Star Crossed Fanfic

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

72 chapters of Starcrosse? Holy shit its long How long will it take to finish?

[Col. Crackpot]

72 chapters of Starcrosse? Holy shit its long How long will it take to finish?

with all of the subplots Stravo still has to tie up i'd say another 30 chapters.

[Mr Bean]

100 chapters is going to be the length of Starcrossed because everyone knows that humans like working with BIIIIG AND ROUUNDDD numbers

[Comosicus]

Impressive chapter as usual. Good job!

[HRogge]

100 chapters is going to be the length of Starcrossed because everyone knows that humans like working with BIIIIG AND ROUUNDDD numbers

I vote for 1000 chapters !

[Rogue 9]

The end of the chapter truly needed the Imperial March.

Here you go.

[SpecWar826]

The Imperial March I just put it on a CD and Blasted it in my car with my 1000 watt subs o that was beautiful.

[Shroom Man 777]

Arrrrggghhhhh!!! It's time for Vader to kick some ass!

[Thanas]

Tarsi vs. Vader... niiice.

[Prozac the Robert]

Need the next chapter. I need it now.

(Although I will settle for whenever Stravo deigns to write it I supose).

[Darth Garden Gnome]

About time you lazy prick.

[Spice Runner]

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

I'm one of those people.

Very interesting chapter. Very funny dialogue between Paris and the Millenium Falcon computer. Now I wait for more

[Rogue 9]

“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.

Well shit.

I'll have you know that I can always shake them!

[Spice Runner]

Jansen's looking out for you Rogue 9.

[Lex]

yay, really about time!
cant wait for the next

[Stravo]

yay, really about time!
cant wait for the next

Guess what??


Chapter 73: Reaping the Whirlwind IV


The star destroyer Adjudicator slowly turned to face the Devastator as the newly arrived star destroyer coasted to a halt directly above the large swarming Orion defensive fleet that was now herded in between the two massive warships.

Tarsi watched the Imperial stardestroyer looming on his armored view port as his men scrambled to prepare for this new threat. The Orion fleet was one thing, but a fully armed and operational stardestroyer was a different matter altogether.

“Sir, we have less than 40 seconds according to Lord Vader’s orders. We have just enough time to recover the fighters but the shuttles will take more time. They have their own hyperdrives. They can make their way back to the rendezvous shortly.” His XO counseled.

Tarsi watched the stardestroyer intently for a moment and wondered about all it represented. It was his last link home and a symbol of the Emperor’s authority. He had taken oaths to defend the Empire and obey his Emperor. He had been given a direct order by Lord Vader to withdraw.

The Imperium forces and Thrawn’s Imperial Armada played a not so subtle game of pretending that each faction was in accordance with the other and the Emperor’s wishes. The words traitor and rebel were never used but heavily intimated. But at no time was there ever a moment where one confronted the other directly.

Now Lord Vader had all but said that the Imperium forces were separate and beneath his. The Imperial forces had jurisdiction here. The Imperium forces were to leave and even ended his transmission with a promised threat to this ship and crew.

“Captain.” His XO urged as he watched the timer quickly counting down.

“Sir! The Devastator’s heavy guns are painting us with their targeting systems.” The Tactical officer warned and his voice betrayed the tension slowly building on the bridge. It was one thing to run battle drills simulating attacks on Imperial forces quite another to actually engage forces that only months ago you had been a proud part of.

“Who does he think he is.” Tarsi whispered.

“Sir, we have to withdraw. The Grand Admiral did not foresee this eventuality.”

“Didn’t he?” Tarsi snapped as he turned his head to regard his XO. “He sent the finest ship in his fleet and me. He knows I don’t back down from anything or anyone.”

His XO’s eyes widened.

“Captain Tarsi listen to me very closely. If we engage the Devastator we will be plunging the Imperium into a war with Thrawn’s armada far ahead of schedule.”

Tarsi regarded his XO coolly for a moment before speaking. His XO could not help notice that there were now less than 20 seconds remaining on Lord Vader’s ultimatum.

“Besides sir. This is Lord Vader we’re talking about.”

Tarsi nodded.

“And Lord Nemesis is down on that planet below waiting to be rescued.” Tarsi suddenly strode past his XO and stood at the edge of the command deck. He placed his hands on the security rails as he regarded his crew. Many looked up at him in return.

