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All named characters with the exception of Risè the pretty Twi'lek and Colonel Gerrard are the property of Disney/LucasFilm.
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"Go With Me."
"Stay With Me."
Chapter 2
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From the previous chapter:
Ahsoka looked out from the starboard viewport to see the port side of an old Separatist ship of the line, a part of the fleet they were traveling with. Then she saw the bow markings of the ship. There, there were markings just like those of her face. Her eyes became big. Lux had remembered her and honored her with these markings. To the starboard of that ship, traveling in the opposite direction, was another ship with the same markings on the bow. Then she smiled a big smile at Hera and felt relief as if she had never known it before. She then held up her head high, turned in the direction they were going with Hera, and continued to walk with the Ghost crew so everyone could see her, and know where they got the markings of the fleet from. After some minutes of walking, they made their way to the bulkhead door leading to the bridge. She hadn't been happier in a long, long time.
On the other side of that bulkhead, two men responsible for keeping the peace and the Empire away from the part of the Galaxy between the Ehosiq Sector to the Ghost Nebula, Saw Gerrera, General of the armies, and Lux Bonteri, Commodore of the fleet, were in conversation. Well, actually Saw more than Lux since he was trying to calm the other down. While Lux wasn't walking up and down the deck like most men would do after seeing the woman they loved more than life itself had suddenly showed up after fifteen years; still, those around him could tell he was nervous. Risè, the pretty Twi'lek, had a look of concern, even though Saw was doing most of the talking.
"Don't worry, Terry, just relax. It'll be all right."
"How do you know? How do I know? It's been fifteen years, Saw. The first thing she may do is laugh at me. I don't know that. She may hate me for thinking I didn't try to look for her—though I spent a good two years doing so. After Knightfall, I didn't want to meet her, I didn't want to accost her, I just wanted to see if she was safe. That would have made me happy, even if she was with another man."
"Look, Terry, we both saw how she looked on the holograph. The last thing she would do is laugh at you."
"How about for not trying harder? Only the One above knows what hell holes I went through during my leaves at the Ackbar Academy looking for her."
"Look, my friend, just relax. We cannot change this now. All we can do is meet." A crew member came up to Saw and whispered something to him he would have regularly said to Lux. "They are at the door. They are waiting," Saw said significantly. Lux just nodded his head and then Saw signaled to the crew member with a rising of his head to let the crew of the Ghost in. As they did so, Ahsoka kept herself hidden behind big Zeb. Fortunately for her, he got a lot of attention so they didn't notice.
Kanan came in first. He greeted the commanders with a slight bow to each, "General Gerrera. Commodore Bonteri." His bows were returned in like. "Thank you for having us aboard. We are the crew of the Ghost. I am Kanan Jarrus, code named Spectre-One."
"Mr. Jarrus," said the general and the commodore in turn.
Now it was Hera's turn. She said while saluting, "I'm Hera Syndulla, Captain and pilot of the Ghost, and a Captain in the rebellion. Code named Spectre-Two."
Both Saw and Lux did a double-take on Hera's name. "Captain," they shook her hand in turn after saluting Hera.
"Are you related in some way to Cham Syndulla, Fie-," asked Saw with a look of interest from Lux but quickly interrupted by Hera.
"He's my father," was Hera's response. A look of interest could also be seen on Risè's face.
"Well," Kanan said as he continued the introductions, "This is our droid, Chopper, also known as—" Suddenly, there was a long series of long beepings coming from the droid;
"?#=*\]! &~+}£[¥!," said Chopper. Both Saw and Lux smiled at the droid. Hera, however, wanted to fall through the floor in embarrassment.
Lux added in, "Well, from what I understand from between all the expletives, you're code named Spectre-Three. Nice to meet you." A short span later, their eyes moved to—
"MY name is Zeb; short for Garazeb Orrelios. Code named Spectre-Four. Although why I'm after the stupid droid is beyond me."
Both Saw and Lux nodded to Zeb. Then, Lux added, "Nice to meet you, Zeb. You should visit our mess hall while you're here. I think you will like the food." The way the commodore said that made Zeb want to go there as soon as possible.
"And this is Sabine Wren, code named Spectre-Five," Kanan said pointing with his hand to Sabine, "And Ezra Bridger, Spectre-Six," Kanan finished, placing his hand on Ezra's shoulder.
