small silver archive disk into one of his storage slots. This was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a longtime thorn in the Empire's side.
Threepio's voice resounded through the corridor outside. "Artu-Deetu, where are you?" The sound of his counterpart's distinctive sounds coming from the passages led him to enter.
As Threepio looked left towards the aft arm of the passage, he saw the silhouette of the keg shaped automaton he was looking for. But there was also someone with him; a feminine form in a white hooded dress that hurriedly ducked out of sight. Artu turned and moved towards Threepio, apparently unconcerned about the woman's departure.
"So this is where you've been hiding," said the gold automaton. "I've been looking all over for you! The boarders are coming this way! What are we going to do? We'll be scrapped or sent to the spice mines of Kessel for sure!"
Artu chirped and beeped and rolled past him into the bow arm of the passage.
"Wait a minute, where are you going?"
Princess Leia pulled back her hood as she watched the two automata go. She drew a silver flintlock revolver and took a deep breath.
Many of the Alderaanian crewmen had surrendered by this point. Stormtroopers marched them off the corvette while more Imperials systematically searched the ship. A squad of stormtroopers approached Lord Vader as he gripped the corvette's Captain Antilles by the throat.
"My Lord," began one of the stormtroopers. "The Death Star plans are nowhere to be found."
Darth Vader tightened his grip on Captain Antilles' throat. "Where is the disk?" His voice was deep and filled with a malice that made the blood of any who heard it run cold. "What have you done with those plans?" Vader lifted the captain off the floor.
Captain Antilles fruitlessly tried to pry Darth Vader's hand away from his throat. "We received no plans," he said hoarsely. "This is a consular ship... We're on a diplomatic mission..."
"If this is a consular ship, then where is the ambassador?" Vader tightened his grip again and twisted his hand. Captain Antilles' neck snapped like a twig and he went limp. Vader threw the captain's body against the wall and turned to an officer wearing a peaked cap and black capelet. "Commander, tear this ship apart until you've found those plans! Bring me the passengers, I want them alive!"
The stormtroopers started searching with a renewed vigor. A squad of them moved into the port side escape balloon passage, moving cautiously. Princess Leia peeked around the corner as she heard the approaching footsteps. The stormtroopers did not notice her and she ducked back. She had to make sure that the Imperials were focused on her so that the automata could escape.
Princess Leia snuck up the passage and hid in one of the alcoves that held a balloon basket. She leaned out and aimed her pistol down the passage. As soon as she saw the white armor of one of the stormtroopers, she squeezed off a shot which hit the wall next to her target.
Immediately the stormtroopers sprang into action, rounding the corner. Leia fired again, this time striking one of the soldiers. The squad leader yelled out an order for his men to use stun. Leia cracked off a third shot that glanced off one of the stormtroopers' helmets.
An Imperial tapped the stun rune on his revolving carbine's forestock and a ring of blue energy shot out of the barrel, hitting Princess Leia as she took aim again. She fell to the floor unconscious.
The squad leader tapped the comm crystal on his wrist. "Lord Vader, we have a prisoner."
While all this was occurring, Artu rolled into one of the escape balloon baskets. Threepio called after him in a hushed tone. "What are you doing? You aren't allowed in that! It's restricted!"
Artu entered the basket and rotated his domed head towards Threepio. He beeped and warbled.
"Don't you call me a mindless philosopher you overweight glob of grease! Now come on, before someone sees you."
Artu chirped and beeped, attempting to explain his actions.
"Secret mission? Plans? What in the world are you on about? I am not getting in there!" Princess Leia's first shot startled him and he rushed into the basket. "Oh, I am going to regret this!"
Artu opened the door on his chassis. The tool drum inside spun until his pneumatic punch was in position. He pushed it gently against the deployment rune and the balloon basket shot out of its holding tube, just barely clearing the top of the Star Destroyer's hangar door.
An Imperial gun crew in the hangar trained their gun on the rapidly inflating balloon as it left.
"There goes another one," said the gunner moving his thumb to the trigger.
His spotter stopped him. "Hold your fire. There's no life signatures on that one. The rune must've misfired."
Threepio looked back at the ship as they flew away. "That's funny, the damage doesn't look as bad from out here."
Artu whistled.
"Are you sure this thing is safe?"
Three quick beeps.
"Oh."
As the balloon rose higher into the sky, it caught the winds heading for the shore of Tatooine. It floated further and further inland passing over countless dunes and crags.
Princess Leia was still a bit woozy as stormtroopers escorted her through the corridors. They had shackled her wrists uncomfortably tightly and her fall from being stunned was going to leave a bruise or two, but otherwise she was physically unharmed. The sight of the many dead crewmen that had fought to protect her, however, cut her like a knife, but she refused to show anything that could be perceived as weakness.
When her escort led her around a corner, the first thing she saw was the unmistakable black armor of Darth Vader, followed by an Imperial commander in a peaked cap. She scowled as she stopped in front of them. "Darth Vader. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not still for this. When they hear that you've attacked-"
"Don't act so surprised, your Highness. We both know that you aren't on any mercy mission this time. This ship was seen fleeing from Scarif after an archive disk was stolen by Rebel spies. I want to know what you've done with that disk." Vader's voice dripped with disgust. He hated this Alderaanian princess, and not just because of her ties to the Rebellion. Her very name reminded him of his failures.
