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Author	Topic: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nom Complete!
Ultima_1 Registered: May '01	Date Posted: 6/29 6:49pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	I loved your comments about the ringtone. A bit of humor in an otherwise dark post. The drama of everyone getting to their places and getting set for the battles to come was very good. I watched a couple Atlantis repeats this week, so those characters (especially Rodney) are a bit clearer to me now. -----signature----- Fanfic Padawan of NYCitygurl Legacy of the Force: Endgame http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28169084/p1/?1
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L0B0 Registered: Jan '08	Date Posted: 6/30 4:40am Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	That was awesome! The suspense was palpable and the assault on NYC was brutal. And yet, you still slipped in some tender moments and comic relief to balance out the moment. Nicely done. Cost of planetary phase shielding = All the $$$ on Earth The look on Adria's face = Priceless I have to wonder why they didn't test the power conduits beforehand though... -----signature----- Check your Six! ---> http://www.talonintelligencesquadron.com/index.htm Mando'ad draar digu... * Self Appointed FADA Acolyte
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TigerofRobare Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 6/30 7:45am Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	Well I guess you just wiped out Vermont with New York City. Great chapter. When does the Sector Fleet get here. -----signature----- Darth Hipster--Vader becomes a hippie!: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27316525&brd=10476 Tu ne cede malis--Do not give in to evil, but procede against it ever more boldly. UMass-Amherst class of 2011!
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PunkMaister Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 7/2 1:21pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008 - Date Edited: 7/2 1:28pm (2 edits total) Edited By: PunkMaister
	TigerofRobare posted: Well I guess you just wiped out Vermont with New York City. Great chapter. When does the Sector Fleet get here. That depends on how long the Asgard take to tow all those ships from one galaxy to the other, towing sadly takes a toll which is why I think is foolhardly to keep the Corusca inhabitants from getting SGverse hyperdrive, npot to mention they now have to carefully map for the Coruscans every nook & cranny of the Milky way which they never had to before with SGverse hyperdrive plus is time consuming. I'm sorry Marrs but I fail to see the benefits of the coruscans sticking to SWverse hyperdrive when at least (Intragalactic not intergalactic) SGverse drives could be adapted to them, now you have a whole sector fleet so a whole lot more careful and tedious mapping will be required... Unless the SDs are to be towed nearly each and every time which again it takes a great toll on power better reserved for shields and weapons arrays in my opinion... Another question that I got that still has to be answered is how do the Jedi prevent their powers to be nulified by the "Force" blocking anti prior devices they are now using... Most excellent though dark update!
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Jedi-2B Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 7/2 1:24pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	Ah, the beginning of the end. Poor Sam. Poor New York. Great, and memorable, battle coming up, folks. -----signature----- It was on her fifteenth day in the darkness of the Nirauan cave when Mara Jade awoke to discover a rescuer had finally arrived. It was not, however, any of the potential rescuers she would have expected. It was Luke. ~~And the rest is history~~
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 7/6 6:48pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	Ultima_1—Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed that touch. It was that song, or the Star Wars theme. I don’t watch Atlantis with the same fanaticism as SG-1, but I do enjoy Rodney. Lobo—Thank you. I wrote the chapter very quickly, even I was caught up in it a little. As for testing—this was all happening in a matter of days. They weren’t able to run full diagnostic tests because of the fear Adria would discover what they were doing and intercept their own attack force. They tested components, but never the whole thing together. It was a huge gamble. TigerofRobare—Sorry. And the Sector Fleet will be here shortly. Promise. PunkMaister—1) The hyperdrive question is not one driven solely by tactics. It is a political issue was well. Frankly the Alliance does not want the empire to be able to ship Star Destroyers to their galaxy at will. The hyperdrives are the only real advantage the Milky Way has. 2) Good question. Is the power the Ori draw on the same as the Force? I implied in GOD&L that they were different powers at work. The final battle between Anakin Skywalker and the Orici implied that. But I’ll just have to answer with a simple: Good Question. Jedi-2B—That one failure is going to haunt her for the rest of her life. -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light; Heaven Falls Legacy of the Red Sun; Children of the Red Sun Blue Sun Down; The Boy Who Fell
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 7/6 6:50pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Updated 6/29/2008
