There Is No Death by Chicken Man Unlimited

PART ONE

"We cannot win a war if we are on the defensive all the time," spoke the voice of Nage Sy'lar.

"The Jedi is speaking the truth, sirs," the clone trooper reported. He was the supreme commander of the clones. His white body armor stood out in the dark room. Yellow markings danced around his armor.

"If an attack, we make, as bad as the Separatists, we are." This was Yoda, the 2-foot tall, green alien, wisest of all Jedi. Any and all Jedi listened to his great wisdom.

The meeting was a war council. Generals, colonels, and majors in the Republic had come to decide their next move. The power lamps had been turned down. The only thing providing sufficient light was a holoprojector in the center of the room. It showed all the star systems in the galaxy, in their current position.

"With all due respect, Master Yoda, if we don't make some effective strikes, we will lose this war. When was the last time we attacked a Confederate base?"

"We have attacked Raxus Prime, and Thule, along with Rhen Var, while Separatists occupied it." This was Mace Windu, a Jedi Master who was second only to Yoda in wisdom. He was right. Only months before, The Separatists had unveiled a new weapon, the Dark Reaper, a doomsday device that literally harvested the Force out of living things. Raxus Prime was where it had been excavated from, and Thule was where it was destroyed. Rhen Var used to be a Republic outpost. The Separatists invaded it, but the Republic had earned it back.

"This is true, but Raxus started as a recon mission. Rhen Var was so that we could find information, and Thule was to stop doomsday weapon from slaughtering us all!" Nage argued.

"We don't even know where a Separatist base is," Mace Windu countered.

"We do now," replied the clone general. He beckoned Adi Galia forward. Adi Galia was a great Jedi Master, leader of her own Jedi Squadron, and co-owner of a Jedi/Pirate Squadron. She had played a large role in the battle of Geonosis. Had it not been for her, millions would have died due to an attack by a chemical hex weapon, Trihexalon. The Jedi and Republic owed her everything.

"After the battle of Geonosis, I began realizing that the Cavik Toth's Fleet was not as large as it should have been and that he would not send all the Trihexalon in one convoy. Toth was cautious. So he must have stored a large quantity somewhere else. But where?" Adi began.

Cavik Toth had been an ally of the Trade Federation; he took over the Trade Federation's operations in the Karthaak System. There, he produced the Trihexalon. Adi Galia had shot him down herself. She pressed a button on the holoprojector. The holograph cancelled out some of the planets there. "We know that Trihexalon needs to be stored in subzero temperatures. For months, my two squadrons have been going out on reconnaissance missions looking for the signature signals of the Trihexalon. We found a match recently along with a heavy concentration of Separatist forces. On the Planet Drouwcl."

"They're planning something," the clone trooper concluded.

"Yes. Is there any vulnerability to the base?" Mace Windu asks. His brows furrowed into concentration.

"No sir," the trooper reported.

"Do we have a numerically superior force?" Mace asked.

"No sir," the trooper reported.

"Do we have any advantage?"

"Yes sir."

"Explain."

"Sir, we have a little more people ready than they have droids there. So we are, in a sense, numerically superior. We can also come up with strategic plans, new ideas, etcetera. Sentients will always reign over computers."

"What odds are we up against?" Mace asked, suddenly becoming curious. The clone general handed Master Windu a datapad. Windu took it, glanced at the screen, and almost jumped in surprise.

"Many clones will die in an attack like this," Mace argued. He handed the datapad to Master Galia. "You are approving of this?"

Adi Galia glanced at the screen. "I had no idea the forces posted there were that large."

"We may win, but many clones will die. I do not approve," Windu stated.

"If we don't authorize this campaign, millions of innocents will die. People that are not prepared to die. Clones are," the general replied, calmly.

"Prepared?" Windu asked.

"Sir, the only reason we clones exist is to die. To die for a cause. A war. To protect trillions of others. This is the only reason we stand before you. When this war is over, what will become of the clones? We can't settle down as citizens of the Republic. The only thing we can be is an army. We cannot start a life outside of the army. Our cellular structure has been altered, and now we are less independent, almost unable to make our own decisions. We were born to die," the clone said, no emotion trickling past his words.

