Chapter 8

"Well that was a lot of work." Grumbled Han as the stargate was pulled upright. The rebels had chosen to forgo erecting any structures identifiable from orbit and had instead excavated, and shored up several off the ruins. The gate room was among the first to be restored, though sadly, the crystals that made up the ancient database had long since crumbled into fragments. "We brought the thing for a tour of the galaxy and it ended up right back where we started."

"Well despite appearances we've come a long way." Starbuck replied, "It wasn't too long ago you were pointing a blaster at me and stealing drones."

"Stealing is an ugly word." Deadpanned Han.

"Regardless, Coreascendant a the logical place for a hidden base, if so few remember its location." Continued Starbuck, "It's a little too central for my tastes though, I have some ideas about a fallback option. It never hurts to be prepared."

"I imagine that's what those are for." Wedge chimed in wryly pointing at the explosives being positioned nearby, "Once we get this thing running its our escape route and booby trap."

"Speak for yourself." Retorted Han, "First sign of trouble I'm making for the falcon, I trust that heap a whole lot more than I trust some dusty ring. This whole business of tearing a guy apart shooting him through a wormhole and trying to put him back together on the other side? Thanks I'll do it the old fashioned way."

"Technically the star gates have been around longer than your style of hyper drive" Starbuck pointed out, "I don't see what your so worried about Han, you don't seem like the kind of guy whose lacking in courage."

"Jumping through that thing ain't my idea of courage." Declared Han stolidly, "It's more like… suicide."

"A unique presence in the force, the clones once had." Joined in Yoda as he hobbled over, "Wonder I do, if such a footprint one would gain, from travelling through this device?"

"See, the little guy sees what I mean." Said Han, "It's not "you" on the other side, it's a copy."

"Coming from a man who scorns all that "hokey religion" that sounds pretty superstitious." Starbuck pointed out, "You'd have to acknowledge that the force exists first of all." He teased.

Han shot him a dark look.

"I've seen what the Force can do kid, for years I tried not to think about it." He stared at the gate towering over them, "Like you said we've come a long way."

"Captain Starbuck!" called admiral Ackbar descending the newly rebuilt staircase from the upper levels of the gate room, "We have been unable to access the city's mainframe nor any of the back up nodes, it seems the seismic activity has over time damaged the silicon based storage devices the Ancients used."

"Frakking crystals looked pretty, but they always seemed a little flimsy to me." Grumbled Starbuck, "Keep searching admiral, the system was incredibly redundant, if you can find any operating fragments you should be able to restore most of it. In the mean time lets get a better look at this gate." He strode up the ramp to the gate and knelt at its base. With Chewie's help he slid the inner ring to a specific position and as the inner aligned with the outer, he reached through a depression and slid back a panel. Beckoning Artoo over he gestured.

"Alright little buddy, there is an alternating current running off this contact. If you can figure out the language you should be able to interface."

Artoo gave a confident beep and extended a probe . There was an awkward moment when it became apparent that Artoo's probe was both too short and inflexible. Han snickered, and Starbuck shot him a dirty look. Artoo blatted at the heckling and oriented his trunk downwards, aligning the probe with the hole. There was a spark and he gave an excited whistle.

"We're in business admiral!" Starbuck called, "Artoo is retrieving destination/point of origin records, the Stargate only connects to the network when it is active, so there have probably been updates, but we can get a general idea of what gates were where when this thing was last used."

"Very well captain, but do not activate the Stargate under any circumstances." Ackbar ordered. "We do not wish this location to be identified as having an active Stargate."

"You got it sir." Starbuck replied musing at how easily he fell back into military protocol. He glanced up at Yoda who peered inquisitively at Artoo. "We can't activate it anyway, the formation of the event horizon would take my head off and disintegrate Artoo and yourself." He grinned. The little Jedi took a step back and Artoo squealed. "Hey don't worry!" Starbuck answered, "There would be plenty of warning, if the gate started up I'd just yank the control crystal. Keep downloading little buddy."

"A device like this I have never seen." Declared Yoda looking at the gate. Suddenly the Jedi was wracked by a cough. Starbuck reached out and touched his shoulder.

"hey you don't sound so good." He observed.

"My time long past it is." Replied Yoda, "Sustained by the force I was for so long, live long without I cannot. Strength I must fine for what is to come, from within."

Watching the brave little Jedi steel himself, Starbuck was moved. His arm still on Yoda's shoulder Starbuck said, "Well… maybe there is something I can do, I don't know how this will work with nonhuman physiology, if it will work at all. He closed his eyes and extended his senses towards yoda. Starbuck knelt there amid the bustle of the gate room under construction with Artoo downloading diligently and held the jedi's arm. He felt the jedi's arm through the robe beneath his hands and Yoda's eyes widened at the first hint of Starbuck's mind in his.

