Star Wars: Return of the Sith

[Angelus]

The only thing Bal was doing at the moment was fly and shoot. There was nothing else that was going on at the moment in his mind. Suddenly a squint appeared in front of him and before it could fly out of the way he fired several laser bolts at it and hit it straight through the cockpit, watching as it exploded.
Before he could congratulate himself several eyeballs flew past him, each of them shooting at him. Bal maneuvered after them and fired shot after shot at them, watching as them flew out of the way. He flipped a switch on his comm unit,
"Lead, this is Nine. We have a major situation up here. There are four Star Destroyers up here. It might be to stay as close to the Solo as possible. Is everything alright down on the surface?"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

Has she get away?
The thought came to me seemingly from nowhere. Stray in the air, but I knew it was the force that had carried it to me.
"I'm here, Marius," I returned, choosing the more conventional method of speaking into the communications unit in the X-Wing.
"Raine?" His voice returned.
"Yep," I replied. "I got out just before Kelson and Daelon. Hopefully they're on their way toward the Solo."
"That where we're headed?"
"Yes, but we're not going to dock. We'll help the fighters in orbit defend the transport ships that need to dock on board."
"Gotcha," he replied.
"Oh, and, Mare?"
"Yes," he replied, after a pause. It often gave him pause when I called him that. Jedi Raine DuVall showing her softer side, or at least her human side, the part that felt like everyone else did; it had a way of surprising everyone. "Don't be a cowboy. That's Rogue Squadron up there, there's no sense in trying to impress them..."
I could feel him smiling on the other end. "Yeah, I hear what you mean. They can handle things without my stunt driving exercises."
I cut up into the atmosphere, seeing another X-Wing follow my lead.
"Beegas," I said, "follow our lead, and head directly toward the Solo, only changing course if absolutely necessary. Time will make all the difference here."
"Roger that," Beegas replied. "Following your lead."
"Daelon, Kelson, Dartum," I began, "Let's give this our best. At very least, if we're all going to die today, we'll give them a challenge."
The five Jedi-piloted X-Wings shifted into the lead, heading for the atmosphere.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Daelon

"Roger that Marius." Daelon said with a smile playing across his lips. He never thought he could do that, smile about death; but now that he had seen it all around him, he could. And the thought sent a shiver down his spine, as it went against his basic Jedi instincts. He forced the smile from his face with disgust, shaking his head as he concentrated on escaping to the Solo.

 

[Paendragon]

Rogue Lead, Gavin Darklighter

"Roger, Nine. All transports are airborne. Repeat, all transports are airborne. We'll rendevous at the Solo, and cover the retreat."

He pulled out of the atmosphere followed by his half of the squadron.

"Four, five, and six. Split, and cover the last transport. Get the Jedi and the command staff to the ship ASAP. Two and three on me," he grinned, "search and destroy. Lets help Nine clean up, up here. Mark the Solo, and stay close."

 

[Paendragon]

Commander Dar Thandor

Dar stood now, surveying the battle.

"Commander, the last transport is pulling out of the atmosphere, now. It should be ready to dock momentarily. Another, the Talon, is requesting rendevous coordinates."

Dar's eyebrows lowered. "The Talon? I don't recognise the name."

"It was on the 'friends' list transmitted by Colonel Riekkan."

Dar pursed his lips. "Transmit, full scramble." If it's a friend, it'll be able to decifer them. "As soon as the last transport is onboard, recall all fighters and jump to lightspeed."

 

[Orlanth]

D'rack Fran'tok

"Solo, this is the Renegade, we will provide cover until you make jump. We'll met you at the rendevous point." D'rack looked at the control desk, then back to the battle...D'rack turnd and looked down at te commander.

Pointin his left arm out to the battle, D'rack asks: "Who are they, and how the hell did they find that base?"

"I'm not sure m'lord... We can look into this if you wish?"

"I wish it!"D'rack fellt the anger in him "I must let go of thi hate." D'rack thought to himself as he watched the commander hurry off to his comman desk... Hate is the path to the Dark Side.

