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Post by hk47fan on Jul 13, 2007 10:11:25 GMT -4
Naos
I took a flying leap into one of the speeders to avoid the sniper, not even thinking and deactivating my lightsaber in the process, and then once I got in I began to pilot it. I turned it around and aimed the turret at the balcony the sniper was on. He was taking aim at me again, and as I charged the gun power. Right as he prepared to fire, I sent out a barrel of fire. In seconds the balcony went up in a huge explosion, nothing could be seen behind it or beside it.
As I stood up to get out, suddenly the speeder shuddered and I nearly fell down onto the controls. I looked back to see a trooper had used a cannon on the engines. Great. I thought sarcastically as the speeder went out of control. I dived out and landed on the ground as the speeder exploded right into one of the pillars, and the pillar collapsed onto the ground, killing Imperials and the Queen's troops.
I slowly got up, and examined the street from behind the trees. The remains of the balcony had fallen to the ground, while some flames were in the building it was attached to. There was a pillar on the east side of the street lying on the ground, with the speeder's parts scattered all across it. The Stormtroopers were making a full attack on the city from all sides, and the Queen was losing troops and Gungans fast.
This isn't all. They've got more up their sleeve. I thought, that familiar presence was very close, and it was mixed with Nait's presence He's found it. I concluded
I couldn't just leave this street. As I looked upward, I saw even more snipers. They were flocking the balconies and had other Stormtroopers behind them for cover. But I wasn't their target. Apparently it had been forgotten a Jedi was out here. They were all aiming towards the entrance to the Palace. They know anyone inside would have to come out if they want to get to the hangers.....
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Post by Force_Flow on Jul 13, 2007 10:29:53 GMT -4
Nait got back to his feet. He heard a rumble of explosion back in the direction of the palace, and stiffened, listening through the Force. A large group had been snuffed out, but not anyone he knew. He closed his eyes in sweet relief.
Wrong. Cerasi took advantage of his distraction and attacked with long, powerful swings from her lightsaber. Whether it was by some unconscious decision, as if she had known it all along, she moved to the left, into Nait’s blindspot, and close to victory.
Nait turned his head to keep track of her. She was still wearing down his sword arm, and it was getting tiring. Cerasi seemed to be getting stronger. Her lightsabers were going too fast for him to track—
He gasped in pain as Cerasi brought down one blade and scrapped his shoulder and back, leaving the smell of charred flesh and burnt ozone. As he bent over, he was clearly a still a threat to Cerasi. But she toyed with him, making similar marks across his torso. He fell to the ground, and he looked up to see a lightsaber pointed in his face.
“Fight me again,” she said, “and I’ll kill you.”
Then she was gone. The clone troopers were gone. And, most importantly, his confidence was gone. As lights flickered in the wide open street, Nait stood. He knew she meant it when she said she would kill him. But, no matter how painful his injuries were, he had sworn himself to protect Padmé.
He fell face-first as he took his first step.
--
Cerasi didn’t know why she had spared that boy. She could’ve killed him, right then and there. She was keeping an eye on him telepathically, and it seemed like he finally passed out. This boy knew no ‘Jedi’ Healing Trances. He didn’t know how to embrace the pain, to make it a part of you. Cerasi had tired faster than him because of the wounds Vader had given her during her last session. Pain was a distraction. She had to learn how to fight through distractions.
The clone troopers were off to Command Post B to help rally some sort of defense. Cerasi had sent them, and now she was on her own.
Then, as some other, softer side of her were recalling a memory, she stopped and cocked her head.
In the Room of a Thousand Fountain, a little girl sat in front of a green creature that she could only describe as a sad tree frong. “And what think of the Jedi, do you, young Tian?”
“A Jedi is something her parents could live without,” the girl answered quietly. “We’re alone.”
Alone.
Cerasi knew that feeling well.
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Post by hk47fan on Jul 18, 2007 12:30:11 GMT -4
CO-POST BY HK47FAN, FORCE-FLOW, AND REDEAGLE
Naos continued to watch the snipers. Every move they made, every move they were going to make. None of the Imperials had noticed him yet. They were too concentrated on getting Apailiana and her Jedi. It was most likely they thought Naos had died when the speeder exploded.
But suddenly Naos jumped up from his crouched position and looked around sharply. The familiar presence was moving again; getting closer. But the closer it got, the less familiar it got. He could feel something buried inside, but now he could feel more power of the Dark Side coming from this presence. And it wasn't Vader.
