Alexei strode from pilot to pilot, and from commando to commando, and finally from engineer to engineer, introducing each one in turn, and giving Admiral Westwood a brief background and history on each one. When he had finished, Admiral Westwood had departed, leaving he and his men free to look around. As long as they don't go into a restricted area. Alexei thought he would get permission from the Admiral to allow him to evaluate his pilots, and commandoes on the shooting range, to see how good they are. Apart from the Commandoes, Alexei has never seen many of them try a variety of rifles, and guns, and wanted to know, apart from the Rebellion Officials, how good they would be if they were shot down, or reassigned to ground missions if they would need to be.

Walking from the docking bay and into the hallways, Alexei led his men to the shooting gallery, where an assortment of weapons awaited to be tested. Alexei signaled his men to halt, then brought out an comlink, and spoke into it. "Alexei to Marin, Alexei to Marin, request permission to commence firing trials to evaluate skills of my men for the Alliance Officials, over." Alexei then switched the comm to receive, and waited for the Admiral's reply.

"Freeze!"

"Medic..." The man cried out these words as if they might be his last.

"Command I need a medic dispatched to my coordinates immediately." The soldier said as he rushed to the fallen body of the human male and his Klatooinian companion.

The man was passed out apparently from exhaustion but that couldn't be certain at this point. The important thing was that a medic got here, and fast.

Meanwhile

"Sir, if you're busy, all I need is a mandate and I'll get out of your hair and promote the rebellion the best way I know how. But this ain't a regular rebellion, something tells me you've got big plans, and I want to help you with them."

Marin smiled.

"Meet me in the briefing room in one hour. I think everything will be cleared up then." Marin replied, a smile evident to the fact that he appreciated the younger man's sincerity.

20 minutes later

All Rebels had been called to the "Briefing Room" by Marin Faulker himself. An important meeting was about to take place. One that would perhaps change the face of the Rebellion, even the Galaxy for good.

The two men walked down the narrow hall side by side making their way towards the briefing room.

"How was your trip to Broslam? You didn't even call me one time..." Marin said sounding disappointed that he didn't hear the details.

"It was great.. it was nice to just get away for a while. Manula says 'hi'... and I brought you something." Davin said as they continued down the hall.

"What did your wife get me you loser." Marin continued sarcasitcally.

"Bro... I..." He paused for a moment. "She... put a lot of thought into this gift." Davin said as he stopped in the middle of the corridor.

Marin stopped just a second later and turned to face his good friend Davin McCorda.

"What is it D-Mac?" The senior officer inquired.

"I missed you bro. I was away for so long..." Davin said with obvious emotion.

"D-Mac... I missed you too... it wasn't the same around here without you." Marin Faulker replied earnestly. "I had no one to boss around..."

"Fuck you..." Davin said with a smile which stretched ear to ear.

"Let me get a smoke bro..." Davin asked.

"Are you sure it's OK with your wife?" Davin asked sarcastically.

"Fuck you just give me a 'grit." Davin said as he reached into his pocket for a light.

Marin handed Davin a cigarette and watched the other man light his up slowly. "Hurry the fuck up... what are you doing over there?"

"Shut up bitch... damn you're so fucking evil." Davin replied as his cigarette was finally lit.

Marin grabbed the lighter and lit his own cigarette. The two men stood there in the middle of the hall as a few other rebels passed.

"The New Order.. they're... they're the new Empire..." Marin said sounding worried.

"Fuck them bro... they ain't shit." McCormack replied seeming serious.

"Fuckin' D-Mac... ever the optimist." Marin replied shaking his head as he inhaled his cigarette.

"You are such a bitch D-Mac it's ridiculous..." Marin continued as he exhaled the smoke from deep within his human lungs.

"Come on bro..." Davin said but before he could continue he was cut off.

"Come on WHAT???" Marin said with obvious frustration.

"They've gone through this Galaxy and taken whatever they wanted when they wanted it..." Marin continued obviously upset.

