Chapter 4
Jade's scream echoed through the connection Luke had with his apprentice, and then suddenly it went silent. He could no longer feel her in the Force, which was alarming. He would have felt her death, in theory. He'd worked out this connection based on half-formed theories of long-dead Sith and research that had never been followed through. He looked out into the Force, trying to find some sign of Jade, but nothing was there. Not for the first time Luke wished he had gotten more information out of Plagueis before the other Sith's death. He didn't regret the Muun's death, but his master had been less than forthcoming on certain aspects of the Force.
Or, Luke admitted, it was possibly Plagueis simply hadn't known. Dwelling on his own apprentice brought him back to the vast failings of his own master. The Muun had had the idiotic obsession with immortality that had dragged the Order down over the years. Dozens of Sith Lords had wasted years or decades of time chasing it, and they had all failed. That had been an interesting revelation to Luke after his own apprenticeship. No matter their power, no matter their knowledge they had all failed completely to achieve immortality.
For his part he had taken what remained of Plagueis's research and destroyed it all, as well as deliberately concealing all information about the search from Jade. So much effort, so much time wasted on that pursuit. If he had his way the Sith obsession with immortality was over, as would its complete obsession with power. There was some hypocrisy in that, Luke would admit to himself occasionally given his own status, but mastery of the Force was but a means to an end. If those ends could be achieved through other ends then so be it.
All of that was a distraction though as he expanded his search, continuing to look for Jade. Again there was nothing. He had long known the Jedi had managed to hide themselves away from his sight somehow, but hadn't considered the possibility they could do so to a Sith as well. If they could it was even more of an issue than he'd imagined. He focused harder, trying to find where the scream in the Force had originated, but even that was concealed. He could only get a general region, but that left thousands of planets to search, and there was no guarantee she'd even been on a planet at the time.
The level of independence he'd given Jade had been a risk, but one he's thought was acceptable. Clearly that had not been the case. He pulled himself out of the Force and turned to more mundane channels. Alliance agents in the Republic had other methods of tracking someone. If Jade had landed on a planet there would be docking clearances, and if those could be tracked they could start interviewing inhabitants to find some sign of where she had gone. That would still take time, but it was the only option available.
That done he dismissed the loss for now and settled back to work on the latest report from his commanders within Alliance space.
"Two declarations of war are next on the agenda," Kuat Sector Director Lorth Needa announced, pulling up the document. Around him were the other Directors who served as the true civilian leadership of the Alliance. Padme Amidala of Naboo, Satine Kenobi of Mandalore, Mon Mothma of Chandrila, Wilhuf Tarkin of Eriadu, Raymus Antilles of Alderaan, and Daclif Gallamby of Corellia were the greatest among them.
"The Vagaari Skywalker had already informed us of, and these unknown aliens routed at Bakura," Amidala noted. She skimmed the files for any new details. "I don't see an issue."
"He is requesting an extermination order for both," Tarkin noted coldly. "Full destruction of both races upon defeat."
"The Vagaari are slavers and pirates," Antilles answered dismissively. "They deserve whatever happens to them."
"Agreed," Mon Mothma said as she finished reviewing the new information as well. "They are a threat to everyone in the galaxy so long as they exist."
Tarkin shrugged, knowing when he was outvoted. Its not that he particularly cared what happened to either group, but both exhibited interesting technology which could be studied. "And the other?" He asked.
"This entechment is monstrous," Amidala answered immediately. "That they would even consider such a means of power is grounds for destruction."
"It could be useful," Gallamby said darkly. "Not necessarily entechment of sentients but I wonder if it could be turned to other beings. Wookies perhaps."
"Or Gungans," Antilles told Padme.
She shot her husband a grin. "I have other uses for those barbarians," she answered. Everyone knew that. The Naboo oceans were worked by Gungan slaves, or Amidala referred to them 'prisoners' bringing up the plasma which fueled the planet's industry.
