"Wait a minute," Cathy 'Doc' Littlefoot said looking every bit shocked as she sounded, "The Empire wants us to break into their prison and rescue their Grand Admiral?"
"I know it sounds a bit hard to believe," Wedge answered from his position at the head of the briefing table.
"With all due respects General, it is not hard to believe," Flight Officer Jake 'Socket' Killjoy said, "It sounds like a trap."
"I wouldn't go that far," Face said trying to sound reassuring; one look at High's face told him that it failed.
"Sir, come on; this is the Empire we are talking about here. My family used to be tied very closely with the Empire and from the stories I heard growing up and the reports still, there has never been any hint that they would ever come to the 'rebels' for help."
"This is a different Empire, Flight Officer High," Tahiri said from her side of the table eating a steak. She was still trying to rebuild her strength from her last trip out. These periods of recovery was starting to worry Face, he was going to have to have Calghal, Doc and Elassar compare notes and run some more test on her, whether or not she likes it.
"Spoon bender," High said in a sotto voice, just loud enough for everyone to hear but not loud enough to make an issue out of it, yet. Face saw Wedge stir but gave him a small shake of his head to stall any reprimand. Face had some long talks with High while they were out on the recon mission but wasn't able to make any headway against his bigotry. Face wanted to talk to Wedge about him but in private and after this briefing. "Even so why would they let us in," he stressed and then added "ma'am."
"The fact that they asked for us specifically makes me believe that this request is sincere." Tahiri answered calmly, well she sounded calm to anyone who didn't know her very well.
"Captain Tahiri is correct," Wedge put in at the looks of confusion going around the table. "There is one team which has historically been able to defeat any trap or attack from the Empire against them and that is the Wraiths. The High General is convinced that saving Grand Admiral Pellaeon is the only chance to save the Empire from the coup and he is convinced only you can save him."
"No offense to you General or to my fellow squad mates," Flight Officer Kic 'Snipe' Foruta said looking around the table, "but we are not the Wraiths of the old."
"That works in our favor, Snipe, since they have no idea who is on our team now. Any plan they have would work against my old team but not against you guys."
"And Command also understands the limitations of this new group of Wraiths, which is why they asked me to come and help you get ready for this raid."
"There is another reason that this group was picked for this mission even if the Imperials hadn't asked for you by name," the Jedi Healer said from her seat next to Tahiri. "The Jedi Council have reason to believe that the person who have killed three of our members is a Dark Jedi and may have joined forces with the Empire." High mumbled something about 'no great loss there', which would have earned him a dressing down there if Calghal had no moved on. "Regardless of your personal opinions on Jedi, Flight Officer High, Command feels that if this is true then having Tahiri around may be the best defense available."
"As you have been briefed before," Face said giving High a withering stare, "Tahiri is not your average Jedi and she has defenses which can help her stall any attack and allow the team to escape if it is a ruse to capture us."
"Forgive this one for his ignorance, Jedi Master, but I do not understand; I have heard rumors that Captain Tahiri was different from other Jedi but not exactly how." Ruskin asked respectfully, which was the norm for him. Face had noticed that he always wanted to know more and more, Ruskin was never happy with ignorance in any form.
"Ignorance can always be forgiven, Flight Officer Ruskin, for the ignorant can be enlighten with knowledge," Calghal said with a nod to the young pilot, "unlike stupidly," she said with a not so veil look at High. "However, I am not sure I can explain in a satisfactory fashion."
"Any assistance you can provide that would ease this one's mind would be appreciated," Ruskin said nodding back to her.
"Very well, Flight officer Ruskin, Captain Tahiri has both Yuuzhan Vong and Human genes within her gray matter of her brain. We believe it is in the brain in which many of our abilities are generated and the addition of the Yuuzhan Vong cells has alter her brain chemistry to such a degree that it has changed her presence in the Force and our abilities to detect her. As I sit here next to her, I find it hard to sense her presence with my abilities. She is very dim as if she was standing in a shadow and not in the light."
