(Since you have made it this far, please leave a review or send a PM with any feedback or suggestions!)
The week went by slowely, the crew having returned to the Haven Sentry to wait for Sabine to recover. Very little talking occurred through this period. Sul spent his days with the ship, tweaking the systems and taking note of deficiencies. Ahsoka spent even more time meditating when she wasn't busy teaching Lindmon the ways of the Force. He was coming to understand it's flow better and successfully lifted his lightsaber off the ground for a moment. Lindmon spent his days studying the saber and attempting to determine the faults in it's design leading to it inactivity. After replacing an energy coil and several of the main electronics it was now usable. Lightsaber training itself was going slowely, although he was a quick learner when it came to anticipating blaster fire. They had spent a good portion of time with a blast helmet and training droid. Giz spent the majority of her time in the wards watching over Sabine as she floated unconscious in the bacta tank. Lindmon had finally gone through the process of submitting transfer requests for Sabine to be considered on the crew, after a thorough ass chewing from Admiral C'est.
"We'll have you present the data you've acquired in a few days. Mon Mothma and many other senators and admirals will be there to make a decision on how to proceed." Admiral Cest Sev'esa told Lindmon over the holo projection, his fur still bristling at the subject. "I will be among them too, of course."
The attention this Imperial relay station had been generating surprised Lindmon. Differing political views seemed too have stirred up in regards to how the New Republic should deal with the Imperial Remanent. Many seemed to be opposed to taking action against them, declaring that chasing the last bastion of the defeated Empire into the Unknown Regions would be no better than the previous rulers, content to let their small faction control what little systems they could sustain with what they had left.
Most of the military and other more aggressive senators had been placing themselves in favor of military action against the Imperial Remanent. Rumors from spies and other side sources weaved a grim story. That the Moffs of the Empire had reconsolidated power in the safe haven of the Unknown Region under new leadership. Communication blackouts and patrol blockades among the region, along with aggressive capturing of mineral rich systems showed that the Imperials were not as meek as the other pacifist senators may have wanted to believe.
"As for your transfer request," Sev'esa continued, looking down at the datapad. "It seems it was denied. Apparently Lothal has had some security breach recently, Governor Azadi was apparently quite upset when the request was processed."
"Security breach? In what way?" Lindmon tapped several keys on the holo table, attempting to access the reports. A red flash blinked over the screen, the words "Acess denied" flashing multiple times. This wasn't going to be good news for Sabine when she got well.
"With all due respect sir, our mission has been difficult up to this point and our continued success relies on her participation in this matter. We couldn't have gotten this data without her help and she has become an integral member of my crew. If we lose her not only will she herself suffer a significant moral drop but my crew as well and that could seriously hinder our endeavors. Over the course of the last few months the importance of the Ambassador's mission has become clearer, the Republic could suffer greatly if Ezra is not found or even worse, falls to the dark side and aids the empire in their pursuits." Lindmon pleaded. Ahsoka stepped quietly from around the corner from the crew quarters, she stayed there, listening. Lindmon locked eyes with her for a moment, determination on his face. "We need her sir. I will personally go to Lothal and handle the security issue until a new interim security officer can be appointed."
"Do not tell me what you need Lieutenant!" Sev'esa shouted as he rose from his seat, his fur quaking with anger. "Last I checked you were under MY command! Your orders are to find mission capable data on the Imperial Remanent, not to prattle on about dark side nonsense!" Admiral Sev'esa had already reprimanded Lindmon regarding the blatant kidnapping of Gripp Jippeek and evasion of law enforcement from a non Republic controlled system. Dealings with bounty hunters and mercenaries were not viewed in high regard from New Republic standards, especially after Sev'esa correctly assumed that the Rodian was basically sent to his death. He jabbed a finger at Lindmon threateningly, "I have it on record that you will be at the meeting on Coruscant in three standard days. If I get word that you disobeyed my orders to galavant around on some back water planet, your crew's morale will be the least of your problems." Admiral Cest Sev'esa slapped the disconnect button angrily, cutting off the communication.