"I agree with Skywalker," Needa announced. "The aliens should be tracked to their homewolrd, and we should burn it to a cinder as a message to the galaxy about what they did. There are certain lines no one should cross, and this is one of them."
"Let us vote," Satine moved, and Amidala quickly seconded.
Of the forty regional directors there were no votes of opposition, and only Tarkin abstained. That done the Director's forwared their recommendation to the Legislature to be rubber stamped, and less than twenty minutes later the order was sent to the Alliance fleets. The Vagaari and this other alien group were to be shot on sight, with no quarter offered, and their worlds were to be destroyed. It was an order only issued once before, against the Yevetha when those beings had shown their colors four years before.
The door to Padme's quarters slid open to reveal Duchess Kenobi of Mandalore, and with her were Luke and Padme Kenobi, the two children she and Obi-Wan had had a few years before. "Aunt Padme," Luke shouted, jumping up and hugging the woman as she returned the gesture.
"My how you've grown," Padme said, rumpling his hair. The older, but more shy Padme Kenobi hid behind her mother's dress, and Amidala didn't press the issue. The girl always took a few minutes to get over her awkwardness around people. "Could Obi-Wan not make it?" she asked, settling into one of the chairs.
"Unfortunately, not," Satine answered, picking up one of the glasses that had already been set out. "Intelligence business. He's apparently heading up Skywalker's lead task force into the Unknown Regions. Taking one of those Chiss with him, "Thrawn I think his name was. They are going to raid Vagaari space and save what slaves they can before the rest of their forces arrive. Then…"
Amidala nodded. "How is Mandalore?"
"Recovered," Satine answered. "Fett's group has finished tracking down the last of the Death Watch remnants. Skywalker pulled them off the planet a little over a month ago. I think they're probably headed into the Unknown Regions with Obi-Wan next. He left his daughter though, she's old enough to start classes now. The family has been a huge help, so I've arranged the best institution in the Sector for her. Then probably Corulag or Anaxes afterward."
Amidala nodded. "Fett tracked down a group of rogue Gungans a few years ago for me. He was exceptionally fast and efficient about the process. As good as his father in many ways."
"And Naboo itself?" Satine asked. It was difficult to get current news with the still slow communications even between the Core.
"Stable," Amidala answered. "What dissidents there were have either been purged or keep their heads down. The Gungans are resigned to their fate as well. In a few decades they might even be half-civilized. Maybe then they'll realize this has all been for their own good."
"I doubt it," Satine noted.
Padme nodded, then felt her stomach roiling and dashed out. She hadn't really sympathized with Satine years before when the other woman had been pregnant, but she certainly did now.
Mara Jade awoke with a slight sense that something was wrong. She was missing something. Something important. No, more than that, something that was a fundamental part of her. The feeling was so fundamentally wrong that it took her a remarkably long time to realize that she couldn't feel the Force. Somehow it was completely gone.
The feeling was terrifying. Never in her life had the feeling been gone, and she had become so reliant on it as a servant and companion that the realization of just how alone she was overwhelmed her, making the woman break down into sobs for the first time in her entire life. After a few moments she got herself back under control and realized a far worse truth. Without the Force her master would not be able to find her. Panic rose again, and she began searching the small room she found herself in for some way out. There wasn't one. It was small, but not exactly uncomfortable. There was minimal furniture, and she could tell immediately that the bedspread was too light to hold her weight even if she could have gotten out the window. Likely a preventative measure if she tried to hang herself. Not that that was likely, there was too much at stake. The window itself was clearly made of transparisteel, which looked to have been installed that way originally.
There was no reason for a normal cell window to be made that way, meaning wherever she was it had been specifically built as a prison. Given the nature of her capture, it had been constructed specifically to hold her. The window was quite high in a structure overlooking a large jungle, which unfortunately did not give her much of a hint. There were more jungles in the galaxy than there were inhabited planets. This one could have been any number of countless examples. The only identifying feature was some kind of pyramid in the distance, but she didn't recognize the design.
