The Battle for Coruscant

Part Two: Silence in the Heaven

Time:  Four days following the events of "Secession"

        Small note: I may play around with the events of the Rogue Squadron series a 

little bit....

        Arc and Sorvem have left for Lycoth to retrieve equipment to deal with the 

Tri-Destroyers and possibly even Mandaeus himself.  Meanwhile, the Young Jedi must

deal with Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Empire.  Fighting Thrawn will mean using

every Force skill they know of, and every ounce of fighting spirit they have, and also a

little help from one who has gone before.  However, if Thrawn even is defeated, there is

one last contest for them:  facing a Dark Jedi Master that has the power to destroy a

world, and whom they cannot bring to redemption.  Dealing with Isis will mean there is

no chance for salvation- no chance to bring her back to the light, as Luke Skywalker had

done so many years before with Darth Vader.  If Isis cannot be stopped by means of

redemption, killing her will be the only alternative....

        Silently, the Corellian YV-class medium bulk freighter Dead Shot hung in space.

Bothawui was a busy world, bustling with activity ever since the bombardment by

Captain Afyon and his task force of Assault Frigates.

        Russk smiled.  Or, more accurately, Captain Afyon?s clone and his captured task

force of Assault Frigates.

        It had been a plan set up beautifully by Grand Admiral Thrawn himself.  Using

the captured Assault Frigates and a Spaarti cloning cylinder left over from his own

campaign a decade ago, Thrawn had cloned Captain Afyon and used his clone to

bombard Drev?starn, the Bothan capital.

        The result:  the Bothan Spynet had seceded from the New Republic.

        Of course, they weren?t calling it secession; the Bothans had covered it up by

saying they were now ?indefinitely neutral,? but it was there, and everyone knew it.  The

Bothans had seceded from the New Republic.

        Russk heard a loud roar from the back of the cargo bay, and his stomach folded in

on itself.  The Trandoshan swallowed.  Tyrant was awakening.

        Then Tyrant appeared:  the creature was big, three and a half meters tall.  Even

taller than a Togorian.  His razor-sharp, dagger-like claws and teeth were stained with

aged blood, and his mouth oozed an acid-like substance.  Naked but absolutely no sign of

a sex, Tyrant?s eyes blazed with inner fire and hate, and he growled hard in his throat.

        ?Calm down, calm down!? Russk yelped.  ?We?re almost there.?

        ?The sooner the better,? Tyrant growled, straining his lips around to pronounce

Basic in a throaty accent.  ?My sister will be weak, and I cannot allow that idiot she calls

her mate to get to her first.?

        Russk reminded himself not to mention Megator around Tyrant.  ?Yeah, right.?

        Russk took the Dead Shot down to the docking bay on Rav?starn, a major city on

Bothawui that had been fortunate enough to escape bombardment.  Not that it would

matter, anyway.

        ?Remember, Tyrant,? Russk growled, ?to put on your cloak when we dock.  It

wouldn?t do to have you seen by any of the local authorities, now, would it??

        Tyrant grasped his giant cloak as best as he could and covered himself with it.

?And I?m a Togorian on his way to see an ill cousin, I know.?

        ?Correct,? Russk nodded.  ?Megator will be waiting at-? he took a moment to

read the location of the landmark to himself, then told Tyrant.

        ?An amusement park.  Brilliant, Megator,? Tyrant grumbled.  ?The most likely

place to be seen.?

        ?Darkstar is buried under it.  He can?t help it if the Bothans decide to build a

Hologram Fun World over Darkstar?s bedroom.? Russk shrugged.  ?Besides, take it as a

chance to improve your social life.?

        Tyrant growled, then Russk stood, and they made their way out the Dead Shot.

        Several times they were stopped by the authorities, who asked, ?What the hell is

that thing?!? referring to Tyrant.  Russk assured them that Tyrant was a Togorian on his

way to care for an ill relative.  Tyrant growled, imitating a Togorian as best as he could.

The authorities would look at each other, shrug, and let Russk and Tyrant proceed.

        It took them nearly twelve hours to get from the Dead Shot to the Hologram Fun

World in Rav?starn Plaza.  A hooded figure sat waiting there.  Even hunched over he was

five meters tall, and his boots were oversized.

        ?You?re late,? he said, when they finally arrived.

        ?Yes, well, you try walking eight standard miles on bare foot,? Tyrant growled.

        It was now night on that side of Bothawui, so the figure took off his cloak,

revealing a horrid reptilian creature.  His golden-red eyes were like slits in the night,

providing luminescence to the night.  Golden hair also covered some area of the back of

his scaled head, and if he had been a human, Russk would have said he was balding.

        But he wasn?t balding.  He was evolving.

        ?You could have ran,? Megator growled.

        ?In this?? Tyrant held up part of his cloak.  ?You idiot.  This would cover two

Togorians and a Wookiee elder.?

        Megator stood, dwarfing Tyrant by seven meters.  ?No one calls me an idiot and

keeps their spinal cord attached for long.?

        ?You just wait until I reach my third form.  We?ll see who?s missing a spinal cord

then,? Tyrant snapped.  ?Along with a few vital organs.?

        ?Gentlemen- I mean, Tyrant, Megator, please, let us do what we came for, and

then we?re off,? Russk told them.  ?I?ve a becon call for the Dead Shot.  Call her up, and

then we can leave without haste.?

        Tyrant grumbled, and Megator snorted, but at least they stopped their tirade

against each other.

        ?Good,? Russk said, relieved he?d not been torn in two, and grasped the becon

call.  ?I am ready when you are.?

        Megator turned to face the Hologram Fun World, which was now closing.  Tyrant

stepped beside him, though not entirely beside him, and focused on the dimming lights.

        ?Mera kay itlka kora hi,? Megator chanted in an ancient tongue.  ?Tare mij kila.?

        ?Dlinaseaq,? Tyrant pronounced Darkstar?s age-old name, ?yeque ilana

arjaawana.?

        ?Arax,? Megator pronounced Arc?s ancient name, ?uyana malutrava.  Dlinaseaq,

loki araman jaty!?

        With that last, firm incantation, the ground upon which the amusement park sat

began to rumble and flash with red light from beneath it.  A loud hiss, like a sound of

escaping gas, came from a fissure in the ground.  A molten substance- magma?- oozed

from several more cracks and fissures.

        Then, without warning, a loud, somewhat melodious but otherwise frightening

howl of hatred and eons-old anger blew apart Hologram Fun World in a shower of

molten steel and blazing wood.  Russk was forced to cower behind Megator when the

blast occured.

        Then, from out of the fire and destruction, a lone figure, taller than Tyrant, yet

shorter than Megator, about eight meters tall, appeared.  Fur flowed in a mane around its

neck, and two long claws sprouted from its forearms.  Naked except for a small cloth

covering its genitals, it featured female characteristics, and its eyes blazed with the same

unholiness that Megator?s and Tyrant?s did.

        ?Dlinaseaq,? Megator spread his arms out, never taking his eyes off of her.

        ?Megator,? the figure replied, pronouncing his name with a somewhat

love-stricken voice.

        Megator engaged the figure in a loving embrace, then their lips (or whatever they

had) met in an unusual form of a kiss.  Russk forced himself not to look away.

        Tyrant growled, and Darkstar and Megator parted (though the look on Megator?s

face suggested he would have wanted to hold on a little longer), and Darkstar faced

Tyrant.

        ?Tyrannos,? Darkstar mumbled, ?how delightful to see you once more.?

        Tyrant growled.  ?Darkstar,? he nodded in approval.  Obviously, he?d expected

more of a welcome.

        Russk could hear the Bothan authorities? siren-speeders coming closer.  He

activated the becon call as the authorities appeared in the streets.  Two Bothans jumped

out of their siren-speeder and drew their blaster rifles.

        ?Freeze!? the first screamed in Basic.  ?Move and I shoot!?

        Darkstar scoffed and turned to look up at Megator.  ?He obviously doesn?t know

us.  How long has it been??

        ?About two centuries, give or take,? Megator replied.  ?I never stopped dreaming

of you.?

        ?Did you hear me?!? the Bothan yelled.

        Russk backed up, clutching the blaster rifle hidden in his cloak.  ?I need some

suggestions here.  The Dead Shot won?t be here for another ten minutes.?

        The Tri-Destroyers looked at him.  ?You can put away the blaster,? Megator

assured him.  ?They can?t possibly take us down.?

        ?They can take ME down,? Russk snapped, still gripping his blaster.  ?And draw

more attention to us.?

        ?You?ve got ten standard seconds!? the second Bothan shouted over a

mega-speaker.  ?Ten...nine...?

        Megator unsheathed his claws.  ?Open fire only when I say so,? he ordered to

Russk.  He turned to Tyrant.  ?Draw their fire away from Russk long enough for the Dead

Shot to get here.  Feel free to snap as many of their backs as possible.?

        ?Six...? the Bothan continued all the while they were talking.

        ?Now.?

        ?Five....four...thre- AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!?

        His countdown was cut short as Russk shot him in the chest.  Sparks flew, and the

Bothan went down, dead or incapacitated.

        The other Bothans opened fire. Russk could barely see in the firefight, everything

was so bright and confusing.  He still blasted back, until he could get behind a large piece

of decorative rock.

        He watched as Megator flung his coat off and swiped with an impossibly-long

arm.  He caught two Bothans with his slash, and they went down in a spray of blood,

despite their highly-powered and rapidly-firing blasters.  Tyrant coiled up on his loins,

and pounced, flinging off his cloak in the air and coming down like a nightmarish

phantom onto five Bothans.  Two opened fire in his face, the other three centered on his

stomach.  He caught all five of them in one swipe.

        The other authorities blasted at Darkstar, but the bolts did little more than agitate

her.  She tensed, then Russk watched in amazement and horror as a ball of fire sprang

from her mouth.  It impacted in front of the Bothan officers, and they ran in all

directions, their flesh and fur on fire and melting away.

        More authorities poured in, and fewer authorities poured out.  When the Dead

Shot finally arrived, more than ninety Bothan officers lay dead on the ground.

