Bakura

[Lucas Pallanén-Davad]

Lucas couldn't help but flash Sara a smile, maybe she wasn't the witch he painted her out to be. Her Force training was relatively incomplete, and her judgement less likely to be as conservative as Master Durron. Lucas opened his mouth, but froze as the clouds around them turned red. It was in a slow crawl did they turn into turboblasts, a building a few clicks south exploded, and the ground shook violently. Another impacted a space port nearby, followed by three more shots. It was completely vaporized. Screams were suddenly muted as a blast impacted the building next to the hospital. Shards of glass and heaps of metal flew at incredible speeds, and only by the sheer will of the Force, had the group managed to survive. "Into the hospital!" Lucas called to Sara, looking for Alisson. He could sense her close, but couldn't see her standing.

"Alisson?" Sara tried to shout, even as buildings crumbled and fell around them.

"Observation: I believe she is under that chunk of space port." H6 rang in.

His heart raced as he approached, dropping to his knees. A muffled voice shouted, "Lucas, go. Hide. Get out of this!" His sides rolled, he wasn't going to leave her behind. Using the Force he tried to move the block, but he was too emotionally compromised and failed. Sara put a hand on his shoulder, "Let me help," she said. Together they moved it, and Alisson was surprisingly intact, none of her droid parts had been revealed, but her hand had been slightly crushed.

"Oh my-" Sara started, but Lucas helped her up and said, "She'll be fine. Let's move."

The hospital was oddly... vacant. Only the droids remained. "What the hell happened, where is everyone?!"

"Sir, all patients and staff have evacuated to the bunker. The next window is in three minutes and six seconds." The droid was shuffling through a variety of programs it looked like, and Lucas overlooked each and every one to try to get a feel of the situation.

"Sara, I think they are all right. I think they are actually a lot safer than we are right about now. But I can't go down there." Sara looked at him incredulously, "Han and Leia Solo are on the surface. If I don't help them, I could never forgive myself. It's my mandate as a Jedi to protect Republic citizens, but as Anakin's apprentice, I just have to. I won't blame you, if you choose to go down to the bunker..."

The Invasion of Bakura

[Sara Soto]

Sara heard what Lucas was saying, dimly over the turbolaser fire from orbit. She was still in shock that her second-half of her vision had come true. She should have said something to Lucas, but it was too late now. Part of the shock was to see Alisson in no pain, after having her hand completely crushed. She didn’t know how she could handle that.
“I won't blame you, if you choose to go down to the bunker..." Lucas said somewhat grimly.

Sara snapped her head back to Lucas. “Are you frakking kidding?” Sara said, using the Force to grasp her lightsaber, surprisingly it actually landed in her hand this time. That only happened once in four times. Maybe she was getting better after all. “Lead the way.”

Sara turned to H6, “Six.” she nicknamed, “Get Alisson inside the bunker.”

She turned back to Lucas, “Let’s go.”

Sara Soto

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Jedi Initiate Sara Soto

[Morgan ZIM]

(Continued from Here.)

”Eh?” Morgan said as he slowly opened his eye to see Norrteth standing over him.

“Get up. We’re almost at Bakura.” The Gand said, then headed off for the cockpit.
”Already?” Asked the cyborg, slowly rolling out of his bed and landing with a crash on the floor.
”Smooth, man.”
”Bah…”

“Yes, already.” Norrteth said from somewhere closer to the front of the ship. “This one doesn’t want you sleeping through the landing.”
”I’m a comin’. Don’t worry about it.”

Morgan, his new leg working about as well as expected, managed to walk himself to the cockpit and take a seat just as the Shape pulled out of hyperspace.

”Just out of curiosity, I don’t get why you need me up here for this. I don’t exactly contribute much to this whole ‘land on the planet’ thing.”
“This one isn’t exactly friendly to the idea of you taking a nap while this one is busy working if you’re up to it. And you never know when something might pop up.”

”He does have a point there. It would be awfully embarrassing if we all died because you were sleeping.”
”I’m sure I’d wake up if something like that were taking place.”

For most of the rest of the way towards orbiting elevation, the conversation was quiet as Morgan let the ambient sounds of the cockpit flow around him and he closed his eye. He wasn’t entirely awake yet, and so it seemed as long as he wasn’t needed, he would make an effort to be fully charged when he was.

Which was just what happened.

EEP! EEP! EEP! EEP!

”That’s bad. That sounds really bad.” Morgan said as he sat up. The sound of the ships warning light was more than enough to fully wake him up.
”Yeah, no Sith.”

“There’s a new signal on the sensor…” Norrteth said. “A lot of them. They appear to be hostile.”

Morgan got the impression that if the Gand breathed at all, he’d be breathless right about now. Looking out the ships viewport, he could see why. It was an entire fleet worth of ships, none of them very recognizable, but sporting a familiar Imperial tone to it. If Morgan had to guess, it was probably Zend’s forces.

“That’s an invasion fleet.” Norrteth said.

“And we’re right on the wrong end of it.” Morgan added.

It didn’t take long for the ships to begin opening fire on what constitute the Bakuran defenses.

”We gotta get out of here.” Morgan said. ”We’re going to get fried in the crossfire.”
“No arguments there.” Norrteth said, and started to pull the ship around.

”What, you don’t think we could help take ‘em?”
”Oh, shut up, ZIM.

The ship attempted to make its way out to where they could make a safe hyperspace jump, but it was easier said than done. The crew of the Shape weren’t the only ones who had considered the likely outcome of hanging around. While Bakura wasn’t exactly a hot spot of the galaxy, there was still enough traffic in orbit around the planet for it to make the place a navigational hazard.

”Bloody %*))!” Morgan exclaimed as Norrteth to the ship into a spin to get around an older model Action-class Transport.

“Please keep quite.” Norrteth said in about the most polite way possible he could be expected to under the circumstances.

”We have incoming.”

Looking at the sensors and then out the viewport again, he saw what the droid was talking about. The invaders weren’t content to take out the defending fleet – they didn’t want anyone getting away.

”Turret.” He thought as he looked to Norrteth, and he could tell that both of them were thinking the same thing. Practically leaping from his seat, he moved as quickly as he could towards the gunwell. Before he could get there, however, he was knocked off his feet at the Shape was hit hard.

”What the frak was that?!”
”I’m not sure I want to know.” Morgan replied as he pulled himself to his feet. It got worse when he heard another alarm go off. ”I’m not sure I want to know what that is, either.”

“Morgan, the Shape has nearly lost her shields!”

”Of course it has.”
”What kind of weapon they shooting at us? Lucky turbolaser shot?”

”Fly carefully, then!” Morgan shouted back.
“Worse. Norteth is turning around.”

”Did he say what I think he said?”

