'So,' the old man said. 'The Empire has finally decided to kill me as well.'

Dempsey turned. 'The Empire has been dead for 20 years. No one cares anymore. There are no more Jedi in the New Republic.'

The old man smirked. 'That's what they all say. Yet you fly Imperial ships, and exercise Imperial law over occupied worlds.'

Dempsey look at the man. His stance had changed. Where before he had appeared weak, that weakness had disappeared, and she now evaluated his attitude as stronger. Defiant.

'We impose moral Imperial values on the citizens of our worlds. But we are not the Empire. We do not destroy at the whim of an old man or his lackey. We bring order and stability and...'

'That's what the Emperor said,' the old man interrupted her.

Dempsey sighed. 'I did not come here to discuss politics, nor did I come here to kill you at the behest of a long dead powerhungry masochist. I came here looking for information.'

The man shook his head. 'I have no information you could possibly want.'

'You cannot know this until you know what I want,' Dempsey countered. 'I'm looking for a specific planet. And I know that you know where it is.'

'Use a starmap,' he said. 'That's what they are there for. I'm no navigation computer. It's a big galaxy, and I haven't seen a map in decades. '

'And yet,' Dempsey finished, 'you know exactly where I can find a world called Dathomir.' The planet's name had the desired effect. Dempsey could feel it in the Force. The old man knew exactly what she wanted to know. 'And do not lie to me, and do not insult me by telling me you've never heard of that world, or do not know where it is. You are very familiar with it. You know where it is.'

The old man shook his head. 'That world was on every starmap I ever saw. Go get yourself a starmap.' He turned and left the homestead to stand outside, and watched the setting sun. Dempsey followed.

'It's no longer on starmaps,' she said. 'Someone removed it from them, and that was either your Jedi Order, or the Emperor. In either case, you know where it is. And you are likely the only one alive who does. And I want to know.'

In a surprisingly fast move, the old man sidestepped, turned about to face her, and yanked a metal cilinder from under his robes. The familiar snap-hiss sound reached Dempsey's ears as she saw the old man's green light saber come to life. Dempsey shook her head. 'As I said, I do not wish to fight you. I just want the information.'

'Which is why I do not give it to you,' the old man said, his voice changed, almost sounding hostile. 'Dathomir is not for the likes of you. It will corrupt anyone. It is imbued to its very core with the Dark Side. None should ever set foot on that world again.'

Dempsey kept her stance. She comtemplated drawing her own light saber, but she had meant it when she said she wasn't in this for a fight. And drawing a light saber would almost certainly set one off.

'I received my first training by a Dark Jedi,' she said. 'Master C'Baoth. Perhaps you heard of him.' The old man said nothing, but his feelings betrayed him. He could not shield himself from her as he might have been able to do when he was still a Jedi. 'I've visited the ancient Massaassi temples on Yavin 4, and the planet Korriban. I have felt the Dark Side. And I have overcome.'

The old man kept his silence. Dempsey could feel him reaching out with the Force. She allowed the gentle probe, projecting an aura of truth around her. Unless the old man believed here, she had no doubt this would get ugly. She patiently awaited what was to come. Until all of a sudden the old man leapt at her. Surprised, Dempsey ducked, grabbed her light saber, and ignited the yellow blade. She moved swiftly to block the old man's assault as he brought his blade down upon her. The energy blades clashed, and Dempsey rolled away. She jumped to her feet and tuened to face the old man. He was standing at the ready. Dempsey closed her eyes, and waited for him to make the next move. She felt his attack coming. She raised her blade agai to fend off his, sidestepped him and pushed him away through the Force. The old man landed hard on his side, and his light saber escaped from his grip. As the light saber rolled away, the blade extinguished. Dempsey turned, and extinguished her own blade.

'This can only end in your death,' she said. 'You're old, slow, and out of practice.'

The old man raised himself to a sitting position and looked at her. He frowned. 'Perhaps I have misjudged you,' he whspered. He stretched out his hand and his light saber flew into it. Ready for another attack, Dempsey was glad to see him tuck the weapon back into the belt he wore underneath his robes. 'Perhaps we should talk a bit more.'
 

