Chapter: 51 The Crossroads
"Promises are still only words."
An ongoing investigation! After a devastating attack on a ceremonial platform, the city of Coruscant remains on high alert. With suspects on the run and another in custody, a race for the truth has ignited. While Padawan Anna Dellian learned of an old friend's imprisonment, her older sister continued her investigation. In an attempt to find more clues, Elsa Dellian and her master Yelena ventured to the office of Coruscant Rose reporter Belle O'Har. She was certainly on to something, because her office quickly came under attack!
The Z-6 rotary blaster cannon...A daunting weapon capable of firing two hundred high-powered lasers over seven-hundred and fifty meters. With spinning barrels and a terrifying rate of fire, the Z-6 was a crucial weapon for clearing out waves of battle droids. But this vicious blaster cannon had found its way out of Republic hands and into the claws of a Zygerrian mercenary. As Jobun unleashed his laser barrage, a portable power generator remained connected to his weapon. Its clunky tubing constantly pumped fresh charges into his Z-6, allowing him to bombard the Coruscant Rose office into oblivion. He grinned demonically as blue muzzle flashes illuminated his feline face. His ears twitched as the overwhelming sound of laserfire became nearly deafening. His partner, Nel, kept their speeder steady so he could level the office.
The window was practically obliterated. The panes and their malfunctioning, automated shades exploded under pressure. Jobun's rapid-fire lasers made their way inside as he swept the Z-6 across. Desks, counters, and shelves were splintered in the attack. Once the lasers reached installed technology, flames began to spark. Computer screens smashed and decorative plants were scorched on impact. Ceiling tiles crumbled under pressure and plummeted through the smoke. One of them cracked against CO-G5's head and the astromech chimed in alarm. With his height being just below the line of fire, he tried to wheel himself to safety.
"Get down!" someone yelled amidst the chaos. A pair of robed arms reached for CO-G5 as a wall crashed beside him. The astromech clunked to the floor as Yelena held him close. "Don't move," she ordered and squinted through the smoke. "Elsa!" she shouted. "Padawan!" With his constant energy input, Jobun never had to pause between laser volleys. Yelena tried to shout over the blasts, but realized her calls were useless. With CO-G5 against her arm, Yelena crawled across the ravaged carpet. Flaming bits of tile and splintered desks fell towards her. A silhouette emerged from the nearby wall and Yelena inched closer. "Elsa?" she beckoned.
As the master approached, she found Belle practically hugging the wall. The reporter had her face pressed against it while lasers split the holoportraits above her. "Miss O'Har!" Yelena exclaimed and tapped her knee.
Belle gasped and snapped out of her shocked state. "Master Jedi," she uttered with trembling lips and widened eyes.
"Stay close. We need to find Elsa." Yelena insisted.
"My research," Belle murmured and observed her decimated computers.
"They can take your files, but don't let them take your life." Yelena intoned. "Now come on!"
Her statement brought a twitching sneer to Belle's face. She scowled at those shooting into her apartment while a blazing desire sparked within. So help me, she thought. I'm going to make them pay for this. If they think for a second that this threat will silence me, they've got another thing coming! Belle furiously followed Yelena while helping to drag CO-G5. As they rounded a downed table, they spotted a pair of limp and turquoise-panted legs.
"Elsa!" Yelena shrieked.
What am I doing, Evara? Elsa asked within.
"You ask me as if you don't know," the Force Wraith replied. "How often people need another to justify their actions."
Please, Elsa begs. Why are you here if you're not going to guide me? You want the Light Side to prevail, yet you've chosen me to be your vessel? I can hardly fight.
"There is more to being a servant of the Force than just combat, young one. It is the willingness to stand up against injustice that is one of your greatest strengths."
So what am I supposed to do when that's not enough? When my enemies are more powerful than I am.
"Elsa," Evara sighed. "You still don't believe in yourself. You can speak up as much as you want, plan as much as you'd like, and grant all the advice you wish. But until you can see your own self worth, you'll always be unsatisfied."
A bizarre set of slurred words echoed through the dark recesses of Elsa's mind. She slowly opened her eyes as the sights and sounds of the attack returned to her. The metallic breastplate of a protocol droid grazed her cheek as she realized who she'd landed on. She slowly peered up to see LM-3R, twitching and flailing as sparks flickered from his head. His photoreceptors strobed and his words were scrambled. "Elsa!" she heard Yelena call over the laserfire.
"I'm here!" the Padawan hollered back. She held LM close and tried to stabilize his body. "The droid's hurt! I need to assess the damage!"
"He can be rebuilt," Yelena said. "You can't!"
"It depends on where he's hit," Elsa said. "Even if LM's rebuilt, the damage may be irreparable." She inched herself further towards his head and cautiously turned it. Elsa's eyes widened at the sight of a scorch mark on his metal cranium. "It's just as I feared. He's taken a hit to his cognitive module." Elsa angrily swatted the ground beside LM. "I wasn't fast enough!"
"Apprentice," Yelena said calmly. Rather than focus on Elsa's safety, she stood by her desires and chose to support them. "Steady yourself. Remain in the present and accept what is. Breathe." Elsa cradled LM's head and slowly took a deep breath. "Good," Yelena said. "Now, what can you do about this situation?"
"I don't know," Elsa worried. The increasing rate of laserfire only heightened her anxiety. "We don't have the parts to stabilize his module. Any future repairs would mean a total mind wipe for LM." Elsa took one look at Belle's tearful expression and found a spark of courage. "I can't let this happen," she asserted.
Yelena furrowed her brows. "But you just said you don't have the parts to-" She gasped when Elsa withdrew and unscrewed her lightsaber. "What are you doing?"
"I'm saving this droid's life by any and all means," Elsa affirmed. "Can you buy me some time?"
Yelena glared at the daunting spray of lasers and gave her apprentice a dutiful nod. "I trust you," the master said more for her own reassurance. She snuck into position while Elsa tended to LM-3R.
