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They said that Coruscant was the jewel of the Empire and when one laid eyes upon it for the first time, one would realise that they, whoever they might have been, were right.
Alex remembered what it was like when she had first laid eyes on Coruscant. She had been a child, being escorted to the Republic Academy and after growing up in the agrarian world of Alderaan, Coruscant had been the most incredible thing she had ever seen. She had always thought cities were built on planets but she had never imagined a city that completely encased a world. There was no central city on Coruscant because the entire world was one urbanized organism. The first settlers of Coruscant had built their city and as it grew through the millennia saw no need to build new regions when it was just as simple to expand the boundaries of the original settlement. Now Coruscant was an amalgam of old and new construction and the global city surrounded the home world like sedimentary layers of rock.
In those days, Coruscant had been a place of wonder. It was home to the Old Republic, the benevolent interstellar alliance of worlds that tried so hard to promote the ideals of mutual cooperation and coexistence, since collapsed under the weight of its own expectations and the inevitable corruption that came with large scale bureaucracy. It was also home to the Great Jedi Council. Its magnificent marble fortress sat in the heart of Coruscant's Republic centre, a testament to the age they lived in. Now of course, the Council gone and the rest of the Jedi was a breed dying. The great fortress had been destroyed shortly after Palpatine became Emperor and the wonder of Coruscant had dissolve into the growing black of tyranny.
Alex gazed out the window at the expanse of Coruscant as Rayne's ship, the Star Sapphire, made its landing in the main space port of the city. Coruscant no longer looked as awe inspiring as she remembered in her youth, it seemed darker somehow, almost sinister. Much of this perception had to do with the towering statue of Emperor Palpatine standing in the heart of the city, ironically where the Jedi Council used to stand. Alex supposed it was his way of proving not simply to the inhabitants of the city but to the galaxy at large that the fire of the Jedi was gone forever and in its place was the might of the Empire. It made Alex sick to her stomach looking at it. She and Mary had grown up in Coruscant at the Academy and both of them had spent their furloughs from the Academy exploring as much of the planet as they could. Now it seemed alien and so far removed from the place they had loved that it saddened Alex immensely.
"Are you alright?" Alex heard Inez Recillos inquire of her.
She turned to the sultry woman who was dressed in her regal clothes, appearing very much the demure companion of an aristocratic lady and wondered how a Ground Pounder could look so elegant but then conceded that there was very little Inez could wear that did not do her justice. Alex had never been much of a lady and such clothes never seemed to suit her. However, Inez looked spectacular in what she was wearing and one could be forgiven for being rather astonished to learn that she was a hardened soldier when she seemed born to it. Fortunately, Alex and Rayne were spared from the necessity of such garments since they were supposed to be bodyguards and were clad in the customary leathers of that station. Casey was wearing white, the traditional colour and cut of a young lady of noble birth from Alderaan. Alex smiled faintly thinking how ethereal the young girl appeared with her dark locks secured above her head, displaying her often hidden slender neck.
"Yes," Alex nodded, turning her gaze to Inez. "Why do you ask."
"You seem a little far away." Inez pointed out from the seat next to her. Rayne and Tula were in the cockpit of the craft while Casey had dozed off at some point during the journey and Alex saw no reason to rouse her from her sleep since there was much to do once they arrived at Coruscant.
"I'm just thinking of how Coruscant has changed," Alex remarked, unable to hide the sadness in her voice.
"It has changed." Inez agreed catching a glimpse of the city through the window past Alex. "I remember when Buck and I first met. It was here on Coruscant. He had been one of the pilots assigned to return us home after the fighting was done."
"The fighting for the Ground Pounders was pretty fierce during the last days of the war," Alex nodded in recollection. "I was still serving on board a ship then. Back then, fighting for the Republic was an honor."
"You're still fighting for the Republic," Inez pointed out. "Just in a different way."
"I suppose," Alex agreed half-heartedly. "However, I'm willing to get dirty to bring Mary back."
"You're worried we won't get to her in time, aren't you?" Inez inquired, though it took no amount of genius or clairvoyance to reach to that conclusion.
"Yes," Alex nodded somberly, not about to lie on that point. Mary was her best and oldest friend. However, beyond that she was also one of the most important members of the Alliance and the Empire knew it. Before her show trial where Mary would be found guilty of treason before an open court whose only purpose was to milk the propaganda value of her capture for all it was worth, the Empire would try its damndest to extract every ounce of useful information it could from her. "Chris said that she was being interrogated. I just don't know whether she can hold out indefinitely. When one is being torture, a week can be a hellishly long time."
Inez shuddered, trying not to imagine what Imperial interrogation would mean. The Empire was brutal in its treatment of prisoners and rebel spies who were captured often did not survive the interrogation process to be tried and sentenced as Mary was meant to be. Of course, the Empire had never captured a prisoner of Mary's caliber or importance so what would happen to her in custody was as much a mystery to the Empire as it was to the Alliance. However, torture was the only way the Empire could learn anything useful for Mary and even then, Inez knew that Mary would resist with every fiber of her being before they took anything from her. She would die to protect the cause and perhaps that was what frightened everyone who cared about her so much, the most; that the Empire would kill Mary trying to break her.
"Ezra's plan will work," Inez found herself saying with less confidence than before, once these points had been taken into consideration.
"You have a lot of faith in him," Alex remarked, feeling the need to move the subject to something a little less worrying.
"I have to," Inez shrugged. "I love him."
"I don't know him that much but I've heard Vin and Chris talk about him. I know that Chris Larabee doesn't trust anybody when it comes to Mary and he trusts Ezra, especially in this." Alex declared. "And he made a very good case for rescuing Mary, I didn't have a chance to thank him for that."
"He hides a great deal of what he can do," Inez confessed. "I think he feel that there is a part of him that is quite not good enough. He masks is with fancy speech and a little hint of arrogance but inside he worries a great deal that he won't make the grade."
"That's crazy," Alex retorted. "He's good. He's more than good. What he's planning takes a lot of courage not to mention ability. He is almost as good as Mary."
Alex was not even certain if that comparison was fair. Ezra Standish had shown that he had the same ingenuity of her best friend and in his manner, it was easy to see why the rebels at Jofa were so willing to follow him in Mary's absence.
"I think he is," Inez smiled, trying to hide the pride in her expression. "However, I worry what would happen if we were to fail."
"What do you mean?" Alex noted the wrinkle of apprehension in her face as she made that statement. "If we fail at least we tried. It won't be much comfort but at least we didn't just do nothing."
"It won't be that simple with Ezra," Inez answered. "He'll feel responsible that he was not good enough, that he wasn't Mary."
"Then we'll just have to change his mind," Alex said without thinking twice because no one should ever feel responsible for the situation Mary had placed herself in. As much as Alex wanted Mary back, there was a part of her that also wanted to shake her best friend for choosing to make such a sacrifice in the first place. Surely she would have known that the rebellion would not ever wish her to make such a bargain with Thrawn. Ezra Standish had provided the only workable solution to retrieving Mary in what was clearly a Herculean task to begin with. Alex felt deeply that he should not be punished if it were to fail.
"That is if we fail," she added a second later. "Which we are not going to."
Inez hoped Alex was right because she had no wish to pick up the pieces that would be Ezra Standish if she was wrong.
Julia Pemberton studied the files on record regarding the history of Mary Travis. Her military record to say the least was impressive. From graduating top of her class at the Academy to her field commission on board a warship. Not many officers straight from cadet school got were given such postings. She must have impressed the powers that be considerably. Julia perused over personal references, made by Mary's instructors at the Academy, to superior officers who seemed to say the same thing; this was a soldier destined for greatness. Everything Julia read about the rebel leader seemed to indicate that if Mary had remained loyal to the Empire, she would have been counted as one of its brightest stars.
Jofa had changed that irrevocably.
Julia was aware of the political situation in Jofa. When Imperial conscription policies demanded participation from the pacifist world, the Jofan people had voiced their outrage and open defiance in refusal. It was a slight the Emperor could not allow and in retaliation, am Imperial strike was ordered on the domed underwater cities. The pavilions as they were known were easy targets for Imperial TIE fighters and the death toll following the attacks was estimated in the millions. The majority of the casualties were the air-breathing inhabitants of Jofa called breathers who had lived in symbiosis with the indigenous population for centuries.
Following the attack, the Empire moved quickly to occupy Jofa, repairing the domed cities and infusing it with Imperial stormtroopers to maintain security. However, native Jofans who were called Swimmers enraged by the split in their society, demanded vengeance for the deaths of their air-breathing brethren lost in the destruction. They chose the moment of their attack during the inauguration of Imperial occupation on Jofa, with deadly strikes to the dome that now housed their dead populations' killers.
Mary Travis was one of the officers present during what was known as the Jofan Insurrection. She had only been a junior officer but during the calamity that followed, she was forced to take charge when superiors were killed in the initial attack. It was Mary and what remained of Imperial forces in the city that held back the Jofans when they moved in for the kill. Mary and her small force, composed of Imperial stormtroopers and some officers who delayed the Jofans long enough to ensure the civilians and other innocents in the city at the time of the inauguration were able to escape safely to the surface. Mary herself had almost died and she was the last to be evacuated from the city.
When she returned to Jofa, she was called the Hero of Jofa.
Imperial echelons had her groomed for all manner of things when it suddenly became privy to the alarming fact that the Rebel Alliance approached their most celebrated officer. Even worse, she had not told anyone about the encounter even though it was standard procedure for all officers approached by the Alliance to make a report to their superiors about such meetings. Her silence put the powers that be at guard and thought it did not appear that her loyalty was in question even if she was approached, someone had apparently panicked and thought it necessary that Mary be reminded of her responsibilities. Although no one claimed responsibility for the order, an order was nonetheless issued for the arrest of Mary's husband and their child. The superior responsible had chosen an outside agent for the task and instead of an arrest, the father was thought killed with all indications that it was an Imperial sanctioned murder and the boy had disappeared all together. It was believed that he had survived somehow and his mother had made provisions for his safety somewhere in the galaxy.
If Mary had not turned to the Alliance then, the death of her husband and child made it a certainty. Within weeks of the murders, she disappeared out of sight completely, tying up her affairs neatly and leaving no trace of her whereabouts. When news of her surfaced, it was that she had joined the Rebel Alliance and was most likely the commander of the cell situated in the heart of the Territory. Other than her military victories on board her personal ship the Purgatory, there was little information about Mary herself. There was the discovery that Stephen Travis had not died and an ill-fated attempt at rescue had been made to retrieve him from the infamous Black Sun organization. Since then, personal information about Mary Travis was scarce.
However, it appeared that during Lord Vader's battle with Chris Larabee, it was Mary who had made a desperate attempt to rescue the Jedi when the dark Jedi had mortally wounded him. Also, it was reported that during the situation with Stephen Travis, Chris Larabee was once again one of those who was involved in aiding Mary in her disastrous attempt to rescue her husband. Julia pondered those facts more than any other, noting just how many occasions the Jedi's name seemed to find attachment to that of the Rebel Leader. Chris Larabee had been on Siraj when Mary turned herself in to Thrawn. Thrawn had believed that Vin Tanner had been the key to finding Mary because of his close attachment to Chris Larabee, a belief that had indeed been proven true considering that Mary was now in the Domicile, languishing what was almost certainly the last days of her life.
What if their relationship was more than what it appeared? The Jedi's wife and son had been murdered the same way Stephen Travis had been. Could it be unfair to assume that mutual loss could forge something deeper between the two? The more Julia considered it, the more she believed it to be the truth. Something had to breach the defenses that Mary had erected around herself in order to combat the mind probe. Until now, everything they had attempted had only served to make her even more defiant, not weaker. Julia who knew what kind of vulnerabilities could be exploited in one who loved, knew that the key to breaking Mary Travis was her heart. She was a creature of instinct, reacting from the gut on feeling alone. Everything in her record showed that her decisions were made on the spur of the moment in such fashion. For the first time, Julia saw a way of defeating the proud commander of the Rebel Alliance.
Her mind was too strong for anything the mind probe had yet to send against her. Therefore, Julia would have to readjust its parameters, to spear through her formidable defenses using the one thing that made her vulnerable.
Chris Larabee.
Mary was panicking and for good reason.
She could not feel Chris.
