<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> On the Judicator...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



"Right on both counts, Dame Fiona..." The woman said to Leia, who caught suspicious emotions flooding out of the soldiers, not to mention the grins.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Did she just insult me...?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia made a mental note to ask who or what the heck 'Dame Fiona' was later, and shrugged it off, it didn't really matter. The woman seemed resigned, but Leia suspected she had something up her sleeve.

This premonition proved correct moments later...

The woman finished her speech, stood, and with the typical soldier's swagger went right for Tyscio. Leia couldn't help but grin widely, highly amused by this. Yet a twinge of sympathy overtook her anyways.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Poor Tyscio...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia's attention was suddenly pulled away from the show going on before her as she felt the ship revert back to real space. Every hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood straight up, her spine tingled, and the Force seared hot in warning....

Leia's body went tense and alert and she sprang to her feet only scant seconds before the ship bucked hard. Leia managed to grab hold of the anchored table to keep from being thrown across the room, but around her objects and people alike tumbled with the blow.

Somehow she found herself lucky enough to still be one of the people both standing and unhurt, and instantly her instincts kicked in, she began bellowing orders at the scrambling and disoriented soldiers, helping drag the unhurt to their feet and sort out the injured.

Nearby she heard Matthias doing the same thing she was.

The troops had formed into a huge mass, yet despite appearance they were now organized and on the move. Leia found herself in the middle of the mass, shouting mixed orders and encouragement the same as everyone around her. The troops poured out of the mess hall, stumbling as the ship shuddered.

...and their assigned equipment lockers a level down, which held fresh gear. Probably the most important now being airtight armor and vac suits that had not been needed previously, and therefore was ready and waiting now.

Leia felt Tyscio's presence split off from the main group.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Now where is he off to?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia didn't have the luxury to further entertain that thought, she was busy keeping up and coaxing on the flow of scurrying troops. It was difficult going, the halls were a flurry of activity, and the ship itself was shuddering with multiple impacts. Warning lights, shouting people, and klaxons further confused the scene.

Fortunately Leia, Matthias, and the troops they were directing were not impeded by the hull breaches which were occurring all over the ship as they made their way down the halls.

It took the better part of ten minutes, but the troops finally reached the two equipment bays.

The only problem was they were locked, and the only two people present who knew the access codes, Leia and Matthias, were not anywhere near the front of the ranks.

Another precious few minutes of shuffling and cursing was required to get the two leaders forward so that they could enter the codes. Then the doors were open, and the troops jogged in and began searching for their respective lockers, which had been so neatly distributed and labled earlier in the trip by some shipmates that had too much time on their hands.

Leia found she also had a locker with the Providence soldiers, and upon reaching it she quickly surveyed it's contents. Neatly hung up was a fully pressurized armor suit and a balanced array of weaponry.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Where do they get this stuff?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia's self posed question was interrupted by an all new klaxon and an announcement.

"Hull breach in this sector... decompression imminent"

Along with everyone else, Leia frantically turned towards the blast door to ensure it was closed, sealing off the room and protecting them.

It was indeed closed and sealed. Everyone began struggling into their armor.

Without it, they would die.

Maybe even with it, they would die....

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Aboard the Judicator... Capricia<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



The sounds of bulk heads collapsing, being pulled outward wailed throughout the room that Leia and the soldiers were in as they realized the very real fear of what was happening on the other side of the blastdoors might happen to their room.

"Mathias! What the frell are you doing cooped up in that room?" came the Captain's shout over the comm system (a bit scratchy).

"Waiting for you to stop throwing us around like children's toys.." Mathias bellowed back..

"Bah!"

And soldiers scattered from an area as the floor started to move. A durasteel panel lifted up revealing an engineer.

"Use that service tunnel to get to the shuttle bay, I am not sure how long we can keep it together.. Make for the planet and organize.."

"The ship?"

"You let me worry about the ship, you worry about getting your people to the surface.. Your troops as well young lady.."
The Captain turned his attention to Leia, as if noticing her for the first time.

"Good Luck.." Mathias grumbled.

"To us all..."

