Chapter 1: Baptism By Fire

[Mara 29]

Kaden grimaced as he pulled out another dead stormie.

Man, these guys are heavy... And my arm is killing me.

He knew a blaster bolt had scraped past his shoulder, so he started pulling off his pieces of white armor to take a look at it. Once in his plain gray flightsuit, he noticed a lot more burns in the fabric, especially around the parts where the armor didn't cover him so well. They all looked fairly shallow and minor to him, but that didn't mean they didn't sting.

He stretched a bit after being in the constricting armor before going to a debris pile. That mess was a lot lighter to clean up.

[Rogue 4]

Layla rolled her eyes. He was giving her meaningless stuff to do. He could have simply gotten on the comm and said, 'if you're injured, get to med bay.'

Which was exactly what she was going to do now.

She pulled out her comm, grinning sweetly at him as she opened it to their general channel. "Anybody with any kind of injury head to med-bay to get looked at as soon as possible."

She put the comm away, crossing her arms. "Now what do you want me to do?"

[Drake 53]

Takeshi rolled his eyes back at her. "Well, Miss Smartass, you can go make yourself useful down in the engine room and..."

He paused as Captain Tunon and Jya returned to the bridge. Aeric began making his way over to them.

"Just hold on a second," he said to Layla as Aeric approached.

"Sitrep, Officer Beskar?" the Captain asked.

"We've sent a few of the astromechs to the engine room to start repairs," Tak explained. "We estimate another hour and a half until the coolant system is repaired. Also, I believe Officer Vaar has been working on converting the ship's protocol droids to help us move unconsious crewmen to the detention level."

"Yes, we saw some at work on the way back here," Aeric said. "Anything else?"

"Actually there is one other thing, sir. Officer Kendall took the liberty to rename the ship."

Aeric's eyes lit up slightly. "And?"

Takeshi smiled. "Well sir, we will be riding to Coruscant on the Revenant."

Aeric tried to stifle a grin but failed. "Very good. Now, is that all, Officer?"

"Yes, Captain. But...if you don't mind, I would like to take Officer Nasrin down to the engine room to see to Lieutenant Daragon's body."

The Captain turned to the forward window, his eyes looking distant and unfocused.

"Sir?" asked Tak.

Aeric shifted back into the moment and looked back at Takeshi and Layla. "Yes, of course. Bring him to the medlab. Nima should be able to clean him up and prepare him for our return to Coruscant."

Tak and Layla saluted then left the bridge.

[Rogue 4]

Once the doors closed behind them, Layla turned to Tak. "I still can't believe that the same guy we saw run from the bridge took down the Dragon, and sent Lieutenant Riamor to the medbay. What...what happened down there?"

[Drake 53]

Takeshi looked saddened. Though he and Lieutenant Daragon had not spoken much during their time on the base, he felt as though they had connected on some level. They had developed a bond of comradrie through battle. To a Mandalorian, that meant the loss of a brother.

After a moment, he spoke, "We hunted that Imperial di'kut to the engine room. He had somehow gotten himself into a Hazard trooper suit. Basically, he became a walking tank. You'll see the thing and understand what I'm talking about. Anyway, the strike team split up with Jareth and I going one way and Nat with Jya going the other. At one point, I suppose, Lieutenant Riamor got too close to a blast and took a pipe to the leg allowing Daragon and I to get to the top level first. After we were up, the Imperial blew the lifts leading up. He practically knocked me from the platform we were on."

He took a deep breath, reliving the memory in every detail. He could feel the strain in his fingers as he gripped that platform grating as his life depended on it. He could smell the ozone as the Stouker beam burned through the air and charred flesh as Jareth's lower body was obliterated.

They exited the lift and continued on down the hall. As Aeric had said, there were a few protocol droids dragging the comatose bodies of Imperial crewmen to the detention level.

Takeshi continued, "The Captain shot Jareth but he didn't die. With his last ounce of strength and rage, he blew a hole in the hazard suit and rammed his blaster into the chestpiece. It was set to overload. I'll never forget what Jareth said before he died. He roared, 'Now you'll see why they call me Dragon!' Heh. The fireball proved him right. That Imperial scum was blown clear of the platform and down three levels below where he landed on his head."

