Mandalorians never seemed to take with force sensitives. Perhaps it was all of the fighting we did with the Jedi and the Sith. That's not to say that there weren't any sensitives among us, but the resentment forced us to stay under the radar. Some of us moved away quietly and started our own colonies far from our beloved Mandalore, making new lives for our selves, but keeping the Mandalorian traditions.
That was a part of our story. It really all started during the old Sith wars, while the Old Republic still existed. Mandalore called for an attack against the Republic and the Mandalorians answered, but not all. A few of us saw no honor in fighting the Republic or the Jedi just for the sake of fighting. So we took our families and left. The rest of the Mandalorians attacked and almost defeated the Republic, but at their height one Jedi, Revan, led the Republic to victory against them. The Mandalorians as a collective people were broken and we had no place to call home with Mandalorians or the Republic. So we stayed in the unknown regions where we had fled, to start a new life for ourselves and regain our honor by somehow making up for the damage against the Republic.
We weren't alone for long though. Some of the Jedi who had fought the Mandalorians against the wish of the Jedi Council, managed to find our colonies. They came to call them home. Some of the Jedi intermarried with our people and soon there were many force sensitives among us. The Jedi taught us the way of the force and how to stay in the light.
Throughout all of this we maintained our Mandalorian heritage. We kept defense forces at all of our colonies. A few generations had passed when one of our scout patrols discovered the Vong and we later ascertained their goal of conquest. We began to realize that with all of the internal conflict in the Republic there was no force capable of fending off a serious invasion from a species outside of the known galaxy. In order to combat such a threat we began stock piling resources and technology so that we might regain our honor and repay our debt.
An excerpt from the writings of Mandalore the Revealer
Our spies were scattered throughout the galaxy. We knew that the Vong had done the same in preparation for their attack, but they proved elusive and we were unable to capture one. Once the attack on Belkadan happened we knew that the Vong were coming. We had determined that this might be where they would start. We sent most of our force to hide in the Tingel Arm and wait.
I, Jaig Fel, Mandalore of the Mandalorian Jedi, stood on the command bridge of the Prudii an Eclipse class ship. We had been here three days waiting. Our nerves were beginning to fray. It was some relief when the Comm. Officer spoke up.
"Sir, our scouts have reported that they have arrived."
"Excellent, move us out."
There was a barely felt rumble as the massive engines were throttled up. I watched as the two other barely visible capitol ships of my task force also lurched forward. Both were Super Star Destroyers, matte black instead of the traditional dull grey. We were going in heavy to send a clear message to the Vong. I only hoped that this attack went as planned. We hadn't been in a major battle with the Vong yet, only minor skirmishes on the edges of our territory. Their yorik corral hulls were tougher than durasteel, but the super laser on the Prudii was powerful enough to burst the crusts of planets. It ought to be tough enough to destroy their worldship's hulls.
We came out of hyperspace just as the one sided battle against Sernpidal's forces was starting. We brought the Prudii and the other two super star destroyers into range.
"Charge the main laser," I ordered.
Our laser fire had alerted the Vong to our presence and their Corvettes and fighters moved quickly towards our fleet while their capitol ships repositioned themselves into a better defense against our barrage.
"Move the Crusader-Corvettes up to intercept those fighters. Have the Super's begin to take down their Corvettes."
"Sir, the main laser is ready," said the Chief Gunnery Officer.
"Very well, fire at their worldship," I ordered.
The worldship was huge, hence the name. It was on par with the Death Star. The blue light of our laser raced towards it and struck. At first their seemed to have been no effect, but then the magnified image of their ship showed leaking atmosphere and chunks of their yorik coral that had been blown off. The ship began to list dangerously. The Vong must have lost control of the ship. I released a sigh of relief. Their armor was tough, but not even their worldship appeared able to withstand us. There was still a long way to go yet, before the Vong threat was neutralized.
The Vong fired their magma cannons. Our corvettes shot most of these down, but some were finding their way through our defenses. Our laser cannons kept their fighters at bay and their damage to us was minimal.
Then things began to go wrong. The Vong were crafty. Their miid ro'ik ships could produce large forces of gravity in order to pull ships towards their weapons. They couldn't pull our largest ships closer with their dovin basals. Our capitol ships were simply too large, but they could pull the corvettes. We were forced to use our final ace.
A thousand small black dots emerged from the Prudii and the other two capitol ships. They began to spit blue lasers and swarm the miid ro'ik. The Vong fighters pulled back to defend their ships. They began to duel our fighters in dog fights, but ours were too small and maneuverable. Soon the Vong fighters and the miid ro'ik were destroyed. After an hour the remaining Vong ships retreated to hyper-space. Most of them were heavily damaged.
From our information gathering we became wise in the ways of politics and commerce in the Republic and later the Empire. We had become rich and used our vast resources to buy outdated military equipment. The Emperor was trying to build his super weapons like the Death Star, and Eclipse I. Consequently, he needed funds and was not too interested in who was buying. We used several of our businesses in purchasing our equipment to insure that the purchases couldn't be traced. No one would get suspicious if a business bought a star destroyer at inflated prices for the defense of a planet. If one business bought fifty, alarm bells would have been going off all over the Empire. These ships were of course stripped down to make them less dangerous to the Empire, but that just made it easier for us to upgrade.
We obtained plans to both Death Stars, Eclipses, and the Super-Star Destroyers. We wanted to make sure that we could build effective weapons against an invasion. Our analysis had shown that the Rebels would win so we didn't feel it necessary to get directly involved. We still quietly supplied them with resources, trainers, and commando units. They did not make the connection of who we were since they used so many mercenaries.
Our fears of invasion were proven with the attack by the Sssi-Ruuvi. They were defeated before we found out about them. Our mission became more urgent.
An excerpt from the writings of Mandalore the Revealer
"Chewie, get me a reading on those ships." Han Solo was in the Milennium Falcon with his Co-Pilot Chewie and his son Jacen. Currently he was trying to remain calm. It appeared that they and the world they were on had just been saved by a motley, albeit large and in well condition, collection of old spacecraft. Either that or they had just gotten mixed up in a war between two very powerful forces. In any case the stranger of the two groups that had been trying to kill them had been beaten and limped back to presumably where ever they called home.
"What do you mean you can't get any clear readings?" Solo glanced at the console. His co-pilot was right. It was almost as if the ships weren't there. "Some kind of cloaking, maybe." Some of the smaller ships he could pick up, but none of the larger ones. "Hail them Chewie, and send the transmission to the Republic too. They're going to want to hear this."
The battle was over.
"Damage assessment?" I asked.
"Minimal, sir," said one of the officers, "Just a few decks that the magma cannons were able to penetrate. There were twenty one casualties and thirty four wounded."
