Star Wars - 214 - Jedi Prince 05 - Queen of the Empire

Star Wars

Jedi Prince

Book 5

Queen of the Empire

by Paul Davids and Hollace Davids

updated : 11.XI.2006

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The Rebel Alliance

Luke Skywalker

Ken

Lando Calrissian

Baji

Princess Leia

Han Solo

See-Threepio (C-3P0)

Fandar

The Empire

Trioculus

Grand Moff Hissa

Zorba the Hutt

Grand Moff Muzzer

Supreme Prophet Kadann

Emdee-Five (MD-5)

Tibor

Triclops

source : IRC

upload : 18.IX.2006

The Adventure Continues...

It was an era of darkness, a time when the evil Empire ruled the galaxy. Fear and terror spread across every planet and moon as the Empire tried to crush all who resisted-but still the Rebel Alliance survived.

The headquarters of the Alliance Senate are located in a cluster of ancient temples hidden within the rain forest on the fourth moon of Yavin. It was the senate that now led the valiant fight to establish a new galactic government, and to restore freedom and justice to the galaxy. In pursuit of this quest, Mon Mothma, the Rebel Alliance leader, organized the Senate Planetary Intelligence Network, also known as SPIN. SPIN conducts its perilous missions with the help of Luke Skywalker and his pair of droids known as See-Threepio (C-3P0) and Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2). Other members of SPIN include the beautiful Princess Leia; Han Solo, the dashing pilot of the spaceship Millennium Falcon; Han’s copilot Chewbacca, a hairy alien Wookiee; and. Lando Calrissian, the former governor of Cloud City on the planet Bespin.

Lando Calrissian had been forced to abandon his post in Cloud City after gambling away his position to Zorba the Hutt, a sluglike alien who is the father of the deceased gangster, Jabba the Hutt. Having learned about his son’s death at the hands of Princess Leia, Zorba now seeks revenge against Leia and the Rebel Alliance. Princess Leia and her brother Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi Knights, have managed to elude the wrath of the Hutt-at least for the time being.

The Jedi Knights, an ancient society of brave and noble warriors, believed that victory comes not just from physical strength but from a mysterious power called the Force. The Force lies hidden deep within all things. It has two sides, one side that can be used for good, the other side a power of absolute evil.

Guided by the Force, and by the spirit of his first Jedi teacher, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker was led to the legendary Lost City of the Jedi. Deep underground on the fourth moon of Yavin, the Lost City proved to be the home of a boy named Ken, said to be a Jedi Prince. Ken had no human friends and had never before left the Lost City to journey above ground. He knew nothing of his origins and had been raised from early childhood by a loyal group of caretaker droids who had once served the ancient Jedi Knights. Ken has since left the underground city and joined Luke and the Rebel Alliance.

With the Empire’s evil leaders, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, now destroyed, a new era has begun. Kadann, the Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side, foretold that a new Emperor would arise, and on his hand he would wear an indestructible symbol of evil-the glove of Darth Vader!

Three-eyed Trioculus, the former Supreme Slavelord of the spice mines of Kessel, falsely claimed that he was Emperor Palpatine’s son. With help from the Imperial grand moffs, who aided Trioculus in his rise to power so they could all share the rule of the Empire, Trioculus succeeded in finding Darth Vader’s glove, thus fulfilling Kadann’s prophecy. However, the Emperor’s real three-eyed son, Triclops, has long been a secret prisoner of the Empire, locked away in Imperial insane asylums most of his life. For some mysterious reason the Empire fears him, still keeping him alive, while denying his very existence. Knowing that Trioculus was neither Emperor Palpatine’s real son nor a true master of the Dark Side, Kadann warned Trioculus that he must locate the Lost City of the Jedi and destroy a certain Jedi Prince. This prince, Ken, had learned many dark and dangerous Imperial secrets from the droids of the Lost City. The information, if revealed, could threaten Trioculus’s reign as Emperor, and bring it to a sudden and tragic end. Despite his efforts, Trioculus failed to locate the Lost City, or the young Jedi Prince. He then made the mistake of falling in love with Princess Leia. When Zorba the Hutt learned that Trioculus wanted to protect Princess Leia, preventing him from taking revenge upon her, Zorba became furious. He took Trioculus prisoner and encased him in carbonite, freezing him in suspended animation and displaying the carbonized block in the Cloud City Museum as a living statue.

