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Kashyyyk


RaveN

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A tired sigh escaped Tallin as he rubbed his black gloved and armored hand over the scarred features of his red face. The reports of the fallen from aboard the Golan 1 continued to come in, the names of each of the Imperial Stormtroopers and Knights, most of whom he had met over the preceding days and weeks of the operation, resounding in his head. He had actually expected to lose more troops during the long assault, as the Black Sun would sell their lives dearly as they defended their home turf, but the way in which they had died, totally helpless to defend themselves and the failure of their objective to save the slaves on board shook the Imperial warrior. Though technically a victory, it was a hollow victory from which he took no pleasure. His frown deepened as each name sunk into the memory banks of the datapad in his hand. Many letters to the families of the fallen he would have to write after this battle, but one in the start of a long campaign against the Sith and their allies, was over. Many would be returned to their homes with nothing but their parade uniform, and many more, whose existence was never known by the greater Imperials, would be mourned in sorrowful silence by Tallin and the handful of troops whom they had served with.

 

From the wide view point of Tallin's specialty assault shuttle, he could see the first of the troops begin to land on the partially burned green planet, the soldiers of Assault Group Beta ready to avenge their comrades who had fallen aboard the Golan, to avenge the slaughtered wookies and to fight in the memory of the thousands of Imperials who had come before them. The Black Sun defense plan had centered on the Golan 1 floating high above, and with it down, the limited defenses on the ground could not stop a successful landing by the thousands of Imperial troops. Imperial Assault Group Alpha would be following them shortly, the screams of their dying comrades fresh in their ears. They would careful to watch the progress of the wrecked battle station as it would be pulled into the gravity well of the planet below.

 

Soon, Tallin would reach the ground as well, and set up his command post for the second phase of the Freeing of Kashyyyk.

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As the Golan spun slowing into decaying orbit it spewed dust, water, and oxygen in great glittering clouds that surrounded the doomed station. Within the clouds, frozen crystallized bodies also spun in slow pirouettes moving in constant circles as they succumbed to Kashyyyk’s massive gravity to be pulled along with the golan into the thick atmosphere in the coming months and years creating brilliant lightshows from the surface. It was a strange and beautiful sight to Beth’s eyes as she slowly turned her TIE Defender towards ground. The rest of the fleet followed, the shuttles with the Imperial Knights and ground troops following in the wake of the TIE defenders. Their objective to rescue the slaves being held on the planet and permanently erase the slaver Trandoshans on the ground from history. The Empress had been clear in her direction. Slavery was a capital offense and committing such a crime was punishable by death. Any that surrendered were to be immediately tried and executed.

 

Her squadron was undamaged due to the easy victory over the Golan and they formed a ‘V’ behind her craft towards the Woolwarricca region where the largest collective of identified slavers were based. The atmosphere pulled heavily at the foils of her Defender, buffeting the ship as she passed from pocket of thick warm air to thinner colder air currents. Soon however the Trandoshan base in the plains of Kashyyyk came into view. Built with brutal efficiency in the ashes of a small wookiee village, the large prefab buildings jutted out of the plains like a tumor. The sensors aboard Templar One identified the holding pens where thousands of slaves were being prepared for shipping onboard a trio of parked GR-75 medium transports.

 

She triggered to Ion missiles and after a quick range check, twenty four such missiles streaked into the defenseless ships from the flight of defenders, rendering the transports inoperative, but still filled with slaves. She triggered to her cannon group and rolled her fighter towards the barracks. Two strafing runs, then the troops would land and begin the operation. The knights would lead the way into the holding cells, to butcher the trandoshans and free the slaves, while imperial ground forces began their sweep and purge. She couldn’t feel prouder of her Empire than when she triggered lasers into a pack of green lizards running away from a building their hands held aloft. The quartet of green lasers cut through them with lovely efficiency. When she pulled the Defender into a steep climb for her next pass she couldn’t help a grin spreading across her face.

 

“Remember Templars, no quarter for slavers.”

 

A chorus of gleeful affirmatives echoed in her headset.

Andromina

Rebel Alliance Fleet Command - Lieutenant

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As Kyrie reached out through the Force, Aidan could feel through her a magnified sense of all the death and destruction that was happening around him. But from her, from the Jedi, he also felt...peace. The more time AIdan spent around Kyrie, the stronger his connection to the Force and the exorcist arts seemed to get, as if her experience were slowly but surely rubbing off on him through the Force. As Aidan watched out the viewport on the transport shuttle, he tightened his hands into fists. This all was the result of the unjust oppressing the weak. And the galaxy was infested with such situations...anywhere one turned there would always be the same sad story.

 

Well...not anymore. Anywhere Aidan went, he would find these situations, and he would bring justice to a cold and unforgiving galaxy. He would drag those who would visit malice upon those who were unable to defend themselves kicking and screaming into the public spotlight until the weight of their own sins crushed them. Although he was more or less a sin-eater, he reserved no pity or forgiveness for sinners.

 

He checked the battery on his proto-saber, popping in a fresh one before they hit the landing zone, and waited for his master.

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Atmospheric disturbance caused the young woman to grip the hand-strap that hung from the assault shuttle’s ceiling. She and her apprentice were the only ones standing amongst squads of special forces commandoes, strapped into crash-webbing, gripping their guns in silence. Kyrie’s knuckles turned white as she watched a display feed from the ground combat. Something had changed in the Force about her, the silent righteousness growing brighter into a crusading furer. The Sith had instrumented a terrible evil on the planet

 

...Confirming civilian casualties, command. Piles of bodies. Slavers vaped the ones that weren’t fit for grunt labour.

 

Holoreadings displayed the damage for all the squads in her command. Piles of dead Wookiees, charred and bloody. Rotting lumps of flesh that had once been proud warriors. The POV camera turned to see a stormtrooper cradling a dead Wookiee baby, lifeless as a doll in the man’s armoured arms. The bone-white plating contrasted the singed fur and emaciated form. About her the battle-hardened men began to churn, their souls enraged by the horrors that had been displayed. A fury was rising

 

Ground in ten seconds…

 

Kyrie turned to Aidan, feeling his seething distaste for the injustice. She placed her hand on his shoulder, a simple gesture of consolation and unity. She whispered to only him as she brushed braids from her eyes

 

“We will right these wrongs together. We are the swords of the light, we will take evil up and give out new life. Do not fall to bitterness or rotten anger. Stay beside me. ”

 

The crack of the landing ramp descending brought with it the stench of war, of rot, and of true evil. Crimson bolts spanged and ricocheted off the ramp, and the Imperial Knight thumbed on her long-handled blade. She could feel its carress in her palm, an extension of her own soul. Its silver light illuminated the roiling smoke as the commandos followed her charge. Instinct brought the lightsaber into a wide sweep, batting back bolts aimed at her troopers.

 

...Awake, arise, or be forever fallen...

 

The enemy’s position was like a swarming hive of Gundarks, trenches and gunnery nests spewing forth flame and death. Her lightsaber was a battleflag as they charged into the smoke, daring rounds of blasterfire from the entrenched Trandoshans. The young Knight advanced on, blade held high, streaming and shining like a meteor through troubled air. A blast of hot air signaled a grenade detonation, chunks of forest loam raining down upon them. She leapt over the smoking edge, her boots finding purchase in the mud and gore of the battletrench.

 

She could feel Aidan close beside her as the smoke began to clear, revealing a trio of armoured slavers making their own rush towards them. Two carried vibroaxes, while the other a scattergun. Raising her blade into a stance of Vom Tag, she began to concentrate on the songs of war about her. Most of them were of sorrow, for broken history and family, and with those she began to weave silver threads of flame. It would be just her and her apprentice against the trio of Trandoshans, the righteous fury of the light against slavery and darkness.

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Adenna had felt what it was like for thousands of lives to be snuffed out instantly. She had been part of a Thalassian patrol force that had attacked a slaver bulk transport that was over 200 meters long. Intel had suggested it was returning to its base in the Exogtes system neighboring Thalassia after delivering a load of slaves. When confronted by the two gunships and half squadron of older model X-wings Thalassian Defense Corps could muster, the pirates elected to fight. During the fight, its core went critical vaporizing the transport and taking out one of their X-wings. Nobody ever knew if the slavers set it to self destruct or if it was the damage from the fight, but what they did later discover was that the ship had been full of an unknown number of slaves numbering in the thousands. Apparently, they had been spooked at their destination and returned home without managing to sell any slaves, so the cargo bays had been crammed packed with slaves. Adenna had known instantly when the ship exploded that there had been more than a few dozen crewmen on board. She chided herself for weeks on being so focused on the fight that she didn't sense the larger number of life presences in the ship.

 

What she felt today when the Golan was wracked full of explosions was the same as that. When the noise settled and she realized they were still alive, her heart sunk deep into the familiar protective armor that she had built up fighting slavers. She couldn't let herself feel what she otherwise would feel from the death of so many innocents and comrades. She sensed the death of a fellow Jedi master and possibly some of the Imperial Knights, though she wasn't as close to them to be sure. When she lowered the Force shield around Tobias and their squad, she looked up at the man she loved with cold, hardened eyes and let him know she was unhurt with a quick pulse in the Force.

 

Damage and status reports came in and it was quickly clear that there was nothing to be done here. It was time to retreat, to withdraw from this cursed station and liberate the planet below. As they retraced their paths to the assault shuttles, she said over the command channels, "Command, I recommend we leave all prisoners we capture today in custody of the Wookiees. Let them receive the justice they desire and need upon those who so terribly wronged them." It may sound harsh, but she believed in justice even if that justice was death. There were some crimes that no other punishment was suitable for.

Adenna Sig

 

Send PM's to Travis.

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As soon as the two injured Knights were offloaded the Jedi and Sabers swapped out their transport, despite minimal damage, it was decided that they should just be careful. While the station had remained mostly intact, it did rupture in places and let out some of the explosions. Some of those flames licked their transport , and Tom had cut away a piece of the hardware, this route was safer. It helped the two Jedi and the knights link with Tobias and Adenna. Silently, the four remaining Jedi and Tobias's squad plus the ten Knights that were battle ready- shot towards Kashyyyk in a shuttle more designed for ground combat.

 

They all sat silently in the back of the transport, brooding. It wasn't until they were starting to hit atmosphere when the pilot from the shuttle called back- "Jedi, Lieutenant, Knights- the station is breaking up. Ascalon reports all friendly units are off- as best as they can account for. So they've disengaged the tractor beams." Tobias got up and moved to the view port. As well as the Stormtrooper Marine Lieutenant, and a few knights. While the Stormtroopers couldn't feel the terror coming from the Slavers still aboard- they would certainly know that several of those wretched beings were still alive. "The station is going to fall across the eastern hemisphere- mostly over the ocean. Away from the main campaign on the ground- but still visible. Friendly forces have been informed of the platforms decent, and our... situation. Most on the ground are now expecting us."

