NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2914849" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 319It was amazing how fast both Jyren and Shadow could work when they were pressed for time...or at least, when they felt like they were pressed for time. In barely fifteen standard minutes, they’d managed to situate the mines in pairs, one active, one not...and Shadow had even managed to rig the inactive ones so that they would explode when the other did. Once that had been done, and the shielded ring well protected from anything larger than a small sized transport, they had moved to slaving the small cargo skiff’s systems to the bulk freighter.    That was taking a lot of time thanks to Jyren’s lightsaber cutting straight through most of the slaving controls that had been installed. But despite that setback, Shadow was able to get the systems working again...though she made sure to let Jyren know just how little he actually needed to destroy to fix the problems he’d run into earlier. She wasn’t yelling at him, but instead using the calm, slow voice that was normally reserved for Toby.    And all the while, the uneasy feeling was growing in the Force.    It hasn’t taken long for Shadow to identify it. This wasn’t the Force warning them of impending danger...yes, that was something that happened often, but never this far in advance. Instead, it was the clones. That horrible, identical, dull feeling in the Force of all of the clones making their way closer with every second...the clones and...and the others. The Darkwings. The darkness coming towards them blotted out nearly everything else in the Force, so much so that even Tobias was whining about not only headaches, but seeing things that weren’t there.    And the feeling grew and grew, causing them to snap at each other more and nearly cut themselves off from the Force to work sanely until...    [Multiple ships exiting hyperspace.] Loki’s voice caused both Jyren and Shadow to jump, having gotten too used to the silence that had ensued.    Immediately, Jyren spun in his chair to bring up the sensor readings. Shadow didn’t turn to look, as she was just finishing up the slaving systems and knew he’d tell her anyway. And, of course, he did, “Six ships...eight. Nine of them...” Jyren paused a moment to make sure nothing else arrived, then sighed and looked more closely at the details, “Three cruisers, two mid-sized gunships, three large transports and a cruiser about the size of an old Star Destroyer.”    “It could be worse...” Shadow said under her breath before closing the panel on the console and pulling Jyren up to his feet by his shoulder, “Get over here and set this thing and the skiff on a course for those transports. See if you can hit two.”    Jyren just nodded, shifting over and dropping into the seat she’d been in. As Shadow stared out the viewport to the shielded ring ahead, she saw the view begin to shift slightly. The freighter began to readjust its course, and in a matter of moments they could see the incoming ships through the viewport.    “They’re targeting this freighter,” Jyren announced over his shoulder, “Probably another minute before they’re in range...unless those gunships are well equipped.”    “Are the coordinates set?” Shadow asked sharply, her eyes watching the largest of the ships carefully. It did look like a Star Destroyer...just a little flatter and without any command tower. Somehow, though, it looked just as dangerous.    Jyren nodded after another second, “Done.”    Shadow didn’t say anything else. Instead, she grabbed his shoulder again and yanked him to his feet a second time. Before he had a chance to get his balance, Shadow was dragging him to the turbolift to get back to Loki. Jyren didn’t argue, though, he just did his best to keep up, knowing why she was being so urgent in this situation. Besides, she always had a habit of getting straight to business like this and not leaving any time for short pauses.    The turbolift had barely opened on the level with the airlock by the time the ship was taking turbolaser hits. There were slight rocking feelings, but overall the shields were holding well. The shots began to increase in both intensity and number as Shadow and Jyren ran through the airlock and back into Loki.    “Get us back so we can get a good view of this, Loki!” Shadow yelled at the ceiling as the airlock closed behind them.    [On it —]    “And make sure to keep us out of sight!” Jyren cut the ship off, “She’ll target us right away if she gets the chance to!”    Loki’s ‘voice’ waited a moment, but came back a bit sharper. [...already on it.]    The two Alraxians exchanged careful looks, but neither of them commented on it. Instead, as they headed as quickly to the cockpit as possible, Jyren asked, “Where’s Tobias?”    [In your quarters.] Loki answered, sounding somewhat distracted, before adding. [I sealed the hatch so that he wouldn’t...get in the way.]    Jyren was nodding as he followed her into the cockpit and quickly dropped into the seat next to her. As they looked out the viewport, it was quickly apparent that Loki hadn’t gotten them to a good spot yet...as they were still looking at the ring.    “Bring up the sensor readings, Loki,” Shadow said, obviously as anxious as Jyren was to figure out exactly what was going on.    A small orange-ish image appeared on the console near the center of the cockpit that looked vaguely similar to the image on the freighter’s sensor board. The only difference was that both the freighter and the very small cargo skiff were heading very quickly towards the transport ships, with the two gunships moving to block the way and, from what Jyren could figure, firing the entire time. As far as they could tell, Loki was being ignored for the moment.    And then Loki began to spin around, having found a good spot not very far from the active mines. As the scene came into view, both green and red flashes could be seen impacting the freighter. Not only were the gunships spewing turbolaser fire into the freighter’s forward shields, but the wedge-shaped capital ship was also firing its forward batteries. And there were pockets of fire visible on the bulk freighter...    “Its not going to make it,” Jyren said, watching as some of the turbolaser blasts made it through the shields, “Didn’t have time to strengthen the shields and its just not fast enough.”    Neither of them tore their eyes from the scene, so when Jyren felt Shadow’s hand grip his arm, he nearly jumped in surprise. Firmly, though, she said, “Don’t give up on it yet.”    Two more bright flashes erupted from the front of the freighter, and two large chunks of the hull could be seen flying off in different directions...but still, the ship plowed forward, straight for its target. Below it, hidden beneath the hull and small enough to go relatively unnoticed, the cargo skiff continued its own charge. But then something else happened.    “The gunships are breaking off!” Jyren yelped, watching the small, cylindrical ships turning away from the freighter and beginning to head straight for Loki.    Shadow glanced down at the sensor reading for a moment before looking back up and saying, “Loki, when they’re in range, pull them through the first set of mines.”    [I’m not sure I can fit...] Loki protested in more of a mumble than any normal voice, yet at the same time, Jyren saw the shields coming online and Loki obviously getting ready.    “Its going to be tight,” Shadow said softly, and Jyren could feel she was resisting the urge to grab the control and do it herself...somehow, though, she fought it, “You can do it.”    As their focus on the distant freighter shifted, red blasts of turbolaser began to erupt from the incoming gunships’ forward cannons. Immediately, Loki’s engines kicked in and he headed straight for the two ships, weaving an interesting course while charging head first for the nearest.    While the charged forward into the attack, Shadow gripped Jyren’s arm tightly. She was doing something he knew he never could do...letting Loki do his job. Taking over now would do nothing but harm the ship’s confidence in his own abilities. Loki was as much one of them as Jen and Voort had been all that while ago...and he deserved his moment at much as anyone.    And this was it.    At point blank range with the nearest of the two gunships, Loki dove straight down.</blockquote>

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