Author's Note:

Dearest readers,

We did it! We hit our goal! The Frozen Force is finishing out 2024 with 100,000 reads. Thank you for all of your support, from reading to sharing the adventure with friends. Thank you so much for tuning in this week for the last chapter of 2024. I hope you all have a very Happy New Year and stay safe!

Sincerely,

~ Sparks

ADVISORY:The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: Trauma, manipulation, war crimes, and death. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.

Chapter: 148 I Lived

- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -

IHC: Imperial High Command to Star Destroyer Tenacious.

L'Mendi: This is Captain L'Mendi of the Tenacious standing by.

IHC: Status report from Wobani.

L'Mendi: The Rebels escaped and the prison camp was overrun by the time reinforcements arrived. With the doonium mines destroyed, troopers resorted to killing many of the rioting prisoners. The rest have been captured for further use.

IHC: No.

L'Mendi: Command?

IHC: No one must know of the Rebel endeavors on Wobani. It will spread further dissent in other prisons. A mass execution is hereby ordered for any captive prisoners from Wobani.

L'Mendi: It will be done.

The Rebel base's communications team was trained to remain vigilant. Even during the latest of hours, these Rebels were on standby. Their datascreens would intercept Imperial chatter or hurriedly receive any Rebel calls. One of the message recipients' eyes grew wide as an urgent call came in...from their atmosphere.

"Extraction Team Bravo to base!" Melshi shouted into his comm.

"We read you sergeant," the Rebel responded. Picking up concerning feedback in the background, he chose to ask. "What's the matter?"

"We need to land immediately," Melshi alerted. "Have a squad of troops assembled in the hangar. Bring binders."

"Is it Erso?" the Rebel inquired while typing out orders.

"No," Melshi said to the listener's surprise. "Our own."

The base went on alert as armed soldiers cleared the hangar of staff. The U-wing's engines filled the air as it came soaring downward. "Steady!" a captain told his unit as they aimed their blasters at the vessel. A cloud of exhaust shrouded the hangar while the U-wing's ramp lowered. The soldiers tensed up as a distorted blob of bodies came shuffling out. To their shock, Bravo Team had separated a very irate Kristoff from a calmer Lyn.

"She can't just walk away from this!" Kristoff growled in his restraints.

"Captain Bjorg," Melshi warned. "Stand down now." Kristoff's continued aggressions made Melshi match his energy. "If you do not stand down, you will be cuffed!"

Kristoff's mind tried to calm him, but his body wanted to lunge at Lyn. Even Beni and Little Tooka had to be held back as they tried to take his side. Meanwhile, Lyn appeared completely and utterly unfazed. If anything, she appeared appalled by Kristoff's behavior.

"Maybe sending a former prisoner on a mission to said prison was a bad idea," Lyn lamented. "The stress has clearly cracked him."

"Liar!" Tooka blurted.

"Any stress we have is because of criminals like her." Beni added, his vocoder buzzing with his words.

"You think I'm a criminal?" Lyn scoffed. "That's no way to talk to a member of Thunder Squad. Let alone one who saved your sergeant." She nodded to Melshi as he thought on her words.

"Thunder Squad was presumed destroyed at the Battle of Christophsis," a soldier said.

"Precisely," Lyn fed into his words. "Many Rebels were lost that day. Those captured were taken to that hellhole on Wobani."

"You made it a greater hell," Kristoff growled, wriggling in his fellow soldiers' restraints.

"Blondie," Lyn sighed. "Why don't you get some rest. You're clearly delusional-"

In that instant, Kristoff surged forward. His momentum carried him as he broke free of those restraining him. He was about to tackle Lyn had Melshi not grappled him at the last second. The ensuing scuffle and cacophony of riotous words continued as Mon Mothma arrived. Emerging from a line of onlookers, Mon kept a level head. Bail bit his tongue, trusting her to handle things while Draven's scowl perpetuated.

