IMPORTANT Author's Note: Dearest readers...this is it! We've made it to beginning of the end of Season 3! Holy loth cats. I cannot thank you enough for all of the love and support that you've continued to show this story. This adventure started over a year ago and I have so many plans for it. It is my honor and pleasure to entertain you all, and I can only hope you've enjoyed Season 3. This being said, I have VERY IMPORTANT news to share. As a thank you for all of your support, here are some key announcements that apply to next week's chapter. So I'll say it again next Friday, but this is to give you a heads up.
Chapter: 90 will have a post credits scene, so be sure to scroll all the way down. And as a thank you from me to you, any user who leaves a review on Chapter: 90 will receive two gifts via personal message on this site:
- A PIECE OF FROZEN FORCE 'THANK YOU' ART FEATURING ELSA AND YOUR NAME
-AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK AT THE FROZEN FORCE SEASON 4 POSTER BEFORE IT DROPS ON INSTAGRAM WEEKS LATER
This benefit is a fanfiction. net exclusive. So while this story is on Wattpad and AO3, FF readers get this treat! You MUST have a fanfiction account in order to be messaged the pictures. Unfortunately, the site won't let me message guest reviewers. So to my common guest reviewers, you may want to make an FF account to receive the bonus!
Today, review shoutouts go out to Jake, CJG, Starpottergeek, and Regina007! Thanks for all of your love and support!
I'm so excited for all that is to come and I hope you enjoy!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You!
~ Michael
GOLDENHEART STORIES PRESENTS
A MICHAEL J. PINEDA PRODUCTION
THE FROZEN FORCE: SEASON III FINALE
Chapter: 89 Fallout (Part I)
"Fanaticism is the death of reason."
A galaxy pushed to the brink! Across the stars, members of the Revenant have been gathering followers. More and more of the lost and downtrodden join its ranks each day. As the Republic desperately tries to manage the cult's movement, the galaxy holds its breath...
Like the Guardian itself, its crew was constantly on the move. While officers were ceaselessly typing at their computers, others were ensuring the star destroyer remained operational. Data was consistently flowing through the vessel while colossal dishes received signals from across the galaxy. Years of surveillance were taking their toll on Watcher and she knew it. As her bloodshot eyes scoured another array of datascreens, she knew it was only a matter of time before she was forced to make a choice. Cybernetics or glasses, she thought to herself. At her rigorous pace, her eyes were likely to give out within the next few years. She even felt like she was working when she did humor herself with sleep. Any time Watcher closed her eyes, she still saw waves of data flashing across them. Another admiral might've seen her position as a curse. But for Watcher, she was the only thing standing between the Galactic Republic and annihilation.
Amidst her vast assortment of fast-typing clones, one of the officers suddenly squinted. A strobing alert at his desk had him opening up a comm channel and listening in. With each passing word, the clone's eyes widened further. "Ma'am," he whispered at first. "Ma'am!"
His frantic holler caught Watcher's attention as she descended from the command bridge. Before she could reach the officer, several others received similar calls. Within moments, her entire surveillance team had erupted into shouting matches, each thinking their news should be prioritized. "What the hell?" Watcher mumbled to herself. Opting for efficiency, she darted towards the clone nearest to her. "Spenz," she called. "Talk to me."
"Just got a surveillance report from Revenant ships near Corellia," Spenz said. "They just made the jump to lightspeed."
Overhearing his fellow clone, another officer shouted his report. "The same from those near Malastare!"
"And Coruscant!" a third declared. "All carrying refugees and outcasts taken in by the cult." Their words were followed by an uproar of officers shouting out other planets. Suddenly, a wave of entirely new reports came in. Watcher observed with bewildered eyes as each officer descended back to their monitors. In just a matter of seconds, each started reporting a different ship from their brothers' monitor...only to have it disappear again.
"Quiet!" Watcher yelled until the officers simmered down. "I want this situation under control before the chancellor has our heads. Now one at a time, what in blazes is going on?"
Spenz examined his monitor's latest report. "Ma'am," he said. "It appears that Revenant ships from across the galaxy are all repeatedly jumping in and out of hyperspace."
"Could it be a glitch on our scanners?" Watcher considered. "A hack?"
"No," Spenz replied while running diagnostics. "The Guardian's networks are secure. It's as if every cult member has been given the order to chaotically rocket into hyperspace."
"It's got to be some sort of distraction," Watcher considered. "Why blast off in so many different directions over and over again?" She jabbed a finger at another officer. "Clicker, analyze those trajectories for any kind of pattern."
"If it is a distraction," Spenz said. "It's a risky one. They're utilizing every single ship at their disposal. And many of them are carrying civilians. Like the refugees we've seen during the Coruscant raids."
"Ma'am!" Clicker reported.
"Got a pattern?" Watcher inquired.
"No, but a technique." Watcher raised a brow and stormed up to the officer's computer. "Watch this ship," he said and pointed at his monitor. "It booms out hyperspace here near Dantooine, but then watch this tilt." Watcher squinted as the ship slowly turned and bolted off again. "It repeats this same jump pattern thrice, barely taking a moment to let the hyperdrive cool."
"Your point?" Watcher mumbled.
Clicker typed away at his keyboard until new footage emerged. "I've seen this technique before in police footage from the planet Kijimi." Watcher craned her neck with intrigue as the footage showed several transports tilting and rapidly bolting. "The spice runners there utilize a maneuver known as 'lightspeed skipping'. While it's incredibly risky, it's used to confuse pursuers and hide flight patterns. It's typically performed before the ship-" In that instant, every monitor's readout went blank. "-disappears."
The bridge grew eerily silent as Watcher stuttered, "W-where did they all go? That's impossible. How do we just lose a fleet's worth of transports? Find them...NOW!" The clones buried their heads in their computers and toiled away for an answer.
Just when the situation couldn't get any more chaotic, an encrypted frequency scrambled across multiple monitors. "Now what?" Watcher scoffed.
"Looks like another Revenant message," Spenz deduced. "They've changed their coding and are transmitting to as many channels throughout the known galaxy."
"Put it through," Watcher ordered as an ear-splitting screech emerged. She and the officers winced while a gravely voice emanated beyond the staticky screens.
"Sinners of a ruined galaxy," it said as millions listened across the stars. "Rejoice, for judgement is upon you. Too long have you basked in the shadows. Too long have your corrupt lives laid waste to countless worlds. But no more. For sooner than you think, all shall be renewed. All shall be bathed in my light as a new era emerges. I offered you a chance to join us. I offered you atonement, yet still you resisted. Think on your sins, for you shall burn in them."
"Someone trace that blasted transmission!" Watcher bellowed.
"We've never seen coding like this," Clicker replied.
"Find a way," his superior intoned.
"Ma'am!" another officer called from across the aisle of computers. "You need to see this!"
"You've traced it?" Watcher inquired.
"Negative."
"You've cracked the Hutt Council data?"
"No."
Watcher looked like she was about to flip her holotable if it wasn't bolted down. "Then what is it, damn it."
