Part 22
Mission Abort + 47hrs
08:25 - Malhördhem Local Time
The astromech droid mewled a warning, throwing data onto the screen. Zev Senesca read it, swearing softly. "Okay, Arfive. Shut it down before it blows. How badly are the S-foils damaged?" he asked, before keying his transmit switch. "Daemor Leader… Daemor Two. I've lost both right-side engines. Lightspeed is operational, but…"
He paused as he read the data Arfive put up on the screen, "My S-foils are damaged. They won't lock shut for hyperspace… and…" He swore, silently, his stomach lurching, anxiety settling uncomfortably in his chest. "Arfive reckons they won't survive the hyperspace transition."
"We can see your smoke trail from here," Janson's voice confirmed.
"Daemor Two," another, more cultured voice put in, "Endurance requests details of your minimum airspeed and vertical manoeuvrability."
The anxiety abated. "Standby!" Zev answered. Endurance was the mission code for Wedge Antilles. He was flying one of the other Rebel ships, and if he was asking specific questions, it meant he had a plan. "What can we give them, Arfive?"
The little droid burbled, delivering the requested information. Zev swore, again, then keyed the mic. "If we slow up, we'll have nothing."
There was a moment's silence, then the cultured voice announced, "Cut left and bang out."
Zev hesitated. Cold, hard fear flipped through his stomach. Memories of Hoth crawled up his spine. He shook his head, swallowing hard. There had to be another way…
"Daemor Two," the voice ordered, again, "cut left and bang out. Acknowledge! We'll catch you."
Taking a long, slow breath, Zev ignored his racing heart and the slight tremor in his hands. "Okay, Arfive," he ordered, "set the autopilot for after we eject: straight and level." He ripped the protective pin from the ejecting mechanism, arming the seat. The straps tightened around his legs. "Cut left on my mark! And stay with me! Banging out in five… four… three… two…"
The canopy blew upwards, away from the fighter. The rush of the wind stole his breath, then he was being pressed into his seat, groaning in discomfort as the ejection mechanism launched the chair upwards. It hung for a moment, gravity beginning to take hold. Then the thrusters kicked in, stabilising the seat, allowing Zev to take a breath. He looked around, searching for the ship that Wedge was flying.
For long, terrible moments there was nothing. The seat descended slowly towards the white tendrils of cloud.
And then, the ship was there, its bulk looming over the top of him. He laughed and punched the air, relief shoving through him. The ship pulled away, turning and moving under him. Slowly, he descended towards it, grinning like a mad man.
The seat touched the upper side of the ship, settling slowly, the thrusters cutting out as the ejection straps released around his legs. In front of him, a head appeared from a hatch. Still grinning, Zev dropped to his knees, crawling across the ship towards the hatch, not trusting his legs. Reaching it, he sat on the edge, swinging his legs in. Lifting his arm, he keyed his compad. "Arfive? Where are you? Damn it, did you lose me?"
A soft nudge against his back pulled his attention around and he grinned at the astromech droid, patting its dome. "Okay, so you didn't lose me!"
He slid into the hatch, climbing down the ladder. A young man in a sand-coloured uniform nodded in greeting as he reached the bottom. "How do. You got your droid?"
"He's just coming in," Zev confirmed, stabbing a thumb upward before pulling off his flight helmet.
Zånder Olgenssen nodded, then turned, yelling, "We got them!"
oo0oo
Wedge pulled up, turning tight and heading after the damaged T-65. "We need to go after Zev's bird. If it goes down in the forest, the whole place might burn."
Leia nodded in agreement, checking the sensors. "It's… point three four… about four thousand feet above us. Threepio," she went on, "tell the Sheriff that the pilot of the damaged fighter has ejected and that we've picked him up."
"But," Threepio began, "Your Highness… Are you entirely sure that…"
"The Sheriff and Deputies would have seen the ship being damaged," Leia interrupted. "They'll have one less thing to worry about if they know the pilot's safe."
"Oh!" Threepio acknowledged, finally understanding. "Oh, yes. Of course. I shall let the Sheriff know immediately."
