Chapter Eight: "The Peace Is Already Lost"

With Mako guiding them, Cipher Nine and Reyenna had ben able to quickly follow the ventilation system to their planned exit point in the Brentaal Star's cargo bay. The Imperial asset on the bridge had initiated the lockdown, then lowered the specific shields needed for them to enter the cargo bay. Reyenna's Force abilities made it a matter of seconds to deal with the few Republic troopers on their side of the shield, while the rest of the enemy forces were limited to shouting and glaring at them from behind the energy barrier.

Everything was proceeding perfectly to plan. Until the shields fell.

Republic troops were on them instantly. Reyenna's lightsaber swung continuously, first knocking back blaster bolts and then slicing into Republic Troopers. Cipher picked off several more with her blaster.

But they both knew there were too many of them.

A telekinetic burst from Reyenna threw the enemy back violently, and she began shooting lightning.

"The corridor," Cipher gasped.

Reyenna nodded. It was more defensible. She sheathed her lightsaber and used both hands to shoot streams of lightning at the Republic forces. The soldiers backed away, and she and Cipher were able to reach the corridor.

But it was not an effort she could maintain indefinitely. When she paused to collect her strength, the soldiers immediately began closing again.

"Hang on," Mako told them. "I'm in the ship's systems. I should be able to…"

A bulkhead closed, sealing the corridor off from the cargo bay. Around them, doors slid shut and locked. A handful of Republic soldiers had made it out into the corridor. A few blaster bolts from Cipher Nine were enough to send them into full retreat.

Cipher holstered her blaster.

"Why let them live?" Reyenna asked.

"They'll already be working on overriding Mako's tampering," Cipher replied. "We have ten minutes if we're lucky. I'm not wasting any of that time chasing people who are already running away."

Mako directed them through a series of turns, closing each bulkhead they passed. Maximizing the barriers between Republic soldiers and them. They were nearing the escape pods when Zarek's voice came through Cipher's implants.

"What's your status?"

Cipher Nine replied briskly, keeping her attention on the path in front of them. "Mako's closing bulkheads behind us to keep us from getting overrun. We'll be taking an escape pod out. Just as planned."

"I don't like this," Zarek grumbled.

Cipher rolled her eyes. Just what I need – a knight on a white steed.

"We'll be fine, Zarek," she said, taking care to keep her annoyance out of her voice.

At that moment, a young Togruta in Jedi robes appeared at the end of the hallway. Behind the Jedi, Cipher saw a Trandoshan escorting a man in an Imperial uniform. They were heading toward the escape pods.

The Jedi turned toward them, holding her ground. Clearly planning to stop them from reaching their target, or at least buy time for The General to escape.

Cipher closed out her conversation. "You've done your job. It's time to let us do ours."

Reyenna ignored Cipher's bickering with the bounty hunter. Her focus was on the young Jedi. She could sense the power in her – but also the lack of discipline.

"Halt where you are," the Jedi said, stepping toward them. Despite her attempt to sound resolved, Reyenna could smell her fear. "I am Ashara Zavros, Padawan of the Jedi Order. I have been tasked with protecting The General. You will not pass."

Reyenna grinned. This might be fun.

"Your Master sent you?" she asked casually. "I know how that goes. My first teacher tried to kill me, too."

Ashara seemed stunned by her response. "You Sith are a mockery of everything the Jedi believe," she stammered.

"Think how dreary life would be without a bit of mockery," Reyenna replied. She activated her lightsaber. "As for the Jedi - Where were you when the Treaty of Coruscant signed my planet over to the Empire? Oh, that's right - nodding sagely while telling the spineless politicians to go ahead and sign on the dotted line. Though I suppose a 12 year old like you can't be blamed for that."

The dig at Ashara's age did the trick. Ashara charged angrily, her lightsaber drawn back to strike. Leaving her legs unguarded.

Reyenna stepped to the side and kicked at the padawan's ankles. Ashara leapt to avoid the blow, but had to pivot quickly to ward off Reyenna's followup blows.

"Not bad," Reyenna said. "I thought I might be able to trip you in your blind rage. But you'll need to do a lot better." She glanced at Cipher. "Go!"

Cipher ran past them. The padawan moved to stop her, but Reyenna directed lightning at her. Ashara was not prepared, and it took precious seconds for her to ward off the Force attack. By then, CIpher was already at the end of the corridor, in full pursuit of The General.

"Qyzen will stop her," Ashara said confidently.

"I wouldn't be so sure. My friend might be small, but she's sharp. She planned this whole attack – 300 of the Republic's finest, and she's made you all but helpless."

Ashara directed a strong and sudden attack. Reyenna barely defended in time, was driven back several paces.

"I am not helpless!" Ashara shouted.

Reyenna laughed in delight. "You have passion, Ashara Zavros! Passion and anger! I've always understood the Jedi didn't really approve of that."

