Retribution, Lies and Forgiveness.
by Regina Ong
skyjade@movieluver.com
(NOT the same person as the other Skyjade who owns a webpage)
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.All characters portrayed and official dialogue are the property of Lucasfilm,Ltd.
READ THIS YOU MUST !
All that aside, I would like to thank all fanfic authors who had
influenced me into writing my own fic. Which was why I had dedicated
a small part of the story as a reference to one of the first and
best fanfic I have read;' Call of the Force ' written by Judy KC.
It is a beautiful story detailing the back history of General Madine
and also Luke and Leia's mother, who holds the name of Kaerina.
( Her fanfic can be found in the mother of all fanfic website,
www.Fanfix.com, under ' between the trilogies ') It would be better to
read that story to understand the reference made in the story below.
The story basically refers to the Bothan spies, and how the rebellion
got hold of the plans. A minor reference to the Cammas incident is
also included. The story also deals with Luke coming to terms with
the developments of his powers, as well as the effect it has on
others.I know that the fic mainly deals with Luke, and also Mara
( her duty as the emperor's Hand ), * they don't meet in this story,
by the way * as I wanted to focus more on that area, as well as
subtle hints that they were destined together. I was not pleased with
the desription of Luke in SOTE, as it seemed so far out of character
from the one portrayed in ' Return of the Jedi '. I also wanted to focus
more on the sibling friendship between Luke and Leia which is
hardly explored. But enough talk, or I'll start to sound like Threepio! Enjoy !
Prologue
*Master*
The word greatly appealled him. It mystified him that a single word could produce such satisfaction in him; the satisfaction which took him years and years of shrewdity and patience,to build an invincible empire and to have his Hands by his side to do his bidding. Patience which had also produced the best of his Hands:Mara Jade and his ignorant but poweful slave,Darth Vader. His lips twisted into a sneer. If it weren't for those sithspawn Jedis,he would have succedded easily enough. The common mind was nothing compared to those who wield the Light side of the Force. That was why it was necessary to banish their order from the galaxy. Spouting worthless philosophys when they could have wielded the full dark power of the Force, the Jedis were an accursed order, a shame to the mighty glory of the Siths. And now, one had sprouted from that forgotten order,an order that was merely a myth in the galaxy's mind;
Skywalker.
His grin twisted more gruesomely at the thought of the name.Young Skywalker had proven himself worthy in the battle between father and son. Perhaps he would soon be able to replace his father. A pity that he had lost his hand and lightsaber in the process. Then again, those two items were among his prized possessions, which might be useful in the coming future.
His thoughts flickered briefly towards the hidden fortress in Wayland. Many prized items were even now stored safely and securely in the fortress,among them other trivial and 'important' things.The emperor cackled evily.Yes,the time would come when he could call upon his invincible army again. Soon.Very soon.
Chapter 1
Jin Reil'lya stared apprehensively at the small planet below him ,which was now growing even smaller as his ship cleared away from orbit. In a few more minutes , he would soon be clear to go into hyperspace. His fur rippled nervously as he glanced among the controls positioned in the stolen imperial shuttle. So far, he had managed to escape undetected. He knew that his luck would not last forever. It was vital that he survived this outcome, vital to his race and ....vital to the Rebellion. His shoulders slumped tiredly at the thought of how foolish he and the others had been. How foolish and stupid.They had merely been pawns in the emperor's game. Nothing more than that. But all this would be able to be righted somehow, if and when he reach Bothawui and explained to the others what had to be done.
Bothawui. Home.
He licked his lips at the mere thought of home. It had been many, many years since he had last stepped foot in the lush planet of Bothawui. He remembered the breathless smell of the Yizua, a special type of flower that was only found in Bothawui, and the beautiful formation of colourful rocks that seemed to be part of the settlement on the planet. His eyes blurred at the thought of his son, now probably of the age of Veillya when last he saw of him. He wondered how his son would have grown without the love of his mother and father. His wife had always believed that a proper upbringing for the son of Reil'lya required love and dedication from both parents. His wife.
He hadn't thought of his wife in years. Sinal'lya had been one of the sacrifice for the empire, back when he had no choice but to watch her die a cold death. His fur rippled angrily at the thought. His son was all that mattered now.
The beep on his console signaled that he could proceed with the jump. Pulling back the lever,he felt lighthearted for the first time in years as the black starry night in front of him dissolve into thin streaks of lights. Home was where he would pick up the pieces,and where he would ensure the fulfillment of his dream to have the empire pay for what they had done to him and his people. He sneered.With the data in his hands,his dream would very well soon be a reality.
And with that pleasant thought, Jin Reil'lya felt a sense of peace and contentment enveloping his tortured soul.
In a forgotten part of the galaxy, near the edge of the rim,a beautiful image of the Minoan Galaxy swirled in the darkness of space, seemingly a stark contrast against the black back drop. Occassionally, small clusters of light, revealing to be fighter ships on patrol, would appear to *touch* the fine white and almost feathery cluster of stars that held the galaxy together. Holding it together so peacefully,as if nothing could break its formation, its beauty or its vigour of life.
Princess Leia Organa stood looking at the beautiful swirling galaxy from aboard the medical frigate of the rebel alliance,wishing for the same sense of peacefulness. But her thoughts were far away, as her heart was still with a cocky smuggler who was lost, maybe forever, to whenever the bounty hunter had taken him.
A moan came from across the room.Leia walked towards the source of the voice to find Luke Skywalker thrashing in his dream. She quickened her pace and sat down next to Luke, wiping away the sweat on his face with an already damped cloth.
" Ben....Ben.....why did......why.......lie to me? Vader! "
Leia cast a concerned look towards Luke.
" It's all right, Luke.....You're safe "
Luke was still thrashing about in his bed.
" no.....Vader.....why?Leia... .'
"I'm here Luke,please!Listen to me you're safe!" Leia practically shouted.
Luke stoped his thrashing then and seemed to take a deep breath before going back to sleep.
Leia looked at Too-Onebee who was by the bedside.
" How long has he been like this?"
" Commander Skywalker has shown signs of mental pressure that we have yet to diagnosed its source. However, his physical health is improving and we were able to prevent any infection from spreading around his injured arm."
Leia nodded in understanding ,as she looked at the stump where Luke's right hand should be. His face had aged so much since the last time she had seen him.
' What happened, Luke? ' Leia asked silently. What did Vader do to you?
"Ahem!"
Leia turned to find a worried looking Lando standing at the doorway. Behind him was an even more worried looking wookie who still seemed lost without his cub.
"Are we interrupting you?" Lando cast a sad look towards Skywalker.
Leia frowned slightly. She still wasn't ready to forgive Lando even if Chewie had done so. And she was still unsure about his loyalty,but he had swore to her during their uneventful journey in the falcon that he would do anything to get Han back to her, even at the cost of his life.
Leia shook her head and both man and wookie walked silently towards the bedside.
" Rrrwwarh?"
" Yes, Luke is doing fine,for now,but he still has nightmares about Bespin, " Leia replied.
" Don't we all?" Lando said meaningfully.
Leia turned away, trying to mask the anguish she felt whenever she thought about Han. Was it only yesterday that she had told him she loved him? Back then, she had realized, too late, that she had loved him for as long as she could remember, without even knowing it. And he had loved her too,hadn't he? His kiss was still lingering on her lips, their last kiss, before Vader had inhumanly ordered him to be encased in carbonite. Vader. It all came back to Vader.
Leia knew that Vader had left a mental scare on Luke,but what it was she did not know. She shuddered to think what when on between Luke and the Dark Lord during their duel on the Cloud City.
It was considered a miracle that Luke had survived the duel ,and the news of his duel on Bespin was spreading like wild fire throughout the alliance. No one had ever fought with Vader and lived to tell about it.
" Leia..?"
Leia pushed her thougths away.Luke needed her.
" I'm here Luke."
Luke's eyes fluttered open and he seemed disoriented. He looked towards the source of the noise and saw Leia smiling at him by the bedside. Behind her Chewie growled a worried tone. And beside the wookie stood the dark stranger who had helped him aboard the falcon.
" Where am I?" he asked groggily.
" You're safe in the medical frigate Luke," Leia told him, gently restraining him as he tried to sit up.
" How long was I unconscious?" he asked.
" About a day, " Lando replied.
Luke sighed and leaned back against the pillow. Too-onebee quickly hurried to Luke's side when it noticed that Luke had woken up.
" How are you feeling sir?"
" I'm fine, thanks." Luke tried to smile, but it came out as a weak grin.
" When you are ready, would you like us to replace a new hand for you?" Too-Onebee required as gently as a medical droid could.
Luke suddenly remembered what had happened and looked at the bloodied stump of his right arm. Leia, sensing his troubled mood spoke up quickly.