"It's Dr. Morzetti," the officer said and Watcher's eyes went wide. "We've just intercepted a message regarding her position."
Anna Dellian hadn't stopped moving from the moment she received Watcher's call. She'd traveled so eagerly between Coruscant and the Legacy, that one would've thought she'd teleported there. In reality, she was transported by a Jedi Temple corvette. Piloted by members of its security staff, the vessels ferried Jedi between the temple and orbiting cruisers. Anna's corvette was nearly to the Legacy when she glanced over at her pilot.
Kristoff maintained a steady grip on the controls while trying to avoid eye contact. "You seem...nervous," Anna mentioned.
"You can sense it, can't you?" Kristoff chuckled.
"No, you're just sweating."
Kristoff swallowed hard. It had been exceptionally difficult to converse with Anna since his last conversation with Hans.
"Stay away from Anna, or you and I are gonna have a problem. Okay?"
His words still haunted Kristoff every time he even glanced at the redhead. Still, he tried to look past them and focus on his responsibilities. All he had to do was fly her to the Legacy. It was a simple task and he couldn't help it if coincidence had paired them together.
"I get it," Anna said and Kristoff braced himself.
"Y-you do?" he worried.
"Everyone's on edge after that last Revenant message," she answered and his brows relaxed. "But these cult freaks are all bark and no bite. There's nothing to be nervous about. Watcher had to call me in for a reason. I have to believe she has a plan to put a stop to all of this."
"Right," Kristoff murmured while guiding the corvette towards the Legacy's hangar.
"Looks like this is my stop," Anna said and patted his shoulder. Her simple touch brought a warm smile to his face as she said. "Nice seeing you again. It's good that they put you on piloting duty. It's better than patrolling those boring hallways, right?"
"Oh yeah," Kristoff nodded while she made for the exit ramp. As he watched her depart, Kristoff wrestled with the urge to speak once more. No matter how much Hans' words crept within, he still chose to speak up. "Hey Anna," he declared and she quickly spun around.
"Hm?" the Jedi inquired. Kristoff leaned against the ramp as they stared at one another. A heavy silence filled the hangar and Anna's smile faltered. "Something you...wanted to say?"
"I-" Kristoff nervously scratched at his blonde locks. "It was nice seeing you- like again too," he blurted before sweating further. "Not like you're a nice sight." Anna tilted her head until he corrected himself. "I mean you are. I just...we-I-..." Kristoff smacked his own forehead. "I should stop talking."
Anna snickered at his bumbling. "Kristoff," she assured. "It's okay." Anna couldn't help but shake her head as they parted ways. "Goof," she whispered to herself before venturing into the Legacy.
Anna raced to the bridge and was immediately saluted by her Deathchasers. "Boys," she greeted her squad. "Admiral Shang. What's going on?"
"It's Morzetti," Shang said and directed Anna to Watcher's projection on the holotable.
"We've got a lead on her whereabouts," Watcher added. "My team's managed to intercept this Revenant message."
Anna and her squad observed the holotable as an Aurebesh phrase typed into view. Each letter shifted into basic text until the full passage read:
Morzetti moved. Ahch-To Installation. The Pale One's will be done.
"Ahch-To?" Anna inquired.
"Need a tissue?" Speedy joked until Anna glared at him.
"It's an oceanic planet situated deep within the Unknown Regions," Watcher explained. "I presume all of you heard the Revenant's latest message. I don't think it's an empty threat. Shortly before the declaration was made, Revenant ships departed from various worlds and disappeared into the unknown. They're preparing for something big, but this may be our only chance to rescue Dr. Morzetti."
"Something doesn't feel right," Shang confessed.
"Admiral?" Watcher questioned.
All eyes turned to Shang as he offered his explanation. "The Revenant cultists have been using encrypted codes to send their transmissions, making them virtually untraceable. Why would they suddenly slip up to be intercepted? And even if this is accidental, how fortunate for us to get a lead on our missing weapons specialist right after the Revenant's ominous declaration." Shang gestured to the holotable as if it were a gaming board. "The cult just shifted every piece and they're waiting for us to move. The question is, would we be walking into a trap?"
Watcher sighed. "While your caution is appreciated, Dr. Nila Morzetti is a top-tier Republic weapons specialist. She's been kidnapped for months and we can assume she's been subjected to torture based on the Revenant's previous actions. Who knows what information she's already given up, and every second we waste closes our window for extraction." Watcher turned to Anna. "General Dellian, what are your thoughts?"
"The way I see it," Anna began. "This is a win-win. If Morzetti's there, the Deathchasers and I will get her out. If it is a trap and she's long dead, we'll kill every Revenant goon there. Either way, my squad will get it done."
"That's what I wanted to hear," Watcher said. "Because we've already received clearance from the Supreme Chancellor and the Strategic Advisory Cell."
A second figure projected beside Watcher and Anna had to resist rolling her eyes. "Oh you've got to be kidding me," she groaned.
"General Dellian," Watcher said. "I believe you're acquainted with Lieutenant Commander Krennic."
"Unfortunately," Anna muttered.
Krennic barely acknowledged Anna and turned to Watcher. "While I don't doubt that General Dellian and her brutish squad will breach any Revenant defenses-" he began. "-I have little confidence in their ability to safely extract a prisoner."
"Excuse me," Anna blurted. "We literally saved you."
"Is that what you called it?" Krennic grumbled. "Well my once-impaled leg thanks you. Watcher, I speak for the rest of the Advisory Cell when I say we want someone else leading this operation. Perhaps a Jedi who comprehends the concept of collateral damage."
I'll show you collateral damage, Anna thought while glaring at Krennic's projection.
"Her sister," Watcher affirmed. "Elsa Dellian has demonstrated levelheadedness in the most dire of circumstances. I witnessed her leadership skills firsthand during the crisis on Naboo."
Anna bit back a chuckle. "No offense, but I think we can handle things without my sister. She doesn't even have a lightsaber anymore-"
"General Dellian," Watcher asserted. "Do you still want to undertake this mission?" Anna quietly nodded. "Excellent, because I want your team on it as well. But we all have to make compromises. Either Elsa runs point on this rescue, or your squad will be replaced. Perhaps Clone Force 99 is up to the task-"
"Fine," Anna reluctantly agreed. "Call her," she huffed. "Just don't get those weirdos involved. My brothers and I can handle this."
"I'll contact the Jedi Temple to retrieve your sister," Watcher said. "Because Morzetti's presence makes this a Weapons Division affair, Lieutenant Commander Krennic will be overseeing this operation."
"Of course he will," Anna muttered. I really can't stand that guy, she thought.
Back on Coruscant, there was a deep sense of foreboding throughout the Jedi Temple. The Revenant's most recent message left many feeling uneasy while Elsa Dellian tried to remain focused. She'd often felt lighter since the destruction of her lightsaber. But a great heaviness came over her as a Jedi Master approached. Elsa had been planning to meet with him ever since she'd learned the truth. Still, nothing could prepare her for actually seeing Obi-wan Kenobi again.
