Chapter Twelve

She had felt them all. She had felt every single death of the thousands of jedi that perished during Order 66. And every death had ripped her apart. She had experienced every spark of life, burning bright one second, then suddenly extinguished. She had tried to stop it, tried to withdraw from the force, but she couldn't. And so completely paralyzed with pain and terror, she was forced to suffer through it all. When the murders finally stopped, she was able to gain some semblance of consciousness. While the physical pain no longer assaulted her, the memory of those deaths was fresh. She was afraid she'd always feel those poor souls ripped from the Force in an instant by the very people that had sworn to serve under them.

During her tortuous force journey across the galaxy, and through the minds of all her brothers and sisters, she found a pattern begin to develop. She had little ability to focus as the agony that had paralyzed her was nearly all-consuming, but she was able to perceive a little outside of that pain. The vast ocean of the force had opened up to her, and she saw things apart from the despair. She was seeing the present in all its soul-wrenching terror, but she was also getting glimpses of the past, and slices of the future.

Everything swirled around in riot of conflict and confusion. As plagued and accosted as she was, she could gather bits of clarity. One thing was sure, the source of all this death was on Coruscant, and she had a pretty good idea of who orchestrated it all.

But now, after most of the killing had been completed, and the sparks of Jedi across the galaxy had diminished to a near handful, she had finally been able to awaken from her catatonic state.

She tried to delve back into the Force and immediately regretted it. Not only was it painful, all the deaths leaving wounds in the force, it was also...dark. So many bright lights snuffed out in an instant. She could hardly bear to stay in the Force, but she needed a few answers regardless of how painful it was. And she found them.

Aedan was relatively safe at the moment, but he would need help soon. She focused on the second most important person to her: Ahsoka. She wanted to go after her. But as much as she tried, she couldn't find anything regarding her whereabouts other than that she was alive and well.

She searched for others in the force, but nearly everyone was dead. Most of the Jedi knights and masters were gone. She dove into the Force and asked if there was some way she could help. She poured herself into the question, into the hope.

Please, I just want to help. Let me help them. I know there are still some alive. I can save them. Why do I have these abilities if not to save others?

And then an image flashed into her mind-bright and clear and profound. It was an Eta-2 Fighter streaking through a misty atmosphere, a trail of smoke tailing behind it. Its engines on fire and sparking, and the pilot desperately trying to get it under control. The fighter broke through the mist and the unmistakable sky-bridges of Cato Neimoidia came into view. The image faded. She continued to probe the Force, but this was all that came to her. It wanted her on Cato Neimoidia to save whichever Jedi crashed there.

I hear you, she finally relented.

She had no idea who it was, or why the Force picked them, but she was going to Cato Neimoidia

But first, she had one last order to give her most loyal lieutenant.

They were nearly to Dac when Hoppie went to check on Kyra, and he found her finally awake. His feet carried him the remaining twelve steps faster than if he were flanking a super battle droid.

Real smooth, Hoppie.

Nevertheless, relief flooded him. He had checked on her numerous times and each time he found her asleep and still in obvious pain. Now, she seemed to still be in pain, her brow furrowed, lips twisted to the side, but at least she was awake.

"Hi, um…can I…is there anything I can do?" So smooth again, Hoppie.

Kyra smiled. That smile could short circuit a company of clankers.

She took his hand in hers, "You have already done so much, Lieutenant. Thank you. Aedan and I would both be dead if it wasn't for you."

"It was nothing. But call me Hoppie now. Not in the army anymore."

Kyra nodded and had to look away. "I'm so sorry, Hoppie. For everything."

He shook his head, "You did nothing wrong. The Jedi did nothing wrong. I just hope I'm not the only one that was able to resist the programming."

Hoppie saw her wince and realized that she probably knew better than he did the truth of that statement. They sat in silence, Hoppie unable to find the words to console her. The Cuy'val Dar never taught him that.

But Kyra was the one to break the silence. "Hoppie, I have one last mission for you."

Not what he was expecting to hear. "Um, Okay. What is it?"

"I need you to go help Aedan on Coruscant."