“Down there on that planet is Lord Darth Nemesis. He needs our help. Out there.” He pointed to the armored view ports. “Is the Devastator and Lord Darth Vader who would like nothing better than taking Lord Nemesis prisoner and depriving us of our leader. They want to dominate and dictate our destiny and think we should run cowering back to our fleet because a Sith Lord just said that he has control here. I say other wise. I say that there is another Sith Lord that has control here and more importantly our loyalty. When we first arrived in this forsaken place it was Lord Nemesis who held us together during those dark days, constant Borg attacks, the taming of the Romulans, the taking of Earth and even now with Kirk and his blasted Federation remnant he has been by our side, leading us, guiding us and doing whatever it took to save us, to establish a home for us here in this place. And who can forget the day he strode out upon a blasted field and faced one hundred of the finest warriors the Klingons have and defeated them all to prevent more loss of life for us in that campaign. He has always looked out for us from the very beginning and he needs us now.”

The bridge was stony silent save for the occasional beep or electronic signal.

His XO noted the timer approaching ten seconds.

“I ask you now, as members of my crew and citizens of the Imperium, an Imperium we built with our own hands, shed our blood for, sacrificed our lives willingly can you now turn your backs on him? Can you say that we will accept the orders of a Sith Lord that has come at the bidding of an Emperor who forgot us and abandon the one man that stood with us no matter the obstacles and danger? Will we abandon Lord Darth Nemesis or will we fight for him as he fought for us?”

The timer approached 5 seconds.

Tarsi watched his crew unflinchingly.

“Sir. Tactical reporting all guns are active and I have firing solutions on the Devastator.”

“All squadrons are being rerouted to screen us from the Devastator’s fighters and launching bomber squadrons.”

“Shields deployed maximum intensity, closing blast doors in all vital sections and scrambling damage control parties.”

His officers all spoke in turn, quiet determination in their voices.

“Sir time’s up.” His XO stated evenly,

“Then let us show that Sith bastard that we are the Imperium and this is our galaxy and there is only one man whose orders we follow and they stand between us and him.” Tarsi said hotly.

His XO nodded curtly.

“Aye sir.” He turned to the gunnery station. “Commence fire, repeat fire at will.”




“The fighters, they’re leaving.” Hobbie exclaimed as the TIE fighters suddenly peeled away as one from their pursuit of Rogue squadron.

“Look alive boys, I don’t like the looks of this at all.” Wedge noted.

“I guess as usual when Vader barks everyone listens. They must be bugging out.” Jansen snorted.

“Rogue squadron this is the Sagan, we’re picking up an energy spike on the Adjudicator.”

“Oh, oh.”

“The Adjudicator just painted the Devastator with multiple heavy weapons tracking sensors.”

“They’re really going to---”

A storm of angry emerald bolts erupted from the Adjudicator and splashed against the Devastator’s shields in bright red splotches that propagated along the hull of the stardestroyer like waves crashing against the shore. The fighters that were only moments ago stalking the rogues suddenly fell on the initial wave of fighters flowing from the Devastator’s hangar bay.

Soon TIE fighters were spinning madly in tight dogfights dancing along the hull of the Devastator. Wedge spied the first squadrons of TIE Bombers forming up under the protective wedge hull of the Adjudicator.

“They mean business and this gives us the chance we need to get Captain Kirk and the Princess out from under this mess.” Wedge commented as he maneuvered his X-Wing closer to the planet’s surface, the Orion Fleet realizing that perhaps it was best to be forgotten were quickly trying to withdraw into the planet’s sensor shadow for a get away.





“Is everyone relatively in one piece?” Kirk gasped as he fought his way to the group crouching down for cover at the base of one of the cloning cylinders.

“Right now Jim I certify us all as walking medical miracles for surviving this long.” McCoy replied eyeing Kirk’s wounds and bruises. His shirt nearly torn away save for a few strands held at the left shoulder, blood streamed freely from several gashes along his side and chest. The Jem’Hadar were obviously not above using tooth and nail in this fight.

“Captain, probability dictates that we will eventually succumb to these numbers.” Spock warned as he checked his tricorder again while Sulu was busy laying down a base of fire to deter further Jem’Hadar swarm attacks.