Lindmon stood quietly for a second, the tension flowing off him in waves. He rubbed his forehead and ran his hands through his hair. He turned to the counter and poured himself a tall drink, sitting down in the seat near the holotable. He took a long drink and set the glass down, leaning back in his chair.
"We're getting a lot of flack for this whole debacle. I'm not even sure they are going to keep me on this mission, much less in command of this ship. Hell I don't even know if I'm going to be able to keep my damn rank...FUCK" he slammed his hands down on the table in frustration before putting his head in his hands.
"Lindmon, there are more important things than rank when it comes to the Force." Ahsoka sayid sympathetically, "This mission was dangerous, but it was one of the only options you were given. You made sure everyone got out alive, had you not been mindful of your comrades and trusted the Force to guide you...things could have ended a lot worse." She finished, joining Lindmon at the table.
"I'm not a Jedi Ahsoka! I'm a Republic Lieutenant! Imperial defector! This is all I have!" He shouted, Ahsoka took a step back, the stress obvious on Lindmon's face. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. That was rude and uncalled for...you're just trying to help I know. But how is it you try to do everything as right as you can and you still end up so low..." he took another long pull from his glass. "We sent a man to his death. We blew a police speeder out of the sky, endangered countless lives in our pursuit. And all that we have is a battered and broken comrade and a chance that everything we've done to find this Bridger kid going down the drain..."
He sat for a long moment, the silence palpable between them.
"Did we do the right thing...could we have done it differently..."
"There's always another way, for better or worse. This was what we chose, and for now we just have to be grateful we all came out alive." Ahsoka said somberly, "I know, more than I'd like, about the cost of choosing the wrong path."
"Your right..." Lindmon rubbed his face before taking another drink. "So... tell me what happened. This thing you blame yourself for." Lindmon shifted over offering her the other seat. "Cant be as bad as sending a man to a slow and painful death can it...?" He chuckled slightly, the morbidity of the joke weighing down on him.
Lindmon could feel Ahsoka almost physically recoil at the question. Her eyes flit around the room as if she was trying to find some other topic to bring up in substitution.
"My old master..." She said nervously, almost painfully, unwilling to continue speaking. "He was a powerful Jedi, back in the days of the old Republic. The Jedi code mandated that all attachments were strictly forbidden but even so...he fell in love. I had a feeling-" She shook her head, cutting off her own sentence. "No. I knew, that they were together in secret. Both of them, they-they were my friends I trusted them with my life! I couldn't just turn on them!" Ahsoka cried out as she recalled her memory of the past.
"In the end I did nothing...I found the Jedi order I believed in so much, shrouded in lies and deceit. My master pleaded me to stay, that together we could change things." Ahsoka struggled to continue, Lindmon could see her conflict hanging over her like a plague. "I learned later that my master was tortured by visions of his wife's impending death and he turned to the dark side to try and prevent it..."
"Ah..." Lindmon said, almost stunned. "I'm sorry...that's...a lot." They sat quietly for a moment. "You win, yours is way worse." He said with a forced smile and a chuckle, trying to clear the air. "I shouldn't have pried. But, at the same time, you can't blame yourself for that. Love is a powerful emotion, and with all you've been talking about with the Force, emotion is a very strong affector. You did the best you could, did what you thought was right. Just like I did..." he sighed.
"Shit happens. I have a feeling what happened would have happened regardless. You said the dark side pulls constantly, trying to turn you against yourself and others." He walked over to the weapons closet nearby and pulled his lightsaber out.
"You wanna spar abit? Get our minds off things?" He smiled genuinely, the alcohol aiding in his emotional recovery.
Ahsoka nodded solemnly, removing her own saber from her hip and activating it.
Their sabers clashed, following the simple routine Ahsoka had taught him. White saber locking against white saber briefly before pulling apart and striking again. "That's mostly my point Lieutenant, love is a strong emotion. Especially for Jedi, it's not like they are forbidden from feelings. It's just wrong for them to act on them. I knew this and I didn't even question it...they were my family." Ahsoka said, continuing in her lamentations. "I abandoned them."