"Belle!" Elsa shouted. "I need your help." The reporter crawled her way over with CO-G5 in tow. "Hold him as steady as you can."
"I'm on it," Belle replied. She leaned towards her wounded friend and caressed his plating. "Hold on, LM. You're in good hands." It didn't matter how much of a nag the protocol droid had been at times, for it pained Belle to see him suffering.
What kind of life is one without memories of yourself or those around you? Elsa thought. I can't lose him. She gingerly reached for the scorched electrum plating, but found it too delicate to touch. "The blaster bolt really did a number in there. One wrong move and we'll ruin the cognitive module ourselves." Having been given this information, CO-G5 wheeled over and offered to help. The astromech ejected a pair of thin appendages to help peel back the damaged electrum. "Thank you," Elsa said and focused on disassembling her lightsaber.
Yelena crept towards the window and took a deep breath. She purposely stepped into view and then immediately rolled towards the lounge. Jobun's feline nostrils flared and he swayed his blaster cannon after her. Having drawn his fire, Yelena dove under a couch and braced herself for incoming blasts. A spray of lasers decimated the furniture and sent charred fabric raining down upon her. "Trust your Padawan," Yelena reaffirmed to herself. "Trust her...just trust her. It'll be-" Jobun's blasts severed the couch in two and barely missed Yelena's head. "-fine..."
Elsa tried to quiet her mind betwixt the chaos swirling around her. She focused on the loosening saber hilt in her hands and let its pieces roll across her palms. She tilted the emitter so that the rest of the weapon's concealed components would emerge. Elsa then cautiously removed a set of cycling field energizers and directed them towards LM. The cylindrical, metallic tubing twisted in Elsa's trembling fingers. "Try not to move his head," she ordered Belle.
"He's not budging on my watch," the reporter affirmed. "But can you say the same about those fingers of yours?"
Elsa bit her lip and gently entered LM's cranium. Her heart thundered as she neared the affected area as a surgeon would. She thought back to every lesson she'd learned while studying in the Jedi Technical Division. Masters like Kazdan Paratus had preached the importance of steady hands when dealing with a droid's inner workings. Elsa focused on her path ahead and delicately pried open LM's cognitive module. Sparks spewed and LM sputtered from the moment the panel opened. It took everything for Elsa to keep herself from flinching. The fear of electrocution had her sweating as she slid her field energizers into place. "Come on," she whispered. "Almost-" The energizers clicked against the module and LM's speech clarified.
"By the stars!" he shrieked. "I think I've been shot, madam!"
"It's...possible," Belle remarked. "Just try not to move, okay?"
"He's stable," Elsa said while collecting her remaining lightsaber pieces. "But that fix is only temporary. Those energizers will give out if he doesn't receive proper attention soon."
As the wall nearest to her was ravaged, Yelena realized she was running out of hiding spots. Her heart sank when Jobun ceased fire on her and returned to bombarding the office area. Seeking to draw his fire again, Yelena sparked up her lightsaber and swayed it amidst the darkness. "Hey!" she shouted over the roaring flames.
Jobun's yellow eyes narrowed as he snarled the word, "Jedi." He fired the Z-6 in Yelena's direction and she slid across the lounge. With a frantic spin of her lightsaber, the elder managed to deflect several lasers.
Upon hearing the commotion, Elsa sought to help her master. She rose and impulsively reached for her lightsaber. She huffed disappointedly when she realized it wouldn't power up without field energizers. The lasers proved to be too numerous for Yelena and she was brought to her knees. Jobun smirked and prepared to finish her when he noticed a blur in his peripherals. In that instant, a chunk of Belle's bisected couch came spiraling towards him. It crashed into their speeder and nearly made Nel lose altitude.
"What?" Jobun growled until he saw Elsa with her arms extended. "Another Jedi?" Elsa tried to Force-push the other portion of the couch, but Jobun shot it to pieces. "I don't think so!" he taunted.
"Enough of this," Nel muttered. The Umbaran set the speeder to auto-hover and slid to Jobun's side. "Here you go, Jedi!" he jeered and tossed a cylindrical device. Jobun wanted to stay for the outcome, but police sirens sounded in the distance. The Zygerrian sealed the speeder doors while Nel flew them into the darkness.
Elsa scrambled to find the device until she heard a bizarre beeping amidst the rubble. The cylinder strobed and Elsa immediately identified it as a grenade. "Everyone get clear!" Elsa yelled as the device chimed loudly. By compressing heat from the surrounding flames, the grenade created a powerful vacuum. A dreadful rumbling sounded as Elsa threw her hands forward. Rather than exert an outward blast, a non-lethal wave of energy transitioned into a deafening implosion. Elsa rushed to contain the escaping pressure and could feel the strain on her Force abilities. The thermal imploder's fiery blast swirled within the Padawan's invisible energy field. Her arms and legs trembled while she struggled to contain it.
"Padawan, it's too strong for you!" Yelena warned and used the Force to assist.
"I can...do it!" Elsa grunted. "Get the others...out of here!"
"I'm not leaving you!" Yelena shouted back. "All of that energy has to go somewhere. The moment you let go, it'll come straight for you."
Elsa didn't answer out loud, but her mind was weighing the options. At least everyone else will have survived, she thought. I can do this.
Yelena pursed her lips until a thought crossed her mind. "Just hold on, Padawan. I have an idea, but don't let go yet!" Yelena released her grip and left Elsa to contain the blast on her own. While the apprentice's strength dwindled, Yelena rushed to get Belle and her droids to safety. While CO-G5 and Chip nudged LM from the back, Belle and Yelena tugged him by his arms.
"But what about Elsa?" Belle worried from the doorway.
"Just get clear," Yelena said and planted her feet. "Belle and the droids are out!" she shouted. "Elsa, when I say so...I want you to let go."
"What's your plan?" Elsa responded through gritted teeth. Her wrists ached and twitched as the blast tried to free itself from her powers.
"Now it's your turn to trust me," Yelena intoned and raised her hands. "Ready? Release." Elsa's breaths hastened as she stared into the deadly flames before her. "Elsa!" Yelena nearly scolded. "Let. It. Go!"
