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:: An ongoing episodic story of fan-fic set after Episode VI Return of the Jedi, and inspired by George Lucas' historical draft concepts ::
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Episode XI unveils Operation Flag Unfurl !
31st October 2026 |
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The latest instalment to the Virtual Edition Episode XI sees the initiation of Imperial Governor Tagge's Operation Flag Unfurl....
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From out of the dark terminator that marked the furthest reach of sunlight splashing across the cratered moon, the squadron of Pan-Alliance starfighters swung into view.
The red-hued luminosity from the Ban-Thratax star cast a scarlet spectral shine over the hulls of the X-Wings and the A-Wings. The eighteen ships settled into a parade formation.
Inside the cockpit of the lead X-Wing fighter, the helmeted pilot glanced over his shoulder, and then reached forward to flick the open comms channel. He wore an orange flight suit with the emblazoned aurabesh letters identifying the Pan-Alliance Defence Fleet.
“This is Flag Commander T-01-37, to all wings, report in.”
A multitude of tinny voices in quick succession reported in, seventeen pilots all confirming they were ready.
“Remember we go in hard and fast, no fancy aeronautics. It’s a frontier colony, so we’re not expecting much in the way of heavy defence. But if anyone gets shot down, we are complying with Code Ten, no surrenders. Alpha wingmen stay close to me, Beta Wing target the factories, Delta Wing go for the storage depots, and Gamma Wing take out the landing pad station. Comm silence from here on in until we rendezvous back here. Let’s go.”
The lead starfighter accelerated, followed by the rest of the squadron, their destination the jungle savannah planet of Ban-Thratax Three.
On the sovereign world of Winsha in the Buckham Sector that neighboured Imperial Space, Governor Tagge’s shuttle had just landed. The Imperial Overlord stepped down the boarding ramp, his short purple cape blowing in the breeze, his olive-green military tunic spotless and without a crease.
Behind him appeared the tall slim lady with the mental docilator wrapped around her brown-haired head. Robbiee-Luiee wore her white utility suit and olive-green accompaniments. Following her marched two XP8 droidai, and a phalanx of eight stormtroopers.
The King of Winsha, a burly human with a large bristling beard, stepped forward across the open air landing platform and greeted them with a broad smile. He wore a blue and purple long coat with gold embroidery. His court advisors remained arrayed behind him.
“Good morning, Governor Tagge, and welcome to Winsha, we trust your stay here will be pleasant and ultimately congenial to the galaxy !”
Tagge smiled in return, though his eyes clearly did not.
“Thankyou ! I am looking forward to what the Imperial Empire and the Pan-Alliance can achieve today !”
“The contingent from the Pan-Alliance has already arrived. My staff will show you to your rooms, and then we can begin the Media Conference from 13:00 hours.”
The primary township of Ban-Thratax Three, like all the other habitations, was nestled on the edge of the jungle and the bush plains. The humid planet had one large ocean and two small ice caps, its land masses home to many voracious hunters and scavengers that encouraged the Imperial colonists to treat the areas outside of the protective fences with a healthy respect.
Recently, funds from the capital world Imperium had provided industrial investment and infrastructure projects, ensuring the economic survival of this colonial planet that marked part of the border line of Imperial Space and Pan-Alliance territory.
Under the pink-orange light of the parent star, the settlers had undertaken geological surveys successfully enough to confirm to their masters that the planet was worth developing further. Rather than simply utilising the new ground for colonial habitation, they could promote its use for specific ores and minerals.
To this end, modular mines and factories and storage facilities had been landed and erected in short time, and the initial workings had proven the surveys to be correct.
Such a success story was to be marked with a special Opening Ceremony in the town of Finnoppo Spess, and which now meritied enthusiastic coverage from the fledgling local news broadcaster, Ban-Three-Broadcasting, and in turn garnered the attention of the primary media outlet, Imperial News, based in Imperiant City. In a display of cordiality, an invitation had been sent out to the Central Holonet service on Coruscant to also cover the story of independent success by pioneers representing the legacy of the Old Empire as their philosophy re-aligned with the peacetime aims of the Pan-Alliance.
An independent transport ship reverted from hyperspace and swung onto an approach trajectory for Finnoppo Spess. Inside was a news crew from the Winsha station of the Central Holonet, assigned, perhaps grudgingly, by their superiors to cover the auspicious event due to take place.
The field director and lead reporter stood at the back of the cockpit, seeking inspiration to poetically inform the opening description of their introduction to Ban-Three. The holo-director was a tall male three-eyed Gran, while his female colleague was a blue-skinned tentacled Twilek.
The Gran’s stubby fingers gestured towards the planet’s twinkling atmospheric limb.
“Look how the orange and pink colours twinkle like diamonds, Shaki, isn’t that just divine ?”
Shaki nodded vigorously, her eyes bright and just as sparkling as the atmosphere below them. Her head lekku tentacles jiggled playfully.
“Oh, yes, indeed !” she trilled. “I can easily compose something sweet, something in juxtaposition to the verdancy of the jungle below !”
“Yes, yes,” nodded her director, “Something about the apparent softness, but that also masks the dangers of the wildlife.”
Shaki clapped her hands together in delight.
The voice of the dark-skinned human pilot cut in as he spoke to the traffic control planet-side.
“Finnoppo Spess Traffic Control, this is Central Holonet Transport Seven-Five-Nine requesting a landing clearance ?”
“Seven-Five-Nine, you are cleared to land on pad three.”
“Thankyou, we’re on our way in.”
As the transport shifted its attitude to line up on the township below, a proximity alarm sounded in the cockpit, causing everyone to jump. Eighteen Pan-Alliance starfighters accelerated past them at high speed, all vectoring in towards Spess.
“What the ?!” cried out the Gran director as Shaki yelped in shock.
“Those fighters seem to be at attack speed ??! What’s going on ?!” announced the pilot.
With three eyes always looking for a story, the Gran jabbed forward a finger.
“Follow them ! Something’s going down, and we need to see it !”
“Yes sir !”
The transport pitched and then accelerated in the wake of the starfighters.
Below, in the township of Finnoppo Spess, a crowd of multi-race locals had gathered in the central plaza to listen to their mayor, a bulbous-headed Bith, announce the successful establishment of the mine, its processing factory, and its storage facilities. An initial six months of hard work had paid off and precious ores were being sent out daily to Bastion. A makeshift stage bore the mayor, and to either side facing him were the two broadcasters, Ban-Three-Broadcasting and Imperial News.
“And it is to the credit of the good people of Spess, our people,” announced the mayor, “that we have been able to sink this mine, and turn it into a profit making operation within two seasons ! Every day, our friends at the Bastion Moon gratefully receive the precious ores that Ban-Three is proud to give up.”
The onlookers all cheered.
“With your own hands do you provide for your Imperial Realm ! The Confederation will continue to grow and flourish, and we, along with our sister colonies, will ensure it becomes totally self-sufficient !”
The crowd, many of them novice miners themselves, whooped triumphantly.
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| Nathaniel Reed, 31st October 2026 |
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