Fiction

Baptism of Fire

HRLD/AD Pyr (RBKugel)

Part II: The Missions

Author's Note
The reader may correctly detect a continuity glitch between this document and the last (already published in Dark Voice II), regarding Master Havok's location. The reader may assume that Havok and all other characters except for Pyr and Pendragon (the two Krath) are located aboard the Dungeon Ship Lichtor V, and that the two Krath and Guardian Cow are at Dark Hall. The problem is that Havok walks into Pyr's chamber through a secret door, thus seeming to be in two places at once.

Since I can't rewrite the already released Part I, let's say that the events regarding the Pyr-Cow-Havok scene occurred prior to the others, and that Havok subsequently left Dark Hall to meet the others on the Lichtor before initiating any meetings with them. It was only after Sindar and Pappy completed their missions that Cow was sent out to clean up the last of the Raja.

My apologies to the reader. I hope this seems a logical fix for the error: Thanks.
The TIE Mission Player's Point of View

The player of these TIE missions will be assuming in succession, the personae of five recent graduates of the Dark Brotherhood's Shadow Academy. Although these five have been awarded the rank of Guardian upon completion of their courses, there is still much for them to learn. These missions will teach them the value of their negative emotions when coupled with the Force.

Through the players successes in combat, the Guardians will be understood as having gained new insights and greater power, and the player will be able to take a peek at the Brotherhood's usual expectations of its members.

1. Ruthlessness (Whysper)

Sith Warrior Mateo was waiting for Guardian Whysper in the briefing room. The Guardian was shown a map of a small space colony, and instructed to destroy it. If the Guardian had any reservations, he didn't reveal them. He listened to his orders, and embarked on his mission.

The mission that was designed for Whysper was a complete sham. He was told that a boyhood enemy of the Grand Master lived within this colony (vid Part I, Dark Voice 2), and that the GM wished everything and everyone to be destroyed. In fact, the colony was nothing more than a automated hoax, designed to make Whysper believe he was actually attacking innocent people. Special transponders were rigged to return false sensor signals. Whysper would believe he was slaughtering the GM's foe and every living thing that lived there, when in fact, the whole colony was devoid of life and function.

The Guardian took his craft into the colony area, and began his massacre. Additional craft were made available to him since some of the targets were rather large. Even so, his soul, or what was left of it after his training, would bear the responsibility of the atrocities he was willingly committing.

The mission had a couple of snags. The first came when a squadron of rebel X-Wings happened by. They saw Whysper's ruthless attack on a civilian, albeit Imperial, settlement, and felt compelled to intervene. Strengthened by his own hardened heart, Whysper made short work of the Rebel effort.

The second challenge came when an EH patrol of trainees stumbled onto the scene. They really weren't sure what was going on. Whysper knew that if they interfered as well, he would have to disable them rather than destroy them. He knew his masters would not want the murder of EH officers on their hands.

With his bloody mission completed, the Guardian returned home.

The nature of the deception will never be revealed to the Guardian. He will live in the Dark, knowing he committed the foulest of deeds. He will belong to the Dark Side forever.

2. Rage (Sindar)

Guardian Sindar, still dark with rage, stood motionless before the holo-map, as Dark Knight Stelek began to brief him on his mission, one which Sindar hoped would relieve his pent-up frustration (vid Part I, Dark Voice 2).

The Raja, an Imperial splinter group under the control of Moff Woshaka seemed to be preparing to move into the Phare System, earmarked for exploitation by the Hammer. They had to be stopped. Sindar, in his rage, would be the tool employed to accomplish this. In a heavily armed missile boat, he would be pointed at a medium sized force heading towards Phare. He would have to eliminate this threat.

Sindar hypers-in on the enemy force. As he begins to target the nearest M/FRG and fire the first salvo of heavy rockets, he notices a group of escort shuttles closing in on him. Before he has time to reset his weapons, they're on him. His MIS is caught between 4 E/Ss, all battering his shields with their articulated turbo cannons. The Guardian cleverly weaves in and out of the attacking E/S, causing them to catch each other in their own cross fire. Using a combination of missiles and laser gun, he eliminates them in time to face the M/FRG's approaching squadrons.

The battle grinds on, with Sindar taking shots of opportunity at the capital ships, while fending off the Raja Imperial starfighters.

To the surprise of the Guardian, Pi III, led by General Geddes hypers into the area to assist him. Apparently, Master Pyr had spoken to his old Squadron Commander, Brigadier General Sten, asking him to lend a hand. Although Pyr had every confidence in Guardian Sindar's abilities, he knew that the destruction of this enemy force was important to DB and EH interests. If the enemy could secure the Phare system, how long would it be before they discovered neighboring Aurora and Eos, the home of the DB?

Sindar thought of ordering Pi III home, but thought better of it when a squadron of enemy missile boats joined the fray.

Sindar felt the minutes go by like seconds, lost in the intensity of his well controlled anger. One enemy craft after another burst into flames before him, until there was nothing left to kill.

The Guardian returned to the Lichtor V. He had never felt weak in times past, but now he wondered why; now that he felt so much stronger than ever before.

He sought out Master Havok. It wasn't hard. Havok was waiting for him in the Lichtor's hand-to-hand combat chamber. Without hesitation, both men ignited their light sabers, and touching the shafts briefly together, resumed their duel. Havok was still the master, but Sindar's new-found control pushed the powerful Dark Jedi to the limits. Guardian Sindar's honor and pride were restored, and Master Havok had taken yet another student further into the Dark.

3. Greed (Rene le Gar)

Guardian Rene' Le Gar, known to friend and foe alike as "Pappy", made his way to the Lichtor V's briefing room. Master Sths Tor illuminated the holo-map projection as he conducted this supposedly clandestine briefing.

Pappy was informed that he would have to rely on a TIE Defender for this mission, in place of his beloved Imperial X-Wing, since he would have to disable his targets instead of destroying them.

The new Guardian would face a series of cargo vessels, in ascending order of value. Each vessel would be guarded by more and more challenging starfighters. Those starfighters had to be swept away, and all cargo vessels disabled. Guardian Rene' would then hyper back to the Lichtor V while Master Havok would arrive at the scene with boarding crews, taking posession of the cargo

Pappy could not have suspected that this was another ruse orchestrated by Master Havok. The real reason Pappy wasn't permitted to take his X-Wing on this mission was that Havok had tampered with the sensors of the TIE Defender assigned to the Guardian. They would read a false IFF code, identifying the target as "Privateers" instead of "Imperial Raja". The convoy Pappy would be attacking was actually a supply effort en route to a Raja staging area. This staging area was intended for a second attempt to invade the Phare System.

Pappy's sensors would also register freight of immense value. It was hoped and expected that once the Guardian saw how much there was to gain, the resistance marshaled against him would be inconsequential. The Dark emotion of greed would empower even this expert pilot to exceed himself.

As expected, Pappy encountered an increasing level of resistance as he made his way through what he believed to be, targets of unimaginable wealth. No starfighter sent against him was going to stop him from getting a piece of this treasure. The Raja even sent some reserve CRVs in to help save their convoy, but they too were no match for this Guardian powered by the dark force of greed.

Obeying orders, the warrior hypered home when his task was complete, with thoughts of a new life before him.

Master Havok was more than relieved as Pappy bellowed loudly with laughter, as the truth behind the mission was revealed.

Pappy had to admit that greed was a powerful motivator, but also reminded himself that wealth is of only limited use to one who derives his purpose from combat. What does the pure warrior need with riches?

4. Vengeance (Cow)

Guardian Cow received a message to report to the Dark Hall Complex's hidden hanger bay. He sullenly made his way from his new quarters in the Sith Wing, up to the underground landing pad area. He arrived just as a TIE Defender was being readied for launch. Krath Priest Pendragon, who seemed to be chatting with the ground crew, motioned for the Guardian to follow him. The two men left the hanger area and entered the adjacent briefing room.