[Rogue 4]

"Wow...well, I wouldn't expect any less from Jareth." Layla reached over, rubbing Tak's back to try to comfort him. Hearing that was enough, but seeing it...? Those were the kind of things that kept one awake at night, and although she was sure that he'd seen many such things before, both as a Mandalorian and as a BlackOps agent, it was never easy.

Layla also knew from experience, although it was probably not as extensive as his.

"He didn't earn that reputation for nothing...and he was very well known for his skills and knowledge with weapons. I know of a few undergrounds on Corellia that swore by his blasters, and a few that would have given their firstborns to have him in their payroll." She half-smiled over at him. It was hard for a Zeltron to be upset, and they constantly had to look on the bright side...but there wasn't much good that came from death.

[Drake 53]

"Yes, I have see his handiwork before though I never met him before this assignment." They boarded the second lift and began riding it down to the engine level. "His life, and that of Atzena, had an impact on us and those who knew them. In a way, they will live on in all of us."

[Rogue 4]

She nodded. "I'm sure when we arrive on Coruscant he'll get the military funeral he deserves...I just wish we could give Atzena the same. I don't envy the person who has to tell their families what happened..."

[Mara 29]

Kaden knew his blaster burns were pretty minor so he opted not to go to the medbay, instead he continued on clearing up debris. The bridge was almost looking normal now. Normal up until the point where there were New Republic fighter pilots on board instead of Imperial officers.

He smiled a little to himlself. He had never thought at any time in life, and he had done a lot of things in his small lifetime, that he'd ever end up at the controls of an Imperial starship. It wasn't a SD, but an Interdictor was still a pretty big deal.

And in about a day or so he'd be back on Coruscant along with the others. Coruscant. It had been a long time since he had been there...

[Drake 53]

Takeshi and Layla continued in silence, riding the next lift down to the engine room. When they walked in and saw the scorch marks on the walls and blackened craters in the durasteel floor, Tak's mind momentarily flashed back to the battle.

"It looks like a warzone in here..." remarked Layla, pulling Tak from his reverie.

"Yeah," he said. "It was."

They spotted Kaden, Jaim and Nat's droids working on the coolant system that was connected to the main reactor in the middle of the room. The astromechs were busy reconnecting and welding circuits, jacking into the system, and purging the coolant lines to pay them much attention so the two continued around the reactor. Before them lay the body of the Imperial Captain. He lay on his back, still in his suit, so they couldn't see his face. His chest piece was practically gone, now just a blackened and bloodied mangle of metal, wires, and flesh.

"We should have it thrown in the garbage masher...or vented to space," said Tak with a look of hatred in his eyes.

[Rogue 4]

Layla took his hand, pulling him away from it. Pulling his gaze away so he wouldn't think about it. "So where's Jareth?"

[Drake 53]

Tak pointed up three levels to the platform sticking out from the wall. "Up there. We took the long way up because we had little time to think about it but," he looked around, "there should be a lift straight up to the top. Ah, over here."

They found the lift and rode it up to the top level. Several metres to their right lay Jareth's body. In his left hand was clutched his blaster rifle. A look of peace was on his pale face, a contrast to the burned and tattered lower half of his body.

[Rogue 4]

She raised a hand to cover her mouth, not expecting the sight before her. That Imperial nerfherder did that to him?!

The anger and sorrow she felt came through her pheromones. She wished she'd known him better, that she'd spent more time getting to understand the man behind the blaster.

The smell of burned flesh rose to her nostrils, bringing back a string of other painful memories. She knelt down beside him. "I don't understand how people can do something like this...and have a clear conscience."

[Drake 53]

"It's just one more mark against the Empire," said Tak with a hint of anger in his voice.

