Chapter XXXI –
Insurrection
– Part II
Once
the guards opened fire, Zula ducked down the stairs
as fast as he could and quickly saw the body lying
upon them. Once he got midway down, he immediately
recognized the Corellian friend of the party he had
brought to the compound.
“Can
you hear me?” Zula tapped the man’s face.
“Ugh,” Xar’ek responded groggily. “What the?” he
asked as he tried to sit up only to feel like his
head was split in two. “Where’s Sakoya?”
Zula
glanced upward and then back down at the Corellian
again. “From the sound of it, she’s still battling.
Can you stand?”
“Battle?” Xar’ek exclaimed. “She should have
followed me.”
“A
good thing she didn’t. From what I saw, you’re alive
because she fought the guards. Otherwise you both
would be dead.”
“I
only wanted us to get away. I just reacted,” Xar’ek
sadly admitted, his head turning toward his
shoulder. “Looks like they got a lucky shot.”
“Too
late now. My Master has ordered me to take you to
the main lab. Your friend, providing she lives, will
undoubtedly be taken there too.” Zula had to
suppress a sudden shiver as he thought of what his
Master might be thinking. “Your wound doesn’t appear
to be life threatening. It was probably the impact
of the stairs that caused the most damage.”
“I’ve figured that much out myself,” Xar’ek
sarcastically replied. “I don’t suppose I have a
choice?” he dryly asked, staring at the ceiling far
above him.
“For
the moment, you’re safer with me than wandering by
yourself.”
“You
don’t sound very convincing.”
Zula
tried not to think of what his Master had said mere
moments ago as he replied, “Perhaps not, but you
have no other alternative.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Fighting off the grogginess, Bail lifted his head
and tried to sit up. His head ached from the drug
the lab vents had spewed forth but he was alive. He
couldn’t help noticing, possibly from the lack of
available space to move, that they were back inside
the hidden passageway.
“Have you been able to find the toxin yet?” Bail
asked as he struggled to stand and turn around.
Obi-Wan glanced up from the datapad he was reading.
“I’m glad you’ve finally awakened. Are you alright?”
The
Senator brushed himself off. “Yes. Other than a
headache, I’m fine.”
Obi-Wan nodded and cast his gaze back to the
electronic device. “I’ve discovered the toxin and
what I believe is the antidote as well.”
“Excellent.” Bail’s smile radiated with relief as
much as his voice did. “What is that?” he
quizzically inquired.
“Reynard Sindre’s downfall.” Obi-Wan handed the
datapad over to his friend and said, “Take a look.”
Taking the device, the Senator began perusing
through the information. “It’s all here,” he
incredulously stated. “Formulas, names, dates,
locations. He logged everything in here.”
“In
case he had to leave quickly, he’d have his latest
creation and all the information he would need to
re-establish himself,” the Jedi dutifully replied.
“And
somehow the Clawdite knew of this. The ultimate
betrayal.”
Obi-Wan nodded, “It would appear so.”
“Then nothing prevents us from activating the
beacon. Our forces can arrest Reynard and his
minions.”
Obi-Wan smiled. “Except we have to leave here first
in order for the signal to be received. This small
passageway is shielded.”
“Then we need to rectify that little problem,” Bail
commented with a grin.
“I
also need to get you to safety. Now that we have the
evidence, your safety must be taken into account.”
“Obi-Wan, I’m quite capable,” the Senator protested
with a wry smile.
“That’s not the point. Padmé placed you under my
protection. If we lose the evidence by capture,
Reynard goes free. I must get you back to Xar’ek’s
ship.”
“What about them? Xar’ek and Sakoya?” Bail inquired.
“I
will come back to help.”
“That means we have to cross that chasm again,” Bail
commented absently.
“Yes, we don’t know another way out other than going
through Reynard’s stronghold.”
Bail
barely nodded his head. “And that’s hardly an option
at this point.” He paused. “I’ve never feared
heights before. After all, my speeder cruises
throughout Coruscant at dizzying altitudes, not to
mention Alderaan itself. I can’t explain it but
something about that chasm more than unnerved me.”
“I
understand. Unfortunately, it’s our only known
route.”
“Yes, but I can activate the beacon in the cavern as
well as the lab. Once it’s received, they’ll have
our coordinates. We’ll just need to wait for the
reinforcements.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Chewbacca roared in various inflections but Han
understood him perfectly. “Yeah, I see it. Incoming
transmission.”
Han
looked dismayed as he read the message and shook his
head from side to side. “Chancellor Skywalker can’t
reach the others and wants to know if we’ve heard
anything. Looks like I was right – they need
rescuing,” Han scoffed.
Chewy tossed his head and added his own comments.
“Hey, a little confidence here, pal!” Han retorted.
The
Wookiee grunted, which could easily have been
interpreted as a laugh.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
The
sun overhead began to scorch the skin of the two
separate parties. One headed toward refuge while the
other toward danger and the unknown. Neither knew
what lay ahead but they were resolute to see it
though – in their own ways.
“Not
far now, Cela,” Luke told his friend as she floated
beside him. The Jedi was growing weary from exerting
himself through the Force but he had to hold on –
Cela was depending on him.
Nurya led the red-haired woman he deemed crazed
right into Reynard’s stronghold. He was still sore
from the injuries he had suffered from her hands and
he wasn’t about to forget what she’d done. He was
actually looking forward to the wench being turned
over to him and escorted to a holding cell.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Beacon activated!” Bail exclaimed, watching the
different colored lights come to life.
“Then it’s time to get you to the ship. The
Chancellor needs to be updated and our forces may
need to contact you.”
“What about you?” Bail asked.
