Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
anthonyapocada63: The Freedom won't see her first action until after the events of the Empire Strikes Back. And no, as of now, there are no starfighter versions of the F-22 or F-35.
rangerhero: The Empire will try a "Battle of the Bulge" style pushback prior to the Battle of Endor. There won't be a lot of tension between the Alliance and the Rebellion. For one, the Rebellion is not the dominant governing power in the galaxy like the Republic was. For second, the Alliance is far more powerful than the Rebellion is right now. Also, the Rebellion will have by now learned what the Republic didn't: that the will of the Alliance to do what needs to be done is what will make the difference.
Guest221: To some degree, yes, they'll be wary of the clones. However, by this point, most Terran personnel that fought in the Clone Wars have retired, and those that are still serving are pretty much all Generals and Admirals. They'll recognize that the Kaminoans have created these clones to not have the same obedience that caused the original clones to follow Palpatine's orders, and that these ones don't have inhibitor chips.
Chapter 34- Echo Base
(October 15, 2015)
Kelly slowly walks across the large cavern, arms wrapped around herself as she shivers from the cold. Ever since she arrived on Hoth shortly after the Liberation of Kamino, she's struggled to deal with the cold. While she's dealt with cold before, it's never been as bad as Hoth.
The Jedi Council had decided to assign Kelly to duty on Hoth when Luke was returned to duty there after Kamino, knowing of her relationship with Luke. Although she's glad to be stationed on the same planet as her boyfriend, Hoth is not a very enjoyable assignment in every other way for Kelly.
As she walks down a corridor branching off from the cavern she was just in, she soon reaches the command center. As she enters, she sees Leia standing next to one of the displays, looking over the attendants' shoulder.
Kelly walks over to another display, where General Rieekan is standing and listening to some transmissions. "General," she says.
"Captain Adams," Rieekan says. Kelly smiles. Being called by her rank and last name makes her think of her dad.
"Any updates?" Kelly asks.
"We just received word from your Admiral Jones. The raid on the convoy near Sempidal was a success," Rieekan says.
"Good to hear," Kelly says. She then looks at Rieekan and asks, "Any sign of Han or Luke?"
"No. Neither of them have returned yet," Rieekan says.
Kelly just nods and watches the screen with Rieekan. Then, just a few moments later, the door leading into the command center opens and Han comes walking in and over to her and Rieekan.
"Solo," Rieekan says simply.
"No sign of life out there, General. The sensors are in place. You'll know if anything comes around," Han says.
"Commander Skywalker reported in yet?" Rieekan asks.
"No, he's checking out a meteorite that hit near him," Han replies. Kelly feels a temporary flash of worry for Luke, but quickly dismisses that, knowing Luke can handle himself.
"With all this meteorite activity in this system, it's going to be difficult to spot approaching ships," Rieekan says.
Han looks right at Rieekan, and as the General finishes, says, "General, I gotta leave. I can't stay anymore."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Rieekan says.
"Well, there's a price on my head. If I don't pay off Jabba the Hutt, I'm a dead man," Han says.
Kelly feels a bit disappointed. The Terran Alliance had offered to pay off Han's debt to Jabba so that he could continue to serve, as the Alliance and Rebellion recognized Han's worth as a member of the Rebellion. However, Han had enough pride to refuse the help.
"A death mark's not an easy thing to live with. You're a good fighter, Solo. I hate to lose you," Rieekan says.
"Thank you, General," Han says. He then turns to Kelly, and the two exchange a nod before Han smiles a bit and says, "Watch out for that boyfriend of yours."
Kelly smiles a bit at that statement as Han turns to face Leia. He walks over to her and says, "Well, Your Highness, guess this is it."
"I guess so," Leia says nonchalantly.
Han stands there for a moment, then starts to smirk before he says, "Well, don't get all mushy on me. So long, princess." He then turns and walks right out of the command center.
Leia stands there for a moment before she hurries after Han, calling out his name to get him to stop. Kelly smiles a bit and shakes her head at their antics.
A minute later, Kelly decides to follow Leia out. As she walks out into the hall, she hears Han's voice yell from further down the hallway, "You could use a good kiss."
A few moments later, Kelly sees Leia storming back up the hallway in her direction. She looks up at Kelly and mutters, "Impossible man."
"They all are at some point or another, Leia," Kelly says, thinking not only of Luke, but also her brothers and dad.
