Now the moment you've all been waiting for, I hope, but before that a few other interesting scenes involving Tarkin and stuff. (To get what I mean about The Chase Ends, think back to chapter 3: On the Trail)
Chapter 11: The Chase Ends
Yavin was utterly unremarkable to say the least. Tarkin flew over it in the ship he had stolen when he made his escape; still wearing storm trooper armor except for the helmet which he had discarded somewhere. He hated those helmets. As he scanned the surface of the primitive moon for signs of technology he thought to himself that the Rebels had made a wise choice, Yavin IV was out of the way, nearly uninhabited, and completely insignificant except for several huge ancient temples built by the extinct Massassi race, but they had been scraped dry years ago, centuries ago maybe.
Tarkin's scanners brought back little readings, the Rebels were cloaking themselves well, however he read a bit of technology in a temple, he guessed it was probably their base, and that there was much more technology to be found but it was cloaked to well, had he done a simple, but usually effective cursory scan, instead of a major one he it would have been overlooked. He took his ship down into the atmosphere, lowering his altitude until he was above the tree line of the forest. He then briefly wondered what he would do if they just tried to shoot him down.
He doubted he was within their radar range yet though; he took a quick glance at his readings to make sure he was headed in the right direction, but then they flashed and died completely. He tried rebooting the system but it just came up with a cryptic error message, the Rebels were jamming him. A transmission then filtered through his comm system, he was given no choice as to whether he would accept it or not, it just happened.
"This transmission cannot be locked onto, it is being beamed by several high frequency, long rang, portable land satellites, encrypted thirty thousand bit." a clearly altered voice said, it sounded too deep to be that of any being. "We have several proton, and heat seeking torpedo launchers locked onto your craft. They will fire unless you land immediately at the coordinates we are sending you; we are discontinuing the jamming signal on your scanners so you will be able to locate the designated spot. You will not deviate from the course we are sending you on or you will be shot down. When you land you will come out unarmed or you will be killed. Is that understood?"
"Oh yes, quite clearly, you should brief intelligence operatives."
"Shut up and land." the voice ordered, and then his comm went dead. He glanced at his computer screen, the system had locked onto the coordinates, the landing sight was considerably close. He took his ship down into a large clearing in the lush jungle landscape. Several soldiers in jungle camouflage stood about his ship, the majority carried standard grade battle rifles, a select few were armed with anti aircraft missile launchers, and Tarkin could also see several large, portable turrets a few yards behind the tree line. He stepped out of his ship and found himself facing two beings he had not spotted, a tall dark skinned man with a bald head, and a small green alien with large ears, both draped in simple Jedi robes. They looked at him expressionlessly, masking the surprise they felt at seeing Grand Moff Tarkin, alone and on their doorstep.
"Ah, Master Yoda, Master Windu, I had heard you two survived the Clone Wars and the uprising of the Empire."
"The tyrannical, evil, and oppressive take over of a government that stood for peace and freedom by one that stood for slavery, tyranny, and fear, ruled by a Sith Lord so ruthless in his desire he wiped out the Jedi Order is not the same as the uprising of an Empire former Moff Tarkin." Mace Windu bit back icily.
"I agree Master Jedi, the Empire is corrupt."
"Is that why you planned to take over it?" Mace asked coldly.
"Mm, corrupt is and Empire ruled by Sidious, in ruins is an Empire ruled by Tarkin." Yoda said, more to himself.
"Insults are not the best way to start a negotiation." Tarkin said.
"A negotiation this is not." Yoda huffed defiantly.
"You're a prisoner Tarkin." Mace stated. "And you will remain that until we find out where your loyalties truly lie, with yourself, the Empire, or there's just a sliver of a chance they could lie with us, at least for now. And for your sake, you had better be loyal to us."
"Killing for no reason the Alliance will not do, execute prisoners it does not, crimes have you committed Tarkin, terrible crimes. Executed you could be." Yoda said thoughtfully.
"I see," Tarkin replied simply.
"Take him away." Mace ordered. The soldiers surrounded Tarkin in little more than the blink of an eye. His hands were bound tightly behind his back and he was led off into the jungle.
Yoda looked up at his comrade, and Mace looked down at his long time friend. They exchanged troubled glances.
"What does this mean?" Mace asked. Yoda had always been the wisest of the Jedi.
"Escaped Tarkin did, knew where our base was he did…. Possible it is that carnage comes to our door step; the Empire has found us perhaps. I sense these thoughts in his mind."
"If you're right…"
"Right I am."
"Then we must call a meeting."
XxX
Anakin tapped his foot impatiently on the bridge of the Danticore. The reports should have been in by now; he should have the location of the Death Star. He turned around to see Luke conversing with the captain. His face was grim, something was wrong. Anakin was about the find out. Luke approached him with a data pad in his hand.
"The ships immediately jumped back to Coruscant. They stayed there for a long while it is estimated, then our trackers were either disabled or somehow malfunctioned and we lost them, dad." Luke reported.
"This is bad news son, but I suppose it is a minor setback, we can always continue looking for the Death Star. But one day it will show its ugly head…. Tell the captain to set a course for Yavin."
