Darksaber

by Kevin J. Anderson

  A few straggler lifepods sprayed out in all directions as the crew evacuated--and Luke knew with a clawing dread that Callista somehow had gone up there.

  He groaned to himself, recognizing exactly what she must have done. Feeling helpless without Jedi powers, Callista had taken the problem head-on, charging in with focused attention and a rigid adherence to the lone solution she thought would work. She would consider no other possibilities, only her single-minded way.

  "No, Callista," he said. "No!" He got only a flicker of sensation from her, a dark glare through the Force that felt like a shudder down his spine. She had opened herself up to her powers again, but she was using only the dark side. Callista had been tempted and let herself slip, but at least now Luke could sense her through the tangled skein of the Force.

  And then the flicker went away, the door had slammed shut again, as if Callista had lost her powers--or as if something had happened to her.

  With stinging eyes he stared up at the dwindling, sharp-edged silhouette of the Knight Hammer, trying to focus his Jedi senses to enhance his sight. But he could detect nothing from her anymore. The door into the Force had slammed shut and locked, blocking him away from any ability to detect her - but he knew she was up there on that dying ship.

  Luke saw the Super Star Destroyer plunge like a knife blade into the atmosphere of Yavin, its black-armored hull glowing cherry red with friction against the atmospheric gases and the buffeting storms.

  With a final series of explosions that ignited scarlet and yellow glows in the upper clouds, the Knight Hammer vanished into Yavin, swallowed up forever--and taking Callista with it.

  HOTH ASTEROID BELT

  CHAPTER 61

  The Yavaris and the Assault Frigate Dodonna swerved aside as they escaped the treacherous core of the Hoth Asteroid Field, leaving the wreckage of the Darksaber behind.

  "Saves us the trouble," Wedge said, shaking his head. "But Madine is gone. I wish we had some way of knowing what really happened there."

  Qwi stared behind her with wide indigo eyes.

  "At least the weapon was destroyed without its ever firing a shot," she said, then heaved a long sigh. "I wish people would stop trying to build bigger and better means of destruction."

  "I couldn't agree more," Wedge said, hugging her. "I wouldn't mind in the least if I found myself looking for a new line of work."

  "General Antilles," the sensor chief said, "we're picking up one small craft registering a single life form aboard. It's too small to be much of a ship."

  Wedge frowned. He felt a surge of hope for just a moment--perhaps Madine had escaped!--but he knew that couldn't be true, because the life monitor wouldn't lie.

  "Maybe it's somebody who jumped ship," he said. "Activate tractor beams. Grab it and bring it aboard."

  He left the Yavaris's command station, gesturing to Qwi. "Let's go meet it." He flicked on the intercom. "I want a full security detail to meet me in the forward docking bay. Bring your weapons. We might have some trouble."

  Wedge and Qwi waited inside the bay. Around them a squad of armed guards held blaster rifles at their shoulders, fidgeting nervously and still keyed up from the days-long alert status they had just experienced, as well as the week of space battle simulation in the Nal Hutta system.

  Wedge watched through the transparent atmosphere field as a bright dot came closer, a metallic hull of a spherical ship reflecting light from the distant sun. He realized with a strange shift in perspective how tiny this craft was, that it already hovered just outside the containment field. A round construction pod no more than four meters in diameter, a single-person inspection scooter.

  "Where was he expecting to go in that?" Wedge said.

  "Sometimes you take advantage of the only thing you have," Qwi said. "In desperation you have few choices."

  Wedge looked at her, surprised at the insight. Qwi had always struck him as sweet but naive. However, she had learned much since her rescue from Maw Installation.

  The battered inspection scooter drifted in and thumped to the deck plates, guided by the grip of the Yavaris's tractor beams. The New Republic guards pointed their rifles, standing ready.

  The hatch hissed as it unsealed, then popped open. Wedge tensed, then blinked in surprise as a paunchy old man hauled himself out. His face was grizzled, his white hair stood up in unruly shocks. He took deep breaths, scowling in disgust at the interior of his scooter. The guards rushed forward to take the man prisoner. He didn't resist, looking about him in confusion.

  "Bevel Lemelisk!" Qwi said, her eyes filled with anger and surprise.

