Luke sat at his table pretending to sip on his glass of Corellian whiskey. Three of them had entered, one at a time and a few minutes apart. When Luke had entered, he had given the room a cursory look before grabbing a table off to the right. Immediately, so as not to look suspicious, he had ordered a drink and an appetizer and began to pretend to take an interest in the shock ball game. The Kuat team was playing the Chandrilla team and it was apparently an intense game. From his earpiece came Commander Serra's voice. "How goes it, Skywalker? Doing okay?"
Luke chuckled and murmured, "Yup, just grabbing a drink and a bite. No word yet?"
"No. Keep your eyes and ears open, Kid."
Luke ate his snack and watched before heaving a big, bored sigh. It was almost an hour before one of the Renegade Squadron commandos said, "I just made contact, Commanders."
Luke listened carefully as Col Serra replied, "Send the coordinates to our datapads and we'll make our way to you. Go casually, boys and girls, go casually."
Luke pulled his datapad from his belt and looked at it. For several long moments, there was nothing and, just as he was about to put it away, the message came. It directed him to the tap cafe across a wide street from the bay where the Sirus was docked. He waited a couple minutes, finishing his food and drinking some of his drink just to be convincing before standing, stretching and paying at the tableside kiosk. That done, he waved at a smiling waitress who was saying cheerfully, "Enjoy your day."
"You do the same;" said Luke.
The door to the cantina hissed open and Luke found himself face to face with Mara Jade. Neither of them moved as they locked eyes. Luke wanted to reach for his lightsaber but that would be suicide. The Emperor's Hand had far more training than he did and could probably fairly easily swat him aside. His blaster would probably be a much better weapon. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to give him that chance. With a very convincing smile, she lifted her arms and embraced him, whispering in his ear as she did, "Turn around and go back inside or I'll kill you right here."
"I'm no afraid to die, Emperor's Hand;" he said calmly. It was more for the benefit of his comrades than for hers.
The Emperor's Hand laced her arm through his, the pleasant smile still on her face as she replied, "I'm sure you're not. So you didn't stick with the rebellion, huh? You dropped the princess off and then you and that whole group just parted ways?"
"Sure;" said Luke, "why would I stay with them? I got what I wanted. I'm off Tatooine and now I'm seeing the galaxy."
"Good for you;" said Mara sarcastically, "only I don't believe a word you just said. How do I know you aren't with the rebels?"
"What rebels?" snapped Luke as she set him down at the bar. The waitress looked at him and smiled, "Oh, you're back?"
Mara cut him off. "He ran into an old friend. Can we have two brews, please?"
"Coming right up, Sweety;" said the waitress cheerfully.
"So you don't know about a large group of rebels or rebel activity in and around Coronet?" demanded Mara, the smile still on her face.
Luke shook his head, "Well the way you Imperials are crushing everything and everyone around you, I'm surprised that there aren't riots on Coruscant itself. Besides, why would rebels come to a planet that houses Imperial Shipyards?"
"You tell me, Owen - if that is your name."
He rolled his eyes. "I just made it clear that I don't know."
Mara laughed merrily and said, "Thank you;" as the waitress delivered their drinks. When she had left, the Emperor's Hand looked back at Luke and said, "I think you're lying. I think you are connected with the rebels and I think that there's a Jedi mixed in with them. Do you know why I think that?"
Luke sighed heavily. "Luke, lady, my ship is going to be leaving pretty soon here and I'd like to get back to my crew. I've only been with them a couple months and they swore up and down that if I got drunk and lost, they'd leave my butt here."
"I think so because during this entire conversation, I've been using the force to try and affect your mind by either pulling info out of it or influencing you to tell me what you know and you've been blocking me without even showing any sort of strain. On Tatooine, I was able to effect you even if just a little. Couple that with the rumors that there has been a Jedi assisting the rebellion for some time now, it wouldn't surprise me if you joined up with them. Even if you aren't with the rebels, it seems clear to me that you met up with a Jedi. Either way, boy, you are going to be coming with me. My father and brother will be quite interested to meet you."
