Chapter 24- The Battle Comes
The Jedi stood at the base of the Hill. Han and the troopers busied themselves making last minute adjustments to their weapons. Sabine sat in the pilot's seat of the White Loth Cat, where she could man the guns remotely.
Admiral Bwua'tu had arrived shortly before dawn and they knew Agati would not be far behind. Reluctantly, Ezra pulled himself away from Sabine with one final kiss.
"Be careful, Coco Bean."
"You be careful, you crazy Loth-cat." Sabine's voice held tears.
"Me come," Violet-Meadows reached up to clutch her father's hand.
"I think you'd better stay with Mama, Honey," Sabine held out her hand to her little daughter.
Something passed over Ezra's face. "Stay with Mama for now, Violet-Meadows," he agreed.
Keeping their little ones safely on the ships seemed like a wise idea. Yet Ezra's vision had shown him another path. The younglings were part of the whole and before the end they must all stand together. He had seen what would happen if they failed.
"Come with me for a moment," he said, finally making up his mind. Opening up a comm channel to the other ships, he asked Han, Chewie and the Clones to join them outside. Scooping up Cerulean-Skies, he led Sabine down the ramp, followed by Violet-Meadows, Grogu, Jacen Syndulla Dume and Pypey.
Outside, he joined the rest of the Jedi. Whie and Talisbeth sat partway up the Hill, deep in meditation. Allora, Dev and Kyp were fine-tuning their lightsabers. Jai, Pan and Tallulah simply stood, gazing at their beloved Hill. Leia was engaged in a quiet comm conversation with the Admiral. Luke and Mara lay in the soft grass, holding hands with little Ben nestled between them.
Ezra stepped to the center of the little group. Slowly, they turned to him, their faces expectant. Luke spoke.
"You have seen something."
It was a statement, not a question. Ezra nodded anyway.
"Yes. Something about Kyber. It truly is the heart of the Galaxy. If Agati succeeds in taking the crystal and destroying Kyber, our Galaxy will be no more."
A shiver ran through the assembled Jedi and a collective gasp sounded from their friends and family. Sabine squeezed Ezra's hand. For several long moments, silence reigned.
A small voice broke the stillness. "Then we 'top him." Anakin Solo gazed up at the adults, solemn and sincere.
"Jedi are 'posed to protect the Galaxy," agreed Jaina.
Luke smiled at his niece and nephew. "And that's what we're going to do."
"The literal heart," Nek's deep voice purred over the commlink, "I had surmised as much."
Ezra scowled in the receiver's general direction. "Nek, do you think that just once, when I make a galaxy-shattering revelation, you could at least pretend that you didn't already know?"
"I could, but you would easily detect my dissembling through the Force."
"Yeah, I guess I would. Thanks for coming, by the way. Agati is almost here. I can feel it." Ezra smiled wryly. "And, yes, Grand Admiral, I am aware that you already know. Jedi and fellow warriors- let's do battle."
Nek Bwua'tu gazed at the read-outs with narrowed eyes. His cousins Alea and Eram had infiltrated Agati's lair and decrypted a wealth of information. Some of their findings pointed to an intricate conspiracy but what interested him most at the moment was a database on Kyber. Labeled "the Crystal Planet", it held mathematical equations estimating the power the planet could generate, approximate coordinates for the planet, the coordinates for the hyperspace lanes to reach it and a chart showing the one place where the protective barrier that hid the system from view could be breached.
If Agati knew about the gateway, the feint Nek had planned to draw the false leader away was pointless.
"Horn," He directed his helmsman, "bring us around with our starboard towards the Kyber system, directly over point AM 7333.999. We will stand in the door as long as we have a ship."
Thumbing his comm on, he hailed the captains of two of his Star Defenders, the Moons of Lothal and the Twin Suns of Tatooine, instructing them to place their ships on either side of the Rampant, hidden by the wrinkles in the thick outer layer of the barrier along with half of his fleet. His three other Star Defenders, the Kenobi, the Crown of Naboo and the Remember Alderaan, led the rest of his ships in forming a perimeter. The medical rescue ship, the Omega, hovered behind the perimeter, her crew ready to risk their own lives saving others.
In the black distance of space, a sudden flash appeared. More followed, filling the black void with gleaming vessels.
"He is here. Battle stations, everyone," Nek commanded. "X and Y wings, prepare to launch on command."
