CHAPTER XXXXVII: THE TIME OF OUR TROUBLE

The attack came without warning.

The Bura working crews were busy with the Thumper when a series of dark shadows crossed the ground like black streaks. The Buras looked up and saw a swarm of black star fighters closing in on them and the digging site. More curious than afraid, the Buras stood and watched as the Sith Black Ravens opened up with their T-Packs blazing. Thousands of Buras were cut to shreds as the others panicked and deserted the site for the nearest Inner Passageway. Streaks of white thunder came down upon the construction equipment and as the tunnelers came back towards topside for a look, a lone Raven opened bomb bay one and dropped a precision Graviton that deployed a drop parachute while image-locking its target then discarded the chute and lit all burners for a precise hit inside the new Inner Passageway entrance under construction. The Thumper and all crews were decimated as the ground shook with violence unlike the rhythmic Thumper. Fire poured from what was left of the tunnel.

All the sudden activity and destruction sent off alarms in Takrat. The Holy One Dasam Umein was in deep meditation, but now knew that the prophecy had come true- the “Time of Our Trouble” had arrived. Signaling to his Temple Guard, the Screeches sounded all over Takrat. This mobilized the Katarsh Warriors and activated a control center located deep beneath the Holy Moske. It was an ancient center that was used in times of ancient war when the Bura’s ancestors had lived mostly topside before the full discovery of the inner world and the Black Sun. In those times, the Buras had become divided with some choosing to stay above ground while others dug deep below and eventually built the grand underground paradise of Takrat. Holy wars had raged for centuries between the tunnelers and rebel topsiders. Today, the Holy War was against foreign topsiders and infidels of the highest degree- the Sith.

Dasam Umein and the Holy Elders slowly dismounted their Karpaats and walked over to a reserved Segma ball train for the descent to the war room. Katarsh Warriors were ordered to prepare for holy battle against the Sith infidels. Dasam knew it was them. He had known it when the Kyrie first arrived. If she could discover their world by accident, then her Dark Master would come looking for her and then discover their world and chart it for attack.

Laral Utan could not believe the events unfolding before him. The prophecy was true and now the Buras would suffer at the hands of infidels. How he had believed in the Kyrie Tirahn and how his heart was broken that she had departed, whereabouts unknown. But the Holy One had told him not to despair that, “darkness may fall, but then light reappears.” How he wished Tirahn would appear now. His mind thought on this as he dressed in Katarsh battle armor, grabbed his Kasamir rifle, and instructed his men to grab as many tremblars as they could. The military Karpaats were also being prepared. These were much larger armored crewed levitators with powerful thrusters and rail mountings for a variety of weapons. Each military Karpaat had a crew of three to four; usually, one piloted the craft from a sitting position while two others fired from each side while another fired aft. The Katarsh Warriors would make a supreme effort to fight the intruders even if it meant the supreme sacrifice. Laral Utan was prepared for death.

Topside, the Ravens mapped out the Bura landscape shooting at anything that moved and marking the Inner Passageways for Graviton strikes. Supreme Commander Max-Ventor of Black Heart had given the order that the search for Dark Lord Kalore and Tirahn would take precedence but that targets of opportunity were to be attacked at once. Priority two was to seal off the Bura tunnels, locking them into their subterranean world until the bulk carriers arrived and disgorged their troops for occupation until Sith reinforcements and special assignment teams (SATs) came to gas the filthy animals. There was no sign of Defiance on this world and yet the Dark Master himself had assured them that the Dark Seer Diprava has seen a vision of them in hiding there. In all probability they could be beneath the surface.

Therefore, Black Leader Garish ordered the tunnels sealed for now. The Ravens closed in, bomb bays numbers one and two open for an all-out strike when the ground began to change shape. Garish ordered the Ravens to hold their fire as masses of soil erupted all over the landscape and large caliber barrels began to emerge that pointed skyward, swinging into place. Strange pointed shafts rose out of the ground as well.

Down in the Bura Ancient Gathering Circle Dasam had activated the old helical guns and now the guns were being raised as giant helical strands of ammunition raced up the feed tunnels to the gun operators. There was a lull before the storm and then the order was given to open up all batteries.

Primitive breech-loaded ammunition was filling the skies as the Ravens scattered in disarray. Then the shreikers activated and piercing noise vibrated the infidel craft. Garish wasn’t about to let a bunch of filthy animals defeat his force, so he ordered the Ravens to swoop down and knock out the guns as quickly as possible while using the T-Packs to rake the noise making machines.

Gravitons rained down from the sky and either dislodged the guns or warped their barrels. One Graviton followed another one into a helical tube and blew a series of magazines that was felt in Takrat. Buras screamed in horror as parts of the Segma tunnels collapsed sending hundreds to their deaths as the ball trains and pods plunged thousands of feet to the city streets. Fire poured down to the lush lined avenues and pieces of the reinforced support structure buckled. Hundreds of tons of solid rock came crashing down on the Buras and their buildings.

