CHAPTER TEN
Klev could only stare, mouth agape, at the remains of Empress Teta. It was not until now that he realized the horror that Darth Sidious had unleashed, killing all those men, women, and children with a single weapon. Now he knew how the survivors of Alderaan felt...
He could barely believe that the Emperor was laughing at this.
"That will show everyone what happens when a world opposes the Dark Empire!" Sidious declared. He glanced at Klev. "Come now, admiral. You should be glad that we have one less enemy!"
"I know, my lord..." Klev replied, his voice shaking slightly. "But there were...families on that planet. And we just...killed them all."
Sidious sighed. "That is a price one must pay when you choose the wrong side."
Turning back to the holographic viewscreen, the Emperor spoke to Sedriss via comlink. "Proceed with the elimination of our Republic foes, Lord Sedriss...."
* * *
Ackbar could hardly believe the short yet devastating phenomenon that he had just witnessed. He could barely hear the urges of retreat from General Madine, for his mine was drowned in depression. He had failed the people of Empress Teta, allowing them to be wiped out by a single projectile.
He had failed them...and the Republic.
"Sir!" Madine snapped, finally breaking Ackbar from his musings. "Sir, we have to retreat! That weapon is aiming for us! We'll all be killed!"
Ackbar sighed. "Perhaps we're better off that way. If we could not even save a planet, how can we hope to protect the entire galaxy?"
Madine began to speak in protest, but Ackbar rose a webbed hand for silence. "Take a shuttle if you'd like, General, and retreat with Rogue Squadron and Captain Solo. But my time has ended."
For a moment, Madine could only stare in bewilderment at the Mon Calamari admiral. Finally, he rose his hand in salute. "It's...been an honor, sir."
Ackbar smiled sadly. "Likewise, General Madine. Likewise...."
As Madine rushed to the hangar, Ackbar turned back to see the Galaxy Gun's barrel aimed right for him.
* * *
Madine's shuttle barely made it out of the Defender's hangar when the Galaxy Gun fired again, launching a missile right into the cruiser's bridge. As soon as the projectile made contact, it unleashed another shockwave, which spread across the space surrounding Empress Teta's remains. It hit Republic and Imperial ships alike, tearing each cruiser's metal hull from its frame.
Soon, every Star Destroyer, Republic ship, and their crews were nothing but dust in space. All that was left was the Galaxy Gun, the Eclipse, and the retreating surviving ships.
And Grand Admiral Klev could only stare out into space, with only Darth Sidious' insane laughter ringing in his ears.
* * *
Luke felt his heart skip a beat. He could fell thousands of millions of people scream out in terror, with silence following shortly after. For a while, Luke felt as if a part of him had just died.
He finally snapped back to reality when he felt the speeder he was in come to a stop before a large, palace door. It took a moment for Luke to realize that he and the two Snatchers had arrived at the former palace of Jabba the Hutt.
Zuckuss and Embo climbed out of the speeder, with Luke close behind them. Zuckuss banged his hand on the large door and instantly a robotic eye-stalk extracted from a panel.
"Haku haga uba naga?" it asked in the Huttese language, which Luke still had a hard time understanding.
"We have found a Jedi," Zuckuss replied in a similar language. "We must see Gorga the Hutt immediately."
The eye-stalk droid rotated its red pupil to look at Luke. It then turned back to Zuckuss. "Ree weel," it said as it retracted back into its compartment. Shortly after, the huge metal door rose up, allowing the two Snatchers and Luke to enter.
They had walked less than ten feet into the dark, damp palace when a tall Quarren in decorative robes approached them. "Ah, Zuckuss, Embo...it is good to see you." He glanced at Luke. "I take it that you've found a Jedi during your trip to the moisture farms?"
Zuckuss nodded. "Yes, I believe he is the same Jedi who took part in Jabba the Hutt's demise."
The Quarren's eyes widened. Then he chuckled. "Excellent. The great Gorga awaits you."
Luke and the two bounty hunters followed the Quarren deeper into the palace. Luke noticed the lack of Gammorean guards and the spider-like B'omarr monk droids, replaced with lazy Weequay guards. The four of them finally reached the main room where all of the denizens gathered. Luke saw Gorga the Hutt right away, the large, green-skinned Hutt resting on his dias, surrounded by slaves waving huge leaves.
The Quarren stepped up and woke Gorga from his slumber. Lazily, the Hutt lifted his heavy eyelids and turned to his large head as far as he could to look at the Quarren. The latter whispered something to Gorga, which caused the Hutt's eyes to widened.
"Chuba killee Jabba?" Gorga asked Luke angrily. A protocol droid at his side translated. "The great Gorga Desilijic Aarrpo asks if you are the one who killed his Excellency, Jabba Desilijic Tiure?"
"No, I am not," Luke answered. "And it never was my intent to kill him in the first place. I simply wished to save my friend, Han Solo."
Everyone in the chamber jeered at the Jedi Knight for mentioning Han. Gorga the Hutt glowered at Luke.
"Jee-jee hagwa settah Solo," he growled.
"Jee-jee hagwa settah Solo," he growled.
"We do not speak of Solo here," the droid translated.
Luke took a step forward, prompting many to raise their blasters. "The point is that I did not kill Jabba," he said. "And, to be honest, I don't know why you even care. I always thought Hutts despised one another."
Gorga fumed, tightening his pudgy hand into a fist. "Jabba wassah famelee! Me reespectah heem!"
Luke glanced at the protocol droid for translation, but the droid did not say a word. Meanwhile, the groups of bounty hunters and denizens withing Gorga's court slowly began to surround Luke, weapons aimed at him.
"Ateema, Jedi," Gorga spoke again. "Chuba weel nee choo."
This time, the droid translated the Hutt's words. "The great Gorga has declared that now, you will die."
Suddenly, the floor beneath Luke gave way and he fell to the ground below. He immediately recognized this pit to be the same one where he had fought Jabba's rancor six years ago. Except this time, when the gate rose, instead of a rancor, it was Lord Animus who stepped out.
"Now," Animus said as he began to shapeshift. "Did you really think I was done with you?"
-
Author's note (4/13/14): Looking back at this chapter, I really don't like how I killed off Ackbar. I should have had him escape with Madine. If I ever do a rewrite of this series, I will definitely change this.
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