MARA JADE

March 16, Imperial Year 32, Minnacora System

The smuggler and Jedi apprentice, Mara Jade, lurched in her piloting chair as the Carrack-class light cruiser Thunderbolt, fired a salvo of turbolasers at her small freighter's weakening shields. Mara turned her ship hard to port then dived down to evade the stream of ion bolts that slashed past her previously position. The young woman brushed sweat from her smooth forehead as she spun to face the advancing cruiser and fired two concussion missiles from the launchers of her YT-2400 freighter Dark Hand.

The two flaring projectiles smashed into the Thunderbolt's shields, doing minimal damage. The cruiser returned fire and knocked Mara's ship into an uncontrolled spin, until she performed a series of rolls and began to speed away from the agile warship. Mara quickly typed commands into her ship's computer to begin hyperspace computations, then lurched as her vessel took another hit.

Aboard the Thunderbolt, Admiral Daala sat pensively in her command chair and watched out of the main window as bursts of laser fire rained down on the small freighter.

"Damage report on target," demanded the slim young woman.

"The freighter's shields are down to forty-percent. Estimate total shield collapse in thirty-five seconds," responded a male tech in the operations pit.

"Make it twenty-five seconds," said Daala coldly as the smuggler's ship took another hit to its main hull.

Aboard the Dark Hand, Mara struggled with the sub-light engines and tried to coax more speed from them as laser fire illuminated the cockpit.

"Buckethead!" screamed Mara at the top of her voice. "Get me more power to the engines!"

"At once, Mistress," replied a robotic voice from deep in the primary hull.

In the Engineering section, a black and red R2 droid attempted to shunt power from the weapons array to the engines, increasing the freighter's forward velocity. Mara performed another evasive maneuver as ion bolts slashed over her cockpit window. The Nav computer beeped, relaying that it had calculated a jump route. Hissing with relief, Mara pulled back on the lightspeed toggles just as the Thunderbolt smashed several ion beams into Engineering. Buckethead screeched in alarm as power conduits overloaded and exploded brilliantly. The entire freighter listed to port as it entered hyperspace and spun out of control.

On the Thunderbolt, Admiral Daala watched in alarm as the Dark Hand entered hyperspace, creating a multi-hued vortex of energy that began to suck the cruiser inside.

"Full power to forward shields! Full reverse on engines!" shouted Daala as her ship began to vibrate violently and list from port to starboard.

"We're caught in an extremely strong gravametric field!" reported a tech as the bridge crew frantically tried to extricate the ship from the vortex. "The engines aren't strong enough to pull us out!"

"Keep trying!" ordered Daala just before the Carrack-class cruiser propelled forward into the vortex and disappeared from realspace.

Mara Jade awoke with a throbbing headache as she slowly sat up and blinked her wide, green eyes. The cockpit controls were still active, but a quick diagnostic showed that the hyperdrive was off-line. Staggering to her feet, the lithe woman made her way slowly to Engineering and found Buckethead covered in burnt cables and hull supports. Mara dug out her droid companion, who beeped at her in appreciation.

The duo quickly assessed the damage to the sublight engines and began to make repairs. After two hours, the sublight drives were functional, and Mara quickly returned to the cockpit to plot a course. Sitting heavily in her pilot's chair, Mara finally noticed the Thunderbolt drifting in front of her, its power systems apparently off-line. Not taking any chances, the beautiful smuggler re-engaged the engines and flew the Dark Hand quickly away from the Imperial vessel.

Admiral Daala scowled in displeasure as she stood before a system console and examined the extent of damage to her ship. Engineering reported that main power would take three hours to restore, and all the defensive systems were off-line. Short-range scanners showed the small freighter making a quick exit out of the system, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"When I catch up with you, bitch, I'm going to enjoy making you scream for mercy," hissed the auburn-haired woman as she glared at the retreating freighter.

March 17, IY 132, Kochab System

"What?!" exclaimed Mara Jade as she reclined in a chair within her living quarters and sipped a brandy lightly.

"The Dark Hand has traveled forward in time about a century," replied the R2 droid calmly. "We appear to be in the Kochab System, on the other side of the galaxy."

"How could this happen?" asked Mara as she gulped down the rest of her brandy and quickly refilled her glass.

"Evidently the ion blasts that damaged the engines created some kind of temporal anomaly when we entered hyperspace. The resultant disruption hurled us through time and space to this location. Actually, Mistress, we're quite lucky. We could have been destroyed or stranded in hyperspace forever."

"My luck's been bad lately, but not this bad," muttered Mara as she took another long pull of brandy and lay her right hand against her forehead.

"Do you want me to continue repairs, Mistress?" inquired the squat, little robot.

"No, I need you here for awhile," replied Mara as she slowly untied her long, ponytail of red-gold hair and combed her lovely tresses out so they fell like water over her shapely shoulders and back.

Buckethead bleeped in resignation as the slender young woman unzipped her skintight, black jumpsuit and pulled the shear fabric from her naked body.

Mara returned to her seat and motioned Bucket over to her as she spread open her legs and licked her lips lustfully. Bucket opened a panel in his torso, and a large, vibrating dildo emerged and extended toward her reddish snatch. Mara moaned lightly as the droid caressed the rod across her warm pussy then gently inserted it into her cunt. The naked girl purred as the R2 unit plunged the vibrating cock deeply into her pussy and began pumping it in and out of her womanhood.

Mara's slim, shapely body twitched and jerked as she pushed her crotch harder onto the dildo and felt waves of sexual pleasure slam into her brain. She caressed and squeezed her round, full breasts as the droid fucked her with its hard, rubber cock. The girl panted for breath as the dildo probed her vagina and caressed her throbbing pussy. She grabbed the armrests of her chair for support as she thrust harder onto Bucket's cock and smiled hungrily. The red-haired girl orgasmed with a shout and a spurt of warm cum, then she knelt down in front of Bucket to lick its rubber cock clean. She moaned softly as she tasted her own love honey and sucked eagerly on the vibrating rod. She licked along the surface of the dildo, then rubbed the extender arm with her left hand as she returned to sucking wantonly on the tip of the cock. Bucket hummed excitedly as the naked girl stood up and turned her back to the droid, then leaned forward against the chair so her shapely, smooth ass thrust forward towards the robot.

Bucket bleeped as it rolled forward and stuck the warm dildo into her hungry pussy, thrusting deeply into her cunt as she moaned loudly and squeezed her tits. Mara fucked to rubber cock lustfully as she licked her engorged nipples and sucked on the fingers of her right hand. Sweat glistened on her creamy, white flesh as she humped the rubber cock and panted loudly, her moist, red lips pressed in a sexy pout as she pushed harder against Bucket's tool. Metal tentacles emerged from compartments in the R2's torso and wrapped themselves around the naked girl's heaving breasts, thighs, and slim throat. Mara smiled and moaned with pleasure as the metal limbs squeezed her breasts tightly and fingered her anus.

The rubber vibrator left her tight pussy, and an engorged metal cock pushed deeply into her cunt, filling her love hole with pulsating ecstasy. The girl screamed as she orgasmed again, luscious cum trickling down her slim thighs and over the metal penis. Bucket purred as it pumped its tool deeply into her sucking cunt, then inserted a tentacle into the naked girl's slack mouth. Mara moaned deeply, taking the limb into her warm, moist mouth and sucking on it slutfully, letting it push deeply into her throat. Metal limbs squeezed and caressed the soft flesh of her full tits as she rode the droid's cock and sucked eagerly on the rod in her mouth, licking its cold, metallic skin, then sucking deeply on the head. Bucket burbled as it shot coolant across her face and heaving breasts, then spurted warm fluid on her firm ass. Mara smiled lustfully as she licked the harmless fake cum from her chin and nipples, then rubbed her wet crotch with a delicate hand and sucked her fingers clean of jism.

"Now you can finish the repairs," whispered Mara as she leaned down to kiss Bucket softly on its dome, then flopped down on her small cot to rest.

====

March 18, IY 132, Kochab System

Mara Jade walked casually down the crowded streets of the metroplex until she reached the bar she was searching for. The lithe young woman entered the loud establishment slowly, scanning the room's rowdy clientele until she found a man matching the description she had been given. She made her way gracefully past small fistfights and groping hands until she stood before the man's table and placed her hands on her shapely hips. The man looked up at her and smiled crookedly.

"My contact didn't tell me how beautiful you are," said the man appreciatively.

"And my source didn't say how ugly you are," replied Mara acidly as she sat down opposite the man and glared at him.