"Sergeant!" Mon spoke stridently. She was still able to command attention without fully raising her voice. Melshi paused, but didn't pull Kristofff out of his grip. A wave of silence fell upon the group as Mon continued. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

Kristoff spoke for himself between heavy pants. "That-" he coughed. "That woman is a murderer. She should've been left to rot in that prison."

"It's true!" Little Tooka defended while Beni nodded.

Mon paused before answering. Her tired eyes listed to Lyn, who remained steadfast against the accusations. Mon squinted, as if trying to read beneath any facade. After spending years in the Galactic Senate, she was no stranger to bold accusations and two-faced people.

"Your...grace," Lyn said in a dignified tone. "As a soldier myself, I understand the stresses of combat. I served the Jedi Order as a guard, and went on to fight for the Alliance."

"Lies," Kristoff hissed, still trying to break out of Melshi's grip. "I also served the Order, ma'am. Lyn Ferix deserted."

"Enough," Mon decreed. Capitalizing on the ensuing silence, she gave her orders to General Draven. "The Alliance is running out of time." She stared at Jyn, still in K2-SO's custody. "Erso will be processed immediately. As for the combatants of this issue, take them to the observatory. There we'll learn the truth."

Despite Ezzie launching her group into hyperspace, silence overwhelmed the hold. Powering down the overhead lights, lightspeed's blue glow blanketed the ship. Elsa knelt amid the shadows and quieted her mind. She focused on her surroundings as the objects around her began to float. Toolkits, coats, and even her discarded boots whisked around like debris in a swirling storm. Elsa remained fixed in its eye as another object levitated before her. Elsa's lightsaber, built on the sacrifices of an old droid, rose to meet her face. The blade's hilt gleamed with arcetron metals as Elsa recounted its origins.

As Elsa sunk deeper into meditation, she found tranquility in clearing her mind. She tapped further into the Force to disassemble her lightsaber. Each bolt intricately came undone while the emitters swiveled off. The switch, hand grips, and focusing rings detached in perfect synchronization. Each hovered like harmonious ornaments drifting in a sea of mindfulness. Lastly, her weapon's sleeve slid off to join the other pieces, leaving only an energy chamber floating between her eyes. While maintaining control over everything else in the hold, Elsa calmly focused on the chamber. Like a master surgeon, she delicately parted the chamber and revealed the source of power within.

Though her eyes were closed, Elsa saw clearer than ever. A royal blue kyber crystal glistened in front of her and she felt its raw power. Though the crystal said nothing, it was like talking to an old friend. She remembered taking the pilgrimage Tiana just had. And while their latest venture hadn't felt very ceremonious, the Force guided them all the same. "The lightsaber," she spoke soothingly. "For over a thousand generations, this sacred weapon has been a symbol of hope...and terror. It is a reflection of its builder, binding both them and their choices through the Force. Together, they are one." Elsa focused on her weapon once more and slowly fastened the pieces back into place. As the weapon floated down to her hands, Elsa opened her eyes. She looked to Tiana across the way.

So much had changed for the former Imperial cadet in a matter of days. Her hands tremored as she clasped a silvery hilt. Fashioned from spare parts on Ezzie's ship, the hilt was unique to Tiana. Its bold pommel rattled as she clutched it close. Until this point, the only thing she'd ever put together had been Imperial seeker droids at the academy. Like a lightsaber, both possessed the means of ignition. Now Tiana found herself using the tools of her past to forge something entirely different. She stared down at the assembled weapon in her hands until Elsa called to her.

"Tiana," she said. "Trust the Force...and activate."

With a deep breath, Tiana pressed down. The hilt buzzed in her palms as a light blue beam ignited. Her eyes widened in shock and she almost dropped the weapon. Losing herself in the proud, cyan plasma...Tiana contemplated what it all meant. Her brows furrowed as she averted her gaze from the pulsing light. Disappointment filled her heart, for she anticipated some sort of grand revelation in her construction. But instead, she only knelt there holding a meaningless lightsaber.

"I'm proud of you," Elsa said.

