StarDestroyer.Net BBS

It's been stated that war is the continuation of diplomacy by other means, but those means bear little resemblance to diplomacy. The threat of war is like pulling a pin on a grenade in a fairly small room; both sides know that tossing it is going to hurt both no matter what they do. But sometimes despite that knowledge somebody drops it, and people die. The Vong don't mind; they're like a masochist with a grenade... they enjoy the explosion, the hurt gives them strength, death is glorious. War is the diplomacy of the Vong, and all you could hope to do would be to close their embassy. If you didn't, then your people suffered and died... sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons... like Jacen.

"Fire," Empress Leia Solo ordered.

The Shade's superlaser lanced out into space and hit the planet. Leia never asked for its name... giving it a name gives it uniqueness, and snuffing out that uniqueness would be more difficult. That was an old military approach. Call the enemy Fritz or Tojo or Charlie... they're all the same, and one less isn't going to make a difference. It's much easier to blow the head off of Fritz than Karl Liebkind, who’s hoping to make it home to marry the girl down the road and join his father in the sausage-making business. The white armor of the stormtroopers had made that so easy for them during the rebellion... you could convince yourself for a moment that there weren't actually human beings inside those suits so you could find the part of yourself to pull the trigger. Now Leia was pulling the trigger on the largest weapon that still existed. The memory of her dead son gave her the will to pull it.

It was another world inhabited only by the Vong. How long this would last before they started using Imperial citizens as shields was uncertain, but the Vong didn't seem to have an ethic to protect non-combatants. Would Jacen be enough for Leia to pull the trigger then, or would the thought of a thousand dead children stay her hand? The day would come, and Leia knew that there would be no right decisions to make. The abstract thoughts and cold mathematics work until the power to carry them out is placed into your hands. Killing ten thousand innocent people to save ten billion made sense, but something like that should require ten thousand pulls of the trigger. If one life lost saved so many, there should be some respect for that sacrifice, something more than the single word “fire.”

Leia had once heard someone compare Luke to Tarkin; she had almost lost all control over the remark. Luke's destruction of the first Death Star killed a million people, possibly more, but there was a difference the critic seemed to ignore. Tarkin destroyed Alderaan to kill its people; Luke destroyed the Death Star to destroy the weapon. Like Han had told the Federation officers who opposed the destruction of Death Star II, they would be more than happy to let all the people on board leave before it was blown up, but they didn't seem inclined to do so. Luke never pulled the trigger to kill someone, he did it to stop a weapon from deliberately killing someone. So, who would she be closer to when the time came: Luke, savior of the Rebellion, or Tarkin, butcher of Alderaan?

"Your highness," the captain said, "the Vong are in full retreat."

"Excellent, proceed to the next target." Leia looked out the window at the newly formed asteroid field. The planet had no name...

"Your highness," a lieutenant said as he came up and bowed, then handed her a datapad. Leia took it and looked it over, her eyes widening.

"Captain," she said, "belay that order. Hold position until further notice, and send a message to Chandrilla; I want to speak with Volgo Terraine immediately."

"Yes, Empress," the captain said, but Leia was already on her way out, her royal guard escort close behind. There was a holo-theater in her private quarters; the guards remained outside as she entered and activated it. Volgo Terraine soon appeared.

"Empress," Terraine said with a bow. "I take it this is in regard to the news on the Sith?"

"Where is he?" Leia asked, cutting straight to the one question that mattered to her.

"The delta quadrant. We've been tracking the homing beacon on board, but we've been keeping our distance to avoid tipping our hand."

"Good keep that up," she said. "I'll deal with him myself."

"Respectfully, Empress, are you sure that's wise. The Sith has proven to be an extremely dangerous foe. If he killed you-"

"I know," Leia said, "but we can't allow this cancer to go unchecked any longer. I will do what I feel is best for the Empire, regardless of my personal feelings."

"I'm glad to hear that, your highness. Shall I send our data to the Shade?"

"Yes," Leia said. "And if this bears fruit, make certain those responsible for this information are compensated."

"Of course, highness." The hologram vanished, and Leia activated the comm link in her quarters.

"Captain, change of plan. Deploy the fleet and set our course to the wormhole. Time is of the essence." She removed her cloak and returned to the holotheater. "Computer, sparring program 1A." She lit her lightsaber as six combatants materialized out of the aether. With the determination of someone with a huge obstacle before them, she jumped into the fray.
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There was a knock on the wall and Anakin looked up from the stack of datapads he’d buried himself in for the past fifteen hours. It was Lucinda, looking rather nervous. “Hi,” she said with visible discomfort at so plain a word. “Um, I heard about… about Jacen. He was a great guy, I’m sorry.”

Anakin put the datapad down. “No, he wasn’t. He was arrogant and impatient, and nearly impossible to get along with.” He shook his head. “But he was my brother. And he was a good Jedi… probably could’ve been a great Jedi.” He gave a short, humorless laugh. “It was supposed to be me, you know? Field assignments like that were my and Jaina’s job. If she hadn’t made that one little mistake, it would’ve been me there.”

“Look,” Lucinda said, “you can’t blame yourself for what happened-“

“Oh, I don’t,” Anakin said. “It just… it just makes you think. I mean, I knew going into this that death was a risk, but… but it didn’t really seem like a real risk, you know.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, that sounded stupid.”

“No, I get it. You think of risking your life but not actually losing it. I’ve felt the same way… ever since you told me about your uncle. And now with Jacen… Anakin, I don’t know about you, but this scares me.”

“Me too,” he admitted. “And that was the point. The Sith sent back that little message to us: we could be next.” He faltered a moment. “Look, if you want out, no one here would look down on you for it.”