Mathias turned to the soldiers... "Well, you heard that man! Down the service tunnel to the hanger.."

He turned to Leia, "I don't suppose your Jedi-ness could help us poor soldiers find our way to the hanger could you?

He turned to the Engineer, "Unless you can show us the way?"

The engineer stammered, "I..I have to reinforce that blastdoor or no one is going anywhere but space.."

"Point..damn you.." Mathias mumbled and turned back to Leia, "Well, looks like we are in your capable hands Mistress."

"Form up!" he yelled, "Group leaders watch your people and do not lose this woman!" (pointing to Leia).


*********


Tyscio and some fellow crewmembers had forced doors open and began resealing them as they made their way into the ship and up a level.

"Hanger bay is the most logical place the soldiers will go but damage is already extensive.. We won't make it in time," a crewman was saying.

"I've got to get to the surface.." Tyscio said, looking around, trying to mentally map the ship.

"Escape pods.." another crewman said.

"What?" the first crewman exclaimed. "In this mess? He'll be lucky if he even gets close to the planet.."

"I'll take the chance.. where?" Tyscio suddenly asked, not exactly thrilled about that idea but seeing no alternative..

The crewman took a fallen plating and drew a small map, "There should be some here... on this deck.."

"Thanks," Tyscio said gratefully taking the homemade map.

"Thanks for picking me up back there.." a weak voice called (the injured person Tyscio had picked up).

Tyscio smiled, "You just get that knee looked at and invite me to your anniversary."

The man smiled, "Deal.."


And Tyscio was off...

Everyone turned to look expectantly at Leia, and she sighed, looking over at the hole in the floor.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Well, here goes nothing...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

In two quick strides she had covered the distance to the tunnel, and without hesitation she hopped right into it, totally disreguarding the purpose of the ladder attached to the wall.

Luckily her blind gamble was right and the drop down was not too far for injury. She landed lightly in a crouch at the bottom, and sprang out of the way just before the next in a long procession of soldiers landed behind her.

The few lights there were lighting the tunnel flickered as the ship suffered more damage, then momentarily threw the tunnel into a pitch black darkness before coming back on, dimmer than before.

Gritting her teeth, she started forward at a fast jog, the tunnel was straight and was leading her in the direction of what she had judged was the docking bay, from the number and type of presences she felt ahead.

Another impact shook the ship, and the lights simply gave up in their struggle, bathing the tunnel in darkness so black that as Leia waved a hand in front of her, she expected it to actually feel thick.

She felt a gloved hand from behind feeling around until it found her, and then it worked it's way under the backplate of her armor at the waist seam and held on tight to it. The soldier behind her had no intentions of being the one to lose the guide and mislead the rest of the group.

Leia plundered forward, sticking one arm out slightly ahead of her to let her hand trail against the wall. It was her only source of navigation. Then she remembered her lightsaber, and quickly drew it out, igniting it.

A bright green light illuminated the dark tunnel as the blade came to life, in just enough time to allow Leia view of a fork in the tunnel ahead.

Something deep within urged her left, and she went left. Her internal compass told her she was still going in the right direction, and an indefinite amount of time later she saw light ahead, the light of the docking bay.

Relief filled her, until the opening to the bay came into sight and Leia found she could easily see the lights on the ceiling making that light...

They were a long ways up, and about to run blindly right into a long fall to a very painful landing. Leia quickly shut off her saber and clipped it back to her belt, then threw out her arms to the sides and put on her brakes.

"Whoa... stop... STOP!"

Leia stopped well away from the mouth of the tunnel, but the order was not relayed back fast enough to stop soldiers further down the line, and as they collided with the halted line ahead of them, the whole line was pushed forward, and Leia skidded quite unwillingly the last few yards to the opening...

And was pushed right out.

Fortunately the line had succeeded in finally stopping. The soldier behind her caught a flailing hand as she went and halted her fall, leaving her swinging dangerously by a single arm a very long ways up from the deck...

She quickly snubbed any paralyzing fear, located the ladder that led up to the shaft she had just fallen out of, and hooked both legs and her free arm tightly around it. The soldier that had hold of her arm let go, and she clung to the ladder, looked up at him.

