Attack on Vader

Chapter 44

Pyxis: It almost sounds like the main reason you met Anakin was to slake your curiosity.

Yelena: I suppose that's right. For what it's worth, I didn't tell any other volunteers what I was up to. I'm sure that you must see my deception as a betrayal. And it's true that my actions were reckless. But it's also true that I was acting in Eldia's best interest.

A garrison soldier places a book down on the table in between them.

Pyxis: I'd certainly like to believe you. Towards that end, you'll need to recount everything that you and Anakin talked about. But first a word of advice about telling a lie. To make it good, you need to mix in at least a pinch of the truth.

Scene Charge

At a lone house just outside of the woods Hange and Onyankopon sit at a table outside as Onyankopon shuffles around some playing cards.  An garrison soldier sits under a tree eating a apple as he watch over Onyankopon and Hange.

Onyankopon: This is somewhere between absurd and appalling. How can people still doubt us after all this time? I thought we were comrades! We spent three years sweating beside you to build the railway and trade systems that this island needed. Your people are prospering because of us. We gave Eldia everything we had, Hange.

Hange: I'm so sorry. When we first opened our railway ten months ago, I didn't see this coming.

Onyankopon: Yeah, you're telling me. We swore to help fight for Eldia's future and we meant every word-

Hange gets in Onyankopon face.

Onyankopon: Hange? What's the matter with you?

Hange then tells Onyankopon  about how Yelena went behind the military's back.

Onyankopon: Huh? Yelena went behind the military's back and met with Anakin in secret? Seriously?

Hange: Can you give me your word that she didn't tell you?

Onyankopon: She never so much as dropped a hint. I promise.

Hange: Yeah. Your surprise seems to be completely sincere. To me, at any rate.

Onyankopon: So she went that far.

Hange: You aren't saying that you can't believe she would do it, and based off that, I think you must know that it's in character for her.

Onyankopon is shocked for a second before calming down.

Onyankopon: I don't exactly "know."

Hange: We may have approached it backwards, but Yelena has given us a reason to detain the volunteers. Now. I need you to tell me everything you do know about her. For the sake of our future.

Onyankopon: My understanding is that was Yelena who first recruited the volunteers. People were doubtful and wary, so things didn't go so well at first. More than once, Yelena proved her loyalty to us and to Zeke by getting her hands dirty. Any Marleyan who doubted us met an untimely death. Even when they were friends who ate and slept beside us. We overcame those losses by telling ourselves it was for the sake of the homeland Marley stole from us.

Hange: That's funny. Yelena's always argued for Marleyan rights here. She convinced us to let Marleyan prisoners have jobs. You make it sound like Yelena used to be merciless to Marleyans. Why would that change? Right. Please come with me Onyankopon. I need your help.

Onyankopon: Huh?

Military Office

Zachary stand in his office looks out a window at the crowd of people outside the gate.