"Harold Mudd, at your service," said the scruffy man as he reached out with an open right hand. Mara ignored his token courtesy and folded her hands on top of the soiled table.

"I heard you might know of some lucrative cargo to ship," hinted Mara.

"Indeed I do, fair lady. A very wealthy robot named Tom Servo runs an adult novelty service in the Syrma system. I hear that he's looking for a freight hauler to deliver some merchandise quickly to a neighboring system. Do you have a fast ship?"

"Yeah, I got a fast ship," replied the girl smugly.

"Good! I'll give you a letter of recommendation so Servo will know that you're trustworthy. Now comes the enjoyable part called payment" gushed Harold as he licked his cracked lips eagerly.

"I'll tell you right now that I'm not going to fuck you," said Mara distastefully.

"Too bad, I might have paid you extra. Oh, well, a blowjob will be sufficient."

"Fine," replied Mara with resignation as she stood up and followed the disheveled man out the back exit of the bar and into a garbage-strewn alley. The scruffy man undid his pants as the red-haired girl knelt down before him and waited impatiently. Harold pulled out his flaccid penis, and Mara quickly grabbed it in her delicate hands and began rubbing it earnestly.

Harold moaned softly as the young woman stroked his cock vigorously until it became hard and erect, then leaned down to lick the head softly. The man grunted with pleasure as Mara sucked softly on the tip of his rod, then licked along the shaft with her wet tongue. She sucked lightly on his hairy balls before moving back to the tip of his cock and plunging the engorged limb into her warm mouth. Harold moaned loudly as Mara sucked deeply on his cock and took it far into her throat. She moved up and down his penis with her tight, red lips, then sucked on the cock head before kissing the shaft to his balls. Harold ran his meaty hands through her long, red hair as she sucked hungrily on his testicles, then licked up his rod to the tip before plunging the member into her throat again. The man thrust his crotch against her lovely face as she sucked wantonly on his tool, then drank his cum as he orgasmed down her throat. Harold panted frantically and wiped sweat from his face as Mara Jade licked her soft, moist lips and stood up gracefully.

"I believe payment has been made," said Mara coldly before she left the man gasping in the smelly alley.

ISS Thunderbolt, Kochab System

Admiral Daala sat in her command chair and brooded quietly as her bridge crew finished coordinating repairs aboard the Carrack-class cruiser and brought the ship back to life.

"Engines are back on-line," reported a tech in the operations pit.

"Do we have hyperdrive capability?" asked Daala.

"Yes, but I would not attempt more than one jump for the next few days. The hyperdrive system still requires more intense repairs at a spacedock facility."

"I have just the place in mind," replied the young woman with a feral grin.

"I should inform you that our Nav computers report that we are not in the Minnacora system anymore. Stellar drift suggests that we've traveled into the future and across the galaxy," said the tech with awe.

"Where and when are we?" asked Daala in surprise.

"The computers say we are in the Kochab system. They also report that we've jumped ahead almost a century into the future."

"Do long-range communications register any Imperial broadcasts?" inquired the Admiral.

"Negative," responded the Comm tech.

"This could prove very interesting," muttered Daala as she lay her small chin on her right hand. "Helm, plot a course for the Ares system and engage hyperdrive when ready," ordered the auburn-haired woman.

"Aye, Mistress," replied the helmsman before the stars elongated into lances of light and the Thunderbolt hurled itself into hyperspace.

March 20, IY 132, Syrma System

The YT 2400 freighter Dark Hand emerged from hyperspace and glided smoothly towards the major inhabited planet, Syrma IV. In the cockpit, Mara Jade stretched her arms high over her head and yawned loudly. Putting the ship on autopilot, the slim young woman rose from her chair and walked to the small living section of the vessel. Buckethead, her R2 unit and companion, rolled towards her with a cool drink in its small claw. Mara took the drink gratefully and patted the droid on its dome before gulping the liquid down greedily. Licking her red lips with satisfaction, Mara gave the empty glass back to Bucket, then entered her quarters and began to strip off her skintight bodysuit.

Relishing her nudity, the red-haired girl went to her small shower stall and walked inside. She turned on a powerful stream of recycled water, and let the cool liquid wash over her beautiful body. The naked girl washed her long, red hair, and lathered soap on her round, full breasts and tight stomach. After rinsing, Mara scrubbed her back with a brush then lathered her right hand before rubbing it across her pussy. The girl leaned against the shower wall as she rigorously cleaned her sweet cunt, then inserted a finger into her warm snatch. Mara moaned softly as she plunged her slim finger into her throbbing pussy and probed deeply inside. The girl thrust her crotch onto her finger earnestly, then plunged a second digit into her tight love hole and explored her womanhood. She finger-fucked herself for several minutes as cool water washed over her heaving breasts and slim body, then she orgasmed with a shuddering moan and spurted cum on her questing digits. She removed her fingers slowly from her cunt and licked the sweet honey eagerly with her sexy mouth. Sighing in satisfaction, Mara finished her shower and left to sleep for a few hours.

When the Dark Hand entered visual range of Syrma IV, three agile A-Wing starfighters leapt from the world's surface to intercept the approaching freighter.

"Freighter, your IFF indicates your title as Dark Hand. What is your purpose in our airspace?"

"I'm Mara Jade, captain of the free trader Dark Hand. I've come to Syrma in order to acquire cargo from one Tom Servo, a merchant of your world," replied the girl calmly.

"Just a moment, Captain Jade," replied the lead fighter as they surrounded the Hand in a diamond formation. "You are cleared to land on platform A-13. Welcome to Syrma IV," said the pilot before his squadron accelerated past the freighter and re-entered the planet's atmosphere.

"Damned fighter jocks," muttered Mara as she nosed her ship towards the planet's surface and slowed her forward velocity.

The young woman landed her vessel without incident, and she inhaled the sweet air of the planet as she stepped off the landing ramp of the freighter. Bucket bleeped at her from the top of the ramp, and she quickly turned to address him.

"No. You stay here, Bucket, and guard the ship for me," ordered Mara.

"Yes, Mistress," replied the droid before it disappeared into the ship and the ramp screeched loudly back into the hull.

Looking her ship over quickly, the red-haired girl adjusted her belt with its blaster pistol and lightsaber, then walked resolutely off the landing pad and into the brightly-lit capital of Syrma IV.

Mara found Tom Servo's shop quite easily, and entered the large display room with its variety of merchandise. Sex androids in still poses stood on lit pedestals, while the walls and glass cases contained a variety of sex magazines and fucktoys. Mara examined an elf-like nude android girl with long, purple hair and wide, green eyes just as a small, squat, red robot hovered into the room and pinched her shapely ass with one of its clumsy hands.

"Hey!" exclaimed Mara as she spun to face the lecherous droid.

"Oops, lost control of my thrusters, there," laughed the little, sphere-headed bot as it backed slowly away to hover in front of the young woman. "Are you the trader, Mara Jade?"

"Yes, I am," replied the girl tersely as she rubbed her sore butt.

"Good! I've got the cargo all ready to go. I need you to take it to the Gatatea system, it's only one jump away."

"Is someone going to load it?" asked Mara.

"Yes, my assistant will do it. Crow! Crow!" shouted the little, red bot.

"Coming master! My only purpose in life is to serve you!" yelled back Crow sarcastically as a lanky, gold droid with a long beak and wire crest above its head stomped into the room with several boxes in its arms.

"I don't pay you to watch bad movies all day," retorted Servo as it moved out of the way and watched Crow follow Mara out of the shop. "Have a nice trip, Mara!"

====

March 21, IY 132, Freighter Dark Hand, Hyperspace

Mara Jade sat limply in her pilot's chair and gazed at the swirling, blue clouds of hyperspace as the Dark Hand flew towards the Gatatea system. The young woman yawned loudly, then lowered her shapely legs from the control console and stood up to go to the living area. She walked quietly down the short passage leading to the rec room, then programmed an order for fruit juice and a sandwich before sitting down at the only table and watching Buckethead perform systems diagnostics from a computer station.

"How's the cargo?" asked Mara.

"All containers are in position and held securely by grav fields," replied the R2 unit.

"Good. I think that I'll inspect one of the android units to make sure it's undamaged. Prepare to open container 224X-J."

"Is that a good idea, Mistress? I think that Mr. Servo will be quite displeased if you tamper with his merchandise," replied the droid.

"He won't be concerned if he never finds out," Mara shot back as she quickly wolfed down her sandwich and guzzled her juice.