        Russk pressed the becon call again, and a ramp protruded from the giant medium

freighter.  ?Come on, quickly now!?

        Megator scrambled up the ramp, surprisingly balanced.  Darkstar followed, and

Tyrant clawed his way up.  Russk ran up the ramp as more siren-speeders appeared in the

distance, and he saw several lights blinking in the distance.

        Terror overcame him as he identified them:  X-wing starfighters and Z-95

Headhunters.  Purchased from the New Republic, no doubt, before the Bothans had

seceded.  More lights appeared, and those were from bigger ships- Skipray blastboats.

        Russk ran up the Dead Shot?s ramp, closed it tight behind him, and ran to the

cockpit as fast as his legs could carry him.  He slammed into the pilot?s seat and took the

Dead Shot up into the atmosphere.

        The Corellian freighter jostled as shots from blaster cannons impacted against the

hull.  Russk swore in Trandoshan.  If an ion cannon blast or two hit them in the engine,

they were out of luck.

        ?What?s wrong?? Tyrant snarled as he came into the cockpit.  ?Why aren?t we

moving??

        ?Because we?re under attack, fool!? Russk snarled back.  ?It doesn?t take a

retarded Gammorean to figure that out!?

        Tyrant?s claws extracted.  His face was a nightmarish horror as he became

enraged, and he reared back-

        ?Kill me and lose the battle,? Russk growled quietly.  ?I?m the only one who

knows how to pilot this ship- and even if you did, those blastboats and starfighters out

there would make short work of you in seconds.?

        Tyrant put his clawed limb down, swore in his language, whatever language that

was, then retreated into the cabin.  Darkstar ran into the cockpit.  ?X-wings are

attacking!? she snarled.  ?Skiprays are going to be here in minutes.?

        ?I?m not done, monster,? Russk hissed.  ?Not by a long shot.?

        The Dead Shot shuddered as Russk opened fire with a heavy double-turbolaser

cannon.  Darkstar looked out the slit-shaped cockpit, and saw that Russk had taken out a

Z-95 Headhunter.  Its engines blazed as it rammed into a building below.

        Two Skipray Blastboats and an X-wing starfighter raked the Dead Shot with their

laser cannons.  Good, Russk grinned devilishly.  They aren?t using their ion cannons.

The proton torpedoes are another thing, though.

        The X-wing took out a circuit on the Dead Shot?s starboard flank, and the

Corellian freighter shuddered as something blew out on its starboard wing.

        ?What?s wrong?? Darkstar rasped.

        ?Rear starboard deflector down,? Russk snarled.  ?We?ll have to rid ourselves of

that X-wing.  Can you handle a quad turret??

        ?I can shoot.  Is that enough??

        ?Just get down there!  That X-wing?s proton torpedoes could blow us all straight

to Hell if we don?t kill it first.  Aim for the astromech unit.  I?ll do the rest,? Russk

assured her.

        Darkstar scrambled down into the gun well.  Blasts fired from below the cockpit

wildly.  Russk swore, then opened a channel to Darkstar?s gun well.  ?Cease fire, and

open fire on my command only.?

        ?Very well,? Darkstar?s voice was even more hoarse over the comm.

        The X-wing shot at the cockpit.  Russk fired once with the turbolaser, forcing the

X-wing to shoot downward.

        ?Fire!?

        The blast from Darkstar?s turret struck the astromech unit head-on.  Fire erupted

on the X-wing as the astromech unit exploded.  The X-wing struggled to get back up in

pursuit-

        -and slammed into the Skipray blastboat as it shot right towards the cockpit.

        A roar of triumph erupted on the comm, and Russk heard two more come from

the cabin.

        The other Skipray followed them into space, and Russk managed to target that

with the turbolaser.  The Skipray was a big target, and easily damaged.  Russk armed the

double-turbolaser, aimed, fired-

        -and without further ado, the Skipray was gone in a shower of flame.

        Russk relaxed, then set course for lightspeed.  He?d have to rendezvous with Isis

over Triton, no doubt, but this time he?d actually look forward to it.  He looked at the

chronometer.  Almost forty-eight hours to Triton.  Oh well.

        The sooner he rid himself of the Tri-Destroyers, the better.

        Jacen slashed with his emerald-green blade at his opponent?s electric-violet blade.

The blades clashed once, twice, three times, and then Jacen backed away.  Jaina thrust

once, retreated as Jacen countered.  Jaina slashed 180 standard degrees clockwise,

bringing her blade around in a graceful arc.  Jacen ducked the blow and attempted to kick

Jaina?s feet out from under her.

        Jaina somersaulted backwards over Jacen?s head, landed on both feet, and struck

Jacen?s blade so hard that he was forced to move two steps backward.  Jaina thrust, Jacen

parried-

        ?Halt.?

        Both shut down their lightsaber?s at their Uncle Luke?s command.  Tenel Ka,

Lowbacca, and Zekk sat against the wall.  Master Skywalker stood beside his sister and

Jacen and Jaina?s mother, Leia Organa Solo.

        ?I?m impressed.  You?ve been honing your lightsaber skills,? Leia noted, smiling.

        ?Well, we had a good teacher,? Jacen tossed Luke a lopsided grin.

        ?I?ll bet,? Leia said.  She threw an arm around Luke.  ?He taught me everything I

know about being a Jedi.?

        ?Well, not everything,? Luke pointed out.

        Leia nodded.  ?So, what?s been on your mind lately??

        Jacen and Jaina pursed their lips.  Zekk scratched the back of his head, and

Lowbacca moaned softly.  Tenel Ka put her hand to her mouth.

        ?You really got used to him, didn?t you?? Luke noted.

        ?He helped us.  He looked out for us as if we had been friends from birth,? Tenel

Ka replied.

        ?He took responsibility for Kile, even when he could have backed out,? Jaina

added.

        ?Well, he said he?d come back,? Jacen brightened, after a moment of silence.

?He?s kept his word so far, hasn?t he??

        ?Sure as heck,? Zekk answered.  Lowbacca grunted.

        ?And Sorvem has, too,? Jacen acknowledged Lowie?s comment.  ?Don?t worry,

they?ll come back fine.?

        It felt strange, being here after all these years, Arc noted to himself.  Time seemed

to stop here.  The particles of all matter seemed to cease motion.  Everything was...still,

save for Sorvem, who stood solemnly beside him.

        The three gravestones were set up in a perfect line, apart from everything else on

Lycoth.  Jorian?s tombstone featured a fierce rancor in battle against an unseen opponent.

Cor?s depicted a utopia, similar to Aldera, and on Tanis? was engraved a portrait of Arc,

Sorvem, Cor, Jorian, and herself.

        The spot was beautiful.  The ocean was only a few miles away, and purely visible.

The five of them had spent hours here together, talking, laughing, occasionally having a

picnic.  Perhaps even going down to the ocean and taking a relaxing swim.

        And they?d picked this place for burial.

        Arc knelt by Cor?s tombstone, laying down a Hopmeran fire daisy, which

blossomed to the size of a man?s fist, and was the Lycothian symbol of peace.  Sorvem

laid a Kashyyyk jungle rose on Jorian?s.  The jungle rose blossomed at the fourth level of

Kashyyyk, where many Wookiees had died.  Arc stroked Tanis? as he knelt down by it,

his heart heaving.  My first love...he remembered.  Tanis had been his first love and his

first kiss.  He?d been ripped apart when she died.

        All of them had sacrificed themselves, that he and Sorvem could live on.

        Arc laid a treasureful object down on her grave:  a Caamasi serenity violet.  So

peaceful had the flower been on the world before it had been immolated that its price had

skyrocketed to eighteen point three million credits.

        But these three people were worth so much more than all the serenity violets in

the universe.

        ?Thank you, my friends,? a voice said from behind them.

        Arc smiled.  ?Think nothing of it, Jorian.  You?re worth every decicred.?

        The unearthly vision of Jorian, the Caamasi female, appeared, followed by Tanis,

an Undirian female.  ?Not that.  I meant thank you for being such incredible friends.?

        Sorvem smiled.  ?That too.?

        ?We ought to be thanking you,? Arc put in.  ?Don?t thank us until we?ve set Cor

free.?

        Jorian?s transparent shade pursed her lips.  ?I miss him so.?

        ?As I do,? Tanis?s form put in.  ?Arc....?

        ?Cor will be free, Tanis,? Arc assured her.  ?I can beat Mandaeus- I?ve done it

before.  You know it too.?

        ?We were there to help you, though,? Jorian?s spirit put in.

        ?And you will be there to help me, even if you don?t know it,? Arc replied.

?You?ve always been with me.  The Force has always been with me.  And with the Force,

I will kill Mandaeus.  On him, I will exact revenge for every soul he has taken, every life

he has shattered.?

        ?Beware revenge,? Tanis? spirit warned him.  ?Of all the entities of darkness,

perhaps revenge is the deadliest.?

        ?Then I will exact punishment on him,? Arc amended.  ?Either way, he will die.?

        Sorvem nodded.  ?He has defeated neitherrrr Arrrrc norrrr I.  Arrrrc is strrrrong

enough to challenge him in any forrrrm.  If Mandaeus grrrrows to be at least sixty-five

meterrrrs high, Arrrrc can use his Rrrraptorrrr-class Battle Mech.?

        ?The same applies to the Tri-Destroyers,? Arc added.  ?I know the Mech well- it?s

molded itself into my mind.  The only one who will die in that battle is Mandaeus.?  He

looked back at the three tombstones.  ?The only hard part is making sure that promise is

kept.?

        Captain Pellaeon, captain of the Star Destroyer Chimaera, studied a report from a

probe droid in the Bothawui system.  It had been two days since Grand Admiral Thrawn

had spoken to him, and he thought it was high time that the Grand Admiral hear about

this.

        He stood, stretched a little, and made his way over to the Grand Admiral?s private

command room.  Good, he thought.  This time, no bodyguards.  Grand Admiral Thrawn

had no Noghri bodyguard to meddle in the way this time.  Pellaeon walked into Thrawn?s

command room-

        -or, to be accurate, a miniature art museum.

