—•—

—•—

Other than those named characters obviously not being the property of Disney and/or LucasFilm, all named characters are the property of Disney and/or LucasFilm.

(From now on, I am going to put a similar notice I had when The New Dawn came out when I was writing my first long FanFiction, An Oasis in a Sea of Hate:)

Dear Readers:

For those who have read Ahsoka, Ahsoka and others may be out of character. I am sorry about that. I decided not to read it until I can finish this story.(The book hasn't even arrived yet where I am.) Please do not flame me about this. (Also, please no spoilers or hints of spoilers in the reviews.)

Also, there are some foods in this chapter that are obviously not Star Wars foods. Sorry about that.

"Go With Me."

"Stay With Me."

Chapter 12

—•—

—•—

From the previous chapter:

. . . the Decimator appeared. It soon went towards the Plo Koon, coming in for the kill. When it did, Commodore Bonteri ordered the Plo Koon forward—

Into the Ghost Nebula.

—•—

—•—

The Ghost Nebula.

Foreboding and dark—almost dark enough to swallow any attempt by a star to give out a smidgen of light.

Almost as soon as the Plo Koon entered the Ghost Nebula, all the screens in the pit became erratic, giving off an eerie light. Fortunately, they went berserk the moment after the Decimator had also entered, so the commanders knew they were being followed. After that, they were completely blind. At least they knew that that monstrosity of a ship was blind as well.

It was at a time like this that Commodore Bonteri was glad he had the giant tiller wheel on the bridge. Now, at a glance, when the digital systems were going haywire, he could see the position of the boat.

"All hands. Rig for silent running," he said decisively yet softly.

"Silent running, aye," came the confirmation of the order from the Exec. This order was quickly and quietly relayed throughout the ship. Anything that could make noise, from the Ugnaught foundries below decks in the bilge, to the clattering in Susie's galley, to the slitherhiss yelling in Engineering was put in almost complete and total silence. To do such a thing over an entire ship the size of the Plo Koon was most impressive to Ahsoka and Rex. From now on, any conversations that took place would be so quiet, little vestige of sound would be heard.

"Saw, I'll try to give you a target on the port side," Commodore Bonteri said to his friend close by on the bridge.

"I'll get all I can on the port side on the gun decks." His friend had a worried look on hearing that. "Don't worry, I'll be quiet as a thimar." Lux smiled at this reference to Shili. He knew how quiet thimar could be—and how good they tasted. Commodore Bonteri nodded to his friend as he departed noiselessly.

"Engineering."

"Ennginneeringng, aye."

"Chief, give us silent subspace."

"Ssilent ssubspacce, aye."

"Helm. Up pitch forty degrees. Right turn ninety degrees," the Commodore said quietly. This got a growling notice from Rex. Kanan looked curiously at Rex for that.

After a few more minutes, another whispered command came from the Commodore, close to the helm, to let the helmsman know that his commands were for him. The helmsman was turning a rather large steering wheel made from the Zand tree native to Dorian, the home world of Plo Koon, the Jedi Maser, slowly and carefully.

"All stop." Then, "Astern half speed. Down pitch twenty degrees. Twenty degrees left turn." The helmsman then did these directions silently. Then, "Put us on an even keel." After a few moments, "All stop." Everyone was silently looking at Commodore Bonteri. After a few moments, "Ahead three-quarters speed. Right turn, ten degrees." Then, after a few more minutes, "Even us out. Bring the king spoke uptop." The helmsman turned the giant wheel until a spoke-handle with some knotting around it was at the very pinnacle of the wheel.

It didn't make sense to most, but there seemed to be a method to the madness, as some would say.

"Amazing," Rex said quietly.

"Rex, what are you thinking?" Kanan said as he noiselessly came up to Rex.

"In the Clone Wars," Rex started without more noise in the sounds from his throat than in the movement of his mouth, "The commanders thought in two dimensions; forwards, backwards, left and right. But the Commodore . . ."

"Is thinking in three dimensions."

"Right. Up and down, too. If only—"

Kanan interrupted as silently as permissible, "I know—'If only we had more commanders like this, we would have won the war in the first five minutes'." Rex could only laugh silently, as a soldier does naturally, at Kanan's quip.

The more the Plo Koon went deeper into the Ghost Nebula, under the tranquil commands of Commodore Bonteri, some given to him by his Givin navigator and others his own reasoning, the more they could understand why spacers, pirates, smugglers, warships and just about anybody else, stayed away from the Ghost Nebula. As the purgill were large, there were small, floating entities—entities that were seemingly sentient. Deeper and deeper as the Plo Koon went into the Ghost Nebula, the stronger and stronger came the influence of these minuscule, but visible to the naked eye with effort, semi-sentient motes. But that was not all. It was a rumor that these little things could sense your thoughts, that they were the precursors to the midi-chloriants. But they would not search for your good thoughts. As these little things would float past the viewports of the ship, those looking out just then, felt a presence, as if something was digging into their minds, looking for the sadness and the darkness, thoughts as dark as the Ghost Nebula itself, bringing them to the fore.

