Star Wars: The Shadow War

[Imperial Overlord]

Sulos Retan edged forward to join Dartala Lyenne in the van's cab. The Secondus wore the same black body armour and weapon harness as the death commandos waiting just behind them. "Scanner says no sign of internal alarms being triggered and they're Jedi," said the pilot. "Sitting tight is the best move. Just let them do their thing."

"I am aware of their skills Master Retan," she replied. "They are not, however, reconnoitering a pirate base or a hutt palace. The K'llan Merkash are an order of Force using warrior-adepts. They will not be easily fooled and that tower is their stronghold. If they get into trouble, they will need all the help they can get." She touched her carbine. "And they will receive it."

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The Jedi dropped soundless to the floor beneath them. "There are many here who know the Force," said Ars Ungal. "Numbers will hide us temporarily, but soon they will be aware of our presence."

"Our robes will be of some assistance," said Vann Des Selloc. "From a distance we will appear to be initiates. Our ability to shroud ourselves should be sufficient to deflect attention away from us."

"At close range they'll recognize us as intruders anyway," said Sithe.

"Communication and main terminals will tend to be towards the top of the tower," said Vann and she headed for a door. "We should be able to prevent discovery long enough to gain access to their computer and communication logs."

The door slid open, revealing an access corridor connecting to a lift shaft. "Why guess when we can find out?" asked Sithe. He pulled out a datapad and plugged in a lead into the terminal. "Building schematics coming up. Long range communication room is three levels below us." The Jedis pulled their hoods over their heads and their robes tightly over them, completely covering themselves in dark cloth. They stepped into the lift. Vann touched the control and they descended.

The doors slid open. Four skeletal security droids, each almost two meters tall and holding a compact blaster carbine, faced them at point blank range. They opened fire.

Sky blue blades appeared in Sithe's hands as he stepped in front of the two masters and deflected the barrage of fire. One of the droids was hit by reflected bolts and fell, sparks blazing from the holes in its carapace. "Some help here masters!" Sithe called.

"Calm," said Ars Ungal. "Step out and to the right." As the Padawan did so Ars Ungal stepped into the gap, his own blue-white blade shielding him from the droids' fire. He gestured with his left hand. Metal shrieked. The closest droid's chest plate came apart, exposing its systems. Circuits and tubing were forcefully yanked out of its body like a fish being gutted. Dark fluids and sparks sprayed from its wounds and the droid fell. He stepped to the left.

Vann had her own emerald blade out to parry incoming fire. She gazed at the droid in front of her and called upon the power of the Force. Its optics exploded and smoke rose from its sockets. It fell to the floor, joining the pieces of the droid Sithe had just finished cutting apart.

"That was fast master."

"Indeed," said Vann. "Usually our plans last longer than five minutes before falling apart."

"Footsteps," said Ars Ungal. "We will have company soon."

"We obviously tripped something," said Vann. "We must hurry."

The Jedi rushed down a curved corridor. The the right was the door to the communication's room. The left side was marked by tall windows which looked out onto the twisted city. Beyond the windows was a balcony and several speeder pads. "The door," said Vann. "We'll hold them here. Get the records."

"Yes master," said Sithe. The door slipped open and the Padawan stepped inside. The communication controls were on a raised dais on the far side to the room. The young Jedi ran up the ramp. His hands danced on the controls. "Tell me your secrets," he said.

Outside the footsteps were loud enough that unaugmented hearing could pick them up. "There are many of them and none of them are droids," said Vann calmly.

"The K'llan Merkash enjoy a formidable reputation," said Ars Ungal.

"One on one they are no match for Jedi."

"Unfortunately, we will not be fighting with such favorable odds," said Ars Ungal. He touched his comm. "My lady, we have run into difficulty. Your assistance would be appreciated."

Four zhutaks jogged around the bend into view. Each one wore armour plates over a thick armourweave bodysuits and carried a bloodshine blade in their hands. They slowed when they saw the Jedi and advanced slowly, their features hidden behind helmets of phrik alloy. "Two to one," said Ars Ungal. Sounds of boot steps came from the other direction.

"And climbing," said Vann. "Time to act."

[Kartr_Kana]

It lives!! I have noticed that sometimes you call her Secondus and at other Secundus is there a reason behind that? Secondly you need to update more often!!

[Crazedwraith]

Initial comment leading on from previous poster's commentary: Indeed. I've forgotten all the stuff that happened prior to this scene. Quick Correction: No, I tell a lie. There HKs invovled at some point.

