|
|
|
Welcome
to
Roderick Vonhögen's
Virtual Edition
|
| |
Episode VII : Plague of Doom
by Nathaniel Reed and Scott Swearingin
version 12/2009
|
| |
| A year has passed since the Rebel Alliance victory at Endor against the Imperial Empire. The evil Palpatine, tyrannical Emperor and Sith Lord, and his henchman Darth Vader, died in the destruction of the Second Death Star. |
| |
| This victory resulted in a power vacuum. As Mon Mothma, the leader of the Galactic Alliance, moved to coordinate a viable and popular replacement for Palpatine's regime, the Emperor's deputy and Senate Speaker, Mas Amedda, consolidated his position and ensured the Imperial reign continued. As a concession he promised reform, and, surprisingly, even suggested that an invite be broadcast for anyone who had experienced "unusual abilities" to travel to Coruscant for testing for the Force. |
| |
| But for Amedda, and his aide, Sly Moore, their years of researching Sith lore for their Emperor had lured them to delve deeper into the Dark Side. As Master Jedi Yoda had once warned his padawans, "Once you start down the Dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny". Darth Monstross and Darth Kayos were their alter-egos, and they were bent on resurrecting an all-conquering Sith Order. |
| |
| The Alliance military was now based on the water world of Mon Calamar, hidden in the coral island known as Aquilae. It is to here that Luke Skywalker returns from a journey to the remote Kyber system where he had divined crystals for training lightsabres for his new recruits. Since the populist move by Emperor Amedda, the galaxy-wide broadcast has attracted hundreds of eager candidates. Not all passed the tests, but those that did were then ferried to Aquilae Base where Luke began the challenging task of tutoring them in the ways of the Force. |
| |
| Luke's sister Leia, now married to Han Solo, is also a fledging Jedi, and coordinates one group of Jedi students, known as 'Devil Group'. She and her husband meet Luke on his return and reveal the news that although Mon Mothma leads the popular party, Emperor Amedda still refuses to relinquish power, and his Imperial Navy has even begun to terrorise the worlds bordering the Empire remnant. They draw Luke's attention to one such world, the grassy Ondos, whose King has made secret pleas to the Galactic Alliance for aid, all the while under pressure from the Imperial Commander Kane. In fact, their friends Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca the Wookiee had recently been sent out to secretly meet with represenatives of the King, and were due back soon. Han also reveals that he transported an elderly gentleman to Aquilae, who was keen to meet Luke. When the young Skywalker investigates, he meets Dree Tan, an elderly Jedi Master who had escaped the Purge following Order 66, and had lived in hiding ever since. On sensing Emperor Palpatine's death through the Force, and hearing the news and the broadcast request, Master Tan resolved to journey forth and offer his aid to the fledgling Jedi Order. Luke is understandably surprised but welcomes any support that is available to help him train the new recruits. |
| |
| That night, in their residence on Aquilae, Han and Leia talk about their friends' absence, and the concern they have about not yet being able to conceive any children. Leia has faith in the Force, but Han's anxiety isn't as easily calmed, worrying that her Jedi training may be harming her. Later, Leia has a nightmare where her mother, Padme, is crying out in grief, to be replaced by Darth Vader - her father - looming forth holding a carved pendant in his hand. |
| |
| Meanwhile, a fleet of Star Destroyers led by Commander Kane arrive in orbit above Kessel. Kane communicates with Emperor Amedda, and confirms the operation on Ondos was a success, and that the next stage of the project to re-conquer the galaxy would go ahead shortly. |
| |
| The following day, the military leaders of the Galactic Alliance announce that they've recieved a holo-message from King Oxus of Ondos, showing his niece, the beautiful Alana Seren, confirming that the Alliance representatives have arrived... but suddenly being interrupted by laserfire ! Oxus confirms that a gun battle ensued, and many people, including his niece and the representatives, were taken captive and spirited away. Han, Leia, and Luke, along with the droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, resolve to investigate. |
| |
| On the Hutt-controlled spice world of Kessel, Weesla the Hutt, has thrown in his lot with Kane, on the promise of receiving the throne to Nal Hutta granted by the Imperials. Commander Kane and Doctor Bloodory discuss the next stage of the experiments, and the scientist confirms that one of the Ondos captives was none other than Princess Alana Seren. |