Bucket sighed mournfully as it complied with its Mistress's command, then turned its dome to watch the lovely girl enter the cargo hold.

Mara searched among the many crates of goods until she found the label she wanted. She tested to see if the grav field was down, then carefully opened the container to examine its load. A beautiful, female android with long, purple hair and creamy, white skin lay within the crate. Her round, full breasts rose and fell smoothly as she slept, and Mara noticed her delicate, pointed ears. The android wore a shear gown that revealed her entire luscious body. The red-haired girl licked her lips lustfully at her prize, then she carefully lifted the petite, artificial girl out of her box. Grunting with effort, Mara carried the android out of the cargo hold and into the rec area. Bucket whistled alarmingly at her, but she ignored the droid and held her toy tightly as she entered her quarters and locked the door after her.

The young woman laid the android on its stomach, then opened the back of its gown so she could punch the activation sequence into the small pad built into its flesh. The android twitched as it became conscious, then the elfish girl sat up and blinked her wide, green eyes sleepily.

"Where am I?" asked the android softly.

"You're on the freighter Dark Hand. I'm shipping you to the Galatea system for sale," replied Mara as she watched the droid with awe.

"What are your commands, Mistress?" inquired the girl as she regarded Mara intently.

"Take off your gown," ordered Mara imperiously. The small girl smoothly pulled down her gown and threw it to the floor.

"Play with your breasts," commanded the young woman.

The android smiled shyly as she rubbed her pert tits softly then squeezed them tightly with her hands. Mara grinned with delight as the elf girl pinched her nipples to hardness, then licked across the tips of her breasts before she began caressing them earnestly.

"Open your legs and rub your pussy," ordered Mara.

The naked girl spread her thighs open, revealing her soft, purple-haired snatch. Removing her right hand from her breast, she lowered it to her crotch and began to rub her clit lightly. The elf girl moaned softly as she caressed her warm pussy then began to rub harder against her sex. Mara panted softly, rubbing her own neck and breasts before quickly taking off her jumpsuit as the girl fingered her cunt and leaned back against the bulkhead.

"Put your fingers inside your pussy," said Mara as she moved over to sit next to the reclining girl and caress her tits lovingly.

The android quickly obeyed and inserted a slim finger into her throbbing snatch, probing deep inside her sweet flesh. She moaned loudly as Mara leaned down to suck hungrily on her breasts, biting her nipples roughly. The elf girl panted loudly as her mistress licked the flesh between her breasts then moved up her neck slowly. Mara kissed the naked girl deeply on the lips, plunging her tongue past the girl's slack lips and into her warm throat.

The android girl moaned as she returned the passionate embrace of her mistress, caressing Mara's tongue with her own. Saliva dripped from the girls' mouths as their lips parted, then Mara returned to sucking on the android's tits. The elf girl plunged another finger into her wet pussy, then pumped them back and forth into her cunt, relishing the sexual pleasure that assaulted her slim body. Mara squeezed the girl's full breasts, then kissed the tender flesh of her stomach and thighs before she knelt in front of the horny android girl. Leaning down between the girl's open legs, Mara inhaled the android's sweet scent, then licked around the girl's thrusting fingers. The elf girl gasped as Mara sucked deeply on her pussy lips then plunged her tongue into the warm love hole. The android groaned with pleasure as she thrust her crotch onto Mara's lovely face and enjoyed the girl's probing mouth. Shudders wracked the naked elf girl's body as she orgasmed, spurting cum into Mara's open mouth. Licking her red lips wantonly, Mara resumed tongue-fucking the naked girl, holding her legs open with her hands. The girl's round breasts heaved as she gasped for breath, and sweat made her long, purple hair slick and sticky.

Sitting up from the naked girl's crotch, Mara jumped off the bed and ran outside her room. Buckethead spun around in surprise as its naked mistress shot towards the cargo bay.

"Release container 690T," shouted Mara as she entered the dark cargo hold.

"Mr. Servo's going to be really angry," muttered the R2 unit as it quickly complied with its orders. Mara re-emerged from the hold carrying a small, metal box, and she quickly ensconced herself back in her room. The android girl lay panting on the sweat-covered sheets as Mara opened the box and placed a lifelike rubber dildo with a harness around her shapely hips. The naked girl smiled lustfully as Mara knelt back on the bed and reached for her small wrists. The elf girl sucked softly on Mara's breasts as she handcuffed the girl to a metal ring at the head of the bed.

Kissing the naked girl passionately, Mara rubbed the cock across her wet, red lips, and watched as the girl began to suck slutfully on the dildo. The android girl sucked eagerly on the head of the cock, then licked across its shaft till she reached her lover's crotch. She licked back up the shaft with her soft, red lips and tongue, then she plunged the rubber penis down her graceful throat. Mara grabbed a handful of the android's long, purple hair and thrust her crotch hard against her fucktoy's face. The naked girl moaned as she sucked deeply on the dildo, making loud gulping noises as she lay helplessly in her bonds. The synthetic cock responded to the girl's tight mouth, and became engorged with arousal. The android girl tasted a trickle of its fluid as she clamped her lips tightly around the shaft of the penis.

Mara fucked the girl's warm mouth for several minutes, then gasped as the sensors on the dildo triggered an orgasm in her pussy just as the cock spewed hot cum into the bound girl's sucking orifice. Mara panted heavily and wiped away a strand of sweat-slick hair as she pulled out the cock and rubbed its jism-laced head across the android girl's lips and breasts. The naked girl moaned softly as Mara lay down next to her and hugged her beautiful body tightly.

March 22, IY 132, Galatea System

The Dark Hand emerged from hyperspace, and Mara Jade aimed the agile ship towards Galatea Prime. The freighter cleared the planet's few defense platforms, then entered its rich atmosphere. Landing at an approved site, Mara secured the ship, then disembarked to let a team of cargo handlers remove her freight. A thin official transferred funds into her credstick, then quickly left to supervise the haulers. Smiling in satisfaction, Mara stayed on planet long enough to replenish supplies and fuel, then quickly left the world and jumped back into hyperspace.

April 1, IY 132, Yavin System

Mara landed her vessel carefully in a large, forest clearing then walked quickly down the landing ramp with a satchel over her left shoulder. Buckethead began to roll down the ramp after its mistress till she spun to face it.

"Stay here and watch the ship, Bucket. Make sure the hyperdrive motivator isn't overheated," ordered Mara before she resumed her walk towards a towering stone ziggurat.

The slim, young woman took her time approaching the Jedi Academy, inhaling the sweet air and relishing the feel of soft breezes on her skin and hair. The young woman frowned slightly as she noticed how inactive the school was. No students wandered the grounds or studied under tall trees. The small landing pad for official ships and resupply was empty. Only Luke Skywalker's X-Wing remained on its pad, and it hadn't been maintained for months.

Mara slowed her advance and lay her right hand on the butt of her blaster pistol as she approached the entrance to the temple. She pushed lightly on one of the metal, double doors, and winced as it screeched on rusty hinges. The red-haired girl entered the entrance hall, and waited till her eyes adjusted to the stygian darkness. Using her Jedi senses, Mara walked slowly down the dusty, stone passage until she emerged into the main audience hall. Dust and spider webs covered all of the furniture and other surfaces, except for the stone throne at the far end of the room. Sitting within the chair was a slumped human form, which shifted slightly as Mara approached it. She gasped in surprise as she beheld the wrinkled, wasted face of Luke Skywalker, who regarded her blearily with blood-shot eyes.

"The Force is with you, Mara Jade. You may be the only hope of the Republic," wheezed Luke before he collapsed into a fit of coughing.

====

Four years passed in the New Republic.

Admiral Daala successfully invaded Ares Prime and seized its elaborate shipyard facilities. With the resources of Ares and its large population, Daala swiftly constructed a sizable fleet of Victory-class Star Destroyers and attacked three nearby systems. The lightly defended worlds fell quickly to the Imperial Admiral's blitzkrieg, giving Daala access to even more raw materials and labor. The New Republic attempted to send a relief fleet to liberate the Outer Rim worlds, but pressures by the Core governments blocked any kind of military maneuvers. The Core worlds wanted their own interests protected, they cared little if some primitive backwater planets fell to a petty dictator.

