In Command (#1 Post-Order 66 Series)

In Command - Part 29

The silence aboard the Marauder was deafening as they undocked from the freighter that had become a tomb. Echo eased the ship into hyperspace as Tech worked with Senna to dig through the ship's logs. "Hunter, there's a holo here. Recorded shortly after we made our final communication with them," Tech called. They all gathered around the console as Tech played the message. Senna stood and moved to stand near Rex. The blue figure of a young Rodian illuminated in front of them. "This is Rof Traro of the Freighter Night Smoke. We have been boarded by an Imperial inspection team, but there's something happening here. Something bad. There's someone with them that calls himself a Grand Inquisitor. I'm not sure what...wait. Something's happening." Suddenly, a lightsaber erupted through the Rodian's chest, and Rex heard Senna gasp. He reached over to grip her arm firmly, but when she turned to look at him there was fear in her eyes.

"There's more," Tech said quietly. "I've got the security feeds for the cargo bay." He tapped a few more keys, and a grainy image crackled to life on one of the displays. All of the crew were gathered in the bay with stormtroopers standing on the upper walkway, blasters trained on all of them. Everyone in the crew were on their knees, hands bound behind them. The familiar figure of the Inquisitor stalked between each of them.

"I know you were to deliver some supplies to a rebel crew today. While all of them are traitors to the Empire, one of them is most dangerous, a former Jedi Master, and I am most interested in her. Now, who can tell me what your final destination was? I understand you had planned to refuel here, at least that was what your captain told me right before he died. You may all join him, but perhaps not if you are cooperative." He was met with defiant silence as the crew all stared at the floor. He snarled, grabbing one of the crew, and Senna's breath hitched in her throat. It was the young boy she'd crouched over. The Inquisitor yanked him in front of his crew, grabbing him by the hair to wrench his head backwards. "Now, I'm going to ask again. Who can tell me the whereabouts of Master Senna Aven?" When he got no response, he pressed the lightsaber to the boy's shoulder, and the young man screamed. Rex heard a wet splash behind him and turned to see Senna on her knees, vomiting. Her body was quivering with sobs. "It's all my fault," she whispered. "It's all my fault."

"Turn it off, Tech," Echo said quietly. Tech quickly obliged punching off the screen. They didn't need to watch the rest to know what had happened.

"Wrecker, Tech, check the cargo for any tracking devices. If there's anything off, we dump it immediately," Hunter said quietly. He moved to kneel down next to Rex, who was holding a sobbing Senna. "Let's get her into a bunk. I'll get this cleaned up."

Senna was shaking and sobbing as they gently lifted her up onto one of the beds. Echo brought them a canteen of water for her to rinse her mouth, and then went to help Hunter clean up the mess. Rex gently reached up to stroke some of the hair out of her face as her body shook. She had curled her knees up to her chest, clutching the pillow to her, and he could hear her repeating the same words over and over into it. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Gently but firmly, he pulled her chin up so that she was forced to look at him. "You listen to me very carefully, Senna. It was not your fault. That monster did that to those people, not you."

Wrecker and Tech popped their heads up from the other side of the crates. "These are clear of any tracking devices, Hunter," Tech stated. Rex could hear the confusion in his voice, and Hunter's response mirrored it.

"Why would he just leave the crates? That doesn't make sense. Why allow us to complete the run?"

"Because he doesn't care about the supplies," Senna whispered, and Rex turned back to look at her, but her eyes were reaching for a point somewhere across the galaxy. "He wants me to know he'll kill anyone and everyone he has to in order to get to me. The supplies weren't important to him as long as I know he'll continue to do this until he finds me. It was a message." The calm in her voice startled Rex, and he stroked her cheek as she stared into the distance.