Star Wars: Return of the Sith

[Paendragon]

Tynan

The door slid open, and he leaned his head out. No one in sight. He reached out with the Force, and felt nothing. Odd...

"Be careful... something's not right here," he whispered to Marius. "Watch my back, and follow and wait to see what happens."

This was foolish, he knew. He would walk outside and be nearly a sitting duck. Still, someone had to be first out, and better him than a soldier. He had a much better chance of surviving.

He slipped out of the hangar, one lightsaber in each hand, crouched low. He moved quickly to the right, not knowing why, and reached a doorway. He reached out with the Force, and unlatched the door, which slid open with a soft hiss. He signalled Marius to follow, and watched him cross the same distance. When he reached him, Tynan enetered the building.

He didn't know where he was going, only that the Force told him to go there.

Then all hell broke loose.

 

[Paendragon]

Darth Moridin

The first man to leave the hangar slipped out to the west, followed shortly by a second man. Their auras screamed Jedi.

He could feel them moving away from his position, and decided to let them go. Let the others deal with them.

The rest, however, would not slip through his grasp. If they would not come outside...then he would bring the outside to them.

"Now," his deep voice echoed into the communicator.

Across the square, two Stormtroopers stepped out from the corner and hoisted blaster cannons to their shoulders. Close to him, two more did the same. He could tell that the hangar was build to withstand great punishment, and would not come down, but it didn't have to to serve his needs.

"Fire."

Four cannons blazed, their power slamming into the side of the hanger tearing a hole into nearly the entire side facing him.

A hole that was filled with the blaze of Stormtrooper fire as his troops attacked.

 

[Paendragon]

Master Duu'Raan

Doprekka piloted the stolen shuttle away from Ithor, as he contacted Yavin on a secure frequency.

"I will be arriving shortly with a full analyssssissss, Captain."

"We'll be awaiting your return Master Duu'Raan," Captain Dar Thandor replied from the bridge of the Solo. "Master Kelson is indisposed at the moment, and we still have no word from Master Frantok."

Duu'Raan closed his eyes, and delved deeply into the Force. He didn't like what he felt. Ther was a...... hum to it, was the best he could describe. As if in anticipation of something.

"Any word from Massster Basaal?"

"Not since they enetered Bespin space," Dar answered.

"Odd..." Duu'Raan lowered his head. "Was he planning on maintaining silence?"

"I wasn't informed."

Duu'Raan could sense the irritation coming from the Captain. He was one of the brightest minds in the military, and as such, it grated on him somewhat that the Jedi felt the need to keep so much secret from him.

"Itssss not just you, Captain. There are sssome misssionssss that only Jedi may handle. And in thossse instancesss, the more who know, the worssse it may be for thosssse Jedi."

"I understand that." He frowned. "May I speak candidly, Master?"

Duu'Raan grinned. He had never known Thandor to do otherwise. "You may."

"The Jedi are not just an important piece of the Rebellion. They are the most important piece. The people look to the Jedi as a symbol of everything the Empire isn't. As long as one Jedi stands, there is hope. As it is, there are not enough of you. And to waste you on mission such as these, with no backup..."

"You wish to go to Bessspin?" Duu'Raan asked.

"I do. The Academy is well protected with the ships that have arrived. We could go in close enough to make a difference if needed, and still stay out of the way."

"Go then, Captain. And may the Force be with you."

Thandor's face showed surprise, then pleasure. "Thank you Master Duu'Raan."

The screen went dark.

 

[Orlanth]

Jedi Master D'Rack Fran'Tok

D'Rack's eyes opened quicky as he heard thedoor beeping. "Come..."

"Master Fran'Tok..." Commander Shoman nervously said. "It's ready."

