[TOR] The Zyn Legacy

[Tal]

    Talyn sat across her master.  It was rare she could spend time with him these days.  She accepted his decision she needed to spend time finding balance and welcomed the peace it brought to her life.  Carrick Station was a quiet and peaceful place to gain her focus.
However she confesed to her master, "Each step I take the shadows grow longer."
    "Take smaller steps," he said.  They both laughed.

[Tal]

    The strike team gained the shuttle bay when they landed on the command ship and secured the weapons off two guards but that was not enough.  Without weapons it was only a matter of time and they were captured and brought to the ship's brig.
    Meanwhile, a small cargo ship launched from a planetside port despite a scuffle with local authorites and brief blaster exchange with Imperial troops.  The ship nearly escaped but an attending cruiser assigned to the command ship intercepted it.  The rogue ship was about to be handled by the cruiser until a lone Sith captive aboard reached out to Darth Felze.  Felze then directs the cargo ship to be brought to his command ship.  He would rescue this Sith and gain praise for doing so.  Life was always going his way he thought.
    The "Sith" is disembarked and promptly asked the guard captain to bring her to the Republic strike team.  The escort is uncertain until each receives a wave of a hand, then all are happy.  Along the way the Sith collects their weapons and chit-chats about security within the ship.

*****

    Talya sat in her cell, her mission blown.  This rogue fleet rampages across the galaxy.  The Republic cannot seem to stop it and the Imperials deny it.  Intelligence tells us it is a Sith with incredible Battle Meditation.  Why the Empire did not reserve him for an official fleet is beyond everyone, however, this was her mission and she failed.  Right about then, a knock came at her door.  "Hi", came a somewhat familiar voice.  Then the cell door opened.
    Talya looked out directly at her sister, Talyn, surrounded by four un-armed Imperial troopers.  Talyn held up four assault rifles and offered them to Talya, "You know more about these than I do."  Talya grabbed the belts in disbelief as Talyn told the four troopers to step into the cell.  She then calmly locked the cell and looked to her sister.  "Shall we get your troops and finish this then?"

*****

     After the Zyn sisters rescued the remaining strike team they stopped, oddly enough, in a break lounge to discuss their next move.  Sid helped himself to a pastry.  With six rifle blasters and a Jedi they felt the mission was achievable.  Arthur held out a rifle to Talyn.  Talyn glanced at it and seemed a little distracted.  Talyn looked down at her lightsaber then looked back at Arthur, "Seriously?"  Arthur chuckled and tossed the weapon to another.  Talya looked at her sister and asked, "What's wrong?"
    "I feel the Sith here may be a problem.  Let me go another way and deal with things as they come."
    Talya seemed puzzeled, "Ok then, what's your plan exactly?"
     "I'm going to take smaller steps," Talyn smiled and moved off.

*****

    Darth Felze was in his meditation chamber.  Normally he did not go there until battle but he liked the feel anyway.  All his handlers jumped back and gave him a wide hand when he went there.  Suddenly alerts came across the comms.  There was a ship-wide intruder alert!  Without warning his chamber pod opened and Felix was staring down the barrel of six rifles.  Darth Felze raised his arms...

[Tal]

    Fryd Gher was an elite pilot.  Among his peers he was known as "Stoney".   He received this nickname because of his serious nature.  Rumor in the squadron was that his mother had a picture of him smiling but that was unconfirmed.  Gher's squadron was elite.  This was not cocky blustering among pilots that is normally expected.  This was an honor sadly gained and seldom talked about.  Gher and his squadron beared this distinction quietly.  They stood ready when the Republic needed them, and those days came more and more.  In place and ready to go, Gher launched his squadron from the covert operations ship Warden's Path.
    "Pather Flight, launch", he quietly ordered.  Four fighters lept out and immediatly went "cold" as their stealth cruiser and waited.

*****

    The plan had always been to kill the Battle Meditation Sith.  The secondary objective was to escape.  Talya figured the best chance of that was to punch out on an escape shuttle.  Finding those was easy.  Getting not destroyed after launch was not.  That's where Fryd "Stoney" Gher and his squadron came in.  They would intercept enemy fighters and their stealth carrier would electronically harrass the fleet's gunnery captains.  In theory.  Talya never expected to get so far so never worried that four fighters was possibly not up to the task.
    Fryd Gher was not an idiot either.  When presented with the plan, he simply noted that four fighters were not enough to engage and/or distract fighters and gun batteries from a command ship and her cruiser escorts.  The "unranked" man assured him the Imperial fleet would have more to worry about.  Gher's mission was specific, protect any escape pod that launced.

*****

    Talya rushed her team and captive to the escape pods.  She had no idea where her sister was but had a mission.  As they funneled into one of the escape corridors it became darkened with two Sith.  Talya raised her weapon and fired.  All her shots were deflected easily by the advancing Sith.  As she screamed into the pod for her team to come out and support, the Sith whipped around and defended against another.  Talya knew.  She screamed outloud "Talyn"!
    Talyn advanced slowely.  The Sith flanked her and she adopted a stance ready to fight.  She thought, this just might be just a tad above me.  Either way, she would fight and get her sister and her team away. 
    Talyn whirrled between both attackers, light on her feet, grace in motion, her lightsaber met everything thrown at her with ease.  Her two attackers rushed past her and resumed their attack stances.  Talyn quipped, "Is that all fellas?"  Talyn reached down and tore the floor of the ship up in bits and flung them at one of the Sith.  As the victum wiggled in agony his partner tried to counter Talyn's attack.  Talyn glared at him and focused the force in to a interrupting move and stoped his counter.  The Sith stared at her in disbelief and cringed.
    Talyn had one attacker on his knees bleeding and the other begging for mercy, before she could make a decision about their fate, Talya and her team leaped past and blasted both into silence.

