Topic: RPG: Age of Skywalker

(JD, did you read all of the previous posts?)

As the Sith leapt from the ledge and Tanis was looking down he caught a glimpse of the one thing he really did not want to see. A company of the 501st Peacekeepers was marching into the Jedi Temple... the 501st was once again storming the temple.

The Sith landed behind Tanis and Shiv with his lightsaber held at the ready. They're exit was blocked. Tanis looked at Shiv and Shiv knew what to do. They double force pushed The Sith across the room and out of the way.

Shiv and Tanis ran through the exit as the Sith picked himself up and tossed a chair off of himself. The large chair had injured his leg and he couldn't imediatly stand, yet it was probably just sprained. He looked at Tanis as Tanis ran through the door and called out.

"This is not over."

Tanis paused for a brief second and looked at him. "It most certainly is not."

Tanis and Shiv sped through the temple and down through the levels they rose up through previously. They reached the Archives yet the Peacekeepers had been quicker then they thought and had reached they already. The company of Peacekeepers were probably swarming all over the temple by now.

A hail of blaster fire came upon Tanis and Shiv yet they had to press on through the Archives to get to the old sewer entrance. They took out they're lightsabers and began deflecting and dodging all that they could. Thankfully, Peacekeepers are not known for their accurate aim...

When Tanis and Shiv got close enough to the 20 or so Peacekeepers they force pushed them and the black armor clad soldiers scattered through the Archives. Tanis and Shiv ran forward and left the Archives and out into the once beautiful gardens that were so overgrown they now resembled a jungle. There were even more Peacekeepers out in the gardens and Tanis and Shiv Force ran through their ranks, dodging and deflecting the waves of red laser bolts that were being fired at them.

Cries of "Kill the Jedi!", "Get them!" and "Watch those lightsabers!" erupted through out the company. After reaching the edge of the open gardens Tanis and Shiv jumped down. They used the force to propel themselves into an opening in the level below where there were more Peacekeepers still.

Tanis saw the staircase leading down to the basement where the sewer entrance was and lead Shiv that way. THey hacked and slashed their way through the ocean of black clad soldiers. Tanis had never killed so many Stormtroopers or Peacekeepers in his life, yet it was necessary. Shiv's battle cries added to the chaos as well as reminding Tanis of his days on Kashyyyk. It was an odd thing to remember while amidst a battle with a company of Peacekeepers.

Shiv reached the staircase first as Tanis sent a Peacekeeper helmet flying through the corridor. He dropped down into the basement after Shiv and they ran for the grate that lead to the sewer. The Peacekeepers ran into the basement and through the many large crates stacked there just as Tanis closed the grate over himself and Shiv.

-----

<Who was that man?> Shiv asked as they ran through the smelly muck

"That was no man. He was Mustafarian, Northern by the looks of it." Tanis replied

<Really? A Mustafarian Sith Lord...interesting.>

"Yes the hooves, odd shaped head and tall, skinny body was definitely Mustafarian."

<...I must apologize for what happened back there...I rushed in foolishly, but my lightsaber skills aren't up to par with the Sith's or yours. I haven't really used it in a long time...>

"No worries Shiv. Let's just find out where Kharn and Kirah are and we need to get out of here. That will be a tough job however..."

<...When we DO get out, can you improve my lightsaber skills? I'm sure you can teach me how you habdle it better.>

"Of course Shiv, I will be glad too. Yet at the moment... we have a more serious situation. Where can Kharn and Kirah be?"

(These are the 501st Peacekeeper Legion...)

"Overlord Skywalker, the Jedi have fled the temple." Commander Daine Jir of the 501st Peacekeeper Legion said to the small Holonet relay in the palm of one of his black clad Peacekeeper troopers.

Even the holographic representation of Skywalker's angry face was hardly enough to unsettle the Commander. He was very much reminded of his prior service as Vader's aide-de-camp aboard the Devastator years ago. He was bold enough to question Vader then, and now as a full fledged Commander of the 501st, he didn't hesitate beneath the angry gaze of Vader's own son.

"What of Inquisitors Tho'un and Xan?" Skywalker asked.

"We're investigating that now, Overlord." Commander Jir said.

"When you find them, the 501st will fall under Inquisitor Tho'un's command. You're to assist his hunting of these Jedi personally. That is your priority."

"Understood, Overlord Skywalker."

The image dissolved as the relay in the troopers palm was disengaged.

"Contact the Inquisitors and search all of the nearby spaceports. I want those Jedi found."

"Yessir," answered the black armor clad Peacekeeper Sergeant in front of him.

<The Sith's robot took them.  I would assume to the ship.  We must find it before he gets there.  I can only imagine what he is doing to Kharn.>

Tanis closed his eyes and focused.  "He's this way and in pain.  But this isn't physical pain.  It's emotional."

<They must be turning Kirah against him.  We need to get him out.>

((Adeptus, initiate evil plan 21 Alpha C.))

