Rebel Victory – The Bridge
"How many?" Thane asked, every ear on the Bridge now straining to know if they, too, heard the number correctly.
"Twenty-seven, sir," the Commander of Pike Squadron repeated.
Thane gestured for Lieutenant Endells to insert the data card and above the Command and Control console came the first image of hundreds taken during the reconnaissance mission.
"These came in yesterday, sir. I have no idea what they are. We ran them through every database we have available to us, but the designs and ship designations are not in our records."
Thane moved through the next eight slides with brief pauses to take in the shape, sizes and what features he could identify as possibly being weapons. And then the next slide almost made him break his calm, cool demeanor. A Superstar Destroyer. Gasps and murmuring broke out all over the Bridge. Thane ignored it.
"Well that's good news," Thane said without cracking a hint of a smile.
"That's good news, Admiral," Captain Jebbick asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.
Thane stood up straight. "All crew on the Bridge of Rebel Victory," Thane called out. Within a second those seated were standing and every person was at attention and facing their Admiral.
"Those who have never seen a Super Star Destroyer, find a seat." No one moved. "Those who have never battled a Super Star Destroyer, find a seat." Two young Lieutenants sat down. "Those of you who have lost a battle to a Super Star Destroyer, find a seat." Not a single person moved. "Those of you who can identify and name the major weapons systems and capabilities of a Super Star Destroyer, respond in the affirmative."
A very loud, "Aye, sir!" was the response.
Thane stepped away from the Command Console. "And what is the name of your ship?" Thane asked.
"Rebel Victory!" the crew replied in perfect concert – an obvious tinge of pride behind the words.
"You are on a superior vessel, with superior talent, with superior weapons, and without a doubt a superior name. We took down two Death Stars and crushed what was left of the Empire at Jakku. In fact, one of the two starships that took down the second Death Star over Endor is in the Docking Bay of this ship! I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd say the odds are firmly in our favor!"
"Aye Sir!"
"Carry on," Thane instructed the crew. When he turned back to the image, he stared at the behemoth and said to Jebbick and Endells, "Let's get these photos to intelligence and see what Anogen Ecks has built for us to play with."
Med-Bay
Grhan saw Luke enter the observation room outside the surgical suite. Beside him stood a doctor who appeared bewildered. Grhan raised a bloody, gloved hand to give Luke a thumbs-up. The doctor was speaking to Grhan, but Grhan's attention was now elsewhere. He needed to talk to Luke. After excusing himself, Grhan stepped to the sink to clean up while the doctor began inspecting the wound on the injured woman. Luke saw him shaking his head in disbelief. Grhan must have pulled off a miracle.
The door opened and Grhan emerged. "She's going to make it," he said. "If we need to question her, I don't see why we can't wake her up, but you'll have to convince the doctor. He's still trying to figure out how I did what I did."
"Would she have died had you not done what you did?" Luke asked.
Grhan thought carefully before replying. "Yes, but only because they would have missed something they should have seen. I had to be a little… forceful."
"You've gotten better at that over the years," Luke commented wryly. "Which is a good thing in these cases. The doctor does seem a little perplexed."
Grhan shrugged. "I think we need to find out who she is and what she knows. Geth's team is leaving any time now." Luke nodded, and the two men stepped through the door.
"Doctor, we need to speak to this woman. Jedi Solo assures me she will be in no jeopardy if we wake her up," Luke said.
The doctor put his hands on his hips and looked back and forth between the two Jedi, then raised his hands in the air and said, "If the Jedi says so then who am I to object?"
Luke smiled warmly. "Thank you. We will need the room cleared of personnel and droids." Grhan was already in the process of obtaining what he needed from a treatment cart while the doctor and med droids left the room.
The woman was restrained at her wrists and ankles. Grhan lay a clean sheet over her body to conceal her injury and protect her modesty. He injected a clear substance into the IV and said, "Here she comes."
The woman's eyes opened slowly and failed to adjust at first. Slowly, she looked to her right and left, then – while looking at Luke – things seemed to come into focus. Her arms and legs jerked against the restraints and she cried out in pain. Luke didn't move. He waited patiently while she worked it all out.
