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Topic:
Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 12 of 12) - Compl 18 Sep 08
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MaraJade001
Registered:
Jun '07
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Date Posted:
7/14 4:55pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 5 of 12) - 27 June 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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chapter 6 is mostly done
 Great! I can't wait! 
-----signature-----
~Mary~
"Hi, I'm Mary, and I'm a Mara addict."
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Rigil_Kent
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
7/16 10:05pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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CHAPTER 6
SHE had known this was going to be a mistake.
Her face hidden from view, Leia Organa-Solo leaned forward in her seat and tried to keep from frowning at the sight before her. The decision to visit an observer’s booth in the Senate had been a spur of the moment impulse brought on by Doctor Cilghal’s official – and, in Leia’s opinion, long overdue – pronouncement that she was sufficiently recovered from her injuries to resume full-time duties. It had been pure happenstance that the Senatorial Subcommittee on Military Affairs was meeting tonight though Leia suspected her brother would call it the will of the Force.
From her vantage point in the observer’s booth, Leia could easily see the faces of the subcommittee members as they grilled Fleet Admiral Garm Bel Iblis on the state of the ongoing hostilities with the Imperial Remnant. Ackbar’s presence as a senator was still something of a shock to her despite the months since his election and, judging by the retired admiral’s foul-looking expression, she believed it was safe to assume he felt the same way. It was also rather telling that the Mon Calamari was now clearly in the minority on the subcommittee; where only months earlier, he had been acclaimed as a new voice of sanity, reason, and change in the Senate and had even co-authored the ‘death to smuggler’s’ bill with Fey’lya, Ackbar had recently been marginalized now that he was no longer of any use to the Bothan’s political aims.
Leia completely emphasized with the retired admiral.
If she were honest with herself, Leia would have to admit that she wasn’t surprised at how quickly Fey’lya had moved to capitalize on her injury or Mon Mothma’s death; as a Bothan, he was genetically hardwired to take advantage of an opportunity placed before him, no matter how reprehensible doing so was to anyone else. What still left her reeling in absolute disbelief was how quickly the people she’d once thought of as political allies or even friends fell into step behind the Bothan after he made his barely legal power grab nearly six months earlier. Sentients whom she routinely dined with were suddenly unwilling to return her calls or agree to meet with her and Leia shivered at the sense of déjà vu it evoked. Though she’d grown up knowing that Palpatine had used the system to seize control of the floundering Republic, she’d been convinced history would never repeat itself so soon after the deposed tyrant’s death.
Now, however, she wasn’t so sure.
Frustration mounting, Leia tuned out the back-and-forth between the subcommittee chairman and Admiral Bel Iblis. Garm was an old hand at this sort of thing and she knew he could hold his own against even a vile opportunist like Viqi Shesh, the Kuati senator who seemed to have Fey’lya’s ear on all subjects no matter how minor or trivial. Her star was rising rapidly, despite how recent Kuat’s defection to the Republic was.
“Lady Solo,” a gravelly voice sounded near her ear and Leia jumped involuntarily with surprise before shooting the speaker an annoyed look. She hated it when he did that. Cakhmaim stood a bare half meter away, his expression one of disgruntled irritation and Leia couldn’t stop herself from flashing him a guilty grin.
“That was fast,” she remarked before reaching for the silver torc around her neck. Though it appeared to be little more than decorative jewelry, it was actually a miniature holographic transmitter. Once activated, the torc allowed her to conceal her appearance for short periods of time behind a false image. It was, to no one’s surprise, astoundingly useful for both intelligence gathering and avoidance of the holoshills who erroneously called themselves journalists. Lando had given it to her for her last lifeday and eventually revealed how he’d ‘liberated’ it from Mount Tantiss on Wayland. Despite its applications as a smuggler’s or spy’s tool, it had actually been a joke gift; to Han’s barely hidden irritation, Lando then began flirting mercilessly with her, often implying the item could be used once Leia tired of her husband’s affections. She would have been annoyed at Calrissian’s attentions if she hadn’t been amused at how much it irked Han.
To her slight surprise, Cakhmaim’s hand shot out and caught her fingers before she could deactivate the holographic cloaking field. He shook his head sharply before quickly glancing around the observation booth. Leia gave him a fractional nod of understanding and let her hands drop.
“Leaving without informing us is dangerous,” the Noghri growled. “We are not the only ones capable of tracking by scent.”
“I know it was dangerous,” Leia admitted softly, her eyes turning back to the subcommittee hearing, “but I had to get away to do some thinking.”
“It is difficult to think,” Cakhmaim groused, “when one is dead.” Leia smiled at his gruff demeanor; she wasn’t fooled for a second by the false anger in his voice, not after having seen him playing with Jaina and Jacen earlier this week like a favorite uncle.
“Noted,” she stated before rising to her feet with barely a twinge of pain. Doctor Cilghal had assured her it would take some time before she was back to one hundred percent, but had promised Leia it was possible as long as she continued her daily exercises, something she wasn’t looking forward to. Unlike Luke, she hated swimming with a passion, no matter how good exercise it was. If nature had intended for her to swim, Leia mused, she would have been born with gills. “I’m done here anyway,” she informed the Noghri, giving the committee hearing one last glance. Tomorrow, she would begin the long process of officially rejoining the Senate and fighting Fey’lya’s insanity from the inside; it was already looking to be a long and difficult process.
The utterance of her husband’s name by one of the subcommittee members caused her attention to snap back to the proceedings. Bel Iblis was responding to a question about Han’s recent military engagements with the Empire and Leia fought back a sigh. It had been nearly three months since she’d last seen Han in person. Their parting had been bittersweet and tense, especially with his unspoken assumption she was behind his reactivation and promotion. Though she’d tried to convince him otherwise, Leia doubted he believed her.
Attempts to determine exactly who was behind Han’s reactivation had so far come up empty, even if common sense pointed toward Fey’lya being the responsible party. No matter how much she disliked the Bothan, she had to admit this particular gambit was nothing short of brilliant. By manipulating events so it appeared to everyone else that Leia was responsible for Han’s reactivation, Borsk managed to keep his own hands clean. And, following the line of reasoning Fey’lya undoubtedly utilized, the moment Solo fell flat on his face, it would be upon Leia’s shoulders that the political backlash would land. It was a dangerous gamble.
And it was failing utterly. Where every other fleet commander struggled against Imperial battle plans, Han was thriving. Leia had read enough of his status reports to recognize some of the tactics he was using as old smuggler’s tricks scaled up for fleet actions. His recent successes – and the out-of-the-box thinking that inspired those victories – had turned him into a media darling, earning him a nickname among the news outlets that always caused Leia to laugh: the Princess’ Pirate.
“We have news about Jedi Skywalker,” Cakhmaim murmured, his words shattering Leia’s train of thought. She gave the Noghri a wide-eyed look and gestured sharply for him to speak but he gave the observation booth a quick once-over before shaking his head once more. She understood at once: this location wasn’t secure enough for his tastes.
“My office then?” she asked, suspecting he already had a team lurking there. He confirmed that suspicion with a quick nod. “Lead the way,” Leia instructed eagerly as she quickstepped toward the door.
They were given a wide berth by the few people present in the hallways leading to her office, prompting Leia to wonder if Cakhmaim had cleared the route in advance. When they entered her office, she was unsurprised to see Winter waiting for them. Three other Noghri were present, though they lurked mostly out of sight.
