Chapter 12
Solstice giggled at Lebeau as he sang 'Happy Birthday' in his native language. From all the heckling the man got, and from all the other very out of tune singing, she was surprised that guards hadn't come to see if the prisoners were torturing a poor animal or something. There was still a bit of cake left. Solstice was tempted to have it, but she could barely move an inch. Most of the men were like vultures after Lebeau cut the cake. But Hogan had everyone allow her to get the first slice.
The cake was very soft and velvety and the icing practically melting in her mouth. And since the short Frenchman had to basically sell his soul to the devil to get the ingredients, Solstice was very thankful for Lebeau and his cooking skills.
"And now, a special presentation to our very own birthday girl of Stalag 13." Carter announced. Newkirk was behind him, the RAF pilot's hand behind his back. Solstice raised an eyebrow as she crossed her legs and leaned forward in the chair (which the men basically forced her to sit in during the performances). Barracks 2 became alive with celebration, almost in an over the top way. She was amazed at the lengths these men went through just to help her celebrate her birthday, even though the bounty hunter only knew these men for a couple of months. Everything was just like a party she would have when she was little. The streamers, the banner, the party hats and silly games, it was amazing.
Solstice made a mental note to thank Colonel Hogan for the party, Lebeau for the cake and the rest for all the laughs.
"Fo' you, mademoiselle." Newkirk stated with an overexaggerated mockery of Lebeau's accent. He handed her a flower, which she gently plucked from his fingers. It was fake, but she made a big deal of sniff it and being taken in by its 'aroma'. "An' now, for me next trick, pick a card, lass."
The bounty hunter bit her lip as she examined the cards offered by the 'magician'. Slowly, the woman pulled a card from the deck and examined it. Queen of Hearts. Solstice examined it with a smirk. Newkirk folded the deck back and started to shuffle.
"Now, memorize tha' card for me, love." Newkirk ordered as she did so. "And make sure to keep it hidden. Don't show anybody."
Solstice couldn't help but feel excitement bubble up in her chest. Card tricks were a simple thing to learn but it all required timing. Something told the former Jedi that this man in front of her all but mastered the card tricks. She watched as Newkirk did fancy shuffling with the cards. Ezra seemed hooked on the shuffling, as his electric blue eyes were watch closely as if he hoped to mimic it when he got back home.
That would be nice, Solstice thought with a small smile. Maybe lift the spirits of the rebels when they had a bad defeat.
"Alright, now…for the reveal." Newkirk stated dramatically. "You still got your card?"
Solstice held it up, the back side facing him. He smiled.
"Okay, Sol. Is this your card?" Newkirk held up a Queen of Hearts card. Solstice flipped her card over, revealing the same type of card. The entire barracks erupted in cheers and laughs. Hogan tried to get everyone to calm down but it wasn't enough. A moment later, an angry looking Schultz barged into the barracks. His beady eyes took in all the merrymaking, which suddenly halted when the door burst open.
"Wat is los?" the fat guard demanded angrily. Many of the men tried to hide evidence of the party by shoving their hats and pieces of cake behind their backs. But they couldn't really hide the streamers strewn all over the bunks and floors, the banner that hung crookedly, very few uneaten pieces of cake, nor could they hide the fact that Solstice was wearing a bedsheet like a sash and it had 'birthday queen' stitched across it.
Solstice hoped that the barrack's guard wouldn't throw all of them in front of the firing line on the account of her. So, she tried to come up with an excuse. Luckily (and thankfully), Hogan swooped in before she could even open her mouth.
"Have a piece of cake Schultz!"
"Colonel Hogan, please!" the guard sputtered. It was obvious that he was trying to avoid looking at the cake.
"Oh, come on Schultz!" Hogan insisted. He circled the leftover pieces underneath the guard's nose. Solstice, and every other prisoner, watched as Schultz's resolve crumbled. Finally, the guard picked up a large chunk of cake and started to eat it slowly, seemingly reveling in the fact that something that good could touch his lips.
"So, why the party?" He asked while munching on his pieces.
"It's Solstice's birthday." Carter answered honestly. He gestured to the still frozen brunette woman, who was blinking owlishly. This sight was still confusing.
"Oh! Happy birthday, my dear!" The man greeted. "I wish I had something to give you but I'm afraid-"
Solstice cut him off with a wave. "It's fine. Honestly. Your wishes are good enough."
"How old are you, fraulien?"
"As of today, I'm twenty-six." Solstice stated proudly. In all honesty, she wasn't expecting to make it this far. Thirty is another milestone for her. That, and living another sunrise is on her list of things to celebrate.
