The Start

[Trejiuvanat]

"Warmaster, we will follow the Harmony." Iulan spoke into his palm-sized villip.

A small holo popped up showing the arrangement of the Rebel fleet. Hawk had deployed them in a bowlshaped formation in case the Jeedai Vong attempted to attack. Rjiuvan Shai had let the Kat'na Dreadnaughts out in a safe distance, they had orders to leave in case the Chariot was attacked.

The Harmony lead the Chariot right above the flagship of Grand Admiral Hawk.

"Big A Hawk? I don't think I ever heard of him," Iulan said.

"He's participation in the Alliance has been pretty quiet for years, always in the Rim, acting on his own. The promotion itself doesn't seem the result of the hard work, but he is a good commander, that's why he has the Wondrous."

"I didn't think you had ships so big."

"We don't," Evan admitted. "The Wondrous is the only one, we rely as usual in swift vessels. Not our entire fleet could make a stand against a worldship."

The villip stirred.

"We are in position."

"Good, my friend, you know what to do if the worst happens."

"Yes, my Lord."

"He's not coming?" Evan asked.

"No, he understands that meeting with him might prejudice your military."

"Oh."

From there they went to the hangar and took a small Jeedai Vong shuttle and were ferried over to the Wondrous.

After landing a crew scanned them for contaminants, looked confused when they saw Iulan and choked when they saw his right Yuuzhan Vong arm.

"It is really shocking," Iulan admitted, "but it's a part of me."

Evan said nothing.

From there a security officer moved them to a small room. At the entrance he politely asked Iulan to give him all the weapons.

Iulan only gave him the lightsaber.

In the room. Grand Admiral Hawk was already waiting for him.

"Good day, gentlemen."

He cocked an eybrow as he analyzed Iulan.

"You speak for them."

"Yes, I do. I'm here to negotiate an alliance between the Jeedai Vong and the Rebel Alliance."

HAwk said nothing and left the room, with his head he ordered Evan to join him.

Evan shrugged, but Iulan did not move. He had expected all of this.

Outside Evan and Hawk were talking.

[ADarkJedi44]

"An alliance with the Vong? You know they will betray us!" said Hawk, obviously shocked.

 

Evan looked straight at him."I know it sounds suspicious, but we have to analyze the facts. They have tried to avoid destroying our vessels. It is still Iulan...

 

"He is one of them!"

 

"Indeed but I know that he is not fully Yuuzhan Vong. It does sound suspicious but in a way I trust him."

 

Grand Admiral Hawk was obviously not convinced,"This is madness!"

 

"Let us at least listen to what they have to say."

 

Hawk looked uneasy, he relunctantly replied,"If you insist then we shall. I trust you but you had better be right.

They walked back into the room.

[Trejiuvanat]

The two men reentered the room. Evan took a seat closer to the Grand Admiral than he did to Iulan. Mute, Hawk indicate Iulan to start presenting their proposal.

"Five years ago, when I escaped from Imperial captivity I encoutered the warcommander Rjiuvan Shai. Ever since our Jeedai Vong have been harassing Imperial and Yuuzhan Vong worlds. For those five years, we have as far as possible prventing and damage to the Rebel forces or neutral worlds."

Hawk said nothing, and Iulan did not expect him to.

"You will, no doubt, debrief Commodore Hechtman and through him you will learn that a sizable part of the Katana Fleet is in my hands. Those are now called the Kat'na fleet, they are in a sense a counterpart of the Rebel Assault Frigates, since they use the old and outdated hull of the Dreadnaught for a better state of the art warship. Thus, we are now in possession of a considerable fleet. Our intelligence assets are deep into Imperial, Rebel and Yuuzhan Vong sectors, since we have access to both techonologies. For years we wrought havoc in the heart of the Empire. We have a number of secret bases from which we are in a strategical advantaged position in case an attack on Coruscant is conceived. In a number of worlds we are mining and refining raw materials to augment our fleet. A small number of worlds are being used for purposes specific only to the Jeedai Vong."

"After all their populations were extermined?" Hawk muttered with disdain.

"No, we choose when possible little populated worlds or even better uninhabited ones, but in the few cases that we are forced to take a populated world we share it. Their inhabitants are allowed to thrive as longa s they respect our position. Other than an interdiction of all the hyperspace trips, they live in a peaceful and calm situation."

"It seems to me that you aren't lacking anything, that you wouldn't benefit from this pact."

