Star Wars: Republic Dawn

[machievelli]

In my reply I mentioned zip training in biochemistry etc.

 

Did I mention I am a military historian and I know a lot about chemical warfare?

[Jae Onasi]

In my reply I mentioned zip training in biochemistry etc.

 

Did I mention I am a military historian and I know a lot about chemical warfare?

 

I figured you knew something about military since you knew what caliber ammunition goes with what gun. I'm assuming your specialty is likely 20th c. wars then with chem warfare? If you know a lot of chem warfare, biochem's not too far away from your current knowledge.

 

I like social history better myself, but I've picked up some history of medicine and science (and dabbled in a few other areas) to go along with all the science I did before and during prof. school. I'd probably go back and finish a PhD in history if I were independently wealthy, just because I'm a school junkie. I was in college way, way too long.

 

I PMd stingerhs about doing a resource/tech advisor thread, and he's looking into that.

[machievelli]

I figured you knew something about military since you knew what caliber ammunition goes with what gun. I'm assuming your specialty is likely 20th c. wars then with chem warfare? If you know a lot of chem warfare, biochem's not too far away from your current knowledge.

.

 

Actually, if there was a war since the Sumerians, I have studied someo of it, especially weapons and their designs. One thing that suddenly came to me was something everyone here might have missed...

1. The survivor from the last station was a Rodian. Rodians were not listed as being affected.

2. Do you know what a Binary toxin is?

3. I myself didn't think of it until afterward, but I have to have a for real target. Stay tuned for the chapter following the next post.

 

I like social history better myself, but I've picked up some history of medicine and science (and dabbled in a few other areas) to go along with all the science I did before and during prof. school. I'd probably go back and finish a PhD in history if I were independently wealthy, just because I'm a school junkie. I was in college way, way too long..

 

I have always agreed with the comment made by Robert A Heinlien in the Moon is a Harsh Mistress. You have to keep learning.

 

I PMd stingerhs about doing a resource/tech advisor thread, and he's looking into that.

 

Good! Now if only these kids will ask before they field a 2000 man 'squad!'

[Jae Onasi]

Actually, if there was a war since the Sumerians, I have studied someo of it, especially weapons and their designs. One thing that suddenly came to me was something everyone here might have missed...

1. The survivor from the last station was a Rodian. Rodians were not listed as being affected.

2. Do you know what a Binary toxin is?

3. I myself didn't think of it until afterward, but I have to have a for real target. Stay tuned for the chapter following the next post.

 

1. You could always say that they're susceptible to psychotropic chemicals in a way that is similar to x species. So instead of one portion of the megamolecule affecting just Twi'leks, you could say it affects "Twi'leks and Rodians" also. I'm always up for the easiest solution.

 

2. Binary toxin--I didn't know what they were before I just read through some journal articles just now, though I knew there were different types of toxins. The article I linked here probably has one of the better descriptions of just which part of the cell is involved and which chemicals are affected but it's pretty technical. Binary Bacterial Toxins

 

EDIT I'm going to try and explain it in Real People language. While I understand we scientist types need to use the correct terminology and I expect there to be a considerable number of "Big Words," we sure need to learn how to make scientific articles more readable and eschew obfuscation. Some of these articles are written with some really awkward sentence constructions. Sheesh.

 

 

(begin Toxins 101)

1. Basically, toxins are chemicals, usually proteins, that can do 1 of 2 things. 1. affect the tissues around specific cells so that the bacteria can spread farther in and 2. (more commonly) invade a specific type of cell and cause damage to it, causing it to die. The most common are hemotoxins and neurotoxins, but there are others, including the binary toxins as you asked about.

 

For lack of a better explanation at the moment, hemotoxins break open blood cells and/or damage the parts of blood that cause proper clotting. Without enough working blood cells, the tissues and body can't get enough oxygen. If you kill off enough red blood cells, there's not enough oxygen circulating for the body to survive. If the platelets (the clotting cells) don't work, the blood can't clot, and people can bleed to death from fairly small injuries.

 

Neurotoxins (and other cell-specific toxins) usually affect some specific part of the outside of the cell that changes what happens inside the cells. There are a lot of different parts that make up the outside of the cell, or cell membrane. It's not all uniform. If some of these parts of the cell membrane are damaged, the cell can die or stop functioning correctly. For instance, there are pores (or channels) in the cell membrane that let in calcium ions or sodium ions. These pores open and close to let in just the right amount of ions to do their job. A nerve cell has to have one amount of ions in order to stay at its resting state and another to actually 'fire', or send a signal. If you upset the balance of ions, the nerve cell will either not fire at all or will continue firing endlessly. Some neurotoxins make the ion pores stay stuck in the open position, and some will make the pores stay closed, and this makes the nerve not work correctly, and in some cases the toxin simply causes the nerve to die. If the nerves don't work correctly, nasty things start happening to the body.

 

Edit: For instance, if the nerve cell that makes a muscle contract can't fire, the muscle won't work and paralysis happens. If that same nerve cell is stuck constantly firing, then that muscle spasms and can't relax. If this happens, say, in the diaphragm, you can't breathe if either happens, because it has to both contract and relax in order for you to breathe.

Usually, toxins affect only one structure in a cell membrane.

 

Binary toxins work a little differently. The bacteria that produce binary toxins are producing two separate components to affect a cell, instead of one like the toxins above. The first component (which they call component B) attaches to the cell membranes. Once attached, it changes shape and creates a pore or channel through the membrane. The second component (called component A) attaches to the pore, goes through it, and then ends up inside the cell where it does its damage. Different binary toxins affect different structures or chemicals inside the cells.

 

The bacteria that produce binary toxins are nasty ones, like the botulism and anthrax germs.

 

Good! Now if only these kids will ask before they field a 2000 man 'squad!'

 

Hubby hated the idea of Jedi "Generals" leading small squads. "Generals don't lead squads! They lead divisions and armies!"

[machievelli]

Clues

 

Sanji looked at the spreading lights of Coruscant. The city of the same name stretched for a hundred kilometers in every direction. The seat of several massive trade conglomerates. Home as well to the Galactic Trade Authority, which now had over a hundred members counting colonies. It was just about midnight down there.

 

Kreekta, a Twi-lek designed courier settled gently on the landing stage. Four Jedi awaited him. Masters Hobart and Soo-chin, and their Padawan.

 

Sanji picked up his staff. He hated that in that he had begun to parallel his old master. She was blind, and had a reason for it. Him? Lungs scarred because he had acted rather than thinking, tried to hold his breath instead of hyperventilating and allow it to gush into space. How man times had he been told that a simple automatic reflex had caused the bulk of his injuries?

 

Hobart stepped forward, offering his hand. “Welcome back Sanji.”

 

“Hobart. Is the council assembled?”

 

“Except for Master Hontu. He is getting crotchety in his old age.”

 

“Old! He was crotchety when I met him thirty years ago.”

 

Hobart shrugged. “For humans sixty is getting old. By the way, how is Master Sookor?”

 

“She is enroute to Fondor on the business we must discuss. She is like dried meat. Tough but still good at what she does.”

 

“Giving us trouble the young woman beside him snapped. Soo-chin was a repressed ball of energy, with fiery red hair and a temper to match. Sometimes like a heavy ball, would come down on someone’s feet and crush them. She was one of the only Jedi Sanji knew had been removed from field operations because she pushed too hard. She judge too quickly. However she was an excellent administrator and bluntly honest when young Jedi were considered for promotion which kept her busy in the Monastery.

 

The building was almost stark. The walls had nothing to tell anyone what was done in it. No murals of brave Jedi, no fleets smashing enemy strongholds. It could have been the entry way into any law office on the planet. But beyond the kiosk where young Jedi answered questions even at this time of night was the door to the Monastery proper.

 

Beyond that was wonder; a garden large enough to feed the people who worked here in an emergency, tended during the day by quiet gentle Ithorians. They had been brought from their home world and asked to work at what they did best, and the lush foliage bespoke beauty for it’s own sake. There were plants and trees from a hundred worlds here, all in neatly demarcated areas with tags to identify them. The smells caught Sanji’s heart with longing. Among them he could detect a Ryloth night bloom, and he wished to stay and drink it in, but there wasn’t time.

