SoftWare: Here we go.
Sakowa: Oh, this.
SoftWare: Calm down.
Chapter Ten
Ambush
(EV Artemis, Kiros system)
Sakowa walked onto the bridge of the Artemis, and looked out the viewport. She saw nothing of note, so
she faced her first officer. "Why did you call me?" The first officer faced her. "We detected a Centennial
cruiser nearby. They're not in weapons range, but we're monitoring them." Sakowa nodded in
understanding, then sat in the command chair. "Cloak the ship." She thumbed the comm button. "Standby
alert. Centennial cruiser on approach." The commsman faced her. "Captain, we have an incoming message,
on the open frequency." Sakowa nodded. "Patch it through." Static filled the bridge. "Earth Vessel, we are
the Centennial Warbird Destroyer. We appreciate you coming out to find us. It's been so long since we've
had a worthy opponent. If you're listening, turn back to your quaint planet. Flee, for I am your doom!" The
transmission was cut off. Sakowa faced her helmsman. "Do not move us anywhere, Lieutenant." He
nodded. "Can we contact a Terran cruiser without them knowing?" The commsman nodded. "The Athena is
in range for secure communication." Sakowa nodded. "Contact them, and let them know what happened.
Tell them to send this information to Earth, and that we'll try to draw the Destroyer away from Kiros." The
commsman nodded.
(Centennial Warbird Destroyer)
The helmsman aboard the Centennial cruiser faced his commander. "My lord, I do not believe the enemy
will retreat, as you request." The commander laughed in his seat. "Of course not. The commander of that
ship is a Jedi. Not a very experienced Jedi, but a Jedi nonetheless. We will disable that ship, board it, and
take the crew prisoner. I will disarm the Jedi, and you will stun the crew. I need them alive." The helmsman
nodded. "Yes, Lord Khan."
(EV Artemis, main bridge)
"Move us out, slowly." The stars began to move on the viewport. However, shortly after they launched, an
explosion rocked the ship. "Captain, shields are at 50%! The Centennials must have fired on us!" Sakowa
mentally slapped herself. 'Of course they know where we are. Gakowa said the leader was a Sith.' "Can we
jump to Hyperspace?" The helmsman shook his head. "That hit knocked out the Hyperdrive. It'll take five
minutes to repair it." Sakowa groaned. "We don't have five minutes." She thumbed her comm. "All hands,
this is the captain. Abandon ship. This is not a drill!" Facing her bridge crew, she said, "Everyone, get off
the ship. It's me they want. I'll hold them off as long as I can." As her crew abandoned the Artemis in
cloaked shuttles, Sakowa turned the ship around, and fired her cannons at the missiles, hitting all but one.
That one knocked out the Artemis' shields. Finally, Sakowa noticed a group of small fighters fly out of the
Destroyer and head for her. They fired small bursts of energy, which shorted out her weapons. Sakowa
knew what they wanted, and activated a button on her chair. The chair and all the stations retracted into
hidden panels all over the bridge. Now barren and empty, Sakowa stood near the viewport, waiting. She
didn't have to wait long. The door opened, and in stepped a figure wearing dark armor, and a crosssaber in
his hand. He faced her, before facing his soldiers. "Wait outside." As the door closed, he faced Sakowa. "I
have waited for this day for a long time." Sakowa faced him. "What do you mean?" Darth Khan sighed, and
said, "You were conceived through midi-chlorians, yes, but I was the one who used the Force to make them
conceive you." Sakowa gasped, then ignited the emerald saber. Khan chuckled. "So, in a sense, I am your
father." He ignited the crosssaber, the crimson blades glowing in the darkness of the room. The two sabers
hummed in harmony. Sakowa faced him. "If you want me to join you, forget it. I already made that
mistake once. I'm not doing it again." Khan chuckled. "That is not why I am here. Not only are you my
daughter, but you are bait to draw your brother out." Sakowa made no reaction. She held the emerald
saber in a defensive stance, waiting. Khan lunged, and performed a horizontal slash, which she blocked
with a side-guard. She struck back, shoving his blade back, and he backed up a few steps. "Interesting. It
seems you're learning from your mother." Sakowa's eyes widened in shock. "How-?" Khan laughed. "In
close quarter combat, Ahsoka Tano, like her mother, Shaak Ti, always preferred Form V, which you favor to
a ridiculous degree. Your brother, in the meantime, was taught by Jack Hudson, who taught him Forms I
and III. However, Gakowa likes having options, and learned Forms II, V, and VI. I can understand learning
these. Form II is my personal preference, while Form V is your mother's, as I said. Form VI is an excellent
choice for dealing with multiple opponents." Sakowa held her lightsaber in the Djem So stance, waiting.
Darth Khan struck, intending on disarming her, while she took his blade head-on with her own, locking
them in place. Darth Khan was impressed. She'd learned much. However, she had not learned everything.
He swung his blade back, forcing the saber out of her hand, and into his own. Sakowa stood there in shock.
Darth Khan smirked. "You do not know what it takes to win a war. But I do, and as does your brother. Did
he tell you about the Traveler War?" Sakowa nodded. "What about it?" Khan smirked. "Did he tell you how
he won it?" Sakowa nodded. "Your point is?" Khan chuckled, before saying, "Your mother would never have
thought of the winning strategies as Gakowa has, hence is why he is the only one who can defeat me." With
that, he used the Force to induce a sleep into his daughter, and she fell onto the deck, unconscious.
A/N
SoftWare: A shocking revelation.
Sakowa: Why did it have to be me?
SoftWare: Gives Gakowa a good reason to take on Khan.
Sakowa: ...Fine.
Computer: SoftWare, offline.