"Good.... Ready my Shuttle...I'm moving the command to the Death Star." D'Rack says with a smile as he looks out the Window and out tothe Death Star.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

The blasts came from behind us, and I almost stopped right off, wanting to go back.
No, Raine's voice said from within. Trust the others to do thier job. Trust, Marius. That's so very important to being a Jedi.
Finish the mission. And the mission here was retrieve the boy, and if time and the will of the Force allow, retrieve Raine as well.
I followed Tynan further, keeping my eyes peeled, but not igniting my lightsaber just yet, not until I saw danger, and thinking, Raine, where the hell are you? Come back to me already...

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Mogo

One moment, she held her hands at her sides, liesurely it appeared. The next, the hand blaster was pointed toward me, her finger already beginning to press down.
I fired, not knowing if I had time to stop her or not, not even attempting to dodge the attack. I wouldn't have been able to anyway.
My attacks struck her armor in several places, deflecting and striking against the walls to eithe side of her, hardly leaving even mild dents but shifting her balance some, sending her aim off enough that the bolt that came at me missed my left wing by at least a foot.
I fired a few more times, knowing the attempts would go no where but where those I had just made had gone, but also knowing I had no other options.
I hoped Orin could get the boy out of here in time. It was looking as if I was in way over my head already.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

I'd switched off my lightsaber at some point, no longer needing it for light and not seeing a sign of aggression yet from the man before me.
(familiar)
Yes, he was familiar, but was he who he said he was?
"No...."
The word was more a whisper than anything, but he heard me.
"Yes, Raine," he replied. "It is so very true."
I looked down, feeling discomfort looking at the man before me. I would have told myself a few years ago that it was just the dark side, and that I couldn't bear to stare at it for long, but now I knew better. Perhaps even then I would have. His words, as much as I hated to hear them, brought grief to me, but no surprise.
"He has sent me for a reason, and that reason does not have to be one of hatred or fear, Raine."
I shook my head, knowing what it was.
"And why? You've seen what will become of the Jedi. And you'll see more of that today. The Jedi order is about to change. A new power will rise in the universe, and it is your choice whether you join it, or bow down to it in envy."
How could they? How could anyone?
"It can't be true. You..."
Denial. It held me tightly just then, not letting me look ahead, at what needed to be seen.
"Need more proof?" He asked. "Perhaps the past is not too far for you to remember."
He raised his hands to his head, gripping the hood of his cloak and drawing it back. As it fell, a familiar face came into view, and the lightsaber fell to the floor with a thunk.
His skin had paled and grown slightly wrinkled, contradicting his young age, but it was Dietre. Slightly older than Marius, his face appeared almost ten years older than my own. His eyes spoke his age, though, and sold his familiarity as well. Denial had lost this battle.
I lowered my head again.
"It hurts you to see this, I see," he said, his voice sounding almost comforting. And why shouldn't it be? He knew my master, our master, as well as I. "Of course it does, Raine. WIth a past such as yours...a woman who never smiles...a past that hides from you...He is your past, Raine..."
I closed my eyes, tears falling down either cheeks, spilling to the floor below.
"He has been your father, your friend, your master. He has loved you, and taught you the ways of the force, and life. He is your family, Raine. He and I are all you have..."
My arms were shaking, though I hardly noticed it. I was remembering Marlik as he had been, not even considering what he had become, though the evidence of what might be stood before me, not at all enticingly. But it was more than that. Marlik, all the time we spent together, had never once touched down on my true feelings such as Dietre just had, had never reached inside and shown me my own pain. Seeing it, brought out in front of me as such, make me feel weak, almost helpless. And worse still, alone again.
And Marlik had been those things to me, when I needed them most. He'd taught me everything I needed to know at first, then had let me learn on my own when it was necessary, never turning his back on me, never refusing me his counsel.
I could feel the force, swirling around me, dark and light not blending (no, not blending at all) but both there, both sinking deeply into me, searching for something to grasp.
"We are all you have, all who care about you...to turn your back on us..." He trailed off.
And he was...
It came to me then, seemingly out of nowhere.
Raine, where the hell are you? Come back to me already...
Marius. And concerned.
And he was here, looking for me.
And where had these two been? Dietre and Marlik, for the two yers that I'd missed them and wished for thier return?
They want an ally, I thought. That's all. Another to join thier little venture down the wrong path. And what was the rule? Always two? Never more and never less. Did they truly intend to change that, to have three of us. Even with the other Sith still existing in the galaxy, their intent would be, ultimately, for only two to rule.
Selfishness, greed, they lead to the dark side.
Trust, Marius. That's so very important to being a Jedi. I'd told him that several times. Now he was here, trusting me to do what was right.
"No," I said, my voice not much more than a whisper, my eyes opening. He heard me, clearly he had. He took in a deep breath, his body becoming firmly erect, his eyes flashing angrily back at me.
"No," I said again, my voice louder, more firm now. "There's another."
I wasn't thinking just then, but my hand opened anyway, and my lightsaber was in it a moment later. I switched it on, raising it before me.
"Fine," he replied, unhooking his cloak and tossing it aside. He unhooked his own lightsaber and ignited it, striding slowly toward me.
"You've made your choice. You've chosen death..."

