Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars
Note: Surprise update!
Thanks to all my readers and to Liisiko for checking through my chapters, as always. Also, a quick question, would anyone be interested in reading some additional 'cut-scenes' from this fic? I had a few ideas that I wanted to write, but haven't because I didn't want to slow the pace of this story. If so, then I'll probably publish them as a separate collection.
Oh, and that action I promised you? Yeahhh…not until chapter 9, I'm afraid. Until then you just get the ominous clouds gathering overhead. Hope you brought an umbrella!
CHAPTER 6 – Patience
Location: Brentaal IV / Dantooine
Juno was buzzing impatiently around the cockpit, checking and rechecking to ensure she hadn't missed an incoming transmission from Kota. It had been perhaps two hours since the Jedi had contacted her with the message that they'd gotten the data and were heading back. Since then every attempt she had made to communicate with him was met with silence or a gruff: 'it's going fine'.
Even Galen – back when they barely knew each other – had been a little more talkative than that.
"This is taking too long." She murmured to herself, checking the time yet again.
And then: "Blackguard to Blackout." Kota's voice was hushed; his breath crackling across the com-link. "You there?"
She was back in the pilot chair within a split second. "I'm here."
"Ran into a spot of trouble. Close call but we got out. We managed to hitch a ride on a shuttle. Should be back in Votrad in the next hour."
"And how long to get back to the ship?"
"Hm…not long. I'll let you know."
Unable to begin any preparations – lest she give herself away – Juno did the only thing she could do: rest her eyes. Unfortunately resting her eyes became sleep which was eventually disturbed by Kota's voice.
"We're almost there."
She lurched forwards, fuzzy headed as she fumbled for the link. "Make sure PROXY changes back into me."
"Already done." Her own voice echoed back at her – distantly – through the communicator.
Getting to her feet, she stumbled across to the starboard side and leaned over the console to peer out across the landing deck. It was hard to see around all the other ships stationed there, though at least they were partially obscured from view.
When they eventually came into sight, she lowered the loading ramp and moved down to greet them.
"Good to have you back, Blackguard." She smiled.
He gave an amused grunt. "Good to be back."
"Okay, you two wait here. PROXY, can I leave you to start the preparations? I'm going to go and get clearance."
"Sorry, but no can do."
"What do you mean; 'no can do'?" Juno couldn't keep the irritability out of her tone, her hands set rigidly against her hips.
"Just doing my job, lady. Go back and wait at your ship." He shrugged and turned his chair around; setting his feet up on the desk in a manner that suggested he couldn't care less.
"I thought this starport operated around the clock? What exactly will I be waiting for?"
He whirled back to face her, his grotesque face pulled back into a snarl. "You're waiting for a message from me to say that it's okay. They've got a situation up in the Imperial section that needs looking into. Until that happens, your sweet little ass is staying put. Now, get lost." He waved her away with one fat, stubby hand.
The statement sucked all the anger out of her, replacing it with a cold, coiling dread in the pit of her stomach. With a swift nod, she turned on her heel and hurried back to the ship, preparing to lie low for as long as it took. They couldn't risk capture now. Not when they were so close to getting away.
Galen had listened to every single entry that his father's holocron contained twice since the Rogue Shadow had departed, though he wasn't sure how it made him feel. In a way, he felt sad to listen to those entries. To be reminded of a time when his original self and his family had been happy. To be reminded that he had forgotten them completely until that day in the old hut on Kashyyyk.
How could the original Starkiller have forgotten them? How could pain and hate and anger block them from his memory so completely? He couldn't believe that a six year old boy could not remember he had once been loved and cared for.
At least, now, he could say that he knew of his parents. At least he could say that he admired them for the way they had chosen to live. They had abandoned the Order to lead happy lives with one another and they had died defending their beliefs.
Still, a part of him did not feel worthy to hear those stories. After all, he was not the son that Mallie had carried and birthed. That son had died…and had died for something he had believed in. He, on the other hand, had been grown in a vat, choking on fluid as took his first breath: a fully-grown killer, bred for no other reason than to wreak destruction. He had never been the soft, happy child they had been so proud of.
Neither did he share in their original son's beliefs.
He would die to protect Juno, yes, but he didn't really believe in the Rebellion. Not in the way the original had, anyway. Yes, he agreed with its morals and shared its wants and desires. It was just…he wasn't sure if it could ever be accomplished. He wasn't sure if anyone could truly make a difference. He wasn't sure whether his heart was in it anymore.
He tried to keep himself from dwelling too much on it, but the problem there was that if he wasn't worrying about that he was worrying aboutJuno. He wondered whether he would feel if something was wrong, just as his father, Kento, had felt the death of his best friend all that time ago.
