Jack got out of the speeder and prepared his mechanical arm's built-in blaster. He had recently asked his astromech droid, R2-X7, to fit his super battle droid arm with a synthflesh covering for concealing it during missions.

Today, he put in out and carefully made sure it stayed in place no matter what, so, in case they were imprisoned, they would have a sure way out.

Jack looked up at the building above him. There were many of Rebels inside the building, no doubt. They would break in and complete their objective and get out of there. It would be risky and their lives were at stake, but, like any other campaign against the enemy, it had to be done.

Quickly checking over his blaster and making sure it worked properly, he glanced at the other members of Nazgul and gave them a simple nod to show that he was ready.

They gathered up their weapons - blasters, grenades, and so on - and began planning their strategy. They quickly came up with a good plan, and, leaving the speeders behind, prepared to break in to the enemy stronghold.

With one quick glance skyward, Jack scanned for the mysterious CloakShape, not to find it at all.
 
-----------------------
Revenge is what holds this galaxy together. Without it, the universe would be a boring place.

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Senior Chief Petty Officer Jack Nebulax, Nazgul Squadron, Imperial Navy, Vast Empire.
XO/FL/SCPO Jack Nebulax/Nazgul 5 (2-1)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=) (=*SA*=) [SV] [VC:S]
Rep|Int/Rep Jack Nebulax/Rep: 4/Reporters-Interviewers/VE/VET
------------------------------------------------------------
Admiral Jack Nebulax, third-in-command of the Auroran Defense Fleet (ADF) and leader of Nemesis Wing (Wing I)

With Baits being held at the "proper" authorities until he could retrieve him, Darius was on his own to finish what he started years ago, and what had unexpectedly risen.

He was in a higher quality part of the planet where the rich and  corrupt lived.  The buildings were well kept, and the streets were filled with more upright citizens, and less prostitutes and druggies, though, that doesn't mean the people in this sector didn't indulge on those options of satisfaction.

Before heading into the personal hanger, Darius had done a little research on the owner of his ship.  It was a gift from the young, selfish adult's father, who still lived off his money.  The family was humanoid, but the kid had a taste in young Twi'lek women, which is how Darius got his information.

He flipped the young, red woman ten credits and jetted up to the top of the short hanger.  He crept quietly to the edge of the open hanger door thats opening covered most of the ceiling.  Next, he circled the perimeter of the hanger until he found anything that had to do with powering the building.  He had found a transformer box on top that operated just the door.  He set a remote charge he had acquired at the near by police station on the delicate inards.

The next step was to steal the ship.  This he was unconcerned.  He was assuming the kid to be weak, and his bodyguards not to favor him as much as his father paid them.  He tied off to the transformer box and drop the short length of rope into the darkness.  He then dropped down into the hanger without making a sound.  With three hard tugs, the rope came undone and he coilded it back up and put it back into his pack.

There, in front of him, sat Jex's YT-2400 Corellian freighter.  The inside of the freighter was luxurious, crawling with service droids, a small private bar, its own fuel cache, and paint a bright red from the floor to the ceiling.  Darius counted about six, large body guards.  Three humans, a Bothan, a Rodian, and an extremely large Twi'lek.  Henry walked down the freighters ramp with two scantily clothed female Twi'leks in his arms, and a couple of pretty teenage human girls following closely behind.  He yelled at one of the guards, "did you ever get that safe open, I wanna know what's inside!"

"No boss, it's not that easy, and your father is refusing to hire a professional," replied the Rodian in a rough accented Basic.

"Bumbling fools, you are professionals, and you can't open a simple safe!  I've had the ship for a year, and I can't even use the personal safe onboard!  Put a charge to it, or something!"

The guards disreguarded him, fearing that they might kill him if they held onto their anger.  Darius chose his entrance to be now.

In a loud, but not shouting voice, he spoke in a his usual emotionless tone, "Ladies, you better get back on the ship, this isn't going to be pretty.  The guards and Henry looked startled and Darius stepped out of the shadows.  "I've come for my ship, and I'm not leaving without it."

Henry smiled, which wasn't what Darius thought he was going to do, but none the less, wasn't surprised, "my father bought this for me on an Imperial criminal auction.  I would hate to return this ship back to its criminal owner if he isn't going to use it for good."

"I never went to jail, but this ship is mine, and I'm going to take it.  Now we can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

Henry was now getting angry, and he happened to be the kind that swell up when perturbed.  He grew a couple inches and just a couple seconds, "it's my ship now!  My father bought it for me, and you're not going to threaten me in such a tone!  You're out numbered!"

"What tone?" Darius smartly replied, and drew his fixed E-11, aiming it at Henry.  The largest of the humans stepped up, blocking the shot.

"Kill him!" Henry shouted.  Five of the six drew their weapons and marched at Darius.  He sighed and threw an EMP at the advancing guards, hoping to render their weapons useless, but it backfired miserably.  The Bothan leapt forward, caught it, and deactivated it.  Quickly, he then set it again at one second, and threw it back at about 130 kph.  Darius was barely able to dodge it, but it didn't matter.  It went off by his head, and everything he had that was electronic short circuited and was useless.

He was suddenly blinded, and couldn't see out of his helmet.  Throwing his helmet off, he was going to run for cover, expecting to be shot.  He only stopped himself because the guards and holstered their blasters, and were marching toward him, like they had a only one mind.  "Take him alive!" shouted Henry.  "I want him to suffer for insulting me!"

Darius discarded all of the useless blasters and lasers, wrist rocket launcher, helmet, and other electronic devices, kicking them to the side.  He then stood in one of many combat forms he knew, and waited until he could smell the Rodian before acting.  With a flick of the wrist, one of the two humans advancing was dying, bleeding to death from a throwing knife to the jugular. 

The Twi'lek unfurled his lekku wrapped around his neck to reveal little spike balls at the ends.  Darius drew two of his Treppus vibroblades, and switched them on.  Lucky for him, their simple circuitry did allowed them to recover in a short period of time.  The Rodian charged first, and Darius dispatched him with ease, making his inards come out in an ugly, unpleasant ways.  The Rodian and the one human were the easiest of the bodyguards.

The next two to attack were the Bothan and the last advancing human.  He pulled out a lond, seraded sword, and the Bothan was attacking bare handed.  The man swung his sword downward vertically in a charge, and Darius' vibroblade cleanly cut through the flimsy, yet sharp metal.  He then jabbed at the Bothan, forcing him to step backwards and knocking him off balance.  The Twi'lek stood back and watched with a smile.

He turned his head to fight the human, and barely missed getting his head chopped clean off with the stubby sword.  He payed the price though.  The tip of the shortened bladed cut from his ear, to the corner of his eye, and into the eye.  He instantly lost the sight of his left eye, and he depth perception went with it.

The human brought the blade back for another pass at his neck.  Darius parried by shorten in the blade again, and then, countering with a swing of his own.  Not only had he shortened the blade, but he also shortened the man's right arm, at the elbow.  He dropped the stubbed sword with he left hand and grabbed the stub, screaming in pain. 

Blood was now pouring down his face from the sword wound, and the Bothan swung with a fist.  Darius tried to take his hand off at the wrist, but his lack of depth perception told him to swing to early, and he did.  It didn't matter though.  The fist found a layer of armor, a vest, clothing underneath, and Darius' titanium rib cage from Kessel.  He didn't even feel it, but the Bothan roared at his broken hand.  Darius stabbed, not exactly sure where the creatures heart was.  The Bothan forgot about his hand, and grabbed him by the throat with the good hand.  He stabbed again and the Bothan stepped back.  Stabbing the the general area of the last one and he finally killed the beast.  Then, he felt pitty for the one armed human, and dispatched him.

