I am headed out after work to Gen Con 2007!  Will drive out to my brothers in Indiana and stay the night at his place, then head up Thursday morning.  I’ll see some of you there!

Chris Field is starting his own imprint for PDF releases in partnership with Skortched urf’ Studios.  He has several releases on deck, and the first one will be out by weeks end.

The Otherverse Games Logo:

Well, the merger between DriveThru and RPGNow is (mostly) completed.  I noticed a few things that will need tweaking.  (No custom category images are displaying, among other small items.  No sense complaining or getting all hot-and-bothered; I’m sure all these things will be addressed once the “Big Stuff” gets sorted out.  Overall I am happy to see the merger of the code, and hope it will streamline selling on the two sites.

We have some big things happening in August!  We will see the first release (of many) from Chris Field under his Otherverse Games imprint.

Chapter 5

For years they trained and practiced, growing in strength and skill. Learning the secrets of the Sith. Any sign of weakness or fear was met with ruthless brutality. Those that could not rid themselves of such debilities, were killed. Strength, ruthlessness, and power, honed with wisdom, were rewarded with more knowledge and advancement in the academy.

Yin, Momla, and Eevie excelled at the curriculum, but Shar struggled against himself. Constantly undermining his own success with guilt and uncertainty, he showed just enough determination and potential to keep Lord Trado from killing him as a failure.

They excelled at the Force, martial, and saber arts. Striving for greater power, they devoured the knowledge given them. Yin, Momla, and Shar became allies. Recognizing that the increased strength their alliance gave them against common rivals, allowed them greater ascendancy in the power of the Dark Side.

Eevie had taken to Pak’s offer with some success. A Zeltron, Eevie was predisposed to earning favor anyway, and found it easy to do so with Pak, and even some instructors.

One day, twelve years after beginning their training, Darth Bellator walked up to them at the end of saber class. They each immediately knelt on one knee, head bowed, “My lord.”

“You have done well, my students.” he said, as they heard a metallic clanking in the hall and looked up to see Lord Trado and his vicious droid Empy enter the training hall. Lord Bellator smiled as they saw this and said, “Your training now enters another phase. Prepare yourself for battle.” then turned and walked to the challenge circle.

The droid gave a courtesy, “My lord.” as he marched directly into the circle and the radiant blue blades of his lightsaber staff snapped into life.

Lord Bellator looked at Momla, “You will be first. You will use your lightsaber for this test. You will block the attacks only. You will not attack. Block three times to pass. If you don’t, and you are not already dead, you fail.”

Momla strode into the circle, drawing his lightsaber and igniting the emerald blade.

Lord Bellator stepped out of the circle, “Begin.”

Immediately the droid brought up the lower blade of his staff in an upward strike at the Ithorian’s groin. Momla felt the attack coming in the Force and angled back on his feet as he brought his blade down to meet Empy’s with a pop. He immediately pivoted to the side and dropped to one knee, giving himself room enough to swing the saber up flat over his head and meet the second energy blade, as the droid brought the upper edge down at him.

Empy brought the lower blade around in a strike at the Ithorian’s back, Momla pushed off of his back foot. Coming up as he swung his lightsaber back down, he just caught the blue blade before it cut into his spine.

Empy stopped and went back to a ready stance. Lord Bellator looked to Yin. Momla bowed to Lord Bellator and backed out as Yin entered and did the same. Yin rose, his blue saber blade springing forth.

Lord Bellator nodded, “Begin.”

Empy shot forward with a stab to Yin’s gut that caught him by complete surprise. Anger flared, and everything went into slow motion. He watched the lightsaber closing with him and raged at himself. Furious that he should fail now, he instinctively called upon the Force. Wrenching his destiny back from the precipice, Yin fueled himself with the Dark Side. His body moved with an unnatural quickness, and caught the blade mid way.

Empy brought the second blade down at Yin’s shoulder, but the Kel-Dor was filled with the Dark Side now. He batted the stroke away almost before it was made. Empy tried a low sweep with his staff, but Yin’s blade was already there.

Empy went back to the ready position. Yin extinguished his blade and bowed before Darth Bellator, before leaving the circle.

Lord Bellator looked to Shar, “And the last.”