 

[Angelus]

Bal

Bal looked over and saw the transports flying towards the Solo and saw the X-wings ringing them. He then saw several squints and eyeballs fly away from the Imperial ships and towards the transports and Solo. He flipped the switch on his comm unit and shouted out, "Watch out Rogues..... TIEs coming your way!"
"Okay everyone, form up on me. We have to protect the transports at all costs."
"Will do Nine," came the answer from all the Rogues.

Bal traded the energy from his weapons into his propulsion and flew towards the TIEs. He looked into his sensors and saw that the Rogues were following close behind. He switched his sensors forward and saw that there were at least four squadrons flying towards the transports. Okay.... so it's four to one. This is going to be one hell of a fight. As soon as he was close enough he switched his power to his shields and weapons and smiled as he flew towards the unsuspecting TIEs, hoping that he could get to them before they even knew he was there.

 

[poohlive]

Dartum

It was an incredible sight. Hundreds of tiny ships, not much bigger than flies to him, zipping around in space. Every few seconds a small explosion appeared. Among the stars, other shards of light came up.
Dartum follwed in alignment, shooting anything that came up on his screen. Following one fighter, waiting until it exploded, and then moving onto another. Every once in a while, a Tie would follow him, but soon it would leave, without much evasion on his part.
(As it should be doing to all jedi, since those were their orders)
He moved across the sky, from one part to the sky to the other. On the left, three star destroyers crawling were crawling in space. Their huge black windows, like soul-less eyes, watching everything.
Suddenly, he felt sick about being part of any of this. So many innocent people dying because of him. His orders, his fault.
He shook himself out of it. The crystal burning on his chest.
What was he thinking? The jedi were near destroyed, they have almost won.
He didn't want that though, at this moment, killing off the jedi were the furthest from his mind. He renewed his vigor.
" Raine, this is Dartum" he said into the comm, "I don't want to sound like the voice of reason or anything, but this is a lost cause, when can we get the hell out of here?"

 

[Dark Warrior]

Daelon

Daelon scowled as he watched tie fighters duck and weave behind him. It was true that he was not making himself an easy target, but still... if he was not wrong, he should be under heavier fire than what he was. He flicked on the comm switch.
"Everyone... this could just be me, but I can sense that the attack on myself is half-hearted at best. I think we should all watch out; they could have a different objective than to just blow us out of the sky... any ideas?"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

As Daelon spoke, I realized the truth in his words. It seemed by now, more of us would be gone.
I shrugged it off. If I assumed he was right, and it was all just our perception (and Daelon and I might not have been the best judges of these things, being still in training), then I'd most likely get blown to pieces as soon as my guard lowered a tad.
"Raine," I asked. "How many more transports to dock?"

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

The TIE burst into flames before me and I quickly shifted back into formation, keeping close to the transports, unable to protect themselves.
"Dartum, as soon as the transports are aborad the Solo, we will be getting the hell out of here...until then, we have to protect their course and get them safely aboard. Your observation is noted, Daelon, but we don't have time to debate their intentions. We stick to our original plans and deal with any set-backs when the occur. Hesitation can mean life and death in situation like these." I glanced toward the docking bays, seeing six ships near them. Three of them were docking, and the last three lining up behind them. Less than a minute and we'd be heading off. "Don't worry, guys. Three more transports need to dock and we're leaving all this behind..."
Another TIE moved in behind me, I quickly cut to my left, giving Daelon the change to pick him off from behind.
"Alright," I said, "Once I give the order, we get behind the Solo and follow it out of here. Once we get this battle a decent distance behind us, we'll dock and head into hyperspace."
I wasn't sure if Daelon had finished the TIE yet when I saw the docking bays close, but I didn't bother to wait. Time was of the essence, as the saying goes.
"Now!" I ordered, cutting to my right and heading up behind the Solo as if moved quickly away from the battle.

 

[Paendragon]

"Roger, Renegade. We'll be waiting for you there."

Dar hated to leave the Star Destroyer alone, but knew that he should be the one to leave first. He had, afterall, taken on the majority of the evac.

Waiting for the last transport to dock seemed to take an eternity. Finally, he received the signal. He hit the transmit button to the fleet. "Cover craft prepare to dock on my mark. All other craft meet at rendevous point."

He turned toward the helmsman for the heavy cruiser. "Liutenant, take us around the planet. Go in as tight as possible, and jump out from the far side."

