Audenhoen stood watching the slight bursts of bright light wink themselves out of existence, thirteen in all, as he turned his head slowly to Chenyu Hung. “Thirteen?”
“The Ifera Deputy Director, she took the full arsenal of that Venator topside.”
Audenhoen turned to the Captain fully, “Sylde sacrificed his own to screen for Ravager?” He asked in astonished disbelief.
“Captain Wvorshak will be honored as the hero the Empire needed in the battle of Ambria Deputy Director, a valiant act of gallantry that will be remembered by everyone aboard the Ravager.” Hung responded.
Audenhoen pulled his features into a tight grimace as he held his contempt in check, knowing that reason had no place on the Captain’s bridge. “And the crew of the Ifera Captain?”
“Will be honored alongside her Captain.”
Audenhoen only shook his head slowly as he turned his view back to that of the encroaching sphere of Ambria through the viewport.
“Captain, rear fleet is disengaging….” a technician broke Walker’s attention as he turned his head over his shoulder again. “Fighter contingent is dispersing and jumping. Pursue?”
“Do not.” Hung responded, his eyes still focused on the nearing planet. “Tell Saure to stand down his fighter wings.”
“Sir. There are two remaining fighters, RZ-2 A wing interceptor and an...A01!”
Hung turned immediately to the technician. “Where!”
“Aft of Herrell….Sir she is opening her foils…”
Hung lifted his head, “Kaig!” Static his only response. “Helms, Broocal, break formation, port roll and distance us from Herrell...immediately!” He spun quickly to face the technician again, “belay that order to Saure, I want those wings prepared for full on assault.”
Audenhoen processed the information through an analytical lens, curious about a thought that had always found reason to work its way into the forefront. ‘Always reactive, never proactive.’ “It’s no wonder they always seem to snatch victory from the jaws of certain defeat.” Walker mumbled under his breath.
“What was that?” Hung asked, the perspective before them both began to roll the planet out of view, distancing itself from the opposing Acclamator as quickly as possible.
“Nothing Captain, just positing some reason for myself to digest.”
Hung shook his head, ready to be rid of the dogmatic Deputy Director, the view before them displaying both the planet and the prone Star Destroyer desperately trying to gain tactical advantage.
“Hung.” The Tacnet barked loudly, the voice clearly frustrated.
“Mattac…” Chenyu responded.
“We can’t shake these two, they are matching all evasives and maintaining a tight threshold on our starboard rim. Suggest you and Broocal make haste planet side. We’re going to ha…..” The clear transmission instantly burst into static.
“Kaig! Kaig!” Hung repeated, an earnest attempt Walker found foolish as the Captain turned to face him. In unison they both slowly fixated their respective gazes toward the Herrell in time to watch a ball of fire disgorge from the port side hangar. A brilliant conglomeration of colors representing the bulk of the vessel’s interior components, spewing wildly from the breach. The shipboard lighting from thousands of view panels flickered to darkness, the Star Destroyer bathed in an unhindered collage of color as explosions began to transcend the topside hull in a ripple effect of destruction.
Audenhoen felt his mouth draw open as he watched the slow internal destruction of the Acclamator consume the viewport entirely before the ship finally succumbed to the radiant heat and volatile gasses within, a final blinding flash of white causing him to turn away with a gasp. “Arrgh.” He bellowed, immediately bringing fingers to his eyes to rub out the pain, “Two fighters?”
“Not just fighters Deputy Director. You have just witnessed the deadly capabilities of an A01 in the hands of someone that knows how to handle it.” Chenyu Hung replied, Walker noting a stoic respect in his voice, despite the cost. “And, either by privilege or dumb luck, they managed to target the only vessel among our contingent that could provide ample challenge.”
Audenhoen squinted his eyes open, burning and itching, “you have nothing in the belly of this beast to counter?”
“A few flights of L/N’s would approximate as nothing more than target practice I am afraid. No Deputy Director, we are equipped to deal directly with land-based insurrections.” Hung explained.
