Ryaan hears the order to place thermal charges, he steps back several paces ready for his next move. As he senses the charges being set he reaches up with his left hand and closes his eyes. He puts forth a Force shield around the doors. When the charges explode instead of destroying the doors the explosion blows backwards onto the clones. Ryaan opens his eyes to see the doors still standing but somewhat damaged.
"How's it coming Jori?"
"Almost there."
Suddenly another explosion goes off taking the door down.
"Wasn't ready for that one!" Ryaan says jumping into the air.
He lands in the middle of a group of oncoming clones and fluidly takes them down. More begin to advance, Ryaan pushes several back with the Force as he deflects blaster bolts from others. The clones begin swarming in as Ryaan continues to fight. Although fighting dozens, Ryaan contains his composure by keeping his mind on the battle.
"Got it!" Jori yells as the two defense guns come to life firing on the clones.
Ryaan hears this and immediately flees the target zone not wanting to be hit by a rogue blaster bolt. However he's reminded of the precise targeting of the guns as the bolts never come near him. He falls back as Jori regroups with him.
"Let's go they'll be pinned down long enough." Jori says as they head for the two starfighters.
As they reach the fighters they notice the hanger doors beginning to open.
"Did you do that?" Ryaan asks.
"No but we need them open anyway!" They jump in the fighters and lift off as the landing pads begin to extend outside of the building. Two gunships hover just outside as the pads extend. The clones onboard become confused as they expected to see a ship preparing to take off from the pad.
"Take her inside!" A clone commander orders.
As the gunship slowly flies into the hanger the pilots spot the two starfighters hovering inside.
"Now!" Jori says as she and Ryaan fire their blaster cannons.
One gunship is pelted as it tries to maneuver away, an engine explodes and the gunship crashes to the ground. The two starfighters zoom out of the temple just as the second gunship is preparing to fire its weapons inside.
"There they go!" a clone says on board the gunship.
The pilot turns around to follow but he knows he won't be able to catch up.
"Base command we need fighters to continue pursuit." The pilot reports.
Racing through the cityscape, Ryaan and Jori quickly begin to wonder if they've already succeeded in losing their aggressors. Suddenly Jori notices the flight group of V-wings descending behind them.
"We've got company."
"We don't want to engage them, that'll just buy them more time to get reinforcements. Increase speed to maximum, we'll lose them then we'll ditch the fighters." Ryaan says.
Using the Force as well as the astromech droid's assistance they speed through the city without colliding into other ships or buildings. The V-wings attempt to keep up with them, however without a keen sense of their surroundings several are killed when their fighters crash into a building. Others crash head on with other ships because they turned too late or too early. Before long the clone pilots lose all sight of the Jedi fighters, they return to base fearful of the consequences.
The Jedi Hunter I drops out of hyperspace just seconds before receiving an update on the Jedi. Darth Vader is on the bridge when the report comes in, although Jafan knows the responsibility is not is he's reluctant to relay the information to Vader. He breathes out a deep sigh of relief when Vader dismisses him then informs Garan that the ship will remain in orbit.
"The Jedi may have fled the temple but they're still on the planet." Vader says.
By the time Ryaan and Jori land their fighters they realize they've flown to the southern hemisphere of the planet.
"That was fast!" Jori exclaims. "What now?"
"We sell the fighters and purchase two tickets off world." Ryaan explains.
"Registered transport, where are we going?"
"We're going to see an old friend."
"Another?" Jori asks.
Ryaan smiles as he reminds Jori that running into Gleim was purely coincidental. "This person . . . . if he's still alive, may be able to help us with some more answers."
Ryaan and Jori easily find someone to purchase the starfighters from them. Even though the two Rodians are very inquisitive about the ships and their owners Ryaan uses the Force to influence them. They cease questions and purchase both fighters.
They buy two tickets on a passenger ship off world. The ship takes off and ascends out of the atmosphere. Ryaan looks out of his small window noticing the Star Destroyer in orbit. He points it out to Jori wondering if it is the same ship that followed them from Rhen Var to Vergesso.
"I can't tell, all of the cruisers look alike." Jori says. Suddenly the stars turn into star lines as the ship jumps into hyperspace. "So where are we going?" Jori asks.
"Dantooine." Ryaan says simply.
