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They were moving stealthily away from the 'Shadow and getting closer to Ben and Callista with each passing second. Both of them were heavily armed. They both carried their lightsaber's of course, but from there, their choice of personal arsenals had varied. Jaina carried blasters strapped to both of her hips and had a variety of vibroblades strapped to her body. While Jaina's approach to weaponry was just as deadly as Mara's, this time Mara favored firepower, rather than stealth as Jaina had aimed for. Jaina couldn't see it, but she was sure that Mara's holdout blaster was concealed on her somewhere. She had also watched Mara grab several handfuls of thermal detenators as they exited the 'Shadow.
The terrain they were moving through was thickly wooded, but both refrained from using their lightsabers to cut a path through it, for the moment choosing stealth over speed. Jaina, like Mara, was focused on their destination, but she was also carefully keeping an eye on their surroundings. It had been over a year since that fateful mission to Myrk, but the memory of that forest covered world and the ambushes that the Vong had sprung on the Jedi strike team, eventually claiming the lives of so many of Jaina's friends, was still fresh in her mind.
She was glad that after only ten or fifteen more minutes of travel, the thick growth began to show signs of thinning out. Cautiously they approached the edge of the thinning woods, and ducked behind a small outcropping of rock.
"Can you still sense Ben," Jaina asked. While she was glad to be exiting the woods, there was still the fact that the woods did provide them with considerable cover.
Mara nodded in response to Jaina's question and risked a glance out from behind the protective formation. "He's right up ahead of us. I can feel Callista, too." Hate tinged her voice with a tone that would strike fear into the heart's of most sensible beings. She and Jaina studied the terrain in front of them.
"There's a ledge about ten meters from the edge of the woods," Jaina whispered. "It looks like it dips down there, sort of forming an amphitheatre." She glanced over at Mara. "The question is: Is the amphitheatre natural or Vong made?"
Mara didn't acknowledge her question, choosing instead to glance around carefully, looking for any sign whatsoever of watching Vong. "If we can make it to that ledge, it should give us an excellent place to work from." She swiftly started to rise, matching actions to words, and began to move towards the ledge.
Jaina grabbed her before she had even moved a step and pulled her down. "Vong," that single whispered word was enough to freeze Mara where she crouched.
She remained carefully still for a long moment. Nothing drew attention to a person like movement. "Where," she demanded quietly.
"Two behind us, they haven't spotted us yet." She jerked her head slightly to the left. "Four more over their in that high outcropping. They probably have a few more scattered through the trees. Callista has to know we're coming." Jaina stated boldly. Despite her confidence she still got the feeling that they were walking freely into an ambush. Callista had to be counting on the fact that they would do whatever it took to find Ben. Not that it really mattered if they were walking into an ambush, though, they would both still go, no matter what.
Mara scanned the scenery behind her niece looking for the Vong warriors that Jaina had pointed out to her. They were well concealed, but not impossible to pick out. Mara glanced away from them and looked at Jaina. "Ten meters, I think we can make it." Mara watched Jaina. She wouldn't blame the girl for refusing to help her, for stating that it was too dangerous.
Jaina's only response was without hesitation, to reply, "We'll need a diversion."
Mara smirked at Jaina and said knowingly, "You just want to play with the thermal detonators."
Jaina's answering smile said it all. Without waiting for further planning, Jaina snatched three of the detonators off of Mara's belt and looked around, carefully calculating where to throw the detonators. She didn't want to risk hitting the 'Shadow or draw attention to the ship that they didn't want, but she also didn't want the explosion too near to their current position. Quickly deciding on a direction, she pulled her arm back and asked Mara, "Ready," even as she threw the thermal detonators towards their destination with a slight assist from the Force.
The two Jedi were scrambling from their hiding position the moment that the thermal detonators left Jaina's hand. They both ran flat out, until the reached the ledge and then slid into a low crouch, behind the rim. Without stopping to catch their breath, they carefully looked over the rim and down into amphitheatre. In silence they watched as Vong came and went through the area. It looked as if it were some sort of central control area. Jaina studied the area, trying to take in as much of the details as possible. It was likely that the knowledge her study of the area was providing her with would likely save her life, later in the day and she wanted to take full advantage of that opportunity.
