The Jedi Civil War (Book 3)

[Akirapryde]

Captain's Report
ISA Ka-riss-ah
Shipyards above W'puso'dia System

Captains personal log:

Sitting here in my ready room looking out of my window at the next ship in this line. I am am finally able to reflect on the events of our first mission. While it seems like a life time, it was only just a few days ago. By watching the modification on the ship in the next yard, I can see it has already had its impact on the Alliance. Construction on other ships in this class has already been suspended and changes are being hastily made as we speak. It is odd to see the last of its four main reactors being pulled out of its uncompleted haul as the workers replace them with more powerful reactors. For the first time since I can personally remember there is actual hope pulsating through the Alliance. What a first mission we had, it was truly one for the history books. That is, if they will ever be written after this war.

It has been so long since we enjoyed peace in our galaxy. Nearly a thousand years ago when the Chaos first showed its ugly face. At first they were only encountered along the fridges of our influence. Those encounters normal only involved skirmishes and boarder actions. They would withdraw and disappear before the actually battle could start. Some of our ships would simply just go missing in those regions. At first, it was thought that our own expansion had some how crossed an unseen boarder of their own government. That was later proven to be a falsehood as the Alliance attempted to try to negotiate. They crossed in to our galaxy for some unknown reason from some unknown place. They would move and attack a system. The battle would always be largely one side and we would end up getting our butts kicked. Their cloaking technology was something like we had never seen before. Then as rapidly as their advance would start, it would stop or even sometimes withdraw from entire sectors or regions of space.

Their tactics were puzzling and strange to us. Since the beginning of this war, we had not won a single engagement with them at all. Yet at the end of one of these periods of advances, they would just pull back and wait a few years before moving again. I have spent years study it and could find no logic in what they were doing. One year they would be moving in a direction of advancement while beating us to a pulp along the way. Then they would pause their advances and remain dormant. Next year they would take off in a different direction. There had to be some higher reason for their strange strategies that our best minds could not unlock. Well that was till about ten year ago. That was before they must have declared complete and total war against us. Their attacks started to reflect more traditional tactics and their aims of destroying us became clear.

While I may have my own opinions, no one in high command could understand the change in strategies. During a time of what has been called, Rest, they broke out on the warpath once more. This time they moved rapidly and with more defined purpose. They drove hard in to our lines crushing our forces along the way. Entire worlds were laid to waste by their super weapons. The rumors were, where the shadow of Chaos moves, life ends. It is a terrifying sight to see an entire world dead. There was nothing we could do to stop their advance. Many of my own brothers and sisters believed this was going to be the end for us all, though I still hold hope for a miracle. They could have not been more right this time, and there would be no miracle for us. Not even the might of the Alliance Fleet could slow their advance.

Just hours before my meeting with Admiral Neashity at High Command, I received an urgent message from a good friend of mine. Brother Faraj informed me that he had made a remarkable discovery that could indicate the true origins of the Chaos. However, the world he was currently on was in direct line of the Chaos' current advancement. He and his team had to be rescued. That was when Fate and its will, placed me in command of a new ship fresh out of the construction yards. It was a sign from fate that I was not about to ignore. My mission orders were clear, take a small fleet of four ships along with this ship called Ka-riss-ah and make best speed for the world of Losun'ade. Protect the refugee fleet that was evacuating the world and secure Brother Faraj and his team. Fate had gifted me with this glorious mission, but it was also testing me for something much greater in my future. I could just feel it.

Ka-riss-ah was like no other ship I have ever commanded before. Its AI, was so real. So unbelievably real. Never before had I ever encountered anything like it before. The other AI's I served with were advanced but not like this. The ship's class names came from the first two ships in the line, Alpha and Omega. The Emperor said at a ceremony that this class ship was the beginning of the end for the Chaos and all those who would stand against the Alliance. I remembered thinking more Alliance propaganda. That was before I came aboard Ka-riss-ah. My God, did we actually build this monster of war? Looking back now, I am glad we did. It....SHE has given us all something we have not had for some time. Hope.

We arrived as the evacuation was already well underway. Intelligence reports placed a large chaos fleet only a few light years away. It would appear that they were unaware that we were evacuating the world. I ordered our other ships to form a picket line while I took my XO and a few security officers to retrieve Brother Faraj and his team. I was surprised to find that he was not at the University where he taught at. He and his team had relocated some days before to an old abandoned temple. I had been to the temple a number of time before and found it unremarkable. However this time, there was something new there. When I did find Brother Faraj, he and his team was located in a part of the temple that had not been discovered before.

Exploration of the temple had pretty much been abandoned many years ago. So when Brother Faraj brought a group of his students to see the temple of few weeks ago, they might have been the ones to make this discovery. According to Brother Faraj, they had first thought that maybe an earthquake had opened up this part of the temple. But then they discovered burn makes that could only by laser swords. He said that he looked back through Fate and saw those who came here. He said that they were three human females, two human males and a creature of the likes I have never seen before. What he described was something out of a Tri-Vid movie. It had these tentacles coming out of its head. They broke in to this section of the temple looking for something. And they found it, a sword of some kind. Brother Faraj said that the sword contained a dark energies. The time of this event placed it at the same time the Chaos changed their tactics and started killing worlds.

As I explored the section of the temple I discovered a smaller tomb down an air shaft. The tomb had writing all over the walls in some strange alien language. It was the find of a life time! In the center of this tomb was some unknown warrior dressed in armor laying on top of a shrine of some kind. Laying on the body was a shield that covered a sword. The sword was not like the sword that Brother Faraj had described. However, on both were similar writings that were on the wall. I felt a sense of foreboding in this final resting place. As I closer examined the body, I noticed a tome in a small sack under the shield and next to the blade. I carefully removed the sack hoping not to disturb this warrior. Once I had the book in my hands, we received word from our picket that a Chaos ship was spotted on approach to system. Later, I would find that this book held the secrets that we needed to defeat the Chaos, but there was no the time to read now. We had run out of time, I had run out of time. I tried to get as many images as I could before leaving the tomb. What a find it was.

The last ships of the refugee fleet were still loading up. Tens of thousands of lives were now resting on our shoulders. I ordered the temple evacuated at the stern objections of Brother Faraj ad his team. I knew my old teacher well, hence the reason why I brought armed security guards. He and his team just became very important to the cause. They knew more about this discovery than anyone else. I placed them under guard and removed them from the temple. It broke my heart when I ordered Ka-riss-ah to fire on the temple. I could not allow it to fall in to the hands of the Chaos. I saw the disappointment and resentment in Brother Fajar's eyes as he watched the temple turned to ruble. Even now looking back at it, I know in my heart I made the right choice. The Chaos can not find this temple or what we found.

Returning to the Ka-riss-ah, we made best speed for the picket line. Personally, I never liked the idea of allowing Lesser Races crew and command their own ships. My fears and doubt were realized later during the battle. It is by great sadness that I know already we have lost too many trained officers and men. We have no choice but to allow Lesser Races command their own ships. As we approached the picket line, I had the other four ships form up on us and informed them of the battle plan. We each deployed our fighters and readied to stand our ground. The refugee ships needed thirty minutes to flee to the jump point. Once they reached the jump point they would be safe from attack. At that point we would all withdraw using our own jump drives. With luck we would be able to buy them that thirty minutes before the Chaos ship arrived. Yeah, with luck. Fate had its own plan for us, and we had a role to play in that plan.

The Chaos ship arrived only five minutes in to the count down. The refugee ships were already lifting off of the planet. But they still needed time to reach the jump point. There were no other options left. We had to face that ship and stall for time, and it was one of the larger ones. It must have been truly terrifying for our escort ships. Ka-riss-ah was nearly twice their size and this Chaos ship was even bigger than her. It was nearly three kilometers from side to side and nearly two kilometers from front to back. It had to have been a command ship that is normally spotted spearheading advances. We had always known that the power granted to us by Fate was a powerful tool against the Chaos ships. So we used our powers to slow and cause the ship to become visible for everyone else to see. This one was a powerful ship though and required all of my Brothers and sisters on each ship to control it. It was more powerful than any other ship I had ever encountered. Even Brother Faraj and his team leaped in to help us try to control it.

The opening stages of the battle was brutal. Two of our escorts made critical mistakes that cost us to loss them right away. Shortly after the battle started the third turned and ran. The cowards even abandoned their own fighter groups who still fought while they turned and kicked in their jump drive. Lesser Races are just that, cowards. It was an epic battle for us. Each minute we kept that monster at bay, was one minute closer the refugee ships got to the jump point. We had no choice but to fight on, our backs were against the wall. Our fighter groups were taking a beating from the Chaos fighters, but surprisingly thanks to Ka-riss-ah they were able to maintain a strong organized front. After reviewing the battle footage, I can see how this battle was different than battles of the past. It was Ka-riss-ah that made all the difference. It was clear in the battle footage.

Ka-riss-ah was amazing. Her armor held against not just one but two direct hits from the Chaos ship's main weapon. Damage was severe after the second hit, but we were still in the fight. Her armor focused much of the Chaos weapon's energy away from the ship just like theirs. Well not as well as theirs but still close enough to keep us in the fight. I remember the chef designer talking to me about about the armor on her, but truthfully, I wish I would have paid closer attention now. Normally the Chaos ships main weapon would have made short work of any ship that suffered a hit from it. I remember the first time I saw it in combat. It cut a class II station in to pieces in a mater of minutes. And here we were still alive and still fighting! I would have paid anything to see the look on the Chaos Captain's face when his main weapon failed to destroy us on its first AND then the second hit failed as well.

Her armor haul was not the only secret we had in store for the Chaos ship. Working side by side with the gun crews, the AI of the ship, um Ka-riss-ah was able to focus targeting where it was needed the most and coordinate the attacks to maximize damage. Not only that, she was able to directly communicate with the fighters and the gun crews on the remaining escort ship so to coordinate their attacks with hers. It was truly a show of power and skill. Sadly it was not enough power. Ten minutes in to the battle it was clear that we were still on the losing end. Ka-riss-ah has suffered heavy damage across her systems. Our remaining escort was near dead in space with fires burning out of control throughout the ship. We lost nearly two thirds of our fighters. And the Chaos ship didn't even seemed touched.

The refugee ships were making their approach to the jump point. We need to buy them time but we were all out of ideas. My brothers, sisters and I were getting too weak to hold the Chaos ship at bay for much longer. The XO turned to Ka-riss-ah and had her run as many scenarios as she could till she found one that would buy the refugee ships the time they needed. Shortly after she came up with one, but she needed to override her Primary Protocols. I remember her attempting to explain her plan in detail, I just yelled for her to carry out her damn plan. I think I shocked her with my outburst. With the Primary Protocols overridden, she put her plan in to affect.

She overloaded her reactors and put us on a collision course for the Chaos ship. She asked that we attempted to hold it as still as possible. Yeah I know, now she asks that of us, when we are already reaching our limits. She called in the remaining fighters and had them attack a single point on the Chaos ship. Even our remaining escort ship moved along side us to give us cover fire while we made our approach. I know what many were thinking. Ramming a Chaos ships is just suicide. Despite us holding it at bay, it'll just vanish, only to reappear behind us and blow the crap out of us. I know, I have seen it before. At the time no one had any idea what she was thinking, be she was thinking.

She overloaded the entire bridge systems running all these calculations. After the battle I went back to see what she was doing. She was making targeting adjustments that were by the centimeter. The closer we got to the Chaos ship, the more damage our own weapons dealt to the enemy. But more importantly she was able to land hit after hit right on top of each other. The Chaos Captain must have known something was wrong. They fought against our control even harder then before. Our own power grid transfer coils were overheating. The reactors was hitting critical, and radiation alarms were sounding in engineering. Still Ka-riss-ah would not turn from her attack as she cut life support power and all other non-critical system. It was incredible what she did. She literally reprogrammed her own targeting systems and rerouted power on the fly.

The Chaos ship tried to call for help, so I had some of my fellow Knights attempt to silence it. It was in that moment that it lashed out at us one last time. I could feel the damage we were dealing to it. I could feel its death closing in around the ship. Our escort ship moved in the way and took the hit from the Chaos ship and opened up the path for Ka-riss-ah to conclude her attack with every weapon she could bring to bare on the ship. Each hitting right on top of the one fired before. It was in that moment I think I felt the soul of the Chaos Captain. I felt his fear of death. I was excited and at the same time saddened by this feeling. I remember thinking of his wife and his children. Much like my own wife and child back home. Did he fight for them as I fought for mine?

The Chaos ship's death was a sight to be seen. At first it seemed to bleed out a black debris field from where Ka-riss-ah was firing at it. Its long tentacles started to curl inward as the entire ship started to roll on to its back. Still connected to the emotions of the other Captain I could feel him suffering as his ship slowly died around him. My brothers and sisters let the ship go as they watched it continue to roll end over end. The black debris that it was bleeding was now filling the space around it as it slowly broke apart. It was the first time that a Chaos ship was ever destroyed and strangely, I felt sad over what I was seeing. I recalled reaching up to the side of my face and touching a tear.

We had won the battle but the war was far from over. Ka-riss-ah did what was asked over her. She destroyed the Chaos ship and ensured that the refugee ships could escape. However her reactors were going critical and most of her systems were badly damaged due to overloads across the ship. Power surges were running up and down her power grid out of control. She was dying around us. I almost laughed when she suggested abandoning ship. I told her, “We just won a historical battle, I am not losing you right after that battle.” I meant what I said, I was not going to loss her just yet. She just proved to me, that ships like her were our last hope for survival.

The battle to save her was just as dramatic as the battle against the Chaos ship. We had to jettison three of the four reactors as well as her jump drive. The amount of damage was extensive throughout the ship. In the end we were able to secure the ship from imploding on its self. The casualties from the battle were high. Much higher than I had first realized, and nearly half of them were killed while Ka-riss-ah carried out her attack plan. While we did loss a lot of our fighters, we did collect a number of them from our lost escort ships. We were pretty much dead in space and an easy target for the next wave of Chaos ships. Everyone knew we would not survive another attack.

It was the XO who came up with the solution to our problem. We attached the landing shuttles to Ka-riss-ah via cables. What fighters were still able to fly safely were also used as defensive screens. We used the shuttles to tug Ka-riss-ah to the jump point. We were able to slip in to hyperspace with out further Chaos contact. It was a long twenty hours back to W'puso'dia while the shuttles pulled us through hyperspace. The look on Ka-riss-ah's face as we pulled her in to dry dock was priceless. She made the comment, “this is so embarrassing.” Little did she know what was in store for her.

It was not long before word spread, the Alliance had its first victory against the Chaos. I don't care what the Brass has to say about it, we owe that victory to Ka-riss-ah. The tech crews are crawling all over her, they were surprised that she even made it back to the dry docks. Originally they were going to scrap her and use her parts for other ships currently being built, I told them 'like hell'. They decided (after I had to pull some strings at High Command) to rebuild all of her systems and repair her battle damages. Her weapons and weapon cooling systems were improved and enhanced. She got four brand new reactors that were increased in power output. A new fighter wing is being added, as well as replacing what we lost. She is also getting some new logic programming for her higher functions. They said that she will be even more life like. Not sure how that is possible but I will see when her repairs are completed. I did ask for one modification that was turned down as a class modification. I asked them to install solar sails on her. You know, just in case we need that extra power.

Looking at her now, she is truly becoming a grand warship. Some members of the crew had taken it on their own to paint a large black silhouette of a Chaos ship right under her name nest to the bow. The repairs are far from over and I still have a number of letters to write to family members. High Command had offered me another command a few days ago, seeing as Ka-riss-ah will be out of the fighting for some time. I think I will stay with this little ship a bit longer. I could use the rest and I want to get to know Ka-riss-ah more. She is truly remarkable. Fate put us together, and I know that our destinies are linked.


**********************************************************

Ogon closed the log and leaned back in the Captain's chair. His chair now. He turned around to see the large window behind him. Ka-riss-ah was his ship now, and somehow he felt that they were now linked on some higher destiny. He closed his eyes and hoped that he was able to command her like her last Captain was. He heard the intercom come to life, “Sir, we are reaching our destination.”

He opened his eyes, “Thank you, can you get a shuttle ready for us?”

He heard her reply, “Yes Sir, be ready to depart in twenty minutes.”

[Akirapryde]

Allies of Enemies
Star Adder

The scene in the Galley was a calm one while the ship speeds its way towards its destination. Sitting on the deck in the far corner of the Galley, Urias sits cross legged in a mediation position. Annie and Falynn sit across each other at a metal table. Annie smiled as she looked up from her coffee, “You know if Mar, Steven and Sinya were here, things would be so much more entertaining. Steven always knew how to make the best of things. I really like him. Remember how Mar would say something super smart and Sinya would look like she was lost in space!” She looked across the table at Falynn who Laughed back.

“Yeah, remember how Steven and Aral would get in to it, then spent the rest of the mission making out!” The two women continued to laugh as they each took drinks of their coffee. When Annie heard that Falynn and Urias were coming aboard she was excited to see her old friends. It had been so long since they all worked together. It had been so long since Annie had any friends around. Aral makes sure to keep all those who might hurt them away.

Annie's laughter slowed down and than came to a stop. She looked down with sadness, 'so long since that night' she thought with sadness. “Aral loved him so much, Fay. When the Puppet Master murdered him, then, well, you know, that night happened.” Annie explained then added, “She just has never been right since.”

Falynn looked down in sadness, “Annie, I tried” she said with tears in her eyes. “You don't know how much I tried to keep my word.” Falynn's eyes never left her own coffee as she remembered the events of that night so long ago.

“Mommy, I am tired, can I go sleep now?” the little boy said softly as he pulled on Falynn's robs. He looked puzzled at her face, “Mommy are you okay?”

She turned to her son and smiled, “Yes my son, mommy is fine. Just remembering a time a life time ago.” she said softly touching his face. Falynn had taken so much effort to make sure that no one knew she was pregnant. She enlisted the help of Master Yoda to make sure that no force user could ever find out she had a child. The cost on her emotions were tremendous that day she left him behind at the orphanage. There were days during the first year she wanted so bad to go back and get her son, but she knew that the Puppet Master and Rose would not stop at anything to find the Son of Urias, if they knew of him. Master Yoda promised that her son would be safe and he was. That was in till Yoda was murdered by Republic soldiers on Dagobah and Urias broke out of a super max prison.

The day he was convicted of those trumped up charges, he made her promise never to visit him. Forget about him and let him die in her heart. She couldn't do the later, but she did her best to reframe from visiting. She heard about his break out when a group of Hunters found her on her homeworld of Abregado-rae. They questioned her for hours on end about the man she loved. Asking her all kind of things like, how did Urias get his lightsabers back or did she knew where he would go once he broke out. She answered truthfully but really had nothing to help them with. She knew that they did not believed her, but she didn't care. The man she loved so much was in need of her once more and she felt it. For nearly two weeks they questioned her, and then they were dead just like that. Two days ago, Urias found her and told her that their child was in danger. She didn't have to ask, she knew that he had killed the Hunter team that had been watching and questioning her. What did surprise her was that he made that comment because she never told him about his child. There was no way he could have known, she made sure of it. Just like Urias, he dropped the other shoe on her, he had already gotten her son from the orphanage where he was hidden at. 'How did he know' she questioned in her thoughts.

She turned to Annie, “Where can he sleep Annie” she asked softly as she rested her hand on her son's shoulder.

Annie smiled, “Here let my man show you the way” she said motioned for the droid to step forward. She always loved the voice but without the face, it just didn't have the same affect on her. “Please take our guest to the VIP Quarters, Love.”

She smiled as the metal Ogon stepped forward, “right this way, Ma'am” the droid version of Ogon said in his own voice but with a hard western accent. She spent more time on building him than she had spent on any other of her droids. It was prefect right down to, well, what made her love him. From head to toe she made sure ever detail was prefect. Even with fur across its body. Than she added a cowboy hat, duster, jeans and spurs to finish the western look she loved. She placed a pair of look a like six shooter blasters on his side. She smiled as she watched the droid walk away leading Falynn and her son away. She broke her gaze as she saw Falynn look back.

Falynn smiled at her old friend and knew what she was thinking, “one day you are going to have to just give up the droids and fall in love like the rest of us.”

“Oh sure, Love!” she said playfully, “yeah like it has worked out so well for everyone else, RIGHT!”

Falynn only smiled back as she picked up her son and followed the droid Ogon out. Annie smiled as she waved at the little boy who waved back at her. 'I want kids' she thought for a moment then dismissed the thought. Annie knew that her life could never allow for children. She was not free like Falynn was. She was still a wanted runaway within the Hutt's Syndicate, which meant she could never have a normal life. She was far too valuable to HIM and as long as he was alive, she could never truly be free from the Syndicate. Despite Aral's best efforts to kill him, he managed to avoid just dying like a good little Hutt should. Her smile now completely gone as she looked back down in to her coffee, “If Steven was here, he would say something to cheer me up and make me laugh.”