"I will leave you to finish the celebrations. But please keep it down. I don't want to get in trouble with the Kommadant."
Solstice and Hogan both gave the guard a mischievous wink. "I wouldn't dream of it, Schultz." Solstice slyly promised. Schultz just grumbled as he made his way out of the barracks. The revelry continued as soon as the door was shut, though this time, it was much more restrained and quiet. Solstice, full of cake and tired from the games, sighed in content as she watched Ezra regale the men from Barracks Two with tales of his home and adventures. They all sat enraptured by the young boy.
Long ago, right after the massacre, Solstice had a hope that when the Empire was destroyed and the Jedi rebuilt, she would be able to pass her wisdom onto the new generation of Jedi. But that part of her life was over, that part of her naivety destroyed. Solstice was content with being a bounty hunter until she died. Was she going to help fight in the Rebellion, to help restore the Republic?
Maybe she was destined to be here, on Earth with Hogan and his men. The Force was always trying to speak to her, but only recently had she started to listen again. Now she was at a crossroads, something she always hated. She could say goodbye to Hogan's men and leave with Kanan, Ezra and Rex to continue the fight from fifteen years ago, and finally end it. But she would have her abilities out in the open and would be constantly targeted by the Empire. But she could also stay with here. Together, Hogan's crew and her could so much damage to the German army. Besides, she was curious about this little world. Enough so that the young woman could spend the rest of her lifetime researching this place.
Kanan leaned up against the table, eyeing his Padawan with a smirk. "He's got them raptured."
"I'll say. How much of these stories are true?"
"Not one bit." Kanan answered.
"And so there we were, our backs against the wall, fire all around us." Ezra said in a dramatic tone. "We were low on ammo, and we were outnumbered a thousand to one. So, what did I do? I used the Force and brought down an entire Imperial Star Destroyer right from orbit on top of the entire platoon."
The guys chuckled at the kid's tale, obviously not believing in the tale.
"Okay, everyone! Presents time!" Hogan announced. Solstice decided that it was time to draw the line there.
"Nope, nope! I won't except any presents from you. That's just too much!" The brunette bounty hunter blinked. "Where did you even get presents from anyway?"
"They're our Red Cross packages." Carter answered.
Solstice sighed. "I can't take that from you! You guys have waited too long for those."
"But we all chipped in." Hogan said. "Even Helga gave you something."
The bounty hunter bit her lip, hesitating. These men gave up their rations from the Red Cross to give her a real birthday. Finally, she gave up and allowed them to hand their presents forward. Solstice slowly opened them one by one. Most of the gifts were small chocolate bars, but there were a few other knickknacks. A couple of small books, a deck of playing cards and what she assumed was pack of death sticks, which she gave back to Newkirk. Helga gave her a flower hair clip. Solstice happily placed it in her hair, a small smile on her face. She sent a wink over at Carter, who blushed furiously.
After that, the party started to wind down. The prisoners started to clean up the mess made and that included the streamers. Solstice helped take down the banner. They decided it would be best used in case they became low on firewood. It was around night rollcall when they finally finished cleaning the barracks. The brunette sighed as they all walked out just in time for the guards to order roll call. The men all lined up in their respective lines. Most of the men returned to their seriousness, as did Solstice. Her eyes drifted to Doctor Serth, who was standing on the porch of the guest barracks. She nodded to the good doctor when he caught her eye. A small smile appeared on his face, his eyes lighting up happily.
Roll call was pretty standard. Solstice was tired, ready to sleep. But she had one more part of the mission to complete. After roll call was finished, she ordered Kanan to get in contact with Bonga, and the three of them prepare to leave. They would make a break for the Twilight an hour after lights out. It would give Solstice some time to think of a plan to get Doctor Serth out of the hands of the Germans. A plan came to mind, something that would put the entire Stalag at risk, but if it cleared with Colonel Hogan, then it just might work.
Solstice spent the hour meditating. She centered herself, calmed her heart rate, and quieted her mind. Deep, slow breathes filled the barracks. The Force responded in kind. It swirled around her, pushing and pulling like an ocean. And she was the island. Together, the Force and Solstice were symbiotic. She fed her energy into the Force, while it gave her power. They were one and the same. A knock at the trapdoor pulled the woman out of her meditative state. She opened the door, smiling when Carter's face met her.
"Hey." He greeted. Solstice helped him up, and when she managed to pull him up onto his feet, she gave him a quick peck on the lips. There was a blush that formed on her face as she turned around quickly. She picked up her lightsaber while Carter fumbled over his words.
