Prelude to War: Naboo

[Trenton Vinh]

Commander Bryne'kst, along with a half-dozen elite Warriors, led the march on the heretic palace in the capital city of Naboo.
He had at least a hundred Yuuzhan Vong Warriors in the immediate area, taking posts at the entrances and nearby the Palace.
There were thousands of Vong marching throughout the city, slaying anyone and everyone they encountered.
They had little resistance, and taking the city was almost pointless. Had he not been stuck in a cramped warship for the past month, he would have just pulled his forces into orbit and glassed the planet from pole to pole.
But his Warriors needed some exercise, and this was the equivalent of what the residents of the Galaxy would call a 'blue milk run'.
He whirled his amphistaff as the royal Guardsmen drew their heretic technological weapons and opened fire. Bryne let a shot glance off his armor before rushing forward and ramming his amphistaff through the chest of the guard.
Blood spilled onto the floor, and a few drops sprayed into the air as the man slipped noiselessly off the blade.
Bryne let a bloodthirsty smile cross his face, and yelled, "Do-ro'ik vong pratte!"
The heretics wouldn't understand it, but to the Warriors, the familiar battle cry was a call to unleash their most primal emotions, in the common heretic language it meant: 'And woe to our enemies.'
He heard a hundred yells in response, and his men surged forward. Within minutes, the grand palace had been taken.

[Ta'hok]

Leah walked across the bloodied expanse of Dee'ja Peak. Anger was growing inside of her. Her prey had escaped it seemed. Any of the despicable Yuuzhan Vong that approached her were quickly lost in pheromones. Soon there weren't any that got close to her before they were taken out by their own pheromone converted comrades. She smiled at her own slowly growing army. It was amusing the irony that these invaders were ripping themselves apart. She pressed on following the guidance of the force to try and find her key. The necessary information the boy must hold would be hers before Naboo's sun set.

[Ta'hok]

Kyle had been able to keep up with Jon and Aeolan as they returned to the ship despite carrying the boy. Once aboard he tried to relax but found he couldn't. Something was bothering him, making him edgy. He tried to calm his fears by comforting the child he had rescued. The boy still seemed very upset and disturbed by his near death experience. So much so that Kyle's scanty efforts did nothing noticeable to ease the boy's fears.

[Ghev Dralin]

Luur'ha marched into the palace. His armour was stained with the blood of those he'd slain on his walk through Theed, and his own blood from Dee'ja Peak.
Missing an arm, and sporting jagged wounds to the face - one over his blinded left eye - he looked a little worse for wear.
He'd already vowed to kill Mira for blinding him, and for severing his limb, but there was something about the woman that had stirred a warriors pride in him.
He'd heard of Jedi, the heretic saviours of this cursed galaxy, but he'd disregarded the Mandalorians. That disregard had cost him in flesh and blood.
"Bryne'kst" he said, entering the throne room. "Congratulations on taking the city. But the fight is not over" he announced. Over time, he'd learned to perfect his pronunciation of Basic, though his missing lips still added a gluttaral edge to his words.

"Mandalorians and resistance fighters will approach from Dee'ja Peak. With Naboo security no longer an issue, it is likely they've called for reinforcements. Expect Jeedai" he warned.

********

"We should focus on the Palace" Mira said, indicating the grand structure on the hologram of Theed that she'd called up from Repletion's databanks.
"Strategically speaking..." Stefano began, but Mira cut him off.
"Strategically speaking, it's not the best place for the Vong to dig in. There are hundreds of places to hide, too many floors to secure, too many entrances and exits" she stated. "But it's a symbol of heresy to them, and a symbol of hope to the Naboo. It's likely they targeted the Palace to claim victory".

She turned to Jon. "When the Jedi arrive, they need to focus on these areas" she said, highlighting the bridges into the city.
"The rest of the city is surrounded by cliff-drops and waterfalls. The only way in is through these passes" she said. "They could wade in through the river, but the current would wash most of them down the waterfalls".
She paused, and rubbed her eyes. She'd lost count of how many days it had been since she last slept. She took out a stimpack, and injected herself in the wrist. It was then that she noticed Kyle, holding a boy, as if trying to comfort him.
"Unless that boy can fight, he'll need to stay behind on the ship" she advised. "A battlefield is no place for a scared child".

********

Ghev waited by his shuttle in the hangar of the Jedi Temple. He'd already commed ahead, to let the fleet know they were preparing for battle. His men had gone on without him, save for the few who wouldn't leave him; Jak, Xan, Twist, and a young man called Tarn. Tarn, who was only 16 years old, had joined Ghev later than the others. He'd had to feign loyalty to Tracyn, until such a time that he could escape to join what he called the 'True Mandalorians'.

Ghev felt the need to be up there, in orbit with his people. But Trenton had said to meet him in the hangar, and Ghev wondered if the Jedi needed to speak with him in person.
Besides, Ghev wanted some clear indication of the forces they'd be travelling to Naboo with. Other leaders, less pragmatic leaders, would claim that victory was within grasp. But Ghev knew that victory was not a likely outcome. Their goal here would be to evacuate as many survivors as possible, and eliminate as many Yuuzhan Vong as time allowed.
He didn't plan to keep his people there longer than necessary. He wasn't planning for victory this day, but for an uncostly defeat.