"So you see now that you've been injured and are restrained. You nearly died. You would have if Jedi Solo had not been here. He is especially gifted when it comes to healing," Luke said. The woman was now staring at Luke. "We know you were watching us train. No one on the ship seems to know who you are. We found you on the General's freighter and you tried to kill me when we went in to get you out. This leaves us with so many questions. Let's just do it the easy way so you can get pain medicine and get back to resting. Start from the beginning," Luke said.
The woman looked back and forth between Luke and Grhan and then stared at the ceiling. She remained silent. She made a small adjustment in her leg position which caused her to wince.
Luke and Grhan looked at the woman with genuine sympathy. She continued staring at the ceiling until her eyes began to water. "I didn't try to kill you," she said softly.
Luke and Grhan looked at one another – neither expecting those to be her first words.
"You shot at me on the freighter," Luke said.
"I didn't shoot at you, I shot around you," she said. "Then you whacked me in my side. Am I going to die?"
"No," Grhan said. He looked at Luke and shrugged, then made a face that mirrored Luke's feelings – this wasn't making any sense.
"I didn't know I was spreading a virus on the ship. I was just following orders."
"Who's orders?" Luke asked. The woman immediately shook her head. "Nash Windrider?" Luke suggested. That elicited a smile.
"I do not work for Nash Windrider," the woman said. Had she not been in pain, Luke would swear she would have been laughing.
"Is it funny that we think you work for Nash Windrider?" Luke asked calmly.
"Yes, in a way it is," she replied, smiling.
"Why?" Luke asked.
"Because Nash Windrider believes I work for him, too," she said, only now she was giggling. She sighed and her eyes began to flutter. Luke noticed her face began to flush.
Grhan looked concerned. "Something isn't right," he said. He began checking her IV bags and looking around for evidence of medications she'd been administered.
Luke looked back at the woman and her eyes began to roll back into her head as her arms and legs yanked the restraints. "Grhan!" Luke yelled. Grhan placed his hands on her abdomen as she convulsed with greater force. Luke watched as Grhan slowly moved his hands in a circle around the wound.
Grhan looked up and said, "It's not her injury!" He reached toward her chest and placed his hands over her heart. After only a few seconds Grhan stepped back and spit the saliva out of his mouth. "Poison," he said as he hurried to the sink and rinsed his mouth then spat out the water.
By now the convulsing had reached its peak and her body had gone limp. Grhan returned to her side. "Poison?" Luke asked.
"Yes. I've never tasted anything like that before." Grhan felt for her pulse and told Luke to get the doctor.
"No," Luke said. "Not that doctor or those droids, anyway." Luke ran from the room to find a different doctor. The original physician saw the commotion and headed toward the room. Luke reached out with the Force and the doctor froze. "Not you!" Luke yelled. "And no droids!" He didn't release the man immediately. He first grabbed a different physician and insisted he come with him.
"Of course, Master Skywalker," the doctor replied.
As the new physician followed Luke to the room, Luke released his hold on the original physician. "You and those two Med Droids that were in the room will not move from where you stand under any circumstance. If you do, I will know. Do you understand?" Luke asked. The doctor nodded and sat on the ground. He called the two Med Droids to join him then powered them down.
"What is happening?" the doctor asked, but Luke was already in the room with the new physician and Grhan. Grhan and the physician made heroic efforts to save the woman, but she was dead. Luke commed Thane, and within minutes the ship's security came and sealed off the room. Luke could sense the confusion and fear in the original physician and sensed he was not a danger to anyone. After answering some questions, he was released to continue work.
The droids were impounded. Luke returned to the surgical suite to find the physician and Grhan in a lively discussion while standing over the woman's body. "What?" Luke asked.
"She was poisoned. That's a certainly," Grhan said. "But it isn't in her IV. It was immediate, but you didn't do it and I didn't do it, so how did it happen?"
Luke stood back and looked at the woman. She really was beautiful. "What a tragic way to die. No one knows who she is or even her name." Luke felt immense sorrow for the woman in spite of the harm she had done. That's when he noticed her wrist – more specifically her comm unit on her wrist. Luke reached toward her arm and before he realized what was happening he was sliding back across the floor on his boots.