So, when Aktay looked out, he would see the death of his beautiful wife and his children, a nightmare brought to the front of his mind. He saw the stormtroopers shoot them dead in front of him, and only a little later aiming their guns at him . . . .

Risè would see her own death on Ryloth, running to escape a mission gone wrong. Running as fast as she could, she made a fast turn—only to be snatched up by a lylek. Her last thought was seeing the gaping maw of the hideous creature filling her entire vision . . . .

Saw, when he chanced to look out, would see the death of his beloved sister Steela. 'She should be with us now.' That terrible vision of her falling from the cliff came back to him. Then his beautiful child Tricia and his lovely wife . . . . Oh no . . . .

Ahsoka would see the deaths of her friends in Operation Knightfall, even though she was far away; especially the death of Padmé, sweet Padmé, came to her vividly, as she imagined it; then her father-figure Master Plo. And then, and then, in the midst of a terrible firefight far from her, she would see the death of Lux riddled with blaster fire . . . . She couldn't save him this time.

Lux would see the death of his mother, dying in his arms, bleeding out her life before his very eyes. 'Not again, please, not again.' Then, in a pitched battle against a tall, hideously helmet-masked and cloaked man, Lux would see Ahsoka fall to the red saber of the enemy, pierced through her chest . . . .

Hera could see the death of her mother, and her father would see the death of his loving wife . . . .

Numa could see the death of Gary, and Kallus would see the death of Numa . . . .

Rex would see again the death of all his brothers in the fight . . . .

Gobi would see the galley when it ran out of chocolate ice cream . . . .

All, all would see their worst dreams before them, come to reality.

It was bad, very bad, and Commodore Bonteri needed to end it very quickly. But first, to help the one most important to the ship right now. Down in the pit, next to the navigation console, Commodore Bonteri could see his navigator in pain, crying pain. If he were to ask her, she would have said she had seen the death of her lovely children.

Putting aside his own thoughts, Lux went down the pit to his Givin navigator. Those on the bridge could see him go there. When he got there, he put his arms around her shoulders.

"CeeCee, how are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Commodore. It's just, it's just—"

Lux then held her a little more tightly. "I know. I've seen it too. We need you CeeCee. Can you be there for us?" he said quietly, softly.

"Yes, yes sir. I will."

"Thank you, CeeCee." Then he kissed the forehead of the Given and released his arm from her. She decided then and there, come Hell or high water, she would always be there for Commodore Bonteri.

But Lux knew he needed to do something more, something to take their minds off of the menace outside. Then, he had an idea.

"Susie," he called as quietly as possible on the intercom, "How are things going down there?"

"As well as can be, Admiral. Knucklehead fell and hit his head," she answered quietly.

"Well, if it was anyplace else I'd be worried." This got silent laughs around him and from many who knew Knucklehead. Then after a pause, "Susie?"

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Can you tell us what's on the menu?"

"With pleasure, Admiral."

"And Susie?"

"Yes?"

"Make it sound good; real good."

"I'll do my best, Admiral."

"Susie, its all yours."

"Well, to start off," came the soft voice of Susie over the speaker throughout the ship, "There is a luscious steak Dianne, thick and juicy, soused with the best of brandywine and then set aflame by Knucklehead right at your table, then simmered softly, bringing out the richness of the meat, then smothered with a tangy sauce made from the best of dijon mustard, with a dash of pepper for that spicy smell and lots of butter."

Everyone on the ship could hear Susie whispering the details of the meals. They all knew how lucky they were to have her on the ship. Her galley was the best in the galaxy and they were proud of her. Little-by-little, they started to pay attention to what was close by, rather than what was outside. Their attention started to turn from the port holes to the ship's speakers—

"Then we have a farmer's market burger, so tall even a rancor would have trouble biting into it, made with fresh ground beef and beautiful brioche buns, made from the ripe wheat of wind-swept Sapos, mixed in with a spicy seasoning and a tangy aioli sauce and crunchy, crinkly lettuce. And let me tell you 'bout that lettuce. It's from the Temple Highlands of Ryloth, where the air is clear and bracing. Them plants is lovingly cared for, watered and gently picked by the Temple's vestal virg- uh, uh, uh, maidens."

Everyone was chuckling at Susie's choice of words. Hera remembered the Temple from a visit when she was a little girl. Meanwhile, Lux was adjusting the collar of his tunic, a little red-faced.

"It's served with a bunch of those white roots that Zeb likes so much, deep-fried to a crispy coating, with lots of butter."

Below, in the gun decks, some crew were silently moving guns from the starboard to the port. They were as quiet as a whisper, moving as many of the big guns they could, all the while listening to Susie's menu, almost drooling.

"Oh, and Cap'n Terry, I gots your favorite, pasquinelli-style, Southern-fried Shili thimar bits from a recipe passed down for generations on Shili. Deep-fried Admiral, just like you like it, with a salty, crunchy crust that'll wake the room when you bites into it, mouth-wateringly cooked just right till them juices run clear, with just enough paprika for spicin' up the taste with lots of butter." Then, very quietly, almost as if she was just whispering to him, "But don't worry 'bout Mas' Ahsoka, Admiral. You told me she get the tootles with them thimar so I gots some lemon juice for hers." Although Susie might have thought she was just whispering with the Commodore, the ship was so quiet, everyone could hear. Ahsoka was hiding her face in her hand. Lux was turning red. Most of those who heard this were silently laughing.

