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Post by hk47fan on Nov 2, 2007 20:34:00 GMT -4
Calvin
I ignited my lightsaber and faced them in a defensive stance. "Stay calm," I yelled to Ben "These are hard to fight off, but its possible. I fought them plenty of times back in the Yuuzhan Vong War."
I twirled my sabre, and as I finally built up enough bravery to attack straight-forward, I could still feel a very familiar presence. Shalin's presence to be exact. It wasn't just an imprint...it was more than that, and I could almost feel her helping us.
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Post by Force_Flow on Nov 2, 2007 20:56:00 GMT -4
"Why would you fight them if they were on your side?!" Ben shouted from his cover, ducking his head once more as a constant stream of fire changed direction again and aimed towards where his head had previously been. Gripping his lightsaber in white-knuckled hands, Ben knew the Shalin was going to make him pounce soon.
Unless you show yourself from cover, they're going to pound Calvin, said the echo in his head. Shalin--if it was Shalin--had a husky sort of feminine voice. She didn't sound dainty like Aunt Leia's dinner guests or like his mother at all. He decided he liked it. Now, I'm taking over. You have the raw Force power I need to draw on. Get ready, kiddo.
"I am ready," he mumbled.
A laugh that sounded like a bell. You sound like my kids.
Once again the strange feeling came over him, and he hurdled over the supply bins, using his right foot to push off and ascend into the air. He landed gracefully next to Calvin, blue blade pulsing and flashing. Their two blades were a blur as they batted back the blaster shots, and Ben felt a part of something greater. Shalin, he could tell, was enjoying this. She guided his hands in movements that would have surpassed him, and Ben let a laugh escape from his mouth.
Then, he threw out his left hand, and a blue-green light escaped from his fingers. The entire cooridor was lighted in the strange Force Power, and suddenly it ended. The two YVH battle droids sank to their plasteel knees, and Ben sagged against the wall, though not in fatigue.
Shalin's voice answered his question. It isn't a Dark Side power, Ben. It's a technique lost centuries ago used to destroy difficult droids. Your power was just enough to use what I had in mind.
"It's too close to Lightning, Master Shalin. Dad would kill me. Don't say he wouldn't."
Not while I'm around. I think he'd faint instead.
"Can you be serious?"
I am. Now, please introduce me to my husband. I think he's wondering why you're talking to yourself.
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Post by hk47fan on Nov 2, 2007 21:24:44 GMT -4
Calvin
"Ben, WHAT are you doing and who are you talking to?!!?!?!?!" I asked in confusion, staring at him blankly
I had no idea what was up with him ever since we got down here. Kids these days. Though, I guess it's not like I was that normal either...I was galavanting around on Death Stars and in Gateways.
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Post by Force_Flow on Nov 2, 2007 21:31:18 GMT -4
Ben shifted his feet, and decided point-blank would be the best. "Shalin wants me to introduce you two." He cocked his head, listening. "And she says you've aged, and that you could have taken those two down single-handily. She wants to know if you'll lower your barriers and let her in so she can poke around in there instead of my head... Master, am I going crazy?"
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Post by hk47fan on Nov 3, 2007 11:01:42 GMT -4
Calvin
"Shalin? My wife?!!?!?!" I said in shock and nearly choked and died right there
So she IS here...I knew it. It will be refreshing to hear her again....
I looked at Ben and said "No, you're not going crazy. Ghosts often talk through the Force, Shalin has done it with me ever since her death....and her Force Imprint is on this station from the Vong War, that's why she's coming on so strongly." I explained
With that, I lowered my Force Barriers.
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Post by Force_Flow on Nov 3, 2007 13:42:35 GMT -4
Ben felt the pressure lifted off from the back of his mind, and almost smiled. He glanced down the hall, and remembered his objective. "Shalin, do you know the way to the security complex?"
Of course I do, came the smug response. He had no doubt she was talking to both of them now. He was fascinated by this woman already. Rylee used to act so smug and brag about knowing the great Jedi Weaponmaster, having been the friend of her two kids. How amazed she would be if her little brother actually talked to her! There's an air duct fifteen meters ahead. Go ahead and climb in, then keep going foreword. There's guards a minute walk ahead. I'll make a distraction.
"You're really something, Master," Ben said. "Can you pick lottery numbers, too?"
He heard a laugh. You sound like my son.