" He will tell you later, please resume your job."
" Yes, your Highness. "
" Thanks, Leia" Luke said, after Too-Onebee had left.
Leia smiled kindly at him. "All that matters is that you get some rest and forget about all your problems" Luke smiled in gratitude,then noticed that the two loyal droids were missing.
" Where's Threepio and Artoo?"
Lando cleared his throat. "Threepio complained during the whole journey in the falcon that some parts were still missing in him system. I thought it would be a good idea to send him straight to maintenance right after we landed. He's still there with Artoo,the only little droid who can stand Threepio," Lando added half-humouredly.
Luke chuckled. "Poor Artoo."
There was a tense silence in the room. Lando began to squirm under the young Jedi's piercing gaze. He spoke in a hurried manner. "I'm afraid we have not been properly introduced, but I'm Lando Calrissian, a ...friend of Solo's."
Luke noticed that Leia flinced at the word 'friend'. He nodded and rubbed his right arm absently.
" I want to know what happened to Han."
" Luke ,you need to have some rest..." Leia began. Chewie growled his agreement.
"No, I will get all the rest I need after you tell me everything I need to know." There was an intensity in Luke's voice,a commanding tone that wasn't there before.
With a sigh, Leia began telling Luke what happened when they blast off Hoth only to face an array of imperials waitng for them,and when the hyperdrive system failed, how they were forced to repair their ship in an asteroid field. Here Luke had to stop her.
" Han flew the falcon into an asteriod field?" Luke asked incredulously. Chewie growled an affirmative.
" We had no other choice. It was either that or the imperials," Leia added laughingly.
"And you know Han...."
Luke smiled "Continue..."
When all was told, except the fact that Leia was in love with Han, Luke closed his eyes and breathed deeply.Vader.Vader was behind all this. And Han had been the victim of the dark Lord's obsession with Luke.
' "I AM YOUR FATHER!" '
The hated phrase was still playing in his mind .With an effort, Luke banished the thought away. What mattered now was how to rescue Han.
" Is there any way of knowing where this bounty hunter took Han?" Luke asked. Lando spoke in a quiet manner. He had been silent and a bit tensed throughout the time Leia mentioned the whole story to Luke, especially his betrayal to them.
" I believe that Boba Fett might have taken Han to Jabba the Hutt. Me and Chewie have decided to go to Tatooine to check it out,to see if we could intercept Fett before he presents Han to Jabba."
Luke nodded." When I am healed,I will meet you there and we can discuss plans to rescue Han"
Lando put up his hands, palm faced outward as if in mock-surrender.
" Whoa,Luke. I'm only guessing that Fett took Han to Jabba, but even if that is true, Fett might take all his time to go to Tatooine. Besides, you aren't fully healed."
" Lando's right, Luke.You need to rest." Leia added gently.
" It was my fault that Han got captured..." Luke said quietly.
" Luke, it wasn't your fault." She told him comfortingly as she grasped his hand, the one that had been spared." It never was. We would all have been dead if you hadn't come to distract Vader from us. Besides...."she attempted a slight smile,which was still hard considering her uncontrolled emotions, " Han would go ballistic if he hears you blaming yourself for Vader's actions."
Luke smiled at that, and was about to say something when a beeping noise interrupted him. Leia took out her comlink and spoke into it.
" Yes?" She said a bit too forcefully,and hesistantly, knowing what would come next
.
A small and slightly flustered voice answered her. It must have heard the edge in the
Princess's tone.
" I'm terribly sorry to disturb you,Your Highness,but Mon Mothma requires you in the control room, immediately"
" Tell her I'll be coming soon." Leia looked up and said in an apologetic tone,"I've got to go. Luke..."
" Go Leia, the alliance needs you. I'll be fine," Luke told her calmly.
Leia planted a kiss on his cheek and left the room.
" That is one hot princess," Lando chuckled.
Luke smiled at that."Lando,about Fett.... "
*******
A few days later, Luke was still resting in the medical room when a beep sounded at his side.
" Luke, we're ready for take off," Lando said
" I'll meet you at the rendezvous on Tatooine," Luke replied.
" Princess,we'll find Han, I promise," Lando added firmly.
Leia, looking radiant in her white dress , smiled at that.
" Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal," Luke said.
In reply, Chewie growled a long meaningful sound.
Luke and Leia smiled in response, knowing that Chewie would be putting his entire heart and soul in finding Han .
" May the force be with you" Luke sent to them, meaning every word.
With that , Luke looked at his cybergenetic right hand which Too-Onebee was tending to. It looked naturally enough,and almost felt like his real hand. Getting a firm grip on his artificial right hand, Luke walked towards Leia. Placing a firm arm around her, both of them looked on as the Millennium Falcon roared away, each hoping silently that they would succeed in their
mission. Luke reach out with the force,as if trying to feel Han's presence,but only a silent void greeted him.
And it was evident to him that there was also a huge void in Leia's heart.
" You love him,don't you?" Luke asked quietly.
Leia looked at him in shock. " How did you know? I never told..."
" But you did, Leia. Even if you didn't say it in words, I could feel it whenever you spoke about Han," Luke replied knowingly.
Leia turned away."I'm sorry,Luke."
Strangely, Luke felt no jealousy, but only sadness for Han and Leia; being apart when they should be together. Perhaps his boyish days were over, or that he somehow knew through the force that things were meant to be like this.
" Leia...." he began somewhat embarrassedly, in a farmboyish manner "You don't have to apologize to me. My romantic feelings towards you have long since vanished and Han is like a older brother to me. We will find Han,I promise," Luke added firmly,and was rather surprised at how much he meant it to be.
Leia took Luke's hand and clasped them, her eyes glittering with gratefulness and relief for his understanding of her emotions." But there is something between us, Luke." She struggled with her words, knowing it sounded a bit foolish but felt right somehow.
" We were not meant for each other, but......."
" But we have a link," Luke finished for her. "You're right,the same thing has been gnawing in my mind for a long time now," Luke said thoughtfully,as he tried to draw on the Force for some guidance.
His reverie was interrupted by a prissy yet concerned voice.
"E..excuse me, Master Luke,"
Luke started. He had forgotten the droids were still there, so lost was he in his thoughts.
" Yes,Threepio?"
" I believe that it is time for you to take your medication" the droid cocked his head to one side as if to emphasize the point.
Trust Threepio to be so concern about him, Luke chuckled.
" Yes, mom," Luke muttered
" Pardon me, Master Luke?"
Leia laughed. " Luke just thinks that you're being too motherly on him,"
Somehow Threepio managed to look bewildered. " But I..."
" Forget it Threepio.Your internal circuits will fry if you think too hard about it," Luke said.
" And you wouldn't want Chewie to fix you again if it happens!" Leia added, glancing mischievously at Luke as she did so.
"Fix me! He'll do better cooking up some stew than fixing me!" Threepio remarked indignantly.
Artoo beeped in an opinion, which only served to increase Threepio's already prissy voice up one notch.
" What do you mean he should have left me in pieces! There was no one else around to help me, you little garbage can. Why..."
" Leave him alone,Threepio!" Luke cut him off,a wide smile on his face.He had forgotten how much he missed the bickerings between Artoo and Threepio.
" Calm down,Threepio. I'll hate to tell Chewie how much you *appreciated* his help," Leia said, trying to keep herself from grinning, but failing miserably.
" 'Cause if she did..." Luke said, his tone solemn.
".....you'll find yourself short of two functional arms," Leia finished for him, matter-of-factly.
" Oh dear! Do forgive me,Princess Leia, Master Luke. I never meant anything like that," Threepio spoke up hurriedly, his voice sounding a bit frantic.
Luke only laughed at that, causing the poor droid to believe he would be in considerable danger if he were to meet up with the wookie again, thanks to these two uncompassionate humans. Luke turned to grin at Leia, and noticed that her face was lit up as if from the inside,and the hard lines which had been around her eyes were noticeably softened. It just occured to him that he and Leia seemed to almost act like brother and sister. Almost.
Perhaps that was it, Leia was just like a sister to him.With a heavy sigh,but a sigh that was laced with a hint of laughter, Luke trudged towards Threepio.
*********
In another forgotten part of the galaxy,a lone imperial shuttle was approaching a planet called Wayland. Little was known about the planet,except that it was inhabited by some primitive and aggresive aliens,beings who were constanstly driven to be slaves for whoever claimed the planet as their own.
It also happened to be where the emperor had his own private storehouse.
Mara Jade looked out of the viewport of the shuttle,glancing sideways at her master as she did so.The emperor was flying the craft with an expert ease,a skill which he rarely showed . She brushed through her beautiful red-gold hair uncertainly,as she stared at the planet which
was now looming closer every minute.What was really making her nervous (which happened rarely) was that she had never been to this planet before, or knew of its significance.The fact that the emperor wanted to fly the shuttle himself,and without any escorts,caused her to view this planet with a quick eye as she tried to recall any information she had ever heard about this planet.
