Chapter 29: Tav Mi'zya

Krant

For Tav, Kilar, and the rest of class 697, today was the final day of remedial training.

Unlike every other course in the Bothan military, remedial training did not award medal or badges of honour for completion. There was no class photo. Just a calm day of sitting around until the transports arrived taking graduates to their new assignments, and non-graduates to jail.

Still, Tav felt accomplished. Since beginning remedial training three months ago, he had become much more physically fit, and now, could not stop staring at his own muscular, blonde-furred reflection in the mirror. He had gone from being despised by his entire class, to being completely despised by everyone in his class except Kilar.

Blinking his sparkly amber and gold eyes, he chewed a spoonful of Bith beans contently. At the end of the long dining room table, Tav and Kilar sat across from one another.

"So where are you shipping off to?" Tav asked, pawing the corner of his datapad.

"Water Distribution Specialist School," Kilar sighed.

"Shower repairs and plumbing, huh?" Tav replied with a smirk. He nearly whispered a sexual joke about her and showers but stopped.

Kilar now wore a livid expression, brandishing a butter knife like a deadly weapon.

"I'm sorry," he growled, fur swirling nervously. "I didn't say it!"

"How about you?" Kilar grunted, fur twitching stiffly.

Tav fumbled nervously with his datapad. "I can't open this thing," he admitted, snarling frustratedly through gritted teeth.

"Let me see it," Kilar said, holding out her hand. When Tav continued fumbling, she snarled in fury, "LET ME SEE IT!"

Everyone at the table turned, staring down at the two nincompoops at the end.

Tav relinquished. Kilar is stupid, he told himself. If I can't figure out how to open that, then—

"Huh," Kilar muttered. "I'm in. You were pressing the 'home' button on the side, old man."

"What!" Tav gasped. "Let me see."

Kilar flashed her teeth, pulling his datapad in nearer to her chest.

"Please," Tav pleaded. "I want to—I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a jerk."

"Read it and weep," Kilar snorted. "I have no idea what your next assignment will be. It's redacted. You are going to be doing some top secret super elite shtak though. Either that, or Grum Otrek just hates you."

Tav read it. Indeed, his next assignment was redacted. What he could see, was that next week, he was heading to Combat Diver School. After that, Hostage Rescue School and a redacted school that probably bore the name of his next assignment. "Shtak."

"Well," Kilar said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'd rather be doing something like that than repairing showers. At least you have a week before, so you can go home and…"

Tav looked up from his datapad into Kilar's face. Unnervingly, her eyes had a pleading expression he had never seen from her. What does she want?

"Could you tell the Grum I'm sorry, and that we get along great, and that I deserve a second chance? You said she was open about that… Well and you and me."

Tav exhaled despondently. There is no way in hell I am ever telling my wife about you. She would probably kill us both.

Kilar's desperate pleading look changed to something more dangerous in appearance.

"Sure," Tav answered in an even tone. Before his fur could give one guilty twitch, he killed his guilt with his mantra. I don't feel guilty because I think what I am doing is wrong. I am only afraid of being caught.

"Rogue!" Kilar yipped excitedly. "Well, I am gonna get back to packing my things." As she walked around the table towards the exit, she gave Tav a quick kiss on the cheek.

Fur swirling nervously, Tav looked up and down the table. No one seemed to notice. "Okay then, take care," he muttered.

o.o.o.o.o

Standing on the landing pad, with Krantian forest on three sides, a series of barracks and power lines on one side, the graduates were beginning to grow restless.

Tav and Kilar had been standing on permacrete for half an hour. Kilar's transport to Torolis was supposed to have arrived twenty minutes ago. Tav's to Bothawui was supposed to be there now.

["All right everyone,"] Kifo Ay'nok yelled in Bothese. ["Head back to the barracks, we are now going into lock down."]

["Lock down?"] Tav gasped, fur twirling unhappily. He and the class followed behind Kifo, walking off the permacrete and back towards the base.

