Beyond - Legends Exodus (Post-NJO AU: Jaina, Jacen, Anakin Solo, H/L, L/M, Tahiri, Jag, Kyp, more) New fic 5/30/08!

Well looks like they are having as much fun on Falucia as everywhere else they go, I hope that Jaina talks to Jacen about her visions he might actually be able to help her! I guess they have a lot to do before they get chance to talk!

Thanks again and thanks for the PMs

 

great post, hmm they had some trouble with those acklays, obi-wan didn't who's the skywalkers compared to the kenobi's

 

Quote=YodaKenobi

"Only about fifty kilometers away," Jaina announced, the reflection from the holo map she was studying casting blue light and heavy shadows on her creamy skin. "I picked a pretty good place to land."

"Crash," Anakin corrected.







I've said it before though..There is nothing else like Jaina Solo in a dogfight..


Recognizing he'd clearly struck a nerve, Jacen bristled, not wanting to take the discussion any further. Her reaction reminded him somewhat of her response when he'd first asked her about her relationship to Jagged Fel.

None of your business Jasa!





why he'd said yes as well.

Whatever their motives, Jacen could feel that Tenel Ka loved him very deeply, and as she helped him deal with all that had happened, he'd realized how much the feelings for her he'd had as they were growing up on Yavin 4 were still burning within him.

Awe!



An Acklay.



Jacen lost sight of his siblings when the opened claws of the animal he'd been attempting to tame came stabbing at his face. A loud clack sounded when the Jedi ducked low, narrowly escaping having his whole head clipped off as the sharp pincers closed.

Before he could even release the breath trapped within his chest, another of the acklay's sharp legs came thrusting down at him from above, and Jacen threw himself into a rolling somersault to avoid the blow. He counted the sound of three rapid punctures in the dirt behind him, each getting closer to skewering him before he came up from his roll and freed the lightsaber from his hip.


Kenobi you are not, Jasa!!


"Don't worry," Anakin assured, dusting off his robes. "If we get killed, I'm sure mom and dad will have a hell of a lawsuit against Oron Galaxies."


Yeah Han would love that...easy money.

Jacen ran a hand through his brown hair made clumpy by the cold water, finding it was long enough now that it fell into his eyes. "My legs still work," he said, inspecting the blood seeping from his hips. "We'd better keep moving before?"

"Uh-oh," Anakin said suddenly, raising a hand for silence.

"What?"

His blue eyes were darting around the stream. "I think all that commotion may just yet get us killed..."

Jacen followed his brother's gaze and saw the unmistakable gleam of Raithian helmets peeking out from the vegetation just as he became aware of the soldiers' presences in the Force.

They were surrounded.

That was the plan though..right, Yobi...they meant to be captured..


~Piper

 

Hey Yobi! Sorry this is shorter than usual--I'm really worn out.

That was a well written battle with the acklays. You distracted me entirely from the potential for a bigger threat, and then I read ... surrounded! Well done!

The Jacen/Jaina exchange was terrific. I love your characterizations.

I'm running out of words tonight, so I'll just say: *insert superlatives here*.

oldj

 

cool post. I really pictured what they were doing. It's god to see Jacen has regained his sanity over where he was in the last story. Jaina is absolutely awesome in this!!! I'm not sure what to think of Anakin running around dressed like his grandfather! I thought Anakin and Jaina had purple lightsabers? What's the backstory on this, i forgot.

Good writing! I look forward to seeing how they get out of this mess.

 

YK: Me too Pretty good book.

That's my thinking too.

I had the same reaction.

I'll bet that almost everyone did. At least here.

I thought that was pretty silly. "Gee, Ben and Jacen may be slipping to the dark side... Should we try and stop them? Nah, let's just make him do a book report."

True. Best thing would be to get Ben away from Jacen. Maybe Mara was on to something when she joked about locking Ben away for about 4 years...

I really liked Lando and the "Loooove Commander".

That was very funny too. Especially with Lando ordering Han around.

I was more sturck by the scene where Jacen has a full conversation with Vergere in his mind. I'm sending Allston a bill for that one

Maybe it just goes to show that great minds think alike.

As promised, the rest of my Exile comments:

Not quite sure what to think of Ben. He seems to be on a fine line between light and dark, at least to me. He seemed to have some of that arogance and "I am superior than thou" attitude, but could that just be normal adulesence? Maybe it's both. He did avoid killing people like the tech in the hanger and later, Kiara. Based on that, I'd say he's on the "light" side of that line.

Also looks like nothing can prevent a full fledged war from breaking out now. Kind of found it ironic/weird that the people who are claiming that the GA is like the Empire elected a former Imperial fighter ace to lead their military forces. Bet Jacen wasn't too happy that Phennir(sp?) almost trapped him. Then again, Jacen managed to warn the fleet before the entire trap could be sprung, so I guess they broke about even.

That's all that I can think off the top of my head. It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

"No, we need to figure out where we are," Jaina argued, pulling her hand away from a verdant plant only to find her fingers dripping with a viscous slime. She quickly wiped the fluid on the apron of her tan robes with as little revulsion as possible. "We're lost."

"That's because everything on this planet looks the same," Anakin grumbled.

I have the same feeling about Yellowstone and Yosemite. Well, most of it.

"Only about fifty kilometers away," Jaina announced, the reflection from the holo map she was studying casting blue light and heavy shadows on her creamy skin. "I picked a pretty good place to land."

"Crash," Anakin corrected.


One person's crash is another person's landing I guess.