“I won’t argue with your logic there Mr. Spock. Mara, you seem to be the least hurt, care to take point and blast our passage clear to that door?” Kirk suggested.

Mara smirked.

“I have a better idea. The door is obviously the primary objective to this entire ambush. These Jem’Hadar may be brutes but they’re not stupid. There’s bound to be stiffer resistance getting to the door.”

“And your option?” Kirk asked in annoyance as he snap fired from the hip and took down a Jem’Hadar creeping along an overhead coolant pipe. The Jem’Hadar silently tumbled to the ground and lay still.

“That air circulation vent.” Mara pointed to a duct over one of the cylinders to their left.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” McCoy griped.

“That duct is pretty small.” Scotty observed.

“The Princess and I should be able to fit in there, maneuver to a point where we can either drop in on the door avoiding the bulk of the Jem’Hadar resistance or even better yet cross over to the other side of that door and open it that way.”

“I’m not so sure.” Leia protested.

“What are you afraid of?” Mara pressed.

“I’m not afraid of anything!” Leia snapped. “But there’s no reason to take that detour when we can fight our way to the door.”

“Very well.” Mara said quietly. “I assume that Luke can hold out until then.” She added nonchalantly as she rose from her crouch.

“Luke?” Leia glanced back quickly and saw Luke and Worf back to back swarmed by what seemed like hundreds of Jem’Hadar and they were starting to press in with their weight in numbers despite all of Luke’s skill with the Force and the pike.

He would soon fall.

“Damn you.” Leia hissed to Mara and rose from her crouching position.

“Leia.” Kirk stood up and touched her shoulder. She turned to face him. Kirk looked down at her and smiled softly.

“You be careful.”

“I’ll be fine.” She promised then impetuously kissed him on the cheek. “For luck.” She added and followed Mara.

“Quick, give them some covering fire!” Kirk ordered and the team promptly began firing volley after volley from their weapons into the surrounding area, soon creating a blanket of fire and smoke. Mara moved expertly through the debris, Leia right behind her.

“Lovers?” Mara asked casually as she took a breath and leapt up on a cylinder and shimmied up the side with a deft swing of the legs and arms.

“Hardly.” Leia replied as she followed suit, taking pride that she was keeping pace with the Imperial assassin. They reached the top of the cylinder. “Not that it would be any of your business.” Leia added and shot Mara a venomous glare.

Mara chuckled softly.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head Princess. I have no designs on your man.”

“I can imagine whom you do have designs on.” Leia replied coolly.

The women regarded each other in charged silence, interrupted by the constant barrages of fire from down below.

“We have a job to do.” Mara said quietly, her eyes not leaving Leia’s.

“Indeed we do.” Leia replied.

Mara turned and opened the duct over the cylinder they stood on. She carefully placed the vent down at her feet and turned her head to Leia.

“I suppose you’d like me to go first?” Mara asked.

“Please.” Leia smiled coldly.

Mara shrugged and quickly scrambled up into the duct. She grunted for a moment.

“This is a tighter fit than I thought it would be princess. Maybe I should go on alone.” Mara called back down from the duct.

“That’s alright Ms. Jade, I’m much thinner than you are.” Leia replied and hauled herself up into the duct.

Mara said nothing as she started her crawl through the air duct.




“I don’t suppose you’ve got a spare energy pack?” Scotty asked around as he heard the warning buzz from his phaser.

“Make every shot count.” Sulu replied as he slapped a power pack into Scotty’s hand.

“This position will soon be untenable. I suggest we begin moving to the door. At the very least we will draw attention away from Mara and the Princess when they get to the door.” Spock suggested.

Kirk nodded.

“You’re right Spock. Sulu, lay down a base of fire. Scotty, you and Bones act as a rearguard. Spock you’re with me on point. Where’s Chewie?” Kirk asked suddenly aware that the Wookie was missing.

“He’s back there, Uhura’s in trouble and he’s not letting her out of his sight.” Sulu replied pointing to a cluster of Jem’Hadar that were piled up in broken heaps. Chewbacca had placed Uhura on an overhanging pipe jutting from a cloning cylinder and with his back to her he wielded his disruptor rifle with deadly skill and when the Jem’Hadar managed to draw to close were rewarded with a swipe of his massive paws or a blast from Uhura’s pistols. She was firing a phaser in one hand and a disruptor in the other. She was also sporting a split lip and blood matted down the hair on the left side of her face.

