| Author |
Topic:
Fallen; no longer posting on this forum, sorry.
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Jedi_Anakin_Solo
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
6/26/07 5:23pm
Subject:
Fallen; no longer posting on this forum, sorry.
- Date Edited:
6/29 11:05pm (22 edits total)
Edited By:
Jedi_Anakin_Solo
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Disclaimer: Star Wars isn't mine. I'm not trying to make money off of this. I don't endorse any illegal activities or making things go kaboom. Blah blah blah.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Twenty-Six Years After the Battle of Endor
“Vader is here… now, on this moon.”
A chill went through Leia as Luke spoke those words. “How do you know?” That he knew there could be no question.
”I felt his presence. He’s come for me. He can feel me when I’m near. That’s why I have to go.” Finally, he turned to face her. “As long as I stay, I’m endangering the group and our mission here.”
Leia wanted to reassure him. To do something, anything. But after a moment of quiet, he said, “I have to face him.”
“Why?”
Luke moved closer. This was supposed to make her feel safe, but something was wrong. This isn’t how it happens. This isn’t how I felt. Luke’s presence reassures me. “He’s my father.”
“Your father?” She felt the shock again, even in memory.
“The Vader is strong in my family. My father has it… I have it… my sister has it.”
Vader? Didn’t he mean the Force?
”Vader is here… now, on this moon.” Why was he repeating himself? This time said differently… with malice.
And right before her eyes, his words became reality. Luke himself became the monster she feared. He laughed. She had found her brother, her long-lost brother, only to immediately lose him. So she did the only thing she could do…
Leia screamed.
She felt hands trying to hold her, and she defensively threw herself away from them. She wanted to run, but she was sitting, or lying down. She flailed away from the hands.
Someone was saying her name. Luke, Luke! No! Luke, help me!
“Leia!” Yelling now. Have to get away.
The hands finally caught her. No!
“Leia!!”
Finally the world came into focus. She was not on the Endor moon. She was in her stateroom aboard her ship, the Alderaan (formerly Home One). The hands that held her were not her brother’s. Nor were they the monster’s.
“Winter.” Leia’s closest aide and confidant. Pull yourself together, Leia.
“Madame President,” Winter let her hand fall from Leia’s arm, clearly reassured. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but we have a secure link with the Rogue.”
Oh no. But Leia retained her professional distance, even in front of her oldest friend. This war had claimed so many lives already. Her family deserved no special treatment. She refused to name her fear directly. “Rogue Squadron?”
Winter nodded.
“How long overdue?”
“12 hours.”
Leia nodded. “Keep me posted.”
“You don’t want to speak to the Captain?”
Yes. “No. Thank you, Winter.”
Winter looked skeptical, but half-bowed as she stepped backwards out of the room. “Thank you, Madame President.”
Leia allowed herself to sigh deeply after Winter left. He’s okay. She’s okay. Twelve hours? What are we even worrying about?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fallen
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Leia Organa Solo; President, Alliance of Free Planets (female human from Alderaan)
Darth Starkiller; Sith Lord (male human from Tatooine)
Commander Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)
Jaina Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (female human from Hapes)
General Tycho Celchu; presidential military advisor and commander, Alderaan (male human from Alderaan)
Winter Celchu; presidential aide (female human from Alderaan)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Episode 1
"State of Hope"
The Coral Asteroid Field provided the only true navigational hazard in the otherwise boring Mon Calamari star system. This was rarely even considered, as no commonly-used route to Mon Calamari required passing through or even near the cluster of rocks.
Of course, Mon Calamari was in a state of open Rebellion. Imperial operating procedure dictated that orbital bombardment had already rendered all of the major cities that reached the surface uninhabitable, but there was no way to reach the deeper cities from space. So, very few ships passed through what was once a very important system. Most of those were Imperial military ships.
Most, but not all.
And there was that tricky asteroid field -- which, for the time being, had acquired twelve new asteroids. These were very atypical asteroids. Gray transparisteel, very smooth and regularly shaped. And so few asteroids have wings, yet all twelve of these new asteroids did. But to sensors, and even the naked eye, Rogue Squadron was just twelve more asteroids floating in space.
Rogue Leader was starting to shiver despite his insulated flight suit, but it was very important to remain invisible on sensors until he was sure Rogue Squadron was ready to leave the system. So, his X-wing remained completely powered down. A rapidly-emptying canister of breathable air sat in his lap. He had gone through many of these since his squadron became asteroids. This was his last one. So, whether they completed the mission or not, it would soon be time to leave.
They were waiting for a rendezvous to provide an Alliance gunrunner safe escort back to the fleet. Necessarily, due to the nature of these missions, they had very few details other than that. But Commander Anakin Solo knew who the gunrunner might be, so he was going to wait until the last possible second.
A sickening popping sound signaled the end of his last canister of air. If he continued breathing slowly, he probably had twenty minutes before he ran out of breathable air and need to activate his life support systems. That would require activating main power. That would be the end of Rogue Squadron’s brief career as asteroids.
Anakin closed his eyes. She was way overdue. She? You have no way of knowing it’s her, Solo.
Anakin opened his eyes again just in time to catch the flash of light. He squinted. More flashes of light. A firefight? Without sensors, there was no way to be sure. But this was the first activity Anakin had seen in the twenty-four hours they had been waiting. And they were running out of time.
There was no other choice. Anakin hit the ignition, and after the cold-start sequence, displays illuminated the cockpit. That was the signal for eleven other dark shapes to light up. Before breaking comm silence, Anakin checked his sensors. Sure enough, one modified Corellian freighter was trying to outrun a squadron of TIE Fighters. No, TIE Interceptors. Sith. This is going to be fun.
Anakin’s astromech began whistling wildly. “Did you have a good nap, Artoo?”
No.
Anakin laughed. “Alright, no comm check. We don’t have time, so I’m assuming you can all hear me. Form up on me when we clear the field, and stand ready to engage.”
“Boss, those are TIE Interceptors.”
“Thank you, Five. My sensors are working just fine. Let’s go to work, people.”
All twelve X-wings cleared the asteroid field and, without breaking pace for the intercept, assembled into formation. As they got closer, there could be no mistaking the identity of the freighter.
“Millennium Falcon, this is Rogue Squadron. We stand ready to assist you.”
There was a pause. Then a very familiar voice, “Rogue Squadron, Millennium Falcon. What the hell are you still doing here?”
Anakin rolled his eyes. “Saving your tail, it looks like. We’ll be in firing range in approximately twenty-five seconds. Be ready to make the jump to lightspeed as soon as we’ve taken care of your tails.”
By the time they got into range, the Falcon had already taken quite a pounding. “Rogues, laser weapons free. Lock targets and prepare to fire at my command.”
“Torpedoes free, sir?”
“Negative, Five. Save them.”
“Sir.”
Anakin sighed. He was going to have to have a chat with Teep after this engagement. He might be a teenager, but that couldn’t be an excuse.
The Falcon turned towards the Rogues, and the TIEs were forced to turn with her to maintain pursuit, presenting Anakin and the Rogues with far better targets. Oh, she’s good.
This would be a relatively clean engagement. Both sides would probably lose about half their number on the first pass, statistically speaking. But Anakin knew his pilots were better. That he was better.
The buzz accompanying a target lock on the lead TIE. “Rogues, fire at will!”
A volley of laser blasts erupted from both squadrons as the Rogues passed over the Falcon. Two TIEs exploded immediately, several X-wings were hit but not destroyed, and both squadrons broke formation and engaged each other in several separate dogfights.
As usual, Anakin focused all of his attention on the ship he was engaged with, yet still somehow had a sense of what was going on in the larger engagement. So far, his pilots were doing fine. And the Falcon had just turned around to join the engagement, giving them the edge.
An edge Anakin hadn’t wanted.
“Millennium Falcon, your orders were to continue to the jump point.”
“I’m not military, Rogue Lead.”
Damn it, Jaina. But Anakin had to maintain his professional distance, even if his sister decided not to. Besides, he had more pressing concerns.
A sudden flash of intuition. “Rogue Two, break right!”
Deadly laserfire lanced through the space Anakin’s wingmate had occupied just a second ago. Anakin glanced at his squadron status display. Sure enough, Two’s shields were depleted. That shot would have killed her.
“Thanks, Lead. I didn’t even see him.”
Neither did I. “No problem. All right, Rogues. Let’s keep our heads up.”
It always happened the same way. Anakin would suddenly become keenly aware that someone was in danger. His stomach would clench up and he would feel cold, like the fight-or-flight response you feel when you’re in direct danger. Only he’d know someone else was in danger. How could he possibly know? This “danger sense” had been largely responsible for Anakin’s quick ascent through the ranks, making him a squadron commander at 20 rather than just another hotshot pilot.
Soon enough it was done. The Falcon and Rogue Squadron made the jump to lightspeed, and Anakin could finally relax.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A shower and a change of clothes later, Leia was feeling significantly more presidential than she had when she woke up screaming. Two meetings and a holovised address later, and the dream was all but forgotten. The uneasy feelings accompanying it would not likely return until Leia found herself alone and trying to fall asleep tonight. Times like these, more than any other, she missed Han’s comforting presence, a need she would admit to no one. Even herself.