"What?" Jaina asked, stopping their procession and looking up at him as if he were crazy.

"It's just... you seem troubled over something."

"Have you been prying into my thoughts?" Jaina glowered, her hands dropping to her hips.

Hah! We know that SWU Jacen would.

Jacen had gone mad.

Funny thing is, even if this Jacen is mad, I'd feel more comfortable around him than SWU Jacen. YKU Jacen seems to have the empathy/compassion that his counterpart is seriously lacking. He also doesn't seem to be mad like C'Boath was in The Thrawn Trilogy either. So, while YKU Jacen might be slightly loony (talking with Vergere ) that doesn't seem to make him dark.

"One thing I've learned about Force-visions is that they often don't work out the way you think they will," he said wistfully. "Fate can be a tricky business."

Anakin Sr: Aaaaaamen.



Jacen's childhood obsession with animals had led to more than his exotic collection of pets at the Jedi Academy? he'd also learned about many of the creatures sentients shared the galaxy with. To his horror, he recognized the mantid almost immediately.

An Acklay.

I'm suddenly having flashbacks to Battlefront II...

"I've got a bad feeling..."

Not again! Don

 

oh wow
insect-formed creatures

very intersting
superbly done


- Mags

 

Spike: First!



Way to go!

Someone's been playing Battlefront II

That's where I got the idea to include Felucia Running around that planet as Aalya Secura was so awesome. I never saw an acklay in the game though! I've only played on Felucia on the two player mode and never saw one. Do you see it when you play through the campaigns? I only played the Geonosis training mission and the Mygeeto level I started the Coruscant battle but didn't finish it. I've seriously been neglecting my video games.

I was looking up info on Felucia and saw that they had acklays there. Now I have to play that game. I want to fight one

Well, perhaps if the three Solo children had just SHUT THE KRIFF UP, then they wouldn't have attracted the attentions of both the Acklay, and then the Raithians, and they'd still be walking through the Felucian jungle being quietly emo



That's just not the Solo-kids' way. What mission would be complete without pointless bickering?

Oh, and nice job, YK. Looking forward to more

Thanks a lot, I'm glad you liked it





Ant: More coherent response later. Going out for awhile, so I had a quick read-through.

Looking forward to it.

The last part really jumped out at me...*shivers* I hope they're ok...

We'll find out in a couple weeks





Talon_Kenobi: Those Acklay those are always causing Jedi problems, just ask Obi-wan

Obi-Wan didn't seem to have too much trouble

Thanks for reading




jasa: *holding my spot again, I swear I'll read and review after midterms are over*

*Holds reply* Thanks for reading!





cheese: Sorry about not replying last week, Yobi, but I did read it and it was GOOD. For some reason college is harder on me this semester than it was the last one . . .

No need to apologize. Thanks for reading it and I'm glad you liked it Hope your semester gets easier soon.

Anyways . . .
This was a good post too. Unfortunately, my time is short again so I won't make much of a reply, other than I hope that the Solos get out of this in one piece. They definitely made too much noise there.

They normally land on their feet, I'm sure they'll be fine

Then again, it was inevitable to happen. One of them will turn, as you told us, and the one-who-turns must be captured and have a chance to be convinced or coerced into falling . . .

That seems logical. Then again, one could fall on their own

And yes. I think AA hangs out here anonymously or in disguise. But that's cool. That means he pays attention to what the more creative of the fans are doing, and he's inspired by the best of us.

I'm not sure if he does, but that would be cool. I really enjoyed Exile

Thanks again for reading






Sil: Looks like the Solo kids are out of the frying pan and into the fire

*Cooks some Solos*

Thanks for reading!





Ant: Nice title.

Thanks, I got it from this one book

"tousled brown locks clinging to his sweat-dampened forehead..." -

Glad that worked for ya

So his robes aren't really "Sith-black" after all...they're a dark brown

Just like grandpa's

Still, I am concerned for him

You should be

Why do the Jedi always wear calf-high boots? I mean, I know they look hot and all, but they're really not very practical for trying to out-run enemies in...think of all the blisters after a hard days' run!!!
Perhaps Nike could contract them or something

Air Solos?

I think the Jedi are just slaves to fashion.

They want to get caught?!?

It seems that way Or at least, they want to get caught near Niango...

*sigh* Anakin!
Can someone lend me a fan??

I think Anakin's the one who needs it.

[i

 

That's where I got the idea to include Felucia Running around that planet as Aalya Secura was so awesome. I never saw an acklay in the game though! I've only played on Felucia on the two player mode and never saw one. Do you see it when you play through the campaigns? I only played the Geonosis training mission and the Mygeeto level I started the Coruscant battle but didn't finish it. I've seriously been neglecting my video games.

In the beginning of the Felucian level, the clones have to fight off a horde of rampaging Acklay, before the Separatist droids even turn up

 

Your style is as epic as your story. I wasn't able to read Age of Heroes completely through simply because of time, but what I did read was compelling. I'm going to take you up on your suggestion and start anew with this one.

If you're keeping a PM list I'd love to be one it.

Thanks!

 

Glad that worked for ya

You have no idea

Just like grandpa's



You should be

Double

Air Solos?

They'd totally sell! Perhaps you should copy-right it??

I think the Jedi are just slaves to fashion.



It seems that way Or at least, they want to get caught near Niango...



I think Anakin's the one who needs it.

Well then maybe we both need one...

We can name names here I just looked at some pictures of Felucia and described what I saw (and in the Battlefront game as well). It's a lot easier to describe planets from the movies, since we actually get to see them.