"And for you beef lovers, we have special nerf steaks from the best of the nerf herds on Naboo and Shili, coddled by their Ming Po keepers, fed by the best grains in a free range, given the best Alderaan ale and lovingly massaged for that perfect marbling thrice daily by Ming Po—"

"Ming Po maidens, Susie?"

"Oh no, Admiral. These be expert Ming Po elderly masseuses, kneading and massaging for that perfect mix of meat and fat. It's marbling beautiful to the eye. Them beautiful steaks are from the best porterhouse, T-bone and Top Sirloin cuts, cooked up in lots of butter, served to your desire."

Aktay on the gun deck was drooling, biting his curled finger in anticipation of the meal. Crewmen and women were starting to smile at the interaction between Susie and the Commodore.

Back on the bridge, Hera, conquering the falsities of the Ghost Nebula, wanted to know something. "Terry, about Tarkin," Hera asked in a whisper, "How did you know he would follow?" Those close by who wanted to hear the answer to Hera's question sauntered close to him to hear.

"There was once a place important to Tarkin on Eriadu called Carrion Spike. He even had a personal ship named that. Rumor has it that the men of House Tarkin would perform some sort of coming-of-age there. There were many vicious animals there until some years ago, when Tarkin would have done his coming-of-age. Now there are none; I've heard from big-game hunters all killed or chased away or maybe even tamed by Tarkin, according to a recording by an Onderon man named Teller from about a decade ago. Tarkin let none get away and he killed all of them that would attack him."

"So, Tarkin would follow you on here to kill you once and for all?"

"If I had hurt him; yes."

"Well, Terry, he is certainly following your plan."

"I know. He is in here somewhere. I just have to find him."

Kanan was stunned. "You're actually looking for him? In this? With this ship?" Everyone around him became silent.

"And for you Mandos, I got tiingilar just like you Mandy's like it, but not with that red spice. Oh no, no, no. That's not hot enough for a spicy girl like you, Miss Wren. I got the green super-spice that'a burn you just by a-lookin' at it."

Lux turned back to him and answered for all his crew; "Don't you think we can do it?"

"That ship out there is fifty times bigger than you are."

"Well, right now, we can't see them, and they can't see us. I would say it's pretty even." Some in the pit were looking rapidly to Kanan, as if to say, 'We can do it.'

"And for you, Mas' Kanan, I got hot and steaming grain mush. Or, ration bars if you prefer them."

The ship moved through the eerie Ghost Nebula silently and slowly. They could have bumped into the Decimator, and they wouldn't have known how close the enemy was until they did. Back and forth, went the Plo Koon, in a pattern, looking for the enemy.

Lux felt some regret for what he did to Hera in the fantail. He went to talk with her.

"So, Hera, you've seen a purgill?"

Hera just nodded, looking at him.

"What did they look like?"

"Well, Ezra knows them better, but they . . . ." So Hera told him about the purgill they saw. The Commodore was very impressed. When it was over, as Lux was silently walking away, Hera turned to him.

"Commodore?" He turned around. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure I deserved it."

"All right," he smiled back.

Everyone could hear Susie whisperingly continuing with the menu. "Next I've gots a sweet and sour nuna bits, made from the chunkiest range-free nunas barely able to walk from all the delicious meat on them. For that tangy sourness, there's vinegar and expertly wet-milled cornstarch and for the sweetness, there's some juicy pineapple mixed into the sauce. And for the best, I added my own special ingredient—"

"Let me guess, Susie. Butter?"

"Why how did you know, Admiral?"

"Just a wild guess."

Many were silently chuckling and laughing in the ship. Susie and her Commander continued a few more of these humorous exchanges. Through this, the crew found that the greatest foil to despair was a smile and a good, funny thought. It wasn't long before all the crew became immune to the motley things outside, trying to darken their thoughts and memories. These little things then gave up and left the Plo Koon to themselves, looking for more and better game. They found it in the Decimator.


On the Decimator, a technician in the pit was shaking with pain.

"I'm sorry, momma. I'm so, so sorry," this person was lamenting from the dark thoughts from the Ghost Nebula.

Moff Tarkin didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit. One instance like this and the entire ship would be full of whimpering cowards. An example needed to be made. He was Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. He would never brook cowards.

Standing next to him was the Inquistor of some species he could care less about. 'All these "Force-sensitives."' But one look as he turned to the Inquistor nearby was all it took to separate the weak fool's head from his neck. Those around the quivering mass of now dead flesh could only hope they were not the next.


While Susie was eloquating over the menu, Lux had gone to the forward view-wall. He was all alone there. He was looking intently outside the ship. Ahsoka could see him, silhouetted against the dark brown of the Ghost Nebula, ghostily illuminated now and then in the eerie flashes from the screens around him going erratically crazy, looking out to the angry nebula. He was standing so tall and straight. 'How he has changed; has become more manly,' she thought. She wanted to tell him sorry, but they haven't had a chance to be alone together so she could. 'Well,' she surmised, 'Maybe time will fix that.'

