Shades of Gray
The Battle of Fury

Sammy came out of hyperspace and was met by the green planet of Kashyyyk. "Cat, we have you on our sensors. Please transmit clearance code for docking."

"Transmitting," Sammy smiled as he recognized the voice. "You still pushing buttons, Stu?"

"Heh, you still not using a normal weapon?"

"It's all about high impact damage, baby."

"Yeah, whatever. Docking cleared. You here for that bug thing?"

"Yeah, and it looks like I'll need the extra damage. Anyone else here?"

"I heard a bunch of Jedi are coming in from Dantooine, but they aren't here yet. I'll tell the Major you're here."

Sammy signed off and docked with the base. The dock hand showed him to his quarters, and Sammy went over to the com system to see if Kashyyyk got any new entertainment in the last 6 months.

Nope.

Sammy sighed. His com signaled and Major Hendrickson appeared on the screen. "Hello, Sammy. Good to see you again."

"Hello, Major. It's been a while."

"Yes, I'm glad you could make it. I'm sure your skills will come in handy against these bugs. There are some Jedi coming in in a day or so. Till then, relax. You'll need all the rest for this mission."

"Yes sir, thanks. Do you have any more information on the creatures?"

"Not much. There will be a general briefing when everyone gets here. Till then, take care."

The screen went black. "Well, might as well visit an old drinking hole or two," Sammy thought as he walked out his room. "Geez, from a complete water world to a complete forest world. What's next, Tatooine?" Sammy cringed at the though.

"Finally!" The signal had been given to move out. Waiting around a hangar bay was not one of the most exciting things to do in your spare time. And sitting in a cramped X-Wing cockpit for hours of hyperspace flight wasn't fun either, but it was better than doing nothing. The trick to surviving long flights was to bring a good, long book along. If you were ever caught on a long flight without reading materials, you were pretty much doomed to insanity for a few hours.

"Nemesis Squadron, let's get outta here!" Grant thundered along the hangar bay pushing pilots in the direction of their craft. "This new Academy'll be venerable by the time we get moving if you don't hurry it up! Move it! Move it!"

Thix grinned at Grant's antics. Most the pilots he chastised for being late simply chuckled at him in response. He wasn't serious most of the time when he played taskmaster. But he DID mean business. It WAS wise to obey the orders he doled out.

The squadron lifted off the planet beside the transport groups. Thix spotted Bandork's Revenge not so far off to his port side and Rock Dragon was pretty much tailgating his snubfighter. He had half a mind to query whichever of his old pals was piloting the Hapan ship. He could always just slow down suddenly and give them a heart attack.

"Okay, people, we've got about an eleven hour flight time here." Thix said. Some text rolled across his screen from his R2 unit informing him of some particulars cramped pilots might want to know. "That's eleven hours total, five and seven added up; we'll be taking a break in there somewhere." A few sighs greeted him.

"That was close." One pilot said.

"Okay. That's the last of the transports we're supposed to meet." Thix rested his hand of the hyperspace lever. "See you guys at our intermediary destination!" The transports and fighters entered hyperspace.

Thix laid his head back on the seat of his fighter but his helmet prevented him from drawing much comfort from it. He was about to doze off to sleep when his comm signal beeped and flashed, drawing the fog from his brain. "Hello?"

"Thix! You're awake." Grant said.

"Course I'm awake." Thix said, annoyed. "You woke me up."

"Right. Look, I wanted to discuss some tactics with you. Nemesis Squadron is going to be part of the fight against the enemy's baseworld, right?"

"Yeah. I told Lance we didn't want to be closed up in tight quarters with whatever the heck those creatures are. We'd rather be in an open area."

"Uh, yeah, that was my question. Are we going to be fighting for the most part in space or on the ground? I mean, our squadron contains the only military-trained person to have dealt with these buggies before." Grant said, referring to Becky. "I know she can tell the commandos all they want to know, but that's nothing compared to firsthand info that's there with you when you're attacked."

"I don't know. I sure of our destination when I talked to you yesterday, but..."

"What?! Now you don't know where we're going? I thought you said we were going to be fighting in the midst of the heaviest action." Grant sounded betrayed.

"I know! I know! I thought so too! But Major H and I talked yesterday and he's looking for a fighter squadron that can help one of his commando units in one of the domes on Fury."

"Nooooowwwwwww wait a second, Thix! You just said we weren't going near that hellhole!"

"Look. There are three domes on Fury: Each is interconnected by a small service tunnel running to the mine in the center of the asteroid. But that is the only way in between the three. I heard that Major B--that's Bjiatocah, you know, of course, is taking one, our Jedi friends are taking another, and some more Jedi and a team from our good pal Lance is taking the third, and they'll check each out. And no, I was telling the truth. We were gonna just fly cover. To conclude this little conversation so I can get some rest, none of what I just said about destinations is for sure. We could be going to either place, and we've got an equal chance of doing so... kay?"

"Yup. Kay."

"Thank you! Good night, see you in five hours." Thix shut off the tightband comm unit and settled back into his seat for a few hours of shuteye.

