Author's note: PLEASE READ THE NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER FOR AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER CHANGE.
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This week, we have an all out Jawa party for Darth Dracul, CJG98, and 0x15!
Chapter: 108 Dead Men Tell No Tales
"The harder you fight to shield those you love, the closer you come to pushing them away."
Entrenched on outer fronts! The Galactic Republic finds itself in a constant struggle against the ongoing Separatist threat. While media sources use propaganda to bolster a patriotic war effort, reality reveals more body bags and fallen planets. As the Clone War only intensifies, the Republic continues to crumble under attacks by the ruthless Sith Lord, Count Dooku. And as desperation sets in, there are villains on both sides...
Though unknown to most of the galaxy's spacers, Aren's wilderness was as beautiful as it was mysterious. Snow-speckled alpines smoothly transitioned into tremendous seas of pine. Glaciers stretched far beyond the reaches of any established settlement and sent chunks of ice spiraling along the fjords. At certain altitudes, nothing but a frigid breeze could dominate the skies of Aren. Desolation danced alongside calmness. Eeriness was tranquility's companion. Despite the planet's ongoing conflicts, so much of its natural world remained untouched. Many of its scenic vistas stood undefiled by tools of greed. Gentle clouds drifted across the landscape and blanketed the forests in a thin veil. The likes of which would be blissfully calming...had it not been for the screams.
Shrieks emerged from beneath the treeline and sent birds fleeing into the clouds. Their flaps were as frantic as the tumultuous chaos echoing below. The next scream echoed further, this time ringing beyond the forest and towards the mountain bases. The departing birds were a blur to one man's eyes. Everything was ringing around him as his head sunk deeper into the snow. His breaths shortened as he searched for air that was never coming. His hand hopelessly clawed at the terrain, but it wasn't long before he'd lost all feeling. His finger tips numbed against uprooted soil and ceased to function. Steam swiveled from his torso as he focused on the clouds above. Unable to even reach his ceremonial necklace for comfort, the Northuldra warrior succumbed to his fate. His body continued to shut down as he focused on the sun beyond the clouds. Peering into its tinted orb, he paid no mind to the fact that his lower half had been completely severed from his body.
As the Northuldra passed from existence, another shuffled at his side. Her footwork left a series of precise prints in the snow. Her silhouette danced with each jab of her spear. Yet despite any efforts to stand her ground, a swift strike emerged from ahead. In a single hit, the Northuldra collapsed alongside her bisected brother. A cauterized wound faded against her chest while her singed and splintered spear fell beside her. Thud after thud echoed across the forest. Northuldra footprints collided in an all-out scramble until each person fell dead. Heavy hums filled the air and muffled ongoing screams. Still the Northuldra persisted, even as shattered weapons and severed limbs littered the snow.
"Fall back!" a warrior shouted before throwing his spear. Within a matter of seconds, an unseen force flung the weapon back into his chest. Emitting the battle cries of their people, several Northuldra descended from the nearby slope and took their enemy head-on. While several in the front row were massacred within seconds, their hooded leader leapt to engage their foes. None of them even got a hit in as an unseen surge of energy sent them all flying. Some of the Northuldra tumbled against the snow and were cut down trying to recover. Others were flung too high and became impaled by tree branches. The hunting party's leader struck a lower tree trunk. He crashed into the snow, disoriented and achy. Slowly lifting his head, he let his frantic blue eyes dart across the massacre.
"Chieftain!" a voice beckoned from the madness. "Chieftain Ryder!" Catching the tail end of her shouts, Ryder hurriedly shook off his daze. "Chieftain!" she continued as he steadied himself. "We need to move...Now!"
While the snow sent a chill across Ryder's body, a persistent level of heat reached his face from between the treeline. Smoke spread beyond crackling flames as the remains of their enclave crumbled in the distance. "No, Heida," Ryder persisted. "We need to help the others!"
Forsaking tradition in the name of survival, Heida angrily yanked her chieftain back. "There are no others!" she pleaded. "Our home is gone, my chieftain."
"But my sister-"
"If she's still alive, she isn't in that inferno. We must regroup if we are to survive! The rest of our people need you."
Ryder stared into Heida's elderly, hazel eyes. Her gaze was as dutiful as it was frightened, prompting Ryder to think of the survivors. Their ongoing screams had him wincing as he reluctantly nodded. "You're right," he confessed and she helped him to his feet. "To the river!" he bellowed, praying any Northuldra in the vicinity would hear him. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he didn't notice the amount of corpses lining the snow.
"Get to the river!" Heida reiterated betwixt the cries of her brothers and sisters. Plasma flashed between the trees as a hooded figure cut down Northuldra. Heida hardly had time to glimpse the massacre as she too stumbled through the snow. More bodies dropped as the sounds of chaos closed in from all corners of the forest.
"To me!" Ryder beckoned. "To me!"
Heida had started dashing to his side when she noticed one of their own crawling beneath a fallen tree. "Hold on!" she shouted and scurried to help him out. By the time she reached him, a hooded assailant was already running their steaming blade through his back. Heida froze as the ominous killer turned towards her.
Ryder skidded to a halt as Heida's grunt reached his ears. "No!" he cried out as the attacker pinned her against a tree. They only retracted their blade when other Northuldra attempted to fight. As they were slaughtered, Ryder desperately pulled Heida away to a clearing. Exhausted, he dropped to his knees and held her close. "Be still," he assured. "I have you."
Despite Ryder's best efforts to remain calm, Heida's eyes were already darkening. A cauterized puncture wound emerged through her shredded coat as he gripped her hand. "...Go," she uttered while barely keeping her head up. "I will see you...again."
Fiercely scrubbing tears from his eyes, Ryder laid the elder down. He placed her along the snowy slope and bowed respectfully. As the sole survivor of his group, he lunged towards the slope in an attempt to slide down. But as Ryder tried, he found himself trapped in some form of stasis. His spirit willed him to jump down...and yet his body wouldn't yield. It was as if some unseen Force was holding him in midair. Ryder's heart thundered as he slowly glanced over his shoulder. As he did so, he observed a gloved hand stretching from the shadowy treeline. The hooded figure emerged, bending the Force and Ryder to their will. They turned him around, toying with his body while closing in. No amount of writhing could break him free of such power. Ryder was at the killer's mercy as they unclipped their lightsaber.
As Ryder closed his eyes and braced for an inevitable demise, he suddenly felt the killer's hold on him loosen. Opening his eyes, he watched as Heida used her last ounce of strength to snatch and pull their foe's ankle. The hooded figure fell as Heida called out with her dying breath. "Jump!"
With teary eyes and a heavy heart, Ryder made the jump. He sprung off of the slope just as the lightsaber ignited behind him. The killer finished off Heida and then stomped over to the slope's edge. By the time they'd come over, the Northuldra chieftain was nowhere to be seen.
The slope was steeper than anticipated as Ryder tumbled down. Snow yielded to wide, protruding stones which battered against his body. Sharp twigs from dead bushes left scratches across his face and limbs. It was as if his very people were speaking through nature and clawing at him for salvation. Reaching the summit's base, Ryder slammed into a mound of snow and rolled over with a groan. Despite his body willing for him to stay down, his mind remained in flight. Rising amidst pain and anxiety, Ryder forced himself to keep running. Blood trickled from his scrapes and bruises as he limped through the woodlands. He hobbled far past the sounds of chaos behind him, fearing death would strike at any given moment. Every snapping twig and chittering bird had Ryder's head spinning with fear. Still he carried on, running past the forest and out towards the echo of distant voices.
"H-Honeymaren?" he panted in his daze. "Sister?...Anyone?"
