When both the nestships and dartships of Gorog went inert over Gerdrush, the remaining Galactic Alliance and Empire of the Hand capital ships and starfighters continued to fire upon their enemies. And even when a broad transmission was sent out from the two dozen armed Joiner vessels that remained in the system, they and the nestships were still assaulted and more dartships were blown away.
On the bridge of the Thrawn's Vindication, Admiral Hesklon heard the transmissions from one of his comm officers, all of which were a variation of the same thing: Gorog was dead, and the surviving Joiners were surrendering.
"I've heard enough, wait for my orders," Hesklon said before he stepped away. He then brought out his personal commlink from his belt and activated it to Tahiri's frequency. "Miss Dhreat?"
"Yes, Admiral?" the feminine voice on the other end asked.
Hesklon's brows furrowed in consternation. On the one hand, the voice was unmistakably Tahiri Veila's. On the other, there was a brittle edge to it, as if she had undergone some ineffable change in her personality that Hesklon simultaneously wanted to know about and didn't want to know about.
"Is it true?" Hesklon finally asked. "Is Alema Rar dead? Has the Dark Nest been destroyed?"
"Oh, yes, it has, Admiral. So you can call off your assault on the nestship I'm aboard. It's done."
After a moment's hesitation, Hesklon said, "Thank you, Miss Dhreat. Do you need a shuttle to come pick you up or-"
"No, my X-wing is still very much intact. But thank you for asking, Admiral. I'll be back aboard the Vindication in a few minutes."
"Good to know. I'll see you then." He signed off before returning to the same comm officer. "Bring up the fleetwide frequency."
"Frequency established, sir."
"Attention all EH and GA forces, this is Admiral Hesklon. Stand down. I repeat, stand down. Captain Gushko, if you can hear this broadcast, I urge you to let your remaining forces know that Gorog is dead. Please respond."
A few moments later, the Rodian's voice came through. "This is Captain Gushko. Your order has been received, Admiral Hesklon. I'll order the Hoth's Counter and my last two X-wing pilots to stand down."
"Thank you, Captain." Hesklon's tone was tinged with sympathy for Gushko; of all the pilots that the Rodian had brought out here into Chiss-held territory, the fact that he had emerged with only two was a loss that the human didn't envy.
Less than half a minute later, all weapons from both the EH and GA sides—as dwindled as they were to the two non-Jedi X-wings as well as the fighters piloted by Kyle Katarn and his Jedi Knight charges—ceased fire on the hundreds of dartships and the several nestships that floated dead in space.
"Lieutenant," Hesklon said to an officer who wasn't in one of the crew pits, "you have the bridge. I have an errand to run."
"Yes, sir."
. . .
Even without the Force, Luke still tried to focus in on his meditation as he sat on the refresher floor with the Force-repressing stuncuff that connected his wrist to the towel rack. He still had yet to come up with a plan to escape, especially since he wasn't sure how he could bust out of here without one of the two EH stormtroopers who guarded him from the threshold shooting him down with either a stun or lethal bolt. It was all the more difficult since his lightsaber had been confiscated and taken to some place that he didn't know about.
The Grand Master's fruitless meditation was broken by the sound of the door to Tahiri's quarters whooshing open; both stormtroopers stood to attention even before Hesklon came into Luke's line of sight.
"Master Skywalker," the admiral said, "if I order these men to release you, do I have your word that you won't attack any of us in an attempt to escape?"
Luke looked up at him in disdain. "You want to talk about honor, Admiral, when you used deception to have me knocked unconscious and placed in these cuffs?"
Hesklon looked back down at him dryly. "Very well. Let me ask you this then: if I let you go, will you read Miss Dhreat's Force-presence?"
Now Luke looked concerned. "Why? What's happened?"
"I think only a Jedi Master can know that," Hesklon said darkly.
Luke's lips thinned in thought. After a moment, he said, "You have my word that I won't attack you or your men, Admiral."
"Good." Hesklon looked to the trooper to his right. "Private, you may uncuff Master Skywalker."
Neither the ordered stormtrooper nor his colleague betrayed even the slightest bit of reticence as he bent down and undid the stuncuff from Luke's wrist. The Grand Master rubbed at it for a moment before he stood up and closed his eyes to reach out to Tahiri's Force-presence.