"I'm sorry..." She shook her head, regaining her normal vigor. "It's all in the past now. I guess this mission has just been reminding me of them."
"Emotions are strong but I don't think it's healthy to just lock them out. I mean they're what make us who we are. As long as you keep them from corrupting you they could be a force for good." The sabers sparked off each other as they met once more. "Pun intended."
"Have you found it easy to keep your emotions in check Lieutenant?" Ahsoka reprimanded, for Lindmon to continue in his training this lesson was paramount. "Your feelings for your crew are strong, can you say that you'll always make the correct choice if their lives are in danger?" Their blades clashed again and again, the pace increasing as Ahsoka tried to drive the implication home. "Now imagine it's someone you love. A person you've devoted your life to, someone you would do anything for, search the edges of the galaxy for. Would you be able to keep yourself from doing anything to save them?"
Lindmon met here blade with a similar ferocity, their conversation almost coming to life with each clash of blades.
"There's a difference between unchecked emotions and the conjunction of logic. Allowing your emotions to control you will get you into difficult spots, but allowing yourself to feel isn't wrong, preventing yourself from being lost to those feelings, making decisions void of reason or thought, and allowing your emotions to control you is."
Their blades clashed again and Ahsoka locked the white blades together, thrusting the conjoined power of energy downwards. Lindmon's center of gravity pivoted and he shifted off balance, Ahsoka's lock bringing him close to her face. "Your words are strong, but actions are a different thing all together." Ahsoka said, breaking her hold on the sabers and twirling her blade around in a flourish "You use your gifted ability of persuasion to deflect the conversation when things start to stir your emotions. You're afraid of them, and think that you can control them with logic."
Lindmon swirled his blade over his head, bringing it downwards.
"I control my emotions with my logic. I lose my temper like anybody else but I don't let those emotions control my decisions." He deflected a blow from the right, bringing his blade down into a low sweep. The training motions had given way to instinctual movements, both focusing more on their conversation than where their saber was going or where the opponent's was coming from. Ahsoka took note of how Lindmon reacted to the position of her blade a moment before it was there, blocking her strikes with only some effort.
"Then why do you keep deflecting when I'm trying to teach you that there is a bigger issue to this mission than just finding Ezra?" Ahsoka demanded, "What you've learned, what I've taught you...use them to make sense of the situation instead of pulling away because you're afraid that it will endanger your crew." She altered the pace of the sparring, leaving gaps in her defenses baiting a thrust. When Lindmon jabbed his saber in the opening, Ahsoka twisted her saber to intercept while pivoting her body leaving her in a position to riposte. A more advanced technique dangerous if mistimed, she would have to see if he caught on.
Lindmon's focus faltered briefly as he struggled with what Ahsoka had said, he swung around right into her trap, as she flicked her blade around his it flew from his hand, deactivating and clattering against the nearby wall. She raised her blade in front of her and deactivated it as well while he walked slowely over and picked up the hilt.
"You're talking in circles and I can't catch the problem. Something bigger than Ezra? A bigger issue than a lost Jedi?" He walked back in front of her.
"You talk about your master, how he made these connections and they pushed him down this dark path. Are you trying to say that it could be me next? If I don't keep it in check? You tell me it's ok to feel emotions, but not to act upon them. These past couple months have taught me a lot, and one of those main things is that if anything were to happen to my crew, I would go above and beyond to save them. But the way your saying things...is that not the right answer? I've spent my whole life keeping my emotions in check as best I can, focusing on the logical course of action, is that not the Jedi way?"
The stress of the whole situation, coupled with his small buzz was making it hard for Lindmon to follow Ahsoka's criptic questions.
"You need to always been mindful of what I've been teaching you. Not controlling your emotions but living in harmony with them. Ensure that your choices and your attachments don't lead you astray." Ahsoka said, partly answering the question. "But its not you I'm worried about in this case, it's Ezra." She said warningly.
