DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fan fiction based on characters and places owned and copyrighted by Lucasfilm Ltd. However, everything not owned by Lucas in this work is the property of the author and should not be used without her consent. No profit has been gained from the creation of this fanfiction and no copyright infringement is intended. No part of this publication may be published, distributed or copied in any other way online or offline without the expressed consent of the author. You may contact the author with any questions, comments, typos, etc. at vickie@statesidedata.com
Lieutenant Karyn Donne sat hunched over her terminal, desperately trying to find a familiar code among the many crossing her screen. It wasn’t long before she was rewarded for her perseverance. "I’ve got something," she yelled.
She was suddenly surrounded. The green and silver droid beside her started beeping nervously, which carried over to her. She closed her eyes and tried to picture herself in a large room all alone.
"What is it," asked Commander Smyth.
She cracked on eye open and pointed at the code on the screen. "Part of that
is Blue Squad code."
"So, what does it say?"
"I haven’t translated it, sir."
"Get to it, then."
Karyn hunched herself over the keyboard and started typing furiously. She could tell the droid was tracking her every move. That didn’t matter. Kelly could probably use a copy of the code. She was sure to keep in touch that way.
Odd symbol and number combinations turned into words. Winger broadcast the translation on the central monitor. The men surrounding Karyn turned to that screen, for which she was thankful. She sighed with relief and continued her decoding.
A continuous line scrolled across the screen:
PLEASE WAIT FOR INSTRUCTIONS. WE WILL HAVE NUMBERS SOON.
Smyth raised an eyebrow. "What do you make of it, Captain?"
Aric Cherin read over the message again. "My guess is that they have sent someone to scope out the Imperial base of operations."
"That was my thought also," added Admiral Ackbar.
"There’s a new message." Karyn continued to translate the new code.
FULL FLIGHT OF TIES AND SQUAD OF NEW SHIP. PLEASE ADVISE SUPPORT SIZE.
The men looked over this new message and pondered its meaning. Aric spoke first. "They have a new ship. That cannot be good."
The others nodded. Commander Smyth turned to Karyn. "Lieutenant, send a message with the requested information."
"Yes sir." She turned back to the computer and sent her message.
The young man sitting at the comms station was bored. They had no idea if any force would be brought to help. So when his station beeped that he had an incoming message, he immediately fell out of his chair.
All eyes were on him as he scrambled to get back in his seat. He quickly began to decode the message. "Get Sabé! We’ve got contact!"
The young man burst into Sabé’s office. "We have contact," he said hurriedly.
She looked up from her work. "Is it the Rebels?" The young man nodded and she stood immediately and ran to the comm station. "What do they say?"
"They have a squad of B-Wings and Y-Wings, a couple of X-Wings and a freighter they can offer for support."
The numbers were much lower than she had expected. Why she expected more, she didn’t know. "Send a response that we have received their message."
"Yes ma’am."
She turned to another young man, "Go get Commander Roth." He nodded and dashed out the door. "I hope that’s enough."
Karyn’s fingers flew over the keyboard. "It’s Commander Roth! Everyone is ok. A couple of ships are damaged, but useable. He wants to know if there is a way for him to get up here to discuss a plan."
Everyone turned to Kelly. She didn’t even notice all eyes were on her as she watched the message scroll by. However, she did feel them. "If they can give me coordinates, I can pick the Commander up and bring him back here." She saw the amazed look on Aric’s face. "I know how to use the Force, remember? I knew you all were looking at me."
Admiral Ackbar smiled. "Send the message Lieutenant."
"Yes sir," Karyn said as she began to type in the code.
The green and silver R2 unit plugged into the system removed his data port and whistled at Karyn.
Kelly translated for him. "He asked if you can do it all yourself, Karyn."
She hunched further over the keys. "Yeah, thanks for the help Winger."
The droid beeped happily and turned to roll to the lift. Kelly followed. "Send the information to my ship. We’ve got to prep for takeoff."
Aric jogged to catch them. "I’m coming with you."
She looked between him and Commander Smyth. The Commander shrugged. She turned without a word and entered the lift.
"You have those coordinates yet," Kelly asked Karyn. She was strapped into the pilot chair on board the Zena’s Revenge. Aric sat at the nav station while Winger plugged into the droid socket where the co-pilot’s seat used to be.
"Give me a second, would ya," the young Lieutenant replied. "I don’t have the brain of a computer like your droid. Ah, there we go. I’m shooting them to you right now.
Winger fed the coordinates into the ship’s computer and whistled something.
