Chapter VII
The space of a moment can change the destiny of an entire universe, much less the beings that inhabit one. In just such an instant, the space around Fabrin became the heart of a war zone. At nearly the same time, the Jedi and Kanz fleets came out of hyperspace and began their conflict anew. Onboard the Star Runner, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi calmly watched as each vessel took a place in the melee.
"Incoming message from the Starfire," Qui-Gon reported. The alien Jedi nodded, and soon Roche Cavrilhu appeared over the hologram pod. "I believe I have a strategy that will bring us victory," Cavrilhu informed him. Ki-Adi-Mundi settled back in his chair and began to listen.
"How long have we been here?" Ulic asked quietly. "Too long," Arca commented. "Patience we must have," Yoda said. He evidently wished to add something else, but the door swung open just then. Etralnica stepped inside. [Please come with me,] the Wookiee said, [I believe you should all see the evidence to back what I must tell you.] Turning he led them out of the room, and they soon came to a machine designed to do analysis on the molecular level. A complex holo hovered at one side, and with a deft hand, Etralnica manipulated it.
[I have isolated the cause of our troubles here on Ruusan,] the young healer said, [It is not a hive virus at all, but is cleverly designed to resembled one.] "If it isn't a hive virus," Ulic asked, "What is it?" Etralnica bared his teeth in a grimace, and replied, [It is a nanite. Very tricky technology, with a mixture of commands I couldn't begin to decipher. We can try various things to eliminate them now that we have correctly identified them, but if my suspicion is correct; nothing we can do will stop them or even slow them down.] "And what is your suspicion?" Arca prompted. The Wookiee replied, [That this plague was artificially planted here, by the Sith.]
The two beings rose into the sky of Wrea, moving as if one. C'baoth held his ignited lightsaber in one hand, its green-white blade highlighting the alien skin of his mount. He shifted in his harness, glancing ahead of them. "I believe that's them now, Master Xlc'r. I believe they're heading for the spaceport," C'baoth said. [This won't be easy,] the Duinuogwuin rumbled beneath him. C'baoth had known that, once again pondering their plan to oust the insane Sith without harming his mount. Climbing slightly, the Star Dragon quickly switched direction and began a steep dive towards their adversary. Evidently sensing their approach, the Sith brought his captive about to face Xlc'r. But the Jedi Master pulled out of his dive at the last moment, causing the wind created by his passage to rock the Sith.
C'baoth chose that moment to leap from the back of the Jedi Master, crossing his blade with that of the Sith. Despite the fact that his almost instinctive reaction had certainly saved him, the force of the blades locking combined with the distraction C'baoth had arranged was too much for the Sith. His balance lost, the Sith fell towards the spaceport far below. [I did not think it was possible for anyone to survive a fall like that,] Xlc'r said as the Sith rose and moved off. "Inform Tra's M'ins that I'm in pursuit of him, and require as much support as they can provide," C'baoth said. Guiding his new mount, he then sank towards the ground below.
Mace Windu wasn't exactly sure how long he had lain unconscious. Amazingly, his captor had not tried to take advantage of that. Or perhaps, Windu mused, he doesn't want to draw the kind of attention to himself that he would get for killing a Jedi. Which meant Zorba was gone, perhaps hoping to lose himself among the myriad worlds of the galaxy or merely dreaming that Windu would give up.
Windu grimaced slightly as he rose to his feet. As a Jedi he knew he had many duties, but at the moment it felt right to bring Zorba to justice. It just might be a more difficult task than he had first imagined. Then again, he thought, I probably didn't think too much about how Zorba would react when I confronted him. Turning to the hole he had descended earlier, Mace began to climb.
The Empress Zatec and the new head of her Elite Guard accompanied Kun to the docking bay where the Iyndiri was berthed. "Your forces will rendezvous with ours at Ord Trasi in ten days time," Kun said. She nodded. "One last piece of advice, your Excellency," Kun said, "Release your hatred and put it behind you. It clouds your choices and that can destroy you." Zatec sighed. "I will try," she said. Kun nodded, and boarded his ship. A few minutes later, he lifted off Ilthmar and headed for Ruusan.
"All craft stand by, this will take precision timing," Ki-Adi-Mundi as Qui-Gon studied the tactical display. In theory, this strategy should work. But reality often blew theories to atoms in a matter of moments. "Group one, mark!" the Jedi Master called out, and soon after the rear portion of the fleet broke off, ostensibly heading for hyperspace and reinforcements. What was actually going on was far more complex than the Kanz could imagine. "Group two, mark!" the alien Jedi called, as Group one jumped to hyperspace, the remaining ships swung closer to Fabrin as though to engage the enemy in a delaying action.
The Kanz fleet formed up with the flagship in the lead and Qui-Gon smiled grimly. The bait had been taken, exactly as Cavrilhu had expected. Now they only had to wait. Swinging free of the last bit of planetary cover, the Kanz vessels prepared to open fire on the Jedi fleet. Then, in a blur of motion, Group one came out of hyperspace. Behind the Kanz fleet. Without a moment's hesitation, they began firing. Ahead, Group two did the same. Surround by the Jedi vessels, the Kanz fleet had no chance at all. In matter of minutes, every ship was disabled, destroyed or had surrendered. Except for the flagship.
"Hail Prelate Myrial," Ki-Adi-Mundi directed. Before Qui-Gon could comply, the Kanz flagship exploded. "They self-destructed," the younger Jedi said in disbelief. "Contact the government of Fabrin then," his elder instructed, "Inform them that the Kanz are directed to cease and desist all further activities in the Lorrd system or they shall met with sterner measures." The other nodded, and did as he was instructed.
Cayn had never heard much about Diamal before the day Sival had mentioned it. He wasn't entirely sure why he was here now. He glanced at Gavis, a man with whom he had been locked in deadly conflict a short time before. He thought of Sival, wondered what business the Sith Lord had to attend to and where. But his mind was brought back to the present as a group of white-maned Diamala regarded from the desk of the customs office just outside the spaceport. Gavis walked up to them without a thought. The customs officer began to speak, and then Gavis locked eyes with him. Instantly, the alien fell unconscious. That must be the same trick he pulled on Master Plett, Cayn thought.
The others moved back, obviously uncertain how to act. Cayn stepped between them and said quickly, "Please don't interfere with us. That will only make things worse." The Diamala gestured to the lightsaber at his waist contemptuously. "What sort of Jedi are you?" the alien asked. Gavis narrowed his eyes. "No Jedi at all," he said, and the other two fell down as well. "That wasn't necessary," Cayn snapped. "We are on too tight a schedule as it is," Gavis countered, "Besides, I've always hated red tape." Cayn glanced back at the sleeping Diamala, then reluctantly followed his companion into the city.
The Sungem was relatively undamaged; apparently Zorba had been too busy getting away from here to bother with such matters. Windu smiled thinly. Or rather, he mused, the Hutt would like me to think that. A more thorough search revealed a sleeper-bomb, several thermal detonators that would have been triggered by the ship's takeoff, automatic turbolasers left running inside the complex and a few droid stowaways.
Setting them on the planet's surface after carefully blanking their memories and disarming them, he turned back to his craft and soon had it rising out of the atmosphere. Finding where Zorba had gone to ground would have been impossible for most sentients. But Mace Windu was a Jedi Master. And so soon he was headed thru the realm called hyperspace.