Beyond - Legends Phantom of the Past (Completed 6/7)

Okay, I said I'd try and get a post ready, and here it comes. Where'd everybody go, anywho?


"Thank you for your hospitality, Queen Mother," Padme said to Teneniel as she exited the shuttle that had brought her down to Hapes from the orbiting frigate. "I hope my imposition won't be too long."

"Your arrival is no imposition to us, Master Jedi," Teneniel replied, showing the same formality that the former Chancellor had shown. "We are honored by your presence." She smiled. "But let's set formality aside, shall we?" Teneniel asked as soon as they were far enough from the omnipresent bodyguards to speak privately.

"That is most welcome," Padme said. "I'm still not sure why the Council sent me here. I should be on Coruscant, where I can actually do some good."

"From what my parents have told me, there is some fear on the Council's part for your life. Given your relationship to Padme Amidala, there's a chance that this new Dark Lord might come looking for you."

"I think I can handle myself," Padme replied.

"I've also thought of something that the Council may not have. As a former Chancellor of the Republic, you could prove a valuable hostage, should this new Dark Lord choose to play that sort of game."

"I somehow doubt he's willing to expose himself so publicly. So far, all I've seen are feints and shadow games."

"Feints and shadow games are what the Sith do best. One needs only look at Palpatine's rise to power to know that. I'm just thankful he didn't move more fully into the Consortium. My great-grandmother's lust for power was bad enough."

"You think it likely, then, that this Sith Lord will make a move on Hapes?"

"I do. Sitting between the Rim, and Coruscant, we could prove a valuable staging point, should his power increase to the point that he chooses to confront the Republic directly."

"You see this as another Geonosis?"

"I hope not. But if there is to be another round of destruction akin to the Clone Wars, I want to see it stopped as soon as possible. Both as Queen Mother and Jedi Knight, I seek to strive for peace. But as both, I must fight when the terms dictate."

"Then should the conflict reach Hapes, know that I will be standing beside you," Padme said.

"Let us both hope it doesn't," Teneniel said. "Because if it does, while I will be honored to stand at your side, those attacking Hapes will rue the day they intrude upon the safety of my people."

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



That's it for now. More will be coming sometime this weekend.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Nice posts. Poor Alema. Interesting thought of Padme as a hostage. More

 

yoda: Things really aren't looking good, are they?


No post tonight, but I should be able to get something up tomorrow. That apprentice of DRL has dropped in on this fic the last week, which is partly the reason for the somewhat unpredicatable posting.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Okay, I think it's time we head back to the battle, where something is about to come as a bit of a surprise to some...





The Republic forces seemed to be on the verge of driving the Hutts' fleet back into the atmosphere of Nal Hutta. Jaina's Twin Suns harassed the fighters guarding the rear of the retreating Hutt ships, but there was little room for them to run. "This is Commander Jaina Solo Fel of the Republic to all Hutt fighters. Surrender now, and you will not be fired upon."

The words had barely left her mouth when a flicker of motion caught her eye. Something had just dropped out of hyperspace. More reinforcements, she thought, catching sight of their transponder codes. But what is Brentaal's defensive force doing here?

She got her answer as the new ships, including a trio of Mark II Star Destroyers, opened fire. But they opened fire on the Republic forces, not those of the Hutts. What in the name of the Force is going on, Jaina wondered. She flipped her comm over to the connection with Jag. "Jag, what's going on up there?"

"We're not quite sure, Twin Lead," he said, his voice professional. Admiral Midanyl just requested confirmation that those ships are what they appear to be."

"She'd better do it fast," Jaina said, slewing her fighter to port to avoid a blast from one of the newly arrived Destroyers. She swung around, scanning the sky for another target, when a Mark III A wing dove towards her, it's pair of lasers blistering her shields. Somebody want to remind me why we upgraded Brentaal's forces?

"Twin Lead," Jag's voice came back. "The admiral was just rebuffed by the head of the Brentaal forces. They claim that they will no longer support 'the tyranny of Coruscant.'"

"Tell me you're joking," Jaina said as she flipped the X-Wing to bring the A-wing into her sights. She targeted it, and fired, the quad lasers punching through the relatively weak shields of the A-Wing.

"No joke, Lead. Looks like you just got some new playmates."