 

 

Golan Platforms were big enough, to be sure. They had lost three squads inside- as well as casualties on the squads that survived. But all the slaves were killed before the Imperials could free them. As his right fist clenched- Vos watched the platform start to warm up as it started to feel resistance from the atmosphere. Silently - it started to break apart- small pieces of the spacecraft shot away in separate arcs. It was amazingly horrific to watch. None of them knew how many slavers had been left on the station when they decided to kill themselves- they deserved no pity, or mercy. They had killed and enslaved so many noble wookiees. Was there a way the Wookiee people could be protected? Perhaps the Jedi could protect them. But as soon as that thought came to his mind- he dismissed it completely. The Jedi were in no position to protect this world. There was nothing within the Order that would compel them to stay here- nothing and no one. The council wouldn't listen to him.

 

The station spun- more and more chunks of debris spun off. A cascade of falling debris would send the signal that the slavers should give up. But there were only so many Black Sun Slavers- most of them would be Trandosian. Oh if Sabatin could see this- Vos about to become a nightmare for the vicious species. The shuttle bucked- they were hitting some turbulence. The troopers were caught off-guard and got jostled around- just a little bit, they were trained professionals after all. The Golan started to disappear in a blur of flames- and the shuttles viewpoint was better suited for analyzing the ground battle.

 

Crossing his arms, he blocked out the platforms survivors cry in the Force and started to shift his tracking abilities to the ground battle. Several columns of flames and destruction were spread through the jungle below- flashes of light came and went. Put me right there, right on the front lines. I will destroy them all for what they have done here. I will purge the darkness from this place. The flames within us all will lick the slavers presence from this world. This is who I am- Kyrie was right to question me when we were here. So was Adenna. Tobias turned his head and his thoughts to his love. Her gaze was locked on him- then shifted to the other two Jedi- each of them in their black armor. Just their faceplates were different. They each had a Jedi symbol over their hearts. Or in Master Maris's case just on the left side of his chest.

 

The all reinforced one another efforts in the force of reassurance. Tut's best friend had perished, and he had to be reacting in his core. Tom would watch over him, making sure the Jedi Master did not fall to the Dark Side in his grief. The pilots cheered and reported that a pursuit craft had risen to chase them but was destroyed within moments by the escorting TIE Defenders. The next few moments were relatively silent. The craft had dropped to a parallel course above the ground, this section of the forest was not mature- some bigger wroshr trees loomed, but weren't quite distinguishable from the rest of the vegetation. As the pilot called out two minutes to their destination- there was a hollow wave in the Force- the platform had finally exploded. The waves crashed against the Force Users like a wave against a ship on the sea with a five day voyage. It came, broke and dissipated. Several knights clenched their fists in response, whether or not in victory, gratification, or shock Tobias couldn't tell. The moment came and went, and the bay doors of the transport retracted. Fresh air started to flow into the transport.

 

Vos looked to the other Jedi- and saw Tut tuck the yellow crystal away in a pocket, some of the troopers had reclaimed the crystal after Chal'lar had saved them. Tom sat with an aura of reality- and heartiness, he was bracing himself for the fight as well as recovering from the death wave from the station. Adenna was ready- she had been through this rodeo before. Grabbing the support bar above him, he rose and opened a communication signal to the Jedi Forces who were waiting on the edge of the system. The Star Destroyer relayed the messages- the Jedi forces were en route. They weren't exactly a battle fleet, more of a relief staff. How embarrassing. They had been sitting out there waiting for the call from Vos. He had been holding off since the situation on the station- there was no need for more ships to enter the battle at that time, and they didn't need to witness the station falling to the ground. The healers and other support staff would be more useful now that the ground campaign was going to heat up.

 

In the distance, over the noise of the air- they started to hear explosions and weapons. Recollecting his thoughts- Tobias walked forward to glimpse the terrain, and how close they were to the frontlines. They were close, but they would be dropped a bit away from the frontlines just so they could unload and rush to where the backup was needed the most.

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Smoke and burnt blood filled Aidan's nostrils. He could feel the stabilizing presence of his master near him, but the turmoil of the situation was far more overwhelming than he was prepared for. He caught a glimpse off in the distance of tanning racks as they landed, Wookiee pelts still hang drying on them, with large blackish-red stains all around on the ground. Something inside him snapped, and he gave himself to the rush of emotion that filled him.

 

He charged straight at the three Trandoshans in front of them, more out of reckless abandon than confidence in his own skill, and the first scattergun shot barely grazed his abdomen as the oversized lizard spun to try and take down the young man. Two pellets managed to give flesh wounds into the upper layers of skin on the right side of his abdomen, a third grazing enough to give a nasty welt. Aidan felt none of it, his frenzy pushing him forcefully onward. A single slash from the protosaber left the Trandoshan to crumple in two smoking chunks.

 

But Aidan would not lose his momentum. His saber didn't discriminate against flesh or armor, if it wasn't fortified to withstand a lightsaber blade, it fell. Over the next few minutes, Aidan earned a whispered title among what would become the future survivors. "Scorekeeper's Wrath" was a phrase uttered by those who bore witness to the young Darkfire's drive, superstitiously spoken under the breath as if the phrase itself would summon back the torrent that tore into the Trandoshan lines mercilessly.

 

Everything felt so far away as Aidan watched everything happen from his mental haze, like watching a holomovie. He knew he was part of this, but his body seemed to move much on its own accord. The Force...the Force felt so strong within him, and he could feel the struggle that he was apart from. The penumbra of darkness wrestling with the beacon of light Kyrie had fostered within him. For a while, it felt like he was drowning in all of it, that he would never come back from this. He was, for a time, no longer in control of himself, his physical body merely a conduit for the raw energies of the Force. And while by virtue of his bloodline he held the natural talent for such a thing, he had nowhere near the training to understand it, control it...or even stop it. His master felt far away from him, and he tried to reach out, but could not.

 

Aidan came to his senses some time later, panting hard as he took in the scene surrounding him. In the distance, he still heard the sounds of war, gunfire and explosions and muted yelling echoing through the tree lines. He was more or less alone, having separated from his unit, but was surrounded by the dead or severely wounded. Some Trandoshans were lucky to only experience the ultimate humiliation, their arms having been sliced clean off by Aidan's protosaber, others...died quickly but painfully. Before he had time to let the realization of everything set in, he reached out instinctively for his master, the one rock in the torrential sea that he could ground himself on. They had gotten separated in the chaos of Aidan's frenzy, at the time something he didn't have the capability of caring about. But now, she was the one thing that could help keep him stable.

 

He took a step and winced hard as pain rocked up his leg, his left shin was fractured. Other flesh wounds were scattered around his body, nothing serious enough to cause long-term problems, but enough to make the young man worry as he realized he wasn't sure how he'd gotten them. He fought it, but in the back of his mind, panic began to set in. Less because of what he had done, but because of the lack of understanding or control. He knew these slavers had deserved everything they had gotten, and were still going to get by the end of the day, but he now faced a very different and foreign problem to any he'd faced before, a mystery that centered around himself.

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From his command post between the shattered husks of several of the massive Kashyyyk trees, Tallin and his team of officers, tacticians and assistants coordinated the assaults of the four thousand troops of Imperial Assault Group Beta. The troops of Assault Group Alpha were rapidly incoming from the former location of the Golan 1, many of these shuttles being placed in priority positions to flank or bypass key Trandoshan positions to end this battle faster and minimize Imperial and civilian casualties, many of the slavers trying to kill as many of the hated Wookies as possible before dying to the just wrath of the Imperial Army. Several of the officers with the tall Zabrak were constantly concentrating with finding paths through the shattered landscape for the heavy tanks of the 17th Mechanized Infantry, who were often blocked by the massive fallen trees, too large and heavy to be easily cut through or moved. Several more focused on the movements of the light Raks Raiders, whose limited armor often required assistance fromother forces to burst through the powerful defences the Transdoshans had set up.

 

Tallin had previously spoken to several of the Trandoshan officers and troopers from within his own command, to sense if their loyalties or sense of justice might have been shaken as they attacked their kinsmen in what was the normal pursuit of their race. Yet to a man they had reiterated their loyalty to the Empress and the path she had taken them on, for they saw now a better way, where their offerings tot the Score Keeper might yet be fulfilled, and to cleanse the galaxy of the corruption their brothers had committed to.

 

As the comm came in from one of the Jedi, Tallin quickly ended his comm with one of the captains of the Hohenlohe regiment where he had been ordering the landing, and listened to the comment of the female Jedi knight. He regreted not getting to meet the famous warrior before the battle, for one or both might not survive this battle. After thinking for several moments, Tallin replied in the comm, "All forces, if any of the slavers attempt to surrender without firing at Imperial forces, capture them to be brought for a fair trial. If, however, they attack Imperial troops, or have obviously slaughtered or harmed the innocent civilians of this world, they are to be executed with prejudice, either by our forces or the Wookies. May the cleansing fire of the Just guide and protect you."

 

Almost before he had finished speaking, several of the Imperial Guard who had accompanied him along with several storm troopers dragged a Trandoshan of unusual size into his command post, and threw him to the ground. Of normal height, the Trandoshan was exceedingly broad and muscular, and with a darker pattern that suited well to the forest environment around him. "We caught this one close by, Captain," began the gravely voice of the older human male who led the new arrivals, "he was preparing to assault this camp no doubt. He murdered several of our sentinels before we could restrain him. And he bears these."

 

Careful not to put his hand to close to the Trandoshan's mouth, the other Imperial lifted up a long string from around the warriors neck. Upon it were dozens of pairs of fangs, Tallin's eyes widening slightly as he realized they were from Wookies, and with sizes ranging from those of children to aged adults. His face a mask of hatred, Tallin stated, "You are charged with the crimes of High Murder of the Innocents, of war against Imperial forces and of resisting their lawful application of Justice. Have you any defence?"

 

The Trandoshan laughed, his teeth bared in a feral grin, "I need no defence to you, Imperial lackey. You are no less a monster then I. You use force and might to bully others into following your path, a faulty judge at best. You bear the marks of a slave, of weakness and pain. We do what we must to survive. You are no better then I."

 

Tallin crouched, looking the grinning slaver in the eye, "Perhaps I am no better than you, but I follow a cause breater than myself, and one for which I would gladly die. Are you ready to die for your trophies, to face the ScoreKeeper in judgement?" The slavers face lost his grin for a moment, before Tallin drew his bone handled knife, with which he avenged himself agianst his masters, and thrust it deeply into the slavers broad neck, forcing himself to watch the life drain from the slavers eyes as his blood dripped slowly down his neck. A thought briefly crossed his mind of the lives wasted in brining only suffering to the galaxy, of those who would not except the justice of the Imperials or the freedoms of the GA, but rather chose to take from others in a relentless pattern of pain.

 

"Justice is served."

