Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall
Book 1: Rise of a Hero
Part 2
Chapter 6: The Dance
A/N: Kyle, Jan, Blaze. A trio, maybe a love triangle. But the interesting thing about love triangles is that, eventually, one side ends up collapsing. But will it happen to these three. Guess you're gonna have to read and find out, won't you?
A/N: Many apologies to Tinuviel and Nerwen. I had thought to get to revealing who Blaze is in this chapter, but it's gone longer than I expected. It will happen in the next chapter.
"And as soon as we cleared the Hutt's cruiser, we jumped to hyperspace," Jan finished.
"And you saw no sign of Blaze's ship before you jumped?"
Jan shook her head. "She should have been right behind us. We were using the same jump coordinates."
"Is it possible that she was recaptured? Or that her ship malfunctioned?"
"It's possible," Jan replied, "but we saw no guards in the airlock and Black Gold had been running fine during the mission, no indication of any problems."
Mon Mothma's brow knitted in concern. It had been over twenty hours since Kyle & Jan had returned to the New Hope. There had been no word from Blaze, no response to several transmissions, no distress call, nothing.
"I'm going to wait another twelve hours, then officially list her as missing," the Rebel leader said.
Jan nodded, both women understanding that declaring Blaze missing was as good as declaring her dead.
"What about the Nav Card?"
"It's being examined," Mon Mothma replied, "early reports indicate there's at least three levels of encryption to get through before Intelligence can get a look at the data in it."
Jan hesitated a moment. "And Kyle?"
"Ah," Mon Mothma said, smiling for the first time since the debriefing had begun, "that's our one piece of good news. Dr. Berth reports that his injuries are healing well and he should be able to return to duty first thing tomorrow."
Jan's small smile masked the surge of joy she felt inside.
"In fact, he should be waking up soon," the older woman said, giving her a shrewd look, "should you wish to check on him."
"If we're done here," Jan ventured.
Mon Mothma nodded. "At least until the Nav Card is decrypted."
Jan stood up, pushing her chair back.
"One thing before you go."
She glanced at Mon Mothma, her brows raised in question.
"The three of you were exemplary in your mission performance, and you went well beyond the call of duty in accomplishing it. Make sure you tell him that when he wakes up."
Jan couldn't hide the smile fully this time. "Thank you Mon Mothma, I will."
The Rebel leader watched her pass through the doors, giving her head a slight shake. This reminded of her times past. And while neither Jan nor Kyle might be willing to admit it, it was happening.
Sickbay
I have to be dreaming, he thought, eyes roaming the scene before him. Soft music was playing, a slow song. The room was unfamiliar. Instead of the metal corridors he was used to on the New Hope, this one was covered with some kind of wood surface. Light brown tones shined in the glow of overhead lights.
Before him was a group of at least a hundred. Some were seated at tables situated to the side of the wood floor, but most were on their feet, dancing. Men and women moved and turned to the rhythm of the music. A closer look revealed most of the men were wearing dress uniforms, decorations and medallions glinting in the light. The women, in contrasts, all wore dresses, affairs of fabric in myriad colors.
A smile came to his face as he spotted Mon Mothma dancing with General Madine. The older woman looked even more regal than she normally did. And they appeared to be enjoying each other's company.
"May I have this dance?"
Kyle turned as a familiar voice came from his right, his mouth dropping open. There stood Blaze, looking absolutely radiant in a white and pink dress, her hair done up with silver accents that gleamed in the light. The dress complemented her figure, twin straps exposing her shoulders and upper arms, ending in a pair of gloves. He could detect a hint of perfume, an intoxicating scent.
"Well?" she said, eyes intent on him.
He pointed to himself. "Me?"
She nodded.
He shook his head. "I don't dance."
"Oh c'mon," she said, reaching out and grabbing his right hand.
"No really, Blaze. I can't. I don't know how."
"Is that all?" She flashed an expansive smile at him. "Then I'll teach you."
He started to protest more, but she was already dragging him forward, onto the floor. They had just stepped onto it when another voice sounded nearby.
"Excuse me, I believe this is my dance."
He turned around even as Blaze's face clouded with annoyance.
