Suspicions
(Author's Note: Received review saying that the story was getting confusing. Just wanted to point out a few things, though I'm not sure what is confusing the reviewer. One, Sim has incredible control of the Force, surpassing in many ways even Obi-Wan, though that will be explained later ( she has the ability to basically disappear in front of people through mind control; an ability that no SW book has ever attributed to Obi-Wan). Keep in mind that Lord Tyranus is also Count Dooku from ATC. For my last chapter, I just thought he needed a just end considering he was once Jedi but turned from them to follow Emperor Palpatine(Darth Sidious) the Sith Lord. Also, keep in mind that this is a supposed ending for Episode 3 so there's a lot of ground that I don't cover--ATC reveals the plans for a Death Star but I don't address in this story leaving the reader to assume that it has been destroyed already or whatever George has in mind for Episode 3. The idea coming along hopefully here is that the Rebellion needs to do something about the Imperial Storm Troopers; face it--in ATC they look far out, but suddenly in Episode 4 (the original Star Wars-now called A New Hope) the Storm Troopers are solid white and a little lame looking. I'm suggesting that the Rebellion needs to destroy the Emperor's ability to continue production of the clones--Storm Troopers to address the difference in Episode 3 to Episode 4. Sorry this is so long. Enjoy the story as Obi- Wan questions Sim's motives and the final countdown for Kamino begins.)
"Master Kenobi, you've arrived."
Lesrhett stopped demonstrating the use of the special robotic flight detonators made by none other than Lesrhett. Obi-Wan sat in the outer rim of the ammunitons teams Bail had mentioned earlier. He nodded to General Toomaksu.
"Timing, as in most operations, is everything. You must each realize," General Toomaksu began and his glaze froze squarely upon each of his men, "there is every likelihood that we will not return from this mission. Any person not willing to give his life may leave the room now. I will think no less of you if you do." The 8 teams looked from one to another. Not a man or woman left. "Very well, we all understand the importance of crippling the Empire's ability to strike with force of clones like what these factories are capable of building. We know the Stormtroopers' weaknesses now from past battles. But no one needs explanation of the impossiblity of defeating an army of millions of them. Set your chronos to 1300 hours. Exercises for this mission will begin then." His teams all stood and saluted before moving to the door. General Toomaksu felt sick to his stomach. 'All these good fighters.' He kept thinking. He nodded briefly to Lesrhett and moved to leave as well.
"Master Kenobi." The General bowed respectfully.
"General." The men surveyed each other before turning. There seemed so little to say now that the mission was under way.
"Well, why were you late?" asked Sim.
"I find all of this hard to phantom."
"Well, what's hard about it?" Sim (still dressed as Lesrhett, of course) turned on a hologram projector that showed Kamino and the Imperial fleet that surronded it. "The Rebellion fleet coming in behind us must keep enough distance back as to not be detected by the Empire's forces. We have a possible 20 standard minutes to get in, do our damage at Tipoca City. A group of pilots has already brought in the Imperial ship we, or should I say I," Sim tried humorously, "captured!" She made her eyes wide still trying to break a smile from Obi-Wan. Sighing, "Ben, what is it?" Wiht no response, she started again. "The cannon power on that ship may be capable, with a little boosting, to bring down Marica and the other factory, but not all three. Starting at Tipoca just makes sense..."
"I'm not arguing that."
"Then stop probing my mind as if you think I wouldn't notice." She snapped.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this on Malorea?" He watched Sim closely.
"You were sick, first. Then, it didn't seem necessary until we arrived." She said it straightforward enough. But, Obi-Wan wasn't completely satisfied.
"We could have used you long ago. Yet now, out of the blue you come back..."
Sim glared, arms crossed. "You don't trust me?"
Obi-Wan's blue eyes bored into her and Sim held his gaze. "Suddenly, I don't." He raked his hand through his blonde hair. "Explain it to me Sim, explain to me so I can trust you."
Sim studied the hologram. Her hand pointed here and there as if touching one Imperial starship and then another. "Because of the location of the 3rd factory, General Toomaksu has choosen this rallying point. With any luck, our fleet will come out of hyperdrive here and if they can not destroy this Imperial ship, then perhaps distract them long enough to let our team escape."
"That's your answer?!" Obi-Wan touted.
"MY answer is that I have always helped in little ways, if nothing more." Her hand seemed to glide over the top of the planet Kamino until she stuck her hand into the middle of the hologram in one straight piercing move then gripped the hologram ball turning it off. "Wonder about all those payments from the Viceroy? Think orphans and widows. Think how much one pays for this kind of information. Satisfied!?! It's not as if I was given the choice to walk around all Jedi Master, holier than thou. I've always done what I've had to do, and whatever method I had to use I did it!!!" Her browns eyes glowed intensely.
Obi-Wan looked at the floor. Taking a deep breath he walked toward the door. "Simi, it's a good plan and the details have been worked out well. I'm going as also."
"Then you will help me reach the main operations center on Tipoca City?" Sim pulled her mask from her head. Obi-Wan felt the emptiness of the conference room.
