A/N: Blah blah, this is old, blah blah, I don't own the characters anyway. Another irrational plot twist occurs...
Part Three
Kes sighed as she walked down the halls of Voyager to Commander Chakotay's quarters.
Voyager had been turned into an extension of the Imperial Star Destroyer outside. Stormtroopers marched down the halls, at the whim of Captain Janeway, sent to replace the many officers lost over the past years. Kes didn't like the Stormtroopers. They had a mental . . . flavor that wasn't right. {They feel as if they aren't there!}
Six months ago, Kes would've never guessed she would be spearheading a mutiny. Neelix
had sided with Captain Janeway, for some odd reason, and after Janeway had thrown Hensley and Tuvok in the brig for plotting a mutiny, there was no one left to be in charge. So Kes had stepped in.
The Imperials reminded her too much of the Kazon-Ogla, who had imprisoned her before
Voyager came. She didn't want to live under their rule any more than she wanted to live with the Kazon.
When Chakotay had first offered her the position, she had refused. Spearhead a mutiny?
Never! But then, after a week of being ordered around by Janeway in the same matter as the Kazon, she changed her mind.
She finally reached Chakotay's quarters. "I'm bringing Chakotay his dinner," she told the
Stormtrooper guarding the door. He nodded and let her enter. "Chakotay?" she whispered,
looking around.
"I'm here." He stepped out of his bedroom. "Any word from Carrey?"
"He said that Engineering is with you. Everyone."
Chakotay was silent for a moment, thinking. "How many?" he asked finally.
"All of Engineering, half of Security, two thirds of Science . . . plus me and the Doc . . ."
she paused to calculate. "We have 98 troops capable of fighting - if we must."
"Oh, we will," he assured her. "How about our opposition?"
"There are 55 Stormtroopers currently aboard, but I heard talk from Jarron that she was
going to bring at least 50 more over - and send most of Engineering to the Chimaera to begin upgrading their ship to Starfleet standards. That sends us down by about 20."
Chakotay frowned. "The time will have to come soon. Less than 80 to more than 100 . . .
and the Stormtroopers are all trained fighters . . ." He sighed. "Gods, what I wouldn't give to have B'Elanna here. She'd know exactly how to plan this."
Kes nodded. "I know how much she meant to you, Chakotay. If she's out there, we'll find
her."
+
"It's not a good idea, Mon Mothma," Leia said with a sigh.
"Maybe it's not, but we need to remind the Bpfasshi that the New Republic is willing and
able to assist them, if they're ever attacked by the Imperials. Bpfassh is terribly close to the Core Worlds. I want to take Blue Squadron with me. We need to take those new pilots out, and a patrol close to the border will be perfect."
Leia swallowed uncomfortably. "Um . . . Mon Mothma . . ."
"Is there a problem with that, Leia?"
"Luke's new Jedi is in Blue Squadron . . ."
Mon Mothma sighed. "After what the Dark Jedi did to Bpfassh during the Clone Wars, I
wouldn't blame them for not liking Jedi. But they don't know that Parris is a Jedi. And she needs this type of training just as much as the others."
"I guess . . . if Luke says it's okay to take her along . . ."
Mon Mothma smiled wanly. "I already asked him. It's fine."
"Mon Mothma!" Leia exclaimed.
"Well, do I have to get your permission for everything?"
Leia flushed. "I . . . just thought you would talk to me first about something like this!"
"I thought it wasn't necessary, that's all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to pack. I'll be
gone for about a week or so. If I'm not back after two weeks . . . well, I probably won't be coming back. Bpfassh is safe though. I'll send a message if I'll be gone for longer. Oh, and Leia, could you tell the pilots for me?"
+
"Bpfassh? Where's that?" Belleana asked.
Leia sighed. She'd gotten the same response from all of the other pilots. "It's a small
planet near the Core worlds - not extremely important, but they're a Republic member. Mon
Mothma wants to let them know that we still remember they're there. Oh, and Belleana . . . they don't like Jedi."
She frowned. {What is it with not liking Jedi?!} "Why this time?"
"Back during the Clone Wars, the Jedi assigned to Bpassh turned to the Dark Side and
wreaked havoc on the entire sector. You're allowed to go, just don't use your powers. They might take offense."
"Of course," she sighed. "Can I take my lightsaber, though? Just in case?"
Leia nodded. "Don't wear it in public."
Tom scowled. "In public? Does that mean -"
"I think it does," Belleana sighed. "We're Mon Mothma's honor guard."
"Yes. We're not expecting any trouble, but on the way, you pass dangerously close to the
current frontline. Be at full alert," she said seriously.
Tom gave her a salute and a cocky grin. "Aye, aye, ma'am!"
"Corellians," Leia said with a sigh, glancing at Belleana as she turned to leave. "They're
all the same."
Belleana closed the door behind her. "An honor guard. Just great."
"It's happening," Tom said with a sigh.
"What?"
"They're splitting us up. We go - Harry stays."
Belleana smiled. "He's a big boy, he can fend for himself." She laughed. "And what is
there to fend off on Coruscant, anyway? He's a lowly mechanic, he'll survive."
"I guess I feel guilty, just leaving him here."
"Don't. We aren't always going to be here for him. Now's as good a time for him to learn
as any - and we'll be back in a week." She kissed him, and he smiled. "Don't worry about him."
"I won't. We're leaving in just a few hours - better get ready." He turned and walked into
their bedroom.
{Why are people so afraid of Jedi?} Belleana asked Luke.
{They're afraid of what they don't understand.}
{And that's us.}
She heard his mental sigh. {Unfortunately it is. When there are more of us, we won't seem
so sacred and untouchable.}
{But we also don't want a repeat of the Clone Wars, or another Darth Vader,} she thought.
Belleana could feel his edginess about the topic of Darth Vader. {It wasn't your fault your
father went bad - and in the end he came back.}
{Yes . . . but the Dark Side is close to us all. Don't let yourself be lured by the thought of
power. That is the first and foremost of your lessons. And . . . be careful.}
Belleana smiled. {I will. And I won't forget.}
+
Metal ground against metal as Jarron slid the Jefferies Tube hatch open. "Chakotay?" he
whispered.
