Star Wars The Old Republic: The Crimson Order

by The Crimson Order

The story of the Crimson Order spans over four years of collected minds that have come together and discussed every chapter. A large section of the story has been RP'ed by our guild, however we decided that it may be compelling enough to tell to others. This story is in continuation, but it picks up in chapter 4! Enjoy! Questions in the comments!

Star Wars: The Crimson Order

CIVIL WAR

Conflict! The war between the Empire and Republic rages on as the galaxy is left to deal with the inner turmoil. The Jedi Order and Sith Empire are desperately trying to grab what systems they can before they fall into each other's hands. However, even with the war sending a flame of despair throughout the galaxy, a new threat lurks in the voids of Wild Space.

A year has gone by with intense conflict between another pair of opposing forces. The Crimson Empire has established a strong trade alliance with the Republic, and is now using its devious assets to search the galaxy for its most wanted enemies. Kanto leads the mayhem against the Resistance, or also known as the Crimson Rebels. After months of ill-fated attempts, the Dark-Jedi acquires a new ally that has now resurrected and is known to be the only Sith to defeat the Crimson Order, Sharnus. Together, Sharnus and Kanto strike blow after blow against the Rebel Leader, Kaedus Arcadia. The main weapon at their disposal is a cloned experiment that is brutally gifted with the Dark Side of the Force, the genetically gifted woman by the name of Syreena. With the new gift of clone generation, Syreena herself develops the new version of an elite trooper that once fought for the Crimson Order before his death, Jorth Shadowhunter. Amongst other deadly allies, the force of power and destruction carve a path for the world of Obroa-Skai in search of a deadly new asset. However, as Jorth conducts Operation: Black Mallard on his personal flagship, the Dark Apocalypse, Kanto searches for interests of his own. After discovering a dark secret on the edge of the Deep Outer Rim, Kanto searches for his lost son Ross…willing to destroy anything or anyone in his path to find him.

The Crimson Rebels have finally tasted victory. After an immense operation to find the last known Bravo Company trooper on an ancient Trandoshan world, Captain Noble and Captain Sky found themselves face to face with Jorth Shadowhunter. With the help of vital troopers from Alpha Company, the force was able to sustain the elite trooper and retake the capital ship, the Endurance. Surprisingly, they weren't alone. Weeks before, Cratoren Arcadia and Reeseomari Arcadia finally escaped the torments of Yavin III in search for their son. Broken and battered, the duo was successful with the help of Lanorn. After a bloody battle on the bridge of the Endurance, the ship was claimed for the needs of the Resistance. Reunions and love followed, but the duty of the galaxy wasn't to be visists his ancestors tomb to reobtain his power in order to defeat the Sith God, Sharnus. After receiving a disturbing signal from the planet of Voss, the heroes race to their aid. Before they can investigate what had happened, Kaedus informs the crew that it is essential to refuel before traveling. The Rebels engage the Crimson Empire cargo ship, The Galantro, and try to secure their freedom to travel where they wish for the good of the galaxy…

However, the groups of heroes are unaware that Cratoren brought something with him from the Yavin moon. Confused at his new power, Cratoren rushes to aid the Rebellion before the coming threat emerges its head. Little do both sides know, that the galaxy is fixing to change forever.

---

Prologue

The sight was magnificent, even if the purpose was something he preferred in a different aspect. A bridge full of exceptionally bright minds, all of them exchanging theories and plans, it almost brought a smile to his face.

Kaedus stared at the immense bridge, large in space but short in personnel. Upon discovery, that his father and Noble had taken command of the vessel, he did his best to fill the void of crew members. Bucklers, smugglers, friends, they all came to his call…well some of them at least. Now he looked at his closest allies, each of them bringing a different aspect to the table. Cratoren and Reese stood close as usual, each of them peering into the holo-grams and providing only a small amount of advice when the time came. Katar and Adrianna stood next to them, the loudest of the group, in who had just arrived from their time away on Orto. The opposite force of the debate was of course Captain Noble and Admiral Ordo, they had a different mindset than Katar's or Adrianna's, but it was important that every detail was addressed.

The plan was simple, or at least thinking about it was simple. Voss was in trouble, no doubt due to the Empire or Kanto's forces. After a small discussion, it was agreed that they needed to provide immediate aid or at least investigate what had happened. There was only one obstacle however, fuel, because they only had theoretical drops left and then they would become a floating ghost ship, if they didn't find a port. Kaedus had sent Katar and Adrianna to Orto, in where they discovered a hidden fueling port that remained out of charted territory. The next problem they faced was how Orto was a triple rotation trip from Voss, they wouldn't make it in time to help. Kaedus had quickly decided to raid a nearby Crimson Empire patrol, they were common in their current system. He figured that if they hit the convoy hard enough, they could commence a zero-fuel process and then zip over to help the Voss and discover their condition.

"All I'm asking is that we have two squadrons to cover us, if we have the right protection our transport can easily make it to their hanger." Noble stated, his voice stern as it always was during briefings like these.

Katar rested both of his arms at his side and looked over to Kaedus, his blue eyes peering in skepticism. "I know Captain, but Ordo made it clear we don't have the man-power to face their fighters. We'd be torn to pieces…"

Ordo shook his head and nodded over to Kaedus as well, as if they were all addressing him instead of Cratoren.

"Correction, I said we wouldn't have enough time with the manpower we have. I don't doubt your skills as a pilot. I just don't think we can fend off their wing-battalion that long."

Kaedus shrugged, he knew exactly what the plan needed and that was an extra dose of talent and he provided just that. He spared a quick glance at his parents, who stared curiously at their son, knowing he had an idea the moment he thought of it.

"I'll lead the squadrons, while the troops invade the ship, it'll give us enough time to cover them and then escort them back." He stated, causing the group to fall silent and look over to him in unison.

Kaedus looked over to Cratoren, who wore a smile and didn't remove it until Ordo's concerned voice finally broke the silence.

"Kaedus, with all due respect…it only takes one stray bolt to send you to a frozen grave, I don't think the risk is worth it." He mumbled.

Kaedus shrugged and looked around to his friends, making sure his tone was as relaxed as possible. "I'll be fine, someone needs to do it and I volunteer. We're running out of time anyways, the more we wait…the more fuel we waste."

Ordo nodded and looked over to Cratoren, the two men exchanged a quick glance and then peered to the rest of the group. Kaedus took the conjoined approval to be all that he needed to state the final declaration of the plan.

"Then it's settled…I'll lead Blade and Grey Squadrons, we'll dispatch two wings to escort Alpha Company to the cruiser's hanger and then provide battle support. Noble will take his men and extract the needed supplies, Sky and Elisa will go along and infiltrate any needed objectives as necessary. Any questions?"

The group nodded and then turned their heads to Cratoren as he stepped forward and peered over to the Captain.

"Noble, you have room for two more Jedi?" He asked.

Noble smirked and gave a quick nod, almost excited to answer. "Yes sir, we always have room for some backup."

Cratoren nodded in response and looked back to the group. "Then it's settled…"

The group dispersed as everyone made their way to their designated areas. Kaedus stayed behind, giving himself a moment to run everything in his head before heading to the hanger. It was a tradition he started doing after the capture of Syreena, he learned it was best to sit and think before barging into a fight. The trait had to be one of his weakest flaws, it always caused him to take risks rather than perfect a strategy. He hoped that this little ritual would provide some sort of change, at least it would calm his senses.

Cratoren didn't move, instead he stayed still as he watched the others disappear. The face of his father was joyous at first, but the feeling they both felt was something that couldn't be ignored.

"It's him…you feel it?" His father asked, a stern sound lifting from his voice.

Kaedus crossed his arms and nodded. "Yes, he went there in person, I felt him instantly. What does Sharnus want with Voss?"

"I don't know…" Cratoren admitted as he looked down. "-it can be confusing at times, but he is a being not to be trifled with. I advise caution."

Kaedus agreed, if there was anyone on the whole ship that would know their enemy best, it was either his father or himself. The young Jedi retracted, he would include his mother but she didn't have the same feeling towards Sharnus like they did, and it was based purely on experience. The two men stood silent as they pondered the coming mission, trying to discover anything they had missed or looked over, thankfully nothing came to mind.

"I figured you'd volunteer…" Cratoren stated as he looked to his son. "-if you hadn't taken command of our fighters, I would've had to….and we both know how bad I am at flying." He joked.

Kaedus straightened himself and let out a smooth chuckle. "Yeah, well just try not to tear the entire ship apart with Noble. We need the gas and it's no good to us spoiled."

Kaedus looked to his father, the man across from him responded in a unusual way. Cratoren's face faltered to the mention of destroying the ship, but it swirled around and replenished his humor. He smiled, even if it was obviously forced, and then took his first steps towards the bridge exit.

"I'll try my best…good luck Kaedus. May the Force be with you…" He proudly encouraged as he strode off of the bridge.

"May the Force be with you as well…father." Kaedus mumbled.

He watched Cratoren enter the elevator to take him down to the loading bay, he would for sure be a vital aspect of this mission. Kaedus still couldn't comprehend of how great this moment was, it seemed like ages since they last had everyone on the same ship and conducted a mission together. If there was a single untied vision that he shared with everyone, it was to have what they possessed about a year ago. A band of heroes, fighting to defend what they believe is justice. It might've sounded cliché, but they were probably the galaxy's greatest of beings, if they lacked power then they made up for it with intellect or resolve.

Kaedus couldn't hold back his solemnness anymore however; he knew he would be facing Sharnus on every move in this encounter. Not to mention Kanto, Syreena, Domonix, Nayx and whoever else served the wickedness of the Sith God and the Crimson Empire leader. The time they had off was nice, but this conflict wouldn't end with vacation. He was nervous, but he let everyone believe he wasn't. It was a technique he mastered long ago; it helped with giving orders and lifting moral. The only person who knew what he felt about this campaign was himself, and he couldn't help but think that Sharnus knew too. The Sith God would eventually learn, it was one of his sickest powers, to read ones thoughts and exploit them.

He knew what he was facing, so did everyone else. Everyone knew that whatever they faced however, they would face together.

Kaedus strengthened his mind and walked off of the bridge, making his way to his personal Starfighter.

---

The door slid open easily, as it always did. Noble made a couple of quick changes to his mission log on the simple data pad he always carried around. The information wasn't important, but it made him feel like he was being productive.

The room he entered belonged to his men, the Alpha Company Rangers, or also known as the 101st Crimson Rangers. The barracks contained a vast array of bunk beds and footlockers, with the occasional, provocative posters slapped on the walls. A single window allowed the men to wonder off into the stars on the far side of the living space, only cluttered by racks of blasters and auto-cannons. Only one training dummy stood in one corner, which was currently being pounded away by Tup. Noble took only a couple of seconds to hear the massive thuds of the jabs and counters, followed by the eager grunts of the sergeant. The quiet sounds of the room and intense preparations of each trooper made Noble realize that his men were ready.

"We have our job, round up for briefing!" Noble shouted, instantly catching the attention of his men.

The large group of soldiers, all of them dressed in similar red and white combat suits, gathered around a single holo-projection device. The settings were already in place, so all Noble had to do was click a single button and it showed a detailed image of a classic Crimson-Empire cargo vessel. Cutter gave Noble a pat on the shoulder and stood at attention at his side, looking over the men to make sure all eyes were focused and ready. Noble did the same thing, however he looked at his men's faces instead. He peered at the shaved head of Tup, the quiet helmet of Alpha-20, Ringo's deep brown eyes and curly, black hair. They each had a certain identity to them, that's what made Alpha Company so special.

Before he started the briefing, the door slid open once again, however this time it revealed two fully armored young women. Sky stood straight, her eyes giving Noble a compassionate look and then becoming sharp and stern as usual. Elisa stood at her side, the pink hair couldn't be more recognizable and the deceptive frail body didn't fool anyone, anymore. What caused Noble to smile was the fact they both wore a different colored armor. Green and white glowed, freshly painted, and patterned on both of their chest plates and armor pieces. Sky held her intimidating helmet at her side, letting the customized design be seen by every trooper in the room.

"Bravo reporting…sir." She stated.

Noble wanted to respond with a rash comment, but this was hardly the time for jokes. The Captain nodded and motioned for the two troopers to join, recognizing that their part in the mission was critical.

"Alright, listen up…" Noble began; making sure his voice reached the back of the crowd. "-this mission is a simple smash and grab, it's nothing we haven't seen before. The only reason it will be difficult is if you make it difficult. Our target is this Freighter-Class Cargo ship, also known as the "Galantro"."

The holo-projection of the ship rotated, showing the encompassing hallways and hanger ports that littered the entire structure. Noble allowed his men to digest the schematics, even though their mission required only one route. He never hesitated to prepare his men for the unreasonable, if there was one thing he's learned…it's that every mission can go sideways.

"In case you haven't noticed, our ship is running a bit dry. Kaedus has led us to understand that this mission is a priority and is to be treated as such. If we fail in extracting this cargo ship's fuel…then it will lead to major repercussions. The ship is equipped with a dual-cruiser escort, both of the attack ships are equipped with standard Crimson equipment and a good amount of fighter squadrons."

Noble looked over to the projection, the design of the two cruisers was all too similar. He knew everyone in the room was thinking the same thing, except for the new recruits.

"Say what you will about these pretenders, but they don't lack vanity." He followed, and then continued with his briefing. "Kaedus will lead Grey and Blade squadrons to cover our approach, as our Company will make a straight shot for the broadside hanger-bay. The ship is equipped with an artificial gravity device, which means the enemy can turn it off with a flick of a switch. That means every single one of you troopers will be equipped with our Null-Class battle armor."

The information caused the men to stir and let out grunts of disappointment. Noble had to agree, the bulky suits that were known as Null-Class annoyed him during a firefight. Air tanks and wide helmets never proved useful in combat, but they came in handy when you were faced with suffocating to death. The suits were necessary, it would protect the men, and that's all Noble needed to hear.

"Now, for the details…" He continued, glancing over to Sky who stood close to the projection. "- our mission revolves around the Supply Deck, once boarding the hanger we will tactically infiltrate the enemy defense and make our way to the massive fuel deposit in their cargo hold. Sigma Squad, led by myself, will lead the attack along with Jay Squad. Rancor, Osiris, Char, and Photon squads will remain at the hanger bay and stretch along the corridors for support and defense. Once retrieved, Captain Sky and her specialist will deactivate all communications and provide false information to the enemy."

Noble's head felt dizzy after the immense demonstration, he hardly talked this much, except for briefings like these. Everyone in the room acted like they understood their goals and then peered back up at the Captain.

"Any questions?" He followed.

Ringo raised his voice and tilted his head back, hesitant to ask the question that escaped his mouth.

"Will there be any Jedi alongside us…sir?"

Noble shrugged, trying to build up the announcement before he let the men know. He felt a sense of excitement in himself too, for a long time these men had fought by themselves against Sith and The Force, it was nice to have someone next to them that possessed the same power. It was like the good ole days to Noble however, he looked forward to working with Cratoren once again.

"The reason is unknown, but it seems like both Cratoren and Reeseomari Arcadia have an interest with fighting with Alpha Company for this mission…" He shouted, sparking an immense cheer from the men standing before him.

The cheers and laughter faded away as the men left to check their gear and slip on their armor. Clicks of blasters being loaded and snaps from bracers being strapped on filled the entire room, almost bearable but Noble decided to step out anyways. The bright hallway was a change in lightning compared to the dark briefing room, it almost blinded him to the point that he didn't see that Sky followed him out. The two stood in the hallway, waiting for crew members to pass by and then disappear around a corner. Noble looked to Sky once they were alone, smiling and then letting a shrug lift his shoulders.

"I guess we're back into the mix of things, make sure you blind our enemy so I can make it out alive." He joked.

Sky smiled, but instead of responding with an immediate comeback, she pushed Noble against a nearby wall and pressed her lips against his. Noble squinted to the warm sensation of her body, accepting the comfort before she let him go.

"I'll do my best…" She replied, keeping a smile on her face before walking down the hallway.

Noble flinched as the door next to him opened, revealing Elisa. The woman turned the corner and followed the footsteps of her superior, but her head turned before she rounded the last corner. "Told you…" She muttered.

The Captain shook his head as the trooper disappeared and made her way to the hanger bay. Shortly after, men from his own Company left the barracks and proceeded to their stations, giving a quick salute to him in the process. Finally, Cutter and Ringo appeared fully armored and ready to go, accompanying their Captain as they all made their way to the hanger. The clicks of their hefty boots attracted glances from other members of the crew, not to mention the bright colors that radiated from their armor in the form of Red and White. Cutter wiped a particle from his shoulder plate, looking over to Noble in the process.

"What's the score Captain?" He asked. The tradition of betting on a mission's success wasn't professional, but it sure was fun.

Noble thought about all of their odds, and for once he liked them. He always succeeded in missions that everything was stacked against them, but for once they had everything going on their side.

"We're about to wake Sharnus himself…" He conceded.

As they made their way to the transport, a part of him hoped he had never mentioned the name. It was time to focus, and most of all…it was time to get the job done.

---

Cratoren knew his son better than anyone, despite his wife. The face he wore on the bridge confirmed that he was ready to lead, and ready to fight. He couldn't have been more proud, not due to the fact that his son was war-ready, but to the reality that he had grown up. A father can love nothing more than to see his boy grow into a man, it was an unspoken tradition that he always wanted to see. Another aspect was the fact that Cratoren never knew his father, the only memory he had was what the Jedi Order told him and what remained in the Archives.

Three children, the ideas of having such a loving life are what drove Cratoren to the ends of the galaxy. He only had one now, one son, and two horrible regrets that he would never overcome. He knew he had to let go of the pain, his family had to, but still there was something inside of him that tugged away at his chest. Airadessa.

The relationship he had with his daughter always struggled, he always felt he disappointed her at every turn. She was the middle-child, coming directly after Katus and a few years before Kaedus. The young girl had to watch her father carve a path of destruction through the galaxy in hopes of slaying Sharnus, and it was obvious she did not approve. Even though he returned a new man, she always glared at him in private and remained distant to no end. Cratoren wished he had repaired their bond, the one that every father has with his sweetheart. She was taken from him before he could, and because of what? He felt a disturbance in the Force, so he left, and the last words he told Aira was to believe in him and to trust him. He would never see her now, and that was the regret that he held so dearly in his heart.

There were distractions, like reuniting with Kaedus and finally leaving the moon of Yavin. Even the experience he had on Yavin III, the fact that his destiny held the galaxy in place for when the coming threat revealed itself couldn't hide his pain. Reese held the same emotion, he could sense it like a drum, always pounding away until one day it would burst.

Cratoren looked up, his reflection in the mirror filled him with the same confidence he had before. The water that he splashed on his face dripped from his forehead, nearly damping the long strands of hair that extended that far. He reached and switched the running water off, allowing a sense of silence to clear his mind. However, a hocking sound came from one of the refresher stalls. The Jedi cocked an eyebrow and peered over to the row of stalls, initially believing he was alone but now curious to see who was present with him.

The door slid open as Ordo walked out, his boots still clean and his uniform only slightly muffled. Cratoren made eye contact with the man as he walked over to Cratoren and used one of the sinks, dabbing his own face with the cool water.

"I get the jitters sometimes…" He admitted, making sure none of the mess splattered on his shirt.

Cratoren smiled, not being able to muster enough joy to chuckle. "I know how it feels." He replied.

"Yeah…" Ordo mumbled. "-I did the same thing when I was a trooper in Alpha, I thought it would end once I was an Admiral. Looks like I was wrong…" He conceived.

"Is it because of the responsibility… of the ship?" Cratoren asked.

Ordo washed his face one last time before answering, his eyes seemed clearer now instead of their irritated redness from the gagging. "It's because of the responsibility of their lives…" He revealed.

"How do you cope with it? The death and loss?" Cratoren's voice showed unlimited signs of curiosity. He wasn't asking for his friend, he was asking for himself because maybe someone knew something more than he did.

"I don't…" Ordo started. "-but when someone does pass on…I think…no…I have to believe there's a better place than this galaxy. Someplace beyond our minds and imagination, where all life resides in peace."

The Admiral gave a firm pat on Cratoren's shoulder as he exited the refresher room, leaving the Jedi to think about the statement. He only managed to squeeze a couple of words before leaving. "Good luck Cratoren…"

Cratoren stared once again into his reflection, he believed it too, it was just hard to keep that in mind. He was unfocused for a Jedi, it was one of his nonperishable traits. Though, Ordo was right, there had to be something beyond this galaxy…never-ending war couldn't be the only life for him.

One day…he would find it, in death, or in life.

Chapter One

Part One

The room was almost as empty as he preferred it, though he knew the three gangsters with him would stay until he left. Crime didn't change, especially in due to location, the same goons did the same things over and over again. The only organization that came to mind that did things slightly different was the Hutt Cartel, and the records he read about Makeb showed even they were squashed.

Shalo remained standing still as he watched the group of misfits exit the briefing, catching a couple of cold glances in the process. He stayed because none of this made sense to him, the man that supposedly led this expedition and the trooper at his side hardly screamed legitimacy. However, the payment for his finished job would be too large to pass up; he figured that's what these employers counted on. Even if he was intrigued, it was a self-taught lesson not to trust anyone waving a large amount of credits around.

Before he made his way to the leader, which still remained standing on the other side of the projection device, he decided to go over the details of the mission one last time. It was primarily an expedition to Wild Space, which was always a hit or miss when it came to exploration. Shalo had never been off of Coruscant, but he always watched holo-videos that showed the wonders of the galaxy. Such videos were hard to come by, but a simple hacking job would easily solve the problem. Their objective during this mission was an outpost known as "TACKLE", which was an appreciation for some fancy title. It wasn't too fancy however, because the outpost itself had gone dark and no communication had been received in over a year. It was shady, but it was nothing a team couldn't handle, at least a team that worked together. After arrival at the base, it was their job to investigate and retrieve any valuable resources before returning. A trip into Wild Space wasn't just a stroll in Axial Park, it would take weeks before they returned.

Shalo looked back up to the man in charge, he was now in a deep and quiet conversation with the Mandalorian who assisted him with the gangsters. He wanted to say thanks, but he had a feeling such accommodations wouldn't brush cleanly off the warrior. Instead, Shalo walked over to their spot in the room and crossed his arms. The man who led the briefing glanced over to him and nodded, acknowledging his presence and then walked over to greet him once again.

"Ah, Shalo…did you have any more questions before you head out?" He asked.

Shalo nodded and took a quick glance at the Mandalorian who obviously was agitated about his attention being swayed.

"I had a question on what planet this outpost is located on, it was never mentioned in the briefing." He admitted, trying to pull interest from the two.

The man nodded and clasped his hands together, giving the Mandalorian a look as he answered the question. "The planet is highly unknown…" He began. "- we sent the personnel of the outpost out there for the sole reason to identify it. The problem is that they never sent their report…"

The Mandalorian grunted, causing both Shalo and the leader to turn and peer with curiosity.

"Just tell him Kanto…" He mumbled.

Shalo didn't stagger but the name came ever too familiar as he shot a glance to the man in front of him. Kanto, the famed name of the leader of the Crimson Empire, was the man that talked to him at the memorial and convinced him to join. The Crimson Empire wasn't all too popular, but when they actually made the News, the name of Kanto would be all they talked about. He recognized him now, even though he looks different in the holo-pictures. A sharp jawline, dusty blonde hair, and a pair of blue eyes, even the skin of the leader glowed in the darkness. Shalo couldn't help but notice the light saber hilt hanging from his belt either, it seemed out of place considering his professional robes.

Kanto let out a smooth sigh and turned back to Shalo, giving a relenting look. "Might I introduce you to our esteemed guest, Mandalore the Relentless…" He announced, almost skeptical to make such a statement.

Shalo shot another glance, but this time at the armored figure that assisted him not too long ago. Mandalore? Who else was in this expedition? He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that yesterday he was merely a Broker, but now he was standing in a room with two of the galaxy's greatest idols. The galaxy's acclaimed warrior, in the flesh, had taken his time to be here which only raised Shalo's suspicions. This mission was bound to be more dangerous than they let on…

"I must confess…" Kanto stated as he noticed Shalo's loss for words. "We know the planet's features, which are very unpleasant. Volcanic surface and ash for air…those are the two major obstacles we'll face." He admitted.

Mandalore nodded and took a couple of steps forward, his armored boots clanking on the ground. "Hazard suits will protect us, but the amateurism on this mission is what concerns me. These men you brought in are no good to us if they are burnt to a crisp."

Shalo noticed on how rugged the Mandalorian's voice was compared to his own. A stern and rough crinkle lifted from his own words as if they immediately demanded authority. However, he wasn't intimidated, there was a reason they brought him in on this deal.

"Exactly, which means that our friend here has nothing to worry about? Plus, I'll be on the mission as well and so will you Mandalore…so I think we'll be just fine." Kanto followed, allowing an easiness to flow from his lips and stature.

Mandalore shrugged and nodded, agreeing to the statement but still remaining skeptical. With those words, Kanto turned to Shalo and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder.

"I'll see you at the loading dock, we should be out of here in a matter of hours." He stated as he strode out of the room, almost in a hurry to get the mission started. The door slid open as his figure disappeared into the hallway just outside. An uneasy silence settled as Shalo was left alone with his partial friend. The black visor peered at him, nearly burning a hole in his forehead, but finally the man mumbled.

"Just call me Shkar…I'm not one for being called a title every day."

Shalo stepped aside as the Mandalorian proceeded to follow in Kanto's footsteps, almost knocking him aside in the process. The door once again slid open and close as the red and white armored figure lunged into the hallway. Shalo let out a small breath as he was finally alone in the room, allowing himself to retrace his thoughts and make sense of everything he had experienced. Mandalore, Kanto, a dark outpost, it all seemed unreal for a simple city-boy trying to make a living. However, danger set aside; if he completed this mission then he wouldn't have to work anymore. That was something he would fight for, it's almost like fighting for freedom. It was freedom against the tyranny of everyday life that he was stuck in because of his financial status. However, he now had the opportunity to change that, and be whatever he wanted to be when the day came.

Shalo smirked and nodded to the thought, he could definitely fight for something like that. However, as he stepped outside and into the hallway himself, the question lingered in his mind as to how far he would go to achieve such a thing…and how far were his "allies" willing to go.

---

The world of Korriban, it was basically withering away to almost a landscape of dust and darkness. If not for the Sith Academy sitting in its canyon and for the brimming students of its halls, the planet would be nothing but ghosts and stories. Pathetic, the word is all he could describe the Sith on this world and their teachings. When he was younger, Phalanxe was always taught to survive and climb in personal strength and tolerance. For the well-being of the Sith Empire, only the strongest were meant to rule…and when their students began to surpass them it was only right for them to be killed. This was the way of the darkside, if this cycle was followed only the most powerful Sith would claim the galaxy. Peace was a lie, life was a never ending struggle for survival and only death would provide silence.