To his amazement, there stood Jan, her eyes moving between him and Blaze. Her attire was even more of a surprise. Instead of a dress, Jan wore the same mechanic's coveralls she wore everywhere. There were marks on it, dirt and grease. She looked like she had just come from working on the Crow.
"Um…. Hi Jan."
"Katarn."
Oh boy, he thought, this is starting off badly.
Her gaze shifted to Blaze. "Sorry. Guess you'll have to sit this one out."
The other woman stepped forward, encircled Kyle's right arm, gave Jan a coy smile, "I'm afraid not. I was here first, and he will dance with me."
"That's assuming you're able to dance after I'm finished with you," Jan said, taking a step forward.
"Whoa Jan," Kyle said, holding his free hand up, "let's not let things get out of control here."
"Come," Blaze said, tugging at him, "dance with me."
"Maybe this isn't the best time."
"That's right, Blaze." Jan said emphatically, "It isn't a good time, so back off."
"You're just jealous because Kyle likes me better than you."
"Oh really?" Jan said, disbelief on her face, "Are you sure? Why don't you ask him?"
"Why should I?" Blaze said, reaching a hand up to stroke his face, "I know how he feels."
"I see. You're afraid of what he might say."
Blaze's eyes cut to Jan, her lips pulling back in a snarl. "I'm not afraid of anything. Least of all, you."
Jan said nothing, merely extended a hand in a "come on" gesture.
Blaze started to step forward, but Kyle grabbed her arm.
"Hold on a second, Blaze. Jan, we are not doing this here. Besides, I don't like you two trying to make up my mind for me."
Jan smiled at him approvingly, while Blaze glared at him for a second, then smiled as well.
"Very well, Kyle," Blaze said, "we can decide this with a simple question. Who will you dance with? Me or her?"
His eyes danced between the two women. This was not a decision that should be made in this way. But he had to make a choice.
He looked at Blaze, so elegantly dressed, remembering her help on Nar Shaddaa and on Jabba's ship. But what did he know about her, really?
He looked at Jan, his friend, who had told the truth about the Empire. She had been with him for so long, saved his life. But she could be coarse at times and her attitude towards Blaze didn't make sense.
"Blaze…" he began, seeing her begin to smile. Kyle held up a hand.
"Blaze," he started again, "I appreciate all you've done for me, and your assistance on the Nar Shaddaa mission. But, I choose Jan. She's been with me for so long. I owe her my life three times over, and she's been my friend and someone I could trust, no matter what.
He turned to her, extended a hand. "Jan, will you dance with me?"
She smiled at him, a smile composed of joy and victory. She pulled the workman's glove off her right hand, so that her warm skin touched his as Kyle gently pulled onto the wood surface next to him. Blaze stood there, a look of total shock on her face.
"I'm sorry, Blaze." Kyle said sincerely.
Her look of shock and surprise lasted a moment more, then was replaced with one of such anger and rage that Kyle moved back a step, pulling Jan close to him.
"You don't what sorry is, Kyle Katarn," Blaze said, the tone in her voice deadly, "but you will. Oh yes. You will regret what you've done here today. I will see to it. And when it comes, remember that I gave you a chance, and you gave it up. For her."
She pointed a finger at Jan. "You've won for now, Ors. But I will be back. And next time, I won't be so merciful." Then, in a flash of white and pink, she ran from the room, disappearing.
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Jan said, then turned her face up to his.
He looked down at her, unsure of what to say next. Suddenly, with an even larger grin. Jan wrapped both arms around Kyle, hugging him tightly, her face turned sideways against his chest. He hesitated a moment more, then encircled her body with his arms.
They stayed that way for a long moment, then Jan pulled back slightly, turning her face to his again. "Thank you for choosing me, Kyle."
"Sure," he replied. Oh smooth one, Katarn, the thought came.
Suddenly, the couples around them stopped dancing. Kyle felt vaguely uncomfortable as he realized they were all looking at him and Jan. One by one, they all began to applaud. They were all smiling at him as they clapped.
Jan didn't seem to notice the applause, her eyes fixed on his, shining in the light. One of her hands reached up to his neck, gently pulling.
At first, he wasn't sure what was happening; then as Jan closed her eyes, he understood. Closing his own, Kyle let her pull him down, lips poised to touch hers.
