Chapter: 112 Murder and Mercy (Part II)
"Good soldiers follow orders."
Insurrection on Yalbec Prime! After months of tense relations, the Republic Embassy has been attacked by the native, insectoid populace. Determined to get a hold on the situation, Watcher sent Clone Force 99 and the Deathchasers on a daring rescue op. While both teams managed to stop the attack, they were too late to save many of the embassy's personnel. The sole survivor at the scene, a clone captain, was quick to tell them of a single hostage taken: Scientist Galen Erso. With the situation escalating into a hostage crisis, both squads are in a race against time to save one of the Republic's brightest minds...
A heavy silence fell over the Jedi Temple. And while nightly skylane traffic never ceased, the steady echoes of ongoing engines became easy for one to tune out. Elsa Dellian traversed the temple's quiet halls. Her moonlit body reflected against its grandiose windows before drifting behind each shadowy column. Completing her supply run to Naboo left her with a sense of accomplishment, and yet that victory still seemed to fall short. She felt as though her achievement was only temporary, and that there were still others who truly needed her help. Others she'd abandoned. Not a day had gone by since the Senate hearings where Elsa didn't think about Chieftain Ryder. The Northuldran had accepted terms for asylum, but only because he didn't have a choice. Elsa had periodically visited him, only to see how miserable he appeared in his suite. And why wouldn't he be? His people were suffering on Aren and the Republic wouldn't even lift a finger to help.
"Master?" a youthful voice beckoned and startled Elsa. Senses of familiarity came upon her as she hurriedly peered up. Her Theelin apprentice was leaning over the upper balcony. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I could send the same question your way, Stel." Elsa remarked, bringing her hands to her hips.
"I couldn't sleep," Stel confessed and made his way downstairs to her level.
Speaking over his frustrated sighs, Elsa asked, "Did you try meditating?"
"Twice," Stel insisted. "I just have too much on my mind."
"I understand that," Elsa jested. "Well, my old master used to say 'If you can't sleep, don't. Then sleep will find you'." She brought a kindly hand to Stel's back and patted it. "Come on," she urged. "We can go to this level's lounge. Have you ever had blue milk?" Her question had Stel raising his bewildered, blue brows. Elsa exaggerated her gasp as joy sparked within. "Oh you'll love it!" she whispered sharply and guided him onward. "Bantha milk is as smooth as it is relaxing on your stomach," she explained as they rounded a corner towards the lounge. "It's perfect for a quiet night like-" Elsa paused as they entered, unprepared to find the lounge occupied by several Jedi. "-tonight..."
Elsa was surprised to find Tori Vica and her partner, Vedkan Nublar. The duo were seated at a couch nearest to the window. While Tori observed the ongoing airspeeders, her Trandoshan friend was starting to nod off. Hearing Elsa and Stel come in had Tori snapping free of her ruminations. The Pantoran pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her exhausted eyes. She hadn't even noticed how untidy her purple ponytail had become. "Hey, you two." Tori greeted and feigned a smile. "Can't sleep either?"
"Tori-" Elsa began until a temple service droid hovered over to them. Its blissful chimes had her hurriedly answering, "Two cups of blue milk please."
"Make it three," Tori grumbled and rose from the couch. She scratched Vedkan's shoulder as he fully succumbed to slumber.
"Are you alright?" Elsa worried.
"I'll be fine," Tori insisted. "Just tired in all of the wrong places right now. My body's giving out, but my mind won't shut up."
Realizing what her and Vedkan had been up to, Elsa slowly nodded. "Any luck tracking down Senator Ranassa's killer?"
Before answering, Tori snatched a cup of blue milk from the approaching droid's many appendages. She took a bold swig and woefully shook her head. "The trail's going cold. The Order and the Senate want answers, but it's as if our leads have faded into nothing. Coruscant suddenly feels bigger than ever." Tori peered down at her half empty cup. "What's even the point?" she asked, prompting Elsa to tilt her head. "I mean, think about it." Tori continued. "We're out here chasing a killer and have nothing to show for it. But what does the rest of the Republic? What steps have they taken besides thrusting this burden on to us?"
"Chain code votes," Elsa murmured.
"Precisely," Tori professed. "Legislation gets passed and the Republic just moves on. Look at that poor chieftain of yours. He comes here with a genuine plea and call for help. All they do is hook him up with a room while his people-" Tori paused, noticing her own frustration and Elsa's discontent. Her golden gaze wandered to Stel, who was so innocently clutching his cup of blue milk. Forcing a smile, she clinked her beverage against his half full cup. "I'm sorry," she confessed. "It isn't fair for you to hear me rambling like that, kiddo."
"But your feelings are valid," Elsa assured.
Tori pursed her lips, balancing between frustration and understanding. "Yes well-" She stepped away from the pair and returned to the couch. "Those valid feelings didn't help anyone."
Despite Elsa's efforts for earnest conversation, she could feel the seething defeat. She could sense it radiating off of Tori and even Vedkan. Exhaustion weighed their minds down as Elsa sought to redefine her focus. Turning to Stel, she gently raised her cup to his. "It's good, right?" she whispered. Elsa found a sliver of joy in Stel's honest nod. Blue milk comically puddled on his upper lip, giving him quite the mustache. As she tried to keep herself grounded in the moment with her Padawan, another sense emerged. Unlike Tori and Vedkan's tiredness, this sense was heavy. It was as saddening as it was dreadful, and left a distinct chill running up Elsa's spine. Pondering the perceived drop in temperature, Elsa glanced towards a series of trudging footsteps.