During the security council meeting, she hadn’t even had the benefit of seeing her husband’s face on the holoscreen. General Solo was apparently unreachable, leaving his second-in-command to brief Leia on the state of the Alliance Army and Special Forces, as well as the state of the Corellian insurgency. General Antilles had nothing in particular to offer other than news that Rogue Squadron and the Millennium Falcon had returned safely from their mission. This was a relief to Leia on a personal level, but not particularly important from a strategic standpoint. Wedge had nothing of particular interest to report about Mon Calamari, and the other outer rim planets that had openly declared independence from the Empire had still failed to be razed to the ground. Kashyyk was currently involved in a relatively tame war with Imperial-supported Trandosha.
Superficially, they were making progress. But the Empire was still vast and powerful. Leia couldn’t shake the feeling that the Empire was just biding their time before they swept everyone else off the map.
Then there was the director of Alliance Intelligence, a woman named Jan Ors Leia had found to be extremely adept at her job. Alliance Intelligence was, of course, a highly secretive organization. Ironically enough, their higher ups like Director Ors were actually fairly well known around the Alliance, but the identity of their field agents was a closely guarded secret. Oftentimes, the identity of Alliance Intelligence agents remained a secret even from their own families.
Today, Director Ors had only one item to discuss, but it was troubling enough on its own.
“As General Antilles has already informed you, Imperial Fleet activity has been reduced drastically.”
Leia nodded. “That seems like good news.”
“Seems.” Ors shook her head, clearly in possession of more than general suspicion. “I don’t have anything definitive for you, Madam President, but I’m trying to put all the pieces together and something doesn’t fit.”
Leia exchanged a quick glance with General Celchu, the only senior military officer actually in the room. “Meaning?”
Director Ors looked troubled. That was rarely a good sign. “Meaning the only thing that makes any sense is the Imperials are planning something big. A major fleet action. Or worse.”
That certainly wasn’t good news. “Corellia?”
Ors sighed. “I don’t like speculating. But if it’s a fleet action, Corellia’s the obvious target.”
Leia considered this. “Alright. Let’s consider increasing our presence in the Corellian system, and I’ll ask Regent Isolder about increasing the Hapan presence as well.”
Ors bit her lip.
“Something you’d like to add, Director?” Leia prompted.
The woman sighed. “I’m not entirely sure we’re looking at a fleet action. I think it might be something else.”
Something else? “Can you elaborate?”
“No.” She looked frustrated. “I’m going to have to dig deeper, Madam President. Something definitely isn’t right here. Rest assured, I have my best people on this.”
Your best people I’ve never heard of. Leia had never been completely comfortable with the fact that such important tasks were carried out by people she had never and never would met. But she merely nodded. After all, Ors herself had once been a field agent, so she knew better than Leia the best way to run the intelligence agency.
“Alright, we’ll hold off on the fleet movement for now. Let me know as soon as you have anything else for me. If there’s nothing else?” Leia received no objection as she continued, “Very well, then. You all have your assignments. May the Force be with you.”
All three holos disappeared, leaving the actual occupants of the room alone. Leia nodded to General Celchu, who politely asked his aides to leave the room, leaving the General, Leia, and Winter alone.
“What’s bothering you, Madam President?” Winter asked. It was clear Tycho was worried as well, but of course it would be Winter who was willing to break decorum.
Leia shook her head. In truth, she wasn’t entirely certain what was troubling her. She certainly felt uneasy. She considered the tactical situation. Corellia was well defended, thanks to the fact that Leia hadn’t seen her husband in months. Admiral Ackbar had kept the insurgency alive on Mon Calamari even after multiple orbital bombardments. The outer rim was beginning to slip out of the Empire’s fingers. Everything looked right, but everything felt wrong. And while the Empire hadn’t been able to successfully quell either rebellion, neither had they been seriously hampered or committed many resources. There were rumors that the Empire had recently fought a war on the outer rim and somehow kept it quiet. That would certainly explain their lack of activity, but Leia had no reason to believe such accounts.
Corellia was the major achievement of the Alliance. With the help of two Hapan battle fleets and the bulk of the Alliance fleet, the system had remained free of Imperial control for almost thirty years. The interdiction field kept the Empire from maintaining any kind of consistent pressure on the system’s defenders. Still, that was a majority of the Alliance’s resources maintaining a stalemate in one system. Even if the Alliance could defend Corellia and the Hapan cluster from the Imperials for thirty more years, which was hardly guaranteed, only a fraction of the galaxy lived in freedom, and this at the cost of a constant state of war. The outer rim was to a certain extent out of Imperial control, but it also wasn’t exactly in Alliance hands. In fact, it wasn’t under anyone’s control. Crime was spreading like wildfire on many planets, and there was no way the Alliance couldn’t contribute the resources to stabilize the region.
Leia realized she was losing hope. She had probably lost it long ago, but she had just been too busy to realize it. It had finally caught up with her now. How many people, she wondered, still honestly believed they could defeat the Empire?
How could they defeat the Empire? They had done everything they could possibly do. They had destroyed both Death Stars. They had killed the Emperor. Okay, they hadn’t killed the Emperor, but he was dead either way. Somehow, the momentum had never carried them far enough to finish what they started.
Did I do something wrong? Did I not take enough risks? Or is this just impossible to do? At what point do we just give up and try to keep these two systems and our families safe?
Leia sighed. “What is our long-term strategy?”
Tycho and Winter exchanged a quick look. “If you want us to get General Antilles back on the line—“
“We shouldn’t need the Supreme Commander of the Navy to know what our overall strategy is,” Leia pressed. “What are our conditions for victory? And how do we meet them?”
Tycho looked troubled. “Madame President—“
“Surely we’ve discussed this before,” Leia insisted, actually irritated now. “What do we do to end the Empire? At what point do we just throw everything we have against Coruscant and hope for the best?”
There wasn’t an easy answer. But there was a right answer. “We killed the Empire once,” Tycho said, weighing each word very carefully. “But it just got replaced. Two Sith Lords – a master and an apprentice. If we leave one of them alive, the other will just take over.” Pause. “We have to take out Starkiller and Vader. They’re the key, not Coruscant.”
A chill went down Leia’s spine at the mention of those names. But there was no reason for the other two to suspect the reason for her reasons for fearing those names were any different than everyone else’s. “Assassination?” Leia asked, surprising herself by having no real qualms about it under these circumstances.
Tycho shook his head. “Such an attempt would be futile. The power they wield—“
Leia shrugged that off. “We can take them down. No security is perfect. If we assign every assassin we have…”
“If I may be so bold, no, I don’t think we can. Madame President. We’re missing something. It’s not just about the military or the firepower.” He paused, knowing he was approaching dangerous waters. “There’s only one way to beat a Sith. We need Jedi.”
No one had planned for the conversation to go in this direction. And no matter how badly Leia wanted – needed – an answer, this wasn’t one she was ready to accept. “We don’t need the Jedi,” she declared firmly.
“Madame President—“
“The Jedi made him!”
Silence. Neither of them dared point out the obvious, that Leia had said him, not them. Finally, Winter spoke up. “Madame President, the Jedi were the backbone of the Old Republic. They might be the instruments of victory we need now. If nothing else, they can provide the heart that we need.”
“The Old Republic had heart problems,” Leia answered bitterly. “And the only remaining Jedi are in the employee of the Empire now, last I heard. Good men like my father” – Yes, my father, – she reassured herself silently, “watched it fall. If we’re to establish a new one, we might best avoid some of their mistakes.
This argument wasn’t going to get them anywhere. “What are your orders, Madame President?” Tycho asked.
“Take us back to Hapes,” Leia answered after giving it some thought. “I need to consult with Regent Isolder.”
Tycho nodded. “Thank you, Madame President.” Exited.
Leaving Winter and Leia alone once again. “All twelve safe and accounted for,” Winter commented now that they were alone. “He still hasn’t lost a single pilot, don’t you think that’s unusual?”
“There’s nothing unusual about my son,” Leia answered defensively.
Winter knew better than to question the overreaction. “Of course.”
Before either woman could apologize, General Celchu rushed back into the room. “Madame President, we have a situation.”
That rarely meant anything good.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Twenty-Four Years Ago
The Capitol Reef was a deathtrap of water and fire.
Entire decks had already flooded, and watertight doors designed for safety were trapping dozens of people in decks that were on fire in a hopeless attempt to save the base. The fact was, Capitol Reef was already destroyed, it just hadn’t realized it yet.
There was no way of knowing who had already died and who had already escaped. Chaos reigned.
Leia had been in the middle of a semi-formal meeting with Lando Calrissian about opening diplomatic relations with the Smuggler’s Guild when the attack started. Imperial submersibles had forced the base to the surface, where it met death from above in the form of Imperial turbolasers. Hundreds, if not thousands, were certainly dead by now. The bombardment had only stopped when the station was completely incapacitated.
Why the bombardment had stopped at all was an exceedingly interesting question that Leia was not very interested in considering under the circumstances. If the Imperials had wanted to finish the job, they very easily could have turned the station completely into slag. One of the last things Leia had heard before the comm system failed completely was that Imperial troops had entered the base. To what purpose, Leia couldn’t even imagine. More killing is something they could have easily accomplished from orbit.