"Oh, but we are. We do have ships, but we don't have the crews. We already tried to train groundcombatants for space combat and starship command, we avoid stationing garrisons on worlds. In fact only a small number of ships under our command travel with a full crew. Mostly we have to go to war with skeleton crews. Sicne we are outcasts and rebels our number is not likely to gain as war progresses. Your situation is the opposite. Refugees, and mercenaries rush after you to jion the Rebels, but they cannot go to war because you have not the resources to provide them with ships."

"So you're saying that they fight for your banner in your ships?"

"No, I'm saying that they will fight for our cause, in my ships. Under our command."

"You cannot expect me to let you do this, I will not place my men in their hand, much less in yours. You are a traitor to us. You pretend to be one of them, you even impersonate their gods, you wear that prothesis without shame. I will never agree to an alliance with your scum."

WIth that he left the room, trembling in anger.

"I'm sorry Iulan."

"Don't be, perhaps all was just idealism and naïvete, I could not expect you to trust us. I should have known it, now I have learnt a hard lesson."

"I do trust you. I have learnt that you may have changed, but not for worse. You still are the Iulan I met when I was just a rookie."

Iulan smiled, he stood up and left the room. Evan on his side. Iulan picked up his lightsaber.

"You would fight with us?"

"Yes, I would, but I have responsibilites to the Grand Admiral."

Iulan cracked a smile. "You will make a fine General someday."

"Will we meet again?"

"Yes, perhaps. In the end I see that only through our collaboration we can win this war. Only together can we survive."

"Do you see it as a JEdi?"

"Yes, I see many futures. Ones dark, others brights. In not all of them all of us live through this."

Evan said nothing.

"Evan, listen to me. One day will come that you will find yourself in a hopeless situation. WIthout hope. Keep in mind that I will always help the Rebels. If you ever need my help, you will find me in the shards of Alderaan."

Then he said nothing more and entered the hangar, Evan was left behind contemplating the offer.

Before the ship, Iulan was surprised to find the Grand Admiral.

"Unlike savages, we will honor the truce and let you go in peace."

"I wasn't aware that we ever were at war, Hawk."

"Shut up, you will leave and never return to me, with such proposals. Take your treachery elsewhere, traitor!"

"No when we meet again, you will be the one seeking me, but even the I will honor my offer."

"LEAVE MY SHIP NOW, SCUM!"

"Before I leave I'll note that the commodore is long overdue a promotion. He should be a General by now."

With that he entered his ships and left.

On the Charior he met with Rjiuvan and then sought the solitude of his room, as the Chariot glided into the solitude of hyperspace.

 

OOC: I didn't want to agree to this alliance, yet... Only to get closer to the Rebels...

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: Hehe well I know when I'll be ready to seek this alliance.

IC:

A week later....

 

Evan was eventually promoted to General after that "incident" had gone by. Now he was in charge of all fight squadron in his fleet. He began the breifing that he had prepared for his pilots about their next few missions.

"Intel suggests the Yuuzhan Vong are preparing a major attack. That's probably, along with our constant raiding, the reason we haven't seen too many Vong attacks lately. The attack will most likely be Mon Calamari. Our next assignment will be to go back to Agmar. This time we'll not need any ground action, will just bombard it to dust. A few of those mercenaries will be joining us. Any questions? Then lets get prepared. We leave in one week."

[ADarkJedi44]

Harmony arrived at Agmar cloaked. With her limited radar capability while cloaked, she gathered some information about the Yuuzhan Vong ships in orbit. One destroyer one medium cruiser two light cruisers and one dreanought, along with support ship. Not too bad.

Then she dropped the cloaking shield as the rest of the fleet came in a moment later.

 

"Report in Shadow Squad." As Evan prepared for launch, he thought. There was so much to think about. He knew everything Iulan had said was true. If only Grand Admiral Hawk would belive it. He understood Grand Admiral Hawk, but he knew that he was wrong. They needed Iulan's aide to win the war. You will find me in the shards of Alderaan. It almost sounded like a riddle but it would be an excellant place for a secret base.

"Shadow leader?"

"Uhh.. yes lets get going."

 

As he launched he remembered his duties as General. First was Blue Wing, a group of B-wings. "Blue Group punch through those skips then target the capitol ships. Stay close to Shadow." Evan continued down the list. Then the battle began.