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Emperor's Hand;" snapped Luke. He could hear the chatter of his comrades in his ear pieces. Most of them were still heading to the coordinates while Commander Serra seemed to be calling on a third party of some kind - a group that Luke and the others seemed to have no clue about.
Mara pulled a pair of binders and announced. "You are being brought in for questioning under suspicion of association with the traitorous Jedi Order."
"Where's your proof?" demanded Luke.
"I have sufficient probable cause where I can question you;" she snapped, "now turn around."
Luke refused to allow himself to be captured by her. Because of her, his first teacher Ahsoka had died and his uncle and aunt had been burned. "You'll have to kill me, Jade. I'm not going anywhere with you."
Her emerald eyes were narrowed and she said, "I could kill you right now and the only consequence would be that I have to capture someone else from your crew."
"Then do it! Kill me like you did my uncle and aunt. Like you did Ahsoka and like you did the entire planet of Alderaan. The more you slaughter people in the open, the more star systems will join the rebellion."
Mara was taken aback by that. "I did not murder anyone on Tatooine! I didn't fight or kill anyone there until you and your smuggler friends opened fire on us. I certainly had nothing to do with Alderaan. That was all Grand Moff Tarkin and that was after I and my brother commanded him not to do so. He became drunk with his own power and... why am I explaining myself to you, rebel? If you do not turn around, I will stun you, drag you out and bind you on the street."
Luke set his jaw as she pulled a blaster and set it to stun. He had to figure something out and then, hopefully, lead this witch away from his comrades. "Fine, take me out;" he growled.
Mara nodded and motioned him to the door, electing to keep a blaster on him instead of slapping binders on him. They made their way out to the street and she began to search him. Luke looked around. There were Imperial soldiers and CorSec Officers everywhere. Suddenly, the soldiers and officer all began to murmur anxiously. An Imperial officer ran up and bowed, "Emperor's Hand, there's a group of rebels causing trouble just outside of the garrison's docking bays. We've tried to launch TIE Reapers and TIE Strikers but the rebels have them pinned."
"How so?" she demanded, keeping her blaster trained on Luke.
"Snipers are picking off the pilots and if any ship powers up, it gets hit by a PLX rocket launcher, my Lady. We're sending forces over there but they keep running into rebel ambushes. We'll need a concentrated force to break through."
Mara chewed her lip before asking, "What kind of fire power do we have, Captain?"
The man gulped and said, "A squad of AT-AR's, two of AT-PT's and a unit of APC's."
"Send them out and engage the rebels. Do it now, Captain!" commanded Mara.
Two CorSec officers ran up and said, "Lady Jade, two of our officers just spotted a large group of people in regular clothing being herded towards one of the space port by a trio of armed individuals."
Mara turned her full attention on two officers, a male and a female. "Tell me everything you can remember."
The female pursed her lips and said, "According to the report, the man in charge had reddish blond facial hair that was woefully out of military regs and a black haired young woman was assisting him. They both had military bearing and were guiding the others, though all of them were clearly military or law enforcement of some kind. "
"If I were to hazard a guess," said the male, "they are making there way around to the docking bay that has the medium transport in it."
Luke was still glaring as Mara looked between the officers and him. Finally, it seemed that she made a decision. "You two;" she snapped at the officers, "bring him to the nearest precinct and lock him in a holding cell. I'll be back to collect him. My priority are those traitors. If this young man is lost, it is your heads."
"Of course, Lady Jade. Did you search him for weapons?"
"Yes; take these and lock them up as well;" she said impatiently. "I need to go. My prey is escaping me."
As she ran off, Luke caught the first part of a transmission. "All operatives, I have sightings of the targets. They are heading..."
But she was out of earshot then. "Get moving, kid;" snapped the man behind him, a blasting in his ribs.
As they went, Luke murmured, "How does it feel to have your planet occupied?"
"Not bad. They leave us alone for the most part. You want to know something funny, kid? This is considered a very easy, vacation deployment for Imperial servicemen and women;" said the female CorSec officer, smiling with amusement.
