Chapter 1

Ord Mantel, Two Years Before the Battle of Yavin

Imperial Agent Malthenikal-nendelar tracked the movements of the lead rebel with practiced ease. Her rifle beaded with moisture in the early morning air. Nikal thought the urge to shift on the stony ground she had laid prone upon for almost six hours.

“Nikal,” The soft voice of Texom Tylle whispered in her earpiece. “Are the thermal detonators on site?”

“Unconfirmed, Tex. They’re getting pretty active down there.”

“Strike team standing by. What’s our play, sir?” The grave voice of Agent Harx Olbar asked.

“Overwatch do you have headcount?”

Nikal licked her lips. “Thirty-four separate individuals armed with a selection of pistols, light carbines and a few assault rifles. They look fairly undisciplined.”

“Alright then. Stand by to move in on my signal Agent’s.”

“Sir?” Nikal hissed.

A low rumble from further up the mountain road electrified the rebels. They sprang from their breakfast to man the walls of the compound gazing into the early morning mist. Emerging from that came a heavy land speeder lorry piloted by a very familiar man.

“Goddamn it Tex.” Nikal groaned. Tex had grown out a stubbly beard for this assignment and let his usually tightly styled hair become unruly. Clad in a loose-fitting plaid coat and a pair of yellow sunglasses he looked nothing more like a local trucker.

As he pulled up to the gate he even put on a twang. “Well, gud morn to ye fellas! This here the place that ordered dem water tanks!”

Nikal watched with baited breath as a squad of enemy combatants surrounded the vehicle. Their leader shouted something ineligible at the disguised Imperial.

“Y’all sure? Because I would’ve sworn dis here is the place. Listen maybe if I could just come in, use the john and talk to yer boss I’m sure we could clear this up.”

The men barked something that caused Tex to raise his hands and step out of his vehicle. “Shoot Imperial? Boy, do I look like the type of guy who enjoys sucking plastic codpieces? Sheiit, I wouldn’t piss on their fancy armour if it was on fire!”

The camp’s leader came out of the stockade and scowled suspiciously. Him and his subordinate exchanged a few words before he drew his pistol pointing it at Tex.

“Overwatch...” Agent Olbar growled.

“Stand down,” Nikal whispered.

“Sir I assure you,” Tex asserted, “I am in no way an Imperial. Now if Y’all want you can turn my damn head into a canoe but you’d be killing a fellow patriot. Shit sir I’m practically about to piss myself here.”

The commander holstered his pistol and held out his hand. Tex with a big old smile on his face stated.

“Thank y’all kindly! Very kindly! I’ll be on my way right quick sir. May I just say it is damn good to meet some fellow patriots.”

“Sir, don’t oversell it,” Nikal whispered crosshairs still trained on the commander’s skull.

With a harsh screech, Nikal could hear even from her perch the doors to the compound opened. Tex still smiling got in his rig and drove through turning it around. He left it idling as he got out and received directions to a corrugated steel outhouse.

Tylle sauntered across the courtyard under close observation head casually on a swivel. The Imperial stumbled and as he rose laughing his body language changed. It was something only a long time comrade would notice. With one last country euphemism, he entered the toilet.

“Target confirmed,” Tex remarked to the sound of unzipping, “Squad’s Alpha and Bravo move in. Charlie, Delta cut off their exits. Overwatch take out any resistance. Wound the commander.” An unmistakable noise of water splattering on water entered the comms. “Ahh, damn that feels good. Always need to piss during these things. Me and my KX Droids will secure the target.” A loud zipping sound accompanied his final statement. “Status?”

Nikal swallowed her complaints and aimed at the back of the commanders left knee. “Overwatch is ready.”

“This is Harx. Alpha is standing by.”

“Bravo is ready to kick some rebel arse chief.” The rough lilting voice of Haymish declared.

“Charlie is a go.” The formal voice of the local garrison leader, Commander Peno reported.

“Delta waiting to party at their backdoor.” The seductive voice of Agent Siril purred causing a flutter in Nikal’s heart.

“Right then,” Tex breathed, “On my signal.”

Nikal from the corner of her scope watched as Tex stepped from the outhouse making a big show of zipping his pants up. Laughing at some insipid joke he sauntered forward slid a pistol from his coat sleeve and shot one of his escorts through the head. The second rebel’s laughter seized as Tex cool as a cucumber shot him in the neck dropping the man to his knees.

Nikal gun kicked into her shoulder as she fired taking the commander straight through his right knee. As the man fell with a scream the sides of Tex’s transport ripped open revealing two KX combat droids armed with a pair of rapid-fire blaster pistols. As the body of the first man Tex had shot hit the ground utter pandemonium broke out.

The young Moff scooped a rifle from the hands of a dead rebel firing as he dashed across the courtyard. The droids firing at anything that moved joined him as they headed towards an open aired structure out of Nikal’ sight.

Nikal for her part coolly and methodically started cutting rebels down staring with those posted at the rear of the compound. With high powered whine her shots took the four turning guards through the chest head and sternum dropping them one by one. As the last of them tumbled to the ground the familiar form of Siril leading two black-clad Imperial agents and eight Stormtroopers came over the wall and started moving into the compound.

