{"id":92,"date":"2012-03-26T12:00:02","date_gmt":"2012-03-26T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=92"},"modified":"2012-03-18T20:11:13","modified_gmt":"2012-03-19T02:11:13","slug":"the-new-jedi-order-siege-backstab","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/?p=92","title":{"rendered":"The New Jedi Order: Siege – Backstab"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kelta watched Halyn depart with several of his trusted members in tow.\u00a0That would have been me, once<\/em>, she reflected.\u00a0So much has changed between us.<\/em><\/p>\n

She allowed the Force to seep into her perceptions, carrying her information from near and far. Distantly, but not too distantly, she could sense the fear and pain and adrenaline she associated with combat. The Zabrak defenders were putting up a terrific fight against the Yuuzhan Vong, and she could sense collective resolve to hold their ground.<\/p>\n

Around the bridge, the emotions were clearer and less unified. Resolve was the undertone to everything\u2014commitment to the defense of Iridonia, commitment to victory, determination to ensure the Yuuzhan Vong\u2019s invasion failed. From individuals, she sensed chagrin over mistakes, regret over some past actions, fear\u2014a different flavor than exuded by the combatants, with less immediacy and more dread, and\u2026<\/p>\n

She paused and turned.\u00a0Impatience?<\/em>\u00a0She stretched out with her senses in that direction, feeling through the Force for the figure. \u201cAnishor?\u201d she asked aloud.<\/p>\n

The Wookiee berserker growled a greeting from the shadows. <Hello, Kelta.><\/p>\n

Kelta smiled. \u201cI can sense your impatience.\u201d<\/p>\n

<The coatrack has asked that I restrain the berserkers.> The low rumble in Anishor\u2019s tone was, to Kelta\u2019s ear, unhappy. <My brothers wait while the Zabraks fight.><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d rather be out there fighting right now,\u201d Kelta stated, not asked.<\/p>\n

<Yes.><\/p>\n

As Kelta\u2019s eyes adjusted, she could see her old friend, the biggest Wookiee she\u2019d ever encountered in her travels. The hilts of his massive rykk blades were visible over his furry shoulders, and he still moved with the power and grace she remembered.\u00a0Of everyone, he seems to be the one who hasn\u2019t changed,<\/em>\u00a0she told herself.<\/p>\n

<I am glad to see you have embraced your power,> Anishor said after a pause. <I feared you never would.><\/p>\n

Kelta looked down at the two lightsabers hanging from her belt and blushed. \u201cI tried to give it up, but it seems the Force has other plans for me.\u201d She fingered one of the blades. \u201cBoth my daughter and I have been swept up in the war. It\u2019s not something I wanted for myself, and definitely not for her.\u201d She looked up and met Anishor\u2019s eyes. \u201cI\u2019d hoped after fighting one war, there wouldn\u2019t be another, and she would get to know peace and safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

<We fight so others can know that peace and safety,> Anishor pointed out. <We are warriors so others do not have to fight. Your daughter chose this for herself, didn\u2019t she?><\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Kelta admitted. \u201cThough I think she was too young to make the decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

<She made it nonetheless,> Anishor said.<\/p>\n

Kelta thought about it for a moment, and about what she knew of the big Wookiee. He was long since a warrior and a veteran of battles across the galaxy when she had met him.\u00a0 He was a scion of the Force\u2014a powerful Force-user of a Wookiee battle tradition, far different than the Jedi and, in many ways, more limited. While the Wookiees embraced battle in a way the Jedi did not, the underlying theme was not dissimilar.\u00a0We fight to keep the peace and protect others. Anishor and his berserkers fight so others can know lives of peace. Both of us sacrifice ourselves\u2026normalcy, maybe\u2026so others don\u2019t have to know war.<\/em><\/p>\n

<You worry for your daughter,> Anishor stated, rather than asked.<\/p>\n

Kelta hesitated before answering. \u201cYes,\u201d she admitted. \u201cYes, I do. None of the Jedi have heard from her since the fall of Coruscant. She just seemed to disappear from the galaxy. When I was at Borleias with Wedge Antilles, there had been no reports of her anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

<Can you sense her?><\/p>\n

\u201cFaintly. She\u2019s still alive, but I don\u2019t know where.\u201d Kelta shook her head. \u201cI can\u2019t tell if she\u2019s in danger, if she\u2019s safe, if she\u2019s in pain\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

