The Jundland Wastes were ancient, quiet, and merciless. Even the wind seemed tired of moving the same sand across the same jagged cliffs for millennia. Kael Solaris stood at the edge of a ravine, staring down at what remained of an old Republic-era ridge path, half-swallowed by the desert.
Behind him, the HLAF-500 starfighter rested on a narrow plateau, engines cooling in the morning shade. Beside Kael, Ghost silently scanned the canyon below, his visor casting ghostly pulses of infrared light over the ridgeline.
[ Quest: Hidden Foundations ]Objective: Locate and secure abandoned Republic listening postDifficulty: ModerateReward: Base Expansion Module | Unique Comm Array | XP BonusStatus: Entry Point Detected – 82 meters below surface
"It's still here," Kael said, squinting at the barely-visible glint of durasteel buried under years of sand. "Republic tech lasts."
Ghost nodded. "Sensor mesh is degraded. No active defenses. Suggest entry via north-facing ventilation shaft."
Kael tapped into the MercNet overlay and activated his terrain-assisted mapping grid.
A red line traced their descent path.
"Let's go."
The climb wasn't easy. The ravine was littered with crumbled stone and the skeletons of creatures long since picked clean by the suns. Kael's gloves scraped against the rock as he maneuvered around a collapsed section of ledge, Ghost lowering a carbon-fiber rope behind him.
They reached the shaft entrance after twenty minutes of descent. A rusted grate barred the path — but it yielded to Ghost's plasma cutter with a dull hiss.
Inside, the shaft descended at a steep angle, littered with sand and the occasional broken conduit.
The deeper they went, the cooler it became.
And the darker.
[ Objective Updated: Explore Listening Post – Threat Level: Low-Moderate ]Environmental Status: Oxygen stable, lighting at 4%, no power to security systemsNote: Possible infestation or degradation of interior structures
Kael activated his suit's low-light optics. The corridor beyond the ventilation tunnel opened into a small antechamber — hexagonal, lined with old Republic sigils now covered in dust and lichen.
"Interior's bigger than I expected," Kael muttered.
Ghost scanned the air. "No life forms detected. Trace organic rot in the east wing — likely wildlife nesting."
They moved slowly, passing faded command stations and long-dead holoprojectors. A collapsed wall revealed tangled server clusters, long since fused by time and power surges.
But ahead, the command core remained intact.
Kael stepped through the blast doors and into a wide, circular room filled with dormant consoles.
He approached the central panel and inserted a fusion spike.
The systems hummed faintly.
A long-dead voice crackled over the intercom:
"Welcome, Republic Overseer. System reset initializing... Please stand by."
The lights flickered.
[ Listening Post Reactivation: 62%... 78%... 100% ][ Base Core Operational ][ Reward Unlocked: Base Expansion Module – Tier I ][ Unique Module Acquired: Long-Range MercNet Comms Array – Tether Enabled ]
Kael's heart pounded.
They had just brought a ghost out of the past.
[ MercNet Notification: Forward Base Established – Location: Jundland Wastes (Hidden) ]New Facilities Available:– Hangar Bay (1 Ship Capacity)– Tactical Operations Room– Secure Armory (Locked – Requires 10,000 Credits)– Dormitory Wing (Capacity: 4 Personnel)
Optional Upgrade: Reinforced Exterior + Auto-Turret Nest (Cost: 7,500 Credits)
Ghost checked the exterior logs. "No surveillance. No proximity pings. We're off-grid."
Kael walked slowly through the dust-choked command center, exhaling.
"This is it," he said quietly. "Home base."
Not a ship.
Not a hut in the shadows.
But a place to build.
To grow.
By afternoon, the base systems were fully online. The air was clean. The hangar door had been pried open and reinforced with manual braces. Kael's fighter rested inside now, cloaked with the jerry-rigged sensor shroud Ghost had mounted.
Kael sat at the command desk, reviewing the live MercNet sync. The display pulsed with new possibilities.
[ Forward Base Menu Unlocked ]
Mission Control – Send team members on tasks, raids, or scouting
Summon Chamber – (Locked: 8 Days Cooldown Remaining)
Armory Configuration – Weapons upgrades and mod integration
Personnel Expansion – Unlock slots for AI or summoned operatives (Next Unlock: 15,000 Credits)
Facility Customization – Exterior design, stealth systems, shield generators
Kael scrolled through the customization options. "We're gonna need a name."
Ghost paused from installing motion sensors. "Designation?"
Kael leaned back, grinning. "Outrider Station."
[ Base Name Registered: Outrider Station ]Current Rating: Tier I – Hidden Mercenary HubReputation Buff: +5% to mission rewards in Outer RimUnlocks: New types of MercNet contracts (multi-target, infiltration, tech recovery)
Later that night, Kael stood outside the forward hangar, staring at the stars through a rusted observation arch. The quiet hum of life support buzzed beneath his feet, and the occasional hiss of wind echoed down the rock walls.
He felt… settled. For the first time since arriving on Tatooine, there was a sense of permanence.
But not stagnation.
This was just the start.
[ Notification: New MercNet Contract Available – Location: Dantooine (Encrypted) ]Mission Type: Target Extraction / Jedi-Aligned RefugeeReward: 5,000 Credits + Unique Holocron ShardTime Limit: 8 DaysNote: High Stealth Recommended
Kael tapped the notification, saving it for review.
Then another ping appeared — quieter, but urgent.
[ Message Received – Origin: Unregistered MercNet Node | Source Masked ]Message Text:"I saw what you did. I know who you aren't.Meet me in Anchorhead. Two days. Dock C."— V
Kael stared at it.
"Voro," he said aloud.
Ghost turned slightly. "Compromised?"
"No," Kael muttered. "She's too smart for that. She must've seen something during the Maul incident."
He considered for a moment. Then nodded.
"We'll go. But quietly."
Ghost returned to checking his weapon mounts. "We're building a reputation."
Kael looked up at the stars once more.
"No," he said softly. "We're building an army."