Star Crossed Fanfic

[consequences]

“It never rains but it pours.”

That sounds familiar.

Common saying, most recent pop culture usage would probably be in "Gone in Sixty Seconds".

And I'm a little dissapointed that little orphan Anny didn't find a way to lop off Darkstar's hand when he revealed the location of the control device.

[Mr Bean]

Always a wonderful read

[Thanas]

great chapter

[Darth Yoshi]

Luke vs. Jem Hadar. This'll be fun. Great chap, Stravo.

[Spice Runner]

That was awesome! This is a really addictive story. Also that was an interesting dialogue between Shinzon and Kittaine.

[Crazedwraith]

Great Chapter. I have one question: Is the Jemmie "We're already Dead" Prelude to the "Victory is Life" From Canon Trek or your own invention?

[Stravo]

Great Chapter. I have one question: Is the Jemmie "We're already Dead" Prelude to the "Victory is Life" From Canon Trek or your own invention?

No its not mine, it comes straight from the DS9 Episode where the Jem'Hadar and Sisko's team join forces to stop a renegade Jemmie outfit. The speech is followed by MIles O'Brian's take on it "I'm quite alive"

[Mr Bean]

To prevent the horde of folks rushing to this thread thinking another chapter has posted I'll toss in a quick word here

[Darth Yoshi]

I feel as if I should point out that the cleaned fic has yet to be updated with the new chapter.

[drphlox]

aww, bugger! hurry up and post a new chapter, Stravo!

drphlox

[Stravo]

I feel as if I should point out that the cleaned fic has yet to be updated with the new chapter.

What gives you that idea?

[Col. Crackpot]

I feel as if I should point out that the cleaned fic has yet to be updated with the new chapter.

What gives you that idea?

must you mock us Stravo? Must you?

*disembowels lawyer boy with a lightsaber.

[Darth Yoshi]

What gives you that idea?

Whoops, my bad.

[Stravo]

Please enjoy this latest entry, although a little longer than most chapters it is packed to the gills with action so I don't think anyone will complain too much. Written with The Matrix Reloaded Burly Brawl playing in the background.


Chapter 72: Reaping the Whirlwind IV


“I want the troops on the surface by the time we achieve high orbit.” Tarsi ordered tightly.

“Already on the way, sir. All gunnery crews have acquired targets and we await your command.”

“Fighters?” Tarsi snapped as he strode over to the crew pits below his command deck.

The fighter command officer’s head shot up from his station and he spoke.

“All wings are currently deployed, bombers have been held in the bays on your orders.”

“I want the fighters to stay close to the assault shuttles, when we recover Lord Nemesis they are to escort the shuttle back up to the ship. It would not bode well for us if after recovering Lord Nemesis we lose him on the way back to the ship to an errant shot.” Tarsi explained with a grim smile.

“Aye sir.” His XO nodded curtly.

Tarsi strode the command deck and watched his crew as they worked feverishly to follow out his orders. They moved with cold calculating precision and discipline. But he sensed something else bubbling right beneath the surface.

The fleet had been idle for far too long. They had seen non stop action since their arrival in this forsaken primitive backwater and they had been honed to a razor’s edge by the constant battles. Tarsi was nearly certain that the fleet had seen more action in the shortest amount of time than any other Imperial fleet in history. He was proud of his men.

But they were straining now, barely able to focus, like growling dogs straining at the slips they were urging forward, eagerly looking to embrace battle. He wanted badly to give them that chance.

“Sir! I’m picking up Rebel Alliance ships within the fleet in orbit, starfighters…X-Wing class.” The tactical officer reported.

Tarsi quickly approached the station and examined the displays with a keen interest. X-Wing fighters were indeed mixed in with the fleet of makeshift warships, tactical data constantly streamed in bold crimson text beneath each fighter.

“The infamous Rogue Squadron I presume.” Tarsi breathed. He looked up at his flight coordinator.

“I want four squadrons of our best fighters to be rerouted to intercept and bring those rebels to heel.”

“Yes Captain!” the flight coordinator nodded quickly and started feeding the new target data to his hand picked squadrons. The TIE Fighters and TIE Interceptors broke formation as one and began their aggressive stalking of the rebel fighters scattered through the Orion fleet.

“If the rebels are here can Kirk be far behind?” Tarsi muttered as he absently rubbed his chin. He had stumbled into too many of the irritating Federation Captain’s intricate ambushes and tricks. He was not going to allow himself to fall into one of those traps now, not when he was so close to achieving his goals.