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Cloud City, Bespin...the Talon

"R2? Where are you going?" The golden droid piped. "Don't just rush out of here and not explain yourself. You could get yourself into trouble all over again..."
The little droid rolled right down the ramp, and the 3PO followed him.
"R2, wait up. I can't let you go alone, you know what a knack you have for..."
The explosion tore at the side wall of the hangar. 3PO stopped, watching as blaster fire came through the smoke left by the explosion and the Rebels began to fire back.
"R2, we shold wait on board the ship, it's much safer there..."

 

[Paendragon]

Luke

Natassia? Why was she trying to stop them?

She had her weapon out, pointed at them.

Surely, this was a mistake. He knew she had brought him here, but then... so had Mogo. And here he was, helping him escape. Maybe she just didn't understand...

He opened his mouth to set her straight. Mogo was helping him, not forcing him to stay here. She just didn't know...

"The boy is not going anywhere. I'll see to that."

What? Thats when it hit him. She already knew.

He felt ice settle in the pit of his stomach. She was better than Mogo. Maybe better than both Mogo and Orin, both. He'd known that from the start by the way they both looked at her. She would bring him back to the chamber. And the Dark Man would find him...

He could feel the shiver run up his spine, and his bottom lip began to tremble in fear. He had trusted her, and she had betrayed him. And now he was doomed.

The blaster fire erupted between Mogo and the bounty hunter, and a strange thing happened. The ice in his stomach turned to fire.

He had trusted her, and she had betrayed him.

He took a step forward, and the fury built inside of him.

He had trusted her.

"NOOOOO!!!" It wasn't his voice that came from his mouth. At least it didn't sound like his. It was raw, and ragged.

His small hand was held before him, palm outward, as if ordering someone to stop. Blue light arched between his fingers.

"No..." This time a whisper. And an awakening.

Blue lightning arched outward from between his fingers, and slammed into the armored form of Natassia, lifting her several feet off the ground, and launching her backward. She bounced hard off the wall behind her, her armor hitting with enough force to crack the wall.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it ended. The lightning faded from his hand.

He had tears streaming down his face, and his hand was still held out before him.

"No," he whispered. "I want more." He shook his hand at her now prone form, as if trying to shake more lightning out at her.

"More!" He wanted to punish her. To make her pay for her betrayal. To make her hurt.

"More!!!" He had tried to scream, but it came out a sob. His shoulders were now shaking, as he gave into them, and he fell to his knees.

 

[Paendragon]

Tynan

He froze when he felt it.

A powerful Darkside Force blast. Coming from nearby. The corridor he was in, would take him parralel to where he needed to go, and he knew there was no place behind him that would take him there, so he started forward again. And felt good doing it.

Yes, the Force wanted him to move this way... but why?