She and Mara noted the tight knot of warriors gathered in the center of the plaza at the same time. They were distinctive because of their family scarring, most of which were recognizable even from their distance. There were warriors from Domain Carr, Domain Lah, Domain Shai and so many of the other domains that made up the warrior caste's strongest and most powerful bloodlines. It was even easier to spot the distinctive mark of a Shaper's visage among all of the warriors. Together they watched the group intently. From their distance it was impossible to tell what they were saying, but they did seem to be more or less in charge. Other Vong, of lower rank or caste would continually bring them messages.
"That's where he is," Mara stated calmly, a moment later, almost too calmly.
Her pronouncement seemed to trigger a sudden burst of activity from the Vong inside the amphitheatre; although Jaina knew realistically that there was no way that they could have been heard from where they were. A messenger, who even from their distance bore the distinctive look of a Shamed One, approached the group only to be dispatched a moment later with lethal efficiency. The group seemed to explode outward, and from behind the towering Yuuzhan Vong warriors, Jaina wasn't surprised to see Callista step forward with a mutely sobbing Ben in her arms.
The smile on her face was full of sadistic Dark power, that made Jaina wonder for a moment. During their fight Callista had referred to the Vong as her Masters, but Jaina knew all to well the seductive mindset of the Darkside and it was not conducive at all to being controlled Masters. It would be something to keep in mind, during the fight that would inevitably come.
Callista looked up towards the edge of the rim, not towards them, not yet, but clearly she was looking. Dragging a wickedly sharp nail across Ben's cheek and causing the little boy to only cry louder, Callista shouted loudly, "I know you're here, Jade, and little Jaina too. You didn't really think you could hurt me did you? You have no concept of the true power of the Force." She laughed with derision. "I have your son, Jade, but of course, you already know that. I would have thought that you would have been smarter than to come alone, or to come at all. Surely you know I won't allow you to take him back alive," she paused, "Or at least not before he's become loyal to me."
Jaina could see Mara tense, and despite the anger burning within her, she laid a restraining hand on Mara's arm. It wasn't time to make a move and reveal their position yet.
Callista's smirk was full of hate and derision, "I'll give you a chance, Jade," she said coldly after a moment. "Consider my offer carefully, because you will only get one chance. Come and duel with me. A duel to the death," she specified. "If you win, you and your son and your niece to walk out of here alive, if I win..." Her smile was full of victory, "If I win I get it all. Nothing and no one will be able to stop me. I will rule the galaxy. After all Jade, only you and your foolhardy niece know that I'm a threat. The rest of the galaxy will be caught unaware and it will all be mine."
Jaina could almost feel Mara seriously considering what Callista had just said. "She won't keep her end of the bargain," Jaina said quickly, not even considering for a moment the possibility that Mara might not when a fight between them, "The Vong won't either. It's just a trap to lure us out of hiding."
"She already knows that we're here," Mara pointed out.
"Or she could be fishing for confirmation. Mara, we don't really know what Callista wants to do here, besides try to kill both of us and Ben, but we do know that she's a Dark Jedi who's working with the Vong. If she didn't have something else planned for us, or need us to reveal our presence for some reason, she wouldn't even be trying to negotiate with us."
"Jaina," pain and fear for her son were palpable in Mara's voice, "I have to do this."
The distinctive snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting, cut into their hurried conversation and for one frantic moment, Jaina thought Mara was already moving to take Callista's offered deal. Her blood ran cold a moment later, though, when she saw that it was Callista's lightsaber that had been drawn. It hissed through the air and then Callista shouted harshly, "Come out now, Jade or I will kill you son." It only took them one glance to see that Callista held her ignited lightsaber with the upper portion of the blade almost brushing Ben's throat. If Callista so much as coughed Ben would be dead.
This time Mara didn't hesitate and Jaina didn't try to stop her. She was right behind the Jedi Master. They leaped into motions, jumping up onto the rim, lightsabers igniting as they moved, and dove out into the air. They twisted as they dove, their lightsabers a blur of motion as they flicked away a hail of incoming thud bugs before they even hit the ground, roughly twenty meters below them.
Jaina rolled with the impact of her landing and sprang back to her feet, instinctively coming to stand back to back with Mara. Jaina was left facing the startled mass of Vong warriors, while Mara was face to face with Callista and Ben. Jaina could feel the tension in Mara's muscles- she was trembling with the effort of keeping herself from attacking Callista.
"Let him go, Callista," Mara said coldly, refusing to let her enemy see the slightest hint of weakness within her.
