[Solved] (Episode III) Betrayal on Mustafar

Why hadn’t he listened to his father? “Keep your snout out of other people’s business, keep your head down and work hard, and the Great Oyarsa will make our planet green again.” Or something like that. Bbbr never really listened to those lectures. But right now, he wished he had. Because here he was, with his snout stuck directly into the xandank’s nest.

Bbbr was always getting into trouble of one kind or another. Not content to mine the rivers of molten rock with his family, he was in constant search of mischief. The rumours of late-night activity in the old abandoned foundry had been a temptation. Sightings of a Lambda-class shuttle leaving the foundry were too much to resist. Besides, Bbbr reasoned, if the Imperials left, then there shouldn’t be anything to worry about, right?

Wrong.

He’d slipped in easily enough through an open viewport. There was nothing but an old holotable and some odd yellow containers in the room he landed in. He was examining the canisters when the sound of muffled voices and footsteps gave him just enough warning to scuttle for cover before the blast doors opened.

Now he was stuck. He watched from his hiding place as an Imperial officer strutted into the room, flanked by a trooper clad all in black, except for a yellow pauldron on his shoulder. Bbbr tried to stay as quiet as possible. Perhaps they’ll leave? There isn’t much in this ro- the officer flipped a switch on the holotable and it crackled to life.

“Greetings, Overseer. I am pleased to report that the most recent shipment of chemicals was highly effective,” the officer said. “All plant life has been suppressed and we have no indications that the natives have any idea what we are doing.” He chuckled to himself. “You’d think they’d have caught on by now, given that we’ve been doing this since before the Battle of Yavin. I suppose we can’t expect much from these savages, can we?”

What was all that about?

“Indeed,” the voice came from the hologram. Its back was to Bbbr, so he couldn’t see its face. “Now, if I may-”

He was cut off by the Imperial. “We will require more, of course. Another six shipments should suffice for now.”

“Naturally, of course. But as to payment-”

“Bah, that’s all you business types care about, isn’t it? Don’t worry, you’ll get your credits.”

Bbbr’s legs were aching from squatting in his hiding place. He tried to adjust, but nudged a container. It rocked slightly, causing a slight noise. The head of the trooper cocked, and began to turn towards him.

“Actually – ” a polite cough came from the hologram –  “the UniStar Corporation isn’t looking for any more credits. I believe the previously agreed contract stipulates that in payment for thirteen years of – ahem – planetary ecocide, system control would be transferred to the UniStar Corporation.”

The trooper’s helmet flicked back towards his commanding officer as the man erupted in rage. “What? That’s preposterous!” he spluttered. “The Empire would never agree to such a thing.”

The figure in the hologram pulled out a datapad. “I think you’ll find on page 259 of the Ecological Reconditioning Contract your Empire signed with EvrGreen – a UniStar subsidiary – paragraph six, line eight has a footnote, which leads to subsection 27 ‘Rights and Remunerations,’ that clearly states-”

“Silence!” the commander thundered. “You forget who holds the real power in this galaxy. Not some snivelling corporation. I am altering the deal. You will accept credits for your delivery – or the Empire will simply take it.”

The man in the hologram sighed. “Very well. I’d hoped to avoid this, but… I’m afraid I must invoke Article 16, Subsection Cresh, ‘Failure to Provide Adequate Payment.’ Ahem, DT-R92, if you wouldn’t mind…”

The trooper crossed the room and grabbed the officer. Throwing the protesting man to the floor, the black-clad figure raised his blaster. Sprawled against the door, the officer raised his hand to ward off his coming doom.

“Wait, please! NO-”

Three flashes of light cut through the room and Bbbr watched with bated breath as the crumpled body of the commander fell to the ground. DT-R92 turned, doffing his- no, her helmet.

“Overseer, transfer of the Mustafar system will begin at once. You may commence the landing of Corporate personnel immediately.”

“Very well, DT-R92.” The voice from the hologram was far too calm. As if nothing had happened. As if this Overseer person had not just seen – ordered – a man shot by his erstwhile bodyguard. Bbbr couldn’t breathe, but this man… simply didn’t care. It was only business to him. “Your compliance has been noted. Carry on.”

The trooper stiffened and raised her arm in salute. “Hail… the UniStar Corporation.”

After the hologram faded away, DT-R92 placed her helmet back on her head, turned on her heel, and strode out of the room. Bbbr remained frozen in place until he was sure no one was coming back before scampering from his hiding place and out the window. This was bad. This was very bad. He knew the Empire was evil, but the man in the hologram had seemed somehow worse. As he hurried home, something began to bother him. Something more than watching a man gunned down in cold blood. Hadn’t they said something about suppressing plants? What had the man in the hologram said? Ecolo… Exo… Eco… something ‘side.’ Whatever that was, it sounded important. He had to tell someone, anyone, about this.