| Light in the Dark | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 6 2009, 01:24 AM (865 Views) | |
| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:34 AM Post #76 |
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Original Poster: Ra Cul Ra began to help direct traffic, making sure only what was crucial was loaded, favoring people over product, for the cramped space on the beat up old freighter. Every so often, he'd glance towards a small pass between buildings, as if expecting something to come through it. Finally, there was a noise. Nothing anyone could pick out at first. Something mechanical? An animal whining? Then, slowly at first, and more rapid with each moment, it became louder, more clear. Speeder bikes. A lot of them. Closing fast. "Alright everyone, times up. No more loading anything but passengers. Calin, get your pilots revving those engines, and cancel the preflight checklist. Adam, Jesera, blades ready. We're about to have company!" Ra began to walk away from the ship, towards the gap between ruined buildings, a single saber snap-hissing to life in his hand. The red blade sparked to life barely in time to be twisted, narrowly deflecting the first of several energy blasts that struck near the young man. "Move people! Time is a luxury we no longer have!" |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:47 AM Post #77 |
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Original Poster: Adam Vren Adam had been assisting Calin's men in loading the ship when he heard a buzzing noise which began to slowly grow in volume. Then came Ra's command of weapons ready, and that nothing was to be loaded onto the ship but people from this point on. Adam quickly drew his axe and pistol and moved into position against the wall where the enemy fire was already coming from. He knew who it was they were about to fight, and that between Jesera, Ra, and himself they had to buy enough time for everyone else to get on the ship. He poked his gun out and blindly fired a few shots towards the enemies on their speeder bikes. He wondered how many people that his pistol had killed before, and the axe. They once belonged to Atilla Vren, and were now family heirlooms. These weapons had seen much combat before and were about to be put through their paces again. Adam was snapped back to reality when a blast of energy snashed into the remainders of the wall he was standing against. Keep your mind on the task at hand, he scolded himself. He cleared his mind and prepared for the skirmish to come, and ready to fall back to the transport on a moment's notice. |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:48 AM Post #78 |
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Original Poster: Calin Riegal The preparations were almost complete. All off the refugees were aboard the ship, and only a few of his men remained off of it, tying up a few loose ends. It was then Calin detected the noise, the same noise that seemed to have perked Ra's attention. He couldn't quite make it out at first, but whatever it was, it was growing in volume. It was getting closer. Soon, Calin was able to make out the distinct sounds of Speeder Bikes. Damn! They had found them already, far sooner than Calin had predicted. He had been banking on the maze that was the undercity sewers to slow them down, but it was not the case. Calin was gone in an instant, running into the cockpit of the ship, where the co-pilot was there, ready. He himself would be piloting the ship, being a talented pilot in his own right. It was simply something that came naturally to him, inexplicably, but there nonetheless. He gave the co-pilot orders to get the ship going, immediately, no pre-flight checks. He also told him to relay those orders to the fighter pilots before running back out. He grabbed five of his men armed with blaster rifles and led them out, facing the nearing speeder bikes. "Suppressing fire! Hold them off, we're making a firing retreat back into the ship, everyone move. You three!" he indicated to Jesera, Ra and Adam. "Up front in the cockpit, the only place with room now." Calin drew his own pistols and fired at the speeders as he backed towards the ship. As soon as his feet reached the ramp, he turned and ran up, and further ran towards the cockpit. He threw himself down in the pilot's seat and flipped a few switches. Thankfully the ship was ready to go, and it rose hesitantly into the air, with its increased load. Calin closed the ramp and hit the throttle, starting their upwards ascent out of the Coruscant atmosphere. "There...a close enough shave? But we should be safe for now, key word is should...." |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:49 AM Post #79 |
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Original Poster: Ra Cul Jesera rolled onto the ramp, her blade cleaving blaster bolts away even as the ramp shut. She glanced around the crowded cabin, assisting Ra and Adam both to their feet, before making her way towards the cockpit. As she enetered, she closed her eyes and frowned. "Alert your pilots, Calin. We have incoming fighters. Around six of them." Ra smiled. He pointed towards the sky. "Right there. That's your exit vector. Keep the fighters behind us as a screen. Barrick won't be expecting us to head through right there. It shows up as a strong point for the atmospheric firestorm. Load these nav coordinates to your computer, and prep your hyperdrive. We get one shot at this. Make it count." The small freighter rocked, as several shots hit it's weak shielding. |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:50 AM Post #80 |
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Origianl Poster: Adam Vren As the enemy continued to close in on their position Adam continued to return fire, until Calin gave the signal that everything was ready to begin the retreat from the planet. Adam holstered his weapons and bolted for the ship. He jumped up into the cargo area, followed by Ra and Jesara, who helped him back to his feet. Once they were in the cockpit Jesera mentioned fighters, which was unwelcome news. Adam hoped that it would have ended when they took off from the planet, but he reassured himself that it was a foolish hope. However another part of him brought up the saying, Its always darkest before the dawn. He sat down and held on as Ra said something about their exit vector being a strong point in the atmospheric firestorm. Out of the frying pan into the fire...literally. |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:51 AM Post #81 |
