How many countless people were dying. The stars shimmered brightly, but not near so bright as the fireballs that unfurled in the sky. Echuu glanced out the viewport, the entire spacial sky filled with the inferno of explosions. Several smaller attack fighters had broken through the enemy lines, but they found themselves pinned against Sith attack ships that were drowning them. Each vessel was slowly being gunned down. Even now he could make the monolithic super vessel that was Darth Vorhns, creeping slowly into attack position above the Republic cruiser. "We're losing our window of opportunity Admiral, we must strike soon," his words were echoed by the other three Jedi on the bridge with him; yet the Admiral paused. He had been doing so since the start of the battle. First the Mandalorians had begun their assault, then the Sith had simply emerged from nowhere. Stuck between the two battles, the Republic had focused most of it's efforts on defeating the Mandalorian threat before turning to the Sith. However, the brief stalemate between the Sith and the Republic was rapidly drawing to a close, and it was becoming evident that the Republic was winning the battle. The brief nuisance of the Mandalorian thread had died away when the Jedi had joined the battle.
"You're move," the Admiral stated, "communications, get me the front line vessels and tell them to form up. Prepare to attack the flagship as she maneuvers into position for her own salvo. Alright Jedi, I've opened enough as big a hole as I can, get on board that vessel and do it quick; it won't take long for that gap to close, and then we'll be blowing a new hole in Vorhns ship." Echuu didn't have to be told twice; he was already running with Skye by the time the Admiral had finished his statement....
... The fighters were trapped between two cruisers; one Republic, one Sith. Turbolaser fire from both of the vessels lanced out in front of him, but he kept his fingers tight to the throttle of his fighter, letting the force guide him. It ebbed through him, leeching out across the vastness of space; distorting it to his whim. His reflexes seemed fast, almost too fast for a droid to compute--it was this that saved his life.
One stray shot glanced his wing, and suddenly the Jedi Starfighter was careening for the flagships docking bay, sailing right into the floor even as the pilot bailed out. He rocketed through the air, lightsaber ignited and slashing downward at a Sith trooper. The man lost his balance--and his head.
Straightening, Echuu let the warm purple hue of the saber cross his face. Averre's fighter was coming at a straight angle for the hangar bay, but a sudden dark presence filled his mind. Echuu let his eyes wander, catching the dark robed figure straight ahead of him. Crimson and violet collided, sparks sailing through the air. Echuu danced with the Sithlord, always one step too fast for the other mans lightsaber to kill him.
Skye was in the hangar already, as were two other Jedi. The four of them together were stronger than this one Sith--he surrendered. Yet something was wrong; so horribly wrong...
Echuu woke with a start, the streaming blue of hyperspace lighting the entire cabin. Inhaling deeply, he massaged the front of his skull to elevate the pressure, then rose from his seat to get some more caf for himself. Though as he entered the living quarters of the ship, the Ex-Jedi decides against caf, and made the more stronger beverage stimcaf.
His mind was careening with thoughts. What did he do now? Did he face the judgment of the Jedi Council? Could they even understand why he had fallen? Did he belong to this new Jedi Order? Echuu shook his head, sighing in dismay as he grabbed the steaming beverage and moved over to the navigation charts. Since waking up at the bottom of the mountain, Shinzon hadn't bothered to check on Kerai or Kalak; he had simply left. It was the forces will what happened to her, but he couldn't shake this feeling that it was also his fault.
My fault for remaining. I should have died on Sullust, he thought bitterly taking a sip of his drink. The navigation charts brought up a sector of space that he was familiar with, but couldn't quite place why. Why is Aduba important? He asked himself, pondering the question longer before he shook his head. It was of no importance; least of all to him. The charts held other information vital to him, particularly about a hyperspace route towards an more isolated quadrant of space. He keyed in the coordinates, bringing up a closer chart of the Braxant Sector, before shaking his head. Bastion was listed as a dangerous route, probably by whomever had owned the vessel. He zoomed out and focused on another quadrant. The ship began calculating the vector and dropped from hyperspace.
... Then jumped for Borosk.
Added (16 Feb 2009, 2:17 Pm)
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EXITING HYPERSPACE
BOROSK SYSTEM, BOROSK
The planet slowly revolved around a orange sun, turning in it's eliptical orbit. Echuu moved his hand, zooming-out from the depth he had been at to glance at the entire Borosk system instead of simply the one planet; devoid. Borosk had been a fortified planet; a means of securing Imperial Space. It had an impressive display of protection around it; which became all-too obvious when the Corellian transport ship eased from hyperspace. In the current high tension between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant, there was no telling what would happen when he left hyperspace.
Then again, this was Borosk, a fortress that couldn't be breached. Echuu checked his transponder; ensuring that it was reading out the false transponder that had been associated with the ship on it's previous trip to Borosk. He smiled to himself, carefully entering in several vector coordinates before the comm was suddenly filled with a very authoritative voice.
~ This is Naga-Landing, please transmit your declaration papers Mr. Al'Cair and move to quadrant four. An inspection vehicle will be along shortly before you will be allowed to make transit to the planets surface. ~
"Naga-Landing?" Echuu chuckled, keying in the new vector. The ship slowly rotated towards the right; then, using only thrusters, maneuvered into position.
***
"Mr. Al'Cair, you were trying to say that you have no illegal goods in the hold?" The officer was reviewing someone on his flimsi, and Echuu glanced carefully down the corridor as another panel was ripped up by Stormtroopers.
"Yes, that's precisely what I was attempting to say Lieutenant," Echuu replied smoothly. He made a note to yell at Kalak later for giving him a ship that had previously belonged to a smuggler.
"How did you come by this vessel Mr. Al'Cair?"
"I won it in a game of Sabacc." He glanced over at the Stormtroopers again, this time they had succeeded in damaging a panel. Feigning anger he raised his hand, shaking his fist, "try not to destroy my ship!"
"We apologize for that Mr. Al'Cair, now where were you playing Sabacc?"
"Nar Shadaa, Broilies." His memory was foggy, did Broilies exist after over one hundred thousand years of business? Even Echuu didn't know, but he did make a note to check out Broilies the next time he was in the Hutt district.
"Never heard of it."
"You mean to tell me you know every casino on Nar Shadaa? That's impressive," Echuu smiled, and the officer shrugged.
"Alright, well we are almost done here than you have clearance to the planet surface. By the way Mr. Al'Cair, there is already a large portion of Zhyrians here claiming refuge, what happened?"
"There has been some fighting on my homeworld. Most of us don't want to stay."
"Ah, well, your papers are in order but you know how it is. We have to be carefully these days with the Republic dogs everywhere."
"Of course, but -- could you please no destroy my ship too much."
"We're the Empire sir, we're here to serve," the officer smiled and walked off to monitor the search.