“Hey, I’m Corellian,” Lucinda said with a forced grin. “We don’t back down from a fight.”

“I suppose we don’t,” Anakin said, trying to smile back. “But we’re going to have to be careful now.”

“Tell me about it.”

He looked back to the pile of datapads, and then pushed them over. “You know what? To hell with this. I’m going to bed. This stuff will still be here in the morning, and I’m sick of losing sleep to this place.”

“Good for you,” she replied. “Life’s too short to lose sleep over school.”

“Exactly,” he said as he got up. “Too short.”

“You spend too much time at this, you’re just going to watch life pass you by.”

“Good advice,” Anakin replied. “Watch for opportunities or you’ll miss them.”

“Absolutely.” She grabbed him and kissed him deeply. The moment drew out into the fuzzy abstraction of time that only lack of sleep and pure joy can bring. Anakin looked at her with eyes widened as they finally parted.

“You’re not going to hit me, are you?”

Lucinda smiled. “Only if you want me too.”
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Volgo Terraine was reading a report when Kilana walked it. It was Spartan, but clearly functional, with terminals, display screens, holoprojectors, and items Kilana couldn’t even begin to identify strategically placed around the room. He was not what Kilana had expected, but as he rose to meet her she felt old instincts kick in. He was one of the Founders; she could feel it. “Greetings,” he said a bit uncomfortably. “You are Kilana, yes?”

“Yes, Founder,” Kilana said, a little nervousness in her own voice. “I am sorry to disturb you; I realize you have a great deal of work to do.”

“It’s no bother,” he replied, but Kilana wondered if he meant it. “What is it you want, Kilana?”

She hesitated. “At first, I wanted to learn how best to serve you, Founder. I know it is you who created me. You are gods… or so I thought.” She let the dangerous implication out there for him, waiting nervously for the response. He smiled.

“We are not gods, and I wouldn’t want to be.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’d be no one left to pray to.” Terraine said. “So if it’s not to serve, why did you come to me?”

“I-“ Kilana faltered for a moment, which was silly since the worst part was now over. “I’m seeking an answer. Even though you’re not a god, your kind still created me. I was hoping you would know.”

“I’ll try,” he said as he seemed to squirm under her gaze.

“There was a human,” she said, plunging forward. “He saved me from a life as a servant living in degradation. And because of this generosity he’s lost his family. It’s not right.”

“No, it isn’t,” Terraine admitted.

“Why, Founder?” she asked. “Why did this happen? Why is it a hero like that should suffer for good when those who deceived me live in luxury? Where’s the justice in that?”

Terraine couldn’t look at her. “I think I know what you’re talking about. You’re right, there’s no justice in that, and I wish I can give you an answer, but I can’t.”

“Neither could he,” she admitted. “Tell me, Founder, before he left, he told me something I didn’t understand. ‘It’s not the tyrants that bleed.’ What does that mean?”

Terraine looked thoughtful. “I think he was referring to an old saying from his world: ‘The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants.’ He’s probably right… in my experience, it’s not the tyrants who bleed.”

“But now he’s left, and I don’t think he’ll ever return. He’s not going to try to make them pay, or face the Vong. He’s just going to stand by and do nothing.”

“I find it hard to blame him, given the future that’s been taken from him.” Terraine sat on the edge of his desk, as if the weight of the Empire were resting on his shoulders. “Even heroes should be allowed to dream, shouldn’t they? Especially when it’s their blood being spilled?”

“His dream is over because of me,” Kilana said. “How can I make it right?”

“I don’t think you can.”

“I can’t accept that,” she said. “There must be something.”

Terraine looked back up at her. “There’s one way.”

“What is it?”

“Become a hero yourself.”

Kilana looked at him like he was mad. “What? I can’t do that! I’m no Jedi.”

“If that’s what you feel, Kilana, then so be it.” He got up and returned to his seat behind his desk.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to bring a little order in this chaos. It’s been an uphill battle for decades, but if I don’t do it, who will?” Like a Founder, she thought, he always knew the right words.

Kilana found her way out to where Han Solo and Julian Bashir were waiting. “Well,” Han asked casually, “you get an answer?”

“Yes,” Kilana said. “I’m going to help you.”

Han and Bashir looked at each other, than back at her. “Well, that’s a fine sentiment,” Bashir said, “but our work’s over. Sebastian’s going to claim the cure.”

“And that ends it?” Kilana asked. “You’re going to just stop.”

“I’m getting too old for this sort of thing,” Bashir said. “And I’m a doctor; my place is helping people fight disease and maybe reduce a little of the suffering in this war.”

“Mr. Solo?” Kilana asked.

Han shifted uneasily for a moment, then threw up his hands. “Aw hell, I’m still a sucker for a pretty face. ‘Bastian left us all that information we never got to; might as well put it to some good use. You want a lift back to Charity, doc? Delta quadrant’s going to be our first stop anyway.”

“Assuming the ship can get off the ground, I’d love a ride,” Bashir said with a smile.

“Everyone’s a critic,” Han grumbled, but he led the way out of the building towards the docking bay.
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The Raven settled down on the edge of the island before the shield. Sebastian shut everything down on the ship and went through the tasks involved in setting the ship up for long-term storage. The saltwater air would probably render the whole point moot, but someone might get stranded down here some day, and if they couldn't get the ship to take off, maybe the transmitter would still work. He'd been marooned for six months not far from this system, and he would have appreciated it if someone else had been so courteous. Finally, when his work was complete, he walked down the ramp and had it seal behind him to keep out any curious little beasts that might try to make it a nest.

Sebastian took a deep breath as he stood before the shimmering wall of energy. This was it... there was no returning once he crossed this point. It was a bit harder to accept that than he'd thought, considering there was nothing left to return to. They'd taken it all away, just as promised... he was left a choice between his mother's life and his humanity. In the long run, he knew which was more important to him. He stepped through.