<The Force embraces her. If she trusts it, it will bring her through her trials safely.><\/p>\n

For a moment, Kelta hated the Wookiee.\u00a0He\u2019s always so damned serene. So confident.<\/em>\u00a0It melted away, though, and she blew out the last residue of it with a sigh.\u00a0He\u2019s trying to comfort me, and I resent him for it. Adreia will be safe\u2026I know it.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are Kalla and the cubs?\u201d Kelta asked.<\/p>\n

<Safe, on Kashyyyk,> Anishor rumbled. <Out of the way of the fighting for now. Kallabeccani wanted to join us here, but she chose to stay with the cubs.> Anishor smiled. <Of course, if the Yuuzhan Vong decide to attack Kashyyyk, she will no doubt be in the thick of the battle.><\/p>\n

Kelta caressed one of her lightsabers idly. \u201cHow is she? And you?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Anishor\u2019s turn to hesitate. <She wishes I would not embrace battle so eagerly,> he finally said. <That I would spend more time in peace at home than I do out here, waging war. She does not always understand the ways of the berserkers.><\/p>\n

The red-headed Jedi found echoes of Anishor\u2019s statement in what Halyn had said before.\u00a0You knew it wouldn\u2019t work! You wanted a life of peace, and that\u2019s not me.<\/em>\u00a0In that moment, she felt a sympathetic ache for Kallabeccani.\u00a0Yes, I understand why she wants you to be home rather than fighting a war.<\/p>\n

Maybe when this war is over, we can all go home and know some peace. At least for a little while, before the next threat to the galaxy comes rolling along.<\/em><\/p>\n

Anishor growled, his eyes on the tactical display. <I don\u2019t understand,> he said with a shake of his head. <Halyn asked me to come here to fight, and now he holds us in reserve. The longer the fighting goes on, the better the chance the Yuuzhan Vong will break through. He should allow me and my berserkers to attack now, before they have a chance to secure their beach head!><\/p>\n

Kelta cocked her head. \u201cMaybe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Anishor turned and eyed her inquisitively.<\/p>\n

She shook her head. \u201cNever mind.\u201d Her thoughts were spinning, though.\u00a0Could Halyn want the Yuuzhan Vong to get a secure grip on Iridonia? Could he be selling out his own people? By the Force, what am I thinking?! Halyn would never sell out his own people!<\/em><\/p>\n

Kelta shuddered, trying to shake off the sick feeling that overcame her at the thought.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Halyn couldn\u2019t help but pace outside the entry to the council chamber. The structure seemed to have come through the crash of the\u00a0Cathleen<\/em>\u00a0relatively intact, though it stood less than two kilometers from where the Star Cruiser\u2019s wreckage still smoldered.\u00a0Maybe it\u2019s the shape\u2014it just shrugged off the shockwave. Hard to tell, though.<\/em><\/p>\n

Not that it matters. I should be fighting right now, not meeting with the politicians.<\/em>\u00a0Halyn stared at the closed door, pausing his movement for a moment.\u00a0I have better things to do right now than assuage the fears of now-irrelevant politicians.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPatience,\u201d Kativie murmured.<\/p>\n

Halyn glared at her. \u201cSpace your Jedi calm,\u201d he spat. A moment later the venom bled away and he sighed. \u201cSorry. We need to be fighting right now, not playing politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why did you come?\u201d Sandarie asked. The Twi\u2019lek had plenty of scrapes and bruises, but she was no less a vital figure for her injuries. \u201cWhy not send someone else to meet them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn snorted. \u201cBecause something else is at play here.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cAnd I can\u2019t risk the Council stripping me of power right now\u2014we\u2019re too deep into this, and I don\u2019t trust anyone else to pick up where I\u2019d leave off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the Ul\u2019akhoi,\u201d Nisia pointed out, yawning. \u201cBy the rules of the Council, they can\u2019t just strip you of power\u2014they gave it to you with conditions. Until those conditions are met\u2014in this case, the Vong are gone\u2014you have pretty much unlimited power.\u201d<\/p>\n

The counterpoint came, to Halyn\u2019s surprise, from the Zabrak representative to the New Republic. \u201cRules only matter,\u201d he said slowly, \u201cwhile people are willing to abide by them. The Yuuzhan Vong have set foot on Iridonia\u2014the Council is likely in a panic right now. Their big objective right now is to ensure that we survive this, and it\u2019s possible Halyn has somehow lost their trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOr,\u201d Halyn said shortly, \u201cthere are Council members working actively against us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nisia, Ceikeh, and Sandarie all gave him surprised looks. He ignored them to study Kativie. \u201cWhat do you sense, Katie?\u201d<\/p>\n