 

The inner courtyard was the council meeting place, and Sanji stood patiently as the masters gathered. When all twelve were there he began. He recounted the events that led to Breia Solo going to Station Sigma 9, the events that occurred on Delta 4, and finally the conclusions of the team assigned to stop more attacks.

 

“So Master Sookor decided this on her own?” Soo-chin demanded. “Without the council’s approval?”

 

“She sensed a danger to the young Padawan that bears her name.” Sanji replied. “She acted to deal with that.”

 

“Some dark foreshadowing?”

 

“Yes.” Sanji considered. “She also believes that her apprentice Zardan Landru is involved.”

 

“We have had Padawan and Apprentices leave the order before.” Hobart replied softly. “Why should this situation be linked to this one?”

 

“First, Landru was a world class chemical engineer. He could literally use the force to feel how a chemical can bond. If there are ten beings in the galaxy with as much skill I would have trouble finding them. Second, the music.”

 

“Hawk Flight.” Hontu mused. “Why is this linked to it?”

 

“The music cuts across species boundaries, affecting everyone who hears it. Always in the same way, as if a friend had called your name, attracting your attention. The music is linked to the force as we all know. It was what attracted the Jedi that recruited him for the order

 

“Five years ago, he was approached by the Czerka corporation, which had given the contract for communications on stations that have more than 10% population of other races. The royalties before he left funded the growth of our temple here. Now that he has left, it goes into his own accounts, but the amount is still several thousand credits a year.

 

“Not enough to buy a ship as you surmise. Or purchase a factory to manufacture or fund a laboratory to develop this.” Hobart commented

 

“We do not think he is working alone. Someone must be supplying the money. Someone is supplying the ship and resources, and using him to create this. But he would not be doing this unwillingly. I believe...” He paused. “I believe he has fallen.”

 

The council recoiled. It was the darkest secret the Order held. Some of their students seemed to go off on a dangerous tangent as they reached adulthood. Personal animosities, emotional outbursts, even racial hatreds seemed to fuel it.

 

Yet they had been incredibly lucky. In the millennia since the first Monastery had been founded only six were known to have fallen. The last had caused a lot of grief, but it had always been contained to a single planet or star system before Sogor.

 

Not this time.

 

“What do you need?”

 

“Your grace your blessing and your support.” Sanji replied.

 

“Nothing else?”” Soo-chin waved at the other masters. “There are fourteen masters and thirty trained Padawan here. All you ask is a blind eye?”

 

“I expect nothing of the sort.” Sanji bit out. “There are eight of us assigned to track this down by Master Sookor already. Too many and those beyond our order will wonder why we have suddenly become a beehive of activity. If that occurs, some will wonder what secrets we hide. There are already those that seem to think we store our worldly good within our walls.”

 

They nodded. People trying to infiltrate the Monasteries were easy to spot. Reporters, Government operatives, even thieves. Some of those had been nasty. A criminal gang on Corellia had thought the local monastery a storehouse of wealth. A smash and grab operation had been planned, weapons bought, then they had attacked in the dead of night. Ten men had gone in, four had come out alive. The police had picked up the bodies, parts of bodies and the stunned survivors. None of the students had been even injured.

 

They couldn’t tell those caught, but it was like watching a baby animal trying to hide it’s head while it’s bottom still stuck out in plain view. When the Force was your ally a lot of what people thought was hidden was revealed. A few over the decades had succeeded. They usually ended up joining the order.

 

“Then what would you have us do?” Hontu asked.

 

“I ask that all of the Monasteries be informed of what is going on. Perhaps some clues can be ascertained by those that investigate their local conditions.

 

“That if we do need help, they know the council has authorized it. We will not have time to go through the usual meeting and agreement process very often as we are now.”

 

The masters looked at each other. Hontu looked back at him. “Agreed, Master Gretu.”

 

He bowed. He marched out into the night, returning to his ship.

 

“Master?” Padawan Rafe Morale looked back.

 

“Hop us over to the Military field. I have the report from the joint meeting. Then? Commercial registry. We have a long night ahead of us.”

 

*****

 

Breia stretched, yawning. The first time she had gotten a real rest since she had left for Delta 4 Station. There was a smell in the air, and she cocked her head, puzzled. It smelled like-

 

“Yaka, no!” She leaped up, charging forward. There were clouds of smoke from the galley, and at the stove, Yaka was beating futilely at a burning pan.

 

Breia snatched up a lid, slamming it down on the conflagration. She coughed, choking as the air circulation system busily sucked up the fumes and smoke.

 

“What in the name of every hell were you doing?”

 

“I was trying to make a breakfast for you. Your file said you like pancakes, and the recipe looked simple, and the cooking directions...” He petered out. “Well they looked simple as well.”

 

Yaka looked distraught, and she could understand why. Very few people can reduce a galley to a total disaster with one dish, but he had succeeded admirably. Worse the stench of burnt batter would linger for weeks!

 

“How much cooking have you done?” She asked tartly.

 

“Well...” He dug a toe into the deck. “This was my first time.”

 

“All right, I see if we’re going to travel for any real length of time you are going to have to learn.” She lifted the lid. The pan was a blackened mess, ans she slid it into the sanitizer. “Get me another frying pan, and a teapot for water.” She looked at the bowl he had mixed the batter in, and almost chuckled. He had made enough for about fifty pancakes. “Then while I am making these, find a storage container. We have enough batter for at least three more days here.”

 

She wiped down the stove so there would be no more stench (How did he get batter on all four elements?) and with the new pan, began to make her normal four pancakes. He watched carefully.

 

“Would you like to try one?”

 

“Is there any animal fat or meat in them?” He asked suspiciously.

 

“No.” She reached below the counter, getting out a spray bottle. “Those do. Nerf butter. But this,” she held up the bottle, “Is vegetable oil. When you make them from now on, use this. And don’t spray any on the burner elements.”

 

“I worked that out when I tried to use the oil to loosen a stuck pancake.” He replied dryly.

 

She lifted the pan, spraying it, then made another. He handed her the plate and she slid the golden brown circle onto it with an accomplished air.

 

“How do you do that so easily?” He waved and she noticed flakes of batter stuck to the overhead. (How did he scatter it so far?)

 

“My master...” She bit her lip, choking back her pain. “Master Werron was hopeless if it came to cooking. He could burn water.” She lifted the teapot, pouring liquid into the two cups. “So on long trips I had to learn how to cook in self defense.”

 

“You were with him a long time, obviously.”

 

“Yes.” She was silent. “I have been with the order for almost 20 years now. My first master was Master Sookor. She was a much better cook than I am. Then the last decade, I was with Master Werron.”

 

“I am sorry that the subject pains you.”

 

“It would have to. I got him killed.”

 

“I disagree.”

 

She set the tub of butter, another of margarine, and the four types of syrup she always carried. Lang may have been an ass in a lot of ways, but he had stocked the ship primarily with things she ate, so it wasn’t all bad. “What would you know about it?”

 

“When Master Sookor chose me as your new apprentice, I studied the missions you have undertaken. In all of them you have always reacted swiftly and surely.”

 

“Not on that mission.”

 

“Master, you did not expect an attack.” Yaka slipped a sliver of pancake into his mouth. His eyes widened. “Interesting.” The Ithorians had four throats, so he was able to chew and talk at the same time.

 

“Try some of the syrup.” She motioned. “The red is Corellian Calla berry. The orange is Coruscanti glow spice. The green...” She considered. “I would give it a miss unless you like very spicy food. It’s Fire spice syrup. Like my tea.” She held the cup and sipped. “The last is Ossus blue-stem.”

 

He poured a dollop of the blue syrup, daintily touching a sliver of cake into it before sticking it in his mouth.

 

“Yes, I like this.”

 

“Of course we didn’t expect an attack.” She retorted. “The Company had told us that the Noghri had been shipped in as workers. They didn’t bother to mention that they had taken them from four different tribes!”