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Below were skirmishes left and right, there really was no 'front lines' there was more of a battle column. It was a brawl. All their forces were intermixed. Yellow trandosians, white stormtroopers, green trandosians, brown wookiees, black navy troopers, black Black Sun troops. Leaning out the side of the transport, there was one of the tents of the imperials- a command center. Their shuttle shot past then banked slowly towards it- TIE fighters were everywhere in the immediate air space. As Tobias looked over the small forest on the border of the Kashyyyk plains. The newer offworlder buildings were like polka dots across the natural landscape. Blaster shots rose to greet the shuttle- but hand blasters couldn't bring this combat transport down. As the shuttle lowered, the blaster fire came and went, it wasn't going to ever stop until the enemy was dead. The shuttle dipped and stalled long enough to deliver two trunks of cargo- medical supplies along with ammo. Their stormtoopers debarked from the transport and professionally covered the area to kill any ambushers in the area. It was a routine combat drill done with military precision. A bit much, but it was better safe rather than sorry.

 

"Pilot, take us back up." Tobias called through the battle comm. As soon as he issued the command- they were rising again.

 

"Sir, reports of hard-pressed Imperial forces on the north-northeastern flank. Also from the western flank." The Pilot called back. He continued, "Eastern flank is closer, and is a more of an open battlefield. The western is more in the woods. Your orders?"

 

Tobias looked at the Imperial Knight leader- he nodded. They were in agreement without a word being spoken. The Imperial Knights would be more visable- more of a moral boost, and something to strike fear into the heart of the enemy since they were more visable. Jedi would go to the western flank. Seconds passed after they relayed instructions back to the pilot who went to drop the Imperial Knights first. It was relatively close to the command tent, but better if they were air dropped. There was death and destruction everywhere. Corpses of Imperials and Slavers and... slaves littered the battle field. With his staff magnetically attached to his back, Tobias was able to draw his blaster and shoot a trandosian from bringing a sword across a wookiee's exposed flank. The furry hairy alien looked around, quickly realizing that he or she had almost died. Jaws opened with a roar, but Tobias couldn't hear- he was already taking aim at another. Picking his targets carefully and patiently he had saved four lives before the knights debarked.

 

The Jedi assembled around him- he and Tom were on the starboard side, Adenna and Tut were on the port side. Each of them clung to the support bar that ran the length of the shuttle interior. Their black figures didn't move in response with the wind.

 

Three minutes passed and the group bent their knees as the shuttle banked in- fired- once, twice, thrice, and slowed aggressively. They lowered to take in some wounded- the blaster fire shot from the trees- Tobias and Tom activated their lightsabers and started to bat back bolts. Across from the other side Tobias knew Tut and Adenna had done the same thing- bolts started to bounce to the sky- it was better to deflect them up or straight down so that no Imperials were caught from behind by bolts the Jedi had deflected.

 

A Stormtrooper shouted they were dusting off- and the transport kicked up dust and debris from around the area. Closing their sabers and ducking- they minimized their surface area for debris to impact them. In just a moment when the engines had left, and the eddies of the engines wash had settled they would all turn from defense to offence. Tobias just had time to exhale and felt a blaster bolt singe the air just above his head. Time slowed- the shuttle was gone. It was as if a switch was flipped- Tobias left his crouching stance in a blur of motion. The ground transitioned into a blur below him- blaster bolts slowed and he dodged them angling his body over out and under them. Rushing through the Imperial line- he took his saber in one hand, rotated his grip, stepped, drew back, second step- identified a target- a large tandosian yelling commands to his fellows, third step he threw the saberstaff like a javelin. Somersaulting down a small blast crater- he let the momentum transition into a leap at the bottom- a fresh lightsaber in his hand. he ignited the blade as he was at the apex of his jump. He had to be traveling twenty miles an hour at this point with the Force- he had crossed the 'no man's land' between the two forces in a split moment. The green blade flashed as it batted a bolt back into a slavers face, melting it in an instant. The death grip caused the weapon in the corpse's hand to sputter- killing two other slavers.

 

Vos didn't let the deaths register to him, there was no time. He flung the lightsaber out to the side to cleave another group to the right of the slaver commander. Trusting his aim and the Force, he pulled himself to his first opponent- the Trandosian who was still standing, a look of shock in his eyes as he looked at the saber, which had made its way so close to the ball at the base of the staff close to his chest- the aliens brain hadn't yet registered the wound to shut down his nervous system and heart. Dropping his shoulder into the ball and the alien- the alien spun over and down. In a lizardlike cry of surprise and pain- Vos let the eyes of his enemies wash over him. Whoever the trandosian was- he was either important or a symbol. His viridian blade was placed in front of Tobias, held in position with the weight and direction given by the soon-to-be-corpse. Closing his hand around the staff, Tobias wrenched the ball through the alien's body with some effort and a boot on his back for leverage. Vos let the sounds of muscle, sinew, bone, flesh, blood and other things found in the body sprayed out with such force it was like a fountain of gore as the alien's entrails sprang in the opposite direction .

 

Recalling the blade he had thrown, Tobias brought the staff up, turning it off and putting it on his back. The green blade came back just as a bolt would have caught Vos in the left flank. As the lizards and slavers let everything Tobias had done catch up in their brains- there would be a fury of bolts heading his way. He wasn't disappointed- he was taking another breath and a volley of blaster fire echoed around him. His mind was still sped up- so blocking was somewhat easy, it was better once he started to move again. Before he knew it, Tomalauin’kquintan’tus was by him- his own blade activated. The yellow blade started to weave it's own web of destruction and defense, and it was joined with a green blade from the Nautolan ally. Adenna would join the fray- hopefully bringing the stromtroopers with her in a push forward. The slavers were all focused on the three masters now anyways.

 

Tobias felt the call of the fire- to wipe this scum from Kashyyyk and bring the Wookiees back to freedom. There wasn't anyway he would let his crew down. There was no way he was going to let his gorgeous girlfriend, no that didn't sound right, lover? No. Wife? Too soon, but it sounded perfect. He would have to ensure they all lived to fix that.

 

Tut had moved in on Tobias's right flank and had started to cleave his own way through the black sun troop cluster. There was a trandosian arm and head, connected via the shoulder, seeping into the ground by him. The trandosians were intermixed with the Black Sun squads. Above them a TIE Fighter exploded and smashed into one of the smaller trees in the area- flames licked the enemy lines. But despite the injuries- what had taken the fighter down? Then, he heard the engines over the roar of the blaster fire. Entrusting his fate to the Force, Tobias tried to move but the blaster fire was keeping them in place for the moment. Adenna or the Stormtroopers had to move in. The Chariot that had come to help the Black Sun couldn't last long.

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Trushaun was naturally a recluse, and her depression did not help. Even though she was a Jedi Naturalist, her mental state from the troops in white armor had permanently scared her for life. The torture she endured was- she shook her head. Kirlocca's Funeral had been weeks ago, about the same time she saw the troops in white armor again- the Imperials. In a daze of fright, Trushaun had retreated back into the Kashyyyk Wilderness. Her first attempt to come back to the space port had been a disaster- she had detected a darkness and after closing herself to the Force and doing some reminiscence- found the planet and the wookiees under attack. They were all slaves now, well, most of them. After the Sith had left, there were troopers who were just evil. The green and yellow aliens treated the wookiees like livestock. There was only one of her though, a Jedi Apprentice. She hadn't been in a fight in years, so she relied on what was more natural to her- shadows. She kept to the shadows- and eventually met up with a wookiee resistance and refugee group. Hiding deep within the shadow lands, they plotted and feeling the ripple in the Force- their force had come out to realize that the battle was underway!

 

The comet, the battle platform in the sky, was brilliant- as was the laser fight on the ground- with human troops, Jedi in red robes- a curious sight to her, and much to her dismay- the troops in white. Vavroo, an elderly wookiee battlemaster nudged her forward, letting out a wookiee oath. Speaking to him for a second, Trushaun voiced her concern over the troops in white. Vavroo shrugged and pointed out the obvious- he didn't trust the Imperials either, but if they were killing black sun and trandosians- he wasn't going to stop them. Against her subconscious, Trushaun called to the Force and followed the small war band. As they inched closer to flank the slavers, Trushaun felt a familiar presence in the Force, and it was slightly jaded. As she dug her claws into the tree beside Vavroo, she saw the TIE Fighter crash into a tree between them and the Imperials. Then another space craft- as it lined up to turn its cannons on the Imperials, and the Jedi there- she knew the Jedi when she saw them, especially with two she recognized in the Force, she sprinted up the tree- Vavroo and three other wookiees running behind her. She was lighter and younger, her feet struck the limb as she came closer to the space craft. Vavroo called after her, asking her what she was thinking- she didn't have time to refdmspond- she was already leaping into the air her lightsaber in her hand!

 

Using the Force to propel herself, and to cradle her as she landed on the craft. It wasn't a good landing, but that really didn't matter- she ignited her blade and sunk it into the metal- with that she stopped her sliding forward to the ground meters below. While she did sink forward as the blade melted the metal- she had time to collect herself and get to her feet around the sensor dish. Looking towards the engines- she swung down in a sweeping motion- cleaving a meter into the lines of the ship. The top engine sputtered- and the craft shook, another engine died out and the whole metal contraption stated to descend slowly. A human in black armor and an open face helmet, that way she knew he had a sneer on his face, appeared out the top of the viewport- blaster in hand.

 

The avain spun to deflect the shot- once, twice, and again. It had been a very long time, and her form was sloppy- but on the fourth shot she managed to deflect it back into the mans chest. He slumped forward then fell, back into the cockpit. His blaster clattering onto the hull and fell away to the ground as the ship listed and was a half dozen meters from the ground. It was now or never- and she jumped from the doomed craft. As the assualt sled fell to the ground, it exploded. Well, more like a medium-sized pillar of flame shot up, along with debris. As she hit the dirt in a Force-assisted tuck-and-roll, the slavers had the glimpse of a very angry avian with eyes like a dragon, glaring at them, as she walked away from the explosion. The whole scene playing out as if in slow motion, sometimes life just finds a way to make things . As she progressed towards the remaining slavers- each step filling her with confidence- more and more of them started to be picked off from shots resistance band of wookiees had fired - from the limb twenty meters up. They were making quick work and while the battle was divided into the two sides fighting over trenches, there were still spots where the forces had met. Those instances were a straight out brawl- but it looked as though the two jedi, the viridian blade and a yellow bladed ones- were given a brief moment to collect themselves. They were moving for cover, but adequately defending themselves from most of the bolts heading their way/

 

There were burn marks on both of them- but nothing a Jedi Master couldn't handle with battle armor. Whether or not they were blaster bolts or caused by debris, Trushaun couldn't determine in the flurry of battle, but that couldn't be her concern if she wanted to survive the next five minutes. With wookiees roars emanating from around her- Trushaun charged the next Trandosian in her way. She never did take the trials for her combat skills, she wondered if this might count.

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As if inspired from some cheesy holoflick, the Fosh Jedi Trushaun, had made an appearance. And a heck of an appearance she made. As Tobias deflected bolts with his smaller green blade. It had done plenty of damage. It had cut down four slavers in the previous throw. Body parts were littered around in the mud and blood they all found themselves in, not just from Tobias's onslaught. As the assault sled's explosion faded into a simmering bonfire Tobias rolled down the mound of dirt he and Tom had been on. The two black armored figures rolled away in unison. The terrain was uneven, rocky, and explosives lay everywhere. Needless to say, it was a little dangerous. The Jedi's danger senses were overloaded for the moment. As he walked through the trench, climbing over bodies and deflecting blaster bolts, Vos stayed upright and cut one slaver down after another. If they had surrendered- he would have spared them, but they were all trying to kill him. As the fury of blaster bolts around him steadily faded- a voice from Tut called to him.