The ship lurched in space, and shook as a few more tubolaser blasts rammed the shields, but turned quickly enough to follow his orders. Rogue, Red, and Gold squadrons took up the rearguard along with the fighters from the base, several suffering casualties.

"Come on, sweetheart.... fly..." he urged the Solo onward, as if he could will her beyond the laws of physics.

"Open docking bays," he called out.

Just a little furthur.... a little more..... now!

"Order all fighter craft onboard immediately!"

The orders were relayed, and the fighters swarmed toward the ship. All but the Rogues, who took their customary place as the last to board. Then they were in, as well.

"Go! Now!!"

The stars became starlines, as the Solo shot forward into hyperspace.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Daelon

Daelon steered his fighter in behind the TIE that was following Raine, his hands shaking just a little as he tried to get a lock-on.
"C'mon, c'mon..." he silently urged himself on, but, just a moment before he could lock on target, another TIE darted in the middle of the two ships, breaking both Daelon's concentration and the chance of a lock on the ship.
Daelon frowned as his laser weapons fired, sending the TIE that had intervened to a very fiery death. He swerved a little to avoid the flaming wreckage, before bringing himself back on line to fire at the original TIE. It dodged and weaved, and Daelon struggled to get it in his sights, but then it banked left hard, and Daelon brought his own ship around in time to let off two well-time blasts which tore into the TIE fighter's hull, and the little ship erupted into flames.
The padawan's celebration was cut short as he saw Raine's ship spiral outwards from behind the TIE, and it was obvious she was losing control. With horror he realised that she must have been too close to the TIE's explosion, and her ship had been struck by the blast.
Just before he could do anything, the emergency docking signal was broadcast by the Solo, and he knew that he must dock now or be abandoned by the fleet. His mind was struck with indecision as he watched Raine's ship spiral out of control on his left and the Solo, ships streaming towards it, on his right.
"Sorry, Raine..." he whispered, a shocked look on his face, before he banked to the right.

 

[poohlive]

Dartum

He let a couple more fire shoot into space, nothing more than a victory dance. They had done it, at least for the most part. As he spoke dozens of ships turned into blurs, jumping into hyperspace.
He logged in his own quardenants, sending his own ship into space.
Finally, he was able to relax. He sat back in the chair, and pried his fingers from the wheel, looking at them. They were very small, and pale as a ghost.
He was shaking, actually shaking. This was the first time in his life where he had had the odds so piled up against him.
And he had done it.
He took it on with a great force.
"Yee haw!!!!!"
He screamed into the comm as his ship sped through space.

 

[Angelus]

Bal

Bal looked on in shock as he saw one of the Jedi X-Wings spiral out of control as it was caught in the shock wave from a TIE fighter. He flicked the switch on his comm unit, "Lead, this is Nine. I am going after the Jedi's X-wing. I need for you to switch my transpoder to the frequency for the Solo please so that I can follow its path."

Before he could get a reply from Gavin Bal banked his X-wing and fly away from the squadron and towards the spiraling X-wing of the Jedi. He flipped his comm unit on and set it to search for the comm signal of the Jedi's X-wing, hoping that he could find it and was rewarded by a sharp burst of static. He smiled and then said, "Jedi Knight, this is Lieutenant Bal Isalias of Rogue Squadron. Tell me what your situation is and I will offer as much any help that I can. Can you answer me."

Bal then saw a flash of light off to his right and saw the Solo disappear into hyperspace and hoped that he had just done the right thing.

 

[Orlanth]

D'rack Fran'tok

D'rack stod, standing at the veiwpot of the bridge, watching as the Solo enterd hyperspace. "Now, for uis o leave."

"Commander," D'rack turned to face the commander. "Call back the Tie Fighters and take us to hyerspace."

"I wonder how Kaneis going?..."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

My communicatins system was slightly damaged, but I could make out words here and there as the pilot tried to contact me.
"Jedi Knight...Lieutenant Bal Is...Rogue Squadron. Tell me...sit...will offer as much any help...answer me.""Lieutenant, I'm heading down," I returned. "There's nothing you can do unless I can stop the spin-out."
The vessel was gaining revolution speed as I spoke. A distant planet began to near, coming closer at too fast a rate.
"I'm heading for an unidentified planet, Mached III or Alda, or maybe Vindae...You copy? Unretrievable spin-out, headed for one of those three planets..."
I listened for a response, unsure if the pilot had even heard me. It was senseless to try and help me or to follow, it'd just leave him open to attack by the TIEs in pursuit.
I watched as the planet spun closer in front of me, finally overtaking my entire view. The black-grey atmosphere of it, hung before me like a curtain; I wondered what that curtain hid.
Too soon, I realized, I'd be moving right through it...