Playmates who would like me dead," Jaina thought, then flipped her comm back to the squad frequency. "Twin Leader to squad. We've just gotten some new hostiles. One Flight, we've got the A-Wings. Two Flight, take those Defenders. Three Flight, you've got the Y-Wings."

"Any reason why we're firing on ships that should be on our side?" came the voice of Serena Rallim, the daughter of one of the TIE pilots who'd served under Baron Soontir Fel, and head of Three Flight. Her voice had the hard edge it always seemed to take in battle, giving the lie to her delicate features.

"Apparently their government has gone crazy. Leave them alive if you can, but I don't want anybody taking any risks they don't need to. May the Force be with us."

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




That;s it for now. More to come on Monday, methinks.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Okay, I guess I'll have to up this thing with a post.



"So, you have finally arrived," Ankin said, stepping out of the tower to confront Maaizeh and Kam as they approached. He shrugged off the black cloak, revealing padded armor designed to recall that of Darth Vader. The two Jedi Masters shrugged off their own cloaks, and drew their lightsabers, but did not ignite them.

"You can still surrender," Maaizeh said. He and Kam had already discussed how they would handle dealing with the Dark Lord when they made their presence known. "I can feel the power within you. The hate you feel is not what it seems."

"What do you know of hate, Jedi?" Ankin sneered. "And what do you know of true power, having never touched the Dark Side of the Force. Your feeble tricks are nothing to one who has mastered the stronger side of the Force."

"Stronger?" Kam said. "Don't make me laugh. You know that the two sides are equal. The Dark Side may be quicker, but the faster flame burns out sooner."

"Quote metaphors all you like, Jedi. But the end of this day will find your bodies at my feet," Ankin replied, igniting the double-bladed lightsaber. "Come then, and meet your destiny."

The two Jedi ignited their sabers, Kam's a sulfurous yellow, and Maaizeh's the same violet blade that Mace Windu had preferred. In fact, Maaizeh's own lightsaber seemed to be almost a duplicate of Mace Windu's It was odd, he thought, how some things worked out. He stepped forward, his blade coming around in a wide arc designed to draw the blades out of line, setting Kam up to slash in at the Sith Lord. But the Sith was quick, his blade coming up to meet Maaizeh's, then turning it away, even as he flipped the saber to block Kam's strike.

He's good, Maaizeh thought, as he increased the speed of his own strikes against the Sith Lord, who began to dance around the Jedi, his scarlet blades seeming to form a globe around him. Then, as if things weren't bad enough he leapt up to a ledge...and separated the hilt.

Where do I remember that from? Maaizeh said, the memory teasing him by not coming to the forefront. Then the Sith was once more upon them, his blades keeping both Masters at bay.

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


That's it for now. I'm hoping to post some more on Wednesday, so cross 'em if you got 'em.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

the double hilt seperated? Sort of like Asajj's saber. Seems I only missed two here. That's good. Great posts. This reminds me of episode 1. Up!

 

yoda: I was actually thinking of Asajj when I decided to do that. I just think it adds more versatility. Glad you've enjoyed the last couple posts.


Valin jolted out of a half-doze as his astromech chirped a warning that the squadron was about to drop out of hyperspace. "Okay, let's see what we've got," he said to himself as the sky became starlines, and resolved themselves into stars. He reflexively pulled up as a X-Wing went streaking by, pursued by what he could have sworn was an A-Wing.

"Unidentified starfighter, you have entered restricted airspace," a voice said with the clipped tones of a professional soldier. "Identify yourself or you will be fired upon."

"This is Jedi Master Valin Horn. To whom am I speaking, and what in the name of the Sith is going on here?"

"Valin?" came a familiar voice, but one that the Jedi Master wasn't quite able to place for the moment. "This is Jag Fel. It would seem that at least on of the Republic's systems has decided to throw in with the Hutts."

"So that would explain why an A-Wing was hunting an X-Wing. I've got a squadron of fighters here. Where can we be of assistance?"

"Probably over near Admiral Streavon's cruiser. Once the newcomers showed up, it seemed like the Hutt fighters went immediately for the Admiral."

"I take it Jaina's already in the thick of it?"

"You think I could keep her from it? No way. When these guys showed up, ahe and Twin Suns went after them like they were Yuuzhan Vong."
"Sounds like they picked the wrong side," Valin said with a smile.

"The fighters did. But the three Impstars they brought with them have done a wallop. They've actually managed to do some damage to the flagship."

