{"id":276,"date":"2012-06-04T06:00:44","date_gmt":"2012-06-04T11:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=276"},"modified":"2012-06-08T08:55:34","modified_gmt":"2012-06-08T13:55:34","slug":"the-new-jedi-order-siege-snare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=276","title":{"rendered":"The New Jedi Order: Siege – Snare"},"content":{"rendered":"

Great<\/em>, Sandarie thought. Not only do I have to deal with the Sanshir brats, but now I have to deal with their <\/em>cat, too.<\/em> She glared at the old nexu lying in the corner, the last surviving pet from Kativie\u2019s stint in the Rebel Alliance. Edlin had brought the old animal in from somewhere<\/em>, but hadn\u2019t specified where.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d she cried as some hands tugged on her lekku.<\/p>\n

\u201cAunt Sandi, tell us a story!\u201d Durul Sanshir pleaded in a child\u2019s whine. He tugged again on her lekku, harder this time. \u201cPlease!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease!\u201d more voices echoed around the Twi\u2019lek.<\/p>\n

Sandarie sighed. I should\u2019ve made Edlin stay here and watch the brats while <\/em>I went and got food for them.<\/em> She was grateful for the Sanshir warrior\u2019s help, though. Before Halyn had sent him to her aid, she had been forced to try to wrangle eight kids to and from a communal meal area twice a day. When those eight kids were lively Zabraks, it was hard to keep even the better-behaved of them in line.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone sit down,\u201d Sandi said. \u201cAnd I\u2019ll tell you a story.\u201d She glanced around the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cYay!\u201d little Kadrol Sanshir cheered. \u201cStory!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStories are for little kids,\u201d Vystal said with a superior tone. \u201cNot warriors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just so happens this story is about two great warriors,\u201d Sandi said smoothly. \u201cTwo of the greatest warriors to ever come out of Iridonia.\u201d She smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s the story of Flith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean our Flith?\u201d Sylvyi asked breathlessly, looking over at the old nexu napping in the darkest corner.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, your Flith,\u201d Sandarie said. She grimaced in pain as Sash tried to use her lekku as ropes, climbing up the Twi\u2019lek’s back. She doesn\u2019t know better, she doesn\u2019t know better<\/em>, Sandi kept telling herself as the pain intensified.<\/p>\n

Flith rose from the corner and ambled over behind Sandi. A gentle swing of the old nexu\u2019s paw sent Sash tumbling to the ground. The little Zabrak girl cried out in protest, but then contented herself by wrapping herself around the nexu\u2019s neck instead. The big cat laid down by Sandi, her head flat on the ground.<\/p>\n

The Twi\u2019lek rested her hand gratefully on the nexu\u2019s head, scratching behind its ears. The cat rumbled in contentment, prompting Sash\u2014now sitting astride the cat\u2014to giggle in delight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell before you were all born, your Uncle Halyn was a general in the Rebel Alliance. He was a great leader with many people who followed him,\u201d she explained slowly. \u201cHe was one of the greatest Zabrak warriors in the galaxy, and one of the few who could stand up to the evil Empire. Kativie joined him on Rori at your Uncle Halyn\u2019s fortress, Zephyr Base.\u201d<\/p>\n

