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

Stranger in a Strange Land - Part 7 - Our Time Has Come - UPDATE 5/2 - Chapter 16

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction Stories--Classic JC Board (Reply-Only)' started by Whiskey in the Jar-Jar, Dec 14, 2002.

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  1. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    Hey all.

    Just thought I'd check in and let you all know I'm still alive. Just been swamped physically and mentally over the past few weeks so writing's unfortunately taken a back seat to RL.

    I've also been draining my brain playing XBox recently too. How is it a guy can sit down at 9 am on a Saturday and play a bit of Halo, only to look at the clock and see it's 3 IN THE AFTERNOON? Go figure.

    Another game I've been playing is Robotech: Invasion. I'm actually drawing inspiration from this because it's a video game version of the Invid Invasion. Now I know what the inside of a hive looks like.

    More coming soon, I hope...
     
  2. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    No prob, TDG! Remember the Halo drinking game rules: frag a relative: one shot. Frag a online foe: take a shot. [face_laugh]
     
  3. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
  4. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
  5. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    Pretty damn cool, Whiskey! :)

    Actually I was going to draw my oldest nephew's attention to your fic because he likes to draw furs in anime style: get a picture of Dalan up for ya. But this works!
     
  6. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    That would be great. That is, if he can get interested in the stuff I'd appreciate anything he can do.
     
  7. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    Ok, so I've finally overcome my block for the moment long enough to put this part together. Hopefully the new Pope'll still be alive by the time I post again :p

    Enjoy




    [b][i][u]Chapter 16 ? The Lair of the Beast
    Fallacry[/u][/i][/b]

    Ship Kid?that?s what he was called?that?s what he remembered.

    Anyone experienced in reading emotions, be it through the Force or by mere body language knew when Shon Ivasson was thinking of his past aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer [i]Roundhammer[/i]. His face would take on a seemingly wistful appearance and his voice would sound distant. His emotions would be filled with a sense of nostalgic longing, as if trying to grasp the oh so rare gems of good memories he had of that place. Born and raised aboard a mile-long capsule was by no means easy?often brutal. However, even in the darkest of times some light shone through.

    It seemed to Jaina Solo that Shon would especially remember the confining nature of the [i]Roundhammer[/i] whenever they were on assignment on some planet far from Naboo. When preparing for a negotiation or trying to calm himself, Shon would rarely meditate, instead preferring to gaze out at the horizon and open his mind to the Force. He hungered so often for the white noise of life?something that was all but muted aboard a ship. The simple aroma of fresh air was akin to a Twi?lek dancer?s perfume to him, and he craved it like an addict sometimes.

    Still, when asked if any good had come from his upbringing, Shon would wax nostalgic about the crew and the ordered fashion of his days. ?There was always something to look forward to,? he often said. ?You could set your chrono to the pulse of the ship and know exactly what was going to happen and when.? It never occurred to Shon that life outside the confines of such a ship was any different than that on the inside. When he ran away from his father, taking his older brother with him, Shon?s eyes were opened to so much it was nearly overwhelming.

    He?d studied the schematics of the standard ISD while on the [i]Roundhammer[/i], but he never grasped the true nature of the ship. The Emperor had constructed them to be harbingers of fear, a mere handful of which could obliterate all life on a designated planet. The mere sight of what his Sensei called a ?pizza wedge? was supposed to make blood run cold?to quicken heartbeats?to instil the inevitable panic one feels when in the presence of imminent death. Even now, years away from the naiveté of a ship kid, he never truly understood the impact a ship could have on a person.

    As he stared out of the [i]Millennium Falcon[/i]?s cockpit, he finally and fully understood that fear.

    [i](Musical Cue: Halo 2 Theme)[/i]

    Like a lone guardian of the fortress, the immense [i]Eclipse[/i] Class Star Destroyer drifted in geosynchronous orbit over the planet Fallacry. Against the white wispy clouds of the seemingly untouched world below, the soul-stealing blackness of the hull cast a pall over the world, as if any caught within its shadows would be forever corrupted by its menacing touch.