The Twi'lek slowly applauded at Dairus' courage and fight against the four.  "Well done punny human," he said in a deep voice.  "I underestimated you, and you could be of good use to my employer."

"Those days are over for me," he replied.  "I just want to leave with my ship, and you aren't going to stop me and live."

"Fiesty, I'll give you that," the Twi'lek said.  Darius didn't wait for him, to attack.  He threw three more throwing knives, but one missed, the other two were stopped by the Twi'lek's spinning lekku.

"Nice trick," Darius said.  He leapt into the spinning maw and shut it down in two stokes of his blades.  The apendages fell to the ground, and Darius gave him a chance to submit. 

The Twi'lek went down to his knees, looked up and said in a sorrowful voice, "you've bested me."

"Good," Darius replied and ended his misery.  "My ship please!" he yelled across the hanger to Henry.

"I still have a bodyguard standing!" he yelled back.

"Fine!" replied Darius.  He went to his pile of weapons and drew a single DL-44, checked it, and began to turn.  The remaining bodyguard drew his weapon and fired, hitting Darius in the abdomin.  It swelled, and he turned the laser sight on, while pretending to die.  Then he spun and fired, deleting the guard's face.  "You'll find me very hard to kill Henry.  And I don't, just don't like being shot!"  The swelled abdoming began to cease, and shrink.  He began to put everything he had taken off back on. 

Henry drew a small hold out blaster and took careful aim.  "Didn't I tell you I don't like being shot."  Henry didn't pay attention and shot, hitting him in the left shoulder.  It swelled as it had all of the previous shots had that night.  Darius drew and fired, still depending on the laser sight for accuracy.  The hold out blaster spun out of Henry's hand.  Henry shrank out of fear, returning to his normal size.  Darius causually walked over to him.

"Now, I'm going to take my ship, and you're going to pay your father for its loss.  And, don't forget the bodyguards.  They were good, but I've been trained to kill all my life, and I've lived a rough life and killed more people then you have hairs on your head.  So leave!"

The quivering young man stumbled away, but tried to be smart, and activated the closing sequence of the hanger doors before scrambling out of the hanger.  The remote was working, so he blew the transformer box, and the doors halted.

He walked up the ramp, and patted the wall while doing so.  While making his way to the cockpit, he came across the girls he had ordered onto the ship. 

"Please don't hurt us, we'll do anything," one of the humans teenagers.  Assuming that sex was the answer, they began to quickly undress, which didn't take long, since most were wearing up to two articles uf clothing.

"Get the hell off my ship!" he screamed at them, pointing to the exit.  They screamed in reply, redressed, which took even shorter than undressing, and ran passed him screaming.  He followed them out and shouted a little advice, "go home and beg for your parents forgiveness!  I'm sure they're ashamed of you more than I am!"

(This really doesn't have much to do with what the rest of the squadron is doing, but my personal story died a while ago, and it's not nearly far along enough to add this is, so I thought to needed to now what happened to ol' Darius.)
 
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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

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FM/SCRW Darius Pursius/Nazgul 3-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=)

Darius was about to scream in anguish, which was not something he chose to do often.  That little spoiled shit hadn't taken care of Jex's ship, and now it was nowhere near the capability it use to be at.  He claimed a couple droids from the hanger, and forced them to clean the engine and drain the power core and refill it.  Fortunately, the hyperdrive was in good condition, because Darius couldn't remember how to maintain the highly modified, and unoriginal piece of equipment.  (Of course, there wasn't much that had remained of the original ship)  He assumed that making contact with it would put him in a trance, but he didn't have time for that.

A sensor alarm went off in his helmet, he had company.  Running to the cockpit, he checked the log and discover that the anti-personel turret had never been used by Henry, so that was one less thing he had to fix.  Several beings that appeared to be bountry hunters, peaked through the doorway.  Darius didn't hesitate, or show mercy, and dropped two of them, thanking that he was able to use the computer screen.  His left eye was still missing, though not literally. 

He set the turret to a motion setting at the doorway, and discovered that the droids had finished their jobs, though he was a paranoid man, so he inspected ever part of the ship before dismissing all of them, and by dismissing them meant that he shot them to pieces.

Then he set the full security system on the ship, and exited through the roof, and snuck away from the prowlers below.

He was very near to where Layren lived, and to test her dedication, he would go to the very same apartment, and if she didn't live there, or was with another man, he would simply leave, not revealing who he really was.

In fifteen minutes, he was standing in the exact hallway he had a few years ago.  He didn't change, and hadn't even tended to he eye yet.  His face was stiff from the dry, crusted blooded that had stuck to his face.  He hid it with his visor.  Marching, he counted until he found her room. 

An old man came around the corner, and he looked at Darius, pondered his appearance, and said, "you gonna visit that there lady sir?"

"She's an old friend of mine," he said in his normal tone, muffled by his helmet also.

"Ohhh, sure!" he said with sarcasm, "I highly doubt that.  You be careful, she's a little fiesty, if you know what I mean."  The old man chuckled to himself, and left Darius in piece.  He turned and knocked on the door without hesitation.

He stood there, was seemed like minutes, but was only about fifteen seconds.  The door suddenly whipped open, and Darius was shot three times in the chest, and his armor just took the blows, and swelled.  He had been pushed back against the wall and was now sitting.  Layren was hovering over him, blaster drawn.

"Why do I keep getting shot?" Darius muttered in pain.  After that many lucky shots to the chest, one would start to feel sore to.

"Who are you?" Layren demanded.

"Someone you made a promise to a couple years ago, in this very same building," he replied, not even attempting to get up.

Her mouth dropped, but she remained silent.  Her blaster was now quivering, but it remained firmly trained on him.  He took his helmet off, revealing a bloodied, almost unrecognizable face.

Tears well up in her eyes and she dropped her blaster and fell to her knees.  "Oh no, I've killed you," she sobbed.

"I'm harder to kill then you think," he replied back, letting emotion run back to his mouth, but having to hold back a cough.  He took off the swelled vest, and then popped the helmet off.  She gasped and demanded he go into her apartment immediatly.  He managed to crawl, perhaps suffering from a collapsed lung, and she had disapeared into what Darius had remembered to be the bathroom.

The apartment that he'd seen years ago had gone through some drastic changes.  It was now beautifully furnished, and the crimson carpet was now covered with beautiful furniture.  "I like what you've done with the place," he coughed, this time accented with blood.  She came back with a medical kit, and a small medical droid.

She then had him carried by the droid to the refresher, and he was undressed to his thinsuit, unarmed, and he felt uncomfortable without a weapon on his body.  The droid analyzed his condition and reported that the his left lung had sustained some bruising, but was otherwise fine.  His gash hadn't been tended to fast enough to eliminate scarring, which he didn't mind, but he eye was unrepairable.  It started scanning the socket, and it started name off measures. 

"What's that for?" he questioned.

She smiled and answered, "you're not going to be a one-eyed pirate as long as I'm around."

He smiled back, and said, "I love you."  Saying it had felt like the most honest and true thing he had ever done in his life.
 
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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

-----------------------

FM/SCRW Darius Pursius/Nazgul 3-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=)

The red speeder was now pulling into the hanger as the NR troops felt pressure from the antierior of their formation.  Did they seriously expect to take down a group of speeders with artillery attatched to them?  Maybe, but not with troopers.  Or did they?  Shazam felt the heat rise in him as he noticed Trevor's totaled speeder, turning his head just after he felt everythign beneath him tremble just a little.

