CHAPTER FIFTEEN
If there was one thing General Hux hated, it was having his orders overruled. Even when it was the Supreme Leader himself that overruled them.
What made it especially frustrating was the mixed signals it sent him. For the past year or so, he and the rest of the First Order had been given orders to locate a map that would lead to the first Jedi Temple or something along those lines. While Hux cared not for mystic orders like the Jedi, he nonetheless desired to find this map so that Supreme Leader Snoke would recognize his worth in the First Order. When Ochi of Bestoon had told him the map was here on Lothal, Hux thought for sure it would have been in his possession in little to no time at all.
However, not only had Ochi failed to recover the map, but the Supreme Leader had contacted Hux and ordered him to recall the Fellfire, which had accompanied Ochi, and send it back to the blockade. Ignoring the fact that he had no idea how Snoke had even known about Ochi’s plan involving the Fellfire in the first place, Hux had half the mind to call Snoke back and demand to know the reasoning behind this overruling… but he knew that would have not ended well for him.
In any case, he had taken his shuttle back up to the Finalizer to await the Supreme Leader’s next orders. Despite the incident caused by those Jedi and Resistance agents that had escaped, Lothal was safely under the control of the First Order, with Governor Jalvon having publicly pledged her loyalty to the First Order. The rest of the sector would fall in line in no time at all, and with the Galactic Alliance deprived of its head, so too would the rest of the galaxy.
As he stepped onto the bridge of the Finalizer, Hux found the captain waiting there for him, a curious expression on his face.
“General,” Captain Peavey said. “The Supreme Leader is broadcasting to all First Order channels.”
“Put him on,” Hux ordered.
The captain complied and within moments the giant, holographic image of Snoke’s head was filling the bridge, his disfigured face regarding the entire crew.
“Generals,” the Supreme Leader’s voice boomed, “I must commend you for your successful operations. With your designated sectors now under our full control, the rest of the Outer Rim Territories will fall to us in no time.”
Hux refrained from rolling his eyes. Great minds think alike, he supposed.
“As you may know by now,” Snoke went on, “the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance has been… removed. The Senate is scrambling to find a replacement. I already have enough loyalists placed within their ranks to ensure that Luewet Wuul’s successor will be… sympathetic to our cause.”
Hux already knew this. This was the plan all along of course: to transform the Galactic Alliance into an extension of the First Order itself before making the full transition. He wasn’t sure why Snoke was repeating this information… unless, of course, he had more to say than just that.
As if reading his mind (which the Supreme Leader most likely was), Snoke then said, “However, there is a new factor at play. One that I had not initially foreseen but should hopefully not delay our plans any further. General Pryde has already been given the full details and will be addressing the situation shortly.”
Hux shifted uncomfortably, frustrated with the vague tone in the Supreme Leader’s voice. Did this have anything to do with why Snoke had overruled his command? Because of some mysterious factor that he refused to explain?
Hux stiffened as he felt Snoke’s eyes fall on him. “As for you, General Hux, I have decided to call off the search for the map. It is no longer of priority.”
Clearing his throat, Hux asked, “May I ask why that is the case, Supreme Leader?”
Snoke did not answer him and Hux wondered if he had even heard the question. “Proceed with the next phase of operations,” the Supreme Leader said instead, “and await further orders.”
With that, the holographic image dissipated, leaving the bridge of the Finalizer in silence. Captain Peavey glanced at Hux, patiently waiting for him to speak.
After a moment, the General took a deep breath before saying, “You heard him. Proceed to Mon Cala.”
* * *
“So… what were you two doing on Lothal?”
Toah Jarsan was roused from his trance by Rey’s voice. His body still shivered from the chill that had fallen over it, though it had subsided enough for him to concentrate. He noticed that Rey and Nira did not appear to have sensed the same thing he had, though they had sensed his disturbance second-hand and were regarding him with concern.
Mara Jade and her son sat across from them in the main hold of the Jade Sabre, wearing their own expressions of discomfort. Mara reached under the table to squeeze her son’s hand before directing her attention back to the three Jedi.
