<center><b>Kalaan</b></center>

Kalaan, home to the red-skinned Kalaanites who were a race of humanoids with large red eyes and square snouts. The Kalaanites once resided on a lush planet which could have been described by many as a paradise. The Kalaanites were staunch supporters of the Rebellion, and housed a large Rebel base on Kalaan.

Everything changed when the Galactic Empire launched an invasion on Kalaan, shortly before the Battle of Yavin. Kalaan City which housed the large Rebel base was reduced to dust. The planet, once teeming with life was now devoid of plant life entirely in many areas. The Kalaanites stood up to the oppressive Empire, but their efforts proved futile. All Kalaanites who were members of the Rebellion, or even suspected to be members of the Rebellion were killed without question.

A few years later, a prison was erected to house those who would not submit willingly to Imperial rule. At first, there were many. However, as time went on the will to fight was sapped from the Kalaanites. Knowing that any sign of resistance would get them thrown in prison, or worse; <i>killed</i>, the Kalaanites resigned to a life of reluctant obedience.

So it went for years under the rule of the tyrannical Empire. Then, the light of hope was cast upon the darkness, when news of Emperor Palpatine's death reached Kalaan. However, this hope was short-lived, the Kalaanites quickly found that they would much rather have an Emperor who ruled from across the Galaxy, than a tyrant who built his fortress in their backyard. News of Palpatine's demise ignited rebellion once again on Kalaan. Together, those who would see the Empire driven from their lands banded together and marched against the Palace of then-Planetary Governor Kovac.

The meager forces of the united Kalaanite were no match for the might of the Empire however, and once again their local rebellion proved useless. Instead of resigning his post on Kalaan and returning to his homeworld, Planetary Governor Kovac declared that the Galactic Empire would not leave Kalaan. Even without reinforcements, or support from the outside Galaxy, there was no one to stand in his way after numerous attempts at rebellion failed, the Kalaan were hardly in position to remove the Empire from power.

Over the years, Kovac's stranglehold on the planet tightened, ridiculous laws were enacted and it soon became apparent to the people of Kalaan that they were under the rule of a madman. Shortly thereafter, Kovac declared himself Emperor in a move that many Kalaanites saw coming long ago. The situation went from bad to worse as the human Emperor made life on Kalaan nearly unbearable. The Kalaanites had no choice, there was nothing they could do about it. The stormtroopers which walked the street in their decades-old armor carried out Kovac's will with iron fists. The spaceport was reserved for Imperial use, and no Kalaan were allowed to leave the planet under any circumstances. Those who walked the streets freely were prisoners, whether they admitted it or not.

Emperor Kovac drove the Kalaanites to despair, the situation was bleak.


<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Palace of Emepror Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

It is a cold, dark room. It has high vaulted ceilings with small windows on top which allow beams of light to penetrate the hollow throne room. A red carpet extends from the double doors far across the room to the seat of the self declared Emperor of Kalaan. There is an array of monitors near the throne, so the Emperor can closely watch the various situations on the planet without having to leave his throne.

He sits there, slouching back into the over-sized throne as he pets the stubble that has accumulated on his pale face after a week of not shaving. Bags have built under his beady eyes, which looked like dark circles outlining his recessed eyes. His once-black hair now turned white on the sides, and had traces of silver on top. He was not going bald, but his hair was beginning to thin on top. He looked more like a prisoner of war than royalty. He was an emaciated man, clothed in what once could have been described as a regal cloak.

He sits there in isolation most of the day, allowing his mind to recess further into dementia. He talks to himself quietly, as his head darts back and forth; left then right, as he questions then answers himself. Somewhere along the line, Emperor Kovac lost his marbles.


<center>***</center>

<center><b>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</b></center>

The "cell" which he had been subject to for the past 972 days was little more than a dank, lightless closet. No bed, not even a cot, but at least there were the rats to keep him company. His name was Jonasius "Jon" Rawsh, he was suspected of crimes against the Emperor, including treason; of which he was guilty. Though there was no proof, as he was never caught in an act of open rebellion, so instead of being put to death (like many of his comrades) he was resigned to spending the rest of his days in this prison based purely on the suspicion that he was a rebel sympathizer. Fed one meal a day, which could hardly be considered "food", Jon spent his days reliving the horrors of his past and the knowledge that his future was written in stone; the very stone that made the bricks that built this prison which was now his permanent home.

Jon did his best to keep his mind sharp and not delve into insanity like many of the other Kalaanite whose screams kept him up late into the night. Jon couldn't blame them, the horrors that the Kalaanite faced were enough to drive the sanity from anyone. The small resistance force that Jon fought with were all put to death, save for a handful of others which were not caught in the act much like Jon himself.

The situation on Kalaan had turned grim. Any hint of dissatisfcation with the lingering Empire or Emepror Kovac himself would be met with any number of cruel punishments ranging from imprisonment to a slow, painful death. There were those who still fought against the Emperor, but their forces were few and far between. For some reason, Jon never lost hope. In the back of his mind he always believed that the Kalaanites would rise up against Emperor Kovac and reclaim their freedom. There was no evidence to support this theory unfortunately, other than the resolve of the Kalaanite people which had been worn down through the decades.

Locked away in the recesses of an Imperial prison, all Jon Rawsh could do was cling to the last vestiges of hope in a hopeless world.


<center>***</center>

<center><b>Vissel District of Kalaan</b></center>

"Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, what is your position?" The Stormtrooper Sargeant said through the frequency broadcast to all troopers within the district which ZK-368 heard through his earpeice.

"Alpha, this is Three Six Eight, I am patrolling courtyard district. Over." The Stormtrooper designated ZK-368 replied.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me? Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight? Seriously? You'd think this fuckin' guy reports to Emperor Palpatine himself." The other trooper who walked alongside ZK-368 remarked. "I mean we've been stuck on this fuckin' rock for decades, and he still acts like we're part of the Empire Proper, straight outta the Academy..."