 

Yaka tried the Calla berry. “This is also good. But when the attack came your only hesitation was what? Which weapon to draw. If you had carried either one or the other, that would not have been a problem.”

 

“That’s true. But I was like a kid with a new toy. ‘Look what this will do’!”

 

He poured a bit of the glow spice. After a moment of chewing, he commented, “This I think would become addictive to my people. I had best not try any more of the glow spice.” He hesitated, then touched a bare spot of the Fire spice on his plate. “Have you not heard masters comment on how their Padawan tend to do things they might not think about?”

 

“Yes. But I thought... I never thought I would do something so stupid!”

 

“Mistakes happen. Sometimes you have to live with them, sometimes you correct them, sometimes you die from them.” He dipped into the fire spice. The piece of pancake had barely touched his tongue when he leaped up and backwards, gasping.

 

Breia immediately reached the tap, poured a cup of water, and handed it to him. He chugged it down, all four throats gasping simultaneously After a fourth glass, he finally sat again.

 

“You actually like that?” He asked.

 

“Sometimes. When I’m in a really foul mood.” She poured the Fire Spice syrup on what was left, cutting and feeding a piece into her mouth, chewing contemplatively.

 

“You are either braver than I thought, stronger than I might have imagined. Or...”

 

“Or?” She asked.

 

“Possibly your entire race is insane.”

 

“We do have our moments.”

 

*****

 

The briefing took hours. Not because Sanji had that much information to pass, but because every time he reached new data yet another officer or specialist had to be called. Since it began several hours before dawn, this meant the military men would have to stop the briefing, call in say the Admiral in charge of Home fleet, await his arrival, probably grumpy from being awakened, then he would have to start again.

 

Every time it happened that new occupant would ask the same stupid questions, make the same important (To them) points, then it would begin again.

 

This time it was the Admiral in charge of procurement. Sanji asked for a brief recess, and stepped out, having some tea. He looked at the sky, at the horizon which had brightened into false dawn. So many people had died. He remembered that poor Rodian who had survived...

 

He paused, mind flashing back to the meeting

 

Each of these affects a different species. The red affects humans, Green Twi-lek, Yellow Hutt, white Duros. But the Purple is the key.

This affects all insectoid species such as Ruurian Verpine and Sulishti Despite their different physiologies.

 

There was no one molecule that affected Rodians!

 

*****

 

Breia went into the cargo bay. A4 was rumbling to itself in the corner. “Am I going to have to send you in to be lubricated?”

 

“Not for several months at least. I was merely cogitating on what was not said at the meeting you attended.”

 

“What?”

 

“Everyone was concentrating so much on who had survived and what the chemical might have done. But they ignored the fact that one of those affected, who survived, was Rodian.”

 

“What?”

 

“You supplied this copy of the transcript.” His speakers repeate the sound of that meeting with perfect fidelity.

 

“Each of these affects a different species. The red affects humans, Green Twi-lek, Yellow Hutt, white Duros. But the Purple is the key.

 

“This affects all insectoid species such as Ruurian Verpine and Sulishti Despite their different physiologies.”

 

“So wha...” She stopped. “Wait a minute, Rodians weren’t mentioned!”

 

“Correct That kept me occupied for several hours until I discovered this.” A small panel on his dorsal carapace flipped up, and a hologram flashed into view. “The molecules are as they are described, except they did not consider them in a binary situation. Each of the chemicals is released simultaneously in every being that had breathed the gas. But these two-” The ones for Twi-lek and Duros- “Combine to make this” Another molecule formed It was a mix of white and green parts in a smooth circle like a benzene ring. Some of both them had broken free, the additional atoms merely floating aside.

 

“This has the same affects on Rodians as the other gases affect other species.”

 

“That is great news!”

 

“I suggest you hold your applause. Doctor Halo didn’t follow through on her research once she discovered how the molecule broke up. If she had, she would have seen this.”

 

A flow of data came up. She looked at it confused. “What am I looking at?”

 

“Medical data base. I... borrowed it from the computer of Delta 4. This weapon molecule is almost exactly a mirror image of this one.” Another molecule appeared. IT rotated, then above it flashed the weapon’s molecule. They floated there, and she could instantly see that if they touched as they now did...

 

There was a melding, Nothing was knocked loose, both molecules locked together. ”The molecule I displayed is the equivalent in Sulishti for the adrenaline molecule in humans. It has the same affects. However this-” the new molecule flashed, “Is not absorbed and broken down by the tissues as adrenaline is. It will however bounce in and out, causing the same reaction over and over.”

 

“So you’re saying that if the Sulishti breath this-”

 

“Their aggressive tendencies will explode outward, first against anything not of their species, then against any not of their specific clan, then against any that work in different sectors meaning different parts of even the same ship, then finally any that remain.”

 

“So it is worse that the affect on say a human.”

 

“Greater than you can imagine. Because as this sets off the body’s receptor, more of the adrenaline analog will be pumped, causing greater aggression, causing more adrenaline, causing more aggression.”

 

“I am afraid-”

 

"On all of the other species we know can be affected, the gas is assimilated and broken down meaning it will wear off after a time measured in a few hours. This molecule will not break down or wear out as long as there is any adrenaline remaining. Worse, contact with one of these combined cells with the hypothalamus analog will cause it to release this instead. It is a permanent fixture.”

 

“You mean...” She stared at the new malignancy. “It will kill the entire Sulishti race?”

 

“And at the same time guarantee that a lot of peoples will die right along with them.”

[machievelli]

With some gases, they are extremely dangerous to store, as the accidents in Utah back in the 60s shows.

 

To make it safe, the US government during the mid 60s began working on what is called a binary toxin. It is breaking the dangerous molecule into two inert (Or at least non toxic) molecules, with a binder that causes them to reform when combined. The weapon is loaded into a shell or bomb, and when it is fired or dripped the spinning of the shell (Or artificially induced spinning in a bomb) mixes it before release.

 

I read a book named Binary (They made a movie with Ben Gazzara back in the 70s, though i can't remember the name) where Stephen Lange (I think that was the author, not sure about his first name) waxed lyrical after someone stole about a ton of it.

[Hallucination]

Another good chapter, but I have a little problem:

Breia immediately reached the tap, poured a cup of water, and handed it to him.

When you eat something too spicy, water doesn't help. It's better to get some milk or bread.

[Jae Onasi]

With some gases, they are extremely dangerous to store, as the accidents in Utah back in the 60s shows.

 

To make it safe, the US government during the mid 60s began working on what is called a binary toxin. It is breaking the dangerous molecule into two inert (Or at least non toxic) molecules, with a binder that causes them to reform when combined. The weapon is loaded into a shell or bomb, and when it is fired or dripped the spinning of the shell (Or artificially induced spinning in a bomb) mixes it before release.

.

 

There's lots of ways to do this--2 chemicals can just be separated and then when they combine, they react and form something new (and in the military, that means usually something nice and deadly ). They can be 2 separate chemicals mixed already, and when a 3rd chem is introduce, they combine. There can be 2 separate chems, and when there's a catalyst of some kind (or heat, platinum, etc.) introduced, the chems react. The spinning just mixes them a little faster but is not typically necessary with gases unless they're very different in weight or density. They'll eventually mix to reach equilibrium anyway.

 

And here I was thinking of biological warfare.

[Char Ell]

I got kind of lost on the technicalities of the chemical weapon. I did understand that the chemical will have a permanent effect on the Sulishti which will cause them to attack everyone else until everyone else is dead at which point they would turn on each other. However I didn't really follow how A4 was able to determine the exact behavior the weapon molecule would produce in the Sulishti.

[Hallucination]

@Jae and mach: And here I was thinking my chemistry test was confusing....

P.S. @Jae: This is really off-topic, but have you ever considered going to The Senate Chambers?

[Jae Onasi]

I got kind of lost on the technicalities of the chemical weapon. I did understand that the chemical will have a permanent effect on the Sulishti which will cause them to attack everyone else until everyone else is dead at which point they would turn on each other. However I didn't really follow how A4 was able to determine the exact behavior the weapon molecule would produce in the Sulishti.

