Before - Legends An Improbable Mission (Qui/Mace action/adventure) Ch19 Updated 10/16/05

OK, I'm back. But I hardly even touched a computer for the last week+. And never even had time to pick up pen and paper so I have nothing to post yet. Who knew that vacations could be so busy! I hope that between bailing the dog out of the kennel and doing the laundry and the cleaning up around the house that has to go on tonight I will also have time to do something with poor Mace. And see what sort of trouble Qui-Gon can get himself into on a cargo vessel...

Hope you all had a Happy Solistice/Christmas/??? and that everyone has had a wonderful holiday full of your favorite treats and loving family.

KD

 

Welcome back KD... hurry up and write more

 

Thanks Leona but clearly not everyone is as patient. It's good to nag me though, as Rick knows. ( Your cameo is coming up , Rick, eventually...)

First off, Happy New Year to everyone, with a special wish that all those tens of thousands so devastatingly affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami will find solace for their losses in 2005 and that the New Year will reunite them with their missing loved ones in this world rather than adding to their sorrows.

Second, an apology for both the length of time this post has taken and the shortness of it after such a long wait. Our Christmas cruise was great fun and it was nice to see my brother enjoy himself so much. But there was not nearly as much lazing about on the beach or balcony or by the pool with a notebook as I had hoped. Indeed I was so active that I managed to not gain an ounce despite eating just about anything I was offered. In fact I think I actually lost a half pound or so. No doubt this last week, back in my normal sedentary life, I have more than gained that half pound back.

I hope to post more in a day or two to make up for how short and late this is.

KD

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"I don't know if you are a Jedi, pup, or if you are one of their rejects and thought that dressing like one would get you further away faster. Either way, you have shown you can use the tricks of the Jedi. So you come either bound or unconscious. If I have to have all twelve of my people fire at you I will. Baden prefers to have you alive. But he did leave it to me..." The woman, d' Zhitnuja, had banked her anger. Mace knew he would have to do something but he really didn't want to wear the binders. Yet if he made an attempt to escape that caused them to shoot him instead, he would still be taken, but have no way to know how far he had been taken.

After a moment thinking about what Master Qui-Gon would do in the same situation, Mace was about to reach for his lightsaber, and take his chances when he heard a purposeful footfall behind him.

A strong male voice echoed in the hanger from roughly the same place.

"I think I'll take it from here, d' Zhitnuja."

~~~

Qui-Gon finished his search of the captain's office. He had found number of interesting files, most particularly the one whose encoding he had been unable to break. That had joined a number of the other interesting items on his data recorder. These files and his other observations had amply confirmed his initial suspicion that the captain of this cargo vessel was not likely to be sympathetic to his mission.

The captain was not only well aware of the irregularities of his cargo but was in fact one of the minor principles in the scheme. It was quite likely that Republic Security would find many of the documents that Qui-Gon had copied to be very interesting indeed. It was also clear that Qui-Gon himself, while not identified as a Jedi, had been pointed out to the captain as someone to keep track of and to hold for collection by a third party on Malastare. It was time to find a good hiding place and hope that they would not find him if they searched the ship. The Force was still telling him he had to find Knight Feron as quickly as possible. And Baden was unlikely to send few enough men to collect Qui-Gon that he would be able to escape them. Qui-Gon checked the time. He had perhaps an hour to find his hiding place.

~~~

Mace wanted to turn so that he could see who was behind him as d' Zhitnuja, snarled something uncomplimentary about the newcomer's parentage. Most of it was in Outer Rim accented Huttese. The first part that Mace fully understood was the man's name, Galin. The other clear thing was that he and d' Zhitnuja were long standing rivals. Going solely by the tone of the reply, the man was equally uncomplimentary about her. Mace couldn't turn enough to see who this Galin was without turning his back on d' Zhitnuja and her underlings. Which seemed a very foolhardy thing to do.

Mace hoped that Galin had sufficiently distracted the othe

 

Hehehehe!! This party is over. hehehe I love that too! Great line

Sooo Qui is fixing to be on his way! yay! Hold tight Mace! Hold tight!

Great job!!

 

Absolutely LOVED It KD!! I am thrilled to see that all my favorites have been updated while I"m away and I am just loving my cameo

Great job!! I can't wait for the next bit.

 

Just got a chance to read, KD! Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that Galin might be friendly to Mace? Say, an undercover Jedi? Hmm...hope to find out soon!

Shaindl

 

Leona Glad you liked it. Ever since I saw Liam in a still from that boxer movie (memory like a sieve lately) I've wanted to be able to let him be more physical. It seems so likely somehow. Can't you just see him resorting to decking someone if that was the fastest way? Especially when he was younger. As for the line... I figured Mace had to have gotten it somewhere. It is such an UN-Jedi thing to say. But a very Samuel L. Jackson thing to say...