Was it to confront the Sith who had just shown himself? Only one way to find out.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Mogo

I'd froze when it happened, but now I was coming to my senses. I glanced over to where Luke was, on the floor now, weak.
Orin was already moving, going to the boy's side.
"What...?" He muttered.
"I dunno," I replied. "But now's not the time to ask. Pick the boy up and let's get moving..."
As Orin complied, I turned to face Nastasia again, dumbfounded still. She stirred some, moaning, no doubt in a lot of pain. I watched as she slowly raised her head, then fired once, the shot striking off the helmet in the center of her forehead, driving her head back to the floor again with a thump. She lay still again, unconcsious, I hoped.
I moved ahead of Orin, leading the two in the opposite direction.
We needed to find a transport, and fast. I guessed it was fate that the Owl was in the other hangar, which happened to be where we were headed.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

Grace.
Poise.
Calm.
Everlasting calm.
His saber came at my head, but I parried, just as taught, and counterattacked, moving low, letting him block, then moving higher in reverse....
Blocked, no chance of success.
Not against him.
He was attacking again already, high twice, then lower, then high, then toward my legs. Take the opponent down. Weaken the enemy if you can't make the fatal blow.
Blocked, parried and counterattacked.
No chance of success.
The blades hummed as we pressed them together for a second, eyes meeting.
He was too fast, but he wasn't really. Well-trained, but that wasn't the issue either. i could have dealt with either I was certain, or even both, but there was another factor, one that we both struggled again.
He trained both of us I thought. How do you beat an opponent who knows your every move? You're every strategy?
But I wasn't worried just yet.
I knew what I needed to do, and he probably knew it as well. I had sensed them, Marius' words in my mind had been close, very close. He was here, and I felt that another was with him. Could I believe it was Tynan?
Hold off the enemy until they arrive. Eventually, they'll find me, so I didn't need to win. Two or three of us might easily defeat him. All i had to do was wait for the numbers to fall in my favor.
But it wasn't that simple, I knew. Behind me, the hum of the forcefield reminded me. It could only be opened from inside. How to deal with that?
Worry about it later.
He was moving again, spinning...
Reverse, spinning swing.
Blocked.
He was in the air, moving overhead, landing behind me even as I turned, already knowing where his blade would come from.
Any time now, guys, I thought. Any time...

 

[Paendragon]

Tynan

They followed the corridor to a fork. He bobbed his head around both corners quickly, yet slow enough to see what lay ahead. To the right was a turboshaft entrance, no doubt leading down. To the left, a long corridor with another split at the end.

He closed his eyes, and felt the Force, looking for guidance. Then he felt something else... a battle. Jedi and Sith? Coming from below...

He turned toward the turboshaft.

 

[Paendragon]

Luke

He was still trembling, as the others led him away. The tears still stung his eyes. He had never felt so betrayed.

But on the other hand, he had never felt so powerful. Was this what it was like to be a Jedi? If so, then he would throw everything he had into his training. He would never be so helpless again.

He looked up at Orin and Mogo, and smiled slightly, although they didn't notice. And he would never forget those who had come for him.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

