Outlaw's Rebellion: Chapter 12

After Cobalt Blue finishes his album in record time, he, Fabius Kane, and Donovan depart for Corellia, which is scheduled to be the location of his first concert.   When they disembark a short time later, Kane (disguised as a Kel Dor) and Donovan escort him out to a large crowd, all of whom are waiting for the new superstar.   The two "bodyguards" get the embarrassed Ithorian through the crowd toward a waiting airlimo.   They quickly move to the hotel, which is abound with other celebrities: all trying to avoid notice.   They go upstairs and settle in.   Waiting there is the Ortolan, Spid Dövan.   Apparently, he had just returned from a class reunion, where he ended up getting into a fight with a pit fighter and beating him.  

Before they can say much, Blue finds a recorder left by Mosep Nar-Ten.   It tells them that room service and instructions will arrive shortly.   When it arrives a few minutes later, Spid opens it.   Interrupting him, Fabius asks Spid if he has been cooking, as he smells something wonderful.   Spid drops the package and shows Fabius his new recipe.   Cobalt picks up the open package and he and Donovan examine it.   There is a folder inside with a two-day itinerary.   In the morning, there is a sound check for the large benefit commemorating the Imperial Navy.   They have the afternoon to themselves but need to get together for more official duties at night.   The second morning will begin with the press and then a meeting of special performers later.  

That night, Cobalt, Donovan, and Fabius go to a plush casino and each wins big, garnering plenty of good publicity for the entertainer.   Back at the hotel, Spid opens all the doors and starts cooking a feast.   Some people stop by and visit, but no celebrities.

The next day, Fabius drives the airlimo to the sound check as Donovan checks their itinerary; Spid guards Cobalt in the back.   They are met upon arrival at the arena and taken to Cobalt's dressing room.   On the way in, they see several celebrities, including Sny Sootles of the Max Rebo Band, whom Kane once saved from Jabba's palace; incognito, Kane is unable to say anything.   In the dressing room, Spid gives a list of ingredients to the man who led them there and he scurries off to get the things.

A minute later, there is a knock at the door.   It is an Ubese, wanting to see "Mr. Blue."   Cobalt says to let him in, while Donovan and Fabius get ready, just in case.   The Ubese takes something out of a pouch and scans the air.   After a moment, he says that it is safe to talk.   He takes off his mask. It is Veroshk.   After greeting them, he says that besides giving them their mission, he needs to talk to Kane.   Fabius tells Veroshk that he has found out who his other student is.   Veroshk nods.   He tells them that their new mission will be even more important than the last.

After the concert, they must all return to the dressing room and meet the renowned psychologist, Professor Dulsin Goriside, who programmed the Imperial Stormtroopers' brainwashing programs.   It turns out that unbeknownst to him, his wife was a rebel sympathizer who was killed at the Battle of Endor, and that because of this, he is slated for assassination.   He wants refuge with the Syndicate in exchange for his services.   Thus, Veroshk will deliver the Professor to the team, where they will eventually leave (per Cobalt's schedule) and take him to a secret spaceport, where Kane will take the White Wing, which the Syndicate has somehow reacquired, and he will take him to another secret location.

Veroshk pulls aside Kane and tells them that when he finishes his mission, he wants Kane to join him on Belkadan and train with the ancient Draethos Jedi master, Zyan-Krol.   Although thought dead long ago, he has recently surfaced and asked to teach Veroshk further.   Zyan-Krol believes that Veroshk has redeemed himself by has recent actions and wants him to continue his studies.   Veroshk, in turn, wants Kane and his other student, Leia Organa, to join him.   Kane is unsure.    Though his skills have progressed under Veroshk's tutelage, he still is uncomfortable about his new role.   Veroshk has another secret.   He reveals to Kane that his mother, Maya Nadeen (a Kane by marriage), was a Jedi.   The true reason she left his father was not about money or status, but because if Tremayne found her, he would kill not only her, but he would also kill her only son.   The Head Inquisitor eventually did find her and kill her; but her son—Fabius—was safe.   All of this is all very difficult for Kane to hear.