Six hundred ships glided rapidly towards them. When they had closed half the distance, a group of the droid ships slowed and began disgorging fighters before Agati's entire fleet opened fire.
Standing at his viewport, Nek watched the enemy action on his tactical displays. As long as their shields held out his plan was to wait. With half of his ships tucked into the folds of the distortions, Agati might underestimate their strength. At the right moment, Nek would spring his trap.
Laser blasts poured across the vacuum of space, while hundreds of fighters, some manned and others fully automated, accelerated towards the Kyber system. The bridge of the Lion Rampant shuddered underneath him as several shots found their mark. Chui'lan stepped to his side with damage reports. Five of the smaller ships had lost shield power and taken serious hits.
"Have them fall back behind the Kenobi. We must draw Agati closer before we engage."
Several tense minutes passed, Nek's wrist chrono ticking away the seconds like an anxious heart. He studied the tactical read-outs, then peered out of his viewport. Now.
"Benti," he ordered his Bith weapons officer, "focus all fire on the flag ship."
Switching on his comm, he began to rattle off orders. "Admiral Batri, have the Kenobi engage the New Day."
"At once, sir," came the Mon Calamari 's burbling reply.
"General Calrissian, I want the Alderaan to take the Ewok Princess. Have four of your cruisers engage the Steadfast and the Destiny."
"You got it, Admiral," Lando acknowledge jauntily. "Mark those three as dealt with."
With a few more comm calls, Agati's fleet began struggling to move forward in the face of increasing laser fire. Just as a smile crept onto Nek's face, the Rampant quivered violently. The battle was far from over.
Activating his comm link again, he hailed his hidden vessels. "Captains, take up your positions as assigned." The ships darted from their hiding places to support their comrades, bringing Agati's fleet to a complete halt.
One of his officers pressed something into his hand. Glancing down, he chuckled. Apparently, his wife thought he needed a pot of her strongest black-hole caf. She was right.
Pouring himself a cup of the caf, he opened a new comm channel. "Attention all members of the Galactic Alliance Republic Navy, this is High Grand Admiral Nek Bwua'tu. The captains of the New Day, the Destiny, the Steadfast and the Ewok Princess" -he still wondered how that vessel had acquired her name- "are hereby relieved of command and are to be placed in the brig awaiting court martial on the charge of treason against the Republic. First mates, do your duty."
He switched the comm off but left the channel open. He did not expect the captains to submit to arrest. He doubted whether any of the first mates would even try. He had sown seeds of confusion and dissension and that was his intent.
A flash lit the far side of the viewport. A few brave x-wing pilots had apparently turned on the droid ships and were blasting their way to Bwua'tu's fleet. He wondered briefly if they were sincere or merely acting on orders to try to take him in.
His tactical screens lit with a new report. A dozen large enemy vessels were spewing out fighters so quickly he could barely read the numbers. With their added firepower, Agati's ships began to advance once more.
Grimly, Nek set his long jaw. His forces were taking losses, but they had exacted a steep price for their casualties. If they continued at this rate, within three hours Agati's force would be reduced to a number the Jedi could handle on their own. The Heart of the Galaxy would be safe.
His tactical display bleated a warning. Nek studied the screen, then turned to Benti.
"Lock two lasers on target 3548-S now."
"Yes, sir." The Bith fired his lasers and, to Nek's relief, the small vessel exploded.
Turning to his comm once again, he opened a channel to his x and y-wing pilots.
"Attention, gentlemen. Make S-fighter droids priority targets. Keep them off your squadron mates and your base ships, if you want a way home."
According to his cousins' reports, S-fighters were fully automated ships with a highly sophisticated artificial intelligence. The ships were programmed to pursue one objective- destroy the enemy. To accomplish their aim, they would ram directly into an enemy vessel and explode with violent force. In short, they were suicide fighters.
Benti continued to target the S-fighters, as did the x and y-wing pilots. Yet, for every one they took down four more appeared from Agati's ships. Nek poured himself another cup of the black caf.
"Sir," Chui'lan approached, "the Braveheart has been hit by S-fighters. She is heavily damaged and listing, with only minimal power."
"Have her fall back behind the Firebird. Tell the Captain to evacuate only if life support systems fail and continue to fight with whatever"-
The bridge pitched upwards then jerked sideways.
