Author's Note: Dearest readers, thank you for all of your love and support of this story. As of Chapter: 68, we've hit new milestones. "The Frozen Force" has now broken past 20,000 views and a record-breaking 255 readers tuned in for last Friday's chapter. Seriously, it means so much to me that we are all adventuring and growing together. Thank you kindly for your continued support of this ongoing journey. This being said, I hope you enjoy today's chapter!
~ Michael
Chapter: 69 Let the Storm Rage On
"Love is as multifarious as it is universal."
Unaggressive negotiations! On behalf of the Jedi Council and in Master Kenobi's stead, Elsa Dellian ventured to Mandalore. Once there...she brokered the release of her sister, Anna, from the Duchess Satine's custody. Gratitude was scarce, as Anna learned of the conditions regarding her freedom. As if being banned from Mandalore wasn't enough for her, Anna discovered that Elsa had also taken command of her crew in her absence. Livid, Anna shunned Elsa until she returned to the Deliverance. But as Commander Frost consoled the eldest Dellian, the two gave in to their blissful emotions. Now, Elsa tries to come to terms with the guilt of their forbidden kiss...
"By the Force. What have we done? What have...I done?"
There's supposed to be no emotion, only peace. I've shown ignorance where I should've been knowledgeable. I thought there was no passion, only serenity. But these feelings...These ignorant, passionate emotions...came from that serenity. Truly...what have I done?
Elsa Dellian's thoughts ran wild as she sat amidst the darkness of her quarters. She couldn't even remember when she'd dismissed Commander Frost. Had she even dismissed him? Did he leave on his own? What was he thinking? Nothing made sense as Elsa buried her face in her hands. As a whirlwind of feelings clustered within her, none was more prominent than that of her overwhelming guilt. Elsa was on the verge of tears as she struggled to make sense of it all. One kiss...one slip was all it had taken to throw her completely off balance. She felt impure and filthy. Cracked and unjust. Feeling overwhelmed, she dashed to her personal refresher and washed her face in the sink.
As the chilling waters splashed across her twitching eyes, Elsa only felt worse. She glanced at the mirror and couldn't recognize her reflection. Gone was the Jedi she was coming to understand. She had to avert her gaze, for she couldn't stand to look herself in the eye. A scolding "How could you?" echoed within her mind until she winced. No amount of water could wash away her shame as she staggered back. Her trembling lips felt tainted by the kiss she never should've engaged in. She felt weak and was infuriated with herself for giving in. To make matters worse, her mind kept warping back to the moment everything changed. And while regret was present in her thoughts, she actually found herself reminiscing about it too.
It had all happened so quickly. As a Jedi, Elsa had always been taught to believe that tranquility would be her ally. It had been her greatest companion to help guide her into deep, meditative states. But now, the very peace Frost had granted her allowed her to succumb to something else entirely. From the moment they'd met on Hoth, Elsa knew there was something special about him. They'd been on enough adventures together for her to feel a deep connection with him. She valued how much they'd grown and how caring he was in terms of her needs. But while Elsa felt that her path was intwined with Frost's, she never understood just how close they were. Their kiss had changed everything. From the moment Elsa's lips had met his in such a tender embrace, all would be questioned. Why did she do it? And how could something so wrong...feel so right? Elsa needed to learn more.
Kneeling in the darkness of her room, Elsa took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. She delved into her subconscious and called upon the Force to guide her. Contrary to her other meditative states, Elsa found herself struggling to stay focused. Instead, her feelings of relaxation only prompted more thoughts about Frost. Her solemn and trembling lips felt unattended as she tried quieting her mind. Yet regardless of her efforts, she couldn't escape her forbidden kiss. The very concept of it was as intriguing to Elsa as it was frightening.
"Evara," she whispered. "Hear me now more than ever. For I need your guidance." Elsa's brows shifted amidst the darkness of her closed eyes. As the Venator's rumbling ambience persisted, Evara never arrived. Elsa's heart sank as she called upon the Wraith of the Force once more. "Please, Evara. I feel as though I've betrayed the Jedi Code and so have betrayed myself. Where are you?" The silence within was deafeningly dreadful. "What have I done?" Elsa uttered once more. She raised her voice as her eyes swelled with tears. "Evara?" Elsa beckoned. "Where are you? Please come back. I-...I'm sorry. It was an accident, I-. No. I knew what I was doing. I think. I just...Please don't leave me. I can still be your agent of the Light Side. Please!" Elsa hung her head in shame. "I already failed Anna and who knows what will become of my standing with the Republic. But I can't fail you too. Evara, forgive me for my weakness. Please just say something...anything!" Tears rolled down Elsa's cheeks and struck the durasteel flooring. With Evara nowhere to be found, Elsa was left in her solitude. As a Padawan, she'd learn to embrace such loneliness during Yelena's frequent absences. But now...all Elsa wanted was company.
A sudden chime had Elsa gasping "Evara?" until she realized it was her comlink. The device's cyan glow illuminated a corner of her room until she snatched it up. "Hello?" Elsa answered while hurriedly wiping her tears.
"General Dellian," the ship's admiral responded. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she sniffled. "I'm okay, Admiral Taka. And please just call me Elsa. What's going on?"
Taka paused, suspicious at first over Elsa's tone. "Your presence is requested on the bridge," she said. "I have the Jedi Council on holocomm for you."
Elsa's brows furrowed as she straightened her posture. "I'll be right there," she assured.
Upon exiting the darkness of her quarters, Elsa felt extremely exposed. Looking at patrolling clones reminded her of what had just transpired. Even her lightsaber was a reminder of Frost. As she imagined his hands assembling the hilt, she envisioned them caressing her cheek once more. Such thoughts only heightened her anxiety as she considered what the council might want with her. She considered everything from a scolding over the Mandalore scanners to them somehow sensing her kiss. Elsa's ludicrous fears subsided to even greater nerves when she noticed who else was on the bridge.
Commander Frost stood at attention beside Admiral Taka. While he wasn't Force sensitive, he tensed up as much as Elsa did. So much so, that even Taka noticed his excessive rigidness. She raised a brow at the commander and asked, "Something wrong?"