"Mare..." D-Mac called the High Admiral affectionately. "I joined the Rebellion for one reason..."

Marin Faulker looked up to meet the gaze of his nearest and dearest friend hanging on his every word.

"For you." Davin ended his sentence abruptly.

"Ever since we were children I've always wanted to be like you... I've always wanted to be YOU." Davin concluded.

"You don't want to be me D-Mac... you've got a wife... soon you'll have a son." Marin said, referring to the unborn infant which McCorda's wife was carrying. "If anything D-Mac... I wish I were in your shoes."

"Don't say that Mare... Everyone here looks up to you... I look up to you... the men look up to you as if you were some immortal hero which they could aspire to be some day." Davin's words were heart felt and Marin knew this. Tears were beginning to swell up in his eyes.

"You.. and you alone have the ability to restore freedom to this Galaxy." Davin said convincingly.

"You are my master Marin Faulker. You are the one whom I will follow into battle, and you, Marin Faulker are the one whom I would gladly put my life on the line for." McCormack said with a tear now running down the surface of his face.

"Freedom doesn't come cheap these days D-Mac..." Marin said staring into nothing.

Marin slowly looked up to his friend and rested an arm on his shoulder. "But you have a family to take care of. And I'm gonna make sure that you get back home to your wife in one piece."

Anderson was really starting to feel awkward. He knew he was in the rebellion, he knew a lot about rebellions and how to run and recruit for them, but the problem was that he just didn't know what was expected of him. Marin was so busy, he didn't have time to talk to some dirt-covered anarchist from the far side of the galaxy, so Anderson just wandered around the facility, giving advice and taking notes.

Suddenly, his chronometer began to ring. He checked it, and saw it was time. Anderson was relieved, Marin had called a meeting in the briefing room, and Anderson knew he'd finally get some direction and orders. Making sure he had all his stuff (which wasn't really much) he made his way through the temple to where the briefing room was.

Nodding at fellow newcomers, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Sliding in through one of the doors, Damalis instantly slid along the wall to stand along the back of the room. She didn't feel she should take a seat, she had too much nervous energy for that, and she always didn't want to stroll past everyone to the front of the room. There was no worries however. She had good hearing and didn't think in the least that she'd miss anything that was going to be said.

At least, when things finally got under way.

Marin Faulker stood there at the center of the briefing room, his arms resting on his hips casually. He scanned the room taking note of who was in attendance, the room was just starting to fill up. The seats organized in a semi-circle around the Admiral. Mathias Woods to the Admiral's immediate left arms clasped behind his back.

People continued to enter the large room as the audible woosh of the double doors was almost continuous as the Rebels streamed in. Marin Faulker paused and wandered into thought, almost a daydream. The Rebellion was embroiled in war and people were dying every day. Hopefully Marin's latest plan would put and end to this ridiculous war and restore Freedom to the Galaxy.

Hopefully...

The dark grey bus took Raven and Harry from the small military passenger jet through a heavily guarded gate into the Vander Space Operations Center. Through the window, over a concrete hill about a mile north, Raven could see the top half of a space rocket and its matted rust-orange external tank and white booster rockets poised beside a massive steel gantry.

"I didn't know you were prepared for this sort of thing, I mean, to bring specimens here," Raven said to the blue-uniformed officer sitting beside him, Colonel Hall. Hall was about Raven's age, slightly shorter, husky and trim, with a narrow mustache and an air of quiet patience.

"We aren't, speaking frankly," Hall said.

Harry, seated in front of them next to a black-haired lieutenant named Sanborn, turned and peered around the neck rest. Each member of the civilian group was accompanied by an officer. "Then why is everything here?" Harry asked.

"Becuase we're the closest, and we can improvise," Hall said. "We have some isolation facilities here."

"What are they used for, under normal circumstances?" Harry asked. He glanced at Raven with an expression between roguishness and pique.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that," Hall said, smiling slightly.