Amid the chaos, Leia and Lando tried to make their way to the docking bay. It wasn’t easy with the station coming apart around them. Even if they made it, escape was far from assured. There was the small matter of the Imperial fleet in orbit, and to make matters worse TIE Fighters were buzzing the skies over the base, shooting down as many fleeing Rebels as they could.
This, Leia already knew, was going to be among the worst tragedies the Rebellion had ever seen. If she escaped with her life, she was not going to be among the majority.
Just when she and Lando thought they had found a clear path to the docking bay, they found themselves in the middle of a firefight between Rebel troopers and stormtroopers of the 501st Legion.
“Wrong way,” Lando muttered, unholstering his blaster. “At least things can’t get much worse.”
Leia’s warning not to tempt fate froze on her lips as a black-robed figure stepped forward. This, Leia knew immediately, was Darth Starkiller, Vader’s right-hand man.
He looked menacing with his black armor and cloak. His hair was completely shaved, and eyes that had once been soothing blue were now pitiless durasteel gray. But Leia still recognized her brother. “Luke,” she whispered in shock.
The shooting stopped. Both sides kept their weapons trained on each other while the principles addressed each other.
The monster with her brother’s face smirked, a mockery of the warm smile that had so often graced the same features. “Hello, Leia. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
A chill went down Leia’s spine, and Lando spoke her thoughts aloud. “I don’t know who that is, but that isn’t Luke.”
Proving Lando’s words, the Sith Lord fired a blast of deadly energy that consumed his old friend. He was dead before his body even hit the ground.
Leia almost screamed, refused to. “Starkiller, then,” she addressed him coldly, bravely.
“You know why I’m here?”
“To kill old friends?” Leia suggested bitterly.
“To offer you your place on Coruscant.”
“Have a place already, thanks. Quite satisfied. Not interested in relocating.”
“We could rule the galaxy, Leia! As brother and sister! Join us.”
Did anyone ever actually say yes to that? Apparently so, Leia reflected bitterly. But she had to offer him at least one chance. “Luke, it doesn’t have to be this way. Join us. The Rebellion is your home. We love you.”
Starkiller sighed, seeming honestly disappointed. “Father said you’d be this way.”
Leia gritted her teeth. “Don’t call that thing my father. Luke, what’s happened to you? This isn’t you. You’re a good person. Come back to us.”
Starkiller just stared at her. “He said to kill you.”
Cold fear turned Leia’s stomach to ice. “You wouldn’t—”
Starkiller lifted his hand and made a fist. Invisible energy constricted Leia’s throat and lifted her off the ground. Her vision started to go black around the edges, showing her only the passionless face that had once been so full of love and strength.
“Goodbye, Leia,” Starkiller said calmly.
Just as Leia felt herself breathe her last, laser bolts hit her brother in the opposite sides on his shoulder and his chest, staggering him back. Leia hit the floor with a crash. As though freed from a spell, the Rebel soldiers suddenly began firing again.
Starkiller was not visibly wounded from the blaster bolts, and Leia heard the snap-hiss of an igniting lightsaber as she was dragged away from the scene.
Leia was only dimly aware of her miraculous rescue and the Millennium Falcon’s subsequent escape from the Capitol Reef. As after Endor, only one thing occupied her attention.
Luke Skywalker was dead.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Twenty-Six Years After the Battle of Endor
As was his custom, Anakin’s bird was the last to touch down on the hanger deck of the Rogue. The squadron’s carrier would take them the rest of the way to rejoin the fleet.
As expected, Jaina was already waiting outside his fighter when he popped open the canopy and doffed his helmet. “Captain Solo,” he greeted with a curt nod after hopping onto the floor from the ladder’s midway point.
She wasn’t in one of her better moods. “You’re just so damn impressive, aren’t you? Do you get a medal for best hair?”
Oh great. “Glad to see you, too, Jaina”
“No, no. You wanted to be professional, let’s be professional.” She crossed her arms, and Anakin knew he was in trouble. Even if he had military precedence here, this was still his big sister. He started to feel uncomfortable. “Since you like orders so much, what were you doing in the Mon Calamari system over twelve hours after you were supposed to report in?”
“Saving your tail,” Anakin replied calmly, deliberately. “I thought we had already discussed this.” Yeah, that’s not going to do the trick.
It didn’t. “My tail didn’t need saving, thank you very much,” Jaina answered hotly. “And I know how these things work. You didn’t have any idea who’s tail you were saving.”
“I had a—”
“Don’t say it.”
“I had a feeling!”
That was enough to, at the very least, change the course of the conversation in a hurry. “Not again. You ‘had a feeling’! Damn it, Anakin, we’re not Jedi!”
“Maybe we are!”
The words hung in the air for a minute between them. Their eyes locked. Both were breathing quickly. Jaina with barely contained anger, Anakin with steady determination.
“How do I get these feelings?” Anakin pressed. “How do you fly the Falcon alone? Not even Dad could do that.”
“I just…” Jaina was taken aback, Anakin had the initiative now.
“It just comes naturally?”
“Yes!”
“Don’t you ever get lonely?” Anakin regretted it before he even finished saying it, but he couldn’t take it back.
“All the time.”
They both looked away at the same time. Her down, him to the side. He ran his hand along the side of his fighter, she adjusted her gunbelt. So different, so alike. Sometimes it seemed like they were the twins.
“I know how these things work,” Jaina repeated, her voice lowering to match Anakin’s in volume now. She was back in control. “They wouldn’t tell you it was my ship. They wouldn’t tell you whose ship it is. Hell, to send you out to cover my tail, you’d almost have to be the only available squadron.”
Ah, there was the last Idiot’s Array in Anakin’s sleeve. “I swapped with Green Lead. His is the alert squadron back at the fleet now. I wanted this mission.”
Jaina stared.
“I had a feeling,” Anakin repeated.
They stood in silence that gradually became less uncomfortable, and the post-mission tension was gone. They were brother and sister again. “Come on,” Jaina suggested, “let’s go grab a bite to eat.”
“Jaina?”
She paused midstep.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
She visibly considered ruffling his hair, decided against it, and gave him a half-hug instead. “I’m glad you are, too.”
They were halfway to the cafeteria when they felt the sudden lurch of a ship going to lightspeed. Immediately afterwards, Anakin’s commlink chirped, signaling a priority transmission. Well, that’s certainly interesting. “Solo,” Anakin answered reflexively.
“Sorry to bother you, Commander,” a communications officer answered. “There’s a priority transmission for you from Alderaan.”
Mom? Anakin motioned for Jaina to follow him and stepped into an empty auxiliary room for more privacy. “Patch me through.”
A brief pause, and Anakin heard the click signaling the communication transfer. “Mom?”
“Anakin,” his mother’s voice answered. Anakin could sense her disquiet even over the comm. “Are you alone?”
“Just me and Jaina,” Anakin answered. “What do you need?”
A pause. Something was definitely wrong. “Kashyyk is under Imperial attack. Heavy bombardment.” Anakin winced. Orbital bombardment was bad enough normally, but on a forest planet like Kashyyk… “I’m diverting elements of all three fleets to Kashyyk.”
“Including the Rogue,” Anakin finished her explanation for her. “We’ve already made the jump to lightspeed.”
“Your father is going to be leading the fleet. Your brother is with him.”
Anakin nodded, realized she couldn’t see him doing so, and answered, “That’s not surprising. All of us would want to be there for Chewie.”
“You understand I couldn’t let that factor into my decision.”
“Of course.”
Another pause. That wasn’t it? What Anakin had taken to be a very straightforward conversation was getting more complicated by the second. “Anakin,” Leia said, sounding very reluctant. “I called to inform you that I need you to command the starfighter group.”
Well. That was unexpected.
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I'm done with TF.N. Forever. I've had it with homophobic ********. http://www.fanfiction.net/~nerdyuke
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GeithJiseo2
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
6/26/07 6:43pm
Subject:
RE: Fallen 1x01 "State of Hope." (TV Series Style - episodes, seasons, etc; major AU; OT/NJO charact
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Woohoo! First reader! 
Jedi_Anakin_Solo, I just got to say,
THIS STORY KICKS MAJOR BUTT!!!!!!
Please, please, please post more....soooooooooon. Keep up the excellent work!
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"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! AGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!! HOW COULD YOU?!?!?!?!?! AGGGHHH!!!!"
--ashsecho's (a.k.a. Darth Slowest Writer in the World) reaction after having read the ending of Falls the Shadow: Book One
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EvieSolo
Registered:
Mar '05
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Date Posted:
6/29/07 6:33am
Subject:
RE: Fallen 1x01 "State of Hope." (TV Series Style - episodes, seasons, etc; major AU; OT/NJO charact
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How about a teaser for the next part? 
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"You need to stop playin' 'round with all them clowns and the wangstas good girls gotta get down with the gangstas." A/T = OTP 
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Jedi_Anakin_Solo
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Nov '01
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Date Posted:
6/29/07 7:37pm
Subject:
RE: Fallen 1x01 "State of Hope." (TV Series Style - episodes, seasons, etc; major AU; OT/NJO charact
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Thank you both for reading .
I have "season one" completely planned, so I should have another episode up reasonably soon. About a week or so is my guess. Thanks again for reading .
As far as a teaser for the next one, that's actually a great idea, thanks for the suggestion! I'll probably go ahead and put one up as I get further along in the writing process.
