Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall
Book 1: Rise of a Hero
Chapter 10: Intercessions
A/N: With the nightmare of Anoat City behind him, Kyle has turned his eye to getting Moff Rebus. But is he really going to kill to get what he wants? Let's find out!
As his feet touched the metal of the doors, Rebus finally gave in.
"ALL RIGHT!" he screamed, "ALL RIGHT, I'LL TALK!"
The Moff began to wonder what the vacuum of space would feel like. It was then he realized he could feel the doors sliding against his feet, but in the other direction. The space doors clanged shut, latches engaging. The computer began to feed fresh oxygen into the space and Rebus took a grateful breath as the doors opposite him opened.
A smiling Kyle Katarn looked in at him as well another face Rebus recognized as one of the interrogators.
"You're ready to talk?"
Rebus nodded, exhausted and defeated. "Yes," he said softly, "yes, I'll tell you anything you want to know."
"Good," Kyle answered, turning to Plasdan, "if you'll escort him back to the interrogation, I think you'll find him more cooperative than before."
He started to turn away when Plasdan grabbed him. "You were going to let him die."
"Was I?" Kyle asked, still smiling "Take a look outside."
Plasdan frowned at Kyle, then let him go and stepped into the airlock, moving to the space doors. Looking through the window there, Plasdan's eyes went wide with surprise as he saw the Moldy Crow silently hovering only a few meters away.
Exiting the airlock, Plasdan stepped up to Kyle. "So the whole thing..."
"Was a cleverly crafted deception," Kyle answered.
"Your doing?" Plasdan asked, still not believing it.
Kyle nodded. "After talking to Rebus, I knew that nothing less would work."
"Still," Plasdan, disapprovingly, "even with the Moldy Crow in place, Rebus might have died before you were able to bring him aboard. Did you consider that?"
Kyle only looked at the man, his eyes giving all the answer Plasdan needed. "That's pretty cold-blooded, Katarn."
"It's standard procedure in the Empire," Kyle said, "except for one part."
"And what's that?" Plasdan asked.
Pointing at Rebus, Kyle said, "Your average Imperial wouldn't have let him live."
With that, he turned and strode away, leaving Plasdan to guide a very shaken Moff Rebus back to the interrogation room.
Kyle entered the hangar bay just as the Moldy Crow was settling to the deck. He waved to Jan, waiting as she exited the cockpit and walked up to him.
"Did it work?"
He nodded. "Rebus should be singing like a bird by now."
"Good, " she replied, "let's just hope we never have to do anything like this again."
Kyle was surprised at her words. "It worked, didn't it?"
"Sure," Jan said, "but the way we did it…" She crossed her arms over each other as if she were cold.
"Look, Jan," Kyle said firmly, "sometimes lethal force is required."
She turned a look of stunned disbelief on him. "What are you saying? That the ends justify the means?" He shrugged, still confused at her reaction. Her eyes went icy and she glared at him. "No," she said in measured tones. "No Kyle, maybe in the Empire that works. But here in the Rebellion, we're supposed to be better than that."
She was surprised when Kyle actually laughed at her. "Let me get this straight," he said, "You asked for my help, and I gave it. Now you're going to pull some kind of self righteous act on me?"
"No," Jan began, "that's not what I mean."
"Then what Jan? Rebus wasn't talking no matter what Plasdan tried, you told me so yourself. What I did worked. And now you're going to criticize my methods?"
Before she could say anything else, Kyle jumped in with, "Besides, I let Rebus live, didn't I?"
Jan stared at him in openmouthed shock, unable to reply. She could see in Kyle's eyes that he truly believed what he was saying. He really believes Rebus' life was worth so little and so the means to make him talk didn't matter as long as they achieved the desired result. At that moment, Jan realized she was afraid of Kyle.
Shaking her head, she stepped away from Kyle. "I can see why you did so well at the Imperial Academy." Without another word, she left the hangar.
Kyle watched her go, part of him wanting to stop her, to talk and try to explain why he felt the way he did. Then again, why should I? It's not like I did anything wrong. After all, Rebus is still alive and now the Rebellion will get the information. What does it matter than I almost killed him? He's an illegal weapons dealer, the worst kind of slime. And whatever he gets, deserves.