Saw looked at Sabine, commenting, "From Mandalore, the House Wren?" Sabine only nodded. "Very welcome to have you aboard."
Lux also had something to say to Ezra. "Ezra? Ezra Bridger?" Ezra looked straight at the commodore, but didn't say anything. "Are you related to Mira and Eph—"
"They were my parents," Ezra interrupted. It still hurt him about his parents, but Kanan was upset with him for interrupting Commodore Bonteri. "My apologies, Commodore, I've been alone since I was seven and it still hurts."
Lux looked at Ezra with a deep look of understanding. If he had been able to see her, he would have seen Ahsoka bow her head a little. "I know, Ezra, I know how you feel. I lost my father when I was just a little older than you, and my mother died in my arms, killed by Dooku a year later. You are not alone."
"I see," was Ezra's only response.
"The reason I asked, Ezra, was that early in the Empire, when you yourself were a baby, your parents through their broadcasts gave me my resolve and the strength to fight what was happening to my planet against the Empire; and General Gerrera as well," he added as he gestured towards Saw. "More than you know, they have been a presence in many. Take heart in that, Ezra."
The deck was then silent, not just because of this interaction, but for the tenseness Lux, and to a part Saw, if but for his friend, were feeling then. Zeb then felt a poke in his back and he realized that Ahsoka was behind him. He got out of the way, and Ahsoka came forward, with her head bent down a little. Then she raised her head.
And the bridge was entirely silent. Everyone. Everyone was looking at Ahsoka. The only sounds that could be heard were the quiet beeps from various panels—and the clatter of a data pad, dropped by a crew member, shocked by what he was looking at.
Lux himself had to hold the low railing separating the command platform from the rest of the bridge. Silence reigned on the ship, until Lux gave a nod and a quiet command to Risè, the Second Lieutenant, for the crew to carry on. This she did while Lux was still looking at Ahsoka.
He wanted to say so much and hear even more. How did she escape? What had she been doing the last fifteen years? But these questions were nothing compared to the one, Why didn't she contact him after she left the table? All these and more Lux wanted to hear from Ahsoka—but he knew she would tell him in her own time, when she thought he was ready to hear what she had to say. Being patient with another you have feelings for is a cornerstone to love.
"And this, as you know," Hera broke the silence, "Is Ahsoka. She has no code name for us but she has been helping us for a few missions. She was known as Fulcrum. And I think you know Rex as well."
Saw nodded to them and said, "Miss Tano. Rex," as if he had met her for the first time. "I have heard some things about Fulcrum. I can finally put a face to the name. It is nice to meet you."
"Thank you, General Gerrera," Ahsoka responded. Then she looked over to Lux.
For Lux, it was harder to disguise his feelings towards her, so he didn't try. He knew he couldn't get away with it. Here before the crew and all those gathered, were the exact markings from her face on the bows of the fleet. Now they knew where the markings came from. They didn't mind, though, because to most, she was very, very pretty. So, all he could say, all he needed to say was, "Ko-to-ya, Ahsoka Tano." The look said more—a thousand times more—than the words, which those close to him could feel, even the Ghost crew. When she heard this, however, Risè, the pretty Twi'lek, became big-eyed. Then, scowling, she started to form a plan. To her, her commander never seemed like he did just now.
"Ko-to-ya, Lux," Ahsoka said with a sweet, quiet voice. There was a silence for a short time.
But, there had to be a reason for the visit from the Ghost. After a time, Saw was champing at the bit to get at why the crew was here, but that was Lux's prerogative on the ships. On land, he ruled, and Lux followed, but not here, in space with the fleet. So he waited patiently until Lux could recover.
In a seemingly short time, at least to Ahsoka maybe too short a time, Lux did recover. "Well, welcome to the Plo Koon. As you know, this is Saw Gerrera, General of the Army. I am Lux Bonteri, Commodore of the fleet. Friends call me 'Terry,'" he said looking at Ahsoka. "We make quite a team, General Gerrera and I. I do what I can to put troops on the ground—"
"And I do what I can to rid the land of the enemy. Together, we make headaches all the way back to the Emperor, or, more often, Pirate Central and Zygerria. We keep those reprobates away from all the planets from Kiros and Shili in the Ehosiq Sector to Umbara, although I don't know why, just this side of the Ghost Nebula."
