“Must be a strong Jedi to become a Master in 25 years,” Kyan commented.

Kyan looked down at his plate and saw he had finished off his meat and drank his cup of caf dry. His body ached from the past week of the vong planet and longed for a Jedi healing trance. A Jedi healing trance like all Force techniques required some mental component, so even without the Force as long as Kyan utilized the mental component he could make his body heal faster.

"I'm afraid it's not much more than a few bunks, but it'll do, I suppose," he then commented, getting to his feet and motioning aft. "We should be arriving on my ship in approximately eight standard hours, give or take a few minutes."

Pausing then, he motioned aft once more. "I think I'll head back that way with you and check on Captain Joao and Link."

He looked to Galen. "I'm betting that they are both hungry too. I figure I can carry something back there for them, if we've got something that doesn't require too much work to eat..."

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

Who am I, Eagle II's galley slave?

Then I thought of Terrin's culinary abilities... and it made perfect sense. However, great at throwing things together as I was, this was not the time for me to do so.

"They were out like lights when I left the med-bay," I commented as I stood up and began to clear the empty plates from the table.

"I think it's best to leave them be; seems sleep is better than food at the moment. I mean, if they're able to sleep, they can't be all that hurt or hungry, right? And if it's the sleep of utter exhaustion, well... like I said, they need that more than food right now."

Schlepping the dishes into an auto-cleaner, I turned around and headed to the corridor.

"You go get Kyan settled; I'll go forward and check on our status."

Nodding to Terrin and Kyan, I slipped easily past them and headed to the little control center, where I proceeded to do exactly that, letting my fingers do a navigator's dance on the controls as I made certain everything was running ship-shape with Eagle II, both within and without.

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

Terrin turned to Kynan. "Like I said, it's not much," he repeated. "If you need to wash up, there's a small fresher back that way," he indicated. "And you're welcome to head back to the galley for any food or drink whenever you need it. If you need anything in the meantime and don't want to march back to the cabin, there is a communit right there," he then pointed out. "Is there anything you need before I leave you to rest?"

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

"Vor entye, it is plenty," answered Kyan.

...but then that smile faded into a contemplative frown. "I tagged that planet back there before we headed out," he then said. "I don't know if it'd be worth the time to see if the planet matches any in Holonet databases. With Vong weapons growing there, I'm betting there's not much, if anything, or else someone or other would have their eyes on the planet."

He paused then, frowning more deeply, concern in his eyes. "Maybe Kyan is right. Maybe we all were lead to that planet for a reason. Maybe this is our chance to get more knowledge base on the Vong's weapons and how to combat them. Unless, of course, there are Vong already lurking on that planet."

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

"Assuming, of course, that what the Master kept going on about is indeed true, and the Vong are coming. Although--"

I paused and looked up at Terrin.

"Although finding a planet with living Vong weapons on it does go rather far toward substantiating that claim, doesn't it?"

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

He trailed, pursing his lips. "...we're going to need the Empire in on this, if they'll believe the possibility that the Vong are incoming, that is."

He trailed, shaking his head a bit. "Without any Force or other powers at our disposal, we're really going to have to consider ways we can combat the Vong. And the sooner, the better."

[ 06-05-2008 11:02 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Far from it, in fact, because it was awhirl with visions of the escapades I'd shared with Sorben. My brows bunched as I strained those ol' memory cells then, trying to recall what I learned of the Vong attack during those horrible history classes at school.

"You know," I said at length. "Doesn't it seem that when the Vong first attacked, everyone was relying on the Jedi and their powers to overcome them? I mean, like maybe too much?"

I paused to shift my position, the better to look up at Terrin.

"I mean, back when- when I was with Sorben, we found ourselves fighting against this Force-user or that, or others who wielded... other weird powers."

Like Sissypoops...

"And we managed.. Maybe that's what will win this battle, if it ever does come: good ol' ingenuity. And if there's ever a person I'd call a Master in that kind of thing, it's Sorben Tarnus."

