Star Wars: Tremors

Star Wars: Tremors is the 1st book in the Bryn Fulcron Series. The book details Bryn Fulcron and Jaina Solo's marriage and their subsequent hunt for the dangerous ex-Jedi Tarc Rethcoe.

Dramatis Personae

 * Bryn Fulcron, Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Jaina Solo-Fulcron, Jedi Knight (Female Human)
 * Tarc Rethcoe, Dark Jedi (Male Human)
 * Jacen Solo, Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master (Male Human)
 * Bryt Fulcron, Padawan (Female Human)
 * Triebakk, Senator (Male Wookie)
 * Jag Fel, Pilot (Male Human)
 * Shawnkyr Nurudo, Pilot (Female Chiss)
 * Tahiri Veila, Jedi Knight (Female Human)
 * Valin Horn, Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Zekk, Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Pwoe, Former Senator (Male Quarren)
 * Cal Omas, Cheif of State (Male Human)
 * Octa Ramis, Jedi Master (Female Human)
 * Boba Fett, Bounty Hunter (Male Mandalorian)
 * Han Solo, Pilot (Male Human)
 * Leia Organa Solo, Jedi Knight (Female Human)

Locations

 * Dantooine
 * Manaan
 * Ossus
 * Csilla
 * Mandalore

Chapter 1: Kolto Seed
[Day: 10- Month: 8- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 0940]

Bryn Fuclron slowly opened his eyes. He looked up and down the artificial beach he had fallen asleep on. There were a few other patrons near him, most were packing up their things, ready to return to the Ocean’s Caress resort and hotel where Bryn was staying with… Glancing to his left, Bryn saw Jaina, curled up under his arm, still asleep. She looked peaceful, so even though his arm felt sore, he didn’t want to wake her.

Sometimes, he was amazed just to see her. He had known Jaina Solo for nearly a dozen years now, and he had love her for every minute of it. Bryn kissed the top of her head, and then stared up the peaceful sky.

It really is beautiful here, Mara wasn’t lying.

The planet they were on was Manaan, for their honeymoon. Bryn and Jaina had gotten married 5 days before, on Dantooine. It was a beautiful service, as small as they could manage considering how many Jedi there were to invite. Bryn smiled slightly, realizing just how far the Order had come. When the war with the Yuuzhan Vong ended, the Jedi numbered maybe 100 members. Now, only 6 years later, they were closer to 1,000. Regardless of the pride he felt when thinking of the Jedi’s recent comeback, Bryn still felt uneasy for the Order’s future. There were too many unknowns. Master Skywalker, for all his brilliance, still was often times too enigmatic for Bryn’s liking, though that, he supposed, was to be expected. There were also too many Jedi stretched too thin, though not in such a way as it had been a year before. Ever since the Swarm War, most factions took upon themselves to solve their problems, for fear of what might happen if a Jedi got involved. There was also the problem of Tarc Rethcoe and others like him, vigilante Jedi whose whereabouts were unknown to even the highest ups in the Alliance governments. Still, Bryn had to admit, things seemed to be going well. The biggest surprise of all happened during his and Jaina’s reception, when his long lost sister Bryt arrived! Bryn had wondered who the familiar looking girl who came towards him now was. He felt like he knew her, but he couldn’t be sure. It was only when she got nearer to him that he could tell. “Bryt?” he exclaimed, nearly knocking Han over to get to her. They embraced and he sat back as she recanted her tale to him. How she had escaped the refugee camp on that terrible day, and she had sought refuge off the planet, eventually arrived on Dathomir. It was there that she began training under her mother’s distant relatives, learning what she could of the Force, always searching for her brother. She told him of how she’d been on Duro, just days before it fell, how she’d visited Coruscant looking for him, but it had been attacked by the Yuuzhan Vong, and she had barely escaped with her life.

He had listened to all of this without interrupting, and when it ended, Bryn simply put his arm around his sister and bid her welcome to the party.

Snapping out of his reverie, Bryn looked up to see his sister, sitting in the balcony of her suite. She had come along with Bryn and Jaina (in a different room), if only to catch up with her long lost kin.

She caught his gaze, and smiled weakly. Bryn felt a surge of pity. As disturbed as he was by their ordeal, he was always the stronger of the two. Plus, he had had the Jedi to keep him company. That Bryt survived, in a hostile Galaxy on her own, was a testament to her hidden strength.

Jaina began to stir, so Bryn finally removed his arm. She opened her eyes, slowly smiling hwen she saw Bryn.

