Chapter Six: The Attack
Master Kavar led them through the white and red halls of the cargo vessel, painted in the colors of the Republic. Coming to the rear of the ship, they saw men scurrying this way and that. They looked worried, and Revan sensed an air of unease. He had the feeling that the job they'd been called for was not nearly so innocent as Kavar believed.
Though Kavar also seemed concerned.
At last, they came to a long room, just outside the door leading to the reactor. The repair officer, a purple twilek, was speaking with several men. Then he noticed Kavar and approached. "Are these the washouts you told us about, Kavar?"
Kavar frowned. "Washouts isn't the term we use, Elcan."
"Yes or no, please," said Elcan.
"They are members of the Agricultural Core who are ready to assist in whatever way they can," said Kavara.
"Good," said Elcan. "Can they create a force shield?"
"They have the skill, though it isn't anywhere near combat-ready," said Kavar.
"I don't need combat-ready," said Elcan. "I just need them to seal up a particular valve. It's an internal part of the reactor, and it broke open. Even as we speak, we've got gas filling the internal chamber, and the Droids who we assigned to fix it are in maintenance."
"Why did it break open?" asked Revan, not liking being left out of the conversation.
"This whole ship was rushed out with subpar materials." snapped Elcan. "Some paper pusher decided to cut costs, I guess. Now can they do it or not?"
"We can handle it," said Revan.
"Good," said Elcan, before looking to a man. "You, get them the suits."
The men scurried off, and Kavar narrowed his eyes. "Suits?"
"The interior of the engine room is contaminated." snapped Elcan. "Damn out of date materials. We've got suits that should render the whole thing harmless, but-"
"Alright, that settles it," said Kavar. "I'll do this myself. Ordinary engine trouble is one thing, but-"
And then the lights began to flash red as the whole ship shook. Revan nearly lost his feet, and Belaya and Dak were not so lucky. Even Malak fell to one knee. "What the hell is that?"
"This is your captain speaking." said a voice over the intercom. "Our fleet has come under assault by an unidentified vessel. One of our sister ships has already been disabled, and the enemy is boarding. Our escorts are skirmishing with the remaining, and we are working to escape their trap."
"You, engineer, can the ship survive if this doesn't get done?" asked Kavar.
"Probably, but we'll have to scrap the mission if it gets any worse," said Elcan. "We've got plenty of countermeasures."
"It's a risk we'll have to take," said Kavar. "I've got to respond to this." And he rushed off.
Elcan scoffed. "…Great, well, I guess you washouts can head back."
"Can you fix this without us?" asked Revan.
"Sure, but we're leaking fuel," said Elcan. "Which means that if the droids aren't fixed in time, this whole ship will have to limp back. A lot of hungry mouths to feed."
"I'll do it," said Malak suddenly.
Revan looked up. "Malak, are you sure?"
"We're Jedi, Kavar can heal us if anything leaks into the suits," said Malak. "Besides, we're the only people who can do it."
"Fine then, I'm ready," said Revan.
"As am I," said Belaya.
"…I'll do it," said Dak uneasily.
Elcan smiled as the other men came back, carrying radiation suits. "Great! The washouts are going to do their job. Get in the suits."
They quickly put on the suits as best they could. They clung tightly to them, and the masks were stuffy. Revan felt an itch he couldn't scratch as he donned his mask. And while he did, explosions sounded throughout the surface of the ship. He sensed death and battle above him, sensed a fighter diving down at the ship, only to be blasted to pieces.
Then they were brought before the door. Elcan showed them a picture of a pipe with part of it circled. "Now listen, this is the valve you got to seal. You'll go in one at a time and hold it in place for ten minutes. If you can't hold it that long, someone will be sent to relive you. Rinse and repeat until we get a droid. Your suits should filter out all outside material, but don't tear them. Otherwise, you could be in medbay for a week. If you're lucky, understand?"
"Yes, sir," said Revan.
"Open the hatch!" said Elcan.
The door was pulled open, and Malak plunged in first. Revan waited and hoped to the Force the suits worked. Within the chamber, he could see the radiation rising.
Meetra sensed death.
People were being consumed in infernos of fire. There were people standing in hallways firing blasters only to be shot down. She ran through the halls, desperately looking for anyone to help her. A shower of sparks blew out down the hall, sending crewmen falling back screaming in agony.
The sensation of death was everywhere. In the halls, the space around them and the other ships. And those deaths carried with them even greater weight. Meetra saw before her thousands upon thousands slowly wasting away without food. Anarchy as stores were looted in a desperate bid for survival.