Nikal shifted to her next set of targets the gatekeepers. Some instinct had spurred them to try and close the doors something Nikal could not allow. Three swift shots solved the problem leaving the gate partially open.

With a screech, an armoured Imperial troop carrier slid into few disgorging Olbar at the head of a column of heavily armoured troopers. The lead squad with Olbar at the head locked riot shields together and pushed forward cutting down the still disorganized rebels.

Meanwhile, the light skirmish line of Siril was making it’s way swiftly through the compound linking up with the embattled Tylle and his bots. As the lines for a protracted firefight became drawn Nikal heard a beautifully familiar sound.

A trio of Imperial Dropship Transport’s or IDT’s purred into view. From their guns, a stream of heavy blaster fire tore through the rebels lines sending them reeling. Stormtroopers and one large agent using jump packs leapt down and easily broke the resistance.

The IDT’s went into a holding pattern as the last of the resistance was cleaned up. Nikal shot a rebel reaching for a detonator coolly effectively ending the fight. From the same direction, Olbar’s men came a convoy of Imperial prison transports emerged as the garrison came to lock the compound down.

Tylle chuckled. “Outstanding work people. Olbar, have your shock troops sweep the compound. I want any surviving rebels rounded up immediately. Haymish you and your jet troopers secure the perimeter and Siril guard the prisoners. Overwatch, you’re good to join us. Let’s move people!”

Nikal rose debris falling from her long coat and armour. Slinging her gun over her back she rose stretching with a moan of relief. Despite years of training holding position for hours on end was still murder on her body.

Moving swiftly she trotted down some animal path winding her way towards the compound monitoring the radio chatter as she did. By the time she reached the outer gate nodding to the garrison commander the operation was wrapped up.

The squad leaders had gathered in a laughing circle and beckoned her over with wide smiles. Nikal padded across the courtyard waving back as she joined the circle.

“That was some damn fine shooting lass!” The enthusiastic shoulder smack that came with this statement came from none other than Agent Haymish. A big bear of a man the agent’s bushy brown beard and tied back hair all blatantly disregard regulations. Despite this, he was talented with the sleek black jetpack he wore, so much so the ISB had been willing to overlook his more colourful pass.

“Indeed it was Agent,” A smooth professional voice stated, “Preventing the closure of the gate ensured our operation went off more efficiently then we could’ve hoped for.” Agent Olbar Harx was the antithesis of Haymish in every way. Dark where he was light, clean-shaven where he was bearded and swimmer thin to the hairy man’s bulk. Despite this his own quiet smile beamed approval laugh lines on his face crinkling.

“Indeed,” The sibilant voice of Siril purred as she sidled up beside Nikal. As a Zeltron the curvaceous woman was a bright red with purple hair had let grown long on one side in favour of shaving the other. Despite the conservative nature of her ops gear she somehow managed to ooze sensuality as she whispered in Nikal’s ear “Thanks a lot, Nikki you were really watching my ass weren’t you?” The red woman breathed tracing her hand down Nikal’s chest smoky green eyes meaningfully staring into Nikal’s own bright red. Nikal blushed a deep purple and hopped away with a squawk.

“Umm yes well just doing my job!”

“Uh huh. The way you took those sentries down, hmm it was a thing of beauty. Though seeing you now ... outshines it.” The woman grinned brilliantly and chuckled.

“Ohh aye and what about me?” Haymish protested, “Did ya nae see me when I came down and rained fire and fury upon them? Twas religious even!”

Siril shrugged and stuck out her tongue something Nikal stared at for a moment still purple. “Meh, it was nice just not really all that ... impressive.”

“And if little Nikki had done it?” Haymish shot back crossing his arms.

“Then it would’ve been badass and super hot. Sorry, Hay all that hair just ... doesn’t do it for me.”

“Ahh get on with ya ye tramp,” Haymish growled in mock disgust.

“And that as they say people is a wrap,” The familiar soft tones of Tylle declared as he joined their circle, “First rounds on me tonight and the second is on Olbar I think huh?” Their pleasant featured leader grinned smacking the serious man on the back.

Olbar chuckled, “Are we talking my kind of rounds or you young blood types of rounds? Cause one will bankrupt me.”

“Ohh just take et out of yer wee bairns school fund why don’t ya!” Haymish chortled receiving a chortle in return from the others and a raised middle finger from Olbar. Tex produced a camera from his breast pocket.

“This is nice, this right here! Not a single casualty. Ahh excuse me trooper? Kindly take a picture of us yeah?” Despite their units protest Tex herded them in front of the seized crates and put one foot up on it grinning rakishly towards the befuddled trooper with the camera. With a mixture of mock moans of protest, they smiled as the camera flashed.

Taking it back with a smile Tex thanked the trooper before striding off to the line of prisoners. The local garrison officer in full battle regalia stood surveying the collection of scorched, rubble dusted rebels in front of them. Disarmed and beaten they hardly looked a great threat in Nikal’s eyes. Just back-planet hicks who’d forgotten whose hand fed them.

“Commander Peno! Excellent reaction time I must say.” Tylle complimented with his easy grin.