Audenhoen found that mildly odd considering where they were having the conversation but let it go out of turn.
Hung spun around suddenly, “Where are they Corporal?”
“Quickly approaching Executor….apologies Captain, we had lost their signal briefly after the...blast.”
Audenhoen noted the hesitation, realizing the Corporal was the only one to register any level of reaction much less display any form of emotion, ‘I need to get off this ship,’ he thought to himself.
“They can’t possibly mean to attack, that B-wing hasn’t had sufficient enough time to charge it’s composite inverters.” Hung said curiously, a finger and thumb pinching at the strands of hair on his beard.
“Perhaps they don’t have the ability to leave?” Audenhoen suggested, feigning interest.
“Perhaps one does not.”
Audenhoen turned slightly, his interest rekindled, “quite noble then if it is the case.”
“Captain, vessel reverting from hyperspace. Signature scrambled. origination is intra system.” The Corporal shouted with an unnerving level of familiarity.
Hung spun immediately and ran to the man’s console bank, eyeing the data output, “Dresselian Spice hauler? I think not Y’mmat.” Hung said with a smile creasing his normally expressionless features. “Sylde, your YT-1760 has finally made its appearance.”
Audenhoen couldn’t help but roll his eyes into the viewport as Sylde’s chiding petulance voiced itself throughout the command deck. “Leave it be Captain, our quarry is planet side.”
“Sir, the Spice hauler is dock clamping the A01.” A technician reported farther down the console row.
“It’s not a spice hau…..thank you for the report.” Hung said, adding pleasantry only after catching himself losing composure. Audenhoen felt the edges of his lips pull back into his cheeks but refused to let the laugh he was brewing disclose his cynicism to anyone on the command deck.
“That settles any threat they may pose to the prone dreadnoughts, now of the Baleen?” Hung asked the question loosely, waiting for intelligible feedback.
Audenhoen chose his time, “if there are no longer threats to either the Ravager or Executor, I would like to shuttle over to offer assistance.”
Hung held a hand before him, pausing the initiated feedback from his analytics team and turned to face the Deputy Director, his eyes slightly narrowing, the only outwardly visible signal of mistrust. “But of course, Deputy Director, the hangar is at your disposal.”
Walker didn’t wait a second longer, letting the final words of the Captains analytics huddle blend in with the churning hum vibrating through the ship’s hull. He paused momentarily, eyeing the data pad that had been the Captains suspicious link toward any malfeasance resting nonchalantly on the rim of the aft holotable. Audenhoen waved slightly to get Hung’s attention, pointing a finger at the device once achieved. Hung nodded quickly then waved a dismissive hand in his direction. Walker snatched the device without hesitation and left the command deck without another glance.
✦
“ETA for extraction?” Vomend asked hurriedly, his pacing picking up momentum and speed.
“Thirty seconds.” The report was offered by someone, Vomend paying little attention to the source. He cared only for specifics as the internal battle waged on between tactical analysis and gut-wrenching emotion. It would take effort on his part to scan the faces of a crew he already knew to be downtrodden, dejected and split between grief and anger.
“I want the Mekun’s on last, they will need to cover our withdrawal.” He said, as he stifled his own turmoil and inner rage. He knew the window was narrow to get them off planet and out of the system but had felt relieved when the technician reported Kalla’s decision.
“I am going down there.” Vos stated, striking a hard chord within the Lannik that sent his thoughts spiraling.
Vomend only looked up and into the eyes of his friend. A thousand reasons to deny the Kiffar were defeated by a thousand reasons to support the endeavor. “I do not know what interests you have with Ambria my old friend, but I will not stand in your way. Go.” Vomend croaked, the emotions challenging his mettle, his voice betraying him.
Quinlan Vos only smiled as he turned to head toward the massive hangar bay, ‘stay well my friend.’ The Lannik thought, deftly wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.
✦
“Ani, try N’dali again.” Ahsoka said with a nod toward the Mirialan, a hand raised to divert her attention to the clear skies above them.
