Fifty
([{I}]) ([{I}])
It was only a couple weeks before the New Year. That is, if the inhabitants of Mandalore and its moons were alive at the end of those two weeks. All of Mandalore was on high alert, all the major city-centers evacuated. The Mandalorian Protectorate was fully deployed; assigned strategic underground and mountain fortress sites from which they would repulse any Yuuzhan Vong ground invasion. Aiding the Mandalorians in the defense of their home-world was a small taskforce of Galactic Alliance and Imperial Remnant cruisers. In addition to the ships, there were several dozen battalions of stormtroopers, Galactic Alliance marines, Freed Yuuzhan Vong warriors, and Lando's YVH-1 Vongbots entrenched with the Mandalorians in the planet's various strongholds.
"Landing in five, four, three, two, one." The No Luck Required, Millennium Falcon, and Pulsar Skate touched down in the open field just outside of the Kyrimorut. The three vessels were joining several Galactic Alliance science vessels, an Imperial shuttle, and a handful of Mandalorian vessels.
Only a week ago the field had been full of Mandalorians playing and competing in the competition Sannah and the others had organized. Now it was serving as a landing zone for the forces coming to reinforce the Kyrimorut. Lando's supply vessels had already dropped off shiploads worth of blaster packs, food, and everything one would need to survive a long-term siege.
"Airlock cycling," Uldir said, he glanced out the viewport and saw parts of the nine-hundred strong Mandalorian force that had been sent to reinforce the Kyrimorut. "Looks busy out there."
"They're all wearing armor," Tahiri said, slightly taken aback as she watched the Mandalorians go about making preparations. "The battle's not for another couple of days."
"You've never met Mandalorians before, have you?" Vook said snidely.
"Never had a reason to," Tahiri shook her head.
"This should be interesting," Leaft chuckled.
The airlock cycled and the landing ramp lowered. The crew of the No Luck Required joined the crews of the other Galactic Alliance vessels.
"Welcome to Manda'yaim," Sannah called out, waving brightly. "Su'cuy Tahiri! Valin. Sella. Glad you could all make it."
"Sannah?" Valin's jaw dropped at the sight of the Melodie. Jysella's eyes bulged. And Tahiri blinked dimly; barely able to recognize the teen from the last mental image she had of her. The dark-skinned girl had her hair in a pixie-like cut and her lithe figure was accented well by her armored jumpsuit-Jedi robe mix. A purple-colored headband completed her outfit and brought out the yellow shades of her irises. She definitely wasn't the little girl they all remembered.
"Oh come on, I don't look that different," Sannah said, then she turned to her boyfriend. "Do I?"
"Nope," Doran shook his head and wrapped his arms around her in a loose hug. "Still the same Fish-Girl to me. They must be staring at the small army behind us."
"Right," Valin said sarcastically. "That's exactly what we were looking at."
"Doran?" Tahiri said, the morning light making the teenage Jedi's discolored skin and off-colored eyes more apparent.
Raising a hand self-consciously, he managed a small smirk. "Hey. I guess I tried to be too much like you and Anakin. Is there a club for Shaped Jedi that I can join?"
"Sure thing, kid," Klin-Fa spoke up. "It's great to see you up and about and not a cut up slab of meat on a med-table."
"Tact, Klin-Fa, tact," Uldir muttered, holding his head. "And you wonder why everyone has trouble liking you after first impressions."
"It's alright. I'll tell you the story later, Tahiri," Doran chuckled as Klin-Fa stuck her tongue out at Uldir. He gestured to the Mandalorians standing by Sannah and himself. "These two are our good friends, Jintar and Dinua. Ner vode, meet Tahiri Kwaad, Jedi Knight."
Both Mandalorians, wearing full armor, plus the helmet, just inclined their heads in greeting. Tahiri returned the gesture evenly. "I look forward to fighting alongside you and your fellow Mandalorians."
"The pleasure will be ours, Jetii," Dinua replied courteously.
Sannah whirled around and scowled at her Mandalorian friend. "It took me over a month and a half for you to treat me as something more than dirt. How come she gets a warm greeting right away?"
"It's a warrior thing," Jintar answered in Dinua's place. "Kindred souls and the like."
"Plus, she's not the one dating the dikut over there," Dinua added, jerking her thumb toward Doran.
Interrupting things was a startled yell of 'Vongese!', and the sounds of half a dozen blasters being charged filled the air. With an absent wave of her hand, not even looking in the direction of the commotion, Tahiri yanked all the blasters away before any triggers could be pulled. "She's with us."
"And that's why you need straps attached to your blaster rifles," Dinua turned to scold the Protectors who had just been disarmed.
Shaeri, who had just removed her hood, inclined her head politely at the dozens of regular Mandalorian soldiers—who were already in the process of wilting from a combined Jintar/Dinua lecture—and moved up to Tahiri's side. "Thank you. I forgot that not everyone is used to fighting alongside the Yuuzhan Vong just yet. Though I am beginning to think that raising one's blaster is a common form of greeting in this galaxy."
A small pulse of Force energy washed over them, and eyes abruptly traveled back to the source. Doran was staring at Shaeri, his face suddenly pale and his breathing ragged. Small bits of pebble and twigs began to rise into the air. Sannah was at his side in a heartbeat, wrapping her arms around him and glaring at the others, as if daring them to say something. After several seconds of simply manipulating their Force bond to soothe him, Doran buried his nose into Sannah's hair and inhaled deeply.
"Sorry," Doran rasped, sensing the others' concern, but still holding onto Sannah as if she was the only thing connecting him to reality.
"Nothing to be sorry for," Tahiri said empathetically. In a slightly subdued voice, she motioned to Shaeri. "This is Shaeri. She's been at my side since Myrkr and she's kind of become like a little sister to me. Shaeri, these are Doran and Sannah, my friends."
Shaeri took a very hesitant step forward to Doran, stopping when Sannah's yellow eyes flashed dangerously. It may have been an accident or a reflex action, honed by her months of training with Mandalorians, but Sannah's hand had landed on her lightsaber; making it clear that any further attempt to approach Doran wouldn't be pretty.
"It's alright, Fish-Girl," Doran managed. "I'm going to be fighting Yuuzhan Vong. Now's a good as time as any to face my fears. At least this one won't kill me while I'm in the middle of one of my panic attacks."
"Not funny," Sannah growled softly, but she took a cautious step to the side.
Doran swallowed and met Shaeri at a halfway point. "Nikk pryozz Doran Sarkin Tainer. [It'll be an honor to work with one who is freed.]"
Shaeri seemed surprise by his rough Yuuzhan Vong. "Shaped?"
Doran shook his head. "Self-taught, amazing what you can find on the HoloNet these days. I figured I might as well learn what those shapers were saying, seeing as I hear their voices in my nightmares almost every night. Besides, mom would have made me learn your language eventually anyways. How's the accent?"
"Understandable. There's a Domain Carr slant to it, though. They always stress their z's and k's a bit more than others," Shaeri said with a tilt of her head. "You do need a little work on the voweling. More guttural, don't stretch them out so much."
"I'll get right on it," Doran said with a weak smile.