Kynstar I don't think Mace can look to Qui-Gon just yet... But keep your eyes peeled for the next couple of posts...

Layren She's quite taking off isn't she? Doesn't deal well with setbacks though...

Shaindl Wherever would you have gotten an idea like that? I love your sig. Can I copy it and save it in my affirmations and inspiring quotes file? Is that you or is is a quote from some clever person who has figured out the meaning of life?

More tomorrow I think. I have to do some chores today but tonight and or tomorrow I should be able to finally sit down and finish the next post or two. My horrorscope says not to try to communicate today so I hope the above has come across the way I meant it to.

to all my lovely readers,

KD

 

Ah, another good post. Yeah I can see Qui-Gon knocking out guys when it comes down to it. Heeheehee. Powerful Jedi. And it's good to see where Mace got that line, lol. Wonder what's going on there. Looking forward to more.

 

Athena Yup, one of the fun things about writing fanfic is getting to explain some of the puzzles.

I struggled with the next post of this through a sinus infection and a bunch of family stuff and then found that by the time I was done it had ended up being 10 pages in Word. Well, that seemed a bit long so I have split it in two. I'll post the next bit in a couple of days and maybe that will give me a chance to get ahead. Or at least catch up on the other stuff I am supposed to be doing.

I hope no one has to go scrolling back to figure out what on Earth I was referring to here at the beginning. And even more I hope you all enjoy the following.

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Again, the statement had been a cue of some kind. As the man called Galin finished speaking, the main ship entrance hanger door opened and several men and women, in blast armor, appeared in the opening. More appeared in the personnel doors and window openings of the hanger, all with blasters now trained on d' Zhitnuja's people.

In the same voice full of authority, Galin said "Layren d'Zhitnuja, I arrest you by the authority granted me as a commander in the Republic Security Service."

The woman snarled like a trapped teyeger and for a moment Mace thought she would combust from her anger alone. Her people were darting glances between her and the RepSec officers but no one fired a weapon and for a moment Mace thought things might actually end without actual violence. His confidence grew as she made a visible effort to control herself. But her next words produced chaos.

"Kill them all!"

Mace ducked down under his ship just in time. Layren d'Zhitnuja's people all dived for shelter behind various crates and ships in the hanger while firing their weapons at the armored officers surrounding them. Who naturally fired back. Within seconds a confusing firefight had filled the hanger.

The scorched ozone smell of blaster fire accompanied the smoke from the rapid fire shooting and the smoldering of some of the crates and other flammables hit by blaster shots to create a foul smelling fog in the air. And it combined, with the noise of the blasters and their victims, to make a miasma of violence in the air that was a palpable reflection of the similar one that Mace could feel roiling in the Force itself.

Through the haze Mace saw d' Zhitnuja dive toward his position under his ship. He started to scramble back out the side on which Galin had been standing before the blaster fire erupted but was not moving fast enough. Her hand was about to close on his ankle so he stopped moving and tried to draw his lightsaber, though the close quarters would make it nearly useless without risking his hitting the fuel cells of his ship.

He felt her nails scrape his boot as something grabbed the shoulder of his tunics and hauled him out from under the ship and into the space between two stacks of crates he had moments earlier been planning to shelter in, if only he could reach it.

The something turned out to be Commander Galin, who spoke to him sternly. "Young man, are you responsible for the Jedi distress call that caused me to postpone my return to Coruscant?" He punctuated his question with a blaster shot that knocked back one of d'Zhitnuja's female underlings who had circled around and was about to fire at he and Mace.

Mace looked back at Galin in surprise. Galin was crouched down next to him in the cover created between the two rows of stacked crates but otherwise he looked as if he were carrying on a simple conversation. He didn't even blink when he fired his weapon. Just turned back to Mace with a raised eyebrow as if he usually didn't have to wait this long for an answer to a question.

"Yes, sir, I was." Mace finally found his voice and unconsciously dropped into the same conversational style he used with any of the senior Masters. "I hope I have not inconvenienced you."

Commander Galin laughed. "Not a bit. I'm enjoying myself. The locals have been after d'Zhitnuja for years but haven't even been able to get enough to get an arrest wa

 

Just catching up after reading your Obi vignette Mace and Qui are in quite a bit of trouble and lots of fun to read KD!

P.S. Loved the evil Layren

 

Also catching up. Wow, you have such a lot of action over the last couple of posts. I loved that you split up Mace and Qui's posts so that we knew what was going on with each Jedi. Mace was in a lot of trouble but at least he's been rescued.. sort of. Qui-Gon is having more problems!

Great job with the action. Looking forward to seing what is going to happen.

 

Ahh, more wonderful action. And Mace has help, good! Very interesting this situation is for Qui-Gon. I like this problem you've created for him. Clever Qui-Gon will get out though!

 

Hey you can't arrest me!! My dad would have a fit LOL!