Tiana stared back at her. "I don't see anything to be proud of," she admitted. "In fact, I don't see anything in this."

Elsa sighed. "Sometimes even the smallest move is something to be proud of."

"I guess I'm not used to that," Tiana admitted. She deactivated her blade, her eyes following the beam until it extinguished. "Everything was always a major achievement in my family. My Daddy reached so many heights. Top of his class, first into battle and last one out, head of major operations."

"You miss him, don't you?" Elsa asked.

"Of course I do," Tiana was swift to answer. Her gaze never left her saber as the hilt grew cold. "After he died, his achievements became stories. Something to look up to as I continued at the academy. I didn't know how...heck I still don't know how...but I always dreamed of achieving things that would make him and Mama proud. None of that will happen now."

"Your growth is not limited to the Empire's definition of who you should be. Nor is it confined to your parents' views. Pride, like hope and belief...is a personal construct. It will or won't be whatever you make it. Even now, the path you've chosen is one of your own doing. I will not deprive you of attachment, as the Order once taught. Friends and family make us strong. They're the only reason I've lasted this long."

"And what if your family is no longer with you?" Tiana questioned. "If you're not even sure if they'd stand with you now...because you don't even know what you believe in."

Elsa tensed up as faded memories of her parents wisped through her mind. "Then you build around those who do stand with you. No matter how long it takes. No matter where you are in your journey. You build."

Tiana took another deep breath to collect herself. Unwilling to feel things further, she used her lightsaber as a distraction. "Okay, so how do I fight with this? I infer it's different from the vibroblades at the academy."

"Yes and no," Elsa replied as they stood up. "Vibroblades and lightsabers are dueling weapons, but nothing can truly compare to the latter. The Force flows through it. The Force fights with you. And a Jedi uses their blade for defense, never attack."

Her closing comment got a wild snort from Anna, who was sitting behind Elsa. Esmeralda braced from the cockpit when Elsa glared at her sister. "Apologies," Anna jested. "It's just...an entire war with Jedi leading the charge later and we're still going with that mantra?" Elsa's ongoing stare ultimately had Anna relenting. "Okay fine...proceed."

"Tiana," Elsa beckoned. "Activate your blade." Tiana followed her guidance as both women readied their sabers. "Feel it pulsing from your hand. Don't fear the heavinesss, as it will lighten with practice." Tiana gently swayed her saber from side to side, getting a feel for its motion.

"Now," Elsa instructed. "Mirror me as I walk you through." Elsa only activated one side of her lightsaber. She tried not to think about the last time it happened, and instead focused on Tiana. Together they raised their blades in front of their faces. Elsa ignored Anna's ensuing scoff and proceeded. Extending a hand from the weapon, Elsa opened her palm. Tiana followed along while Elsa slowly swiped her blade in a repetitive, circular motion.

"Kriff me," Anna muttered under her breath. Still Elsa persisted and guided Tiana into the next position. "More Form III?" Anna couldn't help but remark.

Her jabs were getting irksome as Elsa turned around. "Tiana needs to learn proper defense. Everything can follow from a solid guard."

"You don't even need a solid defense if you start strong," Anna quipped.

"So what then?" Elsa retorted. "We just jump right into Form IV."

"No no no," Anna denied while Tiana stood confused. Her eyes darted back and forth between the bickering sisters. "You can't just learn Ataru out of the gate. Form II, Elsa. Makashi."

"I know what Form II is called, Anna."

"Then teach it first."

"There is a system to things-"

"Yeah, a system of failure," Anna corrected. "How is she supposed to duel without basic Form II techniques?"

The sisters were like ticking detonators slowly nearing a blast. "For what it's worth-" Tiana began in an effort to ease the tension. "I already have dueling knowledge." Carefully spinning her lightsaber, Tiana showed the Dellians her personal stance. Keeping low to the ground, she practiced an uppercut until the sisters stopped her. It appeared the only thing that could unite Anna and Elsa with saber combat, was any thought of Imperial influence.