To both his salvation and dismay, Ryder emerged from the forest to find a small trade settlement. Airspeeders were towed in to a ramshackle compound where drivers were desperate to defrost engines. Rickety droids clunked about, pushing themselves beyond their limits to satisfy customers beneath the Aren banner. The boldest and shadiest of spacers were spread throughout the compound, each seeking to make a fortune off of uniquely stolen goods. Ryder limped through the assortment of strangers. He kept to the walls and shadows, for his fur coat would be a dead giveaway. Even if the Northuldra had kept to themselves, the Aren had made it a point to alienate them from the rest of society. To paint them as a hindrance to both change and peace. In the public eye, the Northuldra had become a horde of warmongers who terrorized Aren's frontier. The likes of which only the 'true sons and daughters of Aren' could stop.
After what Ryder had experienced, he didn't even know how many of his people remained. His breaths shortened as he succumbed to his aching wounds. Ryder collapsed against a storage crate, emitting a cacophonous thud. He braced himself, fearing that one of the rowdy merchants might've heard. To his relief, they were far too busy scolding outmoded droids. As Ryder briefly shut his eyes, a sudden clamor came to the crate. Gasping, he peered up and saw a woman leaning towards him. A chaotic assortment of bracelets rattled from her arms and clanged against the crate. Her green gaze was as piercing as each spiky strand on her brown bob. "I knew I wasn't hallucinating!" she blurted. "I didn't drink that much." The woman's bronze sashes swayed as she spun in her umber coat. "Yeesh. I thought I-" The spacer paused and loomed over Ryder. "Wait...is that blood? Holy kriff. What happened to you?"
"H-help..." Ryder croaked. "Please."
"Well corpses are bad for business," she reasoned and hauled him off of the crate. "This way," she grunted. Ryder grimaced after getting a whiff of her potent perfume. "Sorry about the smell," she confessed. "I'm still trying to figure out if it's 'Scent of Blueblossom' or 'Rancor Bait'. That's what I get for buying something without a label." She plopped Ryder down inside a personal storage shack. Shrouded from the world, he let himself rest in darkness. He would've been calmer if it wasn't for the ongoing racket his rescuer was causing. "Medpacs...medpacs," she muttered. "I know I packed one somewhere. Sorry, I promise I'm more organized than this." She paused and rattled her bracelets. "That's a lie. I'm never organized. Organization is a myth." Ryder raised a bewildered brow just as she revealed a medpac. "Haha!" the spacer rejoiced and scurried over to him. Popping open the pale case, she withdrew some bacta spray. "This'll dull the pain where it can. Might heal some of those surface cuts too." A smirk formed on her dark lips. "If only bacta healed pain on the inside right? Just kidding, I'm dead inside." The woman sighed when Ryder didn't answer, and only winced with each spray. "Sorry. Humor's kind of my trauma response. I'm Kava, by the way. Kava Hish."
"Re-public," Ryder whispered.
"Republic?" Kava reiterated. "I mean I used to fly those parts for a time. But I'm not affiliated with Chancellor Palpitation or whatever his name is."
Ryder repeatedly shook his head, even as his body willed for him to shut down. "I need...to get to the Republic. Need...help."
As Kava heard Ryder out, a sudden commotion came to the compound. It was enough to have her furrowing her brows and peeking out of a window. Squinting her eyes, Kava watched as a hooded figure approached one of the merchants. They asked for something, to which the boisterous fellow replied, "Does it look like I care? Ask me again after this damn droid completes my order!" The gesture towards the old machine would be his hooded stranger raised the merchant into the air and Force-choked him for all to see. Once the heinous deed was done, the killer flung his corpse across the compound and prompted several screams.
"Kriff," Kava uttered. "A friend of yours?"
"They're here," Ryder huffed as his eyes fluttered. "Looking for me. I need to go. Need the Republic...to...to-" Despite his willpower and the numbing spray, Ryder passed out from exhaustion and left Kava to catch his head.
"Oh no," she sputtered while holding the Northuldra close. "Kriff, kriff, kriff you can't be serious." Sweat soaked her temples as the killer ransacked the compound's exterior. Eyeing an alternative route beneath the shack, Kava popped open the hatch. Her glances alternated between Ryder and her crate of merchandise. She'd only have enough strength to carry one and frustratedly bit her lip. "Captain's gonna kill me," she groaned and chose Ryder over the goods. Pulling him down and sealing the hatch behind her, Kava left the shack behind. The sounds of death and destruction filled the compound as all who would not comply were silenced. Even those who did comply to fruitless results were executed by the hooded figure. As Kava traversed the smuggler's tunnel, she placed a call via comlink. "Captain," she fretted. "I'm coming back. It looks like we'll have to cut our supply run short."
Even Ryder's mind couldn't serve as a safe haven from his traumas. Within the darkness of his thoughts, he still heard his people crying out. Their screams had him shivering along with the heavy hum of plasma. And amidst it all, he heard Heida calling to him. "Jump!" she yelled before being impaled. Such a horrid memory had Ryder jolting awake.
He bolted back and struck a metallic wall. His aching body tumbled within several blankets which were bundled around him. "I-..." he stammered. "It-...What?" Ryder's groggy eyes listed as he observed his blurred surroundings. Aren's chilled air had been replaced for the brisk stillness of space. Figures shifted in his peripherals as Kava's silhouette closed in.
"He's up," she muttered. "He's up!" Kava lowered her voice as soon as she noticed Ryder flinching. "Hey," she said softly and knelt on his level. "It's okay. You're safe now."
"I-" Ryder panted while rolling in his blankets. His eyes widened at the sight of a starry viewport. "Where am I?"
"Deep space," Kava explained. "We made a quadrant jump out of Aren's sector. Given that you had people on your tail and all. What the hell did you do, anyway?"
"Nothing," Ryder uttered. "Existed..." He initially grimaced at the haggard crowd assembled behind Kava. A team comprised of various, grizzly species passed their judgment on Ryder as he backed against the wall.
"Hey," Kava intoned to recapture his attention. "There aren't any foes here. Only friends. Don't let the crew's appearance fool ya. They're the most loyal spacers you'll want on a smuggler's run."
Ryder dropped his blankets and cautiously rose to his feet. "I take it that you're their captain then?" he inquired.
"First mate," a deeper voice answered just as Kava opened her mouth. She playfully rolled her eyes as her superior descended from a vast bridge. Heavy, yet versatile boots clunked with each bold step. The swaying hems of his bulky coat were matched only by his long dreadlocks. With an eccentric flourish of his multi-ringed fingers, the captain lifted a pair of flight goggles over his scarlet bandana. His dark, kohled eyes narrowed towards Ryder and Kava. "Although Miss Hish often makes decisions to think of herself as captain."
"Jack-" Kava groaned.
"Bupupup!" Captain Jack Convore hushed her and strutted up to Ryder. "You've said quite enough costing us supplies in favor of this..." Jack briefly sniffed Ryder and asked, "Who are you?"
"I am Ryder, Chieftain of the Northuldra."
"A chieftain?" a Twi'lek crew member grumbled.
"Could fetch us a handsome price for ransom," said a helmeted pirate.
"Tovum! Blezz!" Jack scolded. "That'll be enough of your input...although-" He leaned towards Kava and asked, "How much do you think we could get for the lad?"
"Jack!" Kava snapped. "Captain," she insisted in a more former tone. "I rescued this man from Aren. They were going to kill him."
"Aren tries to kill everyone," Jack reasoned. "Plus, how do you expect to pay for the crate you cost us?"
"It was just Aren Ale," Kava groused. "We'll find other drinks."
"But the ale is always gone," Jack lamented.
"Captain," Kava continued. "As your first mate, I have to believe you have enough faith in me over this decision. He needs our help."