Mara Jade stayed on Yavin Four, learning the teachings of the Jedi from a tired and cynical Luke Skywalker. He told her about the failure of the Jedi Knights, how they were consumed in a war with the Shadow Academy. The Jedi Master had attempted to find more young people with a talent in manipulating the Force, but fewer and fewer seemed to exist. Fifty years after the Battle of Endor, almost all Force-sensitive sentients had disappeared, only Luke and the Solos' children could access the Force in any appreciative capacity. Filled with despair, Luke returned to Yavin Four and sulked within the ancient ziggurat that had once housed the Academy, dreaming of better days when hope had filled the galaxy.

Mara learned what she could from the bitter Jedi Master, and in her few free hours, she listened to hyper channel communications and monitored Daala's continued aggression within the Outer Rim. Four years after her accidental jump into the future, Mara frowned with concern as she listened to her comm system.

Admiral Daala's fleet had grown to almost Pre-Rebellion levels. She had almost complete control of the Outer Rim, and now she was moving against the Inner Rim worlds. A task force of three Victory-class and four Imperial II-class Star Destroyers was heading straight for the Yavin system. Mara jumped from her chair within the Dark Hand, then quickly ran down the entry ramp and towards the towering stone pyramid of the Academy.

"Luke, we have to get out of here!" shouted Mara as she entered the audience hall and stood panting before the throne where Luke Skywalker sat broodingly.

"Daala's warships are coming this way," whispered Luke coldly.

"Yes, how did you know?" asked Mara.

"I'm a Jedi Master. I've studied under Light and Dark Jedi, which gives me access to powers you couldn't dream of," replied Luke with a bitter smile.

"Well, if you want to stay alive long enough use those vast powers of yours, you better come with me back to the Dark Hand," spat Mara as she crossed her arms across her full breasts.

"You go, Mara. I'm staying here," said the Jedi Master as he reclined limply within the stone throne.

"What?! You're crazy!" declared the young woman with wide eyes.

"Possibly. I'm also very tired. Go, leave me," ordered Luke wearily.

"I can't just abandon you!" shouted the red-haired girl desperately.

"It's too late for me, Mara," replied Luke softly. "May the Force be with you."

Mara Jade pleaded with her eyes for Luke to join her, but the dark-robed Jedi sat silently in his chair, contemplating unknown mysteries. Sighing loudly, the slim girl spun on her high heels and ran out of the Academy, leaving her master to his fate.

As Mara jogged towards her bulky freighter, darkness fell across the jungle. Looking up, Mara watched in awe as a huge Victory-class Star Destroyer entered the planet's atmosphere and blocked the warm rays of the sun. The lovely assassin and Jedi Initiate quickly climbed the entry ramp of her ship and slapped the doorpad, which caused the ramp to rise and slam shut. Buckethead spun its dome and watched its mistress run breathlessly to the cockpit. The stocky droid rolled quietly after Mara then took its place within a special socket where the co-pilot's chair usually resided.

"Power up the engines, Bucket," ordered Mara as she activated the Navigation systems and began the plot for hyperspace.

"Engines online and powering up," reported the R2 unit as turbolaser bolts began falling on the ancient ruins of Yavin.

Mara bit her lower lip nervously as she raised the freighter with its anti-grav drives then began a steep ascent towards open space.

"A group of TIE Defenders has spotted us and is closing in pursuit," reported Bucket helpfully.

"Raise the shields and take control of the weapons turrets," ordered Mara as she increased power to the main thrusters and aimed her ship towards the twinkling stars.

Green laser bolts flashed across the right-hand side of the cockpit window, the ship shuddering as it sustained a hit to its rear shields.

"Rear shields are holding," said Bucket as it carefully aimed the dorsal laser turret and fired a burst at the small, agile TIE fighter. The droid brain piloting the starfighter evaded too slowly and took a direct hit to its right wing. The spinning ship exploded in a cloud of fire and debris as the Dark Hand left the atmosphere of Yavin Four and shot towards open space.

Fiery flowers on the planet's surface marked the hits of lethal turbolasers as the Star Destroyers within Yavin's atmosphere destroyed all signs of the former Rebel base and Jedi Academy.

Luke Skywalker stood within the huge doorway of the Academy pyramid and watched the Imperial warships destroy the last remnants of his futile dream. Smiling with fatal resolve, the last Jedi Knight stared without fear as death fell upon him and ripped the mighty stone ziggurat into tiny shards of rubble.

The Dark Hand shook wildly as three TIE Defenders pursued it relentlessly, pouring laser fire into its failing rear shields. Bucket frantically acquired a target lock, then vaporized one pursuer with the ventral laser turret. Gritting her teeth fiercely, Mara turned the freighter hard to port then fired the forward laser cannons into an advancing TIE. The droid pilot didn't have time to react before its ship blossomed into a sphere of white-hot energy. The Dark Hand flew through the glowing cloud of debris, then latched on to the last TIE Defender pursuer. The droid maneuvering the starfighter jinked and evaded in a predictable pattern as Mara waited for a weapon's lock, then fired a full burst of laser fire into the helpless ship. The grinning young woman deftly evaded the inevitable explosion, then stabilized her flight orientation and prepared to make the jump to hyperspace.

Buckethead bleeped in warning just before the Dark Hand slammed hard to port and the lights blinked out. Mara was flung painfully against her chair restraints, then she latched her eyes upon the diagnostic screens. The aft shields were completely gone, and the flank shields were failing. Within the short-range scanners, two Imperial II-class Star Destroyers were in hot pursuit, raining laser battery fire around her small vessel. Wiping sweat from her smooth brow, Mara made some quick revisions to her jump calculations then grabbed the tall levers that initiated acceleration to lightspeed. Buckethead moaned with worry as the freighter took another hit upon the dorsal hull, then shuddered as it shot forward into the blue-swirl of hyperspace.

A week and a half later, the Dark Hand re-emerged into realspace and drifted helplessly without thrust. Mara had attempted to repair the damaged sublight engines, but nothing seemed to improve their condition. The red-haired girl slumped into a chair within the small rec area and realized that she needed help in order to escape this latest crisis. Her squat R2 unit bleeped loudly to get her attention, and with a sigh, the beautiful girl rose slowly to her feet and walked to the cockpit. Flopping bonelessly into the pilot's seat, Mara gasped in surprise as a huge Mon Remonda-class battlecruiser flew over the cockpit window, blotting out all of the stars with its vast bulk.

"They're hailing us," reported Bucket.

Pushing stray locks of hair from her face, Mara cleared her throat and pushed the transmit button of her comm system.

"This is Captain Mara Jade of the freighter Dark Hand," began the young woman. "Are you a New Republic vessel?"

"Affirmative. This is the NRV Wavecrest. Do you require assistance?"

"Yes. My sublight drives were severely damaged in a firefight with Imperial Star Destroyers. Can you tow me to the closest habitable planet?" asked Mara sweetly.

"We sure can, Captain Jade. Coruscant has several large shipyards that can have your ship repaired in no time. My superiors will want to question you about the Imperial attack," replied the male voice from the comm system.

"I think that I can stay long enough to answer a few questions," agreed Mara reluctantly.

"Good. Wavecrest out," said the comm tech.

"The New Republic capital? Jeez, I really went off course," muttered Mara in disbelief. Bucket blurped softly in agreement.

The Dark Hand was tractored into orbit around Coruscant, where a waiting shipyard pulled the damaged vessel within its cavernous interior. Mara shut down all of the freighter's systems and then went to her quarters to pack a satchel bag with some spare clothes and other necessities. A shuttle docked with the Dark Hand and the slim young woman quickly got on board, with Buckethead following faithfully behind her. The agile shuttlecraft left the shipyard and descended gracefully into Coruscant's atmosphere.

Mara sat near a window and gazed at the brightly-lit landscape of the New Republic's capital as the shuttle sped past the sprawling metropolis that covered the entire surface of the planet. The aerodynamic ship landed softly on a pad near the Imperial Palace, and a smiling male guard met Mara at the foot of the shuttle's ramp. The Jedi apprentice was led down enormous, arched hallways and gleaming, crystal passages until she entered the Palace itself, which was dim and quiet. The New Republic soldier was serenely silent as he led the way into a richly appointed office with a dazzling view of Imperial City's towers. Mara gazed in awe of the graceful buildings, it had been a long time since she had looked upon them. The guard bowed low at the waist then left the young woman alone after he quietly shut the door. Mara didn't have to wait long before a beautiful woman in her late twenties opened the door and gazed appraisingly at her guest.

"So you are Mara Jade? Funny, I thought that you would be older," remarked the raven-haired woman as she sat down in a chair behind the room's only desk.

"Time travel was merciful to me," replied Mara with a grin as she sat down opposite the female official.