[Ta'hok]

Kyle couldn't agree more with Mila. A battlefield was no place for any child let alone a frightened one, but he had yet to get the child to release his hold on Kyle's shirt. He gave Mila a respectful nod nonetheless to show his agreement and that he didn't want to pick a fight with her. Thankfully the boy seemed to be starting to calm down.

Leah had returned to her ship searching in the force to try and find where her target had gone. She felt the impression that she should travel to Theed. She communicated that to her Defel and her ship launched toward Theed keeping out of the way of the Yuuzhan Vong ships. She needn't really have worried seeing as how she was quickly becoming surrounded by pheromone devoted Vong pilots. She reached Theed with no problems and disembarked to enter the palace. Immediately she was rushed by a particularly large Vong warrior. She waited until he opened his mouth, inhaling to scream a war cry, before hitting him with a particularly concentrated blast of pheromones. The Vong stopped suddenly as the pheromones took hold of his brain. She opened a telepathic link sending a simple thought into his open mind, Protect me. Instantly the creature replied by turning and using huge sweeps of his strange weapon to clear a path for her through his companions. She continued emitting pheromones for a few more minutes claiming more Vong to replenish those she had lost at the previous battle on the peak. She entered the Theed palace relatively unchallenged, her new bodyguards keeping her safe from their own friends. Leah smiled. Everything was going perfectly.

[Trenton Vinh]

Trenton Vinh strode into the hangar at a brisk pace, discipline keeping him from jogging towards Ghev. He was anxious to get to Naboo, to save whoever he could, and hopefully repel the Vong invasion.
Chances are, they would lose the planet, and if so...
He didn't have time to worry about it.
Jet Sumner, Tiverian Joreth, Malfurion Savard, San Xaan, Aundria Fenix, Dagon Fenix, Reyne Sunder, and Roth Fenix entered the hangar behind Trenton, all wearing Jedi robes, lightsabers hanging from belts. All looked weary, but prepared. Trenton was surprised all had opted to join them on the mission.
Trenton had the feeling that most of the council had come mainly to keep him and Roth in check, and to get an idea of what they were capable of.
The short but irritating Council Meeting that had occurred minutes ago had been comprised of Trenton yelling at the council about how pathetic it was that "Guardians of Peace and Justice in The Galaxy" weren't doing a thing to stop what was now, obviously and indisputably, an invasion.
After short deliberation, they had decided to come along, and geared up to go. Trenton thought it good that they would come, they may actually realize that the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong was real.
Trent nodded to Ghev when he neared and said, "Got a few more than I had expected coming along. Let's go."


*****

Jon frowned as Mirala talked about the palace. The Mandalorians were beginning to grow on him, their tactical know-how was certainly a change from the people he normally had to deal with.
He said, "We can post a few people at each bridge, hopefully we'll get enough reinforcements to keep the Vong out of the city, with enough people to spare to take out the ones already inside the city. The palace...I'd leave to your people and the Jedi. I'm not to keen on letting any New Republic troops walk into a slaughter when they have no idea what they're up against."
Aeolan nodded, "We could fly support for the city, take out some of those Coralskippers."
Jon frowned, "I don't think our two fighters will stand much of a chance against those numbers. If you want to stay alive, I think we should stick with the others. I'd take my starship over running around with the ground troops, but we will cause a lot more damage on the ground than in the sky."
Aeolan nodded.

[Ta'hok]

Leah wandered the corridors of the Theed palace. Things were quiet around her since her mind altered allies were busy sweeping the halls on the other levels. The palace seemed empty and utterly vacant but she knew better. Still she reveled in the silence. Here at last was a place she could meditate and bring her prey to her. She sat in the room she had entered her back against the far wall. Closing her eyes she focused on her breathing slowing each breath until her mind was open in meditation. She searched through the force following it's guidance until she found the boy again. He was on a ship headed toward Theed. She slowly worked her way into his mind taking the utmost care to ensure that she didn't alert him to her presence. She finally got far enough to see what he was seeing. At the moment he was wrapping a small boy in a cloak. The child was asleep though perhaps fitfully so. She prepared herself to give him the impressions she felt he should receive. She knew this was a delicate process and if she presented something to unbelievable the boy might start doubting his own mind which would cause her to lose him. She waited as the ship set down feeling his emotions of calm with a bit of trepidation hidden underneath. She smiled, her time to manipulate had come.

Kyle was at last able to free himself of the boy. The child was asleep mostly and no longer so tightly attached. Kyle wrapped the boy in his own cloak knowing that the garment was better serving its purpose here then on Kyle's shoulders. They neared their destination of Theed. Kyle didn't really listen to the rest of the conversation between Mira and Jon. He knew they weren't planning a position for him to fill anyway. It would be up to him to decided where he belonged in the combat. When the time came he raced down the landing ramp, jumping off the end into the city of Theed and the chaos of war.