Pendragon informed the Guardian that the T/D was intended for him. The Guardian was being given leave to hunt down the perpetrators of the crime against his family.

The Guardian's mood changed dramatically. His countenance transformed from a brooding melancholy to one of pure malice. Pendragon, sensing this, reminded him that he was expected to exact his price only on those who deserved it. He was to disregard all others.

In reality, Cow, like Pappy and Sindar elsewhere, was being deceived as to the nature of his target, as well as being tested without his knowledge. The test was designed to teach the Guardian to focus his power against the correct targets. Vengeance is another powerful Dark Side motivator, but it is only useful if the wielder employs it against the proper victim.

Compounding the deception, this test was also orchestrated to bring an end to the Raja threat. The Raja, whom Sindar had crippled and Le Gar had starved, were in retreat. However, among their number were some who wished to ally themselves with the Hammer. Cow was being used to winnow the wheat from the chaff. To motivate him, his mind had been touched just enough that he would believe these Raja to be among those who killed his family. The long range sensors of his T/D would register the Raja only as those enemies. He would have to do a close-range inspection to determine friend from foe. He would have to fight his urge to destroy the defectors, and concentrate only on the others.

We don't know the details of the mission. We do know that Cow successfully destroyed the last of the Raja forces in this sector, and allowed the EH sympathizers to rendezvous with Emperor's Hammer forces, but unfortunately, Guardian Cow never returned.

Perhaps he has taken his newly realized powers and gone off to carve a piece of the galaxy for himself. Perhaps at the last moment, he realized the nature of the deception and turned to the Light. We may never know.

5. Using Fear (Klip)

Guardian Klip listened attentively as Dark Knight Nemesis outlined the mission.

New Republic Vice Admiral Kail Eleam was bringing a NR fleet together in preparation for a fool's folly; a strike deep into the heart of Emperor's Hammer territory, in hopes of finding and capturing Grand Admiral Ronin. He intended to make good his promise to the Senate to bring Ronin to Coruscant in chains (vid Part I, Dark Voice 2) . Eleam was planning this strike without the official consent of the New Republic Senate or Chief of State Organa-Solo.

It was the intention of Master Sths Tor and Master Havok that the Vice Admiral and those who listened and followed him be taught a humiliating lesson. The Rebels must be reminded from time to time that any movement against the Emperor's Hammer can bring them nothing but embarrassment and destruction. It has been a while since the destruction of their Hast Shipyard. The time for another lesson has come again.

ISB reported that Eleam had 3 M/FRGs with more capital ships on their way. Klip would hyper in alone into the staging area. He will find Eleam, fight off his forces, disable his vessel, and board it. He will most likely be boarding a frigate and have to fight through its entire garrison to get to Eleam. Once through, he will simply rip the VA's rank insignia from his uniform, and return home... a nearly impossible mission.

If successful, the Guardian will have faced almost insuperable odds, experienced fear, and overcome it, thus learning that a fear overcome is more valuable than mere fearlessness alone.

In addition, Eleam would be so shamed by the deed that he would no doubt abandon his ill-conceived ambition of capturing the GA. Even if the Vice Admiral were too stupid to quit, his credibility with those who follow him will be ruined. If nothing else, the Rebels will know that their security had once again been breached, and they will busy themselves in other parts of the galaxy, leaving the Outer Rim to the whims of the Hammer.

Guardian Klip approached the staging area. He found three modified frigates. He zoomed in on the one closest to his hyper in point and inspected it. It was the flag ship M/FRG Zenda. The ships began scrambling their squadrons. Klip had to fight off a stream of well-piloted X, A nd B-Wings.

Klip had been one of the most confident of all students at the Academy, but as he saw the forces sent against him, knowing that even if he survived, he would have to fight hand to hand throughout an entire capital ship in order to complete his mission, his confidence wavered.

He reminded himself that he carried a light saber, the terrible weapon of a Jedi, but it was not one of his own making, and this only reminded him that, despite his accomplishments thus far, his Dark Jedi skills were not yet complete. For the first time in his life, doubt crawled down his back like a cold smooth snake. He knew fear! But he did as Master Sths Tor advised. He used the fear he felt and drew strength from it, until it was spent, and he was stronger than he had ever felt before. That fear lay as an empty slough at his feet: The power it possessed was now his!

As the DB Guardian cut through the fighter defenses of the frigates, the Zenda launched a trio of shuttles at the same time as additional X-Wings from the infamous Rogue Squadron arrived. Eleam was trying to make his escape, and had evidently called in Rogue Squadron to cover him. He no doubt saw how the Sith pilot was obliterating his forces and was prepared to leave them behind to save himself.

Guardian Klip, with two X-Wings pounding on his tail, swept past the fleeing SHUs, identifying them, and locating Eleam. He toggled on his ion cannons and disabled the vice Admiral craft.

He then turned on the Rogue X-Wings and eliminated them with ease. A smile came to his face when he realized what sort of horror this must be for those poor souls on the frigates, who could only sit helplessly by as their best efforts to stop him and protect themselves, were swept aside. He could actually feel their fear and hopelessness, and was strengthened by it.

When the fighter reserves of the FRGs were exhausted, Kilp hastily docked with the shuttle. He reached for the light saber that lay across the leg of his flight suit. Although regrettably, the confines of the shuttle would prohibit its effective use, it could at least serve to cut a hole through the locked hatched above him. He pulled himself through the steaming breech and drew his blaster, slaying guards and pilot. He then completed his mission. Leaning over to the petrified Vice Admiral Eleam, Klip reached out and tore the man's rank insignia from his uniform, saying "Grand Admiral Ronin likes to keep souvenirs of all the Rebel's he's been able to scare the h-ll out of"

Laughing, Klip crawled back into his TIE Defender just in time to see an entire fleet of vessels hyper-in. He set his course, and climbed to light speed; the vice admiral's insignia firmly in his grasp.

Epilogue

In the end, each of the new Guardians performed admirably. They each learned the lesson Master Havok and his peers intended for them. In addition, the Dark Brotherhood once again provided a chilling demonstration of power to the enemies of the Hammer.

It is unlikely that Moff Woshaka of the Raja will entertain the thought of encroaching on EH territory after his entire fleet was mysteriously destroyed by a handful of starfighters. The Phare System remains at the disposal of the Hammer.

And too... how soon will the New Republic return to this region of the Outer Rim after their complete humiliation?

The Guardians can now take their places in front rows of the Hall, secure in the knowledge that they have faced their demons, and embraced them.

Tips for the Player

Each mission has in-game briefing, de-briefing and briefing map sequences, so don't forget to click on those elements before a mission.

When you're instructed to push "Q", as you know, the TIE Mission will prompt you to end. Try to imagine that the events of the plotline that follow this action will commence once you've ended the TIE mission.

If you should have any problems, comments or questions, please contact me at RBKugel@gnn.com, and I'd be glad to help out.

______________________________________________________________________________

The Return of Satel Kato

A Brief Sequel and Conclusion to the Krath Haj

RBKugel@gnn.com, 1996

Dark Hall: Eos

"My Master", announced Pyr as he knelt before the Grand Master. The Lord of

the Sith withheld his permission for Pyr to rise. The High Priest remained on his knee,

head bowed, awaiting his master's orders.

"Master Pyr... you must know why I have summoned you?"

"Yes my Lord"

"Since your return from the Haj, There is a conflict in you that surpasses any

before. No one else save I has sensed it, but you are changed. You are now something

more, hmmm?"

"Yes Grand Master. More... and yet... less, I fear."

"Hmmm. Containing him has not been easy eh? The time of his reckoning draws

near my friend and my moment of triumph is at hand. Are you ready? The Other! ...Pyr!

I would speak to the Other in you!"

A shadow as black as ink seemed to spread across the robes of the kneeling priest,

like the withered branches of an unholy tree. He rose. The yellow-whites of Pyr's eyes

now seemed to glow green as a malicious smile crossed face. His lips parted and a hoarse

growl of a voice seemed to fill the entire Hall, though his mouth never moved.