 

[Angelus]

Bal flew towards the Jedi's X-wing as it fell towards the planet and tried to hail her again but received nothing but static over his comm unit. He watched as the fighter slowly plummeted towards the atmosphere of planet. As it disappeared he let out a sigh of disappointment and turned his fighter to the right before he looked back and let out another sigh.

He then felt several hits on his shield and looked to the right to see several TIE fighters heading his way. As they moved closer he saw that there were squints and that he was in trouble. He put the energy from his weapons into his shields and engines and flew quickly away from the planet. As he got far enough away he told Wolf, his R6 unit to plot a short hyperspace jump. After several seconds in which he watched the squints get closer he heard a beep from Wolf and smiled before he hit the hyperspace switch, watching as the stars elongated into lines and he was then in hyperspace.

After a few seconds he was in real space and looking straight at a Star Destroyer. He banked to the right and thought This day is going from bad to worse.

 

[Orlanth]

D'rack Fran'tok on the Star Destroyer Renegade.

"Solo, this is D'rack on the Renegade, are you alright? I can send repair units, and med unitsoverto help..."D'rack walked back and forth across the bridge, looking out atthe ships. "I suggest we go to yet another location in hope to lose those ohe Star Destroyers..." "I have to return to Coruscent soon..."

"Perhaps, Coruscent? I have to return there, andmake sure all is going well, I have 3 other Star Destroyers there, along with a shipping bay..."
D'rack pused. "And Solo tell your X-wings that we are friendly."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

I climbed out of the X-Wing, looking over at Daelon, who looked back at me, his face slack.
What had happened? I wondered, but wondering only lasted a few seconds before I noticed the difference. Something wasn't as it had been before. Someone was...missing? A force signature I knew.
I looked around, seeing the others climbing from thier fights, some I knew, others I didn't.
I thought for a moment, realizing how deeply lost I felt for the first time since beginning my training.
Raine...
I dropped to the ground and hurried over to Daelon's fighter.
"Daelon," I began, meeting him as his feet found the ground. "What happened to her? Where is she?"

 

[Dark Warrior]

Daelon

Daelon closed his eyes a moment, his face going pale. He did not even turn to face his friend.
"I'm sorry, Marius. It was me... I... it was an accident, and she... I... I don't know." he paused a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. "I don't know if she's OK, but she's definately not here. There was an... accident, she lost control... and that's the last thing I saw of her. I... I meant to help, but there wasn't a thing I could do, and the Solo was ordering the evacuation, and I had to go, and... I'm sorry, Marius." he finished, just where he had begun, and without even sparing his friend and fellow padawan a glance, he stalked away from the hangar.

 

[Paendragon]

Tynan

The Talon reverted back to realspace with the fleet, and made straight for the Solo.

He received clearance to land, and brought the ship to a stop in the landing bay. Luke unstrapped himself and walked closer. The boys eyes were glassy, as if he had been drinking, and had the look of fear in them. He no doubt knew what he had done to the enemy ships, and it scared him to death.

Tynan released the Force, which he had been holding continuously since the attack, and nearly fell when the ship seemed to lurch. Only by grabbing onto the pilots chair was he able to keep himself upright. The pain from his burn hit him like a stampeding bantha. He tried to reach for the Force again, and it slipped through his fingers. He tried again, and still nothing. On the thrid attempt, he finally succeeded, and used it to shunt the pain away.

"Let's go, Junior," he rasped.

* * *

The medical bay on board the Solo luckily had several bacta tanks, and the medical droid was fastening the breathing mask on the bounty hunter.

Across the room, Luke watched intently.

Tynan winked at him. The medical staff had stripped him of all of his clothing, except for some strange looking loincloth, and he knew the boy could see the extent of his injury. The droid had already told him that he would have scars, but he should regain full mobility relatively quickly. After the treatment.