"Yeah... the sargeant's old school. But, he's in charge what are you gonna do?" ZK-368 replied, shrugging behind his battered ivory armor, no longer pristine after decades of abuse.

"Fuck if I know." The other trooper said, as they both walked down the walk slowly, blasters in hand. "I wouldn't mind going AWOL and getting off this shitty rock. "Emperor" Kovac has lost his god damn mind, and it's not gonna be long before he gets us all killed." He said using his fingers to illustrate his quotation.

"Good luck with that, Owens. You remember what happened to Gimeno when he tried to leave the service of our fine majesty, don't you?" ZK replied.

"Shit, McNulty I almost forgot about that one. He skewered that fuckin' guy from ass hole to eyebrow, that was grossest fuckin' thing I ever saw. An' he left that poor bastard out there to rot for days, out in the open. Sent those Kalaanites a message though. We didn't hear so much as a peep outta 'em for months."

McNulty, otherwise known as ZK-368 nodded.

"You hear about the 'Slaughter at Solomon Square'?" Owens asked.

"Slaughter at Solomon Square...? What are you talkin' about Owens?"

"I can't believe you haven't heard about it. Apparently the "Emperor" went nutzo and had a bunch of civi's killed at Solomon Square. I guess he thought they were gathering for some type of rebel activity and had 'em all mowed down right there in the open."

"Civillians?" McNulty asked.

"Ya, men... women... shit there were <i>teenagers</i> in the square and Kovac had 'em all blasted to peices. Wouldn't even let contamination crews remove the bodies. Wanted to keep 'em there, as a <i>reminder</i>."

McNulty shook his head, as he looked down to the ground.

"Another day in paradise, Owens. In the service of our <i>glorious</i> Emperor Kovac." McNulty said, trying to remove the grotesque thoughts from his mind.


<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Office of Marin Faulker on Yavin 4</b></center>

"Marin." Admiral Matthias Woods said as he entered the room, quickly saluting him.

"Woods." Marin said, acknowledging his friend and fellow officer as he had a seat.

"Kalaan." Woods said, matter-of-factly.

Marin looked up, from the mass of paperwork he had piled on his desk and stared at Woods.

"Well? You gonna make me guess or what, Woods?" He said, after a moment of silence.

Admiral Woods' face indicated that the situation was serious.

"We've gotta do something. <i>Fast</i>."

"What's going on there?" Marin asked.

"You want the short version?"

"Please."

"Emperor Palpatine gets killed leaving thousands of star systems in turmoil, some systems join the New Republic, some the organized Remnant of the Empire, some... Well.. some just manage to sneak below the RADAR." Woods said, explaining the situation on Kalaan.

"Like, Kalaan?"

"Like Kalaan. The Planetary Governor, Malfurion Kovac refuses to relinquish control of the planet. After years of ruling Kalaan as unquestioned dictator, he declares himself Emperor. Anyone who stands in his way is sent to prison if they're lucky, tortured if they're not."

"So, add this to the long list of Imperial copycats." Marin said.

"No. We need to act, and we need to act <b>now</b>. Kovac's gone certifiably insane and it's only a matter of time before the genocide of the Kalaanite people becomes a reality." Woods said, tossing several dossiers onto Marin Faulker's desk.

Marin raised an eyebrow. "What are these?"

"These are the recent atrocities committed by "Emperor" Kovac. Thousands of Kalaanites killed in unrelated incidents. The Kalaanites are basically prisoners in their own homes. The Kalaanites have tried several times throughout the decades to rebel against the "Emperor", unsuccessfuly of course. Kovac has resigned to killing anyone he even halfway suspects of treason, which at this point into his dementia is more often than not. He spends his days locked inside his throne room, watching what goes on in the streets on various monitors setup right next to his throne."

"So, how did we come about this intel?" Marin asked.

"I've got an operative on-planet. I just received this information, it was sent who knows how long ago. I don't even know if my guy's still alive. He went dark, no way to contact him."

Marin Faulker sat there for a moment, his lip pursed, processing the information Woods had just recited.

"How long before we can put a plan of attack together?" Faulker asked.

"Already done, I've drawn up the plans and we'll be ready to assemble our forces tomorrow."

"Hmmm... Well, there's not much I can say to that. Clearly, we need to do something. Send General Ozymandi-" Marin began but was quickly cut off.

"No." Woods interrupted.

"No? What?" Marin said, surprised.

"I'm going myself, I'll lead the operation from the ground."

"Woah... slow down, champ. I know you want to get out of the office and all but..."

"This isn't about that, Marin. I'm the best man for the job and you know it. My man's behind enemy lines and who knows whether he's still among the living. I drew up the battle plans myself, and I need to be there on the ground calling plays."

"We need you here, Woods."

"With all due respect, sir. It wasn't a request. We need to liberate the Kalaanites, and we need to do it now. The Kalaanites supported the Rebellion, and in return they're being murdered in their own streets on a daily basis. As a grim reminder of their <i>loyalty</i> to the Rebellion decades ago, they're being forced to watch their families murdered in the streets." Woods said, passionately.

Marin Faulker let out a sigh. "Very well, but be careful out there Woods. Don't do anything rash. Get in, and get the job done. What am I saying..? I don't have to tell you any of this. Hurry home, soldier." Marin said, as he stood extending his hand to his best friend and fellow officer.

The situation on Kalaan had come to a head, perhaps for the first time in a generation there was hope for the future of the Kalaan.

The tension on Kalaan was nearly visible, the Kalaanites watched every step they made being sure not to do something to upset the occupying Stormtroopers. However, the Kalaanite were not the only species on Kalaan, after the Kalaanite joined the Rebellion a number of humans and aliens alike emigrated from various planets across the Galaxy.

