Outlaw's Rebellion: Chapter 9

With Jun Daboo (the Bothan female pilot), Kaya Tarkin, Hoosekka (the female wookie security), Fabius Kane, Papa Beedo (who has dyed his skin blue to disguise himself), Spid Dövan, Donovan, and Naria Lester onboard, the Syndicate transport pulls into Kessel after close to a week in space. Mid-way through the trek,  Veroshk left in his Z-95 Headhunter to check on his apprentice. 

For some Kessel is a dungy place.  For those like Donovan and Fabius, who grew up in Nar Shadda, it a wonderful space station, where everyone is polite and things are clean.  Spid and Fabius split up and go shopping. Spid needs food and machinery to cook, unsatisfied with the ship's accommodations.  Fabius picks up a black trenchcoat to cover his weapons and keep him warm.  Papa Beedo follows him, though the women and Donovan stay on the ship.

After shopping, the three head to a diner that another Ortolan recommended to Spid, meeting Kaya and the other women.  Hoosekka and Jun are already there when Beedo and Kane show up.  Soon thereafter, Spid shows up.  Hoosekka asks them how they feel about going to the Spire.  None of them have much to say or show much enthusiasm.  She asks if they know where it is.  Somehow, Beedo guesses correctly: within the Maw.  Hoosekka and Jun are taken aback. About that time, Kaya enters the diner and sits down.  She asks them to be ready to leave for the ship in half an hour.  In about fifteen minutes, people start to move around, hurriedly, oft in mid-meal.  Beedo seems to be the only one that notices.

However, even after the Ithorian alerts the others, no one can really tell why everyone is leaving.  Kaya does notice that the chaos is going on outside too.  Suddenly, she catches movements by the cooks, going for weapons.  Fabius is about to pull his weapons, but Kaya tells them to wait for her signal.  Spid is shoveling food in his mouth.  The cooks move to attack and Kaya gives the word.

Spid suddenly leaps forward, dropping his utensils, fists swinging.  He takes out two cooks with two blows, asan other cooks fires shots wild shots over his head.  Fabius fires twice at that cook and nearly melts his face.  The only opponent left, who is hiding behind the counter, seems to be the owner.  Beedo throws a fork at him, but misses.  The owner comes over the counter, firing his weapon, which has a wide spread stun blast:  Kaya, Jun, and Beedo all fall over, unconscious.  Wasting no time, Spid runs at the owner and tackles him from behind, knocking him out.  Fabius moves forward, towards the two men Spid knocked out, both covering them and Spid.  Hoosekka grabs Jun and Kaya and runs back to the ship, only telling Kane to grab the owner's weapon before he leaves.

Spid finds two more cowering cooks in the back.  He tells them to tend to the food, but they refuse.  The Ortolan takes care of it himself, while talking to the terrified cooks.  Fabius grabs the owner's gun and then throws the owner on top of the other two unconscious men.  He then goes to check on Beedo, who slowly wakes up when prodded.  Fabius asks the Force-user to wake up the owner with his powers and see what he knows.  Once he is awake, Kane and Beedo intimidate the man into talking.  Apparently, one of his contacts told them to attack when the Imperials arrived and they would get a nice bounty.  Fabius gets him to say that Grekk was the name of his contact.  Fabius then looks up as Spid comes out of the kitchen and asks his comrades if they should let these people live.  The owner protests, saying that if they were offered half a million credits, what would they do?  Beedo asks why they want them so bad?  Kane offers the others an empty look before scowling at the owner.  "Because I'm Fabius Kane," he says and knocks out the human.   He and Beedo then loot the register before leaving. Spid hurries them though, telling them that they need to get out of there.