Since her incarceration, she had some semblance of him in her heart. She felt him on some level, even if the sensation was indistinct and far away. It was a feeling she clung to, that gave her strength when the drugs and the tortures became too much for her and she was tempted to break into the thousand fragments that the mind probe was bombarding her with its terrible images. She sat in her cell, searching for any trace of him and feeling her fear increase when she came to the awful conclusion that he was well and truly gone. For a moment, she wondered if he was dead. Her mind entertained the horrible thought that perhaps no one had found him on Siraj, that he was still lying in that clearing where she had shot him, his body unable to heal the injuries she had inflicted upon him.
Mary shook such thoughts out of her head, aware that they would do her little good except to unsteady her determination to persevere against the tortures she was being subjected to. No doubt, her interrogators would return soon enough and when they did, she had to be prepared. She had suffered so far without allowing them to extract any vital information from her. Mary was resolved to ensure that situation did not change. She would not break. They would have to kill her first. Mary was more than prepared to die. She had accepted it ever since she had chosen to give herself up to Thrawn. It was a necessary sacrifice. One she did not regret, even now when faced with such despair and loneliness.
Almost as if they could hear her thoughts, the door to her cell slid open and Mary sat up straight on her bunk, expecting to see the dark, cloaked figure of Darth Vader sweeping into the room. Her encounters with Vader were almost as exhausting as the tortures itself for it was a trial to keep him out of her mind. She thought of recited poetry, filled her thoughts with mathematical equations, scientific theories both popular and obscure, anything that would keep her real thoughts from surfacing under the pressure of his Jedi prescience. Vader's frustration at his lack of success in her interrogation proved that she was partially successful in keeping him out although there was no concealing her emotions from a Jedi. He could tell that she was afraid even though she had accepted her coming death.
However, it was not Vader who entered the cell on this occasion but rather the Imperial officer that had accompanied him during most of his time as her interrogator. Mary did not recognize the woman but she was only a lieutenant and therefore not someone Mary would have likely to have encountered during her military service. However, there was something in her manner and the way in which Vader confided in her that indicated to Mary that she was more than just a simple lieutenant. Mary was a good study of human nature and she knew that the woman before her was dangerous in a way she had not felt since being in the presence of Laurel Chase. However. While Chase's power base seemed to rely upon her looks, Mary would not make that mistake with the woman before her.
Following behind her on anti-gravs was the mind probe. The spherical device, coated in black enamel hummed slightly as it followed the woman into the room. Mary no longer felt as much trepidation at seeing the torture instrument as she did when she was first introduced to it. She understood that its power over her was limited if she gave little credence to the hallucinations it inspired inside her mind. No doubt this Imperial was here to test her again and even without Chris' presence, Mary knew she could defeat whatever it chose to use to addle her mind.
"Commander Travis," Julia announced herself once she and the mind probe had come to a halt. "I don't think we have been properly introduced."
"Its so hard to keep track of faces in here," Mary said aloofly.
"I am Lieutenant Julia Pemberton." Julia responded, not at all unbalanced by Mary's remark.
Pemberton.
Mary's eyes widened in recognition of the name. That was the name of Ezra's second in command at Cordoba. What was she doing on Coruscant? More importantly, if she was here, where was Ezra? Mary was aware that Julia had been sent to Cordoba to spy on Ezra. Was here being here proof that she had completed her assignment, that they might have Ezra too? Mary hoped not. If there was one person who might have been able to fill the space she left behind, it was Ezra. Mary did not doubt it when Chris had told her how capable Ezra was of taking charge because she had seen it herself. Most of the time, his lack of confidence kept him from speaking his mind but Mary saw something in the man she could almost call a kinship.
"I know." Mary said confidently.
Julia stared quickly at her, a brow arched in confusion at how this could be. As far as she knew, Mary had no cause to know who she was. However, she guessed quickly where Mary's information about her might have come.
"Of course," Julia said smoothly. "Ezra Standish would have told you. He was after all, one of your agents."
"Not exactly," Mary lied, wishing to put as much ambiguity in Ezra's status as possible, particularly if they had captured him. It might save him from being placed under the same torture that she was. "His only interest was in ensuring that his friends were safe. He was never really one of us. We certainly did not take him into our confidence or give him knowledge of our operations. Occasionally he aided us in little errands, his role was never more than that."
"That's a lie!" Julia snapped, refusing to believe that Ezra was nothing more than a lowly collaborator in the Rebel Alliance. She had not spent months keeping a collaborator under surveillance. He was a fully-fledged member whose involvement in treasonous acts was deeper than anyone suspected. She knew it with every fiber of her being. "He is a traitor and I've proved it! That barmaid was his liaison to the Alliance! She recruited him by seducing him!"
The intensity of Julia's reaction surprised Mary for it did seem as if the woman was taking things rather personally. There was a great deal of passion in her voice as she spoke about the commander of the Cordoba base and her jealousy at Inez's relationship with Ezra was obvious. A little smile of knowledge curled the corner of Mary's lips as she understood at that instant just what Julia's feelings towards Ezra Standish were. Mary wondered if Ezra had any idea of this and it further convinced Mary that Ezra had not been captured, which eased the burden on her already guilt ridden conscience.
"He didn't need to be recruited," Mary responded after deliberating her words. "He came to us of his own and to Inez."
"She seduced him." Julia said icily.
"Why?" Mary asked, going for the kill. "Because is that's the only way someone else other than you could have him?"
Julia glared at her sharply. "I don't know what you mean."
"I think you do," Mary stared to smile, feeling some measure of satisfaction for the first time since entering this prison. She also saw a way out of her predicament, a way that would not require more torture or harming the morale of the Alliance by a prolonged trial.
"You know nothing!" Julia barked, feeling mortified that this prisoner had some idea of feelings she had admitted to no one, not even herself. The hatred of that exposure bubbled inside of her, until she wanted to lash out and hurt something. A balled fist struck Mary Travis across her chin before Julia knew what she was doing. She had to blink twice before Julia realized the rebel leader was on the floor, rubbing her sore chin where Julia had hit her.
"Do you always fall in love with the men you're meant to spy on?" Mary asked, unfazed by the physical assault. "It seems like a bad way to operate. Most unprofessional."
"I feel nothing for him!" Julia reiterated and knew that she was lying, not only to Mary Travis but also to herself. "Not like you and Chris Larabee." She sneered.
Mary did not doubt that Vader would have picked up her emotions about Chris so Julia's statement was hardly a surprise. "Perhaps you're right but at least Chris wants me. I'm quite sure you cannot say the same for Ezra."
"Bitch!" Julia lashed out again, this time striking Mary in the side hard enough for bone to give away.
Mary crumpled to the floor, letting out a soft grunt of pain at the feel of broken ribs but she had to continue provoking Julia. "Maybe it is easier for you to believe that he was seduced. After all, someone worthy of your affections has to be misguided. He couldn't possibly be a traitor, could he?"
"Shut up!" Julia shouted, feeling each word sink into her skin like the point of a knife. She was armed and almost went for her sidearm when she realized what sort of game Mary was attempting to play. She sucked in her breath, shaken at how angry she had become and aware that she had almost killed Mary in a fit of rage that would no doubt see her executed when it was learnt what she had done. It came to Julia that it was exactly what Mary wanted. If she were to die here and now, there would be no trial and the Rebellion would not have to face the anguish of having one of its own paraded before the galaxy as an Imperial prize. Nor would Mary have to suffer any more tortures where there was the possibility that the mind probe could dismantle her defenses and she might reveal the information they demanded.
"Not so easy," Julia leaned forward as Mary was crumpled on the floor. "I'm not going to kill you. Not yet."
Mary groaned in frustration at her continued survival. She had hoped that Julia might be provoked into killing her but the lieutenant had managed to keep her rage in check. Pity.
"I'll break you," Julia glowered at Mary in black hatred. "I'll break you into a thousand pieces before I let you die. By the time I'm done with you Commander Travis, you won't even be able to think about your precious Jedi without screaming."
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Being on Myrkrr was like being born again.
It was a place of awakenings, where senses dull by lack of use were suddenly called upon to rise to the occasion once again. It was world devoid of color, where everything was represented in shades of gray, without distinction or character. In truth, Mykrr was as far as the eye could see, a benign forest world, beautiful in its own rustic way and probably host to all manner of life, in particular the rather curious creature that had brought them here in the first instance. From the air, it was no wonder that Mykrr was seldom visited, despite its serene beauty. Far from the main space lanes, it had too much forest and little else of commercial value. A good place where one could forget or better yet to be forgotten.
For two of the Jedi who came to Mykrr, most likely for the first time in a millennium, it was a most disconcerting feeling. A true Jedi did not rely on his powers for that much could lead to the dark side even without its traveler being aware of it until it was too late. The Code advised against it strenuously. However, not even the Code could expect its Jedi to ignore the sensory perception that came with using the Force. That was a constant in all the Jedi almost from birth. It was not so much a power as it was state of mind, a perception that the world was more than it was and being able to see its changes before all others could. It was the first inkling that they were set apart from others, that somehow there was greater destiny in place for their future.
Chris and Ben were already suffering the overpowering effects of the yslamiri even before the Rogue landed on the planet but once it had touched ground, the two Jedi found it difficult to navigate at first. For Ben it was worse for he was a Jedi Master and easily the most powerful of the three Jedi incarnations that were visiting Mykrr. Ben used his Jedi senses to seek out any danger that might threaten young Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, that meant being able to hone his perception at a widest possible range. He had been doing so for years and now to have that all that disappear into nothingness, unbalanced the Jedi Master, despite his best efforts not to show it.
Chris was having similar difficulties but contented himself with the knowledge that it was temporary and like Ben, had considered this to be something of a learning experience. Sometimes, a Jedi needed to know what it was like not to have be gifted with the Force in order to have empathy with those who did not. The ships sensors indicated that there was a large concentration of yslamiri near their landing site which Chris was grateful for since it meant they would not need to remain on the planet for too long. Vin had the easiest time of it since he was still an apprentice and remembered what it was like when he had thought the Force to be nothing more than the special intuition.
It was fortunate that JD was with them for at least one of them was not at all effected by being on Mykrr although Chris could sense without any Jedi foresight that JD was somewhat bewildered by the notion of them needing him for anything. Chris could not blame the young man for thinking this way. After all, he was the youngest of the seven and even though he had become a man in his own right during the past few months in the Alliance, those who had guided and protected him, still had difficulty seeing him as any more than the wide eyed farm boy.
"JD," Chris turned to the young pilot after they had unloaded their equipment from the Rogue. "You have any idea how we might catch these things?"
"Me?" JD stared at the trio of faces before him in surprise. "You're asking me?"
"Yes," Chris nodded. "You mentioned that you used to trap vermin that threatened the crops on your mother's farm. I don't see how this could be any different."
"It isn't," JD blurted out quickly. "I just thought...." He held himself back and was glad that in this place, Chris could not read his thoughts.
"JD we trust you," Vin reiterated seeing his hesitation and wanting the young man to know that it was the truth. "I ain't tracked anything larger than a man in too long and I'm not trusting myself completely to get it right here. You're the best qualified among us at the moment."
"Okay," JD glanced at the faces before him and sat that it was the truth. They did trust him for this undertaking and that gave him a great measure of pride to know that they trusted him in something so crucial, particularly since they needed the yslamiri to deal with Vader. "I think only Vin should come with me if we're going to do this."
"Vin?" Chris looked at JD, wondering why Vin ought to be singled out.
JD swallowed thickly, hoping he did not insult the Jedi that he revered so much. However, if Chris wanted him to take charge of this task then it was necessary for JD to prove that Chris' faith in him was not unfounded by making the correct decisions, no matter how afraid he was of hurting Chris' feelings.
"To be honest, I think the two of you are too out of it to be of any real use. This place has thrown all your instincts into a mess. Vin's not as affected as you or Ben and I've seen these yslamiri, they're pretty skittish creatures. To catch them, we've got to be quick and I think you're too off balanced to manage that right now."
JD's words irked Chris a little but he was right. Although Chris and Ben could function well enough, neither could deny that they felt less than whole at present. That lack of certainty in their own abilities could compromise the capture of the yslamiri, especially when the extraction of creatures needed to be done quickly in order to meet Ezra's deadline for the attack on Coruscant. Chris would not allow pride to get in the way of what needed doing. If it required him and Ben standing down to let JD and Vin continue efficiently, then so be it. He would let nothing get in the way of Mary's retrieval. Not even himself.
"Maybe you and Ben ought to investigate those coordinates Buck gave you," Vin quickly spoke up, offering the two Jedi an alternate occupation to take up their time.