"I see it!" Wedge announced. Leia turned back, looking out, unable to miss the black smoke that trailed behind the fighter from its damaged engines. She keyed the intercom. "Valdez, Farr! T-65 at point three four. We need to take it down."
"Copied," Valdez confirmed. "Tracking it now."
Wedge manoeuvred the ship closer to the T-65. The medication he'd been given was beginning to wear off. Nausea was starting to curdle through his stomach. His ribs and shoulder ached, and the pain in his throat and face was beginning to intensify. He knew he wouldn't be fit to fly much longer.
Blaster fire lanced out towards the crippled X-wing. There was a burst of orange-purple flame, and then the fighter blew itself apart.
"Think they'll give me a new one?" a voice asked from the door of the flight deck.
Leia turned, smiling at the wistful expression on Zev Senesca's face. "Under the circumstances, Lieutenant," she assured him, "I'm sure that won't be a problem. Good to see you."
Wedge set up a descent, following the pieces of wreckage towards the surface. Some of it was still smoking. "Can we find out where this stuff is going to hit the ground?"
"On it," Leia confirmed. "Threepio, let the Sheriff know that a Rebel fighter has been destroyed, and that the debris is on the ground… in the area of these coordinates…"
Wedge pulled the nose up and turned the freighter, heading after the sensor echoes of the other Rebel ships. He turned to look at Zev, but the movement left him dizzy, adding to the mounting nausea. He closed his eyes, taking a slow breath. "Zev…"
Opening his eyes, Wedge focussed on Senesca. "You need to fly us out."
"Sure," Zev agreed, concern flaring as he saw how pale Wedge's skin was against the bacta dressings. Small beads of perspiration dusted his forehead.
"Commander…" the Princess began. Then she swore as his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped sideways out of the chair. She moved, half catching him, breaking his fall.
Zånder Olgenssen pushed past Zev. "S'cuse, Lieutenant. Let me help you there, your Highness." He knelt beside her, sliding his arms beneath Wedge's. Clasping his hands around the pilot's chest, he pushed up onto his feet, lifting Wedge against him before moving carefully backward, pulling the unconscious pilot with him.
Zev stood back, giving the Deputy room to manoeuvre. Then he moved into the flight deck, glancing back at Wedge, before sliding into the left-hand seat as Leia began to brief him.
oo0oo
"My Lord," Ash Svioisaar offered, "the Freedom Shade reports that they have destroyed the damaged Rebel fighter and apprehended the pilot when he ejected. They're heading after the other Rebel ships."
Vader stood for a long moment, saying nothing. The escape had not gone as planned. Luke was safely out of Palpatine's influence, accompanied by the medical specialist and Vyre… but Vader was sure that the man being shielded during the break for the Rebel ship, was Derlin. Just as he was sure that the gurney had carried the Rebel pilot cut free of the carcass of the crashed Dendraali vessel.
Granted, Antilles was still in the hands of the bounty hunters, and they also had a new prisoner to hand over to Palpatine… but without Derlin, the two Rebel pilots would do little curb the anger Vader knew he would face.
It was possible that he could persuade the Emperor that the pilots might be a useful snare to draw Luke to him, just as the Princess and the smuggler had brought the boy to Bespin. He would have to manoeuvre cautiously… but it might be enough if he could construct his explanation carefully enough.
"Inform the bounty hunters to break off their pursuit of the Rebels and route to the Executor," Vader ordered. "I will speak to them on my arrival!"
"Yes, Lord Vader," Ash confirmed.
"Commander Corl!"
Ash pulled out her com unit, relaying the instructions to Kaysix as the Stormtrooper Commander jogged across to Vader.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Search the medical centre! Bring any Rebels you find, to me! I want them alive!"
"Yes, my Lord," Corl confirmed.
"Lord Vader," Ash began, "my Deputies know the medical centre, and still have communications. They would be of assistance to the Commander's troops."
