Star Crossed Fanfic

[Trytostaydead]

Where has Stravo gone?

[Stuart Mackey]

Where has Stravo gone?

god damnit! dont do that!!!

[El Moose Monstero]

I know, Git! I thought there was an update for a second...

[Stuart Mackey]

I know, Git! I thought there was an update for a second...

Should stop posting here..imagine the people we could inadvertantly piss off..
Posting here like a incredibly hot cock tease that never delivers.

[Trytostaydead]

Where has Stravo gone?

god damnit! dont do that!!!

Yeah, but it's been almost a month since the last update. It's like you have this incredible girlfriend that bangs you regularly and then disappears without a word! That's what I'm feeling right now, and porn and masturbation just doesn't add up to Starcrossed!!

[Comosicus]

Check the first announcement. We'll have to go without Stravo for a couple of months.

[Stuart Mackey]

Check the first announcement. We'll have to go without Stravo for a couple of months.

Not good enough! Impeach Stravo for fanfic neglect!!

[Vympel]

People, people. Check the date on the stickied version. If it's incredibly old (STRAVO!), then it's only a matter of deduction that there is no update. Tease averted.

[Col. Crackpot]

People, people. Check the date on the stickied version. If it's incredibly old (STRAVO!), then it's only a matter of deduction that there is no update. Tease averted.

too late. everyone is falling upon this thread like hungry wolves. You know Stravo, you've been neglecting us for so long i had to start writing my own shit to keep myself entertained.

[Captain Cyran]

*Cyran's head explodes.*

[2000AD]

IIRC the last time Stravo stopped writing a bunch of posts inspired Groove. Now that he's stopped writing again, does this mean we're going to get new and improved Groove?

[Col. Crackpot]

IIRC the last time Stravo stopped writing a bunch of posts inspired Groove. Now that he's stopped writing again, does this mean we're going to get new and improved Groove?

part II shall be named: How Stravo Got His Ass Kicked

[Rogue 9]

Hmm Thrawns theme Song?

1812 Overture or Ride of the Valkeries

This is from waaaaay back in the thread, but I have to interject. I'd give Thrawn Mars: The Bringer of War from the Planets.

[Stravo]

Sorry about the delay folks, there will be more hiccups along the way until the trial is over which won't be for another few weeks. But I was thinking of my fans the whole time. Here is a new chapter but please keep in mind there may not be another for awhile. I banged this out over a period of two weeks.



Chapter 69: Reaping the Whirlwind part II


“Are you certain?” Admiral Kittaine asked sharply while he strode towards the lift leading to the bridge of the Emperor’s Will. Captain Branna nodded emphatically as he handed Kittaine the datapad in his hand.

“Communications has cross checked against all verified codes and we have confirmation. This is a Sith emergency beacon.” Branna replied, his voice colored with excitement.

“We have no idea whether this is a Federation trap. Perhaps they captured Lord Nemesis and are using his beacon to lure us in.”

Branna frowned as they entered the lift.

“I doubt that Lord Nemesis would allow himself to be captured and in any event what sort of trap could they set for us?”

“I have learned not to underestimate my opponent anymore Captain. This galaxy has taught me that harsh lesson all too often, particularly with Captain Kirk on the other side of the equation.”

“The location does not sound right. It’s coming from a sector where the Federation or ourselves for that matter have not had much of a presence. Our intelligence indicates that the area is ruled by crime lords and pirates.”

“Another Nal Hutta eh? Good to see that even these people are afflicted with some of the same parasites that plague our home. This may fit into what I’ve been thinking.”

“Sir?”

Kittaine rubbed his chin for a moment as he examined the datapad.

“He left the fleet on a long range shuttle with Mara Jade. The last known jump coordinates we were able to ascertain indicated the shuttle has jumped out of this area of space. My thoughts are that Nemesis went off to sort matters out.”

“What matters sir?”

Kittaine paused and pursed his lips as the doors to the lift hissed open. He stepped in, Branna following closely behind. Kittaine turned his attention to the younger man as the doors started closing.

“One does not make war on the Emperor and face the full might of the Empire without taking a long hard look at themselves.”

Branna looked puzzled.

“I’m not sure I understand sir.” he replied hesitantly as the lift began its rapid ascent to the bridge,

“Insight on Lord Nemesis that I have been working on for some time with the help of a blind starship captain.”

“I’m not very comfortable with his position in your inner circle sir. He is bound to have a competing agenda, namely saving his Federation from utter destruction.” Branna complained.

