Knightfall :: Run-on

[CENTER]Children of War
Knightfall[/CENTER]

This thread is for the official House Feud Run-On. Further information can be found in the event description, and details of your particular House's weekly objectives in the Guidance thread.
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The Hive, Central Intelligence Centre
Sadow Palace, Sepros Jungle, Orian System
Day 176, 31 ABY

The attack by the Yuuzhan Vong had come in the middle of night and taken Colonel Kal Septka and the Palace Guard totally by surprise. There had been no alarms. No surface-to-air missiles. Nothing. Everything had been turned off right before the gargantuan organic dreadnaught appeared in the sky. Were it not for reclaiming Marakith over on Aeotheran, and getting a message out to recall the rest of DSOG, they may not have survived the attack.

Fortunately, the Vong themselves had withdraw not long after appearing. That did not mean the damage was minor. As he surveyed the wreckage, Septka still did not understand it. This was the seat of power of the disciples of the Lord Sadow of the true bloodline. Pockets covered the floor where swarms of flying asteroids had laid waste to the defenders. Hundreds of Special Operations men lay dead or dying. Wreckage of crashed HLAF interceptors that had tried in vain to take off littered the area. Smoke poured from the palace’s roof where the first wave of asteroid-based drop pods had fallen out of the sky like giant hail stones.

Even now, with the planetary grids still offline, the Peace Brigade battlegroup remained in orbit of Aeotheran, Amphor and Tarthos, even though the Vong had already withdrawn. Did they expect the Dlarit Corporation just to roll over and surrender? Kal knew enough to know a diversion when he saw one, and that was what the attacks on the colonies had been.

Sadow Palace had been the Vong’s true target.

And aside from the Overlord not being there, they had got what they came for.

The Simus Institute had all but been slaughtered. It was like a scene out of the end of the Clone Wars. No, it was worse. The Empire had only shot them in the back. This was more like a horror scene in a holothriller. The Vong did not kill their victims cleanly. The blood was still splattered across the floor and walls. Many of the cleanup crew were unable to hold their stomachs at the sight before them. Adults and children butchered without remorse.

But he had not discovered the worst until the attacker’s had already fallen back.

Both the Governor-General and his deputy had been captured.

And the Viceroy’s son was missing.

Few even knew about Remy Dlarit’s existence. That meant there was only one answer.

It had been an inside job.

It must have been someone high up. There was no other explanation for how they could have disabled the defence systems and cut off the outside communications network to stop the distress call being put out earlier. They had infiltrated every level of the Dlarit Defence Force. It must have taken months to prepare and coordinate such an attack.

However they had made one key error.

Even as Kal looked at the virtual fingerprints left behind on the Hive’s data systems, he still could not believe it. He recognised the faces. They were people he had worked with.

Colonel Sarn. Commander Arnet.

Kal slammed his fist into one of the monitors. It was not as if another one broken would make any difference. Most of the Hive was already ruined beyond repair. It would take months to put the palace back together.

That was time they did not have. They needed the defence grid to get rid of the ships presently holding the Corporation to ransom. Admiral Yashais dei Izvoshra had made his demands clear: if DSOG attacked the Peace Brigade would raze the colonies to the ground.

That would not have mattered, except most of the Dark Jedi were still at ground zero.

They needed to get the defence systems back online. Kal turned back to the faces of the two turncoats, and keyed open a joint channel to Tarthos and Aeotheran. He had a good idea where to start. It was time to give these sycophantic backstabbers what they deserved.

Police Headquarters
Government District, Seng Karash, Aeotheran, Orian System

The police headquarters was still being used as an impromptu triage unit. Marakith may have been recaptured from the rogue DAC trooper, Orenth, but the main weapons systems were still offline, and the city’s shield generator still inoperable. With an old Confederacy frigate still in orbit, the DSOG fleet had no option but hold back, so the new Intel from Colonel Septka had been just what Nix and the others had been waiting for.

The rest of the battle team marched single file behind the Shistavanen as they made their way towards Wyla Sarn’s office. Dyrra and the Serpents had already taken up station at the other end in case the colonel tried to make a run for it.

‘I can’t help thinking: how many others?’ Jinius said behind.

Nix glanced around at the crowds of medics, doctors and injured service personnel. Most of the civilian casualties had been moved to City Hall. In the background, he could still hear calls down below in the lower levels as new cases got wheeled in. Special Ops had cleared most of the streets, but there were still stragglers out there.

None of that mattered right then. They could worry about the civilians later.

The woman beyond the door just up ahead was his target.

They reached the doorway, only it felt strange.

‘I don’t sense anyone inside—’ Nix said. ‘Set your blasters to stun. Remember, Governor Tsainetomo wants her alive.’

Nix didn’t bother to unholster his own blasters. He wanted the Chiss spy to see his eyes when he knocked her unconscious. This was personal.

Reaching the door, he leant up and pressed his ear against it to listen. Footsteps. There was certainly movement. ‘Maybe a droid?’ he muttered, more to himself than his team.

He stepped back then kicked the door open.

Colonel Sarn was sitting at her desk.

He still couldn’t sense her.

The colonel looked up, her face seeming surprised. ‘Can I help you, commander?’

‘Why can’t I feel her?’ Mei whispered.

Nix’s hand fell to one of his blasters. ‘Colonel . . . I’m afraid you’ll have to follow me.’

Sarn stood up and grinned. ‘No. No, I don’t think I will,’ she said as the surface of her face started to ripple and her grin withered into a scowl.

Nix drew his blaster. ‘Hands up. No sudden moves.’

Slowly, Sarn raised her hands . . . then, as the skin on her face started to peel away, dripping into a puddle at her feet, her cold grey features became plain to Nix and the rest of the squad. Behind the pool of blue gel emerged the face of a Yuuzhan Vong, her lipless mouth laughing.

‘Don’t do anything stupid.’

Sarn laughed. ‘I wouldn’t think of it.’

All of a sudden a black mass dropped from the ceiling, ropes falling atop Nix and the rest of the battleteam.

The team’s blasters flashed.

The writhing mass of amphistaffs wrapped around the Shistavanen’s arms as he pulled them off. Across the office, a door slid closed behind the colonel’s desk.

Wyla Sarn was gone.

‘Kark it!’

Nix yanked the last snake off his shoulders and crushed its head beneath his foot. He opened a channel to Dyrra and raised his wrist to his mouth. ‘Serpent, this is Sapphire. Target is on the move. Be advised, she’s a Vong in disguise. Repeat, Vong in disguise! Can’t feel where she’s gone, but definitely headed your direction.’

‘Copy that,’ Dyrra replied. ‘Serpents in position. Will rendezvous with you outside.’

Dlarit Navy Headquarters
The Hub, Kar Alabrek, Tarthos, Orian System

Like a storm cloud, the dark blue glow of Fremoc’s lightsaber swam across the spotless walls as he thundered down the corridor, the rest of the Raptors and his Special Operations squad following close behind. The fire still burned in his chest, the rage at the loss of his son. It was only a matter of time. He would get Thomas back.

But first he would have Ran Arnet’s head on a plate.

His grip on his lightsaber hardened so tight he heard the metal stress.

‘We’ll get him back,’ Ryuk said.

Fremoc did not answer. He could not answer. He could only see the fire.

They reached the office; the words COMMANDER ARNET printed on the door.

Over the years, Kar Alabrek had been targeted too many times, the Cathedral hit from orbit too many times, the hands of Marka Ragnos cut off one by one by one too many times. He had not been here for the Battle of Inos two years earlier, but this had been worse than before. That time the threat had come from outside. This was an inside job. A betrayal.

‘Let’s get this over with,’ muttered Horus.

Fremoc nodded and keyed the door. It slid aside to reveal the pristine white office of Ran Arnet, commander in the Dlarit Navy, and one-time candidate for the Special Operations Group—though he had been deselected for signs of his lack of commitment. They should have seen it then. But then, Fremoc thought, the Vong would just have found another.

Traitors were always there if you looked hard enough.

The commander was already on his feet, looking at the flames outside the window.

‘Ah, I take it you’ve found out about my little . . . deal with the Vong.’

Arnet did not turn around.

The Raptors circled the commander as the rest of the Special Ops troops arrayed behind them, blasted centred on the traitor. Too many had turned out to be Vong in disguise; though Fremoc could sense that was not the case with this one. Arnet’s greed stank in the Force. Not that Fremoc needed to feel it with all the priceless works of art amassed around the office.

‘I’m placing you under arrest,’ Fremoc said, barely holding back his urge to spear the commander right there. But that would be too kind. He would make Ran feel what his son had been put through. He would keep the commander alive long enough that he understood the extent of his rage. Arnet would learn what it meant to fear.

‘Raven,’ Fremoc whispered into his comlink, ‘I’ve got Arnet. But keep the Hawks on station in case of complications.’

‘Roger that,’ Raven replied. ‘Kalei and Ekeia are waiting at the extraction vehicle.’

Arnet finally turned around. He was smiling and looked around the office at the blood diamonds and artworks he had paid for with families’ lives. Fremoc’s family’s lives. ‘It will be a shame,’ Ran muttered, ‘to not see these again.’

The commander took a step forward.

‘That’s far enough,’ William said as his lightsaber snap-hissed to life.

Ran grinned, his eyes glancing at each of the troopers in turn, seeming to size up the weapons levelled on him. He stepped back to the window. ‘Yes, yes I think it is,’ he said. His grin widened. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got places to be.’

Fremoc felt a sudden ripple of danger up his spine right before the commander nodded at one of the trooper’s behind the Obelisk. ‘Cover!’ Fremoc shouted as he dived behind the nearest statuette. Red and green flooded his vision as the troopers fired all at once. Not at Ran: at him.

Traitors everywhere. Just like he thought.

It took less than two seconds for the Raptors to switch their attention to the men who were supposed to be there to help them, and less than another second for them to turn back to Arnet . . .

Gone.

Outside, the airspeeder was already vanishing into the plumes of smoke.

‘Kark it!’ Fremoc yelled. ‘Raven, you’ve got incoming. Target jumped out the window. Be advised: our troopers are compromised. Will rendezvous with you at the designated extraction point. Make sure the shuttle’s prepped.’

Police Headquarters
Government District, Seng Karash, Aeotheran, Orian System

Nix ran toward the hidden door that Wyla Sarn had taken to evade the sapphire team. Nix grabbed at the edges of the door but the door had sealed shut. Nix slammed his fist hard against the door he then turned around to Davin Olar and said “Let’s move to commander Dyrra’s position and catch that vong!” The sapphire commander moved between his team and out the office door and through the police HQ. Just outside the police building Commander Dyrra Skye of the jade serpents was waiting for Nix and his team to arrive. As the Shistavanen walked out the front door of the building with his team in tow he saw Dyrra standing with the jade serpents in battle formation and weapons at the ready. “Are you ready to mobilize to catch this vong?” Nix said “We are ready to hunt her down.” said Dyrra with a smirk, “Very well let’s get a move on then.” Nix said with a nod. Both battle teams moved with swiftness in the last know direction of the vong.

PRT Nix Graves (obelisk)/SGT/Ludo Kressh of Naga Sadow [ACC:INI]
Apprentice to Fremoc “Demonic” Pepoi.

Dlarit Navy Headquarters
The Hub, Kar Alabrek, Tarthos, Orian System

Fremoc looked out the window to the ground below him, which was only several meters down. The Knight turned back to his Night Raptors who were policing the bodies of the troopers they had slain, and those members with no lightsaber, took power packs for their rifles. Just hours prior, the Knight was in a bacta tank recovering from shrapnel wound that still effected him. He had asked to be removed early from the tank because he felt he needed to return to his Night Raptors. The medical technician attached bandages to Fremoc's body to help his healing. The Knight looked at some the bandages on his right arm. Blood had dotted the white bandage which was probably caused by moving behind the statue.

"Rap up what you are doing. We need to follow that traitor to where his masters are holed up," ordered Fremoc as he turned back away from the team. "We need to meet up with Raven and will follow the punk from there. Everyone understand?"

"Yes, sir!" everyone answered. Even the two new members to his battle team, Teu and Baki. Teu was very shy whenever the Knight talked to her or looked at her but was willing to do whatever was needed. Baki was very high energy and just like Teu, was willing to do whatever was necessary.

Looking at his bandages once more, the Knight decided that he could risk the jump without having too much damage caused. The Knight landed and slowly stood, his muscles burned as they were still rebuilding, causing slight pain. Seconds later he heard a thud behind him, followed by four more. Fremoc smiled as he knew his Raptors had followed him.

"You were not going to do that one by yourself. The tech made me in charge of your well being," said Ryuk. "Besides, this way was a lot more fun and a lot less dealing with those troopers. Even though I would love to take them on."

Fremoc chuckled, "This is the easy way, but I would be you Raven has some problems of his own right now. Let's go help him."

The Refuge Camp
Outside Seng Karash

Corporal Trevain looked around in distaste at the huddled masses in front of him, hundreds of dirty humanoids from who knows how many races laid under blankets or crouching around fires. These were the ones the city had refused entry, making their way on illegal transports the smugglers brought in, discovered on the streets and removed from the city that had no use for them. Food was short, the Dlarit Corporation wasn't a charity, if you didn't work and were no use to the corporation you didn't eat. Some had found manual labour in the warehouses or establishments who didn't want to pay employment taxes, others joined the gangs but the majority ended up here before they starved or were murdered or went out into the jungle and were never seen again.
"He could be anyway Corporal," Private Mers called over as he sealed the hatch on their police craft.
"Well we look for him," Trevain replied, "he's been seen dealing here."
"Yeah and he probably seen us coming," Mers replied dubiously, "we need backup."
The Corporal shook his head, "There's none available, most of the force is on twelves and twelves with the attack anyway and they're expecting riots. It's just us."
Mers swore but approached the nearest fire, studying faces that looked at him nervously afraid of the uniform. Trevain moved into the mass as well, trying to match their quarry among them, lifting aside blankets and cloaks where nessesary.
"This is hopeless Corporal."
"Keep looking," Trevain replied.

His eyes fell on one figure. The man if he qualified as such was heavily built and had a blanket covering his head. He matched the size of the criminal they were looking for. Trevain leaned down grasping the blanket and pulled. The man gripped it. "Get off me," he rasped harshly.
"Calm down," Trevain ordered keeping a hold of the blanket, "let go."
"Off me!" the man rasped again pulling the blanket rougly from the Corporal's grasp.
"Hey!" Trevain said as he grasped the blanket and tugged it again hard, trying to disloge it.
"Got a live one?" Mers asked curiously turning to watch.
"Yeah," Trevain replied and planting his feet he pulled, the blanket coming away. He gasped. Trevain was a veteran, and had seen many sights in his day, but the burned blistered face that stared up at him furiously shocked even him.
"I said get off," the man cried hoarsely and struck out at Trevains ankle, catching the officer off balance and pitching him to the floor. As the Corporal hit the ground Private Mers drew his blaster, covering the man whose burned face snapped around to view the officer with furious eyes. As the nearby refugees scattered away Mers kept the man covered as Trevain scrabbled up.

Private Mers kept his finger on the trigger ready as the Corporal reached for the man. Then he screamed as bolts of electricty surged through him and he collapsed twitching. Mers fired the blaster and the bolt hit a burning branch that detached itself into the air from the nearby fire. As the branch exploded the blaster was dragged from the privates hand to land in the burned fingers of the assailant. Mers looked helplessly at it in shock for a second before a bolt hit him centre in the chest and he pitched backwards. Trevain struggled to move before the other blistered hand reached for his neck and squeezed, and the corporal's life faded away as he struggled.

The man let go, blinking at the figures around him who watched in uncomprehending terror. Slowly he reached for the crutch on the ground next to him, and struggled up. He glanced at the blaster in his hand, before letting it drop to the floor where the mob watched it hungrily. His gaze took in the police ship nearby, and he studied it for a few seconds. With a final glance at the refugees he hobbled over to it as the door slid open at an unspoken command. As the door shut again and the craft lifted into the sky, the spell broke and the mob rushed for the bodies of the officers or the discarded blaster, fighting over the spoils. Above the ship shuddered, then righted itself and flew out over the jungle.


Marakith
Command Room.

Sai turned as the sound of the mercenary entering. Agrist looked steadier now, the rest had done him good. A glove covered his new artifcial hand. "You sent for me?"
"I requested your presence," Sai replied, "there's trouble in the city."
"More?"
"Message from Nix and Dyrra. You're not going to like this. The deputy commissionar was an infiltrator. Guess the Vong's plans were beyond meer terror strikes."
Agrist raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. Want me to go down?"
Sai nodded. "See what you can do, they're tracing her route. I'm co-ordinating a response for now I want you down there."
Agrist nodded. "Very well, I''ll take a shuttle."
"Knight Soolin has recently returned from the city, she's been spying down there for me. Take her with you."
"Very well I'll get my stuff. Have her meet me in Bay Two." He turned and left for his quarters.

Unknown

Ylith awoke slowly and when he did immediatly after sickness reached him and he had to try not to
throw up. His vision was blurred but when he came round he found himself upside down, stripped to
his pants, even his bandages around his torso and arm were removed. He couldnt move, some weird
tentacle like bindings keeping him in place. As he became aware of where he was a slight panic gripped
him, he was with the Vong.

"Ah....Vaalheeruu...yoo awaakened.."

Ylith turned his head but could not see who spoke at him. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Forgeeve me Seeth, my Baasic ish not well enough to follow you compleetely. You shaal see soon enough
where you aare."

Suddenly the Sith felt tentacles moving over his back untill they were underneath his spine, as they sucked
themselves tight onto his skin a barb like tongue shot into his spine tapping right into his nervous system.
The Valheru screamed in agony as a new demension of pain washed over him, waves of pain that captivated
all of his body washed over his skin and flesh as if he was exposed to the heat of the sun itself.

Suddenly the pain stopped and multiple Vong moved around him, smiling.

"Now Seeth, now you shaal feel the Ambrace of Pain." The Vong smiled, followed by the horrifying screams of
the Battlemaster.

The Hub, Kar Alabrek
Tarthos

The airspeeder seared through the rubble-strewn streets of Kar Alabrek with wild abandon, Arnet looking around fitfully for signs of pursuit as his driver gunned the engine. Arnet slowly sank back into his seat, transferring his eyes ahead as he allowed a smirk to cross his features. So much for these fabled Sith! He'd survived, and would live to swindle another day.

Suddenly the airspeeder rocked heavily as a dark shape hurled itself from the rooftop of a nearby building, crashing into the bonnet. A glowing shaft of crimson surged to life as Raven tried to gain enough balance to thrust his blade through the engine of the craft and bring it down in a fireball. However, as he reared up to deliver the final blow, Arnet's hand shot to a blaster holstered in the side of the airspeeder. Whipping the weapon up, the traitor aimed for a few crucial seconds then squeezed off a shot at Raven's chest.

At the last minute, Raven's fingertips came up, weaving a barrier of the Force around his body. The scarlet bolt smashed against the barrier and dissipated harmlessly- but the shock of the impact was enough to hurl Raven off his precarious perch on the airspeeder, throwing him to the street below. A patrol of Dlarit troopers scattered as Raven hurtled towards them, rolling smoothly across the flat stone and going up on one knee. The Archpriest's eyes followed the airspeeder angrily as it continued it's wild flight across Kar Alabrek, and his voice was low as he spoke into the comlink.

"Fremoc, just encountered the target. You guys need to get to the extraction point quick; I'm not losing this huttkarker."

"Roger," was the curt response. Fremoc and his Raptors would be en-route to the extraction point. Brushing some dust off his robes, Raven set off to the north as well, a brooding shadow moving through the streets.

***

Extraction Point
Kar Alabrek

The shuttle sat in a wide clearing between several stone buildings, landing claws mashing against the burnt remains of what had previously been carefully trimmed and manicured hedges. The LAAT-i's wings spread out over the width of the area, providing plenty of shade for Kalei and Ekeia to lounge in; the area was quiet, and they were pretty sure that Arnet's airspeeder would miss them by a wide margin.

Suddenly, Ekeia's head snapped up and she raised her voice at the shadowy figure that had emerged from a narrow alleyway between two buildings.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

A dry chuckle was the response as the figure stepped forwards into the light, tucking his fingers into the wide belt wrapped around his characteristic kimono.

"So, you two are staying alert? I honestly couldn't tell whether you'd even notice me," Manji grinned, moving towards the shuttle nonchalantly. After seeing the Cathedral secured against the enemy, the Epis had disappeared into the streets of Kar Alabrek, ostensibly to hunt down some of the remaining members of the Peace Brigade. The collection of severed heads now decorating his quarters back at the Cathedral suggested that he'd succeeded.

"Raven and Fremoc are en-route here, correct? I was eavesdropping on the comlink frequencies," the Epis explained as Kalei and Ekeia relaxed, recognising their Rollmaster. Stretching his arms out, the Keibatsu settled back against the side of the LAAT-i to wait for the two Battleteam leaders.

The Hub, Kar Alabrek
Tarthos

Raven moved as furiously down the streets though no evidence of anger was seen on his face. Suddenly he felt a jolt run up his spine and his saber came to life as a hooded figure jumped behind him from a nearby building. Raven recognized the man and shut his saber.

"It`s you." he said.
"Aye! Sorry if i startled you, chief." Tyren replied.

Atema was clad in his Night Hawks armor, which was damaged in many places since the Incursion, and his dark brown cloak detailed with a phoenix insignia. A mark of his heritage.

Raven nodded calmly and continued down the street toward the extraction point with Tyren next to him.

Miner's Brother
Amphor Orbit


"What in the Nine Hells?" wondered Macron as he gazed about the inside of the old ship. His chronometer said nearly two months had passed since he had last checked it, an impossibility. "How did I... my head," groaned the Sith as he clapped his hands to his temples. "Hurts."

A mufflled weeping from a storage closet caught his attention. The Warlord opened the door, recognizing the figure within immediately. "How the frack did...." His voice trailed off as his eyes glazed over. The mad Sith reached into the closet space, grabbing his charge by the scruff of the neck. Mac dragged the now-unconscious form to the hulking shape of the Nachzerer, trudled it onboard, and took off for parts unknown.

Extraction Point
Kar Alabrek

Kalei’s head had snapped up at the moment Ekeia’s had as she felt someone or something nearing their location. Her hand was on her lightsaber hilt, which still had the marks from the last battles she had been involved in.

"So, you two are staying alert? I honestly couldn't tell whether you'd even notice me," came the voice of Manji and her hand went back down to her side.

“Alert? Why would we not be staying alert. We weren’t going to just jump up and reveal our position if you had been an enemy.”

The Dark Jedi Knight leaned herself back against the LAAT-i and listened to what Manji was saying, "Raven and Fremoc are en-route here, correct? I was eavesdropping on the comlink frequencies,"

She simply nodded, “At last we heard they were, though I am wondering about the others of the teams. We haven’t heard any word of them.” This caused worry in Basai, but she wasn’t going to let it interfere with what she was here to do.

Extraction Point
Kar Alabrek


Ryuk followed closely behind his master towards the Extraction Point with the rest of the Night Raptors on there heels. Things were changing pretty quickly in the Night Raptors battleteam but the Mandalorian knew that with his masters guidance anything that lay ahead would be handled weather it be peacefully or with aggression.

As thoughts of all the aggression that lay ahead the battleteam reached the Extraction Point. Resting calmly against a LAAT-i were Dark Jedi Knights, Kalei and Ekeia. Also with them was Son of Sadow, Manji Keibatsu.

The Night Raptors came to a halt just behind there battleteam commander as he walked up to the party waiting at the LAAT-i. Ryuk stepped away from the team and beside his master, Dark Jedi Knight Fremoc "Demonic" Pepoi, in order to get all the info he could about what was going on.

Aeotheran
Marakith Skyhook
Command Central

Tsainetomo sat in the command chair long after Agrist had gone to meet Knight Soolin in the hangar bay, the supple Corellian leather doing nothing to soothe neither his long-suffered lightsaber wound in his side nor his exponentially mounting frustration.

The skyhook’s command center was a hive of activity, with technicians fretting here and there in vain attempts to bring the weapons systems back online. At first, Sai begrudgingly acknowledged Captain Orenth’s ingenuity in crippling the platform, but as report after report of the techs’ inability to resolve the issue filed in, he grew irritated, then curt, then finally had to pinch the bridge of his nose to avoid snapping any mundane vertebrae. After all, the techs were good, but Orenth had been trained to be better by Tsainetomo himself. It wasn’t their fault; it was his.

Then, there was the matter of ‘Colonel Wyla Sarn’. Betrayal and deception, most foul indeed.

True, he had dispatched Dyrra and Nix and their respective teams to ‘retrieve’ her, but she had slipped their grasp. Sai had been forced to up the ante, not only for the Vong infiltrator, but for both the Serpents and Sapphire Squadron.

Under the pretext of ‘lightening the load’ for his Battle Teams, he had sent out a message over the Holonet and the general public’s emergency broadcasting channels, highlighting Colonel Sarn’s face, name, and outing her status as a Yuuzhan Vong. The message was on a constant loop, so anyone with the ability to receive a message would eventually see it. With an angry, hurt, and confused Seng Karash now able to put a face to the enemy, the remaining mundane would be out in force, beating the bushes to flush her out. Yes, it was a bit of misdirection, as Sai truly didn’t have anything concrete until he could put Sarn to the question, but it would be effective nonetheless.

As far as the Battle Teams went, in his mind, they would need to be tested. They needed to sharpen their skills as to avoid any such occurrence happening again. So, not only would they need to contend with finding Sarn, they would now have to do it before the general population did and without being discovered as Dark Jedi. The stakes had been raised for all who found themselves in the Son of Sadow’s tripartite gaze, and woe betide the Failures.

So, with Agrist, Nix, Dyrra and the whole of Seng Karash being put to work, there was really nothing for Tsainetomo to do.

Except wait.

And think.

‘How did it come to this?’ The Keibatsu wondered as he sank deeper into the command chair. As it had in moments like this, he thought of those Clan Elders who had tread the path before he did, and wondered, as he always had, when he’d joined their ranks.

Shin’ichi, Ashia, Sanjuro. ’Gone to Revan, burn their bones.’

Muz, Shikyo. ’On the Dark Council itself, beyond caring or offering an iota of assistance.’

Trevarus Caerick, Vexatus, Mononoke. ’Dead, or disappeared to parts, unknown.’

Malisane, his own Aedile. ’Lost by the incompetence and utter weakness of a second rate med-squad.’

Tsainetomo’s thoughts brought him no comfort. The Keibatsu itched to act, to take up his lightsabers, to seize the Dark Side, and burn someone, anyone out of existence. He’d kill for just a bit of good news. Just a bit.

He found his lightsaber wound screaming at him, and he fought to control the pain. Unbidden, and strangely, Vexatus’, Caerick’s and Robert Sadow’s voices mingled in his head, a mocking cacophony of admonishment.

’Heavy is the head that wears the crown.’

In his moment of impotent frustration, Tsainetomo couldn’t have agreed more.

Extraction Point
Kar Alabrek

The Knight strode towards the LAAT-i Gunship with his team behind him. There wasn't much said and did not run into any resistance as the team ran here. Fremoc had tracked the airspeeder through the Force and sensed that it was heading towards the North. He walked up to the two women and Manji.

"Well you heard word from us now. We are here. We need to move out now people before this guy gets away," said Fremoc. He waved his battle team forward and onto the LAAT-i. He remembered the Night Hawks roster and noticed that they were missing two members. "Where's the other two members of your team?"

"Ylith is MIA and Bal is-" start Kalei.

"I'm over here," said Bal Demona as he casually walked over to the ship.

"Okay, we are moving out and picking up Raven on the way. Manji, shall we try a second time to fly a ship?" asked Fremoc, starting to move to the cockpit.

"Although I'm glad to see you up and moving again kid, but I'm sure heck I'm not letting you fly again. Ryuk! Take co-pilot, you and me are piloting," said the One Eyed Dragon. Manji and Fremoc's apprentice, Ryuk took the controls to the ship and began to lift the ship off the ground. Fremoc looked at the two battle teams in the passenger hold. Some were standing holding a hand hold so that they wouldn't be sent flying out of the ship if it turned suddenly. Others where sitting down farther in the back, and even further back was Teu, who was keeping to herself. The ship rocked as the gunship picked up speed as they chased after Arnet in his airspeeder.

"Here's Raven!" yelled Manji from the cockpit, as the ship slowed down and hovered for a second. In that brief second, Raven and another man jumped into the door way. The two walked into the main cabin as the LAAT-i increased its speed once more. Fremoc immediately went for his lightsaber, thinking the man was an enemy.

"Easy Fremoc, this is Tyren Atema," said Raven introducing Tyren.

"Sorry, it has been a long day of traitors. Can't be to careful," responded Fremoc.

"It's okay my friend, you have every right to question who I am. As Raven said, I'm Tyren Atema," said Tyren.

"Good to have ya." Fremoc walked to the cockpit to notice how close the gunship had caught up to the airspeeder. An idea flashed through the Knight's mind. "Manji get us in front of him!"

"Alright!" Manji said as he pushed the gunship to go even faster and surpass the airspeeder. Fremoc walked to the door and looked back at his team. Teu was watching him while the others were talking amongst themselves. When Fremoc sensed the opportune time through the Force, he jumped out the door towards the airspeeder and Arnet. The Knight's body hitting the airspeeder made a loud thud. He ignited his lightsaber cutting a hole in the top of the speeder large enough for him to enter it.

"You again!" yelled Arnet.

"This time your going down," yelled the Knight. He closed down his lightsaber and pulled out his pistol, and without aiming he shot the controls to the airspeeder, causing it to slow down and start to descend to the surface of Tarthos. "Now, come with me or you will die when this crashes to the surface."

Panic went through Arnet's eyes as he got up and started walking towards the Knight, who minutes before was trying to arrest him. Fremoc grabbed him and attached the binders that were on his belt to Arnet's wrists. He jumped through the hole pulling Arnet with him. Thankfully, Manji had stayed with the airspeeder, even though it was slowly descending to the surface. Raven was at the door to the gunship, only a meter away. Fremoc threw Arnet into the door where Raven was waiting, and then followed by jumping aboard as well.

"Secure him in more binders and someone aim a blaster at him!" ordered Raven. "Good work though Fremoc. Stupid, but good work."

Fremoc nodded and walked to the cockpit and informed Manji, "We have him."

North of Kar Alabrek
Tarthos

Flecks of snow blew through the air, dancing in the wind that howled across the thinly-wooded scrub of the Tarthosian northlands. A few scattered trees formed a meager clearing, gorse and heather clinging to rock and patchy grass and blocking the wind slightly, leaving it to howl against the side of the LAAT-i gunship. The Night Hawks and the Night Raptors loitered inside the downed ship, playing card games and making bets on how long the traitorous Dlarit official would last under the 'tender' ministrations of Fremoc, Raven and Manji.

**

Blood spattered across the rockface, Arnet collapsing to the floor under the weight of the blow. Pulling his fist back, Manji ignored the sting in his knuckles and glowered at the Etti hatefully.

"Damn, that felt good. Right, we can start questioning him now."

Arnet spat out another gobbet of blood before turning a bloodstained sneer back towards the three Dark Jedi, defiantly silent. Raven smirked as he looked down at the Commander, feeling the Dark Side coiling inside him in preparation for the interrogation. Leaning over, Fremoc caught Arnet's eye and snarled a question.