"Well, we're definitely in the right place... see you at the bottom."

Not bothering to use the rungs, Leia held onto the smooth metal sides of the ladder and slid down, landing rather hard after a long drop at the bottom. Again she hopped out of the way just before the rest of the soldiers began landing, and found herself face to face with a worn looking man in a dirtied uniform, he had to yell at her to be heard over the din of the battle.

"The transports are warmed up and ready to go, get your troops' sluggish rears into those things and get the hell out of here before this place goes!!!"

With that the man was gone to attend to other things, and the troops knew what to do as they landed on the deck.

Leia simply stood next to the fast moving line and shouted at them to move faster.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Capricia<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



The fleet was breaking up and drifting back, using the space they were giving the invaders to reassess their damage and numbers.

Things didn't look good.

Most of their ships were barely alive, limping on partial maneuvering power, some of the bigger ships weaponless using their hulls to provide cover and refueling points for the Caprician fighters...


Tyscio Zier moved his head away from an attending Medic as the losses scrolled down his monitor.


"How is the Home Fleet?" he asked, as the medic fussed with a cut above his eye.


"Beaten badly and angered that they were ordered to take cover in our fleet."


Zier grunted, "They wanted to be the heroes holding the line, not that I blame them."

Then he turned to his Executive Officer, "Status of Vinda Corporation's Fleet?"


He checked the sensor logs, "Getting the stuffing pounded out of them...but they are remarkably holding.."


"Have you seen Scipio Arien's file on this Mr. Vinda?"


"Haven't had time, Sir."


"The man is an enigma. He's rarely seen in public, almost a mystery to even his own employees except those closest to him and he runs one of the most lucrative ventures in the corporate sector."

Zier leaned forward a bit and waived the medic away. "What is a man like that doing here?"


"Perhaps our interests are his interests right now."


Zier looked approvingly at his Exec. "The man does seem like the type to be several steps ahead of others..." Then he sighed, "But the man is there when it counts for us.."

He grinned ruefully, "I do seem to have this bad habit of questioning the motives of those that are attempting to help us. Take that Jedi for example.."


"Sir! It's.. it's the Judicator! They are taking a pounding!"


"Speak of the devils.." Tyscio murmured. "Message the Vinda Corporation Fleet and make sure their ships do not get between the invaders and the planet. Don't want them to get caught in Gomorran's wrath."

"Assuming it works.."

"That's what I like about you," he told his Exec. "Your positive thinking."




******


Tyscio Korban was running down an empty hall as braces began to fall, shaken loose by the hits the Judicator was taking.


A hand shot out and he stopped himself in midstride stealing a glance into a side room, finding it to be the escape pod accessway.

He punched the emergency release button and a hatch swung open. Grasping an overhead handle, he swung himself inside and closed the hatch.


"All units evac NOW!!" came the Captain's desperate shout over the comm and Tyscio slammed the jettison button which ejected his pod out from under the Judicator.


The pod entered the fray a helpless observer to the massacre going on outside..



*****


Mathias and Leia needed no further prompting as they entered their transports and the lead ship began to lift up moving toward the squarish opening of the hanger and out into space.

The others soon followed suite..


..the transport near Leia's was hit by a passing coralskipper fighter and it shattered into pieces.


"Damn, that was close.." muttered Mathias noticing his troops grab onto overhead handles, swallowing their fear.


Several other coralskippers shot into the hanger, breaking through the fallen shields of the Judicator and exploded against the far hanger wall...rendering that part of the ship useless..

Many crewmen, staying behind to make sure the transports got off, did not have the time to react and were engulfed as the fuel containers and piping exploded...



*****


Tyscio Zier aboard the Tribune watched with eyes wide as the pieces of the Judicator were exploding outward, the fires not being put out (surprisingly) by the vacuum.


The ship began to list to it's side..


*****


The Yuuzhan Vong ships turned their attention to the planet once seeing the defending fleet move around.

They were not surprised at the cowardly move of the infidels and soon, thousands of smaller landing craft were seen leaving the massive invader capital ships.

Victory was a scent they smelled.