	Chapter Eighty-One: Mustering Forces UECS Odyssey SCA-02 Thursday, September 4, 6 CE (2008 A.D.) 1: 23 p.m. GMT “So, how ready are we?” O’Neill asked. Around the table, the senior officers of the Commonwealth fleet exchanged glances. “All the heavy cruisers are at ninety percent capacity or better,” Admiral Shintre said. “Unfortunately we can’t say the same for the new destroyers. Five of them only have sixty percent shields and of those, two don’t have the use of their primary weapons at all. I’ve spoken with their captains who say the weapons systems were simply not completed in time. They do have functioning turbolaser point defense systems, but no primary weapons. I’ve assigned those ships as fighter escorts in the meantime.” O’Neill nodded. “The Asgard say that the Empire has volunteered additional ships. A good chunk of the Asgard fleet is involved in ferrying those ships over. The four Star Destroyers we have with us report all systems ready. Teal’c just commed a few minutes ago and said the Jaffa fleet was en route. The Antarans should be here in the next few minutes.” “Are we going to do any coordination exercises before we strike?” Commodore Kaminin asked. “If I had my way we’d be in Romulan space right now,” O’Neill said, “hitting them while their ships are away. But I’m not going to risk all your lives in case it’s a trap. We’ll coordinate our plans en route. The moment we get everyone here, we’re going in and we’re going in hot.” “Admiral O’Neill to the bridge,” the ship’s intercom piped. “All right, return to your ships and be ready to move,” O’Neill summed up. They left the conference room and stepped through the doors onto the bridge. “Report.” “We have company,” Siana Delun said. “Good company.” O’Neill continued across the bridge, watching the view screen as he did. Directly in front of the Commonwealth fleet, ships dropped out of hyperspace in pairs, one Asgard ship with one obviously Imperial ship. And they kept coming. “Wow,” Jack said. “Six Pellaeon-class star destroyers,” Siana counted. “And eighteen Imperial Frigates. With the ships we have….” She turned to Jack. “That’s a sector fleet.” The screen blinked, and was replaced by a handsome yet slightly unkempt face of a young man with wildly curly blond hair. “This is Lord Cade Skywalker. On behalf of his Imperial Majesty, I’m pleased to add this small part of our fleet to aid you in your endeavors.” Cade’s slight grin proved to all that he knew very well the “small” part of the fleet had enough fire power to wipe out all of Earth’s ships. “Cade, is that really you?” Siana asked. He blinked, and his grin turned to a genuine smile. “Blue! You’re looking well. I was very sorry to hear about Master Katarn.” “Thank you,” Siana said. “Is Delvin with you?” “He’s on his way over to you in a shuttle now. Admiral O’Neill, I presume?” “That’s me,” Jack said. “You’re a Jedi, right? I didn’t think Jedi were with the Empire.” “It’s a long and faintly embarrassing story,” Cade said with a shrug. “I’ll tell you another time. In the meantime, we need to get our computers synced and our friend-or-foe systems updated.” “I’ll have our tactical people start sending transponder signals to you,” Jack said. “It is a pleasure to have you aboard. Is Antias there?” “He is,” Cade said. “I’m nominally in charge, but I know better than to get between an admiral of his caliber and the technical aspects of the battle.” “Smart man,” Jack said. “Now all we need are the Antarans and the Jaffa, and off we go.” The screen split and Thor’s face appeared beside Cade’s. “O’Neill, before the cloak was engaged on Earth, I’m afraid our sensors detected at least one megaton-level explosion. At least one shot got through.” Jack closed his eyes a moment. “Thanks for letting us know.” “The Orici’s fleet remained for perhaps another half hour and then broke orbit. They left one Ori cruiser in orbit; the rest of the fleet appears to have returned to Romulan space. They have amassed a considerable number of ships.” “Do we have a count?” “Approximately one hundred Ori cruisers,” Thor said. “Romulan, Aschen and Husnock ships put the total count at over four hundred.” “All things considered,” Siana said, “that’s a surprisingly manageable number.” “All things considered,” O’Neill said. “Seems like with the Ori, though, we can’t consider all things.” “Admiral,” the communications officer said, “incoming ships. It is the Antaran fleet. And Minister Teal’c just commed and should be arriving momentarily.” “Tell the fleet to begin preparations for the jump,” Jack said. “We go in at normal hyperspace velocity to ensure all ships remain together. It’ll take us about a couple of hours, but it will also give us time to coordinate our assault.” * * * UECS Commonwealth HSC-103 Hyperspace en route to Romulus Thursday, September 4, 6 CE (2008 A.D.) 1: 52 p.m. GMT The F-505 Eagle Tactical Exospheric Assault Fighter was the most advanced piece of machinery ever conceived by Earth. Even the Imperial engineers admired how Jackson Roykirk, Shannon Janeway and the rest of the Commonwealth engineers had taken the best elements of Asgard, Imperial, and Goa’uld technology and fashioned a wholly new and unique machine. The mono-carbon filament frame housed a naquedah-enhanced ion powerplant that could produce sufficient thrust to move a freighter, with state-of-the-art inertial dampening systems modeled after the Imperial Predator-class TIE fighters. However, rather than laser cannons, the ship sported a pair of turbolaser cannons mounted under the sloping canopy. In combination with the black, forward-swept wings, it gave the fighter the appearance of a nightmarish bat swooping down on its prey. Augmenting the armaments was an Asgard-designed shielding system and sensors, and an array of missile and torpedo deployment chutes. It was, by common assent, a frightfully impressive fighter. The first ten rolling off assembly were housed in the port docking nacelle of the UECS Commonwealth. Their pilots slowly walked around each fighter, going over a long checklist of items with their flight crews. This was JD Squadron, the first Terran squadron of fighters flown entirely by Jedi. Although