Chapter 16

Danny

This was one of the most…awkward drives Danny had ever been on. His parents knew his secret, and with the help of an alien wizard…police officer…whatever they were heading for a military outpost nearby. He looked out the back window to see the Star Destroyer, as Jof called it, floating above Amity Park. Jof said that she had a vision that said that it would stay there and let the Air Force attack it, none of the planes would survive due to the Empire's superior technology. She hoped that they could somehow talk to the head General and get him to let them rescue Jazz and help destroy the Star Destroyer from the inside. At least that was the plan.

Danny heard something moving in a box behind him and opened it up. There were Sam and Tucker tucked tight as sardines! Danny put his hands over their mouths and whispered, "What are you two doing here!?" "We thought we could help look for you. We tried to get out at Vlad's place, but we couldn't open the door," Tucker whispered to him. "We heard what's going on, we're going to help you," Sam quietly told him. "This is serious guys! This is a military operation; this is no…place for…civilians…" Danny stopped right there. After all, would two ghost hunters, a Jedi, and he really qualify as military personnel? "Dude, you would never have made it this far if it weren't for us. Don't worry about us, we got the Fenton communicators. Just find us a way onboard and we'll be fine," Tucker told him.

They stopped at a place where a military escort stood and pointed guns at them. "What is your business here!?" Danny heard a man yell. "We can help get rid of those guys attacking the Earth!" his Dad told them. "This is a Restricted Area! No unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter! Turn back now!" the man yelled back. Danny saw Jof wave her hand and said, "We are authorized to enter the area." "You're authorized to enter the area," the man said in a quieter voice. "Let us enter, we need to reach the one in charge as soon as possible," Jof said, and the man said, "General Short is at the Command Center, take one left, and the second right after that. A squad will escort you to him."

They all got out of the vehicle and were escorted to the Command Center, all except Sam and Tucker still in the crate. Jof said, "Danny, I need to talk to you." Danny walked up next to her as they walked and she said, "Don't let your friends come with us." "How-" Danny began, only for Jof to cut him off, "I sensed their presence. Danny, they do not belong in a battle zone, they will be risking theirs and everyone else's lives. And frankly you don't belong there either. As soon as we are in the Star Destroyer, you need to stay with whatever transportation will get us in. You're too young to take a life." Danny looked at her angrily and said, "I may not have your powers, Jof, but I do have powers. I've been risking my life for over a year now fighting the likes of Skulker, and worse than him. I can handle myself, and so can Sam and Tucker." "Are you really going to risk the lives of everyone here over some foolish…pride!?" Jof whispered back. Danny whispered back, "Pride has nothing to do with it. I HAVE to protect everyone, I need to do all I can to not be Vlad. Otherwise, I'm no different than him."

That made Jof stop talking before she said, "I can't guarantee their safety. Make sure they know how dangerous it is." "They already know, trust me," Danny responded, and then they were finally at the Command Center. It was a very large temporary base and they were led into it. Danny saw dozens of people scrambling inside it, saying things like, "Do we know who's in charge yet!?" "Negative Sir, we still haven't heard from the President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, any member of Congress, the Supreme Court, we can't reach any of them!" "Who the Hell is in charge!?" Danny and company were stopped in front of a desk, and behind the desk sat a tall thin gray haired man in a uniform that did not look happy to see any of them. "What the Hell is going on here?" the man said in a voice that demanded respect.

"Are you the Commanding Officer?" Jof asked. "Who wants to know? And if this is your idea of a joke, it isn't funny," the man said. "Sir, this is no laughing matter. I assure you, I am indeed not of this planet-" the second Jof said that the man whipped out a gun so fast Danny only saw a blur and the gun was in Jof's face like magic. "Are you with the invaders!?" the man angrily yelled. "Please, put down your weapon, I am an ally to you. The Empire came here searching for me. I can explain everything if you will allow me," Jof said, raising her hands up. "Disarm all of them!" the man ordered, taking Jof's lightsaber and Danny's parent's ecto-weapons.

"Sir, please, you need to hear me out! Lives are on the line!" Jof yelled then made the soldiers about to force them away float up. Everyone there stopped and looked at her and she calmly said, "Sir…let me explain." The man looked up and said, "Let my men down, gently, and we'll talk." Jof did as she was ordered and told the man everything, the Jedi, Sith, galactic wars and politics, the Force, how they got here, everything was laid bare to him. After she was done talking the man, General Short, said, "Take everyone but the alien back to their vehicle. Civilians have no place here." "No, General Short, we need them, they have weapons and technology we can use to fight the Empire; and the boy isn't just an ordinary youth!" Danny took this as his cue and went Ghost in front of them and flew up over General Short's head.

General Short took off his hat and sighed before sitting down, "Invasions, alien guru wizards, and now fucking…teenage…superheroes! What next! Is Dracula going to dig his way out from under my feet next?!" "General, I know how…incredible this all is, but now is not the time to lose your senses. Your planet needs you; and we can help," Jof assured him. Danny floated down to the ground and General Short said, "Fine, what is your plan?"

General Short

General John Short sighed alone in his quarters. Half an hour ago he heard out the alien woman's plan. It was ludicrous! Something out of a comic book! And if it worked it could save Planet Earth; if it failed… General Short looked at a picture of his childhood hero William Tecumseh Sherman. He risked it all, his life his reputation, to win America's greatest conflict. Now he, General John Short, had to risk it all. They're looking at me now. I'm the highest ranking General available. This is no time to hesitate! I have a plan available to me…and it involves an alien and a superhero. God help us all.

General Short strode out of his quarters and headed for his subordinates' quarters. Those…people will need all the help I can give them. "Colonel Smith, report!" An average height man who looked like he came from a G.I. Joe kit marched up to Short, "Yes sir!" "Gather White, Ramos, and Heinkel and report to the Meeting Room in 10 minutes," he ordered, and watched Colonel Lucas Smith of Delta Force head out to gather his men; Major Roger White, Lieutenant Gabriel Ramos, and Lieutenant James Heinkel. They're the best we got, if they can't do it, we're all dead.

General Short then made his way to the Meeting Room and made sure that Jof Favrem and the Fenton's were there too along with the soldiers and pilots that would participate in the operation. As soon as everyone was there he banged his fist on the table to get their attention. "Soldiers, and civilians, in two hours we will be mounting one of the most unorthodox missions this planet has ever seen. In two hours, the Air Force will launch a counter attack against that big ugly…Star Destroyer. According to Intel given to us by Jof Favrem, they cannot succeed against the Star Destroyer's superior technology. But this will not be in vain. The Air Force attack will be a distraction to allow the Fentons to infiltrate the Star Destroyer. Once there, Colonel Smith will divide his squad into two groups, Alpha Group to help Jof Favrem sabotage the Star Destroyer from the inside, and Beta Group to achieve our secondary mission of rescuing Jasmine Fenton."

A video projector then showed a schematic provided by Jof Favrem of the Star Destroyer and he pointed out where the Groups would go. "As soon as our Primary and Secondary objectives are met, Alpha and Beta Groups will converge here," General Short tapped the appropriate area, "and use the escape pods to get the Hell out of there before the Star Destroyer gets up close and personal with Earth. I won't lie to you, this mission is our only hope, with our nuclear option terminated this is our final shot to save our country, and our planet. That is all for now…DISMISSED!" They all cleared out, and General Short thought he saw the kid fiddling with his phone. Kids…