A few moments later Falynn returned to the galley. Her eyes fell on to the man she would cross the galaxy for, she saw Urias meditating in a corner. He had been there for the past day and a half just focusing and meditating. She was worried about him and his mental state. He seems more determined than ever to find and kill Rose. 'Had she found out about our son? Was that the reason why he broke out?' she thought as questions continued to fill her mind over the change of events that had ocurred. She had only seem him like this once before. During that time he was known as, 'Chun the Conquerer.' She sighed softly, 'had he fallen back to the dark side again?' she thought as she tried to see his aura. She ceased her attempt when she saw him actively blocking her. 'What are you hiding, my love' she thought as she looked down and slid back in to her chair across from Annie. She could see the expression on Annie's face, “He has allot on his mind and in his heart.” Her attempt to conceal her emotions and fear for Urias were futile. Annie knew her much better than that.

Annie turned to look at Urias still meditating, “Sister, he has always been a big ball of grumpiness, rage and power all bottled up inside of one hell of a good looking man” she said. “Mmmmm, and what a HELL of a man he is, still!” she expressed licking her lips. Falynn just laughed as she watched Annie turn back towards her. Urias had always been an object of their affection. His soft accent that could melt any women's heart and those eyes that could cut right to her soul. He was the super weapon of landing a woman and they both knew it. “You know, I still have those videos that Steven and Rose made of Sinya and him” she said softly with a grin on her face.

Falynn leaned forward over her coffee with surprise, “You still have those? Oh my god!” She remembered when Steven and Rose created those fake pornos of Sinya and Urias. Well more of Sinya than Urias. Urias never did have a sense of humor and never took kindly to things like that. Yet it was those videos that lunched Sinya's career as a Holo Porn Star. The running joke among them had always been which of her videos were real and which were fake. When they did finally surface, Sinya was so upset over them that she hardly talked to Steven and the rest for nearly a month. Not that Falynn could blame her, there were some fifty films made of her and released. Falynn looked around, “You know if Sinya was here now, she would say something like, 'I'm not amused'” she said puffing out her chest and acting upset. The two just laughed at the memory of their fallen friend.

Annie nodded, “Yes and then she would try to get it back. We used to play keep away from her so many times” the two continued to laugh at the flood of pleasant memories. “Sure I know their fake, but damn they're so well made. Its nearly impossible to tell they were fake, if you knew they were fake in the first place” Annie explained as she pulled out a small holochip. “I have a few right here.”

The door to the galley hissed open as Aral walked in to the galley. It was clear by the look in her eyes that she was not at all happy with the current situation, “I want you to know, once this is over Urias, we are even. I don't owe you a damn thing any more!” She said with a raised voice while walking up to him. When he didn't reply she softly kicked him, “did you hear me?”

“When this is over, I guess I will no longer have any reason not to kill you.” he said never opening his eyes, “So don't cross my path once this is over and you can live a long and unhealthy life, Aral” he calmly commented. He never broke his meditation as he only focused on the future and what it held for them all.

Aral looked down at the Jedi Weapon's Master before her. She knew all too well that fighting him would be pointless. He could easily make short work of her, like he had already done two times before. The last time they cross blades, he nearly killed her had it not been for Falynn. She was not about to push her luck any further than she already has. She turned and walked away from him while she said, “You better just remember that Urias! Nothing” She walked over to a food dispenser and drew out a sandwich and a drink. She looked at Annie and Falynn who were watching her. “What are you two looking at” she snapped at them. Annie just looked back to her coffee and mouthed to Falynn to leave her be.

She saw the message but was not about to let it go, Falynn got up with a smile, “Aral please join us.” She never liked the edginess of the group, then or now. She wanted to try to help them to get along.

Aral glared at her, “are you kidding me?”

Falynn walked over to Aral as Annie whispered, “that woman can never leave well enough alone.”

Aral didn't hear what was said but knew her sister said something. “WHAT DID YOU SAY” Aral snapped at her sister.

Annie got up, “Oh look at the time!” she said looking at her watch, “I have to go do something very technical.” She added as she walked out of the galley.

Falynn gazed over her shoulder watching Annie leave. Her eyes turned back to Aral, “look I have been meaning to talk to you anyway Aral.” She started to explain but was cut off by Aral.

“You would have noting I would want to hear, Fay” she snapped and tried to push past Falynn. Aral was not stupid, she knew that Urias would easily be cut her down if she tried to strike Falynn. Despite her anger for her, Aral knew she had to keep her cool. “You are a murder and nothing more.”

Falynnn didn't know what she was doing, she was just fallowing her heart. Falynn knew that Aral was dangerous but she needed to have this conversation. She had to tell Aral what she had been trying to tell her since that horrible night. “Aral....” was all she was able to get out as she put her hand on Aral's shoulder to stop her.

Once Aral felt Falynn's hand her shoulder, she snapped. Spinning drawing out her lightsaber, she was going to strike Falynn down once and for all. Well that was the plan, at least. The swing of lightsabers caught Aral and Falynn completely off guard. Urias moved so fast that he was able to block Aral's attack and then disarm her in his next action like they were both standing still. Aral tried to stop him but he was too fast, too powerful. As he lifted up his hand towards her, she was lifted off the ground while he drew up the Force and choked her through some invisible hand. Aral's eyes grew in size as she was lifted even higher. Urias needed a ship, not Aral. And he was about done with her already. His eyes were focused on her eyes as she fought for breath. He watched as she struggled to free herself from the choking grip about her neck that held her in the air. The emotions in his eyes were simple for her to read, 'DIE!'

“LET HER GO!” Falynn yelled grabbing at Urias' arm and breaking his focus on Aral. She forced him to let her go, Aral fell to the deck gasping for breath once the hold was broken. Falynn knelt next to Aral check to make sure she was okay. She shook her head while looking at Aral, 'this has to end, now.'

“Get out!” she demanded of him. He looked at her with surprise on her face. But before he could comment she thrust her arm showing him the direction of the door. Her long brown hair flipping in the air as her head snapped in his direction of the door while she repeated loudly, “Urias, get out.”

Urias looked confused and took a step towards the door, then stopped. He was going to say something but Falynn just pointed at the door once more as her head turned back towards Aral. Falynn waited for the door to close behind him while she looked over and saw Aral's lightsaber on the floor. She used the force to bring it spinning to her waiting hand, “All you are is anger and rage. You hate me for what happened. FINE” she said to Aral while she recovered from Urias' attack. “You want revenge” she said half helping half pulling Aral to her feet. “Here take it. I am sick of being YOUR reason for your rage and anger.”

Aral was not sure if she was hearing things right or if her head was clear enough to understand what was happening. She looked in to Falynn's eyes and saw anger deep within them. What happened next surprised the crap right out of her. Falynn took her lightsaber and slapped it in her hand. Falynn directed the weapon in between her breast, “You want your revenge, take it now!” As she held the lightsabers in Aral's hand and ensured that the weapon was on mark with her own heart.

Aral just starred at the lightsaber and closed her eyes. The sound of it activating and the sound of Falynn being killed filled the galley. Aral felt Falynn's hands fall away from her own as she slipped to the ground. The sound of the body hitting the floor echoed in galley. Aral opened her yes and relished in the death of the woman that had killed her father so long ago. She had her revenge and it was over. She looked down that the body and felt nothing different. She tilted her head to the side and wondered why she didn't feel any satisfaction from the killing. She looked at the activated lightsaber and knew that Falynn was dead in that moment. And the feeling of satisfaction simply was not in her heart or mind.

Aral opened her eyes as she finished envisioning the killing of Falynn. Falynn's eyes were just closed waiting for the end to come. It was something that Aral had wanted for all these years and here it was in front of her. From the distance she heard the holocron activate. “Yes, feel your anger, let it flow and control your blade. Strike her down and complete your path to the dark side!” Aral and Falynn both looked at the holocron of the sith Master long dead speaking to Aral. Both turned and looked back in to each other's eyes.

Aral thought hard about what was happening. Then the voice echoed again in her mind, 'Feel your anger, let it flow and control your blade.' She thought for a moment, 'why let it control me and my actions. Always letting it control me and my actions. Feeding on me. Wait....' She pushed Falynn away as she turned to the Sith teacher, “That's what you have been holding back from me” she yelled while taking a step toward the hologram of the teacher. “All this time you have taught me to feed my anger and let it loss. The truth is that anger is a powerful emotion that I can control and I can feed from it.” It was clear by the reaction of the teacher it was not ready for this.

“All this time I knew you were holding back.” she lifted the holocron with her force powers and brought it to the center of the galley. “I now know all I need to learn from you teacher!” she said as she started to crush the holocron, “I told you this day would come and here it is”

The hologram teacher shuttered as the device that controlled it was being crushed, “Nooooooo” as it vanished under a shower of sparks from the smashed holocron.

Aral released the smashed holocron as the pieces fell about the deck. She turned to Falynn, “I was there that night. I know what happened, all this time I always knew what had happened.” she explained then continued, “I know that you had stopped and begged him to give up. I know that he throw himself on her blade.” she looked down at her lightsaber and sighed as she examined it, “I forgive you.”

Falynn smiled a bit as she heard those words. She had tried so hard to get Joff to surrender peacefully. It was Aral who told her where to find her father with Falynn's promise to bring him in alive. She never wanted him to die but he had to be stopped, he was out of control and they had orders to bring him down. She looked down, “Thank you” was all she could think to say. She moved to hug her long time friend.

Aral put her hand up blocking Falynn, while turning her head to face her causing her long red hair to flow behind her head, “Hold on, I forgive you. But don't get uppity on me, Fay. I am still not coming back to the light side.” she said coldly and then added, “I have forgiven you for his death. But I am not going to serve the light side now.” She stepped back and looked deep in to Falynn's eyes, “We both knew that I was never a lightsider since the beginning.”

Falynn nodded as she looked down in sadness. It was true, since day one when they were one of the best Hunter teams the Order ever had, Aral was also teetering on that line between light and dark. So many times she walked back and forth between to two sides. She might be a darksider, but she had her sister back, and that is all that mattered to Falynn. She wanted to save Aral, but knew that that time might come later. For now, she could feel much of Aral's anger subside. For that Falynn was grateful. “Thank you Aral” she said once more as she moved to let Aral leave. Falynn watched as Aral walked out the door and saw a very nervous Urias watching closely with both his lightsabers in hand.

[Akirapryde]

Reflections on Carissa
The Void
ISA Ka-riss-ah

Carissa walked slowly in to one of the eight gardens that lined her midship. Her long white gown flowed about her as she walked slowly from the corridor in to the garden. In her arms, she cradled a bundle of flowers rapped up by a red ribbon. Her long blond hair bounced lightly as she walked through the countless tombstones. She always liked the way her avatar appeared. It was what she would like to look like if she was real. She personally wrote the program for her hair. The length, color, texture and even the smell it gave off was all her own doing. She remembered a long time ago someone asking why she never programed shoes or boats for her avatar. She just preferred to feel herself under her own feet. She didn't care if they understood, but she knew what she wanted and enjoyed having it just her way. Much like the way she would move about her self.

Like other ships, it would be easier for her to just transfer her avatar from one location in the ship to another through her own power grid. But for her, she didn't like to do that. She could, and has in the past during emergencies. But normally she enjoying walking just like the humans do. She also loved the way her body felt under her bare feet. She could feel the pulse of her engines or the change of directions. The slightest change in her performance was easily detected. Well, she was linked with every system on the ship and that made things much easier for her. But she does like to believe that her avatar and her self held a special connection through her bare feet. There was something that just really made her feel more mortal, more human by walking like they do. She also enjoyed the sense of being closer to her crew as she walked among them. Walking in the grass gave her a much nicer feel on her feet than the cold armored steal of her deck plating. If warships were ever aloud to dream, she had one. She had recorded such astral sights that many mortals would never see. Through her own eyes she saw the death of entire solar systems and the birth of a star. Her memory is filled with such wonders, but for her. The one wonder missing is the feeling of a warm summer breeze blowing over her body while she sunbathed in a grassy field.

She paused with a smile on her face and looked up out of the large windows to see the space around her. She could see the region of space around her through a number of different sensors. There were so many different senses that she had that could easily tell her all she wanted to know about this nebula they were cruising through. Despite all that she has seen through her sensors, she had always envied human sight. Not as prefect as her own sensors nor gave the wide range of spectrum that she could normally see through. However, she loved the way her avatar's eyes allowed her to see the world in a more different sight. She sighed, “this place is remarkable” she said softly as she continued to look up through her large windows. Turning her sight from the windows she continued down the path of the garden. Carefully through the graves she walked taking care not to step on any of the graves. She walked till she came to the fresh grave that is the final resting place of her former Captain.

She looked down at the grave for a moment and sighed softly. It was clear by her facial expression that she was stricken with grief. “Greetings Captain” she said softly as she calmly walked around to the headstone. Reaching down her leg and took hold of her gown and slowly pulled it up exposing her lower legs. She slowly lowered herself down to a kneeling position in the grass next to the grave. She carefully placed the flowers next to the headstone. “It has been so long since we have had a chance to talk” she said with a sense of sadness. “I have researched my memory banks and found out that holding conversations with a loved one that has passed away to find comfort in their loss. I have been online for just over a two weeks now and have discovered a flaw in my subroutines. I am not sure how long this flaw has been there and it is starting to effect my efficiency. As I have gone through me, I keep having this line of code that reflects something that is missing within my subroutines. I have this horrible sense of emptiness within my haul. I have been told that this feeling is called Grief” she paused as tears started to drip down her face. She reached up to touch one. She brought her finger up to her face as her head slightly tilted while she look over the moister on the tips of her fingers. “Why would anyone program a warship to experience grief” she paused and wiped her eyes dry with the sleeves of her gown, “I am going to try to find this comfort from grief that is referenced in my readings by talking to you, Sir.”

She made herself ridged as if he was standing right there in front of her, “Damage report, Sir, Energy levels are reaching an operational level but it is still limited to what stars are within range of my solar sails. I have been able to recover some fuel for my reactors and have limited main power back. Currently I am operating at twenty percent on each reactor. I know that I am at critical levels but it is all that I have at the moment. I am hoping to refuel soon. Till then I have most sections of me shut down and closed off. While I have a large amounts of damage across my haul, most of it seems only cosmetic. I do have considerable damage among my communications systems and minor damage to some targeting and sensory systems. The lack of my drones makes it nearly impossible for me to conduct repairs as needed.” she paused as a new wave of sadness washed over her face, “I know, I understand why my drones were jettisoned.” Trying to wipe this new sorrow from her face as she changed the subject. “We have the start of new crew members aboard. There is a human female with them though I am not completely sure about her. The rest are of races of origins that I have never seen before. They seem to have a different form of Government here. Where all races are treated as equals. I am personally confused by it all but it is not the Alliance and I have to accept this fact. I asked one to take up the position of Captain. I think you would like him. He is so much like you in his thoughts and beliefs. I think he might even have the ability to be a Knight. His name is Ogon. He was the one that stood by my side and prevented my shut down. I don't know if I can trust him fully, but I know I can trust him more than the rest do. I had managed to uncover some information from a captured ship. It would appear that at least one of them is a wanted terrorist. I am not sure of what the reasons are but I will be investigating this later. But first I know what I have to do. I am continuing on with our mission.”

“I know how important it is. Trust me Captain, I will complete the mission. I promise you Sir. I have started to share with Ogon some details of the Chaos, the War back home and the Alliance.” She smiled, “He loves to read just like you do. I wish you two had the chance to meet, I bet you two would spend all day talking about me and my kind. He seems to like Avatars and Computer systems. Their own AI's here seem so um, primitive.” She looked down once more in sadness as if a painful memory crossed her thought, “I feel like I am so alone here. Once my systems came fully back online, I remembered so much. But their were also gaps in my memory as well. I remember the death of my son as we departed. But I don't remember feeling this way. So much has changed but you would have to see this place we are now to believe me.” She said trying to change the subject on herself.

She was completely unable to deal with the experiences that she was going through at this moment. It was clear by a tear as it once more started to roll down her face, “This place is just like you had suggested the ancients would have called home. At first it would only seem like just any other nebula. Yet, there is a pathway through it. Once through the path, there is a solar system. Yes I know, but its here. And not only that, three stars and three class A planets. The Gravity fields here are just so incredible, it interacts with the solar winds and causing such a beautiful affect across my haul. The chances of this happening naturally are simply impossible. I have detected a couple of Jump points and markers within the nebula, so they had to have been here before. That is not the most confusing thing. Do you remember” she said with almost a bit of laughter, “that debate we had about the mathematical probability of micro black holes existing? I was right, not one, but three. All in prefect balance with each other.” her smile fade once more, “I was right”

Her tears started to flow once more, “I am so sorry for what happened. I didn't mean for it to happen the way it did. I didn't mean for any of it but I couldn't...” she paused to wipe the tears off her face, “I couldn't just let it happen, you know what I mean.” she paused once more to collect herself, “I have not told them all of what happened. I don't know how to tell them or if I should. Only Ogon trusts me and the others, I know would deactivate me if they had a reason. I have searched through all of our conversations. I know you would insist on me telling them, but there is too much of a probability that they would deactivate me. Haven't I paid for that enough. I was shut down for over three thousand years. During that time I was aware of the passage of time.” Once more her tears ran out of control, “I remember us talking about dreams and nightmares. I remember how you defined nightmares. That must be what they are. Trapped inside my own body. Helpless and silent to all those around me. I could see, feel, and desire. But....have I not been punished enough” she questioned as she dropped her head in to her hands. “I know I have to tell them, but......”

Her voice was cut off as her head shot up with a start. “Sir, we are reaching our destination.”

Ogon's voice echoed throughout the garden, “Thank you, can you get a shuttle ready for us?”

She slowly stood up and nodded, “Yes Sir, be ready to depart in twenty minutes.” She looked down at the grave once more and sighed, “I will be back to talk with you. The research was right, it does help with this grief thing.” Carissa turned and walked out of the garden.

It was lucky for one listener that her internal security systems were not up to a hundred percent just yet. Ubaah slowly slid from behind a large tree and watched Carissa walk out of the garden. He had heard everything that she said in private to her lost Captain. Despite dealing with his own personal lost back on Coruscant, he was still loyal to his friends. He heard everything that was said.

[Akirapryde]

Siege of Origin
Lejár Az Idő Kerület
Eredet

The Shadow Repulse slipped silently and slowly in to orbit high above Origin. Its bright lights as well as its red and white markings told all that beheld it, that this mighty ship of war was proud member of the Grand Republic Navy. The great seal of the Republic lit up proudly across the the nose of the ship. It slowly maneuvered turning on its wide wings angeling it toward the planet while it positioned itself. Tiny flames from its maneuvering thrusters burst to life as the ship slowed and finally stopped in a low orbit over the northern hemisphere of the planet. Normally when a ship enters orbit, it aligns it nose in the direction of travel for its orbit. The Shadow Repulse instead maintained its orientation with its nose pointed downward as it drifted over the planet. As the ship slipped behind the planet and in to the shadows of the world, its lights became the only visible parts of the ship for the moment.

Then without warning, the ship lit up in such a range of reddish colors as its energy based weapons opened fire on the world below. Over and over again the turbolasers and heavy blasters from the Shadow Repulse ripped downward causing untold damage and suffering with each new blast. As the ship drifted over the planet using its thrusters to maneuver, it was able to shift it's targeting while it continued to fire. For a solid thirty minutes, the Shadow Repulse fired over and over again. A relatively short period of time in terms of orbital bombardments, however, more than enough time to decimate the four villages below. Even from orbit, the fires that marked the locations of the villages were now clearly visible. Once more the ship's engines fired and it started its descent downward towards the planet.

Slowly the Shadow Repulse slipped through the clouds and smoke from the fires as it made its way towards its landing point. Unlike other ships to make planet fall on Origin, it didn't follow the beacon that marked a predetermined landing site. The Shadow Repulse made its way towards one of the now burning villages. Before making its finally landing however, it unleashed another round of vicious weapons' fire upon the helpless village. The blasts sent large chunks of earth and ruble high in to the night's sky. As the weapons' fire came to a stop once more the ship maneuvered slowly towards its landing site just less than ten kilometers from the burning village. As it started to set down a trio of large legs slowly extended out from under the ship towards the surface. With a loud thud, the ship finally made its landing. A single large ramp slid out from the ship's under belly and touched down on the sands of Origin. War had finally come to Origin.

Walking down the ramp, Rose smiled as she felt the power of her Masters behind her. She could feel their power surging through her as her tattoos pulsated with a glowing deep blood red. She came to a stop at the end of the ramp. She could hear her troops forming up behind her. Turning her head to look over her left and then her right shoulder, she saw Orchid and Lotus standing side by side right behind her. They were her most trusted and her most gifted of warriors. Behind them stood her own dark side warriors. Their numbers were small but they were each filled with rage and ready to do the bidding of their Dark Mistress. She knew they could make short work of the defenders of this world. Behind them slowly forming up were the nearly ten thousand droids that Rose had secretly amassed over the years. She smiled as she nodded to Orchid, “Today we shall have the Sword of Omar and tomorrow we shall rule the entire galaxy.” With that, Rose step from her ship and on to the sands of Origin.

