Kel Dor and the Kaleesh

Road to the Enemy

Emi Takori headed towards the edge of the village with Wolffe and Boost following behind her. This is it, this is why I'm here. She thought. The wind whistled around her as if the feeling that the nightmare she had back on the ship had returned, but she did not let it get to her.

As she came to the edge of the village, she stopped in her tracks.

"Hey, Commander Takori, how exactly will you know where Grievous is holding those aliens captive?" Boost asked,

Emi didn't respond. She shut her eyes briefly allowing her mind to connect with the force. Please, allow me to find where Grievous is, where does his presence lie? She felt like she was now dreaming where the force was going to guide her; the flat landscape and surrounding mountains of Dorin. It was as if it was moving forward at lightspeed until it came to a sudden halt, and all she could see through the force was a large hole at the foot of a large mountain. This was the ability she was born to use, and the council did not see it as capable of an advantage in the war.

She opened her eyes, "We go south, that's where the mines are. I need transport for us, disguises maybe, and something that'll carry us back with the released hostages once we hear from Master Plo or Ton Ko then....."

"One thing at a time Commander Takori, what about transport first? The gunship has three speeders attached to it," Wolffe interrupted.

Emi stopped, "Ah, thank you Wolffe what are we waiting for?" 

She then spotted the gunship parked behind the large boulder a short distance away and sprinted over there. In the back of the gunship, three speeder bikes were locked in place. 

"Hurry up guys, time's being wasted here!" She said with an enthusiastic voice as she used the force to pull one of the bikes out of the gunship. It floated over her head and landed beside her, then she proceeded to pull the other two out with the force once again.

"I wish General Plo Koon used his force ability to make me shoot droids in space like he did with Sinker," Boost said to Wolffe,

"I know, I'm pretty jealous too, and I don't know much about it, but if Emi can somehow....I don't know....detect the presence of Grievous, and he's a droid, well, I thought that that only worked on..." Wolffe replied and then paused,

"On what?"

"The Sith, because don't they have the same abilities as Jedi?"

"Who knows sir,"

Emi called out to them, "Hey, are you coming or what? We've got droids to stop, Kel Dorians to save, and a cyborg to clash with!" She was sitting on the speeder bike ready to go.

Wolffe and Boost mounted behind her, "Are you sure you know where you're going?" Wolffe asked,

"Trust me Wolffe, I know Grievous, the force will guide me to him. Force sensitive or not, I've somehow developed an ability to detect the presence of my enemies no matter what they are. Let's go!"

She then started up the speeder's engine and zoomed off into the horizon with Wolffe and Boost following close behind.

Finally, it's been too long since I have done this. Emi thought as she looked at Dorin's horizon in front of her. The surrounding landscape reminded her of Geonosis with its growing rock walls of natural architecture and mountains that were coming into view. The sky was still overcast and gloomy, Emi gazed upward briefly and wondered if there was any change of weather on Dorin, the Kel Dorians didn't seem to care much about how the weather was, as long as the air was breathable to them.

The force continued to guide her as she followed it towards her target. She then drove down into a rocky valley between two tall pointed mountains. The path had tight turns with the small mountains curving over them as if they were inside a cave with a opening to the sky. Emi had forgotten how much she enjoyed driving speeder bikes. They were fast and fun to steer through tight quarters. That may be my weakness but certainly not on one of these she thought. 

They drove up a slope to the valley's end and were once again on ground level and the mountains were taller. Boost came up alongside her. 

"So why didn't the council want you on this mission?" He asked,

Emi didn't want to talk about it, but venting was the best thing to do. "They don't trust me completely. Ever since I took on Grievous alone while I was younger, they were all horrified of how risky that was. They have this assumption that only experienced Jedi should take that chance against him. Yet they failed to see the outcome that I stopped him that day and the factory was no more. Ever since then, my ability to detect him has proven to be quite useful. Don't you think that would come in handy if we ever succeed in capturing him? I think it would. But sadly, the majority of the council think I'm too young and reckless. Master Tiin still holds that grudge of what happened at Mygeeto, just because I was inexperienced at leading a fighter squadron at that time, and that makes things worse. I wonder if the rest of them know I'm gone. Master Plo is on the council, if he has to tell them I wonder how that will turn out,"

Wolffe came up beside her as they continued down the wide path between the mountains, "I know General Tiin, we worked under his command when General Plo had to make an urgent trip back to Couruscant. He's pretty strict but still a good pilot,

"Jedi aren't supposed to have these grudges Wolffe," Emi replied, "Hatred and dislike are paths to the dark side, he should know that. But one of these days, I'm going to confront him because I've had enough of him putting me down like this, especially if I have to work with him again. Master Plo always told me that not everyone will see potential in me, but you have to learn to work alongside of them whether you like it or not. Someday I hope he can put those feelings aside for good. Until then, he's probably fuming about the fact that I'm here if word has gone out already."

Wolffe nodded, "Well, General Tiin can get upset all he wants, you're going to kick the metalhead's butt down the road from here!"

Emi laughed and concentrated on the path ahead of her. The rocky valley dipped and twisted around tighter corners between the mountains, then up and down again. It was like a natural rollercoaster. Soon the upward slope took them to a flat path again between the mountains. As Emi looked to her right, she saw a tall great tower in the distance, it was golden with a hemispherical top and spiral patterned pillars holding the roof up. 

I wonder if that's the main temple the Baran Do gather at, it could be part of the capital city. Master Plo said that's where he tends to take his people until this is over. Hopefully they will be safe there, she thought as the tower then vanished behind the mountains once again. 

The presence of Grievous was getting stronger, by now Emi was expecting some minor droid patrols to start showing up, any minute now, she told herself. Grievous never kept his droids far from him, and many of them would often scout ahead. 

"Look up there!" Boost shouted as the sky came into view as the mountains shrank behind them and they entered another open space.

Emi looked to see a group of vulture droids flying above them, they had control of the skies here. 

"Probably just a scout squad, we're getting close. Keep an eye out for ground forces, and the sooner we get to ground with cover, the better. We don't want to attract attention, especially once we reach the mines,"

The vulture droids were now heading in the same direction that they were,

"They're going the same we we are, so we should be good," Emi concluded.

"How do we get in once we reach the mine? I assume you do things the creative way Commander Takori,"

"Don't worry Wolffe, I know just the thing Grievous won't expect!"

The continued down the path until the mountains rose up again and the vulture droids vanished, over the horizon was a dead end and Emi could see a large cave coming up fast. The mine, she thought, but then she quickly detected CIS forces guarding the entrance. She suddenly swerved to the side towards the foot of a mountain on her right. It didn't take long for Boost and Wolffe to follow.

Emi came to a quick stop against the foot of the mountain and dismounted. She peered at the mine's entrance a few kilometers away. 

"What are you doing Commander? It's right over there,"

Emi looked at him, "A direct approach is to be expected, and I intend to give Grievous something he won't expect. Ready yourselves boys, we're going in." She said.