“Captain.” Kittaine chastised softly. “we have been quite thorough in our little private war out here. The Federation will not be returning in any way shape or form that is remotely similar to the one we conquered. He is well aware of this. He is starting to show me that his concerns are of a much broader scale. For instance, have you not ever thought once or twice that certain events we have experienced seem almost…staged for the lack of a better word.”

“I have thought that some events have been a little incredulous sir. But staged? I for one do not believe in some all powerful entity guiding any of our actions.” Branna protested as the doors to the lift snapped open.

“So be it. I have felt it, and I do not like it one bit. It’s time we at least try to seize the reigns of our own destiny.” Kittaine stated gravely as he stepped on to the bridge.

“So you will grant Captain Tarsi’s request?” Branna asked as Kittaine paused at the top of the bridge station, glancing down at his crew working intently at their stations. The row of armored windows set above the crewpits displayed the rest of the fleet as it deployed calmly around the world of Romulus and the scattered remains of Remus.

Bright emerald warbirds and their attendant craft obediently flanked the larger Imperial warships. Dangerous and dark warships were forming up in the cold shadows of Romulus. The first wave of Scimitar class planetary assault craft were rolling out of the shipyards and preparing to take their place in the Imperium fleet.

Kittaine was at a loss in regard to their current use to the Imperium. They had all but conquered the Alpha quadrant and it would take time to assimilate all the worlds and population. There were still too many systems that were officially under Imperium control yet not a single trooper stood on any of those worlds. They were spread thinly. What possible use would more conquest achieve at this point other then create more worlds where rebellion could foment unchecked?

But he would leave those details to Lord Nemesis.

“It’s about time we get him back don’t you think, Captain?” Kittaine asked seriously and turned his attention back to Branna. “Too long Thrawn has been fencing with me, all the time holding his Sith lord in reserve as a silent threat to this fleet and to what we have built here. That has to stop now.” Kittaine declared and stood to his full height as he handed Branna back the datapad containing the report on the Sith beacon.

“Order Captain Tarsi to take the Adjudicator and rescue Lord Nemesis by any means necessary. He can take whatever ships or equipment he needs but he is to leave immediately.” Kittaine ordered.

“Aye sir!” Branna replied snapping a salute as he fought the urge to smile.

“And Captain?”

“Sir?”

“Begin running combat drills for the rest of the fleet. Use standard Imperial tactics and fleet ships as our enemy.”

Branna paused for a moment.

“I’m not sure I understand sir. You want the men to drill as if they were fighting other Imperial…oh.” Branna stopped himself in mid-sentence.

Kittaine nodded. “Indeed, Captain. It is time we start preparing to do battle with Grand Admiral Thrawn.” Kittaine noted softly and turned his attention back to the armored windows. Branna nodded and quietly stepped away to relay the orders.







“Alright, hold formation in our first pass and make sure you focus on disabling their engines. Their warp cores provide energy to everything including shields and weapons, we focus on their nacelles and engines and we should cripple most of them on our first pass.” Wedge noted calmly as he checked his status readouts and programmed in the next set of jump coordinates into this R2 unit.

“We copy that Wedge. Angling deflectors for optimum phaser and disruptor dispersal.”

“Don’t be too overconfident, gentlemen. The Orions have been out gunned and outclassed throughout their history with the Federation and Klingons on their borders. They’re used to fighting in hopelessly outmatched situations and they have come up with some rather creative tactics. They will surprise you and frankly I would be careful gunning around in a small one man fighter against those ships.” Entebbe warned.

“This coming from the man in the science vessel.” Wes snorted.

“Alright, knock it off. We’re going to try and cut a passage out for Captain Kirk and his team. We’re facing a planetary defense force and they will be trying to get reinforcements as soon as we arrive. Let’s not focus on the kill. I want you to focus on knocking those ships out of commission. Conserve your torpedoes as we’re light-years from any sort of re-supply.” Wedge commented as he finished the last of his pre combat checks and brought his X-Wing around in a tight turn as he lined up for the jump to light speed.

“And don’t just go head to head with these guys, they out mass us and they have a lot more weapons to bring to bear than we do.” Hobbie added as he brought his own X-Wing around for the jump. Above Rogue squadron the Sagan took up position, her warp nacelles pulsing with a steadily rising beat as the subspace bubble generated by a starship at warp was expanded in order to be caught up by the hyperspace signature of the X-Wings. The science vessel would be caught and dragged along, its warp shell like a soap bubble attaching to another would grant the Sagan the ability to go into hyperspace with the squadron.