        ?Come in, Captain, come in,? Thrawn?s smooth voice came from the command

chair in the center of the room.  ?Bothan art is extremely fascinating- I?ve found myself

studying it for years.?

        ?Yes, I?m sure, Admiral,? Pellaeon said.  ?Ah, we have a report from the

Bothawui system.?

        ?How fortunate,? Thrawn replied.  ?What is the report??

        ?Somehow, the Hologram Fun World at Rav?starn exploded last night.  Bothan

officials responded to the incident- and were duly slaughtered,? Pellaeon gulped as he

read the last part.

        ?Suspects?? Thrawn asked, still concentrating on a piece of Bothan art.

        ?Ah-? Pellaeon read over the report.  ?Four suspects, Admiral.  A Trandoshan

and...there?s some confusion about the other three, sir.?

        ?No confusion, Captain.?  Thrawn clasped his hands.  ?The other three were the

Tri-Destroyers:  Darkstar, Megator, and Tyrant.  Darkstar came out in her first form,

Tyrant in his second, Megator in his second.?

        Pellaeon blinked.  ?I beg your pardon, sir??

        ?They?re three monsters, Captain,? Thrawn replied.  ?That?s the only word that

suits them- that or biological mistakes.  Created by the Omega assassins to be the

ultimate in bio-weapons technology.  Somehow, they seem to be long livae.  It?s

fascinating to study them.  It?s taken me a little over a year, but I finally understand the

way they think.  No remorse, no repentance for the things they do.  It?s the only way they

think, Captain.  Anger, pain, grief, hate- that?s all they feel.  Megator- the name suits him

perfectly; ?Mega? meaning ?great,? ?tor? meaning ?torture.?  ?Great torture.?  Anyway,

with Megator and Darkstar, however-? he paused, ?-there seems to be another emotion

there.  Possibly love, probably just instinct.  Either way, they?re going to mate.?

        Thrawn hit a button on his console, and abruptly, the art vanished.  It was

replaced by three holograms of three frightening creatures:  one was a monster covered in

amphibious skin, another a nightmarish quadruped, and the last one-

        Pellaeon grasped at his heart.  The last one had two pairs of arms, a protruding

head, horns covering its already hideous flesh, and its eyes...

        ?That one is Tyrant.  The others are Megator and Darkstar.  All in their third and

final forms, Captain,? Thrawn announced.

        ?Ah, sir, based on what I see here-? Pellaeon gestured to the genitals on Darkstar

and Megator, ?-it?s physically impossible for Darkstar and Megator to actually...?

        ?Yes, it does look difficult, doesn?t it?? Thrawn agreed.  ?Somehow, though, they

have the ability to mate.  And based on Omega art-? he gestured to a single holographic

art piece- ?they mate very soon.?

        ?How soon, sir?? Pellaeon asked.

        ?A week, possibly sooner, at the rate Darkstar?s prolific period is speeding,?

Thrawn replied.  ?Megator?s cell structure seems to be readying itself- based again on the

art and a cell sample that Isis provided me with.?

        Pellaeon nodded.  ?Sir, I?ve noticed we?ve not been doing much with the fleet

lately.?

        ?Because we?re still under a flag of truce, Captain,? Thrawn replied.  ?Only when

we are fully trusted, and the Rebellion has put all its resources into finding this phantom

opponent we?ve come up with can we actually execute a surgical strike on Coruscant.?

        ?Yes, sir,? Pellaeon replied, still a bit unsure.  ?But wouldn?t now be the best

time??

        Thrawn turned to his command console.  ?There?s something that doesn?t feel

right, Captain.  Something just isn?t right.?

        ?Possibly the Jedi, sir?? Pellaeon suggested.

        ?Possibly.  They?re planning something, Captain,? Thrawn said, gazing into a

piece of art.  ?Jedi art is a little outdated, but it provides insights into their character.  The

Jedi want to trap me.?

        ?Maybe the dismantling of the Death Star, Admiral?? Pellaeon proposed.

        ?That must be it.  They?re trying to make sure I destroy the Death Star and follow

up on my promise to join the New Republic, a la the Caamasi Doctrine.  We?ll just have

to make sure the Death Star is dismantled, yet stays in our grasp as a fully completed

weapon.?

        ?How do you mean, Admiral?  I mean, we can?t possibly take the Death Star apart

and still use it against the Rebellion,? Pellaeon noted.

        ?I?m thinking of something the Rebel General Han Solo used- against the Empire,

I might ironically add- at the Battle of Nar Shaddaa,? Thrawn replied.  ?He and a

magician friend of his set up a giant hologram to give the assumption that a giant fleet

was coming to ambush the Imperial fleet.  If that could be demonstrated with the Death

Star, then we could give the assumption that it has, indeed, been dismantled.?

        ?It appears complicated, Admiral,? Pellaeon noted.

        ?Complicated, but feasible, Captain,? Thrawn assured him.  ?We shall create the

image, and then get them to trust us with their lives.  And after that,? Thrawn smiled,

?Coruscant is ours.?

        Arc somersaulted backwards and kicked the assassin droid savagely in the face.

The impact was so great that the assassin droid?s conelike head shattered in flame and

debris.  Arc hit the ground as it exploded, then drew his lightsaber hilt, ignited the scarlet

blade, and slashed the next droid, severing it at the torso.  The top part fell, yet the

second portion stood still.

        An assassin droid behind him repeatedly blasted with its pulse cannon.  Arc

deflected the first, second, and third, flipped over the fourth and fifth, and brought his

blade down to cut the assassin droid in two, from the top of the head to the crotch area.

Both parts fell in opposite directions.

        The last droid tossed a grenade at him, then turned to his blaster cannon.  Arc

grabbed the grenade in mid-air, blocked the bolts with his crimson blade, then bolted for

the assassin droid.  Leaping in mid-air, he whirled, then slashed the head off.  Jamming

the grenade into the decapitated area, he hit the ground, and then the assassin droid blew

up in a shower of fiery debris.

        ?Excellent fighting skills, my lord,? the young, exotic-looking Lycothian Daela

noted.  ?You?ve been honing your Jedi skills as of late.?

        ?A Jedi must always stay in peak physical condition, Daela,? Arc replied casually,

shutting down his lightsaber.  ?Especially in times like these.?

        ?With the Grand Admiral Thrawn on the loose?  I see your point,? Daela replied.

?The inspection on your Battle Mech is complete.  All systems functional.?

        ?Finally some good news,? Arc noted dryly.  ?Does it match my brain patterns??

        Daela nodded.  ?It is ready, my lord.?

        Arc looked over at the hangar bay where his Raptor-class Lycothian Battle Mech

stood.  Thirty meters tall and a deep emerald green.  Its wide head resembled a

Mandolorian helmet, the wide slit actually a laser cannon capable of heavily damaging a

Star Destroyer in a matter of several shots.  Two heavy blasters lay concealed in the

biceps, and three missile launchers were located over the bulk of the Mech- one in the

neck and two in the chest.  A set of repulsorlifts were fitted in the soles of the bootlike

feet, and the arms amplified the controller?s strength by ten to one.

        What the most fascinating part of the Mech was that the driver didn?t use

computers to control the Mech- instead, the controller used his mind to control the Mech.

A helmetlike attachment was fitted on the controller?s head, and everything the controller

did, the Mech did as well.  The concealed cockpit was located in the torso of the Mech,

and the pilot had a fair amount of space to move.  If the controller kicked, the Mech

kicked.  If the controller jumped, the Mech would jump.  If the controller sneezed, the

Mech?s head would lurch forward in a sneeze-like action.  The controller could eject

from the Mech at any time by merely touching a console on an armpad that also

controlled the power to the Mech.  The Mech relied on the brain patterns of a host to

function properly, so it was crucial that the brain patterns of a host match the same

frequency as the main computer in a Mech.

        ?All right, transfer it from here to DragonSnake.  I?ll call for it when the time

comes,? Arc ordered.

        ?Of course, my lord,? Daela nodded, then walked over to the hangar bay.

        Arc wiped the sweat from his forehead.  The training was going to be arduous,

and the battle was going to be furious, but he would get through it.  He promised himself

that.  He would conquer Mandaeus and the Tri-Destroyers.  He would free Cor?s spirit

once and for all.  He would finally put an end to his tyrannic sister?s reign.

        Fingering his lightsaber, he called for twelve more battle-droids.

        ?Aren?t we there yet?!? Tyrant snarled at Russk.

        Russk shot him an exasperated glance.  ?We?ll be there in two hours, monster,?

he snapped.  ?How many times must I tell you that??

        ?The sooner the better,? Tyrant ignored the question.  ?Megator and Darkstar

have been rolling around like weasels all over the ship.  It?s too sickening.  And I feel

that I?m evolving into my third and final form.?

        ?What?s so bad about that?? Russk asked.

        ?Once I evolve into my third form, I?ll be thirty-seven meters in height,? Tyrant

replied.

        ?Then you?ll just have to lie down inside Black Soul,? Russk replied with a feral

grin.

        Tyrant snarled, then stalked out of the room, running into Megator and throwing

him a snarl.  Megator growled, then hunched over inside the tiny cockpit.

        ?Two hours, monster,? Russk told him.

        ?Why are you referring to me as ?monster??? Megator asked.

        ?Because it?s what you are,? Russk replied.  ?You?re ten meters tall.  You?re born

of Mandaeus and an entity of beastly power called Deyilia.  What else could you be but a

monster?  Besides, Tyrant doesn?t seem to mind.?

        ?I?m not Tyrant,? Megator snarled.  ?And I?m quite blessed because of that fact.?

        ?I take it you don?t really enjoy his presence very much.  The feeling is quite

mutual,? Russk replied dryly.

        Megator looked out at the stars with his unworldy gaze.  ?We were fighting,? he

said, recalling, ?against Arc MalacBromad and Sorvemakiakk.  We were defeated, and I

was wounded.  So was Tyrant.  Dlinaseaq chose to save me, rather than Tyrant.  It was

Mandaeus who later saved Tyrant.  Tyrant hated Dlinaseaq and me to the point where he

no longer called Dlinaseaq her true name, referring to her as Darkstar.  Fool.?