With a resigned sigh, Elsa shut her eyes and released her grip on the imploder. As its fiery contents surged towards her, she suddenly felt something pull her back. With a mighty yank of her hands, Yelena reeled Elsa in with the Force. She Force-pulled her Padawan towards the doorway as the flames gave chase. As soon as Elsa landed in Yelena's arms, the master turned to Belle and yelled, "Seal it!"
Belle slammed against the locking mechanism on her vambrace. With the Jedi and her droids clear, Belle was able to quickly seal her officer doors. While the blast was blocked off from reaching them, any relief was short-lived when the implosion rocked the building. The floors cracked beneath and support beams clanged from above. Although it had been temporarily contained, the thermal imploder still managed to annihilate Belle's office. Entire chunks of the upper and lower floors collapsed as well, sending office cubicles and holocomputers plummeting to the city streets. Elsa and Yelena had barely escaped the crumbling floors until CO-G5 fired his tow cable. The Jedi grabbed hold and ascended to meet the others in a safe corner. Emergency service sirens broke the eerie silence while Elsa and Yelena caught their breath.
"You...you saved my life," Elsa panted.
"Of course I did," Yelena muttered while tending to a crick in her back. "I wasn't going to leave you." She raised a pale brow at Elsa's raised knuckles. "Wh-...what is that?"
"It's a fist bump," Elsa explained. "Anna and Mattias do it all the time."
Yelena humored her Padawan with a soft smile and pressed her knuckles to hers. "Like this?" she inquired.
Elsa nodded and said "blueblossoms" before their fists parted. A squad of police cruisers hovered over and secured the perimeter. The rising inferno had Coruscant Rescue Ops inbound and bronze-clad firefighters rushing to help. While the floors were evacuated, a pair of police droids discovered those on the office level. Their amplified photoreceptors doubled as searchlights and swayed across Elsa and Yelena.
"We're over here!" the master called while Elsa found Belle and her droids.
"Is anyone hurt?" one of the GU-series officers computed.
"No major injuries," Yelena assured.
"But we have a badly damaged protocol droid!" Elsa shouted. "He needs serious repairs to his cognitive module." The GUs looked to each other as if unsure how to process the situation. It pained Elsa to see that even the droids of law enforcement were programmed not to value their fellow automatons. Their only priority was to protect and serve organic beings.
"Papa," Belle suggested. "He can help us. He owns a droid shop not too far from here."
"Can you give us an escort?" Elsa asked the police droids and they sturdily nodded.
After carefully lifting LM-3R into their Jedi airspeeder, the group raced off towards Maurice's droid shop. Flanking police cruisers helped them bypass clusters of skylane traffic. Despite the sudden calmness, Elsa was still gripped by paranoia. She observed every dark alley and shadowy balcony, never knowing where the 'Coruscant Killers' were hiding.
"This is it!" Belle alerted. "On the right just up ahead."
Yelena powered the airspeeder down for a hasty descent. Rain started pattering against the windshield as they hurriedly disembarked. The red and blue flashes of police lights drew Maurice away from his workbench. His tired eyes blinked rapidly as he unstrapped his crafting goggles. "What the?" the old man uttered. "Belle?" he whispered upon seeing her silhouette in the window. He ran to open the door and she immediately fell into his embrace. "What happened?"
"It's LM, Papa." Belle answered. "He needs your help."
Within seconds, Elsa and Yelena barged in with the protocol droid in their arms. "He's suffered severe damage to his cognitive module," the Padawan said. "I was able to stabilize it with cycling field energizers from my lightsaber, but it won't keep his data-brain safe for long." Yelena and Belle exchanged a puzzled look as if Elsa was speaking a different language. Maurice, on the other hand, understood her entirely.
"Bring him to my bench," he said. Maurice quickly swept whatever he was working on to the floor and cleared room for LM. They set the droid down while his maker rummaged through an elaborate tool kit. "Cycling field energizers," he marveled. "Quick thinking, young Jedi. You may have saved any hope of LM's memory. I'll take it from here."
Elsa felt like she could finally, truly breathe. She plopped into the nearest chair and watched Maurice masterfully go to work. His old hands were as steady as could be while he tinkered away. With his tongue sticking out and eyes narrowed, Maurice was in the zone. He drilled, screwed, and reconnected while Elsa took a walk. She approached the rain-ridden window and drifted into her own thoughts.
"You see?" Evara said.
See what? Elsa replied.
"You believed in yourself and look at what you accomplished. No lightsaber dueling required."
Evara, I-
"Padawan," Yelena called and broke Elsa's concentration. "Are you alright?"
"Um...yeah," she muttered.
Yelena shot her a glare. "You know that doesn't really work when we can sense each other's emotions, right? Elsa, I want you to feel comfortable talking to me. What's going on?"
The Padawan tugged at her braid. "We never actually got a chance to talk about what happened on Rhen Var."
"When you passed out?" Yelena queried.
"It was more than that," Elsa said. "I spoke to something. Someone. And I still do." Yelena's suspicious expression had Elsa's heart racing. "I promise she isn't evil."
"She?" Yelena asked.
"Evara," Elsa told her. "She called herself a 'Force Wraith' and has been coming to me since that first vision of the tower."
"Okay," Yelena concurred. "And what does she...want?"
"To guide me, I think. She says she acts at the behest of the Light Side and that she's chosen me as her ally. Her vessel."
"Does she ever ask you to do...questionable things?" Yelena asked.
"Never," Elsa assured. "She's only ever been encouraging...in her own cryptic ways. Much like you."
Yelena scoffed. "Like me? I'm not cryptic!" Elsa's glower and raised brow said otherwise. "Okay, well I'm trying to be better. I want you trust me, at least more than you do some Force Wraith. I've never even heard of such a thing."
"Are you...jealous of Evara?" Elsa teased.
"What? No!" Yelena blurted. "That's positively preposterous."