Her words caused a revelation of memories to slam into Lindmon's consciousness. The past several weeks rushing through him. Ever since they began the mission Ahsoka had begun to show signs of worry, now he was just beginning to realize what about.
'The more I learn about this mission the more I wish I could change the way things turned out'
'The lightsaber is the heart of the Jedi'
'That...belongs...to me.'
"You have this amazing sense of precognition when it comes to conversations. As if you know where they are going to lead." Ahsoka said as Lindmon continued to search his memories. "It's like a danger sense similar to anticipating blaster fire, yet you use it unconsciously to avoid topics you think will lead to a painful outcome."
'Why does Sabine, who is not a Jedi, have a lightsaber?'
'I suppose that the question of the hour. I don't think we should stay here long, I think we've attracted unwanted attention.'
'I think...it might be Ezra's.'
'Hang on tight!' He shouts pushing their own speeder into a hard turn.
"You're trying to control your emotions instead of experiencing them. Living with them." She continued. "Are you avoiding it because you're afraid it will affect the people you're close to?"
'I guess this mission has just been reminding me of them.'
'My old master acted on his attachments, and eventually turned to the dark side to try and prevent her death.'
'A person you've devoted your life to, someone you would do anything for, search the edges of the galaxy for. Would you be able to keep yourself from doing anything to save them?'
Don't say it, Lindmon thought.
"I'm worried...that Ezra might be falling into the same trap as my master. Or already has. Strong attachments can lead a Jedi quickly down a dark path." Ahsoka said seriously. "I won't let history repeat itself. After we find him, we have to be prepared, if necessary...to kill Ezra Bridger."
Lindmon leaned back against the counter behind him.
"I was afraid you were going to say that..."
He ran his hand through his hair again. He turned back to his glass and took a swig from it. Sitting back down at the table.
"Is it really so difficult to come back from that? To turn away from the dark side once you've fallen into it?" He leaned back in his chair. Resigned to having the hard conversation.
Ahsoka thought for a long moment, trying to form an explanation for Lindmon's question. "I was never able to convince my old master to turn away from the darkness. In his mind he had destroyed his former self, discarding his name and memories in favor of power and hatred." She explained sadly, "Once you go down that path, once it takes hold of you...it's like being crushed in the depths of a great ocean. Cold and suffocating until the darkness is all you know."
Ahsoka saw Lindmon's worried face and attempted to placate the sour mood that she had created. "I'm not suggesting that our goal should be to murder Ezra, he's a friend to me and many others from back in the days of the Rebellion. It's something that we need to prepare for, is all i'm saying..."
"We can prepare all we want, that isn't going to make that any easier to actually do." He stood back up, reactivating the lightsaber. "Let's get some more practice in. No telling how much longer we're going to have this opportunity."
Across the large station, Giz sat in the observation room. She had been sitting here since they had relanded on the station, distancing herself from the chaos swirling around their recent mission. Sabine had started looking much better over the week, the bruises going from a deep purple to a yellow and finally the natural pink.
Dr. Lokbil strode into the bacta chamber room examining the reading that scrolled down the side of the wall mounted monitor. The increased kavam dosage had accelerated her healing as he anticipated, her wounds had fully healed yesterday morning. He always took a cautious approach when it came to head trauma, and kept the patient for an extra few days. He turned his bulbous black eyes to the tank and inspected the specimen inside.
The older Mon Calamari wondered curiously what kind of human the person inside was, one of his personal pass times as he worked, he found it relaxing and thought provoking. Trying to assume the life of the patients that came into his care. It seemed most of his assumptions were partially accurate, throughout the recovery process she displayed no signs of stress from the altered dosage of bacta. Despite her generally slight frame she must have been some form of soldier. The strange armor she was brought in with, and her physical data made that easy for him though so he didn't regard that as much of an accomplishment. Lokbil didn't require much time to diagnose his patients, his decades of medical service allowed him the small time to surmise and create stories of his patients in his head as he worked.