"Jarron?" Chakotay asked, rushing over to help him out of the Jefferies Tube.
"Kes sent me! Janeway is on the move! Voyager, equipped with those new hyperdrives, has
detached from Chimaera, and both ships are preparing to enter hyperspace!" he exclaimed,
breathless.
"What's our destination?" Chakotay asked, gesturing for the Bajoran to take a seat.
He collapsed in the chair gratefully. "A solar system called Bpfassh'. I don't know if
that's the name of a planet, the star, or the entire system."
"Any idea why?"
"Pellaeon, the Chimaera's captain, mentioned something about . . . a . . . Jedi? And the
New Republic's president?" Jarron asked uncertainly.
"The New Republic is whomever they're fighting. And Jedi' . . . that's what Joruus
C'baoth introduced himself as. I wonder if it's some sort of title . . ."
"Whatever it means, they're trying to capture one. Which means -"
" - we're taking Voyager into a battle against another Delta Quadrant power. And there's
nothing we can do to stop it."
+
Belleana Parris was jarred from sleep as she was tossed out of her bunk on the Corellian
Corvette Liberty and onto the floor. Tom was awakened too, flailing about, still tangled in the bed sheets. "What's going on?!" he demanded.
"I don't know." She concentrated for a moment on the Liberty's bridge crew, then turned
back to Tom. "The captain is flustered, and angry at being caught unawares. And he's thinking something about an . . . interdiction field. I hope you did your homework."
He scowled. "You sound worse than a Betazoid."
"An interdiction field . . ." she prompted, pulling herself up off the floor.
"It can drag a ship out of hyperspace before it reaches it's destination."
Belleana pulled her flight suit pants on. "Then we have a problem. Open the porthole, let's
see what's going on out there."
"But -"
"We're not in hyperspace anymore, I can feel it. Now open it up," she ordered, slipping
her shirt over her head.
He flipped the switch to clear the window, and reached for his pants, not bothering to glance
out. Belleana did, and she stared in horror. She walked to the porthole slowly, attracting Tom's attention. "Belleana, is something . . ." his words trailed off as he viewed the scene.
"That's an Imperial Star Destroyer," she whispered. "And Voyager is helping them . . ."
+
On the bridge of Chimaera, Joruus C'baoth grinned evilly. "We have them! Engage the
tractor beam."
Grand Admiral Thrawn nodded at the weapons officer. Then, turning back to C'baoth,
asked, "But why don't we just destroy them?"
"There is a young Jedi aboard," C'baoth announced. "It seems Vader missed one."
+
Belleana and Tom Parris were thrown up against the bulkhead as the Liberty pitched to the
side. "Tractor beam," she muttered. "Grab your blaster, we'll be boarded. But look out for
Voyager personnel. We don't know if they're working with the Empire or if they've been
captured."
Tom nodded, and together they dashed out into the fray, working their way toward the
docking bay. Half-way there, they nearly ran into Blue Four. "C'mon, we're going to defend the air lock. Leader, Two, Three and Eight are on their way - I lost track of them. There's not enough time to launch the squadron."
Almost as he said that, the ship tilted again, then shuddered. "We've docked!" Belleana
said. "We're too late!"
"Hurry!" Four exclaimed. "We're almost there!"
They turned the corner into a firefight.
{Chakotay, where ever you are . . . I hope you're not in the crossfire.}
+
The fight had been short and swift, Thrawn was sure of that. It was an overwhelming
Imperial victory. Thrawn stood in a corridor of the so-called Liberty, watching it's remaining crew being led into captivity. Along with the crew, Thrawn had also been fortunate enough to capture the five still living members of the X-wing Blue Squadron, and the President of the New Republic!
It was a pity that only a fourth of the crew survived. Many of those not killed by his
Stormtroopers had suicided, rather than go into Imperial custody. He could've found some
wonderful tortures to put them all through - the captain of the vessel especially. He would've had
such wonderful information.
{At least we still have the President and the Blue Squadron,} Thrawn thought, as President
Mon Mothma was led over.
She stared at him, slightly baffled. "And who are you?"
Thrawn scowled. {I want my name to be feared all across the galaxy . . . but, I guess I'll
have to start here, with just the crew of this small corvette.} "I am the Grand Admiral Thrawn, last surviving Admiral of the Emperor!"
"Yeah, right," she said skeptically. "It's well known that the Emperor didn't like aliens.
He most certainly wouldn't have promoted one to the position of Grand Admiral. Plus, all the Warlords are accounted for."
Thrawn laughed. "You are too gullible. You believe everything you hear, believe that you
have come to rule the galaxy again," he watched a line of Republic soldiers being marched by. One of them, he identified him as a Blue Squadron pilot, had a pony tail. "And you let your men wear ponytails." He reached out and yanked the man's hair. He turned, and Thrawn found himself staring . . . into the serious face of a young woman. She had one large scar running down the side of her face, and several smaller ones on her forehead, evidence of previous reconstructive surgery.
"No, Thrawn," Mon Mothma told the astounded Admiral with a laugh, "we don't allow
our male pilots to wear their hair long."
Thrawn's scowl deepened. "Take them to the holding area immediately. Her too," he said,
gesturing at Mon Mothma.
As the Stormtroopers led them away, Thrawn allowed himself a moment to sulk. He had
been ridiculed by a Rebel. He would not allow them to go unpunished.
+
Belleana was pacing, restlessly. The cell was too small. If only there were a way to escape.
She occupied herself with piecing together the information she had gathered from the minds
of nearby officers. The Stormtroopers were blank - for some reason, she could read nothing from them.
But from some of the higher ranking officials . . . {These Imperials are working with
Voyager. Willingly. And that means that Janeway is cooperating. I also saw a Trooper with a modified Compression Phaser Rifle. That means that Janeway is trading technology to them. Violating the Prime Directive. Tuvok and Chakotay would never allow her to do such a thing. Which means that Chakotay and Tuvok are somehow incapacitated.}
Just then, she felt a familiar presence at the edge of her consciousness. {Chakotay?} she
asked, reaching out with the Force.
