Hello everyone. Well it's been... a year, since I updated. Sorry about that, it's hard to find time to write. Here's the next chapter, hope you like it.

Kherine's eyes snapped open and he was instantly wide awake. It was a skill he'd mastered on Korriban. He rolled out the bed and made his way to the bathroom and the shower that awaited him. He glanced back once to see the pilot he'd met at the celebration was still sleeping. When he emerged from the shower a few minutes later she was gone.

Kherine stood in front of the mirror, bare from the waist up when Vette found him.

"Oh... I'm sorry! I guess I should have knocked, but the door was open."

"It's alright, Vette." Kherine answered without moving. "What's happened?"

"That Imperial guy, Lieutenant Quinn, said he needs to see you immediately. Limmdul is already there."

"Tell him I will be there momentarily."

"I apologize for the abruptness of this meeting, my Lords," Quinn said before Kherine had even descended the ramp from his Interceptor. "But there is a matter of the utmost importance requiring your immediate attention."

Limmdul glanced at Kherine. "Enlighten us." The human sith said.

"The Balmorran rebels launched their retaliatory attack sooner than we anticipated. One of our forward camps is under attack as we speak. The garrison force is holding for the time, but the rebels have heavy weapons and a walker of some sort. Darth Lachris has ordered that the two of you take command of the situation."

"Can the base stand on its own?"

"At the rate they're taking casualties, I expect it will fall within two hours at most."

Kherine scowled. "Send word to the base that they are to continue hold the line at all costs, but reinforcements are coming. Prepare a dropship immediately, I want a full contingent of the 104th shock and assault troopers on it as soon as possible. Order the 228th to have their fastest scout ships in the air, but out of range until I give the order. You should get back to the command post, I will brief you on the rest of plan once we are in the air."

"As you wish, my lord."

"Take off now!" Kherine ordered the dropship pilot before the airlock had closed. Both he and Limmdul took hold of overhead grips rather than sit as the craft lurched into the air. Kherine turned on his commlink so Quinn could hear him as he briefed the troopers. "Here is the plan. One of our forward bases has come under heavy attack and could possibly be lost by the time we arrive. The rebels have heavy weapons and a walker. I believe their leader is in the walker. You troopers with heavy weapons, I want the walker disable, not destroyed. Our main mission is capture as many of their officers as possible, so set your weapons to stun as the situation dictates. One platoon will reinforce the base, save as many defenders as you can, the second platoon will be with us and assault the rebels. When they retreat, scout craft will commence strafing runs and herd them together. If they surrender, they are to be taken hostage, I want as many prisoners as possible. Are there any questions?"

No one spoke, except for Quinn over the commlink. "Orders received, my lord. I will relay them to the scouts."

"Pilot," Kherine said, "Time of arrival?"

"Two minutes."

Kherine and Limmdul both began their battle meditations.

"My lord!" The pilot screamed. "We've just been locked onto by a surface to air missile, brace for impact!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than rear section of the dropship exploded, destroying the engines, and killing the troopers who'd been seated in the back. The ship went into a death spin. For a moment, Kherine forgot everything as he held on for life, everything else forgotten, then over the rushing air and screaming troopers, Limmdul's voice echoed in his through psychic powers.

"Focus, Kherine! We can still save the men and the mission. The size of the task does not matter, it is only different in your mind."

He didn't answer back, he didn't have Limmdul's psychic abilities. Instead, he focused, knowing that Limmdul would sense it. 'Peace is a lie. There is only passion.' His fear left him, replaced by anger and a seething hatred of the rebels who were killing his men and had nearly killed himself and Limmdul.

'Through passion I gain strength.' The familiar thrill of battle and his focus of his battle meditation returned.

'Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory.' He knew what he had to do.

"Ten seconds until impact!" The pilot shouted.

'THROUGH VICTORY MY CHAINS ARE BROKEN!'

Kherine and Limmdul simultaneously reached out with the Force and the ship halted in midair, sending both the sith, supplies, and debris crashing against a wall. The impact forced Kherine to lose momentarily lose his focus, but somehow Limmdul remained steadfast, holding the craft aloft unaided.

"Get off the ship!" Kherine shouted before he came back to his feet. He had to repeat the order before the dazed and terrified troopers recovered enough to grab their weapons and equipment and make a break for the nearest exit. He was on his feet and running for the hole in the back of the ship when a new voice came over the commlink, in the mass of chaos and his fog of passions it took a moment before he recognized it was Vette.

