Chapter 27: Diaboli Chorus

—Part Two—

OUTER-RIM: YAVIN 4

The Dark Angel touched down in a clearing just outside of a large pyramid, the massive ancient structure surrounded by thick jungle, the trees so densely packed they concealed the base from the ground perfectly. Padmé stepped down the Dark Angel's boarding ramp, Bly and his troopers hot on her heels. She'd left C-3PO, Niobè and Dormé back on the ship with Captain Sloane, just in case. Not that Padmé believed she was in any immediate danger, but it was always better to err on the side of caution.

The battered freighter was parked right beside the Dark Angel—Ahsoka, Rex and Wolffe already on the ground outside their ship. On their final approach, Bail had hailed both of them prior to arriving, informing them to set down in the clearing to the left of the base. The Dark Angel was too big a ship to fit inside the hangar, her long reaching black-chromium wings far wider than the pyramid's main entrance. Which, in retrospect, suited Padmé to a tee. If she ended up needing to leave in a hurry, not having to carefully coax the Dark Angel out of some tight hangar space would be a blessing.

An odd chill ran down her back, and Padmé looked to the looming pyramid; the cold sensation making her skin tingle. Padmé turned to Ahsoka; as she, Rex, and Wolffe came to a stop alongside her. "What is this place?" Padmé asked the Togruta.

Standing beside Padmé, Ahsoka folded her arms and gazed to the base's cloud and mist covered peak. "It looks like an old Temple," Ahsoka said. "Strange though... it doesn't feel like any Jedi Temple I've ever come across."

Padmé frowned. "How do they normally feel?"

"Warm. Welcoming..." Ahsoka said. "This one... it feels different. Cold and oppressive—like we shouldn't be here."

"Then I'm not imagining things..." Padmé said, more to herself than to Ahsoka. "For a moment, I thought it was me."

Ahsoka turned to stare at her, one brow raised in question. "Wait... So, you can feel the Force now?"

Padmé blanched, then inwardly berated herself for letting that slip. Had Ahsoka sensed the child growing inside her belly? If so, could she tell it was Anakin's? The young Togruta had always been surprisingly intuitive, a skill she'd no doubt learned under Anakin's tutelage. Reluctantly, Padmé nodded. "Sometimes, Ahsoka. But it comes and goes. And I don't particularly understand it."

Ahsoka held her gaze—a torrent of questions lingering dangerously in her stare. Frowning, Padmé broke from the Togruta's attention and looked to the Tantive-III parked in the open hangar. Bail and the two Jedi were walking toward them. She sighed, then fiddled with her robe, making sure it still covered her outfit.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Bail Organa said proudly, moving to join Padmé, Ahsoka, and the small group of—disguised, and not disguised—clone troopers. Organa looked tired; his warm eyes heavy from obvious lack of sleep. Ferus and Caleb didn't look much better than Bail; their heads hung low; the hoods of their robes raised to conceal their faces.

Bail stopped just ahead of them and gestured toward the hangar. "The Massassi boys have been working tirelessly on establishing this base," he continued. "It's not enough to take on the Empire just yet, but we grow stronger and greater in number by the day."

"The Massassi group?" Ahsoka asked Bail, her sharp tone clearly expressing her disapproval. "As in the same mercenary pirates responsible for stealing the rations destined for the farming installation on Raada?"

The Alderaanian's eyes softened and lowered to the floor. "I apologise for that, Lady Tano," Bail said. "If I had known—"

"Those supplies were for the people!" Ahsoka hotly interjected, cutting him off. "Struggling people, Bail. Good people. Innocent families who have been caught in the crossfire. Families with young children, who have been enslaved by the Empire, and forced to work gruelling hours to supply the trooper corps."

Padmé glanced between the two of them. The Alderaanian Viceroy had gone silent; his troubled gaze unmoving from the floor. Ahsoka continued to glare at him, the indignant fire gleaming in her haunted blue eyes fierce and accusatory. Something else had happened on Raada—something bad—and it had clearly shaken the young Togruta. Padmé placed her hand on Ahsoka's shoulder in an effort to soothe her.

"I'm sure Bail had no intention of prolonging their suffering, Ahsoka," Padmé offered, putting her diplomatic skills to work. "But unfortunately—as you said yourself... During war time, it is often the good and innocent people who get caught in the crossfire."