"That may not be a bad idea," Ben turned to Chris in agreement. The Jedi Council knew nothing of this world and considering the creatures that inhabited its forest, it was rather a surprising omission in their knowledge. There had never been a creature in existence that was capable of creating a null field that deflected the Force and that gave Ben concern. With the Jedi Council and its records destroyed by Palpatine's purge, the Jedi of the future would need to know about vulnerability they faced here on Mykrr. "W know almost nothing about this place. Perhaps we ought to investigate that marker your friend discovered."
"Alright then," Chris glanced at JD. "You and Vin go find these yslamiri while Ben and I track down this marker that Buck saw."
"We'll contact you when we have them." JD remarked as Chris gazed at Ben in a gesture to get going. Giving the two younger men salutary nods until they saw each other again, the two Jedi left the clearing where they had made their plans and set out in search of the marker Buck Wilmington had found when he had first visited the planet. According to Buck, the marker's age had it predating the Republic, most likely in the earliest days of the Jedi Order.
Despite their lack of prescience, Chris could not deny that Mykrr was a lovely place. It reminded Chris a great deal of Alderaan, except that it was not as cultivated or civilized. There was something raw and untouched about this forgotten world, a resplendent tranquility that made the battles being fought elsewhere, seem rather inconsequential. Chris thought about Mary and how much she would love this place. The memory of her brought a sadness to his expression he did not notice because it was so perennial on his face ever since her surrender but was noticeable to those who saw it.
"Chris," Ben said gently seeing the pain in his old friend's eyes. "We will get her back."
"As much as I want that more than anything," Chris sighed, glad that there was one person that he could really open up to. Ben had known him when they were both apprentices although Ben had been a little older than he and had attained the level of Master first. Chris could have done so but he preferred to remain a knight, having no wish to serve on the Council. "I have to be realistic Ben. Getting her back isn't going to be easy. I'll die doing it but I have to be prepared to fail."
"You have to believe you can save her Chris," Ben's voice became soft. "If you don't think that, its pointless to even try."
"I know," Chris nodded slowly. "I lost Sarah and Adam because I was never there, I don't intend to fail Mary in the same way."
"We won't," Ben retorted firmly. He could count how many people he had been forced to give up, how many had been sacrificed for one thing or another. Ben was tired of seeing so many people he cared about die or be given up for the sake of a higher purpose. He did not wish Chris or his beloved Mary to be the latest in a long line of casualties in his life. "Your padwan is extremely promising," Ben added, in an effort to change the subject.
"Yeah he is," Chris agreed with Ben's assertion.
"Were his parents Jedi?" Ben asked because there was something he wanted to bring up since he had laid eyes upon Vin Tanner. There had been little time to discuss it with Chris with his arrival at Hoth but now the opportunity finally presented itself for him to satisfy his own curiosity on the subject of Chris' apprentice.
Chris gazed at Ben, wondering why the interest in Vin's parentage. "I know his mother was not but he has no recollection of his father, why?"
Ben sucked in his breath, wondering whether or not he should have brought up the subject with Chris. "Because he looks familiar."
"Familiar?" Chris stared at him. "How?"
"I'm not sure Chris, " Ben confessed. He had only a sense of familiarity. "I just have this feeling that I know his face from somewhere."
"He knows nothing about father," Chris replied. "I thought it was possible that he might have been a Jedi but no Jedi abandons a wife and child on Tatooine as slaves."
"You told me," Ben nodded, recalling what Chris had told him about his padwan learner. However, Ben could not shake the feeling that there was something about Vin Tanner that sparked a memory he could not quite put his finger on.
"Is it something I should tell him about?" Chris questioned, hating to think Ben might have some information about Vin's past that might end up hurting him.
"No," Ben shook his head. "There's nothing to tell him except that I have a feeling."
"Your feelings are usually right, whatever they are," Chris pointed out.
"Well this time I'm not certain enough to bring it up. Besides," Ben turned to Chris with a little smile. "Haven't you heard the term, let sleeping rancors lie?"
"I have," Chris responded, not liking anything held in limbo when it came to Vin. The young man was not only his padwan learner but also his friend. It was Vin who had started him on the road to healing even if their first encounter had been hardly the stuff on which great friendships were founded. However, caring about Vin had made him care about the others and prepared him for Mary. For that alone, Chris would die before allowing any harm to befall his younger friend.
"I'll let it go for now," Chris gazed at Ben, making the Master know that eventually, he would want elaboration on Ben's statement. For Vin's sake, he would find out. "But not forever."
It was time to make the trip to Coruscant.
Sluis Van had been the rendezvous point for the numerous Alliance officers who had volunteered for the mission of saving Mary Travis. Ezra had made participation in the dangerous mission voluntary, so the Alliance Council would not think they were expending the lives of their personnel without their consent. As anticipated, the numbers had been plentiful, despite the Council's belief that no one would wish to risk their lives for one person on a hazardous assault on Coruscant. Fortunately, the faces that arrived to take command of the fleet he had assembled for the attack seemed to prove detractors to his plan wrong and the support he received from these new arrivals gave Ezra some measure of assurance that he was not leading them astray.
"There they are," Ezra said to himself even though he was with Josiah and Nathan as he peered out the window of the observation deck of the shipyard's maintenance section and stared at the assemblage of ships in the nearby space.
"That's quite a collection," Josiah pointed out. "I'm impressed how fast they were able to make those ships space worthy."
"Most of them are just old Josiah," Nathan responded. "They needed some maintenance work to the hull, the on board gravitation and life support. Almost all these ships had hyperdrives installed, they just needed a little servicing."
"And we had enough volunteers to man a good number of them as well," Ezra added. "I would have liked a few more but available pilots and command officers are far and few."
"I hope Buck can scare up enough pilots to fill up our fighter ranks," Nathan sighed, unafraid of revealing how uncomfortable he was with Ezra's plan. However, Ezra had been absolutely correct when the commander of Jofa had addressed the Alliance Council and it was opinions such as Nathan's own that had to change if the Alliance had any chance of winning a war with the Empire. Siraj had shown everyone not just the Alliance how vulnerable they are. They fought using old practices that were time honored in the days of the Republic but were wholly unacceptable for the war they were now fighting.
"He will," Ezra said confidently because a commander could afford to be nothing else. If he did not believe it then he could not expect those under his command to be the same. "Buck is if nothing else, persuasive. It will be interesting to see if his animal magnetism extend to the male of the species, as well as the female." A devilish smile crossed his face as he made that statement.
"I don't think I want that picture in my head," Nathan retorted frowning at Ezra.
"Neither do I." Josiah chuckled.
"I don't wish to be intruding on this scintillating conversation but we thought we could be of use to you commander," a new voice entered the conversation, originating from behind the trio.
All three men turned around at the same time and found themselves facing Claire Moseley and her husband Chano. Chano seemed a great deal better than Ezra had saw him last, which was on the medical ship Angel of Mercy prior to its departure to Jofa, where he had sustained severe injuries while serving on board the Purgatory in the battle above Siraj. Chano did not show any signs of his injury but they all knew that he could not have healed so quickly and was no doubt here on will alone. Ezra could tell that Claire was still rather concern about his welfare even though she masked it with the smile she displayed for their benefit.
"Chano, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked even though Ezra had a very good idea without hearing the executive officer of the Purgatory speak.
"I heard you need command officers for that fleet of yours," Chano glanced at the ships beyond the plexiglass.
"We do," Ezra nodded. "But are you in any condition? As I recall you were on indefinite sick leave."
Chano seemed to stand up straighter. The exec deliberated his answer briefly because he not about to lie to the man who was now his commanding officer but he did want to help. Chano had a great deal of respect for Ezra Standish ever since the man had taken charge of the Purgatory when Buck Wilmington had been forced to travel through the Maw. He was pleased to know that his faith in Ezra was not misplaced, particularly after how well Ezra had taken charge of the rebel base in the wake of Mary absence. The atmosphere had been one of dismay, shock and disillusionment until Ezra had stepped in and given them direction. He wondered whether or not Ezra was aware of how loyal a following he had gained since he had taken charge of them.
"I've been better," Chano said after a moment. "But I can command one of those ships and frankly you don't have the luxury of being selective."
"Chano," Josiah spoke up. "I know you want to help Mary but its going to be very rough out there."
"Forgive me for saying this senator but I was at Mary's side on board the Purgatory when Thrawn attacked," Chano stared at Josiah determinedly. "It doesn't get much rougher than that."
"Chano they're just worried about you," Claire replied gently.
"I know," Chano sighed and met Josiah's gaze again. "I'm sorry Senator."
"No apologies needed," Josiah said quickly, understanding all too well the exec's desire to help Mary. They all shared the same feelings. "I want her back just as badly as you."
Chano nodded gratefully and faced Ezra again. "Ezra, you need me. I know I'm not in the best shape but I don't need to be to run a skeleton crew on one of those ships. You're lacking command officers as it is."
Ezra could not disagree with that and turned his eye on Claire, his adjutant during his time as Commander of the Cordoba outpost and asked, "I take it you will be serving as Chano's exec?"
"Naturally," Claire answered confidently. "I have a habit of doing that for the commanders I serve." She raised her brow slightly at Ezra who chuckled softly at the suggestion.
"And I thank you for it." Ezra replied warmly, agreeing with her on that much for certain. He could not count on how many occasions Claire had ran interference for him, particularly after the arrival of Julia Pemberton when so much of his time on the Cordoba base was under the spy's direct surveillance. Without Claire, he doubted he would have had a moment's peace and while he knew that she was more than capable to serve at her husband's side, Ezra missed the not too distant past when she was his exec. However, having Nathan at his side on this mission was making up for that as well. When they were at the Academy, Nathan used to claim that Ezra would command a ship and Nathan would be his exec. At the time, Ezra would have been grateful if he even graduated, let alone gain a commission and did not take Nathan's claim too seriously. It was not until years later did Ezra realize how much Nathan believed in him and that hope.
"You are correct of course," Ezra sighed, unable to deny either of them their wish to join the attack fleet. Chano was just as devoted to Mary as they were and if he thought he was well enough to help, Ezra was not about to deny him the opportunity. "We do need as many command officers as we can get and your aid is welcome."
"Thank you," Chano replied, grateful at being allowed to participate even though Ezra knew he was hardly in the condition for it. "When do we leave?" He asked Ezra, all business now that he was apart of the attack force.
"As soon as we find out whether or not the primary team on Coruscant can lower the planetary grid." Josiah answered with a frown, reminded once again where his niece was at this time.
"When is that likely to be?" Claire inquired.
Ezra sighed deeply and looked at the chronometer on the wall before responding, "any time now."
"How is it going?" Alex asked as Casey continued to upload her slicer program into the terminal.
"Not bad," the young woman said confidently, her eyes never straying away from the screen before her even though what was on it was incomprehensible to just about everyone in the room except her. Streams and streams of data journey across the screen, casting an eerie digital glow over Casey's face as her fingers worked in a flurry of movement. "The program is seeking out the software controlling the defense grid."
While Alex stared at the screen with Casey, attempting to discern what it was the girl was doing, Rayne and Tula kept a vigil at the windows, ensuring that no one approached their location without being their knowing about it first. Inez was waiting in a hovercraft a short distance away. If what they were doing was discovered, then Inez would be able to reach them before the authorities. The suite of rooms allowed panoramic views in several directions, giving them a clear line of sight to any danger that might come their way. Rayne had secured occupancy in the lavish hotel in order to exploit that feature in particular, not to mention the fact that the establishment boasted first class facilities in each of its rooms, including a terminal that allowed its user access over the entire communication and information band on Coruscant.
Naturally, systems that controlled the defense grid and planetary shield would be inaccessible to the everyday user but to someone like Casey who knew what she was doing, it was the surest way to test her belief that she could disable Coruscant's defenses in order to make Ezra's plan work. Their accommodations were also close to the nearest spaceport and Rayne had secured transport for all of them off world at several different junctures, in case any of them had to split up when discovered. Every precaution that could be taken had been and now there was nothing left to do but to make the preliminary attempt.
Tula let out an inquisitive roar that Alex immediately interpreted. "Tula wants to know how long are we engaging in this test?"
"2.25 seconds," Casey answered, not pausing to look at them as she spoke. Her eyes were too focussed on what she was doing before the terminal. "Any longer then that and the failure will not be considered a systems glitch but an actual breach. If that happens, we'll have the entire planet in a full-scale alert. Trust me, we don't want that."
"I agree," Rayne remarked with a slight nod.