"Absolutely not," Elsa spoke up.

"Kriff that," Anna added.

"What?" Tiana blurted.

As the trio's voices continued to rise, Ezzie sank into her seat. She had never been so grateful to not be a Jedi.

"Whatever weapons training learned at the academy won't help you," Elsa insisted.

"That doesn't even make sense," Tiana fired back. "If I already have skills, that means you don't have to start training me at square one."

"But respectfully..." Anna started up. "Actually disrespectfully, the Empire is setting you up for failure. What?" Anna grumbled when Tiana's leer intensified. "I've faced a lot of Imps in close quarters. Not one ever stood a chance. I'm trying to do you a favor."

Elsa raised a hand to try and silence her fiery sister. "What Anna is trying to say-...Is that the Empire is strictly anti-Jedi in its teachings. It cannot help you on this path. Or at all."

Tiana paused, crossed her arms, and glared at the sisters. "That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Elsa and Anna's eyes widened as Tiana doubled down. "I don't care where either of you have come from or what you've been through. Freedom can be taken away. Peace can be as well. But no one can take away the skills you've mastered. I might've been a cadet, but I'll be...well...I'll be damned if I don't use everything I've learned. This isn't about the Empire or the Rebellion or even the Jedi. This is about owning my talents." Their ensuing silence had Tiana deactivating her lightsaber. "The whole point of this endeavor was for me to walk my own path. My past is part of it." She walked away, leaving Anna and Elsa to look at one another.

Ezzie was eager to shift the awkward silence and pressed the music transmitter. "Let's listen to some tunes," she jested.

"Hey there, you Maku Maku Groupies!" a viscerally grating voice emerged. "It's ya boy, Maku Maku. Bringing you my newest hit single 'Maku Maku Baku Baku'."

"MAKU MAKU BAKU BAKU MAKU BAKU BAKU MAKU WAKU MAKU BAKU MAKU MAKU-"

Ezzie had never shut off a transmitter so quickly in her life.

The temple's observatory had been built over five thousand years ago. Under directions from the ancient Sith Lord, Naga Sadow, the enslaved Massassi constructed such an intricate space. Ethcings of their time lay carved into the outer bricks, all leading to a gap in the crumbling ceiling. And for all those thousands of years, eyes from Sith to scholar had peered up at the stars. Yavin Prime, the overwhelmingly red gas giant, occupied most of the sky above. As nightfall came upon the jungle, Yavin Prime shined like a bloodied heart over the Rebel Alliance.

Overturned sundials and toppled columns had been used to divide the room. On one side stood Kristoff, Beni, and Little Tooka. The trio and their opposition had been placed under heavy guard. While she could feel seething glares upon her, Lyn Ferix stared up at Yavin Prime. She lost herself in its crimson glow until General Draven returned. He was accompanied by Bail Organa and a very tired Mon Mothma. The former senator had done everything she could to maintain an impermeable persona. But the stresses of the Alliance's war efforts continued to take their toll. Her eyes were strained and her bob was slightly disheveled. With a deep breath, she stepped into the chamber's center...and spoke.

"At this time-" Mon began. "The Alliance has begun its greatest undertaking. Whether or not we succeed depends on the actions of so few. If the Empire truly possesses such a destructive weapon, our failure is not an option. Time is short, and the last thing our forces need is torment from within. Tonight we will listen to both sides of this conflict and make our decision as the Council deems just." A camera droid hovered above her and zoomed in on Lyn. "There will be no biases. No lack of civility. We will not become the enemy we strive to defeat." The Rebels' resolves hardened as Mon stepped to her first subject.

"Lyn Ferix," she said. "You stand accused of crimes against your fellow soldiers. These crimes include but are not limited to theft, assault, and murder. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Lyn answered hastily. "I have been a soldier since the days of the Clone Wars. I have done my duty in the name of protecting the less fortunate. From helping my family in the undercity to guarding the Jedi Temple, I followed the law."

"Liar!" Tooka shouted while Kristoff bit his tongue.