"So she not a strong Jedi anymore?" Doc asked she also seemed to be fascinated with this subject. During the trip out to the Empire, she poured over the notes that Elassar had left for the next medic on the team.
"Not at all, for Captain Tahiri is as powerful as she was before her shaping and rebirth, perhaps even more powerful. The problem does not lay with her but in our abilities to see her."
"So what does all this mumble jumbo mean to us?"
"What it means High," Tahiri said pushing away her plate and utensils, perhaps using too much force with her knife as it spun its way across the deck. "It is possible for me to hid in plain sight against this Dark Jedi, if he or she is there, and can affect the person while they can't effect me as well as if I was a normal Force user."
"Which could mean the difference to getting out alive or being dead," Wedge put in, redirecting the attention back to him. "I think it would be best to divided into teams and get prepared for the mission. If I might make a suggestion?" After Face nodded his approval, Wedge began to tick points of his fingers. "Team one should look at the lay out of the prison, routes into and from the prison, team two should look at ways to get to the surface and back out. One should be Ruskin, Doc, and Uhilka, team two should be Commander Loran, Killjoy, Sorr and Foruta. Tahiri and Calghal should work together on the Dark Jedi angle and come up with a plan if we need to fight this person. Squeaky, High and I will work on the defense of Bastine and check our supplies. Any questions? No, good, Squeaky and High; I want to check supplies first." Wedge gave High, what many would have assumed was a friendly smile but Face knew an evil smile when he saw one.
"What in the moons of Endor is this," Wedge said holding up a case called IIRV.
"Oh that," Flight Officer High said walking over to Wedge, "it is a Individual Insertion Reentry Vehicle, sir. It holds one person; it is a repulser engine and a protective skin. You stick inside an empty container and carry the life support system on you. It hurlers you through the atmosphere and you gentle crash into the planet."
"Crash?"
"Quite gently, sir" High said straight face, then broke into a grin, "we all had to use them once in training. It was … an … interesting experience."
"If you say so," Wedge figured it had to have been a brainchild of Face and Kell. Only the insane would drop from space on to a planet with something that was no bigger then his youngest daughter.
"It is real fun sir, you should try it once," High said with a grin and continued going down the list for the items that they might need.
"No thanks," Wedge said with a shutter. Maybe at one time he would have jumped at the chance now however, he had age and wisdom of many years behind him and he was not about to commit such a stupid acts. "I'm too old to do things like that."
"If you say so sir," High said still amused, "may I ask you a question sir?"
"Go ahead, whether or not I answer it depends on the question," Wedge replied while looking in a container that contained some kind of living skin. A plan began to tickle his brain.
"I've read in your bio that you never went into any academy, is that correct."
"Yep, it was different time back then the Alliance was willing to take anyone who could fly and fight." Wedge said check the other skins to see if there was one for Tahiri to use on Bastine.
"That is quite a accomplishment sir, to make it all the way to General."
"Thanks High, I've always credited to striving to be the best and never discounting any resource that I can use because I don't like it." Wedge said moving down the list. "That is one of the reasons I am here, I have worked with the Imperials in the past to complete certain missions and I have the most hands on experience dealing with them."
"You worked with the Imperials?"
"Yep, some of the missions are still classified."
"How were you able to trust the Imperials, I thought you were anti-Empire?"
"I am not really anti-Imperial per say, I don't agree with what the Empire stands for nor do I understand how any intelligent being can fight for them." Wedge said checking on some more items on his list, "and I never lost track who was the true enemy and who was my friends. Don't forget I learned as much from them as I hope they learned from me."
"Like what sir."
"Tolerance, how being free is a strength, not a weakness," Wedge said picking up a case with an IRP, Individual Repulses Pack, wondering how they can be used. "You said that your family was connected with the Empire, I thought you were from Commenor?"
"How did you know that sir?"
"I was briefed on everyone's background before I left Denon," Wedge replied pulling out one of the IRP, "what do you guys use this for?"