[Ta'hok]

Leah's breathing was so slow and steady that it was nearly imperceptible. Her target was moving her way already, but he wasn't the only thing nearing. Leah could feel that warning in the force. Other's were coming, those who would not likely be her allies. She had to be quick if she was to get away unnoticed.

Kyle immersed himself in the ebb and flow of battle easily throwing his whip to allow him passage through the Vong. As he neared the palace he was surprised to hear a scream. His head turned upwards sharply looking at the building. The very pitch of that scream had expressed clear terror and need. Kyle started into the palace using his whip to slice through the Vong that attempted to stop him. He had a woman to save. Little did he know he was the only one who had 'heard' the scream. He was surprised that the majority of the resistance was at the entrance into the palace. After fighting for several minutes the halls seemed to become cold and empty. He climbed the stairs trying to locate where he had heard the sound come from. It didn't take long before he was able to hear weeping punctuated by a few more screams, though none nearly as loud as the first he had heard.

At last he came to the room. Throwing the door open he was met with the sight of two Yuuzhan Vong tormenting a woman. His whip snapped forward cutting through the arm of the one holding the woman and decapitating his companion. The second body feel to the floor with a fleshy thud, the first Vong started after Kyle. Kyle retreated a few steps back into the hall to allow himself room to swing. As soon as the Vong was in range Kyle lashed out with his vibro whip. The Vong moved its spearlike weapon to intercept the path of the whip thinking that it would then have the upper hand. What it didn't know is that was exactly what Kyle had been trying to get it to do. The parry may have stopped a sword or bladed weapon but this was not. Kyle twisted his wrist subtly making the tip of his weapon snap around the staff and cut into the back of the Vong's remaining hand. The creature hissed dropping it's weapon reflexively. Instead of foolishly reaching down for it though, the Vong charged Kyle thinking to overwhelm him by closing his range. Kyle deftly side stepped, bringing his whip down across the creature's exposed back. It howled in pain before its spinal cord was severed and it fell limply to the floor.

Kyle turned back to the room walking slowly so as not to frighten the woman inside. She was sobbing both in pain and in fear. "Don't worry. I won't hurt you," he said softly. She lifted her face to him, the skin marred by bruises. He thought her nose might be broken but it was difficult to tell. He stepped further forward reaching to help her to her feet when his mind burned as though it had been sliced by a thousand tiny shards of glass. His vibro whip fell from his hand as they reached for the sides of his head.

Leah allowed herself to come out of her meditation enough that she could see what was going on around her. She saw the door fly open, her prey standing tantalizingly close. She was careful to maintain what she was making him see so that he continued to play her game. He sliced at the air where she had placed a Vong in his vision and she ensured it appeared as though the creature had died. She watched Kyle retreat into the hallway followed by the other non existent creature. He dispatched of him as well before returning to help the injured woman.

Leah stood and walked forward waiting for the right opportunity to place her hands against his temples and overwhelm his mind. He extended his hand to the ethereal woman and Leah struck placing both of her crimson palms against the sides of his face. Instantly his body reacted to the pain in his mind his gloved hands coming up to cover her own pressing them harder to the sides of his head. He howled in pain, a sound that normally Leah would have found quite satisfying as it sounded nearly inhuman in its level of pain. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor as his spine bent backwards. Every muscle in his body was trying to repel her but they wouldn't stop her. She was Leah Tasidor, she had mastered manipulating her victims in both their minds and physically to achieve the highest levels of pain. She delved into his mind controlling his mindscape from her position on the inside as well as forcing her way in from the outside. Soon she had reached the deepest levels of his subconscious. She knew that it was likely she had destroyed his sanity by forcing her way in so ruffly. If she had really cared about preserving his mind then she would have gone about this a different way but she didn't have time for finesse. She needed the information that he kept locked away in this deepest corner of his mind.

Leah entered the building, something he himself had constructed to house his deepest secrets. Inside she found darkness. Confused she looked around before stepping forward again. Lights activated around her and she tensed expecting traps, but was relieved to see she had only activated several round platforms set into the floor. Images played across them. She soon deduced that they were security feeds from several different locations. As she watched them she noticed that they all contained a common figure. A man dressed in black clothing. He danced through his opponents taking not even a scratch from them as he progressed his sword dispatching those that were more troublesome. She didn't understand why was she seeing these things? What did they mean. She left the building feeling frustrated and that she had failed.

Once outside she finally put the pieces together. She saw the figure who had been on the security footage. Here in the boy's mindscape she could tell that he was not human for he floated like a wraith without legs. It was his silver eyes that finally allowed her to see who he truly was.

"No," she gasped in horror. It couldn't be! The wraith closed it's eyes seeming to fall in on itself but she realized rather quickly that it was doing no such thing, it was not vanishing but changing. A long neck and head extended as well as wings legs and a tail. Soon she faced a dragon, blacker then the endless night of space, with eyes brighter then starlight. It opened it's mouth pink flesh showing clearly around ivory fangs. The dragon unleashed a deafening roar its wings spreading and waving, sending huge gusts of wind in her direction. Leah tried to withstand the force but found that she could not as she was forced to her knees to remain in place. She stared up at the rising upper body her eyes widening as she realized the creature towered directly above her.