"That's a pretty narrow margin of time," Alex said with a hint of worry, especially since she had no idea what was going on the screen before her. It was not easy for her to rely completely on another person but Casey appeared to know what she was doing. In any case, they had no choice. Mary's safety depended on this girl being able to do what she promised. "Can you shut it off that quickly?"
"Don't have to," Casey retorted. "I've got the program set to run for 2.10 seconds before it self terminates. I only want to breach their defenses, not disable it. At this moment, breaching it is what we have to be sure of before Ezra's fleet gets here."
"Will they be able to trace it back to us?" Rayne inquired once more.
"No," she answered. "The reason its taking as long as it is to get to in is because I've sent our transmission through several relay sections. It will take them a good deal of time to follow the signal back to its point of origin. By then, we should be out of here if we are discovered."
"I hope you're right," Alex sighed, hating to think so much hinged on what happened in this room within the next few minutes.
"Don't worry," Casey turned for the first time and met her eyes. "I know I am."
Alex wished she shared the young woman's confidence but she could not. She knew better than anyone else how formidable Coruscant's defenses were and how lucky they would be if they should succeed in what they were attempting. She tried not to think about how this would effect the mission if they failed, what it would mean in regards to getting Mary back. The thought of losing Mary was something Alex could not even begin to contemplate. She had been willing to tear the Alliance apart to see the return of her friend. She could not even imagine a time when Mary was not in her life and everything they had been through together cemented their relationship into something that was more akin to family than friendship. When they had lost Stephen, they mourned him together. They shared each others outrage and joined the Alliance together, drawing strength from the choice they had made. Mary was family, the way no one had been since her mother and Stephen had died. Even her relationship with Orin Travis had been less than warm because she blamed him for so long for living while her mother had died. Even with Vin in her life now, Alex was uncertain how she would cope if she lost the best friend she ever had.
"I'm in!" Casey's excited voice tore through her consciousness and brought Alex back to the present.
"You're in?" Alex stared at Casey sharply. Behind her, Rayne and Tula were also gazing anxiously in the young woman's direction.
"Running the program now," Casey ignored her question and responded instead.
Alex looked at the screen that revealed the digitized version of Coruscant's defense systems. The green hue over the designated security systems revealed that everything was in perfect operational order. The planet was as secure as it was ever going to be. Air defense battery, urban gunnery turrets, not to mention the energy shield surrounding the planet that would scream alert to every Imperials in a thousand light years should anything attempt to breach it without the proper authorization. Alex sucked in her breath realizing that it was those formidable defenses they would have to penetrate if they were going to rescue Mary. Somehow at this moment, it did not seem if that was possible.
Suddenly the screen began flashing in angry red colors. Alex's eyes widened as she saw those systems, which she thought completely invulnerable, began to lower all across Coruscant. Even though it was only a computerized depiction, the ramifications were clear, at this brief instant, Coruscant was completely defenseless. Unfortunately, she had little time to study the situation because no more than two seconds had passed and suddenly the defenses reestablished itself once more, the invasive program introduced by Casey had disabled itself now that it had proved it was capable of doing what they required.
"Did that just...." Alex started to ask but she never finished voicing the question.
"It worked!" Casey exclaimed with excitement. "I knew it!"
The screen began to normalize as Casey displayed an unabashed burst of euphoria. Even as Casey celebrated, her fingers were still at work, retreating out of the system and removing any traces of her ever being online in the first place.
"We did it?" Rayne asked uncertainly.
"I think so," Alex shrugged, glancing at Casey for confirmation.
"We did it!" Casey repeated herself. "It went through all the safe guards and shut down the defenses for 2.5 seconds. It's meant to be impossible to get that far! I knew my program would do it! Next time, I can completely disable the defense grid indefinitely."
"Are you sure?" Alex stared at her.
"Yes," Casey nodded calming down significantly. She understood the importance of the question. "I am absolutely sure. I know what's at stake."
With that Alex nodded slowly and turned towards Rayne. "Contact Inez," Alex responded after a moment. "Tell her to get back here. We need to contact Ezra and tell him that the mission is a go."
It was time to begin. May the Force be with them.
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The creatures in their cages peered at the humans staring through the bars of its confinement and sniffed their snub noses experimentally, attempting to discern whether or not they were predators. There were exactly for yslamiri in the cage and it was hard on first sight to imagine how such small and attractive animals could be such a singular curiosity to humans. Each wearing a russet pelt that seemed to shimmer as their body moved, they were animals that would have been taken as pets for some one child and their manner seemed pleasant enough to delight both adult and child upon viewing. Even now as JD studied them in their metal cage, he could not see anything dangerous about them. Yet he knew there were because he had witness their power first hand. He knew that these oddities were the only things that could render a Jedi completely powerless.
Vin did not appear to be as affected by the creatures since he had helped JD tracked them but the Jedi apprentice did not seem overly found of them and JD could only imagine this void that Vin must be feeling inside in such close proximity to the cause. The apprentice allowed JD to handle the creatures return to their ship but even JD could tell that he was feeling rather uncomfortable in their presence. JD could not imagine what it was like to be robbed of the senses. He supposed it must be like being robbed of one's sight or hearing. Even for a brief time, it had to be daunting. However, the Jedi were not all about their powers, Vin had explained as they returned to the ship.
"It can't be easy though," JD retorted as they saw the Rogue not too far away.
"I was someone long before I was a Jedi JD," Vin replied with a little smile. "I just got to get used to being without that edge for awhile. I actually think it might be a good idea."
"How so?" JD stared at him.
"Well," Vin sighed as he sought the words to explain. "A Jedi shouldn't be about the Force alone. He should use his powers when he has to not because he can."
"Your apprentice shows surprising maturity," Ben Kenobi remarked with a smile when he and Chris came part of the way to meet them.
Like Vin, Chris and Ben were uncomfortable about being so close to the yslamiri but Vin's perception was correct, a Jedi should not just be about wielding his powers. The Force was an ally not an instrument to used frequently. Relying on it too much was taking the easy way and too often that led to the dark side. True, neither of them felt entirely complete with the yslamiri in close proximity, however, they were becoming more accustomed to the loss of their second sight. However, Ben in particular, studied the specimens in the cage carefully, having never encountered the creatures before this.
"Amazing," Ben muttered, feeling the effect of their unique capabilities more profoundly than the others. "I never thought anything could exist without midiclorions."
"Somehow this does," Chris responded, having seen encountered the creatures once before and was not as fascinated as the Jedi Master. "I've never seen anything like this."
"What about the marker?" Vin asked once Ben had concluded his curiosity about the yslamiri had receded long enough for them to continue their journey back to the Rogue.
"Nothing conclusive," Chris shrugged reporting what he and Ben had discovered about the marker that Buck had discovered during the pilot's visit to the planet. "It is written in pre-Republic text as Buck says but is not of a language that I've ever seen."
"Its true," Ben confirmed Chris' statement. "The language and the markers seems to predate the Jedi Code, nor does it make specific reference to the Jedi but rather the keepers of the Force."
"The Keepers of the Force?" JD stared at them.
"Yes," Ben nodded. "It's a very old reference to the Jedi. It was before the order came about as we know it and even before the code was written. A Jedi Master named Telemar was one of our best historians. He would be able to decipher this in a second."
"Can't we get this Telemar?" The young man blurted out, always eager to have mysteries solve.
Ben's expression dropped at that suggestion and so did Chris'. Even Vin seemed overcome with a bout of sadness but he was able to speak because he could tell what was in his companion's heart even if he did not speak it.
"He's dead JD," the apprentice said softly "He died with the others."
"I'm sorry," JD said apologetically feeling sorry for having brought up such a painful subject. Without even asking, he knew that Telemar was a casualty of the massacre that was driving the Jedi to extinct. No doubt it was the same carnage that had seen the loss of Chris' wife and son.
"We cannot change what is," Ben said with a sigh, saddened by the memories of Telemar, remembering the rotund Jedi who had loved his books as much as he loved to laugh. Ben missed him but he also refused to let his memory of the Jedi be spoiled because of tragedy. "Besides, we must remain focussed for what lies ahead."
"Right," Chris nodded and looked over his shoulder at Vin and JD. "We got word from Ezra. Casey's little hat trick worked. She breached Coruscant's defense grid."
"Hell," Vin let out a soft exclamation. It was no small feat the young woman had managed to accomplish. Breaching Coruscant's defense was almost a possibility, that Casey had managed it without being discovered was nothing less than genius and gave them real confirmation that Ezra's plan could be done. "I knew she was smart but I never really thought she'd pull it off."
"I knew she could," JD responded with a hint of pride. "She knows her stuff for a snotty aristocrat." He grinned a little in mischief but they all knew the depth of his real feelings.
"So they're alright?" Vin asked, just to reassure himself a little. Even though he trusted in her to take care of herself, he could not help feeling a little anxious about Alex being on Coruscant. He understood that it was necessary but like Chris and JD, he was not happy that the one that he loved was presently on the fortified center of Imperial power.
"Apparently so," Chris answered, able to guess Vin's concerns even if the yslamiri interrupted the link between them. "They lowered the defense grid without the authorities coming down on them. I think its safe to assume that Casey's plan to penetrate Coruscant's defenses has worked. Ezra and the fleet he acquired from Sluis Van are leaving now. They'll be rendezvousing with the rest of our forces at the Inner Rim before they proceed to Coruscant."
"What about us?" JD inquired.
"We'll be rendezvousing with them at the Inner Rim and figure out how to penetrate Coruscant from there," Chris informed as they entered the open ramp of the Rogue.
"We better come up with some plan of getting into Coruscant." Vin remarked.
"Ezra says we'll go in when he moved the fleet out, we can take advantage of the confusion. Our best bet is to meet up with the girls," Chris replied. "Alex knows the terrain, so does Rayne."
"What about Vader?" Vin asked softly. He could not deny that facing the dark lord still filled with some anxiety. Even JD tensed at hearing the name.
"Hopefully, the information we planted will have Vader off Coruscant for the duration," Ben retorted, even though he was somewhat skeptical that his former apprentice could be fooled. Even though he did not voice it, he fully expected to see Vader at some point during this mission. His only hope was that it was later rather sooner. "These creatures should keep the Emperor from sensing our presence. In any case, I doubt that he would be too inclined to face us without Vader at his side. The possibility that three Jedi might be able to best him is something Palpatine will not risk."
"I hope you are right," Vin sighed, none too optimistically. "If we're wrong, this could end up very badly."
No one said anything in response to that but it was unanimously agreed that it was an understatement to say the least.
Within the hour of being informed by Alexandra Styles that Casey Wells had successfully lowered the planetary defenses of Coruscant, the fleet that Ezra had acquired at Sluis Van was on its way out of the system. The flotilla of ships moved silently away from Sluis Van under the tightest veil of secrecy as it embarked upon its crucial mission. From the Hoth system, Buck Wilmington was carrying out a similar journey. The captain of the Rogue was leading a small convoy of fighters to act as support craft when the fleet arrived at Coruscant. On Coruscant itself, Alex's team was also moving into position, setting up the mechanism for the lowering of defense grid once the fleet arrived and Ezra had just received word that the Jedi Chris Larabee, Ben Kenobi and Vin Tanner would be at their rendezvous point in the Inner Rim.
Ezra had selected the Inner Rim as their rendezvous point but was still anxious on whether he made the correct choice or not. The closer they approached the core worlds, the harder it became for a sizeable fleet to remain undetected for very long. Ezra's largest fear at the moment was the possibility that someone might detect them before their arrival on Coruscant. So much of their plan relied upon the element of surprise and if they were discovered before they could reach their destination then it was a sure bet that this mission would die before it even had a chance to begin. He knew that his worries were natural but with the stakes so high and so many of his friends and loved ones involved, he was terrified of failure.
"How long until we arrive at the Rim?" Ezra asked as he sat in the command chair of the warship Vanguard, newly assigned to him for the duration. With the destruction of the Purgatory, the Jofan enclave of the Rebel Alliance was sorely under powered. By rights, this ought to be Mary's ship. It still will be, he reminded himself, having no desire to take Mary's place as commander. Hopefully, the mission ahead would make that hope become a reality.
"10 hours," Nathan answered, having taken his place at Ezra's side as executive officer.
"What's Chris' status?" Ezra responded studying the data pad before him, which had the status reports of the other ships, contained for his perusal.
"He and the Rogue will arrive in the Rim in 11 hours." Nathan informed dutifully.
"Excellent," Ezra nodded with approval. "Alex and the girls are moving into position on Coruscant. They should be able to meet Chris and the extraction team when they land."