Callista laughed, "You would tell me what to do while I'm holding a lightsaber to your son's throat. You are insane, Jade. Now put down your lightsaber or your son will die."
"No."
Callista looked at Mara with a hint of disbelief in her eyes. A triumphant smirk began to grow on her face. "You would just stand there and watch your own child die, Jade. All that proves is that you are truly the Emperor's Hand. You might have convinced the rest of the galaxy that you've reformed, that you really love Luke, but I know better, Jade. And now Jaina does too. How do you like the knowledge that your precious aunt is nothing more than an opportunistic killer, Jaina?"
Mara tensed. She knew that what Callista was saying wasn't true, and she knew that Jaina was aware of that too, but what Callista said, had hit too close to home. It was too close to the truth in some ways. Twenty years ago, what Callista was accusing her of, could have been the truth. Back then she would have done almost anything to obey the Emperor's orders, regardless of who she had to hurt and lie to, to accomplish her mission.
Mara suddenly felt a tendril of Force energy brush her mind. Her first instinct was to push it away, anticipating a mental attack from Callista, but the moment she recognized her niece's unique mental signature she stopped and opened her mind to Jaina. A flash of images invaded Mara's mind as she let Jaina in and she almost smiled. She sent Jaina a wave of agreement quickly. It had only taken seconds for them to share Jaina's plan, and for Jaina to receive Mara's permission and agreement to act.
Their Force link allowed them to coordinate their motions, so Mara wasn't surprised when she saw Jaina spin towards Callista and throw one of the thermal detonator's towards Callista's other side.
Callista reacted with the speed and instincts of a fully trained Jedi, just as they had anticipated. She whipped her topaz blade away from Ben and sliced through the detonator in a blur of motion. Even as her blade came back around to hang threateningly next to Ben's neck, it was intercepted with a sharp crash by Mara's blue blade. Callista's look was one of priceless shock. It caused her to hesitate, just for a moment. A moment however, was all Jaina and Mara needed.
As Mara pushed her blade steadily away from Ben, Jaina aimed a sweeping kick at Callista's legs. As the still surprised Dark Jedi fell towards the ground, Jaina slammed the hilt of her lightsaber into a sensitive nerve on Callista's arm, causing the woman's arm to go numb, releasing Ben in the process.
Quickly Jaina, picked Ben up and stepped back away from Callista, as Mara stood protectively in front of them.
"Mama," Ben cried. Mara could hear the mixture of happiness at seeing her and fear in his voice.
Jaina shot a glance at Callista and then said quietly, "Here," and changed places with Mara, handing her son back to her.
The Vong warriors hadn't moved, yet, they had circled around the small group of Jedi, but were waiting for Callista's orders before they attacked. Everyone, Vong, Jedi, and child watched as Callista stood back up. "You won't win this, Jade." She threatened, as she watched Mara cradle Ben protectively against her. She looked past them and out at the Vong warriors. "Kill them, and bring me the child."
The first three Vong warriors charged Jaina even as Callista aimed a lightsaber slash at Mara and Ben. For a moment, Mara was frozen. She didn't know what to do. There was no way that she could fight Callista while she was holding Ben. She risked a quick glance at Jaina only to see that her niece was a blur of amethyst and tangled amphistaff's. Then Mara did the only thing she knew to do. She hated it with every fiber of her being, but it was the only way she could think of to keep them all alive.
Quickly she ducked beneath Callista's slash and put Ben down behind her. On the other side of him Jaina formed a protective barrier against the Vong. The next moment, Callista hardly knew what hit her. Mara's blade was nothing more substantial than a blur of motion, slashing and feinting towards Callista only to be gone a second later.
Callista managed to slam a fist into Mara's stomach a moment later, but her slight advantage didn't last long as Mara responded with a solid kick to Callista's knee that sent her staggering back and severely hampered her movement. Mara was temporarily distracted from her target as a thud bug flew towards her. She knocked it quickly out of the air, skewering it with the tip of her blade and risked a quick glance at Jaina.
Her niece was fighting with five Vong warriors, ducking under one's amphistaff even as she aimed a kick at another's throat. Her amethyst lightsaber was in constant motion, knocking away thud bugs and pushing away amphistaff's and coufees. Her deadly blade found the delicate underarm whole in one Vong's armor and slashed through the throat of another before Mara turned back to Callista.