He raised an eyebrow, "I mean, I can, and I will, but shouldn't you be the one to do that?"

Kyra looked away, "The Force has other plans for me."

"What, did it send you a transmission. What model holoprojector does the Force have?"

Kyra glowered playfully.

"Okay, okay. It's just weird, that's all. I'll never understand your sorcery."

"Please, Hoppie. Showing myself on Coruscant would defeat the purpose of what he's trying to do. My family is in danger if he doesn't succeed. Plus, I have my own mission."

Hoppie sighed and shook his head. "What do you want me to do? I'm not sure the fish heads are going to give me a ship."

"Leave that to me. I'm going to call in a favor from an old acquaintance, and he'll get you to Coruscant to help Aedan."

"Okay, given that that all works out, how will I find him?"

"Once you get there, fly straight to the temple. He'll be there."

Hoppie merely stared waiting for more. But no additional information came. "That's it?"

"That's it."

Hoppie dropped his head into his hands. "Alright. How do I find this old acquaintance of yours?"

"His name is Wil Asani. I sent him a transmission, asking him to meet you on Hikahi island."

Hoppie nodded, "And he responded?"

"Not yet. But he will. He'll come down on this," she said, handing him a commlink. "Go to one of the space docks, and he'll find you. Ask him how he put his backpack of phrikite to use if he needs confirmation."

"What makes you so sure he's coming if he hasn't responded?"

She shrugged. "Faith."

Hoppie scoffed. "You know I don't believe in that right?"

Kyra smiled, "Are you sure about that?"

Hoppie nodded. "I believe in you."

That caused Kyra to freeze, her beautiful blue eyes locking with Hoppie's for a brief second, then looking away. "Hoppie…"

"I know. I know. You're in love with Mr. blade master holostar looking guy. I get it."

Kyra smiled, "I may not feel the same way as you, but you are one of the most important people in the galaxy to me, and I need you."

Hoppie felt something within him contract. He couldn't help but bring one hand up to his chest. He would go to the ends of space for this woman.

Kyra leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. For everything."

A jolt of electricity shot through him when her lips touched his skin. He wasn't sure if that was her Jedi powers or something else altogether. Whatever it was, he wanted more of it.

"Well, guess I have a ship to catch," he said and started to leave, but he didn't feel comfortable leaving Kyra on her own. She had literally just been paralyzed only a few hours ago, and she still looked like a mess. He reached into his pocket and produced the transponder Aedan had given him. "Aedan gave me this before we left, said it was a link to someone named Quix Caladan on Agora, and that they would help if we needed it."

He watched as Kyra stared at the transponder for a long moment, and then slowly took hold of it with two hands. Once in possession her eyes flashed up to Hoppie's, obviously seeing something that he could not and in a way that he would never be able to. A faint smile appeared on her face. "Thank you, I think…I think this will help."

He nodded; glad he could be of some assistance. "Be careful okay."

"Okay. And you too."

Hoppie walked away from the golden, glowing sorceress and eventually made his way to the docking bay. What has life become now? Missions, not for a Republic or Chancellor, but for…love. He smiled to himself. He had changed so much, was so different from who he was just six months ago. Change was scary, especially for a clone, but this was right.

It didn't take long for an old busted up light freighter to touch down on the landing pad.

"Well, here goes nothing," he said to himself, and approached the ship. Its boarding ramp screeched down—the ship was in bad shape, carbon scoring noticeable all over the hull, not to mention the multitude of dents. Then a figure appeared at the top of the ramp, but it was not a man. Hoppie's hand went to the blaster at his hip, he cleared leather in .5 seconds—which was faster than any other clone. But while he was going through this routine motion, his eyes never left the woman in the long maroon leather coat, black pants, and black bodice top, and he was able to perceive while drawing that her right hand moved in a blur to her own hip, gripped a blaster and was pointing it right at his chest before he had his sights on her.

"The frack?" he said.

"You're a clone," she said.

"Yes, and you don't appear to be Wil Asani," Hoppie said.

Her eyes widened at that. "No, I'm not," she said.

