Imperial City
The number of the ceiling tiles changed, every time she counted them, forgetting where exactly she got to. Ryssa lay staring upwards in her small quarters, although the only light came from her bedside chrono, she had been awake for so long her eyes had adjusted to the darkness.
"So much for keeping a low profile." She muttered to herself. "A meeting that included Rampart and Tarkin. Fek!" She stared back at the ceiling. She was no way near getting out and had not heard any more from Den. She had not even seen Niner or Darman. She closed her eyes to remember Den's voice, running through his last words, the hurried endearment, her fingers twisting around her necklace holding her ring and Tod's tag. The need to be with him was slowly eating away at her and silent tears pushed out from the corners of her eyes, rolling down the side of her face. She turned onto her side and tried again to sleep.
.
"Are you sick Ma'am." Ryssa had tried to eat breakfast but couldn't manage more than a few mouthfuls and there was no disguising the dark shadows under her eyes, as she studied her datapad.
"No, just tired."
"If you are unable to sleep I can prescribe you…."
"No. Thank you EmDee. I'm sure I'll catch up on it soon."
Her Com pinged, another request for her to meet with Doctor Cahu; she never looked forward to these meetings and avoided her wherever possible, although she was slightly better than Sa Cuis, who seemed to have disappeared from the base. She prepared herself mentally to meet her. The stress of being continually on edge, watching everything you did and said, and being watched by everyone in turn was draining.
She was tired, so very tired.
She pressed the entry code and waited for admittance; it came almost immediately.
"Good Morning, Rampart wants you to join his team now. He wants you to start working on his project as soon as possible but first you need to get up to speed on the background. So he wants you on asap."
"Oh. That's quick. I've still got…."
"Someone will take over your duties." Cahu dismissed any attempt at delaying the move. "I think you impressed Tarkin and he's in overall command." She finally looked up, "You'll be missed here."
Ryssa doubted that but it didn't matter.
Cahu tapped her datapad again and moved a few flimzis. "I was hoping you could stay a little longer but the Empire needs you there, more than we need you here." She signed the datapad, with a flourish. "There, you've officially been transferred to Rampart's Project." Dr Cahu pushed her hand out, "It's been a pleasure."
"Likewise." She didn't enjoy it but Ryssa was learning to play this game. "My medical droid; it's just that's it's programmed …?"
"Oh. Yes. If you need it, take it. There's plenty more."
"Thank you."
"Dismiss."
She barely looked up, so that was it. No choice in the matter but she wasn't going to argue; she knew it was the usual expectation from the Empire, as it had been for the Republic. She had six hours before she left. Rampart was being generous, plenty of time to pack and try to get hold of Niner.
Ryssa headed back to the Medbay to advise EmDee.
"Everything will be ready for when we leave." EmDee advised when she entered the room. She should have realised he would have been one step ahead of her.
She started to pack her medical bag, "Can you get hold of IC–1309, Squad 40?"
His processor lights dimmed a little; it did that occasionally, especially when bypassing Imperial Encryptions.
"Squad 40 are on a mission and have gone dark. I can leave a message."
"No never mind." She felt the sharp pain of regret; she wouldn't be able to contact them or Den. She couldn't believe her bad luck.
.
Keldabe, Mandalore
Lieutenant TK8303, Imperial Commando, formerly Clone ARC Trooper CT8303 Coric, was reporting for duty to the Garrison Commander. He adjusted his belt pouch, he missed his Kama, he was just getting used to it before they changed the armour. He pressed the entry buzzer, it opened for him, he marched up to the Commander's desk and stood to attention. The Commander was studying his datapad, whilst Coric saluted and automatically scanned his immediate surroundings, his HUD still worked as before, at least the Commando's did. He couldn't say the same for the new armour for the regular troopers. He had taken a full scan of the room in the few seconds it took for his new commanding officer to acknowledge him.
"Welcome to Mandalore, Lieutenant!" Commander Gerit, blonde, buzz cut, greeted him, not even taking his eyes off the small screen. "At ease. The accommodations leave something to be desired don't they Lieutenant? although we are working on that." The Commander had a cultured Coruscanti accent not unlike the former Jedi — Kenobi.
I've slept in worse.
"Lieutenant." At that point he looked up from the screen and sat upright in his chair, studying the trooper standing at ease in front of him. "You come highly recommended from your promotion, Lieutenant. Lord Vader was reluctant to let you go. I expect the same level of commitment that you gave your previous commanders."
A mental image of Captain Rex and General Skywalker flashed into his mind's eye; he closed down that image quickly - too many bad memories there.
"Sir, yessir."
