"I want those damn Rebels destroyed now!" Riker screamed out as he got word of the reinforcements being cut apart by a single corvette and X-wing squadron.
"Don't worry sir, I just made sure the Rebels get what they deserve," his second in command Killian said walking away from the comm panel.
"Good," Riker said looking at what was left of his command tower, the reinforcements from the near by base were coming in uncoordinated and in piece meal, as were the troopers on the ground. There was no time to get the AT-AT or other heave equipment in to the fight and the X-wings were having a field day with them. "What about the Star Destroyers in orbit?"
"I am still trying to get though to PDF but …"
"Damn bit pushers," Riker mumbled, if these rebels, the real rebels, get away it won't be their head the Emperor will want and they know it. "Keep trying!"
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"DIE VEILA DIE!"
Tahiri heard for the umpteenth time as she slammed into a parked speeder. This is getting old, she thought as she picked herself up and again tried to ward of the Force Lighting. Just as the merging allows her to 'see' both the Yuuzhan Vong and the creatures of this galaxy, it was also now preventing her to switch moods and not get affected by Jedi and hide from them.
"DIE FOR WHAT YOU DID IT ME, YOU ALL WILL DIE!"
Tahiri picked up a blaster rife from the still form of a trooper, who got caught in one of the Force lighting attacks, and did a Force assisted flip over the speeder to get some protection. As he followed suit, she unloaded into him; she knew that with his light saber he could defect the shots but it would keep he occupied and she might just get lucky.
She had to stop him, he was clearly unbalanced, been driven insane by his experiences of the war. His incoherent ramblings about the Solos, his frenzied attacks against her, the use of Dark Side and his total disregard for any lives in the area. The trooper she got the rife from was not the first innocent victim caught in this battle. The trail from the hanger to here was littered with bodies of people he had killed in trying to kill her.
She also had to get back to the others and quickly. The Rogues were dancing around the port blowing up things to divert attention from her team and the Tatooine Surprise had no doubt picked up the others by now. She knew that Face would be on his way soon to help her and that was the last thing she wanted. Wraiths don't leave Wraiths behind and she would not allow the rest to be killed because of her. She didn't want to kill her old classmate but by Yum-Yuuzhan she would not allow him to kill her squad.
"JEALOUS YOU ALL HATED ME THAT WAS WHY YOU LEFT ME STRONGER THEN YOU ALL! DIE VEILA YOU WILL DIE."
Of course if she had her light saber she could have finished this a while ago, but Yum-Yammka only knew where that was right now. He might be insane but not stupid. He never let her get close enough to use her hand to hand skills, he would either hit her with that fas lighting or use his light saber to keep her away. She had been forced to use what ever she happened to find lying around on the ground.
"Peacekeeper!"
She looked behind her and saw Wedge hiding behind an air car with, gods be blessed, a light saber. Tahiri picked up as many small items as she could and hurled them at her old classmate, while doing three back flips to reach Wedge. As she reached him, she ripped it out of his grip and brought it around to deflect the Force Lighting, this time without eating pavement.
"I said you are ECHO!" Wedge was saying into his comm as he added his blaster fire into the fight.
"I WILL KILL YOU ALL DIE VEILA DIE!"
She leapt out to face him one on one, if they were ECHO that meant they had to leave now. She could tell that this was not her saber, too big, but she could use it to disarm him and hopefully have him retreat long enough to get Wedge out of here.
"Look at what you did to me witch! Look at me all jealous of me left me to die Solos fear me more powerful then they are die VEILA DIE!"
She didn't bother trying to talk to him, she had tried to earlier but he was too far gone for that, better to finish this and reported to Luke and let him come up with a plan to save her classmate. Some things, she knew, was beyond her abilities. She dueled with him looking for some kind of opening to disable him.
"I killed the others die you will all hated me left me Solos jealous LEFT ME!"
Then she had her opening, blocking a low swing from him and locking their blades, she used the Force to allow her to do a snap kick to his head. He hadn't even hit the ground, out cold, before she was running back to Wedge, who for some reason was taking off his shirt.
"General, we don't have time to get a tan," she said running out of breath and energy, all the injuries she accumulated fighting him was starting to let themselves be known. She could hear the sounds of a corvette getting nearer.
"You need it more then I do," he said tossing it to her and not looking at her, "hurry up the others are coming."
That is when she noticed something else that she had been ignoring during the fight.