The young Sith lord was a constant threat to Tarsi’s life and upon reflection there was many a time that Tarsi did not wish for an unfortunate shuttle ‘accident’ or very unexpected and sudden decompression in Nemesis’ vicinity. But now as events unfolded in the Imperium it became painfully obvious that Nemesis was an absolute necessity.

Thrawn’s heavy handed abuse of Grand Admiral Kittaine was only possible because the man had his own personal Sith Lord attack dog and the Imperium lacked theirs. Thrawn would very soon not hold back at all as soon as it was confirmed that Nemesis was not just on leave somewhere.

Besides Thrawn there was emptiness at the heart of the Imperium without him. Kittaine was a noble man and a fine leader but he was no politician. He could not demand the loyalty of the trillions of occupied Imperium citizens as Nemesis had. He was the heart and soul of this Imperium and Tarsi knew that in the end, if Thrawn did not finish them, their own internal divisiveness would.

So he was here, ready to risk his life, his crew and his ship to make sure that he could bring Nemesis home again. To restore what was missing and make the Imperium whole again. He wondered briefly whether he had ever been that loyal to the Emperor.

He motioned for his XO. He approached quickly and Tarsi nodded to the planet below.

“I want you to monitor all communication traffic down there and run deep scans of the palace facilities. I have a sneaking suspicion that our good friend James Kirk is or will be down there.” Tarsi smiled and drew his head down closer to his XO’s ear. “Imagine my friend what reception we will receive when we bring Lord Nemesis whole and intact and James Kirk in our brig.”

His XO smiled in return.

“We would be heroes of the Imperium.”

“We do need heroes.” Tarsi breathed and turned back to the armored view port. “Alright gentlemen, we have a job to do.” He announced and his crew smiled and turned back to their work.




“Alright, does everyone know our mission objectives?” Kirk asked coolly as he checked the power reading on his phaser. The mission so far was hardly going as planned. But then again in this little war nothing seemed to be going as planned for anyone.

“Simple enough, recover any hypermatter technology and make sure none of it falls in the hands of these pirates.” Sulu replied as he slammed a fresh power cartridge into his disruptor rifle.

“Simple huh? Who thought up of the idea of implanting the transmitter in my earlobe?” McCoy grumbled as he held one hand to his bloody earlobe while the other adjusted a hypospray into his bicep.

“I believe that was your idea Doctor.” Spock replied.

McCoy glowered at the Vulcan.

“Fine whose idea was it then to have Harry Mudd betray us?”

“I seem to recall that may have been mine.” Kirk said with a soft smile.

“You owe me a new earlobe Captain.”

“I would be more concerned about what is waiting for us when those lift doors open.” Mara said grimly.

“Darkstar is a target of opportunity that should be eliminated with extreme prejudice if possible.” Worf added as he tested the balance of his pain pike and slung his disruptor rifle over his shoulder.

“Leave Darkstar to me. I intend to keep my promises to that man.” Luke added quietly as he centered himself. He sought the cool calming center of his being, feeling the Force flow like a river around him. But there was also the natural excitement of the adrenaline rush that was coursing through him, making him angry, and putting him on edge.

His natural Jedi training urged him to push away those feelings, to negate them with Jedi combat meditation techniques. His Sith training reveled in the aggressive sensations and prepared to use them as fuel for his power.

Now was the time to truly explore his theory, to walk the path between dark and light. He hoped that the same strength of will that had brought Luke Skywalker and Lord Darth Nemesis together could forge a new path. A path not limited to the duality of light and dark. Instead of pushing down and ignoring the anger and excitement he used it, rode the anger and the boost in power it gave him while allowing the calm collected center guide him.

He closed his eyes for a moment and felt the surge in his senses, the minor tears and bruises along his muscles and ligaments healing in pinprick like sensations along his arms and legs. His bionic hand opened and closed rhythmically, he had been ignoring the need for some time.

He missed his lightsaber.

Leia watched Luke. She had spent the last months of her life desperately searching for him, she had crossed the vast gulf of space and time between this galaxy and her own just to have the chance to save him.

And here he stood, right next to her and he looked so much like the boy she had seen on Hoth in those last desperate moments as the Empire came to destroy their base. Yet he was not the same. There was hardness around the eyes, a distance in his gaze, as if he had seen too much in his short life. A fragment of the angry young Sith lord she had seen on Earth was still in his face.

