Arkania Orbit

[underlord]

*As the jedi craft enters the battlefield, the Underlord sense's the entrance of the jedi presence in the space battle. He looks at the sensor readout and it shows the newly dropped-from-hyperspace jedi craft, he pulls the Dark Star into a deep dive, turning about as the Cloaking field reactivates, the Dark Star, once again invisible, thrusts in the direction of the battle and the Jedi*

[Carth Onasi]

*Carth nods as the Jedi ends the comm line*

Okay, keep those turrets active, I want those Sith fighters off our backs by the time the Jedi get here. And have Blue Squadron standing by to assist the Jedi.

*With both Yellow Squadron and the Sojourn's turbo lasers firing on the Sith Interceptors they are able to knock down the majority of them, but not without taking damage*

*Lt. Mitchell reports from the Engineering console*
We've lost two of our port turbolasers, Admiral. And forward shields are down to seventy-seven percent.

Reroute power from secondary systems to compensate, I don't want anything coming through. Whats the status of the cloaking ship?

*Captain Alluah consults the holographic tactical display at the rear of the bridge*
It's moved pretty far out. I don't know how, but it doesn't look like a single of our attacks hit!

*Carth whirls around and walks briskly over to the display*

What? How is that even possible. Are our long range targeting systems down?

*she shakes her head*

No sir, it just wont take a hit.

Fine, what else can you give me on that ship, Captain? I don't want it re-cloaking, it could do a lot of damage.

*she swipes through several different holographic displays, looking for anything on the ship. She brings up the partial schematic on the ship that the sensors were able to create of it while they had close visual contact with it*

I don't know sir... It looks like his main engines are here, and here. They've been masked, but I think... yes, there it is. The engines emit a faint sonic resonance that disrupts the surrounding space for about ten meters. We could modify the sensors to seek out that resonance. We wouldn't be able to see it visually, but we'd know where it is.

*Carth nods and pats the Mon Calamari on the back*

Do it.

*A few minutes later the Silver Wing drops out of hyperspace. The Jedi's voice comes over the comm again*

Already on it, Master Jedi.

*Carth nods to Alluah who relays the order to Blue Squadron to break off from the main battle and form up around the Silver Wing*

Good luck.

---

=Blue Leader=
::Jedi craft this is Blue Leader. We're coming up right behind you.::

*Blue Squadron now comprised of 8 Aurek Tactical Strikefighters, forms up around the Silver Wing and heads with them toward the Avenger's starboard hangarbay.::

=Carth Onasi=
*Carth patches through to the ship to ship comm*

::Blue Squadron, the cloaking ship has re-engaged it's cloak. We're tracking it now. It's coming after you. I'm sending you a live feed of it's position. You should be able to target it using our sensor data.::

=Blue Leader=
::Copy that Admiral. Receiving the data now. Okay boys, you heard 'em. Blue Two, and Blue Twelve, stay with the Jedi. The rest of you swing back, and open fire on the cloaked ship on my mark. Remember, shields don't work while a cloaking device is activated, so make every shot count before he gets those shields up. Ready... mark!::

*Six of the Aureks suddenly do a full loop as they break off from around the Silver Wing and come in behind the cloaked Dark Star. Using the sensor data from the Sojourn they target the ship and fire*

[Tomias Shoryu]

::Thanks Admiral.::

*The Silver Wing maneuvers through the battle engulfed orbit heading towards the Sith Vessel. Tomias feels the darkside presence as they begin mentioning a concealed Sith Vessel but doesn't think too much of it after hearing their plan on how to resolve the issue. As soon as the rear 6 loop around Silver Wing accelerates with thrusters to out of the formation.*

It seems the Republic's covering escort group is now a cage for that sith.