| |
| En route to Ondos, Leia reveals to Luke the dreams she has recently been having regarding their mother, and the dark visage of their father with whom she cannot find it in herself to reconcile. Her brother counsels patience and to continue with her studies of the Force, for through meditation, he feels, she will find an answer. |
| |
| King Oxus greets the crew of the Falcon at Ton-Mumdo, the capital city of the grass-world Ondos. In a comfortable meeting room, he reveals the details of the battle scene, and presents a piece of charred machinery. The droids announce they do not identify it as any manufactured robot, but Leia recognises the unmistakable design of the Imperial Empire about it. Her husband, Han, sniffs an odour about the end of the tubular metal which reminds him of Hutt-trafficked Kessellian spice. Luke announces that he and his friends will continue with their investigations, and bring the King's niece home safely. |
| |
| On Kessel, Kane and Weesla meet with Alana Seren, held fast in a gas-containment slab, and the Commander gloats over her worth as his captive. As she retorts vowing that her uncle will never give in to Imperial domination, Kane announces that her words have inspired him to return to Ondos for the next stage in the experiments for total conquest. |
| |
| Once Han analyses the traces of spice and correctly identifies the Hutt involvement, Leia reports to the Galactic Alliance that the next stage of their journey will take them to Nal Hutta. Shortly afterwards, back on Ondos, floating black spherical gas droids advance on Ton-Mumdo, and the King's palace chambers. Inside, as a holographic Commander Kane repeats his demand for surrender against a defiant Oxus, the droids emit their aura spice gas, and the King and his aides fall unconscious. Imperial dropships appear, and stormtroopers rush in to gather the fallen. |
| |
| As the Falcon arrives above the purple-misted and humid world of Nal Hutta, Leia gently suggests that Han remain with the ship and out-of-sight : he's too well-known to risk causing offence and bringing unwanted attention to them ; she and Luke and Threepio can seek an audience with Barrola the Great, the Hutt Lord. Using the Force to persuade the palace guards, Luke leads his sister and droid to the Hutt throneroom. An angered Barrola soon reveals that the Imperials are in league with the lightsabre-wielding Jedi and have taken over their spice mining operation on Kessel. The Hutt Lord recognises the name 'Skywalker' as the murderer of Jabba of Tatooine, and dismisses Luke and the others, only sparing their lives because the Jedi hold many Huttlets captive to ensure complicity. As they leave, a courtier in the shadows comms an update to Commander Kane. |
| |
| Outside in the market streets, Luke and Leia both sense that they are being followed. Luke uses the Force to topple a vendor's wares, and an aged Toydarian is revealed ! Keen to practice her grasp of the Force, Leia exerts a mind-control to calm the irate vendor and the two of them usher the Toydarian to a side alleyway. There, the creature identifies himself as Watto, a one-time slave-owner who, having lost his fortune, was sold to Barrola and transported to Nal Hutta. On hearing the name 'Skywalker', Watto had remorse for his skilled slaves of that name who died, and sought out these relations to offer them help. Luke and Leia are astonished by the Toydarian's charity, as well as the insights he could offer about Anakin and his mother ; Threepio scoffs in surprise and indignation at the thought that the clever child could have built a complex droid. As they speak, a movement in the shadows prompts Luke to ignite his lightsabre, and deflect laserfire away from Watto, and back to the attacker. Watto recognises the dead shooter as the courtier, and they deduce that he was in league with the Imperials. They thank Watto and go on their way, but are soon intercepted by a squad of Imperial stormtroopers ! They flee through the market, but are pursued into a steam-filled bath house. Luke uses his laser sword to cut through a window, and as the stormtroopers are knocked to the ground by angry Hutts, they escape to the Falcon ! |
| |
| Once word reaches Commander Kane of the Alliance's enquiries on Nal Hutta and the envoys' subsequent escape, he arranges for one of the Huttlets to be singled out. He forces Weesla to give the order of execution, and opens a hologram comm to Barrola the Hutt. Announcing his anger to the Hutt Lord and demand for total obedience, Kane turns to Weesla, who instructs the stormtroopers to open fire. Using an old Geonosian sonic canon, powerful enough to pierce the tough hide, the Huttlet is killed instantly : Barrola wails in grief. |