Instead, Phalanxe stood on the balcony of an esteemed estate. The palace had a marvelous view and unfortunately belonged to a fat pig by the name of Lord Krenan. Phalanxe despised his superiors, instead of fighting the war against the Jedi they were sitting on their comfy thrones and spouting nonsense. He was almost doubting his decision to return to the Sith ranks, but he knew the time of politics and feebleness was nearly over. Once, the Sith called him Lord, but it was subtly changed to coward once he defected and arose as a Prophet for the Sanctum known as Tarkis Arcana. Sithen had made it all but certain of his rule, completely blind to Phalanxe's warnings. A third party faction was always deemed for instant failure, Phalanxe learned this the hard way. After experiencing one of his most humiliating phases, he went back to the man he was before "The Prophet". The title he wore was a fake, and the fact that his own brother commended his downfall caused nothing but rage within his chest. The mere fact that he shared the blood of a Jedi was embarrassing, even if they shared a common enemy once…

"Ah! Lord Arcadia…I wasn't expecting you."

Phalanxe narrowed his eyebrows and cringed his face to the pathetic, high pitched voice of Krenan. He had been awaiting his arrival on the Lord's personal balcony for far too long. The room smelled of fragrance and fruit, hardly close to any traits of what a Sith Lord's chambers should smell like. Phalanxe turned and nodded, his black hair waving in front of his eyes annoyingly.

"It was the will of the Dark Council that I come see you, I believe you have my file." He responded, approving of his deep and accented voice. Krenan wobbled over to his desk and pulled a single drawer out, and then hooked a small data pad to his personal holo-console. Phalanxe turned away as the lard meddled with his belongings, the sooner he was ridden of his presence the better.

Krenan peered into the information on the small, blue, screen and then nodded in approval. The reason Phalanxe stood in his chambers was to seek clarification of his reinstatement, being that he had departed the Sith Order for some time. The Sith were not as strict as the Jedi thankfully, many Lords and Darths disembarked from the Empire for personal needs countless of times. Phalanxe wasn't any different, instead he thought it best for himself to join the Empire once more and to quit scrabbling in Tarkis Arcana affairs. He was once referred to as Lord Phalanxe, the reason he was in this putrid office was to reclaim that title once more.

"You do realize, that we are at war?" Krenan asked as his eyes peered over the screen and towards his visitor.

Phalanxe squinted his eyes and didn't turn to pay the man any attention. Instead he let out a deep and grumbled sigh and rubbed his forehead. "Yes…I know there is a war on…"

"Then you are aware of the consequences of joining, you will be sent to the front lines and tested for loyalty."

Phalanxe couldn't spare any more patience; the annoying Lord would soon test his loyalty as he thought about disconnecting his head from his body. Nonetheless, as soon as he left this office he would be allowed to finally fight in the name of the Empire. The war didn't bother him, actually he preferred to have some sort of action. A day on the battlefield would definitely beat a minute in this forsaken estate he stood in. He chuckled under his breath, as soon as he had the chance he would destroy this place and blame it on Krenan for leaving his bread in the cooker for too long.

"I'm aware…" Phalanxe stated, his accent filling the air with pride. "-in fact, I wanted you to send a request for me to be sent immediately."

The statement caused the Lord to cock an eyebrow and show a sign of shock. Krenan was a hefty man, so when he wobbled over to his chair, his voice seemed almost out of breath. Phalanxe couldn't tell if it was from the simple walk to his desk, or if he was just that dumbfounded for such a request.

"That's an odd question, I have yet to see a warrior come in here and ask to be put on the frontlines." He admitted.

Phalanxe knew the statistic was just a result from his position, if a true sith was to be sent to battle, it would be under the command of a Darth. "Maybe you have yet to have a true Sith step into your office?" He stated, allowing his skepticism to flow from his words.

Krenan ignored the accusation as he slipped into his chair and sent the request in the form of a simple holo-file. Once he fiddled with his keys and buttons, the delighted face of the Lord peered up to Phalanxe and gave a quick nod.

"The requests have been implemented, may I wish you luck…young Lord of the Sith." He commended as he returned to his duties.

Phalanxe gave a half-witted bow as he strode out of the office. The meeting was more bearable than he had expected at first, however it was still a pain to have to do all of this. Becoming a Sith wasn't like signing up for the military, countless of hours were demanded in the form of training and brutal simulations. Pain was the greatest of all experiences, it steeled one's mind to defend themselves from even the greatest of beasts. However, it didn't prepare them for a delightful visit to a Signee's estate.

The massive door leading out of the estate slowly opened, revealing a small regiment of Imperial Guards that cluttered the courtyard. Phalanxe noticed a couple of visors glanc his way, as he walked out of the fancy relaxation spot. Once to the gate, a couple of amplified shouts came from the wall-master, and then resulted in a looming sound as the gate opened slowly.

"Good day, m'lord." One of the troopers stated.

Phalanxe ignored the sentiment; his day was already ruined to the fact of where he was currently standing. However, once he took his first steps out of the enclosed area, a sense filled his mind. The sense was powerful, and then it was soon to be recognized as a presense. Someone was watching him, or at least observing his actions. Whoever was paying him total attention was strong in the Dark-Side of the force. It was a relief, the weakness of Krenan nearly made him gag, but now he felt the true power of what a Sith should possess. As he took a final couple of steps, it seemed like his prime objective was to lure this observer out…and test his abilities as a warrior.

Part Two

The dust irritated his eyes, however the only thing he was focused on had nothing to do with the physical world. It was getting closer, the power that he had felt once departing Lord Krenan's estate. He imagined it was one of his rivals, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he didn't recognize such an astounding presence since his arrival. Sense always came labeled, no matter what the Inquisitors told him. It was acclaimed that the Dark Side of the force remained unanimous, but the statement didn't falter Phalanxe. He always recognized the power of Sith, along the lines of Darth Marr and Darth Ravage. The Force expressed itself differently with each being, which is what made it such a powerful weapon.

Phalanxe walked along an unused path, only tattered by the wild beasts and slugs of the world of Korriban. He was attempting to draw his follower out into the open, rather than being ambushed in a cavern of sorts. The path he used was the long way back to the academy; maybe his pursuer would become bored or outmatched. Phalanxe actually wanted the mysterious follower to reveal themselves, he could use some action after the gut-wrenching meeting he had with Lord Krenan. The anxious thought was too much for him, he knew it was sloppy but he did it anyways. After taking one last step into the shifty sand, the Sith turned his face and smiled.

"You can come out…I've been reeling for a fight of my stature." He mocked, listening to his accent fill the entire plain.

It took a couple of seconds, but Phalanxe reeled his shoulders back when he felt the power begin to grow in charge. They wanted to fight, how ironic, because Phalanxe would have it no other way. The gilded saber whipped into his hand as he reached out with the Force, and a simple grip caused the dark, purple blade to illuminate the red dust around him. A small sandstorm had lifted into the air moments before his move, making visibility difficult .He doubted such a natural occurrence would just occur; his opponent was smart and definitely trying to get the better of him. The moments passed by as nothing but the wind filled the air, until finally his opponent made a move. An intricate web of lighting shot out in front of him, nearly taking him off guard and stumbling backwards. However, Phalanxe had faced stronger attacks; he raised his blade and flexed his arms. The impact of the lightning caused his saber to falter only slightly, his strength was superior when it came to defense. It was obvious that his attacker was testing his defenses , he felt that they had more power than what was displayed in the surprise attack.

He wasn't about to witness another test, instead he closed his eyes and protected them from the harmful particles of sand. The force provided him with his target, who was currently shifting in position. Phalanxe reached out with his offhand and curled his fingers with an aggressive cringe. The Force gripped the rock in front of him, pulling its dense weight from its sandy foundation. He wasted no time in responding, with a violent lunge Phalanxe sent the boulder flying straight for his enemy. A loud thud shook the ground under his feet as the rock made its target. In a fight, Phalanxe always learned not to let his guard down. He leaped into the air, allowing his leg strength to double with the power of the Force, and then catapulted down to the surface. The two boots he wore slammed into the sand as he desperately looked around for the corpse of his enemy. Instead of finding victory, he found a double-bladed lightsaber waiting for him as it ignited and slashed for his neck. The face of his opponent was disguised by the dense sand flying all round them, the only sight he was able to process was the red loom of the blade he deflected. Sparks flew all around his eyes as he countered the attack, swiping at his enemy's legs and then tightening his shoulders as he slashed for their torso. The attacks were met with a strong defense, the only satisfaction Phalanxe received was the damage he was causing to the space around him. With each blow, the sand lifted into the air and decimated the small shrubs littering the space. Phalanxe couldn't resist the smile that crept along his face, the feeling inside of his chest and adrenaline inside of his veins. It had been too long since he had engaged in a fight, and he could feel his opponent slipping with every attack.

The enemy became fairly visible, the sandstorm was calming down and the dense fog of dust was dissipating. Phalanxe would soon know his opponent, but before he could finish the double-saber foe off, the voice of a woman filled the air.

"Tremble, young warrior…" She spilled, trying to reach Phalanxe' sensitive motives.

Finally, his answer had been given. The sadistic voice of the woman he faced was recognizable as one of few Sith in the Academy. However, he was unsure about which one it specifically was. It didn't matter though, she had countered all of his attacks and it was apparent that she was trying to make a tactical retreat. Phalanxe lunged out with his saber, trying to pierce a hole straight through her chest. The attack was too slow, the woman reeled backwards and then countered with a large force-attack. Phalanxe tumbled backwards but refused to fall on his back, during the scuffle he managed to spot the figure of the woman. However, the details of her identity were masked by her robed outfit and the remaining clouds of dust that surrounded them.

The attacker spun her twin-saber around in a delicate fashion and then reached out with her left hand. A concoction of dust and rock spun around like a serpent, nearly engulfing Phalanxe in its twisting funnel. It was a weak attempt, he merely dashed to the side and dodged the incoming attack easily. However, as he paced his eyes around in a frantic motion, he realized the attempt was only a distraction. The dark figure was sprinting in the opposite direction, trying to flee from her failed attack. Phalanxe let out a grunt and chased after her, allowing his boots to sink into the deep sand. He wasn't going to let such a feeble attempt to go unpunished, the fight had been too lackluster to end now. It didn't matter if she ran all the way back to the Academy, he was determined to find her and make her pay for her insolence.

Phalanxe dashed down a steep hill-side, nearly tumbling over because of the loose rocks that cluttered the entire surface of Korriban. The hill-side stretched all the way down into a canyon, in which only a single pathway entered and exited. He slowed his pace and gathered his senses, it was now obvious that his foe was setting up another ambush. The boots he wore skidded down the ledge as he finally planted them onto a solid surface. The air in the canyon was cool and clear; it was a welcome change of atmosphere and what he preferred in a skirmish. He looked around, the dirt on the ground was not loose nor gravel. This meant his enemy would not be able to rely on meager environmental attacks to falter his defense.

Silence followed, which allowed him to gather his strength and prepare for the inevitable. Soon enough, the sound of a lightsaber ignited and the hum filled the space around him. He couldn't see where the saber was, but the sound seemed to be coming from the ridge line. It was unfortunate that she did not enter the canyon like he expected her to do. Now she had the advantage of the high ground, he would have to compensate for his misfortune another time. A small tremble filled the ground below him, she had made her choice and was about to unleash another hidden attack. Phalanxe cocked an eyebrow as the ridge revealed a giant boulder, was she about to tumble that giant thing on top of him? He didn't want to find out, instead he looked around frantically. He had a plan, even though it was a long shot and his timing had to be near perfection. The day he had experienced was death itself, the feeling he held inside of himself was truly missed in the past years. Risk was the only thing on his mind, it fueled his energy and passion.

The boulder reeled forward as the woman pushed it down the ledge with the Force. Phalanxe clipped his saber to his belt as it extinguished, and then lowered himself into a sprinting stance. Once he felt his instincts scream within his mind, he flexed his hamstrings and started to sprint straight for the falling rock. The timing was perfect, Phalanxe leaped into the air only meters in front of the boulder and used the rolling top to spring himself straight for his opponent. He could see the robed figure below him trying to scramble her hands to wield her saber staff, however she was too late. Phalanxe grabbed his saber once again and ignited the purple blade as he brought it down directly on top of her. Instead of killing her, he allowed his steel boots to plant directly on her chest and condemn her small torso to the rocky ground. A loud scream of pain escaped the woman's mouth as both of her hands raised in an attempt to block an incoming blow, but the blade never came. Instead Phalanxe held the purple sword inches from the woman's face, and smiled as he felt the boulder slam in the canyon below.

He was surprised, it didn't take much of his pride to admit it. He stared at a beautiful alien, her eyes gold and the skin colors synced perfectly together. However, she did try to kill him so mercy was definitely not in the question. He wanted answers, and the face that the Togruta wore showed that she was willing to give at least a couple. The colors of blue and yellow decorated the alien's face, which actually added some color to the dull plains of Korriban and Phalanxe's black robes. Maybe this alien would prove useful, atleast for an apprentice with potential.

"Your life is at an end, attacker." He stated, keeping his voice broad.

The alien didn't change her facial expression, instead she peered over to the left. Phalanxe didn't follow her gaze, he needed to remain focused so she didn't get the better of him again. However, he couldn't help himself when a smile crept along her face. Phalanxe shot his head his right, just in time to see another rock flying straight for him. There wasn't time to respond or think of another brilliant plan, instead he took the force head on as the rock slammed straight into his body. A small laugh, the gusts of wind and dust, and the throbbing of his own head were all that he could comprehend before his eyes closed. Darkness swirled with the light as his mind went blank and eased with the sense of defeat.

---

"Systems look good! Watch those pulsars!"

Kaedus didn't have time to think about the common chatter of his wingman, instead he fiddled with his controls one last time. He was already behind, the members of Blade Squadron had already disembarked and engaged the enemy outside. The sense of agitation filled his mind as his ship failed to start once again, this is what he deserved. Instead of maintaining his ship like he always did, he agreed to allow the standard crew members to make the necessary preparations. Something was out of place in which blocked the photon gasket, a quick fix for his astromech droid, T-5. However, the fix was minutes away…and he could hear the exchange of blaster fire outside.

"Blasted! Tee-Five please hurry…I'm never going to hear the end of this…" He mumbled.

Finally, the droid whistled in a joyful tone as the ship sparked to life. A massive wave of frantic comm chatter filled his cockpit as he turned his fighter laterally and ignited the engines. The jerk of his ship caused him to reel backwards and press his head against the leather head rest.

"Blade-Five you have a stinger on your tail! Turn! Turn!"

"Copy, I see him!"

Kaedus flew straight out of the hanger and looked around with great amazement. He stared at the massive cargo ship, known as the Galantro, and witnessed the entire void of space around him to be filled with the swirl of blue and red blaster bolts. A couple of fighters sped straight above his cockpit, waking up the Jedi with their loud engines. Kaedus gripped his stick and pushed it forward, dipping his fighter downwards in order to escape the massive crossfire being exchanged between the Endurance and the Assault Ships. An enemy fighter swirled straight in front of him, probably trying to box him in. However, to his enemy's dismay, they messed with the wrong fighter. Kaedus probably had around five minutes before this fighter's wingman appeared on the Jedi's six o'clock.

A jolt filled his body as he ignited the main afterburners, which allowed him to quickly get within range of his target. The fighter in front of him swerved, they hardly expected such a move to be conducted so quickly. Kaedus narrowed his eyebrows and fixated on his digital crosshairs, trying to line up one of his first shots of the battle. However, the fighter was resilient and made an exceptional move for the bow of the Endurance. Kaedus frowned and pursued tightly, nearly skimming his ship's exterior on the underbelly of the dreadnaught. He fired a couple of shots from his main cannons, trying to warm himself up to the sights. The blue blaster bolts missed the enemy fighter's canopy by a couple of meters, and then shot off into the void of space. His target was predictable, in a couple of seconds they were both flying through the thick firefight around the bridge area. Kaedus focused on dodging incoming friendly fire rather than his esteemed target. However, once he cleared the dense area, it only took a correct angle to line up a perfect shot.

"Power to the cannons T-5!" Kaedus shouted, knowing he had his target exactly where he wanted it.

Kaedus squeezed his trigger, the satisfaction of feeling the blasters fire didn't come light-handed. The fighter in front of him jerked as the bolts littered its metal frame, causing it to sputter and then explode into thousands of pieces. The Jedi didn't celebrate, it wasn't his style, and he had to maneuver away from the incoming debris. Someone had seen the colors of his fighter, because right after his first kill the comm inside of his cockpit sparked to life once more.

"Blade-One is in the battle! Nice to see you Commander."

The voice belonged to Katar, who seemed to be mopping up a loose group above the Endurance. Kaedus smiled and shook his head, he wanted to limit the small talk for as long as possible because of the possibility of losing focus. The Jedi peered down to his timer, which he had set just before his take-off. He had a couple of minutes before the mission was to be conducted, until then his forces were to clean anything that looked dangerous. Now that Kaedus was in the fight itself, he felt a bit queasy about the plan. After dodging a couple of stray bolts that came from the enemy cruisers, Kaedus steered his fighter and skimmed the top of the Endurance. After just a glance he could almost spot Ordo himself on the bridge, holding his hands behind his back. He didn't outstay his welcome however, the force that was radiating from the massive turbo-lasers nearly rattled his teeth to dust. Still, the sight was magnificent, massive turrets seemed to be on every inch of their dreadnaught. The enemy ship was holding together more than expected, but everyone knew that with enough time the entire structure would fail to their superior firepower.

None of this would matter if Kaedus couldn't clear the way for the trooper transport, which was minutes away from take-off. He relied on the one person that knew flying just as well as he did.

"Grey-One, do you copy?" Kaedus mumbled into his headset. "- I need a sit-rep on our situation!"

A combination of angry grunts and satisfactory yells filled his comm, but eventually the Jedi answered his friend.

"Blade-One, we need some help with this loose squadron above the Endurance! The space around the Admiral is getting pretty thick." He yelled, obviously into the thick of things.

Kaedus knew his friend was in the middle of a dogfight, however he couldn't help his urge to ask. "What about the pathway to the enemy hanger?"

"What?!" Katar yelled, shouting over the loud fire in the background. "-say again, I couldn't hear you!"

Kaedus let out a sigh and paced his head from side to side, finally spotting Katar and his fighters just outside of the bridge. "Nevermind, I'll come to you!"

Kaedus flipped off his comm channel and switched to his personal squadron lobby, the yells and commands nearly deafened him instantly. However he was able to break the dense conversation and send his command.

"Blade Squadron, Wings 1 and 3, follow me to the bridge!"

The fighters did so with great efficiency, however the sight of a couple of them getting shot down caused Kaedus' stomach to churn. He saw the wreckages plummet nose first into the bow of the Endurance, exploding along with their occupants.

"Stay tight!" Kaedus shouted, hoping his wing mates would follow his orders. However, once they engaged the enemy the fighters on both sides took bolts one by one. Kaedus twisted his control stick and spun around in an attempt to stray any missiles or bolts coming his way. An unexpected missile lock appeared on his console, meaning that his ship had automatically spotted a potential target. Kaedus didn't think twice before he pressed down on his missile launch, the explosion only a couple of hundred meters away let him know his attempt was successful. Kaedus reeled back on his stick and cleared the firefight, hoping that someone was close by to form up with for another engagement.

"Blade-Five, do you copy?" Kaedus desperately asked.

"Jacken is gone sir, this is Burner in Blade-Four. I need some help with this straggler just north of the broadside hanger." He responded.

Kaedus nodded, the hanger wasn't too far from where he currently was. Instead of focusing on the fight on hand, Kaedus decided to help his wing mate out as he tipped his ship sideways and bolted for the side of the Endurance. The timing was nearly perfect, as soon as Burner corralled the enemy closer, Kaedus let out a flurry of bolts until a couple of them found their mark. The enemy fighter twisted uncontrollably until it slammed into the shielded surface of their dreadnaught.

"Nice move Burner! Form up on my right wing and we'll head up to the bridge!" Kaedus shouted.

"Yes sir! I learned that one back on the fields of-"

Kaedus' head slammed into the console just in front of him as the entire space around him engulfed into a concoction of flame and metal. His fighter rattled up and down, almost flailing around uncontrollably and smashing into the dreadnaught. Thankfully, Kaedus was able to shake off the sudden explosion and grip his control stick. That wasn't enough, even with a firm grip he could feel the ship's thrusters sputter into a frantic motion. He tried to shout for assistance, but T-5 was obviously too busy with the emergency repairs to answer his call. There was no sign of gaining any visual outside of his cockpit, whatever happened it caused a black tint to form around his canopy. He was blind and desperately flying to survive, it seemed like none of the controls he clicked rapidly would work. Finally, he spotted the bio-freeze setting that sat on his upper right side. Every starship was equipped with this asset just in case a malfunction occurred with the emergency ejection device; the freezing liquid would allow any trapped pilot to smash the dura-mesh glass and escape. However, Kaedus needed it for something much direr, and he needed to do it fast. As he pressed down on the small lever, he felt the space around him exhaust a small liquid gas that quickly exhumed to the top of the cockpit glass. The liquid seeped through, using the biological aspect of its design, and then started to trickle the black char from his viewing port. Kaedus couldn't help but think how radical this move was, a simple rock floating in space would shatter his canopy and expose him to the depths of space. He was dead either way however, whether with a shattered ship or a blinded cockpit in the middle of a firefight.

"C'mon you piece of scrap metal!" Kaedus cursed. He lost his patience after feeling a missile swiftly brisk his right wing. The canopy was becoming clearer with each given second, but the rate was becoming slower.

"Blade-One! Compose yourself! Blade-One come in!" Katar shouted, finally realizing Kaedus' situation.

Kaedus didn't respond, he had far more problems to worry about than assuring his friend. The viewport had almost completely opened, which allowed him to let a sigh of relief escape his lips. However, he had drifted into the "dead zone" of the battle and had lost a good amount of his battle focus. The dead zone was the space between the two Capital ships, most of the fighters stayed clear of the dense zone because it was difficult to dodge the massive turbo lasers that pummeled each other. Now, Kaedus was sitting directly in it and his ship had taken its toll of fire.

There wasn't time to ponder however, Kaedus twisted his stick once more and activated his afterburners. The speed of his own ship nearly caught him by surprise; he was racing back to the Endurance as the turbolasers skimmed over his cockpit. He could almost feel the warmth of the massive bolts, his small fighter seemed like only a big compared to their magnitude. He couldn't help but grit his teeth, after feeling another bolt get to close for comfort, he lifted his control stick and shot his fighter upwards. The move was both brilliant and foolish, the latter overcoming his better judgement. Kaedus jerked in his seat once again as a stray bolt clipped his wing, igniting a small fire in the process. The impact wasn't serious, however the small damage he had taken could more than likely turn into a formidable one. Kaedus switched his emergency repairs online, peering over to his trusty astromech in the process. However, as he sat still and stared at the droid slot, his stomach churned to the sight of a burning stump of where T-5 would originally be. He recalled the large explosion, his droid must've felt the full extent of the blast and had not lasted through it. The Jedi tilted his head back in shock, he had lost his friend, and even though he could repair the droid it would never be the same.

"Blade-One! You have twin stingers on your tail!"

Kaedus snapped out of his seclusion and shot his head down to the scanner, whoever informed him was definitely right. He never would've thought the enemy fighters would follow him in the dead zone, but nothing was impossible. The flame on his right wing had coincidently stopped on its own, probably choked out to the void of space. He would be able to maneuver, and he did so when the two enemy ships let out a flurry of bolts straight at him. Kaedus straightened his ship laterally and began his race back to the Endurance, spinning a couple of times to keep his pursuers guessing. The afterburners were overloaded, so he had to rely on his flying technique to survive this dogfight. Or…maybe he didn't?

Kaedus gripped his comm and peered around, he spotted the dense fighting outside of the Endurance's bridge and was relieved to see that the enemy squadron had been drastically thinned out.

"Katar, do you read me?" He asked, hoping his friend would pick up.

After a few drastic moments, Katar's voice filled his cockpit as soon as a bolt slammed into his rear engine. "Grey-One here!"

Kaedus cringed at the gargling of his fighter, the shot had pierced his engine thrusters and his speed lowered drastically. His ship had definitely taken enough beatings for one firefight, his new objective was to return home and have his ship repaired. Even if the thought hurt his chest, and weakened his pride, he knew he would just get in the way if he stayed in this damaged fighter. This was when he needed to rely on his friends, every leader needed to. He would be in and out before he knew it, and Katar was more than qualified to lead his pilots to victory and escort the troops across the deadzone.

"I have two stingers on my tail! I need a mop!" Kaedus shouted, knowing Katar would get the reference.

"One mop coming right up!" Katar answered with an excited tone.

Kaedus gripped his stick with white knuckles, the fighters on his six were gaining on him inch by inch. He only had a couple of seconds before their missiles were locked and ready to fire. He had done his best, but his excessive dodging had depleted the power his fighter had left. There had to be a leak somewhere, because when he tried to divert all power to his auxiliary, the ship responded with a loud grown. He wished he still had T-5 with him, this whole situation would've been diverted. Kaedus shot his head down once his console sparked up and showed nothing but warnings. He didn't have to stare at it to realize it meant he was now locked on too and only seconds away from being blown to bits. The fighter might have one maneuver left in it, but other than that he was out of options.

"Keep your head down!" Katar yelled into the comm.

Kaedus widened his eyes as he stared out the front of his cockpit, seeing the engraved colors of the Grey-One fighter coming straight for him. Katar fired both of his blaster cannons, lining up a perfect shot that barely skimmed the surface of Kaedus' fighter and made their way to the two stingers behind him. Kaedus didn't turn around once he heard a pair of explosions; instead he tilted his right wing and passed by his friend. A loud cheer escaped his mouth as he smiled to the laughter over the comm.

"Katar…I owe you one…" He mumbled, almost out of breath.

His friend didn't answer, instead he led his wing squadron to another portion of the space to engage another enemy sector. Kaedus didn't need to stick around, the timer in his ship showed that the troop transport would leave any minute now. The mission would be successful if Katar kept up his progress, and if Noble was successful inside the enemy cargo ship itself. The fighting around the Endurance was still thick, but Kaedus was able to avoid any major engagements that escalated around him. Before setting his ship for the hanger, he peered over to his right to see a massive hole in the side of the dreadnaughts broadside armoring. The explosion must've came from that shot, but what could've made a hole that big? He disregarded the thought when he saw the wreckage of Burner's ship, the poor man probably didn't even know what hit him. Kaedus punched his metal console in frustration; he was losing too many good pilots in this fight. If he was to be victorious, he had to be better…and so did his decision making.

Kaedus reached down to his command console and notified his pilots that Katar was now in command of the operation while he was repairing his ship. He felt easy about the choice, and knew that they would get the job done. However, he still felt a hint of disappointment when he heard his comm spark to life one last time.

"Alpha Company transport is now leaving the hanger! All hands to their positions for immediate escort!"

He would return shortly, but not in time to see to the troopers reaching their destination safely. As he set his ship softly into the main hanger bay, he saw the crew members scurrying about in a frantic manner. The fighter comm channel automatically switched to the ship's wired intercom, which sparked his curiosity.

"We've lost contact with the personnel in the impact zone, Adrianna please investigate." Ordo commanded.

Kaedus rested his ship gently in the hanger and cocked an eyebrow, maybe he could give her a hand.

---

Part Three

"Keep your boots moving once we hit the enemy hanger! Our goal is not to stop until the entire chamber is secure!"

