When they came out of hyper-space and Balmorra hung a great blue and white marble before them, Billy felt his heart race and senses tingle. It was that old rush he had always felt when arriving at a new assignment. He loved that feeling, it was life. He remembered when he first arrived at Dromund Kaas as an agent and Keeper asked the brash new Chiss agent why he had joined intelligence. "To lie and deceive with license, sounded like fun," Bellon had answered.
Billy considered himself a man of honor and integrity, especially when dealing with like people. He had no compunction about deceiving deceivers; and he was good at it.
"Let's take out a bad guy," he said and activated his com-link with Sobrik space control. "Cipher 9, Imperial Intelligence, landing at Sobrik; preparing to enter atmosphere." Then he told Anya, "Slicer 18, check for any non-Imperial signatures in Balmorran space."
"Yes, Sir," she checked the IFF against the BOSS registry. "Only one, Correlian-class light freighter neutral registry, at the Balmorran Arms factory docks."
Billy glanced over and confirmed it was Barena that was docked. "Sobrik Control, transferring authorization code to land now." He waited for a response. "Roger that, Hanger 19, commencing landing procedures now. Going into atmospheric communications blackout."
The shields went up before the stress of re-entry could tear the hull apart. After a few seconds, the forward view cleared of the fire of re-entry and was replaced by the blue sky above and ocean below on the M-class planet.
"Engaging plasma foil configuration, ratio 1:1." Their flight path leveled out and the ride became much smoother as the plasma created an aerodynamic shape around the space ship.
The continental coastline came into view, cliffs and mountains crashing into the rolling sea. As they passed over the mountains, they could see complexes and villages scattered in the valleys. Soon they were low enough to make out buildings; and the city of Sobrik rose out of the plains at the edge of the mountains.
Billy slowed until they were directly over the spaceport. "Transferring landing procedures to ground control." The ship bumped as a tractor beam took hold and the engines shut down. The tractor beam lowered the ship down until the huge number 19 appeared then moved it in through the hanger doors. The ship came to rest on the hangar floor.
"Well done, Slicer 18. Not bad for a grounder."
"Thank you, sir. You're not a bad teacher or a spacer."
Before leaving the ship, they went to the weapons cache in the cargo hold. Billy, he was definitely Cipher Nine now, pulled out an Imperial-issue sniper rifle double checked it then slung it over his shoulder. He unbuckled the belt that held his dual blasters and handed them to Anya.
"This one was a gift from Corso. He named it Flashy. He names all his weapons; that man needs to find other interests. Over the years, I have upgraded both of them. If something happens to me, get Flashy back to Corso."
"Don't say that. Nothing will happen to you," she countered.
"Do you have the copy of the communique?" He asked ignoring her concern.
"Right here, sir." She held up the data disk.
"Then let's go find Darth Warthas." At the hatch, he double-checked the position of her hat, the tilt of her head and her stance. "You are Imperial Intelligence. You are feared. Speak rarely to anyone and when you do, bark. You expect respect, no questions and instant obedience. You step aside for no one. Expect them to clear your path; but be ever aware of your surroundings." He faced the hatch. "Trust no one." He opened the hatch and they stepped out into the hanger of an Imperial port.
They hadn't left the hanger and already crews were turning out to prep the ship for takeoff.
Anya was full of questions and doubt about their situation, but she kept silent, squared her shoulders and matched Billy's - no Cipher Nine's strident pace. Everyone cleared his path. It was quite surprising how he could be inconspicuous one moment and so flagrant the next.
Neither spoke. They took the elevator to the main floor and crossed the concourse then stepped out into the city proper.
Gleaming metal modular structures had been brought in by Imperial engineers and erected within days to create the city. It was actually a military base; there were very few civilians and those there worked for the military. As cities went, it was very small. An energy shield created a faintly orange dome giving the sky a sickly pallor, but the air was clean. There was no grass, only the metal grids on which the structures had been placed and that made up the streets. Walkers, troop carriers, tanks and attack speeders were neatly lined up along all the thoroughfares. And in the background was the constant pop of blaster fire, deep booming explosions of bombs, and the hum of the shield. Balmorra was still a war zone.
