Rebel Victory Docking Bay
"Chewie, let's get a move on," Han called across the top of the Falcon. As usual, Chewie was working on something important, but Han's impatience would cause a mild Wookie meltdown. At least with Han there would be no truly terrifying Wookie outburst. They were known for their short fuses.
Han slid down to the ground, a little further than it used to seem. "Umph! Stang!" he cursed as he limped around to the ramp. There, leaning against a strut, was Admiral Kyrell.
"Hi, General Solo," Thane said with a knowing smile.
"Hello, Admiral," Han replied, staring for a moment, then proceeding to waddle his way up into the belly of the Falcon. Of course, Thane followed.
"Doing some general maintenance work, I see," Thane said.
Han glanced over his shoulder as he continued toward the cockpit. "Yah – general maintenance work. Why?"
"General Solo?" Thane asked, his pitch dropping significantly on Solo. "Where are you going?"
Han stopped and whirled around. When Han saw Thane's smile was much bigger than before, and that Thane was entertained as opposed to interventional, Han relaxed. "Look kid, you've got much bigger concerns than this one little ship on your great big ship in your ginormous fleet."
"Yah, nice try Solo. Do they know you're coming?" Thane asked, sitting down in the co-pilot's seat. Han plopped down in his.
"Nah – I'm not even sure where they are. I have an idea. That's all it is. An idea," Han said, pointing his index finger at Thane to make his point in typical Han Solo fashion.
"Here," Thane handed Han a set of coordinates. Han looked at the flimsy in his hand and back up at Thane. Thane put his finger up to his mouth. To Han's relief, at least the kid didn't actually shush him.
Han sat back and the lopsided grin popped out. "You slimy, no good, back stabbin' Rebel – you tracked them!" Han declared. "I like you better and better all the time, Kyrell!"
"Don't ask me how I did it. That's the deal. In fact, I'd prefer you stick with your original story – it was a hunch or whatever you were going off of," Thane said, waving his hand in the air.
Han's smile switched sides, and he looked up at the ceiling, fiddling with some doohickey's Thane assumed were Han Solo specials. They probably went to some crazy trap door or something. "Yah, well, I don't need a hunch, Admiral." Han tossed the flimsy back to Thane. Thane caught it and looked stunned at first, then he caught on.
"I'm a slimy, no good, backstabbing rebel?" Thane laughed.
"Hey – someone had to keep an eye on that crew. I've had to get Farmboy out of more scrapes than he'll ever admit to," Han said.
"Oh, I've heard stories. I think he knows it – and appreciates it," Thane said, standing. "Do you want to send a few ships out simultaneously with yours and create confusion in case…"
"Sure, if you don't mind. That'd be great," Han said. Then he looked serious. "You going to be okay here, Kyrell? You're walking a fine line," Han said.
Thane nodded. "I guess it's a good thing I've got good balance."
"Yah, yah, kid. Just… be careful, will ya? Nothing is worth missing the really big moments. You know what I mean, right?" Thane nodded and extended his hand to Han.
"Thanks, General. I'll get those diversions ready. How long?"
"Fifteen, tops," Han said.
Fifteen minutes later…
Four separate vehicles departed Rebel Victory, and on cue, all four shot off in separate directions, looped around, crossed paths, then shot off in entirely different directions. They flew close enough to confuse almost any system long enough to lose their lock on a ship-specific digital signature. In two hours, Han would see Leia and Kendy. He'd tell Leia about Grhan, and let Leia share the life altering news with her close friend.
And then Han would have a long overdue talk with Leia. It was time to confess. He hoped she'd take it well, but there was a chance he'd be in the dog house for a long, long time.
Jelucan: Pikson-Kyrell Residence
"Gan, have you seen Sara and Sila? I went to the apartment and they weren't there."
"No, I haven't. Did you ask Ciena?" Verine looked out on the patio and pointed. Gan leaned around the corner from the kitchen and smiled. "She cracked her data pad that had all of Thane's correspondence. The poor girl didn't think to back it up on a data card. She's afraid to do anything until an expert sees it."
"Gan, I don't know how to thank you for everything – for everything you have brought to my daughter and my family's life," Verine said, reaching out and putting her hand over Gan's as Gan stirred her latest creation in a bowl.
Gan stopped stirring and shook her head. "Oh, Verine. You have it backwards. When Thane arrived, out of the blue, and I saw he was alive… he was so cold and closed off. You were kind to me. You stood by me and held my hand. You made it harder for Thane to lash out at me because you put yourself in the way. I've never forgotten that," Gan said.