*At it's max speed, Silver Wing heads for the open hangar made by Admiral Onasi.*

[underlord]

*As the Aurek fighters come up on the rear of the Dark Star having done their loop, the score several hits but the shields, now recharged a bit, are able to take the brunt of the attack. The Underlord now focuses on his piloting, juking and diving and weaving with the force guiding him, and in the middle of a spiral, he cuts throws his thrust to none as well as braking, bringing the Dark Star from full thrust to almost none extremely quickly, he arms his 6 heavy laser cannon and his 2 magnetic accelorater cannons*

[Alexander Organa]

*A large number of the Sith fighters swarming the Sojourn are taken out between the Sojourn's turbolasers and the Aurek fighters. The Port shields of the Sojourn have dropped down to 50% due to the Ravenclaw's bombardment. With so much in the fray the Avenger doesn't notice the Jedi shuttle entering the system. Such a shuttle hardly shows up as a blip between all the starfighters swarming across the screens. Furthermore, all crew members are so concentrated on the battle, and keeping the ship in one piece they do not see the Silver wing penetrate the hull.*

=Captain Emmit=
Have Squadron seven move to cover our flank. Keep those port shields stable!

=Crewman 1=
Sir, we can't redirect shields from any other part of the ship without compromising our entire defense grid!

=Captain Emmit=
Then reroute power from internal sensors! Life support! I don't care.

=Crewman 4=
Sir, Incoming message!

=Captain Emmit=
I don't have time for that right now crewman!

*The ship rocks as another torpedo hits the aft shielding*

=Darth Talik=
::Avenger this is Talik, I will be arriving shortly. Prepare the Smuggler's ship for immediate departure.::

=Captain Emmit=
It's Lord Talik! Kark it all to mustafar! Get the comm operational, now!

=Darth Talik=
::Avenger, this is Darth Talik. Respond.::

=Captain Emmit=
I said get the comm operational! Now!

*Another explosion hits the Avenger, and the bridge shakes sending crewmen flying. Conduits explode and crewmen from all over the deck start shouting orders as the internal communication network goes down*

=Crewman 2=
Sir! Comm operational.

=Captain Emmit=
This is Captain Emmit, my Lord. We're under attack. Republic ships droped out of hyperspace. We're taking heavy damage.

=Darth Talik=
*there is a slight pause*
::How many ships, Captain? And where is Admiral Amanti?::

=Captain Emmit=
*Emmit looks at a crewman who raises his eyebrows*

Amanti is incapacitated, my Lord. There are four Republic ships, two Forays and two hammerheads, my Lord. Admiral Carth Onasi commanding.

=Darth Talik=
Captain, I will be docking in the main hangar bay. I want Sith Interceptors ready to provide my shuttle cover. We'll be dropping out at coordinates zero point two seven.

=Captain Emmit=
Understood, my Lord.

*Darth Talik ends the comm on his end and Emmit whirls around*

Move Squadron three to intercept Lord Talik's shuttle!

=Crewman 4=
Sir, squadron three has been completely destroyed.

=Captain Emmit=
Then who do we have left!?

=Crewman 4=
Squadrons two, four, five, and seven. Five has taken heavy casualties.

=Captain Emmit=
Then Talik will have to fend for himself.

---

*Darth Talik's shuttle lurches into a massive laser streaming fiasco as it drops out of hyperspace and the Republic and Sith starfighters twist and wind around firing at eachother*

Sonofabitch!

*Talik switches quickly to manual pilot and veers up on the z axis, turning into a barrel roll as two Republic Aurek fighters skim by their port side. He opens up the comm to Avenger*

Captain! Where the hell are my Interceptors!

=Captain Emmit=
*The voice comes over much clearer than before*

::Currently engaged elsewhere, my Lord. I can't spare you any fighters.::

*Talik clenches his teeth, clearly not pleased with this. The shuttle had very little in terms of maneuverability or firepower next to these Republic Aurek Strikefighters*

Fine!

*he punches the comm off*

We'll do this the old fashioned way.

*Talik yanks on the manual controls and the shuttle banks to the left then drops down back into the fray. Talik yells back at the students*

Don't bother with the laser cannons, you won't be able to get a lock, they're too slugish next to those damn Aureks.

*He mutters to himself* Someone is going to pay for this.

*Talik maneuvers the shuttle to the main hangar, opening the comm again*

Avenger, lower shields around the main hangar as soon as we reach the perimeter, then get them back up as soon as we're down.