"Kyle?"
"What, Jan?" he asked, eyes still closed.
"Are you awake?"
He opened his eyes, confused by the question. It didn't make any sense. Of course he was awake.
But before him, the scene had changed. Jan, the floor, the dancers, the lights were all gone. He stood before a swirling mass of light.
"What's…" he began, but something from inside the swirling light cut him off.
"Well done, Kyle Katarn. You have chosen well."
Chosen well? What did that mean? His mind whirled with confusion. The swirling light pulsed one more time, then went out, the whole area going dark. His shoulders were being shaken.
"Kyle?"
Eyes snapping open, he found himself staring into the concerned face of Jan Ors. She was bending over his bed, shaking him.
"Kyle, wake up!"
He blinked several times, tried to speak. "Jan," he croaked.
A relieved look replacing the concerned one, she let go of him.
"You finally awake there, Katarn?"
He blinked a few more times, cleared his throat. A glass of water was on the bedside table and he reached for it, taking a long swallow.
"That's better," he said, his voice a bit clearer as the water lubricated his dry throat. He set the glass back down, looked at her. His eyes moved about the area. He was in sickbay, again. The curtains were closed around his bed and an IV protruded from his left arm. As he came to full wakefulness, his ears detected the hum and beep of machines, the smells of antiseptic and cleanser.
He looked to Jan. "Hey there, partner."
"Y'know, Katarn," she said, cocking her head at him, "I'm starting to think we give your quarters to someone else and give you a place here."
He nodded. "I know. Berth told me one time that I've spent more time in sickbay than most of his staff."
She smiled at the joke. "I'm glad to see you awake. I got a bit worried when I came in. You were talking in your sleep."
"I was? What was I saying?"
She shrugged. "Don't know. You were muttering most of it. But when I called your name, you said, 'What, Jan?'"
A fragment of the dream came back to him. "I think I was talking to you in the dream."
"Really," she said, sounding interested, "about what?"
"I'm not sure exactly," he said, struggling to remember, "I can remember a group of people and music, I think."
"A dance?"
"Maybe."
"Well, then, you're sure weren't talking to me there," she scoffed, "I don't do dances."
"Guess it couldn't have been then," he said. "Hey, I just noticed, you're walking."
She smiled, took a few steps away from the bed, then back again. "Dr. Berth was able to repair the damage. That, along with a quick dip the bacta tank," she grimaced, "and here I am."
"I'm glad," Kyle said sincerely.
"Me too."
They looked at each for a long moment. But the silence became unbearable to Jan. "What about you? How's the wound?"
Just then, the curtains parted and Dr. Berth walked in.
"I see you're awake. Good. Oh hello, Jan, I didn't see you there."
She nodded a greeting. "How's he doing?"
"Very well. The wound was fairly large, but not deep. In fact, I was about to take a look."
Stepping over to the side of the bed, the doctor reached down to Kyle's side, and the bandage there.
"This might sting a bit," he said, pulling at the tape holding the dressing in place.
"Go ahead, Doc," Kyle said, "compared to what I went through on the mission, I doubt this'll hurt that much."
"We'll see," said the doctor, as he pulled the first piece of tape away from the skin. Kyle winced.
"Okay, maybe it's gonna hurt a little."
Jan laughed.
"It isn't funny, Jan."
"You didn't see the look on your face, Kyle."
Moments later, with the last piece of surgical tape removed, Berth pulled the dressing up enough so they could all see. The skin was still an angry red color, but the wound itself had been closed.
"Still some skin irritation, but it looks good otherwise. I'll check on it again in the morning. Meanwhile I do have other patients to see." The doctor laughed as he pushed through the curtains.
Jan laughed again, the sound filling the room.
"Thanks a lot, Doc," Kyle called after him, rolling his eyes. "He has too much fun at my expense."
"You never fail to entertain, Kyle."
"Wonderful," he said, casting his eyes to the ceiling in frustration, "so did you come here for something besides being entertained by me?"
She laughed a bit more, then said, "Actually, there is more. Mon Mothma says Intelligence is working on the Nav Card."
"Any results yet?"
Jan shook her head. "It's triple-encrypted."
"Great, just great. Any idea on when they'll crack it?'
She shook her head again. "There's something else."