For the most part, he'd blown away the crap cover the NR had been using as their base of hide and seek, so he to ascribe some of his 'success' to the now useless gun to his left.  The chamber clicked as if trying to hiss a last death threat as the gun went dry and Shazam knew it was time to go old fashioned gungho style.  Without being gungho of course...

Shazam slid the speeder into the middle of the hornets nest, which was currenlty pretty calm, and popped open his door while forcing the speeder to rest on the actual surface of the hanger bay.  Art and Jack looked a little surprised but then piled out as the NR fire finally began.  Shazam kept himself hidden behind the speeder as he readied what looked to be some kind of heavy blaster and checked for his duel pistols.  How had he gotten the second one back?  Didn't he give it to Art?  He shook his head concious of his memory lapse and wondered if he was a forgetful person... 

The Imperial fire begun to spring up as some of the NR troops decided they'd creep up over the raming cover they had and try to take the speeder for their own operations. Shazam, Art, and Jack bent lower to reassure themselves of protection from the NR as well as their own troops..

"Don't suppose you mind if I..."  Jack seemed satisfied with whatever he was doing, so Shazam didn't question when a blast rang out near them and a weapon was dropped.  "They should have grabbed more cartridges for the hand guns..."

"Yup..."  Art was ready now and was trying to signal to Lulansk for some cover as he pointed to far right pillar, still hidden behind the speeder.  Unfortunetly, Art wasn't using 'military' hand signals and began to express a slightly elaborate plan when Shazam noticed what he was doing.

"Just use the com man..."  Now Shazam gave a quick tap to the side of his weapon as if activating its magical powers...  Satisfied, he waved over his head for cover fire and turned so that his back was facing the Imperial retreat.  He first slipped the weapon over the hood of the speeder, testing the water with the tip of his mental toes...  Not too cold...  Good, he thought and jumped in. 

Throwing his head over the hood and being careful not to go flying into the line of fire erupting from behind him, he began to take careful aim at the illuminated collumns.  Two X-wings were sufficient cover as well as some of the supports, but three more X-wings that had been devestated by either the Imperial insurgents or the speeder fire remained with a few NR troops hiding about them.  Excellent, my type of game.  Easy, that is...

He gave a test shot into the pile of parts and felt the recoil was a little strong, but it satisfied him and gave him that thrill to fire again.  This time he took careful aim and potshotted the edge of a downed panel, probably from the fuselage as it appeared to be covered in foamish covering used to construct it.  Or was it gel?  Why am I questioning myself so much today?  Shazam lifted his eyebrow at the last question as if it were the ultimate and most important, all the while realizing his target.  YES!  A peice of grey cloth...  Oh yes, that would do...  He clasped his finger around the trigger and felt his own presence with it, becoming one with the weapon in that awesome way only people with hobbies could know.  Then Jack tapped him on the arm, totally breaking his concentration just before he got the guts to actually pull the trigger back.

"Art needs cover fire..."

"Fine..."  Shazam re-focused his eyes to see the masses of debris defused within the other half of the battle field and let loose.  He smiled gingerly as he did so, not sure if he was enjoying it or losing his soul to it.  Maybe this is why people joined the Army?  he thought.  As he held the trigger down for the proper burst time and did not hear the words of his good friend Henson over the com.  It would be a mystery for atleast a half hour. 

Art sprang up and wasted no time reaching the pillar, a brave NR trooper revealing his position as he tried to take one of the 'easy' shots... 

"Where's my grappling hook?"  Jack yelled into Shazam's ear as he waited for just a moment, letting the barrel cool.  It also deafened him...

"THERE!" he screamed back, almost abnoxiously.  Art was dropping his head to the right to see into the NR pit...  Five places to hide.  One grappling hook...  He took his chances and shot the magnetic clasp at the X-wing wreckage, three crouched figures behind it,  The actual peice of metal at the end of the 'hand' never even bounced, it simply clung to one strong peice of the skeleton and awaited a good tug.  Yes.  A good tug.  Art brought his head back to face his allies, he was smiling as he was directly next to the oppening to the hanger bay.

The wind picked up ferociously as he leaned toward the cool night air and felt around for retracting door.  That is, the emergency door...  The door in this hanger had three sliding doors, triggered by an alarm and a the closing mechanism.  Instead of shutting regular doors, it bypassed them and went to the security ones...

The handle end of the grappler felt around one of the lock crevices and was comfortable as Art now stood, still barely covered by the pilar.  But wait...  No switch...  Not here anyways...  That would be in the Hanger control booth...  Which is dominated and behind enemy lines.  He smiled an ironic smile and then sat, planning.

(That door is basically like the one at the beggining of Episode III when they knock out the sheild and the sliding doors come out to close out the space.  Hopefully the writing wasn't too incoherant...)
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

Trevor had sat on the ground and was leaning against the red speeder when it suddendly pulled away. He toppeled over backward, and fired off a shot into the air, towards the building. It must have hit some glass, as right after a bunch of shards fell on the ground near the hanger. He jumped up, and spotted Jen and Toki next to him, apperently trying to hide giggles about what he had just done.

He ran over to the wreckage of the speeder, and started digging through it for anything else that may have been useful. He started digging faster when he heard more gunfir then normal, and some shouting about a grappling hook. He pushed what was left of the hood aside, and his hand met a long, black metal case. He busted off the locks, and flipped it open.

Geez..This thing is awsome! I don`t remember grabbing this though...hopefully Shazam or someone knows how to set it up. He thought to himself as he ran his hand along the barrel of a tri-pod mounted repeater rifle. He closed the case and stood up, then grabbed a few grenades that somehow managed not to explode, and rammed them into his pockets. He sprinted off towards the hanger, not sure whether or not Jen and toki were following. He dived accross the short gap between the edge of the hanger and the red speeder parked in the middle, and slide to a stop next to Shazam.

"About time you joined us." Shazam said, with a small grin on his face. He looked like he was enjoying himself, but Trevor couldn`t tell.

"Yeah, I just had to find some stuff." Trevor replied, pulling a grenade out and pulling the pin. He tossed it blindly over the speeder. He heard it go off in one of the corners, and a loud scream followed it.

"Whatcha bring us?" Shazam spoke again, pointing to the long black case.

Trevor flicked it open, and pulled out the barrel of the rifle, followed by the tri-pod, then everything else. "O, nothing much..Just a repeater rifle."

Shazam simply smiled, and quickly started to help assemble the weapon, occasionly firering over his shoulder at the NR troops. They finished assembling it when Jen and Toki arrived, making the same diving manuever that Trevor had.

They both had weapons, and Jen busted out the driver side window, and using a shot to the passanger window, broke it out to, allowing her to shoot through the gap.

Trevor was just figuring out how to load the rifle when a large explosion erupted nearby. It moved the speeder a few inches, and knocked Trevor over backwards, again. He got up and took a few shots with his blaster before pushing the rifle into position, and ramming a cartridge into the ammo slot thingy.

"You wanna do the honours?" He yelled to Shazam as another blast went off, closer then the last oen this time.

-----------------------
FM/SCRW/Trevor Evenson/Nazgul 3(1-3)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=*A*=)

(leaping into the future, I don't really have anything else to write about, but this is just some personal new bio information of my character.)

