Author's Note:
Dearest readers, thank you so much for your patience over these two weeks. It's good to be back and I hope you enjoy today's chapter!
Sincerely,
~ Sparks
This chapter is dedicated to a younger me, and to all of the flying aces at heart. From a young age, I was fascinated with X-wings and space battles in Star Wars. This is part of the reason I have an X-wing tattoo now. As a kid, I used to pretend to be "Gold Leader" and battled TIE fighters in my living room. Ever since the early seasons of "The Frozen Force" I have been excited to reach this point. Knowing this story would reach the Original Trilogy era, that meant X-wings were inevitable. This chapter features the story's first ever X-wing battle, and it certainly won't be the last.
To all the pilots out there, this chapter is for you.
ADVISORY:The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: trauma and suicide. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.
Chapter: 147 Rise of the Heroes
- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -
IHC: Imperial High Command to Inquisitorius.
Hans: We read.
IHC: Status report on the Ring of Kafrene murders.
Namaari: The colony appears to be operating normally. Trail is going cold with limited leads.
IHC: So you have nothing to report.
Hans: This killer is long gone from the Ring at this point. We-
...
Hans: Hello? IHC respond.
...
Namaari: Without more intel, looks like we were of no further use.
Hans: Bastards.
Long had hope been crucial for the Alliance. Many of their leaders made direct decisions based on it, even when it felt like they lost more than they could ever win. But now the Rebel base was alive with reinvigorated spirits. Squadrons were assembling while soldiers gathered for a briefing. Kristoff filed in with the group, now fitted in battle fatigues and a helmet. General Draven took another moment with the troops, denying them any inspiration from Bail or Mon. Instead, Draven stayed grounded in reality. He let his stern visage sink into every Rebel before speaking.
"Red Flight is already getting airborne. The squadron will be your guardians in and out of Wobani. The rest of the mission falls to you, Extraction Team Bravo. Sergeant Melshi..."
"Sir," a rugged soldier saluted. His dark eyes were as bold as his mustache. At this point, Kristoff started to wonder if all Rebel leadership was required to have a mustache.
"The Alliance has no interest in a full camp liberation. You get Erso out of there alive and you come home."
"Understood, sir."
"You'll get the rest of your briefing enroute," Draven concluded. "The Alliance needs this victory. I don't care what you have to do. If someone hinders you from the target, you kill them. You know the mission." Draven offered a firm nod beyond his words. "So get it done."
The extraction team was as silent as it was dutiful. Comprised of ten soldiers, the unit began a steady march to a peculiar vessel. Bulky in nature, the ship was flanked by two interlocking wings. As its hatch dropped, it revealed a spacious hold. While other troops poured into the unique ship, Kristoff stood in awe. He snapped out of it as Melshi gripped his shoulder. While he did so to get his attention, Melshi was also seeing how Kristoff physically responded.
"You sure you're alright to fight, captain?"
"Yes," Kristoff assured. "The bacta helped."
"You make sure it did," Melshi warned. "Because once it's boots on the ground, every second counts."
"I'm fine," Kristoff asserted, knowing he still had a plethora of bandages under his uniform.
"Whenever someone's says 'I'm fine' they don't ever actually mean it," a digitized voice answered. "In fact, they're commonly doing awful." Kristoff followed the voice to another bizarre sight. In all of his years, he had never seen such a lanky yet top-heavy droid. Had it not been for the startling Imperial insignia on his shoulders, the droid's pale photoreceptors were entrancing. "He already looks awful," the droid's voice was rather pompous when talking to Melshi. "And therefore he must feel awful."
"I get it," the sergeant grumbled.
"As in he's not fine at all," the droid carried on.
"Alright," Melshi huffed. "Pay no mind to K-2SO, Kristoff. He just says what's on my mind since his reprogramming."
"Can he be trusted?" Kristoff wondered while looking at the Imperial symbol.
"More than you can," K-2SO jeered. His inky, skull-like head leaned in closer to Kristoff. "Because unlike you, my diagnostics prove that I am indeed...fine."
Kristoff rolled his eyes as the droid clunked ahead of him. Staring at his thin, metal legs prompted a thought. "Sergeant," he asked Melshi. "When are we departing?"
"In fifteen," Melshi was quick to answer. "Why?"
"I need to make a quick stop," he said and dashed back to the infirmary.
Every motion with Anna's new cybernetic felt as tiring as it was necessary. Her mind struggled to stay focused on the prosthetic, and kept scaring her to believe it wasn't real. As frustration built, Anna buried her face in her shaking palms. The shuffling of nearby boots startled her as she swiveled to meet them. Still getting used to her leg, she accidentally bumped Kristoff with it on the turn.
"Kriff," she gasped. "I'm sorry."
"No no," Kristoff insisted. "It's okay." It might've been pure cybernetic, but Kristoff cradled her leg as if it were fragile. He gently brought it back to a resting position and tucked it back under the blankets.
Anna observed his uniform and helmet. "Look at you," she remarked. "Already off on a mission?"
He nodded. "To the very hell that spat me out. If it means destroying that place, I'm in."
"Just..." Anna sighed. "Don't make it your only reason." Kristoff raised a brow as she continued. "I say this from experience, but focus on saving others. Destroying that place won't make you feel any better. I need to take my own advice more often, but I hope it reaches you."
"It does," Kristoff murmured, trying his best to take things to heart. "I came to see how you were doing before I left."
Anna simpered, "That's sweet of you."
Her smile didn't last, prompting Kristoff to lean closer. "I know the leg will take time, but I believe in you." Anna offered a delicate nod, but stared somberly at her cybernetic. Taking a deep breath, Kristoff made his conclusion. "So much has happened to us over the years, but if these moments have shown me anything beyond this pain...it's that we are still here. And as terrifying as that is, there's also strength in that fact. I know I just said this, but I need it to really sink in. We all need help sometimes and Anna-" Kristoff removed his necklace and passed it to her hands. "I believe in you," he said again. "I called your name through this and the Force answered. It seems only fitting for you to have it next." He placed a gentle kiss on her head and said, "Thanks for coming to my rescue. Goodbye, Anna."
Anna's eyes widened with his departure. She barely uttered a goodbye in return while considering what she'd just felt. Her hand grazed the top of her head, feeling only softness where he'd kissed. Be it out of safety or sincere kindness, Kristoff's kiss left Anna in a state of confusion. She'd experienced her share over the years, yet they had always been accompanied by lustful aggression. Just thinking about Hans made sensations spike, as she recalled his roughness. His kisses were more like bites, snapping at any part of her she relinquished. Hans' fingers were claws sinking in the name of passion. And while Anna had welcomed such ferocity from Hans in her youth, never had a kiss felt so tender. Benevolent and earnest, not once asking for more. While Anna pondered the feeling, a gentle smile reached her. She peered down at the necklace he'd left her and rubbed her thumbs along the crystal.