The Dark Jedi had regained her feet, but Mara didn't give her a moment past that to regain the advantage. She surged forward, dispelling the brief burst of Force lightening that Callist threw at her. Her blue blade slashed down towards Callista's neck. At the last moment their blades met with a furious clash. Mara was instantly in motion again, searching for a hole in Callista's defenses. It only took her a moment.
Callista had been trained by the old Masters of the Old Republic and her fighting style was a bit more formal than Mara's. Mara's style was born of a galaxy at constant war and a need for survival. She was just a fraction of a second faster than her opponent, but that was all she needed. Mara aimed two powerful slashes at Callista, hammering her blade down, forcing her to use the hand weakened by Jaina's earlier. Callista's topaz blade only faltered by a few centimeters but that was all needed. Mara sharply kicked at Callista's now weakened, overextended hand and knocked it out of the way. With a twist of her wrist she disengaged her blade from Callista's and sent it towards her in a blow that would cut the Dark Jedi in half. At the last moment Callista managed to stumble back, almost falling to the ground in shock as the gaping wound in her side hissed and steamed.
Callista raised her hands, a vicious expression replacing the look of pain that Mara had caused. Force lightening flickered from her hand in furious bursts. The first and second attack Mara managed to catch on her lightsaber or dispel with her hand, but she wasn't so lucky with the third. It slammed into her right side and she almost collapsed, barely managing to keep a grip on her lightsaber.
"You're dead, Jade," Callista gloated raising her hand to shoot another burst at Mara, not noticing the scattered bodies of Vong warriors all around her or the fact that there were no more Vong warriors to tie Jaina up, for the moment.
"It's Jade Skywalker," Mara snapped as she steadied herself, keeping her lightsaber blade between her and Callista.
Callista sneered and released another barrage of Force lightning. Her sneer turned to a look of horror as she suddenly saw the Force lightening change direction and head back towards her. The last thing she saw before it hit her was Jaina standing next to Mara with a grimly satisfied expression on her face. "That was for Jag." Jaina raised her lightsaber and took a step forward, "And this is for all of the people that died because of you on Shelter."
Jaina's blade slashed down through the air, moving towards Callista's prone form in a diagonal slash. Somehow, summoning her strength at the last moment, Callista rolled towards Jaina. Jaina's blade missed beheading Callista by a few centimeter's, leaving a burning cut across her forehead and catching her shoulder with a deep cut.
Beyond comprehension of pain at that moment and consumed with anger, Callista grasped her lightsaber in her still good hand and slashed at Jaina's feet. Jaina jumped back, turning it into a flip that set her back several feet from Callista and gathered Ben into her arms, as Callista tried to stand.
Mara didn't let her, aiming a quick kick at Callista's rib cage and wrenching Callista's lightsaber from her with the force.
She raised her lightsaber towards Callista and froze as she heard, Jaina her name urgently. "Mara, we have to go, now. We don't have time to finish this," Jaina pointed towards several entrances near them. They could already see dozens of Vong pouring through the entrances moving towards them and filling the air with Vong war cries.
A hail of thud bugs and several spear like amphistaffs thrown perilously close to Ben, left Mara caught in a moment of indecision. She wanted Callista to die for everything that she had done. She raised her lightsaber to sink it, into Callista's torso, determined to finish it and stopped as Jaina said quickly, "Mara, we don't have time. We came here to save Ben. If we finish this now, there are too many Vong here. They'll kill us and Ben, too before we can get out, and that's if we're lucky. Do you want to subject him to Vong captivity?"
It was a low blow and one Jaina hated to use. She wanted Callista to pay for her crimes as much as Mara did, but she would never subject Ben to Vong custody and she knew that Mara wouldn't either. It was time to run.
Mara didn't wait a moment longer, she took Ben from Jaina and without casting a backwards glance at Callista ran towards the wall of the amphitheatre that had set on top of earlier. Jaina followed her quickly, guarding their retreat, slicing through thud bugs, and a several Vong limbs. She waited until Mara was on top of the ledge and raining blaster fire down on the Vong that were attacking her before she dared to stop fighting them long enough to take the several Force assisted leaps necessary to reach the top.
They were safe for now. Nothing could stop them, not the Vong warriors on the ground or even an entire Vong flotilla in space above the planet. Piloting the 'Shadow together, Jaina and Mara sent the ship diving through the Vong fleet, scorching skips into molten hulks of coral and sending other skips flying into other larger Vong crafts. They left a path of chaos, destruction and absolute mayhem in their wake as they entered hyperspace.
