*Flax stretches out his feelings, looking for the clone.*

Flax: This might be easy after all.

*The fighter's strike foils re-open and the ship vectors off towards the incoming shuttle.*

SSD Lucifer

Stormbaltz: What do you mean, surrender? We were duped by a clone of Lord Irvine who is NOW heading for the planet's surface.

*He calms*

We can't drop our shields in a combat situation, Admiral Tojo. That would leave us wide open to rebel attack.

*Two of the Dark troopers are confused by the sparks, the other two loose rockets at the marrines.*

Deac: Take cover!

*Deac uses the force to move one of the rockets aside, and ducks as the other flies above his head*

*Fused Irvine glances in the direction of Flax' fighter*

F. Irvine: Flax? How persistent of him...But does he really intend to attack at such a disadvantage?

*F. Irvine's eyes splinter into different colors as he raises his hands. Flax' X-Wing suddenly encounters turbulence, jerking it around and throwing it off course*

*Flax closes the S-foils, cutting the turbulance and then cuts down into the forest of skyscapers, tracking Fused Ivrine from below.*

((OOS: They're in-atmosphere? I hadn't realized))

*Fused Irvine looks downwards through the floor of the shuttle, mentally tracking Flax.

The turbulence increases, a chaotic storm in the Force building around Flax' craft. Random strips of metal on Flax' craft begin superheating or supercooling*

((I'm gonna have to jump around time))
*Greer accepted Adrian and had him taken to the detention block. The Vilnovs had to stay on the ship so a leak of the upcoming invasion of corusant wouldn't be risked.

He and his group landed well on Corusant, then immidiately headed to the palace, opting to stay hidden rather than go on an all-out assault. They sniped all the guards remaining on the exterior of the palace before heading inside.

Inside they sneaked around, only killing those who discovered them, until they finally got to the security center, where they disabled the camera/sensor system, they headed back to the entrance, killing any guards they met, and there lay in wait for whatever backup, and anyone important, who came out. They noticed Cracken fighting the jedi outside, but ignored it for now.*

"We're temporary visitors," Nom told Tarila when she complained of being held captive. "They'll let us go when they're done."

"We're still captives," Tarila snapped. Nom laughed.

"The most free of captives on this ship," he said. "We are free to come and go as we like so long as we do not leave this ship. Honestly, Tarila, what do you find to complain of?"

"We are being held against our will," she replied. Nom shrugged.

"One of the targets is here," he pointed out. Tarila's eyes widened for a moment, but then she shook her head.

"Greer has paid us to avoid him," she said. "Dare we go back on our word?"

"Return his money," Nom suggested. "Take the money for killing the man."

"Nom!" Tarila exclaimed, astonished at what her brother was saying. "Are you really thinking about this?"

"Of course not," Nom said, chuckling a little. "I should at least like to meet him, though."

"I doubt that, knowing what we are, Greer or Flax would agree to that," Tarila said, shaking her head. Nom shrugged.

"It can't hurt to ask," he pointed out.

((Ahh Red, how sweet, he used the Force.

Grey Jedi + Light Master = Flax win))

*Flax simply uses the force to dissepate the turbulance, Fused Ivrine's shuttle suddenly finds itself at the buisness end of a pair of Adv concussion missiles.*

((OOS: BD, the Force storm is a side effect of the reality-altering powers he's using. All Sleeper powers combine the Force and a form of reality-altering magic. They can't be completely cancelled out using one or the other. And F. Irvine is certainly not a grey Jedi, he's full-on dark.))

*Fused Irvine breaks off his mental attack on Flax' craft, sensing the missiles.

Space around the shuttle alters. Loud popping sounds are heard, the noise of vacuums in the air being created and dissipated. One missile hits the telekinetic storm and swerves off. Another explodes immediately on 'contact'. The explosion is shunted off into about three different directions*

F. Irvine: *snapping to the pilot* Where are we, where is Reletha's palace?

Pilot: Sir, we're under atta---*He is cut off as F. Irvine chokes him. The unstable power draws blood from the poor man's neck*

F. Irvine: *releasing his mental grip* Where?

Pilot: *coughing* The palace…is just ahead…only a few klicks, sir…

F. Irvine: Good.

Palace ENtrance

As you wish...... Jedi.