The chamber that Bjiatocah and her men walked into was pitch black. They all switched on their lights, each with a red filter so as not to destroy their night vision. The men spread out, and the comm officer got to work on the light situation, while Norma, the med officer, took air samples.

Moments later, Norma had his results. "The air checks out as normal: no unidentified virus or bacterial particles, none particularly hazardous to any known forms of life." The others breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the biohazard suits wouldn't last to long in a fight. Of course, they were going to keep them on as long as they could anyway, just to be sure.

One of the infantrymen stopped. "Did you hear something?"

"Yeah, I did. I thought it was my imagination. You heard it too?"

"I heard it as well. What do you think it was?"

"Heard what?" Bjiatocah demanded.

"Something from over . . . THERE!"

Bjiatocah swung her light over to where her men were pointing, just in time to dive out of the way of the gray streak coming at her. She regained her balance just in time to duck as the tail came within a centimeter of her head. Alert now, Bjiatocah waited until the creature made its next strike, which wasn't a long wait, and grabbed the tail just below the razor sharp spike on the end. Hauling with her massive strength, she swung the creature around and slammed it into the wall.

Dazed, it righted itself, and squared off once more with the Major. Her men stood by, knowing that to interfere was to risk their commander's wrath. The creature feinted, but Bjiatocah saw the trick, and instead ducked out of the way of the creature's tail again, then grabbed the oncoming right foreclaw, and the left one that followed it. She grappled with the beast, until there was a 'POP' followed by a ripping sound as the creature's left arm was rendered from it's socket, spraying the liquid that the thing used for blood all over the room.

The beast kicked with it's hind legs, shredding Bjiatocah's armored biosuit, and leaving a shallow scratch in her side as well. Bjiatocah dropped both arms, and leapt backwards to avoid any oncoming attacks. With plenty of space now between the two of them, Bjiatocah pulled out her Bowcaster, and blasted one of the explosive bolts into the creature's chest. It doubled over and fell to the floor, dead.

Bjiatocah walked over, just as the lights came up. She pointed to the creature laying prone on the floor. "Well, folks, that's what we're up against. Any questions? Good." She tore off the remains of her suit, let Norma quickly attend to the wound, then addressed her comm officer. "How long should we have lights?"

"The portable fusion generator should be able to supply the whole dome with power for 2 hours, maybe 3 tops. So we'd better find the power station and get it repaired before then, or we'll be wandering around in the dark with those things all around us."

"Not a prospect I particularly like. All right then, let's get a move on."

The six gathered up their equipment, and, after making sure that nothing was going to come in from behind them, they ventured out of the large airlock chamber and into the dome.

***Editor's Note: We all remember the fun time we had sorting out whether or not ships could communicate with each other while in hyperspace, right? Those were the good old days. In the following segments we get to see Omega and Nemesis squadron using technology that doesn't even exist in the SW universe!***

"....that we've only got a few minutes left, so I strongly advise any pilots currently comatose and following our illustrious leader's example to snap out of it and get ready to disengage your hyperdrives." Grant's voice woke Thix from a light sleep.

"Grant, somehow I am going to find a way to get you for this." Thix said.

"No chance, lead. Or at least wait until we arrive at Kashyyyk. If you'd be so kind as to check your chrono, you'll see that you have forty seconds until we arrive at Chalus." Grant remarked, rather casually.

"Oh. Well." Thix rubbed a palm over his face and yawned. That five hours had passed quickly. "Okay, I've got it. Did you set the squadron's...alarm clock?"

"Yep. I installed it personally." The alarm clock was a prerecorded klaxon that would blare into life twenty seconds before the group's navicomps were scheduled for them to drop out of hyperspace and transmit the annoying wail wideband to all squadron members. "It'll introduce itself in five...four...three..two...one.."

The screeching alarm cut in. The six or so pilots awake yelled in annoyance. Others groaned and flopped around their cockpits until they noticed the timer on their consoles. One--Thix knew to be Ryan, the pilot who had been playing Sabacc with Thix, Neb, and Grant--gave out a bloodcurdling yell and, after realizing where he was, mumbled something about mynocks and hydrospanners.

The group of X-Wings and transports dropped out of their hyperspacial flight over Chalus. Thix looked to his radar screen to check on the group. All twelve Nemesis pilots were logged in, and Thix saw a couple bulky shuttles exit next. Then came Bandork's Revenge, and following that, the Rock Dragon.

"Why exactly are we here, Lead?" Grant asked.

"Dunno. I just fly where I'm told, and shoot at anything that doesn't register as friendly on the radar screen, One." Thix called Grant by his number designation in the squadron. Thix himself was five, an odd place for the leader, but he had appropriated the number when he had joined the squadron back at Hapes, and hadn't given it up. He didn't like being called "Lead", "Leader" or even "Our Exalted, Talented, Ace-Pilot Commander Thix Barkon".

"As an Ithorian might say, 'The grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but if you touch it, you'll be exiled.'" Grant said.