(Some time later)
Kelly slowly walks through one of the hangars, which has been set aside for the Terran Alliance to use. She runs her hand along one of the wings of an SA-10, one of four SA-10s currently deployed to Hoth. The Alliance has a small garrison on Hoth, including Russian troops and a few Russian made tanks, as well as the four SA-10s and a squadron of SF-23s.
"How are you doing adapting these things?" she asks one of the aircraft crew chiefs.
"Already done. It took some real work, but they're ready to fly in the cold. I wouldn't try flying them in a blizzard, but they can handle the cold," the Chief Petty Officer says.
"Good," Kelly says.
As she walks away, towards one of the SF-23s parked in a few meters away, she suddenly sees Han storming through the chamber, heading in the direction of another chamber that, among other things, is where the Rebels keep their tauntauns. He looks upset about something.
"Han. What's going on?" Kelly asks her friend.
"It's Luke. Nobody knows where he is. Nobody knows if he's back yet or not," Han says.
Instantly, fear fills Kelly's heart. It's getting very late, and from what she knows, a blizzard is beginning outside. If Luke isn't back yet, he could be in real trouble.
"He's not back?!" she exclaims.
"I'm on my way to find out," Han says as he continues walking across the cave. Kelly, her worry rising, follows him.
The two hurry across the cave, down a hallway, and into another, much smaller cave, where a number of tauntauns are kept.
As Han and Kelly approaches one of the tauntaun handlers, a Rebel officer comes up to Han and says, "Sir, Commander Skywalker hasn't come in through the south entrance. It's possible he forgot to check in."
"Not likely," Han says before turning to another officer and asking, "Are the speeders ready?"
"Uh, not yet, we're still having trouble adapting them to the cold," the officer says.
"Then we'll have to go out on tauntauns," Han says.
"Sir, there's a blizzard out there. The temperature's dropping too rapidly," the officer says.
"That's right, and my friend's out in it," Han shoots back.
"I'm coming with you," Kelly says.
"Not happening, Kelly. Luke would kill me if I let you come," Han says. He smiles slightly and says, "Don't worry. I'll bring that troublemaking boyfriend of yours back." He then turns back and swings himself up onto a tauntaun.
"Your tauntaun will freeze before you reach the first marker," the officer says.
"Then I'll see you in hell," Han says before looking down at his tauntaun and going, "Hyah!" The tauntaun begins running, and it and Han disappear out into the cold wasteland of Hoth. Kelly watches him go, praying that Han will be able to bring Luke back alive.
As Kelly turns and begins walking back towards the main Terran hangar, she is so distracted so doesn't see the man in her way until she bumps right into him. Stumbling back as she bumps into him, she looks up at sees that the man she just bumped into is Lieutenant Colonel Marko Loginov, a Russian member of the ASAT team deployed to Hoth who is known for being one of the best pilots on the team in addition to his skills with a lightsaber.
"Need to watch where you're going, Kelly," Loginov says with a small smile.
"You're right. I was just lost in my mind," Kelly says.
"Worried about Luke?" Loginov asks.
"Yes," Kelly admits.
Loginov smiles as he puts an arm around Kelly. Though he has a reputation for being just as cold as a Russian winter at times, the people who actually know him know that he can be very kind and sympathetic when he wants to be.
"Come on. Let's go get some dinner," Loginov says, leading Kelly off to find some food.
(October 16, 2015)
Kelly slowly walks into the command center, wringing her hands from nervousness. Han had not returned with Luke the night before, and the Rebel leaders had ordered the base be locked down ahead of the dropping nighttime temperatures. Now that it is daytime, the Rebels had sent out a number of pilots of Rogue Squadron in T-47 airspeeders to search for Han and Luke. Kelly wished she had been informed of the search mission ahead of time so she could go too, but she hadn't learned of it until after the pilots had already left.
As she walks into the command center, she hears the voice of Zev, one of the pilots of Rogue Squadron that was sent out, come over the radio, saying, "Echo Base, I've got something. Not much, but it could a be a life form."
Kelly races over to where she heard Zev's voice coming from, leaning over the attendant's shoulder and staring at the screen, watching the tracking information on Zev's speeder intently, praying this is going to work.
She waits for almost a minute on pins and needles before she hears Zev saying in a joyful voice, "Echo Base, this is Rogue Two. I've found them. Repeat, I've found them."
"OMG," Kelly gasps out, feeling so relieved that Luke is okay. Leia walks over to Kelly, beaming at her friend, and the two walk out of the command center to wait for them to arrive.
