The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 109
From Bad to Good Fortunes
"NAGA, DAMN IT! SHIT!" Kjelle roared as the Millenium Falcon shuddered then lurched hard to her right, slamming her against the armrest of her chair.
Han muttered a curse in front of her as he fought with the Falcon's controls. Chewie barked beside him in the copilot's seat.
"I know. I know." Han replied. His voice completely calm. Eyes laser focused on the multiple readouts on his console, the windows of the cockpit, and the TIE fighters screaming straight at them.
Green bolts flashed in Kjelle's eyes. They screeched over the cockpit, slamming into the top of the Falcon. The ship lurched downwards. Han yanked on the controls, sending the Falcon into a downward spiral. Or what Kjelle thought was down. With how many twists and turns they had done since leaving Numidian Prime's atmosphere, she was no longer certain what was up or down beyond the Falcon's protective metal shell.
Han fidgeted with the headset over his right ear.
"Hondo, Windu, please tell me you are blasting these guys to dust." He said, voice still completely calm in the face of terrifying chaos.
Static crackled back for a moment.
"GOT ANOTHER!" Hondo suddenly cheered, startling Kjelle as she tightened her grip on the armrests.
"There are too many swarming around us." Windu reported back.
Red blaster bolts flashed from both ends of the Falcon as they missed a pair of TIE's shrieking around them. The Falcon shuddered again. Red lights flashed all across the console, eliciting a tremendous roar from Chewie.
"I know, damn it!" Han barked, suddenly losing his temper.
He snapped his head to and fro, looking for any way out of the TIE swarm. Kjelle followed his gaze, throat bobbing up and down as sweat pooled in the creases of her palms. The Falcon spun, her eyes spun, the entire world around her spun. Her stomach flipped as she struggled to keep herself from growing sick. From the view in the cockpit, she suddenly saw the massive Star Destroyer looming large before them.
Kjelle grit her teeth as Han shoved the throttle all the way forward, shoving all of them back into their seats.
"Hondo, Windu, out of the turrets!" Han barked into his earpiece.
"Come again!?" Hondo replied.
"What are you planning, smuggler?" Windu asked, a hint of disdain in his voice as he launched a volley at the Star Destroyer out of pure spite.
"A little trick you should pay attention to." Han grumbled back as he flipped several switches, "Chewie, get ready with the magnetic locks."
Chewie chortled back. His massive paws darted over to several buttons on the side of the cockpit. Kjelle heard a faint whine beneath her feet.
She flicked her panicked gaze back out the window. The Star Destroyer filled the viewport. Her face blanched as the once smooth surface of the Star Destroyer now appeared cracked, craggy, and lumpy. She could make out various lights and panels along its surface as the Falcon sped along its bow.
"Han…" She gulped, "Don't you think we should slow down?"
Han grit his teeth. His hands tightened on the controls.
"I don't know the meaning of those words." He growled.
A yelp left Kjelle's lips as he yanked hard on the controls. The Falcon shot upwards, scaling the face of the Star Destroyer's bridge. They passed so close, Kjelle, in the split second she managed to notice it, saw multiple figures on the massive ship's bridge duck away from their own viewports.
"Engage the magnets now!" Han ordered sharply.
Chewie howled. Kjelle squeezed her eyes shut as the Falcon stopped soaring forward and instead rushed right into the back of the Star Destroyer's bridge. The Falcon shook, lurched, and shuddered. A loud clank filled the cockpit as it hit the bridge.
"Shut off all power!" Han snapped, "Only vital systems online. And no, heat is not a vital system right now." He flicked his head back at Kjelle, "Bundle up sweetheart."
"Heat is the last thing I'm worried about at the moment." Kjelle breathed.
The Falcon's engines died completely. The only sound coming through the cockpit now were the sounds of their bated breath and the dull, nearby roar of the Star Destroyer's monstrous engines. TIEs screeched over their heads and spun around. Kjelle sucked in a sharp breath as she waited for them to spot the wounded Falcon, clinging to the side of their own command ship.
Instead, the TIEs screeched overhead again. Kjelle's eyes followed them until they disappeared from view. As soon as they were gone, her shoulders sagged and she slouched in her seat. Relief flooded through her, and a long sigh escaped from her lungs.
"This is insane." She breathed.
"Yeah, you're telling me." Han said. A laugh of complete disbelief escaped his lungs. He tapped Chewie's arm, "Can you believe this actually worked?"
Kjelle's eyes widened as Chewie shrugged.
"You mean you've never done this before!?" Kjelle cried, "I thought you said this was an old trick?"
"I said a little trick, not an old trick." Han leaned back in his seat and exhaled. Calming his own racing heart in the process, "Came up with this one on the fly."
Chewie grumbled at him, causing Han to frown.
"All of my best plans are improvised, you know that." The smuggler replied with a roll of his eyes.
The door to the cockpit hissed open. Both Hondo and Windu entered. Han, Kjelle, and Chewie spun to greet them.
"You absolute madman!" Hondo exclaimed as he surged towards Han, picked him up out of his seat and placed a large kiss on his cheek, "What I would have given to have you as part of my crew back in the good old days!"
"Get off of me." Han pushed Hondo away. He wiped at his cheek with the back of his hand, "Don't get too touchy feely."
"Impressive." Windu said, voice monotonous as he glanced out of the cockpit, "But this is only a temporary solution."
Kjelle gulped, "What do you mean?"
Windu glanced over at her, his usual frowning look of contempt on his face. A look Kjelle was growing mildly annoyed with considering they saved his life for the second time on Numidian Prime and she had yet to hear a thank you from the man.
"This is merely a hiding spot. While clever, it will not conceal us for long. Eventually their scans will detect us." He explained.
"Not for a while though." Han breathed, "Imperial procedure requires idiocy and incompetence. They won't think to scan their own ship for us." He nudged Chewie, "In the meantime gather the tools. We need to figure out how to get one more jump out of the hyperdrive."