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I'm done with TF.N. Forever. I've had it with homophobic ********. http://www.fanfiction.net/~nerdyuke
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Jedi_Anakin_Solo
Registered:
Nov '01
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Date Posted:
7/8/07 9:26pm
Subject:
RE: Fallen 1x01 "State of Hope." (TV Series Style - episodes, seasons, etc; major AU; OT/NJO charact
- Date Edited:
7/8/07 10:14pm (2 edits total)
Edited By:
Jedi_Anakin_Solo
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As, ‘twixt two equal Armies, Fate
Suspends uncertaine victorie
-“The Extasie,” John Donne
Twenty-Six Years After the Battle of Endor
CSG: Commander Starfighter Group. Under any ordinary circumstances, Anakin Solo would barely be able to contain his excitement about his temporary title. These were not ordinary circumstances. Right now, the only thing he really cared about was getting the Imperials away from Kashyyk.
Which was, of course, very difficult to do in hyperspace.
Anakin generally spent the bulk of his time in hyperspace reviewing the mission parameters and doing whatever he could to prepare himself mentally for the engagement. Unfortunately, the concentration he needed for this task eluded him; he was far too agitated.
It was probably just as well. Anakin and the others would have to jump right into the thick of a battle already begun. Without knowing how the battle was going, there was really no way to plan, prepare. He would have to assess the situation once he was out of hyperspace. With this in mind, Anakin had made the decision to have his squadrons make the jump to lightspeed on their own rather than launching once they arrived. It was a minor inconvenience for the pilots, but the tactical advantage was well worth it.
A beeping sound caught Anakin’s attention. Thirty seconds to realspace. Finally. As much as possible in the cramped cockpit, Anakin stretched out the muscles in his arms and legs that he would shortly be relying on. This was standard procedure for him before any battle, but there was extra tension before this particular one. As the timer slowly ticked down, he gripped his control stick firmly but comfortably.
The fathomless tunnel of hyperspace faded back into a starfield, and Anakin felt a jolt of acceleration as his sublight engines kicked in. “Rogue Leader here,” Anakin called into his comm. “All squadrons, report in.”
As the other squadrons were reporting their status, Anakin took a moment to assess the situation. General Solo’s task force had the Imperials outnumbered, but the Imperials had larger ships – three ISDs – leaving him badly outgunned. The reinforcements Anakin was arriving with would bring the momentum of battle into the Alliance’s favor. They could only hope it would be enough. Admiral Antilles was at least a day’s travel behind. So, it would be up to the two Alliance task forces to stop the Imperial assault on Kashyyk, and secure the planet until reinforcements arrived. Alliance Intelligence had Imperial reinforcements about a day’s travel away as well. There was no way to predict which set of reinforcements would arrive first.
“This is where the fun begins,” Anakin muttered to himself.
<I will never understand your family’s definition of “fun.” Master Skywalker’s definition was much more sane.>
Anakin grinned, knowing he must look a splitting image of his father. “Come on, Artoo. You can’t tell me you don’t live for this.”
<Technically, I don’t live. Which is fortunate, given the odds of our surviving this engagement.>
“You’re beginning to sound like Threepio.”
<Never.> If it were possible, the text display seemed indignant.
By then, all forces had reported their readiness to enter the battle. The additional ships entering the battle were not insignificant. Rogue was a converted Victory Star Destroyer, and brought with it all three squadrons under Anakin’s command.
“Attention all Alliance fighters, this is Rogue Leader. I’m assuming command of all Alliance Starfighter Command units. Until otherwise instructed, proceed with your most recent orders.”
One Star Destroyer and several fighters turned to face the new arrivals as they neared extreme weapon range. Several squadrons of Imperial fighters broke off from the main engagement to intercept, but would not reach them before they got at least one clean shot at the capital ships. Anakin would risk staying in formation to get a clean shot at the Star Destroyer. “Rogues, Bravos, Greens, torpedoes free, prepare to fire on my command.”
Within moments, they reached extreme weapons range. Anakin waited a few extra seconds to give them a better shot at their target. As the Star Destroyer’s turbolasers began to open fire, Anakin ordered, “Fire!”
All three squadrons released a salvo of torpedoes at the Star Destroyer, which couldn’t possibly maneuver out of their way.
Of course, those turbolasers weren’t looking too healthy for Anakin’s fighters. “Break formation! Evasive!”
Anakin felt his blood go cold as two fighters exploded despite their maneuvers. By then, Imperial fighters had almost reached them. “All fighters, engage at will.”
And then the confusion of battle made it impossible to focus on anything but not dying.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fallen
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
General Han Solo; Supreme Allied Commander, Army (male human from Corellia)
Chewbacca; Kashyyk resistance leader (male Wookie from Kashyyk)
Commander Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)
Captain Jaina Solo; pilot, Millennium Falcon (female human from Hapes)
Doctor Jacen Solo; chief medical officer, Defender (male human from Hapes)
Commander Jagged Fel; commander, Devastator (male human from Corellia)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Episode 2
"Uncertain Victory"
Commander Jagged Fel was somewhat out of his element. He was much more comfortable in a fighter cockpit than the bridge of an Imperial Star Destroyer. The reason he found himself here was his superiors’ confidence in his tactical judgment.
Many Imperial commanders were intelligent enough to know when they were beaten. Jag would have preferred to assume that all Imperial commanders were intelligent enough to know when they were beaten, but experience had repeatedly refuted this notion. Jag not only knew he was beaten, he had the wherewithal to minimize defeat as much as possible rather than engaging in an exercise of pride.
So, without the hesitation many other commanders may have experienced, he calmly ordered, “Begin an orderly retreat. Recall our fighters, and take us out of orbit to an observation position.”
“Commander Fel, what about the Imperious?”
Jag sighed. He supposed he should be relieved that the officer had even thought of the other ship, but he would have preferred the young officer’s initiative to be augmented by a grasp of the situation. “Imperious is lost. They may surrender or be destroyed at their captain’s pleasure.”
“And if the Rebels pursue?”
Now Jag was actually annoyed at the officer’s ignorance. “They’ll consider the withdrawal of a Star Destroyer from the field to be a blessing, and take the opportunity to consolidate their position and begin ground operations on Kashyyk.” Relief operations, Jag added to himself. One of the advantages of being the aggressor in a conflict such as this was you had fewer things to worry about than your opponent.
Jag had no problem giving the Rebels a chance to give relief on the ground. Perhaps they would even help civilians – though, he had to assume that would be accidental on the Rebel terrorists’ part, it was known to happen in the past. Meanwhile, Jag would have time to effect repairs and likely would have a fully operational Imperial Star Destroyer and its complement of fighters already entrenched in the system when reinforcements arrived. And by staying in sensor range, he would be able to give the Admiral a full report on the situation.
Minimal loss. Jag still wanted to be back in the cockpit, but he knew he had been given this assignment for a good reason.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
General Han Solo sighed with relief as he saw the last ISD leave the field. He was puzzled, however, to see it not enter hyperspace.
“Do we pursue?”
Solo considered that for a moment, but finally shook his head decisively. “No. Take us into orbit.”
The operations officer paused just long enough to express his doubt, then answered crisply, “Yes, sir.”
A younger Han Solo might have snapped at the officer or at least said something biting. The older, battle-hardened version simply sighed. The tension these naval officers had serving under an Army officer was understandable to a point, but this was not exactly the Imperial Navy. They needed to get over it. Blind obedience to proper form without consideration of the circumstances was not something the Alliance could afford.
As they made orbit, Han stood from his command chair. “Begin preparations for relief operations.” He nodded to his XO before leaving the command deck. “You have the bridge.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jaina smiled as she brought the Millennium Falcon to a smooth landing on the Eldest’s hanger deck. Her father’s old ship berthed on his new ship. It seemed right somehow. Of course, the Corellian Star Defender was “his” ship in a much different way than the Falcon had been.
After completing her post-flight checkout, Jaina gladly turned the freighter over to Alliance mechanics after giving them a few quick instructions. She wasn’t sure how she knew exactly what was wrong with the ship… she supposed, ruefully, that she “had a feeling,” as Anakin would say.
Jaina reached her brother’s fighter in time to see him climb down the latter. That was interesting. No heroic pose, no wide grin of excitement after his first successful engagement as a group commander. Jaina decided that he was probably just exhausted from the battle. It was probably best to just let him be.
“Hey,” Jaina greeted pleasantly. “That was some fancy flying out there.”
Anakin straightened as soon as he saw her. “Thanks.” His reply sounded… hollow, somehow.
Before Jaina could probe any farther, she was grabbed from behind. Her self defense instincts almost kicked in before she heard a familiar voice ask, “What have you done to my ship?” and turned around to hug her father.
Han grinned and then turned to his son. “Commander Solo, you’re off duty?”
“Yes, sir,” Anakin responded, maintaining military decorum for as long as necessary. “I’ve given my squadron leave from debriefing for the moment, and we’re not on active status unless our orders change.”
“Good.” Satisfied that he was not breaking any ridiculous military rules, Han hugged Anakin as well. “You did great out there, son.”
