Hello there. I'm back with the latest installment of the Star Wars fanfiction so many of you have come to love. And I'm assuming you all love it, because I have now surpassed 8,000 views! Wow! That's more than the population of my nearest town! That's more than the total crew of a Venator-Class Star Destroyer, for kriff's sake! And 38 favs. Not too shabby for my first Star Wars fanfiction ever, and I want to thank all of you for devoting time to reading this story. I want you to know that appreciate all of you, and will continue to bring you the best narrative I can pen. And speaking of appreciating my readers...
Qrs-jg: I only started reading the Thrawn books recently. I'm honored you think I'm on par with Zahn, but I don't like to feel that I have the raw writing talent to approach his quality. And thanks for saying I write Vader's parts well. He is the one character I struggle with the most.
Bluecat: Glad to see you're still enjoying the story, my friend. Little spoiler alert, but you know how I love to work with odd characters and personalities from reading my MLP works. Just you wait till the next arc. You're going to love the OCs that are coming up soon.
Anonymous: Deep question, and one I'll be cryptic about. Yes I have. That's why I know what's it's like. And not if I can help it. I'm still a bit of an adrenaline junkie like Drakken. I do tactical handgun training whenever I can. In fact, my drawstroke is on par with Tharcourt's in the story. I chug Red Bulls, I drive fast, and I'm getting into moto-enduro and scrambler riding. That is, on top of owning a small circus where I occasionally do some of my own stunts. I may be looking at 40, but you get addicted to living fast.
Now that all of that is out of the way, I now submit for your approval the end of this arc. Enjoy!
The bay of The Huntsman was quiet as the team made their way back to the Super Star Destroyer Executor. Lago was fast asleep, and even Gallen seemed exhausted and distracted, sitting with his head in his hands, listening to music over his earpieces. None of them wore their helmets, and a few had taken off parts of their armor to allow themselves a chance to cool off after their long ordeal.
The events of the last six hours had left most of them almost in a state of shock. Only Daraay, Felian and Commander Tharcourt seemed mostly unfazed by the overwhelming noise and constant danger they had constantly been in on the mission. To most of the rest, it felt like they had been dropped into a swirling, frothing whirlpool of explosions, blood and death, to fight desperately for their lives every millisecond of the mission. Now with time to reflect, it hit like a meteor.
Commander Tharcourt was reclined back against the bulkhead, his eyes closed. He wanted to delay his mental processing of the battle, but his pragmatic mind wouldn't allow it. He played over in his psyche everything that had happened, moment by moment, nitpicking all of the things he thought could have been done differently. He had to concede that most of the chaos had been out of his control. Nobody could have known that the entire city had joined in the revolt. No one could have predicted that General Veers wouldn't be able to forge a way to their position for six hours. He huffed. At least most of the hostages had been rescued.
Moff Bix had been extremely grateful for the rescue mission. Before departing in a shuttle, he had shaken Drakken's hand, and vowed to see him promoted. Tharcourt graciously declined the offer, stating that promotion might keep him from the field where he belonged. The injured stormtroopers, along with the wounded scout would probably make full recoveries, and at least if the one stormtrooper ended up losing his thumb, it would mean his going home on pension. The Imperial Administrator had hugged Freya and made a comment about how 'more women should look up to girls like you', then whispered something in her ear that made Thorne give a sad smile and a nod. He now looked over at the young woman sitting beside him.
"I'm aright, Drakken me darlin'." She mumbled, catching his eye, and gave a weak smile. "At least I think so. Could do with a shower an' a wee bit a' sleep though."
"Mm. Won't argue with that." He agreed. "Helluva fight…" He added in a somber tone. "Just…a hell of a fight…" His eyes lowered to the small scorch mark on Freya's breastplate. She noticed his expression and looked down at the scuff on the armor.
"Aye…picked one up there…" She muttered in a whisper, then ran her fingertips over two new marks on Drakken's chest plate. "Look's like ye did too, me darlin'…"
"Yeah…" He admitted. The adrenaline was gone. So was the sense of duty now. All that was left was the recollection of all of the events of the last twelve hours, the ever-predictable feeling of just having awoken from a grim nightmare. He scowled.
"Drakken?"
"No…just…" He sighed. "I think both of us…" He gestured to the passenger bay. "I think we all came close there…too close." Freya could see his eyes dart back and forth a few times as Drakken looked at the deck. "The void, Freya…I haven't been that close in…well, since Mimban, I guess. Helluva fight…"
"You got us out, as always." Freya stated. "We're all goin' home. So's the Moff an' all those troopers ye saved." She smiled a little, and nudged him. "I'd say it was a pretty good day, considerin'."
