Beyond - Legends Imperial Destiny (COMPLETED 8/24)

I liked the transistion you used to show what the Vong did on this final stand... I suspect they are sneakier than they first appear however. The battle is far from over... That could be the paranoia talking though

 

PHGS: I wanted to show that while Luke's Imperial Jedi may be willing to resort to the Dark Side, they aren't Sith by any means. I'll see what I can do about that McSith for you.

obiwan: I was going for something along the lines of that final scene between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, showing that Xinos had sort of counted on the presence of his Master. As for Thrawn, I've always seen him as elegant, so it seems I might have gotten him right in this post at least.

Ocelotl: The Vong stand on Chandrila is pretty much over. We'll see some mopping up continuing, but the threat there is largely ended. Now elsehere, that might be a different story.


Okay, here comes the next post!


The battle had progressed, the less skilled pilots on both sides either dead or floating through the void. With the possibility of rescue becoming less and less likely, many of them had consigned themselves to a slow death. The Yuuzhan Vong welcomed it. Their opponents, whether they be Rebel, Imperial, Hapan, or smuggler, hoped for a different outcome. The wreckage of the various spacecraft littered the field, sometimes colliding with other tumbling hulks to create an additional spot of brilliance.

Overall, the battle had begun to swing in favor of the Allied forces. The Rebels had stung the Vong, while the TIE fighters swarmed in, generally making a nuisance of themselves and keeping the massive Yuuzhan Vong fighter force at bay. This freed up the capital ships to do what they were built for: blasting away at the enemy. Even given the advantages of knowing the lay of the land, so to speak, the Imperials hadn't been without their share of losses.

Two Star Destroyers had been taken out of the fight; one drifted in two pieces after being rammed by a Yuuzhan Vong cruiser analog. Another's front quarter was virtually gone, chewed apart by Yuuzhan Vong coralskippers. Roat's flagship, the Executor II, sported a couple of huge gaping holes, one the result of a frigate analog that had performed a suicide run into the mighty vessel.

That hadn't driven the Super Star Destroyer from the fight, however. Roat stood his ground, knowing that if he pulled back, he'd leave the field in disarray. "Dominator," he ordered, "watch your starboard flank. Peregrine, the ion cannon seems to have them confused. Set up for a run on that heavy cruiser." The largest of the Yuuzhan Vong ships, the one that Roat believed was called a worldship, now could accurately fit the description. The outer hull was pitted, and pieces of its surface now floated like a miniature ring around the huge ship.

"Target the worldship and fire," Roat ordered the gunners, not for the first time wishing he could be back in a fighter. "And someone please get me an update on the fighter battles. They could be the difference between victory and defeat.

"This ship will be the difference," a voice said from the rear hologram pod, and Wedge wasn't a bit surprised to see Ventress appear from the shadows. "She is a symbol to all the others. Perhaps even more so than Palpatine's own."

"I wouldn't say that. Trust me, when the Heir takes the field, this ship will cease to matter."

"I think you overestimate the effect you have on the officers of the Fleet, General," Ventress said. "It was you who kept pushing for more action. And it was you who kept them on alert, so that when the Empress ordered it, the Fleet moved to engage."

"What can you tell me about the morale of the officers?" Roat asked. "I'd like a little Jedi insight."

"They believe that we will prevail The Empire must always prevail, or so they believe. But many of them question whether this has been a fair test of their abilities. After all, with the Jedi leading the way?"

"Yes, how are things working on that front?" Roat asked. "I thought the Vong were outside the Force, or some such thing."

"It seems that one of Han Solo's children discovered a flaw in the Yuuzhan Vong's ability to hide from the Force. There are voids crea

 

Gah! Wedge! look out!!!!

Great post Tych_Sel, truly marvelous, great interview as well by the way.

PHGS Weyr

 

Wedge is in trouble!

This could really get nasty... Lets see if you kill off as many Cahratchers as JK Rowling.

 

Wonderful interview. and I like teh updates too

 

PHGS: Glad you liked both the post and the interview. Wedge better keep his head, or he's going to find himself in deep poodoo.

Ocelotl: Wedge is in a tight spot, but that seems to be where he functions best!

Sil: Glad to provide the interview, and glad you liked the last few updates.


Okay, here comes the next post, where we'll drop in on the Heir.


