Chapter 11: Unknown Future
Ben sat in the main bay of the transport in deep thought. It had been nearly a day since they had escaped from Scarif.
Ben did not know if Rogue One—and Cassian—had made it off the planet before it was incinerated by the Death Star. He had every reason to believe that they had not—he hadn't heard any transmissions or reports in Alliance databases made by any member of the Rogue One crew.
The thought made grief stir within him, at the loss of his friend and mentor, but he held on hope that the Death Star plans had reached the Rebel Fleet before Scarif's destruction.
He looked away from the wall that he had been staring at for hours, his eyes peeling downwards to look at the still armored form of his brother.
Andre was still lying prone on the row of seats, his helmet still affixed to his head. Ben had tried multiple times to get his older brother to remove his bucket, and succeeded, once. After Andre had removed his helmet, he immediately began complaining that it was very uncomfortable to lay his head on the bare seat.
He argued that his helmet had protective padding, custom molded to his size, and that it would help him sleep better. Ben was initially skeptical, but he was proved wrong when Andre fell asleep almost instantly after putting the lifeless mask back on his head.
Now, as Ben stared down at the still form of the sleeping stormtrooper below, he finally thought of their present situation. What was he to do with Andre? He had no idea where Chuchi and Silas were headed, and thought the pair did not know themselves. He couldn't take his brother back to the Alliance, lest he become a prisoner for years. Ben couldn't stand the thought of his brother, who wasn't a mass murderer, like many Moffs and Admirals, being locked up and treated like one.
They had to get him somewhere safe, perhaps even back to the Empire, but how?
Mon Mothma sat in her office at the new Alliance base on Dantooine. She sat deep in thought, her mind a mixture of happiness and sadness.
On one hand, Leia Organa had successfully received the Death Star plans which were now safely in Alliance hands.
On the other hand, the entire crew of Rogue One, so many promising individuals that the Alliance desperately needed, had been wiped out. Andor and Erso, two members that Mothma saw great potential in, were now dead. They had succeeded in their mission of obtaining the Death Star plans but had dealt a major blow to the Rebellion with their deaths.
Mothma had spent many minutes contemplating if the Alliance could afford to lose such talented individuals.
The Alliance no doubt would move forward.
On the back of Mothma's depressing thoughts, an inkling of hope soon spread throughout her. Despite the losses suffered on Scarif, the Alliance had destroyed a major Imperial base, terminated Director Krennic, and now had the plans to the Empire's most fearsome weapon. And even if such a victory came at the price of so many talented souls, the Rebellion was still stocked with people like Princess Leia and Benjamin Madrik.
Mothma, soon after meeting Organa, had her interest renewed in the location and progress of her unknown brother. Mothma had been privy to many conversations concerning the upbringing of Luke and Leia Skywalker, whether told by Bail Organa or even Obi-Wan Kenobi.
She knew that Luke Skywalker was still a teenager, much like his sister, and she didn't know what he had been doing these past nineteen years. She had sent numerous agents to "check-in" on young Luke, but they all reported the same thing: he was a farmer.
Mothma hoped to have Luke Skywalker as an important member of the Rebellion, someday; however, for now, she had to look at the present situation confronting her and refrain from fantasizing about the future.
The most important task was getting in contact with Detail 3 who had been missing since Scarif.
She had reports that Detail 3 and their small assault team had successfully participated in the raid on Scarif, she, however, had no confirmation that they made it off the planet. As a result, she had sent numerous coded messages asking for any member of the group to confirm they had made it out if they had at all.
The loss of Detail 3, and Benjamin Madrik, would leave a major gap not just in the Rebellion, but in her soul as well. Over the months that Mothma had spent interacting with Ben, leading him, guiding him, she had grown close to him. Their relationship had transformed from one of teacher and student to a paternal one. Perhaps it was because Ben had no family or perhaps she saw herself in him. Whatever the reasons, Mothma could not lose Benjamin Madrik. If she did, she did not know if she would ever be the same.
Waylon Madrik had spent the better part of three standard weeks performing duties he considered beneath his position. After his failure to apprehend the Rebels on Dathomir, Krennic had assigned him, and his squad mates to guarding members of the Tarkin Initiative. Unit 777 was ordered to guard Thlu- Ry. Ry was a key member of the Tarkin Initiative, responsible for the numerous tests that occurred on the Death Star whilst the superweapon was under construction.
Ry was based on Mokka, a planet in the Outer Rim territories, which was covered in lush forests and dotted with lakes. The planet had been home to the Bajari people, a reptilian species that had taken part in many battles against the Sith in previous millennia. However, with the rise of the Galactic Civil War, the planet was swarmed with crime syndicates and cartels. Soon, most of the population had been displaced, fled, or killed. By the time the Empire came to Mokka in 5BBY, the planet was firmly under the control of one vicious group: the Malux Cartel. The Cartel established their new base on the planet, soon after they were thrown off of Odisar by the oppressed population, and quickly thrived on the world.
