The air on the
Coral Wish was tense as the rebellious crew of shipwrights, staryard dock workers, and idealists waited for the Tingle Arm Coalition fleet to drop into Dac space. The Empire had seen this coming. Not surprising really.
Fynch
had made a name for himself, collecting a rag-tag group of Jedi, soldiers, and freedom fighters and turning them, with a little help from some pretty wealthy backers, into a force to be reckoned with. They had blazed across the outer edges of the Tingle Arm on a route to the Commander's home. Lothal.
The Force had called her to Dac. The tightening of the Empire's fist here radiated out to her across the cosmos, and she had headed the call, coming to the water world and home of rebellion. What she had found surprised her. Or rather, it surprised her how far they were willing to go for freedom.
Jedi Master Ekkeke Shale placed a calming hand on the Mon Calamari commander's shoulder. She radiated confidence and peace through the Force, subduing the dark shadows that hung over the mixed Mon Cal, Quarren crew.
"Peace be upon you, Commander Webb. The Force will provide. They will come." The old commander turned a grey, wisened eye in her direction. He was older than she was, having fought in every major war since the end of the Gulag Plague and some forgotten conflicts in the dark times before. He'd long since retired from the now defunct Galactic Republic and from his homeworld's defense force. He'd only joined up with the budding resistance movement after his grandson was killed working in the shipyards. The Imperials had told him "Oh well" and the next day a new young lad filled his grandson's spot.
"I hope so," Webb said.
"The moon will only hide us for so long before-"
"Cronau radiation spike in sector 3 off Vector 12!" Souted a Quarren deck officer. Ekkeke smiled. They were here.
"Battle stations!" Webb spluttered, rotating the command chair back to face the main viewport of their cruiser.
Four capital ships and a dozen small freighters and tug boats pulled from behind Dac's moon. They were a cobbled together force of disgruntled freedom fighters. Their lead ship, the
Coral Wish looked skeletal, like a whaladon beached and picked at by seabirds. It was some mon cal cruiser, sold back by salvagers from one failed government or another. It was the largest vessel in the fleet, but that wasn't saying much. The other capital ships were in a smilar state. Set for salvage for new Imperial vessels, these were a little more recently built than the Wish, originally designed for the Mon Calamari defense fleet. They were a remnant of resistance from when the Empire first came to Dac, their hulls bearing the scorch marks from turbolaser fire and missile burns.
"Coalition fleet," Commander Webb said over the com,
"This is Commander Webb of the Dac Coalition of Freedom. Firstly, I think you for coming to our aid in this dark time...Secondly, we are at your disposal." Ekekke reached over the commander and depressed the com button again.
"For Light and Life."
"FOR LIGHT AND LIFE" the rest of the crew shouted behind her.
"I'll be in my quarters, Commander," she said and turned from the viewport. Webb started.
"You won't be here for the battle? I thought-"
"I commanded from the ground. Not the stars." She patted Webb's chair and smiled kindly.
"But I believe in you. Do not worry, the Force will provide."
The doors hissed closed behind her, darkening her cabin in the ship. Webb had wanted to give her the captain's quarters, but she'd refused. She was an old-fashioned Jedi. Despite her refusal of the captain's quarters, Webb had still given a whole two-man cabin to her, though she didn't have much use for all this space. On the other bunk lay her bag, the rest of the room remaining undecorated or cluttered. She took a deep breath and settled into the center of the room, cross legged, eyes closed.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me..." I am one with the Force and the Force is with me...