Leaving the hangar bay, Kyle spent the next hour walking the corridors of the New Hope, going over things again and again in his mind, and coming to the same conclusion every time. He just couldn't understand why Jan was acting this way, and maybe he never would. As he rounded a corner, Kyle nearly collided with another person coming the other way.
"Excuse m…" he started to say until he caught sight of the other person.
"Bastro!"
"Kyle!"
"How's the leg?"
"Much better," Kyle replied, "You?"
"Fine," Bastro replied.
The men laughed.
"So how are things in security?"
"About the same," Bastro said, "but I'm glad I found you. Plasdan just contacted me about a cell for Moff Rebus."
Kyle couldn't help but smile, thinking of the Moff rotting in a cell.
"Well, when I asked Plasdan what level of security I should provide, he said that for right now, standard settings would fine. And when I asked why, he told me about what you did?"
"Oh, did he?"
Bastro laughed, reaching out a hand to cuff Kyle on the shoulder.
"I can't believe what you did!"
His smile faded.
"And let me guess, I'm in trouble."
"In trouble?" Bastro echoed, frowning at Kyle, "Not with me. I thought what you did was great. One of the other security officers said they nearly had to carry Rebus back to Interrogation."
"Well," Kyle responded, "I guess what I did worked."
"Did it ever!" Bastro said. He paused for a moment then said, his own voice hesitant, "And Kyle… I heard about something else. And for what it's worth, welcome to the Alliance.
The guard held out a hand. Surprised by the gesture, Kyle stared at it for a moment. Then, seeing the sincerity in the man's expression, Kyle extended his own and they shook.
"Glad we're on the same side, Bastro."
"So how come you're wandering the halls? I thought you'd be celebrating after capturing Rebus and getting him to talk."
"You're right," Kyle said, shrugging," but it seems Plasdan and Jan didn't approve of the method I used to make Rebus talk. Kinda dampened my mood."
"Ah, I wouldn't worry about it," Bastro replied, "They're just not used to the way you do things, probably."
"Maybe," Kyle said, "but you're right about one thing, Bastro. I'm gonna go celebrate. Want to come?"
Bastro's smile faded a bit. "Afraid I'm still on duty, but…"
"That's okay," Kyle said, turning away.
"Woah," Bastro said, "I was about to say that I get off duty in about an hour. How about you meet me in my quarters and we'll celebrate together?"
"Sounds good to me," Kyle said, his face brightening, "see you in an hour."
"I see," said Mon Mothma.
"Of everything Rebus had to tell us, he spoke about this new project most of all. Whatever the Empire is planning, they've looked to Rebus to help with this new element.
"But we still don't exactly what General Mohc plans to do with any of it."
"Unfortunately, that's true," Plasdan replied, "Whatever this new element is, and why reason the Empire is interested in it, well, the only way to answer to se questions is to go to Fest and find out.
"Very well," she said, "I will see about sending a team there. Is there anything else?"
He hesitated for a moment, not sure if he should say it or not.
"Plasdan? Is there something more"
He decided.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid there is." He went on to describe Kyle's actions.
While her face didn't change expression, inwardly Mon Mothma was shocked. She knew that Kyle's Imperial training would be another obstacle she would have to deal with, sooner or later. But she had no idea he could be this cold-blooded. She was going to have to deal with this quickly and decisively.
After an hour of trying to rest in her quarters, Jan, still fuming over Kyle, his actions and attitude, stormed back into the hangar bay. There was only one way to work this out of her system. Grabbing a handful of tools, she set to work on the Crow.
As she worked, Jan talked aloud, giving voice to her thoughts. While she knew the ship couldn't answer her, it helped.
"Ends justify the means," she muttered as she replaced a section of wiring, "I can't believe he can even think that way. Is life so worthless to him?"
"Ah, why should I care anyway? Alvanian snow leopards can't change their spots. Maybe Imperials can't change their thinking."
