Star Wars: Rebellion and Betrayal

Chapter 31

Now McCart was intrigued. This would remedy one of his biggest regrets: completing his betrayal of Cloud Squadron before Abie decided to build an official base. McCart leaned forward and grinned. "We can finally end this conflict. But how does this plant factor in?"

"I am pleased you asked," Leneh said while opening the capsule and running her hand over the plant's small needle-like leaves.

"This tree is the rasa tree, a ubiquitous native of Serenno's second moon, Mercuris. To the naked eye, this specimen seems like your typical tree, but it's what lies beneath that makes it unique. The rasa tree maintains a symbiotic relationship with a rare soil fungus. Without each other, neither the tree nor the fungus could survive. The reason that this information is important to our efforts is that the tunic the Jedi left you, was covered in mud. In that mud, my scientists were able to isolate trace amounts of the very soil fungus that is endemic to the moon of Mercuris."

"So, they've been on the moon the whole time? But no one lives on that rock. It's too cold," McCart said with a shocked expression.

Leneh nodded and closed the plant's capsule. "They are on the moon. I have confirmed my suspicions with a probe droid which found evidence of an encampment."

McCart rose to his feet and walked over to the large window overlooking the city. He looked up to see the faint outlines of Serenno's two moons. "What are your next steps, Grand Admiral?"

Leneh got up from her seat and joined him next to the window. "Today will be the end of Cloud Squadron and the end of Charles Rhodes. There is a light cruiser docked with the building. I will be departing for my Star Destroyer in half an hour. I suggest you be present."

McCart nodded before watching the Grand Admiral and her escort leave the room. He returned to his seat and took a deep breath, mentally preparing for what was about to happen.

"Race you to the spot!" Kasdeya yelled as she jumped on the speeder bike.

"Not fair!" Rhodes shouted back.

If she actually heard him, it didn't matter. Rhodes could only see a cloud of dust as Kasdeya sped into the woods of Mercuris. Rhodes hopped onto the other speeder that he had gotten from a secondhand dealer.

It was pretty easy once he had collected enough Imperial blasters to trade for the two bikes. Although, because of his antics, stormtrooper patrols on Serenno had upped the number of troopers per patrol. A small price to pay to see the beaming smile on her face when he revealed the bikes.

Rhodes wore his own wide smile as he hit the bike's accelerator, speeding after her. He followed a trail through the woods that Oster had created to gain easy access to one of the base's two ion cannons. It wasn't long before Rhodes had caught up with Kasdeya, but there was no way she wasn't intentionally going slow.

The two speeders flew neck and neck until they eventually came to a large painted white structure in a clearing of tree stumps. Kasdeya made sure to pull ahead right as they got to the clearing.

"And that's five to one. You lose again Charles," Kasdeya beamed.

Rhodes smiled and shook his head. "Maybe if you didn't keep getting head starts, I would stand a chance."

Kasdeya blew a strand of hair out of her face and giggled. "Give me a break. I let you catch up every time. The one time you won was a fluke."

"Whatever you say, Kas," Rhodes shot back.

The two dismounted their bikes and made their way to a pair of especially large stumps on the edge of the clearing. Rhodes placed a small holoprojector on one of the stumps while the two sat side by side on the other stump.