"Do we have any idea yet, how they will be penetrating the Domicile?" Nathan inquired.
"No," Ezra shook his head in response. "Alex says she and Rayne will work out the specifics of that little escapade and be prepared for Chris when he and the others arrive."
"It's going to be tough getting them through Ezra," Nathan pointed out. "Even if the little surprise we've got coming at them works."
Somehow Ezra doubted that any Imperial commander they faced above the skies of Coruscant would be prepared for what he had intended. He himself had trouble believing that they had been forced into circumstances desperate enough to employ such methods but they had no choice. In war such as these, the word civilized was difficult to maintain with any semblance of integrity, not if they wished to win. The enemy outgunned them and outnumbered them and this was the only way to strike. He knew that he would either be hailed as a genius or a madman before the day was done and Ezra himself had difficulty trying to pinpoint which one he was.
"It will work," Ezra said confidently for the benefit of the crewman on the bridge with them. "We will catch them by surprise and you would be amazed how much of an advantage that could be."
Nathan was going to respond when the doors to the Vanguard's bridge slid open and Josiah Sanchez made his appearance. Both men did not ask where he had been but they knew he had been conferring with the Alliance Council on the latest developments of the mission. Until Casey had managed to lower the defenses at Coruscant, albeit briefly, the Alliance Council had been viewing the entire mission with trepidation. However, with her success, they had solid foundation upon which to endorse the plan that Ezra had staked all their lives.
"What is the word Josiah?" Nathan asked once the Republic Senator joined them.
"The Alliance Council wishes you the best Ezra," Josiah replied. "I think they are a good deal more confident of your plan now that they know for a fact that Coruscant's defenses can be lowered."
"You may thank your niece for that achievement," Ezra retorted.
"Ezra, when we get to Coruscant, I am going to be joining Chris." Josiah stated firmly.
Ezra stared at the senator for a moment while Nathan was much less restrained with his surprise. "Are you out of your mind?"
"Nathan...." Ezra spoke up, wanting to listen to Josiah's reasons first before making any statements regard his sanity.
"Josiah, you're a member of the Alliance Council. If you were to get captured down there, it would be even worse than losing Mary! You can't be serious.
"My niece is down there," Josiah returned sharply. "I cannot sit by and let her face something so dangerous alone."
"She is not alone," Nathan pointed out and Ezra gave up any hope of mediating the matter calmly. "She is with highly capable operatives."
"They're not invulnerable either Nathan," Josiah declared, wishing the younger man would understand his decision for he was certainly not changing his mined about it.
"Don't you think I know that?" Nathan spat with a little more emotion than he intended. He was worried about Rayne, risking herself on Coruscant, undertaking a task that no amount of diplomatic immunity would save her should she be captured. He had already lost his wife Ana and though his relationship with Rayne was only fledgling, he could not deny that losing her would break his heart with almost as much intensity. However, despite his fears, Nathan was a believer in the cause and no matter what, he appreciated that sometimes the greater could had to come with the sacrifice of one person. As much as he loathed it, he could not make such decisions from the heart. The mission on Coruscant was risky enough and if Rayne and the others was lost, the logical thing to do would be to minimize that loss not increase it by having someone of Josiah's stature there.
"Don't you think I'm scared out of my mind that Rayne's down there? I'm sure Vin and Ezra must feel the same about Alex and Inez."
"Do not drag me into this," Ezra said firmly, gesturing to keep him out of this argument.
"Some friend." Nathan gave him a look. "You're the commanding officer, tell him he's crazy!"
"I will not," Ezra returned and saw Nathan's jaw drop open in astonishment.
"You agree with letting him go down there?" Nathan was almost stupefied.
"No I do not as a matter of record," Ezra sighed, wishing he was not placed in this situation. As dear as Nathan was to him as one of his oldest friends, Josiah was of equal importance to him. However, Ezra was not about to choose sides in this matter. "However, this is Josiah's decision. Nathan, Rayne, Alex and Inez are all capable of taking care of themselves in any situation. They are accustomed to dealing in the shadows. Casey however is not. She's almost a child. The only reason that she was allowed to participate in this mission is because no one else can duplicate what she is capable of. If I had my way on this matter, she would not have been allowed to set foot on Coruscant, but we did not have a choice. How can I tell Josiah not to care about the welfare of his niece when I myself is not entirely comfortable to her being there?"
"Thank you Ezra," Josiah gave the commander a look of gratitude for understanding his position so succinctly, even if he did not entirely agree with him. "I would shoot myself before I let them capture me Nathan," he glanced at the executive officer. "But she is the last member of my family that is left and her heart and her courage sometimes overwhelm her good sense. I promised my sister that I would care for her and protect her, I cannot sit out this fight while she is down there."
"Its insane." Nathan frowned, seeing Josiah's point of view even if he was opposed to the senator going anywhere near Coruscant. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"Mr Jackson," Ezra leaned forward and said quietly out of the hearing of the rest of the crew. "On this mission, that is a risk we are all facing. Whether it be here on the bridge of this ship or down on Coruscant, it hardly matters."
"Its not the same," Nathan grumbled and Ezra released an exasperated sigh.
"Alright," he shook his head with an expression of futility. "I had no wish to do this but since you insist on being absolutely stubborn, I am forced to relate the story of someone I once knew who for the sake of someone dear, placed his life in jeopardy because he felt it was a just sacrifice. Despite my best efforts to convince him otherwise, even though it would be incredible risk to life and limb, he was not to be deterred. Hhow did he put it, 'some risks have to be made'? "
"That's not fair bringing that up," Nathan glared at Ezra.
"Probably not," Ezra grinned with a little twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "But you needed the reminder in order to feel some empathy with Josiah's situation."
"Thank you," Josiah returned. "Nathan, please understand what I have to do."
Nathan sighed remembering how determined he had been about joining the rebellion after Ana's death. It had been too late to save her but he supposed for Josiah and Casey, there was still time and he could not deny either of them that. Besides, as Ezra had so succinctly pointed out, he could not berate Josiah for something he had been willing to do himself.
"I do understand Josiah," Nathan sighed. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."
"I can't make you that promise," Josiah responded honestly. "I don't think any of us can."
Unfortunately for them, Nathan knew that he was right.
Vader arrived at the Belkadan system and knew without doubt that Obi-Wan Kenobi was not there.
He would have left immediately if not for the fact that he could not be certain that Ben had ever been here. There was always the possibility that Ben might have attended Belkadan on some business that might give Vader a clue to the whereabouts of his son. Vader hoped that this might be the case for it was a long way to come empty handed. He had not been entirely happy about leaving Coruscant at this time, particularly with Mary in custody but the Emperor believed that this warranted his personal attention. Vader was in agreement with the Emperor on this point. It was impossible for them to send anyone else in the event that they actually found themselves face to face with Ben. No one else other than he could face the Jedi Master and survive.
The first thing Vader noted upon arriving on Belkadan was no discernible trace of Ben's presence anywhere on the planet. This much did not surprise him because Ben would be careful not to remain in one place too long. Belkadan was not a populous world and there was enough of an Imperial presence here for someone to recognize him eventually. His former master was no fool and with the half the Empire searching for him and the other half on the hunting Jedi, Ben would not risk endangering himself or the child he was hiding. Vader wondered if his son would be travelling with Ben as he had once done. As his ship landed on Belkadan, Vader was preoccupied with thoughts about the son that he had sired with Padme Naberrie.
Would he travel with Ben as he himself had once done as a child? Would Ben be teaching his son to be a man and a Jedi at the same time? His stomach fisted in anger knowing that Ben would be there for all the things that was his by right. The Jedi Master would consider it his sacred duty, to protect the boy because of his mother. Ben and Padme. Just thinking about them together enraged him. However, Vader brushed that away, forcing himself into the belief that it had been someone else who had been betrayed, not Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker was no more. He had died when he had fallen into a pit of molten lava. Even now, Vader woke up with nightmares of liquid iron crawling up his back, twisting his body into a wreck that could only survive encased in thick black armor.
Ben had taken the woman he loved and destroyed his body. Vader was damned if he was going to let Ben take his son too.
It did not take long for Vader to discover upon arriving at Belkadan that Ben Kenobi was not only there but had never set foot on the planet. The report that had brought him here was a complete mystery to those manning the Imperial outpost on Belkadan. It did not take long to learn that the report that had reached Coruscant, reporting that Ben Kenobi had been on the planet was in fact a clever forgery. For a moment, Vader could not understand why anyone would desire such a monumental death wish by incurring his wrath in this matter. Then it came to him. It was not about incurring his wrath.
It was about ensuring that he was not on Coruscant.
There was little time to waste. Vader had to return home now because something was coming at the homeworld and his senses told him it was linked to the vision he had about Ezra Standish and the skies of Coruscant.
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It was hard not to be a little intimidated by the Domicile upon first sighting.
Erected on the top of a sheer cliff face, it offered a panoramic view of the Horan Sea. However, to allow one's gaze to find the ground from this point was a perfect example of why it had been constructed where it was. The cliff upon which it was perched dropped chillingly into jagged rocks below, rocks that had been smoothed through years or erosion and dared anyone brave it with almost menacing pleasure. Strong currents swirled around the rocks that were not submerged and the general consensus was made that it was an impossible point of illegal exit from the notorious prison. Prior to its tenure as an Imperial prison, the Domicile had been known to native Coruscants as the home of an ancient warlord, in the days before the Republic had chosen Coruscant for the centre of its government. The warlord, long since forgotten lived only through the dismal structure he had constructed as the sea of his power. He called it the Domicile and though it seemed rather misleading to name it as such considering its vocation these days, the name remained and grew in notoriety as it became the centre of Imperial mastery over its enemies.
The area surrounding the Domicile was devoid of life. On a planet that was almost entirely urbanized, it was something of an achievement to find open spaces on Coruscant. It was not easy to conceal themselves in a stretch of flat terrain but there were more than enough abandoned structures at the edge of this plain to suffice. Since becoming a jail for maximum-security Imperial prisoners, the commercial interest in the location had died away and many of the buildings that remained were left abandoned, festering an unhealthy population of Coruscant's displaced and homeless. Alex did not like the surroundings from which they would be forced to launch their assault on the Domicile once Chris and the others arrived but at this point, there was little choice given their needs.
The rebel operative gazed out the shattered pexiglassed windows and hoped night would fall sooner rather than later. It was still daylight beyond the structure and Alex felt exposed. She was accustomed to moving in the shadows. Indeed her entire line of work for the Rebellion depended on her being able to blend in and fade away. Being out in the open like this, with no secret identity to take cover behind, left the commander vulnerable and it was not a feeling she liked very much. They had arrived here at dusk the night before, unloading all the equipment they needed while hoping that their arrival had gone unnoticed.
As she looked over her shoulder, she saw the rest of companions preparing for the mission ahead. Tula and Inez were conducting a weapon's check, ensuring that each blaster in their arsenal was in perfect working order. It would not do to learn that there was a malfunction when they finally made the insertion into the Domicile. The former Ground Pounder's hands moved over the sleek surface of each weapon, almost as if she had intimate knowledge of its function. Her fingers were deft and Alex watched in no small measure of wonder at the speed in which it took Inez to go through the cache they had assembled for the mission.
The Wookie Tula maintained a vigil by the doorway. Armed with a traditional Kaysshyk crossbow, she appeared to be a statue carved in russet as she kept an eye and a nose out of for strangers. With her keen sense, Tula could detect someone approaching them from a good distance away. Throughout the night, her expertise had been invaluable as she kept away the other inhabitants of the abandoned structure with a well-placed roar when required. While Tula seemed almost frozen in position, by comparison, Casey was a flurry of activity. With just as much skill displayed by her older companions, Casey's hands were moving deftly to set up the portable terminal she had brought with her to complete the minor matter of lowering Coruscant's planetary grid. Once the program was initiated, Imperial programmers would be able to trace it straight back to them. Although nothing would keep their efforts a secret once breaching Coruscant' defenses was accomplished, it was wise to make it all the more difficult for the Empire to find them. The portable terminal would give them that small respite.
The young woman was working fast and furiously to install the components required masking their signal with numerous phantom sources. Eventually the Empire would trace the original back to its source but as Casey put it, that would take time they could use. Considering what they were about to do, Alex was somewhat grateful for her caution. Although no one excepting Casey spoke about it, the rest of the team knew that it was highly likely that none of them might survive this mission. Breaching the Domicile and finding Mary was one thing, being able to successfully remove her from Coruscant was something else entirely. Even with Ezra's plan to distract most of the planet's attention while they were carrying out the extraction, the odds were still slim that they might actually make it.
