EPISODE I - THREE: An Approaching Storm
PZ-4CO stood at the tactical holographic interface as she processed the intel from Aporoth. The verdant planet was recently discovered to be the home of a First Order energy processing facility. Aporoth's geography couldn't easily be summed up. There were plains, valleys, mountains, dense forests, riverbeds and oceans that contributed to a number of microclimates. For as beautiful as it was, Aporoth was largely ignored by most of the Galactic Empire and eventually the New Republic due to its distance from hyperspace lanes and habitable star systems.
The blue long-necked droid shuttled her internal calculations to the interface in order to distill a concise report for General Leia Organa. The general didn't have time to waste on omitting redundant data from the report, so it was best to keep things short and sweet. PZ-4CO wasn't exactly sure what Leia would do with this information as there was little support from the Republic when it came to Resistance interests. Little support from the Republic also netted the Resistance very little currency with which they could operate. Still, these were her duties and she had best deliver the report as quickly as possible because if the general wanted it, it must be important for some reason. She was only programmed to ask relevant questions.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm not getting it," Leia mused. She rested her face on her right hand and rubbed her forehead with her fingers, indicating frustration. "Did nobody know that there was a desert on the eastern hemisphere of Aporoth? It seems like something someone should've known. Peazy?"
"I'm afraid, general, that this appears to be new information that was collected by both the captain of the passing cruiser who first noticed it, as well as our intelligence operative."
Leia Organa pursed her lips and screwed up her face in her inimitable fashion. To the familiar eye, it could read as displeasure, but to those who knew her, they knew this as her "anyhow..." look.
She ran her fingers over the datapad and PZ-4CO stood silently next to the general's desk.
Heaving a slow, exasperated sigh through her nose, Leia put the datapad down and pushed herself away from the desk. "We're obviously going to have to stretch our limited resources even thinner and send out a team to investigate that installment. Have one of the junior controllers round up Trickster Squadron and have them meet me in the briefing room."
PZ-4CO nodded and clanked out of Leia's office and back down to the operations center.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Always the first to arrive, Adria Almeida, sat in the briefing room with one of her long legs draped over her knee and slowly circling her foot. She was a tall, brown-haired human female with striking features and aged roughly 40 standard years. Patience didn't come as easily to her as did her desire to help others in need. Fortunately, her desire to help others generally outweighed her impatience. She had a wide smile and a hearty laugh, something that the members of Trickster Squadron appreciated on their long missions away from Resistance headquarters.
Adria was soon joined by Feege, a Rodian, Niono Barg, a Delphidian, and the humans, Jaimos Womahil, Dom Browhar, and Paloame Lam. They were conversing a social huddle when General Organa strode in.
Ignoring the fact that none of those present were at attention, she began with her typical opening, "at ease. Please take a seat." She heard the patter of hurried feet coming down the corridor as she turned to face the team. Rolling her eyes, she called out in an aggravated tone, "Balagon?"
Dex stopped short of the chamber and slowed his pace to make a casual entrance. "What? I'm here. Did I miss anything?"
"We just started," she shot back. "Take a seat."
"Good! I guess I just got here on time." He cracked a lopsided grin, pleased with himself and possibly a tinge embarrassed. He added barely audibly, "and I knew you were gonna say that."
"...because we've had this discussion before." Leia furrowed her brow wearily. "Why do I keep promoting the difficult ones?"
Balagon's grin morphed into a derpy smile and he shrugged.
"Don't try the adorable thing with me, commander; I've had plenty of that in my past." She shot him a withering look. "May I continue?"
Dex smirked and imparted on his superior a gesture of mock permission. Organa quietly shook her head and laughed to herself. It was better to not encourage his playful subordination. Ever.
"Okay," she commenced with authority in her husky voice. "We received information from the pilot of a star cruiser that was passing Aporoth, a planet I doubt any of you have visited. Apparently, he spotted an area on the planet's eastern hemisphere that was devoid of vegetation and noted that the area it covered it had grown over several cycles. This spot has never appeared on any of the Republic's planetary surveys, although I must admit that the Republic hasn't spent a whole lot of time or money on that one."
She engaged a holographic comparison of the location survey.
"As you can see, there don't seem to be any weather variances that might contribute to the growth of the spot--clouds, rainfall. All are present; there's nothing out of the ordinary." She regarded it for a moment, trying to glean new information from the present examination of the images, but nothing developed. "We managed to land a spy on the surface and she was able to find her way to the edge of the location in question."
Niono posed a question with skepticism in his delivery. "Did she survive?"
"She survived," Leia replied matter-of-factly. "She reported that the expanse contained sand and rock, but the edges, which extended inward for several meters contained plant life in ever-increasing states of decay."
"So the denuding of the area is happening from the inside and proceeding outward in an expanding ring?" asked Adria. "Wouldn't that indicate that whatever's happening is traveling outward across the surface?"
"Or drawing inward, like a black hole," offered Paloame.
Dex shifted to a more attentive position and engaged in the dialogue. "Either way, it can't be good. Did your informant find anything else? Energy signatures? Radiation? Biological contamination?"
"She did detect shifting energy signatures." General Organa turned and propped herself up against the edge of the holo-emitter table. "This was relevant as she also discovered several energy processing installations on the opposite side of Aporoth. To no surprise, these units are being operated by our friends in the First Order."
Feege vocalized disapproval in his native tongue.
"I agree, Feege. Something is killing that planet and I think the First Order may be playing a large part in it. This is why I think we need to get you down there to take out those processors before we have a dead planet on our hands."
"With all due respect, General Organa, how do you think Trickster Squadron will be able to infiltrate and take out that military operation? There's only seven of us!" Dom protested.
Balagon slowly tipped his head back and turned to Dom. "Correction... there will only be five of us."