"I sense we're being followed," I muttered, not realizing that I'd spoken so closely to how Raine would have. "Storm Troopers would be my guess."
A second later, we reached the bottom of the turboshaft.
I exited carefully, listening to the air and reaching out with the force. I felt nothing save for the presence of the Jedi and Sith that dueled not far away.
I glanced to Tynan, knowing we'd found what I was searching for, but also knowing the boy he sought was not here.
"I'm sorry, friend, if you need..." I trailed off, not wanting to waste any more time. He knew what I meant, but I felt his decision was made already. He would follow me I was almost certain, though why I felt this way was a mystery to me. I guessed it might be a mystery to him as well.
All the same, i sensed the boy was safe somewhere, though i wasn't nearly in tune to him enough to feel strongly as such.
I moved down the corridor at the bottom, shaped in a circle, hearing the sounds of another turboshaft behind me, further away than the one we had just exited, reaching the bottom and opening.
The storm Troopers, I thought. This wasn't going to be so easy.
I saw the light then, tinted green as it filtered through the forcefield. I ignited my lightsaber, then slowed as I neared it, looking through.
There she was, moving as she'd instructed me, but God she moved fast...
The man she faced matched her step for step, might actually be faster. Familiarity hit as I lay eyes on him, watching his movements and taking notice of his features. It was all eerily familiar.
I looked to either side of the entranceway, not seeing an operation panel. Activated from the inside, I thought. Damn!
THe man glanced toward me, as though the thought had traveled to hi somehow. A shivel ran up my spine as our eyes met for only a second.
In that second, Raine spun, taking advantage of the distraction to get a step or two ahead of the man.
Not enough to defeat him, at least not yet, but to gain the advantage...
She had him on the defensive now, matching her movements to protect himself instead of to attack.
The way he moves...it's-- I shook my head. Not now, not while there's work to be done.
I looked through the forcefield, trying to find something that I might use to deactivate the field. Nothing was loose, nothing just laying around.
But the suit rack...
I scanned it, looking for a weakness. It was old, not fused to the floor inside but bolted in the old way.
Bolts could be manipulated...with the right motivation.
I switched off my saber, clipped it back onto my belt, and knelt, concentrating on the bolts at the base of the rack. I closed my eyes, folding my hands in my lap as she'd taught me.
I could feel the first resist for a second, then give way and begin to turn.
To my left, I could hear the footsteps of Storm Troopers as they approached.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Mogo

There was no way into the hangar, especialy now that the fighting was breaking out. Another group of Storm Troopers was milling around in there, as if waiting for something.
"Is there another way?" Orin asked.
"I dunno," I replied. "But if we don't have to, Let's not leave the Owl...She's too valuable. Besides, I don't think I can pilot anything else so well. We'll need every advantage we can get once we get out of the hangar. Things are only going to get harder, Orin."
He nodded, trying to hold Luke gently but not quite succeeding.
"What then?" He asked.
I shook my head, clueless. A couple of the Storm Troopers took notice of us then.
They pointed, speaking to each other.
"Time to go, Orin," i said. One opened fire and I shot him without much thought, moving away from the scene as I did.
"Run!"

 

[Paendragon]

Tynan

He was confused. He could sense that Luke was not nearby. Not any longer. Then why was he here? Why had the Force led him here?

"I'm sorry, friend, if you need..." Marius said, then stopped abruptly.

Tynan didn't answer, just shook his head slightly.

He could sense the danger around Luke lessened, but it was still there. He felt frustrated. he had come to get the boy.

Marius took off down the corridor, and Tynan followed him. He heard another turbolift lower, and could sense the danger coming from it. Not Sith though, that was still coming from ahead. Stormtroopers.

They came to the end of the corridor, and a forcefield. Through it he could make out Raine DuVall. She was locked in a struggle with a Sith. A very skilled Sith from the looks of it.

Marius immediately went to work trying to open the door to help her. Tynan turned and left him to it. Without a word, he hefted his two lightsabers and walked back toward the other threat. No doubt Marius understood the unspoken. He would guard his back while the young Jedi found a way through. Then they would join Raine, and take the Sith together.

The rounded corridor was an advantage to him, since it was relatively narrow, and had the effect of neutralizing the superior numbers. A little at least.

He stood his ground and waited for them to arrive.

The first one rounded the curve and skidded to a stop, surprised. Quickly, his training took over, and his blaster came up.

Tynan waited for him to get off a shot before igniting his blue blades. At the same moment, he sent out a Force blast that knocked the lead trooper backward, into the men behind him. The blaster bolt the first had gotten off, Tynan deflected back off one blade at the first man who was left standing, taking him in the chest.