Veroshk and Kane's conversation is interrupted by a page for Cobalt Blue.   They all head out for his sound check.   Cobalt does what he has to do and then he wants to go gambling again.   Donovan reminds him that they need to go to the after-sound check party first; he also notices that Cobalt can bring four guests.    Cobalt and Fabius look at each other: this time they will bring an escort.   Fabius helps the new star find a Zeltron for the night, which Cobalt decides to only purchase for the party.

A while later, Spid goes down to get the Zeltron, Joy, and brings her back to the room.   She, like everyone else who comes to the Penthouse, immediately smells something wonderful.   She asks who the cook is.   Everyone else, already eating, just smiles.   Joy goes over to meet Cobalt and then joins the rest in eating.   Soon they all leave, with Fabius driving.   He, Donovan, and Spid are all in black, acting as security.   Cobalt is announced and Fabius lets him out.   As he moves in and greets everyone, Kane parks the car.   Fabius meets the others inside, and they all sit down to gamble.   Meanwhile, Spid grabs food from a passing tray and chats with Joy.   While at first only Kane wins, everyone seems to notice that Joy has started to win also.   Spid and Cobalt give her nearly all their money and she turns it around by a factor of ten.   Everyone is amazed.   Cobalt nearly breaks the bank with his investment.  

Joy is trying to get them to a high stakes game.   Kane promises that he will win if Cobalt gives him one million dollars to bet; the Ithorian agrees.   He then convinces Donovan to give him 25 grand to lose in return for a 100k turnaround.   He goes to the high stakes and loses for a while; one notable competitor is an Imperial Admiral.   He loses badly and gets upset.   He tries to barter with the value of his ship but the casino will have none of it.   As the night progresses, the dealer calls last hand. And the hustle is on.   Cobalt comes over, gives him one million dollars and tells him to bet it all.   They have to call upstairs to clear it.   They okay it.   A crowd gathers.   Fabius wins.   He turns three million in profit.    Afterwards, the crowd goes nuts and Fabius insists Cobalt invite everyone back to the penthouse for a party.

The party is the event of Corellia, with several celebrities, including the Max Rebo Band.   Everyone has a great time and Kane actually ends up going to bed with both the Redhead and the Rodian from the Max Rebo Band.   He is forced to take off his disguise, but only does so in complete darkness.   He tells them he is incognito and best they do not ask questions.   He tries to usher them out before the light comes up, but they turn on the lights to find their clothes.   They instantly recognize him.   They understand why he is hiding but are confused as to why he is there.   He explains (though slightly obfuscatingly) that he travels where he is needed and pulls jobs; he is on Corellia at the moment, but he is about to take off on his own for awhile and enjoy his money.   They invite him to join them for a while if he wants.   Kane says he would only endanger them, but that he will know where they are by following their tour if he ever needs or wants to.

Much too early for how late they all partied, the foursome heads to the press conference.   The reporters ask about Cobalt's new single, his age, and even his gambling and partying.   He plays it all off and does great.   Afterwards, they go back and rest before the concert, as they are all exhausted.  

The concert is mediocre for Cobalt Blue, but the crew skirts him away before anyone can ask any questions.   Waiting for them backstage is the Professor.   He asks why Veroshk did not take him away when he recognizes Cobalt Blue.   Kane explains that Veroshk's cover is already blown and he is taking pursuit away from them, while the Professor hides in plain sight, traveling with the music superstar and his entourage.   Veroshk did leave him for him a disguise in the garb of a Gand.   The Professor puts it on while the rest make ready to leave.    As they move outside and into the airlimo Cobalt notices someone watching them and talking into a wrist communicator.   Kane moves towards the wheel, while Donovan readies his weapon.   Cobalt ushers the "Gand" into the car.  

Spid goes over to confront the man watching him as four other men approach also.   After a few moments the two begin to pull apart as blaster fire rips down from above.   Spid is hurt, but throws himself into the crowd and starts throwing punches; one of them falls.   Kane fires out of the driver's seat and takes out another.   In the fray, Spid sends a third man flying.   However, two more blaster bolts fire from above; though both miss, it shows how much danger they are all in.    At the same time, Spid backs away from one of the two remaining thugs.

