Birth of the Rebellion

[Zem-El Vymes]

I was amazed that I could sleep. My mind was racing with the implications of the recent events. Lok and I had started down the precarious path of romance, on the eve of yet another war. I eased my mind, freeing it of worry and obligation as I drifted to sleep. It seemed like on my minutes later I was waking up. Instantly, the chill of my Hoth quarters caught me, and I clutched at my insulation sheeting.

"I think I'd jump into a gundark's nest to get away from Hoth. I'll never so much as ask for ice in a drink again."

I spoke to nobody in particular. There was only a small astromech in the corner that was taking up space. Still, it needed to be said. I wormed my way out of the insulated cot, and carefully slipped on the fleece socks before the fur-lined boots. You learn the little things like that very quickly. Getting dressed was a race to beat the wind chill, and within five minutes I was zipped up. I blew hot breath into my hands.

With my morning routine nearly done, I had a lot of time to reflect. Suddenly my worldly cares returned to me, and my mind was full. Today was going to be a very decisive day.

[s'Il]

It had been a night spent peacefully, much to s'Il's surprise. Thankfully the amount of blankets she'd insisted on upon their arrival did more than enough to keep her warm, and the Lupine lay comfortably beneath them. Even before her alarm went off she'd woken, but she opted to stay in bed until the familiar ring went off.

The events of the day before invaded her thoughts only seconds after waking. The Sith they'd encountered weighed heavily on her, but even that was pushed to the side in favor of a decidedly happier memory - Zem.

She smiled to herself.

Even after silencing the alarm and sliding from bed she made quick work of pulling on the layers of clothes that would keep her warm. Normally she would have spent her morning hours out and about in her vornskr form, but since joining up with Dan and his rebel group, that ritual had been for the most part abandoned. And so she simply made do with the rare instances when she and Zem had time to themselves away from the base and prying eyes.

Satisfied that she was presentable, the Lupine opened the door to her quarters, head down as she stepped through the doorway while at the same time fastening her sabre to her belt.

[Zem-El Vymes]

We left our quarters at about the same time, both looking sufficiently bundled up.

"Last day in the icebox. I don't care what's waiting for us, I'm ready to go."

Already I could see a buzz of activity, as other rebels were busy toting crates of equipment, heading to the staging areas to load onto ships. The closer we got to the cavernous bay where most of the vessels were, the more hectic things seemed. The entire base was packing up, getting ready for the decisive battle that was to come.

[s'Il]

She grinned lightly at his comment. The Lupine herself was far more than ready to leave; she'd been ready to pack up and move on the first day they'd gotten to Hoth.

Stepping through the arched doorway that opened up into the large bay, s'Il cast her eyes to both sides. If the sight of rebels scurrying about wasn't any indication, the Lupine could almost smell the anticipation around her.

"Where do we meet up with the others? And when exactly?" She asked presently.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Two parsecs out of Kurilon is all I know. Dan's kept the rally point hush hush."

It was a reasonable precaution. This close to the first offensive, they couldn't have the element of surprise stolen at the last minute.

"We've got an officer's brief before we board up, so I imagine we get the final information there."

[s'Il]

Staring at those around her for a few more moments, s'Il gave a shrug. All she knew was where Dan was intending to strike; anything beyond that was a mystery to her. Even the role she and Zem were going to play in all of this remained unknown.

A sigh, and then she gave a small start. "Shouldn't we load our own things then?"

The thought of others in her room and handling her possessions suddenly became prevailent; she'd not allowed a soul into her small quarters during their stay. Even if her books and clothes were packed away in trunks, the Lupine did not savor the notion of someone becoming curious.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"I'm pretty much packed."

I was a minimalist to a large degree, and didn't have much with me that couldn't be crammed into a good duffel.

"I'll help you get your stuff though."

We made our way to her quarters, and I braced myself for carrying the very familiar book pile she'd lovingly toted with her.

[s'Il]

She too had had the presence of mind to pack, and while her belongings weren't as sparse as Zem's, there still wasn't a lot that the Lupine called her own. As it was, she'd tucked everything away in the two trunks that sat against the far wall, and the only things remaining out were the blankets and pillow on her bed.

She smiled at the feeling she read from him, sitting on the edge of the bed and casting an eye upwards toward him.

"Carrying around books is good for you, you know. Builds character and makes little Lupines strong."

So soon before their departer and the woes of the galaxy caught them by their heels once more, s'Il allowed herself these last few moments of ease with the man that - over their years together - she had come to love.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"If I read all these books cover to cover, my eyesight would be absolutely shot. You keep it up and you'll be in bifocals."

I picked up the book she'd managed to fall asleep to the night before, flipped a few pages, and glanced at some passages before closing it.

"You ever thought about writing a few of these yourself?"

[s'Il]

She gave him a sidelong look.

"I started writing some a few weeks after we landed on Nan'ss'um'ek."

Nan'ss'um'ek, what she'd taken to calling their isolated home for a year, was simply an elongated form of the Bast'yr word Nan'ss'ek, which meant 'solitude'. The Lupine had never learned the real name of their sanctuary, and doubted that she ever would.

"Nothing as extensive as this," she pulled the book towards her and hefted it up.

"... yet."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I took the tome from her, and felt the weight of it.

"I get the feeling you may be changing that in the near future."

[s'Il]

She stood then, smiling lightly as she began to pull the covers from the cot.

"Perhaps. It's a constant work in progress that I'll only stop writing when I die."

The Lupine began to gently fold the comforter first. "Genetic habit I suppose."