+
{The meditation is finally working,} Chakotay thought. {I can see her spirit.} Strangely
enough, it seemed to Chakotay as if he was still in his quarters. He could see B'Elanna, but not as she had been in life. She was a frail, translucent figure, ringed in a blue aura.
"That's because I'm not dead, Chakotay," she said.
Her words startled him out of his trance. The figure began fading away. "Wait!" he
shouted.
"Concentrate! You're not trained, so this will be hard, but concentrate on everything around
you! Let it's energy flow through you." Her image solidified a bit. "Very good! Chakotay, where are you? What's happening?"
"I'm in my quarters. Captain Janeway confined me here, for plotting a mutiny."
"Were you?" B'Elanna asked wryly.
"Well . . . yes . . . but I had good reason to. Her decisions have been potentially harmful to
the crew . . . I had to stop her . . ." he trailed off, as B'Elanna's image sighed.
"Obviously, it didn't work."
"And where are you?"
B'Elanna sighed again. "I'm on the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera."
Chakotay was angry. "You've been there all along?!"
"No. I was on the ship Voyager and Chimaera just captured," she said.
"A New Republic ship?!"
"Yes," she sighed. "They saved us from an Imperial attack. I was sending you a message,
when our communications overloaded. It probably looked like we were destroyed. We almost were. But, just at the last second, a squadron of X-wings showed up. By then, both Tom and Harry were unconscious, both overcome with radiation poisoning. But, lucky Klingon me, I was able to stay conscious until we reached Coruscant - that's the political head planet of the New Republic. Tom, Harry and I took cover as a family who had been off planet when our home was destroyed. We were merely in the way of their conquest of our home', Caldos. There weren't any survivors of the Imperial raid, and all records were destroyed.
"We managed to fit in quite well. I soon discovered I was gifted in a skill that few in this galaxy have, a special sixth sense of the aura surrounding everything, which natives call the Force' and, before my capture, I was undergoing training, teaching me to use this skill."
"And that's why you can talk to me?"
She nodded. "But only because you also have that sense. I should've seen it before now.
On this side of the Milky Way, people have found a way to cultivate and control this rare power. In the Alpha Quadrant, few know it exists. I can teach you all about it later, but first . . . do you think you could get me out of here?"
+
Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth sighed. {Finally, I have a Jedi to apprentice. Soon, she will feel
the power of the Dark Side. We can rule the galaxy - and I will be much more careful than the Emperor.}
He had easily taken the Imperial vessel Chimaera. In fact, they had come to him, asking for
his help as a Jedi Master. The Empire obviously needed a strong leader. C'baoth would be that leader, be Emperor, and, whoever the young Jedi potential was, she would be his heir and right hand. C'baoth was growing older daily. Though he was not yet ready to die, someone would need to be trained to take his place . . .
Suddenly, he felt a use of the Force at the edge of his perception. {What's this? My Jedi is
trained?}
+
{Voyager is docked. I need merely to distract the guards, and reach Voyager. Then I will be
safe,} Belleana thought. It had been easy enough to keep her lightsaber, convincing the guards with the Force that the only weapon she had was the single blaster.
{You will open the door,} she projected out to the guard outside.
The door opened, slowly. {You will let me pass.}
"You may pass," the Stormtrooper said.
Belleana stepped into the corridor, masking herself as just another officer. She closed the
door behind her. "The prisoner is fine."
"Yes . . . the prisoner is fine . . ." he muttered.
"You will remain at your post."
"I will remain at my post," he said, snapping to attention.
"Carry on," she replied, stalking off down the hall. Belleana knew which corridors to take
without a second thought. {If only Tom was Force strong . . . I would be able to find him also.}
The connection with Voyager was right up ahead. Chakotay had told her Janeway was
working with the Empire. Masking herself took energy, but . . . it was the only way.
She slipped past the Stormtroops with ease. Their blank minds needed a mere shove, before
they would forget anything. All of their minds felt the same - empty.
The halls of Voyager felt safe - until a Stormtrooper marched by. {It seems that now, even
my home is a danger.} Kes came down the hall carrying a box of plants, presumably for the
hydroponics bay. Belleana longed to stop and reveal herself, but it was too risky.
Suddenly, Kes stopped short and stared at Belleana. "Who are you?!"
"I'm . . . I'm taking Captain Janeway a message . . . from Grand Admiral Thrawn," she
stammered.
Kes' eyes narrowed. "What's your name?"
"Ensign . . . Belleana Parris . . ." she said, adding the lilting Alderaanian accent to her
name. "I . . . I seem to be lost . . . could you take me to her?" {Damn!} Belleana thought. {Who's side is she on?!}
"Of course . . . Ensign," the Ocampa said, accenting Belleana's supposed title. "Just
follow me."
Kes started off - though not toward the bridge. {She's on to me. Where are we headed?}
They rounded a corner, away from the main center of attention, and Kes dropped her box,
slamming Belleana against the wall, surprising her that such strength could be hidden in such a seemingly weak form. "Who are you really?" she growled. "You're no Imperial officer."
"No, I'm not," Belleana confided, pushing Kes back, lightsaber immediately in hand,
through no conscious thought of her own. Belleana forced herself to calm down, dropping her disguise in the process.
"B'Elanna!" Kes whispered in amazement, eyes wide in awe. "It can't be you! You're -"
Belleana shook her head. "It's me. The shuttle survived the attack."
"But who -"
Kes was cut short. "The Imperials were the ones who attacked us. The New Republic saved
us. I was captured in the battle Voyager fought against the Republic ship. I will explain it all later. Right now, I need to go to Chakotay."
"I was headed there right now," Kes said.
"But Chakotay's room -"
"- is guarded," Kes finished. "The only way in is through the Jefferies Tube, and the only
unseen entrance is in the Hydroponics Bay. How did you . . . do that? Change what you looked like?"
"It's a long story. Let's not take the Jefferies Tube, I can get us there undetected. C'mon."
