Victory! After defeating Admiral Eustace Marvinelle in a duel, Jedi Knight Osiyaim Krota hears rumors of a secret Separatist base on Procopia. With the assistance of Lady Lilith Brandern of House Pelagia and Clone Captain Kitt, Oz travels to the supposed location of the Separatist base, an island owned by the powerful House Mecetti...
Kitt thought he was a good soldier. He followed orders and was loyal to his superiors. Kitt served Oz with the same dedication he served General Katra. Unlike General Katra, Oz could not separate their personal and professional relationship. Kitt didn't mind that as much as he should have. A concerning number of Jedi saw the clones as little more than organic droids, but what frustrated Kitt the most was Oz's habit of not taking his concerns seriously. It wasn't a big issue when they served under General Katra as she'd listen to what Kitt had to say. She understood that his observations weren't just witty banter from a friend, but strategically important information from a colleague. Oz, on the other hand, let himself get carried away with one distraction after another despite Kitt's warnings. When Oz was just a Padawan he could be reined in by General Katra. Now that Oz was a Jedi General there was no one who could force him to focus on their mission.
It didn't take long to reach the Mecetti island from Estalle Island with Lilith's boat. The trio saw nothing after landing but a pristine beach. Kitt didn't like that. From the reports Kitt had read about Procopia's social season, the Tapani nobles would love to have a tropical getaway to decompress. The fact that a tropical island with white sands and crystal clear water was uninhabited made Kitt uneasy.
"This is quite a nice place, Lady Brandern. Shame no one's here." Kitt said.
"It's beautiful here! Why would the Mecetti abandon this island?" Oz asked, his gaze falling upon a smoking mountain in the distance. The wind suddenly shifted and the smell answered his question.
"That volcano going to give us any trouble?" Kitt asked. Watching Oz gag made him grateful that his helmet (mostly) filtered out unpleasant smells. He was also glad he had made Lilith and Oz wait for him to gather his armor and equipment before they left. The stares he got from the civilians didn't bother him at all.
"As long as we move quickly, then no." Lilith answered as she led the two men into the jungle.
'So that's a yes.' Kitt thought. Another variable he had to account for.
"Let's get moving then." Oz said.
The trio eventually came upon a clearing in the jungle. A great chunk of flat stone rose out of the jungle floor in front of a cave entrance.
"Are you gentlemen comfortable underground?" Lilith asked.
"I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm 'comfortable' with being underground, but I can deal with it." Oz replied.
"Of course. Let me just call in the troops to let them know we're here." Kitt said.
"Aren't you afraid of your communications being tracked? Besides, we haven't a moment to spare." Lilith said.
"Well if you'd prefer to not have any more moments at all we can walk right into that cave without anyone knowing our whereabouts." Kitt said.
"Don't worry, Lady Brandern. Kitt never takes too long with his calls." Oz said. "And I have to say I'm quite impressed with all the plant life we've come across so far. Very fragrant. They almost cover up the smell from the volcano."
Lilith watched Kitt march off into the jungle. "Yes. They do." She turned to look at Oz. "How long have you known the clone?"
"I've known Kitt for a few years now. When the war started he was assigned to work with my master and I." Oz answered.
"And he has never done anything to make you question his loyalty? One would assume that the opportunity to learn about a Separatist base would interest him. Do you find nothing odd about his displeasure at being here?" Lilith asked.
"Captain Kitt has a healthy amount of skepticism. During my time fighting this war I've learned that not everything means something, which is quite ironic for a Jedi. But it is a little strange how negative Kitt's being. I understand that he doesn't know you, but you work for the Great Council, that has to count for something." Oz replied.
"Captain Kitt's trust is but one more thing that my work with the Great Council fails to provide me. Until I turn thirty I cannot vote, own any property, or marry. This is despite all the work I have done for my people. Can you believe that?" Lilith said.
"I can see where you're coming from. But I'm sure the Republic can help you, eventually." Oz offered.
"Speaking of the Republic, when we were informed that the Tapani Sector's representation was being consolidated, we had hoped to elect a member of the Tapani Federation to the senate." Lilith said, changing the subject.
"I suppose that's understandable. The Tapani Federation is the biggest power in the region. Makes sense that you'd want to have one of your own in charge." Oz said. Where was Lilith going with this?
"Of course. To be forced to share a representative with the rest of the sector was an insult to the Tapani. The Separatists had already enticed us with the promise of restoring our sovereignty, but the Great Council did not find their promises trustworthy. We continued to support the Republic and our reward was to lose even more of our freedom." Lilith said. "You cannot tell me that you are blind to what the Republic is doing. General Krota, do you truly believe that Chancellor Palpatine would give up the power he has amassed willingly? Who is to say that one day he will not decide to simply declare himself Chancellor for Life? What will you do then?"
"The Jedi would stop him. We learned from the fall of the Old Republic. The Jedi would never let the Republic fall again." Oz answered. "Besides, I doubt things will come to that."
"Did you ever expect things to end up as they are now? Did you really think you would ever be leading soldiers into battle aboard a warship?" Lilith asked.
Oz's silence answered Lilith's questions. She patted his shoulder.
"My apologies, General. I meant no offense. Tapani Day is tomorrow and I am just a bit nervous." Lilith said. "I do hope you will join us in celebration."
