Author's Note: Dearest readers, your patience during this hiatus has been greatly appreciated. Between three jobs and personal matters, the holidays have me scurrying around. I am very grateful for you all and thank you for your support. I feel very fortunate to have gotten enough time to get a chapter out this week. And this being said, I wish you all a splendid holiday season and hope you enjoy!
~ Sparks
ADVISORY: The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: Trauma, violence, and suicidal thoughts. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.
Chapter: 131 Aim Small, Miss Small
- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -
IHC: Imperial High Command to all Destroyers in the Corusca Sector Blockade. We believe Senator Mon Mothma is aboard the rebel vessel known as the Ghost. It is a VCX-100 light freighter with modified stealth systems. Engage with caution, as the senator is to be taken alive.
For as dreary as Morlana One was, Kristoff was glad to be seeing the planet at night. It was basically a miniaturized version of Coruscant, isolated under pockets of hydro-powered industry. Each district was closed off from the others, making its citizens feel all the more isolated apart from the narrow bridges connecting them. Atop it all, Imperial occupation kept checkpoints in constant effect. Citizens never seemed to catch their breath without an officer telling them when to exhale.
And yet despite such harsh conditions, it was the first time in far too long where Kristoff didn't feel hopeless. He knew not the extent of their plan, but felt like he was at least taking action. He and Sven weren't trudging through, keeping their heads down to just survive. He wondered if this was how Anna felt during her crusades for the Republic.
The Central Imperial Embassy towered over the rest of its district's rectangular edifices. Bold banners swished atop its corners, displaying the cogged insignia to an overwhelming...borderline ridiculous degree. It was enough to have Pix sneering while Lain raised his comlink. "Keep the ship running, Dee," he whispered. "This is going to get loud very quickly."
She nodded from the cockpit as the haulcraft glided over the waterfront. "How are we even getting in the embassy?" Pix questioned.
"No need," Lain assured while popping open a plasteel locker in the hold. He held up a cylindrical device that had the Dug backing up from appearance alone.
"Chess ko!" Pix worried in Huttese. "You know what you're playing with there?"
"Thermal imploder," Lain nodded. "The more heat it compresses, the greater the blast. There's an energy core on the rightmost side of the embassy. It supplies power to the entire compound. Igniting this there will be the only spark we need."
"And the checkpoint?" Kristoff questioned while Sven concurred.
"That's where speed comes in," Lain spoke nonchalantly. "In all of my experience fighting Imps, they still can't master handling surprise attacks. They'll always underestimate cells like us. Now the typical checkpoint has four to five troopers. Kristoff...You, Pix and I will clear that post as quickly as we can. This will give Sven a window to run in and toss the imploder." Lain walked up to the Cevrian and sighed. "The embassy walls are high, Sven. I'm counting on your strength to throw it further than any of us." Sven's nod brought a grin to Lain's face as he passed over the thermal imploder. Once you crank the dial, you'll have five seconds to toss it. Now then..." Lain reached further into the locker and grabbed several blasters. After passing a pistol down to Pix, he handed a bulky rifle to Kristoff. Its heavy stock and long barrel were a unique sight. "Ever shoot an A280 before?" the Pantoran asked.
"Can't say I have," Kristoff professed while running his fingers along the weapon.
"It's not as light as the Imp's E-11. But this sturdy gun will not let you down. I've seen a well-trained marksman blow right through stormtroopers with it." He passed another A280 to Sven and led the way down the ramp. "Kyber Squad-" he declared. "Let's move it out."
Kristoff's first instinct was to check on his best friend and the responsibility he'd just been given. Sven was certainly preoccupied, patting the grenade in a satchel Lain had handed him. As the group stepped out onto the central district streets, they immediately made for the nearby shadows. Imperials were already enforcing strict laws against nonhumans, so the last thing they needed was to see any of them armed.