Captain Entebbe eyed readouts he rarely paid attention to when on survey missions- the tactical display. Of course the Sagan was not the ship she was when this whole disaster began. With a constant need for ships the Federation remnant was busy refitting anything with a warp core for combat. The Sagan, a Nova class science vessel, no where near a combat powerhouse was upgraded with new phaser banks, quantum torpedoes and a more efficient shield grid. Ina matter of a few weeks she went from a science vessel to something more akin to a frigate.

But Entebbe was no fighter and he had joined Starfleet to command science ships. Battle was not his style, although he found to his surprise that he was good at surviving them in these dark days.

“Bring us to battle stations, XO.”

“Aye sir.”

The bridge was suddenly plunged into a crimson lit darkness. His tactical display showed the status of phaser output and torpedo load out. The shield grid waited patiently for full energizing.

“Raise shields.”

“Shields up.”

Entebbe watched the tension on the faces of some of his junior officers. Their jaws tightened as the prospect of combat loomed once again for a crew that was far more accustomed to charting gaseous anomalies. He cleared his throat.

“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we all have a job to do. I know many of you didn’t exactly sign up for this but the Federation we know and love is gone. We have a duty to try and defend what’s left of her and I know that we all are scientists first, but we’re also Starfleet officers and enlisted personnel and that makes us soldiers as well. Right now one of the last hopes of the Federation is on that planet and needs our help. There’s also the hope that we can snatch up some of that hypermatter technology that could turn this whole war around for us. And in the final analysis, just the possibility of ending this war is worth all of our lives and this ship.”

The crewmen exchanged quick furtive glances for a moment, then one by one they all nodded and turned their full attention to their stations. As they did so each one announced boldly.

“Captain, station is ready.”

Entebbe smiled softly. He touched a switch on his chair.

“Sagan to Rogue squadron. We’re standing by.”

“Copy that Sagan. Hold on. Transit time to target is less than 5 seconds.” Wedge replied.

Entebbe turned to his XO now doubling as his tactical officer.

“Are you ready, we’ll be in the thick of it in seconds.”

The Vulcan nodded to his captain as he stood at his station. Entebbe turned back around and watched as the X-Wings surged ahead for a moment, quad engines burning a bright crimson as their wings split neatly forming the eponymous X formation.

“Here we go.” Entebbe muttered.

The space on the view screen suddenly formed a white swirling vortex as the fighters accelerated into hyperspace, dragging the Sagan with them. Entebbe leaned forward and watched the vortex as his crew tensed.

As suddenly as it appeared the vortex vanished from sight and the X-wings and Sagan were suddenly in the midst of a formation of starships orbiting Vanguard, the homeworld of Darkstar’s Orion crime syndicate.

The assembled fleet did not have any warning and the attacking wing of fighters and the Sagan did not hesitate to begin their attack.

Rogue squadron immediately sprang into the fray, wingtips spitting volley after volley of angry red bolts as the Sagan dove through the main phalanx of raiders and attack craft and launched a volley of quantum torpedoes into the exposed bellies of the ships, following the volley with a series of phaser strikes that danced along nacelles and delicate control surfaces. The science vessel continued its dive away from the main plain of engagement as the first stray shots from the Orion vessels began to lance out into the void hungrily searching for targets.

One volley clipped the Sagan as she awkwardly began a tight turn to return to the main attack. Her shield grid flared up brightly.

Entebbe braced himself as the bridge shook violently for a moment.

“Watch that cross fire. Bring us about on an oblique approach and prepare another spread of torpedoes.”

“Caution Captain, we are not a full fledged warship. We have a very limited amount of torpedo volleys.” his XO warned as his hands flew over the touch pad setting up the next volley of torpedoes.

“Then we’re going to have to make every shot count won’t we?” Entebbe replied and watched as three X-Wings split in perfect unison, a torpedo volley passing between them and exploding harmlessly behind them. These guys were good.


“Watch the fire coming from that big bastard.” Hobbie snapped as his X-wing’s nose pitched furiously downward in response to the explosions of a nearby torpedo volley. He lined up his next shot and watched with satisfaction as his next volley tore through the bridge station on a small raider craft. It began to dive away from the battle trailing a glittering stream of molten metal and escaping gasses.

