At the caves, Zuud walked over to Cersei Lannister. Cersei was looking at Jaime's corpse.
"I'm sorry that you lost your brother," Zuud said to her.
Flashback.
Zuud was now a part of Darth Vader's Death Squadron. She was on the Super Star-Destroyer called the Executor. The admiral of the ship was Firmus Piett.
Zuud was at the bridge, working on some stuff on her datapad. She stared at the Hutt ship through the window. They were going to fight the Hutt council's ships over the planet Jekara.
"Our fighters have engaged the Hutt attackers, Admiral Piett." An Imperial Officer said to the admiral."We should have them eliminated in short order and then we will regain control of our shuttle and escort it back to the flagship."
Piett nodded."Very good. Do we have any indication as to why the Hutts are doing something so foolish?"
"It's unclear, admiral, but we will deal with them." Said the Imperial Officer."The vessels from the other criminal syndicates are staying clear. Black Sun and the like."
"Of course. They all hate each other and are cowards to boot. The Hutts can expect no aid from their fellow scum." Said Piett."But these two vessels...they are within attack range." Piett looked at the screen and Zuud got a good look at it as well.
"Yes, sir. Scan indicates they're a firespray-class prison guardship and a Corellian freighter. Both ancient." The Imperial Officer told Piett."They seem to be involved in an unrelated skirmish of their own. The guardship attacked the freighter with a seismic charge. Disabled it."
"Petty criminals and their squabbles. Beneath our notice." Piett said."Bring our shuttle home. And inform Lord Vader of what's going on. This is a small matter but he should be made aware."
Zuud heard Piett tell Vader what was going on. Zuud had seen Vader many times on the Executor and wondered who that man under the mask was.
"You should not have disturbed me for such insignificance, Admiral Piett. The activities of the Hutts are irrelevant to me." Vader said to Piett."But if Captain Solo is not aboard the Executor by the time I return, I will require an explanation. In person."
"Yes, Lord Vader. Understood." Piett said.
"Do not contact me again unless the Emperor himself orders it. I have a target of my own." Vader said.
Zuud then felt her head start to ache.
On the Island.
Princess Luna walked through the jungle, looking for Eli Vanto. Vanto then saw her and walked over to her."Luna?" He said. Vanto was out here looking for Tarkin."What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you." She told him.
"Well, you found me." He said.
"You're walking in circles." Luna said."You need to come back."
"Not without Tarkin."
"You haven't slept. You gave Jaime your own blood." Luna said.
"Tarkin lied." Vanto looked at her.
"Well, now you're-"
"He lied, Luna." Vanto interrupted her."Jaime did not fall off any cliff. His leg was crushed."
"People are scared and upset." Luna told him."They don't know what's going on. We need you to come back, Vanto. Please."
Vanto stared at her for a long moment. He sighed and followed her.
Vanto and Stuhlinger carried Jaime Lannister's body to the beach to bury him. They put him down the hole. Everyone looked at his body.
Vanto looked at Cersei."Cersei? Do you want to say something?"
Cersei stared at her brother."No."
There was a long pause.
"I didn't know Jaime very well, and for that, I am sorry." Said Zuud."On our 6th day here a woman named Joanna died. She drowned. And Jaime was the first one into the water. I didn't know him, but I remember his courage. And I know he will be missed."
"It was my fault." Said a familiar voice. Everyone turned to see Wilhuff Tarkin."We found a Republic Gunship in the jungle. It was lodged in the canopy so-I would have gone up, but I-my leg was hurt so he-there was a radio inside and he thought he could look...his weight must have made the plane shift and it fell and it happened because he was trying to help us. He was a hero."
Everyone stared at him.
"Where were you?" Vanto asked, glaring at him. He walked over to Tarkin."Where were you? Where the hell were you?!" Vanto yelled. He tackled Tarkin to the ground."What did you do to him?! What did you do?!"
Tucker and Valance quickly ran over to take Vanto off of Tarkin."WHERE WERE YOU?!" Vanto continued to yell at him."You left him to die!" Tucker and Valance pulled Vanto up."You lied to me! Where were you?! Where were you?!"
