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Alarms sounded throughout the ship as the disruptor field that had held the Incisive dissipated. The Deathstar, thirty five degrees to port, retreated from the expanding shockwave with surprising speed.
In shock still, the Alliance crew reacted instinctively.
" Shields?" Raaphorst demanded;still transfixed at the viewport.
" Coming up to full." Someone responded.
" Weapons charged and ready."
" The scanners detect three T.I.E.'s approaching at 1-1-9.06!" The weapons officer shouted.
" Take us out of here, Captain." Brenn commanded, finally sinking to a nearby seat." Set coordinates for Bestine. Warn the battlegroup to bypass the system as soon as we make the transit, and get me a secured channel to the Revenant."
Building speed for the jump to hyperspace, the Incisive's Captain watched two of the T.i.E.'s in his rear scopes vanish in a shower of sparks. Victims of hurtling debris. The last abandoned the pursuit, heading back to the retreating Deathstar as the rebel ship went lightspeed.
Aerolone Mothma sat, grim faced, in Major's stateroom aboard the Revenant. She had been there for five hours, the last one spent nervously pacing and watching the wall chrono.
Major had tried everything to calm her; hot theine, neck massage-when he could persuade her to sit. If he had never understood the pressure Aerolone placed on herself,he did now.
" Don't worry before you have to, Aree." Major drawled, his eyes closing as he sprawled on a couch near the door.
" I have' to!" Mothma snapped, turning to glare at the Freedom's Son. " If it bothers you, I'll do it elsewhere."
Major opened his eyes to return her hard gaze.
" Do you think I'd leave you alone now?" He responded softly.
The comm signal jolted them both. It was Captain Yates, informing Mothma that a secure-channel transmission was incoming from the Incisive.
An eerie transformation overcame the Alliance President as she reached for the headset and sat at the console. Stone-faced, eyes glazed and expressionless, Mothma listened to the message. Concerned, Major moved beside her to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. It was trembling.
" Transmission understood." Aerolone replied softly. " I await your arrival and your full report." Mothma removed the headset saying nothing further,lowered her face into her hands ,doubling over,sobbing.
Major fell to his knees beside her, his arms encircling her tenderly.
" What, Aree? What's happened?" He whispered.
" It's gone." Aerolone shuddered. " It's gone. Alderaan is gone."
It took a moment to process. They had murdered a world.Palpatine, his traitorous kinsman, had altered the shape of history and metamorphisized hope into despair. Black rage filled Major's heart, the beast was near. He remembered, welcomed it.
" We'll make them pay, Aree. I'll make him pay!" Major snarled.
" NO!" Mothma jumped up, tears streaking her face as she pushed past him. " We haven't any hope!"
" You've never given up in your life, President Mothma!" Major stalked after her, grasped her arm and swung her around to face him." You're not going to start now!"
" YOU DAMN FOOL!" Aerolone pulled away,teeth clenched, eyes wide with fear and anger. " Who in their right mind is going to stand against Palpatine now? We have no defense against that thing! When our Allies learn of Alderaan, this rebellion will be what it was in the beginning...a handful of people with high ideals. As long as the Deathstar exists, we're finished."
Leia Organa understood hopelessness as she lay in her cell.
There was no hope for her; no future, no family, no Alderaan. No reason to go on. No reason to fight death when it came through the cell doors for her.
She heard the hatch slide open, but kept her eyes closed; hoping it was Vader and it would end quickly.
Something, an unexpected sound, made her look.
Standing alone in the doorway, head tilted curiously, was a lone stormtrooper.
" Aren't you a little short for a stromtrooper?" She heard herself remark stupidly; though she meant it to sound defiant.
The helmet came off slowly, and Leia Organa looked into eyes she would remember forever.
" I'm Luke Skywalker." The voice sent chills through her. " I'm here to rescue you."
END -Book IV of The Vanguard Chronicles
Two shall be born, the whole wide worlds apart
and speak in different tounges, and have no thought
each of the other's being, and no heed;
and these, through unknown stars, to unknown lands
shall cross, escaping wreck, defying death;
and all unconsciously shape every act
and bend each wandering step to this one end
that one day, out of darkness , they shall meet
and read life's meaning in each others eyes.
Fate - Susan Marr Spalding
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