 

OOC: Ok i'll finish this later

[ADarkJedi44]

Everything went as Evan had planned. The A-wings attacked first, using hit and run tactic. The enemy stayed together but this weakened them. Then the main wave of fighters punched through. Blue wing and Shadow wing came right through and moved on to take the fight to the capitol ships.

"Ok Shadow Wing keep Blue Group defended. There are more corralskippers launching from the planet so watch out."

A few skips tried to stop them but they were quickly dispatched. The rebel fights attacked then began their attack runs on the light cruisers. Meanwhile the Harmony opened fire on the medium cruiser. The other rebel ships soon followed suit. The final blow came when the mercenaries came out of hyperspace and opened fire on the dreadnaught. As such, it wasn't long before all that remained of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet was chunks of multi colored corral. The planet was bombarded and the fleet escaped into the void of hyperspace

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

Grand Admiral Hawk was reading a briefing on four separate skirmishes around the rim; apparently the Yuuzhan Vong had been getting aggressive after the many ships they had lost at Agamar.

After reading the last report he decided to call up some of his Intel Agents of Mon Calamari.

“Yes sir, what may I do for you?” The voice said.

“Is this line clear?”

“Of course, is this about Op Nova?”

“Yes, I need you and your team to infiltrate a group called the Jedi-Vong. I need you to capture their leader, Iulan. Use the Force-Traps from the Clone Wars, we seized.”

“Yes sir!” Then the line went dead.

 

 

I will see what you really are, Iulan. And what you are up too… Hawk thought to himself.

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: No you idiot if you suceed you're gonna doom the galaxy!

 

Grand Admiral Hawk had requested Evan's presence. He had a bad feeling about what Grand Admiral Hawk was going to say to him. He took a deep breath and walked in.

"My presence was requested?"

 

"Come sit down General. We have a lot to talk about.

 

"I'm fine with standing, thank you. What is it you wish to discuss?"

 

"Evan you must understand Iulan only seeks to betray us. You must tell me his location so we can get to the bottom of his plans."

 

"Sir, Iulan wants to be our ally. He is fighting for a common good."

 

"General Hechtman I know you are close to him but you cannot let his jedi mind tricks decieve you. I understand that you know where is base is. Tell me where it is."

 

"Grand Admiral you must understand..."

 

"TELL ME NOW!"

 

"I will do no such thing," and with that he stormed out of the room.

 

A few moments later...

 

Evan sat in his X-wing. Why does it come to this? "Ok R-4 2-1 get us ready for launch. Be quick."

"Ok we're ready?" A few moments later he was out flying the vastness of space. I did not expect it to come to this so quick but so be it.

 

"Set our cordinates for the Alderaan system."

 

OOC: Heh i wanted to stretch it out a little longer but Antilliles pushed me over the top. I am at your service Trej.

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC: You coming alone, Darky? Well we can always get your people later....

 

IC:

Iulan sat in his private meditation chamber in the biggest chunk of the remains of Alderaan.

The fleet was executing one of their usual hit and fade assault on Imperial Trade Convoys. The Warmaster, most likely was in the command center overviewing the development of the war in the most distant regions.

The villip built into his throne twitched.

"We have detected an X-Wing entering the debris field. It bears Rebel markings."

"That's interesting," Iulan noted.

Small ships jumped into the system from time to time, Alderaanians who dropped mementos in the Graveyard, few, very few ever ventured into the shards. All of them either pirates or smugglers, all of them had been killed in the debris field.

"We are being hailed."

"Put him on." Iulan ordered and a light on the other armrest of his throne lit up.

"This is General Evan Hechtman, I am looking for Iulan S'tor." Evans's voice crackled.

"Evan, this is Iulan. A coralskipper wil rendezvous with you. You will follow him to the hangar. I will met you there. Iulan out."

The comm went silent and Iulan looked into the villip.

"Send Ventar Goh to rendezvous with him, then join me in the hangar."

 

More than an entire wing of coralskippers silently watched the X-Wing land amidst them. The metal shp breaking the pattern of organic vessels. Evan jumped out of his cockpit and looked around him, without the Force Iulan knew perfectly that he was a bit nervous. The motion of his body the startled looks with which he analyzed the place around him, the silent fear that for some unexplainable reason Hawk might have been right.

Iulan marched for the door that opened into the hangar.

"Come with me, Rjiuvan."

"You deem that wise?"