"Apparently," retorted the woman with a smile of her own. "My name is Serilda Solo, and I am chief adviser to Prime Minister Diella Solo, my younger sister."

"Yes, I've been keeping up on the Republic-Net transmissions," said Mara.

"Good. Then you know that bitch Admiral Daala has been gobbling up as much territory as she can get her claws into. I was told that you encountered an Imperial strike force," replied Serilda.

"A small fleet attacked Yavin Four and destroyed everything on the planet. Luke Skywalker was killed and his Jedi Academy was destroyed," reported Mara sorrowfully.

"No great loss," said Serilda with a shrug. "Master Skywalker dropped out of sight a long time ago. Frankly, everyone assumed that he was dead by now. Besides, there haven't been any new Force-sensitives to train in decades. Daala must be pretty paranoid to attack a target like that."

"Luke was able to teach me quite a bit before he died," retorted Mara defensively. "Any new Jedi will be a threat to Daala and her fleet."

"Perhaps," agreed Serilda soothingly. "But I fail to see how one girl can defeat an entire Imperial Fleet."

"I may surprise you," said Mara with a predatory grin.

"I hope so, I enjoy surprises," commented Serilda with a lecherous smile. "My sister will want to meet you and discuss how your Jedi 'talents' can be put to best use. That can wait until morning, however. Are you hungry? I'll treat you to dinner."

"Thank you, that would be nice," agreed Mara with a nod.

"Let's go," said Serilda as she rose from her high-backed chair and led Mara out of the opulent room.

The two beautiful young women left the administrative wing of the palace and took a hover car into the entertainment district. Republic citizens milled pleasantly around the various shops and restaurants of the area, and the two women easily got a table at a posh eatery. A smiling girl with two pink ponytails took their orders, which gave Serilda plenty of time to question Mara about her training and life one hundred years ago. Mara questioned Serilda about the evolving New Republic government, its failure to learn from past mistakes, and its growing ineptness.

The dark-haired woman was very vehement about the weaknesses of a galaxy-wide democracy, and she barely restrained herself from citing examples of Diella's failure to generate reform. Mara listened with her chin resting on her right hand, and she agreed with several of Serilda's observations. She also learned that Serilda was quite gifted with the Force, while the younger sister was reputed to be almost completely Force-insensitive. Eventually, the food arrived, and the two women dug eagerly into their repasts. The duo drank three tall decanters of wine with their food, and when the dishes were cleared away, they were both quite tipsy.

"Do you have a place to stay?" asked Serilda as she dropped heavily into the driver's seat of the hover car and punched in the coordinates of her residence.

"No," giggled Mara as she reclined back into the plush passenger's seat and closed her eyes.

"You can stay with me," insisted the lovely woman as she activated the car's computer and let it drive them through the lightly travelled transport paths.

Twenty minutes later, the black hover car slid to a halt inside of Serilda's garage and shut down. Serilda blinked her gray eyes drowsily, then turned right to regard her lovely passenger. Mara napped quietly in her seat, her large, round breasts rising and falling smoothly. Licking her red lips eagerly, the attractive woman leaned down and kissed Mara lightly on the mouth. The sleeping girl moaned softly when Serilda pushed her tongue slowly past Mara's slack lips and explored lewdly inside.

Mara's eyes snapped open, then she watched in surprise as Serilda pulled down her black, silk dress, exposing her pale, creamy tits. The horny woman pushed her torso against Mara's face, rubbing her soft mounds across the girl's moist lips. Mara groaned as Serilda's flesh pressed into her mouth, then she shrugged to herself and began sucking hungrily on the topless woman's breasts. Serilda moaned loudly with pleasure as she stroked Mara's long, red hair and watched the girl bite her nipples until they were hard and erect. The two young women kissed each other passionately, entwining their delicate tongues together, then Mara licked the panting woman's slim neck and between her round tits.

Serilda unzipped Mara's skintight jumpsuit, then began squeezing and caressing the lovely girl's heaving breasts. The young Jedi girl groaned pleasantly, sliding her right hand down Serilda's waist and over her warm crotch. The dark-haired woman moaned, then sat up enough for Mara to pull off her dress and toss in over the car door. Serilda stood up on the car's long, front seat, then squeezed her tits together as Mara leaned up and licked her dark-haired snatch with a wet tongue. The naked woman shivered with excitement as Mara licked and lightly sucked the folds of her labia then plunged her tongue deeply into her vagina. Serilda yelled with pleasure as the red-haired girl tongue-fucked her throbbing cunt. Mara ran her hands over the naked woman's slim legs and firm thighs, then reached below her own waist to stroke her wet muff. Serilda grasped the head of the cushioned chair tightly and panted for breath as she ground her pussy against Mara's sucking mouth. Drops of sweat fell from Serilda's tits and face as Mara burrowed into her honey box, licking the cum-soaked walls of her fuck tunnel with lustful abandon. The naked woman gasped loudly as she shook with orgasm, spurting warm fluids into Mara's open mouth and across her face. The beautiful girl giggled as she licked Serilda's honey from her lips and cheeks, raising her head up so the standing woman could lean down and kiss her hungrily on the lips.

"I hope you didn't plan on sleeping tonight," whispered Serilda as she took Mara's hand and led her out of the hover car and into her ornate quarters.

====

Mara Jade lay spread out on the white, silk sheets as Serilda Solo took a hot shower in the nearby bathroom. The young woman's long, red hair fanned out above her head as she breathed deeply, causing her naked breasts to rise and fall pleasantly. Serilda entered the bedroom as she dried her dark, raven hair with a towel. The woman smiled lustfully as she gazed upon Mara's lithe body, then she discarded the towel and walked to the foot of the bed.

Slowly, like a cat preparing to pounce on a helpless mouse, Serilda crawled up the bed until she knelt between Mara's outspread legs, then she leaned down to watch the naked girl's red-haired snatch. Inhaling the naked girl's scent with relish, Serilda softly licked the inside of Mara's thighs before she began sucking lightly on the sleeping Jedi's labia. Mara moaned faintly as the freshly bathed woman licked and sucked hungrily on her clit then inserted her warm tongue into the naked girl's pussy. Mara writhed with pleasure as Serilda explored her fuckhole, licking her womanhood as if it were candy. The slim girl ran her fingers through Serilda's long, black hair, then gasped as she unconsciously established a mental link with the naked woman.

"I want Diella dead!" said Serilda coldly in a dimly lit room.

"And she will die, beautiful one, but it will take time. If we move too quickly, some people within your government might become suspicious," replied a large, tentacled alien within the shadows.

"I can take care of anyone within the government. The only thing that you need to be concerned about is taking out that bitch, Daala. She could ruin everything if we don't move quickly," hissed Serilda.

"Rest assured, the Admiral will be neutralized soon enough," reassured the alien before it chortled with laughter.

Mara snapped her eyes open as Serilda stimulated her love button and brought her to orgasm, loud moans escaping her lips as her naked body convulsed with ecstasy. Serilda lustfully drank her lover's warm cum, then licked her pussy clean of fluids. Mara held tightly to the bed's headboard and tried to make sense of the images her mind had received. Serilda rose from the panting girl's crotch, then leaned forward to kiss Mara passionately on the mouth. Parting with a thin trail of saliva, Serilda smiled in satisfaction, then got off the bed and went to her closet to dress. Mara climbed off of the large bed, then quickly grabbed her synthetic jumpsuit from the floor and slid into it.

"I wish that I could stay with you longer," said Serilda as she donned a twinkling, black dress that hugged her shapely body and had slits along the sides that exposed her long, firm legs. "But I have several meetings today and won't be able to see you for awhile. Go to one of the computer terminals around the city, and you'll find a suite assigned to you near the Palace. I think that you have an appointment to see Diella today, but check the system to find out the time. Bye!"

With a quick wave and a flash of leg, Serilda left the room, then shot out of the residence in her black, hover car. Mara watched the lovely woman leave then activated a nearby terminal and found several messages with her name attached. Quarters had been assigned to her, along with a modest spending allotment and the use of a hover car. Bucket had been taken to her new quarters, and it reported that the Dark Hand was receiving repairs. Mara typed in the summoning command for the hover car rental, then waited near the residence's main door until the vehicle slid to a stop outside.

The Jedi apprentice left Serilda's home, then jumped into the waiting hover car and accelerated quickly towards the old Imperial Palace. Red hair whipped behind Mara as she watched small shuttles and starfighter patrols sail across the clear, blue sky and land on various pads across the city.

