I’ve known he was on his way home for some time now. I knew he’d be back to Moneta soon. But I wasn’t prepared.
I couldn’t help but throw my arms around him upon seeing him, something I don’t normal do. I stood there overwhelmed with emotion, fighting back tears of joy. There was so much to tell him. So many things have changed since he left all those months ago to serve the Empire…. but I couldn’t even think of where to begin.
I quickly sent out a note to the entire guild.
Dear MNETA,
A little more than a year ago, a noble Bothan stood at my side while I fired up a guild device. He led our fleet as Admiral of Skull Squad, donated the guildhall that is now our Community Center and funded the small outpost of Moneta.
And then he had to leave us for a time. Off to serve the Empire.
But he’s back!
If you get the chance, please welcome LongJie back home.
It was late and soon after his arrival I had to head home to go to bed. In the quiet, darkness of my bedroom I thought about his return.
And I cried.
I don’t think I ever realized how much I worried over him while he was gone, how much I missed him or how relieved I’d feel to have him home, safe and sound.
I drifted off to sleep with tears still drying on my face, feeling very grateful that the Empire has returned LJ to us.
When I spoke with Iohimais last week about the small army camping out around his bunker, I gave him a week to clear up the problem and bring Moneta back to being a place where we could walk around without fear.
A few days ago, I rode into town and was shocked to find they’d all gone. I breathed a sigh of relief and went about my business, thankful that the situation had been resolved.
Or had it?
Today I was working overtime on a new uniform in my office in Moneta. I’d been at it for hours and when I began mixing up various shades of brown I was working with, I decided a quick nap would help clear my head. I laid on the couch and closed my eyes.
A while later I woke to a crashing sound. Still dressed in mixed up sample pieces of the project I’d been working on, I ventured to the entrance of city hall. Parts of an aircraft lay burning near the town square and several familiar looking gunmen were scattered about.
I quickly ducked back into my office and sent out a distress message on the guild channel. It wasn’t long before a parade of armed citizens secretly joined me in city hall to try to piece together what had happened.
No one knew exactly what was going on. One citizen noted he’d seen a Skull Squad ship firing at an unknown vessel near the Corellian space station. It came as no surprise that the person doing the firing was none other than our dear Iohimais.
My foremost concern is always Moneta’s citizens so after unsuccessful attempts at hailing Ioh, we quietly left the strangers scavenging their wreckage in Moneta and went to the starport to launch a search party.
Once in the air, we successfully tracked him down in another system. He explained he’d stumbled across a theft in progress in Moneta, taken down the shuttle they were using to transport the goods they’d stolen and then chased the escort ships.
With the citizens accounted for, the next task was to secure Moneta. I’d only gotten a brief look at the group we’d left with their broken shuttle in the middle of town, but I was fairly certain we were going to be outnumbered. But given the circumstances, negotiations for a peaceful end seemed as much like a suicide mission as simply going in with guns drawn.
We gathered outside of town and laid out a plan of attack. It was executed well and our citizens managed to rid the town of the intruders with only a few minor injuries.
Scattered among them we found several crates of weapons and equipment from Av’ar’s munitions shop. There’s still some disagreement about who these thieves were but I have theories of my own. See, that small army that camped outside of Ioh’s place had a clear view of Av’ar’s workshop…. and nothing better to do for days on end than to observe our citizens as they went about their work.
Though Ioh always presents it to me as no big deal, speaking to other citizens I’ve discovered that Czerka employees have set up in his bunker against his wishes. It seems the situation has not been resolved as I’d hoped.
As much as it pains me to have to, I’ve enlisted the help of Colonel Daenyathos Caeon to train a number of volunteers to help form a security force for Moneta. They will be known as the 1st MNETA Brigade.
I remain hopeful that the streets of Moneta will one day be safe and secure again. In the meantime, I’m encouraging all her citizens to go about their business with the upmost caution.
This is a picture of a few of the members of the Skull Squad. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to get the whole group together for a photo. There are some members who I go weeks without seeing because they spend so much time in the air.
I’m terribly proud of these talented, hard working pilots. I was honored to attend an inter-guild meeting with these sharp looking Skull Squad representatives at my side. The squad has flourished under Admiral LongJie’s direction (on the left in the front row). He very wisely appointed Maisioh as his XO (seated next to the Admiral). Both have worked tirelessly at training and supplying the pilots under their command.
Skull Squad. Just one of many reasons I’ve got the best job in the world. 