"Well Paladin... what do you wish to say to me then?" demanded the voice,

booming against the walls. "Do you think I have come this far, made myself a stowaway

in the body of your lacky, to chat with you? I have better things to do."

The Sith Lord smiled, and adjusting his robes, slowly began to circle the figure

before him.

"You have not fooled me Satel Kato! Did you think that I would believe that one

such as you would relinquish your treasured hopes of power to anyone! You are here

because I wanted you here."

A chilling laughter filled the Hall. "No matter 'grand master'... I am here now,

and the Brotherhood will be mine! My power within this body... all will be mine! I... the

founder of the Krath, will..."

"I think not fool! It is I who am the Lord of the Sith. I have the Prayer... and I

have Pyr as well. Look within him Old One. Krath or no... is he yours... or is he mine?"

The voice was silent.

Paladin continued. "Why do you think I let Pyr go to Cinnegar instead of me? I

would not face you within your own stronghold, Priest! Therein, where your mummified

remains still lay in darkness so dense even a Jedi Master could not penetrate, your power

is unequaled... But here... here I am the Master! The vessel you've chosen is one I own

wholly and completely. Pyr and all the Brethren belong to me! You, Satel Kato... now

belong to me!"

Pyr's body seemed to sway as though buffeted by strong gusts, and his glowing

eyes seemed to dim.

"Satel Kato, you will serve my will as does Pyr. You will, imprisoned in the body

of your new master, take the only place to which you have right: High Priest of the Krath.

No more than this will be allowed to you, not by me... nor I'm afraid, by Pyr.

You sought to use him to gain the Brotherhood, but he used you, as I have used

him. You will do his bidding, allowing him to play the conflicting roles of Krath Priest

and officer in the Emperor's Hammer.

Yes old man... from the very start, you were destined to serve the Brotherhood.

You are the true treasure of the Krath Haj." mocked Paladin.

"Now kneel!"

"I'll not! I will not bend to you, pretender. You are powerless Paladin! Destroy

me and you will destroy Pyr as well"

"Then... So be it" answered the Grand Master..

The Sith Lord held out his hand as Force Lightning surged from the center of his

palm, encircling Pyr's body. The charge crawled over the Krath's robes like a shoal of

frightened eels.

Between bursts of Lightning, Paladin shouted "Relent Old One... or you will have

nothing... no host, no Krath, nothing!"

With a loud wail that resounded throughout the Complex, Satel Kato finally

submitted. Pyr's body, curling with smoke, fell to the floor before Paladin's feet.

"You have done well, my friend. Now your mission is truly complete. You have

brought me not only the secret, but the soul of the greatest of the Krath. He will serve us

now, for he has no choice. You are his master... as I am yours!"

"Yes my Master", rasped Pyr. His eyes had returned to their normal bloodshot

red-on-jaundice hue.

"Rise. Your conflict is resolved, and the daemon within you has been hobbled.

Use Satel Kato to help you lead the Krath, a task for which he is well suited. Now you

are free to resume that which this mission had forced you to abandon... your career in the

Emperor's Hammer. I have revealed all to Grand Admiral Ronin, and he will welcome you

back. Rise my friend, and weave the threads of your destiny together once more."

"I will, M'Lord"

Now, thanks to the aid of his Master, Pyr has dominion over the ancient soul held within

him. He has returned, unalloyed, to the ranks of the Emperor's Hammer, and to his

duties as Herald of the Brotherhood, but will share the office of High Priest of the Krath

with its founder, Satel Kato, whom he may now bring forth at will, for the benefit of the

Order and the Brotherhood.

______________________________________________________________________________
A Dark Jedi�s vacation on Aurora

"Hey you Auroran! You�ll have to do better than that" the young Guardian said and reflected the blaster beam back in the Auroran�s direction.

One day ago the Guardian had never tought his vacation would be like this.

Wing Commander Crona had a small vacation coming up and he had decided to spend it on Aurora. He had 3 days off, that means that he would have 24 hours on Aurora since it would take 24 hours both to hyperjump from the secret base were the ISD Challenge was being build and to jump back from Aurora. Prepared for the trip by making 3 transports availible. One for him, one for suitable troppers and one for droids and advisors. He left the ISD Challenge as fast as his vacation begun. The transport was comportable but nothing to be glad over. In the transport with him was a stormtropper. Nothing special about him. Crona had choosen the two pilots personaly, not because they where good pilots becasue they aren�t. He had choosen them since they had managed to twart many rebels that had tried to board their ship, finaly ending up capturing the boarding party�s ship instead. They used many "strange" techniques nothing Crona was hoping to be a part of.

24 hours later LG Crona stepped out of his transport. It had landed on one of the landing platforms in the New Imperial City on Aurora. It seemed rather quiet, thinking about the roumers that the planet citisens acted like it was total anarchy. I�ll find out soon enough he tought. "Stormtroppers stay here and protect the transports!"

The Squad leader stood in attention "Yes, sir Lt. General Crona!"

"Dismissed tropper!" Crona said and begun walking into the city. He had become rather thirsty and he was looking after a good Cantina. Then he saw one at the corner of a grey old building. He wen�t over to it and reached out with the Force. He touched the minds of the Aurorans in the Cantina. Crona sensed that it was a rather hostile enviroument, but he needed a drink badly.

He walked into the Cantina, he sensed that no one laid anymore notice to a man walking in with a hood with two withe stripes on each side then they did to any other.

Crona looked around, it was like any other Cantina. It was rather dark, the air was bad. He couldn�t notice any other life form than Aurorans. It wasn�t what Crona would call crowded, if you compare with the Cantina aboard the ISD Challenge or the ISD Vanguard. He walked over to the bar, sat down on one of the chairs and ordered something he remembered a freind had recommended for him. Then Crona sensed a rather hostile Auroran closing in to his right.

"Hey you! You are sitting in my chair, Imperial punk! You and your Imperial scum freinds mut really love to steal things, huh? Now get the hell out of my chair!"

Crona slowly turned his face against the Auroran to the right. The Auroran was a bit higher then Crona and probaly much stronger. Crona concluded that this must be a ADF pilot, Auroran Defense Fleet pilot, he must have hypered out in the last second.

Crona didn�t pay the weak minded coward any more tought. And turned back looking forward.

The Auroran was startled by the green eye he could see in the darkness of the hood looking at him. The Auroran didn�t know what to do. He was sure the Imperial would attack un-questionly. But when the Imperial ignored him, the humiliation was a fact. He had never been ignored before. He imagened how his freinds was laughing. This caused an immediate rage in the Auroran.

"Hey you! Damn stupid Imperial!" He said as he was about to punch the Imperial in the neck with his left.

Crona sensed the rage that was growing in the Auroran. He also felt the Aurorans outburst before it happened. He saw the Aurorans left fist nearing his neck to strike a deadly blow. Crona reacted with a speed only a Jedi has. He graped the Auroran�s left hand with his own left hand and pulled him forward the same time as Crona stood up from the chair. Crona put his right hand on the Auroran�s blond head and pushed with the right hand. The Auroran flew vioently with his head right into the bar.

Now I�m going to get that Imperial punk the Auroran tought as he suddenly saw the Imperial grab his left hand he saw how the Imperial disappeared from his line of sight. The Imperial was almost behind him to the left when the Auroran felt how another hand was put on his head and added to the push. The Auroran didn �t have a chance to react or do something else. He saw how he was closing the bar disk like in slow motion . It came closer and closer and then he felt how his head was jammed into the bar. All wen�t black. It all had happened in a matter of seconds.

The violent blow made the ones sitting near almost jump into the air.

Crona noticed that the Auroran wasn�t rather conscious. He pulled him up and shaked the Auroran so he would wake up. When he was a bit more conscious and aware of things. Crona claped the Auroran on the right of his face twice. Then he said loud and clear.