As he rose and walked to the circle, Darth Bellator held out a practice lightsaber for him to use. Shar felt a pang of jealousy and embarrassment that he was the only one without his own lightsaber. It immediately reminded him of that choice on the Jedi vessel, and his weakness. He would show no such frailty today. Shar took the lightsaber and bowed. A crimson blade snapped out as he rose and pushed the activation stud. Darth Bellator backed out of the circle again, “Begin.”

Shar stayed focused. He used the Force and let it guide him. The first strike was parried before he realized it. The second was blocked with a quick downward swing that he followed into a low wide cat stance. Bending over at the waist almost to the floor, Empy’s blade cut the air above his back.

Shar got up and Empy shut down his staff and stood back as Lord Trado approached the three students, “Your skills have grown, but I wonder, has your competence?”

Yin, Momla, and Shar, kneeling, all replied as one, “Yes, lord.”

Lord Trado raised a brow, noticing the certainty with which the Umbaran had answered, ” We shall see. I am giving you your first mission. Tednal Corga is a Crime Lord operating somewhere in the Outer Rim territories. Lord Krayt wants him dead. Find his base of operations and kill him. Leave no evidence exposing the Sith Order. Wipe out all other’s there save one; a Feeorin named “Rav”. He is to be the only one spared. Be certain he knows exactly who it is that spared his wretched life, and by extension, who now owns it.”

Bowing their heads, they replied, “Lord Krayt wills, and we obey.”

“Indeed.” said Lord Trado, turning to leave, “Do not fail me.” He stopped next to Empy’s shoulder and said in a hushed tone, “Go with them. Insure the mission is done correctly, if need be. Report to me on the execution of their task.”

*   *   *   *   *

Within the hour, a Firespray-31 rose from the spaceport and shot off into the atmosphere. Yin piloted the ship to the hyperspace jump point at the edge of the system, Momla sitting at his side in the co-pilot’s seat searching the long range sensors to ensure they were not discovered by any in-system traffic. Korriban was considered a dead planet by most of the galaxy and largely forgotten… but some remembered. The fact that it was the birth place of the Sith, ensured that every year a certain number of archaeologists and treasure seekers went “missing” after visiting the planet.

In the main hold, Shar and Empy sat at a terminal, using the holonet to compromise numerous Galactic Alliance and planetary system law enforcement databases. Empy activated the comm, “Tednal Corga is noted as awarding bounty contracts on numerous wanted organics. Starforge station is mentioned as the point of origin for the contracts awarded. No definitive location regarding the organic “Rav”.”

Yin turned to the nav computer and calculated the coordinates for the necessary jump to Starforge Station. The Firespray shot forward and disappeared into hyperspace.

Built on a nameless planetoid tumbling through the Starforge nebula seventy years before the Galactic Civil War, Starforge Station looked less like a mobile space station, and more like a massive hanger and small city built into a gigantic asteroid. Since it’s construction, it’s served as a shadow port for the black market and other illegal activities across the galaxy.

For decades the Empire, New Republic, Imperial Remnant, and Galactic Alliance had each tried to find and destroy the smuggler’s haven. But Starforge Station was just valuable enough to each of them to keep the earnestness of the effort half hearted, at best. When the occasional crusading admiral did try to destroy the station, it would simply jump to safety in the heavy clouds of the nebula. The relative safety, neutrality, and success of the station meant that hundreds of thousands of criminal and less than noble elements and organizations, made use of it’s services. And though they could not know it, another organization was about to be added to that roster…the Sith.

“Unknown vessel, identify yourself. What is your purpose here?” a gruff female voice warbled over the comms, as the Firespray emerged out of hyperspace heading for the station.

Momla replied smoothly, “This is the “Nomas”. We were told this was the place to find work.”

The voice warbled again, “And what work would that be, Nomas?”

“Bounty hunting.”

“Starforge Station is a secure location, Nomas. How did you find it?” she asked.

Momla thought for a moment, “We were referred by Saesee Tiinn.” Yin looked at him, grinning beneath his breath mask.

After a moment of dead air, she said, “Continue on your present course. You will have berthing at dock 129.”

Yin said, “It seems they had a similar name on their lists. Unfortunate. That will make things…easier.”

“Don’t lose hope, my friend. You may get to kill someone yet.” replied Momla as Yin took the ship in on it’s approach.

