Chapter 12
Han, Chewbacca, Winter and Yoda stepped into the Imperial prison. The ancient Jedi Master cocked his head, sensing a tremor in the Force. It was not one of the dark side, but it was definitely a disturbance. He carefully probed and discovered a shocking revelation.
Winter was the first to notice Yoda's shock. "Master Yoda, what is it?" she asked him.
"Into the mines, I must go," he replied.
"Are you serious?" Han asked, annoyed at anything that could hold them up. "We're just supposed to get that computer and get out."
Chewbacca said, Han, let him go. Yoda means well.
"What's he going to do?" Han asked the Wookiee. "Free every slave here?"
"A disturbance in the Force, I have felt," Yoda revealed before walking away from the trio. He was in no mood to discuss what he sensed. There were two Force sensitive individuals in the mines and he believed one of them to be a Jedi.
Yoda walked past the Imperial officials, drawing many of their stares. The surrender order was all that kept them from turning on the Jedi. When he reached the entrance to the mines, Yoda used Force Persuasion on the guards.
"Into the mines, I must go," he suggested.
"Into the mines, you must go," the guards droned before opening the heavy door for the Jedi Master.
The mines were pitch black. No lights were allowed since the valuable spice veins would be damaged. Spun by voracious energy spiders, the spice had important medical uses, but the narcotics trade seemed to benefit from its effects a lot more.
Yoda descended further into the mines. He could sense workers toiling away as if the surrender order never came. The Rebellion would see to their freedom, he believed.
The Jedi Master's hand fell to his lightsaber and he drew the weapon. He ignited the short green blade just as an energy spider was about to charge at him. Yoda moved quickly, slicing through one of its pincers before he leapt out of the way.
The spider roared both from the pain and the bright light. Yoda mused that the intense light from his weapon must have blinded the creature. But it did not stop the spider from charging at him again.
Yoda leapt onto the cave wall, using it to allow him to bounce onto the spider's back. The creature bucked to try to get the Jedi Master off him, but it did not work. Yoda quickly stabbed his lightsaber through the spider's head, killing it instantly.
Yoda jumped off the spider's back before it hit the surface. He looked around briefly, noticing an old woman and a young boy. They were backed against the wall and witnessed Yoda's easy dispatch of the Spider.
Instantly recognizing the old woman, Yoda said, "Vima Da Boda, an age it has been since our paths have crossed."
"Master Yoda," the ancient human Jedi said, "So you survived the Jedi Purge too?"
"The last of the Jedi Council, I am," Yoda stated. "Who is this boy?"
"Kyp Durron," answered Vima. "The boy is strong in the Force."
"Ah, taken him as your Padawan, you have?" Yoda observed.
"I introduced him to the Force, Master," Vima told him. "There is little more a fallen Jedi can teach."
"But sense darkness in you, I do not," Yoda told her. "Your exile has led you back to the light."
"You are the one who exiled her?" Kyp asked.
Yoda sighed. "Sat on the Council at the time of her exile, I did," he admitted. "But now is not the time to discuss such things. Come to Kessel, the Rebellion has."
"You mean we're free!" Kyp exclaimed.
"Come with us back to the ship," Yoda told them before he deactivated his lightsaber.
Han grumbled, "I don't know what it is with those Jedi. Why can't they just come out and say what's on their mind?"
Winter did not look at Han to reply. She was busy carrying the secret computer back to the Falcon. "I really don't know, Han," she admitted. "But things have gotten so much better since the Jedi showed up."
Han winced. "If it weren't for the Jedi, Leia wouldn't…" he started to say, but then he decided not to finish his sentence.
Chewbacca growled mournfully.
Winter finally looked to Han. "Do you think I never thought about that?" she asked him. She fumed, "You did not know her as well as I do! Her betrayal runs deeper than you can possibly realize!"
"Yeah, I can now see why you two were such good friends!" Han snapped. "You both seem to have a queen of the universe complex!"
"Is that what you think?" Winter asked. "Maybe if you spent less time smuggling and consorting with gangsters, you might have learned something about the galaxy!"
"I learned a lot more about the galaxy than you, sister!" Han barked. "I actually saw it for all its ugly glory. You might have been in the Rebellion longer than me, but don't you ever pretend to know more than me about the galaxy."
Chewbacca said, Settle down.
"Oh, so I guess the destruction of Alderaan is just a footnote to you, isn't it?" Winter asked.
Han shook his head. "You've got me figured all wrong, Winter," he said. "I look out for my friends. That's what the lesson of the Death Star was for me."
Winter was about to argue more, but Han noticed Yoda approaching with two people. One was an old woman and the other was a young boy.
"Well, that was quick," Han said. "Who are your friends?"