Vader considered that for a moment, then nodded, "Agreed!" He turned his back on her, striding away. Ash looked at Markus, who nodded and fell into step with the Stormtrooper Commander as he moved towards the door of the facility.
"Gunter! Lenya!" Ash ordered into her comlink, "Lord Vader wants the medical centre searched. Markus is bringing troops through the front. Take the squads you're with! Take them in through the back. Any Rebels you find, Lord Vader wants them alive and unharmed! Sig," she went on, not waiting for an acknowledgement, "get your butt around here!"
Ash looked after Vader's retreating form, taking a deep breath. The wind was picking up again, bringing with it more rain. Vader's cloak whipped around him, billowing and twisting. Thick, black smoke rolled up from the anchorage. The sound of sirens told her that the Fire Jumpers were already mobilising. She let the breath out slowly, lifting her face to the cool fall of rain.
It was over. The Rebels were gone.
No, she remembered with a twinge of anger, not all of them. There were still two Rebel soldiers lying in body bags in the town hall. And she had promised the Princess Leia they would be given the funeral rights, and the respect, they were due. Vyre's people had taken charge of the other Rebels' bodies. They could also be honoured, but funeral rights were a faint hope.
Another thought occurred to her and she swore, lifting her comlink. "Kaysix, patch me through to the Mayor's office." Shielded, the magflux charge shouldn't have affected the emergency lines there.
"Yes, Sheriff," Kaysix confirmed before offering, "Sheriff, the Freedom Shade has supplied coordinates for where they believe the debris from a Rebel fighter will fall. It is on the edge of the forest. I have alerted the Fire Jumpers in the adjoining sector."
"Good work," Ash told the droid. Despite the recent rain, the forest would still be tinder-dry and the Malhördhem Jumpers already had their hands full with the fire burning in the anchorage.
"Sheriff, I have Mayor Gunnistsaar," Kaysix advised. Another voice cut in over the comlink. "Sheriff? Where are you? And what in the name of the gods is going on?"
"I'm at the medical centre," Ash told her. "The Rebel attack has been repelled but we should keep the town locked down, for the moment. All non-emergency communications are down, including Imperial coms. We have injured Imperial troops in the streets. The anchorage has been attacked. My Deputies still have their hands full… and… I'm initiating the emergency medical protocol. Specialist Karsaar has been abducted..."
There was silence for a moment. Then Agnessa Gunnistsaar told her, "Understood, Sheriff. We have word from Chief Ulafssen. The blaze at the anchorage is being tackled, and looks to be confined there. What damage is there to the medical centre?"
"I'll have more information once the Imperials have finished their sweep," Ash supplied. "They're searching the medical centre for Rebels, but I reckon they'll come up empty. I'll stay here until they finish the sweep then make my way back to the Bureau."
"Understood, Sheriff," Gunnistsaar confirmed. "Keep me up to date."
oo0oo
Luke burned on the edge of consciousness, fighting to breathe against the pain that crushed through his chest and stabbed out towards his arms. Someone was calling his name, insistent, demanding he pay attention. He opened his eyes. The pain expanded and he cried out, drowning in intensity of it.
Luke!
…Father…
Reality fragmented into almost-familiar darkness. The agony receded. Luke groaned, softly.
Son, come with me. Your destiny lies with me.
"No…"
The Force is with you… I will complete your training. Come with me… we can end this destructive conflict…
If you choose Vader, you will become an agent of evil…
Fear… easier, more seductive…
"No..." A smothering lethargy settled around him. Luke fought it, latching on to the Jedi Master's gentle warning.
Luminous beings are we. You must feel the Force… Passive… Calm…
Luke dragged in a shuddering breath.
It is you the Emperor wants. You must complete the training…
I will complete your training…
"No…"
Passive… Yoda's words warned, serene and reassuring. Calm… Control…
The pervasive influence of the dark side of the Force retreated and, with it, the lure of the Dark Lord of the Sith. The loss left Luke drained… and yearning to touch the presence again.
Ben… Why didn't you tell me?
"…given you something for the pain, Luke. It will make you more comfortable."