Their conversation was cut short by a sudden screech from the workbench. Maurice cheered as LM-3R bolted upright. "By the stars!" the droid exclaimed. "We're under attack!"
"Easy, LM." Belle said and pulled him into an embrace. "You're safe here. We're in Papa's workshop."
LM shook his head and processed his current surroundings. "Ah yes. The workshop. Goodness gracious. Belle, what was that madness about?"
"I'm just glad you're alright," Belle said. "You did it, Papa."
Maurice wiped the sweat from his bushy brows. "That was too close," he huffed and returned the energizers to Elsa. "I believe these are yours, my dear."
"How'd you recalibrate his data-brain so quickly?" Elsa asked while reassembling her lightsaber.
"I'm so happy you asked," Maurice replied. The old tinkerer smirked and gestured to a blocky contraption. "Say hello to my latest invention." Unsure whether the device was sentient or not, Elsa literally waved at it. "I call it the Data-Crunch 3000. This super-intelligent and portable computer can interpret and randomize any data. By connecting it to LM-3R's damaged cognitive module, I was able to find the best substitutions for missing code."
"Fascinating," Elsa uttered.
"Oh yes. Quite brilliant," Yelena responded in an effort to impress her Padawan.
"Speaking of coding," Belle mentioned. "Perhaps there's something you can help us with."
"Anything for you, dear," her father responded. Before Belle could continue, she took one look into his innocent eyes and stopped herself. "What's wrong?" the elder worried.
"You might be able to help us-" Belle admitted. "-but I don't want to put you at risk. Papa, tonight we were attacked by 'The Coruscant Killers'." He gasped as she continued. "We were lucky to have had the Jedi to protect us, but those men were undoubtedly tying up loose ends. They know we're on to them and will stop at nothing to silence the truth. They don't care-" Belle's eyes widened as she came to a dreadful realization. "-who they hurt." She scurried to the window and peered out into the downpour. "Jedi," she beckoned. "What do you think the chances are that we were followed here?"
"It's hard to say," Yelena concluded. "We don't know the limits to the resources these killers have at their disposal."
"But if they did follow us-" Elsa added. "-then your father may be at risk."
Belle tugged at her hair and sighed stressfully. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she said while Maurice rubbed her back. "My office is gone and now I can't even guarantee my own father's safety. What am I supposed to do?"
"The Jedi Temple," Elsa proposed and Yelena looked to her. "What if the Order took them in? They could claim sanctuary like Ezzie did."
"From what I was told, your Ezzie friend snuck in," Yelena intoned. "You'd have to get the council's approval for something like this."
"There isn't time," Elsa said as an idea sparked within. "I know! We'll take them to the temple for healing. They're not going to turn down people saved by the Jedi. Once their securely inside, it'll be easier for us to plead our case. At least they'll already be in a place where thousands of Jedi can watch over them!"
"You've certainly gotten bolder, Padawan. I'll give you that." Yelena said. "Unless that's Evara talking."
Elsa rolled her eyes at the master's comment and Maurice came forth. "I'll go to the temple with Belle and the droids on one condition. My Data-Crunch 3000 is coming too!"
Yelena facepalmed and groaned, "It's going to be a long night."
The Jedi Temple's Halls of Healing were particularly quiet the next morning. While its doctors interpreted a lack of patients as a calming start to the day, those who did need healing brought quite a story. Jedi doctor Rig Nema finished patching up Belle's scrapes before moving on to Elsa and Yelena. Master Adi Gallia oversaw the process while listening to their case.
"Coruscant is becoming increasingly dangerous," Elsa said.
"It'll be safer for Belle, Maurice, and their droids if they can stay here to continue the investigation." Yelena added.
Master Gallia raised a skeptical brow and looked into Belle's eyes. "The concept of having one of Coruscant's most tenacious reporters in our temple is...discomforting," she said.
"I promise I wouldn't report on or write any exposés about the Order," Belle said. "I would strictly be focusing on the case regarding the 'Coruscant Killers'."
"You can promise anything you'd like," Gallia retorted. "But whatever you witness within these walls can never be taken away. The Jedi Order has its secrets, many of which have remained safely tucked away from the prying eyes of outsiders. Forget about us trusting you. Can you trust yourself to tame your curiosities while you stay here?" Belle swallowed hard but ultimately nodded. "We'd have to restrict your movements," Gallia considered. "And your camera droid must be powered down. I will speak with the rest of the council on this matter. Until then, you and yours are prohibited from leaving the Halls of Healing."
"Thank you, Master Gallia." Yelena said as the council member departed. "Well that could've gone worse," she told Elsa.
She was about to answer when she noticed Master Plo Koon and Padawan Ahsoka Tano across the way. I wonder who they're visiting, Elsa thought.
In the outer medbay, Anna Dellian waited patiently with Hans Westgard. "So did I hear that correctly?" the knight inquired. "Not only are your sister and her master in the infirmary...but Mace Windu and Anakin kriffing Skywalker are as well?"
"That is correct," Anna swiftly answered while pacing.
"What the hell is happening to everyone?" Hans grumbled.
"From my understanding-" Anna began. "Elsa and Master Yelena were ambushed last night during their investigation. As for Windu and Skywalker, reports say their Venator went down due to sabotage." The medbay doors opened and Anna turned with a smile. "Elsa?" she haplessly called only to frown. Plo and Ahsoka had emerged instead. They nodded to their fellow Jedi until Anna waved. "Ahsoka," she said. "Long time no see. I don't suppose you spotted my sister in there."
Ahsoka shook her head. "I can't say I did. Our visit was brief."
"Is Master Skywalker okay?" Anna checked in.
"He's fine," Ahsoka replied. "But the bounty hunters who attacked him and Master Windu have taken hostages."
"Hostages who are counting on us to rescue them, Little 'Soka." Master Plo said. "Time is of the essence."
"Right," Ahsoka affirmed and quickened her pace. "Sorry, Master Plo."