But when he did, his eyes flashed back open almost just as quickly.
"Where's my lightsaber, Admiral?" Luke asked.
Hesklon reached for his back and produced said weapon. Luke took it and said, "Get a tractor beam on her ship now!" He rushed past him, much to the restrained alarm of both stormtroopers, to hurry out of Tahiri's quarters.
Kyle! Luke called out through the Force.
Luke? Kyle Katarn's voice communed.
Tahiri's Force-presence has become too corrupted! Luke returned as he srushed through the corridors of the Thrawn's Vindication to the hangar bay where the Jade Shadow was docked. If she's not caught in a tractor beam, shoot her down!
Her X-wing is making a break out of the system's gravity well, Kyle returned. The Thrawn's Vindication and Hoth's Counter won't get to her in time. Do you want me to disable her engines or-
Just make sure she doesn't escape! Luke practically shouted.
Got it. I got Jedi Hellin and Wan with me still. We're on Tahiri right now; we'll make sure she won't get away.
. . .
As soon as Luke reached out for her through the Force while she was still in transit for the Thrawn's Vindication, Tahiri immediately wheeled her X-wing away from the Star Destroyer and zoomed past it to get as far away from it and the Hoth's Counter as fast as possible.
How are you doing? Garis Boric's Force-presence asked after several moments.
I'm in the middle of something, Tahiri returned with a frustrated tone. No time for a chat.
Just making sure you were fine, Boric replied. Tahiri heard nothing more from him for the remaining time she had in this system.
Not long after that, she felt Kyle Katarn probing for her mind. Before she could raise a suitable telepathic defense, Tahiri felt her mind being assaulted by the Jedi Master.
You caught me by surprise before you killed Alema, Kyle's voice communed. But this time, I got you by-
Before he could finish that sentence, Tahiri redirected her energies in repelling Kyle's mental attack by reaching out for one of his X-wing's S-foils. Although she nearly felt herself pass out from the effort, she was rewarded by her rear sensors telling her that one of the three X-wings that was chasing her had suddenly fallen back; and that was all the time Tahiri needed to use the temporary power boost from Boric to reinforce her own mental shielding against Kyle's aggression.
At the same time, though, she still had enough presence of mind in the physical world to pour more speed out of her own X-wing even as two whole squadrons of EH TIE fighters began falling on her tail.
Ten seconds later, though, that didn't matter, because by that point, she had crossed out of the Gerdrush system's gravity well and jumped into hyperspace.
Now all she had to do, as she watched the blue tunnel before her pass by, was figure out just how she was going to find Gosuj.
That won't be a problem, the Devaronian's voice suddenly spoke into her mind. Luke Skywalker may have inadvertently erased the location of our world from you, but that doesn't mean that I will deny you the opportunity to prove your worth.
. . .
By the time Luke had gotten the Jade Shadow out of the Thrawn's Vindication and into space, Kyle contacted him through their Force connection and said, I'm sorry, Luke. She escaped. She was more powerful than I thought. Next time I see her, I won't underes-
Coordinates, Kyle! Did you get her hyperspace coordinates?! Luke urged.
No, I was too distracted. Maybe Jedi Hellin or Wan got 'em. Jedi Hellin, Jedi Wan?
I'm sorry, Master Katarn, Master Skywalker, I didn't get the chance, came Seff Hellin's reply.
Me, neither, I'm afraid, Natua Wan communed. Apologies for our failure, Masters.
This is only a setback, Luke said. As soon as we reconvene with Admiral Hesklon and Captain Gushko-
Luke was abruptly brought out of the Force-conversation with the other Jedi by the beeping of the Shadow's comm console.
When he answered it, Hesklon's voice said, "Master Skywalker, I thank you for the assistance that you and your Jedi had brought in eliminating the Dark Nest. It is regretful, though, that Miss Veila had escaped our grasp."
"We'll find her, Admiral. As soon as we-"
"That won't be necessary."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You know, I must say that before I contacted Veila, I had been planning to simply execute you. But when I deduced that something was wrong with her, I thought it best to release you to make sure that she wouldn't be a threat to the Empire of the Hand."
"Admiral, she is. You have no idea what she can-"
"But it turns out that I had apparently been too hasty in my decision to release you from your captivity, Master Skywalker."
