The Start

[AndyHalfelf]

Corran sits in mediate position farseeing into the future trying to find a clue on what he should do, when he suddenly sees a planet, destruction, death, Yuuzhan Vongs and Alliance troops, he tries to focus on the vision and he sees himself along with several key persons, he dosn't know who they are but he know they are important for the outcome of the planet, then suddenly he hear the names "Mirial" and "Elvis", then he snaps out of it, he now knows what to do, he has to find out who or what this Mirial person is, and he knew excatly where to find out. Thereafter he sets out to find Elvis, who's location he had seen in the vision...

[SWARMER]

ooc: i dont really have any ideas so i'm going to make it up as i go. if it doesn't flow, oh-well.

 

Ic: As Samos and Garth left their debreifing with intellegence there was an air of nervousness in the atmosphere. They were instructed to go the the breifing level on level 42. level 42 was a restricted level that only really important people were allowed to go. They were scanned, all weapons removed form their persons at the entrance. As they proceded to the conference room a few people gave them looks of sympathy and of congradulations. It was apparent that they were already well known on this level.

 

Upon entering the room there was six seats infront of one large desk, 4 were occupied. On the ohter side there was 2 seats occupied by two high ranking officers.

 

"Have a seat" said the one on the left. (dubbed Lefty)

 

Righty "You have all been selected to execute a highly secret and dangerous mission. You will all be sent into the heart of the vong territory. Any one who does not wish to do this leave now with no reprocussions."

 

Garth "Waht's the pay?"

 

Lefty "You will be paid upon mission completion, the amount depends on you. The better you do, the more you get."

 

Garth "Works for me"

 

Righty "We have created holoshrodes of vong personelfor you all as desguises. You will take the captured vong ship and insert yourself into a vong fleet. There you will relay us information of the fleets movement, updates on technology and so fourth. After a peroid of time or to extract you if you have been comprimised, we will ambush the fleet."

 

Lefty "Individual assignments have been given to each of you. Meet back here in 2 hours for mission prep and training. Dismissed."

 

ooc: I dont think that that was that bad... oh yea

Samos is mission head and pilot(DEbatable),

I am weapons(i wanna shoot thing but can back down if needed) and tech expert

others are anyone who wishes

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC:

I'll take one of the Jedi to join Samos mission. I doubt luke would allow a sith lord to lead a mission into vong territory, and since they are cooperating.

 

IC:

The call for a volonteer had come earlier. ELvis who was still recovering from a little accident in the hangar, where a piece of metal had pierced his shoulder, had called Luke Skywalker's Jedi squad and some people he knew he could trust.

Cadet Dury and Wedge, and one Corran Ducahi who had popped out of nowhere, to help him. A Scathane officer who guaranteed some hard info on the Vong had too been allowed into the meeting.

"Loor," Elvis said slowly, worriedly, "has sent me word that the Empire will send it's Sith Warrior and it's tech expert on an infiltration mission into the Yuuzhan Vong fleet.

"Any volunteers?"

There was a long silence in the room.

And at last a golden hand raised.

"I'll serve the Force, whether I live or die." Elegaie said solemnly.

Most of them looked shocked, the caamasi was a pacifist, he had preferred using ion cannons in battle, and had always chosen the least aggressive path.

"You want to know why? Yes. Samos captured my apprentice, heir to the line of a friend of mine. Samos tried to corrupt him, and now he has escape. There is a chance that I can find him."

Elvis nodded and appreciated that.

"When will the infiltration occur?" Scathane asked.

"Good question, Commodore, but you should be able to answer it yourself."

He nodded.

"I suppose the Imp have my intel data on Mirial?"

"Probably," Dury spoke quietly. "But the infiltration will no tbe at Mirial, probably at Endor or Hoth, making it appear as if we planned an tactical strike at their worlds, instead of a dirty trick."

Elvis shrugged.

"Now that you deduced as much, Loor said the infiltration will be one of the world they captured. MY guess is Bespin, but Hoth or Endor will work."

"Any other volunteers, we have one Jedi, shouldn't someone represnt the Rebel Alliance and not the Old Republic?"

Another hand was raised.

[Guest Scathane]

OOC

1.How many years after Battle of Endor are we?
2. You do realise we're making up the position of Mirial as we go along, right?

 

IC

"Commodore Scathane?"