They were moving stealthily away from the 'Shadow and getting closer to Ben and Callista with each passing second. Both of them were heavily armed. They both carried their lightsaber's of course, but from there, their choice of personal arsenals had varied. Jaina carried blasters strapped to both of her hips and had a variety of vibroblades strapped to her body. While Jaina's approach to weaponry was just as deadly as Mara's, this time Mara favored firepower, rather than stealth as Jaina had aimed for. Jaina couldn't see it, but she was sure that Mara's holdout blaster was concealed on her somewhere. She had also watched Mara grab several handfuls of thermal detenators as they exited the 'Shadow.
The terrain they were moving through was thickly wooded, but both refrained from using their lightsabers to cut a path through it, for the moment choosing stealth over speed. Jaina, like Mara, was focused on their destination, but she was also carefully keeping an eye on their surroundings. It had been over a year since that fateful mission to Myrk, but the memory of that forest covered world and the ambushes that the Vong had sprung on the Jedi strike team, eventually claiming the lives of so many of Jaina's friends, was still fresh in her mind.
She was glad that after only ten or fifteen more minutes of travel, the thick growth began to show signs of thinning out. Cautiously they approached the edge of the thinning woods, and ducked behind a small outcropping of rock.
"Can you still sense Ben," Jaina asked. While she was glad to be exiting the woods, there was still the fact that the woods did provide them with considerable cover.
Mara nodded in response to Jaina's question and risked a glance out from behind the protective formation. "He's right up ahead of us. I can feel Callista, too." Hate tinged her voice with a tone that would strike fear into the heart's of most sensible beings. She and Jaina studied the terrain in front of them.
"There's a ledge about ten meters from the edge of the woods," Jaina whispered. "It looks like it dips down there, sort of forming an amphitheatre." She glanced over at Mara. "The question is: Is the amphitheatre natural or Vong made?"
Mara didn't acknowledge her question, choosing instead to glance around carefully, looking for any sign whatsoever of watching Vong. "If we can make it to that ledge, it should give us an excellent place to work from." She swiftly started to rise, matching actions to words, and began to move towards the ledge.
Jaina grabbed her before she had even moved a step and pulled her down. "Vong," that single whispered word was enough to freeze Mara where she crouched.
She remained carefully still for a long moment. Nothing drew attention to a person like movement. "Where," she demanded quietly.
"Two behind us, they haven't spotted us yet." She jerked her head slightly to the left. "Four more over their in that high outcropping. They probably have a few more scattered through the trees. Callista has to know we're coming." Jaina stated boldly. Despite her confidence she still got the feeling that they were walking freely into an ambush. Callista had to be counting on the fact that they would do whatever it took to find Ben. Not that it really mattered if they were walking into an ambush, though, they would both still go, no matter what.
Mara scanned the scenery behind her niece looking for the Vong warriors that Jaina had pointed out to her. They were well concealed, but not impossible to pick out. Mara glanced away from them and looked at Jaina. "Ten meters, I think we can make it." Mara watched Jaina. She wouldn't blame the girl for refusing to help her, for stating that it was too dangerous.
Jaina's only response was without hesitation, to reply, "We'll need a diversion."
Mara smirked at Jaina and said knowingly, "You just want to play with the thermal detonators."
Jaina's answering smile said it all. Without waiting for further planning, Jaina snatched three of the detonators off of Mara's belt and looked around, carefully calculating where to throw the detonators. She didn't want to risk hitting the 'Shadow or draw attention to the ship that they didn't want, but she also didn't want the explosion too near to their current position. Quickly deciding on a direction, she pulled her arm back and asked Mara, "Ready," even as she threw the thermal detonators towards their destination with a slight assist from the Force.
The two Jedi were scrambling from their hiding position the moment that the thermal detonators left Jaina's hand. They both ran flat out, until the reached the ledge and then slid into a low crouch, behind the rim. Without stopping to catch their breath, they carefully looked over the rim and down into amphitheatre. In silence they watched as Vong came and went through the area. It looked as if it were some sort of central control area. Jaina studied the area, trying to take in as much of the details as possible. It was likely that the knowledge her study of the area was providing her with would likely save her life, later in the day and she wanted to take full advantage of that opportunity.