After Kitt finished giving their coordinates, the trio continued into the cave. Oz and Kitt had been forced underground countless times over the course of the war. The cave systems on different planets varied considerably, even when they didn't turn out to be the inside of some giant creature. The cave they found themselves in right now was extremely unusual. The plant life and pools of water present in the cave as a result of the holes in the ceiling did little to distract the group from how strange the cave's layout was. There were too many straight lines and wide open passages. Oz wished he had brought R3-B31 down from the Wanderer. Who knows what scans of the cave could reveal?
"These don't look like natural formations." Kitt said as Lilith led him and Oz to what looked like an extremely weathered set of stairs. She shot him a dirty look. Lilith must have been upset that Kitt interrupted her and Oz's conversation. The two had been talking almost the entire time they had been in the cave. They were under the impression that he couldn't hear them if they spoke in hushed voices and walked ahead of him. He rolled his eyes as he attached lights to his helmet in preparation for the darkness waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
"These are not natural formations, Captain. This whole cave is not a natural formation, in fact." Lilith replied.
"Really? Are we in some ancient ruins?" Oz asked. He ran a hand along the wall.
Lilith nodded. "There is a documented history of great structures on Procopia built by the noble houses thousands of years ago. I believe that this particular location was an old Mecetti tomb. It was buried during a volcanic eruption and the wars kept it from being recovered. It's been so long that nature has now reclaimed it. No doubt the Separatists are housed deeper inside." Lilith continued down the stairs.
"Ah, volcanic activity would explain the heat." Oz said.
"How did you even learn about this alleged Separatist base? I would think that someone like Toover would know about this." Kitt asked.
"Truthfully, while I cannot fully participate in the Tapani Federation's government, staffers such as myself are the ones doing most of the work of our elected officials. We do all the research, collect all the information, and occasionally come across credible threats to the safety and security of our way of life." Lilith explained.
"Shame that you have to do all the work and don't get a say." Kitt said.
"A familiar feeling, Captain?" Lilith asked.
Oz sensed a conflict brewing. "Well if you know about this base, then you must know about the spy who has been leaking information about Republic fleet patrols. From what we've gathered, the noble houses are at each other's throats and that might be connected to these attacks. And we're almost certain it was the cause behind my duel with Admiral Marvinelle."
"Oh my, yes. Relations between the Houses have been deteriorating ever since House Mecetti-" Lilith was cut off.
"We're aware that the Mecetti weren't punished enough for your liking. What we want to know is if you're aware of who the spy is and what their motives are." Kitt said.
"Honor, as Duke Eustace Marvinelle demonstrated, is of the utmost importance to the Tapani." Lilith began. "An individual may restore their personal honor with a duel, but the process for an entire noble house requires greater sacrifice. The honor of multiple houses is enough to go to war. Your fleet spy is likely a Mecetti noble, and I would not be surprised if the Mecetti High Lord himself ordered the duel to take place."
"Mecetti, really? The nobles who got a slap on the wrist for collaborating with the Seppies?" Kitt asked. While he agreed that House Mecetti was untrustworthy, Lilith still didn't sit right with him. She was too insistent in her efforts to blame the spying on House Mecetti.
"The Mecetti do not take kindly to punishment. With a punishment as light as the one they were given I see no reason why they would not conspire with the Separatists once more. And the other houses have too much honor to betray their own people. So they say." Lilith said.
"Gonna need more assurance than 'honor' before we rule anyone out." Kitt said.
"I see. Consider the fact that House Mecetti operates the largest fleet in the sector, yet cannot seem to find Separatist warships on their own patrols? Or how Duke Eustace Marvinelle is the Admiral under which these attacks have occurred?" Lilith offered.
"Lady Brandern, how do we know your actions weren't ordered by the High Lord of House Pelagia? You seem to really have it out for the Mecetti. Your houses are supposed to be rivals, you could be trying to distract us for all we know!" Captain Kitt accused.
Lilith laughed. "The High Lord of House Pelagia isn't even old enough to ride in the front seat of a speeder, much less give orders to anyone. Understand this, Captain: what I do, I do because I believe it is best for the Tapani. Not because I am following orders." She crossed her arms.
"Hey, what are you doing in this part of the facility?" A battle droid asked after walking around a corner. "Uh oh." The droid said after noticing Kitt and Oz.
Oz immediately ran over and sliced the droid in half. He was relieved that there was finally going to be something to distract Kitt and Lilith from their argument.
"Do you believe me about the Separatist base now, Captain?" Lilith asked, motioning to the smoking remains of the droid.
"Stay close, Lady Brandern." Oz said. "For every one droid you see, there's a dozen you don't."
"If you're lucky." Kitt added.
B1 Battle Droids, individually, were not as dangerous as Republic propaganda made them out to be. While they weren't completely harmless, it was entirely possible for the average adult humanoid to defeat a B1 without much difficulty. A sturdy piece of wood or metal could be used to knock the droid down and smash it into pieces. Species gifted with great strength and thick hides had even less trouble dealing with the average B1. Jedi are particularly adept at destroying battle droids. The late King Katuunko of Toydaria is quoted as saying, "One Jedi is not worth a hundred battle droids. More like a thousand." This is why the Separatists would send in as many droids as possible when invading and occupying a planet. If a single Jedi is worth one thousand battle droids, send in two thousand. And so on. A Jedi may be able to avoid blaster bolts for a short while, but no Jedi can defend themselves against a never-ending wall of blaster fire.
