AFTER FELUCIA, Raxus Prime and Corellia.
Juno could see Starkiller’s grief visibly turning to anger as he realized exactly how far he had been played for a fool by his Master.
“Yes, you did do what he wanted. There’s no point hiding from it—and now the fate of the Alliance rests on your shoulders. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
He wrestled with his emotions and thoughts. When he raised his head, he was resolved.
“We’re going after Vader. And the Rebels.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Not yet.”
“Do you know how this is going to end?”
He hesitated, and then shook his head. “No.”
BUT THERE HAD TO BE AN ENDING. The only question was: When?
“Juno—”
“Don’t say it. Don’t say a word.” She glanced at him. “Just tell me you’re still sure. This is what we have to do, right?”
“It is.”
“All right.”
The air outside was cold but breathable. As the ramp opened, it rushed in around them, making her shiver.
The view down to the surface of the Death Star was giddying, but she was unable to look away.
“I have a really bad feeling about this.”
“Then we must be doing the right thing.” She looked up at him. “Am I going to see you again?”
“Probably not, no.”
“Then I guess I’ll never need to live this down.”
She pulled him closer to her and kissed him hard on the lips.
THAT LOOKED LIKE AN ENDING. It certainly felt like an ending.
“He’s at one with the Force NOW,” Kota said.
AND WHEN THINGS ENDED, they stayed ended.
“We need a symbol to rally behind,” Leia said. “Agreed,” said Garm Bel Iblis.
The Princess wiped dust from the table, revealing Starkiller’s family crest etched into the wood. “A symbol of hope.”
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO, anyway.
Juno watched the Rogue Shadow leave Corellia with a sinking heart, although she knew it would be perfectly safe in Kota and Bail Organa’s hands. There were just so many memories attached to it. Letting it go was like losing a part of herself. Unfortunately, she wasn’t losing the part of her that still ached for him. That remained exactly where it was, in the center of her chest, pounding like a funeral drum …
“I hardly ever see you smile,” said Shyre, tapping her dangling boot with one of his metal legs. “You wisecrack and take shots at everyone, but you don’t laugh. Is there a reason for that?”
Juno wished she hadn’t had that last eyeblaster. It was making her head ache but doing nothing at all to help her forget.
“It’s old news,” she said, wondering if maybe the problem wasn’t having one too many, but not having had enough.
She was beginning to wonder if there would ever be enough.
“Congratulations, Captain,” said Commodore Viedas on the bridge of her first command. “The Salvation is a fine ship. It will serve you well, and I know you will return the compliment.”
“Thank you, sir.” She tried not to stare around the bridge in wonder. The truth was that she felt proud and daunted at the same time. She had come a long way from TIE fighter squadrons and secret missions for Darth Vader.
Her expression fell, as it always did when he came to mind.
“Don’t worry,” said the commodore, coming closer to whisper a brisk reassurance. “We all feel nervous the first time out.”
He had misunderstood her mood, but she didn’t correct him. Better to let him believe what he wanted to believe, and to keep her scars hidden.
“Let’s not be blinded as Kota was,” said Mon Mothma, “by the dream of an easy victory. We learned the hard way that will never be our lot.”
“You wouldn’t be saying that if Starkiller were here.”
Mon Mothmas looked at her sternly. “He’s not here, so the point is irrelevant.”
* * *
Juno stared, blinking, as a figure dressed entirely in black leapt out of a hole in the floor. The bounty hunter fired three shots in quick succession. The energy bolts were deflected by a pair of spinning lightsabers into the walls, where they discharged brightly. By their light, Juno saw the face of the man running toward her.
Juno stared at the clone in the tube, her jaw working. Through her distress and confusion, one core certainty remained. It didn’t matter where Starkiller came from or what he was, just so long as he was the same man she had loved. She would know who he was the moment she saw him. Nothing in the universe could keep that truth from her.
Vader stepped aside. Juno saw Starkiller, and he saw Juno. In that moment she knew.
She knew that she was right and Darth Vader was wrong. Shyre was wrong. Mon Mothma was wrong.
EVERYONE WHO INSISTED STARKILLER’S story had ended was wrong.
“Your feelings for her are not real,” Vader insisted.
“They are real to me.”
NOT EVEN DEATH could stop her from hearing him call her name.
“Juno … come back …”
CHAPTER 27
JUNO’S FACE WAS WET. From tears or the rain, she couldn’t tell. Her entire being felt relieved of a mighty weight—as though an incredible pain had just been taken from her, leaving her not quite of the world.
Kamino.
Memories rushed back in.
Vader.
An echo of that terrible pain swept through her, and then disappeared forever.
Starkiller.
He was holding her. She could smell him. When she opened her eyes, she could see him right there, so close to her, that he almost seemed part of her. His forehead pressed firmly against hers. His eyes were closed and his face was wet, too, although perhaps not from only the rain.
She reached up and touched his cheek, felt him start and almost pull away.
Their eyes met.
Weightless, impossible, miraculous—there were no words for how she felt. Time had rolled back, and so many wrongs had been righted, just by being here, now, with him.