"You will find that I am a reasonable man, Lieutenant. You may have heard that I am an inbred aristo who only obtained this Commission because of my family connections," a semblance of a smile crossed his face "but I can assure you, although I may be an inbred Aristo, I earned my place here."
You're doing a lot of talking.
TK- 8303 had yet to be convinced but that feeling did not show on his face.
The Commander continued watching the Imperial Commando, "The Empire is moving on and we have to move with it. I am sure you wondered why a decorated soldier like yourself was sent here. This back water, already half destroyed by civil war and the recent seige. You'd be more use on one of the worlds were they are resisting change. Yes?"
He waited for a reply.
"No. Sir. I go where I'm needed. There must be a reason. One that I am not yet privy to."
He'd got this one pegged down as a talker.
"The Mandalorians think that they have pulled a fast one regarding the site of the Garrison. They told us that it was the site of some mythical beast, that was of spiritual importance to them. I knew it was a con, this was supposed to be a theme park but it never got off the ground." He laughed to himself. "They laugh at us but if they think we are stupid, we have an advantage. This world, this garrison is of strategic importance and we need to keep it under control. Is that understood Lieutenant?"
"Sir, Yessir."
The Commander leaned back in his chair.
"Do you know why it's so important?"
"No sir." He hadn't been told anything.
"Beskar iron. You heard of it?"
TK – 8303 had taken in as much Mandalorian lore as any other trooper, and more than some. He liked the Mandalorian creed what he knew of it.
"Sir, yes sir. It has special properties, sir."
"Exactly and the Empire needs it. The Emperor has decreed that we need to purge the galaxy of Force users but sometimes we'll need to keep them, not kill them and the main way to do that is with Beskar iron. It's impervious to light sabers."
"So I understand Sir."
Gerit was warming to his subject. "There are still some deposits of the metal on this planet. We will need to extract it, but we also need the iron smiths trained to work it. That may be the more difficult part."
TK – 8303 had a idea of how the Empire was going to get the iron smiths and he didn't like that. "Yes sir."
"You'll find I'm probably a little bit different to the Commanders you're used to, the Jedi I mean. I don't go in for all that Force mysticism, even if the Emperor does. My soldiers are men and they do what needs to be done. Understood Lieutenant?"
"Yes Sir."
"I also understand soldiers and that they have needs." He put his hand up palm facing Coric, to stop him interrupting. "I don't care what the Kaminoans did to you men, you're still men and some of the best fighters, I've known."
"Yes, Sir."
Whilst TK – 8303, Coric stared full ahead, his superior continued.
"You're experienced and had Commando training. To survive the last three years you must be good but all they've given me here are rookies and rejects, and I need someone like you to pull them into shape because we are going to need it here."
You talk a good fight.
"Sir, yessir."
"You fight hard, you get to play hard but I don't want the locals upset. Understood lieutenant?"
"Yes sir. Let em blow off steam and then rein them in."
"Exactly. Good man."
He stood up. walked around his desk then to the side of the ARC. TK-8303 stared straight ahead.
"I can see this being a good posting for both of us."
TK-8303 Coric turned to him.
"Yes sir. Any specific orders."
"Acquaint yourself with the base, your squad. With the town. With the locals. Watch out for Fenn Shysa. He's their so called leader, up here in the North. Although I'm sure there are some in Sundari who would dispute that but he holds the title of Mand'alor, and that seems to mean something up here and he's amenable for the moment. But he's wily. I don't trust him." He returned to his desk.
"Any questions?"
"No sir."
"That'll be all, Lieutenant. Dismiss."
TK-8303 saluted and jammed on his bucket pulling up details of Fenn Shysa, as he walked through the corridors, avoiding the building droids.
.
Kyrimorut.
"So what did our Mand'alor want?" A'den asked his father as he came into the office-cum- slicing-cum-data crunching room and parked himself on one of the chairs. Jaing had taken a few minutes, an errand he said. That was 30 minutes ago.
"Bard'ika for stud. He seems to think that having one Jedi, you could then breed thousands of them. I told him it didn't work like that."
A'den snorted. "Has Bard'ika had any practice? Should we send him out on the town with Mer'ika? You know, Corr was a nice quiet little trooper until he started hanging out with my brother."
Kal snorted back, he wasn't blind and didn't begrudge his lads or any clone getting some comfort, from anyone and A'den seemed more relaxed today.
"I refused on his behalf. I've already apologised to him for it."
"I should think so. There's not an abundance of women around here."
Kal thought he knew where this was heading and prepared himself. "Ny's a good woman and I know what you're up to son, so does she."
"I have no idea what you're talking about Buir." A'den replied, feigning total innocence. "But you do like her don't you?"
I like her more than I want to admit at the moment.