“I have him.” Rex said lowering his quadnocs, “by the walkers…” he trailed off the statement in bewilderment.
Ahsoka understood the hesitation as she felt the clone’s sympathy mingling with his own confusion, her own confusion. Why had he backed down from an opportunity to carry out his promise? Why was he now, in effect, providing rescue to the troopers and crews caught within the metallic tangle? This stood in such stark contrast to his own admissions not minutes before. ‘What did I miss?’ She thought to herself.
Ahsoka observed the battlefield as mobile units of all make and model scurried across the barren terrain toward their decant position along the Eastern rim of the valley. A survey that became more disheartening with each passing second, “all for what?” She murmured aloud.
“Because they were destined to.” Nara mouthed, close enough to Ahsoka for only the two to hear.
“What do you mean?” Ahsoka whispered over her shoulder.
“In truth, I do not know. As I do not understand why Vader is not carrying through with his assignment.” Nara responded.
Ahsoka could answer to that but chose not to, unwilling to divulge his true intentions to anyone else. “None of this makes any sense to me.” She said, changing both topic and focal point for those around her.
“War never does Ahsoka…” Rex responded without a second passing, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.
Nara suddenly froze with a gasp that surprised them all a moment before the ground beneath their feet vibrated lightly. None of them said a word, Mushi turning a quizzical gaze toward his matron as he tucked his ears in behind his head. Sand particles began dancing over the rocky terrain, swirling in fine eddies, and rearranging themselves into complex geometrical patterns as the vibrations continued. A noted silence cascaded through the valley as they continued to increase in both frequency and strength, everyone pinching off their senses to focus on hearing.
Ahsoka reared her head back over her shoulder, “Nara, what is it?” She asked in a whisper.
“The tether is torn Ahsoka, she is free…” Nara whispered back, squinting through the knowledge the spirits had been trying to impart from inception. “We need to leave.” She uttered as a muted roar destroyed the eerie silence with otherworldly conviction, each of them feeling the extent the depth of the sound conveyed upon internal organs and skeletal structures alike.
Ahsoka whipped her gaze in all directions trying to source the painful sounds and vibrations, only passively paying attention to the speeder bikes, tanks and other heavy weaponry making their hasty retreat. An ear splitting ‘thump’ that threatened to destroy her montral erupted from all directions, a magnified version of thousands of impacts she thought, only seconds before the lake some distance away geysered its contents a half kilometer into the sky. Another deep thump sent rivers of sand and debris shooting skyward as divergent cracks formed around the lake’s edges.
Kowani dashed to Ahsoka’s side, “The comm was brief, N’dali is leaving, she needs to divert Sylde. Only the stars know where R3 took the Liberator, something about a B-wing and there’s nothing but Imperials in orbit.” She said rapidly, tapping Ahsoka’s shoulder in the process. “We’re on our own.”
Ahsoka tried making sense of the natural phenomena, the cascading rainfall of the geysered water raining down on the dry, parched ground around them. The cracks forming at the edges of the lake stretching in chaotic arcs of fracture in all directions, greedily inhaling the fallen water as fast as it was falling. The ground rumbled again nearly knocking them from their feet, stone pinging as the quakes drove hairline fractures deep into bedrock below them. A deep reverberating gurgle echoed through the valley, the four looking to one another for some semblance of explanation. The eerie silence returned as Ahsoka felt her heart slam in her chest, each breath strenuously more difficult than the next. A single black talon rose from the caldera of lake Naath’s bed, curling over the shoreline with tendon snapping strength. As the first talon dug its meter long claw into the rocky surface of Ambria, three more talons followed. Sixty meters distant, a similar scenario was taking place along the Northern shoreline. Ahsoka’s heart all but stopped as the powerful appendages tightened in unison, rock shredding like flayed flesh as it tore from its own birthstone.