Noble winced at Cutter's rugged voice, he was proud that his men could focus so easily. Before loading onto the armored transport, he had heard of how the battle was going outside. The naval forces were taking countless of hits, and the massive explosion on the Endurance's broadside was more than rattling. However, he remained composed and ready for his own mission. Personally, he hated flying; it was the only state in which the enemy would have an easy shot at him without any resistance. If he died while riding in a transport, there was no doubt he would turn over in his grave.

The troopers of Alpha Company were nervous, there was no denying that. Expecting to reach the endpoint without any problems was a luxury that was hardly ever present. Something would go wrong, they all knew it, especially with Kaedus' fighter landing for repairs. What made them so special was to accept the fact and keep focused on their mission, even if the odds weren't in their favor. For once, they didn't have to worry about how they got to their objective, it was in the hands of their closest allies. Trust was a key part in their operations, if they couldn't trust their brothers and sisters in space…then the mission would already become a failure.

"Captain Noble!"

Noble looked up and slipped his helmet on, allowing the white patterns to glow within the interior light of the transport. The pilot had peeked his head around his own chair and attempted to wave down the Captain. After making eye contact with the trooper, he watched the pilot's hand point up to the intercom.

"The Admiral is on your personal comm. He wants to speak with you."

Noble took a couple of steps away from his men, who were beginning to strap themselves in their seats. He knew that if Ordo was trying to contact him personally, he likely didn't have anything good to say. It was best to keep his men out of the conversation rather than attracting their attention from the mission. After making sure he was alone, Noble reached up to this helmet communicator and pressed down on the respond button.

"Noble here…" He briskly answered.

A loud muffle sparked to life within his audio receptors, but then Ordo's calm voice finally came through.

"Captain…" He began. "-the path to the enemy hanger is still pretty dense. Our squadrons are taking larger casualties than expected. The mission may have to cease so we can cut our losses and find alternatives."

Noble was set back slightly at the tone of his friends voice. Defeat wasn't an option, it was made clear in the briefing that if they failed, the Endurance would be nothing but a floating tub of waste. No, he wouldn't accept the casualties as a reason for retreat. They weren't a powerful military force, they were called Rebels for a reason. The only thing they know and have experienced throughout the entire year was loss, what's making them stop now because of it?

"Negative…" Noble stated, raising his voice to a medium volume. "-don't freeze up on us now Admiral. We still have a shot at this… and my men are ready, if we back down now than we'll be defeated all together. There is no retreat…"

Ordo let out a small sigh and then grunted with acceptance. The Admiral knew the mission was do or die, but he suspected that something inside of his friend was aching due to the death they faced already.

"Okay Captain,proceed as planned…just be careful." He concluded, as the comm shut off and the instant rumbling of the battle were heard once more.

Noble nodded and turned to his men, each trooper wasn't phased by the call from the Admiral and were set for launch. The loading door slid downwards, revealing two figures that brought a smile under Noble's helmet. Just as the engines began to fire up, Cratoren and Reese made their way onto the transport and gave Noble a quick salute.

"What's the score Captain?" Cratoren asked, his eyes brimming with excitement.

"Impossible odds and a straight shot to hell…" He answered.

Reese smiled as she gripped onto a single harness and tapped her lightsaber hilt. Cratoren joined her as she nodded to the men of Alpha Company.

"Nothing different than yesterday!"

Noble walked over to his seat as his men let out a cheer to the statement. Bravado was good, especially with this mission, however he hoped deep within that no one would accept the sense of fatality. Some of his men weren't coming back, and the fact scared him to death every time he thought of it.

"Pilot! Send us out!" He yelled.

Nerves filled his entire body as the ship lifted from the ground and entered the loud void of space. With each jerk, his stomach knotted into a ball and seemed to never unwind itself. Despite the dire situation, it was good to be back in action…

"Blasted…"

The word escaped his mouth before he even noticed, it wouldn't be the first time he's cursed himself. Ordo looked over to the main tactical HUD and peered into its endless counts of information. Blade Squadron had taken small casualties so far, however Grey Squadron was getting beat up in the dense zone in Sector 5.

"Delta, any more information on that seismic blast that slammed into us earlier?" He asked.

The feeling in his gut sank as his crew member turned from the damage report console and shook his head. He couldn't wrap his mind about what had hit them , only a couple of observations had seen the actual blast. The mystery kept him from risking anymore lives, he kept the ship at a broadside firing angle and didn't dare move. Whatever had hit them and pierced straight through their shields would more than likely be used again. The decision was a tough one, if he didn't gain any ground on the enemy attack cruisers, they would remain out of range for their primary ion cannons.

Ordo remained composed however, his thoughts were tracing back and forth to whether he made the right decision to agree with Captain Noble or not. The trooper's instincts were always in the right place, but he didn't see the battle from Ordo's perspective. There was enough fuel to make one last hyperspace jump, even if it was risky, no one would perish from a simple jump. No…he needed to steel himself and get the job done instead of thinking of alternatives. It was too late, the tactical holo-gram had shown that the attack force was already leaving the hanger. Like Noble said...there was no retreat.

"All guns, focus on the enemy hanger shields and wipe them out! Inform Grey-One that the mission is still active!" He shouted, causing his crew members to rush around in a frantic motion.

The constant chatter of the men and women around him kept himself focused and alert.

"Grey-One, Grey-One, engage any enemy approaches in the dead zone! Mission is a go!" One officer shouted.

"Copy that Endurance! Falling in now!" Katar responded over the amplified comm.

Okay, so the escort was still intact and the path was only hardly underpopulated. Ordo had to think of something if he wanted to bend odds in his favor. There was no time to doubt himself, his time as a Commander and Captain of Alpha had taught him never to freeze during a fight. Everyone on the ship knew the risks, but he still needed a sign in which to act.

"Broadside cannons need to gather their precision!" He shouted, noticing that the hanger shield was not down yet.

Nerves retained control in his body as he awaited the news, however it never came. They were behind schedule now, and no doubt they were shorthanded. His mind pondered all of the scenarios in which would happen, but instead of receiving assuring information…and officer turned to him with widened eyes.

"Admiral! The enemy's ship signature is appearing to be charging up to full power!"

Ordo flared his eyes and shot a hard glance to his deck officer. "Are they preparing to jump?!" He barked in disbelief.

"No…" The officer mumbled. "-it's from one of the assault cruisers…they're about to-"

Ordo didn't need to hear the rest of the sentence, instead he looked out of the rightward view-port and gasped in amazement. One of the main cannons on the enemy ship sparked with a lightning flared bolt, and then shot it out of its main barrel. The shot was deafening as the large combustion round slammed into the broadside of the Endurance once more. Ordo didn't even have time to react, the bolt fired with an astonishing speed that no fighter could divert from. The explosion was ten-times bigger than the last one, and the impact caused every crew member on the bridge to tumble over. Alarms filled the air as the emergency containment light filled the space around him. Ordo gripped onto his command console in front of him as the ship rocked from side to side. Violent coughs and groans followed shortly after, but the commanding voice of the Admiral allowed everyone to gather their senses.

"I want every detail on the damage we just sustained! I also want a full sit-rep on our shield status!" He shouted broadly.

The officers all around him scrambled to gather reports, and then looked to their commander in doubt.

"Sir! We have lost all of our broadside cannons; the generator was ruptured and can't be repaired during the battle!" They responded.

Just what they needed…there was no going back now. It would be impossible to protect the trooper transport without any cannons to soften the enemy. Ordo knew what he had to do, and also took into account that it could end in two different ways. The first outcome would be less than likely; he would be called a hero and a tactical genius. The second outcome would prove that he was unfit to command the ship, and would likely be acclaimed as suicidal. It didn't matter; Ordo never cared for personal opinion anyways. He chuckled to himself as he regained his confidence as a leader, he wasn't just going to let the enemy have potshots on his friends and allies. The enemy was going to regret that they ever fired that damn weapon in the first place. It was time to see if he was fit to lead…if he was meant to become an Admiral.

"Delta! What's the status on the troop transport?!" He demanded.

"They report to have taken damage to their primary engines! Grey-Squadron has lost two of their heavy fighters!"

Ordo squinted his eyes and burned a gaze at the enemy bridge, he was about to shock the entire crew. Oddly, the only thing he could think about was his daughter, who was resting easy in the troop transport. There couldn't be anything other than her that affected his mind at the current moment.

"Listen up! It's time to wake our enemy up to the full potential of this ship. I want full power diverted to the frontal shields, every round of ammunition transported to the main frontal cannons, and I want two ion torpedoes loaded into the main tubes! Now!"

The crew looked upon him with a face of confusion, but when their duty kicked into their mind they rushed around and did their jobs. Ordo pointed to the front of the ship and narrowed his eyes once more.

"90 degrees broadside, bring us about and then transfer secondary power to the engines." He commanded.

Soon enough, the tip of the Endurance was pointing straight at the enemy trio of ships. A light blue hue radiated from the edges of the dreadnought, letting the Admiral know that the shields were at full power and focused on the front of the ship. The Endurance was now pointing straight at the enemy cruisers, and it's guns were now loaded with the galaxy's deadliest ordinance.

"Punch it!" Ordo shouted.

The Endurance charged the gap in between the opposing forces. Ordo could see the troop transport make its way closer to the hanger, but there stood one last problem for the attack force. The Admiral built up a small sweat on his brow as he eagerly waited until they were in range of the Galantro. If he was too late, the transport would smash straight into the hanger shields, but he had a plan for such an obstacle.

"Target the shield generators, when ready, fire both tubes one and two…"

The weapon specialist on the bridge turned with a frantic look on his face. After mumbling a couple of times, the officer finally spoke what was on his mind.

"Admiral! If we fire two ion torpedoes at one target, it could lead to massive devastation for the Galantro, the fuel would be lost!"

Ordo knew exactly what he was doing…his eyes were locked on the scanners. He knew something that everyone else didn't, but it would be a disservice to the crew if he explained. Moral was key for a frantic bridge, the end result was something he counted on. Something had popped on his scanners earlier that caused his stomach to churn, but he had a slight solution. Timing was everything, it had to be conducted right on time or the entire ship would be overcome. The moment he saw the reading on the scanner, he instantly contacted Noble and assured the mission had failed, but that wasn't the case anymore.

"I want the torpedoes launched in intervals of thirty seconds! Not a second later!" He demanded.

The sweat on his forehead had increased, and a small stream ran down across his face as he stared at the distance monitor. Finally, the light was green and the moment of truth had arrived.

"FIRE ROUND ONE!"

The massive torpedo launched from the bow of the Endurance and briskly shot straight for the enemy hanger. A small blue stream of ion energy radiated from the projectile, giving some sort of sign of where its location was. Ordo gripped his console with an cold eagerness, the knuckles on both of his hands had turned pitch white. A pale look covered his entire face, the nerves inside of him caused all of his blood to flush from his face and to his heart. The pounding of his chest could be heard by his ears, which added an unnecessary addition to his anxious mind.

A blinding blue light sparked in the void of space as the torpedo slammed into its target , sending a wave of pure energy straight for them. The impact was small, it only caused the crew to shift in their seats, but the light nearly blinded them all. A huge explosion radiated from the hanger location, and to Ordo's joy, the shields were now disabled indefinitely.

"Enemy fortifications are down sir!" An officer cheered.

The crew patted themselves on the back as compliments and encouraging statements were exchanged. However, Ordo didn't change his stature for a second, he still stared at the scanners with a dead look in his eyes.

"Ready the second tube!" He shouted, attracting every set of eyes in the bridge.

"Sir?" Delta mumbled. "-the shields are down…why would we take another shot?"

Ordo allowed a pure rage fill his chest as he lost his patience, this wasn't the time for his orders to be questioned. "Just do it!" he proclaimed.

The thirty seconds passed by like lightning, however once the clock ticked away so did his opportunity. Ordo didn't even want to look at the timer, because when the call came in the tube was ready, he instantly gave the order.

"FIRE ROUND TWO!" He yelled.

The projectile shot out again, heading straight for the Galantro and the nearing trooper transport. Members of the crew stirred in their seats as they gave the Admiral looks of skepticism. If he was wrong…then the entire mission would fail and the troopers of Alpha would perish. However, he was Ordo Sights…the best damn Admiral in the galaxy…he never made mistakes.

"SIR! Another enemy ship is coming out of hyperspace!" Delta yelled in disbelief.

The entire bridge seemed to have succumbed to an entire wave of horror as they stared at the space in front of them. However, Ordo remained composed because he knew exactly what was about to happen. He saw the enemy ship from a parsec away…and his intention was to crush two birds with one stone. The Crimson Empire and their commanders had fallen straight into his trap.

"CONTACT!"

The enemy ship warped out of hyperspace and appeared straight in front of the Galantro. Instead of finding a superior advantage, Ordo made sure that a class-five torpedo was waiting for them. The bright light sparked once again, causing a massive wave of light and energy as the explosion rocked the entire battlefront. Ordo stumbled backwards as the light nearly dimmed his eyes into nothing.

After the impact, the yells and laughter of the crew sparked the heart of the Admiral as he stood up straight.

"Enemy bridge had been decimated! I repeat, the additional ship had been completely overwhelmed!"

Ordo didn't enjoy the moment of his victory, there was still a job to do and a mission to complete. Instead of going into his quarters and allowing his officers take care of the rest, he gripped his console and flared his nostrils in an aggressive wave of revenge. Kanto had taken his men away from him, it was time to repay the favor.

"All main batteries, target that ship! I want it completely destroyed!"

Delta turned around and clipped his head-set on once again. "Sir, which rounds would you prefer?" He asked.

Ordo gritted his teeth and pointed at the enemy force.

"Fire EVERYTHING!"

---

"How much longer?! Things sound pretty hairy out there!"

Noble couldn't disagree with Tup's tone; his head was still recovering from the massive explosions that had occurred right outside his transport. However, focus was the key to almost everything, he had to maintain it if he was to be successful. The fact that they hadn't been blown to bits yet meant that the Endurance was doing its job, now they had to do theirs.

The Captain peered down to his tactical wrist device and let out a sigh. They were close to the hanger, very close.

"Here we go! Everyone stack up!"

The light inside of the transport flickered on, the red light meant to be on immediate standby. All of the troopers unbuckled their straps and proceeded to their positions. Noble watched as Tup and Ringo made their way up to the cockpit and slid into the turret positions for departure cover. It didn't hurt to have extra fire-power when making an appearance on a highly protected cargo ship. Every squad lined up next to the unloading ramp, the men in the front held up dura-steel shields that would prevent anyone from being pinned down. However, Noble thought the tactic was silly when he spotted Cratoren and Reese make their way up to the front.

"Don't stop moving! If you get pinned down then find your nearest shield brother and grip his back, no one gets left behind!" He shouted.

The light switched to yellow, which meant they were now free-flying into the hanger and the enemy had been spotted. Nerves would usually swim straight into his stomach, just like they had done at the invasions of Sullust and Bogashu. However, as he took his position next to Cratoren's side, he couldn't help but feel protected in a weird way. It was revealed that not everyone felt the same way, Noble turned to the sound of one of his troopers puking out of the bottom of their helmets.

"Ah, button up Hector…" Cutter mumbled.

The incoming fire could be heard outside, wave upon wave of bolts slammed into the armored exterior. Soon, Noble knew that they would be exposed to all of that firepower, and it wouldn't be a pretty sight. The yellow light began to blink, which meant the assault was now in its first stages. First, the turrets would attempt to soften the enemy defense. Next, it was their turn to engage the enemy, and the loading ramp would drop and reveal their objectives.

Noble clicked his helmet and looked above to the roof, in a theoretical fashion. "Main turrets! Open fire!"

The pounding of the massive guns allowed a sense of certainty to fill the men all around him. They had support, more than usual, and now it was time to take advantage of it. In almost perfect sync, the light flickered to green and the landing ramp sputtered downwards as it slammed on the ground. Noble didn't know which came first, whether it was the sound of Cratoren and Reese's sabers igniting, or the intense firepower that slammed into the strong shields. Either way, the massive defense the hanger contained caught him by surprise as he took his first stride off of the transport. Everything around him seemed to slow down in a wave of illusion, as if everyone was talking nonsense at the same time. Eventually, his experience allowed him to overcome such a sight and caused him to snap out of it once he heard his own voice.

"MOVE!"

Cratoren leaped into the air, followed closely behind his wife as they easily made their way into the enemy ranks. Noble focused on his own men however, the intense fray of bolts were littering all around them as they marched off of the landing ramp. The Captain instantly noticed locations in which provided good cover. The hanger contained crates and heavy machines that could easily protect anybody that hid behind it. Noble lunged forward and gripped the back of one of the shield-brothers, taking step by step with his men stack up behind him. Yells were heard as agony filled the ramp, not all of his troopers were fortunate to escape the area untouched. A quick glance behind him revealed a group of troopers gripping their legs and arms due to the burning blaster bolts that punctured their armor. A single, limp body hanged over the ramp itself, the helmet had been completely blown to bits from its original body. The sight caused Noble's insides to cringe, the trooper was just a mere recruit, one that he had brought in personally.

"Keep your boots moving!" Cutter yelled as he took position behind his own shield-brother.

Finally, the majority of the Company was off of the ramp and in the open, it was time to maneuver or they would be shredded down to nothing. Noble tapped his cover-man on the shoulder and sprinted for a gathering of crates to his left, nearly taking a bolt to the thigh in the process. Once he arrived, Noble slid into the covering and watched as his men followed in suit. Another couple of squads had made their way to separate covering locations, which was a tactic that they had addressed during the tactical briefing. The overall attack would work better if they spread out, rather than being cluttered into one section of the hanger.

Cutter reeled his auto-cannon around and fired a round of bolts at the enemy fortifications, a response from the enemy caused him to duck into cover next to Noble. After peeking over the crates and firing a couple of shots, Noble nodded at his Lieutenant.

"Cut, tell the men not to move from their positions until the enemy weapons have softened up."

Cutter responded with a skeptical shrug in his shoulders. "We're sitting ducks out here Captain…" He mumbled.

Noble nodded and checked the charge on his assault rifle. "I know…" He replied. "-but we have to trust those turrets to do the job."

Cutter nodded in agreement and then set up his portable cannon, pointing it straight for the enemy garrison. Noble fired a couple of more rounds until he glanced over to a group of troopers who were pinned down. An enemy turret had fixated on their position and had succumbed to mere prone positions. The Captain lined up a shot, he was in the clear and had absolutely no agro at all. Noble squeezed the trigger and watched his blue bolt fly in the air in almost slow-motion. The shot found its mark as the turret wielder gripped his chest in pain and fell off of the balcony he was positioned at.

"Ha!" Noble mocked, however it was hardly the time for celebration.

The feeling of success only lasted a minute, what followed was something beyond of what he could comprehend. A loud mumble filled the entire space around him, and then in less than a second the entire hanger exploded into a culmination of flying metal and sparks. Noble widened his eyes to the massive mark of devastation as it totally wiped out the entire enemy defense; however the damage was coming straight for them as well. Noble looked around and dove on top of Cutter, both of them let out a grunt as the trail of smoke and flying shrapnel flew clear above them. Luckily, the crates and cover protected them from the incoming wave of energy that nearly tumbled the ship over sideways.

Noble let out a cough and then peeked over the crates once more, his rifle fixated at the apparent source of the blast. Instead of finding an enemy wielding some unknown weapon, he saw something else.

Cratoren stood at the center of the hanger, and the metal floor around him as twisted into an unbelievable mark of indention. The thing that caused Noble's stomach to churn was the face the Jedi wore…it was almost like he had seen a ghost.

For the first time, Noble had seen the face of uncertainty on their esteemed leader, and it scared him to death.

Part Four

Pain, it was the motive to any success for a Sith, whether it be within the ranks or on the battlefield. He accepted that it was a way of life that had been bestowed upon him at a younger age. The Force chose him to run his course through this life, he was strong and the galaxy knew it. There would be times in which he would want to quit, he would be defeated, but the perseverance through it all would prove that he was meant to become a Darth.

The world around him came back with a vague sincerity, almost like it teased him to believe he was dead. He felt his own heart pounding, which meant he would live to fight another day. Where he was currently at was his first concern, the image of the alien filled his mind and caused his body to jerk. Finally, as if coincidently, his vision cleared to perfection and revealed the room in which he rested in. He expected at least a prison that would hold him, instead he laid in a luxurious room with red drapes and a steel colored floor. The rock slamming into his skull was his next thought, though he dismissed it with his pride taking over the majority of his body.

Phalanxe lifted his head and peered around the room, he appeared to be alone but he still felt the presence he did before in the Korriban plains. She was close, and likely tampering with her motives of slaying him on the spot. He didn't want to wait around and find out who engaged him with deadly force, he decided to escape while he still had the element of surprise. In a quick flurry of his arms, the blanket that rested over him was thrown aside and his feet slammed on the cold surface of the floor. He couldn't help but squint his eyes as he looked around, the room was fairly dark because of the closed windows. Before he searched for his armor, he figured to gain atleast some advantage of light so it would make his task easier. However, as he reached out with his arms and jerked the curtains open, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"What…" He mumbled.

Outside of his window stood countless of buildings that were elegantly crafted for fashion and cultural aspects. Rich green plains of flowers and elegant rivers stretched beyond measure and the only thing that stuck out like a sore thumb were the massive boulders in which stood humbly. The landscape was beautiful, he couldn't deny that, but the waves upon waves of confusion spoiled his appetite.

"Welcome to the gem of the Republic…"

Phalanxe snapped his head around to the voice. The rich accented and high pitched tone of the woman couldn't be passed aside, the alien he faced once before sounded the exact same. She had brought him here, and the fact that he wasn't on Korriban anymore meant that his meeting had been missed by the Dark Council. Rage filled his chest, but he always composed himself to the point in which not allowing a past event affect to current was his main focal point. He was in trouble, but storming on about it wouldn't fix things, only action would.

"Where am I?" Phalanxe asked calmly.

The mysterious figure walked from the shadows of the room and then revealed her face. The montrals of the Togruta were blue in color while her face deemed a light yellow or gold, it was beautiful when her eyes shared the same shade as her skin. The robes she wore looked to be more of a senator's than a Sith Lord, however the white and gold fabric did hide her long saber staff only partially. She had his full attention, even if she lacked the composure to keep it for a long amount of time.

"You're on Naboo, and you're also my esteemed guest…" She snickered.

Phalanxe took in the information with a reluctant look on his face. He was almost half-way across the galaxy and with the foe that had attacked him. He wasn't stupid however, she needed him for something and even if it was still unclear it was apparent that it was vital. The only thing that he hoped for was that it was important for the Sith Empire and not just for her selfish reasons.

"I'm patiently waiting for the part on why you attacked me…and brought me here." He boldly stated, hoping to bypass the clever comments and get right to the point.

"I respect that…" The alien responded. "-but before I tell you anything young warrior, you need to get dressed. The people of this city do not take kindly to naked men."

Phalanxe shot his head down and narrowed his eyebrows. He had totally forgotten the fact that he was showing nothing but bare skin. He desperately searched for his armored robes but instead found a sight that sickened him even more.

"You've got to be the most deranged Sith that ever walked this galaxy, if you expect me to wear these filthy robes." He snarled.

On his bed, sat a set of armored robes except they did not belong to him, they belonged to the person he despised the most. The shoulder plates were similar, but the color of black and white and patterned of the Jedi Knight symbol was what caused his stomach to churn. Cratoren wore the same exact type of outfit, it's what he was iconic for.

"I said get dressed…" The alien muttered. "-we don't have time for you to throw fits because of your outfit…"

Phalanxe growled as he reached for the rich fabric, one of these days he would plunge his saber into her chest just for this sorcery.

---

Excitement was the only thing rushing into his mind, for him the next couple of hours would be one of his most life-changing events. Even if the mood was to be set with a serious tone, it would never hide his joyful face from peering out of the window. He hoped this moment would be under different circumstances, but one lowly citizen can't be too picky.

Shalo nearly trembled to the thought of being off-world for the first time in his life. The city-planet of Coruscant would soon be a distant memory, and the adventures that waited would bring new stories to tell. He was more than excited, it was like every nerve in his body shivered to the sight of the stars. However, he wished he could say the same for his task force members

The group of dusty criminals and bounty hunters caused him to stir in his own right, it almost ruined his mood to see how relaxed they were in their seats. Some of them even slept the take-off process away, allowing a small stream of drool to drip from their chin. He tried not to get too offended; he was the only one on the ship that hadn't been out of his homestead. Shalo figured that if he traveled a good bit after this mission, that he would also share the same sentiment after a good deal of time. The moot point wasn't directed at everyone in the ship however, across from him sat the esteemed Mandalore the Relentless. Even the rugged, battle-worn, armored figure was peering out of the cab window and allowing his thoughts to guide him through this somewhat boring process.

Shalo was becoming impatient which caused him to fidget with his right leg. The limb seemed to bounce up and down simultaneously, as if he didn't even control it anymore and it had a mind of its own. Shkar shared him a daring look, his black visor turned and shook side to side. Shalo quickly ended his motion and sat as still as a rock, if there was anyone he didn't want to annoy on the ship it was him. Still, the Mandalorian was nowhere near of what Shalo expected him to be at first. Mandalore himself had stood up for him against the trio of smug criminals, but why? Shalo always read on the holo-net that the Mandalorians were the galaxy's most feared warrior culture. The fact that he helped a young man was somewhat out of character. The action wasn't the only thing on his mind; even the voice of Shkar deemed something different than the typical warrior stereotype. His voice was rugged and stern, there was no denying that, but there was something behind all of that toughness that showed something else.

"All occupants, please prepare for take-off in five minutes. Thank you."

Shalo's eyes shot up to the sound of the monotone voice, finally the ship was going to depart. He wouldn't mind being away from the immense smell of oil and sweat, the void of space might actually provide a replacement. The thought remained stuck in his head, but his eyes focused on the figure of Kanto, who stood up in front of the cabin and clasped his hands together.

"Our destination is in the Deep Outer Rim, you could even say it's on the edge of Wild Space. The trip ought to be long, so try and get some shut-eye." He stated, allowing his broad voice to carry throughout the entire vessel.

Shalo disregarded the advice because there was no way he was going to pass the chance to see an actual ship fly from port. He always was forced to watch from the ground, but now the tables were finally reversed. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, the only thing he had to worry about was the goons in which he traveled with. Shkar and Kanto seemed to be trustworthy enough, to a certain extent. He had to watch his own back if he wanted to return back home from this mission, there is no certainty in the voids of Wild Space. That's what he heard on the holo-net, but what scared him the most was how no one ever returned to tell the stories themselves.

---

"Yeah, this place is not even close to what it looked like before…"

The dreadful words seemed to escape Kaedus' mouth expectantly, but he had to give the Admiral his honest opinion.

Ordo's voice let out a deep sigh and then muffled what optimism he had left. "Okay, your ship is reported to be fully repaired shortly. You think you can tend to our wounds?" He asked.

Kaedus looked around the blackened section and shrugged, knowing that Ordo couldn't see his gesture. "I'll do my best…"

The comm on his wrist switched off as Ordo turned his attention back to the battle at hand. Kaedus looked around one more time, however the glance gave him the same result. The once brimming hallways of Sector 4 on the Endurance were now a smoking garbage heap with almost no recognizable features at all. Scrap metal stuck out of their foundations like sticks, and the white paint was now charred to an old musty color. Kaedus couldn't help but let out a grunt of pity, he had just walked through this area a rotation ago. War can change accomplishments to ash, this was a prime example of why the act of violence was never the correct answer to anything. Though, he made the decision to commence this attack, maybe he was to blame for this outcome.

