Rorn stared at the surface of Yavin 4 as they dropped out of hyperspace ." Aw, stang !" was all he had to say . nearly all over the planet, lights and glowing towers were erected . The droids were intensifying their search for the Jedi . Rorn shuddered, thinking of what would happen if they found the hidden temple . It would be a massacre, the droids with their cortosis ore armor, covered with an inch of durasteel plates, topped off by their top of the line shields, made the droids almost invincible . It would take several shots with a blaster to penetrate the sheilds and even more to breach the armor . Rorn called to Ari for she had gone through her day's personality change almost five minutes ago and had showed it by making Eoghan clean up the interior of the ship . " Ari, Eoghan, get into the lower gun turrets . We're gonna strafe some droids . " He heard the running of feet and smiled slightly, atmoshperic combat was something he had not indulged in for several weeks . He punched at the controls, making Don's freighter go into a far greater dive than it was supposed to be capable of .
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Eoghan slid into the gunner's seat and slipped a headset on . Gripping the firing controls, he looked down at the surface of the planet ." Holy bantha fodder ." he muttered .
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Ari pulled the head set on over her hair and strapped into the seat . She swiveled the turret using the foot controls and saw the planet . " Wow ." she said loudly .
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" This is it, kiddies . Time to rumble ." Rorn shouted into the comm, and dove low, the under-belly of the " Asteroid Skipper " scraping along the tops of the trees . He pulled on a artillery helmet with his left hand as he adjusted their descent with the right . The helmet had probes that linked directly to his brain, where Rorn could fire the forward lasers and torpedo launchers with only a thought . Rorn watched a tall sensor tower come up on his screen and when he had a lock , thought Fire . The green laser from the cannon on top of the ship lanced out and destroyed the tower . Rorn watched as red beams from the lower turrets controlled by Ari and Eoghan, raked across the ground cutting down droids . The droid's sheilds and armor couldn't stand up to ship class lasers . " Going up, take out those fighters . " He yelled . Four droid starfighters shot toward them, their shapes reminiscent of old TIE fighters .
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Ari lined up a fighter in her sights and squeezed the trigger, blasting out several streaks of red that tracked behind the fighter until it was impaled by a blast and exploded . The fighter flying immediately behind it, flew into the explosion and destryoed by the flame and shrapnel .
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Eoghan switched his turret over to ion fire and fired at the two fighters in his side, not even bothering to get a lock . The random blasts of blue fire struck first one and then the other fighter, and they both fell toward the ground . Eoghan let out an exulatatant whoop as they destroyed a sensor tower with thier crash . " Alright kiddies, lets go home ." Rorn's voice said through the comm . Eoghan had to agree with that, he wanted a warm bed . The rocks where Mara made him sleep were not that comfortable .
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Rorn flew low, under the sensor field that scanned the surface of the planet every few seconds . He spotted a familiar stone pinnacle just peeking out of the trees and angled the ship toward it . Moments later, Rorn was setting the freighter down safely inside the hangar bay of the hidden temple . As he shutdown all systems, the young Jedi thought he heard the whirring of servo-motors . Rorn paused to listen, but when he heard nothing, went back to his duties, though wondering why no-one had come out to greet him . Then he heard a scraping sound of metal on stone . Rorn slipped his lightsaber from its pouch and exited the ship slowly . Clang, he whirled to face the direction of this new sound . Slowly walking forward, cautiously glancing about, Rorn came around the corner of a stack of shipping crates . His eyes widened and his stomach came up in his throat . There on the ground in front of him, were the bodies of three Jedi, horribly mutilated . Forcing himself to calm, Rorn examined the bodies a little closer, lightsaber wounds were obvious, and it looked like at least one of the fallen Jedi had been dispatched by a vibroblade . Rorn gulped , his focus on not throwing up .
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Ari and Eoghan walked out of the ship , laughing over some joke that Eoghan had told, when they saw Rorn ." Quiet , Don't come over here . What ever you do don't come over here ." he cried, his voice quavering oddly . Eoghan glanced at Ari and started to walk a little closer . Rorn whirled, " I said, don't come over here . " he shouted , voice nearly breaking . Ari stared at him and then her eyes focused on something behind him ." Look out, Padawan, behind you ." she shouted, pointing at something . Rorn whirled activating his lightsaber, just in time to block a slash from a long vibroblade . A droid stood there, one of the droids that had attacked the other Temple . Rorn brought up the other end between its legs, but it was blocked by the lightsaber that appeared as if conjured, in its other hand . Rorn snarled, angered by what he had seen of this droid's handiwork and brought his lightsaber around again, battering down the droid's defences and bringing the droid's blade and his own, down on its head . He stood there panting from the brief exertion, as the droid slowly toppled . Eoghan stared and then snapped back to reality and grabbed Ari's arm . " Come on, we need to get inside . The droids have found us ." he whispered into her ear . Rorn heard Eoghan's words vaguely and knew he should do it, but he just wanted so bad to go kick some droid tail . Eoghan grabbed Rorn's arm, " You too, big guy ." Rorn let himself be dragged off, while staring back at the crate concealing the Jedi corpses," Good bye, Siri ." he mumbled . Siri had been a young initiate, who looked up to Rorn . He had always kinda liked the little kid , who of the same species as Rorn had not even grown his second set of horns yet . His horns were still in the pattern of all baby Zabrak's horns . Rorn had bought the sweets that Ari pigged out on for this same little kid .
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Corran spun as the outer door opened , and relaxed seeing Eoghan, Ari and Rorn who looked like he had seen a ghost . " I see you found him . " he said," Where was he . . . . " he broke off as Rorn walked past him without even ackknowledging his existence . Rorn walked over to his bunk and opened his trunk, lifting out weapon after weapon . Getting to the bottom, the Zabrak lifted out an Echani sniper rifle . Then an old but well kept Mandalorian heavy repeater was pulled out and tossed to Don who was standing nearby ." Siri's dead . Want to help ?" he said simply . Don seemed stunned by the news, but recovered as Rorn tossed him several ion grenades ." Of course I do ." he said, hooking the explosives onto his belt . A huge Togarian by the name of Kurrm strode up, and growled out," I come to help . You can't stop me . "Rorn buckled on a gunbelt and nodded to the huge alien, then dropped a modified blaster pistol into each holster . A vibroblade went into his boot and a bandolier of grenades was drooped from a shoulder . Don buckled on his own holsters and put a large bore pistol in one and a regular side arm in the other . Corran walked up to them , " You are not going out there . Its too dangerous to carry out a personal vendatta ."he commanded . Rorn tossed a riot gun to Don," Says who ?" he challenged . Corran thumbed himself in the chest ," Me ." Rorn just shook his head and after slinging a blaster rifle over his left shoulder stood and began to walk around Corran . Corran grabbed his arm," Rorn I know your upset , but..." His words broke off as Rorn grabbed his arm and a split second later he was on his back , gasping for breath . Rorn stared down at him ," I wouldn't suggest trying to stop me, when I'm really ticked off, Corran . No hard feelings , ok ?" and left, Don following right after him . Kurrm came a second later, his arms cradling many guns and other weapons .
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Rorn tossed a duffel of weapons into a air-speeder," We need to get back to the temple, all of my heavy weaponry is there ." he said . Don stared at him," Your heavy weaponry ? Then what is this stuff ? " he asked ." Lowgrade stuff, up close and personal weapons ." Rorn answered, giving Don a long slow wink . Don gulped, Rorn was scaring him now . A slow smile slid across Kurrm's feline face," Heavy guns, I like ."
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Don nervously shifted his weight from one foot to the other . Rorn was taking entirely too much time . He looked up as Rorn hissed " Catch ." from an upper window . He moved the speeder to the side and the duffel of weapons that Rorn dropped, fell right into the back seat . Several more duffels fell and then Rorn dropped down beside Don ." Ok, hit it, we need to get out of here before that bomb goes off ." Don stopped and stared at Rorn ." Bomb, you didn't say anything about a bomb ." Rorn clapped a hand over his mouth," Shhh, its an ion bomb, it'll take out any droids or electrical systems within a mile ." he hissed . Don mouthed out ," Oh ." and then shut up, concentrating on piloting .
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Sentry droid T4- Y34 scanned the woodline cautiously . The other droids in the small encampment were preparing weapons for the next day's assault on the the Jedi enclave hidden inside the tall temple, less than a kilometer from them . A tiny sound, a snap drew its attention to a tree across the clearing . Acivating its advanced sensors, T4 stepped toward the tree, the muzzle of its blaster pistol rising ominously .
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Don nudged Rorn in the arm and pointed at a sentry droid that was looking in their direction ." I think its spotted us . Want me to blast it ?" Rorn shook his head," All your guns are too loud, let me get it . " and pulled out his Echani sniper rifle, almost the same design as a Xerrol Nightstinger, as in silent and powerful, but the laser blast was visible, though tiny . Setting his sights on the droid, Rorn pulled the trigger just as it spotted them . The crimson beam cut into its head and it just stood there, all motor and computer functions dis-abled .
Rorn shook his fist at the droid's standing remains and almost laughed . Don finished setting his explosives and gave Rorn a thumbs up, Rorn echoed the sign and threw an ion grenade into the center of the encampment . Don hit one switch and a large projectile shot out of the tube at his side and hit the ground right next to the ion grenade . He quickly slipped a pair of protective goggles over his eyes as the ion grenade rolled over next to the large bomb and glanced over at Rorn , who was staring dis-passionately at the pay-load in the camp, his eyes un-protected . Don turned back to the scene below as a party of droids burst from the work tents erected for weapon maintenance and ran up to the explosives . The ion grendae went off first, a spectacular blue explosion filling the clearing , and its detanation set off the larger bomb which went off in an array of fire and light . Don glanced at Rorn through the goggles and was slightly un-nerved by the display of light, fire and emotion displayed in those yellow eyes . His eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire as the droids below were destroyed in a wave of explosions and destruction . Finally after the entire encampment was destroyed, Rorn dropped to the ground, landing one one knee and hand . Standing slowly, he walked back to his speeder . Don dropped down and scooped up a droid head . Ripping a data chip from the innards, he dropped it and followed Rorn .
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Corran watched the sensor screen in front of him . For the past three hours, droids all aver Yavin 4 were being destroyed in explosions of heat and fire . The heat monitors were reading off the charts, they had to be doing some good, Corran knew, but as long as Luke was gone, he had to remain here with the students, not go out and help . Several students had run off , soon after Rorn and Don left, taking lightsabers and saying that " It was the droids or them ."
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Rorn aimed his launcer and squeezed the trigger, a single rocket coated with energy shooting out at the droid deployer in front of them . A millisecond later, the deployer was gone, a large crater surrounded by ruins in its place . Rorn wiped some soot off of his face and glared at a single droid crawling from the wreckage . Walking up to it, he sneered as it tried to draw a damaged lightsaber from its left forearm . Pulling his own lightsaber from its pouch, activated it ." Even with cortosis ore armor, this blade will penetrate far enough into your entrails to destroy you ." and with a Iridonian battle cry, Rorn brought the saber down on its head, expecting the saber to wink out, shorted out by the ore in the droid's armor . Instead, the blade flickered and threw off sparks and cut right through the armor, killing the droid . Rorn stared at his weapon , Ric must have done something to it, he thought and brought it down again and again, until all that remained of the droid was a black and burned husk . De-activating his saber, Rorn thought he heard an echo of his saber, but the sound continued . Turning in the direction it was coming from, Rorn began to run through the woods, shouting at Don to bring the speeder and for Kurrm to follow . Kurrm paused what he was doing and glanced at Rorn, then with a single swipe of his huge hand, knocked the head from a droid's shoulders and sent it flying into the bushes .
Jumping over a final log, Rorn came face to face with a trio of students from the academy, fighting with a small de-tachment of droids . The droid's sheilds were deactivated, because they were fighting with lightsabers and Rorn drew his blaster pistols . Flicking the safeties off, he began to hose energy into the droid ranks . Droid after droid fell until the last went down under the lightsaber of a padawan . The three from the Academy stared at Rorn, who looked the part of a Kashyyk night demon, his horns glistening with sweat and his skin coated with soot from various explosions, his,clothes torn from the brances of the trees and the grasping fingers of the droids ." What are you doing out here . Its not safe ." Rorn was the first to speak . The largest of the young Jedi, a Keldor in breathmask and flowing robes spoke up , saying " We came to help . The droids have been here too long ." Rorn just stared at them in disgust and motioned to Don who had just came up ." Give them a rifle and pistol apiece along with three grenades per person and they can just head back ." The padawans looked furious and began to shout at him ." We're not going back, we came to help ." Rorn turned back to them and they shrank back, a little scared by the expression on his face ." Its not safe, its not even safe for me and Don . But I am a trained soldier and Don's with me, so we are safer than you would be . Kurrm, go with them to these coordinates and wait there, we'll meet you later, and, Kurrm, let them shoot a few droids, go about three kilometers north of those coordinates, and you'll find some ., but thats it ." He said, staring into their faces . " For now, get out of my sight and back to those coordinates ." he could tell by their faces , he wasn't gonna win any popularity contests with their votes, but he was too tired and angry to care .
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Don glanced over at Rorn, who was lining up another droid in his sights . The Zabrak seemed obsessed with ridding Yavin 4 of droids . Don clicked the safety of his heavy repeater blaster off, and aimed at a stack of fuel canisters . Rorn saw what he was doing and nodded," Aim high, otherwise the lower explosions will blow the non-detonated containers upwards ." he whispered . Don nodded and adjusted his aim slightly . Ptchoo, Ptchoo, the canisters exploded and sent out a shock wave of fire, vaporizing droids in its path . Rorn clapped Don on the shoulder and moved back to the speeder . Don watched the fire catch anything and everything in its path and hesitated . He grasped the Force and reaching out, pulled the air away from the fire, letting it suffocate . No sense in letting all of Yavin 4 burn , he thought .
Back at the speeder, Rorn was checking a sensor scan of the planet ." Sensors say, theres only one more large encampment of droids . Others are just small scouting parties . I figure if we take out the big one, the smaller ones we can take out later ." Don nodded, and began to reload his rifle, but Rorn stopped him ." Lightsabers this time , we're gonna take 'em out the same way they did Siri . " Don dropped his auto blaster, and began to slide the blaster rifle from his shoulder . Rorn placed his own weapons into the back of the speeder and pulled his lightsaber from its pouch . Don placed his one remaining blaster in the speeder and dropped his gunbelt in after it . Rorn leaped into the pilot's seat and Force-lifted Don to the passenger side, before Don could do anything . Don wisely didn't say a word, as Rorn cranked up the engines and the speeder began to move toward the cloud of red blips on their sensor screen . Don slipped his lightsaber from his belt and checked the powerpack, making sure it hadn't been drained in the time since he last charged it . The purple blade shot out as normal and he shut it down , satisfied .
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Kurrm loomed up out of the darkness, a E-11 blaster rifle in each hand, and each speaking its song of death . Droids fell beneath his furious onslaught, even as the Jedi students behind him, spun their lightsabers through the body of any droid that was not killed by Kurrm . Kurrm dropped the blasters as a pack of droids with lightsabers leaped out of the brush . His own lightsaber flew from his belt and into his massive paw . From the non-business end of his lightsaber, a weight hung from a chain . It was this weight or club that he whipped around, smashing a droids sensors . A crimson blade activated and he began to chop and slice at the droids around him . Behin him, Kurrm heard a scream of pain as one of the students accompanying him, died .
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Rorn flew the speeder as fast as he could toward the battle sounds, he had given Kurrm and the students the wrong coordinates, they were right in the middle of the largest encampment of Yavin 4 . Don climbed into the turret on the back of the speeder, his hands flying over the controls, readying it to fire . As they saw the flicker of lightsabers, Rorn pulled back on the controls, giving the speeder some altitude . Don began to pelt the droid masses with laser fire, green bolts of energy melting through armor and destroying droids by the dozens . Rorn set the speeder to circle around the fight and dropped down, his lightsaber in his hand, blue blades glowing . Below him, Kurrm and two students were fighting back to back, deflecting lasers and chopping down lightsaber droids . Don stared as Rorn swan-dived down toward the fight, pulling up at the last possible second to land on his feet . Instantly, his lightsaber began to flash out, cutting through armor and circuits . Don fired his laser cannon at a stack of fuel cannisters, in the midst of a the massing droids . With a huge explosion, they were gone, taking dozens of droids with them . Below him , Rorn vaulted onto a droid's shoulders and twisted his legs, severing the droid's neck . Kurrm let out a mighty battle roar and charged a group of four droid's, his lightsaber held high, and poised to strike . AS he neared them, his howl reaching its loudest peak, the droids parted, and a lightsaber bearing droid shot out of the group . Kurrm saw the hazard and brought his lightsaber down, in hopes of blocking it . Too late, his weapon sliced into the shoulders of the mechanical . Kurrm slowly turned, a smoking, charred wound in the pit of his stomach . Up came the soil to meet him, and he fell . Rorn felt him fall in the Force and was sorry, but for now, there was no time to grieve . The two students left, stood back to back, and were fighting furiously, green and blue blades flying . Rorn flipped backwards over a rear assaulting droid and chopped down , his saber cutting through cables and wires . The mechanical froze, its movement relays cut off . With a kick, the Zabrak took it out of the fight for good . Above him, Don took out droid after droid with scathing laser fire . His long blonde hair trailing out behind him, as the speeder continued on its programmed path .
A tall spindly droid stood up and leveled a Stoukker concussion rifle at the speeder . With a twitch of its metal finger, the flying speeder wasn't flying anymore . As it fell , Don stepped off the side and grabbed a tree branch, letting his weight pull it to the ground . His lightsaber flew to his hand from the falling aircar and its purple blade ignited, lighting the path before him . Landing in a crouch, Don shoved the falling aircar with the Force, re-directing it toward oncoming droids . Even before it struck them down, he was turning to fight alongside Rorn . As they fought the endless onslaught of mechanical beings, the concussion rifle-bearing droid that had shot down the speeder, stood atop a barrel and aimed at the quartet of Jedi . Where he lay, Kurrm stirred, life flowing back into his huge body . Rorn felt the surge of energy and turned to see the droid aiming, its finger tightening ever so slowly and then, behind it , Kurrm rose up like a mighty battleship on storm-tossed seas . His lightsaber was gone, but the raging Togarian had no need of external weapons . The long razor sharp, fighting claws popped out of their sockets and buried themselves in the droid's armor , getting a holding grip, and then the mighty muscles tensed and hurled the droid far out into the brush . A distant explosion marked the droid's collision with the trunk of a large tree . Rorn stared at Kurrm, and snapped out a stiff salute . The huge Togarian acknowledged it weakly as he sank back down to the ground, strength spent .
