Chapter 13

With the Chimaera absent from battle and the rest of the fleet with a power gap, the Imperial forces had no choice but to regroup in orbit. However, many officers who knew Thrawn well knew he wouldn't want them to leave their positions. Unfortunately for them, they really didn't have a choice. Thrawn was the only Imperial officer in that fleet that had a chance against the UNSC battle fleet in front of them and he wasn't there anymore.

"They did it..." Buck said. "The Imperial fleet is retreating."

"Not retreating," Chief said. "They're heading to orbit to regroup and think of a strategy."

"Let me guess, Cortana tracked their trajectory?" Kelly asked.

Chief answered that question by continuing to fire at the Imperial troops between them and the factory. The rest of the UNSC teams were able to easily clear out the houses between them and the factory as well, eventually trapping the Empire in their own factory. Many people in the rebel cell on Lothal joined the fight by helping the marines navigate the city; which places are good for snipers, which areas to try to avoid due to criminals, though many ODSTs took the responsibility to clear that out as well, and even which areas are good makeshift strongholds.

"Captain Lasky, the Imperial fleet is retreating to orbit," Chief said.

"We see that Master Chief. All thanks to Commanders Bridger and Wren," Lasky said. "Roland, notify our orbital fleet. We cannot let those Imperials reorganize."

"With pleasure, Captain," Roland said.

...

Silence

Nothing on any known comm channel.

What was that UNSC channel frequency?

Where are we?

Sabine gasped as she woke up to find herself still on the Imperial SD bridge, but something wasn't right. The glass was broken and there was no air anymore in the room. She quickly realized she was wearing her helmet and looked around for Ezra. She found him floating about the bridge, still unconscious by the looks of it.

Or maybe dead...

Sabine quickly floated over to him and found a scout helmet on him. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then found Thrawn. His eyes were a pale red and his mouth was wide open. His wrists were cut as if he was struggling. She snatched a blaster from space and poked Thrawn with it. He was definitely dead.

I almost feel bad for him. Almost.

She returned to Ezra and, using her jetpack, flew him to the med center in the ship. With a bit of difficulty she was finally able to restore power to only the med room. The air support kicked in, as did the artificial gravity. Sabine wasn't prepared for Ezra's dead weight and she almost dropped him, but to her surprise she didn't. She managed to get him onto the medical table and checked on his wounds. He wasn't in good shape, but definitely will live.

"Kriff, Ezra why did you have to do this?" Sabine asked him, though he could hear her.

"Because... Mission comes first, right?" he groaned, surprising Sabine.

"I thought you weren't awake!"

"Just woke up... OW!"

"Sit still... I'm going to patch you up, don't worry," Sabine said.

"Where are we?" Ezra asked.

"I don't know... I was barely lucky enough to get power back into this room."

Ezra nodded.

She finished patching him up and helped him sit up. He could stand but he needed her support.

"I'm going to try to restore power to the bridge... and clean something up," Sabine said.

"Alright... I guess I'll be here."

Sabine left the med center and made her way to the bridge. She had to open the doors only big enough for her to fit and she quickly shut them as soon as she made it to the other side.

"There must be a breach somewhere else on the ship," she noted.

She made it to the bridge and started connecting power generators she found floating about the halls to the consoles. She finally managed to get the air support and gravity working in the bridge, energy shields preventing the air from escaping again. She couldn't help but watch as Thrawn's body crumpled to the ground, only being held up by the restrains.

"Great. Now I have to get rid of him..."

She clipped the restrains and his arms fell down next to him. Sabine picked him up and looked for a place to hide him. She eyed the energy shields and shrugged.

"I hate to do this, but there's nowhere else to put you," Sabine muttered as she dragged Thrawn's corpse towards the front and threw him out the shielded window. His body floated about, but as she watched, she noticed something in the distance. It looked like a... ring of some kind...

And it was growing rapidly.

She quickly got Ezra to the bridge.

"Doesn't look like cleaning to me," Ezra muttered.

"I was getting rid of Thrawn," Sabine said.

"He's dead?"

Sabine nodded. "I can tell it wasn't a peaceful death either. Must have died during the hyperspace jump. The glass is all shattered so something happened."

"I can see that. From the looks on everything I'm surprised everything is intact," Ezra said.

"Me too. By the way I saw something in the distance. We're drifting right to it I think and it looks big," Sabine said.

Ezra looked out the front and saw the growing ring in the distance. "Is that a ring?"

"Yeah something like that."

"If we're going to it then there's only one way to find out," Ezra groaned.

As they talked, the ship lurched and shuddered violently. Something was pulling at them.

"What's happening?" Ezra asked.

"I don't know," Sabine shouted over the noise. She looked out front again and noticed everything was starting to turn orange. "Are we near a planet?"