“Thank you, sir.” Anakin’s reply was too formal. Jaina knew Han felt it, too, but neither of them pursued it. And Anakin did seem genuinely glad to see his father, so it wasn’t tension between them… it was something else. Whatever Jaina had sensed earlier. She decided to tell their father about it whenever she got a private moment with him.
“Well, since you’re not on active status, you won’t mind joining Jaina and I in a little jaunt to the surface? I know you’re probably hoping to see your brother, and I haven’t seen your uncle Chewie in months.”
This family reunion suddenly made Jaina feel like a kid again. She hadn’t seen her twin brother or the Wookiee in a very long time. “That sounds great,” she agreed, and Anakin discernibly brightened at the suggestion.
“Good. We’ll take the Falcon.” Han grinned at his daughter slyly, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to commandeer your vessel, young lady. Military necessity, and all that.”
“Oh, I understand, General,” Jaina replied weightily. “Anything for the Alliance.”
“I’ll need a copilot, though. Think you can handle it?”
Jaina had been flying the freighter alone – something that should have been impossible – for quite a while now. “I should think so.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Doctor Jacen Solo felt death all around him. It wasn’t just the Wookiees; the burning forests cried out just as much. The feeling of life that pulsed through the healthy forests was painfully interrupted everywhere a turbolaser had found its mark.
Jacen’s assistant Chief Medical Officer was at his side as soon as he got up from resuscitating and stabilizing his patient. “He’s stable,” Jacen told her as he pulled off his gloves; unless anyone else tried to die on him, he was done treating injuries for the moment. “Get him and any others who need further attention onto the shuttle.”
She nodded, and after a quick, “Yes, Doctor Solo,” she rushed off to pass on and carry out his orders. Orders, Jacen thought to himself ruefully, before reminding himself that doctors gave orders all the time in hospitals, too. They had to, otherwise patients would die. Clear, authoritative instructions were vastly preferable to vague suggestions. In a way, medicine was much like the military in structure.
In a way, Jacen reiterated as he observed thick smoke rising from the burning forests. The military’s job was over for now. Jacen and his medical staff’s jobs were just beginning.
You’re thinking Dad and Anakin are no different from the Imperials, Jacen scolded himself. That’s a very stupid thing to think. Jacen shook his head at himself. Just because he was disgusted by all this destruction was no reason for that kind of thinking. His family, every Alliance soldier here, were putting themselves between innocent beings and violence. That made them about as different from the Imperials as possible.
But what about the Alliance’s borderline-terrorist tactics against the Empire? That wasn’t putting themselves between innocents and danger.
The burning forest reminded Jacen that the Empire tended to treat “unimportant” worlds and species like Kashyyk and its Wookiees with casual violence when it suited them. Did that justify the Alliance’s more violent tactics against the Imperials? Jacen didn’t consider himself qualified to answer that.
Jacen’s reverie was broken when he abruptly noticed three familiar figures approaching. He immediately recognized his father and siblings, and walked up to meet them. “General-, Commander-, Captain Solo,” he greeted with a less than professional grin.
Several hugs later, the complex moral questions Jacen had been pondering were driven away, paling in comparison to the fierce love and pride Jacen felt for his family. There was no question: they were heroes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jaina was uneasy. She needed to talk to both her brothers – individually, if possible. Despite the excitement of the reunion, Anakin was clearly still shaken up about something, and Jacen… Jaina could tell something wasn’t right, and an uncomfortable conversation was sure to be the result.
So, when their reunion with Chewbacca was cut short by a transmission from the Eldest, Jaina was less disappointed than she otherwise might have been.
“We’ll be right up.” Han deactivated his comm, and turned to the others. “Alright, it seems the President” – something about the way Han said her title was unmistakably affectionate – “needs a briefing on the situation here on Kashyyk. That means I’m going to need my CSG,” he nodded at Anakin, “CMO,” Jacen, “and a representative from Kashyyk to join me.”
Damn. Rather than providing an opportunity to talk to her brothers along, the briefing would make both of them unavailable to her. She’d simply have to talk to one or both of them on the way there.
As they were boarding the Falcon, Han asked, “Jaina, I hope you don’t mind, but maybe Chewie and I could take the helm on the way back… for old times’ sake?” Something in the way her father asked made Jaina think he had sensed the tension between the siblings, guessed Jaina’s intentions, and was giving her an opening to do what she needed to do.
Or he just wanted to take a joyride in his old ship.
Did it really matter either way? Jaina smiled. “No problem at all.” Now. Anakin or Jacen?
As they were entering the ship, Jaina made her decision. “Anakin, would you mind helping Dad with the preflight check while Jacen and I inspect the main hold?”
It was a flimsy excuse, but Anakin was apparently in a cooperative mood. “Sure,” he answered without argument, but also without the conspiratorial smirk he often shared with his sister.
Yeah, you’re next, Jaina affirmed silently.
As Anakin disappeared around the corner, Jacen turned to face his sister. “All right,” he said, apparently also seeing through the ruse. “What’s the problem?”
Jaina got right to the point, too. “How long have you been on stims?”
Jacen’s eyes widened. She had clearly caught him off guard. “I can be subtle when I want to be,” Jaina admitted, “this just isn’t one of those times.”
“Clearly not,” Jacen answered, leaning against the dejarik board for support.
“I notice you’re not denying it,” Jaina pressed. “Well?”
Jacen seemed to consider becoming confrontational, but apparently decided against it. “Yes.”
“Yes?” Jaina prompted.
“Yes, I’ve needed a little extra boost.”
Oh, Jacen… “I know military caf can’t be all that good, but—”
“Jaina, I don’t want to talk about it.” He probably didn’t, but there was definitely conflict in his eyes.
Do I back off, or do I keep going? Now that he knows I know, maybe he’ll come to me later… Jaina knew it was probably wiser to back off for now, but it was difficult to do the smart thing when someone you cared about was involved. “Jacen, I don’t have to tell you what those things will do to you.”
“No, you don’t.” Jacen was starting to close off from her. Whatever his internal conflict might be, she was going to lose him if she didn’t handle this carefully.
You can always talk to him later, don’t push him completely away. “Just… be careful.”
“All right.” He looked at her to make sure she had nothing further, then took his seat.
Anakin entered the passenger cabin with heavy footsteps, no doubt to warn Jaina that he was approaching in case her conversation with Jacen hadn’t finished yet. He gave Jaina a significant look as he asked, “Everything check out alright?”
“Yeah,” Jaina answered, glancing at her twin as the three siblings sat around the dejarik table.
They settled into a companionable silence during the brief trip back to the Eldest. That could have gone a lot worse, Jaina reassured herself.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Star Defender’s conference room was about twice as large as Han would ever need for anything short of a full tactical briefing, but excess seemed to be standard procedure for just about anything on capital starships. Han, Chewie, Anakin, and Jacen occupied the seats closest to the holo projector, and several military aides whose names Han had no interest in memorizing and who certainly didn’t need to be at this briefing studied data pads or otherwise tried to look like they were doing something important.
As was customary, a diplomatic droid’s services had been offered and refused.
“But sir,” the droid protested. “Surely my services are necessary in present circumstances for translation.”
Chewbacca growled indignantly, and Han glanced up. The droid – M-4DU – appeared identical to C-3PO in every way except for his red paint, symbolic of diplomatic neutrality since the days of the Old Republic. Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to possess a more interesting personality to match his more vibrant coloration.
Han pretended to consider the matter. “As a matter of fact, I do think we have need of your services.”
“Very good, sir! I was certain—”
“Don’t you want to listen to your instructions?” Han’s voice was all mock sincerity. “This is, after all, a very important assignment.”
Everyone at the table knew he was toying with the droid. Except, of course, for the droid. “Very well, sir. How might I be of assistance?”
Han set his hand on his holster. “My sidearm hasn’t been field tested in quite a while. Would you like to help me with that, or would you like to get lost?”
“Oh… really, sir.”
“Thank you, M-4DU,” Han’s XO shot him a rueful look, “that will be all.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Anakin and Jacen were both accustomed to Han’s dislike of overly helpful droids, but for the benefit of those who hadn’t known him as long, Han explained, “I can speak better Shyriiwook than that overgrown toaster even when I’m twice as drunk as I am now.”
Anakin and Jacen exchanged amused glances. Both of them were fully aware that Han was not even slightly drunk, but now every officer in the room would have to wonder.
“General Solo,” one of the aides announced. “We have the president on line.”
“Excellent! Anyone who isn’t a Wookiee resistance leader, CSG, or Chief Medical Officer, please leave the room.”
A brief ripple of shock went through the room, but within moments Han’s orders had been carried out. The audacity of letting the “paper pushers,” as Han called them, sit through the waiting and then sending them out of the room as soon as the briefing actually started was almost too much… which made it perfectly in character for Han.
The holo unit came to life. “Madame President.” Han’s greeting was formal in language, casual in delivery, his way of telling her he had somehow managed to secure a more or less private conversation.
“General Solo,” Leia answered with a warm smile. When she ascertained that no one present was outside of her extended family, she seemed to relax a bit. “It’s good to see you all. I wish we didn’t have so much work to do.”
“Let’s get right to it,” Han suggested.
“What’s our tactical situation?” Leia asked.
“Ah, that’s the easy one. If their reinforcements arrive before ours, we’re toast. If our reinforcements arrive before theirs, we’re toast when they decide to send another fleet.”
“Status on the ground?”
