With the unfortunate resignation of SA Adams as XO, the current EH Tactical Officer (Kreeayt Havok) has been promoted to the Rank of Sector Admiral and the Position of Executive Officer...His duties commence on June 16, 1996, so ALL EH Members are requested to cc: Medal Awards to the new XO (havok@fuse.net or FAHavok@aol.com) for Newsletter posting and recognition...

The following presents the description of the first of four star systems recently discovered in the Minos Cluster, Outer Rim Territories...Descriptions of the remaining three star systems, Yridia, Lantare and Dar'Telis will be presented in a forthcoming version of the Systems Manual...It should be noted that neither the Empire or the New Republic control the star systems in the Minos Cluster..at this time...

The Lyccosian star is currently in the waning millenia of its existence, as the Lyccosian star (Veriats) is a rapidly expanding red giant. When colonization of this system and the others in the Minos Cluster was initiated by the Empire about 75 years ago, two remaining planets were found in the system, Lyccos I and Lyccos II. Each of these have apparently had their entire ecologies and terrains completely overturned during the past 10,000 years as the searing heat and radiation continues to expand through the system. The Imperial Survey Corps scientists who first studied this system for potential colonization suspected that an ancient, pre-Republic civilization existed on Lyccos II. Lyccos I, a small planetoid located in an orbit approximately 0.05 AUs, is slowly spiralling towards the ever-expanding Veriats gas giant. Even in protected domed environments, life on Lyccos I is not possible due to the extreme heat and radiation planetside (Imperial droids had recorded temperatures above 900°C on its surface. Within the next one or two thousand years, Lyccos II with all its ancient treasures, is anticipated to suffer the same fiery fate. But before this eventuality, the Imperial Survey Corps has recommended limited colonization of the system to exploit any remaining natural resources and to allow Imperial archaeologists time to study the ancient civilization found on Lyccos II...

PLANET NAME: Lyccos II

AXIAL TILT: Slight (6°)

SEASONAL CHANGES: N/A

TEMPERATURE: Seering on surface (150-200°C)/temperate in caverns (10°-25°C)

ATMOSPHERE: Type II (Breathing masks recommended)

The planet of Lyccos II is a contradiction and by the reckoning of most Imperial sociologists should not even exist. Upon discovery 83 years ago, the Old Republic (then the Empire) identified the presence of ruins and thousands of artificial, subterranean caverns indicating the presence of an an ancient, wondrous civilization predating the Old Republic (i.e. greater than 4,000 years old). Although the planet's surface was now much too hot for colonization, the immense subterranean caverns, often spanning hundreds of kilometers) were apparently utilized by the former natives to escape the expanding heat of their dying sun. Unlike the recent colonists, it is presumed this ancient civilization did not have unlimited (albeit expensive) access to an interstellar economy for water, food, medicine, and other vitals for continuing life. Imperial archaeologists assume that the Lyccosians simply died of starvation and/or disease.

During the height of the Empire, colonists and scientists seeking refuge from the Emperor's oppressions, decided an existence in obscurity in the Minos Cluster was preferable to life under Palpatine. Consequently, an odd mix of pirates, rogues and some of the brightest intellectuals in the galaxy can be found here. Fortunately, the cavern system on Lyccos supports a tolerable lifestyle, even though breathing masks are recommended to protect against the natural accumulations of various subsurface pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide. As such, each of the larger cavern systems has developed into a state of its own, with its own crime lord and/or scientist as its head. Often the ancient Lyccosian ruins are used as palaces, markets and domiciles. Over the past couple of decades, this system has enjoyed relative peace, as the scientists need the crime lords to provide needed supplies, food, entertainment, etc., and the crime lords require the scientists to run their environmental systems and help catalog the strange and wondrous technologies discovered here prior to export off-planet. However, each of the "cavern-states" enjoys a modicum of independence as various Sullust, Hutt, human and Twi'lek leaders jockey for control over the very limited resources on the planet. A total of 29 major cavern states are known to exist, with possibly thousands of smaller, independent caves populated and interconnected within the crust of the planet. Transport between caverns is usually by massive repulsorlift barges that continually roam the caverns, bringing supplies and personnel around the planet. However, the wealthier colonists have their own repulsorlift speeders.