"NO!" She cried in absolute fear, desperately trying to leave the mindscape. The dragon's head turned down, the wings folding allowing the body to descend toward her. She saw cold fury in those enormous eyes. Her concentration was slipping. She desperately closed her eyes finally finding the doorway back, and pulled herself free of Kyle's mind. The concussive force of the dragon's fall still caught her before she was able to escape throwing her backwards into the wall. She grunted as the air was expelled from her lungs and she fell to her hands and knees. Kyle's body still knelt before her his breath coming in tiny gasps, his head still thrown back staring blankly at the ceiling his arms hanging by his sides. She moaned as she pulled herself upright using telepathy to call her Defel servants towards her. They helped her from the building and back to her ship. Her eyes still wide and haunted, her face ashen.

All Kyle could feel and see was pain. It hurt, every single particle of his body was screaming as though engulfed in flame. If only he could make it stop. Vaguely he was aware of the woman who was infiltrating his mind. He saw her approach the area in which he kept the information on his master. "...no...," he muttered weakly though she paid it no mind. He was surprised when he saw his master appear. The ensuing conflict was truly spectacular. Then she was gone. The dragon turned to him shifting back into it's wraithlike form. It floated towards him reaching out two black clad arms and placing his hands gently on the sides of Kyle's head.

Relax. Kyle obeyed his body shifting to the right slightly before falling backwards. He spared pulling the tendons in his knees but his head still hit the floor causing new waves of pain to erupt in his mind. He was engulfed in his master's black cloak the pain subsiding as he lost all sense of everything in that soft peaceful darkness. In the room his body began convulsing, a fit that lasted for nearly five minutes before his body stilled. His eyes closed slowly, his sweat soaked frame becoming chill in the cool environment and looking at first glance, very dead.

[Trenton Vinh]

Trenton Vinh's eyes searched the countryside of Naboo, a razor cat searching for its prey. Beside him stood Roth Fenix, arms crossed over his chest, his fit frame adding more to the intimidating glare he always wore on his face.
The trip to Naboo had been relatively quick. The morning sun shone overhead in the bright blue sky. The Yuuzhan Vong fleet had departed, leaving an army of Warriors to finish rounding up Naboo's citizens.
Roth blinked in the sunlight, his tanned skin tone amplified by the shadows cast over his face by trees overhead.
Behind them, Jet Sumner, Tiverian Joreth, Malfurion Savard, San Xaan, Aundria Fenix, Dagon Fenix, and Reyne Grakin sat in a circle, legs crossed or kneeling, all in deep Meditation.
Trent whispered to Roth, just loudly enough for his close-friend to hear him say, "Looks like for once, we managed to spur the Jedi into doing something." He would have smiled, had the situation not been so grim.
Roth managed to smile for him, and nodded subtly, "Think we may change them yet?"
Trent frowned, "Not a chance. Too dogmatic. Too close-minded. They aren't here to save lives. They are here to kill us if we cross any lines in front of them."
Roth nodded, "Any plans to get around that? I don't think playing this one like a Jedi will help us too much. I'd feel a lot more comfortable firing a few bolts of Force Lightning, or something that might actually make taking Theed back easier on everyone."
Trenton replied, "We can always try to split off from them. San and your father may not mind as much if we do anything less than perfect, but your mother and Jet will be bothered. Reyne...I'm not sure about him yet."
Roth shrugged his shoulders, muscles bunching for a second, "Reyne is dealing with his own demons, I believe. I don't think he has time to worry about ours. I can get Malfurion to do something to distract the Masters so we can slip away and do our thing."
Trent nodded, "We can figure it out when the time comes. For now, let's-"
Both men froze, eyes lifting upwards into the sky. Not looking into the blue-sky above, but beyond it. Beyond the atmosphere and deep into space.
"Ben..." Both men whispered silently.
Something had happened to Ben Joreth.
There was a moment of silence, than Tiverian cried out in fear. Jet and the other Masters were at his side in an instant, asking what was wrong.
Roth said loudly to them, "Ben. Something has happened to Ben."
Aundria asked him, "How can you know?"
Roth glared at his mother, struggling to keep the purest of loathing from crossing his features, and answered, "I sensed it. So did Trenton. Our Force bond can sense events across the Galaxy without needing constant Meditation. When one doesn't need to worry about his or her own conscience, you can extend your reach by great distances."
San asked, "Any idea what happened?"
Trent closed his eyes, as Roth continued to glare at his mother. After a moment, Trent muttered, "He's been kidnapped on Coruscant. That's all I can tell you for now. Upon our return, I'll find out where he was kidnapped, and flow-walk back to see the event unfold. I will find him. For now, we have bigger issues to deal with."
Reyne Grakin nodded. His tone was light, almost careless, when he stated, "We need to get the city back. I suggest we move in soon."
San agreed, "The sooner we save Theed, the sooner we can get back to Coruscant, the sooner we can find Ben."
Tiverian looked severely shaken. Jet said to his Padawan, "You aren't in a state fit to come. You'll be remaining behind."
Tiverian was in shock, and did not respond. Aundria took Tiv's hand in her own and whispered, "I'll remain here. I can perform Battle Meditation from here and help. Tiverian can learn from it as well."
Jet seemed heartened, and stood up, patting the dirt off the knees of his robes.
Trent waved to the nearby Mandalorians, calling to everyone, "Let's go over the plans once more before we move out."