"How does that apply to our current situation, One?" Thix said, again using Grant's number. Grant didn't like being reverted to a statistic as much as Thix didn't like being called 'Lead'.

"Well, we could be on Corellia enjoying a good Bantha Burger and sipping the planet's best vintage ale while playing Sabacc and watching R-Rated holovids while someone else fights deadly bug creatures." He paused.

"Yes?"

"Or, we could stay where we are and not get court-martialed for desertion and risk execution."

Thix thought about it. "Oh, I get it. Hang in there, I'm going to check up on our entourage." Thix clicked his comm from Grant's frequency to that of one of the transports, and checked in to make sure all was right. He repeated the process with each of the craft in the area, finishing up with Bandork's Revenge. "Okay." He switched his comm to wideband, addressing all ships in the area. "Let's get in and get out in as little time as possible so we can reach our destination in reasonable time . Not to pressure anyone into hurrying." He heard a snort of sarcastic contempt come from a transport. He had guesses as to who among the group would laugh at him for one of his contradictory sentences, but didn't voice them out loud.

"And to quote--" Grant began.

"Grant, you quote too much." Nemesis Seven said. "Learn some new tricks!"

"Hey, you know what they say--" Grant began, but found himself immediately interrupted by a loud chorus of moans and groans as the group headed towards Chalus.

Omega Squadron was the last to leave, acting both as rear guard at Dantooine, and advance scout at Kashyyyk This was because while the rest of the group was taking the usual route via Chalus, Neb was taking Omega straight to Kashyyyk.

"Are you sure this route through hyperspace is safe? I mean, isn't there a reason that the rest of the ships are going to Chalus?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, there is a reason," Jeffy answered. "The reason is that the other ships don't have Captain Calluna to plot their course for them. Yes, this route is unorthodox, and no one in their right mind would follow it, but you just have to trust the Captain."

"Uh, okay, sir." The young man still didn't sound very convinced.

"Look, If you don't make it out alive, you have my permission to kick me where it hurts." Neb could tell that Jeffy was having fun. "That will be all."

"But, sir, if we don't live, then-"

"I said that will be all!"

Neb heard the chuckles from some of the Omega veterans, and switched to the frequency he shared with Jeffy. "Was that really necessary?"

"Not, really, but it sure was fun."

"Jeffy. . . ."

"Look, Neb, once we get out of hyperspace, have a nice long shower, and then get to see the looks on the faces of the pilots who have been in their fighters for a lot longer than we have, he'll be just fine."

"Okay, Jeffy, you've got me convinced. Just don't mention that shower again until we get to Kashyyyk. I don't want to be reminded that I gambled instead of bathing."

"Oh, yeah, how did you do?"

"Well, I don't think Nemesis is going to be buying the drinks at Kashyyyk."

"Way to go, sir."

"Okay, Lerma, BoShek, you two are in charge here. Don't let anything get out of control while I'm away." Tashannoc said as he boarded the Rolling Thunder.

"But where are you going? I thought that you'd retired," Lerma inquired.

"I never said that my retirement was permanent. Besides, I saw that I might be needed soon, so I'm heading to Kashyyyk to meet up with Neb and some others. With the hyperdrive on the Thunder, I should easily get there before they do. After that, I'm not sure, but I do know that is where I need to go."

"Okay. Did you get my report though? On why our codes were found as clearance when Solo was taken?"

"Yes, and while your conclusions were well thought out, I'm afraid they weren't quite right. I know who used our codes, and I'll deal with him in time. I have a feeling that Han will be fine, however."

"Okay, then. Take care, Tasha."

"Always, Lerma, Always."

Bahumut was one of those who sighed over the comm system after hearing the second wave was launching an hour later.

While waiting for that hour (which seemed to go on and on...), he ran through the preflight sequence, and had the ship check over the diagnostics, twice.

Since he was getting bored, he pulled up the list of books stored on his computer he hadn't read yet. Might as well start reading one now, so I might finish it before the second wave arrives at Fury. He punched in the parameters for a random search. Ancient Fantasy, Outlaws, Treasures.

Searching...
One match found.
Name: The Sword of Bedwyr: Part one of the Crimson Shadow Author: Unknown, too ancient Subject: Ancient Fantasy Keywords: Outlaws, thieves, treasure, cape, cyclopians, etc.

He downloaded it onto a datapad and started reading to pass the remaining time...

Sighing, Ibran looked around at the various Jedi on the transport. Most of them either calm and at peace or harboring a nervous excitement such as that before a birthday party. Shaking his head, he took a seat, thinking. He was completely lost in thought when someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Going into Emptiness too, huh?" the fellow asked.

Ibran shook his head. "Just thinking about my brother and sister. They're nowhere near close to being equipped to fight, so they're staying behind. I'm... more than equipped." he replied, looking at his bionic hand and flexing it a bit. "Well, I suppose we'd need someone to stay behind on this trip. Probably not a good idea to put others in danger needlessly."

Ibran nodded. "I know that... all too well." he replied and fell silent. Suddenly, an odd presence stepped into the transport. He looked up, noting a fairly pretty woman entering the transport with a sack similar to his own. "Who's that?" he asked the person sitting next to him.