"How long until the fleet arrives?" Inez inquired as she looked up from what she was doing.
"In three hours they'll be entering Coruscant space." Alex announced, recounting the instructions Ezra had given her as well as a status report on how the situation stood.
"Three hours," Alex mused, peering out the window once more and examining the sky overhead. "It should be night by then. Good."
"Do you know how we're entering the Domicile?" Rayne inquired.
"There's only one way in." Alex responded, preparing for a great deal of debate on this point. "Garbage exhaust."
"Garbage exhaust?" Inez raised a brow. "You're taking about the exhaust ports from the incinerators?"
"That's the one." She replied.
"You're joking." The Ground Pounder asked.
"Afraid not. It's the only way in. The incinerator exhaust pauses for 45 seconds between cycles. We should be able to penetrate the port and make it to a safe area in that time."
"Should be able to?" Inez's skepticism showed. "That's not a lot of margin for error."
"I didn't say this was going to be easy," Alex gave her a reminding look.
"Sure, sure," Inez grumbled, returning to the maintenance of the weapons. "Throw that back at my face."
"Think of it this way," Rayne smiled. "If we do not make it, it will be a quick death."
Inez rolled her eyes and said sweetly to the handmaiden. "I admire your ability to look at the bright side of things."
The rebel fleet had emerged from hyperspace into what was called the Koornacht Cluster. Located at the very centre of the galaxy, the heavy radiation emanating from the collection of giants stars ensured that during their approach to Coruscant, they would remain largely unseen until they had penetrated the star system itself. It was imperative for the success of the mission that their presence remained a secret until the last possible moment. As the fleet began the inevitable push into Coruscant space, the rebels on board the Vanguard and the ships like it were busily preparing for the battle ahead.
Inside the War Room on board the Vanguard, the seven were assembled for the final time before their engagement with the Imperial forces at Coruscant. Also present was Ben Kenobi since he would be apart of the rescue team that would be landing on the planet itself. Despite the urgency of their situation, it felt good to be together again and for Ben, he was able to see and feel the warm camaraderie between the seven men who had been dubbed the Magnificent Seven by the rest of their rebel colleagues. Ben remembered when he was part of such a circle and felt another pang of sorrow to know that those friends were gone. However, he felt pleased for Chris to have found this family in the face of his grief and a cause in which a Jedi's talents could maintain some semblance of their mandate.
"Timing is everything," Ezra declared. "We will move into engage the Imperial fleet the minute the defense grid is down. Chris, you, Vin, Ben and Josiah will be standing by in an Imperial shuttle we managed to procure some time ago. When the shooting starts, you are going to have to navigate through the battle to reach Coruscant."
"Why can't we go sooner?" Josiah inquired.
"Every Imperial ship has its own codes," Buck explained. "If you try to fly into Coruscant without producing valid codes, they'll shoot you out of the sky before you even can even think twice."
"We can't attempt to land until after the grid goes down and they're focussed on Ezra and our fleet," Chris responded.
"Alex has given us through with the coordinates of your landing site," Nathan announced and activated the holo-imager in the middle of the table. Within seconds the holographic image of their landing site was presented for all to see with the Domicile distinctly featured as it stood above everything else on the electronic landscape.
"Somehow I'm not surprised they made the Domicile a prison," Ben frowned. "I always thought it looked like a fortress of sorts."
"Well originally it was," Josiah pointed out. "In pre-Republic days. Palpatine's taste in architecture is dark. He wants to project an image of ruthless might. A place like this serves his purposes quite well."
"So Alex and the girls are where?" Vin inquired.
"They're at these abandoned structures here." Nathan displayed their rendezvous point with an electronic marker beam. "You should be able to land fairly close to them."
"Do we know where Mary is?" Chris asked quietly, trying not to show that he was focussed, not as emotionally involved as they knew he was.
Ever since they had returned from Myrkrr, the connection between him and Mary had been severed because of the yslamiri. With the yslamiri on board the Vanguard, that deep link still remained cut and Chris tried not to show his anxiety at not being able to feel Mary. He knew that she had managed to endure her tortures because of his presence. There was no telling what would have happened now that Mary found herself completely alone without even their mind link to give her comfort. Not knowing heightened his fears and enflamed his desire to reach Mary even more.
"Not at this time," Ezra answered, understanding fully what the Jedi was going through. "However, once you get into the building Casey should be able to link up to a terminal and obtain that information. We do know she is definitely in the Domicile, under heavy interrogation."
Chris flinched and those in the room, with or without Jedi sight could tell that the Jedi Knight was clinging to his restraint with the flimsiest of control. He said nothing about Ezra's revelation and chose instead to focus on getting Mary out of her situation, rather than let himself become distracted by issues that would only lessen his good to her. Closing his eyes as the others continued to speak around him, Chris reached out to the Force and allowed its energies to nourish as well as help him regain some measure of calm. It was not as easy to do with the yslamiri on board but Chris managed it because one did not have to feel the Force to be apart of it.
"Our fighter complement will deploy as soon as we enter Coruscant space," Chris heard Ezra say once he returned his mind to discussion at hand. "Buck, you're in charge out there. I do not want any of our pilots engaging the TIE fighters. Your primary concern will be to give our ships support."
"Whatever you say Ezra," Buck returned. "To tell you the truth, I'm not too eager to face ten to one odds."
"Ten to one odds?" JD exclaimed.
"Hell kid," Buck grinned slapping JD on the back. "You'll handle that no problem."
JD did not look as confident as Buck but he was not about to voice his concerns when everyone present was risking their lives.
Suddenly, a console began flashing at the corner of the room, causing an expression of curiosity to travel throughout the room within seconds of its emergence. It was Nathan who went to it and activated the panel, allowing a stream of data to pass through the screen for his viewing. The second in command tensed immediately and glanced at his friends with a look of ominous concern.
"What is it?" Ezra asked first.
"Yeah Nathan," Buck replied, a little less boisterously than usual. "You look as sour as hell. What's did that thing say?"
"Vader left Belkadan about the same time we left the Rim." Nathan replied, swallowing hard. "He took a long range fighter from the Avenger bound for Coruscant. He should be arriving by the time we face the fleet."
"Damn." Ezra whispered softly. "I hoped we would be able to keep him away from longer."
"It was highly unlikely the ruse would have worked anyway," Ben sighed, disappointed by the news but not entirely surprised. He only had to look at Chris and Vin to see that they had though the same way as well. "However, it is fortunate that by the time he arrives at Coruscant, our plans will be in motion. He will not be able to affect too much of its outcome."
"But he'll go straight to the prison!" Nathan exclaimed. "Even if he can't sense you, he's smart enough to figure out that we might have a rescue operation in mind."
"Of that I have no doubt," Ben shrugged. "However, if that is the case then I must face him."
"Not alone." Chris retorted before Vin could say it.
"It may be my destiny to die today Chris, the Force doesn't always seem clear to us." Ben returned his hard gaze.
"Neither does it expect us to walk blindly into disaster." Chris replied before sweeping his gaze across the room. "We continue with Ezra's plan and land as expected. As for Vader, we'll cross that bridge when necessary. There is no debate until that happens."
"Chris is correct," Ezra spoke up, adding his support to the Jedi's statement. "We continue as planned. We owe it to Mary to see this through."
To that no one could disagree and to the other point that none of them could refute either, that they had come too far to stop now.
Silent guardians, inanimate but nonetheless alive as far as mechanics permitted, kept watch on the area of space that acted as the perimeter zone of the star system that was home to Coruscant. The sensors buoys remained constant in their area of space, watching and examining all that was before them, taking note of it no matter how insignificant, processing it through terabytes of programming and then forwarding that information to its masters on Coruscant. Nothing ever escape its watchful eyes, not ships, comets or even the odd scrap of space debris tumbling aimlessly through the void. Somewhere in data storage facility on Coruscant was miles and miles of stored observations, relegated once the analysis of its content had been made.
The appearance of the fleet was met with usual indifference by the machine sentinels and they responded by recording their observations and returning the data back to Coruscant, oblivious to its significance for to them it was all the same. The information relayed to Coruscant did so in a matter of second and in that matter of seconds, there was not a person at central command that was unaware of a large fleet moving towards the home world. For an instant before that, the discovery was met with disbelief? An attack force at Coruscant's doorstep did not happen. It was laughable. However, the sensors did not lie and the images were not phantom ghosting or any kind of electronic phenomenon. It was real and it was coming.
Less than thirty minutes following that the Emperor was appraised of the situation and the man's reaction was less than impressed, particularly when the fleet entering Coruscant's space was made up of a rag tag collection of ships that should have been decommissioned and scraps years ago. It did not take long for the Emperor and his commanders to pinpoint the enemy behind the fleet was none other than the Rebel Alliance and while they debated over the possibility of Coruscant under siege, neither could any of them decide what was the point of the exercise. The rebels had to know that their fleet was no match for the star destroyers that guarded Coruscant. An attack was almost suicidal. If it were a rescue attempt for Mary Travis, it would be just as laughable for they would have to take Coruscant for that to happen. And at the moment, the attack force was hardly capable of defending itself against the Star Destroyers that would be leaving Coruscant to greet them.
Palpatine suspected that there was more to this than he knew but he could sense nothing that would give suspicion any more substance. However, if the rebels wanted to take on Coruscant, he did not see why they could not be accommodated. With the capture of one of their illustrious leaders, Palpatine chose not to waste the opportunity of finishing the Alliance once and for all. He just never expected the enemy to deliver themselves into his hands. However, heroes were driven by emotion and compassion, dangerous traits that often led them to making illogical decisions.
Within the hour, the Imperial fleet of six star destroyers departed Coruscant with a heading that would see them intercepting the enemy in less than an hour. The morale on board was almost euphoric for it would be an easy battle for the enemy was not only outgunned but also ill equipped. Some even considered the mission to be routine lacking any real challenge because there was no doubt that the enemy was hardly a match for the Imperial war machine. Still a threat to Coruscant could not be taken lightly and there was a feeling that the rebels needed to be taught a lesson in humility as well as arrogance for daring to attack the galactic centre of the Empire.
Yes, it was clear that an example should be made and it appeared as if the rebel alliance would be volunteering for that honor.
From the bridge of the Vanguard, Ezra Standish monitored the approach of the Imperial ships with calm deliberation even though the rest of his crew had a decidedly anxious look about them. Ezra could hardly blame their fear as he saw the attack signals of six Star Destroyers on fast approach. In less than thirty minutes, those ships would be staring down the throats of the Vanguard and the rest of the rebel fleet. The communications transmissions they had been monitoring indicated that more Imperial ships were being sent for and it would not take very long before they would be inundated with Star Destroyers. Ezra's plan was balanced on a delicate time frame so he was mindful of those dangers.
In the background, he could see Coruscant's silhouette against the sun and felt a pang of sadness when he realized how much he missed the place. Until his assignment at Doldur and subsequently Cordoba, Coruscant had been Ezra's main hunting grounds. He had a nice low level position, which offered little chance of advancement, where he had his evening free to visit the sabaac tables and take the locals and the tourists for all they were worth. It had been a simple enough life and he still missed it. As he saw himself on the bridge of a warship about to lead a battle against the Empire, Ezra wondered how the hell he had come to be in such a position.
"How long until they intercept us?" Ezra asked.
"Five minutes," Nathan said staring at the same ships on the view screen.
"Good," Ezra nodded without turning his gaze away from the screen. Once they had crossed the path of the sensors stationed at the perimeter, the fleet had slid into maximum burn to ensure that they would be well in reach of Coruscant before the Imperial ships came upon them. This plan would not work if they were halted in their advance to reach the planet. Now Coruscant was in sight and so was the enemy. The extra five minutes that it would take for the Imperial ships would allow the rebel fleet to further narrow the gap.
"It's now or never," Ezra sighed. "Send the signal to Alex on the surface. Tell her to commence lowering the defense grid."
"I'm already there," Nathan retorted and was already moving across the floor to the communications station. A slight nod at the direction of the com officer saw the transmission of the signal that Alex was no doubt waiting for with increasing anticipation.
In the meantime, Ezra tapped a button on the control panel of his armrest and spoke into the small communication device attached. "Chris, are you and the others prepared?"
"As we'll ever be." Chris returned shortly.
"Standby for my signal to launch." Ezra nodded, pleased that so far things were in place and waiting for the word to begin. He flicked another switch on his console and spoke once more. "Mr. Wilmington, are you prepared to launch?"