He turned to the medical droid stationed in the room, "Stop administering the sedative to the patient." He ordered, turning on his heel to exit the room. "Move her to the recovery room and prepare discharge procedures."
Nar-Shadaa: Underbelly
His teeth angrily gnashed at the plump gorg, tearing the leathery flesh and snapping through the tiny bones. A pale claw reseted the holo device on the table in front of him, playing the video over again. The grainy image shaky and bleached bright from the reflection of sunlight on a sheet of sand. After a few moments of the footage the holocamera adjusted to the brightness and the image came into focus. An execution skiff hovered above the infamous Sarlacc, he had heard of it in stories but even now after watching the video several times the thought of the creature made him uncomfortable. The idea of being kept alive by it's internal sacs while being digested for a hundred years was revolting and dishonorable. He watched intently as the scene he had been waiting for was about to unfold. A man in black twisted over the executioner, somersaulting through the air and snatching a small device from seemingly nowhere. His anger ignited in unison with the emerald blade. The man in Black slashed and riposted through his enemies aboard the skiff, slicing through with almost no resistance. One by one they fell, hot gouges smoking across their bodies, limbs tumbling away occasionally. The pale Trandoshan tossed another gorg snack into his fanged maw. He moved his left hand over the stump at his right shoulder. A small clawed protrusion poked out from it, almost a foot long now. The regrowth process was agonizing, a constant reminder of his failure.
When Tssosk had told his clanmates of his defeat and the strange weapon that had felled him they had given him this recording. The weapons were certainly of the same design, the familiar current of energy stretching from the hilt. He took note of the differences in the hilt construction as well, the ancient weapon must have been ceremonial, similar to his T'doshok Chalon blade. In any case he had underestimated it's power. Tssosk's scales were tough enough to survive a strike from a vibroblade, and yet this weapon sliced clean through his arm.
The comm buzzed and the image of another scaled Trandoshan replaced the video he had been studying. Bossk, he had known him since they were both hatchlings and even through his infamy he had made efforts to assist clan-mates. "My slicers were able to find information on your prey." Bossk said, never one for pleasantries, he alway cut right into the topic at hand. "This was the warrior that escaped your claws. Sabine Wren." He said as several images and data files slipped into view, projected in front of Tssosk.
He had gotten too zealous in his hunt and the Scorekeeper had punished his naivety. But still she demanded a higher status of glory for Tssosk, he would not fail again. He must study his prey carefully, examine her strengths and find additional weaknesses. Wait for another opportunity to present itself. "Thank you brother, I will use what you have gifted to me to great effect." Tssosk hissed, "I will track her until my glory is achieved. I only worry that the trail has gone cold and my shame eternal."
"Worry not brother...When my slicer was pulling this data from Lothal, he also intercepted a request for her transfer to a New Republic ship. The file was deleted almost immediately but he was able to get a name." Bossk snarled with satisfaction. "The Saqorian Zephyr."
Bossk cut the transmission with his usual abruptness and the holo switched back to the files of Sabine. He glared at her image, his rage building as he fantasized about the hunt. Tssosk roared a deep thunderous shout, flinging his basket of gorgs through the holo projection. It clattered against the wall and the slimy creatures spilled across the floor. His hunt continued, redemption in the Scorekeeper's eyes close at hand.
Tssosk stalked over to his spilled gorg basket, snarling and salivating. He leaned low, snatching groups of the creatures into his fanged jaws, spewing their guts and blood. The juices spilled out of his mouth and poured onto the floor.
"I'll demand for a bounty on their ship." He growled, chunks of gorg splattering out of his mouth. "My hunt will be ceaseless."
Tssosk clawed at the ground as he continued to feed on the squirming gorgs. His anger and excitement throbbing in his mind. "Once my arm heals. I'll cut you to shreds! I'll tear off your arms!" His screams echoed in the chamber like a caged beast slamming against it's bars. "I'll kill you! I'll eat you!"