"What?" Frost blurted and nearly choked. "Um...no. Of course not." He awkwardly nodded to Elsa and said, "Gen-...erhm. I mean...Elsa. Hello."
"Commander," Elsa answered coldly and tried not to look into his visor. In her attempt to keep her distance without looking like she was, Elsa became a bumbling mess. She ended up just standing awkwardly while staring at Taka. "How can I be of assistance, admiral?" she asked through a fraudulent grin.
"The...call?" Taka confusedly reminded her. "From the Jedi Council?"
"What?" Elsa inquired as a droplet of sweat ran down her forehead. She could feel the weight of Frost's gaze from beneath his helmet. "Oh...oh right! Yes, let's hear it!" Elsa's nervous chuckle was boisterous and unsettling as Taka activated the holotable. A short and humble projection flickered into view as Master Yoda emerged.
"Knight Dellian," Yoda greeted. "In order, congratulations are. In Master Kenobi's place on Mandalore, a good task you have done."
"Thank you, Master Yoda." Elsa responded and bowed. "But something tells me you called for more than a mere congratulations."
Yoda loosed his iconic, reserved chuckled. "Perceptive you are, Dellian. A new assignment for you, the council has." Elsa listened in as Yoda continued. "Suffering there is on the Inner Rim planet of Eshan. Plagued by intense natural disasters, the Echani people are. Provide relief to them in their time of need, you will."
"We'll make plans to leave immediately," Elsa said. "The Deliverance will see to it that the Echani get the relief supplies they need."
"May the Force be with you," Yoda said before ending the transmission.
I hope it's with me, Elsa worried while considering Evara's absence. She shook off such fears and looked to Taka. "Admiral," she ordered. "Set course the nearest Republic space station. We'll stock up on relief supplies there and then make for Eshan."
"Yes...Elsa." It felt weird for Taka to address the Jedi as such at first.
As those on the bridge went to their stations, Frost approached Elsa. "Hey," he beckoned.
"Commander," she intoned without even looking at him. "See to it that the 213th is ready to gather supplies."
"I will," he assured while following her. "It's just that-"
"And make sure everyone is set for a briefing on Eshan," Elsa continued while quickening her pace.
"Of course," Frost replied. "But if we could just talk about-" Elsa came to a halt, yet kept her back to him. Her gesture caused the commander to freeze up. "About...before," he said. "What happened back there was-"
"Commander Frost," Elsa asserted and hardly glanced over her shoulder. "The Echani people are counting on us to provide relief in their hour of need. Now is hardly the time for any discussion of this kind."
She tried to keep walking until Frost spoke up again. "Then when can we talk about...well...you know?"
Elsa sighed heavily and slouched forward. "I-...I don't know. Let's just focus on the mission, okay?"
Ever the loyal soldier, Frost stood at attention and saluted her. "Yes ma'am," he answered sincerely.
Elsa glowered at his response, but she'd done nothing to make him feel any more relaxed around her. Relaxation frightened Elsa...especially after what it had led to between them in her room. All she could bring herself to do was nod and step away.
In a section of dead space, the Legacy drifted apart from the Guardian. Watcher's holographic visage emerged on Shang's holotable. "You were right to leave your findings with me, Dellian," she said. "I'll have my teams analyze the strange powder you found and see what they come up with. In the meantime, standby for further orders. Oh, and try not to get arrested again."
"No promises," Anna snarked.
"You're lucky that diplomat sister of yours was available," Watcher added. "Although I must report some discomforting news." Shang, Anna, and the Deathchasers listened in as she continued. "I believe our spy presence on Mandalore has been compromised. Readouts on the Guardian are showing a complete lack of scanner activity planetside. It's as if every single one has been overloaded simultaneously." Anna glanced at Shang, who merely pursed his lips. "Now Dellian," Watcher continued. "You've proven yourself to be a loyal soldier to the Grand Army. But loyalty does not equal resilience."
Anna raised a brow. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"Oh come now," Watcher said. "It wouldn't be the first time a Republic spy...shall we say...'cracked' under pressure?"
"You think I'd reveal anything to those pacifistic buffoons?" Anna blurted. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
"What I do know is that all of our scanners are suddenly down. All coincidentally after you were captured. Unless of course, you have another explanation you wish to present?"
Anna swallowed hard while staring Watcher's projection down. She could feel the weight of Shang and the Deathchaser's gazes upon her, yet none of them said a word. Anna felt a frustration rising within her as she thought over Elsa's deeds. All she had to do was tell the truth and rid herself of Watcher's accusations. As she looked over her companions, her gaze ultimately rested on Speedy. The clone's insightful words returned as she clenched her fists.
"We've got millions of brothers serving on the frontlines, but how many sisters do you have?"
Anna unclenched her fists and exhaled. "I do know what happened," she confessed. Speedy was about to interfere when Blazer held him back.
"Go on then," Watcher insisted.
"While I was imprisoned-" Anna began. "-I heard talk of a Death Watch hack. It is my belief that the bombing was a coverup and that Death Watch was secretly targeting our scanners, perhaps to use them against Duchess Satine."
"If this is true, those idiots don't have a single good hacker among them," Watcher commented. "They overloaded a perfectly good set of scanners. We must remain on guard. I fear our business with Mandalore and the Death Watch is far from over. I will report back to you as soon as I have a new assignment."
As soon as Watcher ended the call, Anna stuck her tongue out to where her hologram would've been. "Welp, that was close," she mumbled.
"Too close," Shang added. "Seriously, Anna. You must be more careful."
"That's something coming from 'Admiral Death Watch Grudge' himself."
Shang huffed. "I know I shouldn't have ordered you to pursue, but I never could've imagined that you'd be so destructive. You showed a total disregard for others out there."
"By chasing a terrorist for them?" Anna scoffed. "Gimme a break."
"Think of the destruction you left in your wake," Shang asserted. "I say this not as a scolding...but as a warning." Anna squinted bewilderedly as he continued. "We all have something to work on. I am personally striving to find peace. But if you don't work on your irresponsible and reckless tactics, it will come back to harm you. You've been gifted with amazing power, Dellian. Don't abuse it."