"It's what I thought," Harry said to Raven. "Yes, Indeed." He nodded and faced forward.

"What are you thinking, Mr. Feinman?" Colonel Hall asked, still smiling, albiet more tightly.

"We're moving biological weapons research into space," Harry said tersely. "Automated modules controlled from the planet. Bring them back here, and they'll have to be isolated. Son of a bitch."

Hall's smile flickered but, to his credit, did not vanish completely. He had sprung his own trap. "I see," he said.

"We all have the highest clearances and Presidential Authorization," Raven reminded him. "I doubt that there's anything we can be kept from knowing, if we press hard enough."

"I hope you appreciate our position here, Mr. Shadowclaw, Mr. Feinman," Hall said. "This whole thing was tossed into our laps just a week ago. We haven't straightened out all of our security procedures, and it'll be some time before we decide who needs to know what."

"I would think this takes priority over practicaly everything," Raven said.

"We're still not sure what we have here," Colonel Hall admitted. "Perhaps you gentlemen can help us clear up our priorities."

Raven grimmaced. "Now the balls in <i>our</i> court," he said. "<i>Touche</i>, Colonel."

"Better your court than mine," Hall said. "This whole thing has been an administrative nightmare. We have four civilians and four of our own men in isolation. We have no warrents for arrest or any other formal papers, and there is no - well, you can imagine. We can only stretch national security so far."

"And the LGM?" Harry asked, turning back again.

"He's - it's - our star attraction. You'll see it first, then we'll interview the men who found it."

"'It,'" Raven said. "We'll have to find a less ominous name for that soon, certainly before 'it' becomes common knowledge."

"We've been calling it the Guest, with a capital g," Hall said. "It almost goes without saying, we'd like to avoid any leaks."

"Not likely to avoid it for long, with the Aursies having gone public," Harry said.

Hall nodded, facing up to practicalities. "We still don't know whether they have what we have."

"What we have, the Ussians probably already know about," Harry said.

"Don't be cynical, Harry," Raven admonished.

"Sorry." Harry grinned boyishly at the officer beside him, Lieutenant Sanborn, and then at Hall. "But am I wrong?"

"I hope you are, sir," Sanborn said.

In orbit over the planet of Yavin 4........

Alexei Ferrier lead his one and a half squadron of X-wing class Starfighters agaisnt the opposing group of one and a half starfighters. Together the thirty six Starfighters represent the remaining members of the Batiiv Pirate company. Today they are split into two equal groups, one group under Alexei's command, the other under his second in command's command. The starfighters had reduced lasers, and painted chaff clouds to act as missiles. They were participating in an exercise to simulate combat.

Alexei put his half squadron out ahead into three groups of two starfighters each, and then deployed his remaining squadron behind them in six wingpairs of two starfighters each. His opponent chose a different tatic, choosing to send two wingpairs off to opposite sides one kilometer away from his group, and deployed the remaining starfighters into two groups of seven starfighters apiece. Alexei shook his head at that, realising at once that his opponent intended to use their missiles to their full advantage. He decided to send two wingpairs on ahead from the front squadron to fire torpedoes at the bunched up enemy starfighters, and then to split the remaining wingpair with one starfigher each going after a wingpair that was split off from the main group. His remaining starfighters would close in to finish off what was left of his opponent's two main groups.