"What will happen will happen." Kal slapped his shoulder, "but how are you doing?"
"Better now I've spoken to her."
"She sound okay?"
"Yes. But emotional."
"It always would be lad, always would be. But you're still itching to get out and retrieve her?"
"Yeah."
Ny had talked.
"I thought we'd discussed this. You need to leave this to Ordo and Mer'ika. They're on it. If they need to infiltrate, and take their buckets off, they can better pass as a normal trooper more easily than you. Okay? You're going to have be content being part of the back up team."
"I know."
"I know it's hard. I feel the same way myself but I need to hear you give me your word that you won't push it with Ordo?"
"Elek buir."
"Good. Good." He clasped the back of A'den's head and pulled it towards him in a quick hug. "So do we have any Intel for Shysa apart from Bard'ika?"
"The Keldabe Garrison is building up strength. A new ARC Trooper and some Spaarti clones, plus some backfill from the 501st."
"ARC? One we trained?" Kal knew they'd be good if they had.
"Not enough info yet."
"501st. Eh? Ordo says they're a bit keen. They expecting trouble?"
"They'd be mad not to." A'den smiled for the first time since the Bridge.
"Or they're wanting to get hold of something or someone really bad." Finished Kal. He enjoyed his discussions with A'den, they were usually on the same wavelength.
"Beskar?"
"Well, other than some hardened Mando warriors. That's about all we've got here."
They ignored the Jetii.
"But should we really be fighting for another Force Wielder?" A'den knew he wouldn't.
"Some might."
.
Imperial City
"You've just missed the Admiral. He's been called away to a meeting." The protocol droid informed her, imperiously.
"Oh." She looked around at the spartan office. "I was told to report here to get my orders."
"Ah. Doctor Baey. The Admiral has left them here for you. You are to report to Raxus, before joining him on Ryloth. He has a full diary."
"Well, I wasn't expecting that."
"He wants you to see what the Empire is up against."
.
Raxus
Ryssa watched the landscape change as her shuttle dropped gently through the atmosphere to the capital of Raxus Secundus. As planets went it looked beautiful from space, great swirls of blue and white, interspersed with greens and tans. Surprisingly it was just as beautiful when you exited the clouds, with wide open pastoral spaces. A riot of colours on a background of green; it looked peaceful.
The shuttle changed course, sweeping through the valley towards the capital, an urban sprawl taking over from the countryside. Raxulon, the capital city had been home to a number of Separatist Senators and she understood why they chose this city, with it's pleasing architecture and well laid out promenades. In another time, Ryssa would have enjoyed exploring it, with A'den. Now it was being destroyed metre by metre, overrun by Stormtroopers and lumbering AT-TE's.
This is what Rampart wanted her to see?
Ryssa strode towards the Empire's Headquarters; they had taken over the old Separatist Senate building, EmDee informed her, as he followed two steps behind, giving her a running commentary of what he scanned. There was a gathering in the square.
There are approximately 5000 beings assembled in the Square. They are surrounded by Imperial forces, many of whom are clones.
"Who is it I report to?"
"Captain Bragg."
She approached the two stormtroopers on guard, either side of the Compound door and showed them her orders.
"First level, then along the corridor to the left, ma'am."
"Thank you trooper."
She followed the directions through the old building; the corridor housed display cases full of antiques; eventually she found herself at an office at the end. The door was old fashioned heavy, carved wood— she knocked; it swung open, mechanically assisted in some way.
"Ah, Doctor Baey. Come in, come in. The Admiral advised me you were coming. He wants to get you up to speed with everything the Empire is doing. I understand you're a little late to the show?"
"Er yes. Just after Order 66."
"Ah. The Jedi Purge."
So that's what they're calling it now.
"This planet was the centre of the Separatist movement from the beginning, following Count Dooku, a former Jedi.
She motioned to a Ryssa to take a seat.
"Drink?"
Ryssa shook her head, it looked like some kind of wine.
"Local produce, very good." She took a sip. "I understand the Separatists were responsible for your Mother's death?"
"Yes, General Grievous."
"The Emperor wants them all to swear allegiance to the Empire. He doesn't want to punish or fight. Just allegiance. Loyalty. For a safer galaxy."
Ryssa nodded. She could hear a wheezing sound in her ear. She would have to talk to EmDee about that.
"Your mother was murdered by the Separatists I understand?"
Back to this.
"Yes."
"He thought you might appreciate this visit to see how we do things now. To get some closure." She emptied her glass. "Shall we? The Senator is going to give a speech on the balcony. You may find it enlightening."
She nodded agreement, despite feeling manipulated.
.
Ryssa stood at the back of the large balcony, her cap pulled down. Bragg and Senator Avi Singh were at the front addressing the crowd. Bragg announced the curfew; they always went down badly. She found all this nauseating and wanted no part of it but she had to survive.
