Chapter Twenty-One

Bel Iblis reviewed the datapad that Sena Midanyl handed him slowly. The state of the fleet was better than he'd dared hope. "Innasval reports they're ready for combat?" he asked, turning towards his aide in the swivel-command chair at the center of Orthavan's bridge.

Midanyl nodded, taking the datapad back. "It seems the damage wasn't as bad as it first appeared. Their shields are back to full operational capacity. They've still got some problems with a few of their starboard guns, but on the whole they're ready for a fight again."

He leaned back in his command chair, his hands resting comfortably on his lap. "Good. Then we just need to wait for the right moment to make our move. We've been out of contact with Coruscant for a while now, but my last conversation with Intelligence made it clear that they were sending us help, though they were short on the details."

"Hopefully whatever they send can help us address Ukio's planetary shields," Midanyl said. "We can destroy the Imperial fleet, but if we have to bombard the planet to breach them we'll do a lot of damage on the ground."

"Have faith, Sena," Bel Iblis said calmly. "The solution will present itself, we just need to keep moving forward. In the meantime, we're going to need to detach some ships to go freighter hunting. It's been a while since we caught anything here."

"Not an easy ask," she cautioned. "We only have one Interdictor, so we'll need to catch them between hyperspace jumps."

"True," Bel Iblis agreed. "But that also limits the number of places we'll be able to patrol, so we won't need that many ships." He gestured at the combat board, the circular display listing all the ships they had in the formation. "We can dispatch Ession Strike and see if she can pin down any new routes the Imperials are using to get supplies to Ukio. I'll send a message back to Coruscant asking for another Interdictor to cut off alternate routes; if we actually get one then we'll be able to expand the blockade, and if we don't maybe the communication will be intercepted and the Empire will curtail its operations anyway."

"I wouldn't expect we would get another Interdictor," Midanyl said with a frown. "The New Republic doesn't have that many."

"True," Bel Iblis muttered. "But there's no harm in asking. The more we do, the more incentivized fleet command will be to prioritize building more of them."

Midanyl sniffed dismissively. "You hope."

The operations board blinked, and an alarm sounded on the other side of the bridge. "Contact!" called the Mon Calamari manning the scanning station. "We've got a new vessel in our interdiction field, it looks like an Action IV medium freighter."

"Scramble the duty squadrons and have the CAP intercept them," Bel Iblis ordered, "and send the standard notification. Contact Major Page and inform him to cancel his afternoon combat drill and prepare a boarding party just in case we require one."

Midanyl was leaning in for a closer look at the board. "We should get their IFF any moment now," she murmured, then frowned. "That's odd. They're not running one." She turned towards Karrde and gave him a mildly annoyed look. "I suppose they could be Imperials trying to slip past us."

"If they are it's not a very clever ploy," Bel Iblis replied. "I doubt the Empire would be so stupid to think that would work. But if they're not Imperials, who are they?"

Midanyl pointed at the blinking comm button on his armrest. "Why don't we find out?"

Bel Iblis pressed the button, activating his comm. "This is General Garm Bel Iblis of the New Republic, commanding the Star Cruiser Orthavan. State your identity and purpose for being here."

"Ah, General," Talon Karrde's smooth voice emerged from the bridge speakers. "It's good to hear your voice. This is Talon Karrde, representing the Smugglers' Alliance."

On the other side of the bridge, Captain Irraerl's expression darkened and she turned away, looking annoyed. Bel Iblis made a mental note to talk with her later; many Mon Calamari were not at all happy at the new arrangement between the New Republic and Karrde's smuggling coalition, but it was done and they'd just have to get over it. "Karrde. What brings you out to this part of space? I don't suppose you're here to partake in the flourishing Hishyim trade in Sonoa diamonds."

"Perhaps while I'm here," Karrde said without missing a beat, "I will take a look and see what's worth shipping to the core. But no, that is not why I'm here. With your permission, General, I'd like to dock the Wild Karrde with Orthavan. Why, we should discuss in person."

Bel Iblis looked over at Irraerl. His Mon Calamari flag captain did not look thrilled about it, but she wouldn't object to it either. "See to it, Captain," he ordered. "Karrde, I take it you're attempting to keep a low profile?"