So much had changed since their first meeting. At first, Elsa couldn't even find the words to greet him with. The master had already returned to his duties, and yet she was still processing his survival. His hairs were still growing in as he looked upon her with those inquisitive blue eyes. "Elsa," Obi-wan spoke with a regretful softness. "There's-" He paused to scratch at his scruffy chin. "You-" He sulked until Elsa took over.
"I just need to know one thing," she said.
"What is it?" Obi-wan asked.
"Everything you did...What the council did...Was it truly the only way?"
Obi-wan took his time to speak as Elsa searched his remorseful gaze for answers. With a heavy heart and heavier sigh, Obi-wan came forth with his reply. "Yes," he affirmed. "If we were to save the chancellor and uncover the plot to kidnap him, there wasn't any other way to do that. It pains me to have created this mournful chain among those closest to me. It hasn't been easy breaking the news to those at my funeral."
"The Duchess of Mandalore," Elsa said and Obi-wan's brows furrowed with curiosity. "She was incredibly distraught at your funeral."
"Was she now..." Obi-wan lamented as his saddened gaze trailed off. "Breaking the news of my survival to her wasn't the easiest either."
"It just goes to show the impact that you've had on so many of us," Elsa replied. She couldn't help but notice how mentioning Duchess Satine seemed to distress him. "Master Kenobi? Are you alright?"
Obi-wan strived to suppress his feelings. "These are trying times, Elsa. For what it's worth, I am so very sorry for bringing you pain. I can only hope you can forgive me and everyone who was involved. Sometimes the most difficult choices must be made in the name of a greater good."
"I forgive you," Elsa admitted as Obi-wan sensed more to her feelings.
"Can you forgive your old master?" he asked and the knight winced.
"Unlike you, she said she wouldn't lie to me anymore," Elsa grieved. "I feel like I can't trust her...the very woman who's raised me as a mother would. How sad is that?"
Obi-wan placed a calming hand on Elsa's shoulder. "Forgiveness is one of the strongest actions any Jedi can take. You walk a difficult path, Elsa. Balancing between a peaceful road and that of validating your own feelings. Both are important, yet you must choose which will be prioritized. So often do our duties as Jedi impact our decisions. I have full confidence that you'll take the path of forgiveness in your own time."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi." Elsa replied and smiled softly. "It really is nice to see you alive. Even if the way ahead isn't clear, just hearing your voice helps me feel like things are going to be alright."
"Because they will be," Obi-wan said with a smile. "Trust in the Force." He leaned in and raised his voice to a jovial tone. "The same way I'm trusting it to grow my hair back."
Elsa loosed a much needed giggle until her comlink chimed. "I'm sorry," she said and accepted the call.
"Knight Dellian," Master Yoda's voice emerged. "In need of your leadership, the Republic is. An assignment with your sister, Watcher has for you."
"I'll report effective immediately, master." Elsa answered before ending the transmission. "Duty calls," she told Obi-wan.
Before they parted ways, he smiled at the young knight and said, "The Force will be with you, Elsa...always."
With the Legacy stationed in its hangar, the Deliverance rocketed through hyperspace and was enroute to the Unknown Regions. While Admiral Taka oversaw her crew from the command bridge, Admiral Shang observed her efficient methods. "You run a tight ship," he told her. "Literally."
"You have to with a star destroyer," she responded. "I wouldn't run things any other way. Disorder unsettles me."
Shang glanced over his shoulder and noticed Elsa leaning against the holotable. "I see why you two get along," he remarked.
As Elsa awaited a transmission from Watcher, she couldn't help but sigh at the figure in her peripherals. "You're staring at it again," she mumbled.
"Sorry," Anna huffed. She gestured to a pouch on Elsa's belt. "It's just that...what if your kyber crystal gets lost?"
"That's not what this is about and you know it," Elsa teased. She rose from the table and locked eyes with her sister. "I don't need a lightsaber to lead this mission."
Anna winced. "But if things get dicey-"
"Then I would trust you to trust me," Elsa intoned. Their intense stare-off concluded as a call came through over the holotable.
Watcher projected into view and oversaw the Jedi and their respective clones. "By this point in your travels, you should be coming out of hyperspace-" The Deliverance boomed out of lightspeed and approached a temperate world. "-shortly," Watcher concluded. Several planetary holo-images emerged beside Watcher's projection. "My teams have traced the transmission to this island in Ahch-To's northern hemisphere."
"Why would they move a Republic weapons specialist this far out in the galaxy?" Elsa inquired.
"For the same reasons all of their other vessels vanished," Lieutenant Commander Krennic spoke up. He projected next to Watcher and glared down at Elsa. "Dr. Morzetti is a high priority target. The cult needs her alive and away from whatever they're planning."
"Or she's very much dead and this transmission is a trap," Blazer murmured.
Krennic's stern gaze swayed towards the sergeant. "And who gave you permission to speak at this meeting, clone?"
"You're talking to my sergeant, lieutenant commander." Anna defended.
"And my point still stands," Krennic asserted. "Who is he to deem Dr. Morzetti deceased?"
Elsa reached for Anna's hand to calm her, but the youngest Dellian surged forward. "He is one of the brave men undertaking this mission," Anna retorted. "Not a clone...a man willing to risk his life for your doctor while you watch with folded arms from the safety of...kriff knows where!"
Krennic's glower deepened towards Anna as Elsa mediated. "Respectfully, lieutenant commander." the eldest sibling said. "Sergeant Blazer brings up a good point and we must be cautious." Elsa observed the Ahch-To schematics and pointed to them. "Until proven otherwise, we should treat this mission as a hostage situation. The targeted island is small and sending a full battalion would arouse suspicions, putting Morzetti at greater risk. Therefore, I propose we send in a strike team."
"The Deathchasers," Anna suggested.
"Commander Frost and I will accompany you," Elsa continued and Anna huffed.
"Well how do you plan on getting us close to the island and remaining stealthy?" Anna griped. "There's nowhere else to land."
"Aquatic infiltration," Elsa answered and her sister raised a brow. "The Deliverance has dive gear. Once our team is equipped, we can use the Legacy to get planetside and drop in near the island."
"I see why you recommended her," Krennic muttered to Watcher.
"It's like Manaan all over again," Anna remarked. "Just hopefully minus the sharks. Okay," she huffed. "Let's suit up."
"May the Force be with us," Elsa declared while Krennic rolled his eyes.
Once in range, the Legacy soared out of the Deliverance's hangar. The Hammerhead frigate darted through Ahch-To's atmosphere and soared along its cloudy skies. Tremendous, deep blue seas seemed to stretch on for miles. The Legacy's bold shadow drifted across the waves and several tiny archipelagos. "We're closing in on the drop zone," Admiral Shang reported from the bridge. "Strike team, prepare for submersion."