"What about the slaves? Has anybody actually been able to get to ground?"

"I really don't know, Master Horn. It's possible, but given the fighting up here, I'd say that everybody's got other things on their mind."

"Understood," Valin replied. "We'll see what we can do. May the Force be with you."

"And you, Master Horn."

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



More with the Wraiths to come in the next post, probably tomorrow or Monday.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Most interesting space battle.Now Valin and the others join. Aren't the wraiths on planet?

 

yoda: Yup, Valin and his squadron of Jedi have indeed arrived. And the Wraiths are on planet, Jag just doesn't know about it.



And here's the next postie, dealing with the aforementioned Wraiths.


"I don't think she's here," Alema muttered as she and the rest of the Wraiths made their way through what had been slave warrens. They'd found a few slaves remaining, so badly malnourished and beaten that Doran wanted to run the owner through with a lightsaber. But that way leads to the Dark Side, he told himself, as well as realizing the Hutt had indeed fled.

"We'll keep searching, at least for a little longer," Doran said, hoping that his voice didn't show his defeat. If his mother was this far down, chances were that she wasn't even alive anymore. But he hadn't felt her death, and therefore held out hope.

"Doran!" came the voice of Olias from one of the side passages. "I think you'd better see this!" Doran rushed back up the path he'd tread, and down towards where the light of Olias's glowrod was shining. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what the other man was referring to.

Chained to the wall, a collar around her neck, hung his mother. She looked as though she hadn't been fed, and her eyes looked glazed over. "get her down from there," he ordered his fried, his own body moving to support Tyria as Olias loosened the restraints. He could see angry red marks where the force of gravity had pressed into his mother's wrists. She looked up at him, and smiled.

"I knew you'd come for me," she said, her voice weak. "I knew that, no matter what, you'd find a way to follow me. You get that drive from your father."

"I just knew that I couldn't abandon you," Doran said, aware that Olias had quietly withdrawn, in order to give his commanding officer some privacy. "Now, we need to get you out of here. Do you think you can walk?"

Tyria pulled just a little out of his grasp. "They may have tried to make a slave out of me," she said, her hands reaching to pull at the collar around her neck, "but that doesn't mean I'm helpless." The collar refused to budge. "Though we might have a problem."

"Not really," Doran said, pulling a weapon he rarely drew from his belt. He ignited the lightsaber, the orange blade giving the rock walls an almost molten look. "Hold still." With one quick slice, the collar dropped to the floor.

"Thank you, my son," Tyria said, and with a little help from Doran made her way out of the slave warrens, to where Elassar waited, ready to offer any treatment that might be required.

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



That's it for now. More will be coming tomorrow, I think.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

I'm lurking again in the throes of a job hunt, but keep on chuggin'.

*resumes lurkage*

 

Sebby: Ahh, the thrills of job hunting. I know the feeling, believe me. Just drop in when you get a chance.



"This is crazy," Jaina said, as she dove to avoid the rapid fire shots of an oncoming A-Wing. "I thought coralskippers were annoying, but this is worse!"

"Keep it down, Twin Lead," came rather familiar voice. She looked to one side to see a green and black X-Wing bear down on the skip that had been hunting her.

"Valin? What in the...no, wait. I don't think I want to know."

"You probably don't, Twin One. Just thought we'd let you know that we were here," he said, as his X-Wing veered off, hunting down an errant B-Wing that had somehow gotten separated from its squadron.

"You wouldn't happen to know what Coruscant's planning on doing about this, would you?"

"Not a clue. Though I don't know how much they can do. We might consider ourselves lucky that it's only one system."

"Do you really believe that," Jaina said, bringing a Headhunter into her sights. Just as she was about to press down on the trigger, a laser blast slammed into her, and her artoo unit, Cappie, wailed. "Hang on," Jaina told the droid, swinging the fighter about in a loop that should have brought her attacker into her sights. But she just barely caught sight of the snubfighter as it corkscrewed away. "Twin Two, where are you?"

"Off to port," Twin Two said, swinging into view. "I got caught up in a small furball."

"I could use some cover."

"I'm your wing," Twin two said, settling back off to the side. Jaina throttled up, hoping to overshoot the opposing fighter. She then killed her own velocity, forcing the other to overshot her - and end up right in the middle of her crosshairs. A quad laser blast ended the fight.

"Nice move," Valin said.

