Thank God for spring break! I'm working on the next chapter as I publish this one, so it ought to be up before break is over. Enjoy!
The forests of Yoala were whispering with excitement. The native peoples were gathering from across the planet. Enormous gongs were being sounded, their calls reverberating through the landscape. Giant bonfires were being lit atop the mountains to signal other tribes.
A battle was coming.
A battle cry sounded and thirty Yoalans charged on each other, fighting with daggers, spears, and a special weapon they called the mégíma, which was a long hollow wooden tube from which they shot darts that came from a local poisonous animal. As they fought, a Human watched the fight with his arms crossed, looking worried.
"I thought they were going to stay here and defend our families," he noted, turning his blue eyes to the clone stormtrooper behind him.
Ress shrugged. "Their leader called upon all of their warriors across the entire planet. She says only their best will go with us. Personally, I think that while their weapons are archaic, their fighting is powerful and, if we can show them the weaknesses in stormtrooper armor, they will be quite the formidable opponent."
Kerrick sighed. "I suppose. Where are the others?"
"The captain is talking with Gen. Kenobi about battle plans," Ress replied. "I think most of the others are preparing with the warriors. I just finally got the last bit of supplies for our trip."
Kerrick raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know how you managed to get your hands on so many weapons?"
Ress laughed. "With me it's typical, sir; the real question is where Lt. Sanus found his stock of weapons."
Looking at an organized pile of weapons, Kerrick let out a small chuckle at Ress' comment. They were loaded and ready for a siege, though that was not to be the plan. They would get in and out very quickly – they wouldn't last long on their own on Imperial Center, even with Obi-Wan's help.
A slightly raised voice caught Kerrick's attention, and he looked to his right to see Padmé talking to her children. The younglings looked upset about something, and Padmé seemed to be trying to explain something to them.
Walking a little closer out of curiosity, Kerrick overhead some of what they were saying. He presumed it had to do with Padmé's decision to go with the Imperials to get Anakin. He knew Anakin's children—the idea that Darth Vader had children still caught Kerrick off guard—desperately wanted to help, having never met their father and only knowing that he was in trouble. Padmé had spoken to Kerrick about the matter and the two had arranged for Kerrick's family to watch the twins while they were gone. Judging from the children's expressions, Kerrick could imagine they weren't happy with the decision.
"But we said we would help get Daddy out!" Leia was saying, looking greatly upset.
"This is too dangerous for you two," Padmé shook her head. "You are to stay here."
"But you're going!" Luke pointed out.
"I have to go," Padmé replied firmly. "The others will take good care of you. You're going to be staying with the Chelcu family; they're very sweet, and they have a son your age. You'll get along just fine."
"We don't want to play with anybody," Luke shook his head and Leia stomped her foot. "We want to get Father out!"
"I know that," Padmé said. "But that doesn't change that it's too dangerous. They will kill you. There is no arguing with me on this. Stay here."
Luke and Leia looked like they wanted to argue more, but Padmé's firm look silenced them. Pouting, the two walked away gloomily to watch the warriors train. Approaching Padmé, Kerrick asked, "You don't think they'll follow in their father's footsteps and do anything foolish, do you?"
Padmé sighed, looking stressed. "I don't know. I'm going to watch them carefully."
"My brother's family and my wife will keep a close eye on them," Kerrick assured her.
Watching her children silently, Padmé finally looked Kerrick in the eye with a worried expression. "Do you think we'll succeed?"
"If you're so unsure, should you really be going?" Kerrick suddenly asked. "You just reunited with your children, Padmé – do you really want to risk leaving them orphaned?"
"I don't know," Padmé shook her head. "I can't just sit around and do nothing."
"Raising two children is not doing nothing," Kerrick replied fervently. "Some would view it as more important than what a lot of people do."
"I'd never argue that point," Padmé immediately replied. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'd be sitting by and letting you guys risk your lives for my husband. This isn't about choosing between my husband and my children. Luke and Leia will be safe either way."
"True," Kerrick nodded. "It's just… they just found you, Padmé."
Smiling sadly, Padmé then asked, "Are you so pessimistic about the outcome of this mission?"
Kerrick looked at the warriors uncertainly. "I don't know what the outcome will be. I can only hope for the best, but I can't help thinking the worst will happen. Obi-Wan already spoke to us of the certainty that Anakin is once more under Palpatine's control."
Returning his gaze to Padmé, he looked her dead in the eye and asked, "Could you shoot at your own husband, Padmé?"
For the first time, Padmé didn't have an answer, and Kerrick couldn't look at her horrified and lost expression, so he departed. Heading over to his family, he saw his brother, sister-in-law, and wife all sitting together and watching their children. They held looks of great worry and a sense of foreboding, as if they were preparing for the emotions they would feel when they found out the mission had failed and Kerrick wasn't coming back. Instead of going to them, however, Kerrick went to someone else who needed support and had no family to provide it.