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Well lets hope you get the chance to make it an encyclopedia."

I helped her bunch the covers up, and pressed folds into them neatly.

[s'Il]

Packing the rest of what was left proved an easy enough task, but it was one that the Lupine went about in silence. Even with Zem's presence and his last words slowly turning over in her thoughts, she could think of no suitable reply or even a change in topics.

Closing the lid of the second trunk, s'Il turned and sat down upon it. She looked around the now empty room, then up to Zem.

"Thanks."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I dropped to my haunches across from her, and ran a hand through her hair.

"Where do you think we'll end up tonight?"

[s'Il]

For a long moment she stared at him, unsure of how to answer. Without knowledge of what exactly was supposed to happen in the comind hours of the day, she found herself strangely without nervousness.

She sighed, then gave a gentle smile while reaching out to brush smooth some of the wrinkles in his jacket.

"I feel that we'll end up somewhere quiet, and safe."

A mirthful glint shone in her eyes then.

"... and warm."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I smiled.

"I feel the same way."

I pulled her towards me, and kissed her gently, knowing that we both had a hard fight in front of us to make it happen. Pulling back, I squeezed her shoulder firmly.

"Let's go be heroes for another day, then."

[s'Il]

"Heroes have a habit of getting themselves killed," she grunted, leaning forward herself as they rose in unison.

The Lupine gripped the sleeve of his heavy coat, holding him fast.

"So I think it best that we simply stay as... concerned citizens of the galaxy."

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Maybe."

I pondered it a moment.

"Concerned citizens don't inspire others to action. I intend to do that. That's how two people become two million."

[s'Il]

"Well," they left her small room and started down the snow-carved corridor, "I use the term loosely."

The bustle of activity seemed to become thick around them, having expanded outward from the hangar and into the rest of the base.

Looping her arm through his so as to keep from becoming too seperated in the growing throng of movement, s'Il bit her lip.

"I don't think a person needs to be a hero to inspire others; I just pray that most have enough of a moral compass to see that we are doing right."

[General Dan]

Dan nearly bowled over both of the Jedi, himself assisting another Rebel with moving equipment.

"Sorry bout that."

He did a double take, then cracked a dry smile.

"Couple of late risers, huh?"

[s'Il]

There was a moment of confusion before the Lupine squared back her shoulders, pulling her arm from Zem's.

"Nothing of the sort."

She maintained her closeness to Zem however.

"We were simply packing."

[General Dan]

"Ah."

Dan allowed a small nod.

"Well, we've been up since dawn, getting the peripheral gear packed. We've got a briefing in the hangar, before we pull the generators and load up the last of our equipment. Are you ready?"

[s'Il]

A sidelong look to Zem, and the Lupine nodded. "We are."

Any apprehension that she might have felt of the day were swept away; not from what was to come, but rather - oddly enough - from the fact that soon they would be leaving this occursed planet.

[General Dan]

Dan walked with the two Jedi and met up with another group, who continued to load equipment onto a nearby Gallofree freighter. Dan excused himself from the other rebels, and walked toward s'Il.

"Let me help you with that."

[s'Il]

Somewhat taken aback, she stared up at him, slowly setting one of her trunks down. To her it wasn't heavy enough to warrant two people, but if he insisted, she would allow it.

"If you wish."

[General Dan]

Dan brought the trunk on board the Cizerack yacht, settling it into a space where s'Il wanted it. He looked back to see if Zem was following her behind, but he was attending to something in the cockpit.

"Do you mind if I talk to you in private?" Dan asked s'Il.

[s'Il]

Blinking, the Lupine followed his gaze back to Zem, who was busy in the yacht's cockpit. Her brow furrowed, but she nodded in spite of herself as she moved away from earshot and towards the hatchway that led to the galley.

Stepping inside, she found herself giving Dan a small bit of distance, suddenly unsure of what it was he wished to discuss.

[General Dan]

"You know that the fleet stands ready to jump to Kurilon for a full-scale attack. What I've told nobody until this point is that this attack is a diversion."

[s'Il]

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly, trying to contain the sudden influx of confusion at this news. She craned her neck, looking almost furtively at the doorway, then back to him.

"Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't Zem be the one to know?"

[General Dan]

"I'm telling you because I have been asked to form a crack team to assault our true target, and I want you on that team."

[s'Il]

She set a hand on the countertop, fingers ticking at the glossy surface.

"But... I'm sure Zem would be much better suited to something like this."

[General Dan]

Dan crossed his arms, leaning against the bulkhead.

"Zem is a gifted starfighter pilot, and he's a natural leader. Just because Kurilon is a diversion doesn't mean we don't need a commander capable of bringing men and women back alive. You've seen how he flies. He can keep a lot of rebels alive doing so."

[s'Il]

She could not argue with him on that front; what he said was true. She'd seen it herself during their escape from Tattooine.

Another few silent moments passed, and she nodded her head. She would do as he asked.

"Who else is on this team."

[General Dan]

"Myself, and other hand-picked commandos from other rebel cells. This is our first mission to work together, so we don't have much time to mingle. All in all, it will be a dozen people."

[s'Il]

She gave another nod.

"Do you know the true target, then... ? And Zem, is he to know that he's leading a diversionary force?"

[General Dan]

"I'll inform Zem of the details as well."

Dan rose from his leaning spot.

"I trust you will be familiar with our true target. It's Kamino."