The tall, slender, almost bony commodore stood up.

"I think we should demote the Moddell sector and not perform the infiltration at Endor."

He walked over to the command console and flicked a few switches. A holographic 3D image of a star chart appeared.

"First of all, Bespin and Hoth are on the Son Trade Corridor. Plus they're right next to the Correllian Trade Spine and not too far from the Hydian Way, so there's a lot of traffic out there. We might be able to use this traffic to camouflage our infiltration mission."

Again pressed a few buttons and an image of the Moddel sector and key routes to and from it sprang up. He started pacing the room and continued his brief:

"Endor is way too quiet for an infiltration mission. Remember that the captured Vong ship hasn't reported in to its fleet in quite some time, so we're better of in busy territory. What we could do, is keep a small pursuit fleet at Endor. Even if there's heavy Vong fleet activity in the Moddel sector, we can hide that pursuit fleet in either the Monsua or Din nebula. From there, we wouldn't be too far from Hoth or Bespin to quickly get our guys out if things go wrong."

There were several nods and some soft mumbling as people expressed their approval. It always was a good thing to have a contingency plan.

"We could float into the Moddell sector through the Annaj-Houche Run. remember we only need light, fast ships for pursuit and, if necessary, a rescue operation. If we take some Correllian corvettes, we could disguise ourselves as a small trade fleet to give us cover lest we're detected."

The 3D holomap now began highlighting several routes.

"Furthermore, from the Moddell sector we can access the Sanctuary Pipeline and reach the Sesswenna sector fast if things go sour on us."

 

Scathane was silent as the 3D map went black and he looked around the room. He had said his piece. Everybody liked the idea of having a contingency plan, but he knew that nobody would be keen on flying into Vong-infested waters with just a few Correllian corvettes. He'd do it himself, but he needed a good crew...

[wormie]

As Commodore Scathane was leaving the breifing, he was approached by Lieutenant Dury.

 

Dury: Commodore, might I have a word with you sir?

 

Scathane: Yes Lieutenant , what is it that you want.

 

Dury: I would like to offer you the services of Void Squadron for the upcoming mission sir, we havn't had a lot of action orbiting Sullust with the reserve fleet, and my men are getting a little edgy sitting that close to the Vong, and quite frankly Sir, I want to get back at them for what they did to Bakura. If you give us the chance Sir, we won't let you down.

 

Scathane: I'll keep it in mind Lieutenant, let me speak to the others and see what they say, and I'll get back to you.

 

Dury: Thank you Sir, if you need me I'll be in the sims putting my group through the paces.

 

With a final salute to Commodore Scathane, Dury spun and ran off towards the sims to teach some of the newer members of his group a few things about flying an A-Wing.

 

OOC: Scathane, the time period is, I believe, 9 years after the Battle of Endor.

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: I'd put Mirial near the Minos Sector. I suppose you have the map with you. Remember that the Imps will hvae an agenda for this mission, too.

 

IC:

 

Elegiae walked to the tall Rebel commodore, medals of various battle hung on his chest. He was a man to respect.

"Commodore," the JEdi offered a half-bow.

"It is me who should bow before you, Master."

The Jedi smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"How can I help you?" Scathan offered politely.

The Jedi hesitated for a short moment.

"In this incursion I want to know if you would aid me to rescue my apprentice. Iulan S'Tor, I sense his presence dim and confused, somewhere in the whirpool that the Yuuzhan Vong created. Somehwere in those empty spots I feel him."

Scathane sid nothing and looked at the Jedi.

"I fear for him, if the Imperial Sith warrior should find him."

Other than shivering at the thought of Emperor Evaders having two sith warrior, scathane did not yet react. To search for Ilan could copromise the true goal of the mission, collect intelligence.

The Jedi looked at him, those sad big eyes searcing for an answer.

"I will help you, Master, and i'll look forward to meet him."

The Jedi smiled, it was not as sad as the first smile had been but there was a grim feeling to it.

[wormie]

OOC: Umm..... what happened to all the Imperials? Did the Yuuzhan Vong scare them all away?

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: Untimely said a while ago he wouldn't be around, don't know about Igor, though.

[SWARMER]

OOC: The Neutral hacker's imployers are all gone. Dammit, i knew that i should've gotten a cash advance

[wormie]

OOC: Leave it to the Imperials to bilk on the bill

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: It's battle time! SWARMER, you could work for Scathane, he's the second highest ranking Reb around. Remember there is some kind of truce.

