Mathes prepared for the mayhem that was about to ensue, his thoughts raced and flashes of his memories came to him in a flood. Here aboard the Defiant, he and his wife along with all the people he knew were soon to meet a terrible end. He walked over to his wife, whom grabbed his hand also aware of what was to occur in moments. Their doubts were put to rest when the large cruisers stopped just a few meters from firing range. Mathes looked at the scene in surprise, he had expected the fleet to engaged and a battle to take plce, but instead the cruisers had stopped before anything could happen. Looking at Bai, he gave her a resuring smile then walked back next to Carth and the captain.
"Is it just me or have they stopped...?," Cassis asked in bewilderment.
"No...it isn't just you. This is quite strange, why would they have stopped...?," replied Vaner.
"I got a bad feeling about this," remarked Carth as he looked on the foreword console.
As everyone was in confusion, the com system on the bridge beeped. All eyes fell on the small button next to the private on the helm, he looked at the button then looked back at everyone watching him. His hand shook as his finger prepared to answer the incoming transmission. The hand moving ever steadily toward the com, his co-hert eyeing him wide eyed, his face full of terror of what was sending the communication. Just as his finger was about to push at the console, he was froze.
"Wait! Do not anwser that transmission," yeld Captain Gyred.
"Yes sir...," anwsered the private.
"Why don't we see who the tranmission is coming from, then we can determine if we should anwser it or not?," inquired Mathes.
"Sounds like a plan to me," said Carth.
"Master Jedi, that is exactly why I liked you enough to give you my room," remarked the captain.
The captain singnaled the private to determine its origin, he typed away at the console, his fingers moving rapidly to determine where the communication was from. He paused slightly then looked at the captain and back at the console, "Sir, you won't believe this but...from what I can determine it is coming from one of the cruisers." The captain froze as did all the crew on the bridge, they didn't expect a communication from the ships. Not that they didn't want it, it was just, unexpected.
"It's coming from...them?," he lifted his finger slightly to point out the window at the ships ahead, his face in mild shock.
"Um, I think that is what we just confirmed..," remarked Carth.
Mathes gave Carth a nudge with his shoulder, he shrugged in response to the gesture. Mathes moved closer toward the comm and looked over at the captain, "With your permission, I will answer and determine what it is they want. This is your ship captain, I do not wish to entrude in anyway, but I will gladly attempt to communicate with whomever these people are."
"Very well Mathes...you may do so," Gyred responded.
He directed the private to let the Jedi do as he had suggested, Mathes looked down at the console then looked out at the ships ahead. In his mind he was formulating questions and some anwsers to whom ever it was that would be communicating with him. He was not the greatest negotiator, but when the time came for it he did what was necessary to carry on with the missions. Now, this wasn't any different, they still had an objective and the longer they took the less chance his old mentor would still be alive...
Mathes pushed the reciever button on the console, his words struggling to come out at first, "He-llo, to whom am I speaking to?"
He awaited for a response, it was quite on the other end of the channel, until murmuring could be heard. he was not quite able to make out what they were saying, it was some different form of language. Finally, a nervous voice spoke back, "This...isss..Private Ke'puz of the Empirial cruiser, Intrepis. By the name of the Emperor and Sgt...I mean Commander C'rek, state who and what your business is here."
"Did he just say Emperor?," asked Vaner.
"Screw that, he just demanded to know who we were! That son of a...," cursed Carth, who was cut-off by Mathes hand over his mouth.
"My name is Mathes, we are but poor migrants on a pilgrimage."
In the back ground Bai and the others were trying to contain theur laughter, it was a very long shot and would possibly by no means get them out of their current situation. He was going to try something at least, after all he was by no means going to give away important information about their mission. To do so would put everything and everyone in grave danger. If they were in an empire, the only possibility was that they had discovered another civilization or worse...they may have found an old enemy of the past. Mathes hoped it wasn't the second option, if it was then things were about to get even more complicated then they already were. After a few minutes, another voice came on the other end of the comm.
"This is Commander C'rek, your vessels seem far too heavily weaponized for a mere pilgrimage. I do hope your not trying to be funny or worse lie, the Empire does not take kindly to such insolence."
"Damn. I guess they aren't as stupid as they sound," remarked Carth.
"There goes plan A, anyone have a plan B?" asked Bai.
"I have a plan, but that will require some immediate and aggressive negotiations," anwsered Cassis.
"Well master Jedi...have any other great ideas that may leviate this situation and ultimately lead to our lives being saved?" asked Gyred.
Mathes thought for a bit, trying to find something that would allow them to get out of this situation. There wasn't much he could say to get them out of this. They had a fleet, each ship was made for battle it was clearly seen, trying to hide that fact was pointless. The next thing was there were also quite a good number of them as well. They had to expect encountering trouble at some point with the way they were traveling. The thing was they were no where near to accomplishing their objective yet, they didn't even know exactly where Revan was in this part of the galaxy. He pondered even further, his hand holding his chin. Mathes knew there was very little left to do, if they fired, they would undoubtibly lose a vast number of the fleet or all of it. If they didn't, the empirial fleet would bored their ships and would discover where they were from. He was left with but one other option...
"Commander C'rek, with your permission, may I come aboard so that we may discuss things further?"
"Your going to do what!?" Bai said in great surprise.
"Your crazy!" added Carth.
"Very well...you may come aboard, but come alone or not at all," anwsered the commander.
Holding back Bai, Mathes replied, "Might I bring one companion? Please, we wish no trouble at all."
"Hm...fine, you may bring one other, but that is it. Be grateful we are giving you an oppurtunity, we could have have destroyed your fleet by now."
With that the channel cut-off and everyone on the bridge was in bewilderment yet again. Bai and Carth were in great objection to Mathes going over to the empirial ships, each of them yelling at him. He had no other choice and this one was the only one that had the greatest chance of achieving some form of escape. He grabbed Bai's hands, which were banging on his chest.
"Bai...please, you know there is no other way. I have to do something," he held her by the waist as he said it.
"But why does it have to be you!" she yelled, moving close and bareing her face in his chest.
"You are either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid for doing this. I have no idea who is worse, you or Revan?" remarked Carth.
Smiling at Carths remark, he said, "Well...I did learn from him."
Carth shook his head and crossed his arms. Everyone else stared at them, frozen in place from the events that had transpired. There was no knowing what would happen to Mathes or the person that was going with him. In a way everyone hoped for the best, hoping against hope that by some miracle this Jedi would be able to get them out of this. Even the captain seemed to feel the same way, as he looked down to the floor as Mathes held his wife close. Looking back up he asked, "Who will be going with you?"
Turning his head, he said, "You feel like going on a trip, Vaner?"
Vaner looked up from his daydream, "I'll be more then happy to."
With that the two of them were escorted to the shuttle in the hanger, Bai hugged her husband once more and gave him a kiss. While Vaner said farewell to Cassis and the others. They boarded the ship and prepared to take off, the engines fired up with a rumble. The shuttle was new and fitted with medium grade weapons, so should they run into trouble they could defend themselves and get away should things get harry. As they zoomed off, Mathes could hear his wife in his mind, reaching out to him through the force.
"Be careful...come back to me. I love you.."