"Thanks, Dad." Anna scoffed and then instantly winced. She thought of Shang's lost father while turning back to him. "Admiral...I-"
"It's fine," Shang murmured. "I probably sound like him anyway. Father was always so strict with me."
Anna sighed. "At least you knew your father." She left the bridge and returned to the crew quarters. As Anna flopped against the couch, she suddenly heard a knock at the door. She raised her head as Sparx, Blazer, and Speedy approached. "More lecturing?" she groaned.
"No, general." Blazer assured.
"Just wanted to say that we think you did the right thing back there," Sparx added.
"Covering for your sister took heart," Speedy said. "Should anything come from it, we'll stand by you."
"Yeah well, Elsa's welcome." Anna mumbled while sinking into her pillow.
"So have you spoken to Elsa since Mandalore?" Speedy inquired.
Anna raised her head from the pillow and huffed. "No," she griped.
"Speedy," Blazer warned. "We're not here to lecture the general."
"I know, Sarge. It's just that what she and Elsa have is special. Just as our brotherly bonds are." Speedy leaned down towards Anna and cleared his throat. "All I'll say is this." He brought a finger to his head and tapped it. "You can be as sorry as you want up there. But it's all meaningless if the other person has no idea."
"Okay, Speedy." Blazer grumbled. "That's enough. Let Anna rest some."
"Call her," Speedy whispered before departing with his brothers.
Anna huffed as she reclined on the couch. While she didn't want to admit it at first, Speedy was right. Anna gripped her comlink and punched in Elsa's frequency. Her finger hovered over the call button as she took a deep breath. Pain festered within Anna as she considered all of the nasty words she'd spewed to Elsa. But Anna withdrew her finger and refused to call. Because while Anna was sorry, she still believed she was right."
After completing its supply run, the Deliverance blasted off into the Eshan System. Unfamiliar with this section of the Inner Rim, Elsa approached the bridge's viewport and asked, "Admiral Taka...what can you tell me about Eshan?"
Taka also observed the bright and viridescent planet. "Eshan's position has kept it out of the Clone War's destructive path," she said. "It's the reason the Echani have been able to stay neutral for so long. But while their status is as such, they are far from hostile towards the Republic. They know what the Separatists are capable of and commend our efforts to stop them."
"At least we have their favor on our side," Elsa remarked. "What are Echani?"
Taka pulled up a holoimage from her display table. A toned woman adorned in form-fitting robes spun atop the table. "The Echani are a race of near-humans who value combat above all else. Martial arts are not only a skill, but a second language to them. Everything from ceremonial rituals to daily practices revolves around their warrior culture. But don't mistake them for barbarians. The Echani hold a system of great honor amongst their fellow beings." Taka smirked to herself upon reading the data entry's final excerpt.
"What?" Elsa curiously inquired.
"It says here that Eshan has a matriarchy," Taka replied. "I haven't found a single thing to dislike about this planet." Elsa smiled back until Taka continued with her thought. "What do you think makes other planets so fearful of having women in charge?"
Elsa pondered the admiral's question for a moment. "Perhaps it's an unwillingness to listen and change?" she considered.
Taka huffed and nodded. "It doesn't matter how advanced our societies become. Space travel...cybernetics...weapons that can fry someone from the inside out. We can go as far as our minds can take us and still be set back by a storm of ignorance. I didn't get to be the admiral of a Venator-class star destroyer by kissing up to anyone." Taka wrinkled her nose in disgust as she recalled her experiences. "I was walking a tightrope from the academy and beyond. I didn't have any familial connections to secure a spot. Just a willingness to serve and that wasn't enough. If I acted too angry, I'd be considered abrasive. Act too calmly and I'd be docile and unfit for leadership. All while I watched male colleagues get away with all of those things and worse."
Elsa shook her head sympathetically. "That's awful, Admiral Taka. What got you through it all?"
A faint, yet confident grin found its way to Taka's thin lips. "Because one thing kept me balanced on that tightrope," she said. "My values. I never lost sight of them and neither should you. No matter how many times they speak over us, reject our ideas, or cast us aside. Don't let modernity fool you, Elsa. Discrimination is real, it's just hard to see through the Republic confetti sometimes." Taka sighed. "Apologies. It's just refreshing to see a planet where things are...different."
"It's okay," Elsa admitted. "Really, admiral. I appreciate you opening up to me."
The typically cold Taka simpered and placed a hand on Elsa's shoulder. "Just...know your worth, okay?"
"Admiral!" an officer reported in. "We're just outside of the planet's atmosphere."
"That's my cue," Elsa said and reported to the hangar. "I'll send you a report once I'm planetside."
The Deliverance's hangar was bustling with activity. The clones of the 213th were hard at work securing supply crates and loading them on to LAAT gunships. "We're all set for takeoff!" a clone pilot saluted Elsa. "LAAT-5 awaits you."
"Thank you, Donz," she said and boarded the gunship. As she did so, she noticed Frost boarding from the opposite hatch.
She froze as the commander said, "I spread the word. No one will call you general, just as you asked."
"Um...great," Elsa huffed and reconsidered bording.
"What's the matter?" Frost asked.
"I just-" Elsa observed the commander and thought back to their mission to Rodia. The memories came flowing back to when he was a corporal and they were gripping handholds together. Everything felt so different now. So...tense. As Elsa lost herself in her own thoughts, she realized Frost was still awaiting her response. "Perhaps I should ride in a different gunship," she suggested.
"But leadership always takes LAAT-5," Frost considered. "We always do."
"We."
The way he'd said that word had warping back to their kiss all over again. Donz glanced back from the cockpit, unsure what was going on between the two. Before Elsa could respond, several other clones filed into the transport. The boisterous Rip and Doubles were among those in the group. "We're all loaded up!" Doubles hollered. "Clear for takeoff!"
Elsa kept to herself and reached for a handhold. She and Frost gasped when they both reached for the same one. Their hands snapped away from each other as if they'd been zapped by electricity. "Y-you can have it," Frost nervously insisted.
"No no," Elsa assured. "Take it, commander."
"You saw it first, plus you get motion sick."
"I'll be fine. It's yours."
"Oh for the love of!" Rip blurted. "I'll take it." He slipped between the duo and snatched the handhold.