As her foot hit the sand, a loud crack of thunder was heard and lighting flashed high in the sky announcing the arrival of the storm. As her foot sank deeper in to the sands, a pulse of energy rippled outward from that single point. She could feel it through her connection with the force. The sands about her foot turned a darker shade even in the dead of night as if the darkness of her own soul had now corrupted this once pure place. Rose felt the light of this place turn to match her own vile spirit. The energies of her troops and her minions flowed through her and she was able to focus it on to the world itself. With each passing step she made her energies further corrupted Origin. As if the sun itself had been turned off at midday, every force user in the galaxy that was attuned (5+ ranks in sense force or farseeing) could feel Rose's evil spreading corrupting the light side. All force users that enjoyed basking in the light felt weaker from this corruption, while those who drew on darker powers felt stronger. The balance had been broken.

Rose turned to four of her commander droids, “Spread your forces out and engage what enemies you find. I need that village secured by dawn.”

Rose had spared no expense on her forces, as she had bought the latest Baktoid Combat droids B1 and Droidekas for her forces. The commanders each raised their weapons and stated, “Roger roger” On that noted they each led their troops outward to flank the village. The small droid tank hovered up behind the them. Nearly all of the droid forces moved outward toward the village.

Rose knew what to expect from the defenders of this back water world and yet still figured it a wise idea to protect her small control tank just in case, she turned to one of her last droid commander, “Keep your company close to the tank and make sure that no one threatens it. I want it on that ridge line so it can provide fire support for the troops in the village.” she commanded as she pointed to the location of the ridge.

The droid commander raised its weapon, “Roger roger.” Then it turned to its own droids, “You heard her troops, lets move out!” On that note the droid company and tank were in motion.

Rose and her biological followers started to walk towards the sounds of combat that started to sound as her troops started their attacks. She turned over her shoulder to the last company of droids, “Protect the landing site at all costs.”

The droids raised their weapons, “Roger, roger!” as they spread out and formed a protective line around the ship.

As they continued to walk, Rose smiled, “Now, lets go find this keeper of the sword.” Rose and her minions led by Orchid and Lotus walked calmly in to the burning village with their lightsabers drawn and energized.

Despite the orbital bombardments, the battle for the village was still intense. The villagers fought back with courage and all the skill they held. They called upon the powers of their world and those of the light side to try to stop the invaders. Groups of hunters sent large boulders and blasts of fire balls at the droids while others summoned giant hail to rain down on the advancing droids. Still others channeled the winds and blew droids back the way they came with hurricane strength winds. Together they each fought hard against the advancing droids. As each droid that they managed to stop was replaced by three more. Their wooden and light metal shields held no defense against the fire power of the droids modern blasters. Still they fought on while slowly being pushed further and further back towards their village.

These proud and simple people were hunters, farmers and fishermen. They were not warriors trained to fight this kind of war. Their droids attackers were far better equipped and better programmed for this battle. Still the rocks flew, fires balls blasted, hail fell from the skies and winds blew. Some foolish hunters rushed the droids using their metal swords, spears, axes and hammers on the droids. Droids dropped by the dozens as they continued to march forward. Sadly all their effort to hold back the waves of droids had to little effect and they were cut down by ranks after ranks of droids. Courage did indeed flow freely in their veins. However on this sad night, now it flowed freely from their bodies as the droids advanced in to the village.

Rose and her minions calmly walked in to the heart of the village. She smiled as she saw the large pyramid standing against the storm filled sky. Black lighting flashed behind it causing it to illuminate with a sense of eerie dread. She could feel that destiny had lead her to this very moment. All that she had worked for was about to come in to being. She was about to become the most powerful entity in the entire galaxy. Since that very first moment that she held the sword she knew she had to control it once more. She waved her hands to her minions sending them on to their own assignments. She knew that she could not afford to have them near by when she first finds the sword. Unless she wished to repeat history when Urias stoled the sword from her the last time she held it. 'No this time their will be no one to stop me from claiming what is mine' she thought with greed and determination. She started to walk towards the pyramid when five large shards of ice rushed down towards her. Her hands flew like the black lighting flashing in the nights sky. She hit each of the shards shattering them before they could hurt her.

A powerful gust of wind slammed in to her and pushed her back. It took all that she could muster to remain on her feet. The anger in her heart and mind raged as she looked up at the origin of the attack. Half way up the pyramid she saw a small group of local warriors led by some woman in a green dress, painted face and a golden head piece. “By all means, lets fight!” Rose yelled out as she slammed her foot in to the ground unleashing a powerful wave of Force energy in to the ground which dislodged a boulder and thrust it in to the air. On that she leaped up in to the air next to the rock that hovered just off the ground. With a powerful round house kick to it, she sent it flying at the warriors. A few dodged the attack but the woman in green stood against the attack and used a force skill that Rose was not familiar with to shatter the boulder in to dust before it could hit the others. Rose watched as they all leaped at her with their weapons drawn and ready for battle. She waited for their attacks, not phased or impressed by them.

A man with a pair of hammers rushed forward while bending forward. He spun his arms in a backward motion causing them to slam in to the ground sending massive rocks racing towards her. Rose drew on the Force and with her swift arm and leg motions was able to deflect the rocks. He continued his charge much faster than the others who were behind him. He let out a scream as he swung his hammers at Rose. Rose bent her back backwards as she watched a them pass harmlessly over her bent body. As she continued to bend backwards she reached over her head with both arms and planted them. Once her arms were planted, she leaped her legs upward driving her feet in to his chest and face. He went flopping backwards on to his back while she flipped head over heals back to her feet. Once back on her feet she rushed him while he leaped back up to his feet. He brought both hammers down at her from over his head as she rushed in for the attack. Rose reached up and grabbed both his arms at his wrists as she smiled, he was dead and she knew it. Holding fast to his wrists she lurched him forward as hard as she could while leaping upward towards his chest. She drove both feet in to his rib cage while using the Force to increase the power of her attack. His rib cage crushed under the impact causing bones to rip through his tunic and sides. She landing back on her feet as he fell backwards dead.

Wasting no time, she slipped to the side as a flaming sword just barely missed her head and upper body. Rose saw a woman dressed in deep brown almost red outfit with some type of long fingerless gloves on. She welded a curved broadsword that seemed to be burning as she used it. The next attack from the woman came in fast, but Rose was fast enough to twist her body to dodge the attack and land a powerful side kick that send the woman stumbling back. Seeing the other three closing fast, Rose wasted no time. She spun forward with another kick to the womans lower body causing her to double over. Rose continued with her momentum as she half spun to the side of her landing another kick to the woman's lower body. As the woman was leaning heavily forward, Rose leaped up and kicked her as hard as she could in the woman's throat. The blow sent the woman flying up and backwards causing her to nearly fly horizontal to the ground. Needing to finish the woman off, Rose leaped up as the woman landed and on her downward travel, she slammed her open palm in to the woman's face. Blood shot out from under Rose's hand as she felt the woman's skull caved in under the blow.

Even before Rose could move from her current stance, a second woman with a pair of swords swung on her. These swords were like the first one and they too were on fire. Rose was starting to find a respect for these elemental Force users. In that moment she decided to leave a few alive to continue her training before she wiped them out completely. Rose was just barely able to dodge the incoming attack by rolling forward over the dead woman's body. Rose had made a fetal mistake and she knew it. She lost track of the woman as she dodged the attack. Finishing her tumble Rose leaped up back to her feet searching for the woman. The sound of slicing and burning flesh echoed just under the sounds of the thunder and lighting in the sky. Still the night's sky was dark and the lighting black as the night. It was only visible through the broken clouds against the moon light. Rose let out a grunt as she felt the two swords ripping through her body.

Rose watched the woman slip backwards after she made the attacks as she drew her swords back in front of her in a defensive position. Both women looked down to see the twin deep cuts in Rose's belly. Her flesh had not only been cut deep to where she could see bone and organs, but it was burnt as well. She crossed her arms over the wounds as she stumbled backwards a bit. The painted woman armed with a pair of metal fan and a man with a large pike rushed the battle and flanked Rose on each side. All eyes were on Rose as they had all seen the hit. It was a lethal hit by any standards and Rose was dead where she stood. Or at least that is how it would have been if Rose was not immortal. She gave out a laugh to the surprise of the defenders. She laughed even deeper because not one of them had realized something, 'I can't die!' she thought laughing. They looked to each other in confusion then back to Rose. It was too late, they had lost their momentum and now it was Rose's turn again.

Rose bent over holding her gut while still laughing at their confusion. Raising her eyes back to them she smiled as a black lighting flashed over head sending a shock wave of thunder crashing about them. “The Sword WILL be mine!” she said slowly standing up showing her unharmed belly. Confusion now gone and replaced with complete disbelief and shock on the faces of the three defenders. The blow should have cut her in half, each of them questioned how this invader could still be alive. Rose leaped forward at the woman with the flaming swords and landing just before her. She kicked the ground causing a large stalagmite to launch from the ground and slammed in to the woman propelling her backwards. With a powerful forward and then backward motion of Rose's left hand and arm, a second pointed stalagmite was thrust from the ground just behind the woman with swords. Her backward motion as well as the motion of the stalagmite itself speared her on the stalagmite behind her. The rock ripped through her chest and belly killing her before her swords hit the ground.

The man with the pike attack as well as the painted woman. Rose spun while she knocked the end of the pike away from her with her forearm. Continuing to spin about she watched as the razor sharp edge of a fan narrowly missed her face and the second one missed her neck. Coming around in full circle, she saw the man shifting the pike around with the momentum that she gave it. With another pointed end facing her once more, she leaped to the side hoping to dodge his next attack. He would not be denied this attack. The end of the Pike ran through her thigh and in the ground. Grabbing the shaft of the pike, Rose hammered her elbow in to the side of his head causing him to slip back and giving her the room she needed to drive a powerful side kick in to his chest. Ungracefully, he stumbled backwards and nearly lost his footing while his arms flailed about.

Pinned to the ground Rose had little option but face painted woman from a slight disadvantage. The woman swung the fans at her causing some kind of focused force attack on Rose. Rose brought her arm up to block the attack and watched the deep cuts form on it. Rose used her other arm to shatter the shaft of the pike and free her leg. The painted woman rushed in for an attack just in time to take a powerful kick from Rose sending her flopping over her left side and landing on the ground. Now recovered from the earlier attack, the man drew out a smaller narrow sword and lunged at Rose. Rose turned to face the attack as she heard him rushing her. She knocked the blow to the side and spun to her right side and drove her left leg in to his right leg shattering it just blow the knee. As he started to fall she grappled him by his throat and lifted him off the ground. She smiled as she looked in to his eyes and unleashed her own force powered lighting in to his skull. His head lit up like a blue orb for a short period of time, then she tossed his lifeless body away.

The painted woman screamed as she attacked. Rose's wounds were already fully healed as she turned to face the attack. The painted woman attacked with all that she could, using her razor sharp fans and her control over the elements. Rose blocked each attack as it came at her, deciding to take a defensive position while the painted woman attacked. She knew what she was doing and was waiting for her turn to take the offensive. Rose only focused on blocking the incoming attacks from the painted woman. Blow for blow, Rose was fast enough to ensure that each attack the painted woman made would not result in a single hit in. Rose was fast and very nimble so hitting her was hard enough, but now it was nearly impossible. There was nothing the painted woman could do to gain the upper hand in this battle. Rose was just too fast for any of her attacked to get through. Within moments the woman slowed her attacks and made herself ready to switch to the defensive. This was the moment that Rose waited for.

Rose smiled as she watched the woman slip back a bit. She knew it was her turn as she stepped forward to close the gap once more. Rose started her attacks with a kick which the woman blocked as well as Rose's next two fist attacks. Rose's tattoos glowed even more brightly as the battle continued and she started to gain the upper hand. She could feel the power of her success aiding her strength in this battle. Fainting to the left, Rose spun to the right landing a kick in the woman's gut causing her to double over. Rose continued her spin landing her elbow in the small of the woman's back with a loud crushing sound. The painted woman fell forward slowly while she tried to fight the motion, Rose continued with her multiple attack with a short leap kick landing right above the painted woman's eyes. The powerful kick sent the painted woman flipping backwards on to the ground. Her golden head piece was ripped from her head by the blow and flew even further back, landing behind her somewhere. Rose leaped in to the air as she readied to bring her fist down on the woman.

The painted woman saw the incoming attack and rolled away from it as Rose's fist slammed deep in to the ground. Being fast on her feet, Rose leaned to the right and jetted her left leg outward landing another powerful kick to the painted woman's side sending her over again. Rose leaped up to her feet while the painted woman was much slower to get back up. By the time the painted woman was back to her feet Rose was ready and waiting for her. Another low kick to the woman's gut caused her to double over again. Then a powerful spinning side kick from Rose's right leg sent the woman spinning and stumbling to the left. The blow caused the painted woman to spin almost completely around giving Rose her back. Rose knew this fight was over. While she continued to spin through her kick and away from the woman, she leaped up high in to the air twisting her body as she flew upward. Letting out a scream like some wild predator about to make its kill, Rose started to make her downward motion as she lined up for the blow. She slammed her open palm in the back top of the painted woman's head. The attack shattered her skull and spine. The force of the blow slammed her to her knees as Rose landed just behind her. The woman's body jerked and flailed a bit as Rose heard her dying words, “Ne'ma....”

Rose watched as the leader of those sad defenders bleed out on to the ground. She spit down on the body with disgust. For the first time in Origin's history, the world was without a Spiritual Leader. This loss was felt across the galaxy as lighters all felt their connection with the force slip and fade to a high degree. The flow of Force from Origin had been disrupted and Rose could feel her destiny upon her. This was why she had come to this world, this is what she was meant to do. She felt it pulsating through her. She knew that today she would control the sword and then the entire galaxy. She turned to the pyramid as a black lighting flashed across the night sky and struck it. Large stones were ripped from the pyramid from the impact of dark energies as Rose yelled out with all her might and darkness, “WHERES MY SWORD!”

[Akirapryde]

Siege of Origin (Part Two)
Clash of heroes and Villain
Lejár Az Idő Kerület
Eredet

“Somewhere, where you will never find it, Rose!” Rose turned in the direction of the statement and saw floating in mid air Urias. She knew it was some kind of cloaked ship but that is not what bothered her most. She had figured she would deal with the Puppet Master first and then hunt down and kill Urias. He continued speaking in his normal matter of fact tone. “That shall be the last life you ever take, I swear it!” he yelled out at her as he leaped down at her while activating his double bladed lightsaber. She knew he knew all of her secrets and more importantly all of her weakness. He was the one person that she believed could challenger her claim of the Sword. He was the most dangerous person she could face at this moment. However, he knew that she couldn't die. 'So why are you here Urias. We have fought this battle before. What are you planning?' she thought as she watched him leap down at her.

She stepped back and drew on the force to launch a set of small rocks at him as he flew down towards her. His lightsaber spun and the bright light blue light off his lightsaber flashed as it hit the rocks she tried to hit him with. Just as he landed he swung downward at her head forcing her to block the attack with both of her forearms. The blade of his saber crackled as it hit her arms as if it had hit another lightsaber. She gave up ground as he landed while he spun around with the back side of his saber trying to hit her again. She blocked it this time with her lower right leg. She was forced back once more as he looked deep in to her eyes. She saw only rage for her there, “I swear your evil ends today!” he demanded as he swung again at her causing her to leap upward to dodge the attack. She attempted a kick but he blocked it with his lightsaber. “If I must drag you to hell myself, I swear it Rose.” He took the opportunity to side kick her as hard as he could. The blow sent her backwards nearly two meters as she landed on her back.

Many years before this moment occurred, Rose and Urias each had a special claim to fame. He was the last of the Jedi Weapon's Master. Trained by the oldest member of the order at the time. He was a gifted Jedi that showed so much promise. The only issue was that his gifts made him an excellent warrior and hunter. Many Jedi Masters had their concerns about these gifts and how intense his training was. Rose on the other hand was a very determined young Jedi. Unlike Urias who followed the path of the Weapon's Master, Rose followed an outlawed tradition called, the Jedi Force Warrior. Instead of creating and focusing on using lightsabers. The Force Warrior uses their own bodies as weapons. This was their strength. But it was not enough for Rose, she wanted more. She craved more. Her passions took her deep in to the dark side. Many Scholars believe that she actually drove deeper in to the dark than another Sith before her. It was the reason why at this moment in the galaxy, that the two most powerful Force users were now clashing in mortal combat.

Rose recovered quickly from the kick as she looked at Urias while he stood in a defensive posture. A new force made its presence known. High above the battle a bright blue flash of lighting filled the sky as the thunder clapped filling the area with such a booming sound that it caused others to draw their attention to the battle. The lighting flashed in Urias' eyes as well, the only thing more powerful than his skill in the force was his hatred for Rose. He leaped at her before she could plot out her next attack. He fainted his blade left and she fell for the faint, he spun to the right and with an upward slice removed her arm. He knew better then to be distracted by the wound. He didn't watch it turn to a black mist and reform on her body once more. He spun to use his blade to block her kick to his side. Rose was forced back once more as she tried to leap kick him and missed.

They looked in to each other's eyes in that moment. He smiled as he saw her breathing harder than normal. “Looks like your out of your prime Rose.” he taunted her. He knew better then to rush in and attack her. He knew where she drew her powers from and understood her abilities. She was a gifted Force User and a very capable killing machine. 'She has to die today. There is no question. If everyone is to be saved she must die' he thought.

“Don't worry about my prime old man. Remember Orchid? She's here as well as her dark apprentice. Shall I call them for a reunion?” Rose said as she pulled out her communicator.

“Oh I am sure they have their own hands full.” he laughed as he paced around her trying to get a better angle to attack her. “I brought the whole gang” he commented while smiling as more lightings flashed over head. Then without warning a bright red lighting bolt crashed across the sky with a loud thunder. The amber light from the lighting cast a reddish glow over the two combatants as they paced around waiting for that moment to launch their next attack on the other.

Orchid and Lotus were sweeping the village as per their orders from Rose. They had just linked up with a group of droids and minions. Orchid couldn't help but smile as she and her forces just dispatched a larger group of defenders. She had taken such pride in the way she personally killed a group of their warriors. The way one of them had begged for the life of the other just before she killed them both. Now they were matching again to search another area of the village for more defenders. She watched the storm overhead with both a sense of awe and concern. There was more to this strorm than met the eye. “I don't like the change of these winds” she said to Lotus softly.

“You should trust our Mistress more” said one of their minions. He frowned at her as he spoke. Many of the minions both fear and envied Orchid. She had the complete love of their Mistress and was their Mistress' favorite. Orchid enjoyed privileges and received all the good missions. Just like this mission here, she was in charge with hunting down survivors that were hiding out. Rose made it clear, none of the Elemental Force Users are allowed to survive the battle. She gave this important task to Orchid to carry out.

Orchid didn't reply to the comment as she looked at Lotus who only shrugged her shoulders. Lotus knew that the other minions hated Orchid for her talents and place with Rose. She didn't care for much of the drama that ran among the minions. She was only here for Orchid and she would rather die than see anyone harm her. Orchid knew that the minions coveted her place with Rose. She knew that if any of them had a chance they would betray her and murder her just to take that place. “Take the group and check out that building.” she ordered the minion who had interrupted her conversation with Lotus.

The group of minions followed the man with their weapons out. They crossed the large street as they headed for a large building near a small river. Just as they hit the middle of the street, the street erupted and filled the area with a think cloud of dust and dirt. Orchid and Lotus watched as lightsabers and other weapons flew about as if they were involved in some kind of combat. Screams of men and women dying were heard over the thunder. Lotus moved to investigate but Orchid held her arm out for her to stop. “No!” she commanded and Lotus stopped. The minions were being cut down so fast that this could only mean one thing for Orchid. Orchid started to step away from the cloud of death that her forces were being cut down in.

The lightsabers and sounds finally ended as the cloud started to settle. In the center of the cloud was a figure. Orchid strained her eyes to identify who it was. Slowly she started to make out the features. She sighed with relief as she noted it was a tail broad creature. It was Crayl, their Feeorin minion warrior. The feeorin took a step then stumbled forward as he fell to the ground, dead. From behind him, rose another figure. Orchid knew already who it was, and was in disbelief. With long reddish hair that hung over the shoulders. Its long coat had fanned out around it and as it rose up started to pull in as the wearer grew taller. Its bright red lightsaber casts a demonic glow over its face as a bright flash of red filled the sky as a lighting crackled and flashed loudly over head. The light cast reddish evil shadows over her face giving her an even darker image than normal, “Whats the matter Orchid? You look like you have seen a ghost.” Aral said coldly and methodically.


Orchid shifted back in her stance as she glanced at Lotus. Alone, she knew she was no match for Aral. However, Lotus was a powerful dark sider already and was well on her way to becoming a Sith. She had more then a fair chance of finally putting Aral down once and for all. “I would say that I expected you dead, but then again, I figured you were to stupid to just die like the good want a be villain you are.” Orchid said as she motioned for Lotus to follow her lead, “Still doing Urias' dirty work I take it?”

