"5"^^ . . . "18"^^ . . "The last notes of Rhiannon\u2019s song faded away in glorious crescendo. Watching from the side, Milya was filled with quiet pride at how well her daughter\u2019s performance had been received. Though Rhiannon hadn\u2019t instantly mastered the music that she\u2019d been assigned, she\u2019d steadily improved over the past week until Taelros, Colonel Hagrek, and the vocal coach had been satisfied with how she sounded. It had been tough for the girl, Milya knew, but she\u2019d persevered and come through smiling. Rhiannon was a fighter, just like her parents, and just as strong-willed also. She certainly hadn\u2019t let her handicap bother her. As Rhiannon made her exit off to the wings where Milya was waiting, Milya stood quietly, feeding her daughter mental pictures of the surroundings so she could take in the sights of the Imperial Opera. Once Rhiannon was close enough, Milya embraced her daughter warmly. \u201CGood job, darling,\u201D she said. \u201CYou did very well.\u201D Rhiannon\u2019s unseeing eyes were shining. \u201CDid I really, Mom?\u201D \u201COf course you did. All of the other actors and the crew were dazzled by you.\u201D \u201CYay!\u201D Rhiannon squealed. \u201CI finally got it right.\u201D \u201CGood thing, too,\u201D Milya said. \u201CThe show is tomorrow night.\u201D \u201CI know,\u201D Rhiannon said. \u201CI can\u2019t wait!\u201D Milya smiled down at her daughter, brushing back some of Rhiannon\u2019s tousled hair out of her face. The costume and coverup departments had, per Taelros\u2019s instructions, made Rhiannon look the part of an Outer Rim orphan-she didn\u2019t look that waifish, but her floor-length dress was a plain light brown and her hair had been left down, tousled and loose. All in all, it was probably the simplest costume in the entire show, which Milya did not mind at all. This being opera, the costuming was more stylistic than realistic, so Taelros had skipped the ragged look and coverup smudges. Rhiannon had enjoyed the whole process despite the challenges, and even though she was only in one song, Milya knew that her daughter felt as if the whole performance was resting on her. It was a feeling she herself had felt on many other occasions-except for Milya, it had not been an opera performance at stake. At any rate, the cast and crew that they\u2019d met had been polite, professional, and courteous, and one of the sopranos had even helped Rhiannon. Altogether, show business hadn\u2019t been nearly as bad as Milya had feared it would be. Nobody had tried to mess with Rhiannon or discourage her, nor had Milya seen any kind of open disdain. Then again, this close to the show, everyone was probably more worried about their own parts than with interfering with others. As she brushed back some more of Rhiannon\u2019s hair, Milya sensed someone approaching from behind her and knew it was Taelros. No one else in the cast or crew exuded that much nervous energy. \u201CSo, I was thinking about Rhianya\u2019s costume during the performance,\u201D Taelros informed her. \u201CRhiannon,\u201D Milya corrected the man once again. \u201CAnd is she done for the day?\u201D \u201CYes, yes,\u201D Taelros said absently. \u201CShe did wonderfully. I\u2019m sure she\u2019ll sing beautifully tomorrow, just like she did today. Anyway, about the costume.\u201D \u201CWhat about it?\u201D Milya asked. \u201CIt\u2019s a plain dress, floor-length, with a thin shimmersilk band around the waist. Just like you wanted.\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s just the thing,\u201D he said. \u201CI\u2019m not sure I like it anymore.\u201D \u201COh?\u201D \u201CIt\u2019s too plain. It\u2019s not flashy enough.\u201D \u201CTaelros,\u201D Milya said exasperatedly. \u201CShe\u2019s supposed to be an Outer Rim orphan. She\u2019s not supposed to be flashy.\u201D \u201CCostuming in opera is stylistic,\u201D Taelros replied dismissively. \u201CFor these sorts of things, interpretation is key.\u201D Milya sighed. \u201CLet me see the new costume idea.\u201D Taelros held up her datapad and Milya started in surprise at what she saw. The man had taken Rhiannon\u2019s dress and added a few more frills here and there, but the biggest modification was that one side of the long floor-length skirt had been drawn up nearly to her waist. Milya gasped at the idea of having her daughter parade around like that with that much leg showing, in front of an audience of Imperial aristocrats. Over her dead body. Who did this Taelros Bac think he was, anyway? He certainly had a lot of nerve to try this. \u201CAbsolutely not,\u201D she said. \u201CWhat do you mean, absolutely not?\u201D Taelros asked, obviously not used to being told no. \u201CThe modification to the costume should only take an hour or two. I didn\u2019t change that much.\u201D \u201CThat much turns this dress from respectable to needlessly risqu\u00E9,\u201D Milya snapped. \u201CYou will not put my daughter on display like some kind of street-walker, Taelros. She\u2019s eleven.\u201D \u201CBut . . .\u201D he stammered. Milya had had quite enough. In a flash, her arm had whipped around his neck in a professional headlock. Taelros\u2019s face began turning red as she constricted the blood supply to his head. Once she was sure she had his full attention, she pulled him forward so she could speak directly into his ear. \u201CLet me make this very clear,\u201D she said shortly. \u201CYou will leave the costume as is. And you will forget you ever had this idea. Do I make myself clear?\u201D \u201CAb-absolutely,\u201D he stammered, clutching at his throat in wide-eyed nervousness. She let him go and he straightened up, trying to catch his breath. \u201CThat was most uncalled for,\u201D he muttered. An unsympathetic Milya did not dignify his huffy protest with an answer. Instead, she wrapped a protective arm around Rhiannon and started walking off. They were done for the day and she still had preparations to make before the show. \u201CI\u2019ll see you tomorrow,\u201D he told them. \u201CBreak a leg.