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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

NJO: The Darkness Shaped - NEW POST 8th September!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction Stories--Classic JC Board (Reply-Only)' started by J_K_DART, Apr 5, 2002.

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  1. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    It hit Anakin first - he was nearest - like a tidal wave in the Force, and he was helpless, a cork in the waves, being swept along at least in spirit if not in body. He felt as though he were drowning in an immense reservoir of agony, and the horror of it was, he knew where the agony had come from.

    All Anakin could do was weep, his heart broken by the knowledge that this time he was too late.

    Tahiri was dead.

    In a Yuuzhan Vong coralskipper, attached to a warship and halfway to Kessel, Anakin knew despair.

    . . .

    ?I?ll have my people backing you up as soon as possible. Take care, Mara.?

    ?And you, Karrde.? Barely had Mara signed off when the wave struck her, and she was very, very glad that the ship was on autopilot. A few moments afterwards, she received a hail. ?Y-yes, what is it??

    ?Mara, this is Kyp. Wh-what in the stars was that? I?ve never felt anything like it in my life!?

    A large part of Mara wished she hadn?t, either. ?A Force shockwave, Kyp. I?ve felt it before - when Palpatine died - it hurt even more than that, because I?d been connected with him so deeply. It was Tahiri Veila, she was captured by the Vong - back in the same raid where we lost Luke - and now??

    Mara wasn?t sure what it was that hurt her the most; the fact that Tahiri was dead, or that there was no one to truly mourn for her. No family. Her dearest friend dead. After what the Vong had done to her, Tahiri was distrusted by those of her own age, she?d stood out in a way that stopped her making new friends? And Mara felt very, very angry. For a heartbeat she embraced the anger, letting it burn through her, firing her with its promises of power and great, glorious vengeance; then, she knew it was wrong, and reached beyond the anger, to the sheer serenity that was the Force. After a moment, Mara continued to speak. ?I?ve just been speaking with Talon Karrde, he co-finances Kessel nowadays, Kyp, as you know.?

    ?I know.? Kyp had spent a large part of his formative years in those slave-mines, and had kept up to date with matters concerning them - even if he did despise the entire Maker-forsaken planet. ?So??

    ?So, profits from Kessel ended abruptly a short while ago. Calrissian was heading out to check things over, see what was going on. His report is overdue. I think we can expect trouble out there, Kyp.?

    There was a moment?s silence. ?You think, of the Vong kind??

    Mara had to pause to consider her answer. ?I think we?d have heard of anything like that. Besides, why bother? I can?t believe the Vong know about the spice-spiders - if they did, then maybe they?d care what happened to Kessel - but otherwise, no go. But, I think we?ve got something else. Peace Brigade perhaps? I don?t know, and it?s foolish to try and guess. But make sure you guys are combat ready.?

    . . .

    Luke felt his emotions broiling at the impact of Tahiri?s death. Another one of the children, the Jedi he had taught, had been callously slain. Tahiri?s, he sensed, had not been an easy death. And, in another way, it was a reminder of what he?d already lost. She?d been Anakin?s girlfriend - his soul mate, really - and in her had been a poignant reminder of Anakin. The loss of Tahiri was as if the Force was gradually cutting all Luke?s links with the boy he had once considered his future replacement.

    Suddenly Luke realised that, under the stress of the moment, he?d allowed his heart rate to increase along with his body temperature, and the Peace Brigadiers were starting to turn to face him, following their sensors blindly. As Luke prepared to move, though, he allowed himself a smile; for there was movement in the shadows, and through the Force Luke sensed a powerful presence. Suddenly one of the Rodians screamed, falling to the floor; the others wheeled round, opening fire. In their shots was illuminated the shape of a spider, as if made from crystal and glass, one of its huge legs poking through the chest of one of the Peace Brigadiers. Feeding on the Rodian?s life.

    Luke hardened his heart towards the Rodians - not hard
     
  2. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Its official! We're on page 2!