*As soon as he said this, Craccken once again winked out of existance, only to appear infront of the young warrior. He palmed the young man in the stomach, sneding him back, koncking the wind out of him. Knowing the Jedi would undoubtibly be only minorly annowed, Cracken focused his Sleeper powers, and bound the Jedi's feet to the ground. he quickly smirked, and once again, vanished into thin air.... Just then, the bond holding the Jedi down vanished.*

Imperial Palace

*Alysara raced through the foyer, dodging blaster fire and knocking back blaster bolts with her lightsaber. Reaching throuh the FOrce, she put out an imennse force wall, and shoved it against those guards who stood against her. they flew back, knocking many unconscious.

She ran up to the elevator. Out of order. Crap.

She looked for the stairs, and motioned for the rest to follow her up.

Cracken entered mear seconds after they began thier ascent, teleporting into the room. He admired his daughters handy-work, though was dissapointed they were not dead. Minor details. He looked up, and felt Reletha in the throne room. He concentrated, and with a bright white flash, dissapeared once again...

Coruscant Space

*In space. the war was going much differently. the Titan was under heavy fire, and was about to be disabled, and the fleet was starting to show wear. One Star Destroyer, on the brink of destruction, ran herself into a GOlan Defense platform, taking both out. Reletha's fleet was formidable indeed...*

Tojo: Under stood, Lucifer Transmitting IFF codes for Rebel and Imperial Ships, do not fire upon the Rebels. Engage targets of opporitunity.

*He shut down the comm, and looked to his fleet commander*

Tell the Fade to deactivate it's cloacking shield. Launch all strike craft and engage platform defenses.

*He also looked at his chronometer*
Launch a platoon to hold the Imperial Palace.

*A transport left the belly of the Executor and headed for the surface. Landing at the Palace Entrance, they began setting up a parimerter, enxcercling the entrance. *

((GOD MODE: key charater disabled totally unnecessarily.

Oh, Cracken FYI: Jammes is a 52 year old Sith Killing Jedi, read the bio!))

*Flax closes distance with the shuttle and opens up with his fighter's long range guns.*

SSD Lucifer
*Stormbaltz smiles at the news*

Stormbaltz: Glad to be back sir.

*Addresses crew*

Red Alert! Target all enemy ships and begin launching fighters.

---------------------------------

NRI

*Deac pops up and fires. Darktrooper 4 down*

Deac: Squad, advance!

((see discussion thread.

will post later, short on time))

*Greer and Co. witness Alysara and Cracken's passing through, they were curious about Cracken's teleporting.*
Greer: Nobody's gonna get out here, let's follow them.
*Greer and Co. run after Alysara *

Skies Near the Imperial Palace

*Fused Irvine tracks Flax mentally through the durasteel walls of the shuttle. As Flax closes in, Fused Irvine holds out his hand like a weapon. The entire shuttle darkens, and black lightning crackles along the metal.

The section of the shuttle facing Flax explodes violently, shattered from the inside, shrapnel flying everywhere. Flax' X-Wing is caught in a hail of black lightning. In the center of the storm, an enormous black ball of tumbling, distorting energy hurtles towards Flax' craft*

----------

Imperial Palace

*Starr stops dead in his tracks along the stairway, feeling the warp in reality that was Fused Irvine releasing his powers*

Starr: Alysara! Do you sense that?

----------

Coruscant Underlevels

*Slythe had nearly dismantled the wall between the Blades and their goal - all without making a sound - when he is distracted by sensing the antics of Fused Irvine and Cracken*

Slythe: What is that?

*The five Blades stare round*

Gilian: Cracken...and...who?

----------

Coruscant Underlevels, Renovated Living Structure

*Duncan draws his short sword as the four Blades approach him, keeping his crossbow in his right hand. It glimmers in the dim light, and the handle glows bright white in his hand.

The furry humanoids stay back, hesitant to attack seeing the quickly bisected bodies of the comrades now lying on the floor. Orion steps into the room after the Blades, bow ready*

Raschel: You could surrender, and maybe you'll keep all your limbs.

Duncan: Or you could surrender, and perhaps keep your lives. I am not the one who sought you out to quarrel.

Rwos: What about our first meeting, 'Duncan'? I felt pretty quarreled with back then.

Duncan: Those who traffick with demons and devils...

*Everyone in the room abruptly freezes, including Duncan, sensing Fused Irvine, and Cracken using their powers at full force*

Duncan: How interesting. That is the Sith ally of yours, whom you call Cracken, correct? Who is the other? His apprentice?

