Chapter Twenty-Nine: Rimma Trade Route
Bendu sat cross-legged in the cabin reaching out with the Force, his mind clear of all thought, as several items around the room floated or spun in place. He was at peace, letting a sense of calmness wash over him. For a few moments, he felt alive and could feel the Force flowing through him.
"Very good, apprentice," a voice mocked him, "but not good enough. You are weak and pathetic. You will never understand the true power of the Force if you continue to brush it gently. The Force isn't meant to be gentle. It's meant to be manipulated, to be coerced, to be bent to your will. Only then will you truly become powerful."
Bendu felt shame as he felt his anger grow. Through gritted teeth he questioned the Inquisitor, "The Force isn't an ally?"
"No. It is not. Only the weak consider it such. The Jedi used to think that way and looked what happened to them. They were cut down and destroyed by their own lack of understanding. They believed that only goodness and justice would come from the Force. They were wrong. They were wiped out. Only the strong survive. The Dark Side is where the true power of the Force lies. You can feel it, there is no denying it. The Dark Side is stronger, swifter, and ultimately, the victor. Only a true Dark Side user recognizes this."
"How do I control it?"
"You hold on to your anger, your hatred, your fears. Through those weaknesses, you will find power beyond your wildest dreams."
"But…it feels…wrong…" stammered Bendu.
The Inquisitor reached out and slapped Bendu across the face, interrupting his meditation. He laughed as everything in the room stopped moving and fell to the floor. When Bendu opened his eyes, they were full of hate and anger. The Inquisitor only laughed harder.
"Foolish boy. You've barely touched the surface of the Force," he slapped him again, "Feel the sting of my slap. Remember it, hold onto it. Focus it."
Bendu glared at the Inquisitor.
"Yes, that's it. Let your anger flow. Try again, weakling. Show me what you can do!"
Furrowing his brows, he reached deep and allowed his anger to fester. Almost instantly, several items lifted back into the air and spun rapidly. Many of them spinning, nearly out of control.
"Much better. But there is more to the Force then lifting things. Take the tumbler floating near me. Strike me with it. You know you want to."
Bendu felt sick to his stomach. This didn't feel right, though he couldn't deny how powerful he felt but at the same time, he could feel the beginnings of guilt starting to grow. This felt wrong and yet so powerful. His vision clouded and everything began to darken, only the image of the Inquisitor was clear and focused. He wanted to hurt him. He wanted him to feel the same shame of being slapped.
Something in the back of his mind screamed at him that it was wrong, every bit of it was wrong. It frightened him just a little. But he pushed the thought aside. Using his anger, he roared as the tumbler flew at the Inquisitor.
It smashed against the wall, the crystalline fragments falling harmlessly to the floor. The echo of laughter filled his ears. It was the Inquisitor, laughing at him again. Bendu's faced flushed red as he began to fling everything in the room at his tormentor.
Something smacked into his forehead and he lost his concentration momentarily. He blinked rapidly and looked up at the Inquisitor standing above him. He was smiling cruelly.
"That is enough for now, my apprentice. We are about to exit hyperspace. Gather your things, it's time for us to go."
Outside of the cabin, Katarina stood and listened. She bowed her head and leaned against the bulkhead. She did not like what she had heard. A sense of despair crossed her heart and for a moment, she felt a pang of guilt. Things had moved beyond her control, she admitted to herself. She silently wished she had never…
The sharp clap booted footfalls on polished plasteel floors echoed around her. Realizing that someone was nearing, she turned rapidly to face them. Standing before her was Lt. Jeebs.
"Ma'am, I heard that you had been released from the Medical Bay."
Katarina nodded an affirmative.
"I was sent to retrieve you. Commander Zelak is requesting your presence on the bridge."
"Inquisitor Zelak?" she asked confused.
"Yes, ma'am. He commandeered the vessel after capturing Lt. Duffhold and your siblings."
"Where is Lt. Duffhold and my brothers?"
"The brig, ma'am."
Apparently, Lt. Jeebs wasn't aware that Bendu wasn't in the brig. She decided not to inform him of his mistake. She thought things over for a minute before she realized the engines weren't humming like normal. Instead, she heard the unmistakable sound of the hyperdrive as it echoed and vibrated through the ship.