The man whistled. "That's Alia. Kind of a strange sort, some say." Ibran regarded her. "She's got her own ghosts..." he said with a flex of his bionic hand again. The man seemed not to have heard him. "Yep. She's talked about in a few circles. Some say she's a little nutty. Some don't care." Ibran chuckled. "I care. It's this character defect of mine..."

The man chuckled in return. "You know, you never did tell me your name, stranger." "Oh," the fellow replied. "I'm Abic Alluganda." The man continued to chat away incessantly, with Ibran nodding every once in a while and responding. He was mostly interested in the strange woman, though, and he continued to watch her with his deep emerald eyes lost in thought.

The group of transports and snubfighters finally dropped out of hyperspace. With a few whoops and yells, the squadron oriented itself towards the metal monstrosity near Kashyyyk's spherical visage: the orbital base. Luckily for the tired and bored pilots, the Retaliation had been stationed near the jump point to wait for them. Major Hendrikson had saved the group an extra twenty minutes.

"Nemesis Squadron and Jedi Transports, you have clearance to dock in hangars 2 through 6. We'll take you back from here. Welcome home!" Someone from the Carrier said.

"Thanks, Retaliation. We'll be in soon for a much-needed leg stretching." Thix responded. "And some food, if you've got it. I'm starving."

"We've got something down in the cafeteria that looks like food, but I can't guarantee anything. I've always thought it was saw dust with dye in it, but you can be the judge of that. Come on down."

"Roger-heading in." The squadron landed in hangar two. Usually, they docked with the Lightbringer, but Thix was so desperate to get out of his X-Wing after that ride he would land anywhere. The transports landed in the other hangars. Thix jumped out of his X-Wing and hit the ground hard. He lay there for a second, then got up and stretched his hands behind his head. He sighed and started to walk to the exit door when he heard groaning behind him. He whirled. Nemesis Eight was laying on the ground, crawling towards Thix using his arms, as though his legs were useless.

"H-help m-me....my l-legs....they..d-don't work anymore!" He stuttered as a few other pilots laughed.

"I'm sure an Emdee droid will take a look at those. He...he might have to amputate them." Thix said, attempting to act just as scared as the jokester.

"No! I want to save my poor, poor legs! This can't be how it ends! Nooo!" The pilot shouted. Thix chuckled and left the hangar bay. He needed a shower and something to eat.

He exited the cafeteria an hour later feeling cleaner, but still hungry. The ensign hadn't lied. The food on THIS carrier tasted like sawdust. Thix hadn't eaten much. He was about to return to the hangar area to see how everyone else was doing when he heard his name called. Turning, he saw the sliding door to the cafeteria open again and Becky jogged out.

"Hi, I thought you were on Kashyyyk doing paperwork.." Thix said.

"I shuttled up to see you guys! It's so BORING here!" She hugged him.

"Wel, it's good to have twelve in a squadron again. We were taking bets on how you got here. Lemme guess, they...put your fighter in the hold and you got to ride here in a yacht?"

"Yep. Well, a freighter anyway. I know what you're going to say next: 'Argh! We had to ride here in snubfighters for eleven hours and you got to WHAT? But that's okay, that's what I bet on.' Right?"

"Yeah, actually. You're sure you're not Force-sensitive?" Thix asked.

"Positive. Did you just get something to eat?" She gestured to the cafeteria doors again.

"Sort of. If you can call that synthetic junk slop in there food, you know. They really need to get some real food out here. On Dantooine, there were dewback steaks, those little mushroom things, lum, Tatooine Sunburns..."

"Well, we're not busy now - why don't we try eating the OFFICER's food instead of the junk you're talking about?" She said, grinning.

"There's... officer's food here? Oh! D'oh! That's why everything tasted so bad! Yes, I'll take that offer! My lady?" He offered his arm to her as they reentered the cafeteria.

"Yan, my monitors have picked up a drop in our numbers on Fury. It can only be Rebel interference. Really... they have better things to be doing than bothering an old man like myself. Could you kindly escort a frigate out there and keep anyone who tries to escape pinned down firmly? I want them to pay for attacking us, and I want my creatures to collect that debt."

"Yes, sir." Yan turned from his console. "Blood Axe Squadron, suit up. We're escorting frigate Riveted to our vacation hotspot in the Furies to blast a few Rebels into oblivion. Or...keep them from backing off. But feel free to shoot them anyway if they lift."

Alia had dozed off as soon as the transport had left the ground and now it felt like every muscle in her body was in a collective knot. She desperately hoped that that rather large woman beside her wasn't the overly friendly type..

"HI!!!"

Oh great. "Hello," Alia replied quietly and returned her gaze to the window.

"Aren't you that girl what hangs around with Tynidian Chartise?"

Not another one of Tyne's followers! "He's my training partner, that's all."

"I'll bet you two train a lot together huh?" she asked with a brazen wink.