"And they appreciate the fact that we can take care of our own citizens without them having to send a legion of stormtroopers in to maintain peace;" said the male officer.
It quickly became clear to Luke that they might enjoy a discussion. "Alright;" he said, "good for you. But I've always heard that, even during the days of the Clone Wars, the people of this system and this world value their independence. Is that no longer the case? You don't chafe under the high taxes? and your companies don't chafe under military quota requirements of ships and weapons? Ships and weapons, what's more, that will continue to be used to oppress yourselves and other systems and worlds."
"A pretty speech, boy;" muttered the man, "but we're just here to keep our people safe from criminals. Are you a criminal?"
"Against the Empire? Yes I am. I have killed Imperial troopers and freed Imperial prisoners. Against Corellia? No. I have committed no crime against the people of this planet."
To his surprise, both the male and female officer grinned. "That's all we needed to hear, kid."
The female took off his binders and the male handed him his blaster, lightsaber, datapad and comlink. "Come with us and we'll get you back to your group."
Luke was stunned. "Wait, what? Who are you two?"
The male grinned even more broadly, "I'm Corran Horn and this is Iella Wessiri. We'll get you to some friends of yours - rebel friends. They'll get you back to your ship."
"But what about you two? I highly doubt that the Emperor's Hand will let you live for this."
Iella chuckled. "Don't worry about us, kid. What's your name anyway?"
"My name is Luke Skywalker."
"Well Luke Skywalker, from what we hear, the Emperor's Hand is probably the most just and fair member of the entire Imperial family. She never arrests or executes without absolute proof that she is right about her suspicions. Our last senator Garm Bel-Iblis received numerous visits from her before he suddenly disappeared a little over a year ago. We assumed that either he was up to no good and was caught or he was up to no good and joined the rebellion. Either way, he's gone now and if the Emperor's Hand were more like her brother Darth Starkiller, Bel-Iblis would have been dead years ago."
Luke frowned. "She killed my first mentor and defended the Death Star, not to mention my Uncle and Aunt."
The two CorSec officers looked at each other. "What the hell is a Death Star?"
Luke only remembered then that the Death Star had been a fairly secretive project and most people wouldn't know about it - or believe it. "The Death Star was a station the size of a small moon that could fire a laser beam and destroy an entire planet. That's what happened to Alderaan. Let me guess, that's not what the Empire said?"
Iella looked skeptical but Corran looked horrified. The man said, "They said that it was that the planet core went cataclysmic and there was no warning."
Luke scoffed. "Oh please. When, in galactic history, has that ever happened, a planet just exploding without any sort of warning?"
Corran stroked his goatee and Iella said, "Corran, come on! This kid can't be telling the truth."
After a long moment, the officer said, "I think that he believes he's telling the truth at any rate. Look, Skywalker, I have no love for the Empire, trust me. But all I care about right now is my people. Come on, they won't be far ahead."
Luke nodded and they hustled on. In an alley a kilometer and a half away from where the Sirus, Luke and his former captors ran into three more figures - two more humans, one male and one female and a female Twi'lek. The CorSec officers lifted their weapons, hard expressions on their face and Corran, his lips barely moving, asked, "Surveillance?"
"Taken care of - every holo-cam and receiver in the area has been eliminated."
Iella and Corran lowered their weapons and the former said, "Great! Here's your rebel. You'll have to stun us."
The young Twi'lek, who Luke noticed had a prosthetic lekku, nodded and pulled her blaster, switching it to stun. "Sorry about this officers;" she said, her voice naturally husky. "I'm not going to enjoy this."
"Wait!" said Luke. He turned to Corran and said, "Pull out your binders and toss them in the dust over there. When and if the Imperials find you before you come to, I am guessing that the Emperor's Hand will question you thoroughly about why your binders were on your belt."
Corran nodded and tossed the binders and they both took up firing positions. "Go ahead;" said Iella, bracing herself.