((Roger Roger :P))

Kharn yelled, the droid stepped into the other holding cell. The window was one way Kharn could see out, but no one could see in. The droid took Kirah from the cell, as they left, it paused almost as if it were taunting Kharn. It stepped away and the cell door closed. Kharn yelled again, trying to get out of the restraints. His equipment had been left with him, he was unable to use his lightsaber, the parts holding his hands covered them. But his lightsaber was not his only weapon. He used the force to break the restraints, his rage fueling it. He pulled the lightsaber from his belt and activated it. He broke through the window, and began to cut through the door.

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Xan sat the human down in one of the chairs. They were in a security checkpoint, able to monitor the cameras. "There, camera one" Xan said pointing. The image showed the jedi attacking soldiers. He killed them all then moved out of the cameras field of view. Xan pointed to another image, and the human looked to that one, watching the image as the jedi killed more soldiers, a human, possibly an officer was cut down. The human gasped, apparently surprised. "Do you see what the force is capable of doing?" Kirah continued to watch the images, the shock and sadness evident on her face.

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Kharn had killed everyone he had came across, cutting them down quickly. He had shown no mercy, killing even the soldiers who had surrendered. He was close to Kirah now, he could feel it.

WAYWARD SOUL: FIRESPRAY-31 CLASS ASSAULT AND PATROL CRAFT: HYPERSPACE VIA THE HYDIAN WAY, ETA TO KUAT DRIVE YARDS VIA THE MAIN KUAT TRAFFIC ZONE : 5 MINUTES 18 SECONDS.

"Glitch, activate HoloNet Relay to the Avarice." I say.

"YES MASTER!" says my insane little pit droid.

The image of Captain Sair Yonka resolves before me. I'm dressed in my full Jensaarai garb, fresh from a meditation session.

"THE MASTER COMMANDS YOUR ATTENTION. YOU WILL OBEY!" says Glitch, pointing menacingly to a beffuddled Captain Yonka.

"Thank you Glitch, I've got it from here..." I say in an exasperated tone.

"YES MASTER!" he says with a salute and returns to watching the starlines stretch out in the front viewport, whistling some unknown tune to himself. I can't bear the idea of a mindwipe.

I look at the confused Captain, my smile hidden beneath my vornskr helmet.
"I want you to transmit to me a full sensor layout of your current and up to date fleet positions, Captain Yonka. Including the general locations of your starfighters."

He looks even more confused, but stammers, "Ummm...y-yes. Right away High Inquisitor."
I can't help smile at that. The transmission doesn't take long, and I take a moment to study the positions of the Peacekeeper fleet around the shipyards. I keep the transmission open and am aware of the Captain's nervousness as he awaits further orders.

"Master! Two minutes to reversion!" Glitch says.

"Thank you, Glitch"  I say, still studying Captain Yonka's fleet arrangement. He has placed his three Interdictors at the three ports within the main Kuat Traffic Zone that could only be accessed via the Hydian Way; a passenger port, a freight port, and an Imperial transfer port. This tactic effectively ends any attempt to jump out of the system during the fleets reclamation of KDY.

"Well done, Captain. I'm impressed." I say as he looks at me, expecting bad news.

He gives an immediate sigh of relief, "Thank you High Inquisitor. Now how is it that I can be of-"

"Command the starfighter group in the vicinity of the freight port to fire at all Kuat Defense Force vessels in these designated locations." I interrupt as I transmit the strategic data back to the Avarice.

"One minute-thirty seconds to reversion, Master!" Glitch says.

"We've recieved the data and are prepared to proceed, High Inquisitor." Captain Yonka salutes.

"Good. Proceed, Captain." I turn the relay off as I bring the Wayward Soul'sRapid-firing laser cannons online.

"Thirty seconds, Master Starjammer!" I can tell Glitch is excited by the prospect of ship combat when his tiny little vocabulator takes on an even higher pitch than usual.

"Targeting computer online. We're going in hot, boys."

Scratch comes running in excited and curls up at my feet. He knows its time to hunt.

Hyperspace lurches violently into realspace 45 seconds early. I expected it. At least one of the Interdictors is still functional. The Wayward Soul explodes into battle, both rapid firing laser cannons thumping out a rhythm of red laser death into a group of KDF starfighters pursued by a flight of Predator's accross my bow.

"Wooooooooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!" Glitch screams.

WAYWARD SOUL: FIRESPRAY-31 CLASS ASSAULT AND PATROL CRAFT: KUAT DRIVE YARDS, FREIGHT PORT.

I comm the Commander of the flight of Predators and instruct him to cover my flanks as I tear through space, drawing the Kuat Defense Forces away from the Interdictor cruisers. The staccato thumping of my rapid firing laser cannons rip a hole into the surprised, confused, and sloppy defensive formation as I move ahead. The superior speed of the Wayward Soul allows me to punch through quickly enough to avoid too much damage.

"Glitch, open comm to the BloodHawk" I said while veering up to avoid a stray shot from one of our Assault cruisers overzealous gunners.

"YES MASTER!" Glitch salutes, then pushes a few buttons on the comm board and gives me a channel to Skywalker's hired guns.

"This is High Inquisitor Starjammer aboard the Wayward Soul, to whom am I speaking?"

"This is High Inquisitor Starjammer aboard the Wayward Soul, to whom am I speaking?"