Don gasped for breath in one of the short times where hundreds of droids were attacking them . They could not win this fight, with their lightsabers shorting out, everytime they struck a droid's armor . Rorn wasn't having too much trouble, what with Ric having done something to his saber . One blade capable of cutting through the cortosis ore with no ill effects, while the other was normal . The two Jedi students who were fighting back to back , screamed in alarm as a droid hurled a grenade at their feet . Too in-experienced to Force push it away, they died there, in a explosion of shrapnel . Rorn glanced at Don, who nodded and they both leapt straight up, simultaneously, tossing ion grenades at the horde of droids . The blue tinged explosion threw droids back, lightning flickering around their limbs . The two Jedi dropped back down to the ground, lightsabers humming in the heat of battle . Rorn drop kicked a pair of droids and followed it up with vicious one-two stabs . Don hacked down a droid and paused, feeling with the Force ." Rorn, help is coming ! " Rorn sliced into the torso of another droid, unleashing a flow of lubricants into his face . Turning he wiped the nasty stuff from his eyes and stared into the jungle . Corran Horn and at least thirty students were charging at the droids . Above them, Wik Dalleeso and his friend Fallo were maneuvering jetpacks around, firing blasters at the mechanical flood . A silvery blade sprung into existence as Corran thumbed his lightsaber's switch and plunged the glowing length into a droid, even as the blade shorted out . The Jedi reinforcments each took on several droids in duels, reactivating their sabers each time they struck armor . Rorn caught a grenade and threw it back at the enemy, from whence it came . Corran reached down and grasped the glowing blade of a fallen droid's lightsaber, using the Force to draw the energy inside him . Standing, his eyes glowed with red energy and he reached out in the Force, grasping every droid around, touching its electrical systems and then crushing them . The Jedi trainees stood and stared as every mechanical around them, froze, weapons poised to attack, but the owners un-moving . A young student, tentatively reached and touched one, causing it to topple, clanging on the rocks . Corra collapsed to his knees, drained by this massive expenditure of the Force . Rorn walked to him and lifted him, though physically tired himself . Don who had contracted some small wound in his side, stumbled over to him, and mumbled," We did it, we can go home now ."
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Hyrinin stood un-happily on the landing bay, watching Ric's ship come in for a landing . As the Sith lord dis-embarked, Hyrinin took a deep breath and let out the bad news ." My lord, the Jedi have defeated your army ." He cringed as Ric stared at him in dis-belief and continued ," A small party of Jedi used guerrilla tactics and wiped out almost the entire force of droids . Later, a group of Jedi, aided by the residing Master, destroyed the main encampment . They are currently hidden, but I fear they will attack here next ." Ric took in the news and waved a clawed hand at Hyrinin ." You failed me, I left you here to keep watch over the army, and it is destroyed ." Hyrinin gasped for air as Ric used the Dark Side to close his throat, " But you are still useful to me, so I won't kill you yet, but mind you, your next failure shall cost you your life . " Hyrinin gasped as Ric released him ." I am too weak to fight them now . That Chiss poisoned me . We will take a blood sample to Coruscant and have it tested . See if we can synthensize a cure ." Ric growled at his subbordinates . They nodded, not ready to take on the Sith lord, even in his weakened state .
By Jarlath and Tien
Jarlath followed Kyp out of the room, closing the door as he left. "What is it, Kyp?" he asked the elder jedi.
"Well, it depends on how you see it, but I'm convinced that the sitt--"
"Mwynin" Jarlath corrected him.
"yes Mwynin, anyways, i'm convinced that Mwynin killed Dart."
"How!!" Jarlath aksed, a shocked expression springing to his face.
"When she fell unconscious, her mental barrier fell. I looked in her mind and saw the memory of the battle."
"In her mind?" Jarllath repeated numbly, too stunned to think of anything else to say. He was almost positive that Mwynin was not the killer. "How do you know it was that memory?" He challenged.
"Don't you trust me?" Kyp asked, puzzled and sightly offended at his friends cynicism. Jarlath usually wasn't this uncooperative. maybe he's spending too much time around her.. "Of course I'm sure it was that memory. I can read minds, you know."
"I know you can, but you're absolutely certain?" Jarlath persisted.
"Jarlath, belive me. I know she did it." Kyp was beginning to get very annoyed. "Can I see the memory?" Jarlath asked.
"Why do you need to see it?" Kyp answered the question with one of his own. "Don't you trust me?"
"Yes, but I need to see the evidence before I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt before I do anything."
"Well I don't have the memory." Kyp said. She does, and she is blocking us out." "You certainly do have the memory of you seeing the memory!" Jarlath's voice was slightly louder than a conversational tone.
"And I am not letting people into my mind. Believe me or not. You’re not going to see it!" Kyp was just below yelling.
"You have something to hide. Don't you?" Jarlath matched his tone and volume. "it's not a complete memory, is it?"
"It most certainly is! Would I go off and call an incomplete memory proof!" Kyp was now good and mad, and his voice reflected it.
"Quite frankly, I think you and Saaran have already made up your minds on the fact that Mwynin is guilty and now just need an excuse for the courts!" Jarlath yelled at the top of his lungs.
"WE DO NOT!!!!!!" Kyp yelled back, before turning and stomping off. Jarlath tried to follow but had to step back to avoid the slamming door. Jarlath, still very mad, returned t o his quarters. I have to keep calm. And not do anything stupid he kept telling himself. he had never had a fight like that with Kyp before. He stayed in his room for a while, working things through in his mind.
Meanwhile, Kyp went looking for Saaran. "Saaran. I have news. Mwynin killed Dart. When she went unconscious I looked in her mind and saw the whole thing."
As Kyp talked Saaran's face got redder and redder. Her eyes seemed to take on a reddish tint as his words sank in. "I am going to rip that alien APART!" her voice was loudest on the final word. "Have you told Jarlath?" She askedthat'll prove him wrong and me right she thought with smug satisfaction.
Yes" Kyp said with annoyance in his voice. "He doesn't believe me."
WHAT!!!!!!" Saaran yelled. "Why That........."
"He’s gone to his quarters, I think. I left him very mad." Kyp finished the story of his meeting with Jarlath.
"Good for him," Saaran said, a devious plan forming in her mind. "I’ll go and get some dinner. He can eat from his own synthesizer." She strode off, leaving Kyp alone.
She just heard about her Master’s murderer and she wants to make dinner? I never will understand females Kyp thought as he headed up to the bridge.
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While Saaran made dinner and Kyp stayed alone in the cockpit, Jarlath sat in his room, wondering what to make of it. Normally he would have asked himself what Kyp would have done in a situation like this, but he already knew what Kyp would do. And he did not want that option. Instead he thought of what his childhood hero, before Kyp had found him at the old refugee station, would have done. He would have found a way to find the truth. He is a clever old one. I’m sure he’d find a way out. But what? I wish I could talk to him, but of course that’s impossible. And impractical. It would give our position away. He thought to himself. Then again, why not give our position away? The justice system would take better care of this whole mess. 'Cause then you’ll get caught, and you’ll get Kyp and Saaran in trouble. He may be upset with Kyp, but he would still never do anything to purposely get him into trouble. Saaran, on the other hand………… she had been just plain cruel about the whole thing. Then again, what if it was Kyp, and not Dart that was dead. As he thought, his mind wandered off on a tangent, back to when he and Kyp had first met, during the great YV war, about a month after the great battle of Coruscant.
Coruscant had just fallen. It really shouldn’t have, but those creeps had pulled such a dirty trick. All the refugee ships…and those cowards hadn’t been willing to defend the planet! "Blast the refugee!" many a Coruscantian had thought as the enemy fleet streamed, unharmed towards their home. Only General Bel Iblis had had the guts to disobey that traitor Admiral Sovv and defend his capitol. The battle had turned into a mess. Then, all those ships, ramming the shields. Raining debris. Running and running, trying to get on any ship leaving. If it weren’t for his unarmed combat skills he wouldn’t have gotten out, but he had knocked out a starfighter pilot and taken off. The Z-95 he had stolen was hard to pilot, but it was better than being on the ground when the Vong landed. Anything was better than that. He would gladly crash into the Manarai Mountains or be shot down in a space-battle, instead of being sacrificed by the soulless invaders. Flying up and out into space, he realized that he had no hyperdrive. He flew towards a Star Destroyer. The tractor beams had snagged the fighter before he crashed. He remembered the name on the ships side, Mon Mothma, Little had he known that that particular ship was General Antilles flagship. The crew had taken him out, a shocked and scared 10-year-old, mature beyond his years.
They may have thought they were doing him a favor when they left him at the refugee camps on Sullust, but they were wrong. The crowded conditions, constant hunger, and the general hopelessness of the area were almost as bad as the chaos of the battle. For three months he’d been stuck in that stinking cesspool of misery and hopelessness. Then they had come. Kyp’s Dozen, the most famous starfighter squadron in the war. They were being compared to Rogue Squadron, and had already surpassed them in the minds of grateful admirers who saw them as the one sword that always struck the enemy. At the time he hadn’t known why, but as they were walking through the camp, Kyp stopped, and looked at him, and then pulled him out of the crowd. He had ridden in their command freighter until being left with Booster Terrik and the jedi children on the Errant Venture. After the war Kyp had come to train him. And now here he was. In the biggest dilemma he had ever faced. Did he trust Kyp, the man who had saved him and trained him? Or did he do what he thought he should? Did he remain unconvinced until he saw beyond a shadow of a doubt what Kyp had seen?
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Down in the galley, Saaran hummed happily to herself as she mixed the foods. Hers was a light, nutritious dinner that would steel her for the next few hours. Kyp’s would send him to sleep in minutes. I can’t have anyone awake to interfere. Jarlath will stay in his quarters; Kyp will stay asleep. Then, with the Sith dead, Dart will rest in peace. She found it all rather ironic. Dart, Kyp, and Jarlath would all rest peacefully(or in peace) that night. The sith would rest in pieces. Or not. A poison would be subtler. Then no one would know how the Sith had died. Suddenly an idea sprang to her mind, straight from the dark side. What if I gave her Plomacor? A powerful painkiller for humans, but deadly to any non-human, it had been developed by Palpatine himself. Maybe he was good for something she mused. Furthermore, she wouldn’t have to break into the poison closet where Jarlath had insisted all the poison go. Then he had stolen the key. More in my defense, especially in a court of law she thought to herself. Sending a droid to deliver Kyp’s dinner to him, she quickly ate hers and then went about her work.
First she got out a small vial from the first-aid kit. Good thing this is an old Empire kit. They were cheap and easier to get, so that’s what the academy transports had. Taking the Plomacor, she emptied it into a syringe. Then, walking stealthily, she headed through the corridors and off towards the enemies prison room.
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As Jarlath thought, he decided to go and simply ask the prisoner straight up what she knew about Dart Heaths. No mind invasion, no coercion, just a simple question. For some reason, he felt almost uneasy about going to the prison room. Almost as a second thought, he buckled his lightsaber around his waist as he left his room. He walked through the empty corridors towards the prison room. He felt very uneasy and didn't know why. It seemed a strange malevolence pervaded the corridors of the ship. A black feeling in the air. Almost like when he had felt the dark side at work, before the emergence of Tilshonatar Slintronius Almost sub-consciously, he sped up his pace until he was jogging towards the room.
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Saaran didn't even here the footsteps echoing down the halls, so intent was she on her scheme. She crept towarsd the room and burst the door open
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Jarlath heard a door slam open and began to run. He came to a stop when he saw the prison chamber door open. And Saaran striding across the floor. He still had about fifty meters to go. All he could do was watch and run as she walked up to the prisoner
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Saaran crossed the room, a red fire in her eyes as she came up to Mwynin. Pulling up the syringe, she decided to go for one more confession before stabbing. "Tell me what you did to My master!" she demanded in a low, deadly tone. "Tell me now. I know you killed him, murderer. Tell me what you did"
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Mwynin saw the girl looking like a demon as anger radiated from her, even Mwynin could feel that,
"I didn't do anything to him! I told you that!"
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"Liar!" Saaran hissed. "Since you refuse to admit to it, Sith, you will take your secret to the grave. This," she held up the syringe, "will make sure your final eight hours of life are tortured and painful, just like you made his last eight hours of life a nightmare." She raised the syringe as Jarlath arrived at the door. As she moved her hand down, he used all the telekinetic power he cuold to stop her. Why couldn't I have master Skywalker’s talent for moving things? he thought as he strained to stop her. Micrometer by micrometer, the syringe drew nearer to its victim. Suddenly, Jarlath changed tactics. Throwing all his energy into one action, he twisted his block up and reinforced Saaran's grip.
The glass syringe broke under the added pressure, the deadly droplets falling harmlessly to the ground.
Saaran screamed a blood-curtling scream, with no distinguishable words. Her lightsaber flew to her hand and she ran at Jarlath. "You will die with her, TRAITOR!!!!!" She shouted as his weapon flew to his hand and activated. He blocked her first stroke and then stepped around, getting himself between her and Mwynin. Saaran swung wildly, and one of her swipes sliced through an overhead cable. The lights went out. The faces of the two combatants were all that was visible through the erie darkness, illuminated only by the glowing lightsabers. The lightsabers flashed and whirred as the two Jedi fought.
Half of Mwynin was sure she'd get cut to pieces and was abstractly wondering if that would hurt as much as a charric, the other half was fascinated by the skill of the fight. She'd never actually seen Jedi or Sith fighting with lightsabers. Sure she'd fought Ryys with a mock up (that died half way through) but that was just like sword fighting, nothing like this . The blades cast weird shadows and crackled as they struck the other. The Jedi…Jarlos, I think he said…, stood between her and the angry girl fighting stubbornly and skillfully. Even with very limited knowledge of lightsaber combat, Mwynin could tell the girl… (Saaran?) had no real chance, Jarlos was a much better fighter. Unless she had very good luck and Jarlos was being kind, she'd be badly hurt, if not killed.
Saaran swung wildly as she tried her best to beat through Jarlath's defenses. Knights. Ugghhhh she thought as she tried her best. As she fought, she found her energy reserves depleting. I need to get her. she thought as her rage and hatred flowed through her veins. After another ten minutes of vicious strokes, all deflected by Jarlath's skillfully wielded blade, she gave completely into her hate. She allowed her emotions to run unrestrained through her body as she redoubled her attacks on the obstruction that kept her away from her foe. Jarlath noticed the difference, first in her sense, than in her fighting, as Saaran drew on the dark side to power her attacks. After some time of fighting, a first for that fight happened. Saaran drove him back a step, the glowing blades that had been nearly to the door drew nearer to Mwynin, her face illuminated by the strange bluish glow from the lightsabers.
The tingling force sense suddenly changed and became cold. Saaran shoved her attack in closer. She wasloosing! What happened? Jarlos seemed to momentarily loose his advantage and Saaran pressed on until Jarlos's back was inches from her.
With his back inches from Mwynin, Jarlath knew he would need a stronger art to defeat the darkside-infused Saaran. Suddenly he made a three-step slashing move, driving Saaran back a few paces. Both warriors dropped slightly back, panting for breath and summoning fresh energy reserves. Jarlath lowered his base into a Ténkal Lish Masters' stance.
Spinning her lightsaber, Saaran lunged, letting out an almost inhuman screech of hate. Jarlath knocked her weapon aside. Allowing his muscles and reflexes to take over, finely attuned to the force, and to the fifteenth art, he sent Saaran reeling back towards the door. His lightsaber moved like an extension of his body, in perfect sync with the force. Saaran was no match for this attack.
With obvious presence of mind Jarlos changed tactics: Opening up his lightsaber defense he struck out in some sort of martial arts that Mwynin didn't recognize. Like Ves-de but not really, faster, smother and more upper-body movement.
Several times her sleeves were singed by the well-placed attacks. In desperation, she tried a spin move that turned them with a profile towards Mwynin.
No longer on a steady defense Jarlos continued a strong offence, pushing back the enraged Saaran. She was near the door now, and they had turned somehow during the fight so even from her half-hanging position Mwynin could see everything
Jarlath locked their blades high, and kicked. It was only supposed to be a light kick, one that would turn her so that he would once again be between predator and prey. But, in the fifteenth art, there are no light kicks. Lightning fast he kicked Saaran. His boot smashed into her stomach with untold force and she bent double, her lightsaber making a brilliant arc as it flew into Jarlos's hand. Screaming in agony, she fell to the ground, driven back against a wall by the force of the blow. Activating both weapons, he aimed the points at her chest as she coughed up blood. "Surrender," it wasn't a request, but a command. She coughed again and managed, "I give, you win" before passing out.
Mwynin watched the end of the battle unfold. He ordered her to give up her fight and she agreed, coughing up blood and falling on her face.
Oh ouch! That's gonna hurt. She'll feel that one tomorrow…. but a tiny part of Mwynin was glad she knew what pain felt like. That's where cruelty comes from Mwyn, that's why you shouldn't ever enjoy someone else's pain. It's one thing to relish the victory, it's quite another to relish the pain caused by your victory… no matter how much it hurt you. Ryys's calm words came back to her along with the ache she heard in his voice as he helped Llywes heal her wounds last time… Jarlos stood up and the lightsabers powered off, dropping the room into darkness. "Is, she all right? She's not going to die from that… is she, Jarlos, sir?" She asked, squashing the former thought. I will not be cruel. It hurts too many others....
"No, Mwynin, I don't think she will die>" Jarlath replied as he activated his lightsaber. Using the glow from the blade as a torch, he walked along the walls until he came to a panel. Pressing some buttons, he brought up a dim glow from the emergency lights. De-activating his weapon, he placed it in his belt and knelt over the prone form. Turning her over on her stomach, he probed the wound with his force sense. "She has alot of internal bleeding, and who knows how much damage her organs have taken." he said aloud as he continued along the injury. "This wound is beyond my skill to heal, I'll need to get her to the med-droids. Bacta might be able to do something for her. I don't think its fatal, though. Keep an eye on her, I'm going to go and get a repulsor-stretcher, and see if there's anything in sick bay that might help. I'll be back in a bit." Turning, he left the room and headed down a corridor, leaving Mwynin alone with the unconscious form of Saaran Loees.
"Aye sir, 'keep an eye on her'. "Mwynin sighed as Jarlath left the room. She stared up at the ceiling Oh yes, while I hang here the Yadi can go off and take care of her while my hands fall off… oh well so be it…
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Jarlath returned about ten minutes later with a repulsor-stretcher. He walked over to Saaran, and then stopped as a thougth struck him. Mwynin has been hanging there for........ He darted over to where Mwynin hung, his lightsaber flying to his hand. He leapt and spun his blade, severing the chains that held her up. "Sorry, I forgot that you couldn't touch the ground. I'd best take you to sick bay and see what medical attention you need." He said as he put his weapon away and helped the shaking young girl to her feet.
She cloapsed to her knees. "Oh! I... I can't feel my feet.... or my hands...."
Jarlath lifted her up and gently placed her on the stretcher. Then, he laid Saaran beside her. Idly, he wondered whether or not putting those to next to each other was wise, but decided neither one of them was in good enough condition to hurt the other. He activated the stretcher, and pushed it along down the corridor. He pushed it into sick bay, and lifted Mwynin off and placed her on a hospital bed. He placed Saaran in the bed next to her and turned on the monitoring equipment. Walking into over to a storage closet, he opened the door and activated the medical droid in it. The droid came to life, "What is your wish, master." it spoke in that annoying electronic voice all med-droids seemed to have programmed into them. "I want a complete read-out on the injuries to these two. Don't let either of them out of sick bay. I'll be back." he said as he walked out of the door and went towards the turbolift, going to see where Kyp had gone.
"Now," the droid asked as it wheeled over to Mwynin, "What is the problem?"
Cold, his eye, his hand cold . Opening his eyes, Jhon looked down warily and gasped in shock . His body was that of a droid , one of thousands, standing in neat rows, blaster rifle held steady . Gaping in horror he stared around him, jaw slack with dismay . He was no longer sentient, he was mechanical .
Jhon sat straight up, gasping for air . Feeling his face, his fingers came across the cyborg implant in his left eye, his left hand also desecrated, mechanical . The dream came back nightly, ever since this sacrilege had taken place . Rising, Jhon picked up the visual device that allowed him to see with enhanced vision from his missing left eye and clicked it into place . Crossing the small cabing to the " fresher ", Jhon stared at his reflection in the mirror, the reflection staring back . The Empire had ruined his life and now they were back to do more harm .