The Imperial grand moffs were sent on a mission to recover the carbonized body of Trioculus from the Cloud City Museum, but Kadann seized the carbonite block from them and vaporized it with neutron beams, pronouncing himself the new leader of the Galactic Empire. On the Alliance’s last mission, Luke Skywalker came upon Emperor Palpatine’s real three-eyed son, Triclops, on the planet Duro. Luke helped Triclops escape from Imperial control, then brought him back to Mount Yoda. It was then revealed that the Empire considered Triclops insane because he passionately believed in peace and disarmament-and planned to destroy his father’s evil Empire.

The Rebel Alliance continues its struggle to restore freedom and justice to the galaxy. A new Alliance military center has been built atop Mount Yoda on the planet Dagobah, the swampy world where the Jedi Master Yoda lived. This well-guarded fortress is called DRAPAC-the Defense Research and Planetary Assistance Center. There Princess Leia is stationed, unaware that powerful Imperial forces are underway to reshape her destiny, intent upon turning her to the Dark Side and making her-the Queen of the Empire!

CHAPTER 1 Project Decoy

"Project Decoy is ready for testing. There will be an experimental demonstration at 2200." Fandar, the flappy-eared, flat-nosed Chadra-Fan alien scientist, transmitted his top secret message from an Alliance laboratory deep inside Mount Yoda on the planet Dagobah. Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance, received Fandar’s message in her office at the Rebel fortress known as DRAPAC, the Defense Research and Planetary Assistance Center. DRAPAC was located at the peak of Mount Yoda, and served as the Alliance’s newest military installation. Mon Mothma promptly summoned the group that would accompany her to the demonstration. The group included Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and at Luke’s suggestion, Ken, the twelve-year-old Jedi Prince.

One by one they stepped inside the tubular transport that led down to the secret labs of DRAPAC. "Authorization to descend to Restricted Sublevel D-13," Mon Mothma said, waving her hand over a small blinking security device.

They grasped the handrails and traveled downward until they reached the thirteenth underground level. Then they passed through several security checks-through barred gates, thick doors guarded by armed droids, and a machine that tested their biorhythmic vibrations to double-check their identities-and finally through an entrance marked PROJECT

DECOY.

"Fugo and I are pleased all of you could join us on such short notice," Fandar said, raising his long-fingered hand in greeting.

Fandar and Fugo were scientists of the Chadra-Fan species from the planet Chad. Chadra-Fan are small, quick-witted creatures resembling rodents. The combination of their infrared sight, hypersensitive sense of smell, and keen hearing makes the Chadra-Fan physically and mentally perceptive creatures.

Fugo turned his beady black eyes at Ken in a look of surprise. "I didn’t realize that a boy your age could have security clearance to enter here."

"Age isn’t the deciding factor in Ken’s case," Luke Skywalker’ replied, knitting his brow.

"Luke is quite right," Mon Mothma confirmed. "Ken was raised in the Lost City of the Jedi. He’s had access to the master Jedi computer in the Jedi Library, which contains many invaluable secrets about the Empire."

"Then we welcome you here, Ken," Fandar said, raising his flappy ears. He then turned and pointed to a metal barrier that concealed part of the room. "We are gathered here to share a special moment with Princess Leia," Fandar said with a smile. "Princess Leia, here’s the result of the project you helped us with. Meet Princess Leia Organa II." Leia was overcome with surprise as a woman stepped out from behind a metal barrier. The woman was a lifelike duplicate of Leia-an almost-identical-looking twin!

"I know we all like to feel unique," the other Leia said, "but life can be full of surprises."

"Who is that lady?" Ken asked, blinking in disbelief as he glanced from one Leia to the other.