["That's right Tav,"] Kifo snarled. ["I don't like being around you either. This is not a punishment, but a fact."]

["Gunnery Sergeant,"] Kilar said politely. ["Why are we going into lockdown?"]

["Something is happening in space,"] Kifo answered. ["Other than that, I don't know."]

Tav stared longingly at the spaceport command building, which the graduates were now walking past. With every fibre of his being, he felt like he belonged there, directing whatever sort of response this base was planning.

o.o.o.o.o

Kev Rel'skar

In orbit of Krant

After months of nothing but mostly cloudy skies, rain, and ocean, the daytime side of Krant looked beautiful from orbit. As the LAAT zipped into lower orbit, Kev stared longingly at the lush forests. A change, any change from Tipoca City would be welcome.

"Kev," Jazal said softly. "Keep your head clear. We will only be down on the surface briefly."

And, it will be dark, Kev thought, looking gloomily out the window as the sun soon obscured behind the planet. And stormy. He looked down at the last weather forecast uploaded to his datapad. Dark blotches indicating precipitation, and red blotches for high probability of lightning, were all around the region, concentrating heavily in the foothills of the southern Alps.

Towards the rear of the LAAT, the Clones were armoured up to their shoulders and double checking their weapons and equipment.

"Think positively, Padawan. This mission is more likely to be successful with a storm covering our approach."

Which mission? Kev wondered gloomily. Confronting Ras Andromias or the rescue mission? Not long after Jazal informed him of her doubly secret mission, the Bothan began to wonder why they were really on Krant.

Is the rescue a distraction so Jazal can take out one of our own? Or is it just the Council's way of accomplishing two tasks at once?

Kev would have liked to be certain it was the latter.

o.o.o.o.o

The muffled sound of thunder rumbled through the LAAT's cabin.

"General," the pilot yelled, "we are seventy meters over your landing site."

"All right, set me down."

Feeling the LAAT lowering towards the ground, Kev tensed up.

Jazal sat back, breathing deeply in silent contemplation for a moment. Before the

LAAT reached the ground, she unbuckled from her jump seat and turned to Kev. "Be mindful of your surroundings. Especially what will be beneath you."

"I understand," Kev said firmly. He had trained with the Clones in performing his part of the rescue. "May the Force be with you."

"Let's hope this isn't that serious," Jazal replied wryly. "But thank you. May the Force be with you."

"Good luck, General," Bask said quietly.

"You too, Captain," Jazal replied.

Kev expected Bask to ask Jazal where she was going. He felt disappointed when he didn't.

The LAAT door slid open, revealing a wide view of a neighbourhood street, illuminated by the dim light of windowed houses. The sounds and smells of rain poured into the cabin as the Jazal's billowy robed figure leapt out. She disappeared out of site as the LAAT door closed.

"Take us to site two," Bask ordered in the direction of the cockpit, then clipped his helmet on.

"Very well sir," the pilot replied.

After ascending into the rainy sky, the LAAT made a brief journey across Agol'shtarn, towards the motel.

Panicking momentarily, Kev checked over what little gear he had while the Clones chattered away.

"You'll need your grips, sir," a Clone with a red stripe grunted, pointing at Kev's boots.

"Thank you, Trooper," Kev sighed, quickly strapping a stirrup-like device around his boots. The bottom of the device was spikey, to give his boots extra traction.

Four of the Clones now held miniature stretcher hoists which could be attached to almost any surface. When attached, these hoists would lower and raise stretchers or ascending personnel with grappling hooks.

The rest of the Clones were armed with stun batons and blaster pistols.

"Remember," Bask said to the cabin. "Under no circumstances are you to kill anyone. We need these Bothans alive. Check your blaster setting."

All of the beings in the cabin, except Kev, checked that their weapons were on stun. Kev felt momentarily very out of place as he ran his fingers across his lightsaber's hilt.

"We are over the roof now sir," the pilot said.