Most of the other aliens who had come to Kalaan were killed almost immediately upon the Empire's ascendance to power. The few that did survive were quick to obey, and they more than the Kalaanite were conscious of every move they made. The humans didn't have it much easier, as they were suspected to be Rebel sympathizers. Imperial leadership on Kalaan found it more difficult to simply kill all the humans. The Stormtroopers rarely questioned an order to kill a Kalaanite or other alien, yet when it came to humans it wasn't quite as easy to pull the trigger.

So the humans, along with their Kalaanite and alien counterparts walked on egg shells, careful to not give the Stormtroopers a reason to cause them harm. It went on like this for years, the residents of Kalaan living in fear for their very lives, the Stormtroopers themselves weren't much better off, not knowing what Emperor Kovac would do at any given time.

The Kalaanite and their Imperial oppressors got along reluctantly, but they both knew something had to change, <i>soon</i>.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Palace of Emepror Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

The Emperor sat there in his over-sized throne, his eyes strained from staring at the bank of monitors for hours on end. One screen in particular held his attention more than the others. It was the image of a brick wall on which the words, <i>Who watches the Watchmen?</i> were scrawled in Kalaanite; the language of the natives. After about thirty seconds, the image rotated and another building was shown with similar graffiti. And so it repeated, image after image, the same phrase recurring <i>over</i> and <i>over</i>.

"Who watches...?" The Emperor whispered to himself quietly, staring blankly at the screen.

The other monitors showed various displays throughout the planet, from the prison to the various populated areas across the planet. Yet, only one monitor concerned the Emperor, and alarmingly so. He would spend hours staring at the various inscriptions, hoping that for once he could catch the unfortunate Kalaanite who dared deface his property in the act. Oh what tortures would befall that poor red-skinned alien. Sometimes the Emperor fantasized for what might have been days about the cruel and unusual methods he would use to torture that defiant soul.

A smile crept across the Emperor's decrepit lips as he delighted in the imaginary screams of his victim.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</b></center>

"Eat up, Rawsh!" The guard said as he flung a heap of "food" onto the ground of Jon's dirty cell.

Viktor, the guard who patrolled Jon's cell block, had seemingly gone crazier than many of the Kalaanite prisoners who resided in those cells. Day after day, he marched down the aisles of the prison block wearing a Stormtrooper's helmet (which he painted blood red), no shirt, and a pair of pants. Blaster rifle in hand, he would march down through the cell blocks firing at rats, and in some not-so-temporary lapses of judgement, he would fire at the Kalaanite in the cell. Long ago, Jon lost count of how many prisoners Viktor had "accidentally" killed.

Jon sighed as he stared down at the pile of mush, a meal that would have to sustain him until Viktor decided to hurl food at him next. Sometimes, it was the next day, sometimes the next week. You never could tell with Viktor. Jon bent down, sniffing the steaming heap with his snout before devouring it quickly.

<i>Pew! Pew!!</i> The sound of the blaster rifle echoed through the prison block.

Viktor yelled out in celebration, an unintelligible rant from a madman.

<i>Hopefully it was a rat...</i> Jon thought to himself.

Then he heard the screams of the other inmates. Nope, not a rat. Not this time; some other poor schlub's life ended prematurely at the hands of Viktor the guard.

Unfortunately, it probably wouldn't be the last.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Vladaire District of Kalaan</b></center>

Trooper McNulty stood there on the corner, monitoring the area as he scanned from left to right. Owens stood next to him with his back to the street, staring at nothing in particular.

"Hey... Owens. You see that?" McNulty said, pointing over across the street.

"What? Holy... Fuck me running..." Owens said as he turned around and saw what McNulty was pointing at.

"You! With the spray can, put your hands on top of your head!" McNulty shouted across the street as he levelled his blaster at the Kalaanite with his back to the trooper.

"Put your hands up mother fucker!! Or I will not hesitate to blow a hole in the back of your head!!" Owens yelled, as he ran forward aiming his blaster rilfe at the young Kalaanite.

The Kalaanite dropped the spray can to the ground, raising his hands high into the air.

"Do you speak Basic mother fucker? My partner told you to put your hands on your HEAD! Your UGLY, RED, FURRY, HEAD!" Owens said, as he walked up behind the alien.

The Kalaanite lowered his hands to his head, trembling, clearly shaken.

As Owens stood there aiming his rifle at the Kalaanite, McNulty grabbed the alien's hands and put them behind his back placing them in binders.

"What does it say?" Owens said, looking up at the message written in Kalaanite. "Who watches the...?"

"Who watches the what?" Owens said, staring blankly at the incomplete message.

"Who watches the back of a prison cell for the next several years, because they thought it was a good idea to spray-paint the Emperor's wall?" McNulty said, as he grabbed the Kalaanite by the shoulder.

"Check his ID, Owens. Then call it in. We're at... 12th and Central, Vladaire."

Owens snatched the ID from the young Kalaanite, then walked over a few meters away to call in the pickup. "Dispatch this is Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, calling in a pickup at... McNulty? Where are we again?"

"12th and Central, Vladaire District..." McNulty replied.

"12th and Central, Vladaire." Owens said, waiting for the reply. "Roger, ZK out."

"Pickup in twelve minutes, McNulty." Owens said, walking back over to his partner.

"What're you doing over here kid? What's this message you're spraying all over the wall?" McNulty asked, as he spun the Kalaanite around facing the two troopers.

The Kalaanite stood there, shaking. Too frightened to speak.

"Hell, can you blame him? You ever seen the prison?" Owens asked, McNulty shook his head. "Shit... I'd be pissin' my pants if that's where I was headed."

"You got an awfully big pair o' balls kid, to be fuckin' up the Emperor's property like that." Owens said, bending down to be at eye level with the alien. Then he stood back up straight. "Do Kalaanite even have balls?"

"I don't think so, Owens."

"Well good thing for him, because if he did, he wouldn't have 'em for long."

