Beyond - Legends The Life and Adventures of Marcus Howell (Post-ROTJ OCs) (Updated 12/17)

That reminds me, I need to write that Death Star 'fic...

Pfff... I've already done corruption.

Where?!

There might be something to the irony bit, but don't hold your breath. This is about pirates, after all.

Holding your breath might be good research for a "walking the airlock" scene...?

Marcus Howell stepped into the cargo bay of one of the captured freighters, drawing the eyes of many dressed as he was. His uniform, brightly colored in the style of a dashing holovid hero from a more garish era, contrasted sharply to the black cape that drapped down his back in tiers so only the middle half actually reached down to his plain gray military boots.

Nicely-described: "from a more garish era" is particularly fun...

"I wear it with pride," Marcus boasted, smiling broadly. "I like to think it's eccentric."

"Keep this up and the crew will think you're more than that," Darth retorted, glancing around suspiciously.

*snort*

The group reached the commanding officer, who saluted with a two-fingered tap above his eye. "Captain," he greeted Marcus tersely, now managing to supress his urge to laugh.



"They'll do what TIEs do for everyone," Marcus said bluntly, cheerful as always.

Try to take over the Galaxy?

?Ay ay, Captain Spiffy!? Darth replied melodramatically, saluting sharply and clicking his heels together.

?You really do look a little stupid in that outfit, sir,? Gloval mumbled hesitantly.

?The things I have to put up with around here?? Marcus sighed, shaking his head as he looked down at his uniform. ?I like it.?



So this one's comedy, huh?

Or was that scene just faintly absurd?

I liked it, either way!!

Though I could still see it all ending in tears for Marcus, Darth and Ric...

Hurry up and update?

- The Imperial Ewok

 

?Ay ay, Captain Spiffy!? Darth replied melodramatically, saluting sharply and clicking his heels together.

?You really do look a little stupid in that outfit, sir,? Gloval mumbled hesitantly.

?The things I have to put up with around here?? Marcus sighed, shaking his head as he looked down at his uniform. ?I like it.?

Captain Spiffy! I love it!

 

This story is living proof that the people of the SW universe are just as stupid as the rest of us.

 

Thrawn McEwok: "Where?!"

#2

"Holding your breath might be good research for a "walking the airlock" scene...?"

Pirates did unsurprisingly little of that...

"Nicely-described: "from a more garish era" is particularly fun..."

Indeed. Naboo seems to have picked up on that trend much more so than Marcus.

"*snort*"



The group reached the commanding officer, who saluted with a two-fingered tap above his eye. "Captain," he greeted Marcus tersely, now managing to supress his urge to laugh.

"So this one's comedy, huh?"

On and off at times.

"Or was that scene just faintly absurd?"

Faintly? I do believe I failed.

"I liked it, either way!!"

I stand corrected

"Though I could still see it all ending in tears for Marcus, Darth and Ric..."

Pirates don't cry.



VaderLVR64:

Elena: You ain't seen nothin' yet!

--------------------------------------

The Snowball's Chance dropped out of hyperspace just outside the gravity well of the star system's single planet, Gestrick. For the scant inhabitants of this minor and generally unremarkable world, the planet cruelly orbited its star just barely within a zone that would allow humanoid life to survive, giving it a depressingly black and barren appearance from space. Only the space station, put in place by the Imperial military a decade earlier, and the trickle of traders and merchants bypassing the hazards of the main trade lanes kept the world from vanishing completely from star maps.

"What an ambitious target," Darth muttered sarcastically.

"Quiet you," Marcus chastised. "It may not be much to look at, but the Rebels have apparently decided it has some worth, and I want to find out what it is."

Darth grimaced, by no means savoring the fact Marcus had managed to logically and sensibly justify one of his actions.

"We're receiving a hail from the space station," Iessa reported from her station behind Marcus.

"Put it up," Marcus replied.

A moment later, a voice appeared over the comm. unit. "Attention Carrack Cruiser CE-9X5," the voice began, using Snowball's Chance's former designation. "This is Commander Borgas, administrator and military commander of this station. We are certainly glad to see that our pleas for reinforcements have been answered. We had almost given up hope."

Marcus hesitated. Apparently, the rather obvious modification of four TIE Interceptors and two assault transports attached to the cruiser had gone unnoticed or ignored. Borgas should have known better than to think his station merited reinforcements from the collapsing Empire.

"What kind of name is Borgas?" Marcus found himself saying under his breath. "Commander, this is Captain Marcus Howell speaking; please report your situation."

This time, the hesitation was on Borgas' part. Marucs looked over to Gloval to see if what he said had blown their cover. Gloval nodded slightly, apparently in approval.

"Actually..." Borgas began. "I think it would be better if you docked with the station for a face-to-face meeting. Rebels may be listening in on this channel."

Marcus and Darth both smiled at the same time, realizing the opportunity this presented. "Certainly," Marcus said, hiding his excitement. "We are approaching the station now."