Taking another, far calmer breath, Luke found his gaze focussing on the metal roof above him. The surface beneath him thrummed gently. He frowned. "Did… did we… make it?"
Tarja leaned over him, smiling down at him. "Yes, we made it. But you," she accused, "are determined to undo all my good work! Now will you lie still, or do I need to sedate you?"
"I'll lie still," he assured her, anxiety sparking at the thought of being helpless again.
"Medic?" Derlin's voice called.
Tarja looked away for a moment, towards the Major. Then she looked back down at Skywalker, warning, "Lie still!"
"Artoo and I will make sure he does as he's told," Gelnara assured her, dropping to his knees beside the little droid, who mewled softly in agreement. Tarja nodded at him, and then at the droid, giving Skywalker a last glance before rising to her feet.
oo0oo
Colonel Marek Vyre sat against the bulkhead, where he'd settled himself as they had lifted from Malhördhem. The restraints dug into his wrists but he refused to move to ease the discomfort. None of the Rebels appeared to be paying any attention to him, but he had a suspicion that the moment he moved he'd end up looking at the muzzle of several blasters. Post-action, these undisciplined seditionists might prove somewhat trigger-happy. So he stayed still.
Tarja Karsaar had moved away from Skywalker, making her way towards the small huddle of terrorists around Derlin and Dune.
Two of them had carried Dune in, setting her down gently against the far bulkhead. Vyre hadn't missed the blaster mark on her armour, or the fact that she had appeared to lapse into unconscious as the ship climbed away from Malhördhem. He quashed a smile of irony at the possibility that she might have survived Dendraali, might had survived the ship crashing, might have evaded capture… only to die in the very engagement that should have taken her to safety.
He'd had limited pleasure of her company. It was a shame she had evaded arrest, he considered. He would have enjoyed spending time with her in an interrogation chamber, crushing her self-assuredness. But, if Vader's strategy went to plan, he might yet have the pleasure of throwing her into a re-education chamber.
Tarja Karsaar ran the mediscanner across her, asking, "How long has she been unconscious?"
"Not long," Derlin supplied. "She was conscious when they brought her in."
Tarja pulled a small flashlight from a pocket, gently opening Dune's eyelids to check her pupils. The slightly uneven dilation confirmed the information from the scanner. "The dialysis unit's still working. There doesn't appear to be any serious injury from the blaster shot," Tarja told Derlin, "But she's showing signs of concussion. There's increased pressure in her skull."
She handed him the mediscanner, telling him, "I need you to watch it carefully. If it continues to rise, I need to know. And if she comes around, I need to know."
"Yes, Ma'am," he confirmed.
"Are you injured?" she asked, visually checking him over.
"I'm good," he assured her. She checked the dialysis unit on his arm, just to be sure. Then she rose to her feet, turning back towards Skywalker. She paused, looking at Vyre. "Are you hurt?"
"I am uninjured," he assured her.
Tarja nodded, then turned her attention to the Rebels. "Is anyone else injured?"
oo0oo
Tension fluttered in Wes Janson's belly as the blue of the Valjajord atmosphere darkened into the black star-scape of space. The scopes were clear of enemy fighters, showing only his three, remaining X-wing escorts shadowing him. There had been no sign of TIE fighters in the atmosphere, either, which meant that diversionary attack on the Star Destroyer had worked. They weren't out of the woods, yet, though, and with limited shields, he wouldn't relax until the ship was safe in hyperspace.
"Lock in the jump coordinates," he told the K-2 unit.
"Coordinates," the droid confirmed, "set and locked."
There was no need to relay the order to his T-65 escort. They had already been briefed and the moment he jumped, they would call off the diversionary attack and then follow him home.
A proximity alert sounded. Janson swore.
Ulla Poole's sensors also warned of a ship climbing out of the atmosphere, gaining on them. Cursing, Poole keyed her transmit switch, ordering, "Daemor Three! Stay with the Leader! Daemor Four, with me!" Not waiting for a reply, she pulled her T-65 around in a tight turn, heading back down to intercept the approaching ship, S-foils opening into attack profile. It was unlikely that the approaching ship would be able to reach Janson before the ship jumped, but she wasn't going to take any chances.
