Chapter 3: To Catch a Train
The swirl of hyperspace gave way to streaking stars which then resolved themselves into normal space. The Phantom had arrived at the rendezvous. Looking out the viewport, Kat could see a small freighter. "That's our rendezvous ship?"
"What did you expect?" asked the man whose name Kat had just learned was Alexsandr Kallus. "A fleet?"
"Yeah, actually. Or at least a cruiser."
"The Rebellion doesn't have the resources that we once had in the Grand Army of the Republic," said Rex, the old clone trooper that had convinced Kat to join this Rebellion. "We make do with less."
"There are advantages to the smaller approach," said Kallus. "I know from personal experience how frustrated the Empire can get when ships like the Ghost are involved."
"Right, you were ISB," said Kat. "First you convince me to board this Separatist bucket." The Phantom was indeed a repurposed ship from the droid army, Kat's old foes. At least the paint job made it look a little different. "Now you want me to go to war with just a light freighter, a disgruntled Imperial officer, and a relic from the Clone Wars."
"Two Clone Wars relics, including yourself," countered Rex. "I just ask you to withhold judgement until after you've met the crew."
"Alright, Rex," said Kat. Rex piloted the ship to the backside of the light freighter that Kallus had called the Ghost. Rex turned the Phantom around and slid it backwards into the docking port. Kat heard the sound of the docking latches locking. She followed Rex and Kallus. A blast of light hit her eyes as she entered the other ship. "Ah! Too soon."
"A little hungover, Sis?" asked Rex as he and Kat slowed down. Kallus had moved in front of them and was now out of earshot.
"It's not the worse I've had."
"You mean it's not like the time you had at 79's?" Rex laughed a bit.
"How do you…?! Who told you about that?!"
"Cody of course. Trig told me the story again after he rejoined the 501st."
Kat was suddenly embarrassed. On her first shore leave since joining the Grand Army of the Republic she had gotten drunk at a clone bar on Coruscant. "I thought that story was dead."
"The best stories never die," said Rex.
Rex and Kat entered a common room. Waiting for them was a green-skinned Twi'lek woman wearing pilot's garb. Also there was a tall Lasat male. Kat had never met a Lasat, but she had heard the stories of their warriors. Lastly, was a woman in Mandalorian armor. Kat remembered the Mandalorians from her training on Coruscant. Kat hoped this woman lived up to their reputation.
Rex gave the introductions. "General Syndulla, this is Kat, former lieutenant and company commander in the Grand Army of the Republic. Kat, this is Hera Syndulla, captain of the Ghost and our general.
"General," said Kat formally. She stood straight and saluted.
"We don't salute as often in the Rebellion," said Rex, and Kat tried to relax. But she noted that Rex hadn't identified her as a female clone. Kat was curious. Clearly, they knew he was a clone. Was there a reason to keep her identity a secret? She decided that she was stay silent until she had a chance to compare notes with Rex.
Rex continued. "This is Captain Garazeb Orrelios, former member of the Lasat honor guard. We call him Zeb. And this is Sabine Wren, Defense Minister of Lothal." Rex approached the Mandalorian woman. "I'm not sure what brings you here, but it is good to see you again, Sabine."
"Good to see you too, Rex," said the helmeted woman.
An astromech rolled up and booped angrily. Rex answered, "Oh, and that's C1-10P. We call him Chopper."
"A droid?" asked Kat.
"Ah, he's not like the clankers we used to fight. In fact, this guy is one of us." Rex rested his hand on the droid's swiveling head. "He was an astromech for a Republic Y-wing. He was shot down during the Ryloth campaign, but General Syndulla put him back together…mostly." The droid made a series of angry almost grunting sounds. He tried to pinch Rex with one of his head appendages, but the old clone was too fast.
"The rest of the introductions will have to wait," said General Syndulla. "Chopper, get us back into hyperspace. Everyone else gather around the holotable. If we are to get our next recruit out of Imperial hands, we need to act now."
Kat joined the circle around the holotable. Only it wasn't a holotable. It was a holographic game table. Even so, it did vaguely reminded Kat of tactical meetings around a Republic holographic table. A holographic display of an Imperial world appeared. General Syndulla began the briefing. "This is a retrieval operation. Our target, an Alderaanian woman not quite 20 standard years old. She is being transferred to an Imperial high security prison."
"We're rescuing a single prisoner?" asked Kat. "Is she that high value?"
"Everyone is high value," said General Syndulla. "That's what makes us different from the Empire."
Kat was actually taken aback. No one spoke that way about soldiers, especially not clone troopers like herself and Rex. She looked over at Rex. He gave her a smile and a nod. Kat could see why Rex had joined this movement.
Syndulla continued, "This woman was arrested in a rash attempt to get revenge against the Empire."
"What do you mean by rash?" asked Kat. "Wouldn't rebelling against a galactic government with one of the greatest militaries this galaxy has ever seen be considered rash?"
"Perhaps," said Syndulla. "But we approach with strategy. We cannot hope to match the Empire might for might. But if we can turn the galaxy against the Empire, then we have a chance. And we need people like Cara Dune to help us."
Kat suspended her objections for the time and allowed General Syndulla to continue. "We have the slight advantage of time. Cara Dune is currently on board an Imperial light cruiser. Once they arrive in system, she will be transferred to an Imperial military garrison and from there to the prison."