Oz and Kitt had Lilith stay back as they investigated the hallway the B1 emerged from. What they noticed first was the eerie light at the end. Oz and Kitt ran towards it and saw a horrifying sight. There were hundreds of B1s in formation, waiting to be activated. And from the looks of the statues and sarcophagi, they were in the main part of the Mecetti tomb.
"There are definitely more than a dozen battle droids down there." Oz said.
"What's the plan, General?" Kitt asked as they both crouched behind the balustrade. He looked the droids over with a pair of electrobinoculars.
"I think we should get Lady Brandern out of here before we go forward with any attacks." Oz answered.
"We can do that after we come up with a plan." Kitt said. He zoomed in on a large statue in the corner, near a larger entrance. "Think you can topple that thing with the Force?" He asked, pointing to the statue.
"I thought you didn't like Lady Brandern?" Oz asked.
"General! You have to focus! Can you topple that statue or not?" Kitt asked again.
Oz looked at the statue. It was obviously ancient and the base had large cracks running through it. "It might take me a while, but I think it's possible."
"Alright. Here's what I'm thinking: I'll throw a few thermal detonators into the crowd to cause some confusion and give you a chance to get over to that statue. That'll cut them off from their escape route and force them to come up here, where I'll have placed some shock traps to cover our escape. Hopefully we'll be done in time to catch the Tapani Day parade tomorrow." Kitt said. He handed Oz the electrobinoculars to look around for himself.
Oz was going to say something about not being told about Tapani Day before but decided against it. He really did need to focus on the task at hand. Oz also didn't want to hear another lecture from Kitt about how he should read their reports more closely.
"It sounds like it should work, but I don't know how I feel about you drawing their fire. Once those droids activate they're bound to notice you. I think I should be able to climb the walls and drop onto the statue without being detected. I can topple it before they turn on and then you'll be able to blow up the droids without having them all be focused on you." Oz said, looking around with the electrobinoculars. He noticed that parts of the tomb's stone floor didn't match the rest. It looked like some cracks had been recently repaired with duracrete. Oz turned on the electrobinoculars' thermal filter and saw that there were some long strips of heat under the floor.
"Ready?" Kitt asked.
"Ready." Oz answered.
Climbing over to the statue was easy enough. Oz had a seemingly endless supply of intricate artwork to use as handholds. The few active droids didn't even think to look up. Good news for Oz, since there was no way he could climb faster than a B2 could shoot.
Oz stood behind the statue and closed his eyes. The Force flowed through him and the statue began tipping forward. The sound of blaster fire broke Oz's concentration and the statue stopped moving. The shots were coming from where Kitt and Lilith were. There must have been more droids hiding in the ruins. Something didn't feel right. There didn't sound like there was anyone else shooting up there except Kitt. The droids started to activate and forced Oz to stop worrying about Kitt. He still needed to topple the statue. With one final push, Oz made the statue crash to the ground, some of the larger pieces of debris striking a few unfortunate battle droids. With the droids' attention split between the blaster fire and the statue, Oz activated his lightsaber and ran as fast as he could back to Kitt.
Kitt watched Oz begin his climb and ran back to give Lilith a head start on the escape, setting up the shock traps along the way. Reaching the hall he and Oz had left Lilith in, Kitt was greeted with nothing but darkness. A blue flash suddenly appeared in front of him and he rolled out of the way.
"You should have taken your chances with the droids, clone!" Lilith spat, attempting to stab Kitt with her lightfoil. She fell back as Kitt fired some blaster shots at her.
What little enjoyment Kitt got from his suspicions about Lilith being correct was put into the back of his mind. Right now, he needed to figure out how to survive a fight against a lightfoil at close range. Oddly enough, he had the feeling that he was trained for this specific scenario. Kitt decided to employ a technique that had the lowest chance of him losing any limbs.
"Why bother running, if I don't get you the droids will!" Lilith shouted as she chased after the sprinting clone.
Kitt activated one of his shock traps as soon as Lilith was in range. She screamed in pain and dropped the lightfoil. Kitt looked her over to make sure she was unconscious and picked up her weapon. He heard a great crash out in the main chamber. Oz must have toppled the statue. Clipping the lightfoil to his belt, Kitt readied a few thermal detonators.
Running out into a crowd of battle droids wasn't Oz's best idea. He thanked the Force that whatever stone the statue was made of was sturdy enough to shrug off blaster shots from the droids. For how long, Oz didn't know. He peeked around a corner and ducked as a blaster bolt barely missed his head.
"Surrender, Jedi scum!" The whiny robotic voice of a B1 called out. Oz was relieved that there weren't any droids smarter than a B2 in the tomb. But even B2s weren't that bright.
"General, you alright down there?" Kitt asked over the comms.
"For now. Is Lilith alright?" Oz asked.
Kitt hesitated before answering. "Yes."
"Wonderful. So, when do you plan to throw the thermals?" Oz asked before skewering a droid that tried to sneak up on him.
"Well I'm trying to avoid getting blasted by these droids." Kitt replied. He shot some droids that were landing their shots too close to his position.
"I know I shouldn't be picky, but if possible could you throw the thermals at the duracrete covered patches on the floor? I think they're structural weak points." Oz asked while carving up another two droids.
After shooting some droids that had walked up the stairs towards him, Kitt looked and saw a crowd of droids standing over one of the duracrete patches. If Separatist droids were easy enough to blow up, their renovation projects shouldn't be a problem either.
"Here goes nothing." Kitt said to himself before throwing the thermal detonators.
Aside from destroying about a dozen droids and leaving a small crater, nothing happened.
