The sentry at the entrance of Ker Nargon peered into the darkness of the forest, fully aware that she had to keep her head if they were going to survive the night. The dark seemed so black, as if it was going to close in on her at any moment. She could sense the movement in the forest just out of her sight, but could not do much about it. However, she was young, and her senses were not that attuned. She didn't even see the shadow behind her until it was too late. She was dead before she could even utter a cry, the shadow vanished into the entrance.
"Pica?" a feminine voice sounded, "Pica is everything alright?" the person rounded the corner, looking down at the body on the ground. "Pica!" the girl exclaimed, examining how her friend died. She looked into the forest, another shadow emerging from it, it jumped at her, pinning her to the ground. But she was older, and not as easily overtaken, she flipped the being over on its back via her ankles, quickly jumping on top with a knife in her hand. She killed him, seeing that the 'shadow' bit was nothing more than an illusion, and disappeared. "Echuio! Echuio! Narthan! I' coth anglenna! Echuio!" she shouted which roughly translated to: "Waken! The enemy is here!"
Another shadow came out of the forest, trying to silence her warning. This time they would have succeeded, but an amber lightsaber sliced it in half – Ariadné standing in front of the sentry protectively. "Nara i' buio! Anim maethati! Si!" she ordered to the girl, sending her toward the fortress. The girl nodded, allowing the Captain to do her job, she ran through the fortress crying out the distress signal.
The shadows all descended on Ariadné, with the same idea in mind – to kill her. She cut through the beings one by one, but she was outnumbered. Right before she was about to try and retreat, she was backed up by Myrna, and Taina – whose blue blade shimmered in the evening darkness. Eventually twenty of the beings were laying on the ground dead, the rest retreated back into the forest.
"Senkas." Taina said, "Shadow people."
They all listened to the darkness, peering into the forest.
"Its quiet. They might have just been scouts." Myrna suggested.
"Scouts or not, they're coming back." Ariadné replied, "And when they do, it won't just be Senkas. We need to get back inside." they moved closer to the fortress, all three could sense other creatures in the tree line. It was only a matter of time. They got inside and shut the entrance, locking it as best they could.
"Any secrecy we hoped for is now gone." Myrna said, "We have to get to the other side before its too late." they walked away from the door.
"You're right." Ariadné said. "We need to go now."
None of them noticed the shadow that killed Pica unlocking the door, and slipping out.
Taina, Ariadné, and Myrna all moved toward where the transport was docked. "I'm afraid we're going to have to bump up the schedule. They know you're here, they can't possibly think you'll be leaving." Taina said, "But it would be better if you weren't here when they came."
"You think that you'll be overrun?" Ariadné asked.
"I hope not Milady, but I don't count on certainty. Here we are." Taina replied as they arrived at the tube-like docking station.
"How does this work again?" Myrna asked.
"That door over there, it is underwater." Taina answered, pointing to a large metal door on the other side of the transport. "This door here closes, to avoid flooding this part. That one opens, and the transport is shot out of it. You will be completely underwater until you reach the other side, at which point, you will be allowed to get out. Once you get on land, the autopilot with send the transport back here."
"And how will we get back?" Myrna inquired.
"You mean if we live" Ariadné answered, "Its difficult to say. But if we somehow finish our mission, and are able to get back – then we send a transmission."
"And if we fall?" Taina asked.
Ariadné sighed, looking at the Corporal, "Then we don't get back."
"Fair enough, Captain." Taina replied, motioning to the technician that they would be setting off. "May the Force be with you Captain." she called as Ariadné and Myrna climbed into the transport.
"Thank you Taina, may the Force be with you." Ariadné replied as the sound of a ruckus began above. They all looked up.
"Now!" Taina shouted to the technician, running back up the tunnel. Ariadné shut the cockpit as the door behind them slammed shut, and the door in front opened.
"No turning back now." Myrna said.
Ariadné smiled, "I had no intention of turning back" she said as the tunnel began filling with water. Pressing a few buttons, the transport started, and suddenly they moved forward – the dark water of the Eridanus encompassing them.
Taina ran back up the tunnel, the technicians all following her. The sight that greeted her reminded her of the Jedi purge, except instead of Clone Stormtroopers the fortress was overrun by Kerestians. Taina slashed through one that came toward her with her saber, referring back to her old training for her fighting. She knew one thing, she had to protect where the Captain had gone before the transport got back.
"Send a transmission to Cairn Corness, tell them we have been attacked but that the Captain got through." she told the technician behind her, "Do it now!"
"Right away Corporal." the girl replied, running back down the tunnel.
"Beria barad! Hebdelos!" she shouted to her battalion, which gathered behind her. They all came to the cry of encouragement to keep the fortress safe, and to not give into fear. The Kerestians stood on one side, the Tyrnians on the other. The leader of the attacking group growled at Taina, "Maeth!" she called them all to fight, and with a mighty yell they charged the Kerestians head on.
Tiana blocked a blow from one of the death-sticks, jumping over the leader of the attack and slicing him in two from behind. She spun, killing another attacker. She Force-pushed an ambushing Kerestian away from one of her battalion members. Her lightsaber stabbed behind her, effectually stabbing another Kerestian. The fight was going relatively well, and they were winning.
