Ryloth
New Order - day 352
Hela watched hyperspace through the viewport, glancing at Zur occasionally. There was that determined look on his face that was there almost continually since the Empire rose.
"Are you sure about this?" She asked again.
Ord Mantell had not gone well, neither felt safe there, not that she felt safe anywhere but the Empire had its eyes on Ord Mantell and Zur recognised an agent from ISB there. They couldn't be sure if they had been reported or if he was interested in someone or something else. Zur played safe, or so he thought.
The resulting fall out meant a quick exit.
Then he received a message from Anoon; he had seen the news from Naboo and wanted to be certain but now there was com silence.
"You want to find Mayday, I want to find Anoon. He didn't answer my message, as agreed."
"Perhaps he's just out of contact." She offered hopefully, he was with the Twi'leks trying to free Ryloth from the Empire.
"Yes. Probably. But I need to be certain and I need to make it right with him. When he left….."
Zur never explained to her what happened when he and Anoon had split; he avoided the subject whenever she asked. She didn't push, he was a stubborn sleemo when he put his mind to it.
"We know the Empire is on Ryloth pushing their operations to refine Doonium." Zur continued, "We are prepared for them."
"And you're happy about the contact Anoon gave you?" She wasn't sure herself but she agreed to go, understanding his need.
"As happy as I can be about anyone. We'll be coming out of hyperspace soon, so buckle up just in case."
Hela did as asked; she realised just how much she relied on him. She would probably be dead without him; she owed him. Pulling on the buckle, she caught a flash of silver at his thigh, his ceremonial family sword was on full view now; he had shown it her years ago but then it remained hidden until now.
She settled in and tensed up ready for coming out of hyperspace; if there are Imperial ships there when they emerged, this was the end.
The small freighter shuddered as it dropped out of hyperspace and floated for a few seconds before the thrusters kicked in.
No proximity alarms.
Hela took over the piloting and followed the exact flight path they had been provided, bringing them into land; those instructions were very specific, with the instructions 'Do not deviate' she throttled back as she came in through the ravine.
It was tight.
"All clear!" shouted Zur, as he manned the small gun placement the clones had fitted for them, ostensibly for Mynocks and other animals but a little more powerful than the original, with a better targeting array.
Eyes flitting between the nav com read out, and front viewport, she was getting anxious, there was a cliff face directly in front of her. Ready to pull-up, then she saw it — the large cave entrance, slowing even further, almost hovering, she pulled in. Once in, the cave opened up into a huge cavern.
"Pull in further and turn around!" Shouted Zur.
Tentatively moving further in, she turned the ship; for a small freighter cum courier, it was highly manoeuvrable.
She came to a stop and let a breath out.
"Breaks on! Engine off!" She said, closing her eyes and leaning back in the seat. That was different to landing on Coruscant and Naboo, with their ATC and wide open spaces.
Zur met her at the door, handing over the small bags they kept packed. He opened it.
Hela had not expected thunderous applause as they arrived but the number of blasters facing them, as the ramp lowered, was surely overkill.
"Put your bags down, hands up and walk slowly down the ramp." a Twi'lek with a lilting basic accent ordered.
They complied, as two others ran into their ship.
They were quickly frisked, ID checked and then a very tall male turquoise Twi'lek walked from the back of the cavern.
"Ship clear!" A Twi'lek voice shouted from behind them.
"So you are Anoon's friends? It is good to finally meet you."
He held out a hand to Zur, "Good piloting."
"Yeah. She's not bad is she?" He nodded to Hela.
"Perfect trajectory." He turned to Hela.
He waved at them to join him and they walked into the darkness of the cavern.
"The name's Vestror Nak. We used these caverns during the Clone war and now we're fighting again. We won't rest until we're free."
The corridor eventually opened out into a room with water and a few fruits and ration packs on tables.
"We don't have much to offer you. There isn't much food around. It's controlled by the Empire."
"As is everything from what we've seen, or they want to." Hela said.
"Have you been to many planets."
"A few." She replied.
"Where's Anoon?" Asked Zur, " I haven't been able to contact him."
"He's on a mission. Com silent for the most part but they should be back tonight."
"Here?" asked Zur, "We can wait. We can stay as long as you like."
Hela stared at him but said nothing; she still wanted to find Mayday, if that was possible or the Outpost he was supposed to be stationed on.
"Were there any clones stationed here?" She asked, changing the conversation around.
