Hey everybird! What's up!?
Before we get to today's questions, once again this chapter and the next will be based on the Star Wars Resistance episode, The Core Problem. And for those of you who have seen it… Well you know that episode showed how the First Order powered up Starkiller Base…
Moving on to today's question…
Lets say that the First Order didn't blow up the Hosnian System and the New Republic Navy and instead decided to go for a standard kind of confrontation with its own fleet, who do you think would win?
And on to your questions…
From Nightfly123, he asks, "Do you think that Gray Jedi (Jedi who value balance between the Light side and Dark side of the force) should be made canon in the Star wars universe?
Me: Maybe… Depends during which time period, I feel like he wouldn't survive during the Clone Wars period, but maybe during the Galactic Civil War period, his ideas could have some value.
From T8ECR34TOR, he asks, "Can you name any event in a good show that was super funny?"
Me: Well I guess I will say from MLP: FiM, the episodes "Frenemies" when Cozy met Rust Bucket and had a super hard trouble getting through to him, I especially loved it when Cozy shouted, "ARE. YOU. KIDDING ME?!", when Rusty took out the Friendship Journal Twilight and her friends wrote.
From Stormknight089, he asks, "It is order 66 and you're a Jedi! What are you gonna do?!
Me: Well provided I survived the ambush from my own Clone troopers… First I would hide, blend in with my surroundings before trying to find other Jedi survivors, restart the Jedi Order wherever I am in the galaxy.
Chapter 32: A Ghost System
(Arthur's POV)
Some time has passed since Tyler and I fought that First Order Ace and managed to save Uncle Felipe's neck, delivering the much needed intel to the Resistance. However despite the growing threat the First Order posed to the galaxy, the New Republic fleet still only directed very little and limited action against the First Order, avoiding any major fleet engagements. As the reports from the New Republic Senate showed, which we got from our allies in the senate, the New Republic would not declare full scale war until the First Order directly invaded a New Republic system or ally.
However I had this growing feeling that the First Order wasn't planning on invading the New Republic with its fleet, but destroying the republic with a first strike before the New Republic Navy could respond, much like how Alderaan was blown up by the Death Star many years ago…
As it was just a normal day on base, with some of my pilots out on missions, I was laying on my back underneath my fighter, currently checking the underbelly blaster cannon, Alex next to me while I worked in case I needed some help.
"Alex, can you hand me a bigger wrench?" I asked the droid who beeped back and went to get the wrench for me.
As Alex went to get the tool, I spotted a pair of legs coming towards me as I rolled out from under my fighter to see Grandpa Blu standing before me. I immediately stood up at attention as I saluted, Grandpa Blu returning it as he had a very serious look on his face.
"Commander, a situation came up that requires a mission." Grandpa Blu informed me. "Come, General Organa is waiting, I already told your brother and he's on his way there."
"Yes sir." I replied as I followed Grandpa Blu, not before speaking to Alex first. "Alex, continue working until I get back, okay?" I asked the droid who beeped back a "Yes" at me.
Following Grandpa Blu down into the main part of the base, where I saw General Organa and Tyler already at a holographic table, waiting for me, I came, announcing my presence.
"General." I saluted as the general returned it and began speaking…
"Good, you're here commander." General Organa started as she brought up a holographic map of a system. "This is the Rakata system in the Unknown Regions, about a couple weeks ago." The map showing a system with a few planets and a shining sun spraying its light on the planets surrounding it.
"Okay…" I commented, not sure where this was heading…
"And this is the system again just a couple days ago…" The general changing the map image to show… A system without a sun, like the system's sun just disappeared and the planets were just dark spheres without any light to keep them alive.
"Are you sure it's not just a mistake general?" Tyler asked.
"That's what we have been thinking captain…" Grandpa Blu answered. "But we also have been reading a lot of recent First Order activity in that area right before the system went dark and well now we're not reading any life signs, First Order or otherwise in the system."
"So commander, captain, you're to go there and find out exactly what happened in the system, find out what could do this and prove that the First Order is behind this, this could be our chance to get the New Republic into more action finally." General Organa issuing the mission to Tyler and I.
"Take Tally and her wing partner too just in case, wouldn't hurt to have some more help as well." Grandpa Blu suggested.
"Yes sir, we'll get it done." I saluted before leaving to get ready with Tyler.
As Tally and her wing partner got ready, Tyler and I also prepared for the mission as we were all set and ready to go, in fact I was just about to climb up the ladder to go into my cockpit when I saw Grandpa Blu walk up to me.
"Sir." I stood at attention. "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing commander, I just came to tell you to be careful, I know I'm sending you four into a very dangerous area." Grandpa Blu expressing his concern.
"I know sir, but my pilots and I know what we signed up for, we'll be fine." I reassured Grandpa Blu.
"Right, just make sure if the First Order shows up, you all get out of there as fast as possible." Grandpa Blu telling me as I could tell he was having some difficult holding it in. "And one more thing commander, good luck and may the Force be with you."
"Thank you sir." I replied as we saluted each other before I looked up to Alex, who was in his socket behind the cockpit. "Start up the engines Alex." I told the droid as he answered back and I heard the engines of my fighter roar to life as I climbed into the cockpit before closing it and doing a checkup of the systems before I looked out to see Grandpa Blu standing a little further away, but close enough that I could see him waving me off as I waved back in return.
