Frakutsk leaned back in his luxurious chair, it was of the type that was padded generously and leaned whenever one pleased. It was a good chiar, he wasn't exactly motivated to move from it.

Unfortunately, it was looking ever more and more like he would have to move from his chair, despite his many long expeditions to foreign planets, despite his exausting mission for the Jedi council as of late, there were matters that were undeniably a problem.

Or, rather, there was a matter that was undeniably a problem.

A summary of this problem was now displayed on the screen infront of Frakutsk.




Information from the intergalactic encyclopedia


Frakutsk shook his head sadly, he knew of seven or eight hidden planets that these encyclopediests could not have possibly known of. The exact number of planets under the Galactic Coalition was 32 (The two newest members being Riflor and its significant moon), but any way he looked at it, 32 did not equal 90.

Something needed to be done about this, those ninty planets represented opressed people. Poor, unfortunates...

Frakutsk looked at an official document on his desk.

Frakutsk Deik

It continued, but Frakutsk didn't read the rest. Then, a line of logic shot through Frakutsk's head.


We don't like the empire...
But we also don't like war...
The empire's people are opressed...
Free the people!
Stolen from Dolash


Frakutsk sat upright in his chair, there was work to be done. First, what planet to start on? Second, who to bring with? Third, what to say? There were many similar issues...


. - * - .


A few weeks later, Frakutsk, an Azguardian engineer named Xill with a score to settle with the Empire, and a downright oddity of an entity called Emanon, set out with a team of scientists on a ship headed toward Endor...

Ubiqtorate Space
Endor System

Endor's fame had subsided considerably since the renewal of the Empire in the years following Dantooine. In the days following the destruction of the second 'Death Star' and the slaying of the Emperor Palpatine, it had enjoyed some celebrity, and pilgrimages were made to it by Rebels who wanted to see the spot where the Empire had supposedly met its end.

It was fitting, then, that today Endor was a bastion of the Empire's power. Far flung from the epicenter of Imperial influence and ignored by most of the galaxy (the leaders of the New Order included) Endor was the ideal spot from which to keep the Empire growing in secret.

Any ship entering orbit would be met with a token Imperial task force, deployed to keep smugglers and pirates from inhabiting the system. Unbeknownst to any of them were the hidden defenses: a full battle line less than five minutes distant in hyperspace. Surface guns capable of crippling even the most powerful of enemy warships. And hundreds of thousands of soldiers: Stormtroopers, Spartans, and even the infamous Dark Troopers.

Of course, none of this was apparent to any outsider. The only hints of the Empire's presence here was the massive black construct floating above the planet. Dubbed Endor Prime, it was one of the many Epsilon Stations that the Empire had deployed to protect its interests. Shielding the sanctuary moon from deadly assault, it was the hub of the world's defensive construct.

And it was the first to detect the arrival of a ship in the system. As nearly all vessels entering Endor's space lanes were Imperial, there was some surprise when it was confirmed it was a Coalition ship. Any diplomatic envoy would have gone to Imperial Centre, or at least one of the regional capitals. Endor was far too out of the way and unimportant for anyone, even the New Galactic Coalition, to bother visiting.

"All stations to standby," the commander ordered, his lips pursed, "inform Yuri that the Coalition is in the system."

And let us see what they want. He thought. Glancing at the chronometer, he frowned. Whatever it is, Yuri is not going to like be woken.

Xill was surprised to have heard of the mission. Endor was mostly wrecked, the Imperial occupation doing little to quell the slowly encroaching plague, so long as it didn't affect their interests.

But later, it turned out that was a part of the problem.

The Minister of Peace had made a requisition order for - and recieved - a team of various engineers, biological experts, doctors, ecologists, and more. Xill was apparently reccomended due to his... past experiences with the Empire. The whole group was loaded on to a civilian frigate and shipped off to Endor.

The plan was still vague, but apparently the Coalition wanted to make public the glaring lack of conservation work the Empire has done to preserve a planet they control from an alien plague. It was also for this reason they were staying in contact with media agencies as they continued on, just to make sure no 'accidents' happened.

The Coalition was apparently even willing to do the clean-up work, repairing the natural ecosystem, and assuring the continued survival of the species native to the planet. Of course, this all depended on how the Empire reacted.

There was probably a lot more behind the plan then this, but if there was Xill had yet to be told.

"Opening frequencies" declared the pilot. A staff member approached the Comm channel.

"Imperial security detail, we are a Coalition envoy group, and we request permission to inspect the planet's surface as part of an ecological survey."

They paused for a response.

Black Mantis -- Imperial Research and Development Facility
Endor Surface

Yuri Katarn was not pleased. The Endor system was supposed to be far too remote for anyone to bother visiting. Much less a Coalition ship on some sort of supposed ecological mission.

Spies, no doubt.

Pulling on his customary brown trench coat, the scientist left his quarters, already formulating responses to this unexpected incursion. He was very tempted to simply blast the Coalition ship out of the sky. Endor certainly had the power to destroy the ship and leave no evidence.

But why not, he thought, play their little game? It might even prove to be fun.

"Sir!" The Ground Commander stood to attention, saluting as Yuri entered the nerve centre of the base's GCC. There were perhaps a dozen officers present - a full scale attack was not expected against Endor - all of whom looked more worried than one would think a simple freighter warranted.

But, Yuri knew, it was not a full scale attack that Endor feared. That it could deal with. It was the loss of her secrets - the super secret research facility known only as Black Mantis - which they feared. For Endor, a single ship carrying a spy was a far greater threat than a war fleet.

"Where are they?" The scientist demanded.