She did not know what to think.

Mara coolly prepared for battle but one eye remained fixed on Leia. She watched the rebel princess watching Luke and she debated whether friendly fire could bring her down in the heat of battle. She nodded to herself.

Yes, perhaps it was time for this group to take some casualties. A woman with green skin and a metal bathing suit made for a fine target in the midst of a firefight.

“Captain life form readings are converging near the lift.” Spock warned.

“Then it looks like we’re going to have company. Chewie, I want you and Luke on point. Worf, guard our backs. The rest of you provide covering fire as we get through the level.”

“Kirk, I work far better alone.” Mara said sharply as she held her blaster up at the ready. “And frankly you have no place giving Lord Nemesis any orders.” She added and glance at Luke meaningfully. She searched his eyes for an answer. She was not sure she was going to like it.

Kirk looked over at Luke as well.

“I guess that all depends.” Leia interjected softly. “Is he still Lord Nemesis?”

Luke looked from Mara to Leia. He turned his head back to the front of the lift and extended his pike. It snapped open on metal segments and clicked into a locked position with a loud snap.

“My name is Luke Skywalker. Darth Nemesis died back at the abyss. As to who is giving who orders?” Luke turned his head and looked into Kirk’s eyes. “Let’s just say that for now, we are on the same side and want the same things. I am here to exact justice on Hieronymus Darkstar.”

“Justice or revenge?” Leia asked.

Luke smiled to himself as the doors to the lift opened. He snapped the pain pike at the ready as he stepped out of the lift.

“I’m done questioning myself Leia. I am the like the arrow in the bow.” He replied.




“This is not good.” Tom Paris muttered as the Millennium Falcon looped over a wreck of a ship, half buried into the side of an ancient access tunnel.

“This looks like it hasn’t been used since Captain Kirk’s time.” Paris lamented.

The Falcon’s computer belched.

Paris glanced sharply down at the computer panel. The tunnel opened up into an eight tunnel intersection.

“You know this is your fault. You were supposed to automap you heap!”

The Falcon’s computer emitted a series on increasingly unflattering noises.

“Yeah, well remind me to upgrade you to a standard Federation interface as soon as we get out of this mess. I’d like to see you say that stuff to me in a sweet feminine voice.”

The Falcon’s computer rumbled.

“Promises, promises. Coming from a computer that couldn’t even remember to automap the route in I’m not exactly impressed.”

Disruptor bolts flashed past the Falcon as it hovered in the center of the intersection. Ships were swarming from all directions toward the freighter.

Tom quickly checked the threat display and noticed something.

“Hey, do you see what I see? They’re coming from all directions but one.”

The Falcon’s computer squawked. Tom frowned as he threw back some switches and pulled on the throttle.

“What we’re looking for wouldn’t have any ships. They’re scrambled from all over his base but there’s one place where there wouldn’t be any ships and that’s our objective. Damn I’m good!” He laughed and accelerated the Falcon down to only tunnel without Orion ships. The pursuing Orion ships did not hesitate as they followed the Falcon down spitting a furious fusillade of disruptor and phaser fire.

The tunnel around the Falcon was chewed up by the hostile fire, spraying the fleeing ship with molten concrete.

Tom wiped his brow and chewed on his lower lip as the Falcon shook violently and threatened to pitch dangerously close to one of the walls.

“Of course, if I’m wrong this whole party is for nothing.” He muttered.




“Watch yourself Wedge, three from above!” Hobbie warned.

“I see it. Rogue 6 bring that tail you’ve got over my way, I’ll clean it off you and you return the favor.”

“On the way!”

Rogue squadron had quickly discovered that they were being hunted as the TIE fighters came in from all angles and attacked the small snub fighters as they tried their best to mingle with the Orion fleet and stay out of sight.

Unfortunately it was not enough.

Now Wedge was leading his men in a desperate cat and mouse game through a hostile enemy fleet while being stalked by overwhelming Imperial numbers. In other words it was another day at the office for his rogues.

The Sagan was doing her best to keep track of the Rogues, but the fighters were now pulling fantastic maneuvers, diving and rolling through the heart of the Orion fleet trying to avoid their pursuers.

