Carida

[Beth Andromina]

A solitary knock rang on the door to Sophia’s quarters. It was not followed by another, and if she opened the door there would be a delivery satchel holding somewhat expensive Karthinian Pizza and pasta from one of the local Caridian restaurants. Attached was a note. Written in hurried basic script and sent in image form.

 

If opened it read:

 

 

Hi, I know we didn’t exactly get off on the right foot so I took the liberty of scouring the rental database on Carida until I found you. I know you are busy as hell, and I had promised to buy you a drink, but they don’t deliver alcohol. Crazy right? Hope you like pizza, i’m about to launch off at Kashyyyk. Hope you are well, oh and also here. You can probably get something good for your research with this. I won it off a drunk agent in sabaaac. Still would like to buy you dinner or a drink in person next time i'm on dirt instead of deck.

 

Beth

 

Attached was a high level unescorted military grade access to the imperial archives and private records of the Ubiqtorate Library in the imperial citadel. Of which very few but the moff council and the military high command could access. The records were immense and unredacted, stretching back through Deton, Black, Thrawn, Palpatine, and Iceheart.

 

[Beth Andromina]

All across the planet the citizenry were nearly glued to their holoscreens. The news anchors stayed mostly silent as the scenes of absolute terror played behind them, only speaking to point out specific vital details to their eagre and frightened audience. The first scene was of the old capital of Coruscant, now controlled by the Galactic Alliance and the coming doom that threatened it. Thousands of ships fled from every departure angle, carrying the rich and wealthy or vital assets into the relative safety of space. Then there was the Grand Imperial Fleet, representing trillions of credits, hundreds of thousands of lives, the creme of the officer corps, and the Imperial Knights. All doomed to die and with them, the hope of the Empire.

 

Fear radiated on the planet as wives, girlfriends, children, and parents stared intently at the screens, searching for ship names and comparing them against garrison cards and praying that their loved one was not among the five hundred thousand.

 

But in the archives a message arrived for Sophia from a friend.

 

“Hi its Beth. You may have heard but we are trapped here on Kuat and we might not make it out. You know Carida is next right? Please get out of there if you can, perhaps we can meet again and I can buy you a drink. Anyways, may the uh force be with you because another soldier wants to use this terminal. Best of luck!”