“We have a confirmed sighting of Jedi Skywalker on Obulette,” Cakhmaim related once the door was shut and anti-surveillance equipment activated. As Leia removed the uncomfortable torc, the Noghri inserted a recording disk into the desk viewer. Seconds later, a fuzzy hologram flickered into existence and Leia frowned at the poor resolution. She recognized her brother immediately as he dueled with a group of lightsaber-wielding figures aboard a loading skiff. Mara Jade suddenly entered the image and, for a half moment, Leia felt her distrust and fear of the redhead flare. It vanished quickly, though, once she realized the ex-assassin was fighting alongside Luke to defeat their mysterious foes. Not for the first time, Leia wondered if she had perhaps misjudged Jade.
“How old is this data?” she asked as the poor quality hologram struggled to keep up with the short-lived but amazingly brutal fight.
“Twenty-five days,” Cakhmaim admitted sourly. The holo froze and stuttered, fragmenting into a disjointed mess Leia couldn’t possibly begin to identify. A moment later, it resumed though some short amount of time had obviously passed. The lightsaber-wielding foes were all down and five people had joined Luke and Jade; three of these newcomers were the missing Noghri and Leia’s eyes widened in recognition of the fourth.
“That’s Talon Karrde,” she stated in mild surprise. “I don’t recognize the woman though.” She gave Winter a glance.
“Nor do I, Your Highness,” Winter answered the unspoken question. Without asking for permission, the white-haired woman reached forward and backed up the holo, freezing it on a fairly clear image of one of Luke’s foes. She frowned. “If I’m not mistaken,” Winter said softly, “this is Mace Windu, a Jedi Master who died the day before Palpatine declared himself Emperor.”
“A clone?” Leia mused aloud, memories of C’baoth suddenly springing to mind. She bit the inside of her lip as she absorbed this new information. The Imperials certainly weren’t acting like they had a Force user augmenting their abilities; if anything, they seemed as out of step and confused as the Republic. A third party trying to manipulate both sides then? It certainly explained Luke’s sudden disappearance however. A flicker of annoyance flared within Leia’s stomach at the frozen visual of her brother standing alongside Jade. If there were Jedi clones running loose, why hadn’t Luke contacted her or the Republic for assistance instead of traveling around with an ex-assassin? Why should he, Leia’s conscience murmured caustically, when all you’ve done for the last year is insult the woman he may or may not be sleeping with?
She tried not to wince at that.
“Much of the data involving Jedi Skywalker was wiped clean,” Cakhmaim continued grimly, “and there was no indication of who erased it.” His ominous statement sent a shiver up her back.
“Keep looking,” Leia ordered. “I want to know immediately if you find anything new.”
“As you wish, Lady Solo.” The Noghri bowed slightly and backed away, leaving Leia relatively alone with a distracted-looking Winter. Before she could inquire about her old friend’s lack of focus, C-3PO’s voice echoed out of a nearby speaker.
“Mistress Winter,” the droid said eagerly, “Guardsman-Lieutenant Quin has arrived for his appointment with you.”
Leia smiled at the utterance of the name and silently nodded in approval to Winter. Six months earlier during the attack that claimed Mon Mothma’s life, Lieutenant Tyris Quin had been the last person Leia recalled seeing before passing out. He was still alive and fighting when additional Guardsmen arrived to aid him against the assassins and stood watch over Leia until Han and Chewie arrived. Since recovering, she’d made several attempts to contact him to express her personal gratitude for his heroism, but their schedules consistently clashed and the lieutenant always had an excuse not to meet her. Before he left for the Independence, Han had admitted running into the same problem, prompting Leia to wonder if the Guardsman was trying to avoid her for some reason.
“He doesn’t know you’re here,” Winter stated and Leia nodded before quickly donning the holo-torc once more. The moment it activated, Winter depressed the transmit button on the wall speaker and spoke.
“Send him in, Threepio,” she instructed.
The man who entered a moment later was nothing like Leia expected. His dark brown hair was cropped short in a military buzz cut and his posture was unmistakably that of a soldier but he was otherwise so unremarkable Leia doubted she would have even looked at him twice if he passed her in a crowd. The moment he stepped into the office, his eyes narrowed and his step faltered.
“Lieutenant Quin,” Winter greeted with a smile. “Thank you for coming.” Her smile broadened as the man’s eyes continued to dart back and forth between Leia and the silent Noghri behind her. “Senator Solo again expresses her desire to meet to personally thank you for saving her life.”
“I have no desire to be used to score political points,” Quin replied sourly. His voice was rough, like coarse sandpaper upon wood, and his eyes zeroed in on Leia. Abruptly, he exhaled sharply and a sense of resignation suddenly seemed to roll off of him. To her surprise, he gave her a tight salute.
“Your Highness,” he said by way of greeting. Leia blinked before exchanging a quick look with Winter; the white-haired woman’s surprised look – a slight semaphoring of the eyebrows, which was a gasp of astonishment for anyone else – assured Leia that the holo-torc was still functioning.
“You did that with very few clues,” Leia announced before removing the torc a second time. “I would be very interested in knowing how.” Quin grunted.
“Simple observation, Your Highness,” he answered. “Lady Winter is not of sufficient importance to merit four Noghri.” He gave the woman in question a half-glance. “No offense was intended.”
“None was taken,” Winter said in response, smirking as she spoke.
“Regardless,” Leia smiled, “it’s good to finally meet you.” She took a half-step toward the Guardsman, intending on shaking his hand, but hesitated at the air of discomfort still hanging over the man. Leia frowned at his reaction; for a highly trained soldier, he seemed strangely uncomfortable being around her.
“I’ve not had the opportunity to thank you for saving my life,” she stated. Quin shifted awkwardly, still not making eye contact.
“I was merely doing my duty, Your Highness,” the man replied. He gave Cakhmaim a sidelong glance, eyes still narrowed. At the same time, the Noghri grunted slightly and returned the appraising look. In that moment, the two reminded Leia of wild animals encountering one another for the first time. The only things missing were low snarls and the requisite sniffing of crotches. Men, she snorted to herself with a mental eye roll.
“You’re from Alderaan,” Winter declared abruptly. Quin gave her a quick glance and Leia could almost see him reevaluating her in that brief examination.
“I am,” he admitted tightly.
“And Echani-trained,” Cakhmaim growled. The Noghri sniffed loudly before visibly tensing. “You were a Royal Guardsman,” he said sharply. Instantly, the three other Noghri flowed forward, long-bladed knives appearing in their hands as if magically summoned. Winter took several quick steps backwards, getting clear of the Guardsman, and Leia’s hand instinctively tightened around the lightsaber Luke had crafted for her currently hidden in her clothes.
But surprisingly, Quin didn’t move.
“I was,” he admitted softly, “until Alderaan.”
The air went out of Leia’s lungs as her grief for the lost planet swelled up within her. Without trying, she could still hear Tarkin’s bleak pronouncement of doom, could feel Vader’s unyielding hand on her shoulder, could taste the bitter terror as she watched her homeworld die. The moment was forever stamped in her memory and she felt tears prickle her eyes. It hardly seemed possible that an entire decade had passed since that day.