A little voice popped up in my inner ear: Hey, kiddo; don't sell yourself short. You pulled some pretty miraculous escapes of your own now, didn't you...?

I kept my mouth shut about that, though.

[ 06-05-2008 11:17 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

He paused a moment then, recalling their initial trek through Khar Delba to retrive the Nar Kelba, what seemed like ages ago. Although even then Darra had a hand in helping them get out of that one, although not to her knowledge. Still, they had for the most part handled things without any powers to speak of.

"I agree, we're going to need a Master at tis sort of thing, someone who can think outside of the box and has the advantage of never really having any extrodinary powers to rely upon."

Falling silent for another moment, Terrin locked eyes on Galen. "Do you think Tarnus would help...

...and believe that the Vong incoming is even a real possibility?"

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

"I'm sure he will listen to us," I said, nestling more closely to Terrin.

"Believe me, I know Sorben. He didn't get to be Top Nek of the Bounty Hunter's Guild--"

Nor elevated to his position in the Empire, for the love of Khaandon-!

"--by dismissing allegations out of hand. He's too wily for that.

"I just hope he doesn't throw us in the brig while he decides what the Empire is going to do about it!"

It was here that I was relying heavily on my history with the man, and hoped with all my heart Terrin wouldn't become jealous if perhaps in order to obtain said alliance and assure our personal freedom, Sorben and I might have to go off and engage in a conversation of a more personal nature.

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

Upon arriving at the furthest-most reaches of Honoghr space, Loban set to amend his past with the recent mysterious circumstances and ultimately move on. He secured passage out of the system through offering his services as a genuine, honest-to-goodness Jedi.

The starship featured 32 living quarters to accommodate a crew of 48, most of which indigenous to their destination. Loban, the only human, fixed himself to the modest room. Basic was the preferred language aboard, however, Loban was intently focused on finding the force in the nature he once took as granted.

Present time

Stars reverted to normality. Transportation to the Outer Rim and the uncharted, Wild Space was their point of reference. No sooner than leaving hyperspace, an unidentifiable mass struck the ship. If the precise hit suggested intent, the second confirmed it. The third and fourth part of a volley, only four crew members had the sense to evacuate. Retaliation was futile. The aggressors either found the escape pods irrelevant, or the destruction of their main target did enough to mask ion trails.

Loban activated the general distress beacon when he was satisfied the prospect of rescue outweighed the risk of undesired detection.

[ 06-06-2008 12:18 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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

..after he had gone to Corusant to find Galen after he'd stood around and let her walk out of his life without doing diddly himself. "Yeah, been to the brig, don't think I'd like going back again. Actar is probably madder than hell that Jasyn and I were sprung from there, not to mention you," he commented then, frowning darkly.

"Our time out of his scopes hasn't been long enough," he growled. "Although I haven't heard anything of him for a long time. And I sincerely hope it stays that way, for two reasons in particular."

Quieting then, Terrin simply stopped to enjoy the quiet moment with Galen. Still, his mind never totally strayed from the probble Vong threat and just what they were going to do about it.

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

"Terrin, Galen, this is Matt. We've reached Khar Delba and gotten in contact with Lord Aeylmaar, but Graysith and Phalomir have not returned. Furthermore, the status of Shayla's premature infant is critical and we were considering getting some medical supplies to help from Hornett along with a possible visit to Kamino for assistance. We also are considering a trip to K'eel Doba to check o the status of Lord Phalomir and Graysith...

...and to search for a Kaminoan who once helped us before and may be able to help here with the baby along withother things. We were wondering how your search is proceeding and if all is well. Please respond ASAP."

[ 06-08-2008 10:31 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Matt Stanza ]

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

And then the transmission from Matt came in from nowhere, and sent me leaping upright in my seat as though launched by lightning. I fumbled with communications, then opened 'er up to reply.