"Daemor squadron," a voice crackled over the frequency, "by order of the Galactic Empire you will desist and return to the surface. Desist now, or be shot down!"
"Yeah," Poole muttered to herself, pouring on the power "Like either's a good option!" Her attack computer locked target and she started firing. Answering blaster fire flew up to meet her.
But… something felt off...
While her fire hit home, the blaster bolts from the incoming ship skimmed past harmlessly above and below her T-65. The voice crackled over the frequency, again. "Desist and return to the surface Daemor squadron, or you will be shot down. Your endurance is pointless!"
Endurance.
Poole sucked in a deep breath of realisation. Endurance was Antilles code tag. The approaching ship was the one Antilles was flying! She pulled tightly out of the dive, grunting softly as the g-forces pushed her into her seat. Keying her mic, she ordered, "Daemor Four! Run for the jump point! We've bought them enough time!"
"Copied, Daemor Two!" her wingman confirmed, following her around and shadowing her as they flew back towards the edge of the Valjajord atmosphere, S-foils closing. Blaster fire skimmed around them.
The sky darkened once more into the star-scape of space. Ulla keyed her mic, ordering, "All wings! All wings! Break! Break! Break!"
Her droid burbled at her, sending information to her screen, confirming that the jump coordinates were set and locked. "All wings!" she transmitted, again, "Break! Break! Break! Get the hells out of here!"
And then the star-scape ahead of her fragmented into the luminescent corridor of hyperspace.
oo0oo
Arm around Hetta's shoulders, holding her close, Per Alvessen looked up at the black smoke billowing into the sky from the anchorage. The wind had picked up, again, and the clouds threatened more rain. Hetta also watched the smoke, her thoughts on their granddaughter… and the grandson who had just followed into the service of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
"How do?" a voice greeted.
They both turned, looking at Sheriff Ashtor Svioisaar as she crossed the road towards them.
"They got away?" Hetta asked.
"Damn shame. Every single one of them," Ash confirmed. "Just had word that they cleared the atmosphere and jumped out. Looks like the bounty hunters went after them, though."
She saw the relief wash across the older couple's faces, and went on, "Warrant's been cancelled on you, and on Chief Ulafssen. Figured it was difficult to see why the Empire would want to arrest the Chief, with him leading the attempt to save the troop carriers the Rebels missed. Shocking aim, those Rebels… Almost as bad as Deputy Markus…"
"Zånder…" Per began.
"Now, don't you get fractious about that boy!" Ash interrupted. "He had me fooled too. Of course, he'll have covered his tracks and I doubt I'll be able to find any evidence of his sedition… but we've issued a warrant, and we'll tackle the matter of evidence when we have him in custody… If we ever have him in custody…"
There was a long moment of silence, and then Hetta told her, "Thank you."
Ash turned, looking at them, discarding her role of Sheriff in favour of Malhördhem resistance fighter. "With your permission, the Valjajord route should go to ground for a time."
"Ash," Per began, "I…" He trailed off, unable to find the words to explain everything that turned around in his mind. So much had happened. So much had changed.
"You," Ash reminded him, "held a blaster rifle to the head of a Rebel Alliance Major because he put our safety over the lives of his soldiers and refused to let Tarja treat them."
"That was my wife," Per contradicted, turning his head to kiss Hetta's hair, "not me."
"Which only proves she's as crazy as you, old man!" Ash grinned, winking at Hetta.
"Who's crazier?" Per admonished gently. "The old man, or the folks turning to him for guidance?"
Ash crossed her arms, laughing softly. "Yeah…" she admitted, "but we're a special kind of crazy."
Hetta shook her head, leaning into Per, hugging him tight for a moment before letting him go and looking up at him. "Ash is right. The route needs to quiet down for a time."
Per nodded, "Agreed."