Morgan rushed back to the cockpit.

”Say what now?”

“There is no way this ship is getting through that right now. There are ships getting torn apart all around us. The safest thing to do right now is head for the planets surface.”
”So we’re going to get trapped on the planet that’s getting shot at?”
“This one doesn’t like it either, but unless you have a better idea…”
”Yeah, try not getting hit!”

”I think we tried that one already. Doesn’t seem to have worked.”

“If you’d rather take your chances out in space, feel free. Otherwise, let Norrteth fly!”

The ship took a hard U-Turn as a group of TIE fighters flew right at them. A shot from the Shape’s ion cannons sent one flying off into a random direction while they others broke formation. Their new positioning sent them right back at the Action Transport they had flown around on their aborted attempt to get out of the system, but it showed heavy signs of damage. As they passed near it, it began to explode, forcing Norrteth to fly around the shrapnel and debris that it was spewing.

Their decision to go against the crowd didn’t make the situation any more appealing outside. It was pure chaos, and Morgan grit his teeth as the ship flew around and began to make its way into the atmosphere.

“This one is picking up four fighters in pursuit.” Norrteth announced.
”Turret, right.”

Again, however, he failed to make it there. Fortunately, this time he was at least able to stay on his feet.

”Clearly, something doesn’t want us to shoot back.”

“Morgan, hold it! The ship just lost shields and the turret.”
”What?”
“The turret is gone!”

Needing to see it for himself, Morgan rushed to the gunwell, but his attempts to open the door were fruitless – it was a sign of an atmosphere difference. A pretty good sign that the turret was, yes, gone.

”So now what?”

”We’re not going to be able to land this thing!” Morgan exclaimed out loud as he realized the problem with their situation. With the four fighters in pursuit, it would be near impossible to land safely. Even if they could, the fighters would know where they were, and could easily shoot them to pieces on the ground.

”We have to come up with something.” He said as he returned yet again to the cockpit.
“Norrteth is working on it. However, he’s also currently a little busy.”

”Well that’s a real sithstorm, isn’t it?”

As the ship began to lower itself through the atmosphere as it tried to avoid getting shot down, Morgan could see the damage that was already being done to the capital city below.

”So, any other ideas as to how we can shoot back at them?”

”Actually…yes.” Morgan said as he was hit with a bout of inspiration. He wasn’t sure where it came from, and it probably wasn’t very bright, but it was an idea. It was probably the best they had right now.

Rushing from the cockpit, he got his armor on in record time and loaded up his equipment, including his grenade launcher and some extra explosive devices. It was quite a feat, especially considering he had to deal with Norrteth’s piloting. Helmet still off, he made his way back to the cockpit.

”ZIM, I’m going to need some real fancy real quick modifications to the tractor beam. Just in case.”

Entering the cockpit, he proceeded to pull the normal controls for the system off the control panel, which quickly caught Norrteth’s attention.

“What the frak are you doing?”
”Trying to save our lives.” He said bluntly. Fortunately, what he needed wasn’t all that difficult with ZIMs prior knowledge of the Shapes systems.

“And how do you plan to do that?” Norrteth asked, trying his darndest to keep his attention on his flying.

“I’d say trust me on this.” Morgan said. ”Except that all things considered, this is probably one of the dumber ideas I’ve ever had in my life.”

Heading to the turret, he put on his helmet, activated his magnetic foot grips, and forced the door open.

”You do realize we haven’t yet had an opportunity to properly test the new leg, right?”
”Seems now is as good a time as ever.”

Initially, the difference in the atmosphere caused a wooshing that made it difficult for Morgan to move, but soon enough he was able to climb his way up and punch a whole through the smoking remains of the turret to poke his head through. There, behind the ship, he saw them – four fighters of a TIE design in hot pursuit.

”YO IMPS!” He shouted as he pulled out his launcher and aimed, knowing full well they probably couldn’t hear him. ”I GOT A PRESENT FOR YA!”

He aimed a the lead fighter and launched his first grenade. The leader was just able to evade the weapon, but the last fighter in the formation, located behind TIE number 1, wasn’t so lucky. The ship didn’t explode, but it did appear to take damage. Apparently, the thing had shields, but not so strong that he couldn’t punch through them. Firing his second grenade, the surprised TIE number 4 took it through the cockpit and exploded in a spectacular fashion.

”WOO!” Morgan pumped his fist in the air and quickly celebrated his plans apparent success.
”What a FIREball!”

He tried the same thing on the other TIEs, but they were able to get around his attacks, making it clear that the trick wasn’t going to work anymore.

”Here goes plan B.”

Leaping out of the turret, he used ZIMs modifications to lock onto himself with Shapes tractor beam, allowing him to safely avoid flying to his death. Instead, he caught onto the back end of the ship after barely avoiding getting turned into hot plasma by a TIE’s laser cannon.

”Wow, this plan is more stupid than I thought.”
”Crazier, too.”

Again using the tractor beam, he let go of the Shape, effectively allowing him to fly behind it, and let himself move in on top of the lead TIE. TIE number 3 flew in behind the leader, clearly looking for a way to shoot down Morgan, though he was hesitant to fire, no doubt on account of not wanting to shoot down the leader.

It was all the pause that Morgan needed, as he took out a couple pairs of grenades. Three of them he let impact with the leader, which set it on fire and clipping TIE number two as it flew out of control. Two wasn’t gone for good, but it was damaged enough that it was forced to pull off. Three got a single grenade of its own, getting rid of its shields.

Free of the problem of its protective shell, Morgan practically aimed himself at the lone remaining TIE and let himself catch onto it as it flew by, using his magnetic grip to hold on. Looking down through the top view slits, he could see the pilot trying to look up to see what the frak was going on.

”Hi there.” He said with a wave, and then began pounding at the cockpit access hatch. Before he could make his way through, however, he noticed that the pilot was activating his eject system, and barely got out of the way in time to avoid getting smashed by the excess pieces.

”That wasn’t part of the plan, was it?”
”Not exactly.”

Without its pilot, the TIE began to tumble out of control, flying down towards the surface of Bakura in an increasingly decayed fashion.

”Here comes the hard part.”

As the ship neared the maximum elevation of Morgan’s repulsor lifts, the cyborg leapt off the fighter and began to slow his momentum. He paid little attention as the fighter continued on and crashed into a building ahead of him, instead doing his best to slow down fast enough to avoid dying when he landed himself.

”The ground is coming up awfully fast there.”
”I know, I know!”

One building he barely missed hitting, and kept going as his speed of descent continued to decrease.

”Watch out for that…” ZIM said as their flight path took them directly towards a building.
”I SEE IT!”

He refocused his lifts to slow down his approach, and it worked. Mostly.

