Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back(My version)

28

Ania Solo had seen a lot of tucked-off corners of the galaxy, but she never thought she'd go to Gree space. She'd heard spacers talk about their sealed-off Enclave, mostly swapping second- or third-hand rumors about strange technology so ancient even the cephalopod aliens had forgotten how to use it.

Ania was on the bridge when the Jagged Fel reverted from hyperspace over their gateway world of Asation. Through the viewport the planet was just a blue-green sphere sitting dead ahead, no different from countless other worlds. Right now the empress' flagship approached the planet alone, though the plan was that the fleet they'd brought with them would decant from hyperspace at the edge of the star system, not close enough to threaten the planet but visible enough to get their point across.

That assumed the Gree would read the empress' actions as intended. Even though their Enclave abutted the Empire's historic territory, the Jagged Fel's shipboard encyclopedia had only limited information on their politics and less about their culture and customs. The empress had an interesting conversation ahead of her.

For her part, Ania is just a spectator. Her past help to Marasiah Fel was the only reason she was allowed on the bridge now; Sauk, Kyra, and AG-37 were down in the landing bay with Free Agent. It was hard to keep her thoughts off Jao. Mynock would be arriving at Te Hasa soon, and would enter a place filled with uncertain danger. He'd insisted on going anyway, and she hadn't even tried to talk him out of it.

Jao Assam is very headstrong in his own way, and never so much as when he thought the Force was telling him what to do. Ania had never understood what Jedi and Imperial Knights meant when they said the Force was moving them; deep down she'd always suspected they were just doing what they wanted and invoked the will of the Force to rationalize it to themselves. Jao didn't have that justification anymore but he was charging in anyway, and it was still all about the Force. Apparently he'd rather risk death than live without it. Ania almost envied him for having something he prized so strongly.

The Jagged Fel lurched forward, and steadily Asation swelled to fill the viewport. The empress waited patiently at the rear of the bridge, silent and regal in her white robes. Two red-armored guards stood behind her, along with one gold protocol droid. After what seemed like forever, Admiral Yage reported, "Majesty, a spacecraft has rounded the planet's ecliptic and is vectoring toward us. It's quite large. I estimate it's six times our mass."

That stirred a lot of tense looks between the crew. Marasiah let nothing show. "Send a hail on all frequencies. Tell that I've arrived on behalf of the Galactic Federation Triumvirate, and that I respectfully request an audience."

As the message is sent, Ania stepped around the edge of the bridge, closer to the viewport. She spotted something moving against Asation's blue face, tiny at this distance but steadily growing larger. It seemed to be disc-shaped and thickest in the center, with layers of superstructure piled atop one another.

"We've gotten a response, Empress," Yage said from the comm station.

Marasiah remained where she was. "Go ahead."

Yage bent close to read from the console. "They extend their greetings and request the purpose of this visit."

"Tell them we seek passage in their space to apprehend a criminal who has attacked the Galactic Federation. This fugitive has been operating from Te Hasa for the past two years. Tell them we will not hold their government responsible for harboring this criminal, so long as they comply with our request."