Chapter 2

I woke with a start as I felt someone's hands shaking me. "Duncan! Duncan!" I immediately recognized the sweet hiss of D'lek's voice. "What did I do to you boy! Wake up!"

I shook my head to clear it and looked up into those wonderful eyes. "Yes?" I replied groggily raising myself to a sitting position.

"Sorry to wake you my Taliva, but we have both been ordered to the briefing room."

"It's just fine love, I never mind waking up to seeing you," I replied gently touching the rigid scales of her cheek.

"Flattery will get you everywhere but not out of getting your lazy ass up," she hissed, playfully slapping my face. I sighed in defeat and reached for my clothes. I pulled on my baggy trousers, stuffing the excess into my boots. I laced them up tight and raced off after D'lek's sexy retreating form, clothing myself along the way.

"We have a chance here that we cannot pass up!" shouted the voice of Captain Falgar as I stepped into the room. I got a quick glance of amused annoyance from the Mon Calamari Captain before his gaze rested again on his frequent foe.

"Our forces should not be wasted on chasing phantoms, and catering to the dreams of fools who can't let go of the past!" retorted the Captain's target. Commander Valhar smacked his palm with his fist as if to punctuate his statement. "The Jedi are dead and gone! Why should we try to protect that which doesn't exist. Especially against a myth as wild as this Jedi Hunter of yours."

"Are you willing to deny the existence of the force? The existence of the greatest power in the known universe? The very thing that defeated the first death star and saved countless millions?" Falgar spat his words with great vehemence. His face even seemed to turn a deeper red with his anger.

"A fluke and..." That was all the Mon Cal needed. He stepped across the room and lifted the human commander by his ruffled uniform collar.

"I will not listen to you berate on of the Alliance's greatest fighters and heroes. He and his friends have saved us time and time again. His torpedoes destroyed the death star, and his lightsaber freed Princess leia, one of your most exalted leaders. You due them all, and all of us," he waved his free arm around the room as if to encompass the entire rebellion in one swoop, "when you call their achievements a fluke." He set the commander down and stared into his face. "Damn you man, we will do this, we must do this. We owe it to the memory of the republic we are trying to resurrect."

The commander's brow furrowed in angry thought and he quietly spat his answer, "fine, I never liked assassins anyway." My eyes shot open as he shot me a satisfied grin. He then promptly turned and stormed out of the briefing room.

"What is he talking about?" I asked Falgar.

He shook his bulbous head in disappointment, "Don't heed his words, they mean nothing. He is too shortsighted to understand the importance of what we are planning."

"And what is that?"

"You should sit down Malik," said the Captain. I reached for a fold out chair and handed it to D'lek and took up one for myself. She shot me a smile, but I could see the worry in her eyes. We sat down and gave the Mon Calamari our attention.

Standing in the center of the round briefing room, Falgar activated the holomap of the Krecktin system and all its neighboring systems. He looked first to Captain Nim, leader of Smoke Squadron the same X-wing squadron that defended the GRENDEL, then to me. "Okay gentlemen..."

"Ahem"

"And gentlewomen," he said, nodding to D'lek with what seemed his first smile of the day. "We have reports from our Bothan connections on Corescant that a certain ship was spotted leaving orbit." Beside the map of systems formed a picture of the oddest ship I had ever seen. It's sleek design was seamless, even with its two small wings that looked like leeches on either side. A design schematic appeared behind the ship, pointing out the laser ports, and engines. "This ship belongs to an enemy that has been a secret among Imperials close to the late Emperor, and a dark myth among the leaders of the rebellion."