****


"Leantre, Now." Gomorran Kay ordered, seeing the sky darken with points of enemy craft.


"Release camouflage nets and target!" the aging Leader of Clan Leantre shouted.


Hundreds of turbolasers suddenly became visible and their collected hum (as the main batteries charged) filled the air.


"Fire!"


And the Caprician sky was filled with deadly lights..

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Bonadan...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->




*The planet was in lock-down, various alarms and alerts rang out across the spaceports, and security personnel ran to their duties, all in preparation for the impending attack....
The Planets mixed population all were trying to either get off-world, or to safety , bad news travels fast...

VC-HQ itself was under tight security alert, especially after the Bomb attack, most of the debris from the attack had been cleared away by the fast acting droids, leaving almost nothing but a gutted and empty first -floor...all but empty from the security personnel that is.

In Bonadan's Security centre the threat was being assessed, as reports came in from various sources all were being analysed for any slightest detail or relevance.

The "Invasion fleet" exited hyperspace and almost immediately surrounded the planet, it had obviously been planned down to the last detail, and.....

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...stopped....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

...The fleet encircled just outside the planet's system but did not attack...

Instead it hung there, like a dark cloud threatening a storm... Bonadan's Defenses were put on standby...

...and the Population of Bonadan collectively held their breath....





***





<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Capricia's Orbit...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...The Nostromo...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



*Vinda watched, disturbed, at the force and intensity of the Vong attack , and had winced at the destruction of the Caprician Cruiser.In reaction he glanced around at the inside of the VSD he himself was in.
Observing the ships as they expanded out , Vinda frowned in concentration as he listened to the Capricians ...and gauged the situation...

His grip tightened as the VSD shook , managing to hold despite the sheer number of shots that reigned down from the Vong fighters...
Vinda's face grew deeply concerned as a contingent of Vong fighters seemed to home in on the escape pods released from the Fallen Caprician vessel...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ... they attack with such ferocity ....they seem to enjoy it...why do these beings depise these Capricians so?...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*Vinda turned to face Omar ...*

"...Move us forward, protect those escape pods, pick up as many surviors as you can..."

*..As the fleet moved towards Capricia a flurry of intense laserfire seemed to light up space itself...Causing everyone on the Bridge to look away from the screen for a brief moment...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...what the FRELL was THAT?!?...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*..The answer became self apparent as several Vong Cruisers exploded, taking away along with them several groups of fighters...*

"...that came from the Planet!..."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...Turbo-lasers!...well, now we know why they warned us to keep our distance!...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*A small wry smile formed on Vinda's face, as he witnessed the destruction inflicted by the barrage of Turbolaser-fire...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...these Capricians are Crafty...... I like them!...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*A group of Hapes Nova cruisers swiftly moved forward to intercept the contingent of Vong fighters heading for the evacuating craft from the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Judicator<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->.
Their combined attack too much for the Coral Skippers to take...
As the threat was temporarily diminshed the Cruisers moved to pick-up the stranded Caprician survivors who couldn't make it to the planet...

Looking at the scene playing out before him , Vinda absently toyed with his small chrome Cigarra lighter , clicking the lid open and shut, as he scanned the screen for a weakness...

...the clicking stopped as he looked at the Vong fleet trying to escape the Caprician Turbolasers....

His eyes narrowing...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...Dragnet...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"...Omar form a long line, lets try to keep their fleet contained, if we can push them back into the Laser fire, we might just even the odds...."

*As the orders were given the fleet inched forward casting out its net, it was difficult, as the fleet manouvered faster to cover both the upper and bottom plain ,
to cut off the Vongs escape...

...before they knew they were caught....*

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Capricia<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


The Judicator began to roll over on it's side as the orientation thrusters began to fail..

Fires raged throughout the bottom of the ship, from the hanger to the thin strip comprising it's side.

The Captain held onto a panel, his knuckles white with strain.

"..that last blast got us.." a voice was saying.

"..I think we are dead.."

"If we blow up, the transports will be caught in our blast radius and burn up!" another officer yelled.

"No one is blowing up without my express permission!!" the Captain bellowed interrupting the panicked conversation.