"That's right," Karrde confirmed. "At the request of General Cracken, if you believe it."

Bel Iblis and Midanyl shared a look. "You're the reinforcements I was told to expect?" he said skeptically.

"Again, General, I would prefer to discuss that in person."

"Very well," Bel Iblis agreed. "I'll await your arrival." He gestured at his officers. "Captain Irraerl, prepare us the briefing room nearest to the hangar, and clear all nonessential personnel. Captain Karrde intends to keep a low profile, and I will respect that desire." Then he turned to Midanyl. "Time to see what the new Smugglers' Alliance has to offer the New Republic."

Luke was waiting in the corridor outside Orthavan's hangar in his old New Republic flightsuit (minus any rank insignia), the humid air and smells of dozens of different sentients pulling him years into the past, to combat drills and urgent launches. Two fresh-faced commandos with Page's unit insignia were pretending not to sneak glances in his direction while they guarded the briefing room a few meters away. Behind him in the hangar were the sounds of cargo being unloaded. Next to him Artoo whistled, his head spinning, looking for a data port.

"Luke!"

He turned towards the familiar voice, grinning, and Wedge caught him in a hug. Laughing, Luke returned it. "It hasn't been that long since I saw you, Wedge. We had that shindig on Coruscant after you got back from Ciutric."

"Yeah, well, it's still good to see you. And hey, Artoo."

Luke's astromech whistled a cheerful hello, then rolled down the hall towards the two commandos. The droid beeped at them, then attempted to roll forward into the room.

"It's okay," Wedge called. "You can let him in on my authorization. Artoo isn't a security risk; he's probably seen more combat than both of you put together."

The commandos stepped back and Artoo blatted at them before vanishing into the conference room. "He's probably looking for some way to talk to the ship," Luke laughed. "Apparently the Wild Karrde isn't much of a conversationalist. I'd imagine that is Karrde's doing, probably made his ship's personality suit his preference for tight control over information."

"Probably," Wedge laughed, slinging his arm around Luke's shoulders. "It took you longer to get here than I expected. I figured you would have shown up a week ago. You missed our last engagement."

"If I'd just gotten in my X-wing instead of riding with Karrde, I would have been here sooner," Luke conceded. "But I don't think you'll be unhappy when you learn what we've brought."

"Is that so?" Wedge lifted an eyebrow curiously, then shrugged. "All right. I look forward to getting a look at it, then."

"Actually it's what you're not going to see you'll find most interesting, I think."

Wedge frowned at him sideways. "Is this a Jedi riddle?"

Luke laughed. "Maybe." He knocked his shoulder against Wedge's. "How's Iella?"

"I haven't heard from her since before Hishyim," Wedge said with a deepening frown. "She said she was doing some intelligence work. It's hard to make contact right now, what with the HoloNet being compromised and all."

"I know, I heard," Luke said. "Iella can take care of herself. And you've heard Cracken's assigning her a new job, once her current one is finished?"

Wedge turned towards him in surprise. "No, I haven't heard that. A new job?"

Luke started to answer, but was interrupted by footsteps down the corridor. He and Wedge broke apart as General Bel Iblis and Sena Midanyl walked towards them. The two commandos guarding the conference room both straightened to full attention. As did Wedge. Luke maintained a studied parade rest with a smile "General Antilles, General Skywalker," Bel Iblis greeted them.

"Just Citizen Skywalker now, General," Luke replied mildly.

"What brings you here, Citizen Skywalker?" asked Midanyl curiously. She held a datapad comfortably in her hand, flanking the taller Bel Iblis like a fully-loaded gunship ready to lend support.

"I asked him to come," said Wedge. "Before the communications blackout. My Rogues have been flying without a full complement of pilots, and I thought we could use one more."

Bel Iblis' eyebrows both rose. "Are you reactivating your commission, Jedi Skywalker?"

"Ah, no," Luke said, looking vaguely embarrassed. "I'm here as a volunteer combatant on detached service, as a favor to a friend."