"Is there lava coming up from the hole?" Oz asked.
"What?! No! Why would there be lava?! I thought the floor was supposed to collapse!" Kitt replied.
"In that case, I really need you to help me out of here." Oz said.
Kitt sighed before breaking into a sprint. He slid down the railing of the stairs and shot the droids that were making their way up. Continuing to shoot at the droids around him, he dove and rolled behind a piece of the statue Oz had knocked over.
"You don't know how glad I am to see you!" Oz said.
"General! This wasn't the plan!" Kitt shouted. He shot a droid that was climbing over the top of Oz's piece of the statue.
"I'm trying to come up with a new one!" Oz admitted.
Kitt threw Lilith's lightfoil to Oz. "Well you can think of a new plan while we retreat! Come on!"
Oz nodded and activated the lightfoil. He ran over to Kitt and the pair of them ran back to the stairs. Oz deflected the droids' blaster fire and Kitt eliminated any threats that got too close. They had almost reached the stairs when a massive explosion rocked the tomb and knocked them down.
Kitt's helmet protected him from the worst of the blast and he regained his bearings first. Sunlight was streaming in from a hole in the ceiling. The attention of the droids was now focused on an LAAT that appeared to be making short work of them.
"Captain, are you there?" A clone asked over the comms.
"I'm here. I take it you got my message?" Kitt asked.
"Affirmative. What's your status? Is General Krota with you?" The clone asked. Oz groaned and Kitt answered that they both needed to be extracted as quickly as possible, and that they should be ready to capture a prisoner.
"You alright Kitt?" Oz asked.
"Now that the clankers aren't shooting at us, yes. Come on, we've got to arrest Lady Brandern." Kitt said, helping Oz to his feet.
"What?! Why?!" Oz exclaimed.
"No reason, she just tried to slice me up while you were going to knock down the statue." Kitt answered. He shot a few droids that were running away from the LAAT and the descending troopers.
"Why would she do that?!" Oz asked as they ran up the stairs.
"You know, it didn't really cross my mind to ask while she was trying to kill me." Kitt said.
Kitt and Oz found Lilith staggering away down the hall, obviously feeling the effects of the electric shock she had endured.
"Lady Brandern, stay where you are! That's an order!" Kitt shouted with his blasters drawn.
Lilith stopped and didn't turn around. Kitt called for troopers to assist them.
"Why'd you attack Kitt?!" Oz demanded. Lilith still didn't answer.
"Put your hands up and turn around!" Kitt ordered.
Lilith complied. Oz and Kitt led her down the stairs. The clone troopers had pretty much cleared out all the droids and were securing the area.
Lilith cleared her throat harshly. "Do you want to know why I did it?" She asked.
"You're the spy, aren't you?" Oz asked. Kitt rolled his eyes at Oz stating the obvious. "Why would you betray your people?"
"Don't act so innocent. You're all hypocrites! You've seen how they treat people here! The commoners are no better than slaves! The Tapani Federation isn't even a real democracy! The Republic keeps turning a blind eye to it!" Lilith screamed roughly as clone troopers cuffed her.
"And naturally the answer was to join the Separatists because they're known for their love of equality." Captain Kitt said.
"At least the people fighting for the Confederacy actually made the choice to do it! Did you?!" Lilith asked. The clone troopers dragged her away before Kitt and Oz could respond.
"Well Lieutenant, you and the men certainly know how to make an entrance." Oz said as the LAAT flew them away from the Mecetti island. The Lieutenant had brought more than one LAAT in case there was heavier resistance than expected, but now it just seemed like overkill. "I commend you on how quickly you and the men responded."
Lieutenant Risk smiled beneath his helmet. "Of course we did. Rescue missions are always a priority when they concern high-ranking officers."
"I wouldn't exactly call it a 'rescue mission'." Oz argued.
"I would." Kitt said.
"How did you even find us?" Oz asked.
"We flew over to the location given to us by Captain Kitt and then our sensors picked up readings consistent with the use of explosives." Risk answered.
"I see. How did the Tapani Federation react to Republic forces landing on Procopia? I doubt they were thrilled." Oz said.
"They weren't, and despite saying Procopia's a neutral zone, as a Republic world they have to allow the military onto the planet. Once they find out about all those clankers hiding so close to the capitol I'm sure they'll beg us to stay." Risk said. No matter how strongly the Tapani might feel about taboo against bringing soldiers onto Procopia, they'd definitely change their tune if they think a horde of battle droids was coming to kill them.
"I don't doubt it. It's too bad Kitt and I have to go back to Fondor now." Oz said.
"Speaking of which, aren't you and the rest of the men supposed to be on Fondor right now? With the Wanderer?" Kitt asked.
"My apologies Captain, but I'm not sure I understand your question. Admiral Marvinelle brought the Wanderer here last night." Risk answered.
"...why would he bring my ship instead of his?" Oz asked.
Kitt coughed nervously. "When I was planning with the Admiral and Commander Royce, Marvinelle kept talking about how nice the new Venators must be. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, but I wouldn't find it hard to believe that he commandeered the Wanderer because it's newer." he said.
"Of course he did. And why is he still here? He told me he was going back to Fondor. Along with telling me he brought his ship here, not mine." Oz said. Before either Risk or Kitt could respond, Oz's holoprojector started beeping. He held out his palm and a clone trooper appeared.
"General Krota, this is Commander Royce. You and Admiral Marvinelle need to return to Fondor immediately! The Separatists have launched an invasion! The fleet and I can hold them off until you get here, but if you don't get here soon we'll have to-" The transmission cut off abruptly.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Oz said.