The Firespray breached the atmospheric shield and settled gently on the metal decking. The access ramp extended as two station security guards approached the unmarked ship. They took an involuntary step back as the first thing they saw was the imposing MP5K marching toward them. Glittering metal and deep black cape, combining to make it seem as though part of the star filled blackness of the void had come in with the ship. They took another step back as the droids companions followed after him.

A humanoid, with his skull marked in white and black. His red and yellow eyes all the more profound, set within the pitch background of a surrounding tattoo. He wore a long, intricate, feathery looking cloak, the exotically hued purplish white garment lending him an even more disconcerting aspect. A Kel Dor followed, with the faceless breath mask indicative of his species, but of a golden metal, set against the blood red hue of his tattooed skin. His black robes billowed softly as he strode down the ramp.

Finally, and probably most disturbingly, thought the guards, an Ithorian. Disturbing for the way the alien looked and carried itself. Yes, they had seen Ithorian criminals and bounty hunters before, though rarely to be sure, but this one went beyond even that extreme. It’s skin was tattooed the deep blood red of the Kel Dor’s, with what looked like black tribal or gang markings on top of that. It had the same yellowish red eyes of the humanoid, and walked with the same deathly purpose as the others. The creature seemed to be a complete contrast to the pacifist, cordial, stereotype.

Indeed, though the two guards had seen many of the worst and most dangerous creatures and aliens in the galaxy over their years of service, they had never experienced a group of beings that seemed to exude death and evil so completely. They felt cold and wrongness in the presence of these “things”. Even the droid felt dark.

Unease crept into them as the Kel Dor approached, “Your cantina, where is it?”

“Take the lift up to deck twelve.” said one of the guards, leaning slightly away from the Kel Dor. “We were sent to have you, uh, log you’re vessel, to…uh-” Yin stood there, silently staring at the guard. “We’ll log you in, so you can go to the cantina.” said the guard, “What name should we enter? Sir.”

The group turned and started toward the turbo lift as Yin said, “Miao Yin.”

The turbo lift opened and they were immediately assaulted with the offensive odor of a multitude of unwashed races. What passed for music in Ado sector blared across the room. Which along with the odor and various bodily noises of the clientèle, was pushing the Sith’s rage dangerously close to the surface. They pushed their way to the bar, where an Ithorian bartender was taking a nefarious looking Deveronian’s order.

Momla said to the bartender, “We’re looking for Tednal Corga.”

The Ithorian handed a glass of some pungent smoking liquid to the Deveronian, “You looking to pick up of drop off?”

“What do you mean?”

Looking rather irritated the bartender replied gruffly, “What do mean “What do you mean”?! Listen, you karking murglak, are you trying to pick up a bounty or collect on one?! Come on schutta, I’ve got paying customers here!” He looked over at the Sith for the first time, and his demeanor immediately softened. The Ithorian made a burbling noise that was the equivalent of a human smile, “You’re looking to business with Corga, you want to see Drogis.” He pointed to a corner table with a particularly ill tempered looking Dug surrounded by females, and some thug underlings standing around.

There hands slipping towards there blasters, the thugs became marginally more alert, and allot more nervous as the disturbing strangers walked up to the table. Drogis sipped his drink and asked, “What can I do for you?” apparently not nearly as intimidated by the Sith.

“We were told you are the one to see about Tednal Corga.” Yin said.

“Why would you want to see Tednal?” asked the Dug.

“We’re looking for work.”

“Got any experience?”

Yin replied coolly, “More than you could possibly imagine.”

Drogis examined them for a moment, “I’ll bet. Tell you what, I’ll give you a tryout. I’ve just been given a new contract. You fulfill it, and I’ll see about putting you on the list of preferred contractors.”

“Done.” said Yin, “What’s the contract?”

“A Duros named Lai Nim. He was last seen on Coruscant. Bring him back, alive, and it’s worth five thousand, and more contracts.”

Drogis watched as they left, “Interesting.”

The first impression Shar had of Coruscant, was that it looked like the perfect home for the Sith. Bedecked with so many lights, it’s surface looked molten from space. The amount of traffic around the planet was staggering, and as they approached the upper atmosphere, the sheer size of the planet covering city was awe inspiring. ‘I will rule this one day.’ he thought.

The voice of the Coruscant Defense Force over the comms broke his reverie, “Incoming vessel, please identify and state your purpose.”

