Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy A Fan Novelization

Chapter Five - It's the Empire!

Jaden leaned against her X-wing that stood on the landing platform deep in the mountains of Bakura. The power station she'd come to check out rose ominously in the distance. She itched to go inside, as it looked deserted, but still she waited. She was waiting for Kyle to show up and help with the mission. She checked her com again, no answer.

"Where are you, Kyle? I've been waiting here forever," she whispered to herself, crossing her arms to lean back against her X-wing again. It'd been like this for nearly two hours. She had been standing, waiting, pacing, and stretching on occasion, all the while trying to check in with Kyle, but still there would be no answer. She knew that one of the virtues of the Jedi was patience, but this?

She straightened up and threw her hands in the air in frustration. "Well, I can't wait around! I've got to do something." She looked up at the imposing form of the power station. "This can't be that hard to check out. In, out, twenty minutes, thirty tops." She stopped, she was talking to herself again. "Whatever," she muttered, checking that her blaster was fully loaded, her lightsaber secured to her belt. It was warmer here in the mountains. Probably because of the dormant volcano. She left her jacket in the cockpit. She wore a pair of gray pants with a reddish brown stripe running down the outside of the pant leg. They had come with a set of new clothes that the Academy had provided. Her shirt was something she'd brought from Coruscant and had worn on her first day. It was short sleeved, a blue-green color with grayish-silver trim and accents. It was kind of plain compared to the newer fashions and out of date; but it was still one of her favorites, having once belonged to her mother. When asked by Arta-Mess why she'd want to wear it on missions she'd simply replied that it was what her mom would want instead of being stuffed inside a trunk, perfectly preserved. It could go on all her adventures, and in a strange way, so could her mom. It kept her close rather than distant.

She plucked her way along the wide walkway of the landing platform leading to the station's entrance. Not far from the door, she saw the body. Running the last few yards, she knelt beside the lone figure. He was older, probably in his fifties, wearing maintenance coveralls. He was cold and stiff, he'd been dead awhile. There were blaster marks on his chest. She looked away, the sight of it making her feel cold, clammy, and nauseous. Should have brought the jacket. She took long, slow breaths to try and calm her pulsing heart rate. Slowly, more quietly, she stood up. Not far away, close to the door, was another body, it was in the same condition as the first; it also had blaster marks on it. They must have been part of the team sent to investigate the station. This has to have something to do with the 'unknown party.'

She approached the door, hand on her saber hilt. Inside was a small room with a door on either end of it. Near the door to her left was a set of computer monitors. Going up to them, she pressed a button that would turn it on and the image of a room full of tanks containing various liquids colored red and blue was shown. Two armed men in what appeared to be military uniforms stood next to each other as a third messed with something she couldn't see at his feet, he was blocking her view. She couldn't just see, but hear what they were talking about. The third man straightened up, turning to address the others.

"The charges are set sir."

"Good!" Replied the man on the right of the screen. He was taller than the others, his uniform seemingly of higher rank. His well groomed blonde hair shone in the dim light. "The Republic is getting complacent. They underestimate us. This will remind them what happens to traitors."

Jaden didn't like this, not one bit. The thing that that man had been tinkering with on the floor was a bomb! Quickly, she checked the other video feeds throughout the whole facility and sure enough, four other charges, similar to the first, were seemingly spread out in different areas of the power station. Turning off the monitor, she stepped away from it. They're going to blow the whole installation! I have to stop that countdown!