"Senator!" a demanding voice beckoned from the hangar entrance, and Bail turned to glance back. A male officer dressed in khaki flight garb was hurrying across the dirt toward them. Whatever he was here to say was seemingly important, as he appeared to be quite rushed. He came to a halt before Bail, then paused to catch his breath.

"Senator Organa..." the officer said, still panting profusely, "I apologise for the interruption. But Colonel Draven and Commander Delto have asked for you to join them at high command, Sir." He dragged in two more heaving breaths, then straightened to his full height. "It would appear they have finally received word on the motherlode."

Bail smiled at the officer; his eyes wide with excitement. "That is indeed, good news, lieutenant. Please inform the Colonel and Commander that I am on my way."

The officer nodded. "Yes, Sir." He curtly spun around and hurried for the hangar.

"Well, it seems we may be in for some much-needed progress after all," Bail commented reflectively, returning to Padmé and Ahsoka. He glanced to Ferus and Caleb at his side. "Master Olin, would you and your padawan mind showing our new friends around the base and to their quarters? It appears I am needed elsewhere."

The older Jedi smiled and bowed his head. "Of course, Senator."

Curious as to why he wasn't taking her with him, Padmé called out to the Senator as he went to leave. "Bail. Do you not wish for me to join you?"

Bail stopped and looked back. "Not yet, Padmé," he said, pausing to stroke his goatee. "I will formally introduce you to the others shortly. You and Ahsoka should get yourselves and your teams settled in first. Once I have found out what is going on, I will come and get you both. Perhaps the three of us could even meet for dinner and properly catch up."

With that said, he turned and headed toward the hangar, leaving Padmé and Ahsoka in the hands of the two Jedi.

IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER EXACTOR: HYPERSPACE

The bridge war room glowed azure in the radiance of the central command holodeck. Suspended in the air above it was a large schematic holo-projection of the ICF-221—the battered Imperial freighter they had retrieved en-route to Coruscant.

Blinking behind the mask, Vader fought hard to focus on the officer and image presented before him. His eyes were aching, the residual pounding thump lingering inside his head still painfully distracting. Commander Cody and Vill were stood to either side of him, and Lieutenant Marsden was giving his report on the ISB's findings regarding the freighter. Vader struggled to listen to the officer; the monotonous sound of his own breathing too loud inside his helmet.

"According to reports from the ISB, the ICF-221 suffered critical damage after forcibly breaking dock," Marsden explained, pointing to the holo-projection. "As you can see... the cargo hold air-lock is fractured—here—here—and here; severely weakening the freighter's hull integrity."

Vader crossed his arms below his chest plate and examined the holo-image. Sure, the damage to the freighter's hull was significant... But even so, it was hard to believe that alone would have been enough to pull the ship from hyperspace. "And you believe... this breach... is what caused the ship to fail, Lieutenant?"

Marsden nodded. "Yes, Lord Vader. From what we can gather, the crew were instructed by the ship's Captain to abort their mission due to a suspected hijacking attempt. We suspect, when the freighter broke dock, the damage to the hull caused the cabin pressure to destabilise, which in-turn caused the hyperdrive to malfunction."

"Indeed..." Vader said, still unconvinced. "What was the freighter's last known location prior to retrieval?"

The holo-projection flickered, and the image of the freighter was replaced by a rotating structure, its shape loosely resembling that of a spinning top, with a handful of small platforms jutting out from the sides of it.

"The ISS Obelysk, my lord," Marsden said, again pointing to the holo-projection. "It is a remote space station located along the Perlemian Trade Route. They were conducting a routine cargo exchange when they were apparently ambushed at the drop point."

"Ambushed... by who?"

The Lieutenant shook his head. "Unknown, my lord. For all accounts, the crew stationed aboard the Obelysk appear to be operating and responding as per usual."

"You have spoken with them?"

"Yes, Sir..." Marsden confirmed. "Just yesterday in-fact. The station's commanding officer was unaware of the supposed hijacking."

Abruptly, the blast door to the war room whooshed open, and a panicked officer was standing on the other side. He was panting heavily; his grey eyes wide and fixed on Vader across the command holodeck. "Lord Vader!" the officer called mid-gasp, quickly working to adjust his cap.