McNulty nodded, it seemed as if any offense on Kalaan was punishable by death. If the Kalaanite knew the punishment in store for him, he'd wish that a quick painless death was all that was in his future.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Military Briefing Room on Yavin 4</b></center>

A holographic image of the Kalaan System floated at the center of the room. The room was full of Alliance personnel, Admiral Matthias Woods stood alongside a Naval officer who was pointing to an area close to Kalaan on the map.

"We'll exit hyperspace here, allowing us to use the element of surprise to our advantage." The officer said.

"How long will it take us to deploy from there, Admiral?" Woods asked.

"Just under an hour, sir." Admiral Wilhelm replied.

"Good, they don't have any planetary defenses to speak of, but we'll need to deploy as quickly as possible so that we can catch their ground forces off guard." Woods continued. "We'll setup orbit in two distinct locations over the planet." As the Admiral spoke, the image zoomed in to depict the rotating world of Kalaan.

"Kovac has his forces concentrated in and around his palace, roughly half of Kovac's military might is tied up there. We're going to have to land well outside the capitol and work our way in from the outside." Admiral Woods said, pointing to the palace on the map.

"Sir, what about a bombing run?" One of the pilots in the audience asked.

"We'll utilize strategic bombing runs throughout the planet, but the palace is in the middle of a residential district. We can't take down the palace without killing hundreds, if not thousands of civillians. Remember, we're here to <i>save</i> the Kalaanite people, not put them in further jeopardy. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." The pilot replied.

For the next forty-five minutes or so, Admiral Matthias Woods laid out the strategy of how the Alliance would restore freedom to the hopeless people of Kalaan.

Soon, the Alliance to Restore the Republic would be invading Kalaan to come to the aid of those who could not help themselves.

Soon, the sky would rain Rebellion as the Alliance lead by Admiral Matthias Woods himself would stand side-by-side the Kalaanite in an attempt to overthrow the mad dictator, Malfurion Kovac.

The Alliance, onboard the Majestic Hammer, which was modeled after the Kuari Princess; loomed through hyperspace relentlessly towards their target.

<CENTER>***</CENTER>

<CENTER>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</CENTER>

His eyes were affixed to the screen; like a child staring at a holo-vid for the first time. Malfurion Kovac almost seemed like he was being consumed by the monitor, as if the contents of the screen were sucking in his very soul.

He sat there, leaning forward in his over-sized throne so that his face was mere centimeters from the screen. His eyes glowed blue as the reflection of the screen played across his visage in the dark throne room. The image which he was focused on now was an arrest made by a couple of Stormtroopers in the Vladaire District. On the wall in the background of the scene was the incomplete message, "Who watches the" and then the message was cut off due to the fine work of the Stormtroopers on duty.

Malfurion Kovac watched on with a twisted smile as the Stormtroopers took the young Kalaanite into custody. Emperor Kovac would see to it personally that the two troopers received commendations, and as for the Kalaanite whom they captured, he too would receive the personal attention of the Emperor. Unfortunately for him.

<CENTER>***</CENTER>

<CENTER>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</CENTER>

Jonasius Rawsh sat there in his dimly lit cell with his back against the wall. Things were somewhat quiet in the cell block today which was unusual, especially considering there was a new prisoner who had just been moved in; a human no less. There was something strange about the human too, he didn't seem like any of the other humans Rawsh had seen on Kalaan. Jon couldn't put his finger on it, he just knew there was something different about this one.

"Pssst." The new prisoner said. "Hey, you." The human said in Basic, trying to get Jon's attention.

Jon didn't say anything at first, if the human could read Kalaanite body langugage he would notice a look of confusion on Jon Rawsh's face. But he couldn't.

"Hey, you. Yes I'm talking to you. Do you speak Basic?" The new human prisoner said.

Jon replied by nodding, which was a much more obvious form of body language, no doubt understandable by the human.

"What's your name?" The human asked.

Jon tried to talk, but no words came out. His voice was muffled from non-use. He coughed for a moment before he could utter anything that the human might be able to understand.

"Jon Rawsh." The Kalaanite said, in the Kalaanite language. He wasn't sure if the human understood but unfortunately, Jon didn't speak Basic.

"My name is.. Michael Madison." The human said, though it wasn't his real name; though Jon didn't pick up on the human's dishonesty.

"What are you in here for?" Michael Madison asked.

Jon said nothing.

"Are you a rebel?" Michael asked, since his first question went unanswered.

"Shh!!" Jon said, motioning for the human to be silent. Jon looked out of his cell to both sides to see if Viktor was anywhere near.

"You can't talk about that here!!" Jon said, "If Viktor hears you talking about Rebellion he'll kill you first, ask questions later." Jon said, very quietly.

"Are you a member of the local resistance cell?" Michael said, careful to remain very quiet.

Jon Rawsh was hesitant to answer truthfully, since he wasn't sure if this new human was a spy, or a plant, or who knows what else. Jon didn't trust the newcomer enough to answer truthfully that he was indeed a member of the Kalaanite rebellion.

Michael began to speak, again careful to remain very quiet. "You know, if you weren't a rebel, you would have just said no. So I'll take your silence as a 'yes'."

Dammit! Jon thought to himself, the human had a point. However, he still couldn't be trusted, so Rawsh elected to sit there silently.

"It's OK, kid. I'm on your side. Don't worry, help is on the way." Michael Madison said.

Jon sat there, more confused than ever. What did he mean, help was coming?

"I'm gonna need your help when my friends get here, kid. I'm going to need to know where I can get in touch with the organizer of your cell. We're gonna need his help if we're gonna liberate Kalaan."

<CENTER>***</CENTER>

<CENTER>Vladaire District of Kalaan</CENTER>

"Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, come in please. Repeat, Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, come in please." The Stormtrooper Sergeant said, through the comlink.