the Jedi eschewed military ranks, for the purpose of the attack all pilots were given the nominal rank of captain or above, with Max Evans commissioned as colonel and designated as flight leader. John Sheppard, being a former major, was re-commissioned as a lieutenant colonel. It was an odd assortment for pilots. Although Padawan Jennifer Hailey looked young, before entering the Jedi Order she had been an Air Force officer and as such was already a rated pilot. Daria Voronkova was likewise a former Russian air force pilot and was equally skilled. Sydney Bristow had piloting experience with the Commonwealth Bureau of Internal Security, and of course John O’Neill carried the memories of a former Air Force colonel with a long list of pilot ratings. However, Isabel Evans and her sister clone Isobel Stevens had never flown, and neither had Michael Guerin or even Max himself. And their youngest member, Cassandra Fraiser, was only eighteen. It was Siana Delun, their Jedi Master, who insisted as many of the Jedi learn to fly as possible. At first skeptical, Fleet Admiral O’Neill allowed them to be trained, and was quickly convinced of the effectiveness of having Force-sensitive pilots. Every one of them save Cassandra and Isobel had even flown fighters in combat during the course of the year. This was, however, the first time they would be flying the F-505s in combat as a single unit. “The Aschen have not deployed fighters against us,” Max told them all when they completed their checklists, “however, both the Ori and Romulans have. The Husnock do not appear to employ fighters at all. Our role will be space superiority. We’re going to be hunting anything in our way. However, I want us to stay together as a unit. Once the main fleet has engaged, the al’kesh will continue to deliver their payloads of resonance torpedoes while the Empire will launch its assault shuttles. We and all the other fighters will be on search-and-destroy missions.” “How many fighters are we deploying?” Sheppard asked. “Lots,” Max said. “I haven’t even been given final numbers. I know from the UEC we’re going to be launching twenty squadrons of twelve fighters each. The Jaffa have pledged fifty al’kesh and another hundred death gliders. But that’s nothing. From what I understand, the Imperial Sector fleet joining us has thousands of fighters and assault shuttles for the job. The Ori and their allies may have us outnumbered with big guns, but we’re going to have their fighters sorely outnumbered. Each squadron will be given a specific target or assignment, but those assignments are almost certainly going to change. We’ll just have to be ready.” Even Jedi had a hard time wrapping their heads around the numbers Max was sending at them. “I hope we have some tactical ships in place,” Michael muttered. “Shintre isn’t going to know what’s going on without them.” “The Asgard have already placed a cloaked ship to act as a tactical coordinator,” Max said. “We’re as good as we’re going to be.” The hangar bay lights flashed red twice. “Real-space reversion in forty minutes,” the intercom announced. “Okay, you have a few minutes to make last minute arrangements. Eat if you want, make sure you go to the bathroom. We all know how those flight reclamation suits work. And then be here in twenty minutes for final check and boarding.” The Jedi nodded and broke up, mingling with the pilots of the other squadron stationed on the Commonwealth. On the bridge of the Commonwealth, Admiral Shintre was going over final ship numbers when he received a message from O’Neill and Lord Admiral Antias. The screen lit up with both men’s faces. “Han,” O’Neill began. “Have you got the final order of battle?” “Yes, Admiral,” Shintre said. “Our capital ships will be greatly outnumbered.” “Yeah, but we’re the good guys, so we’ll win,” Jack said with a straight face. “Once we revert to real-space, the Odyssey will be on complete radio silence. The Commonwealth Fleet is yours. I trust you, Thor and Antias to coordinate tactics in whatever fashion you need.” “We will do our part,” Antias said. “Admiral,” Shintre said, “before you go, there is something I wish to say. On behalf of all of the former Dragon’s Claw crew, I thank you for the trust you have shown in all of us, and in me personally.” Jack nodded. “You’ve earned it, Han. A hundred times over. It would have been easy to label everyone from the Empire as evil after Doomsday. You showed us otherwise, and because of that we have one of our most powerful allies by our sides today. Take care of my ships, Han. And take care of yourself.” “And you, Admiral.” The communication ended. “Reversion to real space in thirty minutes,” Communications announced. The battle was about to begin. * * * Romulus City Romulus Thursday, September 4, 6 CE (2008 A.D.) 2:00 p.m.GMT “You are the mother of the Orici,” the Romulan woman said nervously. She flicked a glance across the room of the restaurant at two of the Tal Shiar officers acting as guards of the Ori faith. Vala’s hood hung uncomfortably over her face. She wasn’t able to find make-up for her ears, but she had enough green-toned blush to give her complexion a Romulan appearance. With her long hair, she kept her ears carefully hidden. She very slowly pushed a bag across the table. “That’s enough for a new ship,” she said. “And I’ll give you more. But we go now.” The smuggler stared hungrily at the platinum coins. “This would mean my death,” she whispered. “Or your fortune,” Vala said. “There are rumors of a battle coming,” the pilot said. “Rumors say the Tau’ri have gathered allies and come to destroy Romulus itself. Is that why you flee?” “No,” Vala said. “I don’t care about whether I live or die. I just need to live or die away from here.” The captain glanced back at the two Tal Shiar officers, who were interestedly speaking to a young