"The wind is getting more intense," the co-pilot added. "Be quick out there."

The co-pilot was not exaggerating. The moment the LAAT door opened, howling wind blew into the cabin. It was raining sideways.

Squinting against the rain, Kev stared forwards as the Clones began spilling out onto the motel's roof. Their spiked metal boots clanged against the tin roof.

After taking one deep breath, Kev leapt onto the roof and ignited his saber. The LAAT drifted precariously to the right, then hovered back to its previous position. Okay, we do need to move fast.

"Commander, we are ready when you are," Bask yelled.

"Very well," Kev responded in an elevated voice. Now… Where to cut? He reached out with the Force, ignoring the discomfort, ignoring the wind howling in his ears, ignoring his soaking wet fur. Directly beneath him, was a bed and two Bothans. Keeping his eyes closed, he stepped towards where he perceived to be the centre of the room, then, he ignited his saber.

"You know where to cut?" Bask asked.

"Yes," Kev replied confidently. Rain was now dripping from the end of his snout.

With a twirl of his hand, Bask signalled to the first rescue team to get on position. Three Clones knelt around Kev, one holding stretcher hoist. Then, he nodded to Kev.

Kev dug his green blade into the tin roof of the motel. Red sparks flew as the eerie green light reflected off the Clones' armour. After carving a near-perfect circle, Kev stomped onto the centre of the circle. The loose piece of roof fell into the darkness, then clanged on the ground.

"Go! Go! Go!" Bask yelled.

Angry animalistic snarls erupted from the darkness. They sounded distantly Bothan to Kev, but not like any Bothan he had ever heard.

The Clone on the opposite side of the hole from Kev lowered down the hoist. The first Clone to one side leapt onto the rope, descending into the darkness.

"Stand down! Calm down! I'm a medic, I'm here to rescue—AAHHHHHHH!"

"Kriffing hell!" the second Clone yelled, jumping down into the bedroom with his taser sparking.

Angry snarls and Clone screams accompanied a more Bothan voice pleading.

["Don't hurt them!"] a male Bothan voice pleaded. ["Rhrumaymayhlma stop! STOP!"] The sounds of a struggle intensified. Snarling and howling grew louder, this time in a language Kev did not understand.

"Kriff it!" Kev swore under his breath. "Bask, we are too loud—"

"—I know Commander," Bask replied. "STUN THEM! TAZE THEM!"

Electric noises accompanied terrified pained yelps. Blasterfire on stun echoed out of the room.

"But I didn't do anything," the male Bothan voice pleaded in Basic. "I didn't—AAHHH!"

"The room is secure sir!" one of the Clones panted. "Sending them both up."

Kev looked down curiously into the room, with a spotlight shining down from the stretcher hoist. Piled on the stretcher were two Bothans, one, a male, wearing boxers, and the other, the mangiest Bothan Kev had ever seen. She had knotted fur, visible dirt everywhere, and was completely naked.

Damn these Aean Bothans been treating these prisoners so poorly, Kev thought with disgust. I thought the Red Sigil said the conditions had improved!

Below, under the roof, the sound of loud footsteps could now be heard.

"All right, Kev, move on to room 2," Bask ordered, pulling the stretcher away from the hole in the roof.

Kev stepped over to the next room. Beneath him, he could sense two beds, each with a sleeping Bothan. Repeating the same procedure, Kev sliced a perfect circle, wide enough for a stretcher. The piece of roof dropped down between the beds.

"What the kriff?" a female voice yelped in Basic.

"The Republic is here to rescue you, SHHHH!" a Clone whisper-yelled back.

"The Republic," the Bothan gasped in shock. "The Republic?!"

"Yes," the Clone replied, repelling into the room. "Are you injured? Can you move?"

"All right Kev, room 3," Bask ordered. "Room 1? Have you cleared—"

"—KRIFFING HELL!" a Clone voice screamed onto the comm.

