Title: Inner Demons, Outer Evils
Summary: A tragic event sets Rogue Squadron on the path to the truth...and sends one of the Rogues on a collision course with himself.
Disclaimer: Star Wars is, quite clearly, not mine, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is not written for profit.
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Chapter 34: Again
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Jesina commed for an MP to come and take Vayl Lonciez off her hands once and for all. She waited nearly twenty minutes, and was finally met by a very apologetic pair of officers. "Half the Palace is under lockdown; the Chief of State is actually hidden away in a closet somewhere. Although last I heard, they expect to regain control of the east hangar bay within the hour," one of them told her.
Hidden away in a closet? Leia must be loving that. "Keep him under constant surveillance. Actually, keep him unconscious at all times, if possible. He's intelligence-trained and very dangerous. For now, charge him with assault with a deadly weapon, although there'll be a long list of charges once I have the chance to speak with General Antilles."
"Yes, ma'am." The officers saluted before dragging him away.
She watched them go, shaking her head. The New Republic badly needed to reassess their security protocols. Deciding that her office held nothing for her – she headed to the hangar.
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Pash had watched, unmoving, as Wes crept toward the door. He wasn't sure what the other man had planned, but Janson had more experience with this kind of thing than he did, and he figured he'd follow his lead.
Janson pointed toward the wall on the other side of the door, and motioned to him. Pash gave him a look that said clearly, Are you insane? If he tried to get there, he'd be putting himself directly in the line of fire.
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Wes frowned at Pash and looked around, eyes lighting on the backboard that the mechanics used to roll under low-to-the-ground vehicles. It was leaning, wheels out, against the wall about a meter away. He holstered his blaster, tiptoed forward and grabbed the backboard, and set it down as softly as he could.
Well aware of the eyes on him, he lay on his back on top of the board, tipping his head so that he was looking at Pash upside down, and braced his feet on the floor. Slowly, he rolled forward, a centimeter at a time. Pulling his blaster from his holster, he held it ready, and jerked his head toward the wall.
He watched Pash take a deep breath, and knew the risk the other man would be taking. Come on, Pash.
A second later, he saw the pilot from Contruum nod and break into a run. A second after that, he pushed off with his feet, rolling across the way, opening fire right as he cleared the door.
And a second after that he heard two simultaneous cries of pain, followed by a crash.
The cloaked gunman had stepped forward to fire at Pash – and, it seemed, had hit him. But in doing so, he'd opened himself up to Janson's unexpected attack. Aiming from the ground, and moving as quickly as he was, Wes made himself a difficult target – and the shooter didn't have the chance to move back out of the way.
Wes thought he saw two of his shots catch the man in the chest – possibly three, but he couldn't be sure. Either way, that threat had been neutralized. He turned his attention to Pash.
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Reaching the hangar level, Jesina knew she'd found what she was looking for. Six New Republic military police officers were gathered around the doorway leading to the connecting corridor that ran down into the hangar. "What's going on?" she asked, holstering her blaster and pulling out her identification badge – her badge for Rogue Squadron, since she hadn't yet gotten one for her new, temporary position. Not that she expected she'd even need it, given the way things seemed to be falling apart around them.
One of the men, the officer in charge, recognized her anyway. "Ma'am, someone was just sent to secure you."
"I can secure myself just fine. These are my friends – my squadron. What's going on? Where do we stand?"
"There's a shooter at the end of the passage way. We can't get in, because every time anyone comes close, he fires on us."
"Have you tried the rear entrance?" she asked.
He frowned at her. "Yes, of course. But there's a shooter at that door, as well. They aren't trying to take the hangar – just keep us from using it."
"You have an assault unit," Jesina pointed out. "Why aren't they down here?" she asked. They could easily make it through the corridor and take the gunman waiting on the other side
"We have several," he replied testily. "They ordered one in, but that crew was diverted to defend the Chief of State when she came under fire. Half of the Palace is inaccessible right now, which is why no other units have been able to get through."
"Why, exactly, is half the Palace inaccessible?" she asked.
"We can't really tell you that," he replied. "All we know is that a number of armed assailants made it into the Palace – a severe security breach to be sure, but at this point, we don't even know how it occurred. Several stairwells or corridors are blocked off at one end or another by one or more armed…guards, if you will."
"Wonderful," she muttered. "And what's going on off-planet?"
"Absolutely nothing, again," he replied darkly. "He's sitting there. We've emptied our other hangars, and they haven't made a move on us at all."