Lilith cackled. It sounded like two Loth-cats fighting. "You're too late. The Separatists have probably taken over Fondor by now." she said hoarsely.
"You wanna bet on that?" Kitt challenged.
"Do they even pay you?" Lilith responded.
"Want me to stun the prisoner, General?" Risk asked.
"Not yet. I want to find out exactly what she's done." Oz said.
Oz stood above Lilith with his arms crossed. She wasn't impressed.
"Am I supposed to be intimidated?" Lilith asked. "You think I'll spill whatever secrets I may or may not know?"
Oz knelt down to meet her eye-to-eye. He held her lightfoil up.
"What does this mean to you?" Oz asked.
"If you expect me to feel remorse and tell you everything, you are mistaken." Lilith said.
"This is less about any invasion plans and more about our conversations during the party and in the tomb." Oz admitted.
"And what of it?" Lilith asked.
"Have you been lying to me this whole time? Do you really want to end the war? I trusted you." Oz responded.
"You did? That's adorable. The Jedi before you wouldn't have been foolish enough to fall for that. If you Jedi can believe you're bringing peace to the galaxy by destroying it, who knows what else you'll believe." Lilith said.
"We're not destroying the galaxy, we're trying to keep the Republic together." Oz said.
"I don't know how long you've been outside of the Jedi Temple, but no one respects the Republic anymore. Even the Core Worlds don't care about it. The Republic is weak. As soon as something stronger comes along to replace it, the rest of the galaxy will fall in line. You'll see." Lilith taunted.
"What makes you so sure about that?" Oz asked.
"You really should pay more attention to history." Lilith answered. "Especially your own."
"I am a Jedi Knight. I know my history." Oz said.
"Then you should know what happened the last time the Jedi were on a crusade across the galaxy." Lilith spat. "You came here knowing nothing about the Tapani or our past. You don't even know why Fondor's so important, do you? Maybe all you deserve is ashes."
"Fondor's an industrial world. Why else would the Separatists attack them?" Oz said.
"Oh yes, Fondor, the planet with the curiously high amount of government contracts and low amount of expensive warships to show for it." Lilith said. "Have you ever thought about why that might be? There has to be something going on to require all that money. I thought Jedi were supposed to see the unseen."
"Either tell me what you're talking about, or I'll make you tell me." Oz threatened. Who was she to insult the Jedi and the Republic when she was willing to sell her people out to the Separatists?
Lilith smirked at his bluff. "It's really too bad it took until now for you to find your courage." She shook her cuffs and looked at the troopers surrounding her. "And what courage it must take to threaten someone in my position."
"I'm growing impatient." Oz said.
"You act as though you'll actually follow through with any threats. I'll humor you. Fondor is important because of weapons research. And to a lesser extent the starship research conducted there. Mostly weapons." Lilith explained. "And I don't mean anything as petty as a slightly more efficient blaster, but superweapons. The kind the galaxy hasn't seen in living memory."
"Do you have any proof?" Oz asked.
"I was right about the hidden base, wasn't I?" Lilith said. "Where's the trust? I thought we were building a beautiful friendship."
"I've learned my lesson about trusting you." Oz answered. The LAAT landed at the Republic embassy and Lilith was made to stand.
Lilith frowned. "That's too bad. May I at least ask you one question before I go?"
Oz ignored her and ordered some troopers to guard Lilith until they could get her to a proper Republic prison.
Lilith asked her question anyway. "Why would the Republic spend billions of credits on research for climate control satellites?"
The only answer Lilith received was a glare from Oz as the troopers took her away.
Rushing into the command center of the Wanderer, Oz and Kitt were greeted by Admiral Marvinelle. The Admiral had a large bandage on his forearm and was reviewing a projection of Fondor and its defense fleet.
"Admiral, we need to set a course for Fondor! The Separatists are invading." Oz said. It took everything in him not to call Admiral Marvinelle out on his lie or curse him out for weakening Fondor's defenses.
Admiral Marvinelle frowned. "I am aware, General Krota. Commander Royce sent me a transmission. I have just finished reviewing the defense plan for Fondor and I am sorry to say that there are simply not enough ships to adequately repel an invasion force. I've already called for more reinforcements, but I doubt they will arrive in time."
Oz had to hold himself back from berating the Admiral. Dealing with Lilith had used up all of his patience. "That's quite unfortunate."
"What about the Tapani Home Defense Fleet? Looks like they're all here." Kitt suggested.
"The trouble with that course of action is convincing the Houses to work together." Admiral Marvinelle said. "I believe only Shey Tapani himself would be able to make them fight as one."
"Tapani day is tomorrow, correct?" Oz asked impatiently. Admiral Marvinelle nodded. "Is it a holiday where a lot of patriotic speeches are made?" Admiral Marvinelle nodded again. "I have an idea." Desperation was always a great motivator.
Oz took a deep breath before starting up the transmitter.
"Tapani Home Defense Fleet, this is General Oz Krota of the Galactic Republic. I regret to inform you that there is a Separatist fleet headed for Fondor. I must also inform you that I encountered hundreds of battle droids only minutes away from Estalle Island. The Separatists came here and invaded your home. They were going to attack as you waited to celebrate Tapani Day in their efforts to retake the sector. They were prepared to raze Estalle Island to the ground. If Count Dooku wanted to send a message to the galaxy, what better way than by striking at the heart of the Tapani Nobles? If the Separatists retake the shipyards of Fondor, your way of life is as good as gone. And they will succeed if your fleets do not help us defend them. Join me and show the Separatists the true might of the Tapani!" Oz finished his speech and transmitted it to the heads of the House navies.