“You don’t have to tell me twice. Rogues 6 and 9 come around with me. Let’s come in low and try and take out one of those nacelles.” Wedge ordered.

“Right with you boss!”

The trio of X-Wings roared through a cloud of heavy fire, beams of phaser and disruptor fire danced precariously close to the fighters as they approached the large cruiser from below. Wedge lined up his shot, his targeting computer aiding him by highlighting the port side nacelle with a hard red lock on signature.

Wedge pressed his firing stud and watched the crimson bolts from his cannons chew through the big ship’s shields, its aura flaring up like a small sun. Rogue 6 and 9 joined in the attack and their own bolts blasted through the shielding and sliced neatly through the support struts of the nacelle. Wedge finished his flyby and blasted the rear most portion of the nacelle itself into a rapidly expanding cloud of plasma.

The trio of X-Wings completed their attack run, the nacelle falling away from the main body of the cruiser as it brought what weapons it could to bear on the retreating fighters. Angry red phaser fire ripped between the X-Wings, the light from the bursts illuminated the interior of Wedge’s cockpit.

“Watch out. Things are getting intense out here.”

“Wedge, you picked one up on your tail.” Wes warned.

Wedge glanced backwards while simultaneously bringing his fighter around in a sharp turn. A raider was desperately trying to get a clean shot on his rear and it was slipping into his blind spot.

“Oh no you don’t.” Wedge grunted as he pulled back hard on his control stick. His X-Wing responded admirably and soared up and backwards. The raider tried to decelerate and match the nimble fighter’s sudden change in heading and speed but the ship proved too clumsy and slow. It resorted to a frantic barrage from all its weapons emplacements to knock the errant snub fighter out of the stars.

The X-wing completed its loop backwards and Wedge savagely pressed down on his firing stud as the Raider loomed in his cockpit. Red blaster bolts spilled out and exploded against the raider’s shields. The larger ship tried to accelerate away while bringing its weapons to bear.

Wedge grit his teeth as a disruptor bolt splashed against his port side shield causing his R-2 unit top squeal in shock as indicators suddenly flashed red. The shields were strained and the X-Wing wanted to spin to port in response to the strike but Wedge fought her to hold the attack run steady. His fingers mashed hard against the unyielding firing stud and he willed his fighter to pour more damage into the floundering raider craft.

His R-2 unit began whistling frantically as the Raider loomed dangerously on his HUD and the proximity alert began buzzing.

Wedge shut these distractions out as he continued pouring a murderous fusillade into the Orion raider and watched for the tell take signals of impending death of his enemy’s craft.

“Boss, get the hell out of that dive!”

“He’s committed.” Jansen interjected hotly.

Wedge saw the shield halo of light suddenly flicker and die and his bolts tore gaping holes into the raider’s hull. Bright white plasma blasted from one of the raider’s nacelles and the lighting on the vessel winked in and out. The Raider began to nose dive away, her hull splitting away in massive chunks as Wedge’s X-Wing blasted the unshielded hull mercilessly.

Wedge’s eyes widened as the Raider filled his cockpit. He knew better than jerk back on the stick, the raider’s weapons would instantly have him at near point blank range and despite the disparate power differences he had no doubts that a full volley would destroy or cripple him.

Turned out Jansen was right, he was committed.

Wedge grit his teeth and focused on splintering raider as its hull rapidly gave way. His X-wing dove straight into the cloud of debris and hot plasma. Hot gasses washed over his canopy and if not for his tinted goggles he would have been blinded by the energetic destruction of matter and antimatter.

Alarms simultaneously lit up and buzzed in his ears as his fighter roared through the cloud of fire. His R-2 unit was beeping and whistling furiously.

“I know, I know. My scope is dead. Starboard engines out.” Wedge snapped as he pulled on his dead stick furiously while keeping one eye on the sea of red alarm lights flashing along his HUD. Suddenly another alarm buzzed in his ears and a line of red lights flashed overhead.

“Looks like the Port engines are out too. R-2, I’ll need them back on now.”

The astromech droid whistled fervently as its small stubby tool tipped arms whipped around feverishly in an attempt to repair the sudden damage.

Wedge shook his head as he cursed softly. He was riding a dead fighter down through the main plane of engagement. This was not a good situation. He did not mind horrible odds because he was confident in his ability to fight his way out. But there was no amount of skill and luck that was going to help him when his fighter was dead in space.