Susie was still going on. ". . . and Knucklehead, silly boy, he ordered twice the provision for chocolate ice cream so we'll just have to put up with double portions for a while 'cause we need the space in the fridge." Gobi was then smiling, just wanting to get this silly war over for all that ice cream.

Suddenly, the Commodore told the helm to slow the ship almost to a crawl. He was looking even more intently outside the Plo Koon. Then, of a sudden, Commodore Bonteri entered with a loud voice, shaking everyone in the command center out of their quietness.

"Susie?"

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Let's say I serve up some dessert."

"It'll be my pleasure, Cap'n Terry."

They didn't know what he meant until they looked out the large, front viewport. There, in the thick brown haze of the Ghost Nebula, a giant wall appeared off to the port, so close they could almost touch it, taking all the sight away.

The front of the superstructure of the Decimator.

No one could either see the top nor the bottom of the superstructure. It was turning slightly, as if it was turning into the Plo Koon, but they couldn't really tell if it was the Plo Koon turning into the wall, or the wall turning into the Plo Koon. Everyone was shocked, but proud of their commander at that moment.

Rex had a very poignant comment for the crew of the Plo Koon, out of earshot of the Commodore still at the viewing port:

"A trillion trillion cubic clicks of the Ghost Nebula, and your captain puts us right across the bow of the bridge. It's called piloting people, piloting."

On the gun deck of the same ship, they too could see the Decimator appear off their port, exactly as their commander had it. General Gerrera, Gunnery Chief, Aktay, all were brimming with pride to fight with and for such a commander.


Just previously, on the Decimator, everyone was looking outside, not seeing a thing. Suddenly, a technician blurted out, "What the . . .?" Tarkin and the Inquisitor immediately turned to the man, who suddenly looked fearful of his life. Although the Inquisitor was about to behead this person as well, Tarkin stopped him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Admiral, I'm sorry. I think I hear, I think I hear . . . ."

"Hear what?"

"Well, sir" then the technician swallowed hard, "I think I hear someone talking about a menu."

"Put it on the speaker."

"Yes, sir."

'". . . and Knucklehead, silly boy, he ordered twice the provision for chocolate ice cream so we'll just have to put up with double portions for a while 'cause we need the space in the fridge."'

'"Susie"'

'"Yes, Admiral?"'

'"Let's say I serve up some dessert."'

'"Be my guest, Cap'n Terry."'

Tarkin was shocked one moment, 'They've found us? How in all the galaxy . . .,' and then vicious in the next, 'Time to destroy a ship. Thank you Bonteri, for saving me the work.' "Well, Inquisitor, it looks like you'll get your chance at Tano very soon."

••

Ensign Waymark on the Decimator was, unknown to him, spending his last happy moments in the men's room a few levels below the pit. He liked this place, as he could see out the viewport at the same time. There, he was standing, looking out into the brown muck of the Ghost Nebula. He was unaffected by the small particles, or, at least, he did not show so, hearing of what happened on the bridge a few levels above to one who did. And then, as he was looking out, he could see something moving, something not natural, but angular and straight. Slowly it stopped, and he looked closer. When he did, he could see something circular, like the muzzle of a giant flak gun. And next to the gun was a man, of the Togruta race, as he had learned in the Academy of the inferior species, except that this one was missing a horn and an eye. This man was standing right next to the gun, with his right hand on it, caressing it, looking straight a him. But that wasn't the worst—by far. He looked at the Togruta's face, who could obviously see him.

And he was smiling.


On the Plo Koon, the order was given by General Gerrera:

"FIRE!"

Thus ending the short, happy life of Ensign Waymark.

The first salvo from the Plo Koon almost capsized it back over its keel. Almost. But it recovered and righted itself immediately, with some help from Commodore Bonteri, and resumed the firing. But the first round had the desired effect. All on the bridge of the Decimator were stunned beyond belief.

When the Plo Koon righted again, the firing began afresh. There was no return fire as the superstructure had no guns in that area to speak of—just some swivel guns with no effect on the robust shields of the Plo Koon.

Again and again the flak guns of the Plo Koon fired. It was so intense that many of the gunners were stripped to the waist, bodies glistening in the lightning-like fire of the guns.

Saw Gerrera was happy. 'This; this,' he confirmed with himself, 'Is what I was born to do.'

But, his admiration was short-lived.

"Fire! You slackers! FIRE! What are you doing!? Playing Sabbacc?! FIRE! Into their guts! Now!"

The action on the gun decks was astounding, and Saw Gerrera had never seen it as it was now. His crew was inspired.

This crew could decimate the enemy's bridge, but General Gerrera saw he needed to fire more tactically as the firing went on. He needed to reduce the access to the bridge. Then he had an idea.

"Master Gunner! Down-tilt ten degrees on the center six guns only!"

"Yes, sir!" shouted the Rodian Master Gunner as loudly he could. The center guns stopped firing but the one towards the bow and the ones towards the stern never let up.

"Terry," Saw called over the intercom, "We need to cut the access to the bridge. Can you get us a little lower?"