“Can you get a clear shot?” Entebbe asked as he watched a pair of TIE fighters come into view and just as quickly as they were spotted they split up and spun away between a large bulk freighter pretending to be a warship and vanished.

“They’re moving awfully fast sir and with all the ECM and ships in close proximity to one another its getting hard to get a phaser lock.”

“And we’re running out of torpedoes.”

“Not that it would matter any, the quickest way to get us fired on is to start lighting off torpedoes in this fleet.” Entebbe sighed and checked his tactical display.

“The problem is we’re not a dedicated warship sir. If we had the latest Federation tactical controls we might be able to pull off a phaser lock under these conditions.” His XO noted.

“Well, we’ll just have to do as we’ve always done since this mess started. We make do with what we have and hope for the best. Helm?”

“Sir?”

“I’m willing to bet that those Imperial fighters are too busy tracking the Rogues than watching their own backs, pick a pair and bring us to point blank range for a phaser strike.”

“Aye sir.” His helmsman smiled and turned back to his controls.

“And our ace in the hole as Captain Kirk calls it?”

Entebbe shook his head slowly as the image on the view screen began to tilt madly in response to the helm’s commands.

“No. The Captain was very specific about that one. We wait until we cannot wait any longer.”

“You don’t think we’re in dire straights now?” his XO pressed.

Entebbe turned his head and smiled grimly at his XO.

“Have you not been paying attention since this war started? I guarantee you, this can and will most likely get much worse.”




The group stepped out of the lift quietly, Luke and Chewbacca walking out first followed by the others and Worf brought up the rear, turning quickly to check the area behind the lift and above them.

The lift bay was stonily silent.

“Make no mistake. They are here and watching us.” Luke calmly warned as he continued walking forward, pain pike held up at guard position. Chewie trained his disruptor rifle at any sign of movement as they approached the second set of doors that led to the cloning chambers beyond.

“The life form readings…they’ve vanished.” Spock said suddenly as he checked his tricorder.

Kirk stopped short.

“Perhaps you are receiving interference from the structures around us?” Worf suggested quietly, he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, he could hear his blood singing in his ears, eager to embrace the sting of battle.

“Not likely. I was receiving the signals strongly up until a moment ago.” Spock looked up at Kirk. “I would suggest extreme caution at this point Captain. The enemy obviously has the ability to manipulate our tricorders. The last set of readings indicated hundreds of life forms just beyond that door.” Spock pointed to the double set of doors that Luke and Chewbacca were standing in front of.

“We’re not going to have much more time to proceed unmolested.” Mara urged.

“Scotty, the door.”

“Aye Captain.”

As Scotty approached the door it hissed open on its own. Scotty paused and drew his phaser.

“Look alive people.” Kirk warned.

Luke cautiously peered into the doorway and saw nothing but shadows interrupted by the cool blue alert strobe lights cutting through the thick white mists hissing from the veritable forest of clone tanks. He held up a hand and nodded to Chewbacca. The Wookie grunted as he brought his disruptor rifle up his chin and aimed.

Luke stepped into the cavernous cloning facilities and scanned slowly but he did not rely on his eyes.

“Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.” Obi Wan’s voice drifted softly in his memories. Luke half smiled to himself as he let the force flow around him, through the cloning canisters, cables, conduits and coolant mist. Stretch out with your feelings. Within a few steps he had a feel for the entire room, down to the low clicking of the cloning vat to the far right of the room as coolant mist was freezing the outer nodules of the vents and causing them to click rhythmically together in time with each emergency venting of the mist.

The quiet dripping of condensation on the nearest open pod.

The low breathing of something rapidly approaching to his left.

Luke pivoted hard on his right foot and drove the bladed end of his pain pike into the empty air to his left. He was rewarded by a sudden impact that traveled up his arms and the splotch of blood that exploded in the empty air.

The air wavered and splintered, forming a body of a Jem’Hedar warrior as it slumped down to the ground twitching. Luke instantly recovered his pike and swung the blunt end around in front of him, the air sparked and fractured as his pike impacted against multiple solid objects rushing towards him.

“Jem’Hedar! They have personal cloaks!” Worf shouted and fired a steady burst from his disruptor as the air around the entire group wavered and blurred. Hundreds of Jem’Hedar were materializing like a wave crashing in around them.

“Fire support, two by two man cover and make for that exit there!” Kirk shouted as he valiantly began unleashing a barrage from his phaser pistol with one hand and pointing emphatically to the exit at the far end of the cloning facility.

