CHAPTER LII: BREAKOUT!

Following the pathway through the ventilation shafts, BT-LR continued to translate for Artoo until the assault team had reached a grating that dropped down into a large cooled area with a massive Mega Control Deducer (MCD-26). This was the core control system and was heavily armored and shield-protected. Massive heat dampeners with cooling jets kept the MCD running smoothly. Already, after burning up inside the ventilation shafts, the team could feel the cold air hit them and it was a stinging cold.

Ligris moved ahead and kicked the grating out before dropping into the “icebox” room. It reminded him of the liquid Crytium tanks. The team would freeze to death down here unless they found a way out up into the bomb bay. As the other members of the team dropped in Artoo was busy determining the safest exit point which was directly under the R-Bomb’s main weapons grid display console. Four DD-33s were there with four more in the vicinity. The Bay Control Bridge sat directly above the Skeltor’s circular launch ring where four massive mechanical locks held the huge R-Bomb in place. Another main release lock was located directly on top of the bomb with massive mechanical release levers located on walls that ran over twenty feet high. The assault team would have to breach the Bay Control Bridge, eliminate the DD-33 threat and then try to eliminate the Skeltors if possible before mounting the bomb release mechanism and confirming that the launch sequencing had been altered by instructions provided by Artoo via com link. It was going to be an almost impossible task… and yet it HAD to be done. Elysia was only three and a half hours away from destruction. The team and Scaffaw had been locked onto and into Slayer for nearly three hours of infiltration and fighting with one dead and two slightly damaged machines- R2 and the BT-LR

Bassam could not afford to simply blow the under-console vent and toss detonators onto the bridge deck. Any damage to the main weapons console might detonate the bomb or cause a critical malfunction that Artoo might not be able to correct. No, there had to be another way. Looking around the room, Bassam saw no useful equipment until he spotted Ligris’ Coanda constrictors. Thank the sacred Orban, that would be the way. No detonations and no firefight.

Ligris listened to Bassam’s plan with careful concentration and then slowly began to unload the Coandas. Ligris then ordered everyone to back away as he tried to quietly pull the the vent backwards with all his strength. The DD-33s above were intently monitoring the weapon view screen and simultaneously all ship primary functions. The bending of the vent was creaking which caused the droids to pause for a moment. Ligris stopped as Bassam and Boman rushed to his side and slid their hands under the vent. Their was a brief pause and then one of the DD-33s paced the bridge floor before moving out into the corridor to investigate further. That only left three DD-33s in the Bay Control Bridge which made the team’s job easier.

Now the time had come. Bassam nodded and Ligris ripped the vent out of the lower console. The sudden noise alerted the DD-33s which immediately raised turbo pulsers. But the intruders were underneath them and as they moved about on their ball rollers Ligris fired a constrictor which coiled around a DD-33’s roller forcing it into the deck. Another came over to investigate and was brought down as well. Neither of the box-like droids could get back up as the Coandas tightened to maximum hold. The third DD-33, however, sounded the alarms and waited for the attackers to appear. Bassam slid half-way out of the vent, but was immediately hit in his left arm. With his right arm he launched another Coanda that locked around the droid’s extension arms and body. The machine was paralyzed as Bassam targeted it himself with his lectrovision and opened fire with his Kasamir. This brought all remaining five DD-33s into the bridge area pit below the bridge. By this time Ligris, Boman, Kali, and Kailen were all out of the vent and standing in the Bay Control Bridge.

