"The rebels are retreating. We have blocked this section off completely so they won't get far and there will be no civilian casualties. They have barricaded themselves in one of the buildings and the Stormtroopers are - Argh!," Ace suddenly broke off.
"You idiot, can't you be a bit more careful?" he yelled at someone else.
"Are you hurt?" Vas said, instinctively reaching for the extra large med-pack on his back. Something like in the caves wouldn't happen again. "We are on our way."
Vas ran out of his office in the garrison up the stairs to the landing platform where Sergeant Alphabet and his squad were waiting in the shuttle, ready to respond to any threat.
"Pilot, get us up to the trade station as quick as you can."
"I'm fine. Some rebel just stuck a knife in my knee and that idiot medic doesn't know what he's doing. The medics of the Grand Army of the Republic would have patched me up by now and I would be ready to hunt the remaining rebels."
If he could still ramble on about the Clone Wars, he couldn't be too hurt.
"You will do no such things. Stay with the Hydra and let the Stormtroopers do their job. We will be there soon."
The shuttle lifted from the platform and Vas was pressed into his seat as they climbed almost vertically.
"What about the Hydra?"
"They had –damn you, don't poke around in there– they had a working code cylinder to open the Hydra. The log says it belongs to a Captain Kinall. Ever heard of him?"
Vas checked the database of the Navy but found no mention of said Captain. The ISB database however stated he was stationed over Dantooine overseeing project Protesian.
"That Captain actually exists but he is stationed in a secret research facility on the other side of the galaxy. I would be very interested to discover how his code cylinder ended up here. Maybe the entire research facility is undermined. I'll contact Coruscant immediately."
"But there is something else. When the rebels attacked, the guard droids didn't react at all. It was like-"
Vas commlink beeped, indicating another –emergency– call from Zero.
"Ace, something has come up. I'll ask the Captain to send you reinforcements," Vas said and accepted Zero's call.
"A rebel has entered the senator's wife's apartment."
"How did he get in there? I thought we had sufficient security systems and wasn't there supposed to be a squad of troopers as well," Vas asked before briefly turning off his comm.
"Pilot, back to the surface: The Arbane residence."
"She opened the door to him," Zero said.
"Then how do you know it is an intruder and not a wanted visitor?"
"Oh, she wants him to be there, she is drinking wine with him right now. But when I scanned his face an alarm went off, connecting him to the investigation. He is the registered owner of the B-7 freighter that escaped our patrols from that mining colony."
"What? Why should she talk to him?"
"I'm just telling you what I saw. You are there for the analysis."
"Helpful as ever."
"Well, I won't go around accusing a senator's wife of anything. I like my job … mostly."
"We'll be there soon. Where are you right now?"
"On the roof of a neighbouring building. I have him in my scope and he isn't moving right now," Zero said, leaving the unasked question hanging.
"No, if possible I want to talk to him. If he tries to run, stop him. I don't know, shoot him in the leg or something."
"Understood," Zero said without any emotions in his voice.
The shuttle approached the building from an angle so they wouldn't be visible from the windows of the residence and landed right in front of the entrance. Vas followed by his Stormtrooper escort rushed into the foyer and without waiting for the blubbering employee or the brawny security guards, they entered the lift.
One of these days he would program all the lifts to go a bit faster. Vas checked his weapon and put on his helmet. The technicians from the Challenger had modified it after the disaster in the caves according to his wishes.
Vas pulled down the retractable visor from his otherwise unchanged ISB helmet and linked it to his squad's channel. Immediately, Zero's and several drone feeds appeared on the HUD of the visor. He pushed them to the corners of his vision, so he could still see them but also where he was going. The intruder was still sitting on the benches, laughing at something the senator's wife had said.
Finally, the lift doors opened and he stepped into the small corridor he had been in just a few days ago. This case was running in circles and they didn't make any progress. At least they foiled the attempted attack on the Hydra and potentially found a traitor or a weak point in Captain Kinall.
The squad of Army troopers jumped up from where they had been lounging around and their Sergeant saluted hurriedly.
"Sir, we didn't expect you here," He looked at the opaque visor in confusion, trying to discern my identity. But only from the inside could you look through the visor and Vas saw the discomfort clearly written on his face.
"I didn't expect to come here either. Open the door now."
"We can't. Miss Roolek refused to grant us the access code."
"I gave strict orders to acquire these codes. You will be reprimanded for this, trooper. Be glad if you keep your rank."
He couldn't warn the intruder and if they couldn't open it the easy way…
"Creed, give me one of your…"
Vas closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the anger cooked up in him. One more deep breath. He had to control himself but the anger was overwhelming. One more deep breath.
"Sergeant Alphabet, do you have ribbon charges or anything similar, strong enough to open this door?"
"No, Sir. We are a heavy weapons squad, not anti-armour or demolition, Sir."
Ace would also have some with him. With the squad spread out over the entire system, they weren't effective enough. And if they would all have been in the caves, Creed could have survived. If he had just urged the Captain not to repair the Hydra in the space station, he wouldn't have to use Ace to set up the ambush and then maybe-
Stop it! Focus on the mission, you need to get in there now.
"How far is the next demolition squad?"
"Several minutes with the shuttle."
"We don't have time for that." Turning to the Trooper Sergeant, he asked, "Does the staff have the access codes?"
"No, Sir. They also have to wait for her to open the door."
They had no way to access the room easily without straight up asking the senator's wife. In his HUD he watched one of the feeds showing the door and the button to open it from the inside. They were so close but so far. He looked for anything in the vicinity of the door that could help, unsure how something could even help them with their predicament. If he could change the camera angle, maybe he -
"Zero, direct one of the centipedes to open the door for us. There should be a button right next to it."
"Don't you have the codes?"