Suddenly, Vanto felt tired."Vanto!" Said Princess Luna."Vanto, what's the matter? Are you okay?" She asked.
Vanto then collapsed.
They returned to the beach camp where Vanto was resting.
"He's lying," Vanto told Zuud and Luna.
"You're suffering from fatigue," Zuud said.
"Tarkin told Jaime not to tell." Vanto said, looking at Zuud.
Zuud was confused."Tell about what?"
"Something about a hatch. Tarkin's hiding something." Vanto said.
Zuud was silent, thinking about this."Vanto, lis-"
"Look, the man is hiding something." Vanto interrupted her.
"Vanto, listen to me. What we need is for you to get some sleep."
Vanto shook his head."I'm fine. I don't need it."
"Vanto." Said Luna."You need rest." Luna took him to his tent.
"Richtofen!" Stuhlinger yelled. He was on the beach, far away from the camp. He had not given up on trying to talk to Richtofen."Richtofen! Why won't you answer me?!" He yelled.
"Hey, Mr. Stuhlinger." Said Shimmy Shake in a cheerful voice. Stuhlinger sighed, turning around to see Shimmy Shake and her friend, Lighthoof.
"What do you two want?" He asked, frowning.
"Well, we've noticed that you've seemed a little grump lately," Said Lighthoof."But maybe we can sing you a song to make you feel better-"
"Will you two just fuck off?!" Stuhlinger snapped at them."I want to be alone right now! Besides, a song isn't gonna fix anything! Is a song going to bring back Jaime?! Is a song going to get us off this Island?!" He yelled right at them.
He then walked away from them.
Jeela was at the beach with her baby. Her baby was crying a lot. Tucker was trying to help her.
"It's okay. Look, I'm fine. Really, okay?" Jeela said, looking very tired.
"You need rest, Jeela." Said Tucker."I can take care of your baby while you're asleep. Uh...what's your baby called?" Tucker asked.
"I...I don't know." Jeela admitted. She then sighed."Okay...please take care of him." Jeela said, handing him the baby.
"I will," Tucker said.
Cersei was sitting alone at the beach. Tarkin walked over to her and put down Jaime's knapsack.
"This was his." Tarkin told her."I didn't go through it."
"Thank you." She said to him.
"Your welcome." Tarkin then looked at the sky."A storm is coming." He noted. The Grand Moff was silent for a moment."I should have said no." Cersei looked at him."The first time he offered to hunt with me, I should have said no."
"He would have gone anyway," Cersei said.
Tarkin nodded."Yeah, I suppose he would have. I know how confused and angry you must be right now. I can't say I understand what you're going through, but I know what it feels like when you lose family." Tarkin thought of his son, Garoche."I hope you can forgive me. I'm sorry."
Tarkin walked away.
Vanto drank some juice from the bottle and gave it back to Luna.
"You need to drink more." The princess said.
Vanto shook his head."No."
"You need to get your blood sugar level up."
"Look, enough already." Vanto said."I've rested." He tried to get up.
"Vanto." She said.
"I'm fine." He insisted.
"Where are you going?"
Vanto sighed."I'm going to go talk to Tarkin."
"You need to lie down," Luna told him.
"No, I don't," Vanto said.
"I strongly advise it."
"Advise?" Vanto said, confused and tired. He slowly sat down."What's going on?"
"Lie down," Luna said."I crushed up some sleeping pills. I put them in your juice."
"Why would you...you drugged me?" He asked as he lied down.
Luna nodded."Yeah."
"Oh, okay." He said before he fell asleep.
"Good night." Luna smiled.
At the caves, Tarkin was cleaning the shirt of his Imperial uniform that he still had. He noticed Applebloom walk by him. Tarkin waved at her. Applebloom looked at him and continued to walk by.
Tarkin saw Zuud walk over to him."How did you get those scars on your chest, sir?" Zuud asked him."If you don't mind me asking."
"I got these scars when I was young." Tarkin told Zuud."I was on a hunt with my uncle and some creatures attacked me."
Zuud nodded."Sir, you mentioned the gunship's radio? Was Jaime able to pick up a signal?"
"I was on the ground. All I could hear was static." Tarkin said.
"But it was working?"
"Yeah, but I can't imagine it survived the fall."