The War Council decided if they would attack the facility or not. The decision was made at dawn. They had spent a whole night debating. A verdict had arisen. The troops began preparing for war.

Nage Sy'lar walked past the bridge to his Padawan's quarters. Jyg-Chell Daana was waiting there.

"Lieutenant."

"Yes sir!"

"How many clones have I just led to their deaths?" Nage asked. His fur rippled. He was a Bothan, basically a giant, sentient, rat with no tail.

His Padawan replied, confused, "Sir?"

"Call me Master, just like it used be. Just because the galaxy has split into an apocalyptic war doesn't mean we're not Master/Padawan anymore," Nage said. He smiled. Jyg snickered. Their relationship had started rocky. Jyg's father had been murdered by a Bothan low-life. Jyg had not wanted to be the Padawan of a Bothan Jedi. But, gradually, Nage had become Jyg's father figure.

"I don't understand the question, Master."

"I brought up the idea of a strike on a Separatist facility. I had no knowledge that so many clones would die." Too many. The council had decided to make this a joint operation. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Nage Sy'lar, K'kruuk, Needra Gless, and Meth Nakring had all been ordered to take their regiments on this mission. Adi Galia was taking both her squadrons, and some other Jedi Masters Nage did not know were bringing their regiments to battle.

"And not just clones…but Jedi too," Jyg answered. "Master, I wish to tell you something."

"Of course," Nage studied his apprentice. An eighteen year-old human male, growing quickly in the ways of the Force.

"The fourth line of the Jedi Code: 'there is no death, there is the force' has always troubled me. Master, I'm afraid to die."

"We all are. But sometimes we must. To save others." The Bothan Jedi Master glanced at the wall chrono. "I must go, but if you need to talk, I'm here."

Jyg listened to the door swish close. A Jedi afraid to die. Jedi are never afraid to die. They are the greatest warriors the galaxy has ever seen. So, am I a Jedi?

Drouwcl:
Terrain: Ice
Weather: Blizzards
Wildlife: Danagas, Treinens
The place where you will die.

Jyg shook his head and glanced back at the terminal. No. A trick of the light. The terminal now read: Recent activity by Separatist Forces. What was that all about? The place where he would die? T oo much anxiety. That had to be it.

"Something the matter, Jyg?"

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry Master, just lost focus," Jyg responded.

"Lost focus? This is a battle Jyg. You can't lose your focus."

"Yes Master."

"Jyg, I want you to stay on the bridge while I go down in my starfighter to attack the space forces."

"Why?" Jyg asked, perplexed. They always flew together.

"How many times have I lost holochess to you?" Nage asked.

"Uhh…"

"Or any strategy game for that matter?"

"Umm…"

"I want you to command our forces for this battle." Jyg was speechless.

"Me?" His Master's answer was one word.

"Yes."

"Almost out of hyperspace sir. ETA thirty seconds," the clone officer shouted across the bridge of the Republic assault ship Justice.

"Good." Jyg's knees trembled. He was in charge of a huge capital ship. If he messed up, he'd die, and a couple hundred good crewman with him. He took a deep breath, held it to the count of ten, and released. He repeated the process, and then it was time for the battle. They dropped out of hyperspace.

"Oh no," he gasped. There were hundreds of Separatist forces everywhere. Dozens of capital ships. A killing ground. The Republic ships became battle ready. They dropped off their Jedi Starfighter squadrons and powered up their systems. Jyg suddenly became aware that that is what he should be ordering his men to do. "Jedi Starfighters get out there. I want maximum power to shields and laser batteries. Engines to minimum, but still moving. I want all types of enemy craft transferred to my datapad." All these tasks were finished with top efficiency. He glanced at his datapad. Trade Federation Landers. They were troop-carrying ships, with no small amount of firepower. No missiles though. Suddenly a missile streaked towards their assault ship, hitting the bow shields. Correction. They now have missiles. Droid Starfighters. There's always Droid Starfighters. Scarabs. The more formidable brother of the Droid Starfighter, they have shields, and was not controlled by a droid control device. Trade Federation Control Ship.