"I decide," Anna whispered the very words that had reclaimed her life. Clutching the yellow crystal, she rose from her bed. Though struggling to steady herself, Anna stepped off on her own. Her arms swished and swayed, making her grip tighten on the kyber. With stern determination, Anna regained her footing and set off beyond the infirmary.
Elsa sat in the hangar and observed a pair of droids. She hadn't known such idle quiet for so long, that she'd forgotten what it was like to be present. No matter how many years had passed, she still maintained a passion for robotic lifeforms. She couldn't help but feel a hint of familiarity on their distinct colors. The gold-plated protocol droid smacked his hand on the astromech's blue dome. And as his sass became audible, Elsa let her memories do the rest.
"Hey!" she gasped and leapt from a crate. Her gesture startled Tiana, who had been sitting beside her. "You're Padmé's droids!" she realized.
C-3PO stared at her in bewilderment. "I beg your pardon?" he computed.
"Senator Amidala?" Elsa explained.
"You must be mistaken," 3PO answered. "Which is understandable considering we protocol droids serve many offices in the Senate. Perhaps you meant Senator Organa? Or his daughter-"
R2-D2 rolled up to Elsa and nudged her thigh. Unsure of what the astromech meant, she interpreted the gesture as a reason to stop pressing. "I'm...sorry," she muttered off to herself. "I just thought you were someone else. And I'd hope to know if Padmé was here too." R2 lurched forward and offered a somber beep. As the droids departed, Elsa was left to fear the worst for the Naboo senator. She watched the droids depart and ultimately weave between a pair of boots. Elsa traced the boots up to see a khaki-uniformed woman. Teal sleeves emerged from a tan vest as the official crossed her arms. Elsa had to squint, making sure that her memories wouldn't betray her. The woman's black hair had greyed entirely since the Republic's fall. She looked as though she was on the verge of tears, yet never let one fall amid her smile. By the time Elsa fully recognized her, she was already moving in for an embrace.
"Taka," Elsa gasped as the admiral pulled her in close.
It felt as though Admiral Taka never wanted to let go. She tightened her grip while softening her smile. "I knew you'd find your way to us, Elsa. I just knew you would."
"How did-...But...I have so many questions."
Seeking to ease the Jedi's mind, Taka held her arms. "I checked the Imperial HoloNews every day for the last nineteen years. My heart would plummet every time I heard of another Jedi falling. I dreaded your name showing up, but it never came."
Thinking over Taka's rank in the Republic, Elsa asked. "When did you defect?"
"You have to be part of something in order to defect from it," Taka jested. Elsa had missed the admiral's earnest and straightforward tone. "From the moment the Republic collapsed and the Jedi were branded traitors, I knew something was wrong. I refused to believe that people I'd served with for years suddenly staged some kind of coup against the Republic. With the clones affected by their chips, I had to go into hiding. Spent years flying and directing supply runs to rebel cells in the Outer Rim. When Mon Mothma left the Senate, I found a chance to join the Alliance. I remain an admiral, fighting on my own accord this time."
Despite all that Taka had said, Elsa found herself ruminating on a single statement. "I'm sorry," she winced as the thought stung her. "You're saying...wait, pardon." Taka tilted her head with intrigue, watching Elsa stammer. "What do you mean..." the Jedi asked and slowed her tone. "Clones affected by chips?"
"You never found out," Taka realized. "In the early makings of this Rebellion, we'd soon have a handful of clones join our ranks here and there. They explained how every trooper was born with an organic chip." Taka pressed a finger to her temple as if drilling into it. "These made them kill their Jedi commanders and swear blind loyalty to the Empire. Elsa felt as though she'd been struck in the gut. She started to lose her footing, and Taka had to help her to a nearby crate. Tears raced down her cheeks the moment she hung her head, and she could hardly breathe. "Elsa?" Taka worriedly rubbed her back. "Elsa."
Elsa's lips trembled betwixt her sobbing, unsure whether to find peace or further dismay. Her eyes searched for meaning while her hand clutched at her chest. The years hadn't dulled the sting of where the commander's knife had pierced her. Whatever pain she'd tried to distract herself from cascaded as she uttered, "It wasn't his fault." Taka shook her head in concurrence. "It wasn't Frost's fault," Elsa repeated, this time with more confidence. Such boldness was short-lived as a grim conclusion took hold. "He could've been saved." Any semblance of color drained from Elsa's pale face. "I could've stopped him. The chip could've been removed if I'd just-" Elsa hugged herself and descended into a series of whispers.
"Hey," Taka hardened her tone. "No. Don't do this to yourself." She gripped Elsa's arms tighter, urging her to look up. "I know how much Frost meant, but this 'what if' will destroy you." As Taka stated her facts, she did so calmly and concisely. "It was a perilous time. No one knew what was going on."
"He'd still be alive if I could've figured it out. I would've-"
"No," Taka snapped. "Elsa...look at me." The old admiral waited until Elsa locked eyes with her. "There was no way you could've known so soon. This isn't your fault."
"But I'm the one who killed him."
Taka paused, pursing her lips while pondering. "Many clones met tragic fates during the dawn of the Empire. And any of us who rose from the ashes did what we had to in order to survive. You will face it in your own time, Elsa...but you'll have to come to terms with this. You alone cannot carry all of this grief." Elsa wiped the tears from her eyes and slowly nodded. "Frost wouldn't want you to suffer like this. No matter what."
It pained Elsa to agree as she whispered, "I'll try my best to...step forward."
"That's all you can do," Taka assured and gently rubbed her back. "You're safe now, among those fighting for true freedom. In the Alliance, none of us ever have to feel alone anymore."
Elsa's brows furrowed in confusion. "I trust in the Force as my guide...and yet I don't know where to step next."
"Well," Taka sighed. "Where did the Force lead you last?"
Elsa's eyes listed across the hangar and towards Tiana. "To her," she admitted. "The Force is strong with her, though I think she's shutting herself from it."
Taka smiled faintly. "Then you know what you need to do." She rose from the crate and started off. "You're alive for a reason, Elsa. And if age has taught me anything, it's that our time in the spotlight has come and gone. Today's youth needs our wisdom. And if that girl is shut off, maybe you can help her open the door."
"Taka," Elsa beckoned before the admiral fully departed. "Thank you."
Taka smiled. "Always," she confidently declared.
Across the hangar, Ezzie was losing her patience with several technicians. "No no no," she scolded. "I don't need any modifications. Just get me something that can fly and has a hyperdrive."
"Sorry, ma'am." One of the technicians huffed. "The mods are mandatory. General Syndulla's orders." Ezzie groaned and watched as the team installed several upgrades to a U-Wing. "You should be grateful that she's even giving you a new ship after you broke formation at the Battle of Ahtollon."