She and Mara noted the tight knot of warriors gathered in the center of the plaza at the same time. They were distinctive because of their family scarring, most of which were recognizable even from their distance. There were warriors from Domain Carr, Domain Lah, Domain Shai and so many of the other domains that made up the warrior caste's strongest and most powerful bloodlines. It was even easier to spot the distinctive mark of a Shaper's visage among all of the warriors. Together they watched the group intently. From their distance it was impossible to tell what they were saying, but they did seem to be more or less in charge. Other Vong, of lower rank or caste would continually bring them messages.
"That's where he is," Mara stated calmly, a moment later, almost too calmly.
Her pronouncement seemed to trigger a sudden burst of activity from the Vong inside the amphitheatre; although Jaina knew realistically that there was no way that they could have been heard from where they were. A messenger, who even from their distance bore the distinctive look of a Shamed One, approached the group only to be dispatched a moment later with lethal efficiency. The group seemed to explode outward, and from behind the towering Yuuzhan Vong warriors, Jaina wasn't surprised to see Callista step forward with a mutely sobbing Ben in her arms.
The smile on her face was full of sadistic Dark power, that made Jaina wonder for a moment. During their fight Callista had referred to the Vong as her Masters, but Jaina knew all to well the seductive mindset of the Darkside and it was not conducive at all to being controlled Masters. It would be something to keep in mind, during the fight that would inevitably come.
Callista looked up towards the edge of the rim, not towards them, not yet, but clearly she was looking. Dragging a wickedly sharp nail across Ben's cheek and causing the little boy to only cry louder, Callista shouted loudly, "I know you're here, Jade, and little Jaina too. You didn't really think you could hurt me did you? You have no concept of the true power of the Force." She laughed with derision. "I have your son, Jade, but of course, you already know that. I would have thought that you would have been smarter than to come alone, or to come at all. Surely you know I won't allow you to take him back alive," she paused, "Or at least not before he's become loyal to me."
Jaina could see Mara tense, and despite the anger burning within her, she laid a restraining hand on Mara's arm. It wasn't time to make a move and reveal their position yet.
Callista's smirk was full of hate and derision, "I'll give you a chance, Jade," she said coldly after a moment. "Consider my offer carefully, because you will only get one chance. Come and duel with me. A duel to the death," she specified. "If you win, you and your son and your niece to walk out of here alive, if I win..." Her smile was full of victory, "If I win I get it all. Nothing and no one will be able to stop me. I will rule the galaxy. After all Jade, only you and your foolhardy niece know that I'm a threat. The rest of the galaxy will be caught unaware and it will all be mine."
Jaina could almost feel Mara seriously considering what Callista had just said. "She won't keep her end of the bargain," Jaina said quickly, not even considering for a moment the possibility that Mara might not when a fight between them, "The Vong won't either. It's just a trap to lure us out of hiding."
"She already knows that we're here," Mara pointed out.
"Or she could be fishing for confirmation. Mara, we don't really know what Callista wants to do here, besides try to kill both of us and Ben, but we do know that she's a Dark Jedi who's working with the Vong. If she didn't have something else planned for us, or need us to reveal our presence for some reason, she wouldn't even be trying to negotiate with us."
"Jaina," pain and fear for her son were palpable in Mara's voice, "I have to do this."
The distinctive snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting, cut into their hurried conversation and for one frantic moment, Jaina thought Mara was already moving to take Callista's offered deal. Her blood ran cold a moment later, though, when she saw that it was Callista's lightsaber that had been drawn. It hissed through the air and then Callista shouted harshly, "Come out now, Jade or I will kill you son." It only took them one glance to see that Callista held her ignited lightsaber with the upper portion of the blade almost brushing Ben's throat. If Callista so much as coughed Ben would be dead.
This time Mara didn't hesitate and Jaina didn't try to stop her. She was right behind the Jedi Master. They leaped into motions, jumping up onto the rim, lightsabers igniting as they moved, and dove out into the air. They twisted as they dove, their lightsabers a blur of motion as they flicked away a hail of incoming thud bugs before they even hit the ground, roughly twenty meters below them.
Jaina rolled with the impact of her landing and sprang back to her feet, instinctively coming to stand back to back with Mara. Jaina was left facing the startled mass of Vong warriors, while Mara was face to face with Callista and Ben. Jaina could feel the tension in Mara's muscles- she was trembling with the effort of keeping herself from attacking Callista.
"Let him go, Callista," Mara said coldly, refusing to let her enemy see the slightest hint of weakness within her.