Before long, he was lifted over the bacta tank, and lowered in.

 

[poohlive]

Ronag and a friend

They all say that the grass is always greener on the other side. It's a figurative phrase that contemplates the idea that no matter what one has, someone else's possessions simply look that much better. In the mind's eye, greed is the only true sight one can have.
Ronag coughed once, looking up at the building before him.
"Troubled?"
He nodded, closing his eyes. The after effects of the fight had reached him a while ago. Like waves coming through space, just to reach ihs heart. Doom and dispair troubling him, buckling his strength.
"Care not, there is more for them you can do on this planet, than there."
Again, he nodded. The elderly cloaked figure spoke nothing but the truth. As much as he would have liked to help them, help all of them, he couldn't.
Not just yet.
There were still things to prepare.
"Ready to talk to them?"
Getting up from his knees, he readjusted his clothing. Small dust was now on his brown cloak, but it was hardly noticable. He brushed it off, looking once more at the double doors.
"How much help do you think they can give us?"
For the first time, the figure revealed it's face. The dark hood came back to it's shoulders, and he saw what he had felt hours earlier when he first met the creature. Green skin, scattered hair, huge ears, and a great potential for power.
"How tought the Sith are, it depends."
Without answering back, he walked up the steps. The doors opened as he crossed the threshold. This would be the last hand played, the last favor that the jedi had to behold.
He just wished it wasn't on his shoulders.

 

[Paendragon]

Commander Dar Thandor

Colonel Rieekan and Colonel Darklighter stood before him on the bridge, but only Colonel Rieekan was smiling.

"Excellent job, Dar. I'll be using my authority to grant you the field promotion to the rank of Captain. With it, we should be able to get you into one of our capital ships. A destroyer perhaps?"

"Thank you, Colonel. I'd prefer to stay with the Solo, though." Dar's face showed no emotion.

"Captain..." Colonel Darklighter began.

Dar forestalled him. "We've been through this before Colonel. We can't go back for him. We'll wait here as long as possible for him to arrive, but we cannot go back."

"Bal is the best pilot we've got, Captain. And he's a good friend. We can't abandon him."

Dar shook his head. "I understand your loyalty, Gavin. Believe me, I do. He disappeared from our scanners at the same time Jedi DuVall did. He did, however, know where we were heading, and if I know him at all, he'll be here shortly. Probably with some incredible tale to tell."

"Dar..."

"The orders were mine, Gavin," he whispered. "I hated to give them, but we had to save who we could. Let it go."

Colonel darklighter's back straightened, and his eyes bored into Dar's. "Yes, Captain. If I'm no longer needed I'd like to check on the rest of my men."

"Dismissed, Colonel."

Gavin walked stiffly from the bridge, with Dar watching him go.

"You did as well as could be expected, Captain, and better than just about anyone else would have. You earned that promotion."

Dar shook his head, and frowned. "Then why does it feel like we've lost?"

Colonel Riekkan shrugged. "That the way of war, sometimes. My father commanded the Hoth Rebel base during the Battle of Hoth, did you know that?"

Dar nodded. General Carlist Rieekan had been one of the Rebellions most celebrated leaders.

"He won quite a few skirmishes in his time," Colonel Rieekan continued, "but earned the most respect for the battle, and the evacuation of that 'infernal ice cube,' were the words I believed he used, than any of his victories. By all accounts Hoth was a defeat, but most of the base made it out alive."

Dar understood what he was saying, but that didn't make it easier. Too many people had been lost at Mached V for him to be able to judge it anything but a defeat.

"Com... uh, Captain," his com officer called out. "The Renegade is contacting us."

He listened to the mesage, and responded. "Master Fran'tok, we would be grateful for any help with repairs. As for our destination, I'll have to check with Master Kelson. I've sent word for him to join us on the bridge."

 

[Dark Warrior]

Daelon

As Daelon strode through the corridors of the Solo aimlessly, he pondered everything that had gone on. The battle, the escape, the... the stench of death... and Raine...
He stopped dead, placing his hands on a railing and staring out a window into space. Suddenly, he took his hands off the railing, turning them palm up towards him as he looked down at them.
They were shaking.
They had never shaken before, not like this.
What was happening to him?