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




Tallien watched as the four capital ships nearly touched the ground, huge openings under them releasing the Chazrach with their Yuuzhan Vong masters.

The infidel gun lines were just on the ridge, showing up on the ship's membrane, still quite a distance away separated by a large ravine.

Refugees were moving quickly along the YV side of the ravine in an attempt to escape the ravages going on in Antioch City.
They crossed at a point directly East of Yuuzhan Vong drop/gathering point.

The way to them was open. Seemingly deceptively open though perhaps the infidel's thought the ravine would block their advance.

Tallien knew the Caprician guns could lower down and start blasting at them should they move across the open expanse (which was why they landed a distance away, out of range).


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It ends soon..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The other two vessels nearest to Antioch had finished unloading and the Chazrach had begun to enter the city.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Grutchins would need to be hatched.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


When chaos broke out. Explosions were seen among his warriors and they scattered to zero in on their attackers.


He touched another part of the ship's membrane and tracked the shots to an enemy point.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> They crossed the expanse?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

In their disdain, they neglected to watch for the obvious. However, as quickly as Tallien was assessing the dishonor, he noted that the attacking for was considerably weak.

The Chazrach were getting organized hastily and were beginning to move.


Suddenly a human jumped out and Tallien focused on her. The Jeedai were famous and Tallien had made a point to study them. His lips curled into a snarl as he recognized the person.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> A portent! A portent of great magnitude!


The Twin!


A fine catch indeed! Yun-Yuuzhan smiles on us! A sacrifice of this magnitude would only serve to reinforce the mission here and bring favor from the Gods.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He spoke into a villip. //Bring me the Jeedai!//, he hissed.


//Destroy her followers.//


And the Chazrach moved to obey.


He turned to his two creations next to him and with a claw he had grafted onto his hand, he scratched one.


//Soon, my children. Soon.//

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Antioch Front<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->



Mathias looked at Leia in surprise.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Now where is she off too?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


But he didn't have the time to dwell on it for thud bugs were suddenly being hurled in the soldier's direction.


"Sir! It looks like they might be charging us."


Mathias looked over their cover and noted the Chazrach starting to get organized.


"They followed our blaster tracers!"


Mathias motioned his men behind some large pieces of what he termed, 'Vong equipment' to be ready to strike at a flank of any charging enemy soldiers. However, as the men crowded around the slightly transparent bulk mass that stood about 2 stories high.


The mass felt soft to the touch and a bit moist.


"Ugggh Sir?" a soldier started.


But Mathias had already seen what the others were now noticing. Within the slightly transparent film were creatures in some sort of statis. Creatures that Mathias had seen before...on Providence.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Those damn, plasma creatures! If they get situated they might be able to send volleys against our turbolaser batteries on the other side of the ravine!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"Private!" he hissed. "Get me some charges!"


He turned to his other men waiting anxiously.


"Let's blow these damned bugs back to their makers!"

The past is always has a way of coming back to haunt the present. Past triumphs seem to vanish along the eddies of time as past tragedies sometimes are compounded in almost infinite increments.


Sometimes, though, the past is never quite what we remember of it..if we remember it at all.


History is often told in fanciful verse, never quite conveying the intensity of the experience being written about. It is often distorted by perception, the writer surpriing readers by hiding a more insidious intent.


The actions left in the wake of such changes are doomed...repeating mistakes, tragedies or disasters.


And in one stroke of the pen, the author has determined the fates of millions.


Is history then for posterity?


Or is history merely the vehicle used by writers to command nations, governments, masses by extending their influence far beyond their physical grasp?



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Oh how clever the Nephys users were?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> thought Hespante as he reviewed the catalogued data gathered, the primitive transmissions gathered...the rising and falling of the passing millenia did nothing to disuade the Sim's methodical search for his keeper.

Being the last haven for the wealth of information that was the foundation of the Union, set within Kendra's core, Hespante looked, watched and waited.

He refused to believe the Clannus Prime had succombed to time. Not after all the young man had done to preserve their dying dream.

After the Throne World had cut itself off from the rest of the galaxy, the young leader (made such by the deaths of his older brothers fighting the Nephys users) rallied the worlds remaining loyal.


But it was hard.

The Nephys had already made themselves a great part of this galaxy by the time they were discovered.


It wasn't that the ...what were they called now? Midichlorians? were bad...but the powers it gave to just about anyone and everyone was inherently dangerous.

Normally good and content people soon became almost driven to acts of extreme pride and selfishness, the awesome power going to their head.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> We became our own worst enemies..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> That<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> was the sin of the Nephys.. this "force".