He turned to her, looking confused.
"Yes. Still are, a few. They just went from being our allies to the Empire's enforcers."
"All of them?"
"There was one squad, early on. They refused to obey orders and let Cham Syndulla and his family escape the planet." He smiled, "That did not go down well with the Empire."
"What happened to them?"
"They were shipped off somewhere in binders. A group of us tried to free them before they left, thinking they would help us fight the Empire but that failed. There were too many of the others— the Empire. It was just a squad, but they were impressive and honourable fighters and had been close to the Syndullas."
He waited before asking her, "And you are Hela Nim?"
"Not any more, she's dead." She had a new name now — Marni. It was still taking some getting used to.
"So I heard, such a pity. Lovely voice. So what do I call you?"
"Marni."
"Now we have to get you ready for Lessu.9 he looked her up and down, "You will stand out a little too much, looking like that. You need to blend in. In a certain way for where we're going and we don't have any Imperial Uniforms."
He waved another Twi'lek over.
"This is what we've found. The sizes were a bit of a guess." He pushed a small pile of clothes towards her and Zur.
"There's a room over there for your modesty." He smiled, showing his filed teeth.
.
Hela came out of the room and shivered, suddenly covered in goose pimples. There was not much cloth covering her and it was chilly in the cavern. A respite from the searing heat outside.
Zur was already dressed in what looked like traditional Falleen robes; she had never seen him in those before. He looked impressive.
"Why can't I get something like that?" She muttered.
"Because a human would never own a Falleen but…." He held out a set of intricate and embellished binders, "a Falleen can use his pheromones to enthral a human and enslave them."
Zur took the binders and attached them to one of her wrists. There was a long chain attached.
Hela looked closely. They were intricate and surprisingly comfortable.
"They aren't locked." Zur assured her, as he draped a cloak around her shoulders and fastened it.
So this is what it's like away from the Core Worlds, she thought.
.
"Are you really sure about this?" Hela asked, as they entered the bar. There had been numerous Imperial Officers on the way and she was uneasy due to the sheer number of them in this particular bar.
A smell of recreational Spice pervaded the room.
A spice and vice bar apparently used as a cover for certain activities against the Empire. A bold move, operating under their noses.
She moved closer to Zur, at the strangers touch on her backside; she had been pawed by more Imperials since landing here than she'd had hot meals in her life.
Admittedly apart from the cloak, she hadn't got much on and she had soon seen why.
She fitted in totally.
Zur seemed to know his way around and she didn't ask him how he knew this place, the Octagon, he said it was called.
Zur looked like a typical Falleen, with his ponytail grown out, his traditional costume and his ceremonial sword on display.
They stood at the bar, waiting to be shown to a private room, some of the patrons moved away from them, apart from one.
The Imperial leaned against her, arm resting heavily on her shoulder, "How much?" he slurred, voice distorted with alcohol and spice; she could smell both on his breath and wearing his dress greys.
Zur lifted up his arm, hers followed, where she was attached to him, the ornate double bracelets on their wrists, flashing in the dim light. He pushed the Imperial's arm away from her.
"Don't touch the merchandise." He growled, looking the Imperial up and down, with that Falleen aura of disdain and arrogance, "especially when you can't afford it."
The Imperial spluttered and blustered, his hand moved towards his hip, until Zur pulled his ceremonial sword and slipped it under his chin.
"I suggest you leave— " Zur growled, as he dragged the sword down the front of the man's uniform, slitting the fabric and ending just above his waistband, "while you are still genitally intact."
The Imperial slunk away.
The bartender produced two drinks.
"On the house!" He declared.
Zur sniffed it and took a drink.
Hela sipped hers and observed the customers; primarily Imperial, in uniform, mostly human, the other customers a smattering of human and humanoid species but the servers and escorts of both sexes were primarily Twi'lek, with an occasional human thrown into the mix.
The bartender gave Zur a nod and he pulled her behind him to a room in the back.
She worried about Zur, since that message from Anoon, then nothing, he had been different, more intense.
She was dragged unceremoniously to the back room, it would play into their deception. The door closed quickly behind her and she stood with Zur in front of a table, where a large male Twi'lek sat; he stood up at their entrance.
"You are Zur?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Looking for Anoon Glie?"
"Yes. Is he here?"
The Twi'lek glanced at Hela.
"She's a friend." Answered Zur.
