WotH Chpt 37

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 37==
<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
----
===Investigating the deep dark===
"You're the precog," Colonel Hull gestured at Siri. "Which direction are we headed in?"
 
"There is something stirring among the ship's reactor," Siri stated after a minute, allowing the Force to whisper in her ear. "But we must be wary, for that is where the darkness lies."
 
"Ensure your seals are good," the Colonel barked. "And make sure your safeties are off, people. I'm not planning on dying today."
 
The fireteam checked their own suit's seals before turning to their battle buddies and checking theirs.
 
"Come here," Colonel Hull waved Siri over. "We don't have any clue what the conditions are like in the rest of the ship if it's been damaged, or if there's even atmosphere at all in some sections."
 
Siri shuddered for a moment at the thought of being exposed to the vacuum of space while inside a ship and allowed the Marksman's CO to check over her suit's seals, the man signaling with his hand for her to turn so he could check the air tank.
 
"You're good," the man nodded. "Have you run checks before?"
 
"Not with your suits, no," Siri replied.
 
"Alright then," Hull turned. "Rooster, get over here and check my suit! Flirting with your squadmates isn't something I want from you right now."
 
"Aye sir," the marine walked over and went over the Colonel's suit, patting his shoulder pauldron and giving a thumbs up once he was done. "Everything checks out."
 
"'The Dwarves tell no tale; but even as mithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin's Bane,'" Hull murmured quietly as they began moving deeper into the ship, the pitch of his voice fitting the tension that fell over the fireteam.
 
"What is that from?" Siri asked after the Colonel had finished speaking.
 
"A book series," Hull replied after a moment. "One that set the stage for many tales after it. And I found that quote fitting as we move deeper. The Fellowship didn't know what was going to meet them, and neither do we, but as the darkness grows, so too must the light to combat it."
----
===Dealing with a Phantom Menace===
<<"This is Fireteam 1,">> the report came over the comms. <<"Bridge is secured, looks like the reactors need a good refuel from here, but the rest of the ship is mostly intact. She probably needs an overhaul, but the Leviathan seems to be in pretty good shape.">>
 
"Keep an eye on the systems from there." Hull instructed. "I'll see if we can have an astromech brought up, we might end up trying to limp this thing back home. Some refits, and we'll have another decent ship for our fleet."
 
<<"Understood sir, We'll lock her down until we receive further instruction.">>
 
Siri moved ahead and opened the next door before igniting her lightsaber, the beam lighting up the dark passage.
 
"You've got vision modes," the Fireteam lead called out. "Don't use your lights unless you need to, don't give away your position."
 
In the distance, lights flickered as a shadow passed underneath, a red glow igniting as the figure ignited its lightsaber.
 
"You trespass!" the dark figure screamed, the force augmenting it and forcing half of the fireteam members to their knees as they held their helmets where their ears would be. "This ship, is mine!"
 
Siri stepped forward and drove the figure back, the light of her blade revealing that the figure itself was wispy and nearly see-through.
 
"Begone shade," Siri immersed herself in the Light side of the force, her violet blade shining brightly as she dueled with the figure, shifting into a Soresu stance and deflecting the blades before switching deftly into Ataru, lunging forward and driving the dark back and into the corridor.
 
"Keep them secure," Colonel Hull commanded the members of the fireteam that were still on their feet. "I'll go back up our precog."
 
With his rifle in his hands, the CO moved into the next corridor and noted the two combatants locked into combat, their blades clashing and illuminating the whole corridor for moments at a time.
 
Then Siri shone more brightly than before, her lightsaber coming up in a parry before thrusting itself into the shade's chest, splitting it and causing its lightsaber to fall to the ground with a "snap-hiss" as it shut off.
 
"The Dark Side will linger for a short time," Siri turned to face the Colonel, showing the burn marks on her armor where the duel had come too close to harming her. "But the ship should be safe to finish exploring."
 
She nearly collapsed forward before the Colonel caught her, picking her up into a fireman carry and moving back to the fireteam.
 
"We're all good here," the fireteam leader reported. "Took them a minute, but my team's ready to move forward."
 
"She says that we should be good to go," Hull indicated the woman unconscious and slung across his back. "But, given what she just fought, I'd rather us wait for her to be back on her feet before we push forward."
 
"If we're close to the engine room, why not push further into there and bunker down?" The fireteam leader asked. "I'd rather push forward than fall back."
 
<<"Colonel Hull, the Tech team and our droids are here,">> the voice of Fireteam One's leader echoed. <<"We've got access to the ship's systems and what looks like a pretty comprehensive map. It doesn't account for damages, but I figure it'll be useful.">>
 
"Roger that," the Colonel replied. "Give me a few minutes and I'll figure out where we are so you can give us directions."
 
"Copy that, Sir. I'll be on standby for when you need assistance."
----
===The Boarding===
"Good, you're awake," Hull's voice greeted Siri as she slowly regained consciousness.
 
"The Shade!" Siri's eyes snapped open and she tried to sit up, only to meet Hull's armored gauntlet as it pinned her in place while he glared.
 
"Easy now," the Marksman pushed her back down onto the pillow. "You got hurt pretty badly, your suit didn't do much, and you've got quite a few burns across your body. You did manage to take out whatever that thing was though."
 
Siri looked at Hull, reaching out with the Force to see if there were any signs of darkness infesting the rest of the ship or his people.
 
"We shut off the Interdiction field, and a small group of Marines is going to limp the Leviathan back to Serenno while we push on to the big haul. You've done your part, Knight Tachi. Now get some rest. We've still got a lot of work to do, and I'd hate for you to miss the find of the century."
 
"I expect to be informed if we come across anything else like that." Siri stated as she allowed herself to finally relax. "Your crew is unable to handle a Dark Side shade such as that. And if I had not been there."
 
"Then we would have found a way to kill it." Hull countered. "You're not the only one with a fancy laser sword," he indicated a hilt at his side. "And I might not have your magic abilities, but it looked to me like you killed it with a blade. Anyway, get some sleep, we've still got quite a lot to do."
----
===The Doctor Rules===
The Messenger dropped out of hyperspace along with her escorts, the shift rousing Siri and causing the Knight to try and leave the medbay and begin limping toward the bridge.
 
"I'm pretty sure I told you to stay in bed." the Corpsman growled at the Jedi as she tried to leave.
 
"You heard, Doc." A marine stood up from his bunk. "He's in charge around here, and no one ignores Doc, not even the Colonel."
 
"I need to know why we have dropped out of hyperspace.," Siri tried to explain.
 
"You need to get back into that bed, young lady." the grizzled old veteran glared. "You've got second and third-degree burns on various parts of your body. And you're not leaving until they're healed."
 
"Will you at least ask what has happened?" Siri sat back down on her bed.
 
"Fine," the corpsman's eyes softened a bit. "I'll see what I can dig up for you. But you don't get to leave until I say so, understand?"
 
"I understand," Siri nodded, laying her head back down as she chuckled a bit. It seemed there were quite a few people who took their jobs seriously among the Marksman. It was not just the Marines.
----
<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
Chapter 37