        ?I know the story,? Russk replied.  ?But it does occur to me that you are more

powerful than Tyrant.?

        Megator growled.  ?I could crush him like an insect,? he murmured quietly.  ?And

he knows it.  In his third form, he may be able to challenge me, but I am the stronger.?

        ?Will it come down to that?? Russk asked.

        ?Possibly.?  Megator scratched his nightmarish face.  ?Especially after I kill

Mandaeus.?

        That rocked Russk back into his chair.  ?Y-You plan to KILL Mandaeus?  That

would be foolish, Megator.  He could slaughter you without so much as raising his

heartbeat.?

        ?True, if we met in face-to-face combat,? Megator stroked his horrible jaw in

thought, ?but if I charged him from behind....I could kill him.?

        ?You could challenge him, possibly,? Russk agreed.  Megator was formidable

indeed, but still...

        ?And when Mandaeus is dead, then I shall kill Arc, and retire with Dlinaseaq,?

Megator concluded.

        ?Sounds like an arduous plan.  What if you don?t get through the first?  What if

Mandaeus kills you??

        Megator scoffed.  ?Ha!  Don?t talk nonsense, assassin.  That?s banthawash.  I?ll

kill him as fast as I can snap my claws.?

        ?Yes,? Russk growled.  ?Yes, sure....?

        Tenel Ka watched Jaina put the finishing touches on her new Y-wing starfighter.

Rock Dragon was on Hapes, being upgraded.  Her mother and father had thought it

?unstable? for her.  Tenel Ka was greatly annoyed at that comment.  The ship was fine.

Her parents just didn?t want her to fight.

        Which was impossible.

        Jaina sighed, wiped the perspiration from her forehead.  ?There, that?s the last of

it.  Proton torpedo capacity increased, speed and maneuverability increased, shields

durable enough to take a turbolaser blast head-on, and the firepower boggles the mind.?

        Tenel Ka nodded.  ?It is quite a ship, friend Jaina.  Does your mother approve of

you flying it??

        Jaina shrugged.  ?She never said I couldn?t fly it.?

        ?True.?  Tenel Ka flexed her one arm.  ?I know you will need it.  However, I am

without a ship.?

        ?Maybe you could borrow an E-wing or an X-wing.  You?re a Hapan princess,

after all.?  Jaina rested against the hull of the Y-wing.

        ?Also true.  I wonder if they would oblige.?

        Before Jaina could reply, Raynar strode in, carrying a datapad.

        ?I just got off the comm with Tradewyn,? he announced.  ?My mother wants me

to come back immediately.?

        ?What did you say?? Jaina asked, dreading the answer.  Raynar was needed badly.

He was an essential Jedi in a time of great need.

        ?I told her no.?

        Jaina was surprised.  Raynar had defied his mother?s orders for the first time she

could remember.  ?You told her no??

        ?I told her I wouldn?t come because my friends needed me, and I needed my

friends.?  Raynar?s expression darkened.  ?And I have a bit of a score to settle with Isis.?

        Jaina pursed her lips.  ?Don?t give in to hate.?

        Raynar shook his head.  ?I won?t.  I promise.?

        Tenel Ka stretched.  It was approaching midday on Coruscant, but she hadn?t

gotten any sleep the night before.  She?d pushed herself to the limit exercising last night.

        As Raynar left, Jaina turned back to Tenel Ka.  ?Did you hear about Bothawui??

        Tenel Ka cocked an eyebrow.  ?You mean the bombing?  That is older

information, friend Jaina.?

        Jaina shook her head.  ?No, I mean about the firefight.?

        Tenel Ka nodded.  ?Ah, aha, no, I have not heard of that.  Please tell me of it.?

        Jaina rested an arm on the Y-wing SW-4 ion cannon, mounted above the cockpit.

?Apparently, two nights ago, the Hologram Fun World in Rav?starn, Bothawui, exploded

due to a Trandoshan- at least that what the authorities suspect he was- and three gigantic

accomplices.  The Trandoshan led a firefight, but the three big aliens fought with tooth

and claw and ripped apart the Bothan authorities with their bare hands.?

        Tenel Ka?s stomach folded in on itself.  ?Megator??

        ?And Tyrant and Darkstar.  That?s at least what it sounds like.?  Jaina sighed.  ?I

wish I could have been there.  Maybe I could have stopped it.?

        ?Megator would have ripped you apart with his claws in a matter of seconds,

Jaina.  He-?

        ?Jaina, Tenel Ka, come quick!?

        Tenel Ka and Jaina turned to Jacen, who stood in the doorway.

        ?Listen, you?ve gotta come see this!  It?s a breakthrough!? Jacen cried.

        Tenel Ka cocked an eyebrow, uncertain.  ?How is it a breakthrough, friend Jacen?

 And what sort of breakthrough??

        ?It?s a...Jedi breakthrough, really.? Jacen ran a hand through his brandy-brown

hair.  ?Uncle Lu- I mean, Master Skywalker- was just at an archaeological dig at the

poles,  looking for some Adegan crystals for new Jedi trainees to put in their lightsabers,

and guess what he found??

        Jaina shrugged.  ?A big Adegan crystal??

        ?Nope.  Try again.?

        Tenel Ka gave it a shot.  ?The remants of a lost ship, such as the Chu?unthor of

Dathomir??

        ?Nope.  Wanna give it another try??

        Tenel Ka and Jaina exchanged glances, then shook their heads.  ?We honestly

don?t know, Jacen.  What did he find??

        ?You give up?? Jacen asked.

        ?Yes!?

        ?You really give up??

        ?YES!?

        ?You really, really-?

        ?Jacen, tell us what Uncle Luke found!!!? Jaina thundered.

        Jacen held up his hands and shot his sister a cocky grin.  ?Just teasin? ya, sis.  He

found a Holocron!?

        Jaina?s jaw dropped.  ?A- a Jedi Holocron??

        ?Yep!  This one can call up any Jedi Master that has gone before.  It?s very

valuable,? Jacen noted.

        ?This is a fact.?

        Jacen turned to Tenel Ka, smiled, then back to Jaina.  ?Just think of what this

could do for us!  We can contact Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, maybe even our grandfather,

Anakin!?

        Jaina smiled, excited.  ?Well, what are we waiting for?  Let?s go check it out!?

        It took them about ten minutes to get to the Emperor?s suite, where Luke, Leia,

Han Solo, and Chewbacca sat with Raynar, Lowie, Zekk, and Lusa.  Luke held the

Holocron, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to call up a Jedi Master.

        ?Well, what are you waiting for?  Let?s call up a few Jedi Masters!? Jaina

suggested.

        Luke nodded.  ?All right.  Han, Chewie, this might be a little different than what

you?ve seen me do.?

        Han shrugged.  ?Kid, I?ve seen you do things that I?ve only seen in dreams.  Why

should anything surprise me now?? He grinned.

        Luke grinned back, then focused on the Holocron.  ?Okay, here goes...?

        Silence followed for a moment, then the Holocron began to glow eerily,

something Luke had never seen before.  The Holocron also rumbled in his hands, which

was also a new addition.

        Then an image popped out of a small being:  green and somewhat hunched, but

otherwise erect, its long ears were like a hare-being?s, only horizontal.  It carried a small

walking stick, and its eyes sparkled with wisdom.  Leia, Han, and Chewie did not

recognize it, but all the others did.

        It was Master Yoda.

        Jaina was stunned speechless.  Master Yoda, who had passed away before her

time, the one who had taught her own Uncle the ways of the Force, now in their very own

presence.  She felt a wave of awe and respect.

        Suddenly, her knees buckled, and she knelt before his image.

        ?Sit you not, stand you must.  Royalty I am not.?  Yoda chuckled.

        Jaina recollected herself and stood, embarrassed.

        ?Embarrassment all right, all right, nothing embarrassed be you of,? Yoda assured

her.

        ?Master...? Luke was happy, happier than Jaina had ever seen him.  ?It?s you.  It?s

really you.?

        ?Is I, is I.?  Yoda?s image nodded.  ?Grown you have, yes, mmm.  In spirit and

body, yes, mmm.?

        ?Master Yoda,? Leia said.  ?It?s an honor to meet you.?

        ?Honor is mine.  But time not for greetings.  Come later will greetings.  Advice it

is time for.?  He turned to the Young Jedi.  ?Jedi of generation next, times dark ahead of

you.  Much danger you will face.?

        Tenel Ka nodded.  ?We know, Master Yoda.  Grand Admiral Thrawn?s forces

will require a tedious amount of work to defeat.?

        ?Thrawn problem, but not problem refer I to.  Problem in Darkest Warrior.

Problem in Darkest Master!? Yoda announced.

        The young Jedi exchanged glances.  They knew who he was talking about.

        ?Isis will be a challenge to defeat, Master Yoda,? Jacen agreed.  ?We don?t feel

quite ready yet.?  He spoke for all of them.

        ?Ready you must be.  Ready to give life for galaxy you must.?  Yoda?s eyes

turned grim.  ?Death better than Dark path.?  His eyes flickered once to Raynar, and the

uneasiness in the atmosphere increased.

        ?What of Arc?? Tenel Ka asked.

        ?What of him?? Yoda asked back.

        ?I believe we need him to aid us,? Tenel Ka replied.

        ?Dwell not on who you need, but what you need.  Need you the Force.  The Force

is an ally, powerful ally it is, yes, mmm.?

        Tenel Ka had to agree.  ?I see your point, Master Yoda.  Forgive me.?

        ?I not need forgive anything.  Nothing to forgive,? he assured her.  ?Arc essential,

Arc possess power for Isis downfall. Essential he is as you are.  Mightiest Warrior he is.  Yes, mmm.?

        The young Jedi exchanged glances.  ?The Mightiest Warrior?? Tenel Ka repeated.

        ?Mightiest Warrior of Lycoth he is.  Sworn to smiting evil,? Yoda replied.

        ?Quite an interesting bio,? Han noted, ?for a former Imperial Lord.?  Han still

didn?t trust Arc from what had happened to Jaina.