"Malhördhem's been plastered all over the media streams, in the same breath as the Valjajord Route," Ash warned. "We could have folks streaming in from all over. My Deputies are with us. We'll do what we can to protect those that are legit... but…" She took a deep breath, letting it out in a soft sigh, "Guess we'll fell that tree when we come to it..."
Her comlink chirped and she dug it out of her pocket, answering, "Svioisaar."
"Sheriff," Kaysix informed her, "Major Azhlyn has arrived from the Ranveig garrison. He requests your presence."
"Copied, Kaysix. I'm on my way." Tucking the comlink back into her pocket, she told Per and Hetta, "Best stay here, with Valda. He might want to talk to you."
"We'll get our story straight," Hetta assured her.
A smile tugged at Ash's lips. "Don't get it too straight, Ma'am. It all happened so fast, after all. And you were scared half out of your wits," she reminded, before turning and heading towards the jailhouse.
oo0oo
The shuttle lifted, climbing into the Valjajord atmosphere. Vader knelt on the floor, seeking the clarity and solace of meditation. No Rebels had been found in the medical centre. Derlin had escaped. Palpatine would not be pleased. But Luke had been rescued. The boy would be safe from Palpatine's influence as he recovered from the debilitating effects of the Force Trauma.
His recovery had already begun.
Vader's thoughts flowed back to Luke, standing outside the medical facility. Pride swelled, and he quashed it, drawing on his hate to screen it, conscious that Palpatine might sense the emotions through the Force.
Teetering on the verge of collapse, his son had stood firm. Despite the agony from his injuries, there had been no malice in his actions, no fear. No hate. His son had not been wrapped in the power of the Dark Side of the Force… he had been immersed in Light. He had swept the Imperial troops aside, but there had been no vengeance. Instead, there had been the selfless desire to protect his friends.
The Jedi are selfless… They care only about others…
Anger surged. Obi-Wan had not cared about Padme. Obi-Wan had not cared about him. Kenobi had used Padme, manipulating her, knowing that she would compelled by her concern to find him. Then Kenobi had done nothing but retrieve the fallen lightsabre and walk away, leaving him to die in flames.
One master had betrayed him. I hate you!
The Force vision had warned that another Master might also betray him, casting him aside in favour of his son. Fulfil your destiny and take your Father's place at my side!
Luke would finish his training, but not as a Jedi. Nor would he stand at Palpatine's side. Instead, father and son would stand together, finally bringing peace to the galactic empire.
"My Lord?"
Vader lifted his head, looking at the shuttle pilot.
"My Lord, Admiral Piett reports that the Rebels have broken off their attack on the Executor and escaped into hyperspace. He also reports that they were unable to intercept a ship which lifted from Valjajord. However, the ship, and its fighter escort were harried by a second ship, which also lifted from Valjajord. There was a brief skirmish before all five jumped into hyperspace."
Vader's gut twisted in irritation. The bounty hunters had obviously not received the order to go to the Executor. Or, perhaps they had, but had run shy of the Rebel fighters attacking the Star Destroyer. Either way, he would now have to return to Palpatine empty-handed.
Except for Vyre and Karsaar: now placed within the Rebel Alliance. That alone, however, would not assuage Palpatine's ire. Not unless he could persuade the Emperor of the validity of the vision the Force had given him on route to Valjajord.
Young fool! Only now, at the end, will you begin to understand! Everything that has transpired has done so to my design. The woman who, so diligently, nursed you back to health is not a Rebel sympathiser: she is a loyal, Imperial agent.
"Tell Admiral Piett that we return to Coruscant," Vader ordered. "I will give my report to the Emperor in person."
oo0oo
Ashtor Svioisaar hit the privacy lock for her office door and turned her attention to the ISB Colonel sitting on the other side of her desk.
"I have wanted to meet you for some time, Sheriff," he told her. "Tarja Karsaar speaks very highly of you."
Ash frowned, then told him, carefully, "Colonel, I regret to inform you that your probationer just left Malhördhem on a ship full of terrorists after they shot up half the town and blew up the anchorage. Forgive me, but I don't think that her speaking highly of me is a glowing testimonial!"