Chewie turned and regarded them, giving a quizzical growl. Han turned, the ahirs on the back of his neck standing on end, "What are they…"

Suddenly Yoda straightened and began to radiate light. His skin tone improved, his ears ceased drooping. The stick fell away as he stood before the kneeling Starbuck. Work in the room ceased as others became aware of what was happening, an indefinable power permeated the chamber. Suddenly a figure flickered into view, a blue phantasm han did not recognize. Another appeared beside it looking at wonder at the first, a third appeared and a fourth. In moments the eerie apparitions were everywhere.

"By the Force!" Exclaimed Lando stumbling into the room hand on his blaster, "Han have you ever seen anything like this?"

"Not exactly." Replied Han, "But maybe once." he pulled away from Lando and Chewie and waded into the growing crowd hesitantly at first, and then eagerly. Staring into the faces of each he saw their lips move as they tried to speak but he could hear nothing. Moving quickly from face to face he searched, until suddenly at last he spotted three familiar figures. One tall but stopped, two shorter, more youthful. Obi wan turned to him, and with a small smile he nodded to han. He said something to the others. Luke waved joyfully shouting in silence, and as the third figure finally turned Han's heart stopped.

"Leia!" he whispered, and then shoving forward, "Leia!" he shouted as she brushed past Luke towards him as well, but as they came with a few paces of one another all off the apparitions vanished from view.

Han found himself halfway up the ramp and alone. The sudden loss was soul crushing and he stood transfixed for a moment. Idly he fingered the holster of his blaster and ran a hand through his hair. Choking down the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat he strode forward angrily to where Starbuck knelt. The blond man was shaking his head disoriented. A renewed Yoda stood staring at his claws in wonder.

"Yes.." said the Jedi wondering, "Yes… feel them I can!" he exclaimed, "Returned it has." Confused he looked at Starbuck, "Truly great your powers are, Starbuck, beyond the force you have reached."

"Well… lets not try that again." Groaned Starbuck rolling down onto his back, "That wasn't entirely my idea you see."

"What the Krifff was that?" demanded Han reaching down and hauling Starbuck up by the lapels, "I don't care how you do it but bring her back!"

"Who?" Starbuck blinked confused. "you saw them?"

"The whole bloody room saw them." Declared Lando coming up beside Han, he put a hand on Han's shoulder and Han released Starbuck. Starbuck put out a hand and leaned on the Stargate shakily.

"Than more than the Force that was." Surmised Yoda, " projections I have seen, many time in the past, never so many at once, and so bright, channeled them you did."

"Not me!" protested Starbuck, "I was just trying to help you fight off a cold! Something took over from me, hijacked my energy I guess you could say.

"Your 'energy'?" Han demanded his old habit of cynicism reasserting itself, "I thought you said you weren't a Jedi.

"Force and energy are two different concepts." Replied Starbuck "Think of force as an influence, and energy as an ability to do work. The Force was essentially a massive network of influence, the energy I generate and control is more direct and less of a group effort. What I think just happened is my energy fed the Force through Yoda. "

"Protected I was, from that which killed others." Clarified Yoda, "Within me, the force lived, but asleep it was, wounded isolated, silent."

"So Starbuck woke it up by accident and it started to use him as a battery." Said Lando, "Who were all of those people?"

"Passed through the force they have." Explained Yoda, "Trapped their spirits are, neither here nor their."

"Well bring them back!" demanded Han, "You can't just abandon them, they'll die!"

"They're already dead." Replied Starbuck, "Well what I mean is their bodies are dead. The people you saw can't come back "Here" exactly, They exist in the timeless aspect of the Force, they can either Ascend to a higher plane, or continue to remain their, but they can't live again, and until the Force is whole, they can't interact with this plane, without a medium."

"You did it." Han pointed out accusingly, "You ascended didn't you? You were dead and you came back."

"No, I didn't die." Argued Starbuck, "They haven't either but we both took different roads Han, mine is a little more of a two way street."

"well," fumbled Han, "Its possible right? You did it didn't you?"

"Sorry Han Ascension is a little different. With a greater control of matter and energy you can just MAKE a corporeal form." Replied Starbuck, "And I gave all that up when I Descended."

"Manifestations of the Force, there have been. Declared Yoda, "The Father of Leia, a Jedi he was, named Anakin Skywalker before he fell. Conceived he was, by the Force."