Romulan male who appeared to have not shown sufficient deference to the Book of Origin located at the entrance of the restaurant. “This isn’t the Romulus I was born to,” the pilot said. “I often think maybe I should be on the other side as well.” She grinned wryly. “But I’m too afraid to fight. Running, however, I think I have the courage for. Let’s go.” Vala nodded, and the two quietly left the restaurant. * * * Median Orbit between Remus and Romulus Thursday, September 4, 6 CE (2008 A.D.) 2:32 p.m.GMT Never in the history of the Romulan Star Empire had so many ships gathered in a single location. A full hundred of the massive Ori battle ships sat in a geo-stationary orbit in front of the glowing supergate located in a median orbit between the two primary Romulan worlds. Arrayed before the Ori ships were a fleet of craft unparalleled in their respective races' histories. The human Aschen and reptilian Husnock fleets numbered a hundred ships each and formed a hemisphere along the northern plane of the ecliptic, while the vast fleet of the Romulans themselves, numbering almost three hundred, formed a hemisphere around the southern plane of the solar ecliptic. It was a perfect formation to defend against attack from any angle. In the ship nearest the gate, the Orici herself stood in the command deck of her cruiser, watching the stars glimmer while she pensively tapped a finger against her lips. She reached internally for the bright, shimmering connection with her masters, and the Ori responded with power, confidence, and stern judgment. Her weakness for the Jedi was disappointing to them, she knew. Her failure to destroy the heart of the evil was even more vexing. This, they told her, was her last hope for redemption. If she failed here, they would ensure another, stronger Orici was born to replace her. “I hear and obey, Masters,” she whispered to herself. A soldier entered the command deck and fell to his knee behind her, his head bowed while he waited patiently for her to notice him. Finally, she turned and faced him. “Speak, Tomin.” The man named Tomin kept his head bowed, even though as husband to her mother and the man who cared for her during her inception, he was the closest thing to a mortal father she had. “I have received communication from Romulus,” he said. His voice wavered on the edge of cracking. “The Holy Mother has left us.” “Vala is gone?” Adria whispered between grinding teeth. “She has fled with a merchant captain,” Tomin said. “The Prior in her Palace noted her absence and began a search. We identified the ship but only after it left Romulan space and went to warp.” The pain that welled up inside burned as surely as the cleansing fire of the Ori themselves. She closed her eyes and reached for her masters. Give me strength! She begged them. “We will find my mother in time,” she whispered. “She will be returned to your side, Husband of the Holy Mother. And all shall be made whole.” He looked up and for the first time she saw the red rims to his eyes, and sensed from him his pain. “Blessed are the Ori,” he said. “Blessed are the Ori,” she intoned. Then, kneeling down, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Be strong. The Ori are with us. After we crush these primitives, all will be made right according to the Path of Origin. Let not your despair lead you astray.” Tomin nodded. “Thank you, Orici.” She felt a wavering in the space around her. She stood and turned. “Launch all fighters,” she said, as the space before them exploded under the onslaught of unimaginable energies. The Alliance fleet had arrived. -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light; Heaven Falls Legacy of the Red Sun; Children of the Red Sun Blue Sun Down; The Boy Who Fell
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Ultima_1 Registered: May '01	Date Posted: 7/6 7:11pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	So now it's really show time. Can't wait to see what happens next, though I figure that not all the major characters will make it home. -----signature----- Fanfic Padawan of NYCitygurl Legacy of the Force: Endgame http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28169084/p1/?1
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L0B0 Registered: Jan '08	Date Posted: 7/7 5:37am Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	She felt a wavering in the space around her. She stood and turned. “Launch all fighters,” she said, as the space before them exploded under the onslaught of unimaginable energies. The Alliance fleet had arrived. Now it's on. Makes popcorn & turns on surround-sound -----signature----- Check your Six! ---> http://www.talonintelligencesquadron.com/index.htm * Mando'ad draar digu... * Self Appointed FADA Acolyte
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager in Combat Boots Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 7/7 9:01am Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	I had SO much catching up to do, but it was TOTALLY worth it! Your dialogue never fails to be top notch, and your characters are believable, even when I don't particularly LIKE them. Congrats on the well deserved nominations!!!! -----signature----- If you have to choose between tears and laughter, remember that laughter burns more calories. Proud New Army Mom - off to bootcamp!
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Jedi_Aurelan_Carter Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 7/8 7:22am Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008 - Date Edited: 7/8 7:22am (1 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Aurelan_Carter
	hmmm...lessie... for the gathering forces and the subplot thrown in with the cliff... -----signature----- We Are The Borg. Your Biological And Technological Distictiveness Will Be Added To Our Own. Resistance Is Futile. Prepare To Be Assimilated.