Stormtroopers at every intersection. EmDee supplied.
Great! Everywhere with clones she couldn't trust.
Three AT-TE Tanks in the square.
She listened to the speech. Watching the flurry of holocams floating around, presumably to get the best pictures for the Emperor. When the Senator first started talking, it appeared he would comply with the Empire, then he changed his mind.
Ryssa wanted to applaud, as she listened to the Senator's speech, defying the Emperor, exorting his people to fight and couldn't hold back a tiny smile.
Even I'd follow him. EmDee observed, then wheezed.
Then all hell broke lose, as Bragg arrested him and ordered the Stormtroopers to move on the crowd; they retreated into the Compound, two Stormtroopers dragging the Senator with them. He stood no chance, as Bragg disappeared with him.
"What's happening EmDee?"
"The crowds are being dispersed."
"Anything else?"
"The Senator is in danger."
"Don't think we can do anything about that at the moment. Come on."
Ryssa knew exactly where she was going.
EmDee followed her down the corridor.
"Can you open that door?"
EmDee wheezed in her ear.
"That's a yes then." And the door opened.
"Any security cams?"
"Malfunctioning at the moment."
"Let me know the minute anyone comes."
"Affirmative."
Ryssa looked at the desk, she didn't want to touch something and have to put it back exactly in place. She really needed to get access to the datapad or discs.
"EmDee! Can you access this?"
He moved to her side and a tiny scomp arm ejected from his digit. He inserted it in the side of the datapad.
"I just want anything that will help me get out of here."
Ryssa scanned the room. It had old furnishings but there didn't appear to be any other devices other than the data pad. She pulled open drawers in the old desk, searching through them carefully.
Hand sanitiser. Breath mints. A pouch.
No flimzi or discs anywhere.
"Stang!" She muttered. Then Em Dee made an odd zzzzzz noise.
"EmDee?"
He held his scomp in front of his photoreceptors, it was smoking.
"We'll. That's never happened before."
"Did you get anything?"
"Only the words — War Mantle. Something to do with clones." He stopped for a second, "Someone is coming this way."
Putting everything back; it looked the same, they exited the room. Standing a few yards from the door as the Captain came around the corner. Ryssa let out a breath, slowly.
The Captain was pulling Senator Singh with her followed by Stormtroopers; Ryssa and EmDee followed at a discrete distance. The Captain looked furious and they were heading somewhere new.
"Doctor, get your medical bag we may have need of your expertise. Meet me in Room 101."
Ryssa didn't need telling twice, as EmDee notified her of the interrogation droid's approach behind them. It did indeed look as if the Senator may need her help, she rushed to get her bag.
.
Ryssa pushed the door to Room 101 open; she was surprised to find it was a wine cellar and shocked to find Bragg and the two Stormtroopers on the floor and then she came face to face with a DC 15s. She knew the holder or rather recognised the soldier standing in front of her, his armour, she had been there when he tried it for the first time. EmDee went into protective mode.
"EmDee, stand down." She felt the droid pull away to the side, "Echo?"
"Doctor Baey?"
The helmet focused on her. She knew what he saw, an Imperial and he wasn't on their side.
"I can explain. It's not what it looks like ….." the blue haze hit her square in the chest, point blank, her knees buckled and the room went black.
CT – 1409 looked at the Imperial lying on the floor. He knew, he should have killed her but a part of him just couldn't do that.
"It never is." CT- 1409 muttered, "Now we're even."
He activated his Com. "On my way Hunter." And stepped over her.
.
Kyrimorut, Mandalore.
Two days later…
"What the fek do you mean she's not there? You were supposed to fetch her, so we could go over the plan?" A'den wanted to punch someone, anyone. Niner just had that effect on him, since Gaftikar.
The signal wavered.
"Niner you there still?"
"Yes."
"Where is she? I thought you said she worked out of a Medbay?"
"She does….did. It's empty, even the droid's gone?"
A'den slumped back in his chair. He knew he should have left earlier and gone to get her himself.
"Any idea at all?"
"Just a minute.." there was just the sound of Niner breathing coming through loud and clear now. "She's been reassigned."
"What? Off Coruscant?"
"Looks like it, she's not on this base, anywhere. Sorry ner vod."
The link went silent.
Another angry Null, thought Niner; he really wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose but he still had his bucket on.
"Anything I need to know Sarge?"
Rede was beginning to pick up on the body language, even while they were in armour. He's a quick learner. Niner referred that away to remind Darman to watch himself around Rede.
"Just something Melusar wanted to check. Nothing to worry about."
"Right Sarge."