"Hey," Ezzie growled. "The enemy broke formation. I just pursued." She sulked when the technicians carried on, ignoring her in the process. Ezzie didn't have to be a Jedi to feel a presence lingering behind her. She spun to see Tiana folding her arms. "What's up, kid?" Ezzie asked.
Tiana kept things straightforward. "When your ship is finished, could you take me home?"
"Depends on where home is for you," Ezzie scoffed. "Or if you'd even want to go back."
"My mama's still out there," Tiana explained. "She has no idea where I am."
"And maybe that's a good thing. I read the reports. The Empire wants you locked up or worse. What would you even say?"
"I-...well..." Tiana drummed her fingers against each other. "I'm working on it."
"Exactly," Ezzie teased. "Kid, whatever answers you're looking for aren't behind you."
"She's right," Elsa answered and stepped towards the duo. "They're ahead. On Ilum specifically."
"Ilum?" Ezzie and Tiana jinxed before glancing at each other.
"Whether you see it or not," Elsa began. "The Force is strong in you, Tiana. There is an ancient, crystal cavern on Ilum that will test your willpower. You'll find your answers to this puzzle there."
"I don't know anything about this 'Force'...but I'd prefer to be as far from it as possible." Tiana answered.
Elsa took her time to formulate a reply. "I always want things to be your choice. But I do want to ask...what other choices do you have right now? If you seek clarity beyond the Empire or the Alliance, this is it."
"She has a point," Ezzie replied. "And it would beat just kicking our feet around here. What do you say, kid?"
The former cadet tried not to let such a lost sense of feeling sink in. Determine to quell it, she stood tall. "I'll go. But stop calling me kid. My name is Tiana."
"Fair enough," Ezzie shrugged. "Lemme just shoo these wannabe Jawas away." She lunged at her U-Wing and flailed her arms at the technicians. "Alright!" she barked. "That's enough! Not everything needs a kriffing cupholder. Beat it!"
In time, the disgruntled staff departed from their finishing touches. Ezzie moved in to inspect her new ship, which in the longrun really was just a modified troop transport. As she was familiarinzing herself with the cockpit, she suddenly heard an intense whirring overhead. "Now what?" she grumbled and peered out of the viewport. A repulsorlift-powered crane was moving a fighter craft into position. Once it was locked to the overhead compartment, Ezzie ran a full diagnostic. To her surprise Hera had ordered a fighter junction to be built into the U-wing. An X-wing starfighter was now positioned above her ship. Rotary locks helped turn the ship when convenient and allowed the pilot to have easy access. As much as she didn't want to outright say it, Ezzie whispered, "Thanks, Hera."
As she ran propulsion and hyperdrive checks, Ezzie heard a thud from the ramp. "What the?" she grumbled and stepped back. "Elsa? Tiana? That you?"
"We're in the hold!" Tiana's voice echoed to Ezzie, who was all the more bewildered. As she moved further to the ramp, she found Elsa's sister ascending.
"Room for one more?" Anna asked. Elsa practically dropped everything at the sound of her voice. "We just reunited," Anna jested. "The last thing I'd want is for us to split again. Plus, I can cheer Tiana on."
Elsa nodded to Ezzie while Tiana peeked curiously from the hold. "Well then, welcome aboard!" Ezzie declared and then frantically checked the ramp. "Sorry. Just making sure any other people don't decide they want to go on a life-changing field trip with Ezzie too."
"Oh!" a Mon Calamari engineer raised his webbed hand. "I could use one of those. It's been years since I searched for myself in-"
"Too late," Ezzie snapped and sealed the U-wing's hatch.
"Aw," the Mon Calamari sulked.
Ezzie powered the engines and launched their vessel out of the temple hangar. As they soared atop the treeline, Ezzie inputted the clearance codes for their return to base. With full access from the Alliance control tower granted, Ezzie took her crew out of the atmosphere and into hyperspace.
Extraction Team Bravo boomed out of lightspeed. Although they'd only entered the system, Kristoff already found himself having flashbacks to his arrival on Wobani. He tightened the grip on his A280 blaster rifle, remembering all he'd learned from Captain Lain. As he held the sturdy blaster close, he imagined the Pantoran at his side. No matter how the mission concluded, Lain had been right. All they'd needed was for one prisoner to escape. Now Kristoff had returned with the Rebel Alliance in tow.
A CR90 corvette thundered from behind the team's U-wing. A swarm of X-wings were quick to follow and form up along its sides. "This is Red Leader," a woman called in. "Red Flight, check in!"
"Red Two standing by!" a Mon Calamari pilot warbled.
"Red Three standing by," a man called in.
"Red Four, ready!" a younger pilot barked. His voice was as spirited as his flying.
"The Vigilant stands ready," the corvette's Rodian captain declared.
Samala Loené had led her squadron into many a firefight, and Wobani would be no different. "I have a visual on one Star Destroyer above the target area. Bravo Team, we'll clear a path for you to get to the surface."
"Copy that," Melshi called in. "Good luck out there."
With the plan in motion, Samala primed her targeting computer. "All wings, accelerate to attack speed. On me." With two X-wings on her left and a third forming up to her six, the squadron took on a hook formation. As they swept towards the Star Destroyer, a wave of TIE fighters poured out of its daunting underbelly.
"Here they come!" Red Three warned.
"Tight formation," Samala ordered. "Once we break the first wave, scatter and engage all hostiles. Shield up!" As the X-wings loosed their scarlet barrage, a spray of green lasers beamed to meet them. Red Flight was true to its maneuver and blasted through several TIEs. After tearing a hole through the enemy center, they broke formation and fired at will.
Samala glided along the Star Destroyer's hull, letting enemy blasts skim behind her. Her astromech screeched with worry. "I see'em I see'em!" Samala shouted back as more TIEs descended on her. While taking evasive action, she glimpsed Bravo Team darting for the surface. As the dogfight raged on, the Vigilant fired a series of ion blasts to keep the Star Destroyer's weapons disabled.
The Mon Calamari blasted a TIE and leveled out. "This is too easy," he warned. "Reinforcements will be inbound."
"All the more reason for Bravo Team to hurry, Jory." Samala answered. "Keep the TIEs on us and away from the prison. Failure is not an option."
The U-wing raced to Wobani's surface, tracking signatures from a nearby facility. "Prepare to drop," Melshi alerted his team. "Once on the ground, maintain close formation. No heroics. We don't have enough men to take the prison. We get the girl and we get out." With the orders given, Melshi called over comms. "Vigilant," he began while analyzing readouts on the pilot's dashboard. "Transmitting coordinates to you now. Commence orbital strike."