"A protégé of the Emperor, is your friend?"
"She was his protege in name only but in reality a victim of one of his plans, which is why we are no longer on Coruscant. She also knew Anoon and is his friend."
"Is he here?" She asked, her voice sounded so small.
"I am afraid you are too late. He was happily anticipating your arrival but I regret to say Anoon Glie was killed yesterday, fighting for his planet."
She felt Zur slump slightly and seats were pushed for them but he regained his composure and sat stiffly in the seat. She wrapped a hand around his, it felt colder than normal, and watched him process the loss. She would deal with her own grief after, just as Mayday said he did.
"Who was he with and how did it happen? Who did it?" Asked Zur.
She felt his hand disentangle from hers and move to his sword, his arm tense.
"Zur!" She whispered, "These are his people, his planet. They aren't the enemy."
"I was with him, Gobi Glie. He died in my arms. My favourite younger cousin." He stared at Zur.
Hela had never heard Anoon talk about family
"If there is revenge to be taken for his death. It is mine to take."
Hela hated the way this was going.
Zur stared at the Twi'lek, "We do it together."
Gobi locked eyes with him and Hela thought they were going to come to blows over who was going to take revenge.
"So be it." Gobi agreed.
.
Ryloth.
Depleted Doonium mine
New Order - day 362
"All you need to do is get him here, leave the rest to us."
"What if he doesn't want to come with me?"
Her belt was tightened for her as she asked that.
"He will."
"And what if he asks questions? I know nothing about Doonium mining."
"You can wing it."
Her stomach turned over at the thought of 'winging it.'
Zur grabbed her by the biceps and twisted her around.
"I would never let you do something you can't do. Or that's dangerous."
"This isn't dangerous?"
He looked down at her.
"Too dangerous."
Hela nodded she'd asked what she could do to help.
.
Imperial Outpost
Doonian Refinery
"You can do this. You're an actress. We've got your back!"
Hela listened to Zur's advice coming through the tiny com in her ear, as she walked up to the entrance. All she had to do was get in there, get the Commander to follow her and failing that get anywhere near a data port and insert the device that Gobi had given her.
She dragged her feet, stumbling towards the Stormtroopers on guard; there was no way they could not see her, not since she rounded the corner. She dropped in front of them, appearing to collapse with fatigue.
"State your business!" The stormtroopers' modulated voice demanded, as she lay on the floor.
She ignored it.
Rough hands prodded her, she moaned in response but heard nothing more from the guards. She slumped as they dragged her into the building, resisting the temptation to open her eyes, but felt the cool air of the building on her face.
"You're inside."
She was dumped unceremoniously on some kind of hard surface and then heard the clank of a droid walking. She slowly blinked and pushed herself up on her elbows.
"Where am I?"
The med droid didn't answer but clanked around the bed scanning her.
"Is there someone in charge?"
"Commander Offitt is in charge of the facility. He is not available."
"It's urgent. I must speak to him immediately. It's about Doonium. I've found another deposit."
The med droid was taking its time with its examination and she was beginning to think this was going wrong.
"Another deposit?" A Coruscanti accented voice asked, showing interest.
Hela pushed herself up and turned to face the voice. It was him.
"Commander Offitt?"
"Yes." he held her code cylinder.
"I'm Rian Skoll."
"I know. The Doonium?"
"Yes! Yes! That's why I rode straight here so quickly and then my speeder was attacked by Twi'leks and I had to walk…."
"How far?"
"Oh I don't know but it took me hours."
"Hours?"
"It felt like it. This deposit it's huge—worth millions of credits."
"Where is it?"
"Jixuan Desert. Mine four."
"We've checked there. It's depleted."
"No it's not. It peters out then if you go down a level—"
He checked her ID on her cylinder code.
"You're new."
"Yes, yes I am. I only graduated from Alderaan a few months ago, that's how I found it. My professor was developing a new way of detecting it, especially when it's deep down."
"So why me?"
"No one else would listen. I tried but they're idiots. I'm the new girl. Idiots! If only they knew how much it was worth."
"So you've found it, when they couldn't?"
"Yes. My old professor's technique isn't licensed yet but it will be soon and by then it will be too late. All the depleted mines will have been rechecked. And the idiots will have won."
He considered the image.
"But someone who takes a chance will get the recognition, promotion—or credits."
She paused wondered if she had pushed too far, too soon.