Just as they are almost to the ship, they round a corner and see ten Imperial Stormtroopers waiting.  One of them yells, "There they are, get them!"  The stormtroopers open fire, both missing and singeing Kane with a flurry of blaster bolts.  Fabius returns fire, blowing one away, while dodging another blast.  Beedo ducks under a blast also, but then takes a hit.  Spid runs up and knocks two down, but is hurt in the process.  Taking advantage of the distraction Spid created, Beedo casts an illusion of a small smuggler army coming up from behind them and shooting at the stormtroopers.  This trick pins them down and the crew runs past the crouching Imperials, moving toward their ship.  As they move past the stormtroopers, Kane hears them say something about calling for Commandos.  Kane urges them to move faster.

As they round the corner to where their ship is, they see a trio of stormtroopers firing at the ship's hangar.  Their entrance distracts them. This is all the distraction Hoosekka needs from inside the ship; in the blink of an eye her rotary carbine rips through the stormtroopers.  As they load up, they see that Jun has been injured badly.  Not wasting any time, Fabius takes her place over Hoosekka's protests and runs into the cockpit to help Kaya get the ship up and running.  Kaya is worried that the Imperials are about to shut the outer docking doors, but  Fabius is able to punch it through just in time: swooping sideways and soaring into space.

When the Syndicate transport clears the station, the crew can see a Star Destroyer.  While they are out of its range, there are a dozen TIE fighters moving to cut them off, even as Kaya plots their course.  Hoosekka and Spid man cannons after strapping down Jun.  Beedo and one of the Syndicate men man the other two cannons.  After they are all in place, Fabius lowers the inertial compensators to gain an edge flying the ship.  Kaya tells Kane that he needs to hit Mark 6 speed to make it through the Kessel Run and pull away from them: not an easy feat for such a treacherous path.

As Kane pulls the transport away, the TIE fighters engage from behind, and the ships start exchanging fire.  Hoosekka and Spid begin to knock off TIEs, even as the squadron levels fire at them.  Feeling the Force, Kane pushes the ship to maximum speed and dances along the treacherous Kessel Run.  The TIE Interceptor leading the squadron pulls right behind them.  The difficult part for Kane, departing from the normal Kessel Run, is that he must then pull off the Run and head into the Maw, navigating between a series of black holes, in order to head toward the Spire.

Through the Force, great skill, and sheer luck, Fabius makes it.  But he unwittingly heads into a different Imperial patrol area, where more Imperials wait.  Again, he pushes his abilities to the limit, feeling the Force more than he ever has, and makes it through the last gap of the Maw.  By now, only the TIE Interceptor and one more are left chasing them, but firing the laser cannons, Spid blows away the latter.

 In front of them, Fabius and Kaya see a large space station.  Spid manages to take out the shields on the trailing ship, but not do much damage.  In the cockpit, Kane and Kaya see another squadron heading for them, but these ships are X-Wings and other non-Imperial ships—all Syndicate fighters—which open fire on the remaining TIE Interceptor.  The leader of that squadron, Wedge Antilles, signals them to move forward, while he and his Rogue Squadron finish the TIE.  As Kane docks the Syndicate transport, Wedge reports that they have neutralized the pilot of the Interceptor and are bringing him back.

 Once safely docked inside the space station, the crew disembarks.  Spid goes to help cook, while Beedo goes to the Observation Lounge to meditate and communicate with the Force; there he feels a strong emanation of the Force from the center of the Maw.  Donovan heads to the med center quick, as he does not feel well.  Fabius goes to get a drink before heading to the Observation Lounge, where he meets up with Donovan and Beedo (once he finishes meditating).  There, Fabius fills in Donovan on all that he has missed while he was injured.  While they are talking, Wedge Antilles comes up to them, with two of Rogue Squadron, Tycho Celchu (a human male) and Ooryl Qyrgg (a male Gand).  They chat a bit about the Maw, Rogue Squadron, and even Luke Skywalker.  Wedge also says that the name of the captured pilot was Major Maarek Stele. 

Apparently, the Spire used to be a research facility of some type.  Beedo also asks about the center of the Maw.  Wedge says it is impossible to reach.  Kane says nothing is impossible.