"I suppose we can overlook the lack of protocol," Bel Iblis said, his mouth forming into an amused smile under his mustache. "Especially because the bucketheads won't know I have you on strength. Now, what is this that Talon Karrde claims to have brought on behalf of New Republic Intelligence?"

Luke grinned. "I think I'll let him tell you that, General. It is his gift, after all." He nudged Wedge. "Trust me, it'll be worth it."

"Indeed it will," said a new voice from the door to the hangar. Talon Karrde stood there, looking very pleased with himself. "General Bel Iblis, an honor. And Miss Midanyl, I don't believe we've met. My congratulations on the birth of your new grandchild."

Midanyl's expression twitched with surprise, then narrowed. "Showing off the extent of your intelligence network, Karrde?"

Karrde smiled. "I do make a point of knowing the people I work with. Please, come with me." He turned and walked back into the hangar.

Wedge leaned towards Luke. "What's all this about?"

"You'll see."

The quartet followed behind Karrde. The Wild Karrde's aft cargo bay doors were open, and a large crate had been ushered out of the ship. Luke's X-wing was being brought out next, Dankin and Chin working to bring the fighter out so that one of the hangar's cranes could attach to it.

"General Cracken informed me that he would be sending us reinforcements, but he was vague on the details," Bel Iblis was saying, increasing his pace to catch up with Karrde. "Jedi Skywalker is a nice addition to our forces, but I don't suppose you have another Star Cruiser in there."

"I'm afraid not," Karrde said. He waved for Chin, who jogged over and the two men opened the metallic shipping container.

The assembled audience circled the box to look inside. It was a large piece of equipment, but from their expressions neither Wedge nor Bel Iblis immediately recognized it.

Sena Midanyl, by contrast, clearly did. She stopped dead, staring at it, then stared at Karrde. "Does it work?"

"Oh yes," Karrde confirmed. "We tested it on the way. It is an early prototype constructed shortly after the Empire secured the schematics from Wayland, and it doesn't have an effective radius sufficient to cover an entire capital ship, I'm afraid. But there are other uses that may actually prove more effective in this case."

Bel Iblis shook his head, then turned toward Midanyl. "Would one of you care to let me in on the secret?"

"Allow me," Karrde said. He reached to the control panel on the side of the box and pressed a few buttons.

The device shimmered for a moment, and then vanished.

Bel Iblis and Wedge stared at the sudden absence. Luke grinned and nudged Wedge's arm again. "I told you."

Wedge stared at the empty box, then turned and glared at him. "You can't just come fly with us for a while, you always have to be dramatic."

"One working prototype cloaking device," Karrde said with satisfaction. "Courtesy of the Smugglers' Alliance, with Jedi Skywalker's aid of course. Consider it our gift to the New Republic." He smiled. "We can extend the radius of the cloaking effect out to as large as forty meters. General Cracken believes that the newest Imperial cloaks can do significantly better, and may even be able to cover an entire Star Destroyer. But for Ukio, this should be good enough."

Luke could see the wheels turning behind Bel Iblis and Wedge's eyes. The two Generals turned towards one another. "Sluis Van," Bel Iblis said.

Wedge nodded in excited agreement. "We'll need a freighter. Something that can pass through Imperial security."

Chin handed Karrde a datapad, and Karrde handed it to Bel Iblis. "This is from General Cracken," he said. "It's an up-to-date identification code for a Star Galleonthat will be recognized by Ukio's computers. And, I should add, that if you don't have one of those available, I've made a call. Surreptitiously, of course. Aves should be here with the Last Resort in a few days, depending on how long it takes my courier to track him down. I didn't want to risk the HoloNet."

Wedge nodded again. "It'll work." He grinned at Bel Iblis, then turned to Karrde. "As long as they don't know we have the cloak?"

Karrde gestured to Luke. "Skywalker and I staged the theft a few days ago, from a semi-covert Imperial research facility in the Rendili system. This prototype cloaking device was constructed early in their development cycle, but ended up being pushed into storage when Thrawn requested some small design changes. It's been sitting in storage ever since."

