Author's Note:
Dearest readers, we have a LOT to celebrate, For starters, as of November 27th, the film Frozen is now eleven years old. This movie has been a part of my life since its theatrical release, and the same is true for so many across the world. The Frozen Force began as a fun concept, which turned into a multi-season project. With the conclusion of this chapter, we are now only five installments away from the season finale! Knowing there's only one season left after this, I will certainly be feeling emotions. Come January, The Frozen Force is going to turn five years old. This is still hitting me, as it is the longest fanfic project I have ever produced. Over one million words coming together to form something enjoyable for you all. Sitting at 97,000 reads, my fun goal is to reach 100,000 by the story anniversary. Whether you're a day one reader or you've joined the adventure along the way, thank you. Thank you for being part of this wild crossover adventure.
Enjoy the chapter and the Force will always be with you,
~ Sparks
ADVISORY: The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: Depression and suicidal thoughts. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.
Chapter: Sisters of the Force (Part II)
- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -
IHC: Imperial High Command to Warden Hyren. Respond.
Hyren: I read you, command.
IHC: Breakout status report.
Hyren: There was no breakout, command. Only a riot. The vermin has been neutralized and the rest were recaptured.
IHC: Reports indicate there was a breach at a corral gate.
Hyren: A breach of which my troops filled.
IHC: Not entirely. A distress signal was received from Scout Point Theta. One dead pilot and a missing TIE fighter. It appears some 'vermin' did in fact escape. Send scout ships to find the missing fighter. The doonium mines must not be compromised.
Hyren:...
IHC: Warden.
Hyren: It will be done.
The screech of Kristoff's TIE fighter was as foreboding as it was nerve-wracking. No matter how far into the stars he flew, that dreadful noise would attract wandering ears. He didn't even have a sense of direction, and kept the TIE flying as far out as possible. Dread had already gripped Kristoff, considering that his escape was the last place he'd want to learn about a TIE's mechanisms. Common to most ship's from the Republic era, trackers were placed under the seat. Unsure of which component would deactivate it, Kristoff pulled multiple. The Imperial fighter was designed for close range missions. It would often be deployed from a frigate or Star Destroyer, and return to its hangar when objectives were completed. As a result of such a purpose, TIE fighters were not equipped with hyperdrives. Unable to rocket off into lightspeed, all Kristoff could do was fly onward.
He was constantly on edge, fearing that a Star Destroyer would warp directly in front of him at any given time. The open vastness of space should've been comforting, but instead kept Kristoff's heart racing. Determined to get further, Kristoff accessed the afterburners. Realizing he only had one good shot at it, he diverted all power from weapons to speed. He would've transferred shield energy, but TIE fighters weren't equipped with those either. Clutching the thrusters, Kristoff ignited his plan.
Nothing could have prepared him for the TIE's monumental burst of speed. His blonde head flung back against the seat, as streaking stars became the closest he could get to lightspeed. The fighter screeched like a beast in the blackness, blasting into the unknown. Soon, the cockpit was alive with warnings indicating a system failure. Kristoff's stunt had overheated the engines, making the TIE stall abruptly. It felt as though his soul would depart with how heavily the TIE lurched forward. The seatbelt dug into Kristoff's chest as he yearned to catch his breath. And in the ensuing silence of it all, he found himself adrift.
The TIE's systems had failed, causing the craft to idly float through space. In that silence. That terrible, grim silence...Kristoff unbuckled and hugged himself. The chill of deep space came for his bruised and sweaty self. And as he sat there staring into the void, reality stared back. Kristoff thought over if Mattias had been right. That fighting and making himself known would always lead to disaster. He reminisced on the perceived comforts of Aren, contemplating what life would've looked like had he and Sven stayed with the Trolls. Those memories just made him think back to his best friend. He had been in such a shrouded state to try and escape, that he hadn't let himself fully comprehend the loss he'd experienced.