  "You know this man?" Wedge asked.

  Qwi nodded. Her glittery hair tinkled around her. "He helped me design the Death Star," she said. "Grand Moff Tarkin removed him from Maw Installation to be the chief engineer on the project in the Horuz system. I thought I saw him on Nar Shaddaa, remember?"

  He raised his eyebrows. "Maybe you weren't seeing things after all."

  The guards ushered Lemelisk forward. The old engineer looked at Wedge, then blinked his rheumy eyes in amazement at seeing Qwi.

  "Ah, Qwi Xux--fancy meeting you here! Are you working for these people now? What a coincidence!"

  Her pale blue skin flushed darker. Wedge had never seen Qwi exhibit such anger and agitation before. He realized that the sight of her former engineering partner must be gurgling up old memories that had been sealed away during her forced amnesia.

  "You deceived me, Lemelisk," she said, her voice high and sharp. "You lied to me! While we were working in Maw Installation you never told me our weapons would be used for such death and destruction. You claimed they all had legitimate, peaceful purposes."

  Lemelisk blinked at her again and frowned in disbelief. "Qwi, you were always so brilliant--but in other ways you managed to be incredibly dense."

  She looked as if she had just been slapped, and Wedge grew angry. "You were aboard that Hutt superweapon?"

  "Aboard the Darksaber?" Lemelisk said. "I helped them build the thing! I designed it. Oh, did they get away after all?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

  "No, the weapon was destroyed in the asteroid field."

  "Ah," Lemelisk said. "A pity. Not that I'm surprised, though. I doubted it would work."

  "What about our New Republic commando team?" Wedge asked. "Did you see them?"

  Lemelisk nodded. "Ah yes, the Rebel saboteur. We killed one of their team when they tried to sabotage our engine systems. The other -- I believe his name was Madine — was brought before Lord Durga and summarily executed. He died bravely, of course."

  Wedge felt anger simmering around him, and he gestured to the armed guards. "Take the prisoner and lock him up. We'll bring him back to Coruscant and put him on trial." He lowered his voice in a threat. "But I have no doubt we've got sufficient evidence to order your execution as a threat to galactic peace."

  "Ah, well." Surprisingly, Bevel Lemelisk reacted with resignation instead of fear. "If you're going to execute me," he said, "just make sure you do it right this time."

  YAVIN 4

  CHAPTER 62

  Seventeen Imperial Star Destroyers hovered near the edge of the Yavin system, ordered not to go deeper inside or to engage the overwhelming Rebel forces that had converged to defend the Jedi academy, battleship after battleship. All had been confusion for more than a day, but the Rebels seemed to be reestablishing order.

  Shortly after the destruction of the Knight Hammer, most of the Victory'-class Star Destroyers had already fled back to their rendezvous in the Core Systems. Pellaeon's fleet waited, a distant threat, but able to do nothing.

  "We've detected one more escape pod, Vice Admiral," the sensor chief said.

  Pellaeon tapped his fingers on the command railing and ran his right hand over his mustache. "Very well, lock on the coordinates," he said. "Let's pick it up. I believe most of them have been accounted for now."

  "This one's slightly different, sir," the sensor chief said. "It's broadcasting a command fr
equency. It's been out there for quite a while."

  Pellaeon felt his heart leap. "A command pod? Haul it into our forward bay. I'm going down to meet it."

  He strode briskly to the turbolift and rode the platform down, feeling very old. The Imperial fleet was in a shambles. The battle on Yavin 4 had been a complete rout. The Knight Hammer had gone down in flames: the most powerful warship in Daala's newly unified fleet, as well as a symbol of Imperial power--trounced by Rebel blind luck and reckless determination.

  He stepped into the forward landing bay just as the space-scarred escape pod penetrated the atmosphere-containment fields. He felt a surge of hope upon seeing it, another module launched from the Knight Hammer, this one with heavier armor and no external identification. A command-level pod, obviously. Frost began to dust the outer layers.

  Pellaeon didn't know what to think, what the Empire should do next, how they could salvage this utter defeat. The loss of morale would be devastating. He stepped forward. Stormtrooper guards along the walls stood with weapons ready, just in case the pod happened to be booby-trapped.