"Mm…yeah…" Tharcourt agreed. "It uh…it could've gone much worse." Freya started to speak, but stopped herself. Now wasn't the time. Not with so many people around. Instead, she just leaned back and closed her eyes.
They docked in the hangar of The Executor and as the rest of the team returned to their quarters to get showers and rest, Tharcourt and Thorne made their way to the bridge. Drakken knew that debriefing was the priority. Lord Vader had made that abundantly clear after the time he had taken Freya to medical before meeting with the imposing figure. He had determined that only a severe circumstance would delay him from meeting with his commander after a mission. He tried to imagine something severe enough to risk a chilly dressing down or a psychic choking, and little came to mind.
They reached the bridge, and Drakken used his code cylinder to gain access to the room. The moment the door opened, Commander Tharcourt was aware of the fact that he could feel Vader's presence. It was almost unsettling had he not already known of the being's mystical powers. Beside him, Thorne shivered a little, and they stepped forward. Their first stop was with Captain Piett, who joined them almost immediately.
"Drakken, old boy." The captain greeted with the aristocratic tone he always took around other officers. Piett scoffed a little. "Glad to see you in one piece. You as well, Thorne."
"Captain." Freya returned with a slight curtsey.
"Grand work on your mission. I honestly don't know why I worried. All in a day's work, eh?"
"Yes well…it got pretty hot down there, Firmus." Drakken answered truthfully. "Came close to buying it in a couple of times." Piett gave a tight-lipped stare a moment.
"Your team make it through?" He finally asked. "All of them?"
"Yeah. We're all functional. Just worn-out." Drakken nodded. Captain Piett inhaled deeply and let out his breath sharply.
"Good." He stated. "Lord Vader wants your report of course. And there is the question of whether or not we should execute a base del…." Piett looked behind the two officers and gave an expression like a fish gulping. Tharcourt didn't have to question it. He could feel the looming presence behind him. Drakken spun about and saluted, and Thorne followed suit.
"Lord Vader." Tharcourt said dutifully. "Beg to report. Mission successful, sir. Moff Bix and his cabinet are safe." Vader breathed a few times, staring at the commander through the unemotional visage of his black mask.
"As I have heard, Commander. Your team seems to have a…talent for accomplishing the impossible. You were almost destroyed."
"Close only counts in orbital bombardments, my lord." Tharcourt quipped, and Vader said nothing. "But yes, we were surrounded and cut off down there. We held. It took some hard fighting and a little improvisation, but we held."
"We must retake that planet. What is your assessment of the enemy, commander?"
"Dangerous in large numbers. Many of them have never held a blaster before, and it shows." He explained. "They've armed themselves with anything that resembles a weapon though, including heavy weapons and armor. Their lack of training is more than made-up-for in numbers and determination. We must have killed or wounded…I don't know, Lord Vader…hundreds? Maybe more?" Vader looked over at a captain on the bridge holding a datapad."
"Captain Needa?" The dark lord prompted.
"Ah yes…preliminary reports have the number of enemy casualties at between fifteen hundred and eighteen hundred. That is between the two ground units involved and the air strike, my lord." Drakken blinked.
"Fif…fifteen hundred…sir?" He choked out. "Are you…certain?"
"Do you doubt my word, Commander?" Vader returned coldly.
"N…no sir!" Tharcourt snapped obediently. "I am just surprised at that number is all."
"Do you feel that an orbital bombardment is needed to quell the…dissidents, commander?" Why was Vader asking him that? Why would he seek Drakken's counsel on such a thing unless he was testing him?
"I am…admittedly against the use of extreme force on civilian populations, Lord Vader." Tharcourt answered. "Usually. But I have never seen an entire city in revolt like that. There were even children out on the streets…shooting at us, if you can believe it, sir." Vader remained silent.
"Aye." Thorne finally spoke. "T'was a young-un what shot me. Almost hated to do it, but it was 'im or me…me'laird."
"I think a bombardment of the city followed by a ground assault of a division or two would retake the world." Tharcourt said. "What's left of it afterwards, I mean. If you are asking my opinion air, hit the city from the air, then send in a brigade of armor or two, followed by infantry to clear each building. It would be rough going, but we could retake it that way…sir."
"Very well." Lord Vader mused. "Anything else to add?"
"No sir. I'm just happy we were able to get Moff Bix and his men off-world. It was a meat grinder down there. I'm happy to be of service."
"Indeed." Vader stated. "Commander, you have done a great service to the Empire by rescuing the sector Moff...and by eliminating those rebels."
"My lord…General Veers is the real hero here, I think." Tharcourt said. "If it weren't for his dogged determination to see his mission through…and get to us, we wouldn't be here. I owe him my life." The dark-clad lord simply breathed a few times.