Vader turned to acknowledge the man. "Yes. What is it?"

"There's trouble on the detention level, my lord," the officer said. "Cell block three-thirteen-A."

Forcing himself to focus, Vader recalled the prisoners detained aboard the Exactor. There weren't many to remember, as he hadn't been overly interested in taking them during his siege on Kashyyyk. After a brief moment though, three high-risk prisoners came to mind... And he lowered his hands, balled them into fists, and growled. "The Jedi?"

Noticeably flinching at his angered tone, the officer straightened, then stammered "Ye—Yes, Sir... We have a reported escape attempt."

Vader whirled on Marsden by the holo-deck. "Lieutenant, have your men monitor the station. Alert me if you find something." Then, he gestured for the two troopers and strode for the exit. "Cody. Vill. You're with me."

YAVIN 4: MASSASSI TEMPLE BASE

The bustling ground level hangar was filled with ships. Ships ranging in size and function, the largest of all being Bail's corvette—the Tantive-III. Walking slowly beside Ahsoka, Padmé studiously observed the amassed fleet, noting the hundreds of different vessels and how well they were organised. There were starfighters and speeders, small cargo freighters and shuttles... and even a few military troop transports. It was a hive of activity. Beings of all ages and origins hustled in and around the cluttered hangar; repairing, refuelling and inspecting the fleet as if preparing for something. A knot formed in Padmé's stomach as she imagined what that something could be .

Ahsoka must have been thinking the same, as she leaned in toward Padmé's ear and whispered "Looks like they're preparing for something."

"It certainly does..." Padmé agreed.

The two Jedi continued to lead them through the hangar, keeping to the walkways marked with yellow and black hazard tape. They weren't saying much, and it felt more like some official escort than a tour. When they reached the end, Caleb stepped to the side of a large grey blast door, and Ferus hit the security panel.

"The accommodation levels are three floors up," Ferus said, glancing back over his shoulder to the group. "I will take you to your quarters first so you can put down your belongings, then show you the rest of the base."

Feeling the familiar churning rise in her stomach, Padmé swallowed and gently rubbed at her small bump. "Are there communal freshers?" she asked. "Or do we each have our own private facilities?" She hadn't wanted to sound privileged, but the thought of desperately running down some hall while she battled with the regular bout of morning sickness didn't sound overly appealing.

Her question earned an inquisitive glance from the older Jedi, and he turned from the lift to face her. "The main barracks has shared facilities, yes," Ferus answered. "But the officer levels where you and Miss Tano will be residing, each have their own private freshers."

Padmé deliberately swallowed again, fought back yet another ensuing wave of nausea. Unfortunately, her lack of response had not gone unnoticed either. And for the second time today, she found Ahsoka watching her, the young Togruta closely observing her behaviour.

When they arrived at the third level, Ferus ushered them all out and into a long corridor, a wide stone-surfaced passage illuminated with wall-mounted bunker lights and lined with doors. He started forward, continued with his tour. "This is the main barracks," Ferus said, leading them down the passage. "All military personnel reside on this level."

Ahsoka questioningly glanced between Rex and Padmé walking alongside her. She didn't seem comfortable with the older Jedi's apparent intentions. "Ferus, when you say 'military personnel' do you mean..." Ahsoka said, her words trailing off as the man ahead slowed his pace.

Stopping at the next door, Ferus activated the lock on the wall, then turned around. His padawan had stiffened and folded his arms beside him; the younger Jedi's eyes narrowed and fixed on the two armoured clone troopers.

"Yes, Miss Tano..." Ferus said, answering Ahsoka's unfinished question. "I'm afraid Rex, Wolffe, and Mrs Skywalker's security detail will be required to stay here. Troopers and soldiers are not permitted on the officer level outside of emergency situations. Colonel Draven's orders."

Ahsoka sharply looked to Padmé, her all-seeing blue eyes digging into the deepest depths of her soul, hurt and pain and memory flashing across her tanned face. Knowing her reaction was due to the Jedi's familial reference to her as Mrs Skywalker, Padmé held her troubled gaze, wanting to explain, wanting to answer her questions... but was abruptly interrupted. Her attention was drawn to the disguised trooper on her left. She felt the heat of Commander Bly's outrage before he spoke, his powerful irritation stabbing like a hot knife between them. Padmé put her hand up, meaning to quell his outburst, but was too late.