I'm glad you liked it.

I guess researching helps, huh? I get kinda lazy with that sometimes

Incase you don't recognize the name or the description:

I didn't recognize it as that exact beast...but my imagination had drawn something similar

Me too, I miss that from canon.

That's one of many missing things for me.

I don't think I said anything about them being "tight"

You didn't?? Must have been my imagination again...

Aww, thanks. And thanks again for reading

You're very, very welcome

 

Yay! Deadlines are all over! (For a week or two, at least) Time to catch up on the "Exile" chatter.

No, but I thought the "yet" was implied
Aww. Yeah, it was implied. I was just trying to pretend that it...wasn't.

though she feels anything but hot.
On my current read-through, this phrase jumped out at me. Random musings ahead: If she's not feeling hot, the logical conclusion would be that she's cold. I would wonder whether it's an emotional coldness, but she's crying in the paragraph above. Is it a physical cold? (I seem to remember something about snow in relation to her vision a while back.)

He to is holding a lightsaber? a horrible, glaring thing, the white light seeming to burn through her retinas with every scintilla and static-laden pop too diluted to rise above the tumult of the baleful winds.
I think you answered this somewhere later in the thread, but the following was my immediate reaction to that line: Hmm. Really a white blade, or white because she can't identify him and she only knows that it's *a* lightsaber?

Between them, writhing in agony on the ground is another man she loves? though differently.
More? Less?
I've always had a hunch that it was Wrev with the lightsaber. But we'll see. You've told us that all is not as it appears in that vision. And, while it's getting more descriptive (enjoyably so!), we haven't really learned anything new.

The faint mist of wafting smoke from his charred flesh vanishes too quickly, swept away by the unforgiving rush of air around them that drowns out his anguished cries.
Stun bolt? Doesn't sound like it would be painful enough to cause "anguished cries." Force lightning, maybe?

Jaina found herself staring into a familiar pair of eyes,
It's so bad that my mind immediately jumped to Lost and the way so many episodes seem to start off with an eye snapping open.

Jaina had very little experience with these sorts of premonitions, rarely having time to sit and listen to the Force. There always seemed to be something more pressing pulling her away...
Something tells me that could wind up making things worse when it finally happens.

"It's no different than all the trips we took in the Falcon as kids," Jacen argued, grinning impishly. "Would it help if I burned some Wookiee hair and yelled at a droid?"
Good ol' Jacen. You can always count on him for a laugh

"No," Anakin said, finally speaking. The youngest of the three Solo children still seemed to suffer from spells where he esuriently hoarded his every word. "It would ruin this mission."
They're not.

"We're not playing into their hands? we're fighting back."
They are, aren't they. *sigh*

Well, it could work as long as they don't jinx themselves.

In reality, their mission was more complex still, as the Solos were hoping to do far more than simply destroy the pestile factory? their real target was more significant and essential to their survival.
I get that it's a trap within a trap, but what exactly are they trying to do? Kill another Kurol? That still leaves 5 out there.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Jacen grumbled. "It isn't going to work."
Well now it's not going to work! You've gone and jinxed it!

"We planned the rendezvous on Tatooine too."
"I don't want a repeat of that," Jaina said sternly.
"That was Jacen's fault," Anakin said indignantly. "I knew that woman was angry enough to turn us into the Raithian patrol outside."
"And the Tuskan Raiders?"
"Yeah, okay? that part was my?"
Love the banter. Was the incident they're referring to in one of your other stories or is this something that happened over the month break?

"Are you two going to keep arguing throughout the entire mission? Cause I just want to know now if you're going to doom us to failure before we even begin," Jaina questioned..."
He already has, Jaina, he already has.

As m

 

Just wanted to drop in and say that I´m still reading and enjoying your work, YK, I just haven´t felt much like posting lately. Can´t wait to see how the story progresses.

Magnus

 

Ahhhh! No time for a long reply right now. But I'm so in with this story, so I'll be back.

 

I don?t even remember if I?ve replied at all since you started this story. And while I don?t have any more time to reply now than I generally do, I did want to take a second to say that I have been reading AND enjoying. Life has just gotten in the way!

Regarding the last two chapters, I LOVED Mara at work with the Crime Lord. That was pure Mara at her finest and written exceedingly well. Great work. Luke meeting Darth Malig gives me the heebie-geebies ? especially since they allowed Luke to feel the Force before/during the introduction. I certainly hope I?m wrong about what that means?

The Solos on Felucia (cont.): As usual, you vividly painted the scene, the location and the wildlife so that it rolled like a movie before my eyes. Awesome sequence. Intrigued to know why the two acklays were chasing them in the first place ? when it?s so contrary to their natural behavior. Kurol perhaps?? I was also interested to hear Jacen?s thoughts on TK, since she?s been thus far absent in Exodus.

Yikes! Gotta go. Great work ? can?t wait for Friday!

Voz

 

Spike: In the beginning of the Felucian level, the clones have to fight off a horde of rampaging Acklay, before the Separatist droids even turn up

Awesome How many missions would I have to go through to get to Felucia?




Marrs: Your style is as epic as your story.

Aww, thanks

I wasn't able to read Age of Heroes completely through simply because of time, but what I did read was compelling. I'm going to take you up on your suggestion and start anew with this one.

Cool I hope you like it. Feel free to ask questions if it doesn't make sense

If you're keeping a PM list I'd love to be one it.

