Chapter 9

Jada awoke in a nice, warm cot. She had no idea how long she'd been out, but she felt better than she had in a long while. She had been pushing herself to her limits for longer than she should have. Her master warned her several times about overexerting herself. She couldn't help it; it was a trait she inherited from her mother.

Looking at her arm, she saw a large scar stretching the length of her entire upper arm. The trips to the bacta tank and her Jedi healing trance had done wonders, though the scar was less than desirable. She turned her attention on her ankle and rolled it around. Her leg was slightly stiff, and the pain in her ankle was minimal. Though she was sure the medical droid would object, it was enough—for her liking—to get herself up and ready to leave for Coruscant. The longer they stayed here, the sooner the threat, that had been following them, would find its way here—wherever here was.

The door to the medical center opened, and Senator Wedge Antilles entered the room. "You're awake! Well rested, I assume?"

"I feel like I've just awakened from a two-sleep-cycle hibernation ," Jacina smiled.

"Try eight." Wedge replied. "You were in bad shape!"

"That long! Where is Gideon Mars, we must return to Coruscant immediately!" Jada said, sitting-up straight.

"You need to rest. You're still not fully healed. The medbot told me that another day or two and you will be ready to be released."

Jada shook her head, Wedge had no idea what was happening; as it was, they've been strangely fortunate that no move had been made against them in those days she's been out. "You don't understand, we're being chased by the Galactic Alliance. They've been unusually aggressive in pursuing me."

"The Empire—I hate them with every bone in my body," Wedge muttered. The time he spent as an X-wing pilot really instilled a dislike of the Empire in him. He just wasn't able to shake it after the peace treaty was signed. To that day, Wedge still did not put it past the Empire to sign the treaty to lull the New Republic into a false sense of peace. This attack on Jada only fueled his distrust of the Empire—or the Galactic Alliance—whatever they called themselves these days. "However, even they wouldn't be so foolish to launch an attack on Corellia; we're way too fortified for them to even consider it. At the very least, I urge you to remain over night, and join me and Senator Lo Monar for supper."

Jada knew that staying on Corellia was a very bad idea; they've been there too long as it was. She could read it in Wedges face, that he was willing to do whatever it takes to get her to stay one more day. This was an unspoken ultimatum—a blackmail, if you will. Of course, she could ignore the warning and leave anyway, and Wedge would not force the issue, but she respected him too much to defy him like that. "Very well, we'll stay."

"Good," Wedge smiled with a nod. He started to make his way towards the door and then came to a stop when a thought suddenly reemerged. "Oh, I forgot. I have your friend Gideon incarcerated. I had no idea if he was under arrest of the Jedi Order or not. I hope I didn't do wrong by you—or him."

Jada laughed at the thought of how angry Gideon had to be spending a week in the prison barge. It was the first good laugh she had in a long while. "You did okay, but I think we can let him out now. I'm sure he'll be a good boy now that I'm awake."

"I thought as much," Wedge replied. "Oh, and one last thing. Master Skywalker asked me to tell you to contact him as soon as you are up to it. It sounded urgent."

"Thanks, Wedge—for everything."


Still a little stiff, it took Jada a little extra time to get dressed. She agreed to stay and take it easy for one more day, but that did not mean she had to stay in the medical ward for that whole time. There were still important matters that had to be taken care off like contacting her Jedi master, and releasing Gideon from his imprisonment. After making her presentable enough to address her Jedi Master, she made her way to the miniature holoprojector at the far end of the medical ward. The technology was outdated, but it appeared to be in good enough order.

Putting in the appropriate settings to contact the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, she waited until the Jedi Grand Master's holographic imaged appeared on the pad. "Master, I apologize for my absence."

"Jada, it's good to see you alive and well. I've heard that you've been on quite an adventure."

Jada bowed his head in reverence to her Jedi Master. "It's been much more than I bargained for, Master. I'm afraid I was prevented from apprehending the bounty hunter by someone who's gone to great length to make themselves look like the Galactic Alliance."

"But you're convinced that it wasn't?"

Jada noticed that he didn't seem surprised by anything she had just said. The Jedi council had to be made aware of some of the circumstances of recent events. She wondered if Wedge actually got anything out of Gideon while she was recovering. "When I encountered the soldiers, I discovered that they were nothing more than androids outfitted with holographic imaging devices. These androids are unlike anything that the New Republic or the Galactic Alliance posses."

"Interesting," Master Skywalker said, rubbing his chin.

