Star Wars: Rebellion and Betrayal

Chapter 28

"Abafar," Rhodes said to the others as the yacht entered the system. "It's pretty much the only civilized system in the sector."

"Isn't it a big rhydonium exporter?" Twitch asked, joining Rhodes at one of the front-facing viewports.

"It is," Rhodes replied. "And if I remember my Clone Wars briefings correctly, it was the site of a major Separatist plot. They filled an entire Jedi cruiser with rhydonium and tried to ram it into a Republic strategy conference. They failed but it could have been disastrous for the Republic."

"And now the planet is controlled by the Empire," Twitch commented, pointing out the viewport. Sitting in front of the white planet was a small space station with a single Star Destroyer floating along-side it. "How do we know if she is really there?"

Rhodes took a deep breath and let out a slow exhale. He extended one of his arms toward the viewport while closing his eyes. Twitch watched Rhodes impatiently as the Jedi remained motionless. A few seconds later, Rhodes' eyes slowly opened. "She's there, aboard that space station. She's alive. I can feel it."

Twitch pumped a fist and scampered across the room to where Senator Varden was sitting sound asleep on an ornate couch. It took a few jabs to the arm before Lance was startled awake.

"Huh? What's going on?"

"We're here. Above Abafar. Our friend is somewhere on board that small space station."

"Ah, yes. That's right," the old man said while letting out a yawn. "You all can stay here and prepare yourselves. I will get us on board that station."

Rhodes and Twitch watched Lance struggle to his feet and walk toward the cockpit, eventually disappearing out of sight. Twitch made his way over to a small counter against the wall of the ship. He grabbed hold of a dusty helmet and pulled it over his head.

Rhodes couldn't help but laugh as Twitch let out a hoarse cough. "This thing is like ten percent dust," Twitch complained as he walked back over to Rhodes who was checking the two lightsabers attached to the front of his belt.

Before either could say another word, the ship lurched, throwing both men off balance. The two looked at each other before running to the cockpit.

"What was that?" Twitch shouted once entering the small cockpit.

Lance turned around with a surprisingly calm expression on his face. "We are caught in a tractor beam. They are guiding us into the space station... I think."

"You think!" Twitch exclaimed. "Something is wrong."

As he was frantically looking between Lance and the slowly approaching space station, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Remain calm, Twitch," Rhodes started. "If something was amiss, the Star Destroyer would have fired on us already. Besides, there is not much we can do while caught in a tractor beam so no reason to stress."

Twitch grunted and retreated to the back of the ship, standing near the ship's landing ramp. He was soon joined by Lance who left Rhodes to hide in the cockpit with the two guards.

The two sat in silence as the ship eventually set down in the space station. The ramp lowered to reveal a stormtrooper with an orange pauldron on his shoulder. "The Admiral is expecting you. Right this way."

Lance nodded and walked after the trooper with Twitch following behind. Twitch tried his best to mask the tension in his body. That was made even more difficult as two additional stormtroopers appeared behind Twitch, seemingly breathing down his neck.

Twitch's arms were at his side, his right-hand hovering near the blaster pistol fastened to his hip. As much as he didn't want to, he could drop the two troopers in a matter of seconds but that would blow this mission almost instantly. Instead, he tried his best to relax as they left the hangar.