"Let's try this the easy way. Where were you heading? Where are your Vong contacts?"

A sullen silence was the response, which stretched out for several minutes. Then Fremoc straightened up and turned to Raven, grinning wickedly as he gestured at the fallen Commander.

"He's all yours."

Dropping into a crouch, Raven reached into the Dark Side eagerly, feeling a torrent of throbbing horror coruscating down his arms and into the air around Arnet's head. To the eyes of Manji and Fremoc, a horrific cloud of purplish-black smoke hovered in front of Arnet's eyes, permeating his skull with flashes of terror. The Commander's eyes went wide as Raven wove a terrifying picture into his mind; rotting maggots crawling out of his bleached skull, the prospect of horrendous physical pain, and above all the spectre of the Yuuzhan Vong and their terrible vengeance for his failure.

After several minutes of agonised twitching and gasping, Arnet suddenly let out an unpleasant scream, writhing in place and struggling against the binders. The Night Hawks and the Night Raptors gathered around the LAAT-i moved towards the rock where Arnet lay, alerted by the scream, and looked down at him as he rolled around in horror, dirt staining his previously immaculate uniform.

"Please! No! Not the Embrace!"

Crouching back on his heels, Raven glanced up at Manji, breathing heavily from the Force usage; weaving such a constant web of illusion over Arnet's mind had drained him. He nodded, and the Epis moved forwards, grabbing Arnet by the collar and dragging him upright.

"Now, matey, you're going to tell us all what we want to know..."

North of Kar Alabrek
Tarthos

Tyren watched Raven and Manji enjoy torturing and intimidating the man. It disgusted him really, all the blood and the screaming. He`d learned in his time in Arcona that simple words could influence more and do far less damage. Such was the training of the Shadesworn. Manipulation of surroundings and one`s own voice in place of harming the mind. Far more satisfactory in Tyren`s opinion, far more terror in the other`s eyes whilst you turn it against itself.
"Spit it out, maggot." Manji said almost through his teeth.
"Y-You have no idea...what you do is f-far less...*arck*" Manji squeezed the man`s neck as Raven weaved the threads of his mind. He was near complete breakdown.
"Enough!" Tyren said with a half-commanding voice. Every single member of the elite turned to him shocked, or otherwise.
"What did you say?" Manji asked furiously.
"The man`s practically half-dead, you keep up much longer and he will die." Tyren said not turning his gaze from the Keibatsu. "If he dies before he gives us the info, then that stunt Fremoc did will not remain stupid but good work but ONLY stupid."
"You think you can do better, Atema?" Raven asked.
"I do." Tyren replied immediately. Raven nodded and Manji dropped the man.
"Then have a go." the Kei said moving behind the Priest.

Arnet dragged himself back, away from Tyren, probably expecting something even worse. Tyren knelt before the man and lit a cigarette.
"Now, since we got that out of the way. Why don`t you tell me what you know?" Tyren asked and a slight chuckle of mocking could be heard from the crowd behind him. He disregarded it.
"I-I..can`t..." Arnet answered shaking his head manically.
"Now listen, Ran. It`s Ran, right?" the man just nodded slightly "Ran, I believe you aren`t in a good position now. In fact I believe I`m your only friend here." the Priest said pulling a smoke.
"You see, these here..." he pointed at his comrades "...they want to torture you, force you to give them what they want. It would hurt...a lot." the man`s eyes widened "...but we don't want that do we?"

"N-No! No more, please."
"I can help you. But you need to tell me where you were going."
"We..um...I was going to..."
"Yes?" Tyren asked "Come on."
"Arctic base. Coordinates are in...pocket." Arnet replied.
"Of course...it was only logical...how`d we miss that?" Tyren could hear his comrades mutter.
He slapped Arnet on the back. "Good man." Turning to Manji and Raven he said.
"There, if you`d just ask politely he`d tell you." the Priest gave out a smirk.
"Fine." Raven said "Now let`s be done with him."
"Wow. Wait." Tyren said, stopping his comrade. "Even if he is a traitor and deserves death, which he will get by the way, HQ will want to interrogate him further. So I suggest we take him back, regroup, rearm and then charge in."
"I agree." Fremoc said "Even though I believe the Hawks and the Raptors would be sufficient, a few more meat shields aren't a bad idea."
Tyren stood idly, awaiting orders from Manji and Raven. "So what`s your call?"

Government District,
Seng Karash,
Aeotheran.

Dyrra kept a brisk pace through the Government district, pausing every so often and concentrating, as if she were a hound scenting the air, before dashing off in a different direction. Close on her heels, Nix hissed a query.
“How the hell do you know where to go? You can’t sense the Vong. Where exactly are you leading us?”

Dyrra flashed a grin back at him.
“Didn’t you wonder why my squad were just standing around waiting for you when the Vong woman was running straight for us? Did you think we didn’t notice her or something?”

Nix’s eyes narrowed, his mind turning over the unspoken implication. If Dyrra and her team had let the Vong pass them unhindered... His hand fell to the hilt of his blaster as a roar left his lips.
“Traitor! You let her pass! You’re all working with them!”

Dyrra skidded to a halt just in time. Her palm lashed out to slap Nix’s arm away as he swung the blaster up to shoot her. The bolt intended for the back of her shoulderblades went harmlessly into the concrete at their feet. She gripped his arm like a vice, muscles borne of the strict training she’d endured since joining the Clan conspiring to halt her fellow Kresshian. The two teams eyed each other with distaste as each individual pondered the Protector’s words.

“Don’t be so karking stupid!” Dyrra spat the words out, her contempt for her counterpart’s foolishness evident. “We let her pass because one of my team is tailing her! That way, she’ll think she’s safe and lead us somewhere she probably shouldn’t, like a frackin' safehouse!”

A heartbeat passed, as Nix searched the Force for a hint of a lie in the red haired woman’s words. Both battleteams had their hands inching towards weapons. Dyrra’s next words were calmer, the flare of rage Nix’s attempted violence had caused was now extinguished.

“Besides, this House needs all the help we can get right now. Do you really think the Summit would appreciate being told you butchered an entire battleteam without evidence? Not that you could, I’d gut about half your team personally if you tried, and bloodstains are a bitch to clea-”

Nix interrupted the young woman’s ramblings. “Who’s tracking Sarn?”
“Marcus Kiriyu. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s staying far enough from Sarn so that I can sense him. Shall we?”

With that, Dyrra let go of the Shistavanen’s arm and jogged off, confident both battleteams would follow her once more. A short while later, Dyrra felt the equivalent of a tap on the shoulder through the Force. She turned and was rewarded with the sight of Marcus beckoning the two teams to a nearby alley, where he explained the situation in hushed tones.

“She’s in a building around the corner. I’ve been watching her from the roof of this building, but no one has come in or out. It might be a safehouse, or a base or something. We should probably assume she’s got some backup. There’s an entrance at the front and another round the back.”

Dyrra nodded and clapped her friend on the shoulder. “Good work, buddy. Nix, if you take the back, we’ll take the front. If we charge them simultaneously and meet in the middle, she shouldn’t get away.”

Nix nodded and led his team away, calling back over his shoulder. “We’ll get in position and let you know when we’re ready to go.”

The Jade Serpents had nothing to do but wait for their fellow team. Dyrra cast a quick eye over her people – none of them looked worried. One or two were even mirroring the anticipatory grin that was plastered across her own face.

This Vong had made a fatal mistake when she had messed with House Ludo Kressh.
And she would pay dearly for her treachery.

Government District,
Seng Karash,
Aeotheran.

"Interesting," Soolin commented as she watched the two battleteam leaders brake appart and go their seperate ways.
Agrist shrugged. "Rivalry doesn't do any harm provided it doesn't interfer with the mission."
The Knight nodded. She brushed her hand through her short hair. "We should observe. They're splitting up. I would suggest not interfering directly but adding support. Their plan seems good."
Agrist nodded. He studied the building, then let his gaze drift along to the left. He pointed to a nearby building. "There. Follow me."
Soolin nodded and followed.

A few minutes later the battelord pushed open the skylight and heaved himself up. He checked that the roof was empty then moved signalled to Soolin who followed. Agrist studied the gap between the two buildings then leapt, pushing out behind him with the force boosting his trajectory. He landed softly on the roof and gripped it, and a second later Soolin did likewise.
"What now?" she asked.
Agrist shimmied across the sloping roof then paused. "Can you sense anything inside?"
"Nothing unsual," the Krath replied.
Agrist nodded. "Right we wait for the teams to assualt then we cut our way in and meet them inside."
Soolin nodded. "Very good."

The Aeotheran Jungle

The police ship flew over the jungle, on autopilot, it's one occupant directing it's couse by verbal commands. He sat back in the pilots chair with his eyes closed. He was feeling a strange pull, something seemed to be calling to him. His mind was still confused, and the effort he was keeping to supress the pain from his burned and battered body was making things harder. "Left ten degrees," he rasped. The ship responded, keeping low over the treeline ruffling the leaves and branches as it passed. He sat back, trying to keep in touch with the compulsion he was feeling, a curiousity growing as the ship drew closer, to something.

Finally the ship passed over a clearing the n circled around, before slowing and descending as it's repulsors guided it downwards to land on the soft ground. Animals scattered as it's engines powered off. The hatch opened and the man hobbled out, still using his crutch. Ahead the jungle looked dark, and through his near delireium he could snese creatures watching him. He snarled, if they came near they would die, and he hurled this emotion outward combined with his anger and the beasts moved futher away. He gripped his stick then began to move slowly and painfully forward into the dense undergrowth, passing out of sight of the shuttle into the jungle.

Tarthos
En Route to Artic Base

After returning to the Ragnos Cathedral to pick up more Journeymen, the members of the Night Raptors and Night Hawks, along with Manji and Arnet, where heading toward the Artic Base. Raven and Ryuk where flying the LAAT-i gunship this time around. Manji was near Arnet, making sure the Commander did not get any ideas to cause problems. Fremoc made his way through the journeymen in the cabin and stood next to the One Eyed Dragon.

"Do we need him anymore?" asked Fremoc pointing to Arnet.

"No, we don't," replied Manji.

"Good." Fremoc moved to Arnet and picking him up by the collar, the Knight dragged him to the door and stood Arnet up. "Your the one who helped those Vong captured my son?"

"Y-yes..." said Arnet, fearing for his life as he faced an open door. The gunship was over a hundred meters in the air and racing towards the Artic. Fremoc looked back to the main cabin to see most of the occupants looking at him. Placing the business end to his lightsaber to Arnet's back, the Knight ignited the blade making a hole in Arnet's stomach.

"Go rot where your masters can't help you." With that Fremoc pushed Arnet out the door.

Tarthos
En Route to Artic Base

It seemed like all of this happened in the blink of an eye. Zeek Doinds hadn't even been with the brotherhood a week and already he had seen more destruction and blood then he thought possible. As he faced the execution of Arnet suddenly he felt as if he might have made a mistake. The thought was fleeting but it was there.

He glanced around the gunship, on many faces he saw contentness at the death of this traitor. All except one, Tyren. Tyren looked outraged at the turn of events. Zeek could sense that Tyren wanted to say something, but whatever it was he did not mutter a word.

Zeek was about to ask Fremoc a question, but suddenly Manji shouted back, "We're here!"

Tarthos
Traveling to Arctic Base

More journeymen had climbed aboard during their brief stop at the cathedral of Mark Ragnos. Even though he had been with the Night Hawks a brief period, he was generally pretty good with remembering faces.

Standing in the back area looking out at the uninteresting terrain underneath his feat, he glanced around the ship in a bored fashion while awaiting their arrival at the base which was yanked out of a man’s mouth quite forcibly. Not one torture in particular, he did realize that it had its uses such as a while ago. The man, Arnet was his name as he now recalled, had met a rather icy end after being shoved out of the large door a few feet away from him.

A rather horrible deed, to have somebody turn traitor and give up one’s supposed friends and allies to another who sought to destroy said friends. He looked about at the conversation taking place around him, though he decided to remain quite quiet during it all, preferring to take in all of the information that was being passed back and forth between all aboard and pick out the pieces that were necessary to the success of the mission.

As the gunship traveled towards this base that was spoken of, Bal’s senses began to perk up a bit and a slight chuckle escaped his lips. A member of the Obelisk through and through, living for the feel of combat with a foe that one could see into his eyes. Patience was one of his chief virtues, as he knew that the time would come to take of the problems this…Arnet…had given rise to.

Having heard Manji announce their arrival at their destination, Bal headed for the door, prepared to right whatever wrongs had been suffered...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
DJK Bal Demona (Obelisk)/FM/Marka Ragnos of Naga Sadow [ACC: INI]
AC / DC-CP / SN / Cr-2A-5S-9E-5T / CF-RF / SI / LS-BL / S:-3U
{SA: DMP - DMGH}

Command Center
Ruins of Ragnos Cathedral
Tarthos

"Report..." came the command from the deceptively soothing voice of the Quaestor of House Marka Ragnos.

Zaxen strode in to the disheveled Quaestor's office, his eyes still scanning the datapad in his palm as he began to speak.

"Both Battleteams have proceeded enroute to what is believed to be a Peace Brigade base in the artic region. The are operating in conjunction at the moment. Manji is also with them. Details as to what is actually at this base is unknown however."

Jade looked up from her own screen at her makeshift command console and gave her former student, now second in command a hard look. "What else?"

Zaxen met her gaze and knew that he would have to tell her of those who had returned. "Tyren has returned as well...and Ylith who has been captured."

Immediately waves of mixed emotions flooded through the Force as ghosts from the past began to haunt the memories of both Quaestor and Aedile. The moment seemed to hang for years allowing the reality of the situation to sink until finally Jade spoke again.

"Very well." she sighed and spoke again. "This whole situation angers me. We are essentially cut off from everything and only our secure House line is available and I am not one hundred percent satisfied that it is secure. There is no word on the Yuuzhan Vong presence in the system and I have a suspicion that a second attack is near."

Zaxen nodded silently. He had not spoken his thoughts on the matter but the variables weighed heavy on him but not so much as the whispers in the Force. Whispers that spoke of wards, betrayals and his own brother. His train of thought was broken by Jade's next comment.

"I need your special talents Zaxen." she spoke.

"You have but to ask." He replied.

"We need to make contact with the Dlarit fleet and Sepros if it still exists. We can't contact them so you will have to go personally. I am sure the planet is blockaded in some way. I need you to attempt to make contact, inform whatever chain of command there is on the present situation and if possible rally what forces you can and report back to me. By that time the Battleteams will have finished up with their mission in the North."

Zaxen nodded. "I will leave within the hour."

Unknown

Ylith felt blood and sweat dripping down from his shoulders onto the Embrace of Pain. His eyes turned backwards
into his head as pain remaining shot through him. It had been a few days since he had been captured by the
Vong and taken to their hiding place. Various shapers and Vong Priests took interest in his tortures but not
like anything he had expected to be. Every day blood was tapped from his body to be taken by the Yuuzhan
Vong for no appearant reason. Suddenly when his gaze returned to normal he saw a Shaper in front of him,
female by the looks of it.

"Ah...Valheru, you have awakened..." She said with a cold tone in her voice. He did not flinch for a moment
but did not relax either. "Who are you and why are you here?"

"My name, for as much as you need to know, is Niiriit Phaath. But that is not why I choose to speak with you
Valheru." She said and she trailed a finger over his face and gazed into his eyes. "The eyes of the Valheru,
so serpentine, so powerful, so rare to see. However, your blood is not what you might expect."

Ylith moved his head away from the Shaper's touch and she sneered as she moved away from him reaching
for a vial with blackened liquid. "Do you see this Valheru? This is a vial containing an element found inside
your blood."

The Battlemaster watched the black liquid then watched his blood that trailed from his back onto his shoulders
and were dripping onto the ground, a crimson liquid no different than any other.
"I fear you are mistaken Vong, my blood is red as any other..." The Sith said and the Shaper laughed and
flicked her fingers at the Embrace of Pain, which in it's turn switched on. Ylith growled in agony, no longer
screaming as he slowly got used to the horrifying pain.

"You fool, this is extracted from your blood, a prototype poison, made on the Worldship you encountered
in the region you name 'Telos'. It was designed for one single purpose. Disconnecting you 'jeedai' from
the power you call the 'Force'."

Ylith's eyes widened, all these years he thought he was suffering from a handicap inflicted by Darth Vexatus he
was actually infected by a poison engineered by the invading Yuuzhan Vong. The years spent planning his
revenge. The years he forsake his own family in order to keep them safe meaningless.

"You lie."

"I hold the proof of this in my very hand Valheru. Why would I lie if the truth itself is far more painful and
humiliating... You served well as a testsubject it seems, though you were still able to use the Force after
three years of infection, I can safely say its potent enough to render you Jeedai powerless enough for us
to take advantage of." She smiled a wicked smile, the corners of her mouth tearing at the gesture. She
gazed upwards and then at the Valheru, a cracking sound could be heard.

"Ah...the new Amphiistaff are hatching...those who fail to meet their masters might grow hungry....they
will dispose with you should your so called 'friends' fail to come for you and come to meet the same fate
as you do. Perhaps they will serve a new host to the poison you so perfectly kept stored within your blood."

Laughing she moved away. "Untill then, enjoy the Embrace of Pain for a little while longer..."

As the Embrace of Pain latched onto new and unexplored area's in his spine the Battlemaster roared in
agony and anger, trying desperately to break free but couldnt. Mustering whatever power he could muster
he sent an image through the Force, hoping to either find his brother or Jade.

The Aeotheran Jungle

He stopped, resting for a minute on a tree and studied the structure in front of him curiously. This was it. Whatever it was. He'd flown over the Aeotheran jungle a thousand times, they had satellites passing several times a day, and yet he knew nothing about this. Did anyone? He moved forward again as quickly as possible on his damaged leg. The doors were black metal of some sort, and sealed. He struggled up the black marble steps and approached the doors. He sensed nothing from within. He couldn't make out any sort of lock or handle on the door, just a featureless surface that absorbed any light on it. He rested against the frame and cautiously pushed with his stick against one. It didn't move and he fell back slightly before catching himself. He stood up straight then reached a hand out to touch the surface. Immediately both doors swung open revealing a dark interior. He gripped his staff then limped inside. As soon as he passed the threshold the doors clanged shut, the noise echoing along the dark corridor. He moved forward into the blackness, sensing that the doors and floor were the same dark marble like material as the outside. He sensed nothing in the darkness.

His head snapped around at the familiar sound of a saber igniting and a glowing blade scythed though the air towards him and he fell backwards, crashing to the floor. Above him the droid stepped backwards then swept the blade around and he used his good leg to roll himself aside as the saber struck the floor cutting into it with a shower of sparks. He looked up into it's dark metallic face then swung his stick into it's leg as hard as he could, knocking it from it's feet where it hit the floor with a loud ring of stone and metal.

He rolled again, trying to push himself up. The droid quickly stood, it's saber raising again and he lashed out with the force, pushing the droid backwards and it hit the wall behind, temporarily loosing a grip on the saber. As the droid hit the floor again he raised his arm and the saber hilt flew to his hand and he gripped it eagerly. Pushing himself up and resting against the wall we watched the droid as it moved slowly towards him, cautious now he held the weapon. It's dark eyes regarded him, then it's metallic fist moved forward in a quick movement aimed for his face. A second later it's arm fell to the floor, and a second after that the head spun across the room and rolled across the dark floor. The droid's headless body twitched then collapsed. He slowly slumped to the floor gasping with his damaged lungs, still holding the saber blade that lit the area around him.

"You are welcome." a sibilant voice hissed in his mind, and a row of torches along the walls burst into life illuminating the rest of the corridor. He deactivated the saber and lay there for a few seconds, then he gripped his stick and pushed himself up, gripping it with his bad arm and holding the saber in the good one. Glancing ahead of him to where a second black metal door lay along the corridor. Taking a deep breath he glanced at the destroyed droid then moved forward again,

Outside Sarn’s safehouse
Seng Karash
Aeotheran

We’re ready.

Nix’s disembodied voice broke into Dyrra’s thoughts. She stood up, motioning the rest of her team to their feet.
“Took ‘em long enough,” Dyrra murmured, almost to herself. “Alright guys, let’s go.”

The Jade Serpents moved swiftly towards the entrance of the squat building Marcus had pointed out earlier. There were no guards outside – Dyrra assumed that would have drawn too much attention to the place. But she had no doubt there would be some on the inside. Jai attached some explosives to the door and motioned for the team to back away a little. As the explosives caved the door in, Dyrra heard a corresponding sound from the rear.

As the smoke cleared, the Jade Serpents charged. The guards on the inside had taken cover when they’d seen explosives fixed to the doors, but they still seemed surprised to see ten figures wielding blasters charge into their post. Dyrra drew on the Force to steady her aim and watched her targets fall. As the firing stopped, Dyrra glanced round at their opponents. They had been regular men. Peace Brigade scum, no doubt. Still, six men did seem particularly light force for the defence of a safehouse. Something wasn’t right.

There was only the one door out and the battleteam took it, charging down the corridor outside, wrenching open doors to rooms and declaring them empty. Dyrra’s feeling of unease grew. There should be more people than this. Finally, as though in answer to her thoughts, Dyrra ducked to dodge a blaster bolt aimed at her head. It had come from an open door ahead of her – the battleteam fanned out on either side of the door and returned fire, yelling to each other all the while. Dyrra concentrated and sensed the men within through the Force. There were a lot of them. She could also sense the familiar prescence of Nix and the rest of Sapphire Squadron not far away.

She drew her lightsaber. They were away from the people on the streets now, she noted with satisfaction.
“Cover me,” she muttered to Marcus, igniting the blade.
“Sure thing, Sarge.”

She charged in. The team were picking them off bit by bit, but it needed to be faster. She could sense everyone in the room as well as Sapphire Squadron, who had just arrived and adding their own blasterfire into the mix. So where was the Vong?

We’ve lost her. Somehow the son of a bantha outsmarted us. The Quaestor’s gonna feed me to one of those freakish Ewoks from Kangaras.

Her saber moved with an urgency and precision it never had before, her anger at her perceived failure driving it. Blaster bolts were deflected harmlessly away as she moved and slashed the blade across the torso of one of the guards, then a second. A third fell to a deflected bolt and a fourth would have killed her, had it not been for Marcus planting one of his own blaster bolts square in his face.

They were all dead. Dyrra looked around the small, seemingly featureless room in confusion. It was a small room, with two open doorways out on to equally featureless corridors. Yet it was the most heavily defended part of the whole place.

“What were they guarding? There’s nothing here.”

Nix strode forward to join her in the centre.
“There’s got to be something. They wouldn’t pile up here for nothing.”

“Over here!” called Mei, who was hauling the body of one of their opponents to one side.
“A trapdoor.”

Both teams clustered around the hatch set into the floor.
“Nice job, Mei. Let’s see what’s down there, shall we?” murmured Nix.

As Nix got to work getting the trapdoor open, Dyrra stepped to one side and got her comm out of her pocket. Setting it to a secure frequency, she waited until she heard the voice of her Quaestor on the line.

“We’ve tracked her to a safehouse, sir. We think she’s gone down into the mines. We’re pursuing her now. I’ll tell you more when we’ve got more to report.”

She hoped giving him some indication what was going on would soothe his irritation somewhat.
But they needed to find this woman quickly, before his patience ran out.

Tarthos
Arctic Base

Snow and wind blew across the arctic north of Tarthos as the LAAT-i gunship hovered before a long, shallow hillock of built-up snow, a large and formidable-looking metal door built into the snow. Glancing at the datapad that Tyren had taken from Arnet, Fremoc glanced across at Manji as they stood at the open door, ignoring the biting cold.

"This is the place. What's our plan of action?"

Silently, the Epis stroked the wispy goatee clinging to his chin, his good eye narrowed as he stared at the door.

"If he was telling the truth, and this is where he was heading... there'll probably be at least a couple of Vong in there. You're not likely to hear me say this often, kid, but we need to be cautious about this."

Turning away from the door of the gunship, Manji began to throw around orders, his natural sense of command rising to the fore.

"Raven, Night Hawks; I want you to scout the area and see if you can find an alternate entrance which is less well-defended. Fremoc, Night Raptors; take the ship south a few hundred klicks and find somewhere secure to land."

Scanning the crowd, the Epis suddenly pointed a finger at a Novice at the back, beckoning him forwards.

"You. What's your name?"

The Novice gulped slightly at being addressed by such a fearsome-looking warrior then spoke, trying to present a brave front.

"Zeek... Zeek Doinds, sir."

"Zeek, huh? You stay with me. We're going to get out here and keep an eye on the door of this facility until Fremoc and the Raptors get back here, make sure nobody goes in or out. Got it?"

Zeek nodded as Manji turned back to the door of the gunship and leapt out, the wind flailing at his kimono as he landed ankle-deep in the snow. Zeek, Raven and his Night Hawks followed quickly, jumping out of the gunship as Ryuk brought it around and moved away to the south. Silently, Raven and the Hawks moved away to the west, intending to circle round the facility and search for any other exits. Manji led Zeek towards a nearby mound of snow covering a rock that offered some protection from the elements and squatted down, grinning at the Journeyman.

"And now we wait. Keep your eyes peeled, kid- anybody comes in or out of that facility and I want to know about it, alright?"

Sarn’s safehouse
Seng Karash
Aeotheran

"Well done people," Dyrra heard and she turned as the mercenary entered the room, looking around at the assembled members. The quiet and confident Soolin followed him.
Nix studied the Battlelord curiously. Agrist was something of a mystery in the Clan, rumours persisted about his history in the True Brotherhood, and the destruction on Tarthos. He also had a reputation for taking troublesome newer members and either fixing them or making them disappear. Agrist's one eye turned to the Protector and returned his gaze. "So what have you found here?"
"Some sort of trapdoor," Dyrra replied.
"We were about to enter," Nix added.
"Go to it then," Agrist replied.
"We should check for traps." Soolin said coming over. She took a device from her belt and ran it over the trapdoor. "Clear."
Nix nodded and opened the trapdoor, and he lead them downwards.
Dyrra's eyes opened wide when she reached the dimmly lit chamber. It was suprisingly large, the floor space being far wider than the rooms above, and in the centre a durasteel track lead off into a dark tunnel. "Interesting."
"Wonder where it goes?" Soolin asked.
"That way," Agrist replied unessesarily pointing into the darkness.
"So we follow it?" Dyrra asked.
Agrist walked to the tunnel and listened for a minute. "There's something coming."

They waited a few minutes then a light could be seen in the tunnels darkness. . "So we don't walk." Soolin said with satisfaction sensing it was something useful.
Dyrra spun around at a movement behind them as the Vong they were pursuing leapt from the shadows, amphistaff whipping out striking down one the the Jade Serpents, sending the Acolyte tumblint tot he floor. Nix, Dyrra's and Soolin's sabers burst into life as they backed off, watching the attacker. Agrist watched curiously but didn't move.
"You have ruined my plans Jeedai," she spat.
"Surrender." Agrist ordered, "you're outnumbered."
"I think not Jeedai," she replied, "you are nothing."
"She's mine." Agrist told the others. His saber snapped into life as the amphistaff whipped out again and he dodged, before flickering a cut at the Vong. Her staff solidified as she sliced it at the Battelord and he parried calmly, before counterattacking driving her back. Dyrra and the others watched curiously as the two combatants battled, neither gaining any particular advantage.

Agrist's one eye studied his opponent. His side was aching again where the zabrak had cut into it. He was below par and he knew it and the Vong was fast. He should have dispatched her by now but she was matching him. He dodged again as once more the staff whipped out at him. He lunged at her and his saber scored along her crab armour, not penetrating but at slicing along it in a shower of sparks. She backed off as he attacked again, ignoring the pain in his side and slashing attacks at her.
"You tired Jeedai," she gloated.
Agrist ignored this and concentrated on his attacks. The sound of whatever was coming from the tunnel was glowing louder. Agrist paused, then gripping his saber in both hands he hacked at her, catching the staff as it it solidified and knocking it from her grip, loosing his own on the blade., Immedialtey with all his strength he lunged at the vong, knocking her backwards with his arms around her throat. She landed on the rail, fighting his grip punching out as his chest and arms. "Soolin!" he shouted and immediatley the knight shot forward, grabbing his foot and wrenching him backwards. The Vong looked up as a tonne of durasteel hit her, making an unpleasant crunch.

Agrist looked up from the floor at the large container in front of them. It was a simple craft, square with curved ends and a glass doors which showed a small interior with a row of seats. He entered and sat down. "Alright everyone in.".
He waited until they packed inside. It was tight but they managed to get the doors shut. Soolin was studying the controls. "Alright I've got it." She pressed a button and they began to accelerate into the darkness.
"Keep your weapons ready," Dyrra ordered, "we don't know what to expect."

Sublevel 10, Dlarit Mine Five Beta
Sector Orenth Four, Aeotheran Jungle, Orian System

Nix was hurled into Dyrra’s back when the underground tram jerked to an abrupt halt. The door slid open automatically and the two teams piled out of the packed conditions into the unknown cavern beyond. It was dark, too dark, the only light coming from the glow of their lightsabers or the small searchlights mounted atop their blaster pistols. The sound of something scuttling echoed out in the darkness, interrupted only by their own footsteps.

‘I don’t like the sound of that . . .’

‘Quiet, Marcus,’ Dyrra hissed as the sergeant stepped deeper inside the dank cavern. If this was where the Vong had been headed, it certainly didn’t look it. Apart from the scuttling, there was no sound of life, not even that anyone had been here. As they moved inside, letters emerged through the dark as Nix’s lightsabers brushed up alongside an aging signpost.

‘Sublevel Ten,’ Nix said, and lifted his saber to illuminate the full sign. ‘Dlarit Mine Five Beta? This is one of ours?’ The Shistavanen made what amounted to a human frown.

In silence, the team moved further inside. ‘Keep alert,’ Dyrra whispered, taking point.

Suddenly, a dark shape rushed across in the dim light.

‘Movement!’ Agrist shouted.

‘ I feel . . . something,’ Krandon said slowly. ‘Several somethings. Can’t be Vong.’

Dyrra looked back to one of the Special Ops troopers that had accompanied them.

‘Trooper, you got a light in that getup?’ Dyrra asked.

‘Yes, ma’am,’ one of the privates who’d come along with them replied, then a moment later a bright torchlight flooded the underground chamber in a solid white beam, momentarily blinding a couple of the newer battleteam members. After their eyes adjusted to the sudden burst of light, the source of the scuttling became apparent: perched across the uneven cavern walls and ceiling were nearly a dozen excessively oversized bugs. Another second later the creatures all clacked their mandibles together and dived atop the trooper.

‘Bugs!’

Surface Level, Vega Mine
Sector Orenth Four, Aeotheran Jungle, Orian System

Alarms blared in Sylus’s ears as shapes flashed to life across the holographic display of the mine’s layout. Intruders had breached the sublevels. They’d found him.

He keyed the display for the orbital map.

The Special Operations fleet still lay in wait above Sepros. It appeared Admiral Yash’s forces were doing their job discouraging a direct attack on Aeotheran—not that it did Sylus any good that moment. Right then, he didn’t much care if Seng Karash burned to the ground.

Where the frack was Ona Amnan?

Sylus cursed. He knew he should never have trusted the Vong. He’d been hung out just like with the True Brotherhood; kriffing Anaxela; kriffing Varesh. It didn’t matter. If there was one thing he was good at it was surviving. And he was going to survive. That he knew.