Then he gathered the Force around him, and charged.

He was little more than a blur as he closed on the troopers. Two more got off shots, both of which were deflected back at them, killing them. The first trooper had just gotten back to his feet when Tynan was on him, or, more accurately, through him. He had already engaged, and incapacitated, the second trooper by the time the first hit the floor.

Thats when things got really interesting.

 

[Paendragon]

Darth Moridin

The battle raged. And Moridin did little more than watch. His troops fought well, but so did the rebels.

The had organised rather quickly, into an effective fighting force, despite being pinned down. They had somehow managed to get a large streetcleaning droid parked in the hole he had blasted out of the hangar, and were using it to cover their counterattack. Worse, the streetcleaner was inexplicably equipped with a shield, so it couldn't be destroyed as easily as the wall.

"Commander," his voice boomed over the communicator.

"My Lord?" came the reply.

"Status."

"The Rebels are fighting remarkably well, My Lord. And there is something else..."

"Something else?"

"The city, My Lord. It sems to be on their side... we might have had them in the first few minutes if not for..." the comm buzzed off.

Moridin frowned, and looked across the square to where his Commander was stationed. Before he could locate the man he was forced to duck as a window cleaning droid buzzed by his head. "What the..."

All around him, were droids of all kinds. Most of them, like the cleaner droids, had no intelligence to speak of, yet they were attacking his troops. "Treachery," he snarled.

His red bladed lightsaber snapped to life, and cleaved the circling droid in two.

Figgas? Possibly. But to what purpose? Perhaps the local population was not as suppressed as the Sith had believed. Whatever the cause, the droids were slowing them down.

He held out his hand, and fried two more with Force lightning, then yanked a third into a fourth.

This was unacceptable.

 

[Paendragon]

C-3PO

"What do you think you're doing you insufferable little twerp? You're going to get us both killed!"

R2D2 buzzed a particularly rude reply, and kept rolling along the wall of the hangar.

"Stupid, stupid droid! Why I ever believed I had missed you is beyond me!"

R2 had been getting him into trouble for as long as he could remember. It must have been some glitch that had caused him to look back at the droid fondly.

He scurried after the squat little droid as fast as his golden legs would carry him, and caught up to him just as R2 had jacked himself into a computer outlet. The little droid chirped, and Threepio groaned.

"I don't care if it's the same computer you knew all those years ago! Lets get back onboard the ship!"

R2 tweetled, and beeped.

"I will not calm down you little... what are you doing? That's the city sanitation grid! If you're going to use that thing, the least you could do is call for help, not for waste disposal! I don't believe you're operating on all your circuts! When we gat back..."

R2 buzzed.

"I will not shut up, R2! I'll have you know..."

But Threepio never finished his sentence. He was shocked to silence as a huge street cleaner rumbled into view and parked at the opening of the hangar.

"Since when do street cleaners have shields?"

Artoo warbled a reply.

"An old tank droid? Why would anyone have an old tank droid working in sanitation?"

Artoo warbled again.

"True, Lando Calrissian was the type who would want such insurance. Lucky for us."

Artoo tweeted.

"Oh, very well, Artoo. I suppose you did well. Can we go now?"

Artoo warbled an afirmative, and rolled off.

Threepio was sorry to notice that it was not in the direction of the Talon.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

I could sense them there now, but I tried to ignore it. No distractions. No misdirections or interrupted thoughts. Flow; the Force. That was all there could be just then.
But damn was he fast...
As if he knew my thoughts and feelings, which in a manner I guess he did. And the Dark Side seemed to have sharpened what Marlik had taught him.
Parry, counterattack, blocked.
He was spinning, attacking in reverse, and I was in the air, flipping over his head, my saber blocking another attack even before my feet had touched. Flipping backward then, out of reach of his saber, catching a moment's rest, our eyes meeting.
"He taught you well," Vaine said. Behind him, I could see Marius in the entranceway, kneeling, attempting to do something. I wondered if he could hear us.
"As did he you, Dietre," I replied. "A pity only one of us can win."
"Not entirely true," he returned. "There are two back there, waiting to get in. We could kill them together," he returned.
I debated playing along to get the forcefield open, but I knew better. he would never buy into it. Why bother? I would much rather get things moving. being idle wasn't helping.
"Come," I returned. "Let us finish what we've started..."
He grinned, then lunged.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