"What is located there that we need?"
"I want the cloning process plans."
"What?! For what purpose?"
"To satisfy myself that the Kaminoans will not have the ability to clone more Imperial Stormtroopers for a long time." Sim took a step back from Obi-Wan, "Either that, or I will not suffer the Kaminoans on other cities to live." There was a fire about Sim's eyes now, a strange killer insticnt that Obi-Wan felt rising in her. "Don't you understand Obi-Wan?" Her vioce became impassioned as she suddenly moved up to his face. "Destroy their information on this particular clone and they will have to start from the ground up. Do you really believe blowing up their factories will be enough?!"
"And if they have the plans for the process elsewhere?"
"They don't---it's all there at Tipoca. Together we could get through the guards to destroy it. If one Kaminoan makes off with the information all the Rebellion lives lost in this mission will be for nothing!" Sim's eyes flashed as she studied Obi-Wan's face. There was a sincerity that he could not miss. What more, he knew she was right. Blowing up the city did not mean no one could escape with the cloning process plans if they weren't careful.
"Alright, I'll help you, Sim." The confusion he felt burned at his insides. Part of him wanted to pull Sim into his arms and kiss her and another part could not shake the feeling that she was hiding something, no matter how much sense she talked. Finally he stepped toward the door again and Sim passed him in leaving the room.
*****
The 8 teams were assembeld as follows: 6 ammunitions, 1 pilot team, 1 back up. They assembled, boarded the Imperial ship, and now waited to leave hyperspace.
"Cole, do you think those detonators will work?" Urius asked.
Cole smiled, "You tell me."
Urius was the studious one of team 4, "Well, the Hunter,"as they were quietly calling Lesrhett, "says they will, but I don't know. The wind speeds on that planet are incredible. If those robotic gadgets don't have enough flight power, they won't make it to the columns."
"Yeah, I'd feel better if we were tying 'em down myself."
"You two sissies." Piped in Jamer.
"You know something we don't?" Cole asked.
"Yeah, I watched the test run on one and believe me, we ain't gonna wanna be on that city when they blow." Jamer paused, "My brothers, those babies are some hot mothers." Then sheepishly noticing Commander Arianna listening in, "And sister." Pause, "Ma'am." He saluted clumsily.
"We're ammunitions. Every detonator we have ever set may have worked, may not have worked. So far team 4, we've been lucky. Talk like this, well, dropping all pretense gentlemen---shut up. Concentrate on your specific orders and do your jobs well when the time comes. Clear!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Very well."
(Author's Note: Received review saying that the story was getting confusing. Just wanted to point out a few things, though I'm not sure what is confusing the reviewer. One, Sim has incredible control of the Force, surpassing in many ways even Obi-Wan, though that will be explained later ( she has the ability to basically disappear in front of people through mind control; an ability that no SW book has ever attributed to Obi-Wan). Keep in mind that Lord Tyranus is also Count Dooku from ATC. For my last chapter, I just thought he needed a just end considering he was once Jedi but turned from them to follow Emperor Palpatine(Darth Sidious) the Sith Lord. Also, keep in mind that this is a supposed ending for Episode 3 so there's a lot of ground that I don't cover--ATC reveals the plans for a Death Star but I don't address in this story leaving the reader to assume that it has been destroyed already or whatever George has in mind for Episode 3. The idea coming along hopefully here is that the Rebellion needs to do something about the Imperial Storm Troopers; face it--in ATC they look far out, but suddenly in Episode 4 (the original Star Wars-now called A New Hope) the Storm Troopers are solid white and a little lame looking. I'm suggesting that the Rebellion needs to destroy the Emperor's ability to continue production of the clones--Storm Troopers to address the difference in Episode 3 to Episode 4. Sorry this is so long. Enjoy the story as Obi- Wan questions Sim's motives and the final countdown for Kamino begins.)
"Master Kenobi, you've arrived."
Lesrhett stopped demonstrating the use of the special robotic flight detonators made by none other than Lesrhett. Obi-Wan sat in the outer rim of the ammunitons teams Bail had mentioned earlier. He nodded to General Toomaksu.
"Timing, as in most operations, is everything. You must each realize," General Toomaksu began and his glaze froze squarely upon each of his men, "there is every likelihood that we will not return from this mission. Any person not willing to give his life may leave the room now. I will think no less of you if you do." The 8 teams looked from one to another. Not a man or woman left. "Very well, we all understand the importance of crippling the Empire's ability to strike with force of clones like what these factories are capable of building. We know the Stormtroopers' weaknesses now from past battles. But no one needs explanation of the impossiblity of defeating an army of millions of them. Set your chronos to 1300 hours. Exercises for this mission will begin then." His teams all stood and saluted before moving to the door. General Toomaksu felt sick to his stomach. 'All these good fighters.' He kept thinking. He nodded briefly to Lesrhett and moved to leave as well.
"Master Kenobi." The General bowed respectfully.
"General." The men surveyed each other before turning. There seemed so little to say now that the mission was under way.