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Original Poster: Calin Riegal Jesera's alert about six incoming fighters was not welcome news at all. His transport was not meant for dealing with any kind of fighter opposition, it was meant as a transport, and only a transport. He did have his own fighter pilots, but even as such they were outnumbered two to one, not encouraging odds. Calin grabbed an earpiece communicator and clipped it to his ear as he accelerated the transport into a faster speed. He opened the comlink channel to his pilots. "Incoming hostiles, six of them. Remain close to the transport, behind us, defensive positions. Do not peel off and engage, we need to get out of here." Calin looked to where Ra was pointing, a vague mark somewhere in the sky, but Calin adjusted to the controls so that they were heading right for that spot. He had to trust that Ra knew what he was talking about, otherwise they might not get out of this alive. Even as things were, getting out alive seemed to be a far flung hope, with Barrick's fighters coming in fast. So there two options were head straight for a strongpoint in the firestorm, or stay behind and tangle with a half dozen fighters. Calin didn't particularly like either prospect, though the first one seemed slightly more survivable, if only by a little. "It's a sad day when heading straight for a firestorm is your best shot at living...." Calin reeled forward slightly as the ship took multiple hits, causing it to shake noticeably. The shields would hold for a little longer, but they were never intended to take any highly concentrated fire. But Calin knew a few maneuvers, as difficult as they were with a lumbering, overloaded transport. Hopefully he could avoid the brunt of the laser fire. He hurriedly began punching the coordinates into the navi-computer as he streamed directly towards the firestorm. "We'll hold for a little longer, but I suggest you all strap yourselves in, its going to be a bumpy ride....it'll take a few minutes to get the navi-computer up..." |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:52 AM Post #82 |
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Original Poster: Ra Cul Jesera closed her eyes, reaching back towards the enemy fighters with her mind. Her mind sent confusion to theirs, touching on a strong barrier of the Dark Side. Barrick's battle meditation was growing. Odd that it didn't seem to be affecting her or her companions.... "Barrick and I share a unique bond, Jesera. His focus isn't strong enough yet, to affect anyone near me like that." Ra offered, as if reading her thoughts. His eyes remained focused on the firestorm, as another blast shook the ship. "Calin, have your fighters use the same coordinates, and pull out in front of us." Jesera frowned, that sounded like poor strategy, so she focused her mind ahead, towards the firestorm, and beyond it. Her eyes snapped open, and she turned towards Calin to speak.... Ra held up a hand. "Barrick's battlecruiser is moving to intercept us. Those fighters can pull through, and jump for Kuat faster than we can. The coordinates will keep us on the same jump vector. We need to engage the hyperdrive the instant we clear the firestorm, or they'll lock on with their tractor beam. No hesitation. Coordinates locked, clear storm, engage hyperdrive....got it?" |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:53 AM Post #83 |
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Original Poster: Adam Vren Adam strapped himself in as per Calin's suggestion with great unease. Until now Ra had made good decisions and they had been safe, however close the call was. But now what he was saying seemed like madness...but seemed was the key word. The more he thought about what Ra was saying the more it made sense. Although sending the fighters ahead left them unprotected now it protected the fighters later. If they stayed behind the tractor beam would be ready for them after the transporter emerged if they had as little time as what was hinted by Ra's choice of words. After thinking it through Adam calmed down. Ra knew what he was doing and that was that. There was no need to question his leadership. This left only one more question, what was going to happen after they got to Kuat? |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:54 AM Post #84 |
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Original Poster: Calin Riegal Clear the firestorm, avoid the fighters, narrowly escape the battlecruiser and jump to lightspeed in hopes of getting to Kuat in one piece. Got it. Unfortunately, that was a far easier stated plan than it was to put into practice. Considering the firestorms interference, it was near impossible to tell where in perspective to the end that they were. But even so, Calin knew he could pull it off....he had to. There was no other option, there was no second chances. If he didn't do this, he, his team and his companions would all be taken by Barrick, and he didn't even want to imagine what happened then. He opened the com channel to his fighter pilots. "Pull out in front, the instant, and I mean the instant that you clear the firestorm, jump to these coordinates. Don't worry if we haven't jumped yet, just get out." He closed the channel before his pilots had any chance to object, and then rested his hands on the controls, near the controls for the lightspeed jump. He had to go on his instincts here, and nothing else. He slowed his breathing, focusing, waiting for the end of the firestorm that he knew was coming, soon.... Suddenly, there was open space ahead of them, the stars were visible, and for an instant, the menacing presence of a battlecruiser. But Calin was quick, almost pre-emptively moving his hand before they were out of the storm. He hit the controls, and the transport lurched forward, sending them rocketing forward into hyperspace, and out of Barrick's reach for the time being. He leaned back in his seat and exhaling audibly. "We made it....so, are we going to make a habit of these near escapes?" |
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| Cul | Jun 9 2009, 01:55 AM Post #85 |
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Original Poster: Ra Cul Ra settled back in the communications chair, propping his feet up on something that looked like it should have had a panel and buttons, but no longer did. His fiery eyes cast a strange light in the dimly lit cockpit. "Narrow escapes? My dear Calin....these have been well executed, masterfully planned, and incredibly fun. But yes, if you think these have been narrow escapes, offhand, I'd say that your time in my company is likely to have one or two more. Now, I'm going to take a nap, this was a tad tiring, and we really do want to be at our best, when we hit Kuat. Lots of important people we'll be seeing while we're there." And with that, Ra closed his eyes, and his part in any conversation until the hyperspace alarm sounded, alerting the cockpit to their impending arrival in Kuat space. Jesera gave Ra a long look, obvious distrust displayed on her face. Before she sat, to enter a meditative state, she gave Calin a very pointed look. "Remember my warning well, Calin. The time is coming where blindly following this one may well lead to deaths." ~End~ |
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