Aral nodded as she lowered her lightsabers and deactivated it. She felt rage like never before. Normally she would let it consume her. Not this time, this time she held on to that anger and rage. She focused it. She could feel the dark side pulsating through her with much more power than ever before. And for the the first time in her life she had control over it. Before she acted out of rage and anger. Now she could feel the control over it. She had truly become the powerful Sith Lord she was destined for. “I remember how you sold my sister in to slavery.” she commented on as she put her lightsabers away. “I told you I would get you back for that.”

Orchid as she watched Aral prepare for this battle, she motioned to Lotus. They had one chance to drop Aral and that chance was coming up. She knew that Aral's weakness was a lack of control. It is what had saved her on Nar Shadda nearly two years ago. 'If we are to win I have to get her to loss control' she thought carefully laying out their plan. She focused her force powers as she thought of Lotus. She formed a single word in Lotus' mind, 'lighting'. “Really Aral? I had thought that Annie would make such a good slave. I heard she was passed around the bounty hunters.” Orchid played out her plan, as she focused once more on Lotus' mind and formed a second word, 'wait'. Orchid noticed Lotus' nod of understanding and knew that they were going to take Aral down once and for all.

Aral gripped her hands as her anger rose fast. Normally she would have rushed in to battle already. However now with her new found control, she could channel that anger and hatred in to something more powerful than attacks. What Orchid did had to be punished and punish soundly. But she knew that she had to focus her control over her anger. Orchid was going to die on this little shit hole of a world and for that to happen Aral had to control her anger and use it. “I am going to kill you Orchid and your little slut!” Aral said as she held control over that anger. She was surprised with how easy it was to control it once she mastered it. Her anger raged, demanding release, yet unlike before, it waited for her command. 'Orchid, you will die' she promised herself.

Orchid could feel Aral's anger reaching levels that she never felt before. She figured Aral was just barely holding on to control. Orchid smiled as she knew that it was only a matter of time before Aral lost complete control. “Didn't she get knocked up. What ever happened to her bastard child. Sold as a slave I bet?” She felt Aral's rage peaking. She didn't look at Lotus, she just motioned her hands and yelled, “Lotus, NOW!” The pair unleashed their full powered dark side energies in the form of a pair of bluish lighting. The sounds crackled and filled the area with light and power as the twin lightings converged on Aral.

Aral stepped back and took in a deep long breath as she focused her anger and rage in to her action. It was at her command now and she used it to draw deep on dark side energies within her. She brought both hands up and reached out with her hatred. She actually pulled the lighting to her hands drawing in the energies in to her body. Some of it healed her wounds that she had suffered fighting the minions. The rest just pulsated through her harmless. Her anger was in full control and checked. She let out the breath that she held while she watched the blue lighting dancing over her arms and channeling through her. She smiled as she felt completely in control of the powers within her. All her years of training with those two holocroms Sith teachers, she had not only become a Sith, but now she was a full fledged Sith Lord. She drew in the dark energies of her enemies and let it consume her soul. Not since the days of Naga Sadow, had a True Sith Lord walked the galaxy. Now there was her, a true Dark Lord of the Sith! Aral smiled as she felt their lighting finally come to an end. She nodded to Orchid, “Now, let me show you the true power of a Sith Lord!” she said then unleashed her own controlled dark side lighting at both of them. Aral raised her arms causing her lighting to make a waving effect and catching Orchid, Lotus and their droids within the area effect of the lighting.

Aral smiled as she lifted them all in to the air with her lighting. She never felt in so much control before. Her hatred for Orchid powered the lighting even more than normal as she continued to draw on the powers of the dark side. Aral could feel the power of the dark side surging through her. This place gave her such a connection that she never experienced before. She watched as droids popped and exploded from the massive amounts of energy she was pumping in to the lighting effect. Both Orchid and Lotus screamed out in pain as they were hovering in midair from the lighting. She didn't know Orchid's new little slut but she knew Orchid all too well and this was pay back for everything she had done to her and her sister. She shrugged her shoulders forward sending the group flying through the air. It wasn't out of pity, Aral needed her focus on dealing with the attacker rushing up behind her. She dropped to a knee as she flipped her lightsaber from her belt using the force and activated it. She heard a male voice grunt as she knew she got him.

She pulled her lightsaber out of his gut and one of Rose's minions fell to the ground. She looked at the young Twi'lek lying dead at her feet. She felt nothing for his death. She turned her attention back to Orchid. Searching the scene of burned and smoking droids, she looked for Orchid. “Oh don't make me come looking for you Orchid!” She screamed out as she started to walk forward with her lightsaber still activated. She didn't have to walk far before she found one of those she was looking for. Stepping over a burned up droid she heard the lightsaber before she actually saw it. Aral spun using her own lightsaber to block the attack from Lotus. She was surprised that the little slut didn't run away, 'her death, not mine' Aral thought as she blocked the second blade from Lotus. Lotus used a pair of small fast lightsabers and was able to get in a number attacks while Aral defended against them.

“Too bad you have to die, you would make a good Sith Apprentice. I am in the market for one, now.” Aral said as she continued to block the rapid attacks from Lotus. Lotus continued to attack with her lightsabers but to her surprise Aral was not giving any ground. From over Lotus' shoulder, Aral saw a large volume of fire coming from the other side of the city. She knew that was where Annie and her droids were dropped. 'Looks like Urias' plan is working just as he had hoped.' She thought than added, 'he would make a great Sith Apprentice if he would only surrender to the dark side.”

Across the river the ranks of droids and minions were just breaking through the remaining villagers' lines. They were in clear view of Rose and her battle with the leaders of the village. They even cheered as they saw their leader kill the last village leader. Just when they thought that this battle was over, they saw their leader fall under attack from some human Jedi. The most ranking minion motioned for the droids to head for a bridge and help Rose while they headed for another bridge. The force split in to two groups as they rushed to help their besieged leader. Just as the droids were reaching the near by bridge three objects fell from the sky. The lighting fleshed over head in a range of colors. Before them, the droids saw a cowboy dressed droid that looked allot like a Bothan. It wore a cowbot hat, leather duster and chaps. In its hands it carried some kind of multi-barreled weapon. Beside him stood two destroyer droids with their shields activated and weapons ready.

The Bothan style droid looked up at them, “This kind of war, you've gotta believe in what you're fighting for.” It was one of Steven's favorite sayings and Annie loved it. She made sure that her prized droid had all of Steven's logs entered in to his memory banks. It helped him be more like Steven. Just after his statement, the three opened fired with a heavy volume of fire that cut the droids down by the dozens. The three started to move forward pushing the invading droids back away from their leader. The sustained fire from the three droids was intense and more powerful than those of the invaders. However a new group of invaders were rushing up to support their fellow invaders. Still the three droids continued to lay down heavy fire without pause.

As the droids returned fire they discovered the Ogon droid was equipped with a shield much like the destroyer droids that landed along side him. Together the three droids pushed the battledriods of Rose back further from where Rose and Urias were battling to the death. Annie made sure that her droids were always better equipped and better armed. The upgrade in weapons on her destroyers were able to smash through the lesser shielded destroyers of Rose's forces. As the blaster fire rained down on the invaders, Ogon droid let go another quote from Steven's logs, “Well, son, since you haven’t learned to respect your elders, it’s time you learned to respect your betters.” As it laid a heavy volume of fire down on the invading droids. Scores of Rose's battledroids were falling to the volume of fire that the three droids were sending down range.

To the flank of them, they saw the hoard of minions battling. They knew that Annie had been tasked with controlling that bridge and once it was secured she would attempt to block and jam the control tank's transmissions till it could be taken out by another member of their group. Large chunks of burning droids flew high in to the air as they were blasted and cut to ribbons under the combined fire from the three droids. Their mission was simple, keep the droid from crossing the river and away from the village center. It was something that they could easily do. They continued to fire as more droids tried to push through their lines with no success. The storm raged over head, but the winds from the south were starting to kick up in much more fury. The heart of the storm had changed and the winds reflected this change.

Annie landed just on the other side of the bridge with the aid of a jump pack. Her light armor looked used and run down. That was far from the fact, her highly modified armor and helm worked to bring out her strong advantages while giving her a good level of defense. Next to her were her two attack dog droids. They too both landed with the aid of small rockets just after she did. She saw the minions rushing the bridge that she was next to. The storm over head was as intense as she had first thought. The Adder's sensors had been unable to located the atmospheric cause of the storm but her eyes told her that it was nasty. She motioned to her dogs, “Lets go!” she yelled over the thunder of the storm as she took off for the other side of the bridge.

She hit the far side at the same time the minions did. They were big bad and mostly ugly. 'Well okay, the one in the Crashaldyne Armor is pretty cute' she thought as they rushed up to her. She noticed that by the way they were rushing her did not look like they took her or her puppies seriously. 'I can play that to my advantage' she plotted as she waved for her dogs to hold ready. “Oh hey guys!” she said nearly playfully and almost childishly putting her blaster away.

The group of minions surrounded her and a moment later, one of them pointed out, “Hey I know you. You are that computer geek, named Annie” as he mocked her.

Annie's blood boiled over the fact that she was only known for being a computer geek, 'I have taken down entire corporations and broken even the bankers guild security codes. Okay maybe I am a bit of a geek' she thought with a smile as she watched them. Unknown to them, her armor was taking in data on the life forms around her and uploading it to her helm and her weapons. “Yeah I am geek, so what! You like me to take you all down now or one at a time.” She said with more smiles and even batted her eyes at them.

They laughed as they leveled their weapons at her, “What are you going to do geek, game us to death?” said the same one mocked her as they continued to close the circle on her, “drop your weapons geek and we'll let you live” he added.

Annie, laughed as she thought about the idea of games, “I was thinking more in the terms of cards” she said raising both of her hands almost giving the idea that she was giving up. As she rose her hands up she turned her hands and extended her fingers to show a three playing cards in each hand. They were colorfully painted as she showed them off between her fingers. They laughed as she whipped her arms flinging the cards whiled dropping to the ground in the fettle position. Her two dog droids leaped up over and activated their shields covering her.

The sounds of blasters hitting the energy fields filled the area. Accompanying that sound was the sounds of flesh being ripped and of men dying. Annie held her head low as the blasters still tried to get through the shields of the droids. Slowly though the sounds started to die off till there were no more sounds. She lifted her head up as she checked to make sure that the cost was clear. Looking from side to side, “Okay looks like we're safe boys” she said softy as the two droids moved off her. She slowly rose back to her feet and raised her hands. The six cards flew right back to her hands where they had taken off from, “eeiee” she said as the multi colored blood dripped down over her hands from the cards. She looked around to see all ten minions laying dead with massive gashes covering their bodies. She saw the one she had eyed before, “Ah...and he was the cute one. Oh well!”

She smiled as she turned to her dog droids and took a knee next to them, “Who's a good doggie!” she said to one of her droids playfully while changing her voice to show how much she was playing. It reacted to her tone and voice as it bounced a bit waving its tail and barking at her, “Oh you're a good doggie too!” she added to the other one as it was also showing signs of positive emotions. She pulled each in for a hug, “I love me doggies!” Her affection would have to wait as both broke the hug and rushed around her with their backs to her. They each growled as small heavy blasters extended from their backs. They continued to growl as the blasters fired each hitting a droid closing on their position. Annie leaped up and tossed a grenade. It exploded in a bluish light shorting out the circuits of the droids causing them to fall over lifeless.

Over her helm's comlink Annie heard, “Annie, I need some help!” Annie saw hordes of droids closing on her position however, she could hear the intense combat that was coming in over Falynn's comlink. She motioned for her dogs to follow as they rushed to a near by ruble mound. The incoming fire was intense as she dove through the air for cover. Over the comlink she heard Falynn's voice again in panic, “Any day Annie!” Annie popped up to fire her blaster at the droids taking a couple down while her dogs were much better shots. She dipped once more behind cover as incoming blaster fire ripped the rubble up just where her head was the moment before. “Fa, I am really tied up right now. I will try to get to you in a few moments.” Annie considered her opinions.

If she could just call on her Adder, this would all be over. 'Damn Urias and his super plan' she thought firing once more at a group of droids while trying to figure out a way to get over to Falynn and help her out. She knew that Urias and Aral had their hands full and would not be able to help. She rolled over and sunk deeper in to her cover as she activated her link with her ship. She checked its progression with its plan. Urias had had her order the Adder to tend to the invading ship's navigation computer. She was happy to see that its plan was working smoothly but sad to see that they were not completed yet. There was just no why to get help up to the ridge line till she cleared these droids. She opened a channel, “Ogon D I need you and your droids to swing my direction and flank these droids over here. We have to find a way to disengage and help Fa out.” She commanded her droids as she popped back up to lay down some fire at the attacking droids. This time she was able to drop all three droids she was firing at.

Falynn landed just outside of the village on a near by ridge line. They all knew about droids and more impotently how to take them down. Urias knew that the control unit had to be taken down unless they wanted to fight all ten thousand droids. The only problem was that there were so many important key areas that had to be dealt with for Urias' plan to work. Falynn was tasked with taking down the droid tank alone. Urias had all the faith in her abilities as a Jedi to handle this. Only if Falynn had the same level of faith in her that Urias felt. The tank was lightly defend compared to the other targets that had to be hit at the same time. She was dropped by the Adder just beyond their sensor range and moved up on them as quickly as possible. She knew if they were able to group against her, she would never get to the tank. She had one shot at this and she was going to make it work.

Using her force powers, she bumped up her abilities as much as she could. While it wasn't much compared to what Urias and Aral can do, but it was better than nothing. Just as she moved up the last of the rock over hangs that gave her cover, she got a flash of warning from the Force. Falynn didn't scream but she most surely wanted too as she leaped backwards and dodged the attack of one of Rose's minions. He was a dark side marauder with hate in his heart and a energized lightsaber in his hand. This was not part of the plan, none of the minions were supposed to have been anywhere near here. He swung his blade fast as Falynn was just able to dodge the attack as it singed her hair. “Bastard!” she yelled swinging at him. He easily deflected her attack with a twist and then attempted to kick her. Falynn side stepped the kick narrowly while attempting strike him with her own lightsaber.

He deflected her attack with a combination defense offense attack. She once more dodged the attack as she tumbled away from him. All hopes of taking him down were dashed as he skillfully attempted to disarm her. He was very good with the blade, and she could easily tell this fact. Luckily she managed to keep hold of her own lightsaber but his skill was just too high keeping her from attempting to disarm him. “Annie, I need some help!” cried Falynn as she used her lightsaber to block the next set of attacks from him. Already her combat had ruined any hope of surprise on the droids as they started to move on her position. Luckily they held their fire for the moment, but she was not counting on that to last long. His next set of attacks came in hard and fast, each time she had to give up ground while trying to defend herself from the attacks. She was in trouble and she knew it, “Any day Annie!”

He spun as he attacked her once more as she deflected his attack with all her remaining skill. She was running out of steam fast. She Annie's voice come over the link “Fa, I am really tied up right now. I will try to get to you in a few moments.” There would be no help coming her way. She was alone in this battle. He fainted the left and she fell for it. She never saw the kick coming from the right as it landed square in her chest and knocking the wind out of her. She flew backwards and landed hard on the ground with a thud. Her lightsaber deactivated as it bounced from her grip and and landed just a few feet away from her. Terror filled her eyes as she saw the shadow being cast over her from the minion. His lightsaber filled her vision as it came speeding down towards her. 'My son, my love, I sorry....' was all she could think in that very moment. She knew her son was going to miss her. She knew that Urias still needed her. All she felt was that she had failed them all. She closed her eyes and let out a scream as she heard the lightsaber hitting.

[Akirapryde]

Siege of Origin (Part Three)
Lejár Az Idő Kerület
Eredet

The battle for Origin was not a forgone conclusion with the death of the Queen of Eredet. The death was only a turning point in the war. Rose had thought that by killing their leader, the spirit of the defenders would have been broken and thus causing them to become easier to defeat in the long run. She had seen within a Force vision, that this place was the point of her destiny and that she could find her sword here. Using the Force she was able to see the people of this world and the events of the up coming battle. She knew that the battle had to be won by sunrise or else she would loss. The sun had to raise over her victory. She felt the energies of the world and knew that her own darker side would become a valuable ally to her and her minions during the attack. Everything had been just as she had foreseen it and in that moment, she felt her destiny at hand. That was before HE showed up, ruining her plans and even possible denying her of her destiny. Rose would not allow him to steel the sword from her this time. “Its MY sword, MY destiny to control the sword!” she yelled at him as she attempted to attack him.

This had become an epic battle between light and dark. Urias knew that Rose had to be stopped at all costs and he knew that she would come here. He followed his heart and allowed the Force to guide him to this unknown, uncharted world. He had wished they had traveled faster or were some how able to save the woman that Rose had just killed. He watched helplessly, as they made their approach, as Rose murdered who could only have been the leader of this world. He hated himself for not being able to stop her and now he was going to make her pay for that death as well. He trusted in the force and understood that it was not for him to save the woman, but that did little to change his frustration. They were simply too far away to do anything about it. So now he stood at the threshold of his own destiny. He felt in every part of his being, that destiny was to stop Rose and save everyone else from her darkness. However, getting here was no easy task for him. He needed the help of his former team if he was to achieve his destiny.

His team had been called the Phoenix when they used to work for the Jedi Order. They had earned this name because of the troubled past that most of the members had endured before they joined the team. During the hight of their careers, they were some of the most gifted Jedi within the Order. With the occasional help from three of questionable pirates, they had became one of the best Hunter teams in the Order's History. They were trusted with the mission of hunting down some of the most dangerous force using criminals in the galaxy. However it was only when they returned from a hyperspace accident did they finally fall from the path. Many had thought it was due to the actions of the newest member of their group. A gifted young force user by the name of Rose Sheridan. One member of the team had gone missing without a trace. Another member had left the order to start her own life. The team had been ordered out to hunt down the pirate and slaver named Joff, who had work side by side with them for years. His death took its toll on the other pirates as they left the team. Then during a final act of betrayal, Rose and her dark apprentice murdered a number of the team members. Rose and Urias clashed a number of times before the events of this day. Each time they clashed, Rose escaped him, escaped justice. Now, out of the ashes of its own past, did the Phoenix raises once more. It rose above Origin spreading its mighty wings as its members battled evil.

The storm over head raged on with its mixture of lighting flashing illuminating the sky while thunder clashed. As if the world its self was a part of this epic battle the storm raged on. Urias spun while bringing his double bladed lightsaber around his back. Tucking his head to give him more room to maneuver his lightsaber, he looked over his shoulder to see Rose already in the middle of her attack. The sound of his lightsaber clashing against her kick told him that he had succeeded in blocking her attack while his back was to her. He continued his spin just as he had planned out for this attack. Just as he reached a point to strike, he leaped up a bit as he brought his saber back around and swung on her. With a downward swing, he cut through her arm and leg in one motion.

Rose was both a quick opponent and a clever one. She knew how to handle damages dealt to her in combat. It was a trait that he had taught her a long time ago when she was his padawan. She leaped backwards and flipped over her head using her remaining arm as a spring to further the distance between them. Just as before, her wounds healed as she landed back on her feet just in time to watch he line up for his next attack. "Tell me why are we doing this, Urias. You know that I can't die!" She said dodging his next attack while attempting to land an attack on him. Hitting him was hard enough normally, but she knew he had boosted his abilities which made it nearly impossible for her to hit him. Had it been easier to kill him, this battle would have never happened. He would have been dead along time ago. As much as he knew her, she knew his former Master well enough to kill him today. She had access to powers he never dreamed possible. 'Dark side?! HA wait Urias till you see who my new dark Masters are now!' she thought laughing to herself.

He dodged her attack easily as he withdrew a bit to consider his next action. Her healing was a huge problem that had to be overcome if she was to be defeated. She should have been dead many times over already if not for those damn artifacts. "Urias, serve me and you have my word. Fa and your son will be spared." He knew it was a lie. He caught her faint to the left and blocked her attack from the right. The fact that she didn't use weapons only made her attacks more fluid and faster than others he had fought before. He knew better than to rush in without planning out his attacks and recovers first.

The storm raged over head as the battle continued below. Urias and Rose had never been equally match in power, talent or skill. He had always had more pure talented than she did. His personal training gave him much higher abilities within his skills. And it was his heart and love for Falynn that opened up a source of power that Rose could never understand or match. Rose craved his powers and his skills above all other things except the Sword. 'She should be dead by now' he thought angrily at himself. 'Those damned artifacts....' and in that moment the lighting over head flashed in his eyes. He knew what he had to do to end this.

He side stepped her next attack as he deactivated the back side of his double bladed lightsaber and at the same time drawing his second lightsaber and activating it. With a lightsaber in each hand he was able to defend and attack at the same time. However for the moment, attacking was not his new plan. He ducked her side kick while measuring her up for his plan. He knew he needed timing to pull it off. Something he would have to wait for. He watched her carefully as she pulled back from her attack. Now it was a matter of waiting for the right moment. She moved in for another attack as he focused on dodging and defense. Still she was unable to land a hit on him and he could see her frustration growing. Time was on his side now, he waited for the right moment to carry out his attack. He had waited all this time for his destiny a few more moments would only ensure that he would succeed.