"BLAST!" another screamed. "It's a Wookiee!"

The loudest roar Kev had ever heard rang out from the first hole Kev had sliced. Igniting his lightsaber, Kev rushed back to the first room.

The final Clone was nearly to the top of the hoist, climbing as fast as he could. A giant furry arm reached up from the darkness, grabbing his boot. Screaming for a moment, the Clone struggled to hold on.

"STUN HIM!" Bask screamed, running behind Kev.

The two Clones nearest to the opening pulled out their blasters and began firing down into the darkness. The Wookiee responded by pulling the Clone on the rope even harder and roaring even more angrily.

"Kev, we can't kill them," Bask said in a warning.

Turning off his saber, Kev grabbed the stun baton from the nearest Clone, and leapt into the darkness, letting off a force push as he dropped.

The Wookiee moaned confusedly as he was thrown across the room, into the motel room's door. He bounced the door, swiping furiously at Kev.

Kev lunged forward in a Makeshi style, jabbing the Wookiee in the chest with the stun baton.

After ten seconds of roaring under repeated jabs, the Wookiee collapsed into unconsciousness, fur smoking.

Kev wiped the rain from his eyes, panting in the dimly lit room.

"Okay then," Bask said in a shaken tone. "Kev?"

"Yes?" Kev growled.

To Kev's amazement, Bask leapt into the room, then stammered onto the comm, sounding very unsure of himself. "Plan B. We hold off the—The Wookiees, in the hallway. Rescue teams, repel into Rooms 1 and 2 and redirect all of the Bothans on the top level to those rooms."

With a cynical snort, Kev stepped uneasily over the unconscious Wookiee, opening the door to the hall.

Plan B then.

o.o.o.o.o

Jazal

While Jazal kept it from Kev, deep down, she had as many doubts about confronting Ras Andromias as he did. She thought the whole mission was rather insane.

So, I drop down to Krant and confront the Jedi we put in charge of the Bothan chapter of the Church of the Force. No warning. No censure. Just drop down onto Krant the day after he refuses an order.

As she stealthily moved through the rainy streets of Agol'shtarn, nearing her destination, more and more doubts and uncertainty flooded her mind. In fact, it was far easier for her to clear her mind when Kev was nearby—simply because she wanted to set a good example.

She was so distracted, that her force-sight was much weaker than usual. Unable to sense flora or fauna more than two houses in any direction, she walked slowly and carefully.

This war, she finally decided, has just made Mace Windu go kriffing insane. He's a maniac plain and simple. The whole lot of the Jedi Council have gone insane. I just have to talk some sense into Ras. Yes, here it is. I will just talk some sense.

Jazal turned right, walking off the street and up the front yard of a large, two-story manor.

Ras Andromias had never struck Jazal as the materialistic type of Jedi. She was mildly impressed with the AV-21 and the A1 Deluxe Floater parked in the driveway. Huh Ras, you are doing good for yourself. If I had eyes, I'd definitely fly one of those. Must be nice living in Bothan Space, away from the Jedi High Council.

Jazal walked up the cobblestone steps towards the front door. After pausing a moment, she completely broke mission protocol and knocked on the front door.

Ten seconds went by with no response. Reaching out with the Force, Jazal could sense no human presences within. A few of the Bothans were stirring.

Great. Fantastic, Ras might not even be here! Jazal knocked the door again, this time louder.

"One moment!" a worried voice yelped from within.

"Don't worry," Jazal yelled back. "There's no rush." Well, there kind of is if Bask's team wakes up the town, but let's pretend there's no rush.

"Master Jedi!" a robed Bothan stammered in a panicked voice, then gave a polite bow.

Jazal bowed back, then wasted no words. "I am here to speak with Master Ras Andromias. I don't sense him here. Is there anywhere I can find him?"

"Oh, you are mistaken," the Bothan said serenely. "Master Andromias is here."