He’d kept his last ace hidden; unlike before, this time he had the edge.

‘Ghon, are the charges in the old supply shafts in the lower levels still active?’

The Gungan’s throat clicked before he answered. ‘You want to use the charges? We . . . we do not think that wise,’ Ghon said hesitantly.

Kriffing we all the time. ‘Glad to know,’ he snorted. ‘Just go power them up.’

The bounty hunter’s surviving eye stalk bulged, however he left without another word.

Sylus opened up a comm channel to his Jedi aide; or rather spy—he wasn’t blind to the real reason she was there to watch him. ‘Viq—Fiula. Vega Mine has been breached. The . . . Sseeth are here,’ he put exaggerated stress on the word like the Klatooinian now did. ‘I need you to assemble my men and head down there and hold them off.’

The hologram’s canine muzzle folded into a lustful grin. ‘The Sseeth?’ she mumbled, her eyes widening at the sound. ‘At last! I will show them the Light!’

‘Yeah, yeah, that’s just great . . .’ Sylus was getting really fed up with the religious prattle. ‘Just get my men down there and get rid of them.’

‘I will bring glory to the gods!’ Fiula roared before the line went dead.

The Saraii shook his head. Why had he ever let Yash talk him into having her around?

Sylus had not wanted to use the charges in the lower levels—the mine had been shut down for a good reason—but if they were the safest option, so be it. He keyed on the rest of the mine’s defence systems, activating the droid guards. Even if the Jedi managed to break into the basement—and it was a big if—Vega Mine was still built to be a fortress. If they got too far inside—

—well, they’d not be getting back out again. The explosive charges would see to that.

And with Fiula down there that was two birds with one stone.

Sylus tore open one of the cardboard boxes he was still storing clothes in. Old mayoral gowns, dinner jackets, military uniforms . . . ah, yes, he found it: his enviro-suit. It was built more for zero gravity than subterranean excavation, but it had a breath mask and a good layer of armour—and lightsaber resistant armour at that. Thank you, Anaxela. He dug around through a couple more weapons’ crates for some of the Verpine gear he’d secured for situations like this; not even lightsabers could block a shatter rifle.

After he’d donned the enviro-suit and loaded up on ammunition, he sat back in his chair and leant back to watch the map display. He’d taken every care to ensure Vega Mine was impenetrable—and especially impenetrable by the Sith. He popped open the bottle of Alderaanian brandy on his desk and poured himself a glass. Ahhh, good vintage.

Now all there was to do was wait.

If they got too far, he’d just press the big red button under his desk and goodbye Sith.

It stung to think of the harm it would cause to Vega Mine, but everything had its price.

Being buried alive couldn’t happen to nicer Sith.

Landing Site, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

The LAAT pulled away from the buried entrance and sailed blindly through the blizzard as Fremoc and his fellow Raptors searched the snowy plains for any sign of a second entrance to the base Arnet had said was here. The larty shook as its engine fought against the wind currents; Tarthos was a harsh mistress at the best of times, let alone this far into the savage north.

‘See anything?’ Fremoc asked.

Ryuk shook his head. ‘Nothing.’

Fremoc glanced at each Raptor in turn, each shaking their heads the same as Ryuk had. The sensor readouts were no better; they were worse than useless with all the interference from the storm. A few twisted durasteel girders jutted out, only half-buried by the snow, but there was little sign of a base. It was no surprise Lord Paladin hadn’t turned up anything when he’d sensed something amiss the year before; if there was a base here, it was buried.

‘Anyone else get the feeling Arnet lied to us?’ Teu muttered.

Fremoc pretended he hadn’t heard. If this was a dead end, then by the time they found the real base the Vong would be sure to have emptied it. His fists began to clench hard enough that his nails were nearly drawing blood. If he’d made a mistake killing Arnet, he was sure to hear it when they got back to Tyren at the other entrance . . .

Suddenly, the red warning lights flared.

‘Incoming!’ the pilot called from the cockpit.

Fremoc swirled back to the window. What looked like meteorites soared outside the transparisteel viewport—that is: soared upwards. His eyes narrowed and he looked down towards the surface: a series of orange nodules had erected from beneath the snow. The nodules’ mouths closed as they sunk back into the snow, then a second later they erupted out again, spitting flaming balls of rock in the ship’s direction.

Hunter’s Grotto, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

Bur’lorr’s amphistaff burst open when he clenched his fist.

The blaze bugs flying about the room had suddenly shifted red—hostiles. Some of the blue bugs started attacking the red ones, however the red bugs were stronger and simply bit the heads off a pair of blue which then fell to the floor, lifeless.

He hurled his limp amphistaff at the swarm of insects.

The Hunter should have killed that greed driven slime months ago. Ran Arnet had jeopardised them all by leading the Sseeth right here. This was what Bur’lorr got for relying on cowards. The cluster of villips on the stool in front of him everted into the faces of various squad leaders spread throughout the now fully terraformed wreckage. At least he was no longer living in squalid halls of metal, but a coral nest befitting of the Children of the Gods.

The Hunter was greeted by a chorus of: ‘Do-ro’ik Vong pratte!’

He did not return the welcome. The cries of the imprisoned machine behind him echoed inside his skull—the construct still was not even scratched. He took a moment to clear his head, then studied the faces of each squad leader in turn, ‘My warriors, the Sseeth have discovered us. Go and show them the Light of the Truth and grant them passage to the Lands of the Dead!’

The squad leaders cried in unison and the villips folded back into leathery balls.

Bur’lorr turned back to Khalee Muyel, who was still trying to sever the abomination’s arms with his sword of light. It did nothing but sizzle against the droid’s metal skin.

‘You have need of me?’ the Caamasi asked, noticing the Hunter’s attention.

‘Forget the machine. Report to the entrance with the other squad leaders. The infidels must not be allowed to reactivate the planetary grid.’

‘As you command,’ Khalee said and left.

As the hatch sphincter closed behind the former Jeedai, Bur’lorr sat down and placed the base’s translucent cognition hood over his head. The minds of the numerous biots throughout the base merged with his and he forced his mind’s needs on theirs. The base may not have been equipped with much, but the plasma cannons and dovin basals outside the entrance were enough to slow the Sseeth down.

However, even if they breached the perimeter, the Hunter had no intention of going out without a fight. Once Bur’lorr had issued orders to the yaret-kors outside the main hatchway, he pulled on his cloak and faded into the shadows. The Sseeth would have a difficult time as it was—harder still given the Hunter was all but invisible beneath his cloak. He may not have been a Slayer like Varesh, but aside from Shimrra’s chosen elite the Hunters were second to no other.

He glanced back one last time at the droid which still hung in its chains, then dilated the sphincter and headed for the lower chambers. His life was unimportant. To die in service to the Gods was the greatest victory. He hurried through the now moss coloured halls towards the last remaining infidel terminal still intact at the doomed station’s heart. Even if they did penetrate the grotto, he had no intention of letting them claim their prize.

Landing Site, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

The shuttle veered wildly, narrowly avoiding the balls of flaming rock that would have torn a hole in the ship and condemned all those inside to a fiery death. Fremoc swore loudly as the controls beeped at him, the sensors going wild.

"Damn, anti-aircraft defences! They know we're here!"

Immediately, life seemed to speed up. Another barrage of flaming rock pelted past the nose of the shuttle before Ryuk lifed the shuttle's nose upwards then threw it into a swooping dive, trying to throw off the aim of the nodules below. As the engine kicked into gear, a stray rock pelted the back of the craft, the roar of the engines instantly translating into a coughing stutter, black smoke pouring from the thrusters. Fremoc raised his voice over the alarm sound, grabbing hold of an overhead line to secure himself.

"We're going down! Everybody hold onto something!"

For a few moments the ship plummeted forwards, out of sight of the surface cannons. Inside the ship, apart from the blaring of the alarm and the sound of the engine roaring in pain, there was silence. Then, with an almighty whunnch sound, the nose of the shuttle crashed into the snowy surface of Tarthos, driving forwards a few hundred yards before coming to a halt.

Loosening his grip on the line, Fremoc looked around, his face serious.

"I'm gettin' real sick of crash landings... everybody okay?"

A chorus of affirmatives came from the Raptors and the other Journeymen of the House as they pushed themselves upright and moved off the shuttle, to see where they'd landed. Snow was already covering the ship thanks to the force of the blizzard, almost camouflaging their crash site from hostile eyes. As Fremoc looked around in confusion, trying to get his bearings, he heard a shout from Ryuk.

"Over here!"

The Raptor had discovered a flight of steps going down into a long trench cut into the snow, a trench that stretched towards where Fremoc expected the rest of the arctic base to be. A wide grin split the Sergeant's lips as he reached for his comlink to contact the rest of their forces.

"Manji, Raven; alternate entrance discovered at co-ordinates N.76 by E.64. Looks very lightly defended. Get over here quickly!"

--

As Fremoc's voice faded, Manji rolled his eyes and pushed himself upright, grunting as Zeek followed suit.

"Great, we've been sitting out here for no reason. Ah well. Let's get over there, then."

Suddenly, as they moved from the shelter of the snow-covered rock, a sound carried through the howling of the blizzard; the sound of the main doors to the wrecked station grinding open. Both men turned swiftly to analyse the threat, Manji reacting quicker than Zeek could. His voice suddenly became low and dangerous-sounding as the doors slammed into the walls, revealing the enemy.

"Zeek, don't stand there, get to Fremoc and the others. I'll make sure they don't follow. Go!"

For a moment Zeek was torn by indecision; then he nodded, bowed slightly to the Epis, and sprinted away through the snowstorm. Behind him, Manji strode arrogantly towards the assorted warriors who stood in the shadow of the doorway, staring coldly at him. A smirk twitched across Khalee Muyel's scarred, twisted visage, the plaeryin bol in his eyesocket darting back and forth. His voice, when he spoke, was alien and rasping, altered by the torture he had suffered to turn him into a half-Vong hybrid.

"This is the extent of your forces? One pathetic Sseeth?"

The five Vong arranged around him chuckled darkly, clawed hands clutching amphistaffs in readiness for combat. Manji's own hand went to his saber, the silver blade blasting from the hilt in a blaze of sound that was followed by the familiar, comforting thrumm of energy. Whirling the blade around his body, the Epis took up a stance and waited. Khalee shifted again, his tridactyl hand closing around the hilt of his own lightsaber. As the orange blade burst from the hilt, Khalee raised his voice over the howling of the blizzard, his words filled with dark portent.

"You will make a most useful convert, Sseeth."

LAAT-i Crash Site, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

"Raven and Manji are on their way, let's pave the way until they get here," said Fremoc. His body was aching from the rocket shrapnel he took over a day before and now from the crash. The Knight checked his bandages and saw that some had red blotches where the wounds had re-opened. He grunted before saying, "Hold on guys and girls, I need to do to put new bandages on myself."

Fremoc moved into another compartment and shut the door behind him before pulling off his robe and then his shirt. The Knight started taking off the white, blood stained bandages. Reaching into his pouch, Fremoc sprayed some bacta from a bottle onto his wounds. He reached into another pouch that held his bandages and started to secure them on his body. Fremoc went to try and tie a bandage on his right forearm and was having a very hard time tying it. Just then there was a slight knock on the door and it slide open slightly to reveal Teu looking in. "Teu, help me here please?" She quickly tied the bandage and then ran out of the room. Fremoc quickly dressed and walked back into the main cabin to where everyone waited patiently.

"Alright let's move out," ordered the Knight. "William, I want you on the look out for Raven and his team while staying with me. Ryuk, Teu, Baki, and Horus, look at the defenses and take any out if you can. I will provide cover for you guys with the rest of the Journeymen."

Ryuk and his team moved up to the entrance while Fremoc and the others waited behind them. Fremoc could see lightsabers igniting and then plunging into things. Then a call over the comlink came to Fremoc, "Defenses taken care of Master."

"Alright, everyone move up." The members of Marka Ragnos made their way to the door with Fremoc hoping he wouldn't have to make a loud entrance with everyone.

"Fremoc!" came a yell to his left. Raven, the Night Hawks, and Zeek had finally arrived. Raven came up to the Knight, "Ready to bust in?"

"Yeah, we would have been inside by now but I had a bit of bandage issues. Where's Manji?"

"He told me to leave him behind and that he'd make sure the Vong wouldn't follow," said Zeek.

"Great. That means he's either captured or going to get himself killed. I hate to do this but we need to get the planetary grid back online," said Fremoc.

"We going in with one of your patented entries, Demo?" asked Raven.

"I lost that pack. Remind me when we return to get a new one. We'll go with using our lightsabers." The Night Hawks and Zeek joined the others as Fremoc and Raven walked up to the door. Fremoc ignited his lightsaber and plunged it into the entrance, while Raven did the same on another portion of the entrance. The two Battle Team Leaders created two large circles in the entrance way, and stepped through.

"Let's go people!"

Hyperspace
Dark Seraphim
En Route to an Unknown Location

With a long drag on the cigarra Raist was smoking, he tried to clear his mind of the events of the past few days. In the brief down time he was now experiencing, his only thought was relaxation. The cigarra he had rolled had been almost triple the normal size simply for that reason. The assault on Marakith had been a slaughter. Both he and the Epis, Tsainetomo had made short work of the resistance fighers who had taken over the skyhook, and the rogue D-SOG soldiers who had occupied the station had been taught a valuable, but tragic lesson. Now at least, the clan had a forward operating base, with which to make sense of the madness that had invaded the Orian system. As Sai had stayed behind, Raistlin had been picked up by his own ship, the Dark Seraphim, which had succesfully ferried over a hundred civilians offworld to a secure location, and now, was en route to Tarthos, with more civilians in the hold for a quick stopoff.

Why Tarthos? The answer was both simple and complex. With the disappearance of Bob, and the rapid placement of Consul Manji on the Throne, he decided to decree the annual House Feud upon his ascendancy. While Raistlin personally questioned the timing, he had to agree the circumstances couldn't have been better, a perfect test to see which House was truly the mightiest in the Clan. Regardless, his housemates needed him, and from what little information he had gleamed from his brief convo with Quaestor Jade, the Vong had set up a base on the planet of Tarthos.


This was unacceptable, he would not tolerate invaders in Orian space and there could be only one outcome, total destruction of the Vong and their co-conspirators. Raistlin would see personally to that, but for now, he allowed his mind to wander.

Another long drag, which caused him to cough. He knew the trip to Tarthos would be short, despite their planned stop, and simply wanted time to his own thoughts, so Raist had brought a few D-SOG soldiers with him, both to assist once they reached their destination, and to keep the civilians calm.Though he didn't know the soldiers personally, he certainly hoped they lived up to their pedigree, combat experience or not.

Only time would tell.

*****

Tarthos Orbit
Hours later.

The ship sailed effortlessly toward Tarthos, the icy ball hanging in the southern viewport. Raist knew they'd most likely be going in hot, and was fully ready for anything. Though his ship had limited cloak, and a ton of sensor baffles, navigating a safe landing was going to be anything but easy.

"Buckle up.." he sarcastically remarked, as he pushed the control stick down, sending the ship plummeting into the atmosphere. The turbulence was minimal and as soon as the cloud cover cleared, Raist yanked hard to avoid being hit by turbolaser fire. More began to pop up along the mountain range he was currently facing, and Raist had to act quickly. Destroying the turrets was not an option, as they could be recaptured later. Instead the ship broke upward, sailing back up toward space, only to level out after climbing several thousand feet. With a quick motion the ship again began to descend this time weaving as he did so. The turbolasers simply couldn't keep up, and the Seraphim outraced the firing lasers, before landing in a small canyon.

"Sensors indicate your destination is 2 kilometers north by northwest." His onboard computer chimed in, and the Exarch quickly descended into the frigid cold air awaiting him, the three D-SOG soldiers following behind him.

"Ok form up." Raist said, though his helmet was sound-baffled, the internal comm in his helmet kept the team in communication with him "Our destination is a short distance northwest from here in the wreckage of Obsidian station. What little intel I got says there's a Yuuzhan Vong operational base inside, and if that is accurate, it needs to be eradicated. Expect support to be minimal at worst, adequate at best. Any questions?" He asked before being met with silence.

"Lets move out." Raist said and waved his hand forward. He slung his blaster rifle into his hands and took the point as the small group left the canyon. It was time to go to war...

Upper Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

Fremoc and Raven had just stepped through their makeshift entrance way when they noticed the Station was covered in yorrik coral. The battle team leaders looked back at the entrance and waved their respective teams in. Zeek made his way over to one of the organic walls and touched it. To Zeek it felt alive, almost like it was breathing, he had never seen anything like it in his life. Zeek shook his head and refocused himself on the task at hand and waited for his orders.

Fremoc, with his unactivated lightsaber in hand, signaled the rest of the group forward. They weaved through the wreckage of the station until they came upon a doorway. Raven motioned for them to wait. He tried to sense something beyond the door in the force, but it felt as if there were many black holes on the other side of it. He hurriedly signaled to the teams to step away from the door and towards a large office to the left of the door. Not a second after Zeek raced into the office the armored door slid up and six menacing Yuuzhan Vong soldiers appeared.

"Wait for them to come to us, and show no mercy," exclaimed Fremoc.

Vega Mine
Aeotheran

Sabers and other melee weapons were useless at this point, the creatures kept coming and to try and fight amongst them lead to being swarmed as several unfortunate members of the two battleteams had found out. The best the Kressh members and the mercenary could manage was a fighting retreat, blasters blazing as they backed off up a long passageway that ought to lead to the upper levels if they were lucky. "Soolin get a move on we don 't have much time!" Agrist shouted as he blasted another couple of the bug like enemies and took another couple of paces back.
"You can say that again," Dyrra cursed, "there seems to me more of them, soon they'll get less cautious and rush us on mass."
"Nearly ready," the Krath shouted back.
They kept moving backwards towards where Soolin was crouched thirty paces up the passage way. "Now!"
They turned and ran, using the force to increase their speed and behind them as the blaster fire cover ended the creatures surged after them.
"Keep running!" Dyrra shouted. As Soolin made one final check then was up and running with them. The creatures were matching their pace but some way behind when the blast shook the passageway as rocks tumbled down behind the teams, "Don't stop yet!" she ordered as more rocks fell.

Finally they reached another chamber at the top of the passageway. "I think we're clear," Agrist gasped, his side aching.
"Unless there's more of them," Dyrra replied, "if they are the sound might draw them."
"Can't sense anything," Soolin said after a moment. "We've blown our suprise attack though, and the only way out of here is upwards now."
"That's the way we need to go anyway," the Dyrra said calmly.
"Let's move," Agrist replied.

Unknown

"A Valheru eh? By the Gods, he shall be a most interesting subject indeed..."
"Do not tempt yourself in playing with it for too long, we have extracted enough of his blood to
create more of the poison. Untill he dies, he's all yours though..." Niiriit said with a wicked smile
to one of her apprentices whose interest in her new subject grew every moment. As Niiriit moved
away from the chamber with the vial of black blood the Shaper moved to the Embrace of Pain,
holding the Sith in place. 'Strange' She thought 'how a lesser being can endure so much pain and
still live for more, a remarkable feature indeed.'

Ylith tried his best to catch his breath, sweat dripping over his back onto the floor. Above him he
could hear hissing sounds of newly born Amphistaffs being born on the floor above, small holes in
the ceiling would be enough for one of those to crawl down and feast on his flesh when he should be
deemed either useless or dead.

The Valheru's thoughts were scattered, the intense torture brought forth by the hellish Vong device
combined by the Curse he bore took a chilling form. He did not feel pain anymore when his arm was
being tormented by it and the illusions in his mind were torn asunder by the blinding pain of the
Embrace. The Battlemaster watched as the Shaper stood in front of him, her face in front of his,
watching him. Her smile tore her skin as she obviously had plans for the Valheru.

"Tel me...Seeth....How does pain feel?"

Ylith couldnt help but to chuckle at the remark, he had been screaming so loud his lungs were still
burning and his throat was bleeding, every time he thought he got used to the level of pain they
would bring him, a new level would be tapped rendering him back to square one. He had given up
fighting days ago.

"You tell me..."

The Shaper slammed her hand across the Sith's face, blood flowing richly from his lip. "Do not play games
with me Seeth." She said as she clicked her tongue a few times. A few bug-like creatures seemed to
skitter at the sound, moving over the Valheru to his face, where they moved over his left eye and used
their tiny claws to keep it from closing.

"Yes...this will do fine..." She said and the Valheru gritted his teeth and tried to struggle, as always, in vain.

She moved her hand, which seemed to hold something similar to a Amphistaff yet smaller, more a worm
than a snake. "This may hurt....Valheru...."
"Do your worst..." The Battlemaster stated boldly just before the Embrace did his work again, slamming barbs
into his spinal cord again to tap into his nervous system. Ylith tried his best not to scream but was falling into
a slight panic as he saw the Shaper's worm-like creature hanging over his left eye, twisting it's head and opening his
mouth in three seperate flaps. Each flap was dressed with various types of sharp teeth, some for latching, some
for bringing plain pain onto it's victim. In the middle of the beak was a tongue dressed with sharp barbs. three
of them together shaped like a sphere.

Suddenly it spit a liquid onto the Sith's eye. Ylith screamed as the liquid seemed to cool his eye down fast,
eventually freezing it into a glass like substance. Then the worm twisted it's head one more time and waited
untill it's Shaper gave the command.

"Feast..." was all she said and the tongue slammed into the eye, shattering it.


All that followed were the screams of the Battlemaster making the Vong throughout the area smile.

The Aeotheran Jungle

He moved forward slowly, the acquired saber held in his scarred hand and the crutch still under the other as he limped along. He reached another door and pressed the back of his hand to the smooth surface. It swung open easily. He took a deep breath then hobbled inside. The room was large, with dark wooden tables and chairs arranged around and several doors leading off it. Bottles of wine lay on a rack at one end of the room, and a fire burned in a grate that didn't seem to need attending. At the other end of the room a large marble throne like chair sat on a raised dais. He felt a compulsion to sit in it and he shuffled up the room, and up the steps before slowly sitting in the chair. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable, as if a gentle heat radiated from it. He suddenly felt incredibly weary, and he yawned. Slowly his pain abated and his eyes drooped and then closed.

"Comfortable?" a voice asked and his eyes snapped open and he sat back in surprise as a dark robed figure approached him, before drawing back the hood. The cold familiar features smiled without much warmth but with a self satisfaction that seemed to be a personal quality.
"You seem surprised?" his father asked.
Malisane quickly pushed himself up, then slumped back as a wave of nausea and fatigue surged through his battered body. He didn't respond but stared in amazement.
The Sith Lord stood calmly in front of the dais, hands in his robes. "Interesting place this, I had no idea it even existed. I had a feeling you would find it my son."
"How did you get here?" he asked finally.
Severak shrugged. "By ship, how do you think?"
His fathers dismissive tone was beginning to grate at him. "You have no business here," he snarled, "I should summon the Sadows."
"I imagine they have enough to deal with my son."
"Do not call me that," he snarled, "I suggest you leave before.."
"Before what?" the Sith demanded, "look at you, burned, crippled, weak. What will you do? Spit at me?" He seemed amused.

Malisane sat back in annoyance, stung by the truth of the words.
"Look at you," Severak continued, "I offered you so much to be my apprentice, power, command, riches, knowledge even your Dark Council would dream of. You should have accepted."
"Well we all make our choices, father," he replied spitting out the final word.
"We do, but we can reverse them."
The Battlelord stared into the youthful appearing Sith's eyes. "You mean?"
"Yes," Severak replied, "I do. You require a demonstration of good faith?" He raised his hands and concentrated, and Malisane writhed in sudden agony, falling to the floor and twitching.

After a few seconds the pain abated. "Now you see a small part of what I can give you for your loyalty."
Malisane coughed, then slowly pushed himself up, then he stopped staring in amazement at his smooth unblemished hands. They went to his face, brushing over the healed skin. He cautiously pushed himself up, putting his suddenly unbroken leg under himself and rising to his feet. "Impossible."
The Sith Lord regarded him in amusement. "Decades I searched Malisane, and far I travelled. And what I learned along the way has questioned the meaning or even the very existence of the concept of 'impossible'."
The Battlelord nodded. "So it would seem."
"This is your last chance my son, to meet your potential. I have a growing empire, subjects that serve me, a fleet, the foolish trust of nearby governments and even the Galactic Alliance. And soon the Jedi as well."
Malisane nodded. Severak had predicted this when himself and Macron had met him the last time. He turned away from his father, his thoughts racing. "And the Dark Brotherhood, and my Clan?"
"They have several years longer, time for me to win trust and make it all seem natural. Then the Jedi will descend on them. And for giving them your Brotherhood I will win the galaxy's gratitude forever."
Severak had said that much before. Was it possible? What should he do? The offer seemed too good to refuse, the lure of that much power and knowledge was breathtaking.
"No!" he snarled turning back to face his father.
Severak raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"No damn you, I am a member of this Clan, I am a Son of Sadow!"
"Naga Sadow? A powerless ghost long forgotten," the Sith Lord replied mockingly, "As for your Clan what do you believe you owe them?"
"I owe them this!" Malisane shouted, and feeling stronger than he ever had his saber snapped into life, his hands gripping it and swinging towards the Sith Lord who threatened his entire life. Severak did not move as the glowing blade arched towards him.

He coughed, his eyes opening and the pain back once more across his entire body. He stared at his blistered hands in shock and dismay, then he slumped back into the chair in anguish and he roared in frustration, before bursting into another racking cough.
"Congratulations," a voice echoed in his mind, then was silent.
Malisane reached for his stick, angry now. What was this place? And whose games did he play? Snarling he gripped the stick and limped towards one of the other doors.

Upper Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

Sabers blazed against Vong armor as two battleteams fought through the Vong warriors. Having been overrun, these few Vong stood no chance, but tyren knew more would come, and not just Vong but everything else they've got.

As he pulled his saber from one of the carcasses, the Priest moved a step back and disengaged his saber. Loud bangs and growls could be heard from all over the battered station.
"They know we're here." a journeyman added.
"Thanks for stating the obvious." Fremoc replied.
"Any other master plans up your sleeve, Fremoc?" Tyren asked, cynicism decorating is demeanor.
"What?" Fremoc replied a bit frustrated by the sudden question.
"Killing Arnet was a bad idea, and we just fell into the hornet nest because of it." the equite stated.
"So you're blaming me? My son was captured because of that bastard."
"Which makes your actions even more unhelpful."
"Tyren, you're not helping." Raven said calmly but threateningly, diverting the Priest's attention.
Tyren sighed "Right...but it still doesn't change the fact that we have a whole base on our backs."
"So stop whining and do something." Fremoc added, visibly frustrated by the pointless conversation.
"So I will." he said raising his comm device. "Base this is Hawk 4, please respond."
"Hawk 4, this is base."
"Base I need a direct link to Governor Jade Sadow."
"Yes, sir."
"What are you...?" Raven started but Tyren cut him off.
"This is Jade. Tyren, you needed something?"
"Yes. we need as many back-up troops here as you can spare. And I want you here as well. Seems like only the a high rank can keep discipline at a level here." he replied wile sensing the angry glares pointed in his direction. "No offense, boss." he said to Raven as he switched the comm off.

Jade called over the commander near by. “I want all available troops down there now!” She heard the trooper says, ‘yes madam,’ as she walked away followed by the scrambling of those around her to catch up as she headed for her friends and Clan mates.

******************************************************************************************************
Upper Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System


Jade kicked over a dead body, the thing rolling half a meter away, as she stormed through with the occasional blaster fire as a trooper tested one of their road blocks to make sure it was indeed disposed of. Unsure of exactly where the troop was Jade used a technique shown to her by Sai to locate Tyren, he was after all her brother-inlaw, or had been, she did still have some connection to him. Finding the familiar energy she pointed her silver blade, an extension of her gloved arm, “There.” Knowing the troops wouldn’t dare keep her out of their site or dare to defy an order she started to jog in the direction of the call for help.

As they rounded a corner Jade saw Zeek and Fremoc attacking and avoiding a Vong warrior. Fremoc ducked down as Zeek swung his blade over top of the dark jedi knight, connecting with the Vongs’ midsection, only phasing it long enough for Fremoc to push out at its legs with the force, knocking the Vong back. Raven used the force to blast a couple Vongs back that were crowding in around him, enough to give him some room to start his deadly dance. Tyren parried an attack with a Vong ampistaff, the thing taking a deadly swing at Priest’s head, followed by another to his legs. The Priest jumped it as though it were nothing more then a childs’ skipping rope and lashed out with a deadly kick to the Vongs chest, allowing both of them to back away from each other and take a second to plan a new attack

Jade pointed around at 4 staff points, the Dlarit troops nodding and heading around to provide some ground cover. Jade waited till each pair had a slight advantage and ordered the troops to fire. . The Vong unsure of the new attack did their best to cover their sides from the blaster fire as well as the deadly coloured blades swinging around them. It wasn’t long before Raven and Fremoc both turned on the balls of their feet, one behind the Vong, the other in front, their sabers swinging at the Vong, connecting at different angles, but cutting the Vong into 3 nice pieces.

Raven lashed out, using the force to push one saber through the heart of the nearest Vong, while grabbing the ampistaff of that Vong as it flew through the air, bringing it to connect with the other Vong. As the first fell, Ravens’ saber returned to his hand, and as his assailant went for his kill, Raven faked with his saber, bringing down the ampistaff to deliver a crushing blow to the Vong. Raven smirked evilly, there was something extra special about killing your opponent with his own weapon.

Tyren took the opportunity to deflect a couple of the blaster fire shots off of his saber and into the Vong, concentrating the fire on him to force him to think only about that. As the Vong ducked into more cover Tyren made his move and pinned the Vong with the tip of his blade. As a blaster shot found its way into the Vongs arm Tyren drove his saber through the Vongs eye. The thing making a horrible noise as it fell to the ground.

As the men looked around, preparing for more attacks, Jade and the troopers came out to meet them, the troopers securing the area as they all prepared for more arrivals. Jade looked at Tyren and smirked. “You called for some help?”

Vega Mine
Aeotheran

Agrist, the Serpents and Sapphire Squadron picked their way through the tunnels of the mine, the chittering of the Killik infestation on their heels.

The further they traveled throughout the labyrinth, the more disheartened they became, as no apparent way to Sylus Vega had revealed itself. What did, however, were more side-shafts through which they could be attacked by the insectoids.

After several long minutes, Soolin spoke up. “Where in the kriffing nine hells are we?!”

Agrist cuffed her behind her head. “Quiet! We don’t want to discourage the younger ones!”

“Too late,” an unidentified voice from one of the battleteams chimed in.

Dyrra spoke up. “Secure that poodoo! We press on.”

“She’s right,” admonished Nix. “Those bugs aren’t going to be fooled for much longer.”

As if on cue, an enormous hissing sound emanated from all around the team. “They’re right on top of us! Let’s move!” Soolin broke into an all-out sprint as the remaining Kresshians followed suit.

Twists and turns confounded the Kresshians as the approaching Killik heralded swift death by clashing mandible. Soon, they found themselves in a cul-de-sac.

“We make our stand here,” ordered Agrist.

“There will be no need,” countermanded a deep baritone.

As the Killik filled the passage behind the Kresshians, the team whirled around, searching for the source of the voice. Soon enough, Dyrra found it.

“Sir?!”