"Now get out of my face. Next time take on somebody you can handle" adding a very humiliating tune to the voice.

The Auroran felt how he was pulled up, everything was so foggy. He tought he heard people laugh and pointing at him. He saw a shadow in front of him laughing the worst. You less foggier everything became you louder and violent the laughter became. Then he felt someone clap on the left of his face. Like he was a child! The humiliation, I can�t take it. And after the shadows sentence. The laughter increased he tought his head was going to explode. He tried to move his hand, he could move it. I�m going to punch his teeth down his troath he tought.

Crona stood there laughing easy at the Auroran. Besides that and the moaning from the Auroran it was quiet. He knew perfectly well what was happening to the Auroran. He also knew what the Auroran was preparing to do. Suddenly the Aurorans right hand prepared for a punch. The Auroran stumbled forward. When the Auroran punched in the air after Crona he walked over to the right and put his foot in front of the Auroran who fell over the foot and landed in the floor. Crona could now fell the tention in the crowd begin to increase.

No, no the laughter the Auroran tought when the Shadow he was supposed to hit walked to the left. He missed the laughter increased. He felt how his feet left the ground. He put his hands in front of him. They took the hit. The rest of his body hit the ground. The laughter increasing amd the humiliation couldn�t be much worse. I must do something. Where is my blaster he tought. The laughter higher then ever.

Guardian Crona looked amused at the pain the Auroran suffered. Then the Auroran took out his blaster from under his left knee. Crona knew it. But he stod and waited. Now the Auroran was standing. He begun fireing all over the Cantina, hiting innocent by-standers. Crona watched. When a blaster shot was coming in his direction he took up his lightsaber started it and said "Hey you Auroran! You�ll have to do better than that" the young Guardian said and reflected the blaster beam back in the Auroran�s direction. Were it hit the Auroran in his forehead. He fell down on the floor dead.

"You killed him!" Someone said and several Aurorans drow their blasters and were beginning to fire. An Auroran had sneaked up to the bar standing infront of his drink and to the left of Crona. Then Crona�s lightsaber cut trough the air sweaping against the Auroran in front of his drink. Crona throwed himself at the floor spinning a bit and finaly stopping on his knee. Where he pulled out his blaster and with the help of the Force he fired against the Aurorans at the same time as he controled his lightsaber that by know had cut the Auroran and a bit of the bar in pices. Better train on that more Crona tought. When the lightsaber returned to his left hand and he keept fireing at the Aurorans. He holstered the blaster and took the lightsaber in both his hands and begun to reflect the blaster beams. Then he felt how the tention outside begun to increase. Stormtroppers on their way Crona tought. He had very limited power to contact others trough the Force but he tried to contact the squad leader to wait outside. He succeded.

Even if the Squad leader didn�t hear anything. He just felt that he should stay put.

Crona reflected all the blaster beams back to the ones that sent them and soon there was nobody left. The Cantina looked like a wreck.

When Crona felt that there wasen�t any more that would be any danger. He wen�t over to the bar and drank up the rest of the drink.

"Sir, that will...be...eh. 2 Imperial credits, sir!" The bartender said.

Crona looked at the bartender from under the darkness of his hood.

The bartender looked into the darkness of the hood "Eh, I�m sorry... that will be nothing for you, sir" The bartender corrected.

Crona said nothing and left. Crona continued his walk trough the Imperial City. He saw people generaly unaffected by the Emperor�s Hammer�s precense. He saw fontains statues and droids while he walked trough the city. But he had a destination. He was going to see the planetary Gouvenour Pendragon. Not for any specific reason. He just wanted to met the man. When he arrived to the building he saw that they where under attack. Three Aurorans screamed and fired with their blasters at the guards and the Planetary Gouvenour that was looking out of a window. The window could probaly withstand anything from a blaster or rifle. The Auroran�s had baracked themselfs behind some hovers and other junk. With the help of the Force Crona sneaked up behind them and he activated his lightsaber and three seconds later the Auroran�s where lying dead on the ground. Then Crona walked over to the Imperial guards "My name is Lt. General Crona Wing Commander of Wing V." He said and handed over a data pad.

"Ok, sir. Your clear. Please state your buisness." the stormtropper said.

"I would like to see Planetary Gouvenour Pendragon" Crona replied.

"You know that he is a very busy..grr..that will be fine. Please report to his secretary on the highest floor. But he might not be there."

"Ok" Crona noded and took back his data pad, then he entered the building.

Crona sensed a big presence...hm, not strange Crona tought, considering that a Krath Priest is standing less than 10 meters a front of me Crona tought.

"Welcome to Aurora Guardian Crona!" Pendragon said.

Crona couldn�t read his mind to well, but he guessed that he was meaning it.

"Thank you! I�m honored to be here!" Crona replied and walked over to Pendragon and made an salute.

"Of course you are!" Pendragon replied and returned the salute.

"You are very fortunate Guardian Crona that I took the time to met you. As you know I�m a very busy man. But since you also know the ways of the Force I have taken the time to met you." Pendragon said.

"You speak as of you have planned this..." Crona countered.

"Ha ha! Come now Guardian and I�ll show you around." Pendragon said.

They wen�t over to the lift. "First I�ll show you my office on the highest level then we�ll work us down since I have a meeting later on the lower floors!"

"Sure, no problem. By the way, is that thing common...you are attacked?"

"I�m sorry to say that it�s rather common. But it doesn�t happen to much now like it did in the beginning. Oh, I heard you cleaned up that Cantina pretty well."

"Yes, I did. Is it bothering you?"

"No not at all, actually we have had the place under survailance under quite sometime. It is knowed to be the place where the most hostile Auroran�s hang out. And when I say hostile, I mean against us. So actually you saved both me and the Empire a lot of both credits and time. And you probaly saved a couple of stormtroppers that would have been killed in attack against the place."

"Eh, eh...sure"

"Well now where here, my floor." They walked out of the lift. A couple of moments later they where in the Planetary Gouvenours office.

Crona walked over to the window while Pendragon wen�t over to his desk and sat down. "You can actually see the whole city from here" Pendragon said.

"Yes..." Crona answered and continued to look.

Then suddenly an alarm wen�t off.

"Oh, that�s the alarm, they need me, it has been nice meeting you. I hope we can met again"

"Yes."

"I�ll escort you out"

"Thank you!"

"No problem at all."

They both left the office and wen�t to the lift. They didn�t say much during the ride down. Except that Pendragon commented what there was on each floor.

When they where on the first floor Crona thanked for the tour and they said Good bye.

Crona wen�t out. He saw that it had begun to grow dark and lights begun to lighten up. He took a deap breath and begun his rather long walk back to the transport. He once again saw the fontains and statues and a bit lesser droids that where hurreing home. When Crona was at the transport it was completly dark. Crona saw that the stormtroppers stood where they stood when he left. "Report." Crona said to the Squad leader.

"No problems, sir." The Stormtropper responded.

"Good prepare for take off."

"Yes, sir"

"Oh, I wan�t to have 3 of your best stormtroppers aboard my transport"

"Sir, may I ask why."

"Hm... I think I�ll need them..."

"Ýes, sir"

15 minutes later they where leaving Aurora�s atmosphere. "You know our direction, pilot." Crona asked the pilots trough a com-link.

"Yes, sir" They reported in.

"Good"

With now four stormtroppers now aboard it wasn�t as compfortable as it was before.

"I�m going to meditate now, don�t disturb me." Crona said.

Several hours later when they had left the Aurora System and they where heading for the ISD Challenge�s secret construction center.

"Sir, sir" A pilot said...

"What is it?" Crona said leaving his meditation.

"We�ve had some mechanical problems and we�ve forced to leave hyperspace, and now we have been disabled and we are waiting to be boarded in about 2 minutes." the pilot said.

"What, why didn�t you tell me, if I knew you wouldn�t gonna tell me id be alert for danger by myself." Crona snaped at the pilot trough the com-link.