"We have been fighting for our home, Onderon, ever since the Clone Wars," added Lux. "It never seems to stop," he added quietly. "But anyway," he changed quickly, "To business. Why are you here?"
"We are with the rebellion—"
"Rebellion? Against who?" Lux quickly countered.
"Against the Empire," returned Hera, a bit flustered.
"'Against the Empire'?" said Lux. "Mmm. I've heard of many things in my thirty-five years, even something about some 'force' binding all things, living or not, together. But I've never heard anything about a rebellion in this little corner. What's it all about?"
Then Hera filled in the commanders about the rebellion. She was a little reluctant at first, but both General Gerrera and Commodore Bonteri assured her that the crew was very loyal and had no love for the Empire. Lux asked the Ghost crew to look around, which they did, and to compare his crew to those they knew of the Empire. After a long look around, Hera could see how correct Kanan was in describing this crew before docking with the Plo Koon. Many species were present, and most of those came from planets whose populations had been decimated or reduced by the Empire. Even some Geonosians and a Givin were present. So, she relaxed a little bit and re-started her tale of the rebellion. She noticed that both the commodore and the general looked at each other significantly when she mentioned the leader of Phoenix Home, Commander Jun Sato.
She then explained the mission, and how they needed to evac a spy from the planet below, Onderon. Both Saw and Lux then realized that this rebellion was no small matter, with spies and support all the way to the Imperial Senate. That, combined with the name of Commander Sato and, for Lux, that Ahsoka was involved, resulted in something that brought a giant sigh of relief to Hera.
After nodding with Saw, Lux then informed the Ghost crew of the decision. "All right. You have come to the right place. We have ships and personnel at your disposal. We also know the planet very well. Tell us what you want to do," Lux finished looking at Hera, but then smiling and nodding to Ahsoka. This brought big smiles from the crew, especially from Hera and Kanan. "Let's go over to the communication table," Lux said.
The group then went over to the table. Lux asked Risè to set a screen around the table so there could be more privacy and Hera could tell of the situation. This she did and stayed close while the briefing was going on.
First, Hera showed a holograph of the planet, showing a red dot where the asset was just then located. "Here is Onderon. And here is our asset," she said, pointing to the little dot.
"Mm," started General Gerrera, "your asset is in a good place. Many places to hide. Unfortunately, a bit too close to the Gartic runs, but not quite there so the asset should be ok. Your asset— He? She?"
"She," responded Hera.
"She needs to stay quiet, though. Is there a way you can tell her?"
"Yes. I can code her a message back through the beacon. It should be safe. But why and what's a Gartic?"
"Let's just say that those who accidentally enter these regions, never come back," the Commodore put in. "A Gartic is something you never want to meet on Onderon."
"That just means we'll need to act quickly," said Hera.
Just then, Risè came up to the Commodore and gave him a small data slip. "This just came in, sir." He put that in the holograph communicator and they could see some recent intel.
"Thank you, Lieutenant. Mm. We have another reason to hurry. We have here intel that a boomer just left Imp-town coming this way."
"How long does it take to get here from Coruscant?" asked Kanan.
"About ten hours. How old is this Intel?" Commodore Bonteri asked Risè.
"About six hours old, Commodore."
"That gives us a four-hour window. Not much," he responded.
"Well," added Ahsoka, "Now we have another reason to hurry."
"You'll need some backup," said General Gerrera. "What sort of transportation do you have?" he asked Hera.
She then pushed a button on the console and the Ghost was displayed.
"I see. A modified VCX-100 light freighter," Commodore Bonteri put in. "You wouldn't want to risk it in close quarters. That is what you have your home in, am I correct?"
"Yes. That is correct. We were planning to use this," Hera countered showing a short motion-holo of the Phantom detaching from the Ghost. The commanders were interested in this little ship.
"Now that's something," said General Gerrera.
"I like it, I like it," added the commodore. "It looks like you ripped off a gun turret from a boomer and put some seats in it. I like it." Hera and the crew smiled at the compliment.
"Thank you," said Hera at the compliment to the crew's little workhorse. "It does get the job done."
"How many can it sit?" asked the general.
"One pilot, one astromech inside, and eight passengers. I'll be piloting, Kanan will be along for the ride—"
"I'm going as well, Hera. You may need an extra set of blades," Ahsoka put in quickly. Lux put on a worried face and was about to say, 'Please no,' but he knew that Ahsoka would always put herself in danger to help others, if she could. That seemed to be how she was made.
