Author's Note:
Dearest readers, thank you so much for tuning in this week! As the season nears its end, I just want to say thank you for sticking this one out. Season 5 in particular is darker than its predescessors. I aim to teach lessons and inspire through this story. And the biggest takeaway I was hoping to reach is that it's never too late to find hope again. Even if it's not the same, it can be a new form entirely. Things were rough for our heroes at first, but they finally reunited. It is my belief that no matter what, hope will always come to those willing to fight for it in their lives. Enjoy today's chapter!
Sincerely,
~ Sparks
ADVISORY: The following chapter contains sensitive material relating to: Violence and torture. Remember to practice self care before, during, and after reading.
Chapter: 146 - The Alliance
- ACCESSING IMPERIAL NETWORK -
IHC: Imperial High Command to Thand Sector Destroyer.
Norrington: This is Admiral Norrington of Star Destroyer Dauntless. Proceed.
IHC: Situation report: Ring of Kafrene.
Norrington: I have boots on the ground. The colony is under lockdown. Although I fear we've arrived too late.
IHC: Explanation.
Norrington: One insurgent is dead, but not by our hands. No sign of the killer.
IHC: And the informant's identity?
Norrington: We've turned things over to the ISB for investigation.
IHC: Follow up immediately. Linking transmissions with Colonel Yularen.
Yularen: I read you, High Command.
IHC: Progress report on the Ring of Kafrene murder.
Yularen: Tough case. The victim is a nobody. Facial recognition puts him at the scene of several rebel operations. The insurgent goes by Tivik.
IHC: And the killer?
Yularen: My agents are working to trace links, but we're hitting dead ends.
IHC: Progress colonel. Progress now.
Yularen: ... ... ... Prior reports detail involvement with the Partisans, a rebel cell led by Saw Gerrera. Given that the terrorist leader was last seen on Jedha, we might have a connection to our defected pilot. Of which we are working to recapture.
IHC: As for the murder, could it have been wrong place wrong time?
Yularen: It's never that simple with rebel scum. Given the circumstances, it is possible that this Tivik possessed information from Jedha. Be it about the pilot or Gererra, whatever he learned was his purpose for coming to Kafrene. I'd say his contact is precisely the person to kill him.
IHC: Elaborate.
Yularen: Two stormtroopers were found dead at the scene. Initial investigators presumed Tivik had shot them. However, Tivik's right arm was broken. And footage from previous rebel engagements show him firing a blaster with that same hand. I refuse to believe this injured filth was able to down two of the Empire's finest. Whatever information he passed on, is clearly vital to the Rebellion. Vital enough to have him killed once it was obtained.
A chilling seabreeze struck the obelisk that was Fortress Inquisitorius. As TIE fighters patrolled the installation overhead, stormtroopers patrolled its maze of corridors. Amid the mundane assortment of cold pathways, a series of wails echoed from one of the containment units. Shadows filled the room as a silhouette brought its fist sailing down again. With the next punch came a spurt of blood. The likes of which trickled against a pair of cracked flight goggles. The scruffy deathstick smuggler knew not where he was nor who had taken him. All he knew, was that he couldn't handle much more.
"Please," he begged through swollen lips as his attacker struck again. The next blow was heavy enough to send the restraining chair toppling over. The black-armored captor rose from such a punch. He brushed back his auburn hair, caring little for the bloodstains on his glove. Despite such a vicious act, Hans remained unfazed. "Where did she go after Nar Shaddaa?" he asked.
"I don't know," the pilot could barely wheeze out the words. "Please I don't know-"
"Banthashit," Hans spoke calmly and knelt before his victim. Simply getting closer was enough to have the prisoner flinching. "There haven't been any other reports from our spies on Avinaria. You were seen leaving a bar with Anna Dellian on Nar Shaddaa. It was you who took her to Avinaria wasn't it?" When the smuggler didn't answer, Hans picked him up by the hair. The man's wrists burned as he was pulled up against his restraints. "You took her offworld. Where are you hiding her?"
The prisoner coughed up blood and tried to maintain a stare through his black eyes. Tears fled his enflamed eyelids as he wallowed out a confession. "I don't-" he could hardly speak between gurgling breaths. "She was on my ship. She robbed me in my own bed after we-"
Hans' reflexes were surreal. He unclipped his lightsaber and pressed it to the man's throat. Ferocity filled his yellow eyes as he pushed the emitter deeper into his skin. Hans' nostrils flared with his shortened, angered breaths. His hatred for the prisoner only grew as he imagined the spacer kissing Anna. His heart raced as he visualized this stranger being with her in a bed. Passionately claiming what was Hans' and only Hans'. For the Inquisitor, the thought was sickening. Anna was his. He was the only reason she'd ever even broken the Jedi Code. She belonged to him. Her body...his to have and no one else's to defile from him. There was a manic look in Hans' stare as he activated the lightsaber. He kept glaring, watching the prisoner's throat burn away under the scarlet saberlight.
The chamber doors hissed open and Hans was quick to deactivate. Namaari's silhouette emerged while Hans had already sensed her. "You know-" she began. "We can't extract information from dead prisoners."
"He had nothing to give," Hans murmured and shoved the corpse with his boot. "Another dead end."
"It's time to move on from this," Namaari answered while observing his kill.