He glanced over his shoulder sharply and saw the last remnants of the Orion raider spin away and vanish in a molten flash of light. He looked back ahead and saw two of the bigger Orion ships moving in like sharks to cut him off.

“R-2, I need some engine power NOW.” Wedge ordered tightly. The astromech droid whistled despondently as it realized that there was no way it could comply in time. “Great.” Wedge spat and watched as the Orion ships closed in on his crippled fighter.

A shadow fell over his X-wing and darkened his canopy. He looked up and watched as the Sagan soared overhead and a pale blue tractor beam lanced out encompassing the X-wing. Within moments the fighter was pulled along with the racing starship. The Orion ships unleashed a withering volley of phaser and disruptor fire. The Sagan shuddered as she absorbed the volley, her shields flashed in response to the weapons hits.

“Hang tight Wedge, we have you.” Entebbe said with a grin.

Wedge laughed softly.

“Thanks Sagan, I owe you one.”

“Anytime.”

“I wonder if Captain Kirk is having as much fun as we are.” Wedge mused.






The Millennium Falcon soared over another access junction in the twisting winding tunnels that burrowed beneath Darkstar’s palace. The network of tunnels serviced the vast hangar bays that honeycombed the palace.

Tom Paris had come up with the brilliant plan of using the Falcon’s hidden cargo holds to smuggle himself into the palace onboard the Falcon in sort of a poor man’s Trojan Horse. Once inside the bowels of the palace he would have access to the more sensitive portions of Darkstar’s operations not to mention be in a position to dish out some havoc from an unsuspecting quarter.

He had everything planned out and was damned proud of himself.

He had not counted on one simple problem that had immediately arisen when he slid into the controls of the Falcon and began his little escapade.

Tom had not counted on getting lost.

“You were supposed to be automapping damnit!” Tom snapped angrily at the computer as he took the Falcon through a twisting series of tunnels only to roar right into a massive hangar bay. It looked precisely like all the other hangar bays he had seen.

Phaser and disruptor fire exploded in a furious assault as the Falcon passed under a large loader that was slowly rumbling on an overhead rail from one end of the hangar to the other. Shuttles and small smuggler craft were lined up neatly on the pads below him. Catwalks and gantries crisscrossed the hangar bay’s upper levels like a spider web and guards standing on them fired their weapons at the errant craft that was loose in the bowels of their master’s bays.

The Falcon’s computer rumbled something that sounded like a stomach in the throes of the Titan two step.

“I don’t need a universal translator to tell me that what you said was pretty rude. Now try and find me a way out of this mess.” Tom replied hotly as he spun the Falcon on its axis, weaving through a thick jumble of skeletal gantries. Weapons fire was bouncing off the Falcon’s hull.

A warning alarm buzzed overhead and Tom saw the brief flash below and the smoking trail of something rushing towards them.

“Missiles?! These psychos are firing anti-ship missiles in here?!” Tom sputtered and sent the Falcon into a hard dive as he spied another access way between two landing pads.

The Falcon’s computer gurgled.

“Your scanners have to be better than that and you still haven’t answered my question. I ordered you to automap your way in here.”

The computer warbled and screeched. Tom grimaced.

“You had better things to do!” Tom shook his head and gunned the engines. The Falcon raced through the new access tunnel just as the missile trailing behind them exploded harmlessly on one of the launch pads in its race to intercept the Falcon. “In case you haven’t noticed we’re getting in deeper and deeper and there’s still no sign of a way out of here or how to get back to the surface.”

The Falcon’s computer emitted what sounded to Tom like a long drawn out belch. Tom stared at the panel for a moment, the universal translator unable to decipher the odd dialect. He returned his attention to the tunnel ahead and shook his head as he blasted a catwalk crossing the tunnel ahead where guards were firing down at the ship.

“I wish I were with Captain Kirk right about now. At least he knows where the hell he is.” Tom spat darkly.




“This is not good.” Kirk muttered as he glanced over at the thugs setting up an anti-personnel cannon on the second level catwalk over the lift doors that Darkstar had finally reached.

“Do we fall back and wait for Imperial reinforcements?” Mara asked sharply. A disruptor bolt flashed inches over their heads as if to punctuate her question.

Kirk did not look back at her, instead he quickly assessed the situation. Within moments the situation was about to change irrevocably against him. He could feel the imitative slipping away like a thing alive.

He nodded to himself and looked over at Spock. Spock glanced back at his captain.