"What does the enemy consist of?" Crona asked.

"It consists of 2 Assault transports" the other pilot said.

"What about the other two transports?" Crona asked.

"They continue their trip to the secret base!" the first pilot said.

"Alright then, we�ll have to do one of your great techniques."

"Sure, sir" They replied.

About 1 and 20 seconds later. One pilot had straped himself above the door. So he would get the boarders under him and they wouldn�t be able to see him.

The other one hide on Crona�s right side of the door. And a stormtropper on the other side. While Crona flanked by the 3 remaining stormtroppers lined up behind some chairs and other they had put up for protection. Suddenly the door blow open and blaster shots where all over. Crona reached out with the force and his lightsaber sweapt to the opening where it cut down all the rebels that where trying to get in. Minutes later it was all over thanks to two pilots with "strange" techniques and a Dark Jedi�s lightsaber. The other Assault transport had entered hyperspace. Crona, the pilots and the stormtroppers manned the Assault transport. Then they entered hyperspace. Several hours later they exited hyperspace near the ISD Challenge construction base. Their they called for a shuttle to pick them up. They weren�t so stupid as to take an Assault transport with possible becon balls right into their base so the rebels could track them. Later when the shuttle arrived they wen�t aboard and Crona ordered that the Assault transport was to be destroyed. "Destroy that damn rebel Assault transport we don�t wan�t then tracking us here, now do we?"

"No, sir" a pilot said.

Later on the ISD Challenge bridge.

"Welcome back Crona!" RA Brett said. COM of the ISD Challenge."

"Thanks! Glad to be back!" Crona answered.

"Had an exciting vacation, let�s go to the Cantina and you�ll tell me all about it"

"Exciting..no not really. The Cantina! Must we?"

THE END
Respectfully Submitted by

Lt. General Crona

Wing Commander of Wing V/Operations Officer Assistant

Grenadier in the Fleet Commanders Honor Guard

Guardian in the order of Sith of the Dark Brotherhood

Emperor�s Hammer Elite Strike Fleet

(OPA-WC/LG Crona/ISD Chal)

_______________________________________________

The Revenge of the Dark Jedi

On the ISD Challenge a stormtropper Lieutenant led walked to the Wing Commanders office. Following him he had two stormtroppers escorting a possible spy. When they had arrived at the Wing Commanders office the Lieutenant turned around and faced the rebel "The Wing Commander will decide what to do with you, scum!" He snapped at the rebel, then the dorr slid open and he walked in and the stormtroppers followed with their prisoner. The room was rather dark, the Lieutenant couldn�t see much except a desk and a chair that�s back was turned against them and a bit of a holo screen that was hidden behind the chair from his view.

"Sir!" he said

A reply came "Yes." A voice said, the Wing Commander Crona�s voice.

"Sir, we found this CIT worker snopping around the pilot files and other high security files!"

The chair suddenly begun to move to the right, it slowly turned against the stormtroppers, their prisoner and the stormtropper Lieutenant. The Lieutenant saw that the Wing Commander was wearing his hood and his green eyes was slightly seen trough it�s darkness. "I see..." Crona said

"Yes, sir..."

Crona looked at the "ADF pilot I presume..." Crona said to the Auroran "Recruited by CIT on Aurora..." This one was diffrent from the one he meet on Aurora, the one on Aurora was mostly a coward that had hide in the Cantina�s dark corners, this one on the otherhand had actually made an attempt to weaken the Emperor�s Hammer even how futile the ADF pilot�s attempt had been. There was a short silence that was stopped by the ADF pilot. "Yes, I was an ADF pilot, but have realised the power of the Empire, and since I�m not such a good pilot I joined CIT, like thousands of others..."

Crona looked at the ADF pilot then he said "Lieutenant, I belive you have some evidence to show me." He said now looking at the Lieutenant.

The Lieutenant pulled out a data card "Yes, sir here..." He said as the data card was pulled from his grip and landed in Crona�s waiting hand "Thank you..." Crona said and his chair slowly turned to be just like when they came in.

The Lieutenant heard how Crona put the data card in the Holo.

"What are the charges, Lieutenant?" Crona asked.

"Sir, breking into unauthorised areas, reading and copying highly top secret files, injuring of Imperial stormtroppers and treason."

Crona had read the ADF pilot�s mind, he was guilty, but Crona watched the film displayed in the Holo "On the charge of breking into unauthorised areas I find you guilty, in the charge of reading and copying files of top secret matters I find you guilty, in the charge of injuring Imperial stormtroppers I find you guilty." The film ended. The chair slowly turned around and once again faced the stormtroppers and the ADF pilot. "Come closer ADF pilot." Crona said and the ADF pilot walked over to the Wing Commander�s desk. "And on treachery against the Emperor�s Hammer and CIT I find you..." Suddenly Crona�s lightsaber snapped to life, he now stood up and the lightsaber sweept trough the air cuting the ADF pilot�s head off.

"...Guilty!" He finished loudly and shut down the Shadow Academy lightsaber that he had got special permittion to have, since of his position it could come often to use, and put it steadily on it�s place at his belt. He wasn�t a real Jedi... yet therefore he didn�t have his own lightsaber. Then he sat down "Lieutenant, get this mess cleaned up immediatly!"

"Yes, sir" The Lieutenant replied and pointed at what was left of the ADF pilot. The stormtroppers immediatly sprung into action collecting the two parts of the ADF pilot and pulled him out of the room.

"That will be all Lieutenant." Crona said as the dorr shut after that the stormtroppers had left.

"Yes, sir" The Lieutenant said and saluted, then he left.

Crona pushed a button on his com-link that was mounted to his desk. "I wan�t to talk with Rear Admiral Brett!" He said and waited for an answer.

"Yes, sir" The familiar desk clerk voice said. Moments later "This is Brett! Crona, what is it? You should have been on the bridge... 10 minutes ago!"

"I�m afraid to report that one of the CIT workers have had a slight accident."

"Hmm... what kind of accident, Crona?"

"I belive the accident was treachery." Crona said and the com-link wen�t queit.

"I see... and I presume a lightsaber was involved?"

"Perhaps..." Crona answered.

Rear Admiral Brett found this amusing "Hahaha, Crona! Carry on, I�m outta here..." He said.

"Clerk, report to Rear Admiral Brett that I will retire for the night. I�ll report back for duty at seven hundred hours!"

"Yes, sir!" The Clerk acknowledged.

"But, sir are you sure?" a protocol droid said.

"Yes, the Emperor�s Hammer�s streak of wins must be erased." Admiral Stele Ryker answered, leaning over his desk streatching for another penut.

"But, sir..."

"Shut up droid!" The Admiral snapped and leaned back in the chair throwing the penut up into the air catching it in his mouth. He was a human from the planet Tellus, he had blue eyes, brown hair and he was well build like any other New Republic officer. He sat in his chair looking at his Admiral insigna that wen�t up and down with his breathing. Admiral Stele Ryker had spent most of hist time training rebels, so therefore he hadn�t even meet Mon Mothma or Luke Skywalker and he didn�t wan�t to meet them either, he felt that they wheren�t handeling the Empire matter enough and wasted time on other useless things. Well, all the recruting and him training others finaly gave him the rank of Admiral and a fleet to control. He had led it trough some battles against Rouge Imperials and other groups of the galaxy, all victourious. But he had some failors in his past all corrected except one! He would find him if it was the last thing he did! He looked at the lightsaber that was hanging down his belt. He had managed to learn much about the Force and controling it trough the Imperial records and old republic records and one and another unforunate Jedi that had been put infront of his interrigation droid. He chuckled slightly "Prepare my fleet, and my personal shuttle immediatly!

I�ll get the Emperor�s Hammer if it�s the last thing I do!"

"Sir, it has arrived now, should I send them in?" The desk clerk�s voice said.

"Finaly! Send them straight in here!" LG Crona said.