Would he know if she was in trouble? Would he be able to sense anything past the dark fog of Vader's presence?
Luckily for him, he would not find out the answer to that question. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a starship coming into land and looking up, he froze on the spot.
They were back!
His heart leapt into his throat and in seconds he had left the barracks behind and was tearing down the corridor towards the landing pad. He was cast a few odd looks as he went, reminding him to pull the brim of his cap down a little lower over his face. But odd looks or not, he did not slow.
The day was exceptionally bright and as he swerved out under the full, unrestrained sunshine he had to pause to shield his eyes against the sky.
The sight of the silhouetted ship coming down to land was a spectacle that he was sure he'd remember forever; touched by sunlight and set against a backdrop of endless blue. Its angular facets distinctly predatory as it came to land, touching down gently a moment later. The roar of the engines mellowed to a pleasant rumble that trembled through the ship's chassis and after a prolonged moment the loading ramp lowered.
He stepped forwards, desperate to see her, only to stop again at the sound of a raised voice. Catching himself, he turned his forward momentum into a side-step that had him concealed by another ship. And just in time, too. A second later and three of Kota's men – accompanied by Garm Bel Iblis – arrived on the scene to welcome back the weary adventurers.
Cursing, Galen drew back a little further, glaring bitterly at the group who would get to celebrate their safe return openly. Feeling a cold stab of jealousy in his chest, he leaned back against the neighboring ship and watched from beneath the faded orange cap as Kota stepped out of the Rogue Shadow.
The Jedi greeted the Senator and Galen watched as the two men conversed, their words muffled by the steady drone of the Rogue Shadow's engines. A second later and they cut out to silence, allowing Galen to partially overhear the conversation.
"…as it could have." Kota was saying. He held out his hand and the sun turned the datacard to shining silver.
"This is it?"
"Everything we could gain."
"Then we'd better get this back. Will you join me?"
Kota half-turned, then, with a nod, held up a hand. "Give me a moment." He started back for the ship and Galen lifted his head; expectant.
That was when he saw her. Her shoulders were a little slumped as she descended and her hair was no longer neatly brushed into a ponytail, but otherwise she was in one piece. Relief rushed through him.
Kota moved in close to speak with her. His voice was too quiet to hear, but she nodded and watched as the old Jedi moved back to join with Garm. Only then did she look across at him, clearly having been told he was there.
Their eyes met and they stood, frozen like that until Kota and Garm were out of sight. And, in the moment when the doors closed behind them, he jerked into motion, closing the gap between them and pulling her up into his arms. Her body melded against his and in that moment everything was perfect.
With a hand cupping her face, he guided her mouth to his and sealed the moment with a needy kiss.
Kota stood in a room with Garm Bel Iblis and the holograms of Bail Organa, Leia Organa and Mon Mothma.
"We'll need time to review the data." Mon Mothma replied.
"Time we don't currently have." Garm all but growled.
"We cannot rush into this uninformed, Garm." The woman snapped. "We do not have the resources to waste on fruitless escapades."
"And yet, time is of the essence, my friends." Bail interjected.
"Then we need to decide who is best for deciphering the data we have." Mon Mothma continued. "I suggest you leave it with me."
"I object." Garm replied, more heatedly.
"The more time spent arguing, the more time we waste." Bail added. "Sending the data to Mon Mothma risks it being discovered by untrustworthy eyes. I say it stays with Garm and Kota. They have men they can trust to help them work on it."
Garm nodded, looking more at ease.
"Very well." Mon Mothma replied slowly. "It is agreed, then."
"We'll look through the data." Kota interrupted. "And quickly." Even he – a man of action – could see sense in being well-informed before making an attempt such as this. The last thing they needed was to attack the wrong ship or end up chasing after a lost cause. "They knew we were there at Votrad but it will take them time to uncover what exactly we took from them. I imagine they held quite a lot of important data there."
The Senators nodded and the meeting came to an end shortly afterward.
Kota followed Garm out of the room.
"All it will take is for us to look through and pinpoint important data. It won't take long. Unfortunately, I am not a droid. I need some rest before I'll be of any use to you. My colleague, Fell Sheen, will aid you in my absence."
Garm nodded, silently.
"What's the news with Vader?" Kota continued, knowing that Garm would expect the question.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." He gave a bitter smile. "Can't say that I'm surprised."
"How long will you give him to speak?"
The other man shook his head. "As long as it takes to get some answers."
The muscles in Kota's jaw tightened and he said nothing more. They reached an intersection in the corridor and the Jedi dismissed himself. "You know where to find me."
"I do. And thanks again, Kota."
"Are you just going to stand there, or…?" She let the question hang, glancing down at him from over a shoulder. He was still dressed in the dowdy overalls, one hand on the ladder she was perched on.
"What? I'm holding the ladder for you."