While the battle hadn't yet come to them, a few Yuuzhan Vong had taken the opportunity to attack the ship at the edge of the battlefield. Sooner or later, Ricar knew, he'd have to take the Diadem-class vessel into the conflict. And if he waited too long, he risked too much support rising behind Roat.

The man was a thorn, one which Ricar would have loved to pluck out. But given the fact that Roat had, in some ways, become a symbol of the right way to wield military power, Ricar couldn't suspend the man, or remove him from command without good reason. Not if wanted the military's support when it came to taking on the Galactic Empress, and securing the beginning of his own reign.

"Milord," the commander of his ship asked from the lift door. Ricar had already banished the man twice, but he kept coming back. "The Fleet needs our aid."

"Has word come from General Roat yet?" Ricar asked, keeping his back the lift and watching the small explosions. Some, he knew, were Imperial soldiers that had just laid down their lives for the Empire, for what was to become his Empire.

"No, milord," the commander said. "But?" The commander's protest was cut off by a comlink's chirp. "Milord, a new ship approaches. It carries the prefix code of the Empress."

Ricar reached out with the Force. The presence approaching the Emperor's Fist was indeed dark, but not dark enough to be his mother. "I believe that this is an emissary from the Empress. My mother believed that a time would come when an Alliance with the Rebellion was inevitable. But to ensure that the Rebels would not be able to gain an advantage over us, she had certain plans encoded. This emissary is probably delivering the latest set of codes, necessary to unlock those plans."

"But milord, the Rebels require our assistance. They cannot afford to turn us into enemies."

"Not at the moment, Captain. But they are using Imperial resources to limit their own losses. Sooner or later, they will decide that we are weak enough for them to exploit the alliance they have forged. They will turn on us, and seek to destroy us. But they will not succeed, because we have foreseen their treachery."

The captain wasn't sure where the Heir was drawing his conclusions from, but he also knew better than to argue. Darth Vader's anger had been legendary, but the anger of either Palpatine was said to be enough to eclipse even Vader's capriciousness. "Then how would you have us receive this emissary?" he asked.

"My apprentice shall bring the emissary here," Ricar said, nodding to Lumiya. "Lady Cehka, you are to bring her to me directly. No officer is to know her identity, and I would prefer it if nobody even see her. Is that understood?"

"It is, milord," Cehka said. "I will ensure that the emissary's presence goes utterly unnoticed. I trust that any actions I must take to ensure her anonymity are authorized?" She wanted to ensure that she had understood her master's meaning.

"They are, Lady. Do whatever must be done."

++++++++++++


That's all for now. The emissary arrives Wednesday.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Gah! (my new favourite word to follow an update on this) Salina?

Oh well she's a Skywalker she can handle herself... Can't she?

Great Post Tych_Sel!!!

PHGS Weyr

 

I wonder if Salina will even go to the prince... She might just use the sun crusher and run... Yipes!

 

very nice update. can't wait to see the confrontation. and GO YUUZHIES!

 

PHGS: Yup, it would be Salina arriving. She ought to be able to handle herself, given that she's been recieving training from the Mistress of the Sith.

Salina: Nope. Salina's got her own ideas about what should be done with Ricar.

Sil: Well, you'll see the talking tonight.


Okay, here's the post!

Salina tapped one nail on the edge of the console, as she waited for the controllers aboard Emperor's Fist to drop the shields, and allow her access. Surely they were not considering delaying her in the completion of her mission. With the other worlds dealt with, she could now proceed to deal with the one threat to the Empress?Ricar and his apprentice, Lumiya.

Salina's lips twisted in a sneer as she considered Ricar's would be Sith. Lumiya had aided in the training of Ricar, training that would be completed by his mother. Salina had also learned a thing or two from the would-be Lady of the Sith, but that training had been limited by her father's beliefs, beliefs that Salina had come to reject. Salina herself had surpassed Lumiya, but Ricar had never considered attempting to take advantage of the Skywalker legacy.

It would make things easier, Salina realized, allowing herself to fully realize the depths of her disdain towards the other woman. She would make Ricar realize the mistake he had made, and convince him that there could be only one choice as apprentice. If he wished to succeed his mother as ruler of the galaxy, he would need a strong Sith at his side. And with her loyalty to the Empress, Salina would ensure that Ricar toed the line his mother set.

"Unidentified vessel," the controller came back. "Our shields will lower in one standard minute, and will remain lowered for one further minute. You shall have to make it inside the perimeter before the shields are raised again. Is this understood?"

"Yes, Control," Salina said, bored.