IC: Dark Space was like a break from reality, while Iulan did not understand the physics behind the dovin basals making a jump into hyperspace, he had come to the conclusion that this break from reality was his paradise, his habitat. The eternal void he had looked for among the Vong had vanished, as soon as Rjiuvan Shai defied his superior and took his bulk of the fleet away.

He had escaped from the Imps, but cose not to return to the Rebels, there it had been an escape from dark and light and he had fled to the void, now the void too was divided.

Iulan dared on look at the creature sitting with closed eye in his chair looking, with his mind's eyes at the darkness of dark space. Envisioning the forms and shapes of the future battle at Mirial.

The battle would be as any other battle, bloody and heavy people would die, and another world be sacrificed... to whom?

Another look at Rjiuvan Shai.

Yes, Rjiuvan would sacrifice the world to his only God, to him Iulan S'Tor. God of the Yuuzhan Vong, Jedi among the void. Star within a black hole.

"You are seeing into the future again, o God that Bleeds." Rjiuvan stated his eyes closed.

"No, my friend, the veil of the present clouds the future."

"Remove the veil then, o Lord of Yuuzhan Vong" Rjiuvan offered.

"The removal of the veil, is part of the future, everything then boils down to a twisted mind game of the Force," Iulan said.

"Is this Force somethign that rules the Gods, then?"

"It is something that creates them, that frightens them, and yes, even governs them."

"May then the Force guide us in this battle," Rjiuvan said. Dim echoes of Elvis's "May the Force be with you"s returned to Iulan's mind. Elvis, Dury, Elegiae, those people were his friends. Those wer ethe people he betrayed, and he had to redeem them, or rather their memory. Ergo, he had to redeem himself.

The Legacy of Torment, exited dark space, thousands of kilometers away the world of Mirial contrasted against the darkness of space. He could feel the world alive in the Force and the ships in orbit around it.

Even... even some Jedi... but not all of them; and he did not feel his Master among them.

"They have mustered a strong fleet."

"At last one fleet worthy of a battle," Rjiuvan said, then followed his usual battlecry, and the Glory Room darkned until the blaze bugs lit it up pictoring the positions of the enemy starships.

Redemption.

"I shall battle with your glorious forces, Rjiuvan Shai."

"You would honor us, my Lord."

Iulan left the Glory Room and ran to the hangar were his fighter was kept, he put on the pilot suit and entered the cockpit. Everything was in order, he even had some strange Vong synthesis of fuel.

He flew out of the ship and saw for the first time the Yuuzhan Vong fleet in space, the LEgacy and more than a dozen of support ships, all of them convinced that he was their only and True God.

A squadron of coralskipper formed on him waiting for the enemy ships to enter range.

He activated the cloaking device, while his Vong allies could stil see him, his enemies would not, giving him an advantage. He was not in a battle-rage nor did he look forward to the death of people he may have known or not, but he was part of a game, as if all of them were pieces in a dejarik table were the Force was the only player.

If I survive I should teach Rjiuvan to play dejarik.

He spoke some commands in Yuuzhan Vong, as a God he had to learn their tongue, and the squadron broke in flightclaws four three-fighter groups now escorted his cloaked ship. Flying in a symmetrical formation.

After he pulled the trigger once he knew that the bloodiest and more savage battle had begun. The Force told him too, that the Yuuzhan Vong would not lose today....

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: After that pretty long post, it's the rebel/imp team's chance to infiltrate the vong at whatever world they chose, Endor, or Bespin, etc. not Mirial I have something else meant for Mirial.

[ElvisMiggell]

OOC: Okay, Elvis is back, but I now have no real feel for who's who and where we all are. Hence.....

 

IC:

 

Elvis called a meeting after he came round again. He needed to get back in touch with the tactical situation of the entire galaxy.

 

With a swish the doors to the briefing room slipped open, and in walked all his senior officers.

 

OOC: Whoever is in system with me, you're welcome to attend. Whoever handles the next post needs to give me and update of who's where and what planets we've lost. Sorry to slow us down, but before I execute the next phase oif my plan, I need to know everything!