"I shall assist in what meager way I can!" Hondo grinned, "This insane stunt has caused me to grant you both my respect and admiration, Han." He rushed out of the cockpit.
"Not sure if I want those." Han muttered. Chewie uttered a small grunt, "Yeah, I guess it's better than nothing. Go get to it already. I'll make sure everything is good in here."
Windu furrowed his brow as he looked out the cockpit once again. He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath.
"We can only hope imperial procedure gets in the way." He warned Han, "I have a feeling we are dealing with much more competent commanders than the usual Imperial officers."
Han swallowed hard, "If that's the case, my luck really has gone rotten."
Windu nodded in agreement, "I will see what I can do with the hyperdrive." He glanced at Kjelle as he exited the cockpit, "And I'll check on Nah. Seeing Ventress shook her up a little bit."
"Thanks." Kjelle breathed.
Once he was gone, she slouched even further in her seat. During the initial chase, every muscle in her body was clenched tight. Now that the excitement died and the terror faded, she felt exhausted. Normally, a fight would give her a thrill. A rush of adrenaline that she would feed off of and enjoy every second it lasted. But this fight, both on Numidian Prime and beyond that planet's atmosphere, felt different for her. The explosions and shudders that rocked the Falcon still buzzed through her body. Vibrating up from her feet planted firmly against the floor, through her legs, and into her core. Causing her heart to hammer harder in her chest.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
"Hey, Kjelle?" Han leaned forward in his seat, arms resting on his knees as he gave her a concerned look, "You alright?"
Kjelle gulped and gave him a shaky nod.
"I'll be fine just…" She flexed her hands open and closed, "Not used to this."
A small laugh left Han's lips, "I'll admit, it's a little difficult to get used to. But once you do, it becomes a bit fun."
"For a crazy man like you." Kjelle shot back.
"Gotta be a little crazy to be a smuggler." Han smirked back. He rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders, "Now, time to figure out how to-"
The comm link on the Falcon's main console buzzed, forcing Han to freeze midstep. He glanced over at the blinking blue light. Kjelle's throat bobbed as she stared at the blinking light also.
"Lando?" She asked, somehow hoping that piece of crap was trying to get a hold of them and maybe offer them a way out of this mess.
Han's jaw tightened, "I don't think so."
With a trembling hand, he pressed the button allowing the comm to activate. No hologram appeared on the console. Instead, a voice cut through a brief rush of static. A voice that made Kjelle's heart stop in her chest.
"Crew of the Millenium Falcon, this is Lady Ragana of the Imperial Navy."
Kjelle's hands started to shake. Her face turned ghost white. A cold sweat built up on her brow and trickled down the back of her neck.
"I know you are still out there."
Her mouth felt dry. Air surged in and out of her lungs in rapid breaths as her shock turned to relief, then to horror as realization settled in for her.
"I know that your hyperdrive is offline. You know you cannot escape my grasp." The still, quiet voice said as it cut through the static.
Han remained rooted in his spot, throat moving up and down as he struggled to contain his own fear.
A wave of cold surged into the cockpit. It creeped over Kjelle's skin like frozen fingers. Prowling along her, trying to invade her thoughts. Something struck at her mind. An invisible vice like grip grabbed her thoughts, her memories, and strangled them. She squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands clenched the armrests of her chair tight. Her knuckles turned white, and the metal in her grip groaned as she squeezed tighter. Pain filled her mind as she resisted the presence attempting to invade her thoughts.
"Yes… you are near. I can sense you."
Kjelle cracked her eyes open. Her chest rose and fell in hard, heavy, ragged gasps. The grip on her mind eased, then brushed against her, almost like a tender caress that reassured her no more harm would come to her. But she did not believe it. She flicked her gaze over to Han. He leaned against the co-pilot's seat, wincing in pain, before letting out a low groan and slumping hard against the chair.
"It is only a matter of time now. I will find you. So… how about we make this easy?"
Kjelle's gaze focused on the blinking blue comm light.
"Han Solo… you and your crew are harboring a wanted fugitive of the Galactic Empire, an infamous Jedi Master by the name of Mace Windu. If you turn him over to me, not only will I spare your lives, I will forget you even exist. No one will be the wiser of this little… incident."
Kjelle saw Han glanced longingly at the comm.
"If you do not comply, well… I'm sure you already know."
The blue light stopped blinking. The static and voice cut out, leaving the cockpit in complete, deafening silence.
Han and Kjelle continued staring at the now dead light. Both fearing the moment it would start blinking blue again. The first noise either of them heard was the sound of Han letting out a ragged breath.
"Kriff." He gasped before slumping into the co-pilot's seat. He buried his face in his hands, "I- what-" He glanced over at a still petrified Kjelle, "Kjelle?"
She stared blankly forward, lips slightly parted, shock in her eyes. That voice, she knew that voice anywhere. She had heard it so many times growing up. Played with the person behind that voice. Called them comrade, ally, friend. And now, out in the cold expanse of space, that old friend was threatening her life.
"Morgan." Kjelle breathed, still struggling to believe what she heard.
Han raised his brow, "What did you say?"
Kjelle slowly shook her head in disbelief, "It can't be." She flicked her eyes over to the comm, "No… no, Morgan is not like this."
Han blinked, "Are-are you saying what I think you're saying?" He glanced over at the comm, "You know this Ragana lady?"
Kjelle snapped her gaze over to Han. She swallowed again, causing her suddenly parched throat to ache.
"I-I don't know a Ragana." She stammered, "But she sounded exactly the same as a friend of mine."
"One of your friends like Nah?" Han asked.
Kjelle slowly nodded. Han pressed his lips into a thin line.