    YAY!
     
  3. Amidala_Skywalker

    Amidala_Skywalker Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 4, 2001
    *stands up, proclaiming in a very Martin Luther King type manner* I have a theory!

    Yes, you heard me correctly. Tahiri is not dead! She's been shaped, oh boy, now this is one for the funny farm. An out of control Tahiri, mourning Jedi and a love-sick and grief-striken boy. What I like about the Force is that you can sense death, so, it means nobody has to break the news. But, I suppose, it's just as bad.

    Keep pumping out these posts at this rate. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to gather something for you to beta. Shame on me!

    Am [face_love]
     
  4. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Hah! I'll enjoy the beta-ing anyway!

    One bit of evidence in favour of the theory; Jacen - they all sensed his death, remember? But we know from the start of the story that he isn't...

    Question is, is that the case with Tahiri? Wait and see!
     
  5. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    At first Han thought the source of the commotion outside was Luke, but then he realised it was just an argument - if Luke had been around there?d have been blaster-bolts by now. The door swung open, and a Peace Brigadier walked in; this one, though, was human and had some very human compassion written on his features. ?I heard there?d been some sort of reaction in your wife?? He addressed Han. ?Is it all right if I check her over??

    The guard peered in, looking furious. ?What does it matter? She?ll be going to the Yuuzhan Vong soon as their warship gets here - she won?t be all right then!?

    ?Did I ask for your opinion? Get out of my sight!? Surprisingly, the guard obeyed. ?I?m Tobias,? the man explained to Han, ?Medic of the former-ISD we? liberated from the Empire. My job?s to care about people, and so long as you?re in my care-- Sweet Force, what did they do to him?? Suddenly Tobias had seen Lando, and anger flared over his face.

    Lando had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the past few hours; this time, he was awake. ?A Vong? had something called the Embrace of Pain??

    ?I?m sorry. They didn?t tell me anything about this.?

    That was the final straw Han had needed, and he grabbed the medic and slammed him up against the wall. ?What, you thought the Vong were all sweetness and light? Get with the program, Tobias - they?ve invaded our Galaxy in an unprovoked crusade. They worship pain. What they want is to see this Galaxy covered in pain - they worship pain, they believe the gods put themselves in pain to create the Universe, so they follow in their footsteps.?

    ?That is speculation. We cannot know all this.?

    Suddenly Leia was on her feet, anger blazing through her. ?I?ve met their Warmaster, pal. He tried to kill me for no other reason than he believes it?s his duty to the gods. Their gods demand death. They demand they kill every ?infidel? in this Galaxy. I know. I?ve talked to him, opposed his beliefs, tried to make him see their errors; I didn't succeed.?

    Han nodded. ?We know them even better than you do, pal, an? you?re the collaborator.?

    Tobias frowned nervously. ?I-- I think I?d better go.?

    ?You do that, pal,? Han called after him, blazing with fury, ?But don?t you dare forget what the Vong?re like - I give you a guarantee the first thing they?ll fire on is your precious ISD!?

    . . .

    At last the Jade Shadow burst out of Hyperspace. Mara was playing it carefully, coming out at a high vector, pretty close to the black hole cluster that was the Maw. ?Threepio, you got anything on the sensors??

    The prissy droid paused for a moment, checking them. ?Well, I?m not really suited to checking sensors--?

    ?Threepio!?

    ?Oh my word! We?re doomed! We?re all doomed! I always told you space didn?t agree with me, Mistress Mara - please don?t let me die here, alone!?

    Mara sighed. ?I take it you have got something on sensors.? She checked - and then double-checked. ? Jade Shadow to Dozen. We?ve got an ISD in-system.?

    At that exact moment the crew of the ISD saw her. ?Unidentified ship, this is the Peace Brigade--? They?d chosen the wrong time to announce their identity, as, suddenly, Mara was no longer alone; a flight of X-wings blazed out of Hyperspace, settling in battle formation around her. But even Kyp?s Dozen couldn?t take on an ISD.