Darius and Layren had learned a great deal about each other in the next few days.  Darius had two eyes again, because Layren was a successful doctor at the nearby hospital.  Years ago, she had just been an intern med student, thus the lack of furniture when they had first met.  Now, she was mildly wealthy, but not well favored for her very protective manner outside of the hospital.  After Darius had left years ago, the next morning, she had gone out and took various self-defense and shooting classes.  Never again had she been kidnapped, or almost raped.  And, on several occasions, killed.  Being a doctor to rich people can get you into good places, and out of bad places.

Though, the hardest part of the whole meeting was him telling her everthing thing he could remember from his past, and why he never came back.  This had only brought them closer together though.

They had moved the YT-2400, renamed the Forgotten Patience, to a more secure location, and Darius had asked her to do two more searches for ships he was bound to retrieve if they still exsisted.  Meanwhile, he visited an old friend, in the lower levels.

He stepped into the store, fully cloaked and armed, remaining unrecognizable.  This would play into his favor, for his friend didn't always appreciate his business.  The weapon detectors at the doors went haywire and threatened to short circuit.  The old man whipped out an eight gauge shotgun aimed it at Darius' heart.

"Not too many men can to that to my alarms, who are you?" the old man weazed.

Darius walked closer and the click of the safety was distinctly heard.  He then pulled the hood down, and gave Dickens a friendly business smile.  The old man smiled back, rest the gun on the counter, offered a hand shake, and kept his left hand on the trigger of the gun as it still pointed at Darius.  He grabbed the elder's frail hand, and capped the barrel of the shotgun without notice.

"You know, Dicky, you can't fire a gun with an obstruction," his normal tone was brought out.  The old man looked down at the gun and cursed, pulling the gun back, and attempting to uncork it.  "You're gonna have to use a drill, it's not coming off easily."

"What do you want?" he questioned, giving him a quizical, untrusting look.

"Still have synthetic body parts in stock?"

"Your limbs appear to be function just fine Darius," he said, pointing out the obvious.

The younger man turned around, locked the door, and turned back, pulling out his artificial eye.  "I need something more," he paused, "military-like in this size.  Be careful, the first one was free, but I don't the second one will."  He gave the shop keeper the eye and he looked in his computer for any matches.

"Your luck never siezes to amaze me.  Just got this puppy in for a bounty hunter, but he bit the dust.  State-of-the-art military grade, expensive replacement eye in the exact same size.  Let me fetch it and see if you can afford it."  He slowly worked his way to the back room and returned shortly with a small, metal box.  "Lifetime warranty on this sucker.  It get broken or damaged, they'll replace it free of charge.  Though, it doesn't happen often with this kind of equipment."

"I'll take it," Darius simply answered. 

"I don't think you can afford it boy," Dickens replied, seeming slightly perturbed.  "I'm teasing you.  I'll get you the next cheapest thing."

The young man slammed a bank credit chip with a set price on it.  "I'm taking it."  He gently grabbed Dickens arm and took the box and his eye he was previously using.  The old man took the chip and checked the price amount.

"This isn't enough Darius," he said in an angry tone.

"You owe me old man, I rescued your only grandchild from that bastard, free of charge!"

"You keep her out of this!" he yelled back.  "Don't you ever drag her down into this life of crime you live.  She's been through enough, losing her parents.  I'm the only family she has left!"

"Start making dinner plans for three now, because you're looking into the eyes of you future son-in-law!  We're getting married, and I'm going to take her off this dismal, no good, rotten planet she's been forced to call home!"  Darius raised the volume of his voice considerably.

Jaren Dickens mouth dropped.  If is wasn't for the pacemaker he had attached to his heart, he would have surely had a heart attack.  Darius turned around and left, getting away with more that his new eye, but also Layren's mother's wedding band.  That would be the best accomplishment out of the whole encounter with Layren grandfather.  Though, he wouldn't tell her he took it off of his hand without permission.

Soon enough, he was back, and when he opened the door, she bounded from her computer into his arms, and gave him a long, emotional kiss on the lips.  She pulled away, looked into his eyes, and said, "I found them."

He carried her over to the computer and placed his new eye on the desk.  He didn't really like not having two original eyes, but all is fare in love and war.

Next, he sat down in the lush chair, keeping Layren close and in his lap.  There sat in front of him, a picture his former 1LH-KK Citadel Civilian Cruiser, heavily modified of course.  It had been purchased off of an Imperial auction by a used ship dealer.  He had never been able to sell it because he had the price set so high.  Darius thought it was actually under priced.  He then pulled up another picture of his fathers Pursuer Enforcer ship, which was also heavily modified.  And, as of now, it was an impounded ship, in the Hapan sector.  With this, Darius was very disappointed.  They didn't like outside visitors, nor did he like them.  He did have the upper hand of knowing their language, which might get him somewhere.  At least it was safe.

Darius looked up at her, and kissed her.  "Thanks dear."  Then, he stood up, got down on one knee, and pulled the ring out of his pocket and handed it to her.  She recognized it immediatly, and tears swelled in her eyes.  "Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice brimming with emotion few people have ever heard.

She nodded yes, almost speechless, but then said, "so you talked to my grandfather?"

"Yes," he answered, not lying, but not giving details.  "Now, I'm going to let you know that you'll have to join the Empire."  This was the hard part.

"They just don't let anybody in though.  Plus, what am I going to to about my apartment?"

"Don't worry about getting in.  I'll take care of that.  As for your apartment.  If you grandpa agrees, he can retire and live here.  I've acquired enough credits from the kind local citizens to support him and the apartment for the rest of our lives." 

"You didn't steal did you?" she said with a stern look. 

Darius gave her an innocent look, "Henry shouldn't leave blank bank chips sitting around my ship.  He owes me anyway for what he did to my ship."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Everything is going to be fine." he assured her, then kissed her.  They celebrated for the next several hours.
 
-----------------------
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

-----------------------

FM/SCRW Darius Pursius/Nazgul 3-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=)

What next...What next? Shazam seems to have stuff covered, and - Hey! Whazzat? Trevor thought ot himself as he looked around on the 'Imperial Side' of the hanger. He could see the nose of something sticking out from behind a pillar. He didn`t even think, just covered his head and ran towards the pillar. HE made a dive behind it and could feel the heat of a few blaster bolts sail over his back.

Too close for comfort... He thought as he dusted himself off and rested against something cool and metal. Suddendly he remembered why he risked life and limb to come over here. It was a speederbike he had seen! Hsat down in the seat and looked for any keys or ignition sequence or anything. When he couldn`t find anything, He pried off a panel with help of his knife and slit a bunch of wires open. He then proceded to hotwire the vehicle, the second one he had done this to that day. He revved it twice after it started and slid it into gear, then rocketed towards the exit.

He flicked on his comm to tell Shazam where he was going.

"You guys seem to have everything under control down there, so I`m going to see if I can find us an easy way to get to all the different ships. I am assuming we arn`t going to be leaving them behind?" He said, Swearving between traffic at breakneck speeds. A alian being yelled at him, and he understood amazingly. The alien had yelled 'Crazy street hoodlum' at him, which on Nar Shaddaa was more of a compliment then an insult.

"Yeah, we need to pick `em up. Shit! Hang on!" Shazam yelled, which was followed by a loud explosion, and some blaster fire. "Bastards...anyways, we need a way to get everyone to those TIE`s, and quickly. I don`t wanna be around here when NR reinforc- Shit! Gimmi another sec!"

"Thats alright Shazam, I get the idea, find a ride, and bring it home...got it." Trevor said, and turned off his comm. He was now looking for a third vehicle to steal today. He didn`t count the destroyed hotrod as stolen, because it had belonged to him.

A bus, a shuttle, anything...Woah! That`ll Work nicely.
 