“Spock, lay down suppressing fire!”

Spock nodded and turned attention to Darkstar’s guards.

“Leia, Mara, you’re with me.” Kirk snapped and fired a steady burst from his phaser before charging ahead. Leia and Mara exchanged a furtive glance before they followed.

Kirk raced ahead, as he leapt over the smoking remains of a fallen tree he called down to McCoy and Scotty.

“Bones, I need Scotty mobile to jury rig that lift!”

“I’m on it.” McCoy replied without looking up as he applied a dermal regenerator to Scotty’s thigh and knee.

Kirk rushed past Spock as the Vulcan began laying down a heavy base of fire from his plasma rifle. Worf grunted loudly as he cross blocked a clumsy strike from a guard and countered with a literal jaw shattering open handed blow that sent the guard tumbling backwards into the soft grass of the garden.

“Worf!” Kirk shouted as he continued charging forward, one hand raised firing bursts from his phaser. The Klingon whirled his head around to regard the rapidly approaching figure. “Take out the gun any way you can!”

Worf turned his attention to the second level catwalk and quickly realized that he was just about out of time. He did not hesitate and hefted the bladed end of his fighting pike and let fly like a javelin up at the guards desperately assembling the cannon. One of them screamed as the pike punched through his back and emerged from his midsection in a gory mess. He stumbled backwards, taking with him one of the components of the cannon he was holding as he fell over the railing.

Worf roared in victory. “KAPLAH!” and charged forward as well, firing his disruptor.

The Klingon’s battle cry attracted Luke’s attention and he swiftly decided at that moment that he would have to stop this game and get to the business he needed to finish with Darkstar. He snapped his fighting pike to the side and smiled softly at the twin killers.

He heard the warning voice of Ben Kenobi, far away as if he were whispering from across an expansive room.

“Pride and arrogance are the twin guardians at the gate which leads to the road of the darkside.”

Luke nodded as Dee and Dum realized that they would have no other chances. They were going to kill him or be killed. To their credit there was no fear in their cold eyes as they too made their decision.

See that’s the thing I’ve been thinking about Ben. Luke thought as he slipped in between the pike thrusts of the twin killers and drove the blunt end of his pike into the side of Dee’s right knee. There was a loud crack and the killer screamed in pain but his neural network reacted on pure instinct and lashed out with an elbow.

Luke ducked his head under the blow while simultaneously delivering a slashing attack with the bladed end of his pike that sliced open Dum’s side. He tucked himself into a tight ball and spun forward past the twins and landed firmly behind them.

Luke’s eyes snapped to the guards finishing with the anti-personnel cannon on the catwalk above Kirk and his team. There was little time now. The doors to the lift were opening. Darkstar was getting away.

I’ve been thinking that perhaps, just maybe you and Yoda were wrong.

He launched himself upwards, flipping end over end as he rose. Guards closing in around him fired a cascade of searing energy bolts at the flipping young Jedi. Luke’s leap was timed perfectly and he rose between the slashing multi-colored bolts of energy bolts and landed perfectly balanced on the guard rail of the catwalk above.

Dee and Dum did not hesitate either and crouched down as they gathered their strength and leapt together as one.

Maybe I was never meant to revive the Jedi order or its code.

Dee and Dum’s leap brought them over the catwalk’s guardrail and landed on the catwalk itself. They immediately attacked but Luke was already in motion. He blocked Dum’s slashing strike to his midsection, turning the pike hard and out of Dum’s hands he vaulted backwards landing 10 meters down the catwalk, again landing just on the guardrail.

Dee and Dum raced after him, Dee limping furiously and cursing.

Maybe the code is part of the reason we’re where we are. Maybe the Emperor was able to lead my father down the dark path because the code was not flexible enough. Maybe the code was simply wrong.

Luke danced between pike thrusts and waited for his opening, an opening he knew was coming…now.

The bladed end of his pike casually slashed out with a speed that was imperceptible to the human eye. Dee stopped short as he felt something hard and cold strike his neck. It took him a moment to register the pain. It took him another moment to see the spray of hard crimson blood splashing against the far wall. He blinked several times as his neural net received confusing signals. The panic of knowing that he was dying was interfering with the signals from his combat computer lodged in his brain.

The combat computer did as it was designed to do and as Dee died it savagely took control of his motor functions and Dee’s body acted as it was supposed to do and tried its best to kill Luke, the combat computer dispassionately calculated that it only had a handful of minutes left before oxygen deprivation killed the very organ it was housed in and thus truly ended its functional life.