=Avenger Control=
::Copy that, shuttle.::

*the Avenger's shields drop momentarily as the shuttle reaches the entry point, passes through the opening, then the shields go immediately back up as the Shuttle lands in the hangar bay*

[underlord]

*Upon doing his breaking maneauver, the Underlord pushes his control lever down, sending the meditation sphere planetward, he pushes the thrust to maxim, his shields barely holding as he enters the atmosphere*

[Alexander Organa]

*About eight minutes after Darth Talik's shuttle lands in the main hangar bay, the surviving Sith Interceptors suddenly break off their attacks and flee for the secondary hangar. After the last one is in, both hangar doors seal shut and the Avenger banks hard to port, coming completely about. A minute later, as it has cleared out of the gravity well of the planet it jumps into hyperspace bound for Kuat*

[Kathaesis Renùta]

*The Ashen Light exits hyperspace from the direction of Telos having taken the route up past the Cron Drift from Nar Shaddaa. As a result, it is the opposite side to the Republic fleet and the fleeting Sith vessel. I pilot it down towards Adascapolis.*

[underlord]

*The Underlord's sphere exits the atmosphere on the far side of the planet, away from the republic force, it enters hyperspace*

[Kathaesis Renùta]

*The Ashen Light returns from Adascapolis and enters orbit. Transmitting proper codes, it moves into a suitable place for a hyperspace jump before the hyperdrive engages and the ship leaves the system.*

[Carth Onasi]

*Aboard the Sojourn Admiral Carth Onasi and Captain Alluah watch the battle unfold, suddenly things seem to change and the Sith Fighters slowly begin to fall back*

What is going on out there?

*Lt. Mitchell looks over the displays*

All Sith fighters are being recalled, sir! The Sith Warship has taken heavy damage, they're retreating!

*A few of the crewmen around the bridge let out a short cheer. Carth quickly seizes control of the situation, not letting the victory go to the men's head quite yet. The Sith weren't gone yet*

Call off our fighters, there's no need to kick the kybuck after it's down. Any word from the Jedi?

No, sir. We lost contact as soon as they entered the Sith ship.

Can we get a message through to them? If that ship jumps to hyperspace, we won't be able to help them.

I'm trying sir, but we cant get through the Sith's shields. Any stronger transmission and we'd risk them detecting it.

Damn! Keep trying, we need to give them more time. See if the -

It's too late sir... they've just jumped to hyperspace.

*Carth pauses. This wasn't good. The Jedi were stranded on a Sith ship, headed to god knows where*

Kark....

*Carth thinks about it, but he can't dwell; on it. He'd contact the Jedi Council as soon as he could find the time*

Damage report?

*Captain Alluah looks over the damage coming in from all ships*

It looks like the Ravenclaw has lost main power, it's engines are off line. Backup systems are holding. And we lost two full squadrons of starfighters.

*Carth bows his head. That was a lot of casualties, it may have been a victory, but at a price*

Have the Maru and Orion -

*Captain Alluah cuts Carth off*

Admiral! The Ravenclaw's reactor just went critical! It's going to blow!

*Carth spins around quickly*

Signal the fighters! Move our ships out of range before it can -

*Suddenly the Ravenclaw explodes in a massive ball of flames and debris. The Sojourn shakes violently as the debris collides with the Sojourn's already weakened shields. Computer terminals explode and conduits begin blowing sparks all across the bridge. Captain Alluah is unable to maintain her balance and falls over, Carth grips ahold of a crewman's chair and barely is able to keep his balance. Seconds later it is all over. Carth rights himself and extends a hand to Alluah, who grips it and Carth helps her up. He looks out the viewport as the debris from the Ravenclaw drifts around them. Several Aurek fighters are trying their best to avoid the debris and are heading into high orbit*

Damage report....

*Lt. Mitchell pushes a layer of dust and conduit tubing off one of the displays with his arm and looks it over*

We lost another seven Aureks... Sojourn's shields are down to fifteen percent... Orion and Maru are reporting hull breaches and multiple casualties.

*Carth runs his hand through his hair*

And the Ravenclaw? Did any escape pods make it out?

*Lt. Mitchell turns to another display and wipes it off before reading*

It looks like only five escape pods made it before she blew. I'm sorry, Admiral.

*Carth turns around walking across the bridge. Then he suddenly punches one of the displays with his fist in frustration, anger, and grief*

Dammit! We were so close!