| |
| Believing that an immediate visit will be unexpected by the Imperials, Han takes the Falcon straight to Kessel. Recalling his old smuggler routes and tricks, he uses the numerous moons to mask the ship's arrival, and then approaches the Hutt castle on Kessel via a misty geyser-filled canyon. Landing near the far end of the canyon and close to some maintenance tunnels, Han leads the others into the mountain and towards the castle and mining complex situated on the other side. Overlooking the vast apron and junkyard in front of the castle they espy a fleet of Star Destroyers sat on the plains on the far side of the castle hill. Plugging Artoo into a data port, they discover that the Imperials have converted the mining complex to their use, relying on the labour droids for conversion to gas emitters, and the recent captives for spice mining, kept docile by the aura gas being pumped into the mine tunnels ! Not only that, but the droid confirms Lando and Chewie are present in the mines, whilst Alana Seren is being held captive in the north tower of the castle ! Luke resolves to rescue the Princess, and instructs the droids to enter the pumping station near the castle to shut down the gas. Han and Leia head into the mining complex to free their friends. |
| |
| Inside the castle Dr Bloodory readies the next experiment in his laboratory. Kane watches as King Oxus is fitted with implants, and then is delighted as Bloodory treats the captive like a puppet. He gives the docile Oxus various commands, and the King carries them out without objection. Kane is impressed with the experiment's success, and sets in motion the next stage of their conquest. |
| |
| Using the automated mine-carts, Luke and droids travel across the apron and sneak in close to the cliffwall atop which stands the castle. The Jedi sends the droids off to the pumping station, and then uses the Force to scale and leap up the cliff to the castle. Quickly deflecting laserfire back at some sentries, Luke cuts his way into the base of the north tower. He races up the spiral staircase, only to be faced by an ancient droideka destroyer droid. Luke leaps above the droid, pointing his sword down through its deflector shield and into its head, landing to the side of the sparking machinery. He enters the prison cell, and sees Alana unconscious on the slab. He quickly releases her and lies her over his shoulder, then takes a utility cable and grapple from his belt, moves to the open window and rappels down the outside of the tower. As stormtroopers appear from the cell window above and rain fire down on them, Alana stirs and wakes. At mid-rappel, Luke introduces himself ! They rush back into the hole at the tower base, this time following the steps down into the castle. |
| |
| Meanwhile the droids are able to infiltrate the automated pumping station, and halt the flow of gas, replacing it with fresh oxygen. In the castle above, Luke uses the Force to throw any stormtroopers they meet to the ground, and Alana grabs a fallen blaster. Suddenly, he and Alana come face to face with the incumbent Hutt, Weesla ! Stepping forward, Alana quickly orders the traitorous coward out of the way : amazingly, the Hutt meekly slithers to one side and departs the corridor. Before an incredulous Luke can comment, Alana opens the door and steps through, only to gasp in shock and surprise at the sight : below her in a large laboratory room lies her uncle, Oxus, unconscious on the operating table. She rushes to him, cradling him, and resting her hand on his forehead. As Luke reaches them, Oxus groans and stirs. The young Jedi quickly greets the King, announcing with a wry grin that he had indeed promised to reunite the King with his niece ! Using the Force, he then determines which exit to take, but before they leave, Oxus grabs Alana's blaster, and fires indiscriminately into Bloodory's controls. |
| |
| Elsewhere, Han and Leia find Lando and Chewie, and as fresh air is pumped through the tunnels, they free their friends as well as the other captives, which includes a group of Wookiees from Imperial-held Kashyyyk. Leia uses the Force to remotely disrupt the circuitry in the cell block control centre, and cause the doors to open. Han and Lando quickly round up the guards, but are faced with the problem of what to do with the freed captives. Remembering the fleet of Star Destroyers parked on the salt flat outside, they boldly decide to lead the prisoners to the nearest cruiser and steal it. At that moment, Leia senses her brother is in danger, so she, Han, and Chewie head off to provide aid, whilst Lando leads the others to the Imperial Cruiser. Inside the castle, Kane and Bloodory are discussing the next stage of their plans when a lieutenant reports of the disturbance in the north tower and the Princess' escape. Before they can respond, the Emperor appears in hologram, and demands an update. The two Imperials allay his concerns and confirm lift-off of the star destroyers and their holds full of gas droids will commence very soon. |
