Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 35: Vardos

The freighter rocks slightly as we enter Vardo's atmosphere.  Several minutes have passed, Zofrinic speaks over the intercom to us.

"We have passed through the planet's final security checkpoint.  Prepare for landing." his announcement ends.

I breathe in and exhale slowly.  Grabbing onto the shoulder straps of my pack---I rise to a standing position.  Jace follows my lead as we walk down the hall, past the medical bay, towards the exit ramp.  I can hear the landing gear engaging as the ship moves to its hover descent.  The feet of the freighter touchdown on the surface and the yellow landing lights activate near the ramp door.  The freighter gives a final small shake as it parks on the surface.

I sense Zofrinic coming out of the cockpit---his energy reads uncertainty for our fate. "This is as far as I can take you.  Number sixty-four on the air taxi strip is expecting you.  They will take you to the local contact."

"Thank you, Z-Man," I smile at him.

"May the Force be with you, both," he replies and gives me a warm smile.  I sense his heart is warming from the freedom our payment will give him.  He has been daydreaming about what true freedom would feel like once this is all over.  I'm genuinely happy for him and the future he will provide for his daughter. 

Jace reaches for his hand and gives Zofrinic a solid shake. "Thank you for getting us this far."

As the ramp hits the landing bay surface, my senses are clouding with dark energy.  Jace leads, and we both walk down the landing ramp and onto the landing bay.  I can see armed guards and uniformed personnel walking around the tarmac. 

"Stay close and keep your head down," Jace demands in low voice. I hear the ramp of Zofrinic's freighter begin closing behind us.  Our closest lifeline is now leaving---we are on our own for now.

I follow his instructions and turn my head downward.  We pass through the arrival gate, I watch as Jace gets his badge ready---I pull mine out of the shirt pocket.

We approach the terminal guard.  A uniformed woman in her mid-forties with deep red lipstick stands behind the glass window.  Her face is expressionless and it seems as if she hasn't experienced true happiness in years. 

"Badges," she demands without looking at us.  

I sense her work tasks are the same every day.  She tires of the tedious actions day in and day out.  Jace scans his badge first and a green light shines on the security gate.  The gate opens for him, and he walks through to the other side.  I notice he waits for me on the other end, without looking suspicious. 

"Badge."

I scan my badge on the reader.  She turns and looks down at me.  I sense she's trying to conceal her happiness from seeing me. I am extremely confused by what I sense from her.  I remain forward-facing and wait for my green light. After a moment, which felt like an eternity---the light turns green.

I look up at her for a brief moment.  She gives me the tiniest of smiles and nods her head so subtly---she doesn't want to be discovered.

"Hope?" I keep unexpected thought guarded.

The gate opens for me and I walk through to the other side and approach Jace.  He immediately turns around, and we both start walking through the rest of the station towards the outside.  It appears everyone is either in Stormtrooper or military uniforms.  Vardos is an incredibly disciplined and ordered society. Everything seems colorless and cold.  No matter where I look, everything is either: black, white, red, gray, or white.  I fear there is no warmth in this entire planet.

I can see rows of air taxis waiting on the strip through the sliding glass doors ahead.  Jace leads me outside and I follow him down the endless strip of speeders, air taxis, and private vehicles.  Up ahead, I can see our air taxi in the second row halfway down---number sixty-four.

Inconspicuously, we move around other people walking on the strip and head to our air taxi.  Before we even arrive, the taxi doors lift open. 

Jace doesn't question and steps inside the taxi taking a seat.  I walk around to the other side of the speeder and get inside.  Once in, the doors shut quickly and firmly behind us.  The air taxi rises over the other parked speeders and accelerates to an air highway above.

Jace remains silent.  Reaching out through the Force, I am calmed by what I sense.  The driver, she means us no harm---she is an ally of the Republic.  I exhale a subtle sigh of relief.  She doesn't turn around and remains silent. 

I turn my head and look out the window at the First Order capital. Massive structures rise from the surface.  The clouds are dark and I can see blue streaks of lightning crashing in the distance.  Red banners donning First Order crest hang from most of the buildings. I'm curious as to why they are still loyal to another fallen empire.  Historically, they have terrible intuition at choosing the winning side. I smirk from my thoughts.

Cruising higher to another highway, the air taxi is taking us to one of the smaller buildings in the distance.  Across the way, I can see our true end destination in sight---the military base Cyclopean.  I gawk at its magnitude as we whoosh past the enormous structure.  That base is three times larger than any Republic base I've ever seen. Something that size would have no problem with a Terminus-class destroyer docking there.

Our taxi lowers to the base highway and pulls into a garage under a building.  This area seems to be industrial but I sense this building is a disguise for underworld work.  

The taxi parks in front of an elevator door in the parking garage.  Both Jace and I immediately exit once our doors open.  I don't even get a chance to thank our driver before she rushes off.  

Jace leads, again, to the door holding the elevator.  Pushing the up command, the lift door opens, and we walk inside---it shuts firmly behind us.

"Jedi Master, I have dealt with this underworld goon before. He's not one you will be able to manipulate with the Force," Jace whispers as he takes off his hat.  I sense his anxiety growing from or imminent arrival.  He's dealt with this person before and I sense it was not a pleasant experience last time.

I nod my head and remove my cap as well.  Our lift soars up through the building.  The closer we get to the top, the more a somewhat familiar presence appears---one I have not felt in ages.  A presence of a loathsome person whose greed robs them of all humanity. A person who I had an unpleasant encounter with on Scarif.  A person Finn and Rose once tried to employ before the Battle of Crait.  Anger rises in my heart---I grind down on my teeth. I clench my fists as hard as possible to contain my growing anger.  A person who goes by the name of...

"Master Codebreaker."