The Clannus Prime had taken his armies to Almanius, (Almania now) where he waged war with the old Commonwealth General and friend, Flavius Scipias Bane.


That was where Hespante had lost his leader. The Clannus Prime's conscious thought was no longer recognized though he knew the man not dead.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> What had Bane done?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The followers of the general were vanquished but without the presence of strong leaders... without the Throne world and with inner turmoil brewing from their own populaton, the four cornerstone planets relinquished their control over their portions of the galaxy and everything slipped into barbarism.


With the central galactic power of the Union gone, the Nephys users soon evolved belief structures around their powers...each hating the other...


With the Union gone, the Nephys users went unchecked and they fought viciously among themselves wiping a great many out.


Their numbers depleted, the fighting lessened allowing the centuries to give domination back to those 'ordinary' citizens of the galaxy.


Hespante walked upon the cold, hard soil of the graves recently dug on Providence reflecting.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Only Capricia remains... a mere shadow of what it once was.


But why did I now detect the presence of the Clannus Prime and why can I not anymore?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->




Then the Jedi... the Sith.. Darth Bane.. (Hespantes snorted at the irony of the assumed name of the primitive).


Century after century passing as the stories spanning this galaxy-wide stage were told and retold...as history was written, rewritten and then distributed for expedience's sake.. calling it an education.


He stared down at the graves..


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It is happening once more.. the strong attempting to prey on the peaceful...


and history turns another page...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The Sim felt a flare of anger shoot through him as the sudden injustice of it all overwelmed him.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Living during millenia of these dark ages taxes one..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, he assured himself but the truth was:

He was tired of simply watching. He was tired of looking on as life wrote more tragedies.


but what was a Sim to do? What <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> could<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> a Sim do?


Without his "keeper". Without the Clannus Prime to help him fulfill his function, there could be no renaissance...and the Union would lay in dust for a few more millenia more.


Then it happened..ever so quickly; for a brief second.


Hespante suddenly became aware of the plight of Capricia...through the eyes of another..


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Clannus Prime!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


And then the second passed.




It was more than enough time.


And Hespante found himself on Capricia.

Leia had reached the other end of the small line of Caprician(and Providence) soldiers. She now crouched there, unmoving, even as the Vong suddenly and unexpectedly formed into a small mass and charged at the Caprician position. The soldiers all opened fire, and Chazrach began to fall, while the Vong intermixed in the group generally continued their charge, protected by their armor.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> That's not like them... why are they suddenly so impatient?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Despite the fact that over half of their comrades were down before they reached the half way point, the Vong continued their relentless charge. A small handful of the lucky ones managed to get the rest of the way to the charred ship wreckage. These few vaulted over the obstacle with stunning agility, and landed in the middle of the Caprician's thin ranks.

A Yuzzhan Vong happened to land a few soldiers down from Leia. The soldiers around him lunged to attack, grappling with him.

The Vong moved as if not burdened by the soldiers at all. He was looking around more than he was fighting...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Why...?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

...and then his eyes landed on Leia. A sudden, oddly possessed look came over his mutilated face, and he lunged for her, his amphistaff coming about to strike her on the head.

"Jeeedaaaiii!" he roared.

Startled by his sudden intent focus on her, Leia threw herself backwards and instinctively turned her head away. His amphistaff only swiped the side of her head, but the force of the blow ripped off her helmet and sent it tumbling away.

She looked up in time to see the soldiers finally tackle and slit the attacker's throat. She was out in the open now. Not a good place to be at all...

Leia was currently trapped, a relentless barrage of thud bugs was preventing her from returning to cover. Remarkably, as long as she remained still, no projectiles came her way.

The next wave of warriors was unleashed with a roar. For some reason the brunt of the force Leia found herself facing... it was charging right at her.

Leia ignited her lightsaber and faced the looming tide of the enemy, a lone figure about to be overtaken by many.

Yet Leia was in less danger than she thought she was...

"Back! Back! Everybody back through the fields!!" Mathias shouted into his comm.

The soldiers suddenly left their protective covers as they scrambled away from the large, bulky masses that made up the hybernating Plasma creatures.

Mathias' timer was set with a very slim margin and he looked wildly around for Leia.

Then he spotted the commotion near the middle of the lines as several Capricians were pierced by the approaching Chazrach. A Vong warrior was among them shaking off those that would try and hold him back.

His amphistaff struck through the helmet of one hapless soldier embedding itself into his skull and as the creature shook off the man's body, his eyes continued to bore down on Leia.