A pair of heavy boots clunked into the lounge. Their slouched wearer stumbled in, doing his best to avoid eye contact beneath a mop of disheveled, wavy auburn. "Hans?" Elsa beckoned and coaxed a passing glance out of him. Exhausted, Hans blankly stared forward before whiffing the beverage in Stel's hands. Without even a second thought, he snatched the blue milk from her Padawan and proceeded to chug it. The abrupt gesture was enough to pull Tori from her tiredness and awaken Vedkan. Elsa immediately Force-pulled the drink away, spilling its contents across Hans' robes.
"What the hell's your problem?" Hans barked belligerently. As he did so, Elsa protectively ushered Stel behind her.
"No one's in any mood for this, Hans," Elsa spoke firmly. "Leave my Padawan and his belongings alone."
"Just get lost," Tori added.
Hans scoffed and instead plopped into a nearby seat. He could hardly see straight, leading Elsa to deduce intoxication. "No mood-" he muttered. "Get lost-" Hans slowly peered up with reddened eyes. "Some help all of you are."
"What?" Tori blurted.
"He's drunk," Vedkan hissed.
"How about you lose a friend and try staying clean," Hans croaked. "Try letting yourself actually feel something for once. None of you would ever understand."
Observing Hans' troubled and twitching brows, Elsa slowly closed in. "Hans? What happened to you? What do you mean 'lose a friend'?"
Hans sucked his teeth and stared out across the city skyline. He let the reflection of each dashing airspeeder pass like his fleeting emotions. "Rapunzel she's-..." He hung his head, letting his eyes wander across a sea of carpeting. "She's gone." His breathy words were just barely audible, but they were enough to have Elsa's heart sinking. Despite Hans' aggressive demeanor, she could sense the deeply-rooted anxiety dwelling within.
"Gone?" she queried. "Wh-what do you mean-"
"Gone!" Hans barked, lips trembling and blue milk still trickling from his robes. His breaths hastened with each, anxious word. "We went looking for our masters on Mygeeto. I said it was too late for them and-" Hans paused, as if her inner workings were wrestling with continuing the story. His lips curled as though he was spitting out poison. "-Rapunzel insisted we keep searching. I warned her against it," Hans croaked. "Tried to get her to turn back. But she wouldn't stop...She believed. More than any of us could." Elsa had never seen Hans so distressed as he flailed an arm. "She told me that it was my chance to rise above...and she paid the price. Our search took us straight into a war zone and she-...she-" Hans hung his head in despair as Elsa cupped her hands over her mouth.
"Hans," the eldest Dellian uttered. "I'm so sorry."
"Your apology does nothing for her, Elsa." Hans grumbled. His personality was incredibly unstable, alternating between anger and despair. But rather than appear as a grieving man, Hans looked as though he was wrestling over how he should be feeling. "At least-" he continued with an exaggerated sniffle. "-she didn't suffer. The laser cannon blast was quick. She said 'Stay true, Hans. Trust in the Force.'...Before she died in my arms." Hans closed his eyes in mourning, but his mind knew better than to believe his lie. The moment his eyes shut, he saw Rapunzel's frozen body reaching out to him. The sight made him shutter as another spark of rage crackled within.
"Where is she?" Tori asked, causing Hans' brows to furrow.
"Weren't you listening, Vica?" he growled.
"I mean her body, Hans." Tori intoned and the knight's brow twitched. "She died in your arms. Were you able to bring her back?"
Hans took his time glaring at the Pantoran. "You've got some real kriffing nerve, you know that?" he countered. "Don't you think that would've been my first priority?"
"So did you?" Tori doubled down, seeing right through his avoidance.
"I couldn't," Hans hissed. "I had to leave her behind as more droids closed in. It's a miracle that I even made it out."
"Yeah..." Tori mumbled and slowly squinted. "A real miracle."
Her comment spurred Hans out of his seat and had Elsa defensively blocking him from Stel. "Something you want to say to me, Pantoran?" he snapped. "Because you just go ahead and say it!" Tori didn't budge while Vedkan stood at her side. "Rapunzel was a hero and she died a hero. She didn't give her life for the Order just so its reject members could disgrace here with questions!"
"I'm not questioning her," Tori persisted, exhaustion sparking deeper resentment. "I'm questioning you."
"No respect," Hans murmured. "That's why you never went anywhere. What the hell would you, or anyone in this Order know about mourning or having feelings?"
"Hans," Elsa intoned and noticed Tori's tense knuckles.
"You perpetual Padawan," he spat. The words made Tori's eyes widen and she started raising her fist.
"Hans!" Elsa snapped and forced his attention to her. His scowl did little to intimidate her as she held her ground. Keeping distance between him and Stel, she directed him to the door as one would a toddler. "You need to leave," she asserted. "Now."
Stel's heart raced as his master utilized a tone she'd seldom displayed. Hans' nostrils flared while he eyed the door. "Kriff this," he scoffed and stormed out.
A deafening silence filled the lounge as Elsa knelt before Stel. "Are you alright?" she asked and was grateful for his hasty nod. Having insured her Padawan's safety, Elsa approached Tori. "Are you-"
"I had him," the Pantoran muttered. "I had him under control."
"Did you?" Elsa asked. "Because it looked like you were about to take a swing at him."
"Maybe he deserved it," Tori said. While she tried to remain stern-faced, Hans' words left her fighting tears behind a taut sneer.
"He was out of line," Vedkan snarled.
"While I understand your frustrations-" Elsa explained. "-it's important to remember that Hans is in mourning. And grief-"
"You don't actually believe what that sleemo said-" Tori groaned. "-do you? Even if Rapunzel is gone, do you think that's how it really happened? When has he ever been trustworthy? Better yet, why are you defending him?"
"Because his feelings are just as valid as ours," Elsa intoned.