"Haven't you got something you're supposed to be doing?" Jaina asked, a little irritated.

"And ruin Kyp's fun?" Valin laughed. "I suppose I could get on with things. Looks like you've got the situation in hand." Then, as if summoned by something other than the Force, two more flights of X-Wings rose from the surface.

"By the Force," Jaina muttered, "what next?"

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


Okay, that's it for tonight's post. I hope to have the next part up by Wednesday. Hang in there, this thing is starting to reach the wrapping up point.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Okay, little bit longer postie than usual for me, but I couldn't really find a good place to break this scene up. Enjoy!



Jaden brought her fighter down, settling it in one of the bogs of the Hutt planet. "Great," she muttered. "It figures that the only place I could land would be the middle of a swamp. And I doubt I'll be lucky enough to encounter a Jedi Master, as Master Skywalker did."

She pulled her climbed out of the cockpit, onto one of the X-Wing's S-foils, then reached back into the cockpit and pulled out her lightsaber and a blaster. There's no way I'm marching into a Hutt stronghold unarmed, she thought as she dropped lightly to the ground, her feet sinking into the soft earth. Now if I only knew which way to go. She knew her position relative to Lamag's palace, but doubted that the Hutt would be there, given the orbital battle. Instead, she sat down on a low tree branch, closed her eyes, and reached for the Force.

She was hoping to find some sense of Alema, but found that her sense was being thrown off. Alema seemed subdued in the Force, and she seemed to be getting reflections of the other Twi-lek as well. What in the Force? Jaden wondered, opening her eyes just in time to a large, many-toothed serpent drop down from the trees. Her saber blazed into existence, and cut the snake in half. Guess I'd better get moving, she thought, before something else thinks I look like dinner.

Sloshing through the bogs of Nal Hutta was not exactly what she had in mind, but it wasn't the worst thing either. Beats Vjun, hands down, she thought, recalling the garbage pit that had nearly killed bother her and Kyle Katarn. She had to deal with a few more of the falling vipers, but realized that she could usually tell when they were about to fall, and bring her saber up to catch them before they could do any damage.

She paused occasionally, still trying to get a firm reading on Alema, but it seemed like the closer she got, the harder it became to pin her down. The other Jedi had been in motion earlier, but Jaden now sensed a halt. A sail barge, she thought. The Hutt's taken flight in his sail barge, and dragged Alema along with him.

Unexpectedly, her comlink bleeped. "Master Korr," the voice said, and Jaden thought, through the distortions caused most likely by distance, that it sounded like Doran Sarkin-Tainer.

"I'm here," Jaden said.

"This is Doran," the other said, confirming Jaden's suspicion. "We just got word that you'd landed on planet. It seems the Hutts have taken flight. They've left behind all of their slaves, some in pretty bad shape."

"Then get word to the fleet. I've got my own concerns to worry about. I don't think they left behind all their slaves, only those that they could afford to do without."

"You mean..."

"Yes. They've taken the slaves they value most with them. My guess is that they'll try to pass them off as paid servants when Admiral Midanyl makes her way down here. I think I've got the location pinned down."

"You want some backup? I sent most of the Wraiths back up to play with the fighters but One Flight..."

"No," Jaden replied, cutting him off. "I'm going in alone. We show up as a unified front, it'll only make them start running again."

"If running is the right word for it," Doran replied. "Very well. May the Force be with you, Master Korr."

"And you, Doran," Jaden said, then clicked the comlink off. The fewer methods the Hutts could use to track her, the better, she thought, continuing through the swamp until she came across the most massive sail barge she'd ever seen. It was tethered to a pair of trees, but looked ready to take flight at a moment's notice. Jaden slipped up to one of the trees, grabbed hold of a line, and thought, here goes nothing.

She climbed up the tether, until she was close enough to one of the viewports. She peeked in, finding it momentarily empty. She pulled her lightsaber, and sliced through the viewport. Using the Force to hold the section she'd cut, she slipped into the sail

 

Okay, I'm a day late getting this out, but here's the next post.

Maaizeh, despite being caught up in the intricate patterns of the Vapaad, could feel his muscles beginning to tire. The Sith, however, seemed to be feeling no such weariness.

"You see now the true nature of the Force," he said, mocking both Jedi Maters at once. "While the weaker light allows you to tire, the Dark allows me the strength it will take to...finish you," he said, one of his scarlet blades flashing to one side and biting deep into Kam's stomach, burning through, flesh, blood, and bone.