"And let Anna jumpstart another rebellion? Kill another Inquisitor after Gav? Our entire purpose is to kill Jedi. I'm not letting her get away with-"
"Hans," Namaari asserted. There was ice in her tone. "I'm not asking. We've been given a new assignment."
Hans relaxed his shoulders and straightened his posture. Realizing he couldn't rage his way out of direct orders, he begrudgingly followed Namaari down the fortress corridors. As the months had rolled by, staffing at the facility had shifted. Elite officers and their battalions were being reassigned to shut down insurrections. If one didn't know any better, it felt as though the fortress was practically unguarded. In reality, the Inquisitors had become less of a presence in the Empire's ranks. With the amount of Jedi to hunt dwindling, Hans and Namaari were eager to get a new mission.
As the duo entered the briefing chamber, they found an obsidian holoprojector resting on a long table. Namaari activated it and swiftly knelt. Seeing his partner drop to her knee, Hans soon realized the only person who could command such a greeting. The projection powered up as he knelt beside her. And as a helmet flickered into view, those terrible breaths permeated the speakers.
Even though their master was miles away, Hans could feel the coldness of the Dark Side. His legs quivered, recalling when Vader slashed his feet off. And while cybernetics had long since replaced them, the pain remained all the same.
"Lord Vader," Namaari spoke his name. "What is thy bidding?"
Hans remained silent. He slowly raised his head as their mysterious master briefed them. "There has been a breach," Vader decreed. "Imperial forces are scrambling to control it, but Inquisitorius will succeed where they have failed. It is believed that the rebels have stolen information pertaining to one of our weapons. You are to locate and capture the Imperial defector, Bodhi Rook." A secondary hologram of Bodhi's face began to rotate beneath Vader. "Use all and any means to retrieve the pilot. Start in the Ring of Kafrene, where troops last made contact with a rebel informant. Do not fail me."
"It will be done," Namaari replied while Hans kept glaring. He watched the hologram until it finally powered down. Only then did he speak his mind as they rose up.
"Now we're chasing strays? This is a job for local security, not Inquisitors. And what kind of weapon would be that kriffing important?"
"If it matters to Lord Vader, it matters to us," Namaari snarked. "Besides, if you're right and Anna is jumpstarting another rebellion...she might be behind this scheme."
Hans raised a sinister brow. His pace quickened as a daunting eagerness took hold. Focusing intently on Namaari's words, Hans found himself reinvigorated. He deeply hoped Anna was involved, for it would bring him one step closer to her.
Kristoff's eyes were still so very heavy. His head swayed across an unknown, padded cushion. Only when a sudden jolt struck the ship did he hit his head on the back wall. Anna was a blur standing over him. Her hands cupped his face while her hoverchair bumped between jolts. "Kristoff?" she beckoned. "Kristoff! Can you hear me? Stay with us!"
Another heavy hit rang out across the shuttle as screaming could be heard from the cockpit. "Everyone hang on!" Ezzie shouted. "We're taking fire!" Kristoff grunted through his ailments and rolled across the flat bed. He knew not where he was nor what was happening, so all he could do was clutch Anna's hand.
Elsa and Tiana tumbled about, still trying to reach their seats. Meanwhile, Ezzie took evasive action and diverted all power to shields. Saving Kristoff had brought momentary comfort to the group. But it was only a matter of time before a search party from Wobani was hot on their tails. The TIE fighter squadron was relentless, firing in waves before resetting for another attack run. Green lasers bombarded the shuttle's shields as Ezzie watched for warnings on the dashboard. "No no no," she panicked and swerved through the stars.
"Can't you make the jump to lightspeed?" Elsa worried while falling into a seat.
"I'll have to convert power from the shields," Ezzie huffed. "I'd have one shot to jump."
"Take it!" Elsa hollered.
Dodging incoming lasers, Ezzie set up for open space. "Standby," she panted and hurriedly decreased the shuttle's shields. As she prepared to input new coordinates, the TIEs commenced another attack run. Their flurry of green lasers breached the shuttle's shield. Within moments, several lasers struck between the engines and alerts rang out. The shuttle's speed faltered while Ezzie tried to level out. "Oh come on!" she snapped while glaring at a flashing screen. "Hyperdrive is hit. We can't jump." As Ezzie tried to maintain control of her ship, she began diverting power to weapons. "We have no choice," she warned.
"You can't possibly fight a TIE squadron," Tiana panicked. "Especially not in a shuttle like this."
"Well it beats listing to the left like this," Ezzie snapped and powered up a strobing, blue bulb."
"What's that flashing?" Tiana asked.
"A homing beacon," Ezzie explained. "Only for emergencies and I'd say this qualifies. Let's hope the Alliance is listening. The Empire's not taking us down without a fight. Elsa!" she called and jabbed a finger at the seat beside her. "Get on the guns! I can line up a shot and-" Ezzie raised a brow when Elsa didn't advance. Memories of older times returned as she groaned. "Are you kidding me with the no kill rule? Elsa we are about to die!" Elsa's hesitant answer had Ezzie's head snapping to Tiana. "Hey kid, can you shoot?"
"I've run simulations," she answered.
"Good enough," Ezzie quipped as Tiana made her way to the co-pilot's seat. "Point and shoot. Pull the triggers and it makes bad things go away. I'll line up a shot." Ezzie banked the shuttle through a spray of lasers and then immediately cut power to the engines. The TIE squadron zoomed past them. And while the pilots reset for another attack, Ezzie had put them in Tiana's crosshairs. "Blast 'em!" she shouted.