"I don't think so," Ezra said. "I didn't see anything other than that... ring..."

The ship began to break apart and Sabine paled, "Oh no... the shields!"

"What about them?"

"They're not online! We're going through a fast reentry without shields!"

That clicked for Ezra. "Oh kriff."

"Hang on to something!" Sabine shouted.

...

"Master Chief, the Imperials have barricaded themselves in the factory. What are your orders?" a marine asked.

"We need to destroy the facility. Call in an airstrike, paint the target."

"Yes sir!"

"We need our tanks to move up! Cover our man!" Buck shouted.

"Yes sir!"

"Infinity, this is Sierra-117," Chief said.

"We hear you, Chief. Send it."

"We need a missile ready for that factory. We'll paint the target," Chief said.

"Acknowledged, Chief."

The radio cracked then, "We're in position."

"Send it!"

Moments later, a missile from one of the destroyers destroyed the TIE Defender factory and everything in it.

"Heavy battalions, move up!"

All the tanks and warthogs advanced and some Pelicans deployed a few Mantis for group security. As they all advanced towards the central Dome, the Imperial resistance grew heavier, forcing several tanks to take point again. A rocket incapacitated a warthog, but the soldier who launched it was quickly taken out by a Mantis pilot. Before anybody knew it, they were right on the front steps of the Dome. By now it was getting dark again so it was easy for the Marines to hide in the shadows in alleys. They had the entire complex surrounded.

Through their infrared scopes, the Marines could see Imperials at base gun emplacements and even the energy signatures of several auto defense turrets.

"I guess they don't call this thing a fortress for nothing," Buck said.

"Indeed," Kelly said.

"Infinity, the remaining Imperials have barricaded themselves in the Dome in the center of the city. How should we proceed?" an ODST squad leader called in.

"We don't want to kill everyone, but if they want to fight to the last man then so be it," Lasky replied.

"Yes, sir."

UNSC snipers shot down all the manned positions around the base of the facility while the Scorpion tanks cleared the auto turrets, leaving the Imperials inside without any defenses. It was a clear message to them from the UNSC; surrender or die.

The Imperial garrison commander sounded the surrender and allowed the UNSC forces control of the planet; however, he simultaneously promised the Empire will return and take back the planet.

"I'd like to see them try," a marine said.

"You've never seen the full power of the Empire," the Imp commander said.

"And you have never seen the full power of the UNSC now have you? Not to mention our Covenant allies, who can wipe your planets clean of any form of life."

"We have technology like that."

"Uninhabitable?"

"Worse."

"I don't think your Empire would destroy this planet," Chief said.

"Why do you say that?"

"This planet is important to you isn't it?"

"Not to me, but to the Empire. But there are many more planets we can use. You may have won this battle, but the war will be ours," the commander said.

Buck's face hardened, "We shall see."

Chief looked to some of the ODSTs. "Have you located a prison block?"

"Yes sir."

"Take these men there and keep them secured."

The ODST nodded and they all escorted the surrendered Imperials to the cell blocks.

"I take it we won't destroy this facility?" Buck asked the Chief.

"No. There's a lot we can learn from this. Get those rebel ground units here. We can use their expertise in these matters," Chief said.

"Right away."

...

Ezra was the first to wake up, surprisingly to him. Considering his injuries he should have been the last person to wake up. He struggled to stand up and picked up a stick from the ground to use as a crutch. The area around him was covered with upturned dirt, sticks, pieces of metal and glass, all sorts of things from the shipwreck. He hobbled around the trail, trying to gather a bearing of where he was and was astonished to find a massive arc above his head.

"Woah..." he muttered. "What... is this place?"

He heard something moving behind him and he turned around. Something was climbing out of the debris.

Sabine

He made his way over to the debris and lifted it off of Sabine with the Force. She was barely conscious.

"Sabine!" Ezra pulled her out of the wreckage and she began coughing.

"Great. Now we're both hurt," she said, clutching her left leg.

"I think you'll need this more than I do," Ezra said handing her his makeshift crutch and helping her up. "Broken?"

"No. I think I just sprained something," she said. "The... crash threw me somewhere and I must've hit something."

Both were wondering how they were still alive. They crashed a ship without any power after all. Before they could say anything more, they saw a bunch of lights in the distance heading towards them.

"As much as I would like to ask for help from these people, I think it's best we hide," Sabine said.

"Why?" he asked. He looked over to her and noticed she was using her ocular zoom on her helmet.

"Covenant ships, and I don't think they're friendly," Sabine said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm reading power levels, so I'm guessing they have weapons charged."

Ezra thought a moment. "Let's just watch them and see if they're friendly."