It was as though time seemed to slow down. Kam's face, focused on the duel before, slackened, his eyes registering the sudden pain. Then, slowly, his body fell backward, the blade continuing to cut until the Jedi Master's body slipped from it. The Sith then turned. "Now, with that distraction out of the way, Master Windu, shall we finish what we started?"

Maaizeh suddenly realized that he hadn't merely been facing an upstart Sith. That last move was one that Mace Windu had taught to Anakin Skywalker, a maneuver that should have died with Anakin and Obi-Wan. Yet here, now, this Sith was fighting the same way Anakin had during some of his sparring matches in the Temple. If Maaizeh was right, then the question didn't just refer to the duel here, but to another that had taken place a century ago.

"There will never be peace until we do, will there?" Maaizeh said, centering himself, and raising his blade once more, saluting his opponent.

The Sith raised one of his blades, in return, then lashed out with the other. Maaizeh blocked it, just barely. Then, almost without thinking, he called Kam's saber to his other hands. The odds were even.

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


That's all for now. I'll be taking tomorrow off, but look for something on Monday.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Yikes poor kam. Guess he's joining his apprentice. Go Maaizeh.

 

Yup, poor Kam has made his final jump. But his apprentice still lives, remember. Yoric isn't dead yet, though he might be by the time Maaizeh gets to him.



Jaden slipped into the barge, replacing the circle of transparisteel, and wedging it in there as tightly as possible. As long as the barge didn't shake too much, it should hold, she thought. Now to find those stinkin' Hutts.

"The little Jedi returns," a deep voice said, and Jaden realized she wouldn't have to go far. "You've come to rescue your comrade in arms." Jaden spun to see what appeared to be an overweight lump of flesh on a repulsor sled.

"You should just surrender," she replied, igniting one blade and raising it to a guard position. The Hutt wouldn't have made his presence known without securing backup. Backup that was most likely well armed, she though to herself. "The Senate may decide to be merciful."

"The Senate will destroy our way of life. They will insist on regulating all trade from Nal Hutta."

"You defied the Senate once, and escaped with a slap on the wrist. Instead of learning from your mistake, you instead defy the rule of law...again. And this time, you have brought your own punishment upon your heads."

The Hutt laughed, not a pleasant sound at all in Jaden's opinion. "Little Jedi, the Republic cannot remain spotless. No matter how they handle this situation, they lose. Already systems have seen that the Senate is returning to what is was under Palpatine, a body without the will to oppose those who would pervert the Republic."

"The Senate is acting against those who would deny sentient beings their basic rights," Jaden argued. "Beings like yourself who are so consumed with greed that they would deny others the right to pursue their dreams."

"The Republic will fall, but we Hutts will continue. It seems you do not have as enlightened an opinion of the truth as your fellow," the Hutt said. "I shall enjoy watching you die."
"Jabba told Master Skywalker the same thing. I should have thought you would have learned from his example."

"I suppose that was supposed to frighten me," Okkuu said. "Farewell, little Jedi." Jaden soon found herself in the middle of a hail of blasterfire. The first few bolts caught her off guard, and she deflected them anywhere she could, walls, ceiling, floor, whatever was available. Slowly, she began working the blades of the double-bladed saber to deflect the bolts back in the direction they'd come from. She couldn't see her opponents, hidden as they were in the gloom of the barge, but she could hear the cries as blaster bolts burned their way into bodies. Soon, she stood, alone, and deactivated one of the blades.

"Take me to Alema," she said.

"Little Jedi, you do not frighten me. Nor do you intimidate me."

"Then I see no reason to allow your crimes to continue." She cocked her arm back, and threw the lightsaber. Spinning through the air, it cut deep into the shoulder of the slowly moving mass of Hutt. The Hutt writhed in pain, but Jaden walked by, calling the lightsaber to her hand as she did so. "You'll live. But maybe the pain you've suffered will teach you the importance of respecting all life." She then passed Okkuu, making her way deeper into the barge.

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



That's it for now. More to come Wednesday.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Just a quick up, so that this doesn't sink. More will be coming tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out the songfic over in the Saga Forum.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Okay, here's today's postie.