"Yes, sooner or later he will have to meet you, he needs to understand that you are on my side."

"So that he makes the right choice?"

"He already made the choice, but he doesn't know the full weight of his decision."

The two of them entered the hangar. In the dim light Evan could nor fathom but a silhuoette nearing him.

"Iulan, I have to speak with you." The voice betraying nervousness and preoccupation.

"You have come to me, Evan. Before we speak there is someone you have to meet." WIth his right Vong hand Iulan have Rjiuvan forwards.

The sinister shadow materialized in a two-meter tall Jeedai Vong. The scars on his face and body made Evan shiver and for a second he withdrew his gaze.

"Warmaster Rjiuvan Shai, meet General Evan Hechtman."

Despite the grim expression in the Vong's face he extended his right human hand in a very human fashion.

"Fear not, a warrior will not fear his allies."

Hesitatingly Evan extended his own and shook it.

"You wanted to speak with me,"

"Yes, it's about Grand Admiral Hawk-"

"It has been a long trip, I'm sure. We will discuss it over dinner. Come with us." Iulan intervened.

Evan said nothing. The trip had been exhausting and dinner even if it wasn't from this galaxy was something he would welcome.

[ADarkJedi44]

Evan made the best out of the dinner, but it wasn't exactly delicious. The chair he sat in was very uncomfortable, but he had been given one he found more suitable then the others. The food itself was an organic mess. It gave him an odd feeling in his stomach, but he managed to cope with it. Then the real point of the dinner began.

 

"Grand Admiral Hawk has gone too far. I understand why'd he'd turn down an alliance with the Jedi-Vong, but now he is trying to capture you, Iulan. He tried to get me to tell him where your base is but as you can see I refused. I knew that i could not stay there after refusing him and so I came to you. The rebel forces have been holding on but I know something is up within the Yuuzhan Vong. I feel they are planning a invasion of Mon Calamari and/or Dantooine. I know they need your help. So I ask you, what do you say to this?"

[Trejiuvanat]

Iulan cocked his left eyebrow and turned towards the Warmaster.

"Trejas Strike?" Iulan asked timidly.

"That is the only way for them to do it, yes." Rjiuvan Shai agreed.

"Trej's what? Strike?" Evan asked.

"It's a strategy used in the distant Vong Home Galaxy. Over millenia their species fought many unification wars. One of the campaigns could parallel their situation here. In which they need to get from one part of the Rim to another, without access to the Core, nor the Inner Rim."

"But they do have forces near Agamar," Evan interceded.

"Yes, and the Rebellion will be considering them as the major threat. While the real threat attacks Calamari. There probably is a fleet underway silently sneaking past Hutt Space, avoiding Kessel and then getting in position to attack Mon Cal."

"Or they could attempt to use the Hyd-Dian Way, to attack Dantooine." Rjiuvan interceded. "But they will avoid a confrontation against the

Wondrous, at least for the moment."

"You will help?"

"We will be at Mon Calamari, Evan, just as the Yuuzhan Vong will be."

"How soon do you think it will happen."

"Rjiuvan?"

"It depends on the commander of the fleet, but I fear that the Supreme OVerlord himself might be present, the maneuver allows them to surround the Hutts, and be in a perfect position to attempt to break into the Core using the Permelian route. The loss of the fleet at Agamar will make them want to hurry, and Shimraa was never a patient person. As soon as possible."

"We will leave for Kessel as soon as possible and from there to Mon Calamari." Iulan said.

In matter of hours they parted to Kessel.

[ADarkJedi44]

Evan took out his comlink.

 

"Who is this?"

 

"Antilliles this is General Hechtman calling."

 

"Evan? They told us you had gone mad! What happened to you?"

 

"Well don't worry I haven't. Tell Grand Admiral Hawk that the vong are coming to Mon Cal. I'll tell you the rest later" Then he turned off the comlink.

 

Evan then proceded to the bridge of the Chariot. Iulan sensed him entering and said,"It will not be long now. We're about to arrive at Kessel. From then we will proceed directly to Mon Calamari." He paused for a moment then said,"What did Antilliles say?"

 

"I did not tell him what happened to me. All I told him was that the vong were coming to Mon Calamari. He seemed to understand. Understandably, he sounded shocked, but it is of no matter. He will pass the message along."

 

Evan took a long pause and then, with a hint of fear, added,"This next battle may decide the fate of the galaxy as we know it."