    Unless? ?Kyp, they?ll despatch TIEs after us. You think your pilots are up to that asteroid belt??

    ?You think you are, Mara? Don?t want your newborn son to be without a mother, after all??

    Mara?s response was clear and crisp. She knew her limits, and a battle in an asteroid belt was well short of them. ?Let?s get moving. Keep up, Durron.? That said, the Jade Shadow jetted towards the asteroids surrounding Kessel, the X-wings sweeping in with her. The ISD tried an attack with its repulsor-cannons, but the targets were too small, too distant. A cloud of TIEs swept out of the ISD, seeking out their prey.

    But this prey would fight back.

    . . .

    Mara! Luke couldn?t hel
     
  6. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    To create the most appalling, confusing and absolutely insane space battle of all time, take a flight of X-wings. Add an armada of TIE fighters. Sprinkle liberally with asteroids. Then leave to simmer. Expect many explosions.

    In the standard training for pilots, there are many textbooks, and most disagree on almost every point. There is one point they all agree on, though; never, ever conduct your battle in the middle of an asteroid field. Mara, Kyp, and the Dozen were all well acquainted with those textbooks; but whoever wrote them, they?d never met those particular individuals. For that was exactly where the battle was being fought.

    It was a unique battle, unlike any fought before in the history of the Galaxy (or at least as far as historical records go in this galaxy). To say it was chaotic would be an understatement; X-wings swept upwards, sideways, in any direction they chose, most of the pilots forced to concentrate on merely avoiding the asteroids and meteors. Four of the better pilots managed to wage war at the same time, but of those four only two were as good as they thought; the other two fell foul of an asteroid. The TIE fighters, though, had the same problem, and were considerably less skilled, their numbers lessening by the second. And in the middle of this was Kyp Durron.

    To Kyp, this was easy flying. As a know-nothing teenager, he?d flown through the black-hole-cluster overhead. Since then, he?d accomplished countless other feats, including breaking into the Yuuzhan Vong-occupied Sernpidal system in spite of the most lavish protection the aliens could forge - through sheer piloting ability. Kyp was probably one of the most gifted pilots in the Galaxy, and here, in the midst of an asteroid field, he was proving it, conducting daring and impossible manoeuvres that left his pursuers dizzy - at least twelve TIE-pilots were so distracted by his acrobatics that they crashed into asteroids or, in two cases, one another.

    Throughout all this Kyp kept up an incessant barrage of fire, and even the blasts that didn?t strike the TIEs were lethal, since they inevitably hit asteroids, breaking them up into smaller chunks that were harder for the TIEs to spot. Right here, in the depths of the Kessel Cluster, the Peace Brigade was learning just what it really means to cross a Jedi Knight.

    But Kyp wasn?t the only Jedi in this battle. Mara Jade Skywalker flew her own, larger, ship - the Jade Shadow - in daring and incredible ways, leaving poor 3PO screaming for mercy. If Mara had the chance, she?d have deactivated the droid. But she was too concentrated, too focused. A single moment of distraction could be fatal. Behind her, Mara was leaving a trail of small space-mines; in the mass of asteroids, they were impossible to detect, and the Force was guiding Mara in their emplacement.

    When the battle had started, there had been over ten times the number of TIEs as X-wings. Now, already, over a third of the TIEs were out of commission, and that number was lessening by the second. Finally, some Peace Brigade commander on the Star Destroyer gave the command for the TIEs to flee the battle, but while they did that the flight of X-wings swept down, through the asteroid belt, and into the thin atmosphere of Kessel.

    . . .

    Finally the speeders had stopped, after circling Luke?s some five times. The Jedi Master refused to let himself worry - worry didn?t help. Instead, he remained calm, leaving his body and blood temperature as low as possible. In his hand, the stub of his lightsaber was gripped tightly. It was just a matter of timing.