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: I'll put it short. The Rebs and Imps have elaborated a plan to infiltrate the Yuuzhan Vong, Scathane, Samos, Elegaie, and Swarmer will be going. My Vong character decided to split out of the main Yuuzhan Vong fleet because of his beliefs. Rjiuvan Shai believes that Iulan S'Tor is more powerful than any other God in the Vong PAntheon, I'll guess Shimraa should be looking for him and execute him. Rjiuvan and Iulan are in battle around Mirial. Endor, Bespin, Hoth, Anoat, Bakura have been taken/destroyed by the Vong.

I don't know if youre are Mirial, or staging the distraction for the infiltration team. That's up to you, but calling a meeting in battle isn't soemthign that a Warlord should do.

[Guest Scathane]

OOC: I will be in that officer's room. Moreover, Elvis, you might want to read my brilliant() strategic briefing a few posts back.

[AndyHalfelf]

OOC: I'll be in the briefing room, since thats what my vision told me to be

[ElvisMiggell]

Elvis: Okay folks, we'll go with Scathane's plan. Infiltration will be at Bespin. I will personally lead a diversionary attack.

 

Scathane: Sir, where do you propose to attack?

 

Elvis: Well, since Moddell is a high activity, but low importance sector, I propose we strike at Endor. We can do damage to their ships in an area where they wopn't expect us. They know that Moddell has little material value.

 

Scathance: And what of the reserve fleet?

 

Elvis: The reserve fleet will be behind the ninth planet of the Endor system. That way they will be close to Bespin, and to us. The Vong won't expect a counterattack launched from INSIDE their own territory. I hope. Any more questions.....?

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: Im at the meeting also.

[Trejiuvanat]

As the battle proceeded Iulan felt more people dissolve in the Force. As if a candle had been blown away by wind, no a hurrican, soemthign that left devastation behind, the devastation that was needed to rebuilt everything.

Luke had told him that all truths we cling to, depend on our own point of view. After that he had challenged the Jedi with the murder of the Jedi of the Old Republic. Their death, at the hands of Vader and the Emperor, and too the erradication of their memory had allowed Luke to rise and restore the Jedi. New Jedi, for newer times. The galaxy, more likely would recover from whatever the Yuuzhan Vong do, but would the Yuuzhan Vong recover from what the galaxy does to them?

Already Rjiuvan believed him to be a God, and Iulan had made it clear that he was governed by the Force.

Shimraa too, had seen one of his most trusted Lieutenant defy their religion and become a heretic.

"Kuht lik mur opan-kiaj," Iulan spoke into the villip, immediately the squadorn reformed and they targeted another small corvette. modified Corvette, you don't see them around this much.

Dovin Basals on the other vessels absorbed the turbolaser fire, while Iulan still cloaked obtained a target lock for grutchins.

Fire.

Grutchins were send at high speed to near the corvette and then start to eat the metal.

In few seconds the gruchins had opened a hole in the hull and vacuum started to replace the air in the inside, lights went out and the ship lay dead in space. Few heartbeats after that it blew up.

"Iulan," Rjiuvan Shai's voice boomed into the cockpit.

Iulan pointed his ship back jsut at the moment he received the signal from the yammosk reporting that a new ship had entered the battle. REgardless that some Rebel/Imperial fleet elements were still around he knew that he had to break any attack.

Overlord Shimraa's ship was here.

more than a ship it was a huge vessel. It may not have been a worldship, because of the huge amount of weapons built into it.

It looked like a algae-covered Super Star Destroyer, all of it made of coral, an entire asteroid field had been needed to provide the raw material. Rjiuvan had delighted himself in reporting the ships combat ability, andIulan had confirmed that the only match for such a ship was a Death Star. Or at least a fleet of Super Star Destroyer.

The Legacy of Torment looked small next to it, and Iulan knew that Rjiuvan had to break the attack and flee, Iulan feared though that the Warmaster would need to prove his worthyness and sacrifice himself.

Iulan shut the cloak off and sent his fighter at maximum speed fo rthe Legacy, he had to talk to Rjiuvan.

In few moments, Iulan was back in the Legacy that hwas still engaging some nebulon frigates, the overlord ship was still having some trouble with the gravitational effects of one of the moons of mirial and was abotu ten minutes away, even so its shape looked intimidating.

In few heartbeats he was back in the Glory Room. Rjiuvan looked more grim than usual.

