"Uh, Luke?" asked Lando. He and Luke were currently in the Millenium Falcon that they'd managed to steal from Doole while looking for Han and Chewie who had gone missing. After that, Doole had sent all of this forces after them resulting in this situation where they were one ship against many and only through Luke's piloting skills and the Force were they still alive.

"What?" demanded Luke as he broke his concentration and looked up. "Oh."

Directly in front of the cockpit were three star destroyers emerging from the Maw.

"The hell do you think they came from?" Lando asked.

"I think we have bigger issues," said Luke as the sensor alarms began blaring indicating a massive object directly ahead. Lando and Luke watched in horror as a massive Super Star Destroyer emerged followed by a lone Destroyer.

"Holy sithspit!" shouted Lando shocked. Then all four vessels opened fire and began blasting everything in sight.

"Let's hope the Force is with you," said Lando shaking his head as Luke threw the Falcon into a dive avoiding the cannon fire.

"10 to 1 this is the Daala Wedge warned us about," said Luke as he narrowly avoided a pair of T-Wings which exploded flinging debris everywhere.

"That's a suckers bet," said Lando as he read the various screens of data rolling by him as the ship began rocking from side to side. "But from the looks of things Daala's taking this fleet apart with reckless abandon. Clearly Doole has pissed him off royally this time."

"To bring out a fleet this big I'd say Daala's ready to blow up Kessel," said Lando. "What a travesty; all that spice gone to waste!"

Suddenly the whole ship shuddered as it take a full on turbolaser blast.

"Shields down nearly 50!" shouted Lando.

"Quite shouting, we'll make it through this!" shouted Luke as a Marauder Corvette exploded right in front of them. Grimacing, Luke had no choice but to pilot the Falcon straight through the debris.

"I knew Doole wouldn't put up much of a fight," said Daala. "I should've done this years ago."

"The New Republic should've done it sooner," said Han bitterly with Kyp nodding in agreement. "Hard to believe it would take the Empire to get things done."

"The enemy of my enemy," began Daala.

"Is either my friend," began Han.

"Or my enemy," Kyp concluded.

"Hopefully we'll never have to face that second possibility," said Daala sighing. "Well we've just about had all the fun we can, prepare to head out."

"That's odd," said Krandall reading his screens.

"What?" asked Daala.

"One of the ships out there is answering to the name the Millenium Falcon," said Krandall. "I though that was your ship, Mr. Solo."

"It was my ship," said Han bitterly. "But Moruuth Doole stole it from me and placed into his own private fleet."

"Well whoever's piloting it is doing a very good job," said Krandall. "He's evaded most of our turbolaser blasts, but one more should do it. Do you want us to concentrate our firepower and destroy your ship?"

"Yes," said Han bitterly but not without a hint of regret in his tone. Chewbacca howled out a loud bellow mourning the ship while Kyp just stood there.

"No," said Daala. "We won't.

"But," began Han. Daala swiveled in her chair to face him.

"This is an Imperial Executor-Class Star Destroyer, we are more than capable of capturing your ship and returning it its proper owner," said Daala.

"Thank you," said Han grateful.

"Now do you know where we can find Lando Calrissian?" asked Daala with a mischievous grin. Han shook his head as Chewbacca chuckled.

"Hopefully he's a long way away from here," said Han.

"Lock all tractor beams on that ship and haul it in here. Once that's done jump to Coruscant," said Daala.

"Roger that," Jjiim and Krandall said as Pell appeared and walked across the bridge.

"Let's go greet your ship," said Daala. "Pell the bridge is yours."

"Roger that," said Pell. "A contingent of stormtroopers will be waiting down in the bay for you."

With that, Daala, Han, Kyp, and Chewbacca entered into a turbolift and were whisked away.

"She's putting a lot of faith that they won't kill her," said Jjiim pressing some buttons on his panel as he finalized the jump coordinates.

"She's too smart for them," said Pell. "Every once in a while declare peace, it confuses the hell out your enemies. Line 1 of the unofficial Daala Doctrine."

"So it is, so it is," said Krandall leaning back in his chair.

"Uh-oh," said Lando as the ship suddenly lurched to a halt.

"They've got us alright," said Luke as he dropped the control stick and pushed away from them.

"I don't suppose we can escape this," Lando said hopefully.

"If it was one of the destroyers than maybe, but against that command ship forget it," said Luke shaking his head.

"I don't suppose you can fight them all off can you?" asked Lando. "The Jedi are supposed to be able to face insurmountable odds and come out on top."