"Right away," was the calm, but sonorous response. "Topside thrusters, ten-second burst. Now!"

Soon, the Plo Koon was seemingly sliding down the superstructure. After a few seconds, the ship stopped. General Gerrera's gunners had a clear shot into the neck of the superstructure.

"FIRE!" he shouted. Soon, plumes of fire and sparks could be seen blowing out of the narrow neck of the spire leading to the horizontal bridge area. With easy shot, a turbolift or two was put out of commission, cutting off the number of troops who could get to the bridge—where the General just knew they were going next.

As much as there was action on the port side of the Plo Koon, the starboard side as well, saw plenty of action. Almost as soon as the flak guns on the port started firing, the turrets on the starboard also went into action.

And for good cause. It wasn't long before the spine-tingling wail of Imperial TIE fighters by the dozen could be heard on the starboard side of the ship. Legion after legion came screaming in. As much as a wall of blasts as the laser turrets of the Plo Koon could put up, some TIEs did get through, only to smash right into the hull of the Plo Koon that came up to them so suddenly in the near-zero visability.

But that didn't stop the fighters from trying. Again and gain they came, never letting up, but every few surviving.

"Engineering," the Commodore said on the intercom. "Chief, with all the TIEs out there, our six is vulnerable. Can you spare anyone?"

"I'mm thththe onnnlyy onnne neeeeded nnnow, Commmmodorrre."

"Good. Get some boys to get some T-7s from the armory. Protect the stern at all costs."

"Yesssirr."

Commodore Bonteri was looking out into the fight. Although they were the enemy and on the wrong side, that didn't stop him from admiring the bravery of these pilots, holding their flight pattern all the way to the hull of the ship. Some of the TIEs were able to get some shots off, and this led the Commodore to assign a good number of Marines to the starboard with the remaining T-7s disruptors from the Broken Horn.

After a time, the action could only do one thing—become a lull.

A call came in from General Gerrera.

"Terry. We are ready for boarding."

"Understood, Saw. I will get you into position."

With silence in the portside of the gun deck, but with hectic craziness in the starboard, for it seemed the TIEs knew what was happening, the Plo Koon slowly lifted itself with its keel thrusters and then slightly forward. All the while the fighters of the enemy came in, but none could see, much less get to, the port side of the Plo Koon.

Then, the Plo Koon stopped. They were going to board the enemy.

It was hectic on the bridge, but none left his or her station. Below decks, most, except those who would stay behind to protect the ship in case some of the Stormtroopers got through, were getting ready to board the Decimator. Few expected to see their friends again.

In the command center, everything became silent. As it did, Ahsoka stood straight up rigidly and said, "Kanan, did you feel . . . .?"

"Yeah, I felt it. Another Inquistor."

"What's an Inquisitor?" asked Commodore Bonteri.

"A Dark Force-wielder."

"A Sith? I know about them, but . . . ."

"Not a Sith," informed Kanan, "But one strong in the Dark Side, taking commands from the Sith to eradicate any in the way of the Empire."

The Commodore seemed deep in thought. "Kanan, if you may, please call Ezra. We may need his skills."

"Right away, Commodore," was the response.

Ahsoka and the crew of the Ghost stayed to board the enemy, as if it seemed the most natural thing to do from now. Lux also was going. But before he did, he needed to make sure the Plo Koon was in good hands.


When Ezra got the call from Kanan, he was with the cabin boys and girls in the sick bay. When he was called to the boarding tubes on the gun deck, he became very serious.

Viera was looking right at him. "Be careful Ezra, won't you?"

Ezra turned to look at Viera. She seemed so plaintive just then. Ezra smiled at her. "I will do what I must—but for your sake, I'll be as careful as the action lets me." He then smiled at her and held both her hands in his; and he made his way to the gun decks.

Viera was looking after him as he disappeared, whispering, "Be careful, please, be careful."


There was a different—yet similar—scene playing out on the bridge of the Plo Koon. Ahsoka was looking at Lux, preparing for boarding the enemy. He was needed, she knew—but still.

"I know you think I'm not much of a fighter, Ahsoka," he brought her out of her thoughts, "But this is something I need to do."

"I know." She then went out of the gangway, but just for a little of the way and then she stopped.

Commodore Bonteri needed to leave the Plo Koon with someone he could trust to make a safe escape in case things went wrongly. Risè was under Cham Syndulla's orders now. He would have preferred to leave the ship to Captain Acham, but he needed him on the Decimator in case he was . . . incapacitated. There was only one other person. Hera, being the fighter she was, he knew wouldn't sit quietly by, being so much a part of the Rebellion. He knew she was going into the Decimator. He was glad about that because he would need her to since she knew these Imperial ships better than he did. The Commodore then walked up to the only other person in whose hands he knew he could leave the Plo Koon to. As he did so, he turned on the intercom so all could hear.

"Captain Lassa Rhayme, raise your right hand."

For some, instinctive reason she did. Riley was standing close to her and helped her a little. That was all the Commodore needed.

"You are now in command of the Plo Koon in my absence."

Lassa Rhayme was shocked, probably for the first time in her life:

"But, but . . . ."