Marcus made a gesture with his hand and Iessa severed the comm. link obediently. The bridge fell into silence as each person waited for the other to speak.

"Which infantry company shall I have prepared?" Iessa was the first to speak, preempting everyone else.

Marcus scratched his chin, musing over the situation as the space station grew nearer in the front viewports. "Have Alpha Company sent, but have Beta load onto the assault transports."

"Overkill, don't you think?" Darth asked, looking quizzically at his old friend.

"We'll see," Marcus replied cryptically.

-------------------------------------

Sergeant Alin North shifted his wei

 

Update or story?

Aye, but these pirates don't know that...

What I really love is how Roan Fel seems to have inherited Padmé's "a fancy new costume in every scene" wardrobe...

Dualism? Comedy/drama?

No, I just understated.

[face_british]

Aye. It's good.

Okay, I could see it ending like the start of At World's End...

Great description, though. Welcome to Galactic Civilization.

He has a bad feeling about this, but he's too... intensely un-cheesy.... to admit it to himself, let alone speak up about it?

Heh. I like that. "What do we kill today."

Nice tension, cut by that line - and, if we needed it, a subtle indication that Iessa is a dangerous and ruthless woman.

He's just doing this to scare Darth?

Ouch.

Yuk.

Can we assume that over the howl of laser-fire, Alin also heard someone yelling for the crew to "close the blast doors"...?

Well, this isn't comedy. Is it?

Nasty, brutish, and short. An Ewok of a battle scene!!

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Oh my, this is an absolutely awesome fic. It's a pity it's not getting more attention, it's absolutely great.

 

Amazing! I know it takes me a while to get here, but I'm always thrilled to see a PM letting me know it's been updated!

 

Thrawn McEwok: "Update or story?"



Wow.

"Aye, but these pirates don't know that..."

Don't they?

"Dualism? Comedy/drama?"

Mood-swings.

"Okay, I could see it ending like the start of At World's End... "

Yeah... let's not talk about that movie...

"He has a bad feeling about this, but he's too... intensely un-cheesy.... to admit it to himself, let alone speak up about it?"

Un-cheesy?

"Nice tension, cut by that line - and, if we needed it, a subtle indication that Iessa is a dangerous and ruthless woman."

Yeah, in case you missed the obvious part

"Can we assume that over the howl of laser-fire, Alin also heard someone yelling for the crew to "close the blast doors"...?"

Nah, Alin's based on a world where casualties don't matter. A million points if you guess who he is.

"Well, this isn't comedy. Is it?"

It's life, so to speak.

Altaysky: Glad to have you onboard! Thanks for the support!

VaderLVR64: Thanks!

-----------------------------------------

Marcus paced slowly along the raised command walkway, waiting as several crewmen worked through the space station's computer under the watchful eyes of several soldiers in a foul mood. He stopped momentarily to look out the large viewport onto one of the station's three identical docking arms. Judging from the outside, there was no indication there had been any battle at all. The station's minefield had remained intact, and no fighters or patrol craft had even been launched.

The same could not be said from the interior. Borgas, for whatever reason, had chosen to risk everything on his little boarding ambush. He had, of course, failed. Enraged by the lives lost in the deception, Alpha Company had gone on a rampage throughout the station. Almost the entire station's security had been killed or wounded and anything of value had been looted. Only a few crew and maintenance staff had survived, barricading themselves inside the command module until the soldiers' fury subsided enough to be brought back in line.

"Captain?" a voice came from behind Marcus.

Marcus turned slowly. "Yes?"

Gloval handed him a datapad, his expression one of no-nonsense business only found in an ex-military man. "All casualty reports and inventory checks have been done, captain."

"Good," Marcus nodded, reading through the text as it scrolled into view. He paused it, sighing. "Fifteen dead, four wounded..."

Gloval cleared his throat. "The gun emplacements were too high-powered to only wound, sir. The rest were injured in the subsequent action."

Marcus closed his eyes tightly and inhaled deeply. Fifteen soldiers killed, he repeated in his mind. The first lives lost under his command. Men and women who had trusted him enough to be led by him. A hard knot formed in Marcus' stomach and he felt such a feeling of guilt, one he had not experienced in years, that he could barely stand to have Gloval's eyes on him.

Gloval would have come up with a better plan if he were captain. Iessa would have, too.

Marcus exhaled slowly and opened his eyes. To Marcus' surprise, Gloval's eyes held no resentment in them.

"Did..." he paused to swallow, finding his throat dry and tensed. "Did I do it right?" he asked.

Gloval's expression softened noticeably. "You couldn't have known, sir. If you agonize over what you could have done, you'll only cause more deaths."

Marcus nodded slightly, unnerved by how personal things were getting but still grateful. "Does it get easier? Having crew die, I mean?"

"Only if you're a bad captain."

Despite himself, Marcus smiled and chuckled lightly. "I'll keep that in mind, Gloval. Thanks."