"What are we dealing with then? Another lizard girl?" He asked, trying to make light of the situation. But the shudder in his voice betrayed the fear he felt.
Kjelle clenched her jaw, "Morgan… probaby can do that. She never really tried, but her mother was a Manakete. Morgan's greatest asset has always been her mind." Kjelle shakily rose from her seat. She braced herself against the wall, her body still feeling weak from the sudden shock and mental barrage, "She takes after her father, or so I've been told. He was a brilliant mage and tactician. Morgan's the same in that way. And… N-naga above, she's with the Empire." She ran her hand over her eyes and uttered a shaky breath, "What is she doing there?"
Han let his hands hit his legs as he rose to his feet and also struggled to find his balance. He massaged his brow and gulped.
"Does it matter? We've got our terms." Kjelle's head snapped around to look at him, "I say we take them."
Kjelle's mind raced for a moment. The way Morgan talked, it sounded like her, but it also did not sound like her. This Morgan-Ragana-, whatever her name was, she sounded… evil. In Kjelle's experience, you can never trust evil.
Han noticed her concern.
"You disagree?"
"Think about what she said for a moment." Kjelle breathed, "She will forget we exist. What does that mean exactly?"
Han shrugged, "She'll forget about us. We get away scot-free."
Kjelle raised a hand, forcing Han to stop reaching for the comm.
"She never said we get away."
Han's fingers hovered over the comm link. His brow furrowed as he pondered Kjelle's words. His hand slowly moved away from the comm.
"We'll be forgotten, because we will be dead." Kjelle swallowed hard.
Han furrowed his brow, "You said this lady was a friend of yours-"
"I don't know what she is right now!" Kjelle snapped. She ran a hand through her hair, "Naga, I'm not the thinking type! Just… damn it! Just point me in a direction and tell me to hit something! I'm good at that. But all of this thinking, and cloak and dagger, no!" She bowed her head as she fought back tears, "Do not reply to her. If-if my gut feeling is right, she'll kill us, regardless of if we hand Windu over or not."
Han remained silent for a moment. Meanwhile, Kjelle's mind continued to race, and her heart ached.
Morgan, what are you doing? She thought, Why do I feel this way about you?
"Well," Han exhaled, "one option is, if we are lucky enough to time it right, we detach with the ship's garbage and float away. Then we wait till they leave."
"She knows we are here, Han." Kjelle reminded, "She won't leave. Morgan is far too… thorough." She shook her head, "We need to pray the hyperdrive can be used."
Han nodded, "Yeah… pray might be the best we can hope for at the moment. Not that I believe in it." He surged towards the cockpit exit.
Kjelle took another breath to compose herself. Right now, only she and Han knew about the conversation that just occured. The others did not hear it. Unless Han decided to disclose it to the others, they would never know about the imminent danger they were in. They would not know about the person at the other end of the line. Nah would not know about Morgan's sudden turn. A turn that caused Kjelle's heart to ache, and caused innumerable questions to bounce through her mind. How did this happen? How did Morgan end up with the Empire? Why was she threatening them? Did Morgan even know she and Nah were aboard the Falcon?
None of this makes any sense.
With one more calming (or as calming as she could manage) breath, Kjelle strode out of the cockpit and marched towards the engine room.
When she entered the engine room, she walked straight into a complete mess. Panels were ripped out of the floor, exposing a network of wires, pipes, and other instruments buried beneath the floor. Sparks flew up from the hole as Chewie used a strange, fiery tool. Hondo sat down there with him, cranking relentlessly with a wrench. Meanwhile, Han, Windu, and Nah watched from the edge of the hole in the floor. Han was trying to figure out what exactly was wrong. Windu was not doing much of anything other than keeping his eyes closed and breathing deep. And Nah watched with growing curiosity. Her eyes seemed focused on a group of glowing red tubes near Hondo's right side.
"What I would give for an astromech right now." Hondo grunted as he whatever he was working on with his wrench, "Hunk of junk!"
"Hey! Don't insult my ship. Do you talk to your mother like that?" Han snapped at the Wee'quay.
"Ha! You've obviously never met my mother. She'd repay those words in kind, I assure you." Hondo chirped back. He rattled off a few words in a strange language Kjelle could not understand, howled an obvious curse, then threw his wrench to his feet, "Bantha poodoo!"
"Have you tried turning it counterclockwise?" Han suggested.
"Have I tried turning it counterclockwise?" Hondo grumbled as he pulled himself out of the hole in the floor, "Why don't you try it?"
Before Han could hop down into the hole, Nah leaped in.
"Nah!" Kjelle shouted.
"Hey! Kid, get out of there!" Han snapped.
Nah ignored them as she focused on the glowing red tubes. Chewie stopped working and glanced over at her. He uttered a low groan in her direction. But Nah ignored him as well. Windu said nothing.
"What are these?" Nah asked, pointing at the glowing tubes.
Han sighed, "Power cells."
"Are they supposed to be red?" She asked.
Han shook his head, "No, they're supposed to be green. And that is what we are trying to fix."
Nah furrowed her brow and returned her attention to the tubes. She brushed her hand against them. The skin on her arms buzzed. A determined look crossed her face. Wordlessly, she drew a small, pale stone from her shirt.
Kjelle gulped, "Nah, now's not the time to use that."
"No dragon in here!" Hondo cried, "There is no room! I don't want to be crushed by a little lizard girl."
"Chewie get her out of there." Han growled.
Chewie let out an irritated groan, stopped working, and turned to grab Nah.
The wookie howled as the stone in Nah's hands glowed bright. White light drowned out everything around them, forcing Kjelle to squeeze her eyes shut. Curses erupted from Han and Hondo. The light lingered a moment longer, then faded away.
Dark spots lingered in Kjelle's vision for a moment. When her eyes refocused, she saw Nah, shaking beside Chewie. Her skin had turned deathly pale. Cold sweat covered her. The pale stone in her hands shuddered then cracked in two.
