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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1834459" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 30: Turbolasers and BlastersIt was almost like Akan, Voort and Shadow were shoving each other out of the way to get in front. Jen had no problem with fighting, but the three of them(especially Shadow after being comatose) seemed far too eager. Only a few steps behind them, she caught sight of the source of the footsteps at about the same time. In that short second it took to round the corner, they stood facing six stormtroopers. Six...two meter tall stormtroopers with very large repeating rifles aimed at them. There was a very long stand off, with Akan, Voort, and Shadow staring down the long barrels of the repeating blaster rifles. At least Akan and Voort had lightsabers up and in front of them, but Shadow had nothing. Not even her usual knife.    Then, it was like something in the air just clicked. Voort, on the left, ducked low and sent his lightsaber thrusting towards one of the troopers. One the right, Shadow also ducked low, claws unsheathing as she dove towards a hole in the armor plating. With both of the other two next to him ducking, Akan brought his lightsaber across in a long horizontal arc. In that flash of movement, the first three of the troopers were down(and all of them in at least two pieces). The other three were farther back, and started backing as their blaster rifles started firing. Jen dropped to her knees against the wall, aiming up over Voort and firing her blaster pistol. Voort and Akan were then both up and deflecting blaster fire, and Jen watched Shadow draw Akan’s blaster pistol dropping back behind him and using him for cover as she fired the pistol. Jen moved over behind Shadow, also firing her pistol. Their shots downed two of the troopers, and in a moment Voort’s lightsaber took of the head of the last one.    Akan took a moment to stand there, then glanced back over his shoulder. Shadow stood up and slipped the blaster back into the holster on his belt, and Jen also stood up, shrugging. He couldn’t help a grin, and lowered the lightsaber, “You’re welcome.”    The floor shook. No, not just the floor. The building shook. Instinctively, they all looked up. They saw nothing but the ceiling. Then, following second instincts, they looked down. Nope, the floor was fine. While the others were trying to figure out what happened, Voort started down the corridor, “Come on.”    “What was that, though?!” Akan asked, jogging to catch up.    Shadow and Jen were there in a moment, and they all had a tough time holding their balance when the building shook again. Jen looked around her and then to Akan as they rounded the second corner, “You can stay and find out if you want.”    “No, he can’t,” Shadow growled, in no mood for sarcasm.    The got back to the stairwell, and Akan took a look down. He could see pieces of the ceiling on the stairs, “What’s down there anyway?”    “I don’t know, and don’t plan to find out,” Shadow commented as she was already starting up the stairs. Akan sighed and followed, now behind Voort and running next to Jen. The building shook a third time...above. Right above them, too. A large piece of the ceiling came down over Akan and Jen, but there wasn’t anywhere to move to. Both of them simply continued trying to move forward without falling on their faces, and just before it reached them, the panel was forced back and tumbled down the stairs. Akan glanced up to see Voort nod to him, and then continued upwards.    Jen seemed to be alright, as she was moving up again. Akan decided catching up was a good idea. But that sound...there it was again. From above, this time slamming into a section of the ceiling far behind them. He glanced back a moment then up to the others, “I really hope my hearing’s just toying with me!”    “It isn’t,” Voort called back as he reached the door, “Those are turbolasers!”    Akan glanced up again, “Are we worth all this trouble?!”    No one answered, but when the door was opened, a hail of blaster fire shot out towards them. The four of them quickly dove to the sides, with the only damage to them being singed hairs and tail fur. Jen looked over to Akan, “Apparently, we are worth this much trouble.”    All eyes were then on Shadow. She noticed this, and just shrugged, “I didn’t do anything! This isn’t my fault!”    Blaster shots were still coming through the door as they all tried to work a way out of this. Akan sighed, “I saw about ten or so stormtroopers.”    “There’s more then just ten out there,” Voort commented, trying to get a look out the open door but not finding a long enough break in the barrage to warrant the risk of sticking his head out.    [What were they doing to you anyway?!] Akan asked over their link. He could have spoken it, but being on opposite sides of the door made it annoying to yell over the blaster fire.    He did see Shadow give him an almost glare. [I don’t know! You saw! They had one of those damned hoods!]    Akan was about to ask what the hood was when there was a loud explosion outside. The blaster fire stopped. No, it didn’t. It just wasn’t coming in through the door. The sounds of the shots could still be heard. The four of them exchanged confused looks, and Voort took this time to look outside. The troopers and other soldiers were all looking up, firing their rifles into the sky at something he couldn’t see. But he could hear it. They all could. It was like nothing they’d ever heard before. Well, no, Shadow recognized it. However, she wasn’t sure she could believe her ears at this point. Akan glanced outside to see what was going on, and looked just in time to see two large blue blasts unlike anything he’d ever seen slam into the ground, sending pieces of swamp, troopers, and trees everywhere.    Before anything could be said, the two of them watched something coming down through the trees. Jen was now looking over Akan’s shoulder, but Shadow sat back. She was afraid of what that was...if she was right, it didn’t exactly mean good things for her. In fact, it was probably going to be bad for all of them...but especially her. And Akan. But mostly her.    The only way Akan could think to describe the thing that had landed was like a smaller, more...almost organic looking Mon Calamari cruiser. It was about the size of a YT-1300 transport, but had long swept back wings coming from the nose. In the sky in the distance, he could see another, similar craft with shorter wings. However, the one in the sky looked much larger, at least the size of a Star Destroyer. And it was in the atmosphere...    Then, Shadow, Akan, and Voort suddenly looked up. The Force had triggered something in the three of them. Something...there was the sound of another turbolaser blast. Voort had grabbed Jen and got out of the building. Shadow was moving too, outside in time to see the green bolt slam into the roof of the entrance to the building. Debris scattered everywhere as the roar of the explosion temporarily deafened all of them. Jen and Voort were on the ground not far away. Shadow hit the ground and glanced back to Akan to see a large chunk of the building coming down on him before he got out. He had continued moving somehow, but the rest of the building came down. A good amount of it on him.    The dust cleared and they all heard another noise. Looking up into the sky, they could see the faint silhouette of a small Star Destroyer(most likely a Victory class). In a short explosion, the large ship tore apart. Shadow knew what had happened, but neither Jen nor Voort had seen the blue energy blasts from the strange ship in the atmosphere that had impacted the Star Destroyer so far away. Her head hurt...back hurt. Everything hurt. Akan wasn’t dead, but he felt unconscious and from the feelings running through Shadow’s legs, his were probably broken. As were a few other places along the spine and important areas.     Ignoring the fact that the larger ship was starting to move their direction and come down to the swamp to land, Shadow ran over to dig Akan out and force him to remorph before it killed the both of them. Jen and Voort, however, had their eyes on the ship that was already on the ground. A ‘hatch’ of sorts had opened like an iris. There wasn’t any bright light inside, but they could see an outline of a large humanoid figure coming out.</blockquote>

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