 

Since A4 had access to the medical database, I made the assumption that he'd have access to Sulishti anatomy and physiology and also knew the chemical structure of both their adrenaline and the toxin. So, he'd know that the poison/toxin would be chemically similar to their adrenaline. However, that may not be obvious to everyone else.

 

@mach--you may want to change the poison/toxin from something that's a mirror image to something that is nearly identical except maybe for a small protein molecule (or something else in the organic chem department) that is attached somewhere. The active part of the poison would be the same as adrenaline, but the extra attachment in a non-active part of the poison would prevent the enzyme that breaks down adrenaline from working on the toxin. Since the enzyme can't break down the toxin, it stays active. That way, it also wouldn't have to bounce in and out of anywhere--it would just stay in the same place and continue to cause an active response.

The reason I say this is that in most animals including humans, the mirror image of a biochem molecule is many times inactive. Think of it this way. Say you have a lock that is the same shape as your left hand. If you press your left hand on it, it will unlock and work. Your right hand is the mirror image of the left, but the right hand would not be able to fit the lock properly to unlock it. The same thing happens in the body. The left-hand version of the biochemical will work, but the right-hand version won't (or vice-versa), even though chemically they're identical. It's just how they're oriented.

 

@Hall-I'm very delighted to never have a chemistry test ever again.

Organic chem drove me up a wall. I could have cared less how to make a ketone out of an alcohol because I wasn't ever going to need it in Real Life. I plodded through it just to get the good grade for prof. school. Biochem at least had some relevence to what I was planning on doing so I found it far more interesting.

I've lurked a bit in the Senate Chambers. Some of the discussion there is quite interesting. If I wanted to jump into some of the arguments, though, it might take more time than I really have available for the research I'd want to do to present a decent argument. Hubby's a better debater than I am, too. I have to be mentally 'on' 100% at work (patients don't like it if you're only half way there with them ), so by the time I get home, get kids fed and homework done and then get them into bed, I'm ready for less serious thinking. Once my kids' school is out for the summer I won't have quite so many time demands so I may jump in then. The exception is the Westboro church thread, since I lived in Topeka--that'll get some comment tonight I think.

And since I've taken up enough of poor mach's thread, I should probably return it to its rightful owner and go back on topic.

[machievelli]

Since A4 had access to the medical database, I made the assumption that he'd have access to Sulishti anatomy and physiology and also knew the chemical structure of both their adrenaline and the toxin. So, he'd know that the poison/toxin would be chemically similar to their adrenaline. However, that may not be obvious to everyone else.

 

@mach--you may want to change the poison/toxin from something that's a mirror image to something that is nearly identical except maybe for a small protein molecule (or something else in the organic chem department) that is attached somewhere. The active part of the poison would be the same as adrenaline, but the extra attachment in a non-active part of the poison would prevent the enzyme that breaks down adrenaline from working on the toxin. Since the enzyme can't break down the toxin, it stays active. That way, it also wouldn't have to bounce in and out of anywhere--it would just stay in the same place and continue to cause an active response.

The reason I say this is that in most animals including humans, the mirror image of a biochem molecule is many times inactive. Think of it this way. Say you have a lock that is the same shape as your left hand. If you press your left hand on it, it will unlock and work. Your right hand is the mirror image of the left, but the right hand would not be able to fit the lock properly to unlock it. The same thing happens in the body. The left-hand version of the biochemical will work, but the right-hand version won't (or vice-versa), even though chemically they're identical. It's just how they're oriented.

 

@Hall-I'm very delighted to never have a chemistry test ever again.

Organic chem drove me up a wall. I could have cared less how to make a ketone out of an alcohol because I wasn't ever going to need it in Real Life. I plodded through it just to get the good grade for prof. school. Biochem at least had some relevence to what I was planning on doing so I found it far more interesting.

I've lurked a bit in the Senate Chambers. Some of the discussion there is quite interesting. If I wanted to jump into some of the arguments, though, it might take more time than I really have available for the research I'd want to do to present a decent argument. Hubby's a better debater than I am, too. I have to be mentally 'on' 100% at work (patients don't like it if you're only half way there with them ), so by the time I get home, get kids fed and homework done and then get them into bed, I'm ready for less serious thinking. Once my kids' school is out for the summer I won't have quite so many time demands so I may jump in then. The exception is the Westboro church thread, since I lived in Topeka--that'll get some comment tonight I think.

And since I've taken up enough of poor mach's thread, I should probably return it to its rightful owner and go back on topic.

 

 

You see, that is the difference between knowing chemical weapons but not knowing biochm or ogranic chemistry.I will change it in the finished story.

[machievelli]

Another good chapter, but I have a little problem:

When you eat something too spicy, water doesn't help. It's better to get some milk or bread.

 

Ah but think about it. Everytime someone eats something very spicy, what is the first thing someone hands them?

[Renegade Puma]

I haven't gotten around to reading your latest chapter "clues" yet. But I read the other four last night So far this part of your story is much better than the first two in my opinion. Great writing and a masterful plot if I do say so myself. I am hoping that the enemy is the first Sith to come around. Keep up the great work Machievelli.

[machievelli]

I haven't gotten around to reading your latest chapter "clues" yet. But I read the other four last night So far this part of your story is much better than the first two in my opinion. Great writing and a masterful plot if I do say so myself. I am hoping that the enemy is the first Sith to come around. Keep up the great work Machievelli.

 

Sorry, the Sith only became a problem about 2 millinnia before KOTOR. Since this story predates the Republic, we had about 18,000 years.

 

But if you're talking attitude, what about Sogor? Wouldn't he have been the first?

[Jae Onasi]

Evil is evil, no matter what title they decide to call themselves.

[machievelli]

Reaction

 

Sanji stormed back into the conference room. “The Rodians can also be affected!” He snapped.

 

“Well until-” Began the newly arrived Head of Procurement.

 

“We do not have time for all of this palaver!” Sanji shouted. “We must close down the warehouse, find out where that ship has gone and warn every government that needs to be told!”

 

His statement was greeted by silence. The Admiral in charge of Home fleet coughed. “We don’t have the authority to do that, Padawan-teacher.”

 

He stared at them angrily. “Unless you want more people to die needlessly, we must move now! If you don’t have the authority-” He reached out with the force, flipping the com link from the Admiral’s belt into his hand, “-Call someone who does!”

 

“But you said it needs a sonic cue to activate.” The commander of Coruscant defenses said. “Without it there can be no such incident.”

 

*****

 

Harrigan was a thief. Not just any thief when it came to computer systems he was a master. There wasn’t a system anywhere he couldn’t slice into and run as his own. He’d proven it on every mission he had ever undertaken and never been caught. He’d even worked for governments!

 

The job had been intriguing. Get onto Station Alpha 4 in orbit of Coruscant, upload one program. The man that had hired him was a Corellian, he knew that from the accent. The program was simple. It just reset the all stations tone to what it had been before. He didn’t know what the big deal was, and frankly he didn’t care. The new sound that had been used for the last week or so was a raucous klaxon that offended everyone. He’d actually liked the original better.

 

He inserted as a tourist bound for Taris. He went to the first kiosk he came to, and bought his ticket. The ship left in about ten minutes; tight but doable. He looked around, then inserted his homemade data wand into the slot where a droid would connect. There was a flash on the screen, and he saw that he was in. He inserted the program.

 

He logged off, sauntering down the main thoroughfare. The station was a huge flat donut with ships on the rims, and control at the center. The passageways were wide with shops along them. He paused at a jewelers, looking at a necklace. His girl would-

 

The all hands message interrupted him.

 

*****

 

“I don’t care if the Chancellor is in bed with an underage page boy!” Sanji roared back. “We have to contact him-” An alarm blared. The Admirals in command of Home fleet and Planetary defense reached for their com links at the same time.

 

“Alert. This is not a drill. Station Alpha 4 has broken communications, all weapons systems have gone active.” Someone reported flatly. “Weapons have targeted ships in orbit- Correction, weapons discharge. Tarisian liner Bonart has been fired upon. Frigates Caspi and Kolrami under attack by Alpha 4. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill.”