  Before Pellaeon could open the hatch, though, it popped open of its own accord, released by an internal access panel. As soon as the stale atmosphere hissed out to mix with the oily, metallic smell of the Firestorm's enclosed bay, Admiral Daala climbed out. Soot smeared her face. Her olive-gray uniform, usually neat, was torn and stained. Blood smeared one cheek, but Pellaeon couldn't tell if it was Daala's own blood or someone else's. Pellaeon's knees grew watery with relief upon seeing her. Daala would know what to do. She could give orders to straighten out the Imperial fleet.

  She stood up slowly, locked her gaze with his, and brushed off her uniform. "Vice Admiral Pellaeon," she said in a dull, lifeless voice, as if forcing the words through her teeth. "In light of this disaster, I--I hereby resign my rank ... and hand over command of all Imperial forces to you."

  The instant of silence sounded like an avalanche.

  She continued, "I will be happy to follow your orders and assist with rebuilding the Empire in any way possible, but I feel that I am no longer capable of commanding so many worthy soldiers. They cannot be asked to lay their lives on the line, to swear allegiance to someone who has been beaten so many times."

  With a precise motion, she coldly and stiffly saluted him, never letting her emerald gaze waver. The stormtroopers stood at attention, drinking in the details.

  "But Admiral, I can't accept this. We need you to rebuild--”

  “Nonsense, Vice Admiral," she said. "You must be strong. Follow your own convictions. We need an opportunity to recover from such a debacle. We need your strength."

  Daala stood next to him looking long and hard into his eyes. "You are in command of the Empire now, Pellaeon," she said.

  She waited rigidly at attention, motionless, until Pellaeon gradually returned her salute.

  CORUSCANT

  CHAPTER 63

  The skies of Coruscant glowed with brilliant signal fires. X-wing fighters dumped clouds of plasma in a diffuse banner high in the twilight. The ionized gases shone with bright colors, spreading out and serving a dual purpose: to celebrate another victory against the Empire, and also to honor those who had died in the recent battles.

  For Crix Madine's memorial service, Luke Skywalker waited beside Leia and Han Solo--but his mind was far, far away. He felt empty and cold. The group waited atop the Imperial palace next to a dazzling signal beacon that stabbed up into the atmosphere. The sharp, thin air whipped around them, but he didn't feel it.

  Overhead, the X-wing fighters continued to soar, splashing their spectacle across the darkening sky. See-Threepio, newly polished and gleaming gold under the bright lights, stood proudly beside his counterpart Artoo-Detoo. "Oh Artoo," he said. "It's been the greatest pleasure serving with you again. I wish you didn't have to return to Yavin 4 and assist Master Luke at his Jedi academy."

  Artoo whistled and twittered, but Threepio straightened in sudden alarm. "What--me? Accompany you to that dense and treacherous jungle? I think not! Here on Coruscant I have many important duties and besides ... it's so much more civilized."

  Artoo gave a low blat of scorn. Chewbacca, standing beside them with his fur neatly combed and washed, groaned something at Threepio.

  Indignant, the gold protocol droid said, "That will be enough from you, Chewbacca. For your information, I am doing a fine job assisting Mistress Leia in her duties as Chief of State."

  Leia looked up, her dark eyes sparkling with unshed tears. An honor guard stood around the upper platform of the immense Imperial palace that looked out upon the towering skylines of the planetwide city. Han remained next to her, troubled but trying to hide it. He placed a comforting arm around Leia's shoulders.

  Young Anakin and the twins, Jacen and Jaina, were dressed in stiff and uncomfortable finery, but they behaved themselves, seeming to sense the somber occasion.

  As Luke looked at Leia's family, it struck home like a dull knife blade in the heart. He wasn't jealous of Leia and her marriage--he and his sister had very different lives -- but he had longed for a similar future with Callista. Only Callista ...

  As two powerful Jedi Knights, they should have been a perfect pair. They could have been deliriously happy, precisely matched--and they would have been, if circumstances hadn't repeatedly conspired against them. Luke's face remained stony, a tired mask that hid his emotions ... but his inner pain at the loss of Callista was so strong even Leia could sense it.