\u201D Though it was a common expression for \u201Cgood luck\u201D told to actors before the show, Milya couldn\u2019t help but interpret the expression literally. \u201CSame to you,\u201D she called over her shoulder as she took Rhiannon and left the Imperial Opera. Over Coruscant The tiny freighter slipped its innocuous way through the space traffic over Coruscant, descending past the defense stations and security platforms without incident. Once in the atmosphere, the craft banked, weaving its ungainly way through the skylines. As the evening waned on Coruscant, the vessel headed for a seedier district of Coruscant. Formerly an industrial region, it was now home to hundreds of lawless denizens, most of whom were employed by one criminal cartel or another. Finding a landing pad owned by the occupants of the shuttle that was reasonably close to their destination, the freighter set down, just as sunset fell on Coruscant. The cityscaped planet had no idea that its cargo and passengers were filled with insidious characters. Inside a small room in the shuttle, three of the underworld\u2019s most notorious figures were gathered in hushed conference to discuss their next nefarious plot. Their leader was Tyber Zann, criminal mastermind. While his fleet underwent repair at various illicit shipyards, the crime lord had launched the next stage of his plan. When Bossk had stolen the artifact from him over Carida, little had the Trandoshan known that Zann had anticipated his move and planted a tracer inside the device. Now, the tracer had led them to Coruscant. Besides Zann was his loyal partner, Urai Fen, but the third individual was a newer member of the Zann Consortium. Though the smallest person out of the three, she exuded the most sinister aura. Her choice of clothing-a revealing garment in red Dathomiri leather-showed off much of her pale white skin, which stood in stark contrast to the dark tattoos etched across her face. This was Silri, the Dathomiri Nightsister, a dark side Force user and one of the chief lieutenants of Tyber Zann. Neither of the other two completely trusted the witch, but she was powerful and hated the Empire. That much would do for now. \u201CThis is the plan,\u201D Tyber Zann instructed the other two. \u201CThe tracer on the artifact has revealed the location of one of Palpatine\u2019s little storehouses. Our objective is the plans for the Emperor\u2019s new warship, the Eclipse. Urai and I will deactivate the security system. Silri, I want you to wait in the Juggernaut transport to get us out of there once we have what we need.\u201D \u201CAs you wish, Tyber,\u201D the Nightsister replied in a silky tone that neither of the other two fully believed. \u201CIs that a problem, Silri?\u201D he asked pointedly. \u201COf course not,\u201D she replied in that same slippery voice. \u201CGood,\u201D Zann countered. \u201CIf anything goes wrong, let that rancor of yours loose. That should distract the Empire long enough for us to escape.\u201D Silri insolently refused to answer that. Irate, Zann took a moment to glare at her, then continued. \u201CThe museum will be well-guarded, so be ready to pick us up. Everyone stay alert-I don\u2019t feel like being captured by the Empire today. Urai, are the MDUs ready?\u201D The MDU, or Mobile Defense Unit, was a multi-purpose vehicle that could deploy any number of equipment packages as directed. Zann had acquired them at great expense based on similar Rebel and Imperial models and modified them to suit his own purposes. They had already been deployed on several other of the crime lord\u2019s missions and proven quite useful. As such, Zann had brought three of them to Coruscant. \u201CYes. I instructed the crews personally,\u201D the Talortai replied. \u201CThey know what to do.\u201D \u201CGood work, Urai,\u201D Zann said, drawing his long-barreled customized blaster and inspecting it. \u201CLet\u2019s go to work.\u201D Mandalore Sarth and Cassi had just finished eating breakfast from a couple of rather tasteless meal packs on the Silent Surprise when they heard the chirp of a comlink. Sarth fumbled in his pocket for his comlink, but once he located the device, he found that it wasn\u2019t going off. Remembering the one given to him by the Zannists the other day, he located it and found that it was the source of the noise. Picking up the comlink carefully, he activated it. \u201CGood morning, this is Skart Kraest,\u201D he said politely. \u201CGood morning to ya too,\u201D he heard the familiar scratchy voice of the Dug they\u2019d met yesterday snigger. \u201CWhat do you want?\u201D Sarth asked him, a little less politely than before. \u201CWe found yer friends,\u201D the Dug replied snidely. \u201CWhere?\u201D Sarth demanded. \u201CWhat is it, Sarth?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CThey\u2019ve found them,\u201D Sarth told her, holding the comlink close to his ear. The device beeped, indicating it had received a databurst transmission. Sarth checked it and found a set of coordinates glowing green on the data screen. \u201CYer friends are in a little house thirty kilometers from Kedalbe,\u201D the Dug informed him. \u201CLooks like there\u2019s a few people with \u2018em. Guards, I think.\u201D \u201CHow many?\u201D Sarth asked. \u201CFive or six, I thinks,\u201D the Dug said. \u201CWhat are ya goin\u2019 ta do?\u201D \u201CThank you for your help,\u201D Sarth said curtly. \u201CI\u2019ll make sure your help and that of your superior is noted the next time Kraechar Arms has dealings with your organization.\u201D \u201CAre ya sure you don\u2019t want some help? Me and the boys could . . .\u201D \u201CI appreciate the offer, but that won\u2019t be necessary,\u201D Sarth said with forced courtesy. \u201CHave a pleasant day.\u201D With that, he turned the comlink off then turned to Cassi, who had waited patiently during the entire conversation. \u201CThey\u2019re here,\u201D he said simply. \u201CGuarded, in a safe house not far from here.\u201D \u201CWhat\u2019s the plan?\u201D she asked. \u201CWe\u2019re going after them,\u201D he said simply. \u201CTonight, when it\u2019s dark. We should rest until then.\u201D However, he immediately went over to the ship\u2019s computer and began entering something, engrossed in his task. \u201CWhat are you doing?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CTapping into a micro-sized surveillance satellite I deployed during our initial approach to Mandalore. I\u2019m going to get some footage of the surrounding area. Spectre would call this battlefield recon.\u201D \u201CAre you sure this is a good idea, Sarth?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CIf there are guards, then we\u2019ll have to fight them off.