[s'Il]

Kamino. She knew of the place yes; while she'd not been in the war, she'd certainly been kept aware of the goings on by Master Windu, and how and where the Jedi had been able to amass their army.

"I know it well enough," she looked to the side, "though I've never been there. Only been told of it."

The Lupine let out a long breath, quiet for a few moments before going on. "I don't know why you wish for me to be a part of this, but I sorely hope that it isn't largely because of something other than my being a Jedi."

He would know well enough what she was referring to.

[General Dan]

"Your other talents shouldn't be necessary."

Dan reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small holoprojector, which lit up to show the image of a starship.

"This is the Imperial Dreadnaught Corvus. It's part of this sector's patrol fleet, and it's stationed specifically at Kamino. It's not as heavy as a star destroyer, but it's still a large capital ship.

When the fleet hits Kurilon, the Empire will dispatch the sector fleet to counterattack. I intend on hijacking the Corvus before it can join the offensive."

[s'Il]

"With twelve men?"

The Lupine stared at him incredulously, "You want to hijack that with only twelve men?

"This isn't a shield coupler we're talking about here."

[General Dan]

"We won't need more than that. The entire ship will be disabled by a freighter flying with an ion bomb aboard. By the time we arrive, they'll be dead in space."

[s'Il]

She gave a nod, satisfied at his answer.

"Then I am to be with you when we leave?"

It was slightly disconcerting to her, that there was the possibility of being seperated from Zem once more, but she kept her features emotionless.

[General Dan]

"The idea of splitting up with Zem isn't working for you, is it?"

[s'Il]

Apparently she'd not hidden her discomfort well enough; no matter.

"We all end up having to do things that we normally wouldn't feel comfortable doing."

She leaned her weight a little more on the counter, resting her elbow on its' surface before offering him a genuine smile. "Whether or not something 'works' for me shouldn't matter, or be factored in to any of this."

[General Dan]

Dan sighed, steepling his fingers together.

"I want a team that will work well. I want a team that will perform their best. I'm honored, deeply so, to have two Jedi Knights that are fighting with us. Obviously there are things about what you do that I will never understand."

He paused, licking his lips.

"Brass may not like it, but it's my call to make. If I pull Zem off Kurilon and take command, it might even look more convincing. If I do that, I need somebody to command the raid that is decisive and will press the attack. I know you're his student, but I'd prefer you to lead the attack if we do this."

[s'Il]

"No," she dismissed him with a shake of her head, "don't do that.

"Zem is the best choice for leading the attack on Kurilon; you said so yourself, and I agree with you. I'm not suited for engagements like that, and I know this."

A pause, and she continued.

"I would rather be at your side on Kamino than a stranger's."

[General Dan]

"Are you sure? I can go either way. All I ask is that both of you are 100% on whatever we do. The rest of us can adapt for that."

[s'Il]

She lofted her brow, pulling an odd face.

"If I wasn't completely with you in all of this, I wouldn't be riding taun tauns and sleeping in a meatlocker for the month that we've been here."

A corner of her mouth ticked upward.

"My people used to tend to the warmer climates, not iceboxes."

[General Dan]

"As do mine."

Dan looked at the door with a grimace, as if to shiver off the memory of Hoth.

"I did try to get our Rebel camp booked at Tiger Frond beach on Ithor, but they said the hotels were booked for the month."

[s'Il]

A smirk, andf the Lupine pushed away from the counter to start for the door.

"Yes well," she gave his cheek a gentle pat as she passed by him, "It's the thought that counts."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I walked in from the cockpit area, scrounging a newfound ration unit that was stocked in the galley.

"Well, diagnostic is clean, so I think she's flyable. Whoever draws that straw, I took the liberty of putting labels in basic on everything they'll need. Should help."

I paused, and looked at s'Il funny.

"Did I miss something?"

[s'Il]

An unsure look was sent to Dan before she ventured an answer.

"I... won't be going with you to Kurilon."

[Zem-El Vymes]

"Oh?"

I looked to Dan for an answer, and he explained the gist of it to me, and the news of the true attack.

"Kamino?"

I took a seat for that one, and mentally went over the star charts.

"That is incredibly risky, but if it works...it's brilliant."

I looked up to s'Il.

"Can you handle that?"

It was an open question for her. She was a Jedi Knight now. Her word was as good as mine, so that was all that needed to be said.

[s'Il]

Her gaze was a level one, and even if her small stature permitted only so much, the Lupine unconsciously found herself standing just a bit straighter.

"I can."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I smiled.

"Alright then."

As much as I wanted to be with her, it was also very important for me to see her perform at her full potential, and she was acting with all of the poise and determination that I had banked on her having.

"You might have a much bigger chapter to write in your book than I thought. If you're going to do what I think you're going to do, you will save hundreds of thousands of lives."

[s'Il]

A brief smile was given at his mention of her writing, but beyond that nothing.

"we'll know well enough by the end of the day."

[General Dan]

"If we pull off this attack, we destroy one of the largest producers of clonetroopers the Empire has. That's not just the generation we're fighting, but multiple generations below that. It'll be felt for years."

[s'Il]

The Lupine gave a nod before shifting her weight to one leg.

It was then that she looked to Dan, a silent request for him to leave.

[Zem-El Vymes]

Dan gave a knowing nod, and stepped outside, pausing to tell s'Il that he'd be waiting for her on the tarmac. Then it was just us. I approached s'Il slowly, and wrapped my arms around her, smothering her up in an embrace.

[s'Il]

His scent filled her nostrils, and she drank it in.