On Melshi's orders, the corvette switched from ion lasers to explosive rounds. These mighty blasts zipped through space and pierced the planet's atmosphere. They set the smoggy skies aglow and proceeded to strike the prison's landing pads. The chaos had stormtroopers surging from their posts and looking to the skies.
"Sir!" Lieutenant Croy warned from their observatory. "Rebel ships have engaged our orbital defenses!"
Warden Hyren emerged from his office as explosions echoed from the corral's outer stations. His cybernetic eyes clacked while examining the skies above. "Get me the Tenacious," he ordered.
Stormtroopers were monitoring the situation from a command center when a dreadful rumbling sounded. Their very seats shook as the U-wing landed directly above them. Descending from its ramp, Bravo Team charged into position. While some Rebels kicked doors in, others were already shooting through the windows. The troopers barely had time to take up defenses as Bravo Team gunned them down. One of the officers ran for an alert system, but Kristoff sent a burst of lasers pulsing against his torso.
"We're in!" Melshi shouted as the team secured the station. "K. Find Erso."
K2-SO stomped through the carnage and found a primary terminal. Kristoff watched as the droid's hand reconfigured into a scomp link. Clicking it into the terminal, K's eyes flashed as he downloaded prison information.
Back in space, Red Three barely survived a TIE's barrage before spinning and blasting his attacker. His astromech scrambled to repair the shields while he called. "Red Leader, we can't hold them off like this much longer. Gonna have to start improvising."
"Bravo Team," Samala urged. "Give me some good news."
"We're accessing the terminal now," Melshi reported.
"We?" K2-SO scoffed. "No. I am the one accessing the terminal."
"Just hurry!" Melshi snapped.
Kristoff caught a glimpse of white in his peripherals. He swayed his rifle to the door and fired as a stormtrooper tried to flank. "Trooper down!" he warned the others.
"K!" Melshi yelled to the droid.
"Hallik, Liana." K2-SO read. "Turbotank labor transport: ID-8317. Downloading tracker."
"Let's hope you're right, Kristoff." Melshi jeered as he cleared the position. "Move it, everyone! Back in the ship, now!"
As Bravo Team loaded themselves back on to the U-wing, it was already taking fire from approaching stormtroopers. Amid the chaos of the Rebel attack, Wobani prisoners enacted a second riot. Capitalizing on the scattered Imperials, the prisoners ran rampant. Those who couldn't escape used their tools to damage the corrals and mines instead.
"Sir," Lieutenant Croy beckoned. "Shall I order the troops to fire on the prisoners?" The youth's eye twitched when Warden Hyren didn't answer. Instead, he continued to lean from the balcony and watch the madness ensue. He cared not for Croy's words. In fact, he was already tuning out her feeble attempts to defend the prison. All Hyren chose to do was observe the overwhelming riot.
Despite the once-isolated battles now catching fire, many transports were still unaware of the situation. Turbotank 8317 continued rolling its way to the next doonium deposit. All while the Rebel U-wing loomed overhead.
The troopers aboard were exhausted from vigilance and enforcement. Wobani's muck clustered in the corners of their visors and filtration units. The pale armor they'd prided so much in training was now a loose-fitting assortment of filth. Still, these tired Imperials kept watch over the prisoners in their turbotank.
No matter her imprisonment, Jyn Erso was always scanning her environments. Her blue gaze pierced through her dirtied visage as she examined her fellow passengers. She eyed the seated stormtroopers and contemplated if she could overpower them. Her eyes listed to an excavation tool clamped to the nearby wall. Unwilling to make herself look too suspicious, Jyn brought her head back down. For as much as she wanted to break free, she had to face the reality of her situation. An entire lower row of prisoners were just as stuck as she was.
A sudden pulse sounded outside and the turbotank came to a halt. Everyone's shackles jingled from such an abrupt stop and one of the stormtroopers rose up. "What now?' the Imperial groused.
"I don't know," a second trooper snarked. "Must be another pickup."
"I thought we had everybody?" the first questioned as the rear latch suddenly clicked. By the time the trooper turned to investigate, a breaching charge was already detonating.
"Breach!" Melshi commanded as his soldiers rushed in. "Captain Bjorg, take the bottom level!" They fired immediately, sending lasers through the smoke and into the guarding troopers. Prisoners panicked, rustling in their chains while Rebels stormed the turbotank. Melshi took point once his troops cleared the level. "Hallik!" he shouted. "Liana Hallik!"
Jyn's eyes lit up, yet her brows furrowed with intrigue. "Her," a Rebel pointed out as Melshi advanced.
Melshi observed the wide-eyed Jyn. "You wanna get out of here?" he asked as she raised her cuffed hands. One of the Rebels tossed Melshi an access key from a downed trooper. He started to override her cuffs when a voice brayed from behind them.
"Hey!" one of the prisoners pleaded and thrust his hands forward. "What about me?"
All it would take was a side glance from Melshi for Jyn to spring into action. Rising from her seat, Jyn delivered a swift kick to Melshi's gut. As he fell over, his access key plummeted to the lower level. Jyn moved on the other Rebels. Gear clinked and scraped in such an enclosed space as Jyn punched another man down. A third moved to restrain her, but she unlatched the mining tool. Swinging it across his face, she spun to grant a similar fate to the final soldier.
Hearing the brawl upstairs, Kristoff halted his team. "Sergeant?" he called. "What's going on up-" As he spoke, two stormtroopers rushed from the driver's compartment. "Everybody duck!" he warned the prisoners and shot across the turbotank. Lasers richoted off the support beams and several struck inmates. With a second volley, the final troopers fell dead. "Clear!" Kristoff shouted. "Sergeant, status report-"
"Kristoff?" a timid voice called beyond the simmering fight. He was swift to investigate from the moment he heard a translating vocoder. An Ithorian was shackled among the prisoners, using any part of his arms to shield a child.
"Beni!" Kristoff shouted impulsively. "Tooka!"
"It's him!" the Twi'lek cheered. "It's really him!"
Kristoff froze up, remembering his orders. Unwilling to condemn his fellow survivors any longer, Kristoff aimed at their cuffs. "Hold still," he warned.
"But captain," one of his soldiers hesitated. "We're only here for Erso."
Kristoff didn't waste another instant and blasted Beni's cuffs off. He did the same for Tooka, and was worried when she screamed. "These two are coming with us," Kristoff insisted and stared his soldiers down. "That's an order." Knowing he'd face a consequence apart from them, the soldiers obliged.
"Erso is secured," Melshi finally called in. "I repeat, Erso is secured."
While the team departed, a prisoner's boots inched their way to the fallen access key. After snagging them between heels, the inmate raised their legs to unlock their cuffs.
Tooka clung to Kristoff's leg while Beni patted his back. "I knew you'd come back!" Tooka rejoiced. "I just knew you would!"