"All right," General Gerrera cut through the heavy atmosphere, "So, with the spy, that means we have three seats taken already, which leaves five; half a platoon. I'll get you some ground-pounders for backup. They will know the terrain as well and what to do with Gartics. I hope you don't refuse this."
"We won't," said Kanan, "We'll need all the help we can get on the ground."
"Good. I'll get you some Zouaves." General Gerrera then picked up a small comm-link and called on it, "Colonel Gerrard."
"Gerrard here, General."
"Colonel, were are going to need a platoon of your Rancors. Five need to go topside. Get the ones who know the terrain best."
"Yes, sir. Can I ask where we're going?"
"Let's just say that you'll be real close to Gartic-land."
"Oh. Understood. We'll be ready in minutes. We'll be ready for those things."
"Good. Report to landing bay one when you are ready. Gerrera out."
"Captain Syndulla" Commodore Bonteri came in, "You'll need some cover above as well. Lieutenant, what do we have?"
"Yes, sir. We have a cruiser; the Depa Billaba is ready," responded Risè.
"A cruiser may be too big, too bulky," commented the commodore, "A corvette may be better."
Kanan was stunned at the name of the cruiser. He had to ask. "Commodore Bonteri; you name the ships in your fleet after Jedi?"
"Yes. Ships of the line like this one are named after Masters in the Council, cruisers after Knights and Masters who had Padawans, corvettes after the Padawans themselves, and scout ships after Initiates and Younglings. We hope by doing so, their name can live on in our little battles with the Empire. We do it so we may honor them. We use the names of those we know who died during Knightfall." Hera was now proud to call this person a friend.
"I thought you didn't like the Jedi much, Commodore," asked Sabine, but with a smile.
Lux smiled at that. "I wonder who told you that?" he said jokingly, looking at Ahsoka. She smiled, as did Sabine. "Maybe I had some experiences with the Jedi, but in the short time I was in the Senate, I worked with Senator Amidala to keep the politicians off their case. In the end, I was proud to call them and the Kamino troopers my friends," he finished looking at Rex. "I think it was also a 'you don't know what you've got until it's gone' reason for doing so. For, to tell the truth, I miss them so." The crew was silent for a short time. The commodore seemed to be deep in thought.
Then he suddenly brought himself straight up, and tapped once the first two fingers of his right hand on the table as if he suddenly remembered something. "A! A corvette! One's ready. The Caleb Dume. Captain Syndulla, you can dock the Phantom with the Caleb Dume and then unlatch when you get—. Um, Kanan. Are you all right?"
If only Kanan could tell what he was feeling—but it must have been nothing compared to how he looked. Hera nor even Ahsoka knew that Caleb Dume was his real name and that it was something he had to keep secret from the Empire and its frîends.
"Sure, I'm all right. He was someone I knew is all," Kanan recovered.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Well, the team is ready. Risè, I'll guide the crew to landing bay one. The Caleb Dume and Garrad's team will be there." (Kanan couldn't help but think that 'Caleb Dume' would certainly be there—in more ways than one.) "I suggest the others get some grub. The mess hall is open."
"Thank you, commanders," Hera said. "Zeb, you may be on guard duty so I suggest you get something in you while we are away."
"Sure thing, Hera. We'll just see you all off."
Then all the group sauntered towards the landing bay in a slow pace. Halfway there, Hera, with a goodbye, went to the Ghost to detach the Phantom. Ahsoka and Lux left, after he turned over the command to Risè until he returned. He and Ahsoka walked closely together, but silently. Ezra, after a while, came up to Lux. "Commodore Bonteri?" Both Ahsoka and Lux looked to the young man. "I just wanted to thank you for what you said about my parents."
"Sure, Ezra, any time. They meant a lot to you but they meant something to me as well. I wish I could have known them."
"Me, too," replied Ezra. All three were sad at the exchange. Soon, after a trip in a turbolift, where Lux and Ahsoka had been standing closer to each other then they had in the last fifteen years, the group came to the landing bay. There, they could see about a dozen flamboyantly-dressed Zouaves, rifles and gear at the ready. Five of them seemed to be wearing a different kind of boot that seemed rather cushiony.
