"I found another one over here!"
Wyrren Zerga and his friend, Jag Bendal, had pulled out a total of four crewman. Three other humans and a Bothan scavenged the wreckage of the Alliance starship, finding nothing but charred bones and debris from the crash.
Until Aama Valhoun, a Rebel sniper, called out into the midnight air.
"It's the Sullustan!"
Ido Beelen, a Sullustan technician, squirmed from underneath one of the laser turrets that had been singed black from the ships re-entry into the atmospshere.
"Su tane bate-bate! Te rhana bus'a lekanaa! He chattered.
"Does anyone know what the hell this guy's saying?" Asked Cypher Graf, an Alliance Corporal, as he tugged on the trapped crewman's arm.
Ido Beelen had been picked up by the Rebels near the beginning of the galactic civil war to be used as a decoder against the Empire. The Sullustan, who had a reputation for being an expert hacker, joined up reluctantly, revealing much of the Empire's tactical maneuvers to the Rebels throughout the war.
"Almost . . . gotcha!" Said Wyrren Zerga as he fell back, Sullustan in tow.
Beelen landed face-first in the ground, then shot up and began pacing nervously around, chattering to himself in his own vernacular tongue.
"Sheesh . . you're welcome." Said Valhoun as she turned around and continued the sweep for more survivors.
"You're sure it landed in the middle of the Everfree?" Asked Shining Armor.
"I swear I saw it crash west from here. I don't know what it was, but it certainly isn't from here." Said Twilight Sparkle.
Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and a detachment of Royal guards had arrived in Ponyville shortly after Twilight sent the urgent message. Wearing their respectable elements, the six bearers of the elements stood nearby, chatting amongst themselves.
"Well, my guards are in formation. We're ready to move out when you are Twily." Said Shining Armor.
"My personal guards shall fly above and search for this extra-terrestrial invader." Added Luna.
Celestia stood beside her sister, but remained quiet. A hush had fallen over the ponies grouped outside the intimidating forest. A large smoke column had begun to take shape deep in the forest, a fiery glow illuminating the bellowing blackness.
"Well Twilight, lead the way." Said Rainbow Dash.
On that note, the purple Alicorn stepped forward, and the others behind her followed.
Wyrren Zerga looked at the group gathered in front of him and sighed. He had managed to save five men from the crash, not including him and Jag. The rest were charred corpses who's identities were barely discernable.
"Jag, what'd we manage to salvage from the crash?" He asked.
Jag Bendal walked over to a burnt tarp they had laid on the ground and spoke.
"Well, we've got two rifles, five blasters, three thermal detonators and a concussion grenade. That, and a sac of spiced Mynock wings."
The resounding groans from the crew concurred with Zerga's feelings.
He hated Mynock.
"I don't know what's got you guys ass-deep in a Wampa cave, but I love spiced Mynock! Hell, this one time . . ." Exclaimed Corporal Cypher Graf.
"Oh jeez, here we go." Said Private Avin Crane.
Cypher Graf was born a poor child on the space port of Nar Shaddaa and grew up stealing off of the food vendors as a street urchin. He ran in a small, tight knit gang that tended to cause trouble at the worst of times, especially for the local Imperial Garrison. One day, a platoon of stormtroopers marched into the port and opened fire on the locals, intending to make an example out of unruly colonies. Leaving the only life he had behind, Graf joined up with the Alliance and fought at the battle of Corrdair under commander Limm Nix.
"Alright, alright! Tell me anymore about the time you downed twenty spiced Mynock wings and I'm gonna puke!" complained Avin Crane.
"Would you two both shut up? You're gonna get us all killed with your bickering." Chastised Aama Valhoun.
Aama Valhoun was raised on Tatooine and made her money off of a local sport.
The Boonta Eve pod races.
As a child, she had always wanted to place first in one of the events, just as the young slave boy Anakin had many years ago. With the hope and inspiration she naturally possessed, Valhoun built her first pod and entered in the race. After a humiliating loss, Valhoun dropped her childhood dream and pursued another profession.
Bounty hunting.
Proving to be an excellent shot with a scoped rifle, Valhoun became a skilled assassin and was hired by both the Alliance and the Empire in the outset of the war, doing jobs from sabotage to the murder of important figures. She joined the Rebels officially after walking through a village that had been frozen in solid carbonite. The inhabitants, including women and children, had all been killed.
All at the hands of the Empire.
She become closely affiliated with high ranking rebel officers, getting assignments from every corner of the galaxy. Ever since her enlistment, Valhoun became a well known figure, feared by the Empire and praised by the Rebels. When leading missions, her soldiers always trusted her in knowing where to go and what to do.
Only this time, Aama had no idea where she was or what she was doing.
"Huh, looks like the fire in the Corvette is dying down. We should bunk down there for the night and use whatever shelter we can get. We'll move out in the morning and gather our bearings." Spoke Zerga.
"Loh! Hanama-tusa!" Shouted Ido.
"What is it now?" Avin asked irritatingly.
"Uh, guys? Look." Said Graf, pointing into the air.
A silence overtook the group as they looked up into the sky.
"Oh no." Spoke Jag.
"Change of plans, we move now." Ordered Zerga.