With her head buried in his chest, the Lupine found herself smiling as she repeated her previous words. "Tonight will be quiet and safe."

Angling her neck up then, s'Il met his lips with her own.

[Zem-El Vymes]

"There is a purpose in this. You were meant to go to Kamino."

I looked at her with resolute seriousness, and kissed her again.

"The future isn't an easy thing to coax, but my instincts are clear. You'll come back."

[s'Il]

She gave a smile.

"Of course I'll come back."

Pulling away, she kept a hold of his hand for a moment longer.

"Tomorrow I need to cut your hair," she patted his beard with her free hand, "... and give this a trim."

[Zem-El Vymes]

I repulsed a bit at that, giving her a funny look. A moment later I smiled.

"Maybe it's time, I guess. Time for a change."

[s'Il]

"It's your decision."

Releasing his hand, the Lupine allowed a parting grin to cross her features as she turned, heading from the galley. With her head down, she trekked the short distance through the Cizerack yacht and down the boarding ramp, Dan's lean figure easily spotted as he waited for her.

[Zem-El Vymes]

I leaned on the bulkhead as she left. She didn't say goodbye. She didn't need to. I knew she'd be back like I knew I'd take another breath of air.

You could see it in the way she walked. She had changed, and now was the time for her to become who she was meant to be.

[s'Il]

Stepping from the ramp to the tarmac, s'Il stuffed her hands into the pockets of her heavy, fur-lined overcoat. Coming up to Dan, she looked past him at the hurried activity still going on. It looked as though most of everything had been fully loaded up into the transports.

Her gaze went up to meet his then, and she lofted her brow.

[General Dan]

"We've got a separate tarmac lined up with our ship. You can inspect the commandos at your command if you'd like."

Dan gestured in the distance, where a solitary freighter could be seen, accompanied by relatively few people.

[s'Il]

They started in the direction of the freighter, but she frown slightly as they walked.

" 'At my commend?' I thought you were leading this, and only wanted me to be a part of this team."

[General Dan]

"You're XO. I need somebody who can lead, but who can also keep up with the commandos. You answer to me, but they answer to you."

[s'Il]

It was a good enough explanation, and she nodded. It was something that she could accept.

The nearer they got, the easier it became to discern the faces of those few who stood waiting, and she pulled in a breath through her nose. Their scent was far different than what she'd become used to during the stay on Hoth, and she had a difficult time placing these new smells.

"Inspection isn't necessary," she started, "Your word is good enough for me; I trust you."

[General Dan]

Dan looked at the men assembled in front of her. Indeed, they had come in from other locations, and this was the first time they were being assembled. They were a a motley assortment of obviously-seasoned fighters. Many of them were unshaven, and most wore a hodgepodge of assault webbing and various pieces of armor.

"Alright then. They're yours. Let's get a once-over on our equipment, and get aboard. No ceremonies."

[s'Il]

For a fleeting moment the Lupine felt small in the presence of these men. Not because of her own physical height, but because they had more than likely seen and been a part of far more intense engagements than she herself. What would they think of having to answer to her? It was enough of a daunting thought to make her stare at the tarmac for a few moments.

Jaw clenching tight, the Lupine let the fingers of her hand run over the smooth contours her sabre. It rested on her thigh in a rigged holster, the signature Jedi weapon strapped comfortably alongside her blaster.

She lifted a blue gaze to each face in turn, watching in silence as they went about double and cross checking their gear.

[General Dan]

One trooper paused, regarding the diminuitive blonde as he tinkered with an assault blaster.

"You're a real Jedi, huh?"

He was partially balding, with a burn scar on the right side of his face causing an otherwise thick beard from growing continuously.

[s'Il]

Her ears ticked back, an unconscious habit. A real Jedi? She knew that the Purge had done well to wipe those from the Order into oblivion, but had it been so completely followed through? Were they truly such an anomoly?

The thought made her grimace, but she soon enough allowed a small smirk to play at the corners of her mouth.

"Are you a real Rebel?"

[General Dan]

The man said nothing, but smiled a deeply understanding smile, which showed a missing tooth. He slammed forward the accelerator in his rifle and squared it forward to present, a sign that he was ready to go to war with her. The other commandos did the same. They looked at her with eyes that while sharp, almost seemed to look through her.

[s'Il]

It was a bit different, to see these men before her, the way they looked at her. Such hard-edged mannerisms she wasn't entirely used to. Those Rebels that she'd spent her time with here on Hoth seemed to be their own breed. They were rough around the edges and battle-hardened, but these new soldiers were something apart from that. It was an air that she was unable to pinpoint exactly.

A brief sidelong look to Dan, and the Lupine stepped up to the freighter's boarding ramp without ceremony, disappearing up and inside.

[General Dan]

A thundering of boots tromped up behind s'Il as Dan followed them. They quickly stowed their gear and combat packs to the adjacent right side of each seat.

"I'm not going to mince words. You were each picked by your section's commander for this mission, and it's the most critical strike this rebellion has undertaken so far. You're going deep into enemy territory, and will fight a numerically superior enemy who won't show you mercy. Likewise, you won't be in a position to show them any yourselves."

[s'Il]

Standing in the open hatchway that led from the freighter's main interior to the bridge, s'Il listened as Dan spoke. What he said caused her jaw to clench involuntarily, and her grip on the bulkhead tightened.

As he'd finished, she moved inward to the bridge, lowering herself into the copilot's chair and waiting for the Rebel leader.