"Sir, the fire is out of control! Environment controls are smashed.."

"Enough talk, crewman.." He turned to the bleeding comm officer, "Get me shipwide speaker."

"You're on Captain."

"This is your Captain. All personnel are instructed to retreat to the higher levels... You have 5 minutes to reach deck 10. Good luck."

"Sir?"


"Yes soldier?"


"Not everyone will make it to deck 10 in 5 minutes. Sir the fire is only up to deck 8."


"I know, soldier. I know.."

"Sir.. Vinda Corporation is extending their lines!!"

The Captain turned to the flickering scanning station and grinned to another crewman. "Not something one normally expects from 'corporate people'. Their leader probably has Caprician blood in him.."

"5 minutes sir."

"Drake?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Decompress all levels under deck 10 and shut us down.."

"Aye sir... decompressing."


Panels suddenly were blown outward and blastdoors opened as the vacuum of space rushed into the burning decks. Deck 9 suddenly opened to space sucking out those unlucky enough not to make it to deck 10 quickly enough.

The burning fires stretched outward from deck 8 in an attempt to find oxygen to continue despite the vacuum, but only found the silent coldness of space on deck 9.

With nothing left to fan the spark.... the fires died and the Judicator's power systems went offline..and the mighty vessel rolled on it's back...silent.


The transports moved quickly to the extended line.. the dragnet that Vinda Corp vessels were providing. Having reached the other side of the line, the transports flashed a salute to the Nostromo's commander and continued toward the planet.


The rather large descending arc of the dropships took them away from the Antioch front, where the defending turbolasers were chewing up space and invaders alike.


"Touchdown in 1 minute!" a pilot shouted and Mathias grunted. Turning to Leia, "I haven't set foot on Capricia in over 6 years. I wonder how it's changed?"

Leia brought her blaster rifle to rest in the crook of her arm as everyone else was doing in preparation to jolt into readiness and run like hell.

The pilot was insane, to his own merit, and had decided they were going to land as close to the main turbolaser barrage as they could get.

....just like all the rest of the Yuzzhan Vong landers, some of which even passed the transport group on it's way down.

She nodded out the window at a Vong transport also on it's way to a landing in response to Matthias' comment.

"Not to be too practical, but I bet is has, or is about to, change a whole lot..."

Matthias wasn't given a chance to reply. The transport hatch was hissing open and the ramp lowering even before the transport touched the ground.

By instinct the troops near the ramp opened up fire on what was outside.

Everyone else simply froze at the sight of what they had just been inserted into. Yuzzhan Vong and their living equipment were everywhere, rushing to get organized for a push at the Caprician defenses not too far away. They were alone, right in the middle of the enemy's newly claimed staging area.

The transport touched ground none too gently, the impact was hard.

Instantly all of the soldiers sprang into action and charged out of the smoking ship, pouring fire into surprised Yuzzhan Vong and taking what little cover there was to be had.

Leia and Matthias were among the few who took cover in the back of the transport to complete defense of the hastily made perimeter that troops from the other few transports began strengthening as they joined what seemed to be the main group again.

"Well, we're in the perfect spot to give a good licking..." Matthias shouted over to Leia, who was busy none too emotionally blowing the head off of a Yuzzhan Vong slave soldier of who knew what species.

"Yeah, and get a good stomping!" She growled.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> The search for Cuzzko...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->




"This area is off the local charts.." an officer mentioned as holographic projections of the nearby systems were displayed in front of Herridian.

"The records indicate that the invasion route took originated from that area..."

"Well Sir, mind you, according to the invasion account, Itala's forces entered the Elrood system reinforced by ships from the Hoth system."

"Hoth? Please tell me that we do not have to go to that miserable place.."

"Been there?"

"No.. but I've heard stories.."

The officer laughed, "It is cold Sir. But to answer your question, we won't have to go there. The place was nothing more than a stop off for the main assault on the Jedi Temple."

Herridian whistled to himself, "So there were Jedi there.."

"Yes sir. Took guts to smash it but then, Itala's a legend at that and he had overwhelming forces since the Hoth Campaign was over."


"Yes..it's easy to be brave when you've got overwhelming forces behind you.." another bridge officer scoffed.

