Rise of the Order: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 14: New Strategies

"So tell me again what the transmission spoke of," General Organa said.

After the crew heard the intercepted transmission, Rey immediately told BB-8 to contact the Resistance. An update seemed necessary at this point. So the crew huddled around BB-8 in the main hold, General Organa's glowing blue figure staring back at them. 

"The transmission was very rough, but it mentioned biomine and weapon," Jennica explained once more, crossing her arms in worry. Zeelee contentedly perched on her shoulder.

"We didn't catch much," Finn chimed in, "but none of it sounded good."

The General brought a hand to her mouth in thought. "I agree. You say Celanon is now under First Order control?"

"Yes," Rey answered. "The planet was suddenly attacked by a whole fleet of Star Destroyers. They weren't able to gather their forces with the disease that had befallen the population."

"A disease, you say?" the General inquired.

"Yeah, it was crazy," Finn said. "They had tents and everything."

"Hm." Leia took a deep breath. "Could it be possible that this so-called weapon is the disease?"

"You mean to say that the First Order somehow released an unidentifiable disease on Celanon?" Jennica gawked.

"That would make some sense. It lowers their forces and makes a populous planet like Celanon quite weak," Rey thought out loud, glancing over at Jennica.

"Yep. That sounds like some diabolical thing that the First Order would pursue," Finn said.

Chewie roared out in agreement.

"This means that the attack plan the First Order once had, has evolved into something worse. We may not be able to hold this off." Jennica averted her eyes. "Or I was wrong to begin with."

"Whatever the case, this changes things," Leia said, her voice a harmony of warmth and authority. "If the First Order is to follow what they did on Celanon, Gala could be next with its population and size." The General straightened. "You must inform them of this and hope that the disease has not reached the planet's surface yet."

The crew nodded.

"Don't let this affect your mission. I am going to take the initiative to send some soldiers out to Brion in hopes that we can maybe find something out about this disease. Besides that, stay safe you four, and may the force be with you." With that, the General's hologram disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~

The General turned away from the hologram table, a little shaken from the news that Rey, Jennica and Finn just delivered. Advisers and officers that were with her started chattering in panic. The attack on Celanon so sudden and fast, it jolted them back to memories of Starkiller Base. For some, all the way back to the Death Star. She ignored their protests and walked away, needing time to think. They wisely didn't stop her.

She walked past pilots and lieutenants, past robots and humanoids, past the computers and stress, all the way outside. Even then she kept going, passing ships and speeders, walking all the way to Master Skywalker's favorite little hill.

It sat far enough away from the chaos of the Resistance, but close enough that you could know what was going on. From on top, you could view the whole forest and even see a little bit of the ocean in the far off distance. It was the perfect place for meditation.