Dark Force Rising | Chapter 16
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The Empire and New Republic are scrambling for warships. Han Solo has had no luck recruiting independent factions of smugglers to the New Republic’s cause to fulfil their increasingly strained logistics, and the Imperials have placed a bounty for 120% market value on captured capital ships.
After a messy skirmish over Sluiss Van, the New Republic’s fleet has been decimated. Further, with unexplained cash being deposited into Admiral Ackbar’s account on the day of the Imperial attack, Ackbar is under arrest on suspicion of treason. Bothan council member Borsk Fey’lya is taking great advantage of his political rival’s misfortune. Han Solo takes it upon himself to investigate the Churba sector hoping to find evidence to clear Ackbar’s name as the Bothans displayed unusual commitment to the area during the Galactic Civil War.
Han and Lando arrive to an undisclosed world by the “invitation” of a rogue militia they tangled with on New Cov. Led by Garm Bel Iblis, dissident ex-Imperial Senator and long-thought dead by the wider galaxy, his militia may have a common enemy in the Empire but Bel Iblis doesn’t trust the New Republic, specifically the de facto leader Mon Mothma.
While in the private quarters assigned to them, Lando claims that the upholstery is distinctly from the Katana Fleet, a huge pre-Clone Wars era fleet of warships famous for its implementation of slave-circuit technology (and infamous for having been lost during a hive virus attack). Were it true and they were able to persuade Bel Iblis to join the New Republic, the Katana Fleet may make all the difference in the New Republic’s logistical struggle with the Imperial Remnants.
Leia Organa Solo has travelled to Honoghr with Imperial Death Commando Khabarakh to secure the allegiance of the Noghri people that have been thus-far under coercive Imperial control. Grand Admiral Thrawn is simultaneously planetside, demonstrating his own insistence that the abduction of Organa Solo is of top priority to the Empire and its subjects. Khabarakh’s return has raised suspicions on his clan and Thrawn has taken him into custody.
Han and Lando go back to investigate the headquarter lounge for confirmation that the furnishings of the Perigrine’s Nest are indeed from the Katana Fleet. Lando completes his inspection just as Irenez returns. She marches them out of the lounge and to Sena in a waiting speeder. A terse discussion of intentions devolves into a frank plea for Han to encourage the New Republic to extend an invitation to Bel Iblis to rejoin. In a forgotten corner of history, Bel Iblis was actually a founding member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic but was shouldered out by Mon Mothma’s charisma after the death of Bail Organa at the destruction of Alderaan. Scorned, he has been fighting his own private war since then. Their own operations had ceased almost three years earlier in preparation should Mon Mothma’s hold over the New Republic become autocratic; something Han knows is not going to happen.
Han and Lando offer an ultimatum: they will talk to the New Republic Council if Sena gives up information on the Katana Fleet. She tells them the location of the contact from whom they acquired their six ships on and agrees to convey them offworld. They make to leave, but Bel Iblis is already waiting for them on the landing platform. With understanding, his facade crumbles, leaving a hollow man. Han gives one last attempt to convince the Commander of his value should he join the New Republic. En route back to New Cov, Han shares with Lando his worries about Leia’s mission.
Over Honoghr, Pellaeon presents Thrawn with intel of the Millenium Falcon having been found over Endor. Together, they suspect that after extracting information from a captured Khabarakh, the Rebellion is using his release as a diversion to uncover information about the location of Mount Tantiss. Thrawn decides to leave Khabarakh on Honoghr to acquiesce the Noghri Elders to their traditions.
I guess our notes failed us on this one. Put your comments in the places.
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