"Copy that," Anna replied from the ship's hold. She finished zipping up her sleek wetsuit and cracked her neck. "Here we go, boys!" she hollered. Although she wasn't the op leader, Anna would be damned if she didn't initiate the Deathchaser's pre-mission ritual. She hastily approached her clone partners as they fastened their dive armor. "Let's go, Speedy!" she said and knocked on his helmet. "Come on, Sparx!" she urged and repeated the gesture. "Blazer!" she barked before knocking on his gear as well. "Let's get it done! Frost!-" Anna raised a fist to clunk Frost's dive helmet, but ultimately backed off. "Umm...nevermind." As they awkwardly parted ways, Anna was taken aback by Elsa's sudden wince. "Sis?" she worried.
"Elsa?" Frost inquired as the eldest Dellian was forced to sit.
"What is it?" Anna asked.
Elsa's wetsuit pulsed with her rapid breaths. She stressfully rubbed her temples and whispered, "Can't you feel that?" Anna shook her head as Elsa continued to writhe. "The grief...the anguish." It was as if an extremely high frequency was ringing in Elsa's ears. "It hurts...so much."
"The Force is connecting you with the agony of another," Evara spoke from within. "There is great suffering on this world."
"Something truly horrible is happening on that island," Elsa quivered. "I can feel the overwhelming pain tearing at me from the inside."
Being less attuned, all Anna could do was soothingly rub Elsa's back. "It could be Morzetti," her little sister proposed and activated comms. "Admiral Shang...it's now or never."
"Standby for drop," Shang responded as the Legacy dipped towards the sea. "Here we go!"
The ventral hatch lowered and a salty sea breeze blasted through. Anna and Elsa squinted until they properly fastened their dive masks. While her big sister's hair was already tied into a bun, Anna fashioned hers into a taut ponytail. "What?" Anna mumbled as Elsa watched her auburn locks blow in the wind. "Would you prefer I do pigtails?"
"This is it," Shang announced over comms. "Strike team...Drop!"
"Please be warm! Please be warm!" Anna hoped as she sprung into Ahch-To's depths.
"Here we go!" Blazer cheered and dove in alongside the other Deathchasers.
"You alright?" Frost asked Elsa as they stood on the ramp together.
She nodded as they clutched each other's shoulders for support. "Shall we?" she teased before they leapt into the sea.
"The team is submerged," Shang reported. "I'm pulling up."
As the Legacy soared beyond the waves, the dive team adjusted to Ahch-To's chilly waters. Elsa checked her mask and propulsion systems before exchanging a thumbs up with Frost.
Blazer couldn't help but chortle at Anna's shivering body. "Hey general," he muttered. "Nice and warm, right?"
"Sh-sh-sh-sh-shut up," Anna uttered as he chuckled.
"Everyone's cleared," Elsa said. "Let's descend and proceed to the island. Follow me."
"These waters are kriffing dark," Blazer murmured. "I don't even know if our headlamps are gonna be enough down here."
"It's alright," Elsa assured. "Porgen will light the way." While the Deathchasers remained perplexed, Elsa activated a beacon on her vambrace. Being the closest to her, Anna and Frost watched as a metallic object sprung from her dive suit. It launched off of her back, spread its wings, and clung to her shoulder buckle with magnetized talons. The tiny porg droid's squawks were muffled as its eyes started to glow. At Elsa's command, Sir Porgen turned into a personal lantern. "Stay close," Elsa instructed.
As they swam through Ahch-To's vast waters, Anna quickened her kicks to catch up to Elsa. "I'll admit it," she told her big sister. "I'm impressed. That metal porg of yours has come a long way since having his head pop off."
Elsa simply smiled beneath her oxygen mask as they ventured onward. "Slow and steady, team. Slow and steady," Watcher assured. "You're approaching the island now."
"Copy that," Elsa replied. "We'll start ascending."
Frost glanced over and noticed Elsa repeatedly wincing. "Hey...hey! What is it?" he worried.
"The pain," she lamented. "I sense it again." Her swimming slowed as she succumbed to each wave of the sensation. "It's agonizing...and full of-" Elsa's eyes widened as a crimson cloud shifted through the water. "-death," she whispered.
"Holy kriff," Anna uttered. "Is all of that...blood?"
"Someone talk to me," Watcher asserted. "What's going on down there?"
As the team swam closer to the island, they realized just how massive the blood cloud was. "We're trying to figure that out," Anna called back. "What the-"
In that instant, Sparx glimpsed a dark shadow shifting through the blood. "Movement on the left!" he shouted. The clones drew their blasters as Anna clenched her saber.
"Hold!" Elsa snapped as the shadowy figures came into view. A school of tiny scalefin fish darted by...along with a chunk of unknown flesh. As the fish feasted on a mysterious carcass, Elsa moved in for a closer look. A massive creature's corpse was left to bump against the island's jagged rocks. It looked as though its underbelly had been completely gutted. Its side fins and tentacles were hardly intact while a lifeless eye peered up at the clouds. Rotund, oblong teeth rested against a perpetually gaping maw while Elsa breached the surface. "Secure the area," she told her team before further examining the ravaged creature.
The clones removed their diving fins and established a perimeter on the beach. "Sarge," Speedy snickered. "Can I please say it?"
"No," Blazer groaned.
"Respectfully, Sarge-" Lieutenant Sparx butted in. "-how many other times will this opportunity present itself?"
Blazer sulked and ultimately gave in. "Fine. You can say it."
Speedy was like a giddy child as he reported back to Elsa. "Ma'am," he declared and gestured to the shoreline around him. It was a good thing he was wearing a helmet, because he couldn't keep a straight face to save his life. "The coast is clear!" he announced dramatically.
"Nice work," Elsa complimented as the joke went soaring over her head. Anna at least humored Speedy with a high five before they too approached the carcass.
"Strike team," Watcher called again. "Status report."
"We've got a dead fish," Anna replied. "Looks like some kind of whale."
An impatient Krennic was quick to get back on comms. "You are not there to document beached whales! Find Morzetti, blast it."
"I hate to agree with tall, pale and pasty-" Anna said. "-but he's right, sis. We should keep moving."
Elsa squinted suspiciously at the whale carcass. "Something's not right," she said. "Look at the way its body is sliced. So clean...so precise." Elsa stared into the whale's cloudy, silver eye. "What happened to you?" she whispered as if trying to speak to the creature.
"Knight Dellian!" Krennic bellowed over comms. "You are wasting the Republic's time! Time Dr. Morzetti does not have!"
Elsa reluctantly stepped away from the body and peered up at the rocky isle. A stony observatory caught her eye and she tilted her head towards it. "Spread out," she said. "Sweep the surrounding beach and meet up at that observatory. No one engages anyone without calling it in first."
With Elsa's orders made clear, her team fanned out across the beach. Brisk winds dried their wetsuits and dive armor. With each cleared section of rising shoreline, their hopes for finding Morzetti dwindled. Blazer discovered a hidden burrow and steadied his pistol. As he prepared to search within, a pair of feathered heads popped up and squawked at him. "Karabast!" he blurted and stumbled backward. A family of wild porgs chirped and fluttered out while Speedy laughed at his sergeant.