He still impacted with the building, but his speed was slow enough by this point for the blow to avoid killing him. It did little to avoid making it hurt like sith, though. And after the immediate impact, he resumed his downward fall a full story to an adjacent rooftop. There it was that Morgan ZIM’s battered but alive body finally came to a hault.

”Aaaaaaaaaooooooooooooowwwwww…”

He let out a low squeek of pain, but while he was feeling the impact, he was none the less satisfied that his plan had more or less worked. Even as he lay on the rooftop, he could see the Shape, damaged as it was, fly overhead. Free of any ships following it, Norrteth would be free to land somewhere safe and hidden.

And fortunetly for him, he had landed on the outer region of the city. While Salis D'aar was certainly getting pounded from above, for the moment it seemed that his region was safer than much of the rest of it.

”So, what’s the rest of the plan? Find Norreth again and find a way off this rock?”

Morgan gave a shallow shake of his head in an affirmative. He’d want to get right on that.

Just as soon as his body didn’t feel like is had been run over by something heavy for the second time in two weeks.

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.

[Han Solo]

"They blew up my damn ships!" Han shouted with disgust as he slammed his fist down onto the marbled counter top at the conclusion of the Empire's transmission. "How the hell do they expect me to pay back all those customers for the lost cargo..."

He trailed off into an irritated growl and stormed around the side for the counter to peer out the large, floor to ceiling window that overlooked the city. It was like a scene out of a disaster holoflick, something Han had become uncomfortably accustomed with after the things he had witnessed during the Galactic Civil War. Columns of flame shot up from residential areas as cinder and ash fell from the sky as if it were raining fire. Smoke billowed in the afternoon breeze, creating an eerie haze that enveloped the entire city and rested heavily on the horizon. In the distance, sirens and alarms sounded as emergency personnel moved in to offer assistance and even the occasional scream of terror could be heard radiating from the street as some poor soul struggled for their life within the chaos.

It was a devastating scene; a scene only capable by the likes of the Empire.

Clenching his fists as his sides, Han closed his eyes briefly and turned away from the destruction. The hatred he felt for the Empire burned with the same intensity as the residential buildings outside and there was no quenching it without handing them an equally hurtful blow. That feeling was made all the worse by the guilt that clung to him over dragging Leia and the kid here in the first place. The Bakurans were obviously in on the plan and they had lured them here knowing full well what was about to happen. Leia had been right all along - it was a trap.

"Han?" came the unnaturally small voice of Kalin Lohden at his side. "What do we do?"

It was in that instant that he noticed that all eyes in the room were on him. Despite what he had done and who he had been, they still somehow managed to look up to him as a hero or in this instant, perhaps their savior. The thought unsettled him, but for now, he had to press forward.

Grabbing the duffel he had discarded on the counter upon their arrival, Han unzipped it and reached for the worn leather of his gun rig. He positioned it in the usual low slope on his waist and hooked it in place. Next came the modified DL-44 blaster pistol that had never left his side for decades. Placing it into the holster and strapping it to his right thigh, he glanced up at Kalin and the rest of the group with his jaw set in grim determination.

"We get off this rock," he said evenly, looping his thumbs within his belt in a casual stance. "We have a chance to run that blockade and make it outta here alive. And if we're lucky, maybe take a few of those bastards with us."

He started to turn, but stopped with a hint of a smile. "But you'll be flying with me, so this ain't gonna be easy."

Tag: Alex, Cray, Orrion Carn, Space Jawa

Catching a Corellian

The Invasion of Bakura

[Kyp Durron]

An unnatural crack of thunder and a violent shake roused Kyp from his sleep. His first thought was deconstruction but a sudden rush of death emanated shortly after the explosions. The force erupted in activity as chaos reigned down from above. An invasion.

"Of all the places to be stuck in a fight," Kyp said as he cursed and rushed to pull his boots on. Another rumble sent him off balance and crashing to the floor. His rear end plopped down hard and his left shin hit the bed. Kyp clenched his jaw and breathed in a hiss of air. "Damnit!"

The ship rocked again and this time Kyp opened the bulkhead door and chucked a small clock at the sensor strip for SAMM. "Move this damn ship you sack of bolts. You're going to get us both fried."

"Any specific location, Master Durron?" SAMM clearly was not distressed by the chaos occurring only a few hundred meters away.

"Anywhere but here." Kyp said as he felt the stabilizers engage. Shock waves rocked the ship but nowhere near as bad. "If you put us down anywhere near something even remotely resembling an Imp garrison I'll scrap you myself." Reaching over Kyp rubbed his shin and grimaced. "They're just as fucked as us right now."

"And the rest of the crew? Are they, as you say, fucked?"

If he didn't know better he thought SAMM actually cared. Perhaps because they're survival meant it's continual maintenance. "I'm sure they'll be alright. Bakura is pretty sturdy. I'm sure they have an evacuation plan."

He was telling the truth, everyone was still alive. He just wondered for how long. The True Empire wasn't the kind of club you wanted to be volun-told to become apart of. He was sure he'd never mine another hunk of rock for as long as he lived but the other may not be so lucky.

Back in the Saddle

_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Jase Denora]

The world quickly erupted into chaos. Turbolasers rained down among the city buildings. Screams of terror and panicked civilians filled the streets, even in the outer slums, which were still away from the epicenter of the attack. The holoscreen in the shop changed from the program it had been on to an announcement that the True Empire was 'annexing' Bakura.

"Those crazy bastards really are trying to take the entire galaxy...", Jase muttered, shaking his head in disgust. He didn't even have time to try and read Dryas' response, though subtle changes in the bothan's body language has suggested unease in Jase's persuasion tactics.

Crimson bolts of death rained down upon the city, most likely attempting to destroy military and civilian locations of tactical importance. No doubt there would be a blockade by now. With a full bombardment, any resistance in the upper atmosphere would have been dealt with swiftly. Jase shook his head, only worrying about the state of his beloved ship. The spaceport would be a likely target; and the Fury could get past any blockade if it was still in one piece.

"Congratulations, my students, we are now in an official military engagement. As the Order often serves the interests of the New Republic, any Jedi on Bakura will likely be a target for Imperial ground forces. I suggest we get to the spaceport and-"

He was interrupted by a loud series of crashes from across the street. The remains of a TIE fighter and what looked to be someone riding on top of it hit a building roof hard. Jase ran to the door and peered for a closer look at the rooftop as the figure stood. It was the cyborg bounty hunter from Korriban....

Could be worse, could be Imperial. We'll do this on my terms.. Reaching out with the Force, Jase focused his concentration on the man and gripped him tightly with binding tentacles of Force energy. It would have been a rude awakening, as the man was pulled through the air quickly and hurled through the door of the pawn shop and against the wall. The hiss of Jase's purple blade filled the room as it ignited and leveled at the hunter's throat, while Jase used the Force with a great deal of focus to keep the heavy cyborg pinned to the wall.