Unlike the commandos, the Lupine had no weaponry to stow other than the blaster and her sabre, both strapped at her hip. And even then, she really had no real use for the blaster - carrying it for dire emergencies only.

[General Dan]

Dan finished his briefing of the commando force, and accompanied s'Il on the bridge. Taking the helm himself, he keyed up the ships systems, and patched himself in to the flight controller.

"Raven to Echo, going dark."

"Copy that."

Without further acknowledgment from the flight control, Dan lifted off, carrying his strike team high into Hoth's atmosphere.

[s'Il]

She watched as the stark white landskape passed by below, then at the blue sky as Dan angled the freighter up into the sky. Blue grew dark until the inky blackness of space was all that could be seen, studded beautifully with stars.

For half an hour after they'd gone into hyperspace the Lupine was quiet, leaning back with an elbow on the armrest, hand propping her head up as she listened to the faint murmurings of the commandos.

Dan hadn't said much of anything since they'd taken off, and s'Il hadn't deemed it necessary to try and coax any sort of conversation out of him. Instead, she simply listened to the muted chattering.

Another quiet thirty minutes went by.

Tiring of the conversations behind them, s'Il angled her head down, her eyes looking sidelong to Dan as she spoke in a low voice.

"Do you still miss her?"

[General Dan]

"Every day."

Dan conceded, keeping his eyes forward.

"I don't grieve as much. I remember her as I always did, and I know why she isn't here. Grief was replaced by righteous indignation. I'll honor her memory by bringing the Empire to task."

[s'Il]

Biting her lip in thought, s'Il found herself nodding. When he'd finished her eyes went back to the starlines in the viewport for a few moments, then once again to him.

"What was she like?"

[General Dan]

"Very strong-willed. She knew what she wanted in life, and never felt like she was settling. That kind of honesty, I knew that she'd love me forever the moment she told me."

[s'Il]

At this, the Lupine allowed herself to cast her eyes to the deck.

"I'm very sorry then."

The tone of her voice was soft.

"What did she look like?"

[General Dan]

"Short, about like you. Dark hair, really sharp eyes. That was the first thing I noticed about her."

[s'Il]

His sentences were short, and while he answered her questions, she had to wonder if this subject was one that he wished to talk of. She scratched an itch at the nape of her neck.

He'd not taken his eyes from the rather monotonous starline view before him.

"You don't have to answer me you know," she ventured carefully, "if you don't want to talk about it that's fine. I was just curious is all."

[General Dan]

"There's a part of me that isn't here anymore and it left when she died."

Dan looked back to s'Il.

"Part of me worries that my rage is unquenchable. I try to think about her as much as I can, because she was a fighter, but she also knew when the fight was over. This war is worth fighting, but I am more concerned with what her legacy will be. You remind me of her in so many ways, and that gives me hope that not only can we win this, but we can put the pieces back where they ought to be."

[s'Il]

s'Il held his gaze for a few moments, then found herself turning to look out to the starlines herself, suddenly unable to keep her eyes on his.

"From what you say about her, I'm sure that she would be proud of all that you've done."

She gave a sigh then.

"But this - " she waved a hand out in front of her, "... this is going to go on for a long time. We might not even see those pieces of 'once was' replaced in our lifetime."

[General Dan]

"Maybe not, but it's ultimately more than about us. That's the sort of legacy I'm looking at. It's more than me, more than you, and more than her. And she would understand that."

[s'Il]

"Please understand that I'm not intending to sound selfish about it all. I know that this is about more than any one person."

The Lupine gave pause then, her brow furrowed as she did her best to find the easiest way to word her thoughts.

"Working toward a better future is something that I'm not... used to. I grew up learning that what came before was all that would be had; there was simply no concept of a future for myself."

[General Dan]

"And being a Jedi hasn't changed your perspective of that?"

[s'Il]

"It has done well enough to open up different schools of thought and a new way of looking at life. I am eternally grateful for that, and it is a path that I wish to continue walking.

"But, you saw the ruins of that planet Zem and I took you and the others to."

She let herself lean back once more in her seat, rubbing at her temple.

"Time is not kind, and destiny can be as terrible for some as it is wonderful for others."

[General Dan]

"That's only our concern for the span of our lifetimes."

Dan shrugged.

"We're aware of the presence of a legacy in the grand scheme of things. You do what you can to inspire the people coming after you, and after that, it isn't up to you. You shouldn't fret and fuss over the big picture. If you do what you do in the short term, that is all you can do."

[s'Il]

"It's hard when a part of you demands that the only way you are known is through past writings; through history, and the other part wishes that you become known for your actions and inspiration."

As if conscious of the fact that she was in fact bringing more to light the nature of her own people, s'Il stopped herself short, and she looked away from him, her eyes going to a sidepanel.

"I'm speakingof things that I shouldn't, though," she mumbled.

[General Dan]

Dan returned his eyes to the streaking starlines of hyperspace.

"If keeping your legacy is important, why shouldn't you speak of it?"

[s'Il]

She frowned, somewhat annoyed with herself for letting her tongue slip so easily. Where he had once had a knack for frustrating her, it seemed now that Dan had the strange ability to make her speak of things that she would have normally kept to herself.

"It's a bit more complicated than that," she finally offered.

Which wasn't much of an answer to anything, she knew.

"I really only talk about those things with Zem."

[General Dan]

"That's understandable. I'm not compelling you to talk about it, of course. Everybody should have a confidant. It just seemed that we may have more similarities than we realize."