"Some of its parts might work in the transmitter I'm building for the raft. If you'd be willing to take me, sir?" Zuud asked.
"Of course," Tarkin said.
They walked through the jungle.
"How did you find this?" Zuud questioned him.
"Luck." He told her.
"You and Jaime were hunting."
"Was that a question?" Tarkin asked.
"Yes."
"The boar got scarce a couple of weeks back. We weren't hunting, we were exploring." Tarkin said.
"So you just happened upon a Republic Gunship perched in the trees?"
Tarkin nodded."Correct."
Zuud looked at his leg."At the funeral for Jaime, you said your leg was injured."
"It was just a cramp." Tarkin said."You used to be an interrogator."
"Is that a question?" Zuud asked.
"Yes."
"I was. I still am."
Tarkin smiled."Well, you're very good. The Empire is glad to have you."
"Why should I interrogate you, sir?" Zuud asked.
"Vanto called me a liar in front of every man, woman, and child I've come to know over the past month. Maybe there's a part of you that thinks maybe there isn't a gunship out here at all."
"I know when I'm being lied to. There's a gunship."
They walked over and Zuud saw the Republic Gunship.
"Like I said, your very good," Tarkin told her.
Stuhlinger kept yelling Richtofen's name, hoping the german would answer.
He then heard crying."Will you shut that baby up?!" Stuhlinger yelled at Tucker. He then walked away from Tucker and the baby to get some peace and quiet and hopefully talk to Richtofen.
"These are Clone Commandos," Zuud noted looking at a Clone Commando's orange painted armor. She then pulled out a DC-17m blaster from the gunship."How did they get here?"
"I don't know." Tarkin said."They must have crashed on the Island during the end of the Clone Wars. Their ship was perched in the canopy." He pointed to the cliff above them."Jaime climbed up himself because of my cramp. For a man with one hand, he did pretty well."
Zuud looked at him."When you brought Jaime to Vanto at the caves, you said he fell down a cliff. You didn't tell us that he was in the gunship. Why did you lie?" She asked.
"I made a mistake," Tarkin admitted.
Zuud stared at him for a long moment before she went to the Republic Gunship."I'll see if I can salvage something from the radio in here. Maybe we'll make it back to the beach before the storm hits us."
"Do you trust me, Zuud?" Tarkin asked her.
Zuud turned around to look at him."Well, you never told anyone about the gun you have."
Tarkin brought out a DC-15 blaster pistol."Me and Jaime found a commando about a half a click west of here." He then handed her the gun."Do you trust me now?"
"You're a Grand Moff." Zuud said."I have to trust the leaders of the Empire."
Tarkin smiled."Very good, Zuud. You are very loyal to the Empire. But are you loyal to me? The first week after we woke up on the Island, there was a cave-in. Vanto was trapped. Do you remember that?"
Zuud nodded."Of course."
"You, Luna, and Valance went out into the jungle to try and triangulate a signal."
"Yes."
"Someone hit you on the back of the head, knocking you unconscious. When you woke up, your transceiver was destroyed. That someone was me." Tarkin told her.
Zuud's eyes widened in surprise at what he said. She grabbed the Grand Moff and pushed his back to the Republic Gunship. She pointed the DC-15 at his neck."Why did you destroy it?" She asked, angry.
"I did what was in everyone's best interest," Tarkin said calmly.
"You ruined my chance to find the source."
"The source of a distress call that kept saying they're dead, it killed them all, over and over? Is that a place you really want to lead people to?" Tarkin argued.
Zuud started to calm down a little."Why did you wait to tell me? Why did you not tell me before?"
"Because everyone is focused on leaving the Island. And that's what we should be doing. We should be trying to leave, not trying to find the source." Tarkin said.
Zuud was silent for a long time. She was thinking."What is the hatch?"
Tarkin looked confused."The hatch?"
"Jaime mentioned it before he died." Zuud told him.
"Jaime must have been talking about the hatches of the gunship." Tarkin pointed.
Zuud stared at him longer. She slowly pulled down the blaster.
Flashback.
"The ties have retrieved ST-718 and are escorting it back, Admiral. Should be aboard soon." Said the Imperial Officer to Piett."The Hutt fighters, those that survived, have withdrawn. Should we press the attack, sir?" Zuud heard him.