"Nah…" Kjelle breathed, stunned.
Chewie pawed at his eyes and glared at Nah. Any fury the wookie felt evaporated when he noticed green glowing tubes beside Nah.
"Did…" Nah swallowed and started to sway, "Did that help?"
She tipped forward. Chewie quickly caught her.
"Holy crap!" Hondo breathed.
"Chewie, give her to me, quick!" Kjelle snapped as she leaned over the edge of the hole.
The wookie hoisted the small Manakete up to Kjelle. Kjelle grabbed her and laid her gently down onto the floor. She brushed a hand over Nah's forehead.
"She's freezing." Kjelle gulped and glanced at the split stone still squeezed in Nah's hands, "Nah, what did you do?"
"Is it?" Han stared in awe at the tubes, "It is!"
He rushed past Kjelle back into the cockpit. Just as he reached the cockpit, TIE fighters screamed overhead again. This time, they turned and focused on the Falcon latched to the back of the Star Destroyer's bridge.
Kjelle hardly heard him shout for everyone to hold on. The Falcon burst free from the Star Destroyer. A high pitched whine filled the air, steam erupted from several pipes in the hole. The green glow started to turn red as the hyperdrive activated one more time. Sparks shot up from the hole. Chewie howled and jumped out as fast as he could.
A fiery blast rocked the hole. The Falcon lurched forward, nearly sending everyone against the back wall of the engine room. The screech of the TIE fighters disappeared instantly. A victorious whoop sounded from cockpit. Han rushed back to them.
"It worked!" He cried, "No idea how. And I have no idea where we are going, because we just had a massive power overload, but we are away from the Empire." He put his hands on his hips, "That is good enough for me."
Kjelle let out a small sigh of relief. They escaped, barely, and all thanks to whatever Nah did. She returned her gaze to the unconscious Manakete. She still looked so pale and frail. Her skin looked like the color of ash, lifeless and cold. The only sign of life from the little Manakete was the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she took small breaths.
"I hope there is a healer where we are going." Kjelle muttered, "Nah needs one now."
Han nodded, "We'll find one, don't worry." He took a deep breath, "For now, rest." He knelt down and picked Nah up, "I'll get her to the medical bay."
Kjelle nodded her thanks as he strode away. Hondo coughed as he waved steam and smoke away from his face.
"That went well." The Wee'quay wheezed.
Kjelle slumped backwards against the wall. She felt exhausted, worried, overwhelmed, and afraid. All foreign emotions for her. The only other time she felt this way was… she squeezed her eyes shut.
When mom and dad died… and when Grima was at the gates.
"No," Kjelle shook her head, "This has not gone well at all."
Ragana's voice rang in her mind. The sensation of being attacked, invaded, by a strange, dark presence lingered in her thoughts.
Morgan, what have you become?
Windu sat in silence in the Falcon's small medical bay. It was a cramped section of the ship, barely big enough for a cot, medical supplies, and a couple of chairs. To most it would have been a very uncomfortable place to sit in, let alone try to recover in. But he did not mind, he had been in far worse places during his life. And he had grown sort of comfortable with this cramped room. It was where he woke up on this ship after all. And now, it was where the most curious of the Falcon's crew, Nah, lay comatose.
He still could not figure the little girl out. For how young she obviously was, there was an ancient wisdom and power to her that stunned him. The two occasions where Windu witnessed her abilities was enough to make him wonder just what exactly she was. She claimed to be a species he had never heard of before, a Manakete. A species from a place called Ylisse. But neither of those things resonated for the old Jedi Master. Such mysteries both intrigued and troubled him. The last great mystery revolving around a species and a planet occurred at the start of the Clone Wars.
Kamino, that water covered world beyond the outer rim, was the only other instance he could think of that bore any resemblance to the mystery in front of him. A planet lost, then found, with a species of stunning beings on it. Not stunning like Nah and her apparent magic. The Kaminoans were stunning with their intellect. They were the best Cloners in the galaxy after all. And they were a big reason why the Empire came to be.
He fought off a swell of anger inside of him as he thought of the Clones, the pawns that slaughtered the generals in the war. He needed to stay centered right now. Ragana was probably tracking the Falcon through the force. Sensing his own instability through the currents and following it. His emotions needed to remain in check, or the Sith Apprentice would find him once again. While he was confident he could easily defeat her, he was not confident she would be alone again.
A long breath left his lips and Windu returned his attention to Nah.
Manakete… He thought, still trying to figure out the first step in the mystery. Where in the galaxy did she come from?
There was a distinct difference between Nah's case and the Kamino case. Kamino was an already discovered planet. But it was lost, erased from the Jedi Archives and rendered forgotten on purpose. Manakete and Ylisse on the other hand, no one had ever heard of those places. Not Han, not Hondo, not Chewie, not even himself.
There has to be someone with knowledge about it.
Heavy footsteps neared the medical bay, Mace turned in his seat and saw Kjelle enter. The girl had been in and out of the bay most of the night. Unable to sleep due to her own worries regarding her friend's condition. Dark circles sat around her eyes. Her normally upright posture was slouched, even when she slumped into a chair by Nah's bedside. She ran a hand over Nah's forehead again, then shook her head.
"Still cold." She muttered.
Windu nodded. He had been monitoring the young girl personally. One of the first actions taken to try and help her was to wrap her in as many blankets as they could find on the ship. Then Han cranked the heat up in the ship (something Chewie was very upset about still). He wiped some beads of sweat from his brow and pursed his lips.
"We'll get her to a doctor." Windu said, trying his best to reassure Kjelle.
Kjelle furrowed her brow, "Doctor is the same as a healer, right?"
Windu gave her a slow nod.
"Good." Kjelle breathed, "Hopefully they know how to help her." She shook her head, "I've never seen something like this happen to her before."