Dang. Droid Control ships were extremely hard to destroy. He turned on a hologram, patching it to Meth Nakring's frequency.

"So all the assault ships all fire upon the Control Ship?" Meth asked. He was a Nikto, whose leathery skin shook as he spoke.

"Yes. The concentrated firepower will be enough to take it out. Now, the control ship is a flying fortress. We need to take it out in order to reach the ground safely. And not only that, but the Droid Starfighters will cease to work."

"Okay. I'll tell the others. Nakring out." Jyg nodded. In a moment, the holograph was gone. Jyg glanced at the datapad again. Unknown. What was that thing? It was a starfighter, but a type Jyg had never seen before.

"Transfer from datapad to onscreen." The giant screen on the bridge lit up. It showed a squadron of the things headed this way. He used the Force to pinpoint their location, but the Force showed life forms in the cockpit. Not droids this time. Mercenaries.

"Patch me through to Adi Galia."

"Yes sir!" Adi Galia, in her cockpit, appeared onscreen.

"Yes, Jyg?" she asked politely while she vaped an unseen enemy.

"I'm transferring something from my datapad to your Jedi Starfighter."

"Acknowledged." He sent her the file on the unknown starfighter. "Uh-oh, these are Saboath Fighters piloted by the mercenaries known as the Saboaths. They can do a lot of damage on their first pass."

Dang. "Can you bring your squadrons here for backup?"

"Will do."

"I want all turbolaser batteries to target those Saboath Fighters. Shields to maximum." Then he braced for the first pass.

"Krayt Squadron, two squadrons of Saboath fighters are going after two of our assault ships. Adi Galia is taking mine; we are taking Vunian's," Nage reported.

"Roger," came a chorus of replies from the other Jedi. Rince Vunian was a Jedi Knight who had been one of Nage's best friends. They had gone on countless missions together, saving each other from death numerous times. He was the leader of Rancor Squadron actually. A squadron of orphan Padawans that showed tremendous piloting aptitude. The twelve Jedi starfighters, triangular starships armed with two laser cannons, and very fast engines, were the main starfighters used by the Republic. They gained on the Saboath fighters. Then they released a flurry of laser blasts, hulling several of the enemy starfighters. But the rest dived away.

"Break formation, pick your targets, and go," Nage ordered. He closed on the leader of the squadron. He accelerated, hitting his thrusters hard. Then he was in range. Before he could shoot, the enemy turned and launched dozens of lasers at the starfighter, rushing head on, and then diving under the starfighter. Shields were out. Shields would recharge though, and he went after the leader again. He juked out of the way, trying to get away from a lock. Too bad. Nage fired, a couple shots, which took out the enemy's shields. The opponent corkscrewed down and away from Nage's starfighter, a maneuver that only a Sabaoth, with it's peculiar shape, could achieve. It was an effort to get back on the tail of the Saboath, but he gradually did. He aimed…and suddenly his starfighter shook uncontrollably. Another Saboath had crept up on his tail. It continued the barrage. The cockpit dimmed. And he was left in the darkness. The Saboath roared overhead.

The Saboath Squadron would make its first pass before Adi Galia's squadron would get to the assault ship. That was not good at all. Suddenly a flurry of laserfire emerged from the laser cannons of the Justice. They hulled one ship. One. One out of twelve. The Saboaths launched their own attack, pummeling the port shields. Then they roared past.

"Damage assessment!" Jyg ordered.

"50% damage to port shields."

Not good. Two more passes to port and the assault ship would be cracked in two. Not good at all. He turned around, looked out the viewport and saw the squadron loop around for another pass. Another deadly pass.

[ Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (coming soon) ]

Submitted May 27, 2003. © Chicken Man Unlimited 2003.

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