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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dr Midnight" data-source="post: 1586343" data-attributes="member: 69">Droids tumbled as chunks of ground lifted up. Slowly at first and then more rapidly, slabs of earth rose into the sky. All around, droids were smashed by the chaos, and those that remained did their best to follow their commander’s orders. These fired their rifles at the hut, Magnus Turon and Jaren Creel. Magnus’ lightsaber flashed in glowing arcs as it wheeled around him, deflecting blaster shots from all directions. Jaren fired back, attempting to shoot Cydon Prax, who was trying to keep his footing amongst a field of boiling dirt and falling droids. Over the din, Mikau saw the Pheleeni moving back to the huts as fast as their slithering limbs could carry them. “Get inside the hut,” he called to the Jedi and pilot. “These are built as havens against the ‘rain’!”The two heroes moved back to within the hut. Once there, they closed the door and watched as the droids around them were crushed by the grinding rubble. A few managed to fire off shots at the hut, and these bolts deflected from the glassy surface up into the dust-darkened sky.Cydon Prax was keeping low to the ground, like a cat. He was jumping from one huge chunk of debris to another. He unsheathed his vibrosword and jumped down to the hut from the floating rock and smashed the glass shield to shards with a double-handed chop. Sound flooded back in on Pock, Mikau, Magnus, Jaren, Y3-Ns, and Pontu Forto. Blaster bolts now shot by in rapid succession, hissing past the ear as they barely missed. Pock and Mikau lit up their lightsabers and blocked what shots they could. Cydon Prax was within striking distance and he swung at Jaren. The scoundrel managed to avoid the blow, and Magnus stepped forward to block the armored mercenary from reaching Pock. The vibrosword crashed against Magnus’ lightsaber and held there. A normal object would be cut instantly in half by the energy blade, but clearly, Cydon had had his vibrosword coated in a cortosis weave. The two opponents strained against each other’s strength. A shot grazed Magnus’ arm and he fought on, never faltering in his defense against Prax. He cleared his mind and swung a complicated six-part attack against the Separatist. Each shot was blocked reflexively. Prax was a skilled swordsman, it seemed. The two battled in the midst of the raging storm as the Jedi deflected blaster shots away from the group and Jaren tried to hit Prax when he could. Y3 and the Pheleeni huddled against the floor.Cydon landed a slice along Magnus’ thigh, and the Jedi grunted from the pain. Mikau extended a bony hand and used the Force. Prax was launched back into the furious rising storm and swept up into the sky by the debris. Mikau yelled “The battle seems to be easing! Too many droids are being destroyed, soon they’ll be entirely decimated… Until then, keep fighting!” They continued to deflect blaster shots, though the shots were growing fewer as the droids were destroyed by the tide of rock. Pock cried out as a blaster shot seared his leg. He went to one knee, clutching the wound. Just then, Cydon Prax jumped down from the sky, wherein he’d been rapidly descending from the upward dirt-clods, leaping from one to the next. He landed hard and immediately kicked Pock in the face. The padawan fell face-down to the ground. Prax whirled his sword and gashed Mikau Me along the back. For the instant, Pock was seemingly helpless against Cydon Prax. The fall was a ruse, however, and Pock was not just alive- he was conscious. He mustered his strength and cut out against Prax’s legs. The mercenary was too quick, though, and his foot caught Pock’s saber-hilt against the ground. Magnus leaped over and landed astride Pock’s downed form, slashing furiously with his lightsaber. Cydon Prax defended himself from these attacks and responded with a shot from his shoulder blaster that blackened Magnus’ torso. Prax took the opportunity to reach down and grasp Pock’s wrist. He flexed his knees- he clearly meant to jump backward, taking Pock with him up into the sky to escape. As Prax began to jump, Magnus swirled his saber in a figure-6 pattern. Prax flew back screaming. He was struck by the rocks hurling skyward and gone within an instant. His severed hand gripped Pock’s wrist tenaciously. Pock shook it free and recoiled, sitting up. The battle around them was all but ended. All the droids, all the landing ships, and in fact all the anything had been destroyed and carried upward by the mineral rains of Pheleen. The sky was darkened and clouded with dust, pieces of ruined metal fell lazily around them as the large chunks of dirt and rock broke up as they reached the atmosphere.The horizon was visible once more, and it was astonishing. The dirt and earth had fallen away to reveal a two hundred meter drop in all directions, down to a city of gleaming glass and metal, shaped all of cylinders and domes. The heroes of the Republic stood atop a skyscraper.“That’s some view”, Jaren wheezed. “Oh, my,” Y3 muttered as he dared to lift his head from where he’d been hiding. “It seems I was right after all.”A crackle came from Cydon Prax’s severed hand, and the Republicans looked to see a small holographic figure standing there, projected above the wrist. The figure was of a gaunt man with white hair and beard. He stood proudly with a cape hanging from his shoulders. “Prax,” he said. “Prax, are you there? Have you found the child yet?”Magnus Turon frowned at the image. It seemed that one of his more grave concerns was fulfilled; somehow, the Separatists knew what Pock was. They knew what he was and they wanted him taken. End of Chapter 1Next: THE PIRATE LORD OF THE FIGHTING PITS</blockquote>

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