Shaeri tilted her head politely. "It will be an honor to fight alongside you as well, Jedi Sarkin-Tainer."
Doran exhaled, and tensed, trying to work up the nerve to ask the next question. Eventually, though, he managed it. "If you're not busy later, can you help with my language lessons? I swear, this isn't some very bad pickup line. It's just, Shimrra's Vong already have enough reason to hate me. The last thing I want to do is give them another reason by insulting them in broken Yuuzhan Vong."
Shaeri glanced over her shoulder at Tahiri, who nodded. Shaeri looked back to Doran, then at the way Sannah was still standing protectively at his side. "Sure. Your mate can join as well, if she wants to."
"I'll be there," Sannah said, squeezing Doran's hand lightly.
With the introductions mostly over, the adult members of the various crews having already greeted their Mandalorian counterparts, a much more serious air descended on the clearing.
Tyria Sarkin Tainer stepped forward out of the Kyrimorut to deliver the latest updates on the situation. "Alright, listen up. The Vongese have just taken Gargon, and will be here in two days. Freed One agents within the fleet confirm that the fleet commander is Malik Carr. This is the man who was responsible for the first fall of Obroa-Skai and the Yuuzhan Vong alliance with the Hutts, but whose fleet was devastated at Fondor. Because of that disaster, his social standing dropped considerably, and he sees this as his chance to redeem himself. Expect him to be more than cautious in order to avoid further disgrace. These agents have also confirmed that the Kyrimorut is one of his primary targets and will only suffer light bombardment. He wants to capture all Jedi alive to further restore his name and respect. To do this, he intends to overwhelm this area with ground forces. Apart from the other strategically important areas of this planet, the Kyrimorut will no doubt see some of the fiercest fighting. To aid our defenses, I give the floor to Galactic Alliance Science Director Danni Quee."
The blond scientist stepped forward, motioning behind her as a cadre of fellow scientists brought forth several crate-filled hover-sleds. Each of the cases opened to reveal a variety of spherical or dart-shaped, devices. "One of the greatest defenses Yuuzhan Vong warriors have is their vonduun crab armor," Danni began. "Impervious to most blaster fire, even lightsaber blades, it makes taking down a warrior challenging to most. Working with a team of Imperial scientist, we have created what we call Bafforr Grenades. We were able to isolate and synthesize the compound within the pollen of a bafforr tree that the vonduun crab is allergic too. Deathly allergic. As many of you may know, the vonduun armor forms a bond with its wearer. When exposed to the effects of baffor pollen, the vonduun crab will swell and die, also killing its wearer. The dispersal pods on these grenades release the synthesized baffor compound in a cloud with a maximum effective range of just over four meters. Unfortunately, we were only able to create an even thousand of these weapons. We've already dispersed eight hundred to other high-profile targets across the planet, such as Keldabe and Sundari, leaving two hundred here for the defense of the Kyrimorut."
A team of scientist floated the spherical devices, which looked a lot like modified thermal detonators, over to a contingent of Mandalorians. As the specialized grenades were brought to a secure area, Danni continued her briefing.
"With the help of Jedi Master Cilghal and Galactic Alliance bio-engineers, we were also able to develop an anti-venom for the Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff," Danni motioned to the darts. "Early in the war, casualty rates among ground forces were high because even a single bite from an amphistaff could kill within minutes of injection. These anti-venom darts will immediately counter the venom should any of you be bitten. On the off chance you end up not needing them, they can be fitted into your wrist launchers and will actually kill an amphistaff if shot into the creatures mouth or eyes. The bright side about these is that there is enough for everyone to receive three darts. A special thanks should be given to two of the members of my team, Zak and Tash Arranda, who were instrumental in gathering different types of amphistaffs from all over the galaxy to give us a wide enough sample to work with."
Danni inclined her head towards the two Alderaanean anthropologists before looking back towards the rest of her audience. In the meantime, the scientists began pushing forward several hover-sleds full of the anti-venom darts. "Remember, each of these darts only contain enough anti-venom for a single bite. If you get bitten a second time, you will need to use a second dart. A third bite, a third dart. A fourth time? You have rotten luck and you'll probably have more things to worry about than just those bites. Also, your body can't take a fourth dose of anti-venom. Injecting a fourth dose will probably provide you a quicker death than the actual amphistaff venom. Which, if you do get into that situation, will probably be a blessing."
The morbid humor caused a round of chuckling from the Mandalorians as they each collected their share of the anti-venom and slipped them into their utility belts.
"There are two more things in our arsenal." Danni said, as one last hover-sled was brought out of the science vessel parked next to the Falcon. "Yuuzhan Vong are known to use slaves as cannon fodder. These slaves are implanted with a slave-seed that binds with their central nervous system and can be controlled from afar to inflict great pain on them." She opened a large crate to reveal a set of human-sized blaster cannon-like devices. "Using black-market tech available to us via Hutt Space, we were able to come up with an energy frequency that will render the slave-seeds temporarily inert. These devices are still in their test phase, so we don't know about their effectiveness. But they are designed to fire a stun-burst like web of energy in a three meter spread that will temporarily render the slave-seed, and the person it's implanted in, inert. In theory, this should prevent the Yuuzhan Vong from killing the slaves and will give us a chance to rescue them by injecting them with a serum we've developed. We had thirty of these disruptor cannons made, and after delivering the others to the other locations on this planet, two will be available for this location. These can act as massive stun cannons in a pinch, but it is unknown just how well it will affect the Yuuzhan Vong. I'll leave the military minds to decide how to best deploy these weapons."
The cannons were rolled out of the crate, and several Mandalorians directed them to various locations.
"Lastly," Danni said. "We have several experimental anti-vehicle beam-cannons designed off of P'w'eck paddle-beam technology. As the Ssi-ruuk and P'w'eck have yet to actually engage Yuuzhan Vong in battle, we're unsure how effective their weaponry will be." Five crates, each packed with three shoulder-mounted, tube-like weapons, were unveiled. "Capable of taking out air and ground threats, the weapons have two firing stages. The first is a high concentration of continuous, very visible, yet non-lethal energy designed to deliberately provoke and overload the void defenses the Yuuzhan Vong employ. Following this first beam of energy several dozen milliseconds later, is a low-frequency beam of lethal energy, invisible to our naked eyes. If the weapons work, it will look as if the first beam had bypassed the defenses to score a lethal hit, and will help lower the morale of the enemy and sow confusion in their ranks. The power cores are based on Ssi-ruuk and P'w'eck tech and are self-renewing. After firing, they'll be ready for a second shot a full minute and a half later."
"The effective range?" One of the Mandalorians asked.
Danni grimaced. "Like I said, they're in their experimental phase. We know they'll bypass void defenses, what we don't know is how effective they'll be in actual battle situations. Play it safe, however, and fire only when you're absolutely sure of a kill."
Like children receiving gifts, despite the experimental nature of the weapon, the Mandalorians seemed to overall be eager to test the new weapon.
"Jedi Sarkin Tainer," Danni ceded the floor back to the other Jedi.
