Part 8
"All Hands report on deck!" War Master Skywalker announced.
The commandos filed in row by row until the space under the bridge was filled with warriors. Today was the attack on Yavin. The Jeedai would prove their worthiness to the Vong, and they would consider sparing them. Now was the time of reckoning.
"You all have your orders. No one acts until I give the word, anyone caught not following orders will be left behind. Take no prisoners unless directed to do so. If the Skywalker's are found, keep them alive, they will be useful. All troops follow me."
With that Luke Skywalker began his attack on what he had spent his life creating. Nothing would be safe, nothing salvaged. It was time for the end of the Jeedai, and the Master who had led them all, would be the one to do the deed.
The troops filed out as Skywalker watched. Nom Anor came to the war master's side with the prisoners Corran and Kyp. Durran stuggled against the bonds, thrashing and cursing at the former Jedi, Horn's face remained straight showing hurt and nothing more.
"What shall be done of them?" Anor snapped to his now superior.
Luke smiled a wicked smile. "The Jeedai Horn may go, the other however, must stay, I am far from finished with him."
With that Corran was released and sent down the ramp of the Vong's living vessel. He took one last final glare at Luke. The War Master didn't even blink. Horn bowed his head knowing his friend was gone forever, then disappeared out of sight as he joined the other condemned Jedi.
Luke turned to Kyp. "As for you Jeedai, your punishment has hardly begun."
The young man glared at the creature. "I once respected you!"
"Oh, you had such a funny way of showing your respect. You tried to kill me, turn my legion against me. Some respect Kyp!" Luke spat.
Kyp bowed his head. Skywalker lifted his chin with one of his clawed hands. The man tossed his head, but the Vong's grip only tightened. His nails dug in once again to Kyp's flesh. He let out a tortured cry.
"You haven't changed a bit since your dance in the Dark side. You are still snotty, cocking and self indulged. Few have any or little respect for you Jeedai Durran. If you opened your eyes you'd see that. No one finds your attitude impressive. I had respect, because I earned it."
"By being a kiss ass!" Kyp yelped.
Luke lifted his leg up and kneed Kyp directly in the groin. The boy tried to bend over in reaction but the Vong's nails were still deep in his flesh causing his skin to rip and him to choke as he bent.
"What have I told you about keeping your mouth shut!" Luke snapped dropping him to the floor. "Get him from my sight, let him join his pathetic Jeedai Friends!"
***
Mara Jade Skywalker stood facing the Vong ship with Luke's Jedi at her back, Wedge Antillies to her side and the Solo's, all five, at her other. She spotted someone in the distance coming from the direction of the vessel.
"Look alive everyone, we have someone coming our way!" She yelled.
The Jedi and NR soldiers got into to defensive ready position. She slipped her focus into the Force and searched for the indentity of the approaching being. Sensed to see if it was friend or foe. She smiled insantly.
"Fall back everyone, its Corran!" she announced.
Corran appeared from the distance. He looked just horrible, like he was ready to fall over at any point. Mara rushed to him followed by his wife Mirax. They took him and helped him limp back to the Academy turned base. When they arrived back on their own side of soon to be war field, they gently laid him on the ground on a hover stretcher. Cighal was beside him to treat his wounds.
"Where is Kyp, and what did you find out about Luke?" Mara asked eagerly.
Corran shook his head. "I have bad news Mara."
The woman frowned. Cighal and Mirax both backed off a little to let them have a moment alone while Corran broke the bad news to his friend. Cighal glanced at the woman beside her and shook her head. They were getting conformation that their Master was dead.
"Mara, Luke is still alive," Corran started.
"Oh, where is he?" Mara had never heard her voice at such a high octive before.
"Wait, I'm not finished. Mara, sit." She obliged. "Luke isn't Luke anymore. Well I mean he's Luke, but not the one we know. What I'm trying to say is... he's one of them. He's got Kyp and he is the one leading the attack. In fact, he's their War Master. Luke is bent on revenge for ditching him with those creatures for three years."