Han nodded to Jacen, who answered, “We’re not in a position to estimate casualties, but at least two villages are a complete loss. My doctors have been working around the clock, and I’d say we’ve done all we can for the injured.”
“You look like you’ve been working around the clock,” Leia pointed out, more mother than president.
“I’m fine,” Jacen assured her.
Leia nodded. “Anakin?”
Anakin snapped to attention. “Yes?”
“Your father tells me you did a very good job with your first major command. Well done.”
“Thank you.” Anakin, who seemed almost back to his old self prior to the compliment, suddenly seemed deflated again. He didn’t sound proud, or embarrassed… just… nothing.
Leia looked troubled, but went on. “Okay. What are our options?”
That earned a few moments of silence. Jacen surprised everyone by being the first to speak up. “I think we need to talk about evacuation.”
Chewbacca roared – not in anger against his “nephew,” but with evident disgust towards his suggestion.
In his best imitation of a protocol droid’s shrill voice, Han said, “Master Chewbacca suggests that your proposal may be logistically difficult and ill advised.”
“I know it isn’t easy—”
“Or possible,” Han added helpfully.
“—but I don’t really see what our other options are. I think at this point we need to consider saving the most lives we can.”
Leia nodded, and looked expectant. “Well? What else can we do?”
“We can fight off the Imperial reinforcements, at great cost of lives on both sides, and then be swept away by the sheer numbers the Imperials can draw on.”
“Jacen’s so very optimistic,” Han commented.
“What do you think we should do?” Leia asked. “It is your ship and your fleet, after all.”
Han shed all pretense of unconcern, and leaned forward. “This is what you get for putting an Army General in charge of a naval operation,” he said, his voice deadly serious. “We fight the Imperials until we can’t fight them anymore. We defend this system until there’s nothing left to defend them with.”
“What can that possibly accomplish?” Leia, ever practical, asked. “The Imperials can keep sending fleet groups until we run out of resources. The surprising thing is that they haven’t done anything like this in the past.”
“They’re probably testing us,” Han admitted. “So I say, give them results they aren’t going to like. What good will it do? Draw a line in the sand, and keep the Imps behind it. Defend an entire species from casual slaughter.” Han grinned. “You’re telling me you can’t spin that into good propaganda? ‘Alliance fleet holds off Imperial xenocide’?”
Leia nodded. “I assume the Wookiees will refuse evacuation?”
That was something Jacen hadn’t even considered. Chewbacca grunted a definite affirmative.
“All right,” Leia decided. “These are your orders: stay in the Kashyyk system, and hold it until it is no longer tactically possible to do so. Admiral Antilles will be arriving with elements of the Hapes and Corellia fleets within two hours. Once the Imperials have been completely driven out of the system, we’ll discuss maintaining a permanent Alliance presence in the system to prevent future attacks.” Leia smiled at each of her family members – including Chewbacca – in turn. “I love all of you very much. And I don’t need to tell you to be careful. If it becomes necessary to abandon Kashyyk… I expect to see all four of you” – she favored Chewbacca with a particularly pointed look – “back safely. Promise me you won’t get yourselves killed.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jacen ran into Jaina after the briefing – they were both, as it turns out, on their way to Anakin’s quarters. Their mutual concern for their brother smoothed over any resentment that might have arisen from their earlier conversation.
They decided it would probably be best if only one of them went to talk to Anakin. And Jacen was the easy choice for that particular duty. Even before he became a doctor, Jacen had always been the most empathetic of the siblings. So it was that Jacen found himself outside his brother’s door.
“Yes?” Anakin called from inside. His voice sounded shaky, but it might have just been muffled by the door.
“It’s me,” Jacen raised his voice slightly so Anakin could hear it through the door.
The door slid open, and the cheerful greeting Jacen had planned on saying died on his lips.
Anakin was as pale as a ghost. Something had definitely shaken him up.
“Can I come in?” Jacen asked.
“Yeah,” Anakin tried to sound casual. “I was just… yeah, come on in.”
Military quarters, even for fairly senior officers, were nothing to write home about. Jacen took a seat at Anakin’s desk chair while his brother sat on the edge of his bed. “Something I can help you with?”
Despite the circumstances, Jacen smiled at his brother’s thoughtfulness. “No. Actually, I was hoping there was something I could help you with.”
“Oh?” Anakin continued trying to seem casual.
“Yeah… Jaina and I… well, we both noticed…”
“It’s nothing,” Anakin insisted.
“Okay,” Jacen said. “Good, now at least we’re in agreement that there is an ‘it.’” He gave Anakin a chance to object, then went on, “Now, for the sake of argument, let’s operate under the assumption that ‘it’ isn’t nothing.”
“Just… post-mission jitters. Completely normal.”
“Anakin, I’m your brother. You can talk to me.” When he didn’t offer anything in response, Jacen went on, “Look…”
“We lost a lot of good pilots out there.” Anakin finally seemed to let his guard down, and Jacen didn’t press him any farther. He went on without prompting, “Usually I… I just know what’s going on, and I can warn them… but there was too much…” He shook his head. “It was overwhelming. It was all I could do to just… I couldn’t focus.”
“I don’t know much about this military stuff,” Jacen admitted, “but I do know that everyone, even the best commanders there are, loses pilots. Even Wedge did back when he was in command. And you weren’t just in charge of one squadron… an entire wing.”
Anakin shook his head. “But I should have been able to control it…”
“It was your first command,” Jacen insisted. “You did fine.”
“No…”
“Anakin, Dad said you did great. You’re being way too hard on yourself.”
“No!” Anakin insisted. His eyes were haunted. “You don’t understand, Jacen… I felt them die.”
Jacen was taken aback, had no response to offer. “You mean… you felt responsible—”
“No. I mean I felt them die. Without even looking at my radar, I knew they were gone. I felt them die. And it almost killed me, too.”
There was no response to this. And Jacen knew that he couldn’t tell anyone about this, maybe not even Jaina. Before he could think of anything suitable to say, alarm klaxons started going off throughout the ship.
Jacen felt his stomach go cold. The Imperial reinforcements had arrived first after all.
To Be Continued...
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I'm done with TF.N. Forever. I've had it with homophobic ********. http://www.fanfiction.net/~nerdyuke
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Jedi_Anakin_Solo
Registered:
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Date Posted:
7/11/07 7:41pm
Subject:
RE: Fallen (TV Series style, major AU, OT/NJO characters) - 7/8 Episode 2 "Uncertain Victory"
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... And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.
-Matthew 6:23
Previously on Fallen
Anakin: “This is Rogue Leader. I’m assuming command of all Alliance Starfighter Command units.”
“Evasive!” Anakin felt his blood go cold as two fighters exploded despite their maneuvers.
Jag calmly ordered, “Begin an orderly retreat.”
Jaina got right to the point. “How long have you been on stims? Jacen, I don’t have to tell you what those things will do to you.”
“No, you don’t.” Jacen was starting to close her out. Whatever his internal conflict might be, she was going to have to lose him if she didn’t handle this carefully.
Jaina: “Just… be careful.”
Leia: “It’s good to see you all. I wish we didn’t have so much work to do. What’s our tactical situation?”
Han: “If their reinforcements arrive before ours, we’re toast.”
Leia: “Options?”
Jacen surprised everyone by speaking up. “I think we need to talk about evacuation.”
Leia: “I assume the Wookiees will refuse the evacuation?”
Han: “Draw a line in the sand, and keep the Imps behind it.”
Jacen: “Yeah… Jaina and I… well, we both noticed…”
Anakin: “It’s nothing.”
Jacen: “For the sake of argument, let’s operate under the assumption that ‘it’ isn’t nothing.”
Anakin: “We lost a lot of good pilots out there.”
Jacen: “You’re being way too hard on yourself.”
Anakin’s eyes were haunted. “You don’t understand, Jacen… I felt them die.”
Before Jacen could think of anything suitable to say, alarm klaxons started going off throughout the ship.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Twenty-Six Years After the Battle of Endor
General Solo happened to be on the command deck when the proximity alarm went off. Officers that had been somewhat relaxed suddenly snapped to attention. “Battle stations,” Han ordered, and alarm klaxons sounded throughout the ship. “Come on, talk to me, what do we have?”
“One ship just came out of hyperspace,” the sensor officer reported.
“One ship?” Han repeated, incredulous.
“It’s huge, more than ten kilometers… sir, it’s a Super Star Destroyer.”
Oh hell. “Any idea which one?”
“Checking against known hull patterns… it’s the Executor.”
Han suddenly felt very, very cold. Starkiller was here. This battle suddenly looked much more hopeless.
“Sir?” Anakin, having just appeared at Han’s side, asked. He looked slightly out of breath, probably having run all the way to the bridge, but he also looked more like himself than he had since Han first saw him.
Han turned to his son. “Well, the good news is the Imperials only sent one ship.”
“One ship?” Anakin mirrored Han’s disbelief, but his eyes widened when he realized what that meant. “You mean—”
“I think we’re in trouble,” Han opined.
“Sir, the Devastator and Executor are both approaching. They’re launching their fighters.”
“We’re in trouble.” Han turned to his son. “Commander Solo, consider your squadron back on active status.”
Anakin snapped to attention and saluted. “Yes, sir!” Without another word, he rushed off, presumably to the docking bay.