"Friend or foe? Answer quickly and honestly."
_________________
Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

[Kalin Lohden]

Kalin allowed what Han had said to settle in, before he opened his mouth. He quickly shut it, resisting the urge to call the Corellian out on his stupidity. Who would run an invasion force?! The odds of success were dismal, and the chance of surviving were becoming less and less with each passing moment. "Yes, sir." He said managing to pull it off without sounding sarcastic. He had looked to Han for ways to stay alive, not to get themselves killed. He tried to summon Lumiya, but she wasn't there. Stress usually brought a vision or somekind of communication, telling him that everything was all part of the plan.

Han was speaking to Leia, and surprisingly, the ex-Chief of State seemed to agree with her husband, as he motioned for Kalin to follow. Incredible, Kalin hissed mentally, The frakkin' nerves of this pair! He smiled with determined-glee, patting a Bakuran on the back who seemed to envy Lohden's position on the Millennium Falcon, but a stirring speech by one of the Security Captains, made it seem like staying and defending their homeworld would be a much more noble cause. The bravo-banter disappeared as they stepped outside and into the world of ash and destruction. Kalin had been born in a time of galactic peace, where war and battles of this magnitude rarely popped up on the nightly holonews.

A black plume of smoke spilled into the skies, seemingly turning the city to night in a matter of minutes. Kalin pulled his shirt over his mouth, the skyline had changed as some of the taller military or government buildings were no longer standing, but had created a difficult cloud to breathe in. The Millennium Falcon began to look more and more like a deathtrap than a mission out of hell. "Han, do you think this is a good idea?" He asked, but had a feeling he wasn't heard as something exploded in the distance. The boarding ramp descended and the fresh air intake of the ship was well worth it. At least they wouldn't suffocate.

Stepping onto the Corellian's pride and joy, was like walking onto a famous holo-set. It was incredible, even though the interior was faded and completely vintage. Consoles and controls existed from over a half-century ago, though most had been modified and updated. Kalin took a defensive posture, not sure if what they were doing was the right choice or if they should try and get underground, like some of the other citizens.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Kalin stopped for a moment, wondering what that could've been, as the engines of the Corellian freighter came online. Pat. Pat. Pat. The ship was being hit. Kalin accessed one of the viewpoints, and could see strange looking battledroids making their way towards them, firing their weapons. Bakuran security teams attempted to re-take control of the building top, but they were quickly slaughtered. "Han!" Kalin called, realizing one of the battledroids was about to fire off one of the bigger weapons... then suddenly, a mounted turret came to life and destroyed them.

Kalin caught something out of the corner of his eye, and ran to the cockpit. "We need to go, now! I think they transmitted our coordinates." He paused. "Where can I be useful?" Leia already seemed to know what she was doing, as Han tossed down the accelerator.

Catching a Corellian

The Invasion of Bakura

[Tarison Var]

Tarison moved to Lohden’s location. The Millenium Falcon in Executive Landing Pad DELTA. He knew that Han Solo would be foolish to try and break the blockade, and probably foolish enough to actually try it. The city had been falling apart around him, the city was under siege now by battle droids and stormtroopers here and there with more showing up each time he saw them. He cut them down all the same. If they didn’t recognize the authority of a Sith Lord, they certainly wouldn’t recognize the useless life they’ve been living. Under an Imperial Grand Admiral where Lumiya should be sitting, and for Tarison to slowly plan and prepare to take that seat for himself. But, he kept those thoughts to a minimum, he knew Lumiya was strong in the Dark Side, but he didn’t know her full potential. That’s why he must train Sara as his own apprentice, while trying to sabotage Lumiya’s soon to be apprentice at the same time. Giving him an edge in the coming fight.

He continued to shake those thoughts as his crimson blade tore through the torso of another battle droid, then swiftly into the heart of a stormtrooper. With a muffled and electronic cry, he died in agony as he slunk to the ground. Lord Var left him to suffer.

Tarison arrived at the landing pad, his lightsaber extinguished and only allowing a black silhouette to show through the hanger. He sensed the Solos and Lohden inside the Falcon, suddenly feeling Lohden’s emotions jump as he spotted the Sith Lord. As Var made his menacing walk into the hanger, the Falcon left to try and break the blockade. Just as predicted.

The battle droids and few stormtroopers still residing in the hanger turned to deal with whatever Bakuran resistance was left, then spotting the Sith in front of them.

“Identify yourself!” the stormtrooper sergeant shouted.

“I am Lord Var. Surrender yourselves.” Tarison announced with astonishing authority.

”In the name of Grand Admiral Daara Zend, I place you under arree-ahh!” the sergeant attempted to finish, but the Sith Lord gestured his hand towards him and lifted him in the air by his throat. Var clasped his fingers, and the sergeant’s coughs were silenced. The remaining stormtroopers and battle droids opened fire. They would die quickly.

Tag: Alex, Han

Catching a Corellian

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
"Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
Code of the Sith

[H6-32]

Sara and Lucas dashed out of the hospital. Though the two, after what Sara had mentioned earlier, were on bad terms with each other they seem to be able to work together. Which, from what his memory core could process, was all that was needed for this crew to function. Though a pair not getting along was fairly unheard of within the crew. H6’s logic processors quickly calculated that he’s been watching too long and must attend to Alisson. He bent his legs and gently, as well as a droid could, picked Alisson up and entered the bunker.

Surprisingly, she didn’t make a sound of pain at all. Something that didn’t add up. Not even a moan.
“Query: Alisson. May I ask you a question?” He asked as he carefully watched his gyros while stepping down the steps into the bunker below. "Why do you not feel the most basic function as pain? Analysis: My sensors cannot detect any differing effects from your hand. Correction: Come to think of it, I see no vital signs on my readings. My finger-tips are not detecting any pulse..."

Despite whatever answer she gives, this planet was in trouble. Imperial trouble…

H6 has been waiting a long time for this kind of combat.

Tag: Alex

The Invasion of Bakura

[Sahana]

Sahana's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she gazed upon the artifacts in front of her, her bad mood disappearing suddenly. It didn't take more than a mere glimpse for her eye to fall upon what her heart desired. It was a small glowing red pyramid, no matter how much she willed it, she could not take her now greedy eyes off of it. Her hand stretched outwards to grab it, but as her fingertips neared it, she froze, withdrawing her hand immediately. She bit down on her lip, fear and excitement running through her body as she felt a sudden rush of adrenaline.