"Sir, we're being hailed by a ship called the Millenium Falcon. The captain's name is Solo," informed the communications officer.
I was aware of the ship and its infamous owner. "Patch him through…Hello, Captain Solo. I'm afraid I'm not aware of what your current title in the New Republic is. It seems to change pretty often."
"Who is this?" asked Han in an annoyed voice.
"I am Jaig, Manda'lor of the Hukaatir people. Inform the New Republic that this isn't over. The Yuuzhan Vong don't give up that easily and they will be back, in greater numbers. We might not be there the next time. We'll be in touch," Jaig disconnected the communication. "Lieutenant, recall the ships and get me information on the current location of Boba Fett. Prepare to leave."
Han pounded the console in frustration. "He cut the connection," Han said irritably. "Call up Leia. She's going to want to know. Looks like we're in for a war, possibly with two players."
Chapter 3
Hukaatir agents had informed Jaig that Fett had, or was going to be asked by the Yuuzhan Vong to serve them in return for safety. He was worried that Fett would say yes. Fett knew that he didn't have the firepower to repel an attack by the Vong. That didn't leave him many options. Jaig was going to inform him of one more.
Fett was leaving the planet of Elom after returning a bounty on a criminal. He stopped in his tracks as a huge black mass emerged from hyperspace in front of him. He recognized it for what it was, a new Eclipse.
A voice crackled over his speaker, "Manda'lor Fett, I would like to speak with you."
"And who are you?" demanded Fett, his voice calm. As he spoke he began to use all of his sensor equipment to read the ship.
"I am Mandalore of the Hukaatir, perhaps you've heard of us," Jaig replied.
"Rumors, I didn't think that you actually existed. What would a Mandalorian be doing in an Imperial designed ship?" Fett asked.
"Verd ori'shya beskar'gam," he said. "Besides, I like the Prudii."
Fett's mind translated the Mandalorian words, but with difficulty. 'A warrior is more than his armor'. "Calling a ship that large 'shadow' is a little ironic isn't it?" said Fett.
"Only for Mandalorians. Would you like to come aboard? I have some things to discuss with you and some to show you. You may come armed if you wish, but no one will molest you," Jaig promised.
"Alright," said Fett, "you've got me interested. I won't land in your hangar. I want a docking collar set up outside."
"No problem," he said, "I'll give you the directions."
Fett stood in the hall of the massive ship, near the open port leading to his ship. "What is it you wanted?"
"I believe that the Yuuzhan Vong have or will contact you. They will demand Mandalorian service or enslave Mandalore. I'm offering another option."
"What, an alliance with you?" he asked with contempt. "You are a dar'manda."
Jaig stiffened at the insult. He turned towards Fett, "I am more of a Mandalorian than you Fett. You were hardly even raised as a Mandalorian. How you ever got to be a Mandalore is beyond me. What I offer is not for your sake, but for the sake of the Mandalorian people on Mandalore."
"And just what is it that you offer?" Fett demanded impatiently.
I pointed as a viewport on the wall opened revealing the hangar bay. Fett's voice caught in his throat. "I offer Basilisk war droids, as many as you can man. As well as larger ships."
"That's…n-not possible," stammered Fett, at a loss of words for possibly the first time in his life. "They were all destroyed by Revan after he killed the Mandalore."
"Not quite. My ancestors left before then and took their weapons with them, as well as the plans to build them. I am willing to give you these as well as the plans to build more," Jaig said.
Fett turned to me, "In return for what?"
"In return for your promise that you won't fight for the Vong. I want you to resist them. Between the Republic, your forces, and mine the Vong won't have a chance. I want you to demonstrate that at the core of any Mandalorian, especially a Mandalore, is honor. Besides," Jaig paused with a smile under his helmet, "the Republic isn't a worthy opponent anyways. Their only real troops are the Jedi."
Fett snorted and then paused, thinking. "I accept. We won't serve the Vong. How many ships, what types, and how many droids can you deliver and when?"
"Six Imperial I Star Destroyers, ten Crusader-Corvettes, twenty Skipray-Blastboats, and a thousand Basilisks plus all the equipment and vehicles in the Star Destroyers, which are fully stocked. They don't have TIE's or AT-AT's. They do have a large compliment of up-to-date Headhunters. I also have twelve planetary turbolasers. I'll supply the trainers to show your men how to operate everything. The systems have been simplified to ease use and speed. I can deliver in two hours," I said, extending my hand.
"That's a lot of fire power, but not enough to repel the Vong if they're determined," he said, ignoring my hand.
"No," Jaig conceded, "it wouldn't, but I don't think that they'll attack you if you can defend yourself. It would be too costly. They'll be too worried about me to concentrate on a well defended planet. They'll need everything they've got to take me, which means that they'll need less defended worlds to grow their ships."
"Alright," he said. Extending his hand and giving me a firm handshake.
Chapter 4
The New Republic wasn't trusting of the Mandalorian Jedi. It was only after Sernipidal delegates convinced them that the Mandalorian Jedi hadn't destroyed any of their ships and had repelled the superior forces of the Vong almost single-handedly that the Republic would even talk with them.
Jaig met with a Republic representative on Coruscant. He went in full armor, but the only weapons he carried were his lightsabers. The representative was pompous and Jaig's patience was growing thin after two hours of talking to the man and getting nothing accomplished.
"So what is it that you want?" asked the man for hundredth time.
"What you're really asking is 'Are we a threat?' We're not a threat to the New Republic. We have defended you for generations and now we are here to defend you against the greatest threat you've ever seen. What we want is your cooperation or at least for you to let us defend you."
"Hmmm…yes, I see. Where did you say your empire is again?"
Jaig stood up angrily. "I told you before. You do not get to know the location of my people. I don't trust the Republic. And you interrogating me just proves my fears of the incompetence of the New Republic. We are done talking. Whether you like it or not you are at war. You can have our help or you can watch your planets burn." With that Jaig stood and left.
The Mandalorian Jedi were soon embroiled in war with their reluctant allies. The New Republic became somewhat less reluctant after they saw the immense power of the Yuuzhan Vong. The Hukaatir knew how their enemies thought, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to predict Vong strategies and targets. The Hukaatir began to use their fleet to protect the hyperlanes and destroy Vong scouts.
They also used their vast spy network to find Vong spies that had infiltrated the galaxy. This was not as such a monumental task as it might seem since many Hukaatir spies were scattered throughout every system, on the lookout for new technology and threats. These spies knew where to look for people who didn't want to be found.
The Hukaatir realized that they needed to obtain samples of Vong tech. They began to form a plan. Most of the Vong genetic experiments and technology examples were on their worldships. Jaig decided to insert a large strike force into the ship. They would go in heavy and escape on Basilisk War Droids.