+
Chakotay's door opened. It wasn't a meal time, and no one was allowed to visit him, so who
. . .
B'Elanna stepped in, followed by Kes, who was staring at the Stormtrooper guard.
"B'Elanna!" he exclaimed, jumping up.
"Is your room monitored?" she asked, almost weakly.
"Just the front room. Why?"
"I need to rest," she said simply.
Kes stepped away from the door, finally, allowing it to slide shut. "He . . . didn't see us?"
she asked suspiciously.
Chakotay led them into his back room, as B'Elanna answered, "No, Kes. He'll never
remember anyone entering." She sighed, and collapsed into an overstuffed chair. "It takes a lot of energy to mask yourself from passerbys. It takes even more energy to hide two."
"Where's Tom?" Chakotay asked.
"I couldn't locate him. He's still alive, though. I can feel that. We can't leave him there.
We can't leave President Mon Mothma either. There's no telling what -"
"Who's Mon Mothma?" he questioned.
B'Elanna smiled. "She's the President of the New Republic. I'm part of her honor guard.
She was on a diplomatic mission to Bpfassh, a planet near here." Her fond smile melted away. "I may be a member of this crew, but I also have an obligation to the New Republic. Losing Mon Mothma at this time could be fatal to their government. They've only been a ruling power for two years. And frankly, they remind of the vision of an early Federation."
"But, B'Elanna, the Prime Directive -"
She cut him off with a brief shake of her head. "It doesn't apply here. You've already
interfered - now we need to rectify that situation. Until that happens, I'm not Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres. I'm Belleana Parris - Jedi, X-wing fighter, refugee of Alderaan and Caldos, and wife of Tom Parris - X-wing fighter of Corellia and refugee of Caldos. And sister of Harry Kimm, also of Alderaan and Caldos. Got it?"
Chakotay nodded. "Yes, I've got it."
She sighed. "And now, let's hear your plans."
+
Tom was awakened by a shout from the hall. "Lieutenant, one of the prisoners has
escaped!"
He groaned and sat up with a smile. It could only have been Belleana. She'd be coming as
soon as she could. Soon he would be out of this cell, off of this Star Destroyer, and safely heading back home to Coruscant.
{That's odd,} he thought. {I'm already thinking of Coruscant as home . . . and I can't wait
to get back. I would've never guessed I'd think of that planet as home. Yet . . . there's nowhere else . . .}
The cell door clanked. Tom jumped to his feet, wondering for just a moment if Belleana was
already here. The door swung open . . .
It wasn't Belleana. Actually, his guess couldn't be any farther from being right. It was an
Imperial officer, a Stormtrooper . . .
. . . and a Starfleet officer, eyes wide, staring at Tom. He nearly dropped his phaser rifle and
stepped back, frightened.
Curiously, Tom could only think about not breaking his cover. He stood straight and tall,
mustering all of his will and, thinking of Han Solo's demeanor, asked, "What do you want?"
The Imperial officer came forward into his cell. "The female pilot in your unit - what is her
name?"
Tom shrugged and sauntered over to sit on the cell's bench. "What's it to you?"
"I wouldn't withhold information, if I were you, rebel."
"Well, why do you need to know?"
The officer scowled deeply. "That's none of your business."
He shrugged again. "Then neither is her name your business."
"I will not ask you again, rebel -"
"And if I don't tell you, what will you do? Kill me? That won't get you anywhere, will it?
And it certainly won't impress your superior. No, I don't think you'll hurt me at all. On the
contrary, actually - you're under orders to take very good care of me, I gather. Especially because I'm an X-wing pilot. And I know more about that pilot than anybody else."
The officer seemed to smile. "You do? Well . . . why?"
"Because she's my . . . Oh ho!" Tom exclaimed with a laugh. "You thought you'd gotten
me there, didn't you. Well, I'm not gonna tell you anything." Tom made eye contact with Jarron over the Imp's head, and Jarron nodded, understanding. "In fact," he continued, "you're not gonna tell any one about this either."
The Imperial officer's eyes clouded with confusion. Tom flashed him a winning smile, and
punched him in the face.
Before the Stormtrooper could fire, Jarron shoved the butt of his rifle into the Trooper hard
enough to crack the white armor. The Stormtrooper dropped his blaster.
Tom picked it up, turned, and fired at the officer, then at the Stormtrooper. Jarron watched in
horror. "Was that really necessary? Did you really have to kill them?!"
Tom nodded grimly. "Sorry, kid, nothing else I could've done." He gestured at the dead
Imperial officer. "He's a commander. We couldn't let him live. Now, let's get out of here." Tom dashed past Jarron, who followed in confusion.
+
Joruus C'baoth had been told the news. The ensign who had brought the bad tidings lay in
a heap on the floor, in death still clutching his throat.
{The poor bastard,} Pellaeon thought. {Ensign Evrets never had a chance.} A memory
suddenly came back to him. {I remember . . . Vader . . . doing that same thing,} he thought in disgust. {Why did Thrawn ever want to work with another Jedi?}
"Captain Pellaeon!" C'baoth called.
Captain Pellaeon nearly shrunk back in fright. Instead, he took a deep breath to calm his
terror and asked meekly, "Yes?"
C'baoth gestured at Ensign Evrets' corpse. "Have this removed. And alert the entire ship -
I want my Jedi! NOW!"
Pellaeon jumped and dashed out of C'baoth's quarters.
+
Deep in the bowels of the Chimaera, Tom made up his mind. {I may look like Lt. Tom
Paris, but until this is sorted out, and until Mon Mothma is returned to Coruscant, I am Tom Parris, X-wing pilot.} He stopped in a dark hallway, and turned to look straight at Jarron. "Thanks, but . . . why did you help me? I get the picture you're not an Imp."
Tom had never before seen Jarron this confused. "Tom . . . Tom, it's me!"
He almost sighed, but stopped himself before his cover was blown. He exclaimed, "Who
are you? How do you know my name?"
Jarron looked hurt. "You don't remember me?"
