4 BBY Empire Day — Christophsis — The journey through hyperspace hums smoothly, resonating through the hull of the Little Piggy. As they drop out of hyperspace and into orbit around Christophsis, Arya feels an uncharacteristic peace wash over her—a stark contrast to the turbulence in her mind.
Christophsis, known historically as a battleground during the Clone Wars, has changed hands multiple times, leaving it scarred by conflict and exploitation. Now, under the Empire’s iron grip, it serves as a resource for their endless war machine. Tonight, however, the planet is alive with a different kind of energy—Empire Day festivities that promise both a cover for their mission and an increased risk of Imperial attention.
The Little Piggy approaches the capital, Crystal City, a metropolis that sparkles with an unnatural brilliance under the setting sun. The ship docks in a less conspicuous part of the city, an industrial quarter bustling with activity yet sufficiently mundane to avoid any unwanted scrutiny.
“Remember, we’re here for a shipment of restraining bolts,” Porkins rehearses, his voice steady despite the gravity of their clandestine operation.
With a silent nod, Arya confirms the readiness of the team, checking the fit of her armor. Beside her, Nora does the same, a silent affirmation of their readiness. Bistan grunts, his own weapons hidden within the folds of his rugged attire, and Weazel, their slicer, fidgets with a datapad, his eyes scanning through security protocols and maps.
The landing is uneventful. An Imperial official, bored and clearly more interested in joining the ongoing celebrations, waves them through after a cursory check. “Enjoy the festivities,” he mutters, barely looking up from his datapad.
Once the official departs, the team disembarks. The air of Christophsis is crisp. The Empire Day celebrations in the distance provide a haunting soundtrack as they move stealthily towards their target. Empire Day is a day of pomp and propaganda, but for many, it’s just another reason for a day off from the dreariness of daily life under Imperial rule. But for the team, things are different. The fate of a potential Rebel alliance with the Cloud Riders hangs in the balance as they disappear into the shadows of the city.
Arya leads the group, moving with purpose but careful to blend into the flow of the few civilians remaining in the district. Their destination is a nondescript facility, a mere fifteen-minute walk from the docking bay but worlds away from the safety of their ship. BD, Arya’s loyal droid, perches on her shoulder, scanning the surroundings with an almost imperceptible whir of its photoreceptor.
As they approach the facility, a lone Stormtrooper stands guard. Their presence is minimal compared to the heavy patrols Arya remembers on more critical worlds like Alderaan. Right on schedule, a disturbance erupts near the center of the festivities, which triggers an alert across Imperial forces. The Stormtrooper dutifully steps away from his post. It’s an advantage they need to exploit.
Weazel and Bistan maneuver a hover pallet loaded with cargo containers to the front of the building, using it as cover. Weazel sets to work on the door panel, his fingers moving with practiced ease. The door doesn’t budge. He pulls out a set of tools, pries off the control panel, and hot-wires the door. The door clicks and slides open silently—no alarms, no lights. They’re in.
The obviously Imperial facility is dimly lit, the air cool and sterile. They move through a vestibule into a large room filled with computer terminals and administrative clutter. The glass doors do little to contain the cold that seems to emanate from within.
Arya’s senses tingle—a whisper of something powerful, something ancient. She follows the feeling, leading the team deeper into the heart of the facility. They find a circular room dominated by a strange apparatus resembling a forge. A heavy machine with a glass focal point aims a concentrated beam of energy.
“Looks like they’ve been experimenting with crystal properties, maybe trying to enhance them for…” Arya pauses, her gaze fixating on the machine’s core where a small, blue crystal pulses with a contained light.
With precision, she carefully dismantles the machine, extracting the crystal and its mounting. Although she doesn’t understand the purpose of the machine, she surmises that whatever it does, it can’t be good. She sets herself to sabotaging it to ensure it won’t be used again—at least not easily used again. The crystal is pocketed securely.
Nora and Arya press on, leaving Bistan and Weazel to monitor the entrance. Further exploration leads them to a storeroom filled with canisters and crates. Arya, intrigued by the potential of what they might find, opens a few to discover an assortment of equipment—data pads, scanners, medical supplies, and industrial parts. At the far end, she spots the telltale sign of a turbolift.
Arya snaps her energy bow into the ready position and Nora draws her blaster while calling the turbolift. Moments later, the lift opens to reveal an empty car. They step in and press the button to take them to the level below.
The quiet hiss of the turbolift door breaks the silence as it opens onto a nondescript Imperial passageway. Nora starts to head down the longer corridor, but something compels Arya to examine a nearby door. Arya approaches the door and trains her bow on the opening. Realizing that Arya is not in her shadow, Nora stops, turns, and slides up next to Arya, adjacent to the access panel. With a mutual nod of acknowledgment, Nora taps the door access button.
To their surprise, the door opens to reveal a well-organized room filled with shelves of numbered boxes. A large workbench sits in the middle of the space with some crystal fragments arranged next to a set of precision tools. Arya is nearly overwhelmed by the level of Force energy that emanates from the room. Jackpot.
The two of them systematically rifle through the boxes, each filled with crystals of various shapes, colors, and sizes. While they seem like rocks to Nora, Arya senses energy in a selected few—she collects those crystals into a pile on the bench. In short order, they find the stolen crystal they sought and carefully place it in Arya’s satchel.
Arya continues to dig through the boxes and Nora divides the growing pile of stones into two bundles. Moments later, blaster fire erupts above them. The sound is sharp, a stark interruption to the eerie silence of the facility. They each grab a bundle and rush upstairs, arriving just in time to see Bistan and Weazel finishing off a small squad of Stormtroopers—no casualties on their side, thankfully.
With their mission accomplished, the team makes a swift exit, BD scanning for any follow-up patrols. They reach the Little Piggy without further incident, the ship ready to depart at a moment’s notice.
Back in orbit, Arya contacts the Cloud Riders’ flagship, the Aerie, signaling their success. The Cloud Riders are efficient and have provided the perfect distraction, their understanding of Imperial patterns proving invaluable.
The rogue mission has not only secured a significant victory against the Empire by reclaiming the stolen crystal and acquiring additional resources, but it has also solidified the fragile alliance with the Cloud Riders. Tayshin, in particular, expresses a newfound respect for Arya and her crew, acknowledging their bravery and commitment.
However, upon their return, the Alliance is less than pleased. The risk taken was immense, and the potential for catastrophic consequences had been high. Yet, as Arya presents the crystals to the Rebellion, including the critical blue crystal from the facility, their success is undeniable. With several crystals retained for her own use, Arya knows that while the mission had been unsanctioned, the rewards—both material and diplomatic—are invaluable to all parties.
The Alliance might frown upon their methods, but they cannot deny the results. In the shadows of their disapproval, a stronger bond has formed, one that promises new adventures and continued resistance against the Empire’s tyranny.