BEFORE THE EXCITING EVENTS OF STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER! Hounded by the FIRST ORDER across the galaxy, the RESISTANCE is in dire need of ships, weapons and recruits to make a final stand against KYLO REN'S forces. Desperation drives a delegation led by GENERAL LEIA ORGANA and REY to entreat the Rebel veteran's one-time allies, THE MON CALAMARI, to join the fight.
At Dac City, General Leia Organa and her Resistance followers receive a frosty reception from several Quarren led by Chadkol Gee, who asks why they shouldn't kill them where they stand. Chewbacca chokes a Quarren while Rose Tico raises her blaster and defends General Organa. Chadkol blames General Organa for his family being tortured and killed by the Galactic Empire. Another Quarren intervenes, warning Chadkol to let the King of Mon Cala decide the fate of the Resistance delegation. Chadkol responds that it is better to drown them and save the King the trouble.
In response, Rey raises her staff and tells Chadkol that he is welcome to try. The late Admiral Gial Ackbar's son Aftab Ackbar arrives and defuses the situation. Aftab chastises the Quarren for treating their Resistance guests poorly. He reminds Chadkol that Leia is an honored war hero and that if he harms her he will be fed to the fish. Chadkol responds that Aftab being the son of a war hero doesn't make him one. Aftab counters that Chadkol being the descendant of traitors does not make him a traitor.
Chadkol tells Aftab to watch his mouth before storming away. General Organa hugs Aftab, telling him that he has grown since they last met. While Aftab is glad to see her, he warns that others on Mon Cala do not share his sentiment. General Organa tells Aftab that she has come to honor his father Admiral Ackbar.
General Organa accompanies Aftab to the Mourning Shrines of Mon Cala, which contains a large carving depicting Admiral Ackbar's head. When Leia tells Aftab that his father would be proud of who he has become, Aftab replies that he had little contact with his father since his spawning since Ackbar's attention was elsewhere. Aftab has studied his father's battles and victories. He asks Organa if it is true that she was present with him when he died.
Leia tells Aftab that his father was a hero until the very end and wishes that she could bring his body home. While Ackbar's remains have been lost in the cold vacuum of space, Aftab replies that his father's soul is on Mon Cala. He thanks Leia for taking the trouble to visit his father's shrine. Leia responds that this was not the primary reason that she came to visit Mon Cala.
Meanwhile, Rey along with Rose, Chewbacca and C-3PO wait for Leia aboard a submarine. Rey grumbles about being at the bottom of an ocean planet and far away from the action. Chewbacca roars in response. C-3PO thinks that Leia is being discreet. Rey disagrees with C-3PO's remark and grumbles that she is safe while her friends are fighting for their lives for the cause. C-3PO remarks that the submersible may be in danger from a crack in the hull. When Rose asks if Finn is going to be okay, Rey tries to reassure her friend that they are having more fun than them.
Meanwhile, the Kendoh Gang travels to the New Republic impound facility Base 354-23X on the Moon of Avedot in order to hunt down and capture Finn. They seek to collect a First Order bounty on the Resistance fighter. Kendoh Voss tells her fellow bounty hunters, the Aqualish Wooro and the Clawdite Remex Io, about their mission. Wooro speaks in Aqualish, prompting Remex to remind him that they have to capture Finn alive but can kill everyone else. Since Finn has back up, Kendoh orders the Utai pilot Basso Mak to keep their ship out of the Resistance team's sensor range and to keep their weapons hot.
Elsewhere, Poe Dameron, Finn, BB-8 and several Resistance fighters including Norik, Oron, and Tonkins enter the base. One of the Resistance fighters observes that the base's security systems appear to be dormant. When Finn remarks that the mission appears to be the easiest they have had, Dameron quips about asking for trouble. While inspecting a derelict T-47 airspeeder, Finn opines that the impound facility dates back to the Old Republic based on the wrecked state of the impounded vehicles.
Poe defends the reliability of his contact and says that the Resistance needs to get hold of every weapon they can. When Tonkin says that they may as well humor Poe, Poe tells him to guard the entrance. Later, Tonkin questions the need for sentry duty but is surprised by Wooro, who chokes him.