She shook her head, her red-gold curls swishing about,but could not come up with any information about the planet. She looked up when she felt a silent probing from her master.
" Tell me what troubles you, my dear Hand, " the emperor said into the silence.
She gazed clamly at the yellowish eyes of her master.
" I just feel that I am about to know something very important to the empire and that it is somehow connected to this planet,"she said, gesturing to the planet below.
The emperor eyed her amusingly for a second, then returned his gaze to the viewport.
" Yes, Mara Jade.This planet IS important,and what it is for, you will know
eventually.You have served me well and with that I am allowing you the trust to the secret of this planet,"
Mara turn her gaze calmly to the viewport, smiling despite herself. She knew she was one of his most trusted servants,but had always felt that the emperor had never had a complete faith in her . She was proud that she had finally proven her loyalty to the emperor as his only Hand.
Her smile turn into a scowl as she knew that only the emperor and Vader knew of her high position. She had not liked the arrangement made by the emperor that she posed as one of his concubines when she was finally brought into his service after years of grueling training. However,she would follow whatever the emperor wishes no matter how much she was against it. He was, after all, the only person she had learn to trust since she was a child.
There had never been anyone else before that,at least she assumed it to be. Mara shook her head again,wondering why it was that she could never remember her life before meeting with the emperor. She was brought out of her reverie when the shuttle broke through the atmosphere and began making its way towards a mountain. Mara frowned, her eyes taking in the dark forest surrounding the mountain, which was a stark contrast against the bright sky.The emperor brought the ship down deftly in front of what looked like massive doors where a few imperial stormtroopers were standing guard. A small reception commitee was already waiting for them when the emperor walked down the ramp with his Hand.
To the reception commitee , the emperor's Hand was nothing more that a beautiful pleasure woman for the emperor.To the emperor's Hand , however, the reception commitee was nothing more than mere soldiers carrying out their duty for the greater glory of the empire.
Mara picked up her gown, something which she rarely wore unless on public occasions or if she was seen with the emperor, and followed her master with a grace trained onto her since young. She played her part well and began oozing with charm at the magnificence of the fortress while surveying it with all the training which had been drilled into her. She kept
her hand on the emperor,as one of the imperials stepped forward and bowed reverently to him, the others following his actions.
" You may rise," the emperor commanded.
The Imperial stood up,a bit apprehensively,and noticing a gesture from the emperor, hurried to his side. He walked a few steps behind the emperor,as it would not do for an officer like him to appear side by side with the emperor.The others followed silently behind them.
" Tell me, Commander....how is the progress with the Spaarti cylinders?"
The imperial frowned, glancing at Mara as he did so,an unspoken question forming on his mouth.
" Well, I..."
" Continue,commander. I do not have all time for an idle chat," the emperor said irritably.
The commander gulped noticeably, but did not hesitate.
"98% are fully functional while the others need only a few minor adjustments."
The emperor nodded,grinning as he did so. He glanced at his companion.
" Come, my beautiful concubine,let me show something that will astound you."
Mara smiled sweetly in return,her curiousity rising ,as the massive doors swung open. The emperor led her through a series of corridors, which Mara's trained mind automatically remembered in case she got lost. They were finally reaching an open space which was filled
with strange sounds, breathing sounds, Mara realized, and she guessed that there must be thousands of beings down there.
" Leave us," the emperor told the commander. The imperial bowed curtly to both of them, and left them alone. The emperor was leaning over a railing and he gestured for Mara to come closer.
" Come, my dear child, and tell me what you think of the emperor's little toys," he chuckled.
Mara stepped closer, full of curiosity and peered over the railing. She could barely contain her surprise as she saw the hundreds and thousands of cylinders lining up against each other, filing the whole cavern, with pipes jutting forth here and there. Beings shifted here
and there,checking the cylinders and maintaining it. It was so huge that it rather reminded Mara of a giant sports complex, with the silent humming cylinders filling in as the spectators.
" A cloning complex," she breathed in awe.
The emperor noticed her surprise and awe,chuckled gleefully to himself.
" Yes, Mara Jade. What you see before you is the future of an expanded and glorious empire. With this, " he gestured to the cavern "I would have only the most loyal and talented serving for me.They have served me well before, they will do so again."
He walked away from the railing and gestured for her to follow. She reluctantly tore her gaze away from the cloning complex,and followed her master. They went into a turbolift, Mara still feeling a little dazed at what she had seen. She had never liked the idea of cloning; it just seemed to go against her conscience of what was right and what wasn't, if she ever remembered having any conscience at all. Her thoughts about it were all but forgotten when the doors to the lift opened. Her eyes took in the huge dark room, with stairs leading towards a raised section of the floor where a massive chair was waiting silently for its master. The familiar Imperial royal guards in their red robes stood proudly along the room.
" Welcome,my dear,to my throne room," the emperor gestured to the massive room, his cackling voice casting a strange echo around the room.
Mara hardly heard him,as her sight finally took in a captivating sight. A galaxy of stars; a hologram of all the living stars,sectors and systems, stood out above the throne room, facing the massive chair. It was beautifully sculpted,a piece of art that many in the galaxy would want to claim as its possession.
" Yes, I see you've noticed my little piece of art here. Tell me,what you think of it,"
Mara gazed at the hologram, her eyes taking in the whole thing breathlessly.
" It is a magnificent piece of work," she managed to say.
The emperor peered at her under his hooded robe, chuckling to himself. They walked up the stairs silently, until they stood facing the hologram.The emperor sat on the throne, while Mara stood on his left as she always did. The emperor gestured to the stars with encirclements of colour.
" Those are the political regions while those," he gestured at another part of the hologram "..are the sectors that have allowed themselves to be allied with the rebellion." he spoke the last word bitterly.
" How are the stolen plans coming along?" he asked after a long silence.
" It is still in the hands Bothans which were last sited along the Arix system. A garrison has already been posted on the planet."
"Good....and what about our informant?"
" He is still continuing his task, my master," Mara replied.
The emperor nodded thoughtfully to himself.
" Yes,it is crucial that he find the insipid Bothan who had stolen the plans,and the other... important things he took with him"The emperor smiled coldly,as he thought of the Bothan who believed he had managed to outwit the emperor. He turned to face her.
" Be prepared to leave for the Arix system in a months time. I will tell you what you must do to retrieve the stolen datas."the emperor clicked on one of the controls located at the side arms of the massive throne, and spoke briefly into it.
" Now,leave me. Commander Stales will be here shortly to show you your quarters and other necessary equipment you will need. Inform me whenever our spy comes up with the latest news on what our dear Mon Mothma is up to."
Mara bowed reverently and walked to the turbolift. As she stepped into the lift, she noticed that the emperor had turned to face the hologram of the galaxies, his face twisted in an unreadable expression.The doors closed, leaving Mara to her own thoughts.
*********
" Father! "
Jin Reil'lya turned to gaze at the figure approaching him, his heart heavy with regret that his son had not forgiven him. After learning the truth about his father and his 'help' towards the empire, Gein Reil'lya had refused to acknowledge his father with the honorific fillya as was an appropriate greeting for a son to a father. By using the basic *father*,Gein had acknowledge the ties of blood but not of respect, especially since his father was of a high ranking.
Jin sigh heavily. If his son had used that word a many years ago, he would have ensured that his son would receive a severe punishment. But he was now old and worthless, save for the plans he had stolen which would make him valuable in the eyes of the Rebellion and a fine target practice for the empire. And that was all. Even in the eyes of his people, he was nothing more than a forgotten being, a Bothan who was no longer remembered for who he had once been, and his son knew it.
" Yes,what is it? " he asked a bit apprehensively, an emotion he had been feeling for the past couple of months.
His son frowned a bit at his tone, but shrugged it off.
" We have managed to contact the rebellion, and they are very eager to meet with us."
Jin nodded thoughtfully at the statement. He knew that the rebels were desperate for any information which would help them with their struggle against the empire. He felt his son's fur rippling in irritation and a sense of anticipation and regarded him silently.
" Well?" he asked.
His son frowned again. " Shouldn't we be transmitting our location to them now?"
Jin Reil'lya gazed at his son quietly. He may have been forgotten, but he still had the skills which once made him important. Skills which should be instilled in the younger Bothan before him.
" Have the techs confirm that we ARE dealing with the rebels?"
"They are 100% positive, father" Gein said,with an unusual emphasis on the last word,which did not escape the older Bothan's notice.
