Chapter 25

The start of my new duties as XO for Red Group came with a bang when I truly would have preferred a whimper. I started the process for the mental evaluation on Dutch Hadley who had been on suicide watch for a few days. There were requests of every kind to make, training to oversee and meetings to attend both with Wedge and without him.

Along with my new duties as XO, I was trying to sort out my feelings towards Gabrielle. I was beginning to care for her, of that, I had no doubts. Yoda's teachings came to mind. I remembered what he had said about the Jedi of the Republic and the taboo on marriage and family. I also remembered what I had told him on the eve of my departure, that if I found a woman who would have me.

Yoda had simply said: 'That I had to do what I felt was right.' I felt this was right. The Force was silent on the subject. I took that as a good sign. But still, I was confused. More confused than I had felt in a long time. The day came to a close as the incoming work kept piling up in my terminal. Other than starting the process on Hadley's evaluation, I hadn't really accomplished much.

I said: "Warbler, sort all the incoming data into files marked: Routine, Vital and ASAP. I'll be in the gym for awhile. If you or anyone else needs me, I'll have my comlink on." Warbler said: "Yes sir. I'll have it ready for you by morning."

I arrived to the gym to see it in mild use. Exercise machines of every size and description could be seen. There was a slamball court that saw use regularly. I had tried to watch it on occasion but its rules still left me scratching my head. It reminded me of cross between rugby and water polo but was played in variable gravity environments. Treadmills and resistance machines were on one side, with free weights on another side. I found the area I wanted, a type of tatami mat. I changed into some workout clothes in the shower area, and stepped onto the mat.

After stretching out and warming up, I started doing all of my kata ranging from the most simple, to the most complex. Unarmed forms comprised most of my experience. After my unarmed forms, I started seeker globe exercises. General Naz had given me the name of one of the multitude of mechanical and electronic tinkerers. These people were the ones who demonstrated a special aptitude for their particular fields and were commonly referred to as "techheads."

I had requested three seeker globes to be built with higher difficulty settings than the normal production models had. In short order and at far less than commercial cost to me, I had these three globes built and a special carry case for them. I set the timers so that the three would join in at different times.

As with the normal models though, they could only be programmed with a thirty minute time limit at maximum. Still though, I did get a hell of a workout in saber forms that day. After my seeker exercises, I knelt down and meditated. I remembered the whirlwind attack I had endured in my Trial back on Dagobah. It had all been an illusion but the feeling of being struck all over my body had been real enough. I thought long and hard on that. I remembered the feel of how my doppelganger had summoned and focused its power. The Force gave me subtle clues that said I should focus on something similar of my own but the images were so sketchy and quick, I had no way of gauging if there was an actual need.

I thought again to my former life. I remembered the fictional warrior hero I had. I remembered his techniques. Fictional though my hero may have been but with the Force as my ally, I knew which technique I could turn into reality. The Rising Dragon Fist.

Getting to my feet, I took a neutral stance with my weight equally distributed on my front and back legs. One hand was held flat, parallel to my waist while my other was extended into a vertical knife hand. I began to take in deep calming breaths as I visualized the Force around me strengthening my legs. With this change in perception, I could see the Force as small glowing balls of energy everywhere.

As I began to draw in these orbs of energy, I felt my own personal energy level refill to maximum and beyond. Drawing more and more energy into myself, I pulled my front foot in closer and bent slightly at the knees to prepare for the jump. When I felt the inner voice say: "Now!" I released all of my accumulated energy and leapt up into the air screaming: "Shooorryuuuken!"

As I leapt, I extended my right fist above my head into an uppercut. My right leg was bent at the knee while my left fist was tucked in close to my body, my left leg extended out like a spring. I jumped up into the air in a graceful spiral and landed from almost the exact spot I took off from.

As I landed, it flowed across my consciousness like water from a dam breaking. I thought: "I have it! This is how it works! I will do this." I took my stance again, focused all my energy again and performed my version of the Rising Dragon Fist, my Rising Punch. My Rising Punch had attracted quite a bit of attention though it was not my intention to do so. I practiced for two more hours even after the attention had drifted away until I had mastered my Rising Punch right or left handed.