"I don't remember it that way," Verine said. What I remember was Ciena being so near death, and how you jumped in and everything was pulled together because of you. My daughter wouldn't be here today if you weren't so understanding. Paron was still very closed minded at the time, but he had seen how much Thane cared for Ciena. When he saw you – your kindness and selflessness - it put a little crack in his shell. And every day since then – well, it's been like a miracle. And then Geth and how he has brought out the Paron I knew when we were young. It's always been there, but hardships, prejudices – life – it just got buried underneath it all."
"Isn't it funny how differently we see things through our own lenses?" Gan asked. "If we can just make it through this time with everyone making it home in one piece I'll be so grateful."
Verine smiled and patted Gan's hand before walking away. "I'll check downstairs. Sara said she was going to freshen up the guest suites. I wonder why she isn't answering her comm, though."
Gan continued stirring. It wasn't long before Verine came back up looking worried. "Gan… you don't think she went down the mountain for some reason, do you?"
"I can't imagine she would. We agreed we would all go together." Gan heard Lucy waking up from her nap. She grabbed a towel, wiped her hands and said, "Let me get the little one and we'll figure this out," Gan said.
Twenty minutes later they had no sign of Sara. Her speeder was in the carport.
"The Clinic, maybe?" Verine asked.
"That's possible!" Gan said, relieved. "Sila was pulling at her ears and fussing, which is unusual. She probably walked over to see Daniel."
Gan called over to the Clinic, but no one answered. "That's odd," she said. "The receptionist should be there all day." Gan tried again. Still, no answer.
"Let's walk over," Verine suggested. "I'll get Ciena."
A few minutes later the three women and a still napping Lucy made their way down the road to the Clinic. They walked in the front door and immediately felt something was off. There was no one behind the desk and the Holo was ringing. Ciena had already set off through the reception area and around the corner. "Mom! Mumma!" she called. The ladies came running and found Ciena on the ground holding Daniel's head in her lap. "He's unconscious. Check the rooms!"
Verine and Gan set off down the hallway checking the rooms but finding no one inside.
"Mumma, sit with him. I need to look for something to wake him up," Ciena said.
"No – you sit with him. I know more about these things anyway," Verine insisted. Gan was now on the HoloPhone calling security. The Guards reported that nothing passed any of the checkpoints. Guards were headed in.
Verine returned and knelt by Daniel. She squeezed a tiny yellow ball under his nose and it popped. A vapor of some sort floated out into his nostrils. As if a Rancor bit him in the butt, Daniel flew up from where he sat. He was standing, then falling, then back on the floor. Verine caught his head in time to prevent catastrophe.
"Daniel! Daniel!" Ciena called. Verine looked at Ciena with a should I or shouldn't I look. Ciena shrugged, not quite understanding. Verine slapped Daniel across the face. He sat up and looked at her, confused and disoriented.
"Daniel, can you understand me?" Ciena said. "Please, Daniel, what happened?"
Daniel looked at Ciena, dazed and trying to focus his eyes. His glasses – they were… Ciena looked around and didn't see them. "There were four," Daniel croaked. He cleared his throat. "Four, there were four beings. Two human, one Trandoshan, and I don't know what the other was."
"Sara and Sila, Daniel? Were they here?" Ciena asked.
"Yes," he answered. "I looked at Sila's ears. They were fine, but Sara was so worried. Then…" Daniel looked off into nowhere.
"Daniel!" Ciena yelled.
"Yes, I, um… Sila – she was so upset. She kept grabbing her ears. Sara was saying, 'See! Why is she doing that?' Honestly, I was stumped. Sila looked at me like she was trying to tell me something. She said, 'Ba sib dum! Ba sib dum!' and 'Doe! Doe! Doe!' over and over. Then there was a loud bang. I told them to stay where they were and I came out into the hall. There were two humans right outside the door with masks on. I must have inhaled whatever it was and… Oh, no! Sara and Sila!" Daniel stood up again, a tad less wobbly. He burst into the treatment room, then looked back at Ciena and Verine. Gan came around the corner and saw Daniel in distress.
"What?" Gan said.
Ciena had her hand on her forehead and looked pale. Verine was repeating, "Oh no. Oh no."
Daniel said, "Gan – they took Sara and Sila."
"What? What do you mean? Who took them?" Gan was in an instant panic.
"I don't know. I saw them – in masks. But the girls were here, in this room." Daniel seemed more than upset. He was stunned by something he couldn't make sense of.
