[fic] Ravaged Hope

[Lord Spitfire]

This is a quick fic about a certain Republic Soldier during the Mandalorian War. Well . . . enjoy!

 

Ravaged Hope

 

This was it. He was going to die here. Kadan Thresco was going to die here. It hadn't really hit him until now. For a small moment, he forgot the death and destruction that was surrounding him and just took in the epic picture. He could see the fortress in flames. The Mandalorians were coming at them hard.

 

The Republic Troops were outnumbered, and yet they fought. They fought valiantly, and though they were being slaughtered, they stood fast. Through the fires, Kadan could make out the flag of the Republic. It was standing tall, and though it was torn and ravaged, it still stood, through all the hardship, through all the death around it, the flag of the Republic waved still.

 

This is it, thought Kadan. I'm going to die. Instead of fear or apprehension, he felt a strange peace within himself.

 

Some things are worth dying for.

 

He was going to die here, as a warrior - no, he corrected himself. The Mandalorians were warriors - men who fought for honor and glory. No, he was going to die a soldier, a man who fights for peace, for the greater good, who fights to end the fighting.

 

"NO!" he screamed into the air. His voice was drowned out by the heavy fire and the moans of anguish from hundreds of dying men. "Not that easy!" He slowly picked himself up.

 

Kadan felt the pain of his wounds flow through him, and he used it to fuel his anger, his determination. His black hair that had grown throughout the war fell to his bloodshot eyes. He lifted his head, slowly gazing at the hordes of incoming Mandalorians with a look of such severe hate, such determination, that had his foes not been hardened Mandalorians, his enemies would have cowered before him.

 

He still had work to do. They had to hold this fort until the reinforcements came. What was stored in the main building, he was told was the most crucial item that he would ever lay his eyes on.

 

He looked up into the ruptured skies of Malachor V. There was a heavy downpour, and he had just noticed. The ground was clotted with mud. However, what caught his attention was something that no one on either side of the battle had seen before. He saw flaming infernos raging from the heavens.

 

The sky was raining fire.

 

For a split second, even the Mandalorians looked up in shock. The first inferno smashed down into a squad of Mandalorians, killing them all. As soon as it hit, the fighting restarted. Kadan pushed the raining fire out of his head. He groped around and found an assault rifle about five meters from him. He quickly lunged towards it, clenching his fingers around the weapon. He quickly turned around and fired rapidly, killing a charging Mandalorian.

 

He jumped up and looked around to quickly evaluate the situation. They were being pushed back towards the main building. The Mandalorians were coming too fast! However, the Soldiers stood their ground, not wavering or retreating, just welcoming death with open arms. A few of them ran towards the main Keep, but they were quickly killed.

 

A blaster shot just passed Kadan's head. He quickly jumped back and took cover, sending rains of heave fire against the Mandalorians. But it was no good. Slowly, the Republic line was being pushed back, further and further, meter by meter.

 

He yelled a savage war cry and dropped his assault rifle, picking up a vibrosword from the ground. Enough was enough.

 

He sprinted towards the Mandalorians, his broken body going on only by adrenaline. He slashed, twirled, dodged, ducked, and lunged his way through the enemy, running through their lines and throwing their formations into disarray. His soldiers soon followed in his lead, meeting the Mandalorians in hand to hand combat while being covered by heavy fire from the fortress defences.

 

"Hold the line!" he yelled as loud as he possible could. "Take these bastards to hell with you!" He screamed as a vibroblade slashed across his left arm. He turned around and thrust his sword into the attacker, plunging it into his heart. Retrieving his weapon, he spun around and swung his arm with all his might, not caring where his target was. He quickly decapacitated an enemy about to attack his rear.

 

he was quickly knocked to the ground by the force of a charging foe, his facing falling into a puddle. He raised his head and stared into the surprisingly clear water, using the light from the fire around him to make out his reflection. His once handsome face was now unrecognizable. It was covered in blood, and his fleshed was mangled and and scarred with fresh wounds. He let out a terrible, bitter laugh. He found it ironic how if by some miracle he survived this battle, how he would go back home looking like this.

 

At the thought of home, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a deep sadness. He would never see his wife again. He had promised her as he left for the war, that once he came back he would see their child for the first time. The last time he had seen him was in his mother's womb. He must have been two years old by now.

 

Suddenly, his sadness turned again into anger. These monsters had taken everything from him. All he had left - all he could do now was to help make sure that his family on Coruscant whom he would never see again would never have to see the Mandalorians. Ever.