In the space over Nal Hutta, the tide of battle had once again turned in favor of the Republic. Between the squadrons that had accompanied Jag Fel's flotilla and the squadron of Jedi led by Valin Horn, the new fighters brought from Brentaal had found themselves outnumbered, outgunned, and outflown. The Anakin Solo had settled into orbit around the Hutt world, and dispatched five assault shuttles loaded with ground troops.

Jaina found herself flying a holding pattern near the monstrous Star Destroyer, just in case a new threat jumped into the system from hyperspace. She had just come around the bridge tower when she spotted it, a single snubfighter completely out of formation. "Cappie, get me an ID on that fighter."

THE FIGHTER IS NOT TRANSMITTING ANY IDENTIFICATION. IT IS ALSO REFUSING MY INQUIRIES, the droid replied, its whistles translated to text scrolling across Jaina's screen.

That's odd, Jaina thought. The hostiles have been neutralized for the most part, and the A-Wings ought to have things pretty well in hand. "Hang on, Cappie, we're going in for a closer look." she also sent a message to the flight control officer aboard Jag's flagship, the Baron's Wing. Then she boosted power to the engines, shooting towards the unidentified fighter.

It was only as she approached the fighter that she thought to reach out with the Force. And what she got when she did turned her blood to ice. It wasn't the void that she'd sensed when facing a Yuuzhan Vong, but something far worse. It was like an emotional black hole, full of rage, anger, hatred, and a touch of self-loathing. All the dark emotions, and all within a single ship. She flipped over to the comm frequency she'd used when communication with Valin. "Twin Lead to Jedi Lead. You busy, Valin?"

"Not really. The A-Wings ran into a bit of a snag, but Zekk's flight seems to have them well in hand. Why?"

"I think I just found our darksider. Look for a snubfighter lurking at the edge of the system."

"Got it," Valin said. "It's not a type of craft I've seen before. You want a bit of cover?"


"Not right now. I want to see how he reacts to a flyby. But be ready to jump in if things get ugly."

"Roger that, Twin Lead."

Jaina switched back to an open frequency. "Unidentified fighter, this is Twin Suns Leader. Identify yourself."

The voice that came back surprised Jaina a bit. "Master Fel. I was wondering how long it would take you to find me. Tell Master Skywalker that my husband sends his regards." The channel closed, and the enemy fighter leapt forward, almost as though on a collision course. Jaina jerked her own fighter to port, and caught sight of a pair of canted wings, and an almost ball-shaped cockpit. Unusual power signature, she thought, glancing down at the readings she'd gotten as she circled about, looking for the fighter. "Where'd she go?"

Valin's voice came over the comm. "Jumped into hyperspace just after it got by you. What was that?"

"I don't know. But something tells me that Master Skywalker might. Were you able to get a possible endpoint for the jump?"

"Just a minute," Valin said, checking with his own astromech, inherited from his father, Corran. "Whistler says we're looking at Hapes."

"Then send a message to the Queen Mother. Tell her trouble might be on the way."

"With the Hapans, isn't that normal?" Valin asked, though Jaina detected no humor in his voice. "I take it you'll be accompanying us back to Chandrila?"

"I'm headed there as soon as I confirm with Jag," Jaina relied. "Cappie, plot me a course to Chandrila." Things are definitely coming to a head, she thought.

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



That's it for now. More might be coming tomorrow, but if not, look for something Friday.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Padmè's in trouble. Midia is no doubt going after her.

 

yoda: Is she going after Padme? Or is there somebody else on Hapes whose death would cause even more chaos? Oh, and any guesses about what type of ship she was flying?



Maaizeh worked the pair of blades like the master that he was, but age was starting to finally play a role in the confrontation. As much as Maaizeh didn't want to admit it, he wasn't as young as he used to be, and fatigue played more of a role. His arms were growing tired, and even the Force couldn't make up the difference.

"Give in to the darkness," the Sith taunted him. "Give yourself over to the Dark Side, and join me."

"I won't do that, and pull a shroud over the galaxy. I swore long ago to oppose the darkness, and that oath is just as strong today as it was then," Maaizeh replied, ducking a swipe from one of the blades that would have taken his head off. But in doing so, he put himself off balance just slightly, and the Sith Lord capitalized on it. A kick to Maaizeh's chest sent the Jedi Master sprawling. Maaizeh leapt to his feet, bringing up one blade only to see the scarlet blade of his opponent slice through the hilt.