Elsa and Frost dispersed to search for other handholds. In a torturous twist of fate, the only handholds left had them standing right next to each other. Donz prepped the engines as a younger clone climbed into the upper cockpit behind him. "You must be my new co-pilot," Donz jested. "Fresh out of Kamino?"
The rookie clone strapped in and nodded to the senior pilot. "CT-9139, sir." he greeted. "My cadet squad called me Toto."
Donz removed his helmet so Toto could observe his older face. A bushy, yet well-groomed mustache blanketed his upper lip. "Welcome aboard my pride and joy, shiny," he quipped. "Buckle up."
As the gunships took off, Elsa and Frost stood in silence. The craft's interior lighting coated the group in a crimson hue until they breached Eshan's atmosphere. In time, Frost broke his silence to brief those onboard. "Echani Command has been notified about our arrival," he declared. "Our first stop will be the town of Kitawi, which has suffered substantial damage."
The gunship's hatches opened as they soared across Eshan's landscape. A calming, yet powerful breeze blew against those onboard as Elsa peered over the side. The planet's vast, temperate grasslands reminded her of Dantooine. Lush seas of grass stretched on for as far as the eye could see. As they flew towards Kitawi, the gunships occasionally past isolated shacks and humble homesteads. While Elsa continued to observe the planet, she tried to connect with in it on a deeper level. Despite her best efforts, she felt less attuned after her experience with Frost. In fact, her inability to speak with Evara only stressed her further. It wasn't long before Elsa and the 213th spotted Kitawi on the horizon.
A flickering, violet signal flare spiraled into the sky and heralded the Republic's arrival. Pale-skinned, dirt-ridden hands stretched out and waved from the ruins of a ravaged town. As Elsa glimpsed the devastation from above, she tried to make sense of what kind of disaster they were dealing with. The gunships glided in a tightly packed formation and landed in a nearby field.
As Elsa and the 213th disembarked, they came face to face with the Echani people. With chalk-white skin and pale tresses atop their heads, the Echani were a ghostly race. Their vivid, silver stares observed the clones as they unloaded supplies. Despite a few skeptical glares, the Echani were quick to accept assistance. Elsa found herself approached by a pair of violet robed individuals. While a long braid swayed from the younger man's head, the older woman's hair was trimmed into short, wavy bangs. "Welcome to Eshan," she spoke up first. "I am Haldris. This is my brother, Thovan. Echani Command has us overseeing the relief effort in Kitawi."
"An honor," Thovan said and respectfully bowed.
"The honor is ours," the Jedi responded. "I am Elsa Dellian. This is Commander Frost of the 213th. We'll provide as much support as we can on behalf of the Galactic Republic. Just tell us what you need and how you need it."
"The crates are a good start," Haldris said. "But there's still much cleaning up to do."
Elsa nodded and looked to the debris. "I can help with that," the Jedi said and approached a nearby pile. She needed to reconnect with the Force anyway, so shifting debris could only help her. The people of Kitawi watched in awe as Elsa called upon the Force and lifted several shattered tiles to a safer location.
"What exactly happened here?" Frost asked.
"A tornado," Thovan answered. "But not like any we've ever seen."
"Eshan gets the occasional disaster from time to time," Haldris added. "But we've seen storms like never before as of late. An...unnatural increase in tornado activity has caused tremendous destruction to communities on the plains. Sunhaven has sent for guardians like Thovan and I to help the people in their time of need."
"Sunhaven?" Elsa inquired while shifting more refuse.
"The regional sanctuary," Haldris explained. "We Echani are sworn to protect one another through honored blood bindings. As the Guardians of Sunhaven, we must uphold that oath."
"Industrial changes can often alter climates," Frost considered. "Have the Echani made any alterations on such a scale?"
"No," Haldris said. "Especially not out in these farmlands and simple towns. Nevertheless, something is indeed wrong out here. We can all feel it in the air." She glanced at Elsa and murmured, "Surely the Jedi can sense it?"
While Elsa's abilities were imbalanced, she could feel something stirring beyond their sights. She faintly nodded to Haldris and continued to clean up the town. "So let me get this straight," Rip huffed while hauling a crate. "Which of you Echani are warriors?"
"All of us are," Thovan quipped. "Honorable combat is our way life."
Rip paused in deep thought. "So...if I go up to a toddler, I can legally challenge them to single combat?" Doubles smacked him upside the head. "Hey! I was just asking!"
As the rambunctious pair departed, Thovan whispered to himself. "The toddler would probably win."
The team's toil persisted and Eshan's cool breeze was blissfully welcoming. As Elsa finished another pile of wreckage, she noticed several Echani children watching her. While some looked upon her with curious eyes, others clung to their handwoven dolls. Elsa simpered and waved before the children scurried off. It pained her to think about so many young lives torn asunder by a natural disaster. Still, she found comfort in knowing that she was doing her best to help. The sight of kids snacking on Republic rations warmed her heart as she got back to work. Elsa cleared a shattered mirror, only to see Frost's reflection standing in it.
She quickly turned to make sure it wasn't her mind playing tricks on her. "Commander," she greeted.
"Elsa," he said. "The rations have been distributed. I was wondering if I could have a word."
Elsa hugged herself for comfort and answered, "That depends what it's about?" His awkward pause was enough of an answer. "I see..."
"We can't keep avoiding each other and avoiding what...happened."
Elsa's eyes swayed across the wreckage as if someone could be listening. "Frost," she mumbled. "Things are really complicated."
"I agree," he said. "So why don't we talk about it and try to make sense of things?" Elsa bit her lip and clenched her arms. "We're better together." Elsa's eyes widened as Frost stumbled to try and clarify. "I-I-I mean as a team. You know. Partners. Better united. We won't be able to figure this or anything out if we keep it to ourselves."
"Look what happened when we didn't keep it to ourselves," Elsa whispered. Frost sighed and was about to answer when a set of sirens went off. The duo looked around as the sirens seemed to be ringing out in every direction. "What is that?" Elsa asked.
"Think it's another tornado?" Frost considered.
He and Elsa raced out of the wreckage to regroup with the others. The commander's theory seemed improbable given that the skies were only partly cloudy. They only quickened their paces when screams sounded within the perimeter. "Bandits!" an Echani guardian warned. He was at one of the alarm stations when another Echani leapt over and kicked him. Utilizing advanced acrobatics, several masked men and women vaulted into the ruined town.