Tiana lined up a TIE fighter with ease. Tracking its flight pattern across the stars, she listened for the targeting computer's lock-on. But as her fingers grazed the triggers, she couldn't bring herself to pull them. Sweat filled her palms as she continued to hesitate. She thought about Agent Byra's death and all the trouble it had brought her. Tiana imagined the pilots within those TIEs. She wondered if any of them were as lost and confused as she was. That perhaps they were just following orders and trying to make sense of it all. What if they were cadets on their first flight? If they-
"Not you too!" Ezzie snapped, seeing Tiana freezing at the gun. "Move," the Rovani said, fed up with them both. Stalling her craft, Ezzie slid into the co-pilot's seat. Her hands sped to the triggers as she landed a hit on one of the TIEs. Tiana watched in shock as the fighter briefly spun before exploding. The other two TIEs broke formation and forced Ezzie to take evasive action. "I hate this I hate this I hate this," she hissed through gritted teeth after jumping back to her main seat. A laser struck the ship's underside, sending Tiana stumbling into a seat.
After leveling out, Ezzie sent the ship into a hard dive and then immediately spun it again. Jumping back to the other seat, she fired and blasted the second TIE head on. While she'd eliminated another foe, Ezzie's aerobatics had brought her too close. Both she and the remaining TIE tried to weave from each other in time. But as Ezzie made a hard left, the shuttle's wing struck the TIE's cockpit. While the pilot was killed instantly, the collision had cost Ezzie a wing.
The shuttle spiraled out of control as its riders braced to chairs. Anna clutched Kristoff in the hold, even as they shook so rigorously. Ezzie could hardly see straight as she extended a trembling hand to the dashboard. With a desperate pull, she fired the emergency booster engines. The devices deployed and brought the shuttle to a level stop. As Ezzie and her companions lurched forward, they soon found themselves no better off than Kristoff had been. Their shuttle was irreparable and adrift in Imperial space. With her instincts racing, Ezzie powered the ship down entirely.
"What are you doing?" Elsa winced as she adjusted in the seat.
"If we go dark, it's our best shot at avoiding trackers."
"But how will we be found if the homing beacon is powered down-" was all Elsa could utter before Ezzie threw up a hand.
"No more questions," she huffed. "Our only hope now is that the beacon has already been received." As Ezzie sunk into her chair and squeezed the bridge of her nose, she recognized her tone. "I'm sorry. It's just that we wouldn't have been in this situation if y-...if either of you had just shot those damn TIEs." Unable to use the shuttle's comms, Ezzie hollered back from her seat. "Anna? You okay back there?"
"Fine," Anna growled while resetting her hoverchair. "Kristoff's still stable." Anna clutched his hand and leaned in. "You stay with us, you hear me? You've always been a fighter and you're not going to stop now."
"S-" Kristoff croaked. "...Sven." His listing, teary eyes finally settled on Anna as he shook his head. "I couldn't save him." Anna didn't have the words for his pain amid their collective struggle. Instead, she kept squeezing his hand and didn't leave his side.
The silence of it all proved to be more haunting than any shootout. The group sat in their chairs, clutching their armrests and trying to quell their anxieties. While Anna stayed with Kristoff, Elsa chose meditation. Tiana glared at her, wondering how someone could be so calm. And if the rescue had sealed their doom, perhaps they should have stayed safe on Crait. Ezzie was twitchy and ready for action. Her foot tapped rigorously as she kept a firm grip on her holster. As if her measly blaster would stand a chance against another Imperial search party. Still it brought her comfort betwixt the uncertainty of it all.
The group kept anticipating an enemy attack, only it never came. They wanted to let their guards down and hope the terror was over, but no one could bring themselves to. When a sudden boom thundered from the void of hyperspace, they could only brace.
By the ship's form alone, Ezzie already knew they weren't Imperial. Corellian freighters were often distinct in design. This hexagonal vessel reduced speed while Ezzie gambled their lives by powering her shuttle back up. While it took a moment to reboot the system, the freighter hovered extremely close. Once online, Ezzie noticed an alert on the comm channel. She listened in as a woman's strident voice emerged.
"Rogue shuttle," the pilot called in. "Identify yourself immediately."
"Esmeralda of the Path. My friends and I just escaped an Imperial search party. There's bound to be more if we don't leave immediately."
"Copy that," the woman answered as her ship drifted above the damaged shuttle. "Get your crew to the dorsal hatch and we'll get you onboard. Magnetizing airlocks now."
On her command, she latched on to the damaged shuttle. The survivors eased their way to the dorsal hatch, awaiting the oxygen sensors to scan a safe pathway. Green bars strobed along the hatch, indicating it was safe to disembark. The hatch opened to unveil a ladder into the freighter. Elsa climbed first while Tiana followed. Once aboard their rescuer's ship, Elsa used the Force to raise Kristoff through the hatch. Unable to take Anna's chair through, Elsa also had to lift her after Kristoff. Ezzie was the last to depart and took one final look at her dying shuttle. Once she was aboard, the ship departed and made an immediate jump to lightspeed. Once it left the sector, another Imperial search party soared through the area.
The rumble of hyperspace was a welcomed sound. While catching their breaths, Elsa and Tiana helped get Kristoff and Anna sitting upright. They pressed their backs to a wall in the hold while Ezzie went to confer with the pilot. Prior to finding any organic being...an orange domed, C1 series astromech came rolling over. "Oh not you again," Ezzie groaned as the droid mimicked her deep complaints.