The sound of other porgs had Elsa's droid swiveling his head. Sir Porgen hopped on her shoulder and curiously observed the species he was based off of. "Go," Elsa assured and sent her droid to mingle. She couldn't help but watch over Porgen as a proud mother would her child. The tiny droid chimed and chittered alongside the true members of his species. The porgs were extremely curious about their metallic counterpart, and were thrown into a tizzy when he mimicked their calls.
With nowhere else left to check on the island, Elsa's team converged on the observatory. The winds whistled through the dilapidated structure's narrow walls and doorframe. Frost and the Deathchasers entered the premises and cleared the vacant spaces with their rifles. "Clear," the commander reported.
"The island's a bust," Blazer scoffed. "Forget a trap to hurt us. Maybe it was just a distraction to get us as far away from the Core Worlds as possible."
"Now hold on, sergeant." Frost placated. "We could be missing something."
"Oh I'll tell you what we're missing, Blue," Blazer assured. "The fact that this cult is running circles around the Republic."
As the clones bickered, a sickening feeling reached Elsa until she had to back up against the wall. "Everyone stop," she hissed and painfully gripped at her bun.
"You sense the pain again?" Anna asked.
Elsa nodded while gritting her teeth. "It's just like when we went to Rodia," she murmured. "How I could sense the suffering of so many. I'm not sure how, but these sensations are connected to the planet. I don't just feel it this time...I hear it." Elsa hugged herself and dropped to her knees. "The screams...the machinery...the-" The knight's eyes suddenly widened with realization. "Something is here!" she asserted. "It's the source of all of this-" Elsa winced again. "-pain."
Anna squinted at her sister's words and patted her shoulder. "You just rest," she insisted. "See if you can sense anything else." She rose to face the clones and said, "I don't care how ancient this place looks. Check for a secret passage. A switch or lever! Anything!" At her command, the clones spread out across the observatory. They pulled out and pushed in loose bricks. They kicked out boards and felt under decrepit shelves. As they did so, Anna kept worriedly glancing back at her sister. There were times where she envied not being so deeply connected to the Force as Elsa. But seeing her in so much distress had her reconsidering.
"Nothing," Sparx reported as he returned from the second level.
"This is just some ancient brick heap!" Blazer growled and kicked a stone across the room. It thudded against several bricks before an oddly hollow thump sounded. The peculiar noise made everyone pause and lean over.
"You were saying?" Frost quipped and approached the back wall. He gingerly knocked on each brick until the hollow thump returned. "Here!" he whispered sharply.
"Stand back, Frosty boy." Blazer grumbled and cracked his knuckles. "I've got this." He prepared to charge right into the wall when Frost stopped him.
"You can't just smash head first into this," the commander warned. "The whole structure isn't weak. It's only this brick." He proceeded to cautiously sneak his fingers around it while mumbling, "I see why you and General Anna get along." Frost gently pulled the brick out and revealed a hidden wall panel.
"Well done, commander." Elsa complimented and saw to the panel.
"But I'm the one who kicked the rock though," Blazer griped and crossed his arms.
"Watcher," Elsa called in. "We've found an access point, but I need to bypass the locking mechanism. Standby." Anna watched as her big sister typed away on her vambrace. The signal she emitted beckoned Porgen to return. Several porgs followed her droid, but were hastily shooed away by Anna. Porgen perched on Elsa's wrist as she held him up to the panel. "Alright my friend," she told him. "Just like we've practiced. Use your scomp link."
Porgen chirped and hopped between the bricks. After scanning the mechanism, he spread his wings and deployed a cylindrical appendage from his chest. The scomp link pierced the panel just as an astromech's would. Its intricate systems rotated in response to Porgen's commands.
"That's it," Elsa urged. "You're doing great!"
With a final twist from Porgen's device, the locking mechanism flashed bright green. Elsa snatched her squawking droid and backed up as the walls started to shift. Bricks scraped against one another and yielded to a concealed, metallic interface. As the mechanism spun, a durasteel staircase emerged from the ground. It spiraled into a shadowy chamber as Elsa called in her team's findings. "We've got a secret passage," she reported. Elsa shivered when the painful sensations returned.
"Sis?" Anna queried and rubbed her shoulder.
"I'm fine," Elsa insisted. "But whatever darkness I'm feeling is down there."
"Deathchasers," Anna whispered. "Form up." The team began a cautious descent into the passageway. As they delved deeper underground, the sounds of whirring machinery echoed up to them. A sharp, high-pitched bleating rang out and had Elsa wincing.
"The hell was that?" Blazer wondered.
"Nothing good," Speedy lamented.
The bottom of the stairs yielded an expansive platform. The team immediately ducked and peered over a thick bulkhead. A series of grated catwalks formed the backbone of a hidden facility. Revenant cultists patrolled the narrow pathways while machinery hissed from unknown chambers. The bewildering screeches returned from across the structure.
"Think it's some kind of mine?" Anna whispered. "Or a factory?"
"I'm not sure," Elsa replied. "But-" She suddenly flinched harder than she had previously. Her sense of agony intensified as a creature's cries reverberated towards them.
"Look," Frost beckoned as a conveyor belt clacked by. Cultists marched alongside and prodded a colossal, restrained porpoise.
"That looks like the same type of creature we saw dead outside," Sparx mentioned.
"What are they doing to it?" Elsa wondered while squinting at the whal3. She winced each time the cultists shocked it with stun prods. A nearby monitor caught her eye and she gave Frost a nudge. "Commander, what does that say?"
Frost used his helmet's visor to zoom in and examine the screens. "They're monitoring its vitals," he read. "But there's...something else. I can't fully make out the second datachart, but it looks like they're making some form of...transfer scan?"
Each of the whale's tentacles was propped up behind the conveyor belt. A series of needles lined each appendage and were draining the creature of vital fluids. The whale's excruciation made Elsa sick to her stomach. "We have to free it," she said and started rising from the bulkhead. She didn't make it far before Anna dragged her back down. "Let me go!" her big sister whispered sharply.
"You might be in charge, but that's not gonna stop me from telling you that's a horrible idea." Anna said. "We're here for Dr. Morzetti, sis. You go freeing that whale and you risk giving away our position. Do you really want to put the whole operation at risk?"
Elsa pursed her lips and glanced down at the creature. "It's just in so much...pain. It's connection to the Force is strong and I-"
"I know," Anna assured. "Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to free that whale and knock these cult freaks into next week. But mission first, whale later. Okay?"
Elsa took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded. "Okay," she relented and watched the creature get carried into an unknown chamber. Its frightened, deep whimpers almost drove Elsa to tears as she recomposed herself. "Okay," she said in a much firmer tone. "We'll split into two teams of three to find the scientist. Anna, take two men and scale the rightward catwalks. Frost, one of Anna's soldiers and I will go leftward."
Anna cautiously bit her lip. "Of course you're heading towards the whale. Elsa-"
"I know," the eldest Dellian insisted. "Morzetti first. But I'll feel better being near it when the time comes."