"You have returned."

"You must escape." Iulan said, some distress in his voice.

"Does a God feel fear."

 

 

OOC: Damn my mother wants me to paint some wall for her, I will finish this post later.

[ElvisMiggell]

OOC: Pesky Mothers. Pah! Who'd have 'em?!

 

IC:

 

Shimraa: "Hail them" the Overlord snapped, "I would speak with this pretender"

 

OOC: I'd like Shimraa and Iulan to meet if you don't mind. Rijuvian can come too if you want, I'm not going to kill you, don't worry.

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: I have somethign else planned for Rjiuvan And Trej, and I already tookt he roles of Elegiae, so I'll be at your brifing too. I'll go insane with this three personality things.

 

IC:

 

“Fear is part of the Force. As is hatred and love.” Iulan said.

“And pain?”

“And pain.”

The Yuuzhan Vong warmaster looked at the tactical display of blaze bugs shifting constantly as new updates came through via yammosk.

“Warmaster,” on controller came closer. “We have intercepted a villip from the Chariot of Gods.” The controller revealed a villip that was brought before the warmaster.

The warmaster looked at Iulan. “Shall your Force then strengthen me.”

The warmaster extended his human hand and caressed the villip that immediately shaped itself into the face of Overlord Shimraa.

“Fear heretic, shame yourself of your betrayal.”

“I shall not fear for my believes, nor am I a Shamed One, there is no heresy there is truth. There is no shame, there is glory." Rjiuvan Shai spoke slow and clear; faint echoes of reciting the Jedi COde came to him.

"TRAITOR!" Shimraa called and Iulan felt afraid when he saw the highly deformed face in the villip.

"You shall vanish among the memories of the shamed ones, faceless living within a void, isolated from Glory and triumph. All that was the Yuuzhan VOng shall be forbidden for you."

Rjiuvan remained calm, as if he let all the anger guide his actions passive at its most. "There is no void, there is pain."

The villip revealed the overlord now looking at Iulan with anger uncontrolled rage.

"Is this your puny God, your imposter the bleeding infidel, which you have turned into a similar of Yun-Yuuzhan?"

There was anger there, but also interest, some morbous desire to find out why Rjiuvan had chosen him over the pantheon of Yuuzhna VOng deities.

"I shall not bring him to you."

"Coward, has he twisted his mind to forget your beliefs? You are not worthy my attention, not even of death at my hands!"

"There is no fear, there is the True God. He is my Master, he alone will decide to meet you."

The link with Shimraa was cut and Rjiuvan signalled the withdrawal.

"Where now, Master, o God that Bleeds?"

"There were the Force guides us. Today, though, you were my Master, meanwhile I'll be delighted to teach you dejarik."

Rjiuvan led the way out of the GLory Room to the more private room where Iulan and Rjiuvan discussed things. Iulan needed some time to use some Yuuzhan Vong objects to create a dejarik board.

Some words echoes in Iulan's head though, the collection of phrases the Rjiuvan had siad.

There is no heresy there is truth.

There is no shame, there is glory

There is no void, there is pain.

There is no fear, there is the True God.

Could it be, then? An alternate version of the Jedi Code? Liek banner to gather the Vong? Something that Iulan himself had needed to identify himself with Rjiuvan and his cause?

Perhpas this and lots more.

"Now, Warmaster, the key to win this game is to control the spots in the middle...."

 

Somewhere else.

 

The briefing was about to start. Elvis needed to now the progress on this mission, meanwhile there were some reports that there has been a battle near Mirial.

Elegiae closed on Elvis.

“Tell me, Admiral Miggell,” the Jedi spoke quietly, “what do you know of the Force?”

The Rebel looked surprised at the Jedi. “Few things, mostly what Iulor has taught me, and then things I have heard from Luke. It can be a powerful tool.”

“More than a tool, though it is an ally, a living creature that will quietly whisper insight in your ear, silently guide you through the maze of opportunities and decisions in the galaxy. It will send a Jedi off into a search, or a struggle or both.”

Elvis knew then what the Jedi wanted to talk about.

“Iulan is searching then?”

“Yes,” there was a glitter in the Jedi’s eyes. “He is in a fight too.”

“You know it?” Elvis asked. If there was even the slightest chance to contact him…

“I can feel him, he has withdrawn much from the Force, but he still calls the Force to his aide, and he is searching even if he does not know what he expects to find. He looks for something that his eyes will not perceive, he tries to grab for a ghost.”