Tyria stepped back up. "The basic plan is that we're going to let Manda'yaim, that's Mandalore to those who don't speak the lingo, get pounded pretty hard, and then hit the Vongese back twice as hard. We don't have the ships to win a space battle, and we know full well that we'll lose a lot of civilians in this fight. When the Yuuzhan Vong start landing ground troopers, however, the joint Imperial-Galactic Alliance taskforce will jump in system to harass the fleet in orbit. They won't jump all at once, but in threes and fours, at different angles. We're counting on Malik Carr's paranoia of being suckered into another trap to work against him. Hopefully we can spook him enough that he turns tail and leaves his ground troops behind. There is a Plan B. If Malik doesn't run, the Freed Ones in his fleet assure me that they can take commando units into the command cruisers, and we can take the rest of the fleet out that way. Either way, we're all here to make sure of one thing, that the Yuuzhan Vong do not take this planet. Clan leaders, you have your assignments. Ori'ramikade Dinua Jeban and Jintar Skirata will help coordinate any last minute adjustments to our defenses. A second team of Ori'ramikade will arrive later today to augment our defenses. In the event this position is overwhelmed, we will fall back to nearby network of mountain caves and let the Yuuzhan Vong chase us to their doom. Everyone report to your assigned locations, then make sure you spend time with your clans and get a good night's sleep. In two days' time, the battle for Mandalore will begin."
([{II}]) ([{II}])
It was a day full of ups and downs for Doran Sarkin-Tainer. Waking up and knowing that you were in for the fight of your life the next day, a fight you and your friends might possibly die in, was not a very good way to start the day. Waking up and finding your girlfriend curled up against your side, made it slightly better. Waking up and turning your head to find you had a small audience, kind of took that slightly better feeling away and left him where he had begun—highly aware of his possible imminent death, and shirtless in front of his two Mandalorian friends. For some reason, those two situations didn't really go well together.
"Hey," Jintar said with an abortive wave. "Sorry to do this, but my dad and my uncles want to speak with you and Sannah while they have the time."
"And this couldn't wait until later?" Sannah grumbled against Doran's chest, having awoken when he did.
"Well, it was either me and Dinua waking the two of you up, or my uncles coming in here," Jintar said.
"Do you know what they want?" Doran blinked.
Jintar nodded. "Yup, but I don't want to spoil it for you, or them."
"Come on, Fish-Girl. The crazy old Mandalorians want to tell us something," Doran nudged her figure.
Sannah just buried her face against his chest and muttered, "Crazy old Mandalorians need to give currently very comfy, young, Melodie uninterrupted time with her boyfriend in nice warm bed."
"They'll do that later," Dinua chimed in. "But they really do have a full schedule today. They're finishing setting up the supply caches, ensuring the escape tunnels that lead to the mountains are stable, and mixing the other Or'ramikade that came in late yesterday with the regular Protector units."
"Alright, alright," Sannah sighed, casting a pouting glare at Jintar. "Why is it that I alternate between loving your uncles and wanting to throttle them on a daily basis?"
"They have that effect," Jintar laughed. "Come on. I think the two of you will like the surprise."
Once they were ready, the two teenage Jedi followed Jintar and Dinua back to the dining commons. There, the gathered members of the Clone War survivors were waiting for them with broad smiles. Off to the side, Tyria, Tahiri, Han, Leia, and the rest of the Galactic Alliance group, looked on in both amazement and confusion.
"Nice morning we're having, aren't we?" Kom'rk said, has hands resting on the torso piece of a set of multi-colored Mandalorian armor.
"Kom'rk?" Doran raised an eyebrow.
"Doran," Kom'rk replied, not revealing anything. A glance at the others didn't reveal anything either. But then the older Mandalorians parted and the Clan Skirata patriarch, Kal Skirata, stepped forward; supported by his cane and Ordo Skirata.
"All of us have heard the story of how you sacrificed yourself for the Or'ramikade," the aged Kal Skirata said in a raspy voice, leaning heavily on his cane. "As someone familiar with our ways, you are no doubt aware that every Mandalorian worthy of holding that name is a brother or sister to us. It only makes sense then, that your sacrifice not go unacknowledged. Ordo."
As Kal closed his eyes and seemed to need several deep breaths after his short speech, Ordo dutifully took over. "After a clan meeting, and with confirmation from Mand'alor, we have agreed that your actions are equal to that of any Mando'ad. We present to you this beskar'gam and give you the right to refer to any Mando'ade as your brother or sister."
"The armor has been adjusted to match the fluid Jedi fighting styles," former Jedi Knight, Bardan Jussik, said in explanation. "Though it will not provide as much protection as a standard set of armor, it is a symbol of Manda'yaim. Wear it proudly and do not disgrace it."
A stunned Doran could only nod.
"We are not done yet," Ordo said, when others began to clap and cheer for Doran. Ordo turned his gaze onto Sannah. "Sannah of the Melodie, it is beyond rare for an outsider, especially a Jedi, to receive the approval of not just a majority of the Or'ramikade, but of Mand'alor himself. For reuniting the Kyr'tsad and Or'ramikade, and for your continued support of Manda'yaim, you, like Doran, have been also granted the status of honorary Mandalorian."
Niner stepped forward carrying a second set of multi-colored armor and holding it out for Sannah to take. The Melodie teen's eyes were round as her jaw dropped. Niner inclined his head politely. "We are well aware of your eventual metamorphosis and have designed this armor with that in mind. The armor is waterproof, and the sleeves and lower portions of the armor can be modified for when you, as Doran says, go 'all fish-y.'"
Sannah could only blink dumbly as she accepted the suit of armor. "Thank you." She finally managed to swallow.
"Thank you very much," Doran agreed fervently, experimentally lifting the torso segment of his own armor.
"Try it on," Jintar grinned.
The older Mandalorians just chuckled softly and dispersed to their tasks, while the Galactic Alliance group crowded in to admire the sets of armor and cheer the two teens on.
"You're definitely going to have to tell me about your adventures," Tahiri laughed, hugging a still stunned Sannah as the others clapped Doran on his back in congratulations.
"Boy do we have some stories to tell you," Sannah grinned at Tahiri.
Jintar brought out several large platters of uj cake from the cooler, and a small, spontaneous party, full of good cheer, broke out. Other Mandalorians, regular Protectors and Ori'ramikade alike, would occasionally drop in mostly to take part in the uj cake, but also to share their congratulations with Doran and Sannah. When the cake was gone, everyone reluctantly dispersed back to their duties.
And that was one of the 'up' parts of Doran's day. The 'down' portion of his day came shortly after, when it was time for his scheduled 'language' lessons with Shaeri. Normally learning a new language would be fun for Doran. But past languages didn't trigger a panic attack or make him break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, the language lessons were outside the Kyrimorut, away from anyone who might take note of his moment of weakness.
"If you would be more comfortable, I am sure Tahiri can teach you the language just as well," Shaeri said softly, noting the teenage Jedi's agitated state.
"No, I have to do this," Doran breathed, trying to control his shaking hands. It wasn't just Shaeri's Yuuzhan Vong appearance that was bothering him, but her absence in the Force.
"We can do it at a later time," Sannah said gently.
"The Yuuzhan Vong are attacking tomorrow," Doran shook his head. "If I'm going to get over this, or at least get a handle on this, it has to be today."