"I am here to help," Gloval shrugged.

Marcus cleared his throat and once more began pacing along the walkway. Gloval followed "I didn't see in the report; whatever happened to Borgas?"

"We still don't know, captain," Gloval replied, his voice formal once again. "My best guess is that he is either hiding s

 

Technically...?

I'm not sure if I should or ...

No? I thought it was mostly okay...

Self-image?

That could have been just her acting dangerous and ruthless...

Not pretty...

Charming.

Interesting. And that was the quiet interlude between action scenes.

- The Imperial Ewok

 

The image of Borgas shuddered from the impacts. "An impressive display, I admit," Borgas said, his voice less certain than before. "But it is not enough!"

The passenger liner, pushed far beyond safe speeds, was now well beyond the station. The cruiser's guns began focusing on the liner's engines, hitting the back-quarter repeatedly. The shields finally fell just as Borgas made the jump to lightspeed, lasers slashing through the engine compartment. A blinding light flashed, forcing Marcus to look away. When he looked back, Borgas' ship was nowhere to be seen.

"Can you track him?" he asked into the comlink.

"Probably," Iessa's voice came through. "But we've got bigger problems."

"What?" Marcus looked out the window. Where there had been empty space moments before, dozens of warships began winking into existence, arrayed in battle formation. "Oh..."

"Rebel ships emerging from hyperspace," a crewman reported. "And... the station's minefield just reactivated...and it's targeting the station."

Marcus simply stared out the viewport. "Oh no..."

I can't wait to see what happens next!

 

Thrawn McEwok: "That could have been just her acting dangerous and ruthless..."

Is there a difference?

"Not pretty... "

In the end, they should have had the good sense to surrender.

"Charming."

Simple and, I believe, correct.

"Interesting. And that was the quiet interlude between action scenes."

Just wait

VaderLVR64: "I can't wait to see what happens next!"

Sorry to have kept you waiting, then.

------------------------------------------

Marcus was glued in place for the next several moments as the shapes of the Alliance flotilla drew closer, expecting oblivion to sweep him away at any moment. But that release never came. He was still on the space station's command walkway, only now with a much more panicked crew around him.

When Marcus finally returned to his senses, he looked vaguely in the direction of a voice calling out his name. It was Gloval, calm and stern-faced. "What?" he said distantly.

Marcus staggered backwards a step, his cheek stinging from an impact. Suddenly, the world around him became sharper and clearer, and his thoughts no longer drifted aimlessly.

Gloval had backhanded him across the face.

"Snap out of it, sir," Gloval reprimanded Marcus, no sign of either anger or bitterness in his tone. "The crew awaits your orders."

Marcus straightened and cleared his throat. "Uh... right, of course, sorry," he blustered slightly. "Status on the Rebels?" he ordered.

A crewman turned from his console. "Looks like they've slowed down and keeping their distance."

"Probably because the minefield is targeting us instead of them," Gloval interjected.

"Meaning this is our chance to escape unscathed," Marcus finished that line of thought. He moved quickly towards the nearest comm. terminal. "All hands," he began speaking into the unit, "This is the captain speaking. Rebel ships are inbound. All crew and soldiers evacuate to the Snowball's Chance immediately. I repeat, all hands evacuate immediately."

Marcus shut down the link and stepped away, stumbling as the station rumbled beneath him.

"What was that!?" he demanded.

"The Rebels have opened fire with long-range turbolasers!" a crewman yelled over the alarm claxons that were now blaring. "Shields are failing!"

"Everyone! Back to the ship!" Gloval commanded in a booming voice.

"What about us!?" shrieked one of the station's surviving crew, a man who looked barely old enough for military service.

Marcus stepped forward and yanked him from is station. "What part of 'everyone' don't you understand? Get out of here!" The station rocked, violently this time, sending Marcus spinning out of control, hitting the side of a computer terminal hard. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him and struggled to stay standing.

Suddenly, he felt Gloval grasp him and yank him unceremoniously towards the doors. Marcus stumbled along as he regained his footing. The two broke into a run down the station's corridors. Before long, they encountered other pirates racing haphazardly toward the docking bay and their one chance of survival, all semblance of order and discipline lost.

The station shuddered again. Part of the cieling above collapsed, showering a woman to Marcus' left with flaming debris and sparking wires. She fell, skidding down the hallway and crying out in pain. Barely stopping, Marcus yanked her back onto her feet and continued running. The woman barely managed to keep up, disoriented and injured as she was.

In moments, Marcus and Ric had reached the docking arm Snowball?s Chance was attached to. All around them, the station was coming to pieces. The Carrack cruiser's turbolasers could be heard over the sounds of the mob and crumbling station firing in a futile effort to shield the station.

Marcus reached for his comlink, only to discover it was nowhere to be found. Without hesitating, he grabbed the woman's, who was now being helped away by two other pirates. He quickly activated it and turned to the bridge frequency. "Iessa,

 

An interesting question...?

Which side?