\u201D \u201CI\u2019m not sure we have many other choices,\u201D Sarth said. \u201CThe satellite\u2019s in position and I\u2019ve managed to get satellite footage of the location. There are two men outside the compound talking. Listen.\u201D He turned up the audio on the computer system. Cassi heard two men talking, both obviously male humans. \u201CSo, what\u2019s the news?\u201D the first voice said. \u201CThe boss is getting tired of these two,\u201D the second one answered in a distinctly Coruscanti accent. \u201CSays we don\u2019t need them to keep the old man motivated anymore.\u201D \u201CTime to wrap up loose ends, eh?\u201D \u201CYou know the drill. Tonight, at sunset. Take them out and take care of it. Make sure the bodies aren\u2019t found.\u201D Sarth turned down the audio again. \u201CLooks like we\u2019ll be meeting them near sunset.\u201D \u201CIsn\u2019t that risky, Sarth?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CA daytime attack against a bunch of professionals?\u201D \u201CYes,\u201D he admitted. \u201CIt\u2019s very risky. I would never try this if I had another choice. But Shenna and Elizie are going to die if we don\u2019t. We have to help them.\u201D \u201COkay,\u201D Cassi said. \u201CI just am starting to get . . .\u201D \u201CDon\u2019t say it,\u201D Sarth interrupted. \u201CDon\u2019t say \u2018bad feeling.\u2019\u201D \u201CWhy?\u201D Cassi replied, puzzled. \u201CBecause I already have one,\u201D Sarth said. \u201CGet some sleep,\u201D Cassi said, coming up to kiss him lightly on the forehead. \u201CWe\u2019re going to have a busy evening.\u201D \u201CWill do,\u201D Sarth said, setting the satellite to observe the safe house for the next several hours while he and Cassi did their best to rest. It was going to be close. Home One \u201CAll pilots, report to your craft in thirty minutes,\u201D the ship-wide intercom blared. \u201CAll pilots, report to your craft in thirty minutes.\u201D Hasla stirred and groggily opened one eye. The intercom sounded again and she was instantly awake. She quickly got out of bed, kicking away the sheets. The other figure on the bed rolled over as she did so. \u201CCome on, get up, Janson,\u201D she told him. \u201CI am awake,\u201D the other pilot mumbled. \u201CGood,\u201D she said. \u201CWe have to be at our ships in thirty minutes.\u201D \u201CI know,\u201D he replied, getting out of bed himself. \u201CI did hear the guy on the speaker.\u201D He walked up beside her to where she was pulling her flight suit off the floor and ran one hand down her smooth bare back. \u201CWhat are you doing?\u201D he asked her. \u201CI\u2019m getting dressed,\u201D she said. \u201CYou don\u2019t expect me to report to my squadron like this, do you?\u201D \u201CWell, it would certainly distract any Imperial pilots who saw you,\u201D Janson said, bemusedly. \u201CVery funny,\u201D she said, shaking her head at his silliness. \u201CYou can\u2019t just go into combat like that,\u201D he said, aghast. \u201COh?\u201D \u201CDidn\u2019t your mother always tell you to go into battle clean? You never know the next time you\u2019ll get a chance to shower and all that.\u201D \u201CI don\u2019t have time for that,\u201D she said. \u201CThere\u2019s only twenty-seven minutes left.\u201D \u201CYou do,\u201D he said with a smirk. \u201CTrust me. We have plenty of time to shower and catch a bite before heading off to the hangars.\u201D \u201CIf you say so,\u201D Hasla said, following Janson into the refresher. Unlike most of the other squadrons on Home One, Rogue Squadron had solo accommodations for each pilot, which included their own refresher. The privacy afforded by the solo quarters had also been welcome in the last few hours. Hasla didn\u2019t know they managed it, but twenty-five minutes later, she and Janson were both showered and heading out of the mess hall to their respective hangars. As their ships were parked on opposite ends of the giant Mon Calamari cruiser, they stopped at an intersection for one last farewell. \u201CGood luck out there,\u201D she told him. \u201CYou too,\u201D he said, serious for once. \u201CBe safe.\u201D \u201CMay the Force be with you,\u201D she said. He turned to go, and just as she did, she slapped him on the butt for good luck. The startled Janson looked over his shoulder and grinned impishly at her. \u201CFly well,\u201D he said, then sauntered off to join his squadron. A few minutes later, Hasla was strapped into her B-wing. Thoughts of Janson had been banished from her mind. She was in her flying mode now, utterly professional and in control. All systems seemed to be operational and as the countdown timer ticked down to the fleet\u2019s reversion from hyperspace at the jump-off point, Hasla figured she was as ready as she ever would be. As her B-wing and a dozen or so other fighters strewn throughout the hangar powered up, the giant compartment was filled with the whining sounds of a hundred repulsorlifts. Everyone was keyed up, tense, ready to go. Final prayers were muttered, controls were clenched, and good luck charms clutched for reassurance. The entire Rebel armada watched as the final digits on the timer wound down to zero. \u201CAll squadrons launch! All craft, rendezvous with your group,\u201D the flight controller\u2019s voice blared through her comm board. Hasla followed the rest of her squadron out through the hangar door, forming up on the dilapidated freighter, the Millennium Falcon, that served as the lead craft for Gold Group, the formation she was assigned to. Wave after wave of Rebel fighters were around her-sturdy X-wings, vintage Y-wings, swift A-wings, and of course, a scattering of B-wings. One by one, the squadron leaders sounded off. Hasla watched as the Rebel fighter wave soared ahead of the lumbering larger ships. Then, one last jump into hyperspace, one last leap before what might be the final battle of the Rebellion. It was only a short jump, lasting less than an hour, but it seemed like forever. Yanibar \u201CMaster Kraen.\u201D Selu looked up from where he was sitting in the main tactical command center of the Yanibar Guard. Standing beside him was Master Daara, one of the senior Elite Guardians under his command. \u201CWhat is it, Daara?\u201D he asked. \u201CWe\u2019ve just received word from Agent Redbird,\u201D the red-skinned Twi\u2019lek reported. \u201CThe Rebels are about to launch their attack. Coordinates are enclosed-they appear to be heading for a remote system called Endor.