"Protect the supplies!" Haldris hollered. She dodged a punch from one of the bandits and threw them to the ground. After knocking them out, she removed their mask to make sure they were Echani. "They share our blood!" Haldris yelled. "Take them alive!"
Elsa admired Haldris' words as the 213th looked to her for orders. "Troopers!" she commanded. "Switch to non-lethal stun blasts and defend the supplies!"
"You heard her, boys!" Frost yelled. "Set for stun!" He aimed his rifle alongside countless clones. Volleys of blue-ringed projectiles zipped through the air, striking and incapacitating bandits on impact.
Rip raised his flamethrower until Doubles shoved him. "What part of non-lethal did you not understand?"
Rip sulked and asked, "Is it still lethal if I just burn them a little bit?" Doubles groaned and shut off Rip's flamethrower.
One of the thieves was about to steal a crate when Elsa landed in front of her. She picked the bandit up with the Force and kept her suspended while Frost shot her with a stun blast. "Nice work," the commander said. Elsa merely nodded and proceeded onward.
A trio of bandits rushed Thovan head on. Light on his feet, the young Echani withdrew a pair of tonfas from his back holsters. The first bandit endured the brunt of both weapons directly across the face. As he fell, Thovan carried that momentum to spin towards his second opponent. He twirled his tonfas and battered his foe's scythe with enough force to send him stumbling. This bought Thovan enough time to engage the third attacker. He drove the handles of both tonfas into his opponent's ears, stunning them while he kicked them in the chest. With the third assailant neutralized, Thovan returned to the second bandit. He rolled as the scythe went swinging over his head and eyed his enemy's bent knees. Lunging swiftly, Thovan struck the bandit's calves and forced him into submission. With his opponents defeated, he twirled his tonfas back into their holsters.
Elsa ran over to see Haldris engaging a hulking brute. She wrestled him for his sledgehammer until he shoved her down. "You can't beat me," he growled.
"Please," Haldris scoffed while reaching for her belt. "I wasn't even trying yet." Elsa was about to assist when she noticed Haldris getting back up. The Echani unclipped what looked like a lightsaber hilt until she pressed the button. As Haldris did so, she revealed a fully extendable quarterstaff. With a valiant roar, she charged at her hammer-swinging opponent.
While his attacks were slow and sporadic, Haldris' were swift and precise. She spun her staff to disorient him and delivered multiple jabs to his gut and face. She locked weapons with him once, but was quick to disengage and find another opening. As Elsa watched them duel, she couldn't help but admire Haldris' technique. She was a quarterstaff master, elegantly flowing with every motion as if she was one with the weapon itself. Enraged by his repeated misses and rising wounds, the bandit raised his hammer to attack again. Haldris countered by sweeping her staff across his legs and sending him tumbling over. As the bandit struck the floor, he gasped when the sledgehammer plummeted straight towards his face. While he braced for the inevitable, such a crude demise never arrived. He slowly opened his eyes to see that Haldris' staff had blocked the hammer just in time.
"We're clear!" Frost yelled from the town's lower level.
The 213th gathered those who were stunned while Haldris knelt by her foe. Elsa arrived as the Echani removed the bandit's mask. The reddened eyes of a bearded brute swayed towards them. "Why?" Haldris asked. "Why would you do this?"
"We were never going to kill anyone," he muttered. "We heard the Republic was coming and just wanted...supplies."
"And so you dishonored your people by turning to thievery," Haldris jeered. "Shame on you. Shame to-"
"We're starving!" he pleaded. "We didn't know when or how aid would ever reach us!" A lone tear fled his eye. "I have honor. We...all do. But we'll also do anything for our families. After the last tornado hit, we were desperate to find anything to hold us over."
Haldris' brows furrowed and she glanced at Elsa. "What's your name?" she asked the bandit. "Where are you from?"
"I am Voro of Sanak. I care not for what happens to me, but see to our families. They are starving there...please."
"Rest now, Voro." Haldris said and patted his chest. "For the Republic is here to help us." She rose with a sigh and recollected herself.
"Where's Sanak?" Elsa asked.
"It's a ways from here," Haldris said. "I give these bandits credit for traveling the distance. But this is an ill omen if towns are still being hit. Can some of your gunships take us there?"
"Of course," Elsa assured. "We can bring a portion of supplies for the time being as well. It won't be much until we restock from our Venator, but it'll work."
"Then gather your best and make ready," Haldris said before addressing her people. "Echani of Kitawi! Your town is no longer safe. Collect what you can and board all available transports to Sunhaven." She dropped down and placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Thovan, I'm going to help our people in Sanak. Can I trust you to guide those here?"
"On my honor, sister." Thovan said as they bowed to each other.
"Commander Frost," Elsa said. "Assemble a trio of gunships for another supply run. The rest will stay here and help get people to Sunhaven."
"I can command those gunships," Rip volunteered.
"Not on your life," Frost scolded. "You and Doubles are with us in LAAT-5."
As Rip groaned, he heard another clone chuckling beside him. "Oh shut up, Dusty," he griped. Knowing their tasks, everyone went to their stations and dispersed.
If Kitawi was destroyed, Sanak was beyond obliterated. Elsa's stomach dropped at the sight of so many decimated homes. She shook her head upon seeing frightened civilians huddled together at ground level. "This is awful," Elsa uttered. "And you said Eshan has never had storms like this before?"
"Never to produce tornadoes this devastating," Haldris replied. "But the only thing worse than a natural disaster is the uncertainty of its aftermath. People either reconnect through the turmoil...or as we saw with those bandits...add to it."
"It was noble of you to spare them," Elsa lauded. "And brave of you to see their side."
"Someone has to, right?" Haldris affirmed and Elsa smiled.
Donz maintained LAAT-5's course and eased up on the controls. A sudden patter caught the clone pilot's attention as he peered up at the windscreen. He observed the single raindrop as it slithered downward. Within seconds, one droplet became a dozen as a rainstorm started up. Donz leaned forward as his co-pilot grew cautious. "Are you seeing this?" Toto asked.