"Commander Rhayme, take care of her for me while I am away." Commodore Bonteri said directly to her, "But at all costs you are to protect this ship and the lives on it. If things go badly, or by my order, you are to immediately pull away from the Decimator and make for safe haven at either Shili to Kiros. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," she replied quietly, "Understood."

"Good." He then left after the others had already gone, right behind Ahsoka.

An Ensign came up to Commander Rhayme. The entire command center was silent and stunned, waiting for her command.

"Commander Rhayme, do you have a command?"

Commander Rhayme was silent for a second—but only for a second.

"Yes! Starboard gunners! What's the matter with you!? Smokin' poochie? Get some fire on those TIEs right now!" She was going to protect the Plo Koon to the last moment. "Get the %€£}=] lead out of your backsides! Return fire! Rapid fire! Protect our port side!" The pit looked determined to put their new commander's orders onto effect.

Her next command stunned not a few in the pit.

"Helm, Communication, Navigation! You stay. The rest! Grab a gun and go to the starboard side! Protect our flank! Now!" Those included in the Commander's call moved quickly to the armory to get a gun and then headed for the starboard.

"Wait!" she ordered. "Before you go," she said as she grabbed a bag and went towards the exit, "Give me back my tribbles." Then everyone left, putting a little, cooing furball if she or he had one, into a bag their Commander was holding, as they went out.

But be that as it may, Lassa did not ignore all outcomes—as befits a smuggler and a pirate. She called quietly on the one-to-one intercom to the Given navigator, "Navigation, plot us a possible course to Shili from here and a possible course to Kiros."

"Yes, ma'am," was the quiet response.


On the gun decks, in front of the as-yet deployed boarding tubes, everyone was nervous, but General Saw Gerrera was taking command. Two companies of the Plo Koon's Marines and General Gerrera's Zouaves had gathered all along the gun deck where they would ram through the boarding tubes. Combined with the crewmen of the Plo Koon, an entire battalion was ready to rush into the enemy. General Gerrera was giving orders through the comm.

"Ready to deploy boarding tubes!"

Colonel Gerrard was looking to a panel showing the status of the boarding tubes. Then, after checking the board, "All tubes ready sir!"

Then, resounding all throughout the gun deck:

"Boarding tubes! DEPOLY!"

Just as he ordered that, the command from the bridge and crew from the Ghost and Ahsoka gathered close to the General. Commodore Bonteri was standing close to his Marines, most of them Zabrack. Just where Lux and Saw happened to be was the point between the Zouaves of General Gerrera on one side and the Marines of Commodore Bonteri on the other. From Saw up towards the bow, were his Zouaves. From Lux down towards the stern, were his Marines. At either close end where the two services met, the good-natured banter from the commanding Sergeants from either service was almost de rigueur for the moment. Rex was right there as well with a smile. He knew what was coming and he just had to be in on this.

"Well, well, well," said the Zabrack Sergeant Major, mocking the Zouves, "Look what we got here. You Zouaves are so pretty. Tell you what, you don't want to get them nice uniforms all smudged up. Let's have the Marines do the heavy work like we usually do. You can stay behind, let us take the glory."

"Follow us, Mister Glory," was the retort from the Zouave Sergeant Major, "We can shoot the eye out of a little bug a click away, like we did at Taanab. We can stomp down rancor like we did Felucia. Don't be no afraid. You won't get hurt. Just follow us. You'll be safe."

"If you pretty boys think we'll be smoking—what'd our Commander say, 'smoking poochie,' you dandys gots another think coming."

Instead of smiling, both General Gerrera and Commodore Bonteri were looking seriously ahead. The message was simple from either commander;

'We'll show them wrong.'

But the innocence of youth interrupted the moment.

"Sergeant," said what was obviously a brand new recruit, what Rex, just standing off to the side, would say was a 'shiny.' "What's, what's poochie?"

"How old are you, son?"

"Seventeen, sir. Just assigned," was the reply.

"Well, wait a few more years and I'll tell you."

Everyone was laughing at the innocence of the moment. But the tension of the moment wouldn't let it last too long.

"Boarding tubes attached!" was the sound reverberating throughout the gun deck. At that moment, that very moment, everyone became very, very serious and hard of face.

"SAPPERS IN!" Was the command from General Gerrera. Then, some soldiers with explosives, protected by a few guns, entered the tubes. They were going to set the charges to blow out the gangways and the walls of the Decimator.

During this time, teams formed up. Hera, Kanan and Ezra were off with the team next to Lux and Ahsoka but one and Sabine and Zeb were off with another. Cham Syndulla, Gobi and Risè went with a team a ways down.

Suddenly, General Gerrera called out, "Kall— Gary, you're with me." Cham Syndulla gave his permission for Numa to be with the General's team as well.

"Captain Acham," said the Commodore to the Twi'lek captain close by, "You enter one minute after the first wave. Sergeant, assign some men to—"

"Commodore. I can fight."

"I know you can, Acham, but if something happens, I need you to take over. Just one thing, Captain. The crew on the Decimator—they are not to be prisoners."

"Yes, sir," Captain Acham said as silently as the situation allowed.

"Sergeant, assign some men to Captain Acham."

