Chapter 5
Thelea is standing in front of a Temple near the Imperial Palace on the planet of Coruscant. The young Arkanian is determined to find some answers. Next to her is her wing mate, and best friend, the Corellian Wellen Carlan.
She looks at her friend. "Should I go?"
He gives her a friendly smile. "Go on, that's why you came here. Are you going to retreat now? I'll be right here for you."
She gives him a faint smile. "You're right. I have to do this. I want to do this." Then she just opens the door and steps inside.
The temple looks like a large single room, but it's not just that. On the walls, hidden in shadows, are several smaller hollows. And the shadows in the far right corner near the altar hide a small corridor leading to a room. That's the room the black-haired man waited before meeting Thelea's parents.
The altar itself is made of stone, and the wall behind it is covered with three wall cloths. Thelea senses and empty space behind the middle one. Wellen walks next to her, looking around.
Thelea sees a robed man standing close to the altar. She clears her throat and the man recoils and turns around. "Good evening, ma'am, and sir. May I be of assistance?"
"I wonder if someone can remember something that happened here a long time ago."
"How long?"
"About twenty years."
"Let me think. Two Arkanian adults, one baby and a human man?"
"How did you know what I meant?"
"Arkanians are not common in Coruscant."
"You do remember? Or at least know..."
"I remember it well. I presume that the woman is your mother." She nods. "She asked me to make sure that if something is to happen to them, they would be able to get out of the situation. She left you a message. She wanted me to tell you not to look for them. They know what's going on."
Thelea stands in silence for a while. Then she says slowly. "When did she tell you that?"
He smiles. "A week ago. Standard, not Arkanian."
"Five days? So they're alive." She looks at Wellen for couple of minutes, wondering if she could tell him the truth. She makes her decision. "Wellen, we need to talk. At Yinchorr."
Four days later Thelea lands her Z-95 on the surface of the planet Yinchorr. The Imperial Training Facility nearby looks deserted. Wellen lands his A-Wing near her HeadHunter.
He follows her inside the Facility. In there she opens a door with a code panel. Wellen wonders how she knew the pass code, but he doesn't ask. Door leads into an office.
Wellen
becomes curios. "What is this place?"
"This is the
office of the Commanding Officer. This is an Imperial Training
Facility."
"I was an Imperial. How come I had no idea of this place?"
"Because the Empire trained "Emperor's chosen ones" in here. The Royal Guard. Wellen, the Infiltrator Wing is out there. I'm part of it. Don't get me wrong, I've learned to respect the New Republic. Long time ago I joined the Empire to get even with that Imperial officer I mentioned some time ago. The Emperor found about my natural abilities in the Force, so he began to teach me his dark arts. But he wasn't the first one. The man who raised me taught me his arts. Palpatine – Emperor, I mean – decided to make me one of his fists. Your expression tells me that you don't know who I was. Emperor's Fists. We were his eyes and, well, fists around the galaxy. Here I received my battle training."
"Whoa!
Too much information! Is that how you 'escaped' that star
destroyer at Tangrene? You told them who you are?"
"Yes.
When I sent them my ID, they released my ship immediately. I know
what you think you should do, but listen, please. After the Emperor's
death many of us had nowhere to go. I wandered around the galaxy.
Only few Imperials knew who I was, and none of the 'rebels', so I
was in safe where-ever I went. Some time ago I met an officer of the
Infiltrator Wing. He convinced me to join it. So I did. And when he
found out my previous position he sent me to Coruscant to join the
New Republic."
"So you want to destroy us, from the inside?"
"I did, but not anymore. I guess. I don't know! I can't betray the Empire. ut I'm not convinced that the Republic should be destroyed."
"So that's what the guardian meant! 'Arrange your own thoughts'. Who you're loyal to? The New Republic or the 'Galactic' Empire?"
"I – I don't know. You're my friend. I don't want to fight against you. But I can't leave the Empire, not just like that. But you, you can join us. We need all the pilots we can get."
"But I left the Empire. I can't go back. If I could leave the Empire, so can you. No-one has to know. Things would be just like before, except for that you would really be working for us."
"I was an Emperor's Fist. I can't –"
"He's dead! You owe nothing to him! And if you once did, you've paid it back. All of it."
"But it's not just him I owe something. What about the man who
raised me?"
"I don't know –"
"Well, well, well. You're back, Emperor's Fist. "Sudden harsh voice states from the door.
Thelea looks at the man on the door. He's wearing crimson red robes. His hair is white. Also Wellen looks at him.
She says. "You! Wellen, this is the main instructor. Sir, this is my wing mate, Wellen Carlan."
"You both should come with me. Now."
(To be continued)