No problem, thanks for reading





Ant: You have no idea



They'd totally sell! Perhaps you should copy-right it??

I'd buy a pair

I guess researching helps, huh? I get kinda lazy with that sometimes

Couldn't tell from reading your fic Very much enjoying Sacrifice.

That's one of many missing things for me.

Me too

You didn't?? Must have been my imagination again...

*Get you a bucket*





Goddess_Jaya: Yay! Deadlines are all over! (For a week or two, at least) Time to catch up on the "Exile" chatter.



Aww. Yeah, it was implied. I was just trying to pretend that it...wasn't.

LOL!

On my current read-through, this phrase jumped out at me. Random musings ahead: If she's not feeling hot, the logical conclusion would be that she's cold. I would wonder whether it's an emotional coldness, but she's crying in the paragraph above. Is it a physical cold? (I seem to remember something about snow in relation to her vision a while back.)

I don't think I've ever mentioned cold, only wind. She's cold both because what's going on is chilling, and because of the environment she's in

I think you answered this somewhere later in the thread, but the following was my immediate reaction to that line: Hmm. Really a white blade, or white because she can't identify him and she only knows that it's *a* lightsaber?

Well, all lightsabers are mostly white. At their core, they're whie light surrounded by another color. But her vision is hazy, so all she sees of it is a white light, yes.

More? Less?

Just different

I've always had a hunch that it was Wrev with the lightsaber. But we'll see.

It's as good a guess as any. We know that Jaina seemed to think he was in the vision in AoH, so unless she was mistaken, we know he's one of them.

You've told us that all is not as it appears in that vision. And, while it's getting more descriptive (enjoyably so!), we haven't really learned anything new.

I know, sorry about that I'm having trouble writing the same scene over and over again in different ways.

Stun bolt? Doesn't sound like it would be painful enough to cause "anguished cries." Force lightning, maybe?

A good guess. I will say that it's not a stun bolt...

It's so bad that my mind immediately jumped to Lost and the way so many episodes seem to start off with an eye snapping open.



I was looking at Revolution the other day and noticed I opened the first two chapters that way (with eyes snapping open). It was intentional at the time, but now it just makes me think of LOST.

Something tells me that could wind up making things worse when it finally happens.

Yep

Good ol' Jacen. You can always count on him for a laugh

For now, anyway

They are, aren't they. *sigh*

Well... I think the Raithians will be surprised at least.

Well, it could work as long as they don't jinx themselves.

Yeah, as long as no one says that one phrase...

I get that it's a trap within a trap, but what exactly are they trying to do? Kill another Kurol? That still leaves 5 out there.

Yeah, that

 

Complete the Coruscant space battle, and Hey Presto, you're there

 

Awesome

The only problem is that I sucked at that flying level bad enough a year ago that I didn't try it again Now I have to give it another try






New post tomorrow. Forgot to mention that Faybol is in it as well

 

Catching up!

"?Clearly if there was anywhere else I had to go, I wouldn't have come to a second-rate crime syndicate with a third-rate leader, who are still using forty-year-old battle droids and malnourished warriors for protection? Obviously, I'm desperate."
Mara is hilarious!

They were trying to break him? and he didn't know why.
Usually, it?s because they?re evil. But I can see why Luke would be confused. It?s been a while since he personally was the target of such direct animosity. And I suppose he?s not counting on the Sith being back?

"Greetings, Master Skywalker."
The voice was like nothing Luke had ever heard. It was eerily clear and serene, as if coming from inside his own head, and yet garbled somehow, as if the sound was traveling through water. Underlying it was a thin rasp that seethed beneath the metal.
"I am Darth Malig."
Great entrance! I?m sure it?ll have Luke off kilter when we return to this part of the plot.

She quickly wiped the fluid on the apron of her tan robes with as little revulsion as possible. "We're lost."
Jaina, always the optimist.

"Only about fifty kilometers away," Jaina announced, the reflection from the holo map she was studying casting blue light and heavy shadows on her creamy skin. "I picked a pretty good place to land."
"Crash," Anakin corrected.
Those kids!

Her reaction reminded him somewhat of her response when he'd first asked her about her relationship to Jagged Fel.


"Do you know anything about Force-visions?"
Cue ominous music? Although if I were wondering how to interpret the Force, I don?t know if Jacen is the one I?d ask. He doesn?t exactly have a great track record with this sort of thing in the NJO (or your series).

They were surrounded.
Nice cliffhanger. Great action sequence leading up to this. I really thought they?d managed to get through (mostly ? poor Jacen! ) unscathed. But then this!


Looking forward to the next chapter.

 

Loved the Acklay! And the action scene with them

"One thing I've learned about Force-visions is that they often don't work out the way you think they will," he said wistfully. "Fate can be a tricky business."

You summed up Star Wars in one paragraph.

"Like you and Tenel Ka? I bet you didn't see that coming."

:giggle:

Sorry I'm just dashing thru before the next post. Great job as always. Your writing has a real sharp connection in this post. Well done. Can't wait to read more

 

Won't be able to read your update tonight, YK, as I'm off to meet your cover artist for the weekend I'm sure you won't let me down and the update will be worth the wait

The only problem is that I sucked at that flying level bad enough a year ago that I didn't try it again Now I have to give it another try

You know, you can skip the space battle levels if you want to. All you need to do is press the blue button when the level comes up

 

Lex: Catching up!



Mara is hilarious!

She knows how to deal with arrogance

Usually, it?s because they?re evil.