Suddenly, without any sensing it whatsoever, a blow to her neck rendered her motionless. She fell, darkness overtaking her.
A knock resounded on Luke's door, waking the Jedi from his not so pleasant slumber. "Commander Starkiller, Commander." Justiss' voice resounded from the other side. Luke opened the door, his blue eyes looking blearily at the other man.
"Justiss, what is it?" Luke asked, his voice hoarse and strained.
"Commander, we have bad news. Ker Nargon has been attacked." Justiss said, causing Luke to wake quickly.
"Ker Nargon? The Captain, did she get out?" he asked quickly, moving back into his room and getting dressed.
"Yes, sir. Corporal Wyn sent a transmission saying that the Captain had made it out." Justiss replied. "She will probably be landing on Echtra soon."
Luke looked at the Sergeant, "Get Colonel Windress and Organa. I need to see them now." he ordered.
"Already done sir." Justiss replied, getting out of the Commander's room quickly.
Luke got dressed, "Ben," he said to the air, "You better be right."
Ariadné and Myrna arrived on the beach of Echtra. They quickly got out of the transport, collecting their things. They needed to move quickly, the beaches were no place for shelter. They could hear loud noises coming from Ker Nargon, but they knew they could do nothing more than what they were already doing. It was for the good of Tyrn.
"Come on, Windress." Ariadné called to her companion who was looking behind, "We need to move."
Myrna nodded, pressing the buttons on the autopilot, watching as the transport disappeared into the depths of the water. "All clear." she whispered.
The Captain moved with purpose, entering the tree line. She stooped down, her blaster in hand, she waited for Myrna. They moved deeper into the forest, keeping their senses tuned. They soon approached the ruins of one of the old fortresses – Ker Amlung.
"We better rest here tonight" Ariadné said quietly, "We'll head out in the morning. I'll take the first watch. And it would probably be better if we start calling each other by our aliases now. And lose our Tyrnian accents. We'll speak more like we're from the outer-rim planets, as that is how they speak here." she said, switching her voice to sound like she had heard Luke speak. "Do you understand, Fatine?"
"Clearly, Khariya." Myrna replied, changing her own voice to mimic a outer-rimmer. "I only hope we can get out of this place alive."
Ariadné smirked, "Keep on hoping, Fatine. We will." she said, "Now get some sleep." Myrna followed orders, and left the Captain to keep guard.
"We need to do something." Luke said after the holo from Ker Nargon had been viewed, "We have to. If we don't then we are lost." the Colonels nodded.
"What do you suggest Commander?" Neil Organa asked, voicing Kendall's question as well.
"We have to reinforce Cairn Corness." Luke replied, "Do we have all the reinforcement that we can get from the neighboring cities?" he turned to Justiss.
"We've got all we can." the Sergeant replied, "And its not much. Most of our men went to the Alliance. We've only got a few older men, and women. The children are too young."
A new voice entered the fray, "If we were to pull the shield down, then we could get reinforcement from the outside." it was Dreadnaught. "We could get help from the Alliance."
"Captain Llewellyn would not make that decision." Luke said sternly, "And unless I have no other alternative, then neither will I."
"Why?" Dreadnaught asked stepping into the group of military officials, "Why Captain Starkiller? You are from the Alliance. You know we need their help. Why do you support a woman who is deranged and would have us all killed rather than let her petty bitterness at those outside be put aside."
Luke turned toward the man, "That 'deranged woman' Senator, is currently on the other side of the river. I suggest you remember that when you make such statements." he warned calmly, "But we are currently in a meeting."
Dreadnaught chuckled, "I never knew that her hatred of Luke Skywalker would influence you as well, Starkiller. I thought he was the hero of the Alliance." he said.
The Jedi sighed, "I assure you, I don't hate Luke Skywalker." he said smirking slightly, it wasn't as if he could hate himself, "But she wouldn't want me to. She is the Captain here, and I simply am standing in her place temporarily. I will not do something she would not like." he said, "With all due respect." he almost laughed, she was influencing him in his manner of speech. It was ridiculous.
Neil then turned to the Senator, "We can draw some reinforcements from Ker Cîw. And perhaps some more from Sarnas Mîr. They won't be as attacked as Cairn Corness is. Mostly because we are the capital. They are simply one of the smaller cities." he said, "I will send word there as soon as the meeting is over."
"We won't bring down the shields, Senator Dreadnaught," Kendall began, "Until we know for certain that there is no hope of us getting out alive. If Captain Llewellyn reports that it is hopeless, then we will bring them down."
"And if Captain Llewellyn does not report at all? What then?" Dreadnaught asked.
Luke stiffened, "We will decide when that happens." he said.
Dreadnaught sighed, "Very well. I can see she trained you well, Starkiller. I only hope it was not in vain." he said, walking away.
"He is right." Neil said, "Those shields will have to come down."
Luke nodded slowly, "I know." he replied, "But I'm giving her a chance to get out first. She wouldn't want us to give up hope."
Kendall smirked, "No, she wouldn't." he replied, "Neil, lets go get those transmissions to Sarnas Mîr and Sarnas Brassen." he said, "We'll see you later Captain." and with that they left Luke to himself.