Thirty of the Mandalorian Jedi's best warriors were assembled in front of Jaig. All were strong in the force and more traditional combat. They would be divided into separate teams. Each with a heavy weapons, fire support, two grunts, a sniper, and a blade master. He and his elite guard would be going too, along with Boba and ten "normal" Mandalorians.
Their War Droids were slightly larger than the older design. They had a sealed cockpit capable of carrying two people. They had a hyperdrive system, although not a very good one because of the ship's small size. They also had minimal cloaking abilities that presumably would allow them to avoid detection by the Vong.
Jaig and his people decided to hit the Baanu Rass which was orbiting Myrkyr. They were unsure about why the Vong were there. Part of the mission would be to learn this. Hukaatir forces had been attacking to reach Myrkyr and liberate it, but had been stalled by new Vong reinforcements at their back.
The strike team entered near Myrkyr and began their approach. They did a heavy burn of their engines and then coasted in. The light of their engines could betray them if they got too close with them on. They reached the surface of the ship. At a predetermined time they began to rip their way in, using the brawling claws of the War Droids. They sealed the breaches after they entered with a sealant spray. They left the Droids attached to the yorik coral on the outside of the ship. All of the Vong troops inside the chamber had been either killed by the depressurization or had fled and sealed the chamber.
They organized, splitting up into teams and leaving for their specific missions. Their lightsabers made short work of the yorik coral walls. As the walls fell they laid down suppressive fire. Jaig's elite guard, Boba, and Jaig exited first. They all had a lightsaber and blaster drawn.
Thudbugs rained at them from the front and sides. They cut them down with their blades and began to systematically take down the fifteen Vong in the room. Jaig and his team ran down the hallway. They were the distraction. Their job was to make as much chaos and destruction while the other teams did their missions. There were a lot of Vong on the ship and Jaig didn't want them to organize.
Strike Team Alpha was going to the cloning facilities. They only had a rough idea of where they were. They hurried down an adjoining hallway making a fair trade between stealth and speed. They had a grunt leading and a grunt behind, each carrying their preferred weapon, the WESTAR-M5 blaster rifle. They came to their first corner. The lead man keyed up his audio in his helmet to listen for any troops ahead. Hearing nothing he continued on, signaling the others to follow. Behind him was fire support, a huge wookiee carrying a Z-6 rotary blaster cannon and he knew how to use it. Their sniper came next, carrying two DL-44's with his BlasTech E-17d sniper rifle over his shoulder. Then came the blade master carrying four lightsabers on his belt and a DL-44 in each hand. Next was heavy weapons, carrying a FC-1 flechette launcherand a concussion grenade launcher in a holster. The other grunt came last. They continued down the hallway hugging the walls.
A unit of Vong suddenly turned the corner twenty meters in front of them. They began to draw thud bugs and razor bugs. The point man dropped to one knee and opened up with his M5 taking down the first two Vong and firing his missile creating further destruction. The wookiee stood directly behind him pouring in fire from his blaster cannon. The sniper also dropped to one knee, shooting down the few bugs that the Vong were able to throw. Soon there was silence.
The team needed to go to the level above them so they cut a hole into the ceiling and jumped up one at a time. It seemed to be some sort of training facility with rubble and vehicles that would be seen in any New Republic city. They heard a growl from one of the many shadows. Many of the team's weapons trained on the sound while the wookiee and the grunts scanned for other possible threats. The room was so dark that they turned their night vision on. What they saw scared them all. It was a creature of terrifying appearance. It had multiple legs, a barbed tail, stood one meter tall, and stretched four meters long. It stood in the center of what appeared to be a nest in a bombed out room of a building. The walls around it were apparently burned by acid.
"I have a bad a feeling about this," said Point, the leader. "Give it a wide berth and follow me. Keep your eyes peeled for anything else."
The Mandalorians avoided the creature and continued on. They faced forward but kept some of their helmet's cams focused on the creature. It began to follow them. "Point we have a problem," said Rear. "The creature is following us."
"We'll have to take it out. Range, put on your silencer and take it out. Fire keep it covered," said Point. Both the sniper and wookiee nodded. The sniper began to attach a piece of metal to one of his pistols when the creature moved. It sprang to its right and spewed a stream of acid from its mouth flying six meters at the wookiee. The wookiee leaped backwards, out of range of the acid stream. The sniper began to fire at the creature sending one shot to its head and another to its chest. Each shot caused far less damage than they should have. Rear fired with his slightly more powerful M5 on full auto burning several large holes into the creature.
Rear murmured into the com, "I hope we don't run into more of these."
Point answered, "They seem to have a presence in the force. Did you guys feel it? It was like a hunger or a hatred…for us. If the Vong engineered them, we'll probably find more at the cloning facility. Let's go." He had noticed a mist rising from the creature and knowing the Vong, he doubted it was healthy.
They moved on finding several more nests. They gave them a wide berth and had to kill only a few. "Seems like the Vong stay away from these things," said Slash, the blade master. "We haven't come across any, or signs of them, in the last fifteen minutes."
"They might not know that we're up here with all the other groups doing their missions. We did disguise our ceiling entrance well. They might also be figuring that these creatures will finish us off for them," said Point grimly. He held up his hand suddenly. "Movement up ahead. Go to the walls."
There was a doorway up ahead. The creature's nests seemed to have ended. The team continued towards the doorway, sticking to the shadows and whatever cover could be had. Point held up his hand again. There were three guards hiding behind some rubble near the door with more presumably behind them. "Slash, take them down quick and clean. Range, keep the guards in your sights. Rear, watch our back. Fire, watch behind the guards for any surprises."
The team took up their positions. Slash ran up quietly along the wall. He was the best at stealth of the team. He edged up behind the guards. "Point," he whispered into his mic. "They're bait. There's at least two squads behind the doorway."
"Alright, Blast, fire a fletchet through the doorway. Range take the guards. Everyone else move in," ordered Point. They all rose up like living shadows and began to move towards the door. Suddenly Blast fired the fletchet round. The moment it exploded Range downed the guards and everyone ran towards the door. Slash went in first, two lightsabers ignited.
The fletchet round had taken out most of the Vong, but there was still twenty survivors. Slash began to fight, but it was mostly defensive. He had to focus to block all of the razor bugs and dodge the blast bugs. He was slowly moving towards the Vong line. Then Point arrived, his M5 on full auto blazing away. Fire arrived next, his blaster cannon further destroying the Vong line. Slash stood in front of Point and Fire cutting down the Vong bugs before they hit. By the time Range, Blast, and Rear came, it was over.