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Post by hk47fan on Nov 5, 2007 19:35:38 GMT -4
Calvin
Shalin, my dearly departed wife, please make it quick. We've got no time to lose. I told her
I slowed down my pace, edging across the wall slowly. I was looking around for the duct, and soon enough I found it, and looked back to Ben with a simple nod saying "this is the one." I climbed in swiftly, and kept going.
So Shalin...do you come here often? I asked jokingly If you do, after this, your visits might be cut short...
Robert
I was taking the YVHs head on. Of all the things I had faced in my short life, including Malrr, bugs, an alternate personality, wars, comas, strange people...this had to be high up on the list of trouble. I hadn't ever faced something quite like this.
I tried to sent some back with the force while I attempted to take others with my lightsaber...but it was hard to hold all of them. I was barely holding up now, but I could make it...I hoped.
Jacen
I sighed as I watched the YVHs patrol Thracken's estate. We couldn't possibly take all of them. I kept my hand firmly placed on my chin as I tried to think of a plan. I looked to my wife and adopted cousin. "Any ideas on how to pull this off?" I asked
However, I could feel something wasn't right....I couldn't explain it and couldn't detect any specifics, though.
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Post by Force_Flow on Nov 5, 2007 20:14:27 GMT -4
Shalin was filled with annoyance. Don’t joke about this. When you destroy this place, I’ll die again. I didn’t save my homeworld in time, and it’s time I made up for my mistakes. Now be quiet. I have to distract these guards.
Her spirit wandered aimlessly down the halls, invisible and powerful. She clung tight to the reality that she was Shalin Redgrave Gwa, a Jedi Weaponmaster long dead. Her feelings told her if she drifted off or used too much energy, she would evaportate back into the undead stream of the Force, and she wasn’t sure if she would be able to escape again.
The guards were ahead, their appearance a stark white with hints of blue in some, red in the others. Shalin could not see, and relied on the Force to tell her her enemy’s position. With one surge of Force Power, she invaded the mind of one. It had been years ago on Earth when she had learned to make another sentient black out, and her power was at half-strength without a physical body in which to channel the Force energy; she tried hard to aim right so it wouldn’t bounce off the walls or create noticeable ripples in the air.
She found her enemy’s conciousness and pressed down hard. Instantly, she felt his panic and pressed down even harder, before he could even yelp in surprise. Rubbing up against another nerve, she finally let go, drained.
Almost instantly, she felt herself being called back to the Force. No… I am Shalin Redgrave Gwa. I’m not dead yet.
The man she had invaded sagged down in a perfect faint. Shalin felt her vision grow dimmer, and kept up her iron bars of will to stay in the physical world.
Get going, she commanded Calvin and Ben. They won’t hear anything.
--
Jaden leapt onto the soft grass in front of Sal-Solo’s estate, drawing upon the Force to Flash the cameras, a technique Jaing had taught her in the Yuuzhan Vong War. She twisted around, shading her eyes with another hand, and beckoning Rylee to follow. Jacen had gone ahead, simulously flashing the camera as she been doing. Rylee landed next to her, red, straight hair whipping across her features as a fierce wind blew. The French Braid Jaden had twisted into her hair didn’t work as well, and flyaway strands were getting in her eyes.
Rylee tucked the strands behind her ears and gripped Jaden’s arm. She couldn’t Force Flash, yet, and Jaden resolved to teach her. That was why they agreed to let her go last so Jaden could cover them both. With the foldable sniper rifle tucked in a holster on her back and two vibroblades, a blaster, and her lightsaber on her hips, Rylee looked like a walking armory. A lot like mom and Selena, Jaden mused.
“Let’s go,” she said, and took off for Jacen. They had succeeded in arriving on their target’s property… now it was time to get in his house.
--
Jaina looked up at the huge YVH battle droid and would have groaned if she didn’t have to twist to the right to avoid being gutted like a fish. With Zekk waying down her shoulders, Jaina could hardly move. Leaning down into a thrust. She shrugged him off of her back and behind some plasteel crates, and charged.
The YVH was known for its’ ability to crush though a dumptruck, or go through an entire speeder-crushing conveyor belt and receive only a minor dent. Jaina scowled in its’ direction and ran in on a slant, testing to see if the droid had any good footwork. Having never fought one of these before, or even read up on them, Jaina had to find out all she could about her new enemy.
An infrared light tracked her movements and matched them, turning quickly and letting out a round of blasterfire. Civilians below on the walkways screamed and covered their heads, running like mad to find some cover. Sirens could be heard only a few miles away, and Jaina knew they weren’t coming in the help.