The Kresshian Quaestor, Tsainetomo Keibatsu Sadow, stepped from a shadowed space, anger clouding his tripartite eyes and the Force lending an added air of command to his speech. “Down; now!”

As one, the Kresshians hit the deck as Sai threw his hands outward, expelling the pent up energies within him.

Sequentially, the Killik that had borne down on them began to quake, then crack at their carapaces' seams, their whitish insides oozing out as they fell, succumbing to Sai’s obliterative attack.

Sai took a knee, momentarily drained. Dyrra rushed over, offering herself as a crutch underneath the Quaestor’s arm. “Thank you, my devoted Black Guard.”

Soolin whispered unbelievingly to Nix. “Talk about deus ex machina...”

“Indeed,” Sai said, clearly hearing her. “It seems I decided to leave my perch in the nick of time.”

“What brings you here, besides pulling our collective rears out of the fire?” Agrist asked as he strode over, greeting Sai with a soldier’s clutch.

“My comings and goings are by my pleasure, and my pleasure alone, friend,” admonished the Son of Sadow, smiling just the same. “In truth, staying aboard the skyhook was doing nothing but frustrating me. There was little I could do there, but meditate. In doing so, I came under the auspices of finding a mutual friend of ours.”

“Malisane?! He’s here?!” The incredulity dripping from Agrist’s voice was palpable.

“Not here in the mines, but somewhere relatively near. More pressing was your need,” answered Sai. “So, I came here.”

“All the better to kill you, and your wretched Clan’s hope for survival,” an acid-laced voice rejoined.

All of the Kresshian’s turned, Sai included, towards the side tunnel from which the Keibatsu emerged earlier. What faced them was a Klatooinian, her body rife with Vong biots.

“I know you: Viqi Yzalli.” Tsainetomo, back at full strength, shrugged off Dyrra and gestured towards the tunnel. Taking the unspoken cue, the Sergeant moved off to gather the two battleteams as Viqi kept her attention on Sai.

“That name is for a dead being, a follower of a dead creed,” spat the Katooinian. “I am Fiula Muyel, and I am your doom.”

“Bold words, turncoat. Can you back them up?” the Keibatsu said as he ignited his twin ‘sabers, the sunburst blinding in the dimness of the tunnel. Fiula did the same wordlessly.

Turning his head towards the Kresshians, he gestured down the side-tunnel. “Our quarry is there. Go; I shall follow in short order.”

“How do you know?” Nix asked.

“Just follow your nose, my dear boy,” Sai advised. Nix looked down, and saw several thick power and data cables running into the darkness.

Fiula allowed the Kresshians to pass as she kept her eyes on Sai. When they were on their way, Tsainetomo cocked his head invitingly. “Step forward, so I may better hasten you to your misbegotten gods!”

Outside the Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

Snowflakes hissed and melted as the two blades met, Manji's face set as he danced away from the deadly, sweeping strikes that Khalee was unleashing. The disturbing Vong-Caamasi hybrid had a unique style, a fusion of Jedi principles and Yuuzhan Vong ferocity that was made even harder to match by the presence of the other Vong warriors, their Amphistaffs occasionally leaping into the battle.

Manji fought like he'd never fought before, whirling like a dervish, striking away blows and sending out attacks of his own. However, he could only fend them off for so long. As he tried to break out of the circle, leaping at a Yuuzhan Vong warrior and forcing his lightsaber through the alien's neck, the other aliens fell on him, bludgeoning the Epis with their fists and feet. Khalee stood back with a wicked sneer on his face as Manji succumbed to unconsciousness and was hoisted off the twitching body of the Vong he'd killed and dragged back towards the door of the station. Deactivating his lightsaber, the Vong-Caamasi followed with another hissing chuckle.

"Oh yes, a most useful convert indeed..."

**

Prison Cell, Obsidian Station

"Ugh... what the frack hit me?"

The blackness before Manji's eyes drifted away, the veil lifted to display a disturbing sight; the mechanical innards of the station with organic, Yuuzhan Vong matter creeping all over it. Yorik coral spiked out of every wall of his cell while glow bugs buzzed back and forth, providing a fitful and insufficient lighting source. Slowly, the Epis got to his feet, savouring the fact that his limbs weren't bound; savouring even more the fact that he hadn't woken up inside the Embrace of Pain.

But why? Why haven't they started torturing me yet? Maybe I woke up before they could begin...

The Keibatsu was built of strong stuff, his head clearing quickly as he rubbed his eyes and moved his limbs around to freshen them up after their enforced sleep. Then he moved towards the door of the cell, trying to analyse his situation. If all was going well, Fremoc and the others would be inside the base even now, and that would divert the Vong's attention away from him.

His hopes were dashed as a figure moved down the corridor and stopped in front of the cell, the hatch sphincter peeling open disgustingly to reveal the corrupted Jedi that had brought him in. Khalee sneered coldly, his lightsaber as well as Manji's own hanging from his belt as he began to gloat at the Epis.

"Pathetic Sseeth. See what all your training, all your preparation, has brought you to? Bested by beings who do not even wield the Force. Think yourself lucky you have not had to face me in single combat... for I am the perfect fusion of their kind and my own."

Khalee turned away as he continued his monologue, ignoring the sudden tension building in Manji's muscles.

"Why do you wish to fight us? Why not just surrender yourself to the True Gods? I did, and look at the power I now wield. You could have such power if you just come to accept the Yuuzhan Vong as your overlords."

He stopped as Manji chuckled darkly, the black humour spilling from his lips.

"I accept Astronicus Sadow as my overlord, freak. Your Vong masters couldn't even touch him!"

As the words left his lips Manji was moving, his hands darting for the two sabers at Khalee's belt. Both weapons slid free and burst to life, blazing swords of orange and silver illuminating the inside of the cell. As Khalee turned in shock to try and fight Manji off, his own saber sheared across his leg, dropping him to the floor with a scream of pain. A chunk of skin and flesh had been hacked away from the Vong-Caamasi's leg, rendering him unable to walk. Moving out of the still-open hatch sphincter and deactivating the two blades, Manji turned and winked arrogantly at the fallen convert.

"Don't worry, matey, I'll come back for you once we've cleared this place out. Oh, but I'm taking your saber for safe-keeping. Bye now!"

Khalee's screams of rage echoed down the hallway as the sphincter closed, Manji moving instinctively towards the heart of the station, through the terraformed corridors. Suddenly, the corridor opened out into a wide, circular room full of organic Vong technology; a grotto, of sorts, dominated by a very peculiar sight indeed.

Moving towards the large droid that was suspended in the centre of the room by a strange contraption comprised of yorik coral, Manji looked up at it thoughtfully. They had learnt from their studies of these aliens that the Yuuzhan Vong could not stand the presence of technology; so why was this droid here? As the Epis considered, a voice echoed from the construct, deep and laden with the wisdom of ages past.

Release us from this prison, and you shall have our aid.

"Who... or what... are you?"

We are The First. We were brought here by these organics, and in their hatred they seek to destroy us. Release us, and we shall aid you.

Manji rubbed his chin, thinking carefully. On the one hand, he could sense the other members of his House some distance away, seemingly engaged in battle against Yuuzhan Vong warriors; there were a lot of enemies in this base, so any help would be a boon. Also, he'd never seen anything like this droid before... what kind of strange weapons might it have? On the other hand, there was always the risk that it would turn hostile when released, and if the Vong could not put a scratch in it, surely he would have trouble.

His reasoning swayed back and forth, and then came to a conclusion. Sliding the stolen lightsaber through his belt, the Epis tightened his grip on the hilt of his own beloved weapon and aimed a sweeping slash at the construct holding the droid in place. As it was cut apart, the droid tore itself free from the wreckage, floating upwards slightly as it adjusted to no longer being restrained. Then it's single, cyclopean photoreceptor flashed red, a sense of dark emotion almost entering the droid's emotionless voice.

We... are free.

Vega Mine
Aeotheran

Sai faced off against the Vong hybrid, his saber igniting in his hand. "I think I can handle this," the Quaestor said confidently, "Agrist find Vega."
The Battelord noded, as the two combatants circled each other.
"We've got company," Nix shouted as he saw killiks moving up the tunnel behind them.
"Hold them off," Agrist ordered, "Dyrra with me." Nix and the battleteam members moved down the tunnel, Soolin with them, to block the killiks from the Quaestor and the hybrid.

The Battlelord and the Hunter moved up the tunnel. Agrit was still feeling a little weak but he was covering it well. He felt relief at the Quaestor's appearance, Sai was a good ally.
"We cam't let him escape," Dyrra told him as they moved quickly towards their prey, "he's our only way of getting Marakith up and running."
"There is another way," Agrist responded remembering what Sai had said about the Aedile, "but I doubt he's in a position to help."
"We're mearly on them," Dyrra said as she opened her senses to the world around them, "I can sense them."
Agrist nodded. "Aye."

They burst into a chamber, and a figure span around as they entered blaster in hand.
"Ah, Commander Agrist isn't it?" He asked. "I remember you from Miss Vanise's party."
Agrist didn't react to the mention of Severina, though he felt a surge of emotion. "We want those codes, and you dead."
Vega raised the blaster, "That might be hard."
Agrist laughed, "What do you think that would do to a Sith? Put it down there's a good boy."
Dyrra tensed. "I sense something, up there!" and she rolled as an explosion rocked the chamber, hurling the mercenary from his feet. Grasping her saber she glanced up to see a figure above, his gungan eyes watching them.
"Well done Ghon," Vega said as he moved forward to where Agrist was struggling to his feet. He stepped on the mercenaries wrist and aimed the blaster at Agrist's head. "Time to die."

As the battle inside the cold lifelike halls continued Ryuk began to appreciate how much more fun it was to fight with a lightsaber than it was with a blaster. There were glowing blades and blaster bolts flying ever direction. The Mandalorian thought to himself, "This is what I love about life."

As the words raced threw his mind Ryuk sent a devastating blow with his lightsaber threw a Vong who had cornered a member of his flight team. The Vong fell in two pieces to the slimy floor.

The cornered Night Raptor, Baki Keiju, was climbing to her feet when she suddenly sent several quick blaster shots strait towards Ryuk. The Flight Leader felt the heat from the blaster bolts whip past his and plow into what ever creature had been about to attack from behind him.

Down the hall Ryuk noticed that most of the action was dieing down and there was an addition to the group. The Queastor of House Marka Ragnos herself had shown up from seemingly no where.

Being the a former bounty hunter caused a massive urge to rush throughout Ryuk's body to go over and catch any info he could as to what made Jade Sadow show up so suddenly but it would have to wait as another attacker rushed toward him.

As Ryuk prepared to square off with the obviously angry Vong another member from the Night Raptors stepped up next to him. Ryuk glanced over at Baki and gave a slight nod.

Vega Mine

“’Muyel’, now, is it?” Tsainetomo posed rhetorically to the Klatooinian as fine dust and small debris rained down around them, a result of the not-far-off explosion. “Funny: this will be the second time in as many weeks that I’ve killed someone with that name.”

Fiula’s response was to howl and lunge at the Quaestor, her Vong biots literally pulsing with her rage. By now, Sai had reignited his second ‘saber and was gradually giving ground, parrying the Vong Jeedai’s attacks.

’This really shouldn’t be this hard’, he thought as another swipe came dangerously close to relieving him of his head. Then, he realized why he was having such difficulty: she was both in and out of the Force. All of his attempts to touch her with the Dark Side wafted off of her as mist, yet she was still connected enough to throw rudimentary telekinetic attacks and wield her blade.

Then, it came to him: her blade. In the midst of leading and using the Force, Sai had forgotten for a brief moment that he was counted as one of the premier saberists in the Clan. With that realization, things became crystal clear.

Fiula was using an undisciplined mix of Ataru and Shii-Cho, trying to unbalance the Keibatsu with a blend of agility and power.

The truth be told, it nearly worked.

Tsainetomo caught an overhand strike from Fiula with his blades crossed, x-fashion. She leaned in close as she tried to bear down through his guard.

“What? No glib remarks? No false bravado? Have you now seen, too late, that the True Way is the way to salvation?”

Tsainetomo suddenly uncrossed his blades violently, nearly throwing the Vong hybrid across the tiny chamber with the effort.

“Fool. The only way is the Final Way, and I am a caretaker of that Way. I haven’t said anything to you because you’re dead. Your tiny mind just hasn’t caught up to that fact yet.”

Something in Sai’s voice gave Fiula pause, but only for a moment. Her eyes flickered between him and the side passage, as if trying to decide to fight or flee. Steeling herself, she raised her blade and rushed at Sai.

Had she decided to flee, things might’ve gone better for her.

Tsainetomo lidded his eyes as he gave himself over to Jar’kai Niman, and the Dark Side’s heady flow within him. He had no need to focus on Fiula, hole in the Force, or no. The execution of his form was such that he didn’t even need her there. His acid yellow blades batted aside Fiula’s blade, then whirled in his hands as they did back against the Peace Brigands back in Seng Karash. It was beautiful, in a terrible sort of fashion.

Beautiful, in the sense that one moment, the blades were still, and then were alive in their weaving of an incandescent pattern all about his body, the likes of which few had ever witnessed.

Terrible, in the sense that Fiula was, in short order, on the floor of the chamber writhing in the pain resulting from the loss of her feet at the ankles and her arms at the biceps.

Tsainetomo didn’t give her a second look as he extinguished his blades and stepped over her screaming body, trotting in the direction of his House mates.

Vega’s Office

“Time to die.”

In a thousand instances on a thousand worlds, few who had ever heard that particular phrase ever had need to doubt its veracity.

However, this was now, and on Aeotheran.

Vega, quite simply, was, and had been for a long time, over his head.

Even as he made to pull the trigger, the blaster leapt from his hand towards the doorway, where the Kresshian Quaestor stepped through, his own hand outstretched to catch the flying weapon.

Vega let a pathetic squeal escape his gaped mouth as he looked upon Tsainetomo; Ghon didn’t even have the luxury of that as Dyrra, thrown to the floor from the explosion, squeezed the trigger from her prone position, the blaster bolt guided unerringly by her command of the Dark Side to find a home in the Gungan’s remaining eyestalk. The Joiner fell to the chamber floor with a sickening crunch, blind and broken.

“Well done, Dyrra,” Sai said in an unknowing imitation of the president of Dlarit’s rival company.

Such was the Son of Sadow’s contempt for the traitorous dog that he didn’t even use the Force to attack him; he literally picked him up bodily and roughly – ever so roughly – set him down in a chair, knocking the wind from his lungs.

He struggled to catch his breath, and was only barely aware of Agrist rising to his feet as he found himself compelled by Sai’s tripartite eyes boring holes into his.

The Kresshian Quaestor’s voice was low and deep as he spoke. “Sylus Vega, I’ve only five words for you: Give. Me. My. Planet. Back.”

Lower Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

The battle so far had been tiring, but with the help of his Night Raptors, Fremoc and the others had made their way down to the lower levels of the Obsidian Station. He looked back at the rest of the team as they surged forward, letting them move silently in front. The Knight noticed something missing from them all, a member was missing. William was not among them.

"Raptors, Hawks, hold up," whispered Fremoc.

"What is it, Demo?" asked Raven.

"Has anyone seen William since we entered the station?" A chorus of no and negatives greeted him. "Lovely. Everyone move forward, I'll try and raise him on the comm." Fremoc pressed his comm on his gauntlet. "Will, come in. Where are you?" The Knight didn't get any response. "Kark it. He'll be ok."

More blaster fire erupted and more loud roars came from the direction the Night Hawks and Night Raptors had traveled down. Just as more Vong entered the room, a droid started shooting some sort of beam that killed the Vong instantly.

"What is that?!" yelled Teu, slightly frightened by the droid.

"I don't know but it looks friendly!" yelled Zeek back to her. Just as the droid fired its beam again, Manji emerged from behind it. Deflecting the thud bugs thrown by the Vong.

"Manji, what is that thing?" asked Fremoc as he moved forward.

"It asked me to free it and it would give us help against the Vong," said Manji. "Obviously I freed it and its killing those nasty bugs. C'mon let's find that control center for the planetary grid."

LAAT-i Crash Site, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

William sat upright, leaning against the wall of the crashed ship. His left leg lay limp, numb from his toes up to his hip. His thigh bled out profusely, a four inch piece of shrapnel puncturing his skin, securely fastened into his bone. Bits of shrapnel dotted his leg; his thigh felt as though there were a hundred needles piercing his skin.

He stared at the wound on his thigh; blood squirted out with every beat of his heart. He sighed loudly, knowing he wouldn’t be doing much in his current condition. Out of all the people on the ship, he was the only one hurt enough to be held back. His disheartened mood quickly changed to anger.

“We all went through the same crash... We all got cut up... Fremoc’s got enough shrapnel sticking out of his body to server as armor, and he’s still out there! Me, I got one piece sticking out of my leg and I can’t go on. One kriffing piece, that’s it!”

He gripped the shard of metal between his thumb and his forefinger and tried to dislodge it from his femur. He pulled as hard as he could, but it refused to come free.

He noticed his vision starting to blur, and began to feel light headed. Rubbing his arm, he realized he was perspiring heavily. The blood loss was starting to affect him, he needed to find a way to stop his bleeding before he passed out again; there was no guarantee he would wake up this time.

William's gaze fell upon the lightsaber hilt attached to his belt. He picked it up; his arms were wobbly and his grip was weak. The beam snap-hissed to life as he ignited his saber. He tilted the blade towards his leg and pressed it against his wound.

It was crude, but it would cauterize his sliced femoral artery and keep him from bleeding out anymore. The pool of blood around his leg made him wonder if he had acted quick enough.

He heard a footstep to his left and looked over just in time to see a dark figure club him in the face. He heard his nose shatter and felt warm blood flowing down his face. As he lost consciousness he felt his comm link being taken off his wrist.

You won’t be needing this anymore Sseeth...

“Will, come in. Where are you?” It was Fremoc.

Vega Mine
Beneath Seng Karash
Aeotheran


Dyrra rolled to her feet and advanced on Gungan on the floor, trying her hardest not to look at what Sai was doing to Sylus Vega until she was sure Ghon was no longer a threat. She could sense the tiniest trickle of life left in the broken shell that was his body and extinguished it completely with a second blaster bolt to the head. Only once she was certain that there were no further dangers in the vicinity, did her attention turn to the ‘ministrations’ Vega was receiving at the hands of a group of angry Kresshians.

The snivelling worm was trying to avoid telling them where the planetary defence codes were. Maybe he thought salvation would burst through the door any moment, but it was not to be. While some of those present rifled through the meagre belongings, searching for what the Dark Jedi needed, the rest either helped or watched the torture of Seng Karash’s former Mayor.

They were without the sophisticated droids and equipment they were accustomed to, but a group of Dark Jedi, many of whom were angry at the destruction wreaked upon their home, proved more than up to the job. Vega didn’t last long before he told them everything he knew, and was hastened on his way to meet his maker.

Dyrra felt somewhat satisfied, seeing Vega slump lifelessly to the floor. He was directly responsible for a lot of the recent happenings – but then, there were also the Yuuzhan Vong themselves. The next step would surely be to go after them.

“Come on,” the Sergeant spoke to her Serpents for the first time since they had seen Sylus Vega, “Let’s get out of this godforsaken mine. We’ve got what we came for.”

Lower Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

We will have vengeance! Vengeance!!

The droid's voice echoed through the lower halls of the station as it charged ahead of the team of Dark Jedi, disruptor beams bursting from its limbs to vapourise every Yuuzhan Vong that came before it. Behind the droid, Manji grinned widely, his saber ready but not needed.

"I've no idea what those weapons are, but they're tearing these Vong apart!"

Suddenly the organically-sheathed corridors opened out before them, revealing a wide space lit by a few glow bugs. In the centre of the room stood a single terminal uncovered by organic growths and yorik coral, illuminated by an unnatural light. The droid hovered behind the Dark Jedi as they moved into the room, looking around for any threat.

Suddenly, a guttural scream rang through the air. Bur'lorr appeared from nothingness, his cloak falling to the floor as he leapt at the Epis, a jagged blade in each hand. Manji's saber flashed upwards as he reacted instinctively, diving backwards as his saber smashed the jagged yorik coral away. Bur'lorr screamed again as he went on the offensive, Manji's voice rising as he shouted an order at the Journeymen.

"Zeek, get to that terminal and find those codes!"

As the Acolyte skirted round the combat towards the terminal, Jade marched forwards, thrusting her own saber at Bur'lorr's spine. The Vong span round swiftly, halting the strike with one of his blades. Coloured streaks of energy seared through the air as the two Dark Jedi began to push Bur'lorr back, the Vong's face twisted into a feral snarl as his plans began to go awry. After a few minutes of ferocious duelling, Zeek raised his voice above the sounds of clashing blades.

"I've got the codes, Master!"

Bur'lorr's face twitched, his hatred for the beings he faced almost overwhelming. As he turned, preparing to launch an assault at the Acolyte. As he transferred his attention away from Jade and Manji, a silver blade ripped into his armpit while another silver blade slashed past his hip. Bur'lorr dropped to the floor with another scream followed by a gurgling hiss as Zeek moved past him, handing a datapad with the codes to Jade.

"The access codes for the planetary defence grid, Quaestor."

Manji chuckled, whirling his saber round his body before deactivating it.

"Good job. Now, shall we get the frell out of here?"

Republic-class Star Destroyer Final Way
Sepros Orbit, Orian Space, Orian System

The Special Operations Division and the limited ships still operational from the Dlarit Navy’s two main defence lines had been in wait over Sepros for nearly five days. Fleet Admiral Araic Simonetti’s response as soon as Colonel Kal Septka got the word out had been prompt. The DSOG battlegroup had rushed back from its routine patrol of the Orian Pipeline to a massacre.

The withdrawal of the Yuuzhan Vong task force that had sacked Sepros itself had only been the start of the problems. The demand from Admiral Yashais dei Izvoshra of the Peace Brigade force that still held orbit over the key colonies throughout the system had forced Araic to hold fire and wait for the Dark Jedi on the ground to get the job done.

A bitter smile crossed the fleet admiral’s lips.

The fuzzy blue image of Sergeant Skye hissed for a second with static.

‘The fleet is good to engage,’ the young woman said, the fire in her voice echoing her flame coloured hair. ‘Show those kriffing scarhead huggers not to mess with us, Admiral.’

Araic’s lip twitched as he suppressed a smirk. ‘Good job, sergeant. All of you.’

The admiral switched his attention from the hologram to the bridge crew.

‘Men, the planetary defence networks are back up. Commence the attack.’ He turned back to the hologram. ‘Sergeant, have your teams rendezvous with the Final Way.’

‘Understood, Admiral,’ Dyrra said, then the hologram faded out.

Araic turned back to the viewport as space shifted for a few moments into starlines, then almost immediately shifted back again and was replaced with the purple orb of Amphor. The Peace Brigade battlesphere hung in orbit like a miniature Death Star.

‘All hands to battle stations. Let’s send these chuff-sucking sons of banthas packing!’

Lucrehulk-class Battlesphere Patriot’s Fist
Amphor Orbit, Orian System, Orian Space

Sirens exploded as all of a sudden the tranquil purple sea vanished as a green starburst lanced up from the sky city directly below to engulf the forward viewport on the Fist’s bridge. The reptoids spun their heads round to Yashais, their startled faces looking as confused as he was.

He reached forward to the nearest railing and held on to prevent being hurled across the bridge with the next impact. ‘Shields at maximum!’ The blue envelope shimmered outside right in time for the next barrage from San Korinar’s defences.

‘Report!’ Yashais screamed. ‘How are their defences back online!?’

‘Activation signals originated from Vega Mine and Obsidian Station,’ a Chazrach answered. Outside, the sky city drowned the Peace Brigade ships in a rainbow display of heavy firepower. The other Brigade ships were pulling back.

A minute later, the Chazrach added, ‘The Dlarit fleet is breaking off from Sepros.’

The tactical display confirmed it. The same scene was unfolding over Aeotheran and Tarthos, the Dlarit fleet was springing into formation. Yashais cursed.

‘Pull back,’ he ordered. ‘Pull back!’

There was no other choice. The battlesphere was too old to stand up in a fair fight.

His eyes switched back and forth between the red and orange explosions outside and the running total on the tactical display—one ship gone, then two, three . . .

They needed Varesh, but the Warmaster had withdrawn straight after sacking Sepros.

There was only one way they were getting out of this.

‘Issue the retreat,’ he said, the words tasting foul on his tongue. He was never one to give up. Until now. ‘All ships to withdraw to the Pipeline and proceed to the rallying point.’

A footstep echoed behind him.

‘Belay that order,’ Nen Muyel interrupted. ‘The fleet is to hold here.’

Yashais spun round to the Nightsister-cum-Slayer. ‘You dare issue orders on my ship?’

He turned back to the reptoids. ‘Continue with the withdrawal.’

The Chazrach didn’t move.

‘I said continue!’

The Nightsister chuckled. ‘They won’t listen to you.’ Yashais heard a sword unsheathe behind him. When he looked back at the woman again, she had two of her swords pointed in his direction. ‘I’m relieving you of command, Admiral.’

It took a moment to register what was happening. The diamond shapes on the tactical display were closing in around the Brigade fleets across the system, trapping them between the planetary batteries on the ground and the Star Destroyers in space.

Yashais realised he’d been set up. The Vong had never meant for him to escape.

He and his fleet had only been a means to an end.

And now Varesh had what he came for.

‘The Mistress cannot allow you to lead them back to the worldship,’ Nen continued. ‘You shall not interfere. The Light will be revealed.’

Yashais stood for a minute as he tried to digest what he was hearing.

He reached for the vibrosword at his waist.

The human Slayer cocked an eyebrow. ‘You can’t possibly think you can beat me.’

He shot her a half-smirk. ‘Try me.’

Republic-class Star Destroyer Final Way
Amphor Orbit, Orian System, Orian Space

‘They’re withdrawing! Orders, Admiral?’

The call came from one of the ensigns at the tactical station. The display showed the Brigade vessels pulling back one by one throughout the star system. Araic narrowed his eyes. One minute they had been withdrawing, then they’d retrenched themselves again, but now it looked as if they really were withdrawing. He shook his head. Classic confusion; their command was clearly in tatters.

‘Maintain firing. I don’t want a single ship to escape.’

The battle was all over a few minutes later. Some of the Jedi battleteams had already rendezvoused in orbit and taken command of the XJ squadrons to clear out the enemy fighters; the others were en route from either Aeotheran or Tarthos. Colonel Septka had sent what survivors he could to regroup with them in Amphor orbit.

A quarter sized image of the man known only as Raven appeared on the bridge.

‘Admiral,’ the Tetrarch greeted with a slight edge of fatigue. ‘There was no information on the Vong’s staging post in the Tarthos base.’ The sorcerer paused a moment, inclining his head to speak to someone off camera, then the hologram turned back to the admiral. ‘I’m informed by Sergeant Graves our teams on Aeotheran had no success either.’

Araic studied the Krath as he considered their options. They needed to go after the Vong, that much was certain. This was only the start. If they didn’t strike back now, they may not get another chance. Araic looked back at the tactical display, then out the viewport to the battlesphere which was still soaking up fire from the Final Way . . .

‘I have an idea,’ the fleet admiral mused, turning back to the hologram. ‘Have your and Commander Pepoi’s squads rendezvous with the Final Way within the hour.’ Araic smirked. ‘We’re going to play a little game a cat and mouse.’

Raven frowned for a moment, then shook his head and just nodded. ‘As you suggest, Admiral. Hawks and Raptors will be with you within the hour.’

As the hologram disappeared, Araic looked down at the chief gunnery officer in the databanks below the main walkway that spanned the bridge. ‘Master Chief, hold fire on the Patriot’s Fist.’ The gunnery officer frowned but Araic smiled. ‘Let’s see how far down the rabbit hole we can follow him. And someone patch me through to Gamuslag.’

‘Gamuslag, Admiral?’

He nodded. How many times had he chastised that crazy alchemist in the past? The scene at Antei six months earlier had been stomach retching. But there was no other way. This was their only option. And with the Governor-General MIA, that made it his call.

Araic closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

‘It’s time we finished this. I’m initiating Operation Rancor.

‘Get me the Violator Gas Bomb.’

Lower Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System

Fremoc had over heard Admiral Araic giving the order of retreat back to the Final Way. It made sense for them to fall back to the Star Destroyer and chase down the Peace Brigade but it also left that there are possibly more Vong here on the surface. Manji, Jade, and Zeek returned from the room where they had acquired the planetary grid information and hunkered down in the positions secured by the Hawks and Raptors.

"I'm assuming we have to fight our way out of here now?" asked Teu. Fatigue had settled in on her and on some of the other Journeymen.

"Yes of course, my apprentice," said Jade.

"Raven aren't you supposed to tell us something?" said Fremoc.

"We need to pull back to the Final Way where we will go after the retreating Vong," told Raven.

"Sounds like we are about to have some fun. That droid has practically killed every Vong in this place so it should be pretty easy to get out of here and then get back into the fight," responded Ryuk.

"Easy Ryuk, we'll get to killing soon enough," said Fremoc. Just now where the heck is Will? I can't even sense him in the Force now. "Alright Raptors, you take point. We are moving out."

The Night Raptors stood up and started to move towards the entrance. Ryuk took the extreme point holding his Riot gun in case of any difficulties came at them. Fremoc took the rear of his small column while Raven leading his battle team followed him, with Manji and Jade between the two battle teams.

God this reminds me of those escort missions I used to get...

Lower Halls, Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos, Orian System


Ryuk lead the way down corridor after corridor of Vong corpses as the Night Raptors followed closely behind. There wasn't much resistance as the group made there way topside except a stray Vong that hadn't been killed on the way in. Apart from the occasional attacking Vong the group also kept coming up on Vong that were still alive but in no shape to get up or even move.

A loud boom echoed threw the halls but nobody flinched. It wasn't the first time since the trip back topside that the Mandalorian had fired him Riot Gun into a seemingly dead corpse of a Vong. Ryuk glanced back at the group through his T-shaped visor of his helmet, "Another twitcher."

After covering the same distance that they went over on the way into the corridors in less than a quarter of the time Ryuk noticed a beam of light at the end of the current hall.

"We got light up ahead. It's the exit master." Ryuk called back to Fremoc "Demonic" Pepoi.

Without waiting for a response Ryuk led the group to the exit and up into the light. The brightness of the snow and sun caused a moment of blindness but as everyone's eyes adjusted the wrecked LAAT-i still sat in the snow before them except something was way off. The perfect white snow had dark red blotches seeped into it next to the ship. From behind Ryuk heard only one word slip from his masters mouth, "William."

Matalok Cruiser Voice of Agony
In orbit of the Baanu Amnan, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Darkness erupted into light and back into darkness. Ylith blinked his eyes a few times
before he was adjusted to everything. He saw the sun shining in his face, it's heat gentle
to the touch, beneath him he felt the pricking of grass into his back, he looked to his right
and to his left, a vast field of green roofed by a clear blue sky and white clouds hovering by
slowly. Confused the Valheru rose to his feet only to watch at himself gazing back at him.

The Sith glanced to the left and the right again, yet there were no clear signs of a mirror. He
approached with caution, not knowing the meaning of this nor did he understand where he was
or what was going on. Could it be something implanted by the Vong? Another Poison? His mind
filled with more questions as he approached his mirror image and the image approached him.

"Die."