“This is Capt. Miao Yin of the “Nomas”. We’ve had a major equipment failure. We are requesting emergency docking.” said Yin, trying to sound a little panicked. He hoped the carefully planned “failures” that their protocol and astromech droid, D1-CK and H0-LE respectively, had instigated would be convincing.

“Proceed on present course. Emergency berthing granted at Hydian Way docks.” came his answer.

Their initial inquiries into Lai Nim showed he had last used his credit to book passage with Hydian Way charter service on Coruscant. In order to find out to where he booked passage, they needed to access the financial database. An isolated computer bank kept on Coruscant.

Yin brought the ship in a little faster than normal, and set down with a ‘THUMP!’

Emergency crews ran out to the ship and started their various diagnostics and repair routines. D1-CK, H0-LE, and Shar descended the ramp and began talking to the crew chief, keeping his attentions on the front of the ship. Meanwhile, Empy, with stealth belying his build, went to the dock offices and hacked into the company database. After a few minutes, he disengaged and walked out to Shar, “Recopia. The island of Altal.”

Shar turned to D1-CK and H0-LE and nodded. The astromech droid went to a panel at the side of the ship, opened it, and turned a regulator.

“What the hell?” said the confused crewmen, as all of the diagnostics suddenly went to green.

Shar walked over to the crew chief, “Thank you for your time. How much do we owe you?”

“Uh, 300?”

Shar handed the credits to the bewildered man, and left without another word.

Covered with sulphuric oceans and poisonous and corrosive clouds, Recopia’s only attributes of importance, were it’s galactic location, and the relative anonymity living on such a world provided. Huge towers of land, eroded until only the sturdiest of rock remained, jutted into the sky. Some, more than a mile in height, breaking the deadly cloud barrier and reaching into the more habitable atmosphere. It was upon these “islands”, that those who lived on Recopia made their homes. Travel could only be done by air, so even the most rural of settlements had at least a rudimentary airfield. Such as the one on Altal, to which Yin now piloted the Firespray.

It was still night, and none of the island town’s citizens were up and about yet. The ship landed silently, and Empy was first off, going to the only other transport at the dock, a run down air skiff, and sabotaging the vessel. On command he could now cause the ship to explode by remote. If Lai tried to escape, he would now find it exceedingly difficult. The others scouted the island to be sure there was no other avenue of escape. Once they were certain, they waited.

Jerl Vanh woke up with a groan and smashed his fist into the alarm. He let out a sigh as he thought very seriously about just going back to sleep. He hated his job. At least the hours and the location, anyway. Recopia. ‘How the hell did I end up here?’ he thought for the millionth time. He used to have such dreams, piloting a star fighter for the GA, maybe even command on a Defender. He had some skill. He had no doubt about that, but it never happened. Sometimes he felt trapped. He loved his wife and his daughter, but he wondered now and then what his life would be like if he just left and never came back. Dropped all his responsibilities and took off for a new life.

Biggest mistake he ever made was writing it down in a journal. When his wife found it, he spent the next week explaining that he loved her and would never leave them. It was just him thinking ‘what if?’ Though, if he was honest with himself, it was more than that.

But those were dreams and this was reality. Another day of getting up before the sun to ferry people to get food, and parts. At least it was honest work. And he still had time. He wasn’t that old yet. He could keep saving and maybe one day buy a second skiff. He could teach his daughter how to pilot it and build from there. Maybe it wasn’t much by most people’s standards, but at least it was hope. And he did love his family. Jerl wanted them to have something better, too.

‘Well,’ he thought as he swung his legs over the bed and made his way to the refresher, ‘no time like the present.’ If this was the lot in life he would have to work with, then so be it. He stepped into the refresher and the warm water played over him as he thought, ‘I’m going to start turning things around starting today.’ He shaved and ate a bit of biscuit and meat left overs. ‘Today is going to be different, I can feel it’ he thought as he walked outside and locked the door behind him quietly, so as not to wake his wife or daughter. Jerl walked off into the dark early morning with the spark of hope.

As the sun broke the horizon, Jerl saw 4 silhouettes at the dock next to his skiff and a ship on the landing pad. From the looks of it, it was an old Firespray-31. He hadn’t seen one of those since his Navy days, a smile crossing his face as memories flooded back. Still wearing the smile, Jerl walked up to the group, “Good morning. My names Jerl Vanh, proprietor of Vanh’s Van service. What can I do for you gentlemen?”

