"Lieutenant Dax, I don't know where to begin. Shall I start with the failed mission to gather intel on Saw Gerrera and his military operations? Or should I jump right to the part where you and your crew supplied a well known extremist with weapons of mass destruction?!"
The Stargazer crew gathered around a table in the passenger quarters of the Revenant listening to the message Rya had received from Mon Mothma on Tatooine.
"She sounds pissed," Denz said, looking at the solemn crew.
"With that being said, the Ghost crew benefited from your rash decision and it seems that you four have a talent for heisting."
"I don't like where she's going with this," Jules said, rolling her eyes. She was growing tired of the commanders in the rebellion, especially Mon in particular.
"There is an agent in the F'tzner System that could use your assistance."
"I guess we're the help," Lee assumed. He looked at Rya's face, she was clearly stressed.
"Due to security, all I can give you at this time is their code name: Fulcrum. When you arrive make contact. Fulcrum will fill you in on the details. It is critical you work together and not fail. May the Force be with you."
The transmission cut as Jules rose from the table angry and stood in the corner.
"Seems our stunt on Jalindi has thrown us into the front lines," Rya said grimly worried for her crew. She knew that times were growing more dangerous but she didn't anticipate them to change so quickly.
"I've never heard of Fulcrum before," Lee remarked. "Who is it, Rya?"
"It's not one person, it's a title used by high ranking spies in the rebel network. They've been gathering and distributing intelligence for years. Most of the new recruits are funneled to our cells from them." She explained. "Jules? Is everything alright?"
"No." Jules said with her back turned to the group."This new assignment is suicide. How does Mon expect us to deal with someone we don't even know? What if they're an Imperial Spy?"
"I don't think that's likely. Fulcrum is an umbrella title used to protect all agents and others involved–"
"Involved in what?!" Jules yelled. "This Imperial game Bail and Mon think they can win by lurking in the shadows and whispering into politicians' ears while lining their pockets with credits?! Well the rest of us are suffocating and dying at the hands of the Empire! My people are slaves and thought to be less than all over the galaxy. Do you know what happened to me in the cantina?! What am I fighting for if I can't even protect myself let alone another one of my kind?!"
"Jules," Denz surprisingly got up and placed his hand on her shoulder. Jules pulled away. "We can't lose hope now. We're finally getting the Empire's attention. Things will get worse before they get better. That's just the nature of war."
"I know what war is Denz. Ryloth was occupied long before Lothal. I'm tired of losing. I'd rather strike my enemy down with my own hands than walk into the abyss blind because an imperial senator thinks it's a good idea. They have no clue what they're asking us to do day in and out? At least Saw marches into the mayhem with his crew," Jules said strongly.
"Hate to interrupt, sweetheart," It was Kina leaning forward into the passenger quarters. "But if you wanna strike down your enemies then I got good news. They're headed this way."
R3 beeped anxiously as Kina headed toward the cockpit.
"Wiseguy, take the lower guns. Sweetheart, take the top," Kina commanded. "Sister, stick with R3 he'll need some help in the control room. Kid, you're with me."
"We've got names you know," Denz said, climbing down to the lower guns.
"And I won't have the time to learn them if we're dead," Kina yelled back and entered the cockpit with Lee behind her.
"Switch on those deflector shields, would ya?" Kina said, taking a seat in the pilot chair. Lee flipped the switch and looked over the control panel. It was an older model but manageable.
"Here they come," Rya announced as R3 beeped in the background over the radio. Kina quickly rolled the ship as three tie fighters followed.
"Woo!" Kina yelled as though she was enjoying being chased by the Empire. Lee had to hand it to her, she had some fancy moves. She made a 180 degree turn flying straight toward the incoming fighters. "INCOMING!"
PEW! PEW!
"Nice shot Sweetheart!" Kina complimented Jules who shot one Tie Fighter down. She turned her guns and adjusted her headset. "Still got two out there."
"Your thrusters are fried," Rya informed Kina and R3 began to pull the wiring apart to begin the repairs.
"Damn, I knew I should have waited to hang that Uey," Kina shook her head and pushed a few buttons to reroute power from the thrusters to other parts of the ship.