Jack grimaced and glared back at Ryder. "And what exactly would you be needing help with, boy?...erhm...Chieftain?" he corrected and swished his hand to bow.
"I need to contact the Republic," Ryder said and immediately put the pirates on the defensive. "My people are under attack!" he asserted through his wounds. "They have been for some time now. My sister and fellow chieftain was too stubborn to act on aid. I too sided with her ways until I saw how much we needed help. But by then...it was too late. Our homes have been raised and our people are being hunted. With our enclave destroyed, only the Republic can help us."
A heavy silence followed Ryder's plea. Kava stared at her captain as he twitched his mustache. "Given your discombobulated reaction to my vessel, I'd think it safe to say you've never been to space? Never left Aren?" Jack pursed his lips as Ryder nodded somberly. "I know not what perceived 'aid' the Republic has offered you, but I highly doubt you've reached out first."
Ryder swallowed hard. "Well, no but-"
"Then you'd be wise to know that the Republic wouldn't take kindly to a stranger's pleas for help, let alone if said stranger arrived on a pirate vessel such as the Black Pearl. Sorry, mate." Jack professed with a flick of his wrists. "We can drop you off back on Aren, or I'd even offer you a spot on the ship if you'd so choose to-"
"Elsa!" Ryder boomed and brought Jack to silence. The captain stopped dead in his tracks. Kava raised a brow while Blezz curiously tilted his head. "Elsa Dellian! She will vouch for me!"
"Have relations with a Jedi, do you?" Jack inquired, keeping his back to Ryder.
"You know her too," the chieftain realized.
"Aye," Jack said and ran his fingers along the ship's walls. "It's thanks to her that the Pearl's back in my hands."
"Captain," Ryder said in a firm and sincere tone. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I have to believe that you've...lost in your life before. That you've felt cornered with no hope in sight." Jack's nose wrinkled at Ryder's remarks, yet still he indulged him. "I have nowhere else to turn to if I am to help my people. I don't even know what fate I've left them to nor what to offer you. But I beg you...please. Take me to the Republic."
Jack's eyes listed over to his puzzled and perplexed crew. He strutted about, letting his belongings jingle as he evolved his own plan. "Captain," Kava mumbled. "Is this really something you need to think about?"
"Always, Kava love." Jack responded before bringing himself to a halt. He slowly spun and faced Ryder. "Chieftain," Jack began. "What fortune that you've caught my crew and I at an opportune moment." Kava sighed as soon as he said so. "We'll contact the Republic and make sure that you're sped on your way. However, a pirate ship wouldn't last very long in Coruscanti flight space. So we'll have them come to us during our journey."
"Journey?" Ryder questioned. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I'm a multitasker," Jack answered. "Savvy?"
Training dojos always left Elsa Dellian with an feeling uneasy. Ever since she was a youngling, she'd struggled to physically keep up with her peers. And although she'd been knighted for her other achievements, Elsa's faults kept her feeling uncertain. If she let herself think about it enough, she'd get frustrated over how easily athletics came to other Jedi. It saddened her to feel like she was doing her Padawan a disservice, having never been that strong in a dojo.
"You're doing it again," a gruff voice mumbled. It pulled Elsa from her thoughts as she loomed over the dojo's balcony. Glancing rightward, she observed the towering Lasat standing beside her. Master Jaro Tapal's bold, green eyes met her blue gaze. "I can sense your anxiety."
"Sorry," Elsa sighed. "This setting just always makes me feel unworthy." Tapal's pointy ears twitched as she continued. "I never excelled in these fields, and yet now my apprentice looks to me for guidance. He looks to me to be flawless."
"No," Tapal intoned. "Padawan Sovan looks to you to be present. You are forcing yourself to be flawless." Elsa bit her lip as the Lasat continued. "You'll never be perfect, Knight Dellian. And that's alright. Do not disregard your other successes, even when they don't seem to apply."
Elsa simpered. "Thank you," she replied before redirecting attention to the lower platform. A pair of Padawans dashed alongside each other. Their exhausted pants meshed with the occasional chuckle as they raced. Stel's swishing, blue braid contrasted beside the other student's reddish hair.
"Focus, boys." Tapal instructed. The younglings vaulted over several hurdles. "Good, Cal." Tapal admired. "Steady pace."
Stel started falling behind, exerting most of his energy in the initial run. "You're doing great!" Elsa assured from above. Without any further pressure, just looking up and seeing his master's approving nod was enough to make Stel keep pushing.
After the hurdles, both apprentices found themselves facing down a dangling rope. The knotted system extended to an upper platform containing two flags. On the home stretch, young Cal cracked his fingers and pounced on the rope. The boy's strained grunts had Elsa concerned on how her Padawan would fair. As she kept glaring at the rope, she was reminded of her own childhood. Elsa's first rope climb hadn't been in such a calm setting among two masters. She recalled being among all of Brith Clan.
"Come on, Elsa." Master Adersen had urged. Only she remained as Anna and the rest of her peers watched from the upper level. They leaned over the side, piercing her with their judgmental stares and gut-wrenching snickers. Elsa's heart raced even now, remembering how much energy she'd put in to trying to climb that blasted rope. Her arms were burning and wobbly. She'd given so much of herself to that climb, and yet had barely made it off of the ground. Her heckling environment clashed with her weak frame. Elsa thought her palms had numbed until she felt gravity's full pull against her. Falling backward, Elsa struck the mat with a thud. And as she lay their in aching embarrassment, a barrage of laughter echoed down from her peers. Adersen was quick to silence them, but the damage was already done. By the time he turned back to Elsa, all she could do was hide her face in the mat. The master knelt beside Elsa, helping her up as she dried her tears. "It's alright," he'd said. "There's no shame in falling."
Cal's eager cheering snapped Elsa back into the present. Her eyes widened as he happily plucked a flag from the upper platform. "Well done," Master Tapal admired. All eyes fell to Stel as he approached the rope below.
"Come on, Stel." Elsa whispered to herself. "Come on..." She nervously clenched her fists as the Theelin began his ascent. Her heart sank with each dip in his body or the rope. Still Stel persisted, pulling his way up. Elsa loosed an impulsive gasp when the boy lost his grip and fell from the rope. He tumbled into the mat with an all too familiar thud. "It's alright!" Elsa was quick to tell him. "You don't have to-"
"Hold on a moment, Dellian." Tapal whispered. "Give your student more credit."
"But he doesn't have to break himself if he doesn't want to," Elsa answered. Noticing her tone, she shook her head and sighed. "I'm sorry. This climb just hits close to home."
"All the more reason to let go of your experience," Tapal suggested. "Let Stel feel this and make his own judgements."
Speaking of judgements, Cal suddenly crept to the upper platform's ledge. Elsa's heart sank and she unintentionally stepped closer to the balcony. She prepared to stop Cal from harassing her student until he said, "You've got this, Stel!" Elsa froze and tilted her head confusedly. "Keep pushing, buddy!" To her astonishment, Cal was actually encouraging Stel. The Theelin vivaciously pounced at the rope once more. Yet after three mighty heaves, the boy's faulty endurance failed him. Tired from the rest of the obstacle course, Stel fell again. "Keep trying!" Cal continued urging. Elsa winced when her Padawan fell again. This time, Stel looked over at her. He found what comfort he could in her reassuring smile before trying again.
Elsa had grown accustom to hearing the sound of thuds against the mat. But with each fall, the group remained encouraging. Even if it was tearing Elsa up from within, she wanted to support her student. A chiming communicator redirected her attention to Master Tapal. "Everything alright?" Elsa asked as the Lasat scoured over a datamessage.
