Brene
From her position on the bridge of the Solidarity, Brene shielded her eyes from the intense light of the collision. Panic swept across the crewmembers, and the Twi'lek tried in vain to find solace among the discord.
"The Stalwart is the last of our escort now," Captain Pott observed as she gripped the armrest of her command chair. "Master Jedis? Any ideas?"
Brene felt her master melding with the Force, allowing himself calm when all around him was in disarray. She emulated as best she could, however the only thing she found in her mind was the screams of the Morning Rises crew as she rammed into the side of the Madalorian battleship.
"The dark side of the Force shrouds this planet," Master Taan said. "We must be cautious. My padawan and I must make it to the surface. There I will find Oma and, with any luck, some answers."
"Captain," Brene asked, "why are there Republic ships in this system? I thought we were to be the only ones?"
The point defense cannons of the Solidarity locked on to a small Mandalorian fighter and sent it hurtling towards the planet. In front of them, Admiral Nonconna and the Stalwart were clearing a path of fire and metal towards the planet.
"So I was told," she replied. Brene sensed the fear in her words. She felt the guilt and the anger in the Captain's mind mixing together like a violent storm. "Before we rendezvoused with the Admiral, I was informed that Supreme Commander Revan had taken charge of this mission."
The name broke Taan out of his trance. "And you think it is Revan who is responsible for the Republic Fleet?"
"It's my best guess, Master Jedi." She stood from her chair and consulted the tactical map. "Our best estimates put the Republic strength at nearly twenty cruisers and recommended deployment frigate escorts as per standard procedure for a fleet this size. Not to mention the Trigonas ships in orbit as well."
"And the Mandalorians?" Brene threw her words to the Captain's ears with the Force in an attempt to pry anything she might be holding back.
"A fleet and a half." She switched the readout of the map to a conjecture loop. "Assuming the presence of the Republic and Trigonas fleets, the Mandalorians would have jumped from here." The map gave a galactic view of the sector. Pott pointed to a small planet near the edge of Trigonas space, on the border with the Mandalorians. "Just past Suul Trigona."
"Master, that's where General Surik's force was stationed, right?"
The Whiphid gave a low growl in assent. He walked towards the map and studied it intently, taking the control away from Pott. "Correct, little tusk. Accordinf to the Council, Surik's last coordinates were just past Suul, like you said."
"Commander Revan said that she was there on a hunch of his. Her entire fleet was destroyed, but she was able to repel the initial force."
"For all the good it's done us," Brene muttered.
"Captain, how well would you say you know Commander Revan?" Taan asked.
"Honestly, I've only just met him."
Taan nodded. "And your impression of him?"
The Solidarity shook as she moved to keep pace with the Stlawart as it maneuvered around an empty, floating C of a Trigonas battleship.
"He seems arrogant, headstrong, and lacking in any desire to go through proper channels." She touched her hand to her face and wiped away a strand of slick hair. "But he sounds like he knows what he's doing, and that's more than I can say about any of us, Master Jedi."
Taan smiled and scratched at his whispy beard. His heavy eyelids flickered with analysis. "You know exactly what you're doing, Captain; you're ensuring I arrive on that planet with all the limbs I left Dantooine with."
Captain Pott stood and saluted Brene's master. "Yes, Master Jedi, of course. I should focus my attention on the mission at hand."
Brene followed her master towards the back of the bridge where they could speak more freely, the crew absorbed in their duties.
"I've never much liked ships, little tusk. They make an old Jedi like me feel useless."
Brene played with her lekku in childlike instinct. She always found herself touching her head-tails when she was stressed, as far back as she could remember. All she could feel from her master was overwhelming calm. She allowed herself to tap into the wellspring of inner strength that was the Force as channeled by her master, but with every rock and bellow of the ship, she found herself taken farther and farther away from the source.
"What troubles you, padawan?" Master Taan asked. His questions were always simple, though he never wanted the answer most people expected. She wanted to tell him about the screams, about her fear of dying aboard this ship, about the Mandalorians, but she knew in her heart that those did not trouble her, nor was Master Taan interested in the fears they both shared.
"The Republic ships shouldn't be here, master," she said.
He gave her a toothy grin of subdued delight. "Perhaps Revan foresaw this attack and summoned a secondary fleet to bolster the defenses?"
"And not warn us? He may have turned disobeyed the Order, but he's still a Jedi."
"A prudent observation, little tusk," N'Chun remarked. "But what do you know about Revan?"
Brene fidgeted. "Only what I've been told by the masters."
"Perhaps the, you should save your judgment until you meet the man behind the legend." N'Chun began his slow walk back towards Captain Pott. While Brene could feel the battle still raging around her, they had made it past the worst of it. Elegant Trigonas cruisers now escorted them down to the planet. "I feel that you two may meet before this is all over."
Brene delayed a moment and gathered her thoughts. The prospect of meeting such a powerful Jedi as she had been led to believe Revan was almost frightened her. Stories passed among the padawans at mealtime ranged from hero of the Jedi to nefarious traitor. Whoever he was, Brene was glad for the Republic fleet, and she could sense that same gratitude from her master, even if he did not make it apparent. "Yes, of course, Master."
The padawan found her master and Captain Pott talking with the ghostly blue image of Admiral Nonconna. Even as a hologram, Brene could see the toll this short battle was taking on the man. She reached out to the Stalwart and touched the mind of the Admiral and found his thoughts clouded with doubt and anger.
"Captain Pott, you will take your cruiser and hold in the atmosphere and deploy the Jedi to the surface." His voice still held the power of a man in control. "I will remain in orbit and join up with our forces. I've made contact with Admiral Tihne, the man in command of the Republic fleet here. Assuming all goes well on my end, I will reach the bottom of this when I speak more with the man."
"Right away, sir." Pott said. She moved towards her chair and began the preparations for atmospheric entry.
"Do you know this man, Admiral Nonconna?" Master Taan asked. "Can he be trusted?"
"Admiral Tihne is a good an officer as I have ever known and twice the man. He's young for one of his position but the rank is well earned, Master Jedi. I trust him with my life."
"But can you trust him with all of our lives, Admiral?"
"Master—" Brene attempted to interject.
"I see peacetime has not dulled your survival instincts, old friend," Nonconna said. "Admiral Tihne is perhaps one of only a handful of officers in the entire galaxy I would trust my ship to."
The defensiveness of her master faltered. "And would you trust your ship with me?"
"I would, but let's hope it doesn't come to that," Nonconna said. "I remember your flying skills. I doubt your time in the monastery has given you opportunities to improve them."
"Ah, but what are Jedi but masters of improvisation?"
Nonconna allowed himself a small chuckle brought on by old memories. "You worry about improvising with Oma Trigonas, Master Jedi. Let me handle my ship. Nonconna out."
Captain Pott approached the Jedi. "We've entered into the atmosphere, Master Jedi. Shall I prep your shuttle?"
"Yes, Captain, at once."
She gave a curt bow and made the arrangements. Brene tugged on her master's cloak. "Are you really not a good pilot? You never told me that?"
He smiled. His tusks glinted in the light of the bridge. "Let's just say that you should pilot the shuttle, little tusk."