*he spins around and walks back to the forefront of the bridge*

Move us up to high orbit, tractor the escape pods in and have all fighter squadrons return to their hangars. Ravenclaw squadrons to us. I'm going to go contact the Jedi and let them know.

*Carth strides off the bridge as his orders are carried out. All republic starfighters return to their ships. And the escape pods from the Ravenclaw are collected by the Sojourn*

[Ad-Tsi-Lex]

=Tiss'sharl Orbit=

*Ad-Tsi-Lex had to remember to breath.
The Space Administration of Kal-Ar had spent millions on making a ship that would be space worthy, that could support a single passenger in a historic flight around the planet and that would be capable of bringing him back home again before the oxygen supply ran out and he suffocated to death. He had personally checked out everything on the ship, had bothered everyone who had any job at all with highly useful suggestions about how they could do their jobs better.*

*Over his radio, he can hear the countdown from mission control to launch time, and he grins as he makes the adjustments and flips the switches to lift off, as the launch pad gets smaller and smaller.*

*But with the small cabin getting hotter from the friction in the atmosphere and the g-forces pounding against his cheeks, he began to feel something more like fear than what he'd ever felt in his life; as soon as the planet is out of view, in the small window of his cabin the stars seem to streak together into lines as the small ship rattles, shakes and seems to come apart at the seams. This had to be normal, he supposes, however, he also knew that this launching was continuing on at a high velocity for longer than was planned.*

*The young Tiss'shar tries to communicate back with mission control, but the g-forces push on him so hard as he travels through what he doesn't know is a wormhole into a larger world.*

---

=In the outer orbit of the Perave system=[/b]

*Ad-Tsi-Lex couldn't have claimed know what Tiss'sharl looks like from space. However, he guesses that, with its lush jungles and its many oceans, that it looks absolutely nothing like the small ball of ice that he sees before him. Either things are completely different than anyone expected out in space, or something has gone terribly terribly wrong. He tries to communicate back with his homeplanet.*

"Mission control? Are you there?"

*There is only static on the radio. He messes around with the radio and tries again.*

"Mission control?"

*Still no response. He is left completely alone, floating in zero gravity.*

[Carth Onasi]

*For the next few minutes the bridge crew busies themselves with what is required for the search and rescue of all the escape pods and damaged fighters. They have just finished bringing in the last pod when the science station console begins flashing bright red*

*Captain Alluah is the first to notice it, being that the science officer was killed during the Sith attack. She walks over to it*

What is this?

*she looks at the display, and analyzes it *

It looks almost like a ... wormhole!

*she spins around and looks at Lt. Mitchell*

Sound the alarm! All power to reverse thrusters! There's a wormhole forming right in front of us!

*Lt. Mitchell punches the button to initiate Red Alert, and then patches into the ship's internal comm system*

::All hands, battle stations! Admiral Onasi to the bridge!::

*The Sojourn slowly begins to move backwards as a bright blue wormhole erupts, the power of the eruption pushes the Sojourn further back, upturning the ship and throwing sensors and inertial dampeners out of alignment. The bridge crew falls over and flies around the bridge chaotically. Just at that moment Carth pulls himself through the main door to the bridge and falls on one of the large trans-paristeel tactical displays*

Report!

*Alluah yells back over the sound of alarms, yelling, and the sound of the ship tearing itself apart*

A wormhole just formed out of nowhere, Admiral! Right on top of us!

*Carth struggles to make his way further onto the bridge as it rocks around, and he tries to remain upright*

Reroute emergency power to structural integrity! What's the status of...-

*Suddenly the torque on the ship stops, and inertial dampers realign, creating a normal gravity environment on the Sojourn. The alarms have stopped blaring, though the red lights are still flashing. Carth stands up skeptically and looks around*

What happened?

*Lt. Mitchell walks over to the science console*

It's gone, sir. The wormhole... it's just gone.

*a ensign peeps up at his station*

Hold on, sir. I'm getting some kind of message. It's coming in on a low band... this can't be right... a radio wave, sir.

*Carth looks over at the ensign*

Radio? Those wavebands haven't been used... since the formation of the Republic.