As the duo departed, Anna was left to ponder over the state of things. With so many people in peril, she thought it best to check on her master in one of the waiting rooms. Hans trailed behind her as she approached Mattias. Her master was still being prepped for surgery and stopped consulting with Dr. Sheparr when he saw his Padawan. "Anna," Mattias welcomed. "Good to see you, apprentice."
"Hey master," she greeted and struggled to smile. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"
"I know," Mattias groaned. "But Dr. Sheparr says he can fix my spinal cybernetic for good this time."
"It's true," Sheparr confirmed. "I'm going to add a frame of flexible, quadanium steel to it. It'll allow him to bend, flip, and better carry out all of the duties of a Jedi Guardian."
"That's...great," Anna sighed and patted her master's shoulder. "I just don't like seeing people I care about in hospital beds. Regardless of the reason."
"I'm sorry." Mattias confessed. "But this surgery will make sure I stay up and at'em!" His rising confidence helped bring a smile to her face. "I trust you'll be alright without me for a bit."
"I'll be...fine," Anna muttered and Mattias knitted his brows.
"Padawan," he intoned. "If there's anything you'd like to tell me before I go into surgery, now is the time."
Anna sighed and dared to trust her master. "It's about...'The Bug'. Her name is Jee."
"And how do you know that?" Mattias asked.
"Because," Anna bit her lip and leaned in close. She brought her voice down to a whisper and said, "She's my friend." Mattias' eyes widened and Anna was quick to calm him. "I mean it. Remember when I disappeared during that mess in Japur City? Jee was there fighting to secure a vaccine. She saved my life."
"But Chaki's lightsaber," Mattias mentioned.
"Jee never had one of her own, but she's as sensitive in the Force as I am...if not more."
"Does that give her a right to steal?" Mattias asked.
"Well...no,"Anna replied. "But she works with what she has! What is she supposed to do with her abilities? Suppress them? She's far too old to be taken into our Order for training. Jee missed her chance, yet she's still trying to better the galaxy."
"As a vigilante," Mattias muttered and Anna rolled her eyes. "Padawan, I-"
"A second chance," Anna blurted and stopped Mattias mid-sentence. "That's what you said you saw in me on that verandah. Well that's what I saw in Jee on Rodia and Malastare. She isn't perfect, master...but she isn't a criminal. Even now she was trying to stop real terrorists. As far as I'm concerned, she's as much of a Jedi as I am."
Mattias paused and took in all of Anna's words. "You truly feel this way about her?" he asked and Anna nodded. "Then just do me one favor." Mattias took Anna's hand and squeezed it tight. "You show this Jee how a Jedi fights for one of their own. You stay true...you stay bold...and you get her out of there. Legally please."
"I will, master." Anna affirmed. "I promised her and I promise you."
"Good," Mattias answered with a grin. "Look at you, Anna Dellian. The bravest of us all. I am so immensely proud of you."
"I'll be seeing you, Master Mattias." Anna said and left him to prep for surgery.
As Anna departed alongside Hans, she caught a glimpse of her sister and Yelena exiting the infirmary. "Sis!" Anna called. "Holy kriff, are you okay?"
"Just a scratch here and there," Elsa responded. "These killers are ruthless."
"And not a single person in this whole city can catch them," Hans griped. "What a joke."
"You're included in that joke," Anna quipped and nudged him.
"The council's looking at granting sanctuary for Belle, Maurice, and their droids." Yelena explained.
"It should work out," Anna assured. "I mean, they were okay with Lumpy staying given his involvement with the case. Although, I think he also has a cute factor going for him."
"Really?" Yelena inquired. "Who's watching Lumpy?"
The Circle of Jedi Healers was genuinely perplexed by the amount of food trays Rapunzel Crin was rolling into her chambers. But the massive buffet was the only way she could keep her new Ortolan patient satisfied. Lumpy munched away at whatever the Jedi Knight hurled at him and repeatedly signed "Thank you" for each new meal.
"Does this temple have enough food for that child?" Yelena asked.
"Imagine how much an adult Ortolan must eat," Hans murmured.
"Elsa," Anna said. "Can I speak with you...alone?"
Though initially perplexed, the eldest Dellian obliged and followed Anna to a window. The morning sunlight bathed their faces in a cleansing glow as they looked to one another. "What's going on?" Elsa asked.
"It's about 'The Bug'. She's innocent and I-"
"Innocent?" Elsa interrupted and Anna already braced for the inevitable. "I'm not one for rumors, but word gets around fast in the temple. I heard about the confiscated lightsaber. Anna, Master Chaki may have been just some other elder to you, but he was my friend. Even more so to Master Yelena."
"I know," Anna sighed. "But that's why we're talking in private. I need your help Elsa. The Bu-...Jee...isn't who she appears to be. She's just trying to do right in this...very wrong galaxy. You have to believe me when I say she's innocent."
"I believe you," Elsa said. "But what do you want me to do?"
Anna winced and cautiously asked, "Can you get her a pardon from that Ethics Committee senator of yours?"
"Senator Veritaz?" Elsa gasped.
"Well I can't get a pardon from the freaking Chancellor," Anna snarked.
"I don't know," Elsa fretted. "Senator Veritaz and I had a bit of a falling out."
"So what?" Anna snapped. "We butt heads sometimes and we're still okay! Think of what's at stake here. Someone is being wrongfully imprisoned! You don't have to have Force empathy to know that's messed up."
Elsa slouched and nervously obliged. "I suppose I can try to talk to-"
"Yes!" Anna cheered. "Thanks, sis! You're the best!"
"Anna," Elsa warned. "I said I'd try."
And I promised Jee I'd get her out of jail, so I'll settle for trying! Anna thought.
Elsa calmed herself, returned to Yelena, and cleared her throat. "Master," she said. "I think it's time to face Senator Veritaz again." Yelena smiled proudly, not knowing of her Padawan's true intentions.
Yelena piloted her speeder towards the Republic Executive Building. Elsa eyed its iconic, broad dome and took a deep breath. "Any advice?" the apprentice asked.
"Be yourself," Yelena said.