In a flash the green grass had become a barren wasteland with some parts of it still burning, the
sky was filled with black clouds thundering all around him, some strands of lightning slamming
in the already barren wasteland. The Mirror image changed as well, a tortured being, his body
burned and his left arm rotten to the bone, his head was hanging with his long hair covering his
face. Ylith approached it and looked at it. Glancing at his own arms he found no visible burn
scars whatsoever.

"Who...are you?" Ylith asked and another flash blinded him for a moment, when he gazed at
the sight again he could see his brother, Tyren, lying to his right, lying on his back and his
chest torn open, amazingly still alive choking on his own blood. The Valheru flinched untill he
heard something to his left, he saw Jade sitting, dead, decapitated, her head lying in front of her
body which in rigor mortis was kept in a kneeling position, it was clear that she begged for her
life before her death.

Ylith stumbled backwards as his mirror image started to laugh, softly at first then more sinister,
a cackling laughter erupted when he raised his head and Ylith's eyes widened at the sight.

"Vexatus...!"

The image laughed then shook his head. "No...you...." He moved to Ylith and looked into his
eyes, three eyes burning fiercely, two normal and one on his forehead. "See you soon..."
Ylith tried to struggle but the image was too strong and when their faces were aligned the image
opened his mouth and from it hundreds of worms reupted and slammed into Ylith's eyes.

---

Ylith awoke in a violent scream, the pain of the Embrace suddenly grabbing him and dragging him
back to reality, protesting at the lack of screams from the Valheru. The Battlemaster blinked a few
times but found he could see perfectly and wondered if the worm slamming into his eye was another
hallucination cought forth from the pain of the Embrace. He still found himself shaken by the dream
just now, wondering if it was just a bad dream, or actually a vision of a time to come.

"Marvellous isn't it?" He heard the Shaper say and Ylith did not utter a word, trying his best to stay
conscious. "I have never shaped a Valheru before, your species is quite...durable...and our genetics
latch good...yes..." She moved to his face and held a mirror like object in front of his face and he
knew what she meant, his left eye was completely removed and replaced by a human-like eye, a
bright red iris staring back at him. His right eye was still a Valheru eye, serpentine and emerald green.

"You will learn to enjoy our shapings..." She smiled but was roused when she heard screams coming
from behind her. As she turned around she saw a Vong march into the room, one they called a
'Shamed One'.
"What are you doing here? Who let you out! Mistress Niiriit was supposed to dispose of you vermi..."
She never got to finish her sentence as she was voilently thrown into the Embrace of Pain which held
the Sith. Ylith felt the entire machine fall to his right and braced himself, as it got disconnected from
the wall the tentacles holding him let loose, freeing him after several days of gruesome torture. The
release came as a shower of ice cold water after a scorching hot day, as he pushed himself onto his
knees he emptied his stomach on the ground, the time spent upside down and now back on his feet
making him sick.

"Va....Vasi..." The Shaper said with a growl in her voice which ended swiftly as the Shamed One
slammed his foot down onto her neck, shattering it. A few chocking sounds preceded an ice cold
silence as he turned for the Sith.

Ylith shook his head and tried his best to keep himself conscious. He approached the Valheru who
was still struggling to get up. In his mind he repeated the same over and over again. Get up. Get up.
Get up. Get up damn it!

Something snapped within him and he smiled widely, growling and screeching like an animal, he
grabbed a piece of glass from the mirror that was held before him a moment ago. He charged
Vasi, who seemed uninterested at the Sith and simply dodged the attacks and slammed him to the
ground. Ylith got up and attacked him once more, slashing wild, screaming when he did, no control,
just pure bloodlust, he was different, he pushed himself to a limit that would normally bring a man to
his knees. The Embrace of Pain had done its job well.

Vasi narrowed his eyes as he grabbed the Sith's arm by the wrist and glanced into his eyes. "Jeedai..."
Suddenly the Shamed One sent him flying by erupting a sphere of Force Lightning into the Valheru's
abdomen accompanied with his fist.

The Valheru slammed through several walls covering a distance unknown to him, landing in a jungle
like environment through some bushes surrounded by weird shaped plants. Ylith tried to raise his head
but as the full extent of the blow hit him he lost consciousness and fell down.

Marakith Skyhook
Seng Karash Orbit.

Sai and Agrist stood in the command room, impatiently waiting as the bootup sequence completed.
"Nearly done," the Major reported as he studied the display.
"We have a two Peace Brigade frigates sector five," a lieutenant reported, they're not taking evasive action they're just holding position.
"Any Dlarit ships nearby?" Sai asked.
"Negative, not in range anyway."
Sai smiled. "Our first catch of the day. This things never been used properly."
"It's not got that much firepower?" Agrist commented.
"I think you'll be pleasantly suprised," Sai responsed.
"All weapon systems clear for firing Governor," the Major reported.
"Take us to high orbit," Sai ordered.

"Frigates responding Governor," the lieutenant reported, "They're moving to intercept. Evasive action?"
"No," Sai said confidently, "target the nearest frigate, and bring the baradium launchers online. Attack pattern Malisane Delta."
"In range in ten seconds Governor."
"Target turbolaser batteries on the second frigate." Sai ordered.
"Acnkowledged."

The Quaestor and Agrist took their seats as the two frigates grew on the screen. "Baradium torpedo's away sir."
"Fire the lasers, attack pattern Gamma One."
Agrist watched as the torpedo's scorched away from their launchers and the turbolasers targeted on strategic points on the second frigate.
"Governor they're scramling fighters to intercept the torpedos," the lieuteant reported.
"Let them try, they're in for a suprise." Sai said with an evil smile.
"Torpedo's through Governor, intercepting fire ineffective." the officer told them, sounding suprised.
"Damn good design," Sai repllied, "hows the second frigate?"
"They're sustaining heavy damage from our turbolaser batteries sir, their shields are down to thirty percent."
"Keep firing, how long until torpedo impact?" the Quaestor asked.
"Ten seconds Governor."
They waited watching the display, then the torpedo's hit. The frigate shook as the explosions from the first few torpedo's hit it, then it exploded in space as the rest of the high powered torpedo's finished the job. A glowing line of debris scattered across space.

"Second frigate down to ten percent Governor, they're escaping."
"Tractor lock," Sai ordered,"and keep firing."
"We have a lock on them Governor, their shields are failing."
Sai and Agrist watched in satisfaction as the second frigate exploded, feeling a comforting sense in the force at their enemies death.
"Target's destroyed Governor. We're targeting the fighters."
"Impressive," Agrist turned to Sai with a nod.
"Yeah, this thing was designed well," Sai responded, "I think Aeotheran is safe now."
Agrist nodded. "Looks that way."

Pakrash Colony
Planet Javgra

"Dinners nearly ready, wash your hands everyone." a voice shouted from the kitchen.
Jagos smiled as he watched the two children scurry past him to the bathroom. "Does that include me?" he shouted back.
"You bet it does, you pick up no end of dust and dirt on those shuttles."
He shook his head in amusement and followed the children into the bathroom, dropping his briefcase outside the bedroom door on the way."Hey no fighting!" he snapped in mock ferocity as the two chidren fought to get to the sink and splashed each other. "One at a time."
He waited patiently until they finished.then swilled his hands under the tap, squeezed some soap onto them, and washed them. He risnsed his hands, and splashed some water on his face. Studying himself in the mirror. He was still youngish looking, though he noticed a few traces of grey in his hair. He sighed. "You're getting old."

He finished and walked into the hallway of their small apartment, and into the dining area. Karianne and the chidlren were sat at the table eagerly waiting for him. He sat down and she began to slice the nerf steak. "I got a message from grandfather today father," Maris told him as she watched her mother pick up each plate in turn and add a thick slice of meat.
Jagos nodded. "What did he say?"
"He's managed to find a friend to run the bar next weekend, so he'll be here for my birthday. He's coming for the whole weekend said he's bringing me a big present."
"Why don't I get a present?" Donale grumbled as he picked at the vegetables.
"It's not your birthday," Karianne told him as she removed the spoon firmly but gently from her son's grip and served him a healthy amount of vegetables.
"He might bring you a small present," Jagos added as he put a piece of tasty nerf into his mouth and chewed.
"I hope so," the boy said eagerly.
"Your grandfather spoils both of you," Karianne said with a smile.

"So how was your day?" she asked after they;d eaten a bit.
Jagos shrugged, "Not bad, we've got the contract for those vapourators, could mean a big bonus."
She smiled, "That would be nice. I've been looking at properties again."
"Are we moving?" Maris asked curiously. The children had adjusted well since the move from Coruscant during the war, even considering the smallness of their rented apartment Jagos had just managed to afford before he'd secured his new job, they'd adjusted better than he had initially. He still knew that they wanted something larger and more permanent.
"We may be," Jagos replied, "a lot of my work can be done remotely, and the company has offices on Naboo."
"There's some lovely beach front property near Theed," Karianne said, "I've got some brochures to show you."
"We can swim there?" Donale asked eagerly.
"And fish," Jagos added, "and they have boat trips on the sea where you can relax in the sun and eat fresh fish. You can read about it online." He pushed his plate away and yawned. "I think I can feel an early night coming on."
"You said you'd help with my project!" Maris protested.
He smiled, knowing he was beaten. "Alright, alright," he replied, "give me chance to get changed and I'll give you a hand. If you and Donale clean up the dishes."
He got up from the table, as the children began to collect the plates up and Karianne came over and hugged him. "Don't forget about those brochures," she told him.
He smiled and kissed her. "I won't." He held her tight feeling happy. It had been a hard few years with the war, the family hurriedly abanodning their lives and relocating to the colony but the future was looking good.

Malisane lay on the cold black temple floor as the hypnotic lights flashed around him, his blistered and damaged body twitching as the images danced in his head, unable and unwanting to escape from them.

Unknown Location

William hung upside down, tied into the Embrace of Pain. The torment he was enduring was undescribable. All he felt was pain, horrible, unimaginable pain like nothing he had ever felt before.

Dozens of tiny needles were nestled into his spine, controlling his central nervous system. A tiny, tentacle-like appendage had burrowed itself into the base of his neck and snaked its way up his brainstem, where it had complete control of William.

He could feel the tentacle slithering inside him, contracting and expanding to reach different parts of his brain. With every twitch a new pain consumed his body, each one unique and more torturous then the last.

But as bad as the physical torment was, the psychological torture was just as painful. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak or breathe freely, he couldn’t even choose his own thoughts; the machine controlled all of it. The device sent hordes of hideous thoughts and images across his mind, breaking his will.

It gave him no options, no control over his body; it stole all of his freedom from him. It left him completely helpless, humbled him and made him submit to its will. It consumed his morale and left him completely defenseless against the physical torture.

Even with an ironclad will, enduring the Embrace would have been no small feat. With no hope and a broken psyche, it wouldn’t be long before William would submit.

The Shaper on the other side of the room turned around and approached William; he was holding something in his hand, but he couldn’t identify what it was. He stopped about a foot away from the inverted prisoner and stared into his eyes.

Are you ready for your surgery?

Outside the Wreckage of Obsidian Station
Northern Polar Region, Tarthos

Fremoc, Zeek and some of the other Journeymen had been working hard beneath the bonnet of the gunship as Manji and Jade directed the rest of the soldiers to lift the ship out of the snowdrift and set it on the level. Time passed slowly, the snowflakes slowly covering the Dark Jedi as they worked on the LAAT-i. Then a shout from Fremoc indicated that the ship was working again. Silently, Manji and his team piled onto the gunship while Jade and the DSOG soldiers moved back to the shuttle they'd brought to the arctic base.

The two craft took off and began their flight back to Kar Alabrek with Fremoc and Ryuk's minds dwelling on the fate of their comrade. The trail of William's blood had petered out swiftly as they followed it out into the snowy wasteland, and there was no sign of where the Hunter could be. While the Journeymen were jubilant, many of them hyped up on adrenaline from their first real taste of combat, Manji sat at the back of the shuttle, brooding silently. They'd left the large droid behind; the last he'd seen of it, it had shot up through the stratosphere and into space.

Two hours later
The gunship descended into the hangar of the Ragnos Cathedral, spluttering slightly in protest at the treatment it had endured. Jumping out of the LAAT-i, Manji shouted an order, his business-like demeanour restored.

"Nobody leave this hangar! We'll be taking shuttles and fighters up to the Final Way, and I'm expecting conflict en-route. Battleteam leaders, get your squadrons sorted out."

The hangar became a flurry of activity as the menials, alerted by a radio message sent ahead, had begun to fuel and service the ships that would carry their Dark Jedi masters up to the battle raging in the skies above.

Ragnos Cathedral
A few days earlier...

"So you're just going to hide them from me?" Ylith said furiously while Jade sat upon her desk, trying
to analyze the Valheru she once knew so well. "I cant trust you anymore Ylith, you have proven that
when you went with her."

The Sith took a deep breath then moved to his Quaestor. "That [Expletive Deleted] meant nothing to me, merely a
pawn to keep Vexatus' gaze away from you, from my family."
"She had your child."
"So she claims, she had her way with men, but certainly not with me." Ylith said as he sat down in front
of Jade. He took a deep breath as his left arm started to hurt again and his bandages were colored red
with blood. The Krath did not move to his side but kept a close eye on him just in case. "You could have
told me the truth, we could have prevailed...together."
"I couldn't take that risk Jade, I did what had to be done to keep you and our children safe."
"If Tyren wasn't there..." The Krath began but Ylith cut her off. "Tyren did exactly what I expected him to
do, it was all calculated in. He was supposed to bring you here, to Marka Ragnos, and keep you safe from
me and my enemies. That was the plan."
"Very well, I will not forgive you just yet, you will need to re-earn this trust you have thrown away but you
can stay in the Cathedral, under close observasion. Your name still stings some....scorpion..."

Ylith nodded and couldnt help but to smile. "Just like old times."
Jade smiled as well. "Like old times."

-----
Matalok Cruiser Voice of Agony
In orbit of the Baanu Amnan, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

The Valheru awoke again, praying that him being free from the embrace was not just a dream and he was
actually seeing a Vong using Force Lightning to send him through several walls. He couldnt help but to
laugh for a moment at the thought as he awoke in the middle of a jungle like chamber. He moved from his
back onto his abdomen and pushed himself up from the ground. Dried up blood cracked and fell on the
ground in snippets together with pieces of burned skin. As he watched his chest he saw a large burn wound
covering the middle of his chest and while part of it was healed up to some extend, other parts were still
bleeding.

Ylith tried to rise up onto his feet and while he desperately sought for balance he found himself in a chamber
with large trees and small bushes, the trees had bulbs hanging from long brances which seemed to move
sometime, in an irregular pattern it seemed. The bushes were mostly exotic and it wasnt clear for what purpose
they were used, Ylith mused over the theory that the Vong may also enjoy some decoration after all.

He moved through the chamber, trying to find a way out of it. He moved his hand to his head as he tried to
recollect how he was thrown off of the Embrace of Pain and who he was fighting. He could remember a Shamed
One walking towards him but then its static, no clear memory of what happened, as if he wasnt there.

The Battlemaster's eyes widened as he sensed something, while sensing anything within a Vong ship is strange
he could feel the room around him pulse for a moment, then nothing again. he shook his head and blamed it
all on the damn Shaper who seemed to like taking out his eye. Again a pulse soared through the room and
Ylith had to convince himself that it was actually there, not just a figment of his imagination.

A third pulse was sent through the room and when it did, multiple trees started to rustle and move throughout the
entire room, as if it was calling to them. The Sith glanced around and tried to maintain a clear mind.

What the hell was going on?

Hangar Bay
Ragnos Cathedral

"Ryuk! On me!" yelled Fremoc over the music being played over the speakers. Fremoc knew it was something that Manji liked since the Epis was bobbing his head to the beat. The Guardian ran up to Fremoc, obviously wondering why he had just been called over from his Firespray. "You now have two high profiled people on your ship so don't mess up. You get an order from either Manji or myself, you follow it. Got it?"

"Yes, master. I'd be privileged to have you and Master Manji on board," said the Mandalorian warrior.

"Good." The Obelisk looked over to Manji and gave him a nod, who immediately started walking towards the Firespray. Ryuk immediately jogged back towards the Firespray and walked up the ramp with Manji close behind. Fremoc moved to the side of Ryuk's Firespray and stood there for a moment before yelling out some final orders to his battle team. "Raptors! Get in your X-Wings and power them up. Once you see the Firespray launch and exit the hangar bay you get up and follow it! I'll see you all on the Final Way, if not I'll see you when demons fall from the sky!" The Knight walked up the ramp and took a seat next to Manji behind Ryuk.

"When demons fall from the sky? Is that the best you could come up with?" chuckled Manji.

"Well I was trying to be inspiring."

"I though it was inspiring," said Ryuk from his helmet.

"You're being a brown nose, apprentice," replied Fremoc.

"Sorry." The Mandalorian went back to focusing on the preflight check.

"You are already in my good graces, you don't need to try any more." Manji chuckled to himself as the two bantered back and forth although he started to wonder about his own apprentice, Dyrra, on Seng Karash.

"Is this thing ready to go yet?" asked Manji, obviously ready to get on the move.

"Just done sir," said Ryuk.

"Alright then, launch this metal tin can." Without acknowledging or warning, Ryuk brought the ship up on its repulsorlifts and exited the hangar. The rest of the Raptors launched as well, all pointing towards the sky where the Peace Brigade fleet was retreating and the Clan's fleet advanced.

"Well, at least I'm not flying this time, eh Manji?" said Fremoc.

Hangar
Marakith Skyhook
Aeotheran

Dyrra stretched her arms as far above her head as they could go. The mines had been less than comfortable and she’d felt a little claustrophobic down there. Still, that could have had something to do with the giant murderous bugs that had infested the place. For a moment, anyway, she was revelling in briefly having enough space to swing a felinx, while she and Nix led their teams off the shuttle that had brought them home.

At the foot of the gangway she paused and turned to address both battleteams.

“You’ve all got the grand total of ten minutes to get yourselves ready for hunting some Vong. Do not make me come looking for any of you, my temper is short enough as it is. Hop to it.”

Having said her piece, the red head found herself a wall to lean against. She had everything she would need, so all she had to do now was wait, both for her teams and their transport onwards to be ready. She hoped her team would be ready for what was about to happen. They’d been through an awful lot recently. Everyone was tired. Hopefully, they would get some rest for a little while once they reached the Final Way. The chance to get some food into them wouldn’t go amiss either.

Frell, when had she last actually had the time to sit down and eat? Before the initial attack, possibly? It seemed like a lifetime ago that she’d stood wide eyed, staring at the wreckage that had been Dystopia. She’d just been running and fighting and trying not to get herself or someone else killed more or less constantly since then, her body fuelled by a combination of adrenaline and the Force.

When this is all over, I’m sleeping for a week.

She just hoped against hope that her team were faring better than her. She’d be mighty pissed if one of them died on her so soon into the job.

Ten minutes later:

“Move it! Get on those ships! Do any of you think the Final Way is going to wait for us? Because I assure you, Admiral Simmonetti is not a patient man! What the hell are you waiting for, Kiriyu, an honour guard? Hurry it up!”

If I yell at ‘em and keep ‘em hopping, maybe they won’t have time to notice they’re tired...

Moments later, ships belonging to Sapphire Squadron and the Jade Serpents emerged from Marakith, swooping out into the black towards their rendezvous with the Final Way and the final showdown with the Far Outsiders.

RSD Final Way
The Orian System.

A small guard of soldiers were formed at the bottom of the ramp as the two equites exited the shuttle. Agrist noticed them in suprise. "This must be for you Mister Governor," he said with a grin."
"I can do without it after the day we've had," Sai replied.
An officer approached them. "Governor, Commander, welcome aboard, I've been sent to escort you both to the bridge."
"How long until we leave?" Sai asked as they moved quickly towards the lift, the soldiers clearing a patch through the hurrying crew and technitions.
"The Admiral will be able to give you a better appraisal," the officer replied, "but I understand it's not long."

They entered the bridge, and Admiral Simonetti stood up from his command chair and shook Sai's hand. "Welcome aboard Governor," he said calmly. He glanced at Agrist. "And you Commisaar, I imagine the crew have missed your presence."
"I find that hard to believe," Agrist said with an evil smile, "most of them still stop talking when I enter a room and act busy."
"Well currently they are busy," Simonetti replied, "we've taken a little damage in the conflict but we're nearly good to go."
"Have my house members arrived?" Sai asked eagerly.
"Yes Governor," the Admiral replied, "Sergeant Dyrra brought them onboard a few minutes ago they've been given quarters."
"What about the Clan Summit and our counterparts from Tarthos?"
"We've not heard yet," Simonetti told them, "but they should be en route. The sooner they arrive the sooner we can leave."

Sai walked over to the display. "What's our strength?"
"Not good," Simonetti said sadly, "the DSF fleet is in bad shape, the Harbinger and support vessels are likely to be in dock for repair for a while. The Kangaras Division is en route to the Orian System to booster our defences here, I'm afraid what you see is what you get."
"Hopefully we've done enough damage to them for the Final Way to mop them up when we arrive then," Sai said hopefully.
"That's the plan yes," Simonetti said with a shrug.
"I could do with a drink then," Agrist said, still feeling a little weary, "I'll see anyone who wants one in the officers mess."
Sai nodded. "After I've unpacked I might join you."

In Route to The Final Way


As Ryuk punched in a few orders on the command panel a series of screens popped up displaying the X-wings that were following close behind. Each ships readout displayed every bit of crucial info about that particular ship and its pilot. After making sure all fighters were present the Mandalorian pushed the engines of his ship, Two for Flinch'n, a little harder.

"Master' Ryuk called back to Fremoc "Demonic" Pepoi, 'Maybe that whole thing about demons falling from the sky was a bad thing to say." At that very moment, as if to validate Ryuk's statement, a siren began to echo throughout the ship. Red lights began to flash all around the cabins of the Firespray alerting the two other occupants of the oncoming assault from several enemy fighters.

The Firespray shook suddenly as it took a shot from one of the attacking ships. At almost the same time both Manji and Fremoc called to Ryuk, "What do we have?"

"It looks like 4 B-wings and 5 E-wings just showed up on my scanners." Yelled Ryuk while punching in more commands to the ships defense systems. "Strap in!" called out the Guardian as another shot nailed the side of Two for Flinch'n.

From behind Ryuk could hear his master yelling into a communicator for the X-wings to eliminate the targets as quickly as possible. Instantly on the screen Ryuk saw all the X-wings break formation and head for separate targets. Following the indirect order he heard his master call into the communicator Ryuk made a quick maneuver around an oncoming B-wing and brought the ship quickly in a 180 degree turn to pursue the Peace Brigade fighter.

The twin blaster cannons of Two for Flinch'n sent a barrage of fire at the cross shaped B-wing. Several shots connected and then one struck the main engine and the ship erupted into a ball of flames.

Similar fire balls could be seen in several spots threw the cockpits window. Ryuk let out a sigh of relief as he saw that most of the enemy fighters were already destroyed or were very close to it.

Checking the scanners Ryuk saw that all the X-wings had made it through the fight with minimum to no damage suffered and the last of the attacking fighters had vanished from the control screens.

After a short time all the ships were making there way into the hangar of the Final Way. Ryuk brought Two for Flinch'n down next to all the X-wings that had already made there way into the hangar bay. Looking back at the two higher ranking individuals as the ramp opened Ryuk called back, “And ya see that, I didn't even scratch the paint."

The Aeotheran Jungle

Malisane opened his eyes, trembling, as the pain returned. He looked around at the dark chamber. "Where am I?" he moaned. He pushed himself to his feet slowly, reaching for his crutch.
"Welcome back." a voice congratualted him.
"Who the hell are you?"
"The answer wouldn't mean much to you."
"What was that," he asked hoarsely, "the dream?"
"It was the final test, you were offered a simplier life, your mind rebelled against it. You are created for greater things than that and you know it."
"I was happy."
"Indeed. The right way is not always the comfortable safe one."
"What is all this about?" he demanded.
"You are worthy. I will show you." and a thousand images flashed into his mind, teaching him. He collasped under the inrush of information.

RSD Final Way
Orian

Agrist walked down the corridor. He stopped as his comlink beeped. "Commander Agrist are you there?"
"Here, what is it?"
"Please report to the medical bay Sir, you are needed."
He sighed. "Alright."

The chief medical officer looked up as the mercenary entered. "Ah thanks for coming commander. We tried to reach Governor Tsainetomo but he wasn't answering."
"So what's happening?"
"A ship arrived a few minutes ago on autopilot. One occupant, once we realised who it was we kept it quiet." He moved forward to a bacta tank
Agrist looked in suprise at the unconsious occupant, with the burned flesh. "De Ath?"
The doctor nodded. "He seems to have passed out after programming the co-ordinates. He's in a mess. We can fix the fractures to the arm and the leg easily enough but we can't do much else for him. He's in bad shape."
"Just bring him round as soon as possible. I'll speak to the Governor myself. And yes keep this a secret."

Republic-class Star Destroyer Final Way
Somewhere in the Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Anarchy. There was no other word for it.

Fleet Admiral Araic Simonetti watched the scene unfold, half sure it was a dream, as the two largest Vong ships collided with one another. The Special Operations fleet had arrived smack in the middle of what looked to be a civil war between two rival Vong factions and the Peace Brigade. Araic had been right: their command was in total meltdown. Perhaps they finally realised their gods were not coming to save them.

‘Report,’ Araic said, his eyes still fixed on the chaos outside.

The Final Way was now in orbit of what appeared to be a cluster of rough planetoids. Any last reservations the admiral may have had about Operation Rancor dissolved. What he saw outside was not possible.

He had never been to Alderaan or seen the Graveyard left in the wake of the Death Star's superlaser, except in holovids, but it seemed a good enough analogy. This was not so much a hidden base as a shipwreck. A worldshipwreck. The scorch marks and the impact craters from the bombardment three years ago still covered the desolate surface of the Telosian Worldship. He had believed it destroyed and left it to fall apart on reentry to Telos's atmosphere. But apparently, somehow, it had survived—albeit no longer in one piece. The now lifeless rocks seemed to have become the shells for a new generation of warships.

It was a good job they had discovered it before it was too late.

Araic clamped down on the thought before he could picture the alternative future in his mind. He would see to it none of the Vong ships under construction ever saw completion.

Finally, one of the ensigns gave the status report, ‘The few surviving Peace Brigade ships seem to be under fire from all sides. Hard to say which Vong ships are which. Quite a few seem to be focused on the Super Star Destroyer analog that attacked Sepros.’

Araic studied what he surmised must have been the Vong command ship, larger than anything in the entire Dlarit fleet, either here or recovering back at Orian. It appeared to have been built directly out of one of the chunks of planetoids it orbited, no doubt the first of the new warships to see completion. But right then it appeared to be descending towards at an alarming pace—sometimes size was not the answer, as the Final Way itself was testament to. A grim smile crossed the admiral's lips as he thought about the biological payload now waiting in the hangar: the Violator Gas Bomb.

‘All teams to their stations. This war ends here.’

[center]* * *[/center]

Eight men, dressed in loud orange biohazard suits, hoisted the durasteel brick the size of a small rancor onto their shoulders. The sides of the grey brick were striped with yellow and black warnings, and had the obligatory ‘DANGER: DO NOT TOUCH’ lettering in massive red characters on every side. Behind their faceplates, the men did not appear worried; but in the Force, Agrist could sense their unease as if the odious feeling was literally pouring off them.

The Violator Gas stored inside had the potency to kill every single being on the ship with only a few drops.

An entire warhead full was enough to take out every Vong in the system—at least, if there had been a nearby system; out here in the bleak abandonment of Wild Space, it would simply kill everything in the local vicinity.

Damian Voss issued directions as he guided the men up the steps of the Bantha-class assault shuttle that would ferry the bomb to the Super Star Destroyer analog, where it would then be able to cause a chain reaction, which—scientifically speaking—would take out every Vong in the region.

More likely, Agrist thought, the Violator Gas would simply kill everything nearby. Violator Gas did not discriminate. It just was more effective at killing Vong than anything else.

Which was an impressive feat for something that had seen a one-hundred percent success rate in front line deployment against everything else.

Elsewhere in the hangar, the men who had not already headed out were crawling into their XJs, suited up in the dark jumpsuits and flight gear of Special Operations pilots or commandos. Simonetti was holding nothing back for Operation Rancor. Even the newly built XJ3s would see their first proper test; constructed specifically to combat Vong technology, what better time to put them to use?

The war against the Vong had gone on to long.

It was time to end it.

XJ X-Wing Rancor’s Fang 1
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Nix sent his XJ into a dive, jinking and juking as the coralskipper behind tried to get a lock, currently spitting balls of plasma indiscriminately.

‘Come on you kriffing scarhead!’

His XJ shook as a blast clipped one of the port wings, sending it cartwheeling. He fought to get the starfighter back under control when a second ball of red and yellow exploded around him.

‘Take that Huttkarker!' came Raven’s voice over the comm. ‘Wolfman, you owe me one!’

The Shistavanen muttered something under his breath, then said, ‘I still count two more for Sapphire.’

The channel crackled with static for a moment. ‘Think you mean only one more,’ Raven chuckled.

‘Both of you keep your minds on the battle,’ Manji's voice broke in. ‘We’ve still a corridor to clear to get that bomb safely onto the Vong flagship.’

Bantha-class assault shuttle Rancor 2
Leaving the Final Way’s hangar, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Dyrra was glad Fremoc’s team had been assigned to the shuttle carrying the VGB rather than her. Even on a completely different ship, being this close to that large of a payload still made her uneasy. Admiral Simonetti was insane, but the fiery redhead knew it was necessary; she’d have done no different herself.

Dyrra stared out the viewport as the shuttle headed out into the total darkness of space. This far out from anywhere, there was no light apart from the pinpricks in the incalculable distance. The only sign of anything was the lights from each individual ship, or the red glow the Vong ships emitted around the mouths of their plasma cannons. Were it not for the eerie glow of the desolate planetoids, everything would have been pitch black.

The massive Vong grand cruiser grew larger and larger as they flew towards it, the XJs flying support around them and the other two assault shuttles. This was it. This was what it had come down to. Six years since the Yuuzhan Vong first entered the galaxy, it was time to bring it all to an end, and rescue Ashura and the Overlord’s son.

Maybe the Antei and the Galactic Alliance believed themselves safe, but the future of the Sadow dynasty still hung in the balance.

‘Decoy Two, we’re just exiting the hangar now,’ Fremoc’s still bitter voice crackled over the comm.

Dyrra suppressed her first response, Who the kriff you calling decoy?

Instead she said, ‘Understood. We’re on our way to the objective now. Will rendezvous with you when we get there.’

‘Acknowledged. . .’ Fremoc paused a moment, then added, ‘Let’s teach these karkers why they shouldn’t frack with us.’

Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka’s Sword
Freefall, Baanu Amnan Orbit, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Another blaze bug blinked out and clattered to the ground alongside Varesh's feet as the Yammka rumbled from another aftershock. The dovin basals were failing and they were losing altitude over the nearest chunk of the dead worldship. Had Tolok Amnan gone completely insane? The impact of the Voice of Agony had come without warning. Everywhere the same series of events seemed to be unfolding. It was as if the entire Domain Amnan fleet had been taken over; coralskippers launching themselves in kamikaze runs indiscriminately, all but reverting to the asteroids they had originally come from. The Yammka Vong were now caught in a three way crossfire between the Peace Brigade, the Sseeth and the rival Yuuzhan Vong heretics.