An interesting POV to take...

Nicely done.

Ahh, the restoration of freedom in the Galaxy...

Chaos. Danger. A significant metaphor?

Civilization in the Galaxy, symbolised by the station, is being torn violently apart, revealing the threat of vacuum and darkness beyond, and leaving only a loose, spreading zone of debris?

Or, the New Republic is restoring freedom to the Galaxy?

Bringing up the rear with dignity?

Random special-effects moment?

Enjoying himself?

Star Wars!!

Iessa/Darth = Han/Leia?

Marcus brings chaos with him, but Iessa just holds things together...?

I'm not sure what's more funny - the sudden realization that Gloval is still probably in uniform, or the idea that he's kept that hat on through the entire scene...

Yay!!

And, you were right - if you meant what I think you did: contrasting the tension and command-deck awareness of the "quiet interlude" with the helpless chaos an

 

Excellent update!

 

Thrawn McEwok: "Which side?"

The side that lost.

"Ahh, the restoration of freedom in the Galaxy..."

War isn't all kicks and giggles, particularly one against the moustache-twirling Empire.

"Civilization in the Galaxy, symbolised by the station, is being torn violently apart, revealing the threat of vacuum and darkness beyond, and leaving only a loose, spreading zone of debris?

Or, the New Republic is restoring freedom to the Galaxy?"

Er... yes?

I'm just a writer.

"Bringing up the rear with dignity?"

Rapid dignity

"Random special-effects moment?"

The near-miss fireball is simply carrying over from RotJ

"Iessa/Darth = Han/Leia?"

Think a few generations ahead, maybe.

"Marcus brings chaos with him, but Iessa just holds things together...?"

Who was the one who put her there in the first place?

"I'm not sure what's more funny - the sudden realization that Gloval is still probably in uniform, or the idea that he's kept that hat on through the entire scene..."

Yes, he's taken up the uniform he was wearing during the freighter boarding. And, of course, the hat.

"And, you were right - if you meant what I think you did: contrasting the tension and command-deck awareness of the "quiet interlude" with the helpless chaos and tight POV of the action sequence was a lot of fun. Very effective!"

Thanks!

VaderLVR64: Thanks!

-------------------------------------

In the days and weeks following the Snowball's Chance's escape from the Rebel attack on Orthax Prime, a few of the crew figured it would be a good idea to install doors between their rooms. The resulting two hours had put them in the medbay for half a standard week and the ship minus two crew quarters and a mid-sized storage compartment along the ventral side.

A few enterprising crew then figured it would be a good idea to put those rooms to use. Two weeks and several trips to the medbay later, the crew finally had a legitimate place to gather and down their respective intoxicants. A chaotic assembly of chairs, tables, a bar, a few woefully insufficient lights, and a window running along the port side, partially blocked by one of the TIE Interceptors was the pirates' cantina, the Bottoms Up.

Marcus sat leisurely at one of the window tables, right arm slung over the back of his chair and a glass of plain water in his left hand, staring out into hyperspace.

The cantina was mostly deserted. A few crew were sprinkled around the tables and the bartender, a male Devaronian with one cracked horn, were all that remained of the crowd that had packed Bottoms Up almost every night.

Marcus preferred showing up when it was this empty, enjoying a chance for peace and quiet. His farming lifestyle and the fact he lived alone for most of his life had made Marcus uneasy amongst crowds, particularly rowdy, drunken ones.

He was drawn out of his trance-like gaze out into the starfield when Iessa sat down in the chair across from him unannounced. Looking up, slightly startled, Marcus immediately straightened his posture and straightened his arm.

"Hey there," Iessa said with a smile.

Marcus nodded and gestured toward her with his glass as if making a toast. Iessa gave him a questioning look, her smile barely faltering. "A bold choice," she noted.

"Can't go wrong with water," Marcus replied, taking a sip. "So what brings you to my personal cave of solitude and loneliness?"

In spite of herself, Iessa's smile grew. "That's an interesting way of calling sitting in the cantina."

Marcus shrugged. "Keeps the conversation going," he pointed out innocently.

"Point," Iessa admitted.

"Is that another wacky Coreward phrase?" Marcus asked, shaking his head slightly. "I swear, half the time I don't understand what Darth's saying."

Iessa laughed gently. "You don't miss much," she said flippantly.

"So," Marcus paused, taking another sip of water. "What brings you here?" he repeat

 

Deliberate vague-ambiguity?

Is that really the Rebels' POV? Perhaps they get kicks and giggles from blowing stuff up?

Great term!

*nods* I knew it reminded me of something?

Cade/Deliah?

Cade/Sia?

Antares/Sia?

She'd have done similarly regardless of context?

Marcus sat leisurely at one of the window tables, right arm slung over the back of his chair and a glass of plain water in his left hand, staring out into hyperspace.

Was there really no comparable location aboard an Imperial ship already?

"Hey there," Iessa said with a smile.

