Chapter 17- The Mind of a Child
The singing woke Ezra early the next morning, just as the sun was rising. He lay perfectly still, gazing out the window of the room they had borrowed from Jai Malreaux, watching the sun's rays light the colossal kyber. The music grew louder and more beautiful, taking his breath away. Careful not to disturb Sabine and their infant son, he rose and padded softly to the little bed where the two toddlers slept contentedly, thumbs in their mouths. He bent down and patted Violet-Meadows and Grogu gently on their heads. Crossing the room to his traveling bag, he quickly dressed. He scrawled a brief note to Sabine, in case she woke before he returned, and left the house.
Soon he came to the Hill and knelt with closed eyes to meditate. In this place, he barely had to reach out. The Force was so close. Slowly, he became aware that Whie had joined him but he continued to meditate, letting the Force flow through him. At last, he opened his eyes.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you. I know this is your Hill."
"It is the Force's Hill, Ezra Bridger. All who seek the Will of the Force are welcome here."
"Thanks. I had a great meditation, but I should probably go check on Sabine now."
Back at the house, both men helped their wives get ready for the day and helped them to the breakfast table. Ezra guided Sabine to a seat, absently stroking her hair with his eyes fixed on the planet that was visible through the open doors.
Sabine huffed as she took her seat. "Ezra Bridger, I wish just once that you would look at me the way you look at kyber crystals!"
Startled, Ezra pulled his gaze from the doorway to stare at Sabine. "What are you talking about, Coco Bean?
"I think you love kyber crystals more than you love me." Sabine crossed her arms and glared up at him.
"Sabine! How can you say that? You know I love you."
"Then how come you can't take your eyes off this giant kyber crystal that we're on long enough to kiss the mother of children good morning?"
Ezra glanced over his shoulder to where Tallulah sat holding Cerulean-Skies, with Violet-Meadows and Grogu sitting beside her. The floppy-eared toddler was happily munching something blue and yellow, but Violet-Meadows had stopped eating to watch the unfolding scene with wide eyes. Guilt stabbed Ezra's heart. Had he been so enamoured with this wondrous world that he had been neglecting his precious family?
"I'm so sorry," he murmured, deflated. "I didn't mean to…Oh, Bine. I love you so much more than all the kybers in the Galaxy."
"Are you sure? Really sure? I know how you feel-"
Her words were cut off as Ezra dropped beside her on the bench and drowned her in a kiss. He felt the air leaving her lungs from the force of his kiss and he pushed her gently, inexorably against the chairback, kissing her harder, more powerfully. For several long, blissful minutes, he ignored the stares he could feel on the back of his head. At last, as Sabine began to struggle slightly in his grasp, he slowly released her and sat back, the taste of her still lingering in his mouth.
Sabine gulped air as if she had been diving underwater. "You win."
Ezra couldn't help grinning. His demonstration had been successful, but leave it to a Mandalorian to see his kiss as an act of conquest.
"I accept your surrender. We'll discuss the terms tonight."
"Yes, I'm afraid we have more urgent things to discuss right now," interrupted Luke. He had that look again, Ezra noted, the look that said he thought Ezra must be from another galaxy, far away, with life forms that appeared to be normal humans but were something else entirely.
Maybe I overdid that kiss a little. There was just something heady about kissing Sabine into surrender and once he started- Karabast! She had him thinking like a Mando now!
"The Falcon has extensive maps and charts in her system, so we'll start there right after breakfast," Luke was saying as Ezra tried to focus. The sweet music of the planet distracted his ears and his gorgeous Sabine distracted his eyes. With so much of him distracted, paying attention was a lost cause.
"So we'll meet at the ships with the droids, half an hour after breakfast." Luke tapped the table in front of him and turned to Ezra. "Did you hear that much as least?"
"Yes, and I'll be there. No droid, though. Chopper's with Hera."
"I talked with Hera earlier this morning," Leia spoke up. "They've split their forces- one group trying to track Agati's fleet and the other group trying to protect Force sensitives. They're not having much success finding the hyperspace lane from their end. It really is an unknown lane."
"Makes sense." Rex led Ahsoka into the dining room and helped her into a chair. "An unknown planet, not on any charts would be accessed by unknown hyperspace lanes."
