A/N: Sorry for all the angst! I promise that it will get happier...eventually! Good things come to those that wait...
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
Chapter 7
The Ebon Hawk exited hyperspace, and immediately ran into the Sith Armada. Carth's face was wrinkled with worry and determination. It was a suicide mission...he knew it. He also didn't care...she was alive, that was all that mattered. If he couldn't save her, he would die trying. The others felt the same way.
Unfortunately, the Armada had been waiting for them. They had lost the element of surprise...he just hoped that would be the only thing lost today. Interceptors started to close in on their positions. Carth felt a sudden chill. Something was wrong, real wrong.
"Jolee, Juhani? Do you feel that?"
Silence.
"Carth...quiet! Their meditating. They said that they sensed something about the lead interceptors. Right now they are trying to pin-point the source of the disturbance and stop it or hold it off." Mission stated as she walked up behind Carth.
"OK...but I need someone else on those gun turrets. Fast." he winked at her.
"Got 'cha covered, old man. I'm on it!" Mission ran off towards the left turret.
Carth began his evasive manuvers. He had to get close to the largest ship. Oh-no. The Leviathan? I thought that ship was destroyed at the Star Forge. She has to be on that one...I know it. He was jarred out of his thoughts by a blast that nearly took his sheilds out. He activated the comm to Canderous and Mission. He heard swearing and something about the Sith's mother.
"What the hell was that?" Carth yelled.
"What? I was just saying that the commander's mother looked like an..." Mission was interrupted.
"Not that! I meant, how did that shot get through our defenses?" Carth corrected.
"Hey! It wasn't my fault! That ship is fast! It's too fast...it's like it's propelled more by..." She was cut off by Jolee scratchy voice. He didn't sound too happy.
"That ship is propelled by something other than itself. It's being propelled by..." he swallowed," the Force."
"That would mean..." Carth started.
"It's Bastila, Carth. She's on the Sith's side...but she's not using her Battle Meditation yet. She figures we're easy prey."
"She's gonna be right if another of those shots get through..." Carth said.
"I told you. It wasn't my fault!" Mission yelled back, matching Carth's tone.
Carth was too busy now to reply back. The news he had just recieved was disturbing. With Bastila on the Sith's side, they didn't stand a chance. Carth brought the ship into a dive and then performed a sharp left turn, heading right at attacking fighters and the largest capital ship. If he was going down, he was going to take as many of them as possible with him. The Hawk fired her turrets rapidly and repeatedly. Five interceptors went down, including one of the ones in Bastila's sqaudron. The comm crackled to life again...
"Ebon Hawk, stand down. You will not survive this encounter if you do not surrender now." The voice mocked.
"Negative, we're not giving up without a fight." Carth said back.
"Carth Onasi. I suppose I should have known it would be you who would come to rescue her. Too bad your valient effort will be in vain." she snickered.
"Bastila. I swear if you hurt her, I'll..." she cut him off.
"Oh, don't worry, Carth. I didn't do anything to her that she hasn't already done to herself or others. I will repeat one last time...stand down or we will blow your ship to hell!"
"I'll stand dow--" Carth began," Wait! No! I won't be persuaded by those mind tricks. I 'm getting to her, even if I have to go through you to get there!"
Carth cut the transmission, and upped the accelerater and sheilds. The ship wasn't going to last much longer if they keep taking these kind of beatings. If I could just get close enough to the capital ship to land in there hangar...Another explosion hit the hull of the ship sending it in a spiral downwards. Carth used that to their advantage, and then sent it spiralling back up with turrets firing. Their ship was moving too rapidly and spontaneously to be tracked or get a lock on. He then transferred all remaining power to the boosters and sent the ship flying towards the Leviathan. Once close enough, Carth jammed into the hangars, blasting all the docked ships and personnel. The ship's landing sequence initiated and they landed safely in the hangar.
Dark Jedi poured out of the doors surrounding the landing pad and made a run towards the ship. Many of them were gunned down before they made it, but the ones who survived were struck down by either Juhani or Jolee who were both outside the ship, protecting it against invaders. The rest of the crew was busily equiping their armor and weapons. Juhani and Jolee were casting an aura at the entrance to the hangar. That was to protect the crew from attacking interceptors...especially Bastila, who had begun using her Battle Meditation too late in the battle.
Mission put on her infiltrator gloves, a gift from Hayley once they had escaped Taris. Hayley had saved up all her credits to buy the gloves for her. Mission had been grieving for her planet, but once Hayley gave her those gloves...all the pain seemed to melt away. Mission knew that the Leviathan had a well serviced security system, that would be a challenge to hack into. Those gloves would sure come in handy.
Canderous examined his Mandalorian Battle Armor that Hayley had salvaged from a wreck on Tatooine. It was a momento from his battle with Jagi in the dunes. It was slick and polished, Canderous had taken good care of it. He trusted that armor to protect him from all elements. It was also a reminder that Mandalorian culture would never completely perish.
