Post by Marcus Starkiller on Mar 28, 2005 18:28:18 GMT -5
STAR WARS
Fall of the Jedi Order
By John Bandow
Dedicated to those at Starkiller’s Pride
Raxtin Minor, In the Outer Rim:
It is now the third and final year of the Clone Wars. The fighting on the planet Raxtin Minor has been going on for more then a year now. Horkon and Zul Sunskimmer’s forces have only recently joined the fray of battle. This planet sided with Count Dooku during the start of the conflict and the Republic has been fighting to regain their hold on the system. A clone officer known as Doz makes his report. The Corellian fox, Horkon just listens.
Commander Doz: General Sunskimmer, our forces are being pushed back in Sector 5. Seps are gaining the upper hand. We are being over run. I suggest you order a retreat.
Horkon: No, we must push on. We can’t let Dooku win.
Commander Doz: Yes General.
Horkon: And bring me a gunship.
Commander Doz: Sir.
The fighting continues and the Republic losses their foothold in the sector as the new crimson red D-90 super battle droids shred the clones to pieces. Zul is caught in the crossfire and drops to the ground, a blaster burn above her right breast, just missing her neck.
Zul: Hel… help m… me!
Horkon charges into the hordes of droids as one of the D-90’s locks it’s wrist mounted blaster onto the wounded female Jedi. Before it can end the life of the young female cheetah, a bright green blade of pure energy severs the droids arm and with a second sweep, the droid is cut down the middle. Horkon grabs Zul (whom he married in secret) in his arms as he used the Force to clear a path through the ranks of droids. The LAAT/i Republic gunship slowly descends from above and spirits away the Jedi couple.
Horkon: Pilot! Get us to headquarters, now!
Clone Pilot: Roger.
The gunship maneuvers like an out of control fighter craft, avoiding flak and missiles from the ground emplacements. A pair of ARC 170 clone starfighters come screaming out of the clouds from behind and take out a lone Vulture Droid starfighter that was on the gunships tail in a blaze of blaster cannon fire. The s-foils on the two fighters close as the three craft approach the temporary Republic camp. The LAAT/i lands as the two fighters continue their patrol of the perimeter. Zul is fading fast and is rushed into one of the bases five bacta tanks for treatment. Horkon leaves his love in the skilled hands of the camps Rimsoo personnel and medic droids, he had other things to attend to. The mid aged fox arrived at the main tent which contained a holographic map of the area within ten sectors of the base. Commander Doz is going over what had gone wrong at the battle and is startled when Horkon speaks.
Horkon: Any news from the front?
Commander Doz: Wh..!? Oh, sorry General. I didn’t see you come in. What was your question?
Horkon: I was wondering how the fighting is going on the front lines.
Commander Doz: Not to well, I’m afraid. We’ve lost nearly 30% of our battalions personel and ordinance within a five day period. Where’s Zul? I thought she would be here.
Horkon: She… was injured during the evac. The medics are doing their best to patch her up. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what I would do without her.
Commander Doz just looks up at the worried Jedi from behind his plastoid armor helmet, then turns his attention back to the hologram readout of the fighting.
Back in the medical ward, an FX-6 medical droid monitors Zul’s vital signs. The healing effects of the bacta are already repairing damaged tissue. The tank to the right of her is currently occupied by a severely injured clone trooper, who’s legs are missing and his face is covered in burns. Meanwhile in the main tent, Horkon is going through the lists of the dead and missing.
Horkon: Master Juis, MIA… Padawan Erk Voln, KIA… Commander Codoe, KIA… the list keeps going.
Commander Doz: I know sir. Commander Codoe is… or was like a brother to me. We came from the same batch of clones, we fought along side each other, ate with each other. Most people believe that we clones don’t feel pain when we lose one of our own, it’s not true. I am going to miss him, just like all my ‘brothers’ who have fallen in battle.
Horkon: It’s alright trooper… We have all lost people we care about because of this war.
A young border collie Jedi Padawan named Tusnor Riqc runs into the tent, her fur covered face covered in dirt and blood.
Tusnor: Master… I mean General Sunskimmer, the Separatists have taken three more of our redoubts. Supplies have been cut off to our forces too the east. I… I barely made it out alive.
She collapses to the dirt floor from exhaustion. A ‘nameless’ clone trooper carries her to the med center.
Horkon: This real-estate is getting very hard to hold onto. And were are those reinforcements that we called for?
Commander Doz: The reinforcements didn’t make it. Their ships had been picked off before they could even land.
Horkon lifts his right hand to his forehead and lets out a frustrated sigh.
Horkon: We’re on our own then.
Commander Doz: Yes sir…<br>
Horkon: Blast…<br>
The Corellian Jedi leaves the tent and goes to check on Zul. He finds her being helped out of the bacta tank by one of the Rimsoo nurses. Zul glances at Horkon and smiles. After taking a shower to remove what little bacta was left on her, Zul was allowed to go to her quarters/tent. Zul is meditating when Horkon enters.
Zul: There you are… I was beginning to wonder when you would show up.
Horkon: Well, you know me… Anyway, I have some bad news. The Seps are currently amassing a large army and are en route to our location as we speak. Commander Doz believes that none of us will survive the coming battle. But the future is uncertain, unlike our love for each other.