"Hey Matt, this is Galen," I replied. "We've accomplished our mission, and are en route back to Hornett.

"Here's Terrin..."

It wasn't that I was passing the buck. It was just that I really thought Terrin should be the one to be answering this one. Besides, my own attention was distracted by a tiny little orange light which began blinking steadily off to one corner of the boards.

A distress signal? Now who in Hell's Seven Circles could that be?

I scooched over to allow Terrin access to the mike, nodding to the little blinking light as I did so.

[ 06-08-2008 10:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

Blinking orange light. And no less, one indicating a distress signal. Kriffing hell, way out here? This COULDN'T be good...

The look he shot Galen's way read as much. Then he tended to the comm unit.

Matt, we are enroute to the Hornett and can confer with the medics there regarding equipment that may be helpful for the premature baby and bring it to save you a trip. If you need to take a trip to K'eel Doba, go ahead and do so. We had an...

...interesting experience on the planet we found Captain Joao and his companions on so we really need to ALL be together to discuss...including Tarnus. We will fill you in on details once we arrive there on K'eel Doba, but for the moment we are receiving a distress signal out here in the boonies...

...and I've got a bad feeling about it. Please stay in touch, and I'll keep you updated on our status once we deal with this little snag, which I hope doesn't take too long. Until then, Captain Danner, out."

Sending off the transmission, Terrin looked back Galen's way. "A distress signal, this far out in space? Considering we just left a planet with Vong weapons growing on it, I'd say we'd better be careful."

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

With that, Loban centered himself. Slowing his life signs, he called on the training he once must have relied upon.

Accepting death as reality, the probability no ships were within several hundred parsecs to respond, Loban always knew he'd die alone.

[ 06-09-2008 11:03 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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

I chewed my lip.

"Now, I don't know much about Vong modus operandi, but from what little I remember from school it didn't seem like they were much for employing stealth tactics. I mean, weren't they more akin to using a frontal approach? Like show up, wreak havoc and whatnot, and take over what they had just annihilated? A distress beacon would seem to be something they'd look down their noses upon, don't you think?

"Unless it's someone else, like an advance scout or something-- but sheesh, let's be realistic here. This could all just be entirely circumstantial. Look at what we have."

I held up a hand and began ticking off on my fingers.

"One, we have an initial avowal that the Vong are coming, said avowal from a nasty-canasta we never really cared much for, aka: Lord Phalomir's dear ol Daddykins.

"Two, we have an affirmation from said Lord Phalomir... but how in Hell's Seven Circles would he know about this??? He's the son of the Master, and that guy in turn was never anything but trouble to us.

"Three, we have a distress signal coming in from our vicinity... which yeah, while being sorta close to the world where we found the amphistaffs -- and remember, it was just one field of them that we found; we can't assume they'd be widespread across that entire world without actively looking -- we're really not near that space any longer. We have been traveling a spell, you know."

I paused a moment and looked back at the blinking light. Every red flag hunch I possessed should have been up and waving for attention, but strangely enough they weren't. Just one or two of 'em, and those somewhat inconclusively.

"Those amphistaffs could just have been overlooked by time. I mean, it's not like that world is one on everyone's hot vacation list, right? This might be a leftover from the Vong days; maybe the field had been eradicated at the close of the war, but who knows. Perhaps some spores or seeds or whatever they grow from remained behind, and regrew. Hell, I don't know about those things.

"But it seems logical to me that if the Vong were here now, and if that was one of their intentional, active weapons fields, they'd be on the planet and more than likely would have found and killed Captain Joao and the kid and the jedi.

"Right?"

I looked up into Terrin's baby blues, returning the worried look I found therein.

"This could be legitimate. Lord knows I'd managed to get myself lost in the boonies of the galaxy in my life, and it sure as hell is improbable to believe I held the monopoly on that kind of thing."

