Star Wars: The Jedi Chronicles:Enter The Shadows (Books 1-4)

Chapter Nine: Help

Josh flies them back to The Rebellion then gets a few crew members to come with him to get the four ships he left behind. Once Josh gets back to the Republic Cruiser he walks up to a few solders, grabs a few men and leaves and comes back with the ships.

They land them in the hanger bay. Anthony is reading the Bible in his quarters. Andrew and Eve are waiting for Jacob and Jordan to wake up to tell them about there brother. Jacklinea, Jordin are going at it also. Cassandra is watching. Dudley is cleaning his blaster collection. Josh goes up to the bridge.

Josh S.: How is everything up here?

Admiral Carth Onasi: Everything seems to be quiet. No sign of the--

An alarm starts to go off.

Admiral Carth Onasi: What’s going on?

Ships Navigator: Incoming ships from the northwest and the southeast.

Admiral Carth Onasi: How many? Can we fight them?

Ships Navigator: Not unless we can clone this artifact. There’s fifteen from the northwest and thirty six from the southeast.

Admiral Carth Onasi: Cut straight though the middle and get us outta here!

Josh S.: Hold that order!

Admiral Carth Onasi:  (as calmly as possible) Son, I don’t care if you’re a Jedi or not; there’s no way for us to win! (Shouting) Get us outta here!

Josh S.: Don’t you dare activate that hyperdrive! I have a feeling that they aren't here to fight us.

Ships start pouring out of hyperspace
Admiral Carth Onasi: A feeling?! Son, you better be right, or we’re dead men. It’ll be on your head when we’re in a heap of trouble.

Josh S.: Not that anyone would care, ‘cause they’re all evil. And like you said, we’d be dead.

Sensor reader: Sir, they’re arming weapons!

Communicator: We are being hailed by the Venator and the Star Destroyer.

Admiral Carth Onasi: (shouting) Darn kid; you’re gonna get us killed! Put it though!

Two different holographic images appear. One is Cede, an old Republic war hero who served in both the Mandalorian wars and the Jedi Civil wars. The other is wearing a black robe with the hood up. You can’t see any skin cause of his armor and hood.  

He has a lightsaber on his belt and he is wearing a mask. The mask has a black line running across where the eyes should be. Under that is a trapezoid of red with a red line coming down to the bottom of the mask. To the left and right of that is black, then a curved red line, then black again.

Admiral Cede: Greetings, Admiral Carth Onasi. This is Admiral Cede of the Old Republic and we are here to assist you on your galactic conquest.

Admiral Carth Onasi: Boy, am I glad to see you. But I don't understand - how did you get out of Censes’s hold?

Admiral Cede: Well, some young gun Jedi released us from his hold by taking out our leaders from the planet we were stationed at.

Revan: I see Shain was able to defeat you and bring you back to sanity, Sietsma.

Josh: (recognizing the voice) I thought that was you, Revan. What do you want?

Revan: We are here to join your galactic conquest. We Sith don't much like it when the new sheriff turns everything dark and destroys everything that we strive for.

Josh S.: Haha. Welcome to the...

Carth interrupts

Admiral Carth Onasi: Mute.

Carth turns his back

Admiral Carth Onasi: What, are you crazy? You’re going to let a Sith fleet join us? Not only that; they also outnumber us.

Josh S.: (respectfully, but firmly) Sir, I’ve known Revan for a few years now, and you can always tell when he’s there to help or there to fight... and he’s never stabbed us in the back before. I don't think he’s about to start now.

Carth stands there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Josh S.: Un-mute. Much as I hate to sound like Darth Vader, we would be honored if you would join us, Revan. Would you like to come aboard?

Revan: (smiling knowingly) I'm not sure your commanding Admiral would be pleased. And I would watch it if I were you; Vader just so happens to be on that super-star destroyer behind me.

Josh S.: No, but we’re going to need to have a meeting with all the Admirals to appoint a fleet admiral. We’ll meet at eighteen hundred hours, Dantooine time.

Revan: See you then.

Revan shuts down the com.

Admiral Cede: Boy, are you nuts? They out number us two-to-one, with four ships left over! And we’re allowing them to join us?

Josh S.: Think of it this way: we say no, they start shooting, and we’re goners, as well as everyone on Dantooine. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to check on my team.

Josh goes down to the medical bay. The twins are up and Eve is just waking up.