"I'm coming, Chopper." a voice called out. Elsa peered up past the railings and caught glimpses of a descending Twi'lek. Orange fabric folded against her legs and connected to her buckled flightsuit. Her green lekku swished with a dissaproving shake of her head.
"General," Ezzie sighed. "I can explain."
"No need," the pilot scoffed while her droid kept badgering Ezzie. "If I ever needed a reminder as to why I disbanded you from Phoenix Squadron, your constant recklessness would suffice. Have you been missing the bulletins? The Empire is cracking down on the Mid Rim. You know how dangerous it is to take on solo missions at this time. Now what kind of trouble did you get the Path into?"
"Hey," Ezzie defended. "If it wasn't for said recklessness, we wouldn't have been able to mount a rescue in the first place. And get the Rebellion two Jedi."
The general's blue eyes widened. Ezzie's words were enough to have her stepping towards the railing. Peering down, the general took a good look at the group. "Jedi?" she inquired.
"You name it, we've got it." Ezzie jested while pointing at each person. "Jedi...Jedi...an Imperial defector-"
"Now hold it right there," Tiana retorted, yet Ezzie carried on.
"And an escapee," she concluded with Kristoff. Ezzie flashed a smug grin as if she hadn't been internally screaming for the last hour. "Not bad, huh?"
The general kept a firm glare on Ezzie. "I'm taking you all back to base for evaluation. The council will decide what to do from there." She offered a small wave to the survivors and said, "My name is Hera Syndulla. As of right now and on my orders, you are all under the protection of the Rebel Alliance. Rest easy." Hera rubbed her ship's wall as if it were alive."The Ghost has never let me down, and will keep you all safe just the same. Medpacs are located in the corridor beside the hold. Take what you need to hold you over and our medics at base will handle the rest." While Hera did end up returning to the cockpit, she couldn't help but glance back at her new passengers. The word 'Jedi' was enough to add a gleam to her hopeful eyes. And yet, a forlorn sigh came upon her. As if the memories invoked by Force-sensitives played a somber key in her heart. But ever the leader, Hera pressed on in the name of the cause.
The flight to base was far less perilous than their rescue. Hyperspace left Tiana on edge, as she considered the possibility of another purrgil collision. Anna continued to keep an eye on Kristoff and made sure he was eating from the medpac's emergency supplement. A heaviness came upon her heart as she watched how desperate he was for food. Elsa continued to steady herself with meditation until Ezzie broke the silence.
"I'm sorry," the Rovani said. "About before. I know your beliefs, but it felt like life or death."
"You aren't the first to say such of me and you won't be the last," Elsa answered. "I'm sorry to have even put you in that situation."
"The question is-" Ezzie dropped her voice to a whisper. "What was her excuse?" Her head motioned to Tiana, who had finally been able to get more sleep.
"I don't know," Elsa admitted.
"A defector who won't fire on Imps," Ezzie murmured. Elsa didn't enjoy her friend's implication and shot her a glare. "I'm just saying. Awfully convenient-"
"That's enough," Elsa asserted. "If there's anything I've learned in all of this time, it's that the Force moves darkly around those who plan to harm. I've only sensed fear and anxiety prying at her."
"Hm," Ezzie scoffed, still slightly skeptical.
Anna let Kristoff finish his meal before gently rubbing his back. While her companion was still recovering, he kept an unwavering gaze on Anna's amputation. The longer he stared, the more tears started to swell in his eyes. "Hey," Anna spoke up. "Hey." She increased pressure on his back to ground him in the moment. "Kristoff, look at me." His weary eyes rose to meet hers. "I'm okay," she assured.
"I'm sorry," he uttered.
"I know," Anna hurriedly answered. "Me too. But no more apologies. We're safe now."
"Not all of us," Kristoff raised his voice, catching Elsa and Ezzie's attention. Kristoff hugged his trembling body as if reliving months of torment. "There's a...prison. Prison on Wobani. Wobani prison where-...It's just there. And people are suffering and dying-"
Anna winced at his rant. "Kristoff-"
"People are DYING!" Kristoff shouted and startled Tiana awake. His voice was pained and guttural as it reverberated through the hold. "So...many people. Just trapped in a place no one knows about. We have to save them. Or else why did I live? Why did they die and-" Kristoff's emotions overwhelmed him and he buried his face in his hands. Anna inched closer and put her arms around him. "We have to...do something," he mourned.
"And we will," Anna spoke nervously and ran her fingers through his hair. "We will. We've all seen terrible things and none of it's fair. But we are together now and we will move forward together."
Kristoff hung his head and let his tears rain on the metal floor. "Not all of us," he mourned, begging to feel Sven's presence one more time. Anna looked to Elsa for guidance as she gestured for her to stay calm. Suddenly, the Ghost thundered out of hyperspace and entered a new system.
While the Ghost was a formidable craft, its flat silhouette almost disappeared while gliding past a gas giant. This immense, crimson sphere was terrifying even at distance. Hera had come to know Yavin Prime from many a voyage. From elusive missions to combat engagements, Hera had learned to find solace in the sight of Yavin 4. The fourth moon in orbit, this titular planet was covered in lush jungles. And while such thick greenery housed deadly fauna, Hera chose to embrace the seclusion. With war ravaging the galaxy, finding any planet untouched by destruction was a miracle. A series of encrypted transmissions arrived on the Ghost's dashboard. Hera returned the codes in a designated sequence, granting clearance to land.