The dorr opened and 2 CIT Fist Stormtroppers came in with a big box on a hover, and after them a envoy from CIT came in. "Sir, here is what you wanted!" The envoy said and the box opened. Crona could see blue and red lights. "Please come out my new friend!" Crona said and a astromech droid came out. It reminded very much of Luke�s R2 unit he had seen on the Imperial holonet.

"Yes, sir! This is the modified CIT R2 unit you wanted. As you wanted it can fly anything it can be fit into, minor killing abilities and stunning abilities. Well, to make a long story short, t�s just like any other R2 droid but better." The envoy said.

"Very good!" Crona said and the envoy took up something from his left CIT uniform, he throwed it over to LG Crona "Here�s the com-link you wanted, need I say that it�s modified and better then any com-link of it�s size."

"No."

"Ok, that was all, we�ll send you a bill shortly. Good bye!"

"Good bye!" Crona said and the CIT stormtroppers left with their hover and so did the CIT envoy leaving the R2 droid with LG Crona.

"So, droid, what�s your name?" Crona said freindly.

It made some blips and noices that Crona identified as "Sorry, Master I havn�t been named."

Crona tought for a sec "Well we�ll just have to come up with one for you later. Since I have some things to check out now. Come..." he said and walked to the dorr, opened the dorr, then he wen�t down a corridor to a turbo lift all the time with the R2 unit in tow. Later he arrived at one of the small hangar bays that weren�t so crowded, there he saw an Incom X-Wing, designation Red-1 that some mechs where working on. They had got the X-Wing in one of the factorys at the secret construction site for the Challenge. "Is it ready?"

"Yes, sir!" One of the mechs said "But we still don�t have any..."

"I have solved that problem." Crona interruppted and the R2 unit came out from behind Crona. "Put the droid in the X-wing fighter, and I wan�t him to be there until I return."

"Yes, sir!" the mech answered and Crona left for his office.

"...Welcome.." A familiar voice said. A lightsaber was swung in Crona�s direction, he jumped out of the may igniting his own lightsaber. He saw the white lightsaber come against him again, he couldn�t see the dark person holding the lightsaber but he dived for the floor and tried to get the dark man with his lightsaber but then all wen�t quiet. He heard whispers that became louder, and then in the darkness a light came on, shining on him from above, but just enough to cover where he was standing, he still couldn�t see anything of the rest of the room. Then he heard it.

"Welcome! Young Guardian Crona...of the Sith order!" A voice said, then he saw that several hooded persons had surrounded him, he could just barerly see their hoods in the dark. "You Guardian Crona have been choosen, yes indeed choosen for mighty tasks that needs power you can only dream of!" the voice continued, Crona stunned didn�t say a word, he stood in attention.

"But you are haunted by the past aren�t you? You must leave that behind you and take care of your haunter! Yes, only then you will realize the true meaning of power and knowledge! You have just learned at the Shadow Academy, the meaning of revenge, you have learned that making all that aren�t on your side pay is futile! You must find the teacher that teached you in the art of the rebellion and make him pay for playing with your mind, your sub consience has been prepering you since the time you joined the Empire for this task. Will you fail, will you succed, faite, yes that is your faite to succed!"

"Master, but, I�m not ready for such a task!" Crona said having no idea why he called the voice Master.

"You dissapoint me Crona, but it is as excpected, don�t let your fear and dark memories blind you, due to then all is lost! Learn instead to use fear, as your bretheren in the Dark Brotherhood has done, only then you will succed!"

"But Master, I can�t even..."

"Kill!" The voice interuppted as reading Crona�s voice. "Don�t you handle your lightsaber with exceptional skill and glance?

"Yes, but!"

"No buts! It is your faite Guardian Crona, you will go now and then return stronger in the Force then you can imagene!

There is no peace; there is anger.

There is no fear; there is power.

There is no death; there is immortality

There is no weakness; there is the Dark Side." The voice finished then the figures turned and left. Crona knew what he had to do, he had knew it all along deep inside.

He shouted "For the glory of the Empire!" and then silently he said the code of the Dark Jedi.

"I am the Heart of Darkness.

I know no fear,

but rather instill it in my enemies.

I am the destoyer of worlds.

I know the power of the Dark Side.

I am the fire of hate.

All the Universe bows before me.

I pledge myself to the Darkness.

For I have found true life,

In the death of the light!!!"

Then he suddenly jumped alive, it had been a dream or rather, a Jedi vision.

He looked at the clock 5 AM, but he still felt very awake like he never had sleppt, but he had rested. He jumped up and pulled his clothes on.

5 minutes later he came in to the hangar with the X-Wing, the R2 droid made some noices greeting his Master. He saw his Master jump into the X-wing.

"This is LG Crona requesting permission to be launched outta here!"

"Yes, sir! You are clear, departure sequence initiated."

Seconds later, he was free in space, the X-wing model came new to him, but he had been flying starfighters similar to rebellion ships in his time as Cobra Squadron Commander, not to talk about the various rebel crafts he flied on his training to be a spy for the rebellion. "Artoo! I wan�t to get outta here, bring me about 100000 km to our 12 o�clock." He said "Yes, Master, �but we�ll need to stop to recalcurate at 50000 km." The R2 unit replied.

"Sure!" Crona said and pulled the lever to the hyperspace.

Then Crona pulled up a bag from underneath his seat. He opened it. It contained parts for a lightsaber, Crona begun putting the pices together slowly forming what was about to become his lightsaber. He didn�t want to rely on a training lightsaber. After a while the R2 unit, reported that they where exiting hyperspace... Crona put the pices of the lightsaber in a bag and shoved it under his pilot seat. They exited hyperspace.

They saw 2 class C platfroms designated Checkpoint 1 to 2.

"Great!" Crona murmered.

"We are here, it will take some time to recalcuate." The droids words scrolled forward on the panel.

"This is New Republic checkpoint, prepare to be inspected!"

Crona replied "This is X-wing designated Red, whatever you say." He said and you heard static from the com-link meaning a broken line "Whatever you say..."

Then a flight of A-wing fighters where launched, but instead of flying for the X-wing starfighter it begun attacking the very platfrom it had been launched from.

"Master, it seems that they are under attack by their own forces. What will we do?"

"We�ll assist them. Power up lasers and sheilds."

"Ok, sir!"

Crona swiftly steered the X-wing after a A-wing and fired two advanced concussion missiles. The A-wing blow up. But then a Rouge Imperial Dreadnought and two Strike Cruisers exited hyperspace and launched squadrons of diffrent sort of Tie fighters "Master, it seems we have company!" The R2 droid said and the text was transmitted to the X-wing cockpit where it was displayed. Crona turned the X-wing so they headed against the Rouge Imps. When they came close up to each other Crona shot down half the Tie flight only scratching his own sheilds, he transferred laser charge to the sheilds and he begun his pursuit on one of the Tie Starfighters. Then a gang of New Republic starfighters exited hyperspace "This is Blue leader, thanks for the help Red! You�ll be rewarded for your efforts." The Y-wing designated Blue 1 who appreantly was the Squadron leader said.

"This is Red, no problem."

Crona sa w this as an oppertunity to get ride of some Rougies that maybe would give the Emperor�s Hammer a lot of trouble. Crona stayed out of the capital class ships ways since he knew that a couple of hits from a turbo laser could have dangerous results on a 50 SBD sheild. He keeped to firstly to the Tie Interceptors and Tie starfighters that was on his tail, then wen�t over to take the rest down. While Y-wings and B-wings took care of the capital ships. The capital ships task was probaly to take care of the PLTs but they didn�t cause to much damage on them.

When the enemy was destroyed Crona was invited to join the rebels aboard the PLTs. He accepted their offer and steered his X-wing to the PLT designated Checkpoint one. He landed his X-wing safely and a couple of New Republic troppers where standing ready to escort him to the bridge. "Artoo! Stay here or go and hook yourself into one of the computers!"