Spock and McCoy stood back to back and began firing their weapons at the Jem’Hedar horde. Scotty and Sulu advanced under Leia’s covering fire and secured the next cloning vat. As Sulu turned to motion for Leia and Mara to advance through the throng as he and Scotty provided covering fire he felt an arm close in around his throat and jerk him up off his feet.

He gagged as his vision blurred. The Jem' Hedar was hanging off the top of the cloning canister with one hand while strangling Sulu with the other. Scotty immediately aimed up but the Jem’Hedar and the struggling Sulu were too close.

“Damn sinner!” Scotty spat and pulled a rod from the inside of the birthing chamber and began smacking the Jem’Hedar’s arm with it.

Mara advanced quickly and took a shot at the strangling Jem’Hedar, blasting the shoulder of the arm that hung on to the canister. The Jem’Hedar grunted and slipped off the top of the canister spilling onto the ground in a tangle with Sulu. Sulu delivered a quick strike to the Jem’Hedar’s throat and it gurgled sickly as Sulu scrambled to his feet.

Mara ran up to them, Leia close behind her and she quickly scanned their surroundings as she casually put another blaster bolt into the strangling Jem’Hedar.

“Was that really necessary?” Sulu asked darkly as he rubbed his throat. Mara regarded the young helm officer with barely restrained contempt.

“If you like I’ll let the mortally wounded ones finish you off next time.” Mara sneered.

“Would you look at that.” Scotty breathed.

Sulu glanced back and his jaw dropped as he watched Luke Skywalker stride into the center of the Jem’Hedar horde, no fear on his face, only a cool calm determination as his pike spun and struck two Jem’Hedar approaching to his right and then swung forward, slicing open a Jem’Hedar’s throat as it advanced.

He cart wheeled over, pike out an angle and landed among a cluster of Jem’Hedar, pike flashing about him like lightning bolts sending Jem’Hedar sprawling around on the ground. His right fist arced backwards into the face of a Jem’Hedar, driving what little of the face it had into a wet pulp while his left hand maneuvered the pike in a downward slashing strike that tripped up several Jem’Hedar rushing past him to get to the group.

“Out of anyone here he is all but untouchable.” Mara began. A Jem’Hedar went sailing overhead screaming and landed with a sick thud against the side of one of the cloning cylinders denting it. The flying Jem’Hedar was accompanied by a roar of outrage and challenge.

“Well…maybe the Wookie as well but the point is that we need to get to that exit now before we are truly swarmed.”

“What about the Captain?” Sulu asked trying to peer through the smoke filled chamber.

Leia looked back sharply.

“Jim.” She whispered as she saw Kirk firing his phaser pistol desperately into a wave of Jem' Hedar that leapt over a fallen comrade and landed on top of him. Spock turned and his right hand snaked past one of the Jem’Hedar and delivered a nerve pinch. The Jem’Hedar slumped down to the ground but before the Vulcan could completely turn around and bring his weapon to bear another Jem’Hedar delivered a crushing double axe handled blow to Spock’s chest sending him stumbling backwards into the arms of another Jem’Hedar.

“We have to help them!” Leia ordered and began firing her blaster into the throng of Jem’Hedar as she watched in horror as Kirk floundered under three Jem’Hedar trying to bring him down.

Mara grabbed Leia by the arm and glared at her.

“Princess, if you want to save them we have to get that door open.”

“She’s right.” Sulu concluded. He nodded to Scotty and they immediately began to blast their way to the door. A Jem'Hedar leapt down from one of the cloning vats but Leia picked him off in mid drop and the Jem’Hedar crashed against the vat sliding down into the swirling mists around the cylinders.

She glanced back to see Kirk backhand a Jem’Hedar soldier and duck under a roundhouse kick. Spock picked a Jem’Hedar up by the waist and flung it bodily into another as it approached. Suddenly Chewbacca waded into the cluster of clones and began flinging them off like so much debris.

Worf was grunting loudly as he delivered a point blank disruptor blast into a Jem’Hedar’s face while simultaneously slashing his pike across his left side taking down another warrior.

“Come! Come and grapple with me!” Worf shouted at the clones as they gathered around him while he backed towards the group.

Luke blocked a quick jab to gouge out an eye and jerked hard on his pike, rewarded with a sickly wet snap from the Jem’Hedar’s arm. He shoved the maimed clone back with a jab from the blunt end of his pike then swept it in intricate figure eights from left, to front to right blocking Jem’Hedar attacks.