\u201D \u201CSo that\u2019s where the Death Star is,\u201D Selu murmured to himself. \u201CThat\u2019s where the Emperor is hiding his new toy.\u201D \u201CWhat are your orders, Master?\u201D Daara asked. Selu was silent a minute, his hands folded together as he contemplated. \u201CCarry on, Master Daara. Report any new information to me immediately.\u201D Daara looked disquieted at his reply. \u201CPermission to voice an opinion, Master?\u201D \u201CSure,\u201D Selu told her. \u201CI\u2019m listening.\u201D \u201CThe Endor system is not that far from Yanibar. Our ships could arrive in time to assist the Alliance if we dispatched the . . .\u201D \u201CNo,\u201D Selu said, cutting her off. \u201CThat\u2019s not an option.\u201D \u201CWhy not?\u201D Daara asked him sharply. \u201CThis may be the best chance the Rebellion has of defeating the Empire. What if our presence could make a difference? We should help them.\u201D \u201CDaara,\u201D Selu said gently. \u201CIt\u2019s not an option.\u201D She stared at him expectantly. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. \u201CThe battle is a trap,\u201D he said regretfully. \u201CI\u2019ve seen it in my visions, just last night. I saw Palpatine cackling as the Rebel armada was ground to dust. The Death Star is operational and there\u2019s a fleet of Imperial warships waiting for them. It\u2019s too late to warn them-by now, the Rebel fleet is in hyperspace. There\u2019s nothing we can do. I\u2019m sorry. I really am.\u201D Daara bit her lip, as if holding back from saying something, then went ahead and said it. \u201CMaster,\u201D she said. \u201CHow do you know that we can\u2019t make a difference? We could at least clear them a corridor to escape, to fight another day.\u201D Selu pondered that a moment, then answered slowly. \u201CThis is not to be repeated to anyone, Daara. I\u2019m telling you this because I trust you and because you deserve to know. A long time ago, before this colony was founded, I was given a choice. Based on my actions, the spirit of Revan warned me that any attempt I made to counter the Sith directly would result in everything I worked to establish would be destroyed or corrupted.\u201D \u201CI see,\u201D Daara said. \u201CDo you believe this prophecy?\u201D \u201CI do,\u201D Selu replied. \u201CThat\u2019s why I have refused to commit Yanibar Guard resources directly in the fight against the Empire. This colony-this refuge-our existence-everything that we swore to defend would be endangered if I ordered the Guard to battle at Endor.\u201D \u201CI understand,\u201D she said slowly. She walked off quietly, and Selu couldn\u2019t help but feel that she didn\u2019t understand him after all. The weight of his choice, and the dark premonitions permeating his thoughts wore on him and he abruptly left the TacCom room a few minutes later. He needed to meditate. Endor The entire Rebel fleet decanted from hyperspace in the Endor system. The aquamarine, viridian, and white moon of Endor was ahead of them, a scenic backdrop for the space battle about to occur. And there, looming ever larger as they closed, was the malevolent sphere of the Death Star. With any luck, the deflector shield protecting it would be down and the Rebel fighters could rush in and overwhelm the Imperials. Somehow, though, Hasla knew it would not be that simple. The Force was thick with the dark side and it smote her like a physical wave. There was something wrong here, something terribly wrong. However, she and the rest of fighters surged forward inexorably, carried along by some intangible momentum. \u201CLock S-foils in attack position,\u201D Commander Gavin ordered. Hasla complied, flicking the switch that brought the B-wing\u2019s starboard and port S-foils into position to give the craft its distinctive cruciform shape. Around her, X-wings and the few other B-wings followed suit, accelerating behind the Millennium Falcon. Hasla squinted at her sensor boards, trying to get a reading on the deflector shield. To her surprise, the board was covered in static. She slapped the board, but nothing happened. Then, another possible source of the static came to her mind. They were being jammed? Hasla felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Before she could react, though, she heard General Calrissian\u2019s voice on the fleetwide frequency. \u201CBreak off the attack! The shield is still up.\u201D She started banking her craft even as another voice crackled through the speaker. \u201CI get no reading. Are you sure?\u201D asked another fighter pilot. \u201CPull up! All craft pull up!\u201D the general ordered sharply. Calrissian was more insistent this time and she abruptly threw her fighter into a break turn. Around, hundreds of other Rebel craft did the same thing, veering sharply away off their original course away from the Death Star. Some of the fighters, too slow or too late pulling away, crashed into the shield and Hasla, horrified, saw their ships explode on the invisible barrier. \u201CForce help us,\u201D she whispered to herself. \u201CIt was active all along.\u201D Ahead of her, two B-wings, unable to maintain appropriate distance during their desperate maneuver, collided. Both ships were immediately vaporized and Hasla felt another pang run through her. The Rebels had barely arrived and they were already losing people. Just as she pulled out of the turn, her comm board crackled again. \u201CIt\u2019s a trap!\u201D Admiral Ackbar, the Mon Calamari leader of the Alliance fleet, exclaimed. \u201CFighters coming in!