"Master! No!" Grhan yelled. Grhan had leapt over the gurney and landed between the woman and Luke. As Luke fought to keep his footing he slid to a stop. "You don't want to touch that," Grhan said. He had noticed the wrist comm at the same moment as Luke, and Grhan realized what had likely happened.
Luke stood, a little startled, but no worse for wear. He walked back up and stood by Grhan. "What is it?" Luke asked.
"The answer," Grhan said, "is probably underneath her wrist comm." Grhan took a pair of long, surgical tweezers, knelt beside the gurney, and carefully grasped the edge of the comm unit on the wrist band. He slowly lifted the face of the comm unit away from the woman's wrist. As he lifted, he could see at least two needles projected from the back of the comm into the woman's wrist. "Shine a light under there for me," Grhan asked. Luke obliged Grhan's request and Grhan could then see at least four or five small needles.
Luke could now see what Grhan saw. After careful inspection and taking precautions, they removed the device from the woman's wrist and stored it in a small durasteel container. Luke wanted to put it directly into Thane's hands so he could oversee the analysis with people he trusted.
Rebel Victory Conference Room
"So it looks like Anogen – and possibly other sources – have amassed quite a sizeable fleet of ships. It is still nowhere close to what we have, but Nash knows this. He'll have thought this through. His best play will be to split our forces."
Geth nodded. "That's precisely what he is going to do. I fought beside him long enough to know how he thinks. We need to consider the possibility that Nash is looking for a ground engagement in addition to a space battle. Nash has seen a lot of success when the Empire used the two-pronged approach."
"But we are in space – we could take them out by aerial bombardment. Why would we go to ground?" Lem asked.
"That's the question, fellas. Why, indeed. I imagine Nash will have already found a way to make a ground assault necessary."
"Shields?" Hinson asked. "Is it possible he could have military grade shields protecting the compound?"
Thane nodded, "It is almost inconceivable that they would not have military grade shields – and the latest technology with Anogen Ecks involved."
Geth stood up and pressed his fist firmly on the table. "Whatever may be the case, it's time we get on the ground and start getting some real time intel. We've waited too long already. It's time to move." All of his mean nodded in agreement. Dalven, knowing he would not be going with them, was still as eager for this to happen as anyone.
Thane nodded. "I agree. We've gone over and over the plans. I think we are making the most of the resources we have. Let's set a time of departure at one standard hour from now." Claps and relieved whoops came from Geth's group. Dalven will coordinate communication. Lieutenant Endells will monitor your movement and be signaling for confirmation of status."
While Thane had their attention, he had two more things to say. "This is important." All talking stopped and people retook their seats. "This is a reconnaissance mission until I say it isn't. That means you stay quiet, stealthy, slip in and slip out of wherever you need to go. No heroics or taking risks without the fleet there to back you up. Everyone understand?" Confirmation was provided by everyone around the table. "Finally, and just as important, may the Force be with you."
The group began to stand when Grhan and Luke came through the door. "Sorry we're late." Everyone paused then retook their seats.
Luke broke the news. "Unfortunately, the woman died. Not from the incident, but from poison. The mechanism used to administer the poison was her wrist comm unit. We don't know if she self-injected the poison or it was done remotely." Luke walked over to Thane and handed him the sealed container. "You'll want to be careful with that. I thought you'd want to have the unit analyzed." Thane nodded.
"Did you find out anything?" Geth asked.
"Yes. She was responsible for spreading the virus under orders from someone she worked for. She said she did not work for Nash Windrider, but Nash Windrider thinks she works for him." Luke looked at Geth and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but she went into convulsions and died right after admitting this. I do believe she was being truthful."
Grhan looked at Kendy, but noticed she seemed deep in thought. There was some chatter that sprung up around the table, but Kendy remained still and then slowly began to nod. "Kendy," Grhan said. Kendy looked up and stared at Grhan. "Go ahead. If you think you know something?" Kendy looked torn. This wasn't at all what Grhan was used to. Kendy Idele Solo always spoke her mind.
A different voice caused the room to quiet. "Captain Idele Solo, I'd like to know your thoughts," Luke said.