"Ah," Azhlyn begin, sitting back in his seat and steepling his fingers, "but that is where you are wrong, Sheriff."
"Colonel," Ash countered, "I saw it with my own eyes, standing right next to Lord Vader."
"Oh, I have no doubt that she left on that ship," Azhlyn agreed, "but all is not as it appears."
Ash sighed, rubbing a hand across her face, "Colonel, it has been a long, few days. I ain't following you …"
"Sheriff," he began, "am I correct in assuming that you have signed a judicial non-disclosure protocol?"
"I have," she confirmed.
"Then, what I am about to tell you is classified, and effective under that protocol. Do you understand?"
"I do…"
"Medical Specialist Tarja Karsaar is an Imperial security agent who was assigned to Malhördhem to investigate the Valjajord Route," he supplied. "The occasions you brought her to the garrison, was to allow my personal debrief of her. Her reports were comprehensive and, as I said, she spoke very highly of both you and the Malhördhem Sheriff Bureau."
Ash said nothing, simply looking at him, wondering why she was being made privy to classified Imperial information.
"Specialist Karsaar has been reassigned," Azhlyn went on, "hence her departure from Malhördhem with Colonel Vyre. All of which leaves me with somewhat of a situation."
"And that situation," Ash asked, "is?"
"Despite our best efforts," Azhlyn explained, "certain media streams reported Malhördhem's apparent involvement with the Valjajord Route. That will most certainly result in increased footfall from the seditionists and malcontents drawn to the Rebellion. I, however, am left without the means to detain these people, or prevent the Rebel terrorists from taking advantage. After the events of the last few days, any agent I assigned to Malhördhem would be too obvious to be effective. And leaving a discernible, increased Imperial presence here will simply drive the Valjajord Route to one of the cities."
"I see your dilemma," Ash told him.
"So," Azhlyn went on, sitting forward, "I propose a closer relationship between my office and the Malhördhem Sheriff Bureau. You would, of course, work completely autonomously, but you would report directly to me. You would continue to operate as you always have, but report all potential Rebel sympathisers to me."
"Colonel," Ash began, wondering if this was some sort of ruse to trap her into making a mistake and betraying everything, "I missed a rebel sympathiser in my own ranks."
"Indeed," Azhlyn agreed. "And that was most unfortunate, but both Specialist Karsaar and Lord Vader have confirmed that you were thwarted in your attempt to arrest the man once he had been identified."
Still unsure of the turn of events, Ash told him, "There was somewhat of a… misunderstanding."
"And what of this Per Alvessen?" Azhlyn asked.
"I ain't had a chance to question him…" Ash evaded.
"But you have cancelled his arrest warrant," Azhlyn suppled. "And that of Fire Chief Ulafssen."
Ash swore silently, realising her mistake. Too late.
She took a breath. "Chief Ulafssen is currently with his fire jumpers at the anchorage, tackling the blaze the Rebels left behind. And he also walked into the Mayor's office as soon as he heard about the warrant. I reckoned that, were he guilty of sedition, he'd have left on that ship with Specialist Karsaar. As for Per Alvessen," she went on, "he ain't ever struck me as political. He ain't ever given his opinion an anything beyond the nurturing and farming of trees. But," she finished, "I'll re-issue the arrest warrants."
"No need," Azhlyn assured her. "Specialist Karsaar intimated something very similar about Alvessen, so I trust your judgement. Bring them in, question them. Give me a report that will satisfy my superiors, and the matter will be at an end."
Ash looked at him, unable to stop the surprise washing across her face. Azhlyn looked back at her. "You seem somewhat perturbed, Sheriff."
Ash had no answer. She didn't trust herself to answer, afraid that she might say something that would unravel the whole situation.
"I assure you," Azhlyn informed her, "I am not Colonel Vyre. There are other ways of getting to the truth besides beating it out of people."
"I…" Ash began. "I…"
She took a deep breath, then told him. "I think we'd best discuss this further. Can I offer you some kaffin?"