Lux had some parting advice when they got closer to the Caleb Dume, "You'll get some special footwear on the corvette. I suggest you wear them. And by all means, do not touch a tree or the ground for very long. You'll call a Gartic if you do," he said to all the assembled, especially the Ghost crew. "I just hope the spy has had the sense to stay put."
"What's a Gartic?" Kanan re-asked Hera's question since she wasn't there.
The platoon sergeant came in, "Let's just say I hope we won't see one. They're hard to explain, but deadly."
'Oh,' thought Kanan.
"Sergeant, can you explain on the way? It may help." The sergeant saluted and nodded back to the commodore. "Well. I haven't said this in a long time," he began, "Almost fifteen years, so I hope I don't get it wrong, but, 'May the Force be with you.'" All assembled nodded their heads and thanked Commodore Bonteri for the well-wishing. Ahsoka especially gave him a soft look and a small smile just before she turned away to the ship.
Lux and the other three remaining crew members watched silently while the team went into space to get to the spy. Already, outside the landing bay, the Phantom could be seen floating in space. Hera certainly was efficient. 'It would be good working with her in the future,' Lux thought to himself. Then he looked to the crew getting into the corvette. Bringing up the rear was Ahsoka. As she climbed the ramp, just before disappearing, she stopped, turned to Lux and looked at him. Water came back to his eyes again, just as during the communication. "Come back," he mouthed unknowingly. Ahsoka must have understood because she nodded her head just before entering the ship.
First, the little corvette docked with the Phantom. Then, the Ghost crew going on the mission were to enter the Phantom, still attached to the Caleb Dume, with Colonel Gerrad's team members going to the planet. Together, looking like one lopsided ship, they left for the surface. Lux stayed behind a while, seeing the maneuvers outside through a monitor and then looked long after the disappearing corvette as it showed itself outside the landing bay in a farewell gesture. He remained long after the other crew members had left, saying a silent prayer for the safety of one he loved and he hoped would be safe. Then with a quick, silent and lonely step, he went to a one-seater, got in and left the landing bay, headed for Iziz, notifying Risè on the bridge that he would return very shortly.
On the way to the mess hall, Zeb, Sabine, Rex and Ezra met three other crew members, as well as Risè, who was walking with them. She asked the crew members to accompany those from the Ghost to the mess hall. The Ghost crew was wondering why she was there if she had been left in command of the bridge.
"Hello there," she started. "The Commodore had to make a sudden trip to the planet's surface. He'll be back soon. In the meantime, why don't you get a bite to eat? You may need it for later," as she made her way back to the bridge. They then parted ways.
However, Risè didn't make a straight line for the bridge. It would only take a second and she could be back before anyone knew about it. As she was walking, her hatred for the Ghost crew, mixed with jealousy, built up. 'Those idiots brought her here. I know how to get rid of that Togruta, and maybe take a few of that crew with her. He doesn't need her.' With a quick move, she entered her quarters and more quickly closed the door. Then, she pushed the button on a comm-device that set in motion events that almost cost her her life.
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Thank you for reading this. I hoped you liked it.
A 'Gartic' is from another LuxSoka from a long time ago that was abandoned. (Sorry, I don't remember the story name.) It left off where Lux went blind from an explosion. In that story, a 'Gartic' is a rancor-sized carnivore that is blind but drags motion sensing tentacles behind it, catching any small vibrations. In that story, one of Lux's soldiers was killed by one.
Zouaves were actual fighting units during the 19th century. The American Civil War had some such units on both sides, and, in fact, one of the units for the Union was lead by a Colonel Gerrard, called 'Gerrard's Tigers.' Their uniforms were very colorful and loose; based on earlier Algerian units with the French army.
Before Season 2 was going end, I wanted to write as much of this chapter as I could. The writing I have so far is almost 10K words so I decided to end the chapter where it did because that seems to be the way with the FanFiction site. That means I will post the next chapter very, very shortly—maybe in 24 hours or so, shortly. As long as I can get it in before the season finale. That said, the entire 10K word chapter flowed better as one piece. You might think this chapter is uneventful, but the next chapter has more—romance, suspense and comedy with a smidgen of action. Please look out for it. I think you'll like it. When they are both up, perhaps you can consider them as one chapter.
Good Reading,
johnt
PS. Since I am in a hurry to get this up, there may be editing mistakes. I will correct them when I can.