Sabine's eyes snapped awake, the involuntary panic of waking up submerged in fluid immediately set in. Her hands flailed in the tank, pushing away the bubbles that cycled through the tank as she looked for something to grab onto. Sabine pressed against the glass tank and felt the face mask attached to her head, her disorientation fading as she began to realize where she was.
Swimming upwards in the tube, she burst through the surface into the second floor of the bacta chamber, hanging onto the floor with her arms. The second floor room was for medical personnel and patients only, a sterile white room filled with the solutions needed to create a suitable bacta mixture. At the center was the hole where the tank was inserted into the viewing and diagnostic room below.
She reached up to her face and, against the protests of the Mon Cal technicians, ripped the mask off her head. Pulling the long feeding and oxygen tubes that snaked into her stomach and lungs, out through her mouth, coughing and gagging as they were removed. She didn't like bacta healing, Sabine preferred to let her wounds heal naturally overtime. Suspended mostly naked inside a chamber for days or weeks, it was embarrassing. If she was in here she must have been hurt badly.
The Mon Calamari technicians rushed over to help her out of the tube, carrying blankets to absorb the viscous fluid, mumbling for her to keep still and stay calm. Sabine flicked her now longer black hair, spraying them with the bacta fluid. She was annoyed, and cold. Bacta was kept at lower than freezing temperature for the mixture to stay effective. In one swift motion she hoisted herself out of the tank and into the second floor chamber, splattering the bacta on the floor. Sabine grabbed one of the blankets and attempted to dry off the icy fluid, looking around the room to see any kind of labeling to indicate what facility she was at.
"You're aboard the Haven Sentry ma'am." One of the techs informed, waving a med scanner over her. "Do you know your name?"
Haven Sentry? She didn't know where that was, there were Mon Calamari here. That means it was probably Republic. "Yes." She responded unhelpfully.
They handed her a thick warm medical gown to wear and moved back to work, needing to sterilize and purge the bacta for future use. Sabine discarded her immodest clothes onto the floor with a gross slimy smack and donned the pleasantly comfy garment. Sabine glimpsed herself in a mirror as she started to make for the door. Running a hand through her now black hair, the bacta had dissolved the artificial dyes and returned it to its natural color. She huffed and stepped outside, turning to the stairs leading to the normal facilities of the station.
Giz scrambled to her feet as Sabine thrashed in the tank, pressing herself against the glass, she watched her feet disappear out of the top of the tank. She picked up her satchel and rushed out the door to her left into the patient dispatch room. Moments later Sabine walked down the long stairwell and through two sets of swinging doors, meant to maintain the sterility of the environment. As she pushed through the last doors Giz swept her up in her arms, embracing her tightly.
"Your ok! I was so worried! When we got you here you were-it was-I was so scared!" She said rushedly, her voice catching as tears welled in her eyes. "We got you here as fast as we could, we couldn't afford taking you back to Lothal, it was going to take to long."
Sabine pet the back of her friend's head. "I'm fine, how long was I out?" She said, pulling away from Giz.
"A little over a week. A lot has happened...we couldn't keep it a secret, your envolvment. L-T put in a transfer request for you but he's in a lot of hot water after our stunt on Nar-Shadaa. I'm not really sure what else is happening, I've been here the whole time waiting for you, I was worried you weren't going to wake up or if you did, if nobody was here...I don't know" Giz broke down again, her fur wet with tears and left over bacta fluid.
Sabine's eyes narrow as Giz described the situation, for a moment it looked like she was angry. Instead Sabine sighed, it's not like she expected her involvement to be a secret forever but this was a little sooner than she would've liked. Hopefully Governor Azadi was able to get someone to handle the security division in time. "Come on Giz," Sabine said, patting her on the head. "Let's go figure out what's going on then."
Ahsoka and Lindmon's sabers clashed once more, both pulling away, sweating profusely. Their duel had gone on for quite some time, both venting their frustrations with the hissing of plasma against plasma.