"What are you talking about, Admiral?" The concern in Luke's tone was palpable.
"Even someone in my position makes mistakes, Master Skywalker. Alas, however, since I can't turn back time, this will have to do."
"What will do?"
"Master Skywalker, now that the threat of Gorog has been terminated, my government and your Order, by way of what you would call the Chiss War, are back to being enemies. Goodbye." The connection was terminated on Hesklon's end.
Through the Shadow's sensors and cockpit viewport, Luke watched as the TIE fighters that had been launched to help the Jedi shoot down Tahiri suddenly turned against the yacht and the three X-wings.
We have to go! Luke urged through the Force-connection with Kyle and the two Knights.
Immediately, before the Thrawn's Vindication or any of the other Star Destroyers in the Gerdrush system could turn their efforts in capturing the Jedi ships with tractor beams, said vessels zoomed away as fast as they could from them and the TIEs now pursuing them.
Unfortunately, just as the pursuit began, Luke saw, through his rear sensors, the Hoth's Counter getting assaulted on all sides by the EH Star Destroyers closest to it. He knew that it would take less than half a minute before it suffered a core meltdown from the assault and exploded; so, with great reluctance, the Grand Master kept racing his ship away to escape the Gerdrush system's gravity well.
As Luke slalomed the Shadow as much as he could to avoid the rear fire from the TIEs, a sudden loss in the Force was felt.
Natua! Seff's voice cried out.
We mourn her later, Jedi Hellin! Kyle communed. Just focus on staying alive and engage your hyperdrive once we're out of the gravity well!
Luke had to keep that in mind when he felt the deaths of several of the Hoth's Counter's crew. Less than a minute later, and with thankfully no further losses on the Jedi's side, the Shadow and Kyle and Seff's X-wings jumped into hyperspace.
Only then did Luke let out a breath of frustrated failure as he mourned not only Natua's loss and the deaths and capture of everyone on the Counter, but also of the woman Tahiri had been.
. . .
Seated in his command salon less than a day later, Hesklon waited for Supreme Commander Kelssar's holographic visage to appear before him. It only took a couple of minutes before a life-sized image of the Twi'lek's upper body showed up over the holocomm.
"Report," Kelssar ordered curtly.
"The cleanup over the three systems that the Dark Nest had taken has begun, Commander," Hesklon stated. "The remains of the nestships and the dartships that had yet to be destroyed by our forces are being guided towards those systems' suns even as we speak. Every single Killik who had been found aboard them is dead, and the surviving Joiners, who are now all back to their individual states of mind, have surrendered and been arrested."
"And Alema Rar is dead, Admiral Hesklon?"
Hesklon nodded gladly. "She is, sir. Her body has been recovered and she will be sent to burn over Gerdrush's sun as the last remnant of the Dark Nest to be rid of."
"That will take a long time, Admiral, since there are still less than a thousand nestships in other non-Chiss systems that we've yet to discover. Dispose of Rar's body as soon as possible, instead."
"As ordered, Commander; I will see to it immediately."
"Not yet. First, what of the Galactic Alliance and Jedi forces that were sent to assist us?"
"The remaining Galactic Alliance forces were destroyed as soon as we received confirmation that Gorog was dead. However, only one of the Jedi was killed; one Jedi Knight Natua Wan."
"So Luke Skywalker is still alive, as well as Kyle Katarn and Kyp Durron?"
Hesklon's next nod was grim. "Durron and the Horn siblings had escaped from the Kelska system, too, I'm afraid. We've sent scouts to all of our surviving former Jedi allies' last known coordinates to track them down."
"And what of Alema Rar's killer, Saharis Dhreat?"
"She was pursued out of the Gerdrush system by Skywalker and his Jedi. Her current whereabouts are unknown."
"So I assume that Mister Garis Boric is still in your midst, Admiral?"
Hesklon's third nod was neutral. "He is, Commander."
"Well, good to know that one of these bloody Force-users is still accounted for. Did he prove useful at all in bringing about Gorog's death?"
"He did, from what I understand in my last conversation with him."
"He should be well rewarded, along with Miss Dhreat should she ever be found."
"Here's hoping, Commander."