Anything from Sven's snorts to bold, Cevrian language were like knives in Kristoff's heart. He winced and clutched his shoulders tighter, thinking about all they'd experienced together. No matter what had occurred, Kristoff still found a way to blame himself. Sven's death only opened his mind to Lain's...and the unknown fates of Beni and Tooka. Kristoff truly felt alone. As the memories continue to plague him, so too did this wish to have been stronger. To have been faster. Drifting into the darkness of space, Kristoff let his tears fall. "Sven," he sniffled. "I'm sorry...So sorry." Short of breath, he clutched at his chest and felt his kyber necklace. Clutching the lonely crystal until it hurt his fingers, Kristoff whispered through the coldness. "Anna...Anna-"
Anna Dellian awakened to something she couldn't quite understand. Sure she'd abruptly stirred from slumber, but it felt like so much more. As if something had plucked at her heart and pulled her into consciousness. Anna stared up at the hut's rickety ceiling, searching for some unknown entity. She didn't have time to ponder long, as a distant explosion echoed towards her. "Holy kriff," she grunted and hauled herself out of bed. The sheets shifted, unveiling her freshly-bandaged right leg. Having been amputated from the knee down, Anna cautiously shuffled to the hoverchair. Activating its faulty repulsorlift, she drifted towards the door just as Olgui barged in.
"They're overshooting us again!" the young Avinarian blurted.
"It's only a matter of time before they adjust their aim," Anna snarked and exited the hutt. As she adjusted her eyes with the morning sun, she watched countless Avinarians scrambling to battle stations. Several Resistance members carried ammo packs downhill while others reported to their field commanders. Anna raised her hand and Olgui tossed her a comlink. "Ryx," Anna called in while observing smoke clouds behind the treeline. "You seeing this?"
"Yep," the old bird huffed. "Overshooting again. The Empire's getting sloppy with these mortar strikes. Might be our chance to advance on them."
"We've beaten them back this long," Vona joined the transmission. "My teams are in place, Dad."
Anna unclipped a pair of macrobinoculars from her chair and scanned ahead. She could barely make out the enemy's position in a forest clearing. "Imps have two mortar placements. No armored vehicles. Think you can take them?"
"We don't think, we know." Ryx quipped.
Anna shrugged as eagerness took hold. "I can get you some covering fire. Move in after the bombardment." As both Ryx and Vona's teams got into position, Anna hovered to a row of Resistance heavy cannons. "Artillery!" she shouted and jabbed a hand onward. Clearing several clicks north. Smoke it out. Three volleys."
On her orders, the Avinarians adjusted their cannons to fire on the Imperial position. Anna and Olgui covered their ears as the hulking barrels unleashed three rounds of explosive lasers. The Empire couldn't counter in time from their bombarded position. Each mighty blast contributed to a growing crater as flames chased the sunrise. "Ryx!" Anna called. "Vona...Go! Go!"
The Avinarians advanced, pushing both teams to secure the clearing. Surviving stormtroopers found themselves under fire from the Avinarian charge. Ryx didn't hesitate, unloading multiple rounds into troopers trying to feel their way through the smoke. Vona's team was on his left, securing the area and killing any routed soldiers. An Imperial officer limped from the blast zone, howling in agony for her arm had been blown off. Vona gave the officer a warrior's death, pressing a blaster to her chest and firing.
"We have the area," Ryx rejoiced into his comlink. "Easy win, but these Imp bastards get closer every time."
"We might need to relocate," Anna said before sucking her teeth. "And we just got comfy too."
"I'm getting fed up with this stalemate," Vona scoffed. "We don't have enough Resistance fighters to hold the planet, and the Empire doesn't send enough units to take it back. We-" Suddenly, a series of booms sounded across the sky. They varied in size and resonance, making it seem like the clouds themselves were bursting. "Now what?" Vona grumbled and clutched her rifle.
"Anna," Ryx beckoned. "Maximize your macros and look up."
"Up where?" Anna queried while adjusting her binoculars.
"Anywhere," Ryx said, stoking her curiosity. "You gotta see this."
As Anna searched beyond the clouds, she observed an anomaly in the upper atmosphere. Star Destroyers and smaller frigates were departing from Avinaria. Each powerful jump to lightspeed thundered through the skies. "They're all...leaving?" Anna questioned. Even ground transports in the furthest fields nearest Tristis could be seen soaring upward. "Olgui," Anna said to the youngest Finc. "Check the scans. Get other cells on the channel and find out if they're seeing this too." As Olgui ran off with her task, Anna called Ryx and Vona again. "Pull your teams back, you two. I don't like this."
"Think it could be a trap?" Ryx asked. "A setup for a bigger attack?"
"Couldn't be, Dad." Vona considered while viewing with her macros as well. "They're lifting the whole blockade. And if troop detachments are leaving the planet, they'd have to make up all of the ground they lost."