Coiled around Varesh's arm, the Scepter of Power hissed as he thumbed the activator for the lightsaber in his other hand on and off. Snap-hiss, snap-hiss, snap-hiss . . .

‘I am surrounded by Shamed Ones,’ the leader of the Yammka Vong muttered, out of earshot of all but Tsaak. ‘Had it not been for the priestess, I would have exterminated the Sseeth entirely.’

Tsaak rubbed a finger along his forehead, smearing it with the dead priestess’s blood. ‘The High Priestess was a heretic,’ he said coldly, not hiding the contempt he had long held for Seef Lacap. ‘However this way you get to crush the Sseeth in battle. Think of it as the will of the Slayer, Fearsome One, instead of the deception of the Trickster that simply killing them in their sleep would have been.’

Varesh considered the seer’s words, then nodded. ‘True, true. This is why you have always been my true augury, Tsaak.’

A viewspider stalk uncoiled from above in front of the pair. The surfaces of the eyes along the its length rippled for a moment, then reflected the image of a much disfigured Yuuzhan Vong, a grotesque lump pulsating out one side of his head. The figure leered out of the lenses with an unnatural intensity.

‘Varesh Shai . . .’ the image whispered slowly. ‘We meet at last.’

‘Who is this?’ Varesh snapped, narrowing his eyes at the informal address.

The figure smirked. ‘I would not expect you to know me. I was but a lowly Shamed One. A slave who sought out the Light.’

‘What do you want?’

‘Retribution.’

Even in the image on the viewspider, the sparks across the Shamed One's body were unmistakable. Varesh’s eyes widened, and he saw Tsaak do the same.

‘Jeedai . . .’ they both said in unison.

The Shamed One grunted. ‘No. I am Vasi Khess, the Chosen of the Extolled. I am the new God.’ The smile across Vasi’s face drained away into a death mask. ‘And I'm coming for you, Warmaster. The Extolled are coming to take back what is theirs.’

The image crackled with static, then a white spark shot along the viewspider and the eye stalk fell slack from the ceiling, dangling loose.

It took a few moments for either of the two Yammka Vong to say anything.

‘What . . . was that?’ Varesh said, more to himself than necessarily Tsaak.

Romm Shai called from the front of the command deck, ‘Warmaster, there are reports of a Shamed One revolt in the lower decks where the Voice of Agony collided.’

Varesh did not reply. An uprising?

Finally, Tsaak said, ‘That Shamed One . . . could he be what delays the Dread Lord's return? Perhaps it was not the Sseeth heresy that must be cleansed . . .’

When Varesh still did not answer, Tsaak added, ‘Fearsome One, if you wish to withdraw, there is no harm.’

Varesh spun round from the dead viewspider to the seer.

‘Withdraw? A true servant of the Slayer does not run from battle.’

The Warmaster glanced out the main window to the devastation outside as another coralskipper impacted not far from where they were standing. ‘If it is my time for Blessed Release, then I will go without fear as the true Avatar of the War God.’

He turned back to Tsaak again. ‘A Warmaster does not retreat. But you . . . Leave that you may carry on the work of the Yammka Vong should I fall. These heretics,’ he gestured around as if to take in the whole fleet, ‘they who have not embraced the Children of War—they do not understand the Truth. Go, my seer, leave that the work of the Supreme Overlord may continue no matter my fate. If it is the will of the Slayer that I die here with the Sseeth, then so be it. I will have fulfilled my role in the Great Sacrifice.’

As if reading his thoughts, the Scepter of Power uncoiled from around Varesh's arm and extended into a spear in his free hand as he thumbed the lightsaber back on in his other. ‘But this Vasi Khess, I will ensure that he falls to my sword before I do theirs.’

'Decoy' Shuttle en-route to the Vong ship


Dyrra put down the comlink and massaged her temples for a moment. The Vong ships were looming ever closer. The storm would be on them all, soon enough. She glanced around at her team. They all looked tired, tense or some combination of the two. She was fairly certain she didn’t look much like a Holovid-star herself at the moment. But someone needed to perk these guys up before the shavit hit the fan. Her memory flashed back briefly to a very different scene – scarred, blackened earth, surrounded by the statues of her betters and a feeling of invincibility that seemed to well out of nowhere and surge through every atom of her being.

How do I make them feel the same way?

It was beyond her abilities to manipulate the Force in that manner. She had neither the precision, nor the skill. Still, she had to try something, or they’d all get killed before the mission even began. She cleared her throat.

“Jade Serpents, listen up. I’d like a moment of your time before all hell breaks loose.”

Each of their eyes turned to her. She could read every ache and pain in those eyes. She gulped, forcing the treasonous thought that she wasn’t eloquent enough to do this out of her mind.

“How you all holding up?”

A murmur rippled around the small shuttle. Each answer seemed to be suggesting the speaker was just fine, when it was obvious to anyone that was not the case.

“Really?” she paused for a second, a sheepish grin flashing across her lips.
“Cause I’ll be honest. I am dog tired. I am sick of these Vong, I am sick of uncovering yet more people who’ve double crossed this Clan and most of all, I am sick of trying to make out like I’m okay. I’m not. And neither are any of you. I think we all know it.”

She ignored the uncomfortable looks on their faces and ploughed on.
“You know where I was when the scarheads attacked us? I was on my way to have a nice quiet drink in a lovely little bar on Seng Karash. They ruined my plans by smashing up the city. Not only that, they also destroyed the bar. I’m pretty sure there’s a special part of the nine hells waiting if you waste that much alcohol. It ain’t right. But complaining won’t bring me my bar back. And it certainly won’t make this shuttle turn round. We’re all here now and we’ve got to do the job in front of us.

As long as I’ve been a member of this battleteam, we’ve been known as the kind of team this House can rely on. We get in, do the job, quickly, quietly, without unnecessary theatrics and we get out. I’m asking no more of you than normal. Let’s get this godforsaken bomb planted and get the hell out, with minimum fuss.”

They still didn’t look convinced. They all looked like her attempts at a speech were the final touch of cruelty added to the worst day of their lives.

“Why us, you may be asking. Why not D-SOG, or the fleet? Couldn’t we leave it to the Ragnosians? Hell, those goddamned religious lunatics are fighting among themselves as it is – won’t they kill each other? After all, this is all the result of a fight that took place six years ago. It was before we were in this Clan. It’s not our mess to clean up, is it?”

She could sense their agreement through the Force, even if nobody said it aloud, for fear of the consequences. Let the Elders and the Equites dig themselves out of the pudu.

“Well, we can’t think that the Vong will just roll over and die. Because six years ago, someone else did. And you have my word that if I ever find out whose karking stupid idea it was to leave and not make sure each and every kriffing scarhead was dead beyond a shadow of a doubt, I will beat that sonnuvabantha so hard, they won’t be able to breathe without wincing.

But that won’t do us any good now. If we don’t clean this mess up, six, seven years from now, there might be another team in a similar situation to this, cursing our names instead. Now, I’m not saying if we decimate this scum there’ll be peace and we’ll all get a happy ever after and a pat on the back.”

They were listening intently now. She grinned again, as she spoke the next words.
“Peace is a lie, as well you all know. We’re always going to be at war with someone. It’s in our blood, our nature. Let’s just make sure that next time, it’s someone else we’re fighting. I don’t much care who, but I’m sick of seeing those religious nutjobs all over the galaxy whenever I turn around.”

Matching grins were spreading across her team’s faces. She’d done it – they were feeling better already.

“So let’s do this. For Sadow, for Kressh and for a quiet frackin’ drink when we all get home. Do me proud, people.”

She glanced out of the view port and realised they were practically on top of the Vong ship.

Time to see if all that made any difference...

Matalok Cruiser Voice of Agony
Impaled in the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Ylith was shaken through the room he was in, various trees fell over and the floor ruptured exposing the
floors below it, a bright light shining through it onto the ceiling. The Valheru shook his head and had to
get used to the Vong implanted eye on the left side of his head, a large scar accompanied the eye running
from around the eye itself towards his ear, looking like a heavily burned wound. He moved through the
bushes trying to find a way off of the ship that seemed to rumble more and more as time progressed.

The Sith fell onto his knee, he hadn't eaten in days, he had been tortured beyond the borders that
would keep any man sane, yet he was still moving. He slowly caught his breath and let the thick
jungle like air fill his lungs, welcoming the heat and moist air almost eagerly. He looked at the ground
and grabbed some soil from it, holding it in his hand and opening it to let it glide through his fingers,
the moist thick dirt falling on the ground it came from, soil that travelled an immeasurable distance
only to harbor a species that would lay ruin on grounds similar to it.

In this moment of trance Ylith suddenly became very aware of his environment, became very aware
of where he was and what was happening, it was as if he could see everything set in motion, the pieces
of the puzzle that were missing suddenly appearing right under his nose.

"Shamed One..." The Valheru whispered, knowing it was his doing. He did not know how he knew, he just
did. He shook his head, again reminding himself that he had not eaten in days and he could be simply
delirious due to unsufficient nutrients. Yet there was part of him that believed it was the truth.

A similar feeling arrived at the Battlemaster, only this time it crept into his gut and stayed like a rotten
feeling something was about to be horribly wrong. He watched the disturbed trees around him and saw how
the bulbs hanging on them stirred wildly and opening like an egg. As green slime seemed to rain down on
top of him he saw how snake like creatures were released from them, dropping on the ground and stirring
wildly. The Valheru suddenly realized where he was and his eyes widened, he had been launched right into
the heart of an Amphistaff breeding chamber. Realizing that the toxins of the beasts were enough to have
any species on their knees within seconds he moved quickly to find an exit. More and more eggs started to
hatch and release their newborn weaponry onto the soil below. They atarted to coil around and attack each
other so that only the strongest would remain to serve the Vong Warriors eager to use them.

Ylith suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his right arm and when he looked he saw an Amphistaff coiled around
it and gripping tightly. it's tail was digging into his flesh, trying to latch itself it seemed. The Sith gritted his
teeth in pain but kept on walking, his head suddenly getting light and weary because of the sudden pain.
Dispite that the Valheru reached the sphincter like door that seperated the room from the others and as
he walked through it he saw various Vong lying on the ground, either dying or dead due to the massive
impact earlier. He sat down and tried his best to remove the snake from his arm but the more he resisted
the more he felt the tail stab into his flesh.

A pulse suddenly ran through him and he saw the Amphistaff look directly into his Vong eye, the two watched
each other carefully and suddenly another pulse crept over his spine, another following shortly after hitting
him right into his mind. Three years of Vong engineered toxin running through his veins and the torture by
the Embrace of Pain brought a sensation within the Sith that only few outside the Yuuzhan Vong had felt
before.

"Release..."

The snake relaxed its muscles and hung silently around his arm, only slightly lifting its head to watch its
host carefully.

"Harden..."

Without a moment's pause the Amphistaff seemed to stretch out and harden in the palm of his hand, the
scales sealed in a way to create a sharp edge along the sides, its head curled slightly to create the end
of the hilt.

"Coil..."

The Staff released and coiled around his arm again, the tail once again digging into the flesh of his arm and
latching onto him, as if establishing a link with the mind of it's host using its tail to tap into the nerve endings
of his arm. Ylith smiled at the sight of his new weapon and welcomed it as he figured he'd need it a lot to get
where he needed to go. He saw fury within the eyes of the Shamed One, a same fury he saw in similar eyes
near the Heart of the Force, a fury that could destroy them all.

With renewed strength Ylith decided to follow his feelings and ran through the Vong vessel, trying to find the
Vong that released him from his pain and to repay him in kind.

Matalok Cruiser Voice of Agony
Impaled in the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Ylith sought to catch his breath as he pushed on more and more through the Vong ship. The
Pulses that he first thought were an illusion cought forth from the environment began to feel
natural to him now, and so was the feel of his newly acquired weapon. Blackened blood was
dripping from the tail of the Amphistaff in its hardened form and Ylith grunted as he heard
more Vong were coming up from behind him. In a growl he pushed himself up and moved on
again, moving towards the point where the Voice of Agony impaled the Yammka's sword to
hopefully find the source of the pulses he had been feeling. It felt as if they were disturbances
in the Force, yet there was no Force to sense in this place.

Ylith shook his head and wondered if it could be the one who forcefully released the Battlemaster
from the Embrace and got him into this mess. The Valheru couldnt help but to smile, as if the
mess he was in now was any better.

He moved through various hallways, some were cracked by the impact while others were torn apart
completely. Various bugs skittered over the walls trying to repair the damage done but even they
did not began to do anything to fix the giant gaping hole at the point of breach, Ylith watched in awe
as one giant chunk of coral was slammed into the other. Pieces of debris were either being sucked
into outer space while some were floating around in the gap between two artificial gravities.

The Valheru saw various Vong inspecting the hole and watching it carefully, most of them unaware
or either too shocked to speak about it. Ylith sneaked past the Vong and suddenly a feeling in his
stomach told him to stop. When he did he gasped, trying to figure out what was going on until a
Vong Warrior walked through the hallway he almost entered. He was looking around but unable to
see the Battlemaster hidden in the shadow. The snake around his arm hissed but when it did
Ylith made a hushing sound, commanding it to stay silent.

As the Warrior gave up and walked by the Valheru rose and moved towards the Yammka's Sword
in search of the Shamed One, following the pulses that were being sent out evere few minutes.

XJ X-Wing Rancor's Claw
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Another coralskipper fell from the sky in a torrent of flames as Manji twisted the XJ round in a tight curve, trying to get another enemy in his sights. They were fighting furiously to keep a corridor open which Fremoc's shuttle was now proceeding through, the Violator Gas Bomb strapped in tightly inside it. Once the shuttle had forced its way onto the Yammka's Sword he was to join Fremoc and his team inside and make sure that the bomb got to its destination and that they could get Remulus Sadow and the Proconsul out of there in one piece.

The Epis' thoughts were snapped back to the present as another coralskipper appeared in his viewscreen, spitting balls of plasma at his ship. The Dark Side screamed in his head as he threw the fighter into a dive, narrowly avoiding the barrage of fire. Then, reaching out with all of his senses, Manji looped the ship up and completed a tight roll that threw the coralskipper off his trail, allowing another XJ to blast it out of the sky.

Behind his ship, the shuttle had reached the writhing hull of the Yammka's Sword, and disappeared through a ragged gap to dock inside the craft. Checking that there were no other enemies on his tail, Manji yanked the controls of his fighter around and followed the shuttle, leaving the fighters of the Dlarit Navy to deal with the coralskippers of the Yuuzhan Vong.

Inside the Yammka's Sword
Extraction Point

Climbing out of his fighter, Manji nodded at Fremoc as the Knight emerged from the belly of the shuttle, the biohazard-suited men carrying the Violator Gas Bomb moving down the ramp behind him. Fremoc's expression was slightly twisted in disgust at the weapon behind him- he didn't like the idea of being caught in the wake of something that killed absolutely every living thing with no mercy.

Fremoc's team and a number of other members of the Clan followed the Violator Bomb, looking around at the writhing organic innards of the Yuuzhan Vong ship with a mixture of disgust and caution. Everyone knew the seriousness of their mission, and everyone knew the stakes were high. If they should fail... Clan Naga Sadow would fall.

Drawing his lightsaber, Manji flicked the blade on, the silver light illuminating his face.

"Alright, people- let's blow this thing and go home, huh?"

XJ X-Wing Rancor's Claw
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

"Another one bites the dust." Tyren said into the comm as he destroyed another coralskipper.
"Keep it to your self, Atema." Raven replied.
"Yessir!" the Priest replied, smiling.

"Rancor 1 already landed, chief." Tyren said watching the shuttle land and a fe X-wings along with it.
"Afirmitive!" Raven replied "Rancor II is making it's run."

Tyren saw the shuttle packed with Dlarit troops fly through the onslaught the battle created. It flew through the first wave of blaster fire but the second was harder to manage. The shuttle pitched to the right, evading incoming plasma as it's right shield barely held up against the waves of coralskippers.

"Rancor's fang, this is Rancor II. We have no opening. Need more cover."
"Roger, Rancor II move back behind us for cover. We will provide support." Raven replied with a calm voice.

"Rancor's fang, this is base. We have incoming unidentified bogeys. They've just dropped from hyperspace. We are to far from you, keep your eyes pealed."
"Roger, base. Noted."
"I recognize those signatures. Those are my boys." Tyren yelled over the comm.

"Dlarit forces, this is Colonel Aurora Orion of the Synergy Military branch. Humbly requesting permission to help out." a woman's voice came through the com device.
"What the krak is going on Tyren?"
"These are my boys, chief. They've come to help out." Tyren replied and switched to teh Synergy ships "Aurora, took you long enough."
"We had a few bumps along the way."
"Never mind that. All ships, report in."
"Wolfpack accounted for and ready, sir."
"Buzzards are pumped up, sir. Let's rock some."
"This is Corellian gunship "Salvator". Engaging the enemy."
"Good work everyone. Wolfpack, cover Rancor II on approach. Buzzards, provide ballistic support against the Peace Brigade. Salvator, help out Rancor's fang with some heavy duty firepower."
"Aye, sir." a collective yell came through the device.
"Aurora, you're on me. We're going into the belly of the beast."
"I'm on your tail, chief."

Rancor II made it's second approach and with the help of both Rancor's Fang and the Synergy ships, broke through landing softly inside the Yammka's sword.

Inside the Yammka's Sword
Extraction Point II

Tyren jumped out of his X-wing and ran to the A-wing that just landed next to him. Aurora jumped out and brushed some hair from her face.
"Bout time you showed up."
"Like I said, we were held up."she smiled, obviously lying.

Tyren looked over at the shuttle that landed near-by. The Jade Serpants lead by Dyrra Skye and a number of troops exited through the loading ramp.
"Tyren Atema, I presume." Dyrra asked extending her hand.
Tyren saluted and shook her hand "Pleased to meet you, miss Dyrra."
"You know me?"
"I know of you." Tyren smiled. "This is Aurora, my associate." The two women shook hands and exchanged greetings.
"Now, shall we kick some Vong arse and get this over with?" he said, igniting his lime green saber and strode down the corridors after the Dlarit troops.

Wreckage of the Voice of Agony
Within the Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka’s Sword
Freefall, Baanu Amnan Orbit, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

The air was so clouded with dust that it was almost impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. Somehow, impossibly, Krag Muyel had survived, laying face down and shielding the baby beneath him as the ceiling rained down around him, the sound almost as painful as the coral knives that had torn across his back, tearing open his bodysuit across half of his left shoulder and down most of his left arm and leg. He was injured, but at least he was still alive. The baby's tears spilt down his chest as he rolled over onto his back, feeling the jagged coral now littering the floor scratch across his body as he moved, the debris crunching beneath this weight.

The arachnid spineray wrapped around his neck hissed and for a second he felt its tail tighten like a garotte, then it relaxed, going limp.

Krag reached forward and called on the Force to brush the cloud to one side so that he could see.

The skeletal remains of the Yuuzhan Vong that Vasi Khess had electrocuted were strewn around the chamber. At the far side, near one of the exits, Eckla Muyel was buried under a two meter high rib bone of yorik coral that had a few minutes before served as one of the ceiling supports. On top of the rib, the ceiling had caved in, pinning the Yuuzhan Vong down. She was not moving.

Opposite Eshin, the captive Sith appeared to finally be coming to.

There was no sign of Vasi Khess. Krag shut his eyes reached out into the Force—

The Shamed One's presence still glowed brightly, a facsimile of the Overlord himself. But he was gone. Probably to hunt down the Elite who had condemned the heretical shaper to slavery for seeking the truth.

Ashura groaned and Krag opened his eyes again. The Sith's eyes were still misty from the Force-dampening poison that had knocked him out, but it seemed to be wearing off.

The former prisoner looked at Remulus and breathed a sigh of relief; his eyes widened when he turned to Krag.

Ashura coughed, ‘You . . . saved him,’ his voice was dry enough to suggest he had not had a drink in days. He probably hadn't. ‘Why . . . why did you do it?’
‘
I did what my Mistress asked of me . . . in service to the Light of the True Way.’

The spineray on Krag's back sissed softly again, its tail stroking his neck gently.

The proconsul glanced around at the mountains of wreckage. ‘This? Is this your True Way?’

A hoarse laugh coughed from across the chamber. Beneath the fallen rib bone, Eshin's arm quivered ever so slightly.

Krag put the baby down carefully and limped across the room to the Yuuzhan Vong, then began to lift the wreckage off her, rock by rock.

Eckla twisted her neck around at an unnatural angle. Her nose was broken, her left eye closed, and her face blackened with moist blood. ‘Don't . . . don't bother,’ she croaked.

‘But Mistress—’

Eckla cut him off. ‘I knew this day would come. I knew Vasi would rebel.’ What was left of her lips, which were now all but torn in half, pulled up into a half-smile. ‘Do you not see? I have killed us all!’

Krag frowned and put down the rock in his hand as Eckla began to laugh. ‘Mistress . . .’

‘I have revealed the True Way for the lie it is,’ she continued, then looked straight up into Krag's eyes, her smile vanishing. ‘Varesh, Drathul, Shimrra . . . you Jeedai and Sseeth are as blind as all the rest. Only Onimi ever understood the truth.’

Krag continued to frown but did not say anything.

‘I can die peacefully, knowing I have unmasked the truth for what it is,’ Eckla coughed, spitting blood across Krag's boots. Her voice grew weaker, but she carried on, ‘You will all die here. I, Eshin Shul, have doomed the Jeedai who humiliated me at Antei to die along with the Yuuzhan Vong who dared to label me a heretic for understanding what they could not. I have seen what you have all been too blind to see. Yuuzhan Vong, Jeedai, Sseeth. There is no difference! Vasi is proof! He is the Truth!’ Her neck drooped and she gazed at the floor instead as the pool of blood reached Krag's feet. She tried to laugh, though the sound came out more like guttural choke. ‘Vasi will kill you all.’

Krag stared down at the dying Yuuzhan Vong.

No, not at his Mistress, at Eshin Shul. The Shamed One who had failed at Antei four years ago. The traitor who had betrayed Domain Amnan at Telos three years ago.

The heretic who had defied the True Way.

The True Way that was now a lie.

Everything since the expedition to the Zhaetor-zhae a year ago, it had all been a lie, all of it. Krag closed his eyes and shook his head. He had been deceived. The Light of the True Way was false. There was no Truth, only the monster, Vasi Khess. With a thunderous roar, he reached behind and grabbed hold of the spineray embedded in the back of his neck. He screamed as the eight-legged hand-worm fought back, trying to choke him with its long tail as he worked to yank it free. His fingertips flashed with blue-white fire until the spineray finally yielded, then it leapt from his hand and started to scuttle across the floor towards the baby Remulus.

A snap-hiss and a thruum later and there was nothing but a smoking mound of ash by the time the lightsaber returned to Ashura's hand.

As if awakening from a long dream, Macron Goura opened his eyes and looked down at Eshin.

‘You got one thing right. You're going to die.’

Both of the alchemist's blades fired to life before he crossed them in front of the Shamed One's neck.

[center]* * *[/center]

The Yammka continued to shake every time another suicide coralskipper slammed into her side as Macron and Ashura hurried towards the feeling in the Force that they prayed was salvation. The gravity was getting more and more uncertain, the alignment shifting every hundred or so feet. The collision seemed to have knocked the Yammka out of orbit, and it was now on a rapid re-entry towards the nearest planetoid fragment. On top of the erratic gravity, each footstep was another obstacle course as they stumbled past the mutilated bodies of the Yammka Vong who had been caught in the Shamed One uprising that must have surged through not long before. The handful of victims who were not quite dead did not remain that way for long—Macron saw to that, charging ahead whilst Ashura followed behind with Remulus in safely his arms.

‘Take that!’ the alchemist screamed, hacking his way through the carcasses beneath him. ‘Why! Won't! You! All! Just! Fracking! Die!’

Ashura grabbed hold of Macron's shoulder—and narrowly avoided having a lightsaber through his throat when Macron spun round.

The alchemist pressed his lips together. ‘Sorry.’

Ashura sighed sympathetically. ‘Easy, Mac.’

‘If only I had my supplies. I would kill for some Violator Gas vials right about now . . .’ Macron mused to himself distantly. ‘No matter. We're nearly at a hangar.’

And I can feel that freak show not far above us . . .

The pair continued to work their way through the twisting passages, passing through a number of torn or cindered sphincter muscles that Vasi must have ripped through on his rampage to the upper levels. It still seemed impossible how a Yuuzhan Vong, one of the so-called Force-dead Far Outsiders, could have absorbed the powers of the Sadow bloodline, have become an embodiment of everything the Overlord himself represented. It was like chasing after a dark mockery of Lord Sadow himself. Macron grit his teeth. It was heresy.

And Vasi Khess was a Heretic who had to die.

‘Woah!’Macron cried out when he stepped into the next chamber and suddenly fell towards the ceiling as the gravity inverted. Ashura tumbled after him, but called on the Force in time to steady their descent enough so that Remulus did not hit the ceiling-turned-floor. ‘I really wish it'd stop doing that,’ Macron grumbled.

He looked around to see they were in a large open chamber. A number of round, ball-shaped, T-16 skyhopper-sized asteroids were suspended from the ceiling in neat rows on one side. Tunnels were cut into the main hull wall in front of each ball. The hangar bay.

Suddenly, the chamber lit up from a torchlight at the other end and footsteps piled inside from the opposite entrance, blinking red photoreceptors of men clad all in black surrounding them.

‘Governor!’ one of the Special Operations troopers shouted in surprise, snapping to attention the instant he recognised Ashura's face. ‘SO Trooper 3305 at your command, sir.’

‘At ease,’ Ashura said once he and Macron had unwound themselves from the confused lump of arms and legs they had formed after falling off the floor onto the ceiling.

When the squad leader turned his eyes to Macron his unease seeped into the Force like a black cloud.

‘It's okay,’ Ashura added. ‘He's safe.’

After a brief moment, SO-3305 said, ‘If you say so governor,’ though he still sounded unconvinced.

‘How do we get off this hulk?’

The troopers parted and the squad leader pointed back at the corridor from where the team had emerged. ‘Our decoy shuttle is back the way we came, sir. The other battle teams are on the upper levels to plant the VGB.’

That got Macron's attention.

‘Did you say the VGB? Here?’

‘Correct . . . commander,’ SO-3305 said, still a little hesitantly. ‘Commander Pepoi is bringing it aboard right now with Sergeant Skye's assistance.’

Macron did not speak for a few moments.

Instead, Ashura asked, ‘Mac . . . by VGB . . . isn't that the Violat—’

‘Yes. . .’ Macron interrupted. ‘We need to get Remulus off the ship. Even if one of the Vong accidentally—’

‘We should get going back to the shuttle then,’ SO-3305 said.

Macron shook his head. ‘There's no time for that. You don't understand how dangerous that thing is. The trigger device—I never finished it. We need to get Remulus off the ship now.’

The alchemist pushed SO-3305 out of the way and stepped across to the other side of the chamber, where the skyhopper-sized rocks were lined up.

‘Mac, what are you doing?’

Macron ignored the proconsul and instead stroked his hand along the side of one of the nearest rock. The vine suspending it lowered the ball gently to the ground, then relaxed. The muscles underfoot rippled, rotating the asteroid until its front faced the alchemist, then a pink hatch on the side spread open, revealing a pair of throbbing polyp stools inside. Once the escape pod had finished opening, Macron turned back to the others.

‘You first,’ Macron called to Ashura.

‘I don't know how to fly one of—’

Macron smirked. ‘It's quite easy, really. You just have to tell it what to do,’ he paused, frowning for a moment. ‘Of course, you do need to know how to speak Vongese though. But you shouldn't have to do anything once I get it set up. Come on.’

Ashura swallowed, then joined Macron and reluctantly allowed the alchemist to strap him and Remulus inside the cramped asteroid. There was barely the room for the pair of them, but the polyps moulded to accommodate their unfamiliar body shapes. Ashura squirmed for a second when a pair of vines unwrapped from behind the polyp and embraced him in a disturbing reminder of his time in the Embrace of Pain, only this time they seemed to be meant as crash webbing.

Once the pair were secured, Macron stepped back.

The alchemist glanced back at the squad leader. ‘Trooper, have we got any fighters out there to escort the deputy governor-general and the viceroy's son back to your ship?’

‘I can comm one of the squadron leaders to guide them in to the Final Way, yes.’

‘Do it.’

Ashura frowned. ‘You only mentioned me and Remy . . .’

Macron slapped his hand against a rubbery nodule on the side of the pod. ‘That's because I've got to finish what I started.’

‘Macron, no, you don't have to—!’

Ashura started to stand up, but the translucent hatch sphincter pressed shut together like a pair of lips, leaving him hammering on the inside. Macron forced a smile as he stepped away to allow the escape pod room. A moment later, the tendril securing the asteroid to the hangar bay released and it rolled into the open maw in the wall, being sucked out the room and fired off into the loneliness of space.

Macron took a deep breath and held it in for a minute. He could still sense the Overlord's doppelgänger a few floors above, not far from the Hall of Confluence, where they would surely be taking the VGB.

And where Varesh would be as well. This was it. It would all end there.

He breathed out and then turned back to the special ops team.

‘Let's finish this. Take me to the Violator Bomb.’

RSD Final Way
Medical Bay

"You should be resting Aedile."
Malisane turned around slowly. "I do not require further medical advice. I am sure you have other patients to attend to." During the voyage they'd worked hard to fix his arm and leg, but had managed to do nothing for the rest of him. They'd given him a tight fitting black suit that both covered and protected his burned flesh. He had aquired a black robe that covered that and his face, and wore the lightsaber he'd stolen from the droid in the temple. He regarded the medic coldly who shrugged and left. Malisane shook his head in disgust then walked out of the medical bay.

The deck officer turned as the Battlelord approached. He didn't recognise the robed figure whose face couldn't be made out, but anyone who looked like that wasn't to be questioned. "Sir can I assist you."
"I require a fighter. Arrange one."
"Yes sir."
A few minutes later Malisane sat in the cockpit of the H-LAF, his covered hands moving quickly over the controls. "I require launch clearance now."
"Launch clearance granted."
Malisane nodded then engaged the thrusters, blasting the fighter out of the hangar and into the blackness of space. Around him fighters battled the enemy but he wasn't interested. He guided the ship through them, rolling to avoid any incoming fire, making for the cruiser. Petty battles in space were not his interest, the target ahead needed to be dealt with. Then his plans and the vision he had been given could be brought to fruition, the vision those around him would accept for the Clan and for Sadow.

He spotted an opening in the cruiser and made for it, dodging anti aircraft fire easily in the maneouverable fighter. He brought the craft into land easily passing along a tunnel into a grotto. He slowed the fighter to a stop and unsealed the cockpit. He landed smoothly on the floor, checking his saber was still at his side, then set off walking confidently into the ship looking for prey to kill.

Secondary Landing Target Area
Enemy Cruiser.