"Private, where is Darth Warthas?" Cipher Nine snapped.
"Sir, in the Command Center, sir." The private promptly replied and pointed to their left.
Cipher Nine led off in that direction, an air of singular purpose about him. Anya could feel his confidence seeping into her.
"State your business," the guard at the Command Center challenged.
"Imperial Intelligence for Darth Warthas, where is he?"
The guard stepped aside. "Third door on the right, sir."
At the third door on the right, Cipher Nine walked in and stopped in the doorway. "My Lord, Imperial Intelligence," he executed a curt bow of his head.
The Sith lord looked up from the papers strewn on the desk in front of him. "What is the meaning of this interruption?"
"Darth Warthas, I have an eyes-only for you as directed by the Dark Council. I am not at liberty to discuss the matter with witnesses." He stood his ground.
"Very well, excuse me gentlemen." Warthas stood and left the room. The two agents followed him to a safe room, a room that had no surveillance set up for the specific purpose of discussing classified information. "What's this all about?" he asked after the door was closed.
"I am field agent Cipher Nine; this is my associate Slicer 18. Slicer 18," he prompted.
She bobbed her head in respect. "My Lord," she handed him the data disk.
"Why thank you young lady," he took the disk smiling.
Anya studied him while he reviewed the disk. He wasn't at all what she had expected. He was a tall handsome man with touches of grey in his dark hair at the temples. He had a square jaw, straight nose, prominent cheekbones, and piercing black eyes. The only flaws seemed to be the traces of the Dark Side in his complexion.
"Very interesting," he said removing the disk from the reader and turning to address the two agents. "So why not call in an air strike on the location?"
"The location is not accessible for an attack by speeders," Cipher Nine explained.
"Laser attack from space then," the Sith suggested.
"If Master Shan follows procedure, the ship will land, drop her off and depart. That would mean a laser trying to strike from space on small targets that can avoid those strikes. Either way, there would be no way to confirm the kill."
Darth Warthas nodded his agreement. "What I know of Satele Shan, she is very strong in the Force and powerful. I suppose the Council feels only an equal can bring her down." He thought a moment. "Do you have an idea of the troop strength we will be up against?"
"Shan's profile indicates she travels with an apprentice and a body guard. Field General Farkon Reen travels with two body guards and a Force wielder," the cipher agent explained,
"What are our assets?"
"Myself, Slicer 18, and two troopers watching the landing site."
Darth Warthas fixed his intense gaze on Anya, "Why do you allow yourself to be overshadowed by an inferior?" He asked her.
Anya was impressed by Billy's total lack of reaction to the insult. "I am just a Slicer on my first assignment with Intelligence, My Lord. I defer to the knowledge of an experienced field agent."
"Wise choice. Do you know how to use that blaster?" the Sith asked.
"Yes, My Lord; I am fully qualified," she answered.
"Have you ever shot another sentient being?" he asked.
Anya paled then shook her head, "No, My Lord."
He leaned toward her and spoke in mock confidentiality. "Then I suggest you stay very close to Cipher Nine; something tells me he is very adept at the use of that sniper rifle." He gave her back the disk. "I have my apprentice and can muster a small troop of soldiers."
"Begging your pardon, My Lord, but the more people who know of this operation, the greater the risk of it coming to the attention of the targets. The approach is very narrow and moving a large group of people up the path without being noticed could prove difficult," Cipher said.
"Agreed," Warthas said. "I have three very capable and trusted men. That will be nine against seven. I shall focus on Master Shan; you focus on General Reen and the rest can take care of their entourage. What can you tell me of your two men watching the rendezvous point?"
"I can't tell you much," the Chiss admitted. "Intelligence assigned them. I don't know who they are and they don't know who is coming. That way, if they are captured, there isn't much they can divulge."
"Keeper is a very intelligent woman," Warths said.
"Yes, My Lord; she is. Shall I requisition a combat speeder to take us to the base of the path?"
"Please, I will gather my men, and Slicer 18 can wait in my office."