“Stop,” she ordered harshly. The four Noghri froze in place and Leia stepped closer to the yet unmoving Guardsman. Cakhmaim’s sharp intake of breath warned her that she’d gotten too close for his taste but she ignored it as she stared into the eyes of the lieutenant before her, reaching out with her fledgling Force skills to determine his loyalties. He was an oddly difficult man to read. “You left Palpatine’s service after Alderaan?” she asked.
“I tried to leave after Alderaan, Your Highness,” Quin corrected darkly. A wave of remembered pain pulsed off of him and Leia winced at its intensity. “Leaving Imperial service was not something done easily,” he pointed out flatly. “Especially for a Royal Guardsman.”
“You could have joined the Alliance,” Leia stated and the lieutenant gave her a tight-lipped smile devoid of actual humor.
“Do you know how difficult it was to actually find an actual member of the Rebel Alliance, Your Highness?” he asked. Leia wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a rhetorical question or not but she took it as one and instead asked the one question that simply had to be asked.
“Are you loyal to the Republic?”
“In its current incarnation,” Quin answered carefully, “I am not.” The caution he took in phrasing the reply implied a deeper meaning and Leia gave him a measuring look. He returned her gaze with a blank expression, his eyes revealing no hint of his thoughts. Once again, she stretched out with the Force in an attempt to gain a better measure of the man before her and, once again, she sensed very little. He was a living being and growing more uncomfortable in her presence by the second, but beyond that … nothing. Not for the first time, Leia silently cursed herself for not focusing more on the training Luke had offered so many times in the years since Endor.
“Explain,” she ordered tersely.
“I do not trust the chancellor,” the guardsman stated flatly. “His ambitions and goals appear…” He trailed off, frowning as he sought the proper word.
“Imperial,” Winter offered. Quin grimaced.
“Not the word I would have used,” he remarked, “but an apt description nonetheless.”
“There are a number of people who don’t trust Fey’lya,” Leia began but Quin interrupted.
“I know what you are going to ask, Your Highness,” he declared sharply, “and I must decline.” He quickly raised a hand to forestall her next comments. “I am a Guardsman,” the lieutenant stated, “and my mandate is protection, not political action. No matter how much I may dislike a senator, I am still charged to defending them with my life.”
“There comes a time in any conflict,” Leia pointed out ominously, “when free sentients must choose a side.”
“And there are other times,” Quin retorted, “when a soldier must simply follow orders.” His expression darkened. “It is essential that the Senatorial Guard remain apolitical, Your Highness,” he argued dispassionately, “lest they become the power behind the throne.” Quin inclined his head slightly. “If you will excuse me, Your Highness,” he said, “I must return to my duties.” Leia responded with the slightest of nods that served as dismissal.
“That went well,” Winter remarked the moment the Guardsman was gone.
“It did, didn’t it?” Leia gave her old friend a smile before turning away, her mind racing. Winter’s research into Quin had already uncovered most of what he had revealed moments earlier and careful observation had indicated an apolitical stance more pronounced than that of his fellow Guardsmen. His disdain for Fey’lya hadn’t been anticipated, but it certainly made things easier. If she knew the Bothan, he would start over-extending himself in this latest power grab and begin making mistakes that would ultimately force Quin to take a side. Leia smiled.
Everything was going as planned.
Nothing was going as planned.
Hiding his growing concern behind a false smile, Lando Calrissian slowly made his way through the banquet hall, shaking hands and nodding friendly greetings to sentients he barely knew or cared to know. He took care to make eye contact with the wealthier attendees to the banquet as he did his best to sooth offended egos and ruffled feathers, sometimes literally. The party to celebrate his one-year anniversary as the governor of Socorro had seemed like a good idea at the time, especially as it came on the heels of the successfully balanced budget. It certainly hadn’t been his idea to include mortal enemies on the guest list however and he made a mental note to have the droid responsible reprogrammed or, depending upon his mood after this nightmarish party, scrapped entirely.
“Glad you could make it, Minister,” Lando said as he gripped the hand of a burly Twi’lek. The grumbled response was slightly worrisome, but Calrissian pretended not to notice. Instead, he gestured for one of the nearby waiters. “Have you tried the elvabird?” he queried of the disgruntled Twi’lek while helping himself to the proffered tray. “It’s exceptional, especially for this time of year.”
“I have not,” the scarlet-hued male replied stiffly. His eyes remained locked on a Rodian delegate on the other side of the banquet hall and his lekku twitched rapidly. Though he didn’t entirely understand the language of the Twi’leki brain tails, Lando knew enough to recognize an impending catastrophe, especially when these two were involved. He didn’t know the specifics about the feud between them, only that over the years both had spent considerable sums of money trying to destroy the other. It took less than a second for Lando to make a decision which of the two he could afford to offend; as discreetly as he could manage, he signaled to the protection detail and nodded in the direction of the corpulent Rodian currently making a spectacle of himself near the wine table. The moment the twin security officers flanked the Rodian, the Twi’lek smiled thinly and hefted his glass slightly in Lando’s direction as if making a toast. “To your health, Governor,” he remarked.
“No, Minister,” Calrissian replied as he raised his own glass. “To your health.”
He managed to avert several other similar incidents over the next few minutes, all the while wondering how he’d been talked into this ridiculous job. When he had been approached by representatives of his homeworld of Socorro and offered the governorship of the Outer Rim planet, Lando had jumped at the opportunity. The destruction of Nomad City during Thrawn’s campaign of terror had left him nearly penniless and without immediate prospects, so the idea of spending a term or two as a planetary administrator was strangely appealing. He’d been around the galaxy enough to know that the real money was in politics and, if he played his cards right, this little stint could easily open doors to much larger opportunities in the future.
To his disgust, though, he’d quickly discovered the situation on Socorro was far, far worse than anyone wanted to admit. Crippling poverty had ravaged most of the citizens of the planet and crime was so rampant one would almost think the Hutts were in control. To combat these problems, a series of government programs had been put into place over the decades since Lando left home, each more expensive and useless than the one before it. One of his first acts as governor had been to slash the wasteful spending on failing social programs and redirect those monies into obtaining offworld investment. At the same time, he called in favors and hired an elite security firm out of Corellia to begin policing the lawless planet. None of his reforms made him any friends and each day was more nerve wracking than the previous, but Socorro was finally turning the corner and returning to prosperity.
Lando spent ten more long minutes meeting and greeting, laughing at appropriate times, and keeping an eye on the chronometer. His tenure as the baron-administrator of Cloud City had taught him the value of time management; rarely did an hour pass without some minor crisis requiring his personal attention flaring up. At a banquet such as this one, maintaining the illusion of being busy even when he wasn’t was all important. Venture capitalists weren’t interested in administrators who appeared to have too much time on their hands after all.
The low buzz of conversation drew his attention toward the dance floor and Lando paused for a long moment as he took in the couple currently occupying the spotlight. They flowed across the floor with unbelievable grace and agility, easily outshining every other couple or – in one odd case – trio present. The woman’s dress was cut along Imperial lines and was several years out of fashion, but that did nothing to mitigate its appeal. A high-collar, long sleeves, gloves, and tall boots offered a demure appearance quite at odds with the almost scandalous way the ankle-length body-dress hugged her exquisite curves. Raven-black hair fell to her waist – when it wasn’t whirling through the air during her twirling spins – nearly vanishing against the dark blue of her clothes. Her emerald eyes glittered brightly as she laughed and smiled at her partner. Lando recognized her at once.