The droid bliped an affermative.

Soon, he arrived at the bridge where a General probaly the COM over the 2 platfroms stood "Welcome Red! I would like to thank you for your assistance, and getting some of those Tie fighters of our back!" He said and shok Crona�s hand and made an salute "Well, my name is General Lex Trekon, and yours?"

Crona had put his jedi robe and hood on his flight suit "Patrick Crona, is my name, Lex!"

Lex stood still as thinking havn�t I heard that name before...ggr..." he stopped "Well, no I havn�t." Crona continued for him while waving his finger to the right and left. "Well, no I havn�t, fell at home here at the platfrom, we will resupply your X-wing." They saluted and Crona begun his walk back to the hangar. When a alarm waked up. He begun jogging to the hangar, where is trustfull, X-wing stood, but with no R2 unit. He looked around and he saw that it was standing hooked up to a computer at the other side of the hangar "Artoo over here!" Crona shouted, and the R2 droid noticed him and he begun his journey back to the X-wing trough the hangar that now was full with battle suited pilots. But when the R2 unit was in place in the X-wing, Crona himself jumped in and soon they where out in space.

Crona didn�t belive his eyes "Master Patrick, sensors are picking up one Star Destroyer designated Crusher, two Dreadnoughts Wave Rider, Jumper and several escorts!"

"I wan�t an answer now!" Rear Admiral Brett said sitting behind his desk. Present was a desk clerk, the deck officer and the officer responisble for all ship launchings."

Sir, I don't know... he told me that he would report in at seven hundred hours, maybe something came up?" The desk clerk said.

"Yes sir, I agree to leave the ship something rather important must have come up." The deck officer said.

"Yes, perhaps... But, I can't see any reason why not notifing me first! Especially in these days when the Challenge is nearing completion and the Command Officers will come. But I sence that something important for the Wing Commander�s future have happend, hmm you are dismissed." Rear Admiral Brett said and the officers left his office. Maybe I should send out one of the squadrons to search he tought. Where ever you are Crona you sure took a fine time to dissapear.

"Commander, are we there yet?" The cold and sterile words from the Admiral sent chills down the Commander�s spine. Commander Greg Delemore had just been promoted and transferred to the Admiral�s fleet. He was a correlian of great potential.

"Sir, in about 5 minutes."

"Excellent, Commander!" Admiral Stele Ryker said and looked over at the Commander smiling, he would soon CRUSH the Emperor's Hammer. His personal flagship the Mon Calamarian cruiser Semonia was flanked by two Calamarian light cruisers, and other smaller capital ships. His fleet was powerfull enough to destroy the Emperor's Hammer once and for all, he tought.

Crona quickly made a evasive manoeouvre guided by the Force so the two advanced concussion missiles missed him. He quickly followed up in his pursuit of the Interceptor he had to break up with to evade the missiles. He put himself on the Interceptor�s tail. It evaded as good as it could, but Crona saw each it�s move in advance and he fired, the X-wing�s lasers turned to life giving away an unfimiliar noisce that Crona wasn�t used to and then they hit the Tie Interceptor who exploded. Crona turned away fast engaging the next rouge fighter not thinking more about his last target who�s parts still hadn�t exploded yet. The Rouge Star Destroyer had launched its entire Wing of starfighters and the other crafts availible. The two Dreadnoughts had in their turn launched each their squadron. Their Force was more then enough to crush them sooner or later Crona tought. He had asked the droid to calcuate a jump out of here, that the R2 unit now reported he was finished with. He swung in behind a Tie Bomber that was about to fire its ordinance on the platform Checkpoint one. It took a while for Crona to get it down, thanks to its powerfull hull, and that the wid spreaded X-wing lasers made it hard to get a hit on small fighters like a Tie Bomber, the B-wings, X-wings and Y-wings that also was in the Rouge task force wasn�t any problem.

"Checkpoint one to all New Republic forces, we are taking serious damage.We request reinforcments immediatly." Then a New Republic fleet came out of hyperspace. Crona stared at the Mon Calamari cruiser that was leading the fleet, he hadn�t senced that presence since... "Master Patrick!" The droid bliped and Crona�s X-wing was hit by lasers from an A-wing. "Damn...!" He murmured and did a loop backwords so he maybe would get a couple of shots at the A-wing before it passed under him. He didn�t, the A-wing passed under him in an angle he had no possibility to fire at the A-wing. Crona turned the X-wing around. He was now on the A-wing�s tail. It was heading away from him, Crona locked in and fired two advanced missiles that finished the A-wing�s life.

The Commander looked out the window stunned "Eh, eh... sir! The installation is under attack by a rather large Imperial task force!"

"hm... yes, lauch our starfighters at once!" Admiral Ryker said sitting in his command chair watching the battle. And see if you can�t capture that Star Destroyer.

"Yes, sir Admiral Ryker!" The Commander said and pressed a button on a com-link.

Crona saw how a swarm of New Republic starfighters left the hangars of the Republic fleet outnumbering the Rouge fleet. Soon, the hunt for new targets became intense even for Crona. The New Republic eliminated the Rouge starfighters in minutes. Then the starfighters begun helping some capital ships that had engaged the Rouge capital ships in an attempt to disable and capture them. Crona recived an order that he should fly the waypoints that was being transferred to him, while waiting for for more orders.

"Artoo, make sure we hold these waypoints." He said and then he watched the battle between the outnumbered Rouge capital ships and the New Republic ones. The ion beams hit the Rouge capital ships constantly. The Rouge ships headed in full speed for their escape vector, but they didn�t reach it. The ships where disabled.

One hour later Crona recived a message, he was still flying the waypoints.

"This is New Republic Star Destroyer Warlord!" That the New Republic commander had renamed it, not paying any attention to if there already was ships named this.

"Our Commander wishes you to come aboard." The voice continued.

"I will come aboard in a short while, I think I burned a couple of dash board sercuits that I want to have a look at." Crona said but infact he had been working on his lightsaber and he was about finished now.

"We have..." Then the officer understood that the pilot probaly cared much of his ship and weren�t prepared to leave it over to some stranger.

"As you wish. Our Commander will be waiting for your arrival. Over and out!"

One hour later Crona was standing in the hangar of the Star Destroyer Warlord.

His R2 unit stood behind him, a small reception was held for him, since it was he that scored the most kills in the battle. "Welcome aboard the New Republic Star Destroyer Warlord, we will be awarding medals to the best pilots, you are one of them... do you wish to attend?" The highest ranking officer in his reception said.

"Yes, thank you!" Crona answered.

"Thank you, sir but unfortenently our Commander that wanted to see you have got other things on his mind and can�t see you." The officer said.

"Ok." Crona said looking around a bit in the inferior. He saw nothing special and he sensced nothing particular about his reception.

Later, he and some other pilots where standing in the Cantina of the ship. The only realy secured part of the ship. There he and two other pilots stood in a line, and the Rebel Wing Commander said a few words and hanged a medal over each pilots neck.

Then it was celibration time. After a while everybody was so up with the celebrating so Crona and his R2 unit easily slipped out with nobody noticing. When they had got on their way, Crona sensed the way to the New Republican, that seemed quite strong in the Force. The Force led him to the confrence room in the ship that was close to the office of a COM. The dorrs slid open and Crona walked in. It was dark.

"Welcome..." The same voice as in his dream said and he saw a lightsaber stroke coming in his way. He fled out of the way, igniting his own Shadow Academy lightsaber. The R2 unit hide out of their way. "...Welcome again apprentice Crona! The voice snapped, as the room become more lighted.

Crona tought, then it hit him, he felt uneasy on his knees. "No... it can�t be training officer Stele Ryker?" He remembered since Stele liked to call his students apprentices.