Tom shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Maybe we met on Corellia? Geez, it's been so long, I
wouldn't remember. It was Corellia, wasn't it?"
Jarron frowned. "Corellia? Where's that?"
He shook his head. "Okay, not Corellia. Coruscant?" Jarron shook his head. "Okay, on
board Victory?" Again, Jarron shook his head. Tom sighed. "Well . . . then I don't know who you are, kid, but at least we seem to be on the same team." Tom glanced back and forth conspiratorially. "Now, is there some way to access the Star Destroyer's computer network? My wife, Belleana, was captured also, and I need to find her, as well as the rest of my wing and the President."
Jarron sighed, obviously hurt by Tom's lack of recognition. "I haven't been aboard very
long. My ship is still docked. And I think I know someone who can find your wife. Please follow me, sir," he said quietly.
+
Belleana glanced at herself in the mirror. At least with the replicators, she had been able to
make herself look like a proper Jedi. And her black jumpsuit would hide her in the darkened
corridors of Voyager during the ship's "night".
She touched her lightsaber reassuringly as she headed for the door. Master Luke had taught
her well. She wouldn't leave without saying good-bye . . .
She glanced around her old quarters once more. Trinkets picked up in the Delta Quadrant
lined the shelves, and a framed picture of Tom, Harry and herself on the holodeck sat on the table beside the door. She smiled fondly at the picture. {Will it ever be that way again?} she thought, giving herself only a moment of doubt, before scolding herself silently. {We'll start on our way home soon enough. And this plan will work. Do or do not,' Master Luke said, there is no try'.}
Setting the picture back down, Belleana stepped out into the near-empty corridor, and
glanced at the two figures waiting for her. "The plan's rather simple, and it's been done before, successfully, I might add. But it's going to be difficult. Carrey, I need you to hack into the Chimaera computer net, and find out where Tom Parris and Mon Mothma are being held. Tom should be near all of the X-wing pilots, we need to free all four of them. I doubt we'll be able to save the rest of the Victory crew. They're expendable, at least to the Imperials."
"What do I do?" Kes asked.
They set off down the halls at a brisk jog. "You'll be covering Carrey as he's entering the
computer, and both of you will be covering me when we reach the cells. It may be necessary to split up. If so, abort this mission. I'll go on alone. There will be no way for you to reach me, I carry no communicator." They both nodded. "Remember, the crew will be uprising on Voyager after we leave. If you need to return, act normal! Then, you won't be as noticeable - which is why you're wearing black. I'd hide you both, but it takes far too much energy."
Carrey seemed confused. "How would you hide us?"
Belleana sighed. "Never mind, it's a long story, I'll tell you later. Just one more thing. May
the Force be with you."
"What?!"
She grinned. "It means Good Luck'."
+
Luke Skywalker, in flight suit and helmet, patted Harry on the shoulder. "I promise I'll find
her."
"But what if she's dead?" Harry asked mournfully.
"She's not. I can still feel her presence. All I get is the impression of danger, though. The
Imperials must have captured Victory. Don't worry, Technician. I will find your sister, and I'll bring her home safely."
Harry nodded and stepped down the ladder from the X-wing. The launch prep crew gave
him the thumbs up, and Harry wheeled the ladder back. The top of Luke's X-wing closed, and he waved at Harry and Leia as he accelerated toward takeoff. {Hang on, Belleana, I'm coming.}
+
In an isolated, dark hallway of Chimaera, Belleana felt the faintest touch on her mind, and
she smiled. {I'm okay, Luke. I'll be home soon.}
+
Tom and Jarron raced through the bowels of Chimaera. Thus far, they had evaded
Stormtroopers and Imperial officers, but time was running out. Tom held his hand out to stop Jarron. "I hear something around the corner," he mouthed.
Jarron nodded. He had heard the message.
Tom edged up to the intersection. He nodded at Jarron, counted silently to three, and leapt
around the corner toward the voice, blaster out in front of him.
What he saw couldn't have surprised him more.
"Belleana!" he exclaimed.
"Tom!" she yelped with a smile, and jumped into his arms. "I knew you were alright!"
Jarron glanced at Kes and Carrey questioningly, but they just shrugged, watching the over-
emotional reunion.
"Sorry to break all of this up, but I found out where they're holding Mon Mothma and the
other X-wing pilots," Carrey said.
Belleana nodded and turned to look at Tom. "We were afraid something had happened
when we couldn't find you listed. C'mon, we're low on time, and I could use some extra backup on this." She glanced back at Carrey. "Where?"
"Just follow me."
+
Janeway glanced down at the warnings blinking rapidly on tactical. {It's impossible!
Chakotay, Tuvok, and Hensley have all broken out! And Engineering and Sickbay have been overwhelmed!} "Seal off the bridge!" she called to the Stormtroopers positioned there. "We can't let them gain access!"
Before anyone could more, a turbolift opened. Chakotay, Tuvok, Hensley, and several other
crew members, all armed, stepped out. "Too late, Captain," Chakotay said.
+
Lieutenant Hawkins was an ordinary Imperial lieutenant. He followed the orders of his
superiors without question, and though he was not an exemplary officer, had been promoted for his good work.
As of then, he had been given a special assignment. He was in charge of the high security
prisoners! And one of them was the president of the so-called New Republic! If Captain Pellaeon didn't promote him for this, he'd never be promoted.
When the troop-lift opened, he expected it was just a new load of Stormtroopers, come to
guard the prisoners. It was time for a shift change, after all. And it would be nice to get to sleep on time, for once . . .
What he saw was totally unexpected.
+
They burst out of the lift, Belleana immediately activating her lightsaber. The officer had no
time to react before a blast from Tom cut him down. The Stormtroopers barely had time to fire a shot, which Belleana's lightsaber easily repelled, before they, too, had been taken care of.
"Monitoring equipment," Kes said.
Jarron and Carrey made short work of the cameras as Belleana, Tom, and Kes dashed down
toward the cells. In moments, Blue Leader, a short, stocky Corellian, and Blues Four and Ten, as well as Mon Mothma, had all been released from their cells. "We don't have much time," Tom said. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible."