"Well, we have a problem then, as I'm supposed to meet Wil here."

"Who told you?"

"What?"

"I'm trying to make sure you're the right contact, so I'm seeing who sent you, making sure this isn't another trap."

Hoppie sighed and lowered his blaster. Right. Faith. "My friend said to ask Wil what he did with his backpack of phrikite."

This woman, Hoppie realized, now that the tension had eased a bit, was absolutely striking with her dark skin, darker than his own, and long flowing brown hair. She stared at him for five more seconds, then lowered her blaster.

"Just tell me her name," she said.

"Kyra Dawnstar," Hoppie said.

"What does she look like?"

"Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, tends to glow a lot."

She shook her head, but never took her eyes off him. "And this Jedi wants me to trust a clone. Rumor has it that clones are killing the Jedi."

Hoppie swallowed his guilt. "They are, but I'm not."

"And what makes you different?"

"Been wondering that myself, but where is Wil, I need to get moving? My friend is in trouble."

"And what's your friend's name?"

He sighed, "Aedan Kahl. Look, can we stop with the questions, I really need Wil's help."

She sighed and then holstered her blaster. "How did you get in with those two?"

"I think the better question is what do you have to do with Wil and what does he have to do with them?" Hoppie then tilted his head, "Also, how are you able to draw so fast?"

She laughed, and Hoppie found he liked the sound of it. It wasn't like Kyra's easy, heartfelt, song-like laugh. But it was deep, and it was free. "That's kind of the same story, and for another time."

"Fair enough," Hoppie said. "Well, can we get moving?"

"Yea, so about that. I need your help first."

Hoppie froze. "Uh, what?"

She scratched her head with her gloved right hand. Hoppie hadn't noticed until now, and her left hand had no glove on it. Interesting. "Wil has been taken hostage, and I need your help to get him back."

"No. Absolutely not. Timing is critical and I can't waste any of it. I have to go now."

"He's my brother!" she said, her cool demeanor cracking.

And that caused Hoppie to pause.

"He's my brother. He's all I have left in the world, and he sacrificed everything for me. I can't," she shook her head. "I can't lose him."

Did Kyra know about this? Is this what she saw? If she saw me arriving when I needed to, did she already factor this in? Did that even matter? Frak, why the hell am I even doing this?

The hopelessness and confusion came quickly. As a soldier, Hoppie had known he was different, but it was so easy to blend in as a clone. He even dreamed he wasn't the only one too, but that dream was gone now. But being a soldier was easy—get orders and then carry out those orders. Easy stuff. Being free was much harder. Making decisions and thinking on his own was not just near impossible, it was terrifying.

Kyra asked him to do this, but she wouldn't make him do it. However, Kyra would do something like this out of the goodness of her heart. But as much as he admired her, could he do that?

He looked up to say no to the striking woman and saw her apprehension. She loved her brother, that much was clear.

Hoppie didn't know much in the way of the world. But he did know about loyalty to a brother. He had lost his brothers. Perhaps he could save hers.

He grunted out loud. Who am I?

"Alright, let's go."

Shock showed on her face. "What? Just like that? I was about to offer you credits."

"Lady, I wouldn't even know what to do with them."

She opened her mouth but seemed to think better of it. "Well, come aboard," she extended her hand. "I'm Dassa. Dassa Asani."

Hoppie took her hand, "Hoppie."

Dassa's lip began to curl up, and it was apparent she was stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. Let's get moving, Quick Draw."

"After you, Jumpy."

"Oh, I can tell this is going to be so much fun," he said as he walked into the ship. He looked at the dilapidated interior, "You sure this thing can even make it to your brother," Hoppie asked. "Speaking of which, where is he and who has him?"

She grinned as they entered the cockpit, "Well, that's the beauty of this situation. He's on Murkhana…being held in a clone garrison."

"Haar'chak," Hoppie said. "Seriously?"

Dassa nodded, grinning. "It's kind of perfect."

"And what, you have a plan?"

"Yep. And it's genius," she said as she engaged the thrusters, and they started to lift off.

Hoppie buried his face in his hands. "What in Kamino have I got myself into?"