        Yoda turned to Han, an expression of disapproval on his face.  ?Not proud is he of

that.  Done out of ignorance.  Trust him you can.?

        ?I?m sure,? Han grumbled.

        ?Bothers you that he could not save this one.? Yoda gestured to Jaina.  ?Angry

you are that he prevented it not.?

        ?Yes, it bothers me!? Han snarled.  ?If he?d killed that thing eons ago-?

        ?But try did he not.  Did his best he did to kill monster.  Cost him all his

companions it did even to injure Megator.  Great pain, great anguish, yes, mmm...? Yoda

noted sadly.

        Han was silent.  The fact that Arc had done his best to kill Megator before, in an

ancient time, and had lost all those he cared for in the process, had stunned him.

        ?I-I?m sorry, I didn?t know...? Han trailed off.  If the same thing had happened to

him...

        Yoda bobbed his head up and down in a nod.  ?Time is short for me.  Postpone

return to other life I cannot.? Yoda turned to Luke.  ?Father and mother send blessings do

they.  Obi-Wan gives you Force, parents give you strength, to you I leave promise:  meet

again we will one day.  Force be with you.?

        With that, the little Jedi Master?s image faded.

        ?I didn?t expect that,? Han noted after a long silence.  Chewie voiced his

agreement.

        ?I didn?t expect to be able to call him up,? Luke admitted.  ?But it was the nicest

surprise I could get.?

        Isis stood on the bridge of the Black Soul, concentrating on the vast fleet before

her.  It had taken her one hundred years to collect so many ships, and the Star Destroyer

Avenger had been badly damaged after the Battle of Endor, along with some of the other

Star Destroyers.  She quickly took her mind off all the difficulty, and focused on her

triumph- Grand Admiral Thrawn, Captain Pellaeon, and Commander Daala- soon to be

Rear Admiral Daala, because of a new conquest over Yavin 9, a non-inhabitable world.

She had single-handedly used her flagship, the Gorgon II, to conquer twelve

Dreadnaughts from a small hegemony government.  She had earned the right to become

Rear Admiral of the fleet.

        Isis gazed over the blackness of space.  Here it was- the most powerful threat the

New Republic would ever face, with Thrawn at its head.

        It was official.  The Rebellion was doomed.

        Suddenly, the Dead Shot broke out of lightspeed, heading towards Black Soul.

Isis was amused.  Russk would be very, VERY tired when he came aboard.

        When it docked in the bay, she was there to greet them.

        ?Russk, my loyal soldier,? she greeted.  ?How are you??

        Russk?s eyes were lined with dark circles.  ?I?ll get back to you on that, my

Empress.?

        Isis chuckled cruelly.  ?And the Tri-Destroyers??

        Russk shrugged.  ?Near as I can tell, they?re sleeping or hibernating or whatever it

is they do.  I?ve had my claws full with them.  Especially Tyrant.  Nasty fella, that guy.?

        Isis shrugged back.  ?Well, I suppose you?ve earned a reward, Russk- that is to

say, Lieutenant General Russk.?

        Russk?s dark eyes brightened in a flash.  ?M-Me?  Moving to the Arc Hammer??

        The Arc Hammer, named after the Dark Trooper ship, was a giant ship.  It was a

stunning, and very special, Star Destroyer.

        It classed Mark-III.  The Mark-III Star Destroyer was a Star Destroyer one-third

the size of a Super Star Destroyer, with reinforced hull plating and heavier artillery, and

greater speed as well.  Only the top combat officers were promoted to it.

        Isis had named the ship because in case the Tri-Destroyers failed to kill Arc, the

special soldiers on Arc Hammer would finish the job.

        ?You heard me.  I?ll arrange for a shuttle to carry you over.  Carry on, Lieutenant

General.?

        The Trandoshan executed a perfect salute, then marched over to collect his

belongings in his quarters.

        Isis was about to walk up the ramp when a young woman approached her.  As tall

as Isis herself, with long, flowing dark hair, and clothed in lizard-hide armor under a

black cloak, her expression was of dejection and sadness.

        ?My Empress, your assault starfighter has been upgraded.  Horridstar One is now

completely operational,? she reported.

        ?Excellent, Rana Ki.  Now go make yourself useful and inform Daala that she is

now Rear Admiral of the Imperial fleet,? Isis ordered.

        Rana Ki bowed.  ?Yes, Empress...?  She hurried off, eager to get away from Isis.

        Isis turned and practically strolled up the ramp.  Inside, Darkstar and Megator

crouched on the padded furniture, grooming each other- or were they?- hideously, while

Tyrant dug his talons into a table.

        ?Tri-Destroyers, welcome, welcome.?  Isis spread her arms out in greeting.  ?You

must be tired after a long journey, and worried of the future.  Do not worry-?

        Tyrant hissed.  ?Save your breath.  We are neither afraid nor comforted by your

banal wor-?

        Darkstar cut him off.  ?Isis, Megator and I would like to retire to our quarters

and...rest...for a period.?

        Isis nodded knowingly.  ?You?re out of your prolific period, I presume.?

        Darkstar and Megator nodded in unison.  Tyrant grumbled.  ?We?re also

evolving...? he growled.

        ?I know it feels painful at first, but it all pays off in the end.?  Isis stroked Tyrant

on the head as she would a pet.  Tyrant growled.  Isis smiled cruelly and

fingered a medallion on her necklace.  ?He will tell you that.?

        Abruptly, a beam of energy like a dark cloud darted from the medallion.  It halted

at the center of the small cabin, and began to take form.  It appeared in the form of a

dark, hooded phantom with no visible face, but they needed no face apparent to identify

the individual.

        ?Mandaeus, you honor us with your presence, sire,? Tyrant greeted.

        ?I?m sure I do.?  Mandaeus? voice was reverbrating.  ?My minions, darkness is

gathering.  It is time for you to evolve, and then- and only then- will I grant you the

power to raze Coruscant?s cities.?

        Ironically, a city on Coruscant HAD been razed.  Thanks to the Alliance

Elementary School bombing, Imperial Plaza had been under siege by a large fire.  The

Inner Council watched the smoke billowing in the distance from their quarters in the

Imperial Palace.

        Rogue Squadron was present for a meeting that no one outside of the Inner

Council yet knew of.  Rogue Squadron was seated around the table from left to right:

General Wedge Antilles, Captains Corran Horn, Gavin and Asyr Darklighter, and Ooryl

Qyrgg; Colonel Tycho Celchu, Majors Wes Janson, Inyri Forge, Myn Donos, and Hobbie

Klivian; Lieutenants Biv Donqueedo and Ulrass Myrlk, and the Executive Officer,

Nawara Ven.

        Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, and Councilors Borsk Fey?lya (who had

surprisingly stayed in the Council even though his race had seceded, possibly to cause

further respect for Bothawui) and Leia Organa Solo were seated with Rogue Squadron.

And through some bizarre set of circumstances, the young Jedi Knights were asked to be

there as well.

        ?You must all be wondering why I?ve asked you here today,? Mon Mothma

stated.

        Rogue Squadron nodded their agreements.  ?We were assuming some new threat

had come up,? Captain Gavin Darklighter told her.

        ?There has.  You all recall the school bombing?? Mon Mothma asked.  Rogue

Squadron grimly nodded a sad affirmative.  ?We suspect it was caused by a new threat,

possibly from outside.?

        ?If you?ll pardon my asking, what do you mean by ?outside??? General Antilles

asked.

        ?I mean the Unknown Regions, General Antilles,? Mon Mothma replied.  ?There

are plenty of possible threats out there, all of them none too pleasing to consider.?

        ?Which one are you the most worried about?? Wedge asked.

        Borsk Fey?lya answered that question.  ?The Lycothian Monarchy-Imperium.?

        Jacen bolted upright in his seat.  The other young Jedi were agape.

        ?What?!  That?s preposterous!  How could Lycoth be involved in something like

that?!  How could Arc be involved in murder?!? Jacen demanded.

        ?How could they not be?? Fey?lya snarled.  ?As I was saying, before I was so

brutally interrupted, we suspect-?

        ?YOU suspect, Councilor,? Admiral Ackbar corrected.

        ?-that the Lycothian Monarchy-Imperium was involved in the school bombing.?

Fey?lya shot Ackbar a venomous glance.  ?In Admiral Drayson?s place, I hereby order the

New Republic naval forces to fire on any incoming Lycothian ship.  No matter what.?

        ?Even if they?re trying to make trade with other governments?? Wedge asked, a

bit surprised.

        ?No matter what.? Fey?lya?s command was final.

        Ackbar?s wasn?t.

        ?THAT is tyrannic, Councilor Fey?lya, and I will not allow it.  Only if they are

using deadly force may you fire upon them.?  Ackbar turned to the Inner Council.  ?All

opposed??

        Fey?lya and Istarcha raised their hands.

        ?All in favor??

        The rest of the Inner Council shot their hands up.

        ?Proposal by Councilor Fey?lya is defeated.  The New Republic naval forces are

only to fire upon Lycothian forces if they decide to use lethal force,? Mon Mothma

announced.

        Fey?lya gave no reply.  Only a silent murmur that was barely audible...

        Arc gazed out upon hyperspace like a majestic god aboard Dragonsnake.  Only a

few more minutes until they reached the edge of New Republic space.  Arc expected to

find New Republic military there, but there was a chance that maybe they would allow

him to pass...

        No such luck.

        Dragonsnake pulled out of the system into a horde of corvettes, frigates, and

cruisers.  The technical supervisors counted nineteen Corellian Corvette, twelve

Nebulon-B Frigate, and eight Mon Calamari cruiser.  Enough firepower to leave

Dragonsnake dead in space.

        Fey?lya?s doing, Arc thought.  Bastard.

        The first Corellian Corvette, which the IFF identified as Magnanimous, opened

fire on Dragonsnake, pummelling away at the hull with its laser cannons.  Arc had seen

worse damage caused by a TIE fighter strafing run.

        ?Return fire, forward turbolasers,? Captain Wyl Illati of Undirian ordered.

        ?Belay that order.  Counter their fire, ion cannon,? Arc countermanded.  ?I want a

twenty-degree yaw rotation.  Shift ten percent power to port shields.?