Windu raised his brow, "To her before?"
Kjelle nodded shakily, "There were two other Manaketes at one point. Nah's mother, Nowi, and Lady Tiki. Nowi never had something like this happen, but Lady Tiki did often. She never fully explained it to us, but I have a feeling it is a power drain of some sort."
"She over exerted herself." Windu summarized.
"I think so." Kjelle breathed, "But that could also mean Nah will be asleep for a very long time."
Windu gave her a puzzled look, "How long?" Was it several days? A week? A month?
Kjelle shrugged, "Lady Tiki once said she fell asleep for nearly one hundred years at one point." Windu's eyes widened briefly, "I have no idea how long Nah will be gone like this."
Just how long does her species live for? Windu thought to himself. One hundred years was impressive for any species in the galaxy. But for a singular species to slumber for that long if overexerted sounded incredible.
"How old was Lady Tiki?" He asked, curious.
Kjelle uttered a weary laugh, "A rather rude question to ask, don't you think?"
Windu was not amused. He waited silently on Kjelle's answer.
KJelle huffed, "I think she said somewhere around three thousand." Windu's mouth fell open a little bit, "Give or take a few years. I don't know the exact number."
That's impossible!
Kjelle had to be fooling him. No species, outside of some plant species in the galaxy, could last that long. Not even Master Yoda grew to be that old. The ancient master lived to be nearly nine hundred before the Jedi Purge. Even then, Windu suspected the force aided in the Grandmaster's longevity.
Then again… was it possible? Did these Manakete's have such an innate connection to the Force that it allowed them to live impossibly long lives, spanning millennia? Theoretically, it could be possible. But there was no way for him to possibly test it.
"Where is this Lady Tiki?" He asked Kjelle.
Kjelle swallowed hard and hung her head, "Dead… like the rest of our parents."
Windu fell silent for a moment, "Grima?"
Kjelle's head snapped up, "How do you-"
"Nah told me." Windu explained, "Your planet is locked in an apocalyptic conflict between the god and the devil, of your world at least."
Kjelle let out a dry laugh, "Lady Tiki would argue against the god bit, but the devil? Not far off there. Grima is," Kjelle took a breath, trying to compose her own emotions. Windu detected a flash of fear at the mere mention of Grima's name, "evil. Pure evil."
Windu nodded in understanding. Evil was not restricted to the greater galaxy it seems. Then again, he should not have been surprised. Evil takes many forms. Sidious was just one example, the Hutts were another, and Grima was now the latest example for him.
"Where is your planet?" He asked.
Kjelle frowned, "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be here right now. I would be there, helping Lucina and the others prevent a terrible future."
Ah yes, he had forgotten about that. Nah claimed that a portal sent her and her friends back in time. Hondo seemed to believe it, since he claimed to have seen Kjelle arrive from said portal. But he was also a pirate, and Windu was hesitant to believe the word of a pirate.
Before he could continue his line of questioning, Han leaned into the medical bay.
"I've got good news and bad news." He said.
"Bad news first." Kjelle said quickly, keeping her eyes focused on the subtle rise and fall of Nah's chest.
"Alright, bad news." Han cleared his throat, "I figured out where we random jumped, because we are about to come out of hyperspace and the star charts finally caught up."
"And?" Windu asked.
Han gulped, "Near Alderaan."
Windu frowned. That was not good. Alderaan, since the Empire's inception, had been a key ally to the Emperor. Bail Organa had gone from being a staunch believer in liberty into one of the loudest voices of support for Palpatine. Of course, if rumors were to be believed, his opinions changed when Master Yoda attempted to hold him and his newborn daughter hostage in the immediate aftermath of Order 66. At least there was an understandable reason behind his sudden turn away from the Republic and the Jedi.
"How is that bad news?" Kjelle asked.
"Alderaan is in the core worlds. Very close to the Empire." Han breathed, "So… we may not be out of the woods yet."
Kjelle gave him a worried look, "Tell me the good news is better than the bad news."
Han grimaced, "Well… now that I think about it, I don't have much good news. We're almost out of fuel. Whatever Nah did to our hyperdrive sucked up almost all of the juice the Falcon had. Our hyperdrive is completely fried, so are some other systems. Basically, if we do not make port immediately, we will be drifting in a few hours."
Windu closed his eyes. Bad news indeed. Alderaan was now their only course.
"So," Han continued, "Hopefully the wanted posters haven't been distributed yet. We'll be landing in a few minutes. I suggest you two get ready."
"What about the spice?" Kjelle asked.
Han pursed his lips, "We're about to eject it." He tapped his leg nervously, "My work for Jabba is done now. And, if he ever catches me, I am a dead man." He nodded then disappeared back down the corridor.
Windu grimaced once he was gone, "Not good."
"Yeah, I can see that." Kjelle exhaled, "But we have no choice."
She rose to her feet and marched towards the cockpit. Windu decided to follow her. When they both entered the cockpit, Hondo spun in his chair to greet them.
"How's it going?" He asked.
"Been better." Kjelle sighed before flopping in her chair behind Han.
Chewie groaned in agreement. One of his paws swiped at his wet, matted fur.
"I know it's hot buddy, I'm sorry." Han breathed, "At least Alderaan is temperate. You'll get to cool off in a minute."
The engines to the Falcon whined and shuddered as Han pulled back on the throttle. The blue tunnel of hyperspace evaporated away, revealing a blue and green planet lumbering before them.
"There she is." Han breathed.
"Hm… never been here before." Hondo muttered as he leaned back in his seat, "Of course, I tried to avoid the core. Too many authorities here."
"Don't blame you." Han muttered, "I'd prefer not to be here too." he flicked some switched, "Chewie, we'll be hailed as soon as we enter the atmosphere. Put them through right away. We don't want any trouble."