Elsa scoffed. "With all due respect, being myself is exactly what got me into this predicament in the first place."
"Yet still, don't compromise." Yelena said much to Elsa's astonishment. "I've learned that there's no taming that brilliant mind of yours, Elsa. That's where your power resides, so use it. Don't give it away with some apology to save face. Stay true to who you are, but approach the situation calmly. If she's open to talking, listen to what she has to say. Accept what you cannot change and stay grounded. But don't let her make you apologize for what you believe in. Okay?"
Elsa smiled faintly and answered, "Okay. May the Force be with you, master."
"And with you, young one."
Elsa disembarked from the safety of their speeder and returned to the cutthroat realm of politics. Her heart rate quickened as each step brought her closer to the upper suites. As she neared Dia's office, she tried to quiet her mind. I swear, Evara. Elsa thought. If your suspicious silence is some kind of test, I'm in no mood. She pressed the pager on the wall-mounted panel and awaited a response. Every second seemed to stretch on forever until the door finally slid open.
A Mirialan's familiar, shy visage had Elsa smiling. "Taline," she greeted.
"Elsa?" the handmaiden uttered. "Wh-...what are you doing here?"
Before the Padawan could respond, Dia's authoritative voice brayed across the room. "Who is it, Taline?" The Mirialan shuddered. "Taline!"
"It's Padawan Dellian, ma'am."
"Oh fantastic," Dia grumbled. "Just what my morning needed. Send her in. Why kriffing not?"
Elsa was puzzled by the senator's belligerent tone. All questions were answered when she noticed several empty bottles on her desk. "Oh no," Elsa spoke under her breath.
Dia swatted the disheveled curls out of her face and looked to Elsa with drowsy eyes. "Well...well...If it isn't the famous Elsa Dellian. Hero of every HoloNews outlet. The poster child. Force user! Saber swinger! Jedi supreme."
"Dia-" Elsa tried to speak.
"Riddle me this, Jedi." Dia mumbled and poured herself another glass. She could barely see straight and most of the azure liquid splattered on her desk. "You ever have a Corellian Twister before?"
"Can't say I have," Elsa cringed while Taline scrubbed the desk.
"Well I've had four," Dia proclaimed. "No...five! And it is with a heavy heart that I report...my job has not gotten any easier."
"Perhaps you should stop drinking," Elsa dared to say.
Dia's cackle transitioned into a snort. Taline gasped when the Corellian nearly fell out of her chair. "You just think you're so pure, don't you? Like you can tell everyone else how to live?"
"I don't think that at all," Elsa replied. "But it is my duty as a Jedi to uphold the values of my Order. The same way you must uphold the values of the Ethics Committee. Something I hardly believe you can do while intoxicated."
Her final comment made Dia's smile vanish. The senator's twitching scowl made Taline shiver and back away. Dia slammed her fist on the desk, rattling datapads and sending discs plummeting. "Do you have any idea how much I have to manage?" Dia snapped. "Subpoenas, investigations, Umbaran civil rights! I have the rest of the Ethics Committee up my rear screaming for results. I do everything for this damn city! But what do I get, huh? I'll tell you what I get." Dia stumbled out of her chair and lunged at Elsa. She gripped the Padawan's shoulders and yelled, "I get a Jedi assistant who walks out on me!"
Although Elsa's heart was pounding, she forced herself to remain calm. She unclenched her fists and slowly exhaled. "Senator," she said calmly yet assertively. "Please let go of me...now." Dia sneered but ultimately obliged. "I never walked out on you and you don't get to flip the narrative," Elsa refuted. "You left me on the street. You may be able to bully senators and officers...but you will not bully a Jedi."
Dia relaxed her shoulders and sunk back against the edge of her desk. "No," she muttered. "Of course not. You Jedi are incorruptible." She clenched her aching head while Elsa observed her.
"What happened to you?" the Padawan asked.
"Coruscant happened, Elsa." Dia laughed to herself and brought her voice down to a murmur. "Coruscant happened. They tell you that you can be anything you want to be in this city, but that's all a lie. It chews you up and spits you out as what they want you to be. You get through by surviving." She eyed her next bottle of alcohol and wearily grasped it. "It doesn't matter how you manage stress behind the scenes. Just put on a pretty face and lock it all away." She was about to chug the bottle when Elsa pushed her arm down.
"I think that's enough," the Padawan said. "How about some water instead?"
"Not for me," Dia groaned. "The buaroshade. Help me up, will you?" Elsa cautiously guided Dia to her violet-leaved, decorative plant. Taline watched as Elsa steadied Dia's hand and helped her water the buaroshade.
Elsa observed the toxic plant and used Dia's own words against her. "Misunderstood. But that doesn't mean it can't still thrive, right?"
"Right," Dia dizzily nodded and took a seat on her couch. "So," she spoke through her drunken stupor. "Let's be honest with ourselves. Why are you really here, Elsa?" The Jedi raised a brow and Dia scoffed. "I'm a politician, darling. I work with professional manipulators. Surely there's must be something you want."
"That obvious, huh?" Elsa sighed. "I need a pardon."
"Elsa?" Dia gasped through her daze. "What the hell did you do?"
"Oh not for me," she corrected. "There's this wrongfully imprisoned bounty hunter. Perhaps you've heard of 'The Bug'."
Dia slapped herself in an attempt to sober up. "They said she had something to do with that platform bombing."
"Only she didn't," Elsa insisted. "More proof and eyewitness statements point towards the 'Coruscant Killers'. In fact, I was attacked by them last night."
Dia pinched the bridge of her nose. "What is this city coming to? I swear, we're living in the end times. At least for Coruscant, anyway. So you want me to pardon this Bug? Does she have a name? Isn't that title offensive to Rodians?"
"My source-" Elsa alluded. "-says her name is Jee."
Dia hummed in deep thought. "Well it'll take convincing my colleagues to pass a pardon through our committee," she said. "I'll schedule a meeting with them this evening. That'll give me plenty of time to sober up."