"That doesn't sound like it went too well." argued Starbuck, "Look, I'm sure the Midichlorians figured out a way to create a corporeal form, but it would have to be made up of midchlorians, meaning a ridiculous force sensitivity."

"Powerful he was." Confirmed Yoda.

"But sensitive." Starbuck elaborated, "Fickle, prone to the currents of emotion that run through the force. Look every creature tied into the force broadcasts unconsciously through it, Your dark and light side notions?" he now addressed Yoda, "That's a reflection of a group subconscious. Leia could perhaps be reborn one day through the Force Han," he said turning back to Solo, "But she wouldn't be entirely her own person. her independence, her free will would be compromised, the Ancients would never stand for that."

"Perhaps tolerate it they did, " observed Yoda, "The folly of it, to teach us."

"There are more pressing concerns at this time." Interrupted Akbar's gravelly voice, "I would ask that you all return to your duties and continue this discussion at a more appropriate time." Starbuck, "What is the status of Artoo's download?"

Starbuck glanced at the droid who whistled, and retracted the probe.

"You were done?" he demanded, "Why were you still linked?" A series of beeps and whistled too complex to follow ensued and Starbuck motioned Threepio over from his place in the corner.

"Oh Come on Artoo, such rubbish," the droid chastised, turning to Starbuck he clarified, "I'm afraid my counterpart has become somewhat enamored with the device. He is quite impressed with its software protocols, and its operating system. He is quite eager to continue exploring its capabilities."

"Sounds like the little guys in love." Commented Starbuck, "Come on Artoo, lets set up a DHD first and then you can go on a second date."

***

Wedge followed master Yoda from the gate room. "Master yoda, where are you going?" asked Wedge.

"Renewed am I, reconnected to the Force I am." Replied the Jedi, "Commune with it on my own I must, something to refresh old skills, it is time I did."

"May I ask you something before you go?" Wedge pressed following the jedi through the recently cleared hallway. Though the steps had deteriorated beyond recovery, a ramp extended over a collapsed portion, and the two continued further towards the building's exit.

"Ask something you have." Replied Yoda, a hint of amusement in his voice, "But more questions I will allow."

"Er. .thanks." said Wedge, "look, I knew Luke Skywalker growing up on tattooine. When I heard it was destroyed, I grieved, but I knew somehow that luke would have survived it. When he showed up on that old tramp freighter, the Death star hot on his heels, it felt like.. like… like inevitably, like it was destiny."

"Falling into place, pieces seemed to be." Replied Yoda, "Or, appeared it so."

"That's what I mean!" declared Wedge, "I mean, it was all just coming together, the rebellion was getting too strong, the Empire too bold, good vs. evil it was all about to come to a head at last and then the goa'uld and the wraith? They weren't really part off the equation at all!"

"Mistaken we were, what signs and prophecies meant." Agreed yoda still walking, "More complex, this universe is than imagine we could have. From beyond the Force factors lie which anticipate we could not."

"So that's my question!" said Wedge plaintively, and as they came to the door, he stepped aside for a pair of technicians lugging a crate. "The Force is gone master Yoda, what do we turn to? What does any of this mean anymore?"

Yoda looked up at Wedge fondly.

"Miss him you do." He said jabbing his stick at Wedge, "As Captain Solo misses Leia, you miss Luke, not as deeply perhaps but miss him you do."

"I grew up with him." Said Wedge awkwardly, "I kind of admired him, I mean he was the youngest of us, the baby but he was always there in a pinch. He was so hopeful and optimistic, " he sighed, "His future was so bright."

"bright it should have been." Agreed yoda, "Visions I had, Luke as a leader I saw, revered, respected, humble, yet powerful, yet come to pass this has not."

"Can it still?" asked Wedge, "Starbuck came through a device which can move through time."

Yoda paused and then continued walking beyond the ruins. Coming to a grassy area he sat upon a lose boulder and pondered. Wedge found a rock nearby as well and faced him.

"Considered this I had." Declared the jedi at length. "Guidance from the force must I seek."

"How?" asked Wedge, "When you came out of the Hydroponics lab on Home one you said the Force was gone. Starbuck went on about those Midichlorians having been killed in the Centerpoint wave. Starbuck touches you and ghosts start appearing everywhere? I saw Luke Yoda, I saw him, how do we save him?"

"Save him?" demanded yoda, "Save him you say, From what save him must we? One with the Force he has become, timeless, and forever, Save him you say? Save him from what I wonder."

"he's not right though!" protested Wedge, "He's not here, with us! there has to be a way to bring him back, to put things the way they should be."

Yoda looked sadly at Wedge for a moment.