"We're in hyperspace. Where are we headed?" she asked cautiously.
"Travnin, ma'am," he said motioning towards the nearby elevator.
She headed towards it as Lt. Jeebs fell in step beside her.
"How are you feeling?" he asked with genuine concern.
"I'm fine, for the moment. My face is still sore, but I'll manage. How are things with my ship?"
"All is well, though we are operating on a skeleton crew. We didn't have time to recover them from Yelsain."
"So, we left them?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes, ma'am. As I said, the ship was commandeered by the Inquisitors. My hands were tied, there was nothing I could do. I did note it, though, in the ships logs, just in case," he said giving her sideways glance.
She nodded her head, "Good idea, Lieutenant.
Reaching the elevator, she reached out and activated the controls.
"Bring me up to speed, Lieutenant. What happens once we arrive in Travnin?"
"Lt. Duffhold and your brothers will be turned over to Babel Torsh."
"I see," she said gritting her teeth, "Why am I being summoned to the bridge?"
The elevator doors opened and she stepped inside, turning to block Lt. Jeebs from entering. Startled, he paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow. He eyed her suspiciously before answering.
"I would assume to return command to you? I honestly don't know," he managed to get out as she quickly activated the controls within the elevator.
"You are not in command then?"
He shook his head slowly.
"But you've been on duty since I left, yes?"
He nodded slowly.
"Then by my calculations, you've been on duty for over 24 hours. Since I am in command again, I relieve you of duty, Lt. Jeebs. I suggest you get some rest."
As the doors to the elevator started to close, "I appreciate you watching over the ship for me. Dismissed," she said, smiling.
Stunned, Lt. Jeebs stared at the elevator doors before turning and heading toward his quarters.
Still in hyperspace, the shuttle Aistriu continued to Travnin. Keeping to themselves, the flight crew monitored the controls, ignoring the twelve passengers who were secured in the cargo hold. They felt confident that the eight stormtroopers seated back there would handle any problems if they arose. The last few hours had been a breeze; they fully expected the remaining time for this flight to continue in the same fashion.
Jevik was seated between two stormtroopers. Though he was buckled into the webbing of the seat, he wasn't restrained in any other manner. Due to the nature of their departure, he figured it was because the Imperials wanted to speed this along as quickly as possible and they didn't view him as a threat. Not that he could put up much of a fight. He still suffered from uncontrollable muscle twitches, stemming from Capt. Screebs torture session. The incident within the cafeteria didn't help matters any. He obviously was suffering from some nerve damage, not that anyone cared. It was something he hoped to fix soon.
Across from him sat Yom and Phy. Though seated opposite of him, they were not seated next to one another, instead, having several seats between them. That didn't stop them from glaring at him continuously throughout the flight. If looks could kill, he thought, he'd be dead a thousand times over. Thank the stars they were buckled up as he was. He was also thankful that seated on either side of them were a pair of stormtroopers. The remaining two stormtroopers and a low-ranking officer chose to sit near the front of the cabin, where they could keep an eye on everyone.
Yep, things were just fine, he thought sourly. He only hoped that his gamble would work. He figured the risk would be worth it, not to mention the amount of credits it would cost him. Bribes weren't cheap, especially when it came to Imperial officials. Local authorities were one thing, Imperials were a whole different breed when it came to greed.
He watched Yom stew in his seat, an expression of anger on his face. He seemed hot under the collar, though he could care less what happened to the Wiseborns or their children. They could all be launched out the air-lock for all he cared. The kids had cost him quite a bit, the loss of the warehouse near Mestra was huge, but it wasn't his only asset. He never put all his eggs in one basket.
He smiled mockingly back at Yom. This seemed to set him off a bit as Jevik watched him shift in his seat. He was surprised when the buckles suddenly came undone and Yom launched himself across the cargo bay at him. Jevik's smile disappeared as Yom's fist struck his face, again. He vaguely heard yelling before he recognized the distinctive sound of a blaster being fired.