But, no matter how hard she tried not to, Jan found she did care. She wanted to convince Kyle that he was wrong, make him see that his thought processes were off base, and he needed to change them.
"He says he wants to trust me. But how can I trust him if he acts like this? How do I know his behavior won't compromise a mission?"
Her communicator dinged for attention.
"Jan here."
"This is Mon Mothma. Please report to my briefing room. I have an assignment for you."
"I'll contact Kyle," Jan offered.
"No Jan. You will not."
Understandably confused, she stared at speaker for a moment.
"But..."
"I will explain everything once you arrive. Mon Mothma out."
The communicator clicked off.
What is going on around here? First Kyle goes nutso on me, now Mon Mothma's acting weird.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Jan climbed down off the Crow's wing and headed for the briefing room.
Two hours later
Quarters of Bastro Thellen
"C'mon, Kyle," Bastro said, "Cheer up already."
"Sorry, Bastro, it's just that…"
"Look, I keep telling you, you didn't do anything wrong!"
"I dunno," Kyle replied, "the more I think about it…"
"Ah c'mon! Here, have another drink!"
Kyle accepted the glass of juri juice from his friend. As it was his tenth glass, he was glad there wasn't any alcohol in it.
If there was… he thought, I'd be in trouble right now.
After meeting Bastro, the pair had gone off in search of food, drink and amusement. After grabbing a quick bit to east at the mess hall, they had headed, at Bastro's insistence, to the gym where they played a number of games of laser handball.
Despite the fact that he was having a good time with his friend, Kyle kept going over the situation with Rebus and the subsequent confrontation with Jan. And the more he thought about, the more Jan's words made sense to him. It was true than an Imperial would have thought nothing of the tactics he had employed. But this was the Rebellion.
Maybe I was wrong, he thought.
Now, after a quick stop by Caston Droum's room to get stocked with a supply of juri juice, the pair sat in Bastro's quarters. However, Kyle's mood had grown darker.
Whether or not he agreed with Jan was one thing, but was this really worth risking their friendship. He genuinely liked her and while he knew no relationship was without some conflict, he didn't like it when they fought. And this time was no exception.
"Ya know something, Katarn?"
"What?"
"You're getting to be a real downer. How many times do I gotta tell you that there's nothing wrong with you with what you did? Besides, it's not like you were really gonna kill the guy."
But was I? Plasdan had had a point. Rebus might not have survived long enough for the Crow to pick him up.
"Sorry, Bastro. Maybe this whole thing was a bad idea." He started to rise. "I'm gonna go…"
"Sit back down," Bastro said, "you're not going anywhere, at least not until you quit beating yourself up over this. It's done, man, done and over."
"Yeah, I suppose…"
"Listen, let's talk about something else. Tell me about your dad. I told you I knew of him, but you were his kid. What was he like?"
A smile came to Kyle's face as he thought of his father.
"Well…" he began.
"You're not serious."
"But I am, Jan."
"Look, I understand the need for recon data as much as anyone. But surely there are more qualified pilots than me for this mission."
"True," Mon Mothma admitted.
"So why then?"
"I have my reasons, Jan. And I'd thank you not to question them."
Understanding that she was treading on thin ice, Jan wisely backed off, switching the topic.
"What about Kyle?"
"I will be speaking with him soon."
"And…"
"Jan, you know me better than that."
Defeated, the young woman hung her head for a moment.
"All right, then. I'll check in as soon as my mission's complete."
"I'll await your signal," Mon Mothma replied. "Good luck, Jan. May the Force be with you."
Standing up, Jan exited the briefing room heading back towards the hangar. She still thought this mission was a waste of her time. But orders were orders.
She looked up to find herself in front of Kyle's quarters.
I shouldn't do this, she thought. But I can at least tell him I'm leaving.
She keyed the door call and waited. After a minute, she tried again. No response. She tried knocking on the door, but still he didn't answer.
"Fine, Katarn," she said to the door, baring her teeth at it, "have it your own way." Turning away, Jan headed towards the hangar bay. She still had to get the ship prepped, then report to Tactical to assemble the mission data.