The sound of footsteps caused everyone to jump. Guards came flooding into the Clinic. Gan turned and said to the one approaching her, "They took Sara and Sila. We don't know where or how. There were…"
"Four," Daniel said. Two human, one Trandoshian and the other I didn't recognize. One female human had a bald head except for a very long, ponytail that started high on her head – it was purple. She wore pale white make up – unless she has had her skin bleached. The other human was a male. He was wearing full armor – except his helmet was off. It looked Mandalorian, although I've never seen it in person so I can't be sure. He had brown hair and was wearing a filtration mask, too. The Trandoshian was a… well, a tall, green Trandoshian. The other being was short – maybe a meter and a quarter. I don't know if it was male or female. It wore large disks on the top and around the base of its head area. It had interesting armor on with a large red emblem on the front." Daniel stopped. "I can't recall anything else right now. No one spoke while I was awake. I don't know how they got here or how they left. I just know they came for the girls. And…"
"And?" Gan asked. "Please, Daniel, whatever it is, say it," she begged.
"I swear, Gan, Sila knew they were coming." Daniel stared at Gan and Gan knew he believed it. She nodded. "Okay, you'll have to fill me in on that part later."
"No – it matters!" Daniel insisted. She said, "Ba sib dum," over and over, grabbing at her ears and looking up at the ceiling… or the sky… Baa, bab, bac, bad, ba… bad! Bad sib, sip…ship! Bad ship dum, dun…"
"No, try changing the first sound," Ciena said. "I was reading about child speech development. Try changing the first letter. Dum..bum..come! It's come! Bad ship come!. The 'doe doe doe' could be 'go go go'?" Ciena guessed. They all were silent for just a moment, then Ciena said with conviction, "She was saying, 'Bad ship come. Go!' She sounded more confident than she actually felt.
A guard came into the hallway and handed something to the man in charge. "Does this look familiar?" He held up Sila's small blankie, and Gan burst into sobs. Verine embraced her and rocked her back and forth.
Ciena went into her professional mode. "Where did they find that, Officer Gage? Can you show me?"
Soon they were walking outside the Clinic to the parking area. "There," a young guard said. It was laying over there, draped over the edge of that bush."
"Sara might have tossed it quickly as a clue," Ciena stated. She looked at the parking lot. "Officer Gage, do you have traffic diverters?"
"Of course," he said. "You want some here? Now?" Ciena nodded. The man snapped his fingers and immediately an entire group of men went running.
Ciena was inspecting the parking area more closely. "Daniel, you had the surfaces cleaned how recently?" Ciena asked, thinking she knew the answer. She could hear the machines while she was on the balcony the day before.
"Why, yesterday," Daniel said. The men returned with the meter tall posts used to divert traffic during construction or a random check. They'd been using them to stop traffic and check identification. Ciena took one and walked across the parking lot to a spot that to most observers would not have appeared any different. She then took the second and placed it approximately 8 meters away from the first. Then she took a third and placed it 8 meters from both the first and second posts. It made a triangle. Ciena went and stood in the center.
"This is a specific shuttle. It has a unique footprint. The Empire used these for quick, in-and-out jobs. They were quieter than most shuttles that had the amount of space inside that they do. They are lighter weight. The repulsorlifts would have been where the poles are. The engines angled outward midway between the poles. Now look at the tree in the path of where that engine would have been firing." They all looked and, sure enough, the tree was stripped of its outer surface revealing its tender, raw underside.
Gan was sobbing now, her cries coming in gasps. Verine held her with Lucy in the middle looking confused. "Mama," she said in her sweet little voice. "Mama ty?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, baby, momma is crying. Momma is sad. It's okay, though," Gan said, trying to put calmness in her voice and managing a smile for Lucy.
"No mama. No mama ty!" Lucy insisted.
"Okay, baby, momma will try not to cry," Gan said, squeezing Lucy tight.
"Ma'am," Gage said. "I just got word from port authority. They tracked a vessel that approached without responding to any attempts to hail it. Its identification number was unregistered. Jelucan's forces had it tracked to this general location and are still on their way up the mountain. One vessel requested permission to land at your hangar, but haven't been able to raise anyone." Gan looked at her wrist and realized she had taken her wrist comm off while cooking. "Of course they can land. Are they still in route?"
Gage was talking into his comm with a blur of code numbers and a few intelligible bits and pieces. "The Jelucan ship turned back ten minutes ago." Gan groaned.
"How about tracking it – have they been able to see it since it left?" Ciena asked.
Gage looked miserable to have to say the words. "No – it was able to elude our tracking system."