"An S-fighter got through!" Benti cried as he and his crew renewed their efforts with the lasers. A small phalanx of the S-fighter streaked through space, intent on ramming the Rampant. Several rapid explosions filled the viewport. Another blast shook the bridge and Benti groaned. "Make that two, sir."
Nek set his empty caf cup down and spun on his heel. "Chui'lan, damage assessment. Horn, to me. Yield the helm to your second. Do not give way unless I give the order."
He hurried from the bridge, followed by his helmsman. It had been his intention to send Corran Horn without him. Yet now that the moment had arrived, he found he could not let Natasi and his younglings go without a final farewell.
"Are your wife and children ready?" Nek asked Corran.
"Yes, sir. I must admit, though, I feel as if I'm running away from the battle."
"Not away, Corran. To a battle. The Jedi need you. You can join with them in their fight."
"Perhaps." Corran had not yet come to terms with his own strong connection to the Force.
"Bring your family to the escape pod. We will meet you there."
Corran saluted and Nek hurried to his quarters.
"Nek!" Natasi jumped up from sitting on the bed, dropped the baby dress she was sewing, and ran to him. He gathered her into his arms, kissed her and stroked her long hair.
"I love you so much," she murmured. "Did you get the caf I sent you?"
"I love you, too, Heart's Dearest. And the caf was just what I needed."
He looked over her head at his children. Eramuth and Niasi were playing with toy space ships on the rug and Yantahar had his nose buried in a holo-book. Naala sat in her playpen, chewing a rattle.
For a moment, Nek gazed at his little family, drinking them in with his eyes. Finally, he spoke.
"Children, you and Dearest are going with Corran and the Horns to the planet Kyber. The Jedi are there and they will help Dearest keep you safe."
The boys clustered around him.
"Aren't you coming, Da?" Yantahar asked, his ears drooping against his head.
"No, son, not now. If it is our Creator's will, we will meet again soon."
Yantahar wrapped his arms around his father. Nek knelt and embrace his three sons. "Be good boys," he continued. "Obey Dearest. Yantahar, you take good care of her for me, all right?"
"I will, Da. Dearest will be safe with me."
"I'll take care of her, too," insisted Eramuth.
"We be good," added Niasi.
Nek hugged them again. He rose and lifted Naala from her playpen, kissing her fuzzy head.
"You be good, too, your father's Darling and the light of my eyes."
Natasi picked up a bag she had packed with a few essentials and some spare clothes, tucking the little dress she was making inside. Nek drew his little family into a hug. "I love you all," he whispered.
"Da!" Naala waved her rattle in the air and planted a sloppy baby kiss on her father's cheek. Nek held them close for another moment. Finally releasing them, he led them to the small shuttle where Corran waited with his wife, Mirax, and their two small children, Valin and Jysella.
"Goodbye, my Darlings. We will meet again. And Natasi, leave the flying to Corran and Mirax. They are both excellent pilots." Nek kissed Natasi once more, then his family boarded the vessel with the Horns. He watched the pod detach and enter the Kyber system. Tracking their path on his datapad, he returned to his post on the bridge.
Chui'lan met him at the command station. Before he could speak, the ship rocked violently, tilting towards her starboard side. The artificial gravity kept them in place as the first mate detailed the damage the fleet had sustained so far. They had lost far too many fighters and over his half his ships were functioning at less than half power.
Another impact shook the Rampant. Nek consulted his latest data and frowned. His spies believed Agati had over 30,000 S-fighters. Clearly, he had sent his family to Kyber none too soon. Now it was time to focus on his one objective: reducing Agati's forces to a number the Jedi could defeat in their current situation, according to the calculations he and Natasi had made.
His comm chirped. "First Mate Doren of the Ewok Princess reporting, sir. I am pleased to report that the Princess is yours to command. What are your orders?"
Nek smiled grimly. It was about time for a good surprise. "Well done, Captain Doren. Hold your current position and open fire on the main droid transports. Order your pilots to make S-fighters their priority targets."
Nek watched the Ewok Princess swing her turrets around to fire on her former allies. A strident beeping and accompanying red light brought his attention quickly back to his own ship. The Rampant was still listing and a gap had formed underneath her. A large contingent of fighters along with six transports, several saucer-shaped vessels and two cruisers slid under his ship's immobilized belly.
Their defences were breached and the enemy was still far too strong.