Kobayashi stood at the edge of the city, gazing off into the darkness of the forest. He hadn't spoken since his return from Kuat, and the others had heard from Marrax about what had happened on Nihoma. Kerrick didn't know what to think of it; it was highly likely that Anakin had revealed Kobayashi's home to the Empire, but apparently it hadn't been Death Squadron that had done the damage, so he wasn't directly involved with the death of the royal family and the destruction of Noriyuki. Still…
"Koby?" Kerrick prompted gently as he approached the man.
Kobayashi said nothing and didn't acknowledge him.
Hearing the grass rustling behind him, Kerrick turned to see Moeema and Carh'la approaching him and Koby. They looked at Kerrick as if asking how Koby was doing, and Kerrick shook his head.
"Koby, we're going to have a briefing soon," Carh'la informed him as she reached the area. "You'll have to be there."
Kobayashi let out a long sigh. The wind blew slightly, and he spoke, whispering so his words were barely heard above the wind. "How many do you think have died because of this?"
Kerrick, Moeema, and Carh'la looked at each other uncertainly. Before they could say anything, though, Kobayashi clarified. "Ever since Anakin lost his memories… people died over Dantooine, probably some in Noriyuki when he remembered… Taris… Ryatsi… and…"
Trailing off, he shook his head.
Carh'la put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and Moeema said, "We have now way of knowing how many people died, Koby. We should never forget them… but…"
"We should never let their ghosts weigh us down," Carh'la finished for her. "Koby, I can't claim to know what you're going through, but you have to soldier up just this last time. We have to get it together and get this done. If we don't save Anakin, more people will die."
Kobayashi took another deep breath. Kerrick could imagine the man was just trying to keep himself together. While Koby was a very sociable and cheerful man, Kerrick knew he and his friend shared at least this one thing in common: neither liked having other people see them fall apart. With this in mind, he motioned to Moeema and Carh'la that they should leave. Carh'la, being Kobayashi's superior officer back on the Executor, knew him well enough to realize this as well, but Moeema looked uncertain, wanting to remain and help. The other two shook their heads at her, though, and she eventually relented, leaving.
"When's the briefing?" Kerrick asked, trying to change the subject before they talked about Koby. It was time to focus now; they had a mission to accomplish. He couldn't have anything distracting him. There was a very good reason all of them were officers in the most elite fleet in the navy, and it was time they demonstrated it.
"It'll be commencing in about five minutes," Carh'la answered.
Nodding, Kerrick finally went to his family. After the meeting they'd have one final good-bye and then depart, but he was going to spend his time loading the shuttle, so this was his last chance. His wife, Lynorri, noticed his approach and she watched him, hugging herself tightly. When he was in reach, he began to speak, but she put a finger over his mouth.
"No goodbyes," she whispered.
Kerrick gulped, shoving the lump out of his throat. Taking a deep breath, he gently took her wrist and kissed her palm, removing her hand from his face briefly so he could say, "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. She then took a step back as his brother, sister-in-law, children, and nieces came to him.
Off in the distance, Carh'la watched the interaction silently. She had already bid her farewells to her family, and she had told them to go into the home the Yoalans had provided for them. She couldn't see them as she left; she couldn't have that weighing on her mind. Naturally it was impossible for her to completely rid her head of the thoughts that she most likely would never again see her husband or children, but the last thing she needed was to see their tear-filled eyes as they watched her leave.
Sighing heavily, Carh'la glanced at the edge of the forest to watch Kobayashi, but the man had vanished. She worried for a moment, but then she let it go. Kobayashi had to decide whether or not to join the mission; she wasn't going to force the issue.
Taking a deep breath and centering herself, Carh'la went to the war tent where Capt. Mentzer was waiting with the other Imperials.
"Their security is air-tight, you know."
"Nothing's air tight. We can find a way in."
"Show me exactly how we can get in. There are security feeds covering every centimeter of the perimeter and every bloody hallway in that place."
"Aren't there supposedly secret passages?"
"Even if there were, we have no idea where they are!"
Padmé watched the Imperials argue in the tent. They were debating on how they would even be able to get into the palace. Sighing heavily, Padmé suddenly felt unsure. These men and women were trained and had sworn to their duties of fighting and killing. Even Obi-Wan, who was a peacekeeping Jedi, was trained to fight if necessary and had sworn his life to it. Padmé herself knew how to fight, but it was taught to her as basic self defense; she was no warrior, and it was beginning to show when compared to those who were planning fervently for the battle. But that wasn't what made her feel out of place.
Padmé was a senator… and more importantly a mother. The only time she was in battles was when… well, when she was thrown into them, or when her people were involved. Anakin was part of her family, but…
She supposed it was what Kerrick had said. All of the people in this tent had already come to the terms with whether they would have to shoot at Anakin or not. They were military officers; they had nerves of steel and resolve that was firmer than the toughest materials in the universe. Even Obi-Wan, though reticent on the matter, was willing to fight Anakin and had done so before.
Padmé had been weighing her options. On the one hand, she couldn't let everybody else risk their lives for her husband while she didn't. On the other hand, she might possibly have to shoot her husband, and there was a very good chance she wouldn't be returning. She had children to worry about.