"Well, why were you late?" asked Sim.
"I find all of this hard to phantom."
"Well, what's hard about it?" Sim (still dressed as Lesrhett, of course) turned on a hologram projector that showed Kamino and the Imperial fleet that surronded it. "The Rebellion fleet coming in behind us must keep enough distance back as to not be detected by the Empire's forces. We have a possible 20 standard minutes to get in, do our damage at Tipoca City. A group of pilots has already brought in the Imperial ship we, or should I say I," Sim tried humorously, "captured!" She made her eyes wide still trying to break a smile from Obi-Wan. Sighing, "Ben, what is it?" Wiht no response, she started again. "The cannon power on that ship may be capable, with a little boosting, to bring down Marica and the other factory, but not all three. Starting at Tipoca just makes sense..."
"I'm not arguing that."
"Then stop probing my mind as if you think I wouldn't notice." She snapped.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this on Malorea?" He watched Sim closely.
"You were sick, first. Then, it didn't seem necessary until we arrived." She said it straightforward enough. But, Obi-Wan wasn't completely satisfied.
"We could have used you long ago. Yet now, out of the blue you come back..."
Sim glared, arms crossed. "You don't trust me?"
Obi-Wan's blue eyes bored into her and Sim held his gaze. "Suddenly, I don't." He raked his hand through his blonde hair. "Explain it to me Sim, explain to me so I can trust you."
Sim studied the hologram. Her hand pointed here and there as if touching one Imperial starship and then another. "Because of the location of the 3rd factory, General Toomaksu has choosen this rallying point. With any luck, our fleet will come out of hyperdrive here and if they can not destroy this Imperial ship, then perhaps distract them long enough to let our team escape."
"That's your answer?!" Obi-Wan touted.
"MY answer is that I have always helped in little ways, if nothing more." Her hand seemed to glide over the top of the planet Kamino until she stuck her hand into the middle of the hologram in one straight piercing move then gripped the hologram ball turning it off. "Wonder about all those payments from the Viceroy? Think orphans and widows. Think how much one pays for this kind of information. Satisfied!?! It's not as if I was given the choice to walk around all Jedi Master, holier than thou. I've always done what I've had to do, and whatever method I had to use I did it!!!" Her browns eyes glowed intensely.
Obi-Wan looked at the floor. Taking a deep breath he walked toward the door. "Simi, it's a good plan and the details have been worked out well. I'm going as also."
"Then you will help me reach the main operations center on Tipoca City?" Sim pulled her mask from her head. Obi-Wan felt the emptiness of the conference room.
"What is located there that we need?"
"I want the cloning process plans."
"What?! For what purpose?"
"To satisfy myself that the Kaminoans will not have the ability to clone more Imperial Stormtroopers for a long time." Sim took a step back from Obi-Wan, "Either that, or I will not suffer the Kaminoans on other cities to live." There was a fire about Sim's eyes now, a strange killer insticnt that Obi-Wan felt rising in her. "Don't you understand Obi-Wan?" Her vioce became impassioned as she suddenly moved up to his face. "Destroy their information on this particular clone and they will have to start from the ground up. Do you really believe blowing up their factories will be enough?!"
"And if they have the plans for the process elsewhere?"
"They don't---it's all there at Tipoca. Together we could get through the guards to destroy it. If one Kaminoan makes off with the information all the Rebellion lives lost in this mission will be for nothing!" Sim's eyes flashed as she studied Obi-Wan's face. There was a sincerity that he could not miss. What more, he knew she was right. Blowing up the city did not mean no one could escape with the cloning process plans if they weren't careful.
"Alright, I'll help you, Sim." The confusion he felt burned at his insides. Part of him wanted to pull Sim into his arms and kiss her and another part could not shake the feeling that she was hiding something, no matter how much sense she talked. Finally he stepped toward the door again and Sim passed him in leaving the room.
*****
The 8 teams were assembeld as follows: 6 ammunitions, 1 pilot team, 1 back up. They assembled, boarded the Imperial ship, and now waited to leave hyperspace.
"Cole, do you think those detonators will work?" Urius asked.
Cole smiled, "You tell me."
Urius was the studious one of team 4, "Well, the Hunter,"as they were quietly calling Lesrhett, "says they will, but I don't know. The wind speeds on that planet are incredible. If those robotic gadgets don't have enough flight power, they won't make it to the columns."
"Yeah, I'd feel better if we were tying 'em down myself."
"You two sissies." Piped in Jamer.
"You know something we don't?" Cole asked.
"Yeah, I watched the test run on one and believe me, we ain't gonna wanna be on that city when they blow." Jamer paused, "My brothers, those babies are some hot mothers." Then sheepishly noticing Commander Arianna listening in, "And sister." Pause, "Ma'am." He saluted clumsily.
"We're ammunitions. Every detonator we have ever set may have worked, may not have worked. So far team 4, we've been lucky. Talk like this, well, dropping all pretense gentlemen---shut up. Concentrate on your specific orders and do your jobs well when the time comes. Clear!"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Very well."