“Uhura!” Kirk called out across the cavernous bay.

“Don’t you worry about me, sir! The big lug and I have things well in hand!” Uhura shouted back. Chewbacca followed with a loud enthusiastic roar.

“Alright, let’s get on the move.” Kirk ordered.

Sulu nodded and crouched down, rifle butt nestled in his chest and began firing a steady stream of bright white disruptor fire. McCoy placed his last power pack at Sulu’s feet and slapped him on the shoulder. “You’ll need that more than I do.”

“You sure about that Doctor?” Sulu called out as he hit a Jem’Hadar trying to vault over a fallen beam.

“I’m a doctor not a soldier!” McCoy yelled back as he tried to keep up with Spock and Kirk, he and Scotty turned back to fire several volleys.

“You ever get the feeling Scotty that we end up doing things we’re not supposed to?” McCoy asked as he tried to at least aim at the shadowy shapes of Jem’Hadar moving swiftly through the increasingly smoke and mist filled room.

“I mean I’m supposed to patch people together not blow them up.” McCoy continued.

Scotty fired a beam that lashed through a cylinder and created an explosion that tore through a line of Jem’Hadar closing on them. Scotty noted the fine construction of the systems, light years beyond anything he had seen during his time. It now lay in a smoldering pile of overloaded and blasted circuits.

“Aye.” Scotty replied wistfully. “I understand more than you can guess doctor.”




“I must say Artoo the damage didn’t seem to be so bad from out there.” Threepio noted as they cautiously walked through the garden. Trees were overturned, roots suspended in the air as fire and smoke billowed throughout the once beautiful landscape.

Marble columns were shattered like glass, smoking stumps in many instances were all that remained. Steaming piles of earth were scattered across the garden, sign posts of where some of the more intense fighting had taken place.

Bodies of guards littered the catwalks above.

Threepio thankfully did not spy any fallen from their group in the massacre.

Artoo whistled excitedly as he caught sight of something behind a sliding door as guards ran out still arming themselves, slipping on helmets and whatever passed for body armor among the Orion pirates.

“Control center? Oh no, Artoo. I agreed that it was time to leave the audience chamber once my circuits recovered from that shock but I did not agree to any more adventures. We have to find a way out of here immediately. Captain Kirk was quiet clear that were we to be separated we must find a way out.” Threepio protested.

Artoo beeped plaintively.

“No Artoo. It’s too dangerous, besides you wouldn’t know what to do when you got there.”

Artoo turned his domed head to regard the open door and the control center beyond with racks of monitors and consoles. He turned his head to regard Threepio again and whistled and beeped fervently before rolling towards the door.

“Oh my! Artoo!” Threepio called and shook his head. “Always getting us into trouble.” Threepio muttered and reluctantly followed his counterpart.

Artoo rolled quickly towards the open door happily whistling to himself. Things were finally starting to look up in this operation.

He stopped short with a confused squawk as a guard interposed himself between the squat droid and the doorway beyond. The guard was stroking the barrel of his disruptor rifle and eyeing the droid with keen interest.

“And where might you be going?” he asked tersely.

Artoo whistled and beeped a long explanation that involved the guard, his mother, a randy Gammorean and duct tape.

“Huh?”

“Excuse me ever so much sir. This is R2-D2 and I am C-3PO human cyborg relations. We were on our way to the command center to run diagnostics on my little friend here when he got ahead of me. Pardon the distraction. We will be out of your way in a moment.”

“Hold it right there golden tonsils, I have my orders and they are clear. We need to keep everyone where they are until we can root out the intruders and rescue Lord Darkstar from the scum.”

Artoo squawked something rude.

“And scum they are.” Threepio quickly added. “However perhaps you are ignorant of the fact that Artoo and I are droids from another galaxy making us quite unique and special.”

“Oh yeah? Well there are quite a few robots I’ve seen in THIS galaxy that are lot better looking and valuable than you two appear to be, a walking toaster and rolling garbage can from the looks of both of you. Now get back to the audience chamber.” The guard ordered.