 

“What the hell?” The Procurement officer roared.

 

“It seem that someone has found away around the sonic signal needed.” Sanji replied mildly.

 

The table com bleeped. “Admiral Nadien, the Chancellor is on line one asking what the hell is going on. His own words.”

 

“Well?” Sanji looked at the ashen Commander of Planetary Defense. “I think he might be awake. Now you can tell him as I asked you to report half an hour ago.

 

*****

 

Hawk Flight dropped into bedlam. Yaka whipped the ship upward, guided by the force rather than any sensor, and the missile that would have spitted them shot past. It arced to the right, and an inner system cargo lighter opened like a deadly flower.

 

“All ships in Coruscant orbit, all ships in Coruscant orbit. Station Alpha 4 has gone active and is targeting anything in view. Move immediately behind the planet or moon. If that is not possible, leave the system immediately.” The voice was harsh, demanding. Breia didn’t need to switch channels to know that they would also be confused.

 

“Where is Alpha 4?” She shouted. Yaka tapped a key, dodging a stream of projectiles. The screen lit up, and she saw the carnage. Four ships in orbit near the station were already drifting, but that didn’t stop the chain guns installed for perimeter defense blasting them anyway. One suddenly gushed air and fire, breaking up.

 

“Contact-”

 

“Breia, I am busy right now. Could you connect the call?” Yaka asked? He did a maneuver she had never seen, flipping the ship end for end, running behind a communications satellite which began to come apart.

 

She giggled, punching the buttons.

 

“Jedi Monastery, how may I-”

 

“The council, now!”

 

“It is very early here. Can you-”

 

“No I can not call later! Tell them it is Breia Solo. We have information about the gas, and must transmit immediately!”

 

“Hold.”

 

The hold seemed to stretch for hours, but less than five seconds later she saw Master Hontu’s face. “Padawan.”

 

“Has Master Sanji reported?”

 

“Yes. I assume this thing in orbit is part of this thing?”

 

“I assume it is, Master, the pattern is the same. If it follows suit, the station will continue firing until it is out of ammunition. This is the first time it has happened over an inhabited planet, however.” She rocked as Yaka made another dodge. “We don’t know what they will do if they run out of targets first.”

 

“Understood. Master Sanji has reported that home fleet will destroy the station-”

 

“No!” She almost screamed. “There are thousands of people whose only crime is they’ve been drugged!”

 

“I agree.” Hontu looked haunted. “But they see no other option.”

 

“They have marines don’t they? Ground troops, shuttles to transport them?”

 

“What are you suggesting?”

“Connect me with whoever is in charge of this fiasco and I will tell them at the same time.”

 

*****

 

“You are mad!” The Procurement officer screamed. “You want to Board a station under full alert?”

 

Breia immediately loathed the man. She glared into the screen. “I am saying that once we get aboard I can bring down the defenses then you can board you idiot-”

 

“Idiot! At least I am not acting like some Knight from a Fantasy story! No one can board that station without horrendous losses.”

 

“We can.” Sanji broke in. “Trust in the Force.”

 

“Listen Padawan! When you have served in a military, and know what to do, then you can tell-”

 

“An overblown windbag who from his decorations has served thirty years behind a desk!” Sanji shouted. “Who has never seen battle! Unless you have an option that doesn’t include the murder of over fifty thousand people I suggest you sit down and shut up!”

 

“Calm down people. More speed, less haste.” Master Hontu broke in through his link. “Our Padawan can board the station. We will not do so without losses.” He turned, and Breia could tell he was talking to her now. “Continue, Padawan.”

 

“Once the defenses are down the assault shuttles can board. Everyone to be armed with non-lethal weapons. You will have time for that if you hurry. They can move through the station section by section and disable anyone not already dead.”

 

“Padawan, I have authorization to destroy the station.” Admiral Nadien replied. “How long will this take?”

 

“If we stop talking and start doing something, ten minutes.”

 

“We’ll have the marines standing by. I will give you those ten minutes.”

 

“Master Hontu-”

 

“You don’t need to ask. We will launch every available ship.”

 

“Then I will see you on the station.” Or in hell she thought. “Yaka. We need to ram the station here.” She touched the screen, which strobed blood red.

 

“We may not survive.” He warned.

 

“Then tens of thousand will die.”

 

“There is that.” He took a second to work out a trajectory, then the engines howled at full power. The ship, which had run out far enough to only deal with the occasional missile stooped like a hawk.

 

Breia almost closed her eyes as the world before her spun and cavorted as if on the roller coaster from hell. The station was a dot, a coin, a ring, a-

 

She slammed against the restraints as ten tons of ship slammed through barely ten centimeters of hull. She flung her arms up as she tried to stop debris from hitting her.

 

Yaka leaped from his chair, running aft. She was beside him as he threw her an emergency bottle of air, slipping the modified mask Ithorians needed in place.

 

“Tie your sword into the sheath.” She ordered. “We will disable, not kill unless there is no alternative.”

 

He nodded, using a small emergency cargo tie to do as she said. Breia slapped the ramp release. The system groaned, then shuddered, but the ramp did not drop.

 

Breia cursed, drawing her sword. With four slashed she chopped a hole in the ramp, diving out as the meter square dropped away. She hit and rolled, the flat of her blade slapping away a screaming man. The air was gushing from the control center like blood, yet around her people still fought insanely.

 

Yaka dropped beside her, his sheathed weapon laying out four men in as many seconds. Breia looked around, spotting the control panel. She charged across, sheathing her sword, then drawing sheath and all to slam down on a man’s head, breaking his neck. She leaped another charging pair, landing in front of the station. The man at it spun, foam flecking his lips, and leaped up, his hands locking around her throat. Summoning the force, she pushed, throwing him into and through the upright situation board ten meters away. She spun, hitting the keys, watching the weapons go down one by one. As soon as they all had, she drew, slicing through the power cables. Then she turned. There should have only been five or ten people in the room. She faced almost thirty instead.

 

With a scream she charged.

 

*****

 

“Systems down!” The assault shuttles lifted. Ahead of them they could see the motley fleet the Jedi had launched. Seven ships, from an old Coruscanti Flitter class cargo vessel to four sleek couriers from as many systems. They charged into the maelstrom, and the Flitter slammed into and through the number one primary docking bay doors. All of the ships poured into that bay.

 

“Head for Number 2!” The assault commander screamed. “All other shuttles board at the next landing bay to the right of where your leader is going! Ready your weapons!” He slipped on his helmet.

 

Behind him the fifty men on the shuttle checked their weapons as they were doing on all of the shuttles. There are few weapons used by the military that are meant to disable rather than kill. The assault commander had told his men what to do and every police station in the city had been raided in the frantic minutes before they loaded. Stun rods, concussion and sonic grenade, the ubiquitous bloopers used to launch small grenades including neural paralyzer grenades. Every man was festooned with restraint cuffs and plastic emergency cargo ties. They knew they could find more on the station, but they would have to hope it was before they ran out of what they carried.

 

The shuttle smashed into the bay doors, smashing them flat. Air exploded outward, along with anyone who was in the bay. The shuttle slammed down, and the doors opened, men pouring out. A Marine found a case of ties, slinging it up on his shoulders, his squad mates running ahead to cover him.

 

The Assault commander pointed at the airlock. Two men ran to it, keying the sequence. It snapped open, and they went in, slamming the door. It would hold a squad at a time, but no man in his right mind put eight men into a meat grinder when two could do it.

 

“Clear.” One of the scouts reported. “But not for long. We’ve got screaming clockwise.”

 

“First squad, go!” He shouted. The man with the case of ties and his fellows stuffed themselves into the airlock and the rest gathered impatiently waiting their turn.

 

Sergeant Conroy turned, and his blooper fired, a neural paralyzer grenade arced into the people charging at his men. The flash went off, everyone in the area of effect collapsing as their nerves were disabled. Screams of pain were added to screams of fury as the others charged over the flailing injured. He went through a ten round magazine, slamming in a new one. “I really don’t like this!” He screamed.