Ten hours laterAs Kyle fought his way through a fog to consciousness, he felt surprised. He had thought was aboard the New Hope, not planet side with the sun burning into his eyes. It was way too bright and he put arm across his eyes to shade them. He also felt pain in his back and head.
What happened to me? Where am I? His eyes were blurry, refusing to focus. And when he tried to move, the pain increased. Feel like I just got back from a mission, Kyle mused. Using his right hand, he reached up to eyes and rubbed at them. The blurry vision persisted for a moment more, then began to clear. He could now see the intense light ahead of him was a ceiling lighting fixture.
It was then he remembered that he was in Bastro's quarters. Flashes of memory of the hours before came to his mind
I must have fallen asleep.
With his vision clear now, Kyle was able to tell that he was lying at an odd angle. Reaching with his hands, he began to feel around him. And that's when he realized that he had fallen asleep in one of the chairs in the room. And judging by the angle of his vision, he was laying quite lopsided in it.
Grasping the chair handles, Kyle pulled himself upright, ignoring the pain in his back and head as best he could. When he was finally upright, he slumped back against the chair cushion, letting out a long sigh. He sat like this for several minutes while the body aches caused by his awkward sleeping position began to fade somewhat.
When he was able to sit up without it hurting too badly, he glanced around the room for Bastro. But the security guard was nowhere to be seen.
Where'd he go?
It was then Kyle realized he could hear something. The sound was faint, but as he listened, it grew in intensity. Looking about the room, he tracked down the sound's source to a wall mounted display panel. A single red light was flashing steadily and a "beep" accompanied each flash.
Mustering what strength he had, Kyle lifted himself out of the chair. The pain in his back intensified for a moment, then faded as he came upright and stretched.
That's better, he thought, doing a few stretches to loosen himself up. Moving to the wall mounted display, he pressed the button under the flashing red light. The display screen came on and Bastro's smiling face came into view.
" Hey, Kyle. If you're hearing this message, it's because I woke up before you. Duty calls, you know. You were still sound asleep and I figured you needed it so I left you alone. Check in with me later. I hope you're feeling better."
And with that, the image faded.
Well, not completely better, he thought, but a shower and a change of clothes should help that.
Arriving back at his room, Kyle turned the shower on as hot as he could, clearing the last of the fog from his mind. After dressing in fresh clothes, he made a cup of stim-tea. Though his stomach growled, Kyle figured he'd oughta wait to see how his empty stomach handled the tea before trying to eat. As he sipped, Jan came to his mind, and he reviewed the confrontation he had with her.
Maybe Jan was right, maybe the ends didn't justify the means. But while he wasn't sure which of them was right, he didn't like what he said to Jan. He shouldn't have laughed at her the way he had. And the hurt he had seen in her eyes. She was his friend, not the enemy. And he hadn't acted like a friend, not at all.
Now I just have to hope she'll listen to me, he thought, exiting his quarters and heading for the hangar bay to find her.
As he rounded a corner, Kyle spied Glef coming the other way. He was about to greet the younger man when he noticed the expression on the man's face. He was clearly upset.
"What's wrong, Glef?" Kyle asked.
The other man paused for a moment, then said, "I just came off duty in Communications. We lost a squad of X-Wings and three freighters this morning."
Kyle raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How?" he said, "what happened?" "The X-Wings were providing escort for the freighters when a Star Destroyer popped up out of nowhere. While TIE fighters kept the X-Wings busy, some TIE bombers hit the freighters, none of them survived."
Remembering the level of firepower a Star Destroyer could muster, Kyle shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that. What did we lose?"
"Two of the freighters were carrying grain," Glef said, his eyes beginning to brim with tears, "but the third was carrying refugees from a nearby system, mostly women and children." "Oh no," said Kyle, the gravity of what had happened hitting him. "Blasted Empire!" Glef shouted, "They don't care who or what they destroy. They always think the ends justify the means."
Glef's words hit Kyle like a thunderbolt. A cloud seemed to lift in his mind and he could see clearly what both Plasdan and Jan had tried to say to him yesterday. He realized that he had been thinking like an Imperial when he had decided how to handle Rebus. His training at the Academy had come to his mind with such ease, and he executed the plan flawlessly. My instructors would have been proud of me, he thought disgustedly.