"Okay…" Jazal replied with deep uncertainty. She reached out with the Force, more intensely this time, extending her Force sight. This time, her vision revealed every living being in the house to her. There were certainly no human minds.

"Do you wish for me to wake him?" the Bothan growled nervously.

"Uh—Why yes!" Jazal said, stepping off the rainy porch into the foyer without being invited.

"Very well, wait here. I will be back in one moment."

Shutting the door behind her, Jazal stood alone in the entrance hall, dripping water onto the marble floor. There's no way Ras owns this place, Jazal mused. He wouldn't just buy a house on the other side of Krant, would he? But damn, good for Ras! We have much to discuss…

A few minutes went by with Jazal growing more and more confused. She was absolutely certain now that there were no human presences in this house. She would have felt them. By the fourth minute of waiting, she had her thumb on her lightsaber hilt, ready for any trap.

Then, Jazal spun, facing the direction of two sets of footsteps echoing down the hall. She sensed two figures, one, was the Bothan she had met at the door. The other was something completely beyond her ken.

She gasped in shock, regarding the other figure. Everything about his body was human. His arms and legs were humanoid proportions. His face was human, with eyes exactly where they should be. His brain was human. His mind, however, was anything but. It was as if a smaller, more compact, tighter mind had superimposed itself over the human mind. Jazal sensed a faint ghost of a wounded human mind, deeply suppressed, nearly deadif not dead.

The dominant presence was familiar somehow, but it certainly was not Ras. It was not even human.

"Jazal? I presume," Ras asked in a question.

The way he said her name with uncertainty was almost as baffling to Jazal as this creature's mind. Jazal and Ras Andromias were not friends, but they had met several times before. They were acquainted to the point where Jazal had started using his first name.

Lines of concern furrowed across Ras's face. "Oh, I am sorry, you must be wondering how I know your name."

Jazal blew a deep breath, whistling incredulously. "Whoa," she said aloud, shaking her head. Get a grip!

"Master Jazal, is everything all right?" the Bothan asked politely. "You seem distressed."

It's like Ras's mind has been overwritten. Replaced by another presence. The bit remaining is… "Palimpsest," Jazal muttered.

"Pardon?" Ras asked.

"Palimpsest," Jazal said louder, gasping in realisation. "It's a re-used manuscript where the older writing has been erased. Erased and replaced by something written over it. Something newer."

"Um, well we don't have any palimpsest here, Master Jedi," the Bothan growled nervously. Then began stammering, desperate to be helpful. "But, if that's what you're after, we do plenty of palimpsest back at the Temple. It's on the other side of Krant you see, we don't normally—"

"—Pelir, I think Jazal and I need to speak in private," Ras interrupted.

"I—Why yes, of course," the Bothan, Pelir apparently, stammered. Jazal sensed her fur swirl with embarrassment.

"Follow me to my meditation chamber," Ras said serenely, gesturing down the hall.

Jazal's spine tingled with apprehension. Everything about this creature both frightened and mystified her.

Ras spoke softly as he walked. "I was going to say, I knew your name because, living amongst the Bothans, a Jedi easily gains access to—"

"—Because Pelir told you," Jazal interrupted curtly.

"Well tha—that too," Ras stammered.

As they continued walking, Jazal could sense Ras reaching out to her, trying to guage her feelings. His presence was annoyingly obvious, and incredibly weak. Inexperienced, she realised. He is inexperienced with the Force.

"Do you know why I was so surprised?" Jazal muttered, unable to hide her bitter suspicion.

"Because we do not possess any palimpsest here?" Ras replied playfully, trying to diffuse the situation.

No, there is plenty of palimpsest walking right next to me. "No. Because we have met before Ras."

"We—Oh! Jazal," Ras chuckled nervously. He unlocked the door to his meditation chamber. "Yes, I remember, we met at—at the thing—on that planet, on…"

"Ras Andromias would remember," Jazal said coldly, reaching out to the walls around the room. It clearly a study of some sort, converted recently. There was a circle of seven cushions, surrounding a larger central one.