Soon enough, Meetra found herself stumbling into the medbay. There were many like that crewman, being treated by medical droids. Master Kreia was at work there as well, using the force to aid them.
"Master Kreia." gasped Meetra, falling to one side. "What is going on here?"
"An enemy fleet is attacking us," said Kreia. "We're unsure of who they are, but our escorts are fighting a losing battle. Master Kavar has boarded the vessel the enemy compromised. He is fighting with the enemy boarders.
"The Republic escort was not sent to meet us in the right place it seems."
Meetra felt it now. She felt Kavar slashing his way through heavily armored figures. Dueling sword on lightsaber as he carved them down and ended their lives. She needed to distract herself, to do something. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Control yourself for one," said Kreia. "And focus. Focus on the pain of these before you and channel the Force to soothe that pain."
Meetra nodded, remembering her training, looking to one of the burned crewmen she reached forward and channeled her power. As she did, she felt his agony, and by focusing on it, she could ignore the rest. She took that agony into herself, soothing it as the droids did their work. His mind calmed as his body began to work.
Gradually Meetra was able to expand her scope outwards. She soothed the pain of those around her by drawing it into herself. In so doing, she reduced the pain she felt as a whole and distracted herself from the horrors around her.
It was something.
All her life Meetra had sensed the pain of others. But with her training, that sense had only expanded. She wished Revan were here. He was always overflowing with the Force, sort of clouding out everything else. And Malak too, the two were a shelter of sorts from her empathy.
She hoped they were right.
Bastila could feel chaos.
Chaos was engulfing the crew. Looking out a window she saw explosions light up over the fleet as crewmen rushed this way and that. One of the supply vessels had been disabled. Moments later, one that was lagging exploded into a million pieces. The fighter support had yet to be scrambled.
In that moment Bastila knew she had to act and fast. Sitting down crosslegged where she was, she closed her eyes. Memories of constant work went through her. But this was another beast here.
This was not convincing bored kids to work harder. It was life or death. The men throughout the fleet were terrified and panicking, and Bastila could not even get a grip on them.
She remembered what Revan had said.
Focus on the parts that need it. So she did, she moved to the hanger bays where the fighter crews were scrambling. She calmed their panic and forced them to focus. They sped up a bit and were launched into the sky. Then Bastila turned her mind to the gunners, scrambling to put up a defense as the attackers swooped in.
'Go quickly!" she said to them. 'Thousands are counting on you to stop them. Focus. There is no emotion! There is peace!"
She was grasping at straws, but it seemed to work. Wild shots became more focused, and she saw several of the fast fighters be hit. One of them lost an engine and then was caught by more fire and destroyed. That was something, at least.
Bastila moved on. She looked to the repair crews and bade them to remember their training and focus. It worked, it all worked. Little by little, she fell into a groove, and as she did, the Republic soldiers put their faith in her. Inspired by their faith, Bastila became to nudge other things. She pointed a fighter in the direction of a comrade who needed his help. One of the enemies was destroyed, and one of their own was saved.
Bastila could do this. Her Battle Meditation was working!
It was his turn.
Revan was the only one of the three willing to go into that blue tinted realm. He could sense the death giving radiance within. So could Dak and Belaya and they were afraid. He could control their fear with the Force, but it would be easier if he led by example.
Unfortunately, he was afraid.
What if his suit broke? What if the radiation was stronger than it could handle? All these questions went through his mind as he walked in, one foot in front of the other. Into the darkness, he plunged, sensing death waiting to happen. And there was Malak, standing by yet another door, hand upraised. He was channeling the Force and not tiring at all, remaining steady and in place.
Revan came beside him and touched him. Malak looked up, and Revan saw his own reflection within the face mask. All identity had been removed from both of them within these two suits. Just two crewman, working a deadly shift.
"Malak, I'm your relief," said Revan.
Malak nodded and moved back. As he did, he fell to one knee and gasped. Revan kneeled by him. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, just… dizzy," said Malak.
An explosion sounded above the ship, rocking it back and forth. Revan looked through the window and saw the valve. Raising a hand, he sealed it again. Yet he felt the Force slamming against him. Malak moved away, and he held it.
Revan held it. At first, it was easy. Then it began to work at him. His vision began to go a bit blurry, and he focused the Force through him. He channeled the powers he'd learned to heal that tree and used it on himself. Revan tore at the radiation, driving it away from his body, purifying the effects that had been done. A year of nonstop training at this had helped him, and he could do this with ease.
But doing it while holding the valve shut was difficult.
The easiest action, performed for an infinite amount of time, became difficult. Then, eventually, it became impossible. It was already difficult. Revan stood there in place, and he realized he could run back and knock. He could just say it was beyond his ability and let someone else try. The droids might be repaired before it came to his turn.