"My Lady..." Bly growled lowly, pushing himself closer and grabbing for her raised arm. "I must respectfully object—"

"I understand your objection, Commander," Padmé carefully intoned, cutting him off; hoping the Commander would hear her subtle warning. Staring into his dark eyes, she willed her husband's loyal trooper to back down, concerned he might unintentionally reveal their dark secret. "But we are in no immediate danger here. And if trouble does happen to find us, I am only one floor away."

"Two floors—actually, Mrs Skywalker," Ferus interjected.

They both ignored the Jedi, and Bly held Padmé's stare, challenge flickering in his taught expression. Then, after a long, tense moment, he released her hand, stood tall, and stiffly nodded.

Breaking away from the group, Rex gestured for Wolffe to follow and started for their quarters. He stopped beside the Jedi and called to Bly and his men. "You coming, Commander?" Rex asked, tilting his helmet toward the open door. "No point in standing around out here. The sooner we get settled; the sooner we can find someplace to eat."

Bly looked between Rex and Padmé, seeming to be torn until one of his troopers spoke up.

"Commander..." the disguised trooper said to Bly as he turned around to acknowledge him. "Rex is right. Food does sound pretty good right now. None of us have eaten since last night, and to be honest, I'm looking forward to something other than ration bars. A base this big is bound to have a decent mess hall."

"The mess hall is just on the next level," Ferus said, moving away from the door. "It's no fancy restaurant, but the food is hot and edible, and its available around the chrono." He sighed and exchanged a worn glance with his padawan. The younger Jedi grimaced then looked away, and Ferus shook his head. "We can take you up there if you like," he offered. "We have to switch lifts there anyway."

Eager to get this over with so she could go back and get Dormé, Padmé forced a smile and butted in. "Thank you, Master Olin. That sounds wonderful. I'm sure my Commander and his men would be greatly appreciative."

After Rex and the others had gone inside their new quarters, off-loaded their weapons and other various bits and pieces, the two Jedi escorted the group back into the turbo-lift and up to the mess hall. It was a surprisingly large room, the walls sand-stone like the passage, and the centre was rowed up with benches and chairs, enough to seat over one hundred diners. To the far left, in front of what looked to be the kitchen, sat a long cafeteria style Bain Marie, filled with piping hot food. The hearty aroma on the air made Padmé's already unsettled stomach lurch. She looked down and swallowed hard, unsure as to whether she was starving... or just needing to vomit.

"Now that's what I call a mess hall!" Wolffe said excitedly. He grabbed the now helmetless Rex by the arm, and tugged him toward the food. "Come on, Rex, old boy. It's time for some grub."

The other troopers followed the pair, but Bly stayed behind. He folded his arms and stood before Padmé; his stare just as unrelenting as before.

Padmé placed her hand upon Bly's shoulder. "Go ahead, Commander. I will be fine."

Bly shook his head. "My Lady... if anything should happen to you—"

" Commander..." Padmé sternly interrupted before he could continue. She paused and stared deep into his eyes again, and this time saw the fear hiding inside them. "Please..." she implored, "I understand your concerns." Reaching into her robe pocket, she pulled out one of the discarded comms and placed it firmly into the palm of his hand. "Here—take this. My personal frequency is programmed into it. If for any reason you feel concerned, contact me."

Confused, Bly looked between the comm and Padmé, then with a sigh, respectfully bowed his head. "As you wish... my lady."

Padmé watched Commander Bly leave to join the others at the Bain Marie, her heart aching for him. Disobeying her husband's command went against everything the clone was trained for, and he was no doubt terrified of the potential repercussions should this situation suddenly take a turn for the worse. But there was nothing for it. They were in uncharted territory here, and as such needed to abide by the rebellion's way of doing things... For now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

My apologies for the short chapter, I am currently writing part 3 and it shouldn't be too longer wait.

Unfortunately, life gets in the way sometimes and you just have to battle your way through it.

Thank you all so much for your reviews/follows/favourites, they always brighten my day.

Thank you so much for reading, and as always...

MTFBWY