Sky Above Coruscant

*Flax roles out left, avoiding the black energy by a considerable margin and continues to pummel the craft with laser fire, he aims for the now damaged rear and scores several direct hits on the engines.*

Iperial Palaca

*Once the bonds dissapear Jammes slips away into the Palace.*

((Much obliged.))

*At the same time as the Imperial Transports land 10 Assault Transports from the Allience' Storm Unit head in, the lower hatches open and commandos deccend on zip wires.*

Drago: Come on, lets move.

*The soldiers move into the Palace in teams of four, soon there is fierce fighting in the corridors of power.*

NRI

*Deac's group move foward, as they round a corner a heavy repeater opens up and everyone dives for cover.*

((So he lied about not following? Tsk! :D))

Sky Near the Imperial Palace

*The shuttle descends downward, smoking and pieces flying off as the hapless pilot struggles to keep some sort of control. Fused Irvine, eyes flashing, whips his hands towards the oncoming laser bolts. They splinter into pieces and fly off in all directions, some shards nicking Flax' X-Wing.

Fused Irvine aims at Flax again. A burst of black energy streaks from his hands, distorting the air around him, and missing the X-Wing thanks to the off-balance motion of the injured shuttle. Fused Irvine sends more blasts of energy, one hitting directly on one wing of Flax' craft, punching through the ship's shields and ripping streaks through the metal of the S-foil and sending black lightning spidering across the surface of the ship*

*Flax fights for control of his fighter, then Fused Ivrine rips through the s-foil punturing the fuel tank, in atmosphere the result is spectacular, the explosion tears through the wing, igniting the power cells and tearing the wing from the fighter, engine and all, the X-Wing enters an uncotrolled roll and plumets to the surface, finally detonating against a skyscaper. The explosion shatters the glass of the building and the remaining eight missiles ignite, ripping the building to shreds and killing hundreds of people as the building collapses, spaying debre and shrapnel in all directions.*

*Deac ducks round the corner*

Deac: GRENADE!

*Deac throws a grenade around the corner and waits for the explosion*

Deac: ADVANCE!

*Deac leads the troops down the stairs. A door marked "Laboratories" is blasted shut*

Deac: Cutters!

*An engineer moves foward with a shaped charge.*

*He sets the charge.*

Engineer: Stand Clear!

*BOOM*

*Deac and the troops burst through, right into the the main laboratories*

((Damn you Cracken for making a name so hard to remember))
*Greer and co. finally catch up with Starr and Alysara*
Greer: Starr! I'm Jim Greer. We haven't met before. I'm with the Neo Republic. Listen: I think it's better if we team up for now. Reletha's bound to have a lot of guards with her. We can take care of them while you take care of her.

Starr: *looking incredulously at Greer* I don't think that will be necessary...

----------

*Fused Irvine grins at the spectacle.

Seconds later, his own shuttle crashes into the side of another unfortunate building and detonates in a fiery explosion*

*Greer shrugged*
Greer: Too bad. We're heading up there anyway, thought it'd be better to offer you that. I will probably meet you again soon.
*Greer and co. rush up the stairs*
((BTW, Where are the Solos being held captive again?))

Stairs Acending the Imperial Palace

*Alysara looked at Geer, listened, and watched him run off. She looked at Starr, and rolled her eyes.*

The Nerve, thinking we need help. Come on.

*She tapped into the Force, and once again, accelerated up the stairs....*

[b]Main Entrance to the Imperial Throne Room[b]

*Cracken burst into the main hallway of the Throne room, and stumbled for a bit. He leaned against the wall, catchig his breath, clearig his head.

Teleporting that distance was something he would not do again.

The hallway to the main entrance of the Throne room was Opulent and grand. It reminded him of the days his father was in power, expensive arts and jewels from around the galaxy decorated the long hall leading up to the doors to the Throne Room.

Recovering from the disorientatin, he began to walk to the Throne Room Doors...*

((Floor 589, corridor C-43, apqartment 1,245))

Imperial Throne Room

*The doors slide open, and Cracken is able to see Reletha standing before a panoramic view of the skyline, double ended saber ignited*

Reletha: Guess you're here for your father's chair. Take it.

*She uses the force to slide the Imperial Throne in front of Cracken*

--------------------------------------

Imperial Square

*The squad Deac was meant to link up with are pinned down by fixed emplacements*

Soldier: This is bad! Where's our air cover.