 

"Heyo-bossman, they're trying to retreat."

 

"So, they're running into the wookiees?"

 

"Yah, pretty dumb. But what do you expect slavers to do? They exploit other beings pain and suffering, they don't do it themselves."

 

"Well, that could be a reason they just now decided to run. Behind us, we have our backup." Tomalauin’kquintan’tus calmly said over the battle comm.

 

"Good, we're not done here though. One way or another we still have slavers to capture, besides have you seen where they're retreating to?" Tobias questioned. After an upward swing at the trandosian that lept towards him a moment ago that left the lizard in three pieces, he had analyzed the alien's path- and he did feel the wookiees there, as well as the three corvettes coming down to play.

 

"Master Vos speaksss the truth. The war-band will pick them off. The wookieesss who are free have risen up to fight, now that the collars are disabled. Masssster Vos, your orders?" Trushaun hissed into their communications circle. Tobias had once given her the codes to a few encrypts, and it was easily transferable to any Jedi that he bumped into. Easy as giving it to Xae-Lin or Dashel in the heat of battle.

 

After Tut had cut down the last slaver in their vicinity- Vos looked up and his helmet identified the nearest cruiser- the CR90 Ashla's Nocturne- "Captain Arioch..." Tobias called over the Jedi Channel. But he stalled out, looking from the ship back to the line of Trandosians retreating. Tobias still had a little bit of time before they made it to the tree line- he was torn. Part of him wanted to sentence them to death and obliterate the last of the enemy on the western flank. It had to be done- otherwise they would keep on killing and enslaving until their dying day. He floated the idea that he was a Jedi Master, he was held to a higher standard- one where his mistakes and stumbles would be examined more closely than a Jedi Knights. Because he had been a Sith, the magnification was higher- repercussions would be swift. Or never come at all. He wanted the slavers dead, he wanted to see them redeemed. Rotating his head to see them running- he sighed. Within his field of vision was a dozen wookiee corpses. And, there was a small hut where a family must have lived. Small, for the five that had lived there with one window, that had four panels of glass in them, with a door that was wrenched off its top hinge. Several nets and spears were next to the house as well as a small garden. Tobias knew there had been five there, or at least he was guessing at the fifth... in front of the hut was a hideous sight. An obvious female adult wookiee was impaled with a spear coming up through her corpse. One child was ripped open and propped up against the base of the hut, the whole pelt was bloodied. One was shaved in placed, fur burnt in others before also being impaled against the wall of the hut. The last ones head, was on a spike- and the body just a meter away.

 

"Master Vos?" The human captain called, obviously curious about Tobias drifting off.

 

Vos clenched his fist- they wouldn't be allowed to escape, and there was no redeeming them. "Captain Arioch, the enemy is trying to withdraw. They belong in graves next to their fellow slavers. Stop them, now."

 

Tobias was glad he did not hesitate- the order was relayed and the gunner let out two blasts and they all felt the wrenching of two dozen lives being ripped from the Force.

 

"Sir?" the human captain called.

 

Letting a sigh enter into the comm channel, Tobias followed up with further instructions to offload the support and relief staff that was needed here. The troops they held within their armored hulls would come out to assist Imperial troops and knights on patrols. The Jedi who are aboard would start to patrol the areas- with their fighter wings were to also start a patrol pattern, with emphasis on recon and assisting any allied forces in trouble.

 

Reports from each side of the campaign was that dozens of slavers had already been rounded up and detained under stormtrooper guards. The fighting was dying down, and with the influx of Jedi forces- that would have to help. For now it was only the one ship's worth of troops who were assigned. If there was another battle that popped up like a wildfire somewhere else- he still had the other two corvettes and troops aboard. Almost 3,000 troops, and because they were cruisers, they would get where ever faster than a Star Destroyer- which one had descended far enough to see the lines on the belly of the ship was hoovering in orbit.

 

Fires were scattered across the landscape, dying soldiers and slavers lay around him, body parts scattered the area like flowers in a field. The hum of his lightsaber and the corvette discharging shuttles behind him was the only sounds he really heard. A wave of fatigue and nausea crashed over him. He felt the others fatigue through the Force, they had all escaped a space station trap, felt the lives of thousands of people die today. His friend had died, one of his closest comrades- that struck a major blow as well. Issuing a command, his helmet retracted around his face and Vos was granted his first wave of Kashyyyk air- and it smelled of death. Closing his eyes, he called to the Force and sought for assistance.

 

"Imperial Command, this is Master Vos- the western flank is secured with Jedi Forces spreading out. Do you have need of Jedi assistance elsewhere?" Using a hand motion, and the Force, he called to his Jedi to rally on him.

 

Tomalauin’kquintan’tus, Tut, Trushaun and Adenna all started to move towards him- they all were sure to check for survivors- while also looking out for traps or explosives. When they were all within a half a dozen meters within each other Tobias quick to identify a few blaster burns on his two fellow masters, and Tobias had two on him to add to the hits taken. Trushaun, the late comer and without armor, was mostly healthy-she walked with a limp. Was that typical with a Fosh? Tobias had lost track of his love in the battle, but she was still standing.

 

"Let's make our way back to the Command tent, we don't need to stay out here. Anyone not want to continue the fight if need be?" Tobias questioned, off the channel, his arms lifted up for anyone of them to speak up, then took a step towards the eye of the storm- the command tent. But over all, they might not be needed, the overwhelming forces of the Imperial Legions had made quite an impact. Almost as if it were too easy... that unsettled Tobias... something he would have to ask Moff Whatshisname later.

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As soon as her feet hit the ground, Adenna spun into motion in the sadly familiar dance of battle. The constricting vac suit helmet and other related equipment were left on the shuttle to give her maximum freedom of movement on the planet. She trusted Tobias' fate to the Force and went off where the flow of the fight took her. It did feel odd fighting along side Stormtroopers, but they were efficient and they were allies committed to destroying the slavers, so she accepted it.

 

Part of her was curious if there would be Force trained Sith on the planet for her to face. She had fought only one before, and Jidai Geki was more than a match for her, so a part of her was both terrified and excited to face another to see if she could overcome such evil. Alas, it didn't seem that any of them were in the area, so all there were was a bunch of slavers. Well trained slavers, but slavers still, and she had killed plenty of them.

 

In the face of the Imperial onslaught, the slavers were quickly pushed back into the outskirts of the town and into the thick forest. She hadn't hunted in terrain quite like this before, but it didn't matter. The Force guided and protected her as she fought leading the charge and cutting through whatever resistance faced her. She was the tip of the spear of a platoon and a half of Stormtroopers, and a brutal one at that. Where she pierced the enemy lines, the grey clad Stormtroopers filled in the gaps and widened them until the enemy shattered. She was vaguely aware that there were casualties on her own side, but she couldn't dwell on them, only on destroying the enemy and bringing an end to the slavers here.

 

During this time, the shadows of darkness in her mind truly thrived. Instead of proving a distraction and burden, they seemed to sing in complete harmony with her body and mind, guiding her and providing insights she wouldn't normally consider. This fact normally unnerved and concerned her after the battle, but during it, she didn't resist and allowed it to help her efforts. With each enemy her orange blade cut down, the voices seemed more in tune and harmonious. Strangely, with each white hot streak of pain her body suffered from shrapnel peppering her, near misses toasting a bit of skin, or even branches and thorns snagging her, they seemed to be more energized and focused. It was not how she normally reached into the Force, but it was quite effective and useful. Deep down, she knew it was risky not to resist it, but she would rather deal with it later than get cut down while distracted.

 

One particularly stubborn group of slavers managed to get an advantageous position behind a large tree they had felled recently and carved a crude little bunker into. Adenna and her surviving Imperial comrades came out of a small ravine and straight into a hail of heavy blaster fire from what she believed was an E-web. Two Stormtroopers all but evaporated in a red mist before the rest could take cover. One grenadier lobbed two grenades at the tree, but the only affect was to turn the hard, thick bark black. Frowning, Adenna considered the situation. They could go around and attack from the flanks, but there was a good bit of area cleared by the felling of the tree, so to do so would take time and could lead them to ambushes elsewhere. She knew a frontal assault would be very costly and she truly didn't feel like losing more allies today.

 

The dark voices whispered another option to her, one she had not considered in the rush of combat. While she was not weak in the Force, she usually refrained from employing more grandiose displays of the Force. She preferred speed and agility to brute strength, but sometimes there was a need for it. While pressed flat against the loamy dirt of the forest, Adenna closed her eyes and reached out in the Force towards where she could feel the Black Sun slavers in their makeshift bunker.

 

The tree was sturdy, but wood was not as solid as metal or duracrete. Everything had a weakness, a grain and seam she could exploit. Reaching deep into the truly rich presence of the Force on this planet, she harnessed its energy. A dozen seconds of searching located what she was seeking and revealed the potential for weakness within the tree itself. Enthralled in the river that was the Force, she clenched her fist and made a sharp, chopping movement downward with her left arm. In the bunker, a sharp cracking sound of splitting wood could probably have been heard for a half mile. Two seconds later, with a sad moan, the giant tree split as if by an immense axe, collapsing in upon itself and all those inside. For a couple of seconds, only the sound of falling wood could be heard, then it was replaced by the screams of men trapped or partially crushed.

 

Looking at the grenadier, Adenna opened her hand. He placed a grenade within it and sat back with the rest of his platoon as she stood up and strolled over to the splintered bunker. With a quick Force aided hop, she landed on top and looked down through a quarter meter wide crack into the mass of struggling men within. One tried to point a blaster at her, but she simply waved her hand and it was wrenched out of his hands so abruptly, it snapped his trigger finger. Without hesitation, she primed the grenade and dropped it into the crack and jumped back down. The screams increased for a two count until a muffled explosion left the forest in silence.

 

"We continue on," she said evenly to the Stormtroopers, and turned deeper into the forest in search of more prey.

Adenna Sig

 

Send PM's to Travis.

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The bright light beside Kyrie erupted into white hot flames, driven to fury by justice. It confused her, justice was supposed to be dispassionate. Passion obscured the impartiality of the Force, taking righteous justice to a darker vigilantism. The Imperial Knight brought her saber up to block a scattergun round and watched in horror as her apprentice hacked his way through their opponents. He was driven by passion, not righteousness. She screamed his name, but he was lost into the smoke and ruin of the war.

 

...What have I done…

 

Her lightsaber flashed, spitting fire from raindrops as she batted rounds away from herself. Her own flames began to run short as doubt crept in through the justifications.

 

Slavers were to be sentenced to death.

 

Had she brought a child with no control over himself to a war without realizing it?

 

Did I only look to the prowess of battle, and not to the strength of spirit?

 

Kyrie could feel him before her like a tempest, blowing the winds of battle into a bloodfury. Onwards she ran, skipping over bodies and the outpouring of the Darkfire’s wrath. Crumpled bodies of slavers bisected by the blade she had given him. She had equipped him with a weapon, but no strength of will to hold it in justice.