Anya was relieved when they were all seated in the speeder flying over the war-torn countryside. Billy was at the helm. "Darth Warthas is right, stay close to me," he told her. "And remember, focus on the bodyguards. Leave the primary targets to me."
He landed the speeder amid a copse of trees in the wilderness at the base of a path that looked like little more than a game trail. The seven of them started up the path. It was steep and narrow with loose footing. Darth Warthas had chosen to take the lead, followed by his apprentice, a silent, sallow, youthful man.
The Sith lord stopped and raised his hand. "Shh, hear that?" Everyone listened. "That's the call of the Junita bird. It is very rare and beautiful. Has one of the most melodious songs for a bird." After enjoying the moment, he glanced back at the two agents. "Don't every let yourselves be promoted out of the field. It is moments like this that I miss when I am stuck behind a desk."
Billy's portable holo-terminal beeped. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "It seems to be from the two agents. They say that Master Shan has arrived."
"Exquisite!" Darth Warthas rubbed his hands gleefully. "Everyone on their toes and be stealthy."
Anya didn't say anything but remembered that Billy had told Oorphan and Dalokk only to break radio silence in the event the mission had to be aborted. She wondered what the message had meant or if Billy had been pretending to receive a message.
The hike up the mountainside to the clearing took about two hours. Darth Warthas set a pace that ensured none of them were too tired to fight once they reached their destination. They came upon two men in Imperial armor first. The two leapt to their feet and snapped off salutes. Everyone moved close to hear what they were telling the Sith.
"Shan has arrived with only one aid, a Wookie. No sign of General Reen," Oorphan was saying. "Shall we wait or move in?"
"I think the general is arriving," Cipher Nine noted at the high whine of shuttle engines in landing mode.
They crept to the edge of the clearing staying in the trees. Satele and a Wookie had stepped back to allow the smaller shuttle space to land. "We wait till the general's shuttle is well clear," Warthas said.
Field General Reen stepped off the shuttle followed by two soldiers. The three joined the other two and watched as the shuttle took off. They began talking amongst themselves.
Once the shuttle was well out of sight, Darth Warthas led his group into the clearing. Oorphan and Dalokk moved wide to the left. Billy urged Anya wide to the right. Warthas' apprentice strode at his side while the three bodyguards fanned out to the side of Darth Warthas.
"Am I interrupting?" the Sith asked congenially.
"Darth Warthas," Shan greeted. "I see you brought company. How nice."
"What is the meaning of this?" Reen demanded angrily.
"I would think that is abundantly clear," Warthas answered. "I am here to take the two of you into Imperial custody."
"May I ask, using a cliché, you and what army?" Shan quipped.
Warthas turned to gesture at those who had come with him and saw Cipher Nine squatting behind a shield, his sniper rifle trained on one of his men.
"Fire," Billy ordered calmly. His first shot took that trooper. The chaos of battle erupted.
Warthas turned back just in time to block a lightsaber attack from Shan. When his apprentice stepped in to help, he met the vibro-blade carried by the Wookie. Dalokk ran in to assist his friend using the blaster rifle as a club to batter at the apprentice's arms. Warthas' second guard spun and fell from a shot by Oorphan. The third guard shot Oorphan; he fell to a hail of blaster fire from all directions. Reen had fallen back firing on Darth Warthas. Billy saw the lightsaber of the Sith apprentice fly out of the man's hand and put a blaster shot between his eyes in that instant of surprise. All attention was now focused on Darth Warthas.
The man was a whirlwind. He sent Reen and his men flying back with a blast of the Force; a maneuver that left one guard dead and Reen and the other stunned and injured. Bowdaar was caught in a Force vortex; it would hold him until the Sith released it. The Sith's lightsaber flashed deflecting Billy's and Anya's shots even as he fought Dalokk and Shan.
