Not a Terrorist?
High Governor Mors head was pounding with a dull ache when she woke up. The shrill sounds of alarms echoed throughout the damaged communications base. Captain Starr was wearing an unusual armor that differed from a Stormtrooper's armor and she was shaking her head in a mixture of frustration and disappointment. Mors tried to stand up from the chair she was placed on by Ghost but the room started spinning. Mors stumbled back into her seat and the room slowly became still.
"Captain Starr...what the galaxy is going on?" Mors asked irritated and confused
"Colonel Belkor Dray planted a bomb in the Communications base. He falsely entered into the Imperial personnel directory that he is currently in the Imperial military complex in the administrative offices overseeing search and rescue operations. In reality he is currently on a rescue airship with his highest ranking aide Captain Joaquin Torres. Belkor's airship doesn't have any weapons systems because he needs to use an airship that blends in with all the other rescue airship's that automatically deploy every 10 minutes during a Code Red event. Belkor's running circles around you High Governor. I need you to get yourself off your feet and help me figure out what his next move is. What is Belkor planning alongside the Free Ryloth Movement."
High Governor Mors vomited at hearing the words Belkor planning alongside the Free Ryloth. It made her sick to her stomach that her highest ranking officer Belkor Dray a Colonel within the Empire was working alongside insurgents. Vomiting seemed to clear Mors mind despite the smoke and the burning flesh of dead Imperial officers filling the base. Tears formed in her eyes when she realized what Belkor...what she failed to prevent due to her hedonistic lifestyle. Men and women under her command were dead because she failed to see Belkor's treachery. She couldn't help but begin to cry as the melancholic thoughts welled up inside her. Ghost grabbed Mors and shook her in an effort to calm her down.
"We don't have time for that. I tampered with the explosive Belkor planted using my phasing abilities so that it's impact was weaker than what Belkor initially programmed. He thinks he's gotten away with murder...your murder. We can catch that bastard but you need to think as if you were Belkor. You've worked with him for almost 3 years. Surely there's habits and strategies that he prefers to use in the course of his duties in this military division that you've picked up."
Mors looked at Ghost with abject horror. Mors knew she barely paid attention to Belkor while lounging around on an island off the coast of Ryloth/Algeria. Mors knew her inability to deal with her wife Victoria Hand's death led her to dulling the pain with spice and sex with female escorts. Belkor was so efficient and consistent in performing his tasks and responsibilities that Mors assumed Belkor could handle all the work. Mors knew Belkor secretly resented her for this but she assumed it was a mild annoyance not seething hatred. There was no way she could have figured out anything unique or distinguishable about Belkor's habits and routines. Her drug and sex addled mind created a fog that made Belkor barely visible to her the past two years.
Then something that happened recently between herself and Belkor stood out in her mind. The one thing that could piece together Belkor's next move. Belkor's attachment to the Twi'lek security forces that he put together by paying local Twi'lek's with law enforcement or security experience was the one unusual thing Mors noticed about Belkor. He claimed these local security forces were vital for riot control and to conduct undercover patrol in the crowded downtown streets of Ryloth/Algeria particular on weekend nights. He claimed such areas allowed for small pockets of insurgent terrorists to congregate amongst the crowds allowing insurgent activity to go undetected. Belkor was telling the truth but hiding Free Ryloth Movement operatives in plain sight right underneath Mors's nose.
Mors wanted Belkor to rely more on Stormtrooper units but Belkor strongly disagreed. Belkor's reliance on Twi'lek security forces created gaps in security that the Free Ryloth Movement would take advantage of to perform raids on Imperial airships. These raids were what US Agent and Taskmaster were hell-bent on stopping a few days ago but Belkor didn't take this threat seriously. Mors assumed it was because Belkor dismissed the Free Ryloth Movement as weak but in reality Belkor was providing cover for Free Ryloth Movement operatives. Mors wanted to know why...why would Belkor's personal dislike for her lead Belkor to kill his colleagues and collaborate with Twi'lek terrorists. Then Mors said the answer out loud to Ghost.