Kendy sat up straight and cleared her throat. "Well, I'm beginning to think that Nash is not the puppet master in all of this. For one thing, Nash would not have agreed to send Vice Admiral Dreshka here to save Flynn. It was too risky and… unpolished. Nash does not do unpolished. Second – and even more important - Nash would find it distasteful to have a lover enter the firing line to do his dirty work. He did this with Sara and this caused him to feel shame. It is the only authentic emotion I recognized in him when he was in Jedi custody. I don't see him doing something like that ever again." Kendy paused and looked at Dalven, who was staring at the floor. She would apologize later, but now wasn't the time.
She continued while the rest of the group remained transfixed by her thought process. "I think we need to be mindful of the possibility that one of the Dark Apprentices is secretly operating in the shadows behind Nash's back. If I had to guess, I'd say Nash is the diabolical genius that could pull the Dark Alliance together and Anogen Ecks has known this all along. Nash is a true believer, and only Nash has the knowledge and understanding to get them to this point. However, Anogen Ecks controls the money and has the influence in the New Republic. He probably doesn't care so much about Vader – Anogen Ecks has his own Empire and now he has a chance to have his own army of enforcers. What if Ecks has allowed Nash to get them this far knowing Nash was the only one that could? Ecks has been working behind the scenes to protect his own interests while playing the dutiful Dark Apprentice. It stands to reason there is a point where Anogen will step in and take control of the Dark Alliance. He might know the exact date and time this will happen, or he might be waiting for an event. If we are smart, we might could trigger a coup on our own timing and use the chaos to our advantage."
Kendy sat back in her chair and took her first good look at the others around the table. Geth looked at Thane, then they both looked at Luke. "Well?" Thane looked at Luke. "What do you think?"
Luke nodded slowly. "Admiral Kyrell, I think it's time Geth's Unit takes a trip to Kaphthosis." Luke eased his way over to Grhan amidst the loud affirmations, high-fives and movement among Geth's troops. "And the Jedi need to make a trip to Q'Tar. There's something very important we need to do."
"Come on, boys – before something else gets in our way," Lem called across his shoulder – already half way out the door.
"Kriff yeah!" Bull hollered, then stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed Kendy watching them leave. "Uh – I mean…"
"What the kriff are you looking at me for?" Kendy called to him. Bull smiled and saluted as he took off after the others. Geth made his way around the table to join Thane and the Jedi.
Kendy was smiling and looked up to see Grhan's mildly judgmental look. She stood up, facing her husband, and crossed her arms. "I thought Jedi weren't supposed to be judgmental?"
Geth put his arm around Kendy's shoulders and said, "You can take the girl out of the Troops, but you can't take the Trooper out of the girl. I thank the stars or the Force or whatever deserves thanks for that fact!"
Kendy nodded in agreement, smiling proudly. "I'll start prepping Gazer," she said to Luke. Luke looked surprised. Kendy shook her head and turned to leave. As she walked away she commented loudly enough for Luke and the others to hear, "I don't have to be a Jedi to hear you talking to my Jedi husband." She noticed Dalven sitting quietly by himself where Geth and his men were a few moments before. "Hey, Dalven, you want to give me a hand?" Dalven looked up and glanced over to Thane.
Thane spoke up before giving Dalven a chance to say no. "I need to take care of a few things in my office. I'll call you when I'm headed to the Bridge," he said, hoping Dalven would take Kendy up on her offer. Dalven nodded and joined Kendy as she left the room.
Geth put a hand on Grhan and Thane's shoulders. "Well boys, it looks like I'm going on a trip. I'll see you back here or on the ground," he gave them a good pat on the back and turned to leave. Thane followed him out.
"Geth," Thane called. Geth stopped and looked up and down the corridor. There was no one in view. He reached out and pulled Thane into a quick hug. Thane returned it. "Please be careful. Mom..." Thane pulled back and cleared his throat.
"I know, son. She's the first thing I think about with every decision I make. Her, Lucy, you boys -er, men," Geth chuckled. "You know we can only control so much, Thane. Whatever happens, Gan can know in her heart I will always do everything in my power to come home to her. If it doesn't happen, she can at least know I did my very best."
Thane nodded and extended his hand. Geth took it and gave his step-son a firm nod. Before Thane could respond, Geth was already several long strides away in the direction of the Docking Bay. Thane watched the man he loved like a father, half filled with pride and the other half dread.