    Shon felt his heart skip a beat as he laid eyes on the ship. Ever since seeing the hologram of it back in Theed, he?d prayed that this was little more than a wild mynock chase. He?s hoped that beings far more sensible than he had found this ship of legend and had sent it into the nearest sun. Yet there it was, mere kilometres from him and already filing his vision.

    They?d found the [i]Prometheus[/i].

    Han, Leia, and Lando all stared out at the monstrosity before them. Seasoned veterans to the Empire?s fear tactics as they were, all of them could not deny the light, cool sheen of sweat that had formed on their brows at mere sight of this ship. Even Lando, who?d nearly been caught in a Dark Force Vortex years ago, could only sit in awe of the [i]Prometheus[/i] and wonder at the sinister impossibility of it. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the only ship orbiting the planet, or just its size, but something about it made those aboard the [i]Falcon[/i] f
     
  8. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    Oh, my newphew is really into it. I just gotta talk to him. I actually owe him a story, a story who's title I can't utter here. ;)

    And given how real life's been treating you lately over the past year, year and a half, there's no problem with posting.

    Now to the post...

    They've reached the Big One, and all is well for now. Like how you reached back for references, from Endor to Leia sensing the Emperor's death mark in space.

    And it's nice to remember that Karrde is an opportunist. But even he should know the truth: it reminds me of that Far Side pic where the bear has a target on his hide and the other bear says 'hell of a birthmark, Bernie'. In short: the bigger the object, the bigger the target.

    Now that the ogling is over, maybe they can get on the ship before certain Imperial elements have that overdue family reunion on it. :eek:

    FORWARD!
     
  9. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
  10. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    STRANGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BREW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :p
     
  11. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    *Looks around* Well, at least it's still here...figured they'd have axed this thread a month ago.

    An apology at this time wouldn't be enough to express my regret at neglecting this thread for so long. June and July have been a time of a lot of personal struggle and recovery for me, as well as an effort to look forward to the future.

    No, no one in my family's died...quite the opposite. My father's recovering well and I might actually get to see him in a week or so when I go on vacation. I've had some other battles to deal with too, most of which all but sucked the creativity right out of me.

    However, I'm feeling a lot better now and I can only hope this time that my consistency of posting will be better, as will my quality of writing (I'm such a perfectionist :p )

    So, without further ado, let the show continue...




    By the time the two ships were in range of the docking bay, the crews aboard them were prepped and ready to carry out their mission. Contrary to what Borjin had seen in the[i] Wild Karrde[/i]?s cargo hold earlier, the crates of McNerf patties were no such thing at all. Talon Karrde, smuggler that he was, had actually used the fast food establishment?s packaging to disguise a rather large shipment of highly explosive Det-Plas. Mining colonies all over the galaxy relied on this plastic-based explosive to strip away the layers of rock that separated miners from the precious metals they sought. However, with taxation on the rise in the Republic and freighters in short supply, smugglers like Karrde found a lucrative market in hauling this material around.

    Today, however, the only reward would be the death of a dark legend.

    Aboard the [i]Falcon[/i], Jaina and Shon made sure to check their weapons before the ship entered the docking bay of the[i] Prometheus.[/i] For Jaina, this meant a quick visual inspection of her lightsabre and a rapid mental scan of herself to ensure the Force was there and ready to do her bidding should the need arise. Long ago she would have strapped on a blaster of some sort, but her years of training as a Jedi had all but eliminated her dependency on such weapons.

    The same, however, could not be said for Shon. His lightsabre clipped to his belt, the rogue talent spent the next few minutes adding several small but deadly weapons to his robes. A pair of spring-loaded batons found their way into a leg pocket, while the soles of his shoes now housed small, hardened plastic wafers capable of cutting rope or prying panels off of walls. On his belt he added a pouch filled with electrostatically charged shurikens, and pocketed a half-dozen hollow durasteel spheres in his tunic.

    Jaina watched in disappointed fascination as her Padawan armed himself less like a Jedi and more like a Mystril. Of course, she knew much of this came from Dalan?s training, and she grudgingly had to admit that having more than one weapon at one?s disposal was prudent in a situation like this. Still, she could not see her former Master endorse such a thing, nor could she see anyone on the Jedi Council do so.

