Star Wars III.V
The Rebellion
Part 2
The Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator approached the fleet. An Imperial Shuttle with two Tie fighter escorts flew out of the docking bay and approached the flagship. The Tie fighters split and went into another docking bay inside the Star Destroyer. The Imperial Shuttle landed in the main hanger.
Storm troopers, Imperial officers, and other Imperial personal were lined up in neat lines waiting for the Lord's arrival. The captain walked towards the shuttle as the doors opened. Styke, Glen, and Flora were towards the back.
Flora had golden brown hair and green eyes; she wore a white Jedi uniform with brown robes. Glen had light brown hair, brown eyes, and also had a similar Jedi uniform. Styke had black spiked hair, a pale complexion, dark brown eyes, and wore all black.
Anakin Skywalker walked out of the ship, dressed in all black with armored shoulders, and a cape behind him. "My Lord," the captain saluted.
"I want to know what happened here," Anakin said irritated.
"Of course, we will brief you on the situation, do you need anything or require anything?" the captain asked.
"I do not require anything captain," Anakin said annoyed. The two walked down the lines of Imperial personal.
Anakin stopped and walked toward the three Jedi knights. "I have heard good reports about you three, excellent work. Come with me," Anakin said. The three Jedi knights followed Anakin into the boarding room.
Anakin watched the hologram detailing the positions of the Imperial fleet and the once Oswaft cruisers. "It seems the only person to blame is already dead," Anakin said after the presentation was over.
"Shall we continue our search for Lando Calrisian?" the captain asked.
"As far as I am concerned he was never here, he's a smuggler, just let him be," Anakin decided.
"As for you three, I cannot award you publicly due to these unfortunate events, but you have gained my trust. You will be granted more challenging assignments in the future," Anakin smiled.
Flora, Glen, and Styke smiled but they could see that Anakin's smile was full of stress and frustration. His hair was darker and shorter, his eyes sunken, and his skin pale.
Coruscant
"How could this happen, an entire race of people?" Padme demanded outraged.
"It appears a rogue commander sent an electromagnetic missile into the nebula," Sate said walking with her down the halls.
"I thought we banned such weapons," Padme said.
"Yes, but not the Imperial military, they were for deterrence," Sate said.
"Deterrence from what? I want to be informed before another one of those weapons is used," she said.
News of the genocide went quickly especially in the Galactic Senate. Padme went into her office and sat in her Chancellor's chair. Sly Moore and the Justice also took a seat. The chair rose out of the room and into the Senate chamber. Padme was dressed in her traditional black dresses. Rarely did she ever go out in color except when she visited her home planet.
The Senate became noisy as Padme entered the chamber. "Fellow senators, a tragedy has occurred. I assure you no Imperial officer will be able to use such a weapon on a race of people ever again," Padme said.
The Senate seemed dissatisfied with this and started yelling out of turn. "The damage has already been done, an entire race of people destroyed by the Imperial fleet, this is genocide," Mon Mothma spoke out.
"The Republic nor the fleet endorses genocide on anyone, this was one commander…" Padme tried to speak.
"How can we be assured this doesn't happen to other worlds," Mon spoke up again. The senators rallied behind her.
Padme noticeably upset walked down the halls toward her office. "They use all their time to criticize me yet none of them can agree to a simple resolution," she said frustrated.
"Have you considered the idea of dissolving the Senate?" Sate asked.
"Dissolve? No of course not, a dictatorship?" Padme asked rejecting the idea.
"Perhaps you could make an amendment?" Sate suggested as Padme sat down in her office chair.
"What kind of amendment?" Padme asked. It seemed she was making more and more amendments every year.
"If the Senate cannot reach agreement, the Chancellor can call a special election," Sate said. "A new Senate will be elected and a new coalition will be formed," Sate said.
Padme considered. As it was the Alliance and the Loyalist were becoming more polarized and neither party could form a majority. "It may be the best thing, I'll think about it," Padme said.
Styke, Glen, and Flora entered the Jedi temple. Styke was summoned to Kadann's chambers. Styke walked toward the room and went inside. "Oh, it's you. Your mission was a success I understand," Kadaan said walking toward him.
"I suppose so," Styke said.
"Come," Kadann motioned. Kadann then used the Force to close the doors. The room wasn't well lit, but good enough to see through. High Prophet Jedgar motioned for the other prophets of the dark side to leave.