He approached with rapid agility, the amphistaff striking her helmet knocking it off.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> No!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, thought Mathias, but the masses were already bearing down on him and entered the gap between he and the Jedi.

"We have to go NOW!" another said, dragging the reluctant Mathias behind him.

"No..no..no.. " he murmured almost forgetting his visors.

The Chazrach gave chase as the small Caprician group headed for the gun positions and the bridges to cross the fault.

In the distance he heard the sharp hum of Leia's lightsaber..


*


//Take her alive!!// Tallien shouted at the Villip as the warriors stopped to allow the first the glory of the capture.

Tallien smiled.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I wonder if there is a mind on this Jeedai?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


*


A massive explosion suddenly upset the Vong concentration on Leia as the charges placed on the Plasma creature's cocoons incinerated their entire group.

The eyes that turned back to Leia were not filled with happy thoughts.

Their teeth dripped blood.

Leia noticed with a jolt that all of the Chazrach soldiers were pursuing the fleeing soldiers(also condeming themselves to an explosive death) and all of the Yuzzhan Vong soldiers were bearing down on her.

Either she was more important than she thought, or the Vong knew about the minefield and didn't want to lose their better warriors.

No matter which was true, it still spelled bad news for Leia...

The first Yuzzhan Vong warrior reached her and swept his amphistaff in a broad slash across at her chest level.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Too arrogant...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Leia easily ducked the swipe, and drove the tip of her saber up under his jaw and into his head, killing him.

The mass had reached her now, and the Vong, very much aware of their superior numbers, simply pressed her on all sides.

Leia tried to keep a safe circle around her, to no avail. For every Vong she killed, and indeed she only managed to get about 5 or 6, two more stepped over the dead body to bear down further on her.

Strong armored hands first grabbed her wrists, and ripped the lightsaber out of her hands. She tried to pull away, and managed a brutal kick to the knee joint of a Vong's armor. His knee gave out and he collapsed, pressing those behind him back a little.

Anger crossed the face of the Vong now standing in front of her, and he clubbed her alongside the head with some sort of blunt weapon, subduing her momentarily.

The ground itself shook as the charges went off, momentarily distracting all of her attackers, but not enough that they loosened their grips on her. She could not wriggle free.

When the Vong who had struck her turned back to meet her defiant gaze, his eyes were murderous. The fingers of the three Vong currently restraining her dug hard into her.

He snarled an order in his own language, the muscles in his neck taught, and Leia found herself being lifted clear off of the ground, to be carried to wherever they were taking her on 3 Yuzzhan Vong shoulders. At first she struggled so hard that they nearly dropped her.

Another Vong stepped forward and also took hold of her, and the Vong who had given the orders lashed her across the middle(she was performing complete rolls in her struggle) with his now whiplike amphistaff until she finally quit fighting, and submitted to the pain.

They marched her back into the depths of their growing stronghold, and bound her with living creatures that hissed, and squeezed tighter at the slightest testing movement on her part.

They laid her on the ground out of the way, and posted a few guards to keep an eye on her until higher minds found something to be done with her... or to her.

And with that, Leia was left to herself. To watch what she could see from her vantage point, and to wait....

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


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Capricia Surface<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


*Vinda-Corp's blizzard of fighters fanned out and engaged the Coral skippers and landing vessels, as they tried to support the advancing Vong warriors on the ground... the battle was intense, the sky lit up with the sheer numbers of aircraft fire....a grim and warped fireworks display..for the warriors on both sides to witness...

Several squads broke off to hit the advancing Vong Troops, firing almost entire payload of concussion missiles and laserfire cutting into the ranks like a hot knife through butter...

From above, the elaborate deadly explosions , could be seen glittering like jewels surrounded by the vast infinite blackness of space...



<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Caprician orbit...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->




*In an instant the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Nostromo<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> lurched dangerously to the aft, and virtually all hands were thrown to the ground....including Vinda...
The Yorik Coral reigned down like orange hail, a firestorm of hellfire, an extension of The Vongs hate itself...

...VC's line was thrown into disarry...

Cries rang threw the comms's ,as fighter-pilots not quick enough to act became caught up in the deadly wave, a final cry of desperation before both themselves and their craft succumbed.

Vinda gripped onto his chair , and slowly pulled himself up, still aching from force of which threw him down. The bridge was almost unrecognisable veiled in smoke, and Vinda struggled to make out who had actually been left standing.
Standing up himself, Vinda loosened his collar , and wrenched his tie off , throwing it to the ground.
His eyes narrowed as the sirens seemed to ring through his head...Coughing slightly he shouted coarsely over to Omar...*

"...Omar!?... STATUS?...what hit us?..."

