LIKE THE THUNDERHEAD of an approaching storm the Imperial Star Destroyer Sovereign bellowed through the skies above Lothal Capital City Yet the massive warship neither rained turbolaser fire nor unleashed the lightning of its ion cannons as it had done many times before Instead a single shuttle launched from its hangar bay TIE fighters left their flight patterns around the destroyer to escort the shuttle toward the city's domed Imperial complex In the complex's hangar Agent Kallus questioned whether he would have preferred a 7
downpour of lasers The sudden arrival of the shuttle and the man inside it did not bode well The most elite Imperial soldiers and officers on Lothal had been assembled as a welcome party As the TIEs veered off and the shuttle landed AT DP walker pilots and stormtroopers stood at attention in long rows Kallus couldn't locate Academy Commandant Aresko or Taskmaster Grint among the ranks but the Inquisitor was there his pale face impossible to read Minister Tua who was currently leading Lothal's government was also present Kallus noticed a quiver in her usually perfect posture when a thin man in a gray uniform exited the shuttle Grand Moff Tarkin I am honored by your visit to Lothal Tua said the quiver also detectable in her speech Tarkin strode up to her with a squad of black pauldroned troopers His aristocratic nose had the sharp contours of a hawkbat's 8
beak and his eyes lay sunken into his skull which rimmed them in perpetual shadow Though his voice sounded gracious his words were not My visit is hardly an honor Minister I admit I was surprised to learn you were coming Tua fell in step alongside Tarkin as he walked toward the complex Kallus followed with the Inquisitor I too have been surprised by what's been happening on your little backwater world Tarkin said Tua let out a nervous chuckle If you are referring to the insurgents I Tarkin halted and faced her You have had a single simple objective Minister to protect the Empire's industrial interests here interests that are vital to our expansion throughout the Outer Rim But instead of protecting those interests you have allowed a cell of insurgents to flourish right under your nose Am I correct 9