"All squadrons are ready to go." Buck Wilmington's voice said clearly. "Me and the kid are itching to give those some payback for Siraj, right JD?"
"We'll give them hell, Ezra," JD returned just as ebulliently.
Ezra and Nathan exchanged a little smile. "You just keep your butts out of trouble." The exec retorted.
"We always do," Buck voice revealed the grin that was surely on his face. "You guys stay out of trouble too."
"We will," Ezra answered before his voice took on a more serious tone. "All squadron leaders, initiate launch at my signal."
A group of voices returned responses to the affirmative as the bridge crew waited in anticipation of the signal to begin the attack. Nathan kept his eyes on the communication officer's terminal, waiting for the transmission that would arrive from Coruscant on a scrambled frequency.
Without it, they had no mission.
Casey's fingers were moving so quickly that Alex could not longer see which keys she was pounding on the portable terminal. However, there was no need for that since the screen before them revealed what she was doing with far more efficiency. Digital images appeared before them, revealing the cyberspace representations of the system the young woman was plundering with remarkable speed. Words flashed in its deep emerald hue before dissipating into the darkness of the screen. In a flurry of seconds, Alex knew that Casey had sliced her way through the primary defense grid. Her worm program was burrowing past all the security lockouts and bringing its user to the place she needed to be.
"I'm in." Casey announced.
The others, who were hunched over her shoulders, watching her action, did so with a sense of fascination, even though none of them could hope to replicate what the young woman was attempting. They saw the Imperial network displayed before them, saw Casey select what she wanted the way she might have been programming a food synthesizer. It was hard to believe that she was navigating her way through one of the most fortified computer mainframes in the galaxy. Suddenly, a schematic of the entire defense grid appeared before them. Even though they did not understand the process that allowed her to penetrate the system, they recognized it for what it was.
"By the Force." Rayne whispered.
"Disable everything, the sensor grid, the deflector shield, the air batteries, take them all down now." Alex ordered.
"Okay," Casey nodded and began introducing the computer virus that would wreak havoc across the entire system. "This ought to do it."
"How long will it take effect?" Inez asked, her hand tightening around her gun because she was of the feeling that once the effects of Casey's virus were felt they would be getting visitors.
"I'm downloading now," Casey replied, punctuating her words with a push of a button. The green display before them soon flickered erratically as its diagnostics system began to recognize the existence of a failure. Suddenly, the digitized emerald display turned siren red and alerts began screaming at them through the screen. Without even being present, the women could picture the klaxons sounding at core command as they were besieged by multiple failures of their defense grid from all fronts.
"What's happening?" Inez inquired, having no patience at attempting to decipher what was on the screen.
"They're probably still reeling from the shock," Alex replied, understanding some of what was going on and being able to anticipate a great deal. "But I say they've worked out that they're wide open for attack."
"All systems are down." Casey informed dutifully in case there is any doubt. "The virus is throughout the system, expanding exponentially. The only way they can stop is to shut the entire thing down and attempt to keep if from infecting any other vital systems. So far its only the defense grid that's been neutralize but the main frame that controls planetary security also controls, power and utilities. They'll be forced to shut down or those system will also become infected."
"Good," Alex retorted. "Now its game time."
"Confirmed," Nathan stared at Ezra a short time later. "Our sensor are reading multiple systems on Coruscant being disabled. It worked."
"Never doubt young aristocrats with more bravery than sense," Ezra grinned a dimple smile. "Remind me to congratulate the young woman when this is all over."
"You'll have to get in line," Nathan chuckled and then sobered up because they were far from accomplishing all that was required these days. "What are your orders?"
"Give our fighters to launch. Tell them to remain close to our fleet as we push forward. I do not wish to waste our resources with confronting TIE fighters in a battle we cannot possibly win. Our primary goal is the safe delivery of our packages, nothing more."
"Will do," Nathan nodded and stepped away from him to do just that.
Ezra activated the communicator on his armrest again. "Chris, the balloon has gone up. You have a launch."
"We're on our way." Chris answered promptly though a cackle of static. "May the Force be with you."
Ezra sucked in his breath and gazed at the phalanx of ships approaching the Vanguard on the view screen and responded after a moment. "May it be with of all of us."
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The lowering of the planetary defense grid threw Coruscant into an utter state of panic particularly with the knowledge that in the space above, Imperial ships were about to engage an enemy fleet. It was the first time in too long that war had come to the skies of the galactic centre and understandably, the reaction upon realizing the danger prompted a slow response. The most common reaction was astonishment for it was often the case whenever the invulnerable was found not to be so. After becoming accustomed to a thing being so supreme, to learn that it was not the case send ripples of shock through the people of Coruscant, to say nothing of those who were responsible for maintaining that illusion of invulnerability. As ships became to grow in number above the planet and the powers that be racing to reinstate their protective veneer, it was relatively simple for one ship to enter the planet's orbit unnoticed.
With commercial and private sector ships leaving the world in a mad hurry to avoid destruction, the systems in place to monitor the departure of ships from Coruscant, became quickly overloaded. It was not long before the weary custodians in charge of regulating this mass exodus were forced to call in reinforcements from other areas in response to the current crisis and during the resulting chaos, one ship slipped anonymously past the notice of all to enter Corsucant's skies. This pilot at the helm of the craft was wise enough to disappear beneath the scanner range as soon as possible, until its presence if not noted yet, would remain undetected as it found a suitable landing site. Even so, even if they were noticed by anyone, they would have appeared to be nothing more than a short-range shuttle returning from the Imperial fleet for some mission of importance.
The only person who did notice the arrival of the shuttle had been expecting it ever since the rebel fleet had been sighted in Coruscant space. Alexandra Styles waited patiently at the landing site for the shuttle to appear in the skies above their hiding place. The communication bands all across the planet registered the failure of the planetary defenses and citizens were issued warnings to stay indoors until the problem and the crisis had been averted. So far the cities remained quiet and Alex hoped it remained that way. Fortunately, with everything so chaotic at the moment, no one noticed the shuttle's entry into Coruscant. Under normal circumstances, an unauthorized ship would already by swarming with TIE fighters, demanding it follow them to an Imperial landing zone to account for its flight plan.
The shuttle paused in the middle of the sky as it reached its landing coordinates. Powerful engines stilled and thruster control was activated as it gently lowered to the ground in a vertical landing. Landing struts extended outward as the ship made its descent amongst the skyline of abandoned buildings. The shuttle was a beautiful display of lights and motion as it took advantage of the natural cover to conceal itself. Landing on the courtyard space that was surrounded by the tall, forgotten structures, the shuttle was soon disengaging its systems as its occupants prepared to disembark. Alex found herself filled with a sense of anticipation and she knew that it had little do with the mission ahead and everything to do with seeing Vin Tanner. For a seasoned veteran like herself, not to mention a grown woman, she wondered what it was about the Jedi apprentice that captured her heart so and then supposed it was that they were both finding their way in this world and had somehow stumbled upon each other. It was so unexpected and yet so incredibly right that there was no alternative but to enjoy the ride together.
By now, the ramp had extended forward from the hatch and touched the ground. Alex stepped forward out of the shadows into the open. They did not have much time to waste. Twilight was an hour behind them and they had no clear time frame on how long Ezra could keep the Empire at bay. A strobe of light illuminated the area when the hatch slid open and she saw Chris Larabee emerging from the body of the craft. She was not surprised that he would be the first one out since he would be the most anxious to get their plan to liberate Mary from the Domicile underway.
Following Chris closely down the ramp was the cloaked figure of Ben Kenobi whose features could not be seen but stealthy manner made it impossible to mistake him for anyone else. Like Chris before him, the Jedi moved through the night like shadows in the dark, gliding silently forward. In comparison, Josiah seemed almost ungainly and awkward which gave Alex some measure of comfort because she did not feel completely assured of herself when around Chris Larabee. The Jedi as a whole unnerved her and through she cared deeply for Vin, what he was frightened her on some level, especially when one remembered how wrong it went for someone like Vader.
"Alex," Chris nodded slightly in her direction. "Its good to see you."
He meant it too. Chris knew how much Alex mattered to both Mary and Vin and though he had every confidence in her abilities, he worried about her being on Coruscant for such hazardous duty. Not just for her as a matter of fact but for each member of the team who had come to the planet and laid the groundwork for what they were about to do today. If Alex and her companions had failed in their undertaking, their mission would have died in the birthing.
"Likewise," Alex smiled at the genuine emotion in the usually guarded expression of the Jedi Knight. "We're all prepped and ready. Our entry point will be hazardous but it's the only unmonitored section of the Domicile. Mostly because it is believed the path we intend to take it is impassable."
"Is it?" Josiah asked, uncertain of where she was indicating.
"It is manageable," she said with some measure of hesitation. "But dangerous. Unfortunately, it is also the only way we have to enter the place and without it, we have no way of reaching Mary."
"It will do," Ben replied positively, sensing her anxiousness to help her friend.
"No one said this was going to be easy," Josiah remarked, smiling at Alex.
Alex glanced at the cages he and Chris were carrying and noted the creatures scurrying inside its confines. She could not imagine how such charming life forms had the ability to render a Jedi powerless but she had seen them do it and so she did not doubt their power, no matter how unlikely it seemed. "How long will you need to keep those? We can't make it through the exhaust ports carrying those cages."
"We won't have to," Chris answered while stealing a glance at the yslamiri in their cages. Their effects on the Jedi had not lessened one wit since coming into contact with them but at least Chris was managing to tolerate them enough to handle their presence. "We'll keep them long enough to penetrate the prison. Vin seems to have a better tolerance for them than Ben or I so he can carry them."
"Thanks," Vin Tanner announced his presence to Alex upon emerging from the hatchway. "Make me do all the hard work."
Alex burst into a wide grin and the affection between the two was easy to see by the corresponding smile she engendered from the apprentice. The three men continued their departure from the ship as Alex and Vin met in a gentle kiss of greeting. Warm lips engaged each other briefly since nothing more passionate was possible and in truth not really required for either to know how much they felt at seeing each other again. Once they had parted, they turned their attention back to their friends, their previous display of emotion now rescinded to a simple look of warmth. Alex in particular was soon all business and despite the tender moment, it did not take her long to return to the persona of Commander Styles.
"We have to take advantage of the night," Alex explained as they returned to their hideout. "Casey is not sure how long it will take Central Command to repair the damage caused by her program so we have to be make sure that we have Mary before that happens."
"What about the shuttle?" Chris asked referring to the craft behind them.
"Leave it," Alex retorted with hesitation. "We won't be able to use it to get off the planet. The way everyone is rushing to get off the planet, the ships we have would be better served for our escape. Rayne's ship has diplomatic clearance, they won't search it. When we have Mary we'll split up into two teams, Rayne will take Mary and get off the planet. Casey can go with them and you too senator." Alex looked over her shoulder at Josiah.
"I should remain with you," Josiah reminded.
Alex paused a moment and Chris could tell that whatever she was to say was not something Josiah was not going to wish to hear and it required no insight in the Force to make that determination just the stern look in her eyes. It came from years of authority and those she was unaccustomed to wielding it as Mary did, Chris could tell that it did not frighten her to use it or to exert it.
"Josiah," Alex let out a deep breath. "I love the fact that you've come out here and placed your life on the line not only for Mary but also for Casey. You were always keeping not only on Mary but on me too and I love you for that. You are my family so please take this in the spirit that this is given. You may be a member of the Alliance Council but on this mission, you are a part of my team. I decide what is an acceptable risk and at this moment, you are almost as valuable to the Empire as Mary is and I will not have you risking your life any more than you have to. I understand that you want to help her and I will not deny you that but once we're done, once we've freed Mary, you will take her and Casey and you leave or else you can march back to the shuttle now."
Chris and Ben glanced at each other and then at Vin who merely shrugged his shoulders in a clear indication that he was not involving himself in this and offered silent advice that they should do the same. In truth, Alex was right, this was her mission and she was not refusing Josiah the chance to participate, merely being cautious. Once Mary was rescued, their presence here would be exposed and it would be exceedingly risky for Josiah to remain at large. It was a good tactical decision for the Senator to take Mary and Casey off planet first. As Chris waited for Josiah to answer, he could see the understanding filter into Josiah's eyes.
"You strike a tough bargain commander," Josiah sighed.
"Only because I care about you as much as I care about Mary." Alex returned. "Do we have a deal?"