"Kyle," Glef said, staring at him, "you okay?"
He shook his head to clear it. "I'm fine, Glef. And I'm really sorry about what happened this morning. You gonna be okay?"
"Yeah," Glef said, shrugging, "it's just hard, you know?"
Kyle reached out and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I do, Glef. I surely do. Listen, why don't go down to the mess hall and get something to eat. I need to go find Jan."
Kyle started to walk away when Glef called to him, "I just saw her a few minutes ago. She said she was headed to Tactical to check on some reports that came in last night."
"Thanks, Glef," Kyle said, smiling, "thanks a lot." As he headed for Tactical, Kyle's mind reviewed both his words and actions yesterday. And he didn't like what he saw. He had crossed the line. Granted, Rebus probably was talking now. Heck, after that scare, he's probably telling Plasdan his measurements.
But Kyle couldn't help but wonder what he would have done if the Moff hadn't given in. Would he have killed him? The answer, when it came, both shocked and scared him. Kyle began to understand that his training and ways of thinking were still very much Imperial. He would have to be on guard against these tendencies. Otherwise, who knew what might happen?
Spying the door to Tactical, Kyle stopped, carefully considering what he was going to say to Jan. Realizing that all he had to do was tell the truth, Kyle stepped forwards, the doors parting before him. Inside Tactical, he worked his way past a number of technicians at work. Looking around, he saw Jan at the large circular table, studying a display. She didn't see Kyle as he approached. When he stood opposite her, Kyle cleared his throat, the sound bringing Jan's head up. Her face, a mask of concentration; changed to a look of anger almost instantly.
"What do you want?" Kyle could feel how angry she was, but was determined to go through with this.
"To talk," he said simply.
"We 'talked' yesterday, Katarn," Jan said.
"I know.
"Then why are you here?" she demanded.
"I told you," Kyle said sincerely, "I just want to talk."
"Well, I don't," Jan said, "and as you can see, I'm busy right now."
Kyle realized he was getting nowhere. "Okay then," he said, "I'll go. But could you meet me later?"
"And why should I do that?" Jan said uncompromisingly.
"Because it's important," Kyle said, "and because…" Kyle hesitated for a moment, then plunged ahead. "You were right, Jan. The ends don't justify the means."
Jan felt a flicker of surprise. After yesterday, she would have as soon shot Kyle as talked to him again. So why should she put herself in that position again?
It wasn't until Kyle admitted his mistake that she started to wonder if he was being truthful. His expression was sincere. Something's happened to him, she mused. Maybe she could… No, she thought, he got his chance when I brought him here. For a while there, I thought that he might make a good Rebel. But, there's too much of the Empire still in him. I could never trust him; never depend on him. But, she could at least accept his apology.
"Jan, I…" he began, but she cut him off. "Look, Katarn, I'll accept your apology, but 'sorry' isn't going to take away what you've done and said. You need to think very carefully about who you are and what you're going to be if you're going to remain part of the Rebellion. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."
With that, Jan returned her gaze to the display. Kyle opened his mouth to say more, but the words died on his lips. Feeling even worse than when he woken up, he turned and left Tactical.
As the doors closed, Jan looked up for a moment, wondering if she had done the right thing. Maybe… No, it was done. She forced herself to return to her work.
Heading aimlessly down a corridor, Kyle thought about what had happened. While he wished he could have said more, it came to him that Jan was angry right now, maybe too angry to listen, much less understand what he had figured out about himself. He considered forgetting the whole thing, but decided he couldn't. As an Imperial, Kyle had been taught never to surrender. Now, that training came into play. He determined that no matter what, however long it took, he would find a way to talk to Jan again.
Just then, his communicator buzzed. He pulled it from his belt. "Katarn here." "This is Mon Mothma, please come to the briefing room, I need to speak with you."
Oh boy, Kyle thought, I'm in trouble. "On my way," he said, and headed for the briefing room with the demeanor of a schoolboy ordered to come to the principal's office.