[Ghev Dralin]

Mira stared after Kyle as he leaped from the ramp of 'Repletion', then turned to Jon.
"Is he always so... eager?" she asked, simply stepping down, losing sight of him. She hoped he was capable of looking after himself, though soon after stepping down, all thought of Kyle was abandoned.
She was swamped by Yuuzhan Vong, and she automatically went on the offensive, knowing that a seconds hesitation or distraction from her battle rage would result in her death.

The sounds and sights of war became a familliar blur, her actions driven by adrenaline and stimulants she'd injected beforehand.
Something gashed her arm, making her aware that she wasn't wearing her armour. She felt nothing, not allowing herself time to tend to her wounds.
Something sharp slashed her leg, and she slashed back, spilling blood.
Her shoulder screamed in silent agony; she ignored it, firing round after round into the nearest warriors, cutting a path to the palace.
She didn't check whether the resistance had her back; she didn't need to. She knew they did, that they were dying for her, for Naboo, for the thousands of people who'd already been slain.

She reached the palace steps, vaguely aware of someone calling her name.
Stefano...
"Mira!!!"
She whirled around, panting and soaked in sweat and blood - her own? Yes, and no.
"Frack!" she yelled, as something pierced her side. She felt the wound deepen as she was liften from her feet, then choked and cried out in agony, the weapon sliding out and dumping her on the stone steps.

The world went dark.

********

Luur'ha knew it would only be a matter of time, but somehow the forces within the palace had become... tainted.
There were reports of Yuuzhan Vong warriors turning on each other, following a woman around. A heretic, no doubt, using her unholy powers against Commander Bryne'kst's fighters.
But reinforcements were arriving, some doubtlessly Jedi, and others Mandalorian.
The thought of them made his blood boil; his stump, now clotted and no longer bleeding, ached with the need to render his bloody vengeance upon them.

He took up his amphistaff, and marched from the palace, into a cacophany of violence.
Humans fell by the handful, Yuuzhan Vong crumpled under their wounds. Explosions littered the cityscape, turning once-beautiful architecture into ruinous rubble.
"Mira!!" someone shouted. Luur'ha grunted, looking for the one shouting that blasphemous name. Who dared speak that filth in his presence?
He saw her; not the caller, but the intended recipient. The human who'd severed his arm, blinded him and maimed him in his moment of glory.
Remorselessly, he thrust his amphistaff into her side, lifting her from the ground, then shook her to the steps below.
"You" he snarled at a wounded warrior. "Destroy the bridges into the city. The Jeedai will be guarding them, lets catch them off balance" he ordered.

********

Ghev's dropship descended, having survived the blockade of the planet; beside the small landing craft, hundreds more rocketed to the surface, some filled with Mandalorians, some empty of passengers in order to assist the Republic with the evacuation.
The moment he felt the bump of the ship's landing, he was on his feet, armoured and sporting enough weaponary to make an army turn pale.

"Trenton" he said, approaching as the Jedi waved, carrying his carbine upright against his shoulder.
"What we got?" Jak asked, wearing white Mandalorian armour; a tribute to his days as a Republic Commando.
"I'm guessing this strategy came from Mira?" he asked, examining a print-out of a transmission received from 'Repletion' moments before it had landed. He recognised her tactical thinking. He also recognised her inexperience at planning wars, but respected that the enemy might overlook it. Might.

[Trenton Vinh]

Trenton Vinh and Roth Fenix sprinted a dozen meters ahead of the other Jedi Masters, lightsabers in hand but unlit. They were less than a kilometer away from Theed, running at a quick pace. The Masters behind the two Jedi were keeping up, but also talking in hushed voices, keeping Trent and Roth out of the loop.
Roth's annoyance was noticeably growing, and Trenton allowed himself to feed off the emotions a bit. He put on a burst of speed as he neared the first bridge. A half dozen Yuuzhan Vong Warriors were milling about on the other side, unaware of the group headed towards them.

Trent and Roth were two dozen meters ahead of the other Jedi when their feet first touched the Duracrete of the fifteen meter long bridge.
All the Jedi in the area's eyes widened as they all felt the same flicker of Danger Sense simultaneously.
Trenton and Roth vaulted forward and up, as the Jedi behind them skidded to a halt.
The bridge exploded in a shower of Duracrete and dirt. Trent and Roth's jump lifted them just over the explosion, and both surrounded themselves with a Force bubble to protect them from shrapnel. They landed on the far side of the bridge amongst a mass of Yuuzhan Vong bodies, who all drew Amphistaffs. Their half-dozen battle cries fell upon deaf ears as Trent and Roth rose, lightsabers waving in a blinding flurry of strikes.
Trenton's ears rang dully, but he was beyond hearing, beyond seeing, beyond thinking.
The two Jedi stabbed a Yuuzhan Vong Warrior through the chest and back as one, then whirled away to strike down another Warrior each.