He sigh,something unusual for a Bothan,and knew that Gein was reminding him just how far back he was in the knowledge of his people and their ways. Jin knew that his people were famous for their extensive spy operation and boast some of the best tools for the job. Information
played an important role in the Bothan culture, which made them one of a few species which favoured politics, and the current war between the rebellion and the empire interest them greatly.Which was why they had accepted his stolen information after it was deemed authentic and comprehending its meaning.
He felt a sense of sadness as he remembered the greeting he had received upon reaching Bothawui. There were no cheers and joyful laughter at his return, merely cold stares and unwanted anger at the Bothan who left them to suffer. He nearly sigh again, as he knew that he would have
been butchered if they had known the whole truth of what he had done for his people. Hopefully, that secret, which was not only his to keep, would forever be hidden in the dark, although some political powers had already known about it. But even the cold stares he had received from the
people could not be compared to the emotionless Bothan who had greeted him with a polite contempt.
"So, you're back,father.Did you know that we did not miss your worthless hide all these years?"
With those words, he knew that it would take a long time for them to understand his plight. Suprisingly, they had understood and had set to work immediately. They knew the power of information and had decided that it would have been safer if a selected group based their operation on another planet to avoid their own planet from being targeted, if a trace was found. Therefore, they had chosen Aria, a peaceful planet which was still in the neutral zone, to set their base and continue decrypting the information which Jin Reil'lya had given them. They did not know how he had gotten it nor why he was willing to give it to the rebellion for only a small amount, but they were a race who were far to proud to question a Bothan whose honour was severely tarnished.
This suited Jin, as he was not in the mood to explain everything to the other Bothans, nor did he trust anyone of them. He did not care about his well being anymore,for he knew that his honour would never be redeemed, but he still cared a great deal for the safety of the Bothan race.
He turned to gaze at the others who had volunteered to be part of the operation.There were four of them working on decrypting the rest of the information while a human male which they had hired to protect their operation, and was only known as Seth, stood by near the secret entrance to the door. He was a friend of one of the bothans and was therefore trusted to guard their base, but only for a price,stating that he was the best in combat traning. Mitha'kla,Jeinn'nya and Muras'sya, the other three bothans, were also currently working on the communication consoles to avoid being track in their current transmission with the rebellion.
Mitha'kla looked up briefly from where she was working and met his gaze evenly. She nodded, fur bristling slightly,and set back to work. Jin knew that she had participated in the operation because she was after all Gein's guardian while he had been 'away'. Besides,she had wanted the empire to pay for what they had done to her sister. Sinal'lya's sudden disappearance had been hard on both her nephew and herself. The news of her death only strengthened her hatred for the empire and for Jin, for not able to protect his wife as was his duty. But for now, her anger was quenched to serve a better purpose and to ensure that the information do not
end up in the wrong hands.
Jin gazed at the lushful green forest of Aria through the small window of their hidden base,knowing that it was one of the most beautiful forest in the galaxy but not appreciating it. He turned back to gaze at Gein, who had for once respected his long silence.
" Bring me to the console. Patch me through the rebels and let me deal with them. "
General Madine looked up from his console as one of his aides approached him. He frowned, noticing the over eagerness in the mans bearing, and thought quietly that he would deal with the aide later. But for now,something crucial had happened and time was not to be wasted lecturing
the man about giving the appearance of too much hope to the people who were without it lately.
He straightened up, his uniform properly twisting in all the right directions with the movement, and turn to regard the man approaching him. If his stride was full of eagerness,the man's face was practically beaming as he saluted the General smartly.
" General, the Bothan spies have agreed to deal with us. Already, one of them has agreed to negotiate with you about the information on the empire," he said, his words rushing out in an uncomprehensible jumble.
"Calm yourself, Tiega. Now, tell me, again, and slowly, what you have heard so far," Madine said.
The aide noded, took a few gulps of air, and slowly told the general.
"The Bothan spies have agreed to deal with us," he repeated "and their leader, I believe he is their leader, wants to talk to you about negotiating a deal for the information."
Madine smiled and shook his head at the man's demeanour. He and the others had felt terrible after the defeat at the Battle of Hoth, and had waited patiently , bidding their time when they could strike back at the empire. Besides the feeling of defeat, it was also the feeling of loss that had Tiega and most of the others filled with anger at the empire for those
who did not make it alive in their last battle. Tiega had lost his brother in that battle, and he had been in a despairing mood ever since then. With the new contact with the Bothan spies who were noted best for their elusive information about the empire,Tiega had been filled with growing hopes that he could soon avenged his brother's death.
The general placed a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder." Senad's death will be avenged, don't you worry about it ,and we will remind the empire how well we play that game. Now, lead me to their leader. We have no time to waste."
Tiega saluted again, but there were unshed tears in his eyes. He turn and headed to one of the comm display, with the general behind him. Madine gazed at the Bothan displayed before him,and noticed that his fur was rippling with agitation.
"About time," The bothan said in a slightly miffed tone." We are wasting every minute as it is."
The General gazed evenly at the bothan, his expression not revealing anything.
"I'm General Madine. To whom do I have the honour of addressing?"
The Bothan humphed."You will only know me as Jin. I have recently obtained information vital to the rebellion and which could spell doom for the empire. Due to the insecure comm channel which we are using..." the Bothan glanced disdainfully at someone offscreen,"...I do not believe it would be safe to transmit the entire information to you. All I can say is that it involves the building of a new superweapon."
Someone gasp at the last remark spoken so matter-of-factly. Madine silenced the others with a glance and addressed the Bothan evenly. There was a sudden tension in the rebel's control room.
" How can we trust your judgement that the information is authentic?" Madine asked.
The Bothan snorted. " Of course it's authentic.Do you not know the capabilty of my.... people?"
Madine did not miss the hesitant tone in the Bothan's voice.
" Can we trust your people as much as we trust their capabilities?"
" I assure you, they can be trusted, " Jin replied confidently.
The general nodded thoughtfully. He knew that it was not only his decision to deal with this new information. He turned to address the Bothan again.
" Before I can agree to deal with you, I'm afraid that you would have to wait a few more days to allow me to discuss the situation with the other leaders."
Jin stood up, his fur turning a bit darker as he gazed angrily at the general
" I do not have 'a few more days',general. It was by pure chance that I managed to get this new information, but I know that it did not escape undetected. Our lives are at stake here! There might not be anyone left alive here by the time you finished discussing with the others!"
Madine was not fazed by his anger. "I do care for any new information about the empire, Jin, but it is also my responsibility to ensure the safety of the entire rebellion. If I were to trust you easily without consulting the other leaders, I would not only put the lives of the whole rebellion in danger, but also the lives of the entire galaxy!"
The Bothan fur bristled slightly at the general's words. He nodded slowly in agreement and sat down, albeit reluctantly. Apparently he understood the general's predicament.
" You are right,general. Forgive my outburst."
" I believe then that you would wait two more days?"
" Yes,although I hope by then that the empire have not found us yet."
The general frowned. "You do your job, Jin, and I'll do mine"
The Bothan chuckled slightly at the remark and turned to address someone offscreen.
Madine felt a faint tapping at his shoulder and turn to find Tiega gazing nervously at him.
"Shouldn't we set off to meet them now, sir?" he asked hesitantly.
The general frowned at the question. "You may be young, Tiega, but old enough to understand that the rebellion does not act indecisively, but through cooperation within. It is not my duty nor my obligation to accept his offer immediatelty. You should know that by now, soldier. "
Tiega shook his head stubbornly, refusing to accept his superior's explanation. "I'm afraid that by the time we are ready to discuss his offer,sir, his group would be dead by then, and we will never know what he meant to tell us. "
Madine wanted to reproof him, but Jin was turning back to face him.
" General, I have discussed with the others about your proposal and we accept your decision to wait two more days. However,for safety precaution, if we do not contact you within a two days time,we will give you a recognition code signal which will identify us if and when you attempt to contact us."
" Thank you," Madine said.
" We are now transmitting the code signal, " he tapped in a few keys and nodded to the general.
Madine nodded back in return as he signalled for Tiega to recieve it.
" Code signal received," Tiega confirmed.
The Bothan stood up, his gaze meeting the general's evenly " We await for your report in a two days time. Hopefully, for the sake of both sides, you would have reached a decision by then. Until then, may the force be with you. Jin,out," the image of the Bothan sizzled out.
" Madine,out." The general turned towards the others sitting in the control room, and noticed the hope brewing in their eyes. With luck, they would soon be thrown back in action and give the empire their due.
He turn towards Tiega. "Contact Mon Mothma. Tell her that we have new information which might be what we have been waiting for."