 

He raised, realizing that the Mandalorians were overwhelming them. "Retreat!" he yelled as he sprinted to the fortress. "To the main fortress!" He jumped into through the doors into the base. He looked behind and noticed the Mandalorians charging their direction. He looked to his Lieutenant. "How many men are garrisoned in here?" he demanded.

 

"More than a thousand, sir!" replied the Lieutennant, slightly taken back at Kadan's wounded face.

 

Kadan looked solemnly at the men outside. "Close the gates and fortify them. No one else can come inside, we don't have time," he said regretfully, "I'm sorry about the soldiers outside." They just have less time to suffer than we do.

 

He looked up. It was still pouring, and the only thing separating him from the hordes of Mandalorians was a thick wall that was, as they spoke, being scaled.

 

He walked slowly towards the command center, tears rolling down his mutilated face as he felt his life flash before his eyes as he walked towards the main building, feeling as if he was approaching the gallows.

 

He broke into a run, and then a sprint as he entered the building, and walked into the command room. It was empty. He looked out the window, seeing an endless horizon of battle as far as the eye could see. He looked nearer and saw that the Mandalorians had scaled the wall and the ultimate battle had broken out.

 

The time was running out.

 

He walked towards the communications center. Now that he was away from the battle, the pain suddenly struck him in a big burst. He screamed in agony just as he punched in the buttons on the main communicator.

 

He regained his composure as he robed Jedi appeared onto the screen. He looked solemn. "What is the situation, Commander?" he asked Kadan.

 

Kadan shook his head grimly. "We can't hold on any longer. As I speak, the battle rages on outside. We'll all be dead within the hour," he said sternly, trying his best to hide his regret. "I'm sorry, General. I've failed."

 

The Jedi began to take this all in. "No," he said, "Not yet. I've just recieved a direct order."

 

Kadan looked quizically. The only person who was higher in rank in the Armada than the General was . . .

 

The holographic Jedi nodded his head. "Revan has given me the order. And now I'm giving it to you. Call upon your technician. Activate the Mass Shadow Generator." Kadan always saw the General as extremely charasmatic and confident. But now, he seemed solemn, full of regret. He suddenly realized what was going on.

 

"Yes, General," came the soft reply. There was a pause. The General had figured out that Kadan had an idea on what the Mass Shadow Generator was. Kadan smiled in reply. "No one here is afraid of death, General. We knew most of us were going to die at Malachor. It's just now I know that it's actually going to be all of us."

 

The General nodded. "May the force be with you," he said solemnly as he closed the connection.

 

Just as Kadan was about to turn around, he noticed an Iridonian standing in the doorway. "I was just about to get you," he said.

 

The Iridonian nodded. "The Mandalorians are closing in on us. In a few minutes they'll be here. I'd have thought you'd want to give me the order."

 

Kadan shook his head. "This order is coming from Revan. And yes, I want you to activate the MSG. And then, I want you to take my fighter and leave this planet." The Iridonian started, but Kadan cut him off. "That's an order."

 

"Yes, Commander."

 

Without another word, Kadan strode out of the room and down the hallway to leave the building. He walked towards the door that would take him to the fray.

 

He knew he was going to die out there. He had no regrets. He thought about his life, about everything he had done. He thought about his childhood, being raised on Coruscant, he thought about his parents, about his younger brother, about everyone he grew up with. He wondered if they would understand. If they would understand why he had to do this, how he did this for them, so that Coruscant, the Republic, and more importantly what the Republic stood for could be safe.

 

He stopped before the door. Reaching into his pocket, he took out a medallion. It was the Medallion his Grandfather had earned during the War of Exar Kunn. He felt tears mingle with blood as he clasped it tightly in his hand. He looked out at the window. The fire had stopped coming. He had guessed it was probably a bombardment of some sort.

 

He noticed something. Could it be? No. His eyes must have been cheating him. He saw a glimmer of light outside. He then realized it wasn't the sky. It was the Republic flag, illuminated by the fire around it. Everything around it was burning, but it still stood.

 

Kadan closed his eyes and felt a strange satisfaction as he opened the door.

 

Into the fray.

 

Through the gateway to hell.

 

Into the arms of death.

 

Some things are worth dying for.

[knight 12167]

This is the sort of thing that breaks through the mental barrier and makes you feel suddenly very depressed.It was a beautiful tale and I hope there is more from you to read.

 

Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lord Spitfire]

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

If you want to read more from me, you can read my fic. I'm going to put up a few short stories like this occassionally, if people read it.

[machievelli]

read

[SynysterGates]

Awesome! btw my review has been messaged to u