[Imperial Overlord]

Vann extended her hand and called upon the Force. Two of the zhutak's were able to repel the Force wave that smashed into them. The other two were able to shield themselves to a limited degree, but were still sent flying back. The Jedi rushed forward to meet them.

Vann parried high and sidestepped a side kick aimed at her abdomen. Ars Ungal locked blades with his opponent. Vann Force slammed her enemy down the hall and struck at Ungal's foe. Her blade caught him in the elbows and sliced off his forearms.

The zhutak screamed and collapsed as the other two sprang up and joined Vann's foe. Vann telekinetically slammed the one on her left into the window while Ars Ungal charged the remaining two. The Jedi Master struck the center zhutak from the left, using him to block the other zhutak. The zhutak parried, the blades screeching when they collided.

Vann rushed the other zhutak before he could flank Master Ungal. She struck high and then low with powerful Djem So swings. The zhutak stumbled back, almost colliding with his fellow. The other zhutak, distracted, stepped to the side and his concentration faltered. Ars Ungal speared him in the gorget. The phrik alloy armour glowed yellow at the impact point and shot sparks, holding against the thrust for perhaps half a second. Then the blade punched through the armour and the zhutak fell.

The adept that Vann had stunned recovered and leapt at Ars Ungal's back. The olive skinned Cerean spun around and slashed low. His blue-white blade caught the zhutak just below the breastplate and cut him in half.

Vann hammered her foe's saber down and then sliced him across the helmet. He fell, drops of golden ally splattering his armourweave cloak. "Sithe, hurry!" she shouted into the room.

"I'm going as fast as I can master!"

"More company coming," said Ars Ungal.

"This is bad," said Vann.

"Perhaps we should alert the Lyenne?"

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The main doors exploded inward with tremendous force. The death commando loaded another missile into the launcher's tube as two of his comrades filled the entrance with cerulean blaster bolts and another two tossed in grenades.

The fragmentation warhead flew down the entrance and detonated three meters in front of the lift tubes. Shrapnel filled the air and riddled the walls. Lyenne Death Commandos stormed in, followed by the Secondus and Ssressk. They stepped over the shattered bodies of four security 'bots while two Lyenne Death Commandos hacked into the lift systems and the rest stood guard.

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Sithe emerged from the communication's room, a saber blazing in each hand. Four zhutaks were on either side of the corridor. The two Jedi Masters were back to back. "Did you get the data?"

"Yes. I see we have company. Why aren't they attacking?"

"I believe they're waiting for something," said Ars Ungal. "For now it suffices to call upon the Force to guard themselves and to hold us here."

"Eight to three is bad odds," said Sithe, "but if they're only going to get worse . . ." The Jedi Padawan lunged forward and slashed the window in front of him with his left hand saber. The glass exploded outward and he jumped to the balcony outside.

The Jedi Masters leapt from their side of the corridor to the balcony in a single, inhumanely swift action. The zhutaks reacted by slashing out nearby windows, with two of them jumping through on either side. The remaining four remained inside, but approached the Jedi's position.

"Now where to go but down or through them," said Ars Ungal. The wind whipped his robe around. Sithe killed his saber blades long enough to shed his. The wind caught it and tore it away. Blue-white blades reignited in his fists.

"Who wants to be first?" he called out. "You can still run away."

A ninth figure joined the zhutaks still inside. The blue shimmer of an active shield covered his armour. "I will be first, Jedi stripling."

[Imperial Overlord]

Sithe extended both of his light sabers in an x-pattern. "Step on up," said the Jedi Padawan. "I haven't killed anyone today and I need to make up for lost time."

"Sithe," said Vann.

"Sorry master," said the young Jedi. "Old habit."

"A poor choice of last words," said the kalresh. He extended a gauntleted hand. Sithe rose a meter above the walkway, his breath choked off by an invisible vice squeezing his throat. The kalresh flicked his fingers. The Padawan flew over the side of the railing and into the empty air. "Kill them."

Roaring like great cats, the zhutaks rushed to attack, bloodshine blades gleaming in their hands.

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Two Lyenne Commandos hosed the corridor with cerulean bolts as their team mates moved up. A HK, its torso peppered with hits from high powered carbine bolts, collapsed in the center of the corridor. Two more were firing back from around the corner.

Ssressk hissed and slung his blaster. He pulled out a thick, short barreled rifle. The trandoshan changed the load out of cylindrical grenades quickly and easily. "Sssupressive barrage,' he hissed.