The Borg city was a kind of shanty-town, more like what was seen on the hind end of nowhere in heavy poverty than the remnants of a galactic superpower. They all stared at him as he walked past; he said nothing, and they said nothing in return. He walked towards the largest building in the city, figuring it had to house something important if it wasn't the center of operations, and he wouldn't mind getting a look at what was inside. Nobody stopped him, although a few seemed to start following him. He didn't acknowledge their presence.

The door opened before him and Sebastian stepped inside. His eyes adjusted to the lower lighting and he made out dozens, perhaps hundreds, of ex-Borg. He recognized the Queen from all those years ago; she was smiling at him. "Welcome home," she said.

"This isn't my home," Sebastian said curtly, looking over the others. "Who infected my mother?"

"One of us," the Queen said. "It was necessary to-"

"Who," Sebastian said with a voice that was equal parts judgment on high and threats from below, "did it?"

The Borg looked amongst themselves; finally a large man stepped forward. "I did," he confessed. "On Tatooine, in the tavern-" He never finished the sentence. There was Jedi-tempered reflexes and Borg-enhanced strength, but most important of all was the fist at the end of it all that struck the man in the face, knocking him off his feet and sending him sliding several meters across the floor in an unconscious heap.

"Thump," Sebastian said. He probably broke most of the bones in his right hand, but it was worth it.

"That wasn't necessary," the Queen said sternly.

"Neither was infecting my mother," Sebastian said. "I came here in the end by choice; the suffering you've brought-"

"Is nothing compared to the suffering she brought to our people?" Suddenly, the Queen found she couldn't breathe; she tried futilely to loosen the grip on her throat somehow as she stared into Sebastian's face... she'd seen that expression once before on his father's.

"Some madman just killed my wife and daughter before my eyes," Sebastian said in a voice like liquid nitrogen, "so I am not in a very good mood." He released her. "Push me just a little too far and the dark side is waiting, and if that happens I assure you I will kill every last person in this city."

The Queen was doubled-over, coughing in the wake of the attack. "I thought- you were- a Jedi?"

Sebastian walked over and bent down to her level. "Not any more," he said in that same cold voice. "Now I'm a Borg."

"Borg- don't act this way."

"I'm also a slow learner." He straightened up and walked over towards a large piece of equipment, looked it over, then leapt and pulled himself on top of it. "All right, ladies and Borg, let's get this started. You need me, I don't need you, so starting now this operation is under my command. You don't like it, fine, leave; I'm sure there's a Vong out there who'd like to make friends with you. Second, I'm sure this can of half and half you call a colony already has a plan in place. You wouldn't be so stupid as to drag me down here without one, right?"

"Yes," the Queen said. "We've worked something out."

"Good, starting now nobody scratches their ass without my say-so. I want to know every detail of this plan, every schematic, every theory."

"I thought you said you were a slow learner?" the Queen added irritably.

"Third, don't correct me, it pisses me off."

"Anything else?" the Queen asked.

"Just remember, you freaks called me, I didn't call you. You don't like my plan, that's fine, go find yourself another messiah. Otherwise you stick with me, and the galaxy will remember what it is the Borg can do. Now, let's get this started." Sebastian hopped back down to the floor. "Oh, and one other thing. Send me Typhoid Larry there when he wakes up; I've got a job for him to do to try and make up for this mess."

Wooooooooooooooo!

Bastion stayed good!

now.....

Stay good Leia, stay good! [/kiki]

And Anakin got his end away too. How old is Anakin in this? Is he still 16 or his he older?

Great. I like the insight into Leia, Liked Bastion liked Anakin, Liked it all really.

M O R E !

2000AD wrote: And Anakin got his end away too. How old is Anakin in this? Is he still 16 or his he older?

He's 21-ish, I think, given the chronology. He should be about one years younger than Sebastian.

Annika Hansen Skywalker's eyes fluttered open, revealing the blur that was her room. She moaned to herself as the unpleasant existence that was consciousness descended on her again. Finally, her vision resolved the blob in front of her into the face of the Doctor. He was smiling, and for once it didn't seem forced. "Good morning. How do you feel?" he asked.

"I use nerve receptors in my skin, same as everyone else," she said, following it up with a cough. "But I'm also feeling less sick."

"I'm glad to hear that," the Doctor said. "And your prognosis is excellent. The new treatment is destroying the fungal disease, and your nanoprobes have already begun repairing the damage. It's still early, but I think you'll make a full recovery." His smile slowly faded. "I thought you'd be a little happier to hear that."

"I know what's happened," Annika said. "How you've acquired a cure."

"How could you-"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is the price is too high, and I've got to set things right." She tried getting up, but the Doctor put his hand on her shoulder and held her down.

"You know about the Borg," the Doctor said, and there was no hiding his visible distaste at the necessity of their involvement. "I’m afraid in your state we couldn’t be picky about our allies.”

“We’ve got to stop them,” Annika said. “We can’t let Sebastian do this.”

“I’m afraid he’s made up his mind.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to change it.” Annika tried harder to get up, but the Doctor was holding her down without any sign of effort.

“You’re not fit to walk, much less fly a ship,” the Doctor said. “And even if you were, you’re no match for the ex-drone outside the door.”

Annika’s eyes narrowed. “They sent a guard.”

“No, Sebastian sent a guard,” the Doctor said. “He knew you’d try to leave, and he said he didn’t want to go through this for nothing.”

“Doctor,” Annika said desperately, “I can’t let him go through with this.”

“You’re not fit to fly, even as a passenger,” the Doctor said.

“Then go to Sanctuary for me!” she pleaded. “Talk him out of it.”

