Chapter 24
The reborn Thrawn and Admiral Derner sat in a conference room aboard the Deathly Silence.
"Admiral, I've come up with a way to lure Solo and Skywalker to a place where I can capture them. I need your help."
"Anything, Admiral Thrawn."
"One, I need you to take the Silence on a campaign of raids across Rebel space. It doesn't matter what worlds you hit, and I don't want you slagging any worlds. Pick what worlds you want, and jump in, cause a small amount of damage, and escape. It might even be best if you used a couple of smaller craft, I would recommend a Victory Star Destroyer and two Carrack-class cruisers." Thrawn tapped in a few commands into his datapad. The holoprojector at the center of the table lit up to show Borleias.
"This is the world where Luke Skywalker runs his Jedi academy, along with his nephew, Jacen Solo," the blue-skinned humanoid continued. "I am going to blockade the system with a small fleet most likely consisting of the Planet Slayer, four Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and numerous smaller support craft. I will transmit the final list of ships I am taking with me six standard hours before we depart tomorrow. You will be expected to begin the attacks in two days. Do you have any concerns?"
"None at all, Admiral Thrawn."
"Good. Hopefully, the next time I see you, I will have young Solo back in captivity."
Both men stood and saluted, and Thrawn exited the room.
If he accomplishes his mission, I may be forced to retire rather unexpectedly. Derner shook his head. I've just got to remind Lord Garinoska why he placed me in charge of the military.
***
After days planning sessions and simming with the Wraiths, Anakin felt like a balloon with all of the air let out of it. He, his grandfather, and the rest of the Wraiths had applied all of their creative genius to find a way onto the Deathly Silence, but they were coming up slightly short every time.
He collapsed into his bed, thinking of Tahiri. A million questions ran through his brain. At the top of them all was whether Tahiri would ever be able to love an Intelligence officer?
Anakin wasn't sure whether or not he was asleep when the vision began.
***
A single ship jumped into a planetary system, Borleias, Anakin recognized. He realized it was the YT-2400 freighter Tahiri flew.
Then Star Destoyers began jumping out of hyperspace behind her. Vibrant green turbolaser blasts sheared through Tahiri's ship. Everything went dark, and brightened again, like a holoprojector changing stations.
There was now a fierce battle about to begin down on the ground. Black-armored stormtroopers were advancing on the Jedi Temple. A line of Jedi stood in front of it, with Luke Skywalker and Jacen Solo at the front of it. Jacen kissed a blonde woman and told her to run, but she remained by his side, holding a brilliant green lightsaber that matched Jacen's. Then the stormtroopers came into firing range.
One by one, the Jedi began to fall. When the blonde fell, Jacen's anguished howl filled the air. With a look of utter hatred, lightening flew from his fingertips at the stormtroopers. But finally, one laser blast cut through Jacen's chest, then another, and another, until all that was left was his charred skeleton.
Again, everything changed. Jedi trainees, most of them young children, were being led across the still burning wreckage of the still smoking battlefield in shackles. Ben Skywalker was among them. The young boy saw his father's body and began to cry, an action that was rewarded with a blaster rifle butt slammed into his back, knocking him over. The stormtrooper pulled him back up and pushed him forward to the shuttles that the trainees were being loaded onto.
Tahiri's disembodied voice, full of despair, cried, "Anakin!"
***
Anakin's eyes snapped open. He jumped up and slammed the Open button for the door. He sprinted towards the bridge, slamming into Runt hard enough that the large Thakwaash fell to the ground. "Where are you going in such a hurry, Anakin?"
"We've got to go to Borleias! Is Captain Tabanne on duty?"
Runt nodded, clearly confused. "What's going on?"
"I'll explain when we get to the bridge." Anakin picked up his sprint again and entered the bridge. "Captain! Could you please page Face?"
Tabanne looked him over and decided that Anakin wouldn't be this tense unless it was important.
A moment later Face arrived on the bridge, looking rather sleepy. "This better be good, Solo, or you've got kitchen duty for a week!" Wraith Leader grumbled half-heartedly.
"Face, we've got to go to Borleias!"
"Why?"
"The Jedi are in grave danger! I had a vision, through the Force. The CSA is going after the Jedi! They had the Planet Slayer with them!"
"I probably shouldn't do this, but Atril, set course for Borleias. Put out a priority alert to whole fleet. All ships that aren't currently engaged, report to Borleias because of immediate threat to the safety of the Rebel Alliance."
Tabanne nodded. "As ordered Colonel." She turned to the console and began implementing Face's orders.
"I only hope you're right about this Anakin."
Anakin searched himself for any way he could be wrong, but there was no mistaking the cold fist clenched around his heart. He shook his head. "No. I've got to go see if I can find Uncle Luke in the Force. He's got to get the Radiant there, and fast! If we don't act soon, I fear that the whole Jedi order will be wiped out entirely."