 

Where are you?

 

The older man was not hard to track, even in the confusion of a landbattle. Aidan had left a trail of destruction in his wake, and an even darker one in the Force. All around her she could feel the echoes in the Force, the dead and dying. The spirits of the Wookiees were crying for justice, and the dark side was strong. She was in the path of where the Force Storms had converged. Sin corrupted the sinner’s soul, and she needed to save them all. A pulsing wave rushed around her like the whitewaters of a river, torrents of feelings unbound. She was catching up.

 

The Exorcist dropped to the scorched earth, feelings numbed as she began to feed herself to the Force. The darkness about her was oppressive, a foul odour invading her very soul. With trembling fingers she touched the broken ground, littered with blood and bone. The injustice was palpable, and she drove her fingertips into the soil. In the Force, the darkness began to rush into her as she breathed, the pollution filling her. She could taste the copper of blood, the gluttonous hunger that had drove the Force to consume so many souls. She couldn’t feel them, they had not been driven into the dust. Her eyes widened

 

They trapped the souls…

 

Tears began to pour from her glowing eyes, she could feel nothing of their spirits but the pain and terror of the storm. They were being tortured even now.

 

Justice will come. Righteousness consumes sin. Light burns it all away.

 

Into the torrential downpour of rain, she let out a breath. From her own traumas she brought forth the fires of purity, of righteousness. She was a crucible in which she would purify the deeds of the Sith. She was a sin eater.

 

Stipendium peccati mors est…

 

The cool caress of forest loam became the burning of her soul embodied in the consumption of evil. She gritted her teeth, taking in the whirlwind of passion, of gluttony, and burning it into ash. Kyrie’s tears began to burn her flesh as they coursed across her scars, dripping to the earth, burning the darkenss away. In a flash, the downpour reversed, rain turning to darts of pure silver, rushing away in all directions.

 

...These horrors too will grow mild, this darkness shall find its dawn.

 

The Exorcist stood, her skin smoking and peeling, flames of pure light streaming behind her like wings as she ran. She had to find him, her broken apprentice, and find him she did. His beacon in the force was faltering. The passions of the moment had fled, leaving him with only pain. With an outstretched hand, the Imperial Knight fell to the man’s side. She was almost a wraith of pure light, cloaked in the armour of a Jedi general. Her face was etched in pain.

 

Aidan…

 

She did not speak, her throat was full of emotion and would not allow it. Two Trandoshans crested the hill before them, but they froze, shrieking, burning into ashes before them. Their sins had consumed them fully, and purification left nothing but the dust from which they had been made. That fire did not turn on the apprentice, but began to fade as the scarred warrior placed her hands on his broad shoulders

 

Are you all right?

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"Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces. Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces. Clear all generalized comm traffic and standby to receive new orders. Priority One Message for all Imperial and Jedi Forces."

 

Tallin's deep voice thundered out through the army-wide comm, his communication officers patching him into every comm from senior sergeants and lieutenants up through the ranks, even the officers in the Imperial ships and fighters high above receiving the call. "All Forces, new orders for all receiving units. The final major group of slaver scum have retreated and heavily entrenched themselves around their holding and landing grounds. Enemy troops estimated at 3-4 thousand. Reports state that thousands of Wookie captives are still being held at this staging ground, and will likely be used as meat shields. The 69th Regiment and the 37th Mechanized Infantry will be spearheading the frontal assault. All units no longer engaged or taking part in cleanup operations report to your co-ordination officers for placement in the battle line for the attack. Expect heavy resistance at all points from tanks, artillery and fortifications.

 

All ships, be advised that any slave ships escaping past atmosphere are to be boarded and captured. Due to the likelihood of slaves on board, no ship is to be fired on except for disabling shots after authorization from the Moff's Command Crew. No bombing runs or ship bombardments authorized for assistance with ground operations. Close support via fighters authorized only in emergency situations. All Imperial Knights, Imperial Guard and Jedi are requested to assist the Spearhead Regiments with breaking the enemies outer line. Watch for Trandoshans executing Wookie slaves. Shoot with caution when slaves are present. With ALL enemy forces, weapons free. Take no prisoners. Good hunting in the name of the Remnant, Command Out."

 

Most of the gear and personnel at Tallin's command post had already packed up and were ready to go before the orders ended, already knowing they would be heading much closer to the front lines. Tallin shrugged into his heavy armor with the assistance of one of his aides, ready for personal combat if needed. "Pack it up, we're headed for the front!"

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Wetness stained Aidan's face. Some was blood, mostly not his, some caused by the lump in his throat. He managed to pull his gaze away from the scene around them, focusing on Kyrie's flaming form, trying to find her eyes.

 

"I...I don't know."

 

Part of him wanted to ask what happened, but he knew very well what had happened, every vivid detail. It all rushed back to him like he'd been there the whole time, though from his perspective he absolutely hadn't. What was certain in an unnerving crystal-clear manner to the both of them was that Aidan was frightened. In fact, he was downright horrified. It wasn't because of some realization of where he was, it wasn't even because he thought he might catch a reprimand from his Master...it was literally because he had come face to face with what he was capable of, and he wasn't ready.

 

"It all felt so strong, Master...I know they deserved their fates, but..."

 

Words failed him. He was unsure whether or not what he'd done was acceptable, whether or not Kyrie would still find him suitable as a Padawan. More importantly, he was for the first time in his life truly uncertain of who he really was. Fear loomed over him, fear of the unknown. Deep down, he knew he would continue on, he had no other choice. But the despair caused by everything that had happened felt overwhelming to his senses.

 

Before she had the chance to speak again, he spoke, foolishly embracing his blind courage. It was a genetic holdover from his father, and always a double edged sword. His labored breathing and poorly forced facial expression gave away the lie he told, but it was one meant to try and put his Master's mind at ease more than anything else, and as it passed his lips he had no way of telling whether she would take his word.

 

"I think I'll be fine for now. We should probably press on."

 

But the Force was only weakly with him, and his limbs felt heavy. He knew he could continue, but he knew full well he'd likely only be a burden for her to babysit. Always the same. Never strong enough to make the needed impact. Aidan in a nutshell.

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"All ships, be advised that any slave ships escaping past atmosphere are to be boarded and captured. Due to the likelihood of slaves on board, no ship is to be fired on except for disabling shots after authorization from the Moff's Command Crew. No bombing runs or ship bombardments authorized for assistance with ground operations. Close support via fighters authorized only in emergency situations. All Imperial Knights, Imperial Guard and Jedi are requested to assist the Spearhead Regiments with breaking the enemies outer line. Watch for Trandoshans executing Wookie slaves. Shoot with caution when slaves are present. With ALL enemy forces, weapons free. Take no prisoners. Good hunting in the name of the Remnant, Command Out." The Imperial Communication's post announced over all friendly broadcasting channels.

 

Vos stopped in his tracks- the two Jedi following him paused as well.

 

"Master Vos?" Tut questioned.

 

Tobias held up a hand with his index finger extended, as if asking for a moment. In a fluid movement he closed his eyes, let his chin touch his navel, roll back up to glance at the sky. "Chaos, yet Harmony." He spoke to the sky. Explosions, blasters, cannons, yelling, and all the other noise of battle surrounded them on all sides, save for the western flank. Trushaun had ducked back to rejoin her band of wookiee hunters, Adenna had been scooped up in a different assault. The two jedi behind him shifted uneasily, as they glanced around- they were in the open- and they were prime targets for a sniper. Tobias's mind was elsewhere. Letting a chuckle rock his body, Vos pointed to the northern front- more into the city but still away. Both of the other Jedi felt it through the Force- then they heard it, and then felt it again in their bones.

 

"Adenna is busy." Tobias remarked, cryptically. The other masters grunted their acknowledgement of the statement. As troops around them scrambled to backup, seek treatment, run supplies or whatever, Tobias let his helmet close around his face. The filtered air started to come through again. Opening a channel to the CR90 above them- Tobias asked for five jedi who were spoiling for a fight to join him on the ground. Actually, it was to get a ride mostly.

 

Within a few minutes- the three masters leaped up and into their new ride. Pleasantries were exchanged- Greetings this, greetings that. Four knights and one Master had joined them on the mission. They looked more combat-ready than most. Perhaps these five had seen action before? Their signatures in the Force was a mix of confidence and grim satisfaction. Vos questioned them about it- the master shrugged and explained their attitudes. What it boiled down to was that they were upset that so many Wookiees were killed in the recent oppression, and they were willing to liberate the wookiee people- they were sad to kill but found solace in the fact that they wanted to make this injustice corrected. They'd kill if they had to and weren't thrilled at the message that came out from the command tent, but they would follow it.

 

Tobias let his respect flow into the Force- and thanked them for their honesty and dedication to the code. Perhaps with a little push... Tobias thought... "I dislike the no-prisoners order, but I also dislike that some of these slavers will go on, killing and reaping profits from selling souls to terrible people. The Jedi are here to assist the Imperial Remnant- don't get me wrong- if you see someone who can be saved, do so- but their ultimate fate belongs to the Imperials and the wookiee people."

 

One of the knights barked a laugh- "By the Force, I had never thought I would ever hear that last sentence, let alone be part of it. One of those things, I guess... The Imperials seem to be changing for the better."

 

She looked bashful afterwards- then regret pulsed from her in the Force. Tobias, with one hand on a support beam above him to steady his stance- reached out and demonstrated a hand motion that signaled for her to hold on, she was on the right path. "You are correct Jedi..." He paused a moment as he waited for her name to rise to the top of her mind. "... Jedi M'ithirie. I never thought I would see the day either- but the direction Empress Zinthos is taking the Imperials is a very noble path. I have faith in her, and her Imperial Knights. They will be irreplaceable allies in the battles to come."

 

Vos didn't say that was at least he hoped it was the truth. It was a thin line to walk, but Raven was doing alright. The newer Jedi on the shuttle questioned him what they thought of the Imperial Knights program. They thought they were being sneaky- they weren't.

 

"The Imperial Knights are led by the Former Jedi Exorcist Kyrie Eleison, now a General and a close confidant of Raven's. General Eleison is a powerful and well respected member of the Light side, I trust in her judgement." Tobias replied smoothly. To whit Jedi M'ithirie asked if Tobias respected her so much, what was stopping him from joining the Imperial Knights. Letting the question linger for a moment, before answering. "Because I am looking at the bigger picture. I always will strive to do what I know is right, and right now- the Jedi are going to need me. I will stay with the Jedi as long as I can in good conscious. The Jedi need to be ready."

 

If there was anymore to the banter- save for the looks Tut and Tom were giving him under their masks- it was cut off from the pilot who said they were above the LZ, and it was HOT. The bay doors opened, Tobias yelled over the roar of the battle and engines- "JEDI! WITH ME!" and jumped down and into the brawl.