Jaig and the distraction team stepped into the nearly destroyed room. His two lightsabers detached from my thigh holsters and ignited. They were of an odd design, called lightsaber tonfa or guard shoto. They traveled the length of his forearm extending a few centimeters beyond his fist. A handle was attached perpendicular from the shaft. He had also incorporated special attachment points on his forearms' armor plating so that he didn't actually have to hold the blades. Instead he held an M5 and a fletchet launcher.
"I'm impressed," said Fett. "You're almost as heavily armed as I am." He was brandishing a lightsaber and a concussion grenade launcher, along with a blaster in a holster, his EE-3 carbine, and the vast armament hidden throughout his armor.
Jaig's elite guard stood around them each with their favorite weapons. They had been fighting for almost an hour and had taken little damage. The Vong hadn't seemed to have organized any serious resistance yet. They had come across only small groups of five to fifteen troops. The team was headed towards the command center of the ship. They hoped that this would draw most of the troops towards them and away from the other important missions.
They entered some kind of assembly hall or dining area. It was roughly thirty meters long and eight meters tall with a second story balcony running along the walls. They edged their way along, guns trained on the many doors and the balcony. The Vong stepped out just as they neared the center of the room and opened fire.
Jaig fired a fletchet and the missile from his M5 at the balcony on the opposite side. He ran behind a pillar that supported the balcony on his side's wall. Fett, his Mandos, and Jaig's guard followed suit on whatever side they were on. Jaig switched his M5 to burst and began to lay down suppressive fire.
(Author's note: This part has nothing to do with the story, it's just a little comedy thrown in, if you understand the joke. Only a two people I know will, so if you don't please disregard.
Slowly they all began to hear singing coming over the com. It was a Mandalorian drinking song. "What is that?" asked Fett.
"That's Jake," said Jaig shaking his head.
Suddenly a Mandalorian clad in red and black armor came strolling in the room. He wore a bandoleer full of grenades. He had two swords on his back. Upon seeing the Vong he crossed his arms and said, "There you are! I've been looking all over for you. I think you've been avoiding me. I think I'm hurt." As he said this he jumped up on the balcony and began to attack the Vong with his swords.
"He's insane!" said Fett. "He'll be killed!"
"He is insane, and quite homicidal. But he won't be killed. He's only strength in the force is combat and healing. He heals almost instantly and is a ferocious fighter. His singing, however, is quite annoying." Then yelling into his com, "Jake, knock off the singing! Fight quietly!"
Jake stood where he was on the balcony, facing Jaig, "Well, if you're going to have that kind of an attitude I don't want to be around you. I'm leaving!" With that he swung off the balcony, while dispatching two more Vong. He walked out the door, stopped, and called, "Heeeerrree Vong, here boy! You've been naughty, and I'm here to teach you a lesson!"End of Part)
One of his guards called for covering fire on the opposite balcony. He was carrying an assault cannon. He ran down along Jaig's side behind the pillars. Another guard was doing the same on the opposite side. A Vong stepped up to fire a blast bug and received a blaster bolt from Jaig's M5 for his trouble. The guard on Jaig's side leaped up the stairs that lead to the balcony. He dived on his belly and began to fire plasma shot at the surprised Vong. The other guard did likewise, firing his Mandalorian heavy repeater. The troops below threw concussion grenades at the end of the balcony furthest from the guards.
Chapter 5
Strike Team Alpha continued down the corridor, reasonably calm under the threat of Vong and the creatures with the grinning smiles full of teeth. They were almost at the cloning facilities. In order to make the goal of their attack less obvious they were on the level above their target.
"Slash, make me a door," ordered Point. Slash cut a large circle in the floor with the tip of his lightsaber. He gauged it so that the tip would not quite cut through to the other side. The Mandalorians all stepped on the circle, crouched, weapons drawn, facing outward. The circle gave way and they fell the eight feet to the floor below.
They were ready to fight, the Vong in the cloning chamber were not. Soon all of the unfriendlies were eliminated. "Slash, access the computers. Rear and Blast guard that door, Range and Fire guard the other. I'll watch our entrance," said Point.
The seventeen members of the distraction team continued on through the door and after checking for any more Vong, began to assess the wounded. Six of their number were out of action and needed medical treatment. Not all of the strike teams had reported in yet, so a distraction was still necessary. Jaig told his men to take the wounded back. He was going onwards.
Tsavong Lah was in the command center with a feathered creature who emitted a force presence. From their body posture they were obviously allies. Lah turned from the organic counsel that he was looking at. "So, this is what has been causing such disquiet aboard my ship. You must be great warriors or very lucky." The creature left through another door in a hurry, presumably to get reinforcements.
Both Jaig's flettchete launcher and M5 were empty, but both lightsabers were working. Lah's right hand was hidden by his body. He turned suddenly hurling an amphistaff at Jaig's upper chest. Jaig dived to the right and back handed it with his left saber.
Lah charged with a Tsaisi in his left hand and another amphistaff in his right. There was a weapon's locker near where he was standing. Jaig leaped at Lah, the Mandalorian's right blade positioned in a blocking position, his left in a stabbing position. Lah dodged to the right and swung the amphistaff high at Jaig's head while pushing the Tsaisi point first at his chest. Jaig blocked the amphistaff with his right blade and batted the Tsaisi away with his left.
He landed on his knees near the control panel which he slashed apart with two strokes of his lightsabers, hoping to disable key components of the ship. Lah roared and came charging from behind Jaig. Jaig sprang to his feet. Lah swung both of his weapons at Jaig from the left and the right in a pincer stroke. Jaig blocked both and landed a boot square on Lah's chest. Lah tumbled backward and lay stunned
Jaig could hear more troops coming. He cut the weapons locker from its moorings and pulled it down. It was now on top of Lah, pinning him. Jaig pulled a sequencer charge out of his pack and placed it behind the door frame. He set it for three seconds and ran for all he was worth. He could hear the bird like creature and two squads of Vong coming out of the door behind him. Then the charge went off. That part of the corridor and the command room collapsed.
He reported in telling his troops that he was coming. "We're encountering heavy resistance, sir. They're trying to wipe us out. They might not see you from behind."
"Roger," Jaig replied. He began to slow down so that the Vong wouldn't hear him.
He made it to the departure point and smiled in his helmet. The Mandalorian warriors were picking off the Vong with meticulous precision. Not a bolt was being wasted. There was one Mandalorian who was especially efficient. His DC-17m was old, but he knew how to use it. His helmet with a faded red splash of paint hardly moved as he systematically thinned the Vong ranks. "Are all teams accounted for?" Jaig asked.
"Affirmative, sir. Strike Team Alpha just got back," came the quick reply.
"Good," he said as he leaped over their front line and got behind some rubble. "Let's get out of here."