"This is Jedgar, High Prophet of the dark side," Kadann introduced.
"You're performance record is quite impressive," Jedgar said.
"You need me for something?" Styke asked.
"Right to the point, I want to make you a fellow prophet to serve the empire," Kadann said.
"To join you? This is an honor," Styke said overwhelmed.
"Indeed it is an honor, but a burden as well. To see the future and be given the task to prevent terrible happenings," Kadann said.
"What kind of things?" Styke asked.
"Why the collapse of the empire, chaos and destruction," Kadann said calmly.
"The empire will never fall," Styke said determined.
"Never? What will happen when the Chancellor's term is over? With the politics today there will be a fight over who will be in charge and if one of the Alliance senators became chancellor the empire could fall," Kadann said.
"I don't know much about politics, but the Jedi are not supposed to take sides in it," Styke said.
"Yes, but we are not Jedi. We are Sith," Kadann replied.
"What do you want me to do?" Styke asked.
"In order to save the empire Padme Amidala must be killed, her death must be blamed on the Alliance and then the empire will be secure for decades to come," Kadann said.
Styke looked at him stunned. Taking his light saber he ignited it and pointed the blade at the prophet's neck. "It is the only way to keep Flora from dying," Jedgar said calmly.
Styke looked at him and then back at Kadann. "This is treason, Lord Vader would never allow this," he said.
"He can't know for the good of the empire," Kadann said.
"What about Flora?" Styke asked.
"We foresee a Galactic Civil War, she will not survive," Jedgar said.
"In time you will trust our visions," Kadann said.
Styke turned off his light saber. "I want proof that you can see the future, if your predictions prove to be true than I will listen," Styke said.
"Very well then, go to Calamari and you will see for yourself a large rebel fleet," Kadann said.
"If what you say is true, I will follow your teachings to save the empire," Styke said.
Styke exited the room feeling uncertain. Flora and Glen put their light sabers away after a practice match and kissed towards the corner of the temple where no one was looking. Burning with jealousy he walked over towards them. "We have a new mission in a week," Styke said.
"I think I'll be ready by then," Glen said.
Styke considered Glen's injuries. "I will be in my quarters if you need me," he said walking off.
Flora opened Styke's door and peered inside. "Styke?" she asked.
"In here," he said from another room.
Flora went into the next room. Styke had his protective goggles on as he worked on his new light saber. "What's that?" she asked.
Styke took a red crystal using a metallic pincher. "Most light sabers have only one crystal, two at the most. This one will have ten small ones," Styke said.
"Won't that be at least a foot long?" Flora considered.
"Yeah, it will be a double blade," Styke said still working on his light saber.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened on that last mission. There was nothing you could have done about the missile, and I shouldn't have been hard on you," Flora said.
Styke stopped working on his light saber and took his goggles off. "I was reckless," he admitted.
"It's only through the Force that you two are still alive," he said.
"We've been in far worse," Flora smiled.
"Yes, but this was too close. Next time I will be better, stronger," Styke said.
"Why did you choose the dark side?" Flora asked.
Styke sighed. "When I was recruited I didn't have any special talents, when my parents were killed I was angry for a long time. But now I can channel these emotions for good," Styke said.
"This time I won't be defeated by a mere smuggler," Styke said snapping a hatch on his light saber in place.
Padme addressed the Senate to announce a new amendment. The Alliance suspicious of her rallied against it. The Loyalist agreed with the measure. The two parties began fighting for the moderates by any method necessary.
The Senate continued to debate for several days with no resolution on the amendment. The Alliance and the Loyalist parties refused to cooperate. Anakin observed the debates troubled by the lack of compromise.
"Lord Vader, I have a request," Styke said by himself.
"What is it?" Anakin asked.
"I want to investigate Calamari," Styke said.
"Do you suspect something?" Anakin asked.
"I have a hunch," Styke lied.
"Very well, you have earned your right to take your own assignments, but bring Glen and Flora with you," Anakin ordered.
Styke bowed and left. Walking down the hall he activated his wrist communicator. Glen and Flora would arrive soon. "So what's this about?" Glen asked.
"We're investigating Calamari," Styke said.
"Any particular reason?" Glen asked.
"It has nice beaches," Styke said sarcastically.
An Imperial Shuttle lifted off Coruscant and sped toward Calamari. Within a day the ship descended on a landing bay on one of the Mon Calamari's cities. Mon Calamari officials greeted them as they arrived.