There was a sound from behind her and she whirled, to find a young man bringing a tray in. "Owen," she hissed, recognizing him.
"Hello Mara," he said with a smile. "I'm glad to see you're awake. Anakin expected you to be up and about by now, so we thought you might like some food." He set it down and noted, "The window's impenetrable. I should know, they had me try to escape from here. And that was with Anakin giving suggestions."
Deciding it was best to pretend to be a docile captive she asked, "And the Force?"
"A rather fascinating creature from the planet Myrkyr is responsible," Owen explained. "They somehow developed the ability to push the Force away. We transplanted several thousand of them here when the Academy was founded."
"The Academy," Mara breathed.
Owen nodded, "You've found it in a manner of speaking. The whole building is shielded by ysilimiri to block out your master's gaze. And when we are outside practicing Anakin exerts himself to block the view."
"And you're telling me all of this…?" she asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, starting back out. "There's no escape from this planet. Even if you got out of the building Anakin would catch you immediately. There are no ships within a hundred miles, and every speeder is locked to a specific trainee. You are quite trapped."
"I see." Mara answered slowly.
"I doubt it," Owen answered, preparing to close the door. "Your obedient act isn't going to work. Everyone you talk to has already been trained for this assignment, and we know exactly what to expect."
The door slid closed and Mara was left to brood. So long as those creatures were in place Rhamnous would never be able to locate her. If they could be removed or if she could escape however, she was sure their mental link would enable her to break through Anakin's jamming. There had to be some reason she'd been rendered unconscious before being taken captive if they'd been onto her that fast. Even just a few moments would be enough to get her master here. And he would come himself, that she was sure of. A chance to rescue his apprentice and destroy the Republic's Jedi was too great a target for Rhamnous to leave to others.
If she was going to escape however she would need strength, and so she rather grudgingly began to eat.
"We've got confirmation," Obi-Wan Kenobi announced, settling into his position on the Kuat-class vessel Fraternity.
"Excellent," Thrawn answered, settling into his own position as an allied observer. "Your alliance seems far more willing to take action than my own government."
"On certain topics," Kenobi said. "If you would."
Thrawn nodded, "These are the coordinates of our former home world. The Vagaari left little but ruins after it fell. There should be only a minimal force defending it, if anything."
"Take us there," Kenobi ordered when the coordinates had been laid in. There was a confirmation, and two minutes later the ship shifted into hyperdrive. The going would be slow, as the route would have to be mapped as the Destroyer moved. But when the larger force followed they would have a clear path.
Lorana Jinzler's force dropped out of hyperspace in the inner system of Cattamascar, a planet that probes had shown had also been assaulted by the alien menace. The world had been even more lightly defended than Bakura, and the aliens had successfully taken it shortly before their assault on the other world. Reaching through the Force she fought down the revulsion that entechment naturally evoked, and announced, "Reports were correct. There is a large scale effort taking place on the planet."
"I'm reading two of their larger ships and sixteen smaller vessels moving to intercept us," Commander Lethian, a Kuat-born man, and her long-time second in command announced. "Reading some eight hundred of their fighters."
"Signal the fleet to jump now," she ordered. The order was sent and she continued, "Activate gravity well-generators…now." The Force had whispered the correct timing, and the generators hummed to life at precisely the correct instant. The aliens found themselves facing her Venators at point blank range. Nearly four hundred of the enemy fighters slammed into the Destroyer's forward shields before they could even begin to maneuver away. Sensors showed the small wave of miniature novae where the impacts occurred, but there was no damage to the larger Alliance vessels.
No further orders were needed.
The aliens were exterminated mercilessly, and the Alliance ground force rapidly descended upon the planet to carry out their orders there as well. No signals had even gotten out, meaning that wherever the aliens were they had no idea what was coming.