Oh dear a cliffe I hope Qui can make it ok without being discovered -- I am thoroughly enjoying my cameo KD I look forward to the next post

 

Hehehe great action! Loving it! Hehehe Can't wait for more!

 

Some of you may have noticed that I had to do a quick edit on the end of the last post (as Qui-Gon ran across the hall), having forgotten that I had stripped the poor man of his Jedi clothing. I do apologize, both to you, all my dear readers, and to Qui-Gon for the mistake.

And now, without further ado, another post in an attempt to get back to the oft-promised yet seldom-delivered twice-a-week schedule.

KD

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Ozone and scorched metal were the predominate smells Mace decided, as the battle raged around him. Definitely strong enough to be noticed was the stink of burnt flesh and the odor of leaking fuel cells. He risked a peek at his ship. The woman who had nearly captured him was no longer anywhere near his ship that he could see. But, she had clearly sheltered under it, and the RepSec officers had not been as accurate as he would have liked. His ship was going nowhere under its own power without at least a full day of repair. He would probably have spent several seconds looking out at his ship, and growling impotently about the damage if one of the criminals had not tried to duck into the same narrow aisle.

Mace's lightsaber sprang to life and sliced through the man's blaster, and into his hand before Mace reversed its path. The man howled in pain for a moment until Commander Galin fired a stun bolt from less than a meter away. "Let that be a lesson to you to stay away from the affairs of Jedi, man." Mace was disconcerted for a moment that the commander was talking to an unconscious enemy. He had thought that only Master Qui-Gon did that.

In the close quarters of their cover, Mace was not able to use his lightsaber to much effect. But, the first time he tried to move out of cover, and take on a more active role in the fight, Commander Galin had pulled him back. "I think not, Padawan..."

"Windu, Mace Windu, sir." Mace had hurried to answer.

"Your Jedi Temple asks a fearsome number of questions if a Jedi is hurt in a joint operation with RepSec. The forms alone would keep my ulcer going for months, and the in person interview..." Galin closed his eyes briefly, like a man remembering a deep clawing pain. "I'm sure my people can handle it. Though they may resort to-"

Shrieks of metal shooting through air cut Galin off. He took in a quick breath and then reached into a pocket and pulled out a miniature air-filtering apparatus. Small explosions sounded, and Mace could see a cloud of gas fast approaching. The blaster fire began to die out as Galin attached the apparatus to his own nose. The commander's eyebrow questioned Mace, who scrambled in his belt for his own filter. Mace thought his lungs would burst with the effort of not breathing in before he managed to get it set correctly and attached, though he knew it really hadn't taken that long.

Galin motioned patience, and the two waited in the now peaceful hanger while the knockout gas cleared, and the armored officers swept through and collected weapons and criminals. One group worked at sorting them carefully, and placing the criminals in a group in the middle of the clear area near the main hanger door. Another at verifying that every square inch of the hanger had been cleared.

The gas had cleared before the sweep was finished so Mace and Galin assisted with gathering up d'Zhitnuja's people. The commander looked to Mace when they had finished.

"Three are missing." Mace said in reply.

"Indeed. I thought you would have a count we could compare to." Galin answered. Mace felt his heart lighten at the implicit praise.

"One man and two women," Mace clarified.

"One of them being d'Zhitnuja." Galin nodded. "That will teach me not to crow about my arrests before they have been made." The Commander turned and bellowed loudly enough to startle a bantha, let alone a Jedi Padawan, "All right, who was responsible for perimeter defense?" Mace felt very sorry for the man who stepped forward.

But Galin merely went over the man's layout and commented that he doubted he would have done anything ver

 

Mace has got to learn to lie more easily. I'm sure the officer thinks something is up. And Qui-Gon better be able to hold his breath that long....

Looking forward to more.

 

Hehehe Mace learn to lie?? Man that'd be a nifty thing to see!

That was great! loved that between the two hehehe

Hold that breath Qui! You can do it!

Good job!

 

Ah, Mace gets away unscathed and with an escort! Lol, Galin seems to be rather a bit like Qui-Gon. I also loved that line Leona pointed out. Very amusing. Looks like Mace will get home safe. Or will he?

Well, it's an interesting solution, though I'm not entirely sure even Qui-Gon would be strong enough to hold the thermal blanket in place. Technically, it would be blown into space, not sucked, as the air burst out. Lol, sorry, I've just always heard that and never said it. Nevertheless, it is an intriguing picture and definitely a solution only Qui-Gon would come up with. Good chapter.

 

Well, it's an interesting solution, though I'm not entirely sure even Qui-Gon would be strong enough to hold the thermal blanket in place. Technically, it would be blown into space, not sucked, as the air burst out.