When the teams regrouped outside, Kristoff saw K2-SO pinning a woman to the ground. Jyn Erso felt a rising numbness across her limbs. Still catching her breath, she stared up at the reprogrammed droid. "Red Flight," Melshi called. "Sit rep?"
"They're everywhere!" Samala warned. "I clock two more TIE squadrons. We're gonna have to lose them in the asteroid belt. Meet us at these coordinates."
While Melshi prepared to load Bravo Team, Kristoff noticed a wave of stormtroopers rushing in along the flats. "Incoming!" he warned as the team opened fire. While another shootout broke loose, the U-wing spun to load Rebels.
Melshi got himself pinned while ushering troops aboard. A laser darted overhead and killed one of the troopers targeting him. He turned to glimpse his savior as the prisoner stepped out. Clutching a recovered E-11, the inmate remained steadfast. Grateful but pressed for time, Melshi motioned to the escapee. "We're leaving," he said. "Join us!"
With the U-wing packed in its disorderly hold, the pilot finally took off. Watching the vessel escape, Warden Hyren stepped away from the tower's railing. Lieutenant Croy stared him down with frantic and desperate eyes. Gone was any desire for equality or order. She was a fresh cadet again, exasperated for the warden to do anything.
Realizing the base had been penetrated, Hyren contemplated his life's worth. The warden had been able to barely maintain the facility only because it churned out results. With the mines ablaze and more prisoners rioting, Hyren thought over who had escaped. By allowing one Rebel to slip through his fingers, he'd open the door to a larger Rebellion. Hyren couldn't even fathom High Command's punishment for his failure. "The animals won," he decreed.
"What?" Croy blurted, trying to catch her breath.
Hyren's scarlet eyes examined the overflowing amount of alerts on the tower's computer. "The animals will always win. They'll chase their freedoms to a honeyed anthem. And when they burn in their own cinders, only then will they weep for order. They'll beg for the cages and iron fists again. But that's for me to know...and for the animals to find out." Croy's eyes widened as Hyren raised an officer's pistol to his head.
"No!" Croy hopelessly thrust a hand to Hyren as he pulled the trigger. Standing in shock, solitude, and destruction...Croy suffered a full-fledged nervous breakdown.
"Red Leader!" Melshi reported in. "We're leaving the atmosphere now."
"I have a visual," Samala answered while peering from her cockpit. She barrel-rolled to avoid the attacking TIEs.
"We can't get through the asteroid field!" the Rodian warned.
"Hold on, Vigilant." Samala assured. "My squad will get that Star Destroyer off of-" Her eyes widened as the warship's turbolasers breached the Vigilant's shields. With another barrage, the Corellian Corvette exploded and silenced those aboard. "Vigilant!" Samala called into he aether. "Corvette is down. All units retreat! Use the asteroid field to screen your jumps!"
"Roger that," Jory babbled while evading a TIE. His X-wing's foils locked up as he blasted into hyperspace. Samala kept weaving, making sure all of her pilots made the jump before she did her own. With her X-wings darting off, Samala watched as Melshi's U-wing did the same.
"This is Red Leader to base," she called in. "Prisoner is secured and enroute."
Lightyears away on Yavin IV, General Draven applauded alongside his intelligence team. Samala's "Prisoner is secured" was music to his ears. Mon Mothma bowed her head to Bail, hoping their stunt was worth the losses.
As Bravo Team soared through hyperspace, they took time to catch their breaths. Jyn was kept under K2-SO's watch as Melshi said, "Let's hope you're worth all of this trouble."
Jyn sneered at him and turned her attention to Kristoff. While the captain tried to hang his head, he was soon overwhelmed by Little Tooka. "Liana!" she cheered. "They saved you too!" While Jyn tried to stop getting attention, Melshi suddenly asked about Tooka.
"Where's the kid from?" he asked as Beni stepped in front of her.
While Ithorian meant well, his gesture put Bravo Team on high alert. "We were prisoners together," Kristoff stood up for them both. "While I acknowledge that Erso was our mission, I couldn't leave them behind. And I'll take any consequence that comes for it."
Melshi shook his head while looking over Tooka and Beni. "At ease, Captain Bjorn," he said. "Our mission was a success and for these two, it was their one way out."
"Thank you sir," Kristoff sighed.
"I also recruited another soldier for us." As Melshi gestured to the other side of the ship, Kristoff's blood already ran cold. "She was a good shot, and the Rebellion needs as many fighters as it can get."
Melshi's continued conversation was a muffled blur over Kristoff's thunderous heartbeat. Wounded, scarred, but still bulky by all means...the leader of the Rancors nodded to him. "Hey Blondie," Lyn Ferix greeted as Tooka gasped. "For the Rebellion, right?"
Traveling to Ilum brought forth a chill colder than the planet itself. Darting through abandoned hyperspace routes took longer, and only increased the passengers' sense of isolation. By the time the icy world was visible, its desolate tundra was a welcomed sight.
"Initiating orbital scan," Ezzie said. "Standby and prepare to enter the atmosphere." Tiana's eyes were wide with curiosity as she observed Ilum. Elsa compared her wonder to what she'd felt as a youngling. Meanwhile, the planet's surface only troubled Anna. As a child, her gathering had been an easy triumph. But during the Clone Wars, Master Mattias had taken her alongside the Deathchasers. When Anna looked at Ilum, she didn't just feel their memories...She thought on her losses. Tautly gripping the kyber necklace, Anna strived for the same redemption she'd found all those years ago.
Years of abandonment couldn't hide the path to the crystal caverns from a Jedi. Since younglinghood, all Jedi were taught to find their way to one of the Order's most sacred sites. And no matter how much the planet had changed, its mountain ranges withstood the test of time. Using their jagged peaks as guides, Elsa directed Ezzie to the caverns. But as they neared their destination, those aboard glimpsed a daunting sight. Metallic compounds protruded from the ground, many of which had been overtaken by ice. Ilum was supposed to be uninhabited, yet it was only a matter of time before the Imperial cog made itself visible.
Anna shook her head in dismay, realizing that Ryx had always been right. No matter where any of them traveled, the Empire would spread its influence. It was a relentless disease, tainting the galaxy unless enough people rose to stop it. Lucky for the group, any visible installations seemed abandoned. Still, they chose to approach with caution.
The temple's massive gates still stood tall, even if they were flanked by Imperial equipment. "I've got some extra coats in the back," Ezzie said while observing the gates. "Stay on comms." Elsa rummaged through Ezzie's collection of clothes. She raised a brow over a rather revealing, scarlet dress. "Hey!" Ezzie snapped. "That's for undercover missions." Elsa was quick to set the dress down and continue grabbing coats. While she passed a pine green one to Anna, she handed a dark red coat to Tiana. Elsa was limited to a black jacket with a silver trim. "Try not to keep me waiting too long," Ezzie warned. "This place creeps me out."