    Shon unclipped his lightsabre and gazed at it, focusing his mind on the weapon and at the same time opening his mind to the Force. Through visions and memories, he let his consciousness drift forward to the uncertain future, searching for the vision that had kept him going all these years?the vision that had kept him on the side of the Light. He searched now for his purpose to aid in focusing his mind.

    Ever since seeing it on Naboo two years ago, the vision of Shon and some faceless Padawan sparring and laughing together had dominated the rogue talent?s thoughts. He?d decided then that this was his destiny: To pass on his knowledge and training to another generation of Jedi?a generation that would be an even greater force for peace in the galaxy. Whenever he felt things were hopeless, Shon would recall that vision and it alone would spur him onward. So long as he remained in the Light that vision would someday become a reality. Some day he would be t
     
  12. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    I am SOOOOOOOOOOO way late in posting, even we my own DRL issues. Sorry about that.

    It's good to hear that the clouds are breaking up around your life. My problems are pretty small compared to yours, but those clouds are lifting for the both of us. Hopefully, we'll get our writting mojos back in no time! :D

    You did really well here in description and limiting conversation. This big, nasty ship is no pleasure cruise and by the sounds of it no one was really supposed to enjoy being on it at all, if enjoyment was ever the goal that is. Nice of Karrade to have those 'tasty' patties handy, but hopefully he has enough to serve billions and billions; sounds like it's going to take at least that much to blow up such a large ship. (yeah, I know, 'billions and billions': lousy Mickey Ds reference). ')

    Anyways let's get our collective butts in gear and bust out some words! And hey: HOCKEY SEASON is just around the corner! I can't wait! :D

    FORWARD!
     
  13. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    Yep, things're finally getting back on track for me. I'm back from my vacation, saw my Dad, and was amazed at his now-positive outlook on life. He's determined to be walking with a cane by next Christmas, and I can see it happening.

    Now, all I need is a lottery win or a new job and my life will be perfect. :p

    Here's a bit of a long one for y'all, and hopefully with some time and my trusty notepad at my side, there'll be more soon.




    If she could have, she would have purred like a kitten. The sleep had done her a world of good, and now she felt refreshed and eager to tackle the day ahead. It had been a long, hard night, fraught with nightmares and horrors, but now back in the conscious world, she felt safe once more.

    She rose from her place of sleep amidst the field of wild flowers and grasses?a vast area of green mixed with a veritable rainbow of colours throughout. It was paradise to her. The aroma of the flowers was sweet?full of life and promise. She could coat herself in this scent and be the object of everyone?s affection?all of them vying for her attention.

    Yet?there was only one whose attention she wanted. Where was he? Surely such a place as this could not be enjoyed alone. She had to find him?to bring him to this place where they could both bask in this paradise of nature. Not really knowing what direction to go, she decided to let the wind decide, moving in the direction the wind now gently pushed her.

    She walked for what felt like hours, but she felt no fatigue as she approached what looked like an oasis of sorts. Amidst all the green and the flowers lay this pool of water, surrounded by several tall trees and all but sheltered from any but the most determined observer. A mischievous smile twisted on her lips as she thought of bringing him here and enjoying more intimate company, but she had to find him first. Perhaps she could refresh herself with a cool drink before carrying on.

    She approached the pool and was pleasantly surprised at what she saw. The water was a deep azure colour and her nostrils were filled with its fresh scent. She knelt down on the edge of the pool and dipped her hands into it. The water was cold but not overly so?the perfect temperature to rejuvenate the body and mind. She splashed the water onto her face and head, letting the coolness soothe her body. Afterwards, she cupped her hands in the water and brought it to her lips, drinking deeply of it and savouring the fresh flavour. Yes, she would definitely have to bring him here, if for no other reason than to have a drink and feel refreshed.

    Sated, she continued to kneel by the pool, gazing at her reflection. For some reason, she became transfixed with her image in the deep blue water, unable to turn away from it. It wasn?t vanity that kept her watching?it was something else. A movement in the water?a kind of twitch beneath her reflection that eluded her conscious sight, but appeared the instant her thoughts wandered?only to disappear once more when she focused.