*A red dot appears on a Stormtrooper nearby, then he is suddenly shot and falls dead*

Stormtrooper: SNIPER!

((BD: They're being held in the Imperial Palace?))

Stairs Ascending the Imperial Palace

Starr: I've seen that operative before, last time I was on this planet, during the vampire siege...was he trying to make a joke about us never properly meeting before?

*Starr shakes his head and follows Alysara.*

((:D))

----------

Outside the Imperial Palace

*The air itself seems to shiver. The metal and glass of the buildings begins vibrating. Random pieces of weaker structures begin to twist and warp. Weapons shake in the hands of the fighters in the area around the palace.

Fused Irvine rises from the wreckage of his shuttle inside the building it had crashed into. He appears mostly unharmed, with his clothes singed but only a few cuts on his body*

Fused Irvine: *looking over at the char where Flax' X-Wing had exploded* Foolish Jedi. Annoying that he has to put up a distraction when it's so close to the end...and the beginning...

*He stares over at the Imperial palace*

F. Irvine: Cracken...

*He turns his attention to the sky*

((Deac, where is Malice now?))

----------

Coruscant Underlevels, Renovated Living Structure

Duncan: No answer? Very well, then.

*He fires his crossbow at the closest Blade, Raschel. Raschel whips her lightstaff up, destroying the bolt. She leaps onto the stair banister and leaps off at Duncan, who dodges her strike and slashes at her with his sword and firing again, hitting her in the arm. Her armor prevents injury from the impact, but not from the enchantment payload of the missile. The Blade feels the limb turn numb and immobile even as she tries to mentally counter the enchantment.

Mazk was only a few seconds behind Raschel. She strikes at Duncan with her spiked warhammer. He nimbly ducks the blow, which takes an enormous chunk out of the wall. Duncan uses his sword to strike at the hammer's long handle, pinning down the weapon for a moment, and strikes Mazk in the face, knocking her back. With the same motion he blocks two spinning blades sent flying at him by Rwos and Ida. A glowing arrow from Orion is chopped in two*

----------

Coruscant Underlevels, Upper Structure

*The other Blades burst through the walls into a large room. Slythe was grinning at his success and drawing his ornamental sword. Sieze Akaver held her great spiked chain in both hands, swinging ready. Nereli carried his sword ready, and Gilian had her arm-blade extended. Shane had drawn his own two blades, and they formed two blazing torches in each of his hands, further illuminating the dimly lit room.

The room is partially trashed. Set up messily along one side, amongst myriad other equipment and leaned against the wall, is an large, empty portal, disconnected from its power source. Protruding from the opposite wall was a sealed metal door that appears very sturdy, and is covered with a system of various locking mechanisms. Along the far end of the room is a mass of equipment and monitoring machines, surrounding a large, transparent cylindrical tank. The tank is filled with a faintly glowing, cloudy white liquid. Inside floats the murky winged, tailed form of what was probably a gargoyle*

((Flax was flying an X-Wing.))

Deac's position

*A flight of X-Wings flies over Deac's squard, harrying the stormtroopers pinning the second squad down, the voice of Halren Flax crackles over the squad radio*

Hal: *Over Com.* Krayt Dragon Sunray, this is Red Leader, you are clear. Better move fast, I spotted walkers headed your way before I came in. We're headed back now to deal with them, over.

Crash sight

*A squad of stormtroopers approaches the twisted reckage of the X-Wing.*

Corporal: It looks like the astromech punched out, stay sharp. The pilot might still be around.

*The squad leader takes a bolt in the face, blowing him backwards.*

Trooper: Look out!

*A silver bladed light sabre takes off his head, Flax continues the move to slice another trooper shoulder to thigh, then brings the blade back around, cleaving the final trooper in half at the mid section.*

Flax: Ok Chip, lets go.

*Flax' astromech follows him towards the palace.*

((Oops, typo. Edited.