 

As they called to the Force to assist with their landing, Tobias and the others had to dodge the volley of ordinance heading their way. A Jedi shield technique would only get you so far. All eight landed in the relative same area. There were bodies everywhere. Another gravesite to fight through. Blood and mud mixed below around their feet as the eight Jedi ran into the fray of battle. As they neared- they saw Imperial Knights start to rally around them- not many- but enough. As Vos took the lead into the fight, he was the first to cut down a slaver- a bloodied trandosian who had just cut the throat of a stormtrooper he knocked over. All the ugly lizard heard was the same rage of battle and a hummm-skkk

 

The lizard fell in four pieces to the ground. If someone was watching the battle from above- it was the eastern/northeaster flank- that the good guys were hurting- but with each moment more lightsabers turned back on. The Imperial Knights had lost the shine of their red armor in the ground campaign- and apparently gone through their power cells. One by one more colors of lightsabers switched back on- or just appeared. Some knights were fighting with blasters but now turned to the Jedi-led push down the middle of their forces. Each new force user added a link in the chain that would stretch across the front. Tobias saw Tut get ahead of him in the rush and cartwheel over Black Sun soldier- who was cut in two by Tom. Tut then landed, and sprung into a force-enhanced leap- and cut the three troopers with a rocket launcher down. The push was on- and with the combined efforts of Tobias and the Jedi, along with the Imperial forces- the good guys started to gain ground on the slavers and scum. Pitching a grenade through a tiny hole in a makeshift bunker the enemy had established as a repeating blaster nest- the whole hut filled with a blue hue- and ice sprang out the small hole. Tobias nodded to a Knight, who pitched a frag grenade inside- whomever was in there was buried under the dirt and rubble that the nest had been created with. Blocking bolts was becoming a regular thing, and then he switched styles to a one handed grip as he took his blaster in hand- bat back a bolt, shoot another one, bat back another, pull the trigger- it was that simple. The enemy couldn't have many more surprises.

 

Over the course of the push he did see many deaths, but nothing that was alarming- a Jedi Knight had taken a grenade blast to the leg and most of it was gone- an Imperial Knight had her face blown halfway off- and other non-Force user deaths occurred, obviously. Never-the-less, those didn't hurt any less than when his own comrades were killed. Just because they weren't Force Users didn't mean you treated them as underlings. More than once Tobias was assisted by the Imperial Forces, and he returned the favor tenfold. Letting himself flow with the battle, Tobias and Friends pressed further into the fray.

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The Exorcist’s fingers, pale and nails chewed from her nervous tic, began to pulse as she channeled the Force through her. She could feel the leather wrappings of the man’s shoulder upon which her hand rested, but she wanted to go deeper. His words did not penetrate her mind, they were held in stasis as she pursued his heart.

 

What drove you? Strength, anger? Was it Bitterness?

 

Kyrie felt as though she was running a marathon, pursuing the emotions in her apprentice before he tamped them down, bottling them up. To bottle emotions up was a trait they both shared, and she knew the havoc it wraught on the soul. A dawn of horror rushed through her as it did her apprentice. It came swift as lightning, and the thunderclap of fear followed. She breathed the fear in like the smoke from a deathstick, it was frigidly cold against her flames. She let it fill her soul as she joined his mind.

 

What have I done, bringing you so badly prepared into the heart of chaos that is war?

 

The Imperial Knight’s eyes blazed silver, but her face was calm and full of a kindness that outmatched the scars on her face. The burning tears continued as pain coursed through her heart, the heartache of a sin eater. It hurt to consume sin, burning it away left a painful corruption behind. She let out a small gasp, and exposed her apprentice to the hurt inside, as an echo, the lives she had taken, the monstrous Sith she had brought to ruin. Each life taken was a burden, a life that would never be redeemed.

 

Feel the cost of our journey. Think on it before you continue our path.

 

Her scars turned raw with fresh blood, the fire beginning to burn too hot within her soul. She grabbed the young man and pressed her own lightsaber into his trembling hands. She was giving him no option but to press forward at her side. It was a strong leash, and the long-handled blade hummed with a foreign power.

 

You felt strong, and now you are weaker than before. That is the curse of darkness. Weakness, and you and I are no weaklings.

 

The Commander of the Imperial Knights lifted her palms upwards and fire danced across them.

 

You are retreating into your mind in your shame.

 

The fire began to spread to cloak her in silver light.

 

We have all fallen to anger at times. To fall is to be human. Anger tempts up all.

 

Her ebony braids singed to silvered fire, and the darkness of the world about them began to burn to ash. As Trandoshans poured over the lip of the crater in a counterattack, they began to be consumed by the raging inferno. Sorrow for the lost, fear for her apprentice, the death of a world, all caused the lump in her throat. There was no speaking now. At the heart of the fire, was the crying Imperial Knight and her apprentice.

 

To pull yourself up from the shackles of humanity, that is the light.

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There was the little outpost that served as a hub for the Black Sun forces, it had been suggested it was in this area- but Tobias had been unsure at first. As the fighting continued on- he and his cohorts had steadily fought their way forward through the tangle of battle steadily pressing through the enemy lines. Cutting and blasting any slaver that wasn’t willing to surrender. It was regrettable the fact that none of them surrendered but that was the way of the dark side. Thanks to his suits niche in the world of warfare Tobias was able to keep relatively cool and hydrated through the battle. Once he opened his helmet to the atmosphere he knew he would start to sweat profusely. Grateful to see his companions stay by him and push the enemy further back, he knew this was going to be a hard part. This little outpost was a problem.

 

As the three soldiers in black pin wheeled through the enemy ranks there was a sudden shiver in the Force. The three Jedi were connected in the Force as a trifecta. The leading edge to a trident. If there was time to think about it- Tobias would have made a mental note to make a tridentsaber for Tut, but with the recent hazing of anyone with a crossguard, other odd saber styles might draw unwanted attention. And perhaps come off as a touch racist? Nah… Couldn’t be, Tobias would celebrate the culture the Nautolan came from. However, there wasn’t time or energy to devout to that right now. The Jedi Master was focused on the hut in front of him and his fellow warriors. The battle had not stopped, it was noticeably less noisy- but in the distance it still raged.

 

The three had managed to kill- in self-defense- every enemy troop in the immediate vicinity. Their area was clear. Still- the three had their blades activated. Tobias in the center, flanked by either of the masters. The viridian blade cast its light down around the ground turning the small pools of blood and gristle a perverted color. There was a strong presence in the Force coming from the hut, caution was needed here. As soon as they got within 30 yards the door smashed open with the sound of a bowcaster. The door flew towards the advancing Jedi- Tom used the Force to redirect it straight into the ground where it splintered. Tobias batted the bolt away. There were no wookiees in there, one of the slavers had the audacity to use one of the wookiees own weapons against one of their liberators? How arrogant. A large trandosian stepped out from the shadows- firing bolts as fast as the bowcastor could. Eight shots later Tut had managed to deflect a bolt right into the weapon causing it to explode in the aliens hands.

 

A reptilian growl came from the mouth of the yellow skinned trandosian followed by a curse in the native tongue. Shaking the flaming debris from his chest and arms- he glowered at Tobias with cold fury. As his lips turned up in a mocking sneer a whistle came forward- and four large trandosians came out from the hut- obviously waiting for the Jedi to draw near. Tobias obliged. As they produced shockblades and prepared to stand their ground, it was obvious that they were prepared for the Jedi to show up. Through the mental link between the trio of Jedi they all shared that- and came back down to a walk. Half way to the now curious gazes- Tobias reached out with his free hand. Closing his eyes- he found the lizards in the Force. Realizing something was wrong the quatrain started to barrel down on the Jedi. Tut and Tom had a barrier in place. Tobias felt each of them trying to bully their way through the invisible wall.

 

Letting his voice amplify he called to them- "You and your cohorts will stand down. You will stand down and surrender." There was no gentleness in his voice, there was no need- There were only two ways this would play out. One, they would surrender. Two, they would curse him and still try to attack. This was about saving Imperials, Jedi, and Wookiees. Not only was the command out loud, but projected through the Force into their minds. As soon as he touched each of their brains- he knew what they would do. Reluctantly, they started to ease their pushing on the barrier- silently nodding to one another. They were angry, they wanted blood- but this was in their best interest, they knew that.

 

"You know, if you were an Imperial- I wouldn't trust you. But you're a Jedi- you can get everyone to stand down." The one who had held the bowcaster said in an accented basic.

 

Tut and Tom reached to Tobias through their link, silently communicating. "I can convince the Imperials to accept your surrender." This was a fine edge to be walking on.

 

They growled at one another again then nodded. "Very well, Jedi. We will call to our group to surrender." There was resignation in their stance, and with a nod-Tom and Tut released the barrier and advanced towards the lizards, who had taken a knee. With a dozen feet between them and the two Jedi- they sprang. They had used their agility to leap towards the Jedi- their daggers and shockblades swinging.

 

It would have taken anyone by surprise. Anyone except Force Users who had already established a link into the mind of their enemies. His hand was still outstretched- and Tut and Tom were not surprised. As they silently watched the four aliens leap through the air they trusted Tobias- who dutifully and reluctantly gripped his fist- twisted his forearm- and pulled down. Just as the aliens were leaping into the air- their bodies went limp and collapsed after their momentum carried them a few feet and into the ground. They were all dead- one had managed to come down on his own knife- and another had rolled onto his back. There was a massive lump in the aliens chest with a deep contusion. There was no time to really examine the bodies- they were a threat and they were naturalized. Each of them knew it was a ruse- the aliens never did mean to surrender- just to ambush. From that first moment, the Jedi had known.

 

As the 'safe' area began to spread, Adenna had meandered out of the woods and back into his realm. Apparently she had joined up with several Imperials, judging by the amount of scorch marks, blaster bolts against armor, and blood- they had been successful. As the flank grew stronger here, he spared a moment for her. They talked for a moment to discuss what had went on after she left, if there was any issues their group needed to go face- but there weren't any. As his helmet was still up, when the priority message for him came in privately.

 

Calling it up on his HUD- it was a video feed from the PIT Droids in the ship. "YO! Boss!" Ni shouted, seeing Vos's face on the screen. It was a video message, streaming in real time? How... were they here? Why?! They were supposed to be on Nar Shaddaa, waiting for he and Adenna to return. As if reading his mind Ni held up both hands- "Look! Hang on! We got a signal from...well the signal you had for the shipping networks and stuff. Its not where it came from- it's who. We figured it was important, so we came to pick you up. The message should be in your HUD now."

 

A small message blinked in the corner of his helmet. He opened it- spoke the phrase to unlock it. It was short message- Sarah, standing in front of a hut... that looked familiar. It was as if he had received a blast of Force Lighting straight to his spinal cord. His mind exploded into thoughts and several strong emotions- fear, shock, regret, loss, and betrayal. It all boiled down to shame and guilt. He had lost his way- something was up, and he had to get there now. Adenna should come with him- he would need her. And she needed to see this. The battle for the Wookiee people would have to be seen after by the remaining Jedi in charge- Tom and Tut. Tobias relayed this to the Jedi and Imperial Forces. As he saw his shuttle descending through the clouds- he was sorry to have to rush away like this, but trusted them to carry on and to forgive him. He hoped the rest of the forces down there still fighting and dying would forgive him. He made sure to relay all necessary information to the Moff, and the ground control tent so that his ship didn't get shot down as it collected them. Tobias nodded his approval to Ni and told the droid to get them on the way to Taris. Silently, Tobias sat in the common room of the ship- and watched the message over three more times. Then he shared it with Adenna as he felt them jump to hyperspace.