A blue wave of energy washed over him as he lost control of his muscle movements. Not again he tried to scream, but his jaw wouldn't open. He began to convulse in his chair before losing consciousness, yet again. Oh, how he hated the Wiseborns.
Situated outside the gravity well of the planet Travnin, an assembled fleet of mismatched fighters and one lone freighter, huddled close together. Positioned as they were, just outside of the normal hyperspace lane, they were well outside the scanning range of the Imperial Navy and their sentry droids. A very quick hyperspace jump would put them in the path of the Captum as soon as she exited hyperspace. They only had a few minutes left until that would occur.
Drun sat in the co-pilots chair aboard the Jud. He was nervous about the upcoming assault, but buried his fear down deep. He wasn't about to let those under his command learn of his unease. He needed to present himself as a strong and competent leader. Flipping a switch, he quickly spoke into his headset.
"Misfit One, are you and your squadron in position?"
"Affirmative Misfit Leader," came the reply from Commander Gordi.
"Excellent. When we arrive in system, I want your Y-Wings to make for the Captum directly. Hit them with as many ion torpedoes as you can. Have the Headhunters escort them in and target the turbo-lasers. I want the A-Wings to secure the perimeter and intercept any incoming TIE fighters.
You and I will make for the rear cargo hold of the frigate, as soon as the ship is disabled. Once we are secured to the Captum, I will lead the commandos in to recover the Wiseborn boys. This ship only has a skeleton crew, so any resistance should be minimal. Upon securing the boys, we'll return to the Jud and disengage from the ship. It'll be up to you and your boys to cover our retreat. Any questions?"
"None, your orders are clear, sir."
Flipping another switch, he opened a channel to the Rebels gathered within the Jud as well as the pilots gathered nearby. Clearing his throat, he addressed them.
"Attention everyone. What we do here today will serve to inform the Empire that the Rebellion is alive and well. It will let everyone know the time has come to resist the Empire, restore the Republic, cast aside our chains of oppression and grasp the fruits of freedom that were stolen from us. What we do today, we do for our fallen brethren, who died fighting for what they believed in and most importantly, we do this to help restore freedom across the galaxy!"
He stopped for a moment, as several cheers echoed throughout the ship as well as across the com system as well. He allowed himself a smile as he listened. For the first time in a long time, it felt good to be able to strike back at the Empire.
The bridge of the Captum was quiet and subdued when Katarina made her entrance. No one looked up or acknowledged her presence. She glanced around and spied Inquisitor Zelak standing near a console, idly sipping tea from a small cup and saucer. She quickly made her way over to him, noticing that he never looked in her direction.
Standing at attention, she spoke firmly and snapped a crisp salute.
"Capt. Katarina Screeb reporting for duty. You asked to see me Inquisitor Zelak?"
Feigning indifference, he never made eye contact with her.
"I did, Captain."
She stood there for a moment before she awkwardly ended her salute. Nothing was said between the two of them for several moments. Sighing, he set down his cup and saucer and turned to her.
"Where is Lt. Jeebs? I sent him to retrieve you."
"I dismissed him. He's been on duty for over 24 hours. Naval regulations require…"
Zelak held up a hand, interrupting her.
"I don't care about the regulations. Under whose authority did you dismiss him?"
"My own," she said, clenching her fists.
"I'm sure Lt. Jeebs informed you that I was in charge?"
"He did. I assumed you were going to transfer the ships authority back to me."
"You assume too much, Captain. You should never assume. It's unbecoming of an officer."
"According to Naval Regulations…"
"Again, with the Regulations. Regulations be damned. I'm in charge," he said, his voice rising in anger. A coldness seeped from him that caused Katarina to shiver slightly.
"Then why did you summon me to the bridge, Inquisitor?" She wanted to use his official title, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of the title he was due, per naval regulations, Commander.
"You are being relieved of your command. Lt. Jeebs will assume command of the Captum for the time being."
"Why?" she asked.
"I don't know the particulars, I'm supposed to hand you over to Babel Torsh when he arrives. He has some questions for you. You are to return to your quarters and remain there until we arrive at Travnin. Two guards will be posted at your door as a reminder.