Silently swearing, Padmé found herself hating the situation more and more. She normally knew what to do in a situation, and when she didn't, she'd find somewhere quiet to think about the issue. There was no time to find a quiet corner here. There was no time to really consider just how much of a suicidal mission this really was.
Could she do this? Could she do this for Anakin? Could she do this to the children?
Ooke interrupted both her thoughts and the argument when he said, "Guys, guys, relax; Capt. Mentzer and I were looking over files on the palace and I figured out a way to tamper with some of the feeds."
"How?" Shiine asked.
Ooke dug his hand into a bag he had been carrying and pulled out small circular slivers of metal. "You see these? They're what we call camera kissers. You stick them just over where a camera is and they'll hold onto them, taking a picture and then looping it so that's all the camera will see. If we can get one of these suckers onto an outside camera without being spotted, we'll be invisible and able to get inside."
"How in the blazes are we going to get one of those on a camera without being seen?" Moeema queried.
Obi-Wan immediately said, "I could do it. I could use the Force to put it over the camera so no one will even have to be in the area."
"But do you have enough for every hall we go into?" Numel looked at Ooke worriedly.
Ooke shook his head. "No, I don't."
Numel shook his head. "Terrific. So we are going to be spotted."
Zhymmia rolled her eyes. "Yes, Numel, I think we all worked that out."
Numel shot her an irritated look, but Shiine interrupted any retort he might've had. "Visual security feeds aren't the only security inside the palace. They've got separate audio feeds, heat sensors… I've heard even the plants change color according to the emotions of the person walking by them, for heaven's sake."
"Being noticed is inevitable, as Numel pointed out," Obi-Wan sighed. "We just need to push it off as long as possible. We'll be able to get in without an issue… but how far do you figure we can go inside without attracting attention?"
Mentzer shook his head. "Not far at all. I do have something to note; Kenobi, you and Tunrott are both wrong. We will be noticed outside. Security cameras aren't the only obstacles. There are guards there, you know, and whether they spot us or we take them out first, it'll still notify security that something's wrong."
"Do we have sniper rifles?" Carh'la asked.
Ress immediately replied, "Yes ma'am, we have a few. If I may ask, what about the Yoalans? Aren't some of them coming along?"
Mentzer looked annoyed. "Unfortunately, yes. There was no persuading them otherwise, and seeing as how they're taking care of our families I didn't find it prudent to argue the point."
"They could come in handy, you know," Carh'la noted.
"How?" Moeema shook her head. "Honestly I think they might just get in the way. They're not used to the technology; they'll be in shock."
"I've been telling them about that," Obi-Wan explained. "They're expecting to be caught off guard, but they'll shake it off. It's true, they will be rather useless outside of the palace; their weapons can't pierce through stormtrooper armor. However, once we're inside, the security doesn't wear that armor; just a regular uniform. Then the Yoalans will be helpful."
"What kind of arsenal do they have?" Numel asked.
"Mostly the usual weapons, sir," Ress answered. "Spears, knives, bows and arrows… but they have some special weapons. They have this dart tube that shoots out poisonous darts that will kill instantly depending on where they hit, and I've observed that they're very precise shots. They're also very good at being stealthy, so they can easily take out security ahead of us inside the palace."
"No, no, we'll lead the way," Mentzer corrected the trooper. "They can cover the back, though, in case we miss something."
"That does bring up a good question, though," Jifo piped in. "Where is Anakin? Where are we going to find him? Do you have any idea how enormous that palace is?"
"Anakin will come to us," Obi-Wan replied, making everyone look at him uneasily. "Palpatine is a sick and sadistic man; if he really does have Anakin brainwashed, which seems to be the case, he will send him to fight us."
The tent grew silent, and Padmé's stomach knotted tightly. Kobayashi, who had been silent the entire meeting, finally spoke. "We need to get one thing straight right now – so long as he is under Palpatine's control, Anakin is an enemy and should be treated as such. We're capturing him, not rescuing him."
Everyone looked at Kobayashi a little worriedly, but some nodded in agreement. Carh'la spoke to back him up. "He is right. We can't keep looking at Anakin as some delicate thing we need to rescue. He'd probably kill us all without blinking an eye right now. We can't go easy on him."
"But what about the Yoalans?" Marrax asked. "They won't approve of us attacking him… not if they think he's some sort of godlike figure."
"The Yoalans will have to get over it," Kobayashi snapped. A quick look from Carh'la calmed him.
"Koby," she said warningly. "You may be right that we're trying to capture Anakin rather than rescue him, but this isn't a mission for revenge."
"Oh I wish it was," Kobayashi growled, his eyes dark. "I hold little against Anakin, but Palpatine…"
"We don't stand a chance against the emperor," Mentzer immediately interjected. "I won't even consider that notion, Beillane."
"Your captain is right," Obi-Wan intoned. "Even the Grand Jedi Master of my order couldn't defeat Palpatine. If we're very fortunate we won't get anywhere near him."