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

He sighed a bit, looking at Galen. "Might be nice though if we knew who or what is sending the signal, assuming someone can respond. If not...

...then we'll just have to revert on guard I suppose, just in case something peculiar is going on."

[ 06-09-2008 08:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

[ 06-10-2008 01:32 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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

"Air mixture..30 percent. Compl- -ife support fail- anticip- -imately 20 -rs from this-.

"Plea- -ond."

"Oh, great Khaandon's Ghost!" I hollered as I scrambled from my position of comfort into one that was all business. The message we were receiving, while choppy and true and yaeh, kinda suspicious for it popping up way out here in the backend of nowhere, still boded nothing good for its originator.

Assuming this is the real deal, Galen ol' gal, but sheesh, what idiot would send out fake distress calls?

I popped us back into realspace, and slapped open a return channel.

"Unidentified vessel, this is Eagle II outbound from Wild Space. We receive your message, but it is weak and breaking up. Can you boost your gain, and give us an approximation of your location?

"Over."

With that I sent the reply winging merrily across the multiplicity of stars, and turned my attention to the sensors to see if I could locate anyone that might be in our vicinity.

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

...but no response to Galen's message ever came. Terrin frowned, keeping an eye on the comm unit, still expecting something to come from it.

But nothing.

"Maybe there is something going on and they can't reply?" Terrin said speculatively. "Have you gotten any readings on a ship in the area?" he asked, glancing at Galen worriedly for a moment before returning his gaze to the still-silent comm unit.

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

Geez, wherever this guy was, it was clear to hell and gone out in the boonies! I thought to myself as the invisible eyes and ears of our ship repeatedly brought back a singularly discouraging lack of data.

Then an infinitesimal blip popped up on my screen, and disappeared.

"I've got-- well, something!" I exclaimed as, the general area of our invisible target now being pinpointed, I could now concentrate all sensors there, and not Outer Space as a whole. The latter being a tad wee large...

"Terrin..." I trailed, stared at information now scrolling across the boards. "I have it, at least I think I do. It appears to be an escape pod--

"Only it's clear back in Honoghr space! It's a miracle that we managed to pick it up at all; what are your recommendations? I estimate a return there to take us, oh--"

I returned to the console, and after a bit of manipulation drew up the appropriate star charts so we could see where the hell we were.

"Umm... we're about ten parsecs from Tattooine space; damnit anyway. It would take us another two hours to get back to where this signal originated."

I cast a worried look into his eyes before leaning back into the mike again.

"Unidentified vessel in distress, we copy your life support failure as being 20 minutes. We are beyond that in travel time to your location; suggest you shut down whatever systems you can... please respond..."

I fiddled with the board again, and the stars without Eagle II immediately smeared into the chromatic trails of hyperspace.

"I'm heading back anyway," I then said as, destination entered into the ship's navicomputer I now had a little time to relax.

"There's a slim chance that whoever this is, he might have miscalculated and may have a little more time than he thought. Plus, if anything happens to him, there is an even slimmer possibility that he can be revived. I don't know who this is, but I'd sure hate it if this was me, and someone else just ran off and left me to die, without even trying."

[ 06-16-2008 10:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

Pausing then, he pursed his lips in thought. "But then, what are we going to do once we get there? We can't transport whoever this is from an escape pod onto Eagle II."

He quieted for a few moments, his blue eyes turning dark and concerned. "If only the Hornett was closer...

...but she's still orbiting Degobah."

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

"All I can do is get us to the site of the signal asap, and hope and pray that in the meantime someone responds... and that a miracle occurs."

With that I got to my feet, sighing a little.

"She's on auto right now," I said, nodding toward the controls. "I think we should head on aft and check on our passengers. If anyone is awake, they probably should be told that we're going to Dagobah the long way around."

I made a quick double-check to make certain all systems were steady and doing what they were supposed to be doing. Then I headed to the rear of the ship, where our little med-bay and "guest quarters" were located.

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