Mara Jade.
It took Lando a few seconds longer to identify the man dancing with her as Luke Skywalker. The Jedi’s hair was dyed black as well and the neatly trimmed goatee on Luke’s chin further altered his appearance just enough to make recognition difficult. His clothes were a similar hue of blue and were exquisitely tailored, prompting Lando to suspect Mara had picked them out since Luke’s fashion sense was rudimentary at best. Calrissian released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding even as he mentally kicked himself for not instantly recognizing his old friend, especially given how the sludgenews were once again claiming the couple was romantically involved, this time claiming they had eloped in the wake of Luke’s sister’s continued disapproval of Jade as a mate for her brother. Always before, Lando had simply discarded the rumors of any sexual connection between Luke and Mara, but seeing them on the floor together like this gave him cause to question his previous assumptions. In his experience, no woman could look at a man the way Jade was smiling at Skywalker and there not be some sort of deeper feeling behind it.
You are one brave man, Luke Skywalker, Lando mentally saluted his friend while slowly inching toward the dance floor. He almost felt like an interloper when Mara caught sight of him; her laughter dwindled away and her eyes hardened almost instantly. She whispered something to Luke, something Calrissian couldn’t hear, and Skywalker gave her a quick nod before heading toward the nearest wine table. Lando recognized his cue and stepped forward instantly.
“Greetings,” he smiled in his smoothest tone though his heart truly wasn’t in it. If he was entirely honest, Jade scared him to death. He’d certainly never admit it to her, though. “I’m Governor Lando Calrissian.”
“Celina Marniss,” Jade told him with a false smile. She offered her hand in greeting and he kissed the back of it while flashing another smile.
“Welcome to Socorro, Madam,” he said. “Would you do me the honor of this dance?” She accepted with a slight inclination of her head and allowed him to lead her back to the dance floor. “What brings you to Socorro, Mistress Marniss?” Lando inquired as the band began a much more sedate piece. He exhaled slightly in relief, glad he wouldn’t have to try to keep up with the pace she and Luke had been setting earlier.
“My husband and I represent certain … financial interests,” she announced, her normally subtle Coruscanti accent now crisp and pronounced, “who are exploring the notion of investment here on your quaint little world.” She gave him a completely humorless smile as she pirouetted on the dance floor and Lando barely kept from shivering at the lack of human emotion in the smirk. For the briefest of moments, his mind locked onto a single word as his thoughts about her and Luke from only moments earlier resurfaced: husband. It was almost enough to make him laugh out loud. “My associates would very much like to arrange a personal meeting with you in order to get better acquainted,” she continued, still smiling that emotionless smile. “Such an arrangement would no doubt be a lucrative one for all parties involved.”
“That’s pretty vague, Madam,” Lando pointed out carefully. The phrasing of her comments was deliberate and he recognized the distinctive code Talon Karrde had worked out with him months earlier. Calrissian struggled to conceal his surprise. How the hell had the wily info-merchant managed to get Luke Skywalker to work for him?
“These are difficult times, Governor,” Jade replied, her perfect teeth flashing with another false smile. “It is often difficult to know who to trust in these dangerous times.” The dance ended and Lando gave her a stiff bow before responding.
“Socorro is neutral in this conflict, Madam,” he said loudly so his words could be heard by every one of the eavesdroppers. It was good for business, both legal and illegal, to advertise that fact whenever possible. “We are open to all interests – Imperial and Republic – but don’t bring your war to my doorstep.” Jade’s smile vanished and she revealed no indication whether she had picked up on his coded reply. Damn, she’s good.
“Yes,” she stated coldly, “we would hate to see a repeat of what happened on Bespin.” Without further comment, she turned on her heel and strode away from him. As if by magic, the crowded parted for her, though Lando suspected it might have something to do with her foul expression; he wondered idly if she was simply faking the poor temper or really was in a bad mood because he ruined her dance with Luke. He really hoped it was the former. Donning a wry smile, he winked at the nearest banquet attendee and headed for a cluster of quietly conversing financiers he recognized from the Goroth system.
Another hour passed before he managed to find a legitimate excuse to duck out of the party. Leaving his executive assistant to cover his disappearance, Lando made a beeline for his personal office, pausing only long enough to make sure he wasn’t being pursued by overzealous security officers. Just to be safe, he deactivated the tracer in his comlink and set the personal alert transponder his security personnel insisted he wear to ‘do not disturb’. It was a common enough occurrence, one the protection detail generally referred to as Bimbo Hour even though it was usually just Lando finding a little time alone so he could relax.
“You sure took your time,” Jade snapped the moment he entered his office and Lando jumped in surprise at the unexpected comment. The ex-assassin was lounging in his desk chair while Luke stood before the shelf of antique books Calrissian kept as a way to impress visitors.
“I’m not even going to ask how you got past my security,” Lando muttered as he sealed the door behind him. He then turned toward Skywalker and offered his hand. “Good to see you again, Luke,” he remarked.
“Likewise,” Skywalker replied as he shook Lando’s hand. A subtle whir sounded from the gloved limb, causing Calrissian to frown slightly. Before he could comment, Jade spoke up.
“Can we skip the tearful reunion?” she asked caustically, shifting awkwardly in the chair. “We’re in a hurry and I’d really like to get out of this stupid dress.”
“Ever the diplomat I see,” Lando chuckled. He ignored the glare she sent him as he walked toward the desk, flanked by Skywalker.
“She’s right, though,” Luke interjected. “We are in a hurry and the less time we spend on Socorro, the better.”
“Right,” Calrissian drawled, eyes darting back and forth between the two. He abruptly blinked when he realized Jade had already cracked his computer codes and was rapidly paging through the data in search of something. Making a mental note to fire his slicer, he shook his head. “Here,” he offered, leaning forward to input a command. “I think this is what you’re looking for.”
“That it is,” she replied as documents pertaining to a trio of recently incarcerated smugglers began crawling across the screen. Lando stepped back to give the pair some space to digest the information and took a moment to study them in silence. It didn’t escape his notice how Jade hardly seemed to notice when the Jedi unconsciously invaded her personal space, something he doubted she allowed anyone else to do. In fact, if Lando wasn't mistaken, she actually seemed to lean toward Luke slightly and, when Skywalker knelt beside her, she shifted the chair’s position to give him a little more room. He filed the observation away for later.
“These navcomp coordinates are useless,” Jade muttered, pointing to one of the digital readouts. She had gained some weight since the last time Lando had seen her and was no longer on the unhealthy side of thin. Luke too appeared to be in better shape than Calrissian recalled and Lando quickly clamped down on the urge to smile when he began speculating on what sorts of exercises they could be doing together.
“But the cargo list tracks with what we already knew,” Skywalker said in response.
“Which doesn’t help if we don’t know where they were going!” came the sharp reply. The two shot one another heated looks that Lando couldn’t possibly decipher and the moment stretched out in silence. Finally, Calrissian spoke up.
“Can I ask why you’re tracking clones?” he asked. Instantly, two sets of eyes locked onto him.
“How did-” Luke started to wonder but Mara spoke over him.
“Why do you think we’re tracking clones?” She gave Skywalker a sharp glance which he returned before shrugging slightly.
“I’ve read the cargo manifest, Miss Jade,” Lando reminded her. “That’s a laundry list for the construction or repair of Spaarti cylinders.” Once again, the two exchanged long looks. This time, it was Mara who shrugged.
