Author's Note: I have been busy the last few days, so I haven't had time to work on this fic. Now that I am almost done with Rakata (this planet is basically a large prologue to introduce the characters as I will have them, as well as the situation) I will start to get bigger chapters. This short chapters are basically to show how each character has changed partially and whatnot. As always, reviews are very welcome.
One other thing, I need a new beta reader whom can get on an instant messenger. I have myo w style of writing, but I need someone besides the office spellchecker to go over my grammar and sentence structure. Now then, on with the story.
Rude Awakening.
Blaster bolts whizzed past his head as he dropped down from the lowered ramp to slide down the canyon slope towards the convoy. His Heavy Repeater met the red lines of destruction with its own pellets.
Canderous had changed during his journey with Revan. He was never one to delude himself, and he knew that what he had experienced had shaken his foundations soundly: especially the battle with Jagi. This might be his primary field of expertise...but what did he have to show for it? The clans were scattered and broken, and possibly never to be seen whole ever again. And what of himself? Was he to become one of the few Mandalorian warriors still alive who stuck to the old ways? Who knew...one thing was for sure, he /was/ part of a dying breed...and that scared him more then he thought was possible now.
He would have to think on it later. For now, Revan -Mandalore- needed him, and he was /not/ going to let the unofficial leader of the clans die to the Sith if he had anything to do about it.
He could see the Wookie and Bastila charging down the other side as the Hawk took the brunt of the surprise attack, vibroblade and lightsaber slashing through the Sith like paper. The study ship above had good shields; but it wasn't a warship, so it would have to break off eventually. For now, they would take advantage of the confusion. He promptly threw a couple frag grenades into the front and back ends of the convoy, decimating a dozen troopers instantly.
Canderous saw a few of the guards were about to send the hover-bed with Revan ahead to the Sith base at high speed. They knew they were outmatched. The group attacking them was only about three strong, but they were three very experienced warriors, and one of them was a powerful force user, and they now had none as Zaalbar had managed to burn them to death with two well thrown plasma grenades.
They had the advantage of attacking from high ground, which meant grenades would just roll back down if the Sith threw any. They were also moving incredibly slowly. Obviously they didn't expect to be found this late in the battle, typical arrogant Sith.
They needed to cut the Sith off from escaping, the hover-bed with Revan was already going ahead of the main group. But he wasn't letting them go anywhere. Canderous hit his comm., "Carth, get that droid to use the turret on the rock formations ahead. They are trying to make a run for it with Revan. We have the ground troops now."
A voice filtered back through after a moment. "HK is on it." As Canderous was busy mowing down the remains of the guard, he saw Bastila go ahead towards the bed with Revan. It was going at full speed, so Bastila was running as hard as the force would let her.
These Sith were pitiful. They barely gave much of a fight, if at all. He was just shooting them down as they went, and their aim was atrocious. Why had the Sith sent inexperienced -and from what he could tell, untrained- troops to secure Revan?
He heard a rumble from his left, and looked to watch the other side of the small valley blocked just in time for the bed to nearly crash into it, they did managed to steer it around while trying to shoot Bastila though. It started to go around, but Bastila cut the offending pilots' head cleanly off with her lightsaber.
All in all, the battle lasted only four minutes. They clearly weren't expecting anyone following them in the middle of the small war that had broken out over half the planet. But they were wrong.
As he and Zaalbar came up, Bastila was busy channeling the force into her lover, helping the healing process along. Canderous was the first to speak, "Any major injuries?"
Revan was incredibly resilient, he knew, but that didn't mean that he wasn't human. Canderous looked the man over.
Plasma had completely destroyed most of Revan's clothing, and the remaining was wrapped around his waist. The liquid energy had also severely burned one side of his body, while the other seemed to be nearly untouched. Whether it was because of Revan's angle to the attack, his healing trance, or some other factor, he didn't know.
Bastila seemed to be regaining her composure, "He will live...I do not know how he managed to survive being smeared by a plasma warhead however."
Canderous grunted, "He is a superb warrior. That's no surprise."
Zaalbar chimed in, "Let us leave this place, we should not wait for the Sith to come back and try to finish what they started."
Bastila looked up to Zaalbar, but said nothing. Instead, she looked around.
The small valley was covered with Sith bodies. After a minute of surveying, she spoke up, "Zaalbar is correct, we should return to the Ebon Hawk and depart. We will most probably have company soon, and the Republic will probably be able to use my Battle Meditation to help speed the battle along."
He had to agree, this battle had spread across the planet, and they could not be everywhere at once. It seemed the Sith had been organizing to try and battle the Republic off Rakata, as well as the Rakata themselves. The attempt actually seemed to be at a stalemate for now, though obviously the areas around the party were most secure, since the security details for the dignitaries and the party itself were driving them back.
Almost on cue, The Ebon Hawk settled in the valley in a particularly wide area. Almost immediately Carth's voice came over their comm-links, "We should get going while we have the chance. There are reports of major fighting going on across the planet. Seems the Sith aren't going to just let us stick around. Even The Rakata are taking losses..."
Canderous grunted back through the comm-link, "The Sith are sore losers, and want to destroy the Rakata before they can consider joining the Republic. That isn't surprising, what I would do." he went over to the hover-bed and began to guide it towards the open ramp of the Hawk.
Halfway there, Bastila chimed in over the comm-link"Carth, can the fleet locate Mission and Juhani?"
Carth Replied, "I don't know if they can, but I will try...we can take a breather now."
X X X
Once they all were on board, Revan was immediately sent to sickbay with Jolee and HK-47. Zaalbar, Canderous, and Bastila went to the common room, with Carth already waiting.
Carth spoke first, "Bastila, you should go to your quarters and start up your battle meditation. The rest of us will handle the Hawk." She nodded and began to walk off, sparing a concerned glance into to the sickbay as she went.
The pilot then looked to the others, "T3 is working on regenerating the shields faster. That Sith convoy did more damage then I'd like to admit..."
Canderous looked at him, raising an eyebrow, "Is that respect I hear from you, towards the Sith?" Zaalbar gave a snort that was trying not to be laughter.
"As much respect as I have towards Mandalorians, Mandalorian." Carth Replied, and began to head to the cockpit before Canderous could give a retort.
Once there, he plopped down unceremoniously into the pilots chair and began to lift off once more, only to feel the familiar rumble of blasters go through the ship. Great, I knew I should have put this thing on autopilot. He hit the internal comm., "Incoming fighters. Someone get on the turrets until we get in orbit!" He shouted into the comm. as he hastily began to push the throttle out to the max.
He switched off the internal comm and established a link with the orbiting command ship, "This is the Ebon Hawk. We are-" he was interrupted as the comm was switched off and a voice came from behind him.
"We are going to find Mission and Juhani first, then we are going to Kashyyyk."
Carth looked behind him to see the half burned form of Revan. Looking at Carth, with his palm outstretched towards the communications switch.