Chewie groaned in agreement.
The stars faded as they entered Alderaan's atmosphere. Giant, white puffs of cloud enveloped the Falcon. The ship shuddered a little as it jostled through the planet's air. Through the rumbling of entry, static hit the comm link. Chewie's paw hit the comm, opening up the Falcon's main channel.
"Unidentified craft, this is Alderaan Spaceport's Tower, identify yourself."
Han gulped, "Here goes nothing." He tapped a button in front of him, "This is Han Solo of the Millenium Falcon. Requesting permission for an emergency landing. Engines and hyperdrive are mostly fried. One injured crew member on board."
Static in return. Han held his breath. Chewie uttered a low groan. Hondo leaned forward in his seat.
"Think they know?" The pirate asked.
"It wouldn't surprise me." Han muttered.
The static cut out. A new voice spoke to them. A strong, authoritative voice that instantly put Windu on edge.
"Millenium Falcon, this is Captain Rex of the Alderaan security forces. Proceed to make an emergency landing at landing pad marked Alpha 15 in the Royal City. Myself and a medical crew will be there to greet you. Over and out."
Han paled, "Security forces… great."
"We're finished." Hondo muttered.
Chewie uttered a despondent groan. Kjelle furrowed her brow, confused.
"But they're bringing a medical crew for Nah? Maybe they're just being careful?"
"We can only hope." Windu frowned.
That was a name he had not heard in a long time. And it was a name that caused him tremendous amounts of worry.
Captain Rex…
The clouds broke around them. Slowly growing larger below them was a shimmering city that stole Kjelle's breath away. A grand city with towers and spires that reached high into the sky. It sat nestled into a snow-covered mountain range. Great pines lined the outskirts of the city. A few speeders and shuttles zipped in and out of a large area off to the side, which had to be the spaceport.
"Wow…" Kjelle breathed.
"And this is a rich world." Hondo muttered, "It pays to side with the Empire."
"Yes it does." Han nodded as he brought the Falcon in for a landing.
The Falcon's landing gear groaned open. The entire ship shuddered as it touched down. Through the cockpit window, Windu saw a group of medical personnel hustling towards the ship with a stretcher. Behind them were three Alderaan security forces soldiers in crisp, blue and white uniforms. At the head of those security forces was a bald headed, mandalorian man with a stern gaze and strong military posture.
Windu took a deep breath and reached for the force, only to stop himself. If he touched the force, both Sidious and Ragana would know. He glanced over at Kjelle and the others, then down the corridor to the medical bay.
He couldn't risk it.
"Let's see what happens." Han said nervously.
He marched out of the cockpit. Chewie and Hondo followed him. Kjelle muttered something about being with Nah then left the cockpit, leaving Windu alone as the ramp lowered. He drew in a deep breath and rose to his feet, ready to either enter Alderaan safely, or be killed and join his Jedi brethren in the force.
As he approached the ramp, he heard the familiar clip of a clone's voice. His pulse quickened as he stepped down the ramp. The medical crew rushed past Windu and moved down the corridor towards the medical bay.
At the base of the ramp, Windu saw Han speaking to Rex.
"Look, Solo, I still need to know what exactly happened?"
"Asteroid field." Han answered with a shrug, "One of my other crew panicked and overloaded the hyperdrive with power. Caused it to jump us then explode, injuring one of my crew in the process."
Rex furrowed his brow, "Likely," His eyes turned up to look at Windu, "story…"
Windu locked eyes with the former Clone Captain. He looked a little older now, no doubt due to the advanced aging in his genetics. While still bald, white whiskers were starting to grow on the clone captain's chin and lip. Crow's feet sat in the corners of his sharp eyes. But despite those obvious signs of age, he looked as fit as he did during the war.
Han noticed Rex's brief shock.
"Is there a problem?"
Windu held his breath as Rex shook his head.
"None at all." He cleared his throat, "Actually, I mean to congratulate all of you."
"Uh… what?"
"You are the one millionth users of this spaceport." Rex said with a large grin.
One of the guards leaned over and whispered something to Rex. Rex gave the man a stern glare, which shut him up immediately.
"As a reward for that, Prince Bail Organa would like to meet with all of you personally. And his personal physician will see to your injured crew member." Rex glanced back up at a stunned Windu. As they locked gazes again, the medical crew emerged with Nah in the stretcher and Kjelle following behind them, "Take her to the royal palace. The physician will be waiting." He ordered the medical crew.
The medics gave him a surprised look, but said nothing as they marched towards an emergency shuttle. Kjelle lingered a moment longer.
"Where are you taking her?" She asked Rex.
"To the palace. We'll follow." Rex turned on his heel and motioned for them to follow him to a nearby shuttle.
Windu hesitated as the others cautiously followed. He took a deep breath and glanced at the two security forces personal still waiting beside the Falcon. He gave both a stiff nod then followed Rex into the shuttle.
No words were exchanged with him as he took his seat towards the rear of the shuttle. Rex took a seat near the driver's seat. Han, Hondo, and Chewie chatted quietly amongst themselves. Stunned by what was going on. And thanking the universe that their luck finally took a good turn. Kjelle sat quietly beside Windu.
The shuttle hummed up into the air and shot towards the palace. The entire way there, Windu could not help but brace himself.
"Leia, sweetheart, don't play with your food." Bail gently admonished as he sat at the head of the dining table.
His beautiful little girl beamed at him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes, then flicked her food with her finger once again. A long sigh left Bail's lips as he gave her a suddenly weary look.
I got stuck with the trouble maker. He thought to himself with mild amusement due to her antics.
For the life of him he could never find a way to stay mad at her. Leia was his whole world. She was what kept him sane through the chaos that enveloped the galaxy during the last days of the Republic. His rock that he stood upon when his wife passed a few years ago. The one thing he lived for more than anything else. The one person he fought and risked everything for in the shadows.