“There’s no need to be rude!” Threepio protested and Artoo beeped and whistled a string of binary epithets. The guard did not look impressed.

“Come along Artoo.” Threepio said casually and began to walk away. Artoo turned his domed head to follow Threepio and burst out in an electronic whine.

“I said come along now you bucket of bolts. I know your internal circuits are scrambled, perhaps when you finally shut down from an overload I can explain to Darkstar what happened and he’ll be understanding of his guards for allowing one of his collection to end up a smoking pile of circuits.” Threepio explained softly.

“Hey!” the guard protested.

“Yes?” Threepio asked without turning to face him. Artoo’s head swiveled back to face the guard then back to Threepio, a soft approving beep indicated that he suspected what Threepio was up to.

“You didn’t say anything about Darkstar’s personal collection.”

“You are quite right sir! Sometimes I do forget myself. It does not matter. My companion and I will be out of your hair and when he breaks down I know Lord Darkstar will understand.” Threepio politely explained.

Uh...you know what? Why don’t you go ahead and take your friend into the command center. We’ll forget this little incident happened.”

“As you wish sir. Now let us be on our way so we can get out of your hair.” Threepio said smoothly and walked past the guard. Artoo beeped and squawked at the guard before following Threepio. The guard let out a sigh of relief.

Artoo whistled excitedly as they entered the command center and were out of earshot of the guard.

“Poker face? Where did you learn that phrase?”

Artoo beeped a response as he approached one of the empty terminals. The technicians in the room paid them little attention as they were too busy trying to keep the palace together and it looked as if they were also trying to coordinate with a fleet in orbit. Threepio peered into one of the status monitors as he replied “Captain Kirk? Well I would refrain from picking up so many uniquely Federation phrases.”

Artoo whistled quizzically.

“Why? Well because it’s my job to learn how to better interact with humans.” Threepio explained in annoyance.

Artoo examined the control console. The standard input port was missing but then again he didn’t expect one so he had to improvise. Astromech droids were designed to be able to interface with all but the most primitive computers and Artoo was assessing what sort of connection would be possible with these.

“Oh my Artoo, it looks like a dangerous space battle is brewing over this planet.” Threepio noted as he watched the battle unfolding on screen.

Artoo squeaked happily as he found the right frequency for a wireless connection. The screens and displays at his console began flashing quickly and touch controls activated of their own accord.

“What are you going to do Artoo?”

Artoo whistled excitedly as one of the screens showed a battle in the lower levels of the palace. Chewbacca was clearly visible in the lower left corner of the screen picking up a pair of Jem’Hadar in a bear hug and then flinging them against a cloning cylinder. In the uppermost portion of the screen Luke Skywalker was cart wheeling in a tight turn, remaining at Worf’s back as he slipped his pike in and out of the rushing Jem’Hadar, bright crimson blotches blossoming on their chests or necks with each stroke.

“Master Luke!” Threepio exclaimed.

Some of the technicians glanced over at the pair.

“Yes Artoo, you’re right there’s some damage in your digital cortex.” Threepio stammered. The technicians returned their attention to the growing disaster. The palace shook once, then twice. The very foundations rumbled.

“By the maker!”

Artoo switched the display to the outer monitors. He began beeping and whistling in alarm. Threepio saw what had Artoo so disturbed.

“Oh no!” White armored shapes were moving like machines in precise formation into the palace. Any resistance was mercilessly gunned down by short controlled bursts from their blaster rifles. Two reached the double doors leading into the audience chamber from outside and tried the access terminal.

“What the hell are they?” One of the technicians sputtered.

“Stormtroopers.” Threepio said in defeat. The pair of stormtroopers at the door upon seeing that their hacking did not force the electronic lock motioned in short curt signals and a squad arrived and placed a shaped charge against the door as more of Darkstar’s guards met their ends at the end of their imperial blasters. He looked down at Artoo. “We’re doomed.” Threepio sighed.




The Adjudicator’s bridge rumbled. Tarsi ignored the sounds of hurried crewmen rushing to fill stations, damage control teams being directed to various areas and the constant drone of targets and tactical data. He stood over the fighter control station.

“Are the Bombers all modified as per my instructions before we set out?”