Nait's presence had become very faint. Naos could tell he was alone now, for he could feel the other presence was not mixed with his, and the Imperials were probably all focusing on this street.
Naos looked to the main entrance onto the street from Theed. The main Imperial front had died down majorly, and the last were leaving. All the vehicles, troops, everything.
He raised an eyebrow What the?! he thought and looked up to where the snipers were positioned, and saw them all leaving as well, via the side entrance, and only a few shots had been fired at some of the guards
Something was going on. The street was practically empty except for the last few Imperals that were firing and trying to get out. They took cover in a corner and managed to shoot down a few more of the Queen's troops and Gungans, before they finally managed to get out themselves.
The street was practically empty. Only a small group of guards and Gungans were still alive, with all the vehicles destroyed and Kent at the entrance to the Palace.
Naos looked as suddenly the entrance slowly began to swing open, and out came Apailiana, Craan, and all the others.
Before he could even think, out of instinct my head swung to the main entrance to the street. And his heart nearly dropped. The person who he had never wanted to become a reality was standing right next to the toppled pillar and the one that still stood.
She was about the same height as Darrina and slighter in build. She wore a dark orange armor embedded with black carvings. Eye-concealing goggles wrapped around her head, connected to some sort of device which circled her jaw. The helmet-like thing didn’t seem to be connected to her body armor, which allowed her to take it off. Neon purple hair stuck out of it.
That wasn’t what looked deadly about her. The air around her felt of malice, and the great success of coming out of battle victorious. Two twin red lightsabers could be seen in her hands.
She looked over at the Queen, and her eyes, though shielded, seemed to narrow. Fi seemed to notice her, and started blowing off rounds of blasterfire. Cerasi seemed to be like water, dancing between the shots and making great progress towards the entourage.
Sweat poured down Naos's face. He ignited his lightsaber and jumped out into the main area of the street, and was behind Cerasi. "APAILIANA, GO! ALL OF YOU, GO! I'LL TAKE CARE OF HER!" I yelled
But they didn't leave. Apailiana was going straight into the fray, and Cerasi was right in front of her. The Queen will die! he thought with worry.
Cerasi jumped high, over Naos, and next to Craan. He activated his lightsaber, but he was too slow. Cerasi slipped under his defenses and brought her right blade down, severing his lightsaber arm from the bottom of the shoulder. As it dropped to the ground, Cerasi pivoted, taking both lightsabers and jamming it into his side. His eyes bugged out, and his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Cerasi brought of her foot, and, almost as an afterthought, snapped his neck.
Two Jedi down.
The red-head started firing with Fi and the other Handmaiden. Her eyes, a warm brown, were wide with shock. Cerasi drew back her own arm and brought her lightsaber hilt to hit the girl’s head. She crumpled to the ground. The other Handmaiden continued to fire, and Cerasi made a gesture with her hand. The other woman flew back and hit the wallof the Palace. She didn’t move again.
Four down.
They all knew what was next. Cerasi, using the Force to quicken her movements, spun around and behind Apailina. Her short, gasping breaths seemed to echo within Cerasi’s ears. Cerasi didn’t know why she hesitated, then. A small, hidden part deep in her brain was screaming for attention. Anger built up inside her, and she smiled, pulling Apailina’s head of hair back against herself. Apailina gasped. “You always thought you were a good Queen,” Cerasi whispered. “You always thought that you could help, with your attempts at hiding these Jedi. You knew it would kill you. You knew it. But still you did it.” Cerasi used to free hand and slapped her across the face. “I despise weakness. I despise stupidity. The other Jedi, just a kid, challenged me. And I killed him. He’s still bleeding. He’s still in pain. One act of small kindness just stalls what is going to happen. You people are weak.”
Cerasi’s lightsaber, which had been pressed on the small of Apailina’s back, hummed to life. Apailina looked down at the glowing red blade sticking out of her ribcage. As Cerasi withdrew the laser, she stumbled foreward. “No, no, no,” Cerasi said. “I can’t let you fall just yet.”
And Cerasi swung both lightsabers around.
The Queen’s head bounced to the ground.
"A true, genuine Sith." a voice said coldly from behind Cerasi, and suddenly Naos's face came into view "You've killed enough innocents today."