Shaeri, being the youngest of the three, wrung her hands unconsciously. "If you wish to confront it head on, perhaps…perhaps we can start on your capture. Earlier you mentioned that you started to learn the language of my people because of the voices you hear in your nightmares. Is there any particular phrase that stands out?"
Doran, still looking a little pale, nodded. "Yeah. The head shaper said it a lot, and I think I got the meaning after they peeled away my skin every time he said it." Doran repeated the phrase and smiled weakly. "It means something along the lines of use those scrape-y bugs to carve him up, doesn't it?"
Shaeri looked down at the ground. "The first part, yes."
"And the second part?" Doran said with a raised eyebrow.
Shaeri glanced at Sannah, who was looking more than a little sick, then at Doran apologetically. "The shaper was expressing his enjoyment at the fact that they could make you beg for mercy so quickly."
"Sick bastard," Doran sighed, leaning back on his hands and letting the cool air wash over him. "I always thought he was enjoying things a bit too much."
"I am sorry."
"What for?" Doran glanced over to her. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"They are still my people," Shaeri replied with a shrug. "As misguided as they are, they truly think that what they're doing is creating a better future for all Yuuzhan Vong. They just don't seem to care that they are ruining the lives of so many in their quest for a home."
"What changed your mind?" Doran asked.
"It was more of a…how would you people say it? A spur of the moment type of thing," Shaeri smiled fondly. "Well that, and the ship I was originally on was getting shot to pieces by the divine forces of Yun-Yammka, and I would have died had I stayed onboard."
"Death, a good motivator," Doran agreed, recalling how it had been his desire for death that had enabled him to successfully enter a moricho trance.
"Indeed. I was scared out of my mind at first. I mean, the first Jedi I met was that Rhysode man and the Wookie. Here I was, climbing onto their stolen ship, and he suddenly steps forward with his light sword pointed at my face. Behind me, his Wookie friend steps out and places his blade by my neck. Ganner's a big man with a scary scar on his face, and the Wookie was even bigger. I was just tiny little me, trying to not blow up with the rest of the Yun-Harla sect. At the time, I had no knowledge of your language. So when he started yelling at me in your tongue…well…I was really terrified that I had made the wrong choice and that my goddess was going to punish me for attempting to defect. When I got down on my knees and starting praying to her, I think Ganner mistook my worship of her for my worship of him and decided to spare me. Afterwards though, all the Jedi were nice to me and it just seemed like a better place to be than on the whip end of some slave overseer on a distant, alien planet. I haven't regretted a moment since then."
"What about your family? Errr…Domain?" Sannah asked curiously. "You had to leave them behind, didn't you?"
"My mother and father were also Shamed," Shaeri said, idly stacking small piles of pebbles together. "They died when I was young. I have only faint memories of them. All I know is that my father was a priest of Yun-Harla, and my mother was a Shamed One he had had an illicit relationship with. The others found out and he was stripped of his title and made Shamed. He loved my mother though and stayed with her, I remember that much. As for my Domain, I am Shaeri Jamaane, of Domain Jamaane."
Doran's eyebrows shot up. "Jamaane? As in the Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane?"
"It is why I feel compelled to apologize for the actions of my people," Shaeri nodded with a sad smile. "If it were not for the actions of my Domain, this galaxy would not have had the many deaths it has suffered. If it were not for the actions of my Domain, you wouldn't have suffered at the hands of the shapers."
"I'm sure I'll get over it eventually," Doran said with a shrug. "I mean, look at me now. I'm not running away from you. In fact, I'm having a very pleasant conversation."
"We could try to communicate in Yuuzhan Vong," Shaeri said uncertainly. "That is, if you're ready."
Doran smiled at her. "I'm ready, I guess. I mean, I kind of understand the language better than I can speak it at the moment. I got the basic grammar down. I just have a problem saying the stuff that comes up in my head."
"Let's start with your nightmares. Is there anything else in your nightmares that you wish me to translate?"
And the lessons went on. Despite it being a low moment in the day, the lessons ended on a positive note. Strangely enough, once he was able to understand the phrases in his nightmares, they didn't seem as scary. What had once been mysterious alien grumblings followed by lots of pain was reduced to menial things such as 'go get me this sort of tool' or 'watch what happens when I do this to him,' followed by the actions of sadistic bullies. By clinically dissecting the words spoken by the shapers, Doran realized that the memories didn't hurt as much as he expected them too. As a bonus, he even got to learn a little about Shaping and was able to better understand just exactly what the shapers had been doing to him.
Even then, he left the lesson feeling a little shaky and more than a little vulnerable. Fortunately, his super-girlfriend was at his side sending death glares at anyone who remarked at how their 'newest Mandalorian brother' appeared weak, or his inclusion into their ranks was a mistake.
Most of the comments stopped completely after his equally super, not-quite-girlfriend-more-than-best-friend, and her own boyfriend, heard several male Protectors makes some snide comment about him, and kindly proceeded to show them the error of their ways. Kindly, because of the upcoming battle and the need for every available solider. Needless to say, after the threat of castration in their sleep, the offenders refrained from making any more wisecracks. The success of the threat was magnified by the fact that every single Ori'ramikade present, nearly three dozen, in addition to all of Clan Skirata, had promised to help Jintar and Dinua in their endeavor.
It was a little embarrassing for Doran, but he still smiled sheepishly and nodded gratefully at any of the Ori'ramikade and Skirata clan members he passed. The rest of the day was spent helping out the various members of Clan Skirata with their tasks. Whether it was levitating boulders to help create a mountain safe-house, to helping to hollow out 'holding chambers'—massive underground chambers designed solely to bottleneck and annihilate any attacking enemy force—both he and Sannah were kept busy until the evening meal.
Before Doran knew it, the day was over, the evening meal was done, and he was already getting ready to retire for the night. For once, he wasn't as afraid of the nightmarish visions and memories. Nevertheless, he didn't complain or protest when Sannah followed him to his bunk and tucked herself against his side. He wasn't afraid, but a little support never hurt anyone.
"Hey, Fish-Girl?" He murmured.
"Hmm?"
"Will you be alright with tomorrow? You know, with your no-killing thing."
"No-killing sentient beings," Sannah corrected softly. "And I'll still stick to that. A lightsaber can block and protect just as much as it can slash and kill. I'll be covering the teams of medics. How about you? Will you be okay?"
Doran stared up at the bare ceiling. "I guess I have to be, right? The battle's coming whether I'm okay with it or not."
"Doran?"
"I'll be…fine, Sannah," Doran said, struggling to find the words. "I mean, the talk with Shaeri really helped. I guess the only thing that's left will be to see if it helped enough."
"Yeah," Sannah sighed, nuzzling him lightly, causing his arm to tighten around her.
A comfortable silence filled the air for several seconds, then Doran spoke again. "Whatever happens in the coming days, just stay alive, Fish-Girl, 'kay?"
"You too, Adventure Boy," Sannah whispered, their fear of what was to come openly shared between the two of them. Each tried to comfort the other, taking solace in their moment together and the knowledge that they would face whatever was coming side-by-side.
Wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of Sannah's head, Doran closed his eyes and tried to relax for the coming battle.