"Not against these odds," said Luke pulling out his lightsaber. "Although I could make it easy and get sucked out into space before any chance of torture."

"No, that's okay," said Lando quickly. "I'll just use my charm and get us out of this."

"I think I'll choose death," said Luke with a grin. His lightsaber shot out and stopped just in front of the glass surrounding the cockpit. Luke laughed at Lando's expression before he shut it off and headed for the living area as the ship was pulled up through the bay of the Super Star Destroyer.

"That's a hell of an arsenal," said Lando watching an image from a monitor inside the hold. AT-ATs, AT-STs, all sorts of Tie Fighters, some they'd never even seen before, and a host of other support vehicles arrayed the bay floor as personnel ran about servicing them.

"Enough to give the New Republic a run for its money," said Luke nodding. "Don't know why they'd want us though."

"They want the Falcon," said Lando. "They take it out in front of everyone and claim Han was in it and they've essentially demoralized the whole Republic when they blow it up."

"Makes sense," said Luke nodding as a thump was heard indicating the vessel was now on the deck.

"So let's hide in the smugglers compartments and wait them out," said Lando. "Then we'll do everything you did to escape the Death Star and we'll both come out of this alive and unscathed."

"Okay," said Luke unconvinced it would work a second time around. Lando ran over and popped open a compartment.

"Oh hell," said Luke looking down in it.

"Oh baby!" said Lando rubbing his hands together. The compartments were all loaded with spice.

"I'm rich!"

"We're screwed," said Luke. "Now where're we gonna hide?"

Then something happened that shocked them both.

"So how do we get whoever's in there, out of there?" asked Han. He and the others were standing amidst a phalanx of stormtroopers who had surrounded the ship.

"How the times have changed," thought Han remembering the last time he was in an Imperial bay onboard a moon sized battlestation with stomtroopers surrounding it.

"We go in guns blazing," said Daala checking a blaster rifle.

"I'd rather not have blaster marks tearing up the inside of my ship," said Han with Chewie nodding in agreement.

"Beggars can't be choosers," said Daala. "And besides, it's the Imperial way."

"But you said you're no longer the old Empire. You're the original Empire that relied on diplomacy not brute force."

"And here I'd hoped you'd forgotten," said Daala disappointed. "Sometimes the old ways are still the best ways."

"And if this was anyone else's ship I'd agree with you," said Han. "But it isn't."

"So what do you suggest we do flyboy?" Daala asked.

"Give me a megaphone and I'll order them out," said Han. Silence descended on the group before laughter broke out directed at Han. Eventually he too started laughing when he noticed the troopers shaking in their armor.

"It's better than nothing," said Han. Daala just shrugged as an R2 unit appeared with a megaphone.

"Thanks Depot," said Daala. "How're the upgrades on the Y-Wing going?"

Depot bleeped something.

"Good I won't be keeping you then," said Daala. Depot tootled before he rolled off across the bay towards the still mud stained Y-Wing, seemingly out of place amidst all the Ties.

"Good luck," said Daala handing him the device.

"Attention whoever is onboard my ship. This is Han Solo and I want her back! You have fifteen seconds to lower the boarding ramp and come out or we go in guns blazing!" shouted Han.

"What the hell?" said Luke and Han after hearing Han's speech.

"That was Han alright," said Luke.

"How? What's he doing onboard an SSD?" demanded Lando. "It must be a trick, voice modulation somehow!"

"No, he's out there alright," said Luke with his eyes closed. "He doesn't seem to be under any duress either."

"So I guess we have to go out there," said Lando.

"We'd better, the fifteen seconds is almost up," said Luke with a grin. Lando his the ramp release.

"You'd better be right about this," said Lando. Luke grinned.

"Look at it this way, if I'm wrong we won't have any time to worry about it," he said. Lando groaned.

"See, I told you it'd work," said Han as the ramp lowered.

"I'm shocked," said Daala not believing it. Kyp nodded in agreement as he stood there with Chewie and everyone else dumbfounded. That surprise would only be enforced moments later with:

"Han is that you?" said a voice. Han's jaw dropped at hearing that.

"Lando?" Han demanded. Lando Calrissian walked down the ramp with Luke.

"Great," said Daala throwing up her arms in defeat. "Here I have just about all the heroes of the New Republic together in one place and I'm unable to do anything about it! Damn my morales."

"What're you doing with my ship?" Han demanded walking up to them.