"Thank you so much," Elsa said.
"Mhm," Dia muttered and rested against the couch. "I'm not looking forward to this hangover."
A Jedi speeder remained parked at the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. Within its heavily secured halls, Anna and Hans awaited their scheduled meeting. "I thought you hated this Rodian," the knight groused.
"It's complicated," Anna defended.
"Too complicated to explain to me?" Hans inquired.
"It's not like that," Anna placated.
"No, I get it. You want to keep secrets from your man."
"Hey!" Anna snapped and pulled him close. "Do you want the whole building to hear you?"
"All I'm saying is that I tell you anything and everything. Why? Because I trust you. Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do, Hans." Anna said and reluctantly decided to confess. "The Bug...Jee isn't the criminal they're making her out to be. It's that Zygerrian and Umbaran that are really behind these attacks. I'm working on getting her pardoned."
"Are you sure she isn't duping you?" Hans considered.
The interrogation room's doors opened and Anna caught a glimpse of Jee. "She's not," the Padawan said.
Anna was about to enter with Hans when his holocom chimed. "You go ahead," Hans insisted. "I'm gonna take this call. I'll...meet you when you're done."
"Okay then," Anna murmured and left Hans alone.
He discreetly activated his holocom and a pale-skinned Twi'lek came into view. "Hey there, honey." she said. "I've missed you."
"Would you stop with that?" Hans groaned. "Do you have any intel for me?"
"Word on the street is that a certain Theelin was seen traveling with a Gran."
"Where were they headed?" Hans asked. The Twi'lek's coy smirk further flustered the knight. "Celenia," he growled.
"That's all you're getting out of me, baby." Celenia teased. "Unless-" She bit her lip and stared him down.
"Unless?" Hans nervously inquired although he knew the answer. "What do you want?"
"Another date, Mr. Jedi." Celenia jested. "You know where to find me. Better hurry up though if you want that intel. My memory's been known to...fade." She winked and blew him a kiss.
Hans angrily ended the call and nervously rubbed his chin. His emerald gaze swayed towards Anna in the interrogation room. A pair of scarlet-armored, clone shock troopers escorted Jee to the seat across from Anna. "Red," the Rodian greeted. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."
"How are you?" Anna asked. "Are they treating you well?"
"Meh," Jee snickered. "Some crappy food here, the occasional inmate threat there. You know...prison life! But you should be proud of me because I haven't thrown a single punch. I might as well be from Iego because I'm such a little angel."
They shared a laugh over her comment. "Just hang in there," Anna said. "At this very moment, I have friends working on getting you that pardon."
"No offense, but how did you get friends in the Senate?" Jee queried.
"Gimme a little more credit," Anna jeered. "After everything you did for me, this is the least I could do. Once you're legally out of here, you'll be able to start fresh in society."
"That does sound pretty stellar. I don't suppose you can get me admittance into the Jedi Order along with that pardon, can you?" Anna's gulp had Jee chortling. "I'm just messing with you, Red. Your promise of a pardon is more than enough. Seriously, thank you."
"Of course," Anna replied. "Just sit tight and we'll have you out before you know it." Anna departed and found a frustrated Hans. "You alright?" she asked.
"For sure," Hans answered.
"Who called you?"
"Um...just my...former master!" Hans said. "Master Gaston was dropping more nonsense on my shoulders. Enough to make me feel like I'm still his Padawan." Every second amidst their awkward silence had Hans' heart thundering. He breathed a sigh of relief when Anna accepted his lie.
"Do all masters nag their students after they become knights?" Anna asked.
Hans snapped himself out of his anxious daze and said, "Pretty much."
The evening sun cast long, triumphant shadows across Coruscant's cityscape. Elsa observed the fiery, sunset-stricken clouds from an elongated window. The gorgeous vista was sullied by the sounds of Dia Veritaz's hungover grumbling. She popped more painkillers and swatted the curls out of her face. "How are you holding up?" Elsa checked in.
"Not so loud," Dia winced and rubbed her temples. "It feels like someone's bashing a hammer into my skull."
"There she is!" a rather radiant voice called. Dia cringed, yet forced herself to appear alright. She put on her best smile as Taline helped her up. The trio was soon met by a corpulent Sullustan and a lanky, elderly human. Each dignitary was accompanied by a personal aide. "Lemme guess," the Sullustan babbled. "Too many Corellian Twisters, am I right?" Dia's stern glare was enough of an answer. The Sullustan's flabby jowls quivered with his widening grin.
"Padawan Dellian," Dia began. "This chatterbox is Senator Detro."
"The pleasure is mine, dear Jedi." Detro said and extended a pudgy hand to her. She took his hand, but nervously retracted it when he tried to kiss it. The Sullustan laughed haughtily while his old colleague introduced himself.
A grey goatee swayed from his thin, time-chiseled face. Contrary to Detro's bulbous, black pupils, this man's were tiny teal orbs. "I am Senator Bertz," he declared.
Detro trudged forward and spoke up. "We're Dia's closest-"
"-and oldest-" Bertz literally added.
"-friends in the Ethics Committee," Detro concluded. "So for her to call us in, it's got to be serious."
"Just what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into?" Bertz wondered.
"Please have a seat," Dia insisted as they filed into the conference room. Detro's Twi'lek aide removed his coat while a young man pulled out Bertz's chair. Once everyone was situated, Elsa watched as their aides stood alongside Taline. The Padawan sat beside Dia as the senator presented her information. "I need to ratify a pardon," she said. Bertz and Detro immediately looked to Elsa. "She's not the guilty one," Dia intoned. "But she's presented information to me regarding someone's innocence. Perhaps you've heard of 'The Bug' from local news outlets. They say she could be responsible for the recent terrorist attack, but Elsa here has evidence to the contrary."
The senator gestured for Elsa to take over. "As someone who was personally attacked by the 'Coruscant Killers'-" the Padawan said. "-I have reason to believe that the Rodian imprisoned is being used as a scapegoat to cover their tracks. While 'The Bug's' past is questionable, she is forging a righteous path. Once pardoned, she may even help us apprehend the real criminals behind the attacks on our city."