“Someone is sending clones of dead Jedi after us,” Luke stated simply.
“After Skywalker,” Jade corrected. “Karrde linked the idiots your people nabbed to a series of mysterious shipments for a dummy corporation operating in this sector.”
“Stang,” Lando breathed. “Jedi clones?” He shook his head. “I take it they can use the Force like C’baoth.”
“It’s worse than that,” Skywalker declared. “They’ve been fitted with some sort of neural implant which allows new clones to learn from the mistakes of the old ones.”
“Imperials?” Calrissian wondered, making the logical connection. To his surprise, the Jedi shrugged.
“We don’t know,” Luke answered. “Talon believes the implants are coming from the Corporate Sector, but he doesn’t know what company.”
“And right now, he doesn’t have the manpower to follow up on that investigation,” Mara muttered sourly. She made a hand gesture encompassing herself and Skywalker. “Hence,” she added, “Luke and I are doing the legwork.”
“Socorro is pretty far from the Corporate Sector,” Lando pointed out while biting the inside of his lip to keep from smiling again. He wondered if he’d ever heard Mara Jade refer to anyone by their first name before. For that matter, he wondered if she was even aware of doing it.
“We’re pursuing all leads,” the redhead retorted. “We were hoping to follow these clowns,” Jade added, gesturing toward the computer screen while she spoke, “to their drop point.”
“And?”
“Never happened.” Mara exhaled in frustration before leaning back in the chair. “The buyers didn’t show, your people arrested these bloody losers, and all we’ve got is another dead end.”
“Has Karrde contacted the Kaminoans?” Lando asked, crossing his arms so he could cradle his chin with one hand. The blank look he received from the two was almost amusing.
“Who?” Luke asked.
“Kaminoans,” Calrissian repeated. “They’re cloners. Reputed to be the best in the galaxy.”
“And you know this how?” Jade demanded. Lando chuckled.
“I did some research after Thrawn' started using clones,” he admitted. “It was in regards to a business proposition that ultimately didn’t pan out.”
“It’s someplace to start,” Luke mused aloud, once again leaning toward Jade. She grunted in a very unladylike fashion.
“Not much of one,” she groused. “And there’s still the Corporate Sector to look into.”
“Leave that to me,” Lando said abruptly. The words tumbled out of his mouth before he even realized he’d spoken and, had he not been confident of his ability to resist it, he’d have accused Luke of using that Jedi mind tricks on him. “I’ve got a scheduled fact finding mission to Etti IV next week,” he admitted, smirking slightly at the way Mara busied herself with the computer. “Which,” Lando added, “the lovely Miss Jade obviously knows about.”
“Mara!” Luke groaned. She shrugged.
“Rule one: use the best tool for the job,” Jade remarked as Skywalker shook his head in exasperation.
“Remind me never to play sabaac with you,” Lando snickered. He pretended not to notice how Luke watched Mara as she stood, especially when the Jedi’s eyes drank in how Jade’s muscles moved under her dress. So he is human after all, Lando smirked before quickly deciding to harass his friend in the only way he knew. “I’d ask you if you wanted to join me,” Calrissian said to Jade with an exaggerated leer as he once more took Mara’s hand to kiss it, “but I suspect you have your hands full keeping Luke out of trouble.”
“I’m not that bad,” Skywalker retorted, causing Jade to flash an honest smile in the Jedi’s direction.
“Yes, you are,” she corrected glibly. “It’s a full time job,” Jade confided to Calrissian in a stage whisper, “but somebody has to do it.”
“Do you have the coordinates for these Kaminoans?” Luke asked sourly in an attempt to change the subject. Mara laughed lightly at the Jedi’s disgruntled expression but Lando nodded and input another series of commands into his computer.
“It’s here,” he answered, “just south of the Rishi Maze.”
“In Wild Space,” Jade muttered, her amusement fading quickly. “Lovely.” She gave Luke a sidelong look. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Skywalker,” she growled. “What’s next? Mustafar? Or maybe Kessel?”
“Well, I am thinking about building a summer home on Hoth,” Luke quipped with a smile. “You can contact us through Talon,” he told Calrissian before offering his hand. “Thanks again, Lando.”
“Think nothing of it, Luke,” Calrissian said with a broad smile as he took Luke’s hand and shook it. “I’ve got business in the Corporate Sector anyway.”
“Let’s go, Skywalker,” Jade ordered. At the doorway, she paused and gave Skywalker a glance. Without warning, she reached out her hand and began messing up his hair. He recoiled in surprise.
“What are you doing?” Luke demanded as she shook her head to dislodge her own perfectly coiffed hair.
“Giving us an excuse to be somewhere we shouldn’t be in case Calrissian’s security people grow a brain,” she replied. “Now stop squirming and let me finish.”
Seconds later, they were gone, leaving Lando alone in his office. He sank down into the chair, shifting uncomfortably at the residual body heat left behind by Jade, and cupped his chin. Second thoughts raced through his mind as he reflected on what he’d just learned. Jedi clones and neural implants now? None of it added up. Lando sighed before pulling up his itinerary for the Corporate Sector trip.
What did I just get myself into?
How do I keep getting into these sorts of situations?
The thought flashed through his head as Wedge Antilles scrambled for better cover. Blaster bolts screamed by him, exploding against the duracrete wall he was hugging and he bit back a curse as stone shrapnel sliced a gash across his cheek. A hail of weapons fire from the Rogues he was trying to join covered his mad dash across the open street but Wedge barely noticed as adrenalin and fear temporarily robbed him of common sense. He snapped off a couple of poorly aimed shots in the direction of the attacking stormtroopers before ducking around a corner, still wondering how they’d got onto the planet without being detected.
“Good morning, General!” Hobbie shouted from where he was crouching behind an overturned speeder, blaster pistol in hand. “Nice of you to join us!”
“Sorry I was late,” Wedge retorted as he slapped a new ammo pack into his blaster pistol. He kept his head low as he half-squatted, half-ran to join Klivian. “What’s our status?” he demanded quickly.
“Inyri’s been hit,” Wes Janson growled harshly from where he crouched over the woman in question and Wedge’s breath caught at how still she was. He had been aware of the semi-covert relationship between Inyri Forge and Janson ever since it began months earlier and had gone out of his way to cover their ridiculous attempts at secrecy. It didn’t matter to him that he couldn’t begin to understand how she was able to deal with Wes on a daily basis without going insane; the only important thing was that they appeared to be happy together. When asked about it, Inyri had told Hobbie that Janson made her laugh and, right now, she needed that more than anything else. Until this moment, Wedge had simply assumed it was a casual thing, that the two were friends who were occasionally more than just friends or that it was just a way for both of them to work off the accumulated tension and fear accompanying long-term combat rotations. When he met Janson’s eyes and saw the uncharacteristic fury boiling in the normally laid back pilot’s face, though, he knew it was more than that.
Wedge suddenly, completely and unequivocally hated Nak Shimor.
A nondescript planet in the Colonies just off the Perlemian Trade Route, it was a perfect spot for battle weary pilots to spend a few days blowing off steam and grieving for lost comrades. The planet’s location in the Colonies and relative isolation also made it an excellent layover port for convoys intended for the various fleets deployed in combat actions, which was the primary reason the Rogues were here. After the debacle at Byblos which claimed the lives of three Rogues and crippled one of their best, Wedge had urged Admiral Solo to rotate his group off the front lines for a breather. They had, after all, been engaged in nonstop combat operations for over five months without more than a day or two to recover from battles before being thrown right back into the fire. Escorting a fuel tanker from Nak Shimor to the fleet had seemed like a good idea at the time.