With Tyler, as well as Tally and her wing partner all ready to get going as I told them to check in, we lifted off from the base into space. Once there we set the hyperspace coordinates for the Rakata System, the flight seeing the stars turn into white lines as we entered the dark blue tunnel of hyperspace…
During the trip there, I really hoped that the second map General Organa was just a glitch or something, that it was impossible for a system's sun to just disappear quietly, the only way I knew a star could disappear was if it was at the end of its life cycle, and usually in a big explosion that would be clear to all in the galaxy, plus it takes thousands of years for stars to die.
Only my wishes proved useless as we began to exit hyperspace, and… It was true… Sunlight did not greet us as the first thing we could see was just the dark spheres of planets and moons. And it was only that, we couldn't see any features of the planets, like oceans, mountain ranges, or cities, just darkness.
"Yeah I know Alex, this is truly a mystery…" I replied to the droid as Alex gave out a confused tone in his beeping. "Just keep scanning for any signs of life." I told the droid, although it was doubtful that except for the four X-Wings in the system, nothing was alive.
"So what now sir?" Tally's voice came through on comms as I thought about what to do.
"I'm not seeing any signs of the First Order, might as well find out more while we're here…" I thought as I made a decision. "Okay, here's what we're going to do, we're going to land on Rakata Prime and see if we can get more answers and see if there are survivors."
"Copy that sir." Tyler replied as I asked Alex to locate Rakata Prime as the droid got it and I flew towards the planet, Tyler right besides me as Tally and her wing partner brought up the rear.
As we got closer, I could just start to make out the planet's features and it wasn't looking good as we all turned on the wing lights to make sure we wouldn't hit anything on our way down as we avoided rock pillars and flew through mountain valleys. And still no signs of life or even movement, this was truly a dead planet as Alex told me there was a city coming up.
"Okay Blue Flight, we're going to land on the outskirts of that city and look around a little." I told the other three as I got back answers of "Copy that." As I slowed down, picking the softest landing spot I could find as the other three landed down nearby. "Air still seems to be breathable…" I checked the scans Alex was taking as I opened the cockpit and luckily there was still air to breathe on this planet.
Jumping down from my cockpit, I took out my blaster pistol, holding it in one wing while in the other I held a light, turning it on as the other three joined me, holding onto their own lights and blasters.
"This is very creepy sir…" Tally told me as she shook a little, not from fright, but from the cold as of course there was no natural heat from the system's sun, but at least it wasn't like on Ilum when Tyler and I had to go in the middle of a snowstorm.
"Yes it is Blue Three…" I replied, breathing out as I saw my breath in the air. "Okay, here's what we're going to do, we're going to split up, Tally, Alex, you come with me and Tyler, Ashley, and Blue Four together."
"Right sir…" Tyler replied, not too happy with the arrangement I set up as I had to smile from annoying my brother a little.
After telling Tally and Blue Four's droids to stay and keep watch over the fighters, the rest of us made our way into the ghost city, scanning around the buildings and alleyways with our lights. As I was with Alex and Tally, with Alex leading the way, turning his light from right to left, I decided to start a conversation with Tally.
"So Tally, Tyler and you seem to get along well…" I started.
"Sir?" Tally asked me, confused.
"You two clearly like each other a lot…" I cleared it up as Tally was blushing a little.
"Oh sir…" Tally began.
"Come on Tally, we're friends, you can just call me by my name when we're alone." I chuckled as Alex heard that, reminding me that Tally and I weren't exactly alone. "Yes Alex, I know you're there… And Tally you don't have to pretend, my mom and dad felt like they had to keep their relationship a secret, but Colonel Blu saw right through them, like with me seeing you and Tyler."
"Well Arthur, I wouldn't say we're exactly together, we feel like we should wait until this is all over and we can focus on our relationship than." Tally feeling brave enough to admit.
"Fair enough, I guess the pressure is on me to try and find a way to end this fight quickly." I joked as Tally didn't say anything, only could blush as I heard Alex beeping at me in an urgent tone. "What is it Alex?" I asked the droid as I saw him looking into a house of some sort, shining his light on the inside.
Going to the open doorway Alex was shining his light into, Tally followed me, Alex just behind as we entered and what I saw sent shivers right down my spine… There were piles of bones and ashes, like whoever lived here was burned alive, clearly whoever did this wanted no witnesses in case we came, but it was clear to me this was the work of the First Order…
As I continued walking, I stepped on something more soft than usual as I looked down to see a doll, covered in dust and some more ashes and right next to it… The bones of what looked like belonged to a small child. As I picked up the doll, brushing off the ash to see its face, I remembered a story mom used to tell me of when she and dad were on a mission with Blue Squadron to Ryloth. Only this was much worse…
"What happened here Arthur…" Tally not believing what she was seeing.
"I'm not sure Tally…" I answered. "But no doubt the First Order is behind this…" I guessed correctly as my communicator came alive with Tyler's voice.
"Arthur, Blue Four and I encountered another one of those probe droids." Tyler reported.
"What!?" I said loudly. "Are you two okay?"
"We're okay, Ashley took a shot and she's slightly damaged, but we managed to destroy the probe…" Tyler trailed off before sighing. "We're not sure if it managed to send out a distress message, but I think it's a good bet that the First Order knows we're here now…"
It's moments like this where I believe the First Order is more cruel than the Empire… At least when the Death Star blew up Alderaan, it was a quick, painless death for the planet's population.
Anyway… Now that the First Order must certainly knows of the presence of the Resistance pilots, Arthur and Tyler will have to face a very familiar opponent…
Until than…
See everybird later!