"This is Ralin Drakus; I have you connected with my team as well.  Our credits have been cleared and recieved, we are yours to command.............how may we serve you?"

WAYWARD SOUL: FIRESPRAY-31 CLASS ASSAULT AND PATROL CRAFT: KUAT DRIVE YARDS, FREIGHT PORT.

"This is Ralin Drakus; I have you connected with my team as well.  Our credits have been cleared and recieved, we are yours to command.............how may we serve you?"

"We'll be taking the shipyards. I need Kuat and his data taken. I'll handle that, I want you and your team to neutralize the on site security and the armed personnel. Got that? I'll meet you in the main hangar bay."

I don't wait for the response to my command. Time is crucial in this effort. Kuat of Kuat is not easy prey...

“I want you and your team to neutralize the on site security and the armed personnel. Got that? I'll meet you in the main hangar bay."

“Affirmative.” Ralin responded, even thought the comm was dead on Starjammer’s end.  A slight turn brought a Kuat security force fighter inside the Blood Hawk’s adjustable targeting sights.  With a slight depression of the trigger, a pair of red bolts from his mass-driver rifles sliced through its shields and set off the craft’s power core, making a pretty blue-white explosion.

Adjusting back on course, the Firespray patrol ship continued its decent toward the planet’s surface.   Pushing his throttles to the max, Ralin and the others fell into formation, as they had moved from their position near one of the Peacekeeper cruisers and on an intercept course as soon as Starjammer had been pulled into real-space.  As they approached the outer atmosphere, Ralin brought up the comm again to his team.

“This is Drakus; we’re going in hard and fast.  Land in close together so we don’t get split up; Cabur, but some cover fire into ANYTHING that looks suspicions.  Stick to Starjammer’s ‘6 when we bail out.  Protecting HIM is the mission until he sends us to do something else.  Good hunting.”

Killing the com, Ralin watched as the Firespray in front of him began to glow red as it entered atmo.........

"This is Drakus; we're going in hard and fast.  Land in close together so we don't get split up; Cabur, put some cover fire into ANYTHING that looks suspicious.  Stick to Starjammer's '6 when we bail out.  Protecting HIM is the mission until he sends us to do something else.  Good hunting."

"Roger that," Cabur said, adjusting some of the controls on the ship.  This was going to be fun, they would get to finish up their little "friends" they just left on Kuat.

"This is Drakus; we're going in hard and fast.  Land in close together so we don't get split up; Cabur, put some cover fire into ANYTHING that looks suspicious.  Stick to Starjammer's '6 when we bail out.  Protecting HIM is the mission until he sends us to do something else.  Good hunting."

Dussk sat up quickly, taking control from the droid. "Surely you can't be serious." he said over the com. He was getting a bad feeling about this. "I'm serious...And don't call me Shirley."

LOL, Airplane quote...

Ralin's head jerked up toward his comm speakers overhead.  As the Blood Hawk entered the outer atmosphere, he switched his comm back on.

"If you have doubts about your ability to handle the mission, Trandoshan, back out now.  Otherwise, prepare youself for battle."

I may have to keep a close eye on that one; Dussk.......I should run a search of the name after the fight and see what I can find about him, some one with the skills he showed before should have something on him Ralin thought as he maintained a close formation off the leading Firespray's port wing.   

We're in for a hot welcome he thought as his viewport faded from hot red into sky blue........

"Ralin Drakus, you, your team, and I will be targeting a little known facility on the planet that happens to be the actual location of my target. The fleet will take care of the Orbital Shipyard Facilities."

I can hear the crackle of static on the comm as The Wayward Soul competes violently with the atmosphere.
The ships of the other hunters and myself are eliminating the meager air defenses that come up to compete. They know its too late. Peacekeeper troop transports are also entering the atmosphere, intent on claiming the former Imperial Garrison for their own.

I land in the Main spaceport and inform Glitch to lock the ship up tight. My anti-intruder defenses are top of the line. Besides, I know KDF won't be holding the spaceport for long. Scratch is in full hunting mode. I growl to him in vornskr that he's done well for being patient and that the time to hunt has finally come. He can barely contain his ferocious enthusiasm and is at the hatch long before I am. I open the hatch and step out, in full Jensaarai armor with silver-bladed double lightsaber activated.

The local security forces are stunned in silence. They've never before seen anyone like me or my pet. Only a rare few have. In my mind I count a full five seconds before the first of their shots is fired, absorbed in my open palm by the force. I channel the absorbed energy to fuel my body, making me faster then a normal humanoid. My silver dualblades whirling a shield as a rain of blasterfire comes at me. The force flows freely through me now. I am only dimly aware that The BloodHawk, the first of the Bounty hunting team is only now landing.

Ma'ryk brought the Stingray down planetside behind Drakus, and exited it as quickly as he could, sealing the hacth against intruders, and once more carrying Jimmy, his heavy repeating blaster rifle.  He then walked to where the Blood Hawk had landed, and awaited Drakus' emegence, covering the area around them in the meantime.

As the Blood Hawk hovered just feet above the landing surface near Starjammer’s landed Firespray, Ralin leapt from the still airborne craft’s open boarding ramp and hit the ground running, Ma’ryk close behind. 