Over the course of the next year, I continued to practice my kata and my Rising Punch. I would also see Gabrielle once a week when our duty schedules allowed. Her sensitivity to the Force was progressing in steps large and small. One of the first things I taught her was how to shield her thoughts from others. This helped her considerably as that she was finally able to shut out the general emotional roar of the base's personnel.

We also spoke of anything and everything. I think it was perhaps four months after our first kiss that I began to realize I loved her. She hadn't invited me to stay overnight with her since that first date, though there was one time when after a long goodnight kiss, she said into my ear: "You have earned the privilege my Knight."

I politely declined the invitation. Something was holding me back, I didn't know what but with hindsight and the infinite patience that love grants, Gabrielle was not insulted. Sometime after that last invitation, things between us finally reached the next level.

I was in the gym practicing my kata before my Rising Punch as Gabrielle caught up with me. She stood on the side for a time and watched. I was only peripherally aware of her presence. I was so wrapped up in the kata that nothing could shake me.

As I prepared for my Rising Punch, she said: "Can we talk a moment Ronin?" I stopped my focus exercise and faced her. I said: "What can I help you with Milady?" She smiled at my term of endearment for her as said: "I want to be with you but I'm not sure what to think right now. Why do you run from me?"

Before I could speak, everything crystallized for me between us. I did love her. I loved her with every fiber of my being. With this epiphany, I felt my power level virtually explode. With no focus about it, I took my stance and leapt higher than I ever had before. "Shin-Shoryuken!"

I also felt a sensation like fire running up and down my arm. When I landed, Gabrielle was gone and my arm had a first degree burn running its length. The Force is a marvelous ally. It enables me to move faster, jump higher or heal quicker. But even the Force needs a help from science every now and again. I took a cool water shower and after drying off, I applied a burn spray from a med-pac on the wall.

Even with short-term memory enhancement with the Force, I didn't see where Gabrielle had gone. I decided to let her be for the time being. I don't know what she saw or what she felt in the Force or her heart for that matter so I decided it would be better for her to come to me in her own time.

As I was preparing to go to sleep that night, there came a knock at my door. When I opened it, there stood Gabrielle. She had been crying a little. I stepped aside and motioned her to come in. I closed the door behind her as she went into the living room. I walked up to her as she said: "I don't know what happened back there in the gym but it scared the hell out of me."

She continued with: "After I spoke, I felt some kind of shift in your emotions and then you started to glow so brightly I had to avert my eyes. Then when you jumped into the air screaming those words, I saw your whole arm as if it was encased in blue fire. I thought: 'Will that happen to me if I complete my training?' I was scared and I ran."

I said: "I'm sorry if I scared you. It was just as unexpected on my part as yours. I finally realized that I . . ." She put her fingers to my mouth and said: "Shhhh. I need you to do one thing for me." I said: "What's that Milady?" She held her hand out and summoned my lightsaber to it from the table by the door where I set it each day. Putting it in my hand and closing her fingers tightly around it, she lifted my weapon to her left breast over her heart and said: "Purge me of this love. It consumes me and though Jedi should not be passionate, I love you my Knight. I love you in a way that words can't express."

I dropped my weapon to the floor with a dull thunk. Taking her into my arms I said: "I love you too Milady." We kissed intensely, wrapping our arms around each other. When we broke for air, she started to speak and I put my fingers over her mouth as she had done to me and said: "Shhhh." I lifted her into my arms cradling her as if she was the most precious thing in the universe and carried her to the bedroom. Nature, with a helping hand from the Force took its course.

Chapter 26

That night was one that could never be forgotten. The Force had made a mental bond between us. If either one of us were to concentrate we could feel the emotional state of the other. It was as if a warm light had filled the back of our minds. Never again would either of us be truly alone.

The next several nights saw us in each other's arms. Some nights we made love that our bond made infinitely more loving, other nights we would just hold each other and bask in the warmth of our bond.