“I don’t have a mobile emitter, remember?” the Doctor said.

Annika sunk back into the bed. “You’re right, I forgot.” Her eyes became downcast. “That’s never happened before.”

“And you can’t send anyone else,” the Doctor pointed out. “The-“

“The shield will only let Borg pass through,” Annika finished wearily. “Which means it has to be me.”

“Annika, you can’t. And even if you could, by what right would you?”

“What?” Annika said, her mind having trouble keeping up in its current state.

“This was Sebastian’s choice, Annika. He wants you to live. How long are you going to keep making choices for him?”

“You wouldn’t understand!” Annika said sharply, then immediately regretted it. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she added in as tender a voice as possible. “I mean- he’s all I have left of Luke now… all I have left of my family. I can’t give him away to the Borg.”

“Even if he wants to?”

“No,” she said. “He doesn’t know what he’s getting into. He thinks it’ll save him from having to bear the grief, but it takes away all the good with it. And… and if he joined with them, I’d have to fight him. I can’t let the Borg run loose again. Doctor- I’ve been through this once… I can’t do it again. Not with my son.”

“I understand,” he replied. “But right now you’re not in any condition to stop anyone. Wait until you get your strength back, and then see what you can do.”
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The Eclipse-class star destroyer Shade dropped out of hyperspace in the delta quadrant. A day's worth of careful tracking had led them this far, but it seemed that was as far as it would go.

"The signal is gone, sir," came the report. "But it definitely originated in this system. There's only one planet which could potentially support life, sir, but I'm not getting any readings."

The captain stepped over to the Empress' side. "We can destroy it, if you wish, highness."

Yes, Leia thought, we could... was it the Jedi way, though? Was destroying the entire planet to kill one Sith overkill? Yes... but that didn't mean it wasn't a good idea. "Not yet," she said. "Bring us closer; I want to know for certain that the Sith is here, and to make sure there's no collateral damage."

"Yes, highness." The captain left to give the order; Leia remained where she was, watching the world grow through the window until it filled the view. It looked barren and lifeless... a good thing, since that meant there would likely be no innocent lives lost if they- Wait, why destroy the planet? An orbital bombardment would suffice, wouldn't it? The Sith was powerful, but not invulnerable. Why was she thinking of going that far? Was it becoming too easy to watch worlds die, too easy to pull the trigger? No, she told herself, it was her caution. The Sith had slipped through their fingers so many times, with such devastating consequences, that half-measures didn't seem good enough. There was still a tiny chance he could somehow survive... but with the entire planet destroyed, that would be the end of him for certain.

"Captain," came the report, "we've picked up several humanoid life readings below the surface."

"Can you be more specific?" the captain asked. "Is there a way to tell if the assailant is among them?"

Leia continued to stare at the planet, the sound of the bridge fading into the background as her own breathing seemed to drown it out. Before her the planet's surface seemed to burn away, showing her the caverns the dwellers had now taken over.

Greetings, Jedi

Leia felt the temperature drop ten degrees. Who are you?

The one you seek.

You killed my son.

He was already dead when he went to Provag, I just helped him finish the job. Are you ready to face me as well?

Leia returned to the here and now and turned to the captain. "Commence primary ignition," she ordered.

"Yes, highness," the captain said. If he was confused by her sudden change, he hid it well as he went about giving the orders to destroy the planet.

Ah, cheating? the Sith thought.

Never taunt a woman with her finger on a superlaser, Leia thought back.

Ha! You know, Sebastian tried cheating too... he ran away. I killed his pretty wife for that.

Your killing ends here.

Only if you come down here and stop me.

I don't have to come down there. Superlaser, remember?

Then I guess I'll just have to make you come down.

Leia's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "Captain-" she began, but the ship shook, and the planet twisted sideways in the window, knocking much of the standing bridgecrew off their feet.

"Find the source of that tractor beam!" the captain ordered as he tried righting himself.

"It's not a tractor beam," Leia said, grabbing hold of the rail before the ship lurched again towards the planet, the Shade's engines losing the tug of war battle. "Dovin Basilisks." As if they needed further proof that the Sith had aligned himself with the Vong.

"Find them!" the captain ordered. But the ship was in a tumble now, dropping towards the planet without control. A turbolaser bolt managed to find one of the Vong creatures, but it barely slowed them as they neared the atmosphere.

"Highness," the guard next to her said; it spoke volumes. Leia looked at the planet spinning beyond the window, and nodded. "Emergency evacuation," the guard said into his commlink. Leia and her royal guards vanished from the bridge.

The captain seemed to reach the same conclusion. "Abandon ship," he ordered, although it was bereft of the passion he'd had in the previous minute. Still, the crew of the Shade didn't argue as they abandoned their posts and headed for escape pods, shuttles, and transporters. The captain stayed where he was. It wasn't going down with the ship, it was the knowledge that this was the end even if his body somehow survived. He managed to lose the flagship... you couldn't recover from that kind of disgrace.

The impact was beautiful in a detached sort of way. The ship struck on its side, cracking and warping under the deceleration and force of its own mass. Dust kicked up like geysers as the ship dug further into the ground, collapsing in on itself as it did so. Towers broke off and tumbled past the ship to form their own craters, sometimes kilometers away; but they wouldn't last long. The reactor finally went, and the wreckage exploded like a thousand sunrises.