She wasn't sure if it was from the item before her, or the sudden chaos that erupted around her caused this feeling. But she made sure to snatch it off the table before she did anything else. She found a hiding spot for it amongst the small amount of robes she did wear, before she followed Jase, moving at a much slower and calmer pace than him. Regardless of what was happening, he could handle himself even without her help.

She found him holding a familiar face against a wall, his lightsaber drawn and at the man's throat. Sahana stood back and watched, glancing around to make sure someone else might come crashing in so she could join in on the fun. But her hopes weren’t answered, so she instead pulled Neytiri over to her, hugging her from behind as she watched the cyborg and her Master carefully. She then nuzzled against the Twi'leks ear. "Fifty credits says he kills him." Sahana whispered into her ear.
_________________
"I Am Darth Cleavage!"

[Morgan ZIM]

”GUAH!”

Morgan couldn’t honestly say he knew what was going on. He had just barely climbed to his feet, probably sooner than he should have, and then suddenly he had found himself flying across the sky and slamming into a wall. He heard someone saying something to him, but as disoriented as he was, he didn’t catch anything the man said. What he did know was that there was a hot, purple beam being pointed at his neck.

”Say wha…?” He said, trying to give some kind of response that hopefully wouldn’t make whatever situation he was in worse.
”I think he’s a Jedi type and wants to know if you’re friendly or not.”

Clearly it worked, as he next found himself falling to the ground and catching himself on his hands and knees.

”You catch what he said?” He asked ZIM, his senses starting to come back to him, though he also noticed his stomach was feeling uneasy.
”He wanted to know if you’re a friend or foe. He also wanted a quick and honest answer, but I think he’s lenient on the latter.”

”Ah.” Morgan said, and looked up to the guy who had been holding him in place a moment ago. ”Can I have five minutes to think about it, cus I just did awesome or something outside, and I think my brain is still catching up with me.”

His stomach groaned at him again, and he could feel something coming up.

”Ugh…I think my stomach is too…”

Knowing what was coming, the cyborg pulled his helmet off and let it fall to the side in time for him to vomit.

”Blagh!”
”Oh, that’s just nasty!”

The smell was unpleasant as he spit out the remains in his mouth.

”I don’t remember eating that.” He commented as he looked at part of it. A tad more followed, coughed up.

”That I do remember.” He said, feeling a tad better now that he was pretty sure he had gotten the last of it.

”Still disgusting, you vile human.” ZIM said.
”Ah, shove it.” Morgan shot back.

Unfortunately, he also noticed a touch of blood mixed into the chunks he had left on the floor. It didn’t appear to be anything major, but it definitely meant he had taken damage on his way down. He’d have to hope it didn’t get any worse.

Grabbing his helmet, Morgan pulled himself to his feet and took in a few deep breaths to get himself back in the present.

”So...” Morgan said as he came to and looked his situation over. He counted five people in the room – two humans, a bothan, a twi’lek, and a zabrack. ”I think we got off to a weird start there. Who the frak are you people supposed to be?”
_________________
Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.

[Jase Denora]

Jase relinquished his grip on the confused man and stepped away, deactivating his saber. "I'm afraid you'll just have to pay Neytiri her fifty credits.", Jase said, shaking his head. Once the man started rambling again, he watched with mild interest. Taking a step back, Jase narrowly avoided getting the cyborg's vomit on his shoes.

"How pleasant..." Jase looked to the man as he asked with no amount of grace who they were. "I am Master Jase Denora, Jedi Council member. These are my apprentices: Knight Sahana, Padawan Dryas Quy'teff and Padawan Neytiri. Now that introductions are over, I suggest we do something about escaping this invasion. Niels! We need an exit."

"Come on, Denora! Those tunnels are for merchandise!"

Jase simply shot the man a murderous glance and the shop owner put his hands up in surrender, activating another button under the counter. Two floor panels opened, revealing a sealed entryway and a ladder. "These should lead to the spaceport, allowing our escape. You, hunter!", Jase snapped, not explaining how he knew the cyborg's profession. "If you can ride a TIE fighter through the atmosphere, you can be of assistance. Fifty-thousand credits if you escort us through these tunnels."
_________________
Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

[Lucas Pallanén-Davad]

The streets of Salis D'aar were filled with panic and hysteria as Sara and Lucas made their way towards the executive starport used by the Solos. It was private and generally off the books, not a mainstream target which would be hit by the first wave of the invasion. There was some good news, however, and that was that the True Empire stopped the bombardment, which meant it was planning on launching ground forces. A long stream of water spilled from a collapsed pipe, except it ran black with ash and soot. Lucas stepped over the flowing water, and slowly grasped Sara's hand to help her over. She wasn't as experienced in the Force, but her sensitivity had grown much in their parting.

"You're doing well," Lucas commented, shifting his weight as they climbed a deformed section of the street. "Most have trouble adapting within the first couple of months, but you've made considerable progress." Lucas extended his hand again, but she waved it off, instead grabbing and pulling herself up. He handed her a swiped water container, which a brief chug relieved any kind of mild thirst.

"Thanks Lucas, that really means a lot." She said, and they continued the rest of the journey in relative silence, only speaking to point out objects or certain dangers. At one point they helped a teenage twi'lek escape from his own speeder. As they approached the building the interior had sparks of red and green, and that could only mean one thing: blaster fire.

Both Lucas and Sara's lightsabers ignited in a slow fashion as they stepped through the door's entrance. He reached out with the Force, attempting to detect whether or not Mr. and Mrs. Solo were still on the rooftop, only to have it interrupted by a spurt of fire. Multiple battledroids emerged in the room, and with all the history of Cybot Galactica, Lucas could tell they were considerably advanced. Their programming considered extremely intelligent, but the actual function of the bot was still a mystery. Were they operating on individual command nodes or a blanket signal sent by a command unit or ship?

Another batch of droids entered, this time from behind. They were cornered.

"Sara." Lucas said, deflecting several shots and stepping behind a pillar for the remaining, "Remember the connection we shared in the Sarlacc? If we want to get out of here alive, we need to achieve that again, and let the battle flow from both of us. Got it?" She nodded, but he had no idea what she was thinking or if this was even going to work. He opened the part of mind which dealt with combat and instinct, leaving the rest carefully shielded from any possible investigation...

He closed his eyes, hoping to make a surreal connection to the woman...

Tag: Orrion Carn

The Invasion of Bakura

[Morgan ZIM]

”Denora, huh?” Morgan said as he put his helmet back on. That was a name he recognized, even if he’d never seen or met the man in person. ”You’re that trigger-happy Jedi Master or something like that, aren’t you?”

Which was a pretty amp summery of what he’d heard about the mans reputation.