Tori shook her head in disbelief. "You just can't lose, can you? Perfect Elsa Dellian."
"Tori-"
"No. You've always got to one-up everyone on the moral battleground. The perfect diplomat."
"Please stop saying perfect," Elsa replied. "I'm not."
"Well those are my feelings," Tori remarked. "And those are valid too, right? You want to do right by everyone and therefore do right by no one. That's why your Aren friend is sunk." Elsa gasped as Tori jabbed a finger at her. "Because the one Jedi he was counting on decided to play by the rules. Now he gets to sit in whatever suite they put him in, wondering why his hero rolled over and gave up on him!"
Tori didn't have to jab further. She'd merely opened the floodgates to a surge of thoughts Elsa was already having about herself. Realizing Tori wasn't backing down, but also taking her tiredness into account...Elsa chose to walk away. "Come on, Stel." she uttered and made for the door. Her Padawan cautiously trailed behind as Tori continued to gripe.
"There she goes again. Being the bigger person I suppose?" Elsa didn't have to respond to prove a point. She let the silent void take hold of Tori as she returned to a couch. The failure of not finding Mon Mothma's assailant plus hearing Hans' jeers had Tori instantly regretting her behavior. But by then, Elsa was already several halls away.
The eldest Dellian stormed down the moonlit corridors, trying her best to remain composed. "Is she right?" Stel asked and she immediately stopped in her tracks. "D-...did you give up on the chieftain?"
"Of course not," Elsa reassured and turned to meet her student's gaze. "The Republic couldn't offer him the help he needed."
"So why couldn't we?" the Theelin asked and Elsa bit her lip. "You're always encouraging me to help people."
"I know," Elsa sighed. "It just isn't always that simple."
"So were you just lying to me?" Stel questioned and Elsa's brows immediately furrowed. "Keeping me in the dark again?"
"What? No, apprentice. Where is this coming from? Please talk to me."
"But you won't even talk to me," her student professed. "When you took me as a Padawan, I thought we were gonna do everything together." He nervously tugged at his blue braid while speaking up. "But ever since things started involving your homeworld, you've just been shutting me out. We're not a team anymore. Not with this. Whatever your ties are, I can handle it!"
Elsa winced, realizing that Stel had overheard her conversation with Anna the other night. "Padawan," she murmured. "You are strong in the Force, but you still need time before-" Elsa gasped when her attempt to reach for his hand was met with rejection. "Stel?"
"You're doing it again," Stel said. "You word it nicely, but you're still just shutting me out. You really are just a diplomat." Without another word, her Padawan dashed down the hall.
"Wait, Stel!" Elsa called out until a memory reeled her back. Anna's voice came back to halt her in her tracks.
"Oh for kriff's sake, sis," she'd said. "Give the kid some air. Hasn't your coddling hurt him enough?"
Elsa took a deep breath and glanced toward the nearest window. She focused deeply on her own reflection and struggled to understand who she was presenting herself as.
Yalbec Prime's barren and shadeless terrain remained scorched by its lingering sun. And yet despite the sweltering heat, a single Yalbec basked in the sunlight. Its forelegs skittered about while its antennae twitched with bliss. Craning its neck towards the sun, it allowed its molting shell to reach a crisp and copper tone. As it shed, it dropped a shining layer of its exoskeleton across the dusty terrain. This layer of dead shell was sleek enough to show Hunter's reflection lunging towards his target.
The Yalbec's screech echoed across the arid landscape as Hunter pulled it to the ground. The molted exoskeleton rattled in the wind, showing its wearer's struggling reflection against the ground. Hunter held the Yalbec down, even as it desperately dug its forelegs into the soil. With a ferocious jab, Hunter's reflection surged forward. He plunged his vibro-knife into its neck, lessening the Yalbec's struggle. Its antennae quivered until Hunter used a final, deathly twist. Hunter stood over his kill and sheathed his blade.
"West perimeter's clear," he called over comms. It wasn't long before several heads emerged from the jagged cliffside behind him. The rest of Clone Force 99 slid down while the Deathchasers trailed behind.
"I thought Jedi were supposed to be fast!" Wrecker cackled.
Anna glared at the clone before rolling her eyes. "We are," she groaned. "Sorry I was too busy...you know...doing my job." She glanced over her shoulder and stressfully uttered, "Come on, captain. If you're gonna insist on being here, you've got to hustle." Anna and the Deathchasers were forced to slow their pace as a purpled armored clone hobbled alongside them.
"You should've stayed in that bacta tank, brother." Blazer remarked as the captain huffed.
"I failed my mission," he answered. "I can't fail again. What kind of coward would I be if I let you all fight my battles for me?"
"You'd be a politician," Blazer quipped. "Just try to keep up, Captain-"
"Shaw," the younger clone answered. His dark, violet visor tilted upward as he observed Clone Force 99. They secured the nearby ridge and left the gurgling Yalbec in their wake. "Why did they have to kill that one?" he asked. "Not every Yalbec on this planet is a hostile."
"But we don't know that," Anna murmured while guiding her squad down. "Republic protocol requires us to prioritize hostages in a situation like this."
"With all due respect ma'am..." the captain began. "What else is Republic protocol authorizing? Surely you don't believe that every single Yalbec is now an enemy of the Republic."
Anna paused, pursing her lips at the thought. Her eyes narrowed as she too focused on the dead Yalbec. The species already appeared primitive, and still she couldn't find a weapon on his person. For all they knew, he could've been a civilian traveling across the landscape. Any hope for the truth ended with Hunter's vibro-knife. As Anna glanced at the Bad Batch's leader, she noticed him raising a fist in alarm.
"He's got something," Anna said and strayed from Captain Shaw's question.
