Star Wars: Rebels of the Stars (COMPLETED/BEING EDITED)

Chapter Fifty-Eight: History

Jaa furrowed her eyes towards General Belsebeau as I tried to keep my hands from reaching to my saber.

"This is our home. Why would we surrender?"

"For the good of your people, if you want them to survive." Ilop sipped the glass of water he had.

Jaa looked at me, having a stoic face, as her eyes screamed in terror.

"I will be taking you two and discussing about your planet and traditions. And you will surrender, or your planet will be slaughtered by the might of the Empire." He motioned as two of the storm troopers grabbed us, separating us and taking us into separate rooms.

I was roughly forced to sit in a seat. The General walked in.

I heard static in my ear, Achi ready to feed me information so I wouldn't get caught.

"So, Senator, Qemaa Asii was it? You're quite young to be a senator."

"There has been younger." I said calmly.

"So, your species. What exactly are they?" He walked around my chair, as a predator would circle their prey.

I listened to Achi and repeated what she said. "We are Star Phantoms of Harmonia. A peaceful race who has lived in isolation far out here in what you call the Outer Rim and empty space. Our people come from stars and stars come from us." I tried to keep my eyes from following him.

"Clarify." He breathed into my ear.

I took a breath. "We have been around for many a millenia. Roughly seven million years old. One of the oldest races in any system. Our sun that lights our planet, in the myths, is believed to be the first Star Phantom, Solar Hope." It was interesting to learn about the history of my people, even if it was like this. "When a Star Phantom dies, a new star is born, and when a star dies, a new Star Phantom is born."

"Hence the name of star ghosts."

"Yes." I gave the slight bob of my head to acknowledge.

"If you are so advanced, why haven't you ventured off the planet?"

"We have. A few have, at least. With the war out there, we figured it was not time to reveal ourselves."

"Well, I believe that time is now. There is peace in the Galaxy, under the rule of the Empire."

"I have heard different." I sat tall.

"What do you mean?" He lifted an eyebrow.

I straightened my skirt. "I have heard whispers from your army. The Empire has fallen. You are just a remnant that managed to survive. For now."

I saw out of my peripheral vision that his hand clenched in anger, but then he relaxed and it loosened, indents left behind in his glove palm. "Yes. The Emperor and his right hand man has fallen. But the Empire still rules. And I suggest that you and your queen join us."

"We are a Democratic Monarchy. We do not have that kind of control. The people must decide."

"You may be Democratic. But I also heard Monarchy, which means you rule."

"But we cannot! If we do not let the people decide, it could cause mass chaos. We have lived under the people's rules for as long as we have written history. We respected them, and grew with them."

"Well now, we rule." He glared.

I sat strong, not getting intimidated. I couldn't. The fate of Harmonia was on my shoulders.

"Who were the few who left the planet?" He started circling again.

"A taken child and a young man. I do not know the name."

"I see. What of the history of the planet?"
"What of it?" I looked at him as he passed my left side, before looking to follow him with my eyes on the right.

"Tell me a bit about your planet's history."

I froze. Achi had gone quiet. She then told me about the first battle for Harmonia. "Roughly a few hundred years ago, there was a battle between the people of Crea and Aspypso over who would be the world's capital, as we were discovering others out in the universe, from transmissions."

"And I am guessing this place won?"
"Well, um..." I couldn't hear what Achi was saying. "I wouldn't exactly say that."
"Then how would you say it?"

Achi realized I had not heard and quickly repeated as I copied her. "Aspypso won, but Crea is the largest city. And Soabay is the capital of the other continent."

"And who rules Soabay?"

"Queen Jaa and I." I sighed.

"Hmmm... Very well." He started walking out of the room.

I waited with the silent troopers who stood guard as he questioned Jaa.

Eventually, he returned, and shoved Jaa into the room with me. I caught her, and helped her stand up.

"You will turn over Harmonia to me peacefully or violently. The choice is yours." Belsebeau left for us to discuss our choices.

Jaa looked at me sadly, as I could see her holding back her tears. The feeling of something getting lodged in my throat made me realize how I was holding back tears as well, doing my best to not cry or break at the thought of my home, my birth place that I had sought out for all my life, being under Empire control. Though the Empire had fallen, Belsebeau was right. They still had control most of the universe, and they could win.

I took a deep breath,trying to bury that sickening feeling in my gut. I knew we were being watched by the stormtroopers in the room.

I stood up, holding my head high as I tried to not act like a Jedi and tried to act more like a Senator.

But something in me told me that Belsebeau knew exactly who I was, and he was going to do something about it.

I sighed and looked at Jaa. "What did he ask you about?" I whispered.

"The history of Harmonia. I don't understand. What is he planning on doing?" She responded in a hushed voice.

"I don't know, but I have a bad gut feeling that he knows about it." I sighed. "We need to get you out of here, and quickly. I don't know what he has planned."