Alliances and Departures

The trip home was a quiet one. Zara kept to himself throughout most of the voyage. Zara joined Crysania in the cockpit as she was about to drop from hyperspace. "So what will you do now?" Zara asked as he buckled in. "Hmm, probably go back to Hazard's and find me a Sabac game." She replied. Zara chuckled. "Right back where ya started. Didn't ya learn anything from the last time?" Zara asked. "I was taking care of myself long before you showed up." She said as she disengaged the hyperdrive. Starlines returned to stars. Zara hit the sensors to locate the Rebellious to find more than he bargained for. The space before them was covered with New Republic starships.

"I think you could have gave me a heads up on this!" Crys exclaimed as the comm came to life. Zara was still staring at it all when the request for identification came through. Zara reached over and hit the comm. "Commander Zarathos, Executive Officer of Fly Squadron requesting to dock aboard the Rebellious." Zara said more calmly than he felt. "Acknowledged Commander. Jughead wants to see you as soon as you land." the voice replied. Zara turned the comm back off and turned to Crys. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Crys looked again out at the fleet assembling before her eyes. "Is this something Mac should be aware of?" Crys asked. Zara returned his eyes to the space before them. "I have no idea."

Aboard the Rebellious, Zara watched as Crysania re-entered hyperspace. Seeing her safely out of system, it was time he found out what this fleet was all about. He didn't even stop to drop off his things. Zara headed straight for Jughead's office. Jughead was expecting him when he arrived, and so was Jughead's guest. "Zara! Glad your finally back. Please, take a seat." Jughead said as he indicated a seat next to Colonel Valor. Valor was wearing his jedi robes so Zara couldn't tell how official the meeting was. Valor offered his hand. "Good to see you again Commander." Valor said in his soft tone. Zara shook the hand firmly. "Please Valor, rank doesn't mean much to me." Zara said as he took his seat." Ok, who's going to explain to me why there is more capital ships here than the New Republic could put together at the Battle of Endor?" Zara asked more as an icebreaker. Valor stood up and walked to the veiwport behind Jughead's desk. "Welcome to the 51st Fleet of the New Republic. Isn't she beautiful Zara?" Valor said as his hands flew across the fleet assembling outside. "Gonna be a problem hiding a fleet this size." Zara replied. Valor turned and smiled at Zara. Valor looked invincible standing with the fleet at his back. "We're not hiding it. "Valor continued. "The 51st Fleet is going on diplomatic missions at the other side of known space. We'll be confirming to the planets there that the New Republic is strong enough to take care of them. Word of this fleet has already been sent to them and they will be expecting us. We'll demonstrate some of our capabilities, the fleet and the Jedi, and look into correcting their local pirate problems." Zara looked to Jughead. " The Rebellious has been assigned to the 51st Fleet under the command of General Ghallis. It'll be like a long vacation for us." Jughead said. "What about this side of the galaxy? There is still problems at the Imperial borders." Zara asked. "The planets under Imperial control choose to be under that control, and the planets that haven't chosen are to busy making money from both sides. There's nothing to be gained here anymore." Valor replied. "But what about the slaves still being transported through here. If we leave, the pirates and slavers will have free run here." Zara asked as the tension was building in him. " We can't stop them Zara." Jughead said as the concern shown in his features. " Every time we chase one, they duck to the Imperial side and I'm sure they duck back to our borders when the Imperials are on them. The Empire seems settled on the space they have and even some peace talks have begun with them." Jughead finished. " Well maybe the imperials will let us continue the chase to their side since they want peace." Zara said trying to hold on to some hope. " The Imperials will never give that permission just as the New Republic would never give the Empire a pass on our space." Valor replied with the same concern beginning to show in his features. " Then we just send one squadron over to bring them back." Zara said as a last effort. Jughead sighed. "Last time we did that I lost a leg and several pilots." Valor sat back down next to Zara. "And if word got out it would put even more strain on the peace talks with the Empire. We can't complicate the political strain that's already there." Valor finished. Zara got up from his seat disgusted. "Since when did politics get in the way of doing the right thing?" Zara said not really expecting an answer. Valor gave him an answer anyway. "Since we became the New Republic and stopped doing rebel raids that made us no better than the pirates themselves. I don't know what you're shooting for Zara, but the 51st fleet is a go whether you like it or not. We have to go where we can do the most good. The New Republic will still send out patrols once in a while along the borders just to keep the pirates on their toes. That's about all the Rebellious has been doing for a year now anyway." Valor finished. Zara looked back to his commander and then back to the jedi. " My job is here, I don't think I can walk away from it." With that said, Zara headed out of the office.

Zara sipped his whiskey in the pilot's lounge. After running through every excuse he could think of, it was obvious that none of them would be good enough for High Command to let him stay in this region. He couldn't let go of the events of the last few days, and he couldn't help but feel that it all had a purpose in his future. Zara joined the Rebellious cause Imperial slavers attacked his homeworld. " If you're going to be thinking that heavy, maybe I should get ya another drink." Steeltoe said breaking Zara's thoughts. " Sorry bud, didn't know ya was there. Just have a lot on my mind." Zara said. Steeltoe took the seat across from Zara. "The Fleet merge getting to you too?" Steel asked. Zara nodded a yes as he took another drink. "Valor's jedi have been simming against everybody too. I think they're trying to prove they're the best pilots in the fleet. So far they haven't beat Goose and Lucdean yet but they keep trying." Steel finished. "No, I'm not worried about that. I mean leaving this sector when we're still needed here." Zara answered. Steeltoe took on a look of confusion. "What good can we still do here? Politics have our hands tied and all we do is sit here and give bad looks to the pirates running through." Steel asked. Zara took another heavy gulp of his drink and put the drink down. He took a look around the cantina at all the pilots around. "Let's go for a walk. Maybe someplace a bit more private." Zara said as he got up from the table. Steel gulped the last of his drink and followed Zara out.

Zara wasn't sure how much he should tell of his vacation trip but if he was going to tell anyone, it would be his most trusted wingman. Zara headed to the flight deck for Fly Squadron and started his story to Steel as soon as there was no one around. Steel listened patiently till Zara was done before asking any questions. "What makes ya think you can get in contact with Mac again?" Zara took a deep breath. "Crysania let me know where she was headed before she left." Steel thought for a moment. "You'll never be able to convince the General to react in time to catch her. It will take them months to check out any of your story and get any kind of political backing on it." Steel said. Zara sat down on the flight deck next to his X-Wing. "I don't plan to bring the New Republic into this." Zara said as he looked up at Steel. Zara gave a moment for Steel to come to the realization of what Zara was leading up too. " I don't think Mac has authorization from the Empire to do what he's doing. To bring the New Republic into it will probably end up with Mac being charged of treason and relieved of his position, and that would end it all. It was Valor's words to me that got me thinking. He said we couldn't do anything cause of politics and that we're not rebels anymore. As rebels is the only way we can fight the pirates and still be able to help Mac." Zara finished. Steel looked around the flight deck and then leaned against the fighter. "I'm with ya bro. I always back my wing!"


CHAPTER 7