Josh S.: Eve, can you tell the twins about their brother?
Jacob: What? Who?

Eve: (reluctant and compassionate) Sure.

Josh S.: Thanks. I'm gonna run down and wake up Willie. We got a fleet outside and we’re appointing a fleet Admiral to retake the galaxy.

Eve looks out the window.

Eve: Wow. You weren't kidding.

Josh S.: Alright, I’m gonna get Will.

Eve proceeds to tell the twins about their brother. Josh wakes up Willie and they go to the bridge. all the ships Captains and Admirals are all arguing over which ship to have the meeting on. Josh uses a Force move called Force Bellow, allowing him to make his voice really loud.

Josh S.: HEY! (the room and comlinks go dead silent) Everyone is going to go down to Dantooine’s surface for the meeting, taking only a small one man fighter... and no weapons!

They talk it over and agree on Josh’s plan. Everyone gets in their personal shuttles and flies down to the planet, including Josh and Willie. The meeting hasn’t been in session very long and people have already started arguing.

Josh S: (to Willie) This is ridiculous. I can’t believe this.

Willie: These guys are worse than Shain’s brothers. It’s like being at a redneck family reunion. Alls we’re missing is the moon-shine, NASCAR and shot guns.

Josh starts to laugh.

Josh S.: That's funny. OK, we need to get this under control.

Josh whistles really loudly to get everyone’s attention.

Josh S.: Listen up. Nothing is going to get done by sitting here, arguing about it. We have four months till “Doom’s Day”. We need to get our act together and continue this galactic conquest. We need to pick a Admiral and get a move on it. We don’t have time for this.

Underneath his mask, Revan has a knowing look in his eye - he is already decided as to who the Admiral is.

Revan: I nominate Joshua Sietsma.

Everyone turns and looks at Revan. Josh is speechless.

Admiral Cede: You’re gonna put a first-generation youngster in charge of this Fleet?!

Revin: Why not? Shain’s younger then him?

Jedi Master Plo Koon was on the planet when Shain first saved it and has been there for most of the meeting in the back, wearing a hooded cloak.

Jedi Master Plo Koon: I think the boy is perfect for this. He is very capable. He knows his soldiers’ strong points, as well as their weak points, and knows how to use them well.

Revan: He also has connections on both sides.

Admiral Cede: Again, I say he is young.

Jedi Master Plo Koon: The boy is a Jedi Knight. He knows how to take advice... if that’s what you’re worried about, old timer.

Admiral Carth Onasi: They have a point. I’ve read Josh’s records and he does have exceptional battle skills. I mean, the boy has grown up with people like Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi... not to mention any other great general for any timeline there has ever been.

Jedi Master Plo Koon: Those in favor, say “aye”.

They all shout “aye”.

Admiral Carth Onasi: Apposed?... Then its settled. Congratulations, Sietsma; you’re the new Fleet Admiral. What are your orders?

Josh S.: Uh.. Well, Revan, I need two of your ships out scouting for any more Sith that can be pulled into our fleet. Everyone else is attacking a planet. You are to go down to the planet and find the Jedi leader of the planet. Try and take his crystal off from him. Don’t touch the crystal, otherwise it will take you over. If you’re losing too many men, just shoot him down and take the crystal from his or her neck before the crystal gets a chance to heal the user. Do your best to keep them alive. Remember, they’re still good guys on the inside. When you all get back to the ships, I will assign everyone a planet. Let’s retake this galaxy!

The men all head back to their ships except for Plo Koon, Revan, Willie, and Josh.

Willie: Well... didn't see that coming.

Josh S.: Neither did I.

Revan: You and Shain have been running this show for a while now. You should have seen it coming. Speaking of Shain, I haven't seen him since our battle on Alpheridies.

Willie: He left a few months back. He couldn’t handle the pressure.

Revan: I see. I’m heading out.

Revan jumps in his ship and takes off.

Jedi Master Plo Koon: What would you have us do here on Dantooine?

Josh S.: Anyone with Battle Mediation, I would like to have spread out on the ships, along with one other Jedi to help with the fights. Anyone else left over can wait here until we get more ships in need of Jedi.

Jedi Master Plo Koon: I will notify the council here on Dantooine and start sending Jedi.

Willie: And Shain thought he was under pressure.

Josh S.: It’s nothing I can’t handle. Come on, let’s get back to the Rebellion.