The Maridun Crisis

A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
As the CLONE WARS rage across the galaxy, battalions of brave CLONE TROOPERS, serving the GALACTIC REPUBLIC go to battle with the relentless DROID ARMY of the CONFEDERACY OF INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS. Even with trade routes disrupted by war, the supply of food to the galaxy's citizens has been kept steady thanks to crops and fresh meat coming from the planet of MARIDUN, deep withing the Outer Rim. This food, shipped by Maridun's tribal AMANI has sustained the Galactic Republic for centuries.

A message, sent by the CIS to the office of SUPREME CHANCELLOR PALPATINE, of the Galactic Republic, has threatened, however, to disrupt trade routes to and from Maridun. The Amani, with little defense, are easily pushed back by the CIS.

The 212th ATTACK BATTALION, en route from a recent conflict in the SARRISH SYSTEM, are the closest troops to Maridun. They are the only hope for the Amani, for Maridun, for if they fail to stop the CIS takeover, all beings in the galaxy will starve...

Chapter 1
Mas Ameda, aide to Chancellor Palpatine strode into the chancellor's office-suite on Courascant, as per Palpatine's instructions. He had been told to check all messages marked "urgent" that had been sent to Palpatine, while he was giving a speech on Alderaan. Palpatine rarely left Courascant, due to the danger of assasination. However, most anti-Republic groups were in the Outer Rim, and considering Alderaan was peaceful and very close to Courascant in the Galactic Core. Even so, Palpatine was sent with a cadre of his elite Red Guards and two squads of Shock Troopers.

Even before the war, assasination was always a threat, which became all to real when a bounty hunter destroyed Senator Padme Amidala's starship three years prior. Even though the senator managed to escape unscathed, the incident brought this danger back into the public eye. The chancellor before Palpatine, Finis Valorum was killed by an assasin, recently. Valorum wasn't even chancellor at the time, he wasn't even a political figure. This meant that anyone with connections to the Republic was at risk. And the HomeWorld Security Board was taking the issue seriously. Immediatly after the start of the war, clone troops were stationed at outposts on the galactic capital of Courascant. Soon after, elite red armored Shock Trooops were put on Courascant almost everywhere.

Ameda entered the Chancellor's message files and opened the latest set of urgent messages. Ameda sighed in releif when only one urgent message appeared. He put out one of his blue skinned hands and opened it. He suddenly shot back when a hologram of a Confederacy OOM series command droid appeared.

The hologram spoke, "Chancellor Palpatine-the following is a message from my masters-"

The names of the droid's masters were blurted out by a sharp screech.

"They would like to inform you that," The droid said in a monotonus drawl. "All trade routes coming from and to Maridun will be interrupted for an indefinite period of time. You will not be supplied with food or supplies from this planet. There will be no negotiations."

Maridun, inhabbited by the strange Amani, was located in the Outer Rim. The Amani harvested most of the food eaten in the galaxy from this one planet. Without it, the clones, the citizens of the galaxy, all might starve to death.

The hologram flickered away and, Ameda, wide eyed, picked up his comlink and called for Shock Trooper Commander Thire.

"Thire!" He shouted. "Get the Chancellor on Courascant as soon as possible-this is an emergancy! Repeat-an emergancy!"

"As you wish, sir." Thire answered.

Ameda flipped off his comlink and rushed out of the Office Suite. Ameda motioned for two Red Guards, stationed outside. The Red Guards turned swiftly, their crimson cloaks flurrying, and followed the Chancellor's aide.

The trio boarded a turbolift, which shot them down the side of the building. When they reached the landing pad level, the door hissed and slid open. Ameda and the guards sprinted to a train that was about to leave for the Senate Building. Ameda led the guards aboard the chrome, bullet shaped vehicle.

Ameda paced tentitavely as he watched the Courascant skyline flash by. The other passengers looked curiously at the guards and at Ammeda. The Red Guards held their lethal Force Pikes at the ready, and stood by the entrances to the train. Showing no emotion, the Red Guard's had an ominous facelessness. Their expressions, if they had any, were concealed by a shining red helmet with a small, slit like, black visor. Their cloaks hid their powerful armor and a number of preiviously illegal weapons. Their presence brought cold fear to the hearts of all, even Republic citizens.

Ammeda, along with Sly Moore, another one of the Chancellor's aides, was one of the few high ranking non-humans in the Senate. He was a Chagrian, a blue skinned near human species that sported two long cranial horns, and two equally long ones sprouting from two tube like extremities on his neck. As the Vice-Chair of the Senate, his presence brought along a storm of suspicious murmers from the passengers.

Suddenly, the train halted and the doors opened. Amedda got off the train with the guards. In the ever darkening sky, a Theta Class Shuttle descended onto the Concourse level landing platform. The landing platform emerged from the ship's belly and Chancellor Palpatine, backed by eight Red Guards, walked down onto the platform.