There was little, if nothing, Dasam could do about it except pray to the Sacred Orban for deliverance. The ancients guns had fallen quickly as the Buras could not fight an outside invader. That is why their world had been kept a secret for a thousand generations… until Bassam Omenga went on his holy war against infidel topsider worlds. He was the cause of all this. If the Buras had him right now, they would behead him for betraying the people and the Sacred Orban. He had vilified their people and their religion. If only Dasam could get his hands on Bassam Omenga. But this was no time for impure thoughts. We must have faith and patience. The “Chosen One” would come, brought by a mighty wind.

Garish and the Ravens were busy tearing up the shreikers, but he advised his pilots not to get too close to them. A few Raven pilots ran straight for them and were completely surprised when their cockpit canopies shattered and their faces were sonically ripped apart. Garish witnessed the crashes and ordered attacks made from long distances or with the Gravitons which were already used up. Only thirty-eight tunnels had become sealed out of hundreds, so the Ravens would have to return back to Black Heart and Dark Fury to refuel and rearm. This would take another thirty minutes to an hour. The bulk carriers were now in a position to land and overconfident Garish dared ask Supreme Commander Max-Ventor if the carriers were capable of landing without escort. There were no Buras alive on the surface and their guns had been knocked out. It was a primitive world with primitive people. How hard would it be to land troops in force and then spread them out along several of the remaining tunnel entrances? In all probability, they probably all led to the same location.

Max-Ventor was about to give Black Leader Garish a verbal lecture on questioning his orders, but then conferred with the MD-13 on the remote possibility that all the passageways lead to one centralized location. Surprisingly, the MD-13 predicted more than eighty percent! Ventor relented and ordered the bulk carriers to start their landings immediately while the Ravens were repaired, refitted, refueled, recharged, and rearmed for the next assault.

Katarsh scouts reported the departure of the Sith craft, but then even more ominous larger dark shapes began to fill the sky. The Bura scout was in near panic when he reported that the Sith were invading, heading for an open area around Inner Passageways 93,94, and 95. The nearest military bulk Segma transport would be closest to Inner Passageway 107, some distance away.

Nevertheless, Dasam ordered that all military assets be assembled and moved topside immediately. He had at his disposal 10,000 warriors on hursas and 2,000 military Karpaateers.  All were armed with Kasamir rifles, claw detonators, hand thrusters, and as many tremblars that could be confiscated from the tunnelers. The Buras were desperate. But such a force would require up to an hour to assemble. Dasam therefore ordered that the Sith be allowed to land and assemble. No attacks were to be made until Inner Passageway 107 was secured and ready for the assault.

Meanwhile, Warlord Max-Barren had landed in the bulk command carrier Wildfire and quickly moved his Tartus TGC out into the open to survey the battle area. Raising his lectrovision unit to horizon Barren saw no sign of activity around the target shafts ahead roughly five miles due NW. He quietly contemplated that the Buras were indeed primitive, but no one knew their population of their vast fabled underground. Perhaps millions lived there, enough for a suitable assault force to meet him on the open field. The flat terrain was excellent as was the daytime visibility. No doubt hursas and antiquated weapons would be used by the Buras, but the Kyries would form massive wave blocks to meet the threat. If the Buras moved around to flank them then extension waves would form like outstretched arms of firepower to cut them down. Besides, thought Barren, the Ravens would be back with at least eighty T-Packs and one hundred sixty Gravitons- suitable force projection to reach three simple tunnels. Unless the Buras kept tunneling equipment inside their world, they would not blow the entrances themselves. Still, Barren needed to know where their air supply was coming from and if there were surface facilities that could serve as military bunkers.

At once, Warlord Max-Barren contacted Black Fury and requested a full global scan. Supreme Commander Max-Ventor ordered Dark Fury to probe the planet. What looked like emergency escape pods jettisoned from the ship by the hundreds. These were GRPs (Ground Reconnaissance Probots). Like a meteor shower, the streaks of the launch capsules entered TaBora’s golden sky with massive fire streaks that impacted everywhere.

Katarsh scouts reported unusual Sith activity raining down from the sky… but no explosions. Inner Passageway 107 was filling up with backed-up Segma heavy transports in seven tubes waiting to dismount and begin the attack on the infidels. The Katarsh Warriors were armed to the teeth, but were instructed to use the tremblars against large ground and air targets. They were of limited duration running off gas cylinders while there was plenty of hyper-round ammunition for the Kasamirs. The Karpaateers would attempt to fight the star fighters with aerial tremblars and assault weapons too. It would be an almost impossible task but Dasam Umein had urged his warriors and citizens to remember the prophecy- a deliverer WILL come.
                                                                                                  -Orban, as it is written, so let it be

Laral Utan comforted himself with these words, but wondered if he would ever see the female Kyrie again. She had proven herself in battle as well as radiating the energy of the Black Sun. Her light jumper ball also was a good omen. For it resembled the Sacred Orban.