Anna sat back in her chair and contemplated the incoming details. "What the hell is going on?" she muttered.
Ryx's resistance fighters regrouped at their base of operations. An eerie stillness had laid claim to the land while Anna and the Finc family gathered around a holotable. The ramshackle device could hardly project images and maintain audio. Still, the buzzing and faded images of multiple Resistance leaders emerged. "They're gone," a general from the southern hemisphere reported. Her beak began to grind as she tried to make sense of things. "My scouts were able to just walk into two completely abandoned bases. The Imps didn't bother to collect armor and weaponry either."
An older fighter in the north concurred. "The city of Trochi is clear, along with the surrounding settlements. The Empire seems to have just...left."
For as much as Anna wanted to stay vigilant, she had to face the bizarre truth. A truth solidified by every resistance cell's similar report: The Empire was gone from Avinaria. "I don't understand," Olgui confessed. "So that's just it?"
"No," Anna answered. "The Empire would never give up on their territory."
"As grateful as I am for a liberated Avinaria-" Ryx sighed. "-I must agree with Anna. It feels wrong to call this a victory without a clear surrender."
"Maybe they are planning a surprise attack," Vona admitted. "But they'd need something pretty damn powerful to retake Avinaria now."
"How and why remains to be seen," Ryx remarked. "But we would be foolish to not take advantage of the Empire pulling their armies out. All leaders should take this time to reclaim any lost territories. But stay on guard, share resources with each other, and fortify our cities in the event of the Empire's return."
"If they do return in greater nubers-" another leader cawed. "-would we even possess the firepower to repel them?"
"We don't have a choice," Anna professed. "We either sit in this quiet period and do nothing, or we take any advantage we can lay claim to."
"Recollect yourselves," Ryx said. "Raise your wings in the name of all we've lost to gain this. But do not give in to fear. No matter what comes, we'll face it as a united Avinaria." While the holoprojector tried to maintain a stable connection the group could still see various leaders raising their wings before ending their transmissions. "Well," Ryx grumbled to his peers. "I didn't see this one coming. We can spend today gathering supplies and move on Tristis by tomorrow morning. Re-establishing Avinarian law in the capital is going to be one hell of a project."
The Avinarian Resistance was true to its united word. While keeping in contact with other hemispheres, the rebels maintained a constant watch on their skies. All while gathering supplies to reconnect the populace. Anna sat by her command hut and oversaw supply runs. It wasn't long before Ryx strolled to her side and asked. "What would you say to being President of Avinaria?"
Anna's glare was so intense, Ryx could hardly contain his laughter. "You're kidding right?" she jeered.
"Nope," Ryx insisted, only to immediately fall back on it. "I mean yeah."
"You're a terrible liar," she teased.
"Not a bad quality," Ryx countered.
"In all seriousness, Avinaria should look to you for their next president."
Ryx chuckled over the notion. "From soldier to politician to soldier to politician again. Such is life."
"They need you, Ryx." Anna insisted, all while noticing how stressed he seemed. "I know it feels like a lot, but all of Avinaria would rally behind you. You never gave up on them. And if you could bring a Jedi jerk like me back from the brink, you can revive this world."
"Thanks, Anna." Ryx smiled.
Their peacetime was cut short as Vona came running. "We've got incoming!" she cawed while weaving between supply lines. Ryx and Anna turned to make sense of the alert as Vona caught her breath. She held out a datapad with interstellar readouts. "This just got...picked up-" she panted. "Unknown vessel came out of lightspeed and entered our orbit."
"Just one ship?" Anna inquired.
"One is enough," Ryx fretted and thrust a wing to his eldest. "Vona, get the captains to prep anti-air defenses. Patch a call to the other generals. This thing tries anything in any hemisphere, it's getting shot down."
"Easy there, old-timer." Anna warned. "It's one ship."
"The Empire's occupation of Avinaria began with one ship," Ryx warned while glaring at the mysterious craft.
"What if it's not the Empire?" Olgui questioned. "Should we put a call through? Anna?" The Jedi cautiously scratched at her chin as she and Ryx observed the anomaly.
Ezzie kept a firm grip on her shuttle's controls as it began a steady descent into Avinaria's atmosphere. Tiana rumbled in the seat behind her as the Rovani said, "I thought this place was supposed to be a warzone. There's not even so much as a Star Destroyer in orbit! I don't like this."