”ZIM, what do we know about this potential spaceport he mentioned?” He thought to ZIM as he tried to pick up some sign of where the Shape might be located.
”Based on the data we have on Bakura and comparing it to what we have on the Shape, going to the spaceport actually wouldn’t take you that far out of the way.”
”That works out nicely.”

”Alright, you got yourself a deal.” He said to Denora before something caught his eye.

”Are those…lightsabers?” He asked, noticing an array of unusual artifacts, including a number that had an unmistakable design.

”Quick, how much for it?” He asked the Niels guy as he picked up one that caught his eye in particular.

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.

[Sara Soto]

Sara briefly closed her eyes. Suffice to say, if Lucas had asked her of this when she first started her training, she would easily be here for days trying to even open her mind. Let alone crack it. She entered her meditative state, then searched for Lucas with her senses. Like with Sean, she was able to connect to him. He had barriers set up, that was plain to see. But so did Sean, so it didn’t strike her as odd. Hell, she probably should have barriers of her own. One more lesson to learn.

Despite having connected and maintained a Force link with Lucas, she had to try hard to forget the Sarlacc. All in the past, and her and Lucas were beyond that now. But she could vaguely remember them sharing some sort of connection, either from Lucas subduing her from her… outbursts, or when she was captive by the Sarlacc. The latter thought sent shivers down her spine.

Sara opened her eyes, nodding to Lucas once more and bringing her bright yellow lightsaber up into the opening stance of Ataru, her blade inches away from her cheek. And on cue with Lucas, jumped out into the fray.

Tag: Alex

Sara Soto

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Jedi Initiate Sara Soto

[Alisson]

Alisson pulled her arm towards her, it was strange having it lay limp on her side. H6 seemed to detect the inhumanity, perhaps the lack of show of emotion was too obvious, but the planet was being bombarded, and the hysterical cries of pain could not be valuable. She cruised the hallways of the underground hospital, not answering the droid for quite some time, until they came to a room most likely filled with equipment. She sliced through the door's keypad. Once they were secured inside, she answered. "I am not human."

"Statement: I was under that impression. Query: What are you?"

Alisson rummaged through several piles until she was able to find bandages and alcohol. She dabbed her arm with the sanitizer, then applied a thick layer of skinbacta. It was a special blend, used for a variety of Outer Rim aquatic species, as it would be the most adept at healing her own synthetic skin. H6 moved close and helped her finish applying the bandages, and slipped the arm into a sling. "It will do for now." Once again, she ignored the droid and they pressed forward and stopped at a hospital computer. "The crew of the Blight Leaper has survived. Bhren has been checked into a private room, with Tseneca Lowry-Fink and Jonas Eisley..." Her voice trailed off, then started again, "That's weird..."

"Query:-"

"It's Rylii Kuat, a passenger we've taken up." Alisson answered his question, before it could be said aloud. "Have you ever tried making sentences without stating what kind of sentence it was going to be?"

"Declarat-"

"No. Nevermind." Alisson and H6 moved to the end of the hallway, some of the medical staff might have heard them, but it wouldn't matter. They moved through the corridors and to one of the only exhaust ports. "My skin can tolerate the steam. I will need your help to navigate the tunnels. We have to get to the surface."

"Statement: I understand. And I have been programmed to convey speech in this matter. Query: Are you programmed?"

"Yes." Alisson said, "My maker is Ryan Davad of Cybot Galactica. I am a Human Replica Droid, and I must secure Lucas Pallanén-Davad." She paused, yanking the exhaust port door off with her bare good-hand. It was pointless to hide her strength from the droid, "I'm going to have to... ride you, if we are to make it to the surface."

"Statement: I am prepared to be mounted."

Alisson smiled, "I see you have a sense of humor. I am sorry if I am rude to you, not many droids are as sophisticated as I am."

H6 "Query: Why are we chasing Lucas, when we just left them?"

"Because, H, we needed to check on the crew. I have suspicions that Kuat is working for someone. I've detected three scrambled transmissions originating from a remote star system... I believe he might be trying to kill Lucas. And the fact that he didn't stay in the bunker, is a good sign he is going to take advantage of the situation."

H6 pulled himself up with Alisson holding on his back. The ladders would be long, but the droid's energy was unlikely to tire, and they could accomplish the vast distance in a relatively short amount of time... "You'll get to see some action, H. By now, the preliminary invasion forces have landed..."

The Invasion of Bakura

[Dryas Quy'teff]

“They’re not for sale.” Dryas said as the cyborg attempted to purchase one of the lightsabers.

The situation was madness. First they found themselves in the middle of what was becoming a war zone, and now some half-droid bounty hunter of questionable character was trying to acquire a weapon that shouldn’t have even been available. He could only wonder why Denora thought he’d be helpful.

Picking up an empty supply pack from a nearby shelf, Dryas tossed a credit chip to Niels. He didn’t know how much the container was worth, but he knew it had to be covered by the cost of what Dryas was giving him, and then some. He then quickly proceeded to load up as much from the secret counter as he could, holocrons and lightsabers alike.

Before, he would have just left them. However, between the bounty hunter trying to get one of his own and the imminent threat that they might be found by the invading Imperial forces, the bothan thought it best that they not be left behind. Even if he didn’t take them for himself, he could at least try to keep them out of the wrong hands and return them to the Jedi Order where they belonged.

“You pay for those already? Because they look available to me.”

Annoyingly, he noticed that the hunter had taken two more of the weapons out of the counter, like he was defending them as his own to purchase as he pleased.

“Are you trying to steal them, or what’s the deal?” The cyborg asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be the Jedi good guy type?”
“They shouldn’t be here in the first place.” Dryas responded. “Now put those in the pack.”
“I don’t think so. And frankly, I don’t think you trying to force me to do otherwise is the best use of our time right now.”

Unfortunately, Dryas had to agree with that last part. They didn’t have time to be arguing about this. Odds are he was probably wasting enough time as it was gathering up the Jedi artifacts. Chances are that if Denora wasn’t willing to step in, he’d just have to let the hunter do as he wanted and sneak the sabers back away from him later when he wasn’t looking.

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Jedi Knight Dryas Quy'teff

[Neytiri]

The ride to Bakura was a very long and uncomfortable experience for her. Sahana had spent the entire flight quite, sitting in her seat, starring at a wall. She didn't brighten up until they arrived at their destination, and Master Denora had found the trader. Neytiri looked through the artifacts and lightsabers once they were displayed, none of them really stuck out to her. So she eyed Sahana who had found one to her liking, so much so she stared at it and only it.

When the battle broke out and the TIE fighter came crashing down outside the shop they inhabited, Neytiri stayed quiet, following the group as it moved, feeling so far that this trip had been a waste of time, even as Sahana grabbed a hold of her. "Fifty credits says he kills him." Neyiti just nodded, waiting patiently to see the outcome. When Master Denora released the cyborg, she smile of gratification spread across her face.