The youngest of the Sanshir siblings closed her eyes, her face scrunched in concentration. \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026difficult to sense,\u201d she said at last. \u201cThere\u2019s a good amount of fear\u2014almost overwhelming. I don\u2019t think any of the councilors thought the Yuuzhan Vong would ever actually make landfall on Iridonia, and they\u2019re panicking because they don\u2019t know what to do.\u201d She paused as she sorted out sensations. \u201cThere\u2019s anger, too, aimed at you, Halyn. And\u2026\u201d she frowned. \u201cSomething else. I\u2019m not sure what exactly it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn studied his little sister for a moment. \u201cNo idea at all?\u201d he prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlmost\u2026hunger.\u201d She shook her head and opened her eyes, an emerald green just a slightly paler shade than Halyn\u2019s. \u201cI don\u2019t know how to describe it. It\u2019s almost need, almost physical hunger, with a little\u2026I don\u2019t know, greed maybe. But it\u2019s hard to pick out with all the other emotions coming from the Council.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll puzzle it out when we get in there, then,\u201d Halyn said, his voice low. \u201cI have some idea what we\u2019ll be facing in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, then?\u201d Sandi asked. As the only non-Zabrak in the group, she felt\u2014and looked\u2014more than a bit out of place.<\/p>\n

Halyn shook his head. \u201cNone of you are in danger,\u201d he said. \u201cThis will be aimed at me.\u201d He glanced over his shoulder. \u201cOh. I need a zhaboka.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nisia wordlessly handed him the weapon she carried. It was a traditional Zabrak weapon\u2014a meter-and-a-half long quarterstaff with bladed ends. Halyn almost smiled at it.It\u2019s a tradition that may save us yet. Almost no one in the New Republic except the Jedi and the Wookiees respect or know hand-to-hand combat like this. Iridonia\u2019s stubborn refusal to let go of millennia-old traditions may save us all from the Yuuzhan Vong and their obsession with the honor of personal combat.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s taking so long?\u201d Sandarie asked after a long silent moment. \u201cI thought they wanted to meet you right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIndecision,\u201d Halyn and Kativie said together. The Jedi raised an eyebrow at Halyn; he nodded at her to explain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Council didn\u2019t expect the Yuuzhan Vong to make it past the defense fleet,\u201d Kativie explained. \u201cWhich you already know. They can sense as well as anyone that this is a critical point in the Yuuzhan Vong\u2019s campaign. They\u2019re in disagreement about what route to pursue to ensure that we win, and they\u2019re trying to figure it out before they allow Halyn to appear before them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why call him before they\u2019re ready?\u201d Nisia asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo keep him under control,\u201d Ceikeh spoke up. \u201cThere\u2019s a danger in making someone Ul\u2019akhoi\u2014just like there\u2019s danger in giving anyone too much power, be it military, political, or religious. The Zabrak race was nearly enslaved by the Empire because a single person acquired massive amounts of power in the Galactic Senate, and no one wants to see one dictator traded for another.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJess? A dictator?\u201d Nisia raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou\u2019re moving up in the galaxy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn snorted.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what\u2019s likely to happen in there when we go in?\u201d Sandarie asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to ask for a report on the defense of Iridonia,\u201d Ceikeh said. \u201cMost of the Councilors have their own private sources of information, but with everything that\u2019s happened in the past twelve hours, it\u2019s hard to get a clear picture. So they\u2019ll ask the head of the military for a concise image of what the situation is, both in space and here on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ceikeh hesitated. \u201cEither they\u2019ll affirm Halyn\u2019s position as Ul\u2019akhoi, or try to strip him from power.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door to the Council building swung open, and a young Zabrak male that Halyn did not recognize stepped out. \u201cUl\u2019akhoi?\u201d he asked tentatively.<\/p>\n

Halyn nodded at him. \u201cI am here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Council will see you now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kativie trailed her brother into the Council chambers, her eyes barely registering the darkened room and she concentrated wholly on the sensations the Force carried to her.\u00a0Eyes can be blinded and deceived<\/em>, her Master had taught her.\u00a0The Force allows you to see the truth. No deception can blind you.<\/em><\/p>\n