Keeping along the alleys, Lain led his closer to the primary street. The checkpoint was larger than anticipated, causing the captain to pause. "What?" Pix whispered sharply. "What is it, Cap?"
"Intel was outdated," Lain confessed. "The checkpoint's upgraded." He glanced over from the alley for a closer look. "Two troopers guarding a laser gate. One on the searchlight tower above. I'm going to estimate at least two others inside the buildings to run scans on those who cross. Maybe more."
"Maybe more?" Pix hissed. "What kind of faulty operation is this? Do you know or do you not?"
"Steady," Lain calmed him while being at war within. The Pantoran's eyes were wild as he formulated a new strategy on the spot. "The laser gate is for vehicles only. No need to waste time powering it down when we can just run around it. But the second we start shooting, the embassy is going under lockdown. Every...second counts." Lain slowly peered back at his team. "Kristoff, don't kid me now. How good of a shot are you?"
"I've shot before," he confessed.
"I need you to get the trooper at the searchlight," Lain said. "Cross to the other side of the street and we'll give you a few moments to get in position. I'll get his attention. Once he turns, take the first shot and we move in. Sven, once that window clears, go. Don't hesitate. Just go. And once you throw it, we all fall back." The squad came to silent agreement as Kristoff took a deep breath. "What we do tonight changes the galaxy forever." Lain affirmed. "Now move."
Calmness clashed with pressure as Kristoff dashed to the other side of the street. He did his best to keep his breaths shallow and quiet, staying in the shadows. His anxiety heightened as he imagined the searchlight catching him at any moment. Relief took hold as he made it and propped his rifle against the adjacent alley's wall. Lain wasn't exaggerating the A280's sturdiness as Kristoff leaned into the stock. Nestling his finger on the trigger, he aimed at the trooper manning the searchlight. He couldn't let himself miss. Not with what was at stake. While Kristoff had been mostly able to land shots in his life, there could be no room for error. As his heart continued to race, he thought back to his time as a security guard in the temple. He remembered Lyn Ferix, the titan who he'd first met during shooting practice.
"How do you shoot so well?" he'd asked her.
Lyn had smirked and said, "Aim small, miss small."
"Wait, what?"
"Don't aim at the droid as a whole. Pick something specific on that clanker. Like the torque motors on its hips or the photoreceptors. Hell, use its designation markings if nothing else. The point is, by aiming for something so intricate...you lessen your chance of missing overall. Aim small-" Lynn went on to nail another perfect headshot. "-miss small."
"Aim small, miss small." Kristoff focused on a B1's slanted photoreceptor. Upon staring directly into its eye, he exhaled and pulled the trigger. His laser beamed across the room and skimmed the droid's head. "I'll take it!" he remembered cheering.
"Not bad, blondie," Lyn had lauded.
Kristoff let the memory fade as he steadied himself. Using the searchlight as a guide, Kristoff found the stormtrooper's helmet and focused on one of his eye lenses. He focused on the small target for as long as he could until Lain gave the signal.
The Pantoran stepped out onto the street. "Hey!" he coughed. "Please help! My wife! She's sick. And I-"
From the moment he started talking, the lower troopers raised their weapons. The upper soldier tilted his searchlight away from Kristoff's area and shined it directly on Lain. Before another word could be spoken, Kristoff pulled the trigger. A scarlet laser bolt surged across the street and struck the stormtrooper's lower face. The direct hit caused him to plummet from the balcony as the bottom troopers turned in alarm. With the distraction initiated, Lain dropped his act.
"Push up!" he growled while unclipping his pistol. Pix sprung to his side as the duo opened fire. While one trooper managed to get to cover, his partner took three shots to the chest. His body collapsed against the laser gate and was sliced at the arm. By the time the other trooper raised his head, Sven had advanced to blast him.
As anticipated, another trooper emerged from the tower. Kristoff was advancing when he noticed and called it out. "Top! Top! Top!" He yelled before opening fire. Kristoff's lasers were far less accurate as he sprayed them across the balcony. The trooper managed to get back into cover while Kristoff and Lain kept him pinned.