-----------------------
FM/SCRW/Trevor Evenson/Nazgul 3(1-3)/Wing 1/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=*A*=)

Shazam breathed subcontiously into the night air, a whisp of vapor turning into a gossomer blanket of warm moisture in the midst of an unending fray of red and green blaster fire.  The actual night that had remained outside of the skyscraper had crept in through the hanger bay, diffusing itself amoungst the shadowed and hard to reach areas of the hanger bay.  No longer did the heat remain in Art's crouched hiding position above the battle, but instead, disappaited and probably disappointed, the warmth escaped him into the eternal dark just beyond the overhead lights. 

The fight had been raging, probably anyways, over an hour.  When they entered, the vast poluted skies were still honest with thier own decedance, but now that the light of the skies overhead had shrunk and decided that it would take no part in the next part of the adventure, things seemed both clear and opaque.  While the emergency door had indeed been closed, that didn't mean other damage had not been done to the hanger leaving gaps of unsure and relentless omnicity.  The task ahead began to seem as if it was revealing itself, but even the clear and precise vision within the room didn't reassure anyone. 

As was said before, the building was of a slightly rectangular structure, the long sides with about five pillars studded with heavy industrial cement bases.  The short sides, as Shazam was pretty sure he observed, had only three of these pillars while the actual corners of the building were not pillars but precise and remarkably engineered cage like structures slowly working their way into a shape.  The block by block structure was used for the soul purpose of adding texture and detail to the uncaring outside world, giving those that visited the base some kind of understanding that it was a place of prestige and should be treated as such.  The New Republic reinvented seemed to think that all of its structures, even those on distant and doubtful planets, should feel the same as even the most important bases.  This was the place that was being devestated by the continuous war that had erupted only hours before.  Yet people remained. 

At the beginning of the battle, after the skirmished on various floors of the building, some fourty-eight commando's remained along with pilots and undesignated 'help'.  The NR however had no definete supply of troops, rather they flooded the room with the capacity that was allowed, that is, however many troops that they could fit in before there was no cover left.  So, how much does it take to convince an endless army to give up?

By the time Trevor had taken off out of the sporatic wounds in the long wall containing the hanger bay entrance, literally piles of bodies lay on the ground.  While Shazam and the rest of Nazgul squadron had made some brave attempts to disassemble the structure of the enemies defence, they continued to come, even the blank faces of thier dead companions could not stop them.  Why though?  Honor?  Loyalty to the commander?  To the system?  Even the greatest efforts have their limits.

The grenades had signaled that they were now dealing with trench warfare, which the imperials had no taste for at the moment considering their lack of reinforcements.  So it was the NR troops surging from thier hiding places to throw grenades behind obscure cover, the cover of thier deceased comrades piling up on eachother to create pathways. 

As repetitive as this all sounds, one must know that it was so, and the imperials soon began to think that there would be no surrender and that they would have to take their chance in an escape.  The rebels had not figured out a plan to fish the imperials out of thier cover and who says they would?  The carrier that had brought in NR reinforcements still lay in the distance, totally useless to anyone because it was in no way a part of the battle any longer.

After Art's emergency door manuver, Shazam had brought the rest of his team back to a slightly safer position behind the Sentinal Carrier, or atleast what was left of it.  Warren Dimmias had remained in the ship the entire time, but this was only because he knew he did not belong out there in the fray...  That was not his battleground.  Not yet.

"We gotta take a position..." Lulansk was still in heavy discussion with two younger men, both military cut and looked to be a little green on the whole 'get the hell out of here' idea.  Shazam was becoming a little bored though and decided that it was time he try to make contact with Henson or atleast the Canton once again. 

While most of Nazgul was behind a fallen wing collumn, Shazam had arrived back within Sentinal Landing craft.  The front entrance had remained intact but the ship had been turned toward the emergeny exit upon an extremely powerful grenade blast.  Thus, safe passage into the cabin and to the com unit. 

Warren sat patiently in his seat, his eyes set on the control panel with switches and turning wheels to indicate and change power sent to all areas of the ship. 

"Hows it goin?" Shazam spoke in a casual tone, the cabin somehow regained a business like presence that he hadn't feld during the constant weapon fire outside.  Was it quieter?  No.  In fact, the ship creaked and threatened to break apart with every blaster burst and grenade salvo.  Shazam cleared his head of these thoughts, not even noticing Dimmias gave him no answer.  The SC pulled himself into a chair and realized that the cabin had its electrical systmes intact.  Good, he thought, at least the com better work, the antenna looks like its fine...  The channel was still set to the open channel, so Shazam brought the dial over to the right quickly and fell upon the numbers almost desperatly. 

Fuzz entered the cabin...  Then nothing.  Then fuzz again... 

"This is Nazgul one speaking...  Does anyone copy?  Anyone copy?"  Warren was now becoming jittery behind Shazam, but he paid it no mind and repeated himself two or three times before he was finally interupted by the voice he'd met earlier.

"Hey there!"  The boyish voice that had directed him to Henson earlier seemed excited to hear that the commander was still around but he shut up almost immedietly realizing his insubordination over the com.  "Excuse me...  I respectivelly assume you'll be wanting to speak to the commander of the Canton.  Correct?"  Shazam didn't need to answer as he hear the flick of some switches and then a monotonous beep and then one more delicate silence.

"This is the commander of the Canton, who am I speaking to?"  Henson knew before asking, but maybe this was just him trying to get back into the swing of things.

"I figure you escaped those pirates then?" Shazam chimed in; he held his ear close to the speaker as a particularilly strong blast reverberated in the hanger. 

"Nazgul Squadron...  At last, we've been trying to get in contact with you, we feel like sitting ducks out here."  Shazam lifted an eyebrow in quiet surprise.

"How do you mean, sir?" 

"We have been waiting outside the planet in the planned quardinants for atleast five minutes.  You did not copy our last communique, so I'm not surprised you didn't know any different.  The pirates that followed us have been destroyed, but that doesn't mean we'll be safe from further encounters for long.  Raze Squadron, nonexistant as it is now, is refueling and planning to form a patrol around the ship within the next few minutes.  Radio back when you have exited the atmosphere.  Remember, we can't wait forever..."  And then Shazam was cut off from the expectant voice without another word.  Time to move.

"Shazam, I think I'm on to something...  Check this out..."  The SC rose from his seat after the blaster fire began to ring in his ears again.  Dimmias sat with his body almost against the panel, hands flying and eyes narrowed. 

"Whatcha talkin bout?"

"The remaining energy we've had pent up in the cabin and life support systems throughout the last few hours..."  Shazam said nothing now and it was Warren's turn to talk.  "Okay, that wookie decimated one side of our craft, but that doesn't mean that the turret in the backend is.  Despite the fact the circuit to the turret was cut short because of an obstruction...  The damage that is...  Its also hooked up to a parallel circuit.  We can still re-route energy to it.  The ship is dead anyways, its not like we'll be using the lifesupport any time soon..."  Warren hadn't asked to go through with anything yet, but he acted as if he'd been orderded to do the most precise order he'd ever been given. 

"I beleive you have a plan then?"  Jen had entered up the ramp and heard the end of the ramble.  She seemed totally exhausted, her red hair was matted back into a single pony-tail and she'd stripped down to the bottom half of her flight suit and a t-shirt.  The t-shirt looked stretched with a ring of darkened areas surrounded the neck, complimenting the lassitude on the Nazgul XO's face. 

"Well, lets take their ship and run...  Maybe we can move the sentinal to a more keen point of attack?"  Warren suggested without a sligthly dismal look on his face.  He hadn' thought this part out yet.

