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The Spice Run 1986 story by Jonathan Hicks Under a year after Episode IV - A New Hope After
picking up Mactin Selka on Kooln and parting company with Jan Lomona, Goah
Galletti, Mactin and Redd Garmich’s wife Mandrala arrive on Draite. Goah explains the situation to Mactin,
about Redd’s capture by the Imperials and his desire to return to Janos with
his wife. He also explains about the
powerful destructive powers of the Janos Jewel and the importance of
returning it to Janos, where the strong religious beliefs of that world’s
populace would keep it safe and on planet - and out of the clutches of the
Empire who wish to use its energies as a weapon. Goah believes that Redd could be the man to
lead a crusade to have all Janos Jewel taken home to Janos, and in turn
protect the Mid-Rim from its power.
Mactin agrees and offers to help rescue Garmich from his
incarceration. Hiding the Phoenix in a
secure location, Galletti and Mactin entered the town, finding the Imperial
garrison on the towns outskirts. They hatch a plan - Galletti attacks the
side entrance while Mactin throws primed concussion grenades over the
security walls and into the compound.
As the attack is about to begin they are disturbed by a sound behind them
- it’s Redd Garmich. Confused, Galletti
asks how he’s free and Garmich explains that he managed to escape easily, his
training as a Janos Executioner standing him in good stead. Satisfied, Galletti leads the three of them
back to the Phoenix. Once
back at Galletti’s starship Redd is re-united with his wife Mandrala. After an emotional welcome Garmich explains
the situation to Goah. He’s learned
that the Empire has found a new location for a massive base in the Setnin
Sector - and troops are covertly being amassed there without arousing the
suspicions of the Rebel Alliance. Goah
asks what the cover is, and where. The
location of the base is the Core-ward world of Trefnare - Goah Galletti’s
home planet. The cover the Imperials
have set up is an enormous city of Chollywood, the sectors entertainment
capital and home of the Holo-vid industry.
Galletti and Mactin are confused.
Why would the Empire feel the need to covertly amass troops and set up
sneak attacks on the Alliance? Redd
suggests they set a course for Trefnare so he can explain on the way. Arriving
at Trefnare Redd has formulated a plan.
He suggests infiltrating the fake film company in the guise of a props
man, to enable him to learn more about the operation and feed information to
Galletti and ultimately to the Rebel Alliance who are in so much danger. Goah agrees and sets the Phoenix down on
his home continent. Garmich soon
departs, telling Goah to leave Trefnare and return in ten days time, giving
the elderly Janos Executioner time to work his way into the operation and gain
trust. Goah agrees, saying he will
take Mandrala to a safe location and sort out some loose ends until his
return. Galletti
takes Mandrala to Mactins homeworld of Chinngard just a few short hours away
and then travels on to Repusub, where he makes contact with Nortoide, a
friend from Trefnare and an agent of Jabba the Hutt. He explains the situation to Nortoide,
about the troop build up on Chollywood and asks him to spread the news
throughout the local smuggling community, ultimately hoping the news will
reach the Alliance. Nortoide agrees,
and as Goah is about to leave Nortoide offers him a spice run to
Trefnare. Nortoide explains that it
might be an excellent way for him and Mactin to infiltrate the city
themselves and assist Redd in his deception.
Galletti likes the idea and agrees. Three
days later the Phoenix arrives once again over Trefnare. Galletti and Mactin land in Chollywood and
are soon approached by local officials.
Galletti bribes the lead official, telling him to ask no questions and
slips him a sachet of DL-2 spice.
Knowingly the official nods and walks away. Loading the spice onto a cargo trolley Goah
and Mactin make their way from the docking bay through the town and onto the
movie lot. After delivering the cargo
to another of Jabbas agents they leave and walk to a local café. Mactin asks if anyone has seen a friend of
theirs, a balding white-eyed man from Janos.
They are directed to a massive sound stage across the road. Upon entry they are greeted by Redd, who
has managed to get employment as a stage hand. Redd takes Goah to one side and explains
that there are massive amounts of Imperial troops deployed here, and that the
Chollywood film industry is merely a cover to import even more troops to
Trefnare from an unknown origin. Goah
is shown a soundstage full of Imperial fighters - some familiar and some
prototype, including the Empire’s new B.U.G. Fighters, which are to be
powered by Janos Jewel. Both Goah and
Redd agree - Chollywood must be destroyed, at all costs. Mactin approaches with a plan. He suggests that they tell the local
Trefnarian authorities what the Empire are up to. An investigation would begin to uncover the
deception and cause the Imperials bother, whilst also bring the hidden
legions to the attention of the Alliance, who could strike. Redd agrees, but says that they must do it
alone. Now that he has infiltrated the
situation he must gather as much information as possible to give to the
Alliance and the Janos Executioners.
Galletti likes the idea. Arriving
at the local Trefnarian Authority Headquarters, Goah and Mactin demand to see
the Administrator. They are taken to
meet Uuvay Kenarten, the local liaison with the Imperial authorities.
Galletti tells Kenarten of the hidden troop build up. Kenarten contacts
Commander Gromso Endagra and challenges him with this information. Endagra denies it initially but eventually
admits to the build up, and more.
Under duress he tells Kenarten more than he should - that the
Trefnarian build up is part of the Trefnarian Stormtrooper Project, an
operation begun and overseen by Grand Moff Dacartchen. Kenarten tells Mactin and Galletti the
vague details and thanks them. Goah
and Mactin leave to return to the Phoenix, and as they do so there is a
massive explosion from the centre of Chollywood City - the Rebel Alliance has
learned of the build up already and is attacking. Smiling, Goah sprints to where he last
spoke to Redd, the massive soundstage.
When he arrives it is a smouldering mass of molten metal. Goah realises that his plan worked. Whilst delivering the spice to Chollywood
he secreted beacons for the Alliance strike teams to target, therefore
lessening the damage inflicted upon Chollywood itself. As he is about to leave the stage Redd
appears and joins him on his jog back to the Phoenix, which is ready and
waiting with Mactin at the helm. Redd
is ecstatic - they have halted the clone troop build-up without being
revealed themselves, and costing the Empire hundreds if not thousands of
Trefnarian clone troops and hundreds of un-launched vessels. Millions of lives in the Setnin Sector have
been saved. The
Phoenix jumps to Chinngard where Redd and Mandrala are re-united and thank
Galletti and Mactin for their help.
Unable to take them home himself, Goah tells them
that he’ll ask his friend Latti Tellex to come to Chinngard and take them to
Janos or wherever they want to go. The Spice Run
1986 story by Jonathan Hicks Under a year after Episode IV – A New Hope Histories - Originally entitled Add Spice to Life, the originally titled Goah Galletti Story Part Four – The Spice Run saw the
continuation of the events depicted in Jewel
of Janos. Recorded on 17th
and 28th August 1987, Spice
Run was made during an intense
period of NHP activity, and a year
that saw many stories expanded upon. This
continued a busy character arc for Galletti, this story seeing the last
appearance for almost a decade of the Real
Goah Galletti before his move to the Core
Worlds and his replacement by a Clone
Galletti orchestrated by the Setnin
Ganglord Glann Cipple. Cast of
Characters Goah
Galletti Mactin
Selka Mandrala
Garmich Nortoide Uuvay
Kenarten Commander
Gromso Endagra |