\u201D General Calrissian alerted them. Hasla looked straight at the incoming cloud of TIEs. At first, she couldn\u2019t believe her eyes. A swarming mass of the Imperial fighters was approaching them at high speed, and behind them was a giant fleet of Star Destroyers. Ackbar hadn\u2019t been kidding-the whole Battle of Endor was nothing more than a giant trap intended to destroy the Rebel Alliance. There was nothing left but to keep fighting now, try to take as many Imperials with them as she could. She gritted her teeth as she pointed her ship directly into the mass of TIEs and shunted all power to forward deflectors. There were hundreds of TIEs that swept past the Ices as the Rebel and Imperial fighter formations exchanged volleys of red and green laser fire as they collided. All around her, starfighters on both sides exploded in messy clouds of fire and razor-edged shrapnel, and spun out of control. The survivors jinked and rolled, trying to nail one another. In such a large battle, as she\u2019d seen before, the combat soon degenerated into a space brawl, with each pilot simply trying to stay alive and maybe get off a quick shot. Hasla followed the rest of the Ices in weaving a complicated pattern through a persistent TIE Interceptor formation. The Force guided her motions, giving her brief snatches of clairvoyance that told her when to dodge, but her vision was clouded. Something, or someone was stifling her use of the Force, and she knew she wasn\u2019t flying her best. Today, the day she needed to be at the peak of her game, she was falling sadly short. Her B-wing bucked and rocked from the near misses and laser grazes it was taking. She was flying by reflex now, not even thinking as she dodged and rolled, squeezing the triggers on her lasers and ion cannon. Her face and flight suit were matted with sweat and she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her system. She watched grimly as a good portion of the TIEs that had survived the initial clash swept through the Rebel waves, heading for the larger portion of the fleet. For every one she and her squadmates destroyed, there seemed to be ten more to take their place. \u201CAccelerate to attack speed! Draw their fire away from the cruisers,\u201D General Calrissian ordered on the fleetwide comm again. Hasla clicked her comlink in reply and brought her B-wing around to pursue a pair of TIE fighters, her gloved finger gently reaching for the trigger as she sighted in on them. It wasn\u2019t over yet. Coruscant It was pouring down rain outside as the transport lurched to a halt in a dark alleyway leading to a service entrance of some sort. It was poorly lit and even the mighty Juggernaut transport didn\u2019t seem too out of place amidst all the other sizable delivery vehicles. For the moment, it was literally a safe port in the midst of a storm. Outside, lightning streaks lit up the night sky, revealing an ominous wall of thunderheads behind them intent on soaking Coruscant\u2019s upper levels with driving force. Five individuals climbed out of the vehicle, walking to the back to stare at the damaged rear compartment. None of them were particularly happy about the rain and the smoldering engine. The difference was that two of them were nothing but common pilots, while the others were part of the top echelon of one of the galaxy\u2019s most powerful criminal organizations. \u201CWell, I\u2019ll be kriffed,\u201D one of the pilots said. \u201CThe engine\u2019s trashed.\u201D \u201CWonder how that could have happened?\u201D the co-pilot replied. \u201CProbably the TIE fighters,\u201D an irritated Tyber Zann snapped. \u201CThey weren\u2019t supposed to catch us heading out of the storehouse. Nobody was supposed to know we were even in there.\u201D \u201CThe MDUs dealt with them swiftly,\u201D Urai pointed out. \u201CAt least we are no longer being pursued.\u201D \u201CFor now,\u201D Zann replied darkly. \u201CThose TIE bombers that hit the MDUs could be back at any time now, blowing us and those access codes to\u2014,\u201D \u201CNot for the moment,\u201D Silri interrupted, her eyes closed in concentration. The Nightsister was obviously using the Force in an attempt to see how close their pursuit was. A few seconds passed before she opened her eyes again, but when she did, she had good news. \u201CWe are safe for the moment,\u201D she announced. \u201CSmall comfort,\u201D Zann said, brushing his long white hair, by now thoroughly rain-soaked, out of his face. \u201CWhere are we?\u201D \u201CAccording to the street map, we\u2019re at the one of the side entrances of the Imperial Opera,\u201D one of the pilots said after consulting a datapad. \u201CThere\u2019s a performance tonight.\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s it, Urai,\u201D Zann said. \u201CYou and I will acquire transport. Silri, we need a diversion.\u201D \u201CWe need, Tyber Zann?\u201D the Nightsister shot back. \u201CWhat \u2018we\u2019 need got my rancor killed back there! Why should I help you?\u201D Tyber Zann did not take a threat lightly. Almost casually he turned on the furious Nightsister, his fingertips drumming the stock of his specially modified blaster while Urai dropped into a fighting stance beside him, his heavy arm blades at the ready. \u201CLet me remind you, witch, that it\u2019s your fault your precious pet died. You were the one who went off on her own and got the beast killed. Now, either go distract security while Urai and I acquire a speeder, or I will kill you,\u201D Zann replied coldly. If looks could kill, Silri would have burned straight through him, but the Nightsister\u2019s resolve buckled. \u201CDon\u2019t worry, Tyber Zann,\u201D she said. \u201CEveryone\u2019s attention will be on me. Hurry back with the speeder. I\u2019ll meet you here.\u201D Silri stalked off through the pouring rain towards the Imperial Opera angrily. \u201CThis isn\u2019t over, Tyber Zann,\u201D she muttered under her breath. For the moment though, the Nightsister still needed the crime lord, and he still needed her. While their partnership was sure to meet an unpleasant ending, she now had a mission to perform. She had no intention of letting the Empire kill her, or Tyber Zann. She\u2019d reserved the particular pleasure of watching him die for herself. Reaching the sheer gray wall of the imposing Opera House, she pulled a pair of climbing claws from her utility belt and began scaling its slippery sides with almost effortless ease, her motions guided by the dark side of the Force. If Tyber Zann wanted a diversion to distract security, a diversion he would get. The person in question had watched the angry Nightsister storm off into the rain with obvious suspicion. \u201CI think I upset her, Urai,\u201D he remarked dryly. \u201CShe is not trustworthy,\u201D the Talortai answered. \u201CPerhaps we should leave her here.\u201D \u201CNo,\u201D Zann countered. \u201CI still have uses for her. Later, perhaps, Urai, we\u2019ll deal with our insolent Nightsister. Just keep an eye on her.