 

“You think I do?” The Commander aimed, holding down the trigger on the sonic stunner he was armed with. He knew some of those people would end up permanently deaf, but he was worried about his own command more. “Second squad, link up with the Jedi! First Squad, link up with Charlie Company! Everyone else, even squads follow two, odd squads follow one. bag em and tag em as we go! MOVE!”

 

There are several military axioms that aren’t quite true. One is that no organized discipline military force is outnumbered by a mob. The second is that firepower can overcome even a massed charge. The third is that two men working as a team are superior in capability to eight men who are not.

 

If your enemy is insane, every one of them go right out the nearest airlock.

 

When they reached the first cross corridor all hell seemed to break loose. First squad wasn’t destroyed, it was overwhelmed as a hundred lunatics charged at them. The first fifty or so went down from all of the weapons they had with any standoff capability, but the other fifty rolled right over the squad. The teams following them did what they had been trained to do, what is called ‘scratching their backs’ with longer range fire as other charged forward to relieve the pressure. It was down to stun rods before the last of the maniacs was down.

 

There were few dead Marines. After all, Coruscant wasn’t a place where you needed to carry a weapon at all times. But no one had ever conceived of such a situation. Five of the seven Marines of First Squad Second Platoon, 7th Marine Assault Force including Sergeant Conroy were dead.

 

*****

 

“Ready?” Sergeant Mason of 2nd squad looked around, There wasn’t a cross corridor here, so this thrust had not been attacked.

 

“Yeah. After we clean up all those stupid Jedi...” The scout that left Docking bay One stopped talking as he surveyed the passageway ahead of him.

 

One Jedi was leaned against the wall, cradling her arm. She looked up, flashing him a gamine grin from the heap of bodies she sat on. None of them, he noticed were in Jedi garb. She couldn’t have been more than fifteen years old.

 

“They went that way.” She hooked a thumb down the passageway.

 

“You all right?”

 

“Sure. I landed wrong and dislocated my shoulder. The others went on to corridor seven A.”

 

“I don’t see any blood.”

 

“Unless they get us mad, you won’t.” She replied. “Sheathed blades and practice staffs only.” She winced. Could one of you set this for me?”

 

As the rest of the assault team cycled through the lock, the scout helped her, resetting her shoulder. By the time the last was through she was one her feet, swinging the arm.

 

“Not too bad. As long as I don’t go full out.” She marched down the passageway then looked back at the stunned Marines. “Well come on, do you want to live forever?”

 

*****

 

The bloopers fired, the stun grenades blasting half a hundred people off their feet. Men surged forward, keeping up the pressure as behind them others used the cargo ties they had collected on the way. The 1200 men of the Regiment had brought over 12,000 sets of restraints with them. Even scavenging off the wounded and dead, they had run out. Runners were going back to cleared areas, and Company G paused to wait for more.

 

“That’s the way to the control room.” One man pointed toward the right. “That way is in our hands.” The Lieutenant in command checked his pad. As each section of the station was cleared, he could see it change from red to green. The central done was still a bright red.

 

“Holy-” A scream was eclipsed as someone ahead of them died.

 

“Report-”

 

“They got a laser down there!” Someone shouted back.

 

“We can’t go that way.” The lieutenant mused. A laser mount would slice his men up like cooked meat.

 

He paused as a frail old man walked from a passageway. His weapon came up but the man merely paused, looking back.

 

“Master Hontu of the Jedi Monastery. We’ve cleared this section.” As he touched the pad, the area he touched had turned green.

 

“Wait, didn’t you land over in I Company’s area?” He looked at the pad display. That was half way around the station from him!

 

“Yes. But we work fast.” Hontu turned watching the laser flare in the corridor ahead. “I can see the problem. I need two of your men who are fast runners.”

 

“Sir?”

 

“You don’t have to understand, all they have to do is follow me.” The old man walked across, standing with his back against the wall. “Boys, move back from the entry. It’s going to get a little hot here in a few moments.”

 

“Sir-”

 

“Just have someone follow me at the run.” At that he leaped into the corridor.

 

The beams suddenly seemed to leap as if trying to cover every inch of the corridor and half the adjacent space simultaneously. Two young Marine leaped up to follow, and over the hissing of the beam the Lieutenant could hear their boots rattling on the deck. Then suddenly the beam stopped.

 

“Sir, it’s clear.”

 

Unwilling, the Lieutenant walked over, looking down the corridor. At the other end, the two Marines were binding the gunner and seven or eight more that were scattered around. The old man was no where to be seen.

 

“Where’s the Jedi.”

 

“He stayed long enough to do that-” One of the men jerked his thumb toward the weapon mount, “Slapped this guy with a sword, landed on them-“ He jerked his thumb at the pile at his feet. “Then kept on going. Said he had a date.”

 

The lieutenant looked at the barrel of the laser sliced into five small chunks. “If he wants, he can date my sister.” The other Marine said, finishing. “Can’t see telling the old man no.”

 

*****

 

The door to the control room hissed open, and Jedi poured in. Master Soo-chin stopped, looking around. Of the forty or so people in the room according to the scan she had done, there was no sign. In the center of the room the nose of Hawk Flight was rammed into the deck. The emergency sealant system had worked, spot-welding the ship into place. It would require cutting the entire section of the station’s hull open to get it out. But that meant they had air again.

 

She approached slowly. The ramp had been sliced open, then repaired with an emergency patch. She tapped the metal, and got an answering tap. Then the ramp came down.

 

Yaka stood there, arms folded. “Would you like some tea, Master Soo-chin?”

 

“Tea.” She responded.

 

“Yes. My master is in the cockpit talking with the planet. She suggested tea but all we have is Ithorian Wide Leaf, Echani fire tea, and something called Lord Barret-”

 

“I think some fire tea would wake me up.” Soo-chin interrupted. “What about all of the casualties?”

 

“They are all in the cargo hold. We had to stack them, so the dead were laid down first. Twenty-five are still alive though they are vacuum injured, and still quite insane.” He waved toward the overhead. “She asked me to apologize for the damage.”

 

Soo-chin looked around. At least half a dozen consoles had been sheered off, either a sword or the force tearing it free. “We’ll just take it out of her salary.” Soo-chin replied. “Now where is that tea?”

[Char Ell]

The action has returned full-force in this chapter!

 

She marched down the passageway then looked back at the stunned Marines. “Well come on, do you want to live forever?”

That was a good one. Didn't really expect to hear that line from a Jedi but I guess since she was only 15 years old it's a little more understandable.

 

I suppose the Station 4 job was Harrigan's last. For a slicer he apparently wasn't too aware of what was going on nor inquisitive enough about what his slicing might result in.

[Renegade Puma]

Great Job Mach. You wrote the action sequences with masterful art. I can't wait to see how this story ends.

[machievelli]

Shake up

 

In the late afternoon, Chancellor Skywalker stormed into Admiralty house. Like a Frigate/flagship, he was surrounded by the escort vessels of his staff. No one attempted to stop him. He went to the office of the CNO, glaring at the secretary there. “I want these officers in this office immediately.” He took a pad from the rail thin young man beside him. The Secretary, a very young and very attractive commander looked at the list.

 

“Chancellor, except for the head of ONI, they are all in conference room Beta.”

 

“Oh, good. It saves time.” He turned to one of the staffers. “Martin, do stand here, and watch our young friend. I want my arrival to be a pleasant surprise.”

 

The Chancellor marched down the hall to the lift, and out onto the floor below. The two security men on conference room beta snapped to attention at his approach. Ignoring the brilliant red lighted DO NOT DISTURB sign, he went in.

 

The men that had been working now for in some cases 15 hours looked up in surprise at the entry.

 

“So sorry to interrupt you at your celebration.” The Chancellor said smoothly. “I came for a report on the Station situation.”

 

“Well in hand, sir” the CNO reported. “We’re shuttling down those affected. Every emergency medical unit in the Capital is full, but the other hospitals around the planet are taking up the slack.”