Kat watched as the holographic display shown the garrison and the prison. The Mandalorian woman continued the briefing. "It's between the garrison and the prison that we have our best chance. The prison is over thirty klicks away from the garrison. Due to the unforgiving terrain and the fact that the prison has no landing pad, the only way in or out is this hovertrain."
"A simple design to prevent prisoner escape," observed Kallus.
"What's the plan?" asked Rex.
"Simple version," began Syndulla. "We use the Phantom to deliver a boarding team. They then rescue our target, and we leave."
"You want to land that Separatist bucket on a moving train?" Kat was surprised.
"I didn't say we were going to land," said Hera.
The Lasat called Zeb laughed. "It's not the craziest thing we've done."
"What about these?" Kat pointed to weapons emplacements on the rail.
"Those are automated security stations," said Kallus. "I would wager a lot of credits that they are programmed to destroy the hovertrain at the first sign of a problem. They would rather kill their own people than allow one prisoner to escape."
"I certainly wouldn't take that bet against you," said Kat. "Considering the distance between stations and the speed of the train, I figure that you only have two maybe three minutes between security stations. Can you pull off this jail break in less than three minutes?"
"No," said Zeb. "But we can do it in less than five."
"If we take out one of the stations, it should give us enough time," said General Syndulla.
"I'll take care of that," said the Mandalorian woman. "It will be fun."
"I was hoping you would say that, Sabine," replied Syndulla.
"You still can't do it in five minutes," objected Kat. "You don't even know which car the target will be in."
"I was hoping Kallus could help us there," answered Syndulla.
"I could disguise myself as an Imperial ISB agent," said the former Imperial officer. "Rex could be a stormtrooper or, even better, my prisoner."
"Nah, I don't think so," said Rex. "I think you should take Kat instead."
"Me?!" Kat looked at Rex. "You just recruited me three hours ago."
"We don't just need to find this woman," said Rex. "We need to recruit her. And I think Kat is the most qualified for that job."
"What makes you say that?" General Syndulla crossed her arms.
"Because she's done it before," answered Rex. "Kat here convinced three hundred and four women to take up arms and join the Grand Army of the Republic. Those women would follow her wherever she would go."
"Rex, that was different, and you know it," objected Kat. Once again, she noted that Rex missed a perfectly good opportunity to explain her clone origins.
"No, it wasn't. Those women could have easily sat out the war and stayed home, but they followed you. It was you who persuaded them."
"Who told you that?" asked Kat.
"Trig and Cody. Besides, I saw it with my own eyes on Ringo Vinda," answered Rex. He then faced the rest of the crowd. "I personally vouch for Kat. She's the person for the job."
"If Rex vouches for you, that's enough for me," said Syndulla. "Let's go over the finer details of the plan."
After about a half hour the plans were ironed out, and everyone began making their preparations. Rex stopped Kat and handed her a datapad. "Here's what we know about this Cara Dune. Read it for yourself, but my impression is that she is a loose blaster cannon."
"What do you want me to do about it?" asked Kat.
Rex smiled. "I want you to make her into a soldier."
Cara Dune was forced none-to-gently into a seat on the hovertrain. Her binders were then magnetically connected to the seat back in front of her, the same seat back that pressed against her knees. No leg room on the Imperial Penitentiary Rail Service.
Cara could have easily overpowered the stormtrooper that escorted her, even with the binders on, but a dozen more stormtroopers would be on top of her. She was still tempted to try.
Frustrated with her home planet's pacifistic mentality, Cara had left home and pursued a more violent approach to life. After losing a few cantina fights, Cara had applied herself to strength and martial arts training. It didn't take long for her to stop losing, and soon she became an excellence brawler with the physical strength to match some of the best, male or female.
Then she got the news. At first it was just rumors. Then stories. Finally, the Imperial Holonet gave a report, dripping with Imperial bias. But even the Imperials couldn't deny what had happened.
Alderaan was gone! Cara's family, her father and brother, her childhood friends; all gone! Alderaan had given up its weapons after the Clone Wars and was thus defenseless when the Empire had come. Innocents were slaughtered with no chance to defend themselves.
But Cara was different. She would not stand by as the Empire destroyed the galaxy. She would fight. In fact, she had already done so. By her count she had killed six stormtroopers and one officer.
Then she got caught. Hit by a stun blast. A weapon of mercy to most, but Cara knew when the Empire took prisoners, most wished that they had been killed. Cara on the other hand was prepared to continue her little war, even in prison. If one of these bucket heads made a mistake near her, it would be his last. Eventually she would do enough damage for the Empire to decide it was not worth keeping her alive. Then she would join the rest of her people.
Another stormtrooper came and deposited a tiny Gran male in the aisle seat next to Cara. Cara raised her shoulders and looked down at the smaller man. The Gran shrunk in his seat, averting all three of his eyes. Cara smiled to herself. She wasn't going to be pushed around in prison.
The train began to move, rocking gently back and forth on its repulsorlifts. Cara looked out her window. She wondered why a prison train would even have windows, only to realize that the view was meant to instill despair. The unforgiving terrain below was a mixed of untraversable mountains and flat plains with no cover. And there was no sign of water anywhere. Crossing such an environment alive and undetected would be nearly impossible. The view only expressed one reality, that this was a one-way trip for any prisoner. There would be no escape for Cara.