"Hello, stranger," Bryn spoke softly, kissing her on the forehead before getting up to get them some drinks.

He ran into a small boy working the vendor. He seemed distant, almost detached. Bryn had seen this boy before, and it seemed strange for the boy. whose name was Kuja, to be acting this way. He had always been very jovial. Bryn waited patiently for Kuja to notice him, ordering two beverages when he did.

Paying Kuja for his wares, Bryn set off towards Jaina slowly. She met him halfway, and they walked arm in arm down the shoreline. Jaina remarked at how beautiful it was. Bryn agreed, although he had been looking at Jaina. Bryn took a slow sip of his drink, letting roll over his tongue. It was delicious.

Suddenly, Bryn began to feel...strange. Something was wrong, and he knew it. It felt like he was being watched, but when he looked around, all was well. Bryn stopped, taking another swig of his...

The drink!

Bryn turned, knocking Jaina's drink out of her hands before she could take a drink. Then he passed out...

Chapter 2: Comatose
[Day: 11- Month: 8- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1040]

Bryn woke suddenly, shaking the cobwebs out.

''What happened? Where's Jaina?''

"Right here," she answered suddenly, and it was then when Bryn realized where he was.

He was in a hospital. He tried to sit up, but Jaina placed a hand on his chest, easing him back down.

"You should be alright, Bryn. Someone tried to poison you."

Suddenly, it all came back to him.

"That boy! Is he alright?" Bryn asked, sweat forming on his brow. He tried to sit up again, but Jaina eased him down again, a little more forcefull this time.

"He's fine, Bryn. We think someone made him give that drink to you." Jaina's voice was strained, she seemed to be pleading with Bryn to lay back down.

"Jaina...what's wrong with me?" Bryn asked, still sweating far too much. Something felt seriously wrong.

Jaina seemed to resign, then she sighed, and look towardsd the door. A Selkath doctor entered, and began to speak in a very coarse accent.

"The poison was the Kolto Seed, a rare, diseased strain of our planet's natural resource, Kolto. It usually kills within half an hour of exposure, but you have survived far longer than should be expected." The long-winded doctor paused to catch his breath, and then continued, Bryt entered, looking as if she had been crying for the past few hours.

"I would like to be honest, but I can't see you living out the day, Jedi Fulcron." the doctor hung his head slightly.

"I've done everything I can..."

Bryn looked up towards Jaina, who had tears in her eyes. It wasn't fair, for him to have finally found peace with Jaina and with himself, for it to be swept away so suddenly.

"If I ever find who did this..." Bryn queried out loud. Jaina stopped sobbing quietly and turned towards him.

The doctor looked stunned. "Master Fulcron, I don't believe you understand. No one has ever survived the Kolto Seed. You won't be going anywhere."

Bryn grinned, and then shocked everyone in the room by hopping out of bed. He was shaky, but determined nonetheless.

"Well its obvious the Kolto Seed has never infected a Jedi, then." --- Bryn squinted as the medical droid activated its retinal scanner. The last few days had been a blur of tests and procedures, all of them with Jaina and Bryt by his side. Someone had gotten in touch with Masters Skywalker, and they had both arrived for moral support.

Mara, who had once survived an un-survivable disease, knew what Bryn was feeling. She was present for this hourly checkup. The still nameless Selkath doctor, after his pessimistic talk with Bryn, seemed to be more spirited every day. Maybe he thought Bryn could beat this disease.

The droid finished, and Bryn sat back down on his bed. He felt tired, but still felt optimistic.

"Feeling better?" Mara asked, sitting down beside him.

"Not really." Bryn admitted. "But don't tell Jaina. She seems to have some hope."

"So should you, Bryn." Mara retorted.

Bryn drew inward for a couple seconds, and then looked up at Mara.

"I always have hope,"

"That's good to hear, Mr. Fulcron," Bryn's doctor said as he entered, looking quite tired.

"It seems we may have found an easier way out of your predicament." the doctor continued. Bryn was all ears.

Chapter 3: Troubador
[Day: 13- Month: 8- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1102]

''Bryn woke up, his abdomen on fire! The pain was blinding, almost unbearable! His eyes wouldn't focus, couldn't focus. He heard voices, but couldn't make out what they said, or even whom they belonged to. He couldn't stay awake...''

-

Jaina screamed as Bryn faded back into unconciousness.