Beedo steps out of the car to draw fire from Spid, but creates an illusion with the Force that he moves away further from the car than he really does.   From above, a blaster bolt fires right through "Cobalt's" head; the Force-user moves quick to have the image recoil.   Behind him, Donovan fires and takes down another thug.   Spid cracks the last one's skull and then grabs the leader (the one who had been talking into the comlink) and heads back towards the airlimo.   However, the snipers take out the captured thug.   Donovan can see them with the Force, but they are too far away to hit.   As they all squeeze into the limo, Fabius pulls away, engines roaring.   They take a hit to the vehicle on their way out, but are able to escape.

On the thug they found a wrist communicator, some pistols, and an ID.   The name is Joe Farro.   The Professor thinks the man might have been an ISB (Imperial Security Bureau) agent.   Fabius guns the airlimo towards their secret hangar, where the White Wing waits.    As they move, they start to hear city-wide alarm sirens.   Spid turns on the wrist com and they hear the men talking about their fallen comrade.   However, the men soon decide that they should abort the mission, as Imperials have arrived: a Death Star is waiting in orbit.

According to the radio, the orbiting Imperial Fleet is already closing down space lanes, preventing anyone from leaving the planet.   As they speed along, the Professor takes off his helmet and starts sorting through card chips on his datapad.   Cobalt asks what he is doing.   He has an idea, he says, about breaking through the Imperial shield surrounding the planet.   He projects an image of Center Point Station (built by an unknown alien race).   He believes (though no one knows) that there are weapon systems on it.   He believes that if they were activated, they could fire through the shields and destroy the Death Star.

Kane wonders who is so important that they would bring a Death Star.   The Professor answers: himself.   He knows that within a short period, he could teach others to de-brainwash Stormtroopers, and thus the Emperor might be willing to destroy a world to just to stop him from sharing what he knows.  

The crew arrives at the secret location finally, just as Veroshk pulls up on a speeder.   Circumstances have changed, which makes him need to leave with them.   He says that the White Wing has stealth capabilities which can help them escape.   Donovan knows this will not be enough to escape Imperial Scrutiny, though.   Spid suggests that they use the stealth system to get to Center Point Station and then use the Professor's plan.   Goriside agrees.   They all pack into the ship and get ready for take-off.

Fabius and Donovan guide the ship upward over the next five hours, carefully avoiding any Imperial Scrutiny.   Meanwhile, Spid puts together some food for the others.   When they arrive, Cobalt and Donovan inject dye cartridges to turn their skin brown.   Kane arranges a disguise to make Spid look female.   Kane then disgards his diguise, since the Kel Dor might be associated with Cobalt, relying instead upon his new beard to distinguish him from his old appearance.   As all of this is happening, Kane notices that Veroshk looks distracted.   He asks what is wrong.   Veroshk senses that they were followed.   He also believes that whoever it is may be able to sense him.   He then quickly departs to find another ship and depart the team, in order to protect them.

The foursome leaves the Professor behind to find the weapons system.   After moving down the hall, they see a floating drone coming towards them.   It looks seamless; apparently it has an eye of sorts.   It looks at the group and then flies away.   As they advance slowly, Cobalt stops them, hearing something.   They all listen.   They can hear footsteps.   They can then see droids running towards them, which look less than humanoid, but very dangerous.    Kane learns this further as two fire: one with a projectile missile shot over his shoulder and another which fires a blaster bolt in his chest.   He draws his lightsaber and charges as  Donovan fires at one and hits, and Spid charges and strikes another.   The droid returns the attack, swinging a large laser blade at the Ortolan, but Spid ducks its attack.   From behind, Cobalt ushers forward with the Force and destroys the droid that Donovan had fired on.

Another droid launches his auto-blaster weapon and nearly takes out Donovan with a grisly blast.   In return, Cobalt lashes out with the Force and takes it out also.   Without being distracted, Spid destroys the droid he was engaged with.   He spins to the last one as Fabius strikes it with his lightsaber.   Spid punches the droid also, just as it strikes Kane: in the exchange, the droid explodes.  

