The Rebel Faction

Jeori just lay there for a moment and let the full implications of that sink in. Everything was destroyed... but Mon Calamari had been saved. 'What of the ships at Ando? If I remember correctly we left some remaining there, in case it was assaulted?"

Her face became troubled once more. "Do you remember when Colonel Ragabag reported that Warlord Heramy Gerloc escaped?"

"Yes." His expression became curious. "Why?"

"He and a large group of Aquala seized control of the planet by force. He then destroyed the Shipyards and the Star Cruisers positioned there, and killed all of the Mon Calamari Republic officials."

Jeori spun his eyes quickly around the room, never letting them rest for more than an instant on anything-a sign of extreme distress for a Calamarian. "So we have nothing."

"No, that is not so. Admiral Filgad took command in your absence, and ordered the construction of some cruisers, as well as some shipyards. Admiral Kreegon is also away on a diplomatic mission to Kamino."

"Filgad has done well in my absence. He will have to be commended." Jeori said, almost to himself. He struggled to pull himself into a sitting position. "But it is time for me to return to command."

"No, sir!" said the medic. "You must rest. You are not yet healed!"

"I'll be fine." He assured her. "The pain isn't that bad. I'll make sure I get plenty of rest." He swung his webbed feet over the side of the bed, and slowly stood up. "Now, where is Filgad?"

A knock on his door startled Jeori out of his dreams. He sat up quickly, and then realized where he was. He straightened his uniform, and began typing again. It would not do if his subordinates knew that he had fallen asleep in his office.

“Come in.” he said.

A mottled green and blue Calamari head stuck through the door. “Sir, we’ve received a transmission from Ando. They want to talk to you personally.”

He swore silently to himself. If this was Warlord Gerloc, he would go to Ando with his entire fleet and blow the @#%$ to hell. “I’ll take it in my office.”

“Very well, Admiral.”

He typed a few keys at his desk, and suddenly the holo of an Aqualish-possibly female, although he couldn’t tell-appeared above his desk. “I am Admiral Jeori Teebo of the Mon Calamari Republic. You requested to talk with me?”

“Yes, Admiral. As I am sure you are aware, Warlord Heramy Gerloc took control of the planet.”

“Yes.”

“He did so with the aid of a large group of Aquala, like himself. They believed themselves to be above the Quara, and felt that they should rule the planet alone, rather than the joint government we have now. He invaded the government house and killed many Aqualish, then secured himself as head of the government. He then proceeded to destroy all of your vessels here, and sent out hunting parties to kill any who opposed him.”

Teebo said nothing, but secretly he was surprised. He knew the Aqualish to be a violent race, but he did not know that they held a hatred for one another because some had hands with fingers, and some were finned.

“Many of us, not only Quara, but also some Aquala too, fled to safety. We have organized a rebellion against his rebellion. We wish to establish peace once more.” She paused for a brief moment. “However, I think the only way to achieve our goals is by war.”

“And you want the support of the Mon Calamari Republic.”

“Yes, Admiral.” She replied.

“I will do so under one condition. You must agree to join the Republic once the threat of the Warlord has ended.”

“We were planning to do so anyway, with or without you aid.”

“Excellent.”

“However,” she said slowly, “We have one minor problem.”

“And what might that be?”

“The Warlord’s ships are ordered to shoot anyone on sight.” She thought for a moment. “We could create a diversion to allow you to land a shuttle on our world, and we could discuss this matter further.”

“Yes, that would be good.” He cocked one of his eyes to the orbiting Star Cruiser. “However, I don’t want to bring in any heavy force yet, nor let it be known that we are aiding you. Is there any way that we can sneak onto you planet, without the Warlord being aware?”

She turned aside to talk to someone off screen for a moment. “That is possible. We could sabotage the Warlord’s sensors on the night side, and then you could come in virtually undetected.”

Jeori appeared thoughtful. “That would work. We would need to set a time, though. It would have to be coordinated.”

“Yes. Come in four days, at 0600 exactly. We will be waiting for you on a rocky island in the northern hemisphere. I’ll transmit you the coordinates in a moment.”

Jeori waited until the numbers appeared on the screen. “Very well. I’ll see you then.”

She nodded, and signed off. Jeori leaned back in his chair, and put his large flippered hands behind his head. If he could pull this off, it would be excellent. He would have to make sure to finish the Warlord this time. He could not be allowed to escape again.