“They are all standing by and their new shield grids are functioning well within expected parameters. Keep in mind that they are a hybrid of our shield technology and Romulan. They can survive several hits from standard TIE armament but the anti starfighter weapons of the Devastator will tear them apart just as neatly as if they didn’t have shields at all.” His flight commander warned.

Tarsi nodded.

“I’m well aware of the system’s limitation. They just need to survive the Devastator’s fighter squadron. At this range the Bomber’s cannot miss. What about our new fighters.”

“The Interceptor squadrons have all been upgraded with the same shield systems, sir. They’ll escort the bombers in.”

“Have the Interceptors focus on taking out the Devastator’s fighter screens on the way in and out.”

The flight commander nodded.

The Adjudicator shook more violently this time. Tarsi looked up sharply.

“I want us to stay in close, keep our bow to her starboard side and I want a higher rate of fire from our heavy batteries.”

“We’re working on it sir.”

Tarsi walked over to his XO and looked over his shoulder at the tactical display.

“Our shields are holding as you expected and her starboard side is starting to show strain.” His XO reported without looking back as he directed the gunnery teams to concentrate on the points where the Devastator’s shields showed any sign of weakening. Each shield quadrant had a fluctuating state of power as massive barrages exploded against them from the Adjudicator’s guns.

“As soon as you see that power level fluctuate you launch the bombers on their run.” Tarsi ordered pointing to one of the power displays on the Devastator’s display.

“You mean to hit their port side shields as soon as Captain Tyco gives the order to shunt power to stabilize his starboard shields?” His Xo asked, surprise and respect in his voice. Tarsi was renowned for sniffing out weakness and exploiting it. He did not think in a fight like this one where they were so evenly matched that they would even try for a knockout blow.

Tarsi, of course, never even thought of fighting a holding action. Battle had a victor and a loser and Tarsi intended to win.

“Once the Bombers start their strike Tyco will think I intend to strike on his starboard side.”

“We don’t?” His XO asked in sudden confusion.

“That’s precisely the confusion I hope to create.” Tarsi smiled triumphantly. “Captain Tyco will jump to the same conclusion that you just did, reroute power to his port side shields knowing that the time it would take for me to jump across his bow is seconds less than the time it takes to reroute shield power.”

“Then why---”

“Tyco is a man who acts quickly and decisively when he sets his mind on something. A trait he honed to near perfection serving under Vader. He will not hesitate to act and that is where I must take him. Once he sees the Bomber strike he will shunt power and maneuver the Devastator hard to port to make us work harder to get at his exposed side.”

“But by doing so he only further exposes his starboard side.” His XO concluded softly.

“Indeed and we will need our helmsman to make the Adjudicator handle like a TIE fighter for this to work. We will feint a run underneath his hull, a perfect attack run to his other side since that is his most vulnerable point that exposes us to the least amount of fire. He’ll see my move coordinated with the bombers and shunt power.” Tarsi looked up quickly from the tactical display. “Helm.”

His helm officer looked up expectantly.

“Aye sir.”

“I’m going to ask you to perform a Gryphon Feint.”

“Sir!? I don’t believe that is a recommended or even safe maneuver on a stardestroyer. At most, carracks and frigates can perform a Gryphon Feint without tearing themselves apart.”

“Are you saying that the finest ship on the Imperium can’t pull this off?”

The helm officer looked wounded.

“Sir, I said IMPERIAL manuals do not recommend it. I can’t remember the last time the manual said anything of worth in this galaxy.” The helm officer replied with pride. His helm crew all nodded their heads enthusiastically. “In other words Captain, your will be done.”

Tarsi laughed and pointed to his helm officer.

“On my mark. And if you pull this off there’s commendations for every man in your pit.”

The helm station was all smiles and they grimly bent their heads to their work. Not one of them five minutes ago would have believed a Gryphon feint was possible on a ship this size but now they were all true believers.

“Are you sure this is going to work sir?” His XO asked softly as they strode back to the other end of the command deck watching the sea of green fire between both battling juggernauts. Small pinpoints of steel gray metal swarmed in hungry packs in the spaces between the no man’s land of turbolasers as TIE fighters hunted each other.