He wasn't supposed to wake up! she thought, shooting a dirty look towards the Selkath Doctor. This procedure was supposed to slow the growth of the Kolto Seed virus, but it wasn't working. Bryn wasn't supposed to wake up. Jaina looked down, trying to shield her eyes before anyone else saw her tears. She had to be strong.

With that, someone slipped their arm around her shoulder. It was Tahiri. Jaina smiled weakly back at the younger woman. They held each other, each using the other woman to hold herself up.

After a few minutes, the Doctor got Bryn stabilized. Or so he thought. Jaina only had a second's warning before Bryn unleashed an involuntary Force wave, disconnecting his painkiller and sending his doctor sliding across the floor.

Bryn began to scream in pain. Jaina tried to grasp hold of his hand, but it was covered in fresh blood. Bryn's still open chest was seeping blood at an alarming rate. The doctor scooped himself off the floor with remarkable grace, and hurried over to his patient's side.

Within seconds, he haad reconnected Bryn's painkiller, calming him slightly. It was then that Bryn seemed to remember where he was, and he apoligized tearfully to his wife.

"There's no need for that, Bryn. It's alright. We're not leaving."

Bryn nodded slowly, and then slipped into unconciousness. - Bryn woke up several hours later, unsure were he was. The room was almost completely black. Bryn couldn't discern up from down, left from right. He sat up, trying to feel his way out of the room. He called out for Jaina, realizing that she wasn't there. No one was there.

Feeling well enough to stand up, Bryn slipped out of his bed and inched his way towards the door. As he reached for the handle, the door slid open. There stood a shadowy figure, outlined in light. Bryn could feel the Dark Side in the intruder, although very faintly. Bryn slipped to the left of the doorway before the intruder could register his presence.

Bryn kept his eyes glued on the shadowy figure who was creeping throughout his room. The fuigure reached BRyn's bed, unsure whether or not anyone was in it. The assassin produced a short, ruby hilted lightsaber, activiated its blood red blade and driving where Bryn had been minutes before. After assuring himself that the room was empty, the assassin checked some sort of chronometer and sat down upon the bed, removing his helmet.

Bryn, motionless, didn't take his eyes off his pursuer, still unwilling to believe that the intruder hadn't noticed him. Bryn couldn't see the man's face, but was confident now that he needed to escape and find Jaina.

The assassin seemed relaxed, and sweat was glistening on his rather unremarkable face. Bryn inched closer, surprised at the supposedly trained assassin's niavete.

"Hey?" Bryn whispered when was mere inches from the assassin's face, the man's eyes flew open, and he refelxively struck out toward the source of Bryn's voice. Bryn caught his thrust easily, spinning to the right and delivering a knockout blow with his palm. Fatal or not, it took the haphazard assassin out of play either way.

Bryn continued down the hall at breakneck speed, barely glancing in each room as he sped by. For just having surgery in the past...however long he had been out, Bryn felt remarkably good. He was breathing fine, moving fine, even that palm strike had been the best he'd delivered in a bantha's age. It was almost as if the Kolto Seed had cleared him, rebooted his system. His arm, recently fractured on Tenupe, was full yhealed, as were the myriad of other injuries he'd sustained on that hell of a planet.

Bryn sprinted into a semi-circular breifing room of some sort. Two more assassins were casually sitting amidst dead and wounded civilians, some of whom Bryn recognized from his stay on Manaan. Rage boiled in Bryn's chest. As he stopped, taking in the devastation, both the assassins reached for their lightsabers...only to both be subsequently kicked in the mouth by a charging Bryn, who had leaped over the space couch situated between them.

Pausing to consult the map of the facility on the adjacent wall, Bryn sped off in the direction of the Dormitories, likely where Jaina was. He had to find her before these assassins did. If he didn't, then pity for any who got in his way.

Chapter 4: The Path of Rage
[Day: 15- Month: 8- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 0451]

He arrived on the catwalk overlooking the dormitory lobby. There were fires spread as far as the eye could see. There were more bodies strewn throughout the once serene lobby. Four more assassins stood, this time ready for Bryn. They held a bound captive in their midst. It was Bryn's Selkath doctor. He looked amazed to even see Bryn walking, let alone fighting.

The apparent leader of the assassins gestured towards Bryn. It was simple enough:

Join us or he dies

Bryn slowly shook his head, knowing he was condemning the noble doctor. The assassin slowly smiled, and motioned to one of his cohorts. The cronie withdrew a vibroblade, silently slicing the doctor's throat. Blood spilled from the open cut, and the doctor gargled weakly. The assassin leader slipped out a blaster, mercifully shotting the doctor in the head, ending his suffering.