\u201D \u201CUnderstood,\u201D Urai Fen grunted. \u201CBesides,\u201D Zann continued. \u201CShe knows too much. If the Empire was to capture her, she\u2019d be all too happy to divulge every secret she knows in order to bring me down. We can\u2019t have that.\u201D \u201CAs you wish,\u201D Urai assented. \u201CShe is nearly to the top of the wall. We should go.\u201D \u201COf course,\u201D Zann said. \u201CTime to find a speeder.\u201D \u201CWhat do you want us to do, Lord Zann?\u201D asked one of the pilots. Zann turned to regard the pilots as if noticing them for the first time. A look of insincere regret washed across his face. \u201CI\u2019m afraid you gentlemen have become something of a liability to the Zann Consortium,\u201D he said. \u201CMy lord? I don\u2019t understand,\u201D one of them stammered. However, by that time, Tyber Zann had drawn his blaster and shot both of them dead. \u201CI hate loose ends,\u201D he muttered, blowing smoke away from his blaster\u2019s barrel. \u201CUrai, dispose of the bodies. I\u2019ll meet you and Silri back here with the speeder.\u201D \u201CUnderstood,\u201D his hulking henchman nodded, setting off to his task. Mandalore Mandalore was a pleasantly forested world once one got out of Kedalbe. The trees were dense but not overly so, and the predominant variety in this region seemed to be a stocky broad-leafed species that provided plenty of cover. As the planet\u2019s sun began sinking into the horizon, the combination of thick foliage and dimming light was enough to conceal two figures that had clambered off of a pair of speeder bikes and begun to creep stealthily through the forest. Sarth and Cassi had taken great care in their preparations for this little adventure. The Silent Surprise was already airborne, and thanks to some clever reprogramming of the autopilot, was cruising around the scenic Mandalore countryside at low altitude a dozen kilometers away, pretending to be on a joyride. They\u2019d dropped out of its cargo hatch on the speeder bikes from several hundred meters in the air, an exhilarating ride to be sure, but almost completely undetectable. For their return, a simple command entered into its slave-circuit via Sarth\u2019s beckon call would bring the yacht to their location at top speed in case they needed a quick egress. Both Sarth and Cassi were wearing dark gray jumpsuits and equipment belts that sported, among other things, a pistol, their rarely-used lightsabers, glowrods, and a few other odds and ends that they\u2019d obtained from a YGI infiltration kit. They\u2019d even gone so far as to blacken their faces to dull the sheen on their skin. It was not their usual attire by any stretch of the imagination, but the occasion had demanded it. Pistols at the ready, they crept through the undergrowth as quietly as they could manage, watching for any sign they\u2019d been noticed. Their going was not as quiet as certain elite units of the Yanibar Guard could manage, but it had been reasonably innocuous. Every now and then, Sarth would signal a halt with one hand while he stopped to listen. However, he never heard anything but birdsong, insect chirps, and the leaves gently swaying in the late afternoon breeze, so they continued to make their steady way through the forest. Finally, after half an hour of slow, measured progress, marked by frequent stops and careful vigilance, Sarth and Cassi caught the first glimpses of their destination. The house was a small ramshackle structure almost entirely lacking in windows, well nigh inaccessible except for a small dirt track that presumably led to a larger causeway elsewhere. There was a man standing out front, obviously surveying the surroundings. Sarth crawled up behind a fallen log and peered through a pair of electrobinoculars that he\u2019d brought. \u201CLooks like just one sentry,\u201D he breathed. \u201CJudging by the bulge in his jacket, he\u2019s armed. We\u2019ll go around back, see what we can find.\u201D Crouched down beside him in the undergrowth, Cassi nodded. The two continued creeping around the perimeter, until they were satisfied that only the only things outside the house were a dilapidated speeder and the lone sentry. They were dirty, covered in bits of leaves and dead grass, but neither cared. Their minds were entirely focused on their mission. \u201CSeems like a rather small setup for an Imperial prison,\u201D Cassi noted. \u201CThat\u2019s what I\u2019m worried about,\u201D Sarth said. Pulling a scanner off his belt, Sarth held up the device and activated it. Then, he slipped on a pair of goggles. The resulting combination showed him something far more insidious that had previously been hidden from their eyes. \u201CAh, they do have a security system,\u201D he said. \u201CCombination of seismic sensors and thermal cams. We were lucky we didn\u2019t get too much closer.\u201D \u201CHow do we get through?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CThere\u2019s a blind spot, right through this gully,\u201D Sarth said, leading her through a shallow trench. Cautiously, he crept forward, his S-5XS pistol in one hand and the scanner in the other. Cassi stayed right behind him, mimicking his every move. Although Sarth set a painstakingly slow pace, they soon managed to reach within ten meters of the house. A bead of sweat rolled down Sarth\u2019s face. He could see the sentry\u2019s back as they left the safety of the trees and moved out onto the open yard. He quietly willed the man not to move, even though Cassi had him covered. The crunch of his boots in the grass seemed agonizingly loud, but nobody noticed their approach. Sarth had chosen this vector because of the blind spot in the sensor coverage, but it was also concealed from the one or two windows they had seen, and had the advantage of being behind the sentry. A bit too convenient, he figured, but it was a chance they would have to take. He signaled to Cassi to head for the back door by the speeder, away from the sentry. Hugging the house\u2019s wall, Sarth rounded the corner, pistol at the ready, but nobody was there. Keeping low, he quickly shuffled up to the back door, Cassi constantly right behind him, checking their sides and in front of him. Sarth almost reached for the door, then thought better of it and pulled out the scanner. To his alarm, the latch he had almost reached for appeared to be wired. Cassi gave him an inquisitive look, and he showed her the scanner. She nodded. There was no back door, but apparently the designers of