Star Wars: Darkness Rising

Chapter 20: Ahsoka's Answers

Ezra and Sabine had thought it would be another quiet day on The Phoenix Ghost as everyone took a much-needed break since the most recent battle. So naturally, neither of them were surprised when a call came saying there was a war council meeting. After recent events, Ezra wasn't expecting any good news to come from the meeting. As he and Sabine walked to the war room in silence, Ezra thought about the Grysk's advance into Chiss space since he and his forces had made it off of Nirauan. More and more fleets were being defeated, and the Chiss army was starting to look too small to fight against the massive Grysk warfleet. He doubted this meeting was going to change that. He arrived inside the conference room to find Thrawn, Eli, Rex, Ahsoka and Munro sat around the table. Ezra suspected that Zirasaan had also been summoned, but wasn't sure if he had found someone else to take over his watch on the bridge. Ar'alani's holographic form was sat at the other end of the table. Zirasaan entered a minute later. "Are we waiting for anyone else Admiral?" Ezra inquired. She nodded. "The caregiver of your Skywalker, Faranso" she said. Ezra nodded in acceptance, and turned to the guards outside. "Inform the crew and soldiers that I and the rest of the commanders are unreachable for the foreseeable future, and then send a female crew member to watch over Che'ara" he ordered. The guards nodded, and got to work. Faranso arrived a couple of minutes later, looking tired, but in an overall good mood. Ezra nodded, and the guards closed the door, making sure they were not disturbed. Ezra wondered for a few moments if the meeting was to be Cheunh, Sy-Bisti or Basic. It turned out to be in basic, which allowed Ezra to conclude that Faranso knew the language as well. "Admiral, the floor is yours" Ezra said, officially starting the meeting. She nodded, accepting his words and returning the formality. "Our intelligence forces may have deduced the Grysk's next major target, which is unfortunately not good. We believe they are intending to cut a path to our capital: Csilla" she said. Ezra sat up a bit straighter. "Have the reports been confirmed?" he asked. Ar'alani nodded. "They already are almost ready to attack. We need whatever forces can be spared for the defence of our capital, otherwise, this war is truly lost. We don't know where they are, but its safe to assume it's the same fleet that attacked Nirauan. We have three battlegroups trying to delay them so we can set up the best kind of defence possible. According to their reports, we could have a week, maybe more, if we're lucky..." she explained. Thrawn was the one to speak next. "The Grysk must know that we will defend Csilla to the very end... I suspect there is a bigger target: Naporar" he said. Ezra shrugged, not in any way certain that Thrawn's theory was correct. "Possibly, but our latest intel on Grysk movements say they aren't even trying to move for Naporar. They don't seem interested in the system either. They know taking Csilla would crumble what morale our forces have left" he replied. Ar'alani sighed. "Our battlegroups delaying their arrival consists of twenty ships total... we sent twenty-five originally. Our time to rally an army big enough to defend Csilla is limited, as are the forces we can call upon!" Ar'alani stated, knowing the news wouldn't do much for Ezra's hopes of keeping his army's morale high. Ezra nodded regardless. "So, I'm assuming we're to defend the capital?" Sabine asked. Ar'alani nodded. "Yes, not only are you the largest battlegroup we have close by, but you also have Thrawn's prototype ships. I will be joining the fight with my own battlegroup as well. We will have maybe forty capital ships, and other smaller craft" Ar'alani replied. Ezra nodded. "Timeline?" he asked. Ar'alani nodded. "We found the Grysk fleet five days ago, since then we have been using guerrilla warfare to try and slow them down. Unfortunately, the strategy has not been very effective..." she explained. Ezra nodded, and Sabine could see the acceptance on his face. She didn't like what she saw. "So whats the solution?" asked Ahsoka, speaking up for the first time. "We have more than enough ships to try and hold the enemy above Csilla, but this will only be a temporary solution" replied the admiral, herself looking like she could barely keep the feeling of failure from her face. "What does that mean Admiral? How do we find a permanent solution to this problem?" asked Faranso. Ezra had figured out what Ar'alani was saying, he sighed, and answered in the Admiral's stead. "It means that Csilla is lost, and unless we get everyone to safety, they will all be lost too..." he said to Faranso. Ezra could see the sadness that fell across her face, and the faces of the other Chiss. "It also means that the Skywalkers present will be working harder than they ever have, jumping evacuation ships to safety, jumping back, and repeating the process..." Faranso shook her head. "That would cause the Skywalkers too much pain!" she protested. "Overload spells, fatigue, haven't you accounted for these possibilities!?" Ezra held up a hand. "I hear your concerns caregiver, but unless you have a better solution, we might have to make the best of a bad situation. Jump by jump isn't an option as we have no idea if the Grysk would be launching other attacks at the same time on nearby systems. I also won't endanger anymore Skywalkers than we already will be!" he said. Faranso sighed. "How long would they be navigating for?" she asked. Ar'alani answered this time. "I am afraid we have no answer for that" she said. Faranso sighed, and nodded. "How long do we have?" Ezra asked, hoping that at the very least that much information Ar'alani had. "I would estimate three to five days, you will have to make it here before then" she said, and Ezra nodded. "That marks the end of the briefing, I will leave you all to see to your tasks" Ar'alani said. Ezra nodded, and everyone got up and started to leave. He was behind them and about to walk out the door when Ar'alani called his name. "General, please stay a moment, I wish to speak with you alone" she said. Ezra nodded, and looked to everyone else. "Clear the room" he ordered. Everyone did so, but Sabine waited outside for him, socialising with the guards. Most likely to practice her Cheunh. "When you get to Csilla, you won't have long to get your army on to the ground. I would also make sure your fleet is well defended and has troops to repel boarding parties as well" she said. Ezra nodded, and knew there was more to this. "You don't think we'll be able to hold out for very long do you?" he asked. The Chiss admiral shook her head, almost as if she was accepting the defeat before it happened. "We won't be able to hold Csilla for long. We would have maybe a month or so before it falls..." she explained. Ezra nodded, and found himself thinking about Lothal. If Csilla fell, then eventually, the Grysk would arrive there, and his people wouldn't stand a chance. Ar'alani must have realised what he was thinking about. "I know that I don't need to remind of why you are fighting this war with us. Your home planet will be invaded by the Grysk not just for whatever strategic value it could have, but as revenge, for all of their warriors you have slain..." she said, although she knew she didn't have to. Ezra sighed, and nodded. "Have you ever been in such a fight with these kinds of odds?" he asked. Ar'alani nodded. "Not like this, but I have been in battles. When I was a part of the Irizi family, there was a brief, but costly war we fought with another race. Thrawn was my first officer at the time, and if not for him and his tactical knowledge and brilliance, me and my entire crew would have been killed. I owe Thrawn a life debt for saving us all" she said, reflecting on those past events. Ezra nodded. "Did the Chiss win?" he asked, actually interested in the answer. "We wouldn't have if not for Thrawn. I know that you don't trust him, and I understand why, but you will need him if we are to have any chance of winning this conflict and saving your home..." the admiral answered simply. Ezra nodded. "I'll brief my forces, and we'll set course for Csilla with all due haste" he said. Ar'alani nodded, effectively dismissing Ezra, and the transmission ended.