    For a few minutes there were Peace Brigadiers all over the speeder, searching everywhere. One peered underneath, but Luke used the Force to dull his mind to his presence. ?There?s just a droid - an Artoo unit.?

    ?Skywalker is supposed to have an Artoo unit.? That voice was of a Mon Cal, and Luke barely stopped anger flaring up within him. The Mon Cals were the backbone of the New Republic, and to have one of them among the Peace Brigade was a major ps
     
  7. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Is there anybody else out there?

    *WE ARE NOT ALONE*

    I hope...
     
  8. Jedi_Sari

    Jedi_Sari Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 4, 2002
    I like this! You're a really good writer
     
  9. Qwi_Xux

    Qwi_Xux Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 5, 2001
    I'm still here!! Haven't had time to finish catching up, but I am still here! I'd catch up now, but my cord on my laptop is broken, and I have about five minutes before the battery dies on me. :mad: Ahh, well. Technology has its downside. ;)
     
  10. Mayo_Solo

    Mayo_Solo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2001
    Cool story. I love all of the action.

    I can't wait to find out what happened to Tahiri. I don't think she's dead. But thnen again that's me.
     
  11. Amidala_Skywalker

    Amidala_Skywalker Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 4, 2001
    I read the two posts this morning, though I didn't get time to reply. Can you forgive poor Am? Tobias, hmm, that sounds familiar. Name check? Wonderful so far! I agree with all the comments you're a good writer, especially with the Han anger *grin* You can probably tell that I enjoyed it.

    On a side note, I've been feeling unusual lately and falling asleep whenever. So, if I go missing at anytime, that might be why. I'm sleeping too often...

    Am [face_love]
     
  12. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    JediSari - Thanx, glad you're enjoying the ride, next post will be along shortly!

    Qwi - Glad I'm keeping you, O dear! Technlogy sometimes does let you down (sure does me anyway - or perhaps that's jus the fact I only know what I'm doing half the time and make a wild guess the other half...)

    Mayo_Solo - Glad you're enjoying it, s can probably betold, I enjoy writing action scenes - anyway, we are supposed to be in a Galaxy At War here, so there's plenty of room for action imo!

    Am - How dare you not post! I'll never forgive you!!! :D
    Seriously, get well soon! Don't overdo things!

    Next post wil be within the next couple of hours - expect the unexpected. Soon, it's all gonna come to a head bringing us to the conclusion of the first section, JEDI HUNT. After that..?

    Wait & see!
     
  13. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Luke stared around him, knowing it was almost over. This time, there were far too many speeders, all of them surrounding him and aiming to blow the rugged tyres out. He counted ten? no, eleven? no, twelve? More were coming every second, the Jedi Master realised.

    He?d fought a good fight. And it wasn?t over yet. Artoo beep-whistled at him nervously. ?I know, Artoo,? Luke replied, ?I can?t see any easy way out either.? Using the Force, he managed to knock the steering of one speeder off, sending it crashing into another; the two rocketed away in the distance, locked in a fiery embrace. Fourteen?

    One shot struck the tyres dead on, and Luke could sense them give way; then, his speeder was out of control, and it took all Luke?s Force-concentration to bring the thing to a safe halt. And the other speeders swept round his own, encircling him, their weapons aimed at him. Luke sensed over a hundred hostile minds, all bent on his own destruction.

    Luke allowed his mind to reach out, testing and probing, looking for anything - anything. And then, he found it, and couldn?t resist a slight grin. ?We aren?t dead yet, Artoo,? he informed his little Astromech droid, who beeped in puzzlement.

    All the answer the little droid needed came a moment later as one of the speeders was blasted to bits. But the attack hadn?t come from Luke; it had come from above.

    The flight of X-wings swept overhead, their flight making a deafening series of screeches and sonic booms. Their weapons - designed for damaging fellow snubfighters, let alone pretty much unshielded ground craft - were absolutely lethal, and the Peace Brigadiers knew it.