"The Heir has sent an aide to meet you. She will escort you into his Lordship's presence."

"Very well, Control. I trust you have landing information? I would hate to waste his lordship's time looking for his aide, just because I landed in the wrong hanger."

"Hanger AA-6 is reserved for your craft," Control said. "Shield deactivation in thirty seconds."

Salina reached for the controls, bringing the Sun Crusher close enough that the shields were just off the craft's nose. At the same time, she counted down from thirty. She gave herself one count past zero, then hit the thrusters, moving towards the Star Destroyer's belly, and into the landing bay she'd been cleared for. As expected, Lumiya was waiting.

She's not going to attack you as long as you could fire a torpedo, Salina thought. She wouldn't risk endangering Ricar, unless she's got plans to take the throne for herself. Salina waited a moment, then popped the cockpit hatch, leaping upward and clear of the Sun Crusher as she did so.

"Welcome to the Emperor's Fist, Skywalker. Lord Catigyrn has been expecting you," Lumiya said.

"So that's what he's calling himself these days," Salina said, her hand near her lightsaber. "I know you've twisted him against his mother. I trust you know the penalty for treason."
"I'm afraid you're the one who's committed treason. After all, isn't it treason to attack the Imperial Heir?"

"I've done no such thing," Salina said.

"But you plan to. Lord Catigyrn has no intention of allowing you to do so. Therefore, I shall put an end to your treason here and now."

"I trust you've already worked up some way to explain yourselves to the Empress?"

"A visual record of your attack upon the Heir exists already," Lumiya said, removing her own lightsaber. Not the lightwhip, Salina thought. Interesting.

"A false record, no doubt. If this is how it must be, then so be it," she said, shrugging off her her cloak, and igniting her blade. "Let's see if his training is equal to his mother's."

++++++++++++


I know this is Sithly, but I'm going to be taking a day off from posting on Fr

 

Oh! This is a fight to the death that is for sure: Who will make it out alive? Lumiya or Selina? What's up with the suncrusher? I'd forgotten that ships still out there! Great update! Why don't you take the weekend off?

 

C'mon Salina beat teh crap out of Lumiya

 

Sorry for my protracted absence. I love all of these new plot twists! Two duels to the death! I can't wait to see where this will go.
Amazing!

 

Thank you again for posting a great story. I look forward tot he posts and hope you have a nice break form posting.... Hopefully it involves a week end getaway...

 

obiwan: Yup, only one apprentice is walking away from this fight. Glad you liked the buildup to the fight.

Sil: Well, I guess we know who you want to see win.

SithGirl: So you like the twists? Then by all means, read on!

Ocelotl: Glad you liked the post. I needed a bit of a break, just so I could sit down and start bringing this fic to a conclusion!


Okay, here's the next post!

"And now it is treason," Lumiya said, igniting her own blade. "I wonder what the Empress will say when Ricar delivers your head to her." She stood, legs slightly bent, as though expecting Salina to launch an attack. "Let's see if you've truly learned anything, whelp."

Salina launched herself forward, kicking off the deck and achieving a moment of freedom from gravity. Then she began to fall, a controlled fall to be sure, but a fall nonetheless. Lumiya waited, then brought her blade around, seeking to take off Salina's descending legs. Salina, however, twisted in midair, and brought her blade around in slash that caught Lumiya's and forced the older woman back.

Lumiya flung herself backwards in a somersault, landing catlike a short distance away, her lightsaber extended to one side. She took a further step back, almost daring Salina to advance. So she wants me to strike, Salina thought. That means that that's something I don't want to do. "I thought you wanted to see what I've learned," Salina said, taunting her adversary. "You're not going to learn anything if you keep running away like this.

"I can see you still haven't learned proper respect for your elders," Lumiya replied. "But then again, all you've shown me so far are standard Jedi techniques. I have yet to see anything that defines you as a proper and rightful heir to the legacy of the Sith."

"You expected yellowed eyes and Force lightning?" Salina said, letting disdain color her voice. "Or perhaps you expected that I would have brought my own legion of stormtroopers to hide behind? Perhaps your understanding of the Dark Side isn't as great as I was led to believe." As she spoke, she lunged, the sudden attack driving Lumiya back. Salina grinned wolfishly, reveling in the pure power available to her through the Dark Side. Salina drove Lumiya backward, her attack constant enough, and fueled by enough rage, that Lumiya wouldn't be able to mount a counterattack.