"How does he even do that?" Speedy wondered.
"Hunter can sense electromagnetic irregularities in the terrain," Tech explained.
Anna brushed past the clones and knelt beside Hunter. "What is it?" she asked.
"It's all in disarray," the clone grunted while running his fingers along the windswept stones. "We've got a settlement further west. Watcher," he called over comms. "Permission to investigate? Erso could be there."
Anna raised a suspicious brow as Hunter bypassed her command entirely. It wasn't long before Watcher's voice came crackling through. "Permission granted, sergeant. Proceed with caution. Galen Erso must be found alive."
Blazer took notice of Anna's suspicion, even as they advanced towards the disturbance. Finding a moment during their trek, he eased his way towards her and whispered through his helmet. "You okay, sister?"
"Something's not right," she murmured. Their pondering about Hunter's call was cut short when the smell of smoke filled the air. Thin, inky clouds swirled beyond the rocks and climbed towards the darkening sky. As both squads ascended the ridge, they found themselves looming over a grim scene. "By the Force," Anna uttered.
An entire settlement had been razed to the ground. Airspeeders and other non-military transportation continued to catch fire. Smashed windows and dented walls collapsed over each other in crackling heaps. Initially, Anna considered that the dwellings belonged to the Yalbec, but even the charred doorways were much too small for them. Only during her descent did Anna glimpse the atrocities even closer. What she and the clones had witnessed back inside the embassy was a mere sliver of Yalbec rage. For where that hallway was filled with dozens of dead personnel, the settlement's streets were littered with bodies. Mostly human citizens lay strewn across the infernal carnage. Their impaled, gouged bodies meshed together amidst a flurry of bloodstains.
"Fan out," Anna commanded. "Search for survivors."
"What is this place?" Lieutenant Sparx queried.
Tech twisted a dial on his helmet, allowing multiple streams of Republic intelligence to zip across his visor. His dark eyes darted along with each passing word as he said, "This is Tripshee. The first established Republic colony on Yalbec Prime."
"And possibly the last," Crosshair groused while skulking around bodies.
During her service in the Clone War, Anna had witnessed her share of traumatic experiences. She'd seen the brutality of war firsthand, but still found herself sickened at the sight of so many bodies. The smell of burning flesh emanated from the fallen structures. It was as nauseating as it was overwhelming to the senses. With each passing, grueling minute...the teams' search proved repeatedly fruitless. "General!" Speedy hollered amid the destruction. "I've got something!" Both teams converged to find the clone kneeling before a sealed hatch. "I think it's an emergency bunker," he said while sweeping ashes off the hatch.
"You're up, Wrecker." Hunter said as the colossal clone trudged forward. Without even a second thought, he dug his hands into the hatch and angrily ripped it out. The clamor was cacophonous as loose bolts clattered to the ground and revealed a shadowy interior.
"Galactic Republic!" Anna announced into the darkness. "Is anyone down there?" The groups listened in as a mysterious clicking sounded. Anna and Hunter leaned closer while the clicking persisted. Each happened in sequence and echoed back up to them. Prepared to investigate, Anna activated her lightsaber and led the way down. Crimson, emergency lights flickered against the stairs. They were so red, that Anna's lightsaber hardly glimmered in its natural hue. With each passing step, the clicking continued to louden and never once lost its cadence. "Hello?" Anna beckoned once more, this time reaching the bunker's holding area. Her first step from the stairs had her immediately bumping into a fleshy fabric. "Body," she called and the word spread among squads. "We've got a body down here," she called in over comms.
"Is it Galen Erso's?" Watcher asked.
Anna and Blazer rolled the body over and observed her blonde bun. "Negative," Anna replied.
"Then keep searching," Watcher continued coldly. "Need I remind you of how important Erso is to the Republic?"
Ignoring her comment, Anna noticed something odd about the body. Instead of being mauled like the other Yalbec victims, she merely had a scorch mark situated along her temple. "A blaster wound?" Anna mumbled.
"General," Blazer lamented. "These have one too." Just hearing 'these' was enough to have Anna's heart sinking. She turned around and observed another corpse. Upon further analyzation, Anna realized that multiple bodies were also behind the sergeant. "All-" Blazer of all clones found himself stammering for a moment. "W-...women and children."
"Kriffing hell," Anna whispered. "Who the hell would do this?" The clicks persisted, making Anna glance over her shoulder. As she swayed her lightsaber under the crimson light, she noticed a figure hunched in the corner of the room. Tired and haggard, this brunette repeated the same motions. While her head slumped against the wall, her unblinking eyes remained focused on the red lights overhead. As Anna moved in for a closer look, she noticed a tattered blanket wrapped around the woman. The stranger's left arm kept shifting with each click, and Anna quickly noticed a firearm in her hand. Her stomach dropped as the woman once again pressed the pistol to her own chest. As if stuck in a trancelike state, she pulled the trigger and listened for another empty click.
Regaining her command, Anna raised a hand to halt the clones. She alone advanced on the dazed woman. Kneeling beside her, Anna waited for the survivor to raise the pistol again. Before she could pull the trigger, Anna grasped her hands around the weapon. The woman struggled at first, leaving the others to wonder how long she'd been repeating the same motion. Her lips barely parted, yet breathily released a repetitive phrase.
"They didn't-" the woman whispered. "They didn't...they didn't..."
"Hey," Anna lowered her voice to match her volume. "Ma'am," she urged until the woman's strained eyes broke focus. Her green, unblinking gaze fell upon Anna. "It's alright," the Jedi continued. "We're here to get you out."
"They...didn't-" the woman carried on.
Biting her lip, Anna motioned for Blazer to approach. "Let's get her some fresh air," she said while helping the woman up.