"But that is something to consider," Padmé finally spoke up. "What happens if Palpatine gets involved in the battle?"
"Palpatine wouldn't sully his hands on the matter," Mentzer replied. "I know the emperor well enough to observe that he never carries out his own dirty work. He lets someone else do it."
"Often without them even knowing it," Obi-Wan muttered darkly. "He's very good at manipulating people."
"But he's not afraid of doing his own dirty work," Padmé pointed out. "He did it for years as the chancellor."
"Yes and no," Obi-Wan answered. "You are right to note that he is quite capable and willing to get the job done himself, but he often can let or trick someone else into doing it. If there is one thing Palpatine has become as emperor it is somewhat complacent. He's at the top now, and while he knows he needs to maintain it, he has enough clout that he can have someone else do just about anything he needs done."
"But what happens if we do actually manage to incapacitate Anakin?" Kerrick asked. "Do you think Palpatine will interfere then?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan immediately replied. "And that is why our escape needs to be as hasty as possible."
"So let me get this straight," Numel sat up a little. "Basically this plan is that we sneak in until sneaking is no longer an option, which is essentially from the very beginning, pray that they don't send the entire palace security force on us so we don't get gunned down within the first five minutes, make enough noise to get Anakin brought to us, somehow survive a confrontation with Anakin, somehow knock him out, and then haul our asteroids out of there while being shot at by security before Palpatine can get to us? And then manage to get off the planet?"
Everyone stared at him as the insanity of the plan really started making itself known to them.
"We're screwed, aren't we?" Zhymmia noted with a half-hearted laugh.
Kerrick cleared his throat as he arranged his thoughts. "Well let's look at Numel's summary one piece at a time, then. Yes, getting into the palace will be tricky, but if we play our cards right, we'll get through that just fine. Ress and Numel, you two can man the sniper rifles and take out any guards that get too close to us while Obi-Wan gets that camera kisser where it should go, and then Shiine and I will cover you as you enter."
Mentzer immediately continued for Kerrick. "Once we're inside Kenobi, Ress, Tunrott, and I will lead the way. Tade, Chelcu, Reukli, Sanus, Mothezsh, and Kenzee, you lot will watch our flanks. Senator, you can be with Beillane and Norhek with the Yoalans in the rear. You three will be talking to the Yoalans to make sure they don't do anything foolish.
"We'll want to get the emperor's attention so he'll send Skywalker to us. That means we're going to have to make a lot of noise and head somewhere where Skywalker will likely be found. Lord Vader's quarters in the palace were close to the top floor… which is also where the throne room happens to be."
"So avoiding the emperor is impossible?" Marrax asked nervously.
"He'll no doubt send Skywalker to us far before we get that close to him." Mentzer replied somewhat reassuringly.
"Okay, so Darth Vader is standing in front of us fully powerful and easily capable of killing us," Kerrick surmised, motioning to an imaginary Anakin. "Now what?"
"I'll handle that," Obi-Wan immediately intoned. "The rest of you can worry about the troops he'll likely bring with him."
"I have little doubt you can survive an encounter with him," Mentzer said. "But can you defeat Skywalker? You two were rather evenly matched on Nihoma, and Skywalker was sick at the time."
"I've fought him before that," Obi-Wan replied cryptically, his eyes darkening. "Believe me; I can hold my own against him… and I've defeated him before. My concern is how well the rest of you will hold up. The palace practically has its own army; can you fend them off while I fight Anakin?"
"That will be the deciding factor," Carh'la sighed. "If we can't hold off the troops it won't matter how good any of us are; we'll be dead."
Moeema then said, "Well let's temporarily be optimistic; what do we do if we succeed? What's our escape plan?"
Ress pulled out grenades. "We blast our way out of the building. Gen. Kenobi said he'd take it from there."
Everyone looked at Obi-Wan expectantly, and he smiled gently, shrugging. "We jump."
Jifo gaped at him. "We jump? What if we're two hundred levels up?!"
"Be sure not to lock your knees," Obi-Wan replied with a wry smile. "Relax; I'll land first and then catch you. However, we'll need someone covering us, and I can't do that if I'm focusing on making sure no one splatters onto the ground."
"The Yoalans can do that," Mentzer waved a dismissive hand.
As much as Padmé didn't really enjoy the odd behaviors and ideas of the Yoalans, she still argued with Mentzer on this point. "They are sentient beings, you know, not just blaster fodder. They can't hold their own against Imperial troops."
"Then there's no point in bringing them," Mentzer replied. "They either survive or they don't. They volunteered themselves for this mission."
"Who's going to tell them this plan, anyway?" Zhymmia asked.
Obi-Wan nodded his head. "I will."
"Okay, so we've jumped out of the building and are somehow still alive," Carh'la continued, moving the plan along. "Now what?"
"We run at supersonic speed?" Ooke offered.
Moeema shook her head. "We'll need somebody staying with the ship to bring it in for a quick escape."