The kids sat enrapt, listening with wide eyes\u2014even the older kids. Sandi suppressed a smile. I think this is the quietest they\u2019ve been, other than when they\u2019re trying to eavesdrop on Edlin and me.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Empire was trying to crush the Zabraks and make them all slaves,\u201d Sandi continued. \u201cClan Sanshir had been one of their most difficult opponents, so the Imperials decided to make an example out of them. They set up a huge arena and forced Sanshirs to fight against beasts. They thought by doing that they would make other Zabraks lose hope and submit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMom and Uncle Halyn would never let them do that!\u201d Nop Lusp protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right, they wouldn\u2019t,\u201d Sandi agreed. \u201cSo Kativie came back to Iridonia to stop it, even though she knew the Empire wanted to capture her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t Uncle Halyn come?\u201d Bluth asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Halyn was busy fighting the Empire other places,\u201d Sandi explained. \u201cAnd Kativie didn\u2019t tell him she was leaving.\u201d She shook her head at those dark days and the rash decisions so many of her friends had made\u2014decisions they would regret. \u201cSo Kativie came here to unite the Sanshirs and help oppose the Empire. She tried to bring down the Imperial governor, but she was captured instead and forced to fight in the arena.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did she do?\u201d Sylvyi asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe fought and fought for many days,\u201d Sandarie said. \u201cKativie fought many vicious, wild animals\u2014reek and nexu and rancors and kimogilas! But she always won\u2014and it made the Imperial governor mad, because he wanted to see her die in the arena.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Uncle Halyn didn\u2019t do anything?\u201d Vyshtal asked skeptically. \u201cEven while Mom was fighting and trying not to die?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUncle Halyn was<\/em> doing something\u2014he was preparing an army to attack the Imperials and free Iridonia.\u201d Sandarie nodded, remembering. \u201cHe brought all his pilots and every Zabrak he could recruit from across the galaxy. And his great fleet attacked the Imperial fleet here at Iridonia and drove them off, with the help of his friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Uncle Argus?\u201d Nop asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cArgus helped bring together all the Zabraks on the planet,\u201d Sandi explained. \u201cAnd when Uncle Halyn\u2019s fleet drove off the Imperial blockade, Argus\u2019s army sprung into action. While Halyn\u2019s teams landed in ships, Argus\u2019s army attacked the Imperials, too. Both groups converged on the arena where the Sanshirs had been forced to fight, and they freed Kativie from the Imperials who had tried to kill her!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about Flith?\u201d Sash asked from atop the snoozing nexu.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the battle was over, Kativie found a baby nexu in the arena. She decided to keep her and name her Flith.\u201d Sandi smiled. \u201cFlith grew up to become a great friend and guardian for Kativie and her family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm, I love Flith,\u201d Sash declared, squeezing her arms as hard as she could around the nexu\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n

Sandi chuckled at the little girl. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the door to the kids\u2019 quarters slid open.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, brats!\u201d Edlin called cheerily. \u201cI have food for you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheers floated up from the Zabrak kids, and they quickly abandoned Sandarie and their seats on the floor to swarm their food-bearing family member. Edlin laughed and started passing out small containers of food to each of his kin.<\/p>\n

Sandi\u2019s smile faded as she watched the scene. Halyn and Kativie got into so much trouble back then, and so many of their friends and family died in that war. I wonder how they\u2019re doing right now?<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHow on Iridonia did you possibly<\/em> think this was a good idea?\u201d Kativie asked in gasping breaths.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, I admit it could be going a bit better right now,\u201d Halyn replied between his own gasps. \u201cHow could I know the stairs didn\u2019t run all the way to the peak?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou didn\u2019t look at the building plans?\u201d Kelta asked, doubled over from cramps. \u201cYou intended to come in here, and you didn\u2019t scout it out first?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do you think I put you in front?\u201d Halyn retorted. \u201cHang on, here they come again!\u201d<\/p>\n

Razor bugs came screaming up through holes in the floor. The two Jedi ignited their lightsabers, striking out at the bugs with their energy swords, trying to protect the group. Halyn, Ceikeh, and the Zabrak defense squad they\u2019d rescued returned fire, sending blaster bolts spraying back through the holes in the floor.<\/p>\n

This Yuuzhan Vong squad was two floors down, but the continual fighting had opened so many holes in the floors and ceilings that both sides had decent line-of-sight, leading to another outbreak in hostilities.<\/p>\n

A pair of thud bugs came through the holes in the floor next, but they were moving too fast to turn when they emerged. Instead, they smashed into the ceiling above, opening more holes and sending a cloud of dust down to cover the defenders.<\/p>\n

Halyn and Kativie had caught up with the rest of their squad at the top of the stairs\u2014the \u201ctop\u201d being a mere third of the way up the building. Kelta had led them into a run across the floor that had found another set of stairs, but each ascent seemed to end after only a floor or two. That can\u2019t possibly be Rak\u2019Edalin building code<\/em>, Halyn thought wryly. Or it wouldn\u2019t be, if we <\/em>had a building code. Maybe that\u2019s something that should be addressed. Much as I hate Coruscant, there\u2019s a few things they get right.<\/em><\/p>\n

The attack slowed to a dribble of attacking bugs, then cut off altogether. \u201cC\u2019mon,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cThey\u2019re still coming. We need to keep moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPush, push, push,\u201d Kelta grumbled.<\/p>\n

<I am willing to take lead,> Anishor offered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d appreciate that,\u201d Kelta replied.<\/p>\n