"Go Sven!" Lain commanded and gestured to the opening. "Now!"
In the lower tower, a surviving officer was scrambling to transmit from a terminal. "Checkpoint Alpha to command!" she yelped. "We're under attack. Send reinforcements to-" The door was blasted open and her first instinct was to aim her pistol upward. Her eyes widened when Pix pounced in instead. The three-foot Dug caught her by surprise and fired from below, leaving a blastershot in her torso. He then pulled her corpse away from the terminal and powered down any alarm systems.
"She's out!" he hollered. "But I think she called for help!"
"Blast," Lain cursed while shooting upward. "Sven, hurry!"
The Cevrian ran around the laser gate and approached the duracrete wall. Retrieving the thermal imploder from his satchel he looked down at the dial. Kristoff dropped to cover as the stormtrooper above returned fire. Meanwhile, the embassy's inner courtyard echoed with the sounds of reinforcements closing in.
A resentful sneer formed along Sven's snout before he ultimately twisted the dial and furiously threw the imploder. The return of his antlered head told Lain the deed was done as he yelled, "Everybody RUN!"
Kristoff blindly fired behind for good measure, keeping the trooper above pinned as he and the rest of Kyber Squad fled down the street.
Five seconds felt eternal, leaving too much to the imagination. But by the time fears of malfunction could come to fruition, the thermal imploder had reached its destination. Harvesting heat from the energy core, the imploder compressed and created a vicious...volatile vacuum. By the next second, a blinding burst ignited beyond the wall. Chunks of exploded duracrete projectiles became the least of anyone's concerns. For the blast had created a chain reaction, reaching the embassy's piping and hydro systems. The energy core melted down in its entirety, drowning out the screams of entrapped personnel in an infernal conflagration. A rippling shockwave sent smoke billowing and bodies spiraling. Banners disintegrated on impact as this culmination of explosions lit up the central district like a grandiose torch. And while the destruction had been profuse, a haunting silence followed the deathly kindling.
Only the whir of a haulcraft could be heard soaring above the devastation as Dee flew above the chaos. She lowered the ramp as her fleeing teammates rushed to board. After getting a hasty headcount, Lain was quick to seal the ramp as Dee blasted them out of the atmosphere.
While Sven, Kristoff and Pix caught their breath, Lain seemed to be the least exhausted. "Well done, boys!" he huffed. "This is what-...revolution looks like! Let this be the night that the Empire remembers Morlana One would not fall so easily!" His speech was cut short when he heard Dee punching in new coordinates. "What are you doing?" he panted, still wiping sweat from his brow.
"The boss called in," she said. "We're being rerouted to Dantooine. Some sort of assembly."
Her words had the captain rejoicing. "This is good news, Kyber Squad. One spark always ignites a fire."
"I thought you were the boss," Pix inquired.
"Everyone reports to someone," Lain admitted. "Rest up, everyone. Job well done."
As Dee flew them to Dantooine, Sven found himself checking on Kristoff. For as much as he wanted to join a resistance movement, attacking the embassy left Kristoff with a dissatisfied feeling. The likes of which he couldn't quite place. Still, he had to believe they took a stand for the oppressed peoples of Morlana One.
Kyber Squad's haulcraft soared through hyperspace's blue vortex. And with each passing moment, Kristoff's concerns grew. He couldn't help but feel a sense of irony over how his path had led him back to Dantooine. "I wish Anna and Elsa had stayed," he whispered to Sven. "They could've helped us. We could've...If I'd just-" Sven grunted to him in Cevrian and he sighed. "I know. But we made choices too. Speaking of which, how are you holding up? You hesitated for a moment...before throwing that grenade."
As Sven spoke again, Pix couldn't help but jump in. "What'd he say?"