"What're you doing onboard an Imperial Super Star Destroyer?" Lando demanded as they clasped each other on the back grateful to see each other alive.

"Nice to see a happy reunion of the people who doomed my government," said Daala walking up to them.

"So this must be Daala's fleet," said Lando looking around the place. "And from the looks of things you're in cahoots with him. So where is this Daala person?"

"Yeah where is he?" asked Luke. Han, Chewie, and Kyp began laughing as Daala groaned.

"And who're you?" asked Lando to Daala turning on his charm..

"Can it Calrissian I'm Daala," said the Vice-Admiral.

"You're joking," said Lando. Daala pointed to her rank insignia.

"Nope," she said. "Now with any luck we should be at Coruscant in a few hours so I'd suggest you sit tight until then. Preferably on your own ship since it's here now."

"Yeah," said Han. "Listen, Aeryl thanks for everything."

"Just doing my job," said Daala leaving with her stormtroopers.

"So Han," said Lando. "How'd you meet her."

"Yeah," said Luke. "And who're these people?"

"It's a long story, one best told over a cup of caf," said Han leading them onto the ship.

Coruscant: "I'm sorry Leia," said Mon Mothma. "There's still no word from Luke, Lando, or Han and Chewie. If we haven't heard from them in another few days we'll send in a fleet to find out what happened to them."

"No," said Leia sadly. "We can't. If we send in a fleet it'll be a PR nightmare. I'll go, me diplomacy should be able to cut through Moruuth Doole. If not…I don't know."

Suddenly alarms began blaring all over the operations room.

"Ma'am, we've got Imperial signals emerging from hyperspace!" shouted a technician.

"Great, that's just what we need," said Garm Bel Iblis running around trying to get in touch with Admiral Ackbar who was currently with the fleet in orbit. The screens then showed the fifteen ship fleet greatly encompassed by the Super Star Destroyer and four other destroyers.

"Oh hell," said Bel Iblis sitting down in a chair defeated. "There's no time to raise the shield in time, they've got us right where they want us."

"Transmission coming in," said a person. The screens burst into static before resolving into a female Vice-Admiral.

"Hello New Republic government, I am Vice-Admiral Daala. I have been idly standing by and watching the Empire fall to your forces. Now the Empire is on the verge of collapse and I can't…won't let that happen. I am going to revive the Empire, but not with the blood of the innocent. Attacking the New Republic is not going to solve anything so I'm not even going to try. If anything having the New Republic on my back will hinder my efforts and I don't need it. As such, I ran across your heroes Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and Lando Calrissian. I am returning them to you intact and unharmed with an olive branch of peace. Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. One day the Empire will rise again but not through bloodshed. Until then I leave you in peace," said Daala. A single object departed the SSD and then the whole fleet was gone as if nothing had happened.

"Was that a dream?" asked Mon Mothma confused.

"More like a hallucination," said Leia.

"Single object detected, it's the Millenium Falcon and they're requesting permission to land," said a technician happily.

"By all means let them, we certainly have a lot to discuss," said Mon Mothma. They advanced to the pad where the Millenium Falcon was landing outside. The ramp lowered and Han ran out and embraced Leia.

"Han, thank goodness you're alive," said Leia with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, how exactly is that possible?" asked Bel Iblis. Han shrugged still holding Leia.

"The Empire saved me," said Han. He laughed when he saw everyone's look at that statement.

"It's true," said Luke nodding. "Strange but true."

"Yes but she's going to revive the Empire!" shouted Bel Iblis. "We can't let that happen!"

"Let it go," said Kyp surprising everyone. "She may be the future of the Empire, but it may bring about the peace missing for so long in this galaxy."

"And I for one wish her luck," said Han. "Good luck, Vice-Admiral Daala."

Gorgon: The fleet roared through hyperspace to parts unknown.

"We've got a big task ahead of us," said Jjiim.

"Yes, but we must succeed for the sake of the galaxy. The Empire needs to be united and at peace with the New Republic in the event of an invasion," said Daala preparing to leave.

"Invasion by whom?" asked Krandall confused.

"You never know," said Daala as she left the bridge. She walked to her office and shut the door, locking it. She then went past her desk to her personal safe and went through several security measures from fingerprints to retina scans before the safe opened revealing a briefcase. Daala pressed her thumbs against the thing before twisting the locks to pop it open. Inside was a single dossier that Daala picked up and rifled through again.

"We must succeed," she thought determined to succeed. The dossier read: Classified: Yuuzhan Vong Intelligence from Deep Space Probes.

The end…for now.