Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt
A/N: Hah, you didn't believe me when I said I would get another one out within a week...you were right I posted chapter 16 last Saturday...but still one day, that's not bad considering I was sick most of the week
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Nevan came to a stop when they first came into view, his eyes ran over them quickly, assessing the situation. He could tell things would soon elevate if no one intervened and bolted forward, skidding to a stop between Qui-Gon and Aida, much to their surprise. Before either of them could get something out he began in the most commanding tone he had. "Aida! Go stand over there by Obi-Wan and do not move until you have run through every single calming technique you've learned."
"But!" Aida began to defend herself.
"Twice!" Nevan cut her off swiftly, he turned back to Qui-Gon. "She's still young and only an apprentice, what's your excuse!"
Qui-Gon stared at his old friend contemplatively for a second, turned, walked over to Aida, and bowed forward. "I apologize, no Jedi is perfect and sometimes even we loose our temper." He said in a tone mocking the general Jedi arrogance, turned back to Nevan and almost as an afterthought turned back to her and added. "Especially when your Master is involved."
A very wide grin spread across all their faces, with the exception of Nevan.
"Hey!" He exclaimed indignantly.
"Now come on we still need to find-" Qui-Gon trailed off as he slowly looked past Nevan.
The rest of them collectively followed his gaze.
"Awwww crap..." Nevan mumbled.
The hallway in front of them was blocked off, at least fifty Dark Jedi all holding activated lightsabers, and at the head of the group stood Orinis.
Qui-Gon turned his head to Nevan, all the while his eyes never leaving the small army they faced, and whispered. "I think a swift retreat would be the next order of business right now."
Nevan nodded slowly and motioned for Obi-Wan and Aida behind them to get a head start. When they were out of sight Nevan and Qui-Gon finally broke their gaze towards the Dark Jedi, looked to each other, and then ran like the wind with all the Force enhanced performance they could muster.
By the time they reached the ship it was ready and hovering above the ground. Both mean leapt onto the ramp and ran into the ship. Nevan replaced Aida in the pilots seat and brought the ship into orbit. "Ok I don't think we'll be getting to him that way." Nevan mumbled to himself, his voice filled with bitter sarcasm.
He flicked a few switched and cursed. "Aida, Obi-Wan get into the gunwells, it's that damn interdictor again!"
Slowly the familiar boxy, rectangular form of the interdictor cruiser appeared as it circled the planet. A swarm of triangular droid fighters covered the ship as more and more launched until it had disappeared from sight, completely blanketed by its own fighters. "I think they bought more." Nevan hissed as he made notice of the larger quantity of fighters since their last encounter.
He rolled the ship to the left as the first wave of fighters hit them.
A thrumming noise resounded throughout the ship as both of the powerful dual cannons on either side let loose volley after volley of fire. If any of them had not been in danger they might have noticed the beautyof it, fighter after fighter glowing as bright as a small sun before they exploded outwards.
The ship bucked as several enemy shots struck home.
Nevan hissed and pulled up, twisting the ship around in the process, firing off several torpedoes before bringing the ship back to it's original bearing.
A lucky shot rocked the ship and nearly threw Nevan out of his chair.
"Be a dear Qui-Gon, go take care of that pesky little fire in storage please." Nevan asked in an overly sweet tone, too engrossed in the battle to look away.
The ship bucked violently and flew into an unlucky ship, the massively superior shielding of the Demons Foe the only thing keeping it from turning into a fireball as they collided, unfortunate for the quick but unshielded design of the droid fighter.
"What the hell was that!" Nevan shouted.
Aida's voice responded over the intercom. "It's that cruiser, it's firing at us!"
Nevan moaned. "Oh yeah, is that so?" He asked with mock interest. "Well that's just great."
The Demons Foe looped around and headed towards the planter, Nevan hit the intercom. "Qui-Gon get to Obi's gunwell and slip into the whichever turret he didn't take."
"Understood." Qui-Gon responded.
"Listen up everybody, this is important, to your right is a red lever, when I give the command pull it."
Nevan hit the controls furiously and then leapt out of his chair, running for the port gunwells. Aida had taken the upper turret so he climbed into the lower turret and sealed the hatch behind him. His lips moved as he silently counted to himself, the time hit and he sent the silent urge through the Force. 'Now!'
Simultaneously all four of them pulled their levers and in a shower of sparks both gunwells separated from the ship and upper and lower turrets disconnecting from each other. Small engines on the back lit up as each one became a small one man fighter.
Overhead several timed proton torpedoes he released exploded over the ship, appearing the their pursuers as if the Demons Foe itself had been destroyed.
Nevan placed on hand on the viewport as his ship careened to the planet below, he let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. "Maybe I'll see if I can salvage you someday."
The comm buzzed as Qui-Gon opened up a channel. "We can fly low until we hit the other side of the planet, are these things hyperspace capable."
Nevans opened his eyes and never moved sight as his ship grew smaller and smaller. "The ship was originally a diplomatic design, I could barely add the turrets to them, these are nothing more than heavily armed shuttles."
The rest without major incident, they made their way to the other side of the planet as planned and they set course, all things went well they would reach the next habitable planet in thirty eight or so hours, ten hours before the life support systems died out.
The hours went by and Nevan leaned back in his chair and stared forward, he could hear the chatter over the comm, distant voices of the people he knew, but it was all background to the pain he felt for the loss of his ship, for the one connection he had left to his former life as a Jedi, and to his family and people.
"Nevan." His name was called numerous times but he couldn't tell by whom, or how many times it had been said, or how many different voices had called.
"Nevan." The voices persisted.
He sat back and took a deep breath. "I'm here, just lost in thought."
"'Bout what?" A different voice from the last one asked.
"Time brings hope and pain."
"Isn't that a little bleak?" The new voice asked, it was probably Aida's he decided from the deep concern that the tone held.
"I suppose so, yes." Nevan replied casually.
"That's not the Jedi I remember."
Nevan blinked, the voice was deeper and definitely male, it had to be Qui-Gon's, the words almost echoing what he had said to Aida before but now carrying a concerned tone.
"Qui-Gon?" Nevan ventured.
"Yes?" He responded.
Nevan looked out the viewport and furrowed his brow. "Where the hell are we?"
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A/N: Hope you all enjoyed, a new one should be out relatively soon and sorry this chapter was a little shorter than usual.