Zuud saw Piett shake his head."No, Lieutenant. They are not worth endangering a single Imperial Pilot." Piett said."The Empire can exact more effective revenge by adjusting the terms of our deal with them. We'll hit what the Hutts most value. Their credits."
"We're receiving a hail, sir. From a ship requesting access to board. Someone named Boba Fett." Another Imperial Officer told Piett."Files show him registered with the Bounty Hunters Guild. Claims he's working for Darth Vader on an urgent mission."
"Does he have access codes?" Piett asked.
"Slightly out of date, but they do check out." The Officer nodded.
"Vader and his machinations." Piett said."Let Fett board and place him under guard until Lord Vader returns." Piett ordered the Imperial Officer next to him."That runs the least risk of invoking the man's temper."
The Imperial Officer next to him nodded."Right away, Admiral Piett."
On the Island.
Applejack and Doctor Whooves were working on the raft while Applebloom watched.
"Hey, sis?" Applebloom said to her sister.
Applejack looked at her."Yeah?"
"Are we going to die?"
The element of honesty's eyes widened."What?"
"I mean, Jaime died. Does that mean we're going to die?" Applebloom asked.
"Applebloom," The orange mare said."I promise you, we are not going to die."
"Hey, Applejack," Said Tucker, holding Jeela's crying baby."Do you know how to stop this baby from crying?"
"Walk with him. Ah'm sure he'll calm down." Applejack suggested.
"I've been doing that but it's not working," Tucker said.
"Can you please keep that baby quiet?" Beilert Valance asked, walking over to the Raft to see if they were done.
Suddenly, the baby stopped crying after Valance talked."Hey, he stopped." Tucker said. The baby quickly went back to crying.
Valance sighed."Great. Just what I wanted to hear."
Again, the baby was quiet after Valance talked again. Tucker then realized something."Hey, say something again."
"Okay. I hate that baby." Valance said and left. Tucker followed him.
Princess Luna walked over to Vanto's tent to give him some food."I brought you something to eat." She said, using what magic she could to levitate a bowl of soup.
"Did you put some sleeping pills in there?" Vanto asked.
Luna shook her head."No. It's just soup."
"Hey, Vanto," Said Billy Handsome, walking over to him."Did you steal one of my guns?" He said with anger.
Vanto raised an eyebrow, confused."What? I didn't take one of your pistols."
"Well, somebody did," Handsome said.
Vanto's eyes widened."It was Tarkin."
Vanto, Luna, and Handsome walked over to Zuud."Zuud," Vanto said."He took one of Handsome's guns."
"Who?" Zuud asked, confused.
"Tarkin." Vanto told her.
Zuud then remembered seeing Cersei go into the jungle."No...It wasn't Tarkin."
Stuhlinger was sitting in the sand, staring at the ocean. It was starting to rain. He noticed Ocellus walk over to him.
"Hey, Stuhlinger." Ocellus said to the slightly overweight man."Are you okay? I heard you yell at Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof earlier. I would have talked to you after that but I decided to let you calm down first."
Stuhlinger just stared at the ocean for a long minute before he started crying."He can't be dead..." Stuhlinger said, tears falling down his eyes."He can't..."
"Who?" Ocellus asked.
"Richtofen...he died on that machine taking blood but I heard his voice in my head when I got out of the cryopod..." Stuhinger stopped talking and went back to crying.
Ocellus then, to Stuhlinger's surprise, hugged him."I'm sorry about your friend, Richtofen." The Changeling said.
Stuhlinger looked at her."Thank you." He said, grateful.
Vanto, Luna, Handsome, and Zuud ran through the jungle to find Cersei. It rained as they ran.
Vanto stopped. He felt sick. Luna noticed this and went back to help him. Zuud stopped to look at him while Handsome just kept running to find Cersei.
"Go." Vanto said as Luna helped him.
Zuud nodded and the Imperial went back to running. Finally, she saw Cersei pointing one of Handsome's pistols at Tarkin. Zuud remembered that the gun was called an M1911. Handsome stood there, also watching this.
