Jan Lomona: The Solo Runs - Second Son
1987/1999 story by Mark Newbold Three years before Episode IV - A New Hope Jan Lomona
is heavily involved in a free-lance weapons smuggling operation with his friend Latti Tellex
when he is contacted by an envoy called Sasn
from the second government of Agubia, an
Imperial-occupied world, who wants a trade route up and running at a good price and in the
shortest time possible. With his knowledge,
experience and reputation preceding him he contacts his Ishi Tibb
friend Ocern Gabe, a fellow smuggler on the verge of
retirement, to join him in the mission. Once
together the two of them drop Latti off on Amagad and head for the Gervlin System
and Agubia. En route to the Gervlin System an Imperial Interdictor pulls the Berone Sunrise out of hyperspace. Accompanying the Interdictor is the Imperial Star destroyer Barbarian, captained by
Jan’s elder brother Hijjin. Once tractored inside the docking Bay of the
Barbarian the Sunrise is thoroughly searched, but Jan is confident that his cargo
compartments are up to the job of hiding any illegal cargo he may have stashed away. The commander of the search team, Commander Tastor, fines him 100 credits for
possessing an illegal bottle of Duarga wine and
asks to see his documents. Jan shows Tastor
his false papers, pays and asks when he can leave. Commander Tastor moves away from the
Sunrise and speaks into a com-link. Jan looks around the docking bay and
sees who Tastor is speaking to - a figure high in the bay, partially hidden from Lomona. Once he’s given permission to leave he
thinks no more of it and blasts away towards Agubia.
In the eaves of the bay, Hijjin decides to contact his brother once he’s on
the ground and away from fellow Imperial eyes. Jan and Ocern dock on Agubia and travel
to the Salern Tarr restaurant to meet Sasn, the
attaché of the Agubian government. Whilst
waiting for Sasn to arrive the two smugglers discuss all manner of things - Ocerns
imminent retirement, the cargo of illegal weapons they have stashed in the secured holds
to take to Afagard in the Garda System, life in general. However, just as their Agubian government contact
enters the restaurant he is stopped by four heavily armoured Imperial Stormtroopers and led, protesting, to a troop
wagon. Four more Troopers enter the
restaurant and begin checking ID cards. Once
the Stormtroopers arrive at Jan and Ocerns table their ID’s are registered as fakes
and are told to accompany them. Jan
isn’t willing to go along with this - he knows that their fake ID’s are just too
good to be spotted as fakes. He’s
informed that the captain of the Barbarian wishes to resolve any ID problems right away
and issue new licenses. Unable to think of a
decent reason to resist Jan and Ocern go along quietly. The two of them are taken to
comfortable and spacious cells for the night, and after an easy sleep they are taken to a
shuttle and ferried up to the ISD Barbarian, which is waiting in orbit. Once aboard they are separated and taken to
separate rooms - Jan is led to a briefing room by Interrogation
Officer Doksop and Ocern to a room where he’s given correct licenses, ID’s
and is quickly shuttled back down to the Agubian surface. Meanwhile Jan is waiting for an officer to
question him when the door is opened and in walks his brother Hijjin. Ordering the guards to leave the room the two
men embrace - they haven’t seen each other for several years. After a few minutes friendly discussion the
subject turns to family matters. Their mother
Sierra is gravely ill and she wishes to see her
two remaining sons together for one final time. Jan
is adamant - there is no way he’s returning to A-desando,
under no circumstances. Hijjin tries to
persuade him otherwise but the younger Lomonas mind is set.
Knowing he’ll have to take no for an answer Hijjin reluctantly hands Jan his
new ID’s and licenses, tells him he’s interrogated the government official Sasn
and to give up on the Agubian trade route, and allows him to return to the planet. Jan returns to Dock 42 and finds Ocern tinkering away on the
Sunrise. He tells Ocern the trade route deal
is off and that they’re leaving soon. Ocern
nods and asks what happened on the Barbarian. Lomona says he’ll tell him once
they’ve entered hyperspace, and after he’s had a drink. Jan heads around the corner from the docking bays
and enters a noisy, smelly overcrowded Cantina. He
drinks a few Duargas to clear his head and leaves through the rear exit, crossing a field
to get some fresh air. Whilst walking slowly
he is approached by a tall man in a trench coat - it’s Hijjin, out of uniform. The two brothers restart their argument about
their Mother, which soon escalates to shouting and eventually into a brawl. They roll across the dirty floor, swearing and
yelling at each other. After a few minutes
they charge each other and Jan grips his brother in a headlock, but the momentum of
Hijjins charge takes him off his feet and the older brothers neck is snapped. Overcome with grief, Jan collects himself enough
to roll the body into the undergrowth, swap clothing and ID’s with Hijjin and return
to the Sunrise in docking bay 42. Paying Portmaster Oldorn as he races through the gate the
Berone Sunrise is soon powered up and ready to blast away from Agubia, which it does in a
burst of flame.
Jan Lomona: The Solo Runs - Second
Son 1987/1999 story by Mark Newbold Three years before Episode IV – A New Hope Histories - Recorded on 2nd, 5th
and 6th November 1987, Second Son
was the first part of the four-part Solo Runs series depicting Lomonas time on A-desando before the
events of A New Hope.
The stories served to illustrate Jan’s background and history, his family
background and his ties with the Setnin
Sector underground. Cast of Characters Jan Lomona Captain Hijjin Lomona Ocern Gabe Latti Tellex Sasn Commander Tastor Interrogation Officer Doksop Portmaster Oldorn |