The other Jedi, on the other end of the bridge, strained to see through the shower of dust and dirt to see Trenton and Roth. San was the first to point out another bridge in the distance, and called to the others, "Let's head to this one! We can regroup with the others on the other side!"
The Jedi Masters ran as one away from the remnants of the bridge, leaving Roth and Trenton to cut down the Yuuzhan Vong defenders.

Trent threw himself into a back flip, a half-dozen Razor Bugs flying beneath him. Before he could get a chance to strike back at his trio of attackers, Roth Fenix landed amongst them, a blaze of Force Lightning lifting two Warriors into the air and off the side of the nearby cliff. The third Yuuzhan Vong was cut into thirds, a pair of lightning-quick Lightsaber strikes slashing it apart.
Trent spun in a circle, blade slicing through the throat of one Vong, leaving it gaping lifelessly at him for a moment before toppling to the ground. The final Yuuzhan Vong Warrior screamed in defiance, "For Yun-Yuuzhan!" before falling to a pair of stabs from the two Jedi.

Roth deactivated his double-bladed lightsaber and eyed the Jedi Masters crossing the bridge a distance away. The Masters could barely be seen, but the flashes of blue, yellow, purple and green lightsabers. Distant cries of pain could barely be heard.
Roth muttered, "Looks like they have that bridge covered..."
Trent nodded, smirking, "Let's hope they do-"
An explosion rocked the Jedi on their feet, as the bridge the Jedi Masters were on exploded beneath their feet.
Trent and Roth stared, open-mouthed, in an expression of surprise they rarely let show through. Both stood still for a dozen seconds, waiting to see the Jedi emerge from the smoke and debris. Theed was incredibly silent for those seconds...

[Ghev Dralin]

Ghev's warriors, following the Jedi forces, stumbled to a halt as the bridge spanning the deep river suddenly exploded, showering the terrain with debris.
"See you on the other side" Ghev said to the Jedi, as they began to run for the next bridge. He and the other Mandalorians activated their jetpacks, rocketing over the expanse of river, and landing inside the city walls.

It was chaos; dead civillians, dead soldiers, dead Yuuzhan Vong. Ghev took it all in within a second, then unsheathed his bes'kad, a sword fashioned from Mandalorian Iron and designed for hacking and slashing.
He cleaved the skull of a surprised Vong warrior in half, and rallied his people with a battle-cry of "Oya Manda!"
The Mandalorians chorused the cry, and charged through the city, favouring melee weapons and kinetic firearms, rather than blasters.
"Trenton!" Ghev roared over the noise of the battle, but he was drowned out as a Flash Speeder rounded the corner, blasting apart Yuuzhan Vong warriors.
The speeder was silenced as first the gunner, then it's driver, were hit by thud-bugs.
Hundreds of them sprayed into the Mandalorian ranks, though most simply clattered against the near-impenetrable armour, and returned to their masters. Some were lucky, embedding themselves in unprotected areas, and Ghev narrowly missed being hit in his arm, angling himself to catch the bug against his shoulder armour instead.
"Trenton!" he called out again. "We have to push forward! We need to take the pal..." he began, but suddenly shielded his eyes as a bright flash erupted from the bridge, followed by the loud bang of an explosion.
A lump formed in his throat; he'd just witnessed the massacre of many of the Jedi who'd come to Naboo.

********

Master Orion Jall stopped short of the bridge, his danger sense thrown into overdrive.
"DOWN!" he yelled, the yellow blade of his lightsaber disappearing as he threw himself away from the bridge, propelled further by the force of the sudden explosion that tore it apart.
His vision turned red as the glare of the explosion shocked his retinas, and he smacked his head on the ground, his ears ringing and his head pounding.
Rubble peppered the grass around him, chunks of brick raining onto his unarmoured body, bruising him and gashing his exposed skin.

Finally able to stand, he coughed and looked into the plume of black smoke rising from where the bridge had once been. He reached out, trying to find a lifesign, or a flicker of hope that any other Jedi who'd been on that bridge had survived. To his right was a Skakoan master, her environmental suit punctured and deflated, lay dead, her mask torn away.
Orion knew he had to get into the city. He had to get to Trenton and Roth; they were the only two here with their heads fully in the game. The other Jedi were skeptical of them both, but Orion saw sense where others saw disturbance.

********

Mira came to, though the world around her was hazy. Someone's hand was brushing through her hair, but her head throbbed too much to move it and find out who.
She was vaguely aware of a pain lancing through her side, and the feel of soaked clothes pressing against her skin.
"What..." she began, but someone hushed her.
"Rest, Mira, you're wounded badly".
It was Stefano. Last she'd seen him, he was calling to her from across the plaza. That had been when she'd felt something pierce her, and she'd been dumped unceremoniously on the floor.
She managed to turn her head, and saw a dark stain covering almost all of her combat vest, not to mention the blood covering her arms. She knew not all of it was her own; but a lot of it was.