"I think you're enjoying this a little too much," Lee said to her in awe.
"Gotta enjoy the little things, Kid," Kina winked at him. "You never know when it's gonna be your last."
"Just missed!" Denz said as he shot after the remaining fighters.
"I got him," Jules said as she locked her targeting computer on the ship Denz had missed and blasted it into oblivion.
BLAST!
The remaining Tie Fighter turned and retreated away from the Revenant. Kina laughed and lowered the deflector shields while removing her gloves. She was done fighting for the day.
"Shouldn't we go after him?" Lee asked.
"What for? With the cost of fuel these days it's not worth it. Besides, he's got his tail between his legs and by the time he reports back to his convoy, we'll be long gone," Kina smirked. " You're a pretty good co-pilot. And that twi'lek sure knows how to shoot. R3 has been trying to get me to build a crew. You interested?"
"Can't you see we're already a crew," Lee sarcastically said as he adjusted the controls of the Revenant to autopilot."How about you? The rebellion could use a pilot like you."
"Thanks kid, but not my thing," Kina leaned back in her chair. I'll pick up the occasional job here and there delivering supplies to 'the cause', but I'm a lady of freelance. I'd rather leave the politics to the politicians."
"Don't you realize what the Empire is doing? What half the galaxy is enduring?" Lee questioned.
"I got a pretty good idea. But infiltrating imperial territory and planning strike attacks isn't my idea of revolution, more like suicide."
"How can you say that?" Lee was shocked by Kina's causal attitude toward the civil war. "If you do nothing you're compliant with the Empire."
"Ok Kid. Let me ask you this, say you do overthrow the Empire. What then?" She asked, putting her hands behind her head waiting for a response.
"There will be peace in the galaxy," Lee said, unsure of his answer. Truth was he wasn't sure what would happen. Would they set up a new government? Would it be like the Old Republic? What of the occupied planets? What about Lothal? There were so many questions he didn't have the answer. Perhaps Kina had a point. He should know more about the endgame and what he was fighting for.
"Well I hope I last long enough to see this peace you speak of," Kina rose and headed out of the cockpit, "by the way, the last person to promise peace throughout the galaxy was Emperor Palpatine himself. So if you're having second thoughts, I'm filling crew positions."
"How are we supposed to find 'fulcrum'?" Denz asked as they descended the ramp of the Revenant. Rya pulled out a small hand held scanner.
"We're looking for this," Rya showed the crew a white symbol that consisted of two small diamond shapes with two long marks in between them. "It's unseen to the plain eye but the scanner will pick it up. Let's go."
"Jules?" Lee asked as he saw Jules lingering at the top of the ramp. "Are you coming?"
"Sorry Rya," Jules said. "I'm out."
The three exchanged looks. No one could believe Jules was staying behind, least of all Lee.
"Is this about what happened on Tatooine?" Rya asked.
"No," Jules said. "Yes. I'm not sure. I just know I'm done."
Lee walked up to her and placed his hand on her arm.
"Don't try and convince me otherwise Tersu," Jules said near tears. "I can't. If I go with you, I know it'll be the last of me."
"You'll be missed Roy," Lee said and hugged her tight.
He was deeply saddened. Jules Roy had been his first friend in the alliance and losing her was like losing part of his he knew she had been struggling with the alliance's decisions for some time now. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to be safe. And after what had happened on Tatooine he realized she might need time to figure out how to do that away from 'the cause'. Jules tightened her embraced around Lee feeling she had disappointed him but she knew it would be best for her to stay behind.
"If you ever change your mind, you know how to find us."
"Good Luck loth-rat. May the force be with you," Jules said boarded the Revenant.
"And then there were three," Denz announced.
"After you Lieutenant," Lee said to Rya who took a deep breath and led the two on the hunt for Fulcrum.
Three hours later, the crew finally found a trail of markers. It led to a dead-end in a dark alley.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Denz said, looking around for any other clues. "You'd think the Empire would be swarming dark alleys for rebel spies."