“And he fights himself in the process?”

“Yes, I can feel the conflict. It’s not the usual conflict, not the struggle of darkness and light. Iulan is more like an eclipse, a single instant of light and dark united. Iulan opposes the void, the emptiness that has become his refuge.”

Elvis nodded. The Caamasi continued.

“The struggle has maintained him balanced, dark and light and void all in a strange harmony enabling Iulan to pursue his search.”

“You fear for this mission, then you fear that light and dark might be altered by you and Samos?”

The Caamasi was quiet for a long moment.

“The point of no return remained behind, my friend.” Elvis said, his tone as if asking an apology.

“So it is for Iulan, then. Alone his search may save him. And us.”

“And the galaxy.” Elvis said.

[ElvisMiggell]

OOC: Okay, I'll do somthing else then!

 

IC: Shimraa fumed silently to himself. He knew that there were no Vong Gods, they were fake, a fraud, a source of control invented by his ancestors. Never had such an important Vong as Shai figured out that there was something else out there bresides the Vong Gods. Though Shai still seemed to think that there were Vong Gods, he merely believed them less powerful.

 

But who was this imposter? A Jeedai they said. A fallen race, reincarnated by a certain Luke Skywalker, a mass murderer and guilty of patricide, from a certain point of view. Shimraa could see the attraction that must have afflicted Shai.

 

One of his aides entered.

 

Aide: "My Lord, I have the information you requested."

 

Shimraa was handed a slab of living tissue crawling with information and pictures.

 

Shimraa: "So, the Jeedai were reborn on this planet Tatooine. That is where we will go....."

 

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

 

Elvis: "Elegaie, something tells me that Tatooine is going to become a focal point for our campaign for the time being. It's location is perfect for us."

 

Elegaie: "Indeed it is, but be wary, conflict will arise there, a great foe will be borne into the galaxy. But we must take the fleet there."

 

In a matter of hours the fleet orders were issued, and a huge fleet of Imperial and Rebel ships made the jump to hyperspace, destination, Tatooine......

 

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

 

Elsewhere, the Yuuzhan Vong attack fleet gathered its forces and made the transition to darkspace. Destination.... Tatooine.........."

 

OOC: Calling all rebels. Those of you with me will arive at Tatooine. All those with Wedge will arrive at Endor shortly. You will be the untouched reserve fleet. I have plans for all of you. If you really really want to know, PM me.

[Trejiuvanat]

Rjiuvan Shai and Iulan S'Tor, the only possible God for the Yuuzhan Vong sat one in front of another. The center of attention was the game that Iulan had showed him, Dejarik. The one in front of the two different creatures was made out of coral pieces and one shiny hard carpace of some crustacean.

"This game is a tribute to war," Rjiuvan spoke solemnly as he moved another piece.

"It's a tribute to wisdom too," Iulan answered as he moved yet another piece to another spot occupied by one of Rjiuvan's figures. Gently he retired that coral figure. The figure he used was now endangered by another figure of the Yuuzhan Vong.

"And death," the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster added, as he thought over another move.

He moved the figure with his human hand, and retired one of Iulan's figures, the same that had supplanted Rjiuvan's own.

"Sacrifice too," Iulan commented lightly, he moved a figure and supplanted again the other figure.

"Is it useful to battle over the same spot?" Iulan asked as the Warmaster prepared his nex tmove.

"Is that spot the key of the battle? Is a single factor necessary to win a war? A single man powerful enough to change the tide of a battle?"

Rjiuvan moved his figure to another part of the gameboard.

"And a God?"

Iulan moved a piece offensively, leaving a gap open but slashing at Rjiuvan's defense.

Rjiuvan did not answer immediately.

"A God himself can answer that question."

Rjivan reinforced his defense while positioning one piece to take advantage of the gap.

"A God is beyond battle, beyond the win or lose. He is part of the pain that each side endures."

"Is your God then the Force or Pain?"

"Can't it be both?"

"Alone one can be your master, Iulan; even a God must acknowledge them."

Iulan moved another piece.

"One master?"

"One move too," Rjiuvan replied and Iulan turned his gaze to the gameboard.