Anger boiled in Bryn's veins as he slowly decended down the stairs.

"You'll pay for that" he said quietly. The assassin seemed to snigger, withdrawing his lightsaber and gesturing for his companions to do the same. At this, Bryn sneered callously. He found it amusing that they thoguht they were going to fight with lightsabers.

Bryn snapped his hands up, grasping two of the assassins with a Force grip. He quickly suffocated them, feeding his dark urges. The other two rushed him, Bryn dropped one of the deceased and used the free hand to snap of a peal of Force Lightning at the oncoming assassin. The assassin was caught full in the chest and fell to the floor, smoldering.

Six seconds had passed, and the only living beings in the room were Bryn and the Assassin Commander. Bryn called two of the slain assassin's lightsabers to him, igniting them in a blaze of ruby. He gestured for the commander to strike, which the assassin foolishly did. Bryn quickly took off the oncoming assassins saber arm, dropping him to the floor. The commander, speaking for the first time, begged Bryn to kill him quickly, to show mercy, as he himself had shownt h good doctor.

Bryn's features contorted into a mask of rage. He used the Force to lift the assassin off the ground, dangling him by his throat while blood trickled from the severed stump of an arm. Bryn poured his rage and anger and frustration into the man, who began to scream in pain. Tears welled in Bryn's eyes.

"WHERE'S JAINA?!" he bellowed, "WHERE'S BRYT?!"

The assassin attempted to gargle out something, but Bryn's questions had been rhetorical. Bryn threw down the assassing, finally ending his suffering with a lightsaber slash to the throat.

Bryn let his hands drop, the stolen lightsabers clattering, bladeless, to the floor. He began to weep. As far as he could tell, there was no one else alive in the hospital. The black rage he had felt just moments before had been replaced by colorless sorrow. Bryn fell to his knees, numb with pain. He didn't know where anyone was, he didn't even know if they were alive. As he began to contemplate whether or not he would even get up again, his sister's voice rang out to him from across the lobby.

He glanced towards the direction of her voice. She had been backed into a corner by two assassins, one of whom sported a nasty lightsaber slash across the chest. It seems they wanted Bryt alive. Not if Bryn could help it.

He bounded across the lobby, not even bothering to scoop up the lightsabers he'd left behind. He leaped in front of the injured assassin, catching the man in the face with a snap-kick. The assassin fell to the floor, motionless. The second kller, face partially exposed, slowly circled Bryn, lightsaber held at the guard.

The man seemed to be in his 40's, with a ragged brown goatee around his jagged mouth. Bryn could feel a substantial Force presence from the man.

The assassin leader sneered, daring BRyn to make the first strike. So Bryn did. He exploded into action, delivering kicks and punches with sickening speed and ease. But the assassin leader was never struck by more than one at a time. HE simply absorbed Bryn's strikes, occaisonally deflecting one or two. He wanted it to be a war of attrition.

After a couple of minutes, Bryn's pace began to slacken, and the assassin, battered as he was, still had enough energy to capitalize on Bryn's exhaustion.

He lifted his knees into Bryn's stomach, using Bryn's own weight to slam him into the floor. Stars exploded in front of Bryn's eyes. Bryn tried to return to his feet, but the larger man simply kicked him in the back. Bryn cried out in pain.

"You see, Jedi, if you aren't strong enough to defeat me, you will never be strong enough to challenge my master." The man held Bryn's chin in his hand.

Ever the crafty one, Bryn sensed an opportunity to coax some info from the deadly assassin.

"And who, exactly, is your master?"

The assassin smiled. "Not so fast, Jedi Fulcron. I don't think you need to know that yet."

By that time, Bryn had regained his breath, and his composure. He rose to his feet, easily, breathing in slowly, deepening his connection to the Force.

The assassin smiled, his dark eyes full of malice.

"Come, Jedi, we're not done yet."

The assassin leaped backwards, re-igniting his lightsaber and challenging Bryn to onrush him. Which Bryn did, without a lightsaber. The assassin almost fell over in surprise.

He reared back, almost sickeningly easily, and swung a precise strike at Bryn's head. The younger man dodged in with blinding speed, grabbing the man's wrist and reversing the lightsaber's grip with ease. The man gasped in pain as the business end of his own lightsaber protruded from his back. He collapsed to the ground, dead on impact.

Bryn stood up slowly, speaking to Bryt for the first time.