"Maybe the trail is a decoy," Rya said, placing the scanner away in her utility belt. She looked around the alley puzzled as to what they had found. Suddenly two eyes of a KX series security droid lit up and stood at full height.
"RYA!" Lee screamed and fired at the droid as Denz followed suit. The droid turned to the right and picked up a large crate. He tossed it at the two rebels knocking them to the floor. He then grabbed Rya and picked her up.
"Hold your fire!" Rya commanded and struggled to free herself. The droid's grip was tight. It was no use.
"I am K-2SO. " The droid asked. "Who are you?"
Rya froze with terror. Had they finally been caught?
"I asked you who you are. I am K-2SO, a reprogrammed Imperial droid."
"Reprogrammed?" Rya was confused and watched Lee and Denz stand raising their blasters.
"Put her down K-2," a brown-haired man wearing brown military fatigues wielding a BlasTech A280-CFE blaster stepped out of the shadows. "You must be the calvary."
"I wouldn't say that," Rya tried to gain her composure once K-2 placed her down. "I'm Lieutenant Rya Dax. This is Captain Lee Tersu and Denz Loncak. Mon Mothma sent us."
"This is K-2. I'm Cassian Andor." Andor said.
"Why did she answer you and not me?" K-2 was hurt by Rya's refusal to respond.
"Andor. I've heard a lot of good things about you. You've been at this for some time," Rya acknowledged the rebel spy's reputation.
"Let's drop the pleasantries. Mon told me you could help us raid an Imperial Freighter. It's stationed in the docking bay and scheduled to leave within the hour. We must hurry."
"Wait! That's it?! That's the briefing?" Rya questioned. Cassian turned and approached her closely.
"You're in the thick of it now. No time to debate or act like this is a committee. I didn't ask for your help but I'll take it if it's still offered."
"Lead the way," Rya agreed and followed Andor and K-2 to the docking bay.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Denz whispered to Lee, who was stationed on the other side of the dock from Andor and Rya. He hated to agree with Denz, but he didn't feel good about the plan either. "Who is this Andor? You think Rya would have told us about him. Hey did you know Jules was thinking of bailing? Hate to admit it but I miss her nagging."
" Denz," Lee snapped. "Would you shut up and focus."
"Nevermind, you sound just like her," Denz muttered.
"K-2's moving in," Ander said over his comlink as he watched his droid walk in formation with the other security droids. "Hold your positions."
"Roger that," Lee said as he saw K-2 being motioned away from the freighter they were targeting. "Andor, what gives? Your droid's going the opposite direction."
"Hold." Andor moving closer to the lower level. He whispered to Rya, "Got any ideas?"
"I got this," Rya said and moved quickly down to the docking bay level. She then removed her jacket and put on an imperial cloak and hat she had stowed away in her knapsack. She walked toward K-2. "This droid is coming with me."
"Rya no!" Lee cried out from his position. He then called over the commlink to Andor,"What is she doing?"
"Improvising," Andor said, moving closer to the freighter. "Change of plans. You two head toward the sixth block district and we'll randevou there."
Lee looked at Denz. They both had the same thought, Not a chance.
The two made their way down toward the freighter and watched Rya trying to pass for an Imperial Officer.
"What's your officer number? I'll note it with the droid's operating number for records," the imperial private asked.
"Is that how you address an officer, private?" Rya asked. She had a good understanding of Imperial ranks but she was unsure of how her and K-2 would manage to get aboard the freight undetected with the crew surrounding them. "Might I have your TK number to note for protocol review?"
"Move along," the private grumbled. K-2 grabbed the private by the collar. "I mean yes sir."
The private saluted the two of them and left in a hurry.
"Don't you think you're pressing your luck?" Rya said to K-2.
"I was just playing the part," K-2 said as he turned and noticed the private pointing at the two of them. "I think we should run."
"Stop them!" The private alerted the small patrol unit of stormtroopers to arrest Rya and K-2.
PEW PEW!
Andor fired from the upper level at the patrol headed toward them. Three troopers fell as the remaining six split into two groups.
"You three with me. The rest of you, arrest the imposters!" The lead stormtrooper commanded.