Despite the presence of Rex and Kowani, Nara and Mushi, Ahsoka felt inexplicably alone, a distancing from the attachments she had nourished and cultivated as if she were willingly abandoning them. The fight began in earnest for control of her own fears as solitude closed in on her. She felt a looming disparity forcing its way between her conscience and the enormity of those fears, a singularity that threatened to separate her will from her soul. A chortling howl echoed through the valley as the talons continued to rise from the caldera, revealing meters wide knuckles and the remainder of a six-digit appendage that shone a dull black as it absorbed the sun’s light.
Ahsoka’s arms felt heavy, intending to retrieve her sabers from her waist, but failing as they dropped helplessly to her side, her elbows crackling with intense pain. She chanced a glance toward Kowani who was struggling to remain standing, her knees visibly shaking. Rex was looking down to the rocks at his feet, fingers trailing over the sharpened blade tucked in his belt, clearly struggling with something. Nara was seated cross legged physically sobbing into open palms, each of them suffering through a very personal agony. Two more appendages flared from the caldera totaling four. Ahsoka watched them all clench, rending severe gouges into the ground beneath them, muscles audibly contracting as a gigantic maw thrust its way skyward with a deafening roar.
Ahsoka could find no memory from her past to compare to the sight before her, craning her neck to look upon the gargantuan black beast. Fanged teeth like the crown of spiked rock formations on Malachor lined the creature’s massive maw, easily large enough to consume them all. Four sets of eyes, brilliant orbs of a sickly orange, rotated freely in all directions as it surveyed its newfound freedom. The creature moved faster than seemed physically possible as it pulled the remainder of itself from the caldera prison it had come, two more rear appendages mirroring the first four and a thick tail as long as the creature’s body. Ahsoka had no way of gauging the creature’s length or height without measuring in terms of the starships she was familiar with. The ground shook with ferocity each time it shifted itself into a new position, Ahsoka feeling the enormity of the creature in terms of the despair that flared repeatedly through her, each desperately seeking any form of hope that remained within her with murderous intent. She closed her eyes, ready to accept the encroaching darkness, the feeling of absolution taking complete control of her senses.
Ahsoka felt a sharp slap across her face, something harsh and abrasive had made solid contact with her jaw. She jolted from the pain, feeling a moment of vertigo as the blood in her brain tried keeping pace with her movements. She cracked her eyes open, hoping to find that they were all far away from the monstrous beast that had emerged from the belly of Ambria, but finding that she had only roused herself from its rocky surface. ‘What the hell?’ She thought to herself as she whipped her head around, seeing if the others were still with her. Each movement causing dizzying waves of nausea. They were all rousing themselves just as she was, the creature very much real as it forcibly arced its back, every muscle in its six legs contracting with severe bulges under the thick dry scales covering its body from head to tail. Another deafening bellow escaped its maw as Ahsoka watched its eyes focus in tandem on something behind her. She slowly turned her head to avoid the discombobulation to see the same Baleen freighter returning, its forward hangar door opened wide as contrails of dust raced toward it.
The moment she was aware that the beast’s gaze was no longer on her, Ahsoka felt a renewal of her own self-awareness. The despair that threatened to shred her into oblivion had vanished. She felt her fears disperse into afterthought as they retreated with every breath she took into the recesses of memory. Ahsoka looked toward the creature then again at the freighter as the mobile units raced up its boarding ramp, understanding beginning to take shape. “Rex!” She shouted as she spun to face the clone.
“I’m alive….what is this thing?” He said with a raspy twang in his voice.
“An ancient evil.” Nara spoke up, “an evil that had been held at bay for eons by Thon’s will. An evil that had remained tethered to the planets core by Zannah’s foresight.” She said rising to her feet, Ahsoka noticing an exuberant pride in the woman’s voice. “An evil unleashed by T’zar’s machinations.”
Ahsoka felt the need to interject on the fallen Zeltran’s behalf but resisted the sentiment. She turned to Kowani to see the same opinion registering within the Mirialans’ eyes as she removed her helmet and tucked it under her arm. She mouthed what they were both thinking, ‘did we ever know his intentions?’