"Oh that replaces the old jet packs and other forms of paratrooper devices, you can use the control panel to either increase or decrease your rate of decent and, this is the feature that I like, ascend."
"So you can use them on raids," Wedge said already mapping out the tactical and strategic implications of such device.
"Exactly sir, we drop in and have the recover vehicle hover nearby out of range, we bounce up and the recovery vehicle picks up without risking a landing or hanging around too long."
"Nice," Wedge said in admiration as he put it back on the shelve, "there had been a few raids that I led with the Wraiths that I could've used something like that in the past. So were your family big wigs on Commenor before we took over after the Emperor died?"
"No, sir," High said walking away, "they immigrated there years before I was born."
"Oh, where are they from originally?"
"Carida, sir."
"Ah, they were one of the lucky ones."
"A few of them were sir, my grandfather was able to save my father and my mother, whom my father was dating at the time and that was about it." Wedge could hear his voice tighten as he spoke.
"I'm sorry to hear that, High, that was a terrible tragedy," Wedge replied in a soft voice, "I have known Luke Skywalker since we flew together out of Yavin. I count him as one of my closes friends but I never agreed with him on the Durron issue."
"Sir?"
"I believe now and believed back then that Kyp was given less then a slap on the wrist for his stupidity. Sure, he did a lot of good in the Yuuzhan Vong war but he shouldn't have been given the chance, some crimes can never be erased no matter how much good you do later in life."
"I'm surprised that you felt that way sir, you have always been pro-Jedi in the past." The way he said that, Wedge could mentally translate that he rated being pro-Jedi up there with Hutt kissing.
"I'm not pro or con anything, High, I take each situation as it comes up. You asked me how I made Flag Rank without attending any formal training, and it was by never discounting any potential resource. If you start thinking in block like that, pro this or con that, it limits your ability to see opportunities and resources that can work for you and you can miss traps and dangers that can kill you."
"Still sir, the damage he done just proves that all Jedi are danger that needs to be eliminated," High said stiffly. "How can you work with any of them?"
"Because I won't discount any resource due to my own irrational fears. I have worked with Luke and other Jedi in the past because their skills are too valuable to pass up and if they are there, they might, just might, be able to save the lives of my men. Because when it is all said and done, I want as many people at the victory celebration as I can get there and send as few of those damn letters to their families as possible."
"Even if it means working with a mass murders?"
"I will never like Durron, for Carida and other personal reasons, and still think he should have paid the price for his crimes. However, I won't hold the rest of the JedI responsible from a crime committed by one of their own, a crime that they never had sanctioned or approved of, no matter how horrific of a crime it was. Especially not a young lady who wasn't even alive when it happened."
"General, Flight Officer High," Squeaky called out from the hatch of the cargo container that their supplies were stored.
"Yes, Squeaky?"
"The other teams have taken a break and have gathered in the mess hall for an evening meal."
"Sounds good Squeaky, I think we are ready for a break," Wedge said walking away, hoping he made some kind of dent in that attitude problem that High nursed.
PLEASE STAND BY, YOUR CALL IS BEING TRANSFERRED, the words seemed to just echo in her helmet for what seemed to be the millionth time as she hung in space waiting to get a hold of someone at the base or Borleais. Ratnena and Little Brother have been hanging out by the third moon of Kidriff 7, such original names we have around here, for an hour. She took the X-wing for a couple reasons; one was so no one officially, like Inspector Smith, would know what the call was about or where it was going. In addition, she knew how leaky the security was on these hypercomm calls, especially from Kidriff 5; she had tapped into enough of them from the surface when she was younger. She also didn't want to make the call from her parents place either, she didn't want to have to explain what she was up to her mom and dad, nor did she want to make them worry needlessly. Which they would if they knew that she wanted to get her team her to Kidriff 5 and take out some really scummy bad guys.