“Hawk!  Put some fire down on any enemy concentrations before you go!” Ralin ordered into his comm-link to his vessel.

”Rodger boss!” came the translation of the Hawk’s droid-speak across the top of Ralin’s HUD. 

As Ralin and Ma’ryk raced after Starjammer, who was moving toward a unit of Kuat security forces, the Hawk fired a salvo of proton torpedoes into a nearby building that was shielding a group of Kuat troopers.  Turning slightly, it then sent a series of mass-driver bolts into the ranks of reinforcements who were rushing to the scene.  His job done, the Hawk revved it’s drive engines and heading back to the Peacekeeper fleet until needed again. 

Nearby, the new others landed and began to race after their new partners, as well.

The ‘jetii’ was under heavy fire, but it wasn’t hurting him for some reason.  Before Ralin or Ma’ryk could reach him, he attacked.................

The Serpent's Blood touched down, and Dussk sprinted down the ramp, ACPG in hand and a lit cigarette in his mouth. The ramp closed up and sealed. He saw Ma'ryk and Drakus already but apparently Cabur wasn't here yet, he turned his head and saw her ship pulling down to land. He swept his gun to the left and right, looking for any threats.

I see one of the Mandalorians exit the Stingray, and another exit the BloodHawk, as well as a Trandoshan from another ship, and almost pay for my arrogance when a blaster bolt slips through my defense and glances off the armor of my left shoulder. I use the remaining energy absorbed from the first blaster bolt to force grab the offending shooter and toss him against the hull of a nearby vessel, to bounce off at an unnatural angle and land with a loud crunch at the Mandalorians feet.

This halts the remaining twelve guards in the docking bay. The moment of hesitation is all I need. Prompted by a growling command from me, my vornskr leaps at one of the men, hitting him solidly in the chest and dropping him to the ground hard. I deflect a few more incoming shots back at them with my Soresu form, two of which strike their targets, and take two shots to my armored right side and leg. The other shots miss completely...

The ‘Jetii’ deflects most of the bolts that fly toward him, returning 2 of them to the shooters.  His armor is apparently strong enough to deflect the rest. 

Ralin level’s his rifle and begins to snipe the others, while Ma’ryk and Dussk open fire on a fresh unit that appeared from the space port terminal. 

A passing Peacekeeper troop-transport strafes much of the scene in front of Starjammer and the others, allowing the team to advance.  Cabur runs up from behind, her own rifle hot from the supporting fire she’d been giving from her ship.

As Starjammer nears the entrance to the space-port terminal, Ralin slides his rifle onto his shoulder moves to the ‘Jetii’s’ side.  Starjammer turns his gaze to Ralin’s; “Are you ready, Mando?”

Giving only a slight nod of his battle’ helm, Ralin withdraws both his blasters from their holsters.  “We’ll cover you.”

Starjammer nodded back, and with a burst with the Force, the doors explode open, and the team runs in.............

Cabur came running up, blasters out and shooting, until she caught up with the rest of the team.  Looks like we're doing some covser work, she thought to herself.  The Starjammer burst through the entrance and they ran in, blasters up and ready for anything...

(anyone need me to edit?)

Dussk replaced the ACPG on his back, swapping it his vibrosword and shatter gun for the moment. He shot a guard in the face as another group of the security force came around the corner. He spun around, seemingly pointing the gun at Ralin's head, before Ralin could react he pulled the trigger, killing another member of the security force. He turned again, slashing at a guard who had came to close.

((Ok? if not it shall be edited/deleted

The moment the doors open, I see trouble. A firestorm of lasers spews forth at us from the barrel of an obviously stolen E-Web heavy repeating blaster. I take most of the firestorm's impact, deflecting it with a force shield. However, the strain becomes more than I can handle. I step back from the exchange, closing the door. My armor is pitted and smoking in several places. I use the force to direct away some of the pain of the shots that got through.

"Hold your positions," I say. "Watch my vornskr", I tell the Trandoshan, who obviously has caught Scratch's eye.
<Interesting...> I think, <maybe we can address that later.>

I disconnect my blades and turn one of them to its light greatsword function. It doubles in size and width and turns a bright flaming red. Guided by the length of retractable chain of Mandalorian iron and cortosis ore, I toss the blade up into the ceiling above me and using the force, I cut a hole in the material. When it's done, I look at the four hunters, obviously stunned by my actions.

"I'm just full of surprises, people. Wait for the sound of fighting to start, then bust through that door," I say, leaping up into the narrow crawlspace between the ceiling and upper floor. I stretch out in the force again and feel for the presence of the Kuat forces below. I find them, waiting nervously on edge below me, and position myself just above and behind the group operating the E-Web. I adjust my blade back to its standard setting and reattach the hilts. Then I cut through the material below me. My surprising drop is met with angry shouts as my silver blade hums equally angrily to life again...

A series of shouts, screams, and blaster shots seemed to be the signal Starjammer had told them to wait for. 

Railn, Ma’ryk, and Dussk leveled their balsters at the doorway as Cabur punched the access button and watched their backs.