The two group's reached maximum missile range, and then his opponents made their moves. The two wingpairs at the outer ends fired their chaff missiles at Alexei's main starfighter squadrons. Alexei simply ordered his starfighters assigned to the task to return fire, and then ordered his main body to split up. And then the two groups of seven starfighers each fired all their missiles, one to one side, one to the other, of where Alexei starfighters were headed into after they broke off. Alexei had not expected this, and ordered more evasive action, but it was too late. Three of his starfighters manuevered from this new thread back into the initial thread, and were caught into the explosions, their starfighters covered in paint, having been "killed". Five more of his main body of starfighters fell to the new threat, not being able to manuever fast enough. Eight starfighters of his main squadron were instantly eliminated. But, the enemy paid for his tatics. The two starfighters tasked to destroy the starfighters out away from the main groups did so successfully, firing off all their missiles, and then finishing them off with laser fire with minimal casualties in return. And the advance two wingpairs fired their missiles into the ranks of the enemy main formations, which although broke up immediatly, still lost two starfighters apiece. Now Alexei's losses had been avenged, with eight enemy starfighters having been "killed", with no additional losses to his forces.

And now it was time for the grand finale. First the two wingpairs swept in with their dummy lasers firing, sending three enemy pilots out of comission. As the remaining Seven enemy starfighters came about to engage, Alexei and his three other main squadron remaining pilots arrived, and blasted the tails of the exposed enemies. Four more "kills" were registered, while the three remaining enemies looped around again. Then, the two X-wings that had killed the wingpairs out and away came in from their opposite sides, and fired their lasers in a criss-cross pattern against the three remaining starfighters. Two of them registered as "kills" leaving one enemy starfighter, the group leader, his second-in-command. He headed on in and managed to score enough laser fire to make Alexei's own starfigher register as "killed" before the two X-wings managed to make his subordinate a kill. Thus, although he was "dead", his squadron was victorious, killing eighteen enemy pilots in exchange for nine of their own, a 50% kill ratio.

Alexei was well pleased to learn that the odds were evening more and more, meaning his pilots were getting better and better. In the weeks since they had arrived at Yavin 4, his men had become very deadly in the hands of X-wing class Starfighters indeed. Now it was time to head on back in. He lead his three squadrons in through the atmosphere, and identified himself, asking for clearence to land. It was granted, and as he headed on in, he sighted some other starfighter units out on patrol, or on manuevers. He wanted his men to get some rest, and a good lunch, as well for the well tipped mechanics to wash off the paint before it dried. This afternoon they were scheduled for a assault simulation session against the Assault Frigate Endeavour. He hoped his men were up to it. The only craft they had run up against so far were half squadron simulations against Corellian Corvettes, and those had caused enough trouble as it was for his men.

Setting his starfighter down, he emerged from his canopy. He looked around at his other pilots doing the same. He ordered them into the breifing chamber. It was time to discuss the simulation results, and for them to recieve commendations based on performance, and tatics. He could think of at least two of his men who probably deserved another grade promotion. As the mechanics approached his starfighters, he trotted off to the breifing room.

"OK ladies and gentleman, thank you for joining me on such short notice." Marin said as a holoprojection emerged from behind him.

The room was now full but stragglers continued to make their way into the briefing room and lined the walkway nearest the entrance.

The holoprojection showed an image of a large starship, a Galleon-class Star Frigate which slowly rotated 360 degrees.

"This is a Galleon-class Star Frigate, " Marin said as he paused gesturing towards the holographic image behind him. "This particular type of frigate has a very unique cargo hold. The cargo hold itself can act as its own ship." As Marin said this the hologram image of the frigate began to separate illustrating the cargo hold deploying from the center of the frigate. "This is but one peice, a very important peice mind you, of a much larger whole. An operation that will span the Galaxy itself." Marin paused as the audience of Rebels absorbed every word.

"This operation will incorporate several different phases, each of which will be of paramount importance to the mission's overall success." Marin paused. "Needless to say, should we succeed in this operation, and I'm confident that we will, we will strike a mighty blow against the Empire." Marin concluded as a smile formed across his lips.

Morgan walked down the aisles and began passing out Datapads titled "Operation: New Beginning" to all the Rebels in attendance.

Now the Rebellion was but an insignificant blip on the Empire's Galactic RADAR, but when the Rebels completed this mission of utmost importance, the Empire would tremble at its very foundation.

This truly would be a <b>New Beginning</b>.