They began to pull back, leapfrogging each other to provide cover. They clamped their feet into the yorik coral. Then they ordered the War Droids to come for them. Their suits were sealed and they were ready for the sudden decompression. The Vong weren't. They were flash frozen. Emergency doors came crashing down in nearby compartments. They mounted their droids and got the wounded in theirs. They pulled off four proton bombs from their droids and placed them in the room they had just vacated.
A Mandalorian Jedi fleet arrived to provide cover. The insertion team pulled away at top speed.
A few moments after they pulled away and were at a safe distance, the bombs went off. The resulting explosion cracked the world ship into four pieces. They went spinning away towards Myrkyr, caught by its gravity. They then burned up in the atmosphere. The remaining Vong forces pulled back. The alliance's forces followed, harassing them and reducing their numbers.
The Mandalorians made it back to the Prudii. They hurried to get the wounded to med facilities. Most weren't serious, but a few were. After they were safely away Jaig began talking to the warrior with the old DC-17m. "Still working I see. Feel good to be back in action?"
"Yeah, not like the old days though," he said, his voice raspy.
"What would you know about the old days?" asked Boba walking up. "I'm older than both of you combined."
"Not quite," Jaig said with a smile. "Sev, why don't you show Boba your bright, lovely face?"
As Sev took off his helmet Boba came to see his own face, plus ten years or so. Sev was a clone. "Hello, brother," said Sev with a sardonic smile. "I think I know a little more about the 'old days' than you do. In fact, there are stark few people who I could even talk to about the old days." He put back on his helmet and walked away.
"How can he be alive? The clones died after only a few years," demanded Boba.
"I told you," Jaig said. "We made sure that we had the best technology. That includes medicine. We cured Sev of the clone degeneration. He's healthier than anyone his age and most people thirty years younger."
"How many are there? Did you save more than just him?" asked Boba.
"Yes, there are a few others. Some you fought with today. At the end of the clone wars and during, many troopers went missing. Some left and some were left behind. We found Sev on Kashyyk, badly hurt, but still fighting off battle droids. We got him out, and healed his wounds. By the time he was fit, the war was over. He had been assumed dead. He was dissatisfied with the Republic and didn't trust the Empire, so given the option, he joined us. He doesn't usually go on missions anymore, though. He is one of our best sniper trainers and can still out shoot most of my men, even with that old gun of his," Jaig said with a smile.
Chapter 6
The war lasted a few more months. The alliance began targeting the Vong hierarchy, hoping to force a surrender. The alliance searched for their World Ships, taking them down one by one. Finally Nas Choka, their leader, called for a cease fire and the war was over. They had been unable to capture a single world. Without worlds they couldn't grow ships. Consequently their fleets were greatly depleted. A Vong expedition had visited Zonoma Sekot and had felt a great connection. Choka asked if they would be allowed to settle there. It was agreed. The Vong and their creatures left for Sekot. Once they had arrived, the planet revealed its hyperdrive and took off into unknown space.
The New Republic Senate was in an uproar. One of the senators was speaking, "We cannot trust these so called Mandalorians. We know very little about them. Their fleet is a threat to the New Republic. We don't know where they come from, what their motives are, or if they will support the Empire or New Republic now that the war is over. We have heard that they used spies spread throughout the galaxy to search for Vong. What if they are now, or worse, have been gathering information on the weaknesses of the New Republic? We can't trust them." Viqi Shesh sat down amid mixed praise and booing.
Jaig stood in the shadows behind Leia's pod, his black armor making him virtually invisible. Luke, Han, and Chewie were present. "This has been going on for weeks," Leia explained. "There is a movement to demand that you reveal your colonies, amount of military ships, how many fighters you have at your disposal, total population, etc. They want to know everything about you and your people."
Jaig snorted, "Our population are all fighters." After a pause, "They will get no such information." He stepped from the shadows and punched the keys that gave him access to the comlink. "Listen to me, senators," he spat out. "If I wanted to destroy the New Republic AND the Empire I could. My fleet is bigger than both of yours combined. If I had wanted to sit back and watch your government crumble under the weight of war, and watch your worlds burn, I could have. And here I am today watching you scramble, trying to force me and my people to be under your control. I tell you now, it will NOT HAPPEN. We are our own people. We do what we decide and what we have done for centuries is to protect your sorry hides from invasion. When this war is over, our fleets will leave. Our spies will stay. You couldn't find them before, and even now that you know they exist, you still won't find them. We are the Hukaatir, the Mandalorian Jedi."
He took a breath, watching his words sink in. "I will however, take a delegation of my own choosing to one of our worlds. They will represent the New Republic, the Jedi, and the Mandalorians. That WILL suffice for your demands." With that he turned, nodded towards Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie, and left.
Silence followed his exit. After a few moments, Leia stepped up to the microphone. "All for accepting Mandalore's offer?" There was a resounding cacophony of yes. She was a deft politician.
Jaig waited for Senator Shesh by her personal landing pad. She came out from the doorway. "Senator Shesh," he called. "I have someone here who would like to speak with you."
"Ohh?" she asked, turning, suspicion glinting in her eyes. "What makes you think I would talk with you or anyone else with you?" Vehement hatred dripped from her words.
"I think you'll talk to these men." As he spoke two New Republic Intelligence officers appeared with binders. Shesh's eyes widened. Jaig waited to see if she would fight, flee, or surrender. She suddenly calmed. She was a cool one.
"What are the charges?" she asked calmly.
"Treason, conspiring with enemies of the New Republic, spying…" continued one of the officers as he put her binders on and led her to their airspeeder.
She had a confident smile. "It'll never stick you know. There will be a reckoning and I will have your head Mandalore."
"It will stick," he retorted. "It will stick because my spies recorded several meetings you had with 'Pedric Cuf', also known as Nom Anor. You are going to the deepest, darkest cell the New Republic has to offer. Be glad they are the ones punishing you and not me." He watched as they closed the door on her and left. He nodded towards a nearby airspeeder that switched lanes to follow her. He didn't want any of her supporters or still hidden Vong freeing her.
Later that day in the Solo's apartment. "I heard you got Shesh imprisoned. How did you manage that?" asked Leia, still a little suspicious of Jaig.
"Shesh did it to herself. She was meeting with Nom Anor. We had been suspicious of her for months and had finally located Anor in Coruscant. We were following him and when he and Shesh met, we recorded what was said. We realized that Shesh was feeding the Vong information about our forces. Consequently, we made sure that she got the wrong information. It was almost correct so that she wouldn't get suspicious, but the numbers, types, or locations of ships were skewed. She unwittingly helped us. It was just a matter of time until we compiled enough information to send her away. We actually worked with New Republic Intelligence in gathering some of the info so that it would be legitimate."