    It didn?t take a genius to guess what the enemy would do. Luke ignited his saber and cut a hole in the floor of the speeder. That done, he shoved the metal plate out of the way, and dug his saber through the shallow Kessel soil and into the rock. In a matter of moments he had hacked a great hole in the ground, using the Force to ferry the rock out of place. ?Get in, Artoo,? Luke ordered, and the droid obeyed without any hesitation. Artoo had guessed what would happen in a moment as well, and the droid allowed itself to tumble down into the hole. Luke leapt in after it, grabbing the metal plating with the Force and shoving it back over, sealing their bolthole.

    At that precise moment, the Peace Brigadiers decided this was costing them too dear, and changed their tack. They opened fire on Luke?s speeder. Five-dozen blaster-bolts struck the thing?s main body at once, and there was a thunderous detonation as the thing blew up. Then, mission accomplished, the speeders zoomed away, pursued by a couple of vengeful X-wings.

    A minute later, the Jade Shadow came in to rest. Mara and Threepio swiftly exited, Mara with a slight smile on her face, but Threepio dithering. ?Oh my, Artoo! And Master Luke! Oh, I told Master Luke to stay in the Jade Shadow , I told him--?

    ?Yes, Threepio, you did. Maybe I should have listened.? The flames parted, swiftly moving aside from the centre of the inferno. And Luke Skywalker rose like a phoenix from the ashes, Artoo raised up out of the hole with the power of the Force. The two quickly moved out of the flames, and Luke and Mara shared a brief hug. ?Please tell me you?ve got another X-wing in the Shadow ??

    A slight grin spread over Mara?s face. ?You?ve just got back, Skywalker. And you already want to get out there?? Though her words were sharp, her heart was complete once again.

    . . .

    Somewhere in Hyperspace, the vast Yuuzhan Vong warship continued its relentless advance. By now Anakin had become familiar with the mental link to the coralskipper, but he was still finding it incredibly hard to concentrate. The fact of Tahiri?s death was like an ice-dagger plunged into his heart.

    He?d gotten thinking about her again, the young Jedi realised as tears started to flow. He?d failed again, failed Tahiri just like he?d failed Chewie, just like he?d failed Daeshara?cor.

    ?It is not too late yet, Anakin.?

    Ana
     
  14. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    NEbody out there?

    No other post 4 today, I'm afraid, dad's taken over the computer for a while...

    *SIGH* Adults. Hold on, I'm 18 - so legally, I'm an adult, aren't I? Hmm...

    Might be one on later, though. Keep checking!
     
  15. Mayo_Solo

    Mayo_Solo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2001
    Bad Tahiri! Bad girl!

    Good posty. I can't wait for more.
     
  16. Amidala_Skywalker

    Amidala_Skywalker Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 4, 2001
    Dart, you left us there?! I think you might be getting revenge on me for all those times on ItMF. Just kidding, super post. I could describing it using the word - 'wizard'! More, please!

    Am [face_love]
     
  17. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Mayo - Thanx, working on the next bit now!

    Am - Hey, I grew up on 'Doctor Who'. An episode of 'Doctor Who' wasn't complete without the cliffhanger! :D Hope you're feeling better? Btw, you'll be glad to see your theory was right, oh Martin!
     
  18. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    For Han, it was a pleasing revenge as he tipped the unconscious Peace Brigadiers down the waste disposal shaft; he figured it was kind of ironic, and couldn?t resist giving one ? the guy who?d ?felt up? Leia ? a good kick that would crack a few ribs. They?d get a serious dressing-down from their Yuuzhan Vong masters, but that was better than they?d have fared had the Falcon been in space. In space, the shaft would have simply exposed them to the vacuum; on land, it dumped them in an unceremonious heap on the ground.

    That done, Han settled down at the pilot?s seat. ?Y?know, Tobias, there?s one advantage to doing things this way. Everybody?s expecting the Falcon to take off, so we?ll be home and dry - no pursuit till it?s too late!?