"Vima Da Boda and Kyp Durron," Yoda answered. "Let us return to the fleet. We need to analyze the contents of the computer Winter holds."
"That's the best suggestion I've heard all day," Han said. "Let's go."
Luke sighed as he tinkered with his X-Wing. Something was not right in the Force. He sensed it before flying into battle, but the demands of the moment trumped his suspicions. Now that he was free to think, he did so while working on his ship.
R2-D2 beeped and warbled by him.
"Life's just so much easier when you're fixing things, Artoo," Luke said before he placed the hydrospanner back in the toolbox.
The astromech droid beeped again.
"Well, I left Mara to her exercises," Luke said before he closed the panel. "She seems to progress better through independent study rather than through constant instruction from me."
"General Skywalker," a Stormtrooper said as he approached the Jedi.
Luke looked to the trooper and asked, "What is it?"
The Stormtrooper held out his right hand, producing a holotransmitter. The transmitter activated, producing an image of Mon Mothma.
"General Skywalker, Dantooine is under attack," the Rebel leader said. "We need reinforcements as quickly as possible."
"Did you speak to Grand Admiral Thrawn?" he asked.
"I did and he's agreed to detach Rogue Squadron and most of the Rebel cruisers," Mon said. "He's very busy at the moment."
"Then we'll be there as soon as possible," Luke said. "I need to gather the Rogues."
"Your expedience will be appreciated," Mon said. "Mon Mothma, out."
The transmission closed, leaving Luke deep in thought for a brief second. He then told the Stormtrooper, "Thank you. Make sure the Rogues report to the hangar in fifteen minutes."
"Yes, General," the trooper said before departing.
Luke then turned to R2-D2 and said, "Get the X-Wing ready, Artoo. We'll need to leave in a hurry."
Kyle stared at Darth Apostas. Her lightsaber hung on her belt, but she made no effort to reach for it. "Okay, so I guess this is round two," he said.
"Only if you stand in my way, Jedi," Apostas said. "I have greater concerns than fighting you."
"You came for the Promised Land," Kyle stated. "What is it?"
"It is the last resting place of Revan," Apostas revealed. "I came in search of the secrets he discovered in the Unknown Regions."
"Then I have no choice," Kyle said before he ignited his lightsaber.
"Foolish Jedi," Apostas said before grabbing her lightsaber. "Did I not say I did not wish to fight you?" She activated her scarlet blade and gave Kyle a Makashi salute before she turned her blade to a high guard. "You will regret this."
Kyle struck first, falling into Vaapad once again. But to his surprise, Apostas easily turned his staccato cuts aside with swift strokes of her blade. He took a few steps back, trying to adjust to her style. Yoda taught him the basics of Makashi, but the ancient Jedi Master was far from a master of the form.
Apostas pressed her offensive, using only a single hand to sweep and thrust. Kyle was able to excel on the defensive and he was able to parry most of the blows. Attacks came for his chest, throat and legs.
After backing into the control room, Kyle had greater freedom of movement, allowing him to employ Vaapad to its full lethality. Blue plasma cut rapidly through the air between the combatants. Apostas gripped her hilt with both hands as she struggled to parry Kyle's blows.
But Kyle was still exhausted from his confrontation with Darth Mortis. He knew he had to find a way to end the duel quickly. The future of the galaxy rested on his shoulders. Luke would despise him for not attempting to redeem his sister, but killing Leia was necessary.
Kyle's blade locked with the Sith's. The force of the collision was enough to make Kyle clench his teeth. Apostas pressed hard against Kyle's sword, trying to overcome his strength.
"Yes, I sense much resentment in you," Apostas said. "You walk the razor's edge of the dark side with this technique. You wish to gain vengeance for your father's murder. I can sense the wound in you, Jedi."
"You'll never make me turn!" Kyle exclaimed as he struggled against the Sith Lord's strength.
Apostas gained enough leverage to turn their blades to Kyle's right. "Let me show you how the dark side is truly wielded, Jedi," she said before knocking Kyle away with a Force push.
The Sith Lord held out her left hand and blasted Kyle with Force lightning. Kyle managed to recover quick enough to intercept the bolts with his blade. But the lightning just forced the lightsaber from his hands.
"If only you understood I was leaving to protect my Master, you would not be paying the price for your lack of vision," Apostas said before turning all her power on Kyle.
The lightning hit the defenseless Jedi like a charging bantha, flooding Kyle with intense pain before throwing him against the wall. He groaned before he hit the floor.
"I have little time for this, Jedi," Apostas said. "If you still wish to continue this game, I am going to Dantooine. If you choose to follow me, I will show you no mercy."
Kyle did not see Apostas leaving him alone in the temple. He barely had time to digest her words before he passed out.
