Unsettled/Disillusioned

Chapter 31: the Mountain

Approaching Weyland wasn't quite like approaching the Interdictor, Kanan felt there was much more at stake here. Once the Ghost dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the system was when Kata got to work. With a chant in a language Kanan didn't understand, what felt like green tongues of flame started to sprout from a trinket in her hands, a quiet symphony of sisterhood and hidden strength began to envelope the whole ship. Chopper whirred that all their systems were now cloaked and they could proceed down into the planet's atmosphere.

The infiltration support team filed into the cargo bay for final pre-checks; Sabine, Zeb and San Dersen would descend with them upon the Phantom II, then monitor security and set charges on the facility's landing bays so the Empire wouldn't be able to pursue the Ghost once they made their escape. Cal and Ezra followed Kanan's lead into the Phantom II, crowded with the team and its walls enchanted by Nightsister magicks. Cal gave Kata a tight hug before the doors to the shuttle closed and they were on their way to the base of the mountain.

Despite what Cal had promised, Kanan could still feel a dangerous spark from Cal; like electricity simmering under his skin.

"Coming up on the drop-point," Zeb said as the Phantom II made its approach, "Good luck, everyone," he bid them goodbye as Ezra opened the hatch and dropped silently into the forest with Sabine. Cal followed, with San Dersen and then finally, Kanan took the leap through the cool air. Sneaking their way to the landing platform they'd chosen wasn't a challenge, it was a lookout point with little room for more than two or three troopers. Everyone was quiet, but Kanan could sense them through the Force, shining like determined, steady lights. Sabine and Dersen quietly dispatched them with some stun shots. Then, BD-1 made quick work of the door and sliced in.

The hall seemed empty. Cal stepped forward and Kanan sensed him sink into the Force.

"I sense them, Jaro and Grogu... they seem alright, though Grogu is scared..." Cal said.

"And Marshall Merrin?" Dersen called.

Cal gave a slight groan as he strained to sense her in the Force. But the fortress felt like an oppressive maze, like there was a dark haze all around them. BD-1 opened up his holomap with a quiet chime.

"It's alright, sir, BD's got the map anyway," Dersen said confidently.

"Detention wing is here, right?" Ezra asked.

"But I sense Jaro is somewhere else," Cal hissed.

"Did they move him? Do they know we're coming?" Ezra asked.

Sabine gasped with an alert, and checked the HUD in her own helmet, "BD-1 tripped a silent alarm with that slice," she said.

BD-1 trilled indignantly. His slice was clean.

"Can you run a diagnostic?" Kanan asked.

The boys ducked down in a corner of the hall as Sabine snuck over to another command console and sliced herself in.

"That's strange, there's an alert in this sector of the facility because there's a security breach somewhere else," Sabine reported.

"Where?" Cal asked.

"Is someone else here? Gerrera?" Ezra worried.

Kanan's aura sparked as the Force flashed a warning into his soul. "On our left!" Kanan warned. There was a chorus of lightsabers igniting as the three Jedi deflected a rain of blaster fire from down the hall. Electricity sizzled in the command console.

"Kriff," Dersen swore as they checked their corners with their blaster once the troopers had fallen. "Clear, for now," they called.

"But I won't be able to find out where that alert came from," Sabine sighed. Electric sparks sputtered from the destroyed console.