"Last chance to surrender, Lumiya. Recognize and accept that you will never be among the masters, and you just might find some measure of happiness in your service to those better than you."

"And who would you have accept as my master? You? That's not going to happen," Lumiya said with a snort. "The true Sith chose me as his apprentice, as he was destined to. Together, we will forge a new breed of Sith. Just because his mother filled your head with dreams when she couldn't accept that he'd betrayed her ? again, a proper action for an heir to the Sith ? doesn't make you a proper Sith. You will always be among the servants. Accept your place, as your parents did."

"You forget one thing, Lumiya," Salina said. "I'm not my parents." With a single, smooth stroke, she freed her blade from Lumiya's, and took off the older woman's head. "I suppose my training is indeed complete," she said, summoning her cloak and raising the hood to hide her flame-colored hair. She then stepped over the body of the elder apprentice, her cloak trailing across it like a shroud. Now, she merely needed to locate Ricar Palpatine and bring him to his senses. That, she knew, was going to be far more difficult than dealing with Lumiya had been.

++++++++++++



More to come Wednesday.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Hmm. So Kanti doesn't want her son dead...yet.

 

Brilliant fight!!!!! Salina is sooo Sith! wonder if she'll ever come back??????

I did expect Lumiya to die...and Ricar, well i think he might have some trouble in store.

 

yay Lumiya is dead!!! I wonder what surprises Ricar will pull

 

Smooth... Sithfully violent, but tastefully written.

 

reagan: Either that, or Salina's reinterpreting her orders...

obiwan: Glad you liked the fight. I'll leave the door open that Salina might be redeemed, but it's not going to be easy.

Sil: Figured you'd be happy to see Lumiya fall.

Ocelotl: One of the things that always amazed me was how Lucas managed to get the violence in there, but with little to no gore. I tried to keep my fight in that vein.


Okay, here comes the next post, as we enter August.


"We're not going to be able to keep this up much longer," Han said, giving Chewie as long a look as he could afford, as the Falcon rocked again. "Sooner or later, one of those Vong pilots is going to get lucky."

Chewie woofed something with a bit of a chuckle. "I don't care what that old wizard said about luck," Han said. "I'll admit to the existence of the Force, but I still think that there are a few things that can only be attributed to luck. I just wish starfighter combat weren't among them." He than threw the Falcon hard to port, almost standing her on her side. A blast of plasma just barely missed the freighter, but Han had to throw the freighter into a dive to avoid a collision with an Imperial TIE. "You know, there is such a thing as too many allies," he muttered.

"Better they be on our side than trying to shoot us down," Bail called from the quad turret.

"Quit listening in on conversations you aren't supposed to be part of, and try and take out a few more of those fighters!" Han shouted back at his son.

"You take all the fun out of it," Kalenda called, adding her voice to the conversation.

"Look, sweetie," her father called back. "You want fun, I'll let you enjoy a night out on Coruscant after we've rid the galaxy of the warmongers, the Vong, the Sith, the Dark Side, and?" he trailed off, trying to think of any other obstacles. "Oh yeah, and the slavers and bounty hunters. But right now, we've got a war to win."

"Dad, are you sure I'm going to live long enough to see that day?" Kalenda called.

"Look, just do what you're told!" Han shouted, shaking his head. "Kids," he muttered. Chewie roared with laughter. "I didn't ask for your opinion," Han growled, whipping the Falcon around and targeting a Vong skip, only to have his shots absorbed by the fighters defenses. A moment later, blasts from both quad turrets drilled the thing, turning it into so much melted rock.

A glance at the sensor scopes proved that Han wasn't the only one in trouble. One of the Star Destroyers was being systematically torn apart by the Vong, while at least half a squadron of Hapan fighters now floated aimlessly through the void. Then Han's eye was drawn to the largest of the Yuuzhan Vong ships. "Oh, kark it!" he swore. "The thing's headed straight for the Executor!" While Han didn't have any love for the Imperials aboard, he had no desire to see a close friend taken out. "Chewie, get me a comm line to General Ant?" Han trailed off, almost saying "Antilles," which would have been the end of Wedge's cover. "Ar Roat," he finished, preserving Wedge's cover. Or so he hoped.

Chewie took a moment, but then an officious-sounding voice emerged from the comm speaker. "This is Executor."

"Look, there's no time for speaking with underlings. I need to speak with Roat. Right now," Han said, his voice edged with tension. "So put him on, before you do something that will make Alderaan's death look like nothing."