After attempting to spot anything of use, Kaedus decided to brace his mind and take a look around for any possible survivors. There wasn't much left, all of the crew members were more than likely to have disintegrated to the magnitude of the blast. He winced at the separated spots, black in color and powder in texture. In the back of his mind he knew those were once living people, now they were reduced to almost nothing.

Kaedus kneeled down and touched a pile of ash with his robotic hand. The metal limb shuttered to the heat of the substance, even if it could not feel the sense as purely as his organic one. His eyes narrowed, as the leader in the open space, he should've spotted the blast before it even fired. The fight on his hands had fogged his vision in the Force, danger sparked everywhere he stepped. There was no way to pinpoint when a certain event was going to happen as easily as it was before, he was a step behind in his own game.

"H-help…"

Kaedus shot his head around and tried to spot the source of the plea. Wreckage was everywhere; the only way someone could survive is if they had enough metal to shield them from the immense explosion. There could be a possibility that someone had become trapped during the first attack and was saved from the perils of the second. He had to find them, but the voice had faded away from his ears and the origin was like finding a pebble in a river.

"Where are you?!" Kaedus shouted in desperation. The survivor didn't answer though, which caused the Jedi to go into a frantic action of flinging shard after shard of wreckage from numerous piles. Kaedus let out multiple grunts of disappointment once he discovered only loose strands of wire. If only he could sense their presence, the damn battle outside was making everything blurry.

"Hello?!" He shouted again, this time allowing the sense of anguish to fill his lungs.

Still, there was no reply but that wasn't going to stop him. He was determined to at least save one soul from the burning graveyard, even if it caused him to falter on his schedule to return to the battle. No, there was another way of doing this.

Kaedus let out a deep breath and gathered his thoughts, trying his best to peer through the dense fog of war. He asked himself a simple question that he always did during situations like these. What would he father do? The question was a difficult one to process, because as Kaedus reached out in the Force…he felt the mind of his father become conflicted and confused. Something had happened, did Cratoren regret a decision or was the immense power a reflection of his resolve? No. He couldn't use that mindset, not inside of delicate wreckage that could explode at any time when given the variables. There had to be something else he could pull from, and that's when his thoughts reached their limit. Reeseomari remained calm, even during the intense firefight she was probably already in. Kaedus cocked an eyebrow as he closed his eyes once more, there was a great difference in between his parents. He could feel the conflict raging inside of his father, something had happened that allowed doubt to possess his mind. However, his mother remained as steeled as ever and the fact that her mind was a clean slate allowed him to seek guidance. Calm, the image of steady oceans and shifting plains eased his thoughts and allowed logic to guide his actions. If he remained calm, the fog seemed to lessen and the world around him seemed to be less hectic. He could almost feel the life forces of his comrades at their exact locations, and that's when he could feel the life flowing around him. He was almost disturbed at the fact that the small piles of ash gave a reading of life, but it also gave him clarity. The survivor was near, and the beating of his heart was what allowed Kaedus to know exactly where he was.

Kaedus snapped his eyes opened and turned around, he could see a single arm stretch out of the pile of wreckage. A smile crept along his face, he knew he had accomplished something but the routine he conducted was for sure going to provide some sort of knowledge. His mother had provided him with his answer, maybe it wasn't as demeaning to ask as he once thought. Kaedus took his first step towards the injured crew-member and reached out his hand.

"Incoming!"

Kaedus shot his eyes down to his wrist comm as the voice filled the air all around him. Heat swelled up around his boots as the area engulfed into a combination of flame and metal once again. Kaedus let out a yell of anguish as he felt white pain strike up his spine. The blow had sent him flying into the nearby wall, and the flames that were already present were nipping away at his robes and flesh. A violent cough escaped his lungs as he narrowed both of his eyebrows, he had to ignore the pain for now. Something had struck them once again, but to his luck it was nothing to the caliber of the weapon that had pierced the armor in the first place. He couldn't focus on the lucky aspects though, because there was no such thing as luck. He struggled to stand up, one of the heavy metal plates had slammed into his right knee and caused a slight swelling irritation. The injuries he sustained weren't his concern, his eyes automatically found the survivor once again. Kaedus let out a breath of relief when he saw the pile move, whoever was down there had survived once again.

The Jedi rushed over, ignoring the limp in his right leg, and pried the metal gaskets and panels away from the pile.

"Don't worry, I'm getting you out of there!" Kaedus assured.

Shard after shard, the pile lessened with each grasp. Kaedus was actually creating his own stack of metal from digging in his current one. However, the survivor cringed and curled up into a ball once the heavy objects were finally off of their frame. Kaedus smiled, he was thankful that the cover had shielded them from the blast.

"C'mon…let's get you to the medical facili-"

Kaedus gasped for air in almost disbelief, the hand of the survivor had shot out of the pile and gripped him by the throat. He faltered, there was no denying he was taken completely by surprise. The attempt of reaching for his sabers was eradicated as the hand clamped even harder on his windpipe. He shuttered, the words he tried to spill were only coming out as garbled murmurs. Kaedus tried to pry the hand from his throat but the action was irrelevant.

"No-" He mumbled.

However, as the survivor emerged from the wreckage, the eyes of Kaedus widened in horror. He didn't stare at a typical crew member, the color of purple caused a streak of fear to churn his stomach. Syreena let a smirk cross her face, the headpiece she wore covered her eyes to complete measure. The world around him became to swirl in darkness as the life seeped from his mind and chest. A small snicker escaped Syreena's mouth as she gave a sadistic smile.

"KAEDUS!"

His eyes shot open once again, instead of finding his opponent, he was revealed to be still sitting down against the wall. Kaedus shot his head from side to side and gripped his sabers, but there was no enemy around him. Confusion, he had faced it before, but it was apparent the blow on the ship had done more damage to him than recently thought. He felt relief fill his mind as he saw the rushing figure of Adrianna come up to him and embrace him. The comfort was needed, at least a sense of smell would bring him back to reality.

Adrianna stood up once again and helped Kaedus to his feet. "Are you okay?" She muttered.

Kaedus shook his head and reached a hand up to grip his mottled hair. He felt the warmth of thick blood touch his glove, but oddly he felt no pain in his right knee. The throbbing sensation in his skull caused him to wince, but the initial thought dissipated.

"I-I need to get that survivor out…" He replied.

Adrianna cocked an eyebrow and glanced around the hallway, she then turned back to her friend and shrugged. "What survivor?"

Kaedus let out a humorous chuckle, she had obviously missed him on the way over here. However, to his horror, as tried to point out the pile…it wasn't there.

"Kaedus…I've checked this entire section. We don't have time for games!"

He still couldn't believe it, where had the pile gone? Did the blast send all of the pieces flying throughout the hallway? A small stream of sweat dripped down from his brow as his eyes peered in disbelief. Adrianna shook her head and patted him on the shoulder, her eyes showed a sense of pity but she remained focused.

"Let the thought go Kaedus…you got banged up pretty bad." She stated as she motioned for the next corridor.

As he slowly followed his friend into the next section of the ship, he winced and shook his head. "Yeah…yeah, it was just a false image…"

However, if he was to tell the truth, he had no idea of what he had just saw or experienced.

Part Five

Pounding…it's all he could hear now. The immense thud of his heart slamming against his bones rattled him to the brink of collapse. He had done it again…even when he thought it was partially under control. Confusion was all he could sense, with his men and within himself. The only thing he could do now was remain petrified by the sight of devastation and destruction.

"Gather the wounded! No one gets left behind!"

The voice of Noble was probably expected to be received as bold and focused, however even Cratoren could hear the uncertainty in his amplified voice. Every trooper was probably staring at him, wondering why such a man could wield such great power and not have the decency to control it. He was lucky that none of the troopers were harmed in the blast, there was no way he could've controlled it once it escaped his body.

Should I look down…will I see the same thing as I did on Nar Shadaa?

Both of his brown eyes crept from their frozen employment and shuttered downwards. It was the same sight, the same result, but just in a different place. He was a monster standing in what seemed to be a crater; everything around him was twisted into an abnormal shape. It was like staring at the source of a wildfire, everyone knew where it originated because of the horrific crisp the wildlife had to its black tint. Why did he volunteer for this mission? Was the boost in moral really worth the exposure of his deepest secret?

Yes…

The mission had to be completed if they were to be successful, he knew that. When he was slashing away at Crimson Empire troopers, something in the back of his mind told him that something needed to be done. That might have been the reason why he lost control, did he really accept this small skirmish as a ground to unleash his power?

"Agh! Control the plasma burn, stay awake!"

Cratoren turned to the screams of pain and agony; it finally broke the never-ending silence that plagued his mind. Noble stood still, however he looked down to the sight of Cutter trying to patch up some of his fallen troopers. The young man screamed and squirmed as he pressed down hard with the bacta injection. Some of them didn't even have that luxury, multiple bodies laid motionless on the cold floor. War, that is what scared him to the very bones of his morality, with all of this conflict could he really hold it together? After being stranded on the moon of Yavin III, he had been away from all of the death and destruction. Did he still have the stomach to accept these lives as just casualties and move on?

It couldn't be so simple, the vision given to him on Yavin would more than likely require every man and woman to be intact and ready to face it head on. Cratoren accepted this, maybe that is why he lost control…the sight of his men being killed caused a spark of failure to anger him beyond measure. The Crimson Empire, the Republic, and even the Sith would be irrelevant if they didn't focus on the bigger threat. The trooper squirming on the floor could've been the man to eradicate the threat. He had to think with absolutes, those aspects are what kept him focused and keen to the idea of making a difference.

He didn't even realize the color on his hands. The blast had ignited a stream of flame to char the fingertips of his limbs; it was funny how he couldn't feel anything close to pain anymore. Only the hand of his wife comforted him as he trembled slightly, her presence was welcomed and the only thing that kept his mind from drifting off into the unknown.

Focus…you've been here before. These men need you and they will fail if we can't keep ourselves together.

The voice almost seemed unnatural, but it was more than welcomed. His wife's eyes peered into his own as he turned around and let out a deep sigh. She was right, it almost seemed like she always was. He had to be strong, for the mission and for his comrades, if he faltered then it led to the failure of what his son had worked so hard to build up. These troopers saw him as the panicle of the Order, a weapon that could not be broken. Just because he was scared of his own power doesn't mean that he would fall, the power could be used for this mission. There wasn't a better time to master this force, he would do so now…and even if it meant ripping his mind to shreds, he would protect these troopers as best as he could. Every life needed to be saved for the coming battle, and he would see to it.

Captain Noble slowly walked over to him with an unconvinced stature. The Alpha Company troopers were finished with establishing a base-head for the operation as they created a makeshift barrier from loose metal shards.

"We're cut down only slightly, if we push hard now…we can make the deadline." He stated, keeping his black visor fixed on Cratoren's face.

"Good…" Reeseomari chimed in. "-gather your men and rally on the main exit, Cratoren and I will defend this area the best we can."

"No."

The simple word had slipped from his lips, and his two counterparts peered over to him with a look of both attentiveness and uneasiness.

Cratoren composed himself to the point in which it caused Noble to level his body. The uncertainty in his mind cause himself to cull each of his actions, however he wasn't about to let his personal state affect the mission. In fact, he was going to see to it that he would turn the enemy upside down.

"Reese, you may stay here if you like…but I will lead the charge further into the Galantro."

Reese snapped her brow into one of hindrance and glanced towards Noble in the process. The Captain placed both of his hands on his hips and let out a sigh.

"Sir…are you sure that's a good idea?" He inquired.

Cratoren frowned at the incredulous question. He was perfectly sure, even if there was a probability that something could go wrong, it was worth the risk.

"Yes. I can try my best to channel my power towards the enemy front. I want you to order your men to stay behind me, at all times. Is that clear?" He snapped, almost allowing his anger to pepper his words.

Noble emanated out of his lackluster stance and came to attention. "Yes sir!"

The trooper hustled over to his men as he gave the basic groundwork and briefing to his Company. Cratoren didn't bother to listen in; he knew the troopers and Sky would get their job done. The Bravo Captain had finally finished her scouting report by allowing Elisa to hack into the ship's mainframe and gather Intel on the exact troop patrols and response teams. Once enough information was derived, she clipped the data-disk into her helmet's Tactical HUD and reported to Cratoren himself.

"We have a pretty good idea of where to begin the slicing operation. However, we'll need a pretty good distraction if we want to get near its proximity." She stated, nodding over to Elisa, who joined her at her side.

Reese cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

Sky let out a reluctant sigh and tapped her metal boot. "The enemy responded much better than we anticipated." She began as her visor detracted from the Jedi and glanced towards Noble. "-we have around three battle droid patrols and a single Dark Jedi unit in the compartment, the room itself is a cake-walk. However, Elisa and I could try and infiltrate as best we could, with the given odds. Though…the both of us probably wouldn't be around, afterwards, to celebrate…"

Cratoren released a grunt as he tightened a loose panel on his shoulder plate. "Unacceptable…we'll give you the best distraction we can muster. I'm giving you orders not to engage the enemy if the situation is deemed risky."

Sky stepped forward and gave a brisk salute; it only took a couple of seconds before the duo made their way to the nearest ventilation system. Cratoren felt Reese's hand rest on his shoulder as they watched the two troopers strip away their bulky armor parts and fit into the small shaft.

"You know their mission is critical to the battle, even with opposing factors in play, we have to try our best to sabotage this ship." She muttered.

Cratoren shook his head and tightened his shoulders to show his wife that he knew exactly what was at play. The nonverbal signal was uncommon with most of his allies; he only used it to send a message to Reese. Their bond did the rest of the work for them as if it was almost like they could speak to each other without saying a word.

"Cratoren…" She whispered solemnly. The gesture in his body wasn't the answer she wanted.

"I heard you Reese…" He replied, briskly trying to avoid the discussion. However he knew that his wife would let no such exploit pass. "-we need every trooper that we can get. I'm not about to through lives away for a secondary objective."

Reese frowned at her husband's manner, he knew that he was being blunt and rude but he didn't exactly have time for chatter or debate. Though, if there was one thing he learned in his marriage, it was that he never had the say in things. Well, at least he didn't when the stakes were higher than his comprehension.

"I would agree with you…except this isn't exactly a secondary objective….honey…" Reese hissed, her voiced was muffled down to an aggressive whisper so the likes of the Company didn't hear her. "- we were both at the briefing, and the slicing aspect of this attack is just as important as the fuel. If we don't disable this ship's communication relay then we will be destroyed in the next couple of rotations."

She was right, how ironic it was for him to think that just as he was attempting to pride himself on self-belief earlier. However, his argument would be valid if only his wife knew what he had seen on Yavin. He cursed himself in his thoughts, maybe if he had just let all of his secrets lighten his shoulders there wouldn't be this argument.

"There's something else at play here Reese…and its bigger than we can imagine."

His wife reeled back slightly to the mumbled response. Cratoren had suspected that she would eventually catch on to the fact he was hiding something. Actually, he was surprised that she hadn't brought the subject up before the mission. The thoughts that paced all around his mind weren't his own to process, when bonding with Reese in the form of love he knew that his privacy would be cut down between the two of them. He couldn't even keep a small mistake hidden from her, but why would this consistency halt now?

"I don't understand…" Reese murmured.

Cratoren snapped his head to the sound of blaster rifles being locked and loaded, and also to the shouts and commands spewing out of Captain Noble's mouth.

"I'll explain later…" He rushed. "-but for now, let's get this mission completed and make sure Kaedus is okay when we get back to the Endurance." His response drew a solemn look from his wife, but shortly after realizing that the next phase of the mission was near, she agreed.

The two Jedi arrived at the main entry port just as the troopers set detonation charges to breach the hull. Before the frantic actions of combat filled his thought process once again, Cratoren peered back into the conclusion of what his vision had told him.

Sunlight dancing on the kitchen floor, elegant trees flowing outside, smiles on every face that came into view. Peace and happiness.

"Cutter! Set the timer for point zero-five-zero!"

"BREACH!"

---

The robe was obviously too small, but he didn't mutter a single word about it because he had a slight feeling his alien counterpart did it on purpose. Phalanxe cupped his hands into a couple of coiled fists, allowing his rage to steam out of his fingers. This was humiliating, not only was he dressed as a petty Jedi but he was also signified as his deranged sibling of a brother.

"You deem this necessary? Or is this a fluke in order to get back at me for overwhelming you on Korriban?" He snarled, hoping the alien would get the sense of caution.

However, instead of reeling back in fandom and allowing pride to result in a rash comment, she snickered and desperately covered her mouth with one hand.

Phalanxe looked around and begged within his mind for no one to spot them or hear the snorting of his counterpart. He didn't know how exactly famous his brother was, but he was sure if someone recognized the outfit that they would impede on his space. To his satisfaction, no one paid attention to the couple strolling through the grand streets of Theed City. A couple of market salesmen had given them a glance or two, but other than the casual curiosity, there was hardly anything to worry about.

There was a good reason to be on edge, a couple to be exact. Even if the planet brimmed with the lush antiquities of plants and flowers, he was on the hostile planet and everyone around him despised the Sith Empire. A couple of frays from his saber would immediately silence the common folk, however he was more worried about the Jedi response teams that would overwhelm him.

"You can stop worrying, young warrior." The alien whispered as she wrapped both of her arms around his left bicep. "- the people here are almost reluctant to be a part of the Republic, especially in these times…"

Phalanxe let out a grunt, the statement was bordering several, thick, layers of ludicrous. "That's an ill-educated thing to say…devious rat."

The alien didn't burst out in laughter this time, instead she allowed a sinister smirk to cross her face. "Ah, but you don't see what I do, Phalanxe Arcadia."

Phalanxe frowned, the most infuriating thing he could muster inside of his own mind was arrogance. He strived to be well aware of his enemy before engaging, this trait to his personality is what turned him into a Lord.

"Then why do they call it the "Gem of the Republic"?" He sarcastically inquired.

The alien showed signs of struggling as she resisted the urge to laugh once again. He was really becoming annoyed with her joyful tone and petty attitude. Even if she knew more about this world than him, it would get her nowhere. Naboo was heavily guarded by a Republic vanguard known as the "Elite-Five". In addition to the elite squad of troops, the local guard garrison was well-known for its proficiency. The Empire would have no present interest in attacking a world so heavily guarded, especially now that they were being pushed back into the very Seat of the Empire.

"Why? Because it's pretty to look at of course!" She replied, almost trying to pull a smile from her escort.

Instead of giving in to the joyful tone, Phalanxe let out a reluctant sigh and began to despise the fact that he was still breathing. "Of course it is…"

The alien stopped her pace and stiffened both of her arms so Phalanxe would follow in suit. She replaced her humorous tone with a serious one as she avoided incoming pedestrians slowly walking by. The squeaky and high-pitched voice lowered into a hushed whisper.

Both of the golden eyes she wore peered into his own. "Know this…young warrior…that not all esteemed worlds of the Republic are willing to follow in suit of everyone else's ideals. You're blind to this, because the fools of Korriban are too stubborn to enlighten themselves to diplomacy. I brought you here to make you see…"

Phalanxe was intrigued for a couple of moments, but yet again his reluctances to comply overruled his better judgement. "I don't want to hear your sinister tricks; you brought me here in hopes of something for yourself. Yet, I don't even know who you are…and I have no interest in learning." He snarled.

The alien smiled and almost showed a reflection of embarrassment. "Oh how silly of me…" She complied, almost pulling off the act of innocence. "-I was so excited about our meeting here to the point in which I forgot my basic manners."

Phalanxe took a step back as she bowed respectfully and let out a deep breath.

"I was born with the name of Ahsaki, but I have always felt hesitant to use it. However you can call me…"

Phalanxe froze in the direct middle of her sentence, the name covered every inch of his skin with goosebumps and caused his face to become cold. He had really fallen so far from basic measures to not recognize the alien standing in front of him. Before she could finish her rallied sentence, Phalanxe couldn't help but let the conclusion escape his own mouth.

"Darth…Imperius…" He muttered in fear and disbelief.

He could only remember one punishment for disrespecting a member of the Dark Council. Death.

Part Six

"You know that everyone despises what you're doing …right sir?"

Cratoren didn't pay attention to the remark, even though he knew it was likely true. Instead of pondering and reaching back into the regretful parts of his mind, he focused on his army marching in perfect formation. Quesh had fallen easily to his conquest, and even though the people were liberated of Sharnus' forces it still filled him with anguish. He had succeeded, but failed at the same time, his enemy was nowhere to be found.

"Have you received a message from my wife?" Cratoren asked, peering over to Ragath in the process.

The loyal follower nodded and brought his cybernetic hand to protest. "Yes sir…" He began. "-she expresses her concern for your actions and demands an audience."

Cratoren narrowed his eyes, his wife did not approve of his conquest into the Outer Rim, but only he knew that this was necessary. Sharnus was a threat to all living life, if he had to oppress a planet to save five others…it was well worth the risk. All three of his children were in danger, the only way to guarantee their future was to eradicate the threat of his enemy. This had to be done, even if he had to fight his closest of allies in the process. Cratoren turned to the armored trooper and gave a brisk nod. "Have the army set up camp at the Forward Base before they return to their ships, and ignore the message of my wife…" He boldly stated.

"- for now, all of these distractions must be ignored. I don't want to hear anything else about it, is that clear?"

Ragath snapped to attention and gave a salute. "Yes sir!" he replied.

The loud footsteps of the trooper faded away as he traveled down from the vast mountain ledge, leaving Cratoren alone to watch over his conquering forces. Every trooper was crisp and sharp in their movements; it was a sight to see for any Commander. The other planets would not fall so easily, he would have to rely on his superior force to overcome the coming battles. So be it, the only way he could succeed is if he chose the difficult path to victory. Only then, would he have his redemption and silence Sharnus forever. Only then…would he have his honor.

---

"Everyone needs to remain behind the General at all times! Pick your targets and keep moving, if we stick to the plan then everything will run smoothly."

Cratoren remained still as Noble shouted his orders and the Alpha troopers set the detonation charges on all foundations of the blast-door. He couldn't help by mumble a couple of comforting words to himself, now that he had gained the little confidence he had it was time to make his move. It wasn't easy being in the position he was in, he only hoped one day that someone else would be given this duty while he watched from the sidelines. Cratoren peered over to Reese, the exchange they had earlier only caused tension. Reese was always calm in times like these, but even in the brink of conflict she flexed her jaw and watched her husband try and command a power unknown to anyone.

Cratoren found some sort of satisfaction in his current spot, it wasn't like the whole mission was going to fail. Their forces had overcome the enemy hanger defense and the Naval Forces outside seemed to be holding their own. Everyone in the Galantro was coming down to greet their new visitors, but if Cratoren could harness anything within himself, it would be a straight shot to their objective. He would either be acclaimed as a hero, or a monster…and being that he has already been called both, it couldn't turn out too bad.

"Charges are set! On the General's orders!"

Cratoren looked up and flexed his shoulders, he would need every ounce of power to overwhelm the enemy defense on the other side of the door. The briefing was top-notch, even Cratoren could revert back to the holo-map shown to him and remember a long corridor that stretched from the door. Beyond there, it was merely a guessing game that would result in taking a lift from their current section of the ship to the main cargo-hold. There would be a lot of defenses along the way, that's why his job was so important and it was essential to not blow the ship up while standing in it. Two sides of the same stone, it would be interesting how this turned out. Cratoren shook off the reluctant thought and looked at his hands.

"Everyone take cover!" He shouted.

A massive combination of ruffled boots and shouts came from the Company as they scurried for safety. The detonation would be immense, but what everyone had to look out for was his own attacks. Before he straightened up and braced for the explosion, he couldn't help but manage a couple of soothing breathes escape his lips.

Control it…and then wield it.

The sentence repeated in his head as he looked up to the door. A couple of seconds passed before he finally lifted his right hand and brought it down. The signal resulted in the door exploding into fragments of its former self, sending shrapnel and flames onto both sides of its foundation. Cratoren flinched slightly as the smoke and debris brushed aside his body and into the hanger shield behind him. He felt the sense of Reese flinging into action as she ran to his side and ignited her lightsaber. The yellow blade at his side didn't falter his gaze as he tried to focus on the area in front of him. The long corridor was nearly invisible due to the thick muse of the detonation's aftermath.

A small rock radiated under his feet as the entire metal frame of the Galantro trembled. Cratoren narrowed his eyes as he finally heard the shouts of the enemy troopers, along with the response of the Alpha troopers. Both were frantically trying to pick out targets, but even Cratoren knew that it would result in a sloppy firefight. He just needed a sign that assured him that the corridor was intact and clear of any friendly troopers. It wouldn't be anyone but Captain Noble to be the first one to spot out the enemy and react.

"Nothing but hostiles ahead! Enemy barricade at the end of the corridor!" He shouted as he fired his blaster rifle.

The two sides exchanged a massive amount of bolts as the dull color of the ship interior flared into streams of red and blue. Cratoren let in a deep breath, this was the moment he had been so nervous about.

"Stay clear!" He yelled in hopes that someone would actually hear him over the fighting.

Reese remained at his side and deflected the few bolts that came their way. It was all set up for him, he wasn't about to leave all of his allies empty-handed. In a smooth motion, Cratoren raised his right hand and sprawled his fingers as if trying to grab something. The corridor in front of him was clear, and the enemy barricade was presenting a thick problem as the end of the passage. Energy flowed throughout every muscle in his body, but eventually every single sensation flowed to his hand. His mind began to crinkle as the immense pressure finally exploded from his finger tips and sent a massive wave of pure energy for the enemy line. It was almost a wave that consumed everything it touched and crushed it into nearly dust. He couldn't turn away now, as the blast devastated everything in its path he reached down and gripped the hilt of his saber. Along with a leap over a small remnant of the door and the switch of his lightsaber, Cratoren raised his left hand and pointed forward for all his men to see.

In almost unison, the ship rocked and vibrated as the attack slammed into the opposing barricade. Yells and shouts were drowned out as the explosion engulfed the Crimson Empire troopers and the area around them. Cratoren hesitated just enough to see the full magnitude of his power once again. Even if his stomach churned at the sight, he kept running. He heard the boots of Alpha Company follow closely behind him as he made his way down the long corridor. Sights of death and wreckage strayed past his focused gaze, but he kept his mind focused as there was no more time for distractions.

"Jay Squad! Hold here!"

Cratoren recognized the voice of Cutter as he gave the command. The first checkpoint had been secured, it was up to Cratoren and Reese to lead Sigma Squad to the cargo hold. A polished plan always comes along, even in the brink of chaos. Cratoren couldn't help but think that if he kept this rate up it would lead to an easy victory. However, as he jogged by the destroyed barricade he couldn't help but cringe at the sight. Nothing was recognizable, not even the corpses were present. The smell was even worse, though the sense escaped him as he turned the corner.

"Sky, do you read me?" Cratoren asked, bringing his wrist comm up to his mouth in the process.

The response came in a flurry of static and interference that was nearly drowned out by his own steps. Cratoren felt tension creep along his back as he turned another corner, it wasn't until half-way that the device sparked again.