Hera flew low, letting the Ghost graze the upper canopies. In time, she glimpsed the tips of ancient pyramids emerging from the treeline. Over 5,000 years ago, the enslaved Massassi had built their holy site in the name of the Sith. Now, these monolithic symbols of oppression housed the very people seeking freedom. Years of separate resistances had finally culminated into the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Assembled at this sacred temple, the Rebels had converted the area into a mix of hangars, barracks, and communication networks.
The Ghost landed before the Great Temple and lowered its dorsal hatch. An efficient hangar crew was already dashing in with a fuel pipe before anyone had disembarked. From the moment Hera dropped from the ramp, she was already giving orders to nearby teams. "Can I get some help over here?" she hollered. "I need a med team!"
As the group exited, Kristoff found the strength to put his arms around Anna. "You really don't have to-" was all she could say before he started carrying her.
"I still have the strength to help," he spoke softly. "You've been through enough."
"You have too," Anna professed. While she'd let him carry her, she could still feel his own pain. "Please don't put it all aside." Kristoff winced, yet carried on. Simpering, Anna offered a final piece of consolation. "When you're ready to talk about it, I'll be here." Kristoff's nod was enough of an answer before med teams helped both of them.
Ezzie stretched herself out after such a long flight. "Good to be home," she said. "Elsa...Tiana...Welcome to the Rebel Alliance. "This base is probably the safest place in the galaxy."
"What about the Path on Crait?" Elsa queried.
Ezzie bit her lip, initially hesitating to voice her thoughts. "Oh they're safe too...however we have more guns here." It wasn't long before the trio was also met by med teams ready to take their vitals.
The temple was like a tremendous anthill housing hundreds of Rebels within. These teams were hard at work, intercepting information and briefing others. The only thing Elsa, Ezzie and Tiana found themselves laboring on would be seeing how much they could eat. A cooked meal felt so foreign, yet incredibly welcome to their bellies.
Pausing between meals, Elsa checked on the group's youngest. "How are you holding up?" she asked.
The question gave Tiana pause. "I'm alive," she answered. "This is...a lot to take in. You spend your whole life studying to maintain order, and everything just changes in the blink of an eye."
"Is that why you hesitated?" Elsa asked. Tiana hung her head, yet brought herself to nod. "I understand."
Elsa's words brought deep comfort to Tiana, who was bracing for a scolding. "You do?"
"I have been surrounded by war for as far back as I remember. Yet no matter how old I get or how much I've seen, I've never been able to relate to soldiers. To take life from the opposing side, never knowing all they've been through. To destroy the unknown."
"I didn't hesitate because of loyalty to the Empire," Tiana answered. "I couldn't bring myself to shoot because I thought 'What if someone in those TIE fighters is just like me? Still trying to understand all of this." Tiana hugged herself tight. "The Empire...the Rebellion...I don't know where I fit in it. All I know is the Empire wants me dead, and these Rebels would too had I still been at the academy."
Elsa's brows furrowed with Tiana's. "Perhaps your identity resides beyond. In something neither the Empire nor the Rebellion can give you."
"Like what?" Tiana asked. There was a longing in her confused eyes as she looked to Elsa for guidance. And for a brief moment, the elder Dellian saw something in her mind's eyes. She saw Tiana adorned in Jedi robes, the likes of which match Stel's-
Elsa shuddered the thought away and brought herself back to the present. "I-...I don't know." Her half-hearted answer left Tiana in a somber state. Pushing through, Elsa added, "But...I'll help you find out." Elsa's heart sank. Tiana's smile was welcomed, and yet fear gripped at her. Elsa had just offered another lazy answer, knowing full well what Tiana's self discovery would be. With every benefit and every consequence. But Elsa couldn't bring herself to be imprisoned by her own pain. That itch...that push to constantly help someone still prevailed. Tiana's excited words were a blur as Elsa smiled along, desperate to stay in the present moment.
The further someone delved into the temple, the more they could sink into a surreal form of comfort. Shadowy spaces, intricate corridors, and the hum of machinery had never felt so quaint. Anna slowly started to stir, and found her groggy eyes gazing upon a brick ceiling. She focused on the mossy divots between each layer of stone, all while trying to shake off her bacta-induced slumber.
"Careful," a Rebel doctor's garbled words made their way to her ears. He stepped closer, giving Anna a better look. His short, grey beard contrasted against his speckled, dark skin. "The anesthetics will take some time to subside. If you're nauseous or dizzy, that's entirely normal. Go slow."
"Wait," Anna croaked.
"Hm?" The doctor leaned in.
"I-" Fright and confusion danced in Anna's mind as she tried to make sense of what she was feeling. Her twitching brows altered between shock and bewilderment. "It's...there. I feel...my-..." Anna held her breath and slowly raised her head. Pushing through her dizziness, she peered down and glimpsed her leg. While her right thigh remained the same, a sleek, metallic component extended from it. Anna gasped on instinct, finally letting herself breathe. The shock returned when she unintentionally moved the attachment.
