Chapter 29: Quesh
A/N – And now, my favorite planet in the whole game. Stupid, tiny, meaningless floating rock. Does anyone else else feel like it was a last minute filler to connect the next part of the class stories together? Anyway...
Songs in order of appearance: She Blinded Me With Science ~ Thomas Dolby, Breathe ~ The Prodigy, Shadowplay ~ Eden Bridge, All Your Hate ~ Black Veil Brides
The shuttle to the planet's surface was uneventful. It was a medium three-seat left, two-seat right model, holding about fifty passengers in total. Vette had her face plastered to the viewport, as always. She loved watching planetfall. I was sitting beside her, reading from my datapad and listening to music. Quinn was beside me, absorbed in his own datapad. Across the aisle, Pierce and Jaesa sat. I couldn't really see Jaesa because Pierce was obstructing my view, he was sitting, head back and eyes closed. I could almost bet she was also staring out her viewport.
We landed and disembarked from the shuttle, respirators in place. It was hot and humid, the whole place had a red haze or dusting. My exposed skin felt moist and itchy at the same time.
Pierce took a deep breath, suppressed a cough and smiled. "Good to go."
The Imperial base was apparently called "Quesh Imperial Garrison - Main." Imaginative, that name. I led my company down the large elevator onto the central thoroughfare of the sprawling base.
First thing we did was check in with Imperial logistics. We were going to need to borrow resources while here, and it was never a bad thing to get on the good side of the local allies. Quinn mostly took care of that when my attempt was met with too much bowing and scraping. Apparently not many Sith bothered coming here. I couldn't imagine why.
Next thing we did was find lodging. Also something Quinn managed to do without much issue. We were given three adjoining rooms in the officer barracks block. Originally they were going to put me in with the officers and my crew with the enlisted - but when I found out I was going to be separated from the rest of my crew, I gave one of those notorious "Sith looks." They quickly found us something suitable.
When we were settled, I held a meeting in my room to figure out our next moves.
I opened with, "so, Quesh is already on my list of 'top ten most hated, useless planets', so let's try to get this done as quickly as possible."
"We know they escaped to Quesh on a shuttle, however we do not know if it was Imperial or Republic. I'll see if I can track air-space traffic in the last twelve hours," Quinn immediately responded.
"I'll talk up the soldiers. See if they've heard or noticed anything recently. Nothing better than scuttlebutt," Pierce added.
"I'll tap into the Hutt network. This place is Hutt controlled, so if anyone noticed anything odd, it should be on there," Vette piped in.
Jaesa looked at me and shrugged. I smiled at her.
"How about you and I go an meet this Moff Dracen the medical officer mentioned. May as well see what he's involved in," I suggested.
She smiled. "Whatever you need, Master."
###
Moff Dracen was an elderly, balding man with dark skin made darker from many years spent in the sun. His hair had long gone silver and was clinging valiantly to the back of his head in a crown from ear to ear. We walked in on him, one of his army generals, and other higher-ups having a discussion. The general was dark haired, but looked up in years – perhaps in his fifties.
"The Empire can't afford another loss, Major. We must crush the Republic immediately," the General said.
The major looked to be his thirties, with rosy cheeks and brown hair that was badly out of regulations – one side of it flopped over his right eye. "They've been on Quesh for years, we can't destroy their entire mining operation over night!"
The Moff looked up and noticed our approach and he held up his hand to stop the argument. "Gentlemen, we have company." He and his officers stood and came to greet us. "I am Moff Dracen, head of Quesh Imperial forces. You're here to join our war against the Republic?" He asked the last in a hopeful tone.
I tilted my head slightly to the left. "I am unfamiliar with the details. Bring me up to speed."
"Quesh is a valuable planet, if you can believe it," he said. "We're here to stop the Republic's operation."
"Don't waste your energy on her," the major with the bad hair snapped. "A woman has no place on the battlefield."
I stared at him for a heartbeat, unable to wipe my amusement at his stupidity off my face. "You do realize there is more power in my fist than in your entire army?" I raised my hand, directing the Force to him and closing my fist to illustrate with a Force Choke.
Dracen stood back and let me continue for a few seconds. When the major's face was changing from purple to just this side of blue, I released him and he fell to his knees to the floor, gasping for air.
"Enough," Dracen said – more to the major than me, "save it for the Republic. They are responsible for our assignment to this toxic rock. The Republic went digging and found the source of this planet's poison."
The previously silent officer stepped forward. "The miner's call it 'Quesh Venom.' Lies just below the planet's surface."
"We distill the stuff into 'Quell', a lethal poison. But the Republic knows how to refine it into high-grade adrenals," the general added.
"They've been processing the toxins into adrenals for years," Moff Dracen said. "With Hutt help no less. We've come to conquer their operation and claim Quesh's venom for the Empire."
I shook my head. "The Empire wouldn't wage war on this scale just for resources."
The Moff smiled. "Correct. The adrenals are a bonus. Our main goal is to test the Republic."
"Push them enough on Quesh and they'll be provoked into open warfare across the galaxy," the major said.
"Little late for that," Jaesa said quietly behind me.
"Once they violate the Treaty of Coruscant, the Empire can strike without risking neutral worlds joining in. We must rile their temper," Moff Dracen explained.
"Provoking them to all-out-war won't be easy," I said doubtfully.
"That's why we must bend them to their breaking point," he said. "First, we'll strike the Republic's venom mines."
"The venom produces noxious gas," the major interjected. "That's why Quesh is so lovely." I smiled at the sarcasm. "It's most lethal in the mines, so the Republic installed specialized filters."
"Destroy those filters, release the poisonous gas, and the Republic will have to flee the mines," Dracen said.
I glanced behind me to Jaesa and she shrugged. I turned back to the men. "I am currently involved in something else, but if I find time I may be able to assist with your little war."
Moff Dracen nodded, giving me a small bow. "Then we will proceed as if you are not involved at this time. Should you change your mind, please let me know."
###
Later that evening, my crew reported back in with their findings.
"Soldiers say there was some kind of crash early in the morning about a hundred and eighty kilometers from here. Couldn't find out if anyone sent a scouting party," Pierce said as he sat in one of the dining chairs, his feet up on the table and crossed at the ankles.
"Imperial intelligence reports the same. A scouting party was sent and has not yet returned," Quinn confirmed.
"Won't be anything to find," Vette added. "Hutt intel found nothing but a damaged Imperial shuttle. Looked like it was fired on when they escaped."
I paced the floor, thinking. "Vette, could you, Jaesa and Pierce go and find it... dig me up any clues that the native forces wouldn't notice?"
"Sure," Vette said.
"We'll get right on it," Pierce agreed.
They headed out to pack gear and snag transportation.
"Quinn, I need you to start locating any places they might use for shelter. Imperial, Republic, Hutt... anything and everything. If anyone gives you trouble, come get me. We can't let this trail get much older or we'll be groping blindly," I asked.
He nodded, standing from the chair he had occupied. "I will not let you down. We will find the Admiral."
I nodded and watched him leave.
###
While everyone did what they were supposed to, our trail was getting fainter. It had been nine days since we arrived and we had yet to find Admiral Monk or anything that led to him beyond an abandoned campsite he had used his first night on-world.
Just last night, I had removed us from the Imperial Garrison and into the field, literally. We were setting up camp in the wilds of Quesh, hoping to cover more ground with a mobile base. Luckily, Quesh was so polluted, wildlife posed little threat to our progress. The occasional curious lobel or havrap would come near, but they stayed away for the most part.
We were positioned about two hundred kilometers from the Imperial Garrison and six hundred meters from the nearest Republic base. There was always a chance he fled to the Republic, but I had a feeling that with his possible "double agent" status, neither place was safe for him.
We were sitting around our evening campfire, preparing for tomorrow's split excursion. No one was really speaking to one another. The frustration and general exhaustion seemed to be catching up to all of us. Pierce was preparing for his next injection – Quinn was going to administer it. I had pulled Jaesa away, to the perimeter of our camp in the dark. She and I sat cross-legged, with our knees touching.
I raised my hands, palms flat and facing her. She mirrored me. We did not touch, just sat there.
"I need your special skill, Jaesa. I know Force users are much easier for you to find, but if I let you borrow some of my energy, do you think we could boost the signal?" I asked.
I saw her ponder this, the faint light from the campfire showing on the right side of her face. "I don't know, but I'm willing to try. We're looking for someone desperate, on the run, hiding. I'll see if I can't feel him."
I nodded and closed my eyes, pulling the Force from inside me and willing it to travel to her, gently.
"I feel... ugh," the frustration in her voice was palpable, "I feel... oh... something – yes, Northeast. Faint, so faint, but desperate and cornered. Definitely human, not animal. I... it's so faint."
I opened my eyes and looked at her – face scrunched up, almost as if she was experiencing pain.
"Jaesa, you can stop," I said, pulling my Force from her just as gently as I had given it.
She opened her eyes, her features smoothing out again. "I'm sorry that wasn't more helpful, Master."
"No, Jaesa. It was the most helpful thing we've gotten in seven days." I replied, smiling.
###
We traveled Northeast for another three days. Each night we made camp, Jaesa did her meditation. Each night she insisted we were getting closer. The small spark of hope improved everyone's mood immensely.
That morning, she insisted on doing one last sweep, to try to more accurately pinpoint our destination. When I saw her frown, I knew bad things were ahead.
"The Force. I can feel it. I couldn't feel it before. It's new. Same direction," she said, opening her eyes and looking up at me. "It feels like a Jedi."
"Quinn," I called.
He approached us. "My Lord."
"Check your files, see if there is anything Republic in the general vicinity. Jaesa says she felt Force activity," I ordered.