"They could realize it's missing," Luke added. "Someone could come across its absence at any time. But they shouldn't be able to easily trace it back to us, and there's a better chance that they don't realize it's missing for a while yet."

"Even still, we shouldn't wait," Bel Iblis mused. "We can begin working up a battle plan immediately, and implement it as soon as we have an operational Galleon." He nodded at Wedge. "Take the rest of today to rest and catch up, then tomorrow I want you and Captain Tabanne scouring the hyperspace bypasses to Ukio. You may not find anything, but if you do we might be able to shave a day or two off our timetable. I'm also going to prepare some recon flights on Ukio and make sure our intelligence is absolutely up to date." He turned to Karrde. "It seems we owe you a debt."

"Hardly," Karrde said. "I'm merely being neighborly."

Bel Iblis snorted. "Whatever you say."

"I also don't intend to stick around for very long," added Karrde. "I'd rather not let anyone find out I was here; that might make it easier for the Imperials to realize where their cloaking device ended up. I'll be taking the Wild Karrde on a quick run to Rishi, then heading back to Coruscant to resume work on the Smugglers' Alliance." He nodded at Luke. "I'll miss having a Force-user on my ship, I think."

Luke smiled. "I'd say you're good enough to work well without, Talon."

"Oh, I disagree. But I suppose that may simply be because I've long had the luxury of having one on loan." He smiled. "Please, do take Ukio back, if you would. I'm looking forward to being able to give Gillespee the deed to his land back the next time I see him."

"We will," said Bel Iblis grimly. "You can count on it."

Wedge was positively giddy. The Rogues had assembled—with some annoyed grumbling—in Orthavan's primary briefing room, a large circular area which was quite akin to the same space aboard Admiral Ackbar's Home One. They sat, talking to one another; Tycho had an expression which suggested he had an inkling of what Wedge was up to, but the others seemed entirely baffled and uncertain.

"Aten-SHUN!" Wedge barked as he entered the room, and laughed inwardly as they all scrambled to their feet in surprise and snapped to order. He glowered at them. "As you were," he said after a moment and they all sat, looking at each other in confusion. "As you know," Wedge continued, "Rogue Squadron has been understrength for some time now. We have been lucky enough to persuade Her Beneficent Majesty to rejoin us," he nodded at Plourr, who looked thoroughly unimpressed, "but poor Major Klivian remains without a wingman." He gestured flamboyantly at the door behind him. "So, with that in mind…"

Luke swept into the room, looking both embarrassed and amused. The dead silence betrayed a sudden, bated excitement as the Rogues who had served under Luke when he'd been Rogue Leader—Hobbie, Wes, Tycho, and Nrin—gasped in surprise (especially Hobbie, whose sudden, uncharacteristic excitement bordered on giddy). The younger Rogues took a second longer, but they'd all met Luke at one Rogue Squadron function or another.

"Greetings to old friends and new faces," Luke said cheerfully. "I'm very proud to be flying with the Rogues again. Wedge reached out and suggested that there were certain things that I might be able to help deal with." The excitement stilled a bit; they had all heard the story of the Force-adept who had confronted Corran, Nrin, and Myn at Cracken's prison. "For the purposes of rank and communication, I'll be flying as Rogue Three, paired with Major Klivian, with the effective rank of Lieutenant. Outside the cockpit, I'll be ignoring all orders from Major Janson unless otherwise directed by General Antilles or Colonel Celchu."

"We thought about making him Rogue Leader and giving me back Rogue Three," Wedge put in. "That's the designation I used at Hoth. But for some reason Skywalker seems averse to taking back his old rank."

Hobbie's jaw had gone slack. The long-time Rogue glanced around at his squadron mates and stood slowly. He mock-counted each of his prosthetic limbs slowly, then ambled down the round stadium seating to put his hand on Luke's shoulder. "Listen here, young Skywalker. I'll only tell you this once. I want to end my tenure as your wingmate with exactly as many limbs as I have now. If I'm short one, I'm taking your hand as an incentive to do better." He nodded seriously. "But stick with me, I'll show you the ropes."

Wedge snickered. Luke, struggling not to laugh, merely inclined his head with hard-won grace. "I bow before your decades of superior skill and experience, Master Klivian. Teach me your mysterious ways."