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dajohu Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 7/13 7:08pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	Sorry it took me so long to get caught up but it seems I've not been getting a pm and with the plethora of stories I'm keeping up with I didn't realize it . Anyway, I loved the progression since my last post and I too am anxiously awaiting the battle ahead. If you're still doing pms I'd appreciate it if you could make sure I get one to so I don't miss out on your updates. Thanks! -dajohu
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 7/13 7:18pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	dajohu posted: Sorry it took me so long to get caught up but it seems I've not been getting a pm and with the plethora of stories I'm keeping up with I didn't realize it . Anyway, I loved the progression since my last post and I too am anxiously awaiting the battle ahead. If you're still doing pms I'd appreciate it if you could make sure I get one to so I don't miss out on your updates. Thanks! -dajohu Since I'm getting fewer reviews, I'll go back to doing the responses this way. I'll be glad to add you back onto the PM list. There are truly only a few more chapters to go. Which is hard to believe considering how long I've been posting this story! Jedi_Aurelan_Carter posted: hmmm...lessie... for the gathering forces and the subplot thrown in with the cliff... Many things are coming to fruition. I hope you continue to read and enjoy! VaderLVR64 posted: I had SO much catching up to do, but it was TOTALLY worth it! Your dialogue never fails to be top notch, and your characters are believable, even when I don't particularly LIKE them. Congrats on the well deserved nominations!!!! Thank you, and to you as well. I appreciate you reading as always! L0B0 posted: She felt a wavering in the space around her. She stood and turned. “Launch all fighters,” she said, as the space before them exploded under the onslaught of unimaginable energies. The Alliance fleet had arrived. Now it's on. Makes popcorn & turns on surround-sound Yep, it's definitely on. Think Gods of Dark and Light-scale battles. Ultima_1 posted: So now it's really show time. Can't wait to see what happens next, though I figure that not all the major characters will make it home. Sadly, there will be casualties. But you won't have to wait long. Thanks for sticking with this story for the long term. I truly appreciate you're readership. Darth Marrs -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light; Heaven Falls Legacy of the Red Sun; Children of the Red Sun Blue Sun Down; The Boy Who Fell
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 7/13 7:36pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/6/2008
	Chapter Eighty-Two: The Battle of Romulus – Part 1 Median Orbit Between Remus and Romulus Thursday, September 4, 6 CE (2008 A.D.) 2:32 p.m.GMT Across the line of the Ori defensive sphere, captains both Aschen and Romulan stared agape at the monsters that appeared before them: ten ships almost ten kilometers in length apiece, wedge-shaped and bristling with armaments. A fleet of ships with similar shapes but much smaller in size appeared between the behemoths. Then came the rest of the Commonwealth ships. Pyramid-shaped augmented Ha’taks reverted along the edges of the combined fleet, thirty in all. In the midst of the Imperial ships arrived the Commonwealth fleet, 41 ships strong. Adria felt the tension running through the fleet, and with a mere thought broadcast her words through every loyal ship there. “They look impressive, do they not?” she said. “And yet I feel their fear from here. They are but a fraction of our fleet in numbers. Believe in the will of the Ori. Know their hands shield us even now. Even should these blasphemers succeed in taking your lives, by accepting the will of the Ori you shall ascend to a state of power the likes of which you cannot imagine. Have faith and be strong. All those who do not follow the Path of Origin will be destroyed.” On the other side of the empty zone of space separating the two fleets, Admiral Han Shintre surveyed the enemy. Already they were launching their fighters, but even with six hundred capital ships, they were able to launch only two hundred fighter craft. The Romulans were the only ones to produce such craft in numbers. Even the Ori forces did not have many, since their deadly cruisers were enough. “All ships, this is Shintre,” Han said. “Launch all fighters, assault shuttles and al’kesh. Repeat, launch all ships. Ha’taks and Imperial frigates, open the road. All heavy weapon ships are to concentrate on the Ori cruisers once resonance torpedoes have been deployed. And may the Force be with us all!” Swarms of TIEs, assault shuttles, deathgliders, al’kesh, F-501s and F-505s launched from their respective carriers. In the midst of the fighter squadrons, one reduced squadron of ten ships stayed in better formation than most. In the lead ship, Max Evans took a deep, calming breath. Suddenly the squadron-specific channel on their ship-to-ship subspace erupted with hard, pounding music. He looked and saw it was coming from JD-5, O’Neill’s ship. “John, what is that?” “Mood music,” John O’Neill said. “Haven’t any of you kids ever seen Apocolypse Now? This is Wagner, baby. We’re going to war.” “More Western propaganda,” Padawan Voronkova said. Then they heard her chuckle. “Borodin or Shostakovich would be better, but then again the Russians always write better music.” Max’s scanners showed they were almost within weapon’s range of the Ori-loyal fighters. “Heat ‘em up,” Max said. “We act as one. We pick one target at a time. Stay in formation until otherwise ordered. Fighting as a team, we will be unstoppable.” The first fighters in front of them began firing. Through the Force, they all felt the warning and the entire squadron pulled up and then corkscrewed as a series of Husnock missiles scorched past them. “Light ‘em up,” Max said, as the Ride of the Valkyries played triumphantly in over their subspace com systems. As space ignited with weapons fire and ship explosions, Minister Teal’c of the Jaffa Confederation cloaked his al’kesh. The fifty other al’kesh behind him did the same, and quickly they pulled out of the main attack vector. They knew from years of war against the Ori that only the Ori cruisers themselves could detect cloaked al’kesh, and