Cantina 13: Rebellion

[Redwing]

Elsewhere

 

*Cracken Hideki Palpatine, Dark Lord of the Sith, floated in a dream in the white, endless expanse of absolutely nowhere. White, liquid metal flowed around his body, twisting and warping, changing.

 

Incubating.

 

A little Girl dressed in black with bright red fingernails watched him, standing on level ground that wasn't there. She was angry, which expressed itself on her faux features as childish petulance.*

 

Girl: Wake up.

[Cmdr. Cracken]

Elsewhere

 

*Cracken's eyes shot open, and he sat up, surprised at the fact he was alive. He looked around, and quickly shut his eyes. Whiteness flowed around him, almost blinding him. His eyes quickly focused, and he looked to the source of the voice.

 

This... girl... seemed familiar... who was she? what did she want... more importantly, where the hell was he? His mind was a clouded haze, but in the few minutes he was concious, he began remembering certain things....

 

Alysara, his daughter, had decided to fall, his son, torn between the two sides of the force, weak and pathetic, his apprentice, Starr Hailfire, he entrusted him to rule over the Empire in his abcense. He tried to remember where he last saw his apprentice.... a name floated to the top of his head... Korriban. *

 

Why am i here?

[Redwing]

Girl: You've been sleeping too long. The incubation of your power has put a strain on your mind. You may have some lost memory. I was unavoidably occupied elswhere.

 

*She frowns* What, you aren't going to ask me about what I've done with your daughter, like you always do when you wake up? Maybe your damage is worse than I thought. That would be...unfortunate.

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken's face look strained, as he reached back into his memory... Alysara... He felt a ping in the Force. He grew angry, at least, remembering the taunting little girl who liked to dangle his daughter infront of him like bait.*

 

You.... Give her to me and release us, or you shall suffer a most unpleasent fate....

[Redwing]

*The Girl's face brightens*

 

Girl: Good, you do remember.

 

*The Girl waves her hands and three flickering images appear.

 

One image is of Starr and (RH) Irvine, fighting their way through stormtroopers on board the SSD Vigilance. The second image is of Fused Irvine in an Imperial Shuttle, a gleam in his eyes, sorrounded by the blue tunnel of hyperspace. The third image is of a sleeping Alys, floating in a translucent cube in another expanse of whiteness*

 

Girl: You promised your son you would kill his impostor...

 

*A final, central image appears, showing Cracken and the red-haired Irvine on Korriban*

 

 

Irvine: I have to ask. *The image flickers, obscuring sound for a moment* a clone of myself *flicker* it has *flicker* somehow become more powerful then I am *flicker* he might be almost becoming equal to *flicker* your potential. *flicker* What is to be done with him?

 

*A final flicker as Cracken turned to answer in the image*

 

Cracken: He will be dealt with. Personally.

 

 

Girl: I've come to ask you to fulfill your pledge. Kill your son's impostor. Kill "Fused Irvine". Promise this and...I will grant you and your daughter your freedom.

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken stares at the images, and his mind snaps again. Irvine, his clone, Fused Irvine's power growth, it started to become clearer..... then he remembered his own power. He looked at the girl*

 

Oh I will dispose of the imposter, if you answer me a few questions, you manipulative little wrench, though i don't dissaprove of your methods...

 

You said I was incubating..... what did you mean by that?

 

*Crackens eyes narrow* and what assurence do I have that you will keep your word once I kill him, so I don't have to kill you.

[Redwing]

Girl: You are the most powerful of the Sleepers, destined to play the leading roles in the Second Apocalypse, which is still only on the horizon but drawing ever closer. I took it upon myself to bring you here when you almost died and kept you here where your power could grow exponentially.

 

*She flicks her hand* Your daughter. *The cube holding Alys appears next to them, and dissolves, leaving Alys free-floating, looking peaceful, still asleep*

 

Girl: Let us rearrange the terms of our relationship, Lord Cracken. You and I both value Order. This other Sleeper is about to bring unparalleled Chaos to this galaxy. I will not abide this, and I'm sure neither will you.

 

Remember I still hold the keys to expanding your power. If you want to return here you are free to do so. But I will no longer hold you here against your will. Just fulfill your promise. Kill your son's impostor.

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken stares at the girl, and at inhuman speed, draws his lightfoil and brings it to the girls neck*

 

Betray me, and so help me, I promise you on my fathers grave...

*Cracken's voice becomes strained*

I. Will. Kill. You.

 

*He Lowers his lightfoil, and flexes his muscles*

 

Bring us to Starr and Irvine. I will need a ship, and they are on what I require. *He looks at Alysara, sleeping. He moves to her, and shakes her awake*

 

Alysara, it's time to go.