For once, Wes Janson was struck silent as Hobbie grinned and danced over to Wes's seat with an off-key, repeated taunt of "Luke likes me bet-ter, Luke likes me bet-ter." Wes sputtered like an exhausted shield buffer, and his expression was one Wedge was quite sure he'd never forget.

The forward lounge on Ession Strike was more comfortable than Luke expected. Through the window were the spiraling lights characteristic of hyperspace, casting the room in dim hues. He found a seat and relaxed into it, propping his feet up.

"Been a while since we were on assignment together," Wedge chuckled, taking the chair next to him and sliding a tumbler and a bottle across. Luke poured some Whyren's and handed the bottle back; Wedge filled his own and popped the cork back in, then set the bottle down between them. "Years. Regretting stepping off the flightline?"

Luke watched the lights spiral. "Yeah," he replied, sipping his drink and feeling the burn, "Some days. Then some nights I see everyone I ever flew with who didn't make it back, all those narrow escapes, and I don't miss it so much." He leaned back in his chair. "Any updates on that Force-adept Corran ran into?"

"No," Wedge said. "Invidious is still at Linuri, or it was just a couple days ago when we ran our last recon flight."

Luke nodded. His meditations persisted in showing him the teacher and the student, but there had been one night he'd seen Mara instead. Confident, composed, a bright light in a dark room. It was a fleeting glimpse only; he'd forced himself to avoid clinging to the image.

He was in trouble.

"Well," he said. "You're going to go after Tavira sooner or later, I assume?"

Wedge nodded. "As soon as Ukio is secured, she'll become our top priority. A Star Destroyer is a hard thing to hide and Tavira is dangerous, especially now." He took a sip of his Whyren's, turning slightly to face Luke, still reclined in the chair. "What'd you mean about Iella earlier?"

"Talon Karrde has requested her services. He wants her to serve as the New Republic's liaison to the Smugglers' Alliance." Luke cradled his glass, watching through the window, shadows moving in the room. "She's going to be partnered with Mara."

Luke could feel Wedge's eyes on him. "Iella would be good at that," he said finally. "And I bet it's safer than some of the jobs she's been doing. I don't want to think about how she got all the intel on Hishyim and Ukio for us." He took a longer sip, then fetched the bottle to refill his glass. "When this operation is over I'm going to take some leave, see if Iella can too," he said.

"When was the last time you took leave?" Luke asked.

"Never," Wedge muttered. "Well, that's not quite true. But not often."

How many years had it been since Yavin? Ten? And Wedge had been deployed almost continuously for all that time? Luke could remember how exhausted he was when he finally turned in his commission and started exploring the heritage of the Jedi full time, and he'd only been a General for six months.

Now that he thought about it, Wedge had been only a General for about six months. "What are you planning to do?"

Wedge shrugged. "I was thinking of going home. Back to Corellia, I mean. With the lackadaisical way CorSec is being run, Iella and I could slip past the Diktat's security and spend some time in Coronet, or… I don't know." He sighed. "I've been back to Corellia only a few times, and always on mission. I want to—" he groped for words, sounding weary "—just, go home for a while." He shifted. "But it's not like the New Republic is going to be displacing the Empire from Corellia any time soon. Their hold there is as tight as it is anywhere in the galaxy."

"You should take some time," Luke said. He chuckled softly. "Even I miss Tatooine sometimes."

"The way Gavin talks about it you'd think it's a paradise, all the womp rats you can shoot." Wedge laughed. He took a sip of his drink, watching Luke. When he spoke again, his voice was speculative and just a bit teasing. "So, how is Mara?"

Luke flushed. "Am I that obvious?"

"Do you want an honest answer?" Wedge chuckled softly. "We were kids when we met, Luke. Kids with dead families and cut-off childhoods who were asked to do the impossible. And worst of all we succeeded and lived to tell about it. You even got a medal. And then we were asked to fight the Empire with a fleet made of spite, spit and spacetape and stuffed into quarters the size of a closet together for months at a time. I probably know you better than anyone else alive except your secretly hidden twin sister, who I might add you also had a—"

Luke cut him off with a mock glare. "Yeah." He smiled despite himself. "At this point I'd say you're basically family. Just," Luke sighed, "family who keeps getting posted away."