    Determined to solve this riddle, she let herself wander mentally for a bit, thinking of him again and perhaps bringing him here. That?s when she saw it, only this time she continued to think of him, while keeping a lazy eye on the disturbance beneath the water. Slowly it began to take shape and it became more and more difficult for her to not focus on it, yet she did, her determination winning out.

    Her own reflection seemed to waver suddenly, replaced by that of a man?an older man?a human. He looked familiar, though not as familiar as some. His face seemed recent, as if she?d met him not that long ago. Yet she couldn?t place him in her mind. Still, the face seemed to smile at her politely, so she guessed at the very least they were friends.

    Her relief turned to horror as she watched him say something, then his eyes widened in fear as from out of nowhere a fist collided with his face, knocking him away and dissolving his image from the pool. The horror increased as the image of another familiar human
     
  14. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Nelly Belly, things have gone helly: time for some jelly....spread! :eek:

    Bjorn better get his Chiss going and find Fes, or what is left of Fes, before those beffy concoctions do more than give the heroes indigestion.

    And it's good to hear the good news, Whiskey. Very good news. :D
     
  15. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    Football season just around the corner: you know what that means.....


    PUNT!
     
  16. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
  17. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    GET UP: IT'S HOCKEY TIME!!!!!!!!!! :D
     
  18. SilverBlaze09

    SilverBlaze09 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Man, it's asleep. XD

    This is a good story; I started at the beginning and read all the way through, and I've enjoyed it. And now I shall sit and wait for the next installment.

    By the way, is it just me, or are those Mark I Dark Troopers thoroughly antisocial?

    SilverBlaze09
     
  19. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    Hey all.

    A case of literary sobriety, coupled with yet another CRAPPY year has contributed to the stalling of this little work here.

    Fret not though, dear readers, for the intoxication is slowly returning and, as time is allowing, I'm actually making progress on the next couple of posts. With any luck I'll have something this week to post.

    Oh, and welcome aboard, SilverBlaze09. Glad you like it so far. Hopefully you'll like what happens next. :D
     
  20. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    I don't know if this is the beginning of another writing binge, or a brief window of clarity, but I'm finally feeling a bit more inspired to write once again. So, without any further ado or fanfare, let's finish out this bloody chapter and move the story along, shall we?


    The mag-lev car finally slowed to a halt. As they were when they started, the group was in some kind of tunnel, away from all the macabre scenes they?d observed on their way to this place. For most of them it was a merciful end to this journey, for what they?d seen while en route to this place would surely be the source for many a nightmare to come.

    Ryn had been correct in his analysis of this transport?s purpose. It was indeed an observation vehicle, designed to give its passengers a grand overview of certain goings-on aboard the ship. At full operational status, the [i]Prometheus[/i] was more than just a warship, it seemed. It also housed within it the birthplace of things so macabre and bizarre that had the Emperor survived Endor, the galaxy would have resembled a physical, living Hell for all life.

    Cloning chambers, animal experimentation, biological warfare research, cybernetic augmentation?the mag-lev car had taken its passengers through all of this, each area more horrific than the last. While thankfully there were no living test subjects in any of these areas, anyone with a vivid enough imagination could easily envision what could take place. H?sishi, being more feral, nearly had a panic attack when she saw the huge pens and operating tables, all with bulky restraints hanging off them. Were it not for Shada helping her, the poor Togorian would have fallen unconscious.

    Everyone else tried hard to keep their feelings of revulsion hidden, but even the straight-faced Talon Karrde seemed more on-edge than before. The others were also uneasy, for unlike a dead world like Korriban, whose legacy of evil was in ruins, this ship was at least partway operational. That meant that whatever those areas were designed for had the potential of being used in the near future. While other monuments to the Sith were but part of history, this ship had the potential of being their future.

    It could not be so.

    The doors to the car slid open, soon followed by the doors to the access tunnel. Deep blue light poured into the car, illuminating everyone with a deep indigo glow. Wordlessly they all emerged from the car, Jacen and Anakin taking point to ensure the way was clear.

