Narrative for 706 - Written by Lieutenant General Corran Horn Jr. and Major General Bethan Leitbur ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sir, I just picked up a ship coming out of hyperspace, and then it disappeared from our radar." The Zephran Shipyard chief of security walked over and looked at the computer screen and brought up the log. After looking at it for a minute he picked up the mic. "Ewok Leader, our sensors picked up an X-Wing Class Starfighter coming out of hyperspace 10 clicks from our position and then it vanished." "We noticed it, Ewok 3 & 4 already dispatched to investigate." The two fighters interceptors were about 4 clicks from the location when all of a sudden a blip appeared on their radars about 1 click away. "This Ewok 3 to Ewok Lead, the fighter has appeared on our radar, but no visual cont.. WHAT THE HECK!" The pilot turned his head and saw the thrusters of an X-Wing passing him. Both fighters quickly turned there ships and pursued. "Ewok lead, we have visual confirmation, it is a black X-Wing fighter. The only thing that we can see is it's engines. It is heading for the base at top speed. We are pursuing" Corran could see the repair ships around the Prometheus and the platforms. He wondered what had happened, and whatever it was, it happened not long ago. Corran was concentrating so hard on he two he almost didn't see the two interceptors heading his way. He quickly moved his ship out of there flight path. he looked and saw them pursuing him. He quickly recognized the Ewok logo on lower front left of the cockpit. Suddenly two shots went flying past fighter. He quickly transferred his com system to the Ewok battle frequency. "Ewok Lead, why have you opened fire on me." "This is Ewok lead to unidentified fighter, how did you got this frequency?" Corran now realized that his radar jammer was still activated. He shuffled his hand onto a switch all the way in the corner of the dash. he watched the light flicker off. "Ewok Lead, I got the frequency cause I was the one who suggested this frequency, and please instruct your pilots to stop firing on me, that's an order!" "Un-identified fighter, what authority do you have to give me an order, and please identify yourself" "This is R2F lead, Identification code Alpha 253 Omega, that's my authority" The pilot quickly punched the ident code into his on-board computer and saw the profile of Lieutenant General Corran Horn Jr., the new Fleet Commanding Officer. "Ewok 3, this is Ewok lead, stop firing and escort General Horn to Shipyard Command. General Horn, I apologize, but you were unidentified and barley visible. How did you hide from our radars anyways sir." "Ewok lead, if you responded in any way in this situation, I would have had you transferred to some outpost where nothing happens and all the other pilots are young rookies. As for the Radar bit, maybe I'll tell you later." "This is R2F lead to the Prometheus" Corran knew that Captain Vedik would be on the Prometheus. Captain Zorbrek would never leave the Liberator, and Captain Vedik was even worse. Corran remembered Adam telling him that on Vendik's last shore leave, that he refused to leave the Prometheus. The only thing that resembled him being on leave was that he just didn't walk onto the bridge. "Go ahead R2F Lead" "Contact the Morning Star and have them send Colonel Nichos Katran over to here ASAP." "Roger" --------------------------------------------------------- A few weeks later....... It was a nasty turn of fate for General Horn that both of his superiors, General Fene and General Leitbur had been reassigned within days of each other. While General Fene now commanded the Intrepid Battle Group, a move he was not quite sure of the reason, and would be coordinating some with him concerning control of the Osiris Sector, it wasn't very pleasing to say the least. He had no idea what had become of General Leitbur, although rumor suggested that Admiral Rahj or even Ackbar himself had appropriated him for some special secret project or mission. It wouldn't be too surprising, as such projects and missions often required a commander who was both imaginative and thorough, and Bethan was both. Vender had always complained some of the man's cautiousness in many combat situations and in planning sessions, but Corran, being older than Vender and more experienced, recognized Bethan's cautiousness for what it was. Bethan was in fact though older than both of them, so it was perhaps something that even Corran had yet to fully grasp. Still, if the rumors were true, he wished Bethan all the best, as the man truly did deserve a true command at the level both Corran and Vender currently held. Falling away from his musing over abstract thoughts now though, Corran returned his attention to the large pile of datacards on his desk. It was nice to be able to move onto his new command ship in the Prometheus. It was not yet completely repaired and upgraded yet, but both the bridge and his office were both fully functional. It'd taken him a few days to arrive here in Zephran from New Trask, and then there was the business of acquaintening himself with all the little projects and plans that both General Fene and General Leitbur had begun to put into motion, although it was far more the former than the latter. For some odd reason Bethan had not written many plans down for Storm Wing, nor given much indication to his XO, Colonel Nasin. He knew the man had a great memory, but obviously he didn't leave many plans in the oft chance he might be killed. Either that or he simply made plans up as he needed. Intelligence reports made up the rest of the pile, and with the Prometheus being stuck in dry-dock for the foreseeable future, he didn't have much else to preoccupy his time as he didn't currently have more than a skeleton crew in the repaired sections of the Star Destroyer. About half an hour before he had read a report from the Colonel in charge of the Command Complex back at Aecreas informing him that a Senator had arrived and was demanding to speak with him. By the Force, did he hate politicians. It was most likely the same feeling for anyone of rank within the military who hadn't sold themselves out for advancement already. It was a soldiers job to fight, to defend those who cannot fight and, if necessary, die in that cause. For a soldier, it was an honor to stand next to his fellow soldier knowing that each other's lives were indebted to the other. Politicians though were about power and control. It was all about spheres of influence and position. There were of course some exceptions, Senator Organa Solo had fought in battles many times herself, and therefore was just as much a soldier as she was a civilian representative. But the one that had arrived he knew was not amongst the exceptions. No military training or service had been in this Senator's background, and in fact there was no evidence to even the witnessing of an actual battle. All of the power commanded by this Senator came from being a deputy chair on the Military Oversight Committee, and from what Corran could tell, this was just a publicity stunt to 'expose' some military blunder or incompetent commander to put on a resume, to gain more power back home. He supposed that half the population of Zephran being bothans didn't help his opinion of politicians either. He was not a prejudice person, but on one occasion he had met Borsk Fey'lya, and after hearing the Bothan Senator's opinions for a few minutes had a very bad taste in his mouth. That had been all of bothans that he had wanted to see, but Zephran had other ideas. While the Senator currently at Aecreas was in fact human, he still got that same bad taste in his mouth just thinking about it. Sooner or later he would have to face this conspirator, this venomous snake trying to wrap its coils around him before striking. It was not something he looked forward to. Perhaps Vender and Bethan had gotten out just in time. A chime from his desk told him that the most recent shipment of supplies was scheduled to arrive any minute now, and so Corran took the opportunity to leave this horrid desk of paperwork to stretch his legs some and enjoy the view from the bridge. Stepping through the door to the bridge now, he glanced out the window to see a slight flash of light as the freighters exited hyperspace. That's when the alarm went off. The bridge crew was small, makeshift even, as most duty positions were not, as of yet, required on the bridge and could be used for R&R that was desperately needed. Luckily his tactical officer was there monitoring incoming and outgoing traffic as well as today's installation of a pair of ion cannons on the starboard aft. "General, we have unidentified fighters and what appears to be a transport of some sort entering the system very close to the convoy. R-42's and Headhunters from the looks of it, and they are not answering our hails." "Great, does everyone know where and when our supplies are coming in?" He had hoped the attack by the Imperials last time would have been the last of it. "Well sir, there are only two routes from New Trask to Zephran, and one of them is far more cost effective. With our current budget we..." "Nevermind Lieutenant, scramble whatever we can, and don't let whoever this is get away. I'd like to know who they are before I kill them." "Yes sir."