"How do you figure?" inquired Jaimos.
Leia arched her eyebrows in anticipation of Dex's response.
"The First Order was cut from the same cloth as the Empire, meaning you won't find any non-humans working for them. Chances are pretty good that they've eliminated the presence of..." he paused and looked over at Feege and Niono. "Sorry, guys... undesirable species from the immediate population of Aporoth."
"Correct. You two are going to hang back in case we need to send in a rescue," added Leia. "As far as I know, our contact is still down on the surface and she will be joining you once you locate her. I recommended that she make some friends down there--blend in with the locals and see what else she might be able to find out in advance of your arrival."
Adria queried, "what are we using to get our happy little team down there?"
Leia opened her mouth, closed it and wrinkled her nose.
"You have to be kidding me," Dex asserted.
The general threw her hands up. "What do you want? For some reason or another, the Empire didn't and the First Order hasn't caught on that cargo shuttles are their doom bringers. We're smarter than they are. We are going with what's been tested and your commander there knows everything there is to know about getting a cargo shuttle down to the surface."
"Okay, yeah... that I do know," conceded Balagon.
"Oh, yes, you'll also benefit from the presence of a few of travel companions, which will be coming in the form of your astromechs. I don't expect you have any questions and if you do, you can save them for your commander. I've transferred the mission information to the personal devices in your ready room so you have everything we've received. Your shuttle will be ready to launch at 0500 so you'd better get started and find yourself some sleep."
Paloame did a quick glance at her fellow soldiers and piped up, "I guess that's it. Let's get moving." Adria flashed her a smile, which possibly meant she thought this might be fun.
"...because we've had this discussion before." Leia furrowed her brow wearily. "Why do I keep promoting the difficult ones?"
Balagon's grin morphed into a derpy smile and he shrugged.
"Don't try the adorable thing with me, commander; I've had plenty of that in my past." She shot him a withering look. "May I continue?"
Dex smirked and imparted on his superior a gesture of mock permission. Organa quietly shook her head and laughed to herself. It was better to not encourage his playful subordination. Ever.
"Okay," she commenced with authority in her husky voice. "We received information from the pilot of a star cruiser that was passing Aporoth, a planet I doubt any of you have visited. Apparently, he spotted an area on the planet's eastern hemisphere that was devoid of vegetation and noted that the area it covered it had grown over several cycles. This spot has never appeared on any of the Republic's planetary surveys, although I must admit that the Republic hasn't spent a whole lot of time or money on that one."
She engaged a holographic comparison of the location survey.
"As you can see, there don't seem to be any weather variances that might contribute to the growth of the spot--clouds, rainfall. All are present; there's nothing out of the ordinary." She regarded it for a moment, trying to glean new information from the present examination of the images, but nothing developed. "We managed to land a spy on the surface and she was able to find her way to the edge of the location in question."
Niono posed a question with skepticism in his delivery. "Did she survive?"
"She survived," Leia replied matter-of-factly. "She reported that the expanse contained sand and rock, but the edges, which extended inward for several meters contained plant life in ever-increasing states of decay."
"So the denuding of the area is happening from the inside and proceeding outward in an expanding ring?" asked Adria. "Wouldn't that indicate that whatever's happening is traveling outward across the surface?"
"Or drawing inward, like a black hole," offered Paloame.
Dex shifted to a more attentive position and engaged in the dialogue. "Either way, it can't be good. Did your informant find anything else? Energy signatures? Radiation? Biological contamination?"
"She did detect shifting energy signatures." General Organa turned and propped herself up against the edge of the holo-emitter table. "This was relevant as she also discovered several energy processing installations on the opposite side of Aporoth. To no surprise, these units are being operated by our friends in the First Order."
Feege vocalized disapproval in his native tongue.
"I agree, Feege. Something is killing that planet and I think the First Order may be playing a large part in it. This is why I think we need to get you down there to take out those processors before we have a dead planet on our hands."
"With all due respect, General Organa, how do you think Trickster Squadron will be able to infiltrate and take out that military operation? There's only seven of us!" Dom protested.
Balagon slowly tipped his head back and turned to Dom. "Correction... there will only be five of us."
"How do you figure?" inquired Jaimos.
Leia arched her eyebrows in anticipation of Dex's response.
"The First Order was cut from the same cloth as the Empire, meaning you won't find any non-humans working for them. Chances are pretty good that they've eliminated the presence of..." he paused and looked over at Feege and Niono. "Sorry, guys... undesirable species from the immediate population of Aporoth."
"Correct. You two are going to hang back in case we need to send in a rescue," added Leia. "As far as I know, our contact is still down on the surface and she will be joining you once you locate her. I recommended that she make some friends down there--blend in with the locals and see what else she might be able to find out in advance of your arrival."
Adria queried, "what are we using to get our happy little team down there?"
Leia opened her mouth, closed it and wrinkled her nose.
"You have to be kidding me," Dex asserted.
The general threw her hands up. "What do you want? For some reason or another, the Empire didn't and the First Order hasn't caught on that cargo shuttles are their doom bringers. We're smarter than they are. We are going with what's been tested and your commander there knows everything there is to know about getting a cargo shuttle down to the surface."
"Okay, yeah... that I do know," conceded Balagon.
"Oh, yes, you'll also benefit from the presence of a few of travel companions, which will be coming in the form of your astromechs. I don't expect you have any questions and if you do, you can save them for your commander. I've transferred the mission information to the personal devices in your ready room so you have everything we've received. Your shuttle will be ready to launch at 0500 so you'd better get started and find yourself some sleep."
Paloame did a quick glance at her fellow soldiers and piped up, "I guess that's it. Let's get moving." Adria flashed her a smile, which possibly meant she thought this might be fun.