Shar stepped forward, “We are in need of replacement parts for our ship. Would you be able to give us transportation to an island to get them?”

“S-sure, I can do that.” Jerl said, a little taken aback by Shar’s unsettling appearance. He squinted to try to see the others, but the sun behind them made it impossible. “When would you like to go?”

Shar said, “Soon. We’re here looking for a friend.”

Jerl walked over to the skiff and started the prep work, “Oh? Well, let me get the skiff going and we’ll go get those parts so you can find your friend.”

“Have any Duros come here recently?” asked Yin impatiently from behind Shar.

“Sure, we get some now and again.” he replied, disengaging the power coupling to the skiff.

“We’re looking for Lai Nim.” Yin pressed.

“Lai?” Jerl asked, putting the coupling hose away, “Sure, he moved in to the house right there not to long ago. We could get your parts and be back in time for you to see Lai by breakfast.”

Finished with his prep work, Jerl walked over to Shar, “So mister, ready to go?”

“Uh, sure.” replied Shar a little uncertainly. Momla walked around the skiff with an annoyed grunt.

Jerl smiled brightly, “Great! How many of you are going? The rate is 30 creds per passenger, but that is round trip.”

Shar said, “Three of us, I guess?” turning to Yin with a questioning look. Weak, thought Yin, sickened. He and Empy went toward the hab indicated by Jerl.

“Alright, that’ll be 90 creds total. Pay up front if you don’t mind, and we’ll get going.” Jerl said, as Shar produced a cred stick.

Jerl took the the creds, “Great, let me just- Unh!” he grunted as a red energy blade appeared over his shoulder and cut through his body in a swift stroke. Sliced through from his right shoulder to left thigh, Jerl’s upper torso slid apart with sucking sound and hit the ground with a wet thud. He looked up at the other half of his body, pain wracking his face as he tried to scream from his split lungs. Momla extinguished his lightsaber and stepped over the pieces of the dying man past Shar. He pulled one of the skiff canvas covers free and wrapped the dismembered man in the heavy water proof cloth. Twisting the end of the cloth and dragging it like a sack, he threw Jerl into the sulphuric mists below. He turned back to Shar and said with disgust, “You would walk a mile around a river, rather than take the bridge to cross.”

Yin went to the front door of the hab while Empy went around the back. He knocked on the door, “Lai Nim!” He knocked again, “Lai Nim!” Through the Force Yin sensed someone watching him. One of the neighbors. A woman. Careful not to look at her and warn her of his attentions, he made a mental note of her and her house. Yin reached into the Force, sensing his surroundings, looking past the hab walls. He sensed inside and saw Lai behind a wall, his blaster drawn, breathing heavy with fear. Yin drew his lightsaber and cut the lock free. The door hissed open with a motion of his hand.

Lai ran for the back and opened the door. There before him was a silvery droid swathed in a black cloak. Empy oozed evil as he ignited the azure blades of his lightsaber staff. Lai dropped his blaster and surrendered.

“Please, I’ll give you anything.” Lai begged as they took him from the hab and towards the Nomas. “I’ve got lots of money. That’s what they want me for, you know. I stole lots of money from them. It’s your’s, take it. You can have it. Just let me go.”

As they reached the ship and it was apparent money wouldn’t work, Lai started screaming, “Help! I’m being kidnapped!” “Please, he-Uh!” he grunted as Momla hit him with the hilt of his saber in the jaw. Momla then proceeded to beat Lai into unconsciousness.

Yin looked at Momla, then nodded toward a hab next to Lai’s, “The woman.”

Momla looked at the hab and marched off, his lightsaber in hand. Carra saw the red and black skinned Ithorian coming and panic overwhelmed her. She ran for the back door and threw it open with one hand, holding her swollen belly with the other. She heard the Sith coming around the house towards her so she ran into the alley hid behind some cans. She stayed deathly silent.

Momla stepped into the alley and slowly walked over to Carra. She couldn’t hide, he had sensed her the moment he looked at the hab. He walked over and kicked the cans away. Carra sobbed softly as Momla ignited his ruby colored blade. He split her from chest to groin, her body bursting like an over ripe fruit, and slicing her unborn child in two.

Momla went into Carra’s home and took the sheets from the bed. He wrapped the remains and threw them into the mists below the island.

He boarded the ship and walked over to the now concious Lai Nim, “You see? Because of you, now she’s dead.”