The man saluted and hurriedly performed his task,and as General Madine gazed at the stars outside the rebel frigate, he silently and fervently hope that the Battle of Hoth would be the last sweet victory for the empire.
by Regina Ong
skyjade@movieluver.com
(NOT the same person as the other Skyjade who owns a webpage)
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no infringement is intended.All characters portrayed and official dialogue are the property of Lucasfilm,Ltd.
READ THIS YOU MUST !
All that aside, I would like to thank all fanfic authors who had
influenced me into writing my own fic. Which was why I had dedicated
a small part of the story as a reference to one of the first and
best fanfic I have read;' Call of the Force ' written by Judy KC.
It is a beautiful story detailing the back history of General Madine
and also Luke and Leia's mother, who holds the name of Kaerina.
( Her fanfic can be found in the mother of all fanfic website,
www.Fanfix.com, under ' between the trilogies ') It would be better to
read that story to understand the reference made in the story below.
The story basically refers to the Bothan spies, and how the rebellion
got hold of the plans. A minor reference to the Cammas incident is
also included. The story also deals with Luke coming to terms with
the developments of his powers, as well as the effect it has on
others.I know that the fic mainly deals with Luke, and also Mara
( her duty as the emperor's Hand ), * they don't meet in this story,
by the way * as I wanted to focus more on that area, as well as
subtle hints that they were destined together. I was not pleased with
the desription of Luke in SOTE, as it seemed so far out of character
from the one portrayed in ' Return of the Jedi '. I also wanted to focus
more on the sibling friendship between Luke and Leia which is
hardly explored. But enough talk, or I'll start to sound like Threepio! Enjoy !
Prologue
*Master*
The word greatly appealled him. It mystified him that a single word could produce such satisfaction in him; the satisfaction which took him years and years of shrewdity and patience,to build an invincible empire and to have his Hands by his side to do his bidding. Patience which had also produced the best of his Hands:Mara Jade and his ignorant but poweful slave,Darth Vader. His lips twisted into a sneer. If it weren't for those sithspawn Jedis,he would have succedded easily enough. The common mind was nothing compared to those who wield the Light side of the Force. That was why it was necessary to banish their order from the galaxy. Spouting worthless philosophys when they could have wielded the full dark power of the Force, the Jedis were an accursed order, a shame to the mighty glory of the Siths. And now, one had sprouted from that forgotten order,an order that was merely a myth in the galaxy's mind;
Skywalker.
His grin twisted more gruesomely at the thought of the name.Young Skywalker had proven himself worthy in the battle between father and son. Perhaps he would soon be able to replace his father. A pity that he had lost his hand and lightsaber in the process. Then again, those two items were among his prized possessions, which might be useful in the coming future.
His thoughts flickered briefly towards the hidden fortress in Wayland. Many prized items were even now stored safely and securely in the fortress,among them other trivial and 'important' things.The emperor cackled evily.Yes,the time would come when he could call upon his invincible army again. Soon.Very soon.
Chapter 1
Jin Reil'lya stared apprehensively at the small planet below him ,which was now growing even smaller as his ship cleared away from orbit. In a few more minutes , he would soon be clear to go into hyperspace. His fur rippled nervously as he glanced among the controls positioned in the stolen imperial shuttle. So far, he had managed to escape undetected. He knew that his luck would not last forever. It was vital that he survived this outcome, vital to his race and ....vital to the Rebellion. His shoulders slumped tiredly at the thought of how foolish he and the others had been. How foolish and stupid.They had merely been pawns in the emperor's game. Nothing more than that. But all this would be able to be righted somehow, if and when he reach Bothawui and explained to the others what had to be done.
Bothawui. Home.
He licked his lips at the mere thought of home. It had been many, many years since he had last stepped foot in the lush planet of Bothawui. He remembered the breathless smell of the Yizua, a special type of flower that was only found in Bothawui, and the beautiful formation of colourful rocks that seemed to be part of the settlement on the planet. His eyes blurred at the thought of his son, now probably of the age of Veillya when last he saw of him. He wondered how his son would have grown without the love of his mother and father. His wife had always believed that a proper upbringing for the son of Reil'lya required love and dedication from both parents. His wife.
He hadn't thought of his wife in years. Sinal'lya had been one of the sacrifice for the empire, back when he had no choice but to watch her die a cold death. His fur rippled angrily at the thought. His son was all that mattered now.
The beep on his console signaled that he could proceed with the jump. Pulling back the lever,he felt lighthearted for the first time in years as the black starry night in front of him dissolve into thin streaks of lights. Home was where he would pick up the pieces,and where he would ensure the fulfillment of his dream to have the empire pay for what they had done to him and his people. He sneered.With the data in his hands,his dream would very well soon be a reality.
And with that pleasant thought, Jin Reil'lya felt a sense of peace and contentment enveloping his tortured soul.
In a forgotten part of the galaxy, near the edge of the rim,a beautiful image of the Minoan Galaxy swirled in the darkness of space, seemingly a stark contrast against the black back drop. Occassionally, small clusters of light, revealing to be fighter ships on patrol, would appear to *touch* the fine white and almost feathery cluster of stars that held the galaxy together. Holding it together so peacefully,as if nothing could break its formation, its beauty or its vigour of life.
Princess Leia Organa stood looking at the beautiful swirling galaxy from aboard the medical frigate of the rebel alliance,wishing for the same sense of peacefulness. But her thoughts were far away, as her heart was still with a cocky smuggler who was lost, maybe forever, to whenever the bounty hunter had taken him.
A moan came from across the room.Leia walked towards the source of the voice to find Luke Skywalker thrashing in his dream. She quickened her pace and sat down next to Luke, wiping away the sweat on his face with an already damped cloth.
" Ben....Ben.....why did......why.......lie to me? Vader! "
Leia cast a concerned look towards Luke.
" It's all right, Luke.....You're safe "
Luke was still thrashing about in his bed.
" no.....Vader.....why?Leia... .'
"I'm here Luke,please!Listen to me you're safe!" Leia practically shouted.
Luke stoped his thrashing then and seemed to take a deep breath before going back to sleep.
Leia looked at Too-Onebee who was by the bedside.
" How long has he been like this?"
" Commander Skywalker has shown signs of mental pressure that we have yet to diagnosed its source. However, his physical health is improving and we were able to prevent any infection from spreading around his injured arm."
Leia nodded in understanding ,as she looked at the stump where Luke's right hand should be. His face had aged so much since the last time she had seen him.
' What happened, Luke? ' Leia asked silently. What did Vader do to you?
"Ahem!"
Leia turned to find a worried looking Lando standing at the doorway. Behind him was an even more worried looking wookie who still seemed lost without his cub.
"Are we interrupting you?" Lando cast a sad look towards Skywalker.
Leia frowned slightly. She still wasn't ready to forgive Lando even if Chewie had done so. And she was still unsure about his loyalty,but he had swore to her during their uneventful journey in the falcon that he would do anything to get Han back to her, even at the cost of his life.
Leia shook her head and both man and wookie walked silently towards the bedside.
" Rrrwwarh?"
" Yes, Luke is doing fine,for now,but he still has nightmares about Bespin, " Leia replied.
" Don't we all?" Lando said meaningfully.
Leia turned away, trying to mask the anguish she felt whenever she thought about Han. Was it only yesterday that she had told him she loved him? Back then, she had realized, too late, that she had loved him for as long as she could remember, without even knowing it. And he had loved her too,hadn't he? His kiss was still lingering on her lips, their last kiss, before Vader had inhumanly ordered him to be encased in carbonite. Vader. It all came back to Vader.
Leia knew that Vader had left a mental scare on Luke,but what it was she did not know. She shuddered to think what when on between Luke and the Dark Lord during their duel on the Cloud City.
It was considered a miracle that Luke had survived the duel ,and the news of his duel on Bespin was spreading like wild fire throughout the alliance. No one had ever fought with Vader and lived to tell about it.
" Leia..?"
Leia pushed her thougths away.Luke needed her.
" I'm here Luke."
Luke's eyes fluttered open and he seemed disoriented. He looked towards the source of the noise and saw Leia smiling at him by the bedside. Behind her Chewie growled a worried tone. And beside the wookie stood the dark stranger who had helped him aboard the falcon.
" Where am I?" he asked groggily.
" You're safe in the medical frigate Luke," Leia told him, gently restraining him as he tried to sit up.
" How long was I unconscious?" he asked.
" About a day, " Lando replied.
Luke sighed and leaned back against the pillow. Too-onebee quickly hurried to Luke's side when it noticed that Luke had woken up.
" How are you feeling sir?"
" I'm fine, thanks." Luke tried to smile, but it came out as a weak grin.
" When you are ready, would you like us to replace a new hand for you?" Too-Onebee required as gently as a medical droid could.
Luke suddenly remembered what had happened and looked at the bloodied stump of his right arm. Leia, sensing his troubled mood spoke up quickly.