"So…so, what's the p-plan?"
"We're going to set fire to the guest barracks with Doctor Serth in it." Solstice explained while she hooked her blaster and lightsaber to her belt. She giggled at the sight of Carter's shocked face. "What?"
"Did you hear yourself just now?" Carter asked again.
"Yeah." Solstice blinked. "What about it?"
"Come on." He grabbed her hand and drug her to the underground meeting room. Hogan, his men, Kanan, Ezra, Rex and Bellatrix Serth were all waiting there. Kinchloe and Newkirk were keeping Bellatrix laughing with tricks and funny voices. She seemed to especially loved the ones making fun of the German leader, Hitler, if Solstice remembered correctly. "I think Solstice has finally lost it."
"Why?" Hogan asked. Solstice rolled her eyes.
"All I did was suggest a plan." She defended.
"And what's your plan, exactly?" Kanan asked.
"We burn down the guest barracks, make it look like it was an accident caused by faulty wiring, or maybe a lit cigarette." Solstice explained. It was a little more detailed than what she told Carter, but it seemed to get Hogan thinking. "Do you still have those frozen chickens, Lebeau?"
"Oui. But why would you need those?"
"Those will be Doctor Serth." She explained. "We put those chickens in a Gestapo uniform, douse the barracks in some kind of starter, and light the puppy up. When the Germans finally put the fire out, they'll find that Doctor Kandar Serth accidentally set himself on fire."
Hogan and his men were quiet, as they probably were weighing out the pros and cons of the plan. Bellatrix, all too unaware of the situation involving her father, laughed as she placed herself on the floor to bounce a ball. She was enraptured with the ball. Solstice followed the young girl with her eyes, a small smile on her face. Oh, how she wanted to have kids! While it was a part of the Jedi Code to not form attachments, Solstice found herself wanting to have a family even when she was a young child. When the Order fell, and she became a bounty hunter, that dream became more and more of a fantasy. Being on the run, trying to fill her stomach, living day to day….it wasn't a life she wanted to give a child. But now, with peace for her being so close…
Solstice glanced over at Carter, who was still talking with Hogan and the others. Bellatrix was tugging on his pants leg, so he knelt down and picked up the young girl up, which incited a squeal and a giggle. A small smile appeared on her face. He would make a fine father. Someday.
"-ounds like a good plan, Sol." The bounty hunter barely caught the end of Hogan's sentence, but she managed to bow her head in acknowledgment. She turned her aquamarine eyes towards Kanan.
"Have you gotten in touch with Bonga?" She asked.
"He's not answering his com." Rex answered instead. The old Clone rubbed his forehead. "It's strange."
"How so?" Kinchloe asked.
"We ordered him to stay hidden but also to keep his com on. There was radio silence but we gave him specific orders to answer if we try to contact him."
Ezra was the next one to speak. "You don't think the Nazis found him, do you?"
Solstice closed her eyes and concentrated. She blocked herself off from the other signatures on the room and expanded the parameters, so to speak. Remembering exactly what Bonga's presence felt like, Solstice bypassed every other living thing and honed in on the Mon Calamari. The bounty hunter found him almost immediately.
"No." she whispered, gaining the attention of the others. "He's still there. From what I can tell, he's safe and in no imminent danger. Maybe the signal got scrambled or something."
"Then let's not wait to put the plan into motion." Hogan ordered. "Kinch, you and Newkirk will stay here and cover us in case Klink decides to pull a surprise rollcall. Carter, you and I will go with Solstice, Kanan, Ezra and Rex."
"How do explain three missing prisoners?" Solstice asked. She blinked suddenly, then gained an evil looking smile on her face.
"What's that face for?" Kanan questioned hesitantly.
"I have another idea."
A moment later, Ezra, Kanan and Solstice were in the Kommadant's office. Hogan was there too, searching for the files on the three of the Rebels to be destroyed. When Hogan finally found their files and had stuffed them in his jacket, Klink walked in. But the three Jedi didn't freeze. Instead, Hogan slammed the door behind Klink.
"Wh-what is this insolence?" Klink demanded.
"You will forget about Ezra, Kanan and Rex." Solstice said, waving a hand in front of the old man. She channeled the Force as much as she dared.
"What are you talking about?"
"You will forget about Ezra, Kanan and Rex." Ezra chanted. He waved his hand in front of the old man, who was still confused about what was going on. But after Ezra, Klink's mind started to crumble. It was all up to Kanan.