Dee would have been proud as Luke’s eyes widened slightly in surprise when the mortally wounded Dee suddenly lashed out in a series of precision attacks with his pike. Luke countered the attacks and twisted his torso to avoid a blow to his stomach.

How can anyone live up to the code? Jedi masters have failed, Jedi knights failed, the entire order was brought down by the machinations of an evil man. What was it Yoda had told me when I left Dagobah Ben? You were there. Only a fully trained Jedi knight could defeat the Emperor and Vader. That statement had me thinking Ben. Thinking long and hard as I struggled up out of the abyss.

Luke and Dum’s fighting pikes locked and Dum pulled Luke’s face close to his.

“You’re going to pay for my brother scum!” Dum spat. Luke immediately released his plan in a burst of thought carried by the Force itself and it struck Kirk like a hammer as he paused in his headlong charge towards the lift.

Kirk turned on a dime and raced towards the dueling trio to his right.

“Cover me!” Kirk shouted over his shoulder as he adjusted the power setting on his phaser with one hand and gauged the distance.

Mara and Leia stopped short in shock but Leia promptly began pumping blaster fire into the catwalk above forcing any guards to keep their heads down.

“This James Kirk is a rather eccentric individual. I take it you are lovers?” Mara asked coolly as she concentrated her covering fire on the guards on the lower level moving to intercept Kirk.

“We are NOT lovers.” Leia protested.

Mara smirked.

“And I told you there would be a reckoning.” Luke vowed and snapped his pike away while planting a leg right into Dum’s midsection and back flipping away from Dum and up and over the railing to the ground below.

“That’s not saving you boy! Not in the least.” Dum hissed, spittle exploding from his pursed lips as he launched himself over the railing. As he did so, Dee’s body, combat computer still linked to Dum’s followed as well.

Luke smiled as he plummeted.

I guess the question really is Ben, if a single fully trained Jedi can take down the Emperor why couldn’t the entire order do it? Why can I do what 10,000 Jedi could not?

Luke tumbled in a tight ball and deactivated his fighting pike as he felt Kirk’s presence rippling in the Force as he arrived in the precise place he needed to be.

The interesting question Ben is why did Yoda think that would be possible? Why did the force place me in that position? Is the answer something so simple that the wisdom of the Jedi could not see it?

Luke landed and pivoted hard on his left foot, turning and brought his force pike up and around, bladed end first. Kirk skidded to a stop and raised his phaser and fired.

Dee’s body was encompassed in a crimson streak of energy and vanished like so much smoke, as it was instantly disintegrated.

Dum snarled in fury as he aimed the bladed end of his fighting pike down at Luke but his eyes widened as he saw what Luke had done and there was nothing his cybernetically enhanced body could do. No amount of reflexes, enhanced muscle tissue, krieg wire tendons and tritanium plated bones could make him change his trajectory and momentum. He was at the mercy of his fall and as Luke activated his fighting pike Dum knew it was all over.

There was a sound like a side of beef being struck and a sick wet explosion of blood. Dum slowly slid down the segmented metal parts of Luke’s fighting pike, it had entered from his lower abdomen and the bladed end emerged out of his throat. His head lolled on the ruined stump of his neck and blood continued gushing from his wounds in an ever expanding pool beneath him.

Luke watched the display for a moment with a cold sense of satisfaction but there was no joy there.

I think there is more to my mission. I am no longer the boy from Tatooine seeking to follow in his father’s footsteps. I have tasted the dark road and the light and neither has satisfied me.

He stepped closer to Dum and watched his eyes for a moment, seeing the pain mixed with fear.

The light lied to me in because it judged me unready to know the truth. The dark consoled me with false rage and true rancor.

He reached out and gently took a hold of Dum’s chin. He turned his head to face Luke.

“I know you’re afraid. But all things end. I do not take joy in this even though I will be honest and tell you that I thought I would.”

Dum gurgled through his ruined throat, thick coppery blood drowning his words, each geyser like stream erupting from his gaping throat wound in time with his heart beats.

Each fork in the roads have left me scarred and assailed me with the weakness within me. I found no solace in the light and the darkness was anathema to me. So what options are left to me Ben? What happens to one who finds no comfort in light or dark?

Luke shook his head.

“I do not hate you.”

Dum gurgled strongly again and this time his words were clear enough to understand beyond the wet pulsing of a blood drenched throat and flesh.

