So, I shall trust to your imaginations to provide the visual support, and to my writing for the psychological and emotional side of things.
Incidentally, owing to the simple logistics of these screening room threads, I will put up a thread in the Star Wars Fan Convention, link it to the screening room, and use it for discussion and this thread for the actual novel.
So we begin our journey.
STAR WARS
Episode I.
The Clone Wars.
It is a time of doubt. The strength of the galaxy- and history-spanning Republic, once mighty beyond description, is slowly fading. The JEDI KNIGHTS, once lauded as the heroes of the Republic, have dwindled into insignificance and are now scattered throughout the galaxy.
Bereft of their vigilance, the border worlds of the Republic have been left vulnerable to the attacks of the CLONEMASTERS, a cult dedicated to the pursuit of power and immortality through the science of cloning. Now the armies of the Republic, led by the few remaining Jedi, must move to defend the galaxy from the ravages of the clone wars…
Against the background of distant stars, the godship moves silently. Built like a fortress, the ship, hundreds of years old, with countless extensions and enhancements, appears not to have been made but grown. From within its recesses, great orbs of steel emerge, pulsing with energies designed to weave a web of power in the void. The trap is set.
Deep within the godship, on the dimly lit bridge, two shapes stand at the edge of vision. Both are tall and majestic, black-clad and evil. One speaks: “Why must I bother with these diplomats?”
“We are not here for the Senator, we are here for the Jedi.”
On the bridge of the Dreadnaught Vanguard, Obi-Wan Kenobi, General to the Republican Navy to the knowledge of almost all aboard, Jedi Knight to the knowledge of a few, stands at peace. He looks through the viewscreens, to the mottled sky of hyperspace, and is suddenly ill at ease.
He steps to the communicator “Attention Vanguard. All hands to battle stations!” he calls. The Knight gestures to an ensign – “Prepare to signal the fleet the same.”
“But sir, we are in hyperspace.”
“Not for long.”
Suddenly klaxons break out over the bridge, and calm military panic ensues. The ship lurches horribly, the sky dwindles to starlines and then stars. And before them lies the godship.
“Unidentified warship ahead, General.”
“So I see. Ensign, you may signal the fleet now.”
Senator Bail Organa, Republican envoy to the Rim territories affected by the recent attacks, suddenly rushes to the flag deck.
“Obi-Wan, what’s happening?” he called.
“A battle, not a debate, Senator. I must ask you to retire from the bridge,” came the reply.
From the flight decks of the godship boiled countless slanted fighters, like raindrops from a thundercloud. The Vanguard and her sister ships answered, spewing fewer yet larger craft.
The more massive vessels would stay at bay until the fighters of one side or the other gained command of the void. The Republican fighters, great long ships like spearheads, with engine wings flaring from their prows, formed into flight groups. At the head of one such group was Captain Anakin Skywalker, an unblooded yet strong-willed man in his prime.
“All right, White group. Stay together and stay alert. Set to attack speed and engage the enemy.”
“Can do, Captain. How do you figure old Ben knew?” came one pilot.
“I suppose its not too much to hope that this is a drill?” quipped another.
“Keep it tactical, White group. Here they come!” commanded Anakin.
The battle was joined.
On the bridge of the godship one of the men was seething with rage.
“How did they know I was here!” he hissed.
“We did not count on the intervention of the Jedi. It seems the Force is with him, and our trap is foiled.”
“Do something”
“I shall. For the Force is with us as well. It would be folly not to wield it.” And with that the man left, striding into the gloom.
He came to a hangar, where a larger craft lay waiting. He leapt upon it, opened the hatch and slid into the cockpit. Under his hands the controls came to life, and the ship leaped into the vacuum.
Again the general on the bridge frowned. Again he felt the Force pull at his sleeve.
“Captain, the ship is yours. I have something I must attend to.”
The Vanguard’s commander took it in his stride – one more remarkable event amongst countless in just a few moments.