"You’re kidding. Small galaxy, huh?" Kelly grinned and began to lift off from the flight deck.
Aric looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"The coordinates are the same as the ones from our first mission here."
"Wow, what a coincidence."
"At least I know where I’m going." She eased the Revenge out the bay doors and began a long looping descent towards the planet.
They broke the atmosphere above a sprawling forest which ran into the swamp. Kelly scanned for a landing marker and found it close by. She gently edged the ship over a large clearing and began landing.
Once on the ground, she and Aric went out to cover the ship with camo netting. Kelly used the Force to pull the netting over the ship completely covering it. Two Gungans and a human approached them as she was clipping the last side. "Captain Antilles," asked the human.
She turned around towards the voice. "Where’s Commander Roth?"
"Sabé asked us to escort you to the campsite."
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him through the Force. Her senses told her to not trust him fully. "We’ll come with you, but don’t try anything funny."
The human raised an eyebrow at her insinuation. "We would do nothing of the sort," he scoffed. "Follow me."
She and Aric fell in behind him as the two Gungans took up the rear. They walked through the forest to the edge of the swamp. They seemed to enter an area of ruins. In the middle of the ruins was a large tent surrounded by several smaller ones. The man led them to the large tent.
Inside the tent were many people bustling around. They expertly dodged the newcomers as they moved about. The man took them to the rear of the tent and through a "doorway." He saluted the woman sitting behind the desk. "I’ve brought the Rebel contacts as ordered."
"Thank you Lieutenant. That will be all." Sabé stood and came around to greet them. "I am Sabé, leader of the resistance group. I am honored by your presence."
Kelly was astonished at the reception. "Please, the honor should be ours. Although, I thought we were to take Commander Roth back to the Home One."
"I am sorry, but plans have changed. We must move quickly. Our inside sources have told us they are planning to launch the new ships tomorrow."
"Oh no. What are you planning to do then?"
"That’s why you are here, young lady," Commander Roth said from the "doorway."
Aric turned and promptly saluted.
"Good to see you up and about, Captain."
"Thank you sir. Are the others ok?"
"Yes. And Lieutenant Donne?"
"She’s the one decoding your messages," Kelly answered.
"Good, good. I’m glad you came down, Captain Antilles."
"Um, thank you, I think. Please sir, call me Kelly. Why is it so important that I be here."
"You will be coordinating the attack with our inside person, your Jedi Master."
"And how exactly will I be doing this?"
Sabé looked indignantly at Commander Roth. "I thought you said she was a Jedi."
"I am an apprentice," Kelly replied. "I do not know all the ways of the Jedi yet." Her face turned red as she got angry. A nudge in the side from Aric made her remember where she was. She inhaled deeply and willed the Force to calm her anger.
"Your Master said that he could speak with you telepathically," Roth said. "Your brother and Lieutenant Janson are with him. They will tell us what happens from there and we will plan accordingly."
Kelly nodded. "Ok. I need someplace... secluded so that I can try and contact Master Aulduin."
Sabé raised an eyebrow which irked Kelly. She motioned to a young Nabooian and whispered instructions. "You will be escorted to the temple. You should get the ‘seclusion’ you need there."
Kelly frowned, but nodded and followed the young man.
The temple was a huge edifice made of many stones stacked upon each other. Moss and grass covered much of the outer stone, yet there was no trace of decay on the inside. The walls depicted pictures of some god granting miracles to the masses. Kelly noted that the "masses" were actually Gungans. Perhaps this represented their religious beliefs. She turned to ask her companion, but he was nowhere to be seen.
She followed the corridor to the center of the temple. There was a hole at the apex of the ceiling allowing sunlight to filter down into the room. In each corner stood a statue. Kelly deduced that they must be representations of the gods, as she recognized one from the pictures in the front room. A calmness that was almost creepy enveloped the room.
Kelly sat cross-legged in the center of the beam of light coming through the ceiling. Within moments, she had successfully put herself into meditation. She concentrated on Master Aulduin in hopes to connect with him.
Excellent job, my padowan. Aulduin’s voice suddenly drifted into her mind.
She smiled outwardly. Thank you. So, what area the plans?
She listened as Aulduin told her of the plan he and Wedge had decided on. It sounded quite acceptable to her and she vowed to immediately get with Sabé and Commander Roth to set up their end of the plan. Aulduin commended her again and broke contact.
Kelly slowly brought herself out of meditation. Something was nagging at her to stay, but she knew she must get back to the base as soon as possible. "I promise I will return," she whispered to the room as she jogged out.