" He will tell you later, please resume your job."
" Yes, your Highness. "
" Thanks, Leia" Luke said, after Too-Onebee had left.
Leia smiled kindly at him. "All that matters is that you get some rest and forget about all your problems" Luke smiled in gratitude,then noticed that the two loyal droids were missing.
" Where's Threepio and Artoo?"
Lando cleared his throat. "Threepio complained during the whole journey in the falcon that some parts were still missing in him system. I thought it would be a good idea to send him straight to maintenance right after we landed. He's still there with Artoo,the only little droid who can stand Threepio," Lando added half-humouredly.
Luke chuckled. "Poor Artoo."
There was a tense silence in the room. Lando began to squirm under the young Jedi's piercing gaze. He spoke in a hurried manner. "I'm afraid we have not been properly introduced, but I'm Lando Calrissian, a ...friend of Solo's."
Luke noticed that Leia flinced at the word 'friend'. He nodded and rubbed his right arm absently.
" I want to know what happened to Han."
" Luke ,you need to have some rest..." Leia began. Chewie growled his agreement.
"No, I will get all the rest I need after you tell me everything I need to know." There was an intensity in Luke's voice,a commanding tone that wasn't there before.
With a sigh, Leia began telling Luke what happened when they blast off Hoth only to face an array of imperials waitng for them,and when the hyperdrive system failed, how they were forced to repair their ship in an asteroid field. Here Luke had to stop her.
" Han flew the falcon into an asteriod field?" Luke asked incredulously. Chewie growled an affirmative.
" We had no other choice. It was either that or the imperials," Leia added laughingly.
"And you know Han...."
Luke smiled "Continue..."
When all was told, except the fact that Leia was in love with Han, Luke closed his eyes and breathed deeply.Vader.Vader was behind all this. And Han had been the victim of the dark Lord's obsession with Luke.
' "I AM YOUR FATHER!" '
The hated phrase was still playing in his mind .With an effort, Luke banished the thought away. What mattered now was how to rescue Han.
" Is there any way of knowing where this bounty hunter took Han?" Luke asked. Lando spoke in a quiet manner. He had been silent and a bit tensed throughout the time Leia mentioned the whole story to Luke, especially his betrayal to them.
" I believe that Boba Fett might have taken Han to Jabba the Hutt. Me and Chewie have decided to go to Tatooine to check it out,to see if we could intercept Fett before he presents Han to Jabba."
Luke nodded." When I am healed,I will meet you there and we can discuss plans to rescue Han"
Lando put up his hands, palm faced outward as if in mock-surrender.
" Whoa,Luke. I'm only guessing that Fett took Han to Jabba, but even if that is true, Fett might take all his time to go to Tatooine. Besides, you aren't fully healed."
" Lando's right, Luke.You need to rest." Leia added gently.
" It was my fault that Han got captured..." Luke said quietly.
" Luke, it wasn't your fault." She told him comfortingly as she grasped his hand, the one that had been spared." It never was. We would all have been dead if you hadn't come to distract Vader from us. Besides...."she attempted a slight smile,which was still hard considering her uncontrolled emotions, " Han would go ballistic if he hears you blaming yourself for Vader's actions."
Luke smiled at that, and was about to say something when a beeping noise interrupted him. Leia took out her comlink and spoke into it.
" Yes?" She said a bit too forcefully,and hesistantly, knowing what would come next
.
A small and slightly flustered voice answered her. It must have heard the edge in the
Princess's tone.
" I'm terribly sorry to disturb you,Your Highness,but Mon Mothma requires you in the control room, immediately"
" Tell her I'll be coming soon." Leia looked up and said in an apologetic tone,"I've got to go. Luke..."
" Go Leia, the alliance needs you. I'll be fine," Luke told her calmly.
Leia planted a kiss on his cheek and left the room.
" That is one hot princess," Lando chuckled.
Luke smiled at that."Lando,about Fett.... "
*******
A few days later, Luke was still resting in the medical room when a beep sounded at his side.
" Luke, we're ready for take off," Lando said
" I'll meet you at the rendezvous on Tatooine," Luke replied.
" Princess,we'll find Han, I promise," Lando added firmly.
Leia, looking radiant in her white dress , smiled at that.
" Chewie, I'll be waiting for your signal," Luke said.
In reply, Chewie growled a long meaningful sound.
Luke and Leia smiled in response, knowing that Chewie would be putting his entire heart and soul in finding Han .
" May the force be with you" Luke sent to them, meaning every word.
With that , Luke looked at his cybergenetic right hand which Too-Onebee was tending to. It looked naturally enough,and almost felt like his real hand. Getting a firm grip on his artificial right hand, Luke walked towards Leia. Placing a firm arm around her, both of them looked on as the Millennium Falcon roared away, each hoping silently that they would succeed in their
mission. Luke reach out with the force,as if trying to feel Han's presence,but only a silent void greeted him.
And it was evident to him that there was also a huge void in Leia's heart.
" You love him,don't you?" Luke asked quietly.
Leia looked at him in shock. " How did you know? I never told..."
" But you did, Leia. Even if you didn't say it in words, I could feel it whenever you spoke about Han," Luke replied knowingly.
Leia turned away."I'm sorry,Luke."
Strangely, Luke felt no jealousy, but only sadness for Han and Leia; being apart when they should be together. Perhaps his boyish days were over, or that he somehow knew through the force that things were meant to be like this.
" Leia...." he began somewhat embarrassedly, in a farmboyish manner "You don't have to apologize to me. My romantic feelings towards you have long since vanished and Han is like a older brother to me. We will find Han,I promise," Luke added firmly,and was rather surprised at how much he meant it to be.
Leia took Luke's hand and clasped them, her eyes glittering with gratefulness and relief for his understanding of her emotions." But there is something between us, Luke." She struggled with her words, knowing it sounded a bit foolish but felt right somehow.
" We were not meant for each other, but......."
" But we have a link," Luke finished for her. "You're right,the same thing has been gnawing in my mind for a long time now," Luke said thoughtfully,as he tried to draw on the Force for some guidance.
His reverie was interrupted by a prissy yet concerned voice.
"E..excuse me, Master Luke,"
Luke started. He had forgotten the droids were still there, so lost was he in his thoughts.
" Yes,Threepio?"
" I believe that it is time for you to take your medication" the droid cocked his head to one side as if to emphasize the point.
Trust Threepio to be so concern about him, Luke chuckled.
" Yes, mom," Luke muttered
" Pardon me, Master Luke?"
Leia laughed. " Luke just thinks that you're being too motherly on him,"
Somehow Threepio managed to look bewildered. " But I..."
" Forget it Threepio.Your internal circuits will fry if you think too hard about it," Luke said.
" And you wouldn't want Chewie to fix you again if it happens!" Leia added, glancing mischievously at Luke as she did so.
"Fix me! He'll do better cooking up some stew than fixing me!" Threepio remarked indignantly.
Artoo beeped in an opinion, which only served to increase Threepio's already prissy voice up one notch.
" What do you mean he should have left me in pieces! There was no one else around to help me, you little garbage can. Why..."
" Leave him alone,Threepio!" Luke cut him off,a wide smile on his face.He had forgotten how much he missed the bickerings between Artoo and Threepio.
" Calm down,Threepio. I'll hate to tell Chewie how much you *appreciated* his help," Leia said, trying to keep herself from grinning, but failing miserably.
" 'Cause if she did..." Luke said, his tone solemn.
".....you'll find yourself short of two functional arms," Leia finished for him, matter-of-factly.
" Oh dear! Do forgive me,Princess Leia, Master Luke. I never meant anything like that," Threepio spoke up hurriedly, his voice sounding a bit frantic.
Luke only laughed at that, causing the poor droid to believe he would be in considerable danger if he were to meet up with the wookie again, thanks to these two uncompassionate humans. Luke turned to grin at Leia, and noticed that her face was lit up as if from the inside,and the hard lines which had been around her eyes were noticeably softened. It just occured to him that he and Leia seemed to almost act like brother and sister. Almost.
Perhaps that was it, Leia was just like a sister to him.With a heavy sigh,but a sigh that was laced with a hint of laughter, Luke trudged towards Threepio.
*********
In another forgotten part of the galaxy,a lone imperial shuttle was approaching a planet called Wayland. Little was known about the planet,except that it was inhabited by some primitive and aggresive aliens,beings who were constanstly driven to be slaves for whoever claimed the planet as their own.
It also happened to be where the emperor had his own private storehouse.
Mara Jade looked out of the viewport of the shuttle,glancing sideways at her master as she did so.The emperor was flying the craft with an expert ease,a skill which he rarely showed . She brushed through her beautiful red-gold hair uncertainly,as she stared at the planet which
was now looming closer every minute.What was really making her nervous (which happened rarely) was that she had never been to this planet before, or knew of its significance.The fact that the emperor wanted to fly the shuttle himself,and without any escorts,caused her to view this planet with a quick eye as she tried to recall any information she had ever heard about this planet.