"Fine," Anna huffed. "Blazer...Sparx. You're on me. Speedy, make sure my saberless sister doesn't get herself killed."
"She has a quarterstaff," Frost defended.
"Like I said," Anna repeated with zero change in her tone. "Speedy, make sure my saberless sister doesn't get herself killed."
As Anna and her men set off, Frost frustratedly shook his head at her. Elsa placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "She's just being protective," the knight insisted.
Frost shrugged and looked at his superior. "Well so am I," he said and Elsa softly smiled.
Speedy stepped between them and firmly saluted. "Awaiting orders," he affirmed and Elsa led the way.
Watcher's strained gaze intensified as she observed various monitors. She rigorously scrubbed her reddened eyes and remained focused on every output of intel. "I don't like this silence," Krennic's hologram griped. "They should've found her by now."
"Patience, lieutenant commander." Watcher asserted. "My team will get it done."
"They'd better," Krennic scoffed. "The Supreme Chancellor will indubitably take great interest in the success of this mission."
Krennic's comment had Watcher knitting her brows. "Oh?" she inquired.
The lieutenant commander bit back a chuckle. "Well surely once he sees that I have safely returned one of his most elite weapons specialists to-"
"Respectfully, sir." Watcher interjected. "What exactly have you done here besides berate the performance of this operation?"
"I have overseen it," Krennic asserted. "As a member of the Weapons Division, Morzetti is my responsibility."
"I don't recall hearing about your rigorous search for her," Watcher hissed. "In fact, I'm the one who's had the Republic breathing down my neck to find her for months. Yet now you arrive, prim and proper, when we finally have a lead. Your eyes are fresh and bright. Uniform well-pressed after a good night's sleep. You haven't contributed a sliver to this search."
Krennic concealed his rising frustration and forced a smile. "Admiral...Nuri is it? That is your actual name before this...childish title." His remark brought a sneer to Watcher's lips. "Make no mistake. When Dr. Morzetti is recovered, her rescue will be my achievement." His projection leaned down over her holotable and jeered, "Not yours."
Watcher wanted to send her fist darting through Krennic's see-through face, but she'd never give him the satisfaction. Instead, she simply focused on the monitors. "You know what the difference between you and I is, lieutenant commander?" she asked. Krennic raised a brow as she continued. "I don't need a pat on the back to get the job done."
Krennic glared at her as a clone officer approached. "Ma'am," he called.
"It better be good, Spenz." Watcher grumbled.
"It is," he quickly replied. The clone's shortness of breath had Watcher tilting her head. "I've gained access to the Hutt Council records and-" Spenz swallowed hard. "Well...you need to see this."
A pair of cultists descended from one of the rightward catwalks. As they stepped onto a maintenance platform, an adjacent figure had them freezing. Anna walked up to them and said, "Hey fellas. I'm here for the cult stuff. I saw an ad on the HoloNet."
As soon as the cultists aimed their blasters, Sparx and Blazer emerged from the nearby corner. Both clones put their respective target in a headlock and dragged them into the shadows. "Targets neutralized," the lieutenant said.
"Well done," Anna commented before pressing on.
"The 'cult stuff', general?" Blazer jested. "Really?"
"It worked, didn't it?" Anna quipped as they ascended a stairwell. They were almost all the way up when Anna noticed a pair of shadows shifting along the wall. "Kriff!" she whispered sharply. "Back down! Back down!" The trio crept downward as Anna continued to whisper. "Two targets inbound."
"What's the plan?" Sparx asked.
"Distraction?" Blazer suggested, but Anna shook her head.
"Swift saber," she chose instead. "I'll get in close and dice them."
"Just be careful," Blazer insisted. "They get one shot off and our cover is blown."
"Stealth is my middle name," Anna boasted.
"Last week it was 'danger'." Blazer mumbled to himself. He and Sparx remained on standby as Anna inched her way up.
The Jedi listened closely as her targets' footsteps grew louder. Here we go, Anna thought and unclipped her lightsaber. She clasped the hilt and let her thumb caress the activator. Steady...steady... She shut her eyes and waited until her targets were almost on top of her. Darkness shrouded her face as their shadows loomed over the stairwell.
Anna's eyes shot open and she sprung into action. Her blade ignited and her foe's eyes widened under a flash of bright green plasma. With a swift swipe of her lightsaber, Anna slashed across a Nikto cultist's chest. The strike stole the man's breath and his body tumbled back. Within a matter of seconds, Anna shifted her heels towards the second target. As she swung her blade downward, her wrists siezed up after seeing who it was.
Anna stopped her blade inches from a woman's trembling hands. "Please no!" she barely uttered. Her voice was a broken whimper as she dropped to her knees. Sweat trickled down her forehead and raced the tears on her cheeks. Her olive-skinned face teemed with fear as she braced herself for a quick demise. Her disheveled, black bun collapsed and clung to her sweaty face as she sniffled. "Please don't kill me," the woman pleaded.
Blazer and Sparx ascended when they didn't hear a second body drop. "General?" the sergeant worried. "Are you alright?"
"C-clones?" the woman stuttered.
"Holy kriff," Anna realized and deactivated her lightsaber. She knelt beside the cowering and haggard woman, trying to recall every missing persons report she'd seen. "Dr. Morzetti?" she inquired and the woman gasped. "Nila Morzetti?" The woman hastily nodded and Anna took a deep breath. She tried to dismiss the fact that she'd nearly killed the very scientist they'd come to rescue. "Ma'am," she said and brought her voice down. "I'm gonna need you to take a breather. I'm General Anna Dellian of the Galactic Republic. We're here to rescue you."
"A J-Jedi?" Morzetti whispered while looking at Anna's weapon.
"Command," Anna reported over comms. "I've-" Her eyes narrowed on the cultist she'd killed beside Morzetti. "-found her," she murmured.
"Morzetti?" Krennic responded. "I hate to say this...but well done, Dellian. Proceed with extraction maneuvers and-"
"Not just yet," Anna said. "Something bigger is going on down here."
"We will send a cleanup team when Morzetti isn't at risk," Krennic intoned. "General Dellian, I am ordering you to get out of-"
Anna discreetly shut off her comlink and glanced at her squadmates. "The interference down here is terrible," she murmured before kneeling in front of Morzetti. "Doctor," she said. "What's going on down here?"
Morzetti sniffled and hurriedly dried her tears. "The cult has been conducting experiments," she explained. "They never give me the full picture, and threaten me with death if I don't comply!"
"Keep your voice down," Anna asserted while the clones checked for cultists. "What did they have you do?"
Morzetti gulped. "They wanted me to make them high-powered blasters and detonators. I think they're planning some sort of assault."
"I see," Anna replied. "Thanks for the intel. We need to get a better signal if we're going to contact the Republic." She reached for the dead cultist's belt and unclipped his holstered pistol. "I doubt we're out of the woods yet." Her hands shuffled across the sleek weapon before she tossed it to Morzetti. "Here. Damsel time is over." Anna glanced up at a cramped observation chamber. "That may be high enough to give us a signal boost."