There was a commotion behind her, but Cara couldn't see what it was. Since her binders were locked to the seat in front of her, it was difficult to turn around. But she could hear. "What are you incompetent, trooper? Allowing prisoners to fight. Separate them immediately!"
"Yes, Sir," said the filtered voice of a stormtrooper.
"Bring that one up here," said the first Imperial. Cara could hear his footsteps on the metal aisle floor coming closer to her. She turned her head to the side and saw him. He was not a stormtrooper, but he wore a black uniform with an armored vest. His helmet had guards to protect his checks and jawbone, but left his eyes, nose, and mouth exposed. His insignia indicated that he was from the Imperial Security Bureau. If Cara could kill this ISB agent, it would be a greater achievement then her half a dozen kills so far.
"Move this Gran," said the ISB agent. A stormtrooper did as he was ordered. The Gran was pulled from his chair, and the ISB agent shoved a new prisoner next to Cara. To Cara's surprise, it was an older, white-haired woman. Her face was creased with wrinkles, but somehow, she seemed younger than her body indicated. Her binders were locked to the seat in front of her just like Cara's. "Now you stay right here, nice and quiet. If you cause any more trouble, then I'll personally see that your treatment at this facility is especially painful."
"Why don't you just toss me out the train window?" asked the woman defiantly.
"Tempting," said the agent. "We might have to try something like that." The Imperial agent walked to the front of the train car and took a position facing the prisoners.
For a while the woman avoided eye contact with Cara. When she did look over, Cara broadened her shoulders again to intimidate the woman just as she had done to the Gran. But instead of cowering the woman rolled her eyes and glanced away.
There was a long moment of awkward silence. Cara looked out the window. She could see the landscape zooming past. She could also see the railing that kept the train on course. While the train did have wheels to physically contact this rail, that was only a backup system. Normally the train hovered above the rail on its repulsorlifts.
They passed a station post of some sort. Cara tried to turn to see it, but it was already past. "It's an automated security station," Cara's seatmate said, breaking her silence. "Run by droids. If the prisoners revolt, those clankers will open fire and destroy the train."
"Killing the Imperials as well?" asked Cara, as she tried to figure out this woman beside her.
"The Imperials would be more grieved over the loss of their hovertrain than the loss of their troopers."
"Does that include that ISB agent over there?" asked Cara.
"Don't you worry about him," said the woman.
"He's the one that should be worried," said Cara.
At that the woman gave Cara a sideways look. "Really? Is that all your about? Killing a few Imperials?"
"I already have few under my belt," said Cara proudly. "I won't mind adding a few more."
"Pathetic," replied the woman. "I told you, the Empire doesn't care about its soldiers. They're all expendable. You could kill five dozen of them, and you wouldn't even make a dent in their war machine."
"At least it is something I can do," replied Cara. "Now you know what got me here. How about you? What did you do to earn the Empire's distain?"
"I went AWOL," said the woman.
"You were a soldier for the Empire?"
"Sort of," replied the woman. Then she stared off into space as though seeing a memory. "They made me do things that I almost couldn't live with. So, I left." The woman's hand was shaking in her binders.
"It's a good thing you left. Or I might have killed you," said Cara with a touch of arrogance.
But the woman looked her over. "I doubt that."
"Excuse me? I have four times your strength, am less than half your age, and I've had my fair share of fights."
"You've brawled, but you haven't fought," countered the woman.
"There's a half dozen Imperial soldiers that would say otherwise. Oh, wait!" Cara gave the woman a smudge smile. "They won't be speaking anymore."
"A half dozen?" The woman laughed at her. "And how does a half dozen stack up to the billions that died on Alderaan?" In sudden anger Cara tried to reach the woman's neck, but the binders held her in place. The woman continued. "Do you really believe that you've paid back the Empire, that you've had your revenge for the destruction of your home world, Carasynthia Dune."
Cara stopped. "How…how do you know my name?"
"I know a lot more about you than just your name, Miss. Dune. I know that you're hurting from your loss. I know you want to lash out, that you want to hurt the Empire. But I also know that you have no idea how to do that. You may know how to fight, but you don't know the first thing about waging war."
"If you know so much more than I do, how come you are here?" Cara pointed to her surroundings. "In case you haven't noticed, we're on the same prison train. You got caught just the same as me."
"No, that's just it. The difference between you and me…" the woman leaned in as close as her binders would allow. "I didn't get caught." She pulled back and looked towards the ISB agent. She lifted her elbow and subtly flapped it up and down three times. Cara also looked forward and saw the ISB agent brush off his shoulder three times.
Cara looked back at the woman. "Who are you?"
"My name is Kat. And I'm a soldier. And if you join me and my new friends, I can teach you how to become a soldier. I can teach you how to fight a war, how to be part of something bigger. And that something can do real damage, damage that the Empire won't soon forget."
"Are you recruiting me?" asked Cara.
Kat rolled her eyes. "Yes." She looked back at the Imperial agent who was apparently her partner. He adjusted his rank insignia, tapping it two times. "We're running out of time. Are you in or are you out?"
It didn't even take a moment's thought. If this strange woman could help her hurt the Empire, then the answer was obvious. "I'm in."
"Good," said Kat. "Then get yourself ready."
"Okay," said Cara. But she didn't know what she was getting ready for.
"Spectre 5, this is Spectre 4. The train is almost at the strike point. Spectre 3 and I are ready for the drop. Are you ready for the fireworks?"