She shook her head, her red-gold curls swishing about,but could not come up with any information about the planet. She looked up when she felt a silent probing from her master.
" Tell me what troubles you, my dear Hand, " the emperor said into the silence.
She gazed clamly at the yellowish eyes of her master.
" I just feel that I am about to know something very important to the empire and that it is somehow connected to this planet,"she said, gesturing to the planet below.
The emperor eyed her amusingly for a second, then returned his gaze to the viewport.
" Yes, Mara Jade.This planet IS important,and what it is for, you will know
eventually.You have served me well and with that I am allowing you the trust to the secret of this planet,"
Mara turn her gaze calmly to the viewport, smiling despite herself. She knew she was one of his most trusted servants,but had always felt that the emperor had never had a complete faith in her . She was proud that she had finally proven her loyalty to the emperor as his only Hand.
Her smile turn into a scowl as she knew that only the emperor and Vader knew of her high position. She had not liked the arrangement made by the emperor that she posed as one of his concubines when she was finally brought into his service after years of grueling training. However,she would follow whatever the emperor wishes no matter how much she was against it. He was, after all, the only person she had learn to trust since she was a child.
There had never been anyone else before that,at least she assumed it to be. Mara shook her head again,wondering why it was that she could never remember her life before meeting with the emperor. She was brought out of her reverie when the shuttle broke through the atmosphere and began making its way towards a mountain. Mara frowned, her eyes taking in the dark forest surrounding the mountain, which was a stark contrast against the bright sky.The emperor brought the ship down deftly in front of what looked like massive doors where a few imperial stormtroopers were standing guard. A small reception commitee was already waiting for them when the emperor walked down the ramp with his Hand.
To the reception commitee , the emperor's Hand was nothing more that a beautiful pleasure woman for the emperor.To the emperor's Hand , however, the reception commitee was nothing more than mere soldiers carrying out their duty for the greater glory of the empire.
Mara picked up her gown, something which she rarely wore unless on public occasions or if she was seen with the emperor, and followed her master with a grace trained onto her since young. She played her part well and began oozing with charm at the magnificence of the fortress while surveying it with all the training which had been drilled into her. She kept
her hand on the emperor,as one of the imperials stepped forward and bowed reverently to him, the others following his actions.
" You may rise," the emperor commanded.
The Imperial stood up,a bit apprehensively,and noticing a gesture from the emperor, hurried to his side. He walked a few steps behind the emperor,as it would not do for an officer like him to appear side by side with the emperor.The others followed silently behind them.
" Tell me, Commander....how is the progress with the Spaarti cylinders?"
The imperial frowned, glancing at Mara as he did so,an unspoken question forming on his mouth.
" Well, I..."
" Continue,commander. I do not have all time for an idle chat," the emperor said irritably.
The commander gulped noticeably, but did not hesitate.
"98% are fully functional while the others need only a few minor adjustments."
The emperor nodded,grinning as he did so. He glanced at his companion.
" Come, my beautiful concubine,let me show something that will astound you."
Mara smiled sweetly in return,her curiousity rising ,as the massive doors swung open. The emperor led her through a series of corridors, which Mara's trained mind automatically remembered in case she got lost. They were finally reaching an open space which was filled
with strange sounds, breathing sounds, Mara realized, and she guessed that there must be thousands of beings down there.
" Leave us," the emperor told the commander. The imperial bowed curtly to both of them, and left them alone. The emperor was leaning over a railing and he gestured for Mara to come closer.
" Come, my dear child, and tell me what you think of the emperor's little toys," he chuckled.
Mara stepped closer, full of curiosity and peered over the railing. She could barely contain her surprise as she saw the hundreds and thousands of cylinders lining up against each other, filing the whole cavern, with pipes jutting forth here and there. Beings shifted here
and there,checking the cylinders and maintaining it. It was so huge that it rather reminded Mara of a giant sports complex, with the silent humming cylinders filling in as the spectators.
" A cloning complex," she breathed in awe.
The emperor noticed her surprise and awe,chuckled gleefully to himself.
" Yes, Mara Jade. What you see before you is the future of an expanded and glorious empire. With this, " he gestured to the cavern "I would have only the most loyal and talented serving for me.They have served me well before, they will do so again."
He walked away from the railing and gestured for her to follow. She reluctantly tore her gaze away from the cloning complex,and followed her master. They went into a turbolift, Mara still feeling a little dazed at what she had seen. She had never liked the idea of cloning; it just seemed to go against her conscience of what was right and what wasn't, if she ever remembered having any conscience at all. Her thoughts about it were all but forgotten when the doors to the lift opened. Her eyes took in the huge dark room, with stairs leading towards a raised section of the floor where a massive chair was waiting silently for its master. The familiar Imperial royal guards in their red robes stood proudly along the room.
" Welcome,my dear,to my throne room," the emperor gestured to the massive room, his cackling voice casting a strange echo around the room.
Mara hardly heard him,as her sight finally took in a captivating sight. A galaxy of stars; a hologram of all the living stars,sectors and systems, stood out above the throne room, facing the massive chair. It was beautifully sculpted,a piece of art that many in the galaxy would want to claim as its possession.
" Yes, I see you've noticed my little piece of art here. Tell me,what you think of it,"
Mara gazed at the hologram, her eyes taking in the whole thing breathlessly.
" It is a magnificent piece of work," she managed to say.
The emperor peered at her under his hooded robe, chuckling to himself. They walked up the stairs silently, until they stood facing the hologram.The emperor sat on the throne, while Mara stood on his left as she always did. The emperor gestured to the stars with encirclements of colour.
" Those are the political regions while those," he gestured at another part of the hologram "..are the sectors that have allowed themselves to be allied with the rebellion." he spoke the last word bitterly.
" How are the stolen plans coming along?" he asked after a long silence.
" It is still in the hands Bothans which were last sited along the Arix system. A garrison has already been posted on the planet."
"Good....and what about our informant?"
" He is still continuing his task, my master," Mara replied.
The emperor nodded thoughtfully to himself.
" Yes,it is crucial that he find the insipid Bothan who had stolen the plans,and the other... important things he took with him"The emperor smiled coldly,as he thought of the Bothan who believed he had managed to outwit the emperor. He turned to face her.
" Be prepared to leave for the Arix system in a months time. I will tell you what you must do to retrieve the stolen datas."the emperor clicked on one of the controls located at the side arms of the massive throne, and spoke briefly into it.
" Now,leave me. Commander Stales will be here shortly to show you your quarters and other necessary equipment you will need. Inform me whenever our spy comes up with the latest news on what our dear Mon Mothma is up to."
Mara bowed reverently and walked to the turbolift. As she stepped into the lift, she noticed that the emperor had turned to face the hologram of the galaxies, his face twisted in an unreadable expression.The doors closed, leaving Mara to her own thoughts.
*********
" Father! "
Jin Reil'lya turned to gaze at the figure approaching him, his heart heavy with regret that his son had not forgiven him. After learning the truth about his father and his 'help' towards the empire, Gein Reil'lya had refused to acknowledge his father with the honorific fillya as was an appropriate greeting for a son to a father. By using the basic *father*,Gein had acknowledge the ties of blood but not of respect, especially since his father was of a high ranking.
Jin sigh heavily. If his son had used that word a many years ago, he would have ensured that his son would receive a severe punishment. But he was now old and worthless, save for the plans he had stolen which would make him valuable in the eyes of the Rebellion and a fine target practice for the empire. And that was all. Even in the eyes of his people, he was nothing more than a forgotten being, a Bothan who was no longer remembered for who he had once been, and his son knew it.
" Yes,what is it? " he asked a bit apprehensively, an emotion he had been feeling for the past couple of months.
His son frowned a bit at his tone, but shrugged it off.
" We have managed to contact the rebellion, and they are very eager to meet with us."
Jin nodded thoughtfully at the statement. He knew that the rebels were desperate for any information which would help them with their struggle against the empire. He felt his son's fur rippling in irritation and a sense of anticipation and regarded him silently.
" Well?" he asked.
His son frowned again. " Shouldn't we be transmitting our location to them now?"
Jin Reil'lya gazed at his son quietly. He may have been forgotten, but he still had the skills which once made him important. Skills which should be instilled in the younger Bothan before him.
" Have the techs confirm that we ARE dealing with the rebels?"
"They are 100% positive, father" Gein said,with an unusual emphasis on the last word,which did not escape the older Bothan's notice.
