Beyond - Legends The Brewing Storm: The Next Generation Part 3

from bad to worse Mira now a prisoner?

 

She and her companions still have some aces up their sleeves...



Fourteen

In the next moment Mira activated the engines of her fighter and flew towards the enemy guns blazing. The rest of the Mandalorians followed her and she saw the Lady Luck powered up its weapon systems. The odds were against them, but they still had some aces up their sleeve to win. She the first X-Wing, the one she had attacked in the movement couldn`t stand against the concentrated fire and exploded. But it was the only casualty of the initial strike soon the first X-Wing squadron and the Vipers were engaged in several individual dog fights. Any cohesion was, as usual for a starfighter battle, lost almost instantly.

Mira´s fighter was shaking as a salvo hit her, but for now the shields were holding. The Vipers defensive capabilities were far inferior to that of Eriaduan ships and those early hits served to remind Mira of that, this ship wouldn`t be able to take nearly as much damage as she was used to. She needed to be even faster to play into the Vipers strength as opposed to its weaknesses.

She saw another X-Wing explode but only a second later she heard a scream over com, the group had suffered their first casualty as well. The other two X-Wing squadrons were now engaging as well and the superior numbers began to tip the scales into their favor. Another Viper was destroyed before Sabine gave the order they had all been waiting for. “Droids out, now!”

Activating the rune on her control panel Mira let out a swarm of Buzz droids from her ship, as did the Mandalorians. The droids, little more than small balls of death were specifically programmed not to attack the vipers, and here, with so many X-Wings engaged in the fight they found some delicious prey instead. Mira could hear the screams of enemy pilots over the coms as the small little robots began destroying their machines. Even the few X-Wings who managed to escape the spreading droids now became an easy prey as they tried to disengage from the fight. Mira counted at least ten destroyed X-Wings though they also lost another Viper in the next few seconds.

Part of her felt guilty about fighting these soldiers and she asked herself if they were part of the Sith´s forces or just the local garrison who hunted down what they considered a dangerous criminal. But here and now, as she was fighting for her life, Mira couldn`t spend too much of her thoughts on them.

More and more X-Wings fell, but now the Tartan Cruisers opened fire into the ball of starfighters and droids, shooting indiscriminately with their high-rate cannons. These cruisers were specifically designed to take down starfighters and the old Empire had often used them indiscriminately in dog fights, not caring if for every rebel pilot they got they also destroyed a TIE, that the Galactic Alliance was now employing the same strategy made Mira shiver.

The fire of the Tartans blasted several X-Wings but also took down three Vipers. Half of their squadron was dead, but the X-Wings were pretty much all destroyed or limping away with heavy damage. A second later the Lady Lucks fire broke through the shield of one of the Cruisers and Mira saw how its cannons made short work with the weak armor and another moment later the Tartan turned into a miniature sun as it exploded.

Just one enemy left, just one, maybe they could make it, maybe they could get out of here after all. But as her mouth was just beginning to form a grin, Mira saw something, a large something coming at them from Hyperspace and a second later a capital ship manifested itself within short distance from them.

A Interdictor, an Imperial Star Destroyer equipped with Hyperspace inhibitors. For a moment Mira couldn`t help but stare at the sheer length of the behemoth. There were lager and more dangerous Star Destroyers, of course, she herself had seen some. But in a way this Interdictor meant the final nail in her coffin.

She almost laughed at this, their Vipers were largely out of fuel already, and to travel further they would need a guide who knew the deep core. So in a certain way the massive Interdictor was utterly unnecessary. They wouldn`t get out of here, and the large capital ship was just underlining that fact. It was in the same moment that Mira recognized that this was the end of the line, she wouldn`t get out of here, no one of them would. And yet the thing that occupied most of her mind in that moment, was the sheer unnecessity of sending an entire Star Destroyer after her.

If nothing else, she thought with a bitter laugh, she had truly stepped on the bad guy’s toes that they send that large a force to get her.

“General Clarissian, Master Grau,” a message came over com, it wasn`t the same speaker as before so Mira guessed it came from the Interdictor. “You have given us an amazing display of your skills, but the race is over. Surrender and will spare your lives.” For a moment the entire battle had stopped, both the Lady Luck and the remaining Tartan Cruiser had stopped firing. Only the one or two heavily damaged X-Wings slowly continued creeping away from the battlefield, like wounded soldiers trying to crawl to safety.

They are really keen on bringing us back alive, Mira thought and at that same moment she knew that she would never surrender to them. Whatever the Sith had planned for her she wouldn`t given them the satisfaction of doing it. She had read the horrifying stories of what happened to the few Jedi of the old order the Empire had captured alive, she had met one of them herself, Trilla on Dathomir. This wouldn`t be her fate, rather she would go down fighting.