 

OOC: Oooo. Here we go.

[Trejiuvanat]

Iulan said nothing as the starlines slowed down into bizarre constellations around Kessel.

Evan's jaw dropped, tens of dozens of ships, no hundreds of dozens moved around the remains of Kessel. Most of them unique coral designs, dovin basals around them, others like the Kat'na Dreadnaughts, an hybrid between two worlds.

"Impressive."

"It is an overwhelming sight, perhaps this had been the only good that has come out of Kessel."

Evan nodded.

"What happened to the people there?"

Iulan remained silent.

"A few dozen we let colonize the garrison moon, most of the prisoners blew up with kessel. Spice spiders have been modified by shapers, spice is grown rather than mined."

"Warmaster."

Rjiuvan closed on the two humans.

"Odossa Rah says that there have been reports of a fleet near Gand. Close to the Centrality."

"What of Rebels forces?"

"The fleet around Kalah-Mari, is the only shield for them. The Wondrous is their only hope if they want to halt the Yuuzhan Vong fleet. Especially if the Punisher is here."

"The Punisher?" Evan asked.

"The Yuuzhan Vong analogue of the Super Star Destroyer, only nastier."

"NASTIER?"

"It is over sixteen Kliiks long and its armament outmatches twelve Imperial Destroyer." RJiuvan said.

"When will we part?"

"As soon as we load off part of the crew, and we load more weapons?"

"Less crew?" Evan asked.

"If we fail, our cause will be death, I have reponsibilities to the JEedai Vong, Evan. If I die, if Rjiuvan Shai die, they will take what they can and carve themselves a little empire in the Unknown Regions."

"The Unknown Regions, I should have thought of that," Evan noted with mock regret.

"That's why I'm the God and you the General."

"What are you taking in?"

"A hundred Kat'nas, the Chariot, and a few other Vong cruisers."

Evan said nothing.

"Evan, I want you to go and train with some of our pilots, in sumulators FOr two reasons really: One is for you to feel a coralskipper, five years of battling them in vacuum teaches one a lot many tings about them, but once you fly you will understand them more. And the will see how an X-Wing pilot of you caliber flies."

Evan nodded, and a Jeedai Vong led him off.

Alone Warmaster and God discussed for an hour or two. Then they made the jump.

[ADarkJedi44]

Flying in a coralskipper simulator was a new experiance for Evan. He had seen captured coralskippers up close, but no one in the Rebel Alliance could tell him how to fly them. It felt very akward with all the organic technology, especially the hood. After a few tries he managed to get the hang of it and shoot down a few enemies. Soon, he knew the ship was about to come out of hyperspace. He had gotten his experiance with a coralskipper. Now he began to move back towards the docking bay. The time of reckoning is at hand....

[Trejiuvanat]

"How was it?" Iulan's voice came to him as he exited the simulator.

"Fine, I think. I don't think I'd be capable of doing much damage in one of them."

"Nor do I for that matter, which is why I still fly my Defender."

"Are we there already?"

"We should pop out any minute, we'll be hypering in behind Mon Cal's moon."

"They do keep probes, you know."

"Yes, but they don't worry me. What worries me is that Hawk most likely isn't there yet."

None of them said anything else as they climbed into their own fighters. The dozens of Jeedai Vong pilots just observed the two humans prepares for battle.

Already in ihs cockpit the villip told Iulan that they had jumped out.

The fighters launched, Evan flying as Iulan's wingman.

"My lord, we are detecting debris coming from behind the other side of the moon."

Iulan acknowledged. "Prepare everyone for battle."

"Evan on me, we'll get ahead."

Evan replied the affirmative and flew in behind Iulan fastly advancind towards the planet. Just in time to see a few coralskipper evaportating.

The Rebel fleet was moving to their defense position and with the black space as background the Yuuzhan Vong fleet was nearing, it's fighters already engaged.

Surprinsingly the Punisher wasn't there.

"Rebel Fleet, this is Iulan S'Tor, please acknowledge."

"Commander S'Tor, is that you?" A grave Calamarian voice came. It must be the legendary Admiral Ackbar, though Iulan had never met him in person they had talked over comm in one mission before Iulan joined the Rebels.

"Yes, Admiral do you need assitance?"

"A single TIE Defender won't change the battle, Iulan."

"I'm not alone, Admiral. General Hechtman is with me. And some allies."