"So, Cuzzko would be?"

"Here sir...<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> If<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> those records are right. It's hard and this Marzullo writing is a bugger to translate."


"What of our Caprician artifacts?"


"Dating puts the structure at an extreme age.."

"How old?"


"Sir, the dating machine must be off... The machine gave it a date way before the first Clannus Prime's existence.."


Herridian sighed, "Something tells me our history is missing a few chapters."

"Sir, if this is correct then it's missing more than a few.."

"How old?"


"Over 100,000 years..."


Herrdian shifted uncomfortably in his chair, "That's a long time.."

"Yes sir, and I cannot explain the recording or the resemblence to Tyscio Korban."


"Has any of the recording or the writings been translated?"


"They are working on it.."


"Entering System!" came a shout and all eyes turned to the forward port as realspace focused in.


"Power shutdown! NOW!" the scanning officer yelled and instinctively hands went to the power switches.


The Avatar was drifting ..


"Prett?" Herridian asked bewildered and the crewman looked frightened.


He whispered, "Mines!"

Tallien watched the daggers of light tear into the forward most ships as Tslah Vhess ordered the masses of troops to the planet's surface.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Vhess wants this planet at all costs... but I do not wish to pay such a high price..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He gently pushed villip and it began to signal to others in the fleet.


Four of the five 8 km glorious vessels held the four corners of the fleet, as the infidels attempted to stretch their line.

The commanders of those ships soon were looking at Tallien, their expression curious at the slight breach in protocol.

//The infidels wish this ended before the War Coordinator can actually coordinate.. We shall deny them the satisfaction//

//We are yours to command, Master Shaper// the four others chanted in unison.

//Move your respective forces to these area (pointing to areas on the planet's surface.. Hold your ships above those cities... and land your armies..//

//Tslah may then land his soldiers and direct the attack against the guns while the infidels are distracted// one commander readily said.

//While the infidels are dying.// Tallien corrected. //Land your soldiers in force. I want this planet taken! I want prisoners taken! I want this planet to yield! And when we finish victorious, I want the grandest sacrifice ever to be offered to Yun-Yuuzhan as he smiles on our actions//


//We obey!// the others chanted..


//and therefore we win// Tallien finished.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> These infidels fight a desperate battle.. hoping beyond hope to somehow smash us against two forces...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The Yuuzhan Vong vessels suddenly all began to descend downward, the larger ships still shooting out plasma against the turbolaser batteries.

Already, four main groups of ships, after entering the atmosphere, changed direction to certain major cities..


The main attack forces though concentrated on the Antioch Front....where the turbolaser battery line was being decimated as the plasma found it's target.


Tallien could see that soon the four massive groups (in addition to Tslah's main group) would hover over the strongest cities on the planet.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Let's see their fleet fire on them from space now..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> He thought sardonically.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> To bring down those ships, especially over their cities, would kill so many innocents....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


Tallien laughed to himself..


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Cowards! They know not the true sacrifices a servant of Yun-Yuuzhan is willing to make for the glory of the gods.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He heard, over the villip choir the order go out from Tslah Vhess.


Hundreds of thousands of corralskippers dropped from the bellies of the descending motherships to protect the masses and masses of transport creatures.


Tallien turned to a polished, white skull nearby.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Our truth verses your Will.. Xanadal. It comes down to this...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Aboard the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Blaze of Glory<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->... Minos..<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



The monitor went off and Scipio suddenly felt the giant ship come to life as it's mighty engines roared defiantly.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Without Advanced Helm control, this thing will be a bugger to control..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, Scipio thought as she led Achinta away from the hall and into the massive engineering room.



*****


Adalric had wasted no time with foolish dealings with adolescent women. He floated over to the communications station, his mind racing with possibilities that would keep them all alive for the next 30 minutes..

"Get the rest of the Caprician warships on the comm. system." He turned to another officer and yelled over commotion, "MAKE SURE ALL CRITICAL STATIONS ARE TIED INTO THE EXTERNAL COMM SYSTEM!!"

Men and women rushed to carry out his orders as fast as he bellowed them.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The activity would keep them warm...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, his mind's practical side noted.