***

Takeshi ran across the rocky plateau. He was merely a teenager but he was built as an adult. That had come from his warrior training. Now he sprinted across the open terrain, his Mandalorian armour aiding his speed. A knot formed in his throat as the sounds of blaster fire grew louder over his helmet's speakers.

At the edge of the plateau, he came to a halting stop before tumbling over the steep cliff and the deadly one hundred metre drop. Below was his clan's village.

It burned.

Imperial Stormtroopers marched between the buildings razing everything in their path and stunning any of his family they saw. They were here for his clan, Tak knew. The Imperials had recently built a laboratory on Kuar to house and test pathogens. It would seem that they wanted bigger test subjects than just nerfs this time. They wanted humans to test on now.

Takeshi wished he had been given his jetpack but he was not yet trained in its use. That would have helped in the descent down the cliff. All he had on him was a pair of blasters and a dagger his father had given him. He had been hunting combat arachnids in the wilderness, as the last part of his trials into adulthood. He had slain one of the beasts and painted his armour with its black blood. It was then that his father, Falco Skirata, called him back, telling him to prepare for battle. That was all he had said and Tak feared that it would be the last.

Indeed, at the far end of the village, he saw his father and mother. They were fighting what seemed like a platoon of Stormtroopers along side a handful of other clansmen and women. All were clad in their armour and all fought as Mandalorians possessed with the spirit of Mandalore himself. Tak could see why. The adults had barricaded themselves in front of the large building that served as the clan's meeting hall and school.

They were protecting the children.

Takeshi panicked. He managed find a safe route down the cliff and began to climb down as fast as he could. Constantly, he looked over his shoulder only to find that more and more of his clan were on the ground, either dead or stunned so that they could be murdered later by the Emperor's twisted plagues. He saw his father again, beheading a Stormtrooper in one powerful sweep of his katana. Tak's mother, too, weilded a sword. Her yellow armour splashed with the red blood of the cowards that came at her with blaster rifles.

He was halfway down the cliff when Tak saw his mother take a hit to the chest. She lurched backwards, righted herself, then was hit by more. Her katana dropped to the dirt and she dropped to her knees. She pulled her sidearm and shot a Stormtrooper in the face before falling, dead. Seeing this, Falco went into a rage, forsaking cover and safety in exchange for killing as many Imperials as he could. His father's carelessness for himself led to his downfall. It took a dozen blaster hits before he fell.

Soon, all of the adults were either dead or unconsious on the ground.

The doors of the meeting hall flew open and five young teens rushed out, firing blasters at the overwhelming number of Imperials. One girl, Tak recognized her as his childhood friend and crush, Kira, picked up Falco's sword. Kira was a year younger than Takeshi and only beginning her trials but she knew combat and managed to down two troopers before getting hit by stun bolts. The Stormtroopers quickly put down the other four teens then moved into the meeting hall where they were no doubt subduing the other children.

Takeshi's heart nearly broke at the sight of his parents and friends being gunned down. He hurried his descent but he already knew that he would be too late to help. There was nothing he would be able to do except get himself killed or captured.

He reached the bottom of the cliff when a weak voice came over his comm. It was his father's. Amazingly, he still lived! Tak was filled with hope. "Takeshi...Tak, stay away. Don't come back to the village, son. Stay away."

"Father!" Tak said over the comm. "I can't leave you! I won't fail my people!"

There was no answer. Takeshi was torn, he didn't know what to do. He decided to heed his father's words, no matter how much it pained him to do so. He waited outside of the village, in hiding, until the Stormtroopers left with their prisoners. There may still be a chance to save them later.

Tak ran through the streets of his village that now lay in flame and ruin. He found his father laying on the steps of the meeting hall. Takeshi threw off his helmet, tears burning his eyes as he removed his father's.

Falco's eyes cracked open.

"Father!" cried Takeshi.

"Son..." croaked Falco. "Takeshi...you have made me proud."

It was clear to Takeshi that his father would not make it much longer. His sheer force of will was all that stood between him and the long march of death.

"I have failed you all, father! I was not here to help!"