XxX
The Emperor laughed hysterically, convincing Mara of his insanity as she brought Raz before him. Of course Raz was now in on Mara's plan so she had no reason to fear for her safety. The Emperor looked down at her for a long, disturbing moment with bright yellow eyes.
"You should never have betrayed me." Sidious rasped. His eye line went up to Mara's. "Has she provided you with a location?"
"Yes," Mara replied as she looked into the face of the tyrannical monster that she despised so much, the man who used her to do his selfish will, no better than a tool that would go unmissed if lost. "Dantooine, she's on Dantooine."
"Ah yes, an excellent choice, Dantooine is remote. Very well, find her, kill Vena."
"No, I don't think that would be a good idea master." Mara said, trying to sound respectful.
"Why?"
"What if she is lying?"
"Hmm, indeed, very well, take her with you."
"Yes master. I will leave immediately."
"Get out of my sight and find her."
Not only are you a treacherous monster that would try to kill me if I accidentally slipped on the floor, but you're disrespecting me too? I am so gonna kill you!
XxX
Siri was in the Works section of Coruscant. Mara should have known, the only people who ventured there were people looking to hide themselves from the universe, or those who would otherwise have no place to go. The entire section of Coruscant had been abandoned for many, many years, even the great and cunning Lord Sidious himself had hidden there while tending to his life long ambitions to rule the galaxy, destroy the Jedi, and just all around be a homicidal, even genocidal, blood thirsty maniac.
Mara flew her ship, Raz in the co pilot's seat towards the tallest building of a certain metal making factory in the industrial area which Raz remembered as Siri's main hideout. It was a good place to pick Mara supposed as she flew toward the tower, smoke billowed from the top, intertwining with itself and forming an intricate column. Despite the entire sector being abandoned for who knows how many years, or decades, or maybe even centuries fires still burned deep within it, fires used to shape metals and various other things.
Yes, it was a good place to hide. But Mara wondered why Sidious had not sensed Siri before, most importantly why Vader had not sensed her, if he was her husband he would surely have the strongest connection to her so he should have realized she was right on the planet he had more or less called home for most of his life. That left two possibilities, either the two Sith just never bothered to open their senses to the Works, or that Siri had a stunning gift to cloak herself, Mara guessed it was the second as she could sense nothing. She took her ship towards the top of the building, where there were many panels along the outside; one was clearly broken as it remained opened, unlike the rest of them. Perhaps it had happened in some battle. Mara didn't care. She followed Raz's instructions and flew her ship through the open hole in the side of the building and started the landing cycle as she hovered into a room that was clearly meant to be a small hanger.
She took notice of a cloaked figure approaching them swiftly as she lowered the ramp.
"Ready?" she asked Raz.
"No."
"Oh will you just shut up and follow me?!" Mara snapped impatiently, disengaging her crash webbing and standing up, making sure her lightsaber was at the ready. She didn't know how Siri would react.
"I doubt she's gonna be overwhelmed with joy when she sees me sweetie."
"Will you stop calling me that? It is getting plain disturbing."
"I call everybody sweetie. If you think that is disturbing then clearly you've never been to some parts of Corellia."
Mara rolled her eyes and treaded lightly to the opening of the ramp, she disembarked the ship cautiously, her hand clasping her lightsaber hilt, Raz treaded silently behind her, vibro sais on and at the ready, blades running down her arms in defensive positions. Mara was surprised to see the cloaked figure simply standing there as though he or most likely she was above being prepared for battle. Mara understood that the figure did not even need to hold any weapon at the ready when it extended a hand and a lightsaber hilt flew to it from a belt under the woman's black robes.
"What are you doing here?" the figure asked, clearly a woman. She lowered her hood to reveal the face of Siri Tachi, she had aged somewhat, her blonde hair was now considerably gray. She had a grim look on her face and many creased lines at her lips from years of frowning. "RAZ!"
"Siri wait!" Raz said. "I didn't come here to hurt you!"
"Hurt me? You couldn't possibly hurt me any more than you already have you conniving bi… who are you?" Siri asked looking at Mara. A strange… gaze in her eye, Mara could not quite pinpoint what was so odd but it was there.
"I am Mara Jade." Mara said simply. Siri's eyes narrowed quickly, and then a mysterious look of realization crossed them, she put her weapon away. Raz did as well and Mara followed suit.
"I will not kill either of you; I sense that you are not here for assassination or something like that. But it's weird, Raz Vena, and you Mara. Why are you here?" Siri asked.
"I know this sounds sort of corny and stupid but I was the Emperor's Hand, ever since he found me orphaned on Azure. I've been his servant, then one day I finally realized the sort of evil bastard he was. I want to kill him, I know Darth Vader can help me, in fact he's the only real chance I've got in succeeding, and I also know Darth Vader was once Obi-Wan Kenobi and that he was your husband. He always thought the Trade Federation killed you, but it was really the Emperor who tried to in order to ensure Obi-Wan's loyalty."
"I know," Siri said as a tear, almost invisible fell from her eye. "I planned on going to him… but there were… complications."