        Captain Illati was confused.  ?Ion cannon?  Sir, we could leave that Corvette dead

in space, and the rest of the fleet could be here in an hour.?

        ?I?m not trying to provoke a war, Captain,? Arc replied.  ?I?m trying to prevent

one.?

        Dragonsnake battered Magnanimous with its scarlet ion cannons.  It only took one

barrage to shut down the Corvette.  Two more Corvettes, the Vigorous and the

Liberation, were caught in the barrage and also shut down.  A Nebulon-B Frigate was the

next challenger.  The IFF transponder identified it as Supporter.

        Supporter hammered the forward launch bay of the Dragonsnake, attempting to

burn away the hull plating so that the fighters could not launch from it and overwhelm

the task force.

        But Arc had no intention of that happening.

        ?Bridge crew, return fire, full power, ion cannon only.?  Arc watched as the

Nebulon-B Frigate was soon showered with crimson ion bolts, and finally shut down.

        ?Now I want a one-eighty degree yaw rotation to port, and then we?re back to

Lycoth,? Arc ordered.

        Now Illati was flabbergasted.  ?But, sir, isn?t it possible they?ll follow us??

        ?They won?t.?  Arc sat in his command chair.  ?We?ve proven our power- three

Corellian Corvettes neutralized in a single barrage.  They won?t provoke the rest of the

fleet into battle.?  He smiled grimly.  ?They wouldn?t want a taste of our hyperlasers,

now, would they??

        Illati agreed.  ?No, sir.?

        Arc relaxed in the command chair.  When he returned to Lycoth, he and his father

were going to have a long talk.

        Tyrant was seized with searing pain as his head started to protrude into what

would be its last form.  His ribs pounded against his flesh as two sets of arms were

preparing to come out in- what, a day?  A week? A month? Two, three months of of this

torture?!  his mind screamed.

        Finally the pain subsided.  He let out a loud moan of relief.

        A louder moan- this one of pleasure- came from the quarters where Megator and

Darkstar were resting.

        Sickening!  Tyrant thought.  The thought of them rolling around together and

creating offspring made his stomach upset.

        ?Well, how are they doing??

        Tyrant turned his head to Isis.  ?What do you think?  They?re copulating.  It?s

horrendous!?

        ?Do I detect a hint of jealousy?? Isis cocked a fiery-blonde eyebrow.

        Tyrant stood to his full height.  ?Bite your tongue, Disciple.  True, I may not have

a mate, but that means no vulnerability, no weak-mindedness.  Megator grows weaker

and weaker every moment he?s around Darkstar.  One day he will grow so weak he will

lose his importance to Mandaeus.?

        Isis humoured him.  ?Of course.  You are far more aggressive then Megator.?

        General Kug tapped Isis on the shoulder.  ?The Chimaera has arrived in-system,

Empress.?

        ?Thrawn.  Excellent.?  Isis stroked her Yisra medallion.  ?Just wait until it?s time

to strike a fatal blow against the Rebellion, Thrawn.  Then the iron rule my son once

employed will be returned to its rightful spot.?

        ?I cannot believe you!? Arc exclaimed.  ?The future of the Alliance is at stake!

How can we not join the New Republic??

        Draak looked apologetically at his son.  ?It is no longer in my hands, Arc.  The

High Cabinet has agreed- any attempt for me to join the New Republic would be an

impeachable offense.?

        Arc slammed the table with his fist hard enough to splinter it.  Draak sighed.

 ?Watch your temper.?

        ?Is there a good reason not to?!? Arc snarled.  ?Thrawn will kill every member of

the New Republic if we don?t-?

        ?WE is no longer true, son.?  Draak winked at Arc.

        Arc was confused.  ?What are you getting at??

        ?The High Cabinet said I couldn?t order Lycoth to join the New Republic.  They

never ordered YOU not to.?  Draak grinned.

        Arc?s eyes shot wide open, and his mouth turned up in a smile.

        ?I hereby resign from office.  That means you are the new ruler of the Lycothian

Monarchy-Imperium.  Rancor I is yours to command as well.?  Draak pulled off his

bracelet and placed it on Arc?s arm.  ?Guard Lycoth well.?

        Arc couldn?t find his voice.  He could only hug his father lovingly.  ?Well, I guess

my first action as ruler is to change Lycothian Monarchy-Imperium to just Lycothian

Imperium.  Monarchies are a tad trifling, and changing it to an imperium won?t change

much.?

        Draak nodded.  ?Good choice.?  He looked relieved.  ?Well, now I can just settle

down and relax.  You will have much to do in a short time.  My fighting days are over,

but I can tell you now, yours are not.  Your strength will be needed direly, both

physically-? he paused, ?-and emotionally.?

        ?I don?t doubt that.?  Arc stroked his lightsaber.  ?Well, I had better go to the

Cabinet and meet with them about this.  I can tell YOU now that they?ll not be happy.?

        ?You must be joking!? Chamberlain Oiesys of Sentez exclaimed.  ?Draak has

resigned from office?  That?s preposterous!?

        The entire Cabinet erupted at Arc?s revelation.  Some slandered Arc?s ability to

lead, others supported Arc?s new position, yet others remained unsure about what was

going to happen.

        Arc slammed the duraplaster table with considerable strength, quieting everyone.

        ?I?m sorry to call your attention by force, but this is important.? Arc emphasized

the last three words.

        Oiesys sputtered.  ?But- but- but Draak has led us for nearly twelve generations!

We can?t tell the public this now!?

        ?You can and you will.?  Arc sighed.  ?I know my father was the leader of a

golden age for all of you, and I know you?re sad to see him go, but he?s getting on in

years, and since he can?t join the New Republic without impeaching himself, I?m taking

his place and joining the New Republic.?

        The Cabinet was still unsure.  Arc had a feeling they would be.  ?Look, I?m not

asking for a change in government, like Imperium-New Republic.  That?s- to be quite

frank- the stupidest thing I?ve ever heard of.  I?m asking for an ally that can be there

when we need them, and to which we can give help.  I?ll give you four hours at the least

to make up your minds on this new change.  After that, we?ll put this issue to rest, one

way or another.?

        ?It?s time.?  Thrawn?s statement was brief and to the point.  ?It is now time to

strike at Coruscant, when their outside resources are at their weakest point.  I?m

abandoning the plot to exploit the Caamas situation.  That would rally up their fleet

around Coruscant, and we want them to draw every ship as far away from Coruscant as

possible.  Preferably towards Lycothia.?

        Isis agreed.  ?True.  Shall we go, then??

        ?Patience is a virtue, Empress.?  Thrawn made a gesture with his hand.  ?My task

force made a stop by Bastion.  We created the illusion of a dismantled Death Star, while I

used the resources in the Unknown Regions to fill up the true Death Star.  The illusion

was transmitted to the Rebels, along with a personal message from myself.  They are ever

so off their guard.?

        ?And while they?re dealing with Lycoth, we?ll sneak in and blockade Coruscant.

Without their support, the Rebellion will fall.  And Lycothia must be so tied up in

internal affairs that they can?t possibly meddle in.  After the way they?ve been treated,

they won?t intervene.?  Isis stroked her lightsaber.  ?By the way, I will personally be

leading my squadron in combat against Coruscant.?

        Thrawn cocked a blue-black eyebrow.  ?Horridstar Squadron, correct??

        ?Rogue Squadron will be no match for us.  My squadron is superior in every way,

save for the fighter jock attitude.  They know their role and complete it.?  Isis looked out

the viewport from Black Soul.  ?You may command Black Soul if you like...?

        The bridge crew saw Pellaeon?s gaze turn down.  It was an honor to command a

Super Star Destroyer.  Maybe Thrawn would finally be leaving the Chimaera.

        ?No, thank you, Empress.  I?m confident I can manage the fleet from here,?

Thrawn replied in a cool, smooth voice.

        Isis whirled around.  ?Come now, you don?t want to command an entire Super

Star Destroyer??

        Thrawn replied coldly.  ?You will address me as ?Admiral?.?

        Isis snarled and stormed out the door, shouting.  ?Seeing as you?re so confident,

Admiral, I?m moving the dateline!  We leave in three days, Admiral!  Three days!?

        Arc now faced the Cabinet.  The four hours had passed.  What happened here

would now shape the future of Lycothia.  The Cabinet all had tired faces.  Arc cleared his

throat.

        Chamberlain Oiesys stood.  ?The Cabinet has reached a decision, my lord.?

        Arc nodded.  ?Proceed.?

        The Chamberlain wearily nodded back.  ?After the forementioned four hours you

gave us, we debated for an accumulated total of three hours and fifteen minutes.  When it

was getting nowhere, we took a vote.  Here are the results.?

        Secretary of Defense Kitari A?lka handed Oiesys a datapad.

        Arc breathed in.  Here it comes.........

        Two days and a night had passed, and it was soon to be two nights that had passed

on Coruscant since Fey?lya had dispatched his personal strike force to intercept the

Dragonsnake.  Evening had fallen on Coruscant, coating the sky with its cloak.  Stars and

distant galaxies came out to shine on the dark blanket of night.

        Jaina cradled her infant son in her own quarters.  Kile was murmuring in the

language all newborns talk in, and he gazed happily up at his mother.  Jaina smiled, yet

she could see something in Kile?s eyes that wasn?t complete.

        ?Hush now, Daddy will be home soon,? Jaina whispered.  She looked up in the

night sky.  Quietly, distantly, Lycothia?s rich, golden sun shone, neglected.  Barely any

could sight it, let alone recognize it.  The little speck of light made her heart throb.  She

hoped with all her heart Arc had reached a breakthrough with the council.

        ?He?s doing all right.?

        Jaina hoped Jacen was right as he came to sit by her.  ?How are the others

doing??

        Jacen shrugged.  ?Tenel Ka?s been exercising non-stop.  Lusa and Raynar have

been spending a lot of time catching up on things-? at this he winked, typical Solo

fashion, ?-and Lowie?s been...well...kind of....I don?t know, he?s been keeping a lot to

himself lately.  He has been ever since he was on WolvenBlaze with Arc and Sorvem.?