"No contact," Sabine warned.

"Alright, I won't make contact. Let's go," Ezra replied.

The two rebels found a decently large tree nearby and he Force lifted Sabine onto it before climbing up himself.

"You shouldn't work yourself so hard. You're still hurt," Sabine groaned.

"Don't worry about me," Ezra grinned. "I'm fine."

"Ezra..."

"Hm?"

"Did I ever tell you that you've become a bit... reckless?"

"Never said anything, but I'm aware of it. I try not to be," Ezra said.

"You need to be more careful. I... I don't want to lose you," Sabine said.

"Sabine..." Ezra gasped.

Sabine gripped his arm, "Remember all I said back on Yavin when you were thinking of leaving. I meant all of it and I don't take a single thing back."

Ezra was silent. She really cares that much?

Sabine managed to pull herself closer to Ezra into a hug.

"We can get through this," she whispered.

Ezra nodded and returned her hug when the sound of something like a speeder passed their tree.

"What is that?" Ezra asked.

Sabine tapped around on her wrist computer and opened a saved file.

"Here... according to UNSC records, that's called a Ghost," she said.

They heard a lot of angry yelling at the crash site, and some Phantoms flew over their hiding spot, spotlights shining on the crash.

"Well they could be angry we're not there and they're trying to find us?" Ezra asked.

"No wait. These guys look different than the Covenant allied with the USNC," Sabine noticed. She spotted somebody very familiar. The very Covenant officer she never wanted to see again.

The look must have shone on her face, because she took off her helmet when she saw him.

"What's wrong?" Ezra asked.

"It's him. The one that tortured me," she said.

Ezra's attitude changed.

"Where," he said in a menacing tone.

"Ezra don't go down there. It's too dangerous," she pleaded. "It's not worth it."

"You are worth it. I can't let this guy hurt you and get away with it."

"You're going to have to right now. Neither of us are in any condition to fight."

Ezra was silent for a moment before giving in to Sabine's pleas.

"Fine," he grumbled. "But one day I will fight him."

Believe me you don't want to," Sabine said, handing Ezra some macrobinoculars. "The big hairy guy."

Ezra found him. "He looks almost like a wookie and a lasat had a baby."

Any other time, Sabine would have laughed, but this was not a good time.

"We should get moving, but we can't go anywhere with that injury," Ezra said.

"Or any of yours. You can barely stand yourself," Sabine pointed out. She moved her foot slightly and winced, inhaling quickly through her teeth. "You wouldn't happen to know Force healing, would you?"

"No... I don't," he replied simply.

"You're not going to ask how I know about that ability?"

"Nope. I know you well enough. Working with two Jedi would mean learning of their abilities. You do your research," Ezra said.

Sabine grinned, "Alright then."

There was a sound of crunching metal and the two looked over to see a Sangheili stopping on the broken hull of the Star Destroyer.

"Do we have a beacon?" Ezra asked.

"Yes, but those Covenant could pick it up. They likely have picked up all channel frequencies for our comms," Sabine answered while shaking her head.

A light suddenly began shining around their area and Ezra dropped to a prone position. Sabine rolled over to a prone position as well, but silently yelped because of her leg.

The light shone right on their hiding spot and they heard chatter. They heard the hum of a ship's engines and Ezra spotted a Phantom making its way to them.

"Ezra?" Sabine asked, hoping he had a plan.

He closed his eyes and threw a Mind Trick on the pilot, making him head elsewhere. He also threw one towards the Covenant troops below, giving them the same result.

Sabine breathed a sigh of relief, "Good thinking."

"That ought to buy us some time."

Sabine thought for a moment, "You know, there's one frequency that only top commanders of the Rebellion knows. I don't even think the UNSC knows about it."

"If we set the beacon channel to that frequency then we could contact Rebel command and potentially the UNSC!" Ezra said, finishing Sabine's thought.

She smiled, "Exactly!" Carefully, she crawled to the trunk of the tree and sat against it, pulling out a small handheld signal beacon from a pouch on her belt.

"Even though it's small, it's got really good range," she said as she set it up. Moments later, there was a small blinking green light.

"Beacon's active. Now we just wait..." Sabine said.

...

"Admiral!" a comms officer shouted.

The fleet admiral approached the officer. "What is it lieutenant?"

"I'm picking up some sort of distress beacon from Installation 07!"

"Installation 07? Are you sure that's right?" the admiral asked.

"Yes sir. I've triple checked the signal. It's coming from there."

"Nav, set a course for Installation 07, immediately!"

The UNSC Spirit of Fire jumped to slipspace to intercept the distress signal.

"Send a message to Command. We've got something."

"Yes sir!"

...

