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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2722372" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 301: Hope“In the name of the Force!” Shadow called out in surprise as she reached the cockpit. It was just about the same time that Loki had gotten them out of the atmosphere, so she was being given a very clear view of what Loki had mentioned earlier.    In a flat voice that he’d obviously learned from Shadow, Loki replied. [I told you that you would want to be up here.]    As she dropped down in the pilot’s chair, Shadow rolled her eyes and tried to get a better assessment of the situation beyond the blurred but intimidating sight out of the viewport, “Loki, do you have a sensor reading yet?”    [Its waiting for you.] he answered in nearly the same voice. Sometimes she just wanted to kick him...but she figured he felt the same way about her a good amount of the time. It seemed to be how things always worked out in the end.    The still-Shadow part of her brain pushed back the Marix part, getting her into the business mode she needed to be in. Quickly pulling up the sensor display, Shadow got exactly what she was looking for...and immediately decided it was much worse than it had looked from the viewport. It was a fleet alright. A serious fleet. At least five capital ships strong, two smaller support ships, and at least a couple of faster cruisers. So far, Shadow couldn’t see anything that looked like they could be any kind of starfighter. That was something, at least.    Though she didn’t have a very great eye for exact designs of starships, Shadow had spent enough time with smugglers that she knew enough. The ships weren’t any kind of distinct design she’d seen before, but they had a few features that were definitely Kuati in design. The sharp lines, slightly odd cargo sections, and the Star Destroyer-like deflector shield towers on the largest of the ships and the cruisers helped to solidify their maker. And with a Kuati design, it was just too coincidental for these ships to have arrived. It was the missing piece in the trail...except they’d found it a little late.[They are attempting to box us in and prevent a hyperspace jump.] Loki announced as Shadow noticed all of the ships beginning to spread out around their possible courses. [They attempted to use tractor beams before. I...do not believe I can escape more than one if they attempt it again.]    Shadow’s eyes scoured the situation and she reached forward to take hold of the controls. This was going to be rough...her eyes locked onto two of the mid-sized cruisers. They were vaguely vibroblade shaped, roughly about the size of a Corellian Corvette, and from the looks of it, just as fast. Which brought an idea to mind, “Can you tell how well armed those things are?”    That one took a short while for Loki to respond to. Short...but long enough for the ships to all set up a perfectly designed defensive position. There was just enough space between all of the ships to tempt the enclosed starships to make a run through...but they would have their weapons and tractor beams ready for any angle that was taken. Then, Loki said. [The five capital ships are as heavily armed as a Victory Destroyer. The two patrol ships are not very well armed, but they look to have very strong tractor beam systems...and the two cruisers are fairly lightly armed for their size. They are likely very fast, though.]    Though the ships had held their positions, Shadow continued to eye the two cruisers, “Could we make it through?”    After so many years of being with Loki, she knew that he could see where she was looking at. But despite all that time, she still wasn’t all that sure how he knew that. Maybe it was the Force...maybe he could actually see. It was one of those questions she’d never, ever thought of. And, in fact, Shadow would probably never have thought of it if not for Jyren. The link had a way of causing parts of him to rub off on her, and she had started to find more and more very random questions like that popping up lately. At first, Shadow had just thought it was the Marix part of her, but Marix wasn’t all that terribly different. Well, except for the fact that she seemed to have more people skills beyond Shadow’s usual tactics of breaking limbs and asking questions through the screaming.    [Where should I plot the hyperspace jump to?] Loki interrupted her thoughts with an ever-important question. She was glad he spoke up, as that might have been forgotten thanks to that random question.    But at least the answer was simple, “Anywhere close but not too close.”    If it had been anyone but Loki, the response would have been ‘What?’ Even Jyren would have asked, despite the link. But Loki knew exactly what she meant. By the Force, she’d missed him. Why she ever left him on Corellia for so long was beyond even Marix. Loki was the one person who’d been with her through everything...well, until she left him on Corellia, at least. And then it felt like he’d missed everything. Rarely did Shadow ever feel depressed, and she blamed it on the link, but hearing her ship speak their destination instead of a question was all she needed to smile. [It will be a rough jump, but I can get us to the Sluis Sector.]“Perfect,” Shadow did smile. Yes, it would be rough. There were no hyperspace routes from the Ison Corridor, where they currently were, leading to the Sluis Sector which was a good distance away. But it could be done. It could be done, and Shadow trusted Loki to pull it off. He’d done crazier things. And now it was her turn to do something crazy.    “Alright, Loki, here we go,” she gripped the controls tightly for a moment before using a calming technique. A few careful exhales later, and she angled Loki straight for the two vibroblade-like cruisers. Hopefully he was right. Hopefully they were lightly armed. Hopefully, they could gun it through fast enough to dodge the tractor beams. And...hopefully, Toby was going to succeed in keeping Jyren, and her, alive.    Throwing the hopes out of the way, Shadow sent them in full speed and head on with the nearest of the ships.</blockquote>

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