He could well remember, all those years ago, the day he had come home to see his family . Just back from a cargo run, he had taken a job as a merchant . Vader had visited while he was gone . The safe home on Alderaan, Jhon thought he had found , not so safe any more . His lovely wife, dead, lightsaber still gripped in her severed hand . Their two children, lifeless, blaster scars marking the walls aound them where stormtroopers had opened fire on the toddlers . His grief had taken over, and Jhon had boarded his ship . Flying to Coruscant, Jhon had fought the docking bay guards, killing them all, but a blaster bolt searing the vision from his eye forever . All the way through the Imperial Palace, Imperial Guards, Stormtroopers, all died . Reaching the throne room, he had confronted Palpatine, his lightsaber brandished at the Emperor's heart The hideous old man had laughed maniacly and summoned Vader, who appeared majically as if conjured to the spot . In the heated duel that followed, Jhon was defeated, his hand chopped off .
In the hellish years that followed, Jhon was controled by Palpatine . The Dark Side working inside him . He became the Emperor's behind-the-scenes enforcer . Meeting Mara Jade several times, his controlled mind raging at the power given to such a slight young girl . And then came that fateful day, when Palpatine's control vanished forever . Jhon had awoken as if out of a coma, his intended target, a high-ranking general know as Garm Bel Iblis going free, as Jhon tried to cope with his new found freedom and memories .
Exiting the fresher, Jhon walked back to his cabin, picking up a pair of long swords , the ancestors of the lightsaber . In the main cabin, he began a series of disiplined kata's, letting his mind wander back to his memories .
The Emperor had cybernetically enhanced Jhon's body, his muscles replaced with synthetic muscles, stronger and faster than normal . His reflexes, enhanced by a tiny chip, placed on his brain . Jhon was now almost seven feet high, towering over his former 5'11 . He aged extremely slowly, his body that of thirty, while Jhon himself was over seventy . Jhon had researched himself, scanning memories of his days as Palpatine's servant, recoiling in horror at the atrocities the Emperor had performed through Jhon's body .
For the last twenty or so years, Jhon had worked as a bounty hunter, un-willing to re-establish himself as a Jedi, not with the things he had done . Jhon was now even more afraid of the Dark Side, it the only thing he feared . Death he would welcome, but would not invite . Now, as the Sith again tryed to take over the galaxy, Jhon knew he needed to fight the growing evil, but afraid it would corrupt him . His lightsabers were kept safe in his armor, but Jhon prayed, he would never have to use them again .
Gavin Darklighter stared at the far distant light of Nalgroth . Why Admiral Kre'fey wanted this particualr planet leveled, he didn't know, but he had to follow orders . Turning, Gavin studied the sleek new Samurai fighters . The New Republic had sent forty of these prototypes with them . Kre'fey had claimed they were invincible, that the shields drew energy from any energy that struck them, impervious to laser fire, missiles, even crashes would leave the fighter undamaged . Gavin glanced at the strange deflector shield array mounted on the fighter, and sighed, whatever high command wanted, it seemed they got, even the deaths of good pilots in un-tested space-craft .
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Four hours later, four capital ships dropped out of hyperspace, just out of Nalgroth's gravity shadow . Launching hundreds of fighters, the huge ships turned and fled back into the tunnels of star-lines . Gavin Darklighter was aboard one of those fighters . " X-wing squadrons , report ." his voice was heard over the comm ." Squadron red, ready ." " Squadron blue, ready ." " Squadron green, ready ." came the clipped tones of the squadron commanders . Gavin nodded, and continued ." Y-wing squadrons, report ." He listened as each and every squadron answered his call . " Samurai squadrons, A and B . X-wing Squadron Red and A-wing Squadron 4 . Lets go ." He began to direct his fighter into the atmosphere . The controls were based on a X-wings, and were very responsive, the fighter handled well . He reached to the panel over his head and switched his sheilds on, even as he instructed the others to do the same ." Lock S-foils in attack position ." he said clearly . Gavin watched as the fighters around him, slightly transformed . " Alright, lets go see who the public enemy is this time, boys ." He reached to the over-head panel again and braced himself ," Samurai craft, activate enhanced mobility ." and pulled on a small knob . Immediately, the craft accelerated to insane speeds, the gee-forces plastering Gavin against his seat . Finally, forcing an arm up, Gavin adjusted his speed a bit, and moved on to weapons . A flick of a switch and his weapons were primed and charged . Another and his blaster cannons were linked to fire simultaneously . One more, and his disruptors and missiles were prepared ." Samurai craft, prepare weapons, the target will be in sight in just a few seconds ." he spoke into the comm, even as the red cloud of enemy buildings appeared on his sensors ." Target aqquired ." a pilot said ." Permission to engage ?" Gavin felt the adrenaline begin to kick in and answered ." Affirmative, S-22 , attack at will ." and then he sqeezed his own trigger , red reflections flashing on his viewscreen as the pair of automatic blaster cannons mounted on his wings, decimated a small building . Gavin pulled up quickly as a blue haze appeared in front of him ." Shields are up, commander . What do we do now ?" Another Samurai pilot asked , his fighter briefly sighted by Gavin as it flew over his own fighter . " Let the Y-wings take care of the shields, we're only here for the city ." Gavin spoke into his comm, feeling a little wary about this mission . Where were the defenses ? he wondered . A military installation would have turbolasers all over the place, but this city has a few small turrets on top of a speeder station .Somethings not right, he thought . His attention went back to the battle as the Y-wings arrived and began to hammer the city's sheilds with missiles and ion cannons . "All squadrons, come up to the front ." Gavin ordered ." When the sheilds come down, choose a building and shoot ." He stared as countless people ran from houses and the larger skyscrapers, all toward a huge building, fortified with armor plating . As he watched , a turbolaser was rising from the ground at each corner of the building . On top of the shelter, a large metal crate exploded, exposing a missile launcher . Gavin smirked, Did they think, that could stop this assault ? What dimwits
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On the ground,Chiss people ran into the huge community shelter, hoping and praying for safety, from the swarming fighters just outside the defence shields .
As they watched with teary eyes, a single rocket penetrated the web of energy, and struck a huge skyscraper . Gasping in horror, the people hurried inside the shelter, activating the peremiter defences, covering their ears, trying to escape the screams coming from those too late to enter the shelter and were vaporized by the blaster cannons set up on the walls .
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Gavin gasped as countless Chiss were killed by their own guns . He shuddered, thinking about the horrible deaths . He looked up as a ion cannon fired, and the enery barrier collapsed ." All fighters converge on targets ." He commanded, banishing any doubts from his mind , If the Republic wanted this place destroyed, then it was going to get destroyed , he thought . His wingmates flew past him, their weapons burning, blasting, exploding, just basically, knocking buildings to the ground . He aimed his torpedoes and lunched two, not waiting for a lock . The two projectils streaked through the air, punching through a house's thin walls before striking a skyscraper's base . The tall building collapsed, its rubble destroying countless small homes around it . " Nice shot, sir ." a rookie shouted through the comm ." Gavin acknowledged the redruit with a small shake of his wings at the rookie's A-wing and flew toward the next building . His disruptors lanced out in beams of blue light and vut through the support beams of a large building, sitting on stilts . He LIKED these guns, Gavin decided .
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Will Hurtner, a first year cadet in the Republic fleet, flew his B-wing over a cluster of small structures . He whistled cheerfully as he pulled the lever that dropped a payload of energy bombs on the buildings . This fighting was easier than he had thought it would be when he joined up . Just fly around, shooting stationary targets , what more could he do . A beeping sound caught his ears and he looked down to see a message flashing on his screen . " Missile lock . Destruction inevitable ." Will scanned the air around him, looking for the source of danger . When he finally saw it, he had already seen the rocket heading at his ship ." HE....." and then the explosion .
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Gavin cursed as he saw the tiny fighter disappear in a blinding flash of light and fire . That rookie had been promising, even if he was a bit over-confident in his abilities, but then, what pilot wasn't . He stared, eyes wife open, as a small wing of strange fighter, flew through the dissipating explosion and opened fire on his wingmates . A party of over thirty hostiles followed it , their weapons hot and ready . Gavin instanly surveyed the situation and began to broadcast his orders ." All squadrons, leaving Samurai, resume bombardment . Samurai craft, attack enemy craft ." His fighter began to respond to his adjustments to the controls and the hemp aimed toward the oncoming ships . His crosshairs flickered red as a fighter passed in front of them, but no lock . Gavin slowly turned his fighter, compensating for the advanced speed of the highly advanced engines . As the fighter came back between his crosshairs and the chime alerting him to the fact that he got a lock sounded, Gavin pulled twin triggers simultaneously, red fire darting out as missiles lanced out at the un-aware ship . His lasers played havoc on the clawcraft's sheilds for an instant before the missiles struck . The explosion lit up the sky, illuminating the other fighters in its red glow . Gavin flew through the explosion and doubled back, trying to protect his fellow pilots from the barrage of death coming from the enemy guns . A small hatch opened beneath his ship and a rack of torpedos folded down . With a press of a button, they fired, seconds after they left his ship, Gavin watched them explode and out of the wreckage flew eight smaller missiles . The missiles all branched out, a small number heading toward each fighter . Gavin whooped exultantly, as they took the shields dwon on all of the fighters . Almost immediately, seven of them, broke off and flew off in a different direction . Gavin switched back to disruptors and fired, commanding his wingmates, to do the same . Within moments the fighters were gone, wreckage falling to the ground all that remained . Gavin ordered his men back toward the fight and watched as they began to make bombing runs . One by one, buildings collapsed, their frames outlined by flames . Gavin sighed as the one of the last structures fell and opened a comm channel," Everyone, converge on the fortress . Bring it to the ground ! " One by one, the fighters began to head toward the huge shelter with deadly intent . As one their lasers began to fire, striking strategic positions on the huge building . Gavin cringed as a turbolaser turret destroyed a X-wing, the pilot too engaged in lowering the structures shields . " Samurai, take out those turrets, their sitting ducks , once that shield goes down . "
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A lone Samurai broke off from the group, powering up his disruptors . Flying toward the turrets, letting his vidrion shields take the hits, he got too close to the shelter's defense sheild and his own shields locked on to it . He strained, trying to yank his fighter away from the certain destruction, but then an odd thing happened . His shield readouts read full as always, but now there was a queer little symbol flashing next to them . Gazing out his viewscreen, the pilot gaped as the huge shield protecting the fortress , collapsed, drained by his vidrion shields .
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Gavin laughed as the shields dropped ," Fighters, get in there, and kill that thing ." He watched, his fighter hovering in the air, as his wingmates, swarmed around the huge building, its turrets trying in vain to shoot them down, but getting destroyed themselves by the fighters . When at last there were no turrets left, Gavin gave the order for the Samurai to fire their disruptors . All of the new fighters formed ranks, from which to wreak the most havoc and damage . As they did this, Gavin heard a strange voice come over his comm ." Enemy fighters....crackle... Please desisst in your... efforts ........Community shelter..........Women....buzzz........... ildren . STOP !!!............" and it was cut off as the structure collapsed inwards on itself, the disruptors of the Samurai, having done their work . Gavin gulped, trying to comprehend what they had just done and switched his comm to send mode . " We have a victory men . Enjoy it ." he said quietly ."
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"Sir, the main community center in Nalgroth City has been destroyed." Another report of disaster came in to the Chiss Command Base, north of the wrecked city. The deadly cloud of enemy fighters was moving north, toawrds the city of Kirolath. "Order the last squadrons into battle." Aristocra Fombri spoke softly as he ordered the final troops of his detachment into the fray, if it could be called that. The enemy had attacked with highly advanced fighters, and had wrecked a city of voer three million. Three million dead, butchered from on high. He watched as the six TIE interceptors and six clawcraft flew from the hangar in attack formation. Maybe they could catch the Y-wings. Glancing up at the chrono,. he saw about thirty minutes until the last ETA he had gotten from the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force. Maybe part of the planet could be saved. They will pay dearly for this raid. If the Chiss weren't convinced by the murder of Terok, they certainly would be now. The Federation had a dangerous enemy.. Looking at the board, he watched as three red dots winked out, as the fighters reached a groupd Y-wings. Continuing, the twelve blue dots. came further up and two more red dots dissappeared. Too little too late. The city of Kirloath lay burning, in ruins. The enemy fighters began dissappearing into hyperspace. As the last red dot departed, the Chiss ships begen exiting hyperspace. Fourteen heavy cruisers and nearly forty support crawt, plus swarms of clawcraft spilling from the hangars. Drop ships followed, carrying emergency relief personnel to the planet's surface, looking for survivors. Meanwhile, fFombri placed a holo-net call to Bastion, "Tell Grand Admiral Pellaeon," his message began, "that the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet is at his disposal."
The Defender issued from the hangar of the Chimaera and headed out to battle. Sev’rannce Tann flew headlong at the X-wings that had destroyed Emissary Terok’s shuttle. As they drew a tight half-circle to attack her, six fighters coming in at once, she spun a nauseating, juking, spin move, firing her lasers and turning two of the fighters into dust. A proton torpedo collided against her fighter, totally absorbed by the Vidrion shields. As she spun by an X-wing, she pressed a small trigger and a pencil-like thing shot out from a special launcher. It approached thje X-wing, until its point was up against the fighter’s shields. As had happened at Kashyyyk, Lyth Aria’s new leech worked perfectly. The shields of the X-wing were gone in seconds, and the full leech exploded, like a thermal detonator, blasting the right S-foils off of the X-wing and opening the cockpit to vacuum. It spun crazily out of control, crashing into an A-wing. The resulting fireball consumed both ships. Like a predator on the hunt, Tann’s Defender circled on the remaining three fighters of that doomed squadron. They came at the smaller ship, lasers blasting at it. Two concussion missiles from the Defender’s launcher took down to fighters. The last fighter turned tail and ran. But the faster, more advanced TIE got on its tail. Soon the last of that fated group was reduced to dust.
Sev’rannce Tann flew into the furious starfighter battle. Selecting a B-wing, she came around and launched another leech. The Federation’s best starfighter lost shields after ten seconds, and Tann’s laser blasts flew true. One of them hit the sublight engines and caused a reactor explosion. The B-wing blew up like a fusion bomb, darkening the Defender’s viewscreen because of the intensity of the explosion. I will have to congratulate Lyth Aria for her excellent work on these Tann thought with satisfaction as she turned her fighter towards the Bothan Assault Frigate. Time to give these a real field test she thought as she began her strafing run.
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Tarl’ya watched as an impudent TIE Defender flew at his ship, going into a strafing run. "Gunners, blast that fighter into oblivion." He ordered into the portside crewpit
"Acknowledged, sir." The chief weapons officer replied. The turbolasers tracked the small ship and opened fire. The blasts mostly went wild, and the Vidrion shields destroyed anything that hit them. Tann pressed the trigger three times and three leeches shot out and latched onto the Frigates shielding. They sucked energy from shields until they were full, and the shields stood at 30%. With the shields at 30%, the first leech, stuffed with energy, exploded, bringing the shields down to 10%. The second leech took them out. The third leech went off, and destroyed a good portion of hull plating. Tann fired two concussion missiles into the gap, watching with satisfaction as they tore a gaping hole through the ship. By now the other combatants were aware of what was happening, and Federation fighters moved to aid the crippled Frigate. TIEs followed them and the dogfight continued. The Chimaera came up and began battering the federation ship at close range, while the Grand Envoy moved forward and opened fire on the bridge. The Chiss and Imperial ships finshed after ten minutes, leaving the Loud Subterfuge a twisted hulk of burning metal and dead bodies floating in space. The last federation fighters were destroyed. As Tann flew her ship back to the Chimaera, she felt a call in the force. Sev’rannce Tann, I am in need. I need help. Only you can find me. Tann latched onto the mind. Scanning it, she found the person. Ida-Kan Quinn, a member of the Chiss guard She was also a force-user, not jedi, but not Sith. Her training was imperfect, but there was a lot of potential. She was in an escape pod. Floating in space Tann found the pod and snagged it with her Defender’s tractor beam. Bringing it with her to the Chimaera’s hangar, Tann landed her ship opened the escape pod. Inside was one of the Chiss soldiers. A charric and a lightsaber were at her side, her ceremonial uniform lay crumpled on the ground. She wore a much more practical flightsuit. She had many knives in sheaths all over her body. "Welcome back to the Chimaera, Ida-Kan Quinn." Sev’rannce Tann adressed the young woman.
"I thank you, Supreme Commander Sev'rannce Tann." She replied, bowing to the Imperial commander. "I would appreciate it if you could give me a room to stay in. I would like to be alone for a while."
"Of course," Tann replied. Signaling to a navy trooper, he ordered Ida taken to a small room near the brig. Then, turning, she walked to a turvolift and up onto the bridge. As she arrived, she saw that a com line was open to Csilla and Formbri was speaking quietly and earnestly with his superiors.
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Federation Council Chamber, Capitol building, Coruscant, 1950 hours, Galactic Standard Time.
Traest Kre'fey walked into the room, having come running over as soon as the urgent summons came from the council. "Admiral, we have a major problem." Cheif of State Cal Omas said as sson as the door shut. "It appears that, earlier today, a the Bothan Assault Frigate Loud Subterfuge attacked a Chiss diplomatic vessel in Chiss territory, and was subsequently destroyed in an engagement with the Chimaera, whcih was in the area conducting an official diplomatic meeting with the Chiss Ascendancy. In the battle, a high-ranking Chiss diplomat was killed when his shuttle was destroyed by X-wing starfighters. Did you authorize this attack?"
Kre'fey's face grew whiter as Cal Omas spoke, and he replied in a stunned tone. "No, the Federation Navy was never ordered to attack anywhere near Chiss space."
"Did you know about any plans at all to intercept the Chimaera at all?" Princess Leia asked.
"No, none at all." he answered.
"Well, we have a problem. We just recieved a message from Csilla condemning the assasination of their emissary, and expressing outrage out our violation of the rules of warfare. I assured them the attack was not ordered by us, and that it was a rogue action."
"And--" Kre'fey began, but was cut off.
"Wait," Cal Omas cut him off. "I've just recieved another report." he pressed a button and a holonet news broadcasst came up.
"Reportinglive from Coruscant. Reports coming out of Csilla indicate that the Chiss Ascendancy has declared war on the government of Bothawui. HNN news is trying to obtain a verificaation of these reports." a new figure appeared. The same voice continued. "Live from the Planet Nalgroth. Aristocr Fombri of thje fifth ruling family of the Chiss Ascendancy."
The figure spoke. "In response to speculations concerning the diplomatic relationship between the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, and the Chiss Ascendancy, I have come to offer perfect clarity. The Chiss and the Federation are in a state of peace. However, a state of war does exist bewtween the Chiss Ascendancy and the Bothan Sector." With that, the broadcast abruptly ended.
"As you can see," Cal Omas began.
"Wait." Leia Interrupted. "Shouldn't we bring this before the senate?"
"Is there a motion?" Cal Omas asked.
"So moved." Came the translators voice from where Triebakk was.
"I second." Leia called out.
The vote was unanimous.
Coruscant Senate Chamber: 2000 hours, Galactic Standard Time.
A meeting of the senate.
"And now, with the Chiss declaring war on Bothuwai, this body must decide it's position on the war an dour diplomatic status with the Chiss Ascendancy." Cal Omas concluded his briefing. "I recognize the senator from Bothuwai."
"This is an outrage!" The Bothan politician began. "These, Chiss," he spat teh wor dout with contempt, "have gone too far. Their agression must be stopped. I formally activate the Bothan Alliance with the Federation and demand that they fulfill the protection my people were garunteed when they joined this federation."
"The chair recognize's the senator from Gyndine." Gyndine was near the Chiss border.
"The people of Gyndine vehemently object to the Bothans' proposal. The garuntee of defense was only against wars of agression. Anyone who saw the Chiss broadcasts will know that the Bothans attacked a peaceful diplomatic exchange and assasinated an emmisary. I say let the Bothans bear the wrath of the Chiss Armadas." He yelled over the loudspeaker.
"How dare you!!!" The Bothan was on his feet yelling. "The government of Bothuwai never sanctioned an attack on the Chiss. They probably staged the entire thing to begin a war with us!!"
"Only an ignoramus or a Bothan would concieve of such a preposterous idea." The Balmorran senator joined the fray. "Anyone who knows about the Chiss would know that such Bothan-ish sneaks are strictly against their rules of warfare. I agree with the citizens of Gyndine. Let the Bothans take their medicine. They deserve for a cowardly sneak attack."
"The federation must honor its agreements." The voice of a Nohgri came quietly across the room, as teh Senator from Wayland stood. "We have made a pact of mutual defense with the Bothan government. We must honor this pact. The Chiss are the agressor because they declared war first. The inhabitantes of Wayland are totally behind the Bothans in this crisis."
The wookie senator stood and roared out his agreement.
"I say we should here from the jedi>" A barabel rose and spoke in the reptiallian voice of his people. "They have always been a voice of wisdom in times of gtreat need. the people of the Barab system will do as the jedi ask."
"Let us hear the jedi." The nohgri agreed.
"NO!!!" Fryor Rodan was on his feet. "This body will NOT be strong-armed by a bunch of fanatics."
"The jedi are not fanatics." Leia was on her feet in response to Rodan. "They are an integral part of the Federation. As a representative of the Yavin System, I resent the insinuations against its lawful rulers."
"We will hear the jedi." The Wookie called out.
"Very well." Cal Omas spoke, his voice calm in the sea of stormy words. "We shall hear from the jedi. Mara Jade Skywalker, the wife of jedi master Luke Skywalker has just arrived on the planet and is being updated on the situation. She will speak for the jedi."
"Why cannot the famous Luke SKywalker speak?" A Kuati spoke up.
"He is in the Federation Medical Clinic, recovering from injuries suffered in a battle with a Sith Lord on Byss." Cal Omas explained. "Mara will speak for him."
At that moment Mara Jade entered the room. "People of the Federation." She began to wild applause from the many supportive senators. "having just heard the situation, and knowing well the Chiss rules of warfare and their respect for them, I have to conclude that the Chiss were provoked to declare war. Never has the Chiss government declared war without first being attacked. Despite this, I read the Federation charter as ensuring defense against all enemies. Therefore, I encourage you all to vote to stand with our Bothan allies against the enemy." Her short speech was greeted with thunderous applause, and the margin in favor of war was nearly 3 to 1. It was official. Coruscant officially declared war on Csilla.
Nalgroth, 0130 hours, Galactic Standard time.
The declaration half an hour ago by the Federation of war against the Chiss Ascendancy had been answered swiftly from Csilla. The Chiss Ruling Families had voted unanimously to join the Galactic Empire in their war against the Federation. Fombri commented to one of his aides as he walked towards the podium to make his announcement. "The board is set. All I can see coming from this is a long, destructive war. Let us hope our allies can deliver on their promise of new technology and a swift victory.
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Coruscant Council Chamber, 0200 hours, Galactic Standard Time.
"Orders have been dispatched to Colonel Darklighter to lead a starfighter raid on the Chiss planet Nalgroth, in order to establish an early victory and deal the CHiss a blow before we turn to fight the Empire." Traest Kre'fey finished his first war-time update for the council. As she listened to his words, Leia thought back to after the YV war, with the galaxy united and the Yuuzhan Vong defeated. Only six years had passed and already another major war was sweeping forward, threating to clothe the whole galaxy in its flames. The fires of war had not totally died since the Clone Wars, but it had seemed that a new era of good feelings had been ushered in. How did it all come to this she wondered. How did it all come to this.
Saraan felt the piercing pain in her abdomen, long before she opened her eyes . When she finally pried the lids apart and stared about the room with bleary eyes, she saw the captive alien sitting across the room, one of the medical droids tending abrasions on her wrists and ankles . Saraan's brow furrowed in shock, Why wasn't she in her cell . Then in a flash, she remembered . Kyp had told her, that the girl was in fact the one who killed Dart, but Jarlath was convinced she hadn't . The two of them had fought, Jarlath beating down her defenses, but then spared her life . Saraan didn't know what to think anymore. Everything hurt too much . Her mind clouded with thoughts and memories of Dart . Finally, exhausted from her rage, she dropped into a troubled, dream-filled sleep , tossing and turning .
" Why should we let him live . He killed all of those people, this thing deserves to die ." Saraan said angrily, blaster aimed at the forehead of the trembling Duros . Dart gently, pushed the blaster to the side, spoiling her aim ." It is not the Jedi way to kill prisoners . No one is beyond redemption, Saraan . He may have detonated that bomb on the transport, but he is still under our protection ." he said , his voice quietly wiping the anger from Saraan . She frowned and brought her blaster to bear on the Duros again . After a long moment, Saraan's shoulders sagged and her weapon dropped to her side ." Yes Master ." Dart smiled, the simple expression a great honor to bestowed upon the worthy , " Remember Saraan, no-one is beyond redemption . No-one ."
Saraan frowned in her sleep, remembering that lesson, so many long months ago .
Saraan swung her lightsaber , with all of her might, neatly succeeding in knocking the saber from the grip of her opponent . " Surrender ?" she growled, trying desperately to keep the squeal of glee from surfacing ." I give, you win, for once . Its about time too ." the dueler opposite her, replied ." I mean, really . Its been nine out of ten times that I beat you, but you never give up . Kinda funny actually ." Saraan scowled, " Shut up, Jarlath . Just because you're almost a Jedi Knight and have made your own lightsaber, doesn't mean you can lord it over me forever ." she snapped . Jarlath smirked, " Yeah ? Well, I can sure try ." Saraan snorted and swiped at him with her training saber . Jarlath leaped backwards, dodging most of it, but getting a rather nasty burn, right across the kneecap . " Saraan, can we talk ?" Saraan turned and saw Master Heaths walking across the courtyard, trying to hide a small package behind his back ." Yes, Dart ? Is there something you need ." she asked, jogging over to him . Jarlath stuck out his tongue at her back and promptly fell as she tripped him with the Force . Dart chuckled, watching Jarlath stand and brush dirt off of his tunic ." Yes, there was, actually . Do you remember what day this is, Saraan ? " Saraan though for a moment ." No, I'm not sure actually ." she answered, a little bit perplexed . Dart smiled ," Today is the second anniversary of your release from that prison world, and the anniversary of your coming here with me ." Saraan felt a grin spread her cheeks," Really ? I hadn't thought about it . I tried to forget that place ." Dart nodded, " As did I . But here ," he handed her the parcel, he had hidden behind his back ." a small gift to mark the passing of days . It is something, I think you are ready for ." Saraan grinned as she tore at the clumsily wrapped gift . An instant later, awe replaced the grin ." A lightsaber ? You think, I'm ready for a lightsaber ?" She shouted . Dart's smile flickered," Uh yes, that is something you wanted isn't it ?" Saraan looked up at him, seeing the hope in his eyes ." Its something I've been waiting for since I got on your ship . A little late isn't it ?" Dart grinned, happy that his gift was appreciated . Saraan worked the weapon free from its wrappings, admiring the gold handle, with inlaid silver script ." What does it say ?" she asked, her brow slightly wrinkled from trying to read the alien writing . " This line here, is the Jedi Code , from start to finish . This line is your name and mine . Then here is the date ." Dart explained, pointing out various points on the lightsaber's hilt . " Ah, I like it . I like it a lot ." Saraan said, thumbing the activation stud, and releasing a icy blue blade that sprang skyward .
A brief pause in the tossing and turning, found Saraan dreaming about a much more grisly, and sad memory .
She was standing in the airlock of the Jedi Academy's transport . In front of her, the door's glass view plate hazed over in red . When the door opened, Don and Rorn leaped through ahead of her, stopping in their tracks, as their boots stepped into a sticky red fluid . Saraan stared at them," Guys, whats wrong ? You see something ?" she asked, and then an instant later she was past them ." Master Dart !" she screamed , dropping to her knees next to his lifeless body . He was dead, his arm thrown across the room, internal organs turned into jelly . She stared at him, his eyes still open, glazed over . A pool of blood covered the floor, and she heard Rorn's boots making a sickening squishing sound as he jogged to the cockpit . I will get whoever did this to you, Dart . I will Make them pay, she thought . She woke for a moment, and then passed out again .
" Alright , you can open your eyes now . " Saraan slowly opened her eyes and gasped . A gleaming TIE Avenger sat before her, its blue paint gleaming in the bright light . " You got me a TIE fighter ? I can't believe it ! " She cried, running up to the shining ship, running her fingers lightly over the surface . Dart just stood there smiling, happy that she liked it ." Well you know, you said you liked the design ."he said modestly . " That's not all ." Jarlath said," He bought it from a smuggler, just a busted up hulk and re-made it himself . This baby's got shields, missile launchers, hyperdrive engines, everything . All with a little bit of mechanical help from yours truly and some financial help from Don ." he said, gesturing at the grinning Kiffar, who was shyly scuffing his boots in the dirt . Saraan smiled dazzingly at both of them," Thanks guys, it means a lot ." she said . Dart clapped his hands together, " So, why don't you give us a demonstration ? Afterall, it is your fighter, Saraan . None of us have flown it ." he said, beckoning her towards the pilot's hatch, even as Don brought a flight helmet forward . Smiling once again, she climbed into the fighter .
Saraan opened her eyes again and glanced at the chrono . Over twelve hours had passed . She looked to the side, seeing the strange alien sith or was it girl asleep, rankling in anger at the sight . She still wanted to kill her, herself . Who wouldn't after what she had seen ? Dart had been one of her, very few true friends, one that had done more than any of her other friends, even her one childhood friend . And this person, no this thing, had stolen him from her . Saraan felt the anger rising and welcomed it . Slowly sitting up, using the Force to break her bonds, her eyes fell on the medicine locker across the room . Just inside that metal box, was the serum that would rid the universe of this accursed alien .Suddenly, she gasped in pain, her head jerking to the side to see one of the medical droids, injecting her arm with a sedative . Fighting the effects, Saraan tried to keep the droid from laying her back in the bed . Her eye lids fluttered, feeling like stone weights and she didn't even feel the droid buckle new restaints around her .Finally, she succumbed to the sedative and slept .
Refer to this post and change the status of each character so there is no confusion on who is where
By Daniel
Skywalker, Luke
On Coruscant
Skywalker, Mara Jade
On Coruscant
Durron, Kyp
In Space with Mwynin, Saraan, and Jarlath
Korchek, Rorn
At Yavin 4
Loees, Saaran
In space with Kyp, Mwynin, and Jarlath
Cadman, Jarlath
In space with Mwynin, Kyp, and Saraan
Darth Slintronius
At large(whereabouts unknown)
Ari
At Yavin 4
Solo, Jacen
At Yavin 4
Solo, Jaina
At Yavin 4
Heaths, Dart
Deceased
Solasur, Kam
At Yavin 4
Pellaeon, Gilad
On Bastion
Aria, Lyth(Sybl)
Imprisoned on Mechis III
Ap Eshwy, Mwynin
In space with Jarlath, Kyp, and Saraan
Don
at Yavin 4
Tann, Sev'rannce
On Bastion
Gronard, Ric
Whereabouts unknown
Ap Ryyen, Ryys
Some where in space- near the outer rim... (last i checked)[you can never tell with these characters, sometimes they go do things on their own and we authors find out about them later.]
Dorna Kolar
On Coruscant
Vorn Kolar
On Coruscant
Seth, Maarik
Deceased (and not coming back)
Admiral Kirkosh
On Bastion
Aristocra Fombri
On Bastion
Antilles, Wedge
In Limbo, not sure whether he's dead or alive
Kre'fey, Traest
On Coruscant
Emissary Terok
Deceased
Malik, Orvar
Bound for Tatooine
Dastekka
On Tatooine
Kan-Quin, Ida
On Bastion
If I forgot anyone or you have introduced a new character(Or reintroduced on ald one) please add. Update your characters status as you post
Vorn hefted the duffel bag to his shoulder, his muscles complaining about the added weight . In front of him, Dorna dragged another bag, into their rented freighter . Jhon had called several hours before, and asked for them to bring some of his gear to him . They were supposed to meet him at a set of coordinates . In front of him, Dorna dropped the duffel bad into a heap of similar bags and started toward the cockpit . Vorn heaved his bag to the floor, missing the pile by several feet . He frowned, and then cchecking to see where his sister was, tried to move it with his fledgling Force abilities . He concentrated, and got the bag to twitch, and tremble, but no lifting . Finally he gave up and slammed his hand down on the hatch controls, closing it . He turned to see Dorna standing there, trying to hold back a laugh . He scowled, as Dorna used her own telekinesis power to lift the bag and drop it onto the pile . " You just got to try a little harder ." she laughed . Vorn shook his head and walked to the cockpit .
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Jhon drummed his fingers impatiently on the console before him . Where are they ? he wondered . Finally, after hours of waiting, a blip appeared on his sensor screen . He turned in his seat to see Vorn's rented freighter, traveling toward him . He felt the tractor beam lock onto his gunboat and draw it inside the freighter's cargo hold . Striding to the airlock, he shoved his way past Dorna as she opened the hatch ." Well, a very good morning to you too . " she muttered . " Morning," Jhon growled, grabbing the top bag and shaking it, catulaging its contents . Not finding what he wanted, he dropped the bag and tore into the pile again . Finally,he grabbed a bag and dumped its contents to the floor and began to rummage through them . Vorn sauntered into the cargo hold and leaned against the wall idly," Whats he looking for ?" he asked Dorna . She shrugged . Jhon found a armored vest, and ran his fingers over a tiny catch on the inner collar . A small round hole slid open on one of the shoulders, mirrored by another, on the opposite shoulder . Jhon tipped the vest upside down, and twin cylinders slid out . He scopped thse up, cradling them in his hands . Jhon stood, the familiar feel of the long unused weapons good in his grasp . He felt the activation buttons, carved from rubies, and flicked them slightly . Deep blue lasers sprang out, the light reflecting off the metal walls of the cargo hold, and from Jhon's brightly gleaming eye . Hello, babies , he thought, Daddie's back .
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Half an hour later, Jhon sat at a small table, just across from Vorn . Dorna was currently, fighting a small remote, while blindfolded . Jhon smiled slightly as a Huttese curse floated across the room to them, it seemed she had got zapped again . " Tell me again, why you needed the weapons ?" Vorn said, rubbing his head tiredly ." Jhon sighed and started to go through it again ." While I was under Palpatine's dark power , he used me to inspect a great weapon , one of great destruction . The Death Star were bad, but this is just as evil . A huge warship of mass destruction , armed with thousands of turbo lasers, defended by impenatrable shields , it could be the end of this war, but also the end of the New Republic . I am the only one who knows its one weakness, the only one who can exploit that . I have to hunt it down and destroy it . I have felt a tremor in the force . Someone has found this warship, and will use it . Will you help me ?" Vorn sat and thought after Jhon finished . Rising he walked over to where Dorna was training and spoke to her in a low voice . A moment later he came back to where Jhon was sitting and wordlessly, held his hand out . Jhon glanced up at his sober face and grasped it, sealing the agreement .
Ida-Kan Quinn leaned against the wall, outside the conference
room, where Sev'rannce Tann and the Leaders of the Chiss Nations
were meeting . Her eyes scanned the room and stopped on a pair of
stormtroopers were across the room, and Ida had the distinct impression that they were talking about her . One nodded at her, and a second later they both burst into laughter . Ida reached into the Force and enhanced her senses, listening to what they were saying . " Yeah, I think she's too young for sure ." the stormtrooper on the left was saying . Ida scowled and walked toward a water cooler nestled in the wall near them . As she passed them, she heard one, remark under his breath . " Guess they're letting babies into the Empire now . " Ida stiffened, her hand clenching around the plastic water cup, she had just picked up . The stormtrooper saw her reaction and continued ." Yeah, they're even letting alien scum in, these days . Wish someone would just clear the galaxy of 'em, like the dirt they are ." Hairline cracks began to appear in the plastic cup and then it shattered, the shards slicing open Ida's thumb , but she didn't notice the sudden pain . She was whirling, a hand flashing down to one of her many weapon belts, and back up again, a small throwing knife visible for an instant before it disappeared . The stormtrooper that had been doing all the talking , snapped his head back . The knife was stuck in his helmet, right between his eyes, still quivering from the force with which it was thrown . He gasped as his heavy duty helmet began to crank, a long line appearing across the top of his helmet . A second later, his helmet fell apart in his lap, the knife having pierced it in a critical place . Ida slowly walked up to him and retrieved her knife ." I challenge you to a duel . One hour from now, in the main hangar bay . If you are not there, I will hunt you down ." she said and spun on her heel and walked off, enjoying the feel of the frightened men's eyes on her back .
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Exactly 59 minutes later, Ida was standing in the main hangar, trying to keep from tapping her toes in impatience . Sev'rannce Tann was standing behind her, having been told the reason for the duel and wholeheartedly approved . Ida straightened up as Grand Admiral Pellaeon entered the hangar, the offending trooper at his side . The trooper had discarded his armor and was wearing a loose bodysuit, along with a blaster pistol and a large vibro-blade . Ida frowned at the soldier and turned her attention to the Grand Admiral . He came up to Tann ," Supreme Commander Tann, I formally apologize for this soldier's treatment of your aid . I would like to inquire if there is any way this could be settled without bloodshed ." Tann glanced at Ida, who was glaring at the stormtrooper . " It would appear not, Grand Admiral Pellaeon, this soldier insulted my aid and her kind . This will be settled, according to her rules and no other . I would suggest that he prepare himself ." she said, her tone low and commanding . The stormtrooper gulped and slowly walked to a postion opposite Ida . Ida drew a small knife and prepared herself . Tann surveyed the set up and let out a low, " Begin ." The stormtrooper wen't for his blaster, bringing it up at lightning speed , but Ida was even faster, hurling her knife in a long arc that took it, cutting across the top of his wrist . He howled, dropping his blaster . Ida sent out a tendril of Force, sending the gun spinning across the floor and out of reach . The trooper paled as he realized she was a Force user and pulled out his large vibro-blade . Ida drew a long cutlass from a sheath on her back, and smiled grimly . The soldier charged, yelling wildly, his knife waving . Ida waited and sidestepped his charge, wacking his shins with the flat of her blade as she did so . The stormtrooper yelped in pain and swiped at her behind his back . Ida blocked it and planted a boot in his back, sending him sprawling . He rolled over and started to rise, until he felt cold steel at his throat . Grand Admiral Pellaeon started to move forward, but Tann held him back, shaking her head . " If I let you live, you will stop making derogatory remarks about members of other species . You will not make judgements according to how a person looks, because ,many of them could probably kill you and not think twice about it . Also I am not a baby, and you will address me as Ida-Kan Quinn, aide to Sev'Rannce Tann . " Ida commanded, eyes flashing dangerously . The stormtrooper sneered and heaved upwards, knocking Ida over . Grabbing his vibro-blade in both hands, he brought it down hard toward her chest . Ida grabbed his wrists and twisted him to the side as she rolled away . The Imperial climbed to his feet, glaring at Ida, who held a fighting dirk in each hand . She slowly stepped toward him, each step taking her into a new * ready * stance, at every moment, ready to leap into an offensive kata . The stormtrooper shifted his blade from hand to hand , nervously . Ida lunged forward at the same instant as the Imperial, and jumped upwards, putting her booted foot on his shoulder and using it as leverag to flip over him . The Imperial slid to a halt and whirled to face Ida who was smiling quite sweetly at him . He ran his fingers through his short hair, gasping for breath . Ida pointed her knife at his throat and asked him," Do you give ?" The man scowled and ran at her one more time, swinging his vibro-blade at her head . Ida waited and then dodged beneath the descending blow and chopped at his hand . He screamed in pain, clutching the wounded member . As he stared in shock, his smallest finger slowly slipped off and fell to the floor . " Do you give ?" Ida asked again, her hair falling forward in her eyes," Or do I start to cut other things off ? " He gasped for breath, clutching his bleeding hand ." I give ." Ida nodded and marched away, toward a door on the far side of the hangar . Tann glanced at Pellaeon " Sickbay, can you send a stretcher up here, to the main hangar . We have a wounded man . " Tann said into her commlink. A medical droid carted the injured trooper away. The Imperial Commander smiled as the final bitter remnants of bias was carted off the floor. The Empire's transition from brutal despotism to a powerful. orderly, and well-run military state was complete. Soon, the fires of war would burn across the galaxy. With many plans set and in motion, the future was bright.
Put you characters(so far) and what you can tell about them here
Please Add to this as Characters Appear
You need not include everything but please tell what you can.
And everything is subject to editing :)
Sybl (Lyth Aria as Sith's apprentice) and about a five other names she's managed to acquire)
Appearance: Thick silky white hair floor-length, translucent alabaster skin, jet black eyes. Very ethereal looking. She supposes she's human or at least mostly so. 5.6 slender frame long legs lithe and graceful. Looks between 16-23 a birth mark that runs down her back in almost a diamond shape and is a instead of the usual brown a pale blue besides numerous tiny scars that she couldn't tell you where they came from.
Personality: always a bit of a troublemaker and theif (with little conscience in that regard)with a love of knowing. A wanderer with no home. Sometimes almost child-like in her fasinations and emotions(which she tries to surpress)
A thinker...She's can be insanely patient and thrives on a challange. She's attracted to powerful things from people to objects and thus her "projects" tend to be extrememly powerful as well(from things that are impossible to weapons of mass destruction). She (now especially) prefers to not care and to be left alone to create.
Her past dogs her like a shadow and memories and her unpredicatable powers often leave her helpless and terrified. Fear (the strongest) of anything of the "force" cloaks her and her current situation is the last in the world she would ever pick. If a master would to truly be able to sift through the mangled mess in her mind he would probably also sense a thread of anger and hatred. Yet she can't remember what of.
Often now she is unpredicatable and needs a stable envirment. Yet she is not a child and has managed to survive her "problem" (panic, flashes of power that tend to destroy whatever she touches, haunting visions, no memory etc), the outer rim, is street smart and manages to keep her mind in some semblence of normal or at least she did*wry grin*
Rather a wry sense of humor especially when pertaining to herself which helps to keep her sane. She is not totally self orientated but unless she cares about you (which when she cares it is deep and can also break her)she is not going to stick her kneck out. A survivor and graduate of the "School of Hard Knocks".
Has an extreme weak spot for her toys especially since her "accident" which can even sometimes overcome her survior sense and get her into trouble.
They are her way of making sense of things rather like doing math when you are upset. She knows that 2+2 must equal 4 and that is in an odd way comforting.
Jedi Abilities. (before her er problem) Strongest: an ability to clearly see the future (usually in visions). From things that will happen the next moment (second sight) to things far away and people she's never met. Her visions are never just limited to her but things all over the galaxy. Only once in a very long while will she understand them. If she had been trained or was forced to focus carefully she probaly could focus on someone and find out what they're future was or on a set of people and figure out what might happen to them...at least the distinct possiblities. When she was a child she couldn't control her abilities. But she was never trained at least she doesn't remember being trained... if anyone knew well...i'll let you think about her umm uses...(current status) she no longer has full control of this faculty but since was orginally so strong she still gets the visions but often they are confused Focusing is extremely hard and painful but she could probably still do it, but again totally unpredictable as when she could do it.
Second strongest: the ability to implant pictures in peoples minds and to an extent orders without their knowledge. (current status) she can no longer control it . In a way the power will build up in her and then it will become so powerful that she will say lose her temper and send you mad or order you to kill yourself by accident. But again its purely accidental and uncontrollable and it usually happen at the most inoportune moments
Third strongest: An ability to shut/or duck away from people in her mind. (current status) she can no longer do this. She can slam the force door in their face because of the build up of power but if they know how to turn the door knob or can break it down with pure force she couldn't stop them. She can still duck away(one of the only things left unmangled), but if someone is strong enough and patient enough he only has to catch her.
Other: She never would have made a full warrior or healer. Her telekenisis is almost zilch. She could be fast in a duel for she is very graceful (if she'd had the training)but not strong enough to fight someone else's telekenisis. She used to be able to heal herself mostly but never had the training to be able to control the trances and would fall into them automaticly like somebody who was narcoleptic(current status) even worse than before and usually the trance only gets about 1/4 of the way through then stalls.
Misc.Has a love of building things, very unusual items (she sees often in her dreams and tend to be rather powerful)and breaking rules. She is like a child when among her "toys" and like a child thinks of nothing but those toys and will break any and all rules for a peice she needs.If someone says it can't be done she finds a way to do it. Has hacked many security systems for fun and for a way to find out where some of her parts for her toys were.
History: Street urchin of Corescant, theif and scavanger ...best friends with Saaran. Always was reluctant to talk about her past and had some of her own hatred problems. Caused the capture of Saaran knowing that she herself was soon to be caught. Was snared by our dear Sith Lord. Was his er apprentice (his pet) his stronger mind, because of her own leanings in that direction, and her lack of training, for some time. Her will had no say in the matter like a cat on a short leash. After a while, she stopped fighting hating him yet still attracted and snared by his power. She was essential to many of his plans and preperations, like his unwilling oracle. Her "accident" scrambling her memories and powers freed her from him (long explanation there). She no longer remembers that time. Ran for a while. Had a very busy few years which included being rather a nuisance to some people(including jedi) for borrowing things and er not returning them and being places she shouldn't. And somehow acquired a 20,000 credit bounty on her head without knowing it (because it for something she didn't do though if they counted all the "parts" she's stolen it might amass to that number anyway)and has an EXTREME aversion to anything jedi or anything else that can look around in your head withouth you knowing it. Almost was caught in her little escapades looking for items and Finally ended up somewhat peaceful life on the cruise ship with hazy dreams of Saaran and haunted by weird emotions insticnts and dreams, getting fairly decently paid for her dancing, and happily building her "toys". Then the jedi show up...Dang
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Rorn Korbchek
Species : Zabrak
Affiliations : Iridonian Honor Guard Assasin Corps .
Appearance: Tall about 6 ft, . 6'1 if you count his crest horn . Tattoed in tribal design on his face, colors of red and black . His skin over his entire body was permanently dyed red . Has no hair anywhere, because of dyeing process . Muscular but slender build . Skull has eight horns circling it, and one more cresting the top of his head . Eyes are a bright yellow, ringed by red . Teeth white . Finger nails are synthetic steel on both hands . They were replaced in his days in the Iridonian Honor guard . Right hand is cybernetic construct . Left arm is cloned flesh, tatooed to appear as his original arm .
Age: Nineteen
Personality:
Rorn is a bit of a joker, likes to play small jokes, but can wipe all emotion from his mind at a thought, making him a killing machine . His anger has got ahold of him before, resulting in a temporary fall to the Dark Side . Ron can be rather distant when he sets his mind to a task, thinking of nothing but fulfilling that task . When he loses someone he loves, he will do anything to avenge that person .
He is haunted by things he has done in his past . While in the Iridonian Honor Guards, he was often told to hunt down criminals, letting no-one get in his way . Memories of these kills, fill his mind at iintervals, making him extremely moody and grumpy . Also, civalian casualties are things that haunt him . His missions were filled with the deaths of innocents, simply, because of the way he was trained . Now using the Force, he is taming these instincts of blood lust .
A small known fact is that , Rorn is terrified of one thing . And I'm not gonna say what it is . Other things can make him afraid, but, this one thing can make him go into hysterics, well almost .
Misc . Rorn has mastered eighteen martial arts and is in the process of mastering another . He can use any weapon ever created in a deadly fashion . He likes to wear black, for that color can blend well in almost anywhere and is good for combat or stealth missions . He loves to fly, in any fashion . In a ship or on the back of a mosgoth, a flying lizard, native to Togaria .
History :
At four, his mother died, protecting Rorn in a gang war on Iridonia . She shielded him with her body, as blaster fire dropped their home around them . She was killed by the rubble, but Rorn survived, pulled from the wreckage by his father, who killed the gang lord, for causing her death .
At thirteen, Rorn was visiting relatives on Coruscant, when The Yuzzhan Vong attacked . His cousins had ignored the news bulletins, not wanting to leave their home, and were killed by the invaders . Rorn escaped by hotwiring a Republic cruiser and piloted it to safety, with a full load of refugees . He was awarded a symbolistic sash of courage and gallantry by his homeworld . This red sash is made from silk, spun by an extinct insect . Very few pieces of it still exist and it is a great honor to have one bestowed upon you .
At seventeen, Rorn's father gave him, his A-wing . Rorn used this to visit many worlds, and to enter in piloting contests and races on Iridonia . His natural Force sensitivity helped him in this, granting him a competitive edge . He accompanied his father on space missions now, fighting star pirates and capturing smugglers .
At nineteen, Rorn becam a Jedi after finding his grand father's lightsaber in a spacer's trunk . You know the rest .
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The named officers in this entry but not on the characters log(that would be the two extraeneous Chiss no one recognies) are not real additions, just named extras that will be rather flat and static.
The Chiss shuttle glided down from the heavy cruiser in space. Escorted by three combat wings of Clawcraft, it entered the atmosphere of Bastion. Gliding down on the wind, it landed in a secret docking bay near the Imperial palace. Twelve black-uniformed Chiss soldiers exited, and behind them came their leader. Aristocra Fombri looked every bit the Imperial Alliance General he had been made by Grand Admiral Pellaeon and Chiss High Command. Smartly he strode through the corridors, his guard, plus a platoon of Imperial Guardsmen, surrounding him. They escorted him to a room deep in the palace, where they turned and smartly marched off, the Imperial sto their positions, and the Chiss to their shuttle. Fombri entered the room to see Pellaeon, Imperial Alliance Supreme Commander Sev’rannce Tann, Imperial Admiral Kyrlon Kirkosh, Chiss General Matsor, and Chiss Supreme Commander Estork already seated around a table. Behind Sev’rannce Tann stood a cloaked and hooded figure, her hood pulled so low not even her eyes were visible. Fombri wordlessly took his appointed seat, his watchful gaze missing nothing. Pellaeon began the meeting.
"Welcome, to the first meeting of Imperial Alliance High Command. You have been selected from among all the officers of the Imperial Alliance to be the elite tacticians and commanders of our combined armed forces. Our first order of business, now that the paperwork is done, is to Begin developing and agreeing upon a master strategy and any war doctrines to be declared. The floor is open."
Estork stood and answered Pellaeon. "Thank you, Grand Admiral Pellaeon, for your welcome. Now to business. A basic doctrine of the Imperial Alliance is following of the Rules of Warfare. None should be voided or violated at any time."
"Agreed," Sev’rannce Tann spoke out, soon after he finished. "The Rules of Warfare are in complete alignment with current Imperial Procedure. The standard Imperial Tactical manual will remain in place. Grand Admiral Pellaeon, as ruler of the Empire and commander of its fleets, will be the chair of the Chiefs of Staff, with Estork and myself equally next in the chain of command. Fombri, Matsor, and Kirkosh will form the final layer. Any questions?" There were none.
"Now that this settled, I think we should review our objectives." Pellaeon stood as he spoke. "As I see it, they are two-fold. One, to protect the rights of and enforce order among all citizens of the Imperial Alliance. Two, to disarm, destroy, defeat, and dismantle the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances."
"I think that can best be accomplished," Kirkosh added, "By a decisive invasion of the core. Whoever controls the core, is the supreme power in the galaxy. Once the core is ours, we can begin the task of bringing peace to the mid-rim, colonies, and finally the outer rim."
"I think," interjected Matsor, "that any large-scale offensive against the core is impractical at the moment. Even when the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet is combined with the Imperial Navy, we simply don’t have enough ships to carry out an attack of that magnitude."
"We don’t need that many ships." Fombri’s statement caught most of the commanders off guard. "As long as they believe we have that large a fleet, we do."
"Explain." Estork asked him.
"If we can move our forces quickly enough, strike hard enough, and fight prepare like we have that size of a fleet, the enemy will not know the difference. We will be able to defeat them in a series of smaller battles, rather than one big showdown."
"An interesting proposition." Pellaeon said. "Now, all we need is something a little more practical to carry it out with."
"I think I can see where the General is going." Tann piped up. "If we send agents to most of the core systems to prepare for war, we can draw them off guard, and, coupled with swift, random, hit-and-fade strikes, we can make it appear as if we plan to take the entire core in one offensive."
"Where in reality," Fombri finished the plan. "We strike one system."
"Ah," Kirkosh said, "we have a base, an enemy jumping at our shadows, and time to activate more troops."
"Very well, we shall do it?" Estork concluded. "The Chiss Intelligence Cops can supply some agents."
"As can Imperial intelligence, and I can provide a few of the finest agents, myself. Ida, step forward." The cloaked figure stepped from behind Tann’s chair. "A young one whom I have found, and expert in infiltration and sabotage. She will be perfect, and others like her."
"Very well." Pellaeon finished. "Supreme Commander Tann will select and assign the agents for this mission. But first, I think we should give the Federation a preview of what’s coming."
"And vengeance," Fombri added, "For their butchery on Nalgroth."
"What do you have in mind?" Kirkosh inquired.
"An assault, on the gate to the core." Pellaeon said. "On the planet Duros. Supreme Commander Estork, you and Admiral Kirkosh, along with Generals Fombri and Matsor, begin planning the offensive and assembling troops and ships. I will direct a series of raids that will keep the Federation at bay, and distracted from our real plans."
The leaders nodded in approval of the daring plan, and then each went about his assigned task.
The Ralroost swept out of hyperspace, fighters launching as sson as it was safe. they made all speed towards the installation, prepared for battle. More Federation ships appeared and launched their own fighters, a cloud of them coming all around the small space station. Only to find it in flames. No imperials in sight. Yet again, the Imperial raiders had defeated them. The base, once a major commerce hub through the core, was open to vacuum, several fires still burning. Several drop ships launched for the burning hulk, to see if any records had survived attack. So far, none had. Admiral Traest Kre'fey stomped his foot in anger and exasperation. So far, the marauding Imperial fleets had wiped out four outposts and a convoy in the last week. He had nearly one hundred capitol ships chasing them, about a tenth of the Federation's active duty force. However, he was always too slow. By the fresh wreckage and still-burning fires, yet again they had missed by a few hours. Already the intelligence team was pulling up likely targets, trying to predict the Imperial destination. Kre'fey hoped it was Bastion. Probably not, though. This is like chasing smoke he thought frustratedly. So far, not eren an idea of how many ships Pellaeon had designated for this mission, or whether or not the Chiss were involved, was no clearer after six raids than after none. Already sector fleets and system defenses were stretched too thin for comfort. What made it more frustrating was that NRI reported a massing of Imperial ships and troops near Yaga Minor. Which could only mean one thing. An invasion somewhere Still, he had no idea where, and while it probably would be a good idea to form a counter-force to match whatever attack the imps launched, he couldn't leave this raiding force unchallenged to kill at will. So he had his massive force out chasing wild geese, instead of preparing to counter the Imperial Alliance stroke that was syre to fall. It had been nearly a week since that nightmare series of events that had brought Csilla and Bastion into alliance. Suddenly a transmission swept in. "Sir," the Duty Officer said tentatively.
"WHat." He answered.
"We have just recieved a transmission from the Pyra system. The fighter base at Borleais is under attack from a strong Imperial force, four Star Destroyers and their accoimpanying TIEs. One of them is the Chimaera."
Kre'fey shook his head at the thought. Four destroyers ahd gotten the better of his massive fleet so far. Wearily he reached for the comm. "All Federation ships to Borleais, lets see if we can head them off their." The ships began dissappearing one by one into hyperspace, leaving the destroyed station to burn off its remaining atmosphere.
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Federation council chamber: Coruscant, 1950 hours, GST
Exactly one week since the first rumors of the Chiss-Imperial Alliance. One week of nightmare raids and hit-and-fades had taken its toll on the councillors. Now, the news that the Pyra system, practically Coruscant's doorstep, was under attack, and things were getting insane. No logic at all tot he Imperial raids, just random strikes across the Federation, making a mockery of the Republic Navy, which just days ago had devestated the planet Nalgroth in a vicious starfighter raid. If this retaliation for that, the enemy had serious revenge issues.
"I still think we should begin positioning ground troops on the more vulnerable Core planets." A Kuati councillor said for at least the fiftieth time.
"We've been over this. Until we know where the enemy will strike, its silly to deploy troops." Princess Leia explained for at least the fortieth.
"Well then we sacrifice a planet to at least the devesation of two invasions." Fryor Rodan spoke up. This same debatre had plated out for the last day, and a four-four deadlock remained. Irritatingly, Someone always seemed ot abstain when the issue was voted on, but never the same person. It was getting tiring. "Well we have to do something." The Kuati countered.
"How about have that Bothan catch those raiders making a joke out of our military?" Triebakk of Kashyyyk said through his translator.
"Admiral Kre'fey is doing his best." Garm Bel Iblis countered. "No one knows where the next stroke will fall, and when, or whether or not we'll hear about it."
"We need to do something, and soon." Rodan said again.
"Lets vote again." Cal Omas said wearily. "And no abstentions this time."
They voted again, and to everyone's surpris, it ended 5-4 in favor of deploying the army. "I guess our coward has spoken." Rodan remarked gleefully. With the secret vote, no one knew who had been holding the proceedings up. But finally, there was something to discuss.
"Now, where to deploy them," Bel iblis asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Around the outer core, of course." Another councillor spoke up.
"We can do better than that. I think we should place them on worlds most likely to be attacked. In short, I would like to deploy troops on Kuat, Duros, Balmorra, Fondor, and Corellia." Rodan replied.
"Why Corellia?" Leia asked. "There is no imminent threat. I think the four worlds will suffice."
"Corellia is an important system, and one with some Imperial leanings still. Plus, we can't risk centerpoint falling into enemy hands."
"Centerpoint is powerless now that the one who can use it is dead." Leia retorted.
"We'll vote." Cal Omas said. "And then General Bel Iblis will carry out the council's orders."
The vote was 7-2 in favor of four worlds.
General Bel Iblis stood and left the room, followed by his aides, transmitting orders for the unitse to be sent immediately to the aforementioned planets. And inmfomring their governments of the deployments.
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Yaga Minor, 2100 hours(one week later) GST
The invasion fleet was finally ready. A full battle droid army, plus four Imperial legions were int ransports, and a full fifty Star Destroyers sat ready to land them. Likewise, thirty Chiss Heavy Cruisers and one-hundred thousand Chiss Army Troops lay in wait near Csilla, awaiting the signal from Pellaeon that the Fedeartion fleet had been pulled clear out to the mid-rim. After his destruction of the Pyra Fighter Command Base, he ahd streadily moved outwards. His raiders would join the battle later. Chiss Supreme Commander Martok and Imperial Supreme Commander Tann led the two fleets, with Admiral Kirkosh and General Fombri the seconds. Tann would lead the ground assault while Martok remained in space. As everyone sat ready, the transmission came from Gyndine: The Federation ships were bound for that system, and Pellaeon's raiders were headed further out. The attack was on.
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The same message reached Csilla at the same time. Both fleets launched.
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General Sturon Dres-ne of the Duros Defense Force walked along the balcony of his spacious home in Duros' capitol sity. He was on edge, and had been ever since the three million Federation ground troops ahd been added to the planet's defenses. What he really wanted were ships. But no, Admiral Kre'fet had them all off on a wild goose hunt(or however the Human expression went). He looked up at the sky, and idly noticed that there seemed to be more stars in the sky than before. Then a thought hit him. What if.... the call came as he was driving his skycar madly towards High Command. "General, a hostile Armada has appeared in the Durosian space. They are broadcasting as Imperial . Shields have been raised. The few fighter defenses have already been overwhelmed and the Golan II Orbital Platform has been boarded by Battle Droids." Of course. he thought ironically, The Imperials would choose my day off to attack.
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On board the Wrath of Bastion, Sev'rannce Tann stood, watching the status reports. Admiral Kirkosh was directing the battle as she gazed iuntently at the incoming messages from the droid boarding parties. The Golan II was almost under Imperial control. the station would be very useful in a planetary bombardment to bring the shields down or to pummle the ground defenses when Leeches did the job. "Sir," A droid voice came over the intercom, "The station is secured."
"Excellent. Launch the leeches." Kirkosh ordered. From the gun deck of the Star Destroyers, two leeches apiece were launched into space. They hit the sheild and began sucking energy from it.
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Duros Central Command, 0800 Hours GST
"The shields are collapsing!!!" Astonished Duros voices cried out all across the room as the shield strength started dropping dramatically.
"It's impossible." One of the Admirals said.
"It's happening."
"How?"
" No idea."
"Prepare the ground troops. Get ready for planetary engagements."
"If we lsoe the shields, we'll be at the mercy of those destroyers up there." The Generals and officers rushed out and began ordering all emergency reserve troops to take positions. Spotters went to watch the radar screens for the Imperial drop ships that would inevitably come when the shields were lost. It took only thirty minutes for Lyth Aria's brilliant inventions to strip thje shields from the planet Duros. Then, Imperial turbo-blasts begna raining from on high. First wen tthe air defense bases, and then the ground-to-spsace launchers.
"Drop ships, and they're coming by the dozens!!!!!!!!!!!!" A panicked voice yelled.
The Imperial shuttles were visible now on the horizon, as battle droids and stormtroopers and their equipment offloaded.
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The news from Duros never reached Coruscant until it was too late. A lone starfighter came out of hyperspace, the pilot broadcasting his message along all frequencies. "DUROS IS UNDER ATTACK!!!!!!! DUROS IS UNDER ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!"
Immediately Bel Iblis contacted Kre'fey and the Federation fleet made for the beleaugered planet.
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Admiral Kre'fey's ship exited hyperspace to see the planet under siege. The Imperial ships had taken up defensive positions around the planet, and he could only guess how many ground troops had already landed on the planet. He brought his armada into position, but hesitated to attack. The planet's shields were back on-line, and it was a safe guess to say the Empire controlled them. His ships began advancing further, and the destroyers moved to meet them. They began firing ranging shots as Starfighters flew at each other. One squadron of the new Samuri's moved into combat, taking down a group of TIE fighters with synchronized disruptor fire. A group of Defender's swpet in, launching leec hes into their midst. It took only slightly longer than with noraml shields for the Vidrion shields to be gone. the leeches exploded and the expensive new fighters were dust. Kre'fey gaped at the sight as the destructive new weapon was employed lage-scale for the first time. Within ten minutes of the engagement, his forces were on the run. He withdrew his armada back towards the core, leaving the planet to its fate.
Leia Organa Solo appeared calm to her observers, as the huge alien before her, howled out his death threats . A calm look rested on her face as he was dragged from the Senate Chamber, by the security droids to a waiting transport ." Tranner shall kill you, OrganaSolo . His claws shall taste your blood !!! " the alien screamed in gutteral Basic, waving his taloned hands at her viewing stand . Leia ignoed him as she turned to the Ambassador from Shrass ." My esteemed colleauge, Tranner is in your custody, awaiting transport to your world . I wish you a safe journey ." and she bowed deeply . The snakelike Shrasska bent at would have been his waist, had he been humanoid, and spoke through in a garbled tongue . The translation droid floating beside him sparked to life, and translated his words ." I thank you, LeiaOrganaSolo, without yours and the Jedi's help, Tranner would have remained free to exercise his brutal ways . Now he shall live in exile upon the surface of Shrass, never to leave ." Leia nodded, and watched him slither away, marveling at the oddity of the Shrasska physiology . A humanoid appearance until you looked at the lower body, where it gave way to a serpentine tail . Having no legs, the Shrasska slithered around .
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Han ducked as he walked into Leia's office, a datapad flying over his head ." What's eating you ?" he asked, on the lookout for other flying furniture ." Tranner is going to go free on Shrass. He may not be able to leave, but its too good for the likes of him ." Leia shouted, waving her arms in anger . " Well from what I heard, the surface of Shrass is no picnic . They've even imported rancors to keep the prisoner population down .Not to mention, the natural predators around there are pretty fierce . I did a smuggling run there once, picked up a load of spice, almost lost the Falcon to some huge flying creature . " Han said, tring to be consoling . Leia shook her head and stomped toward him ." He took over an entire space liner, killing people at random . He killed for reasons, such as he didn't like the color of their shirt, they didn't talk loud enough . He's a beast ! " Han ducked beneath a thrown stylus and slowly sidled out of the room, he could see there was no reasoning with her, when she was like this .
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Rorn ducked beneath the outstretched blade and kicked at its owner . Luke grunted as the boot caught him in the stomach and he fell to his knees . Rorn flipped backwards and landed in a ready crouch, poised to to recieve the next attack . However, it came from an unexpected direction . He felt the danger coming at his back and jumped straight up, kicking downwards as he did . Don fell to the floor, lightsaber clattering to the tiles . " Hey, thats not fair,." he protested . Rorn grinned, the smile lighting up his eyes savagely," Hey, I'm not the one who was attacking someone else's back . Don sighed and crawled to his feet . Luke who was watching them, laughed shortly," I think we need to bring someone in to teach Rorn a lesson . Someone who won't be taken in by his kicks and unethical attacks ."
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The Shrasska'n Ambassador paused as he writhed past the holding cell, inhabited by the mass murderer, Tranner ." You will rot on the surface of Shrass ." He hissed . Tranner didn't even glance at him, appearing to be working on something in his lap . The ambassador slithered closer for a closer look, not wanting the criminal to have something that could aid his escape . Like lightning, Tranner lunged at the bars, his huge arms sliding out and grabbing the Shrasska ." You insult Tranner by putting him in little cage . Now you will pay ." and snapped his spine . Tranner sliced a leather strap with his bloody claws and lifted a card-key from the ambassador's shoulder pouch and seconds later he was free . A moment later he had ripped the hatch from its mountings and leaped from the ship as it took off . Tranner fell for nearly a hundred feet before a speeder passed close enough to him, to grab . He swung himself up to the cockpit, claws slicing into the cheap armor . Balling up a fist, the huge black alien swung down at the viewscreen of the cockpit, shattering it . An instant later, the Sullustan pilot was hurled from the speeder, screaming in his alien tongue, as his assailant watched him fall, fall , fall and then bounce off of a transport . Tranner tore the seat from its place and crouched in the cockpit, steering the speeder toward the distant lower levels . Tranner must have his sword , was the only thought on the killer's mind .
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Han idly swung his feet, scowling at the trash onscreen . The newscaster was going on about a Sullastan suicide, when a small beeping caught Han's attention . He dropped a hand to the floor beside him and groped around until he felt the surface of his commlink. " Hello," he mumbled into the device, before finding that it was upside down . Gotta lay off the Correllian ale, he thought blearily . A moment later he was sitting straight up, stark sober ." HE WHAT ? TRANNER ESCAPED ? WHAT , HOW ?" he shouted into his commlink. " Now he's going to be coming after his stuff . AND THAT STUFF IS HERE ! "
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Rorn found himself sitting inside Don's frieghter, along side five other Jedi , including Luke . " Tranner is very dangerous . He believes he was chosen by some Cosmic One, to spread chaos around the galaxy . Tranner kills randomly, but this time, I believe he is coming after Leia, because she is the one who sentenced him, as asked by the Shrasskan amdassador . We will protect my sister, posing as security guards ." Luke briefed the team on their mission . Rorn spoke up then ," Won't people get suspicious ? A new team of security people coming in , in a time of crisis ? " he asked . Luke nodded and said ," Our lightsabers will be hidden, and no they will not, because Leia has recently lost many guards and security, in the attack on the Imperial Palace, so I believe our presence will go unnoticed . "
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Tranner stared up at the Senate building from where he was sitting on an outside ledge, far above the lower city streets ." Tranner is coming for you, OrganaSolo ! "
Luke stood behind the Jedi pilot,watching over his shoulder, as the pilot brought the " Asteroid Skipper " down for a easy landing . Luke clapped a hand down on the young Jedi's shoulder and said," That'll do ." and turning, left the cockpit . Outside th cockpit, near the exit airlock, Luke surveyed the Jedi taskforce, dressed as he was in black flightsuits with silver trim . Their lightsabers were hidden inside their clothes, a blaster pistol strapped to their belts . As each filed out of the hatch, Don was handing out a blaster rifle to them . Luke slipped a holo-image-inducer into his side pocket and activated it, a stranger's face settling over his own . Outside the ship, Rorn passed out specialized helmets . The head gear had been waiting for them at the landing pad, modified to scan each and every being the wearer's eyes passed over, for weapons and species info . Luke took his helmet from Rorn and his eyes met the young Zabrak's, exchanging a look of shared worry . Then the light disappeared as Luke slipped the helmet on, blocking out the rays of the sun . A moment later, as the helmet's systems kicked in, Luke saw the light again, in advanced vision .
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Leia watched from the window in her and Han's quarters, far below, Luke and his small band of disguised Jedi, walked from the landing pad . Leia clapped a hand over her mouth as she watched Luke imitate Han's swagger and copying it perfectly . She felt her lightsaber beneath her senatorial gown and tensed, thinking about Tranner . Han came up behind her and rested a soothing hand on her arm . No words were spken, but feelings of comfort were exchanged .
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Tranner glanced up and down the alleyway, before ducking into a small shop . Inside, the Rodian owner died quickly and silently . Tranner shook the green blood from his claws before reaching for a huge vibro-sword hanging on the wall . A moment later, he found its scabbard and a belt that would go around him . Stepping outside again, he was confronted by a small security patrol ." Halt, do you know why the silent alarm was triggered ?" the leader asked, his blaster leveled at Tranner's massive chest . The huge alien turned slightly, his chitinous armor rustling . Staring at the " closed " sign, he sighed, rumbling loudly . " Tranner thinks you must DIE . " and lunged at the patrol, the stolen vibro-sword sliding from its sheath with a ringing sound . The startled captain aimed his blaster and fired three times, the shots reverberating through the air . Tranner stopper, surprised at the audacity of this puny human . He looked down at the trembling patrol, who were staring at his chest, where he was chest . Tranner knew without looking, what they were looking at, and grinned, displaying rows of long needle sharp teeth, oozing with saliva and stained green by the blood of the Rodian . Below his hideous face, his armor, scarred by the blaster, slowly grew back, the insectoid tissue, barely affected by the powerful weapon . Tranner began to laugh, and suddenly, he swung his sword downwards . What followed afterwards, could only be described as a massacre . Tranner was like a demon, fueled by his hate of the New Republic and of these ugly little humanoids . Mere seconds later, he stood straight up, droplets of blood glistening on his exoskeleton, he grinned ferociously, as terrified citizens ran for their lives .
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Rorn scratched his head, beneath his helmet as he stood opposite Don in the entryway to Leia's office . This was getting boring, he thought, not that he wanted Tranner to come after Leia, but still he would prefer some action . Rorn could tell Don felt the same way, it was obvious from the way he gripped his blaster, and scanned the halls anxiously . He looked up as Luke and Han stepped out of Leia's office . Han looked espeshially haggard, while Luke's features were hidden beneath his helmet . Rorn watched as the pair walked to each Jedi, seemingly briefing them on Tranner's habits . As they walked up to Rorn, he stiffly saluted Han, trying to raise his spirits . Han didn't even notice and said ," Tranner has no habits, he is entirely un-predictable . Never uses the same ploy twice, inless he knows, you won't expect it ." Rorn nodded, satring after him as he walked toward Don .
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Tranner steered his stolen speeder up toward the Senate Building . As he passed past the Solo quarters, his reptilian lips curled back from his teeth in a ferocious snarl . He aimed the speeder up, past a long window, and leaped from the vehicle . His huge black form was silhoquetted against the sun for an instant, before he slammed into the window, shattering the transparisteel . A woman screamed as he rolled to his feet.
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Luke spun around, searching with the Force for the source of the scream . Han had drawn his blaster , eyes scanning the area . Rorn almost grabbed his lightsaber, but raised his blaster and sighted down the barrel, slowly turning, searching for a target . Luke found the disturbance and slowly turned to Han . Han sighed ," Don't tell me, he's in the building ."
She landed her stolen ship skillfully. She walked out of the ship and towards the large building in front of her. She saw guards, and thought for a second. She used the force to push the guards away and open the door. She walked in and used to force to sense were he was floor...45.
She looked around for a turbolift, finding one she entered it and punched in the number 45. She watched the doors close and felt the sensation of going up. She loved the feeling of going up but not actually moving. The door opened, she walked out and looked around usuing the force to sense were he had gone. Drat! He's on floor 55, just got there too. She turned to wait for the turbo lift to come back up. The hallway got dark and she heard a crash, she turned saw a huge black monstrosity standing in a mess of broken glass. She screamed and using to force pulled the turbolift up her floor and flung the door open. A rather disgruntled alien stood there glaring at her she shut the door and punched in the number 55 as she heard the doors that they'd just been at seconds ago ripped away. She looked at the alien who was mumbling in some odd language. She ignored him, the door opened and she jumped out and ran down the hall. were was he? oh just around this turn and down this hall she felt his force presence getting stronger as she ran. She rounded the corner and saw him, though, it didnt' look like him. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, toward him and called his name "Rrrarrn!" he turned and backed up putting his hands out in front of him as she collided with him. "hehehehehheheheheheh" She giggled she got up and offered him a hand. He stood up and shook his head "Oh no!" Ari cocked her head "I thou' Ah ha' los' Mah fr'en'!"
Sorry Nathan, I just couldn't resist.
Rorn raced up the stairs . It seemed the first thing Tranner had done, was disable the turbolifts . Ahead of him, Luke hurtled upwards, outflanked only by Han . They leaped up the last few steps and turned a corner only to be confronted by a huge demonic visage . Tranner stood there , leering at them . Han slumped," He's got his sword back, now what can we do ?"he mumbled . Rorn looked at the sword, a long reddish curved scimitar ." Whats so special about it ?" he asked Luke . His question went unanswered as the other Jedi dashed around the corner and opened fire on Tranner with their blasters . The killer flinched slightly as the lasers struck his exoskeleton, and recovered quickly, bracing himself against the onslaught . A thin stream of black ooze began to trickle from the corners of his mouth and when Han saw this, he screamed a warning, too late to the attacking Jedi . Tranner reared back and then forward, a thick blast of the ooze, shooting out, engulfing two Jedi in its putrid acid . Rorn rolled out of the way, while Luke created a Force shield around himself and Han . Don came puffing up the stairs, flanked by the last Jedi Knight, stopping and staring in horror . Tranner leaped forward, over everyones heads, landing just behind Don . His sword came up, glowing with an inner red light, poised to strike and end Don's lfe . The Jedi Knight, a young Trandoshan in his mid-twenties threw himself at Don, knocking him out of the way, just as the vile blade came down . Rorn spun away and retched, he didn't even know the Trandoshan's name and now he was dead . Tranner jumped again, landing far past them and a ways down the hall . Seeing the tell tale ooze at his mouth, the Jedi took cover as Tranner spat out a long stream of the putrid smelling, gunk . The Jedi gasped as one, as the ooze hardened on the walls, impervious to outside entrance . Han stood frozen, listening to Tranner's retreating laugh . Don picked himself up from the floor and drew his lightsaber from its hiding place . With a press of the activation button, he plunged the purple blade deep into the wall of slime .... or tried to, his blade bent back, the laser cutting into the edge of his tunic . Don quickly deactivated his lightsaber, stepping back . " WHAT IS HE ." he shouted in exasperation . Han shook his head slowly, clearing the cobwebs," We don't know exactly, he seems to be a one of a kind . Might be the reason, he goes on these killing sprees ." he said quietly, holstering his pistol . Rorn used on of his long knives, pulled from a sheath on his back, to try and chip some of the hardened slime off of the wall . Nothing . " This stuff is invincible ." he said, glancing at Luke who was rying to remove it with the Force . " I can even feel it." Luke said, " Its as if its not even there, like we can just walk through it . " Han shook his head, " Tried that, last time ."
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Leia kept an expressionless face as Tranner loomed up in front of her ." Tranner will kill you now, Organo Solo ." he rumbled, his scimitar dripping blood, ruining her senatorial gown .Her lightsaber felt heavy in her hand as she felt for the activation button . " Go ahead ." She shouted back in his face," Do it, kill me if you can ! " and brought her saber up, her thumb releasing the activation button .Tranner stepped back in surprise as the bright laser appeared . Leia brought the weapon up high and slammed it down into his chest, as high up as she could reach . Tranner lurched backwards, black slime oozing out around the hilt of Leia's lightsaber as she pulled it out . Leia fought to control her nausea as the slime boiled away, leaving a disgusting odor . Tranner stared down at the gaping hole and slowly began to laugh . Leia ciouldn't believe her ears or eyes . Before her gaping eyes, the wound in Tranner's armor began to heal beneath the exoskeleton . Tranner gasped in pain as the final bit of skin regenerated, leaving behind only a small hole in his armor . Grinning maliciously, he stepped forward slowly, his blade held high .
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Rorn stared at Ari, who was sitting in a corner, happily staring at a huge artwork made of colored moss and prattling away to it, about its " purty koolers ." He shook his head and turned to Luke expectantly . Luke stared at him, sternly . " We have a serial killer in the building who has killed thousands, and she just decides to visit ?" he asked dubiously . Rorn shrugged, " I dunno, she's just latched on to me, rather like a Iridonian greton . Once they start to like you, they stay around for years ." he said quietly, waiting for the inevitable blowup . Luke grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose, with two fingers ." Just keep her safe, ok ? " Rorn flinched, he didn't think it could have gone much worse . Ari had a certain knack for getting into trouble , and not out of it . Luke suddenly flinched, both hands flying to his head," He's got her, I can feel her pain ! Come quickly ! "
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Leia gasped for breath as Tranner held her high off the ground in his huge hand . His talons poked through the material of her robe, piercing the skin slightly . His scimitar arm, went back, winding up for the swing that would end her life and then he tensed, turning his head sniffing the air . Leia followed his gaze, her eyes clouding over from lack of air and gasped .
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Luke caught Leia's eyes as he rose to her level, sending her a message of calm . Around him, stood Han, Don, and Rorn . The Jedi had their lightsabers drawn and activated . Han stood with his blaster in one hand and a glop grenade in the other . What was unsettling was their means of levitation . They stood atop the Millenium Falcon, swaying unsteadily as it rose . Inside the ship, a gold plated droid worked the controls with an inhuman speed, while two security guards sat in the gun turrets . Rorn whirled his lightsaber, the blades glowing brightly , as the light was reflected from Tranner's eyes .
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Tranner glanced at the frail human in his grasp, and snorting viciously, tossed her to the side . His scimtar flashed as he leaped out at the Jedi, roaring in hatred . All stepped aside, to avoid his furious assault, except one .
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Han watched the huge alien hurtle through the air, directly at him , seemingly in slow motion . His gaze flew to Leia, propping herself up on one arm, reaching one hand out to him, in mute pleading GET HIM . His arm cocked back and hurled the glop grenade at Tranner, even as he felt the invisible hands of the Force toss him out of the way . Luke turned from saving Han, to see the glop grenade explode on impact .
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Tranner roared in anger as the grenade's contents covered him in a hardening synthetic plastic . The force of the explosion tossed him back, missing both the Millenium Falcon and the window of the Senate building . Falling down, down, down, toward the far below streets, of Coruscant .
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In shock, all watched him fall, until one, thought of what Leia would say once she got her voice back, something about him being a prisoner of the Shrassk and must be sent to their world . Rorn sprinted for the edge of the the " Falcon " and dived off, rocketing downwards toward the falling murderer . Don stared in shock for an instant before realizing what he was doing and he jumped too, only to a window of the Senate Building, from where he dropped down a few levels more to a speeder bay, grabbing a large red security patrol speeder and jetting after Rorn .
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Ari looked out the window from where she was still talking to the moss painting . " Hi Rarrn." she shouted happily, watching Rorn fall past, chasing a big green bubble with something black in the middle .
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Rorn closed his eyes slightly, keeping the wind from tearing at his pupils, and kept his gaze on the falling killer . Behind him, he could feel Don coming after him...... in a stolen speeder . His lips curved upwards, Yes, Don is definetly learning a few tricks, he thought . The blades of his lightsaber disappeared and he slipped it into its hidden holster, freeing both his hands for the job to come . Rorn glanced to the side as the stolen speeder came alongside him, Don shouted something unhearable and tossed a tangled mess of cables and hooks . Rorn caught them and dove down, speeding up his descent with the Force . One of the hooks, Rorn plunged into the side of the plastic sphere, twisting it, so that its grapple claws deployed properly . A moment later, all of the hooks were set, similarly and he angled himself toward the speeder, attaching the cables to one of the many magnetic grippers aboard it . Pulling himself inside, Rorn clapped Don on the shoulder as he slipped into a seat . Don began to pull up, as Rorn activated the tractor beam, ensuring the safety of the prisoner .
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Three days later, as Luke, Han and Ari looked on, Leia awarded sliver medals to Rorn and Don, draping them around their necks ." For this service of bravery, the New Republic awards you . You are now, Sentinels of the Republic . Everywhere you go, you will be recognized, if you wear these ." and then in a lower voice," So I suggest you don't, its a pain in the neck to beat off the media ." she whispered into their ears ." Now, The Head of the Jedi Order would like to reward you also ." and Luke stepped forward . " Rorn, Don, you have served our Order and the Galactic Federation on many occasions now . Some of these altercations, you arranged yourselves, but that is not the point . I have something to confess . In a way, this battle with Tranner, was in fact your Jedi trials . Don you have excelled in the use of the Force, every since you entered our Acedemy . Many have become Jedi Kinghts with less knowledge of the Force then you have . I am glad to award you with the title of Jedi Knight ." Don froze in shock, until the actual thought of it sunk in ." Really ? " he asked excitedly ." Luke nodded and turned to Rorn, with a small smile on his face ." Rorn, you have been an exceptional student from the start . You mastered the use of the lightsaber in such a short time, its like you've used one all your life . You graduated from a single blade, to dual use of two lightsabers at once, and now, this, the staff lightsaber, one with two blades, of increasing difficulty . Your mastery of the Force is nothing less than miraculous, your grandfather appearing to you in a vision, teaching you all he knew of the Force, in a mere three days . Not all of these abilities have you yet mastered, but I believe you are a valubale asset to the Jedi Order . I present you with the title of Jedi Knight, may your wear this mantle with pride, and bring hinor to the Order
Written by Jarlath and FA
Sithdroid 3-d walked across the room after receiving the order from the Wrath of Bastion. He opened the door of his charge. "Come with me, your presence is required by Supreme Commander Tann on the Wrath of Bastion in orbit over Duros." the flat mechanical voice said
Sybl didn't bother to look up. She barely even hear him. She was not going to be interrupted. Why couldn't those idiotic droids understand I'm busy?
The droid stepped closer. "You are to come with me now." it insisted.
Annoyed, Sybl finally looked up and snapped, "Where?"
"To the Wrath of Bastion in orbit over Duros." The droids monotone continued
"Why? I'm busy."
"Her grace Supreme Commander Sev'rannce Tann of the Imperial Alliance Grand Army has requested your presence." The droid said
"Oh." Sybl sighed. Well if it was her then she supposed she would have to leave.
"Follow me to the shuttle." The droid said as it turned and led the way out of the room, heading for the hangar bay where the Shadow Chaser was located
Sybl trooped behind barely noticing anything. She was going over the schematics of the leeches. Something was nagging at her with them she wanted to fix.......
They went through the hangar bay door and into the shuttle. As the door was closing, four more battle-droids and two Droidekas followed them into the shuttle. Behind them came a young pilot. He was hurried into the cockpit by the Sithdroid while the Battle droids whisked her off into the personal quarters of the shuttle. The droiekas began a patrol of the hallways, always on the alert in case something happened. The shuttle lifted off without mishap and launched through hyperspace bound for Duros.
Sitting cross legged on the floor of the spacious suite, Sybl finally abandoned her thoughts on leeches. It would come to her eventually...maybe. Where was she going again? She tried to remember what the droid had said. D...something. Duron? Durath? Duros...a sudden flash spiraled in front of her... Tightly gripping someone’s hand. Delicately arching structures made of shimmering glass and steel painted on a background of endless sky...Looking up, up into a tall man’s face framed by flaming red hair. "Its be-e-a-utiful isn't it?" The man beside her responded gravely, "Yes, Sybl it certainly is."...
Sybl gulped her eyes stinging. She stood shakily. Climbing into the enormous bed, she curled up into a tight ball and fell asleep.
****
Looking out at the radar, a young Duty Officer called to General Tann. "Sir, a shuttle has just emerged from hyperspace and is making for the ship. Your orders?"
"Send Gamma-D squadron as escort and bring it to the VIP landing bay. I will meet it there." she replied. The TIE Defenders issued from the Destroyer and took up a defensive escort formation around the shuttle, guiding it to a small entrance in the Destroyer. The Shuttle landed, and the door opened. The droidekas rolled out first, going down a double-line of Imperial stormtroopers, battle-droids, and army troops. As they took up their positions, Sev'rannce Tann walked slowly down the line, seeming almost ethereal in her black Sith robes.
"Welcome to the Wrath of Bastion.” she said as Sybl appeared at the entrance to the shuttle, the Sithdroid trailing behind. Sybl looked about uneasily all this reminded her of something. Something Sybl didn't like, but she was beckoning so Sybl followed.
Tann led her across the hangar bay and into the turbolifts. They moved up opening into Tann's private command room. Tann flicked on a holo-projector with a wave of her hand. The planet Duros glowed in perfect replica, its shields down, its major air defenses in flames. Even the shield generators had been destroyed by the ships in orbit. The planet was still intact--mostly. Star Destroyers clustered around the beleagured planet already in defensive positions.
"Your leeches have made the disabling of the enemy defenses simple." Tann remarked. "Now, we have only to launch a ground assault. Come, I will show you the forces, and you will show me the visions of where and how they will land." She guided Lyth back to the turbolift and pressed several more buttons.
Sybl’s mind was not in the turbo lift. Instead, she was falling through images. When she'd seen the planet of Duros displayed perfectly lifelike on the holo, memories had begun flooding past her. Memories she desperately did not want Tann to discover. She suppressed them, hiding them inside the deepest part of her mind.
As the turbolift arrived at the observation gallery, Tann had to call Lyth several times before getting a response. Brushing over it for now, she led her out and to the window. Below, massive columns of Imperial troops drilled. "See the armies of the Imperial Alliance?" Tann asked. "The perfect formation, the crisp precision of their step, and the absolute symmetry. A force worthy of conquering worlds and restoring order to the galaxy." As she finished speaking, the soldiers began moving out of the drilling decks, platoon by platoon, passing in review as they went to their quarters
Tann guided Lyth back up into the turbolift and to a smallish room off to the side. "Now," She began. "A vision of the ground attack is in order." She said.
Sybl turned very slowly away from facing the blank, grey walls, her face unreadable. She stared down at the foot of the Sith's robes still trying to swallow back the awful vision--the destruction and death reeked on Duros--what had once so very long ago had been her home. Softly, she whispered to the floor, "No." .
"What?" Tann asked, not quite catching the word
Sybl looked up and stated matter-of-factly, "No."
"No?" Tann repeated, keeping her slightly elevated temper from rising any higher. "What do you mean by 'No'"
Somehow, Sybl no longer felt afraid. She raised an eyebrow and faced the blazing red eyes without flinching. Her tone was almost amused," I believe the word is self-explanatory."
A tight grin played around Tann's lips. "You can't do that." she said
The logical place was getting stronger. She was Sybl, and she could say no. Sybl grinned crookedly, " I just did."
Tann could sense the growing logic in Sybl's mind and decided to reason with it, for now.
"What happens when you defy me?" she asked in a false sweetness
Momentary confusion swept Sybl's face replaced by confidence, "I don't know." she answered honestly. "Though I doubt it will be nice. But ...." she took a deep breath and answered with steely assurance." I will not help you destroy Duros."
"Destroy?" Tann’s chuckle grated in Sybl’s ears. "I never destroy. Once Duros is brought into the Imperial Alliance, it will flourish as it never has before. Like elsewhere, momentary damage will be rebuilt and improved upon. I never destroy."
Sybl shook her head her eyes flinty. "No, I saw it. They will resist you. They love their freedom, and you will have to destroy much."
“Nothing that cannot be rebuilt will be destroyed." Tann replied.
Sybl stared darkly at Tann her mouth flattening into a hard line. She almost hissed the words. Old anger, forgotten so long ago, rose about her throwing barriers around her mind. "You Sith, all alike. You can't "rebuild" life. Beings are not "built". You may prevail have the entire galaxy under your order, but it will be empty, devoid of life. And you can never "rebuild" that."
"Life that refuses order is not worth rebuilding. Life that submits to order will not be lost." Tann answered, her temper rising slightly more at Lyth's sudden impudence.
Sybl laughed, something she hadn't done in a long time. "Life is CHAOS not order. I know. I watch it spin between possibility to possibility. Some futures uniting with others, two people who meet by "accident" ten times in their lives while trillions inhabit the galaxy, "advanced" cultures destroyed by babarians,one small insignificant action changing everything, huge sacrifices accomplishing nothing,all connected yet divided. Order is simply your form of the Chaos that is the universe. And I will not let innocents die, and many will die, so that you may have your particular form of chaos." Sybl was panting. She was not used to these solid emotions and so much logical thought expressed in words. It tired her out.
"Chaotic futures calm down into an ordered present. When my order is established, no one but those who opposed me shall have regrets." Tann responded, calm on the outside but almost as a volcano on the inside
The Sith would never understand. There was no point in trying. "You may say what you like, but you cannot see the future. I can." Sybl took a deep breath trying to fortify herself against the rage in those red eyes. "No, I am Sybl. And I will not do this," another breath she could not believe she was saying this yet from the euphoria racing through her she knew she was.
The blazing red eyes told the story. Reaching into the force, Sev'rannce Tann brushed aside the bits of a mental barrier Sybl had been building, smashing them with her power. Then, she began a slowly building mental chant. "You are Lyth Aria. Sybl is no more. You are Lyth Aria. Sybl is no more. "As the volume and power built, one by one the pain receptors in Sybl's brain were being stimulated, so that the chant and the pain crescendoed together. In the mental hurricane, Tann's voice boomed. "You can see the future, and you will show me the ground assault!"
The pain drove Sybl immediately to her knees. Her body cried out for mercy from the intense mind numbing agony, but the logical core built on weeks upon weeks of clear thinking, unperturbed by fear of Tann, was not even surprised. Sybl expected this attack from Tann. Tann had used it countless times. With shock, Sybl realized she was not afraid; and the realization made her laugh despite the onslaught that forced tears to stream from her eyes. In truth, how much worse could the pain get? All that was left to Tann was to kill her, and that would mean peace.
The courage of Sybl took Tann by surprise. She stepped back, her face slightly paler at the defiance of her servant. Then she increased the pain, noise, and din in the mind of Sybl. This courage would be admirable if properly employed she thought. Still, something needed to be done about it for now. She added an attack on heat and cold receptors to her mental barrage.
Sybl was amazed to find that the pain could intensify. Waves of ice and lava seemed to sweep over her. She was whimpering she knew. Confusion seemed to be sweeping the chaos already in her mind into a whirlwind. Latching onto the recently remembered memories and the horror of the destruction, she used them to retreat deeper inside her core chanting her name over and over to hide as the rest of her mind disintegrated in pain.
Still keeping up her sensory assault, Tann decided on yet another distraction. She opened the clasp on her cape and allowed the robe to drop back. It fell, revealing the dazzling armor. As the light reached Lyth’s eyes, Tann swirled the white into disorienting color. As the multiple attacks continued, she drew a slight tendril of the force ever closer to the logical core that resisted her assaults.
The light burst upon Sybl's eyes like a painful torrent and at the same moment Tann's foreign presence entered. She hated that feeling with a passion raging almost to fury, and with the fury came something Sybl didn't recognize--a power.
As she felt the anger growing, Tann's presence began to argue with it while at the same time withholding Lyth's healing trance. With her right hand, shielded by the light, she began a slight spinning motion. The tendril of presence spoke again to the logic. "What are you accomplishing here? What is your goal?"
Whatever was inside Sybl, exploded with a force that pounded through every word " I WILL PROTECT MY HOME. I AM NOT YOUR PAWN!!!!!" The shockwave reverberated through the room smashing glass, destroying circuitry, shredding walls, scoring the bulkhead. A thousand threatening images of every enemy imaginable shimmered about them while suddenly Sybl's own chaotic presence ripped into Tann's giving her the ultimate unsheilded taste of the utter unending chaos Sybl survived.
The shockwave threw Sev'rannce Tann back. The burning would have killed her, but the armor protected her body. She rolled and came up, flinging lightning across the room. Sybl fell to her knees. Spinning her right hand, Tann brought sudden darkness to the room as she cast a blanket of darkside power over Sybl. Then, re-entering Sybl's mind, once again brought the waves of pain forward, but refused her unconsciousness
The lightening struck Sybl with such force that she lay on the floor her body writhing. She couldn't find her name. Only the memory of another Sith with black rage in his heart and mind who wielded such power, the fury turned helpless and rapidly disintegrated into a choking panic. Then the darkside blanket fell cutting off her senses and sliding a thick black web about her, suffocating her. The agony redoubled sweeping through the burned nerves. "No, stop....... please." she choked.
Standing high, Tann towered over her. "You will not defy me." Her voice was low. "You will stay in blackness and pain until I see fit. Because of your defiance, the planet Duros will suffer an attack without the aid of the precise landing points and invasion routes a vision would have given me. More innocents will die because of you." With that, she summoned a droid and had it carry Sybl away, and into her quarters. The pain still went through her mind as the droid deposited her on the bed.
Rorn pushed his way through the screaming crowds, Don walking in front of him . Luke had gave them a few hours of freedom, before they left for Yavin 4, and Don had insisted on taking Rorn to one of Couscant's few pod races . Since Palpatine's death, his ban on pod racing had been dissolved, and now , the brutal sport was up and running again . A long track had been created, clearing certain airways of vehicles and activating a force field that supported the pods . The race had just ended, only three of the twelve racers making it to the finish line . Rorn had been surprised by the vicous tactics of the sentient pilots, in that they used different camoflagued weapons aboard their pods to destroy other racers . Now, they were heading out of the arena to a large popular resturant that Don knew of . As they passed the racer's quarters, Don suddenly stopped, so sudden that, Rorn behind him, walked right into him . " What th. . ., what's your problem ." A huge alien behind them, roared . Don glanced back at the perturbed sentient and pulled Rorn out of his way ." Look over there ." he said into Rorn's ear and pointed down the hall into the racer's quarters . Just outside a large door, stood a familiar face . Slightly changed by a metal breath mask covering the lower half of his head, they still recognized Ric Gronard . Rorn's hand went back to his lightsaber as he started forward, but Don's restraining hand stopped him . A second later, a feline Cathar, slid sinuousely, out of the door, to join Ric . Rorn pointed at him, " He's the one who got in the coward's blow to my arm . The one who stole my lightsaber ." Don nodded and they slowly began to move toward the two dark side users . As they neared the confering villains, Ric suddnely snapped his head up and around, bringing his eyes to bear on the two newly appointed Jedi Knights . He snarled a muffled command to his apprentice and they both started to sprint down the hall . Rorn clapped Don on the arm and began to run after them . Don ducked through another door and a second later was back next to Rorn, a large weapon in his arms ." Stun ray, they keep it beneath the counters in the entrance area ." he panted out . Rorn nodded and poured on the speed, as before them, the two Sith jumped into a turbo lift , the doors sliding shut, right in front of him . Rorn grabbed his lightsaber and released a single blade, plunging it deep into the durasteel door, cutting his own entrance .
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Ric crouched slightly on the floor of the turbolift," Quickly, use the Force, make this thing move faster . " he shouted at Hyrinin . The Cathar acknowledged and an instant later, the turbo lift leapt upwards, far surpassing the designed speed .
