High above Taris, just out of orbit, drifted the Endar Spire, Warship of the Republic, and a vessel that was currently en-route to the surface.

Those onboard were going about their daily lives.

The pilots on the bridge chatted about which ships they'd love to have a chance to fly, soldiers prepared and cleaned their weapons.

And in one of the small quarters, a young woman lay, drifting in and out of sleep.

Things were peaceful, and the mission was going well. Until the first sound of the alarms went up, and the ship rocked violently, sending the Captain lunging forward against the control panel he'd just been scanning.

"What in the hell was that?" the middle-aged man shouted, as he struggled to get back to his feet, only to get tossed again as yet another volley of fire from the attacking fighters rained down across the Spire's nose. "Onasi! What's going on!"

"We're under attack, Captain. Our sensors are showing a Sith war fleet dropping out of hyperspace. That first shot hit our shield generators. We're defenseless here," the pilot replied, as hands moved across the controls. He was attempting to pull the Spire up and stabilize the vessel, but the warship was starting to lose altitude.

The Captain swore, one hand slamming down into the metallic frame the console was housed in. "Dammit all. We're not going down without a fight. Get every available gunman on a weapon, and return fire."

"Captain," the man arming the sensors spoke up, "Sith boarding craft are approaching on our gun's blind zone. Estimated contact in one minute."

"Get me on the intercom system, now!" the Captain moved forward, as another round of fire blasted its way into the left side of the ship, jerking the entire vessel sharply to the right.

"Done." the soldier replied. The Captain braced himself against the central console on the bridge, nodding to the ensign, as he turned eyes outwards, through the main viewports of the ship, at the approaching Sith fleet.

"All hands, this is the Captain of the Endar Spire. We are under attack, I repeat, we are under attack. I want all available arms suited up and in position to repel Sith boarding parties."

Throughout the ship, armed and armored soldiers rushed through ship corridors, securing checkpoints, and barricading entry points into the warship from the outside.

All hands were bracing themselves for the onslaught that the Sith fleet would promise.

Then, the first of the long-range bombardments began striking the unshielded ship.

This was going to be hell.

A tremor rocked the vessel as the Spire's portside engines exploded. It was this blast that rocked through the crew quarters, shaking into awareness the only Republic scout abord the ship who wasn't aware of the battle ensuing outside.

Blue eyes snapped open as another violent blast rocked the ship, threatening to topple her out of bed. She sat up rapidly, before attempting to stand in the rocking vessel. Eyes whipped around from place to place, attempting to determine what was happening, before the sound of the wailing alarms pierced through the doors into her quarters as they swung open.

"We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet!" the soldier told her, simultaneously checking the charge in his blaster pistol. "The Endar Spire is under attack! Hurry up, we don't have much time!"

The woman appeared startled for a moment, but as yet another tremor shook the crew quarters, eyes turned towards the side viewports of the quarters. Outside a group of Sith interceptors shot into view, raking heavy laser fire across the hull of the Spire. Eyes quickly snapped back to the man in front of her, and brows furrowed. "Who are you?"

"I'm Trask Ulgo, ensign with the Republic fleet," the blonde soldier replied, nodding towards the second bed in the quarters. "I'm your bunk mate here on the Endar Spire. We work opposite shifts; I guess that's why you haven't seen me before."

Shifting his stance, Trask looked back over his shoulder, at the closed doors behind him. "Now hurry up!" he said as he turned back to the scout. "We have to find Bastila and make sure she makes it off the ship alive."

The scout raised one slender brow. "Bastila?"

"Bastila is the commanding officer on the Endar Spire," Trask replied. "Well, not an officer really, but she's the one in charge of this mission. One of our primary duties is to guarantee her survival in the event of an enemy attack. You swore an oath just like everyone else on this mission. Now its time to make good on that oath!"

"I've heard what everyone's saying about you: you've explored the farthest reaches of the galaxy, you've visited planets I've never even heard of." Trask continued, as the woman moved towards the footlocker beneath the viewports, keying in her personal security code, as the seal depressed, and the lid popped open.