Ahsoka lets out a sigh, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "How about we take some time and meditate, afterwards we can do some manipulation training?" She extinguished her saber with a hiss and holstered it.
"Yea. I can-" He began before the crackle of the holotable communications interrupted him.
"L-T this is Giz, Sabine's awake and we're on our way." The voice came through. Lindmon walked over to the table and depressed a button.
"Roger That, were on the Zephyr, let Sabine know we have a sit-rep for her when you arrive. And welcome back." He turned to Ahsoka. "She's ok, some good news finally." He said, relieved. "We can pick it up after?"
Ahsoka nodded and returned to the crew quarters to clean the sweat off and change.
Sabine continued down the hall with Giz, her bare feet taking her across the cold floor. She was nervous now that she was thinking of the impending sit-rep. Was everything okay? Did her injuries cause the target to get away?
She continued to worry as they reached hanger B3, about the mission and how Giz said their was trouble because of what they had done. She didn't understand, Sabine barely remembered what happened on Nar-Shadaa, after the weapons shop it was a haze. Sabine and Giz stepped up the ramp into the Zephyr where Lindmon was waiting, he looked exhausted and sweat was beading on his forehead. This worried her even more, she'd never seen him stressed like this. Whatever was happening was serious and Sabine wasn't sure if it was going to be something she wanted to hear.
Lindmon retrieved a towel from a nearby cabinet, dabbing his forehead, he put his lightsaber on his belt clip and walked over to Sabine, clapping her on the shoulder.
"Damn is it good to see you. We were all worried sick, Giz more than any of us, she damn well slept in that observation deck." He chuckled slightly, the saber training had worked out a lot of his stress.
"Tell me what happened Lieutenant, I barely remember getting to Nar-Shadaa..." Sabine said solemnly as Lindmon wiped his sweat away. She hesitated for a moment afraid to ask the question that had been plaguing her. "We did get him right?"
"We did, although the brass isn't to happy we kidnapped a civilian and sent them to their death. I'm going to Courascant soon to deal with that, fortunately Ahsoka helped me relieve a lot of the stress I was having." He walked over to the counter and got a glass of water before stopping suddenly and turning around. "We were sparring, not-um-I realize how that sounded but-no-Just lightsabers." He blushed fiercely, turning away and chugging down the water, thoroughly embarrassed. Giz let out a giggle and nudged Sabine.
Lindmon finished the glass and wiped his forehead again. "Anyways! We did the drop, your friend gave us the data and sent his well wishes your way."
Sabine nearly collapsed with relief at the good news, the fact that the mission was completed regardless of her ineptitude made everything better. She settled into her relief and took the opportunity to tease her comrade, "Look, whatever you two do in your free time is on you." She taunted, raising her hands in the air. "I'm just glad you were able to get the mission done, I don't know what I would've done..."
Lindmon waved his hands, trying to brush it off "she's just my teacher, and a good friend, that's it. But yes, we were able to get it all taken care of. Unfortunately due to your medical status we had to bring you here and at that point there was no way to keep the brass from finding out you weren't on Lothal. Speaking of which, there was apparently a security breach, I don't know of what, it's classified beyond me, and needless to say, the admiral isn't planning to do me any favors."
The moment Lindmon finished speaking he knew that it was a mistake.
An immediate torrent of panic slammed into him from his recently recovered friend. Sabine's eyes were wide in distress, the thought of a security breach in the network she spent five years perfecting was her nightmare. She glanced at the holo table, Azadi wouldn't confirm or deny the breach or the nature of it over a holo communication, even to her. That was part of the protocol she implemented.
"You said you had to go to Coruscant. How soon?" She said, trying to keep her voice even. Sabine had a feeling it wouldn't allow Lindmon to detour the shuttle to Lothal. She carefully shifted her bare feet on the floor of the shuttle, her instincts screaming for her to scramble as fast as she could to Lothal.