The Twi'lek nodded and stunned both of them. "The scene convincing enough for you, kid?" she asked dryly.
Luke looked around and said, "I think so."
"Good;" said the human male. "I'm Kyle Katarn. This is Jan Orrs and the pretty lady who likes to stun law enforcement is Rianna Saren. We'll get you back to your ship."
"Pleasure to meet you all. I'm Luke Skywalker. Let's go."
They didn't use a single main street, sticking to alley ways and side streets and avoided every single group of CorSec officers and Imperial soldiers. "I've only ever ran into stormtroopers;" muttered Luke. "Who are all these Imperials?"
"Oh stormtroopers are only deployed against rebels or on dissident worlds. On worlds that are pacified and well under Imperial rule, like this one, they only have garrisons of regular soldiers. The only reasons there is a fleet is because of the ship yard."
Luke looked at the older man. He had dark hair and thick facial hair. "How do you know so much about Imperial protocol, Agent Katarn?"
"I was a stormtrooper, kid but that's a story for another time. See that door? It's the back door to the docking bay where your ship is. You should be clear from here."
Luke was about to head out and asked, "Wait, what about you three?"
Rianna was stroking her upper lip before shrugging and saying, "Yeah, I'll go with you, Kid Skywalker. Katarn and Orrs have a ship in another docking bay. They'll be fine. Let's go."
As they sprinted across to the docking bay back door, Luke muttered, "'Kid Skywalker?' Where did that come from?"
Rianna gave a husky chuckle as she slapped the activation panel and they went inside. There sat the Sirus and even though she looked beat up and simple, Luke thought that she looked gorgeous. "That's what you came in, huh?" asked Rianna. "She doesn't look like much."
"The best ships never do, Agent Saren."
"Oh gods of Ryloth, no! It's Rianna, no Agent Saren. Besides, I was just liaising with those two. I'm a Renegade Commando, same as you."
Luke chuckled. "Alright, Rianna. Come on, let's get aboard."
No one else had made it so Luke commed Serra. "Commander, this is Skywalker and I'm at the ship. What's your status?"
"We're almost to you. Fire her up and get ready. Have the defectors arrived yet?"
Luke's eyes widened. "No they haven't!"
Rianna said, "Put the ship through-" but then Luke pulled his lightsaber and ignited it. "Okay," she said, "I'll put the ship through pre-flight. You go and do- whatever Jedi stuff you're going to do."
Luke chuckled and ran quickly to the boarding rump. To his relief, four Renegade Commandos escorted twenty-seven odd individuals in plain clothes. They all gaped at Luke until he snapped, "Come on! Get on board! Go to the armory and grab a blaster. We might need it before it's time to go."
One of them, a man with reddish blond hair and facial hair said, "I take it that you are one of General Rahm Kota's Jedi commanders. Crix Madine, formerly of the Imperial Army's Special Forces, at your service."
"Come aboard and welcome;" said Luke. "We're waiting on another fourteen people."
In the distance, they heard blaster fire and explosions and Luke looked worried, his blue lightsaber still in his right hand.
The Emperor's Hand stood where one of the hottest areas of fighting had taken place. Two All Terrain Personal Transports and three armored personnel carriers lay smoking and ruined in the street surround by over a dead Imperial soldiers. Slowly, she turned her eyes on the two CorSec officers who were still trying to shrug off the effects of being stunned at close range. "What are your names?" she asked coldly.
The two officers were surrounded by the operatives of the Emperor's Hand. The male said, "I'm Officer Corran Horn, my Lady and I apologize for any embarrassment and, if it's any consolation, we're just as embarrassed as you are."
"Oh I don't think so;" she growled. "I have never, EVER failed on a mission and right now, my pray is slipping though my fingers." She turned to her operatives and pointed to two. "Hold them here until I return. Captain;" she turned to the Imperial Officer, "I need a list of all ships that have landed in the last four hours and I need it now!"
The captain pulled his datapad and began frantically tapping on it. He began to shiver under Mara's intense glare and finally said, "I have three - one medium transport, a HWK-290 light freighter and a Action IV bulk freighter."