Yes sir. They break apart to easily and don't carry long distances. But I'm picking one up.

Let's hear it.

It's mostly static sir, but I think I can clear it up.

*A strange message is played*

::Raaawgrarr rawourr? Ragrrr rassssrawr? .....Raaawgrarr rawourr?::

What the hell is that?

*Alluah walks over to help the ensign. She types in a few commands*

It's not any language on file. I'm going to try to make a grammar and syntax analysis.

*The message plays again*

::Raaawgrarr Control? Ragrrr rass- there? .....Raaawgrarr Control?::

Hold on... almost got it. There we go.

::Mission Control? Are you there? Mission Control?::

*Lt. Mitchell looks over at Carth*

What is Mission Control?

*Carth looks puzzled. He wasn't quite sure what to make of all this*

Ensign, can you track where that radio signal is coming from?

Yes sir... I've located a small pod about two kilometers away.

Life signs?

One. Reptilian.

Well that would make sense.

*Lt. Mitchell walks over to another console*

No visible weapons, sir. And no... well this is odd. No propulsion either. Not even thrusters. And either life support is down, or he doesn't have it - he has breathable air left for approximately another four hours at best. What the hell is this thing?

*Carth thinks for a moment*

Let's send a message back, Captain. Identifying who we are and that we are willing to assist. Translate the message to match his language as best you can. If we can't understand him, odds are he won't understand us.

Aye, sir.

*Alluah opens up a channel and activates the translation matrix, then broadcasts on a radio wave back to the small pod*

Ready sir.

This is Admiral Carth Onasi aboard the Republic ship, Sojourn. Do you require assistance? We are ready and able to help you, if so.

[Ad-Tsi-Lex]

*Ad-Tsi-Lex frantically checks through all his meters, still getting no response from back home. Best he could tell, he went through some sort of never before seen spacial disturbance, as best he could guess, it was likely a wormhole, but such things were only theorized to exist, and the odds of one showing up just as the ship was in space? Not at all likely.

*Of course, out of all the wormholes in all the space in all the infinite universe, the one that had to show up right above Tiss'shar had to show up at the exact moment he was going through, transporting him to, what, probably some other galaxy? And he was lucky, at least there was some sort of planet near by. Didn't look like something that had anything other than rock on it though, and the chances of there being any sort of intelligent life, never mind that that planet he saw probably didn't even support any sort of breathable atmosphere if he somehow managed to use the last of his fuel that was supposed to get him back on land to land there, probably in a crash that would kill him if he hadn't already suffocated from running out of air. Air that he could tell was leaking.*

*In short, he was a dead lizard. But something, probably his stubbornness, was telling him that not all was lost. He pushed himself over to the oxygen tanks to patch up the leak when an oddly robotic voice speaks over his radio.*

"*zttt zttt* This is Carth Onasi, stay admiral *zzt ztt* the Republic ship. Whether *zzzzzttttt* you do need to assist? We prepare and can help you, if so."

"What the hell?"

*He looks out the tiny window from the pilot's seat and sees a gigantic space ship floating on by. Of course. He happens to get transported by wormhole to somewhere with intelligent life. Intelligent space faring life that spoke extremely bad Kal-Ar dialect. They didn't seem to have ill intentions. So he decides to take his chances.*

"This is Ad-Tsi-Lex of the People's Republic of Kal-Ar. I . . . I ah . . . come in peace? You are from the ship I see outside, right?"

[Carth Onasi]

*The Sojourn receives a response, though the grammer is off due to the translation matrix*

*Captain Alluah plays with a few switches*

The translation matrix is having a hard time locking onto his gramatical structure without a large sample to work off of. This should clear it up somewhat.

::This is Ad-Tsi-Lex of the People's Republic of Kal-Ar. I . . . I ah . . . come in peace? You are from the ship I see outside, right?::

*Carth turns and looks out the viewport. They were approaching the small pod, it was less than a kilometer away now, well within visual range. He responds*

Yes, that is us.

*He turns to Alluah, after muting the comm*

Kal-Ar? Any ideas?

*The Mon Calamari simply shakes her head*

*Lt. Mitchell searches through the database*

No record of any Kal-Ar or Ad-Tsi-Lex in the Republic database. I've got no idea who he is or where he's from, Admiral.