Well, it's not really that simple this time

But I can see why Luke would be confused. It?s been a while since he personally was the target of such direct animosity. And I suppose he?s not counting on the Sith being back?

No He felt something dark towards the end of the last story, but I'm sure he's shocked to hear someone using the title of "Darth" again.

Great entrance! I?m sure it?ll have Luke off kilter when we return to this part of the plot.

Yeah. The Luke scenes in this story are some of my favorites, so I'm looking forward to posting those.

Jaina, always the optimist.

Jaina is always a ray of sunshine, yes

Those kids!

They're the greatest

Cue ominous music? Although if I were wondering how to interpret the Force, I don?t know if Jacen is the one I?d ask. He doesn?t exactly have a great track record with this sort of thing in the NJO (or your series).

A great point, all things considering. Then again, he might be the expert on visions not going as he expected...

Nice cliffhanger. Great action sequence leading up to this. I really thought they?d managed to get through (mostly ? poor Jacen! ) unscathed. But then this!

Well, I think they want to be captured and have something up their sleeves, but we'll see how it goes. Glad you enjoyed the action

Looking forward to the next chapter.

Will be up in a little bit Thanks for reading.




TKL: Loved the Acklay! And the action scene with them

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed that

You summed up Star Wars in one paragraph.



It's definitely a reoccuring theme, isn't it?

Sorry I'm just dashing thru before the next post. Great job as always. Your writing has a real sharp connection in this post. Well done. Can't wait to read more

Thanks so much, and there's certainly no need to apologize. I'll have more up in a bit and thanks for taking the time to read this




Spike: Won't be able to read your update tonight, YK, as I'm off to meet your cover artist for the weekend

Cool! Hope you two have fun.

I'm sure you won't let me down and the update will be worth the wait

I hope so. I'll do my best

You know, you can skip the space battle levels if you want to. All you need to do is press the blue button when the level comes up

Really? Or is this a joke that's going over my head I played the first game through to the end but I really haven't played the sequel but a few minutes As I said, I've been neglecting my video games





Post up in a few. We finally find out more about Fyor Rodan's motivations for helping the Raithians and the nature of his deal with Faybol

 

Chapter 5: Remunerations

Tremors seemed to course through the polished desk with the feral animal roar, forcing Fyor Rodan to lean back in his chair and steeple his bone-thin fingers in a façade of confidence. It was suddenly very apparent to him that being the Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance would do little to protect him when he was sitting across the table from a very angry Wookiee. He found himself wondering helplessly if the rumors were true about Wookiees and the arms of those who upset them...

Still, the Chief of State's peremptory veneer was unflinching.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Senator Triebakk, and believe me, I sympathize completely, but the matter is really out of my hands," Rodan insisted. "There is indisputable evidence that the Jedi Knights were involved in some conspiracy to make the Alliance their puppet regime."

The cinnamon-furred Wookiee was no more pleased by this explanation, scowling at Rodan as he growled another response.

"Senator Triebakk begs to differ," the protocol droid seated beside the Wookiee said, indifferent to the tension flowing thickly in the air. "As the man who signed the executive order during the Vagaari invasion demanding the arrest and detainment of all Jedi, you alone have the authority to overturn it."

"Yes, but—" Rodan's explanation was cut off by another surly grumble, which the droid dutifully translated.

"The distinguished Triebakk would also like to remind you that with the Vagaari completely vanquished, war powers no longer apply— making your reasoning for enacting such an order flimsy at best."

Rodan had never wanted to backhand a droid so badly in his life. He looked to the rotund man seated to the right of the other two guests for support and as usual, found none. Mulla Habbas was as cowardly as he was inept. Sweat was beading on the Kuat-native's pudgy face and his meaty fingers fidgeted with nervousness.

"Senator Triebakk, please," Rodan began, palms out in a conciliatory gesture. "I recognize that you are a friend to the Jedi and thus, this unpleasantness must be especially difficult for you, but that is simply not true. We do not know for certain that all of the Vagaari have been defeated, and I know you're aware of the reports that those invaders were nothing more than the first prong of an attack by a larger force. We are still very much at a heightened state of military alertness, making special war powers granted to the Chief of State a perfectly viable means for dealing with traitors.

"Furthermore, if you've noticed, we have left the Jedi on Ossus alone as you and your allies have called for. The only Jedi we're currently detaining are those who are committing acts of treason on Alliance worlds. The others, like Master Skywalker and the other Jedi Council members, were all placed in GFS custody during the actual conflict with Vagaari forces."

The senator from Kashyyyk's dissension was not quelled with this explanation either. Fyor watched Triebakk's fur ripple in agitation, studying the streaks of white and wondering just how old the Wookiee was. He bellowed another response that made Rodan's ears hurt and he noticed Habbas visibly cringing.

"The senator asks where the evidence of this treason is? All anyone has been shown are the holos of Luke Skywalker speaking with Senator Calrissian and Talon Karrde about blackmailing senators more than four years ago— hardly grounds for branding the entire order as traitors."

Again, Rodan reclined in his chair, trying to regain control of the conversation. "The senator is somewhat conveniently forgetting the murder of Rogue Squadron leader Gavin Darklighter and the lightsaber scorches on his body, I think. As well as Kyp Durron and Mara Jade Skywalker killing several innocent Raithian troops simply because they wished to question the Jedi Masters."

Triebakk bristled, but before he could make a retort, Rodan continued on. "But I'm afraid we will have to continue this discussion another time, my friend. I have another meeting in a few minutes."