Zaalbar was fixing and upgrading the droids. HK-47 was equipped with a flamethrower and stun ray. Hayley never felt comfortable with a droid, such as HK, weilding really lethal weapons. T3-M4 squeeled and he wheeled over to the hatch of the ship. He was well equipped for this mission. He would make sure that no ships or unwanted soldiers got close enough to the Ebon Hawk or its crew to do damage. He was made for security measures.
Carth held his Echani Vibroblade. It felt smooth and warm to the touch, but also glowed softly. Hayley had modified it in a way that no one was ever really sure what she had done to it. Carth knew though. She had put a Solari crystal in it. One of the rarest crystals in the galaxy. It had a natural defense to Darkside power and a natural affinity to lightside...so whenever Carth held it, he felt at peace. Carth ran his hand over the refined blade. It was still as sharp as it had been when she had first given it to him.
"Hurry up, kids! Juhani and I can't keep this up forever! Bastila will try and get into your mind with her Battle Meditation...you musn't let her control you! Remember my words, if nothing else when you face her...If she tries to enter your mind...play Pazaak!" Jolee said as he strained to keep the forcefield up and running.
"What do you mean?" Carth asked as he finished sheathing his weapon.
"I mean...if she tries to mess around with your mind, play Pazaak in your head. She most likely won't expect it...so she will not be able to get past it." Juhani added.
"Oh...I get it. Use Pazaak as a form of mental barrier, right?" Carth said as he headed down the ramp with Canderous, Mission, and Zaalbar beside him, and HK-47 bringing up the rear.
"Right, sonny! Now get moving! If we can, we will join you later." Jolee turned towards Carth,"Bring her back safe..."
"Like I'd have it any other way?" he smiled.
The crew followed Carth over to a computer terminal. Carth motioned for T3-M4 to come over. He quickly and skillfully hacked into the security terminal and shut off the central alarms. This would allow them to move around freely without setting off the motion sensor alarm.
"OK...here's the plan. Mission, you'll activate your stealth emitter and scout ahead to make sure that we don't run into any surprises, then Canderous, Zaalbar, and I will go and rescue Hayley from her cell...uh, once we know where it is. Which leads me to you again, Mission. I need you to hack into the main frame and locate Hayley's current position, then the rest of us will take care of the rest. HK-47, I need you to cover us once we start heading towards her location." Carth said confidently.
"Query: does that mean I may blow up any meatbags along the way, Master?" HK chimed in.
"Like hell it does!" Canderous stated," Time to do things like a Mandalorian!
"Alright, everyone! You all know your duties?" Everyone nodded." OK, good. By the way, our prime objective is to get her out of here...alive. That means that I'm counting on you guys to continue the mission...if something happens to me. You get her out, no matter what. Understand?" Everyone nodded their head reluctantly." Alright, soldiers, let's move out!"
Everyone quickly began ther job. Mission sliced into the computer with ease, fingers flying over the controls.
"She's on Level 7, cell block 8, detention cell 17." Mission let out a gasp," Carth, we have to hurry! She's set to be terminated in five minutes!"
Carth wasted no time, he quickly ran down the hallways with his blade cleanly slicing unaware soldiers seperating him from his love. HK-47 was clearly enjoying what he called "unaltered violence" as he shot down soldiers who were following them. Canderous' repeating rifle could be heard for miles as the shots rang clear, each hitting a guard and knocking them to the ground. Mission's voice came over the small handheld comm. It shook with fear.
"C-Carth?Come i-in."
"Canderous, cover me." Carth turned and knelt behind a wall," Mission? What is it? Is everything OK?"
"Carth, the guards just came and took her! She looked bad, Carth...real bad. I think they're gonna...gonna" Mission started to cry softly.
"Mission? Do you know where they're taking her?" Carth said softly.
"N-nooo..." she started crying again.
"Mission, it's alright. We'll find her. I promise. Right now I need you to follow the guards and let me know where they're taking her. Understood?" Carth said, trying to comfort her.
"U-understood, Sir. Mission out." She cut the transmission.
"Heads!" A blaster shot flew past Carth, barely missing him.
"Thanks for the warning." He said sarcastically," We have bigger problems right now, though. The Sith have apparently upped the time of her execution. The guards just took her. We have to hurry!"
"Let's move then! C'mon, Onasi, let's go save your girl!" Canderous said as they rushed down the hallway and into the elevator, taking it to the lower levels of the ship.
A/N: Just a little morsel for you people to chew on. Someone is going to die soon! Who will it be? Why will they die? Do they really die at all? Hhhmmm...I think I will keep that to myself. MUAHAHA! Sorry...review please! The more reviews...the quicker I update! If you like this story please tell me!