([{III}]) ([{III}])
A messenger sprinted down the hallways, bursting into the command center of the Kyrimorut breathlessly. The chatter in the room stopped, and all eyes turned to the messenger. Taking in great gulps of air, he breathed the words they had been waiting for.
"They're here!"
The commander center was an immediate flurry of motion. Kal Skirata and Ordo Skirata worked together with Dinua to ascertain the readiness of their units. Scout and Kina Ha both left the room to check on the medicinal supplies and make sure the emergency rooms were ready to take on wounded. All the while, reports began to flow in.
"Sundari confirms, Mandallian was just razed. Yuuzhan Vong forces arriving in T-minus ten minutes."
"Gladiator droid force in position."
"Sensor buoys report large Yuuzhan Vong force, over thirty capital ships, leaving Mandallian's gravity shadow."
"So much for trimming down their attack force with a pre-emptive strike," Dinua muttered.
"Imagine what would have happened if they still had those forces at their disposal," Tyria replied, watching the sensor grids mark the progress of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet.
"Do we have eyes on the vessels?" Tahiri spoke up. "Shaeri, Danni, and myself might be able to recognize which Domains are participating. We can adjust our strategies accordingly."
"Do we have eyes?" Another Mandalorian looked up.
"We have transmissions from the Mandallian satellites shortly before they were destroyed," another nodded. "Putting it on the tertiary holo-panel now."
The dark outlines of the living ships appeared in holographic form, moving ever closer to the camera. There was ample time to view the massive fleet, as well as the fighters peeling away from the motherships. A flight of coralskippers veered away and then proceeded to use the satellite for target practice.
"The formation the coralskippers were in, it's Domain Lian," Shaeri said abruptly. "They are in a situation similar to Domain Carr, desperate to reclaim honor for their Domain. I would not be surprised if they immolated themselves against your planet's defenses."
"We have another angle."
After studying the new footage, Tahiri pointed to a Matalok. "Domain Yaght. They're also hurting status-wise. They're the ones who are partially responsible for the successful Jedi infiltration at Myrkr."
"So you mean to tell me that the Vongese are throwing all their nothing-to-lose people at us?" Meerel Skirata grumbled.
"Seems like it," Danni concurred. "Since I work with shapers on an almost daily basis, I recognize the markings on some of the vessels as belonging to Domain Molou. They got blacklisted after some type of heretical experiment on Rodia. Expect something unorthodox."
The minutes went by at a glacial speed, the din of constant reports fading as the gravity of the situation caused everyone to fall into silence. The only thing those in the Kyrimorut could do was wait as the Yuuzhan Vong fleet came within range of Mandalore's sensors. The fleets slowed, but only to eliminate the massive minefield the Mandalorians had left around their planet. Watching the alien fleet clear out the thousands of mines in a matter of minutes was slightly intimidating. The yellow flashes of plasma, coupled with the detonation of handfuls of mines at a time, filled the screens for several long minutes. And then the fleet was on the move again. The droid-controlled Gladiator-class fighters streamed up from the planet, weapons blazing.
The Yuuzhan Vong blew them away one at a time, suffering only cosmetic damage in the process. And then the orbital sensors above the planet were shot down, and the screens went dark.
Seconds ticked by. Everyone tense as they imagined the massive fleet moving into position all around the planet. It would take several minutes to position such a large armada. And with every minute that passed, they could just envision the might of the alien invaders being brought to bear.
One final report came in.
The enemy was in position to begin orbital bombardment.
Breaths were short and ragged, all eyes directed to the ceiling.
All the sudden a massive explosion erupted on the surface with a muted boom, sending a shudder through the underground dwelling. Another explosion. And then another. The attack beginning in earnest. The hollow thuds of the plasma projectiles hitting the ground vibrating through the Kyrimorut like the ominous sounds of a giant fist hammering on a door. The beat was incessant, its destructive power unquestionable as parts of the ceiling of the Kyrimorut gave in to the relentless barrage.
As bad as the members of the Kyrimorut were taking it, the destruction was far worse elsewhere on the planet. Entire cities, though mostly vacant due to the advance warning, were leveled within the first few barrages. The country-side was torn up from the plasma blasts of the heavy cruisers. Refugee camps decimated by strafing runs of the coralskippers. The ground was turning into glass in some areas as the intense bombardment seemed to go on indefinitely. Great chunks of land were blasted into the air. Forests set aflame. All the while, coralskippers and blastboulders fired at anything over a couple meters tall. The planet was being churned up and melted into slag by the orbital bombardment, no area was safe. From the desert cities, to the mountain villages, mass infernos were whipped up and ravaging the surface.
Over the Kyrimorut, the bombardment was over, the rumblings stopped.
Those in the Kyrimorut's command center picked themselves off of the ground, brushing off the dirt and debris that had come down from the partially collapsed ceiling.
"Anyone need a medic?" One Mandalorian called out.
No one took him up on the offer.
"All right everyone," the patriarch of Clan Skirata, Kal Skirata announced. "To your stations. You are all Mando'ade. Do your duty. Do as you were born to do. Fight and return victorious."
There was a cheer from the mostly Mandalorian audience, and the soldiers streamed out of the Kyrimorut. They emerged to find themselves in a land very different than they were used to. The once lush and vibrant forest had been reduced to ash and burnt-out tree trunks. The grassy fields completely blackened and pockmarked with craters. For several kilometers, no square centimeter of land around the Kyrimorut was a color other than black. The Mandalorians promptly turned the craters into foxholes, bringing with them ammunition and blasters. Fallen, burnt out trees were dragged into positions for a makeshift barricade. While others rolled larger rocks from the nearby cliff-side over to the Kyrimorut for additional cover.
And then all was quite once more.
More seconds ticked by. The whine of approaching Yuuzhan Vong vessels, barely audible at first, grew in strength with every passing moment. The Mandalorians looked up and saw a literal armada of landing craft descending all around them, the hulls glowing a hellish red and orange as they entered the atmosphere. Their numbers cut through the black smoke curling up in the sky, casting a great shadow all around the land.
From somewhere in the battlefield a syllabic chant, coupled with the rapid, rhythmic beating of armored chest plates, began; rising above the buzzing hum of hundreds of landing craft in a primal challenge.
"Tang…Sa…Rang…Broka!"
The chant was picked up by an opposite side of the scorched battlefield, even as swirls of dust began to sweep into the air from the downdraft of the dozen of approaching dropships.
"Man…do…ade…Ka'rta"
Others joined in, their voices intensifying the chant.
"Dha…We…rda…Ve…rda…A…den-Tratu."
Sannah and Doran exchanged one last kiss before donning the helmets of their custom-built Mandalorian armor and checking their weapons.
"Man-da-yaim kan-do-sii adu. Dum mo-tir ca-tra na-u tracinya." The Mandalorians continued in defiance of the impossible odds, their voices growing louder and faster as more and more joined in. Some of the Mandalorians who had yet to put on their helmets pulled out wooden flutes and began to play along with the chants and rhythmic beating. Soon the entire clearing was a battle between the hundreds of chanting Mandalorians and the buzzing hum of hundreds of dovin basal engines.