And the Force carried her so many sensations now. The trick for Kativie, though, was to interpret what she was feeling.\u00a0I wish Halyn would have brought Kelta along. She is so much better than I am at this.<\/em>\u00a0She sighed.\u00a0She\u2019s a natural at sensing and interpreting emotions. My talents run more towards destroying things.\u00a0<\/em>She resisted the urge to grip the lightsaber hanging from her belt.\u00a0Though I wonder if that\u2019s what will be needed here.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome,\u201d Elibet Dav said flatly from the center of the Council.<\/p>\n

From her, Kativie could immediately sense frustration and weariness.\u00a0Weariness is hardly unique<\/em>, Kativie reflected.\u00a0We\u2019re all feeling it, except maybe Halyn.<\/em>\u00a0From her brother, she was acutely aware that she could only sense life and determination, an energy that seemed to be endless.\u00a0Frustration because of the Council\u2019s deliberations, maybe?<\/em><\/p>\n

Halyn inclined his head slightly. \u201cWhy has the Council summoned the Ul\u2019akhoi? The enemy is at the gates, and my time would be better spent fighting the enemy than standing here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Council\u2026\u201d Elibet started.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo longer requires your services,\u201d a cool voice interrupted.<\/p>\n

Kativie could feel the tension in the room mount, reflected in the Force. The person who spoke, though\u2026she could sense darkness and deception. And something else.\u00a0He feels familiar somehow\u2026<\/em>\u00a0She rose on her tiptoes to see over the nearer councilors, and nearly fell when she recognized the speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cAchick Lusp,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0My own father-in-law. Frak me, what is he doing?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have not been recognized to speak,\u201d Elibet rebuked him.<\/p>\n

Achick\u2019s return look was harsh. \u201cThe Council can hardly waste time with niceties,\u201d he returned, his voice as cold as vacuum and hard as durasteel. \u201cAs the Sanshir has noted, the enemy is at our gates. When we can afford the time for protocol and tradition, we will do so. Now, time is too precious to waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elibet\u2019s stance never faltered, but Kativie could feel her wilt through the Force.\u00a0She must be on the losing side of this\u2014they had already decided before they let us in. She\u2019s trying to fight it to the end, but there\u2019s only so much she can do.<\/em><\/p>\n

Halyn spoke. \u201cYou are correct. That is why the Council appointed an Ul\u2019akhoi.\u201d She could feel his wariness, almost hear his thoughts. \u201cI am responsible for the defense of Iridonia, not this Council. Until this war is over, I do not answer to the Council.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you do,\u201d Achick said, turning his venom on Halyn. \u201cThe Council granted you power\u2014the Council can revoke it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The younger Zabrak shook his head. \u201cThe law is very clear on this point\u2014I hold the office of Ul\u2019akhoi until the crisis has passed. There is nothing you can do about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d Achick asked, his smile broad. \u201cI believe there is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie shook her head.\u00a0What trump card is he holding?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd thus it ends,\u201d a voice murmured.<\/p>\n

The Jedi turned to the Zabrak woman standing beside her. \u201cHello, Alyce,\u201d she said quietly to her mother-in-law.<\/p>\n

\u201cA pity, really,\u201d the elder woman said. \u201cWe would have preferred not to be forced into this route. The death of your brother will be a pity, but the safety of Iridonia is far more important than Clan Sanshir.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie found her lightsaber in her hand. \u201cWhat?\u201d she hissed. \u201cYou do know there\u2019s no appeasing the Yuuzhan Vong, don\u2019t you? They will destroy us all if you try.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alyce waved to the assembly. \u201cHardly. Listen and learn, child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI propose,\u201d Achick was saying, \u201cthat we elect a new Ul\u2019akhoi. One who has not let the Yuuzhan Vong profane our soil with their feet. One who can beat back these invaders, not allow them to proceed unchecked into our space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie\u2019s jaw dropped open.\u00a0Another Ul\u2019akhoi?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d Sandarie whispered in her ear.<\/p>\n