"You okay?" She nodded, and wrapped him in a bearhug.

"Where's Jaina?" he asked, He hoped she was alright. With that, two more assassins burst into the room from the upper level, each one snarling their anger at Bryn. He readied himself for the attack, which never came. Jaina dropped down from the rafters, killing each assassin in seconds.

"I think she's fine, Bryn" Bryt remarked cooly.

Chapter 5
The Crusaders Vow [Day: 26- Month: 8- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1104] After Jaina confirmed what Bryn had already supposed, that the assassin's were hired by his old nemesis, Tarc Rethcoe, Bryn had sped off to Ossus to speak with the rest of the Jedi.

So here he sat in the Jedi COuncil Chamber on Ossus. Many venerable Jedi sat before him, including Masters Skywalker and Bryn's Master, Kyle Katarn. They all looked fit enough.

They'll need to be for what I'm proposing

Jaina stood at his side, silent and stern in her old Rogue Squadron pilot's uniform. Tahiri and Bryt had come as well, although they stood in the background. Bryn stole another gaze at the Jedi around him. Tresina Lobi, Markre Medjev, Kyp Durron, Corran Horn, Saba Sebatyne, even Streen. All of them had their attention focused on him. So he started to speak.

He quickly relayed his an Tarc Rethcoe's history to keep them all on the same page. He told of how Tarc had egineered the death of Bryn's Padawan Nyanni, how Rethcoe had hired the Mandalorian Arkoan Fai to kill Bryn and Jaina, and how Bryn had succesfully stopped the man, turning him to the path of a Jedi.

He then told of the recent happenings on Manaan, and how Jaina had determined that Tarc was behind the killings. Luke then asked the question they had all come for.

"So you want permission to find and kill Tarc? Is that it Bryn?" Master Skywalker seemed dissapointed in his nephew-in-law.

"No!" Tahiri interjected, stepping to the forefront. "We don't want to kill him, we want to apprehend him." Streen spoke up.

"So you want our help?"

"Yes," Jaina carried the conversation, "if the assassins on Manaan are any indication, we'll need all the Jedi that can be spared."

Kyle Katarn spoke up for the first, scowling at his former Padawan.

"I really don't think we should spread the Jedi any thinner than they are right now. We need every additional Master here just to keep order."

Mara picked up on Kyle's words. "You can go if you want, Bryn, but you do NOT have our blessing."

Bryn, incensed, didn't even bother to bid farewell to the Master as he stormed out. Master Luke called out to him to stop, which he did, barely.

"We might not be sanctioned your quest, Bryn, but I know that Tarc is a menace. You have my consent to hunt him down and bring him to justice. But do not, under any circumstances, kill him."

Bryn didn't even bother to turn around as he strode from the chamber. But he had a smirk on his face.

-

Four hours later, Bryn, Bryt, Jaina and Tahiri gathered in the Jedi hangar with all the Jedi who wanted to accompany them. The roster was more than satisfactory for Bryn's tastes. Valin Horn, now a Jedi Knight, stared at him from the top of the nearest cruiser. Valin, who had only been a boy during the Yuuzhan Vong War, probably wanted a chance to prove himself, a trait very much his fathers.

Bryn had seen the boy training with his father, and figured he should be able to handle himself. Zekk, Jaina and Bryn's old friend, had volunteered to come as well, and Bryn was glad to have him. He was as tall as a Wookiee, and twice as mean.

Speaking of Wookiees, the massive Lowbacca had growled his consent as soon as Jaina had asked him. He still wanted to fulfill his uncle Chewbacca's life debt to Jaina's father Han, and he probably saw this as a decent substitute. Plus, he probably wanted a good fight. Wookiees are like that.

Bryn's aunt Kirana Ti, a Jedi Master in her own right, had surprisingly come along. She had said she wanted to make sure her neice and nephew stayed out of trouble, but Bryn knew she still had a grand adventure soemwhere in her.

Doran Tainer stod off to the left, tall and brooding. Bryn didn't know the younger Jedi very well, but he seemed capable enough.

The young Rodian Jedi Twool had come along as well, despite Bryn's insisting he stay. Bryn appreciated the enthusiasm, but Twool had only been a JEdi for two years. Then again, Bryn thought, he himself had fought at Duro after being one for only one.

Bryn's old friend Octa Ramis had come as well, pushing the count of Jedi Masters to two.