"Gra-tua cu-un hett su dralysh'a."
"Hey Dinua," Jintar said lightly, between the rhythmic beating of his armor. "After this, feel like getting married?"
Dinua shrugged. "Sounds good, but we still have to make it through this battle."
"Only a couple thousand Vongese between us and a married life then," Jintar remarked.
"You really got a feel sorry for them," Dinua grinned behind her helmet as she charged her blaster.
"Wait a minute. Did you two just agree to get married?" Sannah said incredulously.
Dinua and Jintar looked at each other, then back at the Melodie. "Yup."
"You Mandos really are out of your mind," Sannah chuckled weakly as the chant continued in the background.
"K-om'rk…ts-ad droten…troch nyn ures adenn!"
Tahiri, using the battlemeld, exchange a grim mental nod with Zekk, Lowie, and Tesar, as she let her amphistaff drop into one hand, and her lightsaber fly into her other. Next to her, Klin-Fa let out a hissing breath, her eyes tracking the landing crafts unblinkingly.
"I can actually sense them," Klin-Fa muttered, a white-knuckled grip around her lightsaber betraying her silent rage. "I can really feel those scarheads in the Force."
"Hard not to sense them," Tahiri muttered, several dark shadows passing overhead. "Soon we'll be chest-deep in them."
"Let them come," Klin-Fa hissed.
"Dha We-rda Ve-rda a'den tratu. Man-da-yaim kan-do-sii adu!"
"Don't really have a choice in that matter," Tahiri replied, her sweat-slickened hands clammy against the cool metal of her lightsaber.
"Dum mo-tir ca-tra na-u tracinya."
"Gra-tua cu-un hett su dralysh'a. Taung!"
The chanting and rhythmic beating stopped, and an eerie silence settled over the battlefield.
The Yuuzhan Vong landing crafts had completed their reentry and now ringed the Kyrimorut in several complete, concentric circles. There they sat. Rows and rows of landing craft just hovering in the air. There were so many they nearly blotted out the morning sun. It was a surreal moment, with the massive army just sitting in the skies above them.
The remaining Mandalorians all donned their helmets and readied their weapons.
And then some sort of signal was given, and the real battle begun.
The ships surged back to life all at once, swooping forward and touching down in any open place they could.
One of the bolder landing crafts had the audacity to try and land directly at the Kyrimorut's doorstop.
Mereel Skirata stepped up, one of Danni's beam-cannons mounted on his shoulder. He leveled the weapon, and then fired. The blindingly-bright beam of energy was immediately swallowed by the landing craft's void defenses. But the moment the voids disappeared, the entire craft was engulfed in a massive fireball. The rest of the Mandalorians readied their weapons, while the Jedi used their abilities to keep a bird's eye view of the battlefield.
"The weapon works," Mereel announced, as the pieces of the ship rained down all around him. "This is it! Vode an!"
The other landing craft promptly veered away, even as the fourteen other beam cannons flared up from all around the Kyrimorut. A good dozen more landing craft came crashing down to the planet in flames. But those numbers were hardly anything compared to many dozens of other landing crafts touching down. One by one, they made it to the surface of the planet; their hues of natural oranges and purples standing out against the scorched earth. There they unloaded their cargo and darted back for the skies, and another dropship would take their place. The cycle repeated a seemingly endless number of times, the troops being offloaded all making a beeline for the Mandalorian position.
The blackened ground reverberated from the thousands of feet scampering across it. At first the Mandalorians had no idea what they were facing, but they were soon enlightened.
A horde of four-legged, bladed-armed, reptilian-like creatures, moving extremely fast, skittered out across the uneven surface of the ground. There were thousands of these creatures pouring out from all around, swarming at frightening speeds.
"What the shab are those things!" One of the Mandalorian snipers yelled, firing as he did.
"It doesn't matter, bring them down," Ordo Skirata barked.
"I don't believe it!" Danni said, staring at the approaching horde with wide eyes. "Those are Vagh Rodiek! The other shapers said they were just a myth!"
A sniper blast blew through the head of one of them. Fi glanced back at Danni. "Nope, definitely not a myth. They still die though, so that's good."
"For those who don't speak the Yuuzhan Vong language? I'll repeat the previous question, what the shab are those things?" Darman Skirata shouted over the din, his custom-made bowcaster bolt splashing against one of the creature's armored plating.
"Vagh Rodiek!" Danni tried to bring another down with blaster fire, but like the one Darman shot, its natural armored plating negated most of the damage. Only another headshot by Fi downed it. "They're what's left of the Rodians after Rodia fell to the Yuuzhan Vong."
"You're joking, right?" Zekk, who was helping the Mandalorians direct their soldiers to different hot-spots, looked at Danni in alarm.
"I wish I was," Danni shook her head. "Those things are Shaped Rodians."
"Poor little buggers," Fi shook his head, and blasted apart another. "I guess I'm doing them a favor by putting them out of their misery then."
A wave of lasers, plasma projectiles, sonic weapons, and shattergun blasts flared out from the defensive lines all around the Kyrimorut. The Shaped Rodians, however, were more than agile, easily skirting around the deadly projectiles as they charged the Mandalorian lines without any regard to their own health. Though they could take a pounding, they weren't invincible. A small pile of bodies was forming all around the Kyrimorut's perimeter as the creatures died one by one. But the fleet-footed creatures were not deterred at all.
More of the greenish-brown, bladed reptiles came, climbing over the bodies of the deceased without any care for their own health. As they grew nearer, many of them lowered their heads, and the air was suddenly full of several hundred, half a meter-long, razor-sharp quills slicing through the air. The Mandalorians at the front of the line didn't stand a chance as the quills punched through their visors or durasteel armor plates, impaling the warriors where they stood. At several points in the Mandalorian lines, the creatures dove into the foxholes, their bony scythe-like arms slashing mercilessly at the armored warriors within. The lines began to bend from the pressure of the mindless onslaught, the ground still vibrating beneath their feet.
The Jedi promptly raced across the battlefield, engaging these reptilian monstrosities with fierce flashes of their lightsabers.
"We really need to stop diving head first into life-or-death situations," Zekk shouted over the din, his lightsaber hissing as it cleaved through the chest of one of the shaped Rodians. "It's not healthy."
Tesar let out a hissing laugh as he dis-armed the bladed limbs of another shaped Rodian. "For them or uz, Zekk?"
"Us!" Zekk jerked his body back to avoid being scissored apart, then drove his saber into the chest of his attacker.
"[I feel sorrier for them]," Lowbacca growled, bashing in the head of another reptilian attacker. "[They no longer have any say as to their own lives. They slavishly attack us because they know nothing else other than the orders of the Vong they serve]."
"Now is not the time to make me feel sorry for them," Valin Horn said, flipping over another Vagh Rodiek, and then using the Force to trick it into impaling itself on his lightsaber.
"Oh look, they've deployed magma-spitters," Tahiri called out, pointing to the lumbering creatures waddling out of the next wave of dropships.
"Tahiri!"
"It's not my fault!" Tahiri retorted, even as the opening salvo exploded all around them.
"Thiz one had enough of magma-spitters and impossible oddz on Myrkr," Tesar groaned, picking himself off the ground, and then quickly using the Force to send several of the Shaped Rodians flying away from him.