"Not for us is that decision to make." He said at last. "The power we may find, but the wisdom, we have not. Who lives and who dies, How valid may be ones life be? Luke's life is,. and was, to unravel that is not our right."

"We have to do something!" protested Wedge, "All of your friends the jedi, all those who died, we can fix that, how much wisdom do we need to see that that must be done?"

"Crowded your premise is by your assumptions, Room for wisdom your question does not leave." Yoda pointed out, "Only the answers you desire will it reveal. 'Know nothing do I' is the mantra of the wise, " he sat and reflected silently for a moment and then said, "The Force is with you Wedge Antilles."

Wedge started, "What? I've never…"

"Always has it been." Replied Yoda, "yet more so now than ever. New champions it chooses in its time of need. Long hoped for this you have, now come your moment has, whom serve will you?"

Wedge shook his head, "I don't understand."

"Wisdom you have found in confusion it seems." Chuckled Yoda. "Different were things before. Chosen from birth, people were, to follow the Force. Influenced they were aware of it they were, choices, they were asked to make. Found them we did, and raised them we tried to the ways of the Jedi embrace. Changed that all has now."

"because the Force is gone." Wedge agreed, "Midichlorians aren't spread out throughout the galaxy, but we can change that, undo it!"

"Passed the torch will be." Declared Yoda forcefully, "Forward we will look, choose to move on, we must. Invited, will you now be, to follow the way of the Force, not chosen."

"You are asking me to be a jedi?" asked Wedge finally understanding, "To join you? I don't have the powers I can't do the things…"

"manifestations, external are they." Replied Yoda, "Internal development more important has become. Transform you that can in time, but learn you must, and choose you must."

Wedge took a deep breathe, "Than if it is acceptable to you, I do choose." He said, "For follow the path of the Force, not for the power or the influence, not even to change the way things are or worse, but to honor my friend. This galaxy wants to change Yoda, I can feel it. The Jedi were always a beacon of hope, a shining example of what we can all become. I will be that light if you let me, just as Luke was for me."

Yoda regarded him for a long moment.

"I know I'm not perfect." Wedge pleaded, "But I'm here.

"perfect you are not." He said at last, "nor perfect am I. Shaped we are by the world we live in, fall short perhaps, of our promise we do."

"We can always try to be more." Declared Wedge resolutely, "I will try to be what Luke should have been, just give me the chance!"

"To yourself you will be true and to the force." Declared Yoda resolutely, "As will I, do, or do not, there is no try." He tossed the light saber to Wedge. "your first lesson that was. Begun your training we have."

***

"Its' a boy." Grinned Starbuck, "Anybody got a fumerillo?"

"Don't know what a fumerillo is but have a cigarra." Offered Calrissian handing one to Starbuck and lighting up his own, "When this baby hits the commercial market we're gonna be very rich men."

"I hear that" grinned Han slapping Chewie on the shoulder. Before them sat a console, with the evidence of its recent construction scattered about it in the form of tools, wires and discarded hardware. Artoo extracted his connection from it and the console lit up. "You sure you want to go on this little trip of yours Lando, no sense running off and getting yourself killed messing around in somebody else's business."

"Risk is my business." Answered Lando suavely as he puffed his cirgarro, "Besides we can't make a profit until all this fighting is over. Might as well get myself into a good position in the meantime."

"Download is complete the dialing device is operational." Declared Threepio.

"The originals were based on a crystalline computer technology but I'm pretty sure this will be up to the job and then some." Declared Starbuck, "I have a feeling that pairing your people's technology with that of the Ancients is going to work out beautifully."

Artoo beeped affirmatively and Starbuck chuckled patting the droid on the head. "Easy buddy there's a universe of stargate's by now, just waiting to meet you."

"Sir if you don't mind my asking…" Threepio ventured, "With the operational protocols downloaded, and his own database of star positions, wouldn't it have been simpler to simply have Artoo or another astromech function as an intermediary? Such units are readily available throughout the galaxy."

Starbuck glanced uncomfortably at the droid, and scuffed his feet a bit. "Well the thing is Threepio… and no offense… but where I come from we just don't do things that way."

"I'm afraid I don't see what you mean." Professed Threepio.

"Well… I mean the Cylons were very similar to droids…" Starbuck explained, "We don't need all that here. The DHD is meant to be sort of a… manual thing…"

"I see." Said the crestfallen droid, "Well I can certainly see your concerns…." Artoo beeped irritably, "No no Artoo its quite alright I was simply making an inquiry."