"She doesn't believe me, Zuud." Tarkin said, his hand up. He looked very calm.
"Cersei," Said Zuud."Please, put that gun down."
"He did it. He killed my brother!" Cersei yelled.
"You don't even know how to use a gun." Said Handsome.
Cersei quickly pointed the gun at a tree and fired at it. She quickly pointed it back at Tarkin.
"Well...you learn fast." Handsome admitted.
"Cersei, don't do this!" Zuud yelled.
"Shut up!" She yelled.
"This bitch is insane." Handsome muttered.
Vanto and Luna finally went over to them."Stay back!" Cersei yelled at them. She looked back at Tarkin."What did you do to him?!"
"I told you, it was an accident," Tarkin said calmly.
"Cersei." Vanto said."You need to calm down."
Cersei looked at him."Vanto, you told me he was a liar!"
Zuud quickly tackled Cersei but Cersei stilled fired the gun. Tarkin fell to the ground.
Luna stared at Tarkin in shock, horrified. She thought he was dead. She then heard Tarkin groan. Luna went over to him to see that he had a bullet graze on his forehead.
Zuud took the pistol away from Cersei. Cersei pushed her away and ran through the jungle.
Jeela, who had woken up from her nap, went over to Tucker who was with Valance.
"Jeela," Tucker said. The baby then started to cry."Watch this." Tucker looked at Valance.
Valance groaned. He then read a piece of paper that had been from the Imperial ship that crashed on the Island. The baby stopped crying and listened to Valance.
Stuhlinger walked over to Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof."Hey," He said to them."I just wanted to say I'm sorry for yelling at you and...well, can I listen to that song?"
The two smiled and started singing their song for him. It was the song they had sung at the School of Friendship.
Stuhlinger felt happy as he heard them sing.
Zuud looked at Cersei, who was sitting on the sand at the beach.
"You did the right thing saving Tarkin," Luna said to Zuud, walking over to her.
"Did I?" Zuud asked."Do you know who Tarkin is?"
"I assume he's a hero since he's helped us," Luna said and left to check on Vanto.
Zuud then thought about how Tarkin had used the Death Star to destroy Alderaan. While Zuud was loyal to the Empire, she would never forget would they had done to that planet.
Flashback.
The battle against the Hutts still continued.
"Those fools actually decided to press their attack? Remarkable." Zuud heard Admiral Firmus Piett say, looking at the battle through the window."Well, we will teach these slugs a lesson they will not soon forget."
Piett looked at an Imperial Officer near him."Inform Lord Vader of the escalation. He would want to know."
"Of course, sir, but...Lord Vader was extremely explicit in his desire not to be disturbed." The Imperial Officer reminded Piett."His exact words, I believe, were 'Do not contact me unless the Emperor himself orders it'."
"I see. That is indeed clear." Piett said."Very well. Lieutenant, open a channel to Emperor Palpatine."
Zuud then heard Piett talk to Vader. Vader was in his TIE Fighter, chasing an X-Wing."Lord Vader. This is Admiral Piett."
"We're my instructions not clear, Admiral?" Asked Lord Vader."I am not to be disturbed on anything less than the word of the Emperor himself."
"Very clear, Lord Vader. In fact, I just finished speaking with Emperor Palpatine. I appraised him of the situation here, of the Hutt attack." Said Piett."He passed along his orders. He considers the Empire's arrangement with the Hutts valuable and wants it preserved. But a message must be conveyed. He wants them cowed, not destroyed. Instead of using the Executor to eradicate the Hutt armada, he has ordered you to end the insurrection personally."
There was silence from Vader for a moment."I...understand, admiral. Inform the Emperor that it will be done."
Piett smiled.
Zuud felt her headache getting worse. She held her head and started to fall. She then saw a bright light.
On the Island.
It was night when Zuud went to see Tarkin in the jungle. Tarkin had started a campfire.
"How's your head?" Zuud asked him.
"It will heal." Tarkin said."I want to thank you for saving me, Lieutenant Zuud."
"I only did because you're important to the Empire." Zuud said to him."Now, you're going to take me to the hatch."
Tarkin raised an eyebrow."Hatch? I already showed you the-"
"Tarkin," Zuud cut him off."No more lies."