<May I borrow a lightsaber?> the Wookiee asked. <It opens doors more easily than my rykk blades.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wordlessly, the red-maned Jedi Knight tossed the berserker one of her hilts. Anishor snatched it out of the air, the weapon looking positively tiny in his huge hand. The Wookiee ignited the blade, splashing purple highlights across the room. <A worthy weapon.><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a good door opener,\u201d Halyn commented dryly. \u201cLet\u2019s move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor plowed ahead with a wordless roar. The rest of the Zabrak squad fell into line behind him, though they had no hope of keeping up with him. Halyn, Kativie, and Kelta fell to the back of the group to provide cover for the rest of their comrades.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo blaster?\u201d Halyn asked Kelta.<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t think I\u2019d need one,\u201d she remarked. \u201cBesides, I couldn\u2019t tell you when the last time was I fired a blaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHere,\u201d Halyn said, freeing his Power5 from its holster and lobbing it to the Jedi.<\/p>\n

Kelta snagged the weapon and glanced it over appraisingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not hard,\u201d Halyn offered. \u201cYou point and you squeeze the trigger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always were a smartass,\u201d Kelta grumbled. \u201cWhat about you? What are you going to do for a weapon now?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn reached back behind his back under the duster, withdrawing a second Power5. \u201cI long since realized I have to carry a spare when I\u2019m running around with Jedi.<\/p>\n

Kativie chuckled at both of them. \u201cReally, Halyn?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you two seem so determined to hang onto those antiquated melee weapons of yours,\u201d he said dryly. \u201cAnd we keep finding ourselves in situations where shooting from range is so much more effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYet you\u2019re carrying an archaic weapon or two yourself,\u201d Kelta shot back. \u201cEven more archaic than ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn grinned, not at all rebuked. \u201cSometimes the most effective solution is to hit something with a big stick,\u201d he answered. \u201cOr a big sharp<\/em> stick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d rather just burn their faces off,\u201d Kativie shot back.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo violent for a Jedi.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three ducked into the next stairway just in time\u2014a thud bug smashed into the wall next to them, drilling a hole through the obstruction but emerging so dazed that Halyn knocked it out of the air with the butt of his blaster. The insect weapon lay on the floor, stunned, until Halyn brought his boot down on its carapace.<\/p>\n

More bugs hissed and howled and buzzed through the air. The two Jedi and the Ul\u2019akhoi opened fire with their blasters, filling the doorway with fire. Two of the insects died to lucky shots, but the rest flashed past and smashed into the wall. \u201cWon\u2019t be long now,\u201d Kativie said. \u201cWe keep running and pushing them back, but they keep coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn glanced from the doorway and his blaster to check his chrono. \u201cKatie, how far up the building are we?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver halfway now,\u201d his younger sister grunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019ll have to be good enough,\u201d he decided. \u201cKelta, catch up with Anishor and tell him we need an exit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn exit?\u201d the Jedi asked with a frown.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. A hole in the side of the building will do nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy?\u201d she asked, puzzled. \u201cAre you planning on all of us jumping? Kativie and I can\u2019t catch everyone if we do that. Hell, I don\u2019t think the two of us together could save Anishor from that kind of fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust trust me,\u201d Halyn said in exasperation. \u201cAnd quickly. Please, catch up with Anishor and tell him we need an exit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir, General, sir, Ul\u2019akhoi, sir, Admiral, sir.\u201d She hesitated for a moment. \u201cDid I miss any?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn rolled his eyes. \u201cNow, Kelta.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir!\u201d The Jedi mock-saluted, then sprinted off with Force-enhanced speed to catch up to the Wookiee.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have an exit plan, I take it?\u201d Kativie asked dryly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019d intended to be picked up from the roof, but we\u2019ll have to improvise,\u201d Halyn said. Yuuzhan Vong appeared behind them. The siblings opened fire with their blasters, driving the pair of warriors to the poor cover of the railing. \u201cHopefully our pilot is smart enough to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou always did love to improvise,\u201d Kativie commented. \u201cEven when it blew up in your face.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially when it blew up in my face,\u201d Halyn corrected cheerfully. One of the Vong went down to multiple blaster burns across his chest and face. The other retreated back for the stairway. \u201cThere\u2019s no challenge to life if everything goes your way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re quite the philosopher in combat,\u201d Kativie remarked dryly. \u201cToo bad you\u2019re too busy shooting to write a book. You could make enough money off your musings to retire comfortably.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNext time I\u2019ll bring a droid along to take my dictation.\u201d The Yuuzhan Vong warrior peeked back through the doorway, and the shots from both siblings hit him in the throat simultaneously. \u201cOf course, I doubt a droid could keep up with our pace.”<\/p>\n