Lyn ignored the little Twi'lek's jab. "When the Empire rose to power, I joined up to make a difference. Following the words of that man right there." She motioned to Bail Organa before continuing. "He wanted me to kill Imps, so I killed Imps. Loads of them. I lost track of how many of those faceless, plastic drones I gunned down over the years. Me and the others earned our Squad Name: Thunder Squad. Because you knew when we arrived, the flash of our blaster bolts would follow." Lyn pursed her lips and let her gaze wander over the outer canopies. "Then Christopshis happened. Twenty of the Rebellion's finest went in. We thought it was just another mission. What we didn't know is that we'd been sent to 'liberate' a heavily occupied city. Air support was decimated, leaving us stranded to shoot at anything that wasn't us. We called for aid-" Lyn sneered at Bail. "But it never showed. By the time the Empire was done picking us off with sniper fire, I did something I'd never done before. I surrendered. And in the waning hours of our death sentence on Wobani, I realized that no one was coming for us. And so I organized a group of the strongest survivors in that corral to keep each other safe."

"And what about the rest of us?" Kristoff impulsively blurted.

"Order!" Draven demanded, yet Kristoff carried on.

"You kept your gang of murderers safe. And anyone who didn't join suffered the consequences-"

"Silence!" Draven bellowed. "You will have your turn to speak."

Mon scanned Lyn's pained expressions. "This group of yours," she inquired. "Did their efforts make prison conditions bearable?"

"No one could do that, ma'am." Lyn explained. "The Empire barely fed us. Disease and overcrowding ran rampant in the Grand Corral. All we could do was watch each other's backs. I tried to get Kristoff and his friend to join us, but he respectfully declined. And so we carried on. But as time persisted, many of us were lost to the prison's harsh environment. By the time your team arrived, I was on my last legs trying to escape. Perhaps it was...the Will of the Force, as the Jedi believed."

Kristoff wanted to burst from the anger swelling within. Mon noted his agonized expression and brought up her next point. "Others would disagree to your survival, and claim you were just another enemy."

"And that is understandable," Lyn lamented. "Like I said, conditions were harsh. And as the strong survived as best they could, the...weaker inmates got desperate." Beni's vocoder buzzed with rage as she carried on. "Fights were a product of the camp's conditions. But we did the best we could-"

"Enough!" the old Ithorian shouted as heavily as his weathered throats would permit. "I cannot listen to this deception any longer!" A Rebel moved to restrain him, but Beni faced him head on. "You want to shoot me, boy? Fire away and be done with it. Because if that monster goes free, your Rebellion is no different than the Empire!"

Mon raised her hands to bring order to the observatory. "Stand down," she told the nearby soldier as she approached the Ithorian. His eyestalks swelled with tears while his vocoder pulsed. "Benigodo, yes?"

"Beni please," the elder corrected.

"Beni. Can you tell us what happened?"

The Ithorian took a moment to calm down before answering. "I-...I was taken from my homeland. We Ithorians have always been a peaceful people. And in our peace came technological marvels, of which the Empire wanted to posses. So they attacked Ithor and enslaved anyone they couldn't kill. For five years, I mined doonium on Wobani. And with each passing year, my hope continued to wither away. Yet despite a yearning heart and Little Tooka's arrival, everything changed in my third year...when that woman showed up." His teary eyes rolled to Lyn as he continued. "While the Empire brought pain, she brought horror. Oh yes, she did assemble a team of the strongest prisoners. But it was only to enact her reign of terror on the rest of us." Anger gripped Beni as Lyn shook her head. "Don't you dare deny your misdeeds. The lives you claimed. The spirits you beat senseless until grown adults cried themselves to sleep. Not fearing the Empire working them to death, but of your people slitting their throats in the night. And for what?" Beni couldn't hold back his tears as his vocoder crackled. "For an extra ration here and half a blanket there? Animals. You and every one of your crew...animals!"

"The weak can never understand the sacrifices of the strong," Lyn spoke confidently.