Kristoff huffed. "Sven said he thought about every reason to hate the Empire. He put all of his loss and anger into that throw."
The Dug nodded. "Kriff...Well hey, it worked. Good on ya, Antlers."
"Captain!" Dee alerted. Her noodle-like legs swished in her swiveling chair. "Transmission from Dantooine!"
"Blast," Lain muttered. "They've started early."
"No," Dee snarked. "We're running late." The captain glared and gestured for her to play the transmission regardless. The rest of the squad turned their attention to the cockpit as a hologram of Mon Mothma set the interior aglow. Her luminescent body shined under the viewport's hyperspace vortex, making her seem like a spirit descending to speak with them. Despite her ethereal appearance, Mon seemed far more exhausted than she'd been from her previous speech. Being on the run had taken its toll, and still she found it in herself to make a declaration.
"This is Senator Mon Mothma," she began. "I have been called a traitor for speaking out against a corrupt Galactic Senate. A Senate manipulated by the sinister tactics of the Emperor. For too long I have watched the heavy hand of the Empire strangle our liberties, stifling our freedoms in the name of ensuring our safety. No longer! Despite Imperial threats...despite the Emperor himself, I have no fear as I take new action. For I am not alone. Beginning today we stand together as allies. I hereby resign from the Senate to fight for you, not from the distant hall of politics but from the front lines. We will not rest until we bring an end to the Empire, until we restore our Republic! Are you with me?"
"Yes," Kristoff whispered impulsively as if the hologram could hear him. Lain chuckled and pat his back out of pride. As the senator's speech came to a close, the haulcraft thundered out of hyperspace. It soared just above Dantooine's bright surface and revealed a plethora of unique vessels. Everything from hammerhead cruisers to Corellian corvettes glided alongside one another as more continued to drop from hyperspace. Each ship assembled before a single vessel. The likes of which had gained notoriety among those who'd heard the stories.
"What the hell kind of ship is that?" Pix asked, observing the hexagonal craft.
"That's the Ghost," Dee admired, her face nearly glued to the viewport as she leaned over. "The fastest rebel ship in the galaxy. The Empire's biggest irritation."
"And the reason Mon Mothma's here to lead us now," Lain added.
"Look at all of these ships," Kristoff uttered while observing the newly fledged fleet.
"Welcome to the Rebellion," Lain praised as Dee flew them to a flagship. "You aren't alone anymore."
As their haulcraft approached a powerful, Corellian corvette, Kristoff couldn't help but think...I knew it. The sight of so many rebel cells coming together had him wishing Anna and Elsa weren't far. His hopeful heart almost begged that they'd found their way on to one of the other ships floating in the fleet. No matter where they were, Kristoff felt a spark of hope that he'd been longing to ignite.
The Corellian vessel made the Jedi corvette they'd flown for years look even smaller. Its multiple, ion turbines were a bold testament to its status as a blockade runner. Once aboard, it motivated Kristoff further to see a centralized, uniform crew. Shining, pale helmets gleamed atop each flight members' head as they guided Captain Lain down the main corridor. As they stepped along the well-polished flooring, Kristoff couldn't help but pause. He almost thought his mind was playing tricks on him as he observed the man awaiting their arrival. While the years hadn't been kind, he still looked like the same hero Kristoff kept on a poster from all those years ago.
"Senator Organa?" Kristoff uttered.
Often the type to remain levelheaded in most situations, it was concerning for Lain to see Bail looking rather stern. His typically soft, brown gaze was unblinking as he stared the Pantoran down. "Sir," Lain saluted regardless. "My mission to Nar Shaddaa was successful. I'd like you to meet our newest recruits."
Bail might've been in brighter spirits in another instance. Instead, he offered a brief nod and kept his focus on Lain. His demeanor was that of a disappointed father as he sighed. "While you may have rallied new fighters to our cause, how many enemies have you created?"
"Sir?" Lain questioned.