The two Commandos emptied their carbines' energy cells at the assassin droids, forcing them into cover. Two more Death Commandos moved up to maintain the fire while their comrades reloaded. Ssressk stepped out, grenade launcher in hand. The launcher coughed loudly as the trandoshan opened fire. Ball lighting erupted from the impact points next to where the HKs were hiding. The ion blasts overloaded the assassin droids' systems and they fell inactive to the floor.

"Droids," Ssressk sneered. The Death Commandos leapfrogged forward, covering each other as they advanced.

"They have their uses," said Dartala, "but I prefer organics." The Secondus was taking up the rear, the only deference to her station that she would permit. She was armed and armoured like her troopers.

"The lift?" said Ssressk as the Trandoshan moved through the wreckage of the main floor.

"No," said one of the Death Commandos. "Too easily boobytrapped or disabled with an override. We take the stairs."

"Saaaaa," hissed the Trandoshan in disgust.

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Ars Ungal flung his light saber at zhutaks in front of him, the sky-blue blade spinning end over end as it spun through their ranks. The maneuver was risky almost to the point of being reckless. His four lobed Cerean brain was gauging the risk even as he acted.

He was disarmed now, vulnerable to an attack. The Force would bring his weapon back into his hands, unless it was prevented by someone nearly as strong or stronger. The move was almost suicidal. Almost in that the spinning blade drove back the zhutaks, who were students not masters and almost in that the kalresh was distracting with killing the Padawan.

Ungal turned half flung himself over the railing, yelling "cover me!" to Vann Des Selloc. His spinning blade cut one of the zhutaks in half and another dodged over the side, hands clinging to the railing to avoid plunging into the abyss. Ungal hit the railing. Below him Sithe fell through the empty air. The Cerean Jedi Master reached out with the Force and caught the Human Jedi.

Four zhutaks rushed Vann as the kalresh jumped up onto the walkway. Vann reached out with the Force and took hold of them. A wave of razor fragments flew at the zhutaks. Two stopped them with the Force, one deflected most of them and took superficial hits on his armour. The fourth deflected the shards, but stumbled as he did so, falling into the adept next to him. The other two moved to protect themselves from the sabers that were now cutting through the air in dangerous arcs. Then the kalresh crashed into Vann.

Air was rushing by Sithe as he fell and then stopped. The young Jedi found himself lying still within the grip of the Force. Then the top of the tower and the walkway were rushing toward him.

Ars Ungal's saber flew right into his hand as the Jedi Master turned to face the three K'llan adepts. The walkway was too narrow for all of them to properly face him. They would get into each other's way. The Cerean Jedi engaged them with a slash that threatened the zhutak on his left and the one in center.

Vann got her saber up in time to parry the kalresh's rush, the blades screeching and throwing off golden light where they touched. The kalresh's rush forced her back a step and on to the defensive. She was acutely aware of the railing just behind her and could see the zhutaks closing in. "It is over Jedi," said the kalresh.

In her periphereal vision, she saw Sithe shooting through the air. The Jedi flew over the heads of the zhutaks and landed behind them, a lightsaber in each hand. "Not yet," said Vann.

[Kartr_Kana]

Sithe is awesome can't wait for him to unleash the dual bladed death storm on those Zhutaks

[Imperial Overlord]

The kalresh forced Vann back with brute strength and Force power, pushing the Jedi Master's spine against the railing. "He won't save you Jedi. Today you die."

Off to Vann's left Master Ungal swung in his saber in broad strokes to keep his enemies at bay and on the defensive. The zhutak on the left parried the blow. For a moment their sabers stuck, crackling and flinging out flashes of golden light. The other zhutak's closed. Ungal gave ground a step to break the saber lock and keep fighting.

Sithe gripped the curved hilts of his sabers and flowed into the zhutak's before him. They spun to meet him, one nearly cutting off his comrade's arm in the process. Then Sithe was on them. He used the blade of the one on the left to shield himself from the one on the far left and took advantage of the placement of the one on the right's body that momentarily blocked the zhutak on the far right. For a moment, it was two against one with the one being Sithe.

A high slice from his left hand saber engaged the zhutak on the right's blade. Sithe didn't have enough strength to force it where he wanted it, but for a moment they formed a lethal barrier against action from the left. The zhutak hesitated, just as Sithe had felt he would. The Force was his ally and it was strong within him.

