"So if I get a little scratch like the Vong did, will you all carry me around like a princess?"
"There is one way one way to find out Rat."
"Auntie Tahiri put down the knife."
Face heard the banter coming from the 'patio', the open area of the mess area at the 'Hawk-Bat' base. The 'patio' was first made to make the new Wraiths all those years ago feel more at home, rather then deep inside a hollowed out asteroid. Now it was more then a simple base but a haven to rest, get healthy and regroup. It has been 3 weeks since their narrow escape from the Vong ambush at their old base on Borleias. An escape that had left Tahiri near death, even after 3 weeks of Jedi healing trances and bacta treatments, she was still weak and not yet healed. She had been seriously injured from the fight with the Yuuzhan Vong, taking multiple slash wounds, separated right shoulder, and couple broken ribs. From the crash of the Double Trouble she broke her left wrist and her right leg. She also had to stay awake to help them find shelter and protect them from the fires that passed over them. Using the Force in battle and then later to protect them had taken a lot out of her.
Since neither Tahiri nor Deloni could be moved, Kell, Ratnena and Hall traveled north to steal a ride. They got an YT-1300 from the bone yard and raided some supplies for them to survive with. The emergency rations were horrible and the ship was the biggest piece of junk ever to attempt space flight but they got here.
He wanted to contact the general at first but was shot down by Squeaky, Little Brother and Ratnena. They told him about a lot of the information they had retrieved from the computer on Denon. Although much of it was destroyed when the Double Trouble crashed, Little Brother still carried enough information to make Face change his original plans.
The Senate's involvement with the Peace Brigade, helping them with money, recruiting, and intelligence was very disturbing. It was through both military and civilian agents that helped the Peace Brigade tried to track Tahiri, that is why Starred and High were originally sent along with the Wraiths, to act as another set of eyes. However, they were never 100% certain that she would be there, so that is why Starred pulled the stun he did. He had to make sure it was Tahiri before he could contact the Slayer, they had warned him about her 'hair' problem.
The secret organization to push the war to the Yuuzhan Vong on Zonama Sekot, using government money and personal to run and fund that organization. There was even a hint of destroying certain careers for not falling in step. The bomb left in her X-wing was installed by the military while she was making finial arraignments to meet Kell and him on Borleias, the person who activated it was Long Shot. Ratnena had found that particular report just before they had to leave Denon, after verifying his true identity the report were easier to find since he filed them under his correct name. It appears that one day they had planned to release all this information, long after most of them were dead, to justify their actions against the Jedi Vong. They were on a mission to rid the galaxy of all Yuuzhan Vong, even those on their side, even those not fully Yuuzhan Vong. Even Hall, who was never too happy about Tahiri, was disturbed by the idea of the military targeting Tahiri for no other reason then she was Yuuzhan Vong.
The fact that three agents got through his screening process disturbed him deeply, even if they had help in the military, it made him question the true identity of the rest of his recruits. How many spies did he have there at the beginning? Were there some from the Empire, Chiss, the numerous other minor powers in the galaxy? Ratnena never did get a good long look at the backgrounds of Road Kill, Boom-boom and Sparks, were they working for him or someone else? Should he risk sending Ratnena and Little Brother back to Denon for a more complete check or should he just keep an extra eye out on them?
In reality he had to trust them, there were only nine of them left and there was so much work to do. They had to root out the monetary pipeline that runs the Peace Brigade, shut off the flow of information to them, and bring those individual on their side to justice. They also had to expose the 'Vong Free' league; anyone was free to join any organization they wished as long as they didn't spend tax money to funded it or use government employees to staff it nor government materials to commit murder.
So instead of sending Kell, Hall, and Ratnena after help, he sent them after a way to escape. They need to catch their collected breaths and heal before they set off on their mission. When he discussed this option at the rock pile that helped protect them from the fires, no one voiced opposition to the idea. Hall and Ratnena looked like they wanted to head out then and there and find some scalps to collect. The three soon-to-be retired Wraiths also agreed, stating they couldn't head home just yet.
"I have to stay Face, how often does one get to save the galaxy?" Elassar had said when he was asked.
"Really Face," Piggy said, "we have only done this a dozen or so times, it will be fun."
"My wife will understand she a Jedi after all."
"Will she really understand or is that wishful thinking sir?"
"She'll understand Bora … I hope." Kell said then pointed to Tahiri who had been laying down next Ratnena almost passed out, "Jedi are like that calm and in control."
"In that case sir, I suggest a double suit or armor."
