Comrade Jedi V: Part 1

[tallboydave]

Andrew

"Yeah," I said, warming to the idea. "Ailyn with her gun set to stun, and your sabre set to the same setting. Then we'll be able to see what's what..."

I smiled to myself. The idea hopefully should assuage everyone's fears.

[hk47fan]

Ailyn

A sparring match between my own stepdaughter? To prove I still got my skill? If anything it should be for her benefit. I thought and resisted from snorting

"Sure, I'll spar with Electra. I usually hate the stun option and haven't used it that much, but I'll make an exception this time." I said and grinned at her as I stood up

I took out my blaster and looked at it, trying to find the blasted place to activate stun. I hadn't used it that much, most of the time I used other more efficient weaponary on a capturing mission, I don't even remember a time I set it to stun on an assassination mission.

I finally found it and activated it, then kept my blaster in my right hand. "Okay, I'm ready."

[butter]

Electra

In his own way, Mike looked slightly exasperated at this entire scene, but he said nothing, he just stayed out of the way. I shot a look at Dad, then I grabbed my lightsaber from my belt, and put it on the 'stun' setting.

Then I raised the blade before my face, so that I was looking past it at Ailyn. I took a deep breath, then I said, "I'm ready."

She raised her blaster, and I leapt forward. I blocked a shot from her blaster in a swift, smooth motion, and she side-stepped my blade smoothly and efficiently as I moved toward her. But as she dodged my blade, I turned my head quickly, and slapped her across the cheek with my lekku.

[hk47fan]

Ailyn

I was going to teach Electra how I really handled missions. The only going easy on her was the stun setting on the blaster. I grabbed the lekku that slapped me, and pulled on it. Then flipped Electra over and she hit the ground hard.

As she began to get up, ready to strike back I pulled my sleeve up to reveal a whipcord shooter. "Always come prepared. Especially on Coruscant." I said and then shot the cord out on Electra, and it slowly began to tie itself around her stomach

I lifted my hand up and Electra went right into the wall. I didn't make a move for a moment as she got up and used her lightsaber to cut the whip cord, then she charged at me.

[tallboydave]

Andrew

I winced slightly as Electra slammed into the wall. That had to hurt... I thought, before she freed herself from her bonds, and charged own Ailyn, her blade raised high.

[butter]

Mike

I swallowed, and I knew my face had gone pale. "If you'll excuse me," I murmured, suddenly positive I didn't want to watch the rest of this, "I'll be... um, I'll be just over there." I then moved over to the opposite side of the room.

I had just been starting to... perhaps accept Ailyn a bit more, especially after that talk I'd had with Dad. But now? I was fairly certain I still didn't like her.

Electra

I practically snarled as I went after Ailyn again. My lekku and my back hurt, as well as other places on my body, but I ignored it, and I dove at Ailyn again. This time I threw my lightsaber at her, and as she dodged it, I leapt after her, feet-first, ready to slam into her.

Again, she seemed one step ahead of me. She moved a bit, grabbed my foot as I came near her, twisted it, then I ended up being flung to the floor again.

I let out a yelp as I hit the floor, and I stayed down for a moment, just trying to catch my breath. Then I got into a seated position, and I glared at Ailyn. "Fine," I muttered. "You win."

Mike

I heard a noise, and even though I didn't really want too, I found myself turning back in the direction of Ailyn and Electra. I saw her on the floor, glaring at Ailyn.

Oh, boy, I thought. I felt my throat tighten with unease. Electra said something I couldn't hear, then she picked herself up off the floor, and moved over to stand next to Dad, shooting him a dirty look as well.

I took a deep breath, tugged at my shirt collar, and slowly moved back toward my dear family.

[tallboydave]

Andrew

Ooookayyyy...... Maybe that wasn't the best idea... I've made my bed, though, and now I must lie in it... I thought to myself. I squared my shoulders and shut my eyes for a moment.

"That was pretty good, both of you." I began.

[butter]

Electra

I hate her, I thought, although the moment I thought it, I knew it wasn't really true. It's just... sometimes I thought that about people when I was really peeved.

I closed my eyes for a moment, counted to ten, and finally managed to calm down. Afterwards, I wasn't angry anymore, although my back and lekku still hurt. Though I found myself thinking... Why was I so angry at her?

It's because your pride got hurt, that's why, came a voice in my head, and I shot a glance at Mike. For a moment I wasn't sure if that "voice" had been my own thoughts, or a message from him. He wasn't even looking in my direction, so I could tell. But I glared at him nontheless.

You're not exactly happy to be around her at the moment, I accused him firmly, whether or not he really did send that message.

He turned to look at me, and he thought through our bond, It's just been a LONG day...

Oh don't give me that crap, I shot back at him. Part of me knew I was just venting my irritation and frustration onto him, but I didn't care at this moment. You're the one who can't seem to get over your girlfriend who dumped you, and now you seem to be clinging to your dislike for Ailyn.