She pulled herself up and kissed him properly, without fear, without regret, and without the smallest doubt that it was the most perfect thing to do in that moment.
He held her as though he planned never to let go.
“We’re alive,” she whispered into his ear. “We are both of us so very alive.”
EPILOGUE: Kamino
SOMETIMES, ON EXCEEDINGLY rare occasions, it stopped raining on Kamino. On this occasion, Starkiller thought, there might be a very good, meteorological reason for the relatively fair turn in the weather. Numerous fires burned in the doomed facility, sending hot air rising into the cloud layer, while the upper atmosphere still boiled from the battle that had only recently finished. He wasn’t, therefore, entirely surprised by the sudden sunlight that shone weakly down onto the restless ocean. He just knew it wouldn’t last.
“The Rogue Shadow’s on its way,” said Kota. “As far as containment and concealment go, that remains our best bet.”
“Agreed,” said Juno, all business. She stayed at Starkiller’s side, tightly holding his hand, having made it clear several times that she was unwilling to be parted from him. He wasn’t remotely inclined to force the point. It still seemed a miracle that they were together again, after all the obstacles the universe had placed in their path.
“And you,” said Kota to him in a sharper tone. “Where do you stand now? Are you with us or going off on your own, now that you have what you want?”
Juno glanced anxiously at him. There hadn’t been time to talk about how this changed things. He didn’t know when they would find time to.
“I’m with you,” he said, sure that Juno would have it no other way. Wherever his destiny lay, it would be with her and the Rebellion she served, if they would have him. “One hundred percent.”
Kota nodded, although his relief was clouded. They had
scored a significant victory against the Empire, but so much more needed to be done. If Kota still wanted him to be a rallying point, then so be it. As long as it got the job done.
In that sense, he supposed, it didn’t matter if he was a clone or not. The ends justified the means. And the ultimate end was to defeat the Emperor. He was sure no one would quibble about his pedigree when that day arrived.
Still, the clones he had murdered on Kamino would haunt him forever, he knew. What gave them any less right to live than him? If he was one of them, the stain of fratricide—or suicide—would always be on his hands.
Unless, he suddenly thought to himself, the Starkiller who had died on the Death Star had been a clone, and he was the original after all. Maybe then, if that were the case, his doubts would be settled.
Only one person knew the truth. And he wasn’t talking.
Juno squeezed his hand, as though sensing his inner conflict and seeking to reassure him. He squeezed back, wishing they had time to be alone. They had so much to talk about, so many events to catch up on. Now that they had both returned from death, it was finally time to start living.
Someone shouted on the other side of the spire roof. Starkiller anxiously glanced in that direction, right hand reaching for the lightsaber hilt at his belt.
It was nothing. Just a slight disagreement over the proper fastening of the harness. Still, his attention was diverted.
“Go help,” said Juno. “I’ve got a meeting to attend, anyway.” She kissed him briefly on the lips. “Just don’t go too far away.”
Starkiller understood that sentiment completely. The power of love had brought her back to him—he could see no other explanation for it. It hadn’t been the Force, and it hadn’t been medical science, unless there was more happening on Kamino than simple cloning. However it had happened, he couldn’t assume that just because it had happened once, it would ever happen again.
Only with great reluctance did he allow his hand to leave hers, telling himself that surely a few meters wouldn’t hurt.
Leaving Kota and Juno to discuss Alliance business, he strode over to where the members of Kota’s new squad were dealing with the weighty matter of the prisoner.
JUNO WATCHED HIM go and was unable to hold in a smile. She still couldn’t believe it had worked out this way. Kota was alive, Vader captured, Starkiller back at her side, and the operation on Kamino a success. She was certain now that the Alliance would see the sense in Kota’s approach and ultimately succeed in all its aims.
Feeling Kota’s blind-eyed attention on her, she shifted the direction of her own stare. Above them, numerous capital ships orbited, including the gutted remains of the three Star Destroyers stationed in the system to defend the facility. She counted several Alliance cruisers and frigates, among them one whose configuration she didn’t recognize.
“Where’d that come from?” she asked, pointing.
“The MC-Eighty?” Kota said. “A friend of yours on Dac heard you were in trouble and sent it to help. Tipped the balance in our favor.”
Her smile broadened. Ackbar. Things were coming together with incredible speed. Whatever Starkiller had done to bring her back, he seemed to have made everything else right as well.
PROXY came to join them. “I am expecting the transmission at any moment,” he said. “There have been some difficulties establishing completely secure protocols but I believe—”
The droid stopped in midsentence. His holoprojectors sparkled and shimmered. With a crackling noise, his appearance and posture changed, and Juno found herself staring at the youthful face of Bail Organa’s daughter.
“I received your message, General,” Leia said, “but as you’re supposed to be dead, I’m not sure how much credence to give it.”
“It’s true, Your Highness,” he told her. “We have him.”
“Vader himself?”
“He’s being prepared for transport as we speak.”