"You said there was a resistance here," Tiana replied. "Maybe they...won?"
"Something isn't right," Ezzie said while shaking her head. "Not that people can't stick it to the Empire, but the Empire doesn't actually...lose. No one's ever really beaten them."
Tiana glanced down at her tense hands. "First time for everything, I suppose."
To Ezzie's surprise, an incoming transmission chimed on her dashboard. "Open frequency call?" she mumbled. "That's not suspicious at all." With a deep breath, Ezzie flipped the response switch.
"Hello?" she spoke up nonchalantly.
"Unmarked shuttle," Ryx's gruff voice permeated the speakers. "Identify yourself immediately."
Raising one of her dark brows, Ezzie answered. "You first."
Ryx stared back at Anna. "Well they're not Imperial," he said.
"You're not gonna tell them who we are, right?" Olgui worried.
"Honesty is the best policy," Ryx affirmed before returning to the call.
"This is Ryx Finc of the Avinarian United Army," the husky voice answered. "Your turn."
Ezzie couldn't stop toying with him and responded, "You can call me Bright Eyes. What's happening down there, Mr. Ryx? Last I checked, the Empire was deadlocked with your warbirds."
"What's it to you, Bright Eyes?" Ryx was quick to quarrel.
"Easy there," Ezzie said. "We're no fans of the Empire. We're looking for someone. A Jedi to be exact."
Ryx tensed up and peered over at Anna. Curiosity was getting the best of her as she motioned for him to continue. "It could be another Inquisitor," Ryx whispered sharply.
Anna shook her head. "Not with one ship against a planet. They're smarter than that." She dared to hover towards the transmitter and pressed her finger to it."
"This is she," Anna answered as Ezzie's breath hitched. "What do you want?"
A subtle smirk found its way to the pilot's lips. "To bring you home," she said. "You saved me once after all. It's the least a Rovani can do to return the favor. And it'd be nice to actually see you this time."
Anna froze up. It was as if her mind was undertaking a cognitive deep dive. Yet amid all of her searching to recognize the voice, the word 'Rovani' pieced the memories together. "No way," Anna uttered and leaned into the communicator. "Ezzie?"
"In the flesh," she answered.
"But how did-...Why are you-"
"Just be grateful you made enough noise to be seen," Ezzie quipped.
"The surprises keep racking up today," Anna admitted.
"Oh Anna," Ezzie warned. "Your surprises are just getting started."
Anna's brows furrowed as she motioned to Ryx. "Transmit coordinates," she ordered. "And have the cells stand down. Call off all anti-air defenses." Ryx craned his neck with intrigue as she persisted. "Trust me." Ryx followed suit, still remaining wary over the incoming ship.
Resistance teams were on guard, gathering atop the hill as Ezzie's shuttle came in for a landing. Its ramp lowered, and Ezzie was the first to depart. While the Rovani had meant to start rejoicing, she choked upon seeing Anna's physical state. Her emerald eyes dipped to the Jedi's amputation and she sighed. "Oh...Anna."
"Spare me the grief," Anna insisted. "It's the only way any of us will carry on."
Ezzie offered a sorrowful nod. "We're agreed on that," she said.
"Look at you," Anna moved to change the subject. "Look at us. The years haven't been kind have they?"
"No," Ezzie admitted. "But they do sometimes surprise us." She stepped back as another person emerged from the ship. It might've been midday, but all eyes were on a new shine. A glimmering hem of the palest white flowed over a pair of silver boots. And as the wearer descended from the ramp, the wind carried her robes, making them rise like the break of dawn. Free-flowing locks of platinum blonde followed the breeze, as a single...bold color diverted from the pale. The violet, intricately patterned sash even had Ezzie raising a brow.
"I didn't give you that," she teased.
"It was my mother's," Elsa Dellian answered while running her fingers across it. "Passed on to my master, who bestowed it on to me. I've never felt worthy enough to wear it across what's felt like a lifetime. Now I will carry it for the rest of my days. In the name of my mother and our people."
"Our mother," a voice spoke up and brought pain to Elsa's heart. She looked beyond Ezzie to see Anna hovering closer to the ramp. She'd been so hardened over the years, and yet nothing could hold back her tears in that moment. Even just hearing her sister speak so freely versus how closed off she'd become. "Elsa," Anna croaked.