"Holding in orbit, waiting for a response." The GC responded instantly. "We've got their ship covered. If you want us to destroy it-"

Yuri again felt a strong temptation just to blast the Coalition vessel out of the sky and be done with it. But he restrained his desire and shook his head.

"No. Have the Nebulon take them aboard. From there we'll transfer them to the surface."

The GC nodded and turned to a subordinate, relaying the orders.

The Nebulon was an aging escort frigate, built before the Battle of Endor. It had survived dozens of battles, and even the Wrath epidemic that had devastated the fleet. It was ancient and decrepit, but more than capable of handling a single Coalition freighter.

Yuri smiled thinly.

"When the transfer is complete, bring them here. I will meet them in the receiving bay."

The frigate loomed over the Coalition's small transport vessel. Even if the coalition had had a reason to resist being taken in in this particular way, they would have had no choice. The Empire's presence radiated. A dark, suppressing, yet effeciant radiation...

The Nebulon took the sorted crew of talented individuals aboard wordlessly. The process only took a minimal amount of time.

Emanon, however, was disturbed. In the form of Huron Clumbsyone, who had met his most unfortunate end in a reactor accident, Emanon was projecting itself through subspace into the young engineer's body.

Deformed. He muttered mentally. To himself, yet powerfully to the force. It used to be a cornicopia of life, but now... now...

Emanon shook its head, he could sense the omnipresent evil bubbling over in this dark place.

Otherwise... The situation didn't look too bad. This was, more or less, what the Coalition wanted: passage to the surface.

Unfortunately, it was far too soon to judge.

Emanon could hardly tell what was happening around him, it was far too deep in an inexplicable, menacing ominance.

After what was not a very long time, the team of sceintists and others were led into the receiving bay, somewhere on the surface of the planet.

The Coalition team was met in the ship's smaller hanger bay by an expressionless team of Imperial Spartan-II soldiers. Stormtroopers were imposing in their pure white armour and faceless anonymity. The Spartan-IIs, towering over even Stormtroopers in their black armour, expressions hidden behind reflective faceplates, were terrifying.

The fear was evident on the faces of the Coalition team members as they disembarked into the alien hanger bay. The Nebulon was old, but it was as well mantained as any ship of the Imperial fleet. Not that the team would be aboard her long.

As soon as the ramp of their vessel had touched the deck the soldiers snapped to attention, blaster rifles coming up to their armpits in the formal tradition. The vessel's Captain, a short, portly man (like many assigned to defensive positions) named Vinda, stepped forward to greet the team as they disembarked.

And within minutes they were shuffled to a waiting ship: an Imperial Sentinel class Landing Shuttle. Without a word a group of the Spartan-IIs escorted them to the waiting ship, which they viewed with some aprehension. But soon enough the vessel was lifting off, ferrying the Coalition team down towards the surface.

Minutes later, the team was once again disembarking into a similar hanger bay, being met by a group of Spartan-IIs to identical they could have been taxied down with the team itself.

Up in space, now that the Coalition team was out of sensor range, the Nebulon jumped to hyperspace, their ship still held deep within its belly.

Frakutsk, wearing his Diplomatic robes, was finnally able to talk to the one in charge, Yuri, in the receiving bay.

"Greetingsa!"

Said Frakutsk has he bowed deeply.

"Greetings."

Grunted Yuri.

"Wesa are here to make breif geologicsa and ecologics examinations of yousa planet, if yousa would permit. Our Geologists and Ecologists havesa concerns as to yousa Endor's well-being."

Quite a debate followed... Largely, as would be expected, in Yuri's favor. It took several long minutes for him to finnally agree to anything at all.

In the end, it was decided that TNO's own scientists would make the examinations, while the New Coalition's crew sat under severe surveilance by a large squad of intiminating infantry.

It would have to do.

It took several hours to conduct all the surveys. The Coalitioners were barely allowed to move.

Xill the Azgaurd, in fact, had to try very hard to restrain from launching himself in rage at the nearest Spartan-II soldier.

Eventually, it was all finished.

Frakutsk bowed politely to Yuri again as Yuri told the Coalitioners that the results to all tests were exactly as expected, and handed them a few convoluted Data Chips.

"Wesa thank yousa for your kindness. May wesa now depart on our ship, sir?"

"I thouhgt," Yuri said dryly as soon as the Coalition reps had been moved into their own space, "that Darksword and his rabble had killed the last of the Gungans."

Neither of the Spartan-IIs who followed him replied. Perfect. The Spartan-IIs were designed not to speak unless they had something worthwhile to say.

"Leave it to the Sith to leave the job unfinished." He muttered, weighing the possibility of a Spartan-II deployment to Naboo. The Jedi would be feirce enemies... but would they be feirce enough for his new soldiers?

The tests that the Coalition team wanted done had, of course, been done when the Empire first took Endor and began cleansing it of the stains it had recieved in the years since the the battle that made it famous. Had Yuri desired he could have transmitted them directly to the Coalition's vessel in oribt and be done with it.

But the delay allowed them time - time neccessary to complete a scan of their ship and glean what information they may about the Coalition's motives here. Since the victory in the courts about the death of the Ewoks everyone in the galaxy had to know that the little bastards were long gone.

And that Endor was on the road to recovery.

That they should need proof of that was admirable. But dropping unexpectadly into Imperial space was not the best of ways to get the New Order's attention. As a manner of suicide, on the other hand...

Some hours passed before the Nebulon reappeared, the Coalition shuttle, seemingly untouched, safe in its bay.

And with that, the Coalition reps were hearded back into the landing craft, and an hour later the Endor system was once again perfectly Imperial.