She flicked a hateful gaze at Raz.
"I'm not trying to be rude Miss… Tachi… Kenobi but I don't really give a crap at what complications there were."
"Excuse me?"
"Sorry, I told you I am trying to be rude but we need to leave now. Obi-Wan is about to make a huge mistake and attack potential allies, the Rebel Alliance. We have to stop him and he has to see you're alive."
"I see," Siri said, give Raz another spiteful stare. "I will go with you, even if that means I have to work with you again, Raz."
"I don't expect you to trust me…"
"Good because that is never going to happen! You're an arrogant bull headed assassin who happened to be Force sensitive, I tried to train you because I wanted to restore the Jedi order and kill Sidious but you betrayed me damn it! And… you cost me my child." Siri said quietly, she looked at Mara briefly and turned back to Raz. "But I think you've come close to redeeming yourself in my eyes."
"I'm trying to do what's right."
"Then let's go and see Obi-Wan."
XxX
Anakin and Luke both rushed into the briefing room as soon as they arrived at Yavin; there they found Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, Bail Organa, Padmé, Yoda, Mace, Leia, and the last person they ever would have expected.
Tarkin.
They both stood gaping and speechless.
"Sit down Skywalkers'," Mace said sternly. Both took their respective seats. Tarkin eyed then like a hungry predator, gathering all the information he could about his prey.
"May I ask the most obvious question in the history of the universe?" Anakin said, completely baffled. "What the hell is Grand Moff Tarkin doing at a meeting with the Rebel Alliance members?! Is he here to observe and then to report back to his master so they can come kill us all?!"
"They might just do that if you don't hold your tongue and listen." Tarkin snapped.
"Unless the universe has been destroyed I'm going to venture to say that you've got no authority in this room so who are you to talk to me that way?!" Anakin retorted.
"ENOUGH!" Mon Mothma cried. "Pull yourself together General Skywalker. As a matter of fact Tarkin is now a captain under the Rebel Alliance."
"Are you all completely insane?! Wait, how did this even happen, I leave the planet for a couple days and when I come back a high ranking Imperial, and I should probably add that the Imperials are our enemies and that this certain Imperial would have liked to see us all dead, is a captain in the Rebel Alliance?!"
"He came to warn us." Padmé said quietly.
"And you believe him?! This could be a trap; we could be playing into the Emperor's hands!"
"Silence Skywalker," Yoda ordered sternly. "No deceit have we sensed in him."
Anakin opened his mouth to protest but Mace Windu raised a hand to shut him up. Tarkin stood up then and for a moment both he and Anakin locked hard stares, then he began to speak.
"Darth Vader is about to attack with a fully operational Death Star, most likely." Tarkin announced. "We have to ready a fleet for a counter attack and set the plan in play you have to destroy the battle station."
"Our fleet is elsewhere." Ackbar said. "But we have called it in, at the moment we are at a tactical disadvantage."
"Well then, since this is just a simple meeting between the Alliance leaders plus the tyrannical Imperial I thought I should suggest something." Anakin said. "We need to prepare defenses now and fully brief every pilot we have on planet now about the plan, even though we announced it."
"I agree," Tarkin said. Anakin's gaze was like a ball of fire that he shot at the new captain. "When our fleet arrives I will assist Admiral Ackbar in taking down the fleet the Death Star will most certainly have. I will need a ship to command."
Ackbar had a grim look plastered on his face, which no one really knew about since most Mon Calamarian expressions looked alike to them. Like Anakin, and everybody at the table he didn't like the idea of Tarkin in command of a ship, nor did he want to work along side their new ally. He had once been a slave to Tarkin, which is where he learned many of his military tactics, from his old enemy. What sort of sick joke was it that he was now working with that man?
"Your request has been granted." Mon Mothma said. "You will be in command of a ship Captain Tarkin. Meeting dismissed, we must now prepare ourselves."
XxX
The fleet arrived several hours later. Tarkin was now in command of the Mon Calamari cruiser, the largest and most powerful type of capitol ship the Rebel Alliance had in its arsenal, the rebels answer to the Imperial class star destroyer, it was called the Dauntless. Anakin scowled and reflected upon this as he walked with Yoda and Mace about the grounds of the temple.
"This is insane." Anakin said. "To let Tarkin command a capitol ship, he could turn against us in a flash."
"Agree I do," Yoda said. "But necessary it is."
"Anakin, don't let this cloud your judgment." Mace warned. "Be mindful."
How many times had he heard that before?
"Mm, mindful you must be Anakin," Yoda agreed. "For called upon you could be to kill Darth Vader once more."
"I know master." Anakin said.
"Worry about Tarkin do not, an eye on him I will keep, closely." Yoda assured Anakin.
All three Jedi instinctively activated their lightsabers as the alarms suddenly sprang to life. They exchanged glances briefly, deactivated their weapons and ran off to defeat the Empire.
Finally! I never thought I would get through this. If I really worked it out this had enough material for two chapters. Oh well, onto battle scenes, finally. Oh yeah, and Siri's back so I'm sure most of your questions are answered about that, except for one, and I am also sure her appearance might have raised a couple more.