"I'm afraid you'll have to pay Neytiri fifty credits." Master Denora said.

"Damn, I should have raised the stakes, might have been able to get a free pass or something." Neytiri said, sounding a bit frustrated. What was she going to do with credits? So she rubbed up back against Sahana, looking over her shoulder at the Zabrak. "So, you going to pay up?"

"Sure, I’ll just end up getting them back later." Sahana said with a twisted smile. She didn't like the sound of that. But her attention focused passed her to the Bothan and the cyborg who apparently were having a difference in opinion over the Jedi and Sith artifacts.

"What use would a cyborg have for a lightsaber?" Neytiri asked, stepping in now. She decided she would at least get something out of this trip, even if the lightsabers didn’t suite her style, she could scavenge parts from them.
_________________
Neytiri - Jedi Padawan

Force Specialty: N/A

Saber Form(s): Ataru

Favored Techniques: Force Cloak/Stealth, Telekinesis

Combat Skills: Infiltration/Tailing

[Kyp Durron]

The Leaper had managed to escape the destruction by the skin on it's teeth. Or the paint on her hull. SAMM turned the ship on her center till she faced the destroyed city of Salis D'aar. The flames burned high, likely fueled by broken underground fuel sources, among other things.

For a moment Kyp regretted taking the Leaper without the crew. They needed him the same as he needed them. He wouldn't last too long if they tracked him down. One Jedi was a minor problem. Four was one hell of a problem.

Before he could trek back in on foot he'd have to hide their only mode of transportation. One well aimed shot from orbit could obliterate the comparably tiny ship. He was worried whether they'd be seen as a viable target or just a scared citizen running for the hills. Let's hope it's the latter of the two.

Kyp did his best to grab everything he'd need but also pack light. Food and water would be useful for the survivors. The flip side was that it was heavy and useless in a fight. He packed enough water and MREs for three people. Much of it would be gone by the time he himself made it back into the city.

He quickly moved to the exit and stared up into the optical sensor for SAMM. "Keep her safe." Kyp rubbed his head and realized he was speaking to the ship itself. "Keep yourself safe."

"And you?" SAMM replied in it's cool tone.

"Someone with a pair of thumbs gotta go save the day. So that pretty much counts you out," Kyp shrugged and smiled.

"Appendages are over-rated."

"Not all of em and not always," Kyp said as he strolled out in the warmth of the day. The same could be said of people. Kyp was determined not to be one of them.

Back in the Saddle

_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Jase Denora]

"Enough.", Jase said flatly, using the Force to simultaneously remove sabers from Morgan's possession and place them in Dryas's pack. "You will be paid in credits alone. Those lightsabers belong to the Jedi Council and are worth far more than our agreed price." With that, Jase turned to head down into the tunnel first, waiting for everyone else to catch up.

In the tunnel was a small cargo lift, which Niels had used to smuggle merchandise from the spaceport. Clipping his lightsaber to his belt, Jase pulled out a blaster from his robes and took the front position. "I will stay up front. Our bounty hunter friend can take the rear and the rest of you in the middle. This shall not take long."
_________________
Jase Denora

Jedi Master- Jedi Council

Force Specialty: Precision Force Manipulation

Saber Form(s): Vapaad, Denora Akimbo Style

Favored Techniques Force Choke, Telekinesis, Shatterpoint, Force Lightning[/b]

Combat Skills: Close combat, sabotage, multi-weapon usage, ship to ship[/b]



"Master the Force. Master your emotions. With these two tools, you will be feared by your enemies and your peers. Nothing else matters for the strong."

Please, please, PLEASE...... do not open the box....

[Morgan ZIM]

”Jerk.” ZIM thought as the sabers rested in Dryas’ bag.
”I’m not sure I’d use that word, but yeah, I can’t disagree with the sentiment.”

Retrieving and arming his blaster rifle, Morgan headed went to the smuggling exit and stood next to it, giving everyone else plenty of room to pass by until it was his turn.

”But who knows. Odds are none of us are getting off the planet in the immediate future, so there’s still a chance I might be able to get my hands on one or two of ‘em.”

”Wait, so now you’re planning to steal them?” The droid asked.
”No.” Morgan replied. ”Let’s consider that since they were sitting in an outer rim pawn shop in the first place, it’s not like the legal ownership of them is all that clear cut. And as long as we’re in a war zone, there’s no telling what might happen to that bag. I just have to hold out hope that some of those sabers might get misplaced where I have an opportunity to claim them.”

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.

[Lucas Pallanén-Davad]

Lucas moved against the storm of blaster fire, the True Empire had made an advancement in cybernetics, as the battle units were extremely adaptive. He could feel the adrenaline from Sara, but their experience in the Sarlaac, made their connection much easier than 'melding' with a Jedi he didn't know. He wasn't even sure it would be possible to be as in-sync they were without the Sarlaac. It felt like he had two lightsabers, two sets of eyes scanning and adjusting, while double the strength and defense. Droids hit the ground, bolt numbers began to drop as one by one the opposition was eliminated.

They entered the private space port doors, it was a long dash up the flights of stairs, before coming to an abrupt stop. Lucas sensed something, and with his connection to Sara, she certainly did as well, in fact, for her, it wasn't the first time. "There it is. That feeling." Then together, though it was entirely coincidence, they said "Like we're being watched." Lucas moved his saber in the direction of the essence, before the feeling vanished.

"This is... strange." Lucas said, before breaking their connection and walling up the rest of his mind. He didn't want Sara to know that he had felt something similar, only it was much more vivid on Necropolis. "Let's go, we don't have time for this." They ran the final staircase, only to find destroyed battledroids and an empty landing zone. "Damn sithshit." But something wasn't right here. He bent down, they weren't shot, they were sliced. A Jedi had been here.

"Lucas." Sara started, and he brushed her off at first, but then he felt it too. She pointed upwards, and though they were just mere dots, he could sense this entire building was about to go up.

Something wrapped around the corner through the black fires of destruction, a crimson speeder. "We need to jump." They approached the edge of the building. "On the count of three."

"Lucas-"

"One."

"Don't think I can do-"

"Two."

"Oh gods."

"Three!" They jumped...

Lucas landed in one of back seats of the red speeder, but Sara hadn't... she was freefalling to her death.

