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((Doomsday, no offense, I wasn't trailing you. You'll notice my demands are for neither jedi, but your presence will probably demand my interaction.))

Shuttles had left with air cover as they went down through the atmosphere. There were about ten troop transports, each covered by four fighters, which landed in a perimeter around the mining colony. It would seem most logical they do this, while seemingly overkill, it would establish a base camp around the colony itself, but also allow for a source of information.

As the first platoon moved out, Veers was notified. He was under full command of the exploration, but he also retained command of the ships in part defending their position. While it was unlikely they would encounter fugitive jedi here, Ferno himself had ordered no ship leave under any circumstance, and make sure that no escape would be possible for smugglers, either. The caves of Ilium would provide lightsaber crystals for jedi, and the ability to smuggle them off would make them somewhat valuable.

Ferno had missed the fact that many Jedi could also synthesize the very crystals, a fallability on his part. Yet, it is possible to say that he was accounting for the stupid boldness of several younglings who did not have this power to pull such a stunt. However, his justification meant little in the overall scheme of things.

Veers had taken point of the location of this planet, a harsh world unto itself, as a perfect spot for hidden bases and rogues itself. But, unbeknownst to Veers, an officer nearly 130 years ago had pointed out that there are many unchartered settlements in the galaxy, and to root out each one full of smugglers and pirates would waste valuable time and resources of the empire, when there are full fledged rebellions about.

Ferno seemed unlike himself, however. His robes seemed to move unnaturally, as if there was a wind inside the ship, but Veers could sense nothing besides a very wintry chill that made his breath frost whenever he exhaled. At least on the planet, the chill would match the surrounding ice.

"He senses something. Something which he hasnt' felt for quite sometime. It is quite rude to stare, Admiral." HM noted, as he prepared to uplink to the computer systems of Ferno's fightercraft. Veers took note of the comment, as he ordered the point defense craft to be alert for shuttles. The ISD began to charge up its tractor beams, partially to help recieve incoming shuttles from the ground.

~~~~

On the surface, the first platoon had broken into a squad and begun to inquire about shelter and food, and compensation would be given from the empire if full cooperation had been given.

Another platoon had begun surveying the surrounding area from a set of rocks recently covered in snowdrift. Nothing had seemingly come up, but a report back to the ship was still required.

Freya then grabbed her comm. "Hey, Gorry! Totally warm those engines up, and, like, be sure to tell Chen to get his guys ready to leave. As for me, I managed to hire a couple new guys on the way to the palace."

It seemed as though she were talking at about a mile a minute. "I so totally want to take off the split second that I get in that cockpit. I mean, it's like totally Mega-Sith Central around here!" she continued, her annoyance at the currently encountered Sith that she'd encountered.

Still, Freya managed to get in a laugh, and turned her attention to Zell and Nat. "So, like, here's the deal, dudes: you watch my back on the ground, and I'll so totally do the same for you in the sky. So, does that sound, like, totally mega-fab to the max, or what?"

"Mr. Hawg is currently busy," said the droid moving its head round to get a full view of her. "prehaps if you leave the item here, i can call you when he gets time." said the droid reaching out for the bundle, arm jerky do to poor mantainence. "Oh no dear, you don't get this until i get what i want, i need info and i think you may have it." she said moving behind the desk.

Hiko smirked confidently as the man walked away.
"The whole might of the Empire could not stop me if they tried. Not that it would matter. There would be nothing to prove by it. Enjoy trying to take off with the Imperial Battle wagon in orbit. I imagine your last moments of your stupidty ridden life will be filled with much flaming death and pain. But thats what happens when you attempt to leave the Ranks of the Sith."
Hiko turned to march to his Hut, pushing through the snow to reach the dwelling.
There was little doubt now. He was coming.
He entered his hutt briefly, emerging moments later with a Vibrosaw in hand.
He began hiking back to the caves to await Ferno's arrival. It would prove to be a fateful reunion.
He vanished into the snowdrifts like a wraith moments before the Stormtroopers made their final aproach on the colony.

"Nat is very trigger happy, and can shoot anything down"Zell said as he waited"But I am a sniper" "And a damn good one at that"Nat cut in. Zell turned to him as if telling him to shut up"As I was saying, I'm a sniper, and I only shoot once, so I don't think I'm one to gun for a ship"

Zell gulps and whispers something before following Nat into the Ship. It isn't to late to turn back, but I haven't done anything in weeks, I need something to do other than travel places Zell thought as he saw the ships interior.

A week after the Nemesis returned and was retrofitted, Elladan was quite pleased to find out that Vaan had taken up residence in his Dominion of the Hand. His forces were hardly threatening to him, especailly since his forces were ON LOAN to him. However, when he heard that the state was being dissolved into something more official, Elladan thought it prudent to offer assistance however was needed.

In one of his conference-reports to Vaan's officers...

I'm aware of certain political struggles within your plot of space. Old scuffles aside, I'd like to offer assistance in any way that'd help.

On a side-note, my contacts are willing to pay for any information you have on Imperial trade in the area. My sources tell me they're shiting their supply lines, but if you know anything, I'd be happy to exchange a squadron for it.

~

"So, how many do we have complete?" the Mandalorian commander asked the head Loyalist technician in the Mandal Cloning Facility.

"Aside from the experimental batch, we have fifteen thousand confirmed clonings." Colonel Stark replied, donning a white uniform, designating him as chief researcher. "Two-thousand of which are working off-planet, three-thousand out-system, four thousand employed on base, and the rest in training."

"How are your rations handling?"

"Well enough. Most of the clones get fair meal-sizes, especially on bases, but I'm more concerned with future crops."

"What about?"

"Well," he shrugged. "If we're to keep upgrading the facilities and production, we'll basically need more of everything: food, ysalamiri, room, ra material, etc. My quota's set for batches of twenty-thousand per month by the end of the year."

The Mandalorian, Dremel, whistled. "That's a lot. Soon, they'll be more of your clones running around then us."

"Probably, though if any more systems join us, the numbers will be more even."

Making his way inside Red searches the remains in hope of finding anything valuable. Noticing the remains of a robed figure Red makes his way over.

"Something hanging on his side. Let see what this person was carrying."

Taking the object off of the corpse Red reacognizes what he has found.

"A lightsaber? What was a Jedi doing way out here I wonder? Guess I better get back to my ship & see if R4 has found any info on this ship."