"I'm not staying in the ship," Kobayashi crossed his arms. "I'm sure everyone wants to get in there and get Anakin back."
"We can't leave a Yoalan to pilot," Ooke snapped.
"Would you like to stay, then?"
"Hell no!"
"Well somebody has to do it!"
"Lynorri," Kerrick immediately interrupted the argument.
Everyone stared at him blankly except for Kobayashi. "Who?"
"My wife," Kerrick explained. "She was training to be a fighter pilot in the navy when we first met."
"She's a fighter pilot?!"
Kerrick shook his head. "No, she didn't finish the academy. She didn't find it worth all the discrimination she was getting because of her gender."
Zhymmia snorted. "Tell me about it,"
"But she can pilot well, right?" Padmé stressed.
Kerrick nodded. "Yes, she's a fantastic pilot. She can standby with the ship and then when we send her a transmitted signal she can fly over and get us out of there."
"That would be even better, then," Obi-Wan acknowledged. "We could break a window and she could hover there and lower the ramp—"
"And we'd jump?!" Jifo interjected.
Obi-Wan smiled in amusement at the man's alarm. "Yes, but I wouldn't let you fall, so don't worry."
Everyone sat there and watched each other. There really was nothing more to say now. The plan had been fleshed out, and the only thing left to do was stand and head out. Padmé's previous concerns returned now that she had no distractions, but after seeing the resolved looks on their faces, she knew she couldn't stay behind.
She certainly hoped she was making the right decision.
Mentzer nodded to himself and then stood, and his officers followed his lead. "Chelcu, get your wife. We're heading out."
The ship that had been acquired by Ress was a Naboo model, making Padmé smile. It was a particularly fast model and had very good shielding, both traits of Naboo ships. Of course, another trait, though, was that it had no weapons.
"Ress, why wouldn't you get a ship with weapons?" Jifo asked.
"Sir, we need a quick getaway, not something that'll attract more attention," Ress explained. "Imperial Center is a big place; a Naboo ship can slip in unnoticed, but a ship with weapons will raise more flags than it's worth."
As Jifo conceded the point Padmé watched Lynorri and Kerrick board. They had all said their good-byes to their families. Most of them were tearful, but some were quiet and somber, as if they had already given up. Padmé wasn't sure how well this would succeed with that attitude in mind, but she supposed she couldn't blame them. Numel's summary of the plan back in the tent came to mind, and Padmé felt her spirits drop.
After they had all boarded Lynorri fired up the engines and the ship began to ascend into the sky. Padmé looked out the window to see Luke and Leia standing beside Kerrick's children. All of the children were simply watching the ship rise. Their expressions held sadness and anxiety. Seeing the yearning in Luke's and Leia's eyes made Padmé's heart break. She knew they just wanted to come along and help. However, she was not going to have her children in the middle of the mess to come.
She just hoped she'd be able to see them again.
"Everyone ready?" Lynorri asked from the cockpit. Everyone looked at each other in grim determination.
Kerrick nodded to his wife. "Let's go."
Obi-Wan paced the ship restlessly. Everyone was nervous. They had been in hyperspace for a good thirteen hours as they trekked the very long trip from Yoala to Coruscant. The entire trip had been silent except for the occasional reiteration of the plan.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect was the ending to the plan. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan had hoped they would be able to take out Palpatine once they had reunited... but that was assuming Obi-Wan would restore Anakin's memories, not have to fight him. Things had to be changed when Anakin was brainwashed.
The ship gave a slight shudder and the high whirling sound that had become background noise for the past thirteen hours began to wind down to a low rumble as the hyperdrive disengaged. The blue streaks of hyperspace were wiped away by black swirls until they were enveloped in a black blanket. Stars shone everywhere, but the view was often blocked by the thousands of spaceships flying by them. The busy hyper-lanes were crammed as usual, and Lynorri maneuvered the ship into an entrance lane as Kerrick automatically entered access codes.
The air immediately felt hotter and thicker. Everyone's hearts were racing.
"Access is granted," Lynorri told the others. "We're heading into atmo now."
Lynorri guided the ship to the point that they had determined would be best. There she landed, and they immediately disembarked.
"Here we go," Numel muttered.
Kerrick kissed his wife, the two staring at each other as if they were saying good-bye for the last time, but then Kerrick smiled. "We'll be back."
With that, they departed.
The trek to the palace was physically rather short, but to Obi-Wan and the others it seemed like the longest walk of their lives. Just before the palace came into view, Ress and Numel grabbed their sniper rifles and climbed the nearest escape ladder to get to a roof. Ooke handed Obi-Wan the camera kissers, and Obi-Wan stealthily walked down the alley closer to the palace.
Eying the palace, Obi-Wan found the nearest three cameras and immediately threw the devices, using the Force to guide them to their destinations.
Suddenly, he sensed a spike in the Force as someone approached and then was snuffed out by the silent sniper shot from either Ress or Numel. Shuddering slightly, Obi-Wan was suddenly reminded of his experiences during the Clone War. What a mess.