Could it be a Sith ploy? Some kind of weapon, a bomb or something?

I think we'd be picking up some kind of weapons or power signature for that. No... this doesn't feel like anything having to do with the Sith. How much life support does he have left?

It looks like its leaking oxygen, Admiral. He's running out of air quick.

Then we're getting him out of there.

*Carth unmutes the comm*

Ad-Tsi-Lex, you are loosing breathable air. We are going to bring you aboard our ship. Stand by.

*A few seconds later a tractor beam engages and grips onto the pod, bringing it into the hangar bay*

[Ad-Tsi-Lex]

*Ad-Tsi-Lex is getting exasperated.*

"Yes mystery voice, I know that so if you'd . . ."

*His ship suddenly jolts, slamming him against the opposite wall that he'd expect if he weren't in a zero-g environment, and the ship he sees outside gets closer and closer, or, more like it, his own ship is getting closer to theirs.*

*So he's being kidnapped by aliens. He just hopes that they have the same definition of "breathable air" that he has. Last thing he needs right now is to be rescued by ammonia breathing, bad Kal-Ar speaking aliens with gigantic ships. Even if he had any way of getting out of the tractor beam, he wouldn't try, since this is his last chance. Dead is dead either way.*

[Carth Onasi]

*about a half hour after Ad-Tsi-Lex is brought aboard the Sojourn the Two Republic frigates (Orion and Maru) break away from the Sojourn and head into the outer solar system before jumping into hyperspace bound for Coruscant. A minute later the Sojourn does the same but headed the opposite direction, and jumps to hyperspace set for Telos IV*

[Marcus Tiberius Bralor]

*The shuttle with the Mandalorians reaches orbit. It is being pursued by Adascorp security.*

This better work, John.

*Bralor activates the hyperdrive. The ship sputters for a moment, the engines cycling and then fading away in a sputter of failure. Bralor slams his fist on the console.*

FIX IT.

*Two blasts slam into the rear shields of the ship. Their power gauges show they are depleting.*

[Caius Ordo]

*Caius speaks through his helmet.*

At least we have shields.

[John Ordo]

*I switch over to internal comms, and open a private channel with Eff.*

"This is GREAT! JUST GREAT! Start looking at the internals, and I'll see if there's anything obvious."

*I sprint back to the hyperdrive, Eff alongside me. She plugs into a port and begins probing the engine. I run about the drive, checking the various external cables and casing. I unscrew the external casing bolts with my fingers, and heave it aside. I being tearing parts out of the drive, securing each one to the floor with a piece of tape. After about a minute, with a pile of parts taped to the floor, I get to the boosters. I breath a sigh of relief, and comm everyone.*

"Good news- it's easy to fix. Give me one more minute, and we're out of here."

*I set to work, and call Eff.*

"Eff, spot weld here, and try to get that chunk out of there. I'll work on this tube."

*We both go about our tasks, moving quickly.*

[Marcus Tiberius Bralor]

*Another set of blasts pummel the ship. Bralor tries to turn the ship around. Squeezing the triggers on the yoke, the ships cannons fail to fire. Bralor searches frantically for firing controls. Finding them, he turns off the safeties and lets the shuttles laser cannons loose. The guns are slow, but he gets a few good shots off. Bralor has to make a hard right to break out of one of the fighters.*

*Bralor grunts*

[John Ordo]

*After pulling out a small, black, gooey object from a tube, I begin to reassemble the engine. The ship rocks as it is hit, but the tape holds the parts in place as they wait to be reassembled. I put the parts back where they belong, and Eff resets the engine.*

"Come on...come one..."

*The engine whines with power. I punch the air triumpantly, and comm Marcus.*

"It's fixed- let's go!"

[Marcus Tiberius Bralor]

*Bralor pulls back the jump trigger and the shuttle launches into hyperspace.*

[Umar Tane]

*Umar drops out of hypersace in a Solaris-class shuttle. He quickly reprograms the navicomptuer and continues his jump sequence home.*

[Tomias Shoryu]

*The True Cakes appears in orbit from hyperspace and hovers in orbit for a bit before heading into the city.*