"Of course. You could just take me back to Mine Two and leave me there. I'm sure they'll find an appropriate punishment for me."
"Hmmm! What's your professor's name?"
"Name?"
"Yes. If he's so good he'll be in the Directory."
Hela watched him; she had thought she had him, "Orlov!" she repeated the name Zur whispered in her ear com.
"But you have to see it to believe it. Look!
He continued to look at the image of a rich seam of Doonium.
"There's no claim on it at the moment." she continued, "It's ripe for the Empire to take it."
"No one owns the rights?"
"No! That's why I need you to see it for yourself. Or is there someone else I should report it to. It's big. One of the biggest I've ever seen."
He turned to one of the Stormtroopers.
"Corporal! Get me a speeder!
.
Doonium Mine Four
They pulled up outside the mine; there was no sign of the Twi'leks or Zur.
"This way!" She lit up a torch and led them down the mine, finally coming to a halt in what seemed like a dead end.
"Where is it then?"
She didn't answer.
"Corporal?" He spoke into his com.
"It won't work down here."
Gobi's voice came out of the darkness.
"What have you done?" the Commander asked, she didn't answer but backed away as Zur and Gobi walked into the light.
She could see the fear in his eyes, as he saw who it was; she almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
He was not renowned for his courage.
She turned away and tried to shut out his screams.
.
Barton IV
Imperial Base
New Order - day 362
"Hexx, Veetch! Have you seen Jam?" Mayday asked on their combined channel, "Is there a problem with the coms? I can't get his helmet cam up."
"No Boss! He should be back now. I'll check the Coms room. He may have taken his helmet off. You know what he's like."
"No! I'm there now. No sign of him. Where was he last?"
"Checking all the perimeter alarms just before the blizzard hit. He confirmed he was on his way back."
"Oh Fuck!" Mayday raced towards the nearest exit. He got the opening mechanism to finally work and squeezed through when it didn't open fast enough for him and pushed through the drifted snow. The droids were still in the process of clearing it.
He slid to a halt when he found him, Veetch and Hexx were a few seconds behind him, having come through one of the other doors.
Jam was sprawled against the steps, partially covered with snow. Mayday kneeled next to him and turned him over. It didn't look good. He had seen too many dead brothers to be optimistic about his chances but they had to try. He pulled both his and Jam's helmet off and leant over his face. Amazingly, he could just feel some small breaths and there was a faint pulse.
"He's alive!"
He pulled off Jam's chest plate and began chest compressions, to keep him going.
"Boss. Boss." Veetch tapped his shoulder. "The Med droid's meeting us at the Door Esk. I've heated the Medbay."
"Good! Come on." He and Veetch picked him up and Hexx cleared the way as Mayday and Veetch carried him in. It was the door he had come through; they rushed to Medbay.
The med droid hovered around waiting for Jam, zooming in as soon as he was placed on the gurney.
The three clones waited, as it made its diagnosis. It gave Jam several shots and checked him again, he had a pulse, Mayday could see that on the readout but it was weak, despite the adrenaline pumped into his system.
"Can you give him another shot?" Asked Veetch, frowning at the readouts, Jam's heart rate was low, as was his body temperature, dangerously so.
"No. This clone is no longer viable. It is for termination."
"Him." growled Mayday, "He's a man." Mayday primed his blaster and held it to the droid's CPU, "And if you terminate him, I terminate your CPU. Deal?"
The droid considered it, processing the outcome.
"That is not logical I am—"
"In danger of being terminated."
"Boss!" Warned Veetch, they relied more and more on the droids with only the three of them left.
The droid trilled, "I will continue."
Mayday removed the blaster and the droid continued to try and treat Jam and then it was just a matter of time.
"You two get some shuteye." Ordered Mayday to Veetch and Hexx. "I'll stay with him.
They looked at each other.
"Boss, you need to rest yourself." Veetch argued.
"I'll rest when we're off this place. Now go. That's an order."
"Yes boss." Veetch acknowledged, the troopers glanced at each other as they walked out of Medbay.
He checked on Jam and it didn't look good, but he was not going to let any droid terminate him. Those days were over, or so he had thought.
Mayday picked up Jam's helmet and examined it; it had failed. The cold had got to it too.
He sat with his trooper.
It took a couple of hours but then Jam gave up his last fight. Mayday took his helmet and carefully placed it with the rest; he was not a shiny anymore.