"No...  Looks like we'll be running under fire..."  Warren didn't ask a single question more but instead began to re-route the aquired energy to the back turret.  Shazam and Jen returned to the outside royal.  Again, the mood changed, colder air rushed at the faces of the pilots and brighter lights gleamed high above.  Which reminded Shazam. 

Lulansk didn't know Naval signals so that was Jack's job for the moment, commanding Art to open the emergency door.  The army troops were still holding their position while the back turret of the Sentinal twitched slightly.  Within ten minutes, the group was confident that they would have to go...  Soon. 

"Nazgul, you'll be the first group to go...  Don't be bashful now."  Lulansk was hidden behind a smoldering pile of debris while Shazam and the others waited anxiously for the command.  No one had used the refresher in a long while, and Shazam's thought just before the crisp creeking sound was, I wonder who will get to the refresher first?

Then the emergency door flew open and a new wave of cold set in along with a startling wind that pushed several parts across the floor immedietly while slowly heaving others about in a clumsy but sure way.  The turret wasted no time in streaking red fire across the bay into the 'secured' positions of the rebels.  Shazam thought he would go deaf as he covered his ears and rand underneath the bright lights atleast seven and a half feet above him.  The fire wasn't just cover though, as it completely ransacked all that the rebels had created to make a final surge, sockets and tools flew, along with the occasional limb and decrepit body, just waiting for the touch of death. 

The NR craft ahead revealed no entrance on the side facing the imperials, but on the opposite side, Shazam spotted a boarding ramp immedietly, not even glancing for a moment at the terror to his left.  No, there wasn't a threat, but the true horror was the immediete rise in death toll for the NR cause.  The Nazguls swung around a corner and entered a bright white room, they're boots clapping against the surface. 

"You guys find out if theres any pilots aboard...  We're ganna need someone to fly our guys home while we retreive our craft anyways.  Just make sure they're capable, hear!?"  Shazam didn't wait for a reply.  The SC poked his head round the corner, not really exposed the NR threat anymore.  The rest of the troops would be on board soon enough...  Man, I gotta get off this planet, he thought and pulled his head around as someone got wise and decided to take a shot at the craft's open lift doors.

(Get on the ship and get in the air!  And someone get Art, m'kay?  Lets have him grappel down or somethin.  Be creative )
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

(When those names and a few other things get fixed in Jack's last post, this'll make a little more sense maybe...)

Warren Dimmias had become extremely comfortable in the gunner's seat and was performing his necessary duties brilliantly. 

The commando's had crossed the bridge of fire and were securing themselves in the containment room of the character.  As they entered, Shazam gave them a good rap on the shoulder, looking for any sign of his last few troops.  Art was still high up, clutching the bannisters that remained in the shaking control room while Dimmias could not move from his position until secondary cover fire could be supplied. 

Arts' problem was solved pretty easilly though, and he had to ascribe the escape to the enemy, because it was their dead bodies he was jumping on.  The backs of the various corpses felt like sandbags as he landed on them hard, but then they were pillows as he skipped across them to safety.  Jen and Tokijen had taken control of the cabin with the help of a few troopers while Jack and Dj prepped thier rides for the fighter run.  Things were going pretty smoothly now that there was constant fire raining down on the enemy, so the two imperials felt no danger in simply dropping another ramp and taking the thier speeder bikes out of the open hanger bay.  The lack of danger and sense that everyone was going home from camp put an interesting edge to mission, like it wasn't a mission at all. 

Twelve fully armed troopers had come from storage to confirm that the rest of the ship was secure, but their true services were about to be put to use as Lulansk ordered for a secondary cover fire.  "We got one guy left out there and I'll be damned if we'll leave him behind at a time like this.  Might as well be shooting the broad side of a barrack right now..."

The wind, even stronger than it had been earlier, pushed the defeated minds into almost total submission as the imperial troops alligned themselves and opened fire into the open positions of the NR troops.  They continued to fall back; this was the time to move...

Shazam jumped out from behind his cozy corner and waved to Dimmias in the turret, not entirelly sure what to think of him.  He wasn't actually apart of the squadron, yet he'd done so much in only a few moments...  He wasn't sure whether to celebrate him or disown him and call him the same hero as he'd been before they'd met.  The turret fire came to a halt, only the blaster fire continued, the song fading to its final echo.

Warren took only seconds to find his way back to the exit and sprint across the hanger bay, without fear and without hope he reached the ship and spun himself around the corner and into safety without saying anything to the Nazgul SC.  Shazam was about to speak when the engines roared to life; Jen had prepped the ship well and was probably waiting for the chance to take off.  No time for discussion, Shazam instead said to Dimmias-

"I need you to make sure these NR pilots stay on course and don't do anything funny.  Take the controls if you must...  You have enough back-up I think..."  Warren turned his dark eyes on Shazam and then the troops as the SC indicated them with his forefinger, each waiting was a calm unsurity about them.  Things hadn't quite gone according to plan, but then of course, this was Nar Shadda.

Apparently Jen hadn't been there when the ship was started up because she was there as soon as Shazam finished his sentance.

"I assume they've got the point?" He seemed to understand as she gave him a tainted look, one of the predator posing as the house pet.  Oh, she's good, he thought and didn't bother to think of what she threated the NR pilots with. 

"Only three speeder bikes left, Shazam.  How do you want to do this?"  She was redoing her ponytail as she noticed her hair had come loose and was whipping about.  Her hair calmed and came to rest on her shoulders when the door to their left closed; the NR troops had finally realized they were no longer under heavy fire when the doors closed. 

"Alright, you and Tokijin share one, we'll take the rest..."  Shazam was jumping up a flight of steps leading to a long white hallway with a few doors, all opened to reveal whatever mysteries they were supposed to hold.  The troops had been thorough, he thought; Jen spoke up though...

"Why do we have to share?  Why can't you and Art share one?"

"Cause I dunno if Tokijin is even capable of using a speeder bike," he turned in the first door he met...  "Warren is ganna stay on this ship and Trevor is already in the process of retreiving our fighters..."  Art gave Shazam a wave as the duo entered and then the SC motioned for him to take a speeder, stopping at his own and pulling Jen close to his face.  For a moment, it looked as if he was about to kiss her, then his head flew to the right side of her face and he said," Plus that would be really weird.  Girls can do that crap.  Guys' can't.  So get over it."  Then he slapped her on the shoulder like the rest of the troops and jumped onto the speeder bike as Jen gave him an evil look similar to the one she'd exposed upon return from the cabin. 

"Yea, I know, I'll watch my back," he said and felt the engine come to life on the little black beauty.  "Yeeha!"  Shazam spun the speeder about vicously until it was well aligned with the exit and then kicked it, flying down the ramp at a pretty dangerous speed, even for experienced bikers.  Then again, Shazam was stupid when it came to bikes...  Oh well.

The speeder bike let off a few sparks as it scratched the surface of the hanger bay floor, Shazam just pulling up in time to turn out of the room.  Art followed closely, going at a safer speed but he also had a blaster held out and firing to posterier of the ship where the NR troops were trying to around to befuddle any attempts to leave the hanger bay.  Art didn't bother to check if he'd hit anyone as he noticed Jen and and Tokijin barelling it out a second later. 

*Twelve minutes later*

Shazam closed his eyes just before flying into the immense blanket before him.  The steam felt good against his clothes and he bent his head down against the controls to block his face from the slight burning sensation he was receiving.  Art was directly behind him, but he moved into a stagger position to prevent any accidents, just in case of course.  They were good pilots, but it was good to be safe as well.