"We've picked up a distress signal from Installation 07. It was caught on that emergency channel your rebel friends entrusted to us."

Lasky's head snapped to Hera, who looked surprised. "What's installation 07?"

"It's a deadly weapon designed to rid the galaxy of all live in a matter of moments. There's been several installations found, few of them destroyed when the Covenant at the time tried to use it. If Ezra and Sabine are indeed there, then there's a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"Installation 07 is in the Sagittarius arm of our galaxy," Lasky said.

"What? How did they get way over there?" Hera asked.

"I don't know," Lasky said.

Since the arrival of the new UNSC battle fleet, they've discovered a way to get near live comms. Advanced communication relays were constructed within the Milky Way galaxy to send a powerful signal straight to UNSC ships in the other galaxy.

"If I may ask," Hera began, pausing to receive permission to continue, which she was granted. "Why did you risk losing so many powerful warships to fighting the Empire?"

A half a minute went by before the UNSC High Command replied. "We have begun research on intergalactic jumps via powerful jump gates. Uses our slipspace technology, but powerful forces throw ships farther and faster. However, they require so much power to use per jump it takes about a week to recharge the gates. It takes a few hours to get all the way there however. The ships I sent are full of the required parts to construct a gate there as well. I believe we can use that opportunity to get your people back to where they belong."

"I feel this would create a security problem as well. If the Empire discovers this gate..."

"That's why we cannot let that happen. Our own gate here is stationed around our sun, heavily shielded thanks to the Covenant here."

"How long will it take to construct this gate?" Lasky asked.

"A few months, but if we recover your people, General Syndulla, we will send them back. UNSC Spirit of Fire is already enroute to the installation."

...

Meanwhile, a slipspace rupture appeared next to the Halo array and the UNSC Spirit of Fire appeared from it.

"This is UNSC Spirit of Fire. If anybody on this frequency reads me, please respond," the admiral said through the comms.

...

Sabine and Ezra were just trying to rest. It was pretty dark wherever they were. Fortunately that darkness let Ezra see something appear out of nowhere. He watched as a small object appeared from the blue spot in space.

"Slipspace rupture... Sabine!" Ezra said, shaking her shoulder to wake her.

"Mmm... What is it? Something wrong?" she groaned sleepily.

"I just saw a slipspace rupture," he whispered. Sabine woke up immediately.

"What? Where?"

Ezra pointed to the point in the sky where he saw it. "It's gone now, but somebody's here."

Sabine pulled on her helmet and followed Ezra's arm, using her ocular zoom to get a better look. She gasped.

"Ezra that looks like a UNSC ship!"

Ezra's head snapped towards the ship, though it was still a long way off. By now they could see its silhouette off by another part of the ring.

"Ezra, check the comms!" Sabine said.

He tried to get the comms to work, but he couldn't hear even static. "I think our comms are fried. What about that beacon you set up?"

Sabine shook her head, "It only triangulates the general area. It doesn't pinpoint our position."

"Maybe you can modify it to pinpoint it?" Ezra suggested.

"I don't know if I can..."

"Laser?"

"We're not shooting at it!" Sabine exclaimed.

"Not what I meant," Ezra said as he pulled a couple lenses out of his pocket. "Give me your helmet."

Sabine pulled off her helmet and handed it to him, "What are you up to?"

"Something Buck taught me..." Ezra said as he carefully positioned the lenses in front of the small flashlight on Sabine's helmet.

"The light's detachable you know," Sabine mused.

"Right," Ezra said embarrassed as he unclipped the light from the helmet. He continued to work with what he had and tested it out on the tree. Sure enough, it was like a bright white laser sight.

"Now we do this..." Ezra said as he pointed his new toy at the UNSC ship. Sabine put on her helmet and activated her ocular zoom. She could see the light through the air.

"Go down a little bit, then right..." she directed. I bet the Covenant can see this, too.

Ezra was struggling to find his spot so Sabine had to take over.

"Let me..."

Ezra handed her the laser and she was able to direct it to the ship's windows.

...

"Captain, there's a light!"

"Where?" the admiral asked just before the light hit his eyes as well.

"Could those be the missing rebels?"

"Maybe. Approach with full caution."

...

The ship changed course and began headed their way.

"It's coming!" Sabine exclaimed excited.

"Yeah well... they're not the only ones coming," Ezra said. "Look behind us."

Sabine turned around and an entire force of Covenant troops was running towards them.

"Kriff... they must have seen the beam!" Sabine said.

"Looks like we'll need to fight after all. Running's not an option."

Ezra grabbed his lightsaber and held it, not activating it yet as Sabine pulled out her two WESTAR-35 pistols. A Covenant marksman spotted them and fired a shot and seconds later a firefight ensued.


To be continued...