"Anna," Elsa answered, her heart pulling her closer. She practically collapsed into the chair as the sister's embraced. With their hug came a great wailing. The likes of which emerged from years of suppressed suffering.
"I'm so sorry," Anna wept while clinging to her sister. "For everything."
"No," Elsa cried. "I am."
"I never should've left," Anna whimpered into her sister's tresses.
"Neither of us should've," Elsa professed. "But we did, and the Force has cleared our paths. We're together now and that's all that matters." As she slipped out of her little sister's arms, she knelt down to observe her amputation. Elsa ran a gentle hand across Anna's knee.
"No victory without sacrifice," Anna lamented and tried to shift their attention. "Your hair looks good down like that."
Elsa simpered and ran her fingers through Anna's short bob. "And yours is...different. It's a good different," she assured.
"Elsa?" a gravelly voice beckoned. The older Dellian looked over Anna's shoulder, and the speaker's yellow feathers had her gasping. "It's really you," Ryx stammered.
"Senator Ryx," Elsa could barely get the words beyond her tense throat.
"More like General Ryx now," he joked. "Maybe president soon? A work in progress." He raised his wings, offering for Elsa to come forth. In those moments, it was as if no time had passed at all. As Elsa hugged the old bird, it felt like the day they'd met. She was just as youthful in memory, and the Avinarian just as loving. And just like those many years ago, she let the tears fall in that precious hug. As they slid out of each other's embraces, Ryx flapped a wing to his children. "Vona, you might remember our dinner guest from all those years ago."
"Dad, I was a kriffing baby," Vona jested. "I don't remember shit."
Ryx winced, yet laughed off the sentiment. "Well if you don't, then I'm sure Olgui does!" His 'Dad joke' fell on deaf ears as his youngest rolled her eyes.
Seeing Ryx's children made Elsa inquire. "Your wife?" He grimly shook his head as she rubbed his shoulder.
"No victory without sacrifice," he echoed Anna's words.
"I'd endure all of these years," Elsa murmured. "Every bit of this pain...if it meant finding you all at the end of this." Elsa could feel her companions' gazes on her. Each exuded an inviting warmth as they kept each other in their hearts.
Anna craned her neck from the hoverchair and observed a stranger on the ramp. "Who's your friend?" she asked as heads swiveled to the former Imperial cadet.
"This is Tiana," Elsa introduced. "A Force-sensitive from-"
"I'm...just Tiana," the teen was quick to snap. 'Tiana Roze."
Anna and Elsa paused, as if finally hearing her last name had provoked a forgotten memory. The siblings looked to one another, waiting for some words to spark. Slurred speech succumbed to realization as Elsa spoke up first. "Roze...As in-"
"Hey kid," Anna questioned. "Who was your father?"
Tiana tensed up, unintentionally stepping back into the ship. "Why?" she defended.
"You have every right to be cautious," Elsa validated. "But if your father was in the military...specifically the Grand Army of the Republic...I just wanted to say how very sorry I am."
Tiana's brows loosened and she descended from the ramp once more. "You...knew him?"
Elsa slowly nodded. "We worked alongside him on several missions. Colonel Semaj Roze, yes?" Tiana pursed her lips and nodded. "He was an honorable man. One of the best around."
Anna was about to answer when that bizarre tension returned to her chest. Elsa initially thought she was getting choked up, but soon sensed something much different. She could feel Anna's distress, but also the peculiar tremor plucking at her. "Anna?" Ryx worried. "What's wrong?"
Elsa put a hand on Anna's shoulder. "Talk me through it," she implored.
"Aren't you supposed to be the Force-y one?" Anna grumbled.
"Whether you like it or not-" her sister remarked. "The Force does flow through you. And if you're feeling a pull, there must be a connection. Let's get you to a quiet spot on the ship."
Tiana watched with intrigue as Anna was guided up the ramp. Ezzie and Ryx, the latter unable to leave Anna in distress, trailed behind. Bringing Anna to a shady spot in the hold, Elsa Force-pulled a chair beside her. "Okay," Elsa whispered. "Deep breaths, and repeat after me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am-"
"Elsa..." Anna fretted.
Elsa gently pressed her hands to Anna's temples. Breathing with her, she insisted. "I am one with the Force-"
"And the Force is with me," Anna followed.