"I don't know what you're talking about.
I am a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan."
Darth Vader put his finger in Princess Leia's face. "You are a part of the Rebellion and a traitor! Take her away!"
The stormtrooper squad leader urged the Princess forward with the butt of his gun and they moved towards the boarding door. Vader turned and walked the other way, the Imperial commander following closely behind.
"Lord Vader, holding her is dangerous. If word of this gets out it could generate sympathy for the Rebellion in the Senate."
"I have traced the Rebel spies to her. Now she is the strongest link I have to locating their base."
"She'll die before telling you anything."
"Leave the interrogation to me. I want you to send a distress call and inform the Senate that this ship went down in a storm with no survivors."
A stormtrooper in a black capelet walked up and saluted. "Lord Vader, the disk is not aboard this ship. There was an escape balloon that deployed during the battle, but no life signatures were detected on it."
Vader gave a single nod and turned to the commander. "She must have put the disk on the balloon. Send a detachment to retrieve it. See to it personally, Commander Unbek. There is no one to stop us this time."
"Yes, my Lord."
Normally, Darth Vader would have a closer involvement with the search, but he had to get Princess Leia to the Death Star for interrogation. He wanted to believe that was the only reason, but there was also the matter of where the balloon would have floated to. Tatooine was the one land he refused to ever return to.
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Luke and Biggs walked out of Tosche Station and through the streets of Anchorhead, catching up on everything that had happened since Biggs had left for the Imperial Air Academy. Luke had gone into his story about sneaking off with one of Anchorhead's skyhoppers and taking the creature for a joyride.
"...and Uncle Owen thought of grounding me for the rest of the year!" Luke laughed. "Absolutely worth it, though!"
"Sounds like it! But seriously, Luke, you should probably take it a little easier. You may be the best rider this side of Mos Eisley, but those skyhoppers can be dangerous. Keep up antics like that and one day you'll end up a red smear on a canyon wall."
"Oh, look who's talking! You've been at the Academy so long, you're starting to sound like my uncle. Maybe you're getting a bit too soft in that big city."
Biggs slapped his flat belly. "Well it's certainly not their rations making me soft!"
They both laughed as they continued walking. Biggs put a hand on Luke's far shoulder and pulled him closer. "Ah, I've missed you, kid."
"Yeah, well, things haven't been the same without you, Biggs. Been too quiet."
Biggs stopped and showed a serious face. "Luke. I didn't come back just to say goodbye. I shouldn't tell you this, but I know I can trust you. See, I may never come back and I wanted someone to know."
Luke was stunned. "What? What are you talking about?"
When Biggs spoke again, it was in a whisper. "I made some friends at the Academy. When our frigate leaves for the Central Territories, we're going to jump ship and join the Alliance."
"The Rebellion?!" Luke was not quiet, but fortunately, nobody else took note.
"Quiet," Biggs hissed. "Your mouth is as big as a purrgil!"
"I am quiet," Luke whispered. "Listen to how quiet I am. You can barely hear me."
Biggs rolled his eyes and sighed. "My friend has a friend in Bestine who can help us make contact."
"C'mon, Biggs, you'll be wandering around forever trying to find them."
They started walking again. "I know it's a long shot, but if I can't find them, I'll do what I can on my own. It's like we always talked about, Luke. I'm not going to wait for the Empire to draft me into combat. The Rebellion is growing and I want to be on the side I believe in."
Luke sighed. "Yeah... Meanwhile, I'm stuck here."
"You'll get your chance to get away from this sandbox. You're going to the Academy next term, right?"
"Mm, not likely. I had to cancel my application."
Biggs raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"My uncle needs me."
"Oh, come on!"
"I'm serious! The sandpeople have been getting bolder. They've even started raiding the outskirts of Anchorhead."
"Luke, we both know that your uncle could hold off a whole colony of Tuskens with a single musket."
"I know... But we've almost got enough collectors to make the place pay off. I just have to stay for one more harvest. I can't leave him now."
"What good's all your uncle's work if the Empire takes it over? They've already started to nationalize commerce in the Central Territories. It won't be long until your uncle's just a tenant slaving for the 'greater glory' of the Empire."
"Oh, that's not going to happen here. You said yourself that the Empire won't even mess with this place."
"Things can change, Luke," Biggs said seriously. "Faster than you think."
Luke sighed again. "I wish I was going... Are you going to be around long?"
Biggs shook his head. "No. I'm leaving tomorrow morning."
"Well I guess I won't see you..."
Biggs patted Luke on his back. "Maybe someday. I'll keep a lookout for you."
"Yeah, I'll be at the Academy soon. Then, who knows? I won't be drafted into combat, that's for sure." Luke put out his hand for a handshake which Biggs accepted. "Well, take it easy, buddy. You'll always be the best friend I've ever had."
Biggs smiled. "So long, Luke."
And with that, Biggs walked away, leaving Luke in the middle of Anchorhead alone.