The Empire hashed out a deal with the Cartel and many other criminal groups on the planet—as they did with many Outer Rim territories. In exchange for a steady stream of slaves, equipment, and ignoring the crimes committed by the gangs on Mokka, the Empire would be allowed to establish a research facility and base to conduct weapons testing and analysis unmolested.
Needless to say, the idea of being stationed on Mokka did not sit well with Waylon Madrik.
After what seemed like many hours of mindless travel, interrupted by periods of brief napping, the small, stolen Imperial shuttle finally came out of hyperspace.
Chuchi was the first to say something upon seeing what greeted them outside the viewport.
"Where the hell are we?" she turned to Silas.
He looked at her with confusion written across his face, "I assumed when you told me to 'punch it' you knew where you were sending us."
The young woman scoffed at the statement. "We really didn't have time to pick and choose a nice planet to relax on. I just put in some coordinates I remembered and engaged the hyperspace drive."
They both looked out to the objects beyond their viewport: asteroids.
"It appears that you dropped us right into the middle of the Kafrene asteroid belt," Silas said as he checked the computer.
"Ah!" Chuchi said suddenly, "now I remember! The Ring of Kafrene!"
"What is that?" A new voice, Ben's, suddenly joined in from behind them.
Both turned their heads to gaze upon their blue-coated superior.
"I hope I wasn't being too loud, apologies," Chuchi said with a frown.
Ben smiled in return. "Nonsense, I was not asleep and you couldn't wake the stormtrooper if the galaxy ended."
"He's asleep?" Silas asked.
"Yep, knocked out like a broken light."
"Ben," Chuchi said once more, "we need you to tell us everything."
Ben hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of spilling his most personal secrets. After a short silence, he relented. "Well, as I said on Scarif, Andre is my brother. We lived on a planet named Odisar that was-"
"Taken over by a drug cartel," Silas interjected.
"Precisely," Ben added. "My family, including mother, brother, father, and myself, fled from the marauding bands of criminals and fellow, murderous Odisarians. I, through an unfortunate accident, was left behind and slaved away in a mine for many years. My mother died sometime thereafter and my brother wound up coming under the influence of the Empire and became a stormtrooper."
"What about your father," Chuchi asked solemnly.
Ben again stilled before acquiescing. "I believe my father is also an Imperial."
Silas' eyes grew wide but he maintained outward composure. "What does he do? Is he a stormtrooper as well?"
"No, I have reason to believe he works," Ben then remembered Scarif, "or worked for Director Krennic."
Truth be told, Ben had no idea where his father was. He had spent many minutes pondering the fate of his sire, a Death Trooper, who were no doubt deployed with Krennic on Scarif. He could only hope his father wasn't one of the unlucky ones.
"In what capacity?" Chuchi raised an eyebrow.
"A Death Trooper."
Both Silas and Chuchi audibly gasped.
Hoping to change the subject of the conversation away from uncomfortable family stories, Ben repeated his initial question regarding their immediate location.
Chuchi replied with a look of suspicion, "We're in the Kafrene asteroid belt. If I am not mistaken, there is 'a large outpost around here. That would be the best place to drop our AWOL trooper off."
"Is there a place to drop him off?" Ben asked.
"There should be an Imperial outpost on the planet," Chuchi replied.
"Are you suggesting that we should let this stormtrooper go?" Silas raised his eyebrow in suspicion.
"Well, he is my brother," Ben replied.
That is true, Ben. But you have to consider the optics of this situation if word gets out amongst the Alliance. We would be seen as aiding and abetting an Imperial."
"An Imperial?" Ben's voice held an edge of irritation, "he is a brother who has been lost to me for many years."
Silas was quick to reply. "Regardless of his rank, he is an Imperial. He has fought for an organization that has stood opposite of every ideal we fight for."
Ben sighed. "Silas, I understand your feelings, both of you, but I am not about to let one of my only remaining family members be left on an unfamiliar world, wounded. The least we can do, as not just Rebels, but compassionate people would be to leave him in the care of his fellow soldiers."
Chuchi soon brought the ship down on a landing platform after receiving clearance to land. The main city resembled Coruscant with its tall buildings, bright lights, and bustling sky lanes. After landing, all three scanned the area outside of the cockpit looking for any sign of planetary security guards or Imperial troopers.
"Ben?" A hoarse voice came from the transport bay.
Ben cleared his throat and left the cockpit, entering the soldier bay to find a prone Andre, still in his full stormtrooper armor, trying to unfasten the buckles secured around his waist and legs.