“You have to learn your ships, my friend, even our own. The Devastator for all her fame and glory is a venerable Mark I destroyer. We are a brand new Mark II. We are built for this kind of ship to ship fighting. The older destroyers were more jacks of all trades. We need to exploit every advantage and that includes our edge in heavy anti-ship weapons which is why I’ve been keeping our bow to her, forward weaponry is where we have her beat. Tyco is an old school battleship captain down to his need to set up for a broadsides exchange. We’re frustrating him with these maneuvers, keeping our forward bow to him. The strike we’ll make on his starboard will only be enough to take down his shields, it’s the bombers and our secret allies that will put the coup de grace on his exposed hull.” Tarsi vowed.

“Sir!”

“Is it time?” Tarsi snapped.

“No sir. There’s a shuttle deploying from the Devastator, it’s accompanied by a pair of assault shuttles.” The Tactical officer reported in disbelief.

“In this heavy fire?! Is Tyco mad?” Tarsi’s XO shouted.

“Take them down now. I don’t think Tyco sent those ships.” Tarsi concluded.

“All gunnery stations engaging shuttles.”

Tarsi waited impatiently, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. This battle was making his blood quicken as it had not in so long.

“Well?”

“Uh…sir, we’re shooting.” His gunnery chief adjusted several controls and his expression grew more puzzled then concerned crept in as well. “Sir, we’re getting clear solid locks on those shuttles but our shoots keep going wide, as if someone or something were…”

“Blocking the shots, perhaps bending them away?” Tarsi suggested, it sounded more like certainty in his voice.

“I can’t explain it.” His gunnery chief replied shaking his head ruefully.

“I can. Vader.” Tarsi frowned. “Never mind, divert all fire back to the Devastator and warn our ground team that they’ll have company shortly.”

“Aye sir.”

Tarsi pounded his fist against the safety railing. “Hold on Nemesis. We’re almost there.”




Luke batted aside a Jem’Hadar hand and snapped the bladed end of his pike into a Jem’Hadar’s throat. As it gasped its last he heard it. Soft like the whisper of silk on steel.

“I am coming, my son.”

“Oh no.” Luke whispered. He could feel the dark storm overhead, descending upon him with a fury that could rend worlds. “I’m not ready for him.”

A punch crossed his nose and sent him tumbling backwards as a kick tore the pike from his hands. Luke landed sprawled out on the ground, the alpha looming over him.

“I am First Rulek Par. And now you will die.” He vowed.




“There.” Mara said as she dropped down from the ventilator shaft onto the small workstation at the entrance to the cloning chambers beyond.

“This is a main reactor shaft.” Leia noted after dropping down and quickly scanning the area. There was a long one man bridge that crossed a gulf towards a central chamber beyond where she saw deep angry purple electric bursts dancing along crystalline spikes radiating out from the center of the chamber suspended over the abyss below.

“Where else would this fool try to keep hypermatter reactors than in his main reactor?” Mara pointed out as she leaned over to examine the locking mechanism. Leia checked for any traps, internal security guns that could end their mission unexpectantly.

“You know, when I first joined him he wanted me to be his dark queen?” Mara asked softly as she expertly flipped the control panel’s housing off and familiarized herself with the set up. This galaxy’s primitive and quaint use of chip technology was sometimes difficult to manipulate.

Leia glanced down at Mara.

“No, I didn’t know that.” Leia replied neutrally. Was Luke truly as different as he seemed to be while he was Nemesis? Was there no hint of him in that dark man? The Luke she knew would never feel drawn to this woman. She smelled of danger and passion.

Mara nodded as she pulled the main control chip. The inside of the panel lit up red instead of the natural cool blue.

“Indeed he did and I said no. You want to know why?”

Leia shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

“I’m not sure.”

Mara chuckled softly.

“At least you’re honest.” Mara conceded as she fished for the ODN relays. “I didn’t know where my loyalties lay. You see I love him.” Leia paused, the air was charged and not just with the megawatts of raw power flowing from each crystalline spike into the recesses of Darkstar’s palace. There was something wrong here.

“You’ve never told anyone.” Leia concluded, her hand tightening on the grip of her blaster.

