Utapau's Open Orbit

Utapau's orbit

The Imperial Star Destroyer Vanguard smoothly exited hyperspace and transitioned to sublight speeds, intent on making headway toward another brown and blotchy-looking planet.

"Welcome to Utapau, Lord Tysabaar. Your earlier observations were accurate. We will need to secure a stronger foothold in the galaxy, a wider base of operations, before we can press the enemy in earnest."

Klaxons wailed. The bridge was bathed in the sickly yellow glare combat lights that made the displays glow luridly, spilling out threat assessments to the gunners. Utapau was under attack by a particularly vicious pirate group that had grown fat from plundering the helpless planet. When traders learnt to avoid the planet, the pirates had resorted to extortion, driving the shaky economy into bankruptcy. Now all that was left was to take the planet, it's people and resources. The Republic had once defended Utapau and look how well that had worked out for them. There was a brilliant flash as a corvette spectacularly exploded under the concentrated fury of hundreds of snubfighters and freighters.

"Deflector shields at maximum. Deploy all TIE fighters into three waves and keep one in reserve. Do not let them rebuild their formations."

"Captain, we're being hailed."

Mardotte nodded. A typical specimen of pirate appeared, having extensively tattooed and modified himself beyond recognition. And Mardotte had seen some messed up creatures before.

To the ImpStar Deuce douchebag; bugger off before I blast you and your girlfriends back to the academy...

"Open fire."

The first volley of flak bursts tore through the pirates and doused the communication in static. The decks hummed as the reactors went to full power. There were more explosions in the kaleidoscope of bright lights. The pirate who had tried to threaten the Vanguard either was one of the many ships that had vanished or suddenly realised there were more important things to be doing, like flying.

"Lord Tysabaar, I hope you're as competent in space as you are on the ground..."

"Second company, prepare!"

Another wave of shining white Stormtroopers crouched and readied their stubby carbines to support their comrades. Commander Terrak grimly watched. More fodder to fatten the Sith monster. Although he had no objection if Tysabaar wanted to slaughter pirates wholesale, he would have preferred it if Mardotte didn't keep risking his Marines. It was unnerving how he stood inside one of the observation rooms across the hangar, watching. He was not sure whom exactly he was watching. Or why. He was a soldier, a good one and he wanted nothing else but to keep his head on and exterminate some rebels.

". . . I don't need someone watching me while I do it."


"Please don't shoot mee! Pleease! Phleeeze!"

A dirty humanoid lay face-down on the floor, his hands shaking in the air. The Stormtroopers fanned out blasters leveled. It could be a trap. Anywhere in a ship like this there could be concealed explosives or trapdoors filled with enemies. They scanned first the creature. Clear. The floors and ceiling were clear.

"I'm begging yoooou. . ."


Terrak was doing some watching of his own. The Yuuzhan Vong auxilleries, if he could call them that, those bizzarre out of this galaxy creatures, loitering between the parade ranks, fully geared up. Had they been invited? He grimaced. It was feeding time and Mardotte was dumping the bucket between them, the Marines, the Vong and the Sith. . .

As he stepped up close enough to speak, the three Yuuzhan Vong commandos fingered their weapons anxiously.

The first one was Lusenok, a chunky soldier who looked like she had been clumsily put together too many times, although judging from her brilliant, clear eyes, there was nothing wrong with her head. She was clearly edgy at being here, in a pirate ship, Marines to either side and a hostile Sith in front of her. It was like being shamed all over again, forced into a nasty situation by no other reason for being in the wrong place.

She waited respectfully for the Sith to finish.

"I beg your pardon, but I humbly request to lead the next charge to the enemy."

From behind Lusenok, another marine emergred from seemingly nowhere. Her outfit looked a little disheveled; her shirt was not tucked in properly, her bootlaces were loose, and her hair was messily shoved in beneath the brim of her hat. She noticed the soldiers in front of her were nervous- their breathing gave it away. Another figure stood in from of them, brandishing malice as indicated by his terse and derogatory words. Tension loomed over the situation like a woolen curtain. This is going to be fun.

She smiled widely. "Where are we going?" she asked no one in particular. "Sorry I'm late for the meeting, but I'm ready for the next mission. Just point to where you want us, and I'll bring a souvenir back to mount on your wall."

Hearing the commotion just in front of him, Tysabaar was drown to the scene. After looking at Lusenok and showing her to stand down, he focused his attention on to the marine.

"Soldier, you do not quiet befit the usual high standards of Captain Mardotte's troops. I believe that it would be beneficial for you to reconsider your required conduct as part of the captain's military force. If not, you might find yourself somewhere more suited to your attitude and not necessarily your aptitude."

Having finished with the untidy marine, Tysabaar moved past her and exited the freighter. Upon reaching the hanger bay's floor he heard of Captain Mardotte's change in plan. Finding himself of no use anymore in the hanger, he headed back to the bridge.