[s'Il]

It was a thought that had not occured to her, and s'Il looked at him in minor confusion. Any similarites that she shared with him were only - by what she'd been able to see - superficial at best. They both fought in the Rebellion against the Empire, and their previous way of life was now far different than what it was now.

Were there other, deeper similarites that she had not seen? The Lupine furrowed her brow, deep in thought as she tried to divine any sort of answer to that. Finally she gave up.

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

[General Dan]

"You were there on that ship. You saw what they did to my people. My own tragedy is so very small in comparison."

[s'Il]

Another minute passed, and the Lupine dipped her head low in understanding.

"Tragedy should never be measured in size," she said finally.

"Whether one person is affected or hundreds; or even an entire species, it doesn't matter. The pain you feel is the same as anyone else experiencing a different sort of hardship.

"The context of our losses may be different, but we feel the same sorrow."

[General Dan]

"It's a different feeling nonetheless. Tragedies both, but grieved in different ways."

The klaxon for the approaching hyper waypoint began to sound, snapping Dan out of his reverie. His eyes lingered on s'Il a moment more before turning forward.

[s'Il]

"Mmmm perhaps."

It was a noncommital response from her, and the Lupine also turned her eyes to the viewport, conscious of his stare but choosing to say nothing of it.

The starlines shrank to pinpoints, and she released a long breath.

"Grief is an individual thing, handled in different ways," she finished, "... but the loss is no less significant."

[General Dan]

"Hopefully one day we won't have to talk about our grief. I tire of it to be honest."

The ship had dropped out of lightspeed just outside of the Kamino system. Dan tapped the helmsman on his shoulder, advising him to approach the farthest planet in the system, and assume a polar orbit. In other words, to hang close, but stay out of sight.

"We're in position. Our party wagon should be arriving soon. Keep a passive sensor sweep on the lookout for them, and the Corvus."

Dan returned his attention to s'Il.

"If this doesn't work, we're slow and poorly armed. I don't have to tell you our odds stink."

[s'Il]

"Have faith."

s'Il allowed the barest hint of a smile to grace her features, but otherwise her eyes remained to the forefront.

It was easy enough to sense his gaze on her, and the Lupine bowed her head.

"And a little patience."

[General Dan]

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't." Dan smirked as he continued to watch the scopes. After a few moments, a light blinked on the console.

"We've got a hyperdrive exit, deep in-system."

The sensor officer ran it through analysis.

"Medium freighter, Corellian."

[s'Il]

What happened from here on in was Dan's show, and s'Il took a small step back from the forward bridge area, allowing those who knew more than she ample room.

An odd sense of expectance - coupled with apprehension - filled her then. This was her first such mission, and she wasn't entirely certain of how to go about performing the tasks that'd been assigned to her.

[General Dan]

"Wait for the pop."

Dan leaned forward, eyes fixed to the sensor readout. The ion bomb aboard the freighter would totally disable anything within two million kilometers. Fortunately the ship was fly-by-wire, and there was nobody aboard.

"Is Corvus in position?"

The control officer nodded.

"Closing within three million kilometers. Approaching two million."

A few seconds passed, and the sensor screen blossomed with a bright wave.

"It's a hit! Detonated 1.5 million from Corvus. What are the readings?"

"Commscan detects no main power or auxilliaries. Corvus has shielded emergency batteries to preserve critical systems and life support only."

[s'Il]

She watched from the background, eyes halfclosed yet taking in the sudden verbal activity going on. Until they had landed, she would do nothing but watch the preceding events.

[General Dan]

"Get sublights up and hot, I want us on that ship as fast as possible!"

The freighter seemed to strain as the engines flared up, and they moved beyond their hiding place and toward the middle of the system. Kamino was a spiraling blue world, and once it filled their view, the dark, elongated shape of the Imperial Dreadnaught was in plain view.

"Don't bother with a docking bay, they will have an umbilical port two sections behind the bridge, look for that."

[s'Il]

Without a sound, she slipped from the bridge to join the commandos towards the back of the freighter. One hand going up to a bulkhead support as their ship maneuvred, s'Il was mindful to keep a small amount of her attention still on the words being traded in the bridge.

A cursory look to the commandos was enough to tell her that she need not say a word; they knew what was expected of them, and needed no words of guidance for the time being. Of course, the Lupine could think of no such words to give... they'd more than likely be redundant and unneeded as it was, which was just as well. She preferred what little amount of quiet there was left to have.

[General Dan]

Everyone sat in silence as the Corvus grew larger and larger in the viewscreen. Soon, it would be time to act. The view suddenly turned as the freighter righted itself to align its hatch with the umbilical port on the Imperial capital ship.

Ca-Clunk

The sound of a dozen pairs of boots slapping deck plating could be heard, as the outer hatch hissed open. One of the troops yelled out "Breach it!" as another slapped a cutting charge onto the hatch. They all moved back slightly as it was set off, causing an intense shower of sparks and bright light as it began to burn a hole through the hatch cover.

[s'Il]

Her eyes narrowed at the brightness coming from the hatch, s'Il squared her shoulders back as her stance seemed to shift to one of readiness. She felt her body winding itself up, and the hand she'd placed upon the bulkhead slipped downwards slowly.

It wasn't long before the cutting charge had done its' job, and the two ends of the circular cut met themselves. One of the commandos moved forward then, kicking at their new entryway; it gave way without any resistance, clattering to the deck on the other side. Before it'd even grown still the commandos were streaming through their impromptu portal, weapons at the ready and their eyes scanning their surroundings.

s'Il had allowed them to go first, and giving a final look over her shoulder to Dan, the Lupine started after them.