Eventually they go their own ways.  Later, they all come together at the mess hall and feast on Spid Dövan's cooking.  Everyone is amazed by the Ortolan's cooking.  A messenger comes up to Kane, Beedo, Spid, and Donovan during the meal.  Destine wants to see them after their meal.

The four meet at the Observation Lounge after the meal and wait to be called.  After a while, a messenger comes to get them.   To get where they are going, they enter one of the highest security areas that they have seen, only to move through another level of security.  They feel as if by then, they are near the top of the station.  Moving past a third security area, they enter what seems to be a museum.  There are several art exhibits and memorabilia, many from the Rebellion-era, with a shrine at the center that has statues to Lando, Admiral Ackbar, and Nien Numb and a plaque that says: "Never Forget."

Past the shrine is a set of double doors, which begin to open.  Inside are smooth floors and a large marble desk, with several seats in front of it.  Behind the desk is a man with his back to them.  The messenger then announces the group's presence.  He welcomes them and offers them a seat.  They all sit but Kane, who continues pacing behind his compatriots.  When he turns, he is without mask: a middle-aged human.  Everyone but Beedo realizes that he looks just like Grand Moff Tarkin.  When this is mentioned, Tarkin replies that his title died with him, and he is now just Wilhelm Tarkin.  Kane asks what he means.  He explains that he is a clone.  Beedo asks why he is no longer a part of the Empire anymore.  He seems perturbed at the interruption.  Apparently his mind was backed up in case of his demise, and upon his 'death,' his mind was transferred into a clone.  He claims to personally disagree with the old and new Emperors and tells the others that what he did was illegal.  So he decided to go the other way, becoming a outlaw, and founded the Syndicate.

Tarkin explains that his scientists have discovered a new irregularity in the Maw.  There is an opening in the center—which will only be there for 17 hours—where they have discovered a planetoid.  He claims they only have one ship capable of making it in.  The original pilot, Jun, was injured.  He wants Kane to do it now.  Kane asks why they are doing this.  Tarkin responds to see what is there.  Kane says he is only at the Maw at Veroshk's behest.  Nonplussed, Tarkin pushes a button showing a hologram of the planetoid.  It is volcanic and molten, other than a perfect circle in the middle, where signs of habitation appear.  After discussing it, arrangements are made to everyone's satisfaction, and so they leave to ready themselves.

Stocked with soldiers and scientists, Donovan and Kane fly the ship into the center of the Maw and reach the planetoid.  There, Donovan scans the 8 km wide body.  He scans many lifeforms, all over the place; the life signs vary from lesser lifeforms, to humanoids, to even greater forms.  They do seem to be concentrated in groups, though.  There are some buildings, but even more wreckage.  There only seems to be one safe place to land.  Fabius sets the ship down carefully.  They scan the air; it is breathable, but will be uncomfortable.  Beedo and Spid lead the way out.  Donovan tells two of the guards to stay on the ship to watch it, while the other two should come out with them.  Kane tells the scientists to wait on the ship until they can ascertain that things are safe.

Beedo can sense alternating feelings of light and dark Force energy.  Donovan detects a half dozen lifeforms about 30 meters in front of them, but about a meter below them: moving toward them.  Kane and Donovan pull their weapons out.  Kane warns Spid, who had started to move off, as Donovan puts his sensorpack in his backpack.

Suddenly, a half-dozen monstrous looking creatures pop out of the ground in front of Spid.  One lunges forward slashing with razored limbs and cuts into him.  A second does the same.  Spid swings back and hurts one of them.  Another darts forward and snarls at Papa Beedo, rearing its blade-arms.  A pair also moves fast toward Donovan and Fabius; the Sluissi and the human fire right into them, but both fire wide.  The guards flank out, but both miss the creatures also.  Beedo reaches out with the Force and convinces one of the creatures that he is his friend.  Oddly, Kane notices that when this happens, they all look at Beedo.

