<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Sealine City<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->


The residents had blown the dams holding the sea at bay which filled the mighty ditches dug quickly by the local corporate construction crews.


Hopefully the self made, rather simple strategy, of a mote would prove to be a hindrance from the soldier hordes the invaders liked to throw at them.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> They have to run out of soldiers sometime..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> thought Tyscio as he led his squad of volunteers near the coastline.

Since Tyscio held no formal rank within the Caprician Military structure, he had been relegated to recon duty and given a squad of citizen volunteers each toting their weaons issued by the government.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> I wonder how Leia is doing?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

He tried to allow the force to increase his perceptions but all he picked up was a void. It made him feel cold inside.


"Keep your eyes on your scanners. The invaders favor bioengineering and may have created some creature to come at us from the sea." he orderd.

"You think so?" a rather young father asked.

"I wouldn't put it past them.." another commented. "I fought these @#%$ five years ago and they are still viscious @#%$."

"How did you defeat them then?" the man asked.

"Don't you read history? We didn't. They left."

"Well that eases my mind." another quipped.

"I could shoot you if you want?" the experienced man of the group offered.

Tyscio surpressed a grin and looked over towards the city.
"We've got grutchins coming in." he observed.


"They will hit in force before the main assault comes. They are supposed to soften us up." said the man who went through this hell during the first invasion.


"Then let's get ready. Watch your scanners."

<font color=red>The pain.... </font>

Leia struggled with it at first, then seemed to remember she was a Jedi. She forced herself to relax as much as she could manage, and then tapped into the Force. She drew on it for strength that she was fast using up, and lastly gradually began to block out the unbearable pain.

The workings had required most all of her attention, and the pain had blocked out the rest of her perception of what was going on around her.

Leia was caught completely off guard as her feet were swept out from under her and the Commander then backhanded her. Unlike last time, she couldn't surpress a strained cry of pain.

Her mind cleared quickly. She had been down this road before.

Leia's jaw was clenched tight; she drew in a few ragged breaths, and summoned the strength to lift her head and look the Vong Commander boldly in the eye. She finally recalled what she had been asked.

They may as well know who I am. But... twins...?

He had called her a twin. Yes, she was a twin, but...

Her mind was not processing properly, and she lost the thought, instead focusing intently on the question at hand, and her answer.

"I am Leia Organa Solo." She confirmed, spitting out the words harshly at Tallien, and she said no more. The effort had momentarily drained her, and she swayed slightly, even on her knees.

Tallien's lips curled into a smile at the Jeedai's response and he walked around her.

"Temper..temper.. my famous Jeedai Master."

The Master Shaper had noticed Leia fade in and out, perhaps as she tried to combat the pain. In response, he stroked the creature binding her hands in such a way as it's tendrils began to secrete a liquid that deadened the pain though numbing her hands.

"Do not be surprised about our knowledge. In order to take this galaxy, we've had to watch it for years. Many thing's we've watched and have acted in secret. Now the time is coming for our conquest and the Warmaster grows impatient."

He walked back around to face the kneeling Jedi.

"The gods must favor our action surely to deliver you into our hands."

He called another creature over and he sat down upon it facing Leia. Grabbing her head, he made her face him and his eyes flashed with intensity at the mention of his gods.

"I am Tallien of domain Yzan. You are my gift from the gods as all things belong to them. Obey me, and your death will be quick."

Shifting his weight, he released her head.


"Tell me Jeedai. Why are you here?"


Yuuzhan Vong spies has placed the Jedi Master as a leader among a faction called the New Republic. For him to find her on this backwater, irritating, little world was a surprise.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Is this planet the fulcrum of the universe?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, the irritating thought crossing his mind demanded.

When they first came to this galaxy, their spies had identified the Eternal Rogue Order and the Marzullo Clan as the greatest threats to their conquest. The Leveller of Empires was created to deal with them and so it had.

All that stood in the way of their glorious conquest were fractured powers too busy fighting among themselves to form any type of respectable resistance...


...and the Jeedai.


Even then, their knowledge of these infidels was limited. They mostly knew who and what.. but rarely why.

Hence, Tallien's question.

Leia's nostrils flared and she glowered at the now seated Vong.

The pain was subsiding, her train of thought was becoming less difficult to maintain.

And she had no intentions of favoring this high strung barbarian.