The siblings continued to keep up their fire as they slowly retreated further up the building. \u201cSo,\u201d Kativie asked conversationally, \u201cis there some reason you want us to throw ourselves out of the building halfway up, instead of from the top?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d Halyn said casually. \u201cMostly because we\u2019ve got, oh, three minutes left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThree minutes until what?\u201d Kativie asked suspiciously. Abruptly, she stopped in her tracks. \u201cYou never did give me my thermal detonator back, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Halyn said cheerfully as he ejected a spent power pack and slammed a new one into the hilt of his blaster. \u201cI needed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou told me not to use it because it\u2019d bring the building down on top of us!\u201d Kativie protested.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would have!\u201d Halyn countered. Brother and sister dropped flat as a trio of thud bugs hummed past at chest-level.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019s the difference when you\u2019re doing it?\u201d Kativie snarled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to bring the building down when we\u2019re already out, but the Vong are still inside,\u201d the Ul\u2019akhoi said.<\/p>\n

Kativie snarled at him as they laid down a fresh volley of suppressive fire. \u201cHow long did you set that timer for, anyways?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThirty minutes,\u201d Halyn answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019d better get the hell out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the idea, yeah. I thought in thirty minutes we\u2019d make it to the top of the building. I\u2019m willing to admit I was wrong in my estimate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery generous of you,\u201d Kat growled as their blasterfire caught another Vong warrior repeatedly, sending him down in a cloud of crimson smoke. \u201cWould\u2019ve been nice if you would\u2019ve told me about this, you know, twenty-eight minutes ago or so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I would\u2019ve told you about it, you would\u2019ve told me no.\u201d Halyn\u2019s tone was dry. \u201cSomething about not wanting to die, about my plans being terrible\u2014you know, the usual.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s because I don\u2019t want to die, and this plan is<\/em> terrible.\u201d Kativie bounded to her feet and ignited her lightsaber as a pair of Vong warriors came charging toward them, completely ignoring the blasterfire deflected by their armor. She met them lightsaber to amphistaff, her blade snarling against the serpentine weapons.<\/p>\n

Two more Vong joined them. Halyn freed his sword, stepping forward to take the attention of one of the Vong away from Kativie. This isn\u2019t good. We can\u2019t retreat if we\u2019re tied up with these scarheads.<\/em><\/p>\n

White light burst into the room, eye-hurting in its intensity. Halyn spun away from the Vong warrior to buy himself space until his vision recovered. The Yuuzhan Vong warriors were similarly stumbling away from the combat, just as blinded as Halyn was. Through the bright light, he could see Kativie pressing her sudden advantage, seemingly not affected by the light. What?<\/em><\/p>\n

A familiar snarl filled his ears, and then a brown furry wall leapt past him like a starfighter jumping to hyperspace. The light moved with him, seeming to emanate from his hands.<\/p>\n

Ah<\/em>, Halyn thought blankly. Anishor.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Wookiee berserker was among the Vong, then, his twin rykk blades shining with a brilliance that rivaled the blade of Kativie\u2019s lightsaber. He moved with speed impossible for a being his size, with the grace of a Twi\u2019lek dancing girl, and with blades swinging with the perfect harmony only possible by a being imbued with the Force.<\/p>\n

In eight seconds, all four Vong warriors were dead.<\/p>\n

Halyn\u2019s vision recovered as the light from the rykk blades died out. Kativie and Anishor stood side by side, covered head-to-toe with soot and grime and blood. Halyn realizing he was similarly covered, wondered when it had happened. If all of Kashyyyk could fight like Anishor, we wouldn\u2019t need a New Republic army\u2014a battalion of Wookiee berserkers could take on the whole Yuuzhan Vong race.<\/em><\/p>\n

<Kelta has a hole in the wall opened up,> Anishor announced. <Figured I\u2019d come see what was taking you so long.><\/p>\n

Instead of answering the berserker, Kativie turned to Halyn. \u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn blinked. \u201cRight. Uh.\u201d He stole a glance at his chrono. \u201cFifty-eight seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie cursed, an Ul\u2019Zabrak expression Halyn hadn\u2019t heard from his sister\u2019s lips since she started training as a Jedi. \u201cMove!\u201d she shouted. \u201cMove, move, move!\u201d<\/p>\n

The three turned and started running along the path the others had taken. Anishor looked over at Halyn. <So what did you do?><\/p>\n