"I'm almost afraid to ask."
"Mon Mothma asked me to pass on her personal congratulations for accomplishing the mission. She said and I quote, 'you went well beyond the call of duty'".
He smiled. "Did she now? Well that takes some of the sting out of having to wait on the Nav Card."
"And," Jan said, hesitating a moment. C'mon Ors, she thought, just tell him. "I … I wanted to thank you again for rescuing me."
She said with such earnestness that Kyle had to take a moment to formulate a reply.
"You're welcome. You'd do the same for me. Heck, you have, more than once. You don't have to thank me."
"Yes," she said, "I do."
Neither of them said anything for a moment, both feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Kyle was the first to speak.
"Jan," he began, "look…… we…. You…. I ..I appreciate what you've said. Thanks. Anything else?"
She hesitated again. "I don't know if I should tell you. There's nothing either of us can do."
"What do you mean? What's happened?"
"Blaze is missing," she said flatly.
"WHAT!"
"We're still not sure what exactly happened." Jan said, "But when we emerged from hyperspace, she wasn't there. There's been no contact for over twenty hours."
"No distress call?"
Jan shook her head.
"I assume Mon Mothma has ships out looking out for her?"
When Jan didn't answer, he pressed further.
"You are searching for her?"
"Communications is keeping an open line, tuned to Black Gold's transponder."
"That's all?" he said, incredulous, "Why aren't you searching for her?"
"Kyle," Jan said with care, "we wouldn't even know where to start looking. Blaze could be anywhere between here and Nar Shaddaa."
"But surely, we could send probes, track the hyperspace routes…"
"Mon Mothma is going to give wait twelve more hours, then declare Blaze missing."
He said there for a moment, speechless. Then, reaching down, he ripped the IV free. Liquid spilled from the tube, mixed with blood.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting out of here," he said determinedly, "someone should be out looking for Blaze. And from what you've told me, I guess that someone is me."
Kyle swung his legs out of bed, planting his feet on the floor. Jan stepped over to him, holding her hands up.
"You're in no shape to be going anywhere, least of all piloting my ship anywhere."
"Your ship? Since when is the Moldy Crow your ship?"
"Fine," Jan said, "our ship. You're still in no shape to…"
He cut her off. "Mon Mothma assigned the Moldy Crow to me. She's my ship, not yours. And I'll pilot her anywhere I want."
He started to stand, only to have Jan push him back onto the bed.
"Hey!"
"The Moldy Crow might be your ship, Katarn. But I'm the one who's kept it running, mission after mission. You seem to have forgotten that."
"And that's supposed to allow you to order me around? Not likely."
"I'm not ordering you around, I…"
He interrupted again. "Oh yes you are. Just like you've done before. When we went to rescue Madine, during the Nar Shaddaa mission. You always have to be in charge."
"That's because you always seem to find yourself in trouble and get hurt. If it weren't for me, you would've died back on Danuta. Face it Katarn, you need me. You needed me then, and you need me now."
"If you're going to keep from looking for Blaze, then no, Jan, I don't need you. I owe it to Blaze to look for her. She'd do the same for me."
"You owe her?"
"That's right, I owe her. We both do. You know as well as I do that if it weren't for Blaze, we never would have made it off Nar Shaddaa or Jabba's ship. So, I'm going to look for her. Now move, or I will move you."
She backed up a step, realizing he was serious. Kyle stood up, "Where's my clothes?"
When Jan didn't answer, he pushed past her, moving to the only piece of furniture, a small closet. Yanking it open, Kyle found a pair of pants and a shirt inside. Grabbing them, he sat back down on the bed, started to put the pants on.
Then, as if remembering she was still there, he looked over his shoulder at Jan. "Do you mind?"
She was staring at him, wide-eyed, mouth working.
"Say whatever it is you want to, or get out, Jan! I don't have time for this!"
When she spoke, Jan's voice was in a normal tone.
"Do whatever you want, Kyle. You will no matter what I say. But remember this, we're supposed to partners and, I thought, friends. Partners and friends don't do what you're doing to me right now." He saw tears gather in her eyes, then turned away as he felt his own face grow warm. He heard the curtains part as Jan stepped outside.