Leia looked as though she still couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “This changes everything! When the Emperor hears we’ve got his prize thug on a leash …” She visibly snapped herself out of her thoughts. “That’s not for me to decide. Captain Eclipse, I’m relieved to see you in one piece, too.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“I hope you’re not seriously injured.”
Juno raised her left forearm, which was encapsulated by a field brace. Her shoulder still bothered her, but she didn’t notice the pain anymore. “I’ll live.” She would indeed.
“My commiserations regarding the Salvation. I understand it was lost during the assault on Kamino.”
“A small price to pay,” she said, although she reminded herself to take Starkiller to task for that, later. If he made a habit of destroying her commands, she would never get anywhere in the Alliance hierarchy. “We’ll use the Rogue Shadow to ferry Vader to Dantooine.”
Kota added, “At the same time, we’ll send a dozen freighters in a dozen different directions. Even if someone finds out we have him, they won’t know which ship to follow.”
“Excellent,” said Leia. “And the security detail?”
Juno and Kota exchanged glances.
“We have it covered,” she said.
“It’s not just the Imperials we have to worry about,” Leia said, her face very serious. “As I’m sure you’re very aware, General, there are plenty of people on our own side who would like to see Vader dead. The mission to overthrow the Emperor is more important than any personal vendetta.”
Kota cleared his throat. It sounded like the growl of a large and dangerous animal.
“Rest assured, Your Highness,” he said, “that if Vader dies in custody, it won’t be by my hand. And anyone who tries will feel the hot edge of my blade.”
Leia nodded. “Thank you, General Kota. I know I can trust you.”
Kota nodded stiffly, as he always did when offered a compliment. Leia smiled reassuringly, and Juno was impressed by the deftness with which she handled him. She combined the military understanding of Garm Bel Iblis and the diplomacy of Mon Mothma. Perhaps, Juno thought, she might turn out to be the one to marry both means and end and thereby unite the Alliance, not her father or Kota or even Juno. If she only had time to grow up …
“I’d like to debrief with you personally, Captain Eclipse,” Leia said. “Do you think we’ll have the opportunity on Dantooine?”
“I hope so, Princess,” Juno said, surprised but pleased that Leia had made the overture.
Kota said, “We’ll contact you again once we have Vader safely locked away.”
“Good.” Leia’s expression was cautiously optimistic. After the bickering and confusion of recent weeks, it looked good on her. “This is a turning point for the Alliance. You should both be very proud. May the Force be with you.”
Juno saluted and Kota bowed. PROXY’s holographic form dissolved, and Leia was gone.
“Keeping him a secret is going to be difficult,” said Kota.
“Which ‘him’?”
The general inclined his head to where Starkiller was assisting the imprisonment team. “My squad will never tell anyone. You can be sure of that. But they’re not the only ones who’ve seen him. A pilot is asking about someone who hitched a ride on his Y-wing. Some of the survivors of the Salvation have been talking, too. I think we can trust Berkelium Shyre, but—”
“Starkiller was on Malastare?”
“Yes, two days ago. Why?”
She shook her head. It didn’t matter. They would have plenty of time later to chart their near misses. Hopefully the repairman didn’t say anything untoward.
“I thought you wanted him to lead the charge.”
Kota sighed. “I do, yes, but our illustrious leaders need to sort themselves out first. He can’t keep swooping in and fixing things for them. And the questions—people will insist on asking …”
“Is that why you didn’t tell me about him?”
He nodded, jaw set like stone, and Juno could tell wha
t was going through his mind. It had been going through hers, in the bounty hunter’s prison ship. Until they knew for certain where Starkiller had come from, would the Rebel Alliance ever really believe in him? Would have Juno herself, had she not seen him with her own eyes?
Bail Organa’s words came back to her. “I don’t trust that kind of power.” He, at least, would be especially difficult to convince.
Juno felt a faint pang of regret at that. Of the few people she could have talked to about how she was feeling, Leia was the only one she trusted to be completely honest and objective. But her loyalty to the Alliance and her father was fierce, too. This was a bomb Juno couldn’t afford to drop in her lap without being sure it wasn’t about to go off.
War got in the way of friendship, just as it got in the way of love. The list of casualties wasn’t confined just to people. She knew with a sinking feeling that the debriefing session on Dantooine, if it happened at all, would have to be all business, for both of their good.
So much for being a role model, she thought …
“I’ll encourage him to keep a low profile,” she said, confident that Vader and Kota himself would give the Alliance leadership plenty to argue about for now. “What about Kamino? I hope you’re not thinking of leaving all this behind for the Emperor to start up again.”
“We’ll search the databases for any information on the space station the Emperor’s building. I’m sure it’s all been erased, but it’s still worth looking. Then we’ll ditch the Star Destroyers into the ocean and wreck the facilities with the resulting tsunami. In an hour or two, there’ll be nothing left.”
“Good,” she said, thinking of Vader’s sinister efforts to recreate the perfect—and perfectly evil—apprentice. The sooner they were at the bottom of the ocean, the better.
She thought of Dac, and smiled again. If forest worlds were bad for her, then ocean worlds were the opposite. The sea air suited her, clearly.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Page 27