Mon Mothma nodded and hurried down the hall, followed by her rescuers and Blue
Squadron's remaining members. "What about the rest of the Victory crew members? And the ship itself?"
"We couldn't find the others. I think they've all been killed - the Empire is known to do
such things. And there's no way to reach Victory. It's being guarded."
"Then how will we get off the Star Destroyer?" Blue Leader asked in confusion.
"Don't worry," Belleana said with a smile. "We've found some allies. Travellers, from far
away. Their captain was lured into accepting an offer of peace from the Empire, but the crew is uprising to take the ship back. They have promised to help us escape."
"Are they trustworthy?" Mon Mothma asked skeptically.
"Oh, yes, very," Tom assured her.
Mon Mothma frowned. "And how do you know this?" she asked as Kes and Jarron
herded them all into the lift, stepping in themselves before the door shut.
Tom and Belleana glanced at each other. "I've felt what was done to their captain,"
Belleana explained. "And . . . well, this is not going to be something you want to hear . . . but this type of mental tampering could only have been done by a highly trained . . ." She paused, and frowned guiltily. "A highly trained Jedi."
"A Jedi?!" Blue Leader exclaimed. "That would mean either you or Luke Skywalker!"
"Oh, it was neither of us!" she quickly assured. "Each Jedi has a sort of . . . different
mental touch'. I've never felt the touch of this individual before. And Master Skywalker never mentioned any other trained Jedi of the Light to me before, no other Jedi of any kind actually, and no Jedi of the Light would control someone's thoughts like this . . . so it's probably a Dark Jedi. One who hid from the Emperor."
"Is that possible?" Mon Mothma asked as the doors of the lift slid open.
"Yes," Belleana answered. "Luke's teachers, Obi-wan Kenobi and Yoda, survived the
persecution. As well as my own parents, on Caldos. Or the Emperor may have secretly employed this Dark Jedi, like Darth Vader. Whatever the reasons, though, he's here. And I don't want to meet him. Let's hurry, we've almost reached our allies' ship."
Mon Mothma nodded briskly, and began walking just a little faster, Blue Leader struggling
to keep up.
+
Belleana slipped inside of the darkened Voyager first, lightsaber casting an eerie glow on
the unconscious bodies of two Stormtroopers on the floors. She gestured for the rest of her party to enter, Carrey and Tom first, then their rescued prisoners, Kes and Jarron guarding the rear.
"Head to the bridge," Tom whispered in Belleana's ear.
She nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder in affirmation. Heading down the corridor
toward the nearest turbolift, she gestured for Carrey and Jarron to come over. "Head for
Engineering. Make sure we're back in control." They nodded and headed off down the hall. She motioned for Kes. "Take Blue Squadron with you to Sickbay. Make sure they're all okay. The Empire is known to use torture. I also want you to make sure the Doc is alright. Losing him now would be suicide."
Mon Mothma and Tom were left with Belleana. "We're heading for the bridge," she told
Mon Mothma. "Our allies should be in control by now, but if they're not, we're obliged to take the bridge back."
Tom handed Mon Mothma his blaster. "Here, use this. You may need it."
"But what will you use?" she asked in confusion.
He opened a panel in the wall and pulled out a phaser. "This. It's called a phaser, and it's
much the same as our lasers."
"Phaser . . . what's that mean?"
"It uses phased energy, instead of a normal laser. Just a bit more high-tech, that's all,"
Tom explained. "It still has a trigger, and still shoots."
"Oh," Mon Mothma said, still not quite understanding. She just shrugged and followed
Belleana and Tom down the hall, wondering why they knew so much about this alien ship.
They slipped into the turbolift at the end of the hall. "Bridge," Belleana said aloud.
"It . . ." Mon Mothma was having trouble fitting words to her sense of awe. "It takes voice
commands?!"
"Takes a little getting used to, I know," Tom remarked.
Mon Mothma shook her head in wonder. "Such a complex ship, and I haven't seen a
single droid!"
"There aren't any."
"How can they do without them? I, certainly, would never be able to do without them!"
"Well, they seem to have found a way. We've almost reached the bridge," Belleana said.
The door slid open and Belleana leapt out, lightsaber drawn and activated, Tom and Mon
Mothma right behind her.
Chakotay jumped up out of his chair to face the danger - only to have a smile envelop his
face. "B'Elanna! You made it!"
She grinned and shut off her lightsaber. "'Course I did!" Her smile faded as quickly as it
had come. "How's Captain Janeway?"
"I have Tuvok taking a look at her. He should be able to find out what's wrong with her. I
mean, he's a Vulcan."
"Chakotay, I can tell you what's wrong with her - she's being influenced by a very
powerful Jedi on that ship. I don't know his name, or why he's there, but he's more powerful than I am, possibly even more powerful than my teacher. We need to get as far from him as we can."
Chakotay nodded. "And this will cure the captain?"
Belleana shrugged. "It should. I don't know if she'll remember her actions, or anything
that happened since the Jedi took control of her mind. I believe we should leave as soon as we can. Are all the Voyager crew members aboard?"
"Yes, with the exception of Ensign Jarron. We can't seem to contact him."
"He was with Tom," Belleana reported. "He's on his way to Engineering."
Mon Mothma was only half listening to the exchange when she asked, "But what about the
Stormtroopers still on board?"
"B'Elanna?" Chakotay said, gesturing at the engineering console.
"Yes, Chakotay. What do you intend to do with a console that will affect the
Stormtroopers?" she asked, glaring at him.
"Oh," he said apologetically. "Uhm . . . we have a way to instantly transport them off of
the ship. It's a very advanced technology that our laws prohibit us from sharing, I'm afraid. We have a non-interference directive which would normally not allow us to even be helping you. Uh, let me just take care of them." He steeped over to the Engineering console, tapped a few panels, and turned to the ensign at CONN. "Ensign, unhook us from the Chimaera. Set a course away from the Star Destroyers. Engage at Warp 7."
"Commander, Chimaera is hailing us."
"Ignore it. Keep going."