*The slender figure of Omar could just be made out feverishly working on the Comp...Vinda picked his way to him...*

"...not sure sir... we didn't have a chance..."

*Vinda looked up at the screen now fluctuating wildly, and grimaced as he saw the line had broken...*

"..whats with all this smoke DAMMIT?.. are we on fire?.."

*Omar shook his head*

"..they hit one of our oxygen tanks.. I'm re-routing now..."

*Vinda glanced over to the Enviro-control station.. and saw the still figure of an officer slumped over the console. Clambering over to him , Vinda reached over , only to realise the man was unconscious . Turning around he waved to a med-team that had just entered the bridge.As they dragged the man off the console , Vinda activated the smoke-filters.

As the smoke gradually cleared Vinda looked up at the View screen again...

"...I do not want to be on the receiving end of that again... Omar, gather the ships, engage close-quarters, we'll see if these Vong are willing to cripple their own fleet..."

*Omar looked up greatly concerned..*

".. Sir! we have lost main shields!.. we won't last long up against those capital ships..."


*Vinda grimly nodded ...*

"..that maybe so captain, but I'd prefer to take my chances with them , than whatever just hit us...
are you a betting man Mr Omar?...

(Omar's face seemed even more worried..)

Time to put your cards on the table...

..10 to 1 they won't fire on their own fleet..."

*As Omar relayed the orders, Vinda gripped the back of his chair...

And Vinda-Corps fleet became totally immersed in the ranks of the Vong warships...

Omar bit his lip as he mumbled quietly to himself*


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ...I don't like those odds....<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

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



The shuttles from the Avatar landed on the dead world of Cuzzko, the heart of what was once the Marzullo Empire.

Cuzzko was a bleak world as cold winds blew across the hard surfaces of buildings long abandoned. The entire drop team, led personally by Herridian himself were suited up in their hazmat armour, not wanting to contract any part of the pathogen that had destroyed the Marzullos...the same pathogen that was destroying the colony world of Tirus, and threatened Capricia.

"Biological sweep active...damn, there's something alive here." A young woman that reminded Herridian of Constance looked up and asked through her helmet, "Would the virus attack anything not .. Marzullo?"


"I am not sure.." Herridian commented looking at the streets filled with the decomposing remains of the dead people....skeletons mostly.

The city on Cuzzko was extremely elaborate in design and very detailed in function... all to please a warlord who thought of galactic domination.


"Sir! We've detected life readings!" and enthusiastic soldier suddenly exclaimed once his eyes fell back to his scanners.

Herridian turned but slowly enough to see a small animal emerge, snatch a bone and run away.

"Aparently, something has survived the virus." he murmured.


"So there's hope?" the woman asked.

"We shall see if Cuzzko was the last stand of Marzullo or if he found a way to beat the virus..."

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




*Yana nodded as Miles spoke , right now she'd do anything if it meant getting her family back...*

"..yes.. I understand..."

*Yana looked at Miles straight in the eyes..
...something in them told her that she could trust him...

A Comms alert interrupted the conversation, Yana watched as the Security Guard answered, his voice was lowered , so she strained to listen. The guard appeared to be discussing something in great depth...

As soon as he finished the Guard approached Miles , and took him to one side again..*

"...Sir.. intelligence reports that The Rogue Jedi order have just started attacking the CSA!, they have already taken two planets!..As a result the CSA's remaining fleet has been dispersing rapidly in a vein effort to counter the attack.."

*The Guard glanced back towards Yana as he spoke...*

"...I took the liberty of readying the defence - staff...and the defence shield is ready to be activated at your word..."

*Before Miles could reply, another comm's Alert broke the tension...

Yana suddenly felt her heart in her mouth as she realised it was hers...she stiffened, and glanced up at Miles...
The guard had already activated the trace, he nodded towards her to speak...

As she focused to compose herself, and picked up the small comms device in her right hand..and kept her eyes on Miles...
Exhaling deeply,she answered... quietly ...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Yes...?"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> You took your time... we were about to break the bad news to your children...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


(Yana stammered )...


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "..NO!...it...it won't happen again... I swear it!"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Then you have completed your assignment..."<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


(Yana Glanced up to Miles, then the guard, he nodded indicating for her to continue...)


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "..Yes..." <!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "..Excellent Ms Okani , you have done well.... we will contact you later to keep our end of the deal..."<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "..yes..I.."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


(The voice interrupted her...)