The lined face of Peno crinkled into a self-satisfied smile as he straightened.

“I must say Moff Tylle I had my ... doubts about your team but I found your techniques effective ... if unorthodox. Regardless I cannot object to your results. These yokels have been a bloody headache for quite some time now. I’ll enjoy watching their execution.”

Tex nodded as he looked at camps leader whose leg had been hastily bound to stem any damage. He was giving the scruffy looking Moff a death stare. Nikal’s hand subconsciously drifted to the powerful sidearm on her hip. Tylle smirked and pointed directly at him in a loose way.

“Yes, well, everyone except him. Him I need. What’s your name sir?”

The Rebel spat at the Imperial officer’s feet, “It’s Vincent. Vincent van go fuck yourself!” Olbar walked forward emotionlessly and kicked the defiant rebel in the chest sending him to the ground in a coughing fit.

Texom snorted, “How droll. Regardless I need him.”

“He’s their leader.” Peno remarked studying the coughing rebel, “An example should be made. A very public example, here.”

“He clearly has actionable intel of value to my team. No small-time backwoods fighter should have access to this much detnite. They have a source. Besides what sends a better message? Resist and you will violently be executed? Or resist and you’ll simply disappear to an unknown fate and all that fear the unknown entails?” Tylle’s smile had a cold edge to it one that Peno matched.

“Very well, take him.” The commander waved a dismissive hand, “One less wasted power pack on my end. Will you and your team stay for dinner? The Governor will be most pleased.”

“I’ll have to take a rain check for that dinner. As I remember the Governors palate is delightful. I believe he has a Gungan chef that specializes in seafood, does he not?” At Peno’s nod, Tex snapped his fingers, “Ahh yes I definitely will be back. Haymish, Olbar if you would.”

The two ISB men stepped forward and easily lifted the cuffed insurgent between them and dragged him off towards one of the IDT’s. Haymish whistled cheerfully as they went. One of the Stormtroopers approached Peno and saluted.

“Sir! The compound is clear. What should we do with the injured?”

“Well, we hardly want them to suffer needlessly. That and there’s no sense wasting medical supplies with those soon to be executed. Kill any who can’t walk, humanely if at all possible.”

“Sir!”

Nikal frowned at that and glanced at Tylle. His eyes were unreadable beneath his sunglasses but she was sure she saw his nose curl in disgust. Raising hand he waved at the other agents.

“Come on people lets leave the good commander to it.” So saying the young Moff sauntered towards the compound doors in the wake of its former commander. Nikal and Siril feel into step beside one another as behind them a few swift reports of a single blaster echoed behind them.

Nikal felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she whispered, “Doesn’t seem right.”

“Probably because it’s not,” Siril remarked unusually sober as she placed a comforting hand on Nikal’s arm, “But this is war and the only true crime is to lose right?” She smiled warmly as they approached their IDT.

Nikal frowned, “I thought we were preventing a war!” She called over the noise of engines.

“Isn’t that just the bitch of it, huh?!” Siril replied as together she and Nikal climbed into the dropship.

The Codebreaker, Enroute to Coruscant

As far as Imperial Ships went the Codebreaker was on the smaller side. A specialised ISB Imperial second-class frigate it lacked the size of it’s larger Star Destroyer cousins. What it lacked in relative size it more than made up for in discrete operational capacity.

As Nikal walked down the halls she nodded at the crew. Made up of some of the best the ‘Long Arm of the Emperor’ had to offer each one had been picked for their discretion. They nodded respectfully back as she passed.

Despite the widespread xenophobia of the new order the uniform of the Imperial Security Bureau tended to curtail any such feelings. Nikal liked to think it was the respect for law and order the uniform inspired that did it. She suspected however it had something to do with their reputation of making problems and people disappear quietly without a trace.

Using her key card she accessed the ships secondary bridge reserved exclusively for ISB Agents. Entering with a click of her crisp boots on steel she was met with a familiar sight.

At monitors and consoles across the bridge, agents sat monitoring chatter and working case files. A pair of dark armoured troopers stood stationed at the doors entrance heavy guns in hand. At the centre of this area was a tear dropped shaped briefing table which was currently occupied by several members of Nikal’s team.

Nikal deflated somewhat at the sight of them. While she had gone and showered and gotten into a clean constrictive uniform the rest of her team sans Olbar had not. Siril was clad in a tank top that was entirely too revealing for Nikal’s hearts and a pair of tight mission pants. Haymish meanwhile wore his battered militia coat openly flaunting regulations while Tylle was still clad in his truckers attire.

Tex was in the midst of pouring several drinks and smiled at Nikal’s entrance. Haymish raised one hairy hand in mock salute from his reclined position. Siril meanwhile gave her a vivacious wink leaning forward displaying her cleavage casually. Nikal’s cheeks bright with colour moved onto to Olbar who gave her a respectful professional nod.

Nikal loosening the top button of her collar slid into her seat beside Olbar and across from Siril. Tylle who sat at the head of the table passed her a drink. Once they’d all received one he raised his glass with a smile.

“To a job done well by an excellent team!’ As they raised their glasses to toast a high-pitched voice interrupted them.