"Then there is the matter of the Star Destroyers that came after me. They appear to be a hybrid of the Victory-class, the Imperial-class, and the Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers. I've never seen anything like them."

"You're right, the Galactic Alliance has been slowly dwindling the number of Star Destroyers down. They've already retired the entire line of Imperial-class ships. The Jedi council has also learned the Galactic Alliance has had plans stolen for those very class Star Destroyers you mentioned."

"Someone is really trying to vilify the Galactic Alliance," Jada commented. "Master, do you suppose that this has something to do with the threat of civil war in the New Republic?"

"Very observant, young apprentice," Luke responded. "The Jedi council has reasons to suspect that threat of civil war is being fueled, and I believe you've pretty much confirmed our fears. Wedge mentioned something about rancors on Ando?"

"Yes Master, that's a real mystery. They were Bull Rancors."

"I came to the same conclusion based on Wedges description. There were supposed to have gone extinct twenty years ago." Jada could see a grave look on her master's face. There was more to the mysterious encounter with the Bull Rancors than she had realized. "This presents us with two possible threats, neither presents us with a very good scenario."

"But Master, now that we know that someone is pulling the strings, can't we stop things from getting worse?"

Luke shook his head. "Convincing the Jedi council is one thing, but politicians think on a whole different level. In the New Republic's current state, it will take overwhelming evidence to convince them. As it is, there's a growing distrust, of the Jedi, infecting the New Republic, thanks to Senator Balrosa's heavy influence. Talking about evidence, I was told about a smuggler?"

Apparently, Wedge did not get too much out of Gideon; she couldn't say that she was surprised. "During my mission, I've come across a smuggler named Gideon Mars. I suspect he has knowledge pertaining to the assassination; he had the Millennium Falcon."

The Jedi Grand Master showed remained calm, but she knew that he found this news as deeply troubling as she has. However, what he said next completely blew her away. "I sense a deception. What are the chances that the bounty hunter who's a suspect in the assassination, was meeting with this very smuggler at the very moment you were ready to move in?

"I don't know, Master," Jada admitted.

"This sounds too much like an elaborate set-up. We're being offered this smuggler in exchange for the bounty hunter, to throw us off. "

"But Master, Gideon Man had the Millennium Falcon. He was there!"

"I suspect that after we question him, we will know enough about who we may be up against, but not to stop the looming war. Until we know for certain, I want you to bring him to Coruscant and we'll see if we can identify this new threat."

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow, Master. I've pretty much been blackmailed into staying another day to recover."

Luke chuckled. He had been close friends with Wedge for many years, and he knew how stubborn he could be. He also knew Jada, and how strong headed she could be. If Wedge had to blackmail her to stay another day, then it was done out of a last resort. "Very well, may the Force be with you."


After a long journey, Darth Krull and Darth Bison were finally back on board the Vicarious, the Star Destroyer that Sithious resided on. After their successful mission in killing the Trandoshan bounty hunters, there was no doubt that they would be sent to kill the Jedi. Surely now, they had pleased their master enough to earn that responsibility. They were tired of these pathetic missions; they were ready for a challenge. However, their master had continuously treated them as mindless minions.

They walked down the ramp and promptly made their way into the main chambers where their master was awaiting them. They knelt down and bowed their head in reverence to their master. "We have returned, master!"

"Good. I have no need you at this moment. You may go." Sithiout didn't even bother look at them. It was yet again, the total lack of respect that they've come to expect from their esteemed master.

Darth Krull was not willing to give up so easily. "Master, we wish to go after the lady Jedi and the smuggler. We can overpower and eliminate them without any unforeseen problems."

"That won't be necessary. I have more faith in Darth Kahn's ability todo what needs to be done."

"But master, we're more powerful than him."

"Are you questioning my judgment, my apprentices?" Sithious stared into the faces of his two apprentices. They finally got his full attention, but it was not the kind they were hoping for.

"No Master." Darth Krull bowed his head again, to show he meant no disrespect.

"Good, now leave. I will summon you when I need you again!"

"Yes, my master"

The two apprentices stood up and walked out of the main chamber. As soon as the door slid shut, the two of them looked at each other. They were both thinking the same thing. "He's getting weak and incompetent," Darth Krull muttered.

"Yes, and I'm tired of the lack of respect," Darth Bison growled.

Darth Krull grinned. "We need to eliminate him. We should be the ones to lead the conquest of the Jedi! Together, the galaxy will crumble before our power."

"I bet his soup tastes good," Darth Bison said, imagining the power that he could gain from devouring the dark lord's brains. "What of that impudent Kartel?"

"He will serve us, or die."