Ras gulped. "I am Ras Andromias."

"Ras Andromias would not refuse an order from Mace Windu," Jazal muttered.

She then sensed Ras reaching for his pocket, instead of his lightsaber holster. He pulled out a minature taser. Igniting the sparks, he thrust it into Jazal.

The Jedi was ready. Leaping backwards, she trivially dodged the attack, then ignited her lightsaber.

An overwhelming fear overcame Ras. A familiar fear that was, again, not human. The fear was feral and, if Jazal could describe it with one would, she would say scurrying.

Ras threw his lightsaber to the ground and began yelling—no yelping. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

"WHO THE KRIFF ARE YOU?!" Jazal screamed, pointing her blade at him.

"I am Ras! Your friend!" he screamed.

"UGH! We don't have time for this," Jazal whispered harshly. Pushing him with the Force, she threw Ras to the ground, whipped out a pair of binders from her utility belt. She clipped them around Ras's wrists, handcuffing him.

Without another word, she dragged him into the hallway, and began leading him to the foyer.

"PALER! GOSEK! TARESK! EVERYONE!" Ras yelped. "SAVE ME!"

"Pathetic," Jazal whispered under her breath. "Damn pathetic."

When they reached the foyer however, it turned out Ras's pathetic calls for help had paid off.

Paler was standing near the doorway, flashing her teeth.

Jazal reached out to her, trying to calm the Bothan down. "I am not going to hurt—"

"—She is going to kill me!" Ras screamed. "Jazal is a rogue Jedi. She broke her Jedi vows and was in prison just a few months ago! She is currently on probation!"

"LET MASTER ANDROMIAS GO!" Paler snarled furiously.

Dozens Bothans began spilling into the foyer. Some wearing pyjamas, others wearing robes.

"Okay, now that surprises me," Jazal huffed crossly to Ras. "How did you know I was in jail? I never told you about that."

"SEE!" Ras yelped. "SHE DOESN'T DENY IT!"

o.o.o.o.o

Kev Rel'skar

"Okay, so we are all here?" Bask spoke into his wrist comm.

Kev force-dragged a Wookiee into the open in the hall. Bask began firing stun shots down the dark corridor into the screaming beast.

"Yes sir," growled the voice of Gunnery Sergeant Taniar Trav'nel from Bask's wristcomm. "All of my team are here, and so are the engineers."

"Marvellous!" Bask yelled excitedly. "Kid! We actually did it!"

Kev snorted incredulously, deflecting a crossbow shot with a snarl.

"FALL BACK!" Bask ordered, tapping on Kev's shoulder once he was clear of the hallway, and back in room 2.

Kev stood at the bottom of the robe, lightsaber ignited, while Bask quickly clambered onto the stretcher in the centre of the room.

"Get on!" Bask yelled.

"Oh, I don't need a lift," Kev growled confidently. I can use the force and leap up to the roof.

"Are you disobeying a direct order?!"

Kev quickly scrambled onto the stretcher, stammering apologies.

As the stretcher lifted to the roof, a mix of Bothans and Wookiees spilled into the room, snarling furiously.

Keeping his lightsaber ignited, Kev stared them down, as if daring any of them to shoot. One of the Wookiees howled something in Shyriiwook, and another moaned sadly. None of them attempted to stop Kev and Bask from escaping.

"All right," Bask yelled over the rain. "What's the problem? Why aren't we on the transport?"

"Sir," one of the Clones said, "Taniar here says this one is not one of them!"

"She's not," snarled a tan and black furred Bothan wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. Kev instantly recognised her voice from the comm.

"Sergeant?" Bask asked impatiently.

"Gunny, sir," Taniar corrected. "Rhrumaymayhlma is the village elder in charge of the Bothan-Wookiees."

"But Gunny," stammered a Bothan with grey-blue and tan fur wearing nothing but boxers. "We can't just leave—"

"—Gurosk, I have had kriffing enough of you fraternising with the enemy!" Taniar snarled.