It was then that she also became aware of the dead body slumped behind Stefano; Luur'ha.
"How..."
"I killed him after he stabbed you. I just took your combat knife and... well..."
The Yuuzhan Vong's head was almost completely severed from his body, a river of black blood running down the palace steps and pooling in the plaza below.
Mira nodded, and lapsed back into unconsciousness.
Stefano looked around, panicked. He didn't want to leave Mira, but she needed medical attention, and fast. And the longer they remained out here, the longer they'd be exposed...

[Ta'hok]

Leah had her Defel pilot the ship first to Diorda, the last place that she had thought she would ever see the man she had failed to kill. She had been so sure, so completely convinced that there was no possible way that he could have survived having his throat nearly ripped out. But somehow he had. She had opened herself to the force allowing it to show her the image that it had strongly imprinted there. And yet, she still hadn't gleaned enough to determine how he had survived. She was on her way back to Kessel to return to the brotherhood. She would take her time in determining what she would do about the legendary assassin.

The small boy awoke from his fitful rest on the 'Repletion' with a cry. He had dreamed that the man who had saved him had collapsed in a cold palace room and lay dying. The boy was even more startled to awaken and find that he was alone. He could not see anyone else in the room with him. Perhaps it wasn't a dream. The boy climbed to his feet and heading for the landing ramp keeping the cloak wrapped about his shoulders. Once there he saw the battle raging below in the plaza. Fear held him in place and he pulled Kyle's black cloak closer to his shoulders. He curled up in a corner next to the ramp, too frightened to proceed but sure that he must find someway to help the man who had carried him to safety.

[Trenton Vinh]

Trenton's stunned silence was momentary. He felt only a life or two wink out, but most of the Jedi Masters were okay...several unconscious, but most awake. Trent could see them trying to swim towards the shore against the currents.
He yelled aloud, "The Masters are okay..." As Reyne and San drifted by in the water, the currents pulling them towards the waterfall.
Roth touched his shoulder lightly, telling Trent that they had to move, to let the Masters handle themselves.
Trent nodded to his friend and they took off towards the Mandalorians, who had rocketed over their heads earlier.
Ghev had spoken to Trent just before the explosion, but he had forgotten completely. He was sure that Ghev and him were thinking the same thing: Take back the Palace.
The Palace would be the turning point. The majority of Yuuzhan Vong forces would be there. Whoever was commanding them would be there.

Trent and Roth's lightsabers blazed back into life and began cutting down Yuuzhan Vong left and right. The pair were perfectly in tune with all that was going on around them, using waves of the hand to redirect thud bugs away from their allied forces, yanking weapons from Warriors hands, and cutting down enemies with little effort.


*****

Commander Bryne'kst stood atop the highest bridge on all of Naboo. The Theed Palace bridge was a hundred-fifty meter long bridge that towered over the cliff sides of Naboo, extending out from the side of the top floor of the Palace. It ended with a small circular room, capable of seating just over a dozen people. Usually used by the king or queen for lunches with important officials, the small gazebo was now a temporary resting area for Bryne'kst. Around him sat a half-dozen of the most highly trained Yuuzhan Vong Elite Warriors.
These High Warriors, were just less than a foot shorter than the average Yuuzhan Vong, with muscles and bodies that were perfectly toned to make them the most perfect weapon possible. They bristled with weapons, ceremonial short blades, thud, razor, and blast bugs, Amphistaffs, Vonduun Crab Armor. They were the only bodyguards any High Ranked Yuuzhan Vong would let himself be surrounded by.
Bryne'kst smiled, a tinge of sadness on his lips. He had tasted blood today, but it had not been sufficient to satisfy his warriors. They needed a fight, and a good one. He looked around at his Elite Guards and smiled predatorily, they would taste blood. The blood of Jedi and Warriors. If the invading group he had heard reports about were as dangerous as he suspected...he might get into the action himself.

[Ghev Dralin]

Ghev embedded his bes'kad in the skull of a Yuuzhan Vong warrior, and left it in there, the hulking corpse twitching with the weapon playing havoc with his nervous system.
He uncoiled the chain whip at his side, its spiked, serrated links glistening in the sun. He lashed outward, wrapping the whip around the neck of a warrior, then yanked hard, slicing his head clean off, the backlash slashing the throat of a warrior behind him.

More landing ships descended on the city, and Mandalorians ushered fleeing survivors to safety, evacuating civillians and wounded soldiers, protecting them with staggered fire from their rear-mounted cannons.
One of the landing ships took off, a Yuuzhan Vong warrior struggling into the passenger hold seconds before the doors shut. Moments later, the ship rocked, then diverted off course, smashing into the starport entrance and disappearing in a rising ball of flame, blowing a hole in the front of the building.
Ghev shut off his helmet comm as someone tried contacting him from Coruscant; whoever it was, he'd deal with the consequences later.
He rocketed into the air, coming down atop a building, where a team of Naboo security had made their last stand. Corpses littered the rooftop, mostly human, and an anti-infantry cannon lay on its side, mostly in tact.
Jak and Xan joined him on the rooftop, their white armour standing out among the other Mandalorians. Ghev smirked; they'd only done it to represent their former loyalties to the Republic, and as a reminder that though they fight alongside the Republic now, they're Mandalorians.
"Help me with this" Ghev said, pushing the cannon upright. Jak and Xan assisted, grunting with the effort of lifting the heavy weapon, but managed to right the cannon on it's tripod supports.
"Xan, I need to get to the palace. Clear a path with this" he said, patting the cannon. "Once I'm there, get back to the fight".
"Will do. Good hunting, ner vod" Xan said, clasping forearms with Ghev.
"And you" Ghev replied, jumping over the lip of the roof with Jak.