Molly O'Brien turned off the display and turned to the Sith students. "Now, mop up," she said. "The survivors will be confused for a time; use that to your advantage. But don't be overconfident. Remember the master's lesson: fight from a position of strength, no matter what that requires." They said nothing in response, they just tied their datapads into the sensors to keep them up to date on the location of the survivors, then proceeded to the hangar. The Sith climbed aboard swoops and speeders and swept out into the light to finish the job.
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The royal guards leapt into action the moment they rematerialized on the planet. They swept the area quickly looking for hostiles, then moved on to ensuring the longer-term safety of the Empress. The emergency evacuation protocol included beaming down a survival package, which they now tossed open and began setting up a shelter. Leia considered interrupting, but then thought better of it. What was she going to do, wander the planet looking for the Sith? He'd forced the crash; he no doubt planned to come to her. She sat down cross-legged on the sand and slipped into her meditation to prepare for the coming battle. It seemed she didn't have long to wait; she jumped up from her crouch as she felt a tremor in the Force, and leapt aside just in time to avoid the laser blasts. The guard nearby wasn't as lucky.

Leia turned and watched the swoop as it looped back, getting ready for another run. "Don't shoot," she told the other guard. She could tell he was surprised by the order, but he gave no response; you don't question orders from the Empress, even if they seemed suicidal. The weapons fired again, but Leia easily deflected them as she ran towards the swoop. She jumped and somersaulted, then drove her foot into the driver's chest. The guard, seeing what her plan was, took off after the decelerating speeder while Leia and the rider got back to their feet. Leia was momentarily surprised to see her adversary pull out a lightsaber of her own, but didn't give the opposition time to react. She struck twice hard, putting her opponent on the defensive, then twisted her lightsaber back and thrust a hand into the woman's face, knocking her backwards into a wall of rock. Leia swung before the woman could think, and her lightsaber hit the ground, soon followed by the hand that had been wielding it.

"Who are you?" Leia demanded. The woman was staring at her stump. "I asked you a question," she said sharply.

The woman turned back to face Leia. "Sith, your highness," she said with a rumble of menace. "I watched your son die."

Leia didn't stick her lightsaber through the Sith, but only just. The wound was still too fresh to be prodded in this manner, even if it was amateurishly transparent. "Come with me," she growled.

"And if I don't?" the woman asked with a smirk. "What will you do? Kill me?" She jumped as the lightsaber struck the rock where a moment before her head had been, then turned to Leia in shock.

"Yes," Leia said.

"But... you're a Jedi!"

"I doubt killing a gnat like you will make much of a difference," Leia bluffed. At least, she hoped she was bluffing. It wouldn't take much for her to run this woman through and leave her here.

The Sith didn't seem willing to take the chance and started walking where Leia pointed. Leia grabbed the woman's lightsaber and hooked it to her own belt, then they entered the makeshift camp. The guard was just returning with the swoop; it seemed undamaged. She took a look at it; there was the flight recorder, which led right back to the caverns, and probably to this little Sith's master. "I have to do something," she told the guard. "Alone. Watch her. If she shows any sign of trouble, shoot her."

"Yes, highness," the guard said. Leia left them alone; she hoped the guard would live, but she had a feeling the Sith had enough training to trick and kill him even with only one hand and no weapon. Still, she had to finish this, and she couldn't simply kill the woman in cold blood simply because she didn't trust her.

Leia climbed on board the swoop and hit the throttle, tearing off over the surface of the barren world. She wondered if she was heading into a trap; simply leaving a swoop for her to find would have been suspicious, but sending someone to kill her would make it seem fortuitous. Regardless, there was nothing else she could do; like with Jacen's funeral, this was something she wanted to get past and move on. Hopefully she would still be alive to do so.

Leia slowed the craft when she saw the opening ahead. It was well-hidden, but still large enough to allow ships to come and go without too much trouble. She pulled into the hangar and slipped off the bike, ready for resistance, but there was none. She reached out, but if the Sith was here, he was hiding himself well. Carefully she followed the only exit out of the room and into the caverns; there was artificial lighting hastily strung up along it. It reminded her of the good old days of the Rebellion, hiding out in whatever safe nest you could find and putting together only what you could just as quickly take down and run with.

Leia continued through the caves; where they forked, she let her instincts guide her. Soon she found her way into another larger cavern. Its size swallowed the light, but it was clear to see this was a room of some importance; stairways and deckplating and equipment had been set up, probably scavenged from pre-fab kits off of old star destroyers for their quick garrison posts. Doors led off into what were probably small personal quarters. The Sith certainly wasn't living in luxury.

A figure stepped out of the shadows on the small rise and Leia pulled out her lightsaber. She didn't light it yet, but she stood ready to. The figure came a little closer. "Welcome, your highness," came the woman's voice. "I've been waiting for you for a very long time."

"Do I know you?" Leia asked as the woman's face came a bit more into the light.

"It was a long time ago," she said. "I was called Janeway then, and you were a mere princess. Now you are the Empress and I am the Oracle... things change as time passes."

Janeway? Finally the memory resurfaced. "You were in the rebellion," she said. "And when Annika was sick-"

"Yes, poor girl. She finally accepted her humanity, only to make the mistake of marrying your brother. She should have known better than to trust him, given how your father turned out."

"That was a long time ago," Leia said. "And I know Annika wouldn't take back one minute she and Luke had together."

"More's the pity," Janeway said. "All that Borg wisdom and she couldn't see what your entire family really are: opportunistic traitors."

Leia was caught a bit off guard by the hostility. "What do you mean? You were in the Rebellion same as we were. We were allies."

"We were allies, once," Janeway said. "Until you chose to throw in with the winning side. You betrayed us."

"I did what I had to," Leia said. "I couldn't defeat the Empire, but I could change it from within."

"Really? Military supremacy under the control of a single leader, with no checks by civilian authority? I can see you've made a great deal of progress."

"We are in a desperate situation," Leia said. "And I will do whatever is necessary to preserve our people."

"So I've seen," Janeway said. "Even if it means using that terrible weapon?" Leia said nothing. "The darkness is growing in you, isn't it."