“Getting tired old man?” she taunted him as she started to notice that he has starting to give up attacks and focused more on defense. 'This is it, it will be over soon' she assured herself.

Like a snake waiting to strike, Urias let her have her attacks while he continued holding his defenses. Then in that moment, it happened without warning. He had not only won the moment, he had the advantage of position after she had attempted a complex attack on him. Slipping to the right while fainting to the left he tricked her. This gave him the opening he needed within her defenses to attack. With a powerful upward swing with both of his lightsabers, he removed both of her arms at the shoulders. He continued through his attack stepping even closer as he deactivated his lightsabers. Reaching his arm to either side of her while continuing to get even closer. He twirled his lightsabers in his hands as he brought them behind her back. He got so close to her that he could smell her perfume and feel her breath on his face. Their eyes were locked on each other as they came face to face.

Rose felt her arms being removed once more and almost laughed as she watched him get even closer. Somehow, he had made a horrible mistake in his attack and she knew it. It was over and she could see in his eyes, he didn't even realize it. "I have you now Urias!" She yelled as her reforming arms came crashing down towards his head. He was defenseless to stop her attacks and she knew there was nothing he could do about it but die! "YOUR A DEAD MA........." she yelled then her voice was cut as she heard and felt both lightsabers activating behind. Her eyes grew wide as she felt pain like never before. 'Somethings wrong!' She thought looking down at his blades extending from the center of her chest. She tried to move but the pain was simply too intense for her. 'No' she thought in disbelief.

The two beams of energy that were his lightsaber blades crossed in between them as they continued right in to his own chest and out the other side of him. "I told you, Dragging you to hell Rose!" He managed to get out through his own pain. It was clear in his eyes that he was in as much pain as she was. His arms held her in place while he just looked deep in to her eyes. She saw death in those eyes. Not just hers, but both of theirs. He had always taught her to have something worth fighting and living for. How could she have misunderstood the lesson so badly. That thing he held on to was worth dying for as well!

It was in that moment she remembered the dying words of Master Losh, 'Rage is your gift young Rose, and it fuels your power. But rage will be your death as well!' She looked in to Urias' eyes and saw the rage he held for her. Behind that rage she saw something else, he accepted this death. She tried to speak, but only gargled sounds came out. 'Please Urias' she begged in her eyes as she shook her head hoping that he would show mercy on her.

Peering deep in to her eyes and seeing her pleas for mercy, he only shook his head. She had to be stopped and he knew that this was the only way. “Our stories are finished!” he said pulling his arms to opposite sides with a mighty cry of victory. The blades passed each other as they moved sidewards on their path to the edges of the bodies as they cut through both bodies at the same time. As seen from over head, the light of his blades cut through the bodies easily as he looked up to the storm and scream out. Just as the blades finally left the bodies he let his grip go and the twin lightsabers flew away from both of them as their bodies fell apart. His body fell with his head looking up toward the storm above. His eyes affixed upward as his life left his body. There was a bit of a smile on his face as the final moments of Rose and Urias came to an end.

Rose laid on the ground with her head to the side. Her breath labored as she fought for each new breath. She could see the lower part of her body right before her. Between her and her lower body she saw her broken ruby reckless in the shape of a rose, and her snake pendent. Both had been cut by his lightsabers and damaged. She watched helplessly as they slowly turned to a black mist and started to be blown away by the winds. Her breath slowed as they were drifting ever further away from her, till the last breath as slowly exhaled. Her eyes locked on her legs as if waiting for that moment that they would turn back to mist and reform on her. Rose Sheridan was dead, and just behind her, the body of Urias Chun laid cut in half as well. Within that moment a powerful surge of energy ripped outward from where they laid. The energy crossed Origin before anyone even realized it had started. Within moments, it was nearly half way across that galaxy. The balance had been restored and the corruption of Origin was over.

Falynn heard the saber impact something and realized that it wasn't her. She opened her eyes to see the blade had been stopped just above her head by some kind of stone like hammer. The minion right above her was looking at something next to him. She turned to see what it was and who was holding the hammer. She saw some strange looking man dressed like a local. She could tell he was a force user she didn't care who he was. She was just grateful that she was still alive. He was covered in dirt and little rocks as if he had sprung up out of the ground. She couldn't help but noticed the scare that nearly covered the right side of his face. He seemed very angry yet in complete control of himself and his anger. It was as if time was moving in slow motion for Falynn. The minion was clearly in a state of surprise that seemed to mirror her own.

She watched as the man with the scare brought forward another large hammer in his other hand. In a mighty swing from the other side of his body. He was clearly yelling something but she couldn't tell the words. The minion attempted to move from the attack but he had been caught flat footed and surprised. The large hammer landed soundly in the minion's side causing his body to literally lift off the ground. The impact of the hammer lifted the minion up off the ground and half flying and half rolling to the side. The man with the hammer lunged forward with both hammer raised and ready to continue the attack. Falynn didn't need an invitation to get back in to the fight. She kicked her feet up in the air, and then sprang herself up to her feet as she planted them, while using the force to whip her lightsaber back into her hand. She activated it just in time to deflect a pair of incoming blaster fire from the droids who had taken this time to start firing on them.

Falynn extended her protection to cover the man with hammers while he battled the minion. She called on the power of the Force to help increase her defense while she did everything she could to protect her protector as his battled with the minion continued. As the two continued to battle Falynn carefully plotted out her movements to keep her protector covered from the droids who were now closing on them. Her attention was on both the droids and what the tank was doing. 'Okay, how do I get through them to get the tank' she questioned herself. She watched as the tank opened fire on somewhere in the village. She could feel and hear the large turbo laser discharge and she noticed that it was firing on where Annie and her droids were located at.

She turned her head to see the man with the hammers deliver the killing blow on the minion. The minion just crumpled as the final hammer blows crushed his spin and ribs. A blaster hit to her upper arm drewing her attention back to her deflections. She yelled out, “We have to get the tank!” as she pointed at the tank as it fired its main gun down at the village once more. She reached out with the force and shoved a number of droids away. They fell like small toys blown with the winds as Falynn tried to walk forward. The fire was intense but not accurate enough to get through her deflections. Even though she was able to take a few down with her deflections there was just so many of them left.

The man with the hammers came up behind her and said something to her that she didn't understand. She looked over her shoulder once more and yelled over the storm and the blaster fire, “we have to take out the tank” as she pointed once more at the tank. Had she been a student of combat she might have realized that her deflections were making her a harder target as well as ensuring that she would get hit eventually. A blaster ripped in to her lower leg caused her to pause just long enough for a second hit to drive home in to her gut. She doubled over as she dropped to her knees as she succumb to the damage. She hit the ground hard with both hands and knees. She let out a moan of pain as she looked up expecting to see droids and blaster fire. However her view of them was blocked by a large rock wall right in front of her face.

She looked back of the man with hammers to see that he was making some motions with his hands arms and legs. She couldn't understand what he was doing but it seemed important. The look on his face was that of intense concentration as he moved his left hand forward while pulling his right hand back towards his torso. She heard the ground rumbling under her almost as if it was reacting to his actions. He bent his knees as he lowered his body while bringing his hands together. Once his closed fist were touching he extended his fingers downwards and upwards. It seemed like he was struggling to pull them apart. Falynn heard a loud sound as she rumbling became very intense. The blaster fire came to a stop as she heard explosions and popping sounds. She crawled to the side of the rock wall and peaked around it. She saw that the entire ridge line had ripped apart and droids were sliding down in to the trench. The tank also was fighting to remain upright as the trench became wider and wider.

Still holding her wounded gut, she watched as the tank slide backwards down in to the trench. She could hear it rolling and smashing its way down to the bottom. The man with the hammer started to grunt and groan more. She looked back at him to see him pushing his hands together once more. It seemed like he was having more problems this time. She looked to see what was happening. She saw the large trench closing and crushing the droids and tank within it. There were a few pillars of smoke coming up from the trench as it now grew smaller and smaller. She felt more pain in her gut as she tried to move. Her gut wound was deep and fatal. She tried to call upon the Force to heal her, but she could not gain enough strength to do so. She rolled over with her back to the rock wall and looked up to the storm over heard.

She felt light headed as she slowly closed her eyes. 'just need to keep moving' she thought, 'get up Fa' she tried to command but the wounds at sapped her strength and will. She felt relieved that her mission had been successful. The command tank was gone and the droids would no longer be a factor to the others. Her strength faded rapidly as she could feel darkness closing in on her mind. In that moment she felt a powerful wave of light wash over her. She smiled as her eyes started to close, “Urias” she said softly as her hand dropped to her side and her lightsaber slipped from it.

Annie was in a world of hurt and she already knew it. The battle for the bridges had turned brutal once the battle between Rose and Urias was joined. Annie still held the bridge with a excellent field of fire down the road from her ruble mound. As the droids tried to cross the road to reach the river, she was able to cut them down while they attempted to cross the river. One of her puppies had been taken down by the droids and she was all out of ion grenades. Ogon D and his two destroyers were making good progress at getting to her, but they were being slowed down by the larger numbers of droids still puring in to the area. Ogon D's team was still on the far side of the block, which gave them a better droid killing zone of the road. But it didn't do anything to help Annie disengage to help Falynn.

Annie checked her area once more and noticed a small group of droids attempting to work their way pass her position between some buildings. She reached in to her back pack and pulled up one of her remaining fragmentation grenades. She carefully readied the device and lined up the shot. Many think that tossing a grenade was something that one just did. But it actually takes a bit of aiming and planning for maximum affect. Once she had a clear shot she pulled back and tossed the device over the burned out building and right in the middle of the droids. She smiled as she saw the blast which was felt and heard for blocks. The small shower of droid parts told her that the blast was a kill shot. Still smiling she turned back to the road and cut down two droids attempting to cross the kill zone. “Wow, these droids are stupid. Where did Rose buy them. At Rent-a-droid?” she commented to her remaining puppy while they together took down another three droids.

It was in that moment that Annie heard the massive explosion that cause a near by damaged building to come crashing down. She looked over to see that the blast was over by where her beloved droids were. “Get down!” she popped up and yelled as another shot landed nearly on top of them. It was too late for them, Annie saw a shower of derbies fall from the black cloud that signaled where the hit was. “No!” she cried in disbelief. Her puppy lunged at her and pulled her in to cover just as a set of incoming blaster fire ripped the mound up. Annie commanded the dog droid to let her up. By the time she was to her feet the blaster fire had stopped. She looked around to see the droids falling over. She knew that the control tank was gone. She leaped from the mound and rush over to where her droids were.

As she rushed forward to them she saw her two destroyers had been blasted to pieces. She slid in next to the badly damaged Ogon-D Droid, “Oh D, Systems check” she commanded with tears in her eyes, already knowing that he didn't have long to survive. He was bleeding charge and his core had been badly damaged.

He turned his head slightly showing more damage to the body and head of the droid, “Well, there are some things a man just can't run away from.” he said softly as his voice modulator started to fail.

She looked down as a tear started to run down her check. Even in that moment she couldn't understand why she programmed that line in to him. It was the last thing Steven had told her before going off to confront Rose. She remembered watching him leave the Adder in the dead of night and he was dead by morning. “Please don't leave me again” she begged as the lights his eyes started to fade. “Please Steven” she begged bending over holding the droid in her arms. She couldn't help it, she couldn't deal with his loss once more. All this time she still loved and missed him so much. She knew that she could never have him to herself. He and Aral had always been lovers and fighters. Annie was just the little geeky computer girl that he saw as his little sister. And once more, she was forced to be without him. “Steven.....” she cried softly.

Hiding behind a rubbled building Lotus looked down at her two lightsabers. Lotus had never seen anything like it before. She knew that Rose was a powerful Sith, but she never dreamed that Aral was one as well. Even despite all she knew about lightsaber combat, and all her skills, Aral was still driving them further back from the village. She looked across the street to see a badly beaten Orchid hiding as well. Nothing either of them could do to get the upper hand on Aral. Lotus knew it was only a matter of time before Orchid's powers would give out on them and there would be nothing to stop Aral from killing them both.

She couldn't lie to herself, if she fled the chances of Aral chasing her were limited. Lotus knew that Aral wanted Orchid dead and that could be her ticket out of this defeat. But her heart begged her not to leave her lover behind. 'There has to be a way to defeat her' she thought to herself. She remembered her combat with the Jedi Master named Visst. She recalled how he used a simple rock to knock her out. She peaked around the corner to see Aral walking toward their direction almost taking her sweet time. “taunting us, you bitch!” she spit at Aral. The sounds of combat were getting closer to them. 'Either Rose's plan had worked and reinforcements are coming or the locals have rallied and we are about to get over ran' she thought to herself.

She bent down and picked up a rock and whistled at Orchid. She held up the stone and motioned it at her own head. Then she pointed the stone at Aral with a nodding motion of her head. Orchid watched to see what Lotus was doing and then smiled as she understood what Lotus was communicating. She nodded her understanding of the plan and grinned. Lotus turned to get a fix on Aral. “All we need is a chance to escape and we are gone” she said with confidence. She saw that Aral was near a rubble pile and knew that it was now or never. She yelled out, “NOW!” As she leaped from cover and called on the force. She managed to hurl a stone at Aral as did Orchid.

Aral spun at the attack and dodged one while she sliced the second one with her lightsaber. Her attack had failed, “shit!” Lotus half said, half thought as she watched Aral reach out with both her arms and the force. Before either of the two dark siders could do anything to stop it, they were lifted off the ground as they choked for air. Lotus tried again with her rock attack but missed horrible. She simply couldn't focus as her lungs fought for air. She saw a speeder bike racing up from the town. Her smile faded as she realized he was being chased by villagers on the back of animals. The battle had shifted against them. “I refuse to die like this” she struggled to say as Aral held her off the ground while choking the life from her.

In that moment, all three dark siders felt a loss in their connection to the dark side. Aral could no longer maintain the force grip power and both Orchid and Lotus fell the the ground. Orchid and Lotus both coughed as they were once more able to breath. Each of them felt a painful suffering come over them as if they were splashed with some kind of acid. Aral let out a pain scream as she fell to her hands and knees. Lotus could tell that Orchid was in pain too but seemingly not as much as Aral. She fought to get back to her feet as she looked over to the see the speeder bike. She whistled loudly for his attention.

She knew that not one of the minions would save Orchid, but she was a different story. He looked over at her and changed his direction. She turned to see Aral seemingly fight some kind of weight upon her. Orchid struggled as well to get back to her feet but she was too weak to get up. Lotus was in intense pain as well, but she couldn't understand why it was affecting Aral more than her and Orchid. “I don't have time for this” she said as the speeder came up to her. He offered her his hand and she took it. Instead of getting up on the bike she leaped up and knocked him off it. Then she leaped up on to the bike taking his place. She gunned the motor before he could reach his feet once more. She only slowed down enough to help Orchid to get on the bike behind her. With Orchid holding on tightly, Lotus gunned the engine once more and they took off away from the village.

As Lotus gunned the engine she expected the minion to open fire on them at anytime. The shots never came though. She looked behind to see him fighting for his life against a group of locals. Beyond him, she watched Aral struggling to her feet. “Next time, we will get her, Orchid.” Lotus said still suffering the effects of what had just happened to all three of them. “Next time Aral will die” she added.

Orchid nodded, “But first we need to get out of here. Survive a fight another day.”

Lotus nodded, “Rose?”

“I think she's dead.” Orchid said sadly, “But we're not. Head for the ship. We are getting off this world!”

On that Lotus and Orchid escaped the final battle for Origin. There army crushed and beaten, their leader dead and the promise of power through the sword, a myth. In the distance, Aral watched the pair escaping. There was nothing she could do to stop them. “There will be another time Orchid. I promise it” Aral said coldly as she fought to regain her balance. The world was eating away at her powers and her strength. She knew that she had to get off this world as well or it might be the end of her. She turned and walked away as she heard the dying cries from a minion being killed by the villagers. “This battle is over.”

[Akirapryde]

Journey's End
Lejár Az Idő Kerület
Eredet

It has been nearly four hours since the death of Rose and Urias. The Army of Rose has been routed from the village and fled in to the surrounding desert. Aral had led many of the defenders to hunt down the remains of Rose's Army. Of the plums of smoke raising in to the mid afternoon sky, one more was added to the sky line of smoke. This fire was not set out of hate or anger, more so, out of a sense of gratitude and reverence. In the shadows of the great pyramid, stood a humble wooden structure. From it, still billows smoke while ambers burns what remains of the fuel that the structure had been made out of. A small group of villagers and Falynn stood in a silent circle around the structure as they looked in to the burning ambers. As the soft white clouds over head drifted silently, Falynn slowly dropped to her knees at the same time lowering her head.

Falynn knew that it was only the right thing to do, was to set his body to flames. He was her lover, her secret husband, her friend and the father of her child. Her wounds had been bandaged already but the wounds of the heart will take much longer to heal and can not be so easily bandaged. Her gaze drifted over the pyre as she took note of not just his body's place. She also noted the location where she had placed the body of Rose as well. The tears on her face were clear to all, but no one guessed that she cried for both of them. Only a very few knew the truth about Rose, and now she was one of three that knew and understand that truth. Falynn looked up to the sky as she wiped the tears from her eyes as she took in a deep breath and slowly let it go. The storm has reached its climax and passed hours ago. Left behind where once rains, wind and lighting raged, was the hope of a new day. Falynn could feel the power of the light side pulsating through her. She could feel Urias next to her. It brought a smile to her face to feel his heart touching hers.

Today, Rose was without a doubt, an evil person. But she didn't start as the galaxy's most evil monster. A long time ago, Falynn could remember how a young gifted teenager joined her team. They found her trapped in carbonate. Urias took to the teen like a older brother to a little sister and saved her life that day. He took her under his wing and trained her as a Jedi. She was as courageous and brave as while as impulsive and rash. Rose had fought along side them for years against the forces of darkness. She was so brave and valiant in her actions. A true friend that Falynn was honored to call on in times of need. Rose had been such a dependable friend back then. But it was her craving for power and strength which placed her the path that lead to her death today. Falynn knew that it was her desires that fueled her demise. Falynn didn't want to remember Rose as the monster she was today. She wanted to remember the friend that she was back then. How they were so close back then and laugh and work together. They were more like a family than anything Falynn ever knew before. Falynn nodded on that, “That is how I will remember you, my friend. I will forgive what you have done and wish you the best in the after life” she said softly with a bit of a smile on her face.

Falynn felt the presence coming up behind her long before anyone else noticed the person walking up. Laci spotted the figure walking up and started to make a motion to intercept but Falynn only waved a hand in his direction. He didn't need to understand her to know that she meant for him to hold his ground. Behind her, the footsteps slowly approached through the sands. Then without warning the calf high military grade boots stopped just a few feet behind Falynn. They were covered so much in sand and dirt that it was hard to tell that they were once black. Their once silver buckles now tarnished from the day of combat. The long coat covered in the same sand and dirt flipped in the wind of the desert. Added to the sand and dirt on the long coat was splatters of blood from fallen foes. The moment was filled with the sounds of the long coat flapping on the winds and the sound of a lightsaber. The red lightsaber held in the right hand of the person pointed down at the ground. On the left hip, hung low the long barreled Serr-Sonn. The empty ammo pockets on the gun belt indicated the intensity of the battle.

“It is over now, does this mean you are here to kill me?” Falynn asked softly without taking her eyes from the pyre before her. She didn't even bother to reach for her lightsaber. 'There had been simply too much death today' she thought. Falynn knew that the question needed no answer, but she wanted to hear her answer it.

The red lightsaber behind her deactivated as Aral spoke, “No, I told you before, I forgive you for Joff's death” Aral said coldly placing her lightsaber on her gun belt. This world was causing her too much pain and suffering while cutting her connection to the dark side to even considering attacking anymore. Not to mention she was simply too worn out from her battles as it was. “The last of the minions and droids have been dispatched, Fa. The war here is over and these people are safe.” she briefed softly. Aral's gaze fell on to the pyre with a sense of loss. 'Urias was many things, including a bastard' she thought then added, 'now he will be a great loss to galaxy as a whole' Aral looked down in disappointment as she added another fact, “Orchid and Lotus escaped the trap. The Adder's droids were not able to keep their ship from escaping.” Aral knew that the droids were good pilots. She trained them personally, yet she also knew that it was a long shot that they could have kept the capital ship from leaving the world.

Falynn nodded then slowly lowered her head to the pyre, “Yes I know, I felt their departure. Their journeys will cross someone else. I feel that the Force has lead us to this end for a reason. They were not meant to end here. I believe that their journeys will take them to their own ends.” She said as she slowly rose from the ground. She could tell that Laci didn't trust Aral. 'You have good reason to be concerned my friend, She IS a cold blooded killer. Yet what you don't know about her, is she is so much more than just that. This is why I have no fear of her. I understand her so much more' Falynn thought as she looked at Laci. She turned to face Aral, “So now what, Aral?”