The three Jedi walked out of the shuttle. Water surrounded the city, the sky was perfectly clear. "I am Glen, this is Styke and this is Flora," Glen pointed out.
"Greetings Jedi Knights, your visit is an unexpected pleasure," the Mon Calamari official said politely.
"We're here for inspections," Styke said.
"Inspections? We are a peaceful race, is that necessary?" the official protested.
"You will allow us to tour through your facilities," Glen said waiving his hand.
"Yes, I think we can arrange for that," the official said.
The three Jedi were given an escort to tour through the cities and facilities. Styke felt uncomfortable as they found nothing. "I want to go under water," he said.
"We've search everywhere and found nothing unusual," Flora protested.
"I know, but we haven't looked under water, this whole planet is an ocean," Style insisted.
Flora and Glen frowned but went ahead. The three went into a submarine and descended into the deep. "I cannot go any farther," the captain said.
"You will continue," Styke said his hand at his light saber.
"I cannot," the captain said.
Styke drew his light saber and slashed him through the chest. Styke pushed the large alien out of his way and started piloting the ship.
"What have you done?" Flora gasped.
"He's hiding something," Styke said.
"You cannot just execute people," Glen said angrily.
"You are either with me or against me, now sit down," Styke ordered.
Glen reluctantly sat down in the co pilot position. The submarine went deeper scanning the area. "We've found nothing, how are we going to explain this?" Glen demanded of Styke. The Mon Calamari's was bleeding on the deck.
"There," Flora pointed out.
Glen and Styke stared at an underwater cave. "Go there," she suggested.
The sub went towards the cave; it eventually surfaced inside the cave. Mon Calamari workers were busy constructing ships. "Great, you found an Imperial ship factory," Glen said annoyed.
"Those don't look like Imperial designs," Flora observed.
"The empire has many types of ships," Glen speculated.
"Let's check it out," Styke said opening the hatch. The three Jedi walked down the shipping bay. The Mon Calamari stared at the Jedi and immediately began to fire. The three ignited their light sabers blocking the blasts.
"I told you something was wrong here," Styke said.
Glen deflected several blasts into fuel containers. They exploded causing some of the workers to catch fire. The three advanced slicing into the attacking Mon Calamari. The rest fled. Flora examined the computer. "There is an entire fleet on this planet. Several bases on the planet have shipping bays," Flora told them.
Mon Mothma in her Senate shuttle arrived on Mon Calamari. "Greetings Senator," the officials welcomed her.
"Three Jedi arrived a few hours before you," they told her.
"Where are they now?" she demanded quickly.
"They are touring the ocean floor in the non restricted zone," the official said.
"That's not acceptable, find them and bring them to the city," she said on the verge of panic.
Styke, Glen, and Flora toured around examining the massive ships. These are larger than most star destroyers," Glen observed.
"This is obviously high treason," Styke said.
"We don't know that yet," Glen doubted.
"Look, an entire fleet hidden from the empire," Styke said his arms out wide to demonstrate his point.
"We have lost contact with the shipping bay," the Mon Calamari official said.
"We have no choice then, send the fleet to the Outer Rim," Mon ordered.
The Mon Calamari cruisers engines became active; the fleet was beginning to move into the open ocean. Mon Calamari and human personal flooded into the ships as the three Jedi hid.
"We need to warn the chancellor," Glen said.
"No, Lord Vader first," Styke said turning on his hologram pad. Reaching a signal they found Anakin's frequency.
Anakin was in a military strategy room when a signal came through. Anakin approached the hologram emitter. "We found a large fleet amassed at Mon Calamari, non Imperial in design," Glen said. The Imperial officers stopped what they were doing and listened. "I repeat, a large fleet on Mon Calamari," Glen said.
"How many ships?" Anakin asked.
"Twenty large cruisers and two hundred smaller ships and transports. There are also hundreds of fighters, Y-wing fighters," Glen listed off.
The Imperial officers looked at each other stunned. "The fleet is moving into the ocean," Glen shouted amongst the noise.
The hologram faded from the room. "Admiral began organizing the fleet," Anakin said.
"Yes Lord Vader," he said running off.
"What of the Jedi?" the Mon Calamari officials asked Mon. "Find them immediately and get rid of them," she said.
"I will be at Chandrila if you need me," Mon Mothma said leaving in her shuttle.