"Morlana One," Bail murmured. He noticed how Lain cautiously glanced at the recruits. And while neither leader wanted to discourage their newfound soldiers, Bail found it important for them to face reality. "You weren't authorized to attack that embassy."
Lain braced himself, standing tall as the eyes of his team fell upon him. "With all due respect, sir. You asked me to form a new squad for covert operations. How can I accomplish such a task without proving they can handle themselves?"
"Captain-"
"Would you rather I send you incapable soldiers?" Lain cut Bail off with regret in his tone. He winced instantly, hoping the senator would understand.
Ever the patient man, Bail slowly nodded. "It isn't so much about what you did, it's where." Opening himself up to the rest of the squad, he further elaborated. "And let that be a lesson to all of you. Morlana One is incredibly pro-Imperial. Attacking an embassy there does little to spark rebellion and instead demonizes our cause further. Locals in the area will fear you for what you've done. And as the Empire labels you all terrorists, that title will make perfect sense. And the fearful will rise to defend their loved ones from your threat, even if it means joining the Empire. So all your attack has done is enforce security and add vengeful troopers to their ranks. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Lain huffed.
Bail didn't have to raise his voice once, but his conviction alone was enough to make Kristoff and Sven feel awful. Dee hugged herself, trying not to get too upset over things while Pix seemed indifferent. Trying not to dwell on it, Bail switched focus to the recruits. "Every action will have its consequences," he said. "Never in the history of our galaxy has their been a war with so much at stake. And while our victories may be rare, achieving them means nothing if we lose sight of who we are. The cause."
Kristoff slowly nodded, feeling like he was listening to one of the senator's speeches back on Coruscant again. It brought him joy to know that Bail had found his own ways to rebel since the Republic's fall, and he wondered how many others were still fighting.
"Whatever you'd have us do," Kristoff pushed himself to speak up. "We're ready."
Lain shook off his personal failure on Morlana One and nodded swiftly. Bail obliged and said, "While our revolution grows, we have yet to take a planet back. There is talk in our networks of liberating Lothal. It's far enough into the Outer Rim where the Empire's occupation receives limited resources. We already have an Imperial informant on the ground. Codename: Fulcrum."
"Imperial," Lain murmured. "Can we trust them?"
"He's proven himself a vital defector so far," Bail assured. "Captain Lain, you'll be taking your team into enemy lines and joining up with Fulcrum." He handed him an encrypted datadisc. "Once you're at the rendezvous point, Fulcrum will instruct you on your targets. Our objective is to sabotage anti-air defenses, leaving the capital vulnerable for our assault in the coming days. Can I count on you?"
"Absolutely," Lain affirmed with a bold salute. Bail might've been talking to the captain, but his words reached Kristoff as well.
The hyperspace flight to Lothal was much different than the trip to Morlana One. While both planets had been occupied, Kyber Squad's first mission had been incredibly brief. The concept of spending days...maybe even weeks on an Imperial-occupied world unsettled Kristoff. Still, he felt this was his chance to make up for their misstep on Morlana One. If he and Sven were going to be part of the Rebellion, they were going to do things the right way. At least, by whatever philosophy they could hold on to. Astounded by Pix's indifference to it all, he finally brought himself to ask.
"How do you do it?" Kristoff asked from across the haulcraft's hold. The Dug's ears perked up as he inquired, "How do you just take all of this without being fazed?"
Pix scoffed. "Would 'being fazed' help?" he retorted while cleaning his blaster pistol. "Imps already hate us. Those who want to fight back are doing so. The rest are whining on the sidelines. Everyone's mind is made up already so just give up trying to please them. You'll sleep a lot better."
"You don't think people change?"
"We wouldn't be in a civil war if people could change," Pix cackled.
"So what about the defector, then?" Kristoff added. "This Fulcrum person. There's a changed Imperial!"