"Where's the Sith?!" Leia demanded, ignoring the slight.

"That is why you're here, of course," Janeway said. "Revenge is hardly the way of the Jedi."

"This isn't about revenge," Leia snapped. "It's about stopping this Sith before he murders again."

"So you will murder him first?" Janeway gave a sound of disappointment. "Why won't you admit that the dark side has already claimed you? You've allowed your emotions to dictate your actions, rather than peace. You have become the Emperor you yourself once despised."

Leia shot daggers at her. "You're gravely mistaken."

"Oh no," Janeway said in a distant voice. "I'm afraid it is you who are mistaken." She grinned. "About a great many things." She stepped closer; there was something odd about her that tickled the edges of Leia's senses. "I told the Sith how to kill your boy." Leia's eyes widened at her words. "Were it not for me he'd never have found Jacen Solo. How does that make you feel, Empress?" She chuckled just a little. "I can see the anger growing in your expression, the hate swelling. What are you going to do, hm? You're armed, I am not. Come," she held her arms away from her body slightly. "Kill me; you are so close to darkness, this one last step can't be too hard. Let your hatred destroy me, Empress, and complete your journey. Become everything you ever fought against."

Leia's teeth were bared, and her voice was a rumble. "Where's the Sith?" A lightsaber activating answered her, and she turned and lit her own. There was no mask this time, just him, prepared for battle.

Ben Skywalker spun his lightsaber twice for show. "You've found him," he said.

Leia ignored the show and slipped into a combat stance. "Then it ends here."

"Only for you." And the battle began.

oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh !!!!

damn cliffhangers

The next chapter is over half written; despite the holiday I will try to get it done before the weekend. Vigilance!

Now unless she's got some seriously good tricks up her sleeve, then Leia is fucked. Totally and utterly fucked!

Very Good. Nice Emperor/Oracle Analogy. A little Indicator of who's 'the man' in the Janeway/Skywalker relationship?

AIIIIIIEEEEEYYYYYY!!!!

DAMN YOU CHUCK!!! NEXT CHAPTER!

daaaamn that's some fine readin'

Yeah, and the bitch of it is, Chuck's just sick enough to maybe have Leia get killed. Lack of character shields = tension. hehe

Leia approached Ben, but didn't attack; she just watched him. He was a Sith, and while they could be patient if it was demanded of them, when the chance came to finally cut loose, self-restraint was impossible. Ben would make the first move if she waited, giving her a chance to catch him with a surprise counter-strike. It was slim, but in a match like this, you had to take every edge. When Force users faced each other, the duel turned on those edges.

Ben attacked, but Leia could sense the restraint. He was testing her limits, trying to see how great a threat she was, how best to defeat her. Leia responded in kind, with restrained blocks that betrayed nothing of her technique or skill. She didn't go to all the trouble of finding him to try and impress this Sith with her mastery of dueling. After half a minute of this his Sith nature got the better of him, and he cut loose with an almost mad technique, but Leia remained on the defensive for the moment. He was incredibly fast, and there was no mistaking the power he had; he practically glowed to her Jedi senses, but Leia didn't let that affect her. She held him at bay, watching for the opening with the patience of a Jedi, a breaker against the maelstrom that was the Sith. Sometimes she blocked the blow, sometimes she simply dodged out of the way, but always she remained one step ahead of the attack, to his obvious frustration.

"Are you planning to bore me to defeat?" Ben finally asked. "I've met more challenging holograms than you, Jedi."

"You'll pardon me if I don't follow your path," Leia retorted. The strikes continued, quick and unrelenting, but it was gradually starting to eat away at her edges. She drew strength from the Force, but even with it, she wasn't young any more, and a crash course wasn't enough to make up for several years of neglected practice. Every edge...

"Oh, I can feel the dark side in you, Jedi," Ben said coldly as he offered two quick strikes, then withdrew. "Your hatred for me is strong... very impressive." Two strikes, then a quick reverse, but Leia caught them all easily. "I can feel how naturally it comes to you..." he followed up with a quick series of alternating high and low strikes, and the cavern echoed with the sound of clashing energy blades like bickering titans of a long dead era. "...it's in your blood, Jedi," he remarked over the din. "You can feel it running hot through your veins, filling you with strength." He laughed as he ground their blades together, reversed to strike at her left, then snap his blade forward to catch her counter-strike. "There's no words for that feeling, is there?" Ben advanced again, his blade whirling about in mad strikes, a sharp contrast to the minimalist technique Leia used, moving just enough to catch the strike to avoid being caught off guard by the one that followed. There were no openings in her defense for Ben to exploit, despite the fury. "We're not cold-blooded killers, we Sith," Ben remarked. "We may be calculating, we may be merciless," he swung hard, and Leia found herself using all her strength to hold Ben's blade back from her neck, her skin prickling as it closed within centimeters. "But we do everything with passion." Sweat ran down Leia's face as the blade moved even closer despite her every effort. "Our blood runs like molten silver through our bodies, hot, fast, and filling us with power!"

Leia deliberately fell backwards, Ben's lightsaber passing over her face so close it sheared through her hair. Her left hand hit the floor and the arm absorbed the impact like a spring, and she flung herself back to an upright position, twisting just in time to catch Ben's opportunistic strike. The blades ground together, and her eyes flicked between them and Ben's grinning face.

"Your thoughts betray you," Ben said with a grin. "You think I'm a monster, and that makes it so easy to excuse the hatred, doesn't it. It doesn't really count if it's towards something like me, right?" He pushed the blades aside slowly, then thrust, forcing Leia to twist and jump back to avoid the lightsaber. Despite the distance he was there almost before she was ready to defend herself, and the crash seemed deafening as they connected.