"Allies?"

"They are called the Jeedai Vong, they are under my command and they want to help you. And to fight back the Yuuzhan Vong."

Ackbar remained quiet.

"This is something unheard of, Iulan. Will they be under my command?"

"No, we will act as a battlegroup of our own."

"Understood" Ackbar agreed hesitatingly.

The comm crackled.

"That was fast!" Evan said.

"Yes, but Ackbar needs all the allies he can get."

"Unlike Hawk." Evan said.

Iulan shut the comm down and communicated to Rjiuvan.

"Let's start the fleet looks tough, but we must take advantage that the Punisher isn't here."

"Yet." Rjiuvan said but his fleet was already moving to intercept.

"Admiral," Iulan said as he lit up Ackbar frequency. "Please mark the Vong vessels coming behind the moon as allies, they are not to be fired upon. They are here to help you out. One last thing you may want to withdraw behind the golan stations. An enemy huge ship will most likely arrive any minute now."

As if his words had played a spell the dark figure of the Punisher materialized.

Iulan gulped and dialed Evan's frequency.

"May the Force be with us."

[Guest Admiral_Antilles]

“Admiral!! Admiral!! Mon Calamari is coming under attack soon! I have word from Evan—General Hetchman—He says they will be in firing range in 2 hours… and that was 2 hours 5 minutes ago….” Antilliles said bursting into Grand Admiral Hawk’s chambers.

“ What is the meaning of this, Commodore?”

“Sir, sir! Mon Cal is going to be attacked and we have only little to defend is the problem, with all due respect!”

“ General Hetchman is a traitor, we will not spend countless resources to his every whim, a whim no longer to do with this Alliance!”

“ But Sir! —“

“ But nothing, I will not send my forces from other sectors to protect Mon Calamari because he said so! I need proof, and he has none. Our readouts and Intel indicate that no Yuuzhan Vong fleet is moving at the moment.”

 

Then a flash, at the General’s comm station lit up.

 

“Admiral, distress signals coming in from Mon Calamari, they are under attack.” Was the voice on the other line, a bit nervous and scared.

Hitting the respond key he said, “Are you sure? There is no mistake?”

“Positive, sir,” was the instantaneous reply.

 

What have I done? He thought.

 

“Lieutenant, take us to the Mon Calamari station! Alert all battle station and prep all fighters!” He said ending the comm.

 

“ Leave me Commodore Antilliles, I…I need to think.”

“Yes, sir.”

 

What have I done? What was I thinking? Could I have been so centered that I couldn’t even think of listening to Iulan or Evan? I am a fool, not deserving this rank or command! He thought to himself. He then pulled open a drawer at his desk and pulled out an old standard issue DL-44 blaster pistol and raised it to his head…

 

 

 

Antilliles began walking down the corridor back to his office and decided instead to head to the fighter deck. He had not flown in over a year, he hoped he could still do it though, for his sake, no for the Rebellion’s sake.

 

 

OOC: Happy Darky?

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: Aww Spamtilliles don't be so drastic.

IC:

 

Evan followed Iulan into battle. Behind them were dozens of coralskippers. It was a truely impressive armada. The Rebel forces had taken up their positions behind the Golans. With the Jedi-Vong the Rebel forces were now in the upper hand. But where will the Punisher attack?It appeared to be staying at a distance, merely engaging the Rebel forces from afar.

 

The Yuuzhan Vong forces appeared intent on overwhelming the Rebel forces before the Jedi-Vong could fully enter the battle. Their coralskippers were attacking the Rebel forces, entrenched behind their Golans. The coralskippers were taking heavy casulties but it appeared as if they would soon overwhlem the Rebel forces. We can't allow that now can we?He keyed on his comm.

 

"Antilliles how long can you hold out?"

 

"Long enough, sir."

 

"Very well then."

 

He looked and saw they were about to enter the battlefield. The Jedi-Vong fleet struck at the Yuuzhan Vong from the side. The enemy had been given adequete time to prepare, but the blow still smashed through their lines. Evan got into his battle rhythm, vaping a skip here, striking there. He felt at peace, odd as it was fighting alongside coralskippers. The Jedi-Vong forces plunged through their enemies lines. It took a few moments for the Yuuzhan Vong to stop them from completly tearing the Vong apart. Nevertheless, Evan hoped for a relativly quick victory. Suddenly he recieved a transmission from Iulan.