that even then it was difficult for them to do so. He pulled his forces over the line of the battle, avoiding all enemy ships. As Admiral Shintre had predicted, the Ori forces were shifting their battle-lines forward to reinforce the line of defense. Some ships did remain in place in the event of a rear-guard attack. “The Ori have long memories,” Thor had told them en-route. “They remember the tactics the Supreme Commander of the Galactic Alliance used in the Corusca Galaxy. There will be no games to weaken their forces this time.” Still, the reality of battle required tactical adjustments. As the density of the enemy ships lessened, Teal’c saw their path. “Jaffa, kree!” he barked in the encrypted subspace channel. Although they could not see each other, through the subspace communications they were able to coordinate their positioning relative to the gate itself. All fifty ships poured invisible through the enemy lines and flew toward the back of the massive supergate. Teal’c wished they had the means to damage the gate, but all the firepower of the al’kesh combined would have done nothing. Nonetheless they could still strike a blow for their allies. The al’kesh swerved around the gate and came within sight of the line of Ori cruisers. One hundred strong, the largest gathering of such ships he had ever seen. Using their communications network, he began painting individual targets. He followed his invisible squadron as they took up positions. Teal’c knew that even with resonance torpedoes the Ori ships would no longer be struck helpless, but the shield strength would be permanently reduced to levels more in line with those of the Commonwealth. Otherwise, the Ori ships would have been invincible. One of the cruisers on the end of the formation nearest him began shifting position to begin a more in-depth scan of the space immediately surrounding the gate. The rest of the Alliance ships were still engaging the outer ring of the Ori fleet, so he and his ships were alone. Once detected, their cloaks would be of limited value. “Jaffa,” Teal’c said, “attack!” Fifty al’kesh dropped their cloaks and soared through the Ori ranks, firing two to three resonance torpedoes at each cruiser. The cruisers responded immediately and started to break up their formation even while Ori fighters held in reserve launched from the ships' bays to respond. The al’kesh were tough ships, though, and with Asgard-enhanced shields were able to withstand several blows before being destroyed. Teal’c continued painting targets and firing as around him his ships did the same. He saw many explode, and knew their time was short, but the sheer number of cruisers they were able to weaken made the maneuver worth it. His co-pilot raised a fist. “That is all of them. All torpedoes have been fired!” Their ship buckled under enemy fire, and through their viewports they could see al’kesh erupting in brief balls of flame under enemy fire. “All al’kesh cloak and withdrawal,” he ordered. He switched channels. “This is Teal’c to Alliance fleet. Torpedoes have been deployed. We are withdrawing.” Shintre responded personally. “Understood. We are on our way!” The main Commonwealth Alliance fleet surged forward. The star destroyers switched from turbolasers only to the batteries of superlasers, while the Commonwealth ships fired their superlasers to open a window to the Ori cruisers. Although too distant for naked eyes to see, Shintre saw on the Commonwealth’s tactical display as the forty combined ships of the Asgard and Antaran fleets reverted to real space north of the solar plane directly over the Supergate and the scattered Ori cruisers. Asgard and Antaran darted down on the enemy ships and fired their considerable weapons in tandem, and almost immediately an Ori cruiser erupted in a white ball of gas. The Ori responded with frightening speed and in seconds three white pulses of death ripped through an Antaran mother ship. The Alliance ships continued to fire regardless, and more Ori ships exploded even as they mounted their own defense and extracted heavy losses among the powerful Asgard and Antaran fleets. On the bridge of the Commonwealth, Shintre watched as an Aschen capital ship exploded under a blast of his ship’s superlaser. Beside him, a smaller Commonwealth destroyer folded in on itself under a barrage of enemy fire that overwhelmed its shields. It was the Striker, Han saw briefly before it died. Another Commonwealth ship flared as its hypermatter reactor ruptured. The Pericles, one of the last of the first generation Attack Command Carriers, flared violently amidst a group of Romulan warbirds. The explosion was so intense with the release of the hypermatter that the Romulan ships which destroyed her exploded under the shockwave. “Imperial Frigate Adumar has suffered cataclysmic reactor damage,” communications reported. “They are abandoning ship.” The frigate, as large as the Commonwealth, began to split along its dorsal axis as tiny specks of escape pods attempted to escape. Most pods were lost in the following explosion as the ship died. “All capital ships continue toward the gate,” Shintre said grimly. * * * “They’re taking a pounding,” John Sheppard noted. Around them explosions shattered space as fighter after fight exploded. Twice they had to dodge friendly fire, so numerous were the ships. “Then let’s give them some help. JD-2, you go first. Pick a ship.” Michael Guerin immediately painted a Husnock ship to starboard. “Target painted, break and attack,” Max said. The squadron of Jedi-piloted F-505s spun and dove toward the Husnock ship. Lean and dark, the ship looked as threatening as the Reptilians who flew her. Still, the shields collapsed under a volley of proton torpedoes from Michael’s lead. Firing in perfect synchronicity, the squadron produced firepower approaching that of a small capital ship. Explosions scratched huge gouges from the hull. “Mark II away,” Michael said. “Fox 1!” The F-505s banked up and over the Husnock ship as Michael’s tactical, naquadah-enfused nuclear missile struck the damaged and unshielded hull of the Husnock vessel. The ship disappeared in a ball of white nuclear fire, and when the fire faded the ship was cracked in half and wholly dead. “Moving on,” Max said. “JD-3, your turn. Paint a target.” Sheppard grinned. “Target painted, let’s go!” * * * The Orici’s rage burned so strong the entire bridge felt it. The Commonwealth ships were