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Rorn kicked the circle of cut metal out of the hole and jumped through, feeling the gravity lifts at the bottom of the shaft throw him upwards . Above him, he could see the rapidly retreating turbolift slow and the doors open . An instant later, it shot downwards . Rorn pushed himself to the side, pulling a knife from his belt and plunging its unbreakable alloy into the walls of the shaft . Below him, he saw Don board the turbo lift, and the car begin to move upwards again . Pulling the knife out of the wall, he sped up his ascent unti he reached the floor that Ric had gotten off at . He ripped the doors open with the Force and leaped through, just as the turbolift bearing Don, slowed and stopped at the same floor . Before him was a ghastly sight . Ric stood his multiweapon in his hand, his Cathar apprentice also ready with an icy blue blade clutched tightly, ready for battle . Before them, lay the winner of the pod race, impaled by a familiar lightsaber . Rorn gasped, the lightsaber that had killed the racer, was the very one, that Rorn himself had pulled from a trunk in his families attic . HIs grandfather's lightsaber, used to murder . Ric grinned, nastily," Recognize it ? I thought you might . " And then he was gone, he and his apprentice, dropped from the open hatch in the floor, to a pod racer, the very one that had one the race . Rorn listened and heard the powerful engines whine to a start and then it was gone . Moving forward, Rorn pulled the still activated lightsaber from the Duros' chest . The laser blade had gone entirely through the alien's body and the hilt had balanced on the dead flesh . He held it in his hand, the blade still activated, Don stood just behind him, his lightsaber in hand and then the Security Police broke in ." Freeze, drop your weapons ." The leader shouted, a blaster rifle leveled at Rorn's chest ." But we didn't do noth...." Don started, just to shutup as a cop in the back fired a stun ray at him . Don stepped to the side and deflected the blast back at him, shutting him up . Rorn held a hand out to stop Don, " What have we done ?" he asked the Security Captain ." You have killed a rising star, and as if murder wasn't enough, you demolished a turbolift . Now drop your weapons, or do we get nasty ." Rorn shrugged, " You could try, not that it'd do much good, but we'll come quietly, even though we didn't kill the Duros ." The captain laughed, short and bitterly ," Yeah right, e just caught you with the murder weapon in your hand . " Rorn grimaced, and deactivated the saber, " I expect you'll be wanting to collect our weapons then ?" and tossed the weapon at the captain . The cop stepped back, letting the lightsaber drop to the floor ." All of them ." he shouted, shaking his gun at them . Rorn sighed and began to pull weapons out . Don pulled his blaster out and deactivated his lightsaber, but that was all he had . Rorn pulled a pair of long knives from his back , various short knives from his belt, a small throwing knife from one boot, and then a small wand . It looked like a metal stick with a small silver ball on the end . The captain kicked at it, " Whats that ? A bomb ? "
Rorn shook his head, " Something that would kill any of you in seconds . The captain paled and leveled his gun at them again," Lets go ."
By Jarlath and FA
It had been three days since the 'incident' with Sybl. Now, after more surgical attacks from the Star Destroyers in orbit, The Chiss Armada had arrived from the long hyperspace trek from Csilla through the unknown regions. With the Imperial Alliance army ready, she had but one errand remaining before going to the surface. Walking across the corridors of the Wrath of Bastion, she entered a smallish holding cell. "Feeling better?" She asked, awakening the sleeping figure on the cot. Lyth cringed and backed away.
"No need to back away. I have come to relieve your pain, not to harm you." Tann said, sincere all the way.
Lyth did not understand. She was simply afraid. The agony had stripped her of her logic.
Tann stepped forward once and then, reaching in to her mind, and began to one by one relieve the racking pain from the over-stimulated nerves. "Have you learned your lesson?" she inquired as 10% of the pain disappeared.
Lyth stared at the floor vacantly. The pain had left obvious marks of exhaustion on her pale face. Finally she whispered, "Please...please make it stop."
Another 10% decreased. "What have you learned?" Tann persisted.
Lyth paled further. The torturous, unending agony and total blackness had stripped her logical core down to the merest thread enough only to hold her sanity together. Lyth quaked before her mistress. She didn't know what the correct answer was., Like a student in front of a test they haven't studied for, she came up with a blank. Terrified that Tann would punish her again with the lightening, she whispered barely audibly, "Please...mistress....I don't know."
Decreasing the pain by another 10%, Tann spoke to Lyth like a two year old. "My orders are to be obeyed. You do not disobey me no matter what. When you obey, you get rewarded." 10% more of the pain was gone. "When you disobey, the pain comes back more and more. If you always do as I say, you will never face my lightning again, and if you are a loyal servant, you will be greatly rewarded. Do you understand?"
Very slowly Lyth responded jerkly,"But what about those who die because I obey you?"
"When has your obedience caused death that otherwise would have been averted?" Tann asked. "The pilots killed by your leeches would have died anyways, just at the hands of lasers and torpedoes instead. And it would have been slower, by making the weapons more efficient you save lives of those loyal to us. Your visions also save lives. They tell me the quickest way to land and conduct a ground assault with minimal civilian casualties. None of my orders to you cause death, they only save life." the pain decreased 10% again, it's intensity now halved.
Lyth slowly blinked, "And if I resist?"
"The lightning and the pain will come again." Tann answered, leaving the level constant this time. "Now, what is it that you will never do?"
With her words Tann had also provided pictures of the destruction on Duros, the cities burning, many dead then showed the opposing picture of what it could have been with Lyth. Lyth deserved punishment for disobeying...the pain though dulled continued to gnaw at Lyth as Tann's presence in Lyth's mind grew so overpowering Lyth felt as if she was drounding. She was no longer herself, but part of Tann...a terrified subservient part that could no more hope to disobey than a hand. " I ...I" tears began to stream unbidden from her eyes." must never ...never ...disobey...or I will be punished and also others *a shakey breath* will pay for my actions."
"Correct" Tann said as she reduced the pain by 20%. "You are to stay here and await my return from the surface." With that, she dropped the pain level completely, though the burns from lightning and the ache from its field still remained in Lyth’s bones. As Tann left, she dropped the darkside blanket, allowing Lyth to fall into a healing trance.
Rorn and Don were pushed roughly down a long hall, toward a row of holding cells . Their hands were shackled behind their backs, by electroshock cuffs .One of the officers herding them along, Rorn recognized as the one who had shot the stun blast at Don, and the Kiffar had deflected it right back at him . Rorn felt the angre coming from him and resolved to keep an eye on him . BUt as they were walking into one of the holding cells, the cop brought his gun back and brought it down hard, on the back of Don's head . Don started to turn, in an attempt to evade the blow, but was too late and slumped to the ground unconscious . Rorn instantly reacted, breaking free of the men holding his arms, and leaped into the air, going into a spin, and bringing the heel of his boot into the security officer's chin. Rorn landed in a slight crouch as the cop landed on his back, out cold, his jaw obviously broken . Rorn slipped a toe beneath his chin and tilted his head back, opening the airway, so there was no danger of his choking ." You all saw it ." Rorn said quietly, eyes on the ground," He had it coming ." The officers looked at each other and shrugged, then pushed Rorn into the cell, and after activating the door shield, walked back toward a comm station, dragging the " sleeping " man with them . Rorn checked Don's injury with the Force and ensured a speedy recovery, before sitting down to wait . Several hours later, Luke walked in, looking very lost and haggard ." Why is it, that when ever you two get out of my sght, you get into trouble ? " he asked . Rorn shrugged, " Our loveable personalities ? Trouble seems to love us ." Luke shook his head, " No, that isn't it . I think you guys seek it out, going to a podrace . What will you think of next ? " Rorn grinned sheepishly, " well now that you mention it, thirteen standard days from now, there's gonna a dueling match on Corellia . We were kinda wanting to go . " Luke pointed a finger at him," Absolutely not, after what happened this time ? I out to demote you back to padawans ." Rorn wisely shut up and listened to Luke . " An certain senator has taken a great interest in this case . That's why it took so long for me to get here, he was opposing visitors of any kind , but espechially Jedi . He won't let his name be seen on the media, so we have have no idea who he is, but we do know he is powerful, and he is trying to take you down ." Rorn nodded, still not saying anything ." Your hearing begins in a few hours . I suggest you get some sleep ." Luke said quietly, moving toward the door ." Rorn nodded, " I think all that Don is gonna get is sleep, a guard put him into a forced nap ." Luke frowned, " I'll see what I can do about that , but for the mean time, do what they say . Oh, and one more thing . Someone wouldn't rest until I took her to visit you, so here's Ari ." Rorn cringed, " You are trying to punish us, aren't you ? "
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Rorn and Don,looked up
" This court will now come to sesssion ." the judge rumbled . " Defendants Korbchek and Halerrt, rise to your feet . You have been accused of murder in the first degree . " Rorn glanced to the side, looking at Don . For the most part, Don seemed to be holding up, the only sign of pressure being the throbbing vein on his temple . " This of course, is a very serious charge . Would be, even if the victim was not a popular racer . Will the witnesses step forward ? " Rorn craned his neck to see a huge Gammorean, flanked by a miniscule Trandoshan step forward . Rorn created a tiny Force shield to keep the stench of the porcine alien's body odor away . The Trandoshan's large eyes flicked back and forth nervously, scanning the entire room, before it setled down into a chair, hands trembling with anxiety . Man, he's got it bad and I'm the one who's supposed to be nervous, not him , Rorn thought, staring at the trembling alien . " Guurck, will you please rise and give the courts your testimony ." the judge said loudly into his voice enhancer . The Gammorean stood, unleashing a new wave of repulsive odor . He began to sqeaul loudly, as a translation droid hovered beside him, giving out the interetation of his words . " Me, me was walking, see ? And me sees him, dat un d'ere ." he sqeauled , pointing a huge hand at Rorn, " An dat un d'ere, wuz wid heem ." pointing at Don," an dey keeled de fast un, de un who wun de race, d'as whas me see's ." the judge nodded and turned to the nervous Trandoshan ." And you, Helkin, what did you see ?" the small alien rose , hands jerking slightly at his sides, " Well, I was buying my ticket to the next race, and I saw the horned one run by, his companion followed a moment later, a very large weapon in his arms ." Rorn nudged Don, and nodded at the jittery being, " I bet he wishes, he had a stress reliever to squeeze, right now ." Don frowned, and turned his attention back to the witness ." A moment later, I could see what was happening on a small screen, from a security holo camera . The horned one snuck up behind the Duros racer, whirled him around and plunged a sort of light sword into his chest . That is all I saw, the guards, while running past, turned off the screen . " The trandoshan said, , eyes jumping around , like he had overdosed on caffeine .( LIKE ANGIE ON SUGAR ) The judge stood," The jury will now leave the chamber and decide on the matter ." he rumbled through his long green nose . Rorn frowned at the huge alien occupying the judge's postion, he smelled almost as bad as the Gammorean .
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Ari pranced happily through the halls, singing softly about " Ca'eh ," when her daily change took place .Standing a little unsteadily for a moment, she leaned against a wall for support . Suddenly she heard a voice say quietly, " Here's your money, thanks to your help, two more Jedi will be gone for good . Now dis-appear, there's enough credits in these accounts, for you to live large for a while ." Ari leaned around the corner to see the smelly Gammorean and the anxious Trandoshan taking two small plastic cards from a man wearing senatorial robes . " Thank you, senator Rodan, we will not forget this ." the Trandoshan said, grabbing the Gammorean's arm and dragging the stupid brute after him . Fryor Rodan ? Ari thought, But that means, Rorn and Don were framed .
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Rorn stood up, pulling Don to his feet as the judge re-entered the room . " Defendants, I have reached a verdict . I have found you guilty of murder and am sentencing you, to life imprisonment on Oovy IV . May you rot there, repenting of your sins . " he boomed . Rorn nudged the shell-shocked Don, " Real nice guy, ain't he ? " he whispered .
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Ari fingered her lightsaber, and glanced at the clock on the wall, almost an hour since she found herself in this place . There, there they are, she thought , hurrying after the procession of guards, with Rorn and Don in their midst . Reaching out a feathery tendril of the Force, Ari played with each guards mind, convincing them that their captives were standing still, while in fact, Ari was releasing them from their bonds, and pulling them along behind her . " Ari, what are you doing ?" Rorn hissed at her . She turned to him " Ah don' kno, bu is foo ! " Rorn sighed and let her drag him along, himself having Don by the collar . " Wait stop, in here, this is where they took all of our stuff . " and slipped inside a large room, pinching a nerve cluster on a guard until he passed out and then scooping up an arm load of weapons .
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About an hour later, Ari stood on a docking bay, just out side the Senatorial building, watching Rorn pilot a small speeder away . Don was sitting in the back seat, partially recovered from his shock attack . Rorn had told Ari where they were going, and she had promised not to tell anyone where that was . As she watched them disappear over a tall building, Ari waved slightly and then turned to walk back into the imposing buildingthey had just exited .
The first wave of TIE fighters left the hangar bay of the Wrath of Bastion, with transports following. Admiral Kirkosh watched as the few Durosian spaceships not already destroyed rose from the surface in a desperate effort to repel the dreaded invasion. The pilots of the Durosian ships had no chance. Already in inferior machines, they had been awake night and day for the past three days waiting for the Imperial destroyers to send out ground troops. Now, the weary and nervous Durosians flew against well-rested and fully trained TIE pilots, flying some of the best fighters the galaxy had ever known.
Ever in the lead, Sev’rannce Tann was the first to fire in the ensuing air battle. Her lasers flashed as they tracked an unlucky Z-95 Headhunter through the air. The hit the engines and turned them into molten slag. The ancient fighter crashed towards the surface of the planet. Already the deadly guns were on another enemy, and a second later a blast hit the photon torpedo tubes of a Y-wing, flash-vaporizing it. As the other TIEs came up, a Skip-ray Blastboat fired, it’s lasers bringing down an unshielded and unarmored TIE. Tann’s defender flew circles around as her lasers turned it into a flying heap of scrap metal. It hovered on repulsorlifts until its power cells gave way and it crashed to the planet’s surface. She spun the Defender in a twisting attack and nailed two more old fighters as she came once again to the center of the action, only to find that the better-flown and better-equipped Imperial Alliance(IA) ships. The transports had just cleared cloud cover when the final ship of the Duros Emergency Air Corps went down in a ball of flame. The transports divided up, three to a city to cover the ten cities that were in the targets assigned to the First Galactic Empire Wave. Across the planet, a swarm of Clawcraft and Chiss transports came into view, bound for the four cities in the First Chiss Ascendancy Wave’s list of targets. Each transport carried ten thousand troopers as well as equipment. The TIEs flew escort, and the transports that Tann’s defender was escorted soon landed on Nirashack, the new Capitol of Duros and the largest of its aerial cities. The transports landed, but faced some trouble at first. Durosian and Federation infantry had set up temporary bunkers to hide behind and fire on the IA soldiers as they emerged from the transports. Tann, whose defender had landed behind the transports, solved the problem by walking out of her ship and, deflecting the blaster fire with her lightsaber, annihilating a portion of the enemy troops with lightning. The Federation forces drew back in surprise and horror at the sudden appearance of the Sith. Meanwhile, the Imperial troops offloaded several companies and a few hovertanks. They used these to blast free an unloading area. Battle Droids and Imperial Army Troops swarmed out of the transports onto the now-guarded clearing they had landed on. Sev’rannce Tann called a Commando Stormtrooper unit to her, and with them at her back, rushed off into the city to capture the main command base.
At Nirashack Command Base, a Durosian General wooriedly surveyed the damage with his electrobinoculars. The appearance of a Sith had completely thrown off his defense plans. He had known that eventually street-fighting would take place, but he had expected his landing zone defense’s to hold up better that they had. With a few waves of its hand, the Sith had brought his well-laid out defense plan to ruins. Reports from other cities indicated that fourteen of the forty aerial cities had been attacked. None yet had fallen, but on Nirab, the Chiss Army Corps had already captured the main city center and was mopping up resistance in the outer suburbs. Suddenly, a yellow lightsaber blade appeared through the door. It cut right through the Durasteel blast panelling, and a sinister-lloking figure stepped in. Wearing black robes and a hood pulled low over its face, there was no telling its gender. Two red eyes blazed out from under the hood and the yellow blade flashed. Twelve stormtroopers followed it through the make-shift entrance. The Durosian officers and security guards dropped behind tables as both sides opened fire. The Sith shielded the Imperial troops, the yellow blade blocking the blaster fire coming from the tables. For five minutes both sides exchanged fire, with the Imperials all the time getting better cover. The Durosian general fired several times quickly and one stormtrooper fell, several black spots on his armour. He wasn’t dead, however, and he unleashed a flury o fshots from his blaster rifle that shattered a table and took out three of the security guards.
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Sev’rannce Tann stood in the middle of the chaotic firefight, calmly blocking blaster bolts and allowing her stormtroopers to get superior cover before the Imperials began fighting in earnest. One stormtrooper was down, and from his life sense, he would die soon. He had taken out three Durosian guards with a flurry from his blaster rifle, but now lay still, to weak to move. She concentrated mainly on the blasters, flinging each bolt back at the gun that had fire it. One boltm that had come from the back of the room, she directed into the barrel of a blaster raised to fire. It exploded like a mini-grenade, killing the Federation soldier who held, as well as the Durosian Major hiding behind the table with him. To quicken things, she fired a salvo of lightning at another table. It carried through the metal table and killed one enemy behind it who was inadvertenly touching the table with his righ finger as he leaned up to shoot.
Suddenly, a flurry of blaster fire announced that the stormtroopers were set. She dropped back out of the door and went up a set of stairs. She would sneak in through the back while the stormtroopers kept the guards busy and secure the rest of the base. She entered through a back door and used the force to noiselessly knock the two back guards out. Creeping further in, she felt three people in the first room. Activating her lightsaber, she rushed in. Two of them fired blasters at her. She rolled under the bolts and brought her weapon up and around, slicing them both in half. The third one fled. She followed, moving closer to the central command center.
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Back in the front room, the stormtroopers had things under control. They had lost only one trooper and nearly twenty Durosian and Federation troops lay dead. There was still steady fire coming from behind a duracrete slab that someone had brought in before the tables were all destroyed. One of the stormtroopers picked up a fragment grande and hurled it over the slab. An alert Durosian threw it back, but the stormtrooper picked it up and tossed it back over. It went off as it landed. The stormtrooper was knocked over by the shards of duracrete; there were no remains from where the blast had gone off. The eleven stormtroopers entered the next room with guns blazing and five guards fell dead. Two mote fired back, one of them even hitting the armor on a stormtrooper. However, several rounds from the blaster rifles and the room had no more living foes in it. The stormtroopers continued on, but got more resistance in the next room. Someone had set up a repeating blaster on a tripod, and its heavy shots downed the point man before the other ten could react and fire. The blaster and it’s wielder were cut to smithereens by the laserfire that poured in.
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Sev’rannce continued through the building, killing all who resisted. Most of the enemies simply turned and fled at her approach. As she continued on, she felt a force-presence. She went through several more rooms before a Durosian jedi knight confronted her.
"You will die, Sith scum." He spat as his amber blade sprang into existence. The yellow beam of her lightsaber appeared and blocked his first hasty stroke. Several more clashes followed, but it was clear the jedi was having a hard time even tracking, let alone blocking or dodging the yellow blade. He did a flip back away from her. It was a mistake. White-hot lightning sprang from her fingertips and slammed full force into his back. He fell from the air, in mid-flip, and landed face first on the stone floor. Painfully he lifted himself from the ground and lunged at her again. This time her sweeping block sent his blade flying.
"Pick it up and have a proper go at it." She taunted, stepping back and allowing him to retrieve his weapon. He lunged again and again the sweeping block sent his blade flying. "One more of those and I’ll kill you simply for your poor style,: she said as she sent his weapon flying into his stomach, handle first, with the force. Coming in more carefully this time, he swept his stroke downwards, only to have her deflect it aside. Stabbing, she stopped short of running him through but singed his jedi robes so that there was a black mark on them. He brought his weapon up for the side of her head but she ducked and allowed the momentum of the swing to carry him over. He fell to to the side, unable to stop his swing, and nearly killed himself with his own blade. "Clumsy now, aren’t we?" Her voice had a mocking tone in it. This young fool will never fit, might as well stop wasting my time. She thought. As of late, she had been on the lookout for a capable force-user to train as an apprentice, because lately she had been wishing to be in two or three places at once. An apprentice will have to do, but not him. she thought. Suddenly springing into action, she knocked his weapon aside with one stroke and brought the back-swing around through his neck. Then, she stepped over the body and continued towards the target of her attack: Duros Command Control.