As Anna did so, the survivor's grip suddenly tightened. Her jaw dropped as if searching to salvage the rest of her sentence. "Th-...they didn't...suffer," she croaked as a tear rolled down her cheek. Anna thought on her words while transferring her into Blazer's care. He and Speedy helped guide her upstairs as Anna came to a haunting realization. Her breaths shortened and the woman's words echoed across the bodies.
"They didn't suffer..."
A great sickness churned within Anna while she glanced at the blaster she'd recovered. Its cartridge had been emptied of all charges, bringing Anna's attention back to the bodies. A rising terror gripped her so greatly, that she had to drop the blaster and proceed upstairs.
Upon seeing the remnants of her settlement and neighbors outside, the woman immediately dropped to her knees. Her horrified expression intensified as tears fled her eyes. Desperate to recover any semblance of familiarity, her shaking hands clawed at the ashy terrain.
Irked, Crosshair tilted his head and sighed. "We're wasting time. The objective-"
"Give her a moment, for kriff's sake." Anna growled and knelt beside the woman. She'd spent so much time running into the heat of battle, that she'd forgotten the feelings of those in the crossfire. Thinking of what Elsa would do, she placed a gentle hand on the sobbing woman's back.
"Where...were you?" she asked, her whimpers turning into growls. "Where were any of you!" she screamed until her throat ran raw. The clones remained on post, their conflicted faces shrouded behind expressionless helmets. "We knew the Yalbec were going to rise against us! The Senate knew about the unrest! We sent out a distress signal! Where were you?"
Recollecting herself, Anna took a deep breath before answering. "I am so...so sorry for your-"
"Spare me, Jedi." she hissed. "Always showing up to claim victory in the end. Never around when anyone needs you the most."
As much as her comments made Anna's blood boil, she held back where she could. "No distress signal reached us. We got here as soon as we could." Hearing any form of reasoning in her current state brought the woman back to her knees. She tugged at her disheveled tresses and struggled to steady her breaths.
"What's your name?" Anna whispered and hoped to ground the survivor.
"Morgan," she murmured. "Morgan Elsbeth."
"Morgan," Anna reiterated. "We're going to get you out of here. We'll get you home to-"
"Home?" Morgan blurted and Anna instantly regretted her phrasing. "What home? Coruscant? Where all of our weakness and inaction originate? No. You're here now. Finish the job." Anna raised a brow as Morgan stood to meet her. "Kill them," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Kill...them...all. Exterminate these bugs for what they've done! What they've...made me do to-" Morgan trembled and nearly collapsed into Anna's arms.
"Blazer," she was quick to command. "Give her some water and-" Anna unclipped a capsule from her belt and poured several energy pellets. "-give her these." As her sergeant obliged, Anna noticed that Clone Force 99 had shifted locations. The Bad Batch had gathered under the remains of a razed storage unit.
"General?" Lieutenant Sparx worried.
"Wait here," Anna intoned and pursued the clones. As she drew nearer, she noticed flickering...indigo hues against one of the collapsed walls. Closer observation revealed the projected holograms of Watcher and Lieutenant Commander Krennic. Just seeing his narrow-faced mug was enough to have Anna sneering. "What's all this?" she asked as all heads turned to her.
"General Dellian," Watcher greeted. "Just in time. I was informing Clone Force 99 about our bioscan results. The Guardian's scanners have discovered a large concentration of Yalbec just south of your position. It could be their hive."
"Any particular reason that I wasn't included in this briefing?" Anna inquired.
"You just were," Watcher was quick to counter. "Besides, I was told you were...'comforting' a local and couldn't be bothered."
Anna's eyes narrowed at the Bad Batch until Krennic opened his irksome mouth. "General Dellian has proven to be mediocre in hostage situations. Need I remind you all what is at stake here. Galen Erso is the Republic's brightest mind. Without his innovations, we might as well be surrendering to the Separatists now. If he isn't returned safely, I will take your failure-" Krennic's hologram leered at Watcher's. "-and yours before the Supreme Chancellor. Surely he'll properly deal with incompetence."
"We'll get the job done," Hunter assured.
"She's fine by the way," Anna mumbled, just loud enough for the others to hear. She had more considered the thought, but her own frustrations had solidified it into words. "Morgan Elsbeth," Anna clarified. "Severely traumatized, but she'll be okay if any of you care." Their collective silence made Anna's eye twitch. "Watcher," she queried. "The Guardian is the most advanced Venator in the Republic. Not one scanner picked up a distress signal from this settlement?"
Watcher's face remained stern and unfeeling. She swiftly removed her glasses and gave them a brief wipe. "Their signal must've been jammed," she remarked before putting her glasses back on.
"With what?" Anna asked. "The Yalbec don't have advanced technology to-"
"General Dellian," Krennic asserted. "Despite your recklessness, I didn't think you'd be one for proving me right. Your orders are to rescue Galen Erso. Nothing more."
"These people needed us!" Anna fired back as the realization dawned upon her. "Are you telling me that their calls went ignored for the sake of the embassy? To save this Erso guy?"
"That is enough, Anna." Watcher snapped. The young Dellian clenched up, for Watcher seldom called her by her first name. The admiral didn't hold back in Krennic's presence and kept jabbing. "When you and I began working together, I asked you a very simple question. I asked if you were willing to do whatever it took to secure freedom for our Republic and fight Separatist tyranny. Do you remember what you answered?"
Anna felt the weight of so many eyes on her as she spat, "Always."
"That's right," Watcher affirmed. "Because you knew what you were signing up for. You aren't a Jedi. You're a soldier. You always have been. And good soldiers follow orders so get this done. Dismissed, General Dellian!" With a furious crackle, both Watcher and Krennic's projections concluded.