"Psh," Pix grumbled. "The sleemo's probably wanted for some crime in the Empire and needs an out. Or got passed up for a promotion and is taking revenge. Everyone wants something."
Kristoff's brows furrowed. "Then what do you want?"
Pix paused and narrowed his dark eyes towards him. "To piss them off," he chuckled to himself. "And any chance I get to do that is a day well spent."
Kristoff glanced at Sven, who rolled his eyes as the Dug kept laughing to himself. "Get it together, Kyber Squad!" Lain hollered from the cockpit. "We're approaching Lothal."
The rebels rose from the hold, double checking their weapons and gear before feeling the ship plunge out of lightspeed. Even under the cover of night, Lothal's western hemisphere was blanketed in ominous darkness. The likes of which could only be explained by years of Imperial pollution. Its vast, grassy plains were hardly visible, while the occasional Star Destroyer glided from above.
Lain remained focused as the ship's comm channel blipped. "Haulcraft," an admiral called in. "Identify yourself immediately and transmit clearance codes."
Lain nodded to his pilot and the youth was quick to chuckle. "This is kid stuff," she boasted and responded to the admiral. "I read you," Dee said in her deepest voice. "Transporting processed nerf to the capital. Clearance code LZ-973." The ensuing pause always weighed heavily on Lain, even if Dee carried more confidence than any adult on their ship. She sat back with her arms crossed as the admiral's chime came in.
"Clearance verified," the destroyer responded. "Proceed to designation, haulcraft."
"That code scrambler works wonders," Lain admired as Dee recycled clearance codes.
"Have I ever let you down?" she boasted while dropping them into Lothal's smoggy atmosphere. "I mean, physically yes."
While Dee flew them to the designated zone, Lain checked in on his squad. Kristoff, Sven, and Pix had prepped themselves to disembark and were awaiting orders. With a heavy sigh, Lain let go of his pride. "I was wrong," he said, causing heads to tilt. "On Morlana One. I took us into that fight and put us all at risk with something to prove. Less about the people we save and more about my need to show what we can do. And that isn't where a captain should have his head. I'm not perfect, but if we're going into a new mission...we should do so with clear heads." His words were followed by quiet nods as Kristoff contemplated who he was serving under.
While Kristoff agreed that Lain had been wrong for the risky embassy attack, he admired a leader who could admit to fault instead of denying it. Hoping for a better mission, Kristoff offered a quick salute in good faith as Dee said, "We're approaching the rendezvous point." Peeking ahead towards the cockpit, Kyber Squad observed a needlelike tower extending from the fields. The old, shadowy structure overlooked the capital city and would be easy to fly up to. In an effort to draw minimal attention, Lain had Dee land at the tower's base.
Once the ramp lowered, they could see how truly decrepit the tower was. Powerful gusts rustled in from the plains and rattled its rusted foundation. "This thing hasn't seen action since the Republic," Lain remarked. "Empire probably outmoded it and built their own towers. Kristoff...Pix, you two are on me. Dee, keep the ship running and I want Sven on guard with you." The squad split under the cover of night with Dee keeping the haulcraft in its lowest power setting.
Every footstep echoed as Lain, Kristoff, and Pix ascended the tower. Dust particles thrived along their blaster muzzles as they rigorously scrubbed them off. "This place is freakin me out," Pix grumbled.
"How's our time window?" Kristoff whispered, staying on task.
"Right when we're supposed to be," Lain said with a hint of concern in his voice. As they entered the tower's apex, they found a haunting chamber filled with scrap. Old stormtrooper helmets lined the shelves while outmoded datascreens lay stacked beneath them. The trio cleared the inner corners.
"There's no one here," Pix huffed. "What gives?"
Raising a violet brow, their captain checked the balcony. Sliding his pistol out into the open, he found both relief and disappointment in the lack of persons. "There's no one here," Lain murmured.
"That's what I just said," Pix growled.