On Elysia, far away from TaBora’s space sector SS-4, Tirahn and Lord Kalore were going over the plans of the Slayer in the I.A.R. which was filled with the oddest assembly of unlikely allies in anyone’s history: the Queen, Imperators Davon and Bevins, R2-A2 and BT-LR, Lady Kaliah, Commander Braggs, Lady Anwar, Tirahn, Lord Kalore, Ligris, Kailen, and Bassam Omenga. In short, a Royal, two Royal Commanders, a droid and cyborg, a Jedi, two Whill Seers, one Dark Seer, one Dark Lord, a former bounty hunter, a female star pilot, and a terrorist!

Tirahn spoke first. “At first I was going to suggest infiltrating the Slayer and finding a way to install the light jumper module to the vessel’s hyperdrive, moving it away from Elysia. But this is impossible as the drive is a colossal untested unit- that is precisely why it wasn’t used to send it here in the first place, due to the bomb being carried and no return pathway can be navi-processed. However, with this unique endeavor of the Hand of God and the almost precise internal dimensions needed to mount the small unit, I believe it may be possible to light jump the “Red Sunset” out into hyperspace faster than it would take for the Falcon’s hyper drive to do it using conventional navi-processing. The light jumper is already pre-programmed for four destinations and all can be deleted by voice command. A new location can be randomly selected and then a hypercom audio transmission can activate the unit. It is all very simple, except for one problem.”

Commander Braggs spoke up. “The problem is infiltrating the Slayer in the first place and then making it past the automated gun posts and DD-33s all the way up to the central control bridge. This will have to be taken out by force. When this happens, the mechanoids in the bomb bay will assume control from that bridge and we must find a way past the huge blast doors and Skeltors before reprogramming “Red Sunset” to delay launch thrusters one minute into flight to allow the Hand of God to ensnare the weapon and light jump it to a location somewhere out past SS-4. We cannot simply attempt to disable it completely because that may trigger a self-destruct mechanism or launch the weapon prematurely. A short delay is all we can hope for.”

Braggs was about to continue on when Bassam interrupted. “I will go to TaBora and recover a special Thumper there that will be carried by Scaffaw…excuse me…White Phoenix… to the rear of the buried central bridge. The armor is weakest there at only twenty feet.” Lord Kalore explained, “Although the projections show a solid cast of armor in that section, the image is false. In the event of a catastrophic explosion along the aft Rekurium reactor row Slayer is equipped with upwards blast deflectors aft of the central control station to allow only the aft section of the ship to be destroyed. Elysia lacks the firepower to blow the engines from the outside and no way was foreseen to enter the inside. The measure was taken in case of an internal emergency that the DD-33s and mechanoids could not fight. Instead of a solid structure that might be pushed forward of the central control center and blow the fuel tanks or disable the bomb bay, loose blocks of obsidian armor are stacked there with internal explosive hinge plates hidden out of sight and not recorded here. There are also gaps in the obsidian cubes that may be possible to jump down. If you push through at your current target, you will have to descend several hundred feet to reach bottom. I suggest you enter here” Lord Kalore laser-pointing to a location closer to the holomorphically displayed buried bridge.

Imperator Bevins suggested that if the DD-33s and gun placements could be destroyed that it was absolutely vital that the R2 unit go along to quickly reprogram the bomb. Any human delay or error would be the end of the Whills. The Queen agreed and appointed BT-LR to go along as well to translate! The BT-LR looked bewildered, “but Madame, I am not trained for military missions, I am a liaison and translator cyborg specializing in human-cyborg relations!” Ligris slapped the BT-LR on the back and said, “welcome aboard.” The BT-LR was clearly distressed and moaned, “dear oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?” Looking down at Artoo he said, “this is all your fault, I should have never allowed you in the front door.” Artoo only chirped back an incomprehensible rebuttal.

Bassam again interrupted and said, “it will be very tricky, I will need some supplies from home and both Commander Braggs and Ligris will have to aid me in the fight against the mechanoids.” At this Kailen and Lady Kaliah broke in with simultaneous complaints. Kali looked at Boman while Kailen looked towards Ligris. In unison they said, “what do you expect us to do, sit here and wait?” Bassam answered for them, “Women should not go on this mission, they are a bad omen.” Then Bassam felt the glare from the Kyrie and altered his last statement. “Perhaps we can find something for them to do. I will think on this matter.” Kailen and Kali were about to protest when BT-LR interrupted with an urgent message from Artoo.