At the orbital shipyards above Fondor, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren confronts a local leader. The Fondorian leader confirms that a Resistance contingent passed through Fondor but that they refused to assist them. For making contact with the enemy, Kylo orders the nationalization of Fondor's shipyards by the First Order. When the Fondorian leader protests that the shipyards maintained their independence even under Imperial rule, Kylo responds that the First Order has learnt the mistakes of the Empire. Kylo Ren says that it is important that the Resistance is denied access to weapons. He decides to make an example of the Fondorian leader by beheading him with his lightsaber.
At Dac City, General Organa and her followers prepare to meet with King Ech-Char, the son of the late King Lee-Char. Aftab warns Organa that the King may lack the fortitude to give her the ships and pilots she seeks. Organa sends Rey and Rose to join Chewbacca aboard the Millennium Falcon to avoid complicating negotiations with King Ech-Char. When Rey offers to serve as her bodyguard due to their earlier encounter with the Quarren and Mon Calamari thugs, Organa explains that they are dealing with politicians; whom she has experience dealing with.
King Ech-Char is ill and hooked up to a life support machine. He is reluctant to meet Leia but listens to her. General Organa warns Ech-Char that was is coming and reminds him that his late father stood against Imperial repression. Nossor Ri is hostile towards Organa, reminding her that his people were tortured and imprisoned under the orders of her late father Darth Vader. He says that the Mon Calamari and Quarren gave everything to her cause.
Leia asks Nossor Ri and Ech-Char to trust her again. She explains that the Resistance is in dire need of ships and warns that the First Order's tyranny will fall even to the deepest depths of Mon Cala's oceans. Nossor Ri responds that the Resistance is the one that will bring that shadow down upon them. Ech-Char opines that Leia is demanding too much from a war weary people and decides to adjourn the meeting till tomorrow. When C-3PO comments about the unsuccessful meeting, Leia remarks that she has never been encouraged about politics.
Meanwhile, Nossor Ri expresses concern that Leia's presence will put their people at risk. Chadkol Gee suggests that they make it appear that Leia and the Resistance have overstayed their welcome.
Back at Base 354-23X, Finn's two Resistance comrades notice "Tonkins" approaching. When one of them notices that Tonkins is looking sick, "Tonkins" shoots him and reveals that he is actually the shapeshifting Remex Io, who is impersonating him. Io takes offense at the late Resistance fighter's remark about his shapeshifting efforts. As a gun battle breaks out, Kendoh chastises Remex for not taking out Finn's companion. Kendoh instead takes out Finn's companion by hurling a knife that pierces his chest. Finn flees down a corridor.
Meanwhile, Poe and BB-8 find a cache of weapons but hear blaster fire. Finn tells Poe that they have problem before diving into the storeroom and sealing the blast doors, leaving the bounty hunters on the side. When Finn remarks that sealing the door should buy them enough time to figure a way to escape, Poe points out that the only way out is through the door. Kendoh issues an ultimatum for Finn to surrender but says that they are prepared to bring him in dead. Finn realizes that the hunters are unaware of Poe's presence and comes up with an idea.
While Rey, Chewbacca, and Rose are loading crates aboard the Millennium Falcon, they are attacked by a mob of armed Quarren wielding staffs, who tell the offworlders that they were warned to leave. Rose attempts to reason with the Quarren, telling them that they are on a diplomatic mission and don't want trouble. Rey realizes that the mob is wanting blood and wieldss her staff in self-defense.
Chewbacca also joins the fight, knocking two Quarren together. Rose also stuns one of the Quarren with an electric tool. While Rey fights three Quarren, Chadkol Gee watches and orders his subordinate to open a secure communication line to General Armitage Hux. The subordinate tries to remind him that General Nossor Ri would not approve but Chadkol threatens to feed his companion to cavern eels if he disobeys. Hux warns that the matter must be important enough for Ri to reach out to him directly. Nossor Ri tells Hux that he has news that is of great importance to the First Order.
- UPC 759606094158; October 16, 2019; Marvel Comics
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