| |
| As Artoo and Threepio depart the gas pumping station, they find themselves being herded into the droid factory by a floating sled carrying a multitude of deactivated labour droids. This is where the mine droids are re-machined into the aura gas droids to be used by the Imperials. Artoo and Threepio have a brief run-in with a pair of sentry droids, and the plucky astro-mech, recently outfitted by Luke Skywalker, reveals two mini lightsabres on articulated arms which slice and dice the worker droids ! They then commandeer the floating sled, and flee towards the Millennium Falcon hidden in the canyon on the far side of the hill. |
| |
| Meanwhile, Luke, Alana, and Oxus break free of the castle coming out below it and onto the apron littered with discarded labour droids. They begin to run across the expanse to the safety of the hillside and the mine complex on the other side. However, Commander Kane spots them from a balcony, and orders a group of stormtroopers to give chase. Within moments, Luke and the others are pinned down by the troopers' laserbolts, and it's all they can do to deflect and return the fire from the meagre safety of a droid pile. Satisfied that they will soon be captured or killed, Kane looks around, and spots Weesla the cowardly incumbent Hutt entering the castle compound near to where the Huttlets are held. |
| |
| High above in the observation room of the castle, Weesla calms the Huttlets, announcing that he accepts he had made a terrible mistake by allying himself with the Imperials. He frees the youngsters, and tells them that he's seen the other prisoners fleeing for the nearest Star Destroyer, and urges them to join them. He ushers them all into a service lift, and is about to follow when Commander Kane appears with a squad of troopers. Weesla manages to destroy the lift controls, but Kane uses the Geonosian sonic canon to kill the Hutt. |
| |
| Out on the yard, Leia, Han, and Chewie run across to Luke and his charges, providing further gunfire against the stormtroopers. However, more troopers begin to converge on the commotion, and the situation looks very bleak for the Jedi and his friends. Suddenly, a shadow falls across them, and they look up to see the Millennium Falcon swooping in low, underside gun firing down at the troopers. Relieved and surprised, Luke realises that the droids are flying the ship ! The Falcon lands nearby with its boarding ramp open, and the group rushes aboard. Han and Chewie race up to the cockpit, whilst Luke clambers into the lower gunport. The Falcon lifts away, but is closely followed by a squad of TIEs. |
| |
| Meanwhile, undetected, Lando oversees ferrying the prisoners to the nearest Star Destroyer. Just as he is sending off the the last of the captives, the Huttlets arrive. Lando quickly sends them on to the great cruiser, and follows them on board. The Wookiees swiftly man the bridge, and begin to lift the ship off the ground. As Kane and his troopers rush out to investigate, the nose of the Star Destroyer smashes into the cliffside, causing a landslide and forcing the Imperials to take cover. The Star Destroyer lifts away. |
| |
| The Falcon is pursued by the TIEs into a canyon, but as it rounds a corner and disappears from their sight, Luke opens fire into the rock wall, sending a shower of boulders into the path of the fighters. As the ensuing fireball engulfs them, the Falcon climbs for orbit. It's met by Lando's Star Destroyer, and the two jump to hyperspace and to Aquilae Base, the latter briefly detouring to Nal Hutta to return the Huttlets. En route to Mon Calamar, Leia senses that the mind chip implanted in Oxus is not yet active, and it could be removed by the Alliance. Alana reveals that she can also sense someone's wellbeing in this way, but never understood that it could be connected to the legendary Force. Luke tests Alana's Force skills in the Falcon's cargo hold, and she is able to successfully identify tools hidden inside some containers, and even make an attempt to levitate the smallest box ! |
| |
| Back on Kessel, Kane and Dr Bloodory have resumed operations, and the commander oversees the loading of the multitude of gas droids into his Star Destroyer's bays. He then boards the ship, destination Ondos to subjugate it once and for all ! |
| |
