The Rebel Faction

The Shroud-class Attack Cruiser Perception reverted to hyperspace at Bespin, its stealth package active. Using passive scanners, it took readings on the area, while hanging back, away from the shipping lanes. Bespin had become quite the shipment point, as indicated by thousands of merchant ships, each making off with their capacity of tibanna gas. To a Shroud, it was a wealth of data. The ship stayed put, and a round of recon had begun. For a day they would monitor the goings-on at Bespin. That done, they would report back to the High Command, and the boffins back at the General Staff would put their gathered data modules to good use.


Captain Erwin Kray nodded to the orderly who loomed above him, then gestured with his fingers.

"Yes, Denson, a spot of tea would be nice. Milk and sugar, if you please," he smiled as he spoke, and stared at the latest report.

For fourteen hours, the ship had been parked there, soaking up data. His sense of urgency was renewed when the Sensor Chief came up to his command chair, and saluted.

"Beg to report, Captain," he said, saluting.

"Yes, chief, please proceed," he replied, returning the salute.

"A great deal of merchant ships have been massing at Sector Theta-Fifteen, arranging themselves into a convoy. A rather large convoy."

Captain Kray nodded, and kept tabs on that convoy. An hour later, it shot off at sublight, and the Sensor chief returned.

"We have extrapolated their bearing," the chief reported this time. "It appears they're heading to Hoth."

"An outpost, maybe?" he wondered aloud. What desolate ice planet required such a convoy? His thoughts lingered on the rebel echo base for a time, and he nodded.

"Lay in a pursuit course at three-quarters sublight power. Catch us up." his XO nodded at the order, and echoed his command, which itself echoed across the bridge in succinct versions, followed by "Aye, sir."

And the Shroud continued on to Hoth.

The cruiser continued its pursuit of the convoy, and they soon found themselves at the outskirts of the Hoth system. An hour passed, the asteroid belt obscuring any data collection.

The sensor chief approached the captain, and reported.

"Sir," he said. "We're getting some odd gravitic reflections from those asteroids. It's as if a new stellar mass is present in this system."

"Very good, chief," the Captain replied. "Take us in for a closer look."

Thankfully, however, the cooling/dispersal units on the Shroud cruiser's dreamweaver engines were operating, leaving not a single bit of residue in the form of ion trails. The tracking mines, not picking up anything, simply lay dormant.

"Captain, the alternate spectrum analyzer is going crazy," the sensor chief reported. "Whatever it is, it's big."

"Time to visual?"

"A few minutes, sir. This asteroid is blocking our path. When we clear it, we should be able to get some more detailed readings."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Garqi System<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



The large floating hunk of rock seemed as good a place as any to Mr. Arliss as his private yacht exited hyperspace taking up position alongside an old battered Interdictor that had seen better days.


From the yacht, a small transport exited to deposit Mr. Arliss and his CFO, Mr. Conrad, to their meeting on Dalbus Prime.

Dalbus Prime was a lifeless rock that held a weak orbit with the primary that Garqi circled.

With stabiltiy and prosperity returned to the sector, despite the Rogue Empire's conquest of Yaga Minor, the small planetoid served as a nice base of sorts for many different kinds of unsavory characters.

It, of course, could never be a permanent base for Vice Admiral Alec Antilles held the system in check with timely patrols.

Mr. Arliss approved of the arrangements as he walked into the well furnished office, it's large plexiglass windows offering a nice view of both craft holding station outside.

As the CEO of Arliss Industries poured himself a glass of well aged liquor, he spoke.

"I am surprised that the Tibanna Gas prices have remained quite high leaving a fair share of the market accessible to us, despite our inferior method of spinning."


"No sense of business and economic models leave openings the size of sectors for even unprofitable ventures to take advantage of." Mr. Conrad answered absently as he scrolled down his personal notes.


The CFO stopped and looked up. "It's not like you to question good fortune. Our Tibanna profits were able to secure us better rights to a small firm in the Mechis vicinity. Once that is set up and registered with the Intergalactic Affairs Office, we can shut down and retool our factories here for the new project.

Things have worked out better than expected."


"Yes. Too much so. What do you think of the Geonosian situation?"

"Ripe" Mr. Conrad stated with a grin. "I have the latest projected set up costs.." he handed his pad to Mr. Arliss who glanced at it as he sat down.

Taking a sip of his drink he scanned the figures.

"This is too expensive. Even with secured economic rights granted by the Rogue Empire....." His voice trailed off, "I hate new planet industry developement."