"I fear not," Tapal professed. "Another Mid Rim world is under siege. The Separatists have invaded Bracca. I am to gather my forces and engage them immediately."
With one simple message, Elsa was reminded of how fragile their reality was. To know that not even the Jedi Temple could offer refuge from the call of war. Seeing the duty in the Lasat's eyes, Elsa offered a respectful nod. "May the Force be with you, Master Tapal," she said.
"And with you, Knight Dellian," he answered and looked to Cal. "Padawan," he beckoned. "We are called to the front." Cal paused, still gripping the edge and wishing he could keep cheering on Stel. "The people of Bracca need us," Tapal continued. "We need to meet up with the 13th Battalion and be spacebound within the hour."
"Yes master," Cal obliged and glanced down at his fellow student.
"It's okay," Stel huffed. "I've got this."
Finding confidence in his friend, Cal slid down the rope between Stel's attempts. They briefly locked eyes when he reached ground level. "This was fun," Cal admitted. "See you when we get back?"
Despite being a sweaty mess, Stel still managed an enthused smile. "Heck yeah!" he affirmed as they high-fived.
Elsa chuckled at the gesture. "Those boys make good partners. Looks like we'll need to have more group training sessions in the future," she jested.
"Quite," Tapal replied before bidding Elsa farewell. Her smile faded as she returned to her Padawan's training.
Instead of observing from above, Elsa made her way downstairs. Feeling like she'd stepped into Master Adersen's boots, she watched her student repeatedly try to climb the rope. "Stel," Elsa spoke softly. He elected to ignore her and lunged at the rope again. She pursed her lips as he neared the top, only for his arms to give out once more. "Stel-"
"I can do this, master." Stel panted and scrubbed the sweat from his purple-skinned face. "I almost had it!"
"It's okay," she assured. "There's...no shame in falling."
Stel paused and took a deep breath. "I just really want it."
"I know you do, apprentice. I just don't want you breaking yourself because you think you have something to prove."
"This is gonna be the one," Stel said as he grabbed the rope once more.
"This...is gonna...be the one," Stel huffed as he hobbled towards the rope. With reddened eyes and burning palms, his strength had only dwindled with each failed attempt. Elsa had lost track of his tries as he reached for the rope again. Only this time, the boy's hands met hers. "Hey," he groaned. "Lemme-"
"No," Elsa calmly asserted herself. "I think that's enough attempts for today."
"But I was so close!"
"And we can try again another day after you rest."
"Cal did it," Stel lamented. "I know I can too!"
"I don't doubt it for a second," Elsa placated.
"Then why are you telling me to give up?" Stel asked. He worried about his choice of words as Elsa's eyes widened. "Master...I-...I'm sorry I-"
"It's okay," Elsa answered. "It's how you feel. Don't ever be sorry about expressing your feelings. That's the only way we can talk things over." Stel slowly nodded as Elsa knelt to his level. "Taking a break...Prioritizing your health...is not giving up."
"It sure feels like it," Stel grumbled. "How can I just walk out of here knowing I didn't make it up to the flag?"
"With a full heart and your head held high," Elsa replied. "You went further than me today, you know."
"Huh?"
"You were most impressive," Elsa insisted. "When I was your age, I couldn't even make it halfway."
"Wait a second," Stel realized. "So you've never finished the rope climb either?"
She kindly shook her head. "We're full of imperfections and are always learning more. But here's how I know we're not giving up. Even after both of us fell, we still chose to stand. Not merely to climb the rope, but to get up from the ground. And that is more of a victory than you realize. To defy every little voice in your head that's saying you should just stay down there. It was never about the rope, Stel. Continuation is strength. Choosing to move forward. That's strength."
"I...think I understand," Stel admitted. "I don't need to climb the rope in order to be strong...but can I still try again tomorrow?"
"Yes," Elsa snickered. "I admire your spirit, Padawan. Let's get you cleaned up and-" She paused as her holocomm rang. Elsa hurriedly plucked it and projected a hologram of the temple's Grand Master. "Master Yoda?"
"Knight Dellian," Yoda greeted. "Padawan Sovan. Requested by the council, your presence is."
There had always been a twinge of anxiety associated with appearing before the council. As the war intensified and public opinion of the Jedi worsened, Elsa couldn't imagine that any summoning meant good news. After all, young Stel was far from ready to face his Trials...let alone understand Elsa's past. That was even if she was willing to let him in.
Stel resisted fidgeting with his braid as the eyes of numerous masters fell upon him. With more Jedi needed on the front, they were forced to appear as holographic projections in their seats. He glanced at Elsa and mirrored her bow as she spoke. "You summoned us, Grand Master?"
"A transmission," Yoda answered. "Strange...odd...yet specific to you, it is. Arrived within the hour, it had."
"The Guardian intercepted this message from a pirate vessel traveling into the Mid Rim," Master Windu explained as a central projector extended into the room. The chamber's shades dimmed as the emerging hologram immediately had Elsa's eyes widening.
She loosed a vocal "What the?" before watching a figure flail about. "Captain Jack Convore?" she asked.
"You know this pirate?" Master Mundi inquired through his seated hologram.
"We've had some...encounters," Elsa replied.
"Is this thing on?" Jack bumbled. "Oi!" he waved and flashed a toothy grin. "Elsa, darling. It's been too long, love."
"You were in love with a pirate?" Stel whispered.
"Absolutely not," Elsa immediately shut him down.
"I figure you're out another Jedi crusade in the far yonder-" Jack continued. "-however, I do find myself in possession of something...or rather someone who might be of interest to you. In fact, he asked for you by name." Elsa knitted her brows as Jack carried on. "Goes by Ryder. Claims to be a chief of some sort on Aren. Sound familiar?" Elsa's heart began to race. "Given the lad's desperation, I'd say he's mixed in all sorts of trouble. He claims the Republic is his only hope to-" A sudden boom distorted the footage and made Jack stumble. Sirens blared as panicking crew members echoed in the distance. "That's not good," Jack mumbled before another burst had him tumbling into the projector.
As the transmission concluded, Elsa was left catching her breath. "Knight Dellian," Yoda queried. "Make of this, what do you?"
"We need to help them," Elsa answered without hesitation. Her gaze listed, for she was too busy formulating a plot to focus on anything or anyone else. "Can we trace the transmission?"
"Yes," Mace affirmed. "But can this pirate be trusted?"
"She claims to have encountered him previously." Master Billaba's hologram added.
"Throwing in with pirates is always risky," Elsa said. "But if he really is in possession of a representative from Aren, we mustn't abandon them to an unknown fate."
Yoda squinted towards Elsa and gently shook his head. "Careful you must be, Knight Dellian. The fear of loss I sense in you. Attached to your homeworld, you may be. Assign another to this rescue, perhaps we should."
"No," Elsa assured calmly. "You said it yourself. The transmission was specific to me. Jack trusted me to receive that message. If someone else goes..." Elsa sighed and offered a different proposal. "Have I not proven my resolve enough times to this council? Have I not remained true to our code in enough instances to warrant more trust?" She made sure to stare at Yoda, knowing that she'd reach him exactly as intended. She wanted Yoda to think of Anna. How he'd so nonchalantly excused her murder of an unarmed prisoner and how hypocritical he'd be to stop Elsa. Her mental strategy worked as Yoda bowed his head. "Assigned to this, you will be."
"I will take the 213th and enact rescue procedures," Elsa assured. "We'll leave once the coordinates are sent." As they bowed and bid farewell to the council, Elsa tensed up in the elevator. She kept peering down at her apprentice until she finally said, "Stel..."
"Yes, master?" he asked ever so innocently.
"Why don't you sit this one out?" she proposed and the Theelin instantly raised his brows. "I mean it," Elsa reassured. "I can call Master Yelena and you two can keep working on climbing that rope."