  She flinched, looking at him with concern--but she had her own overwhelming duties as Chief of State now. Luke nodded briefly to reassure her.

  He felt as if he had been continually denied a facet of his humanity. Had becoming a Jedi forced an unknown choice upon him, that he would forever be blocked from the normal joys and loves other humans encountered? He hadn't realized the cost would be so high.

  As Leia stepped to the makeshift podium, the New Republic honor guard snapped to attention, eyes locked forward. Luke glanced at the heavily decorated heroes of the recent Imperial onslaught. His old friend Wedge Antilles stood with new medals pinned to his chest, and beside him the ethereal scientist Qwi Xux blinked her indigo eyes, as if once again amazed to be the center of attention. Admiral Ackbar wore his bright white uniform, riding high as commander of the New Republic fleet.

  The X-wings overhead finished their run and streaked off to battle stations in orbit. The glowing displays in the air faded out, sparkling with bright points of fire that gradually dimmed.

  Leia began to speak, and dozens of image-recording devices, news-droids, and Galactic Information Service representatives transmitted her speech to all the worlds in the New Republic .

  "We are here to celebrate another victory," Leia said, "and to acknowledge its cost. Once again the Empire has attempted to overthrow the rightful government of the galaxy, and once again they have failed. We will always defeat them, because we have the light on our side."

  She looked over at Luke who stared stonily ahead. "This victory has not been without pain, however. Many brave fighters on several wrecked ships have died in their service to the New Republic .”

  "Two Jedi Knights have fallen, as well. Dorsk 81 sacrificed himself in order to drive back a fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers. His action alone saved the lives of the other Jedi Knights on Yavin 4, who continued to fight until Admiral Ackbar and his reinforcements could arrive.”

  "Perhaps it is fortunate that Dorsk 81 did not live long enough to learn that his homeworld Khomm was one of the first targets in Admiral Daala's renewed attack. That planet has been devastated, and even now the New Republic is sending aid and reparations in honor of the great sacrifice their kinsman made.”

  "We also acknowledge the loss of Callista, the Jedi Knight who, though she had lost her powers, still managed to bring about the destruction of the Super Star Destroyer, sending it into the planet Yavin, where we believe she and our nemesis Admiral Daala both perished." Leia paused a moment in somber recollec
tion.

  "On another front," she said, turning toward Wedge, "we are happy to report that the Hutts have been prevented from obtaining their own version of the Death Star superlaser, which they would have used to cause untold havoc upon peaceful systems. General Antilles successfully led the attack that scuttled the Darksaber weapon.”

  "However, this mission too has cost us dearly." Leia's voice dropped. "Because he kept a low profile, General Crix Madine was not well known to many of you. He was our Supreme Allied Commander for Intelligence. By working behind the scenes, he claimed more victories than most of us can imagine: accomplishing goals that were not politically possible to pursue in the open. Madine and his crew of commandos sought out the Hutts' hidden weapon and led General Antilles to its site, though Madine's efforts cost him his own life and the lives of his team."

  She paused and took a deep breath, shuddering.

  Luke looked over at her, able to feel the weight of responsibility crashing around his sister. But Leia was strong, and she held up. When she spoke, it seemed as if she were talking to every citizen individually and specifically.

  "The New Republic is safe once again, thanks to the selfless efforts of our defenders. We must all continue to add our strength." She swallowed. "And may the Force be with you."

  Luke returned to Yavin 4, intending to throw himself entirely into his duties as a Jedi Master--instructing trainees and bringing forth more defenders of the New Republic . That was his main task now, the remaining purpose of his life.

  Out of nostalgia, he and Artoo returned to the jungle moon in a decommissioned X-wing fighter, the type of ship Luke had flown long ago during his initial battles for the Rebel Alliance. When he landed in front of the Great Temple , he saw with a glimmer of warmth in his heart that his Jedi students were busily at work repairing the damage done to the ancient stone structure from the Imperial attack.

  Luke clambered out of his X-wing and then used the Force to yank Artoo out of the navigational socket and lower him gently onto the landing grid. The astromech droid had been used as a test object so many times by the Jedi trainees, he was accustomed to being jostled about by invisible hands.