A roar of triumph sounded and a squad of Jem’Hedar charged at Luke holding up a slab of metal like a battering ram. One Jem’Hedar was watching intently from the top of the closest cylinder. Luke smiled softly and extended his hand in a closed fist.

The air around him rushed forward and the Jem’Hedar’s forward momentum suddenly stopped and were thrown back as if hammered by a giant. The Jem’Hedar crashed backwards through one of the birthing chambers.

Luke stood legs apart and twirled his pike in an intricate pattern in front of him and motioned with his free hand to the growing horde of Jem’Hedar to come closer.

“You!”

Luke’s eyes snapped up to regard the lone Jem’Hedar. He immediately pegged him as the leader. He had all the earmarks of an alpha male. He would have to be eliminated as soon as possible.

“You are more powerful than that fool Darkstar led us to believe.”

“He tends to do that. You can just let us pass, I assure you that we will not stop you from escaping and all we want is Darkstar.” Luke said loudly. He fought the urge to attack, dancing on the edge of his aggression he allowed is cool rational side to probe the alpha and find a way out of this that did not require more bloodshed.

The alpha smiled cruelly, his one white within white eye bore into Luke.

“You do not understand.”

“Oh?” Luke could feel the spike in anger and adrenaline.

“I find Darkstar’s underestimation of you to be a blessing.” The Alpha raised a hand. Luke snapped his pike up into a fighting stance and all calm melted slowly and his excitement and aggression bubbled into predominance. He did not feel the usual sense of …taint. This was something different. There was acceptance of what needed to be done and the Force granted him the strength and speed he needed to accomplish his goals.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

“We will revel in our victory bringing you down.” The Alpha said coldly and dropped his hand.

The Jem’Hedar surged forward in a storm of bodies. Luke was in motion, the pike an extension of his hands. Where he moved the pike was there, streaming silver as it moved in a blur. Jem’Hedar grunted and howled as bones snapped, ligaments popped and muscles tore with each hammer like blow.

Luke moved slowly, pike moving in an increasing blur, cutting through the Jem’Hedar like a reaper cutting his wheat. He could feel them all around him, angry, frustrated, vicious, each blow landed like a lightning stroke as he slowly waded into them. Sidestepping kicks and punches, catching errant limbs on the ends of his pike and twisting them hearing the snaps like dry twigs.

“Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him.”

Luke did not even notice or think about it, but his hands flipped the bladed end of his pike backwards into the sternum of a Jem’Hedar while he consciously reached out with the force and drove a pair of clones backwards into an open birthing chamber. Without thinking he back flipped away from the swipe of a makeshift club and landed low just in time to avoid a flying tackle.

“You mean it controls your actions?” Did he ever sound so young?

Instinctively he held out the pike horizontally and a wave of force energy picked clones off their feet and drove them into the next wave coming around one of the cylinders. He did not notice his left foot jerk back and snap through a Jem’Hedar’s shin sending it crashing to the ground where the blunt end of his pike snapped downward and crushed its neck.

“Partially.” He felt a surge of anger as he caught sight of Leia blasting at a wave of clones swarming over and around a cylinder, trapping her against it as Mara fought her way free. Kirk saw it too and shouted Leia’s name, hammering a Jem’Hedar across the nose plate and another tore his shirt off at the shoulder as it grasped for him.

He would be too late.

But the anger was quickly submerged under the quick thinking calm. Rage would not serve here what he needed. Blind rage led to blind actions and in this battle there was no room for error.

He reached out with the force as he drove the blunt end of his pike into a Jem’Hedar’s throat. The cylinder rumbled and squealed as metal gave way to the force of Luke’s will. The Jem’Hedar swarming over the cylinder looked at each other and then the cylinder itself in confusion. The cylinder suddenly snapped closed like a Venus flytrap, crushing the Jem’Hedar into a pulpy mess of blood and bone.

Leia backed away quickly as Kirk reached her, followed quickly by Spock. The ruined cylinder shuddered once and was still again, save for the muffled groans of the trapped and dying.

But it also obeys your commands.

Indeed. He could feel the force flowing now like a raging river, fueling his strength and agility, a thin bright sheen of sweat on his brow as he fought for control of his pike while three clones grasped each end and the center and tried to wrest it from his hands as the alpha landed from his perch and approached Luke with a cool calm gait.

