Trash, ashes, and war books laying at the room's floor. The fumes of smoke and alcohol fills the room. A big "118" poster hung at the wall with several old rock bands posters. A man sleeping at the corner of the room, with an unlighted smoke at his mouth. The man wearing a black leather jacket with a tag " 118" and a blue jeans pants. A half full pack of smoke and a full ashtray lying near him, and " Purpose of all Wars" book at his right hand.

An alarm beeping makes him wake. The man turns off the alarm and grab his speeder key. He walked out from his room and go to the kitchen and make himself a coffee. He notice a note at the fridge.

" I'm already at the Quest, be sure to take a bath today. "

He finish his coffee and walks outside to his speeder. It is an old but modified speeder, with gps tractor, double exhaust, and a carving of skull at the headlight. And at the speeder's body, there's an air brushed drawing of a symbol and text " Elemental Disaster ".

He turns on the speeder and go to the bar. At the entrance there's a green neon sign "Quest". Inside, rock music fills the bar. Several bounty hunters sits at the dark corner of the bar, while the other low-life thieves sits at the the other side.

"Hmm... busy night", the man said.

The man walks into the counter and he's greeted by a young man, kinda like 20-21 years old with a short black hair.

" Awake already ? it's only 9pm, i thought you are gonna showed up around midnight" said the young man.

" Shut up and make me a coffee, four of my souls haven't return yet, so i'm not in the mood for jokes" said the man.

Yes, this is the bar called the Quest, where a young man name Zed always spends his night and and went home before the sunlight. The Quest is run by Zed and his little brother, Dez.

several weeks later

Zed stands behind the counter, washing some glasses with a smoke at his mouth, and suddenly as man with a black robe enter the bar. Zed not paying too much attention to him at first. He thinks that the man is just another low-life thieves who seeks hiding place because he just rob a market or he just wants to spend his loots here.

The man walks to the counter and ask for a glass of ale. As Zed gives the man his ale, he examine the man and notice that the man carry a T-434 blaster covered inside his robe.

"Hmm.... a standard blaster pistol for trooper grunts. Either this man is an Imperial spy or a Rebel trying to recruit people" thinks Zed.

The man notice there's a Tuskan's head hanging at the Bar's wall as a decoration. And he said, "Nice decoration, you bought it or you just like to go hunting" ask the man.

"No, last year that creature ram my speeder, so i shot it" reply Zed.

And so the conversations goes and Zed doesn't realize the sun already up.

"Zed, we have to close the place, it's almost noon, and he's the only costumer left" said Dez.

And so they walked outside while Dez is cleaning the bar.

"It's been awhile since i saw the sunlight at this cursed desert" said Zed.

The man looks at Zed and say, " Do you want to be an Imperial soldier ? you have the potentials and the view for it ? what do you think ? don't you want to leave this planet and explore the galaxy ?" ask the man.

" Aw what the hey, i'm in " answered Zed.

" Good, my shuttle is just 3 miles from the North entrance of the city. I'll meet you there " said the man.

The man walk to his speeder and and go to the North entrance. Zed watching him until he dissapeared and then he go to his speeder and went back to his home.

He pack his stuff and write a note to his brother.

" I'm leaving for awhile, take care the bar, no need to search for me, i'm trying to find my true meaning of life, and if you ever touch my guitar, you are dead !!!

sign
-Zeto-"

Zed put the note at the fridge, take his speeder and go to the shuttle.

" Good, you made it, let's go now" said the man

PLT SARATOGA

When they arrived there, the soldiers rushes to the landing site and salutes the man.

" Great to have you back, Sir" greet one of the officers there.

"Whoa, who the heck is he anyway ? he must be on a high positions, i thought i just a low rank recruiter" thinks Zed.

Seeing that Zed looks kinda confuse, the man approach Zed and said, "I'm sorry i haven't introduce myself, my name is `TJ, you'll know my rank and position later on, right now let's go to the Academy to meet te Training Officer" said the man.

TO's Office

They walks to the Training Officer's office, but Zed notice while they are walking through the hall, everyone who saw `Tj either bowing, saluting or looks like avoiding.

" I don't know they bow in the military ? " ask Zed.

"Hahahaa... like i've said before, you'll find out later on" laugh `TJ

And they finally reach the TO's office, the place is kinda cozy. There's a wooden desk with tag "Space Knight" there.

The man greeted Zed, "Hello, glad to have you on-board, i'm the Training Officer, by the way, what divisions that you want to join ? the Navy ? the Army ? or the Engineering Corps ?"

"The Navy, i have flight battle skill and i wish to defend the Empire" answered Zed.

"Good, please fill these forms and you shall became a Crewman with the position of Trainee" reply the Training Officer.

As Zed sign the forms, his carrer at the Empire has just begun

--- To Be Continued ? ---