Why do I have the sense that this will play for Marcus a little like Ben Kenobi to Han in ANH?

"Can't go wrong with water," Marcus replied, taking a sip. "So what brings you to my personal cave of solitude and loneliness?"

In spite of herself, Iessa's smile grew. "That's an interesting way of calling sitting in the cantina."



Marcus shrugged. "Keeps the conversation going," he pointed out innocently.

"Point," Iessa admitted.

They're not just Star Wars characters: they use TimZahn? dialogue!

Iessa laughed gently. "You don't miss much," she said flippantly.

Oohh... postmodernism!!

If Iessa noticed, she didn't show it. "I saw you over here and decided you looked like you could use some company," she answered, looking off out the window as she finished.



"No one," she repeated, a coy undertone to her answer.

Marcus closed his eyes and began chuckling, shaking his head slowly as he reclined into his seat. "Oh no, it won't be that easy."



Iessa sighed and crossed her arms, looking none too pleased.

Cute.

"I think," he began, flashing a grin that was more a sneer. "It is time we had a talk, you and I."

Iessa picked up the offered drink cautiously, eyeing it as she swirled the dark liquid experimentally. She looked up. "I'm listening."

Darth Smith: half-Lando, half-Vader?

- The Imperial Ewok

 

While I greatly appreciate the posts I get with each update, I'm wondering if there's anyone else out there reading this. If so, please post and let me know. Anything, whether praise, criticism, or a single word post is always appreciated, and of course it speeds up the frequency of updates.

Thrawn McEwok: "Deliberate vague-ambiguity?"

No, I was just too lazy to type "the Imperials".

"Is that really the Rebels' POV? Perhaps they get kicks and giggles from blowing stuff up?"

It's possible. I don't know. I'm an Imperial at heart.

"Cade/Deliah? Cade/Sia? Antares/Sia?"

Not far off.

"She'd have done similarly regardless of context?"

Nah. Probably not. I'm just arguing for the sake of it

"Was there really no comparable location aboard an Imperial ship already?"

I'm going to have to say no. Especially on a ship as small as Snowball's Chance.

"Why do I have the sense that this will play for Marcus a little like Ben Kenobi to Han in ANH?"

Marcus is naive, not stupid

"They're not just Star Wars characters: they use TimZahn? dialogue!"



Some of them do. I look at it as a colloquial thing, hence Marcus' confusion over it given he's never encountered anything like that way out in the middle of nowhere.

"Oohh... postmodernism!!"

"Darth Smith: half-Lando, half-Vader?"

Lando would never sneer like that to the ladies.

----------------------------------------

Marcus was sitting in the captain's chair on the bridge of Snowball's Chance rolling his neck in circles to work out stiffness when he heard the bridge door hiss open and the sound of foot-falls behind him. From the sound of boots clomping against the metal floor, he expected Gloval.

Instead, Darth appeared to Marcus' right, nodding as he looked toward his old friend. "You look like you've been run over by a droid-tractor," Marcus remarked at Darth's appearance.

Darth set down the stack of datapads he had been carrying and looked himself over. "What?" he asked defensively. He was clean-shaven, his hair neatly combed, and his clothes were less reminiscent of Coruscant street gangs than ever. "I don't look better than usual?"

"Oh, you do," Marcus agreed. "Before you looked like you were run over by two droid-tractors. Keep up the good work." Iessa snorted a laugh from behind, drawing a harsh glare from Darth.

Darth muttered something darkly under his breath before handing the stack impatiently over to Marcus. "Last time I go fetch your deskwork for you."

"Maybe next time you won't call me "Captain Spiffy"," Marcus retorted calmly.

Darth sighed and sat down quietly at his station, brooding.

Marcus was half-way through reading the top datapad in his neatly and meticulously organized stack when the Snowball's Chance lurched horribly. Outside the bridge viewport, the hyperspace tunnel had abruptly collapsed into a starfield, a planet looming large dead ahead.

The force of the unexpected hyperspace deceleration was far too much for the inertial compensators to handle, nearly throwing Marcus forward and sending his entire stack scattering across the floor. Several consoles blared and flashed warnings as crew stations and emergency systems reported in or demanded to know what was going on.

As Marcus stared dumbfounded at hours of careful organizing dashed on the floor before him, he was not sure whether he was more furious at the helm officer for plotting this hyperspace course or Borgas for doing the same.

After a moment, he chose Borgas. "When I get my hands on that..." he quickly stifled himself, regaining his composure. "Damage report?"

Darth quickly checked his console. "Engineering is reporting only moderate stress damage to the hyperdrive. We can have it fixed in a few hours," he said, adding: "We're lucky we dropped out of hyperspace when we did. Sometimes the mass shadow fail-safes don't trigger in time."

"Don't all thank me at once," Iessa spoke up from her s

 

... even though it would have been shorter?

A clever answer.

Kol/Nei?

I'd noticed that you do that.

Which is slightly larger than a real-world supercarrier?

