Beyond - Legends Imperial Destiny (COMPLETED 8/24)

Things are coming to their conclusion!


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."

That was good. These kids never get to be kids the way normal ones would. Nope always off to save the galaxy!

"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."

Hello! Duh! Leia has kids! Dumb Kanti jerk! Talkin' trash!

"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?"

OK, way too cool...first off Salina?s gonna take Ricar! And then Leia (god I llove her Jedi) and Luke are takin? down Kanti! I love it!


"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 the Force himself, taking the Empress in a strong Force-grip. "But I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave, either."

Come on Luke let her have it!

 

yeah Skywalkers!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope Salina doesn't die though I've a feeling that she will

 

I think Salina will have to die. Sad but true- no other way for the Dark Side to be defeated.
And Kanti's days are numbered.

 

I would have thought Luke would have taken out Kanti by himself

 

Ocelotl: I figure that it was a given Luke would wind up showing his true potential.

obiwan: Yeah, the kids never had a normal childhood, and truly are the heirs to the Skywalker blood. Glad you liked seeing Luke & Leia finally on the same side.

Sil: Clouded, Salina's future is.

SithGirl: Kanti's days certainly are numbered, and I'm afraid Salina may have to die before all is said and done.

motoish: He might still take her down himself, you never know...


Okay, here comes the next post!


Wedge moved back along the command walkway, thinking about what he'd just heard from Han, and what he'd told his old friend. Wedge knew that sooner or later, this battle was going to end, and when it did, the Imperial heir was going to order the fleet to turn on the Rebels, and quite possibly, the Hapan fleet that had dared to disobey the direct order to remain near the homeworld.

If I don't go along with the order, my cover's blown, and Iella's dead, Wedge thought. But he knew just as well that if the Fleet turned, nothing would survive the confrontation. Oh, the Falcon and some of the other ships would fight valiantly, but they'd been weakened before the arrival of the fleet. And even given the fact that the Imperials had taken much of the damage since their arrival, nothing the Rebels or Hapans had could withstand the firepower boasted by Wedge's own ship.

Wedge returned to the Admiral's chair, which he'd deliberately avoided taking. After all, it should have been occupied by a naval officer, but that was simply impossible, given the madness that had gripped Tavira, ultimately driving the admiral to take her own life. Wedge said, thumb rubbing against his chin. Stubble was beginning to form there, and the knew that he was growing weary. But he couldn't turn command over to another, not at this crucial stage in the battle.

"We've let the enemy run the game for too long," he said, rising to his feet once more. "It's high time we change the rules on them. All remaining fighters are to launch. Forward crews will evacuate to the aft sections, I don't care if they have to pack into every hanger bay and storage facility we've got."

"General?" one of the commanders said, looking back at Wedge. "Abandoning our forward batteries will leave us open to attack."

"Indeed it will," Wedge said. "But I'm not going to throw their lives away in what could prove an ultimately futile defense. In moments, we'll have no need for those forward batteries."

"If you don't mind, General, I'd like to ask what your plan is." This came from Asajj Ventress, who had slipped up next to the Admiral's chair. "Allowing the enemy to have a free run of our forward section seems a little?unusual."

"There's only two ways this battle can end, Jedi Ventress," Wedge said. "Either that worldship out there is going to come at us, as the Longshot's commander indicates it's attempting to do, or else we're going to go to it. We've been on the defensive too long, and it's time we change that balance." He let the words hang for just a moment. "Surely you of all people understand the importance of balance."

"There is a time for balance, and a time for defense," Ventress said. "Attacking now will do nothing, especially if you are giving up the forward batteries."

"As I said, those batteries aren't going to be of any use. I'm going to ensure that the Yuuzhan Vong aren't going to be able to use that worldship to pick apart our fleet."

"And just how do you plan to ensure that? There's nothing we have that can take down their shields. We can punch through occasionally, and do a little damage, but they're going to last longer than we are," said the commander who'd spoken earlier.

"Keep to your station, Commander," Wedge ordered. "As for the plan, it's quite simple. I'm going to ram Executor II down their throats. If they want us, then we'll give them far more than they can handle." The only response on the bridge was sheer, utter silence.