the house had intended for possible intruders to think that there was. A careful infiltrator would slip through the sensor net, head for the back door and attempt to slice it open only to find that the handle and entire frame were touch-sensitive. This door, Sarth decided, was only meant to be handled from within. They would have to go through the front. Doubling back the way they\u2019d came, Sarth and Cassi soon were right up against the wall, less than four meters from the unaware sentry\u2019s back. They would have to deal with him quietly and then get into the building fast. So much for sneaking in undetected. Unless all the Imperials were asleep, they would be noticed, if not now, then eventually. Sarth took a deep breath. It was time to do this, before the sentry turned around and noticed them. Raising his pistol, he sighted in on the man\u2019s neck and, after just a second\u2019s hesitation, squeezed the trigger. A knockout dart flew through the air to bury itself in the man\u2019s neck. He collapsed limply on the ground. The man would be unconscious for the next several hours. In a flash, Sarth darted forward to the front door and knelt down. Cassi covered him while he broke out a slicing tool and hacked into the door\u2019s lock. It was quite a sophisticated model, but also one Sarth had seen-and broken-before, so in a few short seconds, the door hissed open. Sarth ducked back, waiting for a blaster bolt to come sizzling out the door but none came. With that much welcome news, Sarth went into the house, pistol held in one hand and lightsaber, unignited, in the other. Cassi, behind him, kept a two-handed grip on her S-5XS. It was dark-none of the lights were on. It was sparsely furnished and only the front room had anything that resembled normal furniture. The rest of the rooms were empty, filled with layers of dust and cobwebs that indicated they hadn\u2019t been occupied in some time. \u201CClear,\u201D Cassi said quietly. \u201CI know,\u201D Sarth said dejectedly. \u201CThey should have been here.\u201D \u201CWait,\u201D Cassi said. \u201CI sense other presences.\u201D Sarth stopped, extending his mental perceptions to sweep the area. \u201CYou\u2019re right,\u201D he said. \u201CThey\u2019re beneath us. There has to be a hidden door here or something.\u201D \u201CSecond look?\u201D Cassi suggested. Sarth nodded. \u201CI\u2019ll cover you.\u201D It didn\u2019t take long for them to find it, a concealed hatch in the front room, complete with yet another alarm. Sarth bypassed it in ten seconds, but it was still locked. \u201CWe need an authentication chip to get in,\u201D he said. \u201CI don\u2019t have a generic one that will fit in that slot, or I\u2019d just make a lock-slicer chip. It\u2019s a non-standard model.\u201D \u201CIs the hatch wired now?\u201D Cassi asked. Sarth shook his head. \u201CNot anymore.\u201D \u201CAllow me,\u201D she said. Holstering her pistol, Cassi traded it for her lightsaber. Igniting it with a loud snap-hiss, she drove the blue blade into the hatch, slicing through the lock easily. Sarth gave her a bemused look. \u201CI didn\u2019t think brute force was your style,\u201D he said with a wry smile. \u201COnly on special occasions,\u201D she replied, returning the grin. He opened the hatch and she advanced down the stairs quietly, lightsaber ready. A second later, Sarth followed her down. To his surprise, the basement of the house was nothing like its ground floor. In place of musty wood and permacrete construction, the walls were a metallic dull gray, the floor underlit by glowing red slits. The architecture was decidedly Imperial, Cassi decided, and looked rather like a prison. Most probably because that\u2019s exactly what it was. It didn\u2019t take Sarth long to find a computer terminal and tap in. Nor did it take him long to find what he\u2019d been looking for. In seconds, he turned back to Cassi and gestured for her to take a passage that branched off to the right of the main corridor. She nodded and did as instructed. Their Force senses told them that there were two life-signs up ahead of them, but they weren\u2019t human. If Sarth was right, they would soon meet Shenna and Elizie Magrody. Sarth paused and muttered something just as he came around the corner to the side passage. \u201CWhat is it?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CJust checking something,\u201D he whispered. \u201CKeep going.\u201D She soon found a locked door at the end of the hall and her senses told her that there were two sentients beyond it. Quickly, she beckoned Sarth forward. \u201CI\u2019ve found them,\u201D she whispered. He nodded and headed up to the door. After making sure that it, too, wasn\u2019t wired, he gestured to Cassi, who promptly cut it open with her lightsaber. Inside, she saw a frightened-looking Arkanian woman sitting on a bed clutching her daughter to her. \u201CDon\u2019t be alarmed,\u201D Cassi said, closing down her lightsaber. \u201CWe\u2019re here to get you out of here.\u201D The Arkanians, petrified, stared at her. \u201CMrs. Magrody,\u201D Cassi told her. \u201CWe\u2019re friends of your husband, and we\u2019re here to rescue you, but we have to go. Is Nasdra here?\u201D The elder woman, Elizie, shook her head. \u201CNo, he\u2019s not. I haven\u2019t seen him in months,\u201D she said. \u201CWho are you?\u201D \u201CI\u2019m Cassi, and this is Skart,\u201D Cassi informed them. \u201CNow, please, come along. We need to go before they see us.\u201D \u201CDoctor Magrody isn\u2019t here,\u201D Sarth said quietly, ducking into the cell. \u201CI don\u2019t sense him.\u201D \u201CMe neither,\u201D Cassi said. \u201CSkart, we need to go.\u201D \u201CYou\u2019re right,\u201D he agreed. With the Magrodys behind them, Sarth and Cassi headed back up the passageway the way they\u2019d came, unfortunately a bit noisier than they\u2019d come earlier. \u201CGet ready,\u201D Sarth murmured to Cassi under his breath. She gave him a puzzled look, then noticed he was throwing a sidelong glance towards the ceiling. Her eyes followed his gaze, coming to rest on a concealed camera eye nestled carefully into the shadows on the ceiling. They had been watched all along! Still, Sarth seemed to be playing it cool and so Cassi followed along. She and Sarth were about five meters from the main passage when suddenly the dim hallway lit up with blinding white glare as the ceiling glowpanels activated, bathing the four escapees in harsh light. As the lights came up, four men with blasters pointed at them rounded the corner. \u201CDrop your weapons,\u201D one of them demanded. Sarth complied, setting his pistol and lightsaber on the ground, as did Cassi. \u201CHands up,\u201D ordered their captor. Again, Sarth obeyed, as did Cassi. Behind them, one of the Arkanians, probably Shenna, began to whimper. \u201CIce of you to drop by,\u201D Sarth called to the four men. \u201CWhat the-?