Falco smiled, the dried blood on his lips cracking. "No...you still live, son." His voice was but a whisper now. "Everything that...was mine, is now...yours."

"Buir..." Tak said in Mando'a.

Falco reached up and put a hand on Tak's shoulder. "Promise me..."

"Anything, father!" The tears were now pouring from Tak's face.

A flash of defiance appeared in Falco's eyes. "Do not fall...until they all burn!"

Tak nodded. "I promise you, father!'

Falco smiled and closed his eyes. His hand fell from Tak's shoulder and he died.

***

Takeshi was back in the moment. He was on the platform in the engine room overlooking the body of one of his vode an, brothers all. He remembered what was happening and turned to Layla, uttering, "I will not fall until they all burn."

[Rogue 4]

Layla could see the rage in his eyes, could feel his swirl of emotions through her pheromones. He had zoned out a moment before, going still, and she had seen his fist clench.

Jareth laying here...it must remind him of what happened on Kaur. He had never told her specifics, but she knew his family, his vode had died there. Died at the hands of the Empire as Jareth died now.

She stood, walking over to him, unsure of what to say. I need to say something though...but what could I possibly say to heal such pain?

"We all did the best we could...you know?" She placed a hand on his shoulder, gray eyes looking up into his face. "We all knew when we signed up for this the risks. We knew that we would be killing, and we knew the risk of being killed. Jareth knew that as well as any of us."

[Drake 53]

Tak nodded. "I know. At least their deaths meant something. Jareth and Atzena. They died so that we could live. Some people don't get the opportunity to prove themselves. It's just one more thing that pisses me off about the Empire."

Takeshi knelt beside Jareth's body and placed his arms over his chest. He picked Jareth up, cradling the damaged form in both arms.

"Let's get him to the medlab," said Tak.

[Rogue 4]

Layla nodded leading him towards the MedBay. She called ahead to let Nima know that they were coming,

[Drake 53]

It took them about fifteen minutes to walk to the medlab. Jareth's body was getting heavy in Takeshi's arms but he bore the burden.

Finally, they arrived and found Nima tending to Nat. When she looked up, the Twi'lek's eyes grew wide and her purple face paled slightly.

[Ender 8]

After checking on Hilts and doing a little tweaking of his own to the downed systems, Jaim returned to the bridge and walked to Captain Tunon.

"Sir, when we flew in here, I noticed down in the hangar that this ship's complement of shuttle seemed a bit more heavily modified than your typical Lambs. I was wondering if I could go down to the bays and check them out, see if they might come to be of use."

[Princess 35]

Nima had to grab the bed to steady herself. She swallowed and then spoke. "Put him in the other room. No one should have to see him like that. I'll clean him up the best that I can so that everyone can pay their respects. Is there any chance that he had a change of clothes in his fighter?"

[Drake 53]

Aeric nodded at Jaim's suggestion. "Go ahead, Jaim. It doesn't look like there is much else to do up here anyway. For now."

***

While Takeshi carried Jareth's body into the other room, Layla remained with Nima and Nat. She shrugged at Nima's question. "I don't know, he might have." When Tak came out again, she said, "We'll go to the hangar to see if he had any."

[Princess 35]

"Thank you. Death isn't pretty and he deserves some dignity." She walked back to the room that they laid Jaerth in. "Oh Jareth, you sacrificed so much. Let's take care of you." She leaned over him and carefully removed the shreds of his clothes. When she was done with that, she sewed the wound together. "Hon, if he did this to you and you survived for a few, I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like." Finally, Nima washed all the blood off of him. Tak and Layla hadn't returned yet, so she found a sheet and covered him with it.

[Drake 53]

On the way to the hangar bay, Tak and Layla crossed paths with Jaim.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he asked.

"Just going to Jareth's X-wing to see if he has a change of clothes," said Layla.

Jaim nodded. "And that needs two people?"

Tak smirked despite himself. "We're going up to the comm array next, wiseass. Where are you off to?"

"Going to check out the modded shuttles those Imps have stored in the hangar."

"Probably a good idea," said Tak.