You could say the same about Han?

Point.

That's his Vader half?

That's a hillarious opening.

A peculiar scene. A sense of a joke sensed, rather than understood.

That's a remarkably un-cliché description. Or maybe it's just different words than the ones I'd use?

He's learning?

Define "very recently formed" - the past few thousand years?

I have a real bad feeling about this.

Interesting. It took until after the scene-shift to realise that the "squad of infantry" were the same guys we'd seen before...

They seem to be adapting.

That's a great contrast, between internal POV and spoken dialogue. Not just the awkwardness, but the sense of idiom.

I like how you define him as "the soldier", creating a new contrast between Alin's self-image and his sense of this man....

This is really, really very good.

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Late yet again. Of course, I was out of town, so is that a good enough excuse?

Another great update!

 

Thrawn McEwok: "... even though it would have been shorter?"

Yeaaaaaah....

"Kol/Nei?"

You were closer last time.

"Which is slightly larger than a real-world supercarrier?"

Why do you think so many Imperials quit the Empire?

"That's his Vader half?"

That would be a rather poor time for Vader to do the talking.

"He's learning?"

A bit.

"Define "very recently formed" - the past few thousand years?"

Few years, rather.

"I have a real bad feeling about this."

Why? It's not like the last infantry engagement was so bad...oh wait...

"This is really, really very good."

Thanks! I just wished more people agreed

VaderLVR64: Alright, I'll accept your excuse... this time.

-----------------------------------

The first rays of sunlight were just creeping over the horizon in the south as the assault transport Rusty Bucket I descended from the sky, shattering the early dawn silence with the roar of engines and repulsorlifts.

With the caution of a wary predator, the spaceship hovered in the air near the crash site of the C-3 passenger liner, which was half buried into the ground, its engine housing jutting out of the deep ravine the ship had torn into the earth. Thin smoke trails curled lazily up into the air.

Satisfied that it was safe to do so, the assault transport descended gracefully to the ground, the hiss of hydraulics emanating outward as the landing struts took over for the deactivated repulsorlifts.

Within moments, boarding platforms hissed open and infantry began pouring out hurriedly, the pirates eager to find whatever covered the landscape could provide. From the transport's ventral side, a hatch slowly descended, revealing a Chariot repulsorcraft. It quickly hummed to life and began trundling away from the transport.

With the amount of firepower now trained on the downed liner, it would have been suicidal for any inside the ship to open fire.

The pirates were taking no chances.

Marcus Howell waited with a group of infantry near the Rusty Bucket I's landing site, Darth Smith at his side. He slowly surveyed the terrain, scattered with rocks and peculiar dirt mounds two or three meters in diameter. The clearing itself was at most fifty meters wide, a heavily forested line of vegetation surrounding it.

"Strange," he muttered softly. "Do you think they did this?"

Darth looked, squinting from the growing sunlight, and shook his head. "Probably not. I doubt they had the equipment or reason to clear it away like this."

Marcus shrugged and pulled out his comlink. "1st and 2nd squads, move in. The rest of you stay back to provide cover in case they need it," he said into the device. "Let's not all go charging in at once."

Watching without the aid of macrobinoculars, Marcus waited for the first shots to be fired as the pirates advanced closer to the liner's boarding hatches, which were gaping open invitingly.

"First squad, entering liner," a voice reported through the comm. unit.

"Second squad, proceeding. No sign of life so far."

Darth held his finger up to his ear to listen. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Alright, I'll tell him." He looked toward Marcus. "The chariot finished its sensor sweep of the crash site; no lifeforms detected."

"None?" Marcus asked in confusion. "How can that be?"

"I don't know," Darth admitted, cringing. "Unless the sensors on it are busted."

By now, the sun had risen to the top of the trees. Aside from the mechanical hum of machinery, the land was deathly quiet.

Suddenly, the silence was broken as a nearly deafening shrill cry reverberated through the clearly. Caught totally off guard, the infantry jumped to their feet, blasters at the ready. The screeching continued from all directions, throbbing in intensity every few seconds.

"What the kriff!?" Darth swore as the ground beneath him started to move. Marcus looked down in time to see scores of tiny insects claw their way out of the dirt. The things were only t

 

Typing speed?

You were closer last time.

Veed/Nyna?

Why do you think so many Imperials quit the Empire?

X-wings and morality?

That would be a rather poor time for Vader to do the talking.

For Iessa - or at least, for her self-image...?

A bit.



Few years, rather.

Is that... legal?

Ye canna change the laws o' physics, captain!!

Why? It's not like the last infantry engagement was so bad...oh wait...

Yeah.

Thanks! I just wished more people agreed

Yeah. Me too!

The first rays of sunlight were just creeping over the horizon in the south as the assault transport Rusty Bucket I descended from the sky, shattering the early dawn silence with the roar of engines and repulsorlifts.

They're doing a good job of looking professional...

"Strange," he muttered softly. "Do you think they did this?"