        Jaina nodded.  ?I noticed that.  Something they told him??

        Jacen thought for a moment.  ?Possibly.?

        Jaina let Kile drink a few more gulps of bantha milk.  ?What about Zekk?  How?s

he doing??

        Jacen gestured to the docking bay entrance down the hall.  ?Been working like

Hell on the Lightning Rod.  Even has a holo of you and him in the cockpit.  Says it helps

him work harder.? Jacen smiled and stroked Kile?s head.  ?Sixteen years, and already I?m

a Jedi and an uncle.  That?s a heck of an achievement.?

        Jaina grinned.  ?You wanna talk achievements??  She placed a hand on her chest.

?Jedi, mother, and starship mechanic.?

        Jacen matched her grin.  ?Oh, yeah?  I?m a Jedi, uncle, and animal specialist.?

        ?Jedi, mother, starship mechanic, and oldest by five minutes.?

        ?You got me.?

        They chuckled in unison.  Jaina looked up at the stars.  ?I feel him, you know??

        ?Who?? Jacen asked.

        ?Arc.  I can?t explain it...but sometimes, when I?m feeling sad or lonely, it?s like

he?s right next to me.? Kile had now gone fast asleep, and Jaina rose from her seat.

Jacen helped her put Kile in his crib.  Jaina looked cold, so Jacen took a blanket and

wrapped it around his sister.

        Jaina sat down.  ?I don?t want to think about how this will all end.  Bloodshed and

suffering and war and death....? She shivered.  Jacen sat down beside her.

        ?It?ll be all right, Jaina.? Jacen put an arm around her.  ?You?ll see.  It?ll be all

right.  Come on, now.  Let?s go get some sleep.?

        Borsk Fey?lya was in a dark mood this morning.  He?d been so since two days

before, when he  recieved word that his private task force had been battered by one

Lycothian War Cruiser- ONE cruiser!  And to add insult to injury, the Lycothians had

merely used ion cannons to force the strike team out of their territory.  He hoped they

didn?t humiliate the monstrous fleet he?d just sent- which was basically the rest of the

New Republic fleet apart from Coruscant?s.

        Fey?lya growled, then kicked the durasteel wall with his jet black boot.

        ?In a bad mood, eh, Councilor??

        The voice surprised Fey?lya.  He turned and saw Han Solo standing in Great Hall,

next to him.

        Fey?lya stood perfectly upright and faced Solo.

        ?And what business would that be of yours, Solo?? Fey?lya grimaced.

        Solo shrugged.  ?I guess that a Bothan Councilor ruining his boot caught my eye.

You look like someone let a vrelt in your kitchen.?

        Fey?lya turned to look up at the sky.  ?I don?t need to answer you, former General

Solo.  You have no authority over me.?

        ?And you would?? Han was tempted to backhand the Councilor.

        Fey?lya grinned ferally.  ?Well, I do outrank you.  Even if you WERE a General,

still.?

        ?But only for the moment.?  Han matched his grin.  ?Once Drayson recovers,

you?re back to being just another political goon.?

        Fey?lya snarled.  ?How dare you??

        ?I dare a lot these days, pal,? Han spat.  ?Why did you stay here, even after your

own race seceded??

        Fey?lya narrowed his eyes.  ?If you simply must know, it?s due to the fact that if I

stay even after your Captain Afyon bombarded my own world, it proves that I am willing

to forgive and forget.?

        ?And you?ll gain more praise in the eyes of your people.?

        ?A beneficial side effect.? Fey?lya?s fur rippled.  ?And one that also proves that I

am a hero.  With the Empire, I can bring about a new order, my vision.  A galaxy where

Bothans like me are honored, as we were.  As we should b-?

        His voice was cut off by the blaring of the intruder alarm.

        ?The Imperial fleet has arrived in system.  Repeat- the Imperial fleet has arrived

in system.?  The alarm was flashing red and white in the Great Hall.

        Han and Fey?lya raced to the command room.  Leia was there, with Chewbacca,

Threepio, Luke, and Artoo.  Among them was General Bel Iblis, Admiral Ackbar, and

Mon Mothma.  Morning had just dawned, and Han could tell his children and their

friends weren?t up yet.

        ?What?s going on?? Han asked.

        ?Don?t worry, friends.  I?m sure they just want to check up on something-?

Fey?lya began.

        Mon Mothma sucked in.  ?We count 55,000 warships.  That?s the closest number

of Imperial warships ever since Endor.?

        Fey?lya waved it off with a gesture of his cream-furred hand.  ?They just want to

offer some to us-?

        ?They have the Death Star with them, Councilor.?

        Ackbar?s comment stopped Fey?lya short.  ?Th-that?s impossible.  It must be an

error in-?

        Chewbacca growled.  He pointed to the open window, to a most horrific sight.

        There, in the skies above Coruscant, hung the last object Alderaan had ever seen.

        Leia shivered.  ?This brings back very bad memories.?

        ?What?s going on?? Jacen bolted into the room.  Jaina and the others ran in.  Lusa

was trailing behind, trying not to slip on the smooth ground.

        A young officer hurried over to the Councilors.  ?Message from Grand Admiral

Thrawn.  Priority One.?

        A moment later, they were staring into the eyes of the greatest Imperial Warlord

in the galaxy.  He was reclining in his command chair, his red eyes piercing and

impassive.

        ?Admiral Thrawn, what is the meaning of this?? Admiral Ackbar demanded.

        Thrawn?s image chuckled.  ?You?ve grown too trusting over the last decade,

Councilors.  To think that the Empire would ever want peace?  The very thought of it

almost made me laugh when I was proposing the idea.  Now I will bring a new, better

leadership to the galaxy.  There will be order, and stability, and the strength that comes of

unity and a common purpose.?

        Tenel Ka was glaring daggers.  ?Ramble on, you insane fool.  Once the rest of the

Alliance fleet arrives-?

        Thrawn smiled and shook his head.  ?They can?t arrive, my dear little Hapan.

You see, they are all at the edge of the Outer Rim, focusing on the Lycothian system.  It

would take them weeks to get to Coruscant.  If you want the full details, ask your

precious Councilor Fey?lya.  Even if they did, a few well-placed space mines would be in

their way while they entered lightspeed.  You see?  I focused on the points of your Rebel

fleet, and on the points of mine.  I calculated each possible return path for them to

Coruscant.  Along each one is an Arakyd C-77 space mine.  There is no alternative path

for them, and they don?t even know the mines are there.  Don?t try contacting them

either- we?ve jammed all transmissions.?

        Zekk fixed Thrawn with a glare.  ?You won?t stop the Jedi.  We?re too much for

you, if you?ll remember from last time, at Mount Tantiss.  You?ll never beat us.?

        ?No,? Thrawn nodded in agreement.  ?But she will.?

        Isis stepped out from behind Thrawn?s command chair.  Crossing her arms over

her chest, she smiled.  ?Already the Tri-Destroyers are on their way to Coruscant.

They?ll take care of the ground assault- as will our stormtroopers and AT-ATs.  You?d

best be ready- retribution begins now.?

        The transmission was cut off with that ominous warning.

        In the skies, the Imperial fleet began bombarding Coruscant.  Pods were launched

from the docking bays, which held the walkers and the troopers.

        Han quietly whispered to the Bothan Councilor.  ?Is this your vision??

        Fey?lya turned away, scowling.

        ?Battle stations!? Admiral Ackbar shouted over the comm.  ?Ready the fleet

above Coruscant.  All pilots- to your stations!?

        Ackbar shut off the comm and turned to Leia.  ?With any luck, we might be able

to hold them off long enough for you to get through the jammed transmission and send a

warning to the Alliance fleet.?  Ackbar turned and headed for the docking bays.

        Han and Chewbacca needed no second bidding- they headed for the Millenium

Falcon, stashed in the docking bay.  Jacen and Jaina halted him.

        ?Dad, wait.  We?re coming too,? Jacen said.

        ?Are you out of your mind-?

        Leia cut Han off.  ?Han, any way you look at it, they?re going to be involved in

this.  They?re Jedi.  We might as well let them fight.  They?re responsible adults, not kids

anymore.?

        Luke agreed.  ?They?re ready, Han.?

        Han ran an exasperated hand through his hair.  ?Well....just stay close to me,

okay??

        Jaina gave her dad a hug.  Jacen followed suit.  ?We will, Dad.  Jaina and I can

promise that.?

        Luke gestured for Artoo.  ?Come on, Artoo.  I brought my X-wing.?

        Threepio wailed.  ?But, Master Luke, what about m-?

        Han grabbed him.  ?Come on, Goldenrod!?

        Jaina was soon in her Y-wing.  An R2 unit had been supplied for her.  Jacen had

boarded the Millenium Falcon with Leia.  Lowbacca, Zekk, and Raynar were aboard the

Lightning Rod, and Lusa and Tenel Ka were staying to help out with the ground assault.

Lusa was also guarding Kile.  Jaina thanked the stars Anakin was away on Yavin 4.

Where was Lando when you needed him?  At Cloud City, of all places to be!

        Jaina heard her comm buzz.  ?Yeah??

        It was Zekk.  ?Take care of yourself, okay??

        Jaina smiled.  ?You watch yourself, Zekk.  You too, Dad.?

        Han?s voice bristled over the comm.  ?Too late, hon.  I always get into trouble.

Your mom will vouch for me on that.?

        ?Well, duh,? Leia?s voice added.  Laughter followed.

        ?Rogue Squadron?s coming, they were on the other side of Coruscant,? Zekk

added.  ?At least we?ll have some help.?

        ?That we will.  Good luck- I mean, may the Force be with you,? Jaina said.

        ?Force be with you,? Zekk and Han replied.

        Jaina switched off her comm and started up the Y-wing.  She was surprised by its

balance and delighted by its control.  She took the thing up, up, up into the atmosphere.

?Whoa!  This baby can really fly!?

        The Falcon shot up alongside her, and Lightning Rod was not far behind.  Jaina

shivered.  She almost upchucked in her flight helmet, but held it.  Letting the Force take

her, she looked towards the Imperial fleet.