"Sky here…we're a little busy General." She muttered.

Cratoren was afraid of interfering with her objective, but it was important to keep a tight schedule. He was almost to the transit system and the lift, if there was a time that everything went dark it had to be now.

"We're nearly to the objective, can you shut the lights off?!" He shouted, trying to speak over the intense fighting that rocked the ship outside.

The comm went silent and then the exuberant voice remerged. "I don't think we can sir, the enemy has the place shut down tight even after your attack. We'll have it down by the time we're leaving though, you can count on it."

Cratoren let out a sigh as he turned the last corner. The wrist comm lowered as both of his eyes focused on a small enemy unit guarding the lift. Sigma squad hadn't turned the corner yet, so it was up to him to clear the unit out before they blindsided both his wife and Noble.

In a smooth motion, Cratoren whipped his saber upright and held it cocked to his right side. Once the enemy troopers realized what was coming for them, all of them raised their blasters and fired. With his saber ready, Cratoren easily staggered passed the incoming bullets and deflected a pair of stray bolts into the wall beside him. Momentum was on his side, but he needed to wait for the right moment to make his move. In relaxed manner, he leaped just below the ceiling and catapulted himself into the enemy ranks. Distance was no longer a factor between him and his opponents, in a flurry of perfected moves the saber in his hand make its target as it spun around on all vectors. Yells of pain came from the amplified voices as they fell, just in time as Noble rounded the corner with Reese at his side.

"The lift is now secure, let the other men know to prepare for takeoff once we get back…" Cratoren stated as the last body fell to the ground.

There was no time for recognition, Captain Noble gave a quick nod and rushed over to the lift. Reese took a breath as she took Cratoren's side once more. The fighting had caused a small stream of sweat to trickle down her forehead, but she was still calm as ever. Cratoren caught his breath and tried to recuperate from the blast moments ago, he dared to ask what floated in his mind.

"How bad was that last one?"

Reese glanced over and shrugged. "They all seem to be the same…"

Cratoren smiled and shook his head, he had to admire his wife's ability to remain blunt in a time like this. The door to the lift opened and allowed all of the troopers to pour in. After turning around and taking a quick glance at the lift, Cratoren instantly knew something was wrong.

"There's not enough room for all of us…" He mumbled. The sentence caused everyone to stop for a mere second and look at the space around them. Cratoren knew he was right, the lift only held the troopers and nothing more. Even if he had lost weight on Yavin and sucked in his stomach for as long as possible, he wouldn't fit.

"Something's not right…" Noble muttered. "-intel said that it would hold a party of a dozen."

Reese waved the confusion aside with a simple hand gesture and nodded at the group of soldiers. "It's okay Noble, there's no time to debate. You take your men and retrieve the supplies, Cratoren and I will cover your return."

Cratoren couldn't help but agree, even if he preferred to be on the spot for every objective. Someone was likely headed down here to solve the Rebel problem, he had to be here with Reese to face it. The recommendation caused all of the troopers to glance over to him. Nostalgia glowed as Cratoren peered back to the days that he would have the final word on every order. Though, even how it would seem like the old days, that wasn't how things were now.

"You heard her Captain…get on your way and come back in one piece." He responded.

Noble gave a quick salute and strapped his rifle around his shoulder. Without a word, the door slid closed and filled the corridor with the sound of elevator machinery. Cratoren turned to the noise and looked down the empty corridor, holding his saber tightly in his right hand.

"The damage was bad Cratoren…" Reese mumbled.

The voice caused him to turn his head and look over to the silent figure of his wife. Both of them stood in the dark shadow of failed light and immense damage. No doubt that Ordo and the Endurance had given their share of firepower to the Galantro, which must be the cause.

Cratoren let out a sigh, he knew exactly what he had done. "I know." He muttered, almost ashamed that the words came out of his mouth.

A small silence crept in between them as the fighting outside echoed within the hallway. Footsteps could be heard from other conjoining passage ways, but that's not what Cratoren sensed. First he expected his wife to respond, being that the topic was more than sensitive. Instead, he realized she was focused in on two notable presences. They were strong, but nowhere clear to similar in terms of being nearly next to each other. It was easy to pick out who they belonged to, because once Cratoren drowned out all of the muffled boots…he could make out two pairs of sinister clicks. It was calm and solemn, almost peaceful compared to the state of the ship.

Reese ignited her lightsaber as the footsteps came closer and closer, sounding just at the end of the hall. The light dimmed even more as if by command of an unknown source. Flickering headlights made it hard to focus on anything, all Cratoren could do was wait and listen. To his dismay, two black figures rounded the corner and stood still as if analyzing the two Crimson Jedi. Tension filled Cratoren's neck as he gripped his hilt even tighter, one figure stood tall over the crates that littered the passageway. The other figure was smaller and thinner, but they both wore masks that concealed every facial feature. Two pitch black eyes rounded the mask off, probably meant to intimidate their opponents. Cratoren wasn't even close to faltered, these pair of opponents had no idea who they faced.

"Stay close to me…" Cratoren murmured. "-this is Noble's exit point, it has to remain intact."

Reese gave a small nod in recognition as the two figures walked slowly towards them, both bringing out lightsaber hilts in the process. Cratoren ignited his green blade once he felt the Force emerge from his muscles once again. The two black figures ignited a single purple blade, facing off with their own.

---

"We're on a very tight schedule, if it comes down to it…grab what you can carry and run back to the lift."

The words came to him like a memorized speech, the least of his worries was the fuel they carried out. After witnessing the full-power of his commanding Jedi and bypassing wave upon wave of defense, he was just happy to make it past the hanger. Everything that happened around him was almost too much to take in, and that was odd coming from his own mind. Out of everyone in his Company, he had thought to have seen everything he would be capable of seeing. However, after one operation with Cratoren Arcadia, he had realized how wrong he had been.

The lift elevated at a descent rate, but it wouldn't take the enemy long to figure out what they were after. Noble and his squad's goal were to snatch and grab anything they could and load them onto the lift itself. Without the cover of additional soldiers or the Jedi there was a big chance they were outnumbered. The clicks of weapons being reloaded and armor being nudged back into place snapped him out of his thought, reality was always hard to face when in battle.

"What our status Ringo?" He asked.

The trooper looked over at the Captain and played over the in-action report in his head. "Two grenades and plenty of ammunition in all of our rifles. We're lacking man power, but the General bought us enough ordinances to handle a supply depot and its guards." He replied.

Noble could disagree, but it wouldn't help their situation. The noise they made in the hanger was ought to cause a shift in the guard. If Sigma squad could get to the fuel deposit before their enemy reacted, they could have a shot at this.

"Man…how slow can these lifts go? I'm getting anxious over here!" Tup grumbled.

Ringo shrugged and nodded over to the silent figure of Alpha-20, who casually reloaded his sniper rifle. "20 has the right idea, take some notes." He joked.

Sigma Squad was the main benefactor of Alpha Company, an asset that Noble gathered during their "duty" under Kanto. It was a means for protection of his closest troopers, and since all five of them made a good team…it kind of stuck. Noble, Ringo, Cutter, and Tup were original members until the promotion of Alpha-20 came along. The trooper was always silent, but his shot was second to none and the only person who came close was Ringo himself. Ignoring the fact that Cutter stayed behind with the fallback squad, Noble was confident that these men would get the job done without their fifth member.

In terms of being worried, Noble still hadn't heard from Sky after her departure from the hanger. There was no need to be concerned about her, especially with Elisa at her side. Even then, he couldn't help but play randomized scenarios in his head that nagged his attention away from his own objective. There was hardly anything he could do at the moment, he needed to focus on the task at hand rather than Sky's. The lift had to be close to its destination by now, which meant it was time for one last mission reminder.

"Okay, the cargo hold should be coming up soon, along with the fuel depot. We're a bit shorthanded but listen to how I want this done…" Noble began, his voice remained as deep as it ever was. "-Tup and Ringo will take the northern part of the room, just like we discussed during briefing. 20 will be with me along the upper balcony."

Ringo fidgeted and looked over to the silent trooper. "How exactly are you going to do that? This lift takes us to the bottom level of the depot, not the top."

"There should be some crates large enough to climb on…" Noble quickly replied. "-either way, we'll need some sort of advantage given the situation we're in."

Ringo and Tup gave a quick nod and then nudged as the lift began to slow its speed. A quick insertion should prevent any trouble once the door opened, at least that's what Noble thought. Once the lift came to a complete stop, a small chime filled the canopy as the door vaulted open. There was a pause, Noble crouched down as he watched Ringo and Tup slither out of the doorway and out into the dark cargo hold. The Captain couldn't help but notice that the lights were completely out, visibility would play a major factor in their mission. If he couldn't find the fuel deposit in time, the Rebels would more than likely retreat to prevent anything happening to the Endurance. He had to succeed, if not then he would have to find a comfortable jail cell in Kanto's quarters.

"Okay, let's move trooper."

Noble's command followed a quick hand signal from Ringo that the first section was clear. The analysis was just based on smell and sight, even if Ringo was a veteran there had to be some caution. Noble crouched down and shuffled out of the door and into the darkness, nearly knocking his foot on loose crates in the motion. Alpha-20 followed tightly behind him as he reeled the long sniper rifle around and scanned the room. As far from Noble could see, the room was completely deserted and the only sign of opposition was the nearby droid station, which was also disabled. Luckily, as the Captain slowly crept around a crate and whipped his rifle down a pathway, he couldn't help but notice the height of the containers. After strapping his rifle around one shoulder and reaching out with his free hand, Noble pulled himself up onto a thick crate and kneeled down tightly.

"You're next 20…" He whispered while reaching out with both of his hands.

Alpha-20's sniper strapped along his back and the trooper himself leaped for the grasping hold. Together, Noble used his strength to pull the dead-weight up as Alpha-20 kicked with his legs. Finally, both of them were on the crate and looked for the nearest balcony edge. The dark thicket all around them made it nearly impossible to see anywhere except at where they stood. The call was one of both reluctance and tension, but the search had to be chopped down and quick.

"Ringo, your both clear to turn on the torches…We'll do the same." He mumbled into his wrist comm.

Ringo's voice responded in a rough tone. "We're sitting in the open Noble…" He began. "-those lights will make us some big targets."

A quick scan of the room made it clear he was right, however as Noble looked around he didn't hear the enemy, nor see them.

"I know, but we need to speed up this search." He replied.

A pair of bright lights flickered to life in the form of two thick streams. Every Alpha trooper was outfitted with a basic light culmination device, or also known as a LCD. Noble followed in suit and reached up to flick his own on, repeated shortly by Alpha-20. The small but rich light was able to illuminate the area around him, but the vast room was too large and still a majority remained untouched. Noble then looked around and spotted a nearby ledge for the upper observation balcony that crept along the upper part of the room. After sounding a grunt, Noble kept his rifle strapped and leaped for the close edge. The two armored gauntlets planted with a thud but he was firmly stable enough to pull himself up and onto the metal slab. Alpha-20 followed shortly, however with the clunky weapon of a sniper rifle, the trooper nearly tumbled back down to the ground level. Noble fastened both of his feet under him and reached out with both hands, eventually taking on the grasp of his sprawled trooper. Even with a firm grip on Noble's glove, 20's legs shot out like tentacles as they tried to stand on something solid. The muffled movement caused a lot of noise, and to make matters worse the amplified grunts echoed throughout the entire depot.

Noble froze in his attempt to pull the trooper up when he heard a small click. It wasn't just a by standing nuisance of noise that perked his attention, it was the manner in which it ended. Sharp and fast, a locking mechanism that would sound if a door closed or if someone dropped their ammunition clip. Experience flowed into the Captain's mind , his troopers loaded their rifles in the elevator so it couldn't have been them. Everything in the cargo hold looked to be packed and ready to ship, so nothing fell to make that sound. The thought was a long shot, but Noble knew that the best thing to do in a weary situation was to trust his instincts. A small situation developed in his mind, over the course of what was probably seconds. If there was a sniper in the room with them, it was a possibility that they wielded a standard projectile rifle that fired those famous dura-steel bullets for armor piercing efficiency. Noble knew that every marksman for the Crimson Empire had one, so the fact couldn't be easily swept aside. Then there was the fact that no one was defending the fuel depot, everything seemed a bit easy compared to how it was outside. The Crimson Empire was losing the fight in head-to-head methods; maybe they would try something less direct and sly. In that case, if Noble was in the sniper shoes, he would try and somehow disable two hostiles with one shot. This meant that the sniper would have to shoot at the spot where he could hit both them. Though, even if he knew what he was about to do would probably be seen as crazy or rash, the instincts in his mind overruled any other thought.

Noble looked down in a quick motion and peered into the black visor of Alpha-20, and then in one desperate act…he let go of his hand. A small grunt escaped 20's mouth but it was swiftly drowned out as a shot fired from the far side of the depot. Noble winced at the fact he had been right, but it would soon dissipate as the shot actually made his mark. 20 fell to the ground floor, but Noble still held his hand out where it would be if he was still hanging from the balcony. A disgusting sound of metal meeting bolt filled the air as the shot pierced straight through Noble's robotic right hand. Pain and dizziness caused him to fall back on his right elbow and crawl for cover, hearing the thud of 20's body in the process.

"Contact! North side of the room!"

Ringo's voice nearly deafened him as his shouted into the transmitter. It wouldn't be the only thing however, the room exploded into a one-sided firefight as both Tup and Ringo fired their rifles blindly at the unknown sniper. Noble took the transition in order to tend to the shot, trying to block out the noise as he did so. The shot revealed to have entered the radial side of his limb and exited clean through, the only thing he had to worry about was the metal scarring on his nerves. For now, he would be able to fight, which meant the sniper was a lousy shot.

In a fast demeanor, Noble rolled over on his stomach and peeked from the side of his covering, consisting of just a small desk and cabinets. "Alpha-20 is down just under the balcony, I need one of you to secure his location." He whispered.

A couple of shots were heard over the response, but eventually Ringo raised his hand to answer. "Is he in the sniper's scope?" He asked.

"I don't think so…" Noble answered. "-if he was, there wouldn't be an Alpha-20 to rescue now, would there?"

"On my way."

Noble swiftly crouched and shuffled on the long-side of the balcony, trying to get a general idea of where the shot came from. In disappointment, the Captain's wrist scanner had been fried and the fumes of the fuel affected the portable scanners. He was going to have to kill this guy the old fashioned way, which benefited his enemy more than him. Just below him, he could hear the whisper and boots of his two troopers panning the area for 20. The fact that he heard him meant that his enemy would probably eavesdrop as well, if he could line up a shot fast enough and find the sniper it would be an easy kill.

"20 is fine Captain, just a fractured leg and some armor damage. I wouldn't be too concer-"

Noble flinched as another shot fired, the bolt screamed across the room and landed with a loud thud. The Captain looked up and spotted a small discharge fume lifting into the sky, with every nerve in his body, he pulled down on his trigger and littered the enemy hiding spot with his load. Sparks and residue lifted from the result, however Noble froze once again as the same sound filled the air.

Click.

In a desperate race for survival, Noble hopped up on both of his legs and sprinted for the nearby panel of screens and terminals. The sniper had guessed his move, as he reached out with both limbs the enemy rifle kept firing. Bullet by bullet, the enemy shots passed by and left a disconcerting sense of warmth behind them. Noble's breath accelerated, he felt every projectile swim by him as his left his entire body exposed for the enemy to pick at. However, Noble was able to slide into cover untouched miraculously, only welcomed by a bothered voice of Tup over the comm.

"Captain! Ringo took one to the lower abdomen in that last shot, what's your status?!"

Noble punched the ground next to him in spite of the news, however now was not the time to panic. The sniper had him zeroed and pinned; the only way he would get out of this fight is if the sniper had his focus on something else. Noble wasn't about to sacrifice the well-being of Tup to save his own skin, however the trooper was a great shot. Behind 20 and Ringo, Tup was always the unspoken weapon that no one realized existed, which was why everyone was surprised when the man got the promotion for Sigma Squad on Sullust. There was no doubt that the young trooper could do this if Noble walked him through it.

"Listen here Tup, I'm pinned on the balcony and can't get to your position. How are the others?"

Tup hesitated for a mere second whenever another click filled the air, but eventually the witted voice remerged. "20 is immobilized and Ringo is unconscious, I'm in some thick cover but there's no telling if the shooter is rotating."

Noble let in a deep breath and dared to peek around his cover, the sight of a long barrel from the far side of the room caused him to quickly retract. The sniper was resting in a high and small ventilation duct, nearly invisible because of the fumes that caused the ceiling to become hazed. No one would've seen the sniper before it was too late, but because Noble was just as high in elevation, he could easily spot out the enemy.

"Trust me Tup, the sniper isn't moving…you'll be safe in your current cover, just don't stick your head out."

Noble let out a deep breath and leaned back on the terminal, it was weird to know there was a sniper staring right at you. The mere urge his enemy had was probably something he could use to his advantage, but the timing had to be perfect.

"I have a plan Tup, if you'll be willing to listen?"

The chuckle that came through the comm was all that consisted of Tup's response. "Sir, being that it's just us two…I don't think we have too many options. Let's hear it."

Noble took to a prone position once again and crawled the length of the balcony, which was mainly covered given his point of battle. He squirmed and rolled until he found the position of Tup and the injured soldiers. Instead of desperately looking for a clear view of sight, Noble relied on his hearing to pinpoint where his trooper was. A deep breathing in the form of amplified redundancy was basically where Tup was hiding, and the hushed moans of pain came from 20 more than likely. The game was cat and mouse now, and the winner would be who could resist the urge of pulling the trigger and lunging for the prey.

"You'll need to move position when I say so, the sniper has a deadlock on me. If we play this right, we'll get a shot and come out of this alive." Noble informed.

Tup let out a small sigh. "I get it sir…you want me to be the bait?"

If Noble was any other type of man, he would have said yes. However, Noble knew his worth in the galaxy was just as much as Tup's, if not less. The men respected sacrifice, but this had nothing to do with respect, it was vital that his men would survive. "No Tup… I'm the bait." A hesitation came from the other end of the comm, but Noble quelled the uncertainty before it emerged. "Don't worry about me, trooper, just follow my orders and take the shot."

"Y-yes sir…" Tup muttered.

Noble slowly took off his helmet and pressed his ear to the steel floor of th balcony, hearing the armored figure readjust his stature and squat down. It took a couple of minutes for him to fully picture the room in his mind, but eventually Noble clocked his wrist comm once again.

"Okay, take five paces to the left and then stop. There should be a large machine in the center, if the briefing was correct."

The deep thuds of his boots sounded the large depot, instead of slowly creeping his way through the instructions, Tup jogged. Noble reeled himself into a kneeling stance and peeked over the console, seeing that the enemy sniper was still in the same position. It was apparent that the enemy knew he was on to something, but in a frustrated attempt the enemy fired a single shot at the vague image of Noble's face in the darkness. The area between Noble and the vent was about a couple of meters, so when the shot slammed into the console in front of him, Noble quickly shot his head back down into safety.

"Noble I'm here, did he get you?" Tup inquired in a frantic manner.

"No…" Noble let out softly. "I'm still here, now if you're at the first location, go ahead and turn to your right. After that, take four paces north and then look up to the upper- left portion of the ceiling."

Another set of footsteps filled the room, which drew the attention of the sniper once again. Instead of keeping his shots small and precise, the enemy rifle opened up a flurry of randomized shots that slammed into the ground level. Tup's footsteps kept going, but the risk was too great for Noble to stand. The Captain reeled his rifle around and raised it above the console, firing at whatever he could before another sniper shot sent him into hiding.

"Tup! Please tell me you made it to the spot…" Noble asked.

"Yes sir…" Tup replied. "-though I can't see anything."

Noble ironically looked up to the damaged console and peered at the bullet holes. "He's there trooper…trust me. Pull the trigger."

A choking silence caused every hair on Noble's skin to rise as he waited for the shot. Finally, in a loud conclusion, Tup pulled down on his trigger and let a single shot fly through the cargo hold. A high-pitched scream sounded as the bullet pierced the vent metal and slammed into the enemy sniper. A muffled grunt of pain and shock was all that Noble could hear, but finally afterwards the depot fell into a comforting silence.

"Great shot trooper…" Noble commended, gaining a laugh from his trooper in the process. In a frantic motion, Noble raised his wrist and dialed in Cratoren's signal as he made his way for the ground level.

"General, the fuel depot is secure and we're close on time. What's your status?"

---

"General, come in…do you read me?"

Cratoren clamped his teeth together once he heard the voice on his communicator. The timing of the mission's completion has got to be one of the flukes he would inadvertently run into. However, his current situation was one not to be meddled with.

Sweat flowed down his brow as he let another breath escape his lips, staring at his opponent in the process. The pair of saber-wielding foes engaged them nearly three corridors ago, the battle had more than likely taken them across the structure of the ship. It was more of a time-killer than anything at first, Reese had easily overpowered her challenger but for some reason didn't finish the job. Now, both Reese and Cratoren had found themselves in a predicament that could jeopardize the entire mission. This may be the overall goal of his enemy in the first place.

He stood firm now, clutching his green saber in one hand and gripped his offhand into a fist. They both stood in a larger area now, it looked to be a conference room that was located next to the hanger. Hopefully his location was as accurate as he predicted because if it wasn't, he would have a long walk. In the middle of his spar, Reese had separated and went down a separate hallway. Finally, after panicking the fact they would be separated, he felt his wife come up behind him.

"The Sith is dead…" She muttered. "-what's taking so long with this one?"

Cratoren could see the frustration in her tone and stature, however the enemy he faced almost nagged at his willingness to use his full power. The option wasn't in the bag though, if he used any sort of force technique in his form…the entire ship would come down on top of him.

"I'm having trouble fighting, when trying not to fight…"He answered, pulling a reluctant look from his wife in the process.

"I'll try and deal with him, it's probably best that you answer that call…"

Cratoren shrugged and watched his wife ignite her yellow lightsaber as she approached the enemy. Two locked sabers as he bluntly answered the holocom. "Captain, Reese and I were busy for a moment there…how's your situation?"

The communicator fizzled but the conjoined voices of Noble and his men reassured Cratoren that everything had gone to plan.

"I have wounded here in the cargo hold, Cutter will be here with the middle-squad shortly. I recommend you make your way to the hanger quickly."

Cratoren winced at the news and peered over to the fighting taking place just aside of him. In time to Reese cut down the Sith, Cratoren clipped his saber back to his belt and nodded. "It's time to go…"

Part Seven

The Endurance was colder than usual, no doubt a testament to the intense fighting outside. However, even with fire and shrapnel all around it's halls; the cold bitterness seemed to ascend from the floors and ash piles that scattered its infrastructure. The battle had finally waged its toll on the old Dreadnaught, even with prototype shields and advanced weaponry, the Endurance still couldn't prevent its crew members from suffering the consequences of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Kaedus couldn't blame the ship for what he saw all around him. Even with the pedicle of all Naval vessels, he couldn't point his finger at anything specifically that led to these deaths. Crew members and military alike knew what they were getting into when they agreed to their personal terms. War wasn't kind, it was a fact that a lot of people had forgotten while in its time of dormancy. Kaedus relied on his father's teachings when the worst was seen by his eyes, everything that lives is precious. The job fell upon him to take care of anyone who was hurt or injured, but the hardest part was the consistent sign of failure. Hall after hall, piles of charred skin and ash were all that remained of the crew that walked these corridors. The only thing that remained were the memories left behind and empty promises that were never filled. Kaedus could relate to such a feeling, the death of his brother and sister had prepared him for such a battle. That is why the duty fell upon him to lead these Rebels to what they once had, peace and freedom.

One by one, Kaedus planted each of his boots into the durasteel floor and followed Adrianna down another long hallway. The young woman remained as resilient as ever, but Kaedus could notice the sights and smells were beginning to reach the back of her mind. In all of their years of training together, he couldn't think of a time when Adrianna faltered to any challenge. However, once he pinned such a thought to the top of his head, there wasn't really a time that they both experienced something like this together. It was a new feeling, which is why his stomach churned. Kaedus wasn't worried about himself when he saw the remains of such bodies, he was actually worried about Adrianna and her reaction.

The corridor finally came to an end as a heaping pile of wreckage and junk stood as a barrier at the end of the pathway. Kaedus slowed his stride and came to a stop as Adrianna caught her breath and peered up at the closed off section.

"There's no way I can budge this without poking something dangerous." She muttered, almost out of breath from the intense running they had done before.

Kaedus let out a grunt of frustration and turned around to back the way they came. "I'll check in with Ordo to see how the mission is going. The squadrons outside could still need our help with the secondary objectives." He responded in a hoarse voice. Adrianna didn't answer, instead she kneeled beside the pile of wreckage as Kaedus lifted his communicator to his mouth.

"Ordo, this is Cato checking in. How is the operation going and what can Adrianna and I do to help?"

The communicator fizzled in and out of reception as the voice of Ordo tried to spark to life. "-copy Cato…give me just a moment." The voice disappeared as the air filled with silence.

"Not even one survivor…"

Kaedus cocked an eyebrow and turned around to the distraught voice of Adrianna. She had mumbled the sentence in mere disappointment, but he knew she had a hard time actually believing it. In one motion, Kaedus let out a sigh of grief and lowered his wrist. The rich color of his friend's red hair was the only contrast he had to deal with in the war-stricken hallway. She remained kneeling next to the dead-end, but when Kaedus walked to her side, she stiffened.

"There's nothing we could've done for them…" The reply was blunt, but it was also respectable. Adrianna was the type of Jedi that liked things straight forward and direct, her attitude was based around a multitude of experiences that led to who she was now.

Adrianna shook her head and stood up. "I don't like to think that way…" She began. "-even in the brink of all that is happening, you and Katar could die just as easily. If that were to happen, I would do anything in my power to save both of you."

Kaedus heard his communicator flicker to life and signal him that Ordo was now connected but it was quickly toned out. "We can't think like that Adrianna…if we deal in absolutes than we will always turn out disappointed."

"I'd rather have the chance of trying than suffer the guilt of seeing these remains." She replied, allowing hindrance to control her words. "If we can't lead these people to freedom and keep them alive in the process, what's the point Kaedus?"

Kaedus had to think of the best thing to say, putting his personal feelings aside along with his opinions. However, once he scraped all of those things away, there was nothing left in his mind at his disposal.

"I don't know…"

The pathetic response slipped from his lips as Adrianna locked gazes with him for what seemed like an eternity. A couple of muffled explosions sounded all around them as the battle raged outside, leaving no room for the thoughts that escaped his mind.

"The only thing I do know is that this universe is a cruel place, Adrianna, and the only way we can survive is if we fight. Forget any false premises that the Jedi Order taught you before this moment. If we ever want peace in times like these, we have to fight for every inch we want." As he raised his voice, Kaedus couldn't help but feel uncontrollable. The point that he was trying to make was finally becoming a realization that he could understand. The impending fate for him and the ones he loved was hardly a factor he could control, but he had already learned that the hard way. What he so desperately wanted to say was finally in a form that he could describe it, as if it obtained a corporeal form inside of his mind and it needed to be pushed out.