Sabine responded to Zeb with the commlink in her helmet. "You know I'm always ready for a good artistic display of fireworks." Sabine lowered the rangefinder attachment on the side of her helmet so that it lined up with her helmet's viewplate. She used it to zoom in on the hovertrain rail. "I see the train. It will be at the strike point in 60 seconds."
"Are you going to tell us when to take off?" asked Zeb.
"I think it will be pretty obvious," said Sabine.
"Heh, heh, heh. I like the sound of that," said Zeb. "See you on the train." Sabine enjoyed Zeb's enthusiasm.
Sabine readied her denotator and focused on the hovertrain. She had rigged her explosives on the security station behind her. By blowing it up she would buy the extraction team about five minutes before they hit the next station. In order to give them every second, Sabine had to trigger the explosion just as the train passed the previous station, which it was now approaching.
With a flick of her thumb, she removed the denotator's safety cap, exposing the pretty little red button. Sabine mentally counted down the seconds. The train was almost there. In the final seconds, Sabine allowed herself to enjoy the moment. "Oh, I've missed this!" The train reached the station, and Sabine pressed her thumb down on the red button.
She turned around just as the sound of the explosion reached her ears. Above the rail was an array of red and orange flame, topped with a beautiful plume of pink and yellow smoke. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
Cara saw the flash out the window. Then she saw the flames and colorful smoke. "Time to move!" said Kat, the woman next to her.
"How?" asked Cara, as she watched Kat press her binders into the magnetic lock on the seat in front of her. The binders produced an energy pulse, and sparks flew out of the magnetic lock. "Oh."
"Get ready to fight," said Kat.
"My binders are still…"
"What are you doing?!" shouted one of the stormtroopers, if you could call his helmet-muffled voice a shout.
Kat didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed the trooper's helmet with her right hand and his blaster with her left. She threw the trooper into the seat and ripped his blaster away.
By this time Cara had pulled her feet out of the tiny leg space and was crouching on her haunches with her hands still bound to the seat in front of her. She rolled on to her back and deliver a massive double-footed kick to the incoming stormtrooper's head. Helmet or not, he would not be moving anytime soon.
Kat hadn't been wasting time either. Holding the trooper's blaster by the barrel, she tossed it a bit in the air and caught it again, this time by its pistol grip. Barely taking time to aim, she fired down the train's aisle. Cara got her head above her seatback just in time to see the results: two stormtroopers falling with molten holes in their armor. "Nice shot!"
Cara heard more blaster fire from the front of the train car. She turned and was surprised to see two more stormtroopers drop. The ISB agent had shot them from behind. "We need to hurry," he said.
"Of course," said Kat. "Hold still," she said to Cara and pointed the blaster at her.
"No, wait!" said Cara, but Kat fired anyway. The blaster bolt hit her binders and fried the magnetic lock. Cara pulled her hands apart for the first time in days.
Kat didn't wait for Cara to enjoy her new freedom. "Come on! We're on the clock, soldier." Kat grabbed Cara and pulled her out into the aisle with surprising strength for a woman of her frame and age.
The ISB agent entered the seat row that Kat and Cara had just vacated. He planted a few small explosive devices. "Stand back." The explosives blew out the train's window. "You're up, Kat. Let's see what you can do."
"This this easy. I once repelled off a flying gunship." Kat was buckling one of the stormtrooper's belts to her waist. She tossed Cara a pair of stormtrooper gloves. "Put these on."
"Why?" asked Cara. But she understood as Kat pulled a small grappling hook from the utility belt. "You're joking, right?"
"These guys used to carry gun mounted ascension cables," grumbled Kat. "How things have changed!" Cara watched as the older woman climbed out the blown window and outside the still moving train. She spun the grappling hook around and threw it up and out of sight. "Got it! First try, Kallus."
"Consider me impressed," replied the ISB agent, who wasn't really an ISB agent.
"Let's get moving." Kat gave the grappling line a couple of tugs, then she lowered herself out of the window.
"Your turn," said the man named Kallus.
"What?! Now you're joking."
"It's not craziest thing we've done," replied the man. A poorly aimed blaster bolt sailed over his head. He returned fire. "And we're out of time."
Cara slipped on the gloves and slowly crawled out the window. Below her was Kat, literally standing on the side of the train, her body completely horizontal. The grappling line was attached to her belt, and she lifted her hands up, making a stepping platform for Cara. "Climb!" The word was almost lost in the wind. Cara grabbed the line with her gloved hands, put her foot on Kat's hands, and did the most dangerous thing she had ever done. She stepped out of the train.
After leaving Kat's hands, Cara had no foothold. Luckily, she had plenty of upper body strength. She lifted herself, hand over hand, up the grappling line until she reached the top of the train car. There she found a tiny handrail which was clearly not designed to be used while the train was moving. Cara's fingers barely fit between the handrail and the roof of the car. Cara got herself as secure as she could. A few seconds later, the man named Kallus came behind her. He took her outreached hand, and Cara pulled him up with relative ease. "You've got more strength than most," he said.
"Don't sound so surprised," replied Cara. She leaned down the help Kat, only to find the woman 'walking' up the side of the car. "Magnetic boots? You come prepared."
"I trained to fight in zero-g."
"We don't have time for chit chat," said Kallus. "We need to reach the front engine before the train reaches the next security station." Right on que the train passed under one of the security stations. But it was in flames and ruins. "That's our halfway warning. We need to move."