“Whatever is will be, none of them are with us any longer.” Nara continued, “the Force has taken them.”
“What about that?” Rex responded, a finger pointed toward the behemoth. In the time it took the clone to utter the words, the sound of high-powered turbo laser fire erupted from their left. Each of them whirled to see large beads of red superheated energy slamming into the beast’s broadside, one after another. Continuing to span their view the followed the energy to its source finding four of the five Imperial AT-AT’s unleashing hell upon the creature, a dark cloaked figure atop the lead walker, rocking his stance with outstretched hands. Ahsoka felt a momentary sense of pity for the Imperials as she returned her gaze to the targeted beast, seeing their efforts glance harmlessly off the massive scales.
“Judging by the ordinance, those turbo lasers are at maximum power.” Rex said, the quadnocs at his brow.
“Which means were not taking this thing down through normal means.” Ahsoka responded.
“I don’t think were taking this thing down by any means.” Kowani added.
Nara turned to them all, her lips quivering, clearly with something to add Ashoka thought, noting the hesitation in the woman’s eyes. “What Nara? If you know something, now is the time to share it.”
“The only way is to enact the same methods that kept it tethered.” Nara said hesitantly, her figure drooping as her features turned downward.
“That would require sacrifice Nara, and not a means to an end.” Ahsoka replied with a growing strength igniting her resolve. She looked up again toward the creature realizing that it was removing its gaze from the freighter and swinging its head toward Vader and the torrential hellfire of the walkers. She watched on with growing understanding as the laser fire began to slow, Vader beginning to shift in his stance. ‘It only has sway over what it focuses on.’ She thought piecing together the gut-wrenching despair she had felt earlier and the scrutiny of the grotesque orange eye.
Seconds later, bright green beams shot overhead, slamming into the creature’s neck from the East. Ahsoka snapped her head around to see several of the scurrying land units utilizing the Ion disruptors mounted atop them. She whirled her view yet again to the beast and watched as it swung its neck back toward the freighter. ‘At least it doesn’t know what to focus on.’ She thought, grateful that the creature wasn’t lashing out and rampaging across the valley floor. A distant speck in the Ambrian sky caught her attention just over the creature’s right shoulder. A speck that was closing the distance between itself and the behemoths back quickly. “Nara, this thing is about to get pinned between three separate forces. Can you keep it from moving?” Ahsoka asked, a plan formulating.
“How the hell do expect me to do that?” Nara asked with a veritable rise in pitch.
“Get inside its head woman!” Kowani added, clearly understanding Ahsoka’s intent.
“Yes, while we actually get inside its head.” Ahsoka added to the questioning looks of all three of them.
“I am not sure I quite understand but realize this isn’t some dumb creature acting on instinct.” Nara exclaimed.
“It is Hssiss Nara, a Queen at that. To assume it’s some dumb creature would be our last and final mistake. I know enough of this planet’s history to understand precisely where we are but to clarify, what exactly are you saying?” Ahsoka rattled off quickly, averting the crazed look in all their eyes.
“The Sorceress Ahsoka, her spirit resides within it.” Nara responded immediately.
Ahsoka considered the comment. “I propose we do more than Master Thon had even conceived.” She continued after her brief deliberation, seeing the uneasy glance between Kowani and Rex. “Apologies but there will be time to explain in more detail later…”
“...If we survive.” Rex cut her off.
“Yes Rex, if we survive.”
“Why even bother? Let Vader deal with it.” Kowani blurted out, “It isn’t always our job to fix everything that’s wrong Ahsoka.” She said, tossing her helmet on the ground.
Ahsoka winced at the words, certain now that she would need to explain herself to those she cared for the most, “in most cases I would agree with you Ani…”
“What did you do Ahsoka? I’ve been at your side long enough to understand where that sentence is headed.” Kowani said, tensing her facial features into lines of anger.