"But you told me to rest and then practice later," Stel worried.
"I know...I just-...Maybe you're not ready for-"
"Did-" Stel gulped. "Did I do something wrong?"
Elsa winced as the inevitable question hit her. She sighed and looked into her student's concerned, widened eyes. "No, Stel," she spoke softly and knelt to his level. "I promise that you haven't done a single thing wrong." She placed her hands on his shoulders and averted her gaze.
"Then why don't you want me to come?" Stel asked. "Is it about your homeworld? Master Yoda said you were scared of loss."
Elsa cautiously gripped his shoulders. "He wasn't wrong," she confessed. "Yes, Aren is my homeworld and it's...complicated. Much too complicated to discuss now, Padawan. But I'm not just scared of losing Aren. I'm scared of losing you because of it. Because my past is too much of a mess."
"You're not gonna lose me," Stel insisted. "I've told you plenty about me! You even know what foods I hate. Like trilli noodles...yuck." Elsa simpered at the boy's remark. "But you can share things with me just the same! We're partners...right, master?"
"Right," Elsa lamented. Instead of unraveling years of childhood trauma, she merely patted his shoulders and rose to her feet. "You have a good heart in a cold galaxy, Stel." As the elevator reached the lower level, Elsa peered out across Coruscant's cityscape. She let the sunrise brighten her hopeful gaze as she murmured, "Hold on to that."
Contrary to Coruscant's ever-changing horizons, the void of hyperspace was constant. It was an endless, indigo vortex of mind-numbing proportions. Elsa would get dizzy if she stared into any longer. Standing on the Deliverance's bridge, she stepped away to join her companions at a chiming holotable. Admiral Taka saluted Elsa while they observed their unit's commander.
"So...I just hit here?" Stel asked while hovering a finger over the table.
"Yep," Commander Frost affirmed. "And then flip the switch right above that to unmute."
"That's so cool," Stel uttered and activated the holotable. He gasped when a projection of Watcher emerged at his command. Reveling in the boy's excitement, Frost gave him a fist bump. Elsa subtly smiled at her commander's kindly gesture.
Watcher frustratedly wiped her glasses and scoffed, "Blasted things. I should just get the cybernetic surgery at this point."
"Or you could give yourself a break from those screens," Elsa remarked.
"I'll take a break when the war's over," Watcher insisted.
"No you won't," Taka teased.
"No...I won't," Watcher reconsidered.
"What can you tell us about the coordinates we're heading towards?" Elsa asked.
"Straight to business," Watcher answered. "Just like your sister." She pulled up several datafiles which corresponded with projections across the table. She specifically enlarged a tremendous, crystalline mass. "My officers traced the pirate's transmission here, to the Sinta Glacier."
"A glacier?" Frost asked. "In space?"
"And one of the most unique of its kind," Watcher elaborated. "According to records, the glacier was once the core of a mega-comet. But once it was caught in the star, Sinta's, orbit...it eventually severed. This massive ice chunk has stood the test of time for literally billions of years. Its ice cores are so extensive, that spacers have been said to get lost within."
"And of course that's where Jack went," Elsa grumbled. "Thank you, Watcher. We'll contact you if we have any further questions."
"Before you go-" Watcher interrupted. "Might I inquire as to where the 213th will be stationed after this ordeal?"
Elsa paused, sucking on her teeth. "You might," she replied and slowly turned back to the hologram. "Why?"
"Let's be honest with each other here," Watcher intoned. "The war is hitting closer to home. We must protect the heart of the Republic with all hands on deck."
"What are you getting at?" Elsa asked. "Because as far as I know, that is precisely what we are all doing here."
Watcher huffed. "The 213th hasn't been in a full engagement since the Battle of Eshan. You have an entire battalion of able-bodied troopers that could be reinforcing the frontlines."
"Watcher," Elsa beckoned, yet she persisted.
"The Republic is losing battles!" Watcher bellowed. "Losing because you've got soldiers acting like community service volunteers!"
"Admiral Nuri!" Elsa yelled loud enough to startle those on her bridge. By refusing to call Watcher by her revered nickname, she stripped her of any power in the conversation. "I will not tolerate you disrespecting the aid my unit has brought to the galaxy. The 213th is a Search and Rescue Division...not an Attack Battalion." Using her rank as a Jedi, Elsa concluded with "You are dismissed, admiral."
Watcher pressed her tongue to her cheek and forced a nod. "You aren't like your sister at all," she reminded herself. "Keep living in your dream world, Dellian. You'll have to wake up eventually. We'll see if any of us are alive to say 'I told you so'." Before Elsa could offer a rebuttal, Watcher ended the transmission. Frustrated, Elsa stormed off of the bridge. Frost was going to chase after her, but Taka had him stay with Stel.
Everywhere Elsa turned, she saw clone faces observing her. Each was looking to her for hope and answers. She genuinely felt like she was in control of their destinies. Like she could protect them all, including herself. She slipped into her private quarters and shut the door with the Force. Elsa had barely gotten a moment to herself before two swift knocks came to the door. "Please not now, Frost." Elsa sighed.
"Elsa," Admiral Taka asserted. "Please let me in."
Recomposing herself, Elsa ultimately Force-pulled her door open. Taka stepped in and shook her head at the Jedi's state. "I couldn't let her talk about the 213th like that."
"Watcher has a lot of pressure on her shoulders," Taka explained. "Many...including herself...look to her to safeguard the Republic. With the war's recent developments, she's desperate."
"Do you think she's right?" Elsa asked. "Am I living in a dream world? Have I denied the 213th a proper service as clone troopers?"
Taka took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the room. "You know, I had my doubts about you at first." Elsa's raised brow was enough to have Taka nodding. "Oh yeah. Never out loud though. Because I respected your authority as my superior. But it doesn't mean I wasn't concerned. It didn't stop me from thinking 'What kind of Jedi is this? Leading soldiers to save instead of fight?' And then somewhere along the line-" Taka chuckled to herself. "It finally hit me. That's exactly what you are. A Jedi. A real one. Not this ideal our Republic has created to rally votes and bodies behind." Elsa slowly looked up as Taka bowed her head in respect. Her taut, black bun barely budged as she did so. "I am no clone trooper and therefore cannot speak on their behalf. But as an outside person looking in, I think you've done them a great service. These are men who were bred to be marched into the line of fire. The only thing separating them from laser fodder droids is an organic body. You've given them a chance to be more than target practice. And no one has any right to tell you that you haven't served this Republic."
"Thank you, Admiral Taka." Elsa said. "I've always appreciated your honesty and the friendship we've fostered." Returning a bow, Elsa concluded with "Thanks for sticking around."
A blaring alert indicated that the Deliverance was about to emerge from hyperspace. "We're here," Taka said as the duo hurried back to the bridge.
The Sinta Glacier was as ominous as it was beautiful. A strikingly bright glow emanated from its unique ice cores. Smooth crystalline mounds extended from both above and below the glacier. "Easy on the thrusters," Taka commanded to steady the Venator's approach. "We'll only be able to get so close," Taka told Elsa.
"Prep three gunships, including LAAT-5," the Jedi responded. "In the meantime, scan for any ships in the area. We still don't know what happened to Jack, and I don't want any surprises."
As the scan was underway, Frost approached Elsa. "Something still isn't adding up for me," he murmured.
"Oh?"
"Captain Convore had this Ryder person from Aren, and Ryder wanted to see you for Republic help."
"Right..."
"So why not come straight to Republic territory? You can't even argue that they found Ryder in this glacier."
"It's true," Elsa concurred. "As far as I know, the Northuldra do not possess any ships of their own."