"Maybe the contact was captured?" Kristoff considered. "Or they...set us up?"
While Lain's commands told him to wait until Fulcrum arrived, his instincts told him something was amiss. "Let's regroup at the ship," he insisted. "We'll contact Senator Organa and relay our findings to-" In that instant, a powerful blast ignited from the tower's base. "Contact!" Lain was quick to shout. While Pix ducked back into the chamber, he and Kristoff hit the balcony's deck...trying to assess the situation.
"Captain!" Dee suddenly called in.
"Talk to me!" Lain rushed to his comlink. "What's going on?"
"Ship took a hit! Port side engine. I can't take off! I need to assess-"
"No!" Lain snapped. "Do not leave that vehicle. Raise the shields and wait for us to get down there." On his command, Lain and Kristoff leapt to their feet. As soon as they did so, a high-powered blaster bolt struck the wall and forced them back down.
"Sniper!" Kristoff warned.
Desperate to get back down to his crew, Lain tried crawling. Another sniper blast skimmed the floor beside him, making him back up. His mustache quivered with frustration as he realized what was happening. The sniper wasn't trying to kill any of them. Only keep them pinned until a capture squad moved in. Or worse. There weren't any limits with the Empire.
"Let me try," Kristoff suggested.
"No!" Lain warned as the same result played out. Positioned far out in Lothal's fields, the marksman sniped inches away from Kristoff's hands and forced him back. They were immobilized and forced to endure whatever hell was approaching.
"We can't just stay here!" Kristoff yelled.
"We don't have a choice!" Lain fired back. "It's a standstill. You think I don't want to get down there?" Terror gripped the Pantoran as Dee's frightened voice came over the comms.
"Captain?" she called in. "Captain, they're here! They're bombarding the shields!" Sven could be heard grunting in the background of her call. "Where are you?"
"We're pinned down," Lain croaked.
"Pix," Kristoff dared to take matters into his own hands. "Can you make it downstairs?"
"One step ahead of ya!" the Dug responded. He readied his pistol and scurried to the base. Prepared to defend his companions, Pix burst through the door and found himself versing an entire squad of stormtroopers. Two of them already had their weapons trained on the door and stunned Pix before he could even get a shot off.
While one of the stormtroopers secured Pix, the rest continued to shoot at the haulcraft. And as their laser volley persisted, its azure shielding finally cracked. Moving as an efficient unit, another trooper quickly tossed a detonator on the ramp. Once the doors were blown, the others rushed in with a storm of stun blasts. Amid the wave of blue rings, Sven's hulking body struck the ground with a thud. Dee's youth meant nothing to the troopers. She was a rebel in their soulless lenses and would be treated as such. They struck her with a stun blast, letting her body collapse against the dashboard. Once the troopers could move up, they aggressively dragged her out of the seat and threw her with Sven. White, plastoid boots tromped beside their bodies. Before proceeding with their sweep of the ship, a trooper ripped off Dee's comlink and handed it to a black-booted individual.
"Sven, come in." Kristoff uttered through comms. "Sven? Dee? Pix!"
The consistent waves of static on their channels were unsettling as a new voice came through. It was strident and collected as it said, "The rest of your unit has been captured. Surrender now or face summary execution. I have snipers awaiting my command to end your lives. Submit or suffer the consequences."
Kristoff's heart sank as he remained absolutely still. He could hear stormtroopers ascending towards them and preparing to make more arrests. He'd only begun his journey into the rebellion, and a few wrong decisions had cut his travels short. Lain offered no words of condolence, for he too was coming to terms with their situation. The newly-minted captain felt like his second chance was far worse than anything that had happened on Morlana One. In fact, if the Empire was able to tie the embassy attack back to them, they'd suffer even more. He'd heard horror stories about Imperial capture and how rarely anyone survived. How those who did often begged for death. Even from the prone position, Lain glanced back at his pistol. He wondered how quickly he could snatch it, even as troopers were rounding the corner. And as the deep and sudden urge to take his own life emerged...he couldn't bring himself to act on it. For the thought of abandoning his unit to whatever fate awaited them outweighed any consideration.