+++

 

Nice plan! But I have a feeling that Wedge will not survive it...

 

Boom Boom Boom

Pounding on drum.

Ramming speed! That is a gutsy order

 

SithGirl: Even if he doesn't survive, Wedge will have changed the balance of the battle.

Ocelotl: Yes, it is a gutsy move. But I'd say that Wedge has the guts to pull it off.


Okay, anybody wondering about dear Salina?


He watched the indicators on the side of the lift tube, and reached out with the Force. There was only one presence aboard, and it didn't feel like his apprentice. So, he thought darkly. Lumiya was dead, and his mother's assassin was about to arrive. She would find him ready to face whatever ultimatum she had brought from the Empress. In fact, this could turn into something of value. After all, if she had been converted once, who was to say he couldn't bend this new threat to his will. That, Ricar decided, would be most delicious of all.

The top light lit, and the door opened revealing a single, slender figure, her framed draped in a hooded black robe. She raised her gaze to the throne, but Ricar still couldn't make out her features. Her sense, however, was undeniably familiar. "Welcome, Apprentice," Ricar said, not rising from the throne.

The apprentice stood in the lift for a moment, then stepped forward, the panel sliding shut behind her. She moved towards the stairs to the throne with a grace and confidence born from extreme trials. My mother was right about one thing, Ricar thought as he watched her approach. Lumiya was indeed unworthy of the mantle of the Sith.

"I trust your journey was without difficulty?" Ricar asked, his voice still pleasant, still as conversational as a Sith could get.

"My mission has been successful thus far. But now, with the end so near at hand, I wonder why your mother didn't simply order you out of the area, so that I could complete it."

"Perhaps she sought to test your loyalty," Ricar said. "Perhaps she wanted to see if you could cut another Sith down, if she proved herself less than equal."

"Perhaps," the apprentice said, beginning to climb the stairs. "Or perhaps she sent me here to teach you a lesson, that the rime has not yet come for you to assume full control of the Empire."

"My mother's day is passing," Ricar said. "She rules now through others, through those who she still thinks she can control. But my star is rising, and the time for hers to set is here. Those who understand this will stand, while those who stand against me will be destroyed in the fire to come."

"Your mother is more powerful than you realize," Salina said. "She knew that this betrayal was coming. You must see that when the time is right, she will turn the reins of the galaxy over to you. She has already been proven right in one respect. Do you still remain blind to the fact that she is also right in this?"

"No true Sith simply turns their power over to an apprentice. It must be seized, or it isn't worth having," Ricar said, rising. "There are two ways that this can end, Apprentice. You can swear fealty to me, and become my apprentice, or you can be destroyed."

"I serve only one Sith," Salina said. "If you cannot see your place, and refuse to be reasoned with, then I see no alternative. You must be removed, and I shall take the throne when your mother exits this world." With that statement, Salina lowered her hood, and shrugged off the cloak.

Skywalker! Ricar thought, as Salina drew her lightsaber and ignited the blood-red blade with a snap-hiss. I suppose that it was inevitable. It is a pity, he thought, that young Salina would never achieve her true potential. But he couldn't allow this slip of a girl to stand in his way. "If this is how it must be, then so be it," he said, igniting his own weapon. "But I tell you now that you are making a serious mistake."

"We shall see."


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


That's it for now. More to come on Friday.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Whoo hoo...

Sith are fighting when they should be attacking the Vong... a fine example of their selfish nature. This has been a great story to read... You have kept the threads intertwined and yet mysterious enough to keep readers coming back and back and back...

 

"If you cannot see your place, and refuse to be reasoned with, then I see no alternative. You must be removed, and I shall take the throne when your mother exits this world."

I liked this scene!!!! Go Selina!!!!!

 

yeah go Salina! I wonder if this has anything to do with the vision that Luke had of Ben earlier.

 

Nice evil cliffie there.
The selfish Sith are always going to fight among themselves, and of course that is why they will lose...