"There was a captain…during the clone wars." Vader finally said. "You seem to have a bit of his…character." Vader stood breathing in silence for a few moments. "You may return to your quarters now, Commander Tharcourt. I will call on you when you are needed next."
"Always at your service, sir." Tharcourt said with a salute. Thorne saluted as well and Vader stared at her intently for a moment, before turning and walking away. Drakken gave Freya a questioning look and she shrugged nervously.
"Ahem…" Piett cleared his throat, and the two of them turned back to him. "Yes, well…you always have a way with his lordship…I suppose you want to get some rest after such a crucible, Drakken."
"Too right." Tharcourt answered. "If you need me, I'll be in my office." He started to leave, but Piett caught his arm, stopping him.
"Um…before you go…I am…terribly sorry about not being able to send help to you." Piett said in a hushed tone.
"I understand." Drakken nodded. "I…I would have made the same call, Firmus." The captain gave a weak smile for a moment.
"I've…never been in combat like that…well…at least on the ground." Firmus admitted. "Must be a terrible thing, old man."
"Yeah…sometimes." Drakken whispered. "Things happen…sometimes, you never let go of it."
"How…how do you do it?" His old friend asked somberly. "How do you keep doing it?"
"Someone has to." Tharcourt answered. "And I guess…it should be someone who can."
"Mm." Piett hummed. "Get some rest, old friend. You look terrible." Tharcourt scoffed.
"Yeah. See you later, Captain Piett." He said with a grin. Drakken and Freya walked away, leaving the bridge. Piett shook his head.
"Always the brash one of us…" He muttered, then allowed himself a slight chuckle as he turned back to his work. Communications reports and shipboard systems readouts. Drakken had once again returned covered in mud and blood, shot to pieces and victorious, and here he was pushing buttons. It was sometimes hard for Firmus to decide who the successful one really was. "Brash, but certainly the most valiant…"
"So, you want to get some rats, or just climb into your bunk?" Tharcourt asked as he walked alongside Thorne. She smiled.
"Maybe a quick snack…then sleep." She answered. "Then I believe I'll be ready for dinner." Tharcourt hummed in agreement.
"The commissary down from our quarters then." He stated as they started down in a turbolift. "Cheap date." He jested, then choked a little. "Oh…I mean…I didn't mean to imply…"
"Aw shut it, Drakken." Thorne said with a grin. "Ye get so blitherin' on the subject a' datin' and whatnot, ye do. If ye seen a lass buck-bare, ye'd probably drop dead a' fright on the spot!"
"I…I most certainly would not!" Tharcourt shot back. "And I am not scared of women!"
"Wee bit touchy, aren't ye, me darlin'?" Freya teased. "I remember when ye saw me in me bathin' towel. Thought you were gonna die o' an embolism!" She giggled. Drakken's face turned red.
"Yeah, well you looked like you were going to catch on fire, red as you were!" He returned.
"Well…maybe if I want a male friend t' be seein' me all exposed, I'd rather it be more…"
"Private?" Drakken offered, then cleared his throat. "Stars…sorry." Freya giggled again, and they stepped off of the lift. They walked down the hall to the next elevator.
"Sorry Drakken, I cannae 'elp meself. Yer just so cute, especially when you get all flustered." She said. He paused, and she stopped beside him. "Wot?"
"I…" He stammered. "You…you think I'm cute?"
"I ne'er said that!" She gasped defensively. "Well, guess I did…I meant it's adorable when you get all tied up in knots o'er lovey-dovey rubbish." She clarified. "But…" She started walking again, and Drakken kept pace. "…I…um." She sighed. "Aye…yer cute as 'ell, Drakken." They boarded the lift, and after a ten-second ride in silence, disembarked to head to their area of the ship. They stopped by the commissary and bought four protein bars and two bottles of shelf-stable bantha milk. They entered the office, greeting Daraay, who was on guard, and made their way to the officer's quarters. Drakken sat behind his desk, and Freya rolled her chair up to his desk as well.
"Wot are we doin' th' next few days then?" She asked.
"I have to get ready for my mission with Major Veruna." He answered glumly, and checked a note on his desk. "I leave the day after tomorrow." Thorne huffed silently. "Ugh. I just wanna get it over with and get back."
"Oh…don't enjoy 'er company then?" Freya pressed.
"I mean…she's alright." Drakken waved. "Just a bit much." He cocked his head. "Why?"
"Aw…just lassies like that get guys like ye into trouble, Drakken." She shrugged.
"Well, I'm joining her on a mission, not entering the state of matrimony with her." Tharcourt commented dryly.
"Hm." Thorne grunted, picking at the wrapper of her protein bar. All this talk about relationships got Drakken thinking about what happened during the mission. He swirled his bottle of milk around lightly.
