The Clouds Align For Battle
Chapter 26: Hard Fought
I own not those situations I borrow from Disney Properties, Lucas, Mechalich or Thomas Benjamin DeMayo. This is a dramatization from my mind on a character created from the meld of table gaming and so on. Special thanks to ideas Drew Karpyshyn and Tim Lebbon fermented. Special thanks to Morihei Ushiba who formed Petre with his wisdom. Like any mind construct this is an exercise and my own work building on other ideas from the past.
This is a Zeison Sha story, set in what is known as the Star Wars EU.
Shanev
BBA
I am never alone, for the Force is with me
I am never defenseless for the Force is my shield
I am never ignorant for the Force guides me to knowledge
I am never helpless for the Force is my tool
Twi'Lek Major Jai'Don flew out of the stone cave hanger with Dede as his wizzo (weapons officer) in an ARC fighter just in time to hear Shay Lin call for backup as she engaged enemy TIEs from above the assault ship that landed.
"Let's give the attack squadron some air cover!" he shouted as he pointed the ARC into battle, his command crew following the Attack bomber out to meet the TIEs.
Shandra, flying wing for Kae and mostly bombing the trees to fall on/ tip over the armor was nearly out of ammunition except for her guns followed Kae who was completely out as they strafed up the rear of an AT-AT formation. Then Kae "tail walked" her bird from the third to the lead her bow yawing slightly to the right as bolts from the trailing armor shot by and punching the throttles so hard, plasma shot from the engines pointing her skyward. The AT-AT in the lead and its flank mate tipped over leaving the "soft underbelly for Shandra to strafe and then climb to reform for another run.
"How ya doin wing3" Kae clicked.
"I got two." Shandra responded.
"Ash to intruders, furball up here done, its puffy time! Ship or Armor for us?'
"Trude lead, armor, have any packing take ass ship! Otherwise strafe infantry!" she paused looking at Shay's dilemma "Time for us to come to Pink's rescue! Piss and Vinegar UNITE!" she shouted in a war whoop turning her ship toward the upcoming hairball.
"Relax let go of yourself and let the Force Flow, open your soul as a defensive shield." Jahn's voice issued from the Starkey. Shay took a deep breath as he had taught her and then felt like she had seven hands on all buttons and forty eyes on consoles interfacing with the "contacts" Jahn had insisted they design into the intruders HOTAS system.
"for freedom." She whispered empty of emotion and passion for the first time in her life as the attack bird responded like never before to her touch a tear for what she needed to do rolled down her cheek and the engines and repulsors fired like never before.
"Oh my!" said Captain Per Diton, Jai'Don's wingman and first officer as the attack craft in front of her unleashed a wheeling spiral barrage what could only be described in celebratory fireworks before her eyes. TIEs were running into each other to avoid the twisting dart in their midst and she pressed his canons to plow a lane before herself as well. When they cut through the wave of fighters she saw the assault ship Aggressor which was firing turbolasers in a similar defensive spray.
"Candy, do we have anything for that?" She asked her wizzo.
"A couple of UHE thermals but we would have to get clear or loop a toss shot. Shields will be ineffective." Was the response from the fat man.
"Target the sensors and bridge."
"We may not be able to beat the blasts."
"Do you want your children to see Gitrazin free? I want my children to see Ryloth free."
"First step eh?"
"First Step. All shields front." And Per drove the throttles to the firewall.
Ash and Puffy crew emerged from the clouds raining one ion bolt and two turbolaser shots every three seconds as they began a pounding strafe of the 18 lines of AT-AT's left. Six blockade runner freighters ran toward the Aggressor followed by one intruder and one ARC fighter as Shay's intruder rapidly turned to re-enter the 100 fighter swarm and Kae joined on her wing.
Lyi Chinwe stood, battle knife and diskblade ready with a pair of knives in her boot's toes ready to engage the enemy as she stood with her back to the cavern's exit. Dar'n stood on the opposite side awaiting the company of storm troopers and their Kadilimen as well. A silent look and nod were all she needed to know they would gladly trade their lives for the people of Shanev fighting infantry below with the spears, arrows and recent additions, slugthrowers.
"What I could do with thirty of the snipers now." she thought and a wink of glare flashed from the rocky brush.
Jahn faced his older half brother Soren in a masterful dance. His staff spinning in Soresu perfection, all the years of losing sparring matches to Jannma, Streehn and others finally paying off while he conserved his energies awaiting ….
Ni'ko in a classic Sha battle with his mother was put to the test as she wore him down and needled his psyche.
"You don't want to harm me, you want to help me. We will save Sha Kalan and the universe together as Empress and Heir."
Ni'ko recognized the forbidden arts being used on him, Force power directed to harm him or control him, not to use the diskblade as a shield or to end a threat. Even Jahn's near heretical crap was pure compared to this. All Jannma's training of him, to resist such things came to bear as he finally responded.
"Madre, you have violated our trust and by the fait vested upon me," he twisted and turned from a decapitation blow "I assume the family right of Chasten," he parried a Force push with a rend element "you are no longer my blood, your life forfeit this day."
Akumi roared in rage redoubling her efforts to get past her son toward her goal of killing Jahn.
Jannma was in her element, pure battle and song weaving as she took the powers directed her way and bounced them or their weapons back. Her cat like smile evident on her face she took the energy the Kadiliman pounded her with and deflected it back at him with ease. In a surprising triple blow trade one lightsaber sped through an arm and his torso while the other parrying his blow one handed during her riposte.
She blinked and then her eyes looking at Jahn well within his limits still, indeed better then ever before and cast her gaze on Akumi.
"YOU!" she declared coldly causing the Shan's to break apart momentarily. Akumi was quite aware of the skill of Jeron and the tales of Jannma's prowess launched herself into the woods in as swift a retreat as could be done.
"WAIT! Right of Chasten! She is undefeated this day, unless she returns Chastened, she is marked for death tomorrow at dawn and forever more." Ni'ko responded stopping Jannma's pursuit.
"The Right of Chasten has not been declared on him." she pointed a lightsaber at Soren who took a break, totally drained from his fight with Jahn at this point.
"Tell our sister she was good and I made a mistake. For that, I choose my own death." Soren said before splitting his own head with his lightsaber. Jahn without the Force from his enemy collapsed his face plate opening.
"I" pant pant "have got" pant pant "to get to Dar'n." pant pant "and then find a better way."
"Not bad for an almost 14 year old. You will be and get stronger." Jannma said with pride.
"Go, I will catch up," he waved "to the hanger" was still breathing hard "some way."
"Te amo asawa ko" she said softly.
"Te Amo Asawa Ko." He said still breathless.