Three down, three to go. The rack was tightly planted, but the resistance was giving in fairly easily to the Force.
They were speaking then, drawing my attention. I couldn't hear the man's words, but her's coming in my direction instead of the opposite, were startlingly clear.
Dietre, I thought. Why is that name so familiar?
No time. I closed my eyes again, hearing Tynan and the Storm Troopers to my left, down the corridor. I wondered if I should worry about him or feel sorry for them. I guessed the latter was more likely necessary.
The fourth bolts touched down with a light clang, barely audible. The fifth gave a little resistance, then gave way and began to slowly turn.
Slow and steady wins the race, I reminded myself, thinking of the story Master Basaal had once told me about the turtle and the rabbit, or whatever the animals were...Slow and steady, so long as we reach the finish line in time.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Darth Figgas

He took notice of the two who came, and he felt the child as they approached. I allowed the troopers, five in all, to pursue, then turned to the Troopers' Commander.
"Commander," he began.
"Sir," the commander returned.
"Take your men and head for the security stations, separate into smaller groups to ensure you cover them all," Figgas instructed. "You'll find directions on the console near the exit. I want to know the locations of every rebel troop in Cloud City. Now, go."
"Yes, sir!" He shouted back, then waved the men over to the console. They all followed, thier footsteps sounding almost in unison as they went. He paid no attention as the man instructed the men to thier areas. He wanted to know the locations of the rebel forces. They were crawling through the place somewhere, and he wanted to be certain he knew exactly where they are. But above and beyond that, he wanted the troops, mostly thier presence, gone.
The troops were gone a moment later, but he remained in the hangar, waiting.
The boy would return this way, he could sense. Not alone, but still heading in this direction. He would not allow him to escape, not with the forces Moridin could supply in exchange for him. With so many storm troopers standing around, the two would never venture to thier vessel, but with them gone, they just might try to creep in, and see a Sith Lord waiting for them.
Figgas smiled, then stepped to one side, standing behind a small command vessel and waiting.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Bespin--Master Basaal in the Hangar

He looked around. Things weren't going in thier favor, though they fought well, but it seemed he was out of place.
I feel you, Old Friend, he thought. Oh yes, you're far too close...
And he felt he knew where.
The Hangar, not this one, but the one the would have landed in were they welcome here.
How to get there? He didn't want to leave Beegas and his men here to face the enemy alone, and he felt the presence of a Sith out there, very close indeed, but this battle might very well be a losing one. If they were to lose, they best gain something from the confrontation. "Seargant," he said, stepping up next to Beegas and deflecting a few blaster bolts back at the enemy. They were fairly safe just then, if they kept thier wits and didn't try anything too foolish. The streetcleaning droid was quite a tool when used the right way. "I'm heading out to find an old friend. The Force is calling me to other business. IF you must retreat, then do so. Don't risk too many lives for those of the Jedi. We are strong, but are still only a few."
Beegas nodded, though basaal felt the man intended to stay until the end regardless. he looked around.
Ventillation shaft. A good distance up, but definitely reachable. He ran over to it, using the Force to pull loose the grate that covered it, and leapt, catching the edge with one hand and easily pulling himself inside.
Would it lead him directly to the other hangar? Doubtful, but he felt it wouldn't leave him too far away.
He took off at a sprint.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Raine