    ?Um? I wouldn?t say that.?

    Han?s glare could have cracked molybdenum. ?What do you mean??

    Tobias shrugged. ?I faked the message. Those guys were the only ones who thought you two were going to the ISD. Everybody else?ll kind of? shoot at us. A lot.?

    ?Oh, brother! For a moment I thought we?d staged this rescue attempt professionally, but no, we?re still in the amateur league!?

    Leia smirked. ?Kind of remind you of way back in the Death Star, Han? The prisoner who had to lead her own rescue?? The two chuckled, and then went silent as Han began to test a few of the functions. ?Is she running smoothly??

    ?Like a baby.?

    . . .

    We?re about to go.

    Luke allowed himself a smile as he settled down in the seat next to Mara. Perfect timing, Leia, he sent back, We?re about ready to go too. Han and Leia didn?t need his help, and that made Luke glad. It was why he could feel secure to wander around the Galaxy as Jedi Master - they didn?t need him mothering over them, watching their every move. The same with his students. Although Luke wished?

    ?You sensed Tahiri, then?? Mara asked him. Luke nodded sadly.

    Flicking the appropriate switches, Mara lifted her ship off the Kessel ground, rocketing off. ?I assume you?d like us to run interference for the Falcon?s getaway?? Luke wasn?t surprised that she knew - he and Mara were intimately linked in the Force, so much so they were practically one being. Force, it felt good to have that link re-established! ? Jade Shadow to Dozen. The Falcon?s making a run from the facility northwards. We?re to run interference.?

    Kyp Durron?s surprised voice sparked over the communications. ?The Falcon ??

    ?Explain later, Kyp,? Luke called out, then, a moment later, ?Oh, Kyp??

    ?Yes, Master Skywalker??

    ?Thanks.?

    . . .

    ?C?mon, Luke, c?mon?? Han murmured, tension written into every line of his face. ?What are you waiting for?? Leia gave her husband a quick glance, and in that glance were several emotions; chagrin, amusement, and a very, very deep love. At that moment the alarms began to ring and Brigadiers began to panic outside the vessel. ?I think we might be out of time, sweetheart,? Han scowled. ?Time to cut and run!? The Falcon?s engines had been quietly powering up for the last five minutes, and now they were set at maximum in a matter of moments. She swept into the sky like a knife, and Han felt like a kid again. ?Whoo-hah,? he whooped, ?The fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy rides again!? Leia smiled some more, and Tobias looked ever more nervous as he began to doubt the sanity of the man to whom he was entrusting his life.

    And then Han?s pleasure vanished, as Kessel?s planetary shield flared into life above them. ?Aw, no!? The bad news became even worse, as gun-turrets - originally prison defences - began to open fire. It looked as though the Peace Brigade had decided a dead Jedi was better than an escaped one. ?Can?t nothing go right on this planet?? Thankfully, Han got his answer; with a series of sonic booms and a hypersonic screech, the X-wings jetted overhead.

    ?Hey Falcon, could you use a hand??

    ?Kyp! Kyp Durron! What in the stars are you doing here? Nah, never mind, talk later, fight first!?
     
  19. Amidala_Skywalker

    Amidala_Skywalker Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 4, 2001
    This is Star Wars my friend, and you're killing me here. Just for that I planned out a few things for ItMF today, just to surprise you. Now, that VY ship is the same one which Tahiri or Anakin is one? I'm sometimes forgetful. Why thank you, for your concern about my health.

    Am [face_love]
     
  20. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    This is the one with Anakin on, yup! He-he, I couldn't resist bobbing him on a coralskipper - 'cause they'll soon be swarming around. Tahiri's (or Riina Kwaad) is on Coruscant (I said Nom Anor was earlier on, in fact he was in Leia's old office, and Nen Yim was too, so the shaping had to take place there, at the dark heart of the Galaxy).
     
