Empire at War 6 - Fugitive!

Empire at War #6 - Fugitive! is the sixth photonovel of the Empire at War photonovel saga. It was released on July 7, 2006.

The fugitives
Wolverton and the Naboo security captain, Hankiel had stolen an Imperial ship and they flew away from the Illustrious with it, landing onto Naboo. The fugitives then ran away from the ship, altough Hankiel wanted that they'd hide the ship, but Wolverton just told that the Empire has tracking devices on their shuttles. Wolverton then said that it'd be wise to get off from the planet as soon as possible with an unregistered transport and he might know somebody who could get them such transport.

The fugitives then made their way into the dense forest. Hankiel then asked why Wolverton had become a fugitive and Wolverton told everything about the Emperor's idea to purge the High Command and the rest would then fall in line. This was the reason why Queen Apailana was murdered. Wolverton then mentioned about the planet of Belderone, where the president was supposedly murdered by Jedi rebels, but in truth, the president was murdered a strike team lead by Wolverton.

Naboo police HQ
On the Naboo police headquarters, a group of Imperial Military Police arrived in. They were the first batch of non-clones in the Imperial Army, and also they were the first to have a new armor and thus, a new name: the Stormtrooper.

Sergeant of the squad, Tierney, made a request to the Naboo police to use their station as a base of operations, to which the Naboo police gladly agreed. Soon after this, Corporal Hayes informed his sergeant that an engineering regiment has located the shuttle used by Wolverton and Hankiel.

Meanwhile, Wolverton and Hankiel are travelling to Ric Olié's place and seeing a lot of strange people on the way, like a human male and a Twi'lek female.

Elsewhere, Sergeant Tierney and his squad have located Wolverton's escape shuttle. The Corporal notices some fresh tracks in the woods and Sergeant Tierney orders the corporal to send a message to command and inform them of developements.

Meeting Ric Olié
On the other side of the woodland, Wolverton and Hankiel have arrived at Ric Olié's house. Hankiel has his doubts about this friend of Wolverton, but Wolverton tell him that Ric's clean and he shares a history with Ric. Wolverton then knocked on the door and waited. When no response arrived, Hankiel thought that maybe the Empire got him, but Wolverton just assured the captain that Ric's probably out. And then Ric came and yelled "Hugo Wolverton!". After a brief chat, Ric took Wolverton and Hankiel inside.

While they were going inside, Wolverton asked about Ric's wife, Arani. Ric told Wolverton that she died because of a terminal illness three months earlier.

At Ric's
While the fugitives and Ric were inside, Ric told them about Naboo's new queen, Kylantha. Ric mentioned that she's weak and sympathetic to the Emperor. Hankiel asks that has Naboo become a puppet state and Ric tells the truth - Naboo has become a puppet state. Ric then tells to his guests that he was about to watch the HoloNet News about the successor of Moff Fillem. The HoloNet announcer told that Moff Fillem and Queen Apailana were murdered by Jedi rebels and Darth Vader has arrested them. Then, the new Moff was announced: it was Governor Tarkin, who also became then the first Grand Moff, overseeing a vast collection of systems.

On the dark streets
On the dark streets of Naboo, Sergeant Tierney's squad saw the human male and Twi'lek female that Wolverton and Hankiel had seen earlier. Sergeant Tierney ordered them to break it up and then he started interrogating the human male. Despite the sergeant's pucnhes, the man wouldn't remember anything. He then went to the Twi'lek and asked her if she had seen Commodore Wolverton and Captain Hankiel.

The man then told sergeant to leave her alone. The sergeant then took his liquor bottle and poured the liquor him. Despite this, he wouldn't still remember anything. Sergeant then took a torch from his corporal and threatened to set the man on fire. Corporal Hayes then said that it was going too far, but the sergeant just told him to be quiet.

Finally, the man told that Wolverton and Hankiel had gone to the farm nearby. Then the man begged for his life, but Sergeant Tierney dropped the torch on the floor, where flammable liquor was poured by him earlier. The man burned in front of everyone's eyes - even his Twi'lek friend was forced to watch it. Then Tierney's squad moved along.

Sgt. Tierney raids the farm
Two hours later, Sergeant Tierney's squad arrived to Ric Olié's farm. When everyone hear the knock, Wolverton told Ric that it was the Military Police. Ric then ordered Wolverton and Hankiel to move into the back of the farm. Ric then went to open the door. Behind the door was standing Sergeant Tierney, who informed Ric that he is going to search the building for two fugitives.

Tierney's squad stormed the place despite what Ric was trying to tell them. When the squad was inside, Tierney informed Ric that if his squad finds anything, they'll kill Ric. And just after that, a corporal screamed to sergeant that he has found something.

Behind the scenes
The scenes where Sergeant Tierney burns the man whom he had poured liquor on, are not photoshopped. Instead, Lushros Dofine took one of his 2002 Saga Endor Rebel Troopers and burned it.