“She needs medical attention bad, Boss,” Hobbie pointed out as he dropped back behind cover to reload his sidearm once again. He kept giving Janson worried looks, reminding Antilles once more than the two men loved one another like brothers.
“Right,” Wedge muttered. He fumbled for his comlink. “This is Rogue Lead to any ships in the area,” he said. “We need emergency medical evac.” A blaster bolt exploded against a nearby wall, causing him to duck. “And a little air support would be appreciated,” he added.
“This is Rogue Seven,” Tycho’s voice echoed out of the comm. “En route to your location now. ETA: one minute.”
“Rogue Leader, this is Hopper One,” a second voice crackled across the comm.-line. “We’re on the tarmac and ready to dust off.”
“They’ll never be able to land here,” Hobbie grumbled and Wedge nodded in agreement as he took in the tightly-packed streets. This place was a sniper’s paradise and any shuttle trying to land would be a sitting duck. He gave Janson a quick glance.
“Can you carry her?” The reply was instantaneous.
“For as long as I need to.” Wedge swallowed at the emotion in Wes’ voice before keying his comlink again.
“Hopper One, this is Rogue Lead,” he said. “Stay on station. We’ll come to you.” Checking the charge on his pistol, he gave Wes another look. “Give me your sidearm, Janson,” he ordered.
Seconds later, Tycho’s X-Wing roared overhead, quadlasers spitting crimson fire at the attacking Imperial lines. A second and third snubfighter – Myn Donos and Gavin Darklighter by their markings – followed suit, their weapons ripping apart the ground and sending geysers of shattered duracrete, flesh and bone into the air. As the trio of T-65s climbed back into the sky, the Imperial assault wavered.
“Go!” Wedge barked. Janson sprang to his feet, Inyri clutched tightly against his chest, and Hobbie followed, his face tight with worry. Twin blasters in hand, Wedge sprinted after them.
The race through Nak Shimor’s streets was a blur of weapons fire, explosions, and terror. Wedge couldn’t say how long it took them to cover the two kilometers to the launch pad; it seemed like an eternity that lasted only seconds. Overhead, the battle for the skies raged on as the members of Rogue Squadron already in the air dueled with attacking TIEs. Explosions filled the dawn sky and debris rained down upon the city. The shattered hulk of a starfighter – a TIE Interceptor from the looks of it – slammed into the street before them, carving a great furrow in the permacrete road as it slid to a stop ten meters away. Fire still enveloped the destroyed ship and miniature explosions continued to cook off the remaining fuel. Wedge gave it a disconcerted look – he’d never been on the ground during an engagement like this – before pressing on. Inyri was depending on them.
Its engines growling, the shuttle – Hopper One – was still waiting on the landing pad when they arrived. A squad of Republic marines surrounded the ugly craft, weapons at the ready and fear in their eyes. Wedge recognized their leader from Hoth – a lifetime ago – and gave him a tight nod of thanks for waiting. Janson didn’t hesitate as he climbed aboard the waiting shuttle with Inyri still in his arms, nor did he look to Antilles for permission. At a glance, Wedge could tell every gram of Wes’ attention was focused on Lieutenant Forge’s wan features and he silently acknowledged that Janson wouldn’t be of much use in a fighter right now. Grimacing, Antilles looked at Hobbie and then jerked his head toward their X-Wings.
“Let’s go,” he ordered before sprinting toward his snubfighter.
His astromech had already prepped the X-Wing for launch so he was in the air within seconds. A quick glance at the data streaming in from the droid nestled behind him confirmed Wedge’s worst fears; the Chimera had arrived. Somehow, that Sithspawned bitch Daala had tracked them here.
Beyond the canopy, the atmosphere of Nak Shimor receded and a blanket of night replaced it. The drive trails of a hundred ships – starfighters and capital ships alike – glittered brightly against the darkness as the badly outnumbered Republic ships struggled to survive against the three Imperator-class star destroyers arrayed against them. Of the fuel convoy, only three corvettes and a single assault frigate remained.
“I’m hit!” someone’s voice screamed across the comm.-line a half second before static replaced his voice. Wedge glared at his scopes, noting instantly the presence of the Interdictor-class cruiser lurking near the periphery of the system. With its gravity well projectors fired up, escape into hyperspace wasn’t an option for the reeling Republic force.
“Get me a high priority target, Gate,” he ordered his astromech. “Let’s give these Imps a nice, hearty Rogue Squadron welcome.”
[COMPLIANCE,] came the rapid response. [ONE TIE DEFENDER DETECTED.]
“Lock on to him,” Wedge said. It would have to be a member of the 181st. Defenders were simply too expensive to be assigned to anyone but the Imperial’s elite starfighter squadron. Antilles glowered. “Let’s go say hi,” he growled.
The Defender detected his approach and banked hard, abandoning his pursuit of an already damaged B-Wing from Blue Squadron to orient in Wedge’s direction. Everything else seemed to fall away as Antilles’ focus narrowed to encompass the threat screaming toward him at thousands of kilometers per second. His fingers tightened instinctively on the trigger and fiery lasers lanced out from the X-Wing’s cannons, splattering uselessly against the Defender’s shields. Wedge was already kicking his fighter into a snap roll to avoid the Imp’s retaliatory fire but still near misses rocked the X-Wing and alarms began shrieking.
“Kriff,” Antilles snarled as the Defender pilot abruptly slewed his fighter around, almost standing it up on end in a maneuver Wedge would have thought impossible to slide into a flanking position behind him. Lasers and ion beams flashed past the X-Wing as Wedge desperately juked and rolled to break the targeting locks. “Gate,” he snapped, “shields to double aft!”
The X-Wing’s engines howled with protest as Wedge punched the throttle forward and dove toward one of Nak Shimor’s moons, rolling and jinking for all he was worth. Weapons-lock alarms wailed as Antilles inverted the T-65 before pulling back hard on the flight stick. To his disgust, the Defender stuck with him, cannons barking nonstop. Whoever this guy was, he was definitely not a rookie.
“All right, buddy,” Wedge muttered darkly, “let’s see just how good you think you are.” He rolled the X-Wing hard, feathering the rudders as he did to slew the T-65 around into a stomach-lurching sideslip. The Defender pursued doggedly, but the copied maneuver was not as crisp as it could have been. Instantly, Wedge recognized the reason: the Imperial pilot was accustomed to zero-gee operations. Antilles grinned wolfishly as he widened his descending spiral and oriented his fighter toward the nearby moon. His X-Wing hit the outer atmosphere of the Nak Shimor satellite mere seconds later and he gave his scopes a quick glance. The Defender pilot had to recognize Wedge’s advantage here – the aerodynamic shape of an X-Wing made it vastly superior to a TIE in atmo – but if the man was like any of the Rogues, his ego just wouldn’t allow him to break off the pursuit.
A half second later, the Defender screamed into the atmosphere.
