Thrawn has escaped to the Known Galaxy! Our heroes are separated, with Ahsoka and Sabine stranded on Peridea in another Galaxy, Ezra reunites with Hera and the New Republic.
For some, now is the time to rally for the safety of the Galaxy. For others, it may seem all hope is lost…
Chapter 1
Peridea
Sabine Wren sat with her legs crossed on a flattened patch of yellowing grass, her eyes closed, and her hands on her knees. Her purple hair had grown to reach her shoulders now, she wore most of her Mandalorian armor - all but her helmet. She and Ahsoka were still with the small Noti in their nomadic encampment. In fact, the camp was just ahead of Sabine by two dozen meters or so. She sat at the top of a low hill overlooking a lake where the camp had settled for the past few nights.
Her lightsaber laid on the grass in front of her legs, alongside her helmet, which she never kept too far from. The weapon had not been ignited in what felt like months, fortunately they had no need for it lately.
Her mind still felt scattered on occasion. Meditation was not an easy practice to suddenly adopt. But it had been weeks since they've been stranded, perhaps more, and she still was unable to tap into that sense of serenity. Her connection to the Force was present, clearly unlocked when she was in danger with Ezra facing the Deathtroopers. But all she could think of was replicating that power, tapping into it again. She would try to lift boulders or move one of the small Noti caravan crafts, but no luck. She could lift small rocks and move cups, but she was beginning to believe she was being shut out once again by the Force.
Sabine sighed, and opened her eyes. She saw her Master walking up the hill towards her with a basket at her side. Ahsoka smiled, pleased to see her apprentice still trying to meditate. Ahsoka knew it was tough for Sabine to gather her thoughts and to be still and calm, but she still always tried.
"I still sense some stirring thoughts," said Ahsoka, walking up to Sabine.
"It's all… it's all just swirling around in my head. That final day, what could have gone differently…" Sabine knew, as a Jedi, she shouldn't hold onto those thoughts and what-ifs, "And I know… I shouldn't be so focused on it." Ahsoka nodded and sat down next to Sabine, placing the basket between them. She looked into it, there were small red and green berries, and about half a dozen of fist-sized fruit that were purple with blue spots.
"Those feelings are natural to feel, it is alright to think about the past like that." consoled Ahsoka. She took a clutch of berries that were still on their stems and handed it to Sabine. Sabine plucked one and tried it, it had a tangy sweet taste to it. "What matters is how you allow those feelings to pass through you, and to let them pass entirely. Acknowledge. Reflect. And let go."
"I guess I'm confusing my overthinking with hope. That hopefully something would happen and we'd be found." admitted Sabine, "Have you just accepted our fate?" she looked at her Master. Ahsoka was looking out at the encampment. The Noti were making small fires, cooking meals, washing their clothes at the lakeshore.
"Of course I would like to return. During my meditation, I've been trying to commune through the Force."
"Commune… to who?"
"Anyone. Anyone in the Force that could hear my call." Ahsoka looked at Sabine, "But, this place is engulfed in the Force… I don't know if that dampens or heightens my strength and connection to the Force."
"I think it would strengthen it." said Sabine confidently, "I did things… I never thought I'd be able to do that in my entire life."
"You underestimate yourself."
A gust of cold wind came from behind, and the two Jedi sat silently. There was a presence in the Force from behind. Sabine and Ahsoka slowly looked at one another, and then turned around. High on the hills on the horizon, there was a howler standing. Standing beside the howler was a brown cloaked girl, with platinum blond hair.
"Her again." whispered Sabine.
Ahsoka walked alone up the hill with the basket of fruit towards Shin Hati, where she remained still standing beside her howler. Sabine watched from afar, standing with her hands on her lightsaber hilt at her belt and blaster at her holster.
Ahsoka stopped about a dozen meters away from Shin, with plenty of space between the two. Shin had an emotionless look on her face, her eyes seemingly tired but wide open. Ahsoka held out the basket of fruit and used the Force to float it towards Shin. The basket landed gently on the ground about halfway between the two women. Shin's hands were concealed by her long brown cloak, and Ahsoka could sense that her hand was also on her lightsaber.
"I am not going to trick you." said Ahsoka warmly with a small smile. Shin was not amused and glared at the basket of fruit. "It's more than last time, I know. We got lucky this time." Shin clenched her jaw and held out her hand to retrieve the basket through the Force. The basket dragged across the grass and then lifted up into the air towards Shin as she pulled it.
"I am here to talk if you'd like." added Ahsoka. Shin crouched down to pick up the basket, immediately picking some of the berries to eat quickly. She was clearly starved. Ahsoka knew that Shin was living with a group of bandits. They seemed to have some unspoken agreement to stay out of each other's business. But, a few weeks ago, Ahsoka caught Shin stealing some of their food late at night. The bandit group may not have been working for Shin.
"I know your Master left you." blurted Ahsoka. Shin stopped chewing the fruit and stared blankly at the basket. She swallowed the food in her mouth and wiped her lips with her sleeve. "He should not have done that to you." Shin picked up the basket and stood up straight,
"He was selfish." responded Shin. Ahsoka's brow perked up and she crossed her arms with intrigue.
"You can come with me, if you'd like." Shin glared at Ahsoka skeptically, "We have enough food and supplies." Shin tied the handles of the basket to the side of her howler's saddle and tightened the straps. She climbed onto the howler quickly and looked at Ahsoka. Shin nodded her head at the Togruta Jedi Master, and turned away, going down the hill in the opposite direction. Ahsoka sighed. The girl was stubborn.