"I'll bet the Falcon knows them," Han bragged.
On board the Millennium Falcon, Talisbeth watched Whie study navigational charts, searching for the planet's coordinates and any hyperspace lanes leading to it.
"Talisbeth," Whie raised his eyes from the holo-charts. "Do you remember the story about Master Kenobi and Kamino?"
"You mean how the planet had been erased, but gravity's silhouette remained?"
"Precisely, Love. The younglings helped him see the obvious answer. The star charts in the Falcon show this area of space or at least what I believe to be this area. But I find no evidence of a planet, no place where it ought to be."
"And you think we're missing something obvious?"
"Master Whie and Talisbeth!" A blue striped head appeared in the door and Ashlan called breathlessly, "Mum and Dada found something! Can you come to our ship?"
"Of course." Whie rose and held out his hand to Talisbeth. Luke and Ezra joined them as they entered the Torrent. Rex was in the family room, sitting at a holo-table with Ahsoka nestled snugly against him. A night sky's worth of stars floated above the table.
"Take a look," Rex invited, indicating the holo-projection.
Threaded through the twinkling stars, hyperspace lanes connected systems across the galaxy. Everyone leaned in to see what Rex and Ahsoka had found. A little-used hyperspace lane led away from Coruscant, seemingly unremarkable. However, Rex's trained eye had found something odd.
"See right here?" Rex pointed. "This distortion? It's what you see when two hyperspace lanes intersect."
Whie's eyes brightened. "Do you think the intersecting lane could end here?"
"Well, here's the projection based on its apparent trajectory." Rex pushed a button and a new path appeared on the chart.
For a moment, no one spoke. Finally, Ahsoka sat up and adjusted the display, enlarging a portion of the display.
"The data we have on the properties of this area comes from an ancient space survey conducted by the Jedi centuries ago. As you can see, based on our information, when hyperspace is projected onto this area of space, something rather … unusual happens. The lane slowly fades, eventually disappearing altogether."
Rorric climbed up between his parents.
"A hidey-hole!" he giggled, peering at the display and jabbing a chubby finger at the end of the lane.
The adults examined the area. There was indeed a pocket in the black velvet of space where the lane ended.
"A hidey-hole?" a skeptical voice drawled from the doorway. Scratching his chin, Han watched the little group. "Kid, a planet in a hole is a little far-fetched, even for the Jedi."
"Not a hole, Dad." Ben Solo bounced up to the table. "More like the Kyber planet pulled the covers over its head so nobody can see it."
"The planet pulled …" Han's voice trailed off as he stared at his son.
"Truly wonderful the mind of a child is," murmured Whie.
Ezra tented his fingers thoughtfully. "Master Yoda, right? He was right and think the boys are on the right track, too. This planet is basically a giant kyber, like Sabine pointed out earlier. It could very well be influencing the properties of the surrounding space- pulling the covers over its head, so to speak."
"A protective barrier around the entire system," Luke agreed. "But one that can be breached, since we are obviously here. It is quite possible Agati will find a way through as well. We need to determine how quickly Agati's fleet could arrive. And get some coordinates for our allies."
Han approached the table. "If this lane of yours is the real deal, Agati will make good time all right. And he left about a day ago. That trip will take four, maybe five days, tops." He studied the chart for a moment, then made some notes on a datapad. "I'll plug these coordinates into my nav-computer, see if I can find anything else."
"In the meantime," Luke rose, "we'll be considering how best to defend Kyber. Maybe Senator Belden or the Admiral have more information on exactly what we're up against."
"There's one more thing we need to do." Ezra stood to join Luke. "We should place our ships in a defensive perimeter around the Hill."
Everyone turned to Ezra, waiting. Instead of explaining, he headed for the White Loth-Cat. Luke closed his eyes, reaching out to the Force.
"Ezra's right," he announced finally. "Let's move the ships."
Leia stared down at the datapad in her hand, wondering how the Galaxy's enemies always had bigger, better ships than her side.
"As you can see," the deep, purring voice of Nek Bwua'tu continued over her comm, "most of the ships are Agati's own original designs. As far as we can ascertain, these ships are manned entirely by artificial intelligence."
"And the star destroyers?"
"Four of the Republic's finest. With the usual complement of x-wings."