 

Ocelotl: And therein lies the key to the defeat of the Sith. They're unable to trust anybody, because they can't avoid seeing the blade that friend might be hiding.

obiwan: So you're saying you'd like to see "Empress Skywalker?"

Sil: Well, let's just say that one of Luke's visions is going to come to pass. I presume you're referring to Luke thinking that the vision in the cave might have been Ben?

SithGirl: Yes, lose they shall. But there will be a cost.


Okay, here comes the next post, as we head back to Han and co.

The Falcon twisted through another dive that brought the two skips chasing straight into the path of one of the Star Destroyers. "That was a little two close," Han said, throwing her into a roll to starboard. As he did so, he caught sight of the last fighters boiling from the hangers of the Executor. "He's sending out the last of his fighters," Han mused. 'And something must be wrong with?.Oh, Sith." He'd just realized what was about to happen.

Sure enough, the engines of the behemoth were fully lit, and it had begun its run towards the largest of the Yuuzhan Vong ships. There was no way that the commander could miss the Star Destroyer bearing down on him, but the craft was simply too large to avoid. Neither ship was going to be able to change direction quickly enough, which meant that the days of Executor II were rapidly nearing an end.

For a moment, Han just sat there. He'd meant to warn Wedge of the Yuuzhan Vong ship's movements, but he hadn't intended to set a suicide course for his friend. Unless, of course, there was something Han didn't know about. He knew that Wedge wouldn't let the Empire turn on those to whom he's given his word. The fact that Wedge was even now taking the largest ship out of play probably meant that he expected to receive such orders, or else he had already received them.

Han switched the comm over to the frequency he and the other Alliance craft had kept to themselves. "Keep an eye out, everybody. There's a good chance this alliance is about to go bad."

"Is the Executor doing what I think she's doing?" Booster Terrik asked.

"I'd say it's a safer bet to take than bet against," Han said. "If I know her commander as well as I think I do, he's trying to keep from having to break his word."

"Han, there are thousands aboard that ship," Kam said. "We've got to convince him otherwise."

"He's not throwing everybody's lives away," Kyle said. "Trust me, I know Roat," he added, for anybody who might be listening in. "He's probably gotten everybody out of the forward half."

"Those batteries have gone silent," Jaden observed.

"So do we move in and start gathering escape pods when the crash takes place?" a voice said, one that it took Han a moment to recognize as Peregrine's captain, Sena Midanyl.

"Let's wait and see how this plays out. General Roat may not require any aid at all, and if he does, we may not have room for the passengers." And we may not want some of them, Han thought, as he twisted the Falcon through a dive to shake a Yuuzhan Vong pilot that had apparently decided the Falcon appeared an easy target.

"We should be ready to offer our aid, or else our allies might think we don?t care about the lives they've sacrificed for us," Kam said.

"Fine," Han shot back. "If you think you can handle the load, go ahead. As for everybody else, if you're anywhere near either of those ships, now is probably the best time to get the hell out of there."

A chorus of affirmatives came over the comm, and Han breathed a sigh of relief. At least nobody was going to try and stop the course of either behemoth. Han brought the freighter around, just in time to see the pointed tip of the Imperial warship slam into the Yuuzhan Vong worldship. Coral flew outward, as did shards of metal and transparisteel.

"Chewie, remind me that I never want to see anything like that in my life again," Han commented.

"Umm, Dad, you do realize

 

Oh no! Death and destruction again!
But at least the YV are the victims...

 

carnage is lovely

 

Too bad Ricar is busy fighting to see what just happened.

 

SithGirl: Yes, plenty of death and destruction. But isn't that what we might expect, as things begin to draw towards an ending?

Sil: Yes, such lovely carnage. Look at the beauty of the explosions...

Ocelotl: Unfortunately for Ricar, he's too busy with Sith infighting.


Okay, here's the next part of the battle.


The worldship rocked as Executor II slammed into it. Even from outside the vessel, one had to shudder at the sight of the two mammoth vessels colliding. Inside the ships, the magnitude of the destruction increased a thousandfold. Transparisteel shattered, and coral broke. The mighty arrowhead of the Star Destroyer's prow collapsed, and splintered. No longer a smooth, sharp point, the shattered prow had become a barbed tip that caused more damage the further it penetrated.