Naos jumped over Cerasi and landed right in front of her masked face, he held is lightsaber in a defensive position. He'd let her make the first move. His hands clutched tightly on the lightsaber, as the colorful blade glowed right in front of his face. Naos had observed Cerasi's movements. And for some reason he knew how he could block her attacks right off; somehow, someway, Naos was a match for her.
“I’m not a Sith,” she said coldly. “Not yet.” She pushed off from the ground and leapt high in the air, escaping Naos’ plain of view. But, unfortunately, not Fi and Padmé’s. She felt the blaster bolts hit her, but none penetrated her own armor. Coming down hard, she drove both lightsabers into the ground, and used the Force to send a wave of energy emitting from herself. Everyone in the immediate area was thrown back a couple of meters. A stone pillar wavered for a fraction of a second. Sending an extra push to it, Cerasi watched as it started its’ slow descent towards Padme.
Padmé wasn’t aware of what was going on. She was looking at Cerasi, dumbfounded. A spark of recognition entered her eyes. As her lips started to form a name, the red-haired female Cerasi had knocked out took Padmé by the arm and forcibly dragged her out of the way, right before the pillar crashed down on the empty space where they had been.
Cerasi turned her attention back to Naos, who was already back on his feet. Cerasi settled back into a fighting stance, and waited.
"Not making the first move? You appear to know much." Naos said, his voice calm with no emotion
"There is no emotion, there is peace." the beginning of the Jedi Code ran through Naos's head
Naos finally jumped at her, and landed right face to face with her. He twirled his lightsaber and it met hers, then he slowly moved around in a circle, closely watching every single move she made. Nothing was happening at the moment, just two lightsabers clashed.....
It's doing the same thing I'm doing. What is going on?! It's like we were taught the same things.....unless we....were Naos thought, and his heart began to beat faster, not wanting this vile creature to be someone he knew
No. He wouldn't believe it. It was likely Vader had just taught this assassin the same techniques he taught them in Jedi classes. But they were Jedi techniques. I'd be suprised if Sidious didn't teach him anything Sith.
Naos stared at the Sith assassin, then finally noticed something around her neck-area. He noticed something that if he hit, he could knock off her whole armour....
Naos suddenly remembered something. An old technique he had used on Scout a few times in sparring. Naos had created it himself, and many were clueless to it if you knew how to disguise your thoughts emotions and how you move. And Naos had mastered how to move in the position he wanted just right.
Suddenly he raised his lightsaber and jumped up in the air and held the lightsaber up as he was going to stab Cerasi, and as she shifted her lightsaber into a different defensive position Naos used that chance to send his right hand out and suddenly Cerasi was thrust back into the wall of a building.
Naos's feet landed on the ground and he slowly walked toward her. Her helmet was heavily cracked, as Naos had put alot of energy into that push. He slowly walked right up to her as she re-cooperated, and he used his lightsaber to cut the small thing on her neck that held her armour together. It all went tumbling to the ground and Naos could feel anger emitting from her.
He smirked, but the smirk went away the second Cerasi took off her helmet, and he dropped his lightsaber to the ground, standing perfectly still....
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Post by Force_Flow on Jul 18, 2007 12:50:41 GMT -4
Wearing just a skintight black bodysuit, Cerasi looked worse for wear. Multiple cuts and bruises could be seen from rips in her clothing, and a large portion of her back was shown, red and inflamed, blood crusted on the scraps from the whip. Without the armor, Cerasi stumbled and fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Her purple hair was matted with sweat. She spat on the ground, next to Naos' boot. Standing up, locking her legs so she wouldn't fall, she called both lightsabers back to her hands, but did not activate them.
"I could kill you right now," she whispered. "And if I did... maybe... maybe Vader would stop hitting me. Maybe he would congratulate me. Maybe I wouldn't have to be a secret from Palpatine. Maybe he would teach me the ways of the Sith... or, maybe, he would just kill me, just like I killed Nait Gash. I... I have to find his sister. Vader wants her. He wants her so bad... More than you guys. This was a test, I think... A test to see if I was ready to serve him faithfully."
Cerasi shook her head. "I cannot remember much," she said earnestly. "Ever since I was a baby, I was trained to kill Jedi, but now... Now, I think that this Jedi in front of me was trained to kill me, instead. It's a matter of survival. Vader taught me that from day one."
"And, if it's a matter of survival, then I have to leave, right now. The 501st have killed the others. I suggest you leave, Jedi. I respect you as a fighter. And for that matter, I'll let you live."
