Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

"Sithspawn!" The word flew out of Jaina's mouth with enough vehemence to make Jag and Mara turn sharply around to look at her. Jaina put the coral ship into a roll that would lead into another, more complicated series of evasive maneuvers as she tried to evade the barrage of blaster fire and molten plasma that flashed randomly and purposefully through that area of space. "Now I remember why it's a very bad idea to steal enemy ships," she gritted out as she tried to surge through the swirling mass of fighting ships, towards the Star Destroyer that was their ultimate destination.

Of course, the Insider ships saw only that they were another Vong ship. Their goal was to blow Jaina and her shipmates out of the sky before they could reach the Star Destroyer. It only made the mission that much more difficult.

Jaina bit her lip as fragments of an exploded x-wing bit into the hull of the coral ship and she redoubled her concentration on the fight, struggling to avoid any more damage- both for their own safety and, strangely enough, out of sympathy for the injured vessel.

Jag studied Jaina intensely. Beneath her focused exterior, he could see the toll that her injuries and the multiple fights of the day had taken on her. He hadn't wanted to let her pilot the ship, but she did have the most experience with piloting Vong vessels. It was only with great reluctance and several reassurances from Jaina that he hadn't objected to Jacen helping her pilot the ship. While Jacen's mostly unknown abilities in controlling both the Vong and their biotechnology were what had urged Jaina to get him to help her control their vessel, that was precisely what was concerning Jag. Jacen's abilities- even the small portion of them that Jag had seen thus far- were enough to worry him, considering Jacen's less than stable loyalty. With that in mind, he turned back to Mara, his mind running through as many possibilities as he could think of for notifying the Insider forces that they were not a threat. The sooner that they could get Jaina, Mara and even himself to a med center the happier Jag would be. He would even go so far as to admit that he would be glad to see Kyp. He and the Jedi Master might not have always seen eye-to-eye, but Jag would feel much better about Jacen with Kyp around should anything happen.

"Is there anyway that we can strengthen the signal of our comlinks so that we could reach Kyp or any other friendly forces?" Jag asked, voicing what he thought the most likely of his plans. He was a skilled mechanic and he was quite competent with most technical things, but he hadn't spent much time working on or with comlinks.

Mara considered the question for only a moment before she responded. "Possibly," she admitted as she took a comlink from Jag's outstretched hand, "But the Vong aren't likely to have left a spare hydrospanner lying around here. Jaina," she raised her voice to get the attention of her former apprentice as Jaina jerked the vessel away from another threat, "You had better see if you can reach Kyp through the Force and let him know that we're out here."

"Already on it," was Jaina's terse reply. "His mind is pretty focused on other things right now. Shimrra's fleet is definitely giving him something to think about."

Mara's reply was pragmatic. "The sooner that we get back to that Star Destroyer, the sooner we can leave and then Durron won't have to worry about Shimrra."

The thin line of Jaina's lips curved slightly upwards a moment later in triumph. "Got him!" She stated for the benefit of the others. "He should be alerting the Insider fleet now."

Kyp jerked in his seat as he felt Jaina's mind brush against his, actively seeking his attention through their bond. Without hesitation he tuned out the people clamoring for his attention, the officers asking for more orders or those demanding to know exactly what he was thinking, and focused on Jaina. He could sense her injuries and the fact that she was definitely in trouble came through clearly as well. But Kyp could also sense her mental strength and her usual determination. It shone through to the front of her mind clearly.

He sent a thought in her direction. It was particularly coherent. It was instead a vague open question, seeking what she needed.

Her response came as quickly as his query. His head was filled with a quick flash of images that quickly explained the situation. It only took him an instant to locate the coralskipper that Jaina was in and a moment more to alert the fleet.

Loud banging on the side of his cockpit brought him sharply out of his intense focus on Jaina. After he had gotten word of Shimrra's incoming fleet, he hadn't bothered to waste time returning to the command center of the ship and was simply coordinating everything from his x-wing.

"What," he snapped at the officer who had interrupted him as he popped open his cockpit.

"Sir, Shimrra has destroyed three more of out light cruisers and anything that gets close to that...thing- doesn't come back. He's also sent us another message, Master Durron." The man fumbled awkwardly with the piece of flimsi and the top rail of the ladder that he was hanging on to.

Kyp snatched it quickly out of the man's hand and read: "You will be slaughtered without honor- or you will give me the Solo twins. Then you will receive a death worthy of the Gods. Decide."

Kyp threw the flimsi away roughly. "Send out an order for a full retreat. Any hyperspace capable ships that can jump to hyperspace go now."

"What about a response for Shimrra's offer, sir?" the man questioned.

Kyp actually turned back to look intensely at the man. "Death or death? That's no offer, Lieutenant. That's suicide. We're here to rescue the prisoners- not die." Kyp smirked. It was an old familiar expression for him, and one that he hadn't used in a long time, one that felt so good to wear again. "Tell Commander Slarne that he's in charge again, and," he added quickly as a new thought occurred to him, "I do want to respond to Shimrra. Tell Shimrra that I, Kyp Durron, Jedi Master and Destroyer of Carida, defy him. Tell him that he will never get the Solo twins and that I will see to his death myself. Tell him that I will guarantee a death more shameful than an infidel's."

"Sir." The man backed down the ladder, but there was still confusion and concern in his voice. "Sir, what are you doing?"

Kyp was hardly hearing the man anymore, as he hit the control that would close his x-wing's cockpit. In the moment that he had heard Shimrra's message one thought had become foremost in his mind. It was a thought that had dominated his life from his childhood in the mines of Kessel to an adulthood spent fighting first the Empire and then the Yuuzhan Vong. It was simple. Deny the enemy what it wants most.

What Shimrra wanted most was Jacen and Jaina. He would make sure that Shimrra didn't get what he wanted and then they would leave this system, leaving the Supreme Overlord empty handed. As far as Kyp was concerned it was an excellent plan.

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