"Sacrifices of your fellow soldier." Beni spat.

Mon turned to Kristoff. "You speak of thievery, but murder and terror overshadow it all. Captain Bjorg, what did you experience?"

The word 'murder' weighed heavily on Kristoff's heart as he answered. "Lyn Ferix murdered Captain Lain." His words brought a wave of murmurs to the observers. Mon looked to the camera droid and pondered the council's thoughts. "Lain was a good man," Kristoff fought back his own tears. A soldier under Bail Organa like me. Any semblance of hope we clung to was because of that man. And his last act was that of defiance, standing up to Lyn's crooks. Yes, he himself killed one in the name of defending a stranger. But Lyn went out of her way, stepping forward to murder him in cold blood. And all three of us will attest to witnessing it." Mon watched as Beni and Tooka nodded along. "Yes, Lyn did try to recruit my friend Sven and I. But we were unwilling to sacrifice our ethics in the name of survival. Either we suffered together or we escaped together. And even as her thugs murdered another Rebel soldier, Dee...we clung to our values."

"It's true!" Tooka blurted again, practically pleading to Mon Mothma. "She ordered people to kill and she killed. Almost every single day!"

Mon's eye twitched. The thought of a child witnessing such atrocities left a twisted feeling in her heart. "If you let Lyn rejoin this army, she will just keep surviving." Kristoff added. "She abandoned her squad at the Jedi Temple just as she abandoned her ethics for the Alliance. The only person she cares about is herself."

"Spare me your moral goodness," Lyn scoffed. "How many people have you killed Kristoff? How many has everyone in this room killed?" She raised her voice and stared at her peers with ferociously widened eyes. "How dare anyone in this 'Rebel Alliance' pass judgement on me. As if you wouldn't act as the Empire does if you came into power. I've been following orders for years and the struggle never changed. Republic...Separatists...Empire...Rebels. All placeholder names for a reality where the one with the biggest stick commands all. I just wanted to have that stick. For once in my life to not have a boot over my head, dammit."

"Are you confessing to killing Rebel soldiers?" Mon asked.

"I am," Lyn growled, fed up with anticipated deliberations. "Yet still your accusations are wrong. I didn't care about the items we scavenged or the warden's favor. I wanted to live. I LIVED!" Lyn's final words were delivered with a roar strong enough to rattle the ancient Sith walls. Yavin Prime showered her livid face with bright red hues. Her heavy breaths drowned out the whispers around her. Mon and Bail advanced towards the camera droid, and spoke at lower tones through a communicator. Minutes seemingly stretched on for ages as the Alliance leaders conferred. Throughout the process, Lyn kept her sinister glare on Kristoff, who sternly returned it.

"The Council has reached a decision," Bail said, and brought an end to the ongoing exasperation. The chamber's heaviness swelled as Mon Mothma spoke beside him.

"Captain Bjorg is cleared to continue service in the Alliance. His fellow prisoners will be given the option to join the cause or be assigned sanctuary on an unoccupied world." As Mon turned to Lyn, the disgust left her cold gaze. Instead, Mon found herself utterly disappointed in the operative. Her heart wrenched at the thought of power hungry soldiers just like her, losing hope and perverting the cause. If a proper example wasn't made of her, the Alliance would continue to have defectors. Or others would join causes that only hurt the Alliance's vision, like those led by Saw Gerrera. "Lyn Ferix," Mon asserted. "The Council finds you guilty of thievery, assault, and murder on your fellow Alliance operatives. By the right of our voices, the right of the Alliance, and the will of the Force...you are hereby sentenced to death." The blood drained from Mon's face as she delivered the verdict. Denying any exhale, she held her head high and stuck to the Alliance's choice. As she and Bail departed, Lyn was left without another word to utter. She stood tall, squinting her eyes against the night's breeze. Her solemn stare fell to Kristoff again, who looked shaken himself. As if even he had underestimated the Alliance and the heaviness of such a verdict. But no one's feelings mattered anymore, for the Council had chosen. They'd picked the path of justice as they saw fit...cleaning their hands of Lyn's blood entirely.