“We were looking for something on Lothal that would help us bring back Luke,” she said.
Nira raised her eyebrows at this. “What kind of thing?”
“I don’t know. We were both drawn to the planet, to the spot where the Jedi Temple once stood. We met Kane there, who had been drawn there as well, though he was unable to help us much. We’d been hanging around the capital city since then, hoping to find some answers. We were just getting ready to give up and leave when the First Order showed up.”
“How long had you been on Lothal until that point?” Rey asked.
Mara eyed her carefully. “Less than a year.”
“And where had you been before that?”
Mara chewed on her lower lip. “Why do you want to know?”
“You’re the wife of Luke Skywalker, aren’t you?” Rey looked over to the teenage boy sitting next to Mara. “And you must be his son.”
The boy, who had to be about ten years younger than Rey, ran a hand through his curly red hair. “I try not to make it super obvious….”
“So where have you been in the past… however many years? Master Jarsan and Maren didn’t recognize you right away. That must mean you aren’t active Jedi anymore.”
Mara smirked wryly as she glanced at Toah and Nira. “She’s very perceptive, isn’t she?”
“She does have a point, though,” Toah said, rubbing his face as he tried to focus on the here and now. “I don’t think anyone’s seen you in the sixteen years since Master Skywalker’s death. Where have you been this whole time?”
Mara took a moment to answer him, as if trying to decide what to say. “This might be something that should wait until I get a chance to speak with the rest of the Order. I’m not really one who likes to repeat herself.”
Toah sighed. “Understandable. How long before we get to Mon Cala?”
“Shouldn’t be long now.” Mara rose from her seat. “I suggest you all stay on alert. I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet.”
“No,” Toah murmured, his gaze wandering off towards the distance. “We’re definitely not.”
* * *
The Dawn of Tranquility, Mon Cala system
“Captain! An unidentified ship just dropped out of hyperspace. It’s requesting permission to dock.”
Captain Tarpfen strode over to the Mon Calamari officer that had just called for him, peering over shoulder to look at her monitor. Admirals Holdo and Niathal stood nearby, not meeting each other’s gaze. They had put their feud on hold until they heard back from Coruscant in the wake of Chief of State Luewet Wuul’s death, though the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a vibroblade.
“Has it provided any identification?” Tarpfen asked.
“Its registered under the designation ‘Jade Sabre,’” the officer replied. “Its clearance codes are old, but they check out.”
“Three X-wing fighters just dropped out behind it,” said a Duros officer sitting beside her. “They’re trying to hail us.”
“Answer them,” Tarpfen ordered.
The comm officer complied with the command and the voice of a human male spoke over the intercom.
“Dawn of Tranquility, this is Black One. Commander Poe Dameron at your service.”
Tarpfen allowed himself to relax, a small smile touching his thin lips. “Commander Dameron, this is Captain Tarpfen. What brings you out here to Mon Cala?”
“Long story, captain. Requesting permission to dock so we can talk things out further.”
“Permission granted, captain. Proceed to hangar bay A-97. We look forward to meeting you.”
After ending the call, Tarpfen turned around to face the admirals again, cocking his head to the side.
“Shall I greet them personally or would one of you like to do the honors?”
Holdo glanced at Niathal. The Mon Calamari admiral said nothing and continued to stare out the viewport, as she had been for the past hour or so.
“I shall head down to greet them,” Holdo finally said. “I doubt they’re looking for an icy welcome anyway.”
Niathal did not respond to the remark and remained where she stood as her human counterpart departed from the bridge.
* * *
After docking in the hangar bay of the Dawn of Tranquility, the landing ramp of the Jade Sabre lowered to disperse its crew. Toah and his teammates took the lead, while Mara Jade and her son Owen followed them close behind. Nearby, Poe and his wingmates were climbing out of their X-wing fighters, moving swiftly to meet up with an older woman with pink hair who had come down from the bridge to greet them.
“Admiral Holdo,” Poe said, giving her a quick salute. “I regret to inform you that the First Order has taken over Lothal.”
Holdo’s face turned grim. “So we’ve heard. We’ve also received word that the Chief of State has been murdered.”