The Invasion of Bakura

[Vera Nico]

She had never imagined coming face to face with Leia Organa Solo, and the moment went as fast as it came. The woman would never know of the hidden affection, the empowering inspiration nor the political prowess that had sparked and been rekindled in her heart time and time again during Organa's speeches. The Bakuran Security teams were rough as they tugged her along, the chains and electronic grips lead her like a circus creature, a trapped trophy. Long, short, and holo cameras snapped her photo, no doubt streaming live to the galaxy, but then, attention shifted. The building shook violently just as the windows shattered to a million pieces. The wind howled and whined, but nothing was as thunderous as the collapse of a nearby building. Nico was on the ground, one of the officers that had been escorting her, was dead... his head had slammed against a pointed corner, blood now dripping and flowing through the cracks in the floor.

She moved her hands, assessing the weakness of the restraints. They were electronic. "Secure Nico!" She only needed a moment to press the cybernetic implant under her wrists, which sent a surge of energy into the cuffs. The short out was long enough for her to slip them off and use them as a weapon against the first guard. Snatching the blaster, she fired and took the next three out of commission. A member of the press placed her head into her hands, whispering, "Please don't kill me. Please." Nico placed a finger under the woman's chin.

"We need to leave this place. I think its time you capture what I am really about." Nico smiled handing the woman her camera, the man who was operating it was dead. Knowing an opportunity, one that would no doubt make her famous, the woman nodded. Nico placed the weapon into her boots, she always liked to have an extra, before collecting one of the bigger rifles. "Let's go."

The chaos create by the orbital bombardment was enough to allow them to exit the building undisturbed. "Where is your speeder?" The press woman pointed to the lot nearby. "It isn't safe to use speeders now, not with the bombardment still in place. This is a private hangar, and most likely, off the books. They aren't going to hit it... unless fighters start a run on the city." The woman nodded, she was much less collected than what Nico had hoped. Trying to calm her down, she asked, "What is your name?"

"Carli."

"Carli, I'm going to do my best to get us out of here. My ship uses a variety of stealth technologies, we should be able to slip through whatever is up there." She pointed to scene in front of them. Bakura was burning, her once magnificent skyscrapers and prominent government buildings were no more, save for the planetary senate building. In a couple of hours, that building would likely not exist any more. Probably saved for some kind of political shift, signing of documents, evidence of a complete and total surrender. Nico stopped in her tracks, it was probable that the True Empire was even here. It had to be.

They stopped in front an expensive red speeder, the news reporter likely had it waxed and detailed this morning. "Beautiful." Nico complimented, "We will wait here. Less chances of getting hit by the strike." Nico repeated her intentions, still trying to get the woman to soak in the situation, and remain calm. Eventually, she'd crack. It wasn't every day one's homeworld was attacked, especially in the extreme of what was happening. The galaxy hadn't seen this kind of devastation in decades.

When the large turbolaser hits stopped, Nico twisted ignition and powered up the engines. The engine rumbled and they took to the skies. She curved around the building several times, much like a snake would coil around branch, around and around she went, until they were at the top of the building. "Looks like Solo made it-"

The speeder dipped, as a body landed in the backseat. "Down, down! Catch her!" Nico swung the vehicle around, the engine whined and protested the violent churn, before she slammed on the accelerator. Extending his hands, the Jedi seemed to slow the woman's drop, as Nico brought the speeder under her body. Lucas put a hand on her leg in a quick tap, before adjusting his gaze to meet her eyes in the rear view mirror.

Lucas folded his arms, whispering something to the woman beside him, before staring out and on the destroyed world. "Changes everything, doesn't it?" Nico whispered, switching directions and heading for the forest on the outskirts, and to the Khan. It wouldn't be long before Sara caught on, and discovered just who was driving...

The Invasion of Bakura

[Dryas Quy'teff]

With the items all secured in the pack, Dryas loaded it onto his back and headed for the exit.

“I’ll be watching you.” He said to the bounty hunter as he passed by him and headed for the lift.
“Whatever.” He heard the cyborg said after him.

In a contrast to Denora’s preparation, Dryas took out his own lightsaber as he readied himself for whatever they might have to deal with. However, with the lack of any immediate signs of danger either that he could see or sense through the Force, he refrained from activating it.

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Jedi Knight Dryas Quy'teff

[Sara Soto]

Sara’s connection to Lucas faded and disappeared the minute she missed the speeder. Freefalling, she was surprisingly… Calm? The building next to her was about to go up in flames, though she would probably hit the ground before the concussion from the blast killed her. She felt a feeling wrap around her, she could sense where it was coming from. The speeder. Lucas must have made it. She was glad to know that he didn’t just let her die, as she thought he would at first chance with her. Maybe their feud was really over, that they really did bury the hatchet.

Sara impacted the backseat of the speeder, softened by the cushion and the still surrounding feeling from Lucas.

“Thanks!” she shouted fruitlessly, it was instantly muted from the building they had jumped, and almost died, from ignited in a fascinating and horrifying explosion. There were still people in there, and she felt them wink out, screaming out for a flash and then silencing forever. She couldn’t help shedding a tear and feeling sorrow and relief. Conflicting feelings that she didn’t know how to coop with, not instantly anyways.

Lucas put a hand on her shoulder, he could obviously feel what she was feeling, trying to send some sort of comfort. “There is no emotion, there is--”

“Peace.” Sara finished. Closing her eyes in acceptance.

The turbolaser fire stopped entirely, and the radio of the speeder lit up with a sinister sounding voice.

"Citizens of Bakura, your planet is officially annexed by the True Empire. An hour ago I sent two landing parties full of delegates ahead of the fleet, and they successfully met with the Bakur Memorial Building while your government was in session." There was an eerie pause, letting the terror for the surviving citizens of Bakura. "I have the legal right to abolish freedoms and liberties granted to you by the Rebellious scum, and the ability to seek retribution and justice for the high treason committed by your people. The Treaty of Bakura is considered null and void."

“Well, that‘s great.” Sara said, crossing her arms over her chest. She glanced upwards, seeing some of the starships she had seen trying to leave the planet, and break whatever blockade the True Empire had up there, come back as smoldering wrecks, metal meteors or lucky, but irreparable survivors. But the latter came back as far slimmer, some being trailed by TIEs. “So much for getting off the planet.”

She turned her attention to her belt, seeing that she had correctly clipped her lightsaber to it before jumping. She then looked to the driver and passenger, “To who do we owe the thanks…?”

Then, the bald head of her friend’s nemesis reeled her head towards her. “Vera Nico.”

Sara didn’t react, not quickly. But she turned to Lucas and he didn’t seem phased. She lifted her hand and pointed to Lucas and Vera Nico, switching between the two. “Am I missing something? Are we suppose to be… I don’t know, all shoot-y towards each other?”
Lucas put his hand back on Sara’s shoulder, “It’s a long story.”

Sara pointed up to the sky, indicating the blockade above them. “We’ve got time.”

Tag: Alex

Sara Soto

The Invasion of Bakura

_________________
Jedi Initiate Sara Soto