Coruscant
New Republic Senate
"The New Republic must prioritize its resources appropriately, we must not continue to entertain these witch-hunt ideas." Senator Hamato Xiono of Hosnian Prime spoke with an overtly stern tone as he addressed the full Senate of the New Republic. His senatorial pod floated in the middle of the chamber. The grand convocation chamber that once housed the old Republic and Imperial Senates was now home to the new government's legislature. The chamber was no longer a dull and gloomy gray color as it was during most of its history. The senatorial pods and walls of the chamber were light beige and tan colors, dark wood finishes on the pods and the podium tower, with some slivers of silver. "But, as a member of the Defense Council," continued Xiono, "I hear the concerns of my colleagues. I hear the concerns that the Galaxy continues to be an unsafe place. But we must not let these fears and suspicions bind us so tightly to ideas of a perpetual war. I urge my fellow colleagues to vote no on this resolution; we must move forward, and not get dragged into any further conflicts." Senator Xiono sat down in his seat, and his pod slowly floated back to its dock along the wall.
Rising to her feet in the tall podium tower, all eyes were back on the Chancellor of the New Republic; Mon Mothma. The red haired Chandrilan wore a long white gown with a gold cloak over her shoulders,
"Thank you, Senator Xiono. The Senator from Alderaan now has the floor." Mothma looked sympathetically across the chamber, seeing a single pod float out from the wall-docks. The brown haired, middle aged Senator Leia Organa stood alone in her podium, but with the confidence of hundreds supporting the position she was about to explain before the Senate.
"Thank you, Madam Chancellor, and thank you, Senator Xiono." Leia's voice was clear and echoed in the chamber, "I put forward this resolution because of a single reason: any remnant of the Galactic Empire, is a threat to our security, peace, and happiness in this Galaxy. This resolution is simple; to divert a portion of the New Republic Navy to hunt down and investigate the presence of Grand Admiral Thrawn. I detest the rhetoric that I am gunning for perpetual war," the young Senator looked around the chamber, "I detest the rhetoric that I am on a wild bantha chase, looking for a fight. Whether or not Grand Admiral Thrawn is plotting war against us, he is in command of a modified Imperial-class Star Destroyer. Shall I remind the Senate that we outlawed the usage of any Imperial era battleships and even signed a treaty with the Remnant Imperial Command at the end of the war to scrap all such ships? I would not rather put our people at risk and just hope that Thrawn is not plotting against the Republic."
"She's really good." whispered Ezra as he stood next to Hera, watching Leia give her speech to the Senate. The two stood in the opened doorway of Leia's senatorial pod dock, along with C-3PO listening close by, too. Hera nodded in agreement,
"She's someone we can always count on."
Office of the Chancellor
The Office of the Chancellor was located in the highest levels of the Senate Building, an executive's office that had not been used since the days of Chancellor Valorum in the Old Republic. As leader of the Republic and the Senate, it was fitting that the Chancellor ought to be in the same building as the Senate and its senators. Mothma was quick to refurbish the old office to her liking. The walls were a pearl white color, her desk glass with ceramic-like supports and legs, seats were white leather and couches a soft sandy color against a deep blue rug.
There were many guests in the Chancellor's office, all awaiting Senator Leia Organa, she walked into the office last, being met with a round of applause. In front of the Chancellor's desk were General Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Admiral Gial Ackbar, and two senators that were also members of the Defense Council; Isa Tayrell of Fondor, and Voor Roxlorn of Bothawui.
"Thank you, thank you," smiled Leia as she walked into the office.
"That'll show Xiono!" said Senator Isa Tayrell, a human woman in her late forties with smooth dark skin and silver hair wound up in braids as a crown on her head.
"He surely wasn't expecting such a deafening loss on his part!" cheered the Bothan Senator Voor Roxlorn. Voor Roxlorn was an elderly male Bothan, one of the very few senators in the New Republic that had served in the Old Republic and Imperial Senates.
"Yes, today marks the beginning of a necessary change." added Admiral Ackbar.
"I have you all to thank." Leia looked around the room, and then paused at Hera and Ezra to her left, "We wouldn't be given this chance, if it weren't for either of your tenacities."
"And we have not forgotten that Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren are still trapped in the other Galaxy." added Chancellor Mothma, "But with the passage of this resolution and the deployment of the fleet, this should provide some more cover and leeway for your operations."
"To be honest with you, I don't even know where we could start." chuckled Ezra nervously.
"We surely must have some records in the Old Republic and Imperial archives of old and ancient hyperlanes," began Ackbar, "ones that go through the Unknown Regions and towards that Galaxy."
"Did the shuttle you arrive on have any logs of your location?" asked Senator Tayrell to Ezra.
"No, it was wiped." said the Jedi.
"I believe our best bet is to keep this effort concerted." said Hera, "Thrawn's Star Destroyer arrived at Dathomir, which is where Ezra escaped."
"Are you proposing we get a hold of the navi-computer log of Thrawn's ship?" asked Leia.
"The giant hyperspace ring he arrived with would be the only thing in this Galaxy with a trail leading to the other Galaxy." explained the General, "I think it's our only hope."
"But," hesitated the Chancellor, "that hyperspace ring may be the only way to reach that Galaxy within a reasonable time frame."
"Are we really considering hijacking a giant hyperspace ring and Imperial Star Destroyer?" asked Senator Tayrell in disbelief.
"Oh Senator," smiled Leia, "we've hijacked many Star Destroyers back during the war."
"It is not impossible." agreed Ackbar, "We would need a large enough fighting force."
"We can make that happen." Mothma clasped her hands together and looked across the room at Leia.
"To Dathomir," said Ezra lightheartedly.
"To Dathomir." repeated Hera.
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