There is anger here, there is rage, there is conflict. But I am the calm in the center of the storm.

He savagely ripped the pike from the their grip and snapped it down hard to his right and left, crushing their ankles and knee joints sending them crashing to the floor.

I am the director of this strife. I control the rage and anger it does not control me.

He swept his pike backwards, catching a clone’s charge but it held on to the end of his pike, spoiling the rest of his swing and two clones managed to drive into the small of his back and brought Luke to his knees where the Alpha struck with a blow meant to decapitate him. Instead, his force enhanced reflexes merely caused the blow to glance off his chin and right cheek.

He could already feel the right eye swelling shut.

Luke grunted once and shrugged off the clones grasping at him to keep him on his knees. He kipped up and ducked backwards at a nearly impossible angle from his waist avoiding the Alpha’s follow up haymaker.

He snapped his pike down and around blocking the crippling knee strike that would have hobbled him but could not avoid another wave of clones that struck him from all angles and consciousness slipped away for a moment. While he was stunned his body reacted on its own, like a preying mantis his legs and arms flailed taking lives with each blow struck at vital nerve clusters or joints.

Worf’s pike suddenly sliced into the crowd, punching its way through the heart of them as he howled something in Klingon, blood streaming from open gashes on his face and chest as he rescued the downed Skywalker.

Luke’s eyes snapped open again and he lashed his arms out in an open wave and the clones clustered around them were flung backwards, landing with bone jarring impacts against the walls and ceiling of the chamber.

Luke glanced over at Worf, his right eye nearly swollen shut now and blood dripping from his nose.

“I decided even you needed some assistance.”

“I slaughtered a hundred of your finest warriors and laid waste to your empire, Chancellor Worf.” Luke said between deep heaving breaths. His black form fitting fighting tunic was stained with blood, gore and sweat, torn open at his stomach and from the back of his left shoulder to his spine.

Worf looked at the young man and saw only hints of the Sith Lord Darth Nemesis he had sworn to kill.

“Perhaps this is a good day to die, Skywalker. But not for us, not now. This is a battle that will be remembered through the ages and there will be no stanzas that say Worf son of Mogh allowed his ally to be felled by Jem’Hedar scum.” Worf replied evenly.

Luke nodded.

“I suspect, despite this respite that you and I have unfinished business.” Luke said softly feeling the intent steaming off Worf like the heat of the midday off the sands of Tatooine.

Worf nodded as the Jem’Hedar collected themselves for another attack.

“There will come a time for debts to repaid in blood and I will be there to collect. The blood of Qou'Nos screams from every fiber of your being and Kahless would damn me from entry to Stovolkohr if I ignore the call for vengeance.”

“It seems Worf that there is one aspect to my return that I did not fully anticipate.” Luke replied not flinching from the Klingon’s steely gaze. He snapped his pain pike at the ready as the Alpha nodded to his horde and they surged forward again, heedless of loss of life and limb.

“That all my sins will be remembered.” Luke finished and swept the pike out to take on the first wave. Worf nodded and brought his own pike up over handed like a spear and fired round after round from his disruptor into the approaching wave of screaming clone warriors.




“Damnit! I can’t shake him!”

“Calm down rogue 9, just swing round two more degrees.” Jansen said coolly as he pursued the TIE Interceptor that dove down from an unseen angle was right on Rogue 9’s tail. The Imperial fighter was angling for a quick kill and the X-Wing was in little position to do anything about it as it only now began to break free from a thicket of Orion ships.

“Jansen! You picked one…no make that two up.” Wedge warned as his own X-Wing dove tightly under a lumbering Orion warship and nearly ran right into a Raider trying her best to pace the fighters zipping around the fleet at will.

Behind them the massive Imperial Star destroyer had just achieved orbit and the attendant assault shuttles were nothing more than rapidly dwindling dots to his unaided vision as they dropped into the cloud cover of the planet.

“We’re out numbered and out gunned flying through an enemy fleet that wants us just as dead as the Impies.” Hobby griped.

“Stick to the plan. Hobbie get down there and clean Jansen’s tail. I’m going topside to get a better look at the situation.”

“Watch you back boss, I counted at least four squadrons coming for us before we dove for cover.”

Wedge smiled grimly as he climbed past a wheeling formation of Raiders. The Orions had been stalled as they contemplated their own next move. They were obviously not expecting this kind of fire power.