"That bastard! Those airship raids conducted by Cham's insurgents were meant to sabotage me. To frame me for a demotion or charges for an arrest and a court martial before High Command. Belkor wasn't satisfied with being a Colonel. He was hungry for more...he wanted to take my place as High Governor...one of thirty in the entire Empire with that specific rank.
If we can track the movements of those Twi'lek special forces after the Whirlwind exploded...then we can stop Belkor. We can learn which of the rescue airships deployed by Belkor caused the Whirlwind to crash. From there we'd have a starting point to find the Emperor and Lord Vader before the Free Ryloth Movement did. If we could rescue Lord Vader and the Emperor before the Free Ryloth Movement could attack them then their plan completely falls apart and Belkor is exposed."
****
"Why do you care about these villagers? Do you feel sympathy for them Lord Vader? Such beings are just helpless elements drifting in the flow of the Force that dictates their fate. These lowly creatures await death once they are confronted with men of our nature. The Force has revealed that we are the instruments that will send them into death's waiting embrace. While we ensure that we stay one step ahead of her." The Emperor said in an ancient Sith language to prevent the other Twi'lek villagers from overhearing them
Sidious had strong disapproval of John Walker and Vader's relishing of the hero worship given to them by these backward thinking Twi'lek villagers. The villagers viewed them as saviors when in reality they were liabilities to what Sidious intended upon building to ensure his grip on planet Earth would last forever.
Meanwhile Vader was encouraging a young Twi'lek girl in the remote rustic village he and his master took temporary refuge in. The pair discovered with US Agent's help piles of scrap that the girl was hiding in. US Agent actually was the first to advocate that the girl be returned safely to her village and Vader overruled Sidious in an act of defiance agreeing with US Agent. Bemused and not necessarily eager to his powers Sidious allowed Vader to take the lead for now. John Walker used the small amount of French he could speak to help the girl (who knew some English) hiding from Hive Primitives to reunite with her village people and her parents. Walker was using his super soldier abilities to help the villagers hunt wild game while gathering fresh Hive Primitive samples to bring back to Valentina. Vader didn't care about any of the gratitude and relief the villagers expressed towards him and his companions.
As far as he was concerned the villagers didn't matter. What mattered was the Free Ryloth Movement and the former Avengers already lost. All because of their hypocrisy which is why he elected to protect US Agent and the villagers from his master Sidious. Vader and Tony Stark promised peace and prosperity to those in the Empire when confronting Obi Wan Kenobi and Steve Rogers on Mustafar. Vader realized the Jedi's past echoed in his mind because it represented failure and the hypocrisy of the Jedi and the Avengers. Vader's contempt stemmed from the Jedi's failure to realize this hypocrisy sooner cost Padme her life. Vader knew that ensuring the stability of the Empire was all that remained and it was Steve Rogers and his allies who fought for something that was already dead.
That's why Vader didn't think about the Jedi's favorite pastime of building machines in his youth. It's why Vader ignored the Jedi's friendship with former S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist Leopold Fitz during the Clone Wars centering on building machines. Vader didn't even think about R2D2 or his former best friend S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Daisy Johnson.
Therefore he and the Twi'lek girl worked on building a telecommunications device with scrap that she and her young friends used for games and recreation free of distractions. Without this device they'd be vulnerable to a massive attack from the Free Ryloth Movement and the former Avengers. That's why Vader didn't care that his master couldn't make sense of his mental state or his intentions. Vader found it amusing in an ironic way that he had the psychological advantage on Darth Sidious whereas Sidious relished such a psychological advantage during their journey to Ryloth/Algeria onboard the Whirlwind. Perhaps this could be the foundation of a future challenge against his master for supremacy Vader mused.