Unsurprisingly, Bryn's old friend Arkoan Fai had come as well. It was Tarc who had hired anbd decieved the Mandalorian, convincing him that the Jedi were evil and slaughtered his people for fun. Arkoan ddefinately had a bone to pick with young master Rethcoe.

The biggest surprise of all was when Kam Solusar and his wife Tionne had shown up minutes before, telling Bryn their intention of joining him. He stared at Jaina bemusingly. She had only shrugged. The to older Masters had not seen any action during the Yuuzhan Vong War, maybe they felt like they had something to prove.

Bryn told them all how honored and humbled he was that they had all volunteered to assist him. He knew none of them, with the exception of Octa and Arkoan, had ever been personally affected by Tarc's actions. He tried to tell them sopmething inspiring, but quizzical looks from Jaina and Tahiri stopped him. Instead, he asked the other what name they should go under.

After a few minutes and some terrible suggestions from himself, Valin and Doran, who Bryn was starting to like, Lowbacca garbled out a suggestion, which his new translation droid interpreted as "The Crusaders". Pleased with this nickname for now, Bryn and the others left for the interim capital of Mon Calamari.

Chapter 6
All Hell [Day: 2- Month: 9- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1312]

Bryn glanced up as he heard the animalistic scream. There hung Cinc Hular, Senator from Rodia and prime candidate for the office of Cheif of State of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances., quite dead, the same assassins from Manaan around him.

They had only just arrived on Dac, and all hell had broken loose. The Crusaders had drawn straws to see who would be left to gard the ships. Kam, Tionne and Twool had drawn the short ones this time.

Lucky then, Bryn thought, as three assasins dropped in front of him, lightsabers blazing.

He ducked, parried, and snapped out a kick at the assassin bearing down on his sister. The assassin flipped backwards, barely phased by the attack.

Bryn formed a defensive circle with Bryt, Doran, Valin and Jaina. He saw Arkaon, Tahiri and the others doing the same. Excpet Lowbacca. The Wookiee had been backed into a corner by two assassins. Bryn nodded at Jaina who in turbn glanced to Zekk. The tree old friends advanced on teh two clueless assassins, killing them in seconds.

"They're trying to surround us!" Tahiri shouted over the din of battle.

Doran answered back, "Protect the civilians, it's a feint!"

Insticntive... Bryn thought of the younger Jedi, and agreed with his plan.

For the next 3 hours, they cleaned out assassins from every nook and cranny in the city, finally killing the last one in front of Senator Hular's body. THe authorities, perplexed and confused, thanked The Crusaders for their help, but asked them to leave until the crisis could be sorted out.

On his way back towards the ''Wampa's Eye II', one of the myriad of ships that made up their patchwork fleet, two old familiar faces approached the nelyweds, drawking a grin from both of them.

"Mom! Dad!" Jaina exclaimed, knocking the wind out of both of them with a bearhug. "What are you two doing here?"

After exchanging hellos with The Crusaders, Han explained:

"Well, kid, we stopped by to do a favor for Lando," cutting Bryn off before the obligatory 'Another One?"

"We saw what happened, and it's a good thing you were here, or there might have been a lot more casualties." Leia continued, before Han picked the conversation back up.

"I'm not naming any names, but we might have heard a rumor that the CEDF might now more about your buddy Rethcoe's whereabouts." Han said with a not-so-innocent look on his face.

"What does that mean?" Valin asked.

"It means," Leia said, smiling at her hudsband's apparent lack of humility,"We're going to Csilla."

-

Baron Soontir fel approached the travel-weary group, familiar stoic expression on his face. He showed no warmth in greeting former allies.

He did, however, tell Bryn in no uncertain terms, that the Chiss were not willing to divulge their secrets unless The Crusaders helped them with a small pirate problem. Due to the Mobus Pact, any Alliance forces were obliged to assist.

Unfortunately for The Crusaders, taht meant that they all had to fly Chiss Fighters, with Chiss pilots, and they would have to do it with two wingmates.

This should be fun, Bryn mouthed to Han. The older man's eyes seemed to agree.

Chapter 7
Pairings [Day: 8- Month: 9- Year: 36 ABY- TIme: 1451]

Bryn pulled his Chiss Clawcraft out of the hangar, opening up a link with his two assigned wingmates, Chiss pilot Shawnkyr Nurudo and Jaina. They had been named Sword Wing by Baron Fel. The group was under Nurudo's control, being as she was the most experienced pilot of the three. They were flying cover for Vornskr Wing, which Bryn called Geezer Squadron. It consisted of Baron Fel, Han Solo and Kam Solusar. Leia, Tionne and Twool weren't flying with the rest of The Crusaders.