He flipped backward, stretching out one hand and calling upon the Force, shoving the young man backwards. Maaizeh followed this with a flurry of lunges, all of them parried by his opponent. "You fight well," Maaizeh said. "But how many hands to do you see?" And with that, he began weaving together a pattern of attacks designed to draw his opponent off balance, and then...the Jedi Master struck, his violet blade slicing straight through the Sith's right-hand blade.

He only hand a moment to savor the victory, however, as the Sith called upon the Dark Side and unleashed a volley of purple lightning, some of which Maaizeh was able to block, but not all of it. What he wasn't able to catch on the lightsaber's blade seared through his muscles, and he felt the blade drop from his hand. He felt himself being lifted from the ground, and fought the grip, but the battle had taken its toll.

"You've fought well, Master Windu. But like all the Jedi, unless you will join the Dark Side, your day is over."

"I told you before, I will not turn."

"A pity," the Sith said, and clenched the fist around Maaizeh's throat. "Goodbye, Master Windu." Maaizeh's vision blackened, but he kept his gaze locked on the young Sith Lord until his vision went to black.

Ankin looked down at the crumpled body of the Jedi Master. Such a waste, he thought. If only he had understood the truth. But that was one reason the Jedi had to be confronted. They needed to be shown the truth, to be instructed in it. Only then could the rule of the Sith be complete, and order restored.

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



That's it for now. More to come tomorrow, after I check out The Punisher.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Okay, here's today's post.


Jaden made her way deeper into the Hutt sail barge, encountering a few sections that had been booby-trapped, but against average intruders. For a Jedi, they posed no threat at all. One she had sensed long before reaching the point, and had counteracted easily. Now, she reached what seemed to be the audience chamber aboard the large vessel.

"So you have returned, Trader Una," Lamag said from within. "But no slaves to sell this time, I presume?"

"That would be correct. The time has come for you to release those you hold in slavery."

"And if we refuse? What if we simply choose to kill the slaves, rather than risk prosecution? If we deny the Republic the evidence they need, then what can the courts do?"

"The Republic will have the evidence of my own eyes," Jaden replied. "And should you kill your slaves, you will find yourselves charged with murder as well. I promise you, the courts will not look kindly on that sort of behavior."

"Trader Una..."

"That would be Jedi Jaden Korr to you," Jaden said, her voice cold as ice. "There is no negotiating, Lamag. You will release your slaves, and you will do it now."

"I will do as you request, Master Jedi," the Hutt said. "Before I do, however, I would like ask how you intend to prove that you've freed all the slaves. Or do you intend to force that information from me at the point of a lightsaber?"

"I'll leave the interrogations to the police," Jaden said. "And the first one I want to be freed is the one chained to your dais." The lightsaber sailed through the air, slicing through the chains holding Alema.

"Of course, your fellow Jedi. So lithe, and so...valuable." The Hutt's smile was almost enough to make Jaden sick. Alema rose, taking her place beside her fellow Jedi.

"You'll pay for your crimes, you piece of slime," Alema said. "And I will be there to see that justice is done. Not vengeance, but justice. And if razing Nal Hutta is what it takes to show you Hutts that slavery is not acceptable, then so be it."

Jaden had pulled her comlink, contacting Admiral Midanyl. She gave the location of the barge, requesting additional troops to aid in the rescue of the other slaves. Once the Republic troops descended on the barge, she and Alema boarded a shuttle to return to Anakin Solo.

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


That's it for now, more to come soon, perhaps even tomorrow evening.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

MAIZEH! Poor Windu. Second time anakin got him. Alema will hopefully see justice served.

 

yoda: Believe me, killing Maaizeh wasn't something I took lightly, especially given the time I'd taken developing back in Return of the Council. But for the sake of the story, it had to happen.


Now, the question of our other Sith's whereabouts will be answered.


This is almost too perfect, Midia thought as her ship sailed between two Hapan Battle Dragons. They hadn't seen her, and had been unable to detect her fighter as well. She recalled her first reaction upon seeing it when Ankin presented it to her.

"It looks like a long-nosed TIE."

"But unlike a TIE, it has a hyperdrive, shields, and most importantly, a cloaking device. You should be able to slip into the Coruscant system right under the Republic's nose."

"And you think that will serve our ends?"

"If you took out the Senate, the Republic would be thrown into chaos. And then from that chaos, we would sweep in to restore order."