"Putting the pieces together-" Frost deduced. "Jack made a conscious choice to come here. The question is...Why?"
Elsa felt like Master Kenobi as she curiously scratched her chin. "I'm not sure," she confessed. "But we must remain on guard. Jack seldom does anything without a plan...nor a benefit for himself." Sensing a third presence, Elsa looked over her shoulder and saw Stel standing curiously. As the odd one out, her student wondered what the adults were whispering about to each other. Choosing to include him, she added "First rule about dealing with pirates, Stel. Never show your full hand, because they aren't showing theirs."
A sharp chime had Taka's head snapping to a monitor. "We've got a hit," she declared. "Northwest side of the glacier."
Elsa rushed over and observed the scanned ship's tremendous size. "That's got to be the Black Pearl," she inferred. "Bring us around for a better look. But not too close. The last thing we want is to get pulled into whatever happened to it."
As the Deliverance glided along the Sinta Glacier, it discovered the Black Pearl's scraped stern protruding from it. "It's wedged in there deep by the looks of it," Frost observed. "Perhaps they lost control."
"But how?" Elsa considered while observing their surroundings.
"Gunships, ready." Taka reported and Elsa took alternative action.
Split squads were assembled in the Venator's hangar. As each group of clones boarded a gunship, they carried gravitational harpoons and medical supplies. "All set," Toto reported from LAAT-5's cockpit. Still operating without a co-pilot, he steadied himself on the controls and sealed the hold's hatches.
"Take us up," Elsa commanded after consuming a motion sickness pill. Stel gripped the handhold beside her while Frost nodded to the cockpit. On his superiors' orders, Toto lead the trio of gunships. They launched in a triangular formation and glided towards the stranded vessel.
"I don't like this," Toto muttered while easing up on the engines. "It's too quiet."
"Try hailing them," Elsa said.
Toto located the ship's transmitter and confirmed its functionality. "Black Pearl-" he began. "-this is LAAT-5. Come in." Received static had Toto cautiously leaning in to comms. "Black Pearl. Please respond." The static persisted and he shook his head back to the passengers.
With the gunship's leveled out, Elsa took it upon herself to move freely about the hold. She approached the cockpit and observed the pirate vessel for herself. "Can you land us atop its dorsal hull?" she asked.
"We'll need to go single file," Toto answered. "Prepare to disembark and I'll get us down there."
While LAAT-5 moved into position, Elsa and Frost heaved a container out from an overhead compartment. The hold's crimson lighting provided just enough visibility for her to retrieve several breathing masks and goggles. "Stel," Elsa said and motioned one of the masks to him. "We can't all get trooper helmets."
"It'd be cool if we did though," the Theelin jested and started fastening his mask.
Elsa had already buckled hers in when she noticed Stel struggling. Sighing and playfully shaking her head, she untwisted his straps for a comfier fit. "Better?" she asked through her muffling mask. His swift thumbs up made her wink.
Toto hovered LAAT-5 over the Black Pearl's hull. Wary of the glacier's own gravitational field, he balanced the gunship's thrusters. If he'd taken on a new co-pilot, it'd be easier for him to multitask the landing. Instead, Toto had to keep a firm grip on the controls while stabilizing the engines. Despite the ongoing stress, he liked to imagine that Donz was still with him. As if the old clone was in his seat, guiding the controls along his hands. It at least brought Toto enough comfort to secure the landing. "We're clear," he huffed. "Helmets and masks on!"
"All set back here," Frost confirmed. "Open the hatches."
"Good luck out there," Toto hollered while starting the disembarkation process. Once LAAT-5's hatches opened, those aboard were immediately exposed to Sinta Glacier's chill. Fractals were already crawling across the Black Pearl's hull, as if consuming the vessel. To keep extra warm, Elsa and Stel bulked up in traditional Jedi robes. They were the first to drop as Frost led the troops in from behind. The collective clamor of their boots echoed across the eerie ship.
As Frost's men secured the upper level, Rip kept staring at his flamethrower. "No you can't use that to warm your hands," Doubles groaned and nudged him. "Remember what happened last time..."
The team pressed onward, ducking under protruding icicles as they neared a dorsal hatch. "Here," Elsa beckoned and slid towards the sealed opening. "Together, Stel." As they raised their hands to use the Force, a being suddenly burst through the top. His forceful gesture was enough to startle his rescuers and rattle the swinging hatch.
"Oi!" the pirate blurted as he stumbled from the hold.
"Jack?" Elsa realized and protectively stood in front of Stel.
"Cap'n," he corrected. " 'specially in the presence of so many new faces." He staggered forward and squinted towards the Jedi. "Elsa...you've grown up!"
"It was only a matter of time," she replied. "What happened here? Why are you out in this sector? Do you really have a Northuldra chieftain with you-"
"Bupbupbup," Jack sputtered. "So many questions after such a rather raucous collision." He wrinkled his nose beneath his mask before answering. "Hmmm let's see. Beastie, multi-tasking...and yes. He's bracing the hold with the others."
Elsa's eyes widened at Ryder's confirmation. "Take me to him," she said. "Please."
Before following Jack below deck, Doubles turned to Frost. "Commander," he whispered. "Did he say beastie?"
The Black Pearl's metallic interior clanged and scraped against the glacier. Its crew was busy fortifying the hull with additional durasteel beams. Kava oversaw the placement of each until Jack returned. "First Mate Hish!" he beckoned. "Status report!"
"Interior's holding," Kava replied while dropping from a stack of crates. "The laser cannons went unscathed, but I consider us lucky on that front. We even put the new guy to work in-" Kava froze at the sight of Republic troops entering their hold. "Holy kriff," she uttered.
"What?" Jack quipped. "Didn't think I'd follow through with the call?"
"Oh I didn't doubt you for a second," Kava said halfheartedly. "It's just that I never quite get used to seeing Republic troops and not running."
"Is there a reason you should be running from the Republic?" Elsa questioned.
No matter how stiff Kava tried to remain, she couldn't stop her copious bracelets from rattling. "Me?" she stammered. "Psh. Nahhh. I've just had some...misunderstood mishaps with them. Parking tickets and such."
"Elsa?" Ryder called from the crowded crew. Having recognized her voice. He came shuffling through to see her with his own eyes.
"Chieftain," she greeted with a bow. She grimaced upon seeing his scrapes and bandages. "What happened? Where's your sister?"
Even just mentioning Honeymaren and the rest of his people had Ryder flinching. "It's terrible. They-"
In that instant, something shifted outside of the Black Pearl. Its force was strong enough to tilt the entire vessel, dislodging icicles and making people lose their footing. Even LAAT-5 had to reestablish its position on the upper hull. Elsa took Stel's hand and helped pull him to his feet. "You alright?" she asked.
"Yeah," the boy huffed. "I think so."
"What was that?" Frost worried.
"Right..." Jack mumbled. "Beastie."
Back in LAAT-5, Toto ran a quick diagnostic on the gunship's engines. He found relief in its full stability and sunk into his seat. "LAAT-5," Frost's voice crackled on comms. "Toto, do you read?"
"Go ahead, commander," the pilot answered swiftly.
"Do you have a visual on any outside anomalies?"
Toto peered out from his cockpit and squinted across the glacier. "Not on my end." He patched a call to the two hovering gunships behind him. "LAAT-1. LAAT-9...Do either of you have any anomalies on your scopes?"
"No sir," one of the pilots answered.
"Negative," replied the second. "All clear."