Artoo through BT-LR instructed Kailen to manually override the weapons grid while Artoo created a false safety protocol in the bomb bay- a fire. More alarms sounded as the confused DD-33s and Skeltors scanned for any sign of fire damage within the bay. Kailen then retrieved her tool belt and began to take apart the weapons console piece-by-piece until she reached the R-Bomb’s navi-processor which could not be reset. By-passing that unit, Artoo instructed her to ignore all the read-outs of the bomb’s internal mechanisms and look for the launch thruster sequencers. Kailen found them and then manually tried to re-set all four thrusters for a time delay in flight of one minute and then a total thruster shut-down for five minutes. It would take that long for the bomb’s inertial guidance system to recalibrate the thrusters and resume launch sequencing. It was important to get the code keys right for each thruster and Kailen had to use her own manual keyboard to do it after by-passing yet another guidance control module. At last, she had reached her objective and quickly instructed BT-LR to read off the lines of code in sequence. Artoo read them off to BT-LR who responded, “ Line Alpha: Enable Code X3Y64R7:Initiate and Lock Thruster One. Line Beta: Enable Code Z0023T7:Initiate and Lock Thruster Two. Line Gamma: Enable Code W237R11: Initiate and Lock Thruster Three. Line Omega: Enable Code T34E667: Initiate and Lock Thruster Four. Reset Sequence Timer Power-Down Plus 1:00: Enable. Code C55U789 OVERRIDE: Enable.” Kailen entered the information into the guidance system module and after a few seconds her scanner picked up the new settings! The R-Bomb was now altered. Kailen had wanted to delay it further or shut it down altogether, but this would raise alarms and prevent her from access to the guidance system. By altering launch flight time of only one minute the guidance system failure detection system would be able to correct the problem within five minutes. Any longer and the reset would have been flashed as a critical systems error. Kailen sighed in relief. She had just bought Elysia precious time.

Meanwhile, in the bay itself, the fire detection units reported a systems malfunction. Kailen replaced the missing panels to the weapons grid and watched as all systems were green lighted. The DD-33s, if any survived would not detect the re-set and the MCD-26 would not recognize the small delay until it actually occurred. Right now, it recognized the seemingly authorized re-set which fell within the attack parameters established for the R-Bomb. The re-set was minimal and therefore of little consequence; hence, it raised no alarms.

However, the DD-33s were beginning to return to their posts when fire erupted from the assault team. Bassam, Ligris, and Boman opened fire and took out all five of the remaining DD-33s with furious bursts from their turbo pulser rifles. Bassam and Ligris threw a few detonators out as well which caused the bridge deck to be strewn with burning droids. This alerted the four huge Skeltors which quickly took action.

Picking up a huge piece of scanning machinery on the circular launch ring, one Skeltor used its huge roving black eye and targeted Ligris. Heaving the heavy machine up, the Skeltor hurled the heavy piece of equipment at Ligris who was smashed into the bridge wall and collapsed. Kailen screamed as Ligris lay unconscious on the deck. Boman decided it was time to fight regardless of the Skeltor’s size advantage and power. Igniting his light saber, he jumped down to the launch ring and ran straight for the huge giant which back-handed him into side railing twenty feet away. Boman was alive, but the impact has knocked his air out and bruised him badly underneath his armor. His light saber was still in his hand, but it had disengaged when knocked about with force.

The huge Skeltor was moving towards Boman with intent of squashing him with its 100 ton weight when Kali grabbed the last Coanda constrictor from Bassam and fired it at the Skeltor’s raised right leg. The bonders locked tightly around the machine and it’s hydraulic actuators. The Skeltor was stopped for the moment and then fell backwards. It grabbed the side railing as another Skeltor came to the rescue, but Kali jumped down onto the second Skeltor and rammed her light saber through the massive machine’s black roving eye. The machine was blinded and started to sway from side-to-side as it tried to swat the humanoid insect on it. But Kali jumped free and lured the Skeltor by voice commands until it had reached the end of a section of the railing. As the huge giant swooped down to scoop up Kali she ran between its huge legs and turning, used her light saber to cut the railings on both sides of her before ramming it into the deck plating and cutting a line through the deck. The Skeltor stumbled around blindly and approached but the deck was starting to collapse unsupported under the Skeltor’s massive weight. Kali stood in defiance, light saber raised, as the mighty giant approached and then a section of the deck collapsed and the Skeltor fell one hundred feet into the bomb bay door guns which crushed many of them. Warning alarms sounded as the weapons grid lost power to twenty T-Packs.

Kali rushed over to Boman and asked him if he was alright. He gasped for air and moaned in pain, but said he would survive. But Kailen was in shock and crying as Ligris lay helpless on the upper deck below the Bay Control Bridge. She thought Ligris was dead, but after a few minutes she saw movement and pulling his face shield upwards she could see him open his eyes. He was alive, but dazed and injured. Kailen tried to help raise him to his feet before she heard the heavy footsteps of another Skeltor approaching. As she looked back a huge armored hand reached up and grabbed her, trying to crush her in its powerful grip.