  21. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Adrenaline pulsed through Anakin?s body as he heard the command; ?For the honour of Yun-Yuuzhan!? He sensed the coralskipper?s own excitement, as it headed into the battle that was its? destiny. The craft was looking forward to the action; it was a starfighter, not comfortable with patiently sitting around on the bulk of a capital ship. Smiling in spite of himself, Anakin gently touched his ear, feeling the tizowyrm buried within it.

    When he saw the ships the Vong were pursuing, his smile widened in recognition - the Jade Shadow ! Even as he watched, an X-wing shot out of the cargo section, and Anakin knew without a moment?s thought that his Uncle Luke would be in there. So at least he knew Aunt Mara and Uncle Luke were OK. It felt like so long since the youth had seen anything familiar, and he struggled to fight the wave of joy that swept over him.

    And there was the Falcon!

    Mom?


    . . .

    Oh great. Six TIEs trying to blow us to bits; now two coralskippers join the party; and Leia flakes out.

    ?Tobias,? Han yelled, ?You?re s?psed to be a medic, look after her!? One shot came perilously close. ?Or better yet, help us all out, sit in that chair, an? warn me if that red light comes on!? Blast it, I hope she?s alright; but if he doesn?t do the co-piloting, she?ll be space-dust, and I will not let my wife be killed?

    ?If it does, what?d it mean??

    ?It?d mean one of those ships has a target lock on us and is about to blow us to kingdom come!?

    ?So if it?s red there?s a target lock??

    ?Yeah!?

    ?Um? Han??

    ?Yeah??

    ?It?s already red.?

    The Falcon dived to the side, just in time as a flight of torpedoes swept past. Han practically swore; these TIEs were upgraded beyond the ones he?d danced with around the Death Stars. He didn?t swear, actually; he didn?t have the time, as the Falcon narrowly escaped flying straight into a Yuuzhan Vong singularity. ?Blast! They?re starting to deploy those dovin basals as weapons!? That meant it was time to test another trick the Rebels had provided the Falcon with, and Han flicked a switch that subtly transformed the laser-guns into a whole new type.

    Fixing his aim on a Vong ?skip, Han opened fire. The burst was a wide-angle shot, containing a decomposing acid the Rebels had pieced together. And, while the dovin basal swallowed most of the attack, the shot was too wide for it all to go down. In a second the ?skip had collapsed. ?Awright!?

    Lando, now conscious, groaned. ?Can?t a man get some sleep around here??

    ?Sorry, we got the neighbours from hell.?

    Luke jerked his X-wing around, somehow avoiding the singularity before him, lost in a battle so hectic it was beyond belief. A part of him was glad the enemy ships were so densely packed; they kept crashing into one another. To prove the point, a TIE that had been pursuing the Jedi Master flew straight into the black hole Luke had just avoided. ?Artoo, open up ship wide communications. Skywalker to all ships. Our best chance is to get out of here. That ship?s between us and safety, so we go through the Maw.? He heard a chatter of fear all across the board. ?I?ll lead the way. Follow me in exact detail when we get to the black hole cluster.?

    Why couldn?t anything go right?

    Luke was forced to ask that question again when, a moment later, a coralskipper was between him and escape. This pilot wasn?t so good as the others, and the dovin basals were being deployed almost too slowly. Perhaps this one wasn?t as well trained.

    Uncle Luke, no!

    Impossible. The Force sense was so familiar, Luke thought he was dreaming; but no, it was there, he could feel it so clearly and vibrantly. It was a presence he had never expected to encounter again, not in his wildest dreams.

    ?Anakin?!?? Luke called the word out vocally as well as through the Force.

    For a moment Han?s jaw dropped as he heard the communication, then Leia spoke up - awake again, and with tears streaming down her face and an unspeakable joy in h
     
  22. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Anybody out there?
     
  23. Jade_Fel_Horn

    Jade_Fel_Horn Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2002
    Wonderful Post!
     