The worldship screamed as the infidel vessel sliced it apart. Ichor oozed from the wounds, and flash-froze. Gobs of what might have been blood floated through the vacuum, or extended out like some sort of adhesive putty. In the command chamber of the worldship, the Yuuzhan Vong warmaster felt his knees buckle. Tsavong Lah dropped to the floor, the weight of his upper body slamming his knees into the coral deck with bone-breaking force.

"Why?" he groaned, looking toward what would have been the sky on any world. "Why do you abandon us in our hour of need?" There was no answer from the Slayer, nor would there be. He had joined forces with Yun-Harla, and together, they had made fools of those who had entrusted their lives, their souls, to carrying out the commands of the gods.

Tsavong Lah forced himself to his feet, ignoring the pain in his joints. He looked to the view of the battle, but it was obvious to even the worst of his father's old students that victory was slipping from the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. Already, the infidel warship had denied the Yuuzhan Vong the glory of sweeping in and laying waste to the Hapan world below, and now, the infidel fleets were gathering together.

It was Nom Anor, Tsavong Lah thought. He told us that this galaxy was fractured, that if pushed, the infidel Empire would topple. He told us that the leaders were weak, that they could not ever grasp the glory of the Yuuzhan Vong. He told of alliances that could be easily broken, and tensions that could be fanned to increase the flames. He told of a weak, divided people.

Yet what did the Yuuzhan Vong encounter? The infidel Empire employed horrific weapons, weapons of such immense heresy that they could not be countered by any method the Yuuzhan Vong possessed. The gods had not listened to the Supreme Overlord's prayers for guidance, and had given their children into the hands of their enemies. Rather than finding a weak people, they found a people willing to die for their beliefs. They found the jeedai, whose abilities seemed beyond anything the Yuuzhan Vong had seen.

But worst of all, they failed to find the fractured groups that Nom Anor had repeatedly mentioned. Instead of finding situations where the flames of mistrust could be fanned, they had found that their attempts merely forced disparate groups to come together. Even now, the Imperials, the Rebels, the Hapans, and a group of fighters from various parts of the galaxy were drawn together, and moreover, were working towards a common purpose. Where was the fragmentation? Where was the justice?

Tsavong Lah turned to the villip choir, and selected the one linked to the Supreme Overlord's villip. He stroked it, waiting until it formed a version of Shimrra's shattered visage. Tsavong prostrated himself before the villip. "Supreme One," he began.

"What word of victory do you bring me?" the villip growing in an approximation of the Supreme Overlord's booming voice.

"I confess, I bring no word of victory," Tsavong Lah said. "Our final stand has been made, and turned back. Our only hope is to flee this galaxy while there remains something of our way to escape with. I fear that otherwise, we shall be slaves o

 

That was a killing stroke. The question now remains will anyone on the Executor II survive?
Perhaps Wedge will be discovered as a traitor?

Great post!

 

That is a far better end for Tsavong Lah than in profic.
Let's hope someone survives off the Executor II...

 

nooo please don't dishonor Tsavong!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ocelotl: There will be survivors from the Excutor II. The ship itself, though, is a gigantic loss.

SithGirl: I don't know if it's better than the profic ending. I suppose I always though Lah went the way he should have. Unfortunately, that meant I couldn't do the same here.

Sil: He went down fighting, and thus, I don't think could be seen as suffering true dishonor. Now if he'd run away...


Okay, here comes the next post, where I'll answer some questions about the fate of the galaxy.


The Galactic Empress stood for a moment, shocked to find herself so totally outnumbered. Even the power promised by the Dark Side wouldn't be enough to save her from the situation in which she currently found herself. "I will not surrender," she said. "It is better to die here, now, than live to see you make a shambles of the order my father sought to create."

"There can be order without tyranny, life without darkness," Leia Solo said. Though her words were pleading, there was no mistaking the grip in which she held the lightsaber. She didn't want to use it, but would if forced to.