A great silence fell over Ezzie's U-wing. The Rovani focused on navigating starcharts and relished in the quiet of it all. She'd been bolting across the galaxy for the cause so much, that she'd forgotten to embrace a peaceful moment. Glancing back from her pilot's seat, she could only hope her companions felt the same.

Contrary to their past behaviors, Anna and Elsa didn't split. Though things felt tense, they'd rather face them together. The occasional look to one another was a reminder of the ongoing conflict. But the fact that both Anna and Elsa were troubled on the matter gave them time to reflect. No matter what became of Tiana or even their own situations, they had to stay united. Even if it meant compromising. Elsa felt a shift at her hip as Anna offered her a hand. The eldest embraced her gesture as they felt each other's soothing palms. Elsa's smile was as gentle as Anna's. And as they looked to one another with hopeful eyes, Tiana returned to the hold.

Eager to apologize for their criticisms, Anna and Elsa spoke up at the same time. Tiana silenced them both with a wave of her hand. "Please," the youth insisted. "There's no room for further fighting on this. And while your words were meant to help, they're only a reflection of how broken you both are." Anna and Elsa were about to respond when Tiana added, "Just as I am. The things I felt and saw in that cave were a reminder of how much I've lost in myself. Or-...how much I have yet to find." Tiana shook her head. "The academy was an escape for me to leave everything else behind." Tiana looked at her lightsaber, sighed, and returned her gaze to the Dellians. "If we're going to move forward, I get to decide things for myself."

"Your feelings are valid," Elsa answered.

"What did you have in mind?" Anna asked.

Tiana smiled faintly and was grateful to feel so heard. "In my curious wanderings, I read how the Jedi would take on apprentices. Elsa, I wish for you to teach me the ways of this Force. Anna, please help me understand the ways of my blade. This is my chosen path."

Elsa and Anna nodded to one another before granting her support. "I'd be honored," Anna said.

"I will guide you through all that I know," Elsa concluded. Yet while she saw the rising grin on Tiana's lips, she felt a sense of foreboding scratching from within. No matter how supportive Elsa wanted to be, she couldn't help but see Stel in Tiana's eyes. Swallowing her fears with an aching gulp, Elsa hid the rest behind an assuring smile.

Thunder rumbled over the skies of Yavin 4. A cacophony of creatures howled and screeched towards the clouds. The rainforest's thick leaves rustled with fleeing animals as lightning flickered in the distance. Where most inhabitants would seek shelter, a detachment of Rebel troops embraced the stormy breeze. They marched out onto the temple's once sacred grounds and approached a stone totem. Forgotten Sith markings lined its sides, illuminating only when lightning flashed from afar. Lyn refused to be cuffed, and shoved past her armed escorts. Scarred yet sturdy, she kept her head held high and walked herself to the totem. Lyn stood with her back against it and observed those before her.

Five members of the Alliance's Honor Guard stood at attention. Had it not been for their helmets and blasters, their dark green uniforms would have them blending with the treeline. Each gripped an A280 blaster rifle and awaited further orders. Their white helmets were so oblong, that they nearly obscured the wearer's upper face. All that remained was a row of stern glowers.

Mon Mothma and Bail Organa observed from one of the temple's upper balconies. While offered to be spared of it, Kristoff and Beni insisted on being present. Little Tooka, by unanimous vote, was forbidden from attending.

Contrary to the solemn gazes of his peers, General Draven had little remorse for the accused. His vicious glare was as cold as it was dutiful. He sneered towards Lyn and spoke up. As he did so, his voice boomed with the encroaching thunder. "You have been found guilty of crimes against the Alliance to Restore the Republic. By the might of our voices and the will of the Force, you will face your judgment." A sea of dark clouds surged overhead, shrouding Yavin Prime.