As the door slid open and the team rushed in, they found themselves in total chaos.  Starjammer had killed the lights as he dropped in from the ceiling, and the room was pitch black.  Ralin’s and Ma’ryk’s Mandalorian visors instantly switched to night vision.  Ralin assumed Cabur’s visor had a similar setting, while Dussk would have to rely on his Reptilian eyes to make his way.  He could see an E-Web that had been set up to cover the hatch had  been sliced through the barrel. Blaster bolts were flying blindly in all directions; not even Starjammers silver blade was a constant, as it swirled and flashed around a corner of the room. 

Several security troopers made a break for the doorway when it opened, only to be cut down by Ralin and Ma’ryks blasters as they rushed into the room.  One who made it too close was cut down the Drakus’s two-pronged gauntlet blades.  Dussk surged past the Mandalorians, his vibro blades out, and ran into the shadows.

Retracting the blades into the gauntlet attachment, Ralin reached for his second Heavy Mandalorian blaster.  The heavy blasters in Ralin’s outstretched arms hands sent bolt after bolt into the confused and or fleeing Kuat security troops as he, Ma’ryk, and Cabur moved into the caldron of battle...............

Name: Colebin Calid
Age: 21
Species: Human
Occupation:
Loyalties:
Force Powers: limited danger sense, lifesense, and sense force
Weapons:
Armor: Blast vest
Appearance:
Personality/History/Motivation: The Cloak of the Sith was a mysterious region of the Outer rim which included the planet Roon. The region was hard to navigate, making Roon somewhat inaccessible; only two hyperspace routes were known to reach the planet. Raised on the planet Roon until the age of 14, Colebin learned his parents were actually co-conspirators in a secret Sith cult. They felt that he was ready to carry on the legacy of the Sith, and agreed to allow Colebin to begin his training. He and his parents moved to Belderone, in the Outer Rim territories, to establish a hidden Sith cult in that sector. He was trained for a few years until the arrival of the Peacekeeper's 501st Legion. They had arrived to reclaim KDY's AT-AT assembly factory, when the newly promoted Commander Daine Jir was informed by an unknown traitor within the cult, of its existence. Colebin Calid's home was destroyed and his parents were executed. Colebin fled to several planets, taking on odd jobs, until ending up working at Kuat Drive Yards. He was driven by his mother to eventually assume the Sith Lord mantle, but has had very little training in the use of his limited Sith teachings. With his mother gone, Colebin has little left of his training, save several clues to guide him eventually to artifacts hidden by his parents and other members of the cult. He is not quite sure if that is a legacy he wishes to assume.

As Cabur entered the battle, she saw Dussk run off into the shadows.  Hesitating slightly, she wondered if she should follow him, but a blaster fire flew right past her face, and she turned her attention back to the battle at hand.  She started firing, hitting security officers square in the face with her shots.  More fire came their way, and she ducked and narowly avoided it.  She could see Ralin and Ma'ryk shooting targets, cutting down the ones who came to close.  She looked around for a place to snipe, as it would provide excellent cover...

The arrival of the others is well timed. My destruction of the E-Web reduces what little orderly discipline exists among the security forces. I make quick work of a few of them, and the hired guns do the rest. Scratch leaps at the midsection of a security force person, knocking him down as the blaster flies from his hand. I grip the blaster in the force and launch it towards the doorway, applying pressure to my grip until the pressurized gasses explode. The improvised grenade goes off in the faces of several personnel running in from another doorway. They get cut down like all the others. I make my way towards one of the turbolifts. Powers out.

<Smart,> I think <Keep us from getting down to you... very well...>

With my lightsaber, I cut through the sealed turbolift doors and use the force to pry them open. I look into the turbolift shaft. None of the lifts are anywhere near this level...sigh...oh, well...

I leap into the open shaft head first, and position myself for a long freefall...

Ralin's night-vision allowed him to see Starjammer disappear down the inconspicious looking shaft.  As the others held off the Kuat reinforcements, Ralin ran to the edge.  Starjammer’s silver blade was all he could see, sill decending the seemingly bottomless pit.

Ralin moved behind Ma’ryk and slapped his shoulder to get his attention over the sounds of battle. 

“I’m going after Starjammer.  Hold the Line HERE!

Turning without waiting for the response Ma’ryk was too busy to give, Ralin leapt down the shaft...............

I allow myself a moment of exhilaration as I speed down the shaft, shooting past each lower level. I pull up the spaceport's floor plan in my helmet's HUD on the way down. I search for the best possible location for a secret office in the lower levels that would accomodate access to a private hangar bay. Sub-level 31 looks like the best place to stop. Time seems to stretch as I mentally count to about thirty, then adjust my angle of descent. Falling upright now, I detatch my hilts again, and use the force to shift my fall closer to the wall in front of me. I plunge both my silvery blades, hilt deep, into the wall.They hum angrily as they encounter the reinforced durasteel alloy material. I brace my feet against the walls, using the force to cushion the soles of my armored boots. My plummet continues at the same breakneck speed at first, blades burning deep furrows into the shaft's wall. I apply more of the force to my grip on both my feet and my lightsabers, and eventually begin to slow down. Then I see the rooftop of a turbolift down at about sublevel 33.