Watching without the aid of macrobinoculars, Marcus waited for the first shots to be fired as the pirates advanced closer to the liner's boarding hatches, which were gaping open invitingly.

</Ackbar> "It's a TRAP!!"

I'm enjoying the sense that they don't know what's going on, but they do feel that something's wrong...

"None?" Marcus asked in confusion. "How can that be?"

"I don't know," Darth admitted, cringing. "Unless the sensors on it are busted."



By now, the sun had risen to the top of the trees. Aside from the mechanical hum of machinery, the land was deathly quiet.

Animals are smarter than machines or humans.

"Not exactly the brightest stars in the galaxy, it seems," Marcus said in bemusement.

That would be a nice line, if it wasn't for the worrying context.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Darth managed to say.



Do you have any more of a clue than Marcus and Darth what's going on here?

Did they leave Iessa in charge of the ship?!

- The Imperial Ewok

 

"Well," the voice hesitated. "They've stopped."

As if on cue, the ground suddenly began to rumble and a bone-chilling roar echoed through the ship.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Darth managed to say.

Loved it!

 

Thrawn McEwok: "Veed/Nyna?"

Well, considering Darth was wearing the same thing as Cade, I'd say you were closer the first time.

"X-wings and morality?"

Exactly. Boredom!

"For Iessa - or at least, for her self-image...?"

I'm not sure what you're saying here.

"I'm enjoying the sense that they don't know what's going on, but they do feel that something's wrong..."

Something is wrong.

"Animals are smarter than machines or humans."

That's assuming there are any animals to make noise.

"Did they leave Iessa in charge of the ship?!"

Gloval. As quartermaster on a pirate ship, he would take precedence.

VaderLVR64: "Loved it!"

Glad to hear it!

-----------------------------------

Marcus, Darth, Alin, and the two other pirates sprinted down the downed liner's corridors as the air filled with the sounds of terrible animalistic roars. Darth hurriedly reached for his comlink and activated it.

"What's going on out there!?" he demanded.

"Kriffing sithspit!" a panicked voice yelled back over the line, heavy blasterfire plainly evident in the background. "They're everywhere!" the voice added before the comm. feed went dead.

Marcus and the group turned a corner and suddenly stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that loomed before them. Marcus' mouth fell open in shock as he stared wide-eyed at two-meter tall insect filling the corridor before them. It's large, vertical mandibles flowed neatly into its oval armored shell that tapered away into a sharp tip. Three symmetrical pairs of vibroblade-sharp legs supported the whole frame.

Without the slightest hesitation, Alin shouldered his blaster rifle and fired before either side could react. The bolt struck the insect in the center of its four eyes, sending it really backwards in a twitching, screeching mass. Further down the corridor, the sounds of more of the insects could be heard, screeching in their own primordial, high-frequency language.

"Um... let's find a different route," Marcus said almost calmly, slowly backing away with the group's silent agreement before bursting into a sprint as more of the insects struggled to push past their fallen brother and pursue their prey.

Once more the five pirates were racing down the liner's passageways, the clatter of rampaging insects ever-present. Alin looked back for a moment, whipping his blaster around to shower the hallway with laser fire. Another insect fell dead, only adding to the difficulty the smooth, unyielding durasteel floor and walls presented to the insects.

"Bugs!" Darth groaned in anguish. "Why did it have to be bugs!?"

The other pirate soldier hurled a grenade backwards as they continued running for their lives, offering Darth a silent look of contempt as a fireball engulfed the corridor behind them.

"It could be worse!" Marcus responded as they neared one of the liner's boarding hatches.

As they emerged into the bright morning sun, a battle was already raging. Dozens of insects were swarming out of holes in the ground that only an hour before had been the peculiar dirt mounds. The pirates were falling back hastily toward the assault transport, which was hovering a dozen meters off the ground, firing its laser cannons relentlessly into tight packs of the monsters.

As it suddenly dawned on them they were separated from the assault transport by a horde of predatory insects, Marcus' shoulders sagged noticeably. "It's worse," he said.

"Don't stop," the other pirate soldier said harshly. "Not until we've gotten through."

"Are you crazy!?" Darth cried out incredulously. "We'll be torn to pieces!"

The soldier shrugged. "You're welcome to stay here."

The four of them began running again, Darth following a moment later. Their attention was quickly diverted upwards as several squadrons of the insects buzzed by overhead, heading for the Rusty Bucket I, which already had several of the bugs crawling over it.

Caught up in the rush of battle and the instinctive impulse to sta

 

Yeah?

You prefer bigger ships?

That's okay!

Did I disagree?!

How does the plantlife pollinate?

Let me rephrase that: did they let Iessa out of their sight?

"Kriffing sithspit!" a panicked voice yelled back over the line, heavy blasterfire plainly evident in the background. "They're everywhere!" the voice added before the comm. feed went dead.



... and then, not so funny!