Aral rose her eyes back to the pyre, 'I will miss you, my friend.' she thought to herself as she looked in to the pyre as she bid her good byes to Urias. Then she turned her attention back to Falynn, “Annie and some of their helpers” she said while motioning at Laci, “are loading up what we can on the Adder. Annie said that the take will be high on this one. Nearly four million credits is what she is estimating. Some of that belongs to you and your son. Its only fair” Aral explained.

Falynn waved her hand, “Keep it, I don't need it anymore” speaking to Aral's confusion. Normally they would all divide up the scavenge of a battle. Each would have received their fair share, but today Falynn already knew what she was going to do and she would not need anything else but what she already has. “Aral, this place is remarkable. Can't you feel it?” Falynn added.

Aral glared at the comment as she already knew how 'wonderful' this place was “Oh I can feel it. Deep down, it burns my very soul. We have to get going soon” Aral explained. “Annie says we can depart on the hour.” The battle had been won, and it was time to move on. Aral figured with Falynn's help, they could easily hunt Orchid and her fallowers down once and for all.

Falynn, shook her head, “No, I am not leaving. This place is a good world to raise my....our son.” she said looking back to the pyre with a smile. She turned back to Aral as her hair brown hair followed behind her head, “Aral, this place could save you.” she said softly as she moved forward and placed her hand on Aral's shoulder. “Please Aral, stay with us. There is so much we both could learn from these people and their way of life.” Falynn knew all too well that Aral was on the wrong path. She had hoped that she could do something to save her from that path. She also knew that it had to be her choice. She remembered what happened to Rose when they tried to force the light side on her. The lose of trust pushed Rose that last inch over the line and they lost her forever. Falynn was not about to make that mistake again. She needed Aral to accept and want it.

Unlike the many times before when someone would touch her, Aral didn't pull her shoulder away this time. In her heart she knew what the truth was. And still that had never stopped her from making her own mistakes before. “You're right Fa, this place could save me.” she commented looking down in to Falynn's eyes. “The only problem is I don't want to be saved right now.” She added looking over her shoulder to see Annie working on loading things on the Adder. “Fa, you don't understand. I know what I have become. The list of lives I have ruined is unspeakable.” Aral said softly, “But here is not where I will find my redemption. Nearly two months ago, I had a vision of my redemption. There is a darkness coming Fa. Something that none of us has ever seen before. I know I am needed there. I know that my redemption will be found there.” she tried to explain.

Aral paused in what she was say. It was not that she felt Falynn didn't understand. It was more that she didn't understand what she was saying herself. She accepts the dark side freely and willingly. But still she feels her life is still under the guidance of the light side. 'How could I expect you to understand when I don't understand myself' she questioned in her own mind. Aral watched Annie and some other villagers loading things on to the Adder, “We have a long journey back to the Republic. I have a lot to do. If you wish to stay here, that is your choice. You have my word, no one will learn of this place from us.” Aral said softly breaking Falynn's grip on her shoulder.

Falynn nodded as she knew it was the least she could expect from Aral. Falynn knew Aral better than anyone else, she could feel the struggle between light and darkness deep within Aral's spirit. She understood what Aral was saying about being guided. She felt herself being guided to this world and felt a strong reason to remain here. She also knew that Aral never gave her word lightly. She knew that Aral would sooner die before reveling this planet's location. “So what will you do?” Falynn almost was concerned over this question as it rolled off her lips.

Aral had been doing a lot of thinking about this very question herself while dispatching the remaining minions of Rose's army. “Orchid will lay claim to the Sith Lord title. She will attempt to rebuild Rose's Army.” Aral said coldly as the thought of it crossed her face. “I will not let this happen. There can be only one Dark Lord of the Sith and I mean for that to be me. I will kill Orchid, Lotus and any followers that foolishly join them.” She said as in oath.

Falynn nodded with a frown on her face. She knew that Aral's desires for power and the Sith techniques have put her on the path of the dark side. She feared for Aral, “You know that the Jedi will be coming for you.” The Jedi Hunters were very good at hunting down Sith and now that they have the support of the Republic military will make them even better at it. She knew that Aral was on a path of destruction at the hands of Jedi Hunters but there was nothing she could do to change that. It had to be Aral's choice for that change.

Aral nodded, “Yeah I know, but I figure I got a while before they get their own house in order before they can even think about me” she said calculating her chances. “I want to find an Apprentice. And start training him. That way it will be three of us against the Order.” Aral thought as she considered the odds of the three of them against a Hunter team. It was bleak but it was the path she wanted to be on for the moment.

Falynn laughed a bit, “Going to place an add in the Republic Daily?”

Aral smiled at the joke, “Yes, 'Wanted Dark Apprentice. Requirements, Attuned to the Force and Dark Side. Must have thirst for power and has already killed at least one puppy. Unwanted traits, willingness to murder your teacher and Master.'”

Both of them busted out laughing as they took each other's embrace. For that moment, Sith Lord and Jedi Master were washed away as they were only long time friends and sisters. Washed away was their backgrounds and feelings of light and dark. They just stood there in that embrace laughing away the pains that this would be the last time they would see each other. While neither wanted to admit it, both knew it would be the last time. It was Aral that broke the embrace. “Fa, I promise, no one will follow you here. You and your son will be safe.”

Falynn reached in to her robs and pulled up a necklace. She pulled it over her head and through her long brown hair. Shaking her head to get her hair to settle back down, she held it in both hands as she looked at the little metal pendent. “Urias gave me this. He told me that no matter where I was, with this close to my heart, he would be close to me as well.” She stepped forward and put it over Aral's head, “Please Aral, remember, you will always have a place to turn when you are ready.” She said as she pulled Aral's red hair over the chain so it wold sit right, “I will be waiting for you to return.” Once she gently placed the necklace around Aral's neck she stepped back and nodded as she saw it hanging from her neck. Its light colors clashed with Aral's dark clothes. 'I shall never forget that you are not evil and dark to your core. That there is good in you.' Falynn thought to herself.

Aral reached down and looked at the simple metal pendent. She felt a sense of sadness come over her. There was so much more to say, so much more to do. It was fear that held her tongue from speaking what she wanted to say. Days later she would regret not speaking her heart. For now though all she could do was nod, “I have to get going if we are to get off this rock. I will have Annie bring your son to you.” Aral started to turn then stopped, “Please be safe Fa.” And on that note, Aral continued to turn around and walked toward the Adder and in to her own journeys.

Falynn watched her sister walked away in to the desert as she walked towards the Adder. “May the Force be with you Aral” She yelled to Aral with a wave. She was not scared of the future. She knew that she had made the right choice to remain her. This place would be a place where her son had a future away from the chaos that is the Republic. He would be safe from the Puppet Master. Falynn turned to see the three blue spirits standing by the fire. They smiled to her as she smiled back, “Thank you for giving me the strength my friends” she said softly as they waved before vanishing completely. Falynn could feel the respect and pride that Urias felt in her. As well as the friendship from her old friends, Sinya and Mar. She knew that they will be with her in her own heart. She felt good about her choice and her future.

It was a bit later that Falynn and her son were reunited thanks to Annie. She had already been trying to speak with Laci about staying. She thinks she had managed to get the point across, but the lack of understanding his language will have to be something she must focus on. For now, it was a time of good byes. Annie and Falynn walked back to the Adder with Falynn's son in tow behind them. The afternoon sun beat down on the Adder as the villagers all gathered to say good bye to the heroes that came to rescue them in their hour of need. Already a large number of families had returned to Lejár Az Idő Kerület as the reconstruction of their village started once the word went out. However everyone was able to take a moment to see the great Sky House leave. The Sky Houses had always been a sign of either great sadness or great joy. This one brought joy and salvation.

Annie looked worn out from the events of the day, but she never let her smile fade. True to her childish nature, Annie joked and play with Falynn as they walked back to the Adder. The pair talked as if they were walking to lunch. “So what is going to happen with you Annie” Falynn asked as they closed on the ship.

Annie shrugged her shoulders, “I don't know. I know that she doesn't trust anyone else to watch her back. I can't leave her, Fa. Not like this. I just can't leave her, Fa” Falynn nodded her understanding as Annie continued, “Anyway, I could never live somewhere like this place. Come on, not even a data pad here. Fa I would go crazy!” Annie joked and caused Falynn to smile. “Don't worry Fa, when she's ready, I will bring her back to you. But for now, I have to watch her back so that she will have that opportunity to be saved.” Annie said stepping on the gang plank of the Adder.

They both knew the potential of Aral to be both a great force for both Light side and Dark. Annie knew the pains of her sister and understood that Aral needed her. Over the loud speaker they heard Aral's voice snap in, “Annie, lets go! I want to get off this rock!” The loud speaker shut off on that note.

Annie smiled as she nodded, “The Adder might not have been able to keep that ship down. She was able to up load a virus in to their nav computer. They will never be able to find their way back here. Trust me, I will keep my eyes out. Anyone even hint about this place, they will get so lost.”

Falynn nodded, “Thank you Annie” said as she waved to her sister. Their lives had been so surprisingly difficult since they were children. Falynn was a gifted child and taken to the Jedi to be trained. For her, she was grateful to be away from her home, coming from a home where domestic violence was the norm. Annie and Aral, who had been born Jenna and Rena, had been kidnapped from her parents' estate by no other then Joff only a few years after Falynn had been taken to the order. There drunken father never even bothered to push the search for them. Instead he just left their mother for a much younger woman. Being cut off while learning at the temple of Oulaven, Falynn didn't even know about the kidnappings till she was much older.

It wasn't till many years later when the Hunter team that Falynn was assigned too started to work with a group of pirates, that Falynn had gotten a clue about a relationship between the three of them. That came to Falynn in the form of a sense of connection within the Force. Only after Joff's death did Annie learn the truth about the three of them while hacking some files of a corporation, which their father had worked for during the time of their kidnapping. It only took a few hours of meditation to convince Falynn of the truth. Aral took much longer to convince and even then, she was not completely convinced. Today, Falynn had both her sisters back once and for all. She smiled as their bond grew stronger with each passing moment. The only disappointment was that their mother didn't live to see this day come.

Annie activated the plank and it started to slowly rose up as she bent her knees, “Take care Annie. I love you Sister!”

Falynn smiled and waved while her son did the same, “Be well my Sister, and the Force will be with you. I love you too.”

As Annie slowly disappeared in to the darkness of the Adder, the plank sealed as it closed in the haul of the ship. Within moments, the mighty engines of the Adder came on line with a great roar. Everyone including Falynn moved back from the ship as the repulsers slowly lifted the ship up off the ground. The Adder was truly a mighty and feared ship as it slowly rose up from the surface of the world. However on this day, on this planet, it was leaving not on the run from the law, but as a hero ship that saved the day. Many were waving as was Falynn and her son while the ship lumbered above the ground. As its landing gear was retracted up in to their stored positions. The Adder's mighty Ion Engines fired up casting heat across the area as it slowly turned till Falynn was eye to eye with the pilot.

A tear ran down Falynn's cheek as she waved to her sister. 'Please Aral, come back to us' she thought and worded on her mouth. She saw her sisters wave back through the thick cockpit windows. In that moment the three sisters bid each other a good bye. Then without warning the Adder turned once more pointing its nose to the sky. The engines heated up again as it rocked upwards towards space. Its bright engines left a slight trail behind it as it departed. The sound of it leaving echoed as Falynn's son tugged on her robs, “Mommy, will they be back?”

Falynn wiped her eyes as she turned and took a knee next to her son so to look in to his eyes, “They are on a path that will challenge them both greatly. I truly hope to see them both again, but it will be up to them.” She explained the hugged him. Once his arms were around her she lifted him up softly, The pain shot through her body from her wounds as it violently disagreed with her action. She ignored the pain as she smiled, “come lets go help rebuild.” She said looking in to his eyes with a smile. As he nodded happily back at her she turned to see Laci standing next to her. He had saved her life in more ways she could possible understand. She smiled to him as he nodded back to her.

She turned her eyes back to her son, and smiled, “We have a new life ahead of us. There will be so much for both of us to learn.” She explained as he nodded. She started to walk as Laci followed but she stopped suddenly. She took one last look up at the sky. “Be safe my sisters and come back to me when you are ready” she said softly. Then on that she continued to follow the villagers back to the remains of the village. Laci walked behind her as she slowly set her son down, letting him walk on his own. The three walked together back to the village.

[Akirapryde]

Destiny and Vision (Part One)
Republic City (Brown Sector)
Coruscant

There are moments in Daz's life when he really just doesn't understand why he does some of the things he does. He watched Biggs and Lysire walk up to the stand and talk with Joe the stand keeper. He slowly drew out his blaster and aimed it through the canvas tarp that covered up the back section of the stand. The only part of his body that was showing was his little head. His disguise of a Jawa really fit him well. As long as he kept his mouth shut this time he would be fine. He slowly pulled back as he noticed Lysire take note of him. In that moment he actually choose not to fire his blaster, however there was a voice in the back of his mind that called out. 'Are you going to man up Daz?' the voice said. In that moment Daz went against his natural instincts and fired at Biggs.

The shot rang out surprising everyone around, even Daz himself. He couldn't believe what he had just done as he watched in slow motion the energy blast travel at Biggs. He watched as Lysire's lightsaber activated and just barely miss the deflection. The blast traveled at Biggs as he was caught by surprise. The blast hit his right shoulder and caused him to roll to the right and twist with the force. Spinning back at his attacker, Biggs reached for his lightsaber through the force and it flung to his hand. He activated it as he looked right in to Daz's eyes. The moment of surprise had past and combat was joined by the group vs Biggs and Lysire. The next action was to fall on Biggs and he was going for blood this time. It was time for payback and that was clearly seen in his eyes.

The sight of Biggs coming over the counter was truly something to be held. His muscles were completely surging as the power of the Force as it flowed through them. His light blue lightsaber made an impressive sight as it cut away anything that might have caused Biggs a problem as he sailed over the counter. It was clearly an intimidation move which paid off as the cook known as Joe leaped out of Biggs' way screaming “fuck!!!!” As if he was a great cat leaping at his pray, Biggs' eyes were completely on Daz as a smile crossed his face. However, it was Angelique who leaped up with her own lightsaber activated and stood in the way of the coming attack. Biggs' first attack came in fast and forced her to parry it with her lightsaber. His next attack just narrowly missed her chest as she leaped back and watched the blade pass by harmlessly. She was badly winded from the attack but still at the top of her game. To this day, no one would know if Biggs aimed for her or if she moved in to combat with him. Either way, she gave Daz enough time to act during the combat.

Before he could act though, he was pulled from little wooden framed stand by Jenna. Just in time to avoid Lysire lifting the entire stand off the ground and tossing to the side. Visst and Angelique were in clear view of Biggs and his entire team. Angelic attempted to affect Biggs' mind with the Force by tricking him to think that there was no one in the back of the little stand. However her attempts came up sadly short as he had called on the force before this started to help him defend against any Force based attacks. Biggs landed a power set of attacks on Angelic as she was forced to retreat some more while she parried both attacks. Visst could see the entire battle going south from them and made a moment to sacrifice himself. He lifted Angelique off the ground and tossed her away from the battle while putting his lightsaber away. His plan was cut short by a number of small canisters landing around him. The blinding light and explosive sound stunned everyone in the area. Another set of canisters filled the area with a thick smoke causing many to cough and choke.

For Daz, he saw the battle unfolding as Jenna pulled him further from the battle and Biggs. She pulled him in to the crowd of people attempting to get away from the combat. At first he had the intention of giving aid to his friends but just like Visst, his plans were cut short with a powerful blow to the side of his head. The blow was so hard that it ripped his breather mask from his face. Helpless on the ground he coughed as fresh clean air filled his lungs. The poisonous air attacked his lungs as it made contact. Through his blurred vision he could see Jenna leaping on top of him as other shadows aimed weapons at him. She was screaming something while she forced his breather mask back in place. He could tell she was working hard to save his life as another blurred shadow slid next to him. He heard her say, “Daz Murl you will not die. You are under arrest.” His mind over loaded and confused drifted in to that black place where his fears were held at bay.

Daz opened his eyes once more. He was alive however the the cold of space told him that he was somewhere else. He stood on the cold surface of a strange moon over looking a beautiful bluish world with thick white clouds. He could see large oceans, continents, mountain ranges, and thick ice caps in the north and south. He could see the world clearly and noticed how peaceful the world appeared from his advantage point. His eyes moved from the world to the sky around him. As he looked around he could see the sun of this system. It was young and full of life as it filled the world with its warming light. He continued to search the system and saw three strange stars in the distant space beyond the solar system.

From behind him he heard, “Did you know that long before their were Navigation Computers and droids, the pilots of old used to navigate by pulsars.” Daz turned to see, Master Qu'Wash standing there dressed in his Jedi robes. It was clear that he was a force spirit from his bluish appearance. There was something off about his appearance. Before when Daz knew him, there was always this look of stress and concern on his face. As if the entire weight of the Republic rested solely on his shoulders. However, now Qu'Wash seemed calm and relaxed as he stood there before Daz. “Can you see them Daz? Are they not truly a sight to behold?”

Daz was not sure what to say as he stood there just staring at his former Master. Master Qu'Wash continued, “If you are to find this place you must navigate by the pulsars. Its the only way.” he pointed at the pulsars and smiled, “Did you know that they are the only star which can be seen while in hyperspace.” He walked up to Daz and patted him on the shoulder, “There is so much I have learned since my death. So many secrets that we have forgotten.” He said softly to Daz while bending slightly next to Daz, “I was wrong to join the civil war. I see this now. I had a chance to argue against it. I didn't, I just kept my mouth shut while others rattled the sword of war.” He looked down in a sense of sadness, “Now the task is yours and others to bring the war to an end before its too late for us all.” He slowly rose up once more and back up some from Daz.

He pointed behind Daz causing Daz to turn around, “You know why you have to come here.” As Daz turned around he saw that he was now standing in a torch lit tunnel. It was cold and damp but he could see the sky beyond the opening of the tunnel. There was a strange flag flapping in the distance atop of a strange set of buildings. The flag was made up of some kind of sunrise with two golden things under it. Between them a kind of crown atop of a symbol. He knew this symbol, it was something that he knew all his life. He tried to focus on the symbol and commit it to memory. He could see the peaks of great mountains in the distance as they rose up through the thick clouds. Daz turned around so he could find out more about the tunnel. He learned that it was hand dug through solid rock and as he traveled through its winding curves and passageways. He passed human males standing on either side of the passageway, with their backs to the walls. They wore shades of orange robs with bald heads. Each was armed with some kind of melee weapon.

After a bit of time traveling through the passageways, he came to the a large stone that made some kind of door. There were torches on either side of the stone door that illuminated a small shrine at the base of the door. There were candles, bells, small bowls of offerings and coins that lay at the base of the of the door. On each side of the door stood a human male that was dressed and armed as the ones before. Each of the humans appeared to be primitive in nature but something of the way they stood reflected some link to Daz's past. They stood their ground like silent golems as they watched the area right before their eyes. Daz heard a sound in the distance. It was a deep toned ringing sound echoing through the tunnel. Over and over he heard the ringing sound.

“You know why you must come here.” He said softly and placed a hand on Daz's shoulder and caused him to turn around once more. “There are dangers here, Daz” he said as Daz turned around. Daz felt his body travel the world. He passed strange winged craft that flew through the air. They seemed to be riding the winds as they made strange mist trails behind them. Daz came to a strange city. He saw tall buildings reaching for the sky. The sky between the buildings were empty but the surface of the buildings held another kind of flag. He saw humans walking around the buildings as they rushed from place to place. Strange wheeled crafts roared down the roadway. There were so many people and land crafts all over the place. The city was so crowed and filled with so much noise it was hard to hear. Daz could see the sky with an almost yellowish haze to it. The people seemed to just walked about their daily business without any care of knowledge of what is above their heads.

Daz turned around to ask Master Qu'Wash a question but the image changed to another alien city with a different flag. The images started to spin around Daz causing him to become dizzy as more and more cities passed before his eyes. Each new city held a different flag. He could see great human armies of the cities waging war with each other. The wars were horrific and sometimes between groups of these city states. While other times there were wars that were between one city and another. These wars continued for years, decades, centuries back. He could see the evolution of the culture as he saw the wars from the past till the moment. Only a few years ago in this world's history did Daz see something that brought fear to his heart. A large bright explosion that covered an entire city with fire and winds. A large fiery mushroom cloud rose above the city and in that moment of history millions of voices were silenced. A nervous time of peace followed the great mushroom weapon. But this peace was now threatened as more cities gained their own city killing weapons. The peace was very nervous as some leaders tried to keep the peace while others tried to gain more power, more wealth.