A pair of guards entered Jeori’s cell. One of them walked over to him and kicked him in to the groin. “Get up. The Warlord wants to see you.” Jeori stood up slowly, and staggered, putting his hand out against the wall to steady himself. One of the guards stuck a blaster into his back. “Come on.”

“And don’t try any funny business.” said the other.

They led him down a narrow hallway. It was old, and it was leaking. He could see water dripping from cracked pipes above his head. They clearly wanted him to be aware that he was a prisoner, in a beat up old jail. One of the guards stopped at a door, and pulled out a key card. He slid it through the lock, and it took a moment to confirm it. The door beeped, and the guard pushed him into it. “The Warlord will be with you shortly.”

The guard closed the door and left him there. Jeori struggled to get up. He had been treated badly the entire time he was here. He had been fed meager rations, he had been kicked around, and he had been beaten. Never once had they even asked him any questions. He guessed that the Warlord had finally learned who he was.

And that would be his mistake. Now would be the perfect chance to stage his escape. The guards had searched his body, and had taken his blaster and comlink, but they had not found his lightsaber. He had kept it concealed within his uniform. He pulled it out now. He knew that this would be the only chance he would get.

He cut open a hole in the door, then stepped out into the hallway. The Aqualish had been so certain that he would not even try to escape that they had left no guards. He smirked. They probably thought that he was too weak to escape. What they didn’t know was that he had been secretly using Jedi healing techniques. He had feigned weakness, and had feigned pain. They were so easy to fool.

He walked over to the next hallway, and then spun around quickly as he heard a noise behind him.

There was nothing.

It was faint, but he was sure he had heard something. He stretched out his Jedi senses, and surely enough, he felt a presence nearby. But as he pinpointed it, he realized that it was coming from inside the wall.

What the hell?

Then he saw a narrow beam elegonate from within, piercing out to cut a hole in the wall. A female Aqualish stepped out, then turned and looked at him in shock. “Admiral! You’re alive?”

“Of course I’m alive.” He said, relief flooding through him. This was the Aqualish who had asked him to come here. “Now quick, let’s get out of here.”
“Yeah.” She replied, and stepped back through the hole she had cut. “Come on. This will lead back to my wavespeeder.”

He followed her down, and noticed what appeared to be an elaborate labyrinth of secret tunnels. She seemed to know where she was going, but to Jeori, who was familiar with Mon Calamari architecture, he had no idea. He was lost after the first few turns.

After some time she stopped and pushed on a wall. What was invisible before became a narrow doorway. “This way.” She said. Jeori followed her, and found himself inside a cramped underwater hangar. In the middle sat an Aqualish wavespeeder. “Let’s go back to HQ.” she said, and climbed inside. Jeori speechless, followed her. He had said nothing since they had started through the tunnels.

"Commander Tanor," a young Aqualish officer said, "Thee submarines are in position."

"Excellent," she replied. “Commence attack run immidiately.”

The battle had been going well, but it was obvious who the winner would be. The Warlord’s forces were in much greater numbers that the Peace Government. Jeori and Adract knew this, and had organized a plan to defeat his forces.

Hundreds of submarines surfaced on each flank of the Warlord’s army, and unloaded payload after payload of missiles into his ships. Soon his forces were reduced to destroyed hulks of cruisers, with only a few dozen left.

“Commander, a shuttle is lifting off from the Warlord’s flagship. We believe it is him.”

“Shoot him down!” She cried. Turbolasers shot after his shuttle, but soon he was out of range.

“Commander,” an officer said, sounding puzzled, “The shuttle has just launched a missile. It’s configurations are nothing like I have ever seen before.”

“What-“ she was cut off as a tremendous explosion ripped through the water, hurtling shockwaves in all directions. Jeori was slammed to the deck. When the ship stopped lurching he stood up once more, on albeit shaky feet.

“What happened?” he said.

“It appears to be some sort of super-missile.” An Aqualish replied. “All of our ships have been destroyed, or have sustained heavy damage.”

“So we’re sitting ducks.”

“No, sir. The warlord leapt to hyperspace just after he launched it. It appears he only wanted to try to destroy us.”

Teebo nodded grimly. They had one, but they had paid the price.

The Price of Peace.