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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LostSoul" data-source="post: 618572" data-attributes="member: 386">"Criton's Point control to IIC B-A.  This is restricted space.  Reverse course and re-plot astrogation out of this system."  The intercom crackled, the first new voice Troy and Feyd had heard in weeks since resupplying the ship.  Without anyone else to talk to (save the brig packed with Imperial prisoners), Troy and Feyd had bonded.  It might have had something to do with Feyd's new, bloodthirsty attitude."Check that, control," Troy says.  "We're here to pick up artifacts for Moff Darksun.  We're sending clearance now.""This code doesn't mention any specific orders.  Criton's Point is classified security clearance six-""Of course there isn't," Troy says.  "We were meant to draw the least attention possible.  The Moff - and the Emperor - want to draw as little attention as possible to this world."Feyd sat back in the co-pilot's chair, calmly assessing the situation.  Over the past two months, he had spent much time going over his actions in the last battle.  Meditating on it.  He knew that his master would have condemned his actions - but he could not fully accept that they were wrong.  The feeling that coursed through him now, his new connection and understanding of the Force, his new power - it felt so right.Feyd knew that whatever happened here, the Force would guide him to victory."All right, Captian Torsh.  Landing clearance granted.  But keep out of sector 21-Beta."  Troy smiled to Feyd and guided the ship down."No sweat, eh kid?  What did I tell you.""I could have guided his will through the use of the Force.""We already decided that, remember?  Last resort.  I don't want what happened last time to happen again."Feyd folded his arms.--- Star Wars ---The planet of Criton's point was a red, dusty old planet, covered with barren stone.  Nothing stood here to mark any presence of civilization, nor the Empire's concern with the planet.  Nothing except the lone ziggurat that rose above the landing platfrom in Sector 21-Beta.  It was an ephemeral marker to the age of the galaxy and its hidden history.  Feyd felt a ripple in the Force flow through him, beckoning him down.  "Something dark lies down there."A marker of age, and the endurance of the Force.The ship landed on the empty platform.  Not a single trooper in sight.  No droids, not even a single refueling receptacle.  Just a dark red slab of granite, smooth and bare amid the dust that coated everything else."I guess that's where we're going," Troy said.  "Do we even know what we're looking for?""Not yet.  But we'll find it."Troy checked his blaster's ammunition and left the ship, following behind Feyd.--- Star Wars ---The inside of the ziggurat was lit with only the eternal twilight that poured through the windows.  Rows upon rows of data tapes cast strange shadows on the black floor.  Troy and Feyd took a look at the long forgotten forbidden knowledge."Master Til-Gon will find these invaluable," Feyd said, grabbing a random collection of tapes.Troy looked around and drew his blaster.  Something wasn't right here.  He spun around, and saw Payrd standing in the dark red light that streamed through a nearby window.  Payrd cast a deep, long shadow that covered Feyd."Looks like we've got company," Troy said.Feyd stood.  "We've come to stop you," he said.  "I can't let you have the tablet."  Payrd looked at the young jedi and smiled.  Troy wondered what the hell they were talking about."So you know," Payrd said.  "Would you rather have it lie here, forgotten by all save the Emperor?  Or have it in the hands of a true master of the Force, so that its secrets may be unlocked and delivered to the galaxy?""I don't trust you," Feyd said."Of course not.  Your master's teachings would make you forget the words of your heart.  But it does not matter.  I will have it.  All I need is the use of your lightsabre.""What?  You expect me to give you my weapon?""With that key to unlock the tablet, we can both learn its secrets.  Think of the knowledge we will gain!""You mean power," Feyd said.Troy didn't like this.  He didn't know what the two were talking about, and he didn't really care.  All he knew was that Payrd had led them on this chase, and that he was threatening Feyd.  He didn't like that at all.  Troy squeezed his blaster's trigger, and let a bolt fly at Payrd.The bolt hit Payrd on his cybernetic arm.  It left a glowing mark.  "So your friend has chosen for you," Payrd said.  A high-pitched hum echoed off the walls of the cavernous room as a vibroblade extended from Payrd's arm.  A lower hum followed as Feyd activated his sabre.Payrd leaped to attack.  Troy let off a pair of shots, both missing their mark.  Payrd responded by striking Troy with his hand, knocking Troy to the ground.  Payrd followed up this attack by striking Feyd in the chest with a foot.  Feyd swung his sabre, but Payrd dodged beneath the wild stroke.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> this, Troy thought, and he slipped beneath one of the rows of data tapes.  Let Feyd deal with this mumbo-jumbo <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />.Feyd faced off against the techno-mage.  Each slight move that Feyd made, each twitch of every muscle, drew a response from Payrd.  Feyd knew he was outmatched.  He tried a feint to the right, then dove at Payrd.  Payrd was ready for him.  The vibro-blade cut against Feyd's hand even as Payrd struck it with a swift kick.  Feyd lost his grip on the sabre, and it sailed up in the air and into Payrd's waiting hand."Many thanks," Payrd said, turning and running at break-neck speed away from Feyd.  Feyd felt his heart break and wondered how many failures he would have to endure."Go get him," Troy said, sliding his blaster across the floor to Feyd.  Feyd picked up the pistol, his mind recalling the old firing lessons, and rushed after the fleeing Payrd.  Up endless stairs, past old halls filled with forgotten lore, he finally reached his quarry on the top of the ziggurat.  Payrd was standing there, his hair and cape fluttering in the wind.  A slab of black rock, glowing with blood-red runes, was rising slowly before him.  Feyd spotted his lightsabre in a small slot, humming wildly.Feyd took his shot.  Payrd jumped reflexively, but the techno-mage was not Feyd's target.  The bolt hit, and Feyd's lightsabre exploded.  The black slab stopped rising."What have you done?" Payrd shouted wildly.  His eyes, open wide, took on a fury Feyd had never seen before.  Payrd's vibro-blade screamed with power and cut through the top half of the tablet.  Both blade and rock screamed, and Feyd covered his ears before the cry.Payrd grabbed the broken tablet.  "You have made a mistake here, boy," he said.  "Things that you could only have dreamed about will now never be yours."  Payrd read something off the tablet in a long-lost language devoted to all things dark.  His body began to fade from existence."And you will be trapped here by enemies made long ago."  Payrd disappeared.Feyd looked up into the sky.  Far in the distance, he could make out a group of lights making planetfall.  TIE fighters.  The Empire knew they were here.Stopping only to grab what remained of his lightsabre, Feyd rushed down the steps of the ziggurat towards their stolen ship.  Troy was already inside, waiting, gunning the engines."I think we better get the <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> out of here," Troy said.  Feyd nodded in agreement.They barely reached the edge of Criton's Point's gravity well before the TIE Interceptors shot out the sublight engine.  The ship crashed to a halt in the dead of space.  TIEs surrounded them, quad-laser cannons pointed at them, daring them to make a move, any move.  They didn't expect, they couldn't have expected, what happened next.The newly stolen and crippled ship, with no systems left but astrogation, made a hyperspace jump right through the waiting TIE Interceptors.  The TIEs exploded in a shower of light; the patrol frigate shuddered, shed metal skin and ions, its hull ripped open in places, but it escaped into hyperspace.[Stay tuned for Star Wars: Heroes of Kalarba, Episode IV: A Dark Sun Rises!]</blockquote>

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