The Zabrak Jedi resisted the urge to take her lightsaber after Alyce and turned to the Twi\u2019lek. \u201cIt\u2019s a power struggle,\u201d she said. \u201cTechnically, once an Ul\u2019akhoi is appointed, they are supreme leader until the conditions of their selection has been met\u2014in this case, until the Yuuzhan Vong have been driven out of Iridonia space. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d Ceikeh picked up smoothly, \u201cthere\u2019s nothing in the law that says the Council can\u2019t appoint another Ul\u2019akhoi.\u201d<\/p>\n

The beautiful Twi\u2019lek frowned. \u201cSo what would happen?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA blood challenge,\u201d Kativie said. \u201cIt\u2019s a deliberate insult, for one. And there\u2019s\u00a0 no other way in the law to resolve a conflict like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, Halyn is going to have to fight the guy speaking?\u201d Sandi asked doubtfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, he\u2019ll have to fight whoever is the appointed Ul\u2019akhoi.\u201d Ceikeh\u2019s voice was low and tense.<\/p>\n

Achick was still speaking. \u201cI humbly submit, then, that the Council appoint as Ul\u2019akhoi, Jram of Clan Lusp.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kativie stared.\u00a0They\u2019re making a power play<\/em>, she thought numbly.\u00a0We\u2019re about a half-meter away from a coup.<\/em>\u00a0She could only continue to stare as her brother-in-law, a Zabrak ten years Halyn\u2019s junior, confidently strode into the center of the Council. He wore only breeches, and his relative youth made him look powerful compared to the older, somewhat raggedly-dressed Halyn. A zhaboka was slung over his back, its blades polished and gleaming in the dim light.<\/p>\n

Alyce\u2019s voice whispered in her ear. \u201cNow, Kativie Sanshir, you see what Clan Lusp is. It\u2019s why you\u2019ve never truly been one of us, why you\u2019ll always be a Sanshir. You do not have the heart to do what is necessary, either for your clan or your world.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Council\u2019s vote was tense, but Kativie no longer dared feel out the emotions of the councilors through the Force. Anger and betrayal fought for her heart, and she knew that to draw on the Force now would likely mean she\u2019d throttle Alyce or slam Achick against a wall.<\/p>\n

The vote was close, but Jram Lusp won an affirmation by a bare two-vote majority.<\/p>\n

Through it all, Halyn was stone-faced. When the vote was finished, his voice was quiet, but ice cold and deliberate. \u201cI do not recognize this Council\u2019s authority to replace me,\u201d he said evenly. \u201cAnd I will not be insulted like this.\u201d He turned to face Jram. \u201cYou have a choice to step away from this.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the younger Zabrak shook his head, Halyn\u2019s next words froze Kativie\u2019s heart. \u201cThen I\u2019ll have to kill you.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Halyn spent a moment focusing his thoughts. Already, Jram was limbering up, swinging the zhaboka through a few familiar katas. The older Zabrak ignored him, ignored everything as he slowly narrowed his focus.<\/p>\n

He shed the command jacket he had worn, giving it to Sandarie to hold. His eyes closed, he concentrated.<\/p>\n

This is for everything, Halyn. This is too important to make a mistake. The fate of Iridonia, of all Zabraks, may very well rest in the outcome of this fight. Your brother already died for this cause, and a lot more people, maybe even you, will also give their lives for it. This is too important to risk letting some clan who is trying to acquire power make a move on you. You\u2019re the Ul\u2019akhoi\u2014and for a good reason. You\u2019re the Ul\u2019akhoi that Iridonia needs right now. You can\u2019t lose.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then Kativie\u2019s whisper was in his ear. \u201cYou can do this, Halyn. You may not be a Jedi, but everything\u2019s riding on you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d he murmured. \u201cThank you, Katie.\u201d<\/p>\n

He could hear the smile in her voice. \u201cKick his ass, Halyn.\u201d<\/p>\n

He opened his eyes and took the zhaboka his little sister offered. He flicked it around once to check the balance and weight; nodding with satisfaction, he held the traditional weapon in a two-handed grip.<\/p>\n

Jram was whirling his zhaboka through fantastic patterns, all fluid grace and movement. Above the din in the Council room\u2014more than a few side conversations had started\u2014Halyn could not hear what Achick or Alyce were saying to their second-born son.\u00a0No doubt offering him some last-second advice on how to beat a Sanshir<\/em>, Halyn thought grimly.<\/p>\n

\u201cElibet!\u201d Halyn shouted. The room began to quiet. \u201cBegin this fight!\u201d<\/p>\n