Billy would wait for the right moment before he made his move; he set his rifle to sonic stun. He could see that Dalokk seemed to be using the Force. Suddenly, the opportunity came; Warthas was completely distracted by both Dalokk and Shan. Billy stood, took a deep calming breath and moved quietly around until he was in Warthas's blind spot. He could tell Warthas sensed when Anya was about to fire at him; her rage was that palpable. It would work in his favor. He walked up behind Warthas stepping over the bodies of the fallen as tenderly as to avoid damaging fragile rare wildflowers. Warthas was unaware of the threat until too late when Billy pulled the trigger unleashing the blast into the Sith's ear.
Warthas fell, his eyes rolling up into his head. Shan immediately Force bound him. "General Reen, do you have the cuffs?" They were cuffs specially designed for Force users, not only binding the hands but cutting the person off from the Force.
"Well done," she told Billy pulling the Sith to his feet.
They turned at an animal scream. Billy caught Anya, who was charging in with a drawn blaster. "Let it go!" he shouted into her ear at the same time knocking her arm so the blaster fired harmlessly into the sky.
"Kill him, kill the bastard," she wailed tears streaking down her cheeks.
"To what end?" Billy asked pinning her arms firmly.
"Oorphan is dead," Dalokk announced.
"He deserves to die!" She screamed at the Sith.
"And then what?" Billy asked, his voice soothing. "Will that bring back your mother or your father or Oorphan?" He released his hold just enough to take the blaster out of her hand. "Will killing him bring back my parents or any of those he murdered? Revenge is a hollow victory."
"He has to pay!" she cried.
"He will. He has committed crimes against too many to be allowed to roam free. He will spend his life in a Republic prison bereft of his beloved Force reflecting on what brought him down." He shifted his hold to a hug. She was starting to relax. "I spent many years killing people who wronged me and what I learned was that it didn't help. The grief was still there and I had murdered. I also came to the conclusion that the people I killed never learned from their bad behavior. They will come back to life just as big assholes as they were when they left. Those I captured and turned in for trial had time to learn from their mistakes and just might come back as better people." He let her go. "Let's bury Oorphan."
Dalokk picked up Warthas' lightsaber and used it and the Force to dig a grave. He and Bowdaar lay the man to rest. Dalokk lay the lightsaber on Oorphan's chest then Force lifted the dirt into place.
"So you never lost the Force?" Billy asked.
Dalokk looked at his hands. "I was fighting the apprentice when it struck me. I realized I was neither angry nor afraid; in that moment of clarity, I could feel the Force rush through me stronger than it had ever been." He looked over at Shan. "If you would have me, I would like to return with you and learn the way of the Jedi."
Shan bowed with her hands pressed together in front of her. "We would be honored to have you."
"Satele, you will see that Anya and Bowdaar get safely back to Corso?" Billy asked.
She had a sad expression as she studied him. "I understand. I shall."
The two stared at him. "Bowdaar, I can't go with you. Tell Corso that Barena is his." He smiled at Anya. "As for you, the best revenge is success."
"What success?" She asked pained.
He stroked her cheek. "Live a good life. Find a good man to marry and raise a family. Teach your children to be honest and loyal."
"What about you?" She asked then blurted, "I want to go with you."
Billy gently pushed her into Satele's arms and shot the Jedi a pained look. "In about two minutes, I am going to get a holo-call. None of you can be here when it comes in. We can never meet again. Go, now." He began walking backwards away.
Satele firmly guided Anya to her shuttle, which had settled on the edge of the clearing.
"Anya, Corso is a good man. Give him a chance," he called. He watched as both Satele and Bowdaar guided Anya onto the shuttle and continued to stare even after the ramp closed and the shuttle began to lift off. His holo-terminal beeped.
He switched it on, "Keeper, Cipher Nine here."
The image of a woman in an imperial uniform spoke. "Is it done, Cipher Nine?" she asked.
"It is done."
"I suppose you let them all go," she sighed.
He smiled sheepishly and nodded. "That's the way it has to be."
He could see her release stress. "That has been a long time coming. He is no longer our concern and Intelligence can't be implicated. Good. I will be glad to have you back."
"Is that a personal preference?" he teased.
"Return to Dromund Kaas for your debrief," she ordered sternly. "Welcome home, Cipher Nine."