“I am sorry,” she said to the others over com.

“It is not your fault,” Sabine said over com.

“I should have known better,” Lando agreed.

Then the harsh voice of the enemy officer reached them again, “so? What is your answer?”

“I will not become a hostage to your masters!” Mira yelled before breaking of the communication. Then she attacked, if the others wanted to surrender she wouldn`t even hold it against them, she thought as she opened fire on the remaining Tartan Cruiser. Maybe they could at least take it down before they were overwhelmed, at least deny the Sith one additional ship.

They lost two more Vipers to take down the Tartan ship, but as it exploded Mira saw on her scanners how now dozens and dozens of TIE fighters swarmed out from the Interdictor towards them, while the Star Destroyer itself opened fire on the Lady Luck.

This was it, the end of the line, the end of their attempt to flee. Her last fight, and so Mira lost what few seconds she still had for a last thought about her family. She saw her parents in front of her, her aunts, Camy and Cally and the others in their squad. But, almost against her own will it was another image that proved the strongest. Yosh, in his Imperial Knight Armor, on the shores of Thyferra where they had met for the first time. Both trying to secure the Bacta supply for their respective nation. They had been enemies but forced to work together to stop a plot organized by a group of changelings to have the Bacta crisis escalate.

They had become friends and since worked together many times. And now she would die here, alone, near the center of the Galaxy. Without ever being able to open Yosh´s eyes about Jagged, without ever being able to tell him she…

Her scanners blinked wildly, another ship had just completed the jump into the system and now appeared to the South of her position, another Star Destroyer. “What was that one Interdictor not enough for four Vipers and a modified freighter?” Mira said aloud and almost at the same time burst into a short, bitter laughter. And with it, the fear left her.

“Master Grau, are you still alive?” A voice suddenly came over com. Not the voice of either of the officers who had threatened them, but that of a woman. A woman who no doubt regularly used it for barking out orders. And yet there was a warmth to the voice, warmth and worry at the same time.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” That was the voice of the Venators officer. Whoever these newly arrivals were, they didn`t seem to be on the side of their enemy.

“To the other Star Destroyer,” Mira shouted over com. She wasn`t sure what was going on here, but given that she would probably die either way they could probably take their chances with the other ship.

As she turned her Viper around and increased the speed she felt how close the TIE´s now behind her were. Flying towards this unknown force her force was with her, in a way it had never been before. Maybe this, the moment before her death, being at peace with herself and her fate, had been what allowed her to unlock these powers, or maybe it was just dumb luck she and the other managed to dodged the first salvos of the pursuing TIEs.

The ship ahead was large, even larger than the Inderdictor, an Imperial Class Star Destroyer, but instead of the usual grey simplicity the ship had been colored black something had been painted across the ship. Mira couldn`t make it out but it seemed to be a symbol, what she did notice was its color, a bright yellow. Certainly nothing she expected on a military vessel.

“Unidentified ship,” the enemy officer commanded. “I give you one chance to leave with your life.”

“Funny,” the unknown woman replied. “I was just about to make the same offer to you.”

Mira saw how fighters began to swarm out from the Star Destroyers Hangar bays, all sorts of different ships, TIEs, X-Wings, Headhunters, but all of them had been painted in the same yellow and black as their Capital Ship.

“Take them all down, alert the base, we need reinforcements.” She heard the enemy commander yelling over com. “Who are these people?”

“Okay, had your chance, lets get them girls!” The woman replied.

As the Imperial Class Destroyer fired its first salvo Mira, Sabine and the remaining two Vipers turned around, opening fire on the pursuing TIEs. Many of them, still not expecting any resistance were hit by this first salvo and the shock of their fleeing prey suddenly charging at them diverted their formation for long enough that the four Vipers cut through them like a lightsaber through simple steel.

Only a few seconds later the four Vipers were reinforced by the allied squadron and against the double assault the TIE´s were hopelessly outmatched, breaking and scattering their formation and fleeing back towards their own Star Destroyer, which now moved toward them at full speed.

“Just who in all hells are these guys?” Sabine asked as she and the other three Vipers gave the damaged Lady Luck cover as it moved towards the Black and Yellow Star Destroyer.

“I have no idea,” Mira replied, a smile on her face. “But I assume we will find it out soon enough. But first we have a battle to win.”