"Leia," Yarne's quiet voice piped up beside the Princess, "you should listen to your father."
Leia frowned at Yarne. Yarne's long ears drooped a little bit beneath her harsh glare. Nevertheless, despite her disagreement, Leia huffed, grabbed her fork and started to eat like a proper lady. Bail chuckled to himself as he brought his glass of tea to his lips.
"I'm glad she listens to you." He muttered to Yarne.
Yarne ducked his head a little bit, embarrassed. He said nothing in return. Nothing unusual for the Taguel.
Bail actually liked having the strange creature around. For one, he seemed to care a great deal for Leia, despite not having any personal stakes in her care. The Taguel had taken it upon himself to be both a guardian and playmate for the young Princess. While Leia had no shortage of guardians (Rex chief among them), she lacked friends in the palace. Yarne was a friend she desperately need. And that was likely why she bothered to listen to him in the first place. As always, the opinion of peers outweigh the opinion of the parent.
Funny how that works. Bail thought to himself.
He sipped his tea once again. Just as he brought the cup away from his lips, his comm link buzzed on the table. Yarne flinched at the sudden noise. Bail simply plucked it from the table and held to his ear.
"Yes?"
It was Rex. And what he just said made Bail's stomach drop.
"Are you certain?" Bail rose to his feet, brow furrowed as he continued listening to Rex, "Yes, bring them to me immediately. And keep it quiet."
He clicked the comm link off and took a deep breath. Shock filled him. That shock was followed by a spell of fear, then hope and joy. Perhaps the fledgling rebellion he was trying to build would finally receive their first great general.
He glanced over at Yarne and Leia.
"Make sure she finishes her food." Bail told Yarne, "I have to go speak with Rex."
Yarne nodded, "Yes sir."
"Bye father!" Leia cried, waving her fork at him.
Bail gave his daughter a gentle smile before striding out of the dining room and marching towards his personal quarters, where Rex would take the new arrivals from the spaceport. A smart move by the captain of his security forces. There were no prying eyes there, unlike the main hall of his palace.
He shoved the doors to his quarters open and took a deep breath. He was alone for now, but that would soon change.
He's alive. Bail smiled to himself, There is hope!
Footsteps approached his quarters. Bail composed himself before the doors were pushed open. Rex stepped inside and snapped to attention. Behind him were a motley group of people.
First was a young, roguish man with a blaster pistol hanging loose on his hip. He wore dark blue pants with red stripes on the side, almost imperial in design. A loose white shirt and black vest completed the look. He glanced around the palace with anxious eyes. One hand always lingered near the blaster pistol.
Next to him was a mammoth wookie. And next to the wookie was a Wee'quay male wearing the outfit of an outer rim pirate. A charming grin rested on the Wee'quay's face as he looked at Bail.
Then behind all of them was a young woman with brown hair and a worried look in her eyes. She wore a simple black tank and brown pants. A blaster hung loose against her hip as well. She was about as young as the man at the lead. Maybe a year or two younger.
Bail caught his breath as he caught sight of the last figure.
"Master Windu." He breathed before Rex could address him and introduce the newcomers.
He saw the Jedi Master's eyes narrow dangerously.
"You may leave Rex." Bail quickly said, "Unfortunately, he'll probably be more comfortable if you are absent for this meeting."
Rex nodded, "Understandable sir." Rex saluted and spun around. He paused beside a frowning Windu, "Good to see you, General." Then he left.
"General?" The young man at the lead of the group said, "Hold on, what do you mean General?"
"Jedi General Mace Windu, of the Grand Army of the Republic." Bail reiterated as he stepped closer to the group, hands folded in front of him, "That is what we mean by General."
The young man raised his brow and jabbed at thumb back at Windu, "You can't be serious?"
"He is, Han." The young woman muttered at the rear, "He's a Jedi."
"I don't need your input right now, Kjelle." Han hissed back.
Chewie groaned, causing Han's head to snap over to him.
"You knew!?" The smuggler cried.
The wookie shrugged, and the Wee'quay laughed.
"He's smarter than he looks."
"Shut up, Hondo." Han snarled.
"I suggest we delay the bickering for now, as entertaining as it may be." Bail interjected, "Please, allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Bail Organa. And you are?"
"Han Solo." The young man said quickly, "This is my crew." He nodded the Wee'quay, "That annoying piece of bantha crap is Hondo Ohnaka."
"Hey!" Hondo gasped.
"Behind me is Kjelle. Resident trouble maker."
"I haven't caused that much trouble." Kjelle frowned, folding her arms over her chest.
"And the rug beside me is Chewie." Chewie howled back, causing Han to roll his eyes. "He's the one with a temper."
Bail uttered a good natured chuckle, "I can see that. And I already know Master Windu." He nodded, "I trust you were treated well, all of you? And your injured comrade has been taken to my physician from what I understand?"
"Nah was taken somewhere, and I'd like to go see her as soon as possible." Kjelle said quickly.
"Of course." Bail replied, "But, well, first I need to make some things clear to all of you." He cleared his throat, "First of all, the Millenium Falcon is to be impounded."
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Han cried while Chewie uttered a furious roar.
"For your own safety." Bail continued, raising a hand to calm everyone down, "I can hide it easier that way."
"Hide it?" Windu spoke up for the first time.
"Yes, hide it." Bail moved over to a nearby table and snatched a datapad off of it. He turned it on, flicked through it, then brought up a picture of Han's face with a large number across it, "As you can see," He flicked the screen and Windu's face appeared with an even larger number, "You are wanted. All of you. Although, they don't have pictures of all of you, luckily."
"About the only piece of good luck we've had this trip." Han muttered.
"Well, you're luck really has turned then, Captain Solo." Bail replied as he set the datapad back down, "You are friends with Mace Windu, therefore you are friends of mine as well."