Anna stood amid the silence, alternating gazes between the Bad Batch and the rest of her companions outside the debris. As she focused on Morgan and Captain Shaw, Crosshair approached her and said, "That civilian knows how dangerous these creatures are. That's why she was willing to take her people's lives and even her own. That's more commitment than either you, or that reg captain can say you have."
Rather than answer, Anna became absorbed with her own thoughts. It mattered not how many victories she'd achieved. She'd literally saved the galaxy from widespread, nuclear destruction...and now she felt more alone than ever. Her superiors never cared. She was just a soldier...cleaning up the Republic's mess on a planet they had no business being on.
City lights and glistening moonbeams combined to streak across the Jedi Temple gardens. They further illuminated the water trickling from Master Yelena's pitcher as she nurtured a fresh arrangement of budding blueblossoms. Sensing a familiar presence, Yelena smiled softly and turned to see her former Padawan. "Elsa," she greeted kindly. "Just in time." Curious, the eldest Dellian approached and glimpsed the newest blueblossoms. "They've got a long way to go, but one day...they'll be the brightest around." Yelena's grin faltered as Elsa sighed. "What troubles you tonight?"
Elsa observed the vast garden, taking her time to appreciate the older generations of flowers as much as the new. "When you first brought me here, you tried to keep my visions realistic," she said. "I see it now that I have my own student...and I'm appreciative."
"But?" Yelena inquired.
"But...I still think about what you said. That I couldn't save every plant in this garden." Elsa looked down at the new blueblossoms. "But what about those closest to me? Sure, it walks the fine line between duty and attachment...but is it not my identity? Are my origins not a crucial part of who stands before you now?"
"That's for you to decide," Yelena professed. "Elsa, I spent years trying to protect you from the truth. And in doing so, it only brought you closer to it. Now, Aren's conflict has carried itself to Coruscant, even if the Republic chooses to do nothing."
"So what are we supposed to do?" Elsa lamented. "Let the cards fall where they are and just accept this system?"
Yelena chuckled to herself. "Oh Elsa. You may be a knight, but you're still the young spirit I trained. And while you always followed the rules, you never stopped challenging them. I am bound to my council duties, but you have a choice. The likes of which I can only influence."
"Yelena?" Elsa worried.
The elder ran her fingers along the Northuldra sash on her waist. "You can either repeat the past and shroud your Padawan as I did you...or build a new future. No matter what you choose, your mother and father's legacy will carry on with you. Elsa-" Yelena placed her hands on her old student's shoulders. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You have become a greater Jedi than I ever could've imagined being, and I don't say it enough. The Force is with you, but follow your heart. Let it light your path and don't look back. I'm proud of you."
"I understand," Elsa mumbled and hung her head.
"I don't think you do," Yelena reiterated, squeezing Elsa's shoulders until they locked eyes. "I am proud of you." In that moment, every other utterance of that phrase had felt so empty. It was the first time in forever that Elsa truly felt the meaning of those words. So much so, that she didn't even notice the tears swelling in her eyes. "You know what you have to do, Elsa." Yelena said. "You are the embodiment of what this Order...what this Republic...should be. You were never a soldier in this vast hypocrisy, you are a true Jedi and you've lived with honor."
Elsa let herself breathe as the blissful tears rolled down her cheeks. "Thank you...my master. My friend."
"You are the daughter I could only dream of having," Yelena sniffled and pulled Elsa into an embrace. As they parted from each other's arms, Yelena straightened her posture and said, "Now go. Be the hero Aren needs you to be."
Elsa didn't waste a moment, dashing beyond the gardens as her old master watched with pride in her heart. Kristoff concluded his patrol of an upper balcony when he noticed Elsa scurrying by. "Hey!" he rejoiced. "Where are you off to this late?"
She paused around the corner and turned with a confident grin. "I'm going home," she answered.
Come day or night, the heat on Yalbec Prime never seemed to end. The sweltering, dusty terrain had both Republic squads trudging on to the designated checkpoint. "General Dellian," Captain Shaw beckoned during the march. Anna craned her neck as the youthful clone continued. "If I may, I do not believe this survivor should be traveling towards the hive with us. Let alone carrying one of our pistols. She should be escorted to a transport and taken offworld for recovery."
Anna peered over at Morgan's demeanor. Despite her mental ailments, she tautly grasped the DC-17 blaster and stared onward. There was a hatred in Morgan's unwavering glare which Anna had seen too often. Unwilling to be challenged by the Bad Batch any further, Anna merely shrugged. "If she wants to be a soldier, that's her choice."
"But general," the captain persisted. "This is endangerment of a civilian."
Anna patted the clone's back. "Take a good look at that woman," she whispered. "Look into her eyes. You tell me if she looks like a civilian to you. And if she does, good luck taking that pistol from her." After hearing the general's words, Captain Shaw put second thought to his actions.
The squads approached a gaping chasm, the likes of which produced howling winds along its cliffside. The Bad Batch was about to take point when a sudden chittering echoed from within the chasm. Upon hearing the sound, the troopers took up defensive positions and readied their blasters. They primed them as soon as a pair of antennae twitched from behind the cliff.
"Hold your fire!" Anna commanded. Noticing how hesitant those unaffiliated with the Deathchasers were, she raised her voice. "I said hold your fire!" The Bad Batch reluctantly obliged while Shaw kept an eye on Morgan. Everyone watched as an adult Yalbec skittered out of the chasm. Instead of attacking, it remained idly observant.
"Now what?" Crosshair griped, keeping the insectoid in his sights.