"Yes, sir."

With his Marines and Captain Acham close by, Commodore Bonteri made ready in front of them. He was packing his patent quarter-staff in two halves, ready to be put together for if when he met that Sith, or to be two-handed staves, blocking the blasters from the enemy. He knew how to use them very well after years of practice and fighting. Ahsoka was with him, packing her two white lightsabers. She could look down the line of those ready to rush into the Decimator. She smiled when she saw Kanan and Hera together, with Ezra off to their side. Zeb was with Sabine, ready to go in a different tube further down the line. Suddenly, a masculine voice brought her out of her meanderings.

"Master Tano," said a burly Togruta man, "I am Aktay. This may be my last chance. I just wanted to apologize for throwing—"

"Mister Aktay," Ahsoka replied, "It's all right. I understand." Lux was off to the side, looking on. He didn't like what his crewman almost did to Ahsoka, but if Ahsoka was forgiving him, he would as well.

"You're with us, Aktay," he said, "Cinny would never forgive me for getting you into trouble." Aktay smiled at the mention of his brave, but over-protective, wife. He then just nodded as a response.

It wasn't long before the command resonated though the deck.

"SAPPERS OUT!" Soon after this, the sappers and the guards were rushing out of the tubes after placing the charges.

The tension was building.

"READY TO BLOW!" There were some nods that signified that they were ready. Everyone got ready by taking a posture that would allow them to take the burst-waves from the blast coming out of the tubes, but yet to be able to spring into those tubes the moment the General gave the order.

"BLOW!"

From the end of the tubes, shaking, sparks and smoke emanated. It didn't take but a few seconds for General Gerrera to give the next command.

"CHARGE! CHARGE INTO THE ENEMY! FIRE AT WILL! NO RETREAT!" was the command from General Gerrera. He and Lux led the way. They always would.


Everyone rushed into the tubes. Those at the point and tip of the charge, as must have happened throughout eternity, were sure they would get through. Alas, as always, those first were always the first downed. It was not different now.

Neither Commodore Bonteri's Zabracks Marines nor General Gerrera's colorful Zouaves, would let either commander go first. But, these two commanders were very close with them. And right behind Saw were Kallus and Numa and right behind Lux was Ahsoka. There was actually a covert, under-the-surface struggle between these two; one trying hard to protect the other.

While those entering the tubes had a hard row, those Stormtroopers who met them fared little better. Many were cut down on both sides, but the swell of fighters rushing in turned into billows, then waves, then rolls, then surges, then into cascades, then into destruction.

Fast and furious, the fighters from the Plo Koon rushed in, a wall of blaster fire fronting them.

With little chance of reinforcement from the lower decks since the access had been destroyed, all the brave Stormtroopers could do was hold their own. Their one advantage was that they knew the ship very well.

But that mattered little when they were on the run and outnumbered.

As they were racing through the ship with the Commodore, who thought he knew of a shortcut to the pit, the three Jedi (one part-time) suddenly felt a surge through the Force.

"The Inquisitor!" said Ezra.

"Yes. The Inquisitor," said an evil, gravelly voice, calmly waiting for them, just a ways in.

"Just how many of there are you?" Ezra said in an exasperated voice.

"Just enough to kill you three and rid the galaxy of your arrogant stench."

"So," Ahsoka entered, "Just you?"

"Just me. More the glory for me and the Emperor. You, however," the Inquisitor said pointing to Ahsoka, "I won't kill. I will take you to the Emperor as my prize. You will become powerful at His side, as I have become at Lord Vader's."

Simultaneously, all four clicked on their light sabers. Commodore Bonteri put the two staves of his quarterstaff together, which made a hissing sound as if they could never be parted willfully, and he then hit the end of the staff on the deck, igniting the ends of the phrick quarterstaff in blue electro-pulses.

He came in first in an attempt to fake out the Inquisitor so the other three could get in. The Inquisitor hit his quartstaff hard, shaking it like it had never been shaken before, but Lux met the blows and held the red blade for a second as Kanan and Ezra came in hard. Opposite Lux, on the other side of Kanan and Ezra, Ahsoka entered the battle.

Lux quickly backed away, giving the Jedi room. "Back off, Aktay," he ordered his crewman. Aktay could see why.

Lux and Aktay were amazed at the skill of the three Jedi, something Lux had not seen in a long time. Around they all spun, each in turn coming on to the Inquisitor to give another a shot. Flips, spins, and hard saber hits were going back and forth. Seeing all was lost, the Inquistor tried to escape by rotating the twin-bladed red lightsaber, using it like a propulsion device, but Ezra came in quickly and disintegrated the hilt of the Inquisitor's saber, sending the enemy to the deck with a thud. Kanan then put his own blue blade through the chest of the Inquisitor, ending the battle. All three then took a few seconds to catch their breaths, looking at the body of the foe.

••

General Gerrera using one way and Commodore Bonteri using another, were in a race to take command of the Decimator. Hard and fast they rushed. The Commodore thought he knew of a faster way to the command center of the big ship.