Where Tempest has already made all the changes they desire to the squadron's roster after their voctory in Squadron (Re)Mobilization 3, I've been told Firebird is still pondering their choices. Well, better a well thought out one that takes a little more time than a bad one I guess. I did inform COL Stryker that I would not allow his squadron the use of Z-95 Headhunters. Perhaps that's why they're awaiting, maybe they're hoping the next Commodore will allow that rustbucket onto this ship.

We've also seen some promotions. Less Sub-lieutenants makes for a happy Commodore!

To all Challenge pilots: we are at a crossroads. And I'm not talking COM change. Only a few more weeks, and then TIE Corps in battle will end. I do hope everyone who is able to has flown, or still plans to fly the assigned battles. We're in the lead and I would like to see a win. And when that competition is done, Imperial Storm III will take over as we will again be pitted against the inferior forces of the Hammer and Warrior. There too, I expect everyone's participation so we can win it.

Speaking of COM changes, if I'm not mistaken the alloted time for applications has passed (or will pass by the end of today), so it should not be long before the TCCOM announces who has been chosen. We shall see.

As far as I am aware there's not much else happening at this point. people are flying, people are submitting pilotfiles and screenshots, and generally making me a happy COM. Keep it up, as you only have a few more days to rack up activity for this month.

Kudos are in order for COL Stryker for receiving a Bronze Star of the Empire for successfully completing a second Tour of Duty as Commander of Firebird squadron, and doing a damn good job at it. Keep it up!
 

TRANSFERS

Challenge ship-wide competitions:

Dempsey's Weekly Screenshots

Every week, the report will have a screenshot. Not necessarily from a Star Wars movie. First Challenge pilot to send the correct answer to the mailing list wins. Each victory earns you an IS-BR. Unless it's a 5th victory, you then get a IS-SR. Unless it's a 10th victory, which gives you an IS-GR!

Current screenshot:

Last week's winner:
COL Stryker for Raiders of the Lost Ark

Current standings:
8pts: COL Stryker
6pts: MAJ EvilGrin
3pts: COL Mell Kerrigan, LC Tygra Shadowclaw, LCM Wreckage
2pts: CM Richlet, LC Phalk Sturm, LC Kadon Beir, GN Elwood the Brave, COL Marenta, GN Silwar Naiilo
1pts: LCM Dougal Cealleigh, CPT TI-40026, CPT Kalve Ryder, MAJ Talon Jade

We have 3 Sub-Lieutenants left. Let's see if we can get rid of them before I sign off for the last time. That would be sweet....

COM-TACA-FSE/HA Anahorn Dempsey/ISD-II Challenge, signing off

MoH/ICx2/OoR/GOEx3/GSx21/SSx43/BSx39/PCx16/ISMx9/MoT-51rh-52gh-9bh/MoI/MoC-11doc-11poc-11goc-10soc-91boc/IS-12PW-192GW-443SW-408BW-4PR-18GR-
   21SR-89BR/LoC-PSx9-RSx2-IS-CSx2/LoS-PSx23-RS-IS-CSx3-Rx4/DFC-SW-Rx3/CoS/CoEx4/CoLx14/CoB/LoAx3/OV-14E [Imperator] [Tan] [TAR]
{IWATS:MCBS-XAM-XMD-TM/1/2/TM/3-XTM/1-MP/2-AMP-XWAI-BFM-TT-XTT-SFT-CTW-AT-SU-CM2-MD1-DT3-ARTY1-VS4-ST-SC-SEA-SD-SZ-SR-AIR-CC-SFW-WPN-
    XWAC-ESET-ISET-TIE-SMA-AWAK-BWAK-XWAK-YWAK-SN4-SM/3/4/5}
{IU:C/TC,C/DB,C/DIR,S,UL,CRD,EJE,TD,REP,WM,FT,IO,INST,MI,BTL,LDR,COE,WD,AIM,ICQ,MS1,TLN,ASP,BX,CSS,CBX,DW,FLA,LIN,GFX,IBX,JS,WIKI,PHP,VBS,XML,
    MAN1,MAN2,WKS,INO,HIST,INTEL,PRER,GR,SPW,HAD,GHA,THR,OSS,M/1/2,IIC/1/2/3,IA,CA,ARG/1,STM}