As he put his clothes on, part of Kyle's mind nagged at him, told him she was right and he was wrong. He ignored it as best he could. As far as he was concerned, the only important thing right now was finding Blaze. But when he tried to stand, a wave of dizziness hit him and he had to sit back down on the bed. Several minutes passed as Kyle waited for the world to stop turning and tilting in front of him.
He stood again, muttering, "Gotta get to the ship."
"And how do you expect to get to your ship when you can barely stand up?"
He turned to find Mon Mothma standing just inside the curtains, a look of disapproval on her face.
He surmised what had happened. "Jan called you."
"Yes."
"She said I'm in no shape to be flying."
"Yes."
"And you agree?"
"Consider what I saw when I walked in here, yes."
"Blaze is missing. I've got to go look for her."
"And where will you go, Kyle? You could check every system between her and Nar Shaddaa and still not find her."
"Still, someone should…"
"Kyle," she interrupted softly, "Blaze knew the risks when she accepted the mission. So did you. I'm no more happy about her disappearance than you are."
"Then you can see why I want to go."
"Yes, I can. But I can also see, as you should be able to, that the likelihood of finding her is nearly impossible. I am unwilling to spare you or the Moldy Crow for such a mission.
"That's not fair."
"True. But we both know life is not fair, Kyle. You need to trust my judgment on this."
"I can't," he said, taking a step towards her, "I won't."
She nodded. "I was afraid you would say that. So I want you to listen to me very carefully. I have dispatched Jan to the hangar bay to disable the Crow's engines. Puan has been given orders to not allow you access to any other ship in the hangar bay. Further, I have two security guards standing just outside this room. So, you tell me, Kyle. Will you remain here until discharged or do I have the guards escort you to the brig?
He was trapped. He should have realized that Jan would call Mon Mothma. It made him even angrier towards her.
"Fine. I'll stay here. But you can't keep me here forever, Mon Mothma."
"I won't need to," she said, turning around and stepping through the curtains.
A few minutes later, a nurse came in to put the IV back in Kyle's arm. He didn't speak, didn't acknowledge the nurse. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling; his mind filled with thoughts of how he could get away and go look for Blaze.
The Next Day
"You're kidding me," Kyle said.
"I'm afraid not," Mon Mothma replied.
He smacked the table with his hand, biting back a curse.
From the other end of the table, as far away as she could be, Jan said, "They're sure?"
Mon Mothma nodded. Intelligence had finally broken through the last layer of encryption only to find that the data files on the Nav Card were themselves encoded. Without a translation matrix, the files were unreadable.
"When did the Empire get so paranoid?"
"Since one man broke into their base on Danuta and stole the Death Star plans."
"Oh yeah," he said, "I did do that, didn't I?"
"It was because of your infiltration that we're seeing such security measures taken, Kyle. However, this is beside the point. Our concern now is to find the Arc Hammer and disable or destroy the Dark Trooper project."
"Okay, then. We obviously need to find a computer capable of decrypting the Nav Card, right?"
Mon Mothma nodded.
"So where do we go?"
"The answer has to do with why I ordered both of you here, given 'recent events'".
Kyle looked down at the table for a moment to hide the anger he felt. Since being discharged from Sickbay two days ago, he had been escorted by Security everywhere he had gone on the New Hope. Mon Mothma was still unresponsive to his request to go look for Blaze. "There are larger concerns at the moment," she had told him. It had taken a good bit of his self-control not to tell her what he thought of that.
And now, all the effort, planning and suffering he had endured on Nar Shaddaa and Jabba's ship had amounted to almost nothing. What a waste, he thought.
He hadn't talked to Jan since the incident in his room. Whenever they saw each other in the hallway, she avoided his gaze. But so what?
"Our spy network on Coruscant has discovered the location of a computer that will enable us to decrypt the Nav Card."
"That's good." Jan said.
When Mon Mothma didn't respond, she added, "Or is it?"
The older woman gave her a grave look, then said, "The computer in question is located in Imperial City on Coruscant."
Jan's mouth dropped open.
"What!" Kyle exclaimed, "Are you serious?"
Mon Mothma nodded at both of them.
"Well, that's it then," Jan said.
"Not necessarily."
It took a moment for her to see where the older woman was leading.