"And what of you, my Hand?" Kanti said, turning to Luke. "Do you also believe that there can be a galaxy better than the one my father envisioned? Or do you realize that without a firm hand to guide them, the peoples of this galaxy leave things in a shambles?"

"I believe there has to be a better way," Luke said. "One that doesn't require the enslavement of some, one that doesn't have darkness at its very core."

"You're blind to the truth of the galaxy," Kanti said. "At the center, at the most basic level, there is always darkness. Some struggle against it, others embrace it, and some simply accept this simple, fundamental truth." She looked to Mara. "You used to understand, but your vision has been clouded."

"Not so, Empress," Mara said. "My eyes have been opened to the light that can serve to push the darkness back. While I realize that part of me is dark, the more I strive for the light, the more I can hold the darkness at bay. And that struggle has left me stronger."

"You're all mad," Kanti said, fire blazing in her eyes once more. "I promise you, that no matter what happens in the next few moments, the Dark Side will always be waiting, seeking someone willing to accept the price that comes with securing peace."

"Having seen what happens, we will be more vigilant than ever," Luke said.

"But you can only be vigilant so long," Kanti said. And then she moved. The blaster in Mara's hand spoke, but the blast flashed past Kanti, who scooped up her lightsaber. The blade sliced through the business end of the blaster. Her outstretched left hand pushed Force energy, momentarily catching Leia off balance. But with three enemies, Kanti simply couldn't cover them all. Luke slid in, his scarlet blade slicing toward the galactic despot.

Kanti's eyes widened in pain, her mouth a gaping O. Then the upper half of her torso slid left, the rest of her falling to the right side. Then she exploded in a powerful wave Dark Side energy that drove both Skywalkers to their knees, and slammed a rising Leia back into the floor. But the storm subsided after a minute, and the three rose, to be joined by Iella Wesseri.

"So," Iella said. "It's over."

"No," Leia said. "I'm afraid that the real task is only beginning."

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


That's all for now. More Luke & co. to come in Friday's post.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

You got the part about the real task begining now. Definitely time for a lot of work... Still a few sith and some Jedi who will need some convincing.

 

Ocelotl: Yes, there are still a couple of Sith out there. Well, I'm not going to bother them tonight.


"It's not going to happen overnight," Leia said. "After all these decades of tyranny, the galaxy isn't going to be ready for freedom right away," Leia said. "At least, not if we want to see any kind of order in the galaxy that emerges."

"So all the talk about freedom was what, rhetoric?" Mara asked, eyes narrowing. She and Luke hadn't risked everything for nothing, she hoped. If they had, Leia Solo had much to answer for.

"Freedom is the ultimate goal," Leia said. "But even the Old Republic didn't appear in a day. The galaxy is going to need to be guided to freedom."

"And who gets to decide when the galaxy is ready to be free?" Mara said. "You?"

"She's the obvious choice, Mara. Most of the politicians who stood against Palpatine have been killed, executed for "crimes against the Empire." I executed warrants from the Empress on a few myself." He shook his head. "So what do you have in mind, Leia?"

"I think some sort of monarchy to begin with," Leia said. "The monarch would be responsible to the Senate, and ultimately elected by the people."

"But for right now, the galaxy is going to need an Emperor, or an Empress."

"I'm not taking that title, even if I am persuaded to take the throne."

"Leia, I don't think there's any question. Once Ricar is destroyed, if he can't be saved, you'll be the only one that both sides are willing to accept. The Alliance is already in your hand, and it could be made to appear that you defeated the Empress."

"Which would make you appear the stronger, something the Empire has always understood," Iella said. "And what role would the Jedi play in this new order? What place would you seek, Master Skywalker?"

"I think?" Luke's voice trailed off, his face going gray. "Salina," he whispered. Mara whirled at the mention of their fallen daughter. "I can feel her," Luke said. "She's opened back up to us?" He closed his eyes, trying to hold onto the connection, even as it slipped away. "Stay with me," he murmured. "Don't let?NO!"

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


More to come on Monday...


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

about time Kanti died. and I wonder what's going on with Salina

 

So who actually took her out. Seemed like a joint effort.. So perhaps they dont have to lie about leia defeating the empress?