Judgement
Posted: 2006-10-27 01:44pm
PROLOGUE
"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail." ~ Isaiah 51:6
Looking back into the great sprawling corridors of the palace Aidel could find no sign of prying eyes. Her senses decreed that there was no one. Her sight, her smell, her ears and touch all gave the green light for her mission. "Great." She whispered sarcastically. "Only two in front of me now." Folding back her light blond hair she pulled a vial from the concealed location. It would be unlikely that the Storm Troopers were using their own atmosphere, and if they were. Well, that's why she had a pistol close to hand. With a gentle flick and careful aim of her wrist the clear cylinder descended upon the unsuspecting guardians. The putrid liquid quickly spilled and evaporated. "All too easy." Aidel remarked as she moved towards the twitching corpses. Now what? Puzzled and pretty concerned she just stood there looking at the blast doors.
The Troopers wouldn't carry a code it was a waste of time even thinking of searching them and they certainly wouldn't have authorisation to open the doors. So how exactly was she supposed to overcome this obstacle? The answer was given as the doors opened themselves. "Unusual."
Aidel cautiously walked inside. The anticipation was growing, sweat trickled down the back of her spine. Here, in this room. Was the Emperors hand, the source of his power. Endless rows of servers lined the walls and racks of the room. Each one controlling a vital aspect to the security, defence and implementation of law throughout the realm. Here the emperor maintained his grip upon his navy, here the emperor manipulated the holonet and it was here, the empire would crumble. Humanity would fall just as it had, everywhere else.
Pulling out a small data card from her bag, Aidel inserted it into a localised dataport. "Gods will be done."
****
Sirens and klaxons wailed across the palace as security finally realised their blunder. "Good work Artoo." Luke said encouragingly. The Astro droid beeped and whirled in return. "Yeah I know, but we can't move right now. The Imperials are everywhere." A foreboding shadow of a Viper droid passed overhead, it didn't seem to take any notice.
"Hey Luke, you done taking in the sights yet." Han laughed a little. " You should really see it from here buddy, half the palace is on fire." Luke didn't look back. "Well, just to let you know we're waiting for you at the extract co-ordinates. Think you can make it?"
"Yeah, we'll be there." Luke replied. "I think the empires deployed a few Vipers by the looks of it. They're swarming the promenade."
"Yeah well, just use that Jedi know how to avoid them and we'll all be fine." The channel froze for a moment, then it scattered and fizzled as the Imperials began jamming the frequencies.
"Any way to punch through it R2?"
"Whoooop Deeap"
"Didn't think so." Luke began to move off towards the local space port with R2 in hot pursuit. Even with the attack on the palace it was unlikely that the Empire was going to be searching ships. It would be some time yet before they realised the plans were missing. Luke could still hear the odd Siren in the background, its high pitched drawl carried on the wind. And it was then he realised something. It's really only when you're trying to be inconspicuous that you begin to notice others doing the same. Dust dealers were hidden in the corners of the streets. The odd kids here and there trying to pick someone's pocket, and the odd Imperial agent stalking you through the crowd. "We're being followed R2." Luke focused and then stretched out his mind with the force, searching for the man in close pursuit. He was easy to find, all Luke could feal was hate. "I think we have a Sith on our tails R2." Luke felt for his belt for extra reassurance. "He's probably calling in a commando team right now. We need to get out of here and fast." Searching around for a vehicle all Luke could find was an odd civilian transport pod, with the only speeders available already zooming below in flight. "R2. Stay here." Luke ordered before jumping off the edge of the promenade.
On Coruscant level three, the merchants sector of the upper tiers was filled with traffic and more importantly money. Not in direct sunlight, the place was ambient enough to attract those from the upper levels of society, while also bringing in those from the lower levels. And that meant transport was a must, and so, the Empire permitted a new speeder lane.
"Hi." Luke smiled as he landed next to his new driver. "Nice to meet you." The Ictholian just looked at him with brazen eyes. "I don't suppose you could turn this here boat around?" The sharp hiss of Lukes lightsabre igniting prompted a more co-operative response. "See, that wasn't too hard was it?"
"hrrrrrrrrph" The alien toned. "Slowly moving along the promenade wall Luke gestured for R2 to meet them. Artoo quickly burst into the air thanks to one of his many upgrades. As the astrodroid came in for his landing the two small boosters charred parts of the speeders interior on touchdown. The Sith just watched from the background, letting them flee.
"I have a bad fealing about ths R2." Luke said a little concerned. "Take a left here at this junction." The force gave no warning of a trap, but it was certainly acting up. The speeder banked around a sharp corner narrowly passing several Imperial haulers on the way. R2 gave a few whirls.
"Luke get here now. If you can hear me Luke. LUKE You there. LUKE GET A MOVE ON." Luke fumbled for the communicator and quickly pushed down on the transmitter.
"Han hold on we're almost there." A brilliant flash of light illuminated the horizon. Another, then another and another. "Han, what's happening?" Luke paused for a second as the force screamed out in pain, millions of souls dead within the blink of an eye. Another flash ignited this time closer. The shock wave of the explosions sent glass and speeders flying out of control.
"Some form of attack in orbit. The Imperials are being swatted like flies." What was clearly the bridge of an Imperial Star Destroyer fell through the clouds far off in the distance. It's vapour trail littered with tiny speks of charred corpses being sucked from the superstructure. "Luke, we're coming to get you." Han said with a tone of finality. "Activate your beacon and we'll be with you in a second." Another flash illuminated the foreground, this time a vast mushroom cloud rose from the ashes.
Comments, advice, querries, ponderings are very welcome. Can anyone guess who the bad guys are?