Since you felt obligated to relieve Lt. Jeebs of duty, who would be a suitable replacement while he's resting? I haven't had the inclination to speak with any members of the crew."
"Since I'm no longer in charge, that isn't my problem now, is it?"
"Your insolence will cost you, child!" he yelled, using the Force to shatter the cup and saucer he had set down earlier.
"Again, not my problem," she replied sarcastically, as she snapped another crisp salute, "Do I need an escort or am I free to leave?"
Angry and annoyed, Zelak motioned to two nearby naval troopers to approach.
"Please escort Capt. Screeb to her quarters and stand guard until relieved. Understood?"
The two naval troopers nodded briskly before following the scowling Captain as she departed from the bridge.
Angry at the turn of events, she wished she had a moment or two to speak privately with Lt. Duffhold. If only the brig was on the way to her quarters, not three levels below. There was no way the troopers would allow her to divert their path, and she'd only make things worse if she died to elude them. No, she'd comply, for the time being. Although she did allow to fantasize about getting a few moments alone with Brick and her favorite stun baton. It was fast becoming her favorite fantasy.
Seated at the console of the Cameroon, Horshe flipped the switch at the end of Drun's message. Turning around in the seat, she faced the Wiseborn siblings.
"So, you know what his plan is. As crazy as it sounds, it just might work," she said calmly.
"I'm not so sure. They will be in Imperial space. There are other attack ships, gun boats, frigates and cruisers, not to mention well over a hundred or so TIE fighters. They will be slaughtered," explained Megara.
"There's a lot of space for them to cover. They all won't be near the battle site, and with the civilian traffic from the Rimma Trade Way, things will be quite congested. They won't be able to maneuver towards the battle as quickly as they would like," reminded Horshe.
Gypsy beeped and whistled, turning her domed head from side to side.
"I agree. I don't like their odds either," Evie said.
"But what can we do? We aren't warriors and pilots. We are…" Megara began.
"Wiseborns. We are Wiseborns, Megara," Evie interrupted, "we'll find a way."
"How?" asked Teba.
"Interference. A Diversion. I'm sure there's something we can do," Evie said hopefully.
"I…uh…did some checking of the ship and I think I may have something that will work," Javid said meekly.
"What?"
"I found something when I was going over the ship's specs in the computer system. It's something considered military grade and highly illegal for a civilian craft to have.," explained Javid.
"Well, what is it?" Megara asked.
"It's a jammer. We can jam any transmission within a certain proximity of our ship."
"A jammer? Well, now we're talking!" said Horshe excitedly.
"I haven't much experience with it, so it would be difficult to operate," Javid said.
"We'd just turn it on, right?" asked Teba.
"Yeah, we could. But it would jam all signals. I would need time to adjust it to jam just the Imperial signals."
"How long would that take?" asked Horshe.
"I don't know, a couple of minutes maybe?"
"We may not have that long," sighed Megara.
"It's all we've got," Teba reminded her.
"Can it be countered?" asked Evie.
"Eventually, once they realize they are being jammed. It would just be a matter of switching to another frequency on their part," Javid answered, "An adjustment or two on my part and we could continue the jamming."
"It sounds feasible. We should let Drun know," Horshe stated.
"No!" exclaimed Evie, "The less he knows, the better. He thinks we are safe and far enough away. He doesn't need the added stress of worrying about us. It's better if we arrive and start jamming everything immediately. Drun and his pilots have a plan, as long as they stick to it, they will be fine. The Imperials won't know we're coming, so our jamming will come as a complete surprise to them. They won't be able to alert their other forces in the system. This will buy Drun the time he needs."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Horshe asked concerned.
Evie looked to her siblings, and saw the resolve they each held. Turning to look directly at Horshe, "Yes.", she replied.
"Then it's settled."
Spinning back to the console she glanced at her monitors and scanners. Everything looked as it did when she last checked it.
"We should start getting ready. They'll be making the jump any moment," she said over her shoulder.
She gasped audibly as Drun and his Rebels had quickly disappeared from her monitors.
"Strap in, they just launched their attack!" Horse said as everyone scrambled to their seats.
In a matter of seconds, the Cameroon followed the Rebels into the heat of battle.