"A stirring speech, General Krota. Hopefully it was enough to break through their pride." Admiral Marvinelle said.
"How did you come up with that so fast?" Kitt asked.
"When I was younger I spent a lot of time reading." Oz admitted. He didn't think Kitt or Marvinelle needed to know he mostly stole the speech from a Jedi flimsi novel.
They couldn't wait for a response from the Tapani fleet. Oz's gut twisted as the Wanderer flew through hyperspace towards Fondor. As soon as they dropped back into realspace, they'd have to start attacking. The Separatists no doubt knew they were coming. How could Oz have been so stupid? Faith hadn't served him well the past week, so why did he expect the Tapani Fleet to join him? Why did he trust Lilith? Why did he trust Admiral Marvinelle? He didn't know if Lilith's treason or Marvinelle's incompetence upset him more. Oz couldn't afford to be upset, especially not in the cockpit of his starfighter. If he wanted to make it out of this alive, he needed a clear mind. Oz sank down in his seat. It would be so much easier to have a clear mind if he was able to just stop and breathe. First the duel, then the fiasco on the island, and now he was rushing to defend Fondor. When would it end?
The Wanderer emerged from hyperspace into heavy fighting between the Separatists and the Republic. Separatist dreadnoughts were engaging the Venators, no doubt in an attempt to break through the atmosphere for a planetary assault, but the Republic's support ships and starfighters kept the Separatists from gaining the upper hand. Though the battle was evenly matched for now, the Separatists could take the upper hand if they could manage to outlast the Republic. Say what you will about battle droids, but they didn't get tired like an organic soldier. Hopefully more Republic reinforcements could make it in time. Or the Admirals of the Tapani Home Defense Fleet would finally get their heads out of their asses. Oz had high hopes for neither event. The Wanderer deployed its starfighters and Oz raced his way to the surface of Fondor, and to Commander Royce.
"General Krota, do you copy!?" Said a garbled voice over Oz's comms once he broke through the atmosphere.
"This is General Krota, I hear you." Oz answered. He shot down a Vulture Droid that made it through the Republic defenses.
"This is Commander Royce! The Separatists blocked our long-range communications. I didn't think you and the Admiral would show up!" Commander Royce said, relieved.
"It doesn't look like you were struggling too much without us. Anything I should know about?" Oz asked with more confidence than he felt.
"Based on intercepted Separatist transmissions, we're in for a hell of a fight." Royce said.
"Of course we are. Are you still in the Republic base on Fondor or are you on one of the cruisers? I need to speak with you about something top secret." Oz said.
"Are you sure now is really the best time?" Royce asked.
"Considering that my Venator's scanners were picking up more Separatist ships before I left, I would say so." Oz said.
The base was running like a well-oiled machine. The ground crew was refueling starfighters and pilots were switching out. Oz was promptly whisked away after landing by an armed escort to the center of the Republic building. Commander Royce was standing in front of a hologram of Fondor and was barking orders to dozens of different comm channels while the clone officers at the consoles worked endlessly to process all the data that was coming in. Once Commander Royce saw Oz, he ordered one of his subordinates to take over, before motioning for Oz to join him.
"What is this top secret information you needed to speak about?" Royce asked.
"I have a source that told me Fondor has been researching superweapons. Seeing as we're hurting for reinforcements and short on time, I ask that you tell me the truth when you answer." Oz said in his most mature sounding voice.
Royce's face was unreadable on account of the helmet he was wearing. Oz sensed his discomfort all the same. After a long pause, he spoke.
"They're not, well, they weren't supposed to be weapons at first." Royce said.
"What wasn't supposed to be a weapon? Some satellites?" Oz asked.
"Weather satellites, yes. They didn't turn out quite the way the designers hoped. If you think I just have some prototypes lying around that we can use on the Separatists, you're right, but they're too unstable for me to even consider letting you use them." Royce explained.
"How unstable?" Oz asked. He'd taken more than his share of risks in the past few years.
"Unstable enough that even those of us planetside would be at risk if you were to explode. I'm sorry, General Krota." Royce said.
Just then, a clone officer called out to him. "Commander Royce, the rest of the Separatist fleet has arrived! Three capital ships, all Lucrehulk class!" Commander Royce reconsidered his decision. Maybe Senator Bertar would forgive him if General Krota somehow managed to survive and actually take out the Lucrehulks. If he couldn't, well, Royce wouldn't have to worry about Bertar anyway. At least Oz didn't ask about any of the other projects.
Admiral Marvinelle surprised Oz and Kitt with how well he was handling the defense of Fondor. They hadn't lost a Venator yet and the Separatists weren't able to break through with any significant numbers of starfighters. The man was simply bad at planning. Where the Admiral truly excelled was in combat. His ability to keep calm and coordinate attacks in seconds was unparalleled. If only the Admiral had been assigned a mission that involved chasing down Separatist forces instead of sitting around and waiting. Despite Admiral Marvinelle's aptitude for combat and risk-taking, even he knew that there was no way they could take down the Lucrehulks without more reinforcements, which made the utter foolishness of Oz's plan to use a modified freighter and prototype weather satellites to destroy the Lucrehulks even more apparent.