"Alpha, this is Three Six Eight, reporting in. Over." McNulty said, placing a finger up to his ear so that he could hear the Sergeant more clearly.

In the background, Owens had his blaster rifle pointed at the Kalaanite who was sitting on the curb, with his hands behind his back in restraints.

"Three Six Eight, do you have a prisoner in custody?" The Sergeant asked.

"Yes, sir. The prisoner is in possession, and we are awaiting pickup. Over." McNulty said.

"Negative, Three Six Eight. The Emperor himself is requesting that you deliver the prisoner to his Palace, personally." The Sergeant said.

McNulty stood there for a moment, tapping the earpeice on his helmet, unable to believe what his superior had just relayed to him.

"Alpha, please repeat orders. Over."

"Your orders are to rendezvous at the transmitted coordinates and await pickup, with your prisoner. You are to deliver your prisoner to the Palace of Emperor Kovac. Check your comm unit for specified coordinates. Alpha out." The Sergeant said, ending the comlink transmission.

"No.. fuckin' way..." McNulty said, clearly taken off guard.

"What is it, McNulty?" Owens asked, as he turned to his partner.

"Um..." McNulty started, but had to shake himself out of his stupor. "We're to escort the prisoner to... the Palace..." McNulty said, almost as if it were a question. He couldn't believe the order to be honest, he'd been in Kalaan for decades and had never been within a country mile of the Palace.

"No fuckin' way. What the fuck did you do, McNulty? Did you get our asses killed? Am I gonna get my head sewn to my ass hole because of some stupid shit you pulled?" Owens said, equally shocked that they were being summoned to the Palace. He continued, lowering his voice so that not a soul could hear him. "Emperor Kovac's a fuckin' wack job. What does he want with us, McNulty?" Owens said, with his head lowered slightly.

"I... I don't know, Owens. I think it has something to do with our prisoner." McNulty said, and as he did both troopers looked down to the Kalaanite who sat there before them.

"Him? What the fuck does the Emperor want with a teenage Kalaanite. We're fucked, McNulty. F-U-C-K-E-D, FUCKED." Owens said, spelling it out for him.

"Just, relax. The Sergeant didn't sound pissed off when he called it in. Let's just go take this kid to the Emperor and hope that's all he wants." McNulty said, trying to keep a level head.

"We're gonna get skewered like god damn kebobs. I know it. Why else would he want us to come to his fucking Palace? Kovac's a twisted mother fucker, McNulty."

"Relax!" McNulty said, raising a finger at his partner. "Pull yourself together trooper. We haven't done anything wrong, the Emperor just wants to make sure the prisoner is delivered in one peice. I don't know, maybe the kid's a rebel or something and the Emperor wants to have him interrogated. I don't know, and that's the bottom line; neither of us know anything right now. So let's just get this prisoner to the Palace ASAP so that we don't get ourselves into any trouble."

So, the two troopers would escort the Kalaanite to the Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac, they were nearly as frazzled as the prisoner who was in their care. Even though McNulty remained the voice of reason, he himself wasn't sure what the Emperor wanted with the prisoner, or worse; with them.

<CENTER>***</CENTER>

<CENTER>Onboard the Majestic Hammer</CENTER>

Matthias Woods joined Admiral Wilhelm and various other officers on the bridge of the Majestic Hammer.

"How long until we reach the Kalaan System?" Admiral Woods asked.

"Uncertain, sir. It depends on what routes we take, we're pretty much in open space so we're going to have to avoid any conflicts. That means taking the long road if necessary. We should be in-system by the end of the week however, sir." One of the officers replied.

"Very well. Make sure we're ready to deploy as soon as we get to Kalaan. We don't have any time to waste. I've still got a guy down there, and if he's still alive I'm sure he doesn't have long."

"Yes, sir." The officer replied.

"Wilhelm, make sure maintenance is completed on all my fighters before we get within a system of Kalaan. I want to be ready to go the second we get there." Woods ordered.

"Yes, sir. I'll get down to Engineering right away and oversee the project, personally." Wilhelm replied.

"Good. Let's make sure this operation goes as smoothly as possible. We don't need any unnecessary casualties. I know everyone's a bit rusty and we're all ready to go out there and get to work, but we have to stick to the gameplan."

Wilhelm and the other officers nodded in agreement. Soon, very soon, the Alliance would descend onto Kalaan and give back to the Kalaanite people what was rightfully theirs, their home.

The Alliance forces lead by Admiral Matthias Woods venture closer and closer to the Kalaan system, with no unexpected road blocks; the Alliance is but a few days from landing on Kalaan.

The attack plans are finalized as X-Wing fighters and Y-Wing bombers go through the last stages of maintenance preparing for the battle to come.

<center>***</center>

<b><center>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</center></b>

"Your Excellency, I present to you Troopers ZK-368 and 972." The officer said, as he ushered in the two troopers who had arrested the Kalaanite vandal. The officer was a rotund man, who looked to be in his mid to late 40's. He was completely bald on top, with brown hair on either side of his head. He had a thick moustache, and the rest of his face was unkempt as if he'd gone at least a few days without shaving. The stains on his uniform suggested that he was a messy eater and probably hadn't cleaned the thing in quite some time.

In fact, the dilapidated officer appeared to be the norm on Kalaan. Years without reinforcements from the outside galaxy had stuck the Imperials on the planet Kalaan in the past. This, coupled with the Emperor's waning sanity caused many among the Imperial forces to let go of their appearance. No more uniform inspections, or foreign diplomats or officers to impress; not anymore. Now, it was just the Empire, and the Kalaanites. The Kalaanites stuck in a seemingly neverending struggle for freedom which seemed like it would never come. And the Imperials <i>waiting</i>, waiting for what exactly they weren't certain, but they were waiting for <i>something</i>.