With the science of my adopted home as advanced as it was, pregnancy was entirely a matter of choice so there were no fears of anything unplanned happening. Even if it were a possibility, it was an easy task to control my body with Force.

One morning, I awoke to feel Gabrielle moving sharply as if struggling. When she awoke with a scream, I held her in my arms until she calmed down. I asked: "What troubles you Milady?" She said: "I had a dream. A frightening dream. It has to be of the future. Just as you said: "Difficult to see the future, always in motion it is."

I asked: "What is it that you see?" "I'm floating above a planet. This planet and I see Star Destroyers firing on the surface. TIE fighters are everywhere and people are dying on both sides, then it just blurs out." She said. I closed my eyes and I saw what she had. It was just like the vision I had had just before I joined the Rebellion years ago.

I said: "It is the future that you and I both see but the only thing either of us can do is go to our squadron leaders and hope they don't laugh in our faces." She giggled at the imagery of Wedge laughing at me and her commanding officer Teeyara Bree, laughing at her.

We got up together and jumped in the sonic shower to prepare for our particular day's activities. From there we got dressed and had breakfast in the kitchen area of her quarters. We alternated between our quarters, hers or mine. It didn't really matter on anything more than whose we were closest to at the time.

We left her quarters together since it was common knowledge that Gabrielle and I were lovers. So long as we didn't display any affection in uniform, no one cared. She had already earned her own Lieutenant Commander's rank back and her slot as XO for Gold Group but appearances had to be maintained.

As I got to my office, I was pleased to see the final report on Dutch Hadley's therapy sitting on my desk in data chip format. I sat down and read the report from start to finish. There was also a request from Dutch to rejoin the squadron. The report told me that it was a kind of post traumatic stress syndrome.

Cross referencing the report with what was known of his personal history; it came out as something like this: His entire family: parents, brothers and sisters had been slaughtered by the Empire. While a family being broken was a common enough background for many members of the Rebellion, what was worse was that he saw his die in front of him. His homeworld had refused to pay any kind of taxes, tariffs or manpower to the Empire. They had mistakenly believed that they could resist. The planetary government had been broken quite easily by the military power of the Empire.

The defense forces broken, the government leaders killed or captured, a resistance movement formed. With indiscriminate air strikes throughout the city, Dutch saw his childhood home incinerated with family still inside. After that, he joined the resistance with his surviving brothers and sisters. During a base of operations move, Dutch's group had been ambushed. Knowing it would be better to surrender and live to fight another day; his group did just that only to be beaten, sometimes to death or outright executed on the spot.

The stormtroopers were particularly vicious as they took turns gang-raping Dutch's sisters and forcing him to watch. Then they beat him and left him for dead. He was alive, barely, and when an actual Rebel Alliance strike team found him, they took him and his one surviving sister with them when they left.

After joining the Rebellion, he had his chance at revenge and took it. His drive and determination carried him on especially after his last sister had died on a mission of her own. This only served to make the raging demon inside of Dutch Hadley more powerful. The breaking point had come on that final patrol.

After finally being forced to see his pain, he had related the last part in near hysterical fits of tears. After that, his progress had been rapid and his treatment concluded. The psych-tech had noted what I had in my first impression of Dutch through the Force. He had an honorable core and could still be a great asset but it was recommended that he never be given a command of his own or the stresses of those duties might trigger a relapse.

I signed off on the report, and forwarded it to Wedge with a recommendation to reinstate Dutch's flight status at the rank of Flight Officer. Two hours later, my recommendation was approved. Upon his return to the squadron, he formally apologized to me. I don't hold grudges. I told him as much and when I extended my hand in friendship this time, he took it in a firm, sure grip. Dutch and I became good friends after that episode and nothing was ever mentioned of it again.

I went to lunch at midday and asked to meet with Wedge in his office afterwards. I needed to tell him of the vision that Gabrielle and I shared. I arrived early as is my way, and waited for Wedge to arrive. As he came down the hall, he saw me standing at his door. He returned my salute with one of his own and a smile.