"I thought you were friends with the Empire." Windu snarled.
Bail pursed his lips. His head nodded a little bit, "A facade I need to maintain. One cannot effectively fight tyranny without knowing its intricacies, or having knowledge from the inside." He noticed the apprehension on all of their faces, "Let me be clear to all of you, I mean you no harm. You are safe here. The Empire does not enter this planet without informing me. And as long as you all remain underground here, you will be safe."
They all remained silent as the pondered Bail's words.
"Does that safety extend to gangsters?" Han asked.
Bail nodded, "I dare a gangster to get past Captain Rex." He clapped his hands together, "A few more things, I am requiring you to stay within the palace walls. Do not speak to anyone outside of myself or my staff. That ensures you remain anonymous. You will be provided with rooms and food, as guests of my house. I may only require you help around the place a little bit."
"Sounds like a deal to me!" Hondo cried, "Free food, free bed, and safety from the Empire and the Hutts, count me in!"
"Watch your valuables around that one." Han droned.
"I am reformed now, Han!" Hondo cried defensively.
"As of two seconds ago, Hondo is reformed." Kjelle smirked, causing Han to utter a small laugh and Chewie to chortle.
"You all have no faith in me." Hondo replied, folding his arms over his chest, "I am capable of not being a pirate."
"We shall see won't we?" Bail said with a slight laugh, "Hopefully your words are true. I'd rather not kick you out. Now, I'm sure you are all eager to see your friend and-"
"KJELLE!?"
Kjelle spun around. Her jaw fell open as she saw a Taguel holding a little girl in his arms.
"Yarne!?"
Bail blinked, "You-you know each other?"
Kjelle snapped her head back over to Bail, "You've helped him?"
Bail furrowed his brow, "I have…"
"Your officially a friend then." Kjelle marched over to Yarne and took him by the hand, "Come on, Ears, Nah is waiting for us."
"Nah is here too!?"
"Let's go already! Where's the medical bay?"
"W-why do you need to go to the medical bay?" Yarne stammered, suddenly concerned.
"Downstairs!" The girl in Yarne's arms declared happily.
Kjelle, Yarne, and Leia disappeared down the hall. Hondo, Han, Chewie, Windu, and Bail's eyes followed them.
"Has she always been that trusting?" Windu wondered out loud.
"She did think I was helping her when I tried drugging her." Hondo shrugged.
Chewie groaned.
"Yeah, keep that stuff to yourself Hondo." Han advised.
Bail nodded in agreement, "I'd prefer that. The rest of you may go as well. Remember to remain within the walls."
Chewie grunted and started to trudge away. Han took a breath and nodded his thanks to Bail before following Chewie. Hondo bowed and exited, leaving Windu alone with the Prince.
A scowl covered Windu's face as he glared back at Bail. The Alderaan Prince uttered a heavy sigh and hung his head.
"I probably deserve that look." He raised his gaze once again, "I don't exactly enjoy the charade I've had to put up."
Mace's frown deepened, "You betrayed the Jedi."
Bail grimaced, "I had no choice. It's not just my life I have to worry about anymore." He nodded down the corridor, "That little girl Yarne was holding, that is my little girl. I will be damned if any harm comes to her from anyone. So yes, I am executing a very dangerous balancing act at the moment. And right now, the only reason I am able to is because Palpatine thinks I am on his side, and Alderaan has influence in the Empire, which makes him like me a lot."
"If you think you can deceive Sidious you are a fool." Windu argued back.
"I don't think I can." Bail admitted, "But I can try to keep him off my back long enough to get certain things in place." He pointed a finger at Windu, "And hopefully, now that you are here, we can get things moving faster."
"We?" Mace replied.
"Yes, we."
Bail moved towards a desk in the corner of the room. He withdrew a small datapad. Heavily encrypted text appeared on the screen as he tapped it. A small light then blinked before he tossed it over to Windu. Windu deftly caught it out of the air.
"You'll receive a message soon from my top agent, Fulcrum." Bail said, "He will inform you of everything going on."
"And why won't you tell me everything?" Windu asked, still wary of the Prince.
Bail pursed his lips, "Because I don't know everything. The rebellion is growing in the shadows, Master Windu. Fulcrum is the one leading the charge, not me." He took a breath, "While you stay here, you cannot go around as Mace Windu. You'll need a cover name." Bail tapped his chin, "We'll call you Samuel El-Jack."
Mace arched an eyebrow. Bail waved his hand at his obvious confusion and concern.
"An old friend from the academy days. Bit of a foul mouth. Don't know whatever happened to him." Bail patted Windu's shoulder, "Hopefully, once you learn everything, you will agree to help. But, even if you don't, you are more than welcome here. Never forget that." He took a breath, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on the newest resident in the medical bay."
Bail marched out of the room. As he walked away, Windu glanced down at the encrypted data pad in his hands. The light stopped blinking for a moment. A message darted across the screen, demanding that he open the commlink in the datapad. Windu frowned and looked around the room.
No one else was here, but if Bail really was forming a rebellion, then he needed to be careful. He moved to the doors behind him, shut and locked them, then opened the comm on the datapad.
"Who is this?" He asked quickly before anyone could say anything.
A sharp intake of breath was the initial reply. He could hear a voice disguiser click off.
"Master Windu?" Windu's eyes widened as he recognized a young woman's voice on the other end. He nearly dropped the datapad in shock.
"Is it really you?"
And chapter! This was an extremely fun chapter to write! I love writing tense moments like that one between Ragana and the Falcon crew. So much fun! And Han's luck, just as quickly as it went bad, has snapped back to being extremely good. We probably won't see the Falcon Crew for a while now. Gotta get the main plot of the story rolling forward once again. But these past three chapters were real treats to write, and I hope they were just as fun to read.
Anyways, let me know what you all think! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!
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