Disembarking from the U-wing, Elsa led the way to the temple gates. "For over a thousand generations, young Jedi made a pilgrimage to these sacred grounds."
Tiana hugged herself to resist Ilum's winds. "I thought you said this path wouldn't be connected to the Empire or the Alliance."
"The Jedi are not linked to either faction," Elsa explained. "You've been questioning the Force and your purpose in all of this. If the Force truly is with you, your path will become clear in the temple."
The trio found comfort from the winds as they slid through the cracked gates. "Not to sound like a grandma-" Anna jested. "But back in our day, you had to use the Force to open the temple."
"That was a very grandma thing to say," Ezzie quipped over comms.
"Kriff you," Anna teased while Elsa surveyed the temple's interior. Cracked and dented stormtrooper helmets were buried in the snow. A severed probe droid could be seen wedged into the icy walls.
"Well look at that," Elsa noted and observed the reflective light fixtures above. "Someone's already placed them."
"The Empire?" Tiana worried.
"Only one attuned to the Force could lock those into place," Elsa sighed. A reassured smile reached her as she thought on other survivors. "We aren't the first to make this journey, and we won't be the last."
A sudden cacophony of metals had Elsa and Tiana spinning in alarm. Anna had taken a seat upon a snow mound. Emptying salvaged components from the Rebel base, she stared inquisitively at each. "I've made this venture already," Anna insisted. "Plus I already have a crystal." She brandished the glistening kyber in her hand and returned to her pieces. "You go. I'll be building."
"I guess it's down to us now," Tiana jested to Elsa.
"Not us," her guide answered. "You." Tiana's eyes widened, and darted between the inner caverns and Elsa. "Only you may find your path here. No one can forge it for you."
"You can't even walk with me?" Tiana questioned as Elsa shook her head. "What if the Empire set a trap?"
"Any Imperial presence is long gone," Elsa assured. "This is how it must be, Tiana. Trust yourself."
"I do trust myself," Tiana asserted. "I don't trust this cave."
"Then trust yourself to handle anything you encounter in the cave," Elsa retorted.
Tiana glowered, realizing there was no getting around the trek. She gulped and focused on the shadowy cavern ahead. "Okay," she whispered. "Here goes nothing." The snow crunched beneath her boots as she slowly entered the cave. As the darkness claimed her, it wasn't long before her footsteps faded to nothing.
In spite of her stoicism, Elsa couldn't shake her worries. While she was still coming to know Tiana, she felt responsible for the teen. And letting a youngling go somewhere alone brought back bitter memories. "Hey," Anna tried to snap Elsa out of it. "She's gonna be fine." Elsa wanted to believe her sister. But then again, Anna was the one who'd encouraged her to leave another on his own. Elsa bit her lip as she nervously stared into the cave. Part of her hoped the Force would guide Tiana sooner, and she'd be back with her crystal at any moment. Any ruminating was cut short as a scream emerged.
Elsa gasped as Tiana's bloodcurdling voice brayed from the darkness. "Tiana!" she yelled back.
"Kriff, Elsa!" Anna shuddered. "What are you going on about?"
"Didn't you hear that?" Elsa panicked. "She-" Tiana's scream returned, this time so loudly that Elsa had to clasp her ears. It was as if she was screaming within Elsa's skull, and she was unable to free herself from it. "Force forgive me," she winced. "Tiana, I'm coming!" Acting on her fears, Elsa bolted into the cave.
"What the hell are you doing?" Anna shouted to no avail.
Elsa slid and tumbled through the dark. "Tiana!" she cried out as another scream sounded. Elsa desperately tried to adjust her eyes, and ultimately spotted a red-hued tunnel further down. Tiana's agonizing yells echoed from it as Elsa darted in. As she delved further into the tunnel, Tiana's screams lessened. They were instead replaced by a vicious buzzing that made the tunnel redden further. Elsa turned a corner and all redness drained from the cave. Instead it pulsed from a single lightsaber...as Hans drove it through Tiana.
"No!" Elsa shouted, draining her breath.
There was no remorse in Hans' yellow eyes. He took a moment to glance at the horrified Elsa. A heinous smirk crept across his lips as he said, "Should've gone with her." With a furious swish, he withdrew his saber and Tiana's body fell. Elsa's legs felt like duracrete blocks. She couldn't bring herself to budge while staring at Tiana's corpse. An azure glow rose beside Hans' saber. This blue blade traveled along the wall, mirroring the Inquisitor. As Hans stepped towards her, a reflection of Anakin Skywalker matched his stride. Tiana's body also reflected against the ice...as Stel's.
Unprepared to see the Theelin again, Elsa started choking. Her lost Padawan...dead from her own neglect. Now Tiana had met the same fate.
"Wait," Elsa snapped at herself while observing the reflections. "This isn't real." She rigorously scrubbed her glassy eyes and spoke up even louder. "This isn't real!"
"You sure about that?" Hans chuckled and stepped closer.
"My Padawan isn't dead," Elsa countered. "She's going to pull through!" She found her final words echoing through an empty chamber. Gone was Hans' apparition and any bodies along with it. And while Elsa felt relieved, a sudden realization took hold. Bringing her hands to her mouth, Elsa came to terms with her impulsive words. She had called Tiana her Padawan.
"I must be kriffing crazy," Anna muttered while stepping into the cave. "Elsa!" she hollered. "There wasn't any screaming! You were probably having a temple vision." Anna paused. "Wait. Am I having a temple vision? Did Elsa even run into the cave or did I hallucinate that too? I really hate the Force sometimes."
"Perhaps some things never change," a voice called to Anna. Just hearing its deep tone was enough to have her gasping.
A silver glow emanated from behind her, and cast a distinct shadow against the cave walls. Anna clasped her hands together and slowly turned with widened, tearful eyes. Before her stood an ethereal figure. The likes of which had her dropping to her knees in both fright and awe. "Master Mattias," she barely uttered.
Her master approached. While he appeared ethereal in essence, he looked healthy in appearance. His beard was neatly trimmed, just as it had been in the days of the Republic. "Anna," he said with a smile.
"Banthashit," she stammered. "This is just a stupid vision."
"Not this time," Mattias corrected and knelt at her level. "You've found yourself more times than any vision would warrant. I'm really here, in this sacred place." Anna reached out to the apparition in disbelief, all while he continued. "I'm sorry I couldn't always be there for you."
"Stop," Anna sniffled. Her nose grew stuffy as she held back tears. But as the words flowed from her mouth, so too did those tears emerge. "Mattias, I'm sorry. If I hadn't been high I could've saved you. I-"
"Anna," Mattias spoke calmly. His whispy arms drifted around her for a ghostly embrace. "I know you carry this guilt. But I am one with the Force now, and there is no pain in my heart. I'm so proud of you." Anna hadn't heard his guiding words in far too long. She bowed her head as he said, "How you've saved yourself and countless others. No matter how lost you feel, you'll always find your way home."