"General," Sparx suggested and tapped on his helmet. "I can check if I have signal to-"
"Lieutenant," Anna cut him off. "Sergeant. I need both of you to guard the entryway. Morzetti, you're with me." The scientist nodded to her as they ascended towards the chamber.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Krennic called in to Blazer and Sparx over comms. "Troopers!" he bellowed. "Where is your general? What's going on?"
Sparx was about to answer when Blazer raised a hand to stop him. The sergeant motioned for them to shut off comms before speaking. "Sarge?" Sparx queried. "What's happening?"
"I'm not sure," he confessed. "But I have to trust that the general has a plan."
Watcher loomed over Spenz's computer as he accessed the encrypted Hutt data. "Karabast," she whispered. "There's enough here to bury that entire criminal council."
"Good luck," Spenz groused. "With their deep pockets, those slugs would crawl out of the dirtiest messes imaginable. But that's not why I called you over. As I delved into their deeper files, this name kept coming up."
Watcher's tired eyes followed the clone's finger across the screen. She focused on the name and read it aloud, "Monrak?"
"So I kept digging-" Spenz continued. "-and pinged this amid my search." The officer pulled up an eerie image of a Hutt. Unlike the other stern-faced members of its species, this Hutt was oddly calm. Its face was cold and calculating, and possessed smooth skin as white as the datascreen itself. A pair of chalky, pink, reptilian eyes rested atop the Hutt's visage. It was as if they were staring into Watcher's very soul.
"I've heard of albinism in Hutts before," Watcher commented. "But I've never seen a Hutt that white."
"Say hello to Monrak the Hutt. He served as confidant for the clan's council before Barzi."
"I can't imagine he was much better if he was replaced," Watcher quipped.
"You'd be correct," Spenz remarked. "Only Monrak's misdeeds were so heinous, that the Hutt Council went to every length to bury his existence. You see, Monrak didn't want to advise any of the crimelords, nor did he want a share of their territories. He wanted complete control over the entire syndicate, believing their influence could extend beyond the criminal underworld. He wanted the galaxy under Hutt control. According to these records, Monrak presented his call for stronger leadership. He offered to appoint himself as leader of the Hutt Clan. But Hutts being Hutts, it looks like no one was willing to step down. Monrak was warned to not to bite the hands feeding him."
"Something tells me that our white-scaled friend didn't give up so easily," Watcher mumbled.
"That's one way to put it," Spenz winced before pulling up another file. "Monrak used his charisma to appeal to the underworld's masses. He sought to turn everything from rival gangs and local militias into the ultimate fighting force. Once his army was ready, Monrak staged a hostile takeover of the Hutt Clan." Watcher grimaced as images of burnt buildings and mass graves flashed across the screen. "But the families proved too powerful and withstood his assault. All of Monrak's supporters were massacred. Even those who didn't participate in the takeover."
"And the Hutt himself?" Watcher asked.
"He was to be executed in front of the crime lords themselves," Spenz continued. "By order of Jabba, Monrak was tossed into the Pit of Carkoon...a sand basin home to one of Tatooine's largest Sarlaacs." Spenz activated another set of files. "That should've been the end of it, but the Hutts have been tracking the Revenant ever since it surfaced. And look here..."
Watcher read the monitor and said, "Every Hutt safehouse that's been targeted was once monitored by Monrak."
Spenz nodded. "Combine that with the charisma used to rally Revenant cultists and-"
Watcher had to take a step back. "You're telling me, that you think the Pale One is a Hutt whom a sarlaac should be very much digesting?"
"Hutts do have an extremely tough outer layer of skin," Spenz said. "The sarlaac could've regurgitated him. And it explains the clan's reopened interest in Monrak and the Revenant."
"If this theory's true-" Watcher considered. "-then the Pale One's gearing up for something bigger than any act of vengeance against his kind. But what?"
"Ma'am," Clicker hollered. "Lieutenant Commander Krennic's been calling for you. He says General Dellian's recovered Dr. Morzetti, but he lost contact shortly after."
Watcher composed herself with a deep breath. "Keep digging," she ordered Spenz and rushed back to her holotable.
Elsa, Frost, and Speedy stealthily crept down a corridor. An aching screech echoed towards them and Elsa raised a hand. As the clones came to a halt, Elsa cautiously poked her head out from around the corner. She held back a gasp upon discovering the restrained whale. The ailing creature writhed as cultists continued to prod and inject it. "Anna's right about finding Morzetti," Elsa said. "But we can't just let them keep torturing that creature."
"Maybe you could loosen the tubes sticking into it?" Frost proposed. "Would that help free it without giving away your position?"
"If I got close enough," Elsa considered. "But I could try using the Force. Good idea, commander."
"Just-" Frost began and Elsa tilted her head. "-be careful."
"I always am," she assured and patted his shoulder.
As Elsa snuck forward, Speedy gave Frost a nudge. "So..." the trooper mumbled. "You and the general?"
"She prefers Knight Dellian or Elsa," Frost corrected until another thought dawned upon him. "Wait...what are you getting at, soldier?"
Speedy brought his voice down to a whisper. "Well...are you two...well...um...you know..."
"What?" Frost blurted. "N-...no we're not-...Are you delirious? Did you hit your head during the descent?"
Before Speedy could respond, Watcher transmitted to both of them and Elsa. "Does anyone have a fix on General Dellian's position?" she asked.
"No," Elsa quietly replied. "Anna and I split up."
"She found Morzetti, but we've lost contact with her and the others."
"Of course," Elsa groaned after already getting in position near the whale. "Standby," she responded. Before Elsa could take further action, she overheard two of the patrolling cultists.
"Where is Morzetti?" one of the guards growled. "The purrgil's vitals are dropping."
"It doesn't matter," the second cultist said. "The Revenant already has everything it needs to begin anew. The doctor's lust for perfection won't gain her any more favors with the Pale One."
Elsa's eyes slowly widened as she raised her comlink. "Watcher..." she whispered. "We may have a problem."
Dr. Morzetti followed Anna into the observation chamber. While the Jedi scoured the room, Morzetti glanced over her shoulder to observe the clones. Blazer and Sparx were still at the base of the stairs where Anna had left them.
"Coming?" Anna hollered.
Morzetti briefly squinted and forced a smile. "Y-yes. Of course, Master Jedi." She stepped into the room and found Anna pacing about.
"There has to be a way to boost the comm signal," the Jedi said. Her eyes darted towards a flickering panel. She gave her back to Morzetti while examining it and said, "Check the other terminals, will ya?"
Anna took the scientist's silence for compliance and continued fiddling with her panel. While doing so, she heard the sound she'd been cautiously waiting for. A single, empty click echoed throughout the chamber. A mild gasp followed as Anna smiled coyly. "You know," she said. "When someone's escorting a hostage, they tend to have their weapon drawn-" Anna slowly turned to see Morzetti aiming the pistol at her. "Not holstered. I'll give credit where it's due though. You're one hell of an actress. All of that sniveling after I took out your bodyguard. And you actually thought I'd give you a loaded weapon." Anna smirked and held up the pistol's laser cartridge.