 

*Alysara grumbled something, and turned to see her father. Her eyes beamed and she hugged him*

 

Alysara: Father!

Cracken: It's good to see you, but your brother and Starr are in danger, and we must hurry.

*Alysara's face grew serious, and she stood up*

 

Alysara: Then let's go.

[Redwing]

SSD Vigilance

 

*Starr uses an illusion to mask himself cutting holes through the first set of blast doors, then is forced to drop the illusion thanks to the continuing onslaught of attackers. He could feel the void in the Force getting closer.

 

Then the double blast doors to the bridge opened of their own accord.

 

Admiral Luthen was standing there smiling confidently, ysalamiri around her neck. Around her were other racks set up holding more of the Force-voiding creatures. Four Vanguard stand by her, weapons ready.

 

On the far side of the corridor, five Vanguards walk through the half-demolished blast doors. Their armor looks patched, and parts look new and parts look worn.

 

Luthen: *to Starr* No ship bits to throw at us now, Lord Hailfire? As you can see, you failed to do more than disable my men. You did manage to nearly kill one thanks to a weak spot in the armor, but no matter, I still have plenty more.

 

*to the bridge communicator* Hailfire and Cracern have arrived here, Supreme Chancellor Darkstar. You can witness their execution yourself.

 

*Standing just outside the boundaries of the Force void, Starr whips out the pieces of stormtrooper armor he had carved up and hurls them at the ysalamiri. He manages to hit only one before the Vanguard block his targets and he is forced to dodge from the others firing at him from behind*

 

*Luthen motions to the Vanguard* Kill him.

 

----------

 

Elsewhere

 

Girl: Very well. But remember what I told you...

 

*The white world folds back around Cracken and Alys, and a more material world folds itself around them. The two find themselves on the bridge of the SSD Vigilance.

[Kuuki]

*before the transportation*

 

RH Irvine "Isn't it obvious now!? I'm not Councilman Cracern! I am the Son of Palpatine!"

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken and Alysara pop into existance infront of Irvine and Starr. Alysara upon entering, felt faint, and stanggered a bit. Cracken noted the Ysalimari, he could feel the void of the Force around him.*

 

Cracken: Get down, if you value your lives, and catch Alysara Starr, she's missed you.

 

*Cracken closed his eyes, and concentrated. An aurora began to form around him, and suddenly, his eyes opened, and a searing white was where his eyes used to be.

 

He flexed his arms, pointing to each of the Ysalimari racks, blowing them to pieces, Ysalimari bits flying all over the bridge. He pointed at Admiral Luthen, and the Ysalimari around her neck exploded, sending guts all over the Admiral's head. The glow from his eyes faded, his eyes coming back to normal, the aurora still there.*

 

Cracken thinks: Damnit, i can't control it very well... I need to keep this all in check before I lose it....

 

*On the outside, however, it looked like he was in complete control*

 

Cracken: Now, you can surrendur yourselves to me, and i take this ship, or you can forfit your lives. Choose.

[Redwing]

Starr: Master!

 

*He kneels, then quickly stands to catch Alys before she falls*

 

Starr: *quickly* Master, you must not kill her. We need what is in her head.

 

*Luthen looks shocked*

 

Luthen: ...Cr...cr...cracken?! How?! You're dead!

 

*The feed to Reletha Darkstar's office stays open*

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken laughed*

 

Dead? Hardly, mearly biding my time until I saw it fit to return. I have some unfinished business to attend to before I die. Now, surrendur. Unless you'd like to see me destroy your flunkies in one swoop.

[Kuuki]

*When Cracken and Alysara appeared, Irvine nearly fainted, his attention deverted to a raw power appearing at once, it overwhlemed him. It was like he couldn't see or hear what was happening. Infact he never knew it was him. His heart was literally skipping beats. He felt that power once...

 

Now it seemed vagely familar, but he knew it. He felt fear and an akward joy of this strange power. This entire time

 

He looked up as the last Ysalimari died. A sense of awe came about him...*

 

Irvine *In almost a whisper...* "F-f-father.." *his voice re-gaining its stability* "FATHER!"

[Redwing]

Luthen: * backing away disbelievingly* No...impossible. *to the Vanguard* Kill him!

 

*The Vanguard turn towards Cracken, raise their rapid-firing concussion rifles and open fire*

[Cmdr. Cracken]

Cracken: Fools.

 

*His eyes turn white again, and suddenly, the concussion blasts stop 5 inches away from Cracken's body, and he smiled. He could get used to this.