[General Dan]

Dan shouldered a repeater and trailed up the group, which had already fanned out into the corridor near the bridge. With the Corvus nearly crippled, it made communication impossible, and even negotiating bulkhead doors a difficult task. So the response against the invasion was a delayed one. What few clonetroopers that responded to the attack were killed almost instantly. The rest would have to cut through inoperable doors to respond to a threat, or find some way to restore localized power.

"Get that bridge door cut. Hustle up."

Half of the commando team moved to cover the rear approach, and the others formed up at the bridge.

[s'Il]

She was quick, darting through their small group while in the same motion pulling her sabre from its' holster.

The brilliant amethyst blade sprang to life, and without a moment's hesitation s'Il plunged it tip-first into the reinforced hatch doors that led to the bridge, pushing the blade in up to the hilt.

[General Dan]

The bridge door fell with a loud clang, and immediately the bridge crew were responding with intense return fire. The commandos took cover at the periphery of the cut entryway, supporting s'Il with heavy covering fire.

[s'Il]

She'd expected such retaliation, and her body moved accordingly. Her sabre moved in a blur, deflecting those blasts which came her way. Instead of shifting to the side for cover, the Lupine drove onwards into the incoming blasterfire.

It was like a lightstorm, and she closed her eyes. Reaching outward, the Lupine opened her senses to those around her, seeing everything in shifting colors. Her body remained fluid as she continued on, smooth and steady despite the opposition.

[General Dan]

The bridge crew was easily put down, and within seconds, the stink of burning flesh and ozone filled the air. One commando was down with a shot to the midsection, but otherwise the team was intact.

Dan was quick on the move, heading to the navigation station.

"I need to do a diagnostic. These ships have a few systems that are protected by shielding with emergency power backups. In case of incidents such as this, they would at least have some functionality. We should, in theory, have no engine power, but still have navigational thrusters to limp on."

[s'Il]

Sidling up to where Dan stood, s'Il disengaged her sabre, but chose to keep it in hand. To her, the layout of the nav station was nothing but gibberish, reminding her of how much she rather disliked her lack of knowledge on such things.

With a motion to the commandos, she silently ordered them to cover their entrance and remain watchful.

She turned back to frown at the instrument panel.

"How fast can you get us up and moving."

[General Dan]

"Five minutes. I need to make sure the gimbals and thrust controls work, and then to hard-slave it to remote control."

Dan's hands flew across the keyboard as commotion could be faintly heard beyond.

[s'Il]

Doing an abrupt about face, s'Il placed herself at Dan's back as the faint sounds traveling towards them grew louder. Her sabre flared to life, and the Lupine held it to the side, her shoulders squared back and her eyes staring straight ahead.

The commandos as well drew their own firearms up to the ready, waiting for the inevitable arrival of clonetroopers.

[General Dan]

"They're using a cutting torch on the blast door. It'll be down in a minute."

A small fountain of sparks appeared on the massive durasteel door separating the command section of the deck from further aft bulkheads. The commando force found positions with reasonable enfilade, and positioned themselves to deliver the most firepower with the least exposure to themselves.

Meanwhile, Dan continued to work. Tests of the pivot and multi-axis on the thrusters were successful. He then did a quick series of pump-firings of the solid-propellant thruster system, keeping the ship generally stationary while making sure that eacy system worked under emergency batteries just the same.

"Hold them back..."

[s'Il]

The blast doors only held for so long; longer against the cutting torch than the normal bridge doors had held up against s'Il's lightsabre. It was enough time to allow those within to prepare themselves, and s'Il brought her blade up to the ready as the cut portion of the doors fell inward.

Blaster bolts materialized from the lingering haze of smoke, and the Lupine moved the sabre to intercept them, deflecting them harmlessly down to the deck. She still stood at Dan's back, shielding him as he worked as fast as he was able.

[General Dan]

Dan tried to forget that he was very near to being shot and had to stay where he was to work. He pulled out a console beneath the computer and hard-wired the slave transmitter to the in-board circuitry, thus making it necessary for the circuit to function at all. Behind him, two commandos fell as the tide of incoming clones grew. The assault was a massacre, as the Rebels held an excellent defensive position. Still, it could not be held indefinitely.

Finally, Dan jumped up from his seat.

"It's done. We have to go, now. Form up a fighting retreat back to the freighter!"

[s'Il]

Before he'd even finished his sentence, she shot an arm out and grabbed the collar of his jacket in a firm grip. With surprising force s'Il yanked downwards, bending him jarringly forward while her sabre cut an arc through the space that his head had just been, sending the bolt that would have struck him between the eyes back to the trooper that'd fired it.

His order to retreat was isntantly acknowledged, and the group began their backwards trek.

[General Dan]

The withdrawal was hurried, and the Rebels met resistance the entire way. Commandos were literally firing from within the freighter at clones from the other side of the airlock, all the way until the freighter hatch dropped and sealed.

"Sever!"

A clanking thud echoed in the ship as we pulled away. Without an umbilical hatch on the ship, the corridor and bridge of the Corvus were exposed to hard vacuum. Dan could see debris belch out into space, including several dozen clones, both dead and alive.


He at last realized that he had been nearly carried out by s'Il, and his knuckles were white from gripping his blaster. Five commandos had been hit, three dead. It was a short, but incredibly violent raid.

"Get us away from the Corvus."

