This is a work of fan fiction.  Please don't spread any rumors
about Lucasfilm's next project floating in cyberspace.  This ain't
it.  And kindly whap upside the head anyone who says it is.  But if
like what you read, gimme a buzz at jmedinadk@aol.com and pass the
text around.

This adventure opened my Second Edition Star Wars RPG campaign,
featuring characters created by my players Frank Shaw, Marc Ford,
Holly Jones, Alan Polcen, and my wife Jamie Lawson.  Nods also go
to West End Games, Lucasarts, John Williams, and of course George
Lucas for their works and inspiration.

The main theme of the campaign is darkness.  Struggling with
personal demons, or ones others create.  The emotionally walking
wounded of the Galactic Civil War try to end suffering, bring
peace, chew rations, and kick Imperial butt.  Guess what happens
when they're all out of rations.

Now, pull out your copies of the Star Wars soundtrack CDs and bring
up the Fox Fanfare.  The curtain's going up....


                         STAR WARS:  DARK FALL
               Chapter 1--Stars Crossed At Ensakura, Part 1
                        Written by Joseph Medina


A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an Alliance of like-
minded Rebels scattered across the galaxy, abandoning their base on
the fourth moon of Yavin as they tried to escape the Imperial
starfleet.
               
A Rebel pilot met Dorian Sailbourne, one of the few Jedi left
alive, during the evacuation.  Dorian has agreed to teach her new
friend and comrade, Telia Vand, in the ways of the Force.

As Telia's training begins, they are assigned to a Rebel starship
on a mission to rescue another ship from an Imperial attack....


     A shellfish-like transport ship sat serenely in the void, a
stark constrast to the violence around her, starfighters weaving
threads of laserfire into the void's black tapestry.  Kilometers
away, a Nebulon-B frigate loomed over the battle like a scythe.  On
the transport, a communications officer shouted into his headset,
calling to a ship he'd hoped--but didn't know--was coming.

     The transport's rescue was light-years away, closing the
distance through hyperspace.  But while its crews prepared for
combat, a woman walked the corridors of the Rebel frigate _Sunn-
Childe_ with an Ewok in tow.  Dorian Sailbourne led the Ewok by the
hand...or paw...as it munched on a stick of concentrated food
rations, ignoring the glances of techs, pilots, and 'droids racing
past them.

     As the Ewok slid its ratty dark green hood about its small
furry ears, happily chattering to itself, Dorian took him through
a hissing, opening hatchway into another room.  An insect-faced
security 'droid turned its grey human shape around to face them,
blocking their path and view of gunnery stations that dominated one
side of the small room.

     "Dorian Sailbourne, field commander," she said quickly. 
"Here's the stowaway reported from Cargo Bay 3.  I've got to get
back to control before the hyperspace jump is over."

     The 'droid stood over the Ewok.  "Only authorized personnel
are permitted access to high-security areas."

     A gunnery officer climbed out of a turret, leaving one foot
inside the turret.  "C'mon, that thing's too small to do anything! 
Just watch him."  He leaned further to face Dorian.  "We'll be
okay, ma'am!  See ya on the other side."

     Smiling, Dorian looked back at the Ewok before leaving.  _Now
behave, so you can get lots more treats._

     "Yubnub!"  The Ewok jumped up and down as she left for the
flight deck.

                    *          *          *

     "Okay, Green Wing, front!"

     Green Leader glared at the growing line of orange-suited
pilots growing in front of him.  Even over the roar of revving
starfighter engines, his voice seemed to carry over several hundred
meters of the hangar deck.

     "All right, now--"  He stopped, tucked his datapad under his
arm, and smoldered.  Each pilot followed his lethal gaze until one
man looked into Green Leader's hazel eyes and held his breath. 
"Are you on a date, Jarvis?  Put your helmet on when I'm DONE!

     "Now listen closely 'cause there's no time for the usual
briefing.  As soon as we're out of hyperspace, Green Wing will
launch and cover the transport ship _Remmot_ and her escort group
codenamed Black Flight, consisting of four A-Wings.   The
transport's hyperdrive has failed, and they're under attack from at
least two TIE Fighter squadrons and an Imperial Nebulon-B frigate
_Muan,_ GOT THAT, OZRA?"

     "Yessir!"

     "Now our mothership's got to send out a shuttle, codename
_Paddle_, with a new hyperdrive motivator out of the _Remmot_. 
They want time to install it and we're gonna GET IT for them,
AREN'T WE, VAND?"

     "You bet, SIR!"

     "Damn straight.  We're launching without tracor beam assist,
so try not to scratch up the hangar doors.  And there's gonna be a
lot of crossfire between _Muan_ and the mothership, so keep your
shields angled...And.  Be.  Careful.

     "ANY QUESTIONS, GREEN WING?"

     "NO SIR!"

     "We have only _two_ minutes to complete your pre-flights, so
let's GO!"

     Reacting just as she'd been trained to do, Telia Vand shot out
of the line-up, her long blond hair rolling behind her as she broke
for her X-Wing.  Her fellow pilots did the same, scattering across
the rumbling hangar bay.  As the PA system announced the opening of
the hangar bay doors, seeing out of the corner of her eye the blue
glint of the magnetic shield powering up, Telia jumped over power
lines until she reached her ship.

     A spate of electronic squeals greeted her.  She looked up and
smiled at R2-D4, who was being lowered into the X-Wing.  "How's it
going, Artoo?"

