Ascension - Jedi: Fallen Order (Fanfic)

Chapter 56: Numbing

Zane, Khosuh and I watched Cordova do some last second fixes on the compass. I leaned on the table, watching him with anticipation. 

"What do you think Tanalorr looks like?" Zane asked me without looking away from the compass. "You told me there was a Jedi Temple there."

"Who knows, but I think it'll be pretty cool regardless." I stared at him. "We may end up need a nurse droid if we gather enough people on Tanalorr, and I know just the one for the job."

"Who?" Zane finally took his glowing eyes away from Cordova and made eye contact with me. "Oh, no I will not!" He began to back away from the table, arms out as a feeble attempt to keep some distance away from me as I stood up straight and began to follow him.

"I think you'd be fantastic at it!" I pressed, trying my hardest to keep the laughter down that threatened to leak from my lips. I walked forward while he retreated, hearing Khosuh laughing behind me.

"I work with non-living things, not living things!" He cried out, turning and hovering away a fast as he could toward the direction of the Tyrant. Giving chase for a few seconds, I slowed to a stop chuckling to myself as I walked back over to Khosuh. Cal and BD had collected themselves over to Cordova, who was setting the compass on the table. 

Khosuh gave me a smile and a shake of his head, rolling his eyes at the antics he witnessed, glancing behind me as Zane cautiously hovered back into the room and over to the table. I gave the droid a pat on the back and watched as Cordova pressed a button, opening the compass. It gave off a light signaling noise, indicating that it was now fully functional.

A loud warning siren blared, filling the space as we all froze. I ran around the table, getting to the holotable and frantically but swiftly pressing a few buttons and pulling up the image of Jedha, and finding multiple red dots converging on our location. "Looks like the Empire found us, their coming in from everywhere!"

Cal turned to Cere. "Get everyone out as quick as you can. I will hold them out as long as-" He froze, having turned to say something to me but something caught his eye.

I followed his gaze, seeing Bode holding Cordova at gun point, the older man having his hands up as a plea to get Bode to stop. "Bode!" I snarled in disbelief, slowly walking over and putting myself in front of Khosuh and Zane, putting a hand out to both of them when they went to run forward. 

"I'm really sorry about all of this..." Bode said, looking at Cal. 

"What did you do?" I spat, resting a hand on my lightsaber.

"They're coming for this place, and for you too." He replied, glancing at me. "I figured it out after we'd met, realizing I'd seen you before on one of the Empire's visits to Daltarra but I had to make sure. I then saw that mark of yours and got the conformation I needed before making the call, Korbec Stas."

'Pray I don't find you ever again...'   Those words rang in my ears from the lips of Vader. 

I felt the blood drain from my face as my stomach dropped. That familiar crashing wave of fear felt like a cold bath over my skin.

"You son of a bitch!" Khosuh roared, letting out a feral snarling hiss.

Cordova stepped into the confrontation, trying to ease the tension. He looked at Bode. "Please son, you don't have to do this."

Bode grabbed him, shooting point blank into Cordova's chest.

"NO!" Cal shouted, going to run forward but Bode threw a grenade down.

"Cal, look out!" I warned, turning away with Khosuh half shielding me as a blast went off. Glancing back at the carnage, I saw Cere using the force to stop the array of blaster bullets being shot in our direction before Bode ran off. My hearing buzzed, everything becoming muffled in the moment of pure, raw panic that I felt.