"This changes nothing, Jedi sinner." Morzetti hissed and threw down the gun.
"Keep telling yourself that," Anna remarked while turning her comlink back on. "All teams-"
"General Dellian!" Watcher's voice immediately boomed. "Dr. Morzetti may have been compromised-"
"Oh I know," Anna assured. "We've got the traitor. Blazer...Sparx. Can you come up here, please?" The clones barged in from behind and aimed their blasters at Morzetti. "She was never kidnapped," Anna realized. "The Polis Massa station attack was just a cover for her escape. Wasn't it?"
"Perhaps the Jedi aren't the ignorant brutes that I presumed they were," Morzetti scoffed.
"How many?" Anna questioned as her tone deepened. In that instant, she stomped up to Morzetti and siezed her by the collar. "How many good men and women died because of you? How much intel did you give these freaks?"
Morzetti chuckled. "There's that ignorance," she taunted as Anna's nostrils flared. "Good men and women? Please. The Republic has been nested with sin and corruption for generations. I just finally opened my eyes to it. The Pale One's teachings helped me see that this galaxy has to be saved. But fear not...soon all will be purged."
"How?" Anna asked. Morzetti uncooperative laugh only angered Anna further. "Answer me, you traitorous scumbag!" she yelled and rigorously shook the scientist.
Morzetti simply shook her head and spoke through mild cackles. "It's too late. You and your false sense of morality can't save anyone."
Suddenly, Anna flung Morzetti across the chamber and into one of the panels. The impact wiped the sinister grin clean off of her face. Despite her best efforts to remain steadfast, fright filled the cultist's eyes. "Lieutenant Sparx," Anna spoke in a deepening and ominous tone. "Seal the door."
"General?" he worried.
"Do it," she commanded. "I'm not leaving this room without answers."
"Anna," Blazer whispered. "Are you sure about this? Remember the Mirialans."
Anna briefly shut her eyes as images of Sorette and Aveni flashed through her mind. Any hope of clinging to those thoughts faded as Morzetti's frail chuckles filled the room. "Y-y-you won't hurt me," the scientist jeered. "You're a Jedi. You thrive in your hypocritical world of-" Even Blazer flinched as Morzetti's head was suddenly slammed against the wall by an unseen energy.
Anna thrust her hand forward as she called upon the Force. "Blazer," she whispered. "Are you willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission? Especially when lives are at stake?"
The sergeant took a deep breath and solemnly answered, "Yes, general."
"Good," Anna affirmed. "Because there's no turning back." Her eyes narrowed on Morzetti as she stretched out her hand.
"Jedi heretic!" Morzetti grunted. "I'll never tell y-..." Her brows furrowed as she struggled to speak. "Y-...you-" It became so painful to utter a word that Morzetti had to grit her teeth. Her breaths strained as she desperately clawed at her pulsing neck. Blazer watched in shock and awe when Anna's fingers curled.
When using the Force, Elsa had taught Anna to focus on the object she'd wanted to move. Her big sister had placed a strict emphasis on mentally visualizing the desired target before attempting Force manipulation. Anna let her anger guide her as Morzetti's throat became the center of attention. She visualized constriction on her victim's neck as she called upon the Force...and squeezed. When she figured the scientist had endured enough, Anna released her into a series of wheezes.
"Talk, damn it!" Anna roared in a monstrous tone. The likes of which even Blazer hadn't heard from her before. "Why you? Why this facility? What is the Pale One planning?"
Morzetti cleared her throat and found the strength to speak up. "B-...burn...in hell...Jedi."
The scientist's infuriating words brought a scowl to Anna's face. The festering rage within coupled with a pull she'd worked to keep at bay. Seeking to use it in her favor, Anna gave in to the Dark Side's chilling call. With a hellish screech, Anna threw her hand forward again. She siezed Morzetti with a Force choke so powerful, that the scientist was sporadically lifted off of the ground. Her dangling legs struck the broken panel behind her as Anna applied more pressure. Morzetti's writhing body reflected against Blazer's cold and faceless visor.
"Your sister has Morzetti in custody and Shang is enroute for extraction," Watcher told Elsa. "Get your team out of there!"
"On it," Elsa replied, but not before stealthily raising her hand towards the purrgil. Using the Force, Elsa slowly loosened each piece of equipment tethering it to the monitors.
As she did so, warning sirens sounded from various panels. "What's going on?" a cultist asked.
"It's the purrgil!" another panicked. "It's breaking free!" He raised his blaster and shouted, "Forget Morzetti! Put it down!" From the moment he raised his rifle, a blue-ringed stun blast struck him in the back.
"Ambush!" a cultist warned as Frost kept firing. While he stunned several foes, Elsa moved in to Force push the others. She extended her quarterstaff and swatted one of her foe's down. Realizing that the duo was going nonlethal, Speedy set his rifle to stun as well.
Having been freed from its imprisonment, the wild purrgil used its tentacles to swat incoming cultists and send them crashing into walls. Once its adversaries were dealt with, the whale burrowed upward and created its own tunnel towards the surface. "Well that'll be easier than finding the stairs again," Speedy quipped.
The purrgil's ascension to freedom caused a cave-in throughout the facility. Boulders came tumbling down as Elsa stumbled towards an array of monitors. "What were they doing?" she asked and looked over the data. Images of purrgil anatomy were juxtaposed against schematics for ominous projectiles.
"We need to get out of here!" Anna shouted as she, Blazer and Sparx rushed over.
"Sis?" Elsa asked. "Where's Dr. Morzetti?"
"There's no time!" Anna blurted. "This place is collapsing on itself! Prep ascension cables!"
The clones aimed up through the purrgil's burrow and launched hooks from their weapons. As Anna clung to Blazer and Elsa to Frost, the team ascended out of the doomed facility. Wild porgs squawked and fluttered as the group emerged from the chaos. While the team caught their breath, Elsa was the first to call Watcher. "We've made it out," she panted. "We've got cultists and possible intel trapped in the debris after a cave-in. Send a cleanup and extraction crew immediately!"
"Will do," Watcher responded.
"Where's Morzetti?" Krennic inquired over comms.
A deafening silence filled the shoreline as all eyes fell to Anna. "Sis?" Elsa beckoned.
Blazer braced himself as Anna answered, "Morzetti's dead...and millions of others are next if you all don't listen closely."
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading the first part of Season 3's finale! We are almost to the end, and I cannot thank you all enough for your kindness and support. Now it's time for the next preview!
*John Williams' "Escape From Cloud City" plays*
You've journeyed through eighty-nine chapters. Now, prepare yourself for a finale of epic proportions. A sinister plan is revealed and the fate of the galaxy rests in the Dellian sisters' hands. Experience the fiery conclusion to "Season III: A War on All Fronts" in Chapter: 90 (Fallout Part: II). It's all happening right here on the next Frozen Force Friday!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you!
~ Michael