Realizing he's not wishing to say much else, Jori tries to read her master's thoughts. Knowing he's as distraught about the Jedi purge as as she is; she senses his thoughts rest with whatever lies on Dantooine.
Just as the passenger ship jumps into hyperspace a freighter emerges from it to Coruscant. The Zabrak pilot, Ishisz, de-cloaks his ship as he enters the planet's atmosphere. Using his onboard astromech droid he checks the databanks of all landing platforms and grids on Coruscant starting nearest to the Jedi Temple. Being a somewhat loose acquaintance of Gleim's he knows what to look for; he instructs the droid to search for the Arawak, Gleim's ship. Within a moment the droid finds the Arawak registered at a multistoried landing structure some distance away from the Jedi Temple.
"I've got you now Gleim!" Ishisz says as heads to the landing structure. Before Ishisz can gloat too much his droid begins beeping and whistling. Ishisz reads the translation on the screen as he becomes irritated at the data. The droid informs him that the Arawak is preparing for take off. Realizing he still hasn't lost his shot at the Jedi bounty he plots a course to follow to Arawak. "You can't run forever!"
Darth Vader's patience quickly runs out as he demands an update from Jafan.
"My lord, we have all of our fighters dispatched throughout the planet searching for the two Jedi fighters as well as all of the Imperial planetary forces. "Surely they're just hiding somewhere on the planet, our clones will find them."
"They will not, they lost you because of their power with the Force." Vader replies.
"My lord?" Jafan asks curiously.
"At full speed the Jedi interceptors are among the fastest fighter craft ever built. In addition to their senses through the Force they could maneuver through the planet with great speed and precision. I will take a fighter and lead the search myself."
"Yes my lord but what will you fly?" Jafan asks.
"This vessel still carries several Jedi interceptors does it not Admiral?"
"Yes my lord, I shall have one prepped for you immediately and I'll recall a flight group of ARC-170's to take up formation behind you."
"That is not necessary Admiral, I require only two V-wing fighters at my side. They are faster and more agile than the 170's." Vader orders.
"Yes Lord."
Within minutes the top hanger bay doors open on the Jedi Hunter I and the black Jedi fighter piloted by Darth Vader emerges. The two V-wings requested by Vader already await him hovering above the vessel. Vader pilots the craft into the atmosphere with his two escorts behind him. As his ship dives into the massive city he programs the astromech droid to relay his flight path to the escorting V-wings.
"Stay in formation and continue on the flight plan, I will be too fast for you to stay with me." Vader says through the com.
"Understood my lord." The clone pilots respond.
Vader races through the cityscape just as the fleeing Jedi had and reaches out with the Force attempting to sense either of them.
With all craft dispatched from the vessel Garan as well as several other officers are dismissed from duty for a few hours. Minutes after Garan retires to his quarters his private holoprojector begins beeping. He accepts the transmission and flips the switch on the side which allows the device to show the caller's image. Garan doesn't recognize the man at first but when the Alderaanian introduces himself Garan is taken aback.
"Major Rieekan, I'm honored Sir. I've heard about your efforts in the resistance from Senator Or. . ." Rieekan cuts him short.
"Major, keep the names to a minimum."
"Of course Sir, I'm guessing your my new contact." Garan asks.
"That's correct, I've been informed about the Jedi situation, what new information can you tell me?" Rieekan asks.
"It appears they penetrated the guard posts outside the Jedi Temple but they eventually fled in two Jedi starfighters. All of the fighter craft have been deployed to aid in the search and now Darth Vader is piloting an interceptor of his own to continue the search." Garan says.
"Hopefully they'll escape Coruscant before Vader finds them, I don't know what was so important that they had to risk coming back to the temple."
"Sir, you're aware that they've been stranded on Rhen Var for some time now." Garan adds.
"That has been the assumption so far correct?" Rieekan says.
"Yes, it seems that they are completely lost as to what's been going on. I'm guessing that's why they came back, information." Garan theorizes.
"Possibly, I've been told by the resistance leaders that rescuing the Jedi is a top priority. If it comes down to it you and your team on the JH1 may have to blow your cover in order to accomplish that task. I'm told your total count is five?" Rieekan asks.
"Yes Sir, all junior officers except myself." Garan replies.
"Okay brief your men and contact me with any new information." Rieekan orders.
"Yes Sir, Garan out."