CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"We've lost Green Five!"
Gorshun gritted his teeth. The Battle of Kaal hadn't even lasted five minutes and already Alliance fighters were beginning to drop like flies. When Green Squadron and Mynock Squad's freighter had exited hyperspace, they were immediately greeted by a starship so large, it obscured the planet of Kaal from view.
When the Vindication and her fleet had arrived at the same time, Gorshun was almost certain that they would be able to bring down the ship.
So much for that, he thought.
Blaster fire continued to hail down on him from the titanic spacecraft, forcing him to veer and make sharp turns, at some points almost causing him to crash into another starfighter.
"We can't go on like this, Green Leader," said Gorshun's wingmate, the Mon Calamari Rylo. "We're either gonna all die or be forced to retreat."
"If Admiral Maltar is in command of the fleet, that last one won't be an option." The old Duros was always defiant like that, his motto being Make the best out of any battle.
Gorshun heard Rylo sigh through his comlink. "So we have no choice but to fight and die, is that it?"
The leader of Green Squadron nodded to himself, his face grim. "That about sums it up..."
* * *
"The planet's defense systems have been destroyed, sir," one of General Starka's advisors reported.
Without turning to the officer, instead watching the progress of the battle with the Alliance's fleet, Starka said, "Very good. And what of the inhabitants? Are they doing anything to fight back?"
The advisor chuckled lightly. "Those who are still alive are running in disarray."
Starka nodded with satisfaction. "I didn't expect much resistance from a mere luxury world. Inform the fleet to cease their attack and take the flagship down there so that I may address the natives."
The officer nodded. "And what about the Alliance fleet?"
"Oh, them." The general waved a nonchalant hand. "Eliminate them. Force them to retreat. I don't care. They have failed to prove themselves as a challenge and are thus unworthy of my attention."
"As you command, General Starka." Bowing, the officer turned on his heels and moved to carry out his orders.
* * *
The old Duros' body stood rigid on the Vindication's bridge. His large, unblinking eyes stared out the viewport, watching the fighters of Rogue and Green Squadron fly around aimlessly, trying to evade the large Glorian ship's firepower.
So focused was he on the one-sided battle that he barely heard Captain Marria speaking. "Admiral? Admiral!"
Maltar turned his head sharply to her, his eyes a darker shade of red than usual. Hoarsely, the Duros asked, "Yes, Captain? What is it?"
Marria briefly recoiled, startled by the admiral's sudden change in behavior. Hesitantly, she said, "The other captains have suggested that we should retreat. We have just lost more than half of Green Squadron, a quarter of Blade Squadron, and at least two of Rogue Squadron."
Maltar's eyes burned- with what, Marria could not tel. "Only cowards flee, captain," the admiral growled. "Are you suggesting that we be cowards?"
Marria did her best to not show her nervousness, squaring her shoulders. "No, sir. I'm suggesting that we should be smart and escape before we waste more lives."
The Duros' body began to shudder with fury. "I am in command here, captain! I am the one giving out the orders here, and I say that we stay here and fight!"
"Die, you mean," Marria muttered. She crossed her arms, adopting a defiant manner. "We are returning to Mon Cala. Now."
Shaking uncontrollably, Maltar opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by a Ho'Din officer crying, "Sirs, incoming!"
Marria and Maltar were barely able to turn their heads in time to see the fired projectile before it hit the bridge.
* * *
The explosion could be seen from everywhere. The inferno erupted from the missile like a blanket of flame, enveloping the Vindication like a large hand would a pebble. When the fire vanished, all that was left of the Alliance cruiser were a scarce few pieces of wreckage. And if that wasn't enough for the remaining Alliance fleet, the sight of the Glorian flagship preparing to fire another projectile should have been suffice.
It was all the captain of the next ship in the chain of command could do to muster the word, "Retreat."
* * *
"I...take it that you two know each other?" Jaden said, breaking the tense silence that had lingered between Muur's accomplice and the mysterious newcomer, whom the former had called Shadow.
"A bit two well," Shadow muttered. "Isn't that right, Violet?"
Jaden glanced at the purple-clad woman, who visible tensed. "Care explaining why you're here?" she asked.
"You know why." Shadow pointed at Ven'sol, but Jaden could see that he was actually pointing at the talisman around the possessed Jedi's neck.
"You are aware of my mission, correct?" the cloaked man said to Violet. "The Watcher requires all Sith artifacts found...and destroyed."
Violet glowered at him. "To this day you are still blinded by the Watcher's ideals. You still fail to realize the power these Sith relics hold!"
"And you continue to advocate their ideals," Shadow remarked. "You yourself have failed to see the disasters the Sith have brought to the galaxy."
"What you see as disasters, I see as miracles. The galaxy thrived the strongest under Palpatine's rule."
"The same man who used the galaxy as a dejarik board? The same man who started a civil war and became the indirect cause of another? The same man who expected the entire galactic population to follow him, and him only?"
When Violet did not reply, Shadow chuckled. "All these many, many years and you still have yet to come up with a satisfying and convincing answer to those questions."
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Muur's spirit suddenly said, "but are you suggesting that the Sith have been nothing but a...nuisance for the galaxy?"
Shadow nodded. "More or less, yes."
The ancient Sith Lord cackled. "Then you must believe that the Jedi are the 'rightful solution' to the galaxy's problems."
"Wrong," Shadow said. "Take this into consideration: if the Jedi- or perhaps their ancestors, the Je'daii- had not been created, then neither would Ajunta Pall's Sith Empire. If Pall's empire had not been created, then, if the Daragons had still discovered Korriban, then the Sith would unlikely have had evolved to the mindset of wanting to invade the Republic. And if they didn't invade the Republic, then hardly any of the Sith Wars would have happened as a result.
"Plus, had Pall not found the Sith, people like Naga Sadow and Marka Ragnos would not have been born, for they were the results of the hybridization of their people. And thus they would not have exist to inspire future Sith Lords like Darth Bane and Palpatine.
"Thus, it all narrows down to the Jedi. The Jedi have been the cause for...nearly everything. Which means both they and the Sith must be eradicated to acquire peace. Starting with you, Karness Muur, as well as the Jedi Korr."
From two sheaths on his hips, Shadow brought out two blades, both sparkling with energy. "If you don't mind," he said, "I would like this confrontation to be a little challenge."
Muur chuckled in response. "Why not kill two mynocks with one stone and destroy the entire galaxy while you're at it?"
Shadow said nothing, standing still as if considering this. Finally, much to Jaden's surprise, the cloaked man placed his weapons back into their sheaths.
"A sound idea," he said. "Of course, while I am not able to do as you suggest, I have just the thing to 'kill two mynocks with one stone.'"
Shadow gave a sharp snap of his fingers and the ground suddenly trembled. Before either Jaden or Muur could prepare themselves, a large, shape-less mass burst through the walls, bellowing loudly as its plethora of corded muscle and nerve tendrils took on the shape of massive arms.
It was Violet who voiced the question Jaden was thinking. "What...is that thing?"
"A Gen'Dai I encountered on Seoul Five," Shadow replied. "He calls himself Morge. But you can call him your worst nightmare."
With a gesture from his master, the Gen'Dai lunged at Jaden, moving too fast for the Jedi Knight to activate his lightsaber...
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