<Looks like company...> I think.

I land hard on the turbolift's roof, using the force to absorb the shock. I reach out in the force, feeling four figures in the lift, just now alerted to my presence. A couple of blaster shots lance out through the alloy.

<Obviously firing blind,> I smile.

I wait, and in the force I sense another attempt. Four more shots fire through, and with great concentration, I deflect those shots back down below me. I am rewarded with grunts and the sounds of two bodies dropping, as the other two back out of the lift. I carve a circle in the metal right under me, dropping down into the turbolift car, facing two very surprised guards...

Ma'ryk nodded, and thought better of it.  What would happen if his Vod got injured while going off on his own.  He couldn't have that now.  Besides.  Drakus couldn't have all the fun.  Drakus sent off another burst of blasterfire and mowed down another line of troops, chucking a couple of thermal detonators into the mix.  As the soldiers dove for cover, Ma'ryk ducked into the cover of the turbolift's alcove, and got ready to jump.  It was only then that he noticed how high it was.  Ah well.  He clamped a magnetic clip onto the wall, and attached a rappel line, and began to rappel down.

Please, oh, please, let there be some left for me...

A red light flashed and buzzed in the cockpit as the Allegiance pulled out of hyperspace over Kuat. "Ah what now?" Solus climbed out of the small bunk and sat in the pilot's seat. "Heh, interdiction field. I don't remember Kuat having such tight security...Kuat dosen't use the 418's...Skywalker. It has to be...This will be interesting."

Ralin controlled his fall using slight movements of his hands and feet.  As the turbolift roof came within range of his zoomed in night-vision setting, Ralin’s jetpack ignited, the straps to it cutting into his shoulders as it slowed his fall. 

Killing the thrusters, Ralin dropped onto the roof of the lift.  Thought his sensors didn’t pick up any life-signs, he pulled his right blaster out and dropped through the jagged hole in the roof ready for action.  Moving into the room, two bodies lay in front of him; one was cut nearly in half, and the other was missing his head.

Hearing blaster shots ahead, Ralin rushed passed and followed the trail of bodies..........

I regret having to kill. This mission is growing more difficult by the moment. Kuat of Kuat is vital to this mission. I must have him.

Security forces seem to get tighter, and as I continue to disable them, I'm losing my patience. Then as I turn a corner, a barrage of blasterfire lances out at me. The force directs my hands as I deflect a few bolts, then step back around the corner for cover.
<Droids...> I smile bitterly. <Echuta!>

B2 super battle droid's are supposed to be ancient tech, but someone must've forgotten to tell these three units. I take a deep breath and allow the force to guide my hand in combat.

"It's a Jedi!" I hear the lead droid exclaim as I step out again.

"I'm no Jedi, tin man!" I say as I toss my lightsaber at it, silver blades locked into the on position. I guide my throw with the force. The blade spins down the hallway, plunging through the machine's heavily armored torso, burning through the delicate processing unit and signal receptor within. I call my lightsaber back to me as the other two open fire. The force guides my hand up, and as before, I feel the sharp sting of a blaster bolt and the blazing heat of the energy shoot up my arm. I choose to save the energy for my next attack, so the pain remains intense. As the heat spreads up my arm and accross my chest, I grip both the droids in the force and batter them against each other. I'm greeted by the satisfyingly screeching crunch of metal on metal, as both B2's are destroyed...

Ralin raced down the hallways, the sounds of blaster fire having faded again.

”STOP” The voice filled his earpieces at a splitting high level, stopping Drakus in his tracks. ”This is Starjammer; look to your right.  There should be an open doorway.  Enter it.”

Ralin recognized Starjammer’s voice, which kept him from assuming that it was a Kuat security trick and just killing his comm.

”Send the turbolift to your team above; we’ll need them.  Then join me as quickly as you can”

Looking around the control room, Ralin recognized it as a forward security station.  It wouldn’t help him get deeper into the complex, but he could control everything in the areas he’d just passed.  Finding the proper control, he sent the lift back top-side.

As he ran back out into the passageway, he thought, I hope Ma’ryk is holding the line as I told him to and didn’t try to come down here..........................

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

As his rappel line wizzed through his belt, Ma’ryk felt a strange vibration in his feet when they touched the turbo-lift wall.  Looking down, he couldn’t see anything..................until the image of the speeding turbo lift came into view. 

Damn........................

My victory was short lived as I finished my run down a length of unguarded corridor. Around the only corner at the end of the hall, I heard an odd metallic clanking of metal on metal, as if  something large were...rolling?

<What the...?>

I saw two wheel-shaped droids unfold themselves in front of a quickly sealing blast door. They had large blasters for arms, and the moment they were in full combat position, each of them was encased in a shimmering blue energy field.

<Awww...Echuta...>

ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap...

Ma'ryk retracted the rappel line, and tried to get topside fast.  He made it, but the turbolift smashed his heels, forcing him to sprawl facefirst into the ground.  That was definitely not something that he wanted to ever do again.  And now that the turbolift was here, he could probably use it to get down there in a safer manner.  He called out to the other Mando girl, and the Trandoshan.