Detro and Bertz exchanged pensive glances. "Here's the deal," the Sullustan said. "While your intentions are...good-natured, most of your proposition is based on speculation. 'Reason to believe' and 'May even' aren't key selling points."
"A 'questionable past' on this Bug character doesn't really help either," Bertz added. "The odds are stacked against your claim for pardon, and the Ethics Committee isn't going to budge without more information."
"Even if more details were discovered-" Detro considered. "-these are dangerous times, Jedi. The Senate wants as many new and former criminals locked away. That way the Republic can at least know where they are."
Elsa looked to Dia for assistance. The Corellian senator shrugged and said, "Pardons at this level are very difficult to ratify, Elsa. If my colleagues here say this can't be done...it can't."
"But why?" Elsa asked. "Is it because she's a Rodian? Is it because she isn't rich or famous? What makes this pardon any different?" Dia noticed Elsa's rising anxieties and placed a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't justice."
"Elsa," Dia sighed. "Your spirit reminds me of mine when I started in the Senate. And I'm going to teach you a bitter lesson I had to learn back then as well. You can't always get the things you ask for. People can side with you. I mean...just look around. Bertz, Detro, and I all have your back on this. But we also know how the Senate's committees work. If you seek a pardon, the rest of the Ethics Committee will take one look at this vigilante's past deeds and dismiss all possibility. You may be willing to overlook this person's past, but the Senate won't."
"Sorry, lass." Bertz mentioned. "Dia's right."
Elsa shook her head in disbelief and rose from her seat. "This is an outrage," she whispered sharply. "For years, I've heard of politicians and wealthy names slipping up. They do so through illegal activities, affairs, and disgusting statements. And yet still they get a pass and show up to work the next day. It seems past deeds only matter if you're a nobody in the eyes of the Senate." Elsa stormed off and left Dia sighing.
"Let her go," the Corellian said. "She just needs some time."
Elsa trudged down a senatorial corridor and tried to slow her breathing. She softly closed her eyes and focused on her master's words.
"Accept what you cannot change and stay grounded."
After recomposing herself, Elsa withdrew her holocom and placed a call.
Anna's patience was wearing thin when her holocom chimed. She quickly activated it and Elsa's face flickered into view. "Sis," Anna rejoiced. "Am I glad to see you. Commander Fox is getting impatient about this whole pardoning process and-" Anna's smile faded when she noticed Elsa's grim visage. "Elsa?" she worried. "What's wrong?"
Elsa swallowed hard and struggled to find the right words. Seeing no way around the situation, she was forced to go through it. "I'm so sorry, Anna."
"About what?" her sister snapped. "I mean...you spoke with Senator Veritaz, right?"
"I did, but-"
"But what?" Anna blurted. "She's in the Ethics Committee. She-"
"Anna," Elsa asserted and regretted her tone. "They couldn't ratify a pardon for Jee. They weren't willing to take the case because they believed the rest of the committee would turn it down."
Anna slouched forward and hung her head towards the holocom. "But...but I promised Jee I'd get her out."
"I'm so sorry, Anna." Elsa said. "I-...I did the best that I could."
Anna scoffed and glared at her sister's projection. "Yeah, well it wasn't enough."
"Sis-"
Anna hung up on Elsa before she could finish her statement. Her frustration over the situation swiftly manifested into anxiety and helplessness. Anna tugged at her auburn locks while pacing back and forth. Her breaths shortened and she zoned out until a single voice snapped her back into the moment. "I suppose that's it then," Commander Fox said.
"What?" Anna gasped. She spun and saw that Fox had been listening to her entire holo-conversation.
"Visiting hours are over," Fox asserted and marched towards the interrogation room.
"Wait!" Anna shouted. "Just hold on!" A pair of shock troopers stepped between her and the door as Fox entered.
Jee raised her head and her confident grin faltered. Any hope of a pardon faded as Commander Fox closed in on her. "Better make yourself real comfortable here, Rodian," the commander said. "Take her to her cell."
"What?" Jee blurted. "Now hold on. That Jedi said-"
"Jee!" Anna yelled over the shock trooper's shoulders. "I'm sorry! I-"
"What did you do?" Jee asked while the troopers tried to escort her.
"Please let me get in there," Anna begged the clones. "I need to explain what happened."
"The commander's been generous enough to you," one of the shock troopers said. "Detention Center protocol normally dictates that a Padawan must be accompanied by a master or knight. This operation is no longer your concern." Anna could feel the rage scorching within her as she stared into the clone's visor. With Mattias in surgery and Hans suddenly nowhere to be found, she hated feeling so helpless.
"Some promise, eh?" Jee yelled.
"That's enough," Fox asserted but she ignored him.
"I trusted you, Red! After everything, you just-"
Fox shoved Jee to the ground and tightened her wrist binders. "Stop!" Anna shouted and impulsively reached for her lightsaber. The clones activated their electrostaffs and held them up to Anna's face. She flinched for a moment, but was ultimately able to withstand the sight of electricity.
"I trusted you!" Jee screeched and flailed as the clones held her down.
"Stop resisting!" Fox growled and put more of his weight on her.
"You're hurting her!" Anna brayed. "Just stun her!"
Fox aggressively dragged Jee up to her feet and forced her towards the detention block. As the Rodian disappeared from view, the clones blocking Anna powered their electrostaffs down. For a brief moment, Anna was able to lock eyes with Jee. While Anna's gaze was filled with regret, Jee's was seething with disgust. The sensation of betrayal was written all across her face until she looked away from Anna. "Jee," the Padawan uttered. "No. I'm-" The Rodian was escorted into the prison's dark corridors and became one with the shadows. "I'm sorry..."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's suspenseful chapter of "The Frozen Force!" I have a very nice treat planned for next week as this story turns ONE YEAR OLD! Log in for the next Frozen Force Friday and experience THE FROZEN FORCE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,
~ Michael