Doran had been paired with Valin and Tahiri in Ysalmiri Wing. In Bryn's estimation, they were the weakest wing. Colonel Jagged Fel, Sontir's son, was leading a Wing, called Shield, which flew in tandem with Bryn's. Lowbacca and Octa Ramis flew with him. Kirana Ti, Arkoan Fai and Zekk flew in the fifth and final wing, named Broad Arm.

The plan, according to Baron Fel, was to surround these troublesome pirates, with Vornskr, Sword and Shield Wings leading the charge. The other two Wings would fly cover. It made sense to Bryn, having the nine best pilots out of the group do the most fighting. Bryn had never flown a Clawcraft before, but he'd seen what they could do, and with Jaina as a wingmate, he was confident he'd do fine.

"Sword three, quit daydreaming and fall in line!" Jaina's voice called to him over the com. Bryn smiled slightly. He loved it when she did that. Bryn squinted at his HUD, trying to understand where each relevant peice of data was coming from. He'd done his recon work, however. The planet the pirates had holed up in was called Threshold, the moon they were currently behind had no name, just a string of numbers and coordinates. Bryn shuffled in his seat as he brought the clawcraft around the moon, right in line behind Jaina.

She sent him a wave of excitement through the Force. He knew why. It had been far too long, in her estimation, since her last space battle. He knew she would be ready. He might be the lightsaber expert, but the final frontier of space was where the Sword of the Jedi was truly unleashed. He felt sorry for the pirates...

-

Twenty minutes later, Bryn wasn't so sure. As brilliantly as Jaina was flying (and Han for that reason, he could hear the awe in even Baron Fel's voice), they were almost being overrun by the pirates. They were flying a patchwork squadron of uglies, patched together form various ships. Bryn could see peices of X-Wings, A-Wings, Y-Wings and even the Chiss' own Clawcraft. As far as pirate fleets go, this was one impressive.

Bryn corkscrewed to his right, using his shield to absorb a volley thrown at Jaina, who was seeing the worst of the fighting. Shawnkyr hadn't even been touched yet, neither had Bryn. Zekk's Wing, on the other hand, had been torn apart. Baron Fel had ordered them to return to the cruiser minutes before.

They knew we were coming, Bryn thought to himself, gritting his teeth through another blast ricocheting off his shields.

They knew we were coming, and they baited the trap for us.. They had hit Zekk's Broad Arm Wing first, nearly destroying all three craft. They hadn't even targeted Ysalmiri Wing, apparently not deeming them a threat.

The other three Wings had since been pitched in a desperate battle, since they were outmnumbered 5 to 1. Jaina and Han had seen to close the gap, but they weren't out of the frying pan yet.

"Sword 3, break from your sqaud and rally to me." Baron Fel's soothing voice interrupted over the com. "I need you to check something with me."

s much as it "hurt" Bryn to disoey the Baron's orders, he knew he would be better off with Jaina, so he volunteered Shawnkyr to take his place.

"She is the more experienced pilot, and her ship is less damaged. What do you have that she doesn't?"

Jaina, Bryn and even Han all answered at almost exactly the same time, although Han's voice had a weary resignation.

"The Force."

Baron Fel breathed a sigh of exasperation, and then called Nurudo over to him. They slipped behind the enemy front and disappeared into the abyss...

Bryn couldn't watch the two ships depart, however, because he and Jaina came under fire almost immediately.

"Bryn! Pull In!" Jaina screamed as Bryn dodged an errant Proton Torpedo. HE fell in next to Jaina, aligning their ships shields slightly. He felt her presence in the Force reach out to him, so he melded with her. It felt...cold. He could feel her battle calm. Next to Jaina, Bryn's own emotions were a raging inferno.

Almost by instinct, or possibly Jaina's hand, Bryn slid over and dialed up his inetial compensators to 98%. Jaina wanted to give these pilots a ride. Away they dove in unison. They flipped, twisted and corkscrewed, never seeming to be where the pirate's shots were. BRyn could feel Jaina guiding hmi where to go, where to shoot. He also could feel that she couldn't keep it up. She wasn't strong enough in the Force. But he was. Bryn used himself as a conduit between his wife and the Force, pouring raw energy into her, full stop.