Dyrra left the shuttle as soon as it landed, keeping her hand on the hilt of the saber. "It's clear."
"Good," Agrist said as he joined her. "Alright everyone move out. The shuttle is bound to be noticed if anyones poking around," The remaining Jade Serpents followed them, blasters and sabers ready for whatever came.
"So whats the plan?" Soolin asked as she followed, glancing at the sergeant and the mercenary.
"Fremoc and the HMR mob are taking the device to the target zone, for now we need to clear the surrounding area of hostiles and secure it in case we need to land more troops."
"Yeah," Agrist agreed, "these are Vong we're facing they're not to be underestimated. Remember they have that crab armour so go for the heads if they're clear and gaps in the armour. They don't tend to be imaginative and they underestimate opponents so get your hits in first and try and outthink them." He unclipped his saber from his belt and nodded politely to Dyrra, who turned and lead them out deeper into the ship.

Inside the Yammka's Sword
Extraction Point

Fremoc's sapphire blade silenced another loud war cry from a Vong Warrior as Manji's did the same. The Violator Gas Bomb angered Fremoc, despite it was a weapon that could kill the Vong, it meant that the Knight would not get the satisfaction of killing the crab warriors himself. He looked over his shoulder as he motioned the team forward who had halted since the Vong ambushed them. Ryuk and Baki where behind him covering the teams forward progress and making sure that no Vong surprised their Master.

"Let's keep moving. I hate to have this thing go off before we need it too. Manji and I will stay in front," said Fremoc his baritone voice returning to him as his anger increased. Ryuk had seen his master like this before, and it would be followed by ruthless aggression to anything that stood in his way.

"Fremoc scout ahead of me, I'll be in earshot so if you run into trouble I'll be there," said Manji with a knowing smile on his face. A wicked smile from the Knight and his eyes turned yellow, as he nodded to Manji.

"Fremoc be careful!" yelled Teu from behind the gas bomb. Some of the members of the Raptors turned to her. "What? You guys weren't going to say it..."

"I'll be fine," came the baritone voice from Fremoc. Instead of walking, Fremoc sprinted ahead of the team wanting to find every Vong possible and kill them before the bomb had the chance to. He whispered to himself, "They rained their coral on my home, killed my men. I will kill every single one left on this karking ship and go to Yavin to rescue my son..."

He stopped as he entered a room filled with Vong warriors and one larger warrior that seemed to have been through more battles and wars than the others. "[Expletive Deleted]."

Within the Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka's Sword,
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

More and more Yuuzhan Vong were on the move. Some were muttering in their own tongue
but Ylith did not need a translator to hear that there was a hint of worry within their voices.
It amused the Sith that even the Yuuzhan Vong knew fear, yet it also worried him, who knew
how powerful the Shamed One had gotten during their first meeting. The Valheru did his best
to muster all of his strength and sprinted through the hallways, some of the Vong were too
busy to notice him while others were unable to respond in time. He had to hurry, he felt the
ships rumble more and more, as if they were attacked from the outside. He smiled
"About time."

He moved through the ship, following the pulses that became stronger and stronger, as if they
were gushes of wind trying to knock him down but in reality werent there. Ylith was wondering
how he could feel these pulses while the other Vong seemed unaware of it, was it because it was
part of the Force? it couldnt be... The Force revolves from within an object, every object, every
living being. it is like the blood of the spirit you can see clearly with the minds eye. No, this was
different, it was like water rippling and the waves of the ripples surging against him.

Ylith moved quickly, moving upwards towards the source. Suddenly his vision blackened.

"You are walking to your death, it would be inconvenient for me if you'd die now..."

The Valheru's eyes widened, a light, disturbing voice rippled through his mind, shaking himself
through his core, it was as if everything he ever feared bundled up together into a single being
and spoke to him, shattering his confidence and concentration as if it was but mere glass. Suddenly
he noticed how the vision through his left eye began to darken, as if it was not his anymore. He moved
his hand to his eye and held it over it, a red iris looking through his fingers.

"You're pathetic Ylith, look at this, you have this amazing Vong engineered body yet you're too stupid
to actually know what you can do with it. Pathetic Ylith, Pathetic! You may have used Draken to keep me
at bay, you may had used your Mask to hold me back but I feel more alive than ever...and I am gaining
up on you...you'll see Ylith..."

The Sith shook his head and then looked into an open space in front of him, as if nothing happened.

"You will see..."

His voice echoed through the back of his mind, trying to figure out what he was talking about he kept
worries about what was going on for later, the pulses became more severe and closer, and to his shock
came from right behind him. Ylith moved his right arm and the Amphistaff moved from his arm into his arm
and formed a sword like weapon. Suddenly the Valheru stood eye to eye with the Shamed One in front of
him.

"Seeth..." Vasi spoke and when he did Ylith felt a ripple hitting him at point blanc range, it felt as if an
immense volume of water slammed on top of his shoulders. Suddenly the Sith realized he could sense
him, it was his aura all along. "You carry the weapon of my people..." he said, almost a whisper, with a
tone of pure digust surfacing slightly.

"You carry blood of mine..." Ylith said, while he did not know for sure it was actually blood, it was clear to
him that Vasi's abilities with the Force were unnatural, Dark Side pure and true.

"Miserable creature, you will bow before the true God."

Ylith smiled as he raised the Amphistaff, every fiber of his body wanted to make him and the rest of his
Vong brethren bleed for what they had done to him. "We shall see.."

Vasi's fingertips surged with energy, energy Ylith knew far too well. He launched himself forwards and
slashed wildly with his serpentine weapon. As the Shamed One raised his arm the snake coiled around it
and the Battlemaster pulled on tight, the energy dissapating from his fingers, bringing the two face to face.

"Not so fast Vong...I am just getting started with you..." The Valheru said and he spat into Vasi's face and
kicked him away from him. Vasi did not fall, yet stood silently, hanging over, a laughter erupting.

"You fool..." Was all he said when he expanded his power for everyone in the ship to feel.

Inside the Yammka's Sword
Extraction Point

Manji sensed something wrong echoing through Fremoc's Force presence as he and the Night Raptors moved forward. He also sensed another presence on the ship, one he hadn't felt since Antei was taken back.

"Raptors we have bad guys ahead. D-SOG troopers, stay with the VGB, Raptors on me we are heading into one big bad battle," ordered Manji from the front of the line. The Journeymen that didn't have their lightsabers checked their weapons making sure that they were full loaded. Teu, Ryuk, and Manji took their lightsabers in hand, and with Manji leading the charge, he sprinted down the hallway towards Fremoc's position. Manji felt his friend and former apprentice coming closer to him. He stopped and waited the rest of the team caught up to Manji as a coral door next to Manji opened. "Mac!"

"Hello, master," came the sarcastic reply from Macron. A couple of soldiers filed in behind Macron adding to the Night Raptors' numbers and the forces able to take on the Vong.

"Come on Mac, Fremoc's in a tight spot," said Manji as he started to head towards Fremoc's position. Macron caught up to him and the two using the Force to augment their speed, ran towards Fremoc's presence. It didn't take the two very long to reach Fremoc, already battling for his life against two Vong warriors.

"Hey guys, want to join the party?" asked Fremoc stabbing one Vong warrior and turning to engage the other.

"We just came here to watch," said Macron as he ignited his lightsaber and started to attack a Vong warrior that was sneaking up behind the Knight. Manji found a Vong for himself and started to engage the Vong himself.

"Feels like old times doesn't it Mac?" asked Manji as he parried a amphistaff and cut the Vong warrior's hand off.

"Almost, just the big Knight over here isn't a Journeyman anymore, he he," replied Macron as he pushed a amphistaff away from him and stabbed through the crab armor.

"I heard that," came from Fremoc as he stared down another Vong. Just then the rest of the Night Raptors and D-SOG troops came into the room with Teu and Ryuk finding a warrior to themselves to fight. The others started firing their weapons at any remaining Vong that was left standing. As the fighting was going on Fremoc noticed a familiar face over in the corner of the room but was also mutated by coral rock on his body. "Will?"

Fremoc quickly cut off the Vong warrior's head and started to walk towards the corner where he saw William Darkfire. "Follow me Fremoc..." Came a voice distorted but also sounding like William. The Knight started walking down the hallway towards the voice when a figure came out of the shadows igniting its lightsaber illuminating the shadows.

"Will! What are you doing? What happened?" asked Fremoc, concerned about the well being of his Raptor comrade as the light of Will's lightsaber illuminated Will's face.

"You shall die like the rest." William brought his lightsaber high and brought it down towards Fremoc who blocked it.


Hall of Confluence
Yammka's Sword

One of the organic doors opened, revealing a large Vong warrior with lightsabers around his waist. Varesh was a large Yuuzhan Vong Slayer, who had no tolerance for Jedi or Sith or any kind of the mix.

"Seeeth... You are mine!" said Varesh directed towards Manji who was dispatching another Vong warrior. Macron stabbed his lightsaber through another one himself, and walked over to his friend and stood next to him.

"Well Mac, shall we do this together?" asked the One Eyed Dragon.

"Of course, my master," said the Alchemist. The rest of the Night Raptors and D-SOG troopers were fighting the other Vong, while the Violator Gas Bomb was waiting not far from them so that it would not accidently go off. The Krath and Sith rose their lightsabers into defensive positions as the Vong Slayer brought his amphistaff up as well.

Inside the Yammka’s Sword
Extraction Point

“What the hell is wrong with you Will?” shouted Fremoc as he blocked a horizontal slash from William’s lightsaber. His reply came in the form of a lunge to the heart. He quickly dodged it and brought down his own saber, pinning William’s to the ground. He kneed him in the chest and hopped backwards, gaining some elbow room.

He gave up ground quickly as he deflected the Jedi Hunter’s quick strikes, staying on the defensive rather than striking down one of his own battle team members. Regardless of why William was attacking him, he was still an ally and a valuable member of the team; he couldn’t bring himself to kill a brother.

Fremoc had never known William was capable of wielding a lightsaber so proficiently. His blade sliced through the air quickly and efficiently, and, although far from being outmatched, Fremoc still struggled with the effort to keep him at bay. He ducked under a slash aimed at his throat and lifted his saber above his head, blocking William’s downward slash.

His position was far from ideal now, though. In giving up so much ground, he was now inches away from a wall, leaving him nowhere to go but forward. Knelt down and pushing with all his might against William’s saber, he sighed mentally. He didn’t have any other options anymore, he couldn’t jeopardize the mission for one traitor’s life.

Calling on the Force to give him strength, he shot up, throwing Darkfire off of him. He thrust his open palm into William’s chest and sent the crazed Obelisk spiraling backwards. As William recovered and stood up, Fremoc got a good look at what had become of William for the first time.

His left leg was no longer human; it was covered by vonduun crab armor, and had pus seeping out the gaps. His shirt had been ripped open, and tentacles stuck out from his chest, wiggling in a spasmodic fashion. Odd inscriptions and drawings had been carved into his body, making him appear as some sort of ritualistic warrior.

His face seemed to have suffered the worst. His nose was bent in every direction, the bone shattered by an amphistaff. His top lip was swollen and his left ear was missing; it appeared to have been ripped off. However, the most disgusting feature by far was the throbbing mass growing out of his forehead. Two fleshy horns protruded outward from a pulsating lump in the middle of his forehead. Dozens of jet black veins covered the growth and his face, throbbing at uneven intervals.

Fremoc couldn’t help but grimace at the sight of his mutilated comrade, his mind naturally wandering to the means of the transformation. He had been learnt of the Shaper’s methods and he knew they were not humane in any way. He quickly reminded himself that this thing was still his enemy, and he raised his saber again.


“Krel os’a hmi va ta!” Shouted William, charging yet again at the Dark Jedi Knight. This time, however, Fremoc didn’t hesitate to do what he had to. In one fluid motion, he caught William’s slash with one of his own, dropped his shoulder underneath the charging Hunter and flipped him over his back.

William tried to jump up, but Fremoc kicked him in the face before he could, the steel boot breaking William’s jaw in the process. Desperate to win, the Hunter swung at Fremoc’s legs, hoping to take them out at the knees. Before he could connect, his saber flew out of his hand and into Fremoc’s.

“It’s over Will, give up!” stated Fremoc, crossing the sabers and resting their beams just above William’s throat.

“You wouldn’t kill one of your own Sseeth...You are weak! Brenzlit!” The words came from William’s mouth in William’s voice, but it was definitely not William who was speaking.

“Who the hell are you?”

“It matters not to you Sseeth...”

“What the frak did you do to William?”

“I set him free... from your kind. I showed him The Light... he rejected it. So instead I gave him the light. He is mine! I control him now! This yorik-kul gives me all the power! We Are One!”

Fremoc stood over him for a brief second, his face even and emotionless. His retracted his sabers back into their hilts and clipped them to his belt.

“No, you aren’t.” He lunged forward and grabbed the growth on William’s forehead. Using all his strength, he ripped it off of Darkfire’s head, taking the majority of his face with it. His screams echoed throughout the ship.

Within the Korr Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka's Sword,
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

“Ylith’s breath was deep, his chest was heaving up and down in a rush of adrenaline. It all
happened so fast yet in his eyes it all happened in slow motion. He watched as fire swirled
around him and the platform he stood on began to rupture with pieces falling down into the
scorching hot magma. He felt a liquid substance fall down onto his cheek and raised his head
to find a Falleen watching him, in silence, in disbelief. The two stood face to face, no words were
spoken yet a thousand conversations were held by the looks in there eyes. Blood dripped on
the Valheru’s face as he watched his saber shimmering, burning through the chest of his
adversary. Only moments ago the same man had become the universe, had become god,
had become the physical manifestation of the Dark Side itself, yet now he stood, broken, by
a mere mundane creature who stood outside of the Force, outside of life itself.
 
The man grunted, roared, every fiber of his body resisted the Valheru and he lashed out, not
only attacking the physical form, but the mind as well, rendering it, tearing it, obliterating it
and at that precise moment I was born.
 
And I waited, waited during the years you sought to push me out of your soul and out of your
mind, I waited until that damned Valheru spirit you cared for so much was driven outside of
your body by your own brother, I waited until a time where your mind and body would be
weakened enough for me to reveal myself. Here I am.”
 
“Here I am..”
 
Ylith opened his eyes and watched as he had returned to his inner self, a world floating through
space and time, memories portrayed the sky which was covered in darkened clouds.
 
“Vexatus…” The Valheru said and the entity in front of him laughed.
 
“No, though he was the catalyst that birthed my existence… You may call me…Vexylith..”
 
“Vexylith?”
“Yes, fitting name isn’t it? Do not try to comprehend what I am Ylith, all you need to know is
that in due time when I have no need for you anymore I will put an end to your life and
everyone in it, you will suffer and through it I shall gain in strength. You’re weak Ylith, you’ve
grown weak when you hesitated to destroy Arcona when we had the chance. Those rotten
pieces of vermin still crawl around like maggots. You grew weak when you sought to protect
your ‘precious’ family by playing that [Expletive Deleted] into submission. Such a waste of
blood to be spilled…”
 
Ylith gritted his teeth and tried to resist but found he couldn’t move.
 
“Not a chance in hell you can even touch me Ylith, mind you I will get to you soon, just
stay alive until when. Oh, and Ylith… You should duck…”
 
In a flash the Battlemaster snapped out of his vision and saw Vasi’s fist sailing towards his
face with an impressive speed. He could barely lower his head in time enough to avoid it
and fell down on the ground, quickly raising his arm to parry an incoming kick strengthened
by the Force, hard enough to launch Ylith upwards back onto his feel. The bone in his lower
arm almost snapped clean in half due to it, he gritted his teeth and pushed himself back to
get some distance before launching full forward again, slashing his Amphiistaff at the Shamed
One. Empowering himself with the Force Vasi blocked the incoming blow with his bare hands
and the two eyed each other for a moment. “You fight well Seeth, perhaps there is more to
you than meets the…eye…”
 
Suddenly Ylith’s eye erupted into a fiery spectrum of pain, sharp pain, dull pain, deep pain,
every kind of pain ran through his eye. Vasi used the Force to play a powerful hallucination
upon the Battlemaster, taking him back to where the Shaper’s worm shattered his eye and
and began eating it clean, making his socket ready for shaping.
 
The Valheru fell onto his knee and tried his best to remain conscious, every bone of his body
started to crack under the stress of the Shamed One bearing down on him. The Amphiistaff
hissed as the strain even made it nervous is seemed. Suddenly his mind echoed.
 
“Pathetic…”
 
Ylith groaned and tried to push Vasi away from him but found himself paralyzed.
 
“Let me show you how it’s done…”
 
Before he could object his vision turned black. The Shamed One watched as the Sith in front
of him had his head hanging and laughing, then without a moments pause the Amphiistaff
sliced through Vasi’s hand, black blood erupting from the wound all over the floor. Before
the Vong knew what was going on he felt a harsh kick in his abdomen followed by a large
gashing wound in his chest.
 
Disturbed by the events the Shamed One took his distance. He bent the Force around him
and within a few seconds of deep concentration the wounds healed significantly. As he watched
his opponent he saw someone other than the man he thought before. He now looked at a
man not afraid to die, no fear was carried by him at all.
 
“You are not the same…are you?” Vasi said and Ylith smirked.
“Heh, that weakling has nothing on me. Don’t worry though, I will make sure you’ll remember
me just fine…” Ylith called out laughing, his voice was high pitched and menacing. “I’ll show
you how to truly use the Dark Side.”
 
Vasi laughed and as the crazed Valheru sprinted towards him and sent streams of Force Energy
towards his hand and into his fingertips. Within a split second the bundled up Force Energy
manifested into Force Lightning hurling towards the Battlemaster. Ylith threw his Amphiistaff ahead
of him, landing upright into the floor. The Valheru let himself fall and glided past the staff, which
to Vasi’s surprise served as a lightning rod.
 
Suddenly Ylith was right in front of the Vong and slammed right into his stomach then kicking his
heel into it and launched himself back to get his weapon and threw it as a spear while screaming
joyfully. Vasi could barely avoid the serpent, blood gushing out of the large wound in his side.
Getting tired of it, Vasi bundled the Force in both hand and as Ylith approached and jumped
the Shamed One roared.
 
“Enough!”
 
In one massive blast Ylith was sent through the wall and fell fourty feet down into the central
chamber, landing harshly on his back on a ledge, avoiding him from falling further. As he tried
to open he eyes and move he saw how his Amphiistaff was sailing towards him, with a quick
hand motion the serpent relaxed and fell onto his stomach unharmed nor harming the Sith.
 
The Battlemaster coughed up some blood and rolled back onto his knees, on impact the crazed
mind that called himself ‘Vexylith’ had retreated back into his psyche. He spat some blood down
and began to move back up onto a central pathway, hoping he would find one of the Dlarit Troopers
or even one of his Marka Ragnos Comerades before his wounds would take his life.
 
 

The Vong Cruiser

"They are here," the zabrak said quietly, his eyes closed.
"We are aware of that Jeedai."
"They are fated to win. We must leave."
"I think you over estimate them," the Vong shaper replied.
"Many have underestimated them, to their peril. Now is not the time."
"You leave if you want Jeedai."
"You will come as well. I do not need this vessel. I need you."
"I will not.." Whatever the Shaper would not do was cut short as the zabrak smashed him over the head and picked him up over his shoulder. He quickly moved out of the chamber and down the corridor, heading for a tactical retreat.

Nearby

Agrist stopped, suddenly closing his eyes and concentrating.
Dyrra and Soolin turned around. "Whats wrong?" Dyrra asked.
"Nearby," he replied, "I have to go."
"What?" Soolin demanded, "we have a mission to fulfill."
"Go and fulfill it. Find Manji and the rest. I have something to attend to."
Soolin stared at him, then glanced at Dyrra and shrugged. "Very well."
Agrist slipped off down a side corridor, drawing his saber but not igniting it, feeling the Serpents moving away. He took a deep breath and then moved out into the main corridor and ignited his saber.

The zabrak regarded him with suprise, narrowing his eyes, the unconsious shaper still over his shoulder. "You."
Agrist nodded. "Indeed, Master." He said the last word slowly and meaningfully.
"It has been a long time Agrist." the other told him, dropping the shaper casually and his hand going to his belt where his double bladed saber hung.
"I heard you died," Agrist said with an evil grin, "you seem to have recovered."
"Severina wanted a slave. Her death means I am free."
"You have Malisane to thank for that."
The zabrak elder nodded. "Severak's spawn?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
"Here." A voice replied from behind the zabrak, as the robed figure stepped into the light.

Inside the Yammka's Sword

Dyrra shook her head at Agrist’s retreating back, amazed he was running off on his own errands at a time like this.

“If he doesn’t get out of here before that karking bomb goes off, I am not explaining to Tsainetomo,” Dyrra grumbled under her breath as their band of assorted miscreants set off again. She could sense Manji’s familiar presence somewhere ahead, amid a number of others. It was high time they got to that bomb and got the hell out of here. This ship was giving her the creeps – she’d never been around Vong technology before and she would have been fascinated by the ingenuity behind it if she hadn’t felt faintly sickened at the same time.

As Dyrra rounded the corner, she found what they had been searching for. In the distance, she could see her master, his lightsaber whirling around his body as he found a particularly ugly Yuuzhan Vong. Around him, there was a sea of Yuuzhan Vong and Dark Jedi. Yells of pain and war cries mingled in the air. But a short way back from the fighting, there stood the reason they were all here. The Violator Gas Bomb, in all it’s terrifying glory. It was being protected by a number of D-SOG soldiers, but the all the Dark Jedi ahead had their hands full trying to keep the Vong back. There was no one to take the bomb to its final resting place.

As Dyrra took all this in, a couple of Yuuzhan Vong broke past the Ragnosians ahead and headed straight for them, bellowing in their bizarre language. But in between the Vong and their prey was the bomb. Dyrra had just enough time to realise the horrific consequences if the Vong should damage their cargo and used the Force to fuel her muscles, ensuring she got herself firmly in their way.

Ducking under the ugly creature’s amphistaff, she swung her saber towards its head, only to receive a kick in the chest for her trouble. As she stumbled back, she saw Tyren leaping forwards, taking her place and ensuring the Vong was forced back. To her left, Soolin narrowly dodged the second Vong, as he tried to charge into her. Dyrra met the creature’s amphistaff with her saber, giving Soolin just enough time to recover her balance and thrust her violet blade into the Vong’s eye.

Its roar of pain was silenced as someone planted a blaster bolt into its other eye. Dyrra had no idea who – if it was one of the D-SOG troops or one of her own team, but she was glad. She turned to watch Tyren, who was fighting fiercely with his opponent. Soolin ran over to back the Priest up and Dyrra had no doubts they would make short work of their opponent.

She sprinted down the corridor to where her master and the others were. Scanning the crowd for the Night Raptors’ leader, she couldn’t find him.

Where in the nine hells is Fremoc? She hissed telepathically at her master, staying well back from his fight. This bomb needs to get to the detonation point, before some addle brained Vong crashes into it and kills us all!

I’m a little busy, kid, in case you hadn’t noticed.

Manji’s telepathic voice was tense. This fight was taking all that he had, even with Macron at his side. Where had the madman turned up from anyway? Dyrra could have sworn he hadn’t been on the Final Way. Still, she had no time to worry about that now, as a Yuuzhan Vong flung himself upon her. Using her saber to defend herself, she managed to catch the eye of one of the Jade Serpents and bellowed an order at him over the din.

“Get the team, the troops and the VGB and get going already! We’ll cover you as best as we can from here!”

No sooner had the words left her lips, than the wind was knocked from her lungs as the Yuuzhan Vong’s fist met her ribs with a painful cracking sound.

Inside the Yammka's Sword

Ryuk continued battling the Vong that had swarmed the area. There were lightsabers and blaster bolts flying every direction. Among the chaos the Mandalorian saw both Macron and Manji battling a large Vong. Another quick swing and the Guardian removed the head of the Vong he had been battling and started to move closer towards where the bigger Vong was. The closer he got towards the middle of the battle made it more clear that his master was tied up in the battle and time was running short. The VGB had to get moving to it's final location.

Ryuk turned and made his way towards the VGB and the D-SOG troops but was stopped in his tracks by a particularly angry looking Vong. Parrying back and forth with the Vong and his amphistaff. As the staff came down towards his head, Ryuk managed to block it with his saber but felt a slam as the Vongs foot slammed him in the chest.

"You ugly sonofa..." Ryuk hurled his lightsaber at the Vong and missed completly. The Vong made what looked like a smile and raised his Staff for another shot. Before he could bring the attack down Ryuk pulled the saber back through the Vongs body cutting him in two from head to cod.

After climbing back to his feet Ryuk made his way through the battle and to the VGB and the D-SOG troops, "Alright troops, time to get that gorram thing where it needs to be. Stay on me and keep it clear."

Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword

The tsaisi in Varesh's hand snapped wildly at Manji's face, forcing the Epis back. Even as he retreated, Macron stepped into the breach, his twin sabers blazing brightly as he hurled himself maniacally at the Yuuzhan Vong Slayer. Recovering himself, Manji threw his saber back into the fray, the silver blade whirling madly towards Varesh's skull, only to be stopped in a flurry of sparks by the lightsaber wielded by the Vong.

The alchemist and the Kyataran warrior were having difficulty keeping Varesh contained; although both were formidable fighters, the Slayer was beyond their ability and driven by his own rage and hatred. Varesh had nothing left to lose; his fleet was in tatters, his worldship speared by the prow of the Voice of Agony, and his command seemed to be slipping away with the revelation that the Shamed One Vasi Khess was free and coming for him. The Yuuzhan Vong warlord fought with a desperation bordering on the manically insane, his teeth bared and guttural, screaming howls ripping from his throat every few seconds.

His cries mingled with the shouts and screams of Dark Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong killing each other; the warriors of Clan Naga Sadow were giving a good account of themselves, and more Vong corpses littered the floor than black-robed Dark Jedi. As each disciple of Sadow managed to dispatch his opponent, often more by luck than judgement, he would move to assist one of his brethren. However, even as the Dark Jedi began to gain the upper hand, a fresh tide of Yuuzhan Vong emerged from one of the writhing archways into the large hall, pushing the warriors of Naga Sadow back slightly.

Varesh let out another hissing screech, his lightsaber smashing against Manji's hasty defence, sparks grinding from the two weapons. The strength of the Yuuzhan Vong was such that Manji was forced to transfer both hands to the hilt of his weapon, his muscles screaming silently as he tried to hold the Slayer away. Even as he began to sink down onto one knee, Macron launched himself at the Yuuzhan Vong, barreling into Varesh's side and knocking the Vong off balance. Above the din, Manji roared his thanks even as he whipped his saber round and launched another attack, adamant that the only way to defeat Varesh was an unrelenting offensive.

"Saved my ass that time, Mac!"

"As always, Master!"

As the three closed in on each other again, another sound rose above the sounds of combat; a blunt thumping noise with wet overtones. Varesh's head snapped round, followed swiftly by Manji and Macron's, to locate the source of the noise. A huge hole had been ripped in the side of the room and Vasi Khess emerged through it, lightning crackling across his scarred and hunched form. His one eye scanned the room, ignoring everything he saw until alighting on Varesh Shai.

An ungodly scream tore from Vasi's throat as he raised his hands, lightning bursting from his fingertips towards the Warmaster. Varesh's lightsaber was thrown up swiftly, just in time to catch the barrage of coruscating electricity, but the shock of the blow pushed him back several paces. Macron's eyes narrowed in furious rage as he saw Vasi and he began to advance on the Shamed One- only for Manji to grab hold of his arm, holding it in an iron grip.

"Let go of me! That karking abomination must die!"

His expression serious for once, Manji maintained his grip.

"Have you been taking too many of those hallucinogens again? Let him destroy Varesh first!"

Macron's angry retort was overridden by another screeching, inhuman howl of bitter anger from Varesh, lightning sparking along the blade of his saber.

Outside the Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword

Fremoc watched his friend and comrade scream and roll on the floor of the Vong ship. The coral attachments to the boys body where falling off as he rolled on the ground showing that his body was in even worse shape than it was before hand. Fremoc would have started to put bandages on William, but the Knight's aid kit had been left back on Tarthos with the rest of his normal gear. The Knight knelt next to his friend and grabbed him by the arm and lifted William off the ground.

"Come on bud, let's get you back to the rest of the team," said Fremoc as he lifted William onto his shoulder. The Knight grunted as Darkfire's weight was added to his own. Fremoc carried the wounded Night Raptor back towards the Hall of Confluence where the rest of the Night Raptors were.

"Fremoc... I'm sorry... I should have went with the rest of the team instead of staying behind," said William from Fremoc's shoulder.

"It is alright Will, we'll patch you up in no time," replied Fremoc as they entered the Hall of Confluence and saw the chaos that had reigned while they were fighting. Manji and Macron had stopped fighting Varesh, who was now fighting Vasi. Ryuk was walking back into the room with the Violator Gas Bomb surrounded by half a dozen troops. Dyrra was off on the other side of the room fighting Vong warriors with her battle team. Gathering all this in a few second Fremoc pulled Darkfire off his shoulder and sat him on the floor against the wall.

"I'll be back for you, we won't leave you behind." Fremoc jogged over to where Manji and Macron stood watching Vasi and Varesh, "So, were did the other guy come from?"

"Through that hole over there," said Manji as he pointed to the large hole in the wall.

"Lovely," said Fremoc sarcastically. The three men stood and watched the two Yuuzhan Vong battling each other. A flash of red light went passed Macron, Manji and Fremoc straight towards the VGB. The three heard it hit and a shower of sparks emitted from the bomb. All three feared the worst, but when a D-SOG trooper gave the three the okay signal, they relaxed.

"Sir, we have one problem! The remote detonation device has been destroyed!" exclaimed one of the troopers.

"Kark!" yelled Manji, Macron, and Fremoc.

Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Varesh growled in agony as his skin still boiled in response to Vasi's Force Lightning. He cursed
his eyes for betraying him at first but then began his realisation that the dream he thought he
saw was actual fact right before his eyes, a pure abomination of the gods themselves, as if
Yun-Yuuzhan himself spat into the faces of the creators and cursed the title of Chosen Ones.

The Vonduun Crab armour on his back began to sputter and dig their claws deeper into Varesh's
flesh, his birth was a direct violation of the Shaping Protocols and the Caste System in order to
provide the Warmaster with sufficient and powerful guardians to be placed at his side, the
Shamed One he faced now was an abomination unlike any other, he stood wildly, without control
over his new powers yet he boasted and heaved his chest as his mind lifted him to the
regions of godship, sickening.

Vasi stood in front of the Slayer, his arms spread along his sides, bluish lightning crackling within
the palms of his hands waiting for the right moment to strike. Varesh held his Amphiistaff tightly
within his hands and commanded the serpent to form a blade. Vasi watched how the Slayer
revolved into a fighting stance, his black skin was the colour of dried Vong blood, was a clear a
sign of the Slayers in service of the God of War Yun-Yammka. Varesh growled and ran towards the
Shamed One with a fierce dedication.

"Your false godhood shall fall now dog!"

----
Just outside the Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space


The Valheru tried to catch his breath as he arrived at the Hall of Confluence. Barely able to stand
up he watched how the Shamed One was fighting a Slayer, covered in Vonduun Crab armour and
shaped beyond their limits in order to fight harder and better than their other Vong Warriors. He
narrowed his eyes carefully and saw how some of his clansmates were standing on the other side
of the room, clearly waiting for the Vong to kill themselves before making their move, a cowards
choice but an easy one at that. The Sith suddenly reached for his head and groaned heavily as
his other self spoke to him and whispered in his ear.

"Now is our chance, now we can take our revenge, we can decimate them in one single blow."

