SWTFW 17 - "A New Threat"

"I agree. But it's going to be days before we can get any mobile robotic units out let alone pilots in our Airspeeders. The temperature of this planet is pretty bleak. We have to investigate this !"

PRESS CTRL = (EQUALS) TO INCREASE THE PAGE SIZE AND CTRL 0 (ZERO) TO RESET THE PAGE SIZE THIS PAGE VIEWS BEST IN FIREFOX Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE THE FORCE WITHIN © July 2017 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission CHAPTER 17 - "A NEW THREAT" [ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER ] * * * This entry is Rated: EVERYONE Luke seeing that there wasn't going to be an actual confrontation between him and Darren got up, climbed the stairs, and seeing the bed, undressed, got in bed, and closed his eyes from a very eventful day. It was only a few minutes when Rebecca had appeared with two trays, bowls, and spoons. "Luke, you forgot dessert. Hey ... Luke ?" Then she saw him in bed. Without wasting a second she quickly set down the trays and locked the door behind her trying hard not to gloat. Turning back to look she picked her most innocent voice, "You tired, huh ? Yeah, I guess it has been a long day." "Ahh, ah-vah-vum !" she said trying to sound like she was yawning but not quite succeeding in her stifled excitement. "Yeah, I'm bushed too. Guess I better change into my nighties and get some sleep too." Luke was so exhausted his brain wasn't putting together that she was going to climb in bed with him in her skivvies. And sleep was absolutely the last thing on her mind ! . . . Back with Vader, they were speeding across the desert following the path the force was leading him. There was something else though. "My son ..." Vader said suddenly. "What's that ?" Smite asked. Vader continued, "My son ... this was his !" Smite shrugged, "Your son had a speeder like this ?" Vader shook his head solemnly, "No. My son ! This was his Landspeeder !" Smite puzzled his wiry chin hairs with a few fingers. He never really did understand the Force. The good or bad of it. He always thought the universe was going to hell in a double-wide handbasket in any case and his excuse for killing complete strangers was that he was doing it out of the kindness of his heart - so they wouldn't have to face what would be a nightmare for the future. He was always very quick in his executions. He made certain there was no suffering. But to this, Smite just nodded. He knew Vader was immensely powerful and held a considerably important position in the Empire. He wouldn't cross him and, if need be, he'd humor him if that's what it took for this journey. Vader seemed satisfied by Smite's silence and they drove on. Then they came to a Jawa Sandcrawler. Beside it was the burnt remains of ... what had to have been a big fire. "Stop there !" he said suddenly. Smite, driving, complied, and pulled up beside the pyre. Vader got out and reached into the ashes with his gloved hand. Just about everything was burned. Then he saw some familiar bones that were not affected by the earlier fire. Jawas. There were some torn and burnt outfits too. "Looks like Sandpeople." Smite said, who had come up beside him. Vader looked at him quizzically. "Tusken Raiders. Same thing." Smite explained. Vader shook his head. "No, it was meant to look like that. See there. That part of the Jawa's outfit was shot too precisely. It was our own stormtroopers - but why ?" Vader stood to look at the crest of the one of the twin suns for a moment. "Now we sent soldiers down here to retrieve the two droids that fled in the escape pod from the senate's ship. But this ... ?" Smite tilted his head in confusion. It seemed to him for the moment that Vader actually cared about life - he cared about these Jawas roaming the sands. But that was impossible. Then he thought of darker things. "Tactically unsound ?" Smite offered. Vader nodded and snapped his fingers, "Exactly ! It was a waste of good ammo and firepower. Complete waste of resources !" Smite turned to shake his head where Vader couldn't see him. Yeah, that was more like the lord of darkness he was familiar with. Cold, calculating, and complete disregard for life of any kind. . . . While Jan had been operating around the clock, Leia finally came in to see her. "Jan ! Wha - what's going on ?" Jan was not surprised that Leia was unaware of the planetary excursion. In many cases, whole buildings, houses, and even individual rooms could be lifted up with anti-gravity generators and harvested in a conglomerate type of rescue block to retreat in emergencies. Rebels were known the galaxy over from being the most adept at escaping danger. Which was not an entirely complimentary ability. Someone sleeping really sound wouldn't even know they were being lifted or moved. "We're on Hoth." she said, her back to her. "The ice planet, but why ? What are we going to do here ? There's little air, and temperatures are far too cold for any of our citizens to live on the surface." Leia complained. * * * Then Jan turned around. There were dark rings under her eyes and the eyes themselves looked a little bloodshot. "What ? What's going on ? You poor dear, you need some sleep !" She put out a comforting hand on Jan's shoulder. Jan nodded. "Read the itinerary I left on the computer. I leave you in command." and then Jan stumbled out of the room, truly dog tired from everything that had happened. Leia went to the computer and read to see what happened. Quite a bit. . "Vader !" she said suddenly. Then