A CRY FOR HELP

STAR WARS - INTERLUDE NINETEEN
"A Cry for Help," written by Scott Bower and edited by Mark L. Stinson


As I stood there comfortably encased in my "acquired" Battle Armour , I watched Morgan and Ohmar working the communication instruments in the tower high above Milos. "I have the frequency set and am ready to send," Morgan said with a little glee in his voice.

Ohmar looked back over his shoulder at me and queried, "Kenai, where did you get the security codes to access the transmission programs. Without them getting our message out could have taken hours...hours we don't have?"

"They were found on a Hindar Officer that went down in one of our raids," I stated matter-of- factly. ("Nice story, short, not too complicated, they may not understand the truth. It is best to keep people from knowing how we are getting our information," I thought. "I still can't believe we got here so easy")

My mind retraced our path here. Eleven of our best men and me in the Twilight Guard power armour we got from our drained battery escapade. With Quinn, Morgan, and Ohmar in Hindar officer uniforms leading the way, we had followed Twilight Guard patrol routes up through the factory and to the Communications platform. The TG and Fendora-Bengala check points passed us through with the help of Quinn's 'suggestions,' with no problems. (My mind wandered again...were these MY thoughts...or HIS thoughts broadcast into my mind? "These Imperial troops though well trained and heavily Armored , have not seen any organized resistance, this unit appears to be made up of men who are the sons and daughters of well off Fendora-Bengala families who had a wild hair or are of the Bastard type. The Officers all the way up to the Commander were helped to their rank through donation rather than reputation, they are mainly a glorified Police force who can go home and show off their ribbons for these "Wars" they take part in.")

I spoke out loud, "They're going to have to earn this ribbon."

Ohmar looked back at me with a confused look. "Who and what do you mean?"

"Uh .. nothing, I was just thinking out loud," I mumbled. He shook his head and looked back to the system radar display he had been monitoring. (In my mind: "You could use a little more practice at lying.")

"By the Kib, I'm getting a garbled reply!" cried Morgan "It is clearly Mung's wish that none of us speak the Mik-Rik's language! I have no idea what they are saying!"

("Kenai...I don't speak Mik-Rik either...but I can...feel what they are saying. They will respond. I have no idea how long it will be, but clearly they are coming in force...a fleet of their giant hodge-podge ships. You have chosen you allies well. You may yet turn this battle to a positive result."

("The Force will make that a sure thing." I answered with my inner voice.) I felt that deep In my soul.

("Don't get to overconfident, the odds are still stacked against you. In fact you have company coming!") I barked outloud, "O.K., they have troops on the way, let's scramble! Evacuate the platform."

Ohmar stared at his displays and said, "What do you mean . I see no activity?"

Quinn closed his eyes for a moment and said, "Kenai is correct, we have been found out. But there is nothing on our portable sensors...by the dark side of Milos! Fast incoming troop ship!"

Quinn gave me a strange look to which I shrugged and shouted, "Come on Morgan, we have to move!"

Morgan responded, "Just another minute, I'm trying to use the translator on this message. Go on! I'll be right behind you."

I glanced around the room , and saw the three bodies of the Comm Operators Quinn had dispatched and the one netted to the wall by Morgan, before he could hit the alarm . His eyes were wide in terror and his muffled screams from his gagged mouth made me think of freeing him. ("He wouldn't give you such consideration.") There wasn't time anyway as I bolted out the door and joined the others on the down ramps . Looking back there was no sign of Morgan as my telescopic eye picked up the rapidly approaching craft. ("Dammit Morgan, don't be a hero," I thought.)

The jump troops were pouring out of the ship as it stopped and within seconds were on and around the Comm station with the transport dwarfing it from above. As the troops blasted in the door, the whole building and airship were engulfed in flames. "Noooo!" I screamed as memories of Ton-Kimble's apparent end flashed through my mind. ("A very impressive display of power, I never would have thought him capable.") With that a ball of fire burst from the inferno and appeared to arch slowly through the air toward our location. I was ready to dive for cover when the ball slowed and came to rest 10 feet before me, and as the flames died, Morgan came to light on the ground and brushed off his robes. "I don't think I want to do that again" He started falling forward as I caught him, he looked so weak and slender, as if expending the power had been both a mental and physical drain. As I picked him up his eyes slit open and he whispered, the translator said the Mik-Riks will respond...but I couldn't pin down exactly when...we've got a lot of work to do!"

Quinn guided us through the back access shafts that led to the sewer. "There's a leadership meeting tonight...plans to make...tasks to delegate...a Sector Power to topple!"

See you all on Saturday night (8/5/00)! 5:00 PM at Mike's house! As the game begins we will be in the leadership meeting...a list of tasks will have to be prioritized...and you will get a chance to decide which tasks to commit to...and which ones to delegate to others. Then the adventure begins! Mark L. Stinson

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