********

"So, you have a choice". Darryn sat, his leg folder over his knee, his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised.
Mira sat beside him, and looked down at herself. She was wearing a dress. She hated dresses. Especially blue ones, which was what she found herself in now.
"You're not Darryn" she muttered back at him.
"Lets not even get into that" the apparition laughed, ruffling her hair in the way that she hated.
"So what the kriff is going on?" she asked, scowling at him, pulling at the dress as though it were something volatile coating her skin.
"Like I said, you have a choice" the Darryn apparition repeated. "You can stay here, or..." he pointed, and Mira looked ahead.

She saw herself, suspended in the air, her body limp and deathly pale. Her once-grey combat fatigues were stained red, her lips were blue, and her body was unmoving.
"That's me..." she murmered, shying away from the image.
"That's right. That's you, laying there, bleeding your life away. A kinda bad end to a bad mission, wouldn't you say?"
"It isn't gonna end like this" she replied, then screamed; suddenly, she was no longer looking at the near-dead figure, she was the near-dead figure.
"Hurts, doesn't it" Darryn said, no hint of concern in his voice.
"This isn't real" Mira said through gritted teeth, her eyes open, but her body unwilling to move. Even her voice was a bare whisper.
"Oh, no, this is very real" Darryn laughed, though not cruelly. "Right now your body is fighting to stay alive, but you don't have much left in you" he explained, standing up and fingering the wound in her side. She wanted to scream.
"So I have a choice" she said instead, closing her eyes, then opening them again for fear that she'd be unable to later. "Stay here and die, or... go back and die".
"If you go back, you'll suffer. And not just now, but for a long time. You're special Mira, and your path is at a crossroads" Darryn said, gently stroking her hair.
She could hear distant blasterfire. Struggling, she looked up, and saw the flashing of a cannon cutting through shadows, destroying monsters and protecting two angelic figures that rushed through the closing darkness.
"I need to go back" she said, tears in her eyes.
"I know" Darryn replied, and kissed her on the forehead.

Mira awoke with a scream; beside her, a member of the resistance was cleaning her wound, Stefano was gripping her almost lifeless hand, and someone was standing over her with a needle.
"What the frack, get off me you kriffing..."
"Mira, it's ok, it's me, Stefano".
"I know who you are you di'kut" she shouted. She didn't know where she was; some sort of cramped space, with blinking lights and a medical droid. The slight vibrations told her she was in a ship, and she could only assume it was taking her away from Naboo.
"No! I need to go back, I need..."
"It's ok. We're heading to the 'Osiris'. Tracyn will explain everything when we arrive" the stranger with the needle said. For the first time, she noticed his armour.
"Tracyn? What's he got to do with anything?" Mira asked, trying to sit up. She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious, but it was clearly a long time. She felt replenished, her wound no longer hurt; she suspected she'd been operated on.
Where the hell am I?
The man spoke again, but this time Mira heard Darryn's voice.
"Soon you are going to have to make a difficult choice, Mirala".
Dammit, I'm still dreaming!
"This is one possible future, and it leads to the destruction of Ghev Dralin, but the preservation of the Mandalorians".
"And the other?" she asked aloud.
"The other possible future will see you help Ghev unite the Mandalorians, at the cost of his life and many more. It will also lead to war... with the Republic".

This time, Mira knew she'd woken in reality; her nostrils burned with the stench of death. Her eyelids were heavy, refusing to open more than a crack.
She was cold, her body unresponsive. She turned her head slowly, and saw wires, machines, the open ramp of a medical transport, the destruction of the battle of Theed.
"She's awake" someone said, with a sigh of relief.
"Mira, it's Kage". Mira smiled. "We're going to save you. Just hang in there".

********

"Sir, we're exiting hyperspace".
Tracyn smiled and clamped his helmet over his head, gesturing at his strike team to follow him to the hangar.
He'd recently acquired a rather strange source of information, regarding a pair of Mandalorians who'd gone missing while he was still serving under Ghev.
The Chiss woman in the brig swore blind that she'd survived unimaginable horrors, and that Tracyn's machinations had little impact on her, but Tracyn wanted to break her for more information.

But then his spies had informed him that a transmission had reportedly been intercepted from Mirala Hokan, a woman thought to be missing or dead.
And so, when the Mandalorians and the Republic went to war on Naboo, Tracyn followed; as did his new allies from the Death Watch and, as a result, Black Sun as well.
"Remember, we don't hurt Mira" he reminded his men. "She's to be brought back here alive. If my hunch is right, she holds key information to ending this war, and in our hands it would be a bargaining chip worth having".