"Freya…" He said quietly. "That kiss…"
"Listen…Drakken…" She began.
"I understand why you did it." He said tiredly, and took a drink of his milk. "You thought we weren't gonna make it out alive. I get it."
"Aye…but…"
"If…" He interrupted, and she thought he looked deep in thought. "If we had gone down…I want you to know…I couldn't ask for anyone better by my side." He smiled a little, and slowly started unwrapping his food bar. Freya took a deep breath and steeled her resolve.
"I meant wot I said." She declared. He stopped for a moment, staring at the pale brown bar in front of him.
"I…I know…" He muttered, and took a bite, chewing it as if he were trying to masticate the healthy snack and Thorne's revelation at the same time. He washed the bite down with another drink of milk.
"And?" She asked meekly, and took a bite of her own protein bar, not taking her eyes off of the man.
"Freya…" He grumbled, and destroyed the rest of the bar in two bites, chasing it with the remainder of the blue milk. "For kriff's sake…don't put me on the spot like this. Not right now…" He exhaled, and seemed to lose most of his strength. "I'm…I'm too tired to talk about that right now…not now…" Freya swallowed her gulp of milk, then slammed the bottle on his desk with a loud thump.
"Then when, Drakken?!" She asked pleadingly. "Ye know as well as I wot's about! Need ye me be the one t' pint oot th' bloody bantha in th' room?!"
"No!" He answered quickly. "I mean…I can't…" He rubbed his face. "I really don't want to talk about this right now." He stood from his desk. "I need to get some sleep. I think you do too. A little rest, and we'll hopefully both be feeling less…irrational." He went through the hatch leading to the private quarters, and Thorne angrily turned up the bottle and drained the last of the milk, halfway wishing it were something a might bit stronger.
"Irrational…" She grumbled. How could he just walk out like that?! How could he ignore something so important, and just brush off the fact that she had confessed how she felt about him?! Freya was now livid. "Oh, by the feckin' eternal, Drakken Tharcourt…ye want irrational?" She tossed the bottle across the room, landing it in a wastebasket. "I'll gie ye irrational, ye obstinate arse." She went through the hatch, and buzzed his door. A few moments later, it slid open, revealing Drakken bootless, and with his tunic off. His black hair was a mess, and Freya felt herself growing even angrier at how attractive he was daring to be while she was so mad with him.
"You need something, Thorne?" He sighed impatiently.
"Aye. I do." She stated. With that, Freya leaned in close and planted a kiss on his lips. Tharcourt froze solid, unsure of what to do as she kissed him lovingly. She broke off and stared at him a moment, narrowing her eyes. "Wanted t' do that while I's still feelin'…irrational." She said snidely. "Sweet dreams, me darlin'." With that, Freya marched to her room, and disappeared inside, the door whooshing shut and leaving Drakken standing dumbfounded in his doorway.
"Damn…" He whispered. He touched the edge of his bottom lip with a finger, then let his tongue taste what remained of her on his lips. He blinked a few times, and blew out a tense breath. "Damn…" He turned back into his room and shut the door.
Drakken sat on his small bed, and again touched his tongue to his lips. He didn't have to question why she had really kissed him. It felt like a strange kind of attack on him, and he couldn't blame her for doing it. Freya loved him. If he had been able to play it off up to this point, the moment she told him as much during the mission, when things looked the bleakest, had sealed it. Tharcourt hadn't said anything. How could he? How could he respond? That was his biggest issue, and why he hadn't wanted to address the situation with Thorne earlier; he felt like there was no correct answer.
If he told her that he didn't feel the same way, he would be lying, and Drakken Tharcourt was no liar. He felt…something for her, and he struggled now to articulate in his mind what it was he truly felt for her. That time on Tatooine where he had nearly lost his sensibilities with her wasn't just a trick of the heat, and he knew it. Nor was the moment in her old quarters when he had kissed her for the first time. His excuses hadn't been for her, but for himself, to try to deny it. If not love, then it was at least pure attraction he felt for this young woman who was his best friend and trusted second. What the Hell was he supposed to do then? Court her? His subordinate? Drakken scoffed. How would that go over with Piett? With Vader? He shuddered, pretty certain that Lord Vader had probably killed people for less. It would definitely be against regulations, against the law, even.
So that was that. Regardless of how she felt about him, and in spite of…whatever it was that he felt for her, it could not happen. Drakken felt a little morose about that. If they weren't in the same unit, he might consider it. If he was some supply sergeant or bridge officer, he may even consider transfer or resigning altogether to make room for a relationship with Freya. As it stood, there was no way around it. He would have to face it, and to sit down with her and have the conversation he didn't want to have. They weren't together…and they never could be. It just wasn't in the stars…
"Damn it…" He sighed, and lay back on his bed.