Lyn's brow twitched at his response. She scoffed, as if Draven was a man of the people let alone a spiritual one. He was a murderer just like her. He just had a rank to show for it. As Lyn looked to all of those condemning her, all she saw was a sea of hypocrisy. Each and every one of them was a traitor to the Empire. They were all either directly or indirectly responsible for the deaths of those resisting 'the cause.'

"Ready arms!" Draven barked as blasters clicked and powered up. "Take aim!" The Honor Guard functioned as an efficient machine. Their blasters lowered together as each soldier targeted Lyn.

With nostrils flared and an unwavering stare, Lyn refused to show weakness. She stood by her actions, and ultimately looked up at Kristoff. While she had no breath to waste on him, he could still read her grim lips. "Aim small...miss small."

Her words rang true. "Fire!" Draven commanded as five, scarlet bolts beamed though the darkness. It was all over so quickly. A person's entire lifetime...reduced to a matter of seconds. Every shot met its mark, lining Lyn's chest and torso with scorching holes. And as her body fell beside the totem, thunder boomed from above. Lightning ferociously streaked across the sky, flashing atop her corpse.

The Honor Guard members paused as a series of patters struck against their helmets. What began as a somber sprinkle soon became a torrential downpour. Even as other Rebels dispersed from the scene, Kristoff and Beni stood by. Finding her body betwixt the lightning strikes, the former prisoners kept staring. For while their abuser had been executed, the wounds she inflicted on her victims ran deep. The memories of Lyn Ferix's torment would endure long after she'd passed. Kristoff turned to see Beni offering a hug. He gladly accepted, and they focused on grounding each other in that embrace. One terror didn't negate the others, and open war was upon them.

Behind the Screens Frozen Force Trivia

1. When Elsa meditates in the center of the U-wing, it mirrors her first meditation scene in Season 1 - Chapter: 1 "Sisters of the Force."

2. During training, Elsa tells Tiana that "the Force fights with her." This is a reference to "The Force fights with me." A quote often spoken by Bastila Shan from the video game "Knights of the Old Republic" (2003).

3. This chapter features a history lesson on the Rebel base. It was constructed by ancient Sith Lord, Naga Sadow. While his first appearance was in "Tales of the Jedi" comic series (1994) you may also recognize the name from his tomb in "Knights of the Old Republic" (2003). There's a trend with KOTOR references throughout The Frozen Force. This is because it is my favorite Star Wars game of all time.

4. This chapter bids farewell to Lyn Ferix, who made her first appearance in Season

5. Symbolism: During Lyn's trial, Yavin Prime resides directly above the observatory. This fiery red orb represents the blood on Lyn's hands. However, this red hue doesn't discriminate, and covers anyone in the chamber. Because everyone, aside from Little Tooka, is a murderer. No matter the justifications, agents of the Rebel Alliance are guilty of their own brutalities.

6. The story of Lyn Ferix was a unique plotline that I'd wanted to touch on for a while. Star Wars has shown us complex Jedi and Sith. It's given us defecting Imperials. But seldom have we seen a troubled side of the Rebel Alliance. Not everyone was morally righteous. Rogue One shows us a sadistic General Draven. Star Wars Rebels showed us Gall Travis, a Rebel speaker who turned out to be Imperial. Through Lyn, I could explore what happens when someone exploits a freedom fighting cause. I wanted to delve into how other Rebels would react in an effort to distract from their own war crimes. And for the first time, I wanted to show the Rebellion executing one of their own after passing judgment. War doesn't play favorites. And while there are heroes on both sides, so too are there enemies. War changes people forever. It turns them into the worst parts of themselves, and all they can do is justify their causes to sleep at night.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading the last chapter of 2024! We are now only two chapters away from finishing Season 5! If you'd like to see an exclusive poster reveal for Season 6, make sure to review the story after its finale! Any account that reviews will receive a link to the Season 6 artwork! I will see you in two weeks on Friday January 10th for Chapter: 149 Season Finale Part 1 - "All We Are" (Part I).

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you,

~ Sparks