  24. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Than JFH! Glad you're enjoying it!
     
  25. J_K_DART

    J_K_DART Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Mon Calamari was an unusual headquarters for the Rebellion, but a viable one nonetheless. Although the invaders had blocked many of the ?easy? Hyperspace routes, it was impossible to block all routes, and the sheer improbability of the base made it work. On this water-world, there was a time of reunion.

    As Leia and Han embraced their son, Luke stood to the side, rejoicing in the moment. Anakin?s death had been a tragedy, a striking blow to the morale of the Republic, especially coming simultaneous with the capture of Coruscant. This small, personal victory was the first sign of hope, like the first flicker of daylight dispelling the darkest and bleakest of nights. Luke didn?t mind the fact that there were tears on his face; as he?d once told Han, tears show you care.

    Shaking off his emotions, Luke watched the incoming X-wings as they finally landed. Jaina Solo was out before her X-wing had really stopped moving, and joined the little huddle of Solos in this, the happiest day of her life. Luke revelled in the joy of it. Then, the Jedi Master set off over to the X-wings, a wide grin on his face as Kyp Durron clambered out of his ship. ?Kyp! I owe you a lot of thanks!?

    The two had many differences, and both had argued against the other on many occasions. This was a truce, of sorts, and the two Jedi warmly clasped hands, both pleased.

    Over to another corner, Mara had thanks of her own to give. ?You probably saved our lives, Karrde. We owe you a lot.?

    ?Just you remember it when the Republic returns to power, eh?? Although the reply was pretty mercenary, the warmth of tone belied the words.

    The reunions were to come to an end far too quickly. Mara sensed Luke?s prompt, and stopped Karrde from going. ?I have a feeling Luke wants you at a meeting he?s arranged, Karrde.?

    Luke gave the Solos ten minutes before interrupting them - and hated himself for doing it. ?I?m sorry about this, but we?re holding a meeting - Wedge has arranged it at my order. We have? a lot of important things to discuss.?

    And so it was that, ten minutes later, in the captain?s office of a Mon Cal warship, many of the leaders of the Rebellion and the Jedi Knights met. There was Luke, the Jedi Master, the man in charge of this meeting; General Antilles, one of the most experienced in the Republic; Ackbar, a Mon Cal forced out of retirement; Leia, Han, Anakin and Jaina; the skilled pilot Jag Fel; Kyp Durron; and Mara. Nobody was quite sure why, but Han and Leia insisted on Tobias accompanying them. In general, a small, select group. And it was to them that Luke made his point.

    ?It hasn?t been a good day for the Rebellion. The Peace Brigade and the Yuuzhan Vong have shut down Kessel, a major source of finances. Worse, I suspect the spice-spiders on Kessel will be? shaped? into a whole new range of Vong weapons. They can absorb energy and survive in vacuum. We have to fear the Yuuzhan Vong will be producing some very dangerous creatures in the near future. While we have indeed had some very personal victories -? Here Luke glanced at Anakin ? - We also have a personal problem. That problem is simple. The Yuuzhan Vong attacked a meeting of the Rebel leaders. There is no way the Vong could have known where the meeting was taking place, and we can be certain their attack was no coincidence. Ladies and gentlemen, in our midst is a traitor - a quisling, betraying us to the Yuuzhan Vong. Worse, it?s somebody in the know.

    ?On the other hand, we?ve had some great boosts to morale today - one boost in particular. Anakin, I wouldn?t mind hearing how you survived your death??

    It was then that Luke began to feel truly uneasy; he sensed confusion, and that rang strangely. Luke was sure the Force was telling him something as Anakin began to speak, but he couldn?t quite say what. ?I don?t actually know, Uncle Luke. I woke in a Shaper damutek on Coruscant, where they were planning to shape me. They were using ysalamiri to block me off from the Force, but they had the range wrong, so I got out. It was easy to steal aboard a coral
     
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