"You will forget about Ezra, Kanan and Rex." Kanan ordered, with much more force than Solstice thought necessary. Solstice and Ezra poured on the power as did Kanan. There was very little resolve left in Klink, and that last finally crumbled. The Kommadant of Stalag 13 finally relaxed.
"I will forget about Ezra, Kanan and Rex." He repeated in a monotone voice. The three Jedi let up a little but Solstice kept her Force flow going.
"You will forget about this when we leave."
"I will forget about this when you leave."
"Now, sleep." Solstice ordered. Klink went limp, but Hogan caught him and gently put him in his chair. Hogan glanced at the three of them with wary.
"Glad you're on our side." He muttered.
"Me too," Solstice mumbled. The four of them left Klink's barracks and made their way back to the underground tunnel. They finished the final details of the plan before the leaving team slowly made their way through the vast networks of tunnels towards the guest barracks. Solstice noticed that, compared to the other tunnels, these looked older, at least by several years. She would have to ask about it later. Hogan tapped on the trapdoor that led up top. The away team waited a couple of minutes before it opened. They were blinded for a second but when they managed to clear away the spots, they saw Kandar Serth standing over them, a relieved expression on his face. Before he could open his mouth to say anything, Solstice was giving him orders.
"No time to talk," She said, hauling herself into the room. She shoved the frozen chickens into the very confused looking scientist. "Stuff these into your pants, shirt and jacket. Make it look like it was sleeping on the chair by the furnace. Also, make sure there's a bottle of whiskey and a pack of cigarettes. We want to make this as convincing as possible."
"Seems like you've done this before." Carter commented.
Solstice shrugged. "Most of the time, my targets just wanted to get out and fly under the radar. And the best way to disappear is to make people think you're dead, because come on. Who's going to be searching for a dead person?"
Carter and Hogan glanced at each other with a shrug before they started to pour a starter all over the barracks. Ezra, Kanan and Rex helped the soon-to-be former Nazis scientist get his few things together. Solstice prepared the decoy. When her task was finished, she pulled out the sheets of paper Carter and her managed to grab on their first mission together. The bounty hunter glanced down at the sheets of designs and plans.
Weapons of massive destruction, machines that could turn the tide to any and all wars…. they had to be destroyed. No doubt the Imperials and the Nazis would just turn to or force another scientist to do their bidding, but for now, they were safe. Solstice stuffed the plans into the furnace, right where the epicenter of the fire would be. Once that was finished, she turned to the rest of them. Everyone was finishing up their assignments, with Hogan and Carter pushing the man into the hole where his daughter waited.
Once everyone was down into the tunnel, Solstice lit a match, donated by Newkirk. Her eyes gave one last look at the guest barracks before she tossed it onto the chair where the chicken decoy sat. Instantly, the place was set ablaze, and the fire spread quickly. She shut the tunnel entrance quickly before she followed the rest of the group out. They went by feel of the Force and the memory of the three Rebels. It took them a little bit longer than expected but eventually they made it to where the Twilight was parked. Solstice examined the surrounding area closely, her eyes scanning for anything that could suggest that a trap was waiting for them. She found nothing.
However, there was something troubling about the lack of birds. She grabbed Ezra's shoulder as he made to take a step out of the bush they were hiding behind, shaking her head when he caught her eye. Something wasn't right.
Rex nodded at her silent suggestion. The clone silently shifted on his feet, getting his blaster ready just in case before he slowly took a step out of the shadows. Kandar and his daughter were next, followed by Kanan and Ezra, then Hogan and Carter and Solstice took up the rear. The three Jedi had their weapons at the ready, as the glow and hum of the blade would have attracted attention. The group was almost to the ramp (which was suspiciously lowered) when a shadowy figure appeared.
Shoving the two civilians and the primitives behind them, Solstice tensed, ready for a fight…. only to relax when Bonga came out. She sighed in relief, as did Rex, Kanan and Ezra. Her heart was going a million miles an hour but she tried to calm it in favor of strapping her lightsaber back to her belt and straightening. The bounty hunter smirked happily as she took in the sight of her friend. He looked well enough, a bit spooked but that was to be expected, but overall in good health.
"Bonga! It's good to see you." Solstice greeted happily. She stepped forward, only to backtrack when her friend didn't put his blaster down and trained it on her. Something wasn't right….
"Stand down soldier," Rex ordered a bit tense. "It's us."