As she finally touched down in the Hangar of the Imperial Star destroyer Mira felt tired, beyond tired. The long flight to Prakith followed by the space battle was taking its tribute on her. She had to admit it to the Crew of the Interdictor, even outmatched in firepower by the Imperial Star Destroyer they had fought on, showing a true soldierly dedication that was, if nothing else admirable. They had now doubt known that reinforcements were on their way and if they held their enemies in system just a while longer the tide of battle would turn once more. But in the end they reached their breaking point before those reinforcements arrived.

Throwing a glance back through the hangar shield Mira saw the burning, bleeding, broken remains of the Interdictor drift helplessly through the void, its few remaining guns sending defiant, but pointless salvos against them. A few seconds later the hangar shots closed and cut of Mira´s view outside.

Turning around she first checked in on her companions, Sabine looked even worse as Mira felt as she quietly spoke to her two surviving guards. A bit further on the deck stood Lando Calrissian, and with him his personal guards and servants who he had brought with him on the Lady Luck. He was conversing with a tall muscular woman in a black and yellow outfit like that of the pilots who now got out of their machines around them, her hair dyed pink.

“… yes, once Ulrika told me that Mira is at the top of the GA´s most wanted list I knew she would be in trouble, so I grabbed what of my girls I could and moved north to meet you.” She answered Lando´s question.

“Well you sure did meet me,” Mira said as she approached them. “Even if I still don`t know who you are.”

The woman looked at Mira and a grin played around her mouth, “they never even mentioned me? I will have to have a serious word when I next see them again. After all I once saved their lives from the Vong.”

“Wait…” Mira raised her head, could it be? It had to be. “You are Vex Esher? The leader of the Tunnel Cats?”

“Ah… she remembers.” Vex grinned. “Even if we are not crawling through tunnels anymore. We are model citizens now. Or well we where before we just attacked a GA Star Destroyer and helped a group of fugitives.”

“So it is true?” Lando asked. “Mira is a wanted woman now?”

“She is,” Vex nodded. “They want her for murder, weapon smuggling and high treason.”

 

Yes saved after an exciting battle

 

For now...


Epilogue

“How could this have happened?” Mira asked, “how could the Sith take over the entire Galactic Alliance in just a couple of hours? Why aren`t there uprisings and whatnot? Why do the people just take it?”

They sat together in the officer lounge of the Tunnel Cat´s Star Destroyer, on their way to one of the gang´s hideouts. A place where they would be hopefully safe for a while, at least until they could travel onwards towards Bespin and the Coalition.

“Because they don’t know,” Vex replied. “To the public the big news is still the war against the Hutts. They have no idea what actually happened.” She shook her head, “hells if Ulrika and Elena hadn`t contacted me I would be the exact same.”

“But… the Sith overthrew the Jedi order? Don`t people remember Palpatine?” Mira´s voice was shaking, she just couldn`t believe it. Had no one learned a thing from the Galactic Empire? She knew that the people in Jagged Fel´s realm didn`t, but now in the GA as well?

“Mira, there was no overthrowing the Jedi Order,” Vex said, her voice filled with sympathy. “In that press conference, Luke Skywalker himself apologized for the mistakes that were made. He also announced the order would now work together with the GA to end further corruption. The whole thing was blamed on a ‘cadre of corrupt, traitors within the order’ people like you, and Corran Horn.”

“But Corran is a beloved and respected hero,” Lando muttered. “He has many friends and supporters all over the Galaxy.”

“Many of them were no doubt arrested as well,” Sabine said, “remember when we tried to contact his wife? If they got her, then probably others as well.”

“They are taking out the old New Republic Heros no doubt,” Lando nodded quietly. “I think we can say without a shred of doubt now that they also murdered Han and Leia.”

“So Hett is the grandmaster now?” Mira asked. She still couldn`t believe this, how could this have happened? Why was no one seeing what was right in front of their eyes?

“No, Luke stays in that position, at least for now it seems, Hett didn`t say a word during the press conference, he just sat there, behind Luke.” Vex explained. “I think for now they are keeping Luke around, as he, for all the accusations against him, is still the most beloved hero alive currently.”

“But how is Luke supporting this?” Lando voice became louder, “he would never stand for something like…” He stopped himself. “Ben… that must be it, they have his son. He is used as a hostage to keep his father in line.”

“Ben?” Mira asked. “So, you think Vestara was in on this too?”

“I would bet my life on it,” Lando said. “She has to be the one pressing her blade at Ben´s throat, to force Luke to do this.” He sadly shook his old head, “I can only thank the stars I got my family away from Coruscant, otherwise I would probably dance on the same strings right now.”

“Kriff it,” Mira threw her hands up. “So, to the people the order is just hunting down a handful of corrupt members? That is all they know? We need to make a statement against this, as soon as possible.”