Blaster fire came from the rear of the train. "I'll watch our six," shouted Kat. Using her magnetic boots, Kat began walking backwards while firing her blaster.
Kallus also had magnetic boots, but Cara had to crawl on all fours in order to use the tiny handrail. She followed behind Kallus as best she could. As they went forward, Cara spotted a pair of helmets popping up between the next cars. "They're in front of us!" Three or four troopers began firing at them from behind cover. "This is bad!" shouted Cara.
"We are not out of tricks yet," said Kallus.
A shadow moved across the train. Cara looked and saw a shuttle flying overhead. It slid to the left, and Cara thought she could see an astromech droid waving his head appendages at her. The shuttle flew right over the train, and the rear hatch opened. A large humanoid with purple striped skin leaped from the back of the ship and landed the next train car. Unfolding some sort of long, electrified combat staff, he jabbed one of the troopers. He then grabbed two other stormtroopers and heaved them off the train. "Come on!" he shouted as he waved to them.
Cara hurried towards the large warrior. She, Kallus, and Kat had just crossed the gap between cars when the train hit the brakes, then accelerated, and then broke again. "Hold on!" shouted Kallus, but it was too late. Cara Dune fell backwards and began sliding off the side of the train headfirst.
Her fall was stopped by a sudden tug on her leg. Looking up she saw Kat holding on to her. The woman was lying on her stomach. With one hand she was holding on to Cara, with the other the handrail, which was bending from her grip. She was also trying to wedge her boot between the rail and the roof of the car, but she was barely hanging on. By laying on her stomach she was unable to use the magnetic soles of her boots. It also left her defenseless. Cara saw two stormtroopers climb to the top of the train and target Kat. Another pair of troopers opened windows and leaned out the side of the train car to target Cara.
A blur of brightly colored metal came flying from the front of the train. It slowed down and matched speed with the train. It was then that Cara realized it was a human female in an armored suit. She used the jet pack on her back skillfully to fly. She was flying almost in a sitting position right in front of the two troopers on the top of the train. With a blaster pistol in each hand, she took them out. Then spinning towards Cara, she flew alongside the train, blasting the troopers in the windows. Once they were clear, the woman hostler one of her pistols and gave them a salute off the top of her helmet. Then she flew away.
The big Lasat warrior pulled Cara back to on top of the train. She pointed at flying woman. "What was that?"
"That," said Kat with a note of awe in her voice. "Was a Mandalorian!"
"What's a Mandalorian?" asked Cara.
"That was Sabine! She's one of us!" shouted the big man. "I'm Zeb! I'm guessing your Cara Dune!"
"Yeah, that's me!"
"Introductions later," said Kallus. "We need to make it to the engine and stopped this train!"
"Why not just get on that ship?" Cara pointed to shuttle still flying near.
"We can't just leave the other prisoners," explained Kallus. "Once this train reaches the next security station, the Empire will blow the whole thing."
"We came here to get you," expanded Kat. "But we can't get the others killed doing so."
"Spectre 5, can you get into the engine car?" asked Zeb into his commlink.
The flying woman drew near. "I think I can open it up, but I won't be able to get in!"
"Zeb, you should be the one to go in," said Kallus. "You're the best suited to fight in there."
"Take the new girl with you," added Kat. "I think she will be scrappy in a fight."
"I thought you were the new girl," said Zeb.
"I been doing this longer than you," replied Kat. "And it's been a long time since I was just a girl."
"Come on!" shouted Cara. "I'd like to take out a few Imperials before the day's done."
The big man named Zeb laughed at that. Cara followed him. He almost walked on all fours. And the way he gripped the rail made his feet seem almost as dexterous as his hands.
They finally reached the engine. The Mandalorian flew alongside them. She banked left and then back towards the train. She lowered her head, and a small rocket fired from the top of her jetpack. It hit the side of engine and blew open a hatch. "That's our way in!" shouted Zeb.
"Throw me in!" said Cara as she crawled right above the hole in the side of the train.
"My pleasure!" said Zeb. With one hand he grabbed Cara by the back of her prison grab and lifted her up. Then gripping the small railing with his foot, he stepped off the edge of the train. Cara felt herself falling for a moment, then Zeb's strong arm threw her into the train.
She crashed into a stormtrooper before she even hit the floor. The trooper flailed underneath Cara, trying to bring his blaster to bear. Did the Empire even teach these guys hand to hand combat? Cara ripped the stormtrooper's blaster out of his hands. She then pulled him up as she got to her feet. She held him between her and the other three troopers in the engine car. There were also two engineers. Instead of the standard stormtrooper white armor over a black jump suit, these train drivers wore a dark grey jump suit with similar colored light armor. Their helmets were simple armor shells with a retractable face shield.
"Shoot her!" demanded the stormtrooper Cara was holding. Cara slowly walked backwards. The three stormtroopers matched her pace with blasters trained on her, waiting for their shot. Cara smiled as they walked next to the gaping hole in the train.
With a furious growl, the big guy Zeb swung into the engine car. One trooper he grabbed with his foot and threw him out of the train. The he grabbed the helmets of the other two and smashed them together. They dropped like limp rag dolls.