Mike's face darkened. Don't you DARE turn this around so it's all about me and my attitude and my problems! he snapped through the bond, with such venom that I felt a wave of anger from him hit me like a slap. You always do that, and I'm sick of it, Electra!

"Well if it's an argument you want, you're certainly getting one now!" I snapped outloud, causing some of the people nearby to jump. Mike suddenly took a step back, looking embarrassed. I suddenly realized I'd said that outloud, rather than through the mental link. I gulped, glancing around. Oh boy, I thought. My temper had really done it this time.

[Force_Flow]

Co-post with me and RedEagle

Luke nodded, expression glum. Wrapping his cloak tighter around himself, they continued their descent.

Jaing did the same, concealing his lightsaber and face. A couple passed them, trailed by two security guards. Once they were past, Jaing continued: "It seems like an extreme action. Has the GA given up negotiation with Corellia?"

"The GA is aware of some facts that haven't made it to the holocomm news feeds," Luke said. "Such as, the Corellians aren't really negotiating in good faith--just stringing the GA negotiators along while making no internal effort to edge toward compliance with the new regulations. Such as, the Corellians are secretly encouraging other systems to follow the same sort of resistance. Such as.. What I'm about to tell you is for your ears alone."

"Understood."

"The Corellian government, or someone inside it, appears to be constructing a planetary assault fleet. In secret."

Jaing frowned. Historically, there was only one reason to build a secret fleet: to launch a sneak attack. "For use against who?"

"That's a good question. And it's a question military intel hasn't been able to answer yet." Luke shrugged. "But there are dozens of possibilites. Most of the recovery loans Corellia made after the Vong War were in default, and the Corellians have no shortage of trade disputes. They might even by considering a resource-grab. There are just too many possible outcomes to guess."

"Why did you say the Corellian Government or 'someone inside it'? You don't know who's responsible? That's some crap, right there."

Luke shook his head. "The truth is, this intelligence is based primarily on analysis of procurement patterns, plus a long history of suspicious personal assignments."

"Wait! The existence of the fleet is based on the reports of accountants?!"

Luke grinned. "What do you have against accountants?"

"Nothing, I guess."

"The problem with the data we have, though, is that it gives us no idea where they're building the fleet--only that it's been under construction for almost a decade, and out logistics think it's nearing completion."

Jaing grew thoughtful for a moment, then ased, "And you want me to find the shipyards and confirm intelligence?"

Luke shook his head. "I wish it were that easy. Admiral Pellaeon is confident that intel will soon pinpoint the base. We need you to handle a more pressing matter."

"More pressing than a planetary assault?"

"Yes." Luke took a deep breath. "The Corellian government is close to making Centerpoint Station operational again."

That stopping Jaing where he stood. His surprise earning him an nod from Luke. Centerpoint Station was a relic, an artifact from ancient civilization that had, in a sense, constructed the Corellian star system. At the heart of the Station was an apparatus that could focus gravity and move planets, even affect the orbit of stars. Used more aggressivly, it could destroy them. But it had been restricted by biometric data to operate for one being--Shalin Gwa.

The last it had been used was in the Vong war. Shalin had activated it. Sal-Solo had fired it. It hadn't gone well. It had destroyed much of the Hapen fleet, one of their allies. Later in the war, Shalin had died, apparently eliminating the liklihood that it would ever be used again.

"How have they made it operational again? Jaing asked, throat dry.

Luke shrugged. "The info we have suggests that they've figured out how to duplicate crucial elements of Shalin's biometrics--probably hand-print, retinal patterns, and brainwaves, in the absence of surviving tissue."

Jaing felt the anger come. Was there no respect for the dead? "And the GA is afraid it will be used against them?"

"Not directly... not at first. If they decide to attack other planets, we can't face them straight on with the threat Centerpoint holds."

"So the GA is calling on the Jedi. So what's the plan?"

"Among the scientists an support crew who have been studying Centerpoint for Corellia. Some of them are GA spies. A whole team cannot go in, but they can smuggle in one or two people..."

"Means Jedi."

"Yes."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Travel to Centerpoint and disable or destroy it."

"Disable or destroy a Death Star-sized station with just what I can smuggle in? Are you crazy?"

"Others have been destroyed with a proton torpedoe and the righ tknowledge."

"What about Ben?"

"It's your choice."

"If I don't take him?"

"Then you can choose someone else."

"I'm taking Ben."

Luke nodded. He slapped Jaing on the shoulder. "Don't overplan. Life isn't prearranged."

"Don't I know it."

Jaing headed back to the Solo's apartment, and, after a while, Luke joined him.

[butter]

Mike

"Mike, I'm sorry," Electra practically blurted out. "I just..." She trailed off.

"Yeah," I said coolly, "I know."

A silence fell between us. The silence was so great it could almost be heard.

Mara

I watched John for a few seconds, then when I realized he wasn't going to stop banging his head against the table, I walked over and placed my hands gently but firmly on his shoulders. "John, stop," I said. "Maybe we should talk about this," I said slowly. "Do you want to talk about it?"