“I for one take it as a complement that our Imperial competition thinks four to one odds is what they need to win.”

Wedge’s X-Wing climbed high up over the main axis of deployment for the Orion fleet and his threat display lit up like a Chandrillan fire parade as his fighter was painted by a dozen Imperial targeting computers.

“I feel so popular.” Wedge muttered as he immediately activated countermeasures and dove back down to the relative safety of the Orion fleet.

Unfortunately he did not react fast enough to avoid a barrage of emerald laser fire spit out by a flight of TIE Fighters that roared right past his position. The blasts lanced between the spaces of his s foils and impacted against an Orion Raider. The Raider jerked downward by the impact and clipped a bulk freighter. It spun madly out of control into the depths of the Orion fleet.

Wedge’s eyes widened as his tactical computer picked up a frenzied burst of subspace traffic between the Orion ships in his vicinity and spread like wildfire.

“Oh no.” he muttered. “Rogues get your heads down right now and stop hugging the Orion ships for cover. They’re pissed.”

The Orions punctuated his statement as the fleet began to open fire on the zipping fighters in their midst.

“Oh crap boss you know what the Impies are going to do now.”

“Hobbie since when were you a master of understatement.” Jansen interjected.

The nearest Orion heavy warship suddenly flared up like a fireworks display as turbolaser fire carved through her shields and blasted her hull apart like confetti. The Orions did not hesitate now and the fleet’s fire focused on the steel grey behemoth in orbit. Disruptor and phaser fire lanced out in concentrated bursts as the first torpedo strikes flashed out in expanding patterns from the lead ships.

“Wedge, we have company.” Entebbe warned.

“I see it, Sagan. The party is full swing.” Wedge replied as he grit his teeth and brought his X-Wing into a sharp climb avoiding a veritable wall of angry red and green weapons fire.

“No, we have more company!” Entebbe pressed and Wedge could hear the calm female voice in the background announcing “Hyperspace emergence in sector 14.”

A bright flash of light exploded nearly directly above the fleet and an Imperial star destroyer emerged from hyperspace.

“Whoever said the more the merrier never attended any of our shindigs.” Jansen sighed.

“Rogues. Form up on me. We’re going to have to blast our way out of here and link up with the Sagan. We are so in over our heads.”

“This is the Imperial Stardestroyer Devastator. You will stand down, lower your shields and surrender to the might of the Emperor. You will receive no further warnings.”

“The Devastator? Isn’t that his flagship.” Rogue 6 breathed.

“Just because its his flagship doesn’t mean he’s on it.” Hobbie countered.

“Switch to Imperial channels. I’m getting chatter.” Jansen noted.

“Imperium ships in this system will withdraw immediately as the Empire and Lord Vader have jurisdiction here.”

“On who’s authority?” the voice from the Adjudicator demanded.

“On my authority, Captain Tarsi. I am giving you the benefit of precisely one minute to withdraw. Otherwise you will know the wrath of the Emperor and the proper extent of my mercy.” The voice was cold and mechanical, punctuated by a slow rhythmic breathing.

“You were saying?”

Wedge shook his head.

“We are way and I mean way over our heads.”

[Captain Cyran]

First post!

[Isolder74]

WOW great chapter

Keep um coming Buddy!


Edit: Some one always beats me!

[Ghost Rider]

Very nice ending.

Also some nice detail with Luke and the Jemmie fight.

It served as a great bridge for action while building up. Gives a taste that people are now likely going to die since you've shown the Emperor and the DS2...so it's not time to whittle people down.

[Stravo]

My GOD, some of you literally devoured this chapter in a matter of minutes.

[Zaia]

My GOD, some of you literally devoured this chapter in a matter of minutes.

They scare me...

[Soontir C'boath]

The end of the chapter truly needed the Imperial March.

[darthdavid]

Fucking awsome as always.

[desertjedi]

WOOHOO!!! GO Stravo... Go Stravo... It's your birthday....

[Captain Cyran]

My GOD, some of you literally devoured this chapter in a matter of minutes.

They scare me...

*sighs contentedly after reading.* It's like crack.

Very good Stravo. I have the feeling things above the planet are about to get really friggin ugly when it becomes a practical "Battle of the Five Armies". Christ you like to stick the good guys in serious shit.

[HRogge]

Great chapter

[Col. Crackpot]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!