But he would not. Even if he did not… care about others the way Meetra and Malak did; he had his pride. This was his task, and only he could do it. So he worked at it, waiting, and waiting for relief. Soon he began to wonder if it would ever come.
Then a hand was on his shoulder, and he looked up. Either Belaya or Dak was standing there. Probably Dalaya, her shoulders were slighter. "Revan, I'm here. Switch with me."
"Thanks, Belaya," said Revan. "Keep your body purified. I think the suits might be flawed."
And he walked back he didn't stumble. All that practice working to heal and enhance life had made this much easier. Malak had only started on what Revan had been doing for months. So perhaps he hadn't been wasting his time.
Going through, he found Dak waiting. The boy was sweating visibly, his helmet off. "What's it like in there?"
"Not pleasant," said Revan. "Use the Force to protect yourself, and if you can't do that and seal the valve, come back here and knock. I'm serious, don't be a hero." He looked to Elcan. "Where are the droids?"
"The repair teams have been mobilized for defending the ship," said Elcan.
"Are you serious?" asked Dak. "How long are we going to be sitting here?"
"As long as it takes, Washout." snapped Elcan. "We're on a skeleton crew here. "Now keep working at it."
So they waited until then minutes were up. Then Elcan looked up. "Washout number three, your up."
Dak looked around. "I… I don't think…"
"Belaya is waiting for you," said Revan. "Go help her. You can do this. Malak did it, and he's less qualified for this than you. Remember our training."
Dak nodded as the doors were opened. Putting on his helmet, he plunged in as Elcan set the timer. Revan watched the doors shut and waited. Then there was a shuddering that was far worse. Alarm bells began to run all over as Elcan looked up.
"What was that?" asked Malak.
Elcan cursed, then handed Revan his timer. "Keep it up. I've got other places to be."
Belaya returned a moment later, shaking visibly. Revan moved to help her stay standing. "Belaya, are you alright?"
"Fine, just… just fine…" gasped Belaya, before drawing off her mask and throwing up.
"Damn it," said Revan, before channeling his own power.
Belaya had suffered from the radiation. She hadn't had the power to force it all out, but Revan focused. He sent forth the Force in power like nothing he'd done before. He drew it from her, dissipating it and healing her cells. Then he fell to one knee, exhausted.
There was a ding. "Dak's time is up," said Revan. "Malak, you're up again."
Malak went in, and Dak staggered on out a few moments later as the timer reset again. He collapsed to his knees and spat out blood onto his faceplate. Revan quickly did what he could to heal him, drawing out the radiation. Didn't these suits work at all?
Belaya had fainted.
"Dak," said Revan, "take Belaya and get her to medical bay. You can't do anymore like this. I'll cover for you." They'd just get themselves killed if this went on.
Dak nodded, and he and Belaya began to limp off. No, thank you, no, be careful. Revan decided not to hold it against them, given what had happened. Then he realized he'd be taking twice as many rays. So would Malak.
No, he and Malak could handle this. They were stronger than Belaya and Dak, stronger by far. And this battle might end at any moment. Assuming it didn't end with them being blown to bits, Revan was sure the Jedi Masters could heal them.
Then suddenly, the entire ship shook. Revan was thrown from his feet and hit his head on the wall. Falling to the ground, he found his vision going dark. Struggling to stand, the last thing he saw was his hand falling limply. Then everything went black.
His vision faded back in a little while longer to see men running back in, leading a droid. A droid, that meant the battle was over. Where was Malak?
The door was still closed.
Revan forced himself to move. He stood up and rushed over to the doors, opening them quickly and rushing in. "Malak! Malak where are you!"
"Don't go in there!" said a crewmember. "The radiation levels have been increasing!"
He found Malak standing right where he had been before. His hand was raised and was shuddering. Rushing forward, Revan grabbed him and pulled him back as the droids surged in. Dragging his friend back in, Revan pulled him back, where Malak collapsed.
Revan pulled off the helmet and saw Malak's eyes vacant. His mouth spewed black liquid; his skin was pale. Revan's own vision was a bit blurry, but he focused, using the Force to try and draw as much radiation out as possible. He tried to force healing, but the damage, it was far worse. Malak was in a bad way.
Then Elcan came in, shouting. "Damn it!" snarled Elcan. "I knew putting you washouts in charge of this was a bad move! Two of them abandon their posts; another doesn't know to brace for impact and…"
Revan poured all he was into healing Malak. His vision began to go blurry, but he did not stop focusing. Not until he was rendered unconscious once more.