 

TL:DR

Trio of Jedi take down big bad trados- firmly. Adenna appears out of the woods with her war band. PIT Droid Ni comes in with a urgent message to whisk Tobias and Adenna off planet, Jedi Forces remain.

 

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As the campaign wrapped up, Beth blinked the salty sweat from her stinging eyes. Atmospheric flying was not her strong suite, but she had gotten hours of experience from this venture. And with a quick glance at the level gauges, drained the TIE Defender of its concussion missile array, most of its fuel reserves, and spun sealed tibanna reserves. Not enough to burn to the fleet. Which with another glance did not seem necessary as the fleet was coming to them.

 

The Imperial Star Destroyers broke atmosphere with grace and the crackling of discharging static off the shield arrays. She watched as the shuttle bays began disgorging relief supply shuttles and troop ships packed with medical crews.

 

The Imperial Fleet was here and had brought with it the Wookiee government in exile.

Andromina

Rebel Alliance Fleet Command - Lieutenant

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Like most of the carefully planned and skillfully executed plans developed by the Imperial Remnant's Empress Raven Zinthos and Moff Council, victory on Kashyyyk proved inevitable. The Golan 1 floating high above the planet was the last great defensive hope of the slavers operating on the wooded planet, and its defeat and destruction without the loss of a single Imperial capital ship doomed the evil ravagers below. The final defensive lines of the slavers had been stormed with the iron strength and righteous resolve of the Imperial Legions. Though breaking through the heavily defended terrain was dangerous and difficult work, every fallen tree and rocky outcropping defended by heavy gun turrets and fanatical warriors, the rolling tanks and engineering capabilities of the 37th Mechanized Infantry proved impossible for the lighter arms and armor of the Trandoshan Slavers to defeat. The heavy tanks simply crushed their way through most of the fallen trees, while the lighter tanks deftly maneuvered over or around the fallen masses, flanking enemy positions while their bulky forms provided cover for their infantry supports.

 

Tallin sighed as he continued listening to comm reports and scrolling through datapads worth of information, orders and messages constantly flowing in and out from his command team. His weapons remained at his side, though not a shot had been fired since the execution of the Trandoshan slaver earlier. The Regiment of Hohenlohe had performed particularly well in breaking the slaver's lines, their own memories of slavery propelling them in a tide of just revenge. Whenever a gap in the lines had opened, the constant flow of reinforcements from the ships and other units finishing their tasks would plug the holes, while the Trandoshans lacked the man power to fill their depleting ranks. As son as troops would clear an area, tree fire suppression, initial medical aid and other tasks would immediately begin, understaffed squads and support personnel stepping up to fill these needed roles. Hundreds of troops were dead or injured, but the heavy tanks of the mechanized regiment had limited casualties below the projected numbers, combined with the death of the Sith and Black Sun officers upon the Golan 1. As they approached the center of the Slaver Base and their stockpile of massive slaver ships, many of the slavers had begun to execute the slaves and the few captured Imperials in a fit of desperate revenge. Most of the Trandoshans had been slaughtered in the fighting, though some had surrendered before fighting and been captured by Imperials or the Jedi troops. The tall Zabrak had realized his order had been a bit hasty, and amended it to those bearing weapons only.

 

Now, with the battle mostly over, the task of rebuilding had begun. With relief ships and officials dropping from the descending Star Destroyers above, the long term task of helping the Wookies begin their life again was in full swing. The Imperials would not be staying long, only long enough to get the Wookies back to their feet. It was not an Imperial planet, the presence of the Imperials were needed elsewhere, and it was time to disprove the common belief of the GA and the Jedi that the Imperial Remnant was simply looking to conquer territory.

 

As Tallin headed toward the descending shuttle, he hoped some official would be arriving that would help the former slave with the planet's recovery. Life was much simpler when he was just a Corporal on Nar Shaddaa.

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((As I'm not sure how to continue, I'm going to write a small placer post, and Kyrie or whoever can fast forward him to whatever is happening next.))

 

Her fire didn't burn him. It was warm, but the kind of warmth one felt with a thick blanket on a cold night. It was comforting. Most of his doubts washed away with her display, and though he knew he still had a long road to journey before gaining mastery over himself and his abilities, this was absolutely the one place in the galaxy he needed to be in right now. No matter what perils came his way, with the Imperial Knights, he knew he could overcome them. It wasn't strength of the self or strength of the Force that would sustain him, it was the strength of the team.

 

Thank you...

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  • 2 weeks later...

(( Imperial Remnant Government Actions posted with permission))

 

The battle for Kashyyyk was over, with the slavers and mercenaries of the Black Sun and Sith destroyed and captured, and the forested world free again. A large portion of the hundreds of captured prisoners had been handed over to the Wookies for trial and execution, while the rest remained in the hands of the avenging Remnant and Jedi, where they would also face justice in death. Medical aid and food were immediately distributed to both the captured Wookies and those who had escaped the clutches of the slavers. The Remnant had come equipped to supply and aid in the rebuilding of the battered world, not just to fight the war to free it.

 

The Imperial Remnant would not be holding onto the world, much to the contrary of the beliefs of many in the Jedi and GA. No, Kashyyyk was to return to its earlier status as a neutral planet, beholden to none. The extensive history between the Empire and the Wookies could not be easily forgotten by either side, the detailed records of past atrocities and the hundreds of years long memories of the Wookies ensuring that the past could not be easily forgiven. Still, the Imperial efforts to free the planet had two desired effects, a small amount of restitution paid and more good will restored between the former enemies, and the temporary halt of the expansionist policies of the followers of the Dark Side. Though the Imperials were taking a hands off approach to the new government which had returned from exile, they were leaving behind another of Moff Hohenlohe's Imperial Missions, similar to the one previously built on Nar Shaddaa. This Mission was enacted to aid in the long terms goal of rebuilding, and mitigating the suffering due to the disruption of their economy, homes, and tribes.

 

As the Imperials would not be leaving any troops or ships behind to protect the planet, Moff Hohenlohe, with the support of the Moff council and the Empress Raven Zinthos, had arranged for the Nar Shaddaa Spaceworks to begin work on a Golan III and a Star Destroyer II to help defend the planet. These defensive weapons were designed entirely as a gift, with no intentions of repayment or long term allegiance to the Remnant. Much of the space monstrosities would be altered to function with the Wookies, a test of the capabilities of the Imperial Engineering Corps. Some military advisors and trainers would also come with the weapons platform, provided they were accepted by the new government.

 

With matters finished on the green surface, the remaining men and women of Imperial Assault Groups Alpha and Bravo boarded their transports for the return trip to their homes aboard the ships of the Imperial Battle Group Knight. Many hands were hastily passed over hardened eyes as the thoughts of the veteran troops turned to their comrades who had fallen aboard the Golan and on the planet's surface never to rise again, to partake in a good meal, laugh at a crude joke or share in the intensity of a firefight. A single massive memorial had been held on Kashyyyk before they departed, and the names of each of the fallen recorded in the long registry of Imperial dead. As they returned to their ships, most of the Imperial Marines scattered to their respective barracks, to drink, carouse, and brawl to the memory of their comrades who were forever lost to them.

 

With the flaring of massive engines, the Ascalon, Agamemnon, and Benedictus jumped to hyperspace, heading for Kuat where the rest of the Imperial fleet was gathered.

 

((Any follow up Imperial posts can be put into the "Space" or "Kuat" threads.))

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The Black Sun and Sith Forces were eradicated. Scores dead, thousands injured. Why did Vos leave this mess in his lap? Tomalauin’kquintan’tus squinted his vibrant red eyes over the ruined landscape. As the wookiees slowly started to regain their world and return to their feet. The Imperials had sacrificed so much here, along side the Jedi no less. Some Jedi, but... where were the rest? The Fosh Jedi- Trushaun was a complete surprise to all of them- taking out that chariot and providing support in the nick of time. Tom would have knighted her on the spot for such a well timed rescue.

 

The Jedi, with faster ships, stayed behind for a day just to make sure everything was going smoothly, save for one thing- Jedi Master Tut Maris. On top of losing his best friend and the struggles they had faced in order to even get their friendship going- Jedi Master Chal'lar had died. Saving a squad of stormtroopers. Tom looked over and fifty yards away was the Nautolan, kneeling in the mud. His right hand clenched tight in front of him, a spear had claimed his left. His whole shoulder had shattered, resulting in amputation. The nerve endings were still there so a prosthetic wasn't out of the question. The Nautolan even waved off a bacta tank for now as he 'had the Force and could take the pain, the other soilders should use the bacta while it lasted.' His eyes were swollen with tears of sorrow for his friend, but none of it was anger- or pain. The Force was aiding him with staving off both of those toxic emotions. They would have to return to the convoy, their cargo holds holding only the dead now.

 

Tom made his way over, bidding the wookiees goodbye- helping Tut to his feet and the pair made their way to the last shuttle to leave Kashyyyk.

 

With that Ashla's Nocturne, Vivace and the Vaapad returned to hyperspace to restock and resupply at Kuat. Then back home to Ossus to await further orders.

 

Trushaun had asked to stay with the wookiees, and didn't even wait for an answer before she had melted back into the vegetation. She had decided to oversee the world for a bit. Fosh were so strange...

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  • 3 months later...

Those that were of the avian species were funny creatures. They chirped and called to one another, their songs almost all different. Sure there were some species that mimicked others, and some that were just disgusting to look at= but each served a purpose. Whether it was scroungers or elegant birds of prey or trainable tropical birds or even those that one found purely domesticated anymore; birds were funny. Some flew, others didn't. It was the former that caught her attention right now. At least that, and the smoked leg of a Webweaver that Trushaun idly held in her hand. Nibbling softly on the smoked meat of a giant spider was not how she envisioned her night going, it wasn't a bad thing this meal. Just unexpected, much like the last year of her life. Silently, she wished she was a bird. Well, more of a bird. She was Fosh- and a Jedi, at least somewhat, and she wanted to fly like these birds did. The Agrs' who flew around out in front of her were magnificent. The soared around looking for prey; namely the surplus of Can-cell insects that had hit their breeding season. Without taking her eyes off the birds, she took a bite of the spider meat.

 

Watching one Agr fly vertical circles around a fat Charkarr was entertaining to Trushaun, she loved this show. She had been watching it for the past eight days. Of course she did not spend all her time up in the Wroshyr trees, she had been part of the hunting parties that tracked down rough sects of Black Sun and Trandosian groups. Recently all scouting parties indicated that they were only finding native creatures to defend against. So the past three weeks had been helping wookiees back to their feet, burying and burning their dead. Mop-up actions, really.