Alia groaned inwardly. May as well tell it like it is. "No, he has an ego the size of a Coruscant skyscraper and I really have no intention of carrying our relationship any farther than friendship."

"Oh, I see."

As her seatmate digested that information, Alia returned her gaze to the window. There was that rather attractive fellow seated in front of her, but it was not in her nature to gawk at the back of any man's head. Why?
'Would you gawk at his profile?' Alia smiled at her wondering thoughts. At least he wasn't wrapped in his own ego like some trainees she knew.

"You're Alia, right?"

"Yes."

"Oh, just wondering." Like that makes anything I say acceptable, she thought. Oh well, life went on. She wouldn't think about stretching nearly as much as if she went back to sleep.

"You do matter," Ibran said to Alia, suddenly waving the obviously nervous chatterbox beside him silent. "Take it from someone who knows."

Alia resisted the urge to stretch and stared at him momentarily. "What did you say?" "You do matter." Ibran smiled. "It's something of a gift I've picked up. Sometimes... I just know what someone's thinking. Even without the Force to help me..." Ibran trailed off, his eyes going distant. He unconsciously flexed his left hand.

The movement attracted Alia's eyes. "It's bionic..." she murmured, feeling the lack of Force that would have emanated from a living thing. "So's the arm..." she added after a moment. Ibran nodded. "Yes... it is." he said quietly, and in his voice was the quiet dignity of a man who has accepted his fate, as well as the sadness of thousands. He drew his ruby red cloak around him for a moment, as if chilled.

Alia shifted uneasily for a moment, then shifted the subject, too. "Who are you, anyway?" Alia asked. "My name's Ibran. Ibran Crissean. You're Alia..." he gestured, obviously intending for her to fill in the blank. Alia's pretty face darkened slightly. "Alia Trynyty." Ibran smiled. "A real pleasure to meet you, Alia. Nice name, by the way. Very pretty."

Alia looked slightly surprised at this reaction, like it was unexpected. "You... you've never heard of... of..."
Ibran shook his head, smiling.
"Probably not, judging by your reaction, and I could probably care less anyway. You seem like a good person to know to me." Alia was definitely surprised. Slightly pleased, but surprised all the same.

"Anyway..." he started, then brushed some of his long loose black hair out of his eyes and straightened his black shirt. "If you don't mind my asking, who are you? I mean, I know your name, but that's it. Tell me about yourself. I like meeting people who matter, after all. And... tell me what you think of the assault against the Gray Death. Think we'll come out of it okay?"

"That," Aria said as she pushed out of the cafeteria, "does not qualify for edible, never mind food stuffs."

"What exactly was that brown and purple stuff they were serving? I think mine moved." Jacen added.

"It was not that bad," Tenel Ka added. "We could have had worse."

"Yeah, you are right, they could have made us eat seconds." Aria made a face.

Jaina and Zekk had tuned the group out and were having their own private conversation.

"Too bad Anakin couldn't come, maybe he could have 'fixed' that food processor. It had to be broken to make that stuff." He spotted something moving down the hall a bit and sped up to get a closer look. "Cool! They have darmice here!"

"Dar- what?" Aria asked.

"Most likely Jacen is referring to a new pet. That is if he catches it." Jaina said. Her and Zekk finally caught up with the rest of the group. A few Nemesis pilots passed by looking worn and still hungry.

Aria was deep in thought as she asked, "Tenel Ka, how long does it take to make eita stew?"

"If I had the ingredients, not long."

"I think everyone could do with a good meal after being cooped up for over 11 hours on a hyper trip and not really eating before we left."

"I don't have the supplies on Bandork's Revenge. But-" Aria dropped off.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Jaina said, looking worried.

"Well, if we are really hungry, I think we can make the stew in the staff kitchen."

"Kitchen, that is the key word. We aren't allowed in the kitchen."

Zekk pointed out. He really had to work hard to get used to Aria. She could draw more trouble to herself than a fully wired ship could draw mynocks.

"We don't have to ask permission if we do it really quietly." Her eyes twinkled, she had not done anything outrageous in so long, it felt good to have a plan. Before anyone could protest, Aria headed back towards the cafeteria.

"Now why do I feel like this is going to cause so much trouble?" Jaina grumbled, turning to follow Aria.

"Because," Zekk whispered in her ear, "it is going to cause a lot of trouble. But we have four hours to the meeting to get in a heck of a lot more trouble so give Aria time."

"Jacen my friend, we are going back to the cafeteria." Tenel Ka yelled.

He headed back her way and as soon as he got within earshot he asked, "What did I do to deserve this?"

"I will explain later, come."

A few minutes later, in the ship's galley...

Most of the kitchen staff were gone when Aria busted the seal on the kitchen door. The stragglers were cleaning up the main dining area so they had no fear of being disturbed. It only took an hour and a half for the group to make enough stew for a large crowd and tap into the communications system. With pizzazz, Aria cranked up the com unit in the kitchen for her announcement.

"May I have your attention," her voiced boomed over the comm.