A wave of blaster fire blazed by them and cut down the approaching horde of charging reptilians. The noise on the battlefield deafening as screams, yells, and blaster shrieks cut through the smoke-choked air.
"At least we have more help this time," Tahiri remarked as the Mandalorians they were protecting finally recovered and began a counter-attack.
Still, more creatures continued to pour in from all directions, overwhelming the lines in other points. The magma-spitters pounded the area with relentless barrages of molten rock, apathetic to the position of the charging Vagh Rodiek. Mandalorians were thrown into the air left and right by the multitude of blasts. Some were pounced upon as the brownish-green reptiles burst through the clouds of smoke and dust.
Dinua was hit hard with one of their bony arms and fell onto her back. She rolled to the side to avoid a downward stab, then drew her sidearm and fired. The yellow blast of plasma flared against the creature's armor, blackening it but doing little else. She rolled again as the creature chittered after her. Unhooking a plasma grenade from her belt, she lobbed it so that it bounced directly under the creature, then crawled backwards as the greenish-brown reptile was annihilated in a glowing ball of fire.
A nearby Mandalorian wasn't so lucky, as his arms were sliced away, quickly followed by his helmeted head. Jintar leaped onto the back of the attacker, stuck his blaster rifle directly between its quills, and fired. The point-blank attack seemed to do the trick, and the creature toppled forward, dead.
But the Shaped Rodians were all over the place, falling and being replaced by dozens more. Explosions. Blaster fire. The air thick with smoke and the smell of charred flesh. Several of the beam cannons fired again, this time mowing through great swaths of the alien force like any anti-vehicle weapon would do to infantry.
Still the Vagh Rodiek came.
"What did they do, transplant all of Rodia here?" Fi shouted incredulously.
Mandalorians were falling by the dozens. The sheer numbers of the Shaped Rodians making up for their general lack of intellect and strategy. Even then, however, the Vagh Rodiek weren't so innumerous that they could continue the attack with the losses they sustained. They kept up their suicidal charge, but the tide was slowly turning. Just when it seemed as if the waves of Shaped Rodians would never end, the frontlines began to fall silent.
One by one the Mandalorians polished off the last of their attackers and then hurried to a different part of the battlefield to repel one final push.
And then, after several grueling minutes, the last of the greenish berserkers fell to the ground, twitching under the repeated barrage of a rotary cannon wielded by a group of Mandalorians led by Corr Skirata. Several more beam cannon blasts lanced out towards the magma-spitters and temporarily halted the barrage of molten artillery.
Despite the relative silence that descended, however, the battle was far from over. In the time it had taken for the Mandalorians to handle the reptilian attackers, the other landing craft had dispersed their troopers, who were now approaching the Kyrimorut from all sides. And these weren't just any soldiers.
"Rakamat and their Chazrach slave soldiers," a bloodied Shaeri hissed, placing a Yuuzhan Vong bandage over the fresh cut on her thigh. A distant roar seemed to shake the skies as hulking shadows rose up above the layers of smoke. "Fire Breathers too."
An entire herd of the living Yuuzhan Vong siege beasts began to close in, their plasma cannons opening up within seconds. They lumbered forwards in the shadows of the towering Fire Breathers that accompanied them. The magma-spitters likewise recovered, and the barrage intensified three-fold. Artillery blasts with mixed with plasma projectiles and gouts of flaming gas, sweeping across the outer edges of the battlefield with lethal results.
"Back to the tunnels!" Ordo yelled over the shrieking explosions.
Three beams from the beam cannons converged on one of the rakamats. The creatures own defenses, a lot sturdier than the landing craft it had come from, actual held for a couple of seconds. But the combined energy output of the three cannons was too much, and the low-frequency blast ripped out great bloody chunks from it. Nevertheless, it continued to advance, needing a second volley from another team to bring it down completely.
The rakamats continued to plod forward under the cover of the artillery blasts, the reptilian slave army of the Yuuzhan Vong, the Chazrach, hiding in the shadows of the massive creatures.
A Fire Breather advanced close enough to the Mandalorian lines to bathe an entire area with its superheated gases, igniting several unfortunate Mandalorians and burning others out of their foxholes. It shrugged off a couple of missile hits before another beam cannon lanced into its stomach and detonated the mixture of volatile gases within.
In the meantime, the Mandalorians continued to pull back, some carrying their wounded, even as the battlefield exploded all around them.
"Jedi! Get your shebse back here!" Darman Skirata roared over the sounds of several explosions. The Jedi teens had stayed behind to cover the retreat of the last of the Mandalorians and were in danger of being cut off by another wave of those strange four-legged reptilians that had been a part of the opening attack.
Plasma and magma continued to rain down all around them, while Yuuzhan Vong landing craft continued to descend.
Doran, seeing a group of dozen Mandalorians separated from the rest of the group and behind enemy lines, cursed. "Sannah! Tahiri!"
"We've got your back," Tahiri yelled back. "Go!"
Doran took off. He could hear the heavy footsteps of Sannah and Tahiri sprinting after him. Un-holstering the blaster the Mandalorians had given him, he laid down a sheet of covering fire. Sannah used her Mandalorian armor's own wrist-launcher to fire off an explosive missile at the feet of the approaching rakamat. The blast created a large divot in the ground, which the massive creature's foot snagged. The rakamat, pitched forward as its ankle snapped, throwing off the Chazrach riders and providing a temporary break in the fire.
"Go!" Doran yelled at the clustered Mandalorians. The group piled out of their foxholes and began to run along with the Jedi, the enemy fire intensifying all around them.
A deafening volley of blaster fire flew by their heads and shoulders as the guns of Niner, his daughter Etain, Fi Skirata and two of his children, and Mereel, and Corr, ensured that both the Jedi and trapped Mandalorians had enough cover to get back. The bright flash of the beam cannons pierced through the air above them as the others concentrated their fire on the other massive siege beasts closing in. Two more rakamat dropped to the ground.
But the Yuuzhan Vong forces continued to close in. A plasma explosion ripped through the ground where the beam cannon-carrying Mandalorians had been, followed by a devastating barrage of magma. Most were blasted back into the Kyrimorut, their fate unknown as the explosion caused the entrance to collapse in on itself. A few others had managed to dive out of the way, but were caught in the shockwave and sent flying through the air. A second volley of explosions landed just as Doran, Sannah, Tahiri, and the others were passing by Niner and the first group of Mandalorians. Bodies were vaporized in a heartbeat, people were thrown left and right like rag dolls, and the entire ground shuddered from the blast.
Heart thudding loudly in his ears, Doran managed to pull off his damaged helmet. Trickles of blood were dripping from his ears and nose, with deep cuts marking his face. He looked around in a daze, seeing body parts and corpses everywhere. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion as he gasped loudly for air, his ruptured eardrums throwing off his sense of balance. Another nearby explosion peppered his face with charred rock and dirt, causing him to blink and rapidly return to his senses. He called on the Force to give him a small boost, and realized that someone was calling his name.
"Come on, Doran!" He heard Tahiri yell.