"General, rethink this plan! We can't afford any more losses right now!" Kitt shouted as he and a squad of fighters shot down a horde of Hyena bombers.
"I agree with the Captain- Dorn Squadron! Regroup and defend cruiser three!- As I was saying, Captain Kitt is right. There must be another way! Have you tried calling the Home Defense Fleet again?" Marvinelle asked.
"Of course I tried. Long range comms are still blocked. That's the only reason I'm even doing this. As long as you can keep the droids off of me I'll be fine." Oz said.
Even Oz's astromech R3-B31, who was usually very polite, beeped disapprovingly.
"Oh come on! You were with me on the ride over! Why'd you wait until now to say something?" Oz chastised.
"There's still a chance for reinforcements to get here, General Krota." Commander Royce offered.
"And what we have here is a chance to keep Fondor from falling. Don't think I haven't noticed fewer and fewer fighters refueling. We can't keep going on like this forever." Oz said. He began walking into the freighter. "We have to take the opportunities we have now."
Before any of his allies could continue trying to talk him out of his plan, Oz fired up the freighter's engines and began flying towards the Lucrehulks. The weather satellites/superweapons were attached to a heavily modified light freighter. How heavily modified? Most of the interior was turned into a power source for the satellites. Apparently it was supposed to be proof of concept that the satellites could be used as starship mounted weapons. By some miracle it had been untouched during the Separatist occupation and was in full working order.
Ironically, the freighter was completely defenseless despite carrying two superweapons. There was simply no space for anything other than the cockpit, engines, and the weapons once the modifications were done. Because of this, Oz had Captain Kitt and a squad of fighters cover him.
"Oz, please. Why are you still listening to what that spy told you? That thing already looks like it's going to explode." Kitt pleaded in between shooting down droid fighters.
"Kitt, it's been hours. No one's coming to save us. Tell me, do you really think we can hold out long enough to stop the Separatists? Just keep me from getting shot down so I can get in position." Oz commanded. The events of the day had been wearing him down. To make matters worse, he hadn't been able to sleep in almost a full cycle. And his nervousness before dueling Admiral Marvinelle caused him to have only a handful of hours of restless sleep. Lilith's betrayal and the death he felt around him only caused Oz further stress. Why did this have to be his first mission alone? Why couldn't Alma have fought harder to keep him by her side?
"As you wish, General Krota." Kitt answered.
Oz lined up the ship's targeting module with the Lucrehulk nearest to him. If everything worked, the satellites would fire a laser that punched through the first Lucrehulk's reactor, launching debris with the resulting explosion. Then, the beam would travel to the second Lucrehulk with similar results before dying out after destroying the third. The plan relied too much on luck and hope for Oz to be completely confident it would work, but he didn't have any better options. Oz said a small prayer and fired the weapon. Orange bolts of energy arced from the barrels of the weapon. They disappeared before twin beams of orange lasers fired from the weapon, with orange bolts running along their surface. Oz watched the beams travel towards the first Lucrehulk before the freighter began making a high pitched whine and an alarm began to sound.
Oz woke up and was blinded by a brilliant light. His eyes adjusted and he saw that everything around him was covered in a bluish haze. He then noticed that he seemed to be underwater. Panic overtaking him, he began struggling and before he knew it he was surrounded by medical personnel.
Oz was barely dressed and dried before he felt a pair of arms wrap him in a crushing embrace. Once he was free he saw Alma's smiling face looking down at him. Standing behind her was Captain Kitt, who promptly gave him another hug, though far more gently than Alma.
"I'm assuming we won? Did my plan work?" Oz asked. Despite the bacta treatment, his body still ached.
Alma and Kitt kept their smiles, but an awkward silence filled the room until Alma gave Kitt a nudge.
"The defense of Fondor was a success, General Krota. We maintained control over the planet with minimal losses. Admiral Marvinelle even personally nominated you for a noble title from House Mecetti for your bravery and service to the Tapani people." Kitt explained. "Additionally, Prime Minister Toover sent you some fine robes as a gift. Senator Bertar also had Fondor shipyards upgrade your personal starfighter."
"But did my plan work?" Oz asked once more. Kitt and Alma shared a nervous glance.
Kitt continued telling Oz about the battle. "The Tapani Home Defense Fleet arrived shortly after your attempt to destroy the Separatist Lucrehulks. They provided more than enough ships to continue Fondor's defense until Republic cruisers were finally able to provide enough reinforcements to defeat the Separatists. General Katra and Admiral Liren helped lead the counterattack."
Oz leaned back and sank into his pillow. "So my plan didn't work. At least tell me I wasn't in the bacta tank for too long."
Alma rubbed Oz's shoulder. "You were only in the tank for a short while. What's important is that despite the failure of your plan, the battle wasn't lost."
Kitt cleared his throat. "There is some bad news."
"Right, the Council wishes to speak with you about what exactly happened. They've already gone through everything Kitt and Senator Bertar know, they'd just like to hear about what you learned and did on Procopia." Alma explained.
"And Admiral Octavian Grant, also of House Mecetti, is contesting your nomination into the House." Kitt said.
"I see. At least Lilith's in prison now." Oz said. Jedi weren't supposed to have titles of nobility anyway. Usually.
Kitt cringed. "Lady Brandern took her own life after she was transferred over to a Tapani prison during the battle."
"I see." Oz said.