"Thanks so much Aunt Tahiri."
So they had all agreed to stay 'dead' until they gathered enough information to bring down the Peace Brigade. Then they would have only one enemy to worry about and that enemy couldn't kill them as openly as the rest.
He set the scanners on self-monitor and got up from the control station to join the rest for a few minutes. When he walked in to the 'Trench' he could see Tahiri, lying on two chairs, out on the patio. Ratnena was sitting near by her, helping her feed her new pet Bangor, and making comments about the naked flying Jedi. Tahiri has already sworn to be fully dressed at all times, even in the shower. Face asked her on the way here if her feeling changed at all about Bangor.
"No sir, not really but I don't have much choice right now. I just have to keep a close eye on us."
Road Kill and Boom-Boom were sitting at the other table interjecting their own comments into the conversation, usually at the expense of Ratnena. They both felt more at ease around Tahiri lately. Her action during the battle calmed a lot of their fears. As were the three older Wraiths, who just made cracks on everyone and anyone who gave them a millimeter of an opening. Sparks and Little Brother were at the other table just inside the patio working on some of the communication equipment. Squeaky, of course, was going around complaining about everything. Home sweet home, and for how long?
"Commander, I supposed that you wish to have something to eat now, also?" Squeaky said in a tone that would suggest asking for anything would be a bad idea.
"Not right now I wake you up in few hours for something."
Say, young man aren't you supposed to be on guard duty?" Kell said pointing his fork at him like a blaster.
"Make him clean the mess hall with his toothbrush." Ratnena said with an evil grin.
"We only have a few spares and they have already been reserved for you Flight Officer Bora." Squeaky said from the table that Little Brother was at. After everyone calm down from the laughing fit, Face got to the point.
"We do need some supplies, we can't denied Ratnena her chance to clean the entire base. Kell, Ratnena, Deloni and Alpha, you guys will take that flying death trap and go get us some supplies. I want a list from everyone by tomorrow on what supplies you need. Squeaky, could you go along with them?"
"Of course sir, if you want to do the job right you must be there to supervise."
"Hall, Elassar, Little Brother and I will finish going through the records we saved, start rating our targets and planning a few raids. Tahiri, you go back in the tank."
"Great," she said rolling her eyes, "you know what I really want for my eighteenth Life Day?"
"I'm not sure we can fine a guy for you Vong, not on this short of … ouch that hurts!"
"Can you go five minutes without thinking about guys!" Tahiri said giving her a mock glare, as Ratnena rubbed her sore shoulder and gave Tahiri a superior smile, "I would really like to get through a mission without getting hurt. I really hate the taste of bacta."
"If you would stop jumping out of shuttles, Auntie Tahiri."
"Well the way you fly …"
"Anyways, get your list together, Squeaky will collect them. Something we can't get but we will try our best. Starting tomorrow, we began to fight back."
"Us against the rest of the galaxy, that seems so unfair, dishonorable." Tahiri said in a sad voice.
"We can only play the hand we were dealt Peacekeeper," Elassar said gently.
"I know, but couldn't we tell them we are alive. I mean they think we are dead and they have no chance against us right now. If they knew we were alive they might not feel bad as we take them down, they will at least feel like they had a small chance; not that they would of course."
"She is such a Jedi." Hall said with a grin after a long pause as everyone just looked at her.
"Are they all this nuts?"
"I keep telling you Bora, wait till you marry one."
"Right, make a note never ever date a Jedi they are just too weird … ouch will stop hitting that shoulder."
"I am sorry Rat."
"That is ok … ouch I didn't mean to start hitting the other one."
"She does have a point, I would love to see their faces when they discover just who it is that brings them down." Alpha said laughing.
"You guys are going to give me a ulcer," Face said laughing and getting up to head back to the control center. They were rested, they were primed, and he just hoped they weren't getting too confident. But he knew Kell and the rest would keep the kids down on the level. He was sure that after a few missions they will calm down, it is hard to not get cocky after surviving the worst an enemy could do to you.
And after a few missions someone was going to learn the most important lesson in the galaxy; if you going to kill the Wraiths don't do it half way, nothing is more deadly then a Wraith out for revenge.
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Coming soon book 3 'I want to hold you, I wish to thrill you, and I'm going to kill you!' Tahiri and the Wraiths against the galaxy … you have to feel sorry for the galaxy. I do appreciate all the reviews and I am pleased to know many of you have enjoyed my stories thus far. I hope I can keep you entertained in the future. Hopefully next week the 3rd book will start. Thank you again for the reviews.