Kailen screamed in horror and this got Ligris to his feet. The Skeltor had Kailen in its grasp with its angry black roving eye scanning the human intruder. Its grip was tightening and Kailen screamed to Ligris for help. She was about to black out. Ligris could not think. He had no weapons left except for a rifle which would be useless against the armored giant. He felt helpless to save her, but in Kraal anger he jumped from the upper deck and landed on the Skeltors back. The machine, distracted now, swung from side-to-side, but Ligris didn’t let go. He climbed up onto the back of the machine’s head and removed his AD-AX. Grabbing his emergency detonator he unleashed the AD-AX which flew around the front of the giant and then attached to its roving black eye. Ligris let out a Kraal roar and detonated the AD-AX which sent the Skeltor falling. Kailen was released from its grip but was swung forcefully into one of the R-bomb's mechanical locks and fell limp. Ligris jumped clear as the Skeltor’s smoking head erupted in flame and the machine fell sideways over the launch ring railing impacting with other Skeltor. More guns were damaged beyond repair which made the remaining two Skeltors eager to kill these humanoids.

Bassam was their next target. He was barely moving with his left arm badly hit. He saw the Skeltors coming towards him from both sides of the launch ring and, getting to his feet, he ran back to the Bay Control Bridge and retrieved the tremblar that had once belonged to Laral. “For Laral!” Bassam shouted in defiance as he hit the first Skeltor in the chest. Its armor started to crack and yet the giant moved forwards, closer to Kali and Boman. Another shot and Bassam hit its roving black eye. Blinded and malfunctioning the Skeltor trembled itself before reaching a side railing for balance. Bassam took out its legs which shattered and the machine was finished.

The last Skeltor moved towards Kali who was trying to revive Boman, but she lunged forward to protect him. Concentrating on the force, she let it flow into her and blinded the giant with a fantastic light burst. The disorientated machine stumbled backwards, but Kali was determined to finish the giant off. Bravely, she slashed at the Skeltor’s rear legs, targeting their highly vunerable hydralulic lines. Cutting them, the Skeltor was slowly losing momentum and then froze in place. Kali concentrated with all her heart and mind and moved her palms outwards toward the machine. It started to vibrate and then was being pushed back by an unseen force. The giant struggled to remain upright, but was losing balance. As the last Skeltor, its job was to unlock the release mechanisms to the R-Bomb and now it fired a grappling line in deperation to the release lever high above all the others. This was the emergency release in case the Skeltors had failed to manually unlock the release mechanism. Mag-locking to it, the Skeltor pulled with all its might as Kali forced it off the railing. It crashed to the bay floor with a violent impact.

But the emergency release had been activated and the mechanical locks released with explosive lock bolts sending the R-Bomb crashing into the lower bay one hundred feet below. Over half the T-Packs had been destroyed, but now it would be impossible to check the accuracy of the re-set Kailen had made. The size and weight of the bomb meant that it landed upright in a straight vertical position, but now all of its weight was resting on the bomb bay doors.

The MCD-26 had taken over control of Slayer now that the emergency explosive bolts had released the bomb while on route. With three hours left of travel the MCD-26 calculated that the bomb’s weight would cause a major malfunction with the bomb bay doors before the launch sequence; therefore, the bomb would be released earlier with a maximum fuel burn to achieve enough velocity to enter Elysia’s atmosphere and detonate. To prevent further disruption, the MCD-26 blew the weapons console and the entire Bay Control Bridge.

Everyone was devastated by the events that had taken place. Bassam was lying wounded and bleeding badly from his left arm. Boman was semi-conscious and seriously injured. Ligris was injured and mourning over Kailen who was not breathing. And now, the R-Bomb would be set to launch pre-maturely, the one minute delay corrected within 5 minutes and then an all out burn towards Elysia’s atmosphere. The Hand of God would not only NOT be ready in time for the intercept, but could not grab the device at terminal velocity. How could this have happened? Light was being destroyed by darkness and nothing seemed able to stop it.