 

"I feel you should return to Shadow Wing and the Rebel forces. They need you there."

 

Evan knew better than to argue with Iulan. He replied,"As ordered."

 

When he arrived at the Rebel lines he saw that numerous Vong sacrafices had created a gap in the defenses. It did not look like much of a threat, as Shadow Wing had the area locked down. Then Evan's fears came true. The Punisher moved straight into the gap.

[Trejiuvanat]

Iulan took off the hand from the yoke to shield his eyes from the incandescent globe where a defending Mon Cal cruiser blew up.

The Punisher steadily advanced leaving behind only a trail of debris and death.

The Jeedai Vong fleet, that had in the beginning succeeded in halting the advance of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet watched as the Punisher moved towards the Golans. The stations would not possibly hold the Cruiser behind them would be destroyed.

Hundred Jeedai Vong Kat'nas continued their onslaught on the support elements of Shimraa's fleet. The Chariot personally leading the attack. Now in his sensor scopes he could see as the Chariot killed yet one more cruiser and moved on an intercept course on the Punisher.

"Warmaster, the Chariot won't stop the Punisher. Break off!"

"My ship won't stop him, but he will not refuse a challenge either!" Rjiuvan said, for too long a time, had Rjiuvan wanted to challenge the Overlord.

"Warmaster, do not challenge him. You have other duties as a warrior!"

Rjiuvan answered with a battlecry, but he broke off the attack.

"Iulan, believe it or not, more skips are launching from the Punisher!"

"Acknowledged, Commodore."

Iulan activated the cloaking device on his Defender and launched into the furball. As a wraith he killed his enemies without them even realizing what happened to them.

A coralskipper moved ahead of him, his sensor identifying it as an enemy he moved behind him, following his maneuvers. Iulan gently caressed the trigger before he pressed it and evaporated the skip. Only to find the huge Punisher hanging ahead of him. Threatening and imponent a reminder that this battle could not be won.

[ADarkJedi44]

Evan grimly surveyed the battlefield. The Yuuzhan Vong fleet was being smashed, but the Punisher could not be stoped. It widened the gap in the Rebel lines. Soon, it appeared, part of the vong fleet would come through and smash the Rebel forces and shipyards. Is this how the Rebel Alliance shall fall?

 

"Shadow Wing we need to take out the Punisher."

 

"We can't take out that thing, even without its fighters," Antilliles shot back.

 

"Does anyone have any better ideas?"

 

Silence answered him.

 

"Well then lets go after the Pun-"

 

At that moment, hope returned. Rebel forces had been jumping in throughout the battle, but none as great as the lastest force. It was only a small group of ships, but it was led by the Wonderous. Now it head straight towards the Punisher.

 

"Well this evens the odds a little, don't you think?"

 

OOC: YAY!

[Trejiuvanat]

OOC:

 

IC: The Wondrous was like a white arrowhead that had darted into themiddle of the battle. The Jeedai Kat'na and the Mon Cal's own cruisers had withdrawn from the Punisher's path as the Wondrous steadily advanced onwards it's massive turbolaser emplacements exchanging salvos with the titan Vong vessel.

The Rebel Fighters honoring their tradition of launching despite impossible odds moved against the Punisher. Only shielded with their courage and their will to survive they kept destroying the incoming swarms of coralskippers that kept coming out of the Punisher's hangar.

The Jeedai Vong forces had successfully driven the enemy Interdictors our of the battle and now pressed on the rearguard support vessels.

Alone the Chariot stubbornly remained flanking the Punisher, with that act silently challenging Shimraa.

Iulan focused again on the battlefield. In his cloaked Defender he maneuvered trough the enemy skips and blasted dovin basals that protected essential areas of the Punisher.

The damage he inflicted was surgical, but there was little that his allies could do. Moving away from the shadow of the ship he decloaked and regrouped with some of the Chariot's skips thatfaithfully protected the Jeedai Vong flagship.

By now Shimraa knew perfectly that the battle was not in his favor anymore. Worse yet there was the slight possibility that the Punished could be destroyed. The formidable defense mounted by Admiral Ackbar and the impeccable tactics of Hawk had turned the tide.

 

OOC: WIll finish it later...

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: Ok, I'll by waiting.

[Trejiuvanat]

Iulan had take his golved hand from the steering yoke to shiled his eyes from the incandescent globe of light where another of the Yuuzhan Vong's vessels perished.