breaking through the line with only minimal casualties. The Ori cruisers had successfully forced the Asgard and Antaran ships to withdraw back to the enemy lines, but the cost made her blood boil. Twenty cruisers destroyed in the space of mere minutes. The outrage was almost more than she could bear. Now the surviving Asgard and Antaran ships aided the rest of their cursed fleet in cutting through the lines of Aschen, Husnock and Romulan ships. Her faith in her allies, she now saw, was sadly misplaced. “Enough of this,” she said. She mentally sent the command to her Priors piloting the cruisers, and the mighty Ori cruisers broke formation as thirty of their number surged through the battle-lines to engage the approaching ships. The Orici’s ship remained behind. Her time to kill the enemy would come soon enough. * * * Commodore Adele Kamanin of the UECS Delhi heavy command cruiser wiped blood from her brow and took a quick survey of what was left. The concerted beams of two Ori cruisers seared through the Delhi’s shields, and she knew it was only a matter of seconds before a third beam finished them off. Both helm control stations were lost in a pile of twisted, burnt metal. Further back in the command deck she saw functioning stations and a few crewmen trying to pick themselves up. Tactical was still operational and she ran to the tactical lieutenant’s side. “Status?” “Shields are gone and heavy damage to the prow. But they shot high. The main weapons are still functioning but targeting will be manual. We’re drifting out of control and taking small fire from fighters only. Looks like the Ori think we’re dead.” The whole length of the ship shuttered under a barrage of that “small” fire. Kamanin digested it all in a heartbeat, and made her decision a split second later. “As much as I would like to avoid the Ori’s attention, I would like even better to make them realize we’re here. Fire starboard aft longitudinal thrusters, but do it at one-tenth power. Make it look like we’re drifting. Bring us around slowly until we’re facing the main body of Ori ships in front of the gate. Look for the ship painted Ori-1.” The Delhi assumed a slight spin. The Romulan fighters broke off, assuming their additional shots had finished off the ship. Adele assumed a seat next to the lieutenant. “What’s your name?” she asked lightly of the young woman. “Elena Tyler,” the lieutenant said. “If we fire, they’re going to kill us, aren’t they?” “Yep,” Kamanin said. It was at that moment that the Commodore finally understood Admiral O’Neill’s odd sense of humor. “But they’ll never take us lightly, will they?” “No, ma’am,” Tyler said. The ship continued its modest spin as the cruiser identified by the Jedi in the fleet as Ori-1 came into targeting range. Adele switched the station controls to that of manual targeting and used her own override codes to get access to the main weapon. She switched the com. “All stations, the bridge has been damaged and shields are gone. We are preparing to fire our primary weapon and will almost certainly not survive for a second shot. All personnel are to abandon ship.” She turned to Tyler. “You can go too.” “With all due respect, Ma’am, the bridge is lonely with only one person. I’ll stay and keep you company for a while.” Adele nodded. The Russian career officer reached out and took the hand of the younger former Med-student from the poor side of New York, and together entered the code to fire. Massive energies swelled from the dedicated hypermatter reactor in the core of the ship and was channeled through the most powerful magnetic fields ever achieved by humanity down the long augmenting shafts to explode at full power from the lens points under the shattered bridge of the ship. An Aschen ship venturing too close had half its port side burned away as the twin beams of destruction seared through the battle lines and impacted against the weakened shields of an Ori cruiser hovering near the gate. Inside that weakened cruiser, Adria fell to the floor as the rest of the command crew flew from their stations. The Orici staggered back to her feet. “Destroy that ship!” she commanded. Instantly five Ori cruisers broke away from their individual pursuits. One actually exploded when the Star Destroyer it had engaged fired on its aft side. The other four fired their full weapons, which converged in four pulses of death on all sides of the Delhi. The heavy cruiser shattered in a ball of white fire so intense only shrapnel remained to tell of its existence. Suddenly a ship appeared directly in front of Adria’s command ship. It was Commonwealth in design, one of their older single-weapon ships. It must have been cloaked, she realized. Then she realized her ship had no shielding. “Fire!” she screamed, but the fire control man was still picking himself off the floor. Lights beamed through the ship. She felt the intruders, hundreds of them. She spun around as one of the intruders materialized before her. Her rage sputtered a moment in shock. “Daniel?” she whispered. “I knew I would see you again,” Daniel Jackson said. * * * Teal’c sat alone in the cockpit of his al’kesh. His co-pilot was burned by the plasma-fire from their last engagement. Beyond the view screen of his al’kesh, the space around him glittered with debris, broken occasionally by streaking fighters or the more ominous passing of capital ships. The Jaffa minister of defense fought in many battles over the years, but the majority were fought on land for supremacy of a planet’s resources by one Goa’uld or another. Although space engagements happened, they were rare simply due to the expense of ha’tak construction. In all his years, never had he fought a battle like this one. He checked his sensors as his fire control officer and son cleared his throat. “Weapons are gone,” Rya’c said. “It was a glorious battle.” “Indeed,” Teal’c said. “You fought well, son.” “Thank you.” The Ori fighter that damaged their al’kesh appeared to be coming back around on the sensors. He motioned for his son to join him. Rya’c stood by Teal’c’s side as the fighter came within firing range. A shower of green turbolaser bolts sprayed past the front of the al’kesh. The Ori fighter reacted by spinning and presenting its main weapons to the attackers even as momentum carried it toward Teal’c. The turbolaser fire was too much, however, and the fighter broke up. A moment later nine F-505 Eagles soared by. “Teal’c, is