"I am going to hurt him so badly," she said putting on Wedge's shirt since her was missing. Who knows how long it has been gone, she was sure that her face was now the color inferred! "What?" She felt something or saw something on his face.
"Later, what about that," Wedge said pointing to the still form on the ground.
"He is out cold, not our worry right now," Tahiri responded, "We will be long gone before he wakes up." The corvette was landing in a clear spot and they ran towards the opening ramp. "Besides he is insane and I don't have the skills to deal with him. When we drop of our cargo, I will have to report to Master Skywalker." She was surprised not to see any of the Wraiths at the hatchway waiting for her to arrive.
"We have to get to the bridge," Wedge said pulling her along the corridor, as the ship begin lifting off the ground. "We have really stirred up a hornets nest and been here too long as is."
"I figured that out when I hear you say ECHO," Tahiri said running next to him and keep pushing up the sleeves of the shirt which was too big on her. On one hand corvettes were not that big so getting to the bridge didn't take too long; bad news they didn't have enough power to take on Star Destroyers.
"General on the bridge," someone called out as Wedge and her walked up to the Captain's station.
Tahiri looked around and was shocked not to see Face on the bridge waiting for her.
"Ask for our statutes," Wedge said quietly to her instead of to the captain in command.
"Captain, our statutes? She asked wondering what Wedge was up to.
"We have limited damage to the ship," Captain Toole said, he was about 30 years old and a veteran for the Yuuzhan Vong war and survived both the Battle to Reclaimed Coruscant and the Fall of Coruscant. Considering just how nasty both of those battles had been it was no wonder he had his own command so young in his career. "Nothing that that is critical to our mission."
"What about the Rogues," Tahiri asked quickly, it had been her idea to get them to run cover for the Wraiths.
"No losses among them," Tahiri said a small pray to the gods for that news, "they were able to get the shield generators in the first wave so we have an exit corridor."
"How is their fuel and … never mind can you give me a line to them?" The captain nodded to his comm operator and gave her the mike to use. "Peacekeeper to One?"
"One here, Peacekeeper," Tahiri asked him to give a run down as they climbed high into the sky, "We have used only two torpedoes, minor damage reported, we are going to get thirsty soon but enough to get to next point, no losses to our side. The groundside pursuit is disoriented and not following."
"Lead to One," Wedge said in to the mike, "be advised we have two SD in orbit plus many smaller."
"Lead, understood, package will be delivered," with that Col. Darklighter signed off.
Tahiri saw the Rogue Squadron assume a forward escort formation, their intentions were clear.
"General, " Tahiri said in a small voice mixed with pride that such people existed in the galaxy and the pain of the loss that will happened to those same people. "Command really sucks."
Neither Wedge or Captain Toole said anything but just nodded with the same grim look that she was sure that she was wearing as they watched the Rogues prepare to run the trench to divert the enemy fire from them, they would die so that the Grand Admiral will survive.
"All hands prepare for enemy fire," Captain Toole called out, as they were about to pass through the small opening in the planetary shield. The Rogues were already engaging the fighters that were trying to get to the corvette.
"SIRS, Look!"
A fleet dropped out of dark space, four Star Destroyers and many smaller vehicles, one of the Star Destroyers opened up on the Star Destroyers in orbit. While many fighters dropped out of their hangers to engage the Bastine defense fleet.
"Sir, a message from the Right to Rule they wish to talk to the mission commander."
"Tahiri take that call," Wedge said ignoring the look of shock on her face. She wondered why she was taking the call she was one of the most jr. people on this mission and that was Face's job anyways. Where was Face anyways?
"Did you get the package Rebel Scum?" the cultured and angry male voice said coming across the comm.
"Yes, the package is safe and well," Tahiri said trying to speak with authority.
"Very well, inform the Admiral we look forward to his return, Right to Rule out."
"Friendly chap isn't he," Tahiri mumble as she opened a line to the Rogues. "Peacekeeper to One close up, we are gone."
"One here roger," Tahiri saw that Rogues disengage and head back toward the Tatooine Surprise.
"Well Tahiri, you just flew into the mouth of Sarlacc and back out again, how does it feel," Wedge said from beside her and they prepared to jump into dark space.
"Tired, dirty I need a shower and a few months of sleep and I am starving," then Tahiri pinned him with a piercing stare, "and answers to questions like, where is Face?"
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"He will recover but it will take time to heal," the chief medic on the Tatooine Surprise was saying as she looked in the bacta tank at her commanding officer. He was sleeping peacefully hanging in the pink life giving substance; Tahiri could feel that much as she reached out with the Force.