"They're attempting to follow . . . Commander, they've disappeared from sensors!!"
Hensley exclaimed from Tactical.
Belleana turned to Chakotay. "They've engaged their hyperdrives. They are invisible to
conventional sensors, but are moving much slower than Voyager."
"How fast is Voyager going at, Commander?" Mon Mothma asked suddenly.
"How fast does a Star Destroyer travel at in hyperspace?" he asked Tom.
Tom thought about that for a moment, before reporting, "About 2 and a half times the speed
of light."
Chakotay shook his head in disbelief. "Our own Warp 1 is several hundred times the speed
of light. We're traveling at Warp 7."
Mon Mothma's mouth hung open in awe. "You mean . . . "
"Can you tell us where your homeworld is, so we can take you there?" Chakotay asked.
"I can tell you that," Belleana assured him. "I think President Mon Mothma needs some
rest, though."
Chakotay nodded in understanding. "Ensign Hensley, could you take our guest to some
quarters?"
"Yes, sir." Hensley came out from behind tactical, and gestured for Mon Mothma to
follow. "This way, please."
As soon as the turbolift doors had closed, Belleana dashed over to the Engineering station.
"Everything's at full potential. You mean you were able to retake the ship without damaging anything?! That's amazing!"
Chakotay nodded. "Thank you very much. The entire crew was with us. It was just a matter
of overpowering the nearly 70 Stormtroopers on board, without any injuries."
The ensign at Ops called out, "Commander, I'm picking something up on long-range
sensors. It's a ship, much like Lt. Torres described, with the X-shaped wings."
"Drop out of warp, and move into range. Let's have a look at this ship."
"We're being hailed, audio only."
"It's an X-wing fighter. They're not equipped with any high-tech transmitting equipment,"
Belleana said. "I wonder who it is."
"On speakers," Chakotay ordered."
Static was transmitted over speakers, followed by a barely audible, "This is Luke Skywalker
to the alien vessel. Please identify yourself."
"Can you clean that up any?" Chakotay asked Ops.
The ensign typed something into his console. "I've got it as clear as I can get it."
Chakotay nodded. "This is the Federation Starship Voyager, currently commanded by
Commander Chakotay."
"Luke!" Belleana shouted. "It's me!"
"Belleana? Are you alright?"
"I'm just fine! We were attacked by a Star Destroyer called Chimaera, and we were all
captured, but I escaped, and found these people, who were also against the Empire - you see, their captain was being influenced by someone on the Star Destroyer, so we -"
"Uh . . . Belleana, can you tell me all this later?" Luke cut in.
She blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to babble."
"That's okay. Is there some way I can dock with you? I'm kind of low on supplies," Luke
asked.
Chakotay shrugged, though Skywalker couldn't see the gesture. "I guess that will be fine.
We can tractor you into our shuttle bay. Will that be okay with you?"
"It's fine. Just watch out for my nav'droid."
"Of course," Chakotay said, glancing over at Belleana in confusion. "Voyager out." The
ensign cut the connection. "B'Elanna, what's a . . . nav'droid?"
"It's the X-wing's computer system, an android that attaches directly to the ship," she
explained.
Chakotay shrugged. "Okay, then. Ensign, power up the tractor beam, and tow our friend
inside. I'll be in the shuttlebay. B'Elanna?"
She nodded, and followed him into the turbolift.
+
Chakotay and Belleana entered the shuttlebay, just as the bay doors closed behind Luke's
X-wing. He jumped out and landed lightly on the floor, grinning. "Belleana! It's good to see you again. How's President Mon Mothma?"
"She's in some quarters, just fine. Unfortunately, only five members of Blue Squadron
survived. We hit an interdiction field projected by Chimaera, and were pulled out of hyperspace. They boarded us, and we were captured before we could even launch the X-wings. I . . ." she trailed off. "Luke, what's wrong?" she asked.
He was staring strangely at Chakotay. "Belleana, is he . . . ?"
Belleana glanced at Chakotay, then back to Luke. "Is he what?" She then remembered what
she had told Luke to cover up. {He thinks Chakotay's my father!} She sighed and made up her mind. {It's time to fess up.} "Uh . . . Luke, we need to have a talk."
"About what?" Luke asked, confused, and still staring strangely at Chakotay.
"Just follow me," she said with a sigh, and a deep sense of dread. {What have I done this
time?} She headed out into the hall, Luke close on her heals, leaving Chakotay to ponder her words.
She sighed. "Luke, I haven't been entirely honest with you," she admitted.
Luke nodded. "You've been hiding things. I could feel it. But I didn't want to ask you. I
was hoping you'd come around it your own time."
"Well, I have." She hesitated, wondering where to begin. "Luke, I need you to just listen
for a while. It may take me a while to explain. It's a rather long story."
He nodded again. "I figured it wouldn't be an easy explanation."
She laughed. "No, it's not easy at all. Let me start at the beginning. When you and Rogue
Squadron found us outside of Caldos' system, we had been attacked by the Empire, but we weren't going home to Caldos. We were searching for a type of fuel our ship needed. This ship, Voyager. We're not from Caldos, Luke."
+
" . . . And so you see, I'm not even Human, at least not fully. I don't know how I've
inherited these powers, and I'm afraid I'll never know. My mother was just a normal Klingon, nothing special about her at all. And I never knew my father very well. He left my mother and I when I was only five. Chakotay, over the years that I've known him, has sort've filled that place. In a way. But I've found out that I'm not the only potential on this ship."
Luke nodded, not exactly grasping it all. "So those scars on your forehead - they weren't
scars?"
She shook her head. "No. It's something I inherited from my mother. I'll have to check
with your medics when we return. I'm not supposed to be able to cry, either. Klingons have no tear ducts. Is there any way I can check?"
"Actually, I can give you that answer," he offered. "When we picked you up, we noticed
that your tear ducts were closed off. You do have them, they just couldn't work. 2-1B believed it was a deformity from birth, and fixed them. You'll be going back to Coruscant?"