"No, that's not true!" Mara felt herself begin to cry.
"Oh, its true Mara, as much as I hate to admit it. But, I do have some good news."
Mara rolled her eyes. "If you say that its good that they have Kyp..."
Corran chuckled. Instead of that, he told Mara what he had found when talking to Luke. He'd found that Luke still had a bit of the Force left in him and he remembered Cav and her. That he was planning on spearing both of them. Her face lit up a little with the thought of her husband possibly returning to Luke. She began to cry again.
Wedge ran up to Mara's side as fast as his legs would take him. He stood next to Mara and cleared his throat to get her attention. Her green eyes looked up at him, tears still rolling down her face. He realized then how much he missed Luke too.
"Mara, I'm glad Corran's back and all, but the Vong and this new leader of their's are here and ready for battle. And Kyp's back, he doesn't look good. He'll need a bacta dip if we survive this." He informed her.
"Alright, I'm coming."
With that Mara stood and walked back to her strike force. Jedi had their lightsabres ready, NR troops with blasters and cannons. Mara stepped forward and so did the Vong War Master. She looked at him hard. It was Luke.
"Mara, how nice to see you again my love. Stand aside so I can destroy this nuecence on my people!" her former husband sneered.
"They are not your people Luke, we are your people. These are monsters. With us is where you belong. You know it! Look inside you, Cavalli needs you... I need you!" She cried.
"Enough! My first quarrel is not with you, for the moment, this is just my starting point. Bring me your chief of state!"
***
"Excuse me sir," Fel'yla's female secretary entered his office.
"Yes?" the chief of state asked.
"We've just received an urgent message from the team on Yavin IV sir. The Vong War Master is requesting a word with you. Something about a debt he owes you."
The Bothan's ears perked up. He liked the sound of that. Maybe the Vong were finally going to surrender. This new War Master of theirs had some sense after all. Borsk stood up. He adjusted his robes to present himself more regal.
"Prepare my shuttle, we head to Yavin IV immediately."
"All Hands report on deck!" War Master Skywalker announced.
The commandos filed in row by row until the space under the bridge was filled with warriors. Today was the attack on Yavin. The Jeedai would prove their worthiness to the Vong, and they would consider sparing them. Now was the time of reckoning.
"You all have your orders. No one acts until I give the word, anyone caught not following orders will be left behind. Take no prisoners unless directed to do so. If the Skywalker's are found, keep them alive, they will be useful. All troops follow me."
With that Luke Skywalker began his attack on what he had spent his life creating. Nothing would be safe, nothing salvaged. It was time for the end of the Jeedai, and the Master who had led them all, would be the one to do the deed.
The troops filed out as Skywalker watched. Nom Anor came to the war master's side with the prisoners Corran and Kyp. Durran stuggled against the bonds, thrashing and cursing at the former Jedi, Horn's face remained straight showing hurt and nothing more.
"What shall be done of them?" Anor snapped to his now superior.
Luke smiled a wicked smile. "The Jeedai Horn may go, the other however, must stay, I am far from finished with him."
With that Corran was released and sent down the ramp of the Vong's living vessel. He took one last final glare at Luke. The War Master didn't even blink. Horn bowed his head knowing his friend was gone forever, then disappeared out of sight as he joined the other condemned Jedi.
Luke turned to Kyp. "As for you Jeedai, your punishment has hardly begun."
The young man glared at the creature. "I once respected you!"
"Oh, you had such a funny way of showing your respect. You tried to kill me, turn my legion against me. Some respect Kyp!" Luke spat.
Kyp bowed his head. Skywalker lifted his chin with one of his clawed hands. The man tossed his head, but the Vong's grip only tightened. His nails dug in once again to Kyp's flesh. He let out a tortured cry.
"You haven't changed a bit since your dance in the Dark side. You are still snotty, cocking and self indulged. Few have any or little respect for you Jeedai Durran. If you opened your eyes you'd see that. No one finds your attitude impressive. I had respect, because I earned it."