While his time in the Tapani Sector may not have turned out as well as he'd have hoped, Oz supposed things weren't all bad. He survived with all of his original body parts and Kitt made it out too. Oh, and he kept the Republic from losing another sector to the Separatists. He even found the spy and uncovered a Separatist plot. Not bad for his first assignment.
That being said, Oz knew that the Council wasn't going to overlook the blind trust he put into complete strangers, nor his lack of communication with the Republic while on duty. To say nothing of his highly publicized duel with another member of the Republic military! Considering everything he did in the Tapani Sector, Oz would be pulling Temple duty until the end of the war. He perked up a little bit at that thought. Perhaps things would work out after all.
"Oh my, Lady Brandern, you've fallen so far." A man said, his tone filled with exaggerated horror.
"Just get me out of here Nevil. Shutting down the cameras and getting rid of the guards wasn't cheap." Lilith said, her voice cracking.
The man, Nevil, complied. The energy gate separating Lilith from the hall powered down and she stepped out.
"Please tell me you have everything ready to reverse the procedure. I'm tired of looking at this face and hearing this stupid, whiny voice." Lilith said. The damage her vocal emulator sustained after Captain Kitt used a shock trap on her hadn't helped.
"Oh Estalle, won't you be in the same position afterwards?" Nevil asked. He received a punch on his shoulder as his answer. "I thought you needed a laugh. And don't worry about Lady Brandern spoiling anything for us. She's going to take her own life due to the shame of betraying the Tapani. It's tragic, really."
"You're going with that cleanup method again? How will she do it?" Estalle, formerly Lilith, asked.
Nevil turned and began walking away. "I think she'll stick to the classics."
The two continued walking down the hall as a terrified and blindfolded Lilith Brandern was dragged towards the cell by two veiled figures. Estalle stopped to look back at the struggling Lilith.
"Stay here Nevil. I have something I'd like to say to our little traitor." Estalle said.
Nevil sighed. "Didn't you say something about your liberation not being cheap? Did I mishear you?"
Estalle ignored him as she walked back to the cell. Lilith, the real Lilith, was on her knees and tears were streaming down her face as soon as her blindfold was removed. One of the veiled figures held her down as the other wrapped a rope made out of sheets around her neck. Her eyes shot wide open when she recognized Estalle's face as her own. Lilith attempted to say something, but her gag prevented little more than a muffled plea for mercy from escaping her lips.
"I know you're wondering who I am and what's happening." Estalle said. Lilith nodded. "Well, that's something I cannot reveal. Though it should be fairly obvious." Estalle said as she tightened the rope. "You really should have kept your opinions to yourself. I personally care little for the plight of the commoners or our youth. Despite this, I felt a connection with you. You wanted to make the Tapani stronger." Lilith nodded again. Estalle threw the loose end of the makeshift rope over a pipe in the ceiling. "It's too bad you went about it the wrong way. You don't make us stronger by helping the weak, the incompetent, or the undeserving. We become stronger when you cut out weakness, not coddle it. I'm all for equality, like you. I simply don't believe everyone is my equal." Estalle helped a confused Lilith stand up. "Not even other nobles." Lilith was suddenly lifted into the air by one of the veiled figures pulling on the makeshift rope. Estalle watched the poor woman struggle for breath and kick at the air. She left Lilith to her fate and the veiled figures to their work. Lilith had served her purpose and was of no more use.
Watching hyperspace pass them by from the windows on Nevil's yacht, Estalle had a question on her mind.
"Did you learn anything useful during your little adventure to Coruscant?" She asked Nevil.
"Now don't be mad." Nevil began. Estalle frowned. "But I have more bad news than good. I know where Adas's holocron is, but the bad news is that there are supposed to be some Jedi guarding it."
"Some? That can't be right. House Pelagia hasn't had any Jedi born to them for over a century, much less more than one. And I doubt they'd come back home for a visit. Your information must be bad. Where'd you learn this from?" Estalle questioned.
"Not from where. From whom." Nevil said.
Estalle's blood ran cold. "You spoke to him?"
Nevil nodded. "Lord Sidious himself told me where the holocron is, and of the Jedi guarding it."
"How are you supposed to kill a Jedi?" Estalle asked.
"I heard you weren't having much trouble with that boy they sent." Nevil replied. "You bested him several times while sparring, no?"
"I doubt House Pelagia would have weaklings like him guarding something so valuable. Such a shame, too. If he weren't a Jedi his people would have made him into a real warrior."
"Well it doesn't matter anyway. Lord Sidious told me I'd have an opportunity to take the holocron soon. So I think now it's just a matter of waiting for orders." Nevil said. "Speaking of which, how was your time as the firebrand Brandern? I do hope you haven't come around to her way of thinking."
"Of course not! The assignment was much easier than anticipated. That Jedi the Republic sent was quite impressionable. And so gullible! It's too bad he was rarely alone, I think I could have convinced him to leave the Jedi Order if I had enough time." Estalle said. "As it stands, I believe I left quite the impression on him. He'll break."
"What did you tell him?" Nevil asked.
Estalle smiled. "The truth."
A/N: That's it for the Tapani Sector story arc. Let me know what you think! If you've been following this story I hope this extra-long chapter takes the sting out of the hiatus. If some of you are familiar with the EU, you'll know that Estalle and Nevil are characters from Legends. They're both part of the Mecrosa Order, which is basically a Sith cult and spy ring in House Mecetti. I just wanted to kind of show how far Papa Palps's reach is. And thank you to dump_cake on AO3 for letting me bounce ideas off of them!