"Hahaha! You remember me still apprentice Patrick Crona , I have heard that you didn�t follow your orders, now you will pay for that mistake!" He said and attacked Crona. Crona was still stunned and it was as if he had forgotten everything he had learnt, he just defended himself. :::Crona! Don�t let your fear and dark memories blind you, due to then all is lost!::: Crona heard. Crona tought of the training sessions where he had been taught the lies he had lived with everyday of his life, and all the others students. "Haha, you pathetic worthless Imperial.. you don�t stand a chance against me and my unlimited powers." He said as he swung his lightsaber with such increadible power that Crona felt the pressure on his lightsaber "Haha!" Ryker laughed at the swept again, with an increadible power. The lightsaber who probaly had seen better days begun to shidder and Crona gut electricuted on it and the lightsaber shut down. He throwed it away. "Hahahaha!!! This will be easier then I tought!" Ryker laughed when he was prepering for another strike. Crona�s anger had now grown to the breaking point. "Artoo!" He shouted, and the hidden R2 unit sent out another lightsaber the one he had made himself. It flew trough the air, landing in Crona�s opened hand. He wasn�t sure that it would work... He ignited it. It worked, the lightsaber gained the colors of red and withe. He felt the power surge trough the lightsaber, he let go of his anger and the anger errupted in Crona like a volcano sending strike after strike of lightsaber sweps at Ryker, that was doing everything he could to defend himself from the furious Jedi. "You took my life and filled it with lies!" Crona shouted as he continued to bomb Ryker with lightsaber sweps. Crona regained control of his anger, and wen�t over to more tactical blows, like Ryker noticed. Crona was guided by the Force as he stroke another terrible blow at Rykers blue-withe lightsaber. "Ug.." He said as he defended himself and calling for all the power he could. Not that it helped, Crona had now forced Ryker to the viewport away from the 15-22 seath table, Crona wouldn�t count it in a time like this. He focused, becoming one with the anger within him and the Force, he felt how the Force controled his bodys movments who in its turn was controled by the anger surging trough Crona�s body. The lightsabers hit each other again and again creating the smell of ozon filling the room. Crona�s eyes glowed green with anger as he could see his victim geeting weaker and weaker, still he had control over the anger and the Force adding enough tactics in his strikes making Ryker confused. A smile came upon Crona�s face. He was focused, he knew that he would crush his enemy, all the time with far away whispers in his head encouraging him to kill his opponent. In a moment as seemed to stand still Crona gathered all his power in one powerfull strike... Crona�s lightsaber hit Ryker�s lightsaber sending it across the room!

"Hahaha!" Crona laughed at the man lying on the floor pumped out breathing hard.

"You are weak Ryker, you have always been weak Ryker!" Crona said lifting him up with the Force, choacking him slowly with the Force. "Now, fool you will pay for your crimes against me and the Empire!" Crona snapped as loudly as he could.

"You will die!" Crona said, and he held his hand as holding Ryker�s troath, the grip in his hand become smaller and Crona heard how Ryker grasped vioently to get air.

"Haha!" Crona said and he closed his hand, crushing Ryker�s troath with the Force. Ryker falled down dead on the floor. And like with the Emperor the dark side of the Force within Ryker burst out in a violent explosion of blue fire. Crona�s anger had been settled for now, and he felt a peace in the Force, but all such toughts where interruppted when he saw the blue fire coming against him. He begun running to the dorr, he saw that the R2 unit wasn�t there. Crona knew that the blue fire would crush the windows and probaly damage the Star Destroyer so badly that it would be destroyed. He runned with Force enchanged speed trough the Star Destroyer cutting down any that tried to stop him with the lightsaber he held in his right hand. When Crona came to the hangar he saw that he wasn�t the only one leaving the Star Destroyer, he felt how the ground was shakking and the ship lost altitude. He heard a familiar blip, it was his R2 unit. It had somehow managed to come up in it�s socket in his X-wing, he runned over to the X-wing and jumped in. "Artoo, get the X-wing out of here." He said still strapping himself in place. "Master, we already are."

Crona looked out the droid had flied them out, they where meters from the hangar when a fire burst came out from it. About 100 meters away they could see how the blue light in the bridge begun to fade, instead the fire and explosions in the Star Destroyer started to advance, making it spinning round... And crash into some of the escorts making them go up in a violent blow. Crona could see escape pods being ejected. Soon, they saw the Star Destroyer exploading in a last violent blow, the sky light up, and several near ships also blow up adding to the fireworks.

Then Crona entered hyperspace. Crona didn�t say anything, and five minutes later, they exited hyperspace, where they set a course for the ISD Challenge. And Crona started to meditate.

:::Crona, you will come to the moon of Eos!:::

Crona snapped to life "Huh?" But he recalculated for the moon of Eos in the Aurora system, and then once again he meditated.

"Greetings Crona!" The familiar voice said, Crona was once again standing in the dimly light room, with the people in Jedi robes where around him again.

"As we have forseen you succeded in your task, your past doesn�t haunt you anymore and your anger is settled for the moment! You Jedi Crona have learnt much these days, yes things that will gain you power in the future you can�t imagine. You will now go to the Master you are loyal to and would sacrifice your life for, go now and untill we meet next time Jedi!

"This is Aurora control! Unidentified craft identify yourself or you will be fired upon."

Crona scrambled for the com and put it on "This is Lieutenant General Patrick Crona of the Emperor�s Hammer. Please contact Grand Master Paladin of the moon Eos he is expecting me." The Com-link went silent, after a while the response come.

"Greetings Lieutenant General Crona, you are clear, you have clearence to land on Eos."

"Thank you!"

Crona steered for the redish moon, he flied trough the atmosphere and soon he saw the Dark hall from above with all its secrets. A voice came trough the com-link "Welcome Guardian Crona, the Grand Master is expecting you." Crona was given some vectors that he followed and the closer to the ground he came he saw how a rock was retracted into the hillside and a landing pad was shown. There he landed and the pad begun to lower him and his ship down underground.

Now Crona was standing in the Dark hall, not as gigantic as the one he had visited on Coruscant. The Dark hall was completely emptied. Strange Crona tought. But then a felt a strong presence, or rather two, or was there three.

Crona walked forward on the red carpet there he saw Grand Master Paladin and the one he knew as Master Melan Pyr the Krath Priest. Crona walked steadily forward to the Grand Master and then he knelt "My Master." Crona announced.

Crona sensed a precense he hadn�t felt before, he knew who Master Melan pyr was and he had meet him sometimes, but it didn�t fell like it was he that was present. The Grand Master withheld Crona the permittion to stand so he did.

"Welcome to the moon of Eos Guardian Crona, you as I know why I gave called you here." But before Guardian Crona could answer the Grand Master continued "I have forseen this day Guardian, I knew that you would learn many powers this day. Your training to be a Jedi has helped you to complete a part of your destiny, to destroy the past that wouldn�t let you rest. You have proved..." The Grand Master noticed the lightsaber hanging down on the Guardians belt. And the lightsaber snapped free and flied to the Grand Masters hand, he started it up and it glowed its magnificent red-withe glow, the Grand Master waved it back and fourth as testing it. "Ah, yes Guardian your training is complete you are a Jedi. You are a Dark Jedi Knight, Crona fell honored since this tile carries with it a great burdon, but I know that you can handle it. Now go Dark Jedi Knight and serve the Dark Brotherhood.

24 hours later Crona entered the hangar with his X-wing. The the X-wing was put close to his Tie Defender. Crona knew that there wasn�t any possibility to keep the X-wing since it was to weak. Crona picked up a com-link "LG Crona to CIT!" The reply came shortly "This is the CIT Command officer of this base!"

"Ah, good! I would like to rent a space for my X-wing and I would like you to modify it."

There was a short pause "We will see what we can do. Over and out!"

"Come now Artoo." Crona said he and the droid wen�t to Rear Admiral Brett�s office where they probally had alot of explanation to do.

Respectfully submitted by:

Dark Jedi Knight Patrick Crona

IRC Chat Master

(OPA-MO-WC/LG Crona/ISD Chal, (SS) (BS) MoT-rd)