"You set her up. You knew that she was going to voice complaints against you in the Senate," said Leia, a mischievous smile on her face.
Jaig shrugged. "I let her run her course. I wanted a reason to show you my home and Shesh had recently hired assassins against your families. There was also a plan in motion to kidnap the twins for some Vong ritual. I needed to get you away without arousing suspicion or doubt to your loyalties. Plus, it sent a warning to anyone else opposing us. It just all worked out."
"So, you have us in mind for this "visit"?" asked Luke.
"Well,"Jaig started, "you and your families. They would be safe on my world I can assure you. You may even bring your Noghri guards. I'm afraid I can't tell you where we are going, though. My people's security is utmost in my mind. I would be honored if you would accept. I will pick you up soon if you are agreeable," he said.
Luke, Han and their families were waiting on an empty landing platform. "He said he'd be here," grumbled Han.
"Do you trust him?" Mara asked Luke.
"Yes, or I wouldn't have agreed to this, but there is something he's not telling us," replied Luke.
Suddenly a ramp was lowered out of thin air. "Ready everyone?" Jaig said standing in the doorway to his cloaked ship. All of them were surprised accept Mara and Luke. They boarded.
"Nice trick," said Han eyeing the machinery. "How does it work?"
"The smuggler coming out in you?" Jaig asked jokingly. He keyed for the ramp to close. "Some Vong and Shesh's assassins are on their way. My men will deal with them, but I'd rather us not be seen. Shall we watch?" he offered as he keyed the viewscreen on.
Seven people appeared on the platform dressed in the same clothes that the Skywalkers and Solos were in. The one that was Mara even had what appeared to be a baby in her arms. Moments later four medium airspeeders appeared and began to strafe the platform. The group on the platform dived and rolled in opposite directions, each pulling out weapons. They began to fire back upon the airspeeders. The speeders began to waver in apparent confusion. It was at that moment six more airspeeders arrived and fired magnetic clamps at the attacking speeders. They tightened the cables attached to the clamps and pulled in the enemy ships like hooked fish. The assassins tried to break away for a little while, but eventually seemed to accept their fate. The Mandalorian ships pulled away, one attached to each ship, one in the lead and one behind. They headed towards the nearest New Republic Security Force department. The men on the ground turned towards the ship, snapped to attention, saluted, and left.
"Alright, I guess the show's over. Shall we be off then?" There was a dull rumble as the ship lifted off. The ship approached the atmosphere.
"Wasn't that taking a chance? What if there had been more men?" asked Jacen.
Jaig punched a few more keys on the viewscreen, bringing up six images of different rooftops around them. Each had a Mandalorian packing up sniping gear. "I don't take chances. We were fairly sure that there would be about three airspeeders and possibly ground troops. My men had called in confirming that the ground threat had been neutralized. The snipers were an extra precaution just in case there were more than we were expecting." With that he turned back to the controls.
After a few moments Leia asked, "Don't you have to check in with air traffic control?"
Jaig chuckled, keeping his eyes on his instruments. "And tell them what? That a ship that they can't see or detect is lifting off and heading for hyperspace? No, I think I'll leave them out of the loop. Besides, this way we won't have any eavesdroppers meeting up with us." He began punching up the ship's navigational charts, while dodging the traffic of Coruscant.
"I don't recognize any of those hyperlanes," said Han looking at the charts.
"That's because these maps were the personally property of Palpatine. We hacked his system and took them, plans for his secretive weapons, ships, vehicles, etc. These lanes haven't been public knowledge for the last thousand years. It helps cut down on tourists." Jaig said with a smile. "I'm afraid I can't give you a copy of the ones leading to our worlds, but there are a few you don't have that will cut down travel time in the known galaxy. You can have those."
"Are we going straight to your home from here?" asked Mara.
"No, we have to go pick up Fett first," Jaig answered. Han noticeably tensed next to him. "He will be staying in a different part of the ship and all of your rooms have locks, if that makes you feel any better." He turned back to the control panel. He keyed a few more commands and turned back to his guests. "Autopilot is now on. Want to see your rooms?"
A few hours later Han and Jaig were playing Sabacc, at which Han was soundly beating him. "So, you still want to know how the cloak works?"
"Sure," said Han, a mischievous look on his face.
"It's powered by stygium crystals. There's a large supply of them on one of our worlds, but not enough to shield all of our ships. We use them more for our spies and other missions that need to be kept secret. The cloaking generator hides our emissions, absorbs light and the scans of other ships. It also projects the light back with a projector so we won't eclipse anything."
"Hmm," said Han, shuffling the deck. "I'll play you for it."
Jaig chuckled. "How about I just give it to you instead and save us both some time. You're going to want to have a ship to give to Jacen or Jaina. It's just small enough that it can be used as a blastboat. There are two quad laser cannon turrets which can be put on automatic, controlled inside of them, or from the cockpit. There are two laser cannons in the front as well as a missile launcher, proton torpedo launcher, and an ion cannon. It's well armored. It would take a turbo laser to scratch the paint. It's made from Mandalorian iron."
They picked up Boba a few hours later. He didn't seem entirely pleased about the whole idea, but he was rarely pleased as a rule. He was curious about Jaig's people and their previously unknown factor in the galaxy so he had agreed to come.
They reached Jaig's planet the next day. "Welcome to Sol'yc. It means "first" in basic. It was the first colony established. Consequently it is the largest." Everyone peered through the viewport at the approaching sphere. It was mostly tan and yellow.
"Is it a desert world?" asked Luke.
"No," Jaig answered. "The entire planet is cloaked and gives off false readings. The cloak also makes it look like a desert to discourage any visitors. Once we are through the atmosphere you will be able to see."
"Don't you have defensive ships around the planet, or are they cloaked?" asked Jaina.
"There are about twenty cloaked ships. Most are similar to the Skipray Blastboats. We don't rely too heavily on ships to defend our worlds. On Sol'yc we have twelve w-165 planetary turbolasers, six v-150 Planet Defender anti-orbital ion cannons, and a planetary shield. This is the most well defended planet in the Galaxy."
A voice crackled over the speaker, "Welcome back, sir. Glad to see your trip went well. Are all of our guests with you?"
"That's correct, Control. Is the landing pad near my home open?"
There was a pause as the operator checked, "Yes, it is. Come in on vector 236.7."
"Thank you, Ne'tra Kad'au out." Jaig turned off the com and turned back towards his guests. "It's Mando for "black lightsaber". My first lightsaber had a black blade. There is a special type of crystal found on Sol'yc that gives this color."
"How did he know that we're here? I thought your cloak would have stopped that." Asked Han, his eyebrows raised.