"What the?" Donz murmured while watching rainclouds instantly darken above them. "Toto...you're not on Kamino anymore." He instinctually closed the gunship's hatches and left his passengers feeling suspicious.
"What's going on?" Doubles wondered as Frost let go of his handhold.
The commander trudged towards the cockpit and poked his head in. "Donz," Frost beckoned. "Status-" What Frost witnessed had him removing his helmet in shock. "-report..."
"Commander," Donz said. "You may want to hold on to something." The skies had darkened to the utmost extreme. Eshan's vast grasslands quaked and rustled as something rumbled in the distance. Thunder boomed and several streaks of lighting illuminated a daunting silhouette. Frost's eyes widened as he slowly stepped back towards the hold. While he regrouped with the others, the image of what he'd seen remained burned into his mind.
"Frost?" Elsa worried and her voice barely reached him. "What is it?"
"There's another one," Frost mumbled as extreme winds reached the gunship. Elsa and Haldris leaned over to look for themselves. Their bodies stiffened at the sight of an inky, monstrous vortex swirling over the land. This multi-mile wide tornado decimated fields and was on a direct path for the remnants of Sanak.
"What are your orders?" Donz yelled while trying to stabilize LAAT-5. The other gunship pilots could all be heard yelling on their channels as well.
"We can't pull out," Haldris said. "There are people down there who need us!"
"They can run for it!" Rip fretted. "That twister will eat us alive!"
"We need orders!" Donz shouted again while trying to steady the gunship.
Elsa looked to Frost and they knew they had the same crazy idea. "Land in Sanak as quickly as you can!" she commanded. "Forget the supplies. Evacuate the survivors and get them to this Sunhaven Haldris has spoken of. Go!"
Donz took a deep breath, but was ultimately committed to her orders. "You heard Elsa," he said. "All gunships, dive and commence evacuation maneuvers!"
The tornado closed in as shredded greenery spewed across the vehicles' windscreens. "Immediately start loading people as soon as we land!" Frost shouted over the rumbling.
"Sir yes sir!" the clones barked in unison.
"Sir no sir!" Rip screeched while flailing. "We're gonna die. We're all gonna kriffing die down there!"
"Easy, Rip." Dusty assured.
"Shut up, Dusty!"
"Hey!" Doubles snapped and shook Rip by the shoulders. "Get a grip, brother! Eyes on me! We're not gonna die! We survived wampas!"
"Wampas don't have three hundred mile an hour winds that eat clones for breakfast," Rip twitched.
"Well good thing you're not a regular clone," Doubles jeered. "Today, you're an ARC trooper. And ARC troopers eat tornadoes for breakfast. Hell yeah?"
Rip slowly nodded. "Hell...yeah."
"Louder!" Doubles roared.
"Hell yeah!" Rip screamed. "Bring it, tornado! Bring it on!"
As Donz lowered the gunship, the tornado's winds blew a mooing mammal past his windscreen. "Was that a...nerf?" he mumbled to himself. The gunship touched down and he shouted back to the crew. "Go! Go! Go!"
Elsa and the others dropped out as the winds carried debris. Echani fled over as they beckoned them closer. "Everyone get onboard!" Elsa urged. "Hurry!"
Echani poured into one of the gunships until it was nearly overflowing. "We can't take anyone else!" the pilot said. "Gotta take off!"
"The first gunship is away!" Donz announced. The tornado was almost over Sanak as disheveled greenery plummeted from the sky. "Second gunship is away! It's just us!"
Elsa, Haldris, and the clones worked to get the remaining survivors onboard. They squeezed more Echani on to the gunship than there were handholds. "That's it!" Frost assured as they loaded the last person. "We have to go!"
Elsa and Haldris were about to board when they heard someone wailing down the street. They turned to see a family of five battling the elements to try and reach the gunship. "Oh no," Elsa gasped.
"We don't have the room," Frost realized.
"Yes we do," she assured and dropped from the hold. "Give them my spot."
"And mine," Haldris insisted.
"No!" Elsa warned. "The clones need you to reach Sunhaven. Don't worry about me. Just go! Now!"
"Take my spot too," Frost intoned and leapt out of the gunship.
"Commander!" Donz worried.
"That's an order!"
"We need three more spots to fit the family," Elsa realized.
"For the Republic!" Rip yelled as he, Doubles, and Dusty leapt out of the gunship. "ARC trooper Rip and his underlings reporting for duty."
Elsa faintly smiled at the courage of her clones while the family of five boarded the gunship. "Thank you," one of the Echani wept.
"Stay alive," Haldris demanded to Elsa and the clones. "We'll come back for you."
"Just go!" Elsa asserted as the tornado entered Sanak. LAAT-5 got clear, leaving Elsa and the clones to fend for themselves. Darkness shrouded the town as thunder boomed deafeningly from above.
"We need to find shelter!" Frost hollered over the winds.
Elsa searched the street until she found a still standing home. "There!" she exclaimed as they bolted for it.
A pile of nearby debris came crashing down, separating Frost and Elsa from the others. "Troopers!" Frost called.
"Just keep going!" Doubles insisted.
The winds caught Dusty and sucked him into the darkness. "Dusty, no!" Rip yelped and angrily activated his flamethrower. He uselessly spewed fire towards the clouds while shouting, "Die, tornado! Die!"
"At ease, ARC trooper," Doubles remarked and pulled Rip under a debris pile.
Elsa and Frost slipped into the rickety home. They delved into the lowest floor and went to the center of the room. "I hope the others are alright," Frost said.
"Stay close," Elsa warned as the windows and walls rattled. Knickknacks plummeted from shelves and datascreens unbolted from the walls. Windows exploded as the tornado passed by their street. "Hold on!" Elsa ordered and threw up her hands. Calling upon the Force, she channeled all of her power into keeping the building up. She tried to connect with its unstable foundation and sought to strengthen its beams. Frost watched Elsa wince and twitch as she struggled to battle the winds. Elsa screamed as she exerted her abilities to keep the house intact. The foundation shook as Frost observed Elsa. He wished there was something he could do. He wished he possessed the slightest ounce of Force sensitivity to help her carry the foundation. Instead, all he could do was stumble and brace for the worst. Tears rolled down Elsa's cheeks while her tired arms trembled. Still, she stood her ground and tired to hold the home together. As her hands showed signs of weakening, so too did the structure. Floorboards splintered under the tornado's might while Elsa's breaths shortened. Her knees buckled forward and her eyes fluttered shut.