"Aria! No...what are you doing?" Tenel Ka tried to grab the com from her. She thought they were going to serve this to a small group, some time during the cooking a mutiny must have taken place. "Jedi do not behave like this."

"Hungry ones can," Jacen grinned. He was enjoying this too much.

Once again he moved to block Tenel Ka from getting to Aria. Zekk was accomplishing a similar feat with Jaina.

"As I was saying, did you feel your last meal in the Retaliation's cafeteria left you undernourished and starved? Are you with the arrivals from Dantooine that has traveled a grueling 11 hours to be fed bantha poodoo? Did your invitation to eat at the Officers club get lost in the mail web? Well, we have some fresh eita stew for the first to arrive. And in case you haven't figured out where we are, follow your nose the to cafeteria!" She shut off the com with delight and turned back towards the group. "Well, what are you waiting for? We are going to have two squads of X-wing pilots and a full staff from Lightbringer on the way. Let's get serving." With that she grabbed the pile of bowls and started ladling the stew in.

"We are going to look for some biscuits, right Zekk." He knew he was in for trouble.

"Here Jacen, I believe you need to go set out some utensils." Tenel Ka plopped a armful of disposable spoons in his arms.

As soon as Jacen was out of ear shot, Tenel Ka lit into her. "Aria, we could be put off the space station for this. Why would you announce this over the comm system? Do you not realize how serious this could get?"

Aria thoughtfully pulled the spoon out of her mouth, taking care to lick all the eita off. She began defensively. "Well, this wouldn't have happened if everyone would just hurry up and attack the Gray Death. No, instead we wait four hours to blast off Dantooine, spend 12 hours in transition to Kashyyyk, not even the central location for these bugs and when we get here, we have to wait six hours more to go to yet another blasted meeting. This place needs a little shaking up."

"Oh, so since the Alliance failed to keep you occupied, you're going to get us shipped back to Dantooine, by the way that is another 12 hour trip, with nothing to show for coming out here beside an empty bowl of eita stew!"

"Everyone was hungry," she offered lamely. "They are not going to send us back for feeding them."

"Why not? It sounds like a real good idea." Someone else added.

"Uh oh!" Aria mumbled as she turned around to look at Major Hendrikson. She tried to straighten up and look respectable, kinda difficult with food splats all over her clothes. "Sir, I'm not especially fond of that idea, sir."

"Oh, you're not. I'll keep that in mind when I make the next recommendation to Master Skywalker."

"Um, I-I- I am sure you can make other recommendations without having to include Master Skywalker."

"Yes, I can, but he has come up with several suggestions already."

"You talked to Master Skywalker?!?! I'm dead! Oh no! He might call Augywnne." Aria's brave facade withered away, and for the first time she was truly worried. She forgot the Major was even there for a moment.

"As I was saying," he raised his voice to be heard. "He gave me several suggestions, all of which I am going to implement. First, all involved will clean the kitchen and cafeteria area thoroughly and before the meeting in 30 minutes. Second, all involved will make a formal apology at the beginning of the meeting, keeping it brief yet sincere. I trust Master Skywalker will be able to discern your sincerity. I am also told that other duties are going to be introduced when you arrive, ho pefully alive, back on Dantooine. And as for the communications expert, you will spend an additional week here in the kitchens cooking and cleaning to my satisfaction." The major looked at each individual Jedi student, then continued. "Now, I have more important things to attend to and it seems your group has a lot of cleaning to do. I want you at the meeting early to speak your formal apologies." He turned and pushed past a wide-eyed, gaping mouth Jacen.

As soon as the Major was out of ear distance, Jacen said, "Boy, are we gonna get it when we get back to Dantooine."

Grimly, Tenel Ka responded, "This is a fact."

Norma bandaged the arm of the com officer. The unit had made it to the main power station with numerous encounters with the bugs. Fortunately, the team received only minor injuries. the latest left the com officer's arm gashed since he dodged just a bit too slow.

"There you go, good as new minus a full bacta treatment."

"Thanks, squirt. Now, let me see about these lights."

Norma sighed. "You know how much I hate it when you call me that."

"Exactly!" Came the response of the rest of the Zuu Shi.

A few moments later the main lights came on, and the room came into full view. "Good," the Major said. "Now it'll be easier to see those..." Her sentence was cut off from her dropping to the ground. Two bugs were waiting in the far corner of the room for someone to come close. Now that the lights were on and their cover was gone, they attacked in full force.

The infantryman disappeared and reappeared behind one of the bugs. He thrust his vibroblade deep into the creatures back and teleported back out just missing it's tail. The other infantryman aimed his blaster rifle at the hole in the bug's back. He fired, deepening the hole and ripping internal organs. The thing staggered once and fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, the Major had regained her composure but lost her temper. She grabbed the other bug by the tail as it was going for Norma. Bjiatocah whirled it around and hurled it up into the ceiling. It landed with a thud, and before it could figure out what happened it found a Wookiee foot standing on it's tail. Bjiatocah grabbed the beast's two hind legs and split it like a wishbone. She then encased it's neck within her massive paws and snapped it like a rotting twig.