Never thought I'd be happy to hear a clone pull rank again, Solstice thought. Almost too hesitantly, the Mon Calamar placed his blaster back into the sheath before his shoulders relaxed. Solstice just couldn't though, as she felt a spike of fear in Doctor Serth. She glanced back behind her and saw the man pull his daughter closer to him, his eyes narrowing in fear. The brunette returned her eyes to the Mon Calamar in front of her. There was something going on here. It was almost as if the good doctor recognized Bonga, but that couldn't be. Kandar was someone who spent his life in the high-class of the Empire, while Bonga spent his time in the lower-middle-class. In the Empire, the two different classes didn't have any contact with each other.
"Sorry about that." Bonga apologized. "Guess I'm a little jumpy. There's been a lot of patrols recently."
"No worries…. son." Hogan assured hesitatingly. It was hilarious to look at Carter's and Hogan's faces when they saw Bonga. It was even more so hilarious as Hogan tried to ascertain the age of Bonga. "The name's Papa Bear. This is one of my cubs."
"Okay…." Bonga was as thoroughly confused as the two humans. He shook his head. "So, you found Doctor Serth. That's good, I guess."
Solstice's suspicions only grew more. The mission she was given to find Doctor Serth was surely highly confidential, and unless Bonga rose through the ranks just by fixing ships, the brunette didn't think him qualified to learn about the mission. Unless….
No. Perhaps, she was just overthinking it. Being a bounty hunter and a Jedi on the run has made her paranoid. There were many ways that Bonga could've learned of the mission. He might've accidentally entered a debriefing or overheard one of the soldiers during mealtime. Ezra might've told him. The boy was still learning the meaning of secrecy in regards to highly classified information. Not everyone was their friend, and not everyone had the good of the Rebellion in mind. But, even though Solstice thought that Bonga was a friend, that didn't mean he was out of the woods just yet. The reaction of Doctor Serth raised her levels of suspicion to where it was bordering dangerous paranoia.
She cocked out her hip, leisurely placing her hand on top of her lightsaber. It was a precautionary and habitual action, one that had Kanan and Ezra on edge. They both learned the hard way what the posture meant when they served together for a mission. It was like how a predator reacted to danger, tensing as if getting ready to pounce and scanning the area, as if assessing the situation.
While to an outsider, it would appear that Solstice was just relaxing and losing a sense of her surroundings. But to those in the Jedi Order who knew her like they knew themselves, she in fact, gaining a better position. From her posture, her enemies opened themselves up, revealed their weak point by way of posture. It was an interesting tactic used by her during the confrontations against the likes of Dooku and Grievous. Not enough to where it ended their lives, but enough so she was able to escape their clutches with her life.
Now, she was in that posture, because of something. She would only slide into that posture when she really believed danger was nearby.
"So," the bounty hunter's tone was light, forcing the slowly-tensing atmosphere to lighten up. "How are we doing on power?"
"Not good." Bonga answered. "The ship's engine has been compromised."
"But it's just been sitting here." Ezra pointed out.
"True, but it's an old ship. It was old during the Clone Wars."
Solstice felt herself wonder. Bonga said that about her ship, even though that it wasn't. It has just been through a lot and seen a lot of action. Suddenly, more and more things didn't make sense. Whenever Solstice brought her ship to any other mechanics, they would be able to fix her ship to the point where she could wait five years before having to and get it fixed again. But whenever she took it to Bonga, whatever he fixed would have to be fixed almost immediately. Her ship was old, but not that old. Solstice spared a glance over at Doctor Serth while Ezra, Kanan, Rex, Carter and Hogan walked forward. Hogan and Carter hung back a little bit, examining the ship with amazement. When the scientist caught her eye, she strolled as casually as she could toward him, a question glinting in her eyes.
"You know him?" She whispered. The bounty hunter tried to seem like she was making sure he had everything he needed to make a break from the Empire and the Nazis. Doctor Serth nodded.
"I know him, not as Bonga though." He whispered back. "He was one of the higher-ups that decided to use my wife and son against me. In that circle, he's known as Mikael Worr."
That was the thing that had the floor drop out from underneath Solstice's feet. Her heart stopped when she heard a grunt of pain. When she turned, she paled at the sight. Ezra had been knocked to his feet, clutching his arm in pain, while Bonga had Carter on his knees, a blaster pointed at the young man's temple. Hogan, Kanan and Rex slowly started to back up, their hand in the air. Ezra did the same, once he managed to stand shakily to his feet. Solstice took a step forward, but Bonga just shook his head.
"Come any closer and your boyfriend won't live to see the next sunrise."
This was not good. At all.