Mara found her temporary quarters, then swiftly took a shower and changed into a clean jumpsuit. She patted Bucket's dome after he bleeped with concern, then she belted on her blaster and lightsaber before leaving the small set of rooms and setting course for the Palace for her interview with the Prime Minister. As she entered the grounds of the Palace, the main computer of city took control of her vehicle and drove it into a secured garage facility. A stern guard with domed helmet and blaster rifle escorted Mara to the Audience Hall, where Prime Minister Diella Solo conducted much of the New Republic's business.

Diella was a petite young woman, with long blonde hair, large blue eyes and pale white skin. Today she wore the flowing, white robes of her office with its gray neck chains. She sat pensively on the Emperor's Throne as military officials reported the latest attacks of Admiral Daala's fleet, while civilian leaders emphasized the importance of protecting the Core Worlds against the re-born Imperium. Diella sighed with relief when she saw the beautiful Mara arrive, and she quickly took the opportunity to dismiss the group of men arguing around her. With sullen whispers and sharp looks at the Jedi girl, the officers and senators of the Republic left the room, then the large, arched doors of the audience chamber were closed.

"Hello, my name's Diella Solo," said the Prime Minister as she rose from the high-backed throne and reached forward to shake Mara's hand. "I hear that you came from the past accidentally and that you're training to be a Jedi Knight."

"Well, I did come from the past, but I don't think that I'll ever become a full Jedi. My master died before he could teach me everything, and I can tell that my control over the Force isn't absolute," admitted the young woman candidly.

"Thank you for being honest with me," replied Diella. "But I think that you're stronger than you give yourself credit for. My Force talents are practically nonexistent. My sister, Serilda, inherited most of the Jedi blood that was left in our family."

"I met your sister," said Mara with a smile. "She's a very passionate woman. I noticed that she's older than you, why isn't she Prime Minister?"

"My mother decreed that I be named to the position after her death. Originally the office of Prime Minister was an elected one, the Senate chose who would rule the Republic. But for some reason, after Leia Organa-Solo became Minister, the role became hereditary and has been passed on to a daughter with Solo blood in her ever since."

"Wow," replied Mara wonderingly.

"Now, please, tell me everything that's happened to you since you came to my time period, and don't leave out anything!" emphasized Diella as she sat down upon the Throne and listened to the Jedi girl tell her story.

Commander Lene gritted her teeth as she flew her TIE Defender into line behind an X-Wing and achieved a laser lock. Smiling coldly, the Imperial pilot caressed her firing stud and shot a burst of green laser bolts into the Republic fighter, shattering its shields and ripping its hull to shreds. The Defender's battle computer blared a warning as someone got a torpedo lock on her, but a few brilliantly executed evasive maneuvers got rid of the pesky projectile. In the space surrounding Lene, starfighters danced around each other and exchanged laser salvos as huge Imperial II-class Star Destroyers obliterated the few New Republic cruisers that protected a minor world of the Inner Rim.

Lene turned hard to starboard and fell in behind two Y-Wing fighters. The blonde-haired girl waited until she achieved target lock, then she fired a burst at the trailing starfighter. The Y-Wing spun out of control as its left engine nacelle exploded, then it blossomed into a cloud of plasma and metal debris. The lead Y-Wing made a fast roll and shot towards Lene, firing its dual laser cannons at her. The Imperial pilot evaded quickly, but sustained a minor hit to her ship's forward shields. Spinning in a controlled descent, Lene shot upwards suddenly, firing two concussion missiles at the retreating Republic fighter. Both projectiles slammed into the Y-Wing's aft hull and ignited the ship into a ball of white-hot flame. Lene glanced at her short-range scanner and saw that the Imperial vessels had control of space, the few remaining New Republic ships were being chased down and obliterated.

"Beta and Gamma Flights, return to your mother ships and stand down. Flight Alpha, keep your eyes open and patrol the area," ordered Lene as she turned her own Defender towards the ISD Havoc. The three-winged TIE fighter rose slowly into the large Star Destroyer's hanger bay, then hovered into its prepared docking slot. The Commander pulled off her helmet and let her long, golden hair fall down her back, then she climbed out of her ship and watched technicians surround the starfighter and begin its maintenance checks. Lene sighed softly to herself, then walked confidently to a nearby turbolift and rose swiftly to the command deck. Carrying her shiny helmet under her left arm, Lene nodded to some fellow officers, then she reached the door she sought and pressed the chime button.

"Enter," invited a sultry voice behind the door.

Lene pressed the door stud and waited for the portal to hiss open. The lovely TIE pilot entered a dimly lit room, then gasped softly as she watched Admiral Daala rise from a chair and reach forward with her right hand. The two women shook hands politely then Daala moved close to the blonde girl and hugged her tightly.

"I'm glad that you made it," whispered the copper-haired woman softly.

"Just another mission for the glory of the Imperium," shrugged off Lene as she gently pulled away from Daala, walking to the bar to pour herself a drink. "The Republic squadron assigned to this planet wasn't very competent."

"After fifty years of peace, it was only a matter of time before the weaklings in charge of the New Republic became complacent. It's inevitable when you have a government that allows its subjects to dictate policy," replied Daala as she moved over to the small bed against the far wall and leaned against its headboard.

Lene swallowed the strong liquor in one gulp, then closed her eyes as the fluid burned its way down her slim throat. She replaced the glass upon the bar, then unzipped the front of her dark blue flight suit and climbed out of it. Daala pursed her red lips in appreciation of Lene's naked body, then she began to take off her own gray officer's jacket. The blonde girl crawled up on the bed and slinked like a cat up to the disrobing admiral. She helped Daala take off her black jackboots, then pulled off the skintight gray trousers. When Daala was completely naked, Lene moved forward and kissed the copper-haired woman on the mouth, caressing her superior officer's tongue with her own.

Daala moaned softly as she returned the kiss, then she began to lick Lene's creamy neck lustfully. The TIE pilot closed her eyes with pleasure, then she knelt down to lick Daala's pert nipples until they grew hard with arousal. Daala began panting softly as Lene sucked lightly on her tits, moving from one firm mound to the other. The naked Admiral put her hands behind her head and held tightly to the bed's headboard as Lene's sucking grew more urgent, and she stuffed the naked woman's flesh into her hungry mouth. Daala was moaning loudly as Lene sucked and licked her heaving breasts, then the girl descended to the woman's wet pussy with its bush of copper pubic hair. Daala watched Lene with slitted eyes as the naked girl licked her throbbing cunt lips, then thrust deeply into her honey pot with an agile tongue. Daala gasped with pleasure as Lene licked the inside of her love tunnel, then sucked wantonly on her erect clit.

Daala pressed her crotch slutfully against Lene's warm lips as the pilot girl sucked greedily of her flowing honey, then smiled as Daala moaned with orgasm and shot a stream of fluid into her waiting mouth. Lene held the writhing woman's legs apart with her hands as she lapped up Daala's hot cum, then she tenderly licked the inside of the Admiral's firm thighs before she playfully bit Daala on the leg.

"Ouch! Hey! Be careful! You might mar my beautiful skin!" warned Daala as she brought both of her legs up against her stomach.

"Just kidding," reassured Lene as she rose up on her hands and kissed Daala lustfully on the lips.

====

Prime Minister Diella Solo entered the War Room that sat deep within the bowels of the Imperial Palace. Three huge viewscreens dominated the walls of the dark chamber, and a row of consoles formed an arch around the central tactical area. At the middle of the room lay a large holotank where generals, admirals, and other high officers could observe Fleet actions from all across the galaxy. General Bannan stood before the holotank display as Diella walked up to him and smiled softly.

"Hello, Minister," said Bannan tersely as he watched ship icons moved through the air.

"Hello, General Bannan," returned Diella. "What's the latest ship activity report?"

"Daala's been busy lately," replied Bannan. "Two small groups of Star Destroyers have attacked systems at the border of the Core region. The planetary governors have been screaming for reinforcements, but I don't think I'll send any."

"Why not?" asked Diella with a frown. "We can't let the Imperium gain a foothold in the Core, it would threaten all of the Republic's major systems."

"These flank attacks are merely diversions. I believe that Admiral Daala is preparing to attack Coruscant and seize control of the capital," said the general sternly.

"Where will she come from?" inquired Diella.

"There are very few travel lanes that can accommodate a large fleet, and from examining Daala's profile, I think that she will take the direct approach. I anticipate an attack through the Alpha-One Hyperspace Corridor. It's a straight approach into the Coruscant system and is wide enough to support a large fleet of cruisers," replied Bannan.