The SC felt the steam turn to cool air and he propped one of his eyes open, reminiscent of experimenting the pool for the first time.  He pulled up hard after catching a glimpse of one of the antenna's they'd use to repel down the building.  Art made it to the top base of the building first as Shazam manuvered about to make sure he'd land softly from the strange angle the object had forced him into.  Art had only left behind his helmet and flight pack while Shazam had taken everything with him.  His helmet was missing...  Damn.  No damage had been incurred during flight to require a helmet but he would have to use a handheld com unit to communicate with his people now. 

Shazam could only see Art's shadow from the glow of the speeder bikes as he put his hands through his hair and prepared to take his first step onto stable ground.  The sky above was pitch black and even the stars were misted over from the heinous poluting; the SC thought he would gag if he stayed out in the open like this for too much longer.

The short hair didn't really move, so instead Shazam felt his head bobbing about slightly as his foot clamped down on the surface.  How he wanted to take to just give his eyes a little rest.  Maybe grab a sleeping bag or pitch a tent and let the world have its way with him as he knocked himself out and tried to catch up on the sleep he'd been missing out on for years now.  His thoughts were interupted as white light cut the night with unparrelled elegance.  Shazam peered into the cool cut outline of the TIE Interceptor, thinking only that he had to respect the Sienar Fleet Systems' engineers for the ability to create something so awesome.  Maybe he could if he got a chance to speak to Derkson...  I wonder what a defendor looks like at night, he thought and began to walk to his fighter when he heard something other than steam.

Shazam turned his head quickly as the sound became sharper and he recognized the shape of yet another speeder bike.  He froze, realizing that Trevor probably couldn't see him yet, but then his mind thought it would be best to move, so he dived out of the way as the bike collided with the one he'd just stepped off of. 

The wind whipped at his head as he felt his face scrub against the grubby cement, and then someone gave him a kick.  "You just ganna wait there or are we ganna move?"

Shazam was up once again and brushed some dirt off the side of his face, he met eyes with Trevor and the two peered at eachother like it'd been years. 

"I suppose...  How did you know we were here?"

"I didn't, but I'm serious about moving because..." his voice was drowned out as some blinking lights appeared about fifteen feet above them and engines roared as they attempted to get up to speed.  Shazam didn't speak another word and began to run to his fighter.
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

Shazam buckled while the lights fromt the cockpit scorched his eyes as they were unfamillier to the displays.  The profound darkness creeped away and things slowly came to softer hughs and more distinct versions of black and grey; atleast he would be able to work with something.

The ship shuddered but then the vibrations settled down and the craft recited a gentle hum, eminating from every corner of the ship.  Ooh yea, this is my baby, he thought and pressed his war-torn gloves to the control and felt the real sensation he'd been awaiting for a while come back to him in full force.  He let it spin his head around and crack his knuckles and then it completely took over, springing from one arm to the other and down to his very finger tips so they could be precise and controlled.  Now for the best part...

Both Art and Trevor waited patiently with thier lights blinking sporatically at the drowning black around them; in the distance the NR craft could be seen well as it began to rise high above the skyscrapers and thick pollution.  Shazam rolled his neck once more and then his head straightened and peered out of the viewport.  His hands began to move like they were playing his favorite instrument, the ship suddenly coming up off the ground and bursting into the sky to give Shazam his favorite feeling. 

"What a rush..." he grinned bare faced, still not sure if he was going to regret losing his helmet as he barreled about innocently.  The interceptor picked up speed, the roughness of atmospheric travel acompanying the abstract easy going grip on the controls.  Shazam did some quick exercises to strengthen his reclaimed piloting skills; ah, it felt good...  Art pulled up in stagger position to his right, taking the wingman position as always.  Trevor's blinking lights neared and then revealed his craft in a similar splendor just a minute distance father than Art but to the left of Shazam this time.  Art went into a few short weaves as Shazam cut out of the hopscotch motion and began observing the radar.  Well, a glance really...  All seemed well on the homefront, he thought noticing the larger blot as the NR craft.

The SC pulled out his com unit and switched it to the 'on' position and used the attachment to clip it onto the collar of his flight jacket.  "Can you guys hear me?" Shazam had taken his eyes off of the radar and the viewport both and studied the peice as Art replied-

"Clear as a Corellian night.  Thing I'll check up on our people..." He'd finished his warm-up and Trevor carefully followed suite just when Shazam returned his second hand to the control yoke.  Now that he had time to carefully study the radar he noticed nine blips crossing the cruiser's flight path. 

"No more time for screwin around..." Flight one squeezed together as they realized they couldn't just fly right out and engage the enemy, but instead had to take alternate paths to avoid walkways and other craft.  The group flew tight-nit for only half a minute before they found two skyscrapers parallel to eachother, one on both sides of the gateway to open sky.  Shazam kicked up the throttle and took his right hand off the yoke to feel the missle's panel to make sure they were still there and then returned it to feel the cannon trigger stop his hand in its appropriate position.

The formation widened to a more comfortable spacing and Trevor said," This is Nazgul Three, I got some more Y`s on my radar. They`re going to cut us off from the front...permission to engage?" Trevor asked, trying to spot the Y-wings in the darkness.

"Hell yeah Nazgul Three. They are Y-wings, I`m pretty sure one of us could take them all on." Shazam replied with the hint of yet another grin. The Y-wings were still a bit farther off, but the three TIE fghters held togther as they neared, Shazam counting off nine pairs of lights but only eight panels.  He glanced at the radar to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him...  The image focused in a little and nine fighters could be counted off individually as they drew closer. 

Shazam took note of the bomber and then said nothing as the Y-wings broke apart.  Trevor took the first shot, dealing a lethal deal of damage to the back end, and finishing out with a miniscule supernova from the cockpit.  Shazam, sure of where his weapons systems were, threw his hand to the missle controls and switched over.  The first knob twisted well and met the horizontal portion of the indicator box while the second seemed to struggle to meet its mark.  Art didn't wait for missles as he knew the sheilds were activated by now and opened fire on the hind quarters of one of the NR craft.  To his surprise the Y-wing absorbed each of the shots beautifully, losing an engine immedietly and then spiraling out of control until it began to move vertical, the momentum of the craft forcing it against a wall of wind.  The bomber was decimated...

Shazam found his lack of missle locking control disappear as the Y-wing to his left burst into flames.  The second line met the pickle and he let loose the missle without hesitation, the speeding mass meating it mark in a similar way to Trevor's.  The missle met the apex of the Y-wing fuselage, snapping it in half and twisting the seperate peices against the wind.  The SC pulled up out of reflex although the debris was well out of the way, but it presented him with an excellent opportunity to come down against yet another Y-wing.  Shazam couldn't remember a time when he'd had such an easy kill. 

Beyond his feild of vision, Trevor had torn off from the formation to engage another Y-wing father off when he received a slight blow from black Y-wing Shazam had neglected to mention.

"Keep an eye out for that black one...  Its hard enough when you can actually see them right in front of you, think what it'll be like with that thing jumping around..."  Shazam wasted no time in pouring out a triple-burst into the aft of the Y-wing; the sheilds had finally come up.  Art found Shazam's target and jogged up behind it, then took a few pot shots into the back-end; the sheilds were even stronger than before.  The SC noted it and came back from his dive underneath the bomber, exploding upward with a new target area.  This time the triple burst struck pay-dirt, sinking into the fuselage. 