"No, you can't mean to do this."
"We have no choice, Jan. Believe me when I say if there were another option, I'd consider it. But there isn't."
Sudden laughter made both women turn their heads.
Sitting back against the chair, Kyle's head was thrown back as he laughed out loud. When he realized they were looking at him, he attempted to compose himself. But a smirk was firmly planted on his lips.
"I find your reaction completely inappropriate," Mon Mothma said. Jan glared at him.
"Really?" Kyle said sarcastically, "I think it's totally appropriate. I can see exactly where you going with this, Mon Mothma. You want me to go to Coruscant, infiltrate the base in Imperial City and decode the Nav Card."
"There is a bit more to it than that, but essentially, you are correct."
This sent Kyle on another gale of laughter.
"May I ask what it is you find so funny?"
"You! This! It's a suicide mission, completely crazy! But you're going to do it anyways, right?"
She nodded.
Still smirking, Kyle shook his head. "And you think I'm willingly going to go on a suicide mission? You're out of your mind."
SMACK!
With the flat of her hand, Mon Mothma struck with resounding force. The sound made him jump.
"Kyle, I understand you're upset about Blaze and my not letting you go look for her. But this is a serious matter and you will treat it as such. Am I clear?"
Realizing he had gone too far, Kyle reined himself in, forcing the smirk from his face. He nodded.
"Good. Now, let me explain the mission."
"You do realize that there's a better than 80 chance he'll never make it planetside," Jan said, "much less to the base. The Moldy Crow is too well known, as is his face."
"True," Mon Mothma said, "which is why we won't be using the Moldy Crow for this mission."
That took him aback. "Then how am I supposed to get there?"
Mon Mothma smiled for the first time since the meeting had begun. "Gold Squadron just finished a raid on a Imperial depot. Among the materials liberated from there were three Imperial shuttles."
"Aha," Kyle said, understanding.
"You will travel to Coruscant aboard one of these shuttles. We have all the proper codes to get you in and out."
"That stills leaves the problem of my face being recognized unless…"
He smiled as Mon Mothma nodded. "We also collected a number of stormtrooper uniforms. You'll be fitted with one and the voice system altered to disguise your voice."
"They'll never know it's me."
"Exactly," the older woman said.
"What about me?" Jan said.
Mon Mothma turned to look at her.
"You're not going."
She blinked once, brows drawing together in confusion. "What do you mean I'm not going? I'm the pilot. I have to go."
"Kyle is perfectly capable of flying the shuttle, Jan. And there are other considerations."
"For example."
"The Emperor doesn't care for women. And as such, the base in Imperial City is male only."
"But I wouldn't be going inside. I'd stay in the ship while Kyle goes inside."
Mon Mothma shook her head. "That won't work this time."
"Why not?"
"Because," Kyle said, not looking at her, "when I touch down, they will scan the ship, looking for anything out of the ordinary. And the scan penetrates stormtrooper armor."
Mon Mothma nodded. "That's it exactly."
"But…. no backup? What if something happens to him?"
"If anything happens, Jan, there's nothing we can do to help," the older woman said.
Kyle looked to Jan for a moment. He wanted to assure her that he'd be fine. But the look he got back killed the words in his throat.
"Well then, since I won't be going, there is another assignment I've been contemplating."
"Good," Mon Mothma said, "I understand this assignment is an extremely difficult one. But should you succeed, Kyle, we will have a chance to stop the Dark Troopers before General Mohc uses them again. Report to the Armory for outfitting as soon as you leave here."
Kyle nodded.
Jan was already through the door as he got up. He waited until they had closed behind him before running after Jan.
"Hey, wait a minute!"
She looked over her shoulder and to his surprise, stopped, turning to face him. Her eyes were cold fire.
"Listen, I… I just wa…" He blew out a breath. "What I wanted to say was…"
"Save it," Jan said.
"I'm just trying to apolo….
"We'll talk when you get back."
"But…."
"When you get back," she said forcefully, "just don't get killed, okay?"
"Okay."
She turned and strode away, leaving him standing there. This wasn't the way to leave. He still thought he was right and Jan wrong, but to leave things like this, it just isn't right.
Jan disappeared around corner and a moment later, Kyle went on his own way.