“Your Majesty, Artoo has picked up intercepted hypercom transmissions that the Sith have found the legendary TaBora and are attacking the planet. Bassam and Tirahn said at almost the same time, “Oh no!”
“All will be jeopardized if I do not return immediately and secure the Thumper. How can I do this with a war raging? Scaffaw cannot fight Sith starships nor ground troops." He said this as he stared into the face of Lord Kalore and the visor of Tirahn.

The Dark Lord regretted his former Master’s decision, but they could not get involved. They were planning to kill Lord Rexor themselves when the opportunity presented himself once the Slayer weapon failed. It would be at that point when Defiance could fight EVO-ONE on fair terms and Tirahn could slip onboard to finish him off. “I am truly sorry friends but the light jumper is all we can offer you at this time. We must get back into our own personal fight against Lord Rexor.”

As her Master spoke, Tirahn was grieved at the heart, and Lady Kaliah could sense it. Boldly, she asked Tirahn to remove her Kyrie helm, that she wanted to see her face. This caught everyone’s attention and the room suddenly fell silent. Lady Anwar, silent in prayer the entire time could sense what Lady Kaliah was sensing- a strong stirring of the force within Tirahn. Lord Kalore was perplexed as Tirahn commanded the lock bolts to release and for her obturator to clear. There was a slight hissing and then the internal mag-bolts unlocked, unsealing the helmet ring. Lord Kalore detached her whip cord and slowly eased the helmet backward as Tirahn’s radiant black bundled hair was flowing back into the helmet. At a certain length Tirahn grabbed it and pulled it all the way through along with the weighted sinker. She was a stunning beauty and her eyes sparkled with life.

Lady Kaliah and Lady Anwar approached Tirahn who stepped back, but they asked her to trust them. Laying their hands on her shoulders and her breastplate Tirahn could feel the stirring of the force inside of her. Not the dark path of hatred or vengeance, but of light and love. Her Seer images were clear and in tune with the Whill Seers. She was seeing a light opening in her mind’s eye and a great heaviness was lifted. She felt joy and peace and then the images came flooding in of Takrat in danger and Laral Utan praying that she return to his world to save the Buras. It was overwhelming what Tirahn was experiencing and Bassam Omenga was mystified. Grabbing the Sacred Orban, he chose a scripture at random from the middle ring and placed the tip of his finger on it. A holomorphic projection came and this time it was a solid white light. The audio enhancer read out loud the sacred scripture, “With a mighty wind a deliverer will come in the Time of Our Trouble.” The holy beam of light was intersecting directly on Tirahn’s chest plate! Bassam  and Lord Kalore were overwhelmed with emotion and spirituality.

Inside of her, Tirahn was starting to see the pathway to light and with her eyes closed, tears began to fall as she knew in her heart what the right thing to do was. Lady Kaliah and Anwar held her steady as Tirahn was about to collapse. She was indeed the “deliverer” and “chosen one” who would save both the Whills and the Buras.

Lord Kalore did not understand yet. “But she is Sith, your own prophecy tells that the Sith shall ALL perish, is this not correct? The Whills were equally baffled as was Bassam Omenga who considered the Sith infidels to be put to the sword. But Bassam spoke with Lord Kalore. “Dark Lord, I cannot speak for the Whills but our prophecy speaks of the “Time of Our Trouble” which began when Tirahn landed on our world. Now your people have come to destroy it; however, the prophecy continues that a mighty wind will bring a deliverer during this time. My ship is Scaffaw which means “White Wind” and Tirahn, your female Kyrie, is the deliverer. We must bring her at once to TaBora! Lord Kalore shouted back, NO! It cannot be done, Lord Rexor must die first!”

Just then, Tirahn regained her composure and spoke softly to her master, “ My Lord, I do not understand any of this but I have been shown a way to accomplish what must be done. We must follow the Bura and attack the Sith forces there. This will alert Lord Rexor and divert his attention to TaBora while the Whills infiltrate Slayer and reprogram the bomb. The light jumper will take it to a location above TaBora- I have already pre-programmed the location and Lord Rexor’s forces will be destroyed instead. The Buras will be saved, the Whills shall be saved, and I will not fight for vengeance, but for justice. Lord Rexor will fall by my hand. Then you may rule the Sith in peace. The vision is accurate.” Lord Kalore had been through one ordeal after another and yet Tirahn survived to say once again how accurate the vision was. Time was running out, but it had not yet run out. Lord Kalore loved Tirahn enough to give her time. After a brief silence, he relented.

“This is a most grievous decision, but wisdom has forced me to reconsider. I trust Tirahn’s judgment and vision so I will abide by it. We will accompany Scaffaw back to TaBora. Leave the light jumper set for TaBora. By the time it reaches the sector it will detonate above the planet, destroying whatever Sith military forces Lord Rexor sends there as reinforcements.”

Perhaps that is the great loss of Sith life Tirahn had spoken of. Necessary sacrifices, of course. Empowerment demanded them.