“How?” Vex asked, “due to the Hutt War the GA has announced a news blockade, and you have just been painted as a vile traitor, who is in part responsible for the Tof War.”

“I started the Tof War?” Mira couldn`t believe it, this was a nightmare, it had to be a nightmare. “So they blame their own weapon smuggling on me? Why would I do that?”

“Allegedly you and other members of the order were paid by the Hutts to start trouble all over the Galaxy, to prevent the launch of Operation Freedom.” Vex gave Mira a look filled with sympathy.

“But that is absurd. How could anyone believe such an insane story?” Mira began to breathe faster and faster. “What motive would I have?”

“Well, you only joined the order when you were already an adult and before that you were trained by Asajj Ventress. A Sith.” The Gang leader said, softly. “The people just learned that both her and Jacen have been living freely for the last decades, apparently under the protection of certain elements within the Jedi Order.”

“But… Ventress is on our…” Mira attempted to protest, but then she realized how absurd her words must be. No one knew of Ventress´s actions during the war against the Iron Alliance, just as no one knew that Jacen had redeemed himself. To the people both were dangerous Sith and war criminals.”

“So let me get this straight,” Sabine said. “They claim, or rather have Luke claim, that there has been a Sith conspiracy within the Jedi Order that they now stopped? A conspiracy Mira and Corran Horn where members of?”

“Corran is currently only accused but yes,” Vex replied. “His wife has been certainly involved in all sorts of half and non-legal operations over the years. Not to mention, her father was a smuggler.”

“So they mask their own shadowy dealings by blaming them on us? And other Jedi they want gone?” Mira began to understand the sheer extend of their enemy’s plan.

“Pretty much yeah, to the public Hett and his cronies are the heroes, who just saved the GA from a Sith conspiracy. They just stopped another Palpatine before he could take over you could say.” Vex let out a sigh.

“So they themselves attacked the orders credibility, so they can now ‘restore’ the orders good name to the Galaxy by removing the alleged traitors and corruption.” A bitter smile played around Lando´s mouth. “If the consequences weren’t so dire, I would be impressed, nothing better to sell the public than a story of redemption.”

“Those shuttas!” Sabine jumped to her feet, “They can`t get away with that, the people aren`t that dumb. They can`t…”

“Maybe it is best if you see it for yourselves,” Vex said, activating the small holoprojector on the table in between them.

The first pictures were simple serials, the completely normal amusement program that made up most of the holonet. But then she found a channel that was currently broadcasting news.

“General Tolan further said that with the current pace of the invasion the Hutts will be defeated by years end. A statement that has since been disputed publicly by high command; they don`t want to make any clear statements on how the war is progressing as our forces are currently only moving through the outer reaches of the Hutt Space.” The speaker said with a somber voice. “And yet they gave a small insight into the current progress, as already about two million slaves have been freed and these numbers are likely to go up with every passing day of the operation. So, Goodspeed boys, you are fighting the good fight and we are proud of you.”

“Typical distraction,” Sabine muttered. “Tell the people a hero’s story to keep them from noticing what is happening in their own nation.”

“In other news, the bounty on each of the fugitive Jedi has been raised to now ten million credits.” The speaker continued and Mira froze.

A series of pictures were now displayed on the right side of the screen and one of them showed her. She realized at the first glance that it had been tampered with. She was wearing her Dathomirian leathers, the outfit Ventress had gifted her, but the screenwriters had somehow added a collection of blood splattering on it. Her mouth was twisted into a diabolical grin, and her teeth made just a slightly bit sharpened, but worst of all where hers eyes, a slight glow of yellow had been added to them, it reminded Mira of a picture she had once seen of Jacen Solo, when he had been Darth Caedus. The yellow eyes of a Sith.

“The good news are that now the government of the Empire and the Coalition have agreed to hunt them down, the new President of the Coalition Saul Cameron has also issued a desire to bring several of them on trial for their role in starting the Tof War.”

Mira couldn`t breathe, she didn`t even hear the speakers next words, as her entire body began to shiver, as a wave of fear, pure and utter fear washed over her. Until now she had felt confident that, whatever happened in the Galactic Alliance, the Coalition would be a safe place for her. That when she, Lando and Sabine just had made it there they would sit down with her aunts and Ilona, to see how they could stop the Sith nefarious plot. Yes, she had been worried a bit about this new President, but she hadn`t expected this. Was he so spineless that he how bend over backwards to fulfill every desire the Sith might had? Or was Saul Cameron just another part of this grand conspiracy.