"Our ride's here, fellas.  Let's get moving."  He emphasized his statement with a spray of blasterfire that tore down a couple Kuat personnell, as the others sprinted over to his position.  When they were all inside the 'lift, Ma'ryk hit the controls, and sent them down to the depths of the complex....and to more fun battling...

Dussk looked at the hall way, and was surprised by how many bodies littered the floor. The other mandos stepped out guns up. Dussk forgot his situation momentarily "Put your guns down. Their all dead." The others apparently believed him, as they lowered their guns. The 'dog' thing next to him seemed to hate lizards as it was growling at him continually.

Cabur lowered her gun slightly, aware of the low growl of Scratch, who was staring straight at Dussk.  She realised that Dussk was probably right in his assumption that all was clear, but just as she was getting comfortable, more security gaurds mixed with a few older droids came out of a side passage.  She raised up her blasters along with the others, shooting down some of the gaurds and droids...

(need me to edit?)

I don't even have time to think before confronted by the merciless torrent of blasterfire. My lightsabers flash wildly as I deflect the attacks. The force is strong with me, but I can only withstand so much, before stepping back around the corner.

"I think now would be a good time for assistance..." I say over my comm.

"Heheh, like I was never even here." Solus couldn't help but to chuckle as he switched on the cloaking device. All the instuments went dead as the ship melted into the black void of space, he would have to go in manually for this one. After a few minutes of precision flying around the interdictors, he was through the blockade, entering Kuat's atmosphere. Even being halfway across the planet, the Allegiance made good time to Kuat City. Solus flew low and fast, his arrival was crucial to get Kuat before Skywalker did. He flew to the lower city, the bowels of Kuat's precious industry, cutting through a few places he should not be fitting. This is where things would get tricky...supposed to have been tricky. Unknownst to him, the cloaking field disrupted the automated defense system, causing it to go haywire and target other gun emplacements, workers, and friendly ships, forcing security to put the whole defense net in lockdown. Solus was close, very close...

"There it is...Aww, how cute. Say goodbye to your precious life boat, Kuat of Kuat." He muttered as the landing pad came in view. *clink* SSSHHHHHFOOM!!! In a brilliant display of superior firepower, the emergency escape craft was incinerated, causing a nice big fat poofy mushroom cloud. "Tracyn'la! Yeah!" Solus shouted as he landed next to the burning ship.

The building structure shakes violently at some unknown location high above ground level. I have Glitch monitor the situation. He responds rapidly, informing me that apparently there was some kind of explosion at a nearby landing pad. I have the coordinates transmitted to my HUD.

<What the frell?...>

According to my specs, there was never a landing platform there. I would've remember having seen one...unless...

"When did you first notice the platform, Glitch?"

"Approximately eight point seven minutes prior to the offending explosion, Master! It must have risen up from the lower levels. Apologies for not informing you earlier, but I was fending off a shipjacking attempt. Not to worry, the threat has been neutralized!"

"I see...well done, then..."

"THANK YOU MASTER! YOU COMMAND, I OBEY!"

I consider my current predicament, when help finally arrives...

I think now would be a good time for assistance... rang in Ralin’s earphones just before an explosion rocked him against a wall.  Picking up the pace again, he turned one last corner and saw Starjammer taking cover from a hail of fire.  Sweating from the long run with all the heavy gear and armor, he continued to jog up to the Inquisitor. 

“Situation?” Ralin asked as he moved his back against the wall next to Starjammer.

“A pair of destroyer driods.”

The incoming fire hadn’t slowed much.  Bolt after bolt was getting pumped into the corner they were taking cover behind, with a few bolts streaking past just in case any of them decided to stick their head around the corner.  The sound of the droid's pointed legs could be heard as they moved toward them.

Drakus reached into one of his belt pouches and pulled out a grenade.

“I don’t know how strong in the Forceyou are, Jetii; but you might want to step back” said Ralin as he slid the safety trigger on the thermal detonator to ‘Live’..............

Starjammer took a few steps back as Ralin moved closer to the corner; the durasteel melting from the barrage of fire.  Taking aim with his left wrist gauntlet, Drakus fired a stun dart into the wall opposite the hall the Destroyers were in.  The dart ricocheted harmlesly against the floor and into the far wall of the hallway.  The movement caught the attention of the driod’s motion sensors, diverting their fire away from the corner for just a second.

Taking the moment of opportunity, Ralin stepped so only a sliver of his body and right arm were exposed, and tossed the thermal detonator.  It was a light throw.........needed time to run his life. 

Racing back toward Starjammer at full speed when the grenade detonated, the intense shockwave knocked him off his feet.  Anticipating the blow, Ralin rolled with the blast and came up in a crouched position, his left hand down on the floor for support.

As his head came back up and he could see toward the hallway, he saw a chunk of one of the destroyer droids slide by.

Standing back up and pulling out his right side blaster, he looked over at Starjammer.  “I think the way is clear for you now, my Lord.”

I brace myself for the impact of the detonator's explosion, as the Mandalorian rolls in front of me to absorb the blasts impact. He gets up, brushing himself off.

"Did you guys just take out that platform?" I ask.

The mandalorian is silent for a moment, obviously contacting his cohorts for information on the explosion.