Pained by her wounds, Cerasi drew upon the Force, fueling it with her anger and pain. There was a sharp crack!, and Cerasi jumped up high, higher than any normal person could, and landed on the roof of a nearby building. Jumping from that one to the other, she disappeared into the night.
--
It hurt. Force, it hurt so bad. Nait continued his slow, painful struggle to the Palace. He knew he wouldn't be able to fight the girl, Cerasi, again. But even with this knowledge, Nait willed himself to do it, anyway. Because where he was weak in strength and body, he made up for it with an iron will. He had won staring contests at the Temple when he was seven. He would keep his eyes open until they started to burn and tear. Sill, he would not blink until he opponent admitted defeat. He had only won those games because he willed his eyes not to close.
He willed himself to get to the Palace. He willed himself not to pass out.
As his vision started to darken around the edges, he continued the steep hill climb. He clipped his lightsaber back to his belt for the pure reason that he cold not hold it any longer.
He willed himself not to cry from the pain. Force, it hurt...
He saw them in the distance. He saw the red lightsaber. Cerasi's armor had fallen off, but his vision blurred, preventing him from seeing her face. She deactivated her lightsabers, and seemed to disappear into the night. Nait stumbled towards the ground, and, finally, fell to his knees.
I thought I killed you...
The girl's voice rang into his head. He smiled slightly. It didn't even cross his mind as to how the girl could communicate with him. All he knew was that he had outwitted the girl, and it felt so good.
The last thing he saw before he finally passed out was Padmé. She was running towards him...
Strange... She looked like Scout.
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Post by hk47fan on Jul 18, 2007 14:05:24 GMT -4
Naos
Nait? Killed? Vader wants Scout? But that WAS Scout....wasn't it? Her face, the familiar presence, same fighting style as me, it had to be her! Who else could it be?! I thought to myself, and I continued to stand perfectly still, staring at where she had been
Vader had made some dead girl look like her, to the point it fooled us all for at least enough time to mourn. He could have done the same to an alive girl, at least I wanted to believe that. Scout would never turn. She would never give into Vader.
I was so confused. I tried to figure this all out all at once but I couldn't. It was too confusing. Vader can't be after Scout, he has Scout. That is Scout.
I slowly turned my head, finally getting back into reality after several minutes of just standing and trying to take all of this end. I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to believe she was now serving Vader. She hates him, she loaths him! No no no no..... I thought and looked down, but looked up again when I heard the roaring engines of a ship flying suddenly get close
I saw the large bulk of the Killer come into view, and hover over the street. Sora.
Mabye if we all managed to get in in time, we could catch Scout.....
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Post by Force_Flow on Jul 18, 2007 14:15:08 GMT -4
"We have to leave!" Darrina shouted about the sound of the Killer's exhaust. "Naos!" She started to run towards the ship, and turned around, aware that Naos wasn't following. What was that idiot doing? "Naos! Please!"
Some ways away, Padmé and Fi were tending to Nait's wounds. "He will not live long without medical attention," Fi said softly. "I have him. Get to the ship."
Padmé hesitated, but nodded. She left. Fi looked at Nait, worrying. He was thrashing around slightly, and his eyes moved under his lids. She really beat you up, didn't she? Fi thought. Or did you know it was your sister? Did you feel the same restraint you use when you spar with her? Do you know who she is? Were you surprised that she has surpassed you?
Fi lifted him up with ease. He hissed in pain, though it was from his nightmares or the real physical pain, Fi wasn't sure. "Shush," she said softly. "Don't give in just yet."
Sora's face appeared at the landing pad, beckoning them to hurry. Fi used her extraordinary strength to lift Nait above her head for Sora to take. "We need to get out of here!" she screamed up to him. "Scout's been turned!"
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Post by hk47fan on Jul 18, 2007 14:25:05 GMT -4
Sora
I stared at Fi for a moment as I took Nait. I did my best to keep him in my hands, wondering what had happened. He was out cold, Naos was staring off into space like a ship had hit him several times, and Scout had been turned?! "What?! How!?" I yelled
As I looked down at Nait I could tell by just a small peek he needed medical help and fast. This was no time for questions.