 One of the creatures tries to get past Spid to attack Beedo, but Spid snaps his fist in its back and knocks it out.  He then spins and knocks out the one attacking him.  The one who is Beedo's 'friend' leaves him to attack Donovan, slashing him; again Donovan fires, but misses, as he finds himself flanked by a second one suddenly.  One of the guards gets his back, though, and fires into the second creature.  Fabius then fires on the one in front of him and burns it badly, forcing it to abort its attack.  The second Syndicate guard then finishes it.  Beedo tries to tell his 'friend' to stop fighting with telepathy, but it won't.  Instead, it attacks Donovan, who fires, but misses again, while managing to dodge another attack.  Then another one of the creatures slides over and slashes Beedo.  Spid charges forward and punches it in retaliation.  Fabius spins and fires at the one past Donovan, which one of the Syndicate guards had already injured, taking it out.  However, both of the guards miss their next shots.  Beedo unleashes his Force staff on one of the two last creatures and hurts it.

A Syndicate guard fires and kills one of the creatures, 'the friend,' who was moving back towards Beedo.  Donovan then fires into the last one's back, forcing it to miss its attack on Beedo.  Spid spins to attack it and puts it down.

After they all make sure they are all okay, Donovan scans the creatures' dead bodies.  They seem to be the greater lifeforms that they sensed earlier.  Beedo can sense fading Force energy from them; he also senses some kind of Force slug in the ground.  He bends over to examine it.

After consulting with Donovan, Kane has the scientists and remaining guards come out.  Kane instructs the guards to form a perimeter around the scientists.  By this time, they have been in the area for about an hour and a half.  Beedo and Spid take the lead, with Donovan and Kane watching the front diagonals near the scientists, who are in the middle of the pack, with guards on their right, left, and two to the rear.

In the center of the area, they find a huge building.  It looks like nothing they have ever seen before.  It is falling apart, but it looks like it was originally carved out of one material.  Each of Beedo, Donovan, and Fabius can feel very bad Force vibes from it.  Over the walls, they can see a very large device, which seems to be emitting energy, accompanied by a dim glow, and is rotating.  Judging by its slight bobbing motion, it seems that it may actually be floating.  Just then, one of the scientists tells them that he is getting a humanoid reading.  Then he gets more incoming signals.  A humanoid runs toward them, saying they are behind him.  Donovan ushers him into the scientist circle and the rest of them turn to the left to face the oncoming threat.  Beedo watches out forward, while one of the four guards watches the right flank for any surprises.

One of the creatures rushes to the rear left flank and slashes a Syndicate guard, just as he fires his blaster at it.  Another charges Spid from the left, but he hits the thing hard.  Kane pushes through the scientists to get to the left flank and protect them, but misses on his shot.  Meanwhile, one of the Syndicate guards flanks the creature, finishing it, but finds herself flanked by a third one, who comes around a ruined wall.  Another guard shoots it, getting her back.  A fourth creatures charges and slashes Kane.  Donovan fires at it, but misses.  The fourth Syndicate guard comes across the group and stuns out one of the monsters.  Beedo tries to move forward, but crossing over a ruined wall, runs into another pack of creatures; he suddenly bursts forward and leaps past them onto one of the walls.  From there, he can see even more of the creatures, plus a huge chitaneous, insectoid creature sitting on a pile of bones in the corner of the ruins of the main building.  The thing steps towards him and seems to be speaking and gesticulating, but Beedo cannot understand him.

 Suddenly, the creatures seem to stop their attack and pull back.  Beedo calls them forward, as they cannot see ahead, so Kane leads everyone forward cautiously.  When he sees the creatures up ahead are not attacking either, they move forward.  They snake around around the walls, moving towards the large spinning object.  Donovan tries to use one of the scientists' translators, but still cannot decipher the thing's speech.  Beedo can slightly communicate with it, but his telepathy is limited.  Apparently, it is there to protect the spinning object.  It claims to be ready to die and wonders if the party is its replacement.  The creature also wants to know why the Ithorian's friends killed his guardians.  Beedo relays that it was self-defense.