"We have Crystal Gravitational Traps set to detect cloaked ships. Once we develop a technology we find ways of negating it."
They began to enter the atmosphere. Once they were through it they were able to see the planet. Sol'yc was mostly scrubland. There were a few large lakes and rivers marking the landscape. There were small dots that were settlements, but not very many. Jaig began pointing out things to them, "That larger community over there is our capital, Abesh. It has a population of 50,000. My office is there, but I live at that small dot there," he said pointing. "My farm has been in my family for the last five generations. It's about two kilometers from town and the landing pad."
They were getting close to the pad so Jaig called for a landspeeder. It pulled up just after they landed. It was a large vehicle with an E-Web mounted on top in an open turret. A boy about twelve got out of the landspeeder. "This is my oldest son, Tor," said Jaig. Tor nodded to the newcomers.
"What's with the heavy firepower on the speeder?" asked Han.
"Occasionally there are creatures that come down from the mountains and attack lone vehicles. Their armor is tough and only repeated hits from a heavy blaster can dissuade them. You can put your luggage in the back," said Jaig pointing.
They headed west down a dirt road meeting oncoming traffic rarely. "So tell us more about you and your planet Jaig," said Luke.
Jaig turned back to face his guests from his seat. "I am one of four brothers, one older, two younger. I've lived my whole life on my farm. My oldest brother owns and operates a mine twenty kilometers or so from here. My brother after me teaches at the Jedi academy in Abesh. My youngest brother still helps with the farm. He designs weapons and ships part time."
"What do you farm?" asked Mara.
"We have a herd of Banthas, two fields of Maze-stalk, and some Kyrf trees. We…" Jaig was interrupted by his son who was driving.
"Buir, there is a Grimsbur coming towards us," said Tor, his eyes on a screen and a note of fear in his voice.
"Alright," said Jaig. "Keep us on the road. Don't veer or he might get us broadside." Jaig reached above his head and threw open a hatch. He folded down a stand from the ceiling, stepped on it and pulled himself into the turret. He prepared the E-Web.
"What's happening?" asked Anakin.
"I don't know," answered Leia.
A few moments later they saw an immense creature coming towards them. It was four kilometers long and had six legs. It also had a two meter long tail. It was running towards them from the right. "Ad'ika, accelerate!" called Jaig.
There was a slight lurch as the vehicle jumped ahead. The creature was upon them now, but because of the burst of speed, its lunge missed. As it passed by the passengers could see its ridged skull, claws, and fangs. It looked mean.
"Buir, it's still coming!" yelled Tor.
"I see him." Jaig swiveled to face the Grimsbur which was coming from behind the speeder, and gaining. Jaig began to pour fire at the creature's head. It's only apparent affect was to annoy the creature which gave an angry, high pitch scream.
It was right behind the speeder now. Jaig was still shooting at it. Its movements were seeming less calculated. It suddenly raised itself up on its four back legs, preparing to swat Jaig with its clawed front paws. It had pulled back with its right paw when its eyes rolled back, and it collapsed in a heap.
"Alright, Tor, slow us down and let's go back. Call the airlift." Jaig sat back down in his seat, closed the hatch, and folded up the stand.
"Why are we going back?" asked Luke.
"I need to secure the creature so it can be picked up and brought back to the mountains," said Jaig, pulling out a box from under his seat.
"Isn't it dead?" asked Han.
"No," said Jaig, "merely unconscious. It would take a lightsaber to cut through that hide. Shooting it with the E-Web is like hitting it repeatedly with a sledgehammer. Eventually, it collapses. Then we net it and bring it back to the mountain preserve. They are surrounded by fences. Sometimes storms knock down the fences and a Grimsbru gets out before it can be repaired. It's rare, but it does happen."
They were back to the creature now. Jaig stepped out carrying a box and a large net with stakes. He placed it over the creature and staked it down. Then he pulled out a hypo from the box and sedated the creature. He got back into the speeder and they continued east.
They arrived at Jaig's farm a half an hour later. Jaig made sure his guests were settled before he began his tour. He first showed them around his house which was wide and short. It was comprised of three levels, but the third was built on top of the first which was sunk into the ground four feet. The ground level sat squarely in between the other levels with stairs leading to both. Jaig then lead them outside to continue the tour.
"This building over here is the armory," said Jaig. Pointing to a large building face set into an even larger hill. "It's where we keep ships and weapons for defense of this area. Some prototype ships that never went into production are kept here, ships we acquired from… sources, my father's and grandfather's ships, as well as my personal and family weapons." Jaig pressed his thumb against a key pad and bunched in a six digit code. A small door opened.
They all went in to a twenty by twenty room filled with farm equipment, seed sacks, and other various common items. Boba scoffed, "Is this what you call an armory?"
Jaig called out, "Computer, open door, access three, five, seven, alpha, gamma, mark." The back wall opened revealing a large hanger bay filled with vehicles of all descriptions. Weapon racks lined the walls. "This is our armory. The hill hides the size of the structure and other equipment cloaks it to make it appear like a hill. In case we are ever surprised by an attack and our other equipment destroyed, this is our reserve."
There was a Meteor-class Q-carrier, a BTL-S8 K-wing assault starfighter, two GAT-12m Skipray Blastboats, an Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor, two StealthX's, and way in the back a Sith Infiltrator. Along the walls there were all kinds of weaponry, including three YVH1 droids, three AT-PT's, two AT-XT's, and two Dark Trooper Phase III exoskeletons. Stands lined the walls holding dozens of weapons including M-5's, A280 blaster rifles, DC-15A blaster rifles, concussion grenade and flechette launchers, verpine shatter guns, and boxes of various types of grenades. There were also shelves of ammo each marked for its specific weapon.
Jaig began to talk, "There are also two LAAT-series gunships, two Bes'uliik fighters, five Basilisk war droids, two Sentinel-class landing craft, a Delta-class JV-7 escort shuttle, Canderous-class assault tank, and two Tra'kads in a side chamber. I think that's everything."
"Wow," said Luke. "You have enough here to start a small war."
"Yes," Jaig replied. "There are dozens of such facilities across the planet. We take our defense very seriously."
After that Jaig showed them around the rest of the farm. He had about 40 square km's of land which was mostly dedicated to farming, but there were also some woods and a stream running across it that flowed down from the mountains.
The next day before they started any serious talks Jaig invited Luke, Mara, and the Solo's to the training facility in his town. Boba went hunting.
Jaig introduced them to a Mandalorian Jedi. "This is J'ork, but he often goes by 'Slash'. He's a blade master and has a unique style. Show them a routine Slash."