Then things dissolved into a blur. Bryn couldn't tell which way was "up", and colors swarmed. All he knew was that he wasn't dead yet, but after a while he wasn't sure. He had no recollection of the passing of time, nor did he care. It was...euphoric. There were no words to describe what was going through his body at that time. His only bearing the entire time was Jaina.

He could feel her next to him, almost as far gone as he, but more...focused. It seemed she at least could tell what was going on.

Keep it going Sticks, I think we're winning he tought to her.

''Keep what going? Its over.'' she replied, her voice icy-cold in his mind.

Then his vision cleared, and he saw what they had done.

There were no more pirates in this system, and Bryn had an idea the there wouldn't be for the rest of all of their lives.

Chapter 8
A Jedi's Worth [Day: 14- Month: 9- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1115]

As they flew back to Csilla, Bryn asked Zekk what had happened.

"What, you couldn't tell?" Zekk bemused quietly. Shawnkyr was more than happy to fill him in.

She told him how he and Jaina had flown straight into the enemy armada, how they had destroyed every ship in their reach, and how the rest of the pirates had fled without looking back.

Bryn felt slightly disturbed about his loss of control, and mentally chided himself about it. No one else noticed, except possibly Jaina. ONe look in her eyes told him she felt the same.

After they landed, Baron Fel was more than happy to report to Bryn that their last scouts had seen Tarc Rethcoe on Mandalore, so that's where they headed. But not before saying their goodbyes to Han and Leia, who were headed to Ossus. Bryn didn't get to say much to Han, for the man was still going on about his and Jaina's flying.

They were "replaced" by Jag Fel and Shawnkyr Nurudo, who had both volunteered to join The Crusaders. While not neccesarily Jedi, they were both welcome to come if they wanted in Bryn's eyes. So off the set for Mandalore. -

While waiting in orbit above Mandalore, Bryn was privately commed by Arkoan.

"I can't join you on the surface, Bryn." the older Jedi confessed to his friend.

Before Bryn could even ask why, Arkoan continued.

"I was once one of Fenn Shysa's Protectors. I was banned."

Bryn tried to coax more out of the man, but Fai had closed the channel. Resigning, Bryn slowly brought the Eye II down to the landing pad set up for him in the capital city of Keldabe, walking out ot meet the planet's envoys. THe figure he saw was one he'd never met, but it was one he immediately.

Who in the Galaxy wouldn't? Bryn thought to himself and the figure came fully into view.

"Boba Fett..." Tahiri gasped next to him.

Bryn grunted as he blocked another stun bolt aimed at his face.

I really need to thank Fett for not letting me use my lightsaber, my hands, really appreaciate it...

He was one of the three remaining unarmed combatants in the Mandalorian Battle Dome. At Boba's Fett insistence, Bryn, Valin, Doran, Zekk, Kam and a few Mandalorians, including Fett himself, had been entered in the monthly competition. They were allowed to use whatever weapons they had, but Fett had insisted that they all fight unarmed, to 'prove a Jedi's worth'.

So here Bryn was, fighting blasted droids with his hands. He could see Doran and Valin on the arena's upper levels, their wounds being treated. Master Solusar had already healed. Zekk had his back to Bryn, and was fighting like a madman.

Boba Fett however, was a man on fire. None of the droids could hit him, and the gloves his alloyed suit were surprisingly easy to crush droids heads with. Bryn and Zekk were backed into a corner. Bryn glanced up at the Arena Clock. They had been fighting the droids for almost 10 minutes.

''Just a couple more seconds...and we'll make it to the limit. That should show Fett.''

Then, without warning, Zekk dropped from an errant stun bolt. He was tought, but there was no doubt about it. He was done fighting for a while.

Stunned, Bryn looked in the direction of the blast, to see a droid Fett had thrown into the air as the source of the shot.

Griamcing, Bryn leaped to the left as the droid fired again, narrowly singing the edged of his head.

THAT HURT!!! Bryn thought to himself, quite loudly. He noticed Jaina and Bryt smile slightly.

Don't you even start... he thought to them as he flip kicked a droid under the "chin".

He landed, dodged a stun bolt and locked arms with a droid as the counter wound down.

3...2...1... Bryn counted down in his head, exhaustedly loweing his arms at the final buzzer. He looked around, searching for Fett. The older man had been knocked off his feet by three droids, and was out of the tournament. Bryn had won!

"Well done, Jedi. It's not often that one sees one of your kind with such figthing prowess. You've earned my respect, for now."

Chapter 9
Protector Forever [Day: 17- Month: 9- Year: 36 ABY- Time: 1500]