The Emperor sits there in his over-sized throne, watching the bank of monitors as usual. After an awkward moment passes where the two troopers don't dare take their attention off the Emperor, he turns to face them. Dark circles engulf his beady eyes, as a strangely sinister smile forms across his lips.

"You are the officers who arrested him?" He says, staring blankly at the two officers.

"Yes, your-" They both beging to say simultaneously but stumble as they speak over each other. "Yes, your Excellency." McNulty concludes, as Owens remains quiet, unflinching.

The Empire's peculiar smile doesn't go away as he takes a deep breath. He glances over to the monitors to see the image of the Kalaanite teen stripped of his clothes, <i>waiting</i>.

The Empire still smiling turns back to the troopers, with the portly officer in tow. "Officer Maffei, please see to it that these Troopers are awarded with commendations for their much-appreciated services to his glorious majesty, the Emperor Malfurion Kovac." The Emperor concluded as he turned back to monitor the multiple screens without so much as dismissing the troopers.

"Yes, your Excellency. Right away." The officer named Maffei said, as he placed a hand on either trooper indicating it was time to leave. The image of the Kalaanite confined to the small cell was all that occupied the Emperor's attention. His heart beat rapidly, he could hardly conceal his excitement. Soon, very soon, the young Kalaanite would know the cost of crossing the Emperor.

<center>***</center>

<b><center>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</center></b>

Jon had studied the human known as Michael Madison intently, wondering what kind of scheme this was.

<i>Had Viktor planted Madison in the cell opposite Jon as some elaborate plot to reveal that Jon was a Rebel against the Emperor Malfurion Kovac?

Or was this man who called himself Michael Madison just as crazy as half of the inmates in this place?

<b>Or</b>, and this was a big 'or', he could just be telling the truth.</i>

Jon sighed, he was hungry, he was tired, and his muscles ached. This Michael Madison character didn't ease his troubles, he just made the situation more complicated.

So all Jonasius Rawsh could do was wait, just as he had done for the last two and a half years.

<center>***</center>

<b><center>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</center></b>

McNulty and Owens stood there, shoulder to shoulder. Fear overcame both men as their eyes were glued beneath their Stormtrooper helmets, glued to the crazed man who sat in his large throne in front of them; staring like the mad man that he was at monitors which portrayed who knows what.

They remain steady however, with their eyes locked on the fragile shell of a man. One false move and there's no telling what the crazy bastard could do. But Malfurion Kovac doesn't move either, his eyes stay fixed on the monitors which wash over his face with a pale light. Then he turns and faces them, their heartbeats quicken, and their muscles go weak.

His eerie smile perhaps a sign of wicked deeds undone, whatever mistake McNulty or Owens had made would surely cost them.

Then he broke the silence, <i>"You are the officers who arrested him?"</i>

They both froze, unsure whether to speak up or remain silent. McNulty began to mutter <i>"Yes, your-"</i> just as Owens managed a <i>"Ye-"</i> before they both paused waiting for the other to continue before McNulty blurted out, <i>"Yes, your Excellency."</i>

They both stood there, nerves rattled even more than before. Then the Emperor returned his attention to the various monitors displayed before him. <i>What could he be looking at?</i>.

Beads of sweat began to stream down either troopers face under their ivory helmets. Then, almost as an afterthought the frail older man continued, <i>"Officer Maffei, please see to it that these Troopers are awarded with commendations for their much-appreciated services to his glorious majesty, the Emperor Malfurion Kovac."</i> He said, before returning to the monitors.

An audible sigh of relief overcame both troopers as they stood there, their heads no doubt dropping at least a few centimeters as the tension left the room. Then, officer Maffei grabbed both troopers by the shoulder nearly causing both to jump out of fright. As they turned and exited the throne room, the two men exchanged glances, and even through their expressionless helmets, both men knew what the other was thinking.

<center>***</center>

<b><center>Onboard the <i>Majestic Hammer</i></center></b>

Admiral Matthias Woods paced back and forth, staring out the viewport. He turned and made his way towards the bridge. The various officers immediately stood at attention, as Admiral Woods waved them off so they'd return to their duties.

"We're on schedule, sir. We should be in the Kalaan System within a day as long we don't have to change course." Admiral Wilhelm said, as he saw Matthias Woods approaching.

"Good. Are we ready to deploy?" Woods countered.

"Marines are ready to deploy and they've been given mission briefings."

"How about my fighter squadrons?" The commanding officer inquired.

"Finishing up maintenance on all craft, they should be ready to deploy within an hour."

"Good." Matthias said, nodding.

Starfighter maintenance seemed like a simple task, yet each fighter required about an hour's worth of heavy maintenance for every 10 minutes of combat flight time. Combat flight caused incredible stress to the fighter's engines, chassis, shields, and life-support systems. Even glancing blows could deal severe damage to a fighter's electronic equipment.

Admiral Woods was ready to go, his men were ready to go, and soon his starfighers would be ready to go. All there was now, was to arrive on Kalaan. The Admiral was nearly overwhelmed with a nervous energy, this would be the first time he'd seen combat in some time. He knew his plan was sound, and he knew his men were ready.

Matthias Woods knew that they would succeed. It was only a matter of time.

<center><b>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

The screams which came from the chamber could be heard throughout the expansive palace of the self-proclaimed Emepror; Malfurion Kovac. The wicked grin worn by the frail man only accentuated the Kalaanite's horror. The sick bastard was actually <i>enjoying</i> this.

Which all the precision of a med-school dropout, Kovac wielded the scalpel like a sick artist procuring some twisted masterpeice on a blank canvas. The Kalaanite was strapped to the gurney with thick leather binders, though were he to escape through some miraculous turn of events, the stormtroopers just outside the small room would see to it that escape was cut short.

The Kalaanite's thick purple-red blood was oozing slowly from many a laceration on his bare red skin. With great care the Emperor of Kalaan cut hard and deep, ensuring that each letter was pronounced and detailed spelling out the very phrase that the Kalaanite rebels had scrawled on numerous walls throughout Kalaan; <i>"Who Watches the Watchmen"</i>. The defiant phrase permanently scarred the young Kalaanite several dozen times, all over his body.