Lindmon turned back to the cabinet and poured a stiff glass for her. "Three days. But if you need I can arrange for the Zephyr and crew to take you back there to get things sorted out. This all is on me, so I don't intend to have you all trapped out there with me. I can get a shuttle." He handed her the glass and waveed his hand. "Go get dressed, you must be freezing. This will all work out. I hope."
She absentmindedly took the glass given to her and held it in her hands as Lindmon continued to speak. Her mind overwhelming itself with possible outcomes from a security breach. Was it just an internal error, someone slipping up that caused a breach of classified information? Or worse, Imperials trying to test their defenses, even though Lothal is an Outer Rim planet it's natural resources were rich for warfare technologies. If the Imperials were wanting to increase their star fighter production they might try to use Lothal again.
Again they would ravage the beautiful planet she had come to love so much. The huge mining trawlers tearing the golden plains and splintering the spine tree forests. The bright blue sky polluted with the gray fog of industry, the smog and foundry fires choking out the wildlife. It took five years of recovery efforts to even begin to restore Lothal, if the Imperials came back and kept hold of the planet it could undermine everything.
Three days...is that too long? If they're making a move all of a sudden and the breach wasn't identified it could be disastrous for the entire planet. When did the breach even happen, was it just while she was unconscious or was it even earlier? During the months of searching and she only found out now? She couldn't be sure, it was hard to think rationally through the panic. If she did take Lindmon's offer of the shuttle, they would get there significantly faster, but she wasn't sure there was a shuttle port on the station. If not, there's no way she could have Lindmon give up his shuttle and forgo his summons to Coruscant.
Sabine set down her glass, still untouched, and looked around for her effects that were removed when she arrived at the med station. She grabbed the satchel they were placed in and hoisted them over her shoulder. "Thanks Crest, but I think I need to go myself..." Sabine said as she moved quickly to the ramp, still wearing her medical clothing. She thought she remembered seeing an A-wing or two in a different hanger. If she could take one, their class-1 hyperdrives could carry her faster over the distance than the shuttle could.
The familiar tingle worked it's way down Lindmon's spine, he reached out with it, feeling the flow of energy around the room. The energy coming off of his friend was chaotic, hot, heavy "I leave that choice to you Sabine, but first, lay down, relax. If the issue was significant the Admiralty would have surely taken action to protect Lothal. Whatever has happened you have my full support. Whether I lead this ship or not, take her. That's an order Sabine." He said softly.
Sabine stopped at the ramp, Lindmon's urging giving her pause. He was adamant on her staying and taking the Zephyr, but Giz had just mentioned he was in some kind of trouble already. Would taking the Zephyr be a good idea? Either way she wasn't confident that the New Republic would be able to have help to spare even if they wanted to. The expansion of it's influence spreading across the galaxy rapidly as they overtook the previous Empire controlled systems.
"I'm sorry..." Sabine replied. "I just have to be sure."
With that she was gone, taking off down the hall in search of the A-wing she had spotted earlier.
Lindmon let out a long sigh. "I get the feeling I wasn't supposed to say that."
"It's alright LT, she knows what she's doing." Giz said, her eyes following Sabine out of the hangar. "I just hope she doesn't do anything rash."
"Knowing her, she will." Lindmon replied with a chuckle.
The crew had filtered back onto the Zephyr as it departed from Haven Sentry, jumping into hyperspace enroute to Courascant. The trip took about a day and a half, during which Lindmon continued training with Ahsoka, each of their sessions laden with a tinge or foreboding. Lindmon had relaid to Ahsoka what had happened. She had said that they needn't worry about Sabine, she knew what she was doing. Lindmon was starting to get the hang of sensing the force, he picked up the mentalism much faster than Ahsoka had expected, yet she wasn't surprised givin his history. Manipulation was proving much more difficult. Lindmon was excited when he watched his hilt floating a few inches off the ground, wobbling in the air before it clattered back down, but he struggled to lift anything heavier.
"Weight is an illusion your mind places on you. Your logic states that it will be harder to lift but weight is meaningless to the Force." Ahsoka had said, but the task of reworking his thought process was proving difficult.