The voice of Vexylith was coming from behind it shoulder, as if he was standing right behind him
whispering in his ear. "You have been weak when trying to slay Arcona, you allowed Darth Vexatus
to live and haunt you to this very day, you allowed those Vong filth to torment you beyond your
limits and yet you stand here hesitant to take your well deserved revenge en honour. What will it
be Ylith? Glory? Fame? Wealth? A chance to redeem yourself to your Clan maybe?"

Ylith's eyes widened at the last statement, ever since he returned to the Clan he had been followed
with weary eyes and a dark stare wherever he went, he couldnt walk through a single hallway within
Ragnos Cathedral without guards keeping an eye at him. Even his own Brother wouldn't even look
at him, cursing his name for ever being born. Ylith wildly shook his head trying to keep the thoughts
away but instead they started to throb within his mind, the manifestation of Vexylith becoming
stronger and stronger, to the point where the Valheru could swear to feel a hand landing on his
shoulder and feeling him breathe in his neck.

"Allow me to assist you Ylith. Together we can regain your honour and when we have regained their trust,
we can begin our own vengeance, we can forge our own destiny, follow me and we shall become a God."

Ylith rose from his kneeling position and rose his head, his emerald eye shining brightly next to his
dark red Vong engineered eye. Vexylith dissapeared and entered his mind again, in unisome they
started to grin and nodded. The Scorpion rose again.

----
Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Varesh pushed forward, slamming hard at Vasi who used the Force itself to shield himself and to
counter the Slayer's attacks. It was a battle of the titans, both Vong fighting to regain their glory
and none of the two were willing to step a single inch backwards for the other. Sparks were flying
and lightning crackled into the coral walls leaving a trail of scorches. Varesh left small tears in the
floor and walls wherever his weapon landed. The sheer force of the attacks were large enough to
split an average human clean in half. The two elder Vong were a perfect symbol of why their race
failed to conquer the galaxy, religion and a struggle for power breaking them in halves allowing
Yuuzhan Vong to fight Yuuzhan Vong in an epic struggle for domination, as is with most civilisations
with hiërarchy.

The Dark Jedi were watching from the far corner of the room, watching how the two Vong titans were
slamming into eachother and pushing away again, fighting for honour and dominance. Manji looked
through his one eye and became slightly worried at the sheer size of the battle, none of them seemed
to gain any ground on the other yet their surroundings were beginning to visibly suffer under their
attacks. Macron watched as well, growling and infuriated that he was not able to slay those Vong
himself.

Their eyes suddenly moved to Vasi, who seemed to draw the Force to him at a massive scale, it has
been a while since the Force was drawn this hevaily upon and before Varesh could make a move to
counter it Vasi struck, slamming his flattened hand right between the Vonduun Crabs latched onto his
chest. The other hand followed right next to it and Varesh struggled, slamming Vasi in the stomach
and head. he was beginning to bleed but he still kept on holding tight. Manji rose from his seat as
he watched in awe, watching how Vasi roared and used the newfound powers to enhance his muscles
and tear the armour apart. The Crabs who had their claws embadded in the Slayer's flesh started to
latch on harder, trying desperately to keep with their host, in the progress Varesh's own chest was
torn open through this, dousing the Shamed One in a shower of black Vong blood.

Varesh roared in agony as Vasi released the Slayer onto the ground and threw the now useless pieces
of armour aside. The Slayer however rose almost instantly and attacked the Shamed One again,
getting weaker by the second but not willing to back down any time soon the Slayer pressed the attack.
Even when his chest was scorched and his blood was boiled by Vasi's favoured Force Lightning he kept
on going, he kept on attacking. Macron watched carefully as he saw the two fight and couldnt help but
to giggle. "Remarkable."
"You said it Brother." Manji said in return and they turned around to find the Violator Gas Bomb being
carried to them by a few of the D-SOG troopers. Even through the detonator was damaged only a few
moments ago they decided to haul the massive bomb inside and have the detonator repaired on the
spot as the damage after all did not seem to be severe. Manji was surprised to find that Macron had
already devised a way to do so, and he did so with his trademark grin.

Manji's surprise was short as another surprise suddenly revealed itself from the shadows. He saw a
human like figure jump from the other side of the room, armed by a Vong's Amphiistaff. It was not
untill he noticed the serpentine emerald eye that he knew who he was facing. "Ylith?"

Ylith ran through the room, towards the two Vong titans fighting in the middle, blinded by the sweet
nectar of vengeance he ran, Vexylith laughed inside his mind, a laughter of joy, a laughter that
forebode a darker future. Vasi rose his head and gritted his teeth, clearly agitated facing the same
Sith over and over again.

"Die!" Ylith roared, Vexylith lending him all his strength and using the Force and his element of surprise
to empower his muscles even further, slamming himself right into the Shamed One's abdomen, sending
him flying. Manji and Macron's eyes widened in pure horror as the Vong slammed right into the Violator Gas
Bomb, which fell out of the hands of the D-SOG troopers and slid against the hard Coral wall.

Amazed to be still alive the Dark Jedi watched as a small leak in the gass spread it over Vasi which started
to scream horrifically, a screeching sound as the gas started to eat it's way through his chest and left a large
gaping hold that spread more and more. In his last moment the Shamed One lashed out with a lightning surge
towards the Valheru which left a heavy scorch mark running over his chest.

Ylith fell onto his knees, breathing hard and his vision was spinning before his eyes. Sweat dripped over his
head and he couldnt move another muscle. All he could do was watch how the Slayer that Vasi fought only
a moment before was now edging his way.

Macron quickly moved to the bomb and used his suit to prevent his arms from being eaten away and grabbed
the torn hose with his fist, closing the leak but was unable to move himself. Manji gritted his teeth at the
situation and did not know either to thank Ylith for showing up or to curse him. He watched as Ylith was picked
up by the head and thrown aside, slamming harshly into the coral wall next to Manji. Macron cursed and faced
Manji, "There is no way in hell I can repair this now! All we can do is detonate it manually." The Keibatsu cursed
underneath his tongue but had little time to do so as Varesh roared and ran towards the Dark Jedi, willing to
wiping them from the face of the galaxy.

Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

For the first time in years Tyren blacked-out. Yelling at the top of his lungs, the crazed Priest charged the oncoming Vong Slayer head on. Manji, Dyrra, Fremoc, Soolin, Ryuk - all followed suit.

Varesh slashed horizontally, aiming to meet his blade with Tyren's abdomen, but the Priest tumbled under the cut, slashing the Slayer over his Crab armor. The blade fizzled as it met the durable plates but re-ignited only a millisecond later meeting the serpentine weapon mid-way. The force of the blow smashed Tyren's knee into the pavement.

Manji and the rest flanked the Vong on the other side but the monstrous warrior focused on Tyren, he would kill them one by one or all at once, no matter what. The amphistaff slashed around Varesh threatening to kill anyone it struck. Tyren finally cut lose from the Vong's iron strength and rolled back away from the crazed beast.

Varesh was surrounded by half a dozen Dark Jedi, all competent fighters, each slashing his way through the Slayers Vonduun armor plates. Varesh screamed and swung his clawed hands catching Dyrra across the face. The young woman rotated around herself a few times before landing on her back across the room. Soolin caught a punch in the abdomen, sending him backwards into the crab wall. Fremoc's shirt came off, ripped into shreds as three long scars adorned his naked chest. He stumbled back on his backside, moving away from the onslaught.

The slayer's hand came around cathing Tyren's head as the Krath tried to move. As he swung his amhistaff once more, he threw Manji and Ryuk a few feet away.

Holding the Priest up by his cheeks, Varesh looked into the Krath's eyes.
"I will kill you all, Sseeth filth." the Vong said in bad basic.
"Mm-btfh!" Tyren mumbled into the Vongs hand.
"What?"
Tyren pushed his chin through the iron grip, just barely managing to speak.
"My blasters, your chest!"

Varesh looked down, seeing two Westar-37 blasters pointed at his, now opened chest. Tyren pulled the triggers sending a blast of crimson fury into the slayer. Varesh let go the Priest and stumbled back, his chest burning.

"Now, Manji!" Tyren yelled as he fell on his back. Manji, Fremoc, Soolin, Dyrra, Ryuk, all simultaneously ignited their sabers and pushed through the Vong's chest as he turned around, silencing the goliath forever. As Varesh fell to the floor, cursing whatever gods he believed in, Tyren walked over to his brother, unconscious on the floor.

"Why do i always have t pull you out of these situations?" he said with a slight annoyance and pulled his brother over his shoulder.
"Damn it Ylith, you weight a ton."
"We've cleared the way back to the extraction point." Aurora said, running to the other Dark Jedi.
"Good! Now let's get this over with." tyren said taking Ylith back to extraction.

Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

"Welcome Malisane." Agrist said calmly.
The Aedile walked forward slowly, glancing down at the shaper then the zabrak. "Tslotha. You belong dead."
The zabrak regarded him coldly. "As do you."
Agrist glanced at the shaper. "You were running away Master."
The Zabrak snarled and leapt forward, his double bladed saber igniting as he sliced at the mercenary. Agrist blocked then moved backwards quickly as the elder reversed the strike.
Malisane moved forward his own saber igniting and he lunged for the zabrak's back. Tslotha span and flipped, blocking the strike in mid air before landing smoothly and hacking at the Aedile.
Agrist moved quickly forward on the attack, trying to keep the Elder between them to wear him down.

Tslotha sensed this, and moved backwards, blocking strkes from both equites and attacking back with his own. Unlike the encounter at Vanise Tower he was in a rush now. He knew he had to leave with the shaper or his plans were ruined. "I do not have the time for this."
Agrist shrugged. "Surrender then."
Tslotha laughed and leapt forward, slicing at the mercenary again, Agrist just catching the blade inches from his throat. Malisane attacked and the zabrak moved back again blocking the strike and countering. Then the elder kicked out catching Malisane a suprise blow and the Aedile's head smashed against the wall, leaving him stunned.
Agrist focused on the enemy. It had been a long time since his training on mustafar, and the elders death. Now he'd come so far. Tslotha would die again, for good.

He glanced around at footsteps behind him, as an escaping Vong warrior group entered and surveyed the scene curiously. Tslotha also paused studying the newcomers. He could sense the elders annoyance was as great as his own. Then the zabrak glanced at Agrist, his deadpan tatooed face boring into the mercenaries.
Agrist nodded. The two Sith turned and attacked as one, Tslotha's blade slicing amongst the Vong in lightning speed, Agrists own red blade not quite matching it but laying into the vong with confidence. It was over quickly and largely one sided.

Tslotha turned back to the mercenary. "You still fight well."
Agrist nodded. "Yeah."
The zabrak laughed. "I could kill you now."
"Possibly."
Tslotha studied his former apprentice, then deactivated his saber. "Later." He stooped and picked up the shaper.
Agrist moved backwards cautiously. He could probably strike down the Elder. But like Tslotha he knew time was short, and nothing was certain. "This isn't over."
"Good." Tslotha turned and Agrist watched him well.
Agrist watched him leave, then turned to revive the Aedile.
Malisane pushed himself to his feet, and frowned. "What happened?"
"We're leaving," Agrist replied. Malisane studied him coldly, then followed him towards the ships.

Hall of Confluence
Inside the Yammka's Sword, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Macron knelt next to the damaged violator gas bomb, not daring to let go of the broken hose. With no way of repairing it, Macron would have to stay behind and activate the bomb manually once everyone else had reached a safe distance, sacrificing himself for the good of the Clan; for the good of the universe, really. It didn’t make the decision to stay behind any easier, though; no matter how noble the cause, it was still just suicide to him. But someone had to do it, and if not him, who?

He glanced over his shoulder, first looking at the body of the slain Warmaster, then at each of his clan mates; a mixture of remorse and despair covered their faces. He turned back and noticed William sprawled out against the wall, his head dangling limply to one side. Fremoc followed Macron’s glance and recoiled as he saw him laying there.

“Fraking hell, I forgot about William!” he shouted, dashing to the side of his fallen Battleteam Member. He carefully lifted his head to face him, making sure not to hurt him.

“Will, are you ok? Damn man, talk to me.” William stared back blankly for a few seconds, then coughed into the Knight’s chest, adding his blood to Fremoc’s own. He recovered and looked back into his Battleteam Leader’s eyes morbidly. He tried to take a deep breathe, but stopped halfway in agony. He looked down at the hole in his chest, then lifted his head, resting it against the wall with a thud.

William spoke, his voice barely a whisper, “Move...”

“What? Speak up, I can’t h-”

“MOVE!” he roared. Fremoc stepped aside, taken aback slightly by his aggression. William lifted himself up, using the wall as a prop. He tried to take a step forward, but his left leg collapsed underneath him, pus squirting out as his knee hit the ground. He gasped loudly, his body rigid from the pain.

“Kark it, Will, don’t try to move! I’ll carry you back to the extraction point, man,” he stared in horror at the rapidly deteriorating state of his friend, “you’ll make it out of this, Will, I promise.” William shook his head slowly and seemed to smile; it was almost impossible to tell with most of his face ripped off.

“No... No, I won’t,” he said, looking up at the group standing around him, “I’m not going to...”


“William! Let Fremoc carry you out of here, you can still make it if we hurry,” screamed Dyrra, unwilling to see another one of her clanmates die.

“Don’t you get it? This isn’t about making it to the ship or not, that doesn’t matter. I mean, just look at me! Even if I make it back home, I’ll lose this leg, my face is already gone, and... I don’t even know what they could do to try and fix what that parasite did to my innards. I’m not gonna make it!” He let himself fall forward and dragged his body to the bomb, where he picked himself up to his knees.

“But you’re fine,” he said to Macron, “you’re all fine - you’ll all make it. Let me stay behind, I’ll activate the bomb.”

“I started this whole thing. I shut down the defenses and helped them take over. I stole the baby, and I made Vasi because of that. After what I did-”

“You were under their control when you did all of that, Mac, you couldn’t have helped it,” William interrupted, “You’ve done more for this clan than I can even remember. You could do this two more times and we’d still be in debt to you.” He sat there thinking silently for a moment.

“Let’s move the spotlight onto me, though... Who here can remember even one good thing I’ve done for anyone other then myself?” He looked around at the blank faces, knowing none of them would have an answer. “See my point? The clan needs you Mac, not me.” He grabbed the hose firmly in his hands, waiting for Macron to let go.

“Go. Trust me, I’ll be fine,” he added with a smirk, which looked extremely unnatural on his skeletal face. Macron sighed and relinquished his grip on the tube and stood up. He turned and walked to the rest of the group. He placed his hands on Fremoc’s and Dyrra’s shoulders.

“Let’s go, we don’t have much time,” he said, his voice sad. They all turned away from William and ran out the Hall towards the extraction point. William listened to their footsteps until he couldn’t hear them anymore. Then he turned to the bomb and stared at the activation switch, ready to hit it once they were all safely away.

Inside the Yammka's Sword
En-route to the extraction point

The warriors of Sadow tore through the remaining groups of Yuuzhan Vong that tried to block their path, disappearing out of the Hall of Confluence and leaving William behind. Slumped back against the bomb, the Hunter watched them go and waited, his finger hovering over the activation switch.

The corridors of the Yammka's Sword were beginning to writhe horrifically; the ship was still being bombarded from the outside, although sustaining fairly minimal damage, and the damage caused by the Voice of Agony was still damaging the structural integrity of the Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser. Manji, Macron, Fremoc, Dyrra, Ryuk and the rest of the brave disciples of Sadow moved as quickly as they could through the glistening corridors, occasionally thrown against the walls as the ship lurched and groaned loudly.

Another brace of Vong emerged from a side passage and sought to block their progress, the aliens fighting desperately and suicidally, aware that they had no chance of surviving. Without breaking stride, Manji and Macron slashed through the small group of Vong warriors, Manji's blade finding the gap at the hip of one Vong's crab armour and dropping him screaming to the floor, there to be finished by a thrust to the face from Ryuk. Macron's twin sabers gouged into the armpits of another Vong warrior, this alien's fate decided by Dyrra's saber hacking his lower jaw away from his head.

Like a lightning strike, the disciples of Sadow tore through the aliens and continued towards their ships, determination lending them wings. Raising her voice over the sounds of the battle outside and the cries of the Vong ship, Dyrra shouted an order to the Jade Serpents behind her.

"Serpents, on me! We're heading back to our Extraction Point!"

At the same time, a telepathic message whipped through the air, alighting softly in Dyrra's mind.

Take care of yourself on the way out, kid.

Was that... concern? Did ol' One-Eye just act concerned about me?!

Dyrra's gaze snapped towards her Master; his face was fixed on the corridor ahead of them, betraying no hint of compassion or concern for her wellbeing. She chuckled quietly as she darted away from his group, heading down the corridor that would lead her, Tyren and the Serpents back to their craft. The hallways opened up before Manji and Macron's group, the alchemist following Fremoc onto his shuttle as the other Dark Jedi boarded the shuttle or their own fighters.

***

At both of the extraction points, the disciples of Sadow made their escape, engines flaring into life and lifting them out of the groaning Yuuzhan Vong ship. Outside the Peace Brigade fleet was in tatters; almost all of her ships had been ripped apart by the hail of fire from the Dlarit Navy, and the Patriot's Fist was practically crippled, limping helplessly away from the battle but still under thick waves of fire. The sky was still littered with explosions as the flotilla of Sadowan ships forced their way through the battle towards the Final Way, a safe distance from the Yammka's Sword.

Then Manji turned his fighter around and cut the engines, eager to watch the final demise of the filth who'd infected the Orian system.

Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka’s Sword
Freefall, Koros-Strohna Worldship Baanu Amnan, Tingel Arm, Wild Space

Throughout the behemoth grand cruiser, giant maggots swallowed Vong whole as they surged into escape ships, a yellowy sea of writhing worms erupting from the ship’s surface. Amphistaffs hissed and snapped together, fanged mouths lashing against each other as Yammka Vong fought Yuuzhan Vong, battling over the remaining yorik-trema as they peeled off from the grand cruiser’s surface, others piling into black tombstones of yorik coral, spiralling off into space in yorik-ta escape pods.

Balls of superheated plasma continued to stream between the warring ships of the two domains, the Children of War of Domain Shai oblivious to the death of their Warmaster, or else beyond carrying. A servant of the God of War did not run. The Children of War did not hide. The Yammka Vong would readily give their lives for the Great Sacrifice and the cleansing of the Promised Land.

All heretics would die.

The Yammka continued to fall downward on its doomed collision course with the nearest relic of the shattered worldship, from which the mighty grand cruiser herself had been grown. Fire still lanced as the warship spiralled, belching lava and yanking incoming kamikaze coralskippers to their dooms, dark singularities flashing all across her surface where dovin basals fought to devour the ongoing turbolaser strikes from the burning Peace Brigade ships still remaining.

The Final Way and her small escort broke away, taking the Sith and Krath and Dark Jedi to safety...

[center]* * *[/center]

The stench from the half-dissolved body by his feet scorched William’s nostrils, and he was sure he could feel a drop of blood running from where the vapours burned through his nose as if it were acid. He reminded himself: it probably was acid. He snorted involuntarily, then kicked the skinless skull next to him hard enough that Vasi’s head ripped free of its spine with a wet slurp and slid across the floor more like a formless sponge than bone and cartilage.

Hurried footsteps still echoed in the distance, accompanied by battle cries as Vong fought Vong. The Hall of Confluence itself was now abandoned, only the dead still left to keep him company.

How fitting . . . Will thought, his hand still gripping hold of the loose hose of the violator gas bomb.

His free hand still hovered over the manual trigger on the side of the bomb—webs of yorik coral interlaced between his fingers, imbedded between the bones, some delicately tracing his veins along the underside of his arm.

He lifted his gaze back to the bomb itself. In the uneven light from the glow lichen on the walls, he could just make out his reflection in the metallic surface—his skinless, skull-like face, staring back at him; his blue eyes drained of any warmth, only a cold, grey darkness looking back from the depths.

He could hear voices in the not-so-far distance. Harsh and guttural, more coughs and snarls than words. Vong. A pair of heavily armoured hunters entered the elaborately decorated hall. Both their amphistaffs’ tongues flicked out, sampling the air, then their heads shot to look at him.

The Vong’s eyes widened at the sight of the Warmaster’s mangled body in the middle of the hall.

One of the pair screamed in Will’s direction.

[center]* * *[/center]

‘Brenzlits!’ the supreme commander cried, ripping his cognition hood off his face. ‘The Sseeth flee!’

Romm Shai shot to his feet and slammed a fist through the swarm of red blaze bugs representing the Sith Star Destroyer and her escort squadrons. His head snapped round to one of the battle tacticians, the Yammka Vong’s bulging eyes now eying his captain fearfully.

Romm snarled and with the back of his hand smacked the staring face aside.

A voice from another crewmember arose behind Romm, ‘The Warmaster . . .’

The subaltern did not finish.

Romm spun round again. ‘What?!’

‘He . . . he has fallen.’

Romm’s eyes went as wide as the tactician’s who had been gawping at him. ‘No! The Khattazz al’Yammka cannot fall! He is the Avatar of the Slayer!’ The subaltern did not argue—he couldn’t; Romm’s already bloodstained coufee had shot right through the other Yammka Vong’s throat.

Romm suddenly heard scratches and hammering somewhere behind him.

[center]* * *[/center]

‘FOR THE EXTOLLED!’

The clenched sphincter tore apart beneath the frenzied thrashing of coufees and sharpened debris and clawed implants as the horde of Shamed Ones knifed at the gateway to the Yammka’s bridge, ripping through the muscle before surging inside like a bloodthirsty fero xyn swarm.

Ushk Karsh charged inside first, swinging the bone club he had ripped from a warrior’s arm socket. The other Shamed Ones—the other Extolled—poured into the bridge behind him, their makeshift weapons and lifeless amphistaffs-turned-plain whips thrashing about as they took the warriors by surprise, severing arteries, crushing skulls, slitting throats.

At the head of the bridge, Romm Shai turned to face them—his body silhouetted against the rapidly nearing mountain ranges that were fast growing outside the central viewport. The long moustache-flaps of skin dangling from the supreme commander’s nose reared up as his lipless mouth snarled.

‘HERETICS!’ the warleader roared and leapt from the head of the bridge into the swarm of outcasts.

[center]* * *[/center]

The two hunters, both nearly twice the size of an ordinary human, glowered at William from across the other end of the Hall of Confluence. If looks could kill, the sheer murderous glare in their eyes would have done so a dozen times over. The Vong both seemed momentarily frozen, speaking urgently into the leathery balls perched on each their shoulders, not taking their eyes off him.

The skin around Will’s hand was starting to burn; when he glanced down, he could already see the flesh around his fingers peeling off where some of the gas was still escaping. He fought down the pain and looked back at the two Vong. According to the tizowyrm that had been forcefully inserted in his ear, they were still apparently deliberating what to do.

Vong truly were useless without their gods.

A few moments later, the villips on their shoulders folded away again, then they turned back to him.

Will closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.

‘There is no peace; there is anger,’ he whispered to himself.

‘There is no fear; there is power.
There is no death; there is immortality.
There is no weakness; there is the Dark Side.
I shall render unconditional obedience to my Clan.’

The two Vong were still coming, the gleam in their eyes as hot as the core of a star.

Will grinned at them, snorting at their confused expressions, then continued speaking ever louder.

‘I shall defend with my life the sacred body of the Brotherhood.
I shall never reveal its secrets to those uninitiated in its ways.
I shall hunt down and destroy all those who would cause it harm.
I shall submit to the will of those appointed over me so long as doing so causes the Brotherhood no harm.
I shall seek an end to the cursed light, and bring darkness to all whom I conquer.’

The two Vong were but a few more rows of stools from the throne on which the bomb now sat.

‘BEFORE THIS BODY AND IN SHADOWED SECRECY DO I SWEAR THIS CREED.
SO BE IT, UNTIL THERE IS NO LIGHT, BUT A RESURRECTION OF THE EMPIRE OF DARKNESS!’

Will let go of the hose when the hunters were within ten meters of him. He screamed, the gas bursting over his wrist as his skin started to dissolve, as the yorik coral along his arm began to bubble and crumble apart, as the heat seared into his flesh toward his own bone.

‘Phahg, Jeedai,’ one of the two Vong cursed and went to strike before Will could kill himself—

The Dark Jedi Knight had just enough time to smile at the Vong and shout, ‘See you in hell!’, then jabbed his forefinger into the trigger.

[center]* * *[/center]

The shockwave flung Romm to the floor, tumbling across the other Yammka Vong and Shamed Ones until he landed atop Ushk, whose face now seemed to be melting. Romm flinched back and pressed himself off the Shamed One’s body, stumbling back in the zero gravity as the Yammka neared terminal velocity—the surface of the Baanu Amnan looming directly outside the viewport.

Romm staggered backward into one of the banks of villips that made up the villip choir. He felt himself fall right through them, his arms passing through normally hard balls like sponge mould. When he looked down, his eyes went wide in shock—

His arm was missing halfway down his radius.

He looked up again and saw the rest of his arm—hand still attached—back atop Ushk, the bone jutting out of the Shamed One’s body. He cringed. Pain was shooting through his face as if it had been plunged in firejelly. He reached up with his remaining hand to brush it aside—

Only to brush half his nose off his face.

Romm finally noticed the sound of others doing exactly the same thing, their voices screaming, seeing the mangled bodies of all the other Yuuzhan Vong throughout the bridge falling apart, their skin dissolving, their bones bending, their eyes dripping out of their sockets—

Suddenly, everything went black, and Romm screamed.

The last thing he felt was his body be hurled across the room before fire engulfed him.

Lucrehulk-class Battlesphere Patriot’s Fist
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

The Fist was pulling away from the Yammka as fast as her battered engines could move it. Warning sirens continued to blare and hazard lights flashed, bathing the bridge in a bright red glow, painting the walls red as if they were smothered in blood. Admiral Yashais dei Izvoshra continued to stare out at the grand cruiser as it finally entered the atmosphere of the nearest chunk of the Baanu Amnan.

Yashais did not see what happened next.

Without warning, the Yammka’s Sword was replaced with something brighter than the distant stars. For a few seconds, the eternal night became day. No one, not even the mindless Chazrach slaves, dared look directly into the heart of the newborn inferno. Not even the transparisteel windows set on full polarisation combined with multiple shields could dim the crucible of a new star.

Then space filled temporarily with trillions of microscopic metal coral fragments, propelled past the retreating Dlarit and Synergy Corporation ships by the nuclear birth of the artificial sun.

But the Fist was too slow to outrun the blast wave. The last thing Yashais saw was the shining brilliance eclipse his eyes when something large and burning crashed through the forward viewport.

Republic-class Star Destroyer Final Way
Tingel Arm, Wild Space

The Star Destroyer’s bridge shuddered as the ripple quaked through it as it continued to pull away to escape the detonation. It all lasted less than ten seconds. Then the wave receded and the flare collapsed, the lingering residue continuing to consume itself—as it would for several days until it finally burned itself out once it used up what remained of the Yammka and the last of the worldship that should have died three years ago at Telos.

Araic Simonetti opened his eyes a few moments later once he was certain the blast was finished.

Looking out across the enemy fleets, he could no longer see the Yammka’s Sword or the planetoid fragment it had crashed into. The other large Yuuzhan Vong warships were simultaneously falling out of orbit of the other planetoids they too were anchored over, venting bodies out of massive breaches that had now penetrated every single major ship in the Vong fleet, their green and yellow organic innards spilling into the cold vacuum like alien pus and blood.

The fleet admiral fell back into his chair and shut his eyes.

By his order, Operation Rancor had just silenced thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of lives.

The turbolift doors at the rear of the bridge chimed open and he opened his eyes again to see the alchemist he had long condemned as a madman stroll inside. Araic could not help but smirk.

Outside Courtyard
Sadow Palace, Sepros Jungle, Orian System

It had been a little over two weeks since the initial attack and much of the palace was still in need of repair, but the hard work of special operations teams under the watch of Colonel Septka—with help from a small droid army, as well as slaves shipped across from the baradium mines, even a team of the warrior Ewoks from Kangaras had been flown in to help with the repair work—had gone a long way to clearing the wreckage left outside, and getting rid of the numerous giant maggot drop ships.

The wing of the Simus Institute remained in ruins and many younglings and apprentices were still in need of rehousing, but it was safe, and the war was at an end. With the Yuuzhan Vong Empire long having fallen, and the surviving Vong warlords now slain, with no more attacks on supply lines along the Orian Pipeline, they could at last rebuild and begin the much needed reconstruction work, and start sending home some of the refugees who had been taken in during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

But all that was in the future.

In the sky above, the outline of the Nebula-class Star Destroyer Dark Star hung beneath the cloud cover, the Overlord himself having hurried home with reinforcements from the Navy of the Iron Throne as soon as Antei had got word of the attack. Thankfully, the Clan had managed on its own.

‘I would like everyone to take a moment to remember William Darkfire for his courage,’ the Overlord was saying. ‘A true knight of Sadow, he gave his life so that all of us may be here today.’ Astronicus raised his cup. ‘To William!’

‘To William!’ the disciples of Sadow all cheered.

Remulus Sadow cooed in Sakura Haruno’s arms. Robert Daragon glanced over and did his best to smile—his face still carried the marks of his days in Yuuzhan Vong captivity. He had been rescued eventually, having been carted off in secret to Sif on the far side of the galaxy, but two full days in a bacta tank had still yet to fully heal his wounds.

The Overlord looked over at his son. ‘It would appear you all now know of Prince Remulus as well,’ he said as his face copied Bob’s smile, then looked back up at the assembled Clan. ‘It is thanks to all of you that the Sadow dynasty continues. To the Disciples of Sadow!’

‘The Disciples of Sadow!’

Tron stood up and tapped his glass for silence.

The Overlord’s smile faded when he continued, ‘As you all also know, my good friend and the first of my disciples, Bob, was gravely injured in the attack. Thanks to your efforts he is able to be with us today, but his injuries will take some time to recover. It is for that reason I have chosen to appoint Manji Sadow as the new emissary to the Dark Council.’ Tron looked across at the Keibatsu, seated between Dyrra and Fremoc.

‘Rise, Consul.’

‘For Manji!’ cried Sai, sounding slightly worse for wear, and was joined by several other equally inebriated cries as everyone welcomed the new Consul.

[center]* * *[/center]

Yorik-ta escape pod
Wild Space

The shaper in the other chair squirmed as the yorik-ta shot through hyperspace into the unknown, the snakes in his headdress copying his actions by writhing against the low ceiling.

‘I’m not going to kill you,’ the Zabrak growled. ‘If I’d wanted you dead I’d have left you there.’

The Yuuzhan Vong studied the heavily tattooed face and narrowed his eyes. ‘You . . . should not be.’

Tslotha Garnath frowned at the shaper then laughed. ‘Nor should you,’ he muttered. ‘It appears we have something in common. The Force didn’t want me either.’

[center]* * *[/center]

Yorik-vec transport
Unknown Regions

The starlines shifted back into stars as the escape pod dropped out of hyperspace.

The lone Yammka Vong stood up and stretched his arms as he looked outside. There was no star nearby, just the endless void of deep space, the one lone asteroid tumbling through the emptiness.

Tsaak Shai let out a long sigh.

He had promised the Warmaster he would keep the legacy of the Yammka Vong alive.

And that was just what he was going to do.

‘Long live the Children of War,’ whispered the new Supreme Overlord.

[CENTER]THE END[/CENTER]