Forbidden Hero: A Star Wars Tragedy

Chapter 26

The time had come for me to step up and take the reigns of a plan that could change the balance of power. ISD Crusader was scheduled to depart for its next assignment to the Outer Rim Territories. Little to Empire's knowledge, this would be the last tour for Crusader and her crew. With Grand General Spinka on board, we departed and headed straight to Bannistar Station, and for the first time, I was the Executive Officer aboard.

"Ma'am, we are nearing the emergence site." I reported as 'Spinka' stepped onto the bridge. "We are also reaching the point of no return."

"I am well aware, Colonel San Tekka." She said in the straightforward way she usually took with Commander Laymar. "You know the protocol."

"Yes, Ma'am. — Emerging from hyperspace in 3 - 2 - 1." As the cerulean swirl of hyperspace transformed to the streaking stars, we slowed. But the moment's beauty quickly turned sour as a 'rebel insurgency force' (one gunship) waited instead of an Inquisitor ship and immediately started barraging the Crusader with laser cannon fire. Immediately the klaxon fired, and the bridge fell into chaos.

"Contact Imperial Command!" Yelled Spinka as she gripped the console as the Star Destroyer violently shook with every blow. "And get on the guns!"

"Comms are ready, ma'am."

"This is Grand General Spinka, from the Crusader. We have engaged the Partisans." Her message was brief but concise. "Send it on a priority channel!" She added as she stood.

"Ma'am, we're being boarded."

Without hesitation, I took her place as she stood. Looking into my eyes, she nodded. "I'll see to them personally."

"No, no."

"I have to", she said. Then, looking at her death trooper, she nodded, and they were gone.

My heart raced, this was real, and the plan was working. Of course, the Jedi Zahava was on that gunship, and she could outfly the guns no problem, but she made it look very realistic as she did her part.

Yrsa would emerge from her camouflage and become the Jedi she was. Part of me held excitement at the prospect of having 5 Jedi aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer; part of me felt terror.

"Colonel, we have a bigger problem." Commander Laymar remarked as he pulled me to the surveillance screen. Just as planned, Maja and Scarra emerged from the shuttle bay; their lightsabre's igniting in an offensive stance. The second monitor showed the hooded figure in ancient Jedi armour and green and gold robes. I saw the face of Jedi Master Yrsa Skou for the first time as she ignited her purple lightsabre. She did look like Spinka, but it was clear she was over ten years her senior, her hair braided and ready for what was to come. As I looked into that screen, I knew that everything would happen just as planned.

"Step away from the console, ma'am." An officer said as he shakingly pointed his blaster at us.

"So, this is a mutiny?" Commander Laymar asked as he raised his hands.

"We have enough of our people aboard. And that..." He said he pointed to the screens. "That is five Jedi."

He lifted his blaster without time to reply, and the blue stun rings enveloped me. The next thing I knew was the feeling of being numb all over and waking up in the brig.

~~~

Being in the brig was the plan; it had to look natural, and it had to be accurate. If it weren't, the Emperor would know. So as I sat in the brig, I listened to everything. The soft hum of the shield, the mouse droids were dropping out of hyperspace, the boots of someone coming... someone's coming. Then, opening my eyes, I spotted Commander Laymar arrive.

"You should have seen it...." He said as I stoop, looking in his eye from the other side of the electrified shield.

"What are you talking about, Laymar?"

"Sorry, they said you were here."

"Who?"

"The Jedi."

"The Jedi?"

"I know this one is real; you should have seen her." He remarked as he raised his hands in mock remembrance. "With a mere thought, she put this ship into hyperspace, the force flowing through her like pure energy." Then, pausing, he looked at me. "I never believed before, but.."

"Laymar, did you come to gloat or to free me?"

Looking down and shaking his head. "I came to free you. Saw Garreera is docking."

Another part of the plan, get Laymar to free me. "What? Well then, hurry, we won't have much time to...." Before I could finish, he had sliced the shield.

Handing me a blaster, he gave me a nod. "What do I do now."

"We split up."

I made a performance of it. Everything would be over if the black box was discovered and the Imperial Computer found the truth of this takeover. I was to be the sole survivor of this incident. I was to bring Spinka's body back to the Emperor. I was to honour her sacrifice with one of my own.

"Well, what are we to do now?" I asked as I met with Jedi Master Yrsa.

"Now we find my padawan," Yrsa replied.

"Wait, that wasnt plan," I remarked, stepping back.

"You misunderstand me. She will find us. This wave of light has permeated the darkness, awoken a light that has long been out. She will come looking - for me."

"Ma'am, it's been ten years since she was taken, plus I thought that attachments were strictly forbidden," I asked as I gently let Yrsa hold onto my arm.

"It is a Jedi path to follow the will of the Force wherever it may lead. Plus, the bond between a Master and Padawan is a sacred one, she is like a child to me, and I will bring her back to the light. She has a place in the future. That much I have foreseen."

Foreseen. That had been a word I recalled Spinka saying so many times. It had been a word the Emperor had told her. He had foreseen so much; had he been blindsided by Yrsa?

~~~

After what felt like days in hyperspace, we emerged in the Mytaranor sector. I had come to recognise the expressions of Yrsa when sensing something terrible. "What is it?" I asked as she stepped out of Spinka's office.

"We don't have much time." She said, patting my shoulder. "They know I'm here."

The plan would be accelerated. "Alright, I'll get ready."

Through the small porthole in my brig cell, I watched the Crusader maintain a steady orbit above Alaris Prime. It had been a world that had suffered by Imperial rule; the food, water, and medical supplies would go a long way here, but little to the Empire's knowledge, there was also an underground bunker here. Or maybe they did because from behind the Alaris Prime's moon, the glimmer of an Imperial Super Star Destroyer shone.

Closing my eyes, I felt the tell tail movement of the thrusters repositioning the Star Destroyer between it and Alaris Prime. Now was the time.

Standing, I sliced myself out of the holding cell. Moving toward the engineering deck, I found the auxiliary control room. Basic ship design, a first-year unit at Imperial Academy, How to Self Destruct - or something like that. "Executive Order Self Destruct - Code 599 Jenth Isk 1 Zerek Zerek."

"Standby for an ocular scan." The computer replied as the green light scanned my face. "Scan complete. Self Destruct Countdown 05.59 - 05.58 - 05.57."

Running, I made my way to the escape pod where the body of Spinka waited.

I had switched the uniform; everything would point to Saw Gerrera. The deal with the Emperor would still be in effect, whatever it was. All I needed to do was get her to Coruscant in one piece. Palming the eject button, I watched as I was propelled far from the ship that had been my second home. 

Now to get the comms working. It didnt take long to send a message on the wide ban, and as I looked out, I watched the Crusader destruct and fall toward Alaris Prime. Two specks of light zoomed away from the doomed ship—one an escape pod, the other a tie fighter; no Vader's tie.