"Have the shields been opened?" she asked.
"At various intervals, to permit our fighters exit." He paused. "Not that they've been needed yet."
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Pash grimaced. He understood the necessity of Janson's plan…but wished just the same that it hadn't resulted in his getting shot. He pressed a hand to his stomach and winced.
"You gonna be all right?" Wes knelt beside him, looking duly concerned.
"I'll live," he replied through gritted teeth, leaning back against the stack of boxes he'd knocked over when he'd fallen. The impact of the shot had knocked him off balance. "Now what?"
"Now I get you out of here and get someone to look at that."
"Don't worry about me…it's not that bad."
"Cracken, the whole point is to get people out of here. And you're first." He ducked as a blaster shot came flying in their direction, and turned around to look at Inyri and Gavin. "Cover us, will you?"
"Where are you going?" Inyri hissed.
"He's wounded. I took out that shooter, and I've got to get him out of here." He turned and the look on his face clearly dared Pash to say otherwise. In response, Pash leaned his head back against the nearest box and grimaced. Taking a deep breath, he tried to straighten and glanced down at the spreading bloodstain on his stomach.
He was starting to feel nauseous. "Janson, I think you're right…" He just managed to get the words out, and took a deep breath.
Or tried to. "Janson," he gasped out. Clearly, the adrenaline had worn off. He was hurt worse than he'd thought.
He heard a loud crack and felt hands on him as his vision wavered. Then he heard shouting and everything faded out.
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Wes just barely heard Pash say his name. Turning back, he saw the other pilot's head loll to one side. Kneeling beside him, he called, "Cover us," over his shoulder to Inyri. Catching her reply, he slipped his arms under Pash's neck and knees and hoisted him up.
And dropped to his knees, cursing, a second later as he narrowly missed losing an ear to a well-aimed shot. He mumbled an apology to the now-unconscious pilot in his arms as he heard shouting coming from across the hangar. "Cover us," he yelled one last time, lifting his charge and quickly covering the short distance to the door.
He continued to carry the man cradled in his arms the entire way down the corridor. It would have been easier had he been able to put Pash over his shoulder, but he didn't dare try it because of the location of the wound.
Right as he reached the end, he nearly collided with Jesina. "What happened?" she gasped, eyes going wide as she took in the bloodstain on Pash's uniform.
"He helped me take out the shooter back there," he jerked his head toward the direction from which they'd come, "but got shot for his effort. I need to get him to the med center."
"It's blocked off," she replied tersely.
"What?"
"The entire south wing is cut off – all the entrances are being guarded by Hekrig's people who managed to get into the Palace somehow."
Wes looked down at the man in his arms. "He needs help. He won't make it without it."
"A bacta patch will have to be enough for now. There's an MP unit at the entrance to the main corridor. Take him there." She moved past him down toward the hangar, turning back after a second, though she continued to walk backward. "Anyone else hurt in there?"
"I think Wedge is, but it doesn't seem too bad."
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Leia slid down the wall of the closet she'd been shoved into right after the shooting started – well, after they'd picked her up off the floor, at least.
How was this happening? Certainly, she'd understand one or two security breaches. But it was as if the entire Palace had been taken over. She smoothed her skirt and rested her head against the wall. "I'm going to be here forev—" she started to say, but stopped as the door slid open.
"Madame Chief of State," one of the MPs who'd guided her into the closet said, extending her hand toward Leia. "Our apologies, ma'am." The redheaded officer helped her to her feet.
"No apology necessary," Leia said, not bothering to brush off her clothes. "What's going on," Leia paused, looking at her rank insignia and name badge, "Lieutenant Hray?"
"The assailants within the Palace have retreated," the lieutenant reported. "As far as I know, two were caught, though the others escaped. And Major Janson, with Rogue Squadron, killed one – one of the two locking down the East Hangar Bay."
Leia gave a silent cheer for Wes. "Do we know why they retreated?" she asked, falling into step beside the other officers as they headed to…well, wherever they were heading. Given the lack of knowledge about the security of the Palace right now – even with the retreat of Hekrig's forces – it was better just to follow wherever they led.
"He's once again ordered his fleet to hyperspace," the officer who'd shoved her down when the shooting started answered.
Leia stopped and stared at him. "You're joking."
"No, ma'am. He jumped to hyperspace immediately after the jamming over the hangar lifted and his…insertion crew…initiated their retreat."
Leia massaged her temples with her fingertips. What in the name of the Force is going on?