Doran shoved himself off the ground, checking his bond with Sannah as he did so. She was still down, and unconscious. He looked around. Tahiri appeared to be the only other person awake. She was in a low crouch beneath one of the newly made craters, drying blood likewise coming from her ears and nose. Doran crawled to her side. "Sannah?" He asked, half verbally and half through the Force.
"One of the Mandalorians took the brunt of the blast," Tahiri motioned to where Sannah was lying prone beneath the deathly still body of Niner.
Doran's jaw clenched, not sure if he should feel relief or guilt that someone had died in Sannah's place. "Any escape plan?"
That last barrage wiped out the entrance to the Kyrimorut, and the Yuuzhan Vong forces are coming in from all directions," Tahiri shook her head.
"Buir!" Father!
The anguished cry of Etain Skirata marked her return to consciousness. The young Mandalorian woman had crawled to her father's form and was positioned by his and Sannah's side. She had also removed her helmet, and there was a bloodied bandage patch hastily applied to her stomach.
"If we stay here any longer, we're going to be flash-fried," Tahiri whispered to Doran. They glanced at the others, who were just beginning to come to their groans and curses indicating their awakening.
But not everyone was moving.
Doran and Tahiri crawled out of their cover to check on the others. Mereel had taken a direct hit from the barrage and the only thing left of him was his charred helmet—which had been thrown clear of his body in the explosion. Several of the Mandalorians they had tried to rescue had also died in the blast. Kom'rk Skirata, Jintar's father, had been one of the ones holding a beam cannon, and had jumped clear of the barrage. The shockwave, however, had rendered him unconscious and sprawled out inside a splintered, burnt-out log.
The survivors were quickly regaining conscious and scrambling for cover. Fi Skirata was assessing the various wounds as fast as he could. Doran, in the meantime, used his bond with Sannah to hasten her recovery time. He pressed his forehead against her own sweat-slickened one, willing her back to him.
"Come on Fish-Girl, sleep later," Doran muttered. The ground was shaking as the combined weight of eight rakamat closed in.
Sannah stirred.
"Hi," Doran said faintly.
Sannah nodded weakly, then, realizing where she was, woke up completely. "Oh."
"Yeah. Not a good time for a nap."
"The Mando'ade?"
"Hit bad," Doran grimaced. "Fi's working on Kom'rk. We lost Mereel and Niner."
"Oh," Sannah whispered again, remembering how it had only been yesterday when she had been happily chatting with them as the built the underground fortifications.
Doran peeked out of the foxhole. A much larger shadow passed overhead as two Yuuzhan Vong cruisers, escorted by two frigates, made a fly-by over the scene. The Yuuzhan Vong forces had stopped their advance and were waiting in a loose perimeter around the remains of the entrance of the Kyrimorut. As the larger Yuuzhan Vong vessels landed in the nearby clearing, a sense of dread filled the air. The Yuuzhan Vong had been saving themselves for the last wave. Warriors, by the thousands flooded out of the vessels.
"Do-ro'ik vong pratte!"
"Fy'y Rogg! Fy'y Rogg!"
"Do-ro'ik vong pratte!"
"Fy'y Rogg! Fy'y Rogg!"
"Al'tanna Shimrra knotte Yun'o!"
The call-and-response of tens of thousands of Yuuzhan Vong warriors and shapers came out in a menacing bellow, an inhuman roar meant to intimidate and cow their opponents. They continued to pile out of the capital ships, escorted by hundreds of rakamat and other support creatures. It was a force meant to do only one thing, win.
"That's a massive dovin basal," Tahiri whispered to Doran and Sannah, spotting the alien device emerge from one of the ships.
"The type that brought down Sernpidal's moon?" Darman Skirata, the other member of the beam cannon unit who had survived looked on. He was still wearing a helmet, hiding the grief the loss of two of his brothers had caused and disappearing into the duty at hand.
Tahiri nodded her head once. "I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to just bring down a moon on this location. They can avoid casualties and still claim a victory."
"It's not like we can do anything about it at the moment," Fi pointed out. "We take one step out of this pit and those lizard people and Shaped Rodians will tear us apart. Even if we survive the lizards, there's no way we can take out all those Vongese with just the eleven of us. Even I'm not that good."
"We'll have to go and come back with the others," Darman agreed, unslinging the pack he was wearing and pulling out several devices.
Just then, the sky lit up a bright red and green. Lasers the size of tree-trunks lanced downwards towards the landed vessels amidst a merciless barrage of missiles, torpedoes, and all sorts of ordinance. The frigates were lit up in an instant, vanishing under the bombardment. One of the cruisers was likewise ripped to shreds, its crew and compliment of warriors completely caught unawares. The blasts rippled outwards, dropping the Yuuzhan Vong warriors and shaking the ground with a thunderous rumble.
"I think our reinforcements have arrived," Corr remarked deadpan.
The orbital bombardment continued for another second, before a wave of TIE Fighters and X-wings came screaming out of the sky to strafe the devastated ground forces once more. With the ground around them already glassed, the ground forces had no place to hide. The remaining cruiser tried to take off again, but two Star Destroyers entered the atmosphere and began hammering the ship with everything they had. The alien cruiser managed to make it into the upper atmosphere before the damage it sustained became too great. In slow motion, its upwards ascent was halted and the gravity of Mandalore yanked it back down. Thousands of warriors were crushed beneath the cruiser's broken form, while the others were swamped in a cloud of ash and burnt soil thrown up by the impact.
The Star Destroyers headed back into orbit as more Yuuzhan Vong vessels hastily made their way to them, but the damage had been done. The tens of thousands of Yuuzhan Vong warriors had been reduced to a fraction of that number within a matter of seconds. And the X-wings and TIE Fighters still weren't finished. X-wings, with the distinctive markings of Kyp's Dozen, roared in and blasted at the rakamats with laser and missile. The Chazrach soldiers were quickly scattering in panic, the rakamats were inadvertently trampling everyone around them in the confusion, while their four-legged reptilian allies chittered helplessly as the starfighters plowed through their ranks. The few Fire Breathers remaining proved no match for the torpedoes launched by the starfighters, disappearing in blazing balls of green flame.
But the air support didn't last for long. Seconds later, half a dozen squadrons of coralskippers chased the TIEs and X-wings away.
"And there goes our reinforcements," Corr said in the same deadpan.
"At least the enemy is disorganized for now," Kom'rk shrugged.
The entryway to the Kyrimorut was opened once more; the Mandalorians and other Jedi had succeeded in blasting and levitating their way through the debris.
"What are you waiting for, an invitation?" Ordo Skirata grumbled. "Get your shebse in here, that's an order!"
"Right away, sir!" Kom'rk gave a hasty salute as he and the others took advantage of the confusion to get to safety.
Noting the survivors as they poured into the Kyrimorut, Ordo reached out to temporarily halt Kom'rk. "Mereel? Niner?"
"With the rest of our brothers, waiting for us to catch up," Kom'rk said solemnly.
Ordo nodded curtly, saying nothing. A single hand, however, had balled into a tight fist as he cast one last look out into the scorched and body-littered battlefield. A second detonation closed the Kyrimorut's entryway again, and for a short period, everything was silent.
([{Chapter End}])