Bringing her bright blue blade to a parallel position to block the blast, Jaina felt herself get thrown back from the pure force the bolts were driving into her. She grunted and turned, trying to systematically weave through the blaster bolts and find a way through the offense. Part of a blaster bolt—about half of it—nicked her right arm. Her eyes teared up at the unexpected pain, and switched her lightsaber to her left hand: her right arm had become numb. Apparently there was a paralyzing agent in the blast.
Though numb, she could still feel the fire running through her inflamed veins. Struggling to concentrate, Jaina let out a burst of energy, twisting the air currents around the droid like a tornado would on Ansion, lifting the thing from the ground and twirling it in the air. Dust and debries followed, and Jaina took advantage of the droid’s distraction to take out the back-up blaster she always had with her and aim.
She fired right at the droid’s infrared sensor at the top of its’ head, and smirked in satisfaction as it shorted out. The droid’s blaster began firing at random intervals, and Jaina let go of her hold on it, throwing her lightsaber—her only form of defense—at the center plate of the YVH. She followed through with a well-placed Force nudge that sent the lightsaber flying in a circle towards the droid’s head.
She called her lightsaber back to her and looked head-on at the droid. It looked back. Then, slowly, it tumbled to seven pieces and lay on the ground, “disassembled.”
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Post by hk47fan on Nov 5, 2007 21:29:08 GMT -4
Calvin
I continued on, and I could tell we were approaching an area where her Imprint wasn't. I felt my heart sink slightly Shalin, you don't have to fade back into the Force...you...you can try to stay... I told her, but even I knew I was entering denial
I almost wanted to slow my pace as the end of the next duct came closer, but I couldn't for the mission's sake. I however did close my eyes, and tried to prepare for the moment where I would lose her for the third time.
Jacen
I was ahead of Jaden and Rylee, but stopped every fifteen seconds or so to let them catch up. Whenever I stopped I would Force Flash the cameras again.
As they caught up I looked at Jaden, and thought to her Any special way you want to get in? I asked
Robert
As I tried to get rid of the YVHs that were attacking me, I managed to see the one Jaden was fighting fall apart. I managed to Force Push one back again and turned to the other, and continued to try to slash at it "Get Zekk to the speeder!" I shouted "I'll be there....soon!"
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Post by Force_Flow on Nov 5, 2007 21:46:47 GMT -4
Jaina glanced over at Zekk, momentarily taken aback. A balding man of medium size kneeled down next to him, brushing his hair back and observing him quietly. When Jaina approached, the man looked up. “I’m a doctor,” he said by a way of introducing himself. “Get him out of the action, ma’am. That’s the only advice I can give you.”
Jaina furrowed her brow, and finally nodded. “Thanks,” she said. She hauled Zekk back on her back, and gasped at the pain that was slowly spreading in her arm. Wasn’t that numb five seconds ago?
She didn’t pause to think, but directed her gaze to Thann Mithrac, who had used his Faleen hormones to stop a female driver. They climbed into her speeder while she looked at Thann with a puppy-dog expression, and Jaina felt herself drawn to the Faleen also. “You know you shouldn’t do that when I’m around,” she muttered, strapping herself in the backseat. Zekk’s head lay on her lap. “Loop around the block: Robert’s still out there. Then cut back and… ow.”
Thann looked at her, momentarily concerned. “Jaina?”
“Fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “Then cut back and make a beeline for the Harvest Hanger. If the Republic is doing their job right, a gunship should be waiting. We’ll meet with Rylee there.”
--
Shalin couldn’t follow them, restrained by an invisible barrier that was leaking her powers faster than you could say ‘blink!’ She moved backwards down the hall, traveling at the speed of light. There was one last place she knew she could go, a place where she would have enough strength by drawing on the computer energy around her and made a physical manifestation of herself appear to lead them out—she was no good at giving verbal directions other than Grenade! Take cover!
An idea bloomed within her, and she felt a feral glimpse of joy. She didn’t have to leave the physical world at all.
Attack the problem from all angles, and not just from the ground.
--
Jaden felt a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. She pointed at the balcony attached to a door about five floors up. We jump up there and slide in, she suggested. Rylee?
A quieter, more timid voice spoke: I don’t see any other way in. But shouldn’t there be a fire escape somewhere? Jaden can trick a wire to keep the alarm from going off, and we can climb up the stairs.
Good idea. I remember from the blueprints: Fire escape is first floor on the right side. We’re on the left. Let’s cross over.
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