"Hey," the doctor spoke softly. "Hey hey hey." His gentle tone brought the panicking Anna's gaze to him. "Breathe with me," the doctor insisted as she mirrored his breaths. The mimicry was short-lived as Anna started hyperventilating again. "It's a cybernetic," he explained calmly. "We don't have enough synthflesh to cover that big of a limb, but it is safe. It's going to look different, but in time it will feel just the same as your lost leg. Do you understand?"
Anna let herself fully exhale. The longer she stared at the prosthetic, the more she came to terms with it. Tightly-packed wiring was safely encased in a black, durasteel component. Her mind wouldn't let her fully believe that the metal was moving at her command. As she struggled to feel and not feel, Anna thought of her lost comrade. Gone from life, but never from memory, Anna remembered how nervous Speedy had been. The double amputee clone feared having new legs for the first time. And although she sat alone in that bed, she imagined Speedy beside and moving his legs along with her own. The feelings led to a single statement which settled in her mind: It's going to be okay.
"Miss?" the doctor beckoned.
"I do," Anna answered steadily while continuing to stare at her leg. "I understand," she declared and sank into her pillows. Little by little, she started to practice bending and extending her cybernetic. "Where is Kristoff?" Anna asked. "Is he safe? Is he alright?"
The doctor nodded and checked his datapad. "It seems...in your slumber, he's been recovering."
Only in the forgotten calmness of a recovery room had Kristoff's body succumbed. Every injury bolstered by adrenaline...every nightmare that kept him on the defensive for months...came to pass. Bacta-laced bandages lined his body and left a brief sting in each area. The medicine dispersed swiftly, challenging the pain with an overwhelming, warm sensation. His heavy eyes fluttered open as a tall silhouette emerged at the foot of his bed. As the blur started to materialize, Kristoff dared to speak to it. "Sven? Sv-" When Kristoff saw Bail Organa again, he never expected to be in such suffering. The heart rate monitor pulsed as he clenched his bedsheets.
"Kristoff Bjorg," Bail began. "Our scouts on Lothal couldn't find a trace of your squad. We assumed you were all killed in action."
"No," Kristoff murmured. "No...No no." His heart rate continued to rise as Bail took his time.
"Where are the others? Where is Captain Lain?"
"Dead," Kristoff snapped. Raising his head through pain and grogginess, he fought to lock eyes with Bail. With nostrils flared, he spat out each name of the deceased. "Pix...Dee...Lain...Sv-" Kristoff's face wrinkled, as the agony of losing his best friend wrenched at his heart. "Sven," he said boldly. "All of them...gone."
Bail sighed heavily. "This Rebellion has cost us a great many lives-"
"What was it for?" Kristoff sincerely asked. "How many had to be tortured or killed for this to mean something?"
Bail brought a fist to his lips. He paused, doing his best to even fathom what Kristoff had experienced. "I understand," he replied, only to be immediately shut down.
"You understand?" Kristoff uttered. "You give the orders. You send us to put out the fires you fear. Have you ever been imprisoned in a labor camp? Have you ever watched people who should've been on your side turn on their fellow soldier? Ever felt the sting of a lightwhip on you back? All while you lay awake at night slowly realizing that no one is coming. That the Rebellion you believed in has forsaken you. You have no idea what I have experienced."
"You're right," Bail lamented. Although he ached, he maintained a stoic tone. "I have lost, but not as you have. I have been caught in my own assortment of nightmares. You were not the first squad to be lost on my watch and you won't be the last. Since the fall of the Republic, the only thing that's kept me going is any thought of the cause." Kristoff averted his gaze, yet Bail persisted. "You're right. I am afraid of the inevitable loss that plagues me. I lay awake, feeling the weight of every soul I've sent to their deaths. I hold my wife and daughter close knowing that thousands cannot do the same." Bail stepped closer to the bed and put a hand on its guardrail. "I'm sorry for all of it. I know nothing I say beyond that will justify this or bring anyone back. You're right to hold that anger, which is why I won't ask you to keep fighting." Kristoff lifted his head against the pillow. "If there was one principle I could guarantee through the Alliance's ranks, it would be the constant freedom of choice. Freedom is what we're supposed to be fighting for. You take your time, Kristoff. Breathe the free air, heal your body...and when the time comes, the choice will be yours and yours alone." With a respectful nod, Bail started to leave the recovery room. He was nearly out when Kristoff spoke up.
"Why do you fight?" he asked.
Bail pondered the question and answered, "My choice is defined by regret. I couldn't stop Palpatine's rise to power. I couldn't save the Jedi Order. I couldn't protect those who trusted me. If I relented to darkness, it'd all have been for nothing. And I couldn't face myself tomorrow if I gave up today."
Kristoff thought on all he'd lost. He felt the despair from all of those years of hiding, and heard Mattias' echo. "Hiding has kept us alive."
Kristoff winced. "You call this being alive?" He remembered snapping, but his words still held true. And as he clasped his kyber necklace, he recounted the words his family had told him.
"Kristoff, dear boy." Pabbie was like a specter in his mind. "You live among us, but you are not Troll. Where we see consistency, you see stagnation."
"Don't you get it, boy?" His adoptive father growled. "We're trying to save you!"
His adoptive mother was as passionate as she'd always been. "But this war...this endless, bitter war will shred the planet to pieces. I...we don't want you boys to be a part of that. We want you to have a future beyond all these rivalries. You're not meant for a constant life on the run."