"How long," Tahiri asked as she turned to look at the medic, Calghal, Wedge, Toole and the rest of the Wraiths.
"He will be in the bacta tank for at least a month to repair all the nerve and spinal cord damage and possibly two months in rehab." Calghal said quietly, "His injuries were quite extensive. If it had not been for the quick actions of Lt. Littlefoot in stabilizing him I very much doubt that he would have survived before we were able to reach him."
"How is Doc doing," Tahiri asked pulling away from Face's tank and standing in front of Cathy's.
"There we have better news, her wound was ugly but she is healing nicely. She should be back on duty by the time we reach Denon."
"We would like to have them both transferred to the Mon Mothma when we met up with her." Captain Toole said as she turned away from the tanks.
"What about Ruskin?"
"We couldn't find his body," Wedge said quietly, "Flight Officer High and I can both confirm that he was in the upper gun well. We believe that he was killed before Commander Loran was able to rescue him, Captain."
"And Grand Admiral Pellaeon?" Tahiri asked burying the pain for now, when she had a chance later she would grief for her fellow Wraith and sing his praises to the gods. She knew that he did die well.
"We sent the Admiral to a cabin," the medic said, "with a medical droid to rest. He had suffered a concussion when he was knocked down but should make a quick recovery. The medical droid will alert us if there are any complication."
"Good," Tahiri said tiredly rolling up the sleeves of the shirt again, "Can the medical staff on the Mon Mothma do any more for Commander Loran or Lt. Littlefoot?"
"No, not really …" Calghal started to say but was stopped whenTahiri turned to Wedge.
"General, I would suggest that we don't make any transferees when we reach the Mon Mothma and stop only long enough to load the Rogues and then take separate routes back to Denon."
"What about Cathy …" High started to complain but was stopped by Jake pulling him back to the rest of the Wraiths.
"Why Captain Tahiri?" Was all that Wedge asked, watching her closely.
"I didn't kill the Emperor, I only disabled him long enough for us to make good on our escape. After breaking into his prison, stealing away the Grand Admiral and then making mince meat out of his forces; I don't think the risk of waiting to make any personal changes is a gamble we should take."
"You think they can track us through hyperspace?" Captain Toole asked.
"I am not sure Captain," Tahiri answered honestly, "Tahiri Veila can only remember once going up against someone this powerful before and I never had so I don't know the upper limits of his powers."
"The old Emperor or Darth Vader never could track us through hyperspace before," Wedge reminded her gently.
"Both of them were also occupied with other concerns General," Calghal said walking over to them, "Captain Tahiri, do you or Tahiri Veila know who this new Emperor is?"
"Yes, I never met him before today but she knew of him," Tahiri said looking at the Master and General, "they attended the academy on Yavin 4 together."
"Great another spoon bender," she heard High say from behind her. When she turned to dress him down, she saw that the other Wraiths were already talking to him.
"Captain Tahiri, he wasn't making much sense when I finally caught up with you," Wedge said shooting his own glare at High, "all I could hear was for you to die and that the Solos hated him."
"That General was the running commentary through out our encounter. I am not in the medical field but given what I was feeling in the Force, his actions and his rants; I think he may not be firing on all thrusters."
"You think he may be mentally ill," Calghal asked, when Tahiri nodded to her Calghal let out a curse and rubbed her head.
"Bad?" General Antilles asked them both, Tahiri felt for him dealing with Jedi was hard enough; dealing with Dark Jedi was harder, dealing with an insane Jedi …
"When ever one deals with the mentally ill it is always bad because they can't be reasoned with nor can one normally predict their actions." Calghal said looking as distressed as Tahiri felt.
"The mentally ill are usually strong, physically and better able to withstand pain," the chief medic said from his position next to the tanks. "I take it then that their access to the Force is heighten?"
"Not heighten just the normal restrictions are no longer followed," Calghal said, "certain action a Jedi, Light or Dark, would not take due to the damage it can cause to one self."
"Which the insane Jedi wouldn't care too bits about as long as they kill whom they want to," Wedge finished and received a nod from Calghal and her.
"Ok then I think I have a good idea what is going on, ma'am do you have any more orders to give?" Tahiri shot Captain Toole as confused look wondering why he was asking her.