"Let those ships be our eyes! Let them target our guns.." He was explaining as, suddenly, the bridge was alive with chatter as each gunner was talking to his or her counterpart on a Carpician cruiser guiding their targeting and shots..



<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><!--EZCODE CENTER END-->



The bow of the Super Star Destroyer slowly turned toward the planet and the enemy positions....and deadly laser fire from the long range weapons lanced out..

"We have no real targeting.." a soldier complained..

"Easy soldier.. We only need to fire in their direction at extreme long range. It provides an incentive for them to keep their distance until we are ready.." the Blaze's master informed.


Corralskippers came closer, dodging the laserfire that spewed from the tiny points on the Blaze, tiny blackholes forming to absorb the stray shots that came their way..

"Here they come!" an officer said, looking out a port.



<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><!--EZCODE CENTER END-->



The Blaze of Glory's engines increased power output which caused several braces to drop from the ceiling.. Achinta had picked up Scipio in an effort to move her out of the way..

"There's too much power going through the system! With the bottleneck, there's no compensation happening!!! It's shaking the ship apart!!" an engineer yelled.


"He's going to rip the bottleneck apart!!" Scipio shouted as the hum of the engines drowned everything out ...

The deck was vibrating wildly and some engineers fell to their knees.


Amazingly, Achinta stayed on his feet and Scipio gripped his arm for balance.


The Corralskippers had found their range and soon plasma of their own began to strike the ship.




**


"Direct hit!" an officer on the bridge shouted..


"Keep the power coming!!" Adalric shouted over the vibration of metal as computers sparked all around.


"We are going to blow ourselv...." a monitor fell, striking the crewman into unconsciousness.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Just as well...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Adalric thought as he looked at his time piece..


The larger enemy cruiser began to move closer, noting the ineffectiveness of the Blaze's shots. The Caprician ships tried to insert themselves against the larger enemy vessel but it simply shook off their blows and continued straight toward the Super Star Destroyer.


"It's .. coming for us!" another crewman shouted as he glanced out the bridge window.


Adalric merely stared straight ahead at the oval shaped vessel and quietly said, "Increase engine output.."

The officer sucked it up and pressed some of the few working systems to coax more out of the giant ship.


Adalric floated to his command chair and gripped the armrests with both hands and situated himself right over it.


"Hull stressing!! Breaches on 4 decks!"


Adalric glanced at the monitor..



<!--EZCODE CENTER START--><!--EZCODE CENTER END-->



..and it was as if a wall had been removed..


Suddenly the vibration was becoming less and less as previously dark stations suddenly came back online..


Capricians cheered on their respective ships as they witnessed rows upon rows of lights suddenly flicker on, their radiance shining out of the ports...section by section...from the aft to the bow..

The previously inactive gun ports of the Blaze of Glory began to glow red.


"The bottleneck's been repaired!" the Engineer gasped.


The engines took on a more normal hum.


As gravity claimed the occupants of the bridge, Adalric slid easily into his command chair and suddenly, the BAC system holographic projection appeared in front of him.



"CORE?" he spoke, as if to the ceiling.


<!--EZCODE HTML START--> <font color="red">"REINITIALIZING.."</font><!--EZCODE HTML END-->



Cronus grinned, "Not yet. Target that monstrosity before me and fire!"



<!--EZCODE HTML START--> <font color="red">"COMPLYING"</font><!--EZCODE HTML END-->



All forward weaponry was trained on the alien cruiser and a massive, concentrated volley emerged..


..so massive, that it shattered completely the bow of the oval shaped cruiser, splitting it.


The Cruisers on the flanking positions took advantage of the opening and poured their own weapons into the fissure that the Blaze had created.


The explosion was tremendous as debris washed against the newly recharged shields of the Blaze of Glory.


Adalric squinted his eyes and the Super Star Destroyer went through the inferno of plasma, his ship maintaining a continuous fire.


The explosion's shockwave buffeted against the Caprician Cruisers draining their shields. The wave, though, was more damaging to the unprotected corralskipper fighters.