"No, someone failed to get them," Vas said, glaring at the trooper.
Wisely, he didn't say anything and looked straight ahead.
"On my way."
"Be ready to shoot. Stun rounds if possible, otherwise non-lethal body parts," Vas said both to Zero and the assembled troopers. Sergeant, I want you and you men with me. The army stays outside," Vas said, giving one last glare at the troopers. With his face hidden, his stare wasn't as effective anymore but the troopers went out of the way nonetheless.
Through his HUD, he watched the centipede slowly making its way down the corridor and up the wall. Its small feet pierced the wall easily to provide the grip to climb up to the button and with a silent hiss, the door slid open.
But the rebel had heard it and jumped up in surprise, so Vas rushed inside, his weapon raised. "ISB, don't move."
By the time he reached the sitting room, the Rodian rebel had vaulted over the table and pressed a pistol against Miss Roolek's head.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice quivering in fear. "I thought…"
"You don't have to do this. You are surrounded and there is no way out. Let her go or you'll make things only worse for you."
"Hah, as if it could become any worse. I'm done for. This way I can at least take her with me and serve the rebellion one last time."
"Until now you are just an intruder, do you want to become a murderer? There is no death sentence for intruding into someone's house. For killing a senator's wife however…"
"I don't have him in my sight," Zero said through his earpiece. "Make him step forward."
"I am dead anyway, so I'm generous. I'll tell you one thing and then you can shoot me."
"It doesn't have to come to this. I'm prepared to let you go. Troopers! Leave us alone."
"But, Sir."
"That was an order, Sergeant. Leave us."
Reluctantly the troopers filed out of the room, with Sergeant Alphabet staying until last. "We'll be in the other room if you need us."
"So, now we all step out of the flat as well, you take the lift down and let poor Miss Roolek go. Do we have a deal?"
The Rodian hesitated. Vas wouldn't believe himself either but the alien took one step forward.
"A bit more," Zero said.
"I want to negotiate. I have a name for you," the Rodian said. A hint of desperation made his voice jump at the last word.
"What name?"
"Our main source of information in the local government."
"Well, then for your sake I hope you don't want to tell me about Miss Roolek."
Both Rodians in front of him opened their mouths slightly and their ears flattened against their skull. The Rodian way of expressing negative shock or surprise.
"How did you know?" Miss Roolek asked, confirming his educated guess.
"You let him in here and served him wine. It wasn't that hard to figure out. The day we met for the first time I knew something was off but couldn't pinpoint it. I knew your husband hadn't been there to leave the glass."
"What glass?" she asked, honestly confused.
"There were two glasses on the table when we arrived. So that day with the intel you gave them, most likely how they accessed the secret exit out of your husband's mansion, they managed to abduct him. Did they promise you to let your children go in return?"
Her look at her captor was enough to confirm that guess as well.
"Then the rebels tried to contact you again but his usual way of climbing from one of the lower floors didn't work when he was scared off by the alarms we set in place. Instead, you invited him in as a friend, so no one would question it."
The rebel got more anxious and looked around for avenues of escape but short of jumping off the balcony –which would mean certain death– the only other exit was the door Vas was blocking off.
"Listen, I know you're not the head of the rebellion. You are a pawn while I'm looking for the king. I can kill you and get to the king regardless with little more effort on my side or you can step aside and open the way for me to get to the king. Your decision," Vas said, lowered his weapon a bit and took a few steps back.
He took the bait and stepped forward.
"I want safe passage out of the city," he pleaded.
"If you accompany us downstairs, I will call a speeder that brings us to the edge of town. There Miss Roolek and I will leave and you can take the speeder wherever you want. Does that sound good?" Vas asked and stepped another few steps back.
"I want the troopers to leave. Completely. They have to leave the entire building."
"Sergeant, do as he says."
"But she is a traitor. Why are we protecting her?"
"We will determine her guilt later. First, we have to de-escalate this situation, now leave us!"
The sound of the Stormtrooper boots faded and the lift left. Vas was glad for the visor hiding his face, so he didn't have to suppress his grin that Sergeant Alphabet had indeed not left and only sent one of the Army troopers down.
The rebel was convinced however and took the last step forward, exposing him to the balcony. Vas stopped moving, hoping to stop the rebel as well. It was harder to hit a moving target after all.
"How did you make first contact with Miss Roolek?"
The moment the rebel stopped, Zero fired. The high-energy laser bolt pierced the rebel's hand and shoulder. In shock and pain, the rebel dropped his blaster and stumbled backwards. Vas rushed forward and yanked the senator's wife away from the rebel in the direction of the door where he heard Sergeant Alphabet and his squad approaching.
Before Vas could reach the rebel, however, he pulled out a fist-sized detonator out of his pocket.
"Not a step closer or I'll blow myself up."
"Zero?" Vas asked as silently as possible.
"I have him in my sight through one of the smaller windows."
"Shoot to kill."
The Rodian dropped with a massive hole in his head and flopped to the ground, letting go of the unactivated detonator.
Miss Roolek began crying.
"What?" Vas yelled, disgusted by the treacherous woman. "You don't like to see people die. You should have thought about that before helping rebels to capture your husband and kids."
"I didn't do that. I would do everything to protect my kids," she yelled, storming towards him. "They kidnapped my sweet children before they made contact with me."
"And instead of alerting the authorities, you supplied them with information. That's why you requested information. They knew we were going into the cave. You are responsible for Creed's death. I will gut you if you don't tell me immediately where the children and the Senator are."
"I don't know, really," she said, stepping back until she bumped into the troopers behind her.
"Miss Roolek, you are under arrest for aiding the kidnapping of your husband and treason."
A/N: Thanks for the review . I'm glad you liked the story so far and hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.