"I know where they are going!" Ciena said. "Grhan told us. They are going to Kaphthosis. These were the people Nash sent to get Sara and Sila," Ciena said, surprisingly calm and collected. "I have to tell Thane so he can tell Dalven and… they'll try to intercept the ship on its way over."
"Ciena, can our equipment detect transmissions or information from a ship that landed here?" Virene asked. Ciena's back was to Gage and only a few guards were in her line of sight. She mouthed a "shhh" to her mother. Verine realized her mistake. No one was to know about their set up. Geth made that abundantly clear.
By now, the entire crew were walking back to the house, a circle of armed guards surrounding them. Daniel was with them. Gan had put the "closed" sign on the door and set the HoloPhone to the after-hours message. Daniel didn't argue. He just followed the women feeling as low as he could ever recall feeling.
A few minutes later, Ciena was once again using the "emergency only" contact to Thane. He answered, but this time he was apparently on the Bridge from the looks of it.
Before he could say anything, Ciena said, "They got them, Thane. Sara and Sila – they're gone!"
Rebel Victory – Conference Room
Dalven entered the room alone as Thane had asked – before anyone else could get there. His face was red and he had been running. "What? What is it?" he asked. Putting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.
Thane walked up to Dalven and put his hands on his brother's shoulders. "Sara and Sila," he said.
"No!" Dalven stated. "Uh-uh, no way," he said, shaking his head. Thane grabbed Dalven and pulled him embrace his brother.
"We're going to get them back!" Thane said through his teeth. "We will, Dalven. I promise you right here, right now. We're going to get them both back!"
Dalven's arms hung in front of him. He leaned his forehead into Thane's chest and his shoulders started to heave. "No!" Thane exclaimed. "Don't give in, Dalven. Be strong," Thane encouraged him.
Dalven seemed to nod, then he took a step back and Thane kept one hand on his shoulder. The door to the room slid open and in came Bull, Steps, Stretch and Lem. Geth was one step behind, talking to Lieutenant Endells about something they were excited about. Thane stared at Dalven and Dalven stared back, then he nodded and moved to take a seat. Geth caught the tail end of the exchange and then saw Dalven's face.
Geth stood next to his men. "Heads up. This is serious." Geth crossed his arms, staring at Thane with an anxious, but determined look.
"They got Sara and Sila," Thane said.
"No kriffen way! I have security all over that place," Geth's voice boomed, deep and angry.
"Regardless, it's true. There were four of them, two human, a Trandoshian, and something else. They stormed the Clinic where Sara had taken Sila to have her ears checked. They are evidently in a rarely used shuttle that the Empire used for rapid incursions and exits."
"What do you want to bet Ecks manufactures the shuttle," Lem offered.
"Yes – that's good thinking." Thane said. He looked at Lieutenant Endells.
"On it," the Lieutenant said.
"No one else was hurt, except Daniel was knocked out by a chemical of some sort. He's fine now," Thane said. "I've spoken to Fleet Command. I'm authorized to send in a sizeable force to deal with the Compound, but I need eyes on the ground, first. We have to send in an advanced team to somehow get Sara and Sila out of there."
"We can do it!" Bull asserted. "Send us in – we won't fail." Geth was startled by the typically quiet's man assertiveness.
"Thank you, Bull. I might take you up on that offer. I've put in a call to Master Skywalker to see if the Jedi can help. We also have a man on the inside who is helping us now."
"A man on the inside?" Geth asked.
Thane nodded. "Paxson."
Geth's face turned red and he turned away. Lem, Bull, Stretch and Steps actually looked relieved. "Geth," Thane said. "It's true. We know it's true because Grhan told us." Geth snapped around, his expression confused and stunned, as was everyone else's around the table. Thane nodded. "Grhan contacted Ciena today. He wasn't killed – his ship was disabled and he was taken. Nash has been holding him at the Compound since that time. He was discovered by a woman who was there on her own covert mission. Nash took something of value to her employer and she was there to retrieve it. She discovered Grhan, released him, and they fought their way off the compound together. They were almost caught, but Paxson risked himself to get them to the woman's shuttle. He's the one who gave us the intel about where they were, the forces that are there – a lot of helpful intel," Thane explained.
Geth nodded and swallowed hard. "Grhan is alive. Stang, this whole time Windrider has had him. Is he okay?"
"Yes. In fact, he should be here in the next two hours," Thane said.
Geth cleared his throat. "What about Paxson?"
"We don't know. Grhan said that it was going to be tricky for him to get back into the compound undetected," Thane replied.
"He's fine!" Lem said. "Pax will find a way." The other men nodded in agreement and looked as anxious to move as Dalven.