"Alright lets fire her up." Declared Starbuck, "Everyone stand clear!" he called to the gate room below. The DHD had been constructed as a console in a balcony overlooking the Stargate. Ackbar had been uncomfortable with the position of the old control center as it lay in a direct like line with the Stargate, the balcony however was at a right angle to the aperture. This way, the admiral had argued, projectiles or enegery weapons fired into the Stargate wouldn't come streaking out at them. Starbuck had pointed out a force field could be erected but the Admiral preferred a non mechanical approach as a failsafe.

As Starbuck began to tap out a sequence on a carefully labeled keypad, he consulted a diagram Threepio had made based on Artoo's description.

"Alright this is the first test." He reported to Admiral Ackbar who stood to his right. To his left, several technicians stood watching Starbuck's every move and taking notes. These would become regular gate operators once the system was more fully understood. Below a security team stood weapons at the ready, with E-webs positioned at angles to the Stargate. Wedge and yoda stood with them. "Nothing should be coming through." Starbuck called down reassuringly, "It's a one way wormhole." A noise behind him drew his attention. Han tapped his blaster to his temple.

"Better safe than sorry." He quipped.

As the Chevrons completed their ignition the Stargate erupted with a kwoosh and settled into a shimmering vertical pool.

"Where does that lead?" asked Han glancing at the readouts, "Holy smokes that's a lot of power!"

"Its an extra galactic address to Atlantis." Explained Starbuck, "The only local address we have may be in enemy hands, so if we were to connect directly, they could identify our location."

"We will send a probe through and determine if the city would make an appropriate base." Declared Ackbar signaling to the forces below. A probe droid rose up on its repulsors and hovered towards the gate. "After that base is established, Captain Starbuck wishes to try several other addresses."

"You guys want to set up a base that far away?" asked Han doubtfully, "you can't get a ship there to back you up, the Stargate's your only way in or out."

"Indeed, there is a risk." Agreed Ackbar, "But that very factor makes an ideal fallback spot. Starbuck tells us that Atlantis has the same extra galactic hyper drive capability imperial city had before the war."

"Ah and as the city's original hyper drive was damaged we would have a working model." Han observed, "Clever, you can reverse engineer and then upgrade your ships."

"Atlantis won't be alone for long." Concluded Ackbar as the probe disappeared into the event horizon. Telemetry began to pour in. "These results are promising." He declared as Starbuck turned to watch the video feed.

"Everything looks alright, its entering the control room now." Starbuck declared. "None of the consoles will activate until a human with the proper gene is present, but I can tell from that indicator the city's power supply is pretty low."

"We will be sure to bring backup generators along just inc ase." Ackbar declared as Starbuck moved to leave the balcony.

"Mr. Calrissian, once our forces have cleared the city for occupation, you will assume your duties as administrative leader of the city, however you will answer to general madine with regards to military matters." Ordered Ackbar, "Your job will be to oversee research and development as well as to establish trade with any local allies you can identify."

"I assume Madine will be doing more than just providing security?" asked Lando.

"Correct." Replied Ackbar, "He will be responsible for assembling a fighter corps for defense of the city, classified scouting missions to map important factions in the Pegasus galaxy, and should a viable intergalactic hyper drive be developed, construction of a shipyard. Operations in this galaxy will be limited to defensive holding actions so as not to arouse undue attention from the Empire as the Vong threat is diminished."

"How long can that last." Demanded Han sarcastically.

"Indeed Captain Solo, Indeed. The Empire will come calling for us, sooner, rather than later." Declared Ackbar, "But the steps we take here today will ensure that when that day comes we will be ready."

"Well you know I have a few errands of my own." Starbuck contributed, "People I need to find, I've done what I can for you right here, right now, but I intend to come back, and by the Lords of Kobol when I do, I'll help you finish this war and free yourselves from tyranny."

Han leaned over to Chewie, "Listen to him, you'd think he was going to singlehandedly save the universe."

As the security forces entered the gate, and the Technicians followed pushing carts laden with equipment, Starbuck followed them with Artoo and Threepio in tow. He glanced back as he approached the Iris and motioned the droids on. Artoo rolled through courageously while Threepio simpered nervously. The droid gave a panicked cry as Lando tipped it through the Stargate with a shove. Flashing a grin lando followed suit. Starbuck looked up at the balcony where Ackbar Solo and Chewbacca stood. Yoda had joined them and Wedge, now wearing the robes of a Palawan stood beside him. He gave a broad grin and a wave to them. Liocking eyes with han he winked and as he vanished into the gate, Han wondered if Starbuck had somehow heard what he said. As the gate disengaged he heard an echoing laugh and a familiar voice reply.

"You bet I did, my name is Starbuck, I'm here to save the universe."