[s'Il]

The pilots complied without a second thought to his order, and as the freighter began to put distance between it and the dreadnought, s'Il found herself leaning against a far bulkhead, blinking as she reholstered her lightsabre. The sight of those injured caused her to shift however, and she lowered herself to her knees beside one of the wounded.

It was the same commando that'd spoken to her back on Hoth, before they'd boarded. He'd taken two bolts in the thigh; not life threatening, but certainly not pleasant.

One of his comrades was already cleaning the charred holes in his trousers and the cauterized flesh of the entry wounds.

"I'd ask you if it hurts," she started somewhat awkwardly, "... but I think I already know the answer."

[General Dan]

"I've been shot before. I'll live." was his terse, dry response. He was looking past s'Il, at one fallen commando who couldn't say the same.

Dan worked his way to his feet, and stepped onto the bridge.

"Time to make good on this mission."

He took a seat at a rear station, and keyed in a prefix code to sync up with the slave circuit. He then began to order the thrusters on board the Corvus to fire, pivoting the huge starship toward the atmosphere of Kamino.

[s'Il]

"Don't grieve for him," she found herself repeating what Zem had said to her about Tam.

"Fight for his memory, not his death."

[General Dan]

"I see people die every day. I've learned to deal, if thats possible."

He gave s'Il a thousand-yard stare, and took a sip from a canteen.

Outside, the dreadnought began to pitch downward, now in a destabilizing orbit. Dan controlled the descent by remote, adjusting pitch so that the re-entry would take place directly over the largest clone-generating cities on the planet.

[s'Il]

She frowned then, unsatisfied at his response, and even more disturbed by the look he'd given her.

She said nothing though, choosing instead to rise to her feet. She headed for the bridge, stepping through the open hatchway and coming to a stop behind Dan's seat. With one hand on the headrest, she shifted her weight to one leg as she did her best to decipher the readout from his console.

[General Dan]

"Get us out of the system, before the hornets nest boils over."

Dan watched the scope as the Corvus began her terminal descent, taking all hands down with her.

[s'Il]

A frown, but she said nothing as she was able to vaguely process what she was seeing. She turned away to look out the viewport before the lipots brought the freighter around, watching for a scant few seconds as the Corvus began to angle slowly downwards toward the planet.

She looked to the deck then, heavy-laden eyes suddenly sullen.

From the reports that she'd heard from Master Windu of the cloning facilities, the Lupine knew how it was operated. ll those children - regardless of their genetic make-up and how they were created, had no idea of what it was they were being indoctrinated into, and certainly no idea of what sort of inferno was about to befall them.

It was a sobering moment for her, and she hastily wiped a palm across her cheek, removing a tear that had begun traveling down her face.

[General Dan]

The screaming atmosphere caught fire around the ship as it rapidly hurtled down toward the platform city. At the last few kilometers, the hull began to break up into a few major portions, but the mass of it all still hit home, smashing into the city in an explosion of tremendous magnitude. Entire platform superstructures were toppled into the sea, and others exploded outright. The loss of life, both original and clone, would be well into the millions.

[s'Il]

Unwilling to even glance at Dan's station console to see the result of their efforts, the Lupine once more made her way from the bridge.

She found herself seeking a seat at the far end, leaning back against the bulkhead. She watched the actions of the commandos, detached somewhat. Pulling one leg up, the Lupine wrapped her arms around it, resting her chin on her knee as she simply watched the goings on before her.

[General Dan]

Dan closed his eyes at the end of it, and a second later, closed down his terminal. The loss of life, cataclysmic as it was, would severely injure the Imperial war machine. It was nevertheless a deeply controversial move, and one that was not taken lightly.

Dan instructed his pilot to set a course for the rally point, and he exited the bridge, joining the rest of the commandos and s'Il. He could already see that she was having some trouble with what had happened.

[s'Il]

She stared at the furthest point away from her, her gaze unfocussed. Even as Dan passed through her field of vision, s'Il made no acknowledgment that she'd seen him.

They were children, teenagers, adults even. The younger ones not aware of what they were bred for. Even the Kaminoans, who thought that their work was being done for the greater good, had been caught up in the destruction. They had no warning, and certainly no answers for their death.

She closed her eyes then, feeling as hot tears leaked out.

[General Dan]

"Every cloned being in that place would be turned into an automaton; a weapon to oppress and kill. It wasn't an easy decision at all, but it was one that had to be made. We don't have the luxury of being able to make comfortable choices."

[s'Il]

"It's not that," she wiped her tears away hastily at the sound of his voice and the sense of his presence, "... it's just that they had so many other options to become something better than what was ordered of them.

"They just had no chance."

[General Dan]

"And if we could have given them that option, we would have. As it stands, we're just struggling to survive. Don't you think if we had the luxury of taking Kamino and sparing lives that we'd take it? We've been desperate for a win, and this is giving us the ability to fight another day."

[s'Il]

"I'm not questioning you or your motives," she whispered.

"I just... I... "

She closed her eyes tight. "I guess it's the optimistic Jedi in me that thinks everyone can be saved."

[General Dan]

"You want to save everyone you can, but you already know you can't do this."

Dan made it clear exactly what he was talking about.

[s'Il]

She found herself scowling, though it wasn't intentional.

"It doesn't mean that I can stop thinking of what might have been."

[General Dan]

"It still hurts, yes. All we can do is stay in the game and hope that fate deals us a better hand."

Dan placed a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed.

[s'Il]

She let herself go then, allowing emotion to overtake her. She leaned into Dan then, reaching up to clutch at the front of his shirt as she let her tears come freely.