Shadows of Tomorrow

Chapter 85 - Ghosts of Geonosis

Author's Note: Behold some of the changes that have been occurring up to now. Hope y'all didn't forget about the Gerrera family? ;)

~ Amina Gila

"So, do we finally get to find out what this mission is about?" Ezra asks, leaning back in his seat. It's been a while since Marr was on a mission with the rest of the Ghost crew, and he can't deny that he's missed them. It often feels empty being here without Vizma, though – even if Anastasia somehow manages to make twice the amount of noise.

It hasn't been long since Maul's betrayal, and things are still in chaos over that. They need to get someone else in control of Crimson Dawn who'll agree to continue helping them, and he can only hope the Amidalans who infiltrated it will be able to figure something out.

Obi-Wan had said something about trying to start training Luke, but Marr doesn't know if that worked out or not. He hopes it did.

"Hera already told you. It's secret," Sabine shoots back, whacking Ezra's shoulder.

"So's everything we do," Anastasia drawls, leaning back lazily, "I don't see why we're bringing so many people there when we don't even know what we're walking into."

"Isn't that all the more reason to bring a lot of people?" Sabine asks.

"It could also be a waste of resources," she says.

"Why would Hera want to waste our 'resources' when we have so few?" Ezra queries.

Marr rolls his eyes. "I think we can put that transmission through now."

Chopper plugs in, pulling up a hologram of Commander Sato and – Bail Organa?!

"Senator Organa?" Hera asks in surprise. Why would he be calling? Marr knew the mission was important, but he didn't realize it was that high-up. It's more important than he realized. The Senator doesn't get involved in things freely, because it would put both himself and Leia at risk.

"I wanted to explain the mission personally," he replies, "There is much at stake here."

"Rebel Command received your report on the apparent disappearance of the Geonosian people. After some debate, we decided to take a risk and investigate," Bail replies. Disappearance? Why would the Geonosians have disappeared?

"So, we're looking for Geonosians?" Ezra wonders.

"No. You are looking for the team we already sent. We lost contact with them two cycles ago."

"I was about to say, those bugs couldn't be that important," Anastasia mutters.

Marr gives her a pointed look – more over the speciesism of the comment than how rude it is to interrupt the important conversation.

"Do you think it was the Empire?" asks Kanan, frowning.

"Unless they all killed themselves." Sabine elbows Anastasia into silence.

"Unknown." Likely, it was. Marr doesn't know much about what was happening immediately after the Empire formed, but he does know that it was the Separatists who posed the greatest resistance. Another war had nearly broken out, which was quite useful in allowing the Jedi survivors to hide. The Geonosians created weapons, and Marr would not be surprised if they had been doing the same to fight the Empire.

"Contact was lost after the team reported an energy source on the planet's surface." Weird.

"Energy source?" Hera objects, "When we went to Geonosis, there was nothing. No signs of life or power."