"Only to say good-bye, and to drop off Mon Mothma and Blue Squadron. My ship needs
me. I'm sorry, Luke. I wanted to tell you the truth, but I wasn't allowed to. Our Prime Directive prohibits that. If we're ever trapped in an alien society, with no apparent escape, we're to assume a new identity and hide there," she explained. "Tom's always been good at pretending - he's got the funniest holodeck program . . . never mind," she said quickly. "But he came up with covers for us instantaneously, hoping that being related would keep you from separating us. And, you see, I guess he's had this infatuation with me for several months . . ."
"So you're not really married to him?"
"No," she said, carefully. "I know this is going to take some getting used to."
"It sure will. I don't think Leia will like this, though."
"I was wondering . . ." she asked, almost guilty. "Do you think it's okay if we don't tell
anyone else? I know I owe it to them all, but . . . It is against our Prime Directive to be telling everyone about us . . . and . . . well . . . I really wouldn't want to hurt them."
He nodded. "I understand. It's still Belleana isn't it?"
"Yes . . . " she hesitated. "It's pronounced differently, though. It's a Klingon name. If I
wrote it in my native language, you wouldn't be able to read it. In your language, though, it's spelled B-apostrophe-E-l-a-n-n-a, and pronounced B'Elanna."
"Oh," he said. "Well . . . B'Elanna . . . I understand exactly what you mean. It would be
okay with me if you all just pretended to be Belleana and Tom Parris and Harry Kimm until you left. It would cause less of a ruckus at home. Where are you from, anyway?"
"Very far away."
"How far is that?"
B'Elanna sighed, calculating. "It's about 72,000 lightyears away, 66 years at maximum
warp. Sometimes, though, I wonder if I'll ever see my homeworld again. This ship's been my home for four years, ever since an accident sent us 75,000 lightyears from home. And we haven't made as much progress as we hoped. Everything I believe in is there . . . And I'm here."
"I hope you do get home, sometime."
"I hope so, too. Now let's go to the bridge. Tom should be up there, he might want to add
something to my story."
+
" . . . And you're sure you want to take them up on their offer?" Leia asked, hours later on
Coruscant, as Belleana and Harry packed up.
"The only home we have is here," Belleana said. "I've always wanted to explore. The war,
and living on Caldos, prevented that dream from happening. Commander Chakotay told us about a place where there's very little fighting. It's appealing to me, at least. To actually live somewhere where there's peace."
"It seems like a dream," Tom finished, "to be somewhere like that. And maybe it is 66
years away. Our children will be able to live somewhere without war. And that's more than anyone can ask for."
"Besides," Belleana continued, "there are two Jedi potentials on board. They can't be
spared from Voyager, so no one will be able to train them. Luke certainly can't leave now. So it's up to me. We can't let the potentials slip away. Perhaps someday you'll find an order of Jedi far, far away in their Alpha Quadrant."
"Maybe," Leia said. "I'll miss having another Alderaanian to talk to, though."
Belleana sighed. "And I'm sorry I'll miss the birth of your twins. Give my regards to Han
when he returns from Mos Eisley."
"I'll make sure to do that. And Belleana - I wish you and your family luck."
"You too, Leia. Good-bye." Belleana watched Leia leave with a sigh. {If only I'd been able
to tell her the truth . . .} "C'mon, Harry. Time to go. Shuttle's waiting."
+
Everyone was on the shuttle, ready to go, but Belleana had one last good-bye to make. "You
have the beginning of another Federation here, Luke. Make sure the dream doesn't get lost."
"It won't. The Jedi will grow, here. I have a lead on a possible Jedi potential on Corellia,
and I was thinking about checking that out . . ."
Belleana paused. "Luke . . ." she began hesitantly. "When I was aboard Chimaera, there
was a presence controlling Captain Janeway . . ." She took a deep breath before relating her news. "Luke, it was another Jedi, a Dark Jedi. He was controlling the captain. I want you to be careful out there. Obviously, the Emperor has missed a few Jedi in the past. There may be others out there."
"Another Jedi?!"
"Dark Jedi, Luke!"
"How can you be positive?"
"Would a Jedi of the Light ever control someone's mind?!" B'Elanna demanded.
"No," Luke sighed. "Maybe there's someone else out there, though."
"Maybe."
"Be careful when you're training Chakotay and Kes. This is a delicate time for them. They
can very easily be turned to the Dark Side. Always impress upon them the importance of good."
"I will. I'm going to miss you, Luke."
"Good luck on your journey."
"And good luck on yours. Good-bye, Luke." She hugged him quickly, and started up to
the shuttle, unwilling to let him see her tears.
"May the Force be with you, B'Elanna," she heard him say, before the hatch closed.
+
Luke watched his student leave for the last time. She had a tough journey ahead of her.
"Tech!" he called to the passing mechanic. "Could you ready my X-wing?"
It was time to return to Dagobah, and see if Yoda had left anything behind.
+
"You have lost my Jedi!" C'baoth roared at Pellaeon. The captain could feel a pressure at
his throat. {It's getting . . . hard to breathe . . .}
"The only remaining Jedi, and you've lost her!"
"Wait, Master C'baoth," Thrawn called. "She isn't the last! Haven't you ever heard of the
New Republic war heroes Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo? They are the children of
Vader!"
"The children of Vader?" Dark Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth asked with a smile. He
released Pellaeon, and the captain fell to the floor gasping for breath. "Why didn't you mention them before?"
+
Tom sat next to B'Elanna in her quarters. "It's so weird to be back," he remarked.
"We've been away for so long . . ."
"I know," she agreed. "I didn't believe it at first, but I actually missed this place! I guess
I'm getting rather attached to it."
Tom sighed, looking at the photo by her door. "Is it ever going to be that way again? Or is
it over between us now?"
"Things have changed, Tom. But I don't think it's over. We were married for a while, and,
well, I'll admit that it wasn't that bad." She smiled.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You know, I could get used to this."
B'Elanna laughed. "It feels strange to finally be home."
A/N: So, there you go. I hope you enjoyed your jaunt into the mind of an 8th grader. Take a few minutes, leave any reflections/funny notes you may have. Toodles.
~Indarae