"Follow me!" he shouted. For some reason, Ahsoka followed right behind him. But before she got very far, she heard a loud bang behind her. When she looked around, a blast-door had closed there, cutting off that way and Kanan and Ezra and everyone else from helping. Commodore Bonteri was rushing ahead, but was stopped by a wall of Stormtroopers, led by a captain. Both Lux and Ahsoka stopped short.

"Or not follow me," said Lux.

"I was thinking the same thing," retorted Ahsoka.

"Fire!" said the Imperial Captain.

Soon, both Lux and Ahsoka were blocking the blaster fire coming towards them. Back and forth went the bolts. Lux, now with the quarterstaff in two half-staves, wielding them with both hands, was trying to protect Ahsoka, but she was getting mad.

"Lux! You're in my way!"

"Oh, sorry," he said as he moved more to the side and was blocking the bolts at the same time.

The majority of the fire was headed towards Ahsoka. Unfortunately, some of them got through and it was only a matter of time before;

"Ahh," cried Ahsoka, as she was hit on the outside of her upper right leg. Not serious, but enough to incapacitate her. She fell to the deck and Lux rushed up to her. Knowing they had their prize, the Imperials held fire.

"Ahsoka!" The very surface of the deck became woozy to him. "Is it bad?" He saw she was wounded in her leg.

"No, no. It only hurts when I laugh."

"Your leg?" he said with furrowed brows—then a smile.

Just as Ahsoka and Lux were, the Captain gave the order, "Cease Fire," he said while holding up his fist to stop the fire.

"We're not going to kill them?" asked a simple-minded Stormtrooper.

"No, you idiot, we re going to take the Jedi witch to the Emperor. He will know what to do with her."

The moment the Captain said 'witch' he couldn't know that his life would be forfeit, thanks to a strategy of Lux's. No one would call his love a 'witch' and live to tell the story.

When Lux turned around, the captain recognized him. "Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Lux Bonteri, renegade, rebel, cavalier, reprobate."

Lux was looking at the Captain while he was saying this with a pouting face, but he was using the chance to look for a way out, gazing past the Stormtroopers. "Reprobate? I am no reprobate, Lieutenant. You hurt me to the quick." He smiled, not of his own mocking, but because he saw a way out to help his comrades. He had an idea.

"I am not a lieutenant! I am a Captain!"

Lux could only mock-smirk at that. He then turned back to Ahsoka. "Not for long," he said only so Ahsoka could hear. He looked at her and said quietly in Togruti-B, which he had kept up, "Sadudumitr. Karinalat." /two hundred meters. control panel./

Ahsoka first smiled that he would keep up the language of her land all these years, and then she looked past his shoulder as he moved slightly out of the way. Down the long corridor she saw what he meant. There was a control panel that opened and closed the doors to the small hangar there into space. She looked back at him, furrowing her eyemarkings, not understanding what he meant.

Lux reached, out of sight of the Imperials, into the left inside his tunic. Then, he brought out a half-sized thermal detonator. Her eyes became wide on seeing it. Then, still holding on to the little ball, Lux splayed out his thumb and index and middle fingers, signifying that the Force was needed to send it all the way to the panel, blowing it up and forcefully opening the doors. Anything not bolted down would be sucked into the cold vacuum of space. There was only the emergency close button to the side but anyone being sucked outside would have no chance of pushing it.

Now she knew she was going to die right then and there. But she smiled. She smiled because she could have hoped for no better way to become one with the Force, being with him to the last, becoming one with the Force with him.

But she couldn't leave what happened there. He had to know; she had to tell him. She looked him full in the face with a happiness she hadn't known for a long time:

"I love you."

"I know."

—•—

—•—

Thank you for reading this. And thank you very much for your patience. I hope it was worth the wait.

Well, I told you that Lux and Ahsoka would get together with a bang. Maybe to even becoming one with the Force with one. But, please keep tuned. I have to thank Lux's Sister for the challenge to put them back together.

First off, please let me thank you for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. I would also like to apologize that I haven't replied to them as I should. I will try to remedy that soon. (Heck, I haven't even read anything on FF for weeks.)

Except for the food and some few touch-ups, I actually had the vast majority of this chapter written out before the Ahsoka book came out. (I still haven't received it yet.) But since I am someone who rarely goes out to eat, I had the hardest time I have ever had in a story with Susie's menu. (I almost lost interest. Almost.) I hope it worked, but I still feel something is missing. I got the recipes from allrecipes dot com. I looked at Martha Stewart's site but the menus there didn't seem Star Warsy enough. Food has rarely been shown in the canon so I was forced to use the current Earthling equivalent, i.e., pineapples. There was also a neat page on world-food-and-wine dot com on using words to describe food. Finally, bodybuilding dot com had an informative page on the different types of the cuts of beef and reference dot com had information as to how corn starch is made.

The section on Tarkin and the Carrion Spike related by Lux is from the book, Tarkin. (There might have been some AU tweaking in there.)

Now that this mountain has been conquered with writing the menu, I will try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible. It mostly contains scenes I have already written in notes from the very start, so I hope to get it out soon. I've also been using Scrivener for writing and I have found it to be very productive.

If I may, once again, please no hints of spoilers in the reviews if you write one. That you in advance.

Thank you,

johnt