Alien Crossfire - Chapter 9

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Anakin was nervous. A cold sweat clung to him, as he stared out at the swirls of hyperspace. He was leaning forward slightly in the gunnery seat of the Jade Shadow, watching Nelani intently where she was settled into the pilot’s station, Luke hovering slightly behind her.

He watched as she turned back towards them. "This thing sure is different than the Scimitar."

Anakin laughed slightly. "The Scimitar was easily 60 years old."

She made a non-committal noise, and as the timer on the navicomp hit zero, she pushed the levers forward, dropping them back into real-space. The swirls collapsed and the stars flickered back into existence. Before them hung Vjun. Anakin grimaced as he once again saw the sickly yellow of the world.

And he could feel the Dark Side whispering its promises of revenge once again. He shuddered and looked towards his Uncle. "I-I don’t think this was a good idea Uncle Luke."

Nelani looked up at Luke, a frown etched on her face. "Why are we here?" Then she looked back out at the greenish-yellow ball before them. "And why don’t I remember this place giving me the creeps before?"

Luke radiated calm, as he answered Nelani, "We’re here to retrieve something. As for your second question - you are much more firmly entrenched in the Light now than you were before." He turned towards Anakin. "I think this is the perfect time for you to go do this."

Anakin bowed his head, an emotion which he did not often face swimming up from his stomach, causing him to want to vomit. It took a moment, but he finally placed it. Fear.

He swallowed harshly, keeping the bile down. "Yes, Master."

Luke watched him for a moment longer and then turned back to Nelani. "Take us to Bast Castle, please Nelani."

Anakin turned inward, focusing on the Force, and how it seemed so cold and alien yet inviting and mysterious. Part of him longed to give into the hate and anger again. To once more take up his blade and kill every Yuuzhan Vong he could find.

He gritted his teeth and unconsciously clenched his hands into tight fists. No! I’m a Jedi. I’m better than this. Uncle Luke has faith in me. Nelani believes in me. I won’t fail them again. I won't fail Tahiri again.

He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts and focused once more on the viewport - watching as Nelani expertly broke through the clouds and into the acidic rain which fell constantly on this dark world. A tense silence settled on the occupants of the cockpit; the only sounds were the rumble from the engines and the patter of the rain on the hull.

They broke out of the clouds and into the perpetual twilight of the open air. In the distance they could make out the silhouette of Bast Castle. It was an ominous building, made of the blackest of stones, backlit by lightning with red warning beacons flashing from the highest spires. It was designed to be depressing to all who view it.

And it succeeded in its designs.

Nelani throttled down, approaching the main hanger only on repulsors, coming to a hover as the giant doors slowly rolled back to reveal the cavern where Darth Vader kept his personal spacecraft. The Shadow slowly slipped into the shadows of the hanger. As they entered giant overhead lights flickered on; bright shining fluorescents which caused the polished stone of the floor to gleam.

The Shadow settled to the deck slowly, the hydraulics hiss as the ramp lowered and the ship settled onto her landing struts. Luke was first down the ramp, his eyes scanning the large room. As the other two came down the ramps, he turned to face them.

Anakin noticed that Nelani was shivering as her eyes darted about the room, and belatedly realized that he could feel the chill in the air as well. A coldness that was less physical than spiritual. He wondered for a moment why he did not feel it before.

Luke suddenly speaking startled him. "This is as far as I go. You two must find the answers you seek here for yourselves."

Anakin looked at his uncle, trying to figure out just what Luke’s game was here. He frowned for a moment, and then nodded his head, and started walking steadily into the darkened interior of the building. He could hear the slap of Nelani’s boots on the stone floor as she rushed to catch up with him.

They quietly climbed into the turbolift and Anakin pressed the floor indicator that he desired. The lift hummed slightly as it activated, and after a few minutes the doors slid open with a ding. Anakin and Nelani stepped off the lift, and took a few steps down the hall.

As the doors shut with a snap behind them, Anakin turned around, looking at the walls a frown flickering on his face. He felt distinctly uneasy in the dim lights of the corridor.

"This is the wrong floor."

"What?"

He walked past her, and hit the recall on the turbolift. "The wrong floor. This isn’t the floor I sent the lift to."

He looked at the button, and noticed that the indicator light was off. He jabbed it again, and with a slight electric arc and a puff of smoke Anakin realized that the turbolift was now out of order.

Anakin could feel his features stretch into a scowl as he looked around the hall that he found himself in. Choosing a direction he started walking down it, Nelani hot on his heels.

"Anakin, what’re we going to do? Where are we going?"

He shook his head. "I dunno. This way."

He smiled at her the noise of frustration she let out. They continued on in silence, not speaking, just listening to the slight echo of their footfalls. Anakin scanned the halls, looking for something, not entirely certain what. He came to the end of the hall and his frown deepened as he looked at the double doors in front of him. They were the quarters he used while they had lived here.

His grandfather’s quarters.

Vader’s quarters.

He took a step back, and then spun with a horrified expression settling on his face. His eyes darted around the hallway, looking for any sign, any thing.

One thought pounding in his head; one thought burning away his thought processes.

A single overriding thought.

Nelani was gone.

"Nelani!" The echo of his scream resounded down the hallway, and he ran down it, hunting for her. Casting his mind back, trying to pinpoint exactly when the echo of her footsteps had stopped.

He dropped to his knees, and slammed his hand against the floor, his body shaking with a silent sob.

He reached out with the Force, and could not sense her. He stretched further trying for Uncle Luke and failed to reach him as well.

Then he felt a presence. One that was powerful and seductive, calling to him. He twisted his head and stared behind him, back down the hallway to the soft gleam of the metal doors which led to Vader’s quarters.