X-wings. Leia's heart sank at the thought of doing battle with her beloved Republic's ships.
"How did he convince the captains and crews to go along with him?"
"The same way he convinced the Senate. He picked the right people, told a few lies and half-truths. You know, 'The Jedi think they are demi-gods', 'The Jedi just want you for cannon fodder.'"
Leia could hear the smile in the Bothan's voice and couldn't resist. "I see. Which one is the lie, do you think, Admiral?"
Admiral Bwua'tu's laugh was almost a roar. "Both, I hope, Princess!" He paused, then turned serious. "Have you got the full report?"
Leia checked the datapad. "Just finished downloading."
"Good. My Bothans are still trying to trace Agati. We are also harassing the 'Jedi rehabilitation' squads, with help from Hera and several other allies." Nek broke off and when he spoke again his voice was laced with tears. "We've had reports of younglings taken and … we can't locate them."
"We will join the search as soon as we're finished here. I'm sure Luke will be able to find them. I don't understand it all, but this planet is very important. Ezra calls it 'the Heart of the Galaxy'. The younglings, Nek," Leia's voice turned gentle, "please tell me Yantahar wasn't one of them."
"They tried. But you'll notice I'm still breathing. No one will take my son while I have life in my body. He and Natasi and the little ones are here with me on the Rampant."
"Leia!" Luke approached the makeshift comm station. The flickering image of the Bothan turned towards the Jedi.
"Master Skywalker! I hope you have some coordinates for us."
"I do. Do you have any useful tactical information for us?"
"Just a complete rundown of the fleet headed your way."
"That might be helpful," Luke grinned, feeling his heart lightened. Leia smiled, too. Talking with old allies always lifted her spirits, as well.
Luke pulled a data card from his pocket. "Here's your coordinates." He handed the card to Leia who quickly inserted in her pad.
"Got it," the Admiral confirmed. "I'd best pass these along to my captains so we can get our fleet moving."
"Tell Natasi and the kids I said hello. Signing off now."
"I will." Nek nodded in farewell as Leia switched the comm off.
Luke raised his eyebrows quizzically. "I thought the Admiral would be out on the intelligence trail or hounding Agati's troops."
"He is. The Bothans are running surveillance on Agati, trying to track him."
"And his family is with him?"
"You've got little Ben with you."
"Of course, it wouldn't have been safe to – Yantahar! Did Agati's goons find out that he's Force sensitive?"
Leia nodded. "They tried to take him and failed. Nek says they've taken other younglings and …no one's been able to find them."
"We will, don't worry," Luke squeezed her hand.
He briefly explained what they had learned about Kyber's location. Then Leia pulled up the information Admiral Bwua'tu had sent her.
"All that?" Luke gawked. "To take out a handful of Jedi and their families?"
Leia moved the display forward. "You have to remember that part of Agati's tactic is psychological. Keeping Force sensitive beings in maximum security 'rehabilitation centers' tells the public we must be very dangerous. Bringing a ridiculously large fleet to attack us sends the same message. And he probably knows that we have allies coming to our aid and would love to destroy them."
"Makes sense," Luke agreed, studying the strange ship in the hovering display. "What is this thing anyway?"
"Nek wasn't able to discover designators for most of Agati's ships. They're original designs, apparently. His team did get scans, though. That's what we're looking at here."
"I've never seen anything like it. It's nothing but weapons with a small nav-computer. Where's the crew?"
"Droids. They're built into the ship on this model."
Agati had a dozen different droid-run ship models, along with the star destroyers and a large vessel Nek Bwua'tu believed to be Agati's command ship. Scans indicated one life form aboard. Altogether, the fleet consisted of six hundred ships, excluding the full complement of x-wings for each star destroyer and the numerous small fighters packed into many of the droid ships.
"I'm glad you called on our friends," Luke said finally. "It looks like we need all the help we can get."
"Yes, it does," Leia squeezed her brother's hand. "When do we expect Agati?"
"By the end of the week. We have three, maybe four days, tops. Looks like he's coming in person, too."
Leia nodded. "Nek is fairly certain the droid ships are primarily remote controlled from his command ship. Namah Agati doesn't trust anyone."
"That's because he isn't trustworthy. He assumes everyone else is as selfish and deceitful as he is."