 Kane helps Beedo climb down off the wall.  The Ithorian moves towards the crystal in the middle of the area, but when the monster starts to look angry, he pulls away.  It tries to ask Beedo where something is, but Beedo doesn't recognize the image in his brain.  It then asks who they are.  Beedo answers 'the embodiment of the Force'; he says that they are there to fight evil in the galaxy.  The monster warns that if this huge Force crystal was released, it would aid the evil of the galaxy; it is tainted.  It cannot be redeemed, but it can be rebuilt, it says.  It cannot effectively communicate who built it, however.  He does show Beedo a mental picture of a green planet with an accurate stellar description of the system.  It then pulls back in space and shows that it is near the core.  He shows the race, but Beedo does not recognize it; they have four arms, elongated aquiline heads, black skin, and long spines.  Beedo pushes his telepathy into Donovan's brain, since he is an expert navigator.  He instantly recognizes the star chart.  He says that it is Coruscant.

Beedo asks if this Force crystal should be destroyed if it evil, but the monster shows a picture of the Maw dissolving in his head.  He asks if they forced their way into the center or entered through a regular phase; Beedo answers the latter.  It then tells them to depart.  The guardians will now let them leave.

 On the way back, the man who had run to them introduces himself as Serben Healthen.  His ship crashed on the planetoid years ago.  He survived by eating the slugs in the ground.  He says that the 'guardians' largely left him to his own devices.  The year he thinks it is, is 7,500 years in the past.  Once on the ship, they plan to tell him when it really is.  Almost on the ship, they hear noise.  For some reason, they are under attack again; the creatures are moving toward them fast.  Fabius and Donovan run to the controls.  Spid mans one of the turrets and covers them as the scientists rush in.  One of the guards is taken down as they move to the ship, but the others all make it aboard safely.  Fabius and Donovan pull out and manage to navigate back toward the Spire, despite the dire difficulty this poses.

Beedo and Spid try to talk and eat with Serben, but he starts to age.  Within five minutes, he has become his true age and turns into a pile of dust.  Luckily, when they return to the base, no exorbitant amount of time has passed for them. 

Beedo is worried about telling Tarkin all this information, but the scientists believe they should reveal everything.  Donovan asks if Beedo can wipe their memories.  They discuss this with Kane.  They all agree.  As Kane and Donovan run interference, making conversation and serving food, Beedo wipes the memories of all the scientists, guards, and even Spid, who they do not know that well.  Donovan also checks the sensorpacks, to make sure that nothing incriminating is there.  Beedo is wasted by the effort and immediately thereafter retires.  The rest enjoy their food, not knowing what has just happened to them.

When they return, Destine (Tarkin) is waiting for them.  Beedo gives the pared down version of the story, revealing only the creatures' threat, the time distortion, the old guy, and that everything was ruined.  Kane and Beedo convince him this is the whole truth and he says that it sounds good. Destine appears pleased by their report.  The smugglers agree later that he did seem sincere and believed them; they are relieved.  Beedo asks about Bespin.  Destine says the Imperial presence is still heavy there.  He also says that Veroshk will be back soon; his apprentice has had a baby girl.

Destine wants to use the crew for his pet project.  He has come across a luxury cruiser, which he wants to populate with an entertainer as a cover for clandestine missions.  Kane says that he and Donovan already did that with Petra and it did not work out.  Destine says that that is where he got the idea.  Destine likes the idea of a pilot, a navigator, a cook, and an entertainer.  Kane asks Beedo if he can sing.  To his surprise, the Ithorian says yes, and adds that he also plays horn.  Fabius asks what is in it for them.  Destine says 5,000 credits a month, plus their mission pay—like their 10,000 he has already credited them for their mission into the Maw.  The four agree to take the assignment.

The next day, Veroshk returns.  He wants to speak with Fabius as soon as he is finished reporting to Destine.  He wants to commence Kane's training, teaching him at least how to use a lightsaber and the rudimentary aspects of battlemind, before the smuggler must depart.  Kane agrees, dedicating all his free time to this endeavor.