"I could move one piece and end the game, but that last move is forbidden, because of dertain rules," Iulan said. There is no possible move for me then."

"After a long battle, and then lose because there are rules that forbid victory?" Rjiuvan spoke passionately but calmly.

Iulan said nothing.

"Eventually you will have the power to alter rules," Rjiuvan moved Iulan's piece.

"Even so, I will lose my most valuable piece." Iulan said and moved the warmaster's piece.

Rjiuvan reacted to the deceleration.

"We have arrived at this new planet," Rjiuvan reported. "There are no enemies, as you suggested. The question is if this is the key spot, or just one more distraction in the gameboard."

"We move pieces in the gameboard, while we too are moved, who moves us and who moves the One that moves us?" Rjiuvan asked.

Iulan said nothing.

 

 

"

 

 

 

 

"

[ElvisMiggell]

OOC: Things are about to get really interesting...

 

IC:

Shimraa’s fleet dropped out of dark space above the world known as Tatooine. In actuality it was a small fleet consisting of a mere 20 odd capital ships. But one of those ships was the Overlords new command ship. Named the ‘Punisher’ she was vast. At nearly 30 kilometers in length, she dwarfed the other ships in the armada. Her mass meant that she could destabilise a moon in orbit. Oceans would go mad in fury, their tides disrupted. Tatooine had neither a moon nor oceans.

 

The point ships of the fleet were 5 cruiser analogues, each the size of an Imperial-II Class Star Destroyer, they swept down on the orbital station. Taken by surprise, and with their artificial gravity temporarily offline they never stood a chance.

 

The cruiser analogues launched drop vessels for the surface. It was time, Shimraa had decided, to take some prisoners. For the glorification of the gods.

 

The remainder of the fleet set up an orbit over the poles of the newly subdued planet. Yorrik corral vessels started a steady stream between the planet and the Punisher, transferring the new slaves to the holding cells deep within the bowels of Shimraa’s ship. He was pleased with what he saw.

 

An aide approached and knelt at his feet;

“Milord, the planet has been, pacified, and the prisoners are being uploaded now. We count something in the region of 2 million. It is a sparsely populated planet. Hostile and foreboding.”

 

Shimraa dismissed the aide, and pondered the nature of the victory. Easy, but not too much so. A small number of his troops had been slaughtered by the indiginous species. A fierce warrior caste he had been informed. Worthy of sacrifice to the Gods. There was no such thing. The Gods did not exist. Shimraa knew. He had peered into the Eight Cortex, as shown to him by the Master Shapers. It had been empty. He knew that it must be filled, and had instructed a select team of shapers to do so. Shimraa knew that even against inferior foes, technological advances were vital. Superiority must be maintained, hence this plan…

 

Shimraa stroked a villip. “Escort my ‘counsellor’ to my chambers” he instructed.

 

Moments later the hatch parted with it’s usual wet slurping noise, and through it bobbed Vergere.

 

Shimraa inclined his head to the bird-like Jeedai, he respected her ‘talents’, even if he did not entirely comprehend them.

“Are you ready old aquaintance?” He asked.

 

“Yes my Lord. The time is near. I sense the twins approach. Their fleet is small and will be crushed. Our squads stand ready to take him.”

 

“And the other? What of him?”

 

“Once the son of Skywalker has been taken, their leader will follow suit. None will know their fate. Some may suspect that they live, but nothing will be known.” Vergere clucked softly, a sound that approximated laughter in her own tongue.

 

……………..

 

 

 

Elvis’ fleet was nearing the dropout point.

 

“Assume dropout stations for a potential hostile system” the order was given.

 

With the customary flash of light, Elvis’ fleet dropped out of hyperspace, 20 seconds earlier than anticipated.

 

“Nav!! What’s going on? Why did we drop out early?”

 

“I don’t know sir, readings are off the scale” the navigator replied in a panicky voice. Turning he gazed out of the viewport. “I think that might be why sir” he stammered, pointing out of the viewport.

 

Almost blocking out all of Tatooine hung an immense monster of a ship.

 

“My God, it’s huge”

 

“Look at that thing!”

 

“It’s like a home grown Death Star, it’s massive!”

 

Elvis calmly stepped up to the comms station. “All ships, battle stations, we are under attack!”

 

A swarm of Coralskippers detatched from the huge ship and headed toward them.