"Up!" a trooper barked as they secured the upper level. "Now!" It wasn't long before Kristoff and Lain felt the hard clasp of binders against their wrists as they were led back downstairs.
Nearly half an hour had passed as Kyber Squad was assembled for processing. Forced to sit cramped against the tower's rusted base, they remained under guard while the commanding officer received a long-awaited call. Even from the field's edge, Kristoff could make out a bold figure flickering on the holoprojector. Its emotionless, glowering face focused in as the officer delivered an update.
"Grand Admiral Thrawn," he greeted. "You're right. The rebels did send a reconnaissance team to meet Fulcrum."
"All too predictable," the mysterious Thrawn replied. "And our person of interest remains unaware?"
"That is correct."
"Well done. Fulcrum is still of much use to us and it's best that we keep them unsuspecting. I want the tower swept of all evidence."
As Thrawn and the officer continued to converse, Kristoff suddenly heard a whisper beside him. Pix had awakened from his stun blast and was assessing their situation. "Kristoff," he murmured. "My cuffs ain't too tight."
"Keep your voice down," Kristoff worried.
"I'm serious," Pix added, his eyes occasionally shifting to the troopers standing over them. "I think I can wriggle out of them. I just need a moment-"
"Don't-" Kristoff worried about bringing his voice too high and hoped his eyes were enough to convey dismay. He glanced up at the troopers standing guard, unsure where the stares were in those helmets.
"I'll have the exploded haulcraft and its scraps towed," the officer assured over comms. "What of the prisoners? Surely they can provide vital intel."
"Fulcrum is our focus in the coming days," Thrawn pressed. "Do with the rabble what you will. But make it clean and efficient."
"It will be done, Grand Admiral," the officer nodded before ending the call.
"Now," Pix uttered. "It has to be now. I ain't going down like this." Kristoff's heart sank as the Dug wriggled in his restraints. But with enough of a twist, one of his gangly limbs slipped out from the binders.
The immense heat radiating off of Kristoff's face mixed with the potent stench of charred flesh. And while he waited for the blastershot to reach his ears, all he could hear was a constant ringing. At first he looked up, seeing one of the trooper's smoking blasters aiming downward. And by the time he glanced rightward, Pix's limp corpse was slouching against him. He wanted to gasp, but all breath swelled with the lump in his throat. And in the next motion, Pix's body fell forward...one wrist still restrained in a cuff.
"That was a close one," the stormtrooper scoffed to her fellow soldiers.
"Good shot," another lauded while Kristoff stood in anguish, too shocked to speak. As the ringing in his ears subsided, he turned to see Dee sitting on Pix's adjacent side. While she too had awakened from her stunning, all bravado had drained from her. Gone was the plucky teenager 'fighting the good fight and sticking it to the Empire'. Her chest beat rapidly as tears streamed down her cheeks in a mad panic. Lain, like Kristoff and Sven...remained silent. Knowing that no word in that moment would do them any good. All eyes fell on the officer as he scowled at his prisoners.
Disgust filled his heart at the very existence of Kyber Squad. Hearing Dee's stifling sniffles only irritated him further. Rather than make the tower an even greater mess to clean up, he made his orders swift and precise. "Incinerate the Dug, move the rest to R-8."
The troopers got to work, hauling the survivors to their feet and loading them into a nearby gunship for relocation. One stayed behind, dragging Pix's body as if he were nothing and tossing him into the haulcraft's flames. As the group was restrained in the hold, Kristoff could only wonder...What in the star's name was R-8?
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this chapter of "The Frozen Force." I appreciate your kindness and support during a very busy holiday season. Take care and I'll see you next time for Chapter 132 - Wobani.
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you,
~ Sparks