After the devices were placed, Obi-Wan returned to the others and gave a silent nod. They proceeded forward in the formation Capt. Mentzer had specified back on Yoala, looking around to make sure it was clear. Obi-Wan sensed another stormtrooper approaching, though, but the trooper was quickly taken out by the snipers.
This isn't going to last long, Obi-Wan thought. The more guards they killed the more likely somebody would notice someone wasn't calling in to give an all clear signal. The group quickly rushed across the open plaza, keeping their blast pistols at the ready. Obi-Wan gripped his deactivated lightsaber tightly, his nerves prickling. He kept his senses alert as they ran in silence. The Force surged with nervous energy; he tried to cover it as best he could. He knew Palpatine and Anakin had probably already picked up that something was wrong, but he wasn't going to let them figure it out quite yet.
The entranceway was quickly getting closer as they jogged, and Obi-Wan felt a small sense of relief as they finally reached it. At least they had gotten into the palace. Kerrick and Shiine flanked the door as they awaited Ress and Numel.
Mentzer took the lead from here, but he let Obi-Wan go alongside him; the man remembered from the Clone Wars that Obi-Wan could sense out Anakin wherever they were. Numel and Ress quickly ran inside and the door was closed. Ooke had used hacked access codes to get inside, so it hadn't set any alarms off. Now the real problem was remaining undetected for as long as possible.
They had discussed this matter on Yoala. Obi-Wan and Capt. Mentzer had both agreed that the higher they could get without being spotted the better. If they were discovered very close to the throne room, it would startle Palpatine into sending Anakin immediately rather than just trying to send troops. Of course, that was just the problem. They had probably already notified some security post that a door had been opened. Somebody was probably already getting ready to check the security feeds to see what was going on. The one benefit they had was that the palace was simply so enormous that a lot of the security had to be automated. Certain objects, sounds, words, or visual signs would trip a pre-programmed alarm that would then notify an actual person who would then check the feed for himself. If they were careful they wouldn't set anything off for a little while.
The group stood still temporarily as Ooke handed more camera kissers to Obi-Wan, who quickly threw them where they needed to go. They all remained silent so bugs in the walls wouldn't pick up any sound. Plants lined the entrance, and they all immediately turned from green to red. Obi-Wan noticed them and motioned to the others. He then placed a hand on his chest and took a deep breath, indicating to the others that they had to calm down. It was their high tension that was being picked up by the sensitive plants. Everyone paused to relax a little, and the plant color steadily changed from red to a light pink. At least that wouldn't trip the sensors on the stalks.
Mentzer finally nodded his head and they ran ahead, taking their places in formation. The Yoalans brought up the rear with Padmé, Kobayashi, and Moeema. Everyone immediately slipped mufflers onto their pistols as they ran. Obi-Wan stretched his senses out into the Force once more. There were people everywhere; the amount of the security was overwhelming, even to Obi-Wan's standards. He had never stormed such a fortified building… he had never stormed such a monumental building.
The group ran straight for a while before they paused as another hallway intersected. Obi-Wan sensed danger flare up, and he immediately whirled around. A guard had come into view on the other end closer to the entranceway, but a Yoalan immediately blew a poison dart that hit the man's neck, making contact with his carotid artery. The man dropped without making a sound.
Ress and Mentzer looked ahead into the next hallway and motioned for everyone to follow. The turbolift was at the other end of this new hallway; they would be taking it all the way up. They had an alternative in case the turbolift was stopped by security, but Obi-Wan didn't prefer to climb each individual floor with the army of security firing at them.
More warnings in the Force made themselves known, and Obi-Wan paused, motioning to Capt. Mentzer. The group stopped, and everyone held their pistols at the ready. However, Obi-Wan sensed a large group; there was no way they were going to get passed them without catching somebody else's attention and sounding the alarm. He shook his head and hands vigorously at the others, telling them not to fight. They all looked around wildly to find some place to hide. The Yoalans immediately ran to the shadows and made themselves innocuous, their black fur disappearing into the darkness. They had painted any red fur black as well, so they vanished completely. The Imperials attempted to follow suit, but they were still noticeable to a trained eye. Most of them looked at Obi-Wan with panic in their eyes; they knew they would be discovered.
Fighting seemed to be the only option.
Biting his lip, Obi-Wan looked around the room wildly. He had no idea where to find a good vantage point to jump the group. He sensed at least fifteen people approaching, and they were close enough to be heard now. They were just talking about anything and everything, their voices blending into an incomprehensible rumble.
Finally, Obi-Wan just decided he wouldn't bother hiding. The others were stuffed into enough corners that if he joined them he would definitely attract attention. Instead, he motioned for them to backtrack. Mentzer looked frustrated at the prospect, but he nodded and the group slinked into the shadows in the first hallway where the entrance was. Unless these guards intended on exiting the building they wouldn't go that way, but it also meant they had to go through half of the hallway just to get back to where they were.