"How are you here?" Anna croaked. "How is this possible?"
"The Force transcends life and death," Mattias explained. "For those who follow the path of Light, their souls are preserved through the Force. And in a place as sacred as this, we can emerge to those willing to see."
"I'm gonna pretend that makes sense," Anna remarked as Mattias laughed.
"I'm glad you still have your sense of humor," he answered.
"I miss you," Anna lamented. "You and the Deathchasers. Blazer...Sparx...Speedy. Sometimes I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting."
"That's entirely up to you," Mattias said. Anna peered down at her kyber necklace. "A new one?" he teased.
"From Kristoff."
Mattias raised a brow. "There was always something special about that man. I wish I could've been more open to his words. He means well, Anna. Trust him."
"I do," Anna reminisced. "People like him and Elsa keep me going. And it's for them that I'll keep fighting."
"Then go," Mattias urged and pointed at her crystal. "Light your new path."
Anna smiled softly. "I really wish you were still here, master."
His glowing hand wiped her tear as she leaned into his palm. "I never left," he answered with the utmost confidence. His body brightened until he materialized into a light source. As Anna stepped towards it, she discovered an opening leading to the temple's entrance. With an unwavering grin on her face, Anna exited and returned to building her lightsaber.
"Anna?" Ezzie called. "Anna! You alright in there?"
"Yeah," she answered. "Never better actually."
Tiana followed a shimmering glow as it pulsed throughout the caverns. Unsure of what it was, she saw it as a guide and stepped lively. But as she reached the next chamber, she found nothing but emptiness. The mysterious pulse faded into a cold vacuum as Tiana stamped frustratedly. "This is pointless," she huffed. "Hello?" she called out. "Magical Jedi cave? What do you want?" Tiana pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm talking to a cave. I'm going crazy."
"Tiana," a bold voice echoed from the unknown. She rapidly spun to meet it, yet found herself staring into more nothingness. "Babycakes."
Tiana's eyes widened as her lips uttered, "Daddy?"
A great mist came upon the chamber, blanketing the ground while snowmounds rose above. These copious heaps only grew in number, and black eye slits formed against their faces. Tiana shuddered, realizing the snowy towers had become a legion of stormtroopers. Before them stood her mother, taken by grief and age. Her father was beside her, as youthful as he'd been before his death.
"Mama?" Tiana beckoned. "How can this be? It can't. This is some kind of hallucination. The mist must be reading my memories or...or something!"
Semaj shook his head. "You don't believe?" he questioned.
"What does she actually believe in?" her mother added before the couple walked away.
"Wait!" Tiana yelled and gave chase. "Please come back! Show me the way!" She shuffled herself between the rising rows of stormtroopers while her parents disappeared behind them. "Show me what to believe in! Help me!"
Her parents stopped and sent sorrowful glances her way. Suddenly, their bodies sank into the floor as more stormtroopers emerged. "Stop!" Tiana pleaded. "Don't leave me again! Please!"
In that instant, a burst of sound had Tiana covering her ears. It was as if thousands of voices had screamed out in agony all at once. The stormtroopers collapsed in unison. Their snowy figures reformed into corpses littering the ground. Where Tiana thought she saw blood, she actually saw the bold red patch of the Rebel Alliance. Rebel soldiers of various ages lay piled atop one another, all at the boots of an ISB agent. Though bruised and scraped from her fall, Agent Byra was vigorously alive. Her eyes were nothing more than shadowy cavities.
"Would you die for them?" Byra asked, her insidious voice echoing throughout the cave. Her thin, boney brows twitched when Tiana didn't respond. "I said-" Byra continued. "WOULD YOU DIE FOR THEM?" Her voice was a savage and splitting screech. It reverberated thrice fold and had Tiana flinching. "Would you die for them?" she shouted.
"I-" Tiana shuddered as her eyes frantically scoured the ground. The longer she looked, the more she saw. Imperial defectors, civilian sympathizers, and even cloaked Jedi lay dead.
"Would you die for them?!" Byra roared again. Tiana's eyes widened when she saw Elsa's body atop the pile. Gone was all emotion from her listless, faded eyes. "WOULD YOU DIE FOR THEM-"
"YES!" Tiana boomed into the darkness, straining her voice in the process. With her shout came a tremendous shockwave that vanquished all apparitions. The chamber's ensuing silence was deafening as Tiana stepped about the empty space. As she came to terms with the bizarre phenomenon, a brief shimmer caught her eye. Tiana peered down, and observed a cyan glow pulsing from a layer of snow. Curious, she leaned down to investigate. As Tiana swept away the uppermost layer, her fingers grazed a solid fragment. Raising her brows, Tiana dug for it until the feeling reached her again. Plucking the sturdy object from its entrapment, Tiana felt a sudden pull in her palm. The sensation was neither aggressive nor defensive. Instead, it was kind and inviting. Like a new friend welcoming someone on a trip. Tiana rolled the object in her hand, and observed a bright blue kyber crystal.
While Elsa had surpassed the temple's wiles, she still found herself lost in its tunnels. The 'main path' back now split into a grandiose chasm. Elsa was light on her feet and shimmied through the blackness. Her hair pressed against the ice wall, and her reflection darkened with each step. As Elsa neared the end of the chasm, she suddenly heard raspy breathing from the shadows. She paused and examined her surroundings. But while she raised her head to observe the cave ceiling, her reflection didn't match. Instead, the back of her head slowly rotated, and her reflection's hands reached through the ice. By the time Elsa felt the grip on her shoulders, the anomaly had shoved her into the chasm.
Wind whistled against her ears as she gasped in terror. A chilling submersion took hold as Elsa landed in a pit of snow. Looking up from her fall, a distinct silhouette caught her eye. As she noticed its similar frame to hers, Elsa dared to call out. "I'm not afraid!"
No taunting followed her declaration. No ghastly chuckle nor devilish grin. Only a pair of sinister, yellow eyes glared down at her. "You should be," the entity spoke in a distorted tone mimicking Elsa's. Its double-bladed, red lightsaber ignited and illuminated a pale visage. Elsa saw herself, sickly and corrupted by the Dark Side. Adorned in Inquisitor armor, this essence of evil sprung to attack.
Elsa rolled to evade while her Inquisitor persona scorched the snow upon landing. Staring herself down, Elsa didn't yield. Instead, she stood tall and said, "You are nothing more than an illusion. Go back to the shadows and-"
The apparition jabbed its saber forward and prodded Elsa's shoulder. She yelped with pain as a sizzling wound emerged from her burnt robe. Elsa's eyes widened in shock and she looked at the Inquisitor in disbelief. "Still think this is an illusion?" the reflection growled and swung again. Elsa could only evade for so long and instead activated her saber. Despite her double-bladed weapon's powerful blue aura, the cave only reddened under the Inquisitor's blade. The foe struck again and locked blades with Elsa. "Fight me, you coward!"