Once Daz was sure he had seen the entire world, he stood once more on the moon over looking the world. “Daz, I know you have your doubts. Doubts about yourself, doubts about what you are doing doubts about who you are, where you are going in your life. But you have to trust in the Force. It led you to this moment. Listen to the Force and trust in yourself. I too had doubts about myself as well. The difference is, I listened to my doubts and gave in to my lack of faith in myself. I had a chance to do something about this war, but didn't. Now look how many have died from my failure.” he looked in to Daz's eyes softly, “I know you can do this. I have always had faith in you. You can do this. Just don't forget who you are.”

*************************************************

Visst's snapped his eyes open to what could only be described as the most horrific sound he had ever heard before. Being a well trained and now seasoned Jedi, one learns to control one's emotions. However, this sound ripped his control away and allowed primal fears to run ramped across his mind. He looked out across what could only be a Force Vision of some solar system. Beside him was his all to familiar spirit guide. 'Oh now you decide to show up?' Visst thought trying with all his might to focus the sound out of his mind. He looked down to see his own hands trembling out of fear. He closed his fist in an attempt to gain some level of control over them. It was useless as the fear had taken hold on his mind.

In that moment Visst was that ship of his nightmares passing from behind him, just over his head. “Where are we?” He asked the guide as he saw many more nightmare ships just shifting in to view. There were hundreds of them swarming the solar system from all angles. Visst said a silent prayer that this was not his galaxy. There were ships in the distance trying to fight off the swarm of nightmare ships. Visst noted something about the defenders. Even though they out numbered the nightmare ships over three to one, they didn't seem to fight as one group. This made it easy for the nightmare ships to reek havoc on the defenders.

The guide spoke in that same hissing, strange and confusing voice, “Nar'shi Nada”

Visst watched the battle helplessly while the battle or more like slaughter unfolded and the odds turned against the defenders. And it was a slaughter throughout the space and around the one populated world. Not one of the defending ships were left intact. The nightmare ships spread out throughout the solar system hunting down survivors. Where they were found they were destroyed while another group of nightmare ships headed for the star. Visst could easily see what was happening. The ships were seeding the star with something. Each nightmare ship dropped three to five large things in to the star. Once they dropped their items they held close to the star watching to make sure no other ship approached the star. Not even other nightmare ships were allowed to get close to the star. They were chases off by the ships already there.

Visst watched as a small group of ships attempted to flee the world. They were swarmed by the nightmare ships and slaughtered. Visst watched as the world orbited around the star. He noticed something strange. Each time the world passed around the star, the star got smaller. Six times did the world orbit around the star till Visst saw something moving in the star. Visst could see large spider like things moving within the star. On the seventh time around the star, did those things burst from the star as it reached the size of a red dwarf. Visst could see hundreds of nightmare ships leaving the dying star. Unlike the ships he saw before these ships seemed smaller than those in the solar system before.

It was the world that drew his attention now. The once terrestrial world was nothing more then a large frozen world as it orbited its dying star. Visst could feel each life on the world freeze to death. It didn't take long for the world and its population to die as the warmth of the world vanished. Within a matter of days, the planet was completely dead. Visst just looked down in sadness as he felt the last life vanish from the world of the living.

It was a massive explosion that brought his attention back up. He saw waves of energy rip across the galaxy and the sound of rushing filled the space around him. The nightmare ships were being pulled in to a black hole that seemed to cross nearly the entire horizon of his vision. Each and every one of them fell back and were dragged in to the bleak unknown that is the heart of a black hole. It was the little ships that fell first while the larger one fought to regain their place in space. However the gravity of the black hole was something that would not be denied. Even the star was ripped from its place in the sky as its mass was sucked in. The frozen world followed as well as its orbit decayed. It was not long till all there was that was left was the black hole, itself.

Beyond the black hole, Visst could see other black holes. Each one was as large as the one in the center of a galaxy or maybe even larger. The nightmare ships were all being pulled in to them. The galaxy was dying and taking with it all of the nightmare ships. For a moment Visst thought that it was over. But then he saw a pair of them fleeing in to the great void. Visst could tell that one was badly wounded from the black hole while the other helped it along. As the black holes grew larger, he could still make out their forms as they continued to slip further and further away from the death traps.

[Akirapryde]

Child's Play
Coruscant Space
ISA Ka-riss-ah

Being a mighty ship of war, it is completely uncommon for the halls to echo with the sounds of laughter from a child. Carissa smiled as she watched Mia run through the garden as she chased a small hovering ball. Each time she got close it zipped away from her as she leaped for it. Mia just laughed as she continued the chase. Carissa had made some changes to her number three garden to make Mia feel more at home. She was able to thin the air and increase the heat so that she did not feel uncomfortable here. It wasn't much but Carissa just wanted to try something. After learning about the archive hidden within her body somewhere. She started a detail search in her data base that would allow her to change some of the planet life to something more suitable for Mia. The only problem was that all of Carissa's gardens were functional. They provided nearly seventy percent of the fresh air that is breathed through out her.

Mia laughed as she leaped through the air at the little hovering ball and finally managed to finally catch it. She laughed as she landed with her prize in hand. Mia carefully examined the ball before letting it go. Carissa just watched at the human child played. There was something about this child that simply drew a person in and beckoned them deeper. Carissa accessed her own memory banks and reviewed past conversations with her former Captain. Being a Teutonic Knight, he had always emphasized on taking note of signs around her. 'Remember Ka-riss-ah, the powers of fate move in mysterious and remarkable ways. Always trust in your feelings of a situation.' She reviewed the recording of his words perfectly as she continued to search her database more. 'There is something wonderful and special about you, Mia' she thought as she ran a scan of the child to ensure that she was not hungry or needed any other attention.

For Carissa seeing the world through her eyes was like seeing things constantly through a scanner. She could look at the human child and be able to identify what chemical components made up the little human. She could adjust her scan and look at the little child's bones to ensure that she has not hurt herself. She could even scan thermal levels of the child to make sure that she is not dehydrating herself. Changing the scan can give her a look of Mia as if she was looking at her through the lens of a holocorder. She had scanned a poem near the beginning of her life. It was such a fascinating poem about a single star among millions of stars.

She accessed the file which she kept locked away in a special file for only her to see along with other very private files. 'Star! Star! Star, why dost thou shine each night upon my brow? Why dost thou make me dream the dreams that I am dreaming now? Star! Star, thy home is high – I am of humble birth; Thy feet walk shining o'er sky, mine only on the earth. Star! Star, why make me dream? My dreams are all untrue; And why is sorrow dark for me and heaven bright for you. Star! Star, oh, hide thy ray, and take it off my face; Within my lowly home I stay, thou, in thy lofty place. Star! Star, and still I dream, along thy light afar I seem to soar until I seem to be, like you, a star.' She replied the poem in her mind as she pondered the ideas which it triggered. How could someone see something in a single star and write something filled with such hope and beauty. Carissa wished her vision was not so detailed and complete that she too could see like this simple little human child.

Mia laughed as she burst through the bushes and rushed up to Carissa screaming her childish battle cry, “AAAAWWWWWWW YYYYYEEEEEEEE!” She leaped up in to Carissa's waiting arms and toppled the pair in to the soft grass of the garden. The young child, Mia laughed as she looked in to Carissa's eyes, “When I go home, I want you to come with me. I want to show you the waters and green of my world” Mia said laughing as she looked down at Carissa. “I want to show you the laughing places and singing Ka'isha Nuc. There is so much I want you to see, so much I want to share with you. Carissa you are my best friend and I am so happy you are here with me.”

Carissa's smile had never faded, she felt so much love for and from the child. So much hope in this little human child. However in that moment the realization of what Carissa actually was sank home again. Her smile then faded, “I would love to see your home world Mia, but I can never leave this sky house.” Carissa knew that she had to tell Mia the truth. It was not right to keep it from her any longer.

Mia rolled off of her babysitter turned personal best friend and set next to her in the grass, “Its because you are not like them. Right” she asked as she better positioned herself in the grass.

Carissa cocked her head to the side a bit as she set up as well, “what do you mean?”

“I see how some of them talk to you. As if you are not like them.” Mia looked down as she tried to explain. “Its like you are not as important to them as me. I mean, like Daz, he doesn't like you very much. Does he?”

Carissa knew this moment would come and she had figured it would have come much sooner than it did. She was grateful for the time she was able to spend with this human child. It reminded her to the time she had with her own son while he was training on board her. “I am sure that Daz does likes me just as much as everyone does. However I am different Mia, this you must understand little one. Do you see all that is around you. Can you see the walls, floors, ceilings, doors and windows?” she motioned as Mia nodded her understanding. “This is all me. It is who I am. What you see before you is only a image that I show to make others more comfortable. Where I come from, the sky houses as you like to call this place, have a entity me controlling it.” Mia's eyes widened as Carissa continued, “See without me tending to many different things, this sky house would not be able to work normally.” It was in that moment that Carissa had an idea, “Do you remember telling me about how back in your home, that the winds, soil, plants, animals and even waters all has their own spirits?”

Mia was too confused and surprised to speak. She knew what her best friend was speaking about so she only nodded. Mia hated this sky house place where these people took her. It was nothing like anyone told her it would be like. Hardly anyone came to spend time with her but Carissa. Sure a few would come by every once and a while, but it was her friend Carissa that kept her company since she walked on to this strange thing. She used to be so scared but it was Carissa that comforted her. She remembered hearing the stories of when the first sky house came to their world many years before she was born. How it brought mean people that tried to take from those who had died. Then the second sky house brought the Friend Daz and his followers. Later they left taking with them Nezial. Mia remembered when the hunters returned to the village with Nezial's body when Friend Daz returned. She had often wondered if this sky house was going to take her life too like Nezial's.

Carissa continued, “I want you to know, that I am not a spirit like those on your world. I would never try to pretend to be something I am not. Nor would I attempt to lie to you Mia. However, much like the trees, mountains and waters of your world has spirits to protect and care for them. I am much like that for this sky house. I tend to its needs and make sure that it works properly. Where I come from, great sky houses, need watchers like me to work properly.”

Mia leaned back on her hands and looked up for a moment as she thought of what her beloved friend was saying. “So all of this is you?”

Carissa nodded, “The plants here in the garden are not me. I make sure that the plants here have what they need for life.”

Mia looked back at her friend, “So you are like a Gushi Spirit.” She was still very confused and not sure how to handle what she was being told. She could feel that this thing, this sky house was dead. But Carissa wasn't dead. 'This place is death, but Carissa is alive. How can Carissa be alive if this place of death is her?' she tried to ponder the though as her mind warped around the ideas that she was exploring.

Carissa knew the title given to special spirits of which Mia was speaking. One of the things she had been doing all this time was learning about Mia's world and culture. Carissa knew that the Gushi Spirit was a powerful spirit that protected and nurtured life back on Mia's home world. She also knew the dangers is misleading the girl. The short term of her understanding was nothing compared to the long term losing her trust once the truth came out. “In a way Mia, but I must remind you. I am not like your spirits back home. They are full of life and should be respected. I do not mean to pretend to be like them. I am not a natural spirit like your people are used to.”

Mia nodded still confused, “I understand, um I think.” She said while getting up and walked over to the door of the garden. “So this wall is you?” she said placing her hand on the metal bulkhead of the garden next to the door.

Carissa got up and smiled as she walked over, “Yes” she said softly. “Here let me show you something.” Carissa said softly as she knelt down beside the child. She placed her hand over Mia's hand pressing it gently to the bulkhead, “Can you feel that” she said as she looked in to Mia's eyes. “Close your eyes and feel with your hand.”

Mia closed her eyes softly and tried to calm her racing heart. She spread her fingers out as if to reach through the metal wall. It didn't take long for her to feel it. It was something that she never noticed before. This place was a place of death for her. She hated it so much that she never took the time to realize that there was something beneath what she saw. She felt a soft and steady pulse moving through the wall. “Wa....what is that” she asked trying hard not to loss the feeling.

Carissa continued to smile as she knew that Mia felt what she was trying to show her. She placed her other hand over the heart of the child, “That is my heart beating” she said softly as she watched Mia's eyes open wide, “See our hearts are beating together. Strong and steady” Carissa explained as the child closed her eyes again and placed her other hand over top of Carissa's on her own chest.

“I feel it” Mia said with excitement, “They're beating as one!” However in that moment Mia realized something was horrible wrong. “What” she said excitedly while pulling both of her hands away. “how can a sky house have a heart beat and be alive at the same time” she asked confused.

Carissa looked down as if she felt a knife ripped through her very own heart. It was something that she hated. She was so close to understanding life and what it meant to be alive, but there were times like this where she was simply denied it. In the end, no matter how much she wanted it not to be true. She knew that she was only just a machine. “Because my friend Mia, I am not alive. See where your spirits are alive. This is where I differ, for I am not alive. I am only part of this great sky house and without it, I would not be able to survive. I....”

Mia cut off her explanation, “NO! Thats not true, I played with you. Touched you, you are alive. Why Carissa, why tell me this lie!” Mia said backing up more, “Why are you lying to me!”

Carissa didn't raise her head as she heard the child speaking. “Please Mia, understand what I am saying to you child. It is the truth. I would never lie to you.”

“NO!” Mia yelled taking another step back, “Its NOT TRUE!” She yelled once more then turning and running through the open door that led out of the garden.

Carissa knew that she could and should have kept the child in the gardens as per her instructions. However, Carissa also knew that when confronted with something that challenges their reality, that humans need to work their minds through it on their own. The beautiful woman with blond flowing hair, wearing that ever prefect white gown slowly faded away to nothing as she deactivated her avatar. Carissa followed the child through a remote as she ran through the corridors of the ship. It was clear that Mia was both hurt and mad over the revelation. Carissa knew that it was better to let her just run through the corridors and monitor her through her subsystems. When and if Mia would be ready, Carissa would be there as the friend she had been before. This was the best calculation which gave the highest chances of Carissa keeping the child's trust.

Mia didn't know where she was going nor even where she was in this large metal place. She ran down corridors and through doors as she tried to find what she was looking for. She had hated this place before and now she hates it even more. Carissa had been the only one who showed her any kindness and now she learned that Carissa wasn't even real. She had trusted Carissa with all of her secrets. Mia was confused about her emotions and at odds with her own mind. She couldn't understand how this place had such a thing that could fool her. She turned down another corridor as she continued to run. She wanted to find a way off this sky house and to return home. As she ran, she noticed that the walls seemed to open for her as she approached and closed behind her. There was so much she didn't understand about this place and so much that just scared her. 'All the more reason to go home!' she thought as she ran.

She ran hard and before she knew it, she ran in to a large room. She was so completely lost in this large sky house. Mia stopped in the center of the room breathing hard as she tried to catch her breath. She turned around to see a number of corridors and doors leading in different directions. There were tables set up with some type of stools attached to the tables. Everything about this place was so much different then her home. No matter what she looked at, it was just different. The room she was in now was dark when she ran in. Light had soon filled the room from things above her head. She was scared, tired and hurt all at the same time. She walked around the large room exploring what she found. It did reminded her of the Great Hall back home where she would spend time with her friends and family. There was even something that looked like the stage that should used to sing on back home. However just like everything else of this place, it didn't have the life that she missed so much. There were no one to talk to or play with. She missed her friends so much. As she walked she saw large flat things on the walls.

They were like windows in to something. It was strange thing as she examined it carefully. She saw a small men standing next to a small Carissa and another small young man. They were unmoving in the window. Mia turned around and searched the room. She found small metal chair along one of the walls. She walked over to the chair and pulled it back over to the window. Once in place she stood up on the chair for a better look through the little window. She placed her hand on the window and found it made of glass. She closely examined the window and those just beyond the glass. It was such a strange thing. The window seemed to be just beyond the wall but the people seemed so close. And they were not moving at all despite Mia waving to them. Mia noticed that the younger man looked similar to Carissa. There was something in Carissa's eyes as she was looking at the young man next to her. It was the same look that she would see in Carissa's eyes when she was watching her. Mia tapped on the glass hoping to get Carissa's attention. “Carissa?”

From behind her, Mia heard Carissa answer, “I never left you, Mia.”

Mia turned in surprise from the direction of the voice which nearly caused her to fall from the chair. Mia was surprised to see her friend behind her standing just as she looked back in the garden. Mia didn't care about the surprise or what her friend had said before. There was something that she wanted to know. Something that beckoned her heart to inquire about. She turned back to the window and tapped the glass again. “Who is that?” she asked pointing at the young man standing next to Carissa. Mia had long knew that this place held so much magic that she couldn't possible understand it all. The frozen windows must had been some other kind of magic that froze people inside it. But she really wanted to know who was standing next to Carissa in the window. She recognized the look in her friend's eyes, it was someone that Carissa cared about allot. Her fears and pains subsided as curiosity took over.

Carissa didn't need to look, she knew all too well who it was. “That was my son” she said softly as she kept her distance letting Mia become comfortable with her once more.

Mia could tell that there was sadness in the way she heard her friend speak. “Was” she replied softly then added as she turned around and slipped off the chain carefully, “Please tell me about him.”

Carissa walked up to a nearby table and slid in to one of the stools to be at eye level with Mia as the child took her seat for the story. “He was my only son. Where I come from, even us sky houses have children. He was a lot like you. Very brave, and always wanting to know more about everything. And like you, he was such a hand full to raise” she said with a smile. “I remember how he used to run his own tasks while he was learning how to control a sky house. He used to cause me so much madness. He loved to experiment with different things and see what happens. Between his tasks and my own I really had my hands full raising him. He was such a fast learner and before I knew it, he had grown so fast.” Carissa trailed off as she shifted her gaze to the deck of the ship.

Mia saw the pain in her friend's eyes, “What happened to him” Mia asked softly as she slid off her chair. Crawling on her hands and knees she moved up to Carissa and rested her hands and head on Carissa's knee. She remembered how Carissa had told her that she was not a live but she could see the pain in her friend's eyes. 'How can you not be alive' she questioned in her mind.

Carissa, “Right at the same time he was given his own Sky House to control, I was chosen for a very important mission. We were stationed above the world of Nar'shi Nada while I was loaded up for the mission. My son along with group of other sky houses were assigned to protect me while I was getting ready to leave for my mission. There were so many sky houses there, Mia. One said that you couldn't look up in the night sky and not see a sky house. A great and terrifying enemy attacked us just as I was ready to leave for my mission. I was ordered to leave at once while the other sky houses tried to keep the enemy away. The only problem was, not all of the sky houses had a keeper like me. Those who didn't, didn't hold the line and the enemy got through them. I remember looking back and watching him fight so bravely to keep a number of enemies away from me as I ran. I wanted to stay and fight along side my son but even he told me to flee.” The tears in her eyes dripped down her face as Mia listened to the story. “I watched as he rammed an enemy sky house that had attempted to stop me from fleeing. It was the last time I saw my son or my home.”

Mia reached up and wiped the tears from Carissa's face, “I bet he was so proud of you” she said softly as looked in to Carissa's eyes.

“Sometimes I wish I could change the way I feel things. I don't know why I was allowed to feel things like this.” Carissa said softy. “I remember the image of his death.”

“So he gave his life to save you” Mia asked softly.

“Yes” she replied while nodding, “I am sorry for hurting you Mia. I wanted you to know the truth about me and understand what I am.”

This time it was Mia who cocked her head to the side, “I understand.” she looked down in sadness and shame, “I shouldn't have yelled at you.” Mia turned to look at the window again, “He was a very good man, your son was.”

Carissa smiled with a sense of pride, “Yes, he was a very brave man. I miss his tasks running through my subsystems. I miss feeling his presence within me.”

Mia turned back to Carissa, “Back home, many kids get to earn a guardian spirit” she explained. “I am not in touch with the spirits like they are so I never got a guardian spirit. Seeing how you are the spirit of this sky house, will you be my guardian spirit?”

Carissa smile grew even boarder with pride as she looked surprised at Mia. She never really calculated it like that but it seemed to make prefect sense now that the thought was placed. “I would be honored to be your Guardian Spirit, Mia”

Mia turned back to the window as she smiled, “What was his name?”

Carissa looked up to the large picture on the wall and smiled, “I named him Rah-Shod. Where I come from it means wisdom and guidance.”

Mia turned back to Carissa and leaped up at her wrapping her arms around the blond haired woman. “I am so sorry I yelled at you.”

Carissa was taken by surprise from the human child's action. She carefully placed her arms around the child and returned the hug, “Its okay. I will always protect you, Mia. I promise you, I will protect you” Carissa swore as she closed her eyes. She could hear and feel the memory of her own son within her mainframe. “Mia, can I ask you something?”

Mia looked up at her as she pulled away from the hug, “Yes?”

“I know that you hate this place. I know that you say that this place is all death.” Carissa said softy as she looked at Mia, “I don't want to change how you see me or this place. Please understand that all you see here IS me.”

Mia smiled as she took Carissa's hand. With a gentle tug, Mia caused Carissa to rise to her feet. Mia led Carissa over to the bulkhead and guided her hand with Carissa's in tow to the surface of the wall. Mia placed her own over Carissa's hands and looked in to Carissa's eyes. Mia smiled as she closed her eyes and felt the pulse of the sky house once more. “See Carissa, I can feel your heartbeat. You are the only spirit that I know of that has a heartbeat. That makes you special.”