The Chief of State then rose, an action Habbas duplicated with more effort, hoping to hasten the Wookiee's departure. "It was a pleasure seeing you again. Rest assured your concerns on this matter are being taken into consideration as we move forward, and that I am striving to do what is best for our Alliance."

The towering creature rose to his full two-meters, howling some pleasantry back punctuated by chuffing— his droid did not bother to translate but the Wookiee offered a forced bow of respect. Triebakk then exited, his protocol droid in tow behind him, waddling steps disappearing behind the soundless sweep of the elaborately designed double doors.

As soon as they were out of sight, Rodan collapsed back in his chair with a sigh of exasperation. "Who is your next meeting with?" Habbas asked, adjusting his lavish robes as he slid his excessive girth back into the chair across from Rodan.

"There isn't one, I just wanted rid of the Wookiee— I thought I'd have to call in the security droids to drag him out."

He tried to release the tension built up during the exchange from his tired form, glancing around the room in attempt to soothe himself. The office of the Chief of State was now decorated in deep reds and carpet of pooling wine that bled into the walls and arching doorways. A faceless nude bust carved out of a rare sable rooge tusk was one of the few works of art present and held a sort of clandestine beauty to Rodan. To his left was a solid wall of curving transparisteel which streamed with golden sunlight on the horizon over Denon's towering spires and flowing lines of airspeeders.

It used to be a breathtaking view— how had such an office brought him so much stress and torment? He could already feel his sallow skin growing paler, the lines of age growing graver around his eyes and mouth.

Had it only been little more than a month since he won what he'd desired? This curse?

He'd only wanted to do what was right...

"So what are you going to do?" Habbas asked.

"What can I do? Wait for something to break one way or another, I suppose. I don't have a lot of options here."

"But Triebakk and A'kla are gaining supporters—"

"And you're my Minister of State!" Rodan interrupted. "Why aren't you coming up with any ideas?"

Rodan had given Habbas the highest level cabinet position for his sacrifices as Kuat's senator, his help in making sure he'd defeated Cal Omas in the election for Chief of State.

It had all been part of a plan— Faybol's plan.

Rodan had first come to know Faybol and the Raithians more than a year earlier when his brother Tormak, a smuggler, became entangled with an unknown patrol when traveling deep within the Unknown Regions. Fyor was contacted by his brother and asked to meet in secret with his captors and negotiate his release. It became obvious to Fyor that this was far more than incidental when he met with Faybol and learned that the masked alien had evidence that Rodan's failed bid to become Chief of State years earlier was the result of blackmail on the part of Omas' supporters— like Luke Skywalker.

On the bridge of some Raithian cruiser, with Tormak's life and the lives of his smuggling partners hanging in the balance, Faybol laid out his plan.

It was simple— Fyor Rodan would get everything he'd ever wanted.

He would become Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance. Skywalker and the Jedi would be pushed out of the government, and all would be well. The Raithians would even make the GA stronger and more prosperous than it had ever been.

The sacrifices he had to make were relatively small— he would remain quiet about what he knew while a small invasion force of Vagaari— a savage race of slavers and pirates whom the Raithians had conquered— attacked Kuat. They would time it out with the elections the following year. At that point, Rodan and Omas were once again the frontrunners for the office of Chief of State. Meanwhile, Callista Ming, a former Jedi who'd fallen to the dark side and tried to destroy the Yuuzhan Vong last Rodan heard, and who'd actually been a prisoner of the Raithians, would be released from her captivity. She would return to the Alliance and tell the authorities how the Vagaari were nothing but an advance fleet for a larger empire, stirring the masses.

Habbas become involved later. As the representative from Kuat, he would be the most sympathetic face in the Galactic Senate. He would be the one to present the vids of Karrde and Calrissian blackmailing senators four years earlier, and of course, their conversation with Luke Skywalker on the subject.

In a matter of days, Omas would appear incompetent for allowing another invading force into the galaxy after the Yuuzhan Vong and corrupt for having been elected by nefarious means. And Luke Skywalker... he and the Jedi would be exposed; the galaxy would know they were no better than Palpatine and Vader, attempting to control the government.

Their whole universe would collapse around them and then Rodan would be there to pick up the pieces. Votes would sway to him and he would easily defeat the scandal-hampered Omas.

Then he would show his genius by saving Kuat, by bringing his new allies into the picture. The Raithians would help defeat the Vagaari forces at Kuat, and Rodan and the Raithians would be praised as heroes from Utapau to Bonadan.

It would be so glorious.

And then they would really strike fear into the hearts of people, let them know how lucky they were to have Rodan and the Raithians. The Vagaari would attack Thyferra, and use it as a feint to invade the temporary galactic capital of Denon. When the Raithians saved them a second time, the GA would beg them to join the Alliance. And Skywalker and his Jedi would be arrested and tried for treason.

When Faybol had laid it all out for him, how could he refuse? And everything had gone precisely as the shadowy being had promised it would.

So how could Fyor be so miserable?

It was after the Battle of Denon, after the Vagaari were completely destroyed and the hundreds of worlds that made up the Raithian Empire made official member states, that Rodan learned the horrible truth— that the Raithians were led in secret by two Sith Lords. And it was they who now controlled the Alliance.

He would never forget how he learned this, how he'd met Darth Malig for the first time. He'd summoned Rodan to the most peculiar of places— the GFS detention area. The Dark Lord of the Sith surprised Rodan further by pulling from a cell Cal Omas, who'd been arrested for treason along with Skywalker and the Jedi, and then gave Fyor a blaster.