Callista laughed, "You would tell me what to do while I'm holding a lightsaber to your son's throat. You are insane, Jade. Now put down your lightsaber or your son will die."
"No."
Callista looked at Mara with a hint of disbelief in her eyes. A triumphant smirk began to grow on her face. "You would just stand there and watch your own child die, Jade. All that proves is that you are truly the Emperor's Hand. You might have convinced the rest of the galaxy that you've reformed, that you really love Luke, but I know better, Jade. And now Jaina does too. How do you like the knowledge that your precious aunt is nothing more than an opportunistic killer, Jaina?"
Mara tensed. She knew that what Callista was saying wasn't true, and she knew that Jaina was aware of that too, but what Callista said, had hit too close to home. It was too close to the truth in some ways. Twenty years ago, what Callista was accusing her of, could have been the truth. Back then she would have done almost anything to obey the Emperor's orders, regardless of who she had to hurt and lie to, to accomplish her mission.
Mara suddenly felt a tendril of Force energy brush her mind. Her first instinct was to push it away, anticipating a mental attack from Callista, but the moment she recognized her niece's unique mental signature she stopped and opened her mind to Jaina. A flash of images invaded Mara's mind as she let Jaina in and she almost smiled. She sent Jaina a wave of agreement quickly. It had only taken seconds for them to share Jaina's plan, and for Jaina to receive Mara's permission and agreement to act.
Their Force link allowed them to coordinate their motions, so Mara wasn't surprised when she saw Jaina spin towards Callista and throw one of the thermal detonator's towards Callista's other side.
Callista reacted with the speed and instincts of a fully trained Jedi, just as they had anticipated. She whipped her topaz blade away from Ben and sliced through the detonator in a blur of motion. Even as her blade came back around to hang threateningly next to Ben's neck, it was intercepted with a sharp crash by Mara's blue blade. Callista's look was one of priceless shock. It caused her to hesitate, just for a moment. A moment however, was all Jaina and Mara needed.
As Mara pushed her blade steadily away from Ben, Jaina aimed a sweeping kick at Callista's legs. As the still surprised Dark Jedi fell towards the ground, Jaina slammed the hilt of her lightsaber into a sensitive nerve on Callista's arm, causing the woman's arm to go numb, releasing Ben in the process.
Quickly Jaina, picked Ben up and stepped back away from Callista, as Mara stood protectively in front of them.
"Mama," Ben cried. Mara could hear the mixture of happiness at seeing her and fear in his voice.
Jaina shot a glance at Callista and then said quietly, "Here," and changed places with Mara, handing her son back to her.
The Vong warriors hadn't moved, yet, they had circled around the small group of Jedi, but were waiting for Callista's orders before they attacked. Everyone, Vong, Jedi, and child watched as Callista stood back up. "You won't win this, Jade." She threatened, as she watched Mara cradle Ben protectively against her. She looked past them and out at the Vong warriors. "Kill them, and bring me the child."
The first three Vong warriors charged Jaina even as Callista aimed a lightsaber slash at Mara and Ben. For a moment, Mara was frozen. She didn't know what to do. There was no way that she could fight Callista while she was holding Ben. She risked a quick glance at Jaina only to see that her niece was a blur of amethyst and tangled amphistaff's. Then Mara did the only thing she knew to do. She hated it with every fiber of her being, but it was the only way she could think of to keep them all alive.
Quickly she ducked beneath Callista's slash and put Ben down behind her. On the other side of him Jaina formed a protective barrier against the Vong. The next moment, Callista hardly knew what hit her. Mara's blade was nothing more substantial than a blur of motion, slashing and feinting towards Callista only to be gone a second later.
Callista managed to slam a fist into Mara's stomach a moment later, but her slight advantage didn't last long as Mara responded with a solid kick to Callista's knee that sent her staggering back and severely hampered her movement. Mara was temporarily distracted from her target as a thud bug flew towards her. She knocked it quickly out of the air, skewering it with the tip of her blade and risked a quick glance at Jaina.
Her niece was fighting with five Vong warriors, ducking under one's amphistaff even as she aimed a kick at another's throat. Her amethyst lightsaber was in constant motion, knocking away thud bugs and pushing away amphistaff's and coufees. Her deadly blade found the delicate underarm whole in one Vong's armor and slashed through the throat of another before Mara turned back to Callista.