When the plasma finally spread enough, all existence of the large Yuuzhan Vong vessel being wiped from space, the tiny shreds of Adalric's Command faced a Minos covered in some weird orange cloud.


"Arm proton torpedoes and fire.." he rasped out.

And the balls of light shot out into the cloud and exploded. The shockwaves from the individual torpedoes spread the cloud causing pockets killing any creature caught.

Suddenly all the ships were firing their torpedoes and the once hazy cloud now looked as if holes of space had been punched through it.


As the targeting computers of CORE took over, the explosions became that much more efficient as gaps big enough for their fleet were now torn through the cloud.



***


"Not very good defensively.." Scipio murmured, as the crowd in engineering watched a monitor of the battle, referring to the orange cloudlike mist that the enemy had put around Minos.


"Perhaps defense was not the cloud's purpose.." an technician volunteered.


"Hmm..." was Scipio's only reply as she touched her personal communication's device.


"All Caprician Honorguards meet me in the secondary shuttle bay. We need to check out the planet."


She turned an eye to Achinta, "Coming?"



***


The once dark orange cloud had been reduced to mere whisps as what was left of the Taskforce entered orbit.


Strangly, there were no other enemy ships in the area, that last cruiser seemingly left to defend ..what?


Even the space larvae seemed to die quickly when the torpedoes were used.


What was left of the corralskipper force was keeping it's distance, but was not enough to give Adalric even a hint of apprehension.


"Where did they all go?" someone asked.


"Ready landing forces--"


"Sir, the Capricians have already launched.."


Adalric sighed as he noted the transports pulling away from the Blaze.. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> No doubt Ambassador Arien's group.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->



******



Minos was a small planetoid and only housed the domelike structures of the mining camp near a cliff side.


Everyone disembarked from the transports dressed in full spacegear.


"Doesn't look like the structure itself suffered decompression damage.." a soldier to Scipio's left said.


"The dome seems made of a very tough transparasteel or something similar."


"Cut the chatter and watch for invader activitiy..." Scipio ordered as Achinta had placed a hand on her shoulder pointing her to what seemed like a hatch of some kind.


Achinta opened the hatch cautiously and as soon as the team was in, they heard the sounds of the room pressurizing and then the wall opposite the hatchway slid open.


The rooms were bare....


strangly bare..


No equipment, no wires.. no tables.. no lightfixtures...


A soldier checked his instrument readings, "The air is breathable.. no sign of life.." and he removed his helmet, and cautiously inhaled.

Soon the rest of the team removed their helmets.


The mining colony had a very warm, humid musty smell.


"Bloody hot in here.." one soldier commented, and they held their basters at the ready.


The small troop went from room to room, finding the same empty look to it.


"Where the hell did they put everything??"


"Ambassador? I am reading extreme heat coming from an interior room!"


Scipio looked at him, "Which way? Ok.. be careful people!" and they began to descend down a flight of side stairs to another level.


"Sweet Clannus Prime! Is there a fire down here?" the soldier with the scanner asked.


"The temperature has definitely risen.." Achinta commented.


Scipio threw him a sideways glance, a bead of sweat starting to drip down her cheek. "You think?"


"Coming from that room!" an officer shouted.


And the soldiers ran to a pair of blastdoors. "It's locked.."


"Allow me.." Achinta offered and stepped forward to work the control's wires and soon the doors began to separate.


A searing heat shot out as well as screams.... the most inhuman screams Scipio had ever heard.


The sight was truly horrid as machinery off all sorts had been broken, smashed, and thrown in to a massive pile.

Covering the machines was some strange alien acid that was extremely flammable and over that, dangling on wires and hooks, fashioned out of old equipment were the writhing bodies of the colony's captured adults... most already burned beyond recognition..


..while a few screamed at the tearing pain... their eyes already sightless, their hands cut beyond recognition.


A soldier raised his rifle and Scipio nodded.


Shots rang out and soon the fires burned in silence...


Tears began to stream from Scipio's face as turned from the scene. "Is there anyone alive here?" she cried to the soldier with the instrument.


He just slowly shook his head and said nothing, mournfully throwing down the portable scanner.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> They were all dead...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->