"Report back to me as soon as you're done with the Killik cleanup over Gerdrush, or until the Jedi have been located. You better find them before they return to Galactic Alliance space."
"I will, sir."
Kelssar said nothing more before he ended the communication from his side. With that, Hesklon stood up and exited the salon to meet with one of his lieutenants, only to stop when he saw Garis Boric stand right near the bridge's viewport, looking out upon the stars.
"Mister Boric," Hesklon announced loudly, "you're not authorized to be on the bridge."
"Oh, I wasn't?" Boric retorted without looking away from the viewport. "Funny. I was under the impression that being sent by Supreme Commander Kelssar himself granted me special privileges aboard this ship." He turned and levelled a coy smile at Hesklon. "How is he, by the way, Admiral?"
"How did you get past security to be here?" Hesklon asked with a low growl as he approached the Force-user. "I thought you couldn't use any powers, like mind-trickery, since you were so drained in giving so much of yourself to Miss Dhreat."
"Oh, yes, she did still have a few days with my power loan, didn't she?" Boric retorted. He waved his arms to indicate himself. "However, with what little power I left for myself, I contacted her through our newfound Force-connection and asked if she still needed that loan. She said no; so she gave it back to me, and now I'm back at full strength."
"I see," Hesklon said evenly. "So why are you on my bridge, then?"
"Just to ask a simple question."
"Then ask it."
"Just before you turned your guns on Skywalker and his Jedi," Boric said with a serious tone, "you commed me while I was still recovering in my quarters and asked what kind of threat Dhreat could be. I reached out to her and then told you that she was no threat to you. I didn't think anything of that until after I heard that Skywalker and all but one of his Jedi escaped from your clutches."
"Your point, Mister Boric?"
"Please be patient, Admiral; I want you to understand my train of thought. Now after Skywalker, Katarn, and their surviving Knight escaped, I asked you why you had let him go before you commed me."
"As I told you before, and as I told Skywalker before I said goodbye to him, it was a mistake. I know now I should have contacted you first to ascertain how much of a threat Dhreat could be to the EH and had Skywalker executed instead of-"
"Stop, stop, stop, Admiral. We both know that's not the case."
"Oh, really? Then what is the case, Mister Boric?" Hesklon asked hostilely.
"You're way too smart to have made that kind of mistake, Admiral. You allowed Skywalker to be released on purpose," Boric said in a low tone.
"That's quite a baseless accusation, Mister Boric," Hesklon replied with an imitation of that tone.
"Is it now?"
"If you think that... what are you going to do about it?"
"Depends on what my Masters want me to do about it."
Hesklon spared a look around at his bridge crew; apparently, they were all too absorbed in their duties to take note of the tense conversation that had sprung up between him and Boric.
"If you have such suspicions, Mister Boric, why tell me about them?"
"I just wanted to know why you allowed Skywalker to escape. Of course, I knew you wouldn't simply come out and say it, and you are a hard man to read through the Force, especially for a human. Still, from what little I had been able to gain from your Force-presence during this conversation, I think I came to a conclusion."
"And that is?"
Boric smirked. "Well, that I'll keep to myself. Good day, Admiral." He walked past him and left the bridge.
Hesklon regarded Boric's exit for several seconds before he turned and looked out the viewport in contemplation.
Boric was right, he thought. Hesklon did let Skywalker go on purpose; and while he could only guess what conclusion Boric had reached, the admiral knew his own reason.
It was because he didn't completely trust these mysterious non-Jedi Force-users of whom Kelssar and his colleagues were confident. There was a darkness to them, a perversion, that Hesklon may not have completely understood, and he doubted he ever could completely understand, but that he could somehow feel even without being a Force-user himself. And while the Jedi may have been the enemy to the Chiss Ascendancy, and, by extension, the Empire of the Hand, there was one thing that Hesklon was sure of: the Jedi were not evil.
And if there was any counterpoint to whatever secret, dark intentions hid within the hearts of people like Tahiri Veila or Garis Boric, that would come from Luke Skywalker and the Jedi.
In his heart of hearts, for all of the necessary sacrifices and risks that Hesklon took, he hoped that he would never have to be the one to snuff out the hope that Skywalker and his Jedi Order provided against these dark Force-users.
Because Hesklon was sure that they were the Sith.