"A lot of people will die until we finally reach our goal, if we ever do, and don't make the mistake of forgetting the fact that it could be you or I one day. These battles will be tough, bloody, and unforgiving. We have to be ready to deal with the repercussions, because only we can carry on the burden of the memories for who have fallen…"

Kaedus allowed his hands to relax and open up to the multiple piles of ash. "I was in my Starfighter when that blast made contact, probably only a couple of meters away. It could've been me that time…but instead it was one of my best pilots. Now, because of his sacrifice, we have to carry on the fight in his name. That's how things go now…"

Adrianna slowly used her hands to help herself into a standing position. The young woman took one last look at the dead-end and then turned to her friend. Kaedus stood tall and firm, though his eyes showed signs of distraught from the words he desperately reached deep down for. The two Jedi stood in a familiar silence once again, until Adrianna ran one hand down her saber hilt and let out a deep breath.

"I know what you're saying is true…but I don't agree with it." She stated, lowering her voice down to a near-whisper. The young woman straightened herself up and gave her counterpart a daring glance. "We have to try our best to save what we can. If we don't…then the entire galaxy is already lost."

Kaedus let out a grunt of disapproval and turned his back to the dead-end and Adrianna. The frustration and disappointment in his friend couldn't be overruled, he had tried his best to explain but she still didn't understand. Instead of continuing to spill his feelings, Kaedus decided it was best to focus on the next phase of the mission. He didn't have time to bicker over sensitive topics anymore, it was time to address something more important.

"Admiral Ordo, are you picking up my signal?" He inquired.

The communicator still showed signs of interference, but within a couple of seconds the lively voice of Admiral Sights sparked to life.

"I hear you loud and clear Cato, what's your status?"

Kaedus looked around and shook his head, as if coordinating with Ordo in person. "Adrianna and I are fine; however we were unsuccessful in finding any survivors. We're ready for another task if you need any more help."

"I'm glad you asked, Captain Noble reported that Alpha Company has obtained more than enough fuel. Katar and Grey Squadron are doing a good job of keeping the transport path clean for now, but we've been here far too long. I'm expecting a response team from the Crimson Empire any moment now." Ordo claimed as a frenzy of voices and commands could be heard on the other side of the communicator.

"Any word on how my father and mother are doing?" Kaedus asked as the question tugged at his mind. "-all I need to know is if they are okay."

"They should be quite fine Kaedus. Noble only reported casualties for Alpha Company, but that in itself shouldn't be ignored."

Kaedus nodded and rubbed his irritated eyes. "I agree, give Adrianna and I a couple of minutes to get to the hanger. The search winded up taking us half-way across the ship and I-"

The ground under Kaedus' boots began to shake as the aura all around him exploded into a culmination of energy and shrapnel. Before he could react, Kaedus shot a quick glance over his shoulder just in time to see Adrianna send a Force-Wave directly at the caved in corridor. The Jedi ducked and spun around as the attack slammed into its target, instantly causing Kaedus to shut his eyes and raise a hand in defense from the incoming debris. Luckily, the only thing Kaedus felt was a couple of small bolts and a frame that brushed against his shoulder-plate. The metal screeched with a loud whine, but as Kaedus opened his eyes the only state he could show was disbelief.

"What…" He mumbled.

Adrianna stood straight and used one hand to cover her eyes as the aftermath settled and the result revealed itself. Kaedus gradually stood up as he looked over Adrianna's shoulder and saw an open corridor that stretched for another couple of meters. Unlike the one he stood in, the corridor was clean and nearly untouched. A testament to the Endurance's emergency protocols, Kaedus had almost forgotten the functions of the blast doors in the case of infrastructure failure. However, his small miscalculation wasn't hardly what was on his mind now. In the wake of the battle, Kaedus let out a level breath as he stared at more than a dozen of alive and healthy crew members. The faces showed disbelief and shock as they stared at the two blank Jedi's, some of them clutching their own shoulders for protection.

"Someone came for us…" One muttered. "-we thought we would be trapped there. Thank you…"

Kaedus watched as each crew member walked out from the collapsed wreckage and down the hallway to the elevator. Some of them waddled and tumbled, still not used to the idea of being alive and safe. It was a sight that nearly churned his stomach and twisted it sideways, how had he missed their presence so easily?

Adrianna turned and faced Kaedus as soon as she helped the last survivor make their way out of the debris and down the hall.

"We have to try to save everyone…or we can no longer call ourselves Jedi."

Without awaiting a response, Adrianna lifted the hood of her robe and preceded to follow the survivors. Kaedus was left alone as the fire still trickled at his ankles and the smoke filled his nostrils. What he had said before, it was all correct and true, but Adrianna had single-handedly shown him the error of his thoughts. He was wrong in the fact that death was something that ended life, when he had forgotten that it just carried it away. The Force proved that death wasn't the end, and that justice was something that followed. Kaedus couldn't be as thankful as he was to know he had a friend that could remind him of who he was. He was the being that wielded that justice, and needed to use it to the best of his abilities. Justice would bring him his family's peace, not war. The utter fact could not have been as clear to him as it was now, and it felt good to finally understand it.

"Ordo…we have survivors. Inform Katar that I will see to their safety and then join him."

The checkpoint seemed to be on the other side of the galaxy, and every muscle in his body screamed in pain. In the briefing, the desperate and flawed escape route was one to ponder about, but now it was clear that whoever thought it up was completely stupid.

"Keep going…" Noble snapped

The grueling process of transporting the fuel canisters was taking longer than usual. The Captain didn't dare glance down to his Tactical Wrist-Device, however his duty overruled such a thought and the result was as much as he expected. The mission should've concluded around fifteen minutes ago, bypassing the backup ten minutes that every strategical expert applied in every briefing. Tactics aside, his Company and mission were now in drastic jeopardy and now they were riding on the thin chance that their enemy didn't call for backup.

They were almost half-way back to the hanger, and the Arcadia's were now sprinting full-speed to meet them. Moments before, a quick medical team arrived in the depot itself to patch up Ringo and Alpha-20. Cutter had really come through for the squad, if he didn't act as fast as he did with Jay Squad at the support checkpoint…the result wasn't healthy to think about. Now the insertion team was retracting their steps and returning to the hanger, but the battle had taken it's toll and time was completely against them.

Noble stopped and turned to the sound of a barrel slamming into the ground.

"I'm sorry sir…" Tup gasped. "-it's too heavy…my arms feel like slime."

Noble took a quick glance down the other end of the corridor they were currently in. They still had a ways to go, and if they slowed down now it would allow the enemy to catch up and surround them. If they were on schedule the Engine Core would stand just above their heads, further ahead would lead to the Crew Quarters, and followed closely by that was the Hanger Deck via elevator. The shape they were in could be better too, when Noble turned around he saw the sight of two stretchers carrying two of his best men. To make matters worse, the medical teams treating the troopers were big, fat, juicy targets for another sniper. Noble just wasn't sure how long they could keep going if they ran into another sharpshooter. In a rushed motion, Noble strapped his rifle around his shoulder and ran to Tup's aid.

"You're fine trooper, let me take the barrel and you can watch my back." He encouraged as he let out a grunt and lifted the barrel from the floor. "We have to keep moving! If someone gets tired, switch places and do your job!"

Jay Squad turned their helmets and gave a brisk nod as they continued to lead the way. Tup reeled his rifle around and accepted the duty, making his way to the front of the team. The adjustment was risky, however as Noble carried the heavy package…he didn't care. Every muscle screamed in his back as the work caused him to develop a steady stream of perspiration down his brow. Every strand of his long, brown hair seemed to stick to any piece of skin it touched.

Wow…this actually is heavy.

The thought was apparent in every detail that he tried not to think about. It was nearly impossible to ignore the fact that whatever he carried was nearly about to crush him. In all honesty, Noble had doubted Tup's physical state once he saw the barrel hit the floor, but now he too felt the immensity of what they came for. It would be a challenge to haul the entire load back to the hanger, but it was something that had to be done.

In one last effort, Noble flexed his lower back and legs as much as he could. The muscles fought back with howls of pain, but eventually the Captain mustered enough strength to carry on. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, the entire team was now entering the Crew Quarters and the alarm on his wrist device began to blink. Noble let out a gasp for air as he tried to readjust his hands to answer, but the grip on the barrel wouldn't adapt so easily.

"Cutter…answer my comm for me…" He grunted as another wave of fatigue brushed across his figure.

The trooper looked over and gave a solemn nod as he reached and pressed down on the given button. Noble took a couple of quickened breaths before the static filled his helmet. A voice came in and out of reception, but with the tone and manner he was able to hear enough to realize it was Sky. Sky's voice was hardly recognizable, but something in his head somehow snapped to the conclusion and he learned not to ignore his instincts.

"Sky...is-is that you?" He mumbled, the energy to merely speak an entire sentence was soon fading from his body. Noble stuttered and coughed as he lifted one foot after the other. The insertion team would soon pass the middle section of the Crew Quarters.

"Noble, can you hear me?" Sky asked as the connection was finally established. Noble could hear fighting in the background of the response, but he wasn't sure if it was within the ship or the dogfight outside.

"Loud and cle-clear Bravo."

The static reemerged from the clutches of the signal jamming device stationed on the ship, but eventually the point in the sentence revealed itself. "-everyone has returned to the Hanger! General Arcadia and Alpha Company need to report back so we can all get out of here in one piece!"

Noble nearly bit his tongue when the elevator came into sight that would take him directly to the hanger. It would take nearly two trips to transport everyone to the hanger, if there was one thing that proved a nuisance…it was the fact that the elevators were too small. Noble reeled the barrel forward and tipped it on its front end as the elevator stood just before him.

"I understand Captain, my men and I are now at the elevator and waiting for departure. We have injured with us, but the fuel is in our possession and still intact."

Sky fiddled with her end of the reception, but when her voice reemerged it was a frenzy of words that were hard to comprehend. However, just as he did before, Noble nitpicked the key notes and this time froze in his tracks.

"Negative! Reroute to the maintenance elevator, you have incoming hostiles on scanner!"

Noble's visor scanned the entire room as his head spun in all directions. There were no enemy units close to their position, if they were to spring a trap it would've been through the elevator itself. The thought bounced off the back of his mind, but when the elevator signal ringed for departure…it was revealed that the elevator had occupants. Noble's eyes widened as he reached out for the nearest trooper, but the fray of blaster bolts exploded from the elevator doors. The Alpha trooper in front of him wasn't fast enough to react. Three direct bolts pierced his armor and shot clean through his chest, causing the man to reel backwards and fall on top of Noble. The body was impossible to dodge, as the Captain scurried for his rifle the armored figure toppled across his lap.

"Contact!"

The firefight exploded like wildfire all around him as his men returned fire and took cover. However, for a mere second, Noble remained staring at the body draped across his lap. Smoke lifted from the fatal wounds and the body remained motionless with no signs of breathing. The armor was completely scraped, but it only took the Captain a second to realize it belonged to Tup.

Part Eight

"Requesting back-up! Located at the base of the elevator at level-"

Cratoren came to an immediate stop as Noble's frantic voice was cut off and replaced with the impending sounds of interference. The enemy was jamming them and proving it difficult to send any sort of communication to the upper levels. It would've proved difficult, but luckily Cratoren was listening in closely to the plea for help.

"Did he say at the base of the elevator?" Cratoren asked, peering upward to his wife, who kept watch for any enemy troopers.

"Yes…" She answered. "-he sounded like he was about to give the level before he was jammed."

Cratoren nodded and let out a subtle breath. The communication between the Endurance and Galantro was probably the frenzy of the century. A culmination of attempts by Ordo and Sky to contact them was probably what caused the sudden enemy shift. They were bold to act this late in the battle, but it had been the Rebel's mistake of outstaying their welcome. Cratoren knew he was behind schedule, but the mission statement still remained and no one was going to be left behind on this ship.

"Let's see…" Cratoren mumbled as he allowed his mind to race through the possibilities. "-the Company was extracting the fuel. Did we change floors while fighting those two Paladins?"

Reese looked over to her husband and shook her head. "I don't think so…which means we should be close to them by now. Either way, we should keep moving and lend an ear out for blaster fire."

Cratoren agreed and responded with he motion of restablishing his running pace back for the hanger. The briefing was all he had to rely on, and if it was correct then the elevator was their next stop as well. As he sprinted down the corridor and crooked a corner, Cratoren kept his eyes open for any sign of fighting or struggle. Soon enough, just as his wife had mentioned, an exchange of blaster fire could be heard about a block away. Cratoren strengthened his body and increased his speed as much as he could, possibly moments away from disappearing into a blur in the process. The new found energy he had around him was proving more useful than expected, but it only took a minor slip to cause devastating damage to everything around him. A successful field test was finally in the books in his perspective, but the everlasting itch of doubt remained in the back of his mind.

"Cratoren! We have troopers ahead!" Reese shouted behind him.

Cratoren focused everything at the space in front of him. It was obvious his wife had sensed the fighting a long time ago, but now she had pinpointed and confirmed it involved Alpha. Anxiety nearly got the better of him as he rounded another corner, the blasters were firing just around one more obstacle. Cratoren slid in his tracks once again as he bumped into what seemed like a dead –end. A grunt escaped his mouth as he kicked the foundation of metal and wired casing.

"This may be an easy fix, but we don't have time to reroute." Cratoren shouted as he looked around desperately for a solution. Reese slowed her pace and walked up to the obstacle. The fighting was just on the other side and the amplified voices of the troopers filled the air all around them.

"Stay in cover! Don't peek!"

"He's bleeding out! Medic is down!"

Cratoren inadvertently smashed his teeth together and reached out with one hand. The energy that flowed through every fiber in his body slowly became focused into his fingertip. As if a surge of energy clumped all around his arm, Cratoren closed his hand and sent a blast of power straight for the obstacle. The action was almost on accident as he tried to pull away at the last moment, aware of what act he had just committed. However, as he watched the blast hit his target, the result was not close to what he expected. Instead of death and destruction all around him, the obstacle exploded into a figment of what it once was and opened the way to the firefight directly in front of them. Cratoren couldn't celebrate his new-found control, or whatever had happened, as he ducked from the incoming bullets and scurried to one side of the corridor.

"How…how did you do that?!" Reese asked in disbelief as she raised her voice for the first time.

Cratoren looked back to his wife, who had fallen into cover with him, and then shrugged. "I don't know…but let's focus on the task at hand for now!" He replied.

The sight in front of them caused a sense of urgency, but somehow it still struck Cratoren to the core. As he ignited his lightsaber and used the green blade to deflect what he could, it was hard not to glance down to Noble. The Captain remained bunched in a corner as Cutter poked his cannon out and fired at whatever was in front of him. In Noble's arms was the corpse of a fallen soldier, and even more disturbing were the dog tags in the Captain's hands.

A bolt skimmed too close for comfort, and as he approached even closer to the enemy fire, the use of grenades came into effect. Small rings of metal clanking against metal filled the air, and because of years of experience, everyone in the corridor knew what it meant. Cratoren shot his head around and tried to spot the canisters, but the defeaning explosion that detonated all around him signified that he was too late. Heat and pain slashed at his face as the flames engulfed anything they could before retracting to almost nothing. The impact was enough to send Cratoren into a nearby wall, but he was glad to feel himself in a decent amount of cover as a result. It took him a few moments to gather his senses, his vision was pitch black and the ringing in his ears seemed to carry on forever. A warm stream of blood and the throbbing of major burns filled his face, but not before the smell of burning flesh reached his nostrils. Both of his eyes began to water as the stinging sensation was hard to ignore. A couple of blaster rifles fired in response, but when Cratoren looked up he saw that the entire insertion team had been hit.

"Please, they hired me! I'm only a medic!"

Cratoren shot his head above his crate that served as cover, just in time to see one of the enemy troopers send a bolt straight through the pleading medic's head. The body fell back to the floor and twitched as the heavy boots of the trooper passed over its blank face. Cratoren reached down to his belt and then followed the motion with a quickened glance. His lightsaber was nowhere to be found, and the exposed stretchers were sitting just beside him. The injured Alpha troopers were unconscious due to the effect of the Bacta injection, there was no way they would be able to defend themselves. Noble was showing signs of movement as his leg slowly stretched outward, but Cratoren still couldn't make out if it was a blinded movement or if he was reaching for his blaster rifle. He had to make a decision, and if he really could control his power than it would be a short fight. If he didn't…well…it would still be a short fight, except he wouldn't be around to see the end of it. In one last attempt, Cratoren looked around and squeezed against the crate as much as he could. His wife was nowhere to be found either, along with his saber, the odds were no longer on his side.

"Shhhh…don't move. Wait for my signal…"

Cratoren stiffened every muscle in his body to the voice that suddenly sounded on his wrist communicator. The voice belonged to Sky, but with the jammers in place and her face nowhere to be seen it was impossible. It only took a few moments of flurried glances until Cratoren spotted the clunky figure of a security camera sitting just on the other side of the width of the hallway. He couldn't help but smirk at the black lens that stared directly at him, but the lightened mood was quickly ended by the sound of boots slowly approaching. Cratoren clutched both of his hands into deadly fists as he narrowed her eyes and prepared to attempt a surprise attack. No doubt that at least one of the troopers heard Sky's voice, but as Cratoren took one last glance to his allies, he noticed that Noble's black visor was peering directly into his eyes. The trooper was awake, but remained still as the enemy crept to his side of the corridor. Cratoren locked gazes with the trooper and shared a single, unnoticeable, nod.

Sky's voice couldn't have came at a worse time, as the communicator sparked to life just as the enemy troopers stood less than a meter away. The response time of the enemy trooper was quick, and in seconds the trooper snapped his rifle away from Noble's position and focused it on Cratoren. As he looked down the void of the barrel, he couldn't make out what Sky had said previously. The enemy had found him, and he only had a couple of seconds to react before his corpse joined those around him.

"Freeze!" The trooper yelled. "You're exactly what we're looking for…Cato Arcadia."

Cratoren cocked an eyebrow and peeked over the crate to see the entire trio was now fixated on him. The amplified voices began to speak amongst themselves, almost as if they were completely unaware that Cratoren wasn't the only survivor.

"No…Jak that isn't him. The hair is completely different than the holo-picture they sent us." One protested.

"That Jedi has brown eyes, isn't Cato's blue?"

"Who is he then?!"

Cratoren used the valuable time to look around him for the safest place to expose himself. A part of his Jedi training told him to remain patient and wait for Sky's signal. Though, in the heat of the moment, Cratoren wasn't sure what she had just said on the communicator was the signal. It was a hard decision, but as the bickering troopers closed in on his cover and pointed their rifles over the edge, another transmission from Sky filled the tensed silence all around him.

"Lights out!" She yelled.

In unison to the surprising message, every single light in the corridor suddenly shut off. Cratoren's eyes had a hard time adjusting, but he refused to waste his opportunity. In a quick motion, he reached up blindly above his head and gripped the end of the barrel as hard as he could. Every muscle in his right arm tightened as he pulled down with all his might. The rifle came easily, but surprisingly the body of the enemy trooper followed as a result of refusal to let go. Cratoren let out a couple of pain-stricken grunts as the trooper sprawled his legs and arms out in a rallied defense. The armored boots and gauntlets made their marks and pounded Cratoren's ribcage and jaw as much as they could, but it wasn't a testament to Cratoren's strategy. While the trooper struggled, Cratoren successfully gripped the firmest parts of his helmet and twisted the cervical limb as hard as he could. The crunching sound of the neck breaking out of place caused his stomach to churn, but it the feeling of guilt was drowned out as the remaining two troopers fired their rifles. The bolts were obviously pot-shots as the red bullets flew in every direction. The darkness all around him radiated a deep crimson from the energetic projectiles, but the given light also allowed him to see exactly where his opponents were.

"Agh!" Another trooper screamed.

One of the firing rifles became silent as the sound of a brawl replaced it, causing Cratoren to dash to the other side of the corridor. After sliding behind his new-found crate, he spared a glance just in time to see that Captain Noble was no longer enjoying the fight from the sidelines. The Captain had apparently snuck his way around the enemy troopers and waited for the perfect moment to attack. Now that visibility was no longer an option, the faint glint of steel flickered from Noble's vibroblade as he sent it straight into the back of one of the troopers. The body slammed on the ground like a sack of jow-berries, but as one of the troopers met his end, the other had enough time to bring his rifle around and aim it directly as Noble. Cratoren dashed around his cover and reached out with one hand, the attack was risky but there was only a matter of milliseconds to work with.

The day had been filled with unexpected surprises, and just as Cratoren felt the energy gather around his fingertips another presence revealed themselves. Reese was nowhere to be found at first, but as Cratoren reached out with his fingertips, his wife dashed beside him and ignited her yellow saber. The sight nearly caught him off-guard as Reese leaped into the air and brought the entire blade down on the trooper. The finishing blow was enough to not even render a yell of pain. The trooper's chest was cut in half, which resulted in a loud clank from his rifle and a thud from the severed body that soon followed.

Noone said a word as the darkness remained in the quiet corridor. Deep breaths came from all three of them, but finally a welcomed groan awakened just beside Cratoren's feet.

"M-my chest is on fire…" Cutter grumbled as he tried to sit up.

Noble quickly went to the trooper's aid as Cratoren looked around him. "Sky, are you still there?" He asked as he tried to walk in the pitch black.

"Thank the stars…we weren't sure if you made it out. Did the lights work?"

Cratoren looked down to a body he had accidently bumped into, which belonged to the trooper Noble had finished off. "Yeah it worked…but we could use the lights back on. The fight down here is over and we have wounded."

Sky's end of the communicator filled the air around Cratoren with sounds of blaster fire and commands in the form of shouts. "With all due respect General, the battle up here has been going on non-stop and we are about to be overwhelmed. I advise that you hurry, even with our turrets still intact…I don't know how long we'll be able to hold them!'

Cratoren let out a solemn breath as the transmission ended. Reese took the time to gather her senses and raise a hand to the wound that damped her clothes with blood. Cratoren was instantly concerned and placed a hand on the daring gash that stretched from under Reese's chest plate and down to her lower stomach. The warm blood caused his insides to explode into frustration and anger, anytime that he saw his wife battered was one to steer clear from.

"It's fine…" She assured him. "-it's only a scratch."

Cratoren looked to her and nodded as he rested his one palm on her cheek. The area around them flickered to life once again, every light and reactor in their sector was now full of life. Sky had finished her side of the job, now it was time to leave the Galantro and return home. Cratoren couldn't help but feel the bittersweet moment as he look around at the fair amount of corpses. The enemy troopers were dead, but not before they claimed the life of two of the medics and the Alpha trooper that remained motionless next to Cutter's wounded state. The other troopers remained unconscious; Cratoren could now recognize that Ringo and Alpha-20 were the ones out of action.

"C'mon buddy…it's only a piece of metal in your armor. It'll be hot for a couple of hours…but it can't be worse than that brandy we had the other day." Noble encouraged as he wrapped an arm around Cutter.

"Heh…please don't make me laugh." He chuckled as he slowly stood up.

Noble patted the trooper on the shoulder and then took a glance of his own at the aftermath. Cratoren remained silent as he watched the Captain count the bodies and rip off any dog tags that he could find, even the ones belonging to the enemy troopers. He couldn't just stand aside, so in a heartfelt attempt, Cratoren walked over to the corpse of the Alpha trooper and lifted him up in preparation to carry him back to the Endurnace. The action attracted the glance of Noble, who then let out a sigh of distain.

"No, leave him…"

Cratoren shot a glance at the trooper as he continued to collect the dogtags. Reese also peered over to the Captain after the hoarse response. Noble continued his quickened movements until he realized that the two Jedi were staring at him.

"The code belongs to Alpha Company, if you fall in battle than your body is at the service of your fellow brothers. If you carry him back, you put yourself at jeopardy by weakening your defense. Tup didn't die just for you to follow in his footsteps…"

Cratoren looked down as he felt the cold begin to already flush over the corpse. Had this mentality really begin to become a regular thing for his men while away on Yavin III? The thought of leaving one of his trooper's corpses behind was nowhere in the character of Noble before the Civil War. Cratoren was the one who felt out of place as he also attracted the attention of Cutter as the lieutenant picked up a loose barrel of fuel.

"Don't worry General…I would want the same thing."

Cratoren nearly refused to listen to the two troopers, but as he hunched the body upward once again, the comforting hand of his wife rested on his shoulder. He immediately digressed and set the body down back where it laid. Shortly after, Noble walked over and removed the trooper's helmet and peered into the shocked eyes that were no longer active. In one fluid motion, the Captain reached and closed the eyelids of his fallen soldier.

"Sleep tight kid, I'll see you soon." He whispered. The Captain then wrapped the still fingers around a fallen blaster rifle and stood up. "Let's get off of this ship before another wave hits us. I heard Sky's transmission, but that only means we have trouble waiting for us above."

Cratoren nodded and watched as Jay Squad formed just outside the elevator. Some of the troopers clutched their sides from the grenade folly, but even if Cratoren could sense their pain…they still tried their best to stand straight.

"This means we aren't out of this yet. I say we make a straight dash for the transport and load this heavy cargo before we're spotted." Cratoren concluded.

Cutter snarled and shook his head in protest. "I say we reroute and flank the enemy from behind, it should take only a few more elevator rides to execute."

Before Cratoren could respond, Noble rested his armored hand on Cutter's shoulder and let out a sigh. "That plan would work Cut, but that's not our objective. I agree with the General, we need to load the fuel onto the transport and get out of here. Ringo and 20 are in no shape to fight, nor can they even move."

Reese stepped in and clipped her saber to her belt as she lifted a nearby barrel with ease. Noble showed a face of shock as the Jedi carried it over to the elevator and set it down.

"I suggest a modified version of that plan…" She stated. "-the elevators are still too small to lift everyone out of here. We'll need to have two trips, fuel deposit in one and wounded in the other."

Cratoren nodded his head in agreement as he picked up a fuel canister himself. The weight proved difficult but with the power at his disposal it was easy to lighten the load with a simple technique of physics. "Reese and I will move all of the barrels onto the ship, but we'll need those stretchers if we want to carry all of it in one single trip."

He personally didn't want it to come to this, but as he looked around there was nothing that could get the job done. Noble knew that the tactic was necessary, so when it was suggested the trooper immediately went over to his injured troopers and gently rolled them off one by one.

"Someone give me a hand!" He demanded as the groans of Ringo and 20 began to resist the effect of the Kolto injection. Cutter joined and set down his duel barrel to move 20 off of the firm stretcher. In a matter of moments, Cratoren lifted the final barrel on the makeshift transport and gripped the handles at the hand with as much resolve as possible. Dropping the load of fuel was something that needed to be avoided, not only would it be an obstacle to gather the heavy canisters in the middle of a firefight but it could also risk the cause for a chain-reaction. In that case, the only thing that would be left of Cratoren is a pile of ash.

"We'll have Sky send the signal, and when that happens we'll cover your entry from the elevator." Reese concluded as she gripped the handles of the stretcher as well. In one unified motion, Cratoren and Reese lifted the load of fuel which consisted of around eight canisters. Together they squeezed into the elevator and set the departure for the Hanger.

"Good luck Generals…" Noble stated as the door slid to a firm close.

Cratoren felt the repulsion of the elevator falter and then begin its ascension for the upper levels. The rhythm of beeps from each floor that passed seemed to ease his thoughts, but the closer they got to the hanger the more fighting was heard. Blaster rifles and explosions rocked the foundation of the lift, which caused Reese to shoot her husband a skeptical look.