Also, unrelated, before I forget: Going to finish your reply to the worldbuilding thread or must I hit you? :D [Same goes for Deac ;)]))

O'Conell: What the hell was that? You should know he can handle himself in situations tougher than that.
Greer: I was just messing with him. We met before, but not introduced. Just wanted to see if he remembered me.
O'Connel: And did he?
Greer: I don't know, couldn't tell.
O'Connel: This place has too many freakin' stairs. Remind me why we shut off the lifts?
Greer: Good question.
-------
*A masked man dressed completely in black finally arrived to Floor 589, corridor C-43, apqartment 1,245. He took out a datapad and attempted to hack the door code. No dice. He tried again. No dice. Finally he just took out a satchel charge and blew the damn thing open. He yelled 'BACK AWAY FROM THE DOOR' and clicked the detonator. He walked in and looked around to see how the Solos were doing*
((Need someone to control the Solos, volunteers?))

*When the dust settles two people, a man and a woman, are sat calmly having lunch. The man looks up.*

Han: So what took you guys so long?

Do you have a spare blaster?

((Someone else want to play Leia, Red maybe?))

*The man took off the mask, revealing infamous thief Seth Greco*
Greco: Had to wait for the guards to move away. Here
*He brings out two blasters from the same pouch from which he took the datapad and the charge*

*Deac leads his team through the labs to the back stairs*

Deac: The rest of you, secure the remainder of the building. Squad 2, you're with me.

((Sorry about the lack of replies, been a tad otherwise occupied. ^^;;

I'm a little rusty on how Leia's character speaks/thinks/acts, so forgive any errors ;)))


Leia: I'd like one too, unless you happen to know where the Imperials stashed my lightsaber.

----------

*Fused Irvine focuses on the Lucifer. He ignores Stormbaltz, having expected him to turn traitor - he didn't matter, he was a pawn that was no longer needed. He searches out Malice's presence in the Force*

SSD Lucifer

*Malice awakens*

Malice: What is thy bidding, my master?

--------------------------------

Rooftops

*The sniper moves position to another group of seperatist troops*

Sniper: Well well well

*Looks through electrobinoculars*

Deac Starkiller of all people...

*Greco hands Leia the other blaster.*
Greco: Didn't have time to check where your lightsaber was. Anything else?

Han: Lets just get out of this dump, I was beggining to put down roots! Chewie, get in hear, we're leaving.

*The wookie appears from the kitchen.*

Greco: All right here's what we're going to do. Currently there are both imperial and neo-republic forces storming the building. I've got a map of places where there aren't suppossed to be any battles currently. We're going to get you out of this building, outside my ship is waiting, and unless it's been accidently blown up in the battle, I'll fly you up to the flagship. From there you can send a transmission to republic forces convincing them that we're the good guys, and hopefully ending this battle sooner than it would otherwise. From there, it's your choice.

Han: Ok then. Chewie, turn Golden Rod on and lets go.

*Han checks the blaster.*

((Dammit, post eaten. Trying again.))

Rooftops Outside the Imperial Palace

F. Irvine: <Assuming you and your underlings are feeling up to it, I wish another...demonstration.>

----------

Floor 589, Corridor C-43, Apartment 1,245

Leia: *checking her blaster as well* Thanks. Let's get out of here.

Lucifer

Malice: I can launch them from here...in the battle they may not notice me...

Greco: All right. Follow me.
*Greco headed back to the door, and looked up and down the hallway as he waited for han, leia and 3PO*

*Han and Chewie poke their heads around the corner and step out, Han has the blaster and chewie holds what appears to be a table leg in his huge hands.*

((Just so you know they're still here :D ))


"How much longer do you think we'll have to wait?" Tarila demanded, once again showing her low patience level. Nom shrugged carelessly, again showing his high level of patience.

"Don't know, don't care," he answered. "We'll be on our way when they get back, wherever they went."

"You keep saying that," Tarila muttered.

"And you keep asking," Nom retorted. "Honestly, Tarila, how many times will I have to say the same thing before you actually believe me?"

"Too many," Tarila replied, a smile finally crossing her face. She sighed. "I suppose our current situation isn't bad."

"Not at all," Nom agreed. "We'll be content until Greer gets back. Then, I'd like to meet Flax. I want to see the man we paid to professionally ignore."

((Blah blah finals blah blah reply later blah blah. :D))

*An ensign appeared*
Ensign: Mr. and Ms. Vilnov? I was sent to see if you needed anything.
-------
*Greco led the group to the stairway, and they started descending.*

"Not at the moment," Nom answered kindly. "I suppose I'll have to ask Mr. Greer when he gets back, but you might know. We'd like a chance to meet Mr. Flax. Do you know if this is at all possible?"