"Elsa!" Frost gasped and lunged when she fainted. As he caught Elsa in her arms, he felt an odd sensation transcending throughout the home. It wasn't just breaking apart...it was falling. While Elsa had managed to keep the house together, she hadn't stopped the tornado from taking them airborne. Left at gravity's mercy, all Frost could do was throw himself on top of Elsa's body and shield her from the inevitable collision.
It was oddly unsettling to hear such silence after tumultuous chaos. The annihilated landscape was eerily calm as a gentle breeze blew across the land. Ominous clouds parted over a smashed and misplaced home. Small, yet powerful slivers of sunlight streaked in through its smashed windows. These desolate beams bathed a pair of bodies in a warm and soothing glow.
Elsa's eyes slowly opened as she immediately inhaled dust. She coughed directly into a visor, and realized a fully-armored being was sprawled atop her. "Frost?" she uttered until she fully came to her senses. "Frost!" she gasped and pulled him off of her. The commander's body was entirely limp as she rolled him on to his back. "Can you hear me?" she coughed. "Come on." Acting hastily, she removed his helmet and cradled his head in her arms. She was about to feel his neck for a pulse when he suddenly awakened with a wheeze. Relief overwhelmed her as Frost sat upright. "Thank the Force," Elsa sighed and the pain of her wounds slowly returned. The sting of every minor cut and scrape plagued her as she tried to focus on Frost. "I thought I'd lost you there."
"I almost...thought the same about you," Frost replied. "That was too close."
Happy to see him alive, Elsa impulsively embraced him. As they looked into each other's eyes, they knew they had to talk. "I'm sorry," Elsa was the first to say. "About before with all of the avoidance and such. I've just been afraid."
"Of me?" Frost inquired.
"No," Elsa worriedly corrected. "Of the consequences. What we did was so wrong. For me as a Jedi and you as a soldier. It just-"
"But did it feel wrong?" Frost queried.
Elsa huffed. "If it's wrong, does it matter what it felt like?"
"Yes," he affirmed. "You're not the only one with fears, Elsa. You may be afraid of consequences, but I'm afraid of being used." Elsa's eyes widened at his statement. "Especially by someone who I thought saw value in me."
"I do see value in you," Elsa defended.
"Then tell me why you kissed me," Frost said. "Please. I just need to know that there was a reason. I don't care what becomes of it, but at least give me that. Just so I know I wasn't just your...relief."
Elsa sighed and bit her lip. "Frost, I could never use you. Or anyone for that matter. I kissed you because I-" She swallowed hard as if searching for the proper words. "I felt terrible." Frost furrowed his brows until Elsa continued. "It was one of my worst days and I felt cornered. But then there you were to cheer me up, just as you always have. You just made me so...happy. I felt so at peace with everything when I was with you, that it manifested into that kiss. That kiss...was my way of showing what you meant to me. You bring me a joy like no other and I cherish that. It's as wonderful as it is scary at the same time because I feel so connected to you."
"I see," Frost concurred. "I want you to know that I meant every word that I'd said and that you deserve to be happy. But you also deserve to feel comfortable and I never want to impede on that." Elsa pursed her lips and nodded. "I don't want things to change if it means conflicting with your wellbeing. I understand you have an oath to the Jedi and I will always stand by you."
"Thank you," Elsa said and smiled softly. "But what about you? How is this fair to your feelings?"
Frost chuckled to himself. "I'll be just fine," he replied. "I've had your back this long and you'll always have me. However-" Frost took Elsa's hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes. "No matter what the future has in store, just know how I feel about you." Elsa leaned in and was curious about his deeper thoughts.
"How exactly do you feel?" Elsa asked.
Frost sighed and faintly grinned. He peered up and chose to speak from his heart. "Elsa, I-"
The sudden whir and crackle of heavy machinery had the duo dropping down. They exchanged suspicious glares and inched their way towards one of the broken windows. As Elsa and Frost peered outside, they found themselves observing a horde of bizarre beings. A band of leathery-skinned, scaly humanoids was transporting a massive cylindrical contraption.
"What species are they?" Elsa whispered.
"I have no idea," Frost added. The duo braced themselves when one of the creatures spouted off in its guttural language. The others manned their odd machine and typed away at the controls. Within moments, a dreadful series of vibrations sounded from the device. Elsa and Frost watched in horror as the contraption generated a tornado and sent it swirling across the plains. The weak vortex quickly depleted while the beings squabbled amongst one another.
"It's some kind of storm machine," Elsa deduced. "That explains the tornadoes."
"It looks like it's out of commission since the last big twister." Frost inferred. "Could give us an advantage."
"We need to find a way to-"
"Commander Frost?" Doubles called over comms. "Elsa?"
One of the grotesque beings heard the comlink chatter before Frost could shut it off in time. While the rest of his brethren stayed with the contraption, he clenched a crude blaster and went to investigate. "Hide!" Elsa whispered sharply. She and Frost ducked behind a set of broken cabinets as the being smashed his way in. His husky snarls and grunts echoed throughout the room while he searched the area. Thick strands of greasy hair dangled from his skull-like face. His sunken nostrils flared while he snorted. The brute was going to investigate further until the others called him back.
Elsa and Frost slowly emerged from cover to observe the situation. Frost reactivated his comlink at a lower volume and said, "Doubles...do you read?"
"Commander," the trooper rejoiced. "So glad you're alive. I'm here with Rip. Dusty didn't make it."
"I'm sorry, brother." Frost replied. "Elsa's with me and we figured out what's causing the tornadoes."
"It's a storm machine under the command of unknown hostiles," Elsa whispered into comms. "We need your help to take it down."
"Count us in," Rip asserted. "I've been aching to use this flamethrower."
"Non-lethally," Elsa intoned. "Lives are lives."
"But aren't these the guys killing people with tornadoes?" Rip griped. "They killed Dusty!"