 

She took another bite as a Can-cell landed at the edge of her branch, twenty feet away. It rotated left, then right- studying Trushaun, who was sitting with her legs folded beneath her, on the branch. Tilting her head to one side, she looked back at it. Giggling, or what could be called a Fosh-giggle, came out of her beak. She held out her free hand, extending a finger- seeing of the Can-cell would come to land on the new perch. It flew away back down to the forest floor. Being at the edge of the forest against the ocean, Trushaun watched it go- plummeting down to the ground. Pulling her hand back in, she broke off the empty part of the Webweaver leg she held and chomped on the newly exposed meat in the next segment.

 

Her branch vibrated back against the trunk of the tree. If she did not have the Force, she would have looked to see if it was a Net-caster or a Yuugrr or another one of Kashyyyks' deadly creatures. Thankfully, she had the Force, and did not startle as the wookiee approached.

 

< He called, striding towards the young Jedi. Rawruu'touru was a young wookiee male who had risen to the challenge of driving the Black Sun and the Slavers off his homeworld again, he had become captain of the scouting party Trushaun often accompanied into the Shadowlands for their foe. Only after his uncles death during the big battle that had seen the warriors in the white armor and Jedi driving the evil off this world. Those warriors in white... Trushaun shivered at the thought and looked at her brand through her sleeve. Shaking the momentary distraction away she returned to the air spectral before her.

 

"Yes. The past seven days have been filled with meditation. Following the Force, once again, I shall." She called back in her own native tongue. The wookiee used his, she should be allowed to use hers. It was... refreshing to speak Fosh once again and have someone understand it. She felt Rawruu'tourus' Force aura shudder with sadness and inevitable longing. She beckoned him forward with a wave on her hand, patting the spot on the branch next to her. The wookiee was young, he would fit. Despite the vibration in the trees' limb, it was wide and sturdy enough to support both, side by side.

 

<> Rawruu'touru grumbled, and took a seat at Trushauns side. He offered her a canteen, she thanked him with a nod and took a sip of the water.

 

Silently, the two sat there through the night. This would be their last night together. The unlikely pair had formed a bond that neither of them spoke of, but neither wanted to break. But Rawruu'touru knew he had to let her go. She had spent so much time here, and yet they were still so new to one another. He wanted to yell and plead for her to stay, but she couldn't and he knew that. So there they sat- watching the air show play out before them into the night when the winking bugs came out with the soft breeze.

 

"Kashyyyk is so... wonderful." Trushaun said, a few hours later. Her legs were crossed and Rawruu'tourus' head lay in center of them, her fingers gliding through his fur, his soft breathing letting his powerful chest rise and fall, his lip curled up with pleasure exposing the tips of his canine teeth. Slowly, he nodded his head, his eyes still closed. "As are you, my dear..." She said, and curled her forehead to his. She still stoked his hair, and the two sat there until the sun came up and it was time for her to go. Trushaun had told him he could become a Jedi, if he wanted to. He was Force Sensitive. She knew too little to train him properly, but it was an option. His place was on Kashyyyk, both knew that. As her place was back with the Jedi for the time being. Rawruu'touru said she always would have a home on Kashyyyk, and she knew he spoke the truth. In the morning they descended their perch after the sunrise and made their way to the spaceport; where Trushaun would leave the wookiee homeworld behind again. Saying her goodbyes and getting a snack for the trip, she departed; staring out at the view port at the dozen wookiees, who she called friend wave their farewells. Rawruu'touru stood there- his fist in the air making no movement until they were out of sight.

 

There had been progress on Kashyyyk- they had taken back their word: again. She vowed to return as a Jedi Knight, and protect the Wookiee people along side Rawruu'touru. However, there was still the fact that she had to spend so much time away from there and that is why she curled into her bunk and cried herself to sleep. It wouldn't be long before they reached Ossus, she rendezvoused with Tut and Tom, and then made their way to Felucia. Tobias had recalled her and his two other masters, she did not know why- she wanted to... stay on Kashyyyk. But she needed to finish her training. Tobias knew that- she corrected herself; Master Vos. She had hidden away for far too long from the Jedi Order as a whole- she needed to knuckle down and complete her knighthood. Faster she did that, faster she could get back to Rawruu'touru and... home.

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  • 3 years later...

Kadi hadn't been disappointed with her expectations of Kashyyyk. From the Wookies in their sprawling treetop villages to the trees themselves, towering thousands of feet into the sky. But what also wasn't exaggerated was the destruction- Kashyyyk had seen almost 200 years of continuous warfare, ever since the Separatists had sieged the planet in the Clone Wars. From their enslavement under the Empire to the terror attacks and ravages by the Sith empire, a large portion of Kashyyyk's natural habitat had been devastated. Craters the size of cities, entire forests flattened into plains of dead trees and wildlife, and abandoned villages were most of the planet's vast wilderness now. It was another good reminder of why, despite her affinity for nature, she kept finding herself in battle against the Sith.

 

She'd been here maybe a week, and had since admitted to herself that it was nice to have time to herself. Sure, she was doing a job, and she was surrounded by people, but they respected her alone time and she enjoyed the work she was doing. Right now, she was meditating in what was once a bustling tree city, but had been bombed into the ground by orbital turbolasers. She could feel the death, and the pain, but she could also feel the wilds seeking to reclaim what was lost, to begin again and heal the land. All it needed was some help, and she was more than willing to give her services, both spiritually and mechanically.

Edited by Mavanger
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 The blood of a thousand generations of power flowed in the coursing veins of a walking corpse. The blood of great Ar-Pharazon and Nightsong mixed and mingled with every failing replication. Had the curse in the blood gotten worse since the Spider had withdrawn from the universe? Since his empire had fallen in a string of failed assaults. For the empire had fallen a long time ago, for an empire built around the character cult of a single man could not long survive his departure. 

 

Where were the legions? Where were the flocks of Sith Lords that had hounded the corridors of Onderon while victory was still so sweet? 

 

Like the ghosts they had faded at the first sight of defeat. Leaving their betters to hold the tattered banners as the fleets retreated from Corellia. And now those brave Sith that had remained were seeing the rise of the galaxy against them. A few systems had become a thousand, and the few sabers of the Jedi had become a storm of light. 

 

Yet here she was, one of the steadfast allies of the Spider, now running from the destiny she herself had invited. 

 

A destiny of ruin. A destiny of doom. A destiny of blood. A destiny foretold. 

 

In the deepness of her mind the prophetic words of a dying Jedi master thundered. Screamed as fire flickered under his pyre, through lips black and bloody. But she could not remember the words, even as she searched her memories of that long ago mission. A mission of knives and blades. Blood and a dead wolf. 

 

She let out a long sigh, for she could not remember. A flash of anger spilled like the tears that were dripping from the corners of her eyes. Tears of hopes broken asunder by her own choices. 

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Kadi could still feel it- the attack that had wiped this place out. Pirates had come looking to enslave more Wookies, and when they had resisted, they were attacked. It hadn't killed everyone, or even most of the denizens, but without protection and with pirates attacking them regularly, they had abandoned their homes for the safety of a larger settlement. As large and menacing as Wookies were, they were still no match for superior numbers and bigger guns. It was a familiar tale in the Outer Rim. Pirates and slavers regularly attacked frontier villages like this one, too far away from other settlements to be protected. She'd stopped a few herself in her time under her master, a Jedi Knight by the name of Hiron Gurz. He was a grim man who had seen the worst days of the war, and it had reflected in his training of her. He'd taught her to always be on her guard, had told her the stories of the Spider and his deceits.

 

This had been solidified in her battle against Quela Darksong, when she'd seen what the Sith were truly capable of. But then, at Lehon, she had met another. It was a fight that could have been avoided, and while the sadness she had felt at the wqoman's death had been based in her belief that Telperien had been so set in the Dark Side that she saw no way forward but a fight, the time Kadi had spent in recovery had given her insight into her part in the conflict. Her distrust of the Sith, the foundation built by her master and grown by her own experiences, had narrowed the choices as well. And so when she felt the familiar presence of the Nightsister, she pushed aside her worry, at least for now. She didn't know what brought her to the planet, perhaps a Sith incursion. But she would have to let the other Jedi who had come on this trip handle that- She had an opportunity to save someone, and she would take it.

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But what was this light? This pure heart that beat so steadily in the face of total darkness? That calming rhythm that flickered at the edges of her consciousness? Her heartbeat was almost musical, every contraction of the aorta pushing blood through living tissues. Was it the heartbeat that brought her to this dismal world? A pretty face? Perhaps a promised end to a curse that had hounded her from death to death. The Heir of Ar-Pharazon did not know. Perhaps it was all of those things. 

 

She slowly stood as the shuttle settled into one of the burned out landing pads nestled in the husk of a great tree. The two sabre cats that had so faithfully served this bodies’ owner crowded around her feet, looking up with eager and fearful eyes. For they did not like this change, where one there had been laughter, only a brooding silence remained. It unsettled them. Her face was still there, but the light behind her eyes had changed. 

 

“Hono, Kai.” She whispered, reaching down to scratch behind the ears of the foremost cat. “All will be alright.” 

 

They did not believe her, but followed anyway. That was their duty.  And perhaps if she found what she wanted on this strange grassless land, her smile would return. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Kadi didn't know what to do. She had thought about what she'd say, how she'd greet her former opponent now that they were away from the battlefield; But now that Telperiën was here, and approaching, she didn't know what to say. She stood awkwardly at the other end of the landing pad, watching for... what? Signs of treachery? Telperiën was in a different body now, another young woman. Her presence in the Force was the same, though, and it wasn't too much of a surprise considering their last conversation. She wsa quiet for a moment, before she spotted the two cats that flanked her. She grinned, squatting and holding out her hand.

 

"Hello there, lovelies. Who might you be?"

 

She glanced up at Telperiën. Had she taken something to heart? Were these her cats from love, or from dominance? Were they hers, or were they the body that she now possessed's? Time would tell.

 

"You've been busy. It's good to see you again."

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The two saber cats bared their stark white fangs, stepping in front of their mistress in a defensive crouch, the fur behind their ears furrowing and standing tall in some primordial gesture of menace. Nothing much to scar an Acklay and a full Jedi knight, but they were ready for the fight if it offered itself. Telperien waved her hand at the two felines and they calmed instantly, sitting and wrapping their spiked tails around their front paws, their stark yellow-grey eyes watching their mistress with fascination. 

 

“They belonged to this former body, they serve their purpose.” 

 

She ran her long finders through the fur at the base of Kai’s skull, causing him to pur, and the long pointed ears to twitch in pleasure. Telperien smiled softly and looked back up to Kadi. It was good to see her again, she was a beautiful specimen of a modern Iridonian Zabrak, horns that curved wonderfully up from the light tattooing around her forehead. It was an intriguing feeling to look at someone like her, a sworn enemy, and feel only the loneliness in her own heart. 

 

Not hate. Even the strange desire she had felt in their last combat did not stir itself in the pit of her belly. Only a stark and bleak loneliness. Telperien held out a hand towards the two saber cats, holding a scrap of meat that she had packed from their last stop. 

 

“It is good to see you... I trust you are well?”

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