Although not much of the Lyccosian civilization remains on the surface, the intertwined, subsurface system of caverns contain many anceint ruins, libraries, artifacts and technologies...remnants of their civilization. Although these technologies are primarily little more than artifacts and oddities to the technologically superior, hyperspace age Imperials, they are still wondrous and beautiful examples of a dying world. Many are suited to providing life within the gloomy and dark confines of the caverns. For example, some of the oxygen and water recirculating equipment surpasses even the systems used in the Imperial star fleet. The old structures and ruins are also amazing in their own right. Built into the sidewalls, floors and even ceilings of the caverns to maximize the efficient use of limited space, they are blocky and unattractive, but extremely functional. An elaborate and independent communication and environmental control system is also located within each cavern.

Life on Lyccos II is harsh. With the various leaders continually vying for control of larger apportionments of credits and resources, there is no central command or governing authority on the planet. As such, many pirates, raiders and even some former Rebel Alliance personnel enjoy an uninhibited lifestyle on Lyccos II. Far from the prying eyes of the Empire and the New Republic, the citizens of Lyccos II consider themselves independent...

In an odd communique, Staff Agents of Intel stumbled across the following specifications being transmitted via tight beam hyperspace transmission from the Inner Core...No explanations were given...It is conceivable that such a project is still being partially funded by both the Empire and ironically, the New Republic...unknowingly of course. Due to Palpatine's convoluted bureaucracies, hidden governmental accounts, trusts and channeling of funds through automated process transactions, could be continued to keep this project partially funded...Such was partially the case with our new Flagship, the SSSD Sovereign, which was apparently much closer to completion at the time of the Battle of Endor.

It is suspected that this message is some designer's image for the project, as it is written is past tense...

Emperor Palpatine was never one for subtlety. His Empire had been built on a foundation of rule through terror. When he reappeared on the galactic stage six years after his apparent "death" at the Battle of Endor, he returned to his old ways of grandiose weapons and attacks of stunning brutality. Renewed in a fresh clone body, Palpatine gathered his allies from the remaining Imperial factions and directed his forces from a new command vessel, the Eclipse.

The Eclipse was a new Super Star Destroyer that was a stunning 17.5 kilometers long: it was twice the size of original Super Star Destroyers and over ten times the size of Imperial Star Destroyers. The Emperor's new flagship was as much a symbol of Palpatine's thirst for power as it was military materiel.

The incredible ship was deliberately designed to frighten enemy forces, for a frightened enemy is a defeated enemy. The ship was solid black, and it's hull resembled that of naval warships of eras long past. The Eclipse easily achieved its objective of demoralizing enemy troops.

In combat, the Eclipse's hull and shields were so strong that it could ram enemy vessels without hesitation. The ship was equipped with ten gravity-well projectors to prevent enemy vessels from escaping to hyperspace. Five hundred heavy laser cannons and 550 turbolasers made the ship capable of engaging entire New Republic fleets. The Eclipse carried fifty squadrons of TIE Interceptors (six hundred ships) and eight squadrons of TIE Bombers.

The Eclipse was also intended to devastate entire worlds. Its main weapon was a superlaser weapon, although its power was only two-thirds that of the main weapon aboard the first Death Star-it was "merely" powerful enough to crack the crust of a planet rather than destroy it outright.

For ground assaults, the Eclipse carried five prefabricated garrison bases and one hundred AT-AT walkers. With a crew of over 7,000,000 beings and 150,000 troops, the destroyer rivaled the Death Star in sheer manpower.

The Eclipse was stopped over Pinnacle Moon when Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo joined Force energies to engulf Emperor Palpatine in a wave of life energy. This action stunned Palpatine, forcing him to lose control over the Force storms he had summoned. As Luke and Leia escaped from the Eclipse, the storms consumed and destroyed the vessel.

----IMPERIAL SCANDOC----

From: Vice Admiral Ghost, Command Attache to the Internet Officer

To: Grand Admiral Ronin, Fleet Commander

Subject: EH survey results

Confirmed: SEND; TRAN32/35; RECV

Context: E12; AOPT; ASYS; ROPT

Phasecycle: PSEG876546576981324; ICON; 28.80BMUT; 14.40RMUT

The results of the question asked in the Emperor's Hammer Survey this

month are as follows:

Darth Vader was...

A powerful and noble leader: 58 %

A weak and traitorous coward: 16 %

A sick man in an iron mask: 25 %

As always, the current survey, as well as the results of previous

surveys, can be found at: http://www.mordor.com/pirrello/survey.html

respectfully,

VA Ghost

----END TRANSMISSION----