Before Toto could descend into deep deduction, a sudden crumbling sounded. It was dull and subtle at first, making its way along the glacier's thick walls. "All teams-" Toto called in while leaning forward. "-I might have something here." Several of the ice clusters crunched. Entire icicle formations retracted instead of breaking apart. The shifting pieces slithered together as if forming an icy tail across the glacier. As Toto followed the cracking eyes, it started to form a larger body. Every shift and crackle culminated around a collection of fractals. The icicles were actually spines...and the frosted layer they sat upon formed a tremendous frill. A massive, frigid beak emerged from its icy entrapment. Reptilian, cyan eyes peered down at the gunship as the glacier's monstrosity emerged. "It can camouflage!" Toto yelled over comms before forcing LAAT-5 in reverse. His hasty action saved his life as the beast's claws narrowly missed his cockpit. On impulse, Toto fired the forward laser cannons while his neighboring gunships followed suit.
Green lasers pulsed against the creature's snakelike body as it screeched in retaliation. Its raging sound echoed down and throughout the Black Pearl, forcing those aboard to cover their ears. The creature's overwhelming presence had Elsa quaking as she rushed to get topside. "Stel!" she beckoned. "With me! Commander Frost, defensive positions! Protect the crew!"
Frost divided his troops, sending several to aid the pirates below deck. The rest joined him topside along with the Jedi. Their hearts raced at the sight of a titanic ice creature slithering atop the glacier. "I've never seen something like that before," Stel worried while activating his lightsaber.
"Karabast," Frost uttered. "It's a cryodrake." Elsa glanced over as he elaborated. "The 213th heard stories of one nesting on Hoth while we were stationed there. We found the burrows, but never the beast!" He shook his head in disbelief. "The holovids don't do it justice."
"Well let's stay alive to tell the tale," Elsa muttered while trying to formulate a plan. "Stel, deactivate." The Theelin looked at her in disbelief. "Unless you plan on picking its beak with your saber, blades won't do us any good here. Plus, the creature's already agitated enough."
The cryodrake snapped its beak at one of the gunships while whipping its icy tail at LAAT-5. "Rockets on standby," Toto reported and kept his finger hovering over the trigger.
"Do not engage!" Elsa asserted over comms. "I repeat, do not engage further!"
"Respectfully, ma'am. It's engaging us." Toto called in while taking evasive maneuvers. "We're keeping it out of your sights for the time being."
"Elsa," Frost spoke calmly. "What are your orders?"
She curled her fingers and contemplated the extent of her Force ability. "Maybe I could calm it," she thought. "We don't have much time. I could try!"
"Are you sure about that?" Frost questioned. "It's huge. You told me about how drained you'd become after taming a sarlaac."
Elsa bit her lip, knowing Frost's words to be true. While the sarlaac had been relatively temperamental, the cryodrake was on a rampage. Unlike her days as a Padawan, Elsa had responsibilities to more companions at her side. She couldn't risk putting herself out of commission and being unable to protect Stel, her men, or anyone else aboard the Black Pearl. "You're right," she confessed. "We can't risk taming it...but we also can't kill it. The creature's only defending its home. We-"
Before Elsa could continue, the beast swung its tail towards the Black Pearl. Such an impact dislodged the vessel on an incline and sent everyone topside sliding backward. Those within the ship's hold shuffled around as durasteel beams loosened. Several clones lost their footing from above and fell out of the glacier's gravitational pull. As they flailed into the void of space, their screams had Elsa scrambling. "Hold on!" she shouted and retrieved each man with the Force. As she pulled them back, the cryodrake lurked beneath the Black Pearl. It used its retractable talons to deliver three broad punctures across the starboard side.
"Stop scraping holes in my ship!" Jack blurted as he and several pirates opened fire. Their blastershots echoed throughout the hold as a flurry of red lasers struck the creature's talons.
"Crisp that thing!" Kava screamed as Rip primed his flamethrower.
"With pleasure," the flametrooper said and unleashed a burst of flames through the holes. While he thoroughly enjoyed doing so, Rip's endeavor only agitated the cryodrake further. It screeched again and rammed against ship. Its heavy strike worked to the crew's benefit, and helped to keep dislodging it from the ice.
An idea suddenly dawned upon Elsa as she Force-pulled the clones to safety. "That's it," she whispered before activating comms. "Admiral Taka..."
"Elsa," Taka was quick to respond. "I have turbolasers in range. We can open fire to-"
"No," the Jedi disagreed. "I need you to get the Deliverance as close as to the Black Pearl as you possibly can. Once you're in range, I want you to fire up the tractor beams."
"On the Pearl?" Taka stammered. "It may be too big for our beams to have any prominent effect."
"And that's fine," Elsa assured. "But we'll need the assist." As Taka followed through with positioning the Deliverance, Elsa turned to those beside her. "Stel, I need you to go below decks and tell Jack to engage his thrusters. No matter what smack he gives you, tell him I said to engage. Can I count on you?"
"Yes, master!" Stel yelled and sprinted downstairs.
"Frost," Elsa called. "I need you and your men to set for stun. Concentrate all fire on the cryodrake's head. Even if it doesn't knock the creature out, I have to believe such a barrage can at least mellow it."
"On it," Frost affirmed with a salute. "What about you?"
"I'll be giving the Black Pearl an assist of my own from here," Elsa insisted. Frost only had to tilt his helmet and she knew he was flashing a concerned look. "I'll be alright!" she persisted. "Go!"
Elsa's plan shifted into action as the cryodrake slithered about. Blue-ringed stun blasts beamed from both the upper deck and the hold as the 213th opened fire. The cryodrake hissed, flailing its head as if pestered by the incessant rings. "All gunships," Elsa called in. "Switch to countermeasures! Deploy flares and draw the creature into the stun blasts!"
On Elsa's orders, the gunships swerved past its head. Together, they deployed several waves of flickering flares to distract the cryodrake. Disoriented, it slinked directly into the stun blast barrage. With the beast distracted, Jack's crew could focus on repairs. "More beams over here!" Kava hollered as the pirates scrambled to patch holes. Amidst their scurrying, the men lost their grip on a beam and sent it careening backward.
"Look out!" Tovum wailed as Kava braced herself. She raised her braceletted arms and prepared for an inevitable impact. When it never arrived, she slowly opened her eyes and saw the beam bobbing above her. A child's grunt had her slowly turning. "Holy kriff, kid," she uttered as Stel held the beam back.
"Can you...move?" the Theelin winced while using the Force.
"Ah, right." Kava realized and gave Stel a chance to drop the beam. "Thanks for the save, little Jedi. Where's your master?"
"Upstairs, but she needs our help. Jack needs to engage the thrusters."
"While we're stuck?" the captain blathered and strutted up to Stel. "Hate to break it to you, lad...but that's a waste of fine fuel."
"Her plan will work!" Stel defended. "You have to trust her!" Jack's dark eyes listed between Kava and the youngling. "She came all this way on your word," Stel intoned. "Now take hers."
"Ooo," Kava whispered impulsively. "I like that. I'm gonna have to use that one."
"Right then, enough." Jack grumbled. "We'll get the thrusters underway." He leaned towards Stel, making the boy grimace under his malodorous stench as it permeated beyond the mask. "Let's hope your mentor's right for all of our sakes, hm?" Stel followed Jack and Kava to the abandoned command bridge. The captain concernedly observed their icy surroundings and reconsidered activating the thrusters. Stel mirrored Kava's glare and it was enough to have Jack rolling his eyes.
Topside, Elsa received a new transmission from Admiral Taka. "Gravitational generators primed and in position. Tractor beam standing by."
"Steady," Elsa replied and raised her hands. "Wait for my signal." Her calm blue gaze focused on the entrapped vessel she stood atop. "Come on, Jack..." she whispered to herself.
"We can't hold it back much longer!" Frost warned while he and the other clones fired stun blasts.