The torture was more a satisfaction of the Emperor's bloodlust than a reminder of the high cost of treason. Though, the fact that it did serve that dual purpose only served as an added benefit.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</b></center>

Jon Rawsh sat there in his cell as he spent most days doing, struggling only to keep his sanity intact. The arrival of this Michael Madison character had only complicated matters. Who was he? He'd said he was a friend, but could he be trusted? These <i>friends</i> he spoke of, were they real or just a figment of an overzealous imagination. Rawsh didn't know to be sure, and at this point, only time would tell.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Vladaire District of Kalaan</b></center>

"I still can't believe that crazy psycho didn't kill us." Owens said referencing their meeting with the self-proclaimed Emperor.

McNulty stood there in silence as he shook his head, removing his white trooper's helm as well revealing his sweat-drenched face.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Owens. You never know <i>what</i> to expect with Kovac."

"I thought we were gonna get our asses killed!" Owens exclaimed quietly.

"For a moment there, I thought the same."

"Well, back to Vladaire, eh comrade? Nothing exciting ever happens around here..." Owens said, trailing off.

Soon, the Vladaire District as well as the rest of Kalaan would have as much excitement as it could handle.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Onboard the <i>Majestic Hammer</i></b></center>

"Admiral we're receiving a communication groundside, patching through to you now." The voice of Admiral Wilhelm relayed from the bridge.

<i>..you will stand down immediately and submit to the Emperor, or your forces will be destroyed.</i>

The message was relayed, mid-sentence.

"Is there anything else, Admiral?" Matthias Woods asked.

"The full message is 'Attention: Orbital fleet, you will stand down..." As Wilhelm began, Woods cut him off.

"I get the gist, Admiral. Prepare to reply, I'll be on the bridge shortly." Woods said, as he exited his quarters and made his way to the bridge of the ship.

"Are all forces ready to deploy?" Woods asked as he made his way towards the bridge.

"Yes, sir. Fighter squadrons are prepped and ground support is standing by." Admiral Wilhelm replied as Matthias Woods approached.

"Patch me through." Woods said.

"Attention: Kalaan occupation forces, this is Admiral Matthias Woods with the Alliance. This is your one and only warning to stand down. If you surrender immediately and without incident, you will be taken into custody peacefully. However, should you choose to engage any Alliance personnel, you can consider this courtesy null and void and we will engage you with orders to shoot to kill. Woods, out." He said, ending the transmission.

"Shall standby for a reply, sir?" Wilhelm asked.

"Unnecessary, we'll deploy in 5 minutes. You have your orders."

"Yes, sir." Wilhelm confirmed as he made his way to the intercom unit.

"All forces to your stations, repeat; all forces to your stations immediately. Prepare to deploy in 5 minutes." Wilhelm's voice echoed throughout the corridors, as the various pilots and crew raced to their designated locations.

The warning had been issued, and the orders had been given. The warning was somewhat of a formality as Matthias Woods knew that the self-proclaimed Emperor would not give up his post without a fight.

And if it was a fight they wanted, a fight they would get.

<center><b>Aboard the <i>Majestic Hammer</i></b></center>

Admiral Matthias Woods stood there in his orange flightsuit, helmet in hand.

"Admiral Wilhelm, you have the bridge." Woods said dryly.

"But sir, you can't possibly-" Wilhelm started, and he wasn't sure whether he cut himself off or if Admiral Woods did it for him.

"I'll be fine Wilhelm. You'll have contact with me at all times, as well as General Crulak. You just worry about the <i>Hammer</i>. I'll be back shortly." Woods said, offering a quick salute and nothing else as he turned and made his way to the hangar.

***

The Zabrak General Halpert Crulak stood there in the hangar, saluting Admiral Woods upon his arrival which Woods quickly returned. Admiral Woods had a great deal of respect for the Zabrak General, the two men were similar in many ways. Both growing up in harsh environments, Crulak on Iridonia, Woods on Haruun Kal. Crulak extended a hand which Woods grasped firmly.

"Admiral."

"General."

"My men are ready to deploy, our first stop will be the prison. From there, we'll move on to the capitol." General Crulak stated.

"Good. You'll have direct communication with air support, in case any unexpected complications arise." Woods replied as he got ready to climb into the Y-Wing he would be piloting. "Good luck, General."

"May the Force be with you." The General said before retreating to his own ship which was almost ready to launch.


<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

The Emperor sat there in his over-sized throne staring blankly at the bank of monitors. Word of the Alliance invasion had spread, the Stormtroopers walked cautiously and the citizens even more so. The Kalaanites were even more frazzled since they were plagued by something far worse, the <i>unknown</i>.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Palace Briefing Room</b></center>

"Like nerfs to the slaughter..." One of the officers interjected.

"The Emperor is certifiably out of his mind." Lieutenant Jakin Loilles remarked.

"Orders, are orders. If this is how the King wishes for us to arrange his Pawns, then so be it." General Jobatt, the highest ranking officer in the room pointed out. "However, when the Knights and Rooks retreat, the King is left alone."

Several grumbles echoed throughout the small briefing room as the officers realized the lunacy of the Emperor's strategy. To call the Emperor's orders "strategy" would seem to be a misuse of the word. The Empire's "plan" included protecting the Palace at all costs. In practice, what that meant was lining up squadron after squadron in front of the Palace like dominoes waiting to be tipped over.

Lieutenant Loilles was correct in his assessment, <i>The Emperor <b>was</b> out of his mind</i>, and with each passing moment it was becoming that much clearer to everyone around him.

<center><b>Above the planet Kalaan</b></center>

"Wilhelm to Woods, do you copy?"

"Roger Wilhelm, this is Woods."