Typically, she would just be as difficult as possible. She had an irking feeling that she would never see the outside world again anyways.

But how to do that?

She had no intellect to act on, she knew only of the Vong's affection for pain and their reverence to their gods and death.

She had no idea where her boundaries laid, nor the consequences of stepping over them. Given what they had done merely to keep her restrained 'honorably as a warrior' she doubted it would be what she was used to expecting.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Time to find out...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"I am here because you are. And that's all you need to know."

Leia fell into stony silence.

Tallien's look turned to one of curiosity (if such a look could be derived from his mutilated features).

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Was she called by the gods to this world as well?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"..Because we are here? You feel some connection with the Yuuzhan Vong?"


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Or perhaps the answer is more...primitive.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"What does this world mean to you? It is not associated with your own. What interest does this world hold for you?"


And he leaned in closer.


"..and what could you possibly do to stop us?"

Leia found surprise lurking in the large mix of emotions within her.

The Vong didn't know much at all. She would have to be careful, best to keep it that way. If they had intents to keep going if and when they finished here...

"Connections with the Yuzzhan Vong?

Hardly. I am a Jedi. A protector and guardian of those you seek to eliminate for who knows what reasons. I came here because I heard you were here doing that which I have sworn to prevent.

Here I am, to do just that. Laugh if you wish. But you have no clue, and as many who have laughed before, probably never will...

As to what I and others like me can do.... I guess you'll find out soon enough, won't you."


But what if they were sensible? What if they were looking for something?

Could peace be achieved through simple communication and understanding?

Looking Tallien up and down, there were obvious differences. Large ones.


Leia decided it was her turn to ask some questions.

"What is your purpose here, and where and when exactly do you plan to stop preying on innocent and peaceful nations such as Capricia?"

Tallien drew back a bit at the woman's hostility though not in fear but due to her continued defiant bearing.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Either she is very secure in some knowledge or is merely being emotional..either because she's a woman or because she's in pain.


I should give her the benefit of the doubt, though she hardly deserves it.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


He kept his features from projecting any sort of amusement at the rather pitiful stance.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> This galaxy will fall easily.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"You protect the weak. A noble gesture but one that ill suits your powers and is ultimately futile. For do not these same weaklings resent such protection?"


"We are doing these Kap reeeesss ians a favor by presenting them as a glorious sacrifice to Yun Yuuzhan."


He stood and walked toward a transparent wall where the Caprician sky was displayed in a dazzling brightness.. (such a contrast to their ship's interior).


"I do not care who you've dealt with in the past Jeedai. Your adventures mean nothing to me.

To threaten without power is the act of the desperate. You do yourself dishonor."


He raised a finger and a warrior grabbed Leia's hair pulling her up.


"You are defeated Jeedai. Accept it."


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> But these Capricians didn't accept it five years ago and their 'ability' became known.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


"My purpose is to send these infidels to the gods. Their worlds will become our worlds and be the first fruits of this gift of a galaxy."

"However, given the fractured nature of this galaxy, I feel the fall of this system will do nothing to impress our power upon your government as well as others.

Such a sad thing is it not?

We will have to conquer something more....famous."


He waved his hand over a creature and the massive batteries of the turbolaser line zoomed in.

"We shall stop when you capitulate and accept our rule. I promise you that your galaxy's population will no longer fight amongst themselves. Bothan, Jeedai, Sith..ALL will succumb to us...either willingly or with..

..incentives."


He eyed her..


"Unless..."

"...unless..."

Leia wasn't sure she was going to like whatever alternative Tallien had in mind.

So she opted not to openly express her curiosity and ask what he meant... just yet. It would probably only underline in his mind her lack of power in the current situation at any rate.

And she knew she'd get an answer eventually...

However, she had all the answer she wanted to give for his first 'proposition', if it could even be called that.

She was standing on her own two feet again, which had been a futile attempt to lessen the pressure on her scalp as the Warrior behind her supported nearly all of her weight by a single fistful of hair.

Now she realized her advantage on the ignorantly contempt warrior, and decided to share her knowledge with both him and Tallien. After of course, telling Tallien what he didn't want to hear.

"You underestimate us. They will never give in so easily. Freedom is something hard fought for, and it will be given up with an even harder fight. They will never submit."

Leia found she was snarling the last sentence at the Master Shaper.

Now. Her hands were bound, but her feet were not.