"This is LAAT-5," Toto called. "Out of flares!"
Unhindered, the cryodrake attempted to resist the repeated stun blasts until another wave emerged. "Step aside, clone," a helmeted pirate growled. Blezz aimed his long-range rifle at the cryodrake and unleashed his own stun shot. His blast called for the other pirates to rally alongside the 213th. As they fired together, Jack finally ignited the thrusters.
Elsa's eyes widened as pure heat radiated from the trapped ship. "Now, admiral!" she ordered and Taka activated the tractor beam. Combining Jack's thrusters with the Deliverance's gravity wells, Elsa reached out with her own abilities for the ultimate pull. Together, three mighty forces united to free the Black Pearl from its glacial imprisonment. Ice shifted as a web of fractures climbed across the ice. "It's...coming!" Elsa grunted through gritted teeth. "Al-...-most!" With a final tug, the Black Pearl rocketed out from the Sinta Glacier's hold. It launched free, sending those aboard tumbling once again. The ensuing burst disheveled portions of the glacier and forced the dizzied cryodrake into a hobbling retreat. Its head bobbed back and forth before it ultimately burrowed its way back into the glacier, digging deeper to avoid contact with such raucous visitors.
The recoil from Elsa's Force pull caught her off guard and she was launched backwards. Her heart sank when she felt her heels leave the ship's edge and start to float freely through space. With Stel below decks, any hope of another Force user pulling her back was non-existent. Terror took hold as Elsa started flipping over. Her view of the glacier transitioned into the dark and seemingly endless void of outer space. Her mask fogged as she hyperventilated, all while feeling an ongoing chill creeping against her. Floating to an unseen mercy, she briefly felt that even the Force could not save her.
A sharp sting whistled past her wrist before ultimately wrapping against it. This firmness had Elsa glancing leftward as her body suddenly leveled out. Observing the mysterious wire against her arm, she traced it back to the grappling attachment on Frost's rifle. "Gotcha!" he huffed while holding her steady. His feet started to slide before several clones came rushing to his aid. "Heave!" Frost ordered as the men pulled as one. "Again! Heave!"
Elsa's heart rate calmed as she was slowly returned to the ship. And as her feet touched its metallic surface, she swiftly fell into Frost's embrace. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Patting his back and sensing his anxiety, Elsa gently nodded. "Thanks to you," she panted. "Nice catch, commander." They parted from each other's embrace to find those aboard the Pearl cheering. Clones and pirates alike were relieved to see that such a dramatic maneuver had actually worked with no casualties.
"Master!" Stel cheered while dashing from the lower deck. "We did it! We did it! We did it! I was downstairs like you said...and there was this huge beam about to hit the bracelet pirate lady. So I was like woosh! And I stopped it! And then I told Jack to start the thrusters just like you said and-" Stel paused and watched Elsa peering down at him. Her eyes squinted as she smiled through her mask. "I-...I'm sorry," Stel fretted. "Was I rambling too much?"
"What? No!" Elsa immediately reassured him. "I'm just happy to see you happy," she replied as Jack slow-clapped from the stairs.
"Well done, Elsa." the pirate mumbled. "Never doubted you for a second."
"Sure," the eldest Dellian teased. "Why are you really out here, Jack?"
The pirate squinted and flourished his hands before her. "What do you say I give you your chieftain friend...and we forget the Why, hm?"
Elsa glanced at the urgent look on Ryder's face as he emerged from the hold. "Frost," she said. "We're leaving."
"Thought you'd see it my way," Jack smirked as Elsa raised a hand to silence him.
"Just...try to stay out of trouble?" she urged. "Please?"
"Always, love." Jack assured. "It's the matter of trouble finding me that becomes the more troublesome part. It's all very troubling, really."
Jack flourished a bow to her and flashed a misshapen salute towards Frost. As they boarded LAAT-5, Ryder peered back at the pirate crew. The stained oxygen mask they'd offered him swayed as he nodded gratefully. "Thank you," he told them before disappearing into the gunship.
Jack stood atop his ship, watching the Republic depart long after they'd made it to their Venator. He waited for the Deliverance to fully turn and jump to hyperspace before waving. "So long," he whispered. "Alright, you scabrous dogs!" Jack brayed as he turned with the utmost enthusiasm. "Our glorious quest resumes and Sinta's spoils await!"
The crew burst into haughty jeers as Kava suddenly pieced Jack's puzzle together. "W-wait a second," she uttered. "The treasure of Sinta Glacier? That's what we've been after?"
"One of many treasures, Miss Hish." Jack replied. "How else are we to get back on track after that run-in with Ambur the Hutt?"
"The Hutt Families have their own problems," Kava fired back. "But are you telling me that this treasure was on your...your 'mental to-do list' all along? You knew about that monster?"
"Aye," Jack affirmed nonchalantly.
"And you-" Kava facepalmed. "You used Chieftain Ryder as bait to lure the Republic into helping you defeat it?"
"All I'm hearing is old news, Miss Hish." Jack intoned as she shook her head. "The treasure within that glacier, is ours for the taking now."
"Well...ours, anyway." Blezz remarked, prompting Jack to raise a brow. "Not so sure about yours." Before Jack could answer, the rest of his crew drew their weapons on him and Kava.
While Jack worked to process the mutiny, Kava proudly leaned over and said, "It's alright...these morons still have their blasters set to stun." Having heard her say that, the crew simultaneously switched to lethal rounds.
"Kava..." Jack simpered. "Darling...shut it."
Freeing the Black Pearl had caused several chunks of the Sinta Glacier to break free. Now, those hefty fragments drifted through space beyond the glacier's gravitational pull. The crew dumped Jack and Kava on one of the larger, deserted portions. Their knees dug into the frosted sludge as they dropped on impact. "Have I not been a good captain!" Jack shouted from below. "Which of you lot could've led you this far?"
"The rightful owner of this ship." 'Blezz' decreed and lifted his helmet's visor. Bry Clayton's piercing, dark eyes listed through his disguise and focused on a signaled vessel. The smaller ship zoomed towards the Black Pearl and landed on top of it. As its ramp dropped, Jack watched an all too familiar adversary stomp his way down. No oxygen mask could obscure the strut of Captain Barbossa himself.
"Jack Convore," the old space pirate taunted. "Miss me?"
Jack forced a grin. "With a blaster...several times."
"A jester to the bitter end," Barbossa snarked. "But you remind me-" He raised a hand as one of the mutineers passed him a blaster pistol. Emptying all but one cartridge, Barbossa tossed it into the snow. "If yer any sliver of the gentlemen I remember, you'll use it on the lady." Kava's eyes widened as Barbossa cackled, running his fingers along the Black Pearl's hull. "Thanks for keeping me ship safe, Jack. And for leading us straight to the Treasure of Sinta Glacier. I do hope freezing to death or starvation is everything you could hope for." With a raised fist, Barbossa assumed command of the ship. "To fortune!" His wretched laugh became seared into Jack's mind as he watched the Black Pearl soar away. And as he and Kava were left stranded on a deserted glacier fragment, all they could do was observe the blaster and its single shot.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter! It is an honor and pleasure to entertain you all with this ongoing adventure. I appreciate all of the love and support you've shown this story. Especially because Season 4 has been debuting during a very difficult time in my life. The likes of which have me posting at irregular times. I am most grateful for your patience.
IMPORTANT: Chapter: 109 will premiere two weeks from now on FRIDAY, JUNE 24th. An elderly family member has tested positive for COVID and it's all hands on deck. I seek to preserve the integrity and quality of this story, so we will take this into a CODE JAWA and I'll see you in two weeks.
Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding. Long Live Your Imaginations and May the Force be with You,
~ Michael Gavilán