Most of the Jeedai's Kat'nas had separated the Yuuzhan Vong's support vessels from the Punisher and had quickly started to take them out. The Rebel Forces had started to advance from their defensive positions under the cover of the Wondrous.

The Punisher knew that it couldn't advance past the Rebels defensive lines and rotated to have a greater firing arc on the Wondrous advance force. The Chariot still remained in a advantaged position over the Punisher and it's five kilometers of threatening weapons stared defiant at the Punisher.

If nothing else the presence of the Chariot was certain to disturb the Overlord, and more importantly to distract him.

Iulan led another group of coralskippers against some weapon emplacements on the Punisher's hull. With Rebel fighters starting to attack the Punisher's escorting fighters and with such a big target in sights his squadron continued to punish the Punisher.

Then in a single instant the universe turned black and white, and red and green. He seemed to be lost in eternity, he felt the motion of swirling around, and the notion of falling. In a last exhilarating instant he felt a scream of terror though the Force.

And then Nothing.

 

OOC: Just don't kill the Punisher, make it flee.. whatever.

[ADarkJedi44]

OOC: IULANNNNNNNNNNN!!!!

 

IC:

Evan grimly smiled as another Yuuzhan Vong cruiser exploded. The combined forces of the Jedi-Vong and the Rebel Alliance were pounding their enemies. It appeared even the Punisher couldn't hold out for much longer. So many lives had been lost, but their sacrafices had not been in vain.

 

"Keep up the pressure Shadow Wing."

 

Shadow Wing was doing a great job of keep the Punisher's skips in check. Just when they thought the Punisher had run dry, another wave would come at them. Every once and a while Shadow Wing would make a quick attack on the Punisher. Chunks of it began to fall off.

 

The Chariot and the Wonderous continued to fire. The Punisher was still a force to be reckoned with, no matter what the damage was. She was now outgunned and overmatched, but she she held her ground. Suddenly, she began to turn away.

 

Evan's comm exploded with the sound of cheering. It was louder than at some sports game. He smiled, it reminded him of his childhood. Why not? Soon, he too joined in the cheering. Soon, the entire Yuuzhan Vong fleet was either destroyed or in hyperspace. The battle had been won.

[Trejiuvanat]

Through the various human frequencies screams of joy and cheer came through, fervent enough to crack a smile from the stern face of the Jeedai Vong Warmaster.

He could detect a sense of relief in his own warriors, they had survived, they lost five Kat'nas, twenty more suffered severe damaga, but most of his fleet was unscathed.

The blazebugs had a difficult time representing all the information of the battle area. Lots of pieces of debris were confouded with coralskippers, metallic plates that could be mistaken for Rebel fighters.

And perhaps a cloaked TIE Defender amidst them all.

Where was Iulan?

The question came inescapably. The answer eluded him.

Dead? Could his God die?

Lost? Hurt? Thoughts plagued him, worry and awe paralyzed him. Iulan was his guide. A compass.

Rjiuvan barked some orders to his first mate, then left and entered the technological sanctum. Iulan had insisted on him learning to use the mechanical aberrations, just in case.

Rjuvan touched the cold metal with his warm human hand pressing buttons and turning knobs, he dialed down a specific frequency.

"General Hecht-Man, I need your help." Rjiuvan spoke without delay, without wasting words.

Before any reply came back he linked another frequency.

"Admiral Ackbar, I need you help." He repeated the same request. "Iulan S'Tor is missing."

 

Darkness was all that was. Only he existed. Naked in the dark space.

No, he wasn't alone. He knew there was someone else, watching him.

"Reveal yourself." Iulan commanded.

A booming vicious laughter answered him, followed by the ever familiar snaphiss of his saber.

"I welcome you, Iulan. And I greet you, from one god to another."

[ADarkJedi44]

Evan searched the area intensivly, all the while calling Iulan on his comm. There was nothing.

 

"Iulan? Iulan?"

 

Who could have killed Iulan?Perhaps he was merely captured.... but it seemed unlikely. Could Iulan truely be dead? This brought a great sadness to Evan. He sighed. Another one is taken by the horrors of war. With Iulan, will we be able to establish the alliance? Once again, he sighed.

 

"Iulan? Iulan?"

 

Finally he conceded defeat.

 

"Rjiuvan I regret to inform you that I can find no trace of him."

 

OOC: