Chapter #36

It took three months for the intelligence team to get into place on the three planets assigned them. Vin, Thom and Tuer were deep undercover on Bilbringi, discovering intel on a navigation system that had never been seen before. Vin was convinced it was close to completion as the testing site had shut down abruptly last week.

Evans complained long and loud about being stuck on Coruscant, but most felt it was a smoke screen. Working as a bouncer in one of the E-28 level bars turned out to be a perfect fit for the large Corellian who probably made a nice little sum on the side.

Saphi and Donovan kept a close eye on the steel yards of Dubrillion as they pumped out massive amounts of metal and quietly shipped it off planet. Saphi was waiting for word from her informant as to where all this material was going. After several comm meetings with her peers she had a pretty good idea it was headed to where the lieutenant and Mara were placed.

Three months even later gave Mara and Lieutenant Rylan the additional time they needed to correlate all the data from the team and lock it into place with their own findings: the Empire was building something massive, relatively fast and deadly.

Mara burst through the door of their shared apartment and pulled her datapad from her backpack. "You've got to see this." She crossed to the kitchen table and dropped into a chair.

"Let's see." Rylan swallowed a mouth full of cereal and moved his bowl to the other side of the table.

"Not only did I get a copy of the Tarkin Doctrine, but I was able to get a few shots of a partial blue print."

Rylan squinted, biting his lower lip. "Geez look at the size of that laser."

"It's called a Superlaser."

"The cannon well is huge!"

"That's not all," said Mara, swiping the screen to the next page. "It also has multiple turbolasers and is capable of proton torpedoes. But it's the Superlaser that worries me the most."

Rylan pointed at the center. "What's that?"

Mara looked closer. "Some kind of trench. Must be used to service the monstrosity."

"It looks like this thing will eventually be shaped like some kind of sphere. How is it powered?"

"Fusion reactor."

"Must be a big one."

"Huge."

"This Superlaser makes no sense. I mean, how do they control the beam? How do they even generate the beam?"

Mara reached back towards the counter, tipping her chair and grabbed a muja fruit from a bowl. "Not sure, but you remember two months ago when Saphi said something about a large crystal order coming through to Dubrillion from Couruscant?"

Ry nodded.

"I'm speculating that this thing would use multiple crystals to generate several single beams, then focus them into one individual beam using the canon well."

"That would take a lot of men to oversee a single strike. Just seems counterproductive to me."

Mara leaned towards the lieutenant. "Not if the energy blast was big enough."

Ry swallowed. "How big?"

"I don't know," said Mara. She bit into her fruit and chewed. "Big enough that one blast would take out a massive target."

"Okay now you're scaring me, Mara."

She popped up from her chair and sat down on Rylan's lap. "Don't worry, Lieutenant. I'll protect you." Mara slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss, savoring the warm feel of his lips to hers.

Rylan pulled away and grinned. "You taste like muja. He licked his bottom lip. I like it." He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "You know, I've got an hour before I have to report for work…."

"Do you now?"

He smiled, nipping at her lower lip. "Yes, and I think it's important that we take another look at those plans…in a more private setting, of course."

"I've always been interested in your focused one-on-one observations, Lieutenant. Perhaps an hour of additional study would prove most fruitful."

Rylan lifted her into his arms and grinned. "Oh, I promise. It will be."

XXXXX

Ben Kenobi hurried down the hall and ducked into the meeting room. "Sorry I'm late."

Commander Cracken grinned and leaned back in his chair. "Your apprentice giving you a run for your credits, Kenobi?"

Ben sat across from the commander and scooted his chair in. "I'll admit that at first, I had my doubts, but after applying some useful Jedi techniques, she seems to be making progress."

"Jedi techniques?" asked Admiral Ackbar.

Cracken snorted. "He means adding his boy, Luke Naberrie, to the mix."

Mon Mothma smiled. "Never underestimate the power of a handsome young man in dealing with an impressionable young girl."

Ben pursed his lips and sighed. "As much as I loath to admit it, Luke has made a big difference in the girl's attitude."

"Do we have a Jedi romance on our hands?" asked General Dodonna.

"Stars above, I hope not," muttered Ben. "Things were much simpler in the old days."

"Indeed," said Ackbar. He smiled, as much as a Cal Mon can and shook his head. "Let us move on to more impending matters. He shared with the rest of the members the latest intel gathered by Cracken's team. They shared his concern about the new weapon, but it was Mon Mothma who spoke first.

"It must be destroyed before it is completed." She folded her arms across her chest.

Silence fell.

Ben, as habit, ran a hand through his beard and sighed. "We do not have the resources to incorporate a full scale attack on a planet as heavily guarded by Imperials as Geonosis." He looked around the table noticing his peers deep in thought.

Finally, Airen Cracken spoke, "It will have to be a small strike team."

Mon Mothma nodded.

Cracken continued, "Sneak in, set up a special criterion of explosives and get the Hoth out."

Ben glanced over at Cracken. "Agreed. It only makes sense that I take my Jedi team in to accomplish the task."

"On the contrary, Mast Jedi," said Cracken. "My intelligence team has been training for just this kind of mission for well over a year."

"With all due respect, Commander, a Jedi's abilities places him in a much better position to practice the subterfuge necessary for this particular—"

"I already have a team in place," barked Cracken.

Ben looked to Admiral Ackbar who nodded. "I see."

"And just where do you think we've been getting all this intel, Kenobi?" Cracken asked.

Ben huffed. "Having not been told of your intelligence team's whereabouts or missions, I assumed you had contacted some kind of gypsy soothsayer from Dathomir!"

"Gentlemen," interrupted Mon Mothma, placing a hand on Ben's arm and glaring at Cracken. "I'm sure we all want the same thing here. Admiral, what are your thoughts?"

Ackbar rose, catching his hands behind his back. "How many do we have on Geonosis?"

"Two," said Cracken, raising his chin, "including Lieutenant Rylan—a demolitions expert—and Mara Jade, the only Jedi on the team."

Ben felt his stomach clench and swallowed. So that's where she's been all this time. He rapped his knuckles against the side of his leg, frowning.

"What's the matter, Kenobi? No faith in your Jedi?" asked Cracken.

Mon Mothma rolled her eyes.

"Complete faith," said Ben softly. "I had just hoped that it would be me leading the team and not some twenty-something lieutenant."

"I have more people I can easily put in place," responded Cracken.

"Then why not more Jedi?" asked Ben.

Cracken rose from his chair and smashed a fist onto the table. "Because it's MY team that's been doing the work. THEY should have the opportunity to see it through!"

"Enough!" said Ackbar. He locked eyes with the commander. "I will make my decision and let you know what I have decided by tomorrow afternoon. This meeting is dismissed." He turned and left the room followed by a red-faced Cracken.

Ben leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"He certainly has it in for you," said Mothma watching the rest of the members file out of the room.

Ben felt a smile struggle to his lips. "I'm afraid I once committed the unpardonable sin where Airen Cracken is concerned."

"Oh? What was that?"

Ben folded his hands in his lap, shaking his head. "I made him look foolish."

"Ah, pride goeth before a fall?"

"And now I must pick up the tab." He looked into Mothma's deep brown eyes. "I only want what is best for the Alliance, Mon. You know that, right?"

She nodded. "But not everyone sees it as such. Some wonder why it's taken you so long for you to contact the rebellion—"

"I had to protect Luke from the Emperor…and then later Mara, as well."

Mothma raised a hand. "I understand that. I'm just telling you that not everyone shares my deep respect and trust in you. I'd suggest you consider that when working with us lesser mortals." She smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Now, get back to work with that apprentice of yours." Mothma rose and opened the door. "And Ben?"

He turned in his chair towards her. "Yes?"

"Try not to let Airen get to you so easily."

Ben laughed as Mothma left the room. She was right. He was a Jedi, for star's sake. Why did the man get under his skin so readily? "Oh, Sola…if only you were here to guide me." He rose, shoving his hands into the sleeves of his robe and shuffled down the hall.

...to be continued.