"But if she comes with us, she won't be the enemy," Gurosk pleaded.

"She's not even awake!"

"She's—"

"—We're in enough trouble as it is," Bask yelled. "We're not abducting any Wookiees or 'Bothan-Wookiees' or whatever the kriff that piece of work is. Leave her behind."

At that, one of the Clone medics picked the stinkiest being on the LAAT up, carried her outside, and gently rested her on the roof. Rain continued pouring down on her sleeping body.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Kev growled nervously.

"Oh, we had to shoot her up with sedatives. She'll be out cold for a day," one of the medics explained matter of factly.

At that, Kev smiled contently, relaxing for the first time in days as he stepped onto the LAAT. We did it. No casualties. We didn't kill any locals. Jazal will be so proud. Mace Windu might even like me.

The LAAT circled around the hotel as the medics wrapped the dozen rescued Botha'ahir Bothans in blankets.

"What if Rhrumaymayhlma gets struck by lightning?" Gurosk growled in a pleading voice, now wrapped in a thermal blanket.

"The lightning's calming down," Taniar retorted coldly, folding her arms. Then she turned and faced Bask, ears perked up. "Sir, there is one thing."

"Yes?" Bask asked.

"We cannot allow our equipment to fall into enemy hands. Would it be possible for you to destroy a barn housing our captured weapons and equipment?"

Kev blinked incredulously. Hell no.

Taking his helmet off, Bask laughed heartily. "I like you Bothans! At least the Botha'ahir type. For you? Sure. Do you have the coordinates?"

"No sir," Taniar replied, sighing with relief. "But I can point your pilot to it. It may be guarded, so you may want to fire warning shots before levelling the place."

"Thanks for the heads up, get up here Gunny," Bask said with an animated beckoning gesture.

Kev spoke firmly, turning toward the cockpit. "Sir, I don't think this is a good idea. The more collateral damage—"

"—Your objection is noted," Bask interrupted. "We'll be sure to inflict no casualties."

Swearing under his breath, Kev stood up, grabbing the handgrip above his seat, and cautiously walked to the cockpit.

Taniar and Bask stood behind the pilot and co-pilot, Taniar giving directions in a formal, professional tone.

"Maybe we could leave now and recover our equipment later," another Bothan growled hopefully from the cabin.

"That's a negative, Zrask," Taniar replied. "Sir, if we leave now, Clan Aean may move our equipment to a more secure location."

Zrask sat back in his chair, looking very sad for reasons Kev did not understand.

The LAAT shined a spotlight forth into the darkness, eventually settling on a barn.

"That the target Gunny?" the co-pilot asked.

"Yes," Taniar answered.

"Strafe the yard in front of the barn," Bask ordered.

"Yes sir," the pilot said.

A moment later, the LAAT made a wide u-turn mid-air, coming about on the barn's position.

Kev stared helplessly ahead as green and red laser fire cut across the yard, tearing through grass, cutting up the lawn in a fiery steam. The curtain of wind and rain emitted by the LAAT approaching at top speed tore across the yard and the barn, ripping up older bits of plywood.

The LAAT hovered in place for thirty seconds. Then, nothing happened.

"Okay then, I didn't expect they'd put anyone on guard duty tonight in the middle of a tropical storm. Fire on the barn, when ready, two torpedoes."

"Firing sir," the co-pilot said, squeezing the trigger.

Two red blobs cut through the sky, flying into the barn. After disappearing into the wooden structure, the torpedoes exploded brilliantly. For two seconds, the explosion was the brightest object on the entire sleepy hemisphere. Then, the brightness died down, replaced by glowing embers and hot melted scraps of metal.

Then, the town alarm went off ominously. Spotlights began shining into the sky.

"Uh oh," Bask muttered aloud. "I hope we didn't make Jazal's job harder."

Kev sighed despondently, fur falling flat.