Carissa didn't have anything to say on this. She only watched Mia, as the young child worked her hand over the bulkhead and felt the pulse as well. Carissa closed her eyes and just enjoyed this moment. She lowered herself to her knees and just allowed the moment to engulf her. “Thank you Mia” she said softly as the two experienced the heartbeat together.

[Akirapryde]

Command Decisions
Coruscant Space
ISA Ka-riss-ah

The engineering decks are the heart and soul of the ship. It is from this labyrinth of pipes and equipment that the ship derives its power. Normally nearly half of the crew would be stationed and quartered in this large section of the ship. Thanks to Carissa's extremely advanced artificial intelligence, the normal engineering crew of over six hundred for a ship this size was cut down to just under four hundred engineers. However for Carissa, the days of a complete crew are long past. Today she is having to make do with the very small number of crew she has available. While she is grateful for them, never before had she had to take on so many tasks that would normally be handled by her crew. It was an incredible strain on her own automated systems.

“Its not going to hold” Carissa said as she watched the red nine inch pipe that ran between her reactors and transferred coolant between the massive reactors. Carissa and Oktra had been working on this particular line for nearly sixteen hours hours. The endeavor had started out to be a simple task of cleaning the valves and resetting cooling valves before the Captain and his staff returned to the ship. However it turned out to be a major rebuild project for each of the elven, nine inch valves. The need to rebuild the valves came to light when the first one was discovered badly corroded and none functional. It was only by a matter of luck that the reactors were running at such a low level or else they could have gone critical. Now the three of them have been working hard in to the night to get the coolant flow issues for the reactors back under control. This was the final valve to be tested.

Oktra smiled, “It'll hold. You wait and see. She'll hold.” Oktra stood their leaning on a five foot pipe wrench as if it was a large cane. Just by looking at her, no one would guess that she was a runaway navy brat. Strong willed and determined to make sure that her Captain has a working ship when he return was only part of her driving force. She loved this ship and all that came with it. Never before had she ever come across anything like it. Putting it back together was as much a mater of pride as it was well, a challenge for her. She watched as the read out on her data pad told her that the test was beginning. Running actual reactor coolant through the line at this point was simply too dangerous. Instead she came up with a means of pressure testing the line under steam before placing it back in to service. It was a clever idea that had rewarded her with a bit of praise from Carissa. The long day was clearly seen on her face as she stood there watching the valve take more pressure with each passing moment.


The sounds of the coolant system coming to life started to fill the large spaces around the reactors. It was extremely important to ensure that the system was able to hold at over one hundred twenty five percent. These tests were designed by Oktra to prove this. Though, being a perfectionist she insisted on pushing the tests to one hundred thirty percent to, as she put it, 'Account for combat conditions.' The voice of her beloved man echoed through the area, “Okay Ladies, we are now passing fifty percent on the line. You Ladies might want to stand back. You know just in case it doesn't hold.” He was the first man that she met after she ran away from home. He took her under his wing and showed her the ropes of being a scraper. It was her pure knack as an engineer that really carried them both from job to job. Out in the fringes, she was known by name for being able to repair any ship, or fighter.

Oktra spun towards the camera that she knew he was watching them through, “I SAID IT WILL HOLD!” She snapped then turned back to the valve, 'I know it will hold' she reassured herself. However she knew better then to chance being burned by nearly five hundred degree steam blast. Oktra carefully took a step back with Carissa. She turned to Carissa and smiled, “It'll hold. You will see.” Carissa was really on top of things when it came to this engine room and Oktra really liked her. She couldn't understand why such a computer would ever be built but she really liked her. It was no wonder she was programmed a woman though. 'Woman are more logical and more intelligent than man are' she silently joked to herself.

Carissa continued watch the valve as the voice echoed throughout the area that the pressure was passing fifty five percent. “It won't hold passed sixty percent. There is a hair line crack along the wall of the valve, this one was simply too badly corroded.” Carissa pointed out softly as they continued to watch the valve. She turned to the Bothan engineer, “you really did a great job on the others.” Carissa could connect with the determination and skill of Oktra. However she knew that there was a problem with the Bothan. She could tell that there was an issue with addiction and her insane work hours. She would have brought it up to the First Officer, however they had too much on their hands at the time. Carissa opened up a medical log and continued to observe the situation.

Oktra smiled as the voice echoed sixty percent. “See, I told you she would hold” she said almost with a cocky snub to her voice. It wasn't more than a moment later when hot steam burst from the valve triggering alarms to sound in the area. Within seconds the entire area was filled with rapidly cooling steam as Oktra yelled out, “DAMNIT! Shut it down......SHUT IT DOWN!” Luckily for Oktra she had move back some. She managed to get soaked but not burned from the steam. Dropping her head she sighed deeply. The failure only meant more time spent on this valve and less on her next project. She was already running way behind on her own schedule.

It took only a moment for the steam and mist to dissipate from the area leaving Oktra looking more upset than wet. Her coat of hair was completely drenched with water as she looked at the valve which had failed on her. The alarms were still sounding as she looked to Carissa who seemed to open her mouth as to say something but Oktra cut her off with a finger between their faces, “It held pass sixty percent Ms. Know-It-All” she turned to the valve once more, “Turn these alarms off!” she snapped walking over to the edge of the catwalk.

Carissa followed closely behind, “Alarms are silenced and reset now.” Carissa ran through a large array of scans of the area to ensure that it was safe for them to still remain here. She determined the area safe. Oktra was an excellent engineer but she didn't show a mind for safety. Too many times she the young Bothan rush in to a situation only to realize that she placed herself in harms way for now reason.

Oktra placed the large wrench on the pipe and on the railing of the catwalk. She stepped up on the railing and kicked her leg over, “What was the level at before we lost the valve?” She was already setting her mind around what had to be done and how to make the valve work correctly. She knew about the hair line fracture but it was a calculated risk. Not all hair lines end in failure and this one could have held passed one hundred and forty percent. It was only luck of the draw that it failed.

“I put nearly sixty four percent on the line before we lost valve.” Nichos said calmly then paused as if almost unsure if he should continue, “I think that we might have to replace the entire valve assembly” Echoed the voice from high above in the engineering control room. He might not be a nature as Oktra was, but he understood when it was simply necessary replace a part instead of repairing it. He also knew her stubbornness to admit defeat when it came to her passion.

Oktra was nearly fully over the railing as she listened to the assessment. She looked down at the decks below. 'Wow its a long way down!' she thought as she stepped out over to the pipe. “That is all well and good but when you only have two replacement valves in stock, one can not just go about replacing every valve simply because we can. The truth is, we can't afford to replace them. We have to redo the welds again. That is the best way to get this fixed with what we have to work with” she said as she grunted while she lifted the large wrench and placed it on one of the large nuts that held the valve in place. “Its not like we can pull in to the nearest space dock, 'oh excuse me, can I get some parts?' You forget our situation.”

Carissa watched the actions that Oktra was taking with great concern. “Don't you think you should tie of with a safety line?” She was very concerned once more as she ran the calculations of Oktra falling. The pipe line was wet, Oktra was near exhausted and frustrated. These were very bad combinations and could very well lead to an accident. “I really think you need to stop what you are doing and rethink your plan, Oktra”

Oktra worked the first of the ten bolts free and tossed it over to the catwalk, “I got this. Make sure that that crane is ready to take this assembly back down to the repair shop” she said as she latched the wrench on the next large nut. “Nichos! Get your sweet ass down here lover!” She snapped as she heaved the large wrench as she started to loosen the next nut. Once she worked that nut loose she worked it out with her hands and tossed the bolt and nut back on the catwalk with the first one. The last time they did this, it took them nearly an hour just to set up a platform to work from. However nearly an thirty minutes in to the project, they found out on this one valve the platform prevent removing the last three bolts.

Carissa watched the Bothan engineer continued to work the next nut free and toss it along side the first two. She lined up the fourth nut on the wrench and started to pull with all her might against the wrench to break the nut free. Then without warning the wrench slipped from the nut slamming in to the Oktra's chest with such impact that she lost her footing. Oktra let out a scream as she let the wrench go in a futile effort to maintain her footing. The wrench fell as it hit and bounced off of pipes, the reactor housing and other metal objects as it worked its way down. Oktra fell backwards between the pipe and the railing of the catwalk with a scream of terror. Carissa attempted to reach out for Oktra but she was only a hair off from making contact with Oktra's arm as it slipped pass the edge of the railing.

Oktra hit a pipe which spun her about and flipped her over. She slammed belly and arm first on to the railing of the catwalk right below the level they were just working on. As her body folded over the railing there was a loud snapping and crushing sound. Her head hit first as she flopped down to the grated floor of the catwalk. Her legs sort of flopped over her body and landed as she laid face up looking up at the grating above her. She didn't even remember hitting the floor of the catwalk. She laid their looking up at the catwalk above, 'Those bolts and nuts are not in a line!' she thought as the pain from her body screamed out in her numb mind.

Carissa transferred her Avatar to the level belove just at the same time Oktra was landing. She looked over the Bothan's body as she scanned it for wounds. “Be careful, you have a compound fracture of your right arm. There are two broken a ribs, and a number of bruised ribs. I am also detecting signs of a soft tissue damage along your trunk and both shoulders.” Carissa said as she placed a hand over the Bothan's chest, “There are also near toxic levels of endorphins and adrenalins within your blood supply from the substance that you call glass.”

Nichos saw the fall from two levels up and was helpless to do anything about it. He flew down the ladders to reach her and ran the last leg as fast as he could while he rushed up to where they were, “Oh my god Oktra! Are you okay?” He said in a panicked voice as he slid next to her. He turned to Carissa, “Is she okay?” The concern in his voice was clear as was the love for her in his eyes. He seemed near panicked at the situation.

Carissa nodded as she accessed her medical database and started to plan out the next steps of tending to the wounded Bothan, “Move to her shoulder, am I going to attempt to reset her arm.” She took hold of the clearly broken arm as Oktra looked up trying to just breath. “Hold her shoulders steady and don't let go no matter what.” She positioned the arm as best as she could while looking at Oktra, “This WILL hurt allot” she calmly said.

Oktra was surprised that she hardly felt any pain. She knew it was there, but there simply wasn't anything for her to feel. She heard the crack of her arm as she noticed Carissa was working on her, then felt the wave of unimaginable pain. She let out a scream that echoed throughout the entire Engineering decks. She laid her head back as she closed her eyes. The pain was horrible now and she just wanted to go back to that moment when she was numb. She wasn't sure how much time had passed but she felt a bit better. She opened her eyes to see Carissa just finish tyeing two wide bits of metal to her broken arm. They were tied very tightly to her arm. The pain had once more subsided to near nothing again. She took a deep breath as she looked back up at the valve. She could easily see where it failed at now. “Okay so I guess we will have to replace the valve?”

Nichos nearly laughed at the comment, “you just took a fifteen foot free fall on to a railing. You need rest Oktra!” He placed his hand on her shoulder, “Baby, I know you want to get this done. But please babe, you need to get rest and medical attention.”

Carissa nodded, “I have to agree with Nichos, you need to spend time in the medical bay.” She said as she accessed her command files in relation to medical situations like this. There were lines were a crew member could be relieved of duty. The only problem was, she needed authorization from a member of the command staff to carry it out.

Oktra tried to get back up but Nichos held her down, “I have to get back to the maintenance schedule. Owwww” she said as she tried to move him from holding her down. “We are already behind by what three weeks.”

Carissa looked down at the wounded Bothan, “Actually you are more then four hundred hours behind the normal schedule.” She started to activate the communication systems in hopes of reacting Captain Ogon, however there was a command line already in place. 'No Out Going Transmissions!' She canceled her plan and just accepted the situation for what it was.

Oktra focused her effort and pushed her loving boyfriend aside and set up, “I KNOW!” she reached in to her pocket and pulled out a small auto injector. She looked at the clear liquid inside with a sigh. It was what she needed so much right now. It was glass, a highly addictive drug that would clear her mind and allow her to at least complete the work on the cooling valve.

Carissa cocked her head to the side and frowned, it also confused her why beings would waste their lives away poisoning themselves with chemicals. “You need help, Oktra.”

There was just so much that needed to be done and so little time. She tried to show her new commander that she was valuable and was an assist to the ship. But he just never gave her the help she needed. Sure the last crisis they all seemed to help out. But then they all left to go play around on Coruscant. 'Sure enjoying the night life and dancing' she thought ill of their partying while she was killing herself for their ship. She rolled the small little clear auto injector in her fingers, “What would you have me do” she asked looking up at Carissa.

Carissa smiled at the sign that she was finally getting through to Oktra about her addiction problem. While she had many files that covered addiction, she was never really qualified to render help with it. She would spend hours watching Dr. Kingston talk with those that had suffered from addiction issues. He was able to pick up on the slightest of signs that Carissa seemed to miss. “First and foremost, you need to get help. You can not do this alone” she said with a reassuring smile and continued, “no one could.”

Oktra snapped her head up so fast it nearly made her dizzy from the motion. She looked right in to Carissa's eyes and she knew the answer. “Your right” she said as she struggled to her feet with aide from her boyfriend. “What was I thinking, you are so completely right” she said then turned to her boyfriend with a smile. “Nichos, you recall that Republic military Intelligence guy from about two years ago” she asked as she motioned him to help her move to a near by data terminal.

Helping her reach the chair of the terminal he guided her in to the chair, “Yeah, I think his name was um...Colonel Ward or something like that” He said as he helped her sit down at the data terminal “I think he is still stationed out on Cuishnia”

Carissa followed with concern, “I think you miss understood what I meant by getting help.” Carissa said as she already realized that she had missed one of those signs that Dr. Kingston wouldn't have. She was not sure how to continue to get the conversation back on her addiction problem.

Oktra turned to her, “No, you were completely correct. We do need help and I know how to get it.”

“I do not believe the Captain would be very pleased with this choice of action.” Carissa said softly fearing what Ogon would say on his return to the ship. This was spinning out of control already.

Oktra turned to Nichos, “Go to our things and see if you can find my pink and black data pad. His contact information is listed there.”

Before she could address Carissa, Nichos spoke up, “Hey you said you got rid of that data pad!”

She smiled to him, “Oh but you love it when I bring the girls home to play. I have to have my play time too lover. Anyways, I always let you watch.” He nodded with a smile, “Now go get the data pad.” He turned and rushed off. This gave her the time she needed to speak with Carissa, “Did the Captain get my request?”

Carissa nodded, “Yes he did.” Carissa knew when it was time to start damage control. She had to be careful because their was a crew now and she didn't want to loss their trust because she betrayed the command structure that they had created.

“Did he deny that request?” She already knew the answer and knew that Carissa knew it as well.

“No he didn't. He actually said that he was planning to do what he could to get as much of your request as possible.” Carissa said softly knowing where this was going. Already she was calculating what needs to be said to put this to rest. “This action should be taken up with the Captain as soon as possible.” She knew that the order meant that this conversation would have to wait till the Captain returned.

Oktra smiled as she knew something about military structure. “Fine, I agree, lets speak to the Captain.”

Carissa shook her head, “We are on a communication black out. The Captain is unreachable.”

“The XO?”

“Unreachable”

Oktra smiled because she knew what Captain Ogon had done and what he had done to make her plan possible. It was all up to how Carissa was programmed now. “Who is third in command?”

Carissa was already seeing this run its course and she both didn't like it and was powerless to stop it, “That would be the Operation's Officer. That position has not been filled yet.”

“So which position that has been filled is next in line of Command?” Oktra said with a smile.

“The Chief Engineer, which would be you.” Carissa said in defeat. One of the problems in naming a Captain was that she now had to follow his orders. She trusted Ogon and his wisdom. She only hoped that his trust in his crew was as strong as her trust in him. “Fine, what is your plan?”

Oktra smiled with victory in her eyes, “Here” she said turning to face the terminal. “I found these schematics of everything we have on board a couple of weeks ago. Ship born weapons systems right down to these pulse rifles here, their all stored in these data bases. See, I know the value of these documents. They could easily fetch us more than enough to get the help we need to repair the engine room and than some.”

Carissa watched what Oktra was going over carefully, “I don't think that Captain Ogon would approve of you trading my weapon systems for this help you speak of.”

“Oh I agree” she said as she worked the station with her left hand it was slow but she knew what she was doing and need to get this down fast, “That is why I am thinking of these babies.” She said as she brought up detailed schematics of all of Carissa's fighters. “I know fighter designs like the back of my hand. My daddy built fighters for the Republic. He designed them and I learned all I know from him and more. These two will work nicely. They are both slightly superior to what I have seen from the Republic within their own categories. However, are not as advanced as the models you currently carry now.” Oktra continued to work her pitch as she turned to Carissa, “This Colonel Ward, he is so focused on his word. I know I can get him to agree to helping us and leave once the work is down.” Oktra looked down at her broken and bandaged arm, “Please trust me, Carissa, I will never place you in harm's way. You said so yourself that you were never designed to operate like this. We need this help. It's all a matter of knowing who you are dealing with.”

Carissa nodded at the plan as she heard it. It was actually a sound plan as long as the factor of this Colonel Ward could be trusted. “How are you going to keep them in the engineering sections” Carissa asked softly as she continued to review the files to make sure that she was not missing something.

“Well we have already cut off a number of the access points. But I think we need to really make this section completely isolated” she said as she turned back to the terminal and brought up the deck by deck plans of the engineering sections. “These life support systems will have to be repaired and brought online. While these access ports will have to be welded shut from the collar side.” Oktra explained.

Carissa nodded, “You should place motion sensors along the passages ways as well. My internal senors are still down in these areas. Also there is a passage way here” she said pointing to a bulkhead. “P39B”

Oktra looked at the deck plan and the door assignment. “What? There is no P39B? Are you sure?”

“Its a security access in the event that hostile aliens take over the engineering spaces” Carissa explained. “This way, Security will be able to move in to the engineering spaces through that corridor” she said pointing to a main corridor line, “which has access to all areas of engineering.”

Oktra looked up at Carissa, “Your people really disliked alien races, didn't they?” Carissa only nodded, “Fine we will have to seal this one as well. We can bring them aboard here at the number six cargo bay. It has direct access to only this section of the ship and I can watch them from the engineering control room as they move on and off the ship.” Oktra turned to Carissa, “so what do you think?”

Carissa nodded, “it is possible. The only factor I am having problems calculating is this Colonel Ward.”

“Don't worry about him, I have worked with him before. He owes me big time.” Oktra said as she got up, “I need those two files compressed and encrypted.” Carissa nodded as she moved toward the terminal and started to complete the request.

Nichos returned with the data pad “Here is your data pad” he said handing it to her.

Oktra smiled as she ran through it, “Here he is. Hows your lessons in piloting those new craft going?”

“pretty good I think. I can take off and land without rubbing against the walls on the flight deck.” He explained as Carissa just rolled her eyes.

“Good, I will need you to take this and fly away from the ship. Three hours out and send this message to Colonel Ward. Tell him that the meeting is here in Coruscant space and unless he wants the Hutts or the CSA to get the first crack on what I found he better hurry his ass up. Make sure that you include my demands as well as this personal message with it. It will tell him all he needs to know about what I want and expect from him” Oktra said smiling “Now get going.” She watched as her boyfriend ran off for the landing bay, “Well it looks like I have allot of welding to do. Luckily, I can do that one handed” she said laughing as she started to get up.

It was clear in Carissa's eyes that she was not completely sure about this course of action but she was really left without much choice in the matter. After all it was a command decision made by one of her Officers. She could go to the Captain about it once he returns but for the moment she was bound by his orders of command. Before Oktra turned she looked at Carissa, “I know I have a problem. Don't think I miss it.”

“It was a contribution to your accident that cost you your arm for the moment. It could have cost you your life.” Carissa pointed out surprised that the issue had come back up.

“I know” she said looking down, “But I need it to get through this. Once the repairs are done, I will stop taking them. Once I have a chance to get a break. I promise. For the moment, I really need them to keep going. Just..um...please don't tell anyone about it.” Oktra said in near humble voice.

Carissa looked at the Bothan in sadness. She could feel the shame and humbled state it took the admit the issue but she was still bound by Alliance Law. Captain Ogon didn't remove those protocols yet. “I can't Oktra, I am sorry. I am bound by Law to report anything that could place life or ship in danger to the Captain. Your accident has shown that it is a threat to your own life. So I must report it. However, I can ask him to speak to you privately about it. I can request that the file be sealed for your privacy. There is much that he can allow. But by law he must know.” Carissa explained softly.

Oktra knew that Carissa was right. She had always known she had a problem with Glass. But never before had she belonged to something so much larger than herself. Before it was merely jumping from one pirate ship to another. Never before even caring about the crew or their goals. For once she had reason to care. She looked at the large beautiful engine room with a smile. Never before had she seen such a beautiful piece of art. She wanted this to be her home. If it meant beating Glass once and for all, that is what she would have to do. “Ok, Carissa” she said as she motioned down the catwalk, “We have allot of work to do. Shall we?” Carissa nodded as the Bothan led the way.