"Wasn't us, Sir. Maybe KDF's getting desperate."

"...or maybe someone just tried to prepare their getaway vehicle, and got themselves vaped for it," I say as we pass the smoldering wreckage of the two droideka.

We walk up to the sealed blast door. I activate my lightsaber, carving a large hole. The material is heavily reinforced and provides a good amount of resistance against my blade. I continue, nonetheless, and am rewarded by a good humanoid-sized hole. My lekku twitch with restless anticipation. At the end of this hall, are a large set of unguarded doors. I reach out in the force towards those behind those doors, and find several individuals in a good sized group. I feel a mix of anger, determination, steel hard resolve, and a little fear. At the center of it I get the impression of what I assume can only be Kuat of Kuat: fierce, proud, angry, tinged with only a slight amount of repressed fear. Something is odd though, his mind seems...young...

Ma'ryk raced through the tunnels, blasting any unfriendly unit, until he met up with Starjammer and Drakus who were busy melting their way through blast doors.  His sensors showed that there was a good sized group behind the metal.  He moved up to stand alongside Drakus, and leveled his blaster at the door, nodding at his vod.

"Sorry.  Took me longer than I expected..."

"Sorry.  Took me longer than I expected..."

"Not an issue," I say as the Mandalorian's partner  joins us. "The welcoming party at the end of the hall, however, is another matter entirely."

I feel for the presence of Kuat of Kuat and am troubled by the mind I have found. I've never felt anything so odd. It's as if I were sensing the mind of a child, yet one with plenty of worldly experience. I'm confused, but I carry on.

I point at the door as the one who'd just arrived levels his weapon.

"Target's in there. I want Kuat of Kuat alive."

Dussk stepped around the corner the dog-thing still growling at him.

"I want Kuat of Kuat alive." The 'jedi' said. Dussk made a huffing sound "Doesn't sound to fun...." He muttered, Ralin shot him a look, dispite his face being hidden, that clearly said shut up.

Cabur had to stop herself from chuckling slightly as Dussk made the point at how fun this was going to be.  Ralin didn't take to well to the response, shooting Dussk a look.  Cabur had to wonder why the 'jedi' had made such a point about keeping Kuat alive, personally, it would have been easier to just vaporize him now.  She let the thought pass, as long as the job was worth their while...

"Doesn't sound to fun...."

Ralin jerked his head toward his new partner, cutting off anything else he was going to add.  Though he had to agree, capture missions of unwilling targets could be no fun at all, it wasn’t their place to say so.  They had been paid well........... it was time to earn it. 

Walking down the short hall, Ralin pulled a breaching charge from his pack, while Ma’ryk did the same and wired the other side of the armored passageway.  His life-form sensors picked up as least a dozen creatures in there; with plenty of weapons........

Ralin looked around at the gathered team.  “Are you all ready?”

"Yes" answered Starjammer.  "Kuat of Kuat is mine" he added.  "You are to disreguard him totally.  The guards are your mission."

"It will be done," said Ralin with a nod.  Stepping back, he pulled out his heavy blasters.

It only took a slight whisper into his helmet comm to send the door surging into the other room, taking about a couple guards as it flew by.  Four stun grenades followed as Ma’ryk and Cabur each tossed a pair.

A second after the last detonation, the team followed Starjammer in, ready for anything..............

I'm getting tired of being shot at... I think.

I enter the room, encountering all variations of blasterfire. The stun grenades have slowed down most of the guards in the room. A couple of guards decide to be stupid and fire blindly from behind a makeshift barricade. Both bolts glance off of my silvery blade. I deflect them into the gunarm of one and the left shoulder of another, as I run straight through the guards, the Mandalorians and the trandoshan firing behind me. I make my way towards a knot of guards obviously protecting Kuat. The group parts and I am stopped short by a barrage from a heavy blaster cannon they had concealed amongst them. Scratch knocks me flat to the ground just in time. I take a shot in the left side of my torso as I hit the ground. As I reach out in the force to grab the weapon, Drakus moves into position to cover me. I grab the cannon and smash it hard into the wall in my invisible grip. The group protecting Kuat scatters as they dive for cover behind a section of the barricade.

"Oh Kuat...You shouldn't have, a durasteel blast door? Psh. I'll take my way." Solus chuckled as he placed the 4th and final permacrete detonator on the wall by the massive door. "I hate to spoil your party Kuat, but..." He took cover behind the coridor and pushed the detonator. KAFOOM! Solus checked his ammo then sprinted through the door that he just made in the wall. Dust filled the air, blaster fire was whizzing every which way, but not all directed at him. This could only mean one thing...

The ensuing explosion is deafeningly surprising. I hit the ground hard from the blast as the explosion rolls over me. I notice in my helmet's HUD that a few of the guards had taken cover. Some weren't so lucky. The blasterfire is still raging, but lessened now with the destruction of their repeater cannon. I know Kuat's still in there somewhere. My imaging systems are going haywire trying to keep a lock on him through all of the settling dust. Then I see something unexpected climb through the hole torn through the door to  Kuat's only escape route.

"I don't think this Mandalorian's one of yours, Drakus," I say.