The Dark Jedi had regained her feet, but Mara didn't give her a moment past that to regain the advantage. She surged forward, dispelling the brief burst of Force lightening that Callist threw at her. Her blue blade slashed down towards Callista's neck. At the last moment their blades met with a furious clash. Mara was instantly in motion again, searching for a hole in Callista's defenses. It only took her a moment.
Callista had been trained by the old Masters of the Old Republic and her fighting style was a bit more formal than Mara's. Mara's style was born of a galaxy at constant war and a need for survival. She was just a fraction of a second faster than her opponent, but that was all she needed. Mara aimed two powerful slashes at Callista, hammering her blade down, forcing her to use the hand weakened by Jaina's earlier. Callista's topaz blade only faltered by a few centimeters but that was all needed. Mara sharply kicked at Callista's now weakened, overextended hand and knocked it out of the way. With a twist of her wrist she disengaged her blade from Callista's and sent it towards her in a blow that would cut the Dark Jedi in half. At the last moment Callista managed to stumble back, almost falling to the ground in shock as the gaping wound in her side hissed and steamed.
Callista raised her hands, a vicious expression replacing the look of pain that Mara had caused. Force lightening flickered from her hand in furious bursts. The first and second attack Mara managed to catch on her lightsaber or dispel with her hand, but she wasn't so lucky with the third. It slammed into her right side and she almost collapsed, barely managing to keep a grip on her lightsaber.
"You're dead, Jade," Callista gloated raising her hand to shoot another burst at Mara, not noticing the scattered bodies of Vong warriors all around her or the fact that there were no more Vong warriors to tie Jaina up, for the moment.
"It's Jade Skywalker," Mara snapped as she steadied herself, keeping her lightsaber blade between her and Callista.
Callista sneered and released another barrage of Force lightning. Her sneer turned to a look of horror as she suddenly saw the Force lightening change direction and head back towards her. The last thing she saw before it hit her was Jaina standing next to Mara with a grimly satisfied expression on her face. "That was for Jag." Jaina raised her lightsaber and took a step forward, "And this is for all of the people that died because of you on Shelter."
Jaina's blade slashed down through the air, moving towards Callista's prone form in a diagonal slash. Somehow, summoning her strength at the last moment, Callista rolled towards Jaina. Jaina's blade missed beheading Callista by a few centimeter's, leaving a burning cut across her forehead and catching her shoulder with a deep cut.
Beyond comprehension of pain at that moment and consumed with anger, Callista grasped her lightsaber in her still good hand and slashed at Jaina's feet. Jaina jumped back, turning it into a flip that set her back several feet from Callista and gathered Ben into her arms, as Callista tried to stand.
Mara didn't let her, aiming a quick kick at Callista's rib cage and wrenching Callista's lightsaber from her with the force.
She raised her lightsaber towards Callista and froze as she heard, Jaina her name urgently. "Mara, we have to go, now. We don't have time to finish this," Jaina pointed towards several entrances near them. They could already see dozens of Vong pouring through the entrances moving towards them and filling the air with Vong war cries.
A hail of thud bugs and several spear like amphistaffs thrown perilously close to Ben, left Mara caught in a moment of indecision. She wanted Callista to die for everything that she had done. She raised her lightsaber to sink it, into Callista's torso, determined to finish it and stopped as Jaina said quickly, "Mara, we don't have time. We came here to save Ben. If we finish this now, there are too many Vong here. They'll kill us and Ben, too before we can get out, and that's if we're lucky. Do you want to subject him to Vong captivity?"
It was a low blow and one Jaina hated to use. She wanted Callista to pay for her crimes as much as Mara did, but she would never subject Ben to Vong custody and she knew that Mara wouldn't either. It was time to run.
Mara didn't wait a moment longer, she took Ben from Jaina and without casting a backwards glance at Callista ran towards the wall of the amphitheatre that had set on top of earlier. Jaina followed her quickly, guarding their retreat, slicing through thud bugs, and a several Vong limbs. She waited until Mara was on top of the ledge and raining blaster fire down on the Vong that were attacking her before she dared to stop fighting them long enough to take the several Force assisted leaps necessary to reach the top.
They were safe for now. Nothing could stop them, not the Vong warriors on the ground or even an entire Vong flotilla in space above the planet. Piloting the 'Shadow together, Jaina and Mara sent the ship diving through the Vong fleet, scorching skips into molten hulks of coral and sending other skips flying into other larger Vong crafts. They left a path of chaos, destruction and absolute mayhem in their wake as they entered hyperspace.