While Donovan looks over the broken droids, Cobalt heals both of the two smugglers, even as Fabius heals himself a little, feeling the Force.   Donovan determines that the droids must have unfolded somehow and is able to find a space in the wall where they might have come out.   They move for about an hour before stopping to rest and focus on healing themselves again.   During all of this, Spid swears he sees something moving away from them-maybe rolling away.   Regardless, they know they must go on.

Unsurprisingly, another set of droids rolls up soon.   Kane charges forward, drawing their fire, but feints as they expect him to attack, deflecting their close-fire with his lightsaber.   Donovan fires behind him and blasts one of the droids, burning it badly.   Another droid aims his rocket launcher at the rest of the crew, but Cobalt catches the projectile with his telekinesis and throws it back, blowing them all to pieces and knocking Kane aside.   Luckily Kane dodges most of the blast, and Cobalt heals most of the rest.  

As they move forward, Kane spots another drone and fires his blaster, but cannot manage to take it out.   Shortly, thereafter, more droids arrive.   Ready with his heavy blaster, Kane opens fire twice, damaging two, as one misfires another one of the projectiles past the group: rocking the corridor with the explosion.   The other three droids open fire with blasters at members of the crew, but all miss.   Donovan rips one of them with his blaster and fries it.   Cobalt pushes out with the Force and destroys another.   Spid charges and smashes one of the two remaining droids, even as it turns and cuts him with its laser blade.   Kane and Donovan fire on the other and burn a hole in its side; undaunted, it opens fire on Cobalt and hurts him badly.   In return, Cobalt lashes out and destroys it.   Spid damages the last droid, while a carefully aiming Kane finishes it.

After traveling for about another hour, they spot the same droid that Kane shot earlier.   Cobalt suddenly surges ahead faster than seems possible and turns around and slams it to the ground with his telekinesis.   Spid then pulls ahead and smashes it with a devastating karate chop.     They find eventually that doing so prevents another wave of attacks.   After another two hours they reach a ladder and climb what seems to be an interminable length of time.

When they finally reach the top, there are a series of smaller corridors; fortunately, the Professor's datapad shows them the way.   After stopping for lunch after several hours, they move for another few hours, upon which they reach a locked door.   After a short time, Donovan is able to pick the lock and open the door.

Within the room is a large chamber, at the center of which is a very large chair.   Cobalt and Spid move towards it.   Spid climbs into the seat as Donovan and Kane look around.   Donovan starts to understand the controls and begins to turn on the monitors.   As he does, they can see a space battle.   It is hard to tell, but it seems as if someone has engaged the Imperials; it almost looks like a pirate fleet.   With Kane's help, Donovan begins to work the targeting systems.  

Cobalt looks up when he hears something.   He sees three men in black, with masks and swords, approaching them from the hallway they just came from, at a high speed.   He steps toward them and commands them to stop, calling on the Force.   It does not work.   Spid jumps out of the chair and runs towards the doorway, telling the two smugglers that he and Cobalt will take care of it.   Donovan tells Kane that he needs more time and he should help the others.   As he continues to work, Donovan realizes that the machine is powering up.   It almost seems like the computers are alive and that he will need to keep struggling with them to keep them steady.

Spid charges forward and rams into one, knocking the attacker back, as Kane steps forward and blasts another.   The third runs by Spid to get at Cobalt, but catches the backside of the Ortolan's fist as he runs by; however, he is able to swipe at the Ithorian with his blade when Cobalt turns to attack one of the men running at Kane; the Force User misses when he is stabbed.   Despite missing, Cobalt re-focuses and takes hold of the one that ran past him and hurls him into the man that just stabbed him, knocking them backward and down.  

Spid pummels the humanoid he is engaged with and takes him out.   The other two get up and charge Cobalt, both slashing him.   The Force User feels an odd burn with each slice, one that almost makes him burn with the Dark Side.   In anger, he reaches out and throws Force lightning at both of them, frying one and taking him out, as the other writhes in pain.   Spid catches that one from behind and strikes him, slipping himself between him and the room.