"I'm glad she's on our side," the demolition expert chimed in.

The Major whurfled. "Likewise," she retorted. "Ok, everyone all right?"

"Yeah, these things aren't too bad once you find, or make, a hole in their skin."

"We've found a way to beat them, but don't relax yet. Their armor is only one of their strengths. Ok, let's move out!"

Not long after the last group from the Academy arrived, they were all called into a meeting to be briefed on what was going on. Unfortunately, whoever had called the meeting was late, and the room had erupted into a chaos of fearful speculation. Nobody was sure exactly who was in charge, or what was going to happen, or even what they were up against.

"So," Jeffy leaned over and whispered in Neb's ear, "How long to you think this is going to last?"

"I'd say no longer than another two or three minutes," came the reply, accompanied by a knowing grin.

A few heard a slight growl coming from the entrance, but ignored it since it barely registered over the din. No one, however ignored the loud Wookiee bellow that followed, and those who could understand Wookiee translated as "SHUT UP!"

The room silenced instantly, and General Tashannoc strode to the front of the room, strapping his translation device over his mouth as he did so.

"All right, boys and girls, I've been asked to chaperone this little field trip. It's my job to make sure you all make it back alive, and the last thing I want is to come back with that job incomplete. So, here is how it's going to work. The Jedi will be split into three teams, with a balance of combat adepts, healers, and others in each team. Those teams will be supplemented by Rebel Infantry and Special Forces. We'll go into the system in an MC-80 and a Corvette, just in case we need to bomb the facility out of existance. Omega and Nemesis squadron will fly cover for the capital ships and the bombers if it comes to it. Hopefully they will have a boring little trip, unlike the rest of us. I'll need two volunteers to lead two of the excursion teams into the domes, preferrably someone with some combat experience under severe conditions. This will not be easy, and will tax the best of us, and no one will be thought less of for not volunteering. You should all get to your transports, since they will be leaving for the Cruiser Defiant in thirty minutes. Good luck, and May the Force be With You."

Tashannoc strode out of the room, leaving the assembled students and pilots dumbstruck, until Thix broke the spell, standing up and yelling, "You heard the General. Move it people!" The room broke up as people rushed to get their belongings and get to their transports.

Neb looked at Jeffy. "Two minutes, fourty two seconds. Let's get to the fighters."

"I like it," Sammy remarked as General Tashannoc walked off the stage. "Short, sweet, and to the point." Sammy made his way to the hangar, already knowing what he must do. He saw Neb walking toward his O-wing.

"Hey Neb!"

"Well well, Sammy Gavin. How are you?"

"Itchin for some action, though I'm not sure this is what I had in mind."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. You here to take me up on the offer?"

Sammy looked puzzled but then remembered. "Oh, yeah I'll be flying with you, at least for a while. Like it or not, I think I'll be more useful on the ground instead of flying cover."

Neb caught the stab at Omega squad's easy assignment. "Hey, we just fly where we're told."

Sammy laughed. "Yeah, who knows what the future holds, anyway? Well, I guess you do."

Neb chuckled. "What is it Skywalker always says? 'Always in motion is the future' or something like that."

Sammy shrugged. "Anyway, we better get to our ships. See ya in the space lanes!"

"Take care, Sammy!"

What a remarkable person. Ibran thought as he slipped towards the same hallway General Tashannoc had exited through, still mulling over the conversation he and Alia had had on the way here. He would have liked to continue it. It was in everyone's best interests, though, if he went into Emptiness for most of the remainder of the trip. 'I think I'm beginning to really like Alia. Hmm... well, perhaps I can meet her again later. She's got nice eyes...' Ibran shook his head. 'Now there was a silly thought if there was one. There were more important things to be thinking about. Still... I've got to make sure she gets through this fight okay. Yes... she gets a top priority...'

He rounded a corner and saw General Tashannoc, already with a few other volunteers nearby. He smiled at them. About 4 of the 5 there were like children asking for pieces of candy, thinking on the surface that they could handle it, and that they were ready, but unsure of themselves underneath. The one there that seemed serious enough to possibly handle it was the one Tashannoc was earnestly talking to. Ibran stepped up quietly behind the others, waiting for the General to notice him.

[Quiet down!] Tashannoc's voice echoed slightly. Ibran smiled inwardly, although outside he kept his face calm. He knew full well the possibility of serious injury. Yes, he thought with a quick flex of his left hand. I know that all too well.