"No, just make sure you warn Mon Mothma to expect the Rogues but not our package. We will deliver it ourselves and then pick the best route to get us to Denon without being to obvious about it." When he saluted her and told her that it will be done and left, she was still clueless as to why he was asking her what to do and why General Antilles was letting it happen. She then turned to what was left of her squad, "you guys get some sleep and food; I want to meet for a briefing in, 9 hours. That will leave us about 4 hours before we met with the Mon Mothma, I want to be able to forward a report to command while we are in normal space."
"I am staying with Cathy," High said when everyone else replied with a 'yes ma'am'.
"No, I need you rest and ready for the briefing …"
"I am staying here!" He snapped out at her.
"Flight Officer High, I understand you desire and motives, I would allow you this normally except General Antilles and you are the only two who saw anything that is not hurt. I need your input so we can understand what went wrong and when, now please do as I ask. I promise that you will have time to spend with her after the briefing."
"I am staying," he said turning back to the tank and may have won the argument since she was really too tired to have this fights; if he hadn't added, "spoon bender."
"Flight Officer High," she snapped out, brushing of the calming hand of Calghal as she stalked over to him. The kan a bar actually had the nerve to look indigent at her, "you are operating under the delusion that I said something as a suggestion. Allow me to clear up that misunderstand; it was a direct order. You will go to your assigned quarters and get some rest. Tomorrow, after our briefing you may stay with Lt. Littlefoot all the way to Denon provide it does not interfere with your duties to this squadron, do you understand?" The meat maggot looked as if he was going to say something but she was too tired for a debate, "my orders are not up for discussion unless I allow them to be and this one is not one of those time!"
After giving her a hateful stare and a salute so stiff it was only meant as an insult, he stormed out of the room.
"We will talk to him ma'am," Killjoy said as they raced out of the room to catch up with him
Tahiri for her part just leaned against one of the medical beds rubbing her forehead where her scars should be, while the medical staff, Calghal and Wedge walked over to her.
"Ma'am," the chief medic said to her, "we need to check you and the General out."
"I am fine," she said rolling up her sleeves again.
"Captain Tahiri," Calghal said gently, "you were hit by Force lighting. You may feel fine but there might be complication that you are not aware of."
"I am going into a healing trance as soon as I am done here, I promise."
"Very well," Calghal said with a nod to the medical staff, "that would be acceptable."
"Thank you," Tahiri said with a smile and also handed back her light saber, "and thanks for the assist."
"I am always glad to help a fellow Jedi," Calghal said with a smile, "regardless of her actual statutes is." With that, the master went back over to confer with the medical staff.
"Captain, you look like hell," Wedge said leaning against the bed next to her.
"Good, I hate to feel this bad and look stunning," she said with a smile.
"Nice job with High, by the way."
"I really didn't want to push it," she said sadly and looking over at Doc, "I can understand why he is acting the way he is. However, he needs to learn that he has a responsibility to the squad as well as to her."
"Well, you are setting a good example for him to follow, he will know that you were right later."
"He will or get shipped out." Tahiri said in a no nonsense voice.
"Yep," Wedge said nodding his head in agreement, "now you need some rest too Captain."
"Yes sir," she said giving him a salute and getting off the bed, "could you do me a favor sir, well two actually." She said rolling up her sleeves again.
"If I can sure," Wedge said following her out of the medical ward.
"Why is everyone, including you deferring to me for the decisions?"
"Ah, I thought you were confused about that, remember Captain this mission is a Wraith mission. Everyone, Rogues, the crew of this ship and even me, have to follow the orders of the chief Wraith. Since Face is out medically, that leaves you in charge."
"ME!" Tahiri squeaked out and coming to stop, Wedge stopped and gave her a look of sympathy while nodding his head. "But you are a General …"
"But I am not a Wraith any longer," Wedge said gently, "and this outfit does not fall under the normal chain of command." Tahiri closed her eyes, rubbed her forehead and mumbled out a Shapers curse. "Don't worry about it Tahiri, the hard part is done. As long as nothing bad happens before we get home everything will be fine."
"Yes sir," she said rolling up her sleeves again, "I had better go see the captain about some place to sleep and get some clothes to fit me, since all my gear was lost when my ship blew up."
"Good idea, come to think about it I need a place to sleep and get some clothes too, Squeaky is running around here somewhere I believe."
"I hope they tied everything down tight, I think Searcher is with him too."
"Good point, now what was that second favor,"
"When you talk to Face again," she said sweetly, "tell him that I am going to get him for that wonderful prank he pulled. Being in medical won't save him this time."