"Kill him," he'd said.

The message was clear— the Sith were in control and Fyor Rodan would have to do as they said if he was going to survive, or he could be replaced very easily.

Fyor Rodan's ashen skin turned a shade paler and his hands shook as he remembered pulling the trigger that day, the smell of Omas' charred skin, the gut-wrenching fear and desperation that had enveloped him.

A buzz from the comm on his desk brought him roughly from his ruminations and left him scrambling to activate the device, hoping his Minister of State had not noticed him shivering.

As his fingers quickly depressed one of the unit's many buttons, he realized with some relief that it was actually a call over the office intercom from his receptionist— at least he wouldn't have to speak with Faybol or one of his Sith cohorts.

"Yes?"

"Sir," the husky voice of the Falleen at the front desk came over the comm. "You have an unscheduled visitor who wishes to speak with you out here."

"Tell them to go away, Imora," Rodan chastened "You know I don't have time for nonsense today—"

"But sir— it's General Rénin."

"General Rénin!" Habbas cried, his voice thick with fear that made his jowls quiver.

General Rénin was the Supreme Commander of the Raithian Armies as well as Malig's Sith Apprentice— few people in the galaxy struck as much terror in Rodan's heart.

Before he could even insist that Imora allow the general in immediately, the doors burst open and in strode the Alliance's most beloved hero.

Austere and regal, Kol Rénin's presence was captivating, an aura of dominance and nobility that seemed to command the gazes of all in sight to fix on him. The dour expression and subtle sneer on his thin lips were somehow offset by the grayest eyes Rodan had ever seen— smoke filled and translucent, they gleamed as if they'd been chiseled out of glass and placed within his skull.

Two prominent scars adorned the man's face— one running from his upper lip to nostril, and the other a diagonal slash through his right brow ridge that cut down into his cheek and nearly extended all the way up into the mop of dark curls atop his head.

He'd traded his gallant armor and scarlet cape in that he wore during the Vagaari "invasion" for a more subdued black uniform that left only the pallid skin of his hands, face, and half of his neck exposed, with a less garish sable and crimson cloak trailing behind him.

Still, his opulence was displayed on the rings adorning three of his fingers, each quite possibly more valuable than anything Fyor Rodan had ever owned.

"General Rénin," the Chief of State said, coming around the front of his desk to greet him with a bow while the pudgy maladroit at his side doltishly mirrored the kindness. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"I'm sure," Rénin seethed, brushing by Habbas and not offering Rodan the slightest show of deference as he stormed to the chair facing the desk. Though this was his office, Rodan decided to let the indiscretion slide without a word. "Sit down, Fyor— we have much to discuss."

Rodan slid into his chair, feeling none the more in command even behind his grand desk. "I wasn't expecting you today—"

"That's because I didn't make an appointment," Rénin said evenly. "What was the Wookiee doing here? I ran into that filthy beast on my way in."

"The same thing he's always doing," Rodan replied, trying to replicate the general's distaste. "Lobbying for the Jedi."

"Why even bother to meet with him? Just leave him waiting in the lobby until he gives up and leaves."

"Wookiees are quite persistent, General—"

"Then don't schedule any meeting with him at all."

"I have to maintain appearances," Rodan replied meekly. "Now, what is it you want?"

"You know what I want," the man glowered, leaning forward in his chair, hands splayed on the desk. "The Jedi."

"I'm doing all I can—"

"Well you're not doing it fast enough!" Rénin growled. "Ossus. I want to go to Ossus and finish this before it's too late. The longer you spend posturing, the more time you allow the Jedi to hide and possibly attack us."

"I can't very well send a fleet into Ossus to destroy the Jedi. Do you realize how that would look? I'd be making sympathetic victims of them. We'd lose the people... The Jedi have to be seen as the aggressors."

It was something Rodan had been struggling with since the conclusion of the Battle of Denon. Several star systems and their representatives had voiced misgivings over the detention of the Jedi— if the HoloNet was to show vids of Alliance troops storming the Jedi Temple on Ossus, an action certain to evoke images of Palpatine's Empire, it would mean a full-scale civil war. Rénin's monomania over the Jedi was costing him sight of the bigger picture.

"Then make them look like the aggressors. Take control of the HoloNet, whatever you have to do."

"Even if I did, Sovv would never go for it. An unprovoked attack on the Jedi? He'd refuse," Rodan argued.

"Good, I wanted him out of the way to begin with," Rénin replied. "You can finally make me Supreme Commander of the Alliance's forces."

The Chief of State's stomach began to turn. He didn't know which he liked less— the slightly-inept Sullustan with an unexpressed sense of loyalty to the Jedi leading the Alliance military, or an overly ambitious and powerful warrior like Rénin...

"It’s too soon for that. There are many star systems already upset over the Raithians' quick inclusion into the Alliance. If I were to make you the commander, any distinction between the GA and Raithian forces would completely evaporate— while that may be what we want in the long run, rushing it will cost us much more than it will gain."

"And how much will it hurt us if we allow the Jedi to regroup and make a coordinated attack against us?"

"The general makes a good point," Habbas said at his side, jowls quivering from terror, so afraid to bear the brunt of any of Rénin's possible rebukes.

"The Jedi attacking us is exactly what we need," Rodan explained, spreading his hands in a practiced political gesture. "We have nothing on them except vids of Skywalker dealing with Karrde and Calrissian, and his wife and Durron fighting Raithians on Denon— in order to escape. They don't seem like a threat to the people, only a small sect of eccentric wizards. We need the galaxy to fear them. We need the people to believe that they could be next, that the Jedi are determined to destroy them and their way of life.