"Also, he's the one who warned us about the possible action against Sara and Sila. Paxson must have refused to do it, so Nash went another route. Paxson said it might be too late on Jelucan, but if it was and the girls ended up on Zaphthosis, he would get them out and back home. Grhan is certain of Paxson's sincerity. He said he detected sincerity… and shame," Thane explained.
Geth squared his shoulders. "Admiral Kyrell, it goes without saying. Whatever is being done, my team needs to be written into the plan," Geth said to his step-son.
"I agree, General," Thane said. "In fact, I was going to ask if you would be willing to lead the small incursion team to try and remove Sila and Sara before our forces move in. Between you and the Jedi – and whatever you have on that freighter of yours – it might be their best chance," Thane explained.
"I'm going with you," Dalven said quietly.
"Son, that's a bad idea," Geth said. Dalven looked up at Geth, his expression furious and eyes wild with anger. "And that right there is why," Geth said, pointing to him. "Dalven, you won't help Sila or Sara or any of us – you'll place us at risk. You will jump when we should stay quiet. You will insist on action when we need patience. You are too close to the victims. This isn't about you, son, it's about human nature."
"I won't do any of those things. I'll stay behind you the entire time. I swear I will. I need to do this," Dalven pleaded.
Geth rapped his knuckles on the table and heaved a heavy sigh. He walked around the table to stand in front of Dalven. "The last thing in the world I want is to hurt you, Dalven. If I were in your shoes, if this were Gan and Lucy, I'd insist and pull rank and every trick in the book to get on the detail, too. I know I would, so I'm not going to pretend I am not being a hypocrite. Still, I want you to think about Sara and Sila and what is best for them. You – safely here for when we return with them, or you risking yourself in the process of trying to save them? If you get hurt or killed, Sara will never forgive herself. If something happens and one of the girls gets hurt, you will blame yourself," Geth said. He put his hands on Dalven's shoulders and squeezed gently. "So please, I am asking you as someone who loves you as his son… I'm asking you as a father to his son, Dalven. I'm asking you as a man who truly loves you as I do your brother and Lucy… no less than I loved Jake and Malee – do the hard thing and stay here for Sara and Sila, for your mother, sister, brother, and for me."
Dalven leaned into Geth's massive chest and Geth wrapped an arm around him, holding Dalven's head against his shoulder. "Thank you, Geth," Dalven cried. "I can't survive without them. I just can't. If you say it's for the best, I'll listen. Just bring them back to me," Dalven begged.
Thane walked over and placed a hand on Dalven's shoulder. "I'll be right here with you, brother. We'll coordinate the operations from here. You'll still be in the fight." Dalven looked up and nodded at Thane.
Lem stood up, then the rest of the men followed. "Sir, with your permission, we'd like to start prepping for the mission?"
"Permission granted," Geth said. "And Thane, I think it's time you took a tour of my freighter. Dalven, you, too. But remember, if you can't keep it to yourselves, don't come. No exceptions." Thane and Dalven looked at one another and an almost childlike grin broke from the corners of their mouths – odd at a time like this. They both nodded.
Rebel Victory – Docking Bay
Thane and Dalven descended the ramp of the freighter and were pretty much speechless. Thane knew Geth had his connections and invested a lot into preparedness for anything that could happen after surviving the Clone and Galactic Civil Wars. But this left the boys awestruck – and kind of kicked Geth up a few notches in the coolest step-dad in the Galaxy contest.
Thane reached into his pocket and felt the folded piece of Flimsy. He looked out into the Docking Bay and surveyed the variety ships. An idea crossed his mind that he regretted not having realized in the first place.
"I just remembered something I have to do! I'll see you shortly," Thane hollered back as he bolted out of the Docking Bay.
Thane was closer to the Bridge than his office. When he ran onto the bridge he yelled, "At ease!" to mitigate some of the confusion his dramatic entrance might cause. He sat in his chair at the command console. He entered the information and within seconds Grhan appeared.
"Thane?" Grhan asked.
"Change of plans," Thane said. "The Jedi are relatively the same distance as the Rebel Victory from where you are. I'm diverting you to the Jedi," Thane said.
"Oh, that is… well, that's great!" Grhan exclaimed. "May I ask if there is a specific reason?"
"There is, but I cannot get into it right now," Thane looked around at his surroundings. In a slightly softer voice, he added, "The escort will leave you at that point. You will not have difficulty locating them."
"Thank you, Thane. I was looking forward to seeing you, but –"
"Say no more," Thanes smiled. The comm ended.