Suddenly Leia lifted her feet back off of the ground and threw both legs backwards, wrapping them tightly around the Warrior's own legs behind her. The awkward move was made possible by the fact that the Warrior had been holding her up, not her feet.

Summoning an inner reserve of strength, she heaved her lower body forward, yanking the Vong's feet out from under him.

He landed on his back, still with a firm hold on her hair. Leia unfortunately hadn't been thinking this far ahead and found herself unable to rotate to land anywhere other than her back.

Therefore she also landed on her back on top of the warrior, smashing her arms and wrists under the momentum of her fall. The protesting pain broke through whatever the creature had been secreting to block the pain, and she screamed in agony.

But there was no time to stop now. Leia had committed herself. The warrior was now scrabbling under her, trying to knock her off of him. Apparently his other arm and the amphistaff were pinned down somewhere. In his struggle he finally let go of her hair to try and grab her shoulder.

That was a mistake on his part. Leia quickly sat up(finding herself perched on his stomach) and used her legs to swing her around on his smooth armor. Her heel smashed hard into his unprotected neck as the Warrior realized the amphistaff was too unwieldy to effectively use against her and swatted her off of him, using both arms.

Leia went sliding a few feet across the floor on her stomach and came to an exhausted rest, though she still struggled to at least get back on her knees, now expecting a more brutal retaliation from the Vong...

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Well, if I haven't just gotten myself a death sentence, at least I've made a point...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Her expression turned grim.

Tallien looked at the display with unabashed glee. Leia was still on the ground, her wrists spewing forth blood over the excess of action.


He paid her wrists no mind since he knew the secretion would soon compensate. His focus was on the warrior that started to get up.

His eyes told Tallien that he realized what must happen.


//You've dishonored yourself by falling in the presence of this infidel// he spoke sharply in his alien tongue.

The warrior knelt before Tallien as the Master Shaper walked over and with one swift motion, his razor-like fingers sliced through the warrior's neck, spilling his life's blood onto the yorik coral floor. The warrior fell, dead.


"Do not talk to me of freedom, Jeedai! Your own government dictates to people the rules of your whim. What gave you that right? The fact that you had the might.

And now, you shall be replaced...


.BY RIGHT OF POWER!"


Chazrach warriors entered to take the body of the fallen warrior and two more Yuuzhan Vong guards entered and moved to flank Leia, still on the floor.


"Their resistance," he said, pointing to the Caprician lines, "as yours is due to fear. Fear of change. Fear to embrace the truth about life.

For what is life but a hastening of death? Death is the fulfillment of life and it is something to be embraced. I believe that you understand this."


He motioned and several captives were brought in, linked together by various creatures designed to bind them.


A small boy, a teenage girl, a sickly man, and a Bothan.


"I shall allow you to live Jeedai, if you choose one to die in your place."


"Make no mistake, you WILL die should you decide not to choose...and I cannot guarantee a painless death. I will go one further. I shall let you go, if you choose one to die in your place."


The Master Shaper turned his eyes to the guns in the distance.


"There must be some things you still would like to accomplish in your lifetime? A mate perhaps? Children? Aquisition of more power? Think of the opportunities..."


"Tell me Jeedai, that you would not embrace death? That you would not sacrifice yourself for the glory of others? And then tell me where we are different?"


Then he shrugged.


"Or choose... for it matters not to me."


//Eminence. We are in position// a voice called out through a villip nearby.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Our truth vs. your will, Xanadal. It ends here.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> They won't let me go, they won't let them go.

They'll kill us all anyways...

It's why they're here.




Like Alderaan...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->


The four prisoners all turned to stare at her expectantly. She looked up at Tallien.

"One cannot effect change if they are dead. I will embrace death... when my work is completed.

Now is not that time. For anyone in this room."

She was having trouble talking, her voice was hoarse with pain. She couldn't seem to swallow the lump that had lodged itself in her throat.

Her eyes roamed from one captive to the next.

The boy was staring at her in horror, the girl was shaking visibly with fear. The old man was impassive, he knew what was going on and had accepted death already. The Bothan appeared the strongest of the bunch, and they locked stares the longest.

He was... different somehow.

Leia turned her head away from the captives, their guards, and Tallien.

"N...no..."

She would not answer him. She knew she was stalling, but she didn't know what to do...

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

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The boy in the med center on Providence...<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

She closed her eyes.

"You lie. I won't do it. I won't choose."