Almost instantly, the hunter became the prey. Despite being behind the X-Wing, the Defender went on defense and began focusing so exclusively on staying in the trail position that he didn’t pay enough attention to where Wedge was taking him. With the maneuverability advantage on his side, Antilles began testing his opponent with dangerous rolls, dives and climbs. Though the Defender pilot was good, he was hampered by his craft’s lack of atmospheric maneuverability and began easing back on the throttle incrementally. Wedge quickly recognized he had mere seconds before the Imp broke off and abandoned the pursuit.
“Gate,” he said sharply, one eye on his sensor feed, “prep two torps for immediate launch, maximum yield.” The astromech chirped an affirmative response but Wedge barely noticed as he snap-rolled the X-Wing toward a rocky canyon. According to his scans, it was volcanically active which would make targeting locks slightly more difficult. Another glance at his targeting scope revealed his pursuer was still falling back. Time to make him mad, Wedge mused. He waggled his wings slightly in what he hoped would be seen as a mocking gesture before inverting sharply and diving toward the canyon; exactly as he’d hoped, the Defender pilot accelerated after him, perhaps thinking the canyon would hamstring Wedge’s maneuverability.
“One more second,” Wedge growled as his hand tensed on the throttle. His X-Wing rocked and shook from more near misses as the Defender pilot once more went on the offensive. A flash of cerulean light streaked by his canopy, spiraling tightly as it tried to reorient on his position; rapidly running out of room, the concussion missile smashed into the canyon wall moments later, vanishing instantly in a burst of fire. It was exactly the moment he was looking for and Wedge pulled back hard on his flight stick even as he slammed his throttle back and triggered the X-Wing’s repulsorlifts, using them like directional thrusters.
It didn’t stop the X-Wing – his velocity was simply too great to completely stop on a credit – but it did slow him just long enough for the Defender to overshoot him into the canyon. Even as the Imperial fighter screamed by him and into the canyon, Wedge was throwing the throttle forward once again, wincing at the groan of protest echoing through his fighter. He dropped the targeting reticle on the Defender.
“Got you now,” he snarled while squeezing the trigger. Instantly, crimson lasers lanced out in rapid bursts, slicing into the TIE Defender’s hull or exploding against the canyon wall and showering debris upon the Imperial starfighter. The Imp began juking instantly but Wedge stuck to his six, spraying him with a constant stream of fire.
“Now, Gate!” he shouted. “Now! Fire!” The X-Wing shook slightly as the torpedoes roared from the launch tubes. Hemmed in by the canyon walls, the Defender couldn’t dodge the warheads and they smashed into the Imperial fighter with hull-crushing force, exploding instantly. The top quadanium steel solar array was torn free instantly and the sublight engines flared abruptly before dying. Tumbling end over end, the Defender slammed into the canyon walls and vanished in a fierce fireball.
Pulling back on the flight stick, Wedge applied more thrust as he climbed back toward space. He gave the targeting scope a quick glance before grimacing. One of the corvettes was already dead in space, but the assault frigate had taken the fight to the Imperials to cover the remaining two, suffering heavy damage in the process. Wedge didn’t hesitate as he banked toward the distant Interdictor. Its shields were nearly depleted thanks to the frigate’s suicidal attack and Antilles had the benefit of knowing its weak spots.
“Lock onto the Interdictor,” Wedge ordered, “and prep all torpedoes for maximum yield.” He drew in a steadying breath, noting without surprise that the rest of the Rogues were ripping apart the TIEs. Two of them – Tycho and Hobbie, it looked like – were leading an attack run with the remaining B-Wings of Blue Squadron on one of the ImpStar Deuces.
[RECOMMEND YOU APPROACH FROM SPINWARD NORTH,] Gate related and Wedge nodded in approval. The Interdictor’s shields were the weakest there and the debris from a destroyed corvette could be used to conceal his approach. [IT HAS BEEN GRATIFYING TO WORK WITH YOU, GENERAL,] the astromech added.
“And with you, Gate,” Wedge responded.
The Interdictor detected his approach nearly a minute before he reached optimal firing range and began opening up with their point-defense weapons. Wedge grinned as he flipped a switch on his control panel and began actively pinging the massive cruiser with his sensors. They would have a solid identification of him now and would know that Rogue Leader was coming straight for them.
By himself.
To Wedge’s absolute delight, the Interdictor immediately began firing its emergency maneuvering thrusters and slowly – ever so slowly – began rolling away from him like a great beached sea leviathan. He glanced at his scopes and smirked as one of the Republic corvettes suddenly sprang away as the gravity well projector of the Interdictor shifted away, vanishing into lightspeed with a flicker of pseudomotion. Idiots, Wedge mocked the Imperial captain of the Interdictor as the tone of his targeting computer changed pitch to denote a solid lock. He squeezed the trigger once, twice, three times.
But nothing happened.
“Gate!” Wedge shouted as he continued to squeeze the trigger. Reflexively, he banked away from the Interdictor. The astromech was already responding to the question before Antilles had to ask it.
[SYSTEM ERROR,] the droid informed him. [WEAPON SYSTEMS HAVE FAILED. HYPERDRIVE HAS FAILED. SHIELD SYSTEM HAS FAILED.] Wedge winced as the droid continued to make a laundry list of inoperative systems; in fact, the only thing that did seem to work was the sublight drives and the maneuvering jets. The droid continued. [CONJECTURE: YOUR MANUEVER UTILIZING THE REPULSORLIFT SYSTEM HAS CAUSED INTERNAL DAMAGE. NINETY SECONDS TO REBOOT.]
“We’re not going to have ninety seconds!” Wedge growled as he rolled the X-Wing again to avoid the Interdictor’s turbolaser fire. Two flights of Squints – TIE Interceptors – were already orienting on his tail, abandoning their attack runs on the much slower-moving B-Wings of Blue Squadron in favor of a much richer target. They began firing instantly, filling the space around the X-Wing with so much laser fire it was impossible to avoid it all. One lucky shot shredded his port stabilizer and Wedge cursed as the flight stick began vibrating wildly. He shot a quick look at the seemingly motionless Interdictor and nodded to himself.
Ignoring the thumps and groans of his protesting X-Wing as it took hit after hit, he kicked the fighter into a sharp dive and fed all available power to the thrusters. The TIE Interceptors pursued like hungry nexus, their laser cannons spitting fire, and he did everything he could to minimize his target profile. G-Forces crushed him back against the seat as the inertial dampeners failed. The X-Wing shuddered as one of the S-Foils was blasted free and Wedge lost control.
He didn’t even have time to scream.
-----signature-----
The Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be ... unnatural. -Darth Sidious. Tyranny Reborn: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28516174/p1 Shattered Dreams: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/2926341
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DarthXan318
Registered:
Sep '02
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Date Posted:
7/17 12:23am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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*echoes comments from the prequel* OMG don't kill Wedge!! 
Luke and Mara are so cute together. I especially like how Lando is watching them closely and trying not to laugh the whole time ... well not the whole time, but you know what I mean. 
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ccp
Registered:
Apr '05
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Date Posted:
7/17 5:40am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Wow!
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Padwan to Big Fatty
If someone says, "Have a nice weekend," I never say, "You too." Because I never know if, perhaps, by the time the weekend rolls around, I will have other plans for that person. Come Friday, I may wish to have them slain. - George Carli
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Jedi_Liz
Title: Former CR
Lincoln NE, USA
Registered:
Apr '00
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Date Posted:
7/17 6:05am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Please don't kill Wedge! 