I turned and ran up the ramp of the Killer, sweat already pouring down my face. I clutched Nait and stumbled my way to the Med-Bay. Once there I slowly lowered him down to the bed, and said quietly "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
I turned and ran out and back into the halls, again towards the ramp. I moved faster now that my hands were free and I could think more, but so many things ran through my head. Nait's hurt. Scout's turned. Bodies are all across Theed.
I nearly slid down the ramp and remembered what Mariel told me from her vision. That a girl in armour was killing many, and Theed was in flames....
No...no...it can't be....it couldn't be her.... I thought, trying to deny what my instincts and common sense was telling me
I tried to push the thoughts out of my mind at the moment and yelled to Naos "COME ON! COME ON! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW! NAOS!!!!!!!!"
It took a minute for my yelling to actually get inside his mind, and then suddenly he snapped out of his dazed state and yelled "Sora! Scout-"
"I know, I'll get the details once everyone gets in the ship!" I shouted, trying not to get frusterated at this chaos, but by now I should be use to it
He tried to argue with me but I interrupted every time, and he finally gave up and ran into the ship. "Where's Nait?!" he yelled to me from the halls
"Med-Bay!" I shouted simply, not even looking back, and my eyes then shot to Padme and Fi
"Come on, hurry!"
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Post by Force_Flow on Jul 18, 2007 14:30:48 GMT -4
"Darrina!" Clat'Ha yelled. "Leave!"
"No--"
"NOW!" Clat'Ha pushed her into the ship. Darrina looked up just in time to see Clat'Ha shooting down other stormtroopers. Fi grabbed Darrina, and they ran into the Main Hold. Padmé could be heard arguing with Clat'Ha, but Darrina couldn't hear right any more.
The ramp closed.
Fi was already in the Med Bay, and Padmé was rushing to join her. Darrina guessed she should help, too. But she couldn't move, yet. She collapsed on the couch, and buried her head in her hands.
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Post by hk47fan on Jul 18, 2007 14:41:46 GMT -4
Sora
Once the ramp closed and I saw everyone, including a young girl, was in, I quickly ran through the halls and towards the cockpit. I ignored everything else around me, and once I finally got into the cockpit I nearly jumped to the chair.
I took the main pilot's seat and pulled a control lever, and the Killer slowly went upward towards the sky. I managed to catch a glimpse of that older handmaiden fighting the Stormtroopers that were heading into the street, and a pain of sadness went through me, but I knew it had to be done.
I began to pilot and the Killer flew upward into the sky, and I managed to take one last, short look at the destroyed Theed. The great city was in shreds, and barely anyone had lived. Bodies were everywhere, Imperial, Gungan, Royal Guard, and worst of all civillian.
As we left Naboo's atmosphere, I yelled to the back parts of the ship "Padme, where are we heading?!"
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Post by Force_Flow on Jul 18, 2007 14:55:19 GMT -4
"Alderaan!" she yelled back.
Padmé was moving around the MedBay as if possessed. She took ointments and gauze, trying her best to help Nait. Fi had her hand on his head, and her eyes were closed. Another Jedi thing, most likely. "He'll live," Fi said softly. "He's retreated back into his mind to help repair the damage. There are some... burns that need our help. The worst ones have to be on his back."
"Turn his over and take off his shirt," Padmé said crisply, grabbing three painkillers from the shelf behind her. Fi complied, and soon Padmé's nostrils were filled with the smell of charred flesh. She glanced at his back, and it seemed serious. Lightsaber wounds left no trace amounts of blood, but this was worse, it seemed. The lightsaber had cut down far enough that, to Padmé, it seemed as though if it went any deeper, they'd see his spine.
She injected the painkillers in his neck, and Fi concentrated on the damaged area. Nait twitched slightly. Padmé hastily cleaned the wound with some alcohol, pouring small amounts over his back. Fi was humming slightly under her breath, her right hand on Nait's temple. "He's been through much," she said. "He has great reserves of willpower left within him. He will heal."
Padmé breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank the Force," she whispered. "Is there anything else we can do?"
Fi shook her head. "He cannot use the Force as good as he wishes, but he is fine for now. Let him rest, for now. There are bigger problems than him, for the moment."
"Scout?"
"You recognized her with her helmet on," Fi said. "You must have known her well."
"It used to be my job to study others' body language," Padmé replied. "She carried herself the same way. She fought in the same way. That was Scout."
"She has been brainwashed," Fi confirmed. "We have to hope that this can be reversed."
"Hope isn't a luxury."
"I know."
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