“I
have to help Sakoya and Xar’ek.”
Senator Organa appeared disappointed. “I’m not one
to run from a fight but I realize we have to keep
the evidence safe.”
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. “I know that, my
friend, but you know my orders. Besides, I’d rather
not cross hairs with Padmé.”
The
Jedi’s last comment gave both men a reason to smile
and laugh.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Unbeknownst to Mara, she walked the same path her
mother and father had when they entered Reynard’s
fortress. Would her fate be the same as theirs?
Nurya thought they would have encountered other
guards and was surprised – and frustrated – when
they didn’t. He considered overpowering the woman
holding a blaster in his back but he’d already tried
that once – unsuccessfully. If there was one thing
this woman was proficient at, it was combat.
“A
dismal place,” Mara absently stated as they
traversed the cool and clammy cavern.
“Why
are you here?” the guard sarcastically asked.
Mara
refused to answer, choosing instead to shove the
blaster into Nurya’s back to get him moving faster.
Daylight burst into their eyes as they stepped
outside once more and the heat from the sun
invigorated their bodies. Moving father out into the
open area, Mara looked at the two massive walls on
each side of her.
The northern wall was sheer rock that reached high
into the sky. A minor curve followed it as it
stretched both in front and behind them. On the
opposite side embedded into another rock face was a
magnificent structure.
Reynard Sindre had built his fortress into the
enormous wall of rock. Mara silently admitted that
she admired the engineer’s construction and design.
It further imprinted upon the woman the type of man
she would be dealing with – an intellectual recluse.
He didn’t want to be found, hence burying himself
amid the canyon, and yet he wanted to leave quite an
impression if guests were to arrive.
“Narcissist?” Mara ventured to guess on the
scientist’s type of personality.
Prodding the guard forward, Mara glanced at the
small pool of water they passed as they walked
toward the main entrance.
“Open
them,” she demanded as they neared the overly tall
and oddly translucent twin doors.
Lifting his forearm, Nurya touched a series of
buttons on a device attached to his wrist. As if on
command, the doors swung open.
“You’ve just walked into death,” Nurya spat over his
shoulder and then turned around.
“Yours perhaps, but not mine,” she acidly replied as
a blaster shot erupted. Nurya’s eyes widened in
shock and then he dropped to the floor. “Your
assistance is not longer required.” Reaching down,
she ripped the device from his wrist and shoved it
inside her clothes. Stepping over the Clawdite’s
dead body, Mara Jade walked inside.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Cela
guided Luke through the security of Mara’s ship,
enabling them to get onboard. Once the Jedi had the
girl resting in her quarters, he sat down in the
cockpit and took a short reprieve. It wasn’t just
using the Force to help his friend, but navigating
the rocky terrain that make Luke weary.
A
short time later, he input the coordinates for Nevus
and initiated the take-off sequence. Once they were
in space, he intended to make the jump to hyperspace
and then get some rest.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Inform the Supreme Chancellor that we have contact
from Senator Organa,” Admiral Ackbar ordered as he
sat in the command chair on board the New Republic
ship, Reef Home II, a Mon Calamari cruiser.
Although he had his choice of ships to command
within the fleet, he preferred the ships created by
his homeworld. “Prepare for troop transport to the
surface,” he continued.
It
was a laborious task, but Bail and Obi-Wan were
almost to the bridge where the Senator had
experienced serious anxieties when they encountered
a number of Reynard’s troops. All of the security
devices the Jedi had momentarily disabled along the
way may have been for naught.
“Intruders! Open fire!” shouted the squad leader.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Vuron
Dantes had a majority of his men scouring the
fortress for the intruder that had eluded capture in
the lab. He knew that a second failure would cost
him his life. He shook his head as if to clear his
thoughts – or reorganize them – and make sure he
hadn’t left an area unchecked. It was at that moment
that he saw the flash on the control panel out of
the corner of his eye. He turned toward it and
pressed the button that would activated the comm and
allow contact to the person sending the signal.
“What
is it, Team 4?” he growled, perturbed by his
miserable situation.
Weapons discharge accompanied the voice of his
sergeant on the receiving end. “Intruders, sir! One
appears to be a Jedi!”
Vuron
struggled to keep the excitement out of his voice as
he barked, “Bring them in alive! Master Reynard will
want them for questioning. Do you understand,
Sergeant? I said alive!”
“Aye,
sir,” the sergeant replied and then added, “But this
one has already killed half my men! Whoever is with
him is also firing on us. We need reinforcements!”
“Understood. What section are you –” Vuron’s
question was cut short as he suddenly lost contact
with the sergeant. Immediately, he reassigned squads
of guards to the section his downed troops should
have been patrolling. “A Jedi – that explains a few
things,” the Clawdite irritably commented.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Sakoya knew she was fighting for her life – and not
faring very well. Reynard’s troops were skilled –
their accuracy was deadly and she was barely holding
them off. If she didn’t know better, she’d have
thought they were toying with her because they knew
they had the advantage. So you want the upper
hand on a Jedi, eh? she slyly thought to herself
as an idea sprang into her mind. Recalling her time
in the netherworld with Palpatine, Sakoya silently
called upon the Force with the same intensity she
had used then to bring her the advantage now.
Wielding her lightsaber with one hand, she thrust
her other hand forward, initiating a powerful Force
push.
A few
of Reynard’s guards tumbled backward and down the
stairs from the impact while the others slammed into
the walls, instantly unconscious from the collision.
Before she could turn around, Sakoya felt a sharp
pain in her back and then everything went black.
Reynard leered maniacally behind her, relishing in
his victory. As he bent down to retrieve the
lightsaber, in his other hand was a small blaster.
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