| Meanwhile, in Aquilae Base on Mon Calamar, Lando has rejoined Han and the others. Luke is met by Master Dree Tan, who introduces five other erstwhile Jedi Masters who were guided by the Force to seek out Master Skywalker. As the Dark Side enveloped the Galaxy following Order 66, these few Jedi went into exile, each thinking they were the last of the Order. A military briefing is quickly assembled, and Artoo displays the evidence of the Imperial operations that he had downloaded from the mine complex computer. It is determined that several Mon Cal battle cruisers will carry a starfighter contingent against Kessel immediately, and that some of the smaller fighters will break away to use the smuggler's canyon below the defence shield to attack the gas factory. Leia volunteers herself and her 'Devil Group' of Jedi student pilots, and the six Jedi Elders announce they will fly with them, while Han and Chewie offer to accompany the cruisers to Kessel. Just as the meeting breaks up, a seventh elderly Jedi appears, identifying himself as Master Sieg Lettow, and he offers his support to the attack. Luke suggests that he and Alana and Threepio go straight away to Coruscant to brief Mon Mothma on the developing events. Everyone departs to prepare for lift-off, whilst King Oxus is taken to the medi-centre to have the mind chip removed. |
| |
| Dr Bloodory finishes his repairs to the mind control consoles that Oxus had earlier blasted with his gun, while ground crews hurry to complete the loading of the gas droids on the remaining six Star Destroyers. Flying the old Imperial shuttle 'Tydirium' that was instrumental in the attack on Endor, Luke describes to Alana more about the mysterious power of the Force. They soon arrive at Coruscant, and are greeted by Mon Mothma at the empty Senate rotunda. She leads them to her office hidden inside and below the debating chamber. On hearing the detailed news, Mon Mothma requests her staff to open a secure channel to Lord Barrola of Nal Hutta. |
| |
| The Mon Cal cruisers arrive above Kessel, only to find the six Star Destroyers in their path, having just blasted off from the planet below ! The starfighter squadrons are scrambled, and an intense space battle ensues. Leia and the seven Jedi Elders lead 'Devil Group' away from the cruisers, and dive directly for Kessel. Master Dree Tan suggests a corkscrew manouevre to help mask their flight from Imperial scanners, and he leads them all to the rocky surface below. |
| |
| Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Mon Mothma releases a galaxy-wide broadcast denouncing Emperor Amedda and revealing the Imperial plans for domination. Soon after, the secure comm channel is activated and she advises Barrola the Hutt of the Alliance's honourable intentions for Kessel's defence and safeguard. The Hutt majesty thanks her, and also gives his gratitude to Jedi Skywalker for his honesty and help. An aide arrives, and announces that a popular uprising is massing outside the Imperial Palace, the former location of the Republic's Jedi Temple. Luke grimly announces that this might be his hour to reclaim the Temple from the Emperors, and he and Alana quickly leave to aid the protestors, accompanied by marshalls sent by Mon Mothma. |
| |
| As the space battle continues above Kessel, Leia and her squadron are faced with a welcoming committee of TIE fighters, guarding the shield breach point. They take up defensive manouevres, relying on the Force to provide them with exact timing for impressive aerobatics and precision shooting ! Not too far away, Dr. Bloodory finally re-activates his mind control consoles. He searches for the signal coming from Oxus' mindchip and zeroes in on it. At the same time back at Aquilae Base, Oxus is lying in a medi-room under the care of droids. They remove the mindchip just as the Imperial scientist activates it ! |
| |
| With enough TIEs destroyed, Leia leads her group into the canyon that will lead them to the castle and the factory complex. Although her group can use the Force to warn them of danger inside the misty canyon, the erupting geysers still pose a formidable challenge, and the geography catches some of the Imperial and Alliance pilots unawares ! |
| |
| In the space battle above, the tide is beginning to turn in favour of the Imperial fleet. Han and Wedge line up in formation against one Star Destroyer, with the larger freighter masking the X-Wing's target run. As Wedge comes out of the shadow of the Falcon, he fires at a range of gun turrets, while Han lines up on the reactor core release braces on the underside of the Destroyer and fires his torpedoes at a critical point that will force the larger ship to shut down. As the fighters swerve away from the explosions they see the Star Destoryer's guns fall silent. |
| |