"You are a monster," Leia said through her teeth. "Hiding in the shadows, preying on the weak. That's your idea of power?" Ben drew back and swung, but she dodged and counterswung. Ben caught and deflected it, nearly beheading her during the brief opening before she had her lightsaber back for the block.

"That's it exactly," Ben said. "Like a hunter. The Sith cull the weak animals from the herd, making it stronger." He offered three quick strikes. "Don't think of me as a monster, Jedi. Think of me as... natural selection. Your son, and others like him, were too weak. I had to kill them for the greater good." Ben laughed quietly to himself. "The galaxy's much stronger without him dragging us all down."

Leia couldn’t help herself; if she didn’t do something she’d explode. They were just words, she tried to tell herself, but they were the wrong words at the wrong time. She couldn’t ignore them; anyone in her place would understand. She switched from defense seamlessly into offense, striking savagely at him and his smug face, but he caught her every strike. Distantly she knew she was playing into his hand, but she couldn’t stop herself. He had to die. Ben blocked the next four strikes then swung with all his strength into her next swing. Leia’s lightsaber was pushed aside just enough by Ben’s blow to leave the opening. With the quick, precise cut of a surgeon her hand was cut off at the wrist, a cry of agony filling the room as she grabbed the stump and doubled-over. Ben offered a bemused laugh, lightsaber pointed at her as she dropped down on one knee, curled up around the center of the pain. “See now the power hate can give you?” he chided, chuckling to himself. He gave a few theatrical swings and swung at her, all showmanship, because she was helpless.

There it was, her edge.

With a primal cry Leia swung up with the stolen Sith lightsaber and caught Ben’s arm at the elbow, sending his limb tumbling through space into the shadows. He offered no cry, he was too stunned. She looked up into his face, malice in her every feature, and spoke with a voice like a razor on flesh.

“Yes!”

Ben was blasted off his feet into a column of rock, bouncing off it and landing with a heavy thud on the cave floor. He rolled over, and Leia stood over him, lightsaber at his throat. He didn’t have time to move, didn’t have room to resist. For the first time he was at a Jedi’s mercy... he looked into her eyes, and wondered if that statement was true.

Leia continued holding the lightsaber over the fallen Sith, breathing heavily. The agony had subsided for the moment, all thought now was on the crackling red beam and the prone form of her most despised enemy before it. A voice said, "finish him," and for a moment she thought it was in her mind. It was what she'd been longing for, no matter how much she’d denied it. She wanted him to pay for what he had done, and didn't care if it was justice or vengeance. The murdering bastard deserved a far more agonizing end than this for what he'd done, for what he'd keep on doing if he were allowed to live. With one stroke, it would all be over.

But she had seen Luke cross that line, and her father. No matter what the intentions, what lay on the other side was darkness that was nearly inescapable. If she did this, than everything would be what Janeway had said. And then she realized whose voice she had heard. She looked up at Janeway. "Destroy him. It's the only way to save your family... what's left of it." Ben's eyes flew over to her, and there was malice in his expression. "Don't even bother trying," she said to him with contempt. "You've failed twice now; your usefulness has reached its end."

Leia reacted instinctively as he force pushed her away, taking the hit without losing her balance. Ben had jumped back to his feet, but his only focus now was on Janeway. "No," he said with a voice saturated with hate, "yours has." He held out his remaining hand towards Janeway, and force lightning launched from his fingertips.

Janeway held up her hand, and the energy bounced off into a wall. Ben's eyes went wide with shock, but if Janeway took any satisfaction in that, she hid it behind a mask of disgust. "I brought you here," she said with a voice like falling stone blocks, "because I thought you had the power to crush my enemies. I can see now I've made a mistake." He tried again; this time Janeway deflected the energy back into Ben, knocking him over as force lightning crawled over his body. She turned back to Leia who was holding up her lightsaber in a defensive posture. "I'm not your enemy here, Jedi," she said. "He is. He killed Luke Skywalker and your son, not to mention all the force potentials and Jorrielle Skywalker."

"All targets chosen by you!" Ben snarled from where he lay. Janeway's eyebrows narrowed and Ben slid across the floor into the wall.

"You're a heartless psychopath," Janeway said. "I just gave you direction."

"And that direction was my family," Leia said sharply.

"You still have two children left," Janeway pointed out. "You can spare their lives. Kill this Sith now, while he's still helpless! Otherwise he'll kill them, you can be certain of it! He's already done it in his own time!"

Leia shook her head slowly, her eyes never leaving Janeway. "You are the real threat here... the real Sith. He's just your pawn."

Janeway straightened up; the appearance of age and feebleness seemed to slip into the background as she did. "Yes, your highness. I am the greater threat, at least to your vision. Your Empire is corrupt and useless. It will fall, and I am only too glad to bring that about."

"We've been trying to change-"

"You and Sisko?" Janeway said. Leia's eyes widened. "Don't act so surprised, I am the Oracle; that crazy old fool couldn't think to hide this from me. You two thought you could tame the beast, but the Empire is rotten to the core. Sisko knew it, that's why he allowed all this to happen. The Empire will crumble... as you've suspected, that was his plan all along."

"No," Leia said. "We worked too hard for him to simply throw it all away."

"But that's what must happen," Janeway said. "The Empire didn't work; you know this. He had his own ideas about how to fix things, but they were naive. The Empire will crumble... I've seen to that."

"And you'll just let the Vong destroy us all?" Leia said. "Even the Empire is better than that."

"The Vong?" Janeway said with a chuckle. "They're nothing! A tool I've used to smash the foundations of a corrupt government. No, Empress, the Empire will fall, but we will not surrender to the Vong. Sisko's vision of Unity will come true, it will merely take a different form than what you two envisioned. Once the Empire is eliminated I will rally the systems to wipe out the Vong, and a new government will form, a just one. A united federation of planets, if you will." She paused. "But there is another way," she said. "You have total control of the Empire now; there is a way you and I could work together, Empress."