Her reflection was far more agile than she was. Once their sabers separated, it traveled along the walls as a two-dimensional sight. Once behind Elsa, the three-dimensional horror leapt out. Elsa ducked under her enemy's blade and countered with a Force push. To her astonishment, the reflection amplified her intensity and Force-pushed her back. "Pathetic," the Inquisitor spat. "The Force has abandoned you." Elsa leapt from her counterpart's lunge, still the entity doubled her ferocity. Their sabers met twice more, Elsa remaining on the defensive. "You still fear taking life," her enemy snarled. "Yet you've done it before."
"Stop it!" Elsa fired back as the foe smirked.
Having finally touched a nerve, the reflection doubled down. "You couldn't save Frost," she jeered and swung at Elsa. With the impact came a swelling of tears in Elsa's eyes. "You couldn't save Yelena..." Blue and red plasma buzzed against one another as the Inquisitor pressed down. "You couldn't even save hopeless little Stel." Elsa's heart raced betwixt the hateful words. And as such pain festered within, Elsa made her realization. "People tend to die on your watch," the Inquisitor cackled as Elsa suddenly jumped up. Pressing her hands together, Elsa quickly split them and unleaded a Force repulse. This burst of energy caught her reflection off guard, and disarmed her. The being's yellow eyes flared up as Elsa moved in. Instead of attacking, however, Elsa deactivated her lightsaber.
To the Inquisitor's shock, Elsa lunged forward and pulled her into a hug. Her grip was firm, holding her reflection's back with one hand and clasping her head in the other. The Inquisitor snarled in retaliation and punched at Elsa's torso.
"I cannot destroy you," Elsa spoke through the pain. "Because you are me." The reflection punched again, this time howling like a madwoman. "Stel," Elsa winced. "Yelena...Frost. So many are gone from our lives, but it's a truth we must face. Death is inevitable." The Inquisitor's punches lessened in intensity. Her growls transitioned into irritated whimpers. "And I know the grief and regret hurt, but it's all very real. And it is not my fault to torture myself with." The Inquisitor wailed once more, this time adding an exasperated flurry of slaps against Elsa's body.
"Fight me!" it roared. "Fight me!"
"No!" Elsa scolded her reflection as a parent would their child. "I know it hurts," she declared. "And it will go on hurting for as long as it needs to. But we will not fight this any longer." Elsa tightened her embrace. "I will hold you for as long as you need, but we...I am stepping forward." As Elsa squeezed, she suddenly found herself out of the pit and quite literally...hugging herself. Her body was free of all injuries as if they'd never happened. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she followed a welcoming glow to the mouth of the cave. Each step helped her feel lighter, and Elsa gently smiled on her way out.
"There you are," Anna jested beside Tiana. "Find what you were looking for?"
Elsa glanced back at the cave and hugged herself again. "Yes...Yes I did."
"I think I did too," Tiana professed and held up her kyber crystal. "What does it mean?"
"It means the Force has shown you the way," Elsa explained. Both she and Tiana flinched as Anna activated her newly-constructed lightsaber. Salvaged pieces were bound together to create a unique, black hilt. Its emitter buzzed as a glorious, golden light pulsed upward. Powered by Kristoff's kyber, Anna basked in the yellow lightsaber's glow.
"Thanks Kristoff," Anna whispered under her breath.
"But this choice still has to be yours, Tiana." Elsa continued. "The Force can only guide, never enact. So-" Elsa chuckled at the simplicity of it all. "What do you say, Tiana? Are you ready to walk the Path of the Jedi?"
Tiana peered down at the crystal at her fingertips. She glanced at Anna, whose inviting smile glowed under the new saber's light. With a deep breath, Tiana nodded to Elsa. Her gaze fell back to the crystal as she said, "I'm ready."
THE FROZEN FORCE BEHIND THE SCREENS TRIVIA
1. Pop culture reference: When Ezzie checks to see if anyone else wants to go on a "Life-changing field trip with Ezzie" this a nod to Toph's line from "Avatar: The Last Airbender." In the show, Toph claims that everyone except her has had a "life-changing field trip with Zuko."
2. Fanfic: Admiral Taka first appeared as a member of the Republic Navy in Season 1 - Chapter: 21 "Pieces in Motion." This is the first time we've seen her since Season 4.
3. Video Game reference: The space battle over Wobani is directly based on the Rogue One VR experience from "Star Wars Battlefront" (2015). During the mission, players take control of an X-wing pilot in Samala's Red Flight Squadron. Your objective is to defend Extraction Team Bravo as they make their escape.
4. Film reference: With Jyn's rescue, this is the first time since the Season 4 finale that we've seen movie events directly in the story.
5. Actor reference: Jyn is located in labor transpor "8317." This is a reference to her actress, Felicity Jones' birthday: October 17, 1983.
6. Show reference: Melshi is no stranger to liberating prisons. When he tells his rescuer "We're leaving. Join us!" this quote is a direct reference to what he told Narkina 5 prisoners in Andor Season 1 Episode 10 "One Way Out"(2022). He makes another nod to the episode when he refers to Beni and Tooka's escape as their "One way out." This episode and its popular phrase mean a lot to me. The words "One Way Out" are tattooed in Aurebesh on my back.
7. Disney parks reference: Lieutenant Croy shares her name with Lieutenant Harman Croy, a First Order officer from Disney's now-closed Galactic Starcruiser: The Halcyon. Maintaining canon, it appears the Croys continue to serve evil regimes for years to come. While Lieutenant Croy seems to have lost her mind on Wobani, Warden Hyren's philosophies on oppressive order will live on in her actions...and inspire her son, Harman to join the First Order someday.
8. Disney film reference: While grabbing coats, Elsa finds a red dress that Ezzie uses for undercover work. This is a nod to Esmeralda's outfit from the Festival of Fools in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996).
9. Symbolism: Each chosen coat is color-coded to what the characters experience on Ilum. Anna has a deep green to represent getting back to her roots. Elsa wears black, as she is in mourning. Tiana's is a deep red, representing suppressed anger and Imperial blood.
10. Video Game reference: Elsa points out that a Force-sensitive person has already opened the temple. This is a reference to Cal Kestis from "Jedi: Fallen Order" (2019). In the game, Cal ventures to Ilum after his lightsaber is destroyed on Dathomir. He reopens the temple, finds a new crystal, and uses his new saber to defeat the scouting Imperials.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter! I'll see you next Friday, December 27th, for the last installment in 2024! Chapter: 148 - "I Lived."
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,
~ Sparks