I think I'll quibble on that actually Athena. The blanket would not be blown out after Qui-Gon's body was blocking the opening and thus keeping the air in the escape pod. Then the air in the pod is pushing on Qui-Gon to fill the hole more and not on the blanket. And the blanket started out wrapped around Qui-Gon, not being spread in front of the opening like the idiots do in some of the stuff you see on tv.

So there is no, or more accurately - minimal, contact area for air inside the pod to be trying to push the blanket out and thus it is the suction from the air in the passage way blowing out the open airlocks that would be what would be trying to move the blanket away from the opening.

Qui-Gon would have to push his body in to the opening enough to make the friction of the blanket against the door openings create enough of a force to counter that suction. I could work out the math if you really want me to. Though rather a lot of the variables would have to be educated guesses. A fellow who has worked on space structures says he thinks that it was believeable for a Jedi and possibly even for a normal human.

Diane and Kynstar nah, holding your breath won't really help.

Leona I do appologize most profusely for the delay in the next post. It is rapidly becoming the hardest thing I have ever written. By a very large margin. I know exactly what it looks like. I could get it on film easily enough (with a big enough budget, a few insane stunt people, and lots of CG special effects) but getting it down in writing without having it be boring or confusing... I may be bald by the time I am done. I do have every intent of getting it up as soon as may be. Though if we have Award Ceremonies this weekend, as I suspect we may, I may not be writing as much as I had hoped.

I don't want to post something that just gets us along to the next bit without it being as good as it can be. All you lovely readers deserve the best possible work I can do.

KD

 

I missed a post! I don't know how I did that -- My apologies KD!

So I got away! Yay! I'll get you my pretty! and your little padawan to! mwahhahahaha.

Mace was disconcerted for a moment that the commander was talking to an unconscious enemy. He had thought that only Master Qui-Gon did that.





A most excellent post KD! My apologies for being so late with my reply so when's the next update?

 

Wow! To have been nominated for an award was wonderful. To have won it is absolutely amazing. Thank you all very much.

To reward you all (well, I hope it will seem a reward) I have decided to quit at what I think is a pretty good version of this next post and just post it instead of spending any more time trying to improve it further.

I hope to avoid anymore lengthy delays between posts...

And without further ado....

When last we left our heros, Padawan Mace had been collected by RepSec in the person of Commander Galin and Qui-Gon was trying to avoid death by suffocation.

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The feeling of being the cork in the wine bottle faded and Qui-Gon moved his left hand slightly to test the idea that air was being returned to the corridor outside his escape pod. There was still a pressure differential, as he could tell by the renewed flow of air out of the pod. But before he had time to fully block the opening again, the outside pressure had come up enough that he no longer needed to keep his form pressed into the open crescent of the escape pod door.

He moved slowly, muscles complaining from the strain even though the duration of his contortions had been relatively short. There was a mark on the outside of his right arm, all along the length of his upper arm until the point at which the short sleeve of the shirt had dissipated the pressure slightly. It presaged a colorful and interestingly shaped bruise in his future. It was also painful, and would be more so when the numbing cold receded, but it would heal without aid.

Moving more quickly now, Qui-Gon rolled up the thermal blanket and placed it back into the medkit. Shoving that back into its storage shelf, Qui-Gon opened the escape pod hatch far enough to get out and then moved quickly along the main hallway. But when he got to the end of the escape pod ring, the decompression doors were still closed too far for even a Jedi to get through, without leaving traces he had done so. He walked quickly back down the hallway to the other set of decompression doors. They too were open, but not nearly enough for a human to fit through. A moments struggle proved that using brute strength to force them open far enough for a body as large as his to get through was impossible.

They had been opened far enough to allow airflow but no further. He could get a single limb through but not the rest of him. So he had two choices. He could cut away enough of the decom door to get out by using his lightsaber. But it would leave traces that would provide proof both that he was alive and well, and that he was a Jedi. Both were pieces of information that it was undesirable to make known. Or he could wait here to see whether he could get out when the doors finally opened. But the Force seemed unwilling to let him wait here. It once more pressured him to move on. He decided he could wait just as easily by the last chance access door as he could by either of the decompression doors and so it was time to return to the other end of the escape pod ring.

He chose to use the main hallway and walk upright to get to the access door that was near the second to last port escape pod regardless of whether or not he had enough time to get there before the first group of crew arrived looking for his body. He had contorted himself enough for one day. Once he reached the area of the access door, he spent a moment tuning his commlink to the frequency in use by the members of the crew hunting for him. It was time well spent.

A moment later he picked up something. There was static on the line, probably due to the decompression doors still being mostly closed down. Through the static Qui-Gon could make out portions of the conversation.

"-ted. But no sign... him there... -ther sir." a voice said.

"Wel- ... just leaves ... -cape pod ring... You four ... started ... send the rest ... to help ... -t he's got to be... somewhere." A second voice, which Qui-Gon recognized as the captain's from ship wide announcements as they