Corso and Aric were on the way to the crashed shuttle, but were having difficulty with the terrain and keeping the stealth fields up. After the third time Aric stumbled and broke the stealth, Corso sighed and took cover behind a rock wall that had been damaged. "You okay?" he asked, and Aric nodded.
"Sorry, Cor, I've never spent much time with one of these." Aric was embarrassed, if he were honest with himself. This shouldn't be such a challenge, he thought. I've seen Mir glide with these generators over large areas. Corso, too. He sighed, they could see the shuttle from here, and the Nova Blades around it. If Logan had ejected, and he was sure the young man had, he would be to the west of the shuttle, given the prevailing winds. He had told Corso his thoughts, and after a few minutes, they set out, Aric vowing to be careful.
Logan knew when the controls of the shuttle failed that he needed to eject. He had been shot upward from the shuttle and saw it as it plowed up the earth when it hit the ground, as he dangled from the parachute. Unfortunately, the wind blew him into a tree, and he had to cut the harness to get down, injuring his ankle in the process. Groaning in pain, he limped toward a farm, hoping that there was someone there who could notify the base. Why did I feel the need to do this, he wondered. Why did I leave my family to risk this? He wanted to be mad at himself, but he knew in his heart that he had wanted to do something to help his home planet. Nothing had changed, he reminded himself, and put his shaking hand up to knock on the door.
Torian was with one of the militia companies, setting up a forward base a few miles from the outpost. He had told Caly that she could reach him anytime, but truth be known, he was working so hard he might not have heard her anyway. It was only as word reached him of the shuttle going down that he started to worry. Aric had sent him the message then, that Logan wasn't in the shuttle, and he felt his shoulders relax. We can find him, he thought, and hurried to finish unloading the supplies.
Miriah was sitting on the ramp, watching the puppies play. She looked up at the young lieutenant as he ran toward her, wondering what was going on. "The major says she needs you," he said breathlessly, bent over, hands on his knees.
"Okay," she said, gathering the puppies up and handing them off to Mags. Caly had joined her, and together they walked to the headquarters. Once inside, she could see the anxiety on the major's face, and braced herself.
"The shuttle pilot is in a farmhouse, but there's Nova Blades around, and they can't get him safely to us," she said, and her eyes went to the corner of the room. There, sitting on the floor, was a small boy, in ragged clothing, barefoot. His huge brown eyes reminded her of Corso, and she smiled at him. "He came to tell us," the major explained. Miriah held her hand out to the youngster and he grinned at her, taking it. Outside, she asked him to point to the farm.
"Wit' the blue door," he said, and she hugged him, making him giggle. Reaching into the tunic pocket, she withdrew a foil packet of chocolate, handing to him as his eyes grew large.
"Thank you," she said, and he hid a shy smile, his mouth already full. Miriah set off for the ship, and once there, grabbed a relay, threading it over her ear. "Mags, stay here with Mom. I'm going to get Logan." Keying the relay, all she heard was the static of the signal dampener that must have been active around the outpost. Damn, she thought, and threw it on the table. She was halfway down the ramp again when she heard Mags sputtered protest and realized that Caly was beside her. "Caly, hon, this may not be..."
"I'm ready," Caly said, and showed her mom the blaster she carried. Miriah met her eyes, and finally nodded. They set off at an angle to the farmhouse, a mile or so away.
Torian grinned at the man beside him, and pointed to where they needed to go. The armored transport moved at a snail's pace, however, and they were stopped every few feet by fighting. Sighing, he tried to reign in his impatience, and sat in the co-pilot seat, willing the skirmished to part so that he could try to get to Logan faster.
Miriah walked casually, Caly following close behind. They had been moving for about ten minutes when they saw pirates coming in across the field. Miriah was still for a moment, then pointed to the laundry hanging outside a small hut-like building. "Quick, put this on," she said, pulling the long white apron over her head and quickly pulling her thick hair into a long braid. Caly copied her and nodded when she was ready. Together, they rounded the small home and were almost past the pirates when one shouted for them to stop. As they approached, Miriah saw Caly pull her shoulders back and stare straight ahead. Once they were close enough, Miriah took out the first one with a point blank range shot through the apron, and Caly had to take two shots to take out the one closest to her. The third Nova Blade hid behind a demolished wagon, and Miriah turned to Caly. "Are you okay?" she asked, but she could see that Caly was clear eyed and calm. Lifting her blaster to her side, never looking, Miriah killed the third man when he peeked out around the wagon wheel, a neat round hole in his forehead.
Corso had taken out the macrobinoculars out to see if he could see anything that would tell him where his son had landed. Instead, he saw two women being approached by pirates, and was open-mouthed when the Nova Blades went down. It can't be, he thought, but when he saw one shot by the black haired woman, without looking around, he knew it was Miriah. "Aric! That's my wife and daughter!" he said, panic evident in his voice. Even though they were a fair distance, Corso took off running, Aric right behind him.
Magdalane had been pacing since her sister left. She wanted to use the force to talk to her, but didn't want to distract her, knowing she was concentrating on getting to where Logan was. Instead, she made the circuit around the lounge. She was on her hundredth path when Sarai appeared, leaning on a cane for support. Mags ran to her, taking her arm. "Mom, what can I help with?" she asked.
"Nothing at all, dear one. I could just feel your force going crazy. What's going on?"
Magdalane explained what had happened, and Sarai sank onto the sofa with a sigh. "She's fine, Mags. I can feel her and she's calm. If you settled your mind, you would know that, too."
Mags sat across from her mother. "I know, you're right. It's just, I've been feeling that Felix is trying to tell me something. Ever since we landed at the ranch. Maybe it was about this incursion. Maybe it's that you're not well. I don't know."