"I’m the newest member of SPIN, stationed here at DRAPAC," the second Leia said.

"She’s what we call a Human Replica Droid," Fandar explained.

"You’re a droid?" Ken gasped.

"This is really creepy," Han said.

"It’s fantastic!" Luke exclaimed. "Leia, she looks just like you. She even talks like you. Her smile is the same as yours, and so are her gestures."

"Fandar and Fugo, you two certainly did a good job," Leia commented.

"This droid will be used as a decoy for Princess Leia when she’s out on dangerous missions," Mon Mothma explained. "That’s how Project Decoy got its name."

"Now for the next part of our demonstration," Fandar began. "If you’ll all join me behind this transparent shield."

Fandar reached into his lab desk and took out a floating orb about the size of his fist. He tossed the mechanical ball into the air, and the device sailed to the other side of the protective screen.

As the floating orb approached the Human Replica Droid of Leia, her lifelike eyes suddenly turned bright green. A high-energy laser beam shot out of each eye, causing the mechanical orb to explode.

KABOOOOM!

Metal fragments smashed against the transparent screen that protected the witnesses. Fandar reached into his pocket and took out a small coin, then flipped it into the air. The Human Replica Droid’s eyes turned green again as laser beams once again shot out of her pupils.

But they misfired! Instead of burning a hole in the coin, the lasers burned a small hole in the transparent screen, hitting Fandar’s chest, and striking his left heart.

"Oh no!" Ken shouted. "What happened? What went wrong?" Clear, thin blood began pumping out of Fandar’s side, dripping down his DRAPAC uniform. Gasping, he lost his balance and fell headfirst to the floor of his laboratory. Fugo rushed over at once to help Fandar.

Leia reached for a medical aid unit that was mounted on the wall. Without wasting a moment, she used a medical crystallizer instrument to stop the flow of blood.

"Ken, do you know how to find Baji?" Luke asked.

"Last I saw Baji," the boy replied, "Threepio was helping him water plants in the north tower."

Luke contacted his golden droid, See-Threepio, in the north DRAPAC tower, summoning both him and Baji at once to help with a medical emergency.

While Leia, Fugo, and the others continued to care for the wounded Chadra-Fan scientist, Threepio entered Baji’s greenhouse and called out to the healer, who was a specialist in herbal medicines. "Oh dear, oh my, Master Luke says we must hurry!" Threepio exclaimed to Baji, who was kneeling to plant some very rare seedlings.

Luke had met Baji, a nine-foot-tall Ho’Din alien from the planet Moltok, during Luke’s quest for the Lost City of the Jedi. Baji was then captured by Imperials and forced to join the Imperial medical staff. Fortunately, however, Baji had been rescued during an Alliance attack on an Imperial command center. Now the Ho’Din alien lived a very simple, quiet life at the Mount Yoda fortress, tending his greenhouse of medicinal plants, rare herbs, and flowers.

All security checks between the north tower and Sublevel D-13 were temporarily suspended, in order to permit Threepio and Baji immediate access to Fandar’s lab. Baji examined the patient. Then he said:

"Fandar’s right heart pumps on

But his left one is nearly gone

Transplant another heart with no delays

Or death shall come in just three days."

"We’ll need a heart donor then," Fugo said. "But I’m the only other Chadra-Fan here on Dagobah. I would gladly sacrifice my own life for Fandar, but-" Interrupting, Mon Mothma turned to Han and asked, "Can the Millennium Falcon still make it to Chad in twenty-five standard time parts?" she asked.

"Less time than that, probably," Han replied." Ever since the mechanics at Orbiting Shipyard Alpha installed a new Carbanti 29L electromagnetic package, the Falcon’s been flying like a dream."

"Good-it’s up to you to get Fandar back to Chad as fast as you can," Mon Mothma instructed. "Take him to the heart transplant center at Chadra-Fan Hospital."

"I’m going with you, Han," Leia said.

"We’ll take See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo along with us," Luke offered. "Threepio will make an excellent caretaker for Fandar while he recovers from his operation. And Artoo will be a reliable copilot."