She had agreed that it seemed sound, but in the back of her mind had planned something else entirely. Striking at Coruscant could bring the Republic down upon our heads, she thought, and we aren't ready. Especially after you sent out primary defense to aid the Hutts.

And now the Hutts appeared to have fallen, and taken the Brentaal forces down with them. Even worse, she believed that the fleet now orbiting Nal Hutta would make Brentaal their next target. She had sent a message to Ankin from Nar Shaddaa that the forces of Raltiir would be needed. "Their leader is already in our power, she said, and will do our bidding." She had then waited out the battle, hoping that her thoughts had been wrong. Then she'd been confronted by Jaina Fel, and forced to flee.

Ah, but the wounded animal is the most dangerous she thought, as is one that's been driven from safety. You may think you've won, but you've only set in motion the events that will lead to your defeat. The fighter cruised into the heart of the Hapes Cluster, and Midia brought it through clouds, hovering close to one of the Fountain Palace's massive windows. And from the cockpit, she saw four figures standing at the window. Reaching out just slightly with the Force, she saw that all four blazed.

Of course, she thought. The Queen Mother, her parents, and the daughter of Durron. Kyp Durron, who like a fool had forsaken the Dark Side once before. His daughter will pay the price now, Midia thought, and targeted the quartet. She decloaked, just for an instant, then fired.

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


That's it for tonight. More Jaina to come Monday, I think.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

yikes 4 targets. Hope everyone is alright.

 

yoda: Four targets. Do you really think she'd miss them all?



Jaina's fighter dropped out of hyperspace in the Chandrilan system, and she immediately made contact with the Jedi Complex. She descended through the atmosphere, and set her fighter down on one of the exterior pads. Leaving her helmet and gloves in the cockpit, she made her way into the Complex.

"Jaina, what's happened?" Shmi asked, meeting her just inside the doorway.

"I'm not quite sure," Jaina replied. "But I've got some things I want to run past Tahiri, see if they've found their way into the Archives. All I know is that whoever was piloting the unknown fighter I encountered at Nal Hutta knew more than she should have about the way we work."

"You think it might be Lara?" Shmi asked, almost as though reading Jaina's mind. For she too had considered the possibility that the rogue Jedi might have been at the controls.

"I said before that it was too soon to make any guesses about what might or might not be going on. I'll report to the Council as soon as I'm finished with Tahiri."

"Hurry," Shmi said. "I'm not sure, but Master Skywalker seems a little frazzled." They split as the corridor diverged, Jaina's path taking her away from the center of the building towards the annex that contained the Jedi Archives.

"I heard you were coming," Tahiri said. "I trust you've got the records?"

"Right here," Jaina said, pulling out her datapad and transmitting the records. It took a moment for the computers to analyze, but eventually, they found a match.

"Emperor's black bones," Tahiri breathed. "Jaina, you need to let the Council know about this. Better yet, I'll come with you."

"A Sith Infiltrator?" Jaina asked, looking at the record the computer terminal displayed. "Never heard of it."

"Not many have," Tahiri said. "But Tionne showed me a few things when I took over, things that some of the Council members don't even know about."

"And this was one of them?"

"Yes. It was captured about ten years before the Clone Wars broke out, and disappeared shortly thereafter, before anybody had a chance to take a really good look at it."

"So how would somebody know what it looked like?"

"I think there's more to this than meets the eye," Tahiri said. "Are we sure that the Emperor's storehouse on Wayland was completely catalogued?"

"You're thinking that Palpatine stole the ship, and took it to Wayland?"

"I wouldn't put it past him. Look at how he maneuvered the Old Republic into destroying itself. Do you really think it would have been that hard for him to make something like this disappear?"

"Now that you mention it, no," Jaina said. "It looks like it's bigger than a standard snubfighter."

"About twice the size of an X-Wing," Tahiri said. "And worse, the original had a cloaking device."

"On a ship that small?"

"I know. But we've got to get this to the Council. Whoever built that fighter, or discovered it, knows more about the past than they should. Worse, there could be other Sith secrets out there that we don't even know about." She shut down the link between the terminal and the datapad. Both women then left the Archives, making straight for the Council chamber.

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


That's it for now. Just one more little postie for you to chew on. More to come Wednesday, including the fate of at least one of the targets.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

I had a hunch it was that ship. More soon.