Sarai leaned forward. "I'm fine. I'm old, and I can't always keep up with you all, but other than my joints hurting, I can assure you that I'm doing well. If you started feeling this at the ranch, then most likely it's the pirates." She stood slowly and grabbed the cane. "I'm making tea. Everyone will be back here soon enough." Mags watched her carefully make her way into the galley. Maybe she's right, Mags thought, and stood to go help.
Miriah took Caly's hand. "We're just going to walk over to that door like we're just visiting, okay? That patrol has probably missed a check in by now, and they may be sending more to check on them. That means we have to be inconspicuous, okay?"
"I'm with you, Mom." Miriah couldn't help but admire her daughter's calm, and they crossed an open area to get to the home where Logan was. The major had told her that they likely didn't have any weapons, and that they appreciated the forces that had come to help. She knocked on the door and it opened with a squeak, allowing only the face of one of the farmers to be seen.
"Hello, I'm..." she didn't have a chance to finish, as she was pulled into the house. Caly entered as well, and saw Logan stretched out on the floor.
"We know who you are, and you are welcome here," the man said. "This young soldier has been injured, but we never expected to have the Commander of the Alliance here."
Miriah smiled at the man then. "This is my youngest son," she explained, and the women present nodded. They knew that instinct well.
"Mom, you shouldn't have come. There are pirates all over this sector," Logan said, and she could see by his face that he was in pain. Kneeling beside him, she took the medical kit from her pack, and scanned his ankle. With a nod, she injected kolto into his thigh and sat back.
"We'll let that work for a bit, then we can try it," she told him. "There was little between here and the base, and if you can walk, we'll be fine."
"But what if we can't? You can't take all of them out," Logan said, still fighting pain and fatigue.
"I'd fight the whole galaxies for you, Logan." That statement had him tearing up, not that he'd let anyone see that. Caly was watching out of the small window and now came to them.
"Mom, I can see a few more of the Nova Blades out there, but I also see soldiers in black uniforms, that don't look like those pirates we killed." Logan turned his head quickly to look at his sister, and saw a new strength, a determination that he'd never seen before.
Miriah hurried over to the window. "Those are Imps. Special forces, if I recall correctly." She sighed. "That changes the picture." Closing her eyes, she reached out to Mags.
Magdalane was sitting in the galley with her mom when she felt Miriah. We need backup here. There are Imperial forces as well as the Nova Blades.
Should I tell Major Vindo?
Yes, and let me know what's going on. Have you heard from Corso?
No, but the relays aren't working, remember? I'll head over to the command post right now.
Thanks, Mags. With that, Miriah smiled at her children. "Mags will get us cleared out. Maura is somewhere in the command post now, too. Don't worry." She turned to the farmer and his wife and daughter. "Thank you for helping us. I know things have been stressful, but I promise we will eradicate the Imperials and the pirates in this area, and you'll be safe to work in your fields. I will personally compensate you for any damage to your property."
"No need," the wife said. "Your young man landed in a fruit tree, so no damage at all, except to him." They smiled at each other then, and Miriah took a deep breath.
Torian had guided the transport to the edge of the field and stopped. The company's commander, Major Xukon, had thought that he saw the parachute in a tree to the left, and Torian thought he was right. He was pondering which way to go when he received a transmission from the command post, giving coordinates. He looked around him for Xukon, who acknowledged the transmission with a thumbs up. Torian nodded and they started forward, the company marching behind him.
Corso stopped running when he couldn't draw breath any longer, Aric panting beside him as he rested his hands on his knees and tried not to vomit. When he could speak, Aric sat down. "Cor, are you doing okay? Your heart is good?"
Corso nodded. He gulped water after his nausea faded and was beginning to breathe normally. "We're not far from the outpost. Let's stop there and see what's going on." Aric agreed, and they set off again, their pace not what it was before, but both men still moving toward the outpost, Corso's thoughts on why his wife was without any protection in a hostile area.
Logan stood, with help, and tested his foot. "It's not completely normal but I can walk," he assured his mother.
"Be sure, son. The terrain is rocky and your sister and I can't carry you," Miriah warned, but Logan shook his head.
"I'm sure," he said. Miriah went to the window again, and saw that the presence of both pirates and Imps had quadrupled since she had last looked.
"I don't think it's an option now," she said. "Mags should have some support here shortly, though." She could see a transport with troops heading their way, and knew they'd be fine as long as the enemies didn't storm the house. A few minutes later, she could feel the vibrations of the armored transport's progress, and heard the shouts and weapons outside. She itched to take out a few herself, and saw Caly's hand tighten on her blaster. Hopefully we won't need to fight, she thought, and risked a peek outside again.
Corso reached the ramp as Mags was returning from the command post, Maura right behind her. "We have a transport and a company going to where Miriah and Logan and Caly are," she told him, and he felt faint.
"What? Why are they out there? Why is Caly with Miriah?" he gasped out, still trying to recover from his mad dash.
"Mir went to help Logan," Maura explained. "I didn't know about it until she was already out of the base."
Aric held onto Maura, partly to be near her, and partly because he was seeing spots in his vision. "Logan is unhurt?" he said softly, all the air he had to use to speak with.
"I don't know," Maura admitted. She told them about the boy, and that Mir and Caly had gone over to see if they could get him back.
Corso stared in disbelief. He knew that his wife would have no issue heading out to help her son, but now she was in danger, as well as his children. He wanted to go after them, but he knew his energy was gone, and instead sat heavily on the ramp of the ship. It was only when Mags told him the transport was near the house that he was able to take a deep breath. Mir, please be safe, he thought, closing his eyes.