Watching him go, Han sighed. Jaina he understood completely. Jacen was his mother, he just didn’t know it yet. But where the heck did Anakin come from? Han hadn’t raised him to be an immaculate soldier – not on purpose, anyway. Had Leia? No. This had to come from somewhere deep inside Anakin himself.
“Orders, sir?”
Yeah, I’ll take a spice burger with everything. Definitely make that to go. “Launch all fighters. All capital ships in attack formation, and prepare for the fight of your lives.”
Wedge, buddy, now would be a good time.
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Fallen
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Darth Starkiller; Sith Lord (male human from Tatooine)
General Han Solo; Supreme Allied Commander, Army (male human from Corellia)
Commander Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)
Captain Jaina Solo; pilot, Millennium Falcon (female human from Hapes)
Doctor Jacen Solo; Chief Medical Officer, Eldest (male human from Hapes)
Admiral Wedge Antilles; Supreme Allied Commander, Navy (male human from Corellia)
Grand Admiral Thrawn; Supreme Commander (male Chiss from Csilla)
Commander Jagged Fel; 181st Fighter Group (male human from Corellia)
Prince Isolder; Regent (male human from Hapes)
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Episode 3
“How Great Will the Darkness Be”
Among those stunned to see the Executor drop out of hyperspace was Commander Jagged Fel. He had been even more surprised to be summoned onto the flagship in the middle of a shooting battle. Nevertheless, Jag was in such superb control that none of his officers had reason to suspect their commander was even mildly surprised. Jag left his XO in command of the Devastator and boarded his shuttle with a definite swagger, his bearing telling everyone around him that he had very important business to attend to, and could not tolerate being interrupted.
In reality, Jag knew he was probably being relieved of his command. Naturally he would defend his decision; he had made the right call, and he knew it. He also knew he was too valuable of a commodity to need to worry about being discharged. That wasn’t pride; it was logic. Jag was confident that he would continue to play a part in the struggle against the Rebel terrorists, which was the only truly important thing to him.
Besides, his Corellian stubbornness kicked in, I didn’t like commanding a capital ship anyway.
A stormtrooper escort led Jag to the bridge of the Executor. Upon seeing the black-cloaked figure standing at the forward viewport, Jag felt considerably less smug. Starkiller. Any reassuring thoughts about how valuable he was to the Empire’s war effort were momentarily forgotten. Fortunately, the troopers were not leading him to the front of the command deck. Instead, they led him to the tactical area where a very familiar face was waiting.
Despite his relief, Jag made sure to stand at perfect attention and salute smartly. “Grand Admiral Thrawn.”
The disconcerting glow of the Chiss Grand Admiral’s red eyes regarded Jag coolly. “Ah, Commander Fel. Thank you for your prompt response, I do so appreciate punctuality.”
Though less intimidating than the Sith Lord, the Grand Admiral arguably commanded just as much respect in the Imperial military. Jag had studied under him during auxiliary tactical training on Csilla, deep in the Unknown Regions, so he knew well what Admiral Thrawn required of his subordinates: perfection. While Jag felt he had made the right call, he was under no illusion that his performance had been anywhere near perfect.
“Perhaps you’d like to explain what happened here, Commander Fel.” It had been phrased as a suggestion, but Jag would not make the mistake of taking it for one.
“Yes, sir. We arrived in the system and began orbital operations as per orders. An Alliance task force arrived, which we engaged. The engagement was in our favor until a second task force arrived.”
“A task force which was tactically equivalent to your own,” Thrawn commented. “Surely you were not outmaneuvered, Commander?”
Many officers would have started begging for forgiveness at the slightest hint of sarcasm from the Grand Admiral, but Jag merely shook his head in answer to the Admiral’s question. “No, sir. The capital starships didn’t make the difference in this battle. It was the fighters. Their pilots just outflew ours. That was the difference.”
Thrawn nodded. “A plausible assessment. How might this come about?”
“Their group commander, sir. Whoever he was, he positioned his forces perfectly, and they achieved maximum efficiency.” Maximum efficiency: Thrawn’s demand of his own pilots.
“After reviewing the battle data, I arrived at the same conclusion.” Thrawn noted Jag’s look of surprise. “Now, Commander Fel, you cannot believe I needed all this time to devise a strategy for a Super Star Destroyer and an Imperial Star Destroyer to engage a small Rebel fleet.”
“Of course not, sir,” Jag agreed. In actuality, he had not considered this. When he saw the Admiral at the tactical display, he had assumed he was observing the battle.
“Now, this exercise has taught us something, has it not?”
Exercise? I thought it was a battle. Fortunately, the engagement had taught him something, so he had an answer ready. “The commander of a starship or fleet of starships can only control what happens between the capital ships and how his fighters are deployed. Once the fighters are in space, it’s up to the squadron and group commanders. Small unit tactics are at least as important in the grand scheme of things.”
Thrawn nodded. “Precisely. That is why we need reliable commanders on the ground and in the air.” He withdrew a datacard from the slot in his datapad and handed it to Jag. “These are your official orders. Your training assignment with the Navy is complete. I’m reassigning you to the Starfighter Corps. You are to assume command of the 181st Fighter Group.”
That caught Jag by surprise. True, he had been in command one of the three squadrons that made up the 181st before being given temporary command of the Devastator. But to be given command of the entire group? The 181st was the most elite starfighter group in the entire Navy. Jag doubted any officer as young as him had ever been given an assignment like this.
There was, of course, also the opportunity to follow in his father’s footsteps. That was probably why he was being given this command; the legacy of his father would serve as proper motivation.
“That will be all, Commander,” the Grand Admiral concluded calmly as Jag was still absorbing what he had just been told.
Jag saluted enthusiastically. “Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!”
Thrawn almost looked like he might smile. Almost. “Report to the hanger bay and brief your pilots, and then continue with the exercise.”
Now Jag really was confused. “Exercise, sir? I thought this was the real battle.”
Thrawn looked thoroughly disappointed in his pupil. “Surely you’re aware that everything is an exercise, Commander.”
Jag looked sufficiently contrite as he answered, “Of course, sir. But the target—”
“Kashyyk? If we wanted it, we could have taken it a long time ago,” he lectured. “In our estimation, this was simply a target that the Rebels would be willing to exhaust significant resources defending. This provides a valuable opportunity to learn.”
That made sense coming from Thrawn, but Jag nodded towards Starkiller. “What about him, sir?” The Sith’s presence seemed to indicate that whatever was going on in the Kashyyk system was being taken very seriously.
Thrawn’s glowing red eyes narrowed to slits. “He’s looking for something, too. What, I’m not sure. The motives of the Sith are often inscrutable.”
Jag shivered. He understood the implication: perhaps it was better not to know.
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Periodic flashes of light provided the only real indication that a full-scale battle was erupting outside the viewport. The capital ships weren’t in firing range yet, so the immediacy of battle belonged mostly to the starfighter pilots. Soon enough the Eldest would shudder under enemy fire, and Jacen would unfortunately have plenty of work to do. For now, he stood in the hallway just outside of the infirmary collecting his thoughts and hoping none of those bright flashes represented the death of one of his siblings.
Jacen’s estimation of the odds of this occurring was cut in half when his sister sidled up next to him. “Hey,” she greeted, somehow managing to sound both tired and alert.
“Hey.” Jacen allowed his voice to express surprise. “I thought you’d be out there.”
“Not enough fuel,” Jaina explained. That made sense. Any mechanics who weren’t working on fighters or other combat craft would need to be available for damage control. “I thought you’d be getting the infirmary ready.”
“It’s been ready. And we discharged our last Wookiee patient a few hours ago.” Any pride Jacen might have felt about successfully saving all of his Wookiee patients was sobered by the knowledge that so many had died in the attack before they had gotten there. “All there is to do now is wait.”
Jaina nodded. “Me, too.”
For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Jacen couldn’t bear the feeling of tension that was growing between them, so he abruptly broke the silence. “I’m sorry about before.”
Jaina looked surprised. “What do you have to be sorry for?”
“You were just worried about me,” Jacen admitted. “And I was being really defensive, which is pretty dumb.”
Jaina felt an overwhelming urge to hug her brother. “Oh Jacen. I was – am worried about you. But I’m not mad at you.”
“Then why—?”
Jaina couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Because stims are dangerous, Jacen! Mentally and physically. You of all people… you’re such an amazing person, Jacen. You always have been. I can’t watch you be destroyed by those drugs.”
After considering this for a moment, Jacen asked, “You understand why I have to do it, though, right?”
“No,” Jaina replied bluntly. “You know the consequences far outweigh the benefits.”
“Yes,” Jacen admitted. “For me, they do more harm than good. But this isn’t just about me, Jaina! My job is saving other people’s lives. For them the benefits far outweigh the consequences.”
Jaina was momentarily speechless. She hadn’t even stopped to consider what his motivations might be. What if he was right?
No. That was muddle-headed thinking. It didn’t matter what Jacen thought he was doing. The result was going to be the same. Eventually, the stims would destroy his beautiful mind. It would start with impaired judgment, which would probably cost lives well before Jacen became completely useless as a doctor.