He noticed the General looking over the remaining prospects. Ibran stood seriously, awaiting any notice the General might give him. He was not entirely surprised when the General turned his hairy face to look his way and gazed almost thoughtfully at him. [You there. Who are you?] he said, motioning a large hairy paw towards Ibran. The other students there parted slightly, like grass in a strong breeze. He began somewhat softly, but seriously and without hesitation. "My name, General Tashannoc, is Ibran Crissean. I have come to offer my assistance in leading a unit of Jedi against the Gray Death. While my knowledge of tactics is limited, we're not fighting sentient beings, so their own knowledge of tactics will be limited as well. I have, though, a natural instinct for command, and I believe that, given the opportunity, I will make a good leader. Despite the fact that I do not want to lead , I recognize that not everyone will be suited to lead which is why I offer my assistance now. Moreover, I would be not only honored, but also compelled to do my best should I be given such a position. I know full well that fights are not something to be taken lightly, and I also know the severity of injuries that can be received." This last was spoken with a quiet dignity, and when he finished, he stood sharply, although not militarily, and nodded to the General in respect, awaiting his reply. < p>

< p>

< p>Neb was just about to leap into his O-Wing when he caught sight of a familiar form husling toward one of the Jedi transports. He dashed around a parked A-Wing, and yelled, "Hey, Alia!"

Alia stopped and turned at the sound of her name. "Neb?" she asked, "Is that you?"

"Do you know any other Twi'lek pilots?" The two of them hugged briefly in greeting. "So, how have you been?" Neb inquired.

"FALL BACK!!" Bjiatocah yelled. She quickly loaded another round into her Bowcaster and fired at another bug. It crumpled as the quarrel from the bowcaster exploded, shattering much of its hard exoskeleton to bits, but two more moved in quickly to take its place. One of her infantrymen had teleported to the door with Norma, ready to close it once they got there.

The bugs had been especially unhappy at having the lights turned on, and had attacked the power station with full force. She heard a scream as they neared the door, and the other infantryman fell, only to be grabbed by the comm officer and teleported to safety. The demolitions expert slammed a new cartridge into his grenade launcher, and unleashed a barrage of grenades, sweeping the bug's front lines, and giving them all time to get behind the door and seal it.

As they heard the banging and scratching on the door, Bjiatocah looked over to where Norma was working, sticking her infantryman's guts back in through a laceration in his abdomen. "How is he?"

"Bad. If I can get him back to the ship, I should be able to get him stabalized, but without a bacta tank in the next twenty four hours, he's toast."

"SIR!" the comm officer exclaimed, "I've got a group of non bug life forms, not far down this way!" He pointed down a corridor.

"All right, Norma. You take the injured and teleport back to the shuttle. Do what you can for him. The rest of us will get those miners. Let's go."

"All right, Ibran, you've got the job. Now get to your transport, we need to get going. With any luck, we'll be done with the Furies outpost in time to help out in the strike against the manufacturing facility." Tashannoc paused a moment, then added, "Oh, and if there's anyone you'd like to have in your team, send them to my ship while we're in transit. I'll see what I can do. I'd hate to inadvertently break up teams that are used to working together."

Ibran sighed and nodded to General Tashannoc. "Yes, sir." He nodded again and walked quietly towards the transports. Great. I don't want to lead, but since I am, I've got to make the best of it. Ibran was completely lost in thought as he headed for the transport, feeling much more serious than he had been in a while. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice all the people rushing by him as he walked slowly towards his transport. Upon arrival, he noticed that everyone had gotten there before him and sighed inwardly. Wonderful. Now, it's time to gather a few followers. Ibran slipped over to the comm system and pressed the button that would allow him to speak with the entire passenger compartment. Here goes nothing. he thought.

"Excuse me... could I have your attention, please?" he began in the same tone he had addressed the General with. He waited until the talking had quieted down and the people were looking at him curiously. "As you all know, we're about to go into battle against the Gray Death. And, as you all know, General Tashannoc just told you basically what kind of groups we're going to be in. Well..." here he paused for a moment. "What you probably don't know is that I was stupid enough to volunteer for leading one of the Jedi assault units into battle."
"I say stupid enough because no one in his or her right mind would want the job of leading others into battle. The old saying still applies, though. 'Someone's got to do it.' And I'm sure that if you all search your hearts, you'll know that a good many of you just aren't suited for... this." he gestured in the general direction of Fury.

"Now... while I know a good many of you probably could care less about me, I care about you. Don't ask why, it's just something I do. And because I care, I'm going to do my absolute best to make sure that anyone who's working with me comes back alive." Ibran stopped and sighed. "Basically, I'm asking you for volunteers. I need people to work with, if I'm going to be a leader, and I need them to want to work with me. Come talk to me about halfway through the trip if you want to follow me into battle. I'll be in Emptiness until then. Right now though, you all need to decide if you want me to lead you. Some of you won't be coming back and some will. You need to figure out for yourselves if you feel I'm capable of bringing you back."

With that, Ibran nodded and flipped off the comm unit. He bowed low to the people on the transport and strode to his seat, looking at the various people there. He looked into the eyes of many of them, trying to determine what kind of impact his words had made. So far, everyone's faces were blank. He sighed and sat down in his seat again, noting that Abic was no longer there. He'd moved off somewhere else, apparently. That was fine, because Ibran needed to concentrate on his Emptiness for now. 'If I could just get one volunteer... that would make all the difference,' he thought, slipping into an Emptiness trance.

What he didn't realize was that he was unconciously projecting his thoughts to the Jedi around him as he gave himself to the Force.

MOVE ON TO PART III
RETURN TO THE ARCHIVES

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