He entered his office and motioned me to follow. He sat down behind his desk and offered the seat across from him. I accepted and said: "Thank you for agreeing to see me so quickly Wedge." He said: "No problem Ronin. Besides, as my XO, you don't have to ask to see me but I appreciate the courtesy. What can I do for you?"

I said: "You know of course that the Force allows me a certain point of view from time to time?" When he nodded I continued: "The Force has shown me a future." Wedge said: "A possible future?" I nodded yes and spoke again. "There are several futures that only need a specific choice to be made before they unfold and become the present. Gabrielle had a vision this morning and I saw it as well. The only thing I can be sure of is that this is no longer a possible future, but a certain one. A Star Destroyer will come here and begin a planetary bombardment. I don't know when or how many, just that it will happen."

Wedge sat back a moment and said: "What can I do about it?" I answered: "Just pass it along to the General. There is a saying on my homeworld: there is no knowledge that is not power. Hopefully this knowledge will be listened to." Wedge said: "Moving a base, even a Rebellion one is no small task Ronin. Personally, I'm inclined to believe you and I will forward this information to the General but I don't know that he will listen to it."

I said: "It's true that I haven't had much day-to-day exposure to the General. You probably know him better than I." I took my lightsaber from my belt and holding it out to Wedge said: "The General once told me that he remembered a time and place when anyone carrying a lightsaber was accorded a respect usually reserved for flag officers. Take this to him and I think he'll listen."

Wedge took the weapon from my hand in a subdued kind of reverence. He said: "I'll go see him right away Ronin." I thanked him, stood, saluted and started to leave when he called out: "Ronin, when's the wedding?" I stopped in my tracks. I turned to him and said: "Is there anything you don't know?" Wedge laughed and said: "About what goes on around here . . . not much. When?" I said: I haven't asked yet but when I do, you'll be one of the first to know."

I went back to my office to finish some work. Two hours later, there was a knock at my door. I called out: "Enter." When I saw it was none other than General Naz, I shot to my feet in attention so quickly, my chair fell over backwards. He came in and said: "At ease Lieutenant Commander Jayks." I turned around and stood my chair back up as he came to stand at my desk. He held out my lightsaber in his hand and said: "I believe this belongs to you Jedi Jayks. It certainly got my attention when Commander Antilles brought this to me. So then, tell me Master Jedi, what would you do in my place?" I felt my eyes widen a little at the honorific as I put my weapon back on my belt and said: "With all due respect General, I'm not a Jedi Master. I might never be and I can live with that but thank you for the courtesy all the same."

"Like I told Commander Antilles, it's a certain future now. More than that, I can't say." I told him. The General thought about it a moment and said: "I'll go ahead and request an evacuation plan be made up and some transports sent our way. I can see in your eyes that you're wondering why I'm listening to you, and I'll tell you. I was a junior officer aboard a cruiser during the Clone Wars when the Captain of the vessel ignored the advice of the Jedi stationed aboard. The Captain and most of the senior staff died and I had to take command. As it was, the ship was almost destroyed. When we got back to our forward base, my field promotion was confirmed and I was given a command of my own. I swore to myself from that day forward that I would always listen when a Jedi offered any advice. It helped me survive the Clone Wars intact and I have never had cause to disagree with it since. You're too young to have known the Jedi Master I served with on that ship. His name was Obi-Wan Kenobi. I wish I knew if he had survived the Wars or not. He seemed like a common-sensical sort of man. Easy to approach, for a Jedi Master. Last I had heard he disappeared on a mission to the outer rim somewhere. I truly hope he survived."

The General left as my workday began to wind down. I had a quick workout in the gym, only about two hours versus my usual four to six hours and went back to my quarters for a shower. As I entered, I felt Gabrielle's warm presence in the living room. Her sweet laugh sounded with a raspberry from Warbler as I entered the room itself. I greeted Gabrielle with a kiss and Warbler with a pat on his inverted flowerpot of a head.