    The group found themselves in an immense chamber, whose ceiling was impossible to see. Where the blue light came from was impossible to determine, which only added to everyone?s growing apprehension. All they could see was the same obsidian walls and floor they?d seen before, and a single black cylinder in the apparent centre of the room several metres away.

    ?The lift,? said Ryn, recalling what he?d seen aboard the mag-lev. ?That?ll take us straight to the bridge.?

    ?Let?s get moving,? said Leia. ?The sooner we blow this thing the better.?

    Everyone seemed to agree with her statement and they set off cautiously towards the cylinder. All weapons were drawn and senses stretched to the limit, searching for danger along the way. However, save the weighted silence of the chamber and the myriad of questions on everyone?s minds, none could be seen, heard, or sensed.

    Suddenly, a large mechanical sound filled the chamber, stopping everyone in their tracks. The sounds of immense gears turning?metal sliding on metal?motors and servos whining. Then, with a final [i]BOOM[/i], the sound stopped.

    Memories of the trash compactor aboard the Death Star suddenly sprang to life in both Han?s and Leia?s minds. They?d heard a mechanical sound like that before?moments before they were destined to be crushed by the chamber?s auto-compression routine. Their pulses quickened, Han thankful his heart had been repaired all those years ago.

    ?I?ve got a bad feeling about this,? he said quietly.

    No one in the group got the chance to chastise him for making that remar
     
  21. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
    UGh, sorry for the delay in posting: I got off schedule.

    But MAN, it is great that you're posting again. Right on the mark with the tension. Finally, we have the family reunion Shon never wanted.

    Here's to more and more soon!

    FORWARD!
     
  22. SilverBlaze09

    SilverBlaze09 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2005
    I like this, especially the promise of imminent doom from Feslira running loose on a ship of such, erm, power as this one.

    And this guy just made my day, for who can help wishing lightning upon him?
    Now I'm wondering if Dalan and his gang will be sent to where the rest of the group is and the Invids mop them all up... XD

    Ah, well. If they don't, somebody else will hafta do it. XD

    Prometheus, hmm, wasn't that in ancient Greek lore? The Prometheus? Hmm, wonder if there's something to that... 8O

    Well, yeah, continue entertaining. XD This is pretty good.

    SilverBlaze09
     
  23. Whiskey in the Jar-Jar

    Whiskey in the Jar-Jar Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2000
    WHOA! FEEDBACK! :eek:


    Casper: Sure feels good to be back in the writing saddle again. That last chapter was a real grinder, trying to word things just right. Glad I pulled it off to your satisfaction and standards.

    SilverBlaze09: A Yuuzhan Vong loose on any ship like the Prometheus is cause for concern.

    Glad you like the good doctor. I'm kinda going for a combination of Dr. Hans Reinhardt from 'The Black Hole' and a bit of Zaphod from 'Hitchiker.' Hopefully it'll work out.

    And, as for our resident feline nutbar, we'll be seeing what's up with him next chapter...once my home PC is off the disabled list.

    Until then... <glug glug glug glug>
    <hic>
     
  24. SilverBlaze09

    SilverBlaze09 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Sep 30, 2005

    And if it doesn't, you can always kill him. Or have him walk into a scientific discussion on the origins of a Hutt's need to be rotund.

    XD


    Especially a Force-sensitive one. 8O


    Hmm, and the demands for patience go on and on and on... XD 8D

    Yet again do the computers prove their intention of quelching all fanfiction ambitions. XP XD

    *salutes* And may the Impeccably Cool Energy Field be with you. XD

    One thing though. I think I may just be in simple confusion due to not rereading properly, but wasn't there a Mark One Dark Trooper on the big space station on the last planet the gang visited? And wasn't it a robot? So now I'm kinda wondering about the names.

    Mark One Dark Trooper: Robot
    Mark Two Trooper: Human
    Dark Trooper: Robot

    Actually, never mind. I see the difference now. XD

    NOW the Impeccably Cool Energy Field can be with you.

    SilverBlaze09
     
  25. Casper_Knightshade

    Casper_Knightshade Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2000
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