There still wasn't enough room for Obi-Wan, though. The Imperials were motioning to him frantically, trying to find a spot for him to hide, but he shook his head. Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan took a deep breath and released his anxieties to the Force. He basked in the sunlight shining through the windows as the sunrise illuminated the hallway. Quieting his mind, Obi-Wan imagined himself becoming a ray of light. He imagined himself disappearing entirely.
The rumbling of voices became louder. They were probably in view now.
The people simply continued to walk, going around Obi-Wan and chatting away merrily. Obi-Wan stood as still as a statue, keeping his eyes closed and his breath regulated. He was nothing but a ray of light.
"Your eyes, deceive you they can."
He was nothing but a ray of light.
The Imperials were all around him now. They had stopped because of something silly one of them had said.
He was nothing but a ray of light.
The group resumed its walk. They were heading to the turbolift, and they stopped in front of it to wait for a lift to arrive. When the lift finally showed up, the group entered, the door closed, and the hallway was silent once more.
Obi-Wan blew out a breath, trembling a little at the close call. His head pounded and his body sagged, weary from such a focused technique. The others came into view, staring at him with amazement and slight apprehension. He could tell they were happy he was on their side and not an enemy.
Capt. Mentzer motioned towards the turbolift, and they were on their way once more.
As soon as they approached it, Ooke immediately gave Obi-Wan another disabling device and pointed out the camera to Obi-Wan, who quickly tossed the device just as they were coming into its view. Ooke then began to call for the turbolift. He pointed to the call button and then to the camera.
"They'll know we're calling one," he mouthed.
Mentzer nodded, his face grim. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, panting for air and watching out for enemy guards. Obi-Wan's senses in the Force were getting murky after the last technique – his mind was tired. He still managed to try and cover their presence, though. He doubted he'd be able to sense any more guards approaching. He hated being this blind, but he could only do one thing at a time at this point, and it was more important to ensure that Palpatine and Anakin didn't know they were there yet.
The lift finally arrived and everyone squeezed themselves inside. Unfortunately, the lift was, as they had suspected, transparent. If they passed anybody else on the way there was nothing they could do to stop them from calling security.
Shiine was closest to the list of floors, and so he pressed for the third highest level. They didn't want to go directly to the throne room, after all. They just wanted to get their attention.
The lift doors closed, much to everyone's relief since they had all been standing with their blasters pointed at anything that caught their attention. With the lift speeding along its way, they lowered their weapons but did not holster them. Ooke had already hacked the feed of the camera inside the lift, but he had indicated that he had to get rid of the visual feed instead of loop it. A blank screen would definitely attract security's attention; there was no avoiding their noticing now.
A sharp intake of breath caught everyone's attention, and they all looked to Kobayashi, who was staring out the transparisteel. When everybody followed his gaze they saw what had concerned him; another lift was heading downwards right beside them. They were going to go by each other any second now. They all attempted to make it look as reasonable as possible. The Yoalans were shoved to the opposite end so they wouldn't be seen, and everybody else faced away from the view, keeping their pistols hidden in front of them. Carh'la leaned against the back of the lift, glancing left occasionally to see if anybody was in the lift that was coming. Obi-Wan and the others watched her expression with bated breath.
Carh'la kept her face as calm and neutral as possible, but her eyes immediately widened and she looked away. Obi-Wan's heart sank, and Carh'la shook her head, closing her eyes. Then she sighed and looked at Capt. Mentzer.
"They looked," she mouthed. Everyone froze. Did they see something they found suspicious? That probably was the case – nobody had had time to get back into Imperial uniforms in the time they had fled Taris, returned to Yoala, and come to Coruscant. If those others did look into the lift and saw a bunch of people dressed in civilian clothes, they probably knew something was wrong.
Nevertheless, the lift continued to speed along its way. Obi-Wan looked up to see what floor they were passing. They were halfway to the top.
As the numbers continued to climb upward and they sped by floors, the lift suddenly lurched, making everyone lose their balance. Obi-Wan immediately sensed danger like red hot irons being thrust into his gut. He threw a glance to see what floor they were on and it showed they were ten levels away from their destination. So close…
The lift doors were forced open and a squad of guards stood waiting for them.
Numel and Ress, having maneuvered to the front of the lift, immediately opened fire. Ress threw something, and someone yelled, "Grenade!"
Ooke immediately hacked the doors to close as the grenade detonated, rocking the lift.
"Tunrott, get us out of here!" Capt. Mentzer yelled.
"I can't!" Ooke replied, his fingers frantically working through wires after he had torn the console cover off the wall. "They've overridden the entire system – we're stuck!"
"We'll just be killed more easily in here- they could drop the lift! We have to get off!" Carh'la pointed out. "Get that door open, Ooke!"
Ooke did as he was told and the group spilled out of the lift, running over the bodies of the guards Ress had killed. Obi-Wan supposed it was a little late to be hiding their presence from Palpatine and Anakin now, so he lowered his mental barrier that had been covering their presence. As he did so, the Force filled him and his mind began to ring with all the different sensations. People were coming from everywhere – the palace must have gone on high alert while they were in the lift.