"We'll be fine…" Cratoren assured. "-just don't let your hands slip. I saw you eat that Alderaanian fruit before we left on this mission.

Reese let out a chuckle but quickly controlled it. "I don't know if I'm worried about your attitude during these fights…or glad at the fact you can always lighten the mood."

The fighting outside ceased the exchange as another wave of hard vibrations and shifts displaced the elevator. A loud screeching sound resulted in the movement, but finally the doors opened and revealed the dreadful sight of the hanger. Cratoren had almost forgotten what he had done to the place upon arrival. Red blaster bolts flew by the elevator door as a long corridor stretched to the visible hanger bay. Both of the Jedi froze in place when they realized that they were on the wrong side of the fight. The elevator opened up directly behind the enemy advance, and as Reese took her first steps outside of the canopy…she was stopped by the sight of the enemy trooper's backs. Cratoren bit his lower-lip as he ceased his breathing, hoping that he wouldn't attract the attention of the nearby enemy squad. The situation was beyond risky, but a quick observation led Cratoren to notice a pathway that wrapped around the corridor and away from the stationed enemy. There had to be an entire battalion in front of them, however if they could slowly make their way around, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Follow my lead…" Cratoren whispered.

Slowly and gently, the two Jedi crept to the right side of the corridor and slipped into the hidden pathway. Together, they took a multiple of sharp turns but finally reached the dormant side of the hanger section. The fighting could still be heard, but as Cratoren and Reese pressed on it was apparent that they had made the right decision. With his luck however, the shouts and alarms of the troopers could be heard directly behind them. Either one of the enemy troopers spotted the pathway, or they knew the fuel had just slipped past them. In both scenarios, they needed to quicken their pace before they were caught.

"Stop!" A voice shouted. Cratoren realized the amplified voice had come from behind him, and flinched when the demand was followed by a rifle shot. The bolt slammed into the wall just beside him, which caught the attention of his wife in which slowed their pace.

"Don't turn around! There's nothing there, just keep moving!" He shouted in response.

The rifle behind him fired another round of blasts, and soon enough it was joined by another set of rifles that followed in synch. Every detail of heat brushed on the top part of Cratoren's neck as the bolts were getting closer to their target. It seemed like every hair on his body stood up in perfect formation, but soon enough the Rebels transport came into view.

"Sky!" Reese shouted. "-suppressing fire!"

The countless armored figures of both Alpha Company and Bravo scurried around to the voice. Before long, Sky's decorated helmet peeked over the immense cover and locked gazes with the rushed Jedi. The trooper raised her hand and pointed it at the fuel canisters as she loaded another round into her cannon.

"Cover the Generals! I want everyone to shift left!"

It wasn't long before the spectacle of blue blaster bolts flying by his head appeared. Each brought a sense of anxiety and comfort, but finally Cratoren felt the crunch of wreckage under his feet. The Jedi climbed the immense makeshift fort, which was created by spare parts of crashed fighters and wreckage left over from his personal attack. Inside the the adapted cover was the remaining troopers of the insertion squad, including the bulk of Alpha Company and the troopers of Bravo. Cratoren glanced up to the loud pounds of turret fire coming from the transports defense systems. Each volley sent another pair of enemy troopers retreating, allowing the defense force to pin the enemy advance before they were overwhelmed.

"Good to see you made it General! I think we outstayed out welcome for this party." Sky shouted as she fired another couple of rounds at the following enemy troopers.

Cratoren let out a breath of relief as he sat the canisters down in unison with his wife. "We aren't finished yet, Noble and his men are still waiting for an escort team."

Sky shot a concerned glance at the elevator in the distance. In a moment of hesitation, the woman tapped a couple of Alpha troopers on the shoulder and gave a quick hand signal.

"We'll take care of it!" She replied. "-but I recommend both of you board the transport. Whatever happens, we'll need to make a quick exit."

Cratoren turned his shoulders in protest, it was his job to escort Noble. However, before he could say anything, Sky dashed over the cover and rushed for the hidden passage way that the Jedi had previously used. A couple of Alpha troopers followed closely behind, one of them taking a bullet in the chest after the sudden exposure to enemy fire. Cratoren ignited his lightsaber and took a moment to analyze the enemy front, maybe there was something he could do to help. There was no way he would cower in a transport while these men fought for their lives.

The enemy was bunched together at the entrance to the hanger bay, proving that a chokepoint had formed because of the turrets. If the enemy was pinned, they proved a viable target for whatever flowed in his body. Again, the attempt would be risky but it would secure a route for the rest of the insertion team. Almost immediately after debating the outcome in his head, Cratoren raised his hand upward and narrowed his mind onto one single image. The barricades in front of him proved no match, and as the energy formed at his hand the small bits and pieces of junk floated around him. Every hostile trooper noticed the exposed Jedi and focused their rifles on him, however it was too late. The blast exploded from his hand once again, and this time is sent a radiant wave of energy directed in the path of the enemy front. Trooper after trooper tried to dodge the incoming blast but became quickly engulfed and crushed by its might. Irritated sounds of screeching metal filled the hanger, but the damage was nowhere near compared to the blast at the start of the mission. Could it be true? Had he learned to control this power in just one battle?

"They aren't finished yet!" A nearby trooper yelled as the sight of more enemy reinforcements prevented any signs of celebration. Cratoren had noticed the same thing as another wave of bolts slammed into the covering. The enemy would not be defeated so easily, and time was more than out...it was against them.

---

"What was that?" Cutter frantically asked as it seemed the entire ship shook itself.

Noble had felt the sensation earlier that day. Cratoren had used his power once again, and hopefully this time it had steered away from anything useful. However he didn't blame the Jedi for the method, as they were now in a desperate situation and any tactic was viable. He could tell that everyone was nervous, it was only a matter of time before Ordo was forced to retreat and leave them behind. Sky had quickly fetched then in place of Cratoren, now that the fuel was safe and sound. Together they crammed into the elevator and used its function to travel to the Hanger Deck.

Another small groan came from Ringo as he squirmed in Noble's arms. The Captain was unable to lift Ringo's large body and carry him at first, so he relied on leverage and his armored limbs to support the wounded trooper. Alpha-20 seemed to be in better shape, but the unconscious limp from his fractured leg would slow them down a bit. Noble hoped it wouldn't have come down to this, even after losing Tup to the ambush. If he lost another trooper, he would regret the moments after the battling when he would have to cope and persevere through the loses. The look in Tup's eyes when he was killed, it caused Noble's heart to ache just as it did on Sullust.

"We're almost there…" Sky assured as the elevator sped to its destination.

Soon enough, the door slid open and the sight of devastation soon replaced it. Scores of dead bodies littered the corridor, but sure enough the Crimson Empire had sent it's reinforcements. Luckily the enemy was bunched at the main entrance of the hanger, completely susceptible to the hidden pathway. Sky claimed she had cleared out the way along with Hector and Spin, but he still couldn't feel safe while carrying another man.

"Did you do all of this?!" Cutter asked as he noticed all of the corpses.

Sky kept her cannon focuses at the enemy trooper as the team crept to the hidden pathway on the right side of the corridor. "No, but I'm willing to bet that Cratoren did and is waiting on us to arrive. Less talking and more moving, Cut."

Cutter grunted to the witty response, but he was the first into the passageway as he carried 20 around his shoulders. Noble followed next and then was trailed by Sky and his other two troopers, and then followed again by Jay Squad who kept the entrance secured. As a unit, the insertion team bypassed any signs of enemy movement and took a couple of sharp turns. Eventually, Noble's HUD finally picked up the rally signal from the transport. The signal was just ahead, and after another couple of meters of coordinated footsteps the battle was visible.

Noble shot his head left to see the enemy ranks taking cover at the entrance of the hanger. The trip to the makeshift base and transport would leave them wide open for easy pickings, but if they moved quick enough…it could just work.

"Stay low and don't stop moving!" Sky commanded as she prepared to rush for the transport. "Go!"

Noble used all of his strength to reel Ringo upward and then use his weight to tilt forward. The method was taught to him in the early stages of his training, but the acquired momentum that culminated from Ringo's weight allowed him to move slightly faster. The fundamental tactic probably saved his life as he felt a couple of bolts graze the equipment pack on his back. To his despair, one of his troopers was not as lucky. A loud grunt sounded from behind him as a bolt slammed into a trooper, causing the dash to slow for a painful couple of seconds.

"Spin is hit!" Hector yelled.

Noble took a major risk in peering back over his shoulder, but as he did he saw the body of Hector show signs of panic and go back from his fallen comrade. Every muscle in Noble urged him to go back, but in the split-second decision he felt the warm breathing of Ringo against his neck. Hector only had a couple of seconds to grab the corpse of Spin by the arm before another volley of bullets pierced his torso and helmet. The body flared out in pain as it landed on the floor, not even allowing the trooper a second of thought before the world around him ended. Sparks exploded from his backpack as the bolts showed no mercy to it as well, nearly engulfing the trooper's body in flames. There it was…the feeling that Noble tried to avoid ever since his arrival back into action, regret. As he climbed the makeshift barricade, the Captain spotted another trio of Alpha troopers trying to attempt a retrieval of the corpses. Again, as he set down Ringo into an awaiting medic's hands, the sign of protest filled his voice.

"Leave them! No one else is getting themselves killed on this ship!" He shouted.

The troopers stopped in their tracks and nodded, some of them looking down in anguish. However, as the battle raged on, they soon refocused their priorities and fired their weapons into the enemy advance. Noble used this transition to reload his rifle and join his men at the front of the barricade. Reese awaited him at the upper part of the fort as she peeked over a large crate.

"Where's Cratoren?!" He asked as he slid into cover next to her and loaded his last clip. Noble waited for a couple of seconds for her answer but it never came. Instead, as he looked up, she nodded over to the leftward section of the battle. In response, Noble carefully lifted his head over the covering and fixated his eyes on something he had never seen before in his time of duty. The two corpses of his men laid on the cold floor, but kneeling beside them was the General. The Jedi deflected the bolts that came his way with his saber, but with a separate hand he reached down and stripped the dog tags from both Spin and Hector. Noble could almost hear the snap of the clip from the holo-tags.

"Everyone back on the transport! We'll need someone to cover our departure!" Sky shouted as she rushed Elisa onto the ship. The wounded were then carried aboard on the given stretchers, and Noble concluded that the fuel was already stored away.

"You heard her!" Noble shouted in response. "Jay Squad, cover our escape and set up a mobile turret to repel the enemy! Once the wounded are secured we are getting out of here!"

The troopers around him sounded a battle cry in response as the men scurried around and set up their retreat. A couple of troopers set up the requested turret and immediately began to suppress the enemy's last attempt to charge the covering. Noble made sure that everyone was on the transport and accounted for before giving the signal for the troopers to retract. Once they did so, the sight of Cratoren leaping back into cover caused everyone to dash in a sense of urgency. Both of the Jedi's boots slammed into the wrecked flooring, only to show a bullet scar across his shoulder plate from the battle. The smoke from the scar still lifted into the air.

"It's getting pretty toasty out there Captain…" He muttered as he handed the pair of dog tags over. "-let's get off of this damn ship,"

Part Nine

The Endurance was in a frenzy that seemed to stretch throughout its entire occupancy, even the droids seemed to be rushing around in panic.. Every room, console, and corridor was filled with the rushing bodies of engineers and medics. Repairs were being conducted in the quickest times possible, and the wounded were being treated and rushed out for the next victim to enter. The sight was both encouraging and faltering; either one was determined how someone looked at the situation. Kaedus walked the halls and found comfort that everyone was doing their jobs, but the cost was more of a shock than a sacrifice.

Moments before, Kaedus had sauntered into the med-bay along with the survivors Adrianna found behind the caved blast-door. It only took a couple of check-ups and diagnostics before the medical teams sent them to help on the Engineering Deck. The Jedi didn't protest, it was apparent that whoever was able to walk was expected to fulfill any job. Everyone had a duty to uphold, so whenever Kaedus watched the last crew member leave to their assigned position, it was time for him to follow in synch.

Adrianna had given him a soft pat on the shoulder before he departed. The gesture was more than likely an attempt to reconcile what had happened earlier between them. He appreciated the thought, and he was going to make sure he proved any doubt in her mind wrong, even if there wasn't any to begin with. Kaedus had proven his point as much as he could, but Adrianna had countered such a speech with an act of a true Jedi. Kaedus finally realized that a leader must listen to the voices closest to him. One single perspective would not lead the Rebels to victory; it would be the combination of the greatest minds in the universe. The force they faced was not one to trifle with, everyone knew this. However, if such a goal was to be accomplished it would not be at the hands of one Jedi. Kaedus remembered the sight he had so preciously kept in the back of his mind. The briefing before the Galantro showed him that every soul on the ship was willing to accept each other to defeat their enemy. Kaedus couldn't afford to be different than everyone else in that aspect, he had to teach others what Adrianna taught him.

The thought was still in his head as he arrived in the bustling hanger. Fighter after fighter was desperately being repaired as masked engineers lit up the area with their torches. To his luck, Kaedus saw that his personal fighter had been patched up and fitted for another run. There would probably be a couple of rough spots in the systems that were damaged, but something was still better than nothing in this instance. Kaedus stood still as he allowed the crew members to do their job without interruption and passed the couple of seconds by slipping on his gloves. After allowing a large maintenance droid waddle past him, Kaedus let out a breath and walked over to his loading ramp. The yellow-painted ladder reached up to his cockpit, unable to block the scorch marks and holes the fighter had suffered earlier in the battle. Katar would never let him see the end of this one…even his customized design on the side of the ship was pitched black.

"Sir, wait one moment!" A man shouted.

Kaedus turned to the voice only to the see the head-engineer jogging towards him. The man waved a data pad in the air as he approached, trying to dodge any incoming traffic as best as he could. After brushing beside a droid lift, the man nodded and handed Kaedus the data pad.

"We understand you lost your droid, so I recommend you stay grounded until a replacement can be found."

Kaedus gave the man a quick glance and then took a look at the datapad that was crammed in his face. The man was right, T-5's control overall of the vital systems had been completely severed when the droid was destroyed in the first blast from the Galantro. This meant that he would be responsible for maintaining those certain functions, and that was a pilot's worse nightmare. All of the details panned through Kaedus' head as he blankly stared at the flickering data. If he could keep the coolant lever firm and in place, there shouldn't be a problem. Though, if he were to fail in that scenario, it would result in meltdown once the engine overheated. His only two options included that or ignoring the use of afterburners all together.

Kaedus broke his gaze from the datapad and nodded to the crew chief. "I understand but the battle isn't finished yet. We'll make it work."

Immediately in denial, the crew chief raised his gloved hand and shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not an option." He stated as the atmosphere around him tensed with his face.

Kaedus rubbed his face and looked behind the man. In a sudden movement that almost shocked the man across from him, Kaedus widened his eyes and pointed at the far side of the room.

"Woah there, gas leak buddy!" He shouted

The chief's eyebrows softened and his face gave the Jedi a skeptical look. After placing both of his hands on his waist, the man shook his head and gestured over to Kaedus. "That trick is out of date, sir. I know for a fact that this hanger is secured beyond measure."

Kaedus didn't have enough time to think of another distraction technique, probably because he didn't have any left. As a couple of awkward seconds passed by, the communicator on Kaedus' wrist sparked to life. He had forgotten that the hanger was within range of his battle-feed, but the voices on the other end didn't sound as confident as the chief standing in front of him. Both of the men looked down to the blinking device and desperately listened to what was happening.

"Reinforcements are coming out of the broadside hanger! Grey-Two, intercept!"

"-negative! I have one on my tail and he's getting within range!"

"Dodge! Two! Dodge!"

Kaedus felt a disturbance in the force as he shot his head towards the sound of an immediate explosion. The sound was muffled, but he knew exactly what that meant. The dogfight had gotten closer to home…

"AGH! I'M HIT!"

Kaedus reached out with both of his hands and grabbed the chief with all of his might. In one single instance, the Starfighter belonging to Grey-Two screamed into the Endurance hanger-bay with flames nipping at every plate of metal. Kaedus only had a split-second chance to spot the fighter in its last moments. In a culmination of devastation and fire, the Starfighter slammed straight into the far wall of the hanger opposite of the exit port. A pair of by standing crew members were hurled into the air as the impact rocked the entire ship. Heat and a streak of white pain spread across Kaedus' spine as he fell on top of the chief in a desperate attempt to save his life. As he laid there, the man's warm breath reassured him that he was successful. However, in the wake of the crash, he realized that some of the others were not as lucky. Motionless bodies laid across the floor as multiple medical teams rushed for their aid. Kaedus was just glad it wasn't him this time, but this moment is what Adrianna had talked about. The fighters needed him in space to counter the enemy advance, but his people needed an extra hand to save whoever they could. Would he be expected to complete the mission, or stay behind in the safety of the Dreadnaught? No, the decision was clear. Katar obviously needed him in space to thwart the enemy advance, all of the medical teams would be able to deal with the wounded.

"Sir…"

Kaedus looked down and saw the weary eyes of the crew chief staring back at him.

"Please get off of me…" He muttered.

Kaedus smirked and stood up as he dusted himself off. After helping his counterpart stand himself, the Jedi peered over to his Starfighter. Luck was on his side, the ship in its entirety was intact and nearly untouched. He couldn't spot any signs of damage in addition to the marks that he had already suffered in the previous battle. It only took one more glance at the area around him to realize the hanger and its occupants were not as lucky. The fighting outside could almost drown out the sound of the devastation consuming every able- minded rebel in the ship. A thin stream of fire stretched across an ignited line of fuel and heated the room to make everyone miserable. Sweat already began to form under Kaedus' brow and the howling screams for help nearly deafened him.

What was he thinking? Was he really about to abandon these people in their most dire time of need? The questions replayed in his head about a hundred times before he finally was able to snap out of his daze. Kaedus let out a deep sigh and peered back over to his Starfighter. He had almost forgotten what Adrianna had taught him earlier and nearly scorned himself for being so naïve. The thought of thinking what type of leader he'd be if he chose war over life was nothing short of a Sith.

In a quick and confident motion, Kaedus turned his back on the Starfighter and quickly ran over to the nearest medical station in the hanger. The cots and makeshift beds were filled with battered and wounded crew members and pilots. He could tell his presence was already appreciated when he drew the watchful gazes of both the injured and occupied personnel.

After kneeling and observing the situation, Kaedus felt a hand rest on his right shoulder plate. In response, he peered up only to see the face of Adrianna staring back down at him.

"Kaedus…" She muttered.

The way she said his name nearly chilled him to the bone. Kaedus slowly stood up and looked into her eyes as she let out a short breath. Her face was pale and cold, as if she had just seen a ghost from wherever she came from.

"Your father's ship was destroyed…"

---

Earlier on the bridge...

"I don't care if we can't see anything! Every single fighter needs to be escorting that transport as soon as it departs!"

Frustration was never a great trait to focus in on, especially in a situation just as Ordo's. The Admiral's voice bounced off of the bridge's walls and sank into the ears of his crew. In unison, every able body rushed around as they tried to pinpoint the location of the trooper transport. After receiving the all-clear from Oddball and Captain Noble, Ordo expected them to be half-way across the dead-zone by now. In addition to their disappearance, both Cratoren and Reeseomari failed to check in just as they were instructed to do. Even if Cratoren was a hot-shot Jedi at one point in his life-time, it wasn't like him to ignore important details like a checkpoint. The assessment could be inaccurate but it still didn't make him feel any better.

Ordo leaned forward in his command seat and peered down to his sensors. The sensory units of the Endurance were second to none, which is what made it so superior to other vessels. It also didn't hurt to have a reinforced hull or modified lasers, but the fact that he couldn't find what he was looking for was disturbing.

"Someone get me Kaedus, as soon as possible." He murmured.

At a nearby console, a young woman shook her head and motioned over to her screen. "He is currently transitioning to the hanger sir. It may take a few moments…"

"I don't care…" Ordo snapped. "-if he is in this ship, I want him on this bridge in five minutes."

"Yes sir!"

Ordo stood up and walked closer to the view-port. He didn't like snapping at his crew, but the sense of urgency had to be instilled in everyone if this mission was going to pull through. The objectives were complete, but the insertion team was nowhere to be found and time was more than expired. He needed the son of his target to somehow spot his location before another enemy vessel appeared.

The Endurance was in position to help if it was necessary, and the Galantro had been crippled beyond repair. They were sitting in the middle of a firefight between the enemy bombers and Grey Squadron along with the rallied forces of Blade Squadron. For the majority of the fight, Ordo and his forces were holding their own even when outnumbered but he knew they couldn't hold out forever.

"Sir!" The young woman shouted. "There has been reports of internal damage to Hanger Bay 7-A, Commander Arcadia's Starfighter was stationed there for repairs."

Ordo's eyebrows narrowed to the news and caused him to let out a grunt of agitation. "How bad is the damage?"

"Severe…sir…"

"Blast…" Ordo mumbled. Now he had lost contact with another Jedi, and the transport was still nowhere to be found. He would have to go about this another way, and Ordo still had one more set of eyes to rely on.

"Grey-Leader, do you copy?" He inquired as he lifted his personal wrist communicator.

The intense dogfight could be heard in the background as the clashing forces exchanged proton missiles and blaster rounds.

"I'm a little busy Admiral!" Katar shouted in response.

Ordo didn't have time for explanations; instead he got straight to the point and left nothing in question.

"The transport has disappeared from my sensors and I have no one left to send. I need you to locate the transport at all costs." He ordered.

"I'll keep an eye out! Things are getting pretty hairy out here!"

The communicator shut off as it left Ordo in suspense and constantly awaiting an answer. The minutes seemed to pass by as years, and the constant chatter between the crew on the bridge nearly detracted his attention. Damage reports were now coming in from the hanger and the results were not as he hoped for. The casualties included nearly a dozen of crew member deaths and just as many wounded. Kaedus was nowhere in the report, which was a reason for Ordo to feel some sort of relief. However his attention was still focused in on the blinking device from his wrist. He felt a small stream of sweat trickle down his spine, but none of it mattered once the signal finally sparked to life. Ordo snapped his hand to the device immediately and activated the transmission.

"Admiral Sights…" He answered.

"Ordo! This is Grey-Leader, sir the transport was destroyed. I repeat, the transport was destroyed. Remnants are floating in the mid-section of the dead-zone, but…n-no signs of life are detected." Katar stuttered as his own voice sounded in almost disbelief.

Ordo's heart dropped into his stomach and then evaporated into nearly nothing. The news was equivalent to a blaster bolt penetrating his chest and spilling his insides all over the floor. His daughter, his friend, his leader…they were all gone in a matter of minutes.

"That's impossible…" He mumbled.

Katar's end of the reception began to drift in and out of interference as the dead-zone filled the background.

"Admiral! I'm picking something up on- wait. Wait! Incoming! T-4 dive! N-"

The transmission cut out as the voice rose to a panic in its last couple of seconds. Ordo looked behind him to see that the crew had stopped what they were doing and stared at him. He owed them an explanation for his obvious distress after the call. For maybe a couple of minutes he contemplated whether to tell them what he had heard or prolong the far-fetched chance that the insertion team had survived. They had sacrificed everything for him, just like his own daughter had done for him. The images of her as a young girl, running in the fields and giggling, it was almost too much to bear. He had a job to do, but it was impossible now to not clutch his heart in pain. Everyone on the bridge had lost someone dear to them, it was the reason they were all here fighting the Crimson Empire. If there was one way he could repay them…it was by telling them the truth.

"Attention…" He muttered. Whoever on the bridge that wasn't looking at him with frantic eyes corrected themselves and peered over to the command console. Ordo didn't know how to tell them, and the sight of Adrianna walking through the bridge entrance just made matters worse.

"I have been informed that Cratoren and the insertion team's ship have been destroyed in the middle of the dead-zone." Before he could finish, the immediate whispers and gasps of disbelief filled the room. Ordo fought through the urge to spill tears as the next words would surely be the most painful.

"No signs of life have been detected, which means that we can only assume the worst. Alpha Company, along with Captain's Jacen Noble and Sky have been killed in action. Cratoren and Reeseomari were reported on the ship as well for the mission to the Galantro. They gave their lives in defense of our safety and freedom…"

Ordo watched as Adrianna quickly strode off of the bridge, assuming that she had heard enough. He hoped the news would reach Kaedus somehow before he learned the hard way. It seemed that the Arcadia family had just reunited before it was torn apart again. There was no expense for just them, everyone had reunited with their loved ones before the battle, and maybe it was precautionary because of the battle to come. He couldn't wrap his mind around it because of the constant images replaying in his head. Noble was gone, the three words seemed to throb in his head as it still seemed like a dream. After everything that they had been through, he would be killed on a ship in the middle of space. Ordo cursed himself for allowing such a dishonorable thing to happen to one of his closest friends in the galaxy.

"Everyone listen up! The mission is over and the fuel has been destroyed. We have enough juice to make it to the Core Worlds, but that will only mean our immediate surrender. Our next option is to wait for a new ship to appear in defense of the Galantro. Since the weapon systems of our enemy are disabled, it is clearly unknown what destroyed the transport and how. I want Grey-Leader's status after that transmission…"

Ordo couldn't hide the skepticism from his own voice, even if he tried his best to make any of their options sound reasonable. They had lost…and it tasted like the bottom of an old rusting speeder bike. However, something clicked in his mind as he peered back into the viewport. It wasn't a sign or sound, he felt something inside of him that gave him a whisper of comfort. Was it his daughter speaking to him in her life beyond this galaxy? The thought rushed from his head as the wrist communicator strapped to his arm came back to life.

"Grey-Leader to Admiral Ordo…" The voice belonged to Katar. "I found an escape pod…but we won't last another minute out here."

Ordo's chest nearly leaped out of his own mouth in a flurry of joy and relief. Though, before the entire bridge could celebrate, another voice filled the space around them. The voice was rugged and deep, and even to their dismay the culprit had somehow hacked their intercom systems and broadcasted himself on the ship-wide broadcast.

"May I detract the attention of every Rebel on the Endurance…" It proceeded. "-your transport was destroyed by my hand and by my hand alone. Your fate now rests in my hands as I currently have the escape pod in my sights. I demand a trade…"

Ordo's eyebrows narrowed as he rushed to his command console and clicked a combination of commands. "I want that voice channeled to my personal communicator!" He shouted.

"Negative sir, he had locked us out of the system and we can't bypass it." One of the crew members replied.

Ordo let out a rough breath as he shook his head. "Why don't you start by telling us who you are?"

"Ah, all in good time Admiral Sights…but first we need to settle something."

Ordo faltered in his stance, whoever was on the other side of the transmission knew who he was. No one came to mind as he replayed the voice, it wasn't as intimidating as Jorth's and it certainly wasn't Syreena's.

"What do you want?" He asked.

The communicator remained silent before the voice reemerged after the sound of console commands could be heard.

"I was sent to deal with your brigade of freedom fighters, but when I arrived the battle had already ended. I had once doubted your skill to put up any type of fight against Kanto or the Republic, but now I must digress. You have impressed me and my people, and you may have what you are looking for one condition. I am impressed, but no so much in your ability to sustain yourselves. I want to see how skilled you Rebels really are…so I'm asking for one of your pilots to come out here and show me."