that you?” a familiar voice said. Teal’c couldn’t hide his grin. “It is indeed, Max Evans. Your timing is perfect.” “What’s your condition?” the Jedi knight asked. “We are adrift.” “Understood. The Commonwealth is the nearest ship in range. We’re going to shield you as best we can until they can beam you over. I’ve relayed your position to them.” “Thank you, Max Evans.” In the crowded space beyond, Max quickly surveyed his sensor suite. A Romulan warbird was limping toward them after a flight of TIEs. One of the enemy’s warp nacelles bled plasma into space, yet it continued firing until the entire flight of TIEs were destroyed. Then it shifted course directly toward the F-505s and the damaged al’kesh. “Figures,” John O’Neill said. “Lead, if we play defense that thing will take Teal’c apart.” “Roger that,” Max said. “O’Neill, Guerin, Voronkova and Bristow, break and attack. The rest stay with me.” Four fighters surged forward and opened fire with proton torpedoes and turbolasers. The warbird shuddered under the assault yet continued firing. Overhead, the Commonwealth started exchanging fire with an Ori cruiser. The Ori ship’s attack laced the dorsal side of the Terran heavy cruiser even as Admiral Shintre fired both primary weapons. The Ori cruiser erupted in white flame. “That warbird getting too close!” Max said. “Sheppard, Cassie, lock and fire! Knock them out! Is and Izzie, cover us!” In their fighters, Isabel Evans and her older clone Isobel Stevens gripped their control sticks and shifted their fighters to cover the three others in front of them. “Teal’c, hang on,” Isabel said. “We are in your hands, Isabel Evans,” Teal’c said. “We could not ask for better protection.” “That’s real sweet, Teal’c,” Isabel said. “But just about now I wouldn’t mind a heavy command carrier to back us up.” As Max, Cassie Fraiser and John Sheppard joined the other four Jedi already pounding the Romulan warbird, the wounded ship’s port nacelle exploded violently, sending the ship into an uncontrolled spin. Max sighed with relief until he saw a pair of torpedoes streak out of the warbird’s tubes. A moment later the Romulan ship exploded, leaving only the two streaking weapons as its testament. “Teal’c!” Max cried. “Incoming!” Immediately Isabel and Izzie opened fire. Isabel let the Force guide her hand on the fire control button, until at last one of the torpedoes exploded. The shockwave of the blast shot past the second one and actually impacted their shields, pushing both fighters out of firing range. The second torpedo was just seconds away. Isabel did not even consciously decide to act. She knew she had to protect Teal’c and his son. She hit her thruster control onto full burn and at the same time nudged her craft with the Force, making up the twenty meters in two seconds. “I love you, Max,” she started to say, as the torpedo struck her shields directly above her canopy. Max felt his stomach churn as a darkness struck through the Force directly into his mind. The torpedo detonated against the shields of his sister’s fighter, shredding them instantly and burning down into the cockpit. “Isabel,” Max whispered as tears formed in his eyes. “Max!” Michael called. His voice cracked. “Oh my God, they got Is!” When Padawan Jennifer Hailey’s ship was hit, the blow was bad enough. But Isabel was more than a colleague. She was his sister. In a very real way she was Michael’s sister. She was among the first of the Terran Jedi. “Max,” Sheppard said. “I know it’s hard. We’ll mourn her. We will. But right now we’re in the middle of a war. Pull it back, put it someplace inside, and deal with it later.” Max fought against the rage he felt as his sister’s shattered fighter drifted down and bounced off Teal’c’s damaged al’kesh. “You’re right,” he managed to say. “Commonwealth is nearly in range. Teal’c, prepare to beam out.” Their channel erupted in a startled scream and then static as Padawan Daria Voronkova’s fighter exploded. The other fighters all spun around to bring their weapons to bear when Bristow’s fighter was struck in the wing. “I’ve lost lateral controls!” Sidney called, her voice calm on the surface but roiling underneath with fear and determination. “Hang on, Sid, we’ll get you,” Cassie called. She brought her fighter forward as the other fighters opened fire on the encroaching Aschen capital ship. Using the super-strong mono-filament structure of her wing, the younger Jedi used her ship to “catch” Bristow’s and stop the spin. “Holy crap that was good flying!” Sidney called, just as a massive Aschen distruptor blast struck the bottom center of her ship. The entire cockpit with Sidney in it exploded out and her fighter shattered. Cassie screamed through her com as shrapnel ruptured her own cockpit. Max and the others continued firing, and finally the remaining ships launched a full salvo of torpedoes. The Aschen capital ship, already weakened by ongoing fighter engagements, shuddered and exploded. Only when the immediate threat passed did John O’Neill call out: “Cassie! Talk to me.” Her voice sounded weak. “I’m hurt pretty bad,” she said. “The cockpit’s lost pressure and my suit's punctured. I’m….” Her voice faded. “This is Commonwealth,” a new voice came over the Fleet-wide band. “Minister Teal’c and his crew have been recovered.” “Commonwealth, JD-1. Recover JD-8 immediately for medical care.” “Roger, JD-8 tagged.” They all saw a flash of light from Cassie’s cockpit. “JD-8 recovered.” “Thanks, Commonwealth,” O’Neill said. “Commonwealth, JD-1. JD-4 also needs recovery.” “JD-1, reading no life signs for JD-4.” “Understood, Commonwealth,” Max said. He swallowed and cleared his throat. “That was my sister. Please recover.” A brief pause. “Understood, JD-1. We’ll take care of her.” Max checked his stats. They started as ten. Now they were six. “JD Squadron, form up. We’re not done here,” he said grimly. The battle has just begun.... -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light; Heaven Falls Legacy of the Red Sun; Children of the Red Sun Blue Sun Down; The Boy Who Fell
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dajohu Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 7/13 8:50pm Subject: RE: Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Fanfic Award Nominee Updated 7/13/2008
	Wow, loved the chapter, sad to see several characters die, but that's war for you. Great job! -dajohu
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