"Kenobi, where are they coming from?!" Mentzer bellowed as more guards appeared from the right, causing Zhymmia, Kerrick, and Marrax to immediately start shooting and diving for cover.
"Everywhere!" Obi-Wan yelled back, activating his lightsaber and entering the fray.
Using the Force, Obi-Wan threw some furniture at the approaching guards and then made them return to the main hall where they were so they could use it for cover.
Guards approached from up front and then another lift arrived, carrying even more. They were being cornered.
Gathering the Force around him, Obi-Wan blasted the guards in front of them into a wall. Ress picked up a fallen soldier's pistol and began firing with both the soldier's and his own, taking out handfuls of troops. Carh'la jumped over a fallen table, running towards a handful of guards as she fired. Zigzagging the entire way, Carh'la approached the nearest living guard as two Yoalans leapt out and flanked her, gutting the guard. Carh'la whacked another one on the head and shot a third.
The Yoalans seemed to be taking the lead, charging forward since they didn't have many long distance weapons. The officers covered the Yoalans as best they could, but they were starting to get shot down.
Obi-Wan sensed more troops on the floor above. Looking towards Ress, Obi-Wan was about to ask for cover when he saw that the clone was too busy to be bothered. The momentary distraction was costly, though; Obi-Wan sensed danger and whirled around to see a guard aiming point blank at him, but just as Obi-Wan was about to lift his lightsaber in defense the man fell to a blaster shot in the chest. Obi-Wan turned to see Capt. Mentzer standing with his pistol aimed at where the dead man had been. Obi-Wan nodded his head in thanks as Mentzer quickly changed targets.
A scream caught Obi-Wan's attention and he turned to see Zhymmia leap over a table and drag Marrax to safety with Kerrick's help. The man had been shot in the lower abdomen, and he was barely conscious.
They weren't going to last long in this situation.
"We have to keep moving forward!" Obi-Wan yelled at Mentzer. If they stayed in this hall they were just going to be picked off one by one.
Mentzer knew it was true and immediately called for them to move forward. They charged ahead as some Yoalans helped Marrax run. Padmé killed a few more before joining them, some blood trailing from a gash she received when some furniture shattered upon being shot.
Obi-Wan led the charge, blocking blaster fire and cutting down guards. The stairs were on the other end of the long hallway – at this rate it would take forever to get there. They had to make it though – if they couldn't make it to the stairs they weren't going to survive.
Palpatine sat stiffly in the throne room. He had sensed danger for quite a while now, and he had immediately called Vader to him. Darth Vader had been pacing restlessly, though when Palpatine probed his mind he couldn't decipher why. However, predatory excitement rolled off of him in waves, and Palpatine pieced together that it was most likely nervous excitement at the prospect of a battle. Though Palpatine hadn't been able to sense exactly where the intruders were for a short time, he had known they were there, though it wasn't until they were actually in the building. That had caught him off guard.
A skilled Jedi had to be with them.
The moment the Force had lowered the veil that had been covering the intruders, Palpatine had sensed the familiar presence of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his previously smug attitude had been dashed just a hair. The last time Kenobi and Skywalker had faced off it hadn't ended well for Skywalker. Palpatine could tell Vader had sensed Kenobi, too – his motions had become more rigid the instant he had sensed him. Not surprisingly, Skywalker had picked up on Kenobi's presence even before Palpatine had.
Palpatine received a status update on the intruders from a security officer. The intruders had managed to clamber up another floor after they were force out of the lift. They were twelve floors from the throne room. With Kenobi in the lead, that was still a relatively threatening prospect, and so Palpatine looked to Vader. Could he send his apprentice out there? The boy would have no problems facing his traitorous officers, and Palpatine knew he was itching for a rematch with Kenobi. It would affect the intruders badly, and Palpatine was simply dying to see the looks of horror on their faces when they saw the comrade they had come to save was the one who would take them down.
Ah, but Palpatine wanted this victory to be sweet.
They were twelve floors down, so even if Palpatine left them to climb all the way up, they'd still be too exhausted to put up a fight by that point. Still, he didn't want any of them getting killed off that easily. He wanted them to watch Vader bow to him. He wanted them to see just how hopeless a prospect their mission was. The real question, though, was whether Vader could truly handle a rematch with Kenobi. Palpatine figured it would be manageable; Vader had all of the security force on his side.
Facing the boy, Palpatine watched him. Vader had stopped his pacing and was instead watching the sunlight illuminate the sky with a soft pink as the orbital mirrors over the planet tried to replicate a sunrise with the light from the planet's distant sun. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his fingers were squeezing each other. His body was stiff, his muscles taut. He was chomping at the bit for a fight, so Palpatine would indulge him.
"Lord Vader," he called, getting the boy's attention. "Bring them to me."
Vader turned, looking Palpatine in the eye. His face was a stone, but his emotions were raging. He gave a slight nod of approval. "Yes, my Master."
Palpatine watched him depart, taking all but the Red Guards with him.
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