"By being a kiss ass!" Kyp yelped.
Luke lifted his leg up and kneed Kyp directly in the groin. The boy tried to bend over in reaction but the Vong's nails were still deep in his flesh causing his skin to rip and him to choke as he bent.
"What have I told you about keeping your mouth shut!" Luke snapped dropping him to the floor. "Get him from my sight, let him join his pathetic Jeedai Friends!"
***
Mara Jade Skywalker stood facing the Vong ship with Luke's Jedi at her back, Wedge Antillies to her side and the Solo's, all five, at her other. She spotted someone in the distance coming from the direction of the vessel.
"Look alive everyone, we have someone coming our way!" She yelled.
The Jedi and NR soldiers got into to defensive ready position. She slipped her focus into the Force and searched for the indentity of the approaching being. Sensed to see if it was friend or foe. She smiled insantly.
"Fall back everyone, its Corran!" she announced.
Corran appeared from the distance. He looked just horrible, like he was ready to fall over at any point. Mara rushed to him followed by his wife Mirax. They took him and helped him limp back to the Academy turned base. When they arrived back on their own side of soon to be war field, they gently laid him on the ground on a hover stretcher. Cighal was beside him to treat his wounds.
"Where is Kyp, and what did you find out about Luke?" Mara asked eagerly.
Corran shook his head. "I have bad news Mara."
The woman frowned. Cighal and Mirax both backed off a little to let them have a moment alone while Corran broke the bad news to his friend. Cighal glanced at the woman beside her and shook her head. They were getting conformation that their Master was dead.
"Mara, Luke is still alive," Corran started.
"Oh, where is he?" Mara had never heard her voice at such a high octive before.
"Wait, I'm not finished. Mara, sit." She obliged. "Luke isn't Luke anymore. Well I mean he's Luke, but not the one we know. What I'm trying to say is... he's one of them. He's got Kyp and he is the one leading the attack. In fact, he's their War Master. Luke is bent on revenge for ditching him with those creatures for three years."
"No, that's not true!" Mara felt herself begin to cry.
"Oh, its true Mara, as much as I hate to admit it. But, I do have some good news."
Mara rolled her eyes. "If you say that its good that they have Kyp..."
Corran chuckled. Instead of that, he told Mara what he had found when talking to Luke. He'd found that Luke still had a bit of the Force left in him and he remembered Cav and her. That he was planning on spearing both of them. Her face lit up a little with the thought of her husband possibly returning to Luke. She began to cry again.
Wedge ran up to Mara's side as fast as his legs would take him. He stood next to Mara and cleared his throat to get her attention. Her green eyes looked up at him, tears still rolling down her face. He realized then how much he missed Luke too.
"Mara, I'm glad Corran's back and all, but the Vong and this new leader of their's are here and ready for battle. And Kyp's back, he doesn't look good. He'll need a bacta dip if we survive this." He informed her.
"Alright, I'm coming."
With that Mara stood and walked back to her strike force. Jedi had their lightsabres ready, NR troops with blasters and cannons. Mara stepped forward and so did the Vong War Master. She looked at him hard. It was Luke.
"Mara, how nice to see you again my love. Stand aside so I can destroy this nuecence on my people!" her former husband sneered.
"They are not your people Luke, we are your people. These are monsters. With us is where you belong. You know it! Look inside you, Cavalli needs you... I need you!" She cried.
"Enough! My first quarrel is not with you, for the moment, this is just my starting point. Bring me your chief of state!"
***
"Excuse me sir," Fel'yla's female secretary entered his office.
"Yes?" the chief of state asked.
"We've just received an urgent message from the team on Yavin IV sir. The Vong War Master is requesting a word with you. Something about a debt he owes you."
The Bothan's ears perked up. He liked the sound of that. Maybe the Vong were finally going to surrender. This new War Master of theirs had some sense after all. Borsk stood up. He adjusted his robes to present himself more regal.
"Prepare my shuttle, we head to Yavin IV immediately."