 

He reached for his lightfoil, ignighted it, and used the Force to push all but 1 of the vanguards down. He rushed at the one he didn't target, and slashed at it's head. Turning, he knocked the one he slashed at down with his free hand, and quickly pointed to another Vanguard, who recieved a white ball of energy to it's gut, knocking it back across the bridge. Another ball left from his hand to another Vanguard, knocking him down as well.

 

All this happened in under 2 seconds. He considered his options for the other six. Ultima would annihilate everyone, which was very bad. This orb power was usefull, but he needed a mass kill on a slightly lesser scale than Ultima.

 

This thought was interuppted by one of the Vanguard that was in the hall way, who charged him. He parried the staff with his lightfoil, and grappled with him, breaking it's arm, and then placing one of his white orbs directly into it's face. Another came form behind, and tried to choke him, but Cracken dissapeared, only to reappear behind him, and Cracken aptly sent another orb at the unfortunate Vanguards head. Four more to go...*

[Redwing]

*The Vanguard are unnaffected by Cracken's Force push, the energy invisibly washing off their suits. The ones hit by the white orbs stand again, the energy from the orbs crackling around their suits, going nowhere*

 

[Error: Unknown Energy Type. Processing...Processing...]

 

*The Vanguard point their weapons at Cracken and fire again*

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken frowns. His attacks did little. Maybe he had to turn this up a notch...*

 

Any hints or help taking these bastereds down would be nice....

 

*Cracken launched himself at one, slicing at the Vanguard with his lightsaber. The Cortosis in the armor nullified his attack, leaving Cracken momentarily surprised. These guys are trained to kill Sith and Jedi.

 

Yet he was no ordinary Sith. He pulled from the Sleeper energies, and let loose a powerful blast, aimed at teh Vanguard he just slashed at. The explosion vibrated the transparisteel on the bridge windows, blinding everyone for a moment....*

[Kuuki]

*A thermal detonator from behind cracken bounces towards a Vanguard that was about to jump at Cracken. It explodes at the vanguard's feet, a quite a bit of distence away from Cracken

 

 

Standing where it came from Irvine holding a belt strung of thermal detonators from one of the stormtroopers eariler.*

 

Irvine "I choose not to be useless."

[Redwing]

Starr: Master, their armor is not impact-proof. The cortosis...

 

*The Vanguard is thrown back by the attack. It lands on the ground and stays there, twitching. Energy crackles all over its suit*

 

[Warning: Critical Error. Cannot Process Unknown Energy Type. Accessing Template. Error: Database Access Disabled. Searching...]

 

*The Vanguard attacked by Starr uses his jetpack to avoid the explosion, jetting across the bridge*

 

Starr: They can absorb energy attacks.

 

----------

 

Ulna Shardes Space

 

*A Blade calls to Nereli as he overlooks ship preperations*

 

Blade: Sai Nereli! We are receieving a signal. It appears to be from an Executioner program.

 

Rwos: What?

 

Nereli: That's impossible...

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken smiles* A weakness. time to exploit it.

 

*His eyes narrow, and the deck plates rip up, rising. Cracken smiles, and laughs. Suddenly, 2 of the deck plates rush at the Vanguard, one deck plate smashing a Vanguard in the head, the other in the gut. More Deck plates rise, as Cracken sends them flying at the Vanguard at inhumane speeds. Two more get hit, one in the neck, the other the chest.

 

Cracken turns quickly, dropping his light foil for a brief second, to face an Vanguard sneaking up on him. He grabs at the Vanguards head, and snaps it's neck. Anotehr comes up from behind him, but Cracken sensed him there already, and placed his right foot into it's head. This was far to easy...*

[Redwing]

SSD Vigilance

 

*Three of the four Vanguard hit by deck plates are crushed and stop moving. The fourth is hit in midair jertpacking by a glancing blow and is sent spinning off but recovers. The fifth with the broken neck drops to the ground. The sixth staggers back from the blow to the head.

 

The recovered Vanguard goes after Starr. He focuses his power on one of the deck plates Cracken had uprooted. Following his master's example, he sends it flying at the Vanguard. Unfortunately, it teleports away just before it is flattened against a wall, reappearing across the room.

 

The sixth Vanguard recovers and imitates its partner, teleporting several yards away and firing missiles from its wrist launchers at Cracken. It takes to the air to avoid deck plates at the same time as it teleports again.

 

The last Vanguard stays on the floor, energy coursing around its suit*

 

----------

 

Blade Ship Inquiry, Ulna Shardes Space

 

Nereli: There should be no Executioner programs active in this galaxy...