*****

    As they all cramed into escape pods Talya got ready to hit the launch and said, "You know this is a short trip right?"  Talyn responded, "I hope not.  I sliced the command structer to launch all the escape pods after we go." 
    Talya laughed, "Well that's good but you do know there are four cruisers, one battleship, and one command ship that can pick us out eventually.  Just saying."
    "You forget our faith.  Our faith would never let you do this alone," Talyn said.
    "Jedi Faith?  Huh?"
    "Our faith consists of the 7th Fleet," Talyn laughed then hit the emergency launch button.

*****

    Republic Fleet had lost enough ships againts this "rogue" fleet of Imperial ships.  This time they had intelligence the factor that hurt them was "removed" and that was good enough for Admiral Kata.  Too many of her peers were cautious with intel, Kata held sacred the belief in all her people.  Kata ordered the 7th Fleet to jump.  May the Force be with them.
    The "rogue" Imperial fleet was somewhat leaderless but ready nonetheless.  Main batteries focused on the Republic ships that emerged.  Fighters were directed to destroy escape pods.  Clearly, those needed to die.  Whatever the Empire wanted it was in them.
    Both fleets began firing on each other.  7th Fleet Command and Control launched fighters immediately.  Too late to intercept Imp fighters thrusting down to kill the escape pods.  This is where the stealth ship Warden's Path chimed in, "7th, 7th, redirect your fighters, we got this."  Authentication confirmed and the 7th's fighters joined another fight.
    Through the escape pod's small viewport space and world tumbled.  The pod's systems kept them steady but the fear was still there.  Talya and Talyn held hands.  Talya finally asked as they were hurtling towards the planet, "How did you get on board the command ship?"  Talyn answered, "Praying and mumble-jumble ya know!"  They both laughed and Talyn added, "I'll tell you more later, I was practically a Sith ya know...."

*****

     "Pather Flight, Warden.  You are weapon's free.  Destroy any and all Imp fighters intercepting escaping pods.  Good hunting."
    "Stoney" Gher ignored the fight above him and his flight.  The 7th jumped in with a fury and that was, well, awesome.  His job was elsewhere.  There were roughly twenty escape pods and sixteen fighters pursuing them and only four of his guys.  He liked these odds, in a perfect world, not one where lives depended on him.  Time to go to work.  Stoney keyed his mic to the flight and said one thing only, "Make every shot count."
    The fight was brutal.  He and his wingman split with the other 2-ship "element".  With precision they drew the attention from the enemy fighters away from the pods hurling planetside.  Pather Four was destroyed trying to draw fire off his lead and Stoney brought Pather Three into his flight and adjusted their tactics.  Six of the sixteen enemy fighters were left.  The Imperial fighters had ignored pursuing the pods and focused on Stoney's group.  Stoney flipped his fighter upside down to the planet and pulled hard on his control stick, diving his fighter planetside.  His two wingmen copied the manuever.  Stoney keyed his mic, "Let's see how these space-jockies match up against real dogfighters."
    Pather flight burned through the atmosphere.  Orange contrails turned brilliant red.  Pulling back Stoney leveled out and considered his plan.  Pather Two keyed his mic, "Stoney, let's kick it around and engage boss." 
    Stoney replied, "Negative.  You two keep straight on and over extend them if they follow.  If they do not pursue you and engage me then turn back for an easy shot."  "Stoney, they may just spilt up".  "Good for us, good luck Two".  Pather Two and Three held their course and flew straight while Pather One, Stoney, banked around to the enemy six fighters.
    Three Imperial fighters pursued Pather Two and Three and three engaged Stoney.  Executing a low-gee-yo-yo Stoney rolled his fighter toward the ground then rolled back while pulling his stick back and tugged his fighter tight behind the over shooting trio of fighters.  Weapon locks illuminated all over his HUD and he fired carefully, in sequence.  "Splash...splash...splash...", Gher watched the debris of his three enemies fall planetside.  Just then he heard Pather Two over the radio, "Splash...splash" followed a few monets later with Pather Three chiming in, "Splash!".  Gher pulled up and jerked his stick in a Victory Roll.  Command and Control on Warden's Path errupted in cheers.
 
    "Warden, Pather One, package is secure, repeat, package is secure."  Pather Two and Three reformed on his wing.  Gher watched the pod carrying the survivors safely drop planetside.  He knew it was them, a Jedi was there and thanked him.  Stoney could feel her mind reaching out.  He shook his head and nodded, reaching back he welcomed her and whispered a silent word for the wingman they lost today. 
    Stoney Gher eased his fighter at speed around the planet.  The planet's star was just cresting into view and any other day it would be beautiful.  Flipping upside down to the planet, because he still had low-orbit atmo-gee concerns and wanted positive gees during the burn, Gher kicked in the speed and left the Imperial cruisers behind.  Stoney hated losing people but the mission was succesfull, in the end that had to matter.  Meanwhile the 7th Fleet jumped away.  Warden's Path scooped the three of them up and they left as well.  The rest of the operation would be handled by others.

[Tal]

    Felix Wells was captured and brought to Tython.  Master jedi believe he has embraced the light.  His insight to battle meditation has already helped the Republic beyond measure.

    Talya Zyn has been promoted to lieutenant.  She maintains a "non-attachment" relationship with her sister.

    Padawan Talyn Zyn left her duties as an adminstrative assistant to the Office of Jedi Liason, Republic Fleet (OJR).  She has been recalled to Tython.  Rumor has it her master Quin Ash'ta has recommended her for the Jedi trials.