He sigh,something unusual for a Bothan,and knew that Gein was reminding him just how far back he was in the knowledge of his people and their ways. Jin knew that his people were famous for their extensive spy operation and boast some of the best tools for the job. Information
played an important role in the Bothan culture, which made them one of a few species which favoured politics, and the current war between the rebellion and the empire interest them greatly.Which was why they had accepted his stolen information after it was deemed authentic and comprehending its meaning.
He felt a sense of sadness as he remembered the greeting he had received upon reaching Bothawui. There were no cheers and joyful laughter at his return, merely cold stares and unwanted anger at the Bothan who left them to suffer. He nearly sigh again, as he knew that he would have
been butchered if they had known the whole truth of what he had done for his people. Hopefully, that secret, which was not only his to keep, would forever be hidden in the dark, although some political powers had already known about it. But even the cold stares he had received from the
people could not be compared to the emotionless Bothan who had greeted him with a polite contempt.
"So, you're back,father.Did you know that we did not miss your worthless hide all these years?"
With those words, he knew that it would take a long time for them to understand his plight. Suprisingly, they had understood and had set to work immediately. They knew the power of information and had decided that it would have been safer if a selected group based their operation on another planet to avoid their own planet from being targeted, if a trace was found. Therefore, they had chosen Aria, a peaceful planet which was still in the neutral zone, to set their base and continue decrypting the information which Jin Reil'lya had given them. They did not know how he had gotten it nor why he was willing to give it to the rebellion for only a small amount, but they were a race who were far to proud to question a Bothan whose honour was severely tarnished.
This suited Jin, as he was not in the mood to explain everything to the other Bothans, nor did he trust anyone of them. He did not care about his well being anymore,for he knew that his honour would never be redeemed, but he still cared a great deal for the safety of the Bothan race.
He turned to gaze at the others who had volunteered to be part of the operation.There were four of them working on decrypting the rest of the information while a human male which they had hired to protect their operation, and was only known as Seth, stood by near the secret entrance to the door. He was a friend of one of the bothans and was therefore trusted to guard their base, but only for a price,stating that he was the best in combat traning. Mitha'kla,Jeinn'nya and Muras'sya, the other three bothans, were also currently working on the communication consoles to avoid being track in their current transmission with the rebellion.
Mitha'kla looked up briefly from where she was working and met his gaze evenly. She nodded, fur bristling slightly,and set back to work. Jin knew that she had participated in the operation because she was after all Gein's guardian while he had been 'away'. Besides,she had wanted the empire to pay for what they had done to her sister. Sinal'lya's sudden disappearance had been hard on both her nephew and herself. The news of her death only strengthened her hatred for the empire and for Jin, for not able to protect his wife as was his duty. But for now, her anger was quenched to serve a better purpose and to ensure that the information do not
end up in the wrong hands.
Jin gazed at the lushful green forest of Aria through the small window of their hidden base,knowing that it was one of the most beautiful forest in the galaxy but not appreciating it. He turned back to gaze at Gein, who had for once respected his long silence.
" Bring me to the console. Patch me through the rebels and let me deal with them. "
General Madine looked up from his console as one of his aides approached him. He frowned, noticing the over eagerness in the mans bearing, and thought quietly that he would deal with the aide later. But for now,something crucial had happened and time was not to be wasted lecturing
the man about giving the appearance of too much hope to the people who were without it lately.
He straightened up, his uniform properly twisting in all the right directions with the movement, and turn to regard the man approaching him. If his stride was full of eagerness,the man's face was practically beaming as he saluted the General smartly.
" General, the Bothan spies have agreed to deal with us. Already, one of them has agreed to negotiate with you about the information on the empire," he said, his words rushing out in an uncomprehensible jumble.
"Calm yourself, Tiega. Now, tell me, again, and slowly, what you have heard so far," Madine said.
The aide noded, took a few gulps of air, and slowly told the general.
"The Bothan spies have agreed to deal with us," he repeated "and their leader, I believe he is their leader, wants to talk to you about negotiating a deal for the information."
Madine smiled and shook his head at the man's demeanour. He and the others had felt terrible after the defeat at the Battle of Hoth, and had waited patiently , bidding their time when they could strike back at the empire. Besides the feeling of defeat, it was also the feeling of loss that had Tiega and most of the others filled with anger at the empire for those
who did not make it alive in their last battle. Tiega had lost his brother in that battle, and he had been in a despairing mood ever since then. With the new contact with the Bothan spies who were noted best for their elusive information about the empire,Tiega had been filled with growing hopes that he could soon avenged his brother's death.
The general placed a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder." Senad's death will be avenged, don't you worry about it ,and we will remind the empire how well we play that game. Now, lead me to their leader. We have no time to waste."
Tiega saluted again, but there were unshed tears in his eyes. He turn and headed to one of the comm display, with the general behind him. Madine gazed at the Bothan displayed before him,and noticed that his fur was rippling with agitation.
"About time," The bothan said in a slightly miffed tone." We are wasting every minute as it is."
The General gazed evenly at the bothan, his expression not revealing anything.
"I'm General Madine. To whom do I have the honour of addressing?"
The Bothan humphed."You will only know me as Jin. I have recently obtained information vital to the rebellion and which could spell doom for the empire. Due to the insecure comm channel which we are using..." the Bothan glanced disdainfully at someone offscreen,"...I do not believe it would be safe to transmit the entire information to you. All I can say is that it involves the building of a new superweapon."
Someone gasp at the last remark spoken so matter-of-factly. Madine silenced the others with a glance and addressed the Bothan evenly. There was a sudden tension in the rebel's control room.
" How can we trust your judgement that the information is authentic?" Madine asked.
The Bothan snorted. " Of course it's authentic.Do you not know the capabilty of my.... people?"
Madine did not miss the hesitant tone in the Bothan's voice.
" Can we trust your people as much as we trust their capabilities?"
" I assure you, they can be trusted, " Jin replied confidently.
The general nodded thoughtfully. He knew that it was not only his decision to deal with this new information. He turned to address the Bothan again.
" Before I can agree to deal with you, I'm afraid that you would have to wait a few more days to allow me to discuss the situation with the other leaders."
Jin stood up, his fur turning a bit darker as he gazed angrily at the general
" I do not have 'a few more days',general. It was by pure chance that I managed to get this new information, but I know that it did not escape undetected. Our lives are at stake here! There might not be anyone left alive here by the time you finished discussing with the others!"
Madine was not fazed by his anger. "I do care for any new information about the empire, Jin, but it is also my responsibility to ensure the safety of the entire rebellion. If I were to trust you easily without consulting the other leaders, I would not only put the lives of the whole rebellion in danger, but also the lives of the entire galaxy!"
The Bothan fur bristled slightly at the general's words. He nodded slowly in agreement and sat down, albeit reluctantly. Apparently he understood the general's predicament.
" You are right,general. Forgive my outburst."
" I believe then that you would wait two more days?"
" Yes,although I hope by then that the empire have not found us yet."
The general frowned. "You do your job, Jin, and I'll do mine"
The Bothan chuckled slightly at the remark and turned to address someone offscreen.
Madine felt a faint tapping at his shoulder and turn to find Tiega gazing nervously at him.
"Shouldn't we set off to meet them now, sir?" he asked hesitantly.
The general frowned at the question. "You may be young, Tiega, but old enough to understand that the rebellion does not act indecisively, but through cooperation within. It is not my duty nor my obligation to accept his offer immediatelty. You should know that by now, soldier. "
Tiega shook his head stubbornly, refusing to accept his superior's explanation. "I'm afraid that by the time we are ready to discuss his offer,sir, his group would be dead by then, and we will never know what he meant to tell us. "
Madine wanted to reproof him, but Jin was turning back to face him.
" General, I have discussed with the others about your proposal and we accept your decision to wait two more days. However,for safety precaution, if we do not contact you within a two days time,we will give you a recognition code signal which will identify us if and when you attempt to contact us."
" Thank you," Madine said.
" We are now transmitting the code signal, " he tapped in a few keys and nodded to the general.
Madine nodded back in return as he signalled for Tiega to recieve it.
" Code signal received," Tiega confirmed.
The Bothan stood up, his gaze meeting the general's evenly " We await for your report in a two days time. Hopefully, for the sake of both sides, you would have reached a decision by then. Until then, may the force be with you. Jin,out," the image of the Bothan sizzled out.
" Madine,out." The general turned towards the others sitting in the control room, and noticed the hope brewing in their eyes. With luck, they would soon be thrown back in action and give the empire their due.
He turn towards Tiega. "Contact Mon Mothma. Tell her that we have new information which might be what we have been waiting for."
The man saluted and hurriedly performed his task,and as General Madine gazed at the stars outside the rebel frigate, he silently and fervently hope that the Battle of Hoth would be the last sweet victory for the empire.