To his quarters.

He stood, and slowly walked back that way, the presence growing stronger as he drew ever closer. As his fear escalated. As dread settled firmly like in a rock in the pit of his stomach.

He could hear the Dark Side calling to him.

Beckoning him.

Welcoming him.

He arrived at the door, his hand hovering against the manual release; he could feel the coolness of the metal. He yanked open the door, and stepped into the quarters. No matter how dim the lights in the corridor were, the room itself was even more so.

He stepped in, and the door swung to, plunging the room into what appeared to be total darkness. Anakin stood there, just inside the doorway, waiting as his eyes adjusted, wondering if it was some trick of the helmet which caused this room to never appear quite this dark.

A thudding sounded in his ears, and with a start he realized that it was his heart. He barked a short laugh and stepped further into the room.

Then he heard noises: an inhaling hiss, the slight slither of an armored foot against the stone floor. Anakin reached for his saber, and with a snap-hiss it ignited, lighting the room with its purple glow.

And Anakin instantly regretted it.

Standing there, less than a dozen meters was a massive warrior, the vondum crab armor grown and shaped to resemble the death head’s mask of the Vader armor. The rest of the armor was a sickly glistening black which pulsed slightly, a flickering, living cloak hung from hooks which extended from the warrior’s shoulders

The warrior lifted his helmet off revealing the usual disgusting and mutilated visage of a high-ranking warrior, yet this one had a zig-zag scar which came from beneath his hair, wrapping around his face, between his cobalt eyes, and down the side of his neck - a puckered red line which formed the basis of every scar, blight, blister and tattoo on the warrior’s face.

Anakin raised his saber into a mid guard.

The warrior pulled a slug from his belt, and ignited a saber of his own.

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Wedge was settled into his desk, staring at the latest reports of supplies and munitions which Tycho had delivered to him. A knock on the door attracted his attention, and he looked up as a communications officer poked her head in.

"Sir, we have a shuttle in system, claiming to have the Advisory Council and Chief of State on board. They are demanding clearance to land."

"Demanding are they?"

"Yes sir."

Wedge leaned back thinking for a moment, and then nodded his head. "Get Rogue Squadron in the air, and then give them clearance to land, at an area well away from the rest of our ships. Have the Rogues fly escort, and give them permission to shoot this yacht down if it deviates from its course. Once the shuttle is on the ground have the 'Advisory Council' shown to the conference room."

The young girl saluted and backed out of the room. The door slid shut and then reopened. Wedge looked up to find Tycho leaning there. "What’s the news boss?"

"We got politician inbound. Gather the usual folks to sit in on this meeting."

Tycho nodded his head once, and turned leaving Wedge alone once more. He finished up a report, and stood walking slowly to the conference room, wondering which members of the Senate would show up. He walked into the conference room, and took his usual seat at the table, Tycho to his left, Lando to his right. He looked out over those gathered already, his eyes picking out those he knew, settling for a second on each of them.

The door was opened by a pair of Senate Guards and a group of senators walked in. In the lead was the Quarran Senator Pwoe, followed by Chelch Dravvad, Niuk Niuv, and Fyor Rodan,

Pwoe stopped in front of the table looking around for a moment. "Can we begin?"

Wedge raised an eyebrow slightly. "No, we’re still waiting on one of my staff."

At that second, Danni Quee slipped into the room, her face flushed from a mixture of embarrassment at being the last to arrive and having ran through the complex.

She waved to Wedge. "Sorry I’m late, sir."

Wedge allowed a grin to flicker on his face for a moment. "Not a problem Danni, we were just about to get started. Close the doors please."

The guard looked towards Pwoe, and he gestured towards them. Then the doors slammed shut, causing a slight echo to reverberate around the room.

Wedge looked around the gathered senators, disdain coloring his face. "I thought you told my communications officer that the Chief of State was onboard your transport. Where is Chief Fey’lya?"

Wedge was not good at reading emotions on a Quarran’s face, but he could see the anger that flashed across Pwoe’s. "Chief Fey’lya died during the invasion. I have appointed myself Chief of State."

"Appointed? That’s funny. Because I didn’t fight the Empire so that the Republic could have a self-appointed leader."

Wedge now had no doubt about the hate which flashed over Pwoe’s face as his tentacles twined around one another.

"We order you to hold this planet."

Wedge frowned for a second. "Let’s say that you have the legal authority to give me that order, what reinforcements will I be receiving?"

"None."

"Then no."

Pwoe sputtered in his outrage. "Th-that…that is treason!"

Wedge slammed his fist against the tabletop and leaned forward, his bunched muscles straining against his duty jacket. The Senator took a cowering step back.

"You’re one to talk of treason Senator Pwoe. But I will accept this order if, and only if, I get the remaining portions of the First and Second fleets, plus the Lusankya."

Pwoe turned to Tycho. "Colonel Celchu, you are hereby promoted to General and will carry the orders as I have outlined."

Tycho shook his head slowly.

Pwoe turned to Lando, and before he could speak, Lando laughed at him.

Finally Pwoe turned back to Wedge. "Fine. You get those forces."

Wedge leaned over to look at the datapad in front of Tycho. "If that is all Senator Pwoe, then I suggest you exit the system as quickly as possible. We received a report of a couple of coral skippers in orbit and are expecting more Yuuzhan Vong shortly.

Then he turned and began talking quietly to Tycho. From the corner of his eye he saw Pwoe standing there in the middle of the room, looking confused and ineffectual. Then the Quarran turned and stalked out, the rest of the Advisory Council following silently behind him.

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