"Admiral, the Emperor has deployed his TIE Squadrons. At current speeds, you should engage the Emperor's forces near the Zailaan Ridge on your current course."

"Roger that. Woods out."

Admiral Woods flipped the switch on his communications unit to broadcast to his squadron. "This is Gold Leader to Gold Squadron. We are currently making our way over the Yoeaahave Desert and will be making our way towards the our first stop, which will be the Kalaan prison. Prepare to engage TIEs in three minutes as we pass the Zailaan Ridge. Fly deep into the canyon to neutralize their maneuverability and speed advantage. Gold Leader out."

<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

"Your Excellency, the Alliance forces have entered the atmosphere and are making their approach. Our TIE squadrons have been deployed and are en route to engage the Alliance forces." Office Maffei reported.

The Emperor did not even acknowledge that he heard the report. Instead, he stared blankly at the bank of monitors which showed the Kalaanites interacting as they normally would, not knowing that within minutes chaos was going to ensue.

The Emperor couldn't contain his excitement at the thought of the destruction that was about to consume the Palace District.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</b></center>

"Psst!" The human hissed.

Jonasius Rawsh did not respond, he was exhausted. He sat there slumped in the corner of his cell.

"Rawsh!" Madison shouted in a whisper.

"What is it?" Jon finally gave in.

"It's almost time. My people, they're coming. They'll be here soon."

"Don't speak of such nonsense, human. It'll only serve to get us both killed."

Michael Madison promised hope, yet for the Kalaanite there was none. Yet, for some reason Rawsh did not completely right off this human. There was an earnestness in his voice that made Rawsh want to believe that the words he spoke were the truth.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Vladaire District of Kalaan</b></center>

"Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, come in please. Repeat, Zeta Kilo Three Six Eight, come in please." The Sergeant said through the comlink, his voice sounded stressed.

"Sergeant, this is Three Six Eight, over." McNulty replied as he stopped in his tracks.

"Three Six Eight, report back to the Palace. We've got hostiles approaching and our orders are to protect the Capitol. Over."

"What the fuck?" McNulty said, shaking his head.

"What is it now, McNulty?" Owens said, placing his hands on his hips.

"We're to report back to the capitol, more precisely to <i>defend</i> the capitol."

"Defend the capitol, what the fuck are you talking about?" Owens replied, clearly confused.

"Apparently there are 'hostiles' headed towards the Palace, and we're to head back and defend it."

"At all costs, right McNulty?"

"Most likely."

"Fuck that shit, I'm not putting my neck on the line for that psychopath. I'm gonna ditch the egg shell and get the fuck off this rock."

"You can't just abandon your post, Owens."

"Like hell I can't."

"They'll come after you, the Emperor will have your head."

"First of all who's 'they'? If this place is finally gonna get slagged then there's not gonna be a soul around to 'have my head'. You've seen that twisted fuck up close and personal. He couldn't lead his dick to his ass hole with a map let alone command an army off out-of-shape wannabe Stormies against a legitimate invader. I mean, I don't give a fuck if it's the Fitzgerald's Force coming after us, do you see any scenario where <b>we</b> come out victorious?"

McNulty sighed but did not respond once Owens gave him an opportunity to respond.

"And if we do lose which is as inevitable as a bantha having hairy balls, we're fucked anyway. Do you think anyone's gonna grant us quarter after the kind of shit we've seen go down? No, thank you sir. I'm gonna hop on the most rickety no-engine-having starship I can find and get the fuck out of here before it goes down. And if I can't find a ship I'm gonna grab a hang-glider, hop off Mt. Zaren and hope I can catch a stiff current that can carry me off this forsaken rock."

"Are you done?"

"There was something I wanted to say about a Twi'lek's tits but I don't quite remember."

"You're a dirty son of a bitch, Owens. Just how do you propose we get off this pebble?"

<center><b>Vladaire District of Kalaan</b></center>

“Son of a swamp snake…”

“What is it, Owens?” McNulty said apprehensively.

Owens didn’t respond, he just stared blankly into the sky as the sun began to set over the cliffs of the desert.

McNulty turned to see what had Trooper Owens startled.

“Holy…” McNulty trailed off slowly and then turned back to look a Owens who simply nodded slowly.

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Imperial Prison on Kalaan</b></center>

A thunderous explosion shook the very foundation of the prison. The prisoners braced themselves as rubble shook loose from the ceiling. The explosion wasn’t far off, and there were more to follow.

“Hey Rawsh… remember when I told you my friends were coming?” Madison asked.

Rawsh nodded.

“Well… they’re here.”

<center>***</center>

<center><b>The Palace of Emperor Malfurion Kovac</b></center>

“Your Excellency, the Alliance forces have begun to bombard the planet. Their first target appears to be the prison.”

The Emperor continued to stare blankly at the monitors that portrayed the images that were being described.

“We have diverted TIE Squadrons to defend the prison which appears to be their clear target.”

“No!” The Emperor snapped back, speaking aloud for the first time in quite some time. “They are to defend the Palace of your Emperor.”

“But, your Excellency..” Before the office would complete his thought the Emperor stared daggers through him that could pierce durasteel. The officer wisely withdrew his strategic initiative.

“Very well, sir. Right away.”

<center>***</center>

<center><b>Above the planet Kalaan</b></center>

“Red One to Gold Leader, the TIE Squadrons we were tracking over the mountains appear to be retreating. Perhaps they’re preparing a surrender?”
“Not a chance Red One, follow those TIEs and don’t let them get back to the Palace. Cut ‘em off at the desert and deploy your ground forces as instructed. We’ll rendezvous at the Palace once the prison is liberated.

“Roger that Gold Leader, Red One out.”

The Emperor would protect his Palace at all costs but unfortunately his delusions of grandeur would soon be revealed to be for naught. Liberation was coming. The Kalaanite would take back what was theirs.