Kane runs back to the chair and begins to focus the Force within him just as Donovan finishes realigning the targeting sensors.   As Kane looks up, he sees the Death Star turning towards their station, aligning its superlaser with the station.   Feeling the flow of the Force, he activates the weapon.   The room rumbles slightly, as all those that have hair feel it stand on end.   They can see large beams of energy coalesce in the room and suddenly explode outward, striking the Death Star.   It begins to be deflected by the shield generator, but pushes through and disintegrates a quarter of the Death Star, sending it spiraling and breaking apart, even as it fires. The Death Star's blast catches the side of Center Point Station even as it self-implodes and then explodes.

Unfortunately, another chunk of the exploding Death Star strikes the station.   Donovan informs the others that the Station is falling apart.   As Cobalt pushes aside a very confused enemy, a limping humanoid comes from down the hall.   It is a Falleen.   It is Veroskh.   Cobalt gets the enemy to say his master is Tremayne.   As the crew rushes out to escape, Kane whispers to the Darksider, "Tell him that was for my mother," and moves past the stunned villain to help Veroshk.

Following Veroshk's instructions, Spid leads the way through a shortcut.   This takes them across a long thin, precarious walkway, with only a lone handrail, over a very deep cavern.   Cobalt moves first over the walkway, followed by Spid, Donovan, Fabius, and Veroshk.   When they are almost across, a man walks out--not on the walkway, but on the handrail.   It is Treymane.

Treymane leaps down to the walkway and swipes at Cobalt, taking out the battle-weary Force User with one pass of his lightsaber.   Cobalt begins to fall, but Spid catches him.   However, as Kane raises his weapon to fire, one blast misses, another hits Treymane, but his third blast clips Cobalt, whose body suddenly goes limp.   As Kane stands stunned, Veroshk throws a cable above, jumps up, swings around, and catches Treymane, tackling him over the chasm.  

Spid rushes forward with Cobalt's body, making it to safety.   Donovan stops to fire at Treymane, but misses wildly, as Treymane starts hammering on Veroshk with the hilt of his lightsaber and then almost accidentally cuts his foot off.   Kane fires again, feeling the Dark Side rage and blasts Tremayne, but it is not enough to take him out.   Veroshk only looks sadly at Kane as he cuts the cable and they both plummet to the ground far below.  

The others manage to make it the rest of the way to the ship.   As Kane sends the ship flying, Donovan believes the Station is about to explode.   Kane takes a microburst through the system, so they escape the exploding damage, which majorly damages both planets it was orbiting between.   Much of the life on both planets is eradicated or will be from the radiation poisoning of the destroyed Death Star and the supernovaed Center Point Station.   This also destroys much of the Imperial fleet in orbit.   The survivors quickly pull out and regroup elsewhere.

The crew waits for the Imperial Ships to depart before returning briefly to Corellia to pick up the Blue Streak, which is luckily still intact.   There, Kane leaves Donovan and Spid Dövan, instructing Donovan to return the ship to Kaya Tarkin and tell her—not Destine—what happened and to take things from there.   He tells his old friend that he will not be back for awhile, but that if he needs to get a message to him to send it to the Max Rebo Band and he will do the same (as they are on a tour, both will be able to find them at any time).

The Professor shows them a datapad that needs a code to be input to access the information.   None of them have any idea what it might be.   After a moment of analyzing the possibilities, Kane instinctively knows it is the name of his old ship: The Banshee's Kiss .   This gives him access to the coordinates to where to take the Professor.   He departs the others without telling where he is going.

As the Blue Streak pulls out, Spid creates the greatest feast ever, to commemorate the fallen hero, Blue Cobalt, a.k.a. Papa Beedo.   Donovan, meanwhile, contemplates the deparature of his friend.   Had he not been in a coma for several weeks, he might have been training with his friend.   Yet, before parting, Kane told Donovan to take his lightsaber; he said the Sluissi would need it and that he would pass along all that he knew about it later on.

In the ensuing days, all of the Syndicate agents learn of the massive devastation to Corellia.   They also confirm that the High Inquisitor Tremayne was killed in the Center Point Station explosion.   They can only assume by association that Veroshk also perished.   Mysteriously, word also spreads that the head of the IBA, IG-88, simply ceased to function at nearly the same time as the Death Star's destruction.