        Black Soul led the fleet, followed by Thrawn?s task force of the Chimaera and its

fellow ships.  The Death Star was at the rear.  It poured out its own ships, adding to the

monstrous fleet.  An assault starfighter squadron flanked the Black Soul.

        The Alliance fleet was small, but formidable.  23,000 heavy warships, with

Defiance at its center.  Rogue Squadron flanked it.  More squadrons were deployed by

the Alliance ships.

        Jaina took a position with Rogue Squadron.  She flew alongside Rogue Nine,

Corran Horn.

        ?Hey, Captain Horn,? Jaina greeted over the comm.  ?Nice to meet a living

legend like yourself.?

        Corran smiled.  ?Thanks, Jaina Solo.  Nice to meet the daughter of a living legend

like yourself.?

        ?I?ll have to meet your son sometime,? Jaina replied.

        Corran laughed.  ?That?d be something to see.?

        ?Cut the chatter, guys,? Wedge snapped.  ?They?re deploying bogies.?

        The TIE swarm was astounding.  Skipray blastboats and assault shuttles flanked

them.

        ?Lock S-foils in attack position,? Wedge ordered.  Rogue Squadron opened their

laser cannons into their namesake position.

        ?Here they com- AAAGHH!!!? a young A-wing pilot was cut off as a TIE cut

through his engines and blew him into oblivion.

        The Battle for Coruscant had started.

        Tenel Ka was able to get hold of an airspeeder to combat the walkers with.  The

modern airspeeders were small, but durable.  They were equipped with a grenade

launcher and two fire-linked blaster cannons.  The top speed was astounding.

        However, the AT-ATs weren?t going to be easy targets.

        Tenel Ka let the Force take her, and soon she was in the air with the other

airspeeders.  The walkers had been deployed outside Imperial City, but they were making

their way there.  The objective for the airspeeders were to take out as many walkers as

possible long enough for them to get the planetary shield up.  However, the Star

Destroyers above were bombarding the bases where the generators for the planetary

shield were held, so it was doubtable that the planetary shield would even be up in time.

        Tenel Ka used the Force to make up for the loss of her left arm.  Targeting a large

AT-AT walker, she fired her blaster cannons, testing the armor.  It left black scorch

marks all along its side, but failed to penetrate the armor.  The walker?s return fire

hammered her shields.

        Tenel Ka maneuvered her speeder out of the walker?s fire.  She was horrified to

see that hundreds of walkers were being deployed.

        Shaking her fear from her, she fired.

        Jaina had never seen so many TIEs in all her life.  They rammed into the Alliance

fleet, showering green blasts of light energy everywhere.  She was forced to break off

from the escort of Rogue Squadron.  She targeted a TIE Interceptor, but it suddenly broke

to the right.  It executed a perfect 360 degree rotation, letting Jaina?s Y-wing fly past it.

It fired once, but Jaina had expected this maneuver.

        Just before it had broke to the right, she?d dropped a torpedo behind it.  That

torpedo was now a foot away from the TIE.

        A second later, not even spacedust remained.

        Jaina dodged the previous shot, then powered up her laser cannons.  Randomly

firing, she sent a TIE flying into another TIE, but the latter managed to evade before it

could slam into the other starfighter.

        Jaina shook off a TIE that was targeting her, then sighted the assault starfighter

group, Horridstar Squadron.  She sensed a dark presence aboard the lead starfighter.  She

could only guess who it was.

        Targeting Horridstar One, she hammered it with her blaster cannons.  The

starfighter executed a maneuver that sent Jaina?s mind whirling, then sent Jaina jumping

in her seat as Horridstar One started blasting her Y-wing.

        ?Not today, honey!? Jaina snarled, then dropped a torpedo.  It went flying into

Horridstar One?s starboard flank, blowing it aside.

        ?Nice trick, little witch!? Isis broadcast from Horridstar One.  ?But I?m just

getting warmed up.?

        Jaina watched as Black Soul finished off a Calamari Cruiser and a Nebulon-B

Frigate.  The Alliance fleet was being battered.  Rogue Squadron had already lost two

pilots in the fray.

        Jaina watched in horror as the Falcon reappeared.  The port side was almost pitch

black with damage.

        ?Dad!  Is everything all right?!? she yelled into the comm.

        Han?s voice was tight with concentration.  ?We?re doing okay, honey!  Took a

little damage when one of the TIEs-? he broke off to blast a Skipray into oblivion- ?hit us

on the left, but we?re all okay.?

        Relief surged through Jaina.  ?In any case, looks like we?re probably not going to

last long, Dad.?

        Threepio came over the comm. ?We?re doomed-?

        Leia?s voice came over the comm.  ?Shut up, Threepio.  Whatever happens, Jaina,

we want you and your brother to know we love you with all our hearts.  We?ve taken

much pride in you and had much joy over the years.  Never forget that we?ll always love

you.?

        Jaina sighed, shuddering.  ?I love you, Mom.  I love you, Dad.?

        Han?s voice replied.  ?I love you too, honey.  Well, let?s beat the hell outta these

freaks. Owch!  Sorry, sweetheart, I?ll watch my language!?

        Jaina chuckled, then continued to fight.  The TIEs were increasing now, and the

Star Destroyers were gradually finishing off each Alliance challenger.  Only a few

Imperial Dreadnaughts had been destroyed, which were easily replaced.  Thrawn?s tactics

were beginning to take their toll.  Worse still, the Death Star was targeting several ships.

        Then the infamous green superlaser began to charge.  With a loud roar, it fired

into a mammoth Calamari Cruiser, the Galactic Voyager, Admiral Ackbar?s favorite ship.

Admiral Ackbar was thankfully on Defiance, but soon he, too, would be targeted.

        Jaina?s Y-wing was jolted as a blastboat hit it with a quad gun.  Dispatching it

quickly, she saw that her shields were gone.  She looked up, and saw a TIE heading right

 for her, firing its blaster cannons.  It was useless now, so she increased speed, preparing

herself for oblivion-

        BRAKABRAKABRAKABLAMMMM!!!!

        Jaina looked back up and saw that the TIE had been replaced by a shower of dust.

        ?LYCOTHIA, TO ARMS!!!?

        Jaina watched as a hail of warships appeared on her radar.  Behind the Imperial

fleet, a monstrous fleet had arrived out of hyperspace.  The mammoth Lycothian War

Cruiser Rancor I- now christened Eternity- was at the head of it.  Where the battered

Alliance fleet hung was speeding a plague of warships and starfighters, including

Dragonsnake and an actual Super Star Destroyer that was now challenging Black Soul.  It

was named Arc Angel.

        And at the head of the fleet was the ship that had annihilated the TIE in front of her, WolvenBlaze.

        ?Rogue Leader, this is Excalibur Leader.  I see you can use some help.?

        A mammoth cheer flew from the battered Alliance fighters.

        Han was confused.  ?What the hell does this mean??

        ?It means the good guys just arrived, Dad,? Jaina replied with a smile.  She

flipped on a comm to WolvenBlaze.

        ?Arc, is that you?!? Jaina shouted.

        ?Jaina!  Ha!  I knew you?d last long enough for us to get here!? Arc brought

WolvenBlaze up alongside Jaina?s Y-wing.  ?Dock here, come aboard.?

        ?What about Dad?? Jaina asked.

        ?The Falcon?s being taken care of by a support ship.  Lightning Rod is also being

repaired.  Jacen?s also aboard here, I picked him up a second ago.  We?re deploying

Battle Mechs to assist with the ground assault.?

        A moment later, Jaina was on board WolvenBlaze.  Sorvem was aboard

WolvenHammer, guarding their backs.

        Arc swept up Jaina in a fierce hug.  ?How?s Kile doing??

        ?Lusa?s down there, guarding him.  Arc, I?ve got bad news.  The Tri-Destroyers

are down there,? Jaina replied.

        Arc nodded.  ?I know.  Come with me into the cockpit for a moment.?

        Arc led her into the cockpit of WolvenBlaze. Jacen was in there, and he greeted

his sister with a warm hug.  Arc went to the pilot?s console.  He made a few

adjustements, then a female voice came out over the comm.

        ?--Shifting-to-assault-starfighter-mode--?

        ?Excellent, computer.  I?m letting Jaina Solo take over for me.? Arc gestured to

Jaina.  ?I?m going down there-? he gestured to Coruscant, ?-to finish the Tri-Destroyers

once and for all.  I?m going to let you take over with WolvenBlaze.  Stay with Sorvem

and lead him into the Death Star reactor core.  From then on, it?s you and him all the

way.?

        Jaina nodded.  ?Be safe, Arc.?  She gave him a peck on the cheek.

        Arc smiled, blushing.  ?Well, go and kick some Imp ass.  Here she is, computer.

Treat her as you would me.?

        ?--Affirmative-let?s-do-some-damage-Jaina Solo--?

        Jaina smiled.  ?You know how to make a girl feel at home.?

        ?--It?s-my-programming--?

        Jaina nodded, then sat in the pilot?s seat.  Jacen took the copilot?s seat.  He was a

little quiet.

        ?You okay, Jacen?? Jaina asked.

        ?Yeah, I?m just worried about Tenel Ka down there,? Jacen replied.

        ?Arc will meet up with her down there.  She?ll be okay, right, Arc??

        No reply.

        Jaina turned around-

        -and Arc was no longer there.

        ?Where?d he go?? Jaina wondered.

        ?Umm....? Jacen pointed at Coruscant.

        Jaina looked down.  Leaving the fleet was a monstrous army of azure Lycothian

Battle Mechs and troop carriers.  At the head of it was an emerald Battle Mech with the

inscription ?Guardian Lord? along its forearm.

        Jaina smiled.  ?Go get ?em, Arc.?

        Jacen and Jaina targeted the Black Soul, and armed the turbolasers.  Jaina

grinned.  ?Well, what are we waiting for?  Let?s get ready to rumble!?

        Jacen matched her grin.  ?Time to show the Imp bastards who?s boss!?

To Be Continued....

*1999 by Arc McBride