The head of the Council inclined her head and moved to the center of the open space. Jram Lusp stepped away from his parents and moved into the center of the room, standing before Elibet. Halyn matched him step for step, coming to a stop opposite the younger Zabrak.<\/p>\n

\u201cShow your respect,\u201d Elibet said quietly, for only the two combatants to hear, \u201cand then the fight is on. It ends when one has yielded or died.\u201d Her tone held no hint as to which she thought was the better outcome, nor whom she\u2019d prefer to see the victor.<\/p>\n

Halyn expected no less. He was fairly certain she wanted him to win, just as he was certain she was prepared to live with the consequences. He and Jram both bowed deeply before Elibet, rose, and turned to each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry it had to be this way,\u201d Jram offered. \u201cMy brother Hakk has nothing but the deepest respect for you, Halyn Sanshir, but you\u2019ve already failed. It\u2019s time for you to step aside and allow someone else to lead us to victory\u2014you\u2019ve tasted nothing but defeat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d rather not kill my sister\u2019s brother-in-law,\u201d Halyn replied evenly, \u201cbut you have no idea what warfare is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jram\u2019s dark blue eyes glittered with ice, and then he and Halyn bowed to each other.<\/p>\n

As Halyn began to straighten, Jram lashed out with his zhaboka. On pure instinct, Halyn ducked aside and saw the steel of a blade flash by his head, then retract.<\/p>\n

Cheers and shouts of disapproval competed for volume as Halyn withdrew a half-step, bringing his zhaboka up defensively. Jram\u2019s expression showed no regret at the treacherous attack. Halyn suppressed a smile.\u00a0Bending the rules. I should\u2019ve thought of it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jram stepped in aggressively, the zhaboka flurrying with blows left and right as the younger Zabrak took advantage of his speed to try to force Halyn back onto his heels.<\/p>\n

He was completely unprepared for Halyn\u2019s response. Instead of moving to block, Halyn dropped his own zhaboka and sprang forward, his hands wrapping around the zhaboka\u2019s length and moving chest-to-chest with Jram. With the two combatants so close, the zhaboka\u2019s blades were out of play\u2014Jram would need to withdraw in order to use them, and Halyn wasn\u2019t giving him the space to do so.<\/p>\n

The younger Zabrak started to wrestle for control of the weapon, but Halyn brought his knee into up into the other\u2019s groin. Jram lost all his breath and started to tumble backward, but Halyn wouldn\u2019t let him. A headbutt opened gashes on Jram\u2019s forehead and face, and Halyn released the zhaboka with one hand to smash it into the other\u2019s nose.\u00a0Then<\/em>\u00a0he allowed the other to fall back, kicking Jram\u2019s wrist and forcing him to release the zhaboka.<\/p>\n

Jram sprawled across the floor, stunned. Halyn tossed the Lusp\u2019s zhaboka aside and, with a flick of his foot, recovered his own. Before Jram could rise, the Ul\u2019akhoi rested the zhaboka\u2019s blade against the other\u2019s throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow,\u201d Halyn said coldly, his voice echoing oddly in the stunned silence of the Council room, \u201cyou have two options. You can yield, pick up your zhaboka, and join the Zabrak warriors who are even now fighting to keep the Yuuzhan Vong out of Rak\u2019Edalin. Or I can empty your blood onto the Council floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jram stared up at him with hatred. \u201cAre you too cowardly to finish me?\u201d he taunted.<\/p>\n

Halyn snorted. \u201cEither your death will mean something to the defense of our people, or it won\u2019t. I\u2019m beyond caring right now.\u201d His voice dropped in tone, limiting its range so only the nearest could hear it. \u201cThe only reason I give you this much choice is the respect I have for your brother Hakk, and how well he\u2019s treated Kativie. If it were only you and your parents, and your attempt to undermine me, you\u2019d already be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something softened in Jram\u2019s eyes. \u201cI\u2019ll fight,\u201d he said softly. \u201cI\u2019ll fight the Yuuzhan Vong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn turned away from him without another word. He lifted the zhaboka until its blade aimed at Achick, as though it were a blaster and Halyn could eliminate him with a pull of the trigger. \u201cYou<\/em>, on the other hand,\u201d he said coldly, \u201care living on borrowed time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Something ran into his left eye and blinded him. He turned away from the Lusps and tossed the zhaboka back to Kativie, and took back his jacket which Sandarie was offering. He wiped his face on the uniform, then looked down to realize it was spotted red. He frowned and reached up, feeling. When he brought his fingers before his eyes, they were red and sticky. \u201cHuh,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got a piece of you with that first shot,\u201d Nisia provided helpfully.<\/p>\n