"A lot of those projections though are derived from having to manufacture tools and equipment "alien" friendly and adapting Corporate policies and facilities to--"

"No. Too long and not enough return on the investment. Import from a minor Imperial world. Agamar perhaps. The Geonosians can fend for their own jobs or take what we give them."

"I'll see to it."


The doors to the office opened and the Captain of the "Thrawn's Terror" entered.

"Ahh , Captain Faske. Drink?" Mr. Arliss moved to get a drink which the rather stout looking mercenary captain greedily accepted.

"Tell, me" started Seamus when the Captain had settled, taking large swigs of the beverage savoring the slow burn growing in the back of his throat, "Have you found our lost Tibanna convoys?"


"Rerouted through the Rogue Empire, Mr. Arliss. The reason Tibanna is as expensive as it is is largely due to increased traffic tarrifs and increased travel times."


"Increased travel times?" Mr. Conrad echoed. "How can that be?"


The merchant captain shrugged. "Suppose Tibanna came from Muunilist and was sold to customer accounts and transported directly to Carida."


"I follow you so far."


"Now let's say the Imperial Military suddenly directed that all civilian traffic from Muunilist to Carida was to be halted. Would that mean that Carida is now suddenly cut off from Tibanna forever?"


"Of course not! The Tibanna would simply go.." and Mr. Conrad's eyes lit up with understanding, "..by an alternate route. Increased time. Increased distance. Increased power used. Increased overtime for crews. Increased need for supplies, parts and repairs.... Sweet Baby Sithlings! The Rogue Empire is driving their own businesses bankrupt."


"I do not think so, Conrad." Arliss interrupted. "If so, then we would have seen a change in supply sources by now."


The merchant captain smiled. "Good call."

"What have you found?"

"We took a ship or two several lightyears outside of the Anoat System. Damn Rogues patrol that area too frequently for comfort. The manifests and navigation logs show a very erratic course these traders take. I also have a copy of the latest route changes that their companies need to distribute to their ship captains lest they run into interdiction fields or worse yet, abolisher fields."


"What is going on over there?"


"Just actions are reported, not the reason why." the captain took another swallow.

"Perhaps there is a rebellion running throughout their space. Perhaps Fearson's was assassinated and they dare not let on."


The captain shook his head. "Doesn't wash with their transmitted reports on Danoz."


"True," Mr. Conrad commented.


"Besides," the captain continued, "what I captured between Geonosis and the growing Rogue Empire border will no doubt capture your interests."

"The Rogues have not yet secured much of the large stretches of space that they seem to be "claiming" making the area perfect for a man of my entrepreneuring spirit."

"And..?" Mr. Conrad prodded.

"The Rogues are transporting certain Geonosians off their planet and taking them to Bespin, or an area thereabouts. At least that was where the ship was headed before being captured in my interdiction field."


"I am surprised your ship can generate one." Mr. Conrad stated rather bluntly to which the captain threw his head back and laughed. "And they are welcome to the Geonosians. We were just talking ourselves about the costs involved in using them in specialized areas."


"You may wish to rethink that opinon."

"Why?"

"Because there was one impressive thing that came from the Geonosians."



Arliss and Mr. Conrad were silent, digesting the implications of what the captain said.


While they sat there the captain pulled out a data crystal and deposited it on the table before the corporate leaders.

"What is it?" Mr. Conrad inquired with eyes narrowing.

"Pieces of the whole. The reason the Rogue Imperial government is paying astronomic figures to offset increased expenditures by those companies affected by.."


"... a Rogue Military project of immense proportions."


"Immense enough to reroute all traffic from several different systems which is no small feat."


"How did they get their hands on the blueprints? As far as I know, it is one of the Empire's best kept secrets?" Mr. Conrad asked.


The captain touched the data crystal and holographic figures of alien configurations appeared.


"This is gibberish." Mr. Conrad stated.


"No. It's Geonosian."


"The one impressive thing that came from Geonosis." Seamus Arliss whispered.


A pictorial representation appeared.


"This explains their move on Geonosis. They don't give a bantha's rear for the people! They need translators!!" Mr. Conrad exclaimed. He turned to Mr. Arliss. "We need to get a hold of the regional military leader.. Moff, warlord, emperor or whatever. This might affect our economic ventures considerably."

"We need to reach Vice Admiral Drakiss." Mr. Arliss said quietly, studying the hologram.

"Activate our fail safes."

"Recording drones and decoys are away, Sir."


"Geonosis. Again?"

The captain of the Thrawn's Terror grinned and glanced back at the display.


A rather small representation but one that inspired a bit of trepidation nonetheless.


The Death Star.

The ship arrived at Bespin without incident and entered hyperspace for home. There were some very important data modules which needed delivering to the Imperial General Staff.