"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail." ~ Isaiah 51:6
Looking back into the great sprawling corridors of the palace Aidel could find no sign of prying eyes. Her senses decreed that there was no one. Her sight, her smell, her ears and touch all gave the green light for her mission. "Great." She whispered sarcastically. "Only two in front of me now." Folding back her light blond hair she pulled a vial from the concealed location. It would be unlikely that the Storm Troopers were using their own atmosphere, and if they were. Well, that's why she had a pistol close to hand. With a gentle flick and careful aim of her wrist the clear cylinder descended upon the unsuspecting guardians. The putrid liquid quickly spilled and evaporated. "All too easy." Aidel remarked as she moved towards the twitching corpses. Now what? Puzzled and pretty concerned she just stood there looking at the blast doors.
The Troopers wouldn't carry a code it was a waste of time even thinking of searching them and they certainly wouldn't have authorisation to open the doors. So how exactly was she supposed to overcome this obstacle? The answer was given as the doors opened themselves. "Unusual."
Aidel cautiously walked inside. The anticipation was growing, sweat trickled down the back of her spine. Here, in this room. Was the Emperors hand, the source of his power. Endless rows of servers lined the walls and racks of the room. Each one controlling a vital aspect to the security, defence and implementation of law throughout the realm. Here the emperor maintained his grip upon his navy, here the emperor manipulated the holonet and it was here, the empire would crumble. Humanity would fall just as it had, everywhere else.
Pulling out a small data card from her bag, Aidel inserted it into a localised dataport. "Gods will be done."
****
Sirens and klaxons wailed across the palace as security finally realised their blunder. "Good work Artoo." Luke said encouragingly. The Astro droid beeped and whirled in return. "Yeah I know, but we can't move right now. The Imperials are everywhere." A foreboding shadow of a Viper droid passed overhead, it didn't seem to take any notice.
"Hey Luke, you done taking in the sights yet." Han laughed a little. " You should really see it from here buddy, half the palace is on fire." Luke didn't look back. "Well, just to let you know we're waiting for you at the extract co-ordinates. Think you can make it?"
"Yeah, we'll be there." Luke replied. "I think the empires deployed a few Vipers by the looks of it. They're swarming the promenade."
"Yeah well, just use that Jedi know how to avoid them and we'll all be fine." The channel froze for a moment, then it scattered and fizzled as the Imperials began jamming the frequencies.
"Any way to punch through it R2?"
"Whoooop Deeap"
"Didn't think so." Luke began to move off towards the local space port with R2 in hot pursuit. Even with the attack on the palace it was unlikely that the Empire was going to be searching ships. It would be some time yet before they realised the plans were missing. Luke could still hear the odd Siren in the background, its high pitched drawl carried on the wind. And it was then he realised something. It's really only when you're trying to be inconspicuous that you begin to notice others doing the same. Dust dealers were hidden in the corners of the streets. The odd kids here and there trying to pick someone's pocket, and the odd Imperial agent stalking you through the crowd. "We're being followed R2." Luke focused and then stretched out his mind with the force, searching for the man in close pursuit. He was easy to find, all Luke could feal was hate. "I think we have a Sith on our tails R2." Luke felt for his belt for extra reassurance. "He's probably calling in a commando team right now. We need to get out of here and fast." Searching around for a vehicle all Luke could find was an odd civilian transport pod, with the only speeders available already zooming below in flight. "R2. Stay here." Luke ordered before jumping off the edge of the promenade.
On Coruscant level three, the merchants sector of the upper tiers was filled with traffic and more importantly money. Not in direct sunlight, the place was ambient enough to attract those from the upper levels of society, while also bringing in those from the lower levels. And that meant transport was a must, and so, the Empire permitted a new speeder lane.
"Hi." Luke smiled as he landed next to his new driver. "Nice to meet you." The Ictholian just looked at him with brazen eyes. "I don't suppose you could turn this here boat around?" The sharp hiss of Lukes lightsabre igniting prompted a more co-operative response. "See, that wasn't too hard was it?"
"hrrrrrrrrph" The alien toned. "Slowly moving along the promenade wall Luke gestured for R2 to meet them. Artoo quickly burst into the air thanks to one of his many upgrades. As the astrodroid came in for his landing the two small boosters charred parts of the speeders interior on touchdown. The Sith just watched from the background, letting them flee.
"I have a bad fealing about ths R2." Luke said a little concerned. "Take a left here at this junction." The force gave no warning of a trap, but it was certainly acting up. The speeder banked around a sharp corner narrowly passing several Imperial haulers on the way. R2 gave a few whirls.
"Luke get here now. If you can hear me Luke. LUKE You there. LUKE GET A MOVE ON." Luke fumbled for the communicator and quickly pushed down on the transmitter.
"Han hold on we're almost there." A brilliant flash of light illuminated the horizon. Another, then another and another. "Han, what's happening?" Luke paused for a second as the force screamed out in pain, millions of souls dead within the blink of an eye. Another flash ignited this time closer. The shock wave of the explosions sent glass and speeders flying out of control.
"Some form of attack in orbit. The Imperials are being swatted like flies." What was clearly the bridge of an Imperial Star Destroyer fell through the clouds far off in the distance. It's vapour trail littered with tiny speks of charred corpses being sucked from the superstructure. "Luke, we're coming to get you." Han said with a tone of finality. "Activate your beacon and we'll be with you in a second." Another flash illuminated the foreground, this time a vast mushroom cloud rose from the ashes.
Comments, advice, querries, ponderings are very welcome. Can anyone guess who the bad guys are?