He stabbed with his free blade. A golden star of molten metal erupted into being on the zhutak's helmet and the warrior-adept fell backwards as the Jedi's blade flash-boiled a half kilo of his brain. Sithe was already stepping back, his sabers flashing in rapid defensive sweeps.

The kalresh pushed Vann further back against the railing, bending the Jedi Master back. Desperately, Vann reached out with the Force. The blade of Sithe's victim rolled into view. The blade reignited with a snap-hiss and flew like a thrown spear toward the kalresh. It crossed the intervening distance in less than a second, an incredibly lethal projectile guided unerring towards its target by the Force. The saber came to a sudden, dead stop a few centimeters from the kalresh's head. Then the blade died and it fell.

The moment of distraction was enough. Vann pushed and the Force pushed with her. The kalresh was forced a step back and then took a boot to the stomach that sent him tumbling back. He barely got to his feet in time to meet the Jedi Master's strike in a hissing screech of blade on blade.

Ars Ungal feinted a stab to the right, slashed left and high, drawing his enemies' sabers up, and then launched his true attack. A Force augmented kick to the far left zhutak's legs didn't connect, but forced the adept to leap back. Ungal called upon the Force to push the zhutak in the center into his comrade on the right, a move that slammed them both hard against the wall. For a moment their most pressing concern was not cutting each other in half with their own sabers. The Jedi master struck.

Ars Ungal lunged with all his strength and the power of the Force running through him.. Sparks flew and armour plate turned into molten gold as he thrust his blade through it, into the soft flesh beneath, through the backplate, through the next breastplate, and into the second zhutak. The screams of the dying adepts shook the air. The closest windows exploded. The metal grating of the walkway cracked. Ars Ungal, already withdrawing his blade and turning to meet the last zhutak, staggered.

The bloodshine blade entered the Jedi Master's body just below the sternum and carried smoothly through one side of torso to the other. Ars Ungal, Cerean Jedi Master, one of the two greatest living loremasters of the Jedi Order, the most respected moderate voice on the Jedi Council, fell in two pieces.

"No!" shouted Sithe, stepping forward in a suicidal engagement of his three foes. His sabers cut fan shaped light patterns into the air, moving so fast that the blades themselves were almost impossible to see. He hit the zhutak's like a charging bantha and they scattered from the lethal blurs of light. At least they tried. The zhutak on the right fell, his torso severed at the waist. The one in the center received gold glowing scars on his left vambrace and right greave as he fell back before the onslaught. The zhutak on the left brought down an overhand, two handed Djem Sho strike. Sithe parried with his left saber, holding the zhutak's blade one handed. The other zhutak struck and Sithe held his blade with the other. Light flashed as the locked blades hissed. They forced Sithe back a step. And then another.

Vann rained down powerful Djem-So strikes on the kalresh, but he met and parried each one, shifting into the more defensive Soresu stance to weather the attacks and then back int Djem-So to counter attack. Ungal's killer was coming towards Vann's left flank, his saber held in a Soresu stance so he could attack or defend.

"It's over Jedi," said the kalresh.

"No," replied Vann. As if a switch had been thrown the Master and the Padawan took two steps back and shifted stance, flowing into Ataru. Vann crouched and spun with inhuman speed, slicing at the zhutak while orbiting him like a moon, putting his body between her and his master. She struck low, then middle, then low again, and then high. The zhutak parried frantically, just managing to stay ahead of death.

Sithe leapt left after stepping back, parrying stabbing at the left zhutak's face. He parried and Sithe's other blade came down, severing his hands. The zhutak's head was rolling before the Jedi's feet touched the deck. A moment later the other zhutak was dead.

Vann reversed direction to avoid the kalresh's counter move and feinted high. The zhutak took the bait. Her blow sliced through armour and cut open his lung, but was not fatal. She jumped back, away from her two enemies. The zhutak gasped and then fell to his knees. Sithe advanced his sabers held deceptively loosely in his hands. "Not the two against one you were envisioning kalresh? Why don't you surrender and tell us who has been training you in lightsaber combat over the past several years. You cannot win."

"No Jedi, it is you who cannot win." Lightning flashed from his outstretched hand, wrapping Sithe in a lethal violet cocoon. The Jedi fell, smoke rising from his robes. "Now it is your turn Jedi.'' Lightning arced between them. The bolts ricocheted off Vann's raised palm.

"You have fallen far into darkness if you command Force Lightning."

"Far enough to have learned how to defeat you Jedi."

"The Sith believed that too and look where it got them," said Vann. "I can see how much that attack cost you. Surrender."

"Never!" He charged.