"Must have got a circuit array, cause this guys engine's just checked out..."  Art had already switched back to missles as the Y-wing tried to convert power to the engines in order to restabalize.  The imperial met his mark and felt very comfortable wasting a missle on the Y-wing's hindquarters.  The rebel craft did not explode like the others had, but instead coughed out smoke and began to drop fast, barelly missing it's own wingman. 

As he did so, something in the battle changed...  It seemed there was too much fire on the Y-wings...  What happened?

"Alright, this is Nazgul 3. We have a defect from the NR: the pilot in the black Y-wing. Don`t shoot him." Trevor had mysteriously returned to the open channel.

"How can we trust him?" Art asked, as another Y-wing exlpoded, the sound waves echoing off the buildings.  That was two for the rogue Y-wing, Shazam noted as he realized the initial blast had been his own.  Another Y-wing barreled low in an attempt to get out of the sights of darkened colleague...  Forgot to watch for skyscrapers, Shazam sat indifferent as the Y-Wing's right engine cage caught on a peak from one of the buildings sitting in the center of a cluster.  The SC didn't catch the final carnarge of the crash...

"Trust me. I`ve flown with him before... For a few years. He`s safe." Trevor finished as the black Y-wing came up to the same level as its prey and executed it like a pro.  No more Y-wings, Shazam dully noted...

The radar to his upper left chimed and Shazam lifted an eyebrow in recognition as Jen's voice filled the cabin.  "Flight two here.  We're ganna form up on both sides of carrier..."  She was breathing with full, wholesome breaths as if they were sweater than any she'd ever encountered. 

"Flight Three comin up on the tail-end..." Jack's voice complimented the previous one perfectly, the happy family coming together for the holiday season...

Dj popped in immedietly after, hastilly reminding the group," And Nazgul eight here...  Spose I'm in Flight three for today, girls..."  Flight one had slowed down to let the Y-wing catch up, and then began thier pursuit of the carrier... 

(Jack and Jen, you need to tell us how you got back to your crafts and what happened on the way.  Obviously Jen encountered some resistence (note the heavy breath), and Jack is just excited to be there.  Be creative...  Almost done, lets find some pirates maybe?)
 
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*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

The group slowly climbed into the sky as Flight one reached the head of the formation; they kept at an even pace to make sure the Y-wing and cloak-shaped fighter could keep up.

The cold had left Shazam for a while as they exited the atmosphere, the controls shaking humbly as he kept the path straight with the glitter of space coming into view ever so slowly.

The coms had become slightly scrambled as they exited, so Shazam wasn't able to get a head count like he'd have liked, that numb feeling of dread surrounding him seemed to die down thoughout the extraction though.  As soon as real space was in front of him and the stars resumed they're twilight, it jumped him...

"Lets take a..."  The indicator lights blazoned information throughout the cabin as the radar to his upper-left began to locate and identify ships in every direction.  Shazam had just enough time to glance back up as a full squadron of X-wings began to turn together, all coming to face the escort head-on. 

"Stay tight but leave enough room to move..." Shazam let the throttle go bad timidly, his wingman and third mate falling in accordance to his movements.  The NR craft itself began to pick up speed, so the distance was closed rather hastilly as the X-wing group began splitting into better difined flights.  The SC adjusted the throttle once more just slightly to accomadate the much larger craft behind it, all the while observing the bruske silence for any inclination of problems or complicatig matters...  Thats when he noticed the largest vessel of all in the open space...

"This is the Canton.  Nazgul Squadron, do you copy?  Do you copy?"  An actual technition was on the line now and Shazam told Art to answer, wanting to focus on the enemy formation coming his way.  Shazam first noticed that the first flight was constructed of five instead of four fighters, the second with four and the final with three.  Every flight created a semi arrow head formation with a single wingman to the left with the remaining members falling off in the other direction.  It might be better if the cruiser stays with us, he thought and decided he'd stay on route but not stray away from whatever cover they could get.  The cruiser had far heavier sheilds anyways, none that the X-wings would be able to take down in such an equal dogfight.  Or atleast he hoped it was equal...  Shazam took note of the foreigns for a moment more, and then became entranced once more with the enemy.

"Yes, the two extra fighters are aiding in the escort of Delta...  Over and out..."  Art didn't like being talked to, Shazam noted as the tone in the mans' voice had changed from before when he was searching the airwaves.

"If you have missles...  Arm them."  Shazam's right hand came alive off the control yoke and began to align with the head of the group, trying to take his time despite the coming encounter.  The first line fell in perfectly, and Shazam waited until he was within good range to drop the second one, not wanting the X-wing to know he'd been painted so early.  He even waited after a beeping sound had emitted within his own cabin, signaling a missle lock. From who or how many, he couldn't be sure of at the moment.

"Missle lock..." Art announced, then Trevor...  A few others repeated the words as Shazam alligned the horizontal at the last moment, dropping his final missle off the pickle and then flying into a tight left side loop, avoiding a missle that went smashing into the sheilds of the NR craft...

(Final bit guys.  Les finish it up.)
 
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*Flash Was Here...*

CMDR/ESN Shazam/Nazgul 1-1/Phoenix Wing/mSSD Atrus/1VENF/VEN (=A=) (=*SA*=) (=*MA*=) (=*FOCE*=) [LoM] [LSM] [VC:S] [DSM]

The wedding that had followed the hectic night was short, and to the point.  Darius was now hitched with the woman he knew he loved at first sight, and it was going to stay that way.

The had gotten married at a small, dilapidated Imperial Government building, nothing fancy.  It had been a good day, both emotionally and weather wise.  For Nar Shaddaa, if it didn't rain acid on your part of the planet, it was considered good luck, and that it was.  No bounty hunters or assassins, just him, Layren, and the gov official who gave them the paperwork to fill out, and witnessed the official marriage.

That morning, they had tried to invite the old man who had saved them, but they found his apartment empty, ransacked, and desolate.  On the far wall, their was a burnt gash a couple feet in length.  No clothes, food, supplies, or anthing else was found for that matter.  Just a small, fluid filled ball with swirling colors inside.  Darius knelt down, picked it up, examined it, and put it in his pocket.

They exited, feeling sad.  Darius mentioned that Layren's grandfather wasn't going to have anybody to relate to on the floor, and she punched him in the arm jokingly.

That night, they packed and moved Jaren in.  He didn't show any happiness in front of Darius, but when Layren was showing him around the kitchen and her husband was in the living room, making sure they had all they needed, he spoke to her in a whisper, "I know he'll be good to you," then gave her a reassuring smile.  "He'll love you and care for until death do you part.  I know, because I can just see it in the way he looks at you.  I'm really happy for you."  He then put a silencing finger up to his mouth and whispered in her ear, "we won't let him know that though."  With that said, he chuckled and Darius entered.  The room became instantly solemn.

"You ready to take my precious granddaughter away from me yet?" he said in an angry, serious voice.

He swept her up in his arms, and said in a playful, taunting voice, "I thought you'd never ask!"

"Thief!"

"If you want to leave me out of your will, fine," Darius answered immediatly.  He then kissed Layren and finished with, "but I'm married to the only family you've got left.  I'll get it one way or another."  Jaren just shook his head, and waved to them in farewell, as if Solacious Crumb had been pestering him all day.

Darius picked her up in his arms, and carried her to the door.  A lobby droid followed with all of their stuff, and he carried her all of the way to the ship.

They loaded up and he said in a satisfied voice, "homeward bound," and requested for launch clearance.
 
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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing. --Edmund Burke

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FM/SCRW Darius Pursius/Nazgul 3-2/mSSD Atrus/Defensive Fleet/VEN/VE (=A=)