"It doesn't need holding." She pointed out, shaking the metal construct to make a point.
"Alright, alright, hang on." Casting a wary look around, he reached out with the Force, allowing it to slide across the hull, seeking blemishes and filling them with energy. He manoeuvred the dented panels back into shape; something that took considerable concentration or otherwise risk even more damage to the ship's structure.
As he worked, Juno busied herself with the welder, fixing the new patches firmly into place. The shower of sparks crackled against metal; dulled against the photosensitive visor pulled down over her face.
"This poor ship. She's been through a lot."
"Hmm." He sounded distracted.
She laughed, shaking her head in amusement. She'd never get anything intelligent out of him whilst he was concentrating on his task.
Dropping down from the ladder, she set the welder down and stretched, lifting the visor to admire her handiwork. There was something incredibly satisfying about working on a ship, to see as its design was improved upon and evolved over time. The Rogue Shadow had always been an incredible ship, but it had certainly come a long way from when she had first taken over the reins.
Beside her, Galen took a small step back, lowering his hand.
Juno, smiling, gave him a nudge with her elbow. "Not bad."
"I think you'll find it's as good as new."
"I'll let you know if it passes the inspection." She teased, moving back to retrieve the discarded welder. He caught her in the crook of her elbow and used her forward momentum to spin her back into his arms.
He reached up to caress her cheek, noting the dull fatigue that veiled the colour of her eyes. He would have moved forward to kiss her, if she had not prevented it; drawing the clear visor back over her face.
"Nah uh." She chided gently. "Not here. Secret, remember?"
"You are such a tease." He replied in a low voice.
"Do cut it out, you two." Kota's gruff voice interrupted them and they leapt apart like scolded teenagers. "If you're trying to be subtle, I can tell you now: you're failing miserably. Even a blind man can tell."
"Well…you're not exactly blind, are you, Kota?" Juno replied, deciding quickly that it was probably a good idea to divert the conversation. "Any news on the data, yet?"
"Not enough." Kota was getting impatient again, though with good reason. It had been two days since they'd returned from their recon mission and still nothing. "I'm expecting something to come through at any moment."
"It can't be much longer." Juno reasoned. "In any case, the Rogue Shadow is ready to go whenever time calls for it.
He gave a grunt of acknowledgment.
"There's someone coming now." Galen pointed out, doing his best to look inconspicuous.
Kota turned and leaped to his feet. "Any news, Fell? Please tell me there's news."
"There is, sir. Senator Garm Bel Iblis is asking to speak with you at once." Fell Sheen blinked across at Juno. "He'll be wanting you to leave at once, I expect."
Juno nodded.
"Captain, we'll patch you through to the conference room from the Rogue Shadow if that's okay?" Fell continued, glancing across at Galen and giving him a respectful nod. She was one of the few who were aware of his existence. One of the few who had witnessed what he had done on Kamino.
"Makes sense. I'll get straight to it." She snapped into action, moving into the ship.
Galen waited just long enough for Kota and Fell to be out of sight before following up the loading ramp and round into the cockpit. By the time he arrived, she had already set PROXY onto aiding her in preparations for a swift takeoff.
"You're coming with us, this time, right?" She asked without looking up.
"I, uh, guess so." His heart clenched at the thought of being separated from her again and, without thinking, wrapped his arms about her waist, pulling her back flush against his chest. Her body tensed briefly and then sank gratefully into his embrace.
"I think we'll need you. Destroying ships is your forte if I remember correctly."
"One of many." He replied, squeezing her around the middle.
She laughed, swatting at him lightly as she moved to respond to the incoming link.
Playfully, he dipped his head, placing feather-light kisses against the side of her neck. She wriggled in his grasp to deter him. She impressed him when she answered the link with a clear, strong voice.
"Captain Eclipse."
"Welcome, Captain." Came the slightly distorted voice of Garm over the speaker. "I'll try to keep this as brief as possible. We're all aware of the time wasted so far and no doubt you're both eager to set off. General Kota tells me that your ship is ready to fly?"
"On the order, Senator." Juno confirmed, leaning sideways to escape Galen's incessant teasing.
"We've managed to whittle through the information to two possible locations." There was a pause and Juno assumed he must have brought up an image via a holomap. The pause gave her a chance to wrestle free from Galen's embrace in which she firmly pointed at him and then the co-pilot's chair in a silent order.
Rolling his eyes, he did as he was told.
"The ship was last ordered to fly within the Corellian Sector, masked for cargo only. We've managed to find the most accurate schematic of this ship, which will show you exactly what we've got on our hands. All the relevant data has already been encrypted on the datacard. It includes the full schematic and details of weaponry. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell us how many people are currently stationed on board. As it's still an incomplete ship, I'd hazard a guess at little more than a skeleton crew."
