Worth: A Star Wars Story (ON TEMP HIATUS)

25. Payback in Spades

"Commander," I called to Stone as we trotted up, leaving the security and clean up to the 82nd and the Marines, "what's the sitrep in here?"

"Got us secured in here and the shield back up. Aiwha and Orenth did their job well. Now we're just trying to decide on how we need to go about securing the last remaining city, Tobasa. Guard Commander Hollis is working with us on that," Stone nodded to Hollis, who approached us as he was mentioned.

"Tobasa is our trade hub and is the largest space port we have. I also think that is where our communications issues all stem from. That's where our relay is," Hollis nodded and looked between Stone and I. "We need to move, and fast."

"No arguments there," Stone nodded. "We need to let Bacara and his people regroup as best they can. The 82nd also took a beating, according to our medical teams."

"How is the queen?" Red asked, "And the king, for that matter."

"Shaken, but resolute," Hollis nodded and frowned s he spoke, his eyes flicking to me. "The fact that we've had traitor among the Republic officials is deeply troubling, but without the ability to send word to Coruscant..."

"Wait," I looked between Hollis and Stone, "we can't contact Coruscant?"

"No," Stone shook his head and folded his arms over his chest, "and that has me worried. Hope it means that you are, too."

"You know it," I nodded as Stone made back for the throne room, where we joined him and Hollis as Senator Grell was briefing the queen. Thorn was already there and nodded as we entered. I saw the Commandos checking security systems and dragging away the dead bodies of Daine's people. 

"No signs of any slicing spikes in the system," Vhetin called over to Demar, who was standing beside Thorn. I saw Queen Sethuna's frown settle when she heard that, her arms crossing across her chest as she nodded along to what Grell was telling her. The king beside her seemed equally as worried about the ongoing developments.

"I do not like that my palace was able to be breached seemingly so easily. Daine must ahve been smuggling off blueprints for the months he was here. Hollis, we must..." Sethuna's voice was cut off as the holoprojector in the center of the room burst to life with the image of General Dray.

She was dressed in one of the CIS officer uniforms with two golden feathers in her hair pulled back from her neck in a bun. She had the look of a seasoned commander and exuded the confidence to match it. If half the stories in her dossier were true, then we were looking at one of the most dangerous people even close to the planet. "My name is General Rena Dray of Dubrillion, one of the senior general for the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the leader of this attack. If we are speaking, then it means that Daine failed in his mission."

"Your traitor accomplished nothing, General," Senator Grell stayed defiant, but something about his reply made Dray scoff.

"My traitor? Senator, I have no association with Daine. His interference was convenient, but unexpected. I refused to open fire on the city to spare civilian lives. Believe me, had I been woking iwth him, I would have commended his idea to break them down."

"What do you want, General?" Sethuna asked, green eyes fixing Dray in their gaze.

"In short, your highness, your unconditional surrender." Dray adjusted herslf on the holo, her voice dropping and her face turning exceptionally serious, "I have to admit I am impressed. The tenacity shown by the Clone troopers has been extraordinary. However, I do believe that it is about time to end this charade," she frowned as she spoke. "I have Tobasa, and with it, it's spaceport. I can bring in legions of battle droids at any moment completely uninhibited and with the Tobasa communications relay under my control, nothing is getting off-planet to the Republic. All that is here is all you have."