Almost half an hour passes before a Terran search and rescue craft flies into the main hangar and lands. Medical crews swarm the shuttle. Kelly and Leia can't even see Luke come off the shuttle before the medical crews hurry off.
A moment later, Han climbs off the shuttle. Kelly and Leia hurry over to the shuttle. "What happened?" Kelly cries out.
"Don't know exactly. Found the kid in pretty bad shape. And not just because of the cold. In any case, I built a shelter and kept us alive long enough for Rogue 2 to find us," Han says. He then pulls them along and says, "Let's go check on the kid."
Kelly, Leia, and Han make their way to the medical bay. By the time they get there, they find that Luke has already been put in a bacta tank.
Kelly stares intently at Luke as he rests in the bacta tank and the attending medical droid continues making some changes in his systems. Finally, after what seems like ages, the droid presses a few buttons, and a moment later Luke is lifted out of the bacta tank.
Kelly and the others wait anxiously until another medical droid walks into the room and says, "You may see him now."
Kelly races in the direction the droid came from, Leia, Han, Chewie, 3PO, and R2 following close behind her.
As soon as she enters the room, she sees Luke resting on a bed, looking a bit beat up, but looking very good given what he went through.
"Luke!" Kelly cries out. She races over to the bed, and throws her arms around Luke. Luke smiles as he hugs her back.
"I was so worried about you," she says into his ear as she hugs him tightly.
"I'm okay. I'm totally fine," Luke says reassuringly.
Kelly pulls back a bit before leaning in and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. She then smiles at him and asks, "Why do you always get into trouble when I let you out of my sight?" Luke just chuckles.
Han and Chewie then walk over and Han says, "How are you feeling, kid? You look strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark."
"Thanks to you," Luke says.
Han smirks a bit and says, "That's two you owe me, junior."
Han then stands up and turns to face Leia, saying, "Well, Your Worship, looks like you managed to keep me around for a little while longer."
"I had nothing to do with it. General Rieekan thinks it's too dangerous for any ships to leave the system until we've activated the energy field," Leia says.
"That's a good story. I just think you can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight," Han says.
Kelly looks at Luke as he looks at her, and the two share an amused raise of the eyebrow.
"I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain," Leia says, sounding pretty much done with Han at this point.
Chewie laughs a bit, drawing an annoyed look from Han. "Laugh it up, fuzzball," Han says. He then walks over to Leia and, as he puts his arm around her, says, "You didn't see us alone in the south passage. She admitted her true feelings for me."
Kelly grins as she sees Leia look horrified, and as Han starts to step away, Leia says, "Why you, stuck up, half witted, scruffy looking, nerf herder!"
Han turns back to face her, looking annoyed, and saying, "Who's scruffy looking?"
Leia looks very irritated with Han before walking off. Kelly then looks at Han and says, "Han, you really don't know a thing about women."
Han gives her an annoyed look before he turns and walks out with Chewie. Kelly then snuggles up close to Luke and hugs him, very happy to have him back.
(Command Center)
Kelly slowly walks into the command center. She had just left the medical bay so Luke could have some more tests done. She decided to go to the command center to see if she could make herself useful
As she enters the command center, Kelly can instantly sense the tense atmosphere. She quickly sees Loginov and makes her way over to him.
"What's going on?" Kelly asks.
"We've picked up something in Zone 12. Something metal, and moving. Solo and Chewbacca went to check it out," Loginov says.
Only a few moments later, Han's voice comes over the radio saying, "Afraid there's not much left."
"What was it?" Leia asks over the radio.
"Droid of some kind. I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self destruct," Han reponds.
Kelly face falls as she hears that, and correctly guesses its identity as Leia voices it, "An Imperial probe droid."
"It's a good bet the Empire knows we're here," Han says.
"We'd better start the evacuation," General Rieekan tells the officers around him.
Kelly turns to Loginov. "We need to contact Admiral Zambellas. Let him know we've been found," she says. Loginov nods and moves off to contact Fleet Admiral Zambellas on Naboo as Kelly stares off into space, knowing that a large battle is imminent on Hoth.
And, I'll end there. Hope you liked this chapter.
I thought it was about time to introduce everybody to another member of the ASAT team. I'll try and have Loginov show up a few more times in this story.
Next chapter should be up fairly soon. Until then, leave a review, and stay tuned!