"Where will you meet them?"

"The Garash system," answered the general with a predatory grin.

Mara Jade left the docking hatch and dropped her satchel on the floor of the Dark Hand. The red-haired girl sealed the door behind her then followed her R2 droid, Buckethead, into the Rec area. Bucket rolled over to a diagnostic console and plugged into an interface socket as Mara walked quickly to the cockpit and went over the controls.

"All systems are operating normally," reported the squat droid.

"Contact the shipyard and get permission to leave," ordered Mara as she strapped herself into the pilot's chair and began powering up the engines.

"Control has cleared us for departure," replied Bucket.

Mara eased the modified freighter forward, sailing past hovering capital ships that were being serviced or repaired. The Dark Hand flew gracefully out of the yawning shipyard portals, then shot forward on a burst of thrust as Mara angled the ship away from Coruscant. Bucket rolled into the cockpit and entered its co-pilot socket, then it began to plot the ship's course into hyperspace.

The fiery-haired Jedi girl reclined in her high-backed chair and wondered if she should have told Diella about the dark plot of her sister, Serilda. Sighing faintly, Mara watched the flashing stars and the stately cruisers of the New Republic fleet as they assembled for their imminent battle with the Imperium. Mara smiled proudly as she remembered Diella's expression when she told the Prime Minister she would take part in the great battle. Mara had said she wanted to pay back Daala for damaging her ship, a more than adequate excuse to enter a war, in Mara's eyes.

"Coordinates are set," informed Bucket.

"Entering hyperspace," replied Mara as she pulled back the control levers and shot back in her seat as the freighter leapt forward into an azure maelstrom.

June 25, IY 136, Garash System

The empty space at the edge of the Garash system was suddenly flooded with warships as the bulk of the New Republic Fleet left hyperspace. Dozens of Nebula-class frigates sailed forward as they sounded battle stations and launched swarms of starfighters. Several Mon Calamari heavy cruisers entered realspace around the frigates, then were themselves surrounded by four, large, Nova-class battlecruisers. Finally the Wavecrest, a Mon-Remonda-class battlecruiser, emerged in realspace at the back of the Fleet and began to organize the advancing ships. Hundreds of X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters leapt from their hanger bays and formed up at the point of the fleet formation, probing for enemy vessels.

General Bannan sat in the command chair of the Wavecrest as Admiral Ranok stood before the huge viewing window at the front of the bridge.

"Everything seems to be going according to plan," said Bannan casually as he laced his gloved fingers together.

"It's too early to get complacent, General," replied Ranok coolly as he watched the advancing cruisers and clenched his hands together behind his back.

"Imperial ships entering system!" reported a tech officer in the console "well" beneath the two flag officers.

"How many and what type?" asked the admiral tersely.

"Five Imperial II-class Star Destroyers," answered the tech quickly. "They're launching several flights of TIE Defender fighters."

"That's hardly enough to engage the capital's defenses," muttered Ranok softly.

The tall, grey-haired admiral looked up at the window as the outer perimeter of starfighters engaged the droid-piloted TIE fighters in a deadly dance of evasion and laser fire. The five Star Destroyers took the respite to spread out in a huge arc and advance upon the entire Republic line. When they reached extreme range, the Imperial ships began firing their turbolaser batteries, causing the Republic ships to break formation and evade the attack.

"Admiral Ranok to all ship captains! Stay together and concentrate your fire!" ordered Ranok.

The organic-looking Mon Calamari cruisers resumed their tight formations, then began to pour turbolaser fire into the nearest Star Destroyer. The Imperial ship's shields buckled and fell under the combined barrage of six heavy cruisers, then the vessel spun uncontrollably as lasers punched gaping holes into its hull. The Star Destroyer exploded and turned into a boiling cloud of escaping plasma and debris as the remaining four Imperial ships came under fire by the entire New Republic Fleet. The Republic starfighters enjoyed immediate success in their own attacks, easily evading the predictable TIE Defenders and blowing them out of the sky. The Imperial screen fell apart, then all of the Republic fighters plunged down like hawks on the wallowing Star Destroyers, firing salvos of laser bolts and streams of proton torpedoes.

"It looks like Daala screwed up badly this time," remarked Bannan with a smirk as he reclined smugly in the soft command chair.

"Apparently you are right, for once," replied Ranok as he watched a third Star Destroyer blow apart.

"Admiral, I'm getting some strange readings from the long-range sensors," replied a sensor tech.

"What are they?" asked Ranok with a frown.

"I don't know, I've never seen readings like this," answered the tech as he shook his head.

Admiral Ranok raised his head from glaring at the sensor tech and watched as the Fleet sailed closer to Garash V, a huge gas giant planet. The boiling world filled the forward view of the window as ships began to appear along the flanks of the New Republic fleet.

"A trap," whispered Ranok as dozens of Victory and Imperial II-class Star Destroyers appeared out of thin air and began firing on the surprised Republic ships.

"Where the hell did they come from?!" shouted Bannan as he shot up from his chair and rushed to join Ranok near the observation window.

"They were cloaked, and when we got close to Garash V, they sprung their trap. We don't have room to maneuver now," said Ranok coldly.

Bannan glanced at the composed admiral, then turned his wide-eyed gaze to the glass as clouds of TIE Defenders launched from their bays and pounced on the milling Republic starfighters. The Republic fleet split in half as the large warships turned to meet their closest adversaries. Mon Calamari vessels exploded under the same combined fire tactics they had just used moments before on the small Imperial squadron. Ranok watched with growing frustration as dozens of medium and heavy cruisers were destroyed in minutes.

"Ranok to all ships! Move into defensive position Beta-3! Stay together and coordinate your attacks!" ordered the admiral crisply.

Two Star Destroyers broke past the defensive line and opened fire on the Wavecrest. The enormous battlecruiser shook under the powerful turbolaser fire of the capital ships, then blossomed with tiny hull fires as three squadrons of TIE Defenders spread out around the behemoth and opened fire with lasers and torpedoes.

"Shields down twenty-percent!" shouted a tactical officer from the well.

"Order all laser batteries to open fire! Call back two squadrons of our X-Wings to take out the Defenders!" ordered Ranok.

Green and orange laser bolts flashed across the observation window as TIE fighters and newly arrived X-Wings exchanged salvos. The bridge of the Wavecrest shook as the hull took numerous hits, but somehow the ship stayed intact. Three Nebulon-class frigates broke away from the main engagement to attack the assaulting Star Destroyers, which allowed the Wavecrest's batteries to concentrate on enemy fighters. A TIE Defender exploded in front of the bridge, followed closely by the recognizable bulk of the Dark Hand. Ranok smiled and raised his right hand in thanks as Mara shot away from the command ship and pursued two more Defenders.

"Is the cannon ready yet?" asked Admiral Daala pensively.

"No, two more minutes until it is fully charged," replied a female tech from the console well.

"Navigation, bring us over the pole of Garash V," ordered Daala as she sat tensely in her command chair.

"Aye, ma'am," acknowledged the navigator before she manipulated her controls and piloted the huge Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer over the top of the gaseous world until it hung over the pole like a vulture on a dead branch.

Arrayed on her wall-length viewscreen was the unfolding space battle, with her Star Destroyers pressing the surviving Republic ships into a small sphere of desperate defenders. At the far end of the battle, engaged with a swarm of her TIE Defenders, was the listing bulk of the Wavecrest, directly in front of her warship's bow.

"Time to charge," demanded Daala.

"One minute," replied the weapons tech.

"After today, the New Republic bows to me," whispered Daala with a cold smile.

"Cannon is charged, we await your order," said the weapons officer.

"Lock cannon on the Wavecrest," ordered Daala as she sat up in her chair.

"Target is locked."

"Fire!" shouted Daala before she licked her full, red lips.

The Super Star Destroyer's bow glowed briefly with blue-tinged fire, then a gaping beam of pure destruction spat out of the warship's primary cannon and rushed to consume the dwindling formation of New Republic ships. The white-hot beam bathed the entire battle scene, disintegrating Mon Calamari cruisers like moths in a flame. A couple of Star Destroyers too close to the helpless Republic ships were caught in the blast and ripped apart as the point of the death ray impaled the Wavecrest and shattered it like a fragile egg. The assault beam winked out of existence, leaving only debris and a few crippled frigates in its wake.