He nodded and typed some things into his datapad and frowned. "There is a small Republic outpost not more than fifty kilometers from us. Fort Phalanx. It's used as a holding area for shipping containers heading off-world."
"Looks like Admiral Monk may have fled back to the Republic after all," I stated. "Let's head out and see what this Fort has for us."
What Fort Phalanx held for us were a platoon of Republic soldiers and a Jedi Guardian. When we arrived at the small building, I pretty much told everyone to have fun and not get hurt. At this point, even if the building wasn't harboring Admiral Monk, I figured my people deserved some entertainment.
I didn't even engage in battle, instead I had the rare privilege of walking behind my personal demolition crew as they tore through everything. That poor Jedi.
We found our target in a back room, nervously pacing. He was a pale, thin man in his forties with black hair slicked back and a thin mustache.
When we entered the room, he gave me a double take, his face shocked. "What does Baras think he's doing, sending you here after me? Is he trying to make himself look good? Give himself an alibi? Because you can tell him 'mission accomplished'."
I frowned, but continued forward to meet him in the middle of the room. My crew spread themselves out in a defensive position.
"Almost all of my men are dead, including my Jedi escort off this planet," he said, gesturing past us to the doorway. "You've done a great job making this look legit. Now back off!"
"I don't understand you," I said, confused. "My mission is to kill you."
"We're on the same side, idiot," he barked out. "These are my senior officers. We all defected over a decade ago and have been working for Baras since."
I looked at him, shaking my head.
"But, wait, you didn't know this? He didn't tell you we were following his command?"
"I don't question my master's orders," I replied.
"Maybe you should start," he growled. "This is foolish. We've been loyal to him; our cover's intact. Why would he destroy something so valuable?"
"This is the eventual fate for every spy of Baras', Admiral," I stated.
"I suppose you're right about that," he said with a sigh. "But he can't think that we're going to take this laying down. Men! Our master has decided we're expendable. Let's prove otherwise!" He called out to his remaining people.
Again, I didn't need to do anything. My people took out Monk's men swiftly. Admiral Monk was saved for last and Pierce dragged the man to kneel in front of me.
He looked up at me, resignation and hate flashing in his eyes. "I pity you, his blind obedient lap dog. No one's safe... with Baras. Not even you."
I nodded. "Comes with the territory." I removed my main hand saber from my belt.
"I hope he dies a... painful death," he said darkly.
I ignited my lightsaber and nodded again. "I can promise you that he will when the time comes." I plunged my lightsaber into his chest and watched the life fade from his dark eyes.
Pierce removed his hand from the man's shirt and the body fell to the floor.
"If this is true, Darth Baras may be as crazy as Moff Broysc," Quinn remarked on our way out.
"For our sakes, I really hope not," I said grimly.
###
Four days travel back to the Imperial Garrison and we took a return shuttle to the Quesh Orbital Outpost and the Shadow Eclipse.
When we stepped on board, 2V-R8 was there to greet us.
"Welcome back, Master. I've applied a new coat of paint to your quarters. Same color only... fresher," he said happily.
"Ah, thanks, Toovee," I replied. "Give me a few minutes. I really need to wash Quesh off of me."
"You have all gained a pinkish hue, Master. Some time in the refresher would be recommended," He agreed.
When I saw myself in my refresher mirror, I realized he was right. Ew. I took a long, hot shower and changed into my red and black armor. 2V-R8 fetched my white and black set, promising to have it back to pristine condition.
Once properly clean and attired, I had Vette disengage us from the orbital station and head back into space. It was her bridge duty rotation, so she was going to miss the call to Baras.
I waited until everyone had gathered before I called my master on the holoterminal. His rotund metal form appeared before us.
"Apprentice, my master, Darth Vengean, is distraught. With his covert attack exposed, the Treaty of Coruscant has been broken. And apparently Moff Masken did not survive Admiral Monk's ambush. His remaining crew are not speaking about it. What happened?" He inquired.
"He accused us of setting him up and attacked me. So we killed him in self-defense. I am not surprised that his remaining crew won't speak of it. They chose to side with me and probably fear punishment," I answered.
"Ah, so he was twice the fool. First to falsely suspect us and second to think he could defeat you."
I made a split second decision to continue my charade as his loyal apprentice. We suspected that this was all part of some crazy scheme of his, but there was no need to make us next on his list. And I wanted more proof. "It was the last mistake he'll ever make," I stated.
"Sadly, yes. Some people bring about their own destruction with little thought. What's important is that you accomplished your objective – the elimination of Admiral Monk. It is a major blow to the Republic. Now, the final Plan Zero target has been discovered." He stood up taller. I bet he was smiling under that ornate mask of his. "The hunt for Jedi Knight Xerender takes you to Hoth. Contact me when you arrive."
I bowed my head and watched his image fade out.
"Vette," I yelled.
"What?" she yelled back from the bridge, peeking her head around the doorway.
"Hoth. We're going to Hoth."
"Setting coordinates for one gigantic ice-ball in space," she replied.