Ashara's already red face flushed scarlet. She attacked again, her assault powered by her fury.

Reyenna was ready this time. She dodged the uncontrolled assault, letting her opponent's momentum carry her past. Then she directed a telekinetic blast that knocked Ashara to the ground and sent her lightsaber rolling out of her hands toward the closed bulkhead.

Reyenna stood over her. "The thing about passion that even the Sith tend to forget?" she said. "It does lend you strength, and it does gain you power. But that's all meaningless unless you're also able to control it. You must direct your anger. It's no good if your anger controls you."

Ashara glared defiantly at her. "Finish it, Sith," she snapped.

Reyenna lifted her blade. "If you insist." She actually felt slightly sad at the thought of killing the young woman. So much anger and resentment. So very much like her.

She actually felt a hint of relief when she was interrupted by the bulkhead sliding open. Another young Jedi, this one a Cathar, stood at the opening. Another Cathar in a Republic uniform stood beside her.

"The invasion of the cat people," Reyenna observed.

"Lyn!" Ashara gasped.

The Cathar Jedi reached out, and the fallen lightsaber leapt into her palm. She activated it, adopting an expert fighting stance.

"There's another Imperial, chasing The General!" Ashara called. "A young woman. The Sith said she's the one who planned this assault!"

"Jorgan, go," the Jedi ordered. Though just as young as Ashara, this new arrival seemed much more poised and restrained. Far more like the Jedi that Reyenna had always been told of.

The Cathar Trooper - Jorgan - bolted down the corridor. Reyenna tried to stop him with lightning, but the Jedi swatted it away. A casual mental swipe that appeared to take no effort at all. Yes, this one was much more controlled than Ashara.

Reyenna tapped her wrist communicator, keeping her attention on her adversary. "Cipher Nine, you have incoming. One Cathar soldier. Be ready."

A reply started to come through, but she switched off the communicator. She had given her warning. The rest was up to the agent.

"I am Reyenna Desme, apprentice to Darth Zash." It was only polite to introduce herself. "And you?"

"Canlyn Dessan of the Jedi Order. I am willing to accept your surrender."

Reyenna laughed. She saw a hint of a smile on Canlyn's lips, as well. A sense of humor. Probably Ashara's doing.

She tentatively explored Canlyn with her senses. She sensed power – cold and controlled. The combat stance was textbook, and she was waiting patiently for Reyenna to make a move.

She didn't bother to try to bait this Jedi. There would be no point. She raised her lightsaber in the stance Arkarix Krell had taught her, and beckoned with one hand.

"Shall we dance?"

Aric Jorgan had just rounded the corner when he felt the muzzle of a blaster above his left ear.

"Please don't make me kill you, Lieutenant. There has been enough death today." A woman's voice, with a crisp Imperial accent.

"Today's nothing next to what's coming," he replied. "You've invaded Republic space. Attacked a Republic military vessel. Good men and women are dead because of you. The Republic will respond in kind."

Despite his words, he surrendered his blaster. The agent had him dead to rights.

"Your name?" she asked.

"Lieutenant Aric Jorgan, most recently attached to Ord Mantell."

"Ord Mantell?" She smiled. "HAVOC Squad?"

"I was the local liaison for them."

"And you didn't see their betrayal coming," she observed. "I expect your superiors aren't too happy with you right now."

Jorgan stiffened, but did not reply.

"I wouldn't worry too much about the response, Lt. Jorgan. This ship cut into Imperial space." Jorgan started to protest. "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't supposed to. The General probably fell short of the scheduled intercept point. But it doesn't change the facts. This Brentaal Star entered our space first. Check the logs after we leave. You'll see I'm telling the truth."

"Doesn't change what you did," he said stubbornly. "It's an act of war."

"There won't be a war. Some sabre-rattling, sure. Accusations and counter-accusations, with both of our governments playing the victim. Eventually, there will be a few minor concessions on both sides. But a war? Only a lunatic would want that."

"Which is exactly the problem, young lady. There are far too many lunatics on both sides."

Cipher Nine and Jorgan were both startled by the man's voice. Their eyes were drawn down the corridor. To an older man, probably about sixty, in an Imperial military dress uniform.

Cipher gasped in recognition. "You? You're The General?"

Jorgan tried to take advantage of her shock, tensing to leap to the side. She gripped his shoulder tightly and applied more pressure with the blaster. A message: Don't be stupid. Jorgan slumped, defeated.

She turned back to The General. "I was on Ziost. A lot of us only survived because of you. How could you turn traitor?"

"I am no traitor." His eyes blazed at the accusation. "Everything I have ever done has been for the Empire."

A Trandoshan approached from behind The General.

"This is foolish," he growled. "Herald wants you safe. Should be at escape pods."