Marcus and the group turned a corner and suddenly stopped dead in their tracks at the sight that loomed before them. Marcus' mouth fell open in shock as he stared wide-eyed at two-meter tall insect filling the corridor before them. It's large, vertical mandibles flowed neatly into its oval armored shell that tapered away into a sharp tip. Three symmetrical pairs of vibroblade-sharp legs supported the whole frame.

Is this "Star Wars Troopers"...?

The bolt struck the insect in the center of its four eyes...

I like the way that you didn't tell us how many eyes it had before that line!

"Bugs!" Darth groaned in anguish. "Why did it have to be bugs!?"









"It could be worse!" Marcus responded as they neared one of the liner's boarding hatches.

Oh, I know what's coming...

"It's worse," he said.

Which, of course, is potentially an odd reaction to juxtapose against the gore....

"This is like shooting fish in a barrel!" Alin exclaimed, sounding as if he were having fun.

Adrenalin? Madness?

"What kind of fish do you have where you live?" Darth replied in disbelief, gritting his teeth as he fired haphazardly.

HAH!!

Suddenly, a large metallic object sped through the wall of insects, splattering dozens and sending more flailing into the air. It quickly decelerated in front of the party. No longer a gray blur of motion, the features of the Chariot came into focus. A hatch opened up and a pirate leaned out, firing wildly with a hand-held blaster cannon as he laughed maniacally.

I knew those things had that chisel-bow for a reason!!

"I don't feel so good," he mumbled slovenly before he passed out from a loss of blood.



- The Imperial Ewok

 

"Bugs!" Darth groaned in anguish. "Why did it have to be bugs!?"

I'm with Darth on this one.

 

Thrawn McEwok: "You prefer bigger ships?"

Indeed, but one does not see pirates flying around with men-of-war. That would just be silly.

"How does the plantlife pollinate?"

Swarms and swarms of insects.

Or they don't pollinate.

"Let me rephrase that: did they let Iessa out of their sight?"

I'm not sure Marcus cares enough. One would think it would be more dangerous to put Gloval in charge than Iessa. Remember, though, these are pirates. They elected Marcus.

"Is this "Star Wars Troopers"...?"

Nope.

"I like the way that you didn't tell us how many eyes it had before that line!

I find that small, nearly-superfluous details are less important than the brevity of the description, while at the same time retaining the possibility of adding descriptive qualifiers later on to "beef up" the text.

"Adrenalin? Madness?"

Southern spirit?

"I knew those things had that chisel-bow for a reason!!"

How ironic.

VaderLVR64: All things considered, a fairly reasonable thing to agree upon

---------------------------------------

Darth Smith stared up at Marcus' limp body as it bobbed gently in the pinkish bacta tank. Modestly, fashionably covered up, his body looked surprisingly intact for the ordeal it had recently been through. The hideous hole in his shoulder was patched over and all the proper medical apparatus were in place to heal the wound.

"How's he doing?" he heard a familiar woman's voice say from his side.

Darth nearly jumped to find Iessa standing next to him, silently cursing himself for letting her get so close to him without noticing. And she was standing close, almost abnormally so.

Darth grimaced as he regarded her. She was staring up at Marcus too, her expression and eyes flickering between her habitual indifference and something...

Else, Darth thought.

"He's healing, more or less. He's not going to die, if that's what you're asking."

Iessa glanced at Darth sparingly. "It wasn't, or else I would have asked that."

Darth rolled his eyes and muttered something inaudible under his breath. In spite of himself, he found his anger rising. He was usually much more adept at keeping himself more controlled, but the last few weeks and especially Iessa's grating attitude was making it harder and harder.

"I understand," she began, "You and he had quite the adventure down on the surface, especially after he was wounded."

"Oh yes," Darth nodded. "It was miraculous we escaped at all, really. It was really amazing." He paused, considering his next words carefully. "I'll have to tell you about it some time."

"Perhaps," Iessa mused softly before smiling slyly. "Or perhaps I'll have Marcus tell me later."

Darth furrowed his brow and opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Iessa had walked away to talk with the ship's doctor.

Darth balled his fists and without another word, turned and stormed off.

Damn that woman, he raged to himself. "I don't know what I can't stand more, that she sets me off so easily, or that she seems to enjoy it!" he muttered to himself as he continued down the corridor.

When he finally arrived at the bridge, he groaned softly to himself when he discovered Gloval, as dutifully as ever, was at his post. Various "night"-shift officers, Darth had not bothered to learn their names yet, manned their stations as well.

With a great exertion of will, Darth forced himself forward and sat down in his chair beside Gloval. The quartermaster simply nodded curtly.

The two sat in their respective stations for several minutes in silence, each preoccupied with whatever as being displayed on their computer consoles or datapads.

It was Gloval that finally broke the silence. "Mister Smith," he began. "Even though we do not often like each other..."

"I like you," Darth interrupted in his best impersonation of Marcus.

Gloval snorted derisively. "In either case, with Captain Howell in his current state, we must work together fo