 

“Oh that.” The Chancellor waved his hand as if trying to clear smoke. “That is not why I am here, Gentlemen. I am here to find out why a group of Monks with no authority or military training at all had to come up with a plan to save 42,000 people you were quite willing to merely slaughter.” He sat, his face benign. No one who had seen him in action allowed that disguise to fool them. Or at least not more than once.

 

“We asked our Marine Commanders-” The Chief of Home Fleet began.

 

“Oh do spare me the cover story you are even now concocting. I asked Commander Palpatine what occurred, and he has found out.”

 

“That is retired Commander.” The Chief of Procurement snapped. “Who has no training in this at all!”

 

“Oh that is true. At two O’clock this morning when I asked him to keep track of the incident, he told me he had no experience in Marine boarding procedures.” The Chancellor looked around. “I know a lot of you chuckled a bit when I picked a Colonial from Naboo as my chief assistant when it came to naval affairs. But you see, I asked the best man the loyal opposition had. I spoke with the one military man I knew would never lie to me, even if it saved him from death.

 

“I asked Retired Admiral Antilles.”

 

They all looked at each other. The Chancellor smiled gently. “Yes. The man that told me exactly what he though of our first Space Lord. And of each of you as you were chosen. Since I had to form a coalition government two years ago, I wasn’t going to just sit and turn a blind eye to what those other parties might decide to play at.

 

“Let us start at five minutes after midnight today. This Jedi Monk called down to Admiralty house to notify you,” He pointed at the CNO. “-that he had the latest information from the joint meetings on Delta 4. He came here forty-five minutes later, expecting to have you and your staff here.

 

“One hour and forty minutes later you arrive. You bring your own staff, but not the Commander of Home fleet or the head of ONI. You didn’t consider what he might have said important enough it seems. Yet an hour into that meeting, you decide that you have to call the Commander of Home fleet-” His thumb jerked at Admiral Nadien, “-Who took another half hour to arrive. Odd that again the head of ONI has not been called.

 

“The briefing material is again reread-”

 

“Sir we are not that inefficient! Admiral Nadien was briefed enroute.” The CNO complained.

 

“That is not what the transcript states.” Palpatine handed him the pad. “You see, I do have people I trust in this building. Some of them even working in your offices. When you were first called, the recorders in the conference room were activated. Are there any more lies you wish to tell me before I go on? No?

 

“Very well. So we come to almost five in the morning. This Jedi has repeated the same bloody thing over twice, and answered every complaint both of you had come up with more than twice. Then again when the Commander of Planetary defense was called at 4. When he mentions that the chemicals had to be transported and cleared through customs, our dear friend from Procurement was called. Why I ask? He doesn’t have any authority with the Customs department. That is under Justice. Why again, I ask, was ONI not informed?”

 

“The Chief of ONI was-”

 

“Asleep in his bed, I know. As was I supposedly. Gentlemen, I hate to burst your bubble, but the Chief of ONI had been informed by message torpedo that this report was coming in, and who was delivering it. He was in his office. So Admiral Lucas is it? Was waiting in his office for a vital communication.

 

“When it was not delivered, he called the Jedi Monastery first. He has excellent rapport with the Jedi. It seems his son Georg is a member of the order at Ossus. This was at twenty minutes after one this morning. He knew that the courier might have been delayed.

 

“He was astonished to find out that the courier had been in the building for almost an hour. He tried calling your office, Admiral Tori-” He nodded toward the CNO, “-but you were in an important meeting and could not be disturbed.

 

“So he did what protocol tells him he must. He contacted the Naval attache of the Chancellor, who waits all of five minutes to awaken me. You see, my staff knows that if it is really important, I must be notified immediately. I don’t yell at them for waking me up. Only for waking me up when it is not necessary. But having a farce as you men have created this morning is in my view important, as I told Palpatine and Admiral Lucas.

 

“I had Palpatine run through the transcript. He is very good at speed reading you know. Then he reported to me. I was therefore on the same page by the time the Chief of Home fleet arrived. I listened as this Sanji asked you not once, not twice, but four bloody times told you that I should be informed immediately. I also listened to every stupid excuse you came up with as to why I should not be disturbed. Your excuse Admiral Charles-” He glanced at the Chief of Coruscant Defenses, “-Was masterful if passing the Buck was most important.

 

“Admiral Lucas contacted the Jedi Monastery again, and I spoke with them They informed me of Padawan Gretu’s bona fides, and a brief precis of his career with them to date. I was not looking at him as a, how did you say it? ‘Some Knight from a Fantasy story’.” He looked at the Chief of Procurement. “I had a full report of what this gas could do in a station. Admiral Lucas at my direction called in General Wonsan of the Fleet Marines for a conference. You see, we had considered what none of you had. That we might have another such attack on a station, possibly in an inhabited system.

 

“You will no doubt be delighted to know that five minutes before the incident occurred on the station here, message torpedoes had gone out to all outlying stations. The security forces there have been moved to sections with their own air supplies, and are patrolling with air tanks on my order.

 

“Unfortunately as you were busy playing this little game with the Jedi, the station here was also notified, but too late. So we have an entire station full of madmen 25,000 kilometers in orbit above this very city. The General told me what the losses would be. He assumed they could assault with about 30% casualties. Yet what do you do?

 

“You, Admiral Logan-” He glared at the Chief of Procurement, “-Who have absolutely no experience with marines refuse to even consider an operation. These fools who do have such experience-” He waved at the CNO and Commander Home Fleet, “-Don’t even call the one man that can tell them if it is feasible, our dear General Wonsan. Who by the by had already given orders for the Marines to deploy, and to steal if necessary every non-lethal weapon they could find.

 

“No. You instead finally talk to me. Not because you wanted to, but because I got sick and tired of this and called you!

 

“And your response? Blow the station up!”

 

“While we are still in communication, this young girl, Solo calls the Monastery. When she hears that the only option you are putting forward is mass murder, she contacts you directly.

 

“You-” He pointed at Nadien, the finger now a weapon, “-Let Logan berate her for at least five minutes, then tell her you had permission to destroy the station, an order I never gave. Yet when she offers to risk her life, you give her the ten minutes she asked for.

 

“General Wonsan and the commanding officer of 7th MAF tells me that she saved almost a thousand lives among the Marines alone.”

 

“But it cost us over 200 men!”

 

“Let me see. You send in 1200 men. In the three hours it took you lose just over 16 percent of that force. The Jedi sent in 40, and lost 5. They lost 20 percent. Of that number, only one was over twenty years old. They also cleared a third of that station by themselves.

 

“So now you are all here, discussing damage control! Instead of telling me of this meeting instead you called the First Space Lord!” He waved toward the ceiling. “Before you lie again, remember what I said? This room is also fully monitored, and the Judge Advocate General is even now listening. Oh not the one you think. I checked his records, and he has been asked to resign.

 

“You men are not that lucky.” The door behind him opened, and four men entered, wearing the brassards of Military police. “Gentlemen, you are all under arrest. A court of Inquiry will hear charges of gross negligence leading to the deaths of over 8,000 civilians, complicity in an attempt to cover it up, and failure to heed your charge as officers of our fleet and Conduct unbecoming. Your good friend the First Space Lord will be in another dock. He is charged with the same thing, only the Capitol police are making that arrest.”

 

He stood. “Where is Lucas?”

 

“Enroute from his office sir.” Palpatine reported. “I was keeping him apprised.”

 

“Good. Someone has to take over until this mess is cleared up.”

*****

 

Breia looked at the controls of her ship pensively. Outside her hull, a team of Navy damage control specialist had torched away the emergency sealing joints, and had pulled the ship from the wreckage of the control section of the station. A tug was attaching towing cables

 

The damage was severe. The engines had been broken from their mounts, and had smashed forward, shearing off the fuel tanks, which had gone gods alone knew where. The nose had crumpled far enough that it had merely looked like it had thrust through the deck. Both chain guns had been ripped from their mounts as had the missiles. Thankfully they hadn’t been armed.

 

The only things that had still worked after the ramming had been the main landing gear, the life support systems and the galley. It would take months for her ship to be repaired.