I said: "What's so funny?" She answered: "Warbler was just telling me about the time your teacher, Master Yoda had you balance on one hand on a tree stump in the water." I remembered that little episode. Yoda had me practicing my balance in some of the strangest ways imaginable. That day, Yoda himself was standing on my feet giving me direction. I decided to have a little fun and levitated Warbler into an orbit around me. At first, he had been quite fussy about it but soon quieted down after getting used to not being able to detect the Force with his sensors. I wish the lesson had stayed so calm. But then Yoda decided to jump from my feet to the top of Warbler's head and then to the shore. From there, he had started to add to my levitation lesson by hurling rocks of every shape and size at me. At first I was able to cope but it soon got to be too much to divide my attention on.

First the rocks splashed into the water hitting me with the foul tasting water, and then my focus was completely lost as Warbler hit the water first followed shortly after by myself. While the water wasn't very deep, maybe four feet or so, Warbler refused to talk to me for the rest of the day. Yoda laughed and said: "Control, control. You must learn control my Padawan or many soakings yet to come will you have."

My memories faded as my attention came back to the here and now. I said: "Well I'm glad one of us can derive a little humor from that." Warbler blatted another raspberry as he left the room saying something about: "Places to go, data to access." I laughed out loud as I realized that Warbler was making an excuse to leave Gabrielle and myself alone. There are times when I truly believe that I would be lost without Warbler.

I spoke with Gabrielle briefly and then got into the shower. I had decided on a hot water shower that day. As I was washing up, Gabrielle joined me in the shower and well . . . you can guess what happened from there.

Later, as we held each other, I decided to take a chance. I said: "Gabrielle, I was wondering . . ." With her face in the crook of my neck she murmured contentedly: "What's that Ronin?" "I was wondering, will you marry me?" I said. "Yes I will," she said in a quiet tone. "What was that? I didn't quite catch it." I said. "Yes," again in that same quiet tone.

"I was wondering when you would ask me Ronin," she said. "For a time, I thought I would have to ask you." She finished. I chuckled and said: "Thank you Milady. When do you want to get married and in what kind of ceremony?" Gabrielle said: "Soon, but nothing fancy, just you, me and our closest friends." "Is two weeks too soon?" I asked. She answered: "Two weeks is perfect and while we're at it, let's make a holo-record to send to your Earth and your family." I said: "That's a wonderful idea. Yes, we'll do that."

Chapter 26

The preparations for our wedding, what few there were, were made and finalized in just a few days. Two weeks later, Gabrielle and I were married in a simple ceremony. The only formality turned out to be the entire complement of Red and Gold Groups showing up in dress uniforms.

Warbler recorded Gabrielle's and my wedding vows to each other. After the ceremony itself was done, there was a reception put on by Wedge and Teeyara for us. The footage of the wedding would appear first then a personal message to my family from me where I would also introduce my wife, Gabrielle Shase Jayks to them. The only hard part was that it had to be sent in a one-way message capsule. The chances of detection and tracking to our base on a return trip were just too great.

Due to the state of war we were in, a real honeymoon would have to wait but we promised to take one someday, when it was possible. We were however, given a week off which we spent traveling the wilderness outside of the former colony which served as our base. It may not have been a honeymoon as is usually known but it worked for us.

Our first year together was wonderful. All hell broke loose the week after our first anniversary though. For most of that week, both Gabrielle's and my Force senses were tingling. Neither of us was sure of what was going on until an emergency alert was called. As quick as we were able, Gabrielle and I showed up to the main briefing room along with Wedge and Teeyara. The rest of the major department heads showed up just after us when the call rang out: "Attention on Deck!" Everyone snapped to attention as General Naz entered the room. He said: "At ease everyone, take your seats." When we had he spoke again: "I'll be succinct. The Bothan Spynet has informed us by way of the High Command, this base is now known to the Empire. Thanks to the warning given to me by Jedi Jayks and his wife and Padawan Learner, Lieutenant Commander Gabrielle Shase Jayks just over a year ago, our evacuation begins at midnight tonight. The transports are on the way and will be here at 2330 hours. Loading to start precisely at 0000 hours."