Slash had an embarrassed look on his face, but it disappeared as he prepared for his routine. He tied a bandanna around his eyes and put in earplugs. He exhaled, bent his knees and went into a spinning back flip. He landed and gave a sweeping kick. He tucked and did a somersault springing upwards into a flying kick. He landed, turned and threw and upper cut followed by a chest height kick. He continued this way for a few more minutes.
Jaig was standing at a control stand, "T'ad!" He called and pushed a button. Six drones came out from holes in the walls. Slash pulled out two lightsabers from under his shirt. The drones began to fire stun bolts at him which he blocked. Every minute another drone was added until it reached a total of twelve.
With that the droids went back to their holes. Jaig called out again, "Ehn!" Slash pulled out two more lightsabers and attached their bottoms to the other lightsabers' bottoms. He now held two double bladed lightsabers. He held them perpendicular to his body. He did a routine similar to his first, but with the added lightsaber sweeps and stabs. One could almost see him fighting multiple assailants at once.
At the end even Luke was impressed. "You should be proud of your Jedi Academy, it teaches well. He is very skilled. Does he wear the blindfold and earplugs to increase his connection to the force?"
"Yes," said Jaig. "Using two double-bladed lightsabers is very difficult to do. It's easy to cut yourself and hard to block blaster bolts. He usually fights with two single blades, but duels with the doubles. I have known him for many years. He is also my son-in-law. Would either of you like to spar with me?" he asked talking to Luke and Mara.
Jacen spoke out and said "I will." He stood and pulled out his lightsaber.
"Alright," Jaig said, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. He had clearly been offering to Mara and Luke. He detached one of his from his thigh and holding it in his right hand, ignited it. "Begin," he said.
Jacen charged and swept with his lightsaber low at Jaig's feet. Jaig blocked it and stepped back in ready stance. Jacen charged again and was again rebuffed. He charged two more times at which point Jaig disarmed him. "Again," said Jacen.
Jacen was getting annoyed. This time he was less quick to attack. Jaig smiled at this and became the attacker. After a few moments he surprised Jacen and brought his lightsaber inches from Jacen's neck. Jaig extinguished his blade. Jacen said "Again."
Both stepped back into ready stance, anger beginning to play on Jacen's face. They began to spar in earnest neither one really attacking, but each alternately parrying the other's thrust. After a few minutes Jaig let one of Jacen's attacks through and strike the handle of his lightsaber, at which point Jacen's lightsaber winked out.
Jaig turned his off and answered the astonished faces of the onlookers, "Cortosis ore, it shorts out lightsabers. Both of my lightsabers' handles are lined with it."
"Mara and I have encountered it before," said Luke.
"Well fought," said Jaig extending his hand. Jacen was mad for being defeated multiple times and with such apparent ease. He called upon the force attempting to throw Jaig back.
Jaig moved back two centimeters and stopped, crossing his arms. He caused Jacen to rise off the ground a full two meters. "You don't know when to stop do you? Seeing as this is a place for training I'm going to teach you a lesson."
Leia begin to get up, worry in her eyes, but Han held her arm and pulled down, whispering "Wait."
Jaig continued, "First, you butt in where you were not invited. You fight someone older than you of unknown abilities. You refuse to acknowledge that the fight is over, and you attack a leader of a people with the Force? You are not a Jedi. You are an arrogant little boy, over confident in your abilities. If I were your parent, I'd spank you." With that he dropped him.
"Now, how about we let the kids go out for a guided tour. Tor will show them around." As the kids left Jaig went and shut the door. He sat down at the table with the Solo's, Skywalker's, and Chewie.
"What's going on?" asked Luke. "I sense you are troubled."
"The Sith are back." There was an involuntary gasp many of his guests. "They never truly left, but they are getting organized and growing. My spies discovered them while looking for Vong. As of yet the Sith don't know that we are aware of them. That gives us the advantage. We need to hit them while we are still prepared for war. Their leader's name is Darth Krayt."
PART 2
"What do you mean the Sith are back?" demanded Luke, concern written all over his face.
Jaig pulled up a holovid. A planet appeared, floating, in the center of the table. "This is Korriban, burial ground of the Sith. This is where Darth Krayt is building his army. He has been doing it slowly for what must have been years. He's been hiding in the shadows avoiding attention. He's been waiting for an opportunity, a time when the galaxy is in great disarray so that he may seize power. With the rebuilding and reestablishment of order after the war, that time may soon be upon us."
"So you're planning a preemptive strike?" asked Han.
"In a way. Even though he is not prepared for full out war yet, he has been staging attacks and uprisings across the galaxy in an attempt to spread greater disorder. By committing these attacks of terrorism, especially in a time of war, he has already begun the war. He just hasn't done it openly. We will give him a chance to surrender, and when he doesn't, we will take him down," declared Jaig.
"And when were you planning on doing this?" questioned Mara, not quite liking the situation.
"We leave tomorrow. I would like you to come along, but it will be of your own choosing. What's left of the Vong will surrender or be destroyed. The bulk of my fleet will not be necessary. It will be heading for Korriban."
Jaig looked at the people around the table. There was a mixture of emotions ranging from misgivings about attacking an enemy that hadn't started open war to fear over starting another war. Above all, everyone dreaded the thought of another Empire rising, ruled by a Sith.
In the end they all went.
They went in Jaig's flagship, Prudii. They reached Korriban after a day's worth of travel. It was in the outskirts of the galaxy. The Hukaatir ships were ready to land troops and began orbital bombardment of the planet. Nothing appeared on the planet. It was completely barren and almost devoid of all life.
"Sir, we have the channel open," reported the communications officer to Jaig.
"Darth Krayt, this is Jaig Mandalore, surrender now or be destroyed. You have been declared an enemy of the Republic and every other peace loving person in the galaxy." The message was going out on all frequencies, but there was not answer.
"So he's going to fight. Shields up! Open the hanger doors." Jaig was already mounted on his personal Basilisk droid. Mara and Luke were each in their own X-Wing. The Solo's had opted for a ship designed by Jaig's brother. It was similar to the Millenium Falcon, but didn't have the cargo space. Instead it had more weapons, larger sublight engines, and better shielding. However, Han still wished he had the Falcon.
The hanger doors were open. Jaig sealed his suit and flew out the hanger, along with over a thousand other Mandalorians and their droids. The fighters and bomber came next with the Skywalkers and Solos. Then came the drop ships.
Han came over the comm. "I still don't see any base. What are we hitting exactly?"
Jaig answered him, just a little annoyed. "I already explained Solo. His base is either buried or cloaked. It's the first wave's job to find it so that the orbiting ships and everyone else knows where to hit."
Han turned off the comm. "I still think it's a lousy idea."
Chewie roared something. "Well who asked you!" replied Han. "Always taking other people's sides."