"Kherine! Kherine, answer me! What's going on? Are you alright?"

"I'm alive, I'm alright." He said between heavy breathes. "Limmdul is here, he's fine. Clear the channel, I need to talk with my troops." He jumped off the still floating ship and looked back. Limmdul was still on the wreck, on his feet again and concentrating intensely with hands held at shoulder level, he slowly lowered them, and the ship gently came to rest on the ground.

"Command Center, this is Shadow Claw. We were shot down near the landing position, estimated twenty-five percent casualties. Have a medical transport on standby, but wait until we've cleared the area, I don't want them getting shot down as well. We are continuing with the mission."

Quinn responded, "Affirmative, my lord.

"Patch me through directly to the pilots."

There was a momentary pause before Quinn said, "Done."

"Pilots, commence your strafing immediately. The ground force has been delayed, start your attack around the base, try to cut off the rebels from further attack. Do not destroy the walker. Watch out for surface to air missiles."

"This is squadron leader Meteor, we copy and are starting our run. Estimated time, one minute."

"Ground team, do not enter the base. Commence attack."

Limmdul appeared at his side, looking none the worse for wear. "Lead the troops. I will take care of the walker." Before Kherine could say anything, Limmdul vanished, cloaking himself with the Force.

"Troopers, follow me!" Kherine ordered, and he took the lead, using the Force to enhance his speed and move out in front of the troops. He could see the rebels had sent a group to investigate the dropship crash, the rest were focused on the base. There were at least a few Imperial troops in the base as he could see blaster bolts shooting out. He further enhanced his speed and activated his twin lightsabers, deflecting the incoming fire, he kept his speed up as he unleashed his Force scream, and tore through the oncoming rebels. He cut off a head on the right side, then an arm on the left. Men and women tried to jump out of his way but were too slow. He cut through the far side of their ranks and skidding to a stop as he reversed himself.

The rebels were already scattering, but he still heard someone shout, "Troops, focus on the sith!" That would be the officer.

Kherine crouched and used a Force enhanced leap, landing squarely on the supposed officer and driving him to the ground. A sweep of his lightsaber cut the blaster rifle in half. Kherine sat on his chest with knees on his arms, a lightsaber to his throat. "Are you an officer?" He demanded. The man squirmed, trying to get out from under him. Kherine lowered his weapon close enough to his throat that the skin began to scorch and blister. "Are you an officer?"

"Y-yes!"

"Trooper!" He called to the nearest soldier. "This is an officer. Stun him and move on." He stood up again as the trooper carried out the order. The rebels that had been moving towards the dropship had been dealt with, he could see three that had surrendered. Kherine looked towards the main rebel force and couldn't stop himself from grinning as he saw Limmdul standing on top of the walker, arms raised and fingers curled as he called on his sorcerous powers.

Limmdul had stretched his power and his focus to the limit. He'd created a shield around himself when he'd decloaked, he was building his Force power to tear open the emergency hatch on the middle of the walker's body, he'd also reached out with his mind to sense how many were in the walker and where they were. He was surprised that no one was shooting at him, but then again, under normal circumstances there wasn't much need to check the top of a walker. He finished his final preparations the moment he was assaulted with a hail of blaster bolts.

Limmdul released his power and the hatch exploded off the walker with the sound of tearing metal. As an afterthought he guided the hatch to crash into two rebel soldiers, then jumped through the opening, landing in the middle of seven surprised people. He transformed his shield into a spell of Force lighting that arced outwards in all directions. It wasn't enough to kill, but they wouldn't be getting up soon.

He moved to the cockpit and launched a psychic attack on the pilots. They both grabbed their heads and screamed until the mental assault rendered them unconscious. "That was easy enough." He muttered to himself as he pulled the pilot out of his seat and moved into it. He turned on his commlink and announced, "Attention all Imperial forces: the rebel walker is now in our hands." He took hold of the targeting controls and zeroed in on two rebels manning a mounted gun. A single turbo laser ended the threat. Limmdul patted the console in front of him. "I think I like walkers." He said with a grim smile.

So, this chapter was almost all action. Next one will be more character focused. My plan for the story is keep bouncing back and forth between action and character chapters. Hopefully I'll get the next one up in less than a year.