So Luke and Mara sort of acted undercover pretending to be married?
This story is getting complicated.
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Current Fic: Lightswords of Fury: Special Edition - L/M Romance http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/24270936/ Chapter 19 posted on 7/21/08 Coming SOON: Mara Jade of Chandrila Grove Coming SOON to SAGA Fanfic
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Golden_Jedi
Registered:
Jun '05
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Date Posted:
7/17 8:45am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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“Right,” Calrissian drawled, eyes darting back and forth between the two. He abruptly blinked when he realized Jade had already cracked his computer codes and was rapidly paging through the data in search of something. Making a mental note to fire his slicer, he shook his head.
Don't know exactly why, but this paragraph made me chuckle.  Impeccable interaction between Lando, Luke and Mara!
And as always, I was at the edge of my seat with the action scenes (and I'm NOT usually an action reader!) 
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The country is that place where chickens walk around uncooked - Julio Cortázar Unexpected Blossom http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28693266 Sailing Little Boats http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28747916
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Jade_eyes
Registered:
Aug '04
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Date Posted:
7/17 1:48pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Leia's scene--wonderfully in character Quin's character is fascinating--can't wait to see his loyalties tested 
Lando's scene Fantabulous!!!!!!! Love his noticing all the subtle L&M nuances LOL SQUEE!!! Luke and Mara are fun when they snark with each other Their mission to Kamino ... can't wait!!
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dancing_star
Registered:
Feb '07
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Date Posted:
7/17 4:53pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Wedge!!!
Oh, please be okay!!! 
Loved the Luke/Mara, Lando interactions, especially Lando hiding his smiles. 
Fabulous job!!
-----signature-----
See my updated bio for fics   God bless America and our troops. "The LORD gives strength to his people. The LORD blesses his people with peace." Ps 29:11  ~~~ Drabbles!!  http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/29148282/p1/?9
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MaraJade001
Registered:
Jun '07
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Date Posted:
7/17 5:36pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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NOOOOOOO! I like Wedge! And the fate of Corran is still a mystery ("...claimed the lives of three Rogues and crippled one of their best...")!
I loved the Lando, L/M section!  It's nice seeing them getting so "close", although I would love to see them in between these chapters.
The Leia section was very interesting as well. I'm curious about this former Imperial Guard... as well as the plan Leia and Winter have hatched.
Great work, Rigil! You've made me a huge fan!
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~Mary~
"Hi, I'm Mary, and I'm a Mara addict."
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ginchy
Registered:
May '05
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Date Posted:
7/18 6:40am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Oh, Lando. I just love that guy. And you wrote him so well! Seeing L/M from his POV was a real treat. And I certainly hope Wedge is okay... Excellent job with weaving all the plots together! Thanks for the PM.
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Jade_Pilot
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
7/18 6:31pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Yay....an update! I take it your history class is 'under control???'
Bravo!
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I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult. - Rita Rudner
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Robimus
Registered:
Jul '07
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Date Posted:
7/19 1:28am
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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Your story is solid gold, Rigil_Kent. Great Job!
Loved the Nohgri scolding Leia, the mysterious Quin(though I'm not sure what Leia is asking him for. Not a political assassination I hope  . I'm likely interpretting that scene wrong... )
Mara and Luke are headed to Kamino. That sounds awesome! And Wedge is in big trouble. Your writing is simply incredible. I can't wait for more!
-----signature-----
I am forever seeking the damutek of Hooley Krekk
Oh, woe! Oh, misery! Oh, unhappiness. Hooley Krekk where are you?
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Rigil_Kent
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
7/20 12:04pm
Subject:
RE: Tyranny Reborn (L/M, H/L, 6 of 12) - 17 July 08 - Qual'd Best Action - Thanks!
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DarthXan318 posted:
*echoes comments from the prequel* OMG don't kill Wedge!!
We'll see...
DarthXan318 posted:
I especially like how Lando is watching them closely and trying not to laugh the whole time ... well not the whole time, but you know what I mean.
Yeah, I know what you mean. With Lando, I wanted to take an approach unused by much of fanficdom as well as the profic. When the JA introduced the ridiculous "relationship" nonsense, it seemed so wildly OOC for Mara that it was painful, hence my approach here. Hopefully it works...
Jedi_Liz posted:
So Luke and Mara sort of acted undercover pretending to be married?
Yeah. They're trying to maintain a low profile (relatively so anyway) and this was the easiest way to do so according to Mara.
Jedi_Liz posted:
This story is getting complicated.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I like complex plots, especially the use of misdirection and red herrings and the like, so it generally shows up in my writing. The overall trilogy is The Unseen War, after all, and there's a specific reason for that choice...
Golden_Jedi posted:
And as always, I was at the edge of my seat with the action scenes (and I'm NOT usually an action reader!)
Glad they worked for you! I'm trying to keep a nice balance between the butt-kicking (of which there can never be too much IMO) and the character interaction...
Jade_eyes posted:
Leia's scene--wonderfully in character
Thank you! I've got big plans for her, and the next chapter will give you a good idea of what those plans are...
Jade_eyes posted:
Quin's character is fascinating--can't wait to see his loyalties tested
Heh.
MaraJade001 posted:
And the fate of Corran is still a mystery ("...claimed the lives of three Rogues and crippled one of their best...")!
Yeah ... we'll get back to Corran eventually ... (chapter 8, I believe).
MaraJade001 posted:
It's nice seeing them getting so "close", although I would love to see them in between these chapters.
Not as much happens in-between these chapters as you'd think. Luke is training her to be a Jedi, after all, so they spend lots of time in meditation or floating Artoo around the cargo hold or studying Jedi texts or...
Well, that would be telling.
MaraJade001 posted:
The Leia section was very interesting as well. I'm curious about this former Imperial Guard... as well as the plan Leia and Winter have hatched.
It's mostly Leia's plan ... okay, it's all Leia's plan. Winter is there to advise and use that perfect memory o' hers to help...
ginchy posted:
Oh, Lando. I just love that guy. And you wrote him so well!
Thank you. I was halfway expecting I'd get accused of lecturing or something about politics given Lando's clear Laissez-faire capitalism or classical liberalism approach to government, but taking that approach with a venture capitalist like Calrissian just seemed to make sense to me. I'm very glad it worked out.
Jade_Pilot posted:
I take it your history class is 'under control???'
Nominally. Next week is the last actual week of class and then the Monday after that I have my final. Since I got a 92 on the midterm, I'm pretty confident about the rest of this class. I'm hoping to finish Tyranny Reborn before the fall semester begins because I'm taking a class then that has a reputation at my university for being the insane time consumer as the level of research required by a student to pass this class if crazy. Even a lot of the professors think it's messed up; despite being a 3000-level course, one of the professors told me it was more akin to a Masters-level course. I doubt I'll be able to write a thing during that...
Robimus posted:
the mysterious Quin(though I'm not sure what Leia is asking him for. Not a political assassination I hope . I'm likely interpretting that scene wrong...)
No, nothing sinister like that. It'll all become clear very soon...
Thanks to all ... and for those of you who haven't yet seen The Dark Knight, shame on you. It rocked my world, kicked my butt, and made me its ... female dog.
-----signature-----
The Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be ... unnatural. -Darth Sidious. Tyranny Reborn: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28516174/p1 Shattered Dreams: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/2926341
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