"Wait, wait," Ben said as he strode towards his brother, "I'll do it. You run the risk of aggravating and worsening your wounds."
Andre audibly grumbled beneath his mask, the sound coming out as a string of static sounds. Ben couldn't help himself, he laughed. It was almost as if their relationship had never changed despite the ravages of war. Ben knelt down beside Andre and gently undo the buckles holding Andre's waist and legs, the stormtrooper having already managed to undid to buckles around his head.
Ben worked to ease Andre into a sitting position, the man gasping audibly in pain as he moved to sit up, Andre's gloved hand moving to clutch his armored chest.
"Easy," Ben implored his brother.
After regaining his composure, Andre managed to take off his helmet. The bucket came off with a pop, a result of the pressurized bodysuit being unsealed, and for the first-time brother looked upon brother with their own eyes.
Andre's eyes shone in the dim shuttle light as tears threatened to spill at any moment. Ben gave his older brother a wide-toothed smile.
"Ben," Andre said in shaking voice, instantly moving and enveloping his younger brother in a tight embrace. The Rebel returned the hug, squeezing his brother's armored body as if trying to release all the pent-up emotions he had felt in the years since their separation.
After a long moment of comforted silence, both brothers released each other. However, Andre kept his gloves on Ben's shoulders, holding onto the younger Madrik in a tight grip.
"How did you end up in that uniform," Andre asked in as his eyes scanned Ben's dark blue uniform.
"It is a very long story that will have to wait," Ben said.
"Why?" Andre's brows furrowed in confusion, "where are we?"
"Kafrene."
"What are you guys going to do with me?" Andre asked.
"We are going to make sure you get better," Ben said.
"Am I your prisoner?" Andre's voice had worry colored throughout it.
Ben shook his head vehemently. "No, we are planning on releasing you into the care of your fellow soldiers."
After his discussion with Andre, Ben returned to the cockpit.
"What do you think we should do with our conscious Imperial?" Chuchi asked honestly.
Ben took little time in responding. "We take him to a nearby garrison, drop him off, and get out of here."
"That sounds bold," Silas said, still more than suspicious and wary of the stormtrooper onboard.
"Indeed, it is," Ben replied, "Where is the nearest outpost?"
Chuchi was silent as she quickly reviewed the onboard computer. "Three clicks."
"How do you propose we get to the outpost without arousing suspicion?" Silas asked with an eyebrow raised. "After all, we have an injured Imperial soldier with us."
Ben agreed that the question was a very good, one that they would have to solve if they wanted to remain unmolested.
"Do you know where uniforms, if any, would be stored on a transport like this?" Ben asked his two companions.
"Why do you ask?" Chuchi asked.
"Because we certainly can't be dressed as Rebels."
They walked amongst the darkened alleys with most people not sparing them a second glance. After much searching onboard the transport shuttle, they had managed to find a container that contained new, unused Imperial uniforms. However, there was a problem. They needed three or four pairs for all of them, but there were only two pairs. It was decided that Andre and Ben would wear the uniforms. Ben and Andre then dressed into the new uniforms, both sporting the rank of captain.
With the two uniforms taken, both Chuchi and Silas turned their dark blue coats inside-out, removed any other military insignia, took off their issued hats, and hoped that the dark sky of the asteroid belt would make them seem like bounty hunters, not uncommon on the world.
Now, as they casually walked through crowds, it seems their worries were assuaged. They had a brief moment of panic when they came across a squad of Imperial stormtroopers, and it seemed that their mission was about to be compromised. However, the four Imperial soldiers merely saluted and moved on.
Ben soon saw a large and dark colored durasteel building which displayed a large Imperial banner draped over the unassuming edifice.
"Here's the outpost," he said, stopping in an alley a short distance away. Andre stood beside him and both Chuchi and Silas close behind them. He turned the Andre, the black-clothed man panting heavily and holding his side, "This is where we must part."
Andre appeared hesitant to move. "But, will I see you again?"
Ben smiled at his brother and moved to kiss Andre on his forehead and wrap his arms around his sibling, only relenting when Andre, who returned the gesture, grunted in pain.
"Sorry," Ben said sheepishly.
Andre then turned to Silas and Chuchi, "Thank you for everything."
Both inclined their head, Chichi giving a small smile.
With one last clap on the shoulder, Andre moved past Ben and began walking, limping, towards the outpost. As he neared the building, he came into view of the two stormtroopers guarding the door. As he did so, he turned back to the alley where Ben, Chuchi, and Silas had been but found it empty. Saddened, he turned around and continued on.
HELLO ALL! Sorry for the past month, as I have been extremely busy with life. Hopefully, I will get back to posting regularly once more.
-LittleP