Cara wasted no time. She threw her hostage into the two black clothed engineers. Before they could recover, Cara was on top of them. She took the engineer on her right. He tried to bring his blaster pistol around, but Cara grabbed his arm with her left hand and his helmet chin strap with her right. She pulled him towards her while lifting her right knee into his abs. As he doubled over, she spun him around and twisted his right arm. He dropped the blaster in pain. Cara kicked out the back of his knee, and he dropped to the floor.
The second engineer approached Cara with a ridiculously wide punch. Cara ducked it and delivered powerful left of her own to his rib cage. She followed with a right uppercut to his chin. He also dropped.
Finally, all that was left was the stormtrooper Cara had first grappled with. Without his blaster he approached with his hands up for a fight. "Now we're talking," said Cara. She encouraged the trooper with a wave of her hand as he closed the distance. He attacked with more skill than the engineers, but just barely. Cara easily evaded two swings. She countered with a right swing of her own to the trooper's head.
Pain shot through Cara's hand as it made contact with the trooper's helmet. She grabbed her right hand in pain. However, the punched wasn't useless. The trooper was dazed and trying to straighten his helmet. Cara kicked him hard in the chest plate. The trooper fell back against a control console. Cara spun around and gave him a roundhouse kick to the helmet. He crashed on to the floor and didn't get up again.
Cara nursed her hand a bit before looking up at Zeb. "The old lady was right. Scrappy. I like it."
"You're not bad yourself," replied Cara. "Alright, big guy, how do we stop this train?"
Zeb scratched the back of his head. "Ah, not my expertise. I'm more of a smash and hit kind of guy."
"Same," said Cara.
Zeb's commlink buzzed. Sheltered from the howling wind inside the engineering car, Cara could actually hear the other person. "Zeb! I hope you're inside the engineering car. Because the train is about to come up to the next security station."
"We're in, Sabine. Tell us how to stop this thing."
"First you have to disengage the repulsorlifts. That will force the train to use its back up system, physical wheels on the track."
"How do I do that?!"
"The key console should be on the left. Look for the green repulsor indicator."
"Found it. Turning it off," said Zeb. He deactivated the repulsors. The gentle rocking motion of the train's repulsors was replaced by the jarring sensation of physical contact with the rail underneath them.
"Find the braking system!" said the voice on the commlink. "It should be on the right."
"I think I found it," replied Cara as she sat in the engineer's seat. "Activating brakes." The console flashed red. "Something's wrong."
"Karabast!" said Zeb. "We're going too fast. The braking system is not working."
"It must be an override from the garrison or the prison. You'll have to use the handbrakes. Hurry, Zeb!" said the voice on the comm urgently.
"Handbrakes?!" Cara looked behind her and saw a very large lever. There was another one on the other side of the train. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Take that one and pulled as hard as you can," said Zeb. Cara saw him grab the lever with both hands and pulled back. Cara ran to her lever. She planted her feet as firmly as possible and pulled with all her might. She could feel the resistance in the lever. Her muscles began to burn, but she didn't hold back at all.
She could feel the train slowing down. Out the front window she could see the security station on the left of the track. It disappeared behind a rock pillar. If the train coasted to the other side of that rock pillar, they would be exposed to the security station. A couple hours ago Cara had wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, but now she wanted to be with these people. She had only a taste of their skills. She wanted to see what they really could do.
Cara redoubled her efforts. She released a scream as her muscles wanted to give up. Zeb also growled loudly. The train was slowing. It was an agonizing five seconds as the train finally grinded to a stop. Cara released the brake and stumbled backwards, but she remained on her feet.
"Heh, heh, heh, it's always close," said Zeb. He punched her in the shoulder, and Cara returned the gesture.
"The train has stopped, Spectre 2. And not a moment too soon," said Sabine's voice. "You're clear to bring in the Ghost."
"Copy that," said Hera. She jumped the Ghost out of the ravine it was hiding in, and she threw power into the engines. Jacen squealed in his cockpit seat at the sudden acceleration.
"Rex, get in the top turret. Once we reach the hovertrain, we'll be sitting ducks. It will be up to you to cover us."
"Copy that, General," replied the old clone trooper as he left the cockpit.
The train finally stopped. Kat disengaged her magnetic boots. She looked up to see the Rebel light freighter called the Ghost lowering itself onto the front passenger car. It opened its front ramp, exposing the cargo bay. "We need to get the prisoners on board," said Kallus.
"We need to clear the train of guards first," replied Kat.
"You're right," said Kallus. "Follow my lead."
Kat followed the former Imperial into the gap between two cars. It was strange. As the leader of Divergent Company Kat was always in the lead. The only person she ever really followed was General…
Kat's heart rate accelerated. Her mind threated to leave the train and jump back twenty years to the day when she had…
Thankfully, a blaster bolt whipped by her head. Her battle instincts bred into her by the Kaminoan clone masters brought her back to reality. She ducked behind a chair for cover as she and Kallus fought six stormtroopers inside one of the train cars. The Ugnaught prisoner seated in the chair squealed loudly in Kat's ear.
Kallus was also behind cover. He popped out to fire a few shots. Kat popped her head out and fired. She hit a stormtrooper in the helmet. "Nice shot," commented Kallus.
"I'm used to hitting the tiny heads of battle droids. These helmets are easy targets." Kat hit another stormtrooper, and Kallus took down one himself.
Two more troopers came from the next car through the rear door. Kat heard Kallus swear, "Karabast!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm not actually sure," admitted Kallus. "But this is taking too long."