Once they got to the hangar, Jaim took his leave and went over to where the shuttles were berthed. Layla and Tak looked around at the different X-wings that were scattered around the hangar deck.

"Which one is his?" asked Layla.

Takeshi looked around at the identical X-wings. "I have no idea."

"Well, each fighter comes with an identification code that gets painted just beneath the wings. Let me check." She opened up her comm. "Hey Sexy, come in."

There was an annoyed raspberry from the other end of the call.

"Let me try," said Tak. He got out his comm. "Sixxa, this is Tak."

An excited tweedle came from the comm.

"Would you happen to know the ID number for Revenant Niner's X-wing?" he asked.

There was a pause and then a string of bleeps and boops.

"How can you understand what he's saying?" asked a bewildered Layla.

Tak raised a hand to silence her as Sixxa finished relaying the code. "Hmm? Oh, I've spent time studying the language and I've been around a fair number of astromechs before. Sixxa says that Jareth's code is NRX-330859A."

Layla took a moment to recite it to herself a couple times then nodded. "Okay, let's get looking."

They split up, checking under the wings of the fighters to read the small codes painted onto the hulls. Finally, Layla found Jareth's. She climbed up and checked the storage compartment. "He has some more blasters, a couple novelpads, and here we go...his dress uniform?"

Tak shrugged. "I guess you never know when you need to look good. I suppose it's a good thing he brought it now. He deserves to look his best."

Layla nodded and climbed back down with the uniform. They made their way back to the medlab.

Edited July 29, 2007 by Drake

[Ender 8]

Jaim entered the shuttle bay and made his way to the nearest shuttle. He was surprised to find that the security was down on the shuttle.

"Lazy Imps can't even program the security system," he muttered, and entered the shuttle, sitting down in the pilot's seat. He brought up the Lambda's flight specs, and whistled. "Hot damn."

Just as he was reaching for his comlink, Jaim heard something drop to the deck behind him. Moving his hand instead to the holdout blaster at the small of his back, he brought it out and smoothly moved from the seat, holding the blaster up and at the ready. Suddenly, a startled Imperial deck hand appeared, with an E-11 leveled at him.

Panicking, the man pulled the trigger several times, but nothing happened. Calmly, Jaim walked up to him as the hand desperately tried to figure out what had gone wrong, and punched him in the face, dropping him to the steel floor with a heavy thud.

Jaim smiled as he picked up the Imperial's carbine. "Always check the safety."

Replacing his blaster, Jaim pulled out his comlink and activated it. "Eleven to Lead."

"Go ahead, Eleven."

"I've got something here. That Imperial Captain was a bit of a weapons-hog, let's say. Actually, that's an understatement. He's had this Lamb outfitted with more weaponry than I've ever seen on one. Concussion missiles, tractor beam, flares, and upper tier military-grade blaster cannons that I'm sure are illegal, for their caliber. From the looks of them, the other three are similarly equipped."

"Those could be quite handy."

"My thoughts exactly, sir. When we get back to Trip-Zero, we might want to ask Command if we can hang on to at least one of them."

"Anything else?"

"Two things. One, the flight ops for these are heavily encrypted. There might be even more toys hidden in here. If he's got a moment, AK might want to take a look."

"Ok, and the other?"

"A jumpy hangar tech tried to jump me, but he's now quite unconscious. I doubt he knows much, but Tak might like to have a word."

"I'll give him the word. Good work, Eleven."

"Thank you, sir. Eleven out."

[Andy 60]

Aston's comm beeped, so he put done the body he was moving from the bridge and wiped the sweat from his brow, "Kriff these guys are heavy..." He answered the comm, "Six here."

Aeric's voice came through, "Aston, if you're not busy at the moment could you head down to the forward launch bay? Eleven is there with some shuttles that seem to be hiding things in their computers."

"Okay sir, no problem."

"I'll let him know you're on your way."

Aston finished moving the body, then informed the others on the bridge that he was heading down to check out the shuttles, and then set out on his way, leaving Bucket in charge of the console just in case they needed anything doing.