"You're looking at this as a politician," Rénin sneered. "This is a problem for soldiers to solve."

"Your master seems to agree with me," the older man countered.

He'd had no contact with Darth Malig beyond their mutual meeting when he was forced to murder Cal Omas, but the Dark Lord had been using his agent Faybol to relay his orders and collect information from Rodan. It was Faybol who'd stressed the need for caution in going after the Jedi, that they could easily hunt them off of Ossus and allow the Jedi to attack and misstep— Rodan could only assume it was what Malig wanted as well.

"Faybol is doing a fine job of picking off the Jedi one by one off of Ossus," Rodan went on. "They look like criminals sneaking around other worlds— this is the best way to proceed."

Rénin's ire seemed to rise at the mention of Malig's other minion. Though Rodan was unaware of the details, he sensed a great rift between the general and Faybol, as if Rénin wanted to kill him. Normally, Rénin seemed almost eerily calm and collected, but Rodan had witnessed his fury on a handful of occasions. While Faybol revealed nothing beyond his mask, Rénin was emotional and almost child-like in his pettiness and anger.

"Faybol lacks vision, just like you, you old fool," Rénin snarled. "He has influenced Malig with his..."

The Sith Apprentice bit back his words, realizing he'd said too much disparaging his master and implying weakness.

An uncomfortable silence hung over the office before Rodan called on his keen political instincts to try and placate the general.

"I will make a deal with you, General— if the Jedi launch some sort of strike, a convincing strike, on an Alliance world, I will authorize the invasion of Ossus. If you can find a way to bait the Jedi into attacking, you'll get what you want."

Rénin grinned. "Is that so? And Sovv?"

Rodan shook his head. "No, Sovv will remain the Alliance Supreme Commander and even if he refused, I'll find someone else before you. It can't be Raithians seen storming the temple. It would almost certainly make our member worlds uncomfortable and probably send dozens into secession."

This seemed to throw the man back, his eyes studying the table as he worked his way through Rodan's conditions. When his sunless eyes rose to meet Rodan's, they seemed to smolder beneath the translucent glass covering, an intensity the Chief of State had never seen before.

"I believe you are beginning to overvalue your importance to us, Fyor. Do not forget who put you in that chair. Do not forget how easy it was— and do not forget what happened to the last man who occupied it.

"You are not irreplaceable— only convenient. When that is no longer the case, don't expect even the mercy we allowed Omas."

Fyor Rodan was certain all of the color had now drained from his face and his heart sank into his guts, because he knew Rénin was right. He was now walking an impossibly thin tightrope with people from all sides moving to shove him off. Even with his political resistance and wile, the Chief of State was having trouble seeing how he could ever avoid the fall.





Faybol strolled out of the alley, leaving the crumpled form of the Lethan Twi'lek on the damp ferrocrete, the path his blade had traveled through her broken body still glowing faintly in the darkness. He'd let the Eriaduan authorities deal with the body— Jedi were no good to them dead.

The night air made the ends of his scarlet cloak flutter as he stepped out on the street, making his way back to the troops he led to Eriadu and their ships, still smelling sulfur, its stink seeming to permeate the entire city.

It was unfortunate that the Jedi had run and fought so hard, forcing him to kill her. From the way Wylla Kor had responded to the Raithian trap, she could have been of so much more use. At least she hadn't escaped...

Faybol set the failure aside. There were other Jedi beyond the stars for him to hunt. He could feel them from almost one end of the galaxy to the other— it was his gift.

They couldn't hide from him— not for long. Eventually all of the Jedi would be killed or detained. It was only a matter of time.

The Kuhr was only a few steps away from the alley when he felt it— the call.

It wasn't words, or even an impression really. It was more like his own thoughts than anything.

One of Faybol's Kurol sensed the Solos. The masked being felt it exactly as his servant did, at the same instant, a rush coming up his spine at touching the three powerful Force-presences. The telepathic link between Faybol and the collective consciousness of the Kurol was so great that he could even pinpoint exactly where his servant was.

Felucia.

It wasn't hard to discern the Jedi's reason for journeying to the exotic world— the Raithians had been refining a toxin there that had been very effective at incapacitating Jedi and making them easy prey to capture. They would want to destroy it...

The Jedi were getting bolder, no longer content to hide as they had for months. Faybol had been waiting for an opportunity like this. If there was one thing Darth Malig desired, it was the three children of Han and Leia Organa Solo— and Faybol would get them for him.

Faybol quickened his steps on the ferrocrete, determined to reach his ship and Felucia before the Solos could elude him once more.

 

Hah! First! There is a first time for everything..

I will now read the chapter!


~Piper

 

Finally,we get to the supporting villians.Renin,Faybol,and Rodan are all very interesting.From Rodan acting brave but actually being a coward,to Renin's jealousy of Faybol,and finally to Faybol and his Kurol.My favorite chapter so far.



Lost:That was a freakin awesome episode.Mikahl,a.k.a. Patchy reaveled all sorts of stuff,from the Dharma and the Others being in a "Purge"(I thought of Star Wars the second I heard that.),to THe Others submarine.John Locke is starting to miss things,and he's gatting ready to have a flashback about losing his legs and we know what happens to a charactor after there major flashback.So I'll leave you with this.


R.I.P

John Locke