“Fuck you.”

I think the answer is a simple one Ben, one that you or Yoda or even Palpatine would not understand or approve of. I must forge my own road. I must walk a new path and in so doing reconcile the light and dark. The way of the Jedi lasted a thousand generations. The way of the Sith has plunged this galaxy into turmoil and darkness. In the end both sides have served their purpose and balance must be restored.

“I do not hate you Dum. Go now in peace.” Luke whispered and with a gentle nudge of the Force he finished severing the assassin’s neck and as he reached out to lower the man’s eyelids he reached into his brain and found the battle computer. With a simple touch he smashed it just as it began to make Dum’s body flail about in a vain attempt to kill him.

Dum slumped lifeless on the pike.

That’s what I discovered in the abyss Ben. I went down into the depths of the primordial force we all carry within us and in it I wove a balance between Darth Nemesis and Luke Skywalker. Alone, neither of us was strong enough to rise from the depths, but together in balance we were unstoppable. And so it must be here Ben.

“Luke! We have to stop Darkstar!” Kirk called out.

Luke turned and nodded to the young Starfleet captain.

“It’s time.”




“They are too late, the fools!” Darkstar howled victoriously as he slipped into the lift. The charging Klingon was too far away to stop them as the doors to the lift rumbled shut. Not before a single disruptor bolt flashed through between the closing doors and struck one of Darkstar’s guards right in the face, sending him sprawling lifeless to the ground.

Harry Mudd’s eyes widened as the man landed in a heap beside him.

“I...I must say my lord that this situation has become intolerable. Surely you have an escape plan?” Harry asked hopefully.

“Escape? Escape in our moment of triumph? Surely you overestimate their chances, Mudd.” Darkstar growled.

Harry shook his head but eyed the lightsaber dangling on Darkstar’s belt. Darkstar turned his head at the sudden interest and pinned Harry with his eyes.

“What are you thinking in that dim fat little mind Mudd?”

“Nothing your grace! Merely how you intend to slaughter these meaningless insects.” Mudd replied with a frozen grin.

“This is foolish, Darkstar. Give this up.” Anastasia implored. Darkstar smiled coldly at his concubine.

“No dear. It is they that will have to give up.” The lift rumbled and the sound like thunder unleashed roared overhead. “As you undoubtedly hear now the antipersonnel cannon is up and running. They will be torn to shreds and if there are any survivors I still have a surprise or two left for them. Skywalker and Kirk will rue the day they crossed me. And when this is over they will beg me for death.” Darkstar vowed.

[Darth Phoenix]

First post

Now on to read it

[El Moose Monstero]

Damn you, Stravro, now we go back to waiting again! Curse you! Curse you for writing another good chapter! Worth the wait though.

[Lucius Licinius Lucullus]

“Escape? Escape in our moment of triumph? Surely you overestimate their chances, Mudd.” Darkstar growled."

Didnt know Tarkin was there

[Darth Phoenix]

“Escape? Escape in our moment of triumph? Surely you overestimate their chances, Mudd.” Darkstar growled."

Didnt know Tarkin was there

Just what i was thinking although there aren't vulnerable exaust ports around

Anyway awesome chapter as always Stravo can't wait for the next one

[Agent Fisher]

Just what i was thinking although there aren't vulnerable exaust ports around

Luke could shove a pike up Darkstar's exhaust port

[2000AD]

Finally the doctor provides the cyre for Stravo Withdrawl!
Looks like Darkstar is a long lost relation to Tarkin

[Rogue 9]

“You don’t have to tell me twice. Rogues 6 and 9 come around with me. Let’s come in low and try and take out one of those nacelles.” Wedge ordered.

I got a cameo! Was that intentional, or did you just pick a number between 2 and 12?

[Darth Phoenix]

Just what i was thinking although there aren't vulnerable exaust ports around

Luke could shove a pike up Darkstar's exhaust port

I think that with a Lightsaber it would bo more interesting

[Mr Bean]

Glad I got to read this before going off

[Crazedwraith]

Kewl!
You just know the Rogues and Tarsi are going to be balsting the crap out of them before Nemesis can stop them

So Luke's no longer light or dark? So what he's following "Skywalker's middleway"?
So we just need more "Cain and Able" and "Twilight War"

[Mr Bean]

So Luke's no longer light or dark? So what he's following "Skywalker's middleway"?

Prehaps it will become "The Way"