"This is Roat," came Wedge's voice a moment later. "I hope you're not wasting my time, Longshot."

"There's not much time, General, but that lead Yuuzhan Vong ship looks like it's making some kind of move. Perhaps someone on your bridge has noticed."

"We're aware of the Yuuzhan Vong move, Captain. Just continue what you've been doing, and we'll both make it out of this alive." The comm clicked off.

"Well," Han said, leaning back for just a moment. "What do you make of that?" Chewie replied with a long discourse on Imperial tactics, a

 

I wonder if Ricar will intervene or aid in the destruction of Roat... I sense a double cross coming the way of the rebel fleet.

 

taht's Han alright

 

Lumiya dead? I think there are still a few plot twists in store before Luke and the good guys win. Luke is a good guy by the end of this, right?

 

Ocelotl: I think Ricar's going to have his hands full in a moment...

Sil: Glad I got him right. Part of my reason for not posting last Friday was because I knew I needed a Han scene, and wanted to buy a little extra time.

SithGirl: Yes, there are a few twists to come before the end. As for Luke, well, I'll let you keep thinking about that one.

And speaking of Luke, here is the son of Skywalker.


Lightning flashed from the fingertips of the Galactic Empress, but her target was too quick, sliding just out of range. Rather than engulfing her opponent, the crackling energy simply gouged a furrow in the far wall. "You know that any protection you could have offered your family is gone," Kanti Palpatine sneered, as she caught Luke's blue blade on her own crimson one. She attempted to bring the lightwhip around to ensnare Luke's legs, but he pushed her back and flipped over her head, landing behind her. His scarlet blade snapped inward to sever another strand from the lightwhip.

"I know," Luke said. "But then, you'd made your plans for them clear enough before I saw sense. So why would I let myself believe that you'd let them live now?"

"Because you're as much a sentimental fool as your father was. I know how easily Darth Sidious twisted Anakin Skywalker. He often commented that I had never truly made you mine. I suppose I allowed myself to believe that Mara could control you."

"That has always been your downfall, milady," Luke said, and watched as Kanti's face twisted with rage.

"You forget your place, Skywalker," she said, her voice soft, dangerous, and barely audible over the hum of the three blades and the crackling energy of the lightwhip.

"Perhaps I do, milady," Luke said. He was hoping she'd give in to her anger, and leave him an opening through which he could put an end to all of this. "Or perhaps, for the first time in years, I'm finally seeing clearly. My place is here, between you, and those I truly care about."

"And what of your precious Mara? Or your darling daughter. Both of them belong to me, and I will not let you weaken them."

"Mara has seen through your lies," Leia said, emerging from the corridor to sand beside her brother. "She finally sees you for what you are."

"How quaint," Kanti said. "The Skywalker twins finally stand together. Now, perhaps I should do what my father didn't do, what he couldn't bring himself to do. Perhaps it is time to put an end to your line."

"But wouldn't you be killing off your apprentice?" Luke said. "Or have you forgotten my daughter?"

"You daughter is dead already," Kanti said. "I knew that the moment I sent her against Ricar, her life would be ended. So with her doom certain, I can rest easy that the Skywalker taint will be removed from the galaxy."

"You underestimate us," Luke said, handing the blue blade wielded originally by Obi-Wan Kenobi to his sister. "Defending against one of us has taxed you already. "Do you dare engage both of us?"

"Make that all three of us," Mara added, stepping from another corridor. She leaned to one side, and Luke could easily see that she'd been grazed by blaster fire. She was using a fair amount of energy to keep the pain at bay, but Luke could tell she wanted to be part of this final battle. "I must say, Lady Eclepsa, I found your Director of Intelligence rather lacking in that category."

"You expect me to simply surrender?" Kanti said, stepping back. Even as she did so, she was reaching with the Force to pull a lift back to the detention level. "Submit to a show trial, perhaps. I must say, I find this attempt to rid the galaxy of darkness pathetic. Don?t you realize that without darkness, your light means nothing? She shut off her weapons, throwing the lightsaber and lightwhip aside. "I stand before you unarmed. Kill me, if you must."

"And step over to the Dark Side?" Luke asked. "Sorry, but I've seen this play before. I'm not going to be tempted again." Then he sensed what Kanti was doing, and reached out with t

 

That was great!... I like that Luke finally seems to be living up to his potential.