"To what? Buy a few more minutes before the Imperial ship scoops us up? No, Qyzen. I will not spend my final moments cowering in a tin can."

He glared at Cipher. "You say there will be no war. If you knew what I know, you wouldn't be so confident. Voices in the Empire cry out that we should have pressed on after Coruscant, obliterated the Republic. Ignoring that it wasn't possible, that all our forces were committed in the initial assault. Voices in the Republic recognize that the Treaty was a mistake, and want a second chance to win the war. Ignoring that our forces now are much stronger than at Coruscant, that we've dedicated two decades to rebuilding our might!"

"There are always extremist voices," Cipher argued.

"Yes, but the center is so fractured, the extremists are the ones holding the power!" The man's eyes teared up. "I have seen the reports. I have heard what both sides are plotting. They're building doomsday weapons. Shields that envelop planets. Missiles that darken suns! Empire and Republic alike plan to raze worlds, annihilate civilizations. It will be unlike anything the galaxy has seen since the Great Hyperspace War. No winners, no losers. Just death."

"We will stop it," Cipher said confidently.

"It's far too late. The so-called peace is already lost. I had hoped by testifying before the Republic Senate, I might create a stalemate. Now even that fragile hope is gone."

Jorgan was aware of Cipher, hesitating. Staring at The General, processing his grim words. She seemed to be weighing her options, making a decision.

It was at that moment that the Trandoshan charged.

Qyzen telegraphed his attack with a roar, which brought all of Cipher's attention on him. And provided Jorgan with his opening.

He threw himself backwards with all of his strength, knocking her to the floor. She kicked him back instantly and leapt to her feet, but by that time Qyzen had reached her.

She and the Trandoshan fought hand-to-hand. Qyzen had the advantage of height and strength, but Cipher was faster and more skilled. She evaded his blows and directed repeated kicks at his side. Qyzen was knocked back, and she lifted her blaster.

Jorgan charged again. She caught his movement, swiveled to fire at him.

He didn't feel so much pain as pressure as the bolt hit. It was like the air had been knocked out of him. He fought for air. It was as if his chest was struggling against an anvil.

He continued to watch the fight, feeling at an increasing remove. Shock, his brain processed, but he could not attach any emotion to the self-diagnosis, or to the outcome of the skirmish.

Qyzen had barreled into Cipher a second after she fired. She was knocked back, the blaster flying out of her hand. A few feet away from Jorgan. He felt he should try to get the blaster. He tried to move, but his muscles would not respond.

He glanced at The General. The Imperial just stood in place, watching the contest before him. It would take just a few steps for the man to pick up the weapon. He did not seem inclined to do so.

It didn't look like it mattered. Cipher was on the ground, Qyzen preparing to leap on her. In a heartbeat, the young woman would either be dead or a prisoner.

Then the agent's wrist flicked, and Qyzen fell back, then collapsed to his knees. Jorgan saw the small blade sticking out of the alien's ribcage. Too small to stop Qyzen on its own – unless the blade had been treated with something.

Qyzen yanked the blade out, stared at Cipher as she regained her footing.

"Kinrath venom," Cipher said casually. "Greatly reduced. You will live. But you won't be able to move for the next hour."

Qyzen fell to his knees. He glared at her with pure rage.

"If it's any consolation," she said, "you very nearly had me. You are a very smart hunter. I know this will cost you all your points, but it shouldn't take long for you to recover your score."

She paused to pick up the dropped blaster, then knelt beside Jorgan. She reached into her bag, sprayed a hard foam over his chest. He hissed as tendrils of ice closed around his heart.

"It's unpleasant, I know," she said. "But it will keep your chest intact until the medical team reaches you."

The shock must have been receding, because Jorgan was able to feel anger. He glared fiercely at her.

"You should kill me." It took an enormous to grit the words between his teeth. "I will find you."

She shook her head. "You really won't. But if focusing on revenge keeps your strength up, by all means try."

She rose and turned to The General. He had made no attempt to flee. She felt she undedrstood. Betraying one's government was no small thing, particularly if you still felt loyal to it. He was likely relieved to have the choice taken away from him.

"Well, agent, you have me," he said. "Me and my implants, full of cybernetic secrets and stolen plans. What will you do? Is it off to the inquisitors for torture? A march of shame through Kaas City? An example to the rest?"

"That's what Moff Kilran wants," Cipher said. "But he isn't here. And I was on Ziost."

She raised her blaster and fired twice, one shot immediately following the next. The General didn't cry out. He just collapsed, suddenly lifeless.

Cipher stood in place, looking down at his body. "Rest well, General."

She swept her gaze over Qyzen, then Jorgan, both of them immobile and helpless. Then she moved back the way she came, to where the Sith and Jedi were engaged in their battle. A battle that had now been rendered pointless.