<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "..you may want to find some cover...things are going to become dangerous..."<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


*before Yana could reply the caller had de-activated the comms...
Yana looked towards the Guard expectantly, unaware she was still gripping onto the unit...

The Guard , smiled slightly as he spoke...*

"..we got it.....the transmission came from Roonadan..."

*Another voice came through over the comms on Vinda's desk...*

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "..Mr Johnson the CSA fleet has started its attack , they are heading straight for us..."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

*The Guard grinned...*

"..it worked , they think our planetary shield has been deactivated...shall I order the defence fleet to intercept?"

*Yana shifted on her seat as she watched the events unfold in front of her, everything seemed to be moving so fast , it all still felt so unreal ....she looked up to Miles...*


"..what happens now?.."

A guard walked up, the claws grafted onto his feet clicking against the yorik coral as he approached. The vessel was warm and humid, as if one could cut the atmosphere with a knife.


The Jedi was taken to the Religious Command ship which held a hovering pattern casting a shadow over the smaller landing vessels unloading the Yuuzhan Vong warriors.


//He wishes to see her// the warrior announced to the guards in his own harsh, gutteral language.

The guards at once turned to the Jedi, lifting her up as the creatures binding her tightened.

The warrior's eyes flashed at the sight of the creature and immediately his amphistaff went stiff as it was embedded into one of the guard's throats.

The amphistaff was poised at the other, the warrior's eyes pleased that the guard had made no sound.

//He wishes her to be respected as a warrior of her people// the Yuuzhan Vong said to the guard.

The guard snarled once at the order but called out something in their alien language.

The creature released it's grip on Leia and for a moment she was unbound.

Perhaps confused thoughts ran through her mind that she was to be treated with dignity...as one might a politician.

If so, those thoughts were erroneous.

The guard walked behind her, grasping her hands roughly and pinned them both together behind her back, heedless to the strain on her shoulders.

A piece of yorik moved open, revealing the chattering and clicking of many live things in the dark hole.

The guard reached in and pulled out a razor like creature.

With Leia's wrists pinned together (and with their knowledge of human anatomy), the thin creature was run into her wrists through the space between the bones. The sharp point of the creature was pushed in so harshly that it also poked into her back. The guard pulled her bound arms back and the creature expanded both ends of his body as tiny tendrils grasped each wrist tightly binding them.

A secretion was released by the creature on both ends which halted the bleeding made by the hard bone-like rod that was thrust between her wrists.

The pain was excrutiating.

Now, the Jedi could not pull her hands and wrists apart (thus separating the tendrils) without ruining her wrists and breaking bone. To pull against the creature run through her wrists would be so painfull to the human, shock may set in.

Or so the warrior thought as he contemptuously led Leia into an area of the ship she'd never been.



Tallien turned as the tranparent skin of the creature making up his vessel showed him a view of the fault running almost parallel to his ship some kilometers away.

The pitiful band of Capricians that had led the daring raid against them was shown off in the distance attempting to cross an expanse of open area. A Chazrach group were giving chase.

There were the tiny abominations of machines moving from the fallen Capital across the faultline to the safety of the turbolaser batteries.

Waves of Corralskippers were enroute to harrass the batteries so the infidels would have no time to train their devilish weapons against them.

Such weapons, such machines... were lumbersome.


The warrior entered and Tallien turned to face the Jeedai. Tallien's scars ran deep and his tatooing was rather intricate.

As he approached he touched the side of his head near his ear and he began to speak, the tiny creature roused to translate.


"Are you the twin, Leia Organa Solo?" he asked rather quietly.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Xanadal, such opportunities! I would test this one's mind and resolve as I did yours. The hours of enjoyment to be had!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Tallien briefly wondered if Yun-Harla were playing him as a puppet with the thoughts running through his mind.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Perhaps Vuas may also be needed... We shall see.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


As he noticed the woman struggling with the pain (perhaps adjusting), irritation flared in his eyes and he turned to the warrior and a claw snapped quickly.


The warrior looked up at the sound, his eyes reverently lowered before in the presence of the Master Shaper, and noted that Leia had a look of defiance on her.


The warrior slapped the back of her legs with his amphistaff bringing her knees to the ground, sending a jarring motion to her wrists that sent slivers of pain up her arms. Already her shoulders were strained beyond tolerance and general exhaustion seemed to set in as the she could not feel their presence in the totally alien room.


Tallien, moved up and backhanded her face, the sharp bone grafts done to his knuckles both bruising and cutter her face.


"Answer me...and answer me truthfully."