The chant continued as Anna sunk deeper into her hoverchair. While Ryx and Ezzie quietly observed, Tiana kept shaking her head. The teen was still trying to understand whatever bizarre cult ritual she was watching. As Elsa kept up her words, she put more pressure on her hands. She closed her eyes and focused on Anna's breaths. As Elsa took herself deeper, she found herself sensing Anna's heartbeat. The nervous cadence only beckoned Elsa into a closer connection. She felt Anna's anxiety and sought to make it her own. The room around her darkened as both Dellians connected their minds.
Elsa soon felt the same sense. She raised a brow and was determined to understand the familiarity. "What...is this?" she muttered.
"It's tugging at me," Anna winced. "Like an invisible hand."
"Yes, but from where?" Elsa asked. "Let yourself feel it."
"It hurts," Anna mumbled.
"But it isn't stronger than you are," Elsa asserted. "Own the feeling. Don't let it cloud you."
Anna bit her lip and pushed on to focus. "Grief," she professed. "There's gravity to it. I can feel it pulling me down."
"Pain," Elsa sensed with her. "Exhaustion. Anger."
"Something has suffered greatly."
"Or someone," Elsa corrected. "Keep focusing. Feel the familiarity and own it."
Anna grimaced as if the pain was bleeding into her. "It isn't someone here," she said. "But I feel their heartache."
"Anna," a voice echoed through from the darkness. The likes of which only she could hear. Anna clutched at her chest, as if there was something she was meant to hold. Elsa observed the gesture, and realized she was forming a bond through the Force.
"Stay in it," Elsa said. "You're doing great. I'm right here with you."
Anna exhaled, embracing the desperate soul reaching out to her. "Anna..." it called again. She felt his loneliness...his hunger...his-
"Kristoff," Anna gasped and opened her eyes. "Elsa, it's Kristoff," she said as sweat coated her face.
"Where is he?" the eldest Dellian asked. "What's happened?"
"I'm not sure," Anna admitted. "But it's like he was speaking through me. All I could see was darkness but I felt him trembling."
Elsa rose from her seat. "There may be a way to find him," she considered. "It's a long shot, but if the Force guides us there may be a chance." The group followed Elsa to the cockpit. She then guided Anna to the navicomputer and said, "Take your time, but tap into that feeling again."
"And what?" Anna questioned.
"Let it guide you."
Unsure of how much she could truly experience, Anna nervously focused her breathing again. Elsa wished that circumstances had been lighter, for she was immensely proud of how far Anna had come. From being a Padawan who refused to meditate, she had learned enough to let herself embrace any fragment of the Force. Anna returned to those sensations and accepted Kristoff's agony as her own. Yet the deeper she delved, the more accustomed she became. And with it came a clarity in her mind's blurred eye. A multitude of stars, a spherical viewport, and Kristoff's labored breaths united to form an image. An image her hands would guide her to beyond her thoughts. As if entranced, Anna let the Force guide her hands to the navicomputer. Inputting coordinates seemingly at random, she looked to her peers and spoke.
"He's there."
"The Mid Rim?" Ezzie worried. "That treads into Imp territory. Are you sure?"
"You're gonna have to trust me," Anna said while Elsa nodded to Ezzie.
"Welp," the Rovani huffed. "We've come this far so...here goes everything. Pack your things, we're leaving!"
While Elsa and Tiana helped gather Anna's few belongings, she made peace with Ryx. "You sure you'll be okay without me?" she asked.
"Don't you worry about me," the old bird chuckled. "You get your friend back. And knowing this fight isn't over, we'll be sure to meet again."
Using her leg to inch forward, Anna raised her hands to embrace him. Within a matter of seconds, Vona and Olgui wrapped their wings around her as well. The group hug was as warm as it was tight. "Thank you," Anna whispered. "You guys saved my life."
"Uh-uh," Ryx swiftly denied. "We might've helped you on your journey, but you saved you. You always had it in you, Anna. Just as each of us does to save themselves. But...please do actually save your friend's life." Anna nodded dutifully and ascended the ramp. "Hey!" Ryx cawed to the sisters. "Look after each other, will ya?" The Dellians waved as the ramp shut behind them. Ryx and his rebel cell watched as Ezzie launched them high into the air. And as the ship vanished between the clouds, Ryx turned to his people. "So-" he began. "About that presidency idea..."