\u201cThermal detonator on the lower level,\u201d Halyn said.<\/p>\n

<Timer?><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n

They were at thirty-nine seconds when they arrived at the hole Kelta had carved open with her lightsabers. The Iridonian team was standing around, waiting impatiently. Kelta stood at the gap overlooking Rak\u2019Edalin, one of her violet lightsabers ignited and held aloft as a signal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the ship?\u201d Halyn asked.<\/p>\n

Kelta pointed with the tip of her lightsaber. \u201cThere. It\u2019s being harassed by skips.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWonderful,\u201d Halyn grumbled. \u201cThirty-three seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUntil what?\u201d one of the Zabrak squad\u2019s survivors asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoom,\u201d Kativie said.<\/p>\n

The Muurian transport disengaged as if the pilot had heard the conversation inside the New Horizon Designs tower. Its shields held as plasma splashed down at the Zabrak vessel. The topside gunner returned fire with the dorsal turbolaser. Red fire caught the skip full-on, shattering the coral vessel and sending a rain of now-dead rock toward the street below. Two more coralskippers kept harassing the Muurian, but much more reservedly now, staying at range to keep the turbolaser from lighting them up.<\/p>\n

The transport pilot came in hot, its boarding ramp dropping as it slid into position near the hole and its forward deflector shields already down.<\/p>\n

Anishor saw the problem immediately. <The boarding ramp does not stretch out in front of the ship. We\u2019re going to have to jump for it.><\/p>\n

\u201cMe, first,\u201d Kelta said. The Jedi extinguished her lightsaber and then leapt for the ship, somersaulting through the air and sticking the landing gracefully.<\/p>\n

\u201cJedi always make it look easy,\u201d one of the Zabraks grumbled.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo, go, go!\u201d Halyn shouted. \u201cTwenty seconds!\u201d<\/p>\n

One after another, the Zabraks flung themselves through the air with abandon. None of them missed the critical jump; every one of them successfully reached the Muurian\u2019s boarding ramp. Each of them, though, just barely reached the ramp\u2014they were a single misstep or loss of balance from a plunging, screaming death.<\/p>\n

For a pilot, it was a disconcerting thought.<\/p>\n

At nine seconds, only three remained: Anishor, Halyn, and Kativie.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo, furball,\u201d Halyn shouted above the whine of the Muurian\u2019s repulsorlifts. Thud bugs started to buzz through the air again, and he dropped to his knee to steady himself. Anishor didn\u2019t protest, taking the leap with the practiced ease and comfort only a Kashyyyk-dweller could possess. Halyn\u2019s blaster screeched, and three thud bugs dropped as smoking carapaces.<\/p>\n

Kativie\u2019s lightsaber hummed as she scorched two more thud bugs out of the air. \u201cGo, brother!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFive seconds!\u201d Halyn shouted as he turned and threw himself out towards the transport.<\/p>\n

As he leapt, he saw in an instant he wasn\u2019t going to make it. The Muurian had slid a half-meter backwards as the coralskippers continued to pound away at it. Oh, frak!<\/em> In an eternal moment, he knew he was about to die.<\/p>\n

Miraculously, he floated forward that extra half-meter. What?<\/em><\/p>\n

The Force.<\/em> He didn\u2019t have time to fully comprehend the thought, to understand its consequences, but he didn\u2019t need to know. Kelta had reached out with the Force to grab him; the Jedi had saved his life again.<\/p>\n

Then a thud bug buzzed past his ear. A heartbeat later, he was falling again. But now, he was close enough that his fingers snagged the edge of the boarding ramp, leaving him dangling precariously from the impossibly high ship.<\/p>\n

Kelta took a thud bug. Is she\u2026?<\/em> He didn\u2019t have time for more thought as he swiveled his head around to see Kativie. \u201cJump!\u201d he screamed, trying to make himself heard over the repulsorlifts\u2019 screech, the thump-thump-thump of the topside turbolaser firing, the answering hiss of plasma balls painting the dorsal shields.<\/p>\n

Kativie stood alone at the gap, her lightsaber flashing around her in a green halo as she held the line. She seemed to hear him, turned towards the Muurian.<\/p>\n

Then a rumble echoed from below, loud enough to be heard even above the cacophony of combat noise. Kativie met Halyn\u2019s eyes for an impossibly long moment as she crouched to make her own leap.<\/p>\n

