The Terran Alliance: The Dark Soldier- Crosspost

Chapter 12- A Search

Chapter 12- A Search

(August 25, 2004)

As the suns are beginning to rise over the landscape of Tatooine, Philip is slowly riding his own eopie across the seas of sand. He's still stewing a little bit from his encounter with Obi-Wan. He has thought all these years that if he encountered any surviving Masters like Obi-Wan, they would be more than happy to help fight back against the Empire. In his determination to continue the fight against the Empire, he feels furious with Obi Wan for seemingly abandoning the galaxy to be dominated by the Sith.

However, Philip has tried to let go of the incident. Clearly, Obi Wan is going to be of no help to him, and it's going to be no use arguing with him.

As Philip reaches for his canteen to take a swig of water, he suddenly senses something. A slight disturbance in the Force. Philip immediately turns his head to the east, sensing something in that direction. Feeling it may be worth checking out, Philip turns his mount to the east and starts riding in that direction, ready for whatever may lie ahead.

It doesn't take long before he spots several large outcroppings of rock. As Philip approaches, he sees two men just visible in one of the cave openings in one of the outcroppings. Philip quickly recognizes one as Obi Wan. Intrigued. Philip dismounts and hurries over.

In the cave, Obi Wan is in the midst of a quasi-argument with Bail Organa, Bail having come pleading with Obi Wan to rescue Leia, who had been kidnapped.

"You couldn't save Anakin, but you can save her," Bail insists.

Obi-Wan is quiet for several long moments before he asks, "And what if I can;t?"

Bail looks at Obi Wan for a moment in silence before saying, "There is no one I trust more with my child than you."

"You might want to rethink that, Senator Organa."

Bail and Obi-Wan both turn to see Philip striding towards them. Obi Wan instantly recognizes him and frowns. Bail, however, is confused and wary.

"Who are you?" Bail asks.

Philip chuckles. "I was once known as Philip. Now, the Empire knows me as the Crimson Blade," he says.

Bail's eyes twitch a bit in recognition as he hears that name, but narrowing his eyes a second later, not sure if he trusts him.

Philip pauses, then says, "So. The Princess Leia got kidnapped, I hear." Bail just responds with a single nod. Philip then asks, "Any idea where they're going?"

"Daiyu," Bail answers after a moment, beginning to think that Philip might actually be there to help.

Philip smiles. "Alright. Good to know. Tell you what, Senator. I'll go find your daughter. Master Kenobi doesn't care about the galaxy anymore. I'll bring your daughter home safe," he says, then turns and walks back to eopie, ready to start his search. Bail and Obi-Wan watch him go, both concerned.

However, Bail is not yet ready to just fully trust his daughter's face into the hands of someone as unpredictable as the Crimson Blade. He looks at Obi Wan and asks, "Please. One last fight, my friend?"

(Hours later)

Outside the viewport of the shuttle, Philip watches as the planet of Daiyu comes into view. After leaving Obi-Wan and Bail on Tatooine, he had quickly made his way to where his shuttle was hidden on Tatooine and started heading for Daiyu. Now, he's reached the planet, and he's ready to start searching for Leia.

Philip carefully flies the shuttle down to the planet's surface, finding a relatively quiet, obscure spot to set the shuttle down where it hopefully won't be spotted.