What Goes Up... (comic story)
Plot summary
Aayla Secura and clone Commander Bly investigate a deserted Separatist outpost in the Endor system. After discovering the base to be empty (and finding the remains of countless clone troopers and battle droids), Secura order's Bly to secure the position while she goes out scouting. She then encounters a lone battle droid trying to kill her from behind but Secura quickly cuts its arms and legs. The Jedi is however caught by surprise by the native Ewoks and is shot with a tranquilizer dart. Waking up in a treehouse, Aayla is surrounded by Ewoks, and by the droid she found earlier. The battle droid sarcastically tells the Jedi that they intend to eat her. Secura tells him to be quiet when she notices a clone trooper helmet on one of the Ewok's spike. Worried, the Twi'lek asks the Ewoks if it was them who had been attacking her troops. Not being able to communicate in a common language, Aayla then uses the lone battle droid as a translator. The latter informs her that a giant beast had been attacking the droids and her troops and that their blasters were useless. The droid also adds that she is thought to be a forest spirit. As a spirit, it is her duty to vanquish the monster the Ewoks call Beast in the Mouth of the Mountain. Secura, taking the droid along, let's herself be guided by the Ewoks to the cave. When they arrive, Aayla climbs the mountain where the cave is, taking the droid with her as well. While climbing with the droid on her back, the droid asks why she would go that far for clones, to which Aayla answers that they are not only clones, they are warriors, they are men. Reaching said cave, the Jedi Knight trips on a pile of bones of clones and carcasses of droids, alerting the Beast to her presence. The Beast quickly impales the battle droid with its claw, leaving Secura free to work on cutting the tentacles off of the beast and collapsing parts of the ceiling upon the monster. Fulfilling her duty as the Ewok's spirit, the Jedi Master returns to the Republic gunship, where Bly is waiting. The commander asks her where she has been, saying that they have been trying to contact her for a while. The Jedi dismisses his worries saying that both the scout squad and droids had are destroyed. She adds that they need to find out why the Seperatists are building small outposts in remote systems. The pair, along with their squadron, heads to Felucia. As the squadron flies away, the Ewok chief, who has recovered the droid's head as a totem, paints a memorial of Aayla's victory.
Bailed Out
Plot summary
On the Tantive IV, Bail Organa holds a conference with Raymus Antilles and Sheltay Retrac. Antilles voices his concern about the lack of Jedi accompanying them, and Organa dismisses his captain's worries with a wave of his hand, saying that they'll have make do without help.
The trio soon lands on Metalorn to meet with the Techno Union Foreman, Wat Tambor. Clearly excited at Organa's interest in joining the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Tambor leads the group on a tour of his highest accomplishments: the Wasteland and his stockades. He proudly says that this how you make your population of turbulent citizens productive. Senator Organa then asks they treat their criminal, saying that if he is to make the whole population of Alderaan work, he'd need somewhere to hold the criminals. After a brief tour Tambor leads them to the real prize of his city, an incredibly secure prison block. Upon reaching this prized location, a guardian droid asks Organa what is in the box he carries. The senator answers that it is the in fact the planetary seal of planet Alderaan. Tambor stops the droid, saying that upon seeing the prison, the senator will want to sign the treaty right away. It is at this moment that Antilles takes his cue to leave, at the disappointment of Tambor. When entering the prison, Wat informs the two Alderaanian that this place can hold twice the population of a standard planet. Unimpressed, Organa asks where the real criminals are held. Tambor leads them to yet another room full of floating boxes. He informs them that this is the safest place of the prison, that no one ever escaped and no one ever will. The senator asks if the boxes were all used, to which the Skakoan confirms that only one is, holding prisoner Jedi Master Shaak Ti. Organa, knowing at last the whereabouts of his goal, throws the box he has been carrying around into the air. Using the Force, Ti ignites the lightsaber from within the cell and escapes the prison. Fighting their way through droidekas and battle droids, they finally reach the ship, where Antilles safely pilots them off of the planet.
On the Tantive IV, Ti tells Organa that if he ever needs anything he should contact her. Organa agrees.