Mara nodded and said, "The medium transport is a bust. I already had it checked out. Sarcev, take Cuis, Lyn, Golin and Ismaren and check out the Action IV. I'll go and check out the Hawk with the rest. Move it!"
She hurried through the streets with her followers. Lightsabers and blasters were held at the ready and they expected at any moment to come under fire. As they came around the corner and gazed into the docking bay. Two figures were boarding, not more than twenty-seven. "Dammit!" muttered Mara before grabbing her comlink. "Quest, your target is the ship. Proceed with extreme caution!"
The affirmative came in and the Emperor's Hand turned to her unit. "Let's go."
Sarcev Quest was just around the corner of the docking bay where the Action IV bulk freighter, the Sirus he had learned it was called, when the ambush hit them. The force warned him and his lightsaber was up just in time to deflect a blast. "Contact on the roof tops!" called Jallar Gollin and returned fire, bringing two down with brutal efficiency before they could take cover.
Sa Cuis leaped to one roof top and engaged two others while Quest and Gollin kept two more pinned. As they did, Arden Lyn leaped up and subdued both of them with brutal efficiency. "I'll keep an eye on them;" hissed Lyn. "Go and get the other rebels."
Sa Cuis leaped from roof to roof and while the other four operatives rushed forward just in time for the last rebel to board the freighter. As soon as the ramp was shut, it took off. Quest immediately commed Grand Admiral Nial Declann. "Admiral, I want you to launch fighters and get ready! We have a Action IV bulk freighter coming your way. Do not let it escape!"
The admiral complied and Quest commed Steele and Brie next as they turned and rushed towards the bay where their freighter was docked. "Launch and engage the next Action IV freighter that leaves the planet."
After disconnecting with them, Quest and his team ran into the Emepror's Hand. "Status update;" demanded Lady Jade.
"The rebels launched with their traitors. I have Grand Admiral Declann launching fighters and Steele and Brie are launching from the Conviction in fighters."
Lady Jade nodded. "Board up and lets go. We cannot let them escape!"
Aboard the Action IV Bulk Freighter Sirus
Luke, Commander Serra and former Imperial General Crix Madine stood behind the pilot and copilot. Rianna had a death grip on the yoke and she said, "We have TIE Fighters incoming, including a pair of advanced models."
"We have help on the way. They should be here any second;" murmured Serra. "In the mean time, we need people to take the guns."
Luke wordlessly moved to one of the gun stations and sat down. The guns were very different from those that the Millennium Falcon had in its gun-wells but they were still simple enough. He powered up the gun and fell into the force. The TIE's seemed to slow and he brought his weapon to bare. His first shots shredded his first target. With a grim smile, he traversed his sites to the next and blasted another one. As he did, his head set sounded with Rianna's voice. "I have a YT-2400 light freighter coming in behind us and it's pretty heavily armed. Get ready."
Luke swung around saw the small frame of the ship from the planet below. He could sense the beings aboard and the light freighter's laser cannons pounded at the Sirus's shield. Two advanced TIE fighters pounded the port side and alarms began to sound. "When is that help going to get-"
Just then, a squadron of X-wings and a squadron of Y-wings dropped out of hyperspace a fraction of a moment before the Arbalist dropped out of hyperspace, just out of range of the Star Destroyers' turbolaser cannons. "Alright!" said Serra. "That's where we're headed. Skywalker, get up here!"
Luke left the gunwell and Rianna stood. "Take the yoke, Skywalker. Hopefully your Jedi tricks will be able to do us some good."
Luke nodded and took the seat and the yoke. Rianna kicked the copilot out and took the position, hissing as she did, "Go get Kid Skywalker's gun."
Luke closed his eyes, remembering his first lesson: your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them. Everything around him became clear and his senses in the force were heightened. He could sense his enemies and he could sense his allies.