"Quiet," Anna whispered sharply while cautiously inching forward. The Yalbec remained alert as Anna pressed a projector on her vambrace. Instead of initiating any form of combat, Anna emitted an image from the search briefing. Galen Erso's scruffy visage rotated into view as the Yalbec seemed to understand. "Lower your weapons," Anna ordered.
"She can't be serious," Wrecker groaned.
"Do as she says," Hunter confirmed after catching on. The Bad Batch holstered their blasters while Morgan stayed close to Anna. The Deathchasers and Shaw formed a protective body wall behind them as the Yalbec shrieked. Its call summoned several others, who quickly surrounded the group.
"Remain calm," Anna said. "They have us outnumbered. They would've attacked by now if they wanted us dead." Without another utterance, the Yalbec ushered the group closer to the chasm. Any thoughts on a steep drop were soon ended by a steady incline along the wall. The vertigo-inducing drop had Anna and her companions inching forward as they descended into the hive. In time, the slope transitioned into a spiraling cavern. The likes of which oozed with bubbly residue. Cracks above the cavern created just enough of a light source to note the masses of Yalbec within. The old, young, and injured insectoids skittered along the walls and observed their hideous guests. Based on some of the scorched exoskeletons and missing limbs, Anna could tell which Yalbec had been present at the embassy attack. Together, they formed a raucous community that was just as frightened as it was intimidating.
As they entered a central chamber, Anna thought deeply on Watcher's overview of Yalbec Prime. She recounted how the Republic presence was meant to be harmless and even improve Yalbec life. But such didn't add up if they were bold enough to attack an embassy. The lead Yalbec halted while the others kept their guests surrounded. The insectoids bowed as a massive counterpart descended from an oozing nest. Four long, bronze legs dangled atop a thick stalagmite as the titanic Yalbec propped herself up. Unlike the others, her tremendous shell was comprised of intricate, inky stripes. A blood-red stinger dangled from the tip of her abdomen. Her compound eyes gleamed like refined gold as she loomed over her subjects.
"The Yalbec Queen," Tech identified while scanning over her with his visor.
Anna steadied herself and double-checked on Morgan. Although she was breathing heavily among so many Yalbec, she wasn't raising her weapon. Feeling safe to proceed, Anna raised Galen's hologram once more. The queen clicked her mandibles at the projection and spoke in her native tongue.
Unbeknownst to Anna, Tech was utilizing a unique translator fitted to his visor. Each word scrolled across as he quickly relayed them. "The queen asks why we seek the architect of their destruction."
"Ask her what she means," Anna inquired. Her heart raced as Tech's words were translated into Yalbec. Clicks and hisses emanated through his helmet's speakers, leading the queen to respond.
"She says that he has been leading teams," Tech answered. "Mining their planet for crystals crucial to their culture."
"Is she right?" Anna asked Captain Shaw.
"They'd been mining," the clone confirmed. "But I was never informed about the contents. Let alone the success of any procedures."
"You're wasting time," Hunter whispered.
"Just hold on," Anna snapped and looked up at the queen. Come on, she thought to herself. What would Elsa do? Channeling her inner diplomat, she spoke to Tech. "Translate everything I say precisely how I say it." Tech nodded as she continued. "The Republic never meant for bloodshed, your majesty. And that this is merely a response to you attacking our embassy."
The Yalbec Queen flailed her foreleg in disgust. "She says that they did not start this conflict," Tech explained. "And that the Republic attacked them first when they refused to move. The nearby settlement wanted to mine through their homes."
"Lies!" Morgan blurted and Shaw held her back.
"When they refused to surrender, the Republic gassed them out like vermin." As Tech carried on, Anna observed the various Yalbec around them. "The crystals are crucial to their fertility god, as they believe it grants them blessings from the planet's core." Crosshair's scoff had Anna leering at him.
She chose to stay focused and said, "Apologize for the mining and the gassing."
Tech paused. "General Dellian...where is this going-"
"Do it," Blazer grunted, fed up with any backtalk.
While Tech began his translation, Anna continued. "Tell her that we know they wouldn't see us unless they had a hostage. That I know she wanted to meet with us because she believes in negotiations. And that if he is safely returned to us, we will leave Yalbec Prime entirely."
Although conflicted about her words, Tech followed through once Hunter nodded. The queen's response was brash and screechy. "She asks how will they know that we'll keep our word," he translated.
Anna sighed, battling off every comment Watcher had jabbed her way. "Because I am not a soldier, but rather a Jedi," she decreed. "And I speak in the name of peace." Even if Anna didn't believe her own words, she had to play smart. It was the only way any of them were getting out alive.
The concept of a Jedi seemed to reach the queen as her antennae quivered. Her authoritative bellow cleared a path in the upper catacomb, and two Yalbec emerged. These dutiful drones marched in perfect sync, all while carrying their human target. Anna kept a level head, even as streaks of sunlight reached the hostage's tired face. Bruised but far from defeated, Galen Erso slouched against the Yalbec's broad forelegs. Dark, auburn strands descended from his unkept head and obscured his face.
"We need confirmation," Blazer reminded Anna.
She nodded to him and gently called, "Galen? Galen Erso?" The hostage murmured at the mention of his name. The wrinkled, Republic insignia on his chest shifted as he raised his heavy head. His dark, brown gaze found its way to Anna as she matched him to the hologram. "It's him," Anna assured. "Tech. Thank the queen for her...mercy and tell her that we will be departing."
As the clone translated, Anna felt a triumphant shift within. In a way, she'd wished her sister had been there to witness her bold attempt at diplomacy. The act was solidified as the drones released Galen's arms. The weakened scientist immediately found comfort in Sparx and Speedy's arms. With the exchange completed, Anna looked up at the great Yalbec Queen and bowed her head. Mirroring the gesture, the mighty insectoid lowered her head to mirror respect. The regal moment was so powerful, that no one was watching the flash grenade spiraling through the air.