The transmission cut off immediately after the demand, which left the entire crew on the bridge standing in their shadow. Ordo quickly turned around and played every situation in his head, but he couldn't wrap his mind about how he had missed the signal of a new ship on the sensors. Whoever this mysterious voice belonged to… it was obvious they were skilled enough to embarrass them. Though, the demand wasn't as substantial as he once thought but they almost had nothing else to offer.

"What's the status of Grey-Leader?" Ordo asked as he walked over to the nearest sensor console.

"Not good sir…" One of the members informed. "-his ship has been permanently disabled, but both life support and internal thermal regulation are active and running as usual."

Katar was still alive, but if he didn't think of something soon then the entire victory could crumble just as he thought it had earlier. Though, before any plans could be sorted through by some of his specialists, one of the crew members turned around quickly and shrugged.

"Admiral…Kaedus has just left the hanger in his personal Starfighter!"

Part Ten

"I don't remember giving you permission to leave the ship, Kaedus."

The reluctant words of Ordo came softly to the pilot as he activated the necessary controls for a high-intensity dogfight.

"Yes you did…" He responded.

Ordo sighed on the other end of the communicator. "To escort the transport, yes, but not to put the lives of our insertion team at risk."

Kaedus flipped his auxiliary power through another cycle and ran another couple of tests on the diagnostic system. His ship was still holding together, but not even close to full-efficiency. It was hard to try and prepare his ship and deal with the skeptical attitude of the Admiral. He understood that maybe a more delicate plan should've been created to battle whoever was out here, but Kaedus was done watching from the hanger.

"The terms were given and I'm only fulfilling them. Whoever is holding my parents hostage doesn't know who they are messing with."

"You're wrong…" Ordo muttered. "-they know exactly who we are. Didn't you hear the broadcast?"

Kaedus shrugged, he knew that Ordo couldn't see his expression. "Honestly, I was already out of the hanger before he mentioned it. Did he compliment me?"

"This is not the time for jokes!"

Kaedus digressed, the Admiral was right and the entire mission depended on what would happen in the next couple of minutes. The enemy he would go face to face with was either cunning or experienced. He couldn't decide which one was worse, but he had faced skilled enemies before.

"Admiral, even if we thought up a plan, the clock is still ticking. For all we know, whoever is out here is more than likely trying to stall until another vessel comes to finish us off. I'm not willing to make that risk and I'm the best pilot on the ship."

Kaedus peered down to his communicator and waited for another heated response from Ordo. Seconds passed as a slight wave of interference caused the cockpit to radiate with static. However, Kaedus cocked an eyebrow when he saw that the transmission had ended but he was still connected to some source of reception.

"Ordo?" He asked, wondering if he was still listening in.

"Oh no, please continue. I was enjoying that little sentiment, but may I ask something?"

Kaedus nearly froze in his seat to the chilling voice. In addition to the apparent hacking of his communication system, a small signal appeared in his sensors.

"Please do…It always seems I have the answers Sith are looking for."

The voice erupted into a loud chuckle as he responded. "Sith! Oh no Kaedus, you are not facing a "Sith". Though, you'll learn that soon enough. I trust you are my challenger?"

"That's right…" Kaedus replied.

"Good! Good…I was hoping either you or your father would come out here. The Grey Jedi was another option but I was disappointed to see his Starfighter was nearly depleted. That's why his ship is currently a floating tomb right in front of me."

Kaedus closed his eyes and focused on anything he could. Katar was alive, but he was injured in some way that couldn't be explained. His life force wasn't fading, though he was in some sort of distress that caused the Force to ache when he reached out to him.

"He's alive! Don't get me wrong, he is alive. However, he'll only stay that way if you answer this question."

The voice had felt his attempt to reach out to Katar, which meant his enemy was more than a Force-Sensitive. A Jedi's ability to sense an outreach as he had just done requires multiple years of focused and long sessions of training. Whoever he was facing had a grasp of what it meant to be a Jedi, but that wasn't a testament to how he could fly. The odds were in his favor, due to his years of flying experience and self-taught tactics that only worked in a dog-fight. Kaedus let out a sigh to the thought, every single inch of him hoped he knew what he was doing.

"You're burning up the clock…" Kaedus mumbled.

"The question is…do you think you can defeat me in a single exchange of combat and still have time to save your friends? I think my diagnostic scan told me that they had around forty-percent left in their life-support and thermal regulation. How long do you think that is?"

Kaedus' face narrowed as he peered down to his scanners. The signal had disappeared out of nowhere, but he could sense his father's presence along with Katar's getting closer and closer. He was heading straight into the dead-zone, or whatever was left of it. Countless amounts of debris and wreckage loomed over his cockpit as he slowly navigated through the littered graveyard that used to be a booming central of firepower. It was risky to reduce his speed when he knew that his foe was near, but it was best to locate the escape pod and Katar's ship before trying to engage.

"Depends, how long are you planning on talking?"

"Until I get my answer…"

Kaedus leaned back in his seat and tapped his finger on the scanner. The reception between him and this voice was the best he had the entire battle. A good reception only meant that he was either very close, or that he had some communication modifier attached to his ship. Kaedus decided that it was a fool's move to stall, especially in his situation.

"I'll do whatever needs to be done. It's why I am out here…not because of you."

"Fair enough…" The voice muttered. "-shall we begin?"

Kaedus shot his eyes down to his instruments as soon as the words escaped his opponents mouth. He could feel something in the Force, as if a massive wave of energy was at its breaking point. He couldn't pinpoint where it was and it was persistently growing substantially with every given second. He nearly hesitated to respond instead of making extra preparations, but he felt that his foe wouldn't let him get close to what he was looking for. The location of the escape pod and Katar were still unknown, but his time was now expired.

"Your move…"

Finally, the power he had felt creeping inside of his mind revealed itself. It was strong, maybe even rivaling the aura of Kanto. Kaedus whipped his head in all directions as his calm breaths allowed him to briefly locate where it was. A slight throb gathered at the back of his mind as he closed both of his eyes and tightened his lips. The foe was behind him…but how…

"Your mistake!" The voice shouted.

Kaedus' head slammed into the front of his canopy as the sound of blaster bolts exploded from behind him and ravaged his shields. He didn't even bother looking down to the damage report; instead both of his hands flew into action as he ignited his afterburners. The Starfighter's engines went into full-effect as the change in speed caused his head to press against the back of his seat. Debris and metallic wreckage flew past his frontal nose and whipped too close to his cockpit. The enemy was on his tail and pressing to regain the firing range he once had. Kaedus knew he would spend the next minutes trying to undo the damage and attempting to try and gain as much distance as possible. Initially, the attack only depleted his shield below 75% and failed to pierce his hull. However, if he couldn't pull some sort of move to gain an advantage over his pursuer…then his afterburners would run his engines completely dry.

Kaedus jerked upward on his stick and sent himself flying directly upwards and out of the denser part of the dead-zone. The move allowed him a couple of moments to turn his head and see what exactly he was facing. As soon as he turned he spotted something that seemed to squeeze his insides, the enemy ship somehow reflected light into its favor until it came into complete virtuosity. His opponent's ship had the ability to cloak itself and somehow come in and out whenever he pleased. How? Kaedus replayed the question in his mind as he held his path. There had been information reports from the Republic of an entire fleet having the ability to cloak themselves, during the Battle of Illum. Though, how his enemy was connected to such technology was unclear and the fact he had never faced a foe that could appear and disappear was a detriment to his plan coming into this battle.

The enemy ship was sleek and impressive in design, but not even close to what the Crimson Empire vessels looked like. Even the color of the ship was different, but Kaedus couldn't get a long enough glance before his enemy was right on his tail. Another wave of cannon fire scattered across his rear shields as he made another attempt to dodge his enemy' move. A rightward turn caused his Starfighter to falter in its speed, but it succeeded in shaking off the tight pursuit.

"C'mon!" Kaedus shouted to himself, hoping to strike a chord that would somehow help. The ship gained on him once again, proving that its design was superior when it came to speed…but could it match his skill?

Kaedus peered as far forward as he could and analyzed the vast debris field that appeared on his sensors. He was currently directly over it, but his shields were already depleted which meant that a move this close could result in his entire ship being engulfed. The options he had were limited, it was now or never. In a desperate fashion, Kaedus pushed as hard as he could down on the control stick, nearly sending himself out of the glass in front of him. The harnesses that strapped around his shoulder buckled as his chest pressed against it. A loud scream erupted from his engines as his ship made a 90 degree dive. Yet he still couldn't catch a break, another wave of cannon fire ignited behind him as the heavy rounds pounded into his shields. The sounds of alarms and warnings ringed within the cockpit as it added to Kaedus' worries. He needed to stay focused on the task at hand. The sight of the debris field caused him to squeeze the stick until his knuckles turned white.

"Warning: Incoming Projectiles"

The automated defense warning caused him to stir in his seat, but he didn't falter. Meters away from the first chunk of wreckage, Kaedus slipped a hand to flip his zero-degree options back to life. It was nostalgic, what he was about to do hadn't been done ever since the Battle of Hydian's Way. Ever since…his battle with Katus…

"Let's show him how Arcadia's fly, big brother…"

Kaedus' control stick unlocked to the new options in a matter of seconds. As soon as he felt the pressure release, a quick twist sent his entire ship in a tight spiral. The damage reports from the incoming fire slowed as the bolts skimmed past his wings and cockpit. A piece of him could almost feel the heat of the shots, but a smile crept across his face knowing that the move had worked. Most importantly, the motion his ship was diverting to saved him quite a bit of time…which was exactly what he needed. Multiple pieces of wreckage ricocheted off of his hull as he entered the full extent of the debris field. He was pleased that his opponent was determined enough to follow him, it was either that or he was just as confident as Kaedus in this environment.

Now that he had avoided additional damage to his outer shields, Kaedus could now focus on his next move. He just needed the right sign, but such things were hard to find in the heat of a fight. A small stream of sweat trickled from his brow and dripped on control stick. It was obvious his enemy was becoming slightly desperate. Kaedus could feel the frustration building up in the vessel behind him. Sometimes the key to imperative victories relied on your enemy making a fault, and Kaedus had a good feeling he had rattled his opponents pride just enough to do so. The Jedi always loved being right, even if it was against his morals to worship such ideals. Whenever he saw his enemy make a slight transfer downward in his current path, it separated his opponent's ship by a near interval of 3 inches. Usually, T-5 would alert him of such an occurrence, but he didn't have that luxury anymore. His eyes were now constantly locked on the consoles in front of him and his command of the Force allowed him to navigate as best as he could. The man that followed closely behind him had made his mistake by allowing a small distance between him and his target. Kaedus waited another second before whipping his frontal nose to his left and stabilizing his spiral. If he had made this move before, it was more than likely to get him killed. However, the small couple of inches that his enemy had diverted from allowed an opening that he couldn't pass up. It was impossible not to flinch as a giant mass of junk zoomed past his viewport, but it missed his canopy by a couple of feet. Another scream pierced the Jedi's ears as the egnines exploded into full power. The Starfighter rocked and rattled as it made the tight left turn round the mass of junk, disregarding anything small that came across its path. A giant hunk of junk that covered his rear wasn't in the initial plan, but if Kaedus could thank the combination of parts and wreckage…he would.

The orbit around the obstacle drew the fire from his pursuer once again, but it was an ill-attempt. The cannon fire slammed into the mass as it served to be invaluable cover. Kaedus' felt his Starfighter shake from the impact, but it wouldn't draw him off from his path as he completed the maneuver. The result was more than he could've hoped for. His enemy was forced to execute the same move, but the combination of firing and making a turn such as he did wouldn't go hand in hand. Kaedus relied on his instincts and pressed his stick upward once again, diving another couple of meters into the field. A quick turn about revealed that his senses had paid off once again. Instead of making the difficult turn to stay on his tail, the enemy recomposed himself and remained on a straight course past the mass of debris. Kaedus saw it on his sensors and then peered up in his cockpit to see the elegant ship looming just above him. He had turned the tables in a matter of minutes, now it was his turn to sprinkle the enemy ship to his pleasure. Kaedus went into action as he revamped his auxiliary power and diverted all of his power to the main cannons and main thrusters. He wasn't about to let his opponent slip away so easily.

"That was a brilliant move…" The voice snapped on the communicator. "-maybe this will be fun after all."

Kaedus lifted his Starfighter upward and set all of his targeting parameters straight for the enemy ship in front of him. A rush of urgency spilled down his spine as the successful ring came from his weapon system.

"Don't hold your breath…" Kaedus muttered.

A flurry of blue blaster bolts exploded from his cannons as he squeezed the trigger with all of his strength. Kaedus watched as the flying bullets made impact with their target and sent a combination of sparks and ruptured shields bursts flying into the voids of space. The enemy ship faltered and rattled, but for some reason it stayed on its course. Suspicion filled his mind, but Kaedus couldn't miss the opportunity in front of him. Another sound filled the cockpit as the Proton Missile lock was finally calibrated and fixated on his enemy. Kaedus took one last look at his foe and held his one finger above the control to launch every missile in his ship.

"It doesn't make sense… does it?"

Kaedus looked to the communicator in a daring gaze, was his enemy really resorting to this as a distraction? He didn't want to wait and find out, for all he knew there could be another Crimson Empire vessel in hyperspace.

"My ship…it looks different doesn't it? I mean, what type of Sith flies this type of ship?"

Kaedus looked out of his viewport and peered into the design of the ship that loomed in front of them as they both exited the debris field. The shadow of the Galantro casted itself and blocked out the nearby star that lit the entire area of the battle. He was tugging at his interests, but it wouldn't change the fact that he had his enemy right where he wanted him.

"It peeked my interest…I admit." Kaedus replied. "Though you've endangered my friends…that can't go unpunished.

"I also admit…you are different than any Jedi I've heard of. You're mentality is efficient and cunning, but yet you lack the resolve to push that trigger. Why is that? " The voice inquired.

Kaedus was taken back by the calmness in his opponent's voice. It was beginning to creep into his mind that maybe he was actually intrigued in learning more about him and the Jedi. What did he mean by what he said? It was as if he had never seen or encountered a Jedi in his life. Nothing made sense about the vessel or it's occupant that helplessly loomed in front of them as they both drifted into open space.

Suddenly, before Kaedus could even think of response…another power entered his mind. Familiar and dominant, he couldn't mistake the presence of his father and what kept repeating in his mind. The sense was strong and desperate as if his father was trying to tell him something. Finally, as the fog of the situation calmed in his thoughts, the urgent message revealed itself through the Force.

Destroy that ship! Now! He isn't who you think he is!

Kaedus broke his strong resolve of keeping his mind focused on the task at hand. In a desperate scramble to raise his hand and slam the missile launch controls, Kaedus snapped out of his delusion and peered up at his target.

"Blast!" He cursed, as the enemy ship in front of him slowly disappeared into an invisible frame of its former self. Kaedus shot his head down to the sensors only to find that the area was presumed clear and ridden of any enemy vessels. Frustration filled his blood as it seemed to boil under his skin.

"No…"

The voice remerged with the same smug tone that he had once spoke in. "Oh come on…you didn't expect it to end that quickly did you?"

Kaedus snapped his eyes in all directions as he searched for any sign of the ship. The foe even masked his presence, making it near impossible to pinpoint where he had gone. He remembered back to the beginning of the fight and replayed the same tactic in his head. His enemy relied on his stealth generator to escape out of hard situations, and it was beyond more than efficient. Kaedus realized that he had been played more than he had realized. Instead of making dicey and tough maneuvers that required both fuel and power, his foe could easily just draw his enemy in closer and repeat his same technique. The tactic didn't require any vital resources, which could prolong any pilot's time in space and efficiency. It was brilliant…but he was on the wrong side of the admiration.

"Now…let's start again…"

The scanner in front of Kaedus sparked to life again as the ship signature revealed itself once more. In a desperate motion, Kaedus whipped his head around and tried to see if his enemy was behind him just as he had done before. However, it didn't take long before his entire Starfighter exploded into a flurry of sparks and flames. Kaedus yelled out in pain as the impacts rattled the entire cockpit and raised the temperature to a painful degree. The fire was coming from above him, and when Kaedus looked up to confirm his guess…he saw his opponent making a full nose-dive directly on top of him.

If he stayed there another couple of seconds then he would be dead. Kaedus did whatever he could to compose himself before punching the afterburners to life once again. He peered out the back of his Starfighter to that see his enemy had leveled his ship and again pursued him tightly. In a frantic motion, Kaedus pressed all of the automated repair fail-safes but cursed under his breath to see they had been permanently disabled from the damage he just took. It wouldn't just be his secondary systems that were damaged, the shield status showed that he would no longer have any backup shields or outer protection. If he was to take another wave of cannon rounds…it would pierce the hull of his ship and damage whatever it touch, including his cockpit.

"It's amazing how a battle can change so fast, isn't it?" The voice mocked.

Kaedus didn't pay any attention to the attempt of diverting his attention. Instead, he frantically clicked what he could and tended to whatever damages he was able to. The main cannons were still intact, but his afterburners had rotated through their second cycle of fuel and the nearing fact of depletion was in the back of his mind. In addition to the damage he took, a small flame remained alive on his right wing and began to slowly spread to his proton missile cartridge. Kaedus' eye widened as he saw it only had a couple of inches before it made contact. The result would be his entire payload exploding and taking his ship and life along with it, he had to act fast or it would lead to a swift end of the battle.

His options were limited, especially with his foe nearing with every second. The afterburners would hold for now but he needed something that would quickly fix his most urgent problem. A couple of precise maneuvers would choke out the flame, due to the void of space and its properties. However, if that didn't work then it would swallow what time he had left. Uncertainty was something he would have to deal with as he managed his own survival. Without thinking through the plan some more, Kaedus squeezed and pulled the stick towards him as his looped upward and sped directly towards the nearing ship. Kaedus was inverted, meaning that he was upside down and speeding back towards the battle area between the Endurance and Galantro. In his way was the ship that wanted him dead, and it's witty occupant. His move was risky and not even close to being thought out, but he was out of options. The Force all around him urged the reconsider what he was doing, or maybe it was his own voice trying to speak to him. However, Kaedus hesitated as he peered out the right side of his cockpit to see that the flame had been choked out by the quick loop.

"How about that…" Kaedus whispered to himself as he couldn't help but smile.

The Jedi peered forward to see that his enemy had tried to level his ship with Kaedus'. Both of them had solved countless of problems, but Kaedus needed to act. Moments passed by as years, but finally once he was close enough…the enemy ship open fired. In a desperate attempt to save his skin, Kaedus snapped his control stick upward and made a calculated inverted dive. The timing couldn't have been any closer as he barely missed a head-on collision by only a couple of inches. He heard the enemy ship's engines scream as he tried to dodge and regain control of his vessel. The opponent's lack of ability to control his vessel provided Kaedus with enough time to gain enough distance to regain his composure. Once he felt he had enough time to think up another plan, the young Jedi turned his Starfighter around and slowed his speed to a near stop. The soothing sound of his engines resting allowed him to focus, but any plan that came into mind was quickly overruled. He was limited on fuel, power, and capacity to continue this fight…and negotiation was more than a risk.

The mysterious enemy regained their own composure as the fighter turned around and started to make another charge. Every proximity warning that his Starfighter had was buzzing uncontrollably, but one last thought popped up in Kaedus' mind before he made another move. The fight would be impossible to win if his opponent's stealth generator remained intact, but a quick ship scan would take a couple of seconds while stationary. In fact, since the ship was speeding towards him at a near lateral angle, it would assist in the process even more. Kaedus quickly pressed the commands into his tactical pad in front of him, beginning the scan not a moment too soon. He could tell his opponent realized what he was doing, directly after the scan had begun, the sight of incoming cannon rounds filled his frontal viewport. A couple of bolts made their mark as they pierced the metal hull of his ship, adding to the damages he had sustained before the duel. Kaedus stiffened in his seat as he patiently waited for the scan to complete, and he thanked the Force when it did.

Kaedus squinted as he peered at the results that flickered on his tactical pad screen. The stealth generator seemed to be composed of multiple fragments of some other origin, which was absurd, but what Kaedus focused on was its location in the frame of the ship. The small composition that made up both the main auxiliary boosters and stealth generator was located at the tip of the fighter. Due to its circular shape, the enemy vessel did an excellent job by design to protect its most important systems. However, nothing could be protected from a well-placed proton missile with a fixated targeting program. Kaedus closed his eyes and focused on the Force that flowed all around him, using it to pinpoint exactly where to shoot. The targeting system may have been a better choice, but his instincts told him to rely on what he felt was best…it's how he got this far.

Without any more distractions, Kaedus squeezed the trigger and felt the recoil of the proton missile firing from his right wing. The stationary state of his Starfighter didn't have enough force to remain still, so when the missile fired it catapulted his ship backwards a couple of meters. Kaedus eagerly opened his eyes and watched the trace of the missile seek its target and make its impact.

The speed of the enemy vessel only made matters worse for itself, as the missile caused a massive explosion and rocked the ship's infrastructure. Kaedus watched as the ship spun out of control and skimmed over the top of his cockpit, allowing him to see the strange marking on the hull of his foe's fighter. Question flowed in his mind as curiosity got the better of him, but relief filled his chest more than anything.

Kaedus went back into action as he turned his Starfighter completely around and pursued his enemy to make the final blow. He wasn't sure if his opponent would accept the dishonor of surrender, but how different would he be from a Sith if he killed him without a thought. Kaedus realized a quicker action was needed as his enemy wasn't out of the fight just yet. He still had some juice in his afterburners, even if it was nearly depleted. A soft tug rocked his ship as he sped after his target, hoping to end this duel before anything else happened.

"Commander! Do you read me?!"

Kaedus looked down to his communicator to the sound of Ordo's voice. "I hear you Admiral...I think our friend here has met his match."

Ordo's end of the connection was filled with frantic shouts and commands. It seemed as if something was occurring that hadn't been passed on to Kaedus just yet, which caused him to stir in his seat as he awaited the response.

"Kaedus, we are picking up a large signature coming out of hyperspace. The Galantro is also coming back online and their weapon systems should be active in a matter of minutes."

Kaedus let out a deep sigh as he peered down to the vast cruiser and it's destroyed assault ship escorts. The engines did seem to be on their way back to full function, and the main weapon was sure to be recharged.

"I understand Ordo, we need to leave as soon as possible. I'll need Blade Squadron out here to collect our insertion team and Katar." He replied as he steered his Starfighter away from the mysterious foe and back towards the debris field.

"That won't be necessary…"

Kaedus smiled as he instantly recognized the voice. "Mom…" He muttered. "-how are you on the Endurance?"

Reese's voice seemed tired and distressed but she filled her son in either way. "While you were dealing with that ship, Ordo took the pleasure of sending Grey Squadron to find us before they made their way back in. Quite generous…"

Kaedus disregarded the dreaded dead-zone as he shook his head to the amount of wrecked ships and frozen corpses floating in its proximity. "Yeah…" He bluntly agreed.

Another round of deafening alarms ignited in his cockpit, causing Kaedus to snapped his head down to see what had happened. What he saw caused his stomach to churn in disgust…

"Kaedus…what's that sound? I sense something is wrong." Reese frantically asked.

Kaedus looked behind him to see that his enemy was not as compelled as Kaedus to end their personal duel. Another round of cannon fire pierced the space between them once again and littered the back of his fighter as a couple of them found their mark. Another wave of sparks trickled along Kaedus' shoulders until they dimmed into small, dark, ash piles on his pilot suit.

"Get the Endurance ready to leave! If I'm not on there in five minutes, take off!" He shouted.

"But…"

"Just do it!" He concluded as he shut of the communicator to the Endurance.

Kaedus used both of his hands to grip the control stick as he tried his best to weave in and out of the incoming fire. Another odd-sounding warning popped up on his screen, showing that his afterburners were now out of juice. Kaedus looked up in disbelief, the hanger was farther than he had hoped and he was now dead in space. There was no way he could outrun the enemy on his tail, he had failed…he was out of options. Kaedus leaned back in his seat as he let go of the control stick and closed his eyes, maybe this was how it was supposed to end…in his own Starfighter. When he expected the heat of fire and cold of space to consume him, it didn't come…instead another transmission sparked to life on his communicator.

"Well…you certainly proved you are more than a match. I give you that, Arcadia." The voice muttered, still remaining rough and course.

Kaedus opened his eyes and saw that the enemy fighter had swerved around him and proceeded to head back to the Galantro.

"As much as I want to end your life for the embarrassing scars you've given my ship, we have no conflict with each other. At least not yet…"

Kaedus cocked an eyebrow and peered behind him only to catch the thrusters of his former opponent. "I don't understand…who are you?"

The voice chuckled as the sound of another transmission flickered on his side of the signal. "Oh…don't worry. We will meet soon enough. In this war…or the next…"

Kaedus opened his mouth to demand answers, but the scanner in front of him squawked as the signal with the enemy ship was lost. Instead, it was replaced with another signal…but this one was much bigger. Another vessel appeared out of hyperspace as its massive size nearly rivaled the Endurance's.

"Kaedus! We have to go now!"

Kaedus didn't hesitate as he punched in everything he could and sped towards the hanger in front of him. He could see the awaiting crew members waving him down as he passed the inner containment shields and set his ship down with a loud thud. Even while deactivating his ship and allowing the crew to surround him in urgent terms of repair and checkups, he could feel the vast structure of the Endurance warp into the depths of hyperspace.

Finally…they had done it. The mission was complete. He was alive and safe and so was his father and mother. Kaedus replayed the words in his mind until they became a comforting reality. He ignored the tap of the ladder that reached his closed cockpit and even the crew member that climbed up to check on him. All he thought about was how the event he had just experienced would transpire in the greater fold of things. Were all the live worth it? He knew that no life was worth anything, but if they gave them in respect of sacrifice….then…maybe they still had hope in their cause. It couldn't have been any stronger than it was now, they were victorious, they had…returned.

---

"They were capable?"

The question may have been an insult to his venture into the Outer Rim, but he still reliantly nodded in response. His counterpart had met him at the designated spaceport upon his return from the apparent battle.

"Very much so…" he replied. "However, they only have a single ship at their disposal."

"That's good news for your sake. It would seem you were tasked with the weakest group, what was their name again?"

Insults, he was used to them by now. It seemed like his position was always up for grabs in their competitive society. However, he knew that only victory would preserve his spot and would allow him to continue his campaign as leader of his fleet. Though, if he were to underestimate his foe just as he done to Kaedus, he would likely be defeated.

"The Crimson Order was their name, but destiny has smiled on us. They are all but diminished to a small portion of what they once were. It will take only a fraction of our fleet to deal with them. Our main concern will be the Republic and Sith Empire as expected."

The pacing stopped as Halken turned to him and shrugged. "Their leader?"

"Powerful…but one warrior cannot fight an army. We must remain vigilant…"

He turned around to the prideful thought.

"For our time is almost near…and the places they hold dear will burn under the fists of his majesty's bloodline."

Halken rested his gloved hand on his shoulder as he nodded in agreement.

"Hail…the Eternal Throne…"

Chapter 2 coming out soon!

Let me know how it was in the comments!