No, this had to stop now. But knowing why Jacen was doing it, Jaina felt a sharp pang of sympathy. “Oh Jacen… that’s an incredibly selfless… heroic thing to try to do.” She shook her head. “But it’ll only be that in the short run. Over the long run, it’ll end up doing more harm than good.”
Jacen looked thoughtful, not defensive now, so Jaina went on, “Eventually, you’ll lose control. You’re a very strong person, but no one is strong enough to handle stims. Even the military only uses them in very rare cases, and they strictly monitor their use. Please, Jacen… please, before it’s too late…”
Jacen finally met her eyes, and he looked very shaken. “Back on the surface,” he said, clearly on the verge of becoming emotional, “You asked me how long I’d been on stims…”
Holding her breath, Jaina nodded encouragingly..
Jacen pulled a medical vial that was still almost full from his pocket and handed it to her. “Less than a week. Would you mind getting rid of that for me? I don’t think I’ll be needing it again.”
Now Jaina did pull her brother into a tight embrace, and she felt him shaking. She let him wet her shoulder with his bitter tears of disappointment. “I just…” his voice was husky with emotion, “I was just so sure… I didn’t think…”
Jaina just held him until he stopped crying, and after he wiped his eyes, Jacen did something truly unexpected. He smiled broadly at Jaina, the familiar childhood smile she hadn’t seen in at least five years. “Thank you.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but full of emotion.
Jaina smiled back, and enjoyed the relief of all the tension between her and her brother melting away.
The moment was broken when the entire ship shook from weapons impact, and Jacen’s commlink buzzed. “I’ll be right there,” Jacen said into the comm. He gave Jaina a smile that was sad, but full of strength. “The battle awaits.”
“We’ve already won one,” Jaina answered.
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The TIE Defender Jag had been given for his new assignment easily put every other fighter he had every flown to shame. It was faster, more heavily armed. Perhaps most importantly of all, it was one of the few Imperial fighters to feature shields.
Jag was not quite as pleased with the battle, unfortunately. The Rebel starfighters were not nearly as well organized as they had been during the previous engagement. This was too easy to be satisfying. Jag wanted to face the enemy commander who had been so deadly in the previous battle. Whoever was leading the Rebel fighters right now, it certainly wasn’t him.
Of course, Jag wasn’t disappointed in the success this engagement was proving to be for Imperial forces, despite Grand Admiral Thrawn’s insistence that the engagement itself was unimportant. Victory was never unimportant to Jagged Fel. Still, he had been looking forward to the rare opportunity to face a worthy opponent, and to rid the terrorists of a valuable resource.
It was a shame. If only Jag had an opportunity to speak to this enemy commander. He (or she) must certainly be an intelligent individual to be such a capable pilot and strategist. Surely Jag would be able to convince such an individual that the Rebels weren’t worth serving…
Jag noticed a single squadron of X-wings launch from the Rebel flagship, but didn’t see any immediate importance in this. One squadron could not change the outcome of the battle at this point. If the X-wings survived long enough for Jag to get to them, he and his squadron would destroy them.
The Rebels would be forced to retreat soon. Jag had every intention of taking down as many of them as possible first. Whether the battle was strategically significant in and of itself or not, eliminating as many of the Rebels as possible would surely contribute to the security of the galaxy.
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On the Eldest’s command deck, Han grimly observed the progress of the battle. The engagement between the capital starships was predictable enough. The ISD had suffered moderate damage. Unfortunately, every Alliance ship had taken at least as much damage. And the SSD was still essentially untouched despite the Alliance’s best shots.
All of this Han knew to expect before he even looked. What really made his heart sink was the starfighter status board. “We’re losing way too many fighters, what’s going on out there?” he asked no one in particular. For the Alliance to have any chance of winning this engagement, they needed to be overwhelmingly superior in starfighter combat; at the moment, they were losing significantly in that area.
Han’s heart sank even farther when he noticed one notable squadron not on the status board. “Where the hell is Rogue Squadron?” he demanded, this time fully expecting an answer.
“Just launching, sir,” one of the tactical officers announced. “They just finished refueling.”
Han sank into his command chair in relief. But the safety (relatively speaking, of course) of his son didn’t change the fact that he needed to figure out a way to turn the tide of this battle in a hurry.
Well. There was one thing he could do. It would require conceding the battle for sure, but it just might buy them enough time to hold off the Imperials until the rest of the fleet arrived.
Coming to a decision, Han stepped over to the communications area. “Give me fleet-wide.”
The officer nodded at him, indicating the channel was open.
“This is General Solo to all commanders. You have new orders: concentrate all fire on the ISD. Any ships currently engaged with the SSD, cease immediately and get a line of fire on that ISD. That is all.”
The predictable objection came from one of the tactical officers. “Sir! That will put the whole fleet under the SSD’s guns!”
Sometimes subordinates were just as bad as droids. “It will also greatly reduce the number of guns shooting at us,” Han explained with exaggerated patience before sitting back in his command chair. Despite his flippant words, he knew this was a huge gamble.
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Starkiller was amused to see the Alliance ships shift their attention to the Devastator, leaving the Executor’s guns free to pound the Alliance fleet unhindered. His hunch had been correct. No one but Han Solo would make such a gamble.
Footsteps approached quickly and stopped just behind Starkiller. The officer waited patiently until the Sith Lord turned and acknowledged him. “Yes, Lieutenant?”
“My Lord; you wanted to know if anything drastically changed in the starfighter phase of the combat.”
Starkiller nodded impatiently; he did not need to be reminded of his own orders.
“A single squadron of X-wings entered the battle a few minutes ago. Perhaps coincidentally,” the officer did not appear to believe that it was a coincidence, but he also seemed perplexed, “the Rebel fighters’ kill ratio has increased dramatically since then.”
Excellent. This was exactly what Starkiller had been looking for. “Show me.”
The officer led Lord Starkiller to a nearby console and pulled up the data. After a few moments, Starkiller said, “That’s Rogue Squadron. Pull up the intel report on their commander.”
After a few moments, a report appeared on the screen. Starkiller briefly skimmed the file, but the title really told him all he needed to know. It was titled, “ANAKIN SOLO.”
So. The boy had a knack for battle meditation. Either he had mastered the complicated technique with little or no training (doubtful), or he was so strong in the Force he was doing it unconsciously. Either way, he was a uniquely gifted individual. As Lord Vader had suspected.
Starkiller reached out in the Force. He definitely detected someone drawing heavily on the Force, but it was not the control of the Sith or the surrender of the Jedi. This felt raw, instinctual... almost like a reflex.
Interesting.
“Order 181st to engage,” Starkiller ordered.
“Yes milord,” replied the Lieutenant.
Starkiller would be very interested to see the outcome of this engagement.
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Everything was suddenly coming naturally to Anakin. He effortlessly divided his attention between his own flying and coordinating his squadron and the rest of the Alliance fighters. To his immense relief, not a single fighter had been lost since he assumed command, a ridiculously unlikely circumstance in a battle like this. The tide of the starfighter battle was rapidly turning in the Alliance’s favor.
Rogue Squadron had just finished successfully defending the Alliance flagship from an attack run by TIE Bombers when he noticed a squadron of TIE Interceptors and one TIE Defender moving towards his position.
Now that’s going to be fun. Anakin ordered Bravo Squadron to hang back and defend the Eldest while he took his squadron out to meet the incoming Imperials. They were almost in firing range when Anakin first noticed the red markings on their wings. Oh hell. The approaching squadron was one of the three in the 181st Fighter Group. Based on the TIE Defender, probably the lead squadron.
“I’m on the leader,” Anakin announced. TIE/Ds were only given out to the most elite of Imperial pilots. There was no way Anakin was letting one of his pilots get vaped. This was going to be a very difficult engagement anyway. “Engage at will, Rogues. Watch each other’s backs.”
The TIE Defender aggressively banked above his squadron, and Anakin climbed to match him, acknowledging his challenge.
Head to head. This is going to be dangerous.
Anakin swerved irregularly, trying to deny his opponent a target lock while at the same time trying to achieve a missile lock on him. The Imperial obviously had a similar idea, and neither of them were able to achieve a lock before Anakin had to swerve hard to avoid colliding with the TIE. Their shields actually grazed each other, and both ships went spinning in opposite directions.
Anakin banked hard as soon as he regained control, trying to get a clear shot, but the TIE Defender was already maneuvering as well. Anakin squeezed the trigger, hoping to get lucky with a few blaster bolts, and deadly green energy lanced towards him from the TIE as well. Neither of them managed to find their mark, however.
This guy’s good, Anakin admitted as he banked hard for another pass.
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Things were starting to look hopeless for the Alliance. Even though the ISD had been destroyed, and the tide of the starfighter battle was beginning to turn, they had just taken too much of a pounding from the SSD to be able to keep this up much longer. Several ships were already critically damaged.
This was always the hardest part. For all Han knew, Wedge’s fleet could be right on top of them, or it could be another hour away. There was just no way to know.
They just couldn’t wait any longer to find out. We must be so close… Han sighed. There were lives on the line. He couldn’t let his stubbornness get in the way of making the call. “I guess that’s it, then. Prepare to—”
“Sir!” the sensor officer shouted. “Ships coming out of hyperspace. Lots of them!” Han got up from his command chair and rapidly strode forward to stand over his shoulder. After an agonizing pause, the officer re | |