Kali tried with all her heart to focas on the living life force, but Boman was not responding. Kali then moved over to Kailen and tried to restore her, but she too was still not breathing. Ligris had taken the Gussam bio-form and placed it on Kailen’s heart, but it moved away as Kailen had died just moments ago in Ligris’s arms. Bassam’s wounds would not heal as well. He was bleeding to death.

Kali cried out with all her heart, “Light of All Life WHY have you forsaken us?”

At that very moment onboard Defiance Tirahn’s heart was in agony. Lord Kalore asked her what was wrong but she wanted to be alone and returned to her private quarters where she fell to her knees. Something was wrong inside. Tirahn could feel great pain and she saw the light again, but only this time it was more powerful. It was if the entire room was aglow and then she saw the image of a woman standing in white rainment with golden wings looking above Elysia as a fantastic brilliance shined in space. Tirahn could feel the light penetrate her and she did not fight it. The woman turned to look at Tirahn and spoke to her with gentle words. “Daughter Jovia, you must do what is right in your heart. Reach out to the Light of All Life. You have friends that need your help right now. Help them. Reach for the Light and never turn back.”

The vision disappeared after that, but Tirahn could feel a powerful stirring in her. She saw in her mind Lady Kaliah in great pain along with Bassam, Ligris, Commander Braggs, and a still, lifeless Kailen. Tirahn reached out to the Light of All Life and surrendered her life to it. Tirahn could see Lady Kaliah in distress and reached out to her in spirit and in power. Filled with the full power of the force, Tirahn outstretched her arms towards the vastness of space, not knowing what was happening inside of her. Her mind was free and then her heart spoke to her with clarity.

I am not Sith, I am a Whill. My name is Jovia… Jovia… Askana! I am here, my sister, I will help you!

High above the death ship a powerful burst of ethereal radiance enveloped the Slayer as living particles filtered through the hyper-plated obsidian armor as if it did not exist. A magnificent flash of light showered the bomb bay and then cascaded over Kali. All were enraptured except for the lifeless body of Kailen Saro.

Immediately, Kali was uplifted in spirit and light was forming within her that flowed out of her like luminous streams. Kali rushed over to Kailen and touched her heart. She started to move and began to breathed again. She was alive once more! Ligris too was touched and felt his injuries heal instantly. Kali touched Boman and he returned to consciousness with a renewed awareness of the true power of the living life force. Bassam was clutching his sacred Orban with bloodied hands when Kali came to him. She appeared as a female heavenly creature as she touched his wounded arm and it healed instantaneously. Bassam’s spirit was renewed and as he rose to his feet his heart was filled with great joy and spiritual enlightenment. Then Kali became overwhelmed and fainted. But she was alive and well. Tirahn, her sister lost many years ago, had imparted the power of the living life force to her.

Tirahn had saved them all.

Back on Defiance Tirahn wept, but not tears of sadness. They were tears of joy as she knew in her heart that she was a Whill; that her sister was well; and that death had been defeated. She had been the Chosen One and although Lord Rexor had deceived her all her life as to her identity, it would be Lord Rexor that had deceived himself in the end. For the Whills only fought defensively. Tirahn had no such inhibitions nor restrictions having been trained by the Sith for combat. Although she was now restored as a Whill, she would still kill Lord Rexor as planned; only this time, in righteous indignation, not purely for revenge. Lord Kalone could not know of her true identity, so she would conceal that for now. It would be safer that way.

Tirahn prepared for battle. She now knew the Sith would pay dearly for their deception with a great loss of life. The vision was accurate after all.

On EVO-ONE Lord Rexor sensed something had just changed, but chose to ignore the thought. Coldeth’s ship Carrion was approaching with the promised delivery of a Whill light saber. All was going according to plan in Lord Rexor’s twisted, psychotic realm of death and destruction.

And yet, there was a psychic disturbance just moments ago.

Lord Rexor therefore summoned for the Dark Seer Diprava to be escorted to EVO-ONE immediately. K-LOK contacted Lord Falkor at once.

Lord Rexor felt a “battle of wills” was about to take place… little did he suspect Tirahn knew she was a Whill already!