"On the freighter quickly," Rya called to K-2 who was following closely. Andor took out the remaining troopers. The private ran to the radio to call for backup. Andor ran down to hangar level. When he reached the floor to pursue the private he was thrown backwards by the impact of an explosion.
BOOM!
Lee and Denz emerged from the explosion they had set off with the detonates gifted to them by Saw Gerrea. They fired at the remaining imperials and followed Cassian aboard the freighter.
"I told you to leave!" Andor yelled at Lee.
"I wasn't going to leave her!" Lee shouted back and shoved Andor.
"I'm the one giving orders," Andor retstrainted Lee and held him still as he stared into his eyes."What if we needed backup? Or a rescue crew? What about those explosives? We could have used those in a more dire situation."
"The situation looked dire to me," Lee mocked him
"Are you trying to prove something?" Andor shook his head and let go of Lee. "This is it, Tersu. You make one wrong move and you're dead. I give you orders to protect you. We have to live to see tomorrow to continue the fight. Not die heroes today."
"We're arrived Cassian," K-2 alerted him that they had reached their destination.
"Tell Mon thanks, but this isn't going to work out," he said and walked off the freighter.
"Lovely to have met you all," K-2 waved and then stopped and pointed at Rya, "Except you."
"Lee," Rya stood and took his hand. "You shouldn't have leftt." "What?! I was protecting you," Lee defended his actions.
"Yeah come on Ry," Denz agreed. "Cassian would have left you and the droid if it came to it. That's not how we work."
"Look," Rya sighed. "Things have changed. Mon said we needed to work together. We can't fail at this partnership. There's a reason we were sent. I know tensions are high with Jules leaving, but we need to do whatever it takes."
"At what cost?" Lee asked, stepping close to her. He was worried. Had she lost sight of what they were fighting for? Was she so desperate to please Mon and Bail she would risk her own life? Perhaps Jules had seen it before everyone else had. Rya was losing her grip on command.
"Everything," Rya said, looking into his eyes. Lee saw the worry and stress in her eyes. He knew what he needed to do. He sighed and ran after Cassian.
"Andor!" Lee called.
"This ought to be good," Andor said to K-2.
"Look, I'm not sorry for how things went down back there. Truth is the three of us are all we got. We're in this fight as much as you. I'm in this, for the cause, but not at the expense of my friends.I've already lost too many. So please, don't turn your back on us. We want to help."
"You're in this?" Andor repeated. "Are you sure? Because it may cost you all your friends. The Empire has no problem destroying what you hold dear in order to crush the rebellion. You have to be willing to lose everything if you're going head to head with the Empire. You understand that? Would you be willing to let her die to protect the cause? What about your friend? Could you watch him being tortured while holding your tongue to protect countless other fighters? Because that's the war we're in. "
"Yes," Lee answered as he felt his stomach turn. Was it true? Would he be willing to sacrifice Rya and Denz? Andor looked at K-2 who nodded with satisfaction at Lee's response.
"Ever been to Coruscant?" He asked.
"Denz go with K-2," Lee returned. "Andor said he's got a ship we can use."
"You got it," Denz said and left.
"I take it you smoothed things over," Rya said relieved.
"Rya," Lee said calmly and assertively. "Marry me."
"What?" Rya was caught off guard. "We don't even know what our next assignment is and you want to get married?"
"We're headed to Coruscant. I don't know what we're after or if we'll make it out alive. If something should happen to us, or one of us, I don't want to regret not having asked. You've been my lieutenant, my love, my best friend, and most importantly my family. I want to go in facing the Empire knowing that even with everything they have done to us, they still haven't crushed our hope, our love, and our fight. You never know, this could be our only chance."
"Yes," Rya said instinctively. She wrapped her around his neck and kissed him. She was overjoyed by the proposal and felt she had the support and commitment she needed to focus. She could now lead the way she wanted to knowing Lee would be by her side for the foreseeable future. Lee held her close, questioning what he had told Cassian. He realized he had lied. He would do anything to protect Rya. Even betray the cause if it came to it. He just hoped that it would never come to that especially now as they headed into the Abyss: The Imperial Capital.