The rear door opened again. This time the Mandalorian woman came in. "Hello, boys." The troopers turned to face her, but they didn't stand a chance. "Cleaning up your mess again, Kallus."
"Thanks for the assist," replied Kallus.
Cara Dune and the Lasat entered behind them. The Lasat spoke, "The Ghost is ready. Time to get these people out of here, before Imperial reinforcements arrive."
"We need to clear these cars," said Kat.
"Give me a blaster," said Cara Dune.
"No," replied Kallus. "You help these people get on board the Ghost."
"I'm a fighter, not a babysitter."
"You're a prisoner like them. And you're going to be rescued like them," replied Kallus.
Kat turned towards Cara. "Follow your orders, soldier. There will be plenty of opportunity to fight." Cara reluctantly began helping the prisoners.
Kat followed Kallus to the rear door and the next train car. The Mandalorian woman took the lead this time, but the car was empty. "I think we got most of them," said the armored woman.
"There's still bound to be a few more," replied Kat.
"Care to take the lead, old soldier," challenged Kallus.
"I thought you'd never ask." Kat took the lead. She knew that she was being tested, but she didn't care. She had done this countless times. Although it had been a while, she fell back into the old patterns like it was yesterday.
The next car was the one Kat and Kallus had first found Cara in. It had a pair of stormtroopers not counting the ones they had previously killed. Kat shot one, the Mandalorian woman got the other. The Fourth and fifth cars were storage cars. They each had one trooper. The final car was the rear facing engineering car. It had two stormtroopers and two engineers. The Mandalorian woman tossed a thermal detonator in the car and sealed the door. "Well, that job is done."
"Let's get everyone off this train," said Kallus. The trio returned topside and rejoined Cara and Zeb.
Kat was helping a prisoner to the top of the train when she heard a strange howling noise. "What is that noise?"
"That noise is not good?" shouted the Mandalorian woman. "Hera! We have incoming TIEs."
"TIEs? As in TIE fighters?" Kat turned to the source of the sound. She saw three of the howling fighters come around a small mountain. She turned to Kallus. "Karabast?"
"Yes, Karabast," replied the ex-Imperial.
"I'll see if I can stall them," said the Mandalorian woman. "Chopper! Bring the Phantom to me." She rocketed off.
The TIEs came in firing.
Sabine rocketed past the TIEs. She rolled over, placing her jetpack beneath her, and looked back to the train. The trio of TIE fighters fired on the train, destroying the rear engineering car. As they swung around for another pass, the top turret of the Ghost fired at them. Sabine regretted that she had already fired her jetpack's missile.
The Phantom flew up beside Sabine and opened the back hatch. Sabine flew inside. Chopper beeped and booped from his astromech's position on the outside of the ship. "I know this ship doesn't have much for weapons. But maybe I can distract some of them." Sabine took the controls.
Sabine drove the Phantom into the middle of the TIE fighter formation. She fired the Phantom's forward blaster cannons. The TIEs adjusted their formation to evade. Then Sabine made a move to try and clip the wing of one of the fighters, but it banked away. Another TIE fighter dropped back and fired on the Phantom. The small Clone Wars shuttle shook with the impact, and Sabine's shield display showed a drop in energy. Chopper issued a series of angry noises.
"I know, I know. I'm pulling away," replied Sabine. She banked the Phantom away, and one of the TIEs followed. "Well, at least I got one fighter's attention. Phantom to Ghost, I'll try to keep this one occupied…"
"…Good luck with the other two."
"Copy that Phantom. We'll take all the help we can get," replied Hara. "Rex, Sabine is distracting one fighter. I hope you can take out the other two."
"You and me both," said Rex from the Ghost's top turret.
"Kallus, how much longer?" asked Hera into the comm.
"We need another minute. There are about two dozen prisoners here." Kallus reflexively ducked as the TIE fighters soared overhead. The old soldier Kat fired at them with a stormtrooper blaster, which was almost useless.
"You need a bigger gun," said the newly freed prisoner Cara Dune.
"No kidding," replied Kat.
"I've got a bigger gun," said Zeb. "Out of my way," he said as he ran to the Ghost.
"We need something to deter those fighters," said Kallus
"I have an idea," said Kat. She dropped back into one of the train cars.
"What is she doing?" asked Cara Dune.
"How should I know? I only met that woman eight hours ago," said Kallus.
Kat ran through the now empty prison train to the front engineering car. There was a hole blown in its side and about five dead or unconscious Imperial troopers. Kat walked up to one of the computer consoles. "Let's see here." Kat worked quickly through the different computer menus. "Communications, there you are. Now, if I can only find the distress codes." Kat laughed. "Stupid droids."
The two TIE fighters came around another time just as the last prisoner got on board the light freighter. Cara looked up at her doom. The TIEs fired at the train, blowing up the rear cars. Cara closed her eyes.
A set of blaster cannons fired. The sound was different in pitch than the TIEs' cannons, and they came from a different direction. Cara opened her eyes and saw a fire ball where one of the TIEs had been a moment earlier. "Where did that come from?"
"From the security station," said Kallus.
"Why would they fire on their own fighters?"
"Kat to Ghost." Cara could hear Kallus' comm. "Do not take off. I sent a distress signal to the security station, alerting it to an aerial attack. Those stupid droids think the TIE fighters are their enemy, but so too will they consider the Ghost. Take an exit vector that keeps the rock pillar between you and the station."