General Naz continued with: "Both squadrons will be on ready alert from this moment on. Only essential equipment will be taken with us. All remaining equipment will be wired with explosive materials. This is what's known as scorched earth tactics. If we can't keep these items with us, then we deny their use to the enemy. The last transport to jump to hyperspace will transmit the detonation code sequence. A new base has already been selected and its coordinates are now being input into sealed computer modules that will erase themselves the instant there is a tractor beam lock or the slightest tampering by any technician without the proper access codes."

General Naz looked around and said: "Any questions? No? Good. This meeting is dismissed. I look forward to seeing everyone at the new base site."

Gabrielle and I didn't see much of each other, married or not due to our increased duties of the moment. We hadn't acquired many things, and as that each person was allowed one bag of clothes and personal items and one crate of personal effects, our quarters were bare and we had room to spare in our crates. Taking in a few extra items from some of our squadron mates our allotment was full and sent to be palletized and loaded in a transport.

Four days after the official announcement by General Naz, the first Star Destroyer was detected. Moments later, two more came out of hyperspace to form a triangle formation. Red Group and Gold Group were providing cover for the last two transports. We were in the air just as the strike group entered orbit but before they could begin a bombardment.

The Y-wings had been loaded with a payload of Ion bombs that were like miniature Ion cannons. More powerful than the Ion cannon on the Y-wings themselves but still less powerful than a full size planetary installation.

Eyeballs were out in swarms as we prepared for the jump to hyperspace. The first transport made the jump but the second was getting pounded as Wedge called to me: "Nine take your element to cover Gold Nine and her element and give that first Destroyer something to think about." I responded: "As ordered Red Lead." I said then: "Ten, eleven and twelve with me as we plow the road for Gold Nine and her wishbones." Each pilot double clicked their comlink to signal acknowledgement.

Warbler gave me one torpedo lock and one laser lock in the first few seconds. As we flew towards our target six eyeballs came at us. I fired the torpedo and switched back to linked fire with my lasers. The linked fire would send four beams of light at my target. More powerful than the cyclic rate I preferred but it required fewer shots to take the target. The torpedo took its intended target through the transparisteel viewport to exit the other side. As it detonated, the blast took one more eyeball down with splash-damage as debris from the initial target spiraled out and hit another one.

Warbler informed me of my new status of 'ace' but I was too busy to notice. The other three TIE fighters had scattered thus leaving us a clear road to the Destroyer. The Y-wings or 'wishbones' in pilots speak lined up and fired a total of six Ion bombs at their target. Anti-missile fire from the Destroyer only got two of our missiles as two slammed into the tower portion of the Destroyer and the other two impacted in close proximity to each other on the main hull.

The Ion lightning arced out across the hull. The ionic blasts fused electronics, scrambled control circuits as well as neutralized weapons, shields and engines. The lights of the target flickered and went out as the ship started to drift away from the engagement zone.

By this time, a second Destroyer was closing in on our group when we received confirmation that the last transport was away and safe. I called out: "Red and Gold elements cut and run. I say again, cut and run. Our job is done." Fitting actions to words, I closed my S-foils and redirected weapon energy to rear shields and engines. I heard my engines rev up and saw that my speed was picking up nicely.

Gold Nine, Gabrielle's ship, came up on my wing as the first two fighters in our combined group made the jump to hyperspace followed by two more. As Warbler prepared our jump, Gabrielle said: "Nice shooting back there Red Nine. You realize you just made 'ace' don't you?" I said: "Thanks for the complement but I was just doing my job Gold Nine. Ready to leave?"

Before she could answer, I felt a warning in the Force too strong to ignore. With no thought about it, I banked my ship towards Gabrielle's. Warbler squawked out a collision warning as Gabrielle banked away from me just as I hoped she would. When I felt the sudden jolt of a tractor beam, I knew it was too late. My ship started slowing noticeably. My engines started to overcharge as I throttled back on them to prevent a burnout.

Gabrielle said: "I won't leave you!" I said: "It's too late for me. Go now! That's an order. Go. Save yourself." Gabrielle's tear-choked voice said: "I love you," then she did as ordered and jumped into hyperspace. I knew she couldn't hear me but I said it anyway: "I love you too Milady."

The world went black.