Poe’s eyes went wide at this. “He has? What’s the Senate going to do about this?”
“I don’t know. It sounds like everyone is in disarray. The King of Mon Cala has agreed to allow us to remain here for now and fortify the sector’s defenses. Lothal is not very far from here, after all.”
Poe grimaced. “Yeah. Way too close for my liking. We also found where the map to the first Jedi Temple is located, though we were not able to retrieve it before we had to make out getaway.”
“I’m sure General Organa would understand. We have more important things to worry about at the moment.”
Poe nodded only to stop and say, “Does… does the rest of the fleet here know about your allegiance with the Resistance?”
“Admiral Niathal does now,” Holdo said quietly. “She did not take too kindly to it.”
“Is that going to get in the way of things?”
“Hopefully not. If the First Order attacks Mon Cala, then they’d be attacking the Alliance, not just the Resistance. Niathal will have no choice but to allow me to work with her in defending Mon Cala.”
“Well,” Poe said, “hopefully it doesn’t come to that.”
As soon as the words came out of his mouth, alarms started to blare throughout the hangar, accompanied by the voice of Captain Tarpfen as he barked out orders from the intercom.
“A fleet of Star Destroyers has just dropped out of hyperspace! All pilots to their fighters! This is not a drill! Repeat: This is not a drill!”
As crew members all around them rushed to their stations, Rey shot a glare at Poe.
“You had to say it, didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” Poe muttered. “Me and my big mouth.”
* * *
D’Qar
“Leia.”
General Leia Organa Solo, Princess of Alderaan, dropped everything she was doing and lurched over the command table. Standing beside her, General Helricks grabbed her by the arm while Admiral Ackbar beckoned Major Kalonia over. Helricks called her name, though Leia could barely hear her, her mind awash with the image of her brother’s face.
“Luke…?”
“Leia,” he spoke into her mind. “Hear me.”
This couldn’t be possible. She must have been hallucinating. Her brother was dead; she had felt him become one with the Force when he had sacrificed himself to bring down Darth Vorath. Yet now, after sixteen years, she was sensing him again, as if he had never died in the first place.
“Leia,” he repeated. “Find me. Lothal. Find me.”
And just like that, as instantly as she had heard him, his voice went silent. As Leia came back to reality, she felt Major Kalonia gently touching her shoulder, eyes filled with concern.
“Princess,” Kalonia said softly. “Is everything all right?”
Leia exhaled loudly, still not sure if what she had heard had been real. Seeing no point in lying, especially if it had been real, she said, “I heard my brother. Luke. He says he’s on Lothal.”
“Luke Skywalker?” said Admiral Ackbar. “But he’s been dead for sixteen years.”
“You were ‘dead’ for longer than that, Admiral,” General Helricks pointed out. “Perhaps Master Skywalker learned the same trick you did.”
Ackbar crossed his arms. “Unlikely,” he harrumphed. “Are you certain it was Skywalker you heard?”
“Yes,” Leia said, feeling more sure of herself as she said it. “I felt him through the Force. I know it was him. I’m sure of it.”
“I won’t pretend to understand how this ‘Force’ of yours works,” Ackbar admitted. “But I’ve known you for long enough to trust your instinct. The only issue is that we’ve just learned that Lothal has been taken over by the First Order. I’m not sure if we have the resources to spare for a rescue mission.”
“A single freighter may be able to slip pass the blockade,” said Helricks. “I suggest not sending the Millennium Falcon, though. They would probably recognize that ship better than their own.”
“We still have the Ghost at standby, as well as the Renegade,” said General Hawk Dorian. “Perhaps one of them can—”
“Generals!” A young human male came rushing up to the gathered commanders from his station, skidding to a halt and speaking without saluting. “We’ve just received an alert from the Dawn of Tranquility! Mon Cala is under attack!”
Admiral Ackbar’s eyes went wide as looks of shock and fear crossed the faces of the other three commanders. A feeling of dread filled Leia’s heart.
“I’m sorry, Luke,” she sent to her brother, hoping he would hear him. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little bit longer….”
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