There was no concept of time in space. A void of stars seemed to stretch on for eternity as Kristoff reclined in the cockpit. Clutching his mud-stained and blood-speckled garbs, he shivered in the shadows. His eyes fluttered, begging for sleep but terrified to succumb. There was too much at risk, and Kristoff feared that going to sleep meant never waking up. In the torment of it all, he peered up at the cockpit's dorsal hatch. If it all hurt so terribly...If it was all unbearable enough...All Kristoff had to do was open that hatch.
He shuddered as the dark thought fled his mind. Cursing how he could let himself even contemplate the hatch, Kristoff held on to whatever hope he could find. He dug through his memories and searched for companionship. While he'd lost Sven, such grief would be meaningless if he ended things. Lain's dreams and the hope of a rebel victory would all die with him.
"As long as one of us makes it out-" Kristoff trembled. "We win." A great heaviness fell upon him as he hung his head. "We win," he reiterated through cracked lips. "We win..."
All the valiance in the galaxy couldn't stop Kristoff's eyes from dropping. No matter how hard he tried to stay awake, his lids only grew heavier. His heart rate slowed and the grip on his shoulders loosened. As Kristoff leaned too far forward, he tumbled out of the seat. The TIE's flooring was frigid and unforgiving. As he lay in the darkness of it all, he never once let go of his kyber necklace. The only thing that could widen his shutting eyes would be a swaying searchlight.
Dread blanketed Kristoff, for he realized he'd been discovered. While he contemplated the hell that awaited him back on Wobani, he almost wished he could still pull the hatch. But as the searchlight brightened, Kristoff glimpsed a sleeker craft. Free of the Imperial insignia, this ship closed in. As Kristoff dared to raise a hand in the darkness, his rescuers rejoiced.
"There!" Anna shouted from behind Ezzie's seat. "It's him!"
Kristoff's eyes closed once more, his last sight being that of the mysterious ship looming overhead.
THE FROZEN FORCE BEHIND THE SCREENS TRIVIA
1. The Avinarian city of Trochi gets its name from the scientific name of a hummingbird: Trochilidae
2. This isn't the first time someone has used the Force to find someone. Elsa only knows to help Anna, because she's used this skill before. In Season 1 - Chapter: 17 "The Battle of Manaan," Elsa uses the Force to find where Anna is in Sino City. But similar to Kristoff and Anna in this chapter, Luke calls for Leia to save him in "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980).
3. The hoverchair, or repulsorlift chair originated in "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" (2002). Similar to Anna as an amputee, Cliegg Lars uses a hoverchair after the Sand People cost him his right leg.
4. This chapter reveals that there are other Avinarian rebels across the planet. This is a callback to Ryx wishing on the stars and worrying if his resistance was alone in the fight.
5. At this point in the timeline, the Empire is making drastic changed. They are pulling troops out of contested planets. But why? Perhaps they possess the means to silence them much more efficiently. Perhaps whatever they have is now "the ultimate power in the universe."
6. This chapter's name pays an homage to the very first chapter of this fanfic. "Frozen" has turned eleven years old and "The Frozen Force" turns five in January. When the story begins, we find Anna and Elsa struggling to connect with each other. Four real life years and five story seasons later, Chapter: 145 sees them united. Older and wiser, the sisters are finally understanding each other.
7. When Anna calls herself a "Jedi Jerk" this is a reference to what Blazer first called her in Season 1 - Chapter: 20 "Search and Rescue." She never forgot her best friend's jest all of these years later.
8. This chapter features two song references from the Frozen films. Elsa "rises like the break of dawn" (Let it Go) and Anna feels a grief-induced gravity pulling her down. (The Next Right Thing).
9. Ezzie says "Pack your things. We're leaving." This is a reference to Jango Fett's line to Boba in "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" (2002)
10. When Elsa sees Anna's cut hair, she says she looks different...a good different. This is a mirrored reference to their dialogue in "Frozen" (2013). Only in the film, Anna is the one who tells Elsa such.
11. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me" is a mantra we first learned of in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016). Chirrut uses it to guide his path. This mantra returns in Clone Wars Season: 7 Episode: 11 "Shattered." Ahsoka uses it to ground herself in the Force and to locate Rex's brain chip.
Author's Note:Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force." I'll see you all next Friday, December 6th for Chapter 146 - The Alliance.
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you,
~ Sparks
(Thank you for so many good years together)