Before the Zabrak Jedi could straighten, could spring towards the safety of the Muurian, the floor fell out from beneath her. Halyn could do nothing but stare at his sister as the dust rolled up, as she descended into the dusty haze of the collapsing tower.<\/p>\n

\u201cKativie!\u201d<\/em> he screamed.<\/p>\n

It was then that he realized his own fingers were slipping. He couldn\u2019t tell if the transport was rising or falling. Halyn wasn\u2019t sure if he cared at that instant\u2014all he could see were Kativie\u2019s green eyes.<\/p>\n

His fingers lost their last bit of purchase, and he was falling.<\/p>\n

Massive Wookiee paws wrapped around his wrists, arresting his descent before it could really begin. <Hang on!> Anishor snarled.<\/p>\n

The transport was definitely bobbing now as plasma continued to rain down.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t seem real to the Ul\u2019akhoi. None of it did. Let go of me<\/em>, Halyn wanted to say as he thought of Kativie trapped in the hell of the collapsing New Horizon Designs tower. It\u2019s my fault. It\u2019s all my fault.<\/em> But all he could do was watch as the tower collapsed in a cloud of duracrete dust. He lost sight of it after a few more seconds, the cloud shooting skyward and completely enveloping the disaster.<\/p>\n

I killed Kativie.<\/em><\/p>\n

He was being hauled up by his wrists, then, and a moment later all he could see was the boarding ramp of the Muurian. Oh. I must be facedown.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got him!\u201d Ceikeh shouted. \u201cGo, go, go!\u201d<\/p>\n

The boarding ramp was retracting then, and Halyn could feel the ship begin to accelerate.<\/p>\n

<Halyn, are you alright? Halyn. Halyn. Halyn!><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m here,\u201d he said hoarsely to his honor brother. \u201cI\u2019m here, Anishor.\u201d He forced himself to sit up, to blink away the dirt and dust stinging his eyes. \u201cIs Kelta alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll live,\u201d the red-headed Jedi grunted from the chamber. \u201cThe thud bug cracked ribs, I think, but I\u2019ll live.\u201d She was silent for a moment. \u201cWhere\u2019s Kativie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKatie\u2026\u201d Halyn\u2019s voice failed him, but he forced it back. Can\u2019t collapse. If I collapse now, we lose it all.<\/em> \u201cKatie didn\u2019t make the jump in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelta\u2019s voice was puzzled. \u201cI can still feel her. She\u2019s reaching out to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw her fall, Kelta,\u201d Halyn said hoarsely. \u201cDon\u2019t lie to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not<\/em>,\u201d the other said in puzzlement. \u201cShe\u2019s\u2026she\u2019s alright.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow could she be alright?\u201d Halyn whispered. \u201cI saw her fall. No one could survive that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor laid a massive paw on his shoulder. <Easy, coatrack. Kelta wouldn\u2019t lie to you.><\/p>\n

Kelta\u2019s voice was no less pained, but the confusion lessened. \u201cKativie\u2019s not good at trying to communicate like this, but she\u2019s in one piece. She\u2019s already on the ground and moving.\u201d Kelta\u2019s tone became more speculative. \u201cI\u2019d bet she used the Force to get herself clear of the building, used it to slow her fall like I did when we arrived. With the Force, she could\u2019ve anticipated where the debris would fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn slumped back flat on the boarding ramp. \u201cShe\u2019s really okay?\u201d he asked, allowing himself to feel a touch of hope for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs near as I can tell, yes,\u201d Kelta assured him.<\/p>\n

<She\u2019s a Jedi and a Sanshir. You really think a falling building would kill her?> Anishor joked. <You’ve survived worse than that, and you\u2019re not even a Jedi.><\/p>\n

Halyn closed his eyes, wishing for darkness but still seeing Kativie\u2019s green eyes, so distinct even through the dust and haze and smoke of the collapsing building. \u201cOkay,\u201d he said hoarsely. \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be back at the Cathleen<\/em> in five minutes,\u201d Ceikeh announced over the transport\u2019s comm.<\/p>\n

<You can raise her on the comlink when we get back,> Anishor assured him. <She\u2019s fine. You\u2019ll see.><\/p>\n

That<\/em>, Halyn decided, was too close.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Great, Sandarie thought. Not only do I have to deal with the Sanshir brats, but now I have to deal with their cat, too. She glared at the old nexu lying in the corner, the last surviving pet from Kativie\u2019s … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-njo-siege"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p52rlt-4s","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=276"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":282,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276\/revisions\/282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}