She felt sick, beyond sick, and afraid. Looking back at the screen she saw another picture, that of Raynar Thul, another master of the order and like hers it had been manipulated as well. No easy task given how horrifying Raynar already looked. “This newfound cooperation between the Coalition and our government has already yielded some uplifting results, as Thul was arrested today on Qaelan. Head of state Amedda has already issued a request of extradition for Thul to the Galactic Alliance, where he awaits a trial for his role in the Dark Nest Crisis, but President Cameron has announced that before that Thul will face charges for his involvement in the Tof War in the Coalition. If you ask me, it doesn`t matter which gallows the bastard will eventually be hung from.” The speaker said.

Mira could almost hear the laughter in various living rooms all over the galaxy at this ‘joke’.

Raynar, he was one of the Masters of the Order she trusted most, despite his horrifyingly mangled appearance. He was a good and reliable man, who understood the orders true mission better than most. And now her own government was putting him on trial. She knew that the Coalition had abolished the death penalty, it was something her aunt Elena had campaigned hard for. But maybe Cameron would change even that now…

“Head of State Amedda has also expressed his concern over the remaining fugitives and stresses that, as tempting as the bounty might be, no one should try and arrest these criminals on their own. They are armed to the teeth and dangerous. As over four thousand good men and women can attest to.” The speaker continued, and now a picture of Mira took the place of Raynar. “Mira Grau and her criminal cohorts have been sighted in the Prakith System where the worries were indeed confirmed that she has Lando Calrissian in her grasp.”

Lando let out a bitter laugh and shook his head, “so I am your hostage now?”

Mira didn`t find the situation funny in the slightest, she was still breathing heavily, her heart was racing as she hung on the lips of the speaker.

“The brave Crew of the Interdictor Unity tried to stop Grau and her accomplices to escape further into the deep core. They were willing to put their lives on the line to save Calrissian and stop Grau.” Mira´s picture disappeared and instead a slow series of new picture appeared, group pictures of ship crews, of pilots. Pictures that must have been made in the military academy. A slow series of hundreds of smiling, young, innocent faces filled the right side of the screen as the speaker continued. “They bravely stood their ground against the cowardly terrorist who is already responsible for so much suffering in the Galaxy.” A quiet version of a funeral march began playing in the background as more and more pictures appeared. “But, for them bravery wasn`t enough to safe them, as Grau lured them into an ambush. The Unity and its accompanying escort where lost with all hands to this newest, cowardly act of terrorism. Forty Thousand good men and women, murdered at the hands of this vile creature. Mira Grau, if you are watching this, you are probably feeling victorious over your cowardly act of mass murder. You feel happy about the horror you have caused our galactic community. Maybe you are already counting the bloody money your Huttish benefactors are paying you. In your mind that dirty wealth will be worth the things you have done. Worth the fourty thousand deaths you caused. The hundred thousand of widows and orphans you have caused. In just how many systems do broken mothers and fathers now have to explain to their crying children why their mommy, daddy or their sibling will never return to them. Just because a completely and utterly vile creature just as yourself had to…” The broadcast ended as Vex deactivated the projector.

Tears were running over Mira´s face as the last bit of self-control she had held up until now broke down completely. The pictures of the ship crew, of the fourty thousand people dead because of her, didn’t leave her mind, even now that the projector had been turned off. Her mouth was dry, her entire body shivered. She couldn`t even properly think anymore. Nothing, nothing but tears filled her entire being.

She felt Sabine´s hand on her shoulder, “don`t. They just made that up, those are all lies. When we last saw the Interdictor it was still firing, maybe it wasn`t actually…”

“Leave me alone,” Mira shouted as she shook of Sabines hand and jumped to her feet. Then she ran out of the officer lounge, unable to even properly think about her friends’ words.

Lando found her in her quarter’s hours later, on her bed, curled up like an embryo, her back to the door. Still sobbing, still crying. He sat down next to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. He knew the extend of the wounds that the broadcast had caused Mira, of course he did. He and his friends had been the subject of similar things, back when they had fought Palpatines Empire. Being confronted with the number of the dead, in combination with the notion that the entire Galaxy was out for their blood. That could cause wounds no Bacta could easily heal. It was a wound that stayed with you, but one you would eventually learn to live with. A wound Leia had hidden behind her noble education, Han behind his hells might care attitude, Luke behind his idealism, he himself behind his charm. But the wound was always there, even now.

As he did his best to silently give Mira some comfort, tears run over Lando´s old face as well. He didn`t just cry for her and his companions, not just for his murdered friends Han and Leia, and those now in the hands of the Sith, like Luke, Mirax and Corran, no. Lando Calrissian cried for all the lives all over the Galaxy, over which the Shadow of the Sith had now fallen.

 

And the Sith rule again. Great conclusion to your story.

 

Thanks, really glad you are still enjoying my stories!