The War Coordinator sent out a sudden burbluous gulp at the sudden creature. It appeared to be very much like a grutchin, and that surprised the Yuuzhan Vong more than incited fear in them.

They have creatures of the 'Force' that they can summon at their whim? the Yammosk asked Nartolk Dwamor, whom was gripping the arms of his prosthetic seating. They had summoned a very large grutchin to do their bidding...how could that be so?

But before any answers could be found the remaining two Rim Skippers hurled themselves at the monster in a kamikaze attempt, hoping to bring down the beast with their own lives. However...they drove right through it to the space beyond.

"Jeedi sorcery!" the Warmaster's cousin yelled out angrily, smashing his taloned fist into the chair angrily. The Yammosk gurgled again.

The Rim Skippers continued on their assault now against the abominatory ship, reducing a large chunk of the rear into nothingess due to the dangerous plasma. As they approached the atmosphere, a blast on the rear sent it shuddering, shaking, and finally smoking toward the ground.

Jade follows suit and goes to a laser cannons and begins shooting at their targets.

"Computer, how many are left?"

She gets a reply but doesnt hear it as she is busy firing.

"DREK" she curses loudly.

The ship was shaking violently, this time he was thrown from his seat. He gets to his knees and switches the comm on

" We are going down. Jade, Arai try and slow our decent. I'll keep the comm open. "

Marka leapt into his seat

" Computer, how is the landing gear? "

" Landing gear is fully operational "

" Good. "

Marka flicked a switch and the sound of the landing gear echoed through the ship.

" Computer, re-rout all power to slowing us. "

The "Fallen Angel" Suddenly jolts, and the sound of his engines dies down. With the power of the Force and the ships air brakes the "Fallen Angel" slowly descends towards the planet.


~ Moments Later ~

The "Fallen Angel" slams hard into the ground, they can hear the snapping of it's landing gear. Marka shakes his head and checks himself for damage.

" Ladies you alright? "

" Computer, damage report. "

" Shields are down, Engines are at 32%, landing gear is non-operational, Power is at 15% and holding. "

" Will we have enough Power to make it off this rock? "

" Negative. Repair time is needed. "

" Damn. Okay start repairs and keep the cloak up. "

" Aye Sir. "

Marka tore off his safety belt and tried to stand.

Jade pushes herself up onto her left side, looking around from where she landed as she crashed. She has some cuts and a few bruises, but shes been through worse. A lot worse.

"Great, just great. This is just what I need."

She walks through the sparks that shower her and back over to her seat. She hits her comlink.

"I am fine, dont worry about me just yet. What has to be done? How are we holding up? What do you want me to do?"

Her shoulders ached from where the harness had held her in her seat during the crash, but it could have been worse. Unclasping the harness she stretched out her arm and reached for the comm.

" Still one piece here. Just tell me what needs to be done."

Marka let out a sigh of releif as he heard both their voices. He grabed his things and began running towards the back, shouting over the comm as he ran.

" Forget about the ship, we need to get outta here. I'm sure we won't be left alone for long... "

He reached the rear of the ship, pressing a lever the rear ramp opens with a loud squeek and bending of metal.

" Gather your things and meet me at the rear of the ship. We won't have much time. "

Jade snarls loudly and grabs whatever she carried onboard, which wasnt much. She limps as quickly as possible to the rear of the ship. Once there, she waits for Arai (sp?) to arrive.

Taking only a breif detour to gather a survival pack from the ship's supplies, Arai hurried to the rear of the ship. If what she had read in her research on the Yuuzhan Vong was right, she did not want to be here when the Vong showed up.

Coming to stand beside Jade, she handed the pack off to the other woman.

" I'll go look around to make sure it's clear."

Not waiting for an answer, she descended the ramp and into the desolate waste that was now Nal Hutta. A gust of wind blew a cloud of ash across the blackened soil and a strong pity for the inhabitants of the planet suddenly filled her.

She had read various accounts of planets under Yuuzhan Vong occupation, but nothing in the reports prepared her for this. Everything was gone. The sky was dark, the sun of the sytem barely able to penetrate the thick layers of smoke and ash that filled the planet's atmosphere. Off in the distance she could hear the thundering echo of explosions and fainter sound of blaster fire. Somewhere, someone was fighting back.

And they were going to lose.

She had moved out from the ship, only a dozen meters or so, when a noise closer to her position drew her attention. As she rounded a mound of soot and ash she could see a huminoid figure standing less than a hundred meters from her. Even when she narrowed her eyes she could not see clearly what was going on.

Despite her better judgement she found herself drawing on the Force, stopping any sound around her. In utter silence she approached the huminoid, warry of any sudden evidence that he-or she- had noticed her.

It became obvious to her after only a few steps that the huminoid was preoccupied with something at his feet. His voice screamed out into the Nal Hutta sky, the tell-tale language of the Yuuzhan Vong cursing at what lay at his feet. She could not understand what was being said, but the intensity of the words were enough to send a shiver through her spine.

She stopped beside a waist high boulder, standing a mere twenty meters from the scene that now stole her breath. The huminoid was ravaging a silver chromed protocol droid, kicking and stabbing at it with his menacing weapon. She flinched when the helpless droid was picked up and slammed back into the ground, again and again.

The pity she had felt for Nal Hutta faded only to be replaced by anger and rage. In the bubble of silence created around her, she removed the borrowed Lightsaber from her belt and ignited it. The orange light of the blade glowed softly as she continued toward the huminoid.

Marka turns around to find Arai gone.

"Damn It. Computer, close rear ramp."

The ramp to the "Fallen Angel" closes with a bang.

"Jade, lets move."

He grabs his stuff and takes off after Arai. Using the Force he locates her rather quickly. Quietly he sneeks up behind Arai, placing his left hand over his mouth.

"Sssshhhh"

With the added strength of the Force he lifts her off her feet and back to the rock, where Jade awaits.

"Know your foe before striking. We have other things to do."

Jade gawks at him with a blank stare.

"I am Sith. All I know how to do is fight, and survive to tell about it."

She unhooks her saber and ignites it, then takes a step out into the battle. Suddenly, someone pulls her back and hisses in her ear. "Are you INSANE?"