He was catching up with me already, his attacks inching up on my defenses. A little at a time, until soon he'd be pushing me back again, getting me closer to being injured or beaten than I wanted to get.
Parry, rebuttal, but only briefly before his weapon was moving toward my chest. Spin and parry, slash upward, sending his weapon into the air. He let himself follow it, not being there when I spun, slicing through the air where he'd been a second ago.
I turned, blocking an attack he threw as his feet found the ground, then turning and swinging backhand at him. Block and parry, then it happened.
He spun the weapon, rotating the base of it in his hand, knocking my blade upward like I'd done to his but catching me offguard. I recovered enough to defend high, but not low...
And low is where he swung, the blade slashing down toward my right leg.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Marius

Last one...
It fouhgt me some, or maybe my concentration was fading. Distantly, I could hear Tynan as he fought the Storm Troopers, and closer, I could hear the sounds of saber meeting saber as Raine and the Sith fought.
Darth Vaine I thought, the name suddenly coming to me. The Force hard at work, I guessed, though it might have been something I picked up from Raine somehow.
I glanced up, getting impatient now.
She was fighting hard, and so was he, but niether was showing much sign of any advantage, but I guess that was more wishful thinking than anything else.
A moment later, I realized that was all it was.
Vaine was in the air, flipping over Raine and attacking. SHe bloacked, then parried. His saber was spinning then, catching her offguard. I felt her surprise before I saw what was next, but I knew it was coming. Her blade too high to defend low.
I shook my head slowly as Vaine's weapon sliced through her right leg, severing it at the knee. Her body turned, the saber flying from her hand and rolling across the floor toward me. Her lower leg slipped once in the air then landed a few feet away and she fell, striking hard on the hard floor on her left side, still.
My first instinct was to jump up, pull my saber free, but my work wasn't quite finished just yet.
I closed my eyes, seeing the image of Vaine walking toward her disappear as I regained my focus, just for a second, just long enoughto hear the bolt clink on the floor. I pulled at the rack with the Force, propelling it toward the control panel and standing in the same instance.
A burst of sparks and the rack struck the ground, the forcefield flickering, then gone.
I was moving already, pulling my saber free from my belt as I moved. As he raised the weapon above his head to strike, he saw (or felt) me coming and turned. I was in the air by then, leaping toward him, lightsaber ignited and swinging.
He parried the blow, but didn't see my foot coming. It caught him in the center of the chest, throwing him backward, sliding across the floor for a few yards. His saber caught my thumb as he went, not cutting me, but burning me, causing me to lose my grip on my saber.
I landed, balance temporarily lost, then regained my composure, and glanced down at Raine. The blade had severed the leg clean, but the heat from the saber must have cauterized the wound on contact.
He kipped up before me, and I reached back for Raine's weapon, unsure where mine had landed. A second later, it was in my hand, ignited, red blade glowing and black specks dancing within.
He was moving toward me, speaking as he came.
"Bravo, Marius," he said. "But it won't save you."
He knew my name.
I blocked his attack, but it was made to be blocked and followed up. I went through the brief dance, several moves that left me a few steps back fro my original position, to the final attack, blocking it and smiling at my adversary.
"Raine has taught you well," he stated, advancing a few steps and attacking again.
Dodge, flip backwards, spin; counterattack. He defended, then spun his saber as he'd done against Raine. I stepped quickly backward, seeing the move in advance and knowing not to tempt fate by countering it. My foot found her leg beneath the heel, sending my balance off again. I staggered backward, seeing him move in on me already. I should have retreated more, maybe drawn him out into the corridor, where Tynan and I could both face him, but my mind was on Raine, and leaving her here, unattended was not as option I wished to pursue.
I lunged at him, watching his figure disappear above me, then appear again as I turned to face him.
Attacking already, but I managed to block, clumsily. His free hand raised up, pointing toward my chest, then I was thrown backward, the Froce, under his usage, sending me several feet through the air onto my back.
I felt a sharp pain as my head struck, then the world above me began to fade.