Kristoff clenched the crystal, remembering the hardships from his homeland. All he was experiencing now hadn't differentiated from such a perspective. His beard puffed as he parted his lips to speak. "Evil will never stop," he said.
"No," Bail concurred. "It never will. Long after this war and beyond."
"Then neither will I," Kristoff grunted, releasing his crystal. "If darkness ascends, I will rise to meet it." He saluted with his bandaged hand and said, "In the name of all we've lost, reporting for duty sir."
Bail smiled faintly. "We're honored to have you...captain." Kristoff's brows raised at the declaration. "May your rank be a testament to the courage of this Rebellion."
"Thank you, sir." Kristoff said. "How soon can I see action?" Bail was about to stop him, but could see the determination in his eyes.
"We have a briefing in the grand temple," Bail had barely finished answering and Kristoff was already lunging out of bed. Battling numbed wounds and aching limbs, Kristoff traversed an assortment of shadowy halls. Comm chatter reverberated from multiple communication rooms, but all was soon overtaken by a distinct hum. In all of Kristoff's ventures, never had he seen a holotable as grandiose as the briefing room's. The tremendous circle pulsed at maximum brightness and coated the gathering Rebels in an azure glow.
What minimal chatter there was simmered down when Bail entered the room. As all eyes turned to him, he made a brief gesture to his companion. "This is Captain Kristoff Bjorg," Bail declared. "He is to be treated no differently than any other captain here."
Despite Bail's efforts to help him feel welcomed, Kristoff found himself enduring the pressure of it all. Bail's surveyors focused on him instead, making Kristoff gulp. His anxieties simmered when one of the other captain's pat the vacant seat beside him. While he didn't offer a smile, a firm nod would be enough of an invite.
"Thanks," Kristoff whispered as he sat down.
His fellow captain was tired and rugged. Any scruff on his face was overshadowed by his bold mustache. A mess of brown hair was trying its best to be groomed. To an outsider, he would've looked like a smuggler or common grunt. In spite of his exhausted appearance, the captain held his head high. His form-fitting, brown leather jacket helped establish himself among the others. The captain could tell how nervous Kristoff was. His dark eyes listed to him for a moment as he said, "Just follow your orders. Listen to the briefings, don't speak unless there's value to your words, and the rest will be easy."
The captain's head perked up and he swiftly rose to his feet. Kristoff followed suit as the gathered Rebels saluted their leader. Having finally seen her in person, Kristoff realized that no hologram could do Mon Mothma justice. The former senator was as poised as she was hardened. Her gentle, dutiful gaze surveyed the gallery. Her presence alone commanded attention, but her almost ethereal voice solidified it. "At ease," she said and the gallery returned to their seats.
Despite her regal stature, stress had taken its toll on the former senator. Her exhausted eyes blinked heavily as she held true to her purpose. "I trust you all found what rest you could," Mon began. "The situation has never been so dire." A plethora of holofiles projected across the table and slowly rotated so all could observe. "If the reports are correct, an Imperial pilot has defected with a trajectory for Jedha." Projections of a bearded man's face swiveled atop the table. 'BODHI ROOK' flashed below his image. Given the increased Imperial presence in its holy city, we know where he likely is."
"Why go to Jedha?" a stern-faced official spoke at her side.
Mon and Bail exchanged cautious glances. "A just question, General Draven," she answered. "While records indicate that this Bodhi Rook was born on Jedha, we believe he returned to make contact. Prior to his defection, the Empire was already sending reinforcements to deal with a rise in 'insurrectionist activity'. Saw Gerrera's Partisans have been making their presence known, intercepting enemy shipments."
"Gererra," Draven scoffed. "If the pilot's plan is to join the Rebellion, that's the last cell that would accept him. He'll be shot on sight."
"Unless he had something of value," the captain beside Kristoff spoke up.
"What have you learned, Captain Andor?" Bail inquired.
Andor rose from the bench and made his way to the table. "I was just in the Ring of Kafrene. My contact there detailed the defected pilot, but more importantly his cargo. Bodhi is going to Jedha because he has intel about a new weapon. One designed by Galen Erso himself." The name brought shock and whispers to the gallery.
"The scientist?" a Rodian corporal said.
"Not just any scientist," Draven murmured. "The Empire's chief weapons specialist."
"The most my contact could say beyond that was this weapon was a planet-killer.' No further details."
Although her own anxieties festered with in, Mon didn't let it show past her raised brows. "A planet-killer," she reiterated. "We must learn more."
"I can assemble a special ops team to head for Jedha," Draven assured.
"No," Mon denied him. "Since his falling out with the Alliance, Gererra no longer recognizes friend from foe. Even this pilot has something to offer. We will need the same." Draven stepped back, glowering as if he was a leashed masiff. "Is there any gear? Any prisoners we could exchange for intel?"
"You know as good as I do that Gerrera would either just take the weapons or kill any prisoner we sent. We'd need someone or something close to him."
"Perhaps a close associate who'd disbanded from the Partisans. Or a family member of some kind." Mon's suggestion had her turning to a mustachioed aide. "Private Weems," she said. "Search the databanks. Find anything you can on Gerrera's connections." Several blips emanated from Weems' datapad while captain's went over the latest troop placements. Amid their comments and quarrels, Weems suddenly froze. His widened eyes told enough of a story as Mon leaned closer. "What have you found, private?" she asked.
