Breakaway Rebellion: Civil War II Chapter Eighty-Eight

After Magus had beamed aboard the Peregrine, he had spent a frantic few minutes searching the hangar deck. After a few minutes, he did, and watched silently for a few minutes as the final X-wing came back aboard.

This was it. The moment he had been waiting for in many a long time. He had thought his old friend lost forever, the man who had helped form what used to be the United Federation of Planets. The man who, despite his shadowy past, had become a legend throughout the galaxy.

Slowly, the X-wing's cockpit began to open, and the visor-covered pilot began to get out. Once more pleasure swept over Magus. It was him. It was James Watt.

As Watt began to climb the ladder out of his X-wing, Magus walked up behind him.

"And where do you think you have been?"

Watt turned around and smiled. Both men had tears in their eyes. Neither of them had to say anything to the other. They had been through too much for that.

The two old friends embraced. They were reunited at last.

 

At the Peregrine's Nest base, Watt sat in the meeting room. Janeway, Adama, Bel Iblis, and Magus sat around him.

"We should be making our plans to return to the Alpha Quadrant," said Magus. "By now, the Free Federation's treaty with the Rebel Alliance should be in place."

"If we do, we will be missing an opportunity," said Watt.

"What do you mean?" asked Magus.

"Look around you, Phineas," Watt continued. "With General Bel Iblis' forces, combined with those of Voyager and the Galactica, we have a pretty strong fighting force. We proved that against that Super Star Destroyer!"

"But it cost us the Pegasus," said Adama.

"For that we are deeply regretful," said Watt. "But we have to look at the long-term picture here. What would returning to the Alpha Quadrant do?"

"It would return us to our homes," said Janeway.

"Your homes, Captain, as you knew them, are gone. The Empire has seen to that!"

"What are you suggesting, James?" asked Magus.

"With the engineers we have available, how long would it take to convert all the ship's engines?"

"Months," said Magus. "We would have to use the double jump-point computations. The nearest source of cavourite is on the Time of Legends. To ferry it here would take time."

"I say that during that time we should hit back!" said Watt. "Strike back at the Empire! The Free Federation can do so in the Alpha Quadrant! Why don't we do it here!"

"Think about this carefully, James," said Magus. "With you in the Alpha Quadrant, you could unite worlds against the Empire."

"And with me in the Alpha Quadrant, I would put millions more at risk! Palpatine would stop at nothing in trying to kill me! He has shown that already!"

"I agree with him," said Bel Iblis. "That is why, as of now, I am turning command of the Peregrine's Nest over to President Watt."

"I will only do this if we are all in agreement," said Watt. "General Bel Iblis has already found a safe place for the Galactica civilians. I am hoping that Phineas will use some of his technology to protect them on their 'colony'."

"It can be done," said Magus. "A planetary shield should be no problem."

"I want you to consult your crews," said Watt. "Explain the situation to them. Let them know where we stand. We go to the Alpha Quadrant, we are in danger. We stay here, we are in danger!"

There was a short silence before Adama spoke.

"My people will follow me," he said. "We will join you."

"As will I," added Janeway.

"Then it is agreed," said Watt. "We stay and fight for freedom!"