He went to lift bay, and calmly stepped into the railed pod, which darted down the length of the ship.
Anakin pitched his fighter into a dive, his eyes flicking from the countless scopes and scanners to the void itself. He held his fighter’s course close behind that of an enemy craft. On one scope, most prominent amongst all the instruments, three rings formed around the simulacrum of the target fighter. When they were finished, Anakin gripped the controls, and sent a volley into the tail of the fighter, which was consumed with flames. He expelled a long-held breath, and then pulled from the dive to again rejoin the battle.
The shuttle that had launched from the godship came towards the Vanguard. The cruisers heavy cannons, alerted to its presence, poured out blasts of energy, but the pilot of the shuttle made it jump and swerve so nimbly that none touched it. It flew under the belly of the Dreadnaught, and dove into the hangar bay.
This attack, so unprecedented and unexpected, surprised all the gunners and hangar-men of the Vanguard. But rather than firing once inside the bay, the shuttle set down, and the pilot leapt from his vessel as though looking to storm the Vanguard himself. The marines drew their sidearms, and charged towards the man, who simply raised his hands, and called their weapons from their hands to his own. His fingers fell upon the triggers and he slaughtered the hangar guards.
Then, the general burst through the doors, and finally faced something to surprise him.
The man he faced, if man it was, for he wore a black cowl and a deaths-head mask so none could tell, wore armour fashioned of alloyed plates over his body, and beneath it leathern garb. From his gauntleted hands he let fall the blasters, and two other weapons leapt from his belt to replace them.
With a snap-hiss, two blades seemingly of blue light ignited and formed from the metal hilts. Obi-Wan Kenobi drew a like weapon, and in answer it grew a similar blade of luminous blue energy.
The two drew closer, and then the black-clad warrior attacked in a sudden frenzy, countered by the slower yet more precise motions of the Jedi Knight. The hangar was filled with the noise and hideous light of the clash as the two combatants duelled. But for all his fury, the masked swordsman could not press back the Jedi. Soon his momentum began to wane, and then Kenobi forced him back. The Jedi Knight, suddenly swift, leapt within his adversaries guard, and his blade pierced the armour and flesh of the Dark Knight.
The blades extinguished, but the blue light did not fade. Rather it radiated from the enemy, and suddenly as though some convulsion of the Force was channelled through the body of the dying warrior he burst, and a bright blue explosion shook the ships in their bay, scorched the walls of the hangar and propelled Obi-Wan across the flight deck.
On the godship, the lone black-clad figure hissed and frowned. He then composed himself, and then spoke clearly, as though he were speaking to a great audience but in the manner of one speaking to their selves: “I am leaving this battle. Surprise is lost. I shall return to the godship.”
Suddenly, all the fighters and gunboats that had issued from the fortress-like cruiser returned to it, leaving the Republican fighters largely unscathed. When all had boarded, the godship leapt into hyperspace itself.
Anakin was at a loss to understand what had happened, and said as much to his wingmates.
“What just happened?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we should ask the commander to ask Ben, he seemed to know what was going on.”
The fighters returned to the Vanguard, where, as if he had been waiting for them they found on the flight deck the general whom the soldiers, in their casual fashion, had nicknamed “Old Ben” as it seemed to fit his unshakeable calm and his true name.
Anakin was the first to pluck up his courage and approach the general.
“What just happened out there, sir?” he managed.
“I’m not entirely sure myself, Captain. When I found out I shall let you know. You’d best be off then, we’ll be returning to hyperspace soon.”
Anakin nodded, accepting that the general, for all that he was not surprised might well have been perplexed by the events of the battle, and walked off.
Once more Kenobi frowned, for as Anakin drew near he had felt something within him grow, and as he left he felt it fade.
“One moment, captain, what did you say your name was?”
“Anakin Skywalker, sir.”
“Very well then.”
This post has been edited by Chefelf: 06 June 2005 - 09:25 AM