Ahsoka felt her forehead bead with sweat as an inner anger of her own fought for superiority, yet she relaxed herself from deprecating her protege, “I allowed T’zar to transcend after possessing the power and circumstance to obliterate him. What his part in all of this was is unknown to me so I will not own or take responsibility for it.” She blew out a pensive breath as she truly felt the weight of responsibility press down upon her. “Presenting Master Windu’s saber to Master Vos is what I will take responsibility for. That thing is here because of that decision.” She said, almost shouting as she pointed toward the snarling beast. On cue, the behemoth set its head back and bellowed another of its deafening roars, rattling their rib cages and vibrating the rock and stone under their feet.
Kowani shook her head out of frustration but wouldn’t press her issue any farther, she knew it was pointless in any event, It wouldn’t solve the problem and Ahsoka was right. Kowani knew she would not have chosen differently had the choice been hers to make.
“Acclamator class SD, coming in fast. Judging trajectory, I can safely suggest that the creature is its target.” Rex said lowering the nocs again. He nodded toward Vader, “he must have made that call.”
Ahsoka canted her head as she strained her view to watch the cloaked Sith Lord atop the Imperial walker, again surprising her with his uncharacteristic decisions. She was beginning to feel that they were driven by more than common sense or some semblance of rationality that he held from Anakin’s commitment to reason in the past, either way he was a conundrum she couldn’t trust. Just as she wasn’t sure about the trust she had placed in T’zar.
“Ahsoka!” Kowani shouted, waving her hands in front of her face, “you with us?”
“Yes...yes...sorry.” Ahsoka responded, blinking her eyes in embarrassment.
“This is a poor time to let your mind wander….” Kowani said. “Nara is going to attempt her incantation.” She began, “we’re going to need to know what your plan is.” She finished; a hand splayed toward Rex.
Ahsoka looked up to see the Star Destroyer drifting closer to the creature as it descended with amplified repulsorwash, a chugging bass that plastered the valley with waves of sonic assault, creating another storm of airborne pebbles and debris. She looked again toward the East, noting the ramp pulling itself up and into the ship as the large overhead hangar door closed, a single shuttle emerging from its depths before the door closed with silent authority.
The first of the bombarding fusillade shot with sonorous report, the Acclamator claiming full attention of everyone within the valley. The creature bellowed louder than before out of desperate annoyance as the first of the energy blasts slammed into its spine, followed quickly by a rapid cadence of echoing reports finding their successive targets among the thick scaly hide. Each impact driving the creature lower to the ground, the green bursts increasing in ferocity as those on the descending Star Destroyer were obviously adjusting power levels, working to find lethal consequence.
The behemoth snarled before chugging its throat, Ahsoka unsure if in pain or irritation, the deep baritone results squeezing at her internal organs. It continued snaking its head around over its shoulder as it continued the painful chortle, building in both frequency and intensity. The blasts from the Star Destroyer began to slow as the ship descended even lower, too close to the beast in Ahsoka’s opinion.
“I can’t focus on its mind with that damn ship drawing it’s attention.” Nara shouted to be heard.
Ahsoka snapped her head to lock on Kowani’s A-180, “Ani, could you get its attention?” She said pointing to the rifle.
Kowani looked from the rifle to Ahsoka, the expression on her face changing from estranged disbelief to outright shock, “your witnessing the uselessness of high-powered energy blasts from a Star Destroyer, what do you think I am going to do with that?”
Ahsoka spread a wry smile across her pursed lips, “they may have power but not your accuracy Ani.” She finished with a wink.
Ahsoka continued whirling her gaze, an effort to make some sense of what was transpiring. There were far too many elements to consider, an excessive amount of moving parts that were preventing her from gaging her own motives. T’zar had led them here and was now inexplicably gone. Ahsoka turned to face Nara, scrutinizing the woman that mirrored Barriss’ every physical attribute but looking deeper, beyond those attributes that she had imprinted to memory, she felt the novelty of naked truth. Where Barriss had always concealed her inner self, Nara wore it on her sleeve. ‘Perhaps I am just trying to look too deeply.’