Mara stared in horror as Daala's Star Destroyers converged on the remaining Republic ships and blasted them apart with combined turbolaser barrages. The Dark Hand shook roughly as several TIE Defenders locked on to her and fired laser blasts into her vessel's shields. Mara shook her head quickly, then turned her ship hard to starboard in order to evade another salvo. The beautiful young woman gritted her teeth as she acquired a lock on a retreating TIE and destroyed it with a burst from her forward laser cannons.

Bucket bleeped loudly to attract Mara's attention, then indicated the sensor screen as over twenty spheroid vessels entered realspace and began to advance on the Imperial Fleet.

"Who the fuck are they?" muttered Mara as the strange vessels opened fire with streams of blue laser bolts, heavily damaging the shields of unaware Star Destroyers.

Mara watched as even more sphere-shaped warships emerged from hyperspace and began firing on Daala's Super Star Destroyer, provoking it to return fire and move away from Garash V. The Dark Hand shook violently, then Bucket squeeled in alarm.

"One of the unknown ships has us in a tractor beam! I can't break out of it!" shouted the R2 droid in alarm.

====

Prime Minister Diella Solo sat alone in the Emperor's Throne Room and watched a display screen that hovered in the center of the long chamber. The last icons that represented New Republic ships winked out of existence, leaving only Imperial vessels and the unknown spheroid warships in the Garash system. Silent tears dripped down Diella's pale cheeks as she brooded over the thousands of brave men and women who had died to defend the Republic. The slim, young woman sat back heavily in the padded throne and watched quietly as the unknown aliens poured out of hyperspace and began to overwhelm the surprised Imperial Star Destroyers. The Imperial command ship, an Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer, was making a hasty retreat as six alien cruisers rained laser bolts into its weakening shields. Diella was too engrossed in the unfolding battle to notice her older sister, Serilda, enter the room and walk silently up to the throne.

"Daala is encountering some unforeseen obstacles, eh?" commented Serilda with a smug grin.

"Yes. These unknown aliens are ripping through her fleet easily. I wish they would have arrived before the New Republic Fleet was annihilated," replied Diella mournfully.

"That was unfortunate," agreed the raven-haired woman. "It will take a long time to rebuild the Fleet again."

Serilda climbed the short flight of stairs to the top of the throne's dais, then moved to stand on Diella's left side, where she placed a comforting hand on her younger sister's smooth shoulder.

"Perhaps you need to rest for awhile," whispered Serilda soothingly before she slapped her sister hard across the face, sending the blonde girl painfully to the floor.

"What are you doing?" asked Diella in disbelief as her tall sister advanced upon her.

"Getting rid of a weak little girl and replacing her with a true ruler. I will lead the Republic to heights of glory you could never dream of!" shouted Serilda fervently.

As Diella raised her left arm to protect her face, Serilda ripped off her sister's white gown, then tore off her white panties and white-lace bra. The beautiful Prime Minister retained only her white, high-heeled shoes. Serilda removed her own black silk dress, revealing her lush, naked body.

"What are you going to do now?" asked the naked, blonde girl fearfully.

"I'm going to fuck your sweet little body, then I'm taking over the New Republic!" declared the dark-haired woman as she grabbed a handful of Diella's long, blonde hair and forced the younger woman's face against her pussy.

"Lick it, whore!" commanded Serilda shrilly.

The helpless girl blinked away hot tears, then tentatively began licking her older sister's cunt lips with her warm tongue. Serilda moaned softly and closed her eyes as the naked, blonde girl licked the surface of her snatch, then slowly began to caress the inside of her honey pot. The tall brunette pressed Diella's delicate lips harder against her pussy, rubbing her throbbing fuckhole across her naked sister's mouth. The blonde girl sucked lightly on Serilda's hardened clit, then plunged her tongue deeply into the panting woman's cunt, exploring her vagina lustfully. Serilda's full, round breasts rose and fell quickly as she panted for air, then she began to squeeze them tightly with her hands and lick her pink nipples. Diella began to feel wetness between her legs, so she slowly lowered her right hand below her waist in order to rub her warm cunt.

Serilda pushed her aroused sister against the hard, marble floor, then knelt down between the naked girl's outspread legs and began to hungrily suck on Diella's blonde snatch. The prone girl moaned loudly as her older sister chewed lightly on her labia petals, then nuzzled deeply into her love tunnel and licked the throbbing flesh of her womanhood. Serilda kept the blonde girl's slim legs apart with her hands as she licked wantonly in her younger sister's pussy, tasting the warm honey that began to trickle out with relish. Diella crossed her slim arms above her mane of golden hair as she moaned loudly with pleasure and broke out in a sweat. The young girl's naked body convulsed lightly as she orgasmed, and a stream of hot cum poured from her fuckhole into Serilda's open mouth. The raven-haired woman lapped up all of her sister's fluid like it was cream, then she licked the naked girl's pussy until no liquid remained.

As Diella panted softly for breath, Serilda drew a slim knife from her discarded dress and licked along the blade. Before the young girl noticed, Serilda stabbed the blade deeply into her sister's chest, piercing her heart instantly. Diella gasped in pain as her older sister stabbed her again and again, giggling softly in amusement. After eleven blows, Serilda stood up and dropped the dripping knife on top of her dress. Diella stared blankly at the ceiling, her limbs outstretched and her pale skin turning gray with death.

"I'll be a better ruler than you ever were, you stupid fucking bitch," muttered Serilda with a cold smile.

Admiral Daala was flung hard against the wall of the passageway as the SSD Maelstrom took another direct hit from an alien warship. The lights of the passage flickered on and off as the engines fluctuated. Walking as fast as she could on the tilting deck, Daala reached the large doors of the hanger bay and pressed the opening mechanism. The portals hissed open as the ship shuddered from another hit, and distant explosions could be heard from deep within the hull. The slim, attractive woman staggered into the dark hanger and agilely climbed into an empty TIE Defender. Brushing away a stray, copper hair, Daala powered up the powerful starfighter and began to advance towards launch portal.

"Admiral Daala! Mistress! Have you reached the hanger bay yet?" asked a frantic officer.

"Yes, I'm leaving the ship now! Status report!" ordered the lovely woman.

"The Maelstrom's had it, mistress! Power's down to twelve-percent; weapons are gone. I've had the crew abandon ship as you ordered," replied the officer.

"Open a Tac channel and tell the rest of the Fleet to retreat. We're no match for these damned aliens right now," ordered Daala crisply as her Defender leapt out into open space.

"Yes, mistress. Good luck!" said the unknown officer before the comm channel cut off in a burst of static. Daala applied more thrust and shot away from the crippled command ship before it blossomed into a angry nova of heat and plasma, expanding to swallow several TIEs, alien fighters, and two spheroid warships. Daala grimaced in disgust, then entered a pre-plotted Nav route and jumped into hyperspace.

The Sluggorn commander slid gracefully on a trail of slime down the corridor until it entered a long meeting room that was barely lit with small gloworbs. Only one officer waited on the right hand side of the table, a tactical officer with the results of their first engagement. The commander slid to the head of the table, then relaxed on its long hindquarters.

"The Imperial Fleet was completely destroyed?" hissed the commander.

"A few of their starfighters managed to make the jump to lightspeed, but all of the cruisers were obliterated," reported the officer with a toothy grin.

"Good. Deploy the fleet and seize as many nearby systems as you can. I'll tell that foolish woman, Serilda, that we're 'liberating' the worlds from Daala and that we'll protect them for the Republic until their fleet is rebuilt."

"Brilliant strategy, sir," gushed the officer.

"Thank you. I thought so," replied the commander as it sat up proudly. "I want total control of the Outer Rim within the next month, it won't take long for Serilda to see through our deception and start to move against us."

"With the state of her fleet, she won't be much of a threat even if she discovers the truth," said the officer scornfully.

"Maybe, but I've learned not to underestimate these humans, they can be quite clever if you give them a chance. Now, since business is concluded for the day, I can relax and have some fun. Bring in the prisoner that you captured," ordered the commander cheerfully.

With a nod of its lumpy head, the tactical officer slid to the door and motioned for a guard to bring the requested prisoner. The commander began to drool in anticipation as a wheeled examining table was brought into the room and angled until it was vertical to the floor. Mara Jade blinked her eyes sleepily, her wrists and ankles bound with thick metal restraints to the cold, metal table. She was completely naked, her round, firm breasts rising and falling slowly as the drugs in her body kept her complacent and docile.

"I've never had a Jedi before," hissed the commander as it advanced on the helpless, naked girl with three, dripping, engorged, phallic limbs that dangled in front of it's torso.

~~~~~~