Halyn nodded, then shrugged his jacket on and turned back towards the Lusps and the Council. \u201cYou\u2019re fools,\u201d he said disdainfully. \u201cYou\u2019ve wasted time and energy that should\u2019ve been spent on the defense of Iridonia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you had defended our world competently,\u201d Achick managed, his tone subdued by the unexpected reversal, \u201cwe wouldn\u2019t have needed to challenge you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn snorted. \u201cMost fools know when they\u2019re beaten.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Yuuzhan Vong are even now at our gates!\u201d Achick snarled. \u201cYour defense has failed, Sanshir. You\u2019re going to be the death of all of us!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should leave the fighting to warriors,\u201d Halyn returned coldly. \u201cThey would understand what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on? The Yuuzhan Vong have setup a blockade! Our fleet has fled, and now the Yuuzhan Vong have begun to march across Iridonia!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA warrior,\u201d Halyn shouted, \u201cwould\u2019ve understood that our fleet could never defend Iridonia!\u201d<\/p>\n

Shocked silence followed his pronouncement. He plunged on heedlessly. \u201cThe Yuuzhan Vong smashed their way through half of the New Republic\u2019s fleet to take Coruscant! Even with every turbolaser and proton torpedo we could bring to bear, we would never have held the Vong at bay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you Sanshirs sacrificed our two most powerful ships,\u201d Achick countered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0Maria<\/em>\u00a0and the\u00a0Yali<\/em>\u00a0would\u2019ve been insignificant next to the fleet the Vong brought to bear,\u201d Halyn pointed out. \u201cWe always knew we could never keep the Yuuzhan Vong off Iridonia. Short of the New Republic giving us one of their fleets, we never had the firepower we\u2019d need to keep them away. Ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

More silence filled the space after his statement. Finally, he continued. \u201cThe defense of Iridonia would always come down to this. We knew it from the day the Yuuzhan Vong razed Ithor. Even then, the wisest minds who were brought in to arrange our defenses admitted it\u2014there was no way we could keep these invaders from forming a blockade and landing on our soil.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo our defense is all for naught?\u201d Achick spat. \u201cOur warriors fight and die for nothing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Halyn said. \u201cBecause we don\u2019t have to beat them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Achick laughed as the rest of the Council continued to watch in disbelieving silence. \u201cWhat, are you going to make peace with them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Halyn ignored the question. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to win. We have to\u00a0not lose<\/em>. Every day our warriors hold out, every day our starfighter squadrons can maintain air cover, every day the Yuuzhan Vong fail to beat us into submission, brings the galaxy a chance for victory.\u201d<\/p>\n

The head of the Lusps sneered. \u201cWhat, you think by us fighting here, the New Republic will somehow miraculously come in and save the day? That the same New Republic that\u2019s been on the back foot since the very beginning will somehow rally and beat the Vong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d better hope so,\u201d Halyn said coldly. \u201cBecause if the New Republic falls, the Yuuzhan Vong will bring their full might to bear on us, on the Imperial Remnant, on Hapes\u2014and without the New Republic, we\u00a0will<\/em>\u00a0fall.\u201d He looked around the room. \u201cUnderstand this. Iridonia will hold the line here against the Yuuzhan Vong, but the New Republic must win the war if we are to survive here. It\u2019s why I sent our fleet away: they could accomplish nothing more here, but the addition of their firepower to the New Republic\u2019s surviving battle groups could be critical in turning the tide of the war.\u201d<\/p>\n

He turned away from the Council and marched towards the door, his friends and sister falling in behind him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be the death of us all,\u201d Achick screamed.<\/p>\n

The Ul\u2019akhoi didn\u2019t stop. \u201cI\u2019m the best chance the Zabraks have left of surviving this invasion,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m done with this Council. I have a war to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kelta watched Halyn depart with several of his trusted members in tow.\u00a0That would have been me, once, she reflected.\u00a0So much has changed between us. She allowed the Force to seep into her perceptions, carrying her information from near and far. … 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-92","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-njo-siege"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p52rlt-1u","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92","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=92"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92\/revisions\/105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=92"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=92"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writingunderduress.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=92"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}