Since the airspeeders had not come into use, X2 was in command of the Y-wing squadron and they were making runs on the weapons emplacements of the nearest pursuit ships with ion torpedoes. Even if the ships themselves weren't completely disabled, most of the weapons systems were and the Sirus was making for it. X2 commed to Keyan, who was commanding the X-wings. "Alright, go get them commander."
The X-wings, piloted by the survivors of the Death Star battle and those who had proved to be among the best, blazed through the enemy fighters, vaporizing them and Keyan engaged one of the advanced TIE's with his wingman. "Sirus, you're almost clear. Put all power to engines and get out of the blockade lines."
Mara could already feel her pray slipping away. She pushed the freighter to its maximum. "I'm cutting power to the weapons and minimizing it to the shields. Lyn, arm a pair of concussion missiles. Contact Captain Rawshek and have him move the Conviction to intercept."
"He already is, Lady Jade;" said Quest, a small amount of admiration in his voice.
The rebel X-wings smashed the fighters assailing the bulk freighter and the Y-wings dropped their last payload on the Conviction itself just before it was in position to intercept the rebels. Mara felt helplessness creep into her and she began to mutter, "Damn. DAMN!"
The rebel fighters broke off and headed out. The cruiser in the distance was turning about and, with a blur of pseudo-motion, the rebel ships were gone. "Dammit!" said Mara.
All were silent as she angled her ship back towards the Conviction.
It took several hours for power to be restored to the Conviction and the first thing that Mara did was contact the Emperor. The young woman firmly gave her report, giving every single detail to her father and he listened without expression. For several long minutes, the Emperor was silent. Finally, he said, "I cannot say that I am not disappointed, my dear. This is the first time that you have ever failed an assignment."
Mara felt her heart sink and her eyes began to sting. Even so, she kept her face expressionless. With a sad sigh, the Emperor continued. "With that said, I cannot lay the blame fully at your feet. It is clear that you are correct. There is a Jedi involved with the rebellion. Please inform your brother and he will continue. In the mean time, there is another group of defectors I want you to take care of. They have stolen a heavy transport and are escaping now. You will find and either arrest or execute them."
"But;" Mara started before cutting herself off. Her father smiled and said, "I understand your desire, my dear but the hunting and destroying of rebels and especially Jedi are the domain of your brother. You and your strike force are the only ones that I trust for this mission. Do not consider it a result of your failure. I am not intending to punish you."
Mara nodded and the comms were cut. With a sigh, Mara commed Darth Starkiller. After a few minutes, his chiseled face appeared. "Mara, what's wrong? What happened? Do I need to level Corellia?"
That, no doubt as her brother intended, forced a smile onto her face. "No need for that."
She explained and Galen's face slackened with shock. "Oh no. Mara I'm sorry to hear that. By your own words, though, it sounds to me like this Jedi and his students are no laughing matter. This was clearly a well planned extraction. Personally, I don't think it's your fault, sister."
Mara's jaw slackened. "But this was my mission, Galen!" and she continued to rail at the mistakes she had made and go more and more worked up. When she stopped to take a break, the Sith Lord chuckled and said, "Mara, I want you to take a deep breath and listen while you regain your breath."
Mara glared at him, not at all amused by her brother's lighthearted mood. He chuckled and said, "Do you know how many times I've failed on my missions, Mara?"
Mara shrugged and didn't meet his eyes. "You are engaging in military action. It's far more difficult than simply hunting down corruption and defectors."
Galen laughed and said, "Mara, what happened to you? You use to think that your job was thrilling and important. Are you saying that it's been easy all along."
"No of course not, it's just..."
"Mara;" said Galen, "study your mistakes and the mistakes made by those under your command. Next time, you won't make the same mistake. Now I need to go. I'm about to engage a Rebel base on Ord Mantell."
Mara nodded and was about to sign off when her elder brother said, "Oh and Mara;"
She paused and he said, "From the bottom of my heart, you really, REALLY need to get laid."
"What?" said Mara incredulously.
"Trust me, it works wonders for my stress levels. Get laid. Love you. Bye."
And the line cut.
