Star Wars: Saber Battalion/Epilogue

Star Wars: Saber Battalion

Epilogue

“I still can't believe we pulled it off, sir,” Carth Onasi was saying to the captain of the Endar Spire as the two officers, flanked by the two Jedi who had accompanied the warship from Coruscant, walked toward the Marine barracks aboard Stalwart Defender. “When the Sith showed up, I was expecting a bloodbath.”

“I've never seen such a one-sided victory, either,” Captain Fullar replied. “Not even the Mandalorians were able to overpower an enemy with such seeming ease.”

In the day following the Republic's raid on the Sith fleet supply base and subsequent rout of a superior force, Admiral Hetton's task force had changed tack. Instead of demolishing the base and retreating, he had turned it into a staging area, sending the newly-redesignated Saber Battalion, reinforced by the rest of the task force's ground troops and armored vehicles, out to liberate the planet itself. Despite its strategic location, the Sith presence was limited, with only a few hotspots remaining; these were swiftly taken care of by strafing runs from the Aurek squadrons. The Iridonian government, impressed with the resounding victory, had readily accepted the return of Republic troops. What was more, Captain Laera Reyolé's Marines had secured an intelligence coup after having sifted through the Sith computer network. This was why the four guests from the Endar Spire were now aboard the flagship, to hear what they had found out and learn what was next for the flotilla.

“We know what happened,” said Wellir, the Mon Calamari Jedi Knight, whose tone was somber despite the circumstances. “My Padawan and I are hoping to shed some light on the battle, and to talk to Captain Reyolé.”

“Of course,” Fullar deferred. “I look forward to it.”

Carth turned toward the young woman who strode at the back of their small column. “I don't think I ever got your name, Miss...”

The Padawn dipped her head in a small bow as the quartet continued to walk. “Shan,” she replied modestly. “Bastila Shan, and it was my honor to have been able to help.”

“From what I hear, you did more than help,” Carth said with awe. “I'd never heard of&mdash;ah, there she is!”

Captain Laera Reyolé, in her dress reds, was just emerging from a briefing room. “Commander Onasi, Captain Fullar, there you are,” she said, holding the hatchway open. “One of my ensigns found something interesting yesterday, and you're going to want to see it as well.”

“What's this about?” Wellir spoke up as he and his Padawan hurried to keep pace with the Republic officers. Laera said nothing, only beckoning the four of them to enter the room, which they did. Inside, at the far end, a holographic star map had been set up; at a table in the center sat Admiral Hetton, along with the captains of Delta Dagger and Horseshoe, as well as Captain Tyr, head of the task force's starfighter wing. Curiously, a Bothan ensign sat near the head of the table, looking nervous in the presence of so many senior officers and Jedi.

Shutting the door behind the newcomers, Laera strode purposefully toward the head of the table, where she sat opposite the ensign. Admiral Hetton then stood up and regarded the projection. “Rodia,” he announced. “That was where the Sith reinforcements were headed, and they were to be but a part of a larger attack force. Ensign Dan'kre here was able to pull their entire operational plan during Captain Reyolé's assault; thanks to him, we'll be able to stop this offensive cold. I've already forwarded this data to Republic Intelligence, and we're to meet up with the Second Fleet at the edge of the system as soon as possible.

“There's just one thing I have to know,” he asked, regarding the two Jedi at the far end of the table. “What exactly happened that allowed us to execute such a devastating attack with almost no casualties?”

“I'd like to know, as well,” Laera put in.

“It's called Battle Meditation,” Wellir supplied. “A rare ability, it can influence entire armies, calling upon their inner strength and willpower, while at the same time demoralizing enemy forces. I had been training with my Padawan here in order to develop its presence within her. Like the rest of you, I'm just as glad&mdash;and surprised&mdash;that she was able to master it so suddenly...”

&mdash; &mdash; &mdash;

Leaving behind most of Saber Battalion, along with six thousand of the task force's Army troops and three of its Aurek squadrons, including the 23rd Marines and 52nd Navy fliers, Admiral Hetton and his task force had set a hyperspace course toward the outer edges of the Tyrius system. The trip would take at least a day, during which the crews of the four warships did what they could to patch up the relatively minor damage that had been incurred during the short but frantic battle. In her darkened quarters, clad in her BDUs, Laera sat on her bunk, opposite Jedi Knight Wellir and his Padawan, Bastila Shan, who had brought in a pair of stools.

"I felt your struggle with the dark side," Wellir said, his far-set eyes reduced to amber crescents. "You nearly lost yourself in the duel against your former comrade."

Laera looked from the Mon Calamari to his apprentice, the young human woman who could easily be half her age. and back. "The dark side," she sighed, wiping her brow. "I guess no amount of forewarning can ever really prepare you to meet it, especially within yourself."

"Precisely," Wellir replied. "Bastila's Battle Meditation helped you to understand what was going on within, but it was you who made the choice to let go of your anger and your rage, and to go forward as a servant of the light."

"I don't feel particularly light at the moment, though," Laera shrugged. "He, that is to say, Acaadi, said some things, things that have been eating at me ever since we met in combat."

"Whatever he told you, you must not take at face value." Wellir said, his body language indicating frankness. "The dark side is beguiling, misleading; deception, secrets and lies are its dominion. You will rarely, if ever, meet an honest Sith, and certainly not among those allied with Darth Revan."

Laera nodded, then looked back at the Jedi Knight, meeting his gaze. "Which means that now, more than ever, we should be doing what we can to fight the darkness whenever and wherever it is revealed."

"Such is the way of the Jedi Guardian," Wellir agreed, his facial barbels quivering. "Such is the way of the Jedi Marine and her Saber Battalion..."

Fin

Chapter Seven &mdash; Star Wars: Saber Battalion