"A possible link," he said and uploaded his file to the holoprojector. "Jyn Erso. Daughter of Galen and the late Lyra Erso. Used to fight for Saw's Partisans until an unknown disband. From there we've got several emergences on record. Anything from forgery of Imperial documents, aggravated assault against Imperial personnel, escape from custody, resisting arrest, shipjacking, possession of unsanctioned weapons, petty theft and disorderly conduct."
As one of Jyn's older mugshots projected on table, Kristoff found himself tensing up. He leaned forward in his seat, slowly shaking his head in disbelief. Her complexion...those soulless, broken eyes. Kristoff understood Captain Andor's words. That he should only speak up if he had reason to. And as memories clashed with pain, he knew what had to be done.
"Where is she now?" Draven asked.
"Unknown sir," Weems answered while the general was already sulking. "She's gone by a number of aliases. Anything from Tanith Ponta to Kestrel Dawn."
"And Liana Hallik," Kristoff spoke up, his voice shaking. He could feel the eyes of every official in that chamber as he dared to stand. General Draven was already grimacing at Kristoff's wounds and groggy appearance. Still, he dared to raise a finger to the hologram. "She's in Imperial custody."
"This isn't a game to rise through the ranks," Draven scolded. "How would you know that-"
"Because I was there," Kristoff spat. "A labor camp on Wobani. For more months than I could keep track of. And that woman was among the prisoners in our corral."
Mon looked to Bail, who nodded and put his trust in Kristoff. Still knowing that trust meant nothing to some without proof, Bail advanced to Kristoff. "Captain Bjorg," he said and waved a hand to the hologram. "Before I ask you this question, I need you to understand what is at stake. If the Empire has the means to...'kill planets'...every moment counts. And if the Alliance is to enact a rescue mission for Erso, we cannot take any chances. More lives could be lost in the process." Bail took a deep breath. "Kristoff," he spoke in a reserved and personal tone. "Think deeply before you answer. Can you guarantee that you've seen this woman on Wobani?"
"Yes," Kristoff answered instantly. "And if she's our best shot at stopping the Empire, then we must go."
Bail felt all eyes turn for his word, but was unwavered. by it. He'd endured such pressures for years in the Galactic Senate. "You heard the man. She's there. And he didn't endure the atrocities of that prison just to lie to us."
Mon pursed her lips. realizing the rest came down to her. She'd trusted strangers before and endured both outcomes. But after weighing her options, she knew how desperate the Alliance was for a victory. "General Draven," she declared. Mon turned to him with pure conviction in her eyes. The same conviction that'd carried her through the fallen Republic and years of espionage. With steadied resolve and a blazing heart, Mon Mothma said, "Rally the troops."
THE FROZEN FORCE BEHIND THE SCREENS TRIVIA
1. Covering the events of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016) has been very exciting. This is my favorite Star Wars film of all time, and I want to do it justice. This chapter is full of easter eggs. For starters, finding the location of Liana Hallik aka Jyn Erso was never fully explained. So it was really fun building up this mysterious Liana character while Kristoff was imprisoned on Wobani. And as a result, Kristoff gets to fill a gap in the canon and explain how the Alliance finds her.
2. This isn't the first time Captain Cassian Andor has appeared in "The Frozen Force." He was a child in Season 3 - Chapter: 96 "The Rules of War Part I." This is one of the few time this fanfic has been derailed from canon. The chapter has Cassian and his father as protesters, with Sergeant Blazer ultimately killing the latter. Initially, I had drafted Anna meeting Cassian in Season 5. She'd have to come to terms with the fact that her sergeant killed his father, calling it the 'rules of war' as a nod to the chapter. But then, Disney+ released Andor later, and gave a canonical death to Cassian's father. Ironically, he was killed by Imperial clone troopers in the show. So I guess I wasn't too far from reality! In the end, Cassian's side plot in this fanfic had to be removed in order to best preserve Star Wars canon. There might be a bunch of Disney characters in this story, but we're still trying to stay lore accurate!
3. Jay Norrington made his first story appearance in Season 2 - Chapter: 42 "From the Ashes." When we meet him, he is a cadet alongside Shang. I wonder what's become of Shang, now that we think of it. :)
4. Jay Norrington is based on James Norrington from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003). As another reference to the film, his Star Destroyer is named "The Dauntless" after his ship in the film.
5. Hans says "This is a job for local security, not Inquisitors." This is an homage to Anakin's line from "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones" (2002). "This is a job for local security, not Jedi."
6. During the Tie fighter shootout, Ezzie worries about the ship "Listing to the left." This is an homage to a joke from the Family Guy Star Wars parody "Blue Harvest" (2007).
7. During that same shootout, Tiana asks Ezzie "What's that flashing?" This mirrors the same line in "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope" (1977) that Luke asks Han while the Millennium Falcon is in trouble.
8. There is an homage to "Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith" (2005) while Anna is recovering. She asks "Where is Kristoff? Is he safe? Is he alright?" To which the doctor replies "It seems...in your slumber, he's been recovering." This is far more lighthearted compared to "Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she alright?" "It seems...in your anger, you killed her.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this week's chapter of "The Frozen Force!" As we near the greatly anticipated season finale, I want to keep things sincere. My work schedule has been picking up again, and it is becoming challenging to get weekly chapters out. Even this chapter got its finishing touches the day of release. To play it safe, Chapter: 147 will debut in two weeks on Friday, December 20th. Thank you for your understanding.
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You,
~ Sparks