     Artoo turned its mulberry-plated dome head about as if to look
down at her from its place on the ship, beeping cheerfully at her.

     "Ay, Lieutenant Vand!"  Techs in pale caps and coveralls began
detaching fuel and power lines from the starfighter, waving at
Telia as she folded her long hair and put her helmet on, whistling
to herself an old song about a pilot gone missing.

     One of the techs walked up to her, wiping his hands on a rag. 
"You're all set.  Heck, ask your 'droid.  He double-checked
everything we did!"

     "She."

     "Gotcha.  Nice 'droid, too.  Is it yours?"

     "Yeah.  We Artoo-Dyefor, right, Artoo?"

     The astromech sang out with a triumphant whistle as the techs
dragged the power lines away, laughing.
                    *          *          *
     Letting the Force adjust her eyes to the dim flight deck,
Dorian took her seat at the commo stations and put on a comlink
headset.  She heard jewelry jingle and a heavy cloak stir with a
slight rumble, and smirked.  "What's up, Redbeard?"

     His curly mane obvious even in the dark, Redbeard let out a
hearty laugh as he sat beside her station, his voice gravelly from
booze and smoker's cough.  "All syst'ms are green, an' we're comin'
outta hyperspace in a few minutes.  Yer friend Telia all set down
in th' hangar?"

     "Sounds like it."  Dorian tapped her headset, then stopped and
looked away.  Raising a hand toward Redbeard, a gesture telling him
to wait, she called out to the captain.  "Green Wing and Shuttle
_Paddle_ standing by for launch, sir."

     The captain nodded.  "Shields to full!  Stand by for red alert
and keep standard lighting!  Exit hyperspace in five, four--"

     Navicomputers on the flight deck emitted alternating beeping
tones.  On viewscreens, white lines snapped backward to form a
starfield.  Lights brightened as the captain called for sensor
fixes and confirmed contacts with _Remmot_ and her escort.

     Someone at the sensor positions shouted, "Nebulon-B frigate
_Muan_ at 313!  Transport _Remmot_, five Imperial fighters, and
four A-Wings at point 9!"

     Redbeard slapped his headset on.  "Black Flight, this is
_Sunn-Childe._  Do you read me?"

     "_Sunn-Childe,_ this is Black Leader, we copy.  It's about
time someone cleaned up our mess!"

     "Yeah, yeah.  Black Flight, we're sendin' Green Wing anna
shuttle out to th' _Remmot._  Cover 'em until the hyperdrive is
fixed, got it?"

     "We copy, _Sunn-Childe._  Thanks for coming."

     The captain marched to a barrel-shaped holoprojector.  "Patch
me in to Green Leader."

                    *          *          *

     Huge servomechanisms screeched and groaned throughout the
turbolaser station.  Under the wail of sirens, gunners shouted into
their comlinks, telling Control Deck they needed more people.

     All the Ewok understood were the nasty noises.  Big mean birds
must've been coming for a fight.  He knew what it was like to fend
off intruders and defend one's tribe, and wanted to help.  These
creatures were much nicer than the white hardhats about sharing
food and stuff.

     Slipping between the metal monster's legs, he bolted across
the room and looked around for a hole or open door.  The metal
monster ran after him, its bony silver hands reaching out as it
jabbered nonsense at him.  The Ewok leapt for the first open door
he saw, dropping into a wide leather-skinned chair, whacking his
hooded head into something.  By the pain, he guessed it was another
one of those machines he saw white hardhats use.  The metal
monster's babbling sounded louder, and made the Ewok turn to look
out the opening he'd jumped through.  The metal monster's
approaching hands made the Ewok shriek and, trying to ignore his
headache, he slapped every switch and lever he could find around
him.  The opening hissed and slid shut.  Even though he could hear
the metal monster pounding on the door, the Ewok let out a sigh of
relief.

     Looking around, recognizing glowing squares and the half-built
box in front of him, he realized he was inside one of the square
huts where the tall creatures made big booms.  He clapped his paws
together and hooted excitedly.

                    *          *          *

     Telia brought the X-Wing's canopy down over her with the flip
of a switch, and checked Artoo's status report on one of the combat
multi-view displays.  Their high-pitched cry still audible, the
engines sent vibrations through the ship and into her body.  As she
configured her CMDs and power systems, Green Leader's voice came
over her helmet's comlink.

     "All right, kids, mothership is moving between the transport
and _Muan._  Watch their fire and remember Green Leader's Number
One Rule:  Dodge--don't ram--capital ships, all rightie?  Then
we're outta here.  Green Wing, repulsorlifts!  Green Two and Three,
stand by for launch."

     Telia punched a few square translucent buttons which turned
from red to green as she felt the ship rise.  A chill went through
her as she took hold of the joystick.  "Here we go, Artoo."

     "Green Two, with me...launch."

     The sight and sound of the first three X-Wings roaring through
the hangar doorway into space sent her heart pumping.

     "Green Three and Four...launch."

     Telia nodded to herself as targeting readouts showed up on her
heads-up display.  "Artoo, shut off the repulsors as soon as we're
out, okay?"

     Artoo's bleeps and clicks were transcribed on Telia's CMD as,
"I'm ready on the anti-gravity controls.  I'm on the job!"

     "Good...I've been looking forward to this--"

     Then on her helmet commo:  "Green Five and Six...launch."

     With a smile, she punched the throttle up to full, shooting
her X-Wing out from the confines of the hangar bay, out into the
stars and darkness, into violence and freedom.

                    CONTINUED IN NEXT FILE