****
"Redwing Jr is picking up heat signatures from a nearby village. This must be where Vader and the Emperor are holed up." Captain America announced to the group
"We are close Cham. If we succeed perhaps we could settle down together." Isval said to Cham in an unusually forward way
The pair fell to the back of the group with Captain America leading the way with Nomad, White Wolf and Yelena right next to him. Mockingbird was forced to return to base in charge of destroying the base and facilitating the retreat to the underground bases just in case. Such a possible backup plan was required due to how powerful Vader was and the possibility he would survive the assassination attempt and protect the Emperor. Many members of the Free Ryloth Movement were skeptical of removing Mockingbird and her top level airship from the battle. Yet Cham knew Vader had the powers of a Jedi. He assumed Vader was a Jedi but he wasn't sure. Either way he witnessed a Jedi named Mace Windu destroy Separatist and Hydra airships with a mere hand gesture during the Clone Wars. That's why he allowed Captain America and his allies to lead the attack due to their enhanced powers and equipment.
Yet Isval despite being close to achieving her goal, which she worked towards for three years, successfully killing Vader and the Emperor and avenging her fallen Free Ryloth comrades was talking of her feelings about Cham. It was Isval's sudden act of discussing their relationship that caused Cham to stop in his tracks. Frozen with a mixture of enotions he stared at Isval skeptically wondering if he misunderstood what she said.
"When Yelena and I were about to enter the rescue airship to save Captain America and his allies during phase 2 of your plan...we talked about the feelings we had for members of this group to maintain our cover. Yelena denied her feelings for Bucky while I talked about my feelings for you Cham. I thought it was just a way to maintain our cover so we could complete the mission but...something in my heart stirred in me. I've spent so many years angry at what the Imperials did to me, to my fellow Twi'lek's and our country that I forgot something."
"Why are we doing this now Isval? I like you but I don't know if it's as my right hand woman, a friend or something more. It's not right to talk about this when we are so close-" Cham began to say
Isval moved towards Cham and kissed him. Cham reluctant at first and returned her kiss.
"I was an idiot for not remembering that you rescued me from yhe Imperials three years ago. You gave me care and affection but more importantly you gave me hope. That's why I trust you will bring Ryloth a new day. A prosperous future. I want to spend that future with you as your love. Your companion."
"Isval I didn't rescue you. You saved yourself. You're a survivor with an unbreakable spirit. You saved me from my despair after I lost my wife and son. After Hera left me and Ryloth because of it. I want to have something more with you but I don't think-"
"I know you lost your daughter Hera and I'm not trying to downplay that. But... I'm doing this so that we can move on from the past towards the future. All of this destruction. This death that we are responsible for. It's for a brighter future. You taught me that. Without you I'd be lost. I wouldn't be a freedom fighter but a terrorist." Isval interrupted kissing Cham again
Cham was grateful the Free Ryloth Movement soldiers were focusing on Captain America eager to see if his backup advanced drone Red Wing Jr would led them to the finish line. To the village that contained Vader and the Emperor. They were so close after all of the fighting and sacrifices they made in their 5 year war against the Empire.
"You're right. When this is over. We will settle down together and live the truth out in the open." Cham admitted to a smiling Isval
In the three years he'd known Isval he had never seen her smile or think beyond her anger and misery. Cham took this as a sign that Ryloth would one day be free from the Empire. That he could spend his days with a woman he loved after losing everything.
"Guys Redwing Jr made a miscalculation. He detected tons of metal scrap and dead Hive Primitives in the area surrounding the village. I assumed it meant the village was abandoned. That Vader stashed the Emperor amongst the wreckage that lined the outskirts of the village to protect him while waiting to signal an Imperial air squadron for help. Turns out hundreds of rustic looking Twi'lek's live here. They probably don't even realize how dangerous Vader is." Captain America announced disappointment in his voice
Cham moved ahead of Isval to where Captain America was and pulled out a set of binoculars. He cursed under his breath as he saw Vader sitting next to a young Twi'lek girl building a telecommunications device out of scrap. Cham remembered his mantra not a terrorist but a freedom fighter. He realized he might have to become a terrorist and order an attack on this village sacrificing the peaceful looking in order to free Ryloth from Imperial control.
"I know what you are thinking and we are not doing that." Captain America said to Cham
"If we don't then all of this will be for nothing." White Wolf argued
Cham growled in frustration clenching his fist unsure of what to do.