"That doesn't narrow it down much. Is the Corellian Sector as accurate a destination as you could find, Senator?" Juno asked, accessing the navi-comp.
"No. We have two destinations within the Sector, though unfortunately they are far from accurate. Our first and most likely is Selonia. The second, Drall. I've already arranged for you to meet with Commodore Viedas aboard his ship. He'll be arranging a second team to travel to Drall. Communication between you and the Drall team will be essential and you'll have to be prepared to move in to aid the other once the ship has been located."
"And the ship itself?" Kota asked.
"If you can commandeer it, the Alliance would certainly not turn it away." Garm replied. "But, if this does not become a viable option, it will need to be destroyed. When complete, this ship could pose great threat to us. We cannot give it that chance."
"Understood."
"I'll leave you in charge of the datacard, General."
"I'll make the preparations. We can be away within the hour."
"The quicker the better, Captain."
"Eclipse out." She severed the link and began plugging co-ordinates. "How are things going at your end, PROXY?"
"Very well, Captain. The ship is fully functioning."
"I need you to run a check on the weapons systems for me. Let me know when the results come through."
"Expecting trouble?" The droid asked.
"Hopefully not, but I'd rather be prepared." She turned to check on Galen and was not surprised to see him still sitting in the co-pilot chair, staring out through the viewport, lost in thought. She drew in a short, worried breath and paused her work to check on him. He jumped at her touch on his arm and, without warning, she leaned down to kiss him on the mouth.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." He assured.
"You're not." She replied quietly. "But you will be."
"If it would help, we could spar, Master?"
Galen looked across at the gangly droid and, after a moment's hesitation, nodded. "Actually, I think that would be good idea."
The droid brightened. "Excellent! I will be sure to put up a good fight."
"Wouldn't want you to go easy on me."
"Kota…before you go, can we have a word?" Garm asked quietly.
"I'm listening."
"It's…Vader."
Kota's head tilted, curious and suspicious all at once.
"He…broke his silence."
The old Jedi seemed to bristle at that, his chest and shoulders tightening defensively.
"He told us that his apprentice was back. That he has returned to the Dark Side and is stronger than before."
Kota's silence seemed to concern Garm, but in truth, the Jedi did not know what to say. He had not expected this, though perhaps he should have.
"Kota. Do you know anything of this?" He pressed.
"Lies." The man replied; perhaps too quick to dismiss. "You cannot trust the word of a Sith. Starkiller died defending the Alliance. Don't forget that."
Garm's eyes narrowed. "I remember all too well, General." He was clearly agitated by the Jedi's response. "Go. We've delayed long enough. I'll keep you updated should anything new arise."
"If you would, Senator."
As Kota stalked away he realised, wearily, that bringing the Senators around to accept the miracle that was Starkiller's return would be an incredibly difficult task. He supposed he couldn't blame them but that didn't make it any easier to bear.
At least it was now clear to him that Galen would be coming. It was too soon to show himself and this mission – if successful – could go a long way to proving where his loyalties lay.
Boba Fett stirred impatiently as he watched the clone meditating – if what he was doing could even be called meditation. He was seated, cross-legged on the grass; head bowed, hands on his knees. Yet, despite the peaceful posture he had adopted, the expression on his face was far from it. A muscle in his jaw twitched, teeth gritted. His brow was furrowed; sweat beaded his face. The hands that clasped his knees did not rest there gently, but gripped so hard that the knuckles had whitened. His breathing, too, was ragged and uneven, as if he were in pain.
Perhaps he was in pain.
Boba was slightly concerned that the clone was losing his mind and wondered what the Dark Lord would say if he turned up alone with the news that he'd had to kill his maddened apprentice. It probably wouldn't go down too well.
Fortunately, there was something that Boba prioritised over credits. His life. If things got dangerous – more so than they already were anyway – then he'd call it quits and live to fight another day.
The Apprentice was mumbling now, low and steady under his breath. Boba Fett, instinctively, felt for the blaster at his hip.
Then, suddenly, the voice became audible.
"It's time." The Apprentice was on his feet and turning to face the armored bounty hunter; his yellow eyes strangely luminescent in the fading light.
Boba could guess what the clone was talking about and nodded. "Then stay here. It's time for me to do my job."
"No." The clone snapped. "This is my duty. It is as my Master wills."
Boba's eyes narrowed beneath the visor.
"Ready your ship, Bounty Hunter. This will not take long."
And before he could even argue, the Apprentice was off, tearing across the open landscape with the Force aiding to quicken his step.
A closing note: some of you may not know, but the reference to Kento's holocron comes from my other fic: 'A Glimpse of Light'. The records are also detailed in my one-shot fic: 'There is No Death.'