That is if I can get a hold of anyone, she thought bitterly as she skimmed the updates that Little Brother had downloaded on the Empire situation. So far, the problem with the Empire was the same as when she went on leave lots of speculations and no facts. She wondered if the reason that she was unable to raise anyone yet was because the Wraiths had all ready been dispatched there to check out the problem. She would be surprise if they had been, that meant that Command actually didn't have their collected heads buried in the sand and is using that brainpower they supposedly have to a good use. On the other hand, the idea of Tahiri charging around the Empire without Little Brother and her keeping the Vong out trouble worried her. Somebody needed to be there to watch the kid's back and there was no one better at it then her and Little Brother, for experience if no other reason.
Ratnena also worried if they went in without her because that meant that they didn't need her. She was sure they knew how valuable she was to their team, especially Tahiri, and they couldn't do have as much without her. Moreover, if they didn't need her now, they might get rid of her in the future. Or that they, namely Tahiri, didn't trust her … Stop that thought girl! She chastised herself as she readjusted herself in her seat, there is no reason to go paranoid, and Tahiri trusts you with her life!
RATNENA, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED CONTACT,Little Brother chirped out, bring her out of that thought pattern before she drove herself nuts.
"About time someone decided to get out of bed over there," Ratnena said while reaching for the comm, "Prankster to Command; do you read me over?"
"Prankster, this is Boss; do you know who this is?"
"Yes sir!" Ratnena said as she quickly got her voice under control and overcame her initial shock. She was never told whom Face answered to, even thought she had many guesses but she never figured it would be …
"I was briefed on the situation currently on Kidriff 5, I'm sorry to hear what you went thought this afternoon but I was pleased to hear that you tried to help. You have come along way in a short amount of time."
"Thank you sir," Ratnena said, glad it was voice only so he couldn't see her blush, "Sir, that is why I am calling actually. I was hoping to get Poster Boy and the others to come by and help me out here."
"That is not possible right now, Prankster, they have another job I need for them to do. A job that only they can do," Ratnena felt her paranoia kick in to overdrive.
"Very well, sir, should I head back to assist them?"
"No, they don't need you for that job," now even Little Brother was making worried noises as Ratnena squirmed in her seat. She just knew it now; this vacation was just a way to get rid of her! "However, I do need you for another job."
"Sir?" Ratnena said softly, if they tried to kick her out she was going to make them very sorry. Why does Tahiri think that she doesn't need me!
"If you hadn't called, I would been forced to call on others to do this job, and personally, I don't think anyone but Dagger and you can complete this mission."
"Thank you sir," yea thanks a lot you over fed pompous windbag!
"This is your mission Prankster, find and eliminate that source of Bliss on Kidriff 5, by any means necessary."
"SIR?"
"You heard me Prankster, you only goal is to stop this plague and stop it now. Kidriff 5 is the worst infection right now but I have a dozen planets who want to be number one badly with 30 others waiting in the wings for their shot. This stuff is spreading too far and too fast, and my experts here feel it is a deliberate ploy to weaken our defenses in preparations for a new attack. We don't know if it is the Yuuzhan Vong, Empire or some new group we never heard of before but we are convinced that it is an attack. Therefore, you will be our intelligent agent and our front line solider on this battle, Prankster. Stop them, anyway you can, find the source of this drug, and find out who is behind this attack. Can you do it?"
"Yes sir!" Ratnena and Little Brother both replied at the same instant, to go out and cause mayhem and destruction against a bunch of Hutt slime eaters didn't require much time to deliberate on her part.
"Good, I am sending a list of codes and contacts to Dagger that will allow you free access to G.F.F.A supplies and computer systems, as well as ways to muster more support if needed." After Little Brother beeped that he received it the boss finished his briefing. "This is important Prankster, if you need it you will get it. If you need the fifth fleet it is at your disposal, I need this problem if not stopped at least enough information to attack them. As soon as the rest are clear from their mission, they will join you. Any more questions?"
"Yes sir, if I do need to blow up a planet; what do I do?" She could just kick herself, once again her mouth was moving faster then her brain's ability to keep it shut.
"In that case Prankster call me first," the boss said with a dry chuckle, "I want some advance word to start damage control."