 

Blade: Trying to locate the signal, Sai.

 

Nereli: Good. After you locate it, order it to suspend. See if it responds.

 

Rwos: Could this be...one of those Vanguard? They were built off Executioner technology...

[Cmdr. Cracken]

*Cracken stops the missle with the Force, and turns it around, and using the Sleeper energies, sends it rocketing at a Vanguard that reappears, exploding right in the happless victims face.

 

Cracken teleports behind the Vanguard that was glanced with a deckplate, and slams his foot ito it's back, then teleports infront of it and punches it in the neck, crushing it's neck.

 

Alysara shook her head, just in time to see a Vanguard sneaking behind Starr. She focused all her hate into the Force, and rushed at the Vanguard, knocking him to the ground. She raised her foot, and with lightning speed brought her heel down onto it's neck. She smirked.

 

One more Vanguard was alive, the other was still twiching from the blast Cracken had sent at it before. The Vanguard foolishly rushed at Cracken, who sidestepped, and thrust his fist into the Vanguards gut, followed by an Elbow to the back. He could hear the back spine breaking; convinced this one was dead, he reached for his lightfoil, and pulled it to him.

 

He turned to the Admiral, and gave an evil grin*

 

If you want me dead, you'll have to try a bit harder than that.

[Redwing]

((Posting when dead tired. Please forgive any errors x_x))

 

SSD Vigilance

 

*Luthen looks horrified*

 

Reletha Darkstar will never forgive this error...

 

*Her hand darts to her blaster. She pulls it out of the holster and points the barrel at her head. Before she can pull the trigger, Starr telekinetically pulls it from her hand*

 

----------

 

Inquiry

 

Blade: We've located the signal. *She brings up a map on the monitor*

 

Rwos: Pull out a moment? *The Blade complies* That's near Coruscant space.

 

Blade: There's something else. We're detecting a large warp in reality centered nearly right on top of the Exectioner signal. *She zooms in closer* And look, the warp's center appears to be mobile. It almost seems to be...human-shaped.

 

----------

 

Assassins' Lair

 

Aren: *to Gamma* No more than a half hour or so, unless you were a full cyborg doing a complete rehaul. The equipment here is very power-intensive, so I recommend you take our power supplies. They've been known to last centuries. If you want to use an ordinary cyborg or droid power source, you'll have to recharge every few weeks or even days depending on how much power you use. You're free to do that too of course if you want.

 

*She walks out of the room and takes the group to the last door. This room is absolutely enormous and completely white*

 

Aren: This is the simulation room. Believe it or not, it's in compact mode. *She turns to a panel by the door on the inside wall, and takes off a handheld device attached to the panel by a cord* Computer, Demo Coruscant rooftops program, ceiling 200 units.

 

*The entire room begins expanding. The floor drops away, leaving only a square section attached to the door for the group to stand on.

 

The room begins to fill up with colors and shapes, forming itself into a complete replica of a section of Coruscant buildings, stretching off into the distance as if they were really on Coruscant itself. The floor section becomes a skyscraper roof, and finally the only thing spoiling the illusion was the still-open door*

 

Aren: This is the simulation room. If you want to play out how an assassination might go, you can try it here. Of course no simulation can really imitate the real thing, but hey, at least it can double for practice. To use it, tell the computer what you want. If you can project a mental image, it can try to create it. You can create a scenario in the same way.

 

Questions, or shall we go to Transport?

[BattleDog]

*Flax and Sellenna have been talking socially when Cracken re-appears.*

 

Flax: I sense.... A great shift in the Force. The Dark Side, it seems somehow familiar.... CRACKEN!

 

GET GREER BACK IN HERE, NOW!

 

*Flax sags in his chair.*

 

Sellenna: He's on Coruscant, or very near.

 

Flax: All our plans.... If Craken decideds to side with Reletha we're finished. Order the offensive begun immideatly. Prepare my personnal House Gaurd for infiltration.

 

Sellenna: You can't go yourself, you're too valuable.

 

Flax: You've read Sophae's reports, she said he was more than a Jedi. If it comes to perrsonal combat I'm the only swordsman who can match him. We'll Spearhead for Coruscant Immidiatly.

 

Sellenna: Calm down, you can't act while you're thinking like this. We don't have the forces gathered yet.

 

*Flax deflates again.* We have no choice, whether Cracken signed a treaty or not he is a Sith and sooner or later one of us must die. We'll begin in twelve hours. The attack will commence and we will push for the core. With any luck we'll be at Coruscant in under two weeks. I have to end this war before I need to start a new one.