"Non-lethally," Elsa doubled down. "That's an order. So here's the plan..."
"So much for a simple relief mission," Rip whined as he and Doubles crawled through displaced grasslands.
"No one ever said it would be simple," Doubles said. "Keep your chin up. If we stop this 'storm machine' thing, we'll be one step closer to an ARC trooper promotion."
"ARC troopers kill." Rip asserted. "I bet they do, anyway."
"Look," Doubles retorted while sneaking ahead. "We have our orders."
"Yeah, and they're terrible. We should be avenging our fallen brother and the people of Eshan. Not putting our lives at risk in an effort to 'spare' the real criminals. Elsa better get her act together."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Doubles scoffed.
Rip loosed a heavy sigh. "It means, that whether she wants to be called general or not...she's in charge of the 213th. And our brothers want to know that their leader prioritizes their safety. We're not mindless clankers, you know."
"The others don't think that about Elsa," Doubles said but choked through his sentence.
"More of them have said it than you think," Rip grumbled. "Open your eyes, brother. Even now, you and I are just glorified bait."
Doubles tried to ignore Rip's comments and followed through with Elsa's plan. He raised his blaster to the sky and fired a single shot. The lone, blue beam caught the creatures' attention as they shifted rightward. They spoke in their guttural tongue before sending several troops to investigate. Elsa and Frost observed troop movements from the opposite end of the field. "They're following," Frost called in. "Initiate phase two."
Rip reluctantly moved in to position and tossed a thermal detonator in an open space. "Waste of a grenade," he complained. The blast made their foes jump and nervously observe there surroundings. Back at the storm machine, more troops were called to investigate.
"I think that's the best we're gonna get," said Frost while scanning with his helmet's visor. "Three hostiles, two of us-"
"And no casualties," Elsa whispered while moving up. They snuck through the tall grass and observed the titanic machine. As one of the brutes neared their position, Elsa used the Force to scatter a nearby cluster of pebbles. While he examined the odd phenomena, Frost fired a stun blast from his rifle. Before the foe could collapse with a thud, Elsa set him down gently with the Force. The next soldier gritted his stained teeth. His glower deepened as he patrolled the opposite end of the storm machine. Tired and achy, he slouched back against contraption. By the time he realized he was leaning against Frost's muzzle, the clone had already pulled the trigger. The indigo ring rendered him unconscious as Frost quickly caught him.
Elsa and Frost closed in on the final creature. He was dutifully stationed at the storm machine's controls and monitoring its readouts. Elsa discreetly motioned that she'd turn his chair leftward with the Force so Frost could shoot him. Little did she know, their foe saw her reflection on the monitor. In that instant, he furiously reclined his seat and bashed into Elsa. The Jedi lost her balance as Frost took the shot. Their enemy spun just in time, narrowly dodging the ring and tackling Frost off the machine's catwalk. The clone's rifle skidded off to the side as they wrestled each other. Frost writhed in his grip while his foe raised a fist. He was about to throw a punch when Elsa Force-pushed him into the storm machine.
Dazed and shaken, the being watched as Elsa dropped down to him. She stood over his body and ignited her lightsaber. The creature snarled as she raised her blade...only to impale the storm machine instead. Elsa proceeded to drag her lightsaber across the device, sparking internal combustions throughout it. Before her foe could attack her, Frost recovered his blaster and stunned him.
"This whole thing's gonna blow," he said. "We gotta move!"
Elsa Force-pushed the three stunned foes away before she and Frost raced for cover themselves. As they hid near the fallen house, the entire storm machine proceeded to explode. The ensuing blast echoed for miles and caused a mushroom-shaped cloud to billow upward. Those who were distracted by Rip and Doubles saw the explosion and fled beyond the expansive plains. As Elsa and Frost observed the machine's destruction, they exchanged bold nods.
It wasn't long before Rip and Doubles regrouped at the blast site. "Job well done, boys." Frost lauded while snapping binders on the stunned enemies.
"Who the hell are these guys?" Rip asked while catching his breath.
"No idea," Elsa confessed. "But hopefully we'll be able to find out."
A distant, yet familiar whirring sounded from the clouds. The group peered out over the horizon and saw LAAT-5 gliding over. In an effort to get their attention, Elsa sparked up her saber and waved it until they landed. As Donz set the gunship down, Haldris was quick to disembark with several clones. "We searched for you in Sanak!" she shouted. "We were fearing the worst until we heard the blast." Haldris looked to the obliterated machinery and asked, "What is that?"
"The source of your tornado problem," Elsa answered and gestured to their stirring captives. "They were using some sort of storm machine to-"
Elsa raised a brow as she noticed Haldris' coldness. The Echani knelt before one of the captives as if she recognized the species. "Why are you here?" she hissed.
The wrinkly brute snarled and spoke in its native language. Each of its spiteful words only had Haldris sneering further. "Soov ka choko shek lohal," it growled. "Echani scrak mund foree bund. Dordo. GUL DORDO!"
"GUL DORDO!"
The other two prisoners roared.
"What are they saying?" Elsa asked as Haldris slowly nodded.
Rather than answer the Jedi, she turned to Frost and asked, "May I see how you stunned them?"
Frost held up his rifle and said, "I just set this for stun and-"
In that instant, Haldris hastily disarmed him and switched the rifle off of stun. In the same motion, she sent a steaming laser straight through the creature's head. "No!" Elsa screamed as Haldris rapidly fired. She'd just finished executing the prisoners by the time Elsa Force-pulled the weapon from her. It had all happened so quickly that the Jedi was left in shock. "Why?" Elsa uttered. "Why would you do that? I thought life was worth preserving to you!"
"Echani life," Haldris corrected. "But those are...were Sanyassans. And if what they just said was true, war is upon us." Haldris looked Elsa directly in the eye and said, "So it's kill or be killed."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force." Your support is very much appreciated on this ongoing adventure! Always a pleasure to entertain you! The question is, are you ready for next week? War has come to Eshan and the Republic must make a stand. With the lives of so many on the line, the Battle of Eshan is about to begin. Brace yourselves for the epic and action-packed conclusion of the "Let It Go Trilogy" with (Chapter: 70 - Here I Stand) next Friday!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You!
~ Michael