"What the?" was all Anna could say before she noticed Hunter's extended arm. By then, his grenade had already detonated and blinded anyone within range. The queen screeched in pain and recoiled while the Bad Batch tossed more grenades. "Stop!" Anna shouted. "What are you-"
Following another directive, Wrecker barreled through Yalbec and leapt towards the queen's abdomen. Wielding Hunter's vibro-knife, he furiously jammed it into her dark stinger. The violent act became a heinous silhouette betwixt a light show of strobing flash grenades. Severing the queen's stinger, Wrecker fired several blastershots into her thorax.
"What are you doing?" Anna screamed. She tried to reach the chaotic scene in time, but several Yalbec were already charging. As their glorious queen fell dead against the stalagmite, the entire hive was sent into an uproar. There wasn't a chance to think. Nor was there one to even comprehend what was going on. Everything was so loud. So earsplitting as clusters of Yalbec attacked from all sides. Blasterfire erupted as the Republic was backed against the central stalagmite. Even if someone wanted to shout orders, no one would hear them in the chaos.
Anna had no choice but to ignite her lightsaber and swing wildly. Diced, sizzling Yalbec limbs spun to the ground. Blazer formed up beside her, unloading the Onasi pistol into all who approached. Cornered and acting on her rage, Morgan fired into the attacking swarm. "DIE!" she roared.
Wrecker bludgeoned Yalbec atop the stalagmite while Hunter and Tech held the base. Crosshair propped himself on the queen's body and took up a sniper position. The blasterfire battled the endless crunch of dying Yalbec for sound supremacy. Bodies tumbled atop one another as the stench of crisped flesh filled the hive.
Sparx and Speedy acted as Galen's personal bodyguards and gunned down lunging Yalbec. Captain Shaw tried to do the same for Morgan, but his weakened state left an opening. One of the insectoids rushed him, digging its sharp forelegs into his chest. His scream became deprived of all breath as blood poured from beneath his helmet.
"No!" Anna yelled and leapt towards Shaw. By then, the Yalbec had already impaled him twice more and left his body to be trampled. One of the insectoids shoved Anna to the ground while others swarmed. Infuriated under pressure, she unleashed frantic Force pushes and jabbed her saber where she could. Smashed Yalbec corpses sent their dark blood spraying over her face and armor. She roared like a wild and cornered animal while slaughtering all who approached.
Blazer tossed a thermal detonator into one of the catacombs, setting Yalbec ablaze and causing others to flee. With their queen dead, the insectoids would fight to the last and pay the price. The cornered Republic soldiers battled through deafening carnage. Adrenaline pulsed through their veins as they became blinded by a lust for survival. This manifested into a brutal and intoxicating wave of ultra violence. The Yalbec bodies piled up, leaking blood and dumping scorched limbs atop one another. Infant Yalbec screeched for their parents and held each other in the caves. More grenades spiraled through the air, clearing the upper walls of any stragglers and heralding massive smoke clouds.
Even as the battle ended, Anna could still hear it all. She could still feel her arms swinging, even as her lightsaber skewered a charred Yalbec. She deactivated her weapon and rose from her kill. Her boots couldn't even find level ground, for she stood on a mass grave. Squelching, smashed, blasted, and burnt bodies lay beneath her. Captain Shaw's shattered helmet barely emerged from beneath it all. As Anna turned, it felt as though someone had shoved cotton in her ears. The silence had become truly deafening as she stared at Blazer. He looked like he was trying to say something to her. Yalbec blood stained his helmet, just as it streaked across her face. Blazer removed his helmet to speak to her. "-," he said. "-?" "-'- -. - - -?" Anna furrowed her brows, unable to comprehend. The world around her blurred, even as she glared at the Bad Batch...standing triumphantly over the queen's body.
"- - - - - - -," Hunter said.
"-?" Blazer beckoned again. "-?"
Dissociation took hold as Anna lost herself. She was caught between what could've been a simple negotiation and the unbridled carnage which ensued. Her body simply went through the motions, even as she left the hive. The Bad Batch was never going to listen to her. They were on their own orders. Watcher's orders. A mission without room for improvisation.
Is this what Elsa always warned about? Anna thought and just doing so hurt. Everything was so loud and silent at the same time. She didn't even realize when she had gotten offworld. When she'd made it back to the coldness of the Legacy's bridge. It mattered not, for she couldn't feel the temperature change. Her body was still in survival mode, trying to catch up to where she was.
"- - -," Admiral Shang said.
Watcher's hologram glared from the table. "- - - -," she concluded.
Noticing how out of it Anna was, Blazer guided her back to the crew quarters. Sparx and Speedy appeared concerned behind him as he assured, "- - - -. -?"
Anna nodded as they left her alone. Once the doors sealed, she was free to remove her armor and undershirt. She was in her own trance, making her way to the shower and sealing herself in. As the shower head activated, Anna's hearing returned. And with the hiss of running water came every other cacophony. The shrieks of a hundred Yalbec...Morzetti's wheezed and final breaths...All of those horrors culminated into a single scream as Anna collapsed under the hot water.
Author's Note:Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force." I thank you for your patience on this ongoing journey. For no matter what time a chapter gets posted, I stay true to my commitments. You are all so very much appreciated, especially during my busy life. I'm exhausted, but this is the first time I've written, edited, and posted a whole chapter in the same day. We are down to the final eight chapters in Season: 4! I will see you in two weeks for Chapter: 113!
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,
~ Michael