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This article is about the short story. You may be looking for the song by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
"The Saga Begins" is short story written by Timothy Zahn, and was the introduction to the RPG source book The DarkStryder Campaign which was published by West End Games in July 1995. It was set in 8 ABY.
Lieutenant Judder Page leads Page's Commandos on a mission to Kal'Shebbol to knock out the shield generator surrounding the headquarters of the planet's Imperial ruler, Moff Kentor Sarne. With a New Republic fleet in orbit, the commandos need to neutralize the shields to allow the planet to be liberated quickly, since they do not have the resources to lay siege to the planet. Infiltrating the base via a large hole in the structure that had been caused by a piece of DarkStryder technology, the unit splits up to capture Moff Sarne and release captives from the detention center. Sarne, monitoring the orbital battle and being informed of the breach of security, decides that it is time escape. Taking a few loyal stormtroopers with him, he heads for his escape vehicle, the Carrack-class light cruiser Ambition, that is docked in an underground facility.
One squad, led by Page, almost catches up to Sarne and the Ambition, but is foiled by Sarne's use of a DarkStryder module on them. The second team, led by Kaiya Adrimetrum, liberates the captives. With Sarne abandoning his capital and taking much of his force with him, the New Republic takes control of the planet.
Despite taking the planet, the New Republic force is due to move on, leaving only a token force behind. Page, aware that Sarne is still at large and in possession of strange alien technology, receives authorization for a mission to track him down. Using the FarStar, a CR90 corvette that Sarne was having modified for his own uses, Page assembles a ragtag crew comprising New Republic personnel and civilians from Kal'Shebbol. Under the command of Keleman Ciro, they are to track down Sarne, learn his plans, and stop him if possible.
One of the images accompanying The Saga Begins shows a Wookiee disembarking the Ghtroc 720 freighter that Page's Commandos use to land on Kal'Shebbol. However, of the six commandos on the ship—Page, Ciro, Adrimetrum, Tors, Gottu, and Vandro—none of them are Wookiees. The only Wookiee in the story is Lofryyhn who is not introduced until later in the narrative.
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