"Of course we do," Josiah nodded. "I've been a negotiator long enough to know a good arrangement when I see it. Thank you for letting me help."
"As if I could stop you," Alex replied and came forward and hugged Josiah warmly. This was the man who had taken them on their first trip to the Republic Senate and allowed them to watch a hearing. Since Mary's father was never around during her youth, it was Josiah who often filled the role of parent in her life and in some way, in Alex's too. She was never as close to Orin as she should have been so in many ways, Josiah had been a surrogate to her as well.
Alex pulled away from him now that the issue was settled and the tough expression fell over her face again as she regarded the men before her. "General, we've had word that Vader is on his way back to Coruscant," she replied as she resumed walking.
"We've had that intelligence as well," Ben nodded as they started following her towards the darkened buildings. "Chances are good he'll know that our attempt to engage the fleet is a ruse."
"Then he'll come straight here," Alex declared, throwing a brief glimpse at him for confirmation.
"Yes," Ben answered, confirming her worst fears. "I will face him alone."
"No you won't," she declared. "We stick with the plan to release Mary. I will not be the commander who lost General Kenobi on a mission. If it becomes unavoidable, then so be it but I want your promise that you will follow the parameters of the mission, not your personal agenda? Is that clear?"
Ben cracked a smile and gave Vin a look, "is she always like this?"
"This is her good day," Vin threw Alex a smile full of mischief.
"Makes you feel any better," Chris added, "she's not as bad as Mary."
"That's comforting." Ben returned his gaze to Alex. "I am at your disposal."
"Don't you forget it," she retorted with a little smile and crooked brow. "Now let's quit this jawing and get moving! Hell, I never thought a bunch of Jedi and one Republic senator could be so difficult to motivate."
"Don't you just love her?" Vin grinned as Alex strode forward leaving them behind and the apprentice hurried his pace to catch up with her.
"They deserve each other," Josiah chuckled and received similar response of agreement on that point. from both Chris and Ben
Both fleets stared at each other as if they were the reflecting image in the looking glass. The Imperial fleet did not waste time surging towards the rebels in classic Imperial attack strategy. From the bridge of the Vanguard, Ezra had expected this. It was part of the reason why he had brought the rebel fleet into Coruscant's space so quickly. He wanted the battlefield for their engagement to be the skies above the planet, it was there that it would have its greatest impact and would allow for the distraction that the ground force needed to rescue Mary Travis. As the space between the two opposing forces continued to dwindle, Ezra took a deep breath and knew that now was the time to launch the attack upon which so much depended. The Imperial had no doubt studied their ships and have determined the aged junkers he had acquired at Sluis Van to be wholly incapable of matching them in battle. Ezra hoped that misconception would follow the Imperial commanders for many nights after this day because he was about to show them just how deceiving looks could be.
"They're moving to engage," Nathan stated as he stood by Ezra's command chair and stared at the image on the viewer before them. In any other situation, the phalanx of Star Destroyers should have terrified them to the core but now that the bridge were aware of what their commander had planned, it seemed only as if the stage was finally set for the trap to be sprung.
"Standard Imperial procedures," Ezra smiled and Nathan nodded in agreement. "Engage with no quarter given when the odds are on their side, a very presumptuous stance to take."
"What are your orders?" Nathan asked even though he had a fair idea.
"Do we have communications with the rest of our fleet?" Ezra glanced at him.
"Yes, they're standing by for your orders." Nathan answered automatically.
"My orders are simple," Ezra spoke clearly so that the commanders at the helm of the other ships could hear him. "Proceed at maximum burn. I want ramming speed."
For a few seconds, the Imperial fleet were uncertain of the unusual tactic employed by the commander of their enemy armada but they did recognize that the ships previously considered ill matched to engage them were surging towards them, leaving heated trails of exhaust plasma behind them. The ships appeared barely able to reach lightspeed but that did not stop them accelerating forward with such power that the Imperial commanders considered halting their own rapid advance until they discerned what the enemy was doing. The rebel ships may have been numerous but its armament and its artillery were incapable of successfully defeating their Imperial foes and yet they were still speeding forward, preparing to engage as if they could win.
Despite the confusion and despite the conflicting signals, the Imperial fleet maintained its course ahead, remaining confident that it could handle whatever strategy the enemy was about to assail them with. Even though the evidence was mounting that the enemy fleet was forging ahead at ramming speed, the Imperial commanders could not bring themselves to believe that the rebels were launching an attack with only that as their main tactic. It was ludicrous.
Wasn't it?
"They're not moving," Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "They're still coming at us."
Ezra was not surprised. "They think we are bluffing." He stated confidently as the Destroyers loomed closer in the view screen. "They cannot possibly believe that we would attempt a full frontal assault with nothing more than ramming speed as a defense. At this moment, their commanders have assessed the risk and possibilities of what we could be doing. Until now, we have used similar combat tactics when we engage each other. They assume that most of our commanders are Academy trained as they are so they believe they are capable of out thinking us."
Nathan could see what Ezra was driving at. The commanders out there were judging the battle they were fighting with the rebels by the standard of those fought before this day. It was likely that they have studied previous attacks between Imperial and Alliance forces and have deduced that the obvious could not possibly be based on what they had seen before. It was part of the reason why Mary had been so successful when engaging the Imperial in aerial combat. She did not play by the rules they expected her to because she was once one of them. Mary, like Ezra, understood that how that expectation could be used as a weakness and then exploited.
"They pick the wrong man to gamble with," Nathan gave him a sidelong glance full of mischief. And it was the truth. That was all this entire battle was to Ezra on some level, an elaborate game of sabaac in which he had assembled his pieces and positioned them for the gamble of his life. If there was one person who knew how to play the odds, it was Ezra Standish. Nathan had watched him play the game all his life, on the table and in life. This entire affair over Coruscant, was just the latest in a life dedicated to testing the boundaries of chance and besting it.
"Well you know I never play with paltry stakes," Ezra offered his old friend a fond smile that only came through years of friendship. He could tell that Nathan was feeling very proud of him because he was justifying the man's belief in him. Ezra often wondered what it was Nathan saw in him that inspired such unswerving faith in his abilities. Heaven knew he never saw such potential when he looked in the mirror. However, he did know how to gamble and bluffing was something he was capable of doing to a fine art. He just never thought he would be able to put it to such use in a situation like this.
"Helm, drop our speed and let the rest of the fleet pass us." Ezra instructed, issuing the next phase of his plan.
"Yes Sir," the helm officer at the head of the bridge answered promptly. The order did not surprise any of the officers serving on the bridge at the moment because they knew what their leader had in mind and it was a stroke of insane genius if not a little more ruthless than they had expected. Unfortunately, the past few years in the trenches had taught them well and they were all seasoned soldiers who knew that in war, no one could completely keep their hands free of blood.
The deceleration of the Vanguard's engines could be heard in the medium of a slight hum in the bulkhead that lasted no more than a fraction of a second. When it was gone, they saw the other ships moving past them through the view screen and through the observation windows on the bridge. The old ships, long since past their prime continued onward, about to end their existence as ships of war in a final battle that would no doubt be remembered for decades to come if Ezra's gamble succeeded. Ezra watched the old warships, the cruisers and the frigates leaving the Vanguard behind and felt a certain amount of sadness that he was going to responsible for their end. However, there had been no choice. He had made the gamble and now he was being called.
"Is the channel to the other ships open?" Ezra glanced at Nathan.
"Its open," Nathan nodded. "It's now or never."
"It is now," Ezra said firmly. "I will not risk any more lives than necessary."
Nathan nodded in understanding and said nothing further, allowing Ezra to issue his final instructions to the fleet that had been briefly under his command but no more.
Ezra gazed at his friend, seeing Nathan's confidence and silent urgings to continue before he spoke in a loud and authoritative voice. "All hands on board the fleet, set course for ramming speed and abandon ship. Repeat abandon ship. All life pods will rendezvous with the Vanguard. We are currently holding position. Once you have ejected from your ships, return to the Vanguard. Repeat, return to the Vanguard."
With that Ezra turned to Nathan, "patch me a channel to our fighter squadrons."
Nathan stepped up to his post and tapped a few buttons on the console before turning to Ezra. "You're on."
"All fighter squadrons, you will break off support to your respective ships once the life pods have been launched. You are to provide escort and safe passage for all life pods returning to the Vanguard. Do not engage the Empire. Our warships will see to that task without any fighter assistance. Our primary concern is the safe return of all our people in the life pods."
"Heard you loud and clear Ezra," Buck Wilmington's voice filtered through. "We'll bring everyone home safe and sound."
"That goes for you too Buck," Nathan reminded. "Remember, maintain minimal safety distance. The deflector shields on that fighter of yours isn't like the Rogue, its not going to like having to absorb the amount of power that's about to fill this area of space in a few minutes."
"I'll keep it mind," Buck responded. "Besides, I'm not about to get myself killed when things are about to get real interesting."
Interesting was an understatement, Ezra thought. He hoped the Imperial commanders found it just as inspiring.
It was during the exodus of life pods that the Imperial commanders whom Ezra had up to this point confounded, began to realize that perhaps their reasoning had led them headlong into a disaster of gargantuan proportions. The fact that the rebels were abandoning their ships and the lead attack craft had suddenly dropped to the rear of the battlefield, gave the astonished Imperial commanders some idea of what was about to happen. As frantic signals began relaying across the Imperial fleet, most having to do with withdrawal, the disbelief at being asked to retreat from a lesser enemy was almost as debilitating as the fact that the gap between two fleets were too narrow to avoid the inevitable collision.
Collision would have done some damage to the heavily armored Star Destroyers but not enough to secure Ezra the victory he wanted or provide the disabling consequences to the fleet that would leave Coruscant completely vulnerable. Ezra had wanted Coruscant to feel so completely defenseless and exposed that it would wreak utter chaos throughout the quadrant and unprecedented terror throughout the planet itself. He wanted to ensure that every person on Coruscant who had reason to fear the Alliance to stymie the resources of the authorities that would otherwise be focussed on the Domicile when the extraction team penetrate its confines to release Mary Travis.
Collision would not do that.
Warships armed with mass destruct anti-matter weapons could.
Each of the warships had been installed with an antimatter weapon that would ensure that when it collided with a Star Destroyer, not even its formidable armaments or its deflector shield would prevent it from being mortally crippled if not completely annihilated. The engineers who had installed the devices had been uncertain of what kind of scale they would be achieving since such a strategy had never been utilized in civilized warfare. The Alliance Council had called it ruthless, some even barbaric but as Ezra and his people retreated from the kill zone, he knew that he was also going to give them their most brilliant military victory to date.
The first warship, an old Corellian frigate that had seen better days ploughed into the side of the Imperial warship called the Fury. The Fury had banked hard, attempting to avoid the warship but had not the maneuverability to avoid the impact. The nose of the frigate slammed hard into the starboard section of the Imperial craft. The damage was significant with spidery webs of energy cackling over the length of the ship and amber flashes across the hull. Then the frigate exploded and when it did, it took with it half the ship. The Fury dipped at a 45-degree angle as large chunks of its hull broke away from the main body of the craft. Debris filled space briefly ignited like fireflies over the dark canvas. The rest of the Destroyer did not last long after than and the entire ship ruptured with a thunderous that would have deafen anyone if there had been air to carry its powerful roar.
The destruction of the Fury had a profound effect on the Imperial fleet who now faced with the awesome truth of the danger they faced, began retreating. However, it was too late. The warships, each programmed by remote to target one specific ship would not be denied in its efforts. The Destroyers either choosing to fight or to run found the delay was costly and those who lingered long enough to open fire on the closing fleet of warships, soon found themselves unable to escape the kamikaze enemy. Old ships, forgotten and written off as less than a match were now bringing terror to those who had been arrogant enough to discount them.
Another destroyer was hit and this time it took the brunt of the collision from a Hapes cruiser. The hull of the Hapes cruiser cracked open like an egg when it impacted on the stern of the destroyer Venture. It crumpled inwards before a bright blinding light filled the space both ships occupied, like an old star saying its final goodbye, filling the world full of light before disappearing, leaving flaming embers in its wake. Other ships met a similar fate, their metal hulls bursting with energy as the explosions tore through their armored plated hides like paper. Those that were not entirely destroyed, suffered massive casualties and damage to their systems, some lost power entirely and drifted aimless until Coruscant's gravity began pulling them to it, debris and all.
On the surface of Coruscant, terrified citizens watched the night sky flare with destruction and likened it to a rain of fire descending upon them.
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