The mask of command had completely left Wedge's face. "I tell you I've been taking correspondence courses for architecture?"

Luke shook his head.

"Tycho knows, I asked him for some holos of Alderaanian buildings for a class assignment, but it's something that I can put a little of myself into that doesn't involve planning to kill people, killing people, and writing letters to the bereaved. Maybe something I can do for the long term. With Iella. You know, build things instead of just blowing them up." He paused, stared at through the viewport at the starscape beyond, and caught himself before donning a more cocksure expression and awaiting ribbing for something that clearly meant the world to him.

"That's good, Wedge. I'm actually a bit jealous you have that destination to aim for," Luke said, remembered half-done flimsi sketches on the walls of their quarters, "I'm still figuring out what the whole 'Jedi' thing means, let alone how my personal life is going to pan out."

Wedge smirked. "So? How is Mara?"

Luke flushed again, and Wedge snorted. "Oh, stop that," Luke laughed, smacking Wedge's shoulder, which caused Wedge to spill a bit of his drink and laugh some more. "She's fine."

"Luke, you brought her to the celebration after Thrawn's death," Wedge said, snickering. "If you were planning on being discreet you should have come alone and commiserated with the other Rogue bachelors. Instead you spent practically the entire evening secured to her arm." He smirked. "You're just lucky that Janson was on his best behavior."

"Not lucky," Luke muttered. "Mara took a few minutes to explain her favorite interrogation techniques with her heel on his instep."

Wedge sputtered with laughter.

"She's very… Mara," said Luke after Wedge's laughter had finally died down. He fought to find other words, but using words like luminous and inspiring would just elicit more teasing.

Wedge took a deep breath and nodded, as if that was all he needed to hear. "She'll look after Iella, right?" His tone suddenly carried in it a hint of worry.

Luke reached over and squeezed Wedge's shoulder. "I have absolutely no doubts whatsoever that Mara and Iella can look after themselves," he said with certainty. "They're probably the two most competent people in the whole galaxy." He paused. "Well, along with Leia," he added.

"It's a good thing that we're the two best pilots in the galaxy or we might really feel inadequate here," said Wedge after a moment, but his tone didn't quite match the bravado of the words.

Luke smiled, remembering years now past, with him and Wedge and the rest of the first Rogues crammed into the barracks on Hoth, boasting confidently to hide their fears. "Yeah," he said. "It is."

Author's Notes:

So, I usually hate doing this, and at some point in the future I'll remove this note from the story. But there have been a fair number of reviews I want to respond to, and this seems like the place to do it.

First, a story update. I've finished writing Interregnum. I was 2/3rds through the story when I started posting (actually, as I recall I had just finished writing Chapter 22 when I posted Chapter 1). We're in final edits and minor rewrites now: finding inconsistencies, correcting spelling errors, etc. I've found a bunch in chapters already posted that I'll probably correct at some point (there will come a time I'll make an ebook version of Interregnum available somewhere on the internet, which will be the definitive version). At the one chapter per week pace, the story will be done in May, wrapping up at just under 200,000 words.

Second, thank you all for reading! Please do leave a review if you're enjoying the story so far, if only because reviews/favorites/follows help others find the story, too.

Third: specific reviewers!

• DonR: Thank you for being the first review! Hope you're still reading and it's continuing to live up to your hopes!

• doncaster: I hope that I've satisfied your concerns. The first three chapters of this are very much all character introductions and after that we break into extended, multi-chapter arcs which I think should be easier to follow.

• HG4EVER69: Thanks! And I can't say anything about what is to come without spoilers, so you'll just have to wait and see!

• Tarado: Thanks!

• caryalaciniosa: That is the nicest thing anyone's ever said about my writing. Thank you so much, and I hope you've caught up!

• jediryu: Writing the Rogues is so very hard. I don't have Aaron Allston's wit, I'm afraid. But I do think I get better at it over time.

• Guest(s): Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!