“No I haven’t, hell Princess, I only recently admitted it to myself.” Mara replied as she found the relay and smoothly uncoupled the correct sequence of cords. “You see I thought, what the hell right? Nemesis will love me and I’ll ride out this little war and make my decision when I must thinking foolishly that I would never lose him.” Mara slipped the last of the conduits away and twisted the relay. She was rewarded with a soft hum from the panel.

“But now he’s no longer Nemesis.”

“No. He’s most decidedly not. He’s Luke Skywalker. I’ve lost the man I love.” She concluded sorrowfully.

“I’m sorry.” Leia sighed.

“Don’t be. It’s your fault.” Mara concluded and her left leg snapped up like a lightning bolt striking Leia square in the chest. The air rushed from her explosively and stumbled backwards against the railing of the small work station. Mara whipped herself around at the waist, uncoiling like a cobra and snapped her right fist across Leia’s face.

Leia grunted as her head snapped to the right, blood exploding from her nose and mouth as Mara simultaneously drove her knee into Leia’s midsection.

Leia fumbled with her blaster while jabbing with her free hand to rake Mara’s face. Mara soundlessly ignored the bloody nail lines torn across her cheek and nose and gripped Leia’s wrist, savagely twisting it and smiling as she heard the sick snap and Leia’s scream of pain. The blaster clattered to the ground.

Mara pulled Leia’s face close to hers and smiled.

“You took the man I loved from me with your endless search for his humanity, prodding him and poking his conscience with your very presence. I briefly considered killing or seducing Kirk to make you feel some of my pain but frankly princess.” Leia spat in her face. Mara grinned. “This is far more satisfying.”

Leia was thrown clear of the railing and vanished down into the dark abyss of the reactor core. Mara looked down after her and waited a moment before placing her hand against the railing and with the butt of her blaster smacking down on her forearm with all her strength, she screamed in pain even though she was expecting it. She gingerly took Leia’s blaster and fired a volley of rounds into the air, then fired several of her own.

She turned back to the door and snapped the main control chip back into the panel. The panel lit up blue again and the door slid open. Mara slid down in mock fatigue and pain and held her blaster to her chest.

“The things we do for love.” She whispered.

[Agent Fisher]

first post

edit: HOLY SHIT!!! JESUS CHRIST MONKEY BALLS!!! that was good.

[Captain Cyran]

Stravo, if Tarsi doesn't make it out of this story alive I will find where you live...

Great chapter, love the tactics you're throwing in. And the fact that Chewie is tearing Jem Hadar limb from limb. Damn you Mara Jade for being so damn cold...

[Mayabird]

Artoo whistled and beeped a long explanation that involved the guard, his mother, a randy Gammorean and duct tape.

Bwahahaha! I knew he was a foul mouthed little droid, but it's so much better with details.

[Rogue 9]

Whoa. Man, I hope we (Rogue Squadron, that is ) got a good night's sleep.

[Mr Bean]

Here we go closer and close to the big wrapup

[darthdavid]

Fucking awsome.

[Vympel]

Problem Stravo:

You have to learn your ships, my friend, even our own. The Devastator for all her fame and glory is a venerable Mark I destroyer. We are a brand new Mark II. We are built for this kind of ship to ship fighting. The older destroyers were more jacks of all trades. We need to exploit every advantage and that includes our edge in heavy anti-ship weapons which is why I?ve been keeping our bow to her, forward weaponry is where we have her beat. Tyco is an old school battleship captain down to his need to set up for a broadsides exchange. We?re frustrating him with these maneuvers, keeping our forward bow to him. The strike we?ll make on his starboard will only be enough to take down his shields, it?s the bombers and our secret allies that will put the coup de grace on his exposed hull.? Tarsi vowed.

The heavy guns of the Imp Deuce cannot face directly forward- at best, they'll be pointing perhaps forward with their nose pointing down, so all 64 can strike, or more likely, delivering broadsides with one set of 64 32 barrels. The Imp 1 actually has more visible forward firing armament- the turrets along its axis, the front two heavy cannnons (positioned where the Imp Deuce has its fearsome quads), and perhaps even the brim notch quad guns.

Of course, could be referring to smaller forward firing weaponry that isn't visible on the models.

[Shroom Man 777]

FUCK ME JESUS! FUCK ME JESUS!!!!

God, this is good.

[Lex]

another nice chapter, but i would like to see more about the space battle but what the heck go on writing dude, u are grand