\u201D The man\u2019s calls were drowned out by a frosty white cloud that materialized out of nowhere. Sarth immediately stooped down and scooped up his weapons, but refrained from firing. Cassi did the same, and when the cloud cleared, she saw that their four would-be assailants, as well as the walls, floor, and ceiling around them, were encased in some kind of icy substance. \u201CCryoban grenade. Voice activated,\u201D Sarth said. \u201CFour meter radius. They\u2019ll thaw out in a couple hours with some nasty frostbite. Watch your step.\u201D \u201CSo that\u2019s what you were doing when you came around the corner,\u201D Cassi replied as she stepped over the frozen floor. He nodded, helping the Magrodys navigate the slippery patch of ground created by the cryoban grenade. \u201CThey\u2019ve been watching us on their hidden secondary surveillance system the whole time. It\u2019s time to run.\u201D With that, Sarth broke into a quick jog, followed by the two Arkanians, while Cassi brought up the rear. Whipping out his lightsaber, he lit it and stormed up the stairs out of the hatch, but no hostile fire greeted him. Beckoning to the others, they hastily poured out. \u201CThe grenade must have caught them by surprise,\u201D Sarth said. \u201CWe might just get away after all.\u201D Dashing out of the house, all attempts at stealth gone, the four sprinted for the cover of the treeline. They had almost made it when the first blaster bolt cooked the air right over Sarth\u2019s head. Turning half-way, he returned fire with his pistol, letting loose several knockout darts in the general direction of the dark shapes pouring out of the house. \u201CThey\u2019re onto us!\u201D he said. \u201CRun!\u201D By themselves, Sarth and Cassi might have made it back to their speeder bikes. However, with Shenna and Elizie slowing them down, there was no way they could make it. The two Arkanians were weak and even more ill-used to sprinting through the woods than Sarth and Cassi were. \u201CWe\u2019re going to have to slow them down,\u201D Sarth gasped. Breathless, Cassi nodded, skidding to a halt. \u201CLook,\u201D Sarth called to Shenna and Elizie as he activated the beckon call, programming something into it. \u201CHead east, that way. There will be a ship hovering there with the ramp down. Get in, go to the cockpit and tell it \u2018Clear skies.\u2019 You hear me? \u2018Clear skies.\u2019\u201D Shenna and Elizie nodded dumbly. \u201CGood,\u201D Sarth said, then waved them off. They obediently broke into a run in the direction he ordered. \u201CWhat now?\u201D Cassi asked. \u201CThey\u2019ll be on us in ten seconds.\u201D \u201CWe get their attention,\u201D Sarth said. \u201CHead for the speeders. With any luck, they won\u2019t have transportation. Then we escape.\u201D \u201COkay,\u201D Cassi said. \u201CBut luck has not been with us thus far.\u201D \u201CSure it has,\u201D Sarth said, pecking her quickly on the cheek. \u201CWe\u2019re still alive and together, right?\u201D Then he crouched down by a rock and drew another small sphere out of a pouch on his equipment belt, tossing it ten meters ahead of him. Cassi saw what he was doing and ducked behind a tree, trying to catch her breath. The first Imperial had just come into sight when Sarth stood and opened fire with his pistol. However, not being the best of shots, all his darts did was catch the man\u2019s attention. A blaster bolt sailed past him to set fire to a tree. At that point, Sarth shouted, and the cryoban grenade two meters from the man\u2019s feet detonated, flash-freezing him. Cassi gave a shout as well for good measure, appearing from behind the tree with lightsaber lit. They certainly had the Imperials\u2019 attention now, and blaster bolts whined all around them. Their task completed, Sarth and Cassi took off running as fast as they could, bolstering their energy reserves with the Force. From behind them, Cassi heard the low whine of a repulsorlift. Risking a glance behind her, she saw an Imperial on a speeder bike closing on Sarth, lining up its underslung cannon to blast him. \u201CSarth, duck!\u201D she shouted. Instinctively, he dropped and the volley of blaster bolts aimed at his back sailed over him to hit a tree instead. The speeder bike roared past them to come around for another pass, but Cassi\u2019s motions were guided by the Force. Her arm moved on its own accord, whipping her lightsaber blade around just as the bike passed her. The stroke was less than masterful, but managed to sever the driver\u2019s left arm at the forearm. The resulting injury caused him to lose control of the bike, which slammed into a sizable boulder and exploded in a generous fireball. Sarth scrambled to his feet and together they made the last hundred meter dash to their speeder bikes. Looking over his shoulder, Sarth saw a familiar blue thruster glow recede into the distance and knew that their efforts had not been in vain. \u201CThey got away,\u201D he said as he powered up his speeder bike. \u201CGood,\u201D Cassi replied as her bike\u2019s engine roared to life. \u201CLet\u2019s do the same.\u201D"@en . "Force Exile IV: Guardian/Part 7"@en . "23"^^ . "20"^^ . "9"^^ . . "15"^^ . "12"^^ . "The last notes of Rhiannon\u2019s song faded away in glorious crescendo. Watching from the side, Milya was filled with quiet pride at how well her daughter\u2019s performance had been received. Though Rhiannon hadn\u2019t instantly mastered the music that she\u2019d been assigned, she\u2019d steadily improved over the past week until Taelros, Colonel Hagrek, and the vocal coach had been satisfied with how she sounded. It had been tough for the girl, Milya knew, but she\u2019d persevered and come through smiling. Rhiannon was a fighter, just like her parents, and just as strong-willed also. She certainly hadn\u2019t let her handicap bother her."@en . "3"^^ . "1"^^ . "7"^^ .