 

Elvis turned to the sensor swuite. “What’s stopping us from getting out of here?”

 

The officer manning the suite turned and looked at Elvis. “Sir, the ship’s gravitational field is as if we’re still in the mass shadow of a planet. We need to get back and away from the shadow sir”

 

“Why can’t we do that?”

 

“Because, well sir, take a look…”

 

Elvis strode over to the sensor panel. Behind his fleet, sandwiching him, was a fleet of 19 ships. The smallest of which were the size of ISD-IIs.

 

“Okay, we have to break through them. Signal the fleet. Form up in a cone. We’ll take point. We have to punch through them….”

 

……………………………

 

The battle progressed… Elvis’ men fought bravely, and reinforcements had been summoned. Ships on both sides were lost. But eventually the Punisher caught up to them. The Justice, Elvis’ flagship, had fallen behind to give the remaining ships some cover from the Punisher. The reinforcements led by Wedge arrived and started to clear the way for the survivors, but the Justice and the Punisher were too close to each other.

 

Huge tendrils snaked out from the Punisher, enveloping the Justice. Grutchins bored their way through the hull and boarding parties started to raid the Justice, a gigantic ship in her own right. Elvis and Luke gave the order to abandon ship, and started the countdown. Countless life pods spewed from the stricken ship. Brave shuttle pilots swooped in and started to collect the life-pods.

 

In the meantime Elegaie and his crew slipped unobtrusively into the battle and then retired to a Vong fleet carrier….

 

Suddenly the entire Rebel fleet seemed to find a gap through which to escape. Reluctantly Wedge gave the order to withdraw. They collected all the pods with life-signs left, and with heavy hearts made the jump to hyperspace.

 

………………………..

 

When they regrouped, in dead space nearer the core they took stock. Only to find, to their horror, that neither Luke nor Elvis were there. The remaining Jedi reached out through the force, but there was no trace….. disaster had befallen the Rebels……….

 

 

 

 

OOC: Doom and gloom!!!!!! Fear not my fellow Rebs, Luke and Elvis aren’t gone for ever, merely temporarily inconvenienced. But the Rebels don’t know that. Most of them think they are dead….

 

They will reappear when the time is right….

[Trejiuvanat]

Elegaie was not feeling comfortable with the battle. The space around him was an orgy of fire and death. Death that went off like a blaze consuming the essence. Next to him was Scathane, igoru Samos, the dark Jedi, the only one that was comfortable with death, Garth, the techexpert. Elegaie knew that he had to continue the mission.

"Scathane lead us to one of those ship coming from the surface, I suspect they are slave ships. "

The other man acknowledged.

The mission, yes, information on the VOng, and sabotage them and rescue Iulan.

"Rescue him from what" Igoru snapped into his thoughts.

"From you," Elegaie answered. "Scathane?"

"I'm trying to get us close enough and then attempt to piggy-back our way into the monstership!"

"good, Garth?"

"I doubt they will be detecting us with that many debris around, master"

"There is a Jedi on board the Punisher, she aides them, to search for him."

Elegaie remianed silent. "Are you certain, Igoru."

"The Dark Side is more powerful, I can see throu the veils that cloud your powers."

"We are docked to one of them, get into your poor slave prosoner, captive please," Scathane siad while puttin gup some dirty robes.

Igoru said nothing and arrogantly he put the robes. Elegaie looked at him. The mission was already difficult enough. Perhaps Samos was only tauniting him to distract him. Perhaps.

It could be possible that there was another JEdi, Elegaie was tempted to use his powers but the other Jedi would find him and he would doom his mission. he would trust Samos on this one.

"hmmm, Garth those nice refugee cloths do fit you," scathane mused.

"Shut up, flyboy or i'll send you to some Gamorrean den!" Garth answered.

"Keep talking to me like that, and I won't share with you the latest issue of Hutt Illustrated."

Garth snorted, and Samos was amused by the lack of unity in the group.

"We're in."

Insight came always thorugh the Force, Elegaie felt... no he knew that the JEdi on board the ship was meant to find Iulan. So it was a triple race. Samos, that Jedi and I.

"May the Force be with us," Elegaie whispered.

"Hopefully the Dark Side." Igoru added.

 

OOC: SO I took my infiltration team in, Igor, Scath and Swarmer. We'll be skulking around in the ship. Hopefully without killing each other.