 

Yaka sat beside her glumly. “I wrecked your ship.” He moaned.

 

“You did what no other pilot could do!’ She replied. “You saved those marines, you saved every one of those people.” She grinned suddenly, “You faced Master Soo-chin and asked her if she wanted tea! That in itself is a greater victory than most can claim.”

 

“But I wrecked the ship!”

 

“She will be repaired if I have to pay for it out of my own pocket. It was worth it, believe me.” The com panel bleeped, and she thumbed the contact. “Hawk Flight. Padawan Solo here.”

 

“Can you tear yourself away from your ship for a few hours?” The Padawan at the Monastery below asked. “The Masters have been called by the Chancellor. They want you to be there.”

 

She looked around. The Damage control officer had told her that the ship would have to be towed down to the planet for repairs. “I will contact the team that is recovering the ship about transport.”

 

“Don’t bother. The Chancellor has ordered a fleet courier to pick you up. They should be standing by off your hull.”

 

“Understood. Enroute.” She thumbed the contact again. “Come on. You can commiserate with me below. I think several bottles of Corellian red ale each will at least ease our sorrows.”

 

*****

 

The courier dropped like a stone, then smoothly transitioned to level flight over the City center. The pilot, a girl that didn’t look old enough for her first date dropped onto the Government pad, shutting down. “Welcome to Coruscant, and thanks.” She looked at the Padawan that sat in the second seat. “My brother is a Marine. Your people saved his life.”

 

Breia shook her hand, and walked down the ramp. The Masters were there, along with almost two dozen Padawan and students. The entire group marched into the lifts, going down. “What is this all about?” She asked.

 

Master Hobart shrugged. “We were asked to be here by the Chancellor. Have you heard the news?” She shook her head. “The Judge Advocate General has resigned. The First Space Lord, CNO, Chief of Coruscant Defense, Commander Home Fleet and Chief of Military Procurement have been arrested. There is a major shake up going on right now. Admiral Antilles has been asked to come out of retirement until a new CNO can be appointed.”

 

She shrugged. She knew it was important, and her mind went through the organization of the Navy, considering who might be appointed to those positions. It kept her occupied as they were ushered through the halls. Her eyes snapped to the door, and the engraved name above it.

 

The Coruscant Senate Chamber was huge. Over a thousand men and women watched as the Jedi marched down the main aisle. Representatives from the Colony worlds stood, and began clapping. Breia looked around as more and more of them stood. In the seating areas above the floor cameras were rolling, and she could see the logos of every major network on the machinery.

 

Before her on the dais the Speaker of the House stood. The Jedi came to a halt about fifteen meters from him.

 

“People of Coruscant, members of the Senate and Parliament, representatives of the colonies, I give you the Chancellor of Coruscant.” He turned, clapping as another door to Breia’s right opened, and the Chancellor marched down the aisle. The applause if anything redoubled.

 

The Chancellor walked up to the podium, bowing to the speaker, then faced the lectern. He held up his hands, not signaling approval of the ovation, merely for silence, which he eventually got.

 

“People of Coruscant, members of the Senate and Parliament, representatives of our colonial brothers, honored guests, a great tragedy was averted in orbit yesterday.

 

“An unknown enemy released a chemical weapon aboard station Alpha 4, which caused the people aboard that station to go mad, and begin killing each other. The activated weapons of that station, one of the linchpins of our planetary defense net fired upon and destroyed the Frigate Kolrami, the Tarisian liner Bonart, damaged the Frigate Caspi and three other vessels.

 

“The disaster would have been averted by prompt action by our Navy. Sadly this did not occur. Except for one man, the men responsible have been arrested. That last man, is myself.”

 

There was a roar of anger. Cries of ‘No!’ from the crowd. The Chancellor stood there, hands raised for silence. It took almost fifteen minutes.

 

“I thank you for your support, but the fact is that it was my choice with the advice of his party, of who would have the portfolio for First Space Lord. That man chose the subordinates that caused this to flare almost out of control. Once my duty here is done, I am calling for a general election. Whoever replaces me can deal with me as he will.” Again there was an outpouring.

 

“Genius,” Hobart whispered. “He takes responsibility, allows the courts to crucify those that really caused the damage, and take a wild guess who ends up as Chancellor after the election?”

 

The shouting finally died again. “I regret to inform this body and our people that the death toll is staggering. 8,000 men women and children died during the incident. Both Kolrami and Bonart were lost with all hands. Over 200 Marines who boarded the station are also among the dead.

 

“But I can also tell you that it was not our fleet, or our Marines who saved most of the 42,000 survivors. Members of an order that is considered a bit odd by most of us risked their lives to save the lives not only of our citizens but our Military men as well. Of the forty members of that order who led our marines to victory, five are also among those honored dead. The oldest was in his early sixties, A master named Hontu. The youngest was a Padawan learner named Sani, a native of our colony world Naboo. She was 14.” He looked at the silent crowd.

 

“The after action records of our own military and the station internal log shows what occurred. That forty people from seventeen different planets, some we would consider mortal enemies, stood together. They breached the security system of our station, allowing our Marines to land almost unopposed. They risked their lives not with guns and bombs at their disposal, but only the swords they wear as a mark of their order. Even though capable of deadly force exactly seven of the 20,000 people they subdued were killed by their weapons.

 

“The men of our Marines, from General Wonsan to the lowliest private extols their capabilities and virtues. Master Hontu entered the primary reactor core which someone had set to destruct and stopped that tragedy. His was not the greatest feat of that day, that goes to others who by chance are still among the living.” He looked down at the silent men and women arrayed before where he stood.

 

“During the events leading up to the boarding, one of those to be tried made a sarcastic comment about those that risked so much for so little gain. Well before you all now, I will say with distinction, what he said in derision.

 

“Lords and ladies, I give you, the Knights of the Jedi order!”

 

Again there were cries, but these were glad. Around them, the senators leaped to their feet, applause threatening to collapse the roof.

[Char Ell]

Oh yee-aah, the Chancellor cleaned house on that one.

If only things worked like that in real life.

 

I think I have an idea how relations between the Jedi and the Coruscanti goverment progress from here...

[machievelli]

For everyone who is interested, there are four chapters remaining of this part of the book. Before anyone asks, five more Jedi are going to die in the following chapters. A few of them you might like.

 

As for evil, you might look at Landru differently by the end too...

[machievelli]

Oh yee-aah, the Chancellor cleaned house on that one.

If only things worked like that in real life.

 

I think I have an idea how relations between the Jedi and the Coruscanti goverment progress from here...

 

 

:chop1:

That is exactly how it happens when a strong politician does it. If you'll notice with the 9-11 attack, Bush was able to roll right from 'how could this happen' to blowing holes in Afghanistan.

 

Picture Republicans in a coalition government with the Dems supplying the First Space Lord.

 

:chop1:

[Char Ell]

For everyone who is interested, there are four chapters remaining of this part of the book. Before anyone asks, five more Jedi are going to die in the following chapters. A few of them you might like.

Hmm. I guess you didn't want to just spring that on your story's readers, eh? Preparing us for an ending we might not like too much? FWIW, I really liked the ending of The Matrix: Revolutions movie, if that gives you any indication of my particular tastes. Not that you should cater to my tastes but purely for informational purposes only.

That is exactly how it happens when a strong politician does it. If you'll notice with the 9-11 attack, Bush was able to roll right from 'how could this happen' to blowing holes in Afghanistan.

True, but I don't really see how that compares with what the Chancellor did. The Chancellor fired most of his top military leaders and then put them on trial. The only person I remember taking the fall in Bush's administration was George Tenet and considering how that came about I'm not really sure that counts as "house cleaning."

[Renegade Puma]

Wow go chancellor Skywalker!!! And commander Palpatine???? I think Old Sidious would role over in his grave "Even though he isn't born yet" to know that one of his ancestors did something good. Machievelli I have to tell you, the story can't end with this book. You have to keep writing more and more. I am so addicted, it is written so well and is so interesting. I want to see how everything progressess with the Jedi even more.