to herself, "I'm surprised I wasn't gagging in my sleep from his stench !" She hit a few buttons. A tired voice answered and echoed like in a passageway, "Excavation here." Leia spoke, "How long before you crack that ice layer ?" She was referring to the solid ice layer that housed the snow beneath. Once they got through the ice, it would be considerably easier to cut through the rest. In the background she could hear the high-pitched whine of a massive drill attempting to go through something immensely solid. "Another 48-hours if we're lucky. We hit a layer of green ice that's actually more dense than the solid core we first encountered." A chime sounded for attention. "Hold just a moment." She hit another switch. "Yes ?" "Darpa from science labs here. Is that you, Leia ?" She nodded, "Yes, Jan went to go lie down." He chuckled in concern, "Bless her, she's been going 72-hours at this now. Hmm ... I have something important to report here." "What is it ?" "We've picked up a strange magnetic field about 30-miles from where we made planetfall." Leia hit another switch to scan the planet's surface. A 3-dimensional globe with trace-lines appeared and sure enough, red emanations of magnetic activity jittered on the screen. She quickly ran a filter through the system to determine the type. Type: UNKNOWN "We should investigate." she said back to Darpa, now more curious than fearful of the findings. "I fully agree. But it's going to be days before we can actually get any mobile robotic units out let alone pilots in our Airspeeders. The temperature of this planet is pretty bleak. We estimated a fully equipped soldier on foot won't make it to the 15-mile mark before collapsing from the subzero cold." "What do you suggest ?" "That's why I'm calling. There are Taun-Tauns here on the surface ! Our remote sensors picked them up as well when we did a deeper check for heat signatures." He continued, "We need to send a team out to investigate those magnetic emissions. Taun-Tauns travel quickly. They can cover twice the distance we need and the soldier will stay warm besides as all the heat radiates out the Taun-Taun's back." "Let me check with the computer on skills and abilities of our pilots and citizens." Leia said. She put him on hold for a moment. A quick display appeared. "There are only two people who know how to ride those beasts." she told him. "Who ?" Darpa asked. She hit another button. The complex screen went blank to be replaced by two names that appeared in bright green. Leia shook her head and laughed slightly. It was kind and cruel fate, it had to be. Sher responded to Darpa, "The two people are Luke Skywalker and Han Solo." "Luke ? Isn't he the galaxy hero that destroyed the Death Star ?" Leia smiled indulgently, "Not on his own, he did have help you know." (From the Force, she told herself silently). Darpa was quiet to let her continue. "I read Luke's file when he signed on to the Rebels. He stated he can ride Taun-Tauns quite well as their indigenous species appear from Tattooine." "And Han Solo ? That name sounds pretty familiar too." "It was his ship that I was rescued from on the Death Star. And besides that, we have a long history on Solo and his activities." She recalled, "History shows he once went to another frozen planet in his Millennium Falcon. Taun-Tauns were there and he rode one, beating a hasty retreat from a failed transfer of smuggled goods. Later he learned to ride them professionally to sneak up on opposing camps." "Anyone else with that unique riding skill ?" "No. It's just those two." Darpa paused to think for a moment. "We need them now, Leia. Desperately. Those magnetic signals could develop into something hostile if we're not careful. Where is Luke ?" Leia didn't bother to check the computer. She knew - something strange happened with him and he - well, he ran away. It was all she could say to satisfy herself. "He's unavailable." she said simply, but in a tone of voice that was not to be questioned. "I see." Darpa said quietly. "What about, Han ?" "He's with the Wookie back in his ship. Last he told me he was going to be pay off Jabba to get the bounty hunters off his back." "He's in the Falcon ? Then you can reach him on radio. There's still time ! Call him back to here - now !" "Really ? But Jabba will - " Darpa interrupted her, "Leia, I know we already had one tie-fighter come down to look where we landed. Now I really don't think he saw anything, but the Empire is anything but stupid. They know the moon we were on was doomed from sulfur poisoning - and that we had to go find somewhere else to live." He continued, "While it's impossible for the most part to track lightspeed signatures, I have no doubt the whole of the Empire is combing the entire galaxy looking for us now." Leia was quiet to consider his words. "It's critical we get those 2 soldiers back here." he urged in her reflective silence. Leia hesitated before she spoke, "I - I'll do what I can." "Make it fast," Darpa warned. "If you'll check, those magnetic signals are getting stronger. We may not be so lucky to evacuate here if we have to as we did Yavin's moon." Leia bit her lip resolutely, "I understand. Thanks for the heads up, Darpa. Out." She clicked closed the communicator. Without a word she also turned off the waiting communication with excavation. She stepped back from the computer to look heavenward and spoke to herself in concern. "Luke ! Where are you ?" (to be continued) END OF CHAPTER 17 Return back HOME You are Earth Visitor #