"What, kill him?" Leia asked, gesturing towards Ben with a tilt of her head. "Give myself over to the dark side? No, don't even bother trying, Janeway."

"It is the only way to save your children," Janeway said, and let the thought sit there for a while, uninterrupted. "Your thoughts betray you, Empress. I know your fear, your anger; don't deny it. The wound is so tender, isn't it. There is no way to comprehend the loss of a child than to experience it; do you want to endure that again... to watch another body that came from your own burned in the fire?" Then she held her hand palm out, and air swirled momentarily before an image appeared, an image of Jacen and Ben's confrontation. Leia flinched as the saber pierced her son's back, and tears forced themselves from her eyes. The image replayed itself over and over. "Look into your heart," Janeway said, "and tell me you wouldn't do anything to undo this."

"Stop it," Leia said, looking away.

"One child in the grave," Janeway said, "and two more waiting to join him. Look at this monster... smiling, laughing as he commits his butchery. Take your weapon and cut him down! There is no other way! If you don't then they will die!" Leia opened her tear-filled eyes towards Ben Skywalker; he was strugling feebly in Janeway's mental grip. "I can give you everything you've ever wanted," Janeway said with a chilling voice. "The power to mete out justice, starting with him. And it's only the beginning. I can give you Alixus, Nom Anor, Garak, to deal with as you see fit. No distortions of the truth to get in the way, Empress Solo. I can help you destroy the Vong forces in a matter of months. And most of all I can save what's left of your family from death and pain." Leia's lip trembled as she looked between the image and Ben Skywalker. "You are so close," Janeway said soothingly. "It is such a small step. One swing and all you've ever wanted is yours. How can that be wrong?" Leia squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think or feel, but Janeway's voice pierced through. "I can bring him back," she said almost in lullabye tones. "My powers are greater than you can imagine. Join with me, and I will grant you this gift, Empress."

In the wake of Janeway's offer there was nothing but the sound of Leia’s own breathing. She couldn't think about it because the prospect was so wonderful it was torture. She reminded herself of her father, and her brother... but still, this was different! This was about her love... turning into hate. It was so unfair that the answer she had to give was to give up everything she wanted! What kind of universe could offer her this with that price tag?! And if that's what it was, why shouldn't she just take this offer rather than trying to defend it? Years of training and instincts tried to build up a wall in her mind, to hold back the tide as her will moved inexorably towards the only decision her exhausted mind could accept. She saw Jacen in her mind's eye, laid out before the pyre was lit, and her shoulders shook in grief. There was no choice...

"Empress is my title," she said, "not what I am." She breathed deep through her nose to steady herself, wiped her eyes, then looked back to Janeway. "I am a Jedi," she said coldly, "and no Jedi will ever stand with you."

The image faded, and Janeway stared at Leia for some time, her face a mask barely restraining the contempt and hatred that rumbled below the surface. When she spoke, her voice was low and chilling. "So be it... Jedi." Leia felt a flicker and she raised her lightsaber in time to catch the force lightning that leapt from Janeway's hands. She was chuckling. "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side," she chided as with a gesture Leia's lightsaber was yanked from her weak grip. Force energy tore into her body as she was tossed back into the wall. "And you will pay the price for your lack of vision!"

The pain was incredible, but Leia didn't scream or cry out. Amazingly, there was something almost peaceful in all of this. She'd faced the worst of temptations, and she'd won. There was nothing left that Janeway could do that was worse than that trial had been. Force lightning crawled along her body, but in the midst of the twitching limbs and smoke, Leia had a smile on her face. Seconds later, her smoldering clothing fell to the floor, empty.

Janeway glared at the mound for a moment, then at Ben Skywalker, who had pulled himself back to his feet. "We have work to do," she rumbled. Ben didn't respond, and Janeway turned and eyed him as a potential adversary. "Don't think about betraying me, Ben," she warned. "I know techniques that take five years to kill you, that leave you begging for death in five seconds." Ben stewed, but said nothing. "See to getting that hand replaced," she said. "If you can manage that." She turned and left for her laboratory, leaving the still smoking clothes where they lay.

More execelent work!

Wow, nice chapter.

Another one bites the dust ...

"No one gets out alive".

I'll give people 10-1 that Anakin is the next to go, 5-1 on the entire Jedi academy bunch, evens on Jaina.

2000AD is now open for bets on Chucks emporium of establised character killing.

One of Leia's kids must survive long enough to have a child (though the earlier story said grandchildren if you want to pendatic)

Lol. Another Skywalker has limb lobbed off. Coolness. Emperor/Oracle similairites seem very pronoucnde now, I dont know why.

Crazedwraith wrote:Lol. Another Skywalker has limb lobbed off. Coolness. Emperor/Oracle similairites seem very pronoucnde now, I dont know why.

The real question is if Emperor Palpatine died.

phongn wrote:

Crazedwraith wrote:Lol. Another Skywalker has limb lobbed off. Coolness. Emperor/Oracle similairites seem very pronoucnde now, I dont know why.

The real question is if Emperor Palpatine died.

Dying and coming back as Janeway is definitely a sign you had some bad karma.

phongn wrote:One of Leia's kids must survive long enough to have a child (though the earlier story said grandchildren if you want to pendatic)

Yup. Although, the Oracle's vision of the future showed Ben Skywalker killing Sebastian (and others) on Wormhole Station, which didn't happen. The question is now open as to whether Ben Sisko's vision is still going to come to pass.

Chuck you are a sadistic barstard. My hat is off to you!