Rex laughed. "Dumb clankers. Leave it to Kat to use you for our side."
"I copy, Kat," said General Syndulla into the comm. She issued more orders. "Kallus, get everyone board. We're leaving. Rex, that TIE is coming right down my new escape vector."
Zeb spoke, "He's hiding from station, just like us."
"Which means it has nowhere else to go," said Rex as he turned his turret towards the approaching TIE. "That's right. Come to Rex." Rex waited for his shot. The TIE loomed closer and closer. Rex pressed the firing studs. The dual cannon shot out, and the blaster bolts hit the TIE, tearing off its starboard wing. The TIE spiraled out of control, but Rex wasn't able to see its crash.
"Do we have everyone?" asked General Syndulla.
"Everyone except Kat," replied Kallus over the comm.
Rex resisted the urge to climb down out of the turret. There was nothing he could do to help his sister.
"More fighters inbound!" said Kat. "You have to leave now!"
"We are not leaving anyone behind," said Syndulla.
"You won't have to," came Sabine's voice. "Take off. Chopper and I will get her out on the Phantom. That is if you can get this TIE off my back."
"I got yah, Sabine," said Zeb as he took controls of the chin turret. "I'm ready when you are Hera."
"Hold on to your seats," said Hera from the cockpit above Zeb. Zeb could see the Phantom approaching. Behind it somewhere was a TIE fighter. Zeb would only have one shot. He hovered his thumbs over the firing studs. "Ready," warned Hera, as the Phantom got closer. "Now!"
The Ghost bounced up on its repulsors. The Phantom dove underneath the Ghost. And the TIE fighter pulled up, putting it right in Zeb's sights. Zeb jabbed down of the triggers, and the TIE exploded into many little pieces.
Sabine felt the heat of the exploding fighter as she bailed out of the Phantom's rear hatch. She allowed herself to freefall for a moment or two. Then she activated her jetpack and flew into the engineering car via the hole she blew in the side. Inside she found the old soldier, Kat. "Your ride has arrived."
"I thought you were going to take me on the Phantom!" said the woman.
"I am. Just after a little flight."
Kat came up. She put her arms around Sabine's shoulders and wrapped her legs around Sabine's waist. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she said.
"It'll be fun," replied Sabine. "Hold on tight." Sabine rocketed backwards out of the train, then upwards. She could see the Ghost on its escape run and the Phantom not far behind with its rear door open. Sabine flew towards it with the old soldier woman clinging tightly to her.
"This is the Phantom, all are accounted for," said Sabine. "We will meet you at the rendezvous."
"Copy that. Ghost out." Hera cleared the atmosphere, recalled the coordinates from the navicomputer, and pulled the hyperspace lever. Once they were clear of the system, Hera stood from the pilot's seat, picked up Jacen, and climbed down the ladder to the cargo hold.
As she stood on the balcony above the hold, she looked down at the people gathered. Prisoners with no hope, now rescued from the Empire. Several of them looked up at her with thankful faces. Hera turned little Jacen towards them and tried to teach him to wave to them. "This is the work we do, Love. And your father would be proud."
The hovertrain was towed back to the Imperial garrison by a spare engine car. It had been heavily damaged, but it was supposed to have been destroyed. The raiders had found a way around the failsafe that should have obliterated the train.
"I want the scanning crew to work on the double," said Agent Aargant. "I want to know every detail about this train and the raiders who attacked it." He smiled as the local stormtroopers and techs jumped at his orders. Aargant's position in the Imperial Security Bureau had its privileges, like bossing around the simple-minded enlisted members of the Imperial Army. His reach even included many officers.
"Major! I want a list of every passenger that was on this train."
"Yes, Agent Aargant," said the military officer in charge of the garrison.
"And I want the warden of the prison here as soon as possible."
"As you know, Agent Aargant, the warden will have to wait until we dispatch another hovertrain. There is no other way out of the prison. Here is the information you requested." The major handed a datapad to Aargant. This officer was efficient and fast, but Aargant was not going to praise the skills of a man who had allowed over twenty prisoners to escape. "As you can see, most of the prisoners on this train were unimportant, mostly common dissidents who refused Imperial mandates. Some were hardened criminals including a few that worked for the Hutts. I suspect that this raid was completed by the Hutt families, maybe even by Jabba's crew."
"What evidence do you have to point at Jabba?"
"None, just the prisoner list and a hunch," said the Major nervously.
"Just give me the information and keep your hunches to yourself," spoke Aargant down at the major. "Leave the real thinking to the ISB." Aargant looked through the list and spotted a name. "Now this is interesting," said Aargant. "Why didn't you tell me about this individual?"
"Carasynthia Dune? Ah, yes. She killed several Imperial troopers. But beyond that, she is unimportant."
"Unimportant except that she is from Alderaan!" Aargant raised his voice.
The Major stepped back. "What has that have to do with anything?"
"The traitor Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan survived the elimination of her home world. And there are many more survivors of Alderaan among the ranking Rebels. I believe that your raiders were not Hutt gangsters but Rebels."
"Rebels? If this is the work of the Rebel Alliance, what do we do?"
"You will stay here on your pathetic prison duty if your superiors have mercy. I, on the other hand, will track down these Rebels. Carasynthia Dune might have escaped Alderaan, but soon she and her companions will face Imperial justice."