| Commander Kane's Star Destroyer arrives above the grass world of Ondos, and the legions of gas droids in the hangar bays are activated. The spherical droids are sent down into the atmosphere of the world below them, and they fan out across the landscape. |
| |
| Although Leia's squadron has suffered casualties, they begin to emerge from the canyon, and round on the gas factory. Leia targets the complex, and flies inside firing her torpedoes. As she races out the other side, the building explodes, setting off similar destruction in Dr Bloodory's laboratory inside the castle. On Ondos, the gas droids suddenly shut down and fall to the ground, while in the hangars of the remaining six Star Destroyers at Kessel, the malfunctioning droids leak their purple aura gas. |
| |
| On Coruscant, protestors are in a stand-off against the armed stormtroopers guarding the Imperial Palace. Suddenly, an Imperial shuttle appears overhead and lands between the two groups, who are both uncertain as to what will happen next. The ship's boarding ramp lowers, and out run Mothma's marshalls and Luke and Alana. Whilst he covers her with his lightsabre, Luke encourages Alana to feel the Force and push out at the stormtroopers on the palace steps above. She does so, and is amazed to see them go tumbling back ! Within moments, Luke and Alana are at the Palace entrance, and the marshalls are securing the perimeter. Luke instructs Alana to remain with the soldiers, and he enters the Palace alone. |
| |
| High above in the throneroom, Emperor Amedda opens a channel to Commander Kane. He criticises the other for his failures, and together with Sly Moore, the two Sith Lords stretch across the galaxy and Force-choke the commander to death. Visibly exhausted, Amedda hurries to a shuttle that will allow him to flee, while Sly Moore - Darth Kayos - remains behind to face Luke Skywalker. |
| |
| Above Kessel, the remnants of Devil Group rejoin the space battle. Even with the extra fighters, the situation looks grim. Leia casts her mind into the Force to search for an answer... and realises that the Star Destroyers will soon be overcome by the leaking gas ! She encourages the fleet to begin to retreat, and suddenly the fierce space battle is halted as the Star Destroyers begin to fall from orbit, their air ducting contaminated by the gas ! |
| |
| Deep inside the Imperial palace, Darth Kayos strikes from out of the shadows, and a fierce lightsabre duel begins. The two combatants weave through darkened corridors and chambers and out onto high balconies. In a flurry of fast and assured moves, Luke severs Kayos' arm, and brings her to her knees. He demands her surrender, but in that moment, the Sith Lord calls her fallen sabre to her. It flies at Luke's back, and the young Jedi is forced to whirl and deflect it away. The sword strikes some overhead machinery, which falls knocking Luke to the floor. Taking her chance, Kayos gets to her feet and flees down the corridor. A dazed Luke takes after her, but is unable to catch up, instead seeing her take a small fighter from a hangar and blast into the night sky. |
| |
| The relief of the Alliance fleet is shortlived, as a Hutt Warfleet suddenly appears from hyperspace ! Commodore Trella the Hutt announces his intention to protect Hutt interests on Kessel. Admiral Ackbar and General Calrissian confirm they have no territorial gain on the spice world, and re-avow Mon Mothma's promise to Barrola the Hutt. The two fleets pass by each other in peace. |
| |
| High in one of the Palace towers, Luke enters the throneroom, once the Jedi Council Chamber. He finds it empty save for a single black chair, Sith statuary, and a singular frieze of bas-relief depicting an ancient battle. At the Imperial Medi-Centre, the two Sith Lords rendezvous, and they enter a starship hidden inside. Shortly afterwards, it blasts away. |
| |
| On the return to Mon Calamar, Luke and Alana discuss with Mon Mothma the recent events, and the liklihood that the Sith have resurfaced. She reveals to Luke that she was aware Padme Amidala was his mother, and promises she will describe her in more detail when the Twins are together next. Landing at Aquilae, Mothma takes Luke and Leia to a side room, and reveals to them what little she knew from Bail Organa and what she remembered herself in those final days of Republic democracy. |
| |
A little later, everyone convenes inside the Great Hall of the Jedi Temple. Many dignitaries are present, including Mon Mothma, Barrola the Great and even Watto the Toydarian. Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Elders oversee the official initiation of many more new Jedi recruits, including Leia, Alana and some of the Wookiees freed from Kessel.
THE END
|
| |
| |
 |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