"People with your skills areand abilities are hard to find. Its no wonder the Republic recruited you for this mission. But now's the time to prove yourself." A nod was the only recognition the woman gave him, one hand bracing the lid of the footlocker as the ship started rocking again from the newest onslaught of fire from the Sith fleet.

"I know you're a scout, and not a soldier, but Bastila needs all trops at her side during this attack." Trask continued, as though momentarily doubting the woman would assist him.

Ignoring him briefly, she reached into the footlocker and withdrew her clothing, tugging it on hurriedly. Into the holster at her hip, she slid her blaster pistol, before arming herself with her short sword. A twist of the blade in her hand to test its weight, and she turned towards Trask, nodding.

"Okay. Lets go help Bastila." she moved towards the closed cabin door.

Trask stepped forward, placing his body between hers, and the door. "Wait. Because of the attack, this room is in lockdown, but don't worry - I've got the override codes."

"Alright." the woman stepped back, gesturing towards the door as Trask moved forward. She attempted to peer around him, as he activated the codes, and the doors slid open.

No sooner had the pair exited the crew quarters, and were advancing towards the next closed door down the corridor, than the comlink attached to Trask's belt beeped, and a voice boomed from the other side.

"This is Carth Onasi. The Sith are threatening to overrun our position. We can't hold out long against their firepower. All hands to the bridge!"

Trask swore briefly, before turning to the scout ahead of him. "That was Carth contacting us on our portable communicators. He's one of the Republic's best pilots! He's seen more combat than the rest of the ship's crew put together. If he says things are bad, you better believe it. We have to get to the bridge to help defend Bastila!"

The woman nodded and then took the lead, as they made their way down the hall past fallen bulkhead panels, and the small utility droid attempting to repair what appeared to be one of the ships power conduits.

As they approached the door into the next corridor, the scout stepped up, only to frown as the door failed to open. She reached to key the manual release, and still no response from the automated doors.

"Its locked." she called back over her shoulder to Trask.

"I don't have the codes to open it," Trask replied. "But I should be able to slice into the access panel and open the door that way."

The woman stepped back, and gestured Trask forward again. The blonde soldier moved up to the manual control panel, and inserted a thin wirelike computer tool. Within a moment or two, something inside the panel clicked, and the door slid open.

As she stepped past Trask, the two were confronted with the sight of a Republic soldier engaged in combat with whatever was at the opposite end of the corridor. Without a second thought, the young woman grabbed Trask, and pulled him back.

As the two watched with an almost delayed reaction, a bout of blaster fire caught the soldier in the chest, and sent him crashing the floor, his blaster skittering away from him across the deck plating of the ship.

The woman turned to Trask, before one hand went up, and she turned, her body sliding against the metal, until just enough of her was visible that she could see past the plating that lined the halls, down the length of the corridor. She counted rapidly in her head, before jerking back towards the soldier beside her, as the troopers down the hall let loose a volley of blaster fire that scorched the opposite side of the corridor they were standing in.

"Two Sith troopers," she turned her eyes back to Trask. "They're well armed. Blaster rifles. Just at the junction of the corridors."

Trask nodded, as he checked his blasters. "They must be the advance boarding party," and before she could stop him, he'd leapt out around the corner, blasters loosing several rounds of searing red light at the troopers. "For the Republic!"

Cursing at the rash behavior of the soldier with her, the woman drew her blaster pistol, and keeping half-around the hall, she launched several rounds at the troopers.

As flashes of red whizzed by her, she stretched her arm out, one eye closing as a bolt passed straight through the chest of the trooper on the left. Meanwhile, Trask, a little more messily, and at closer ranger, dealt the killing blow to the last trooper. The woman stepped out from behind the corner as the second body hit the ground with a sickening thud of metal against metal, approaching Trask at a brisk, angry walk.

"Don't you ever do that again. You could have gotten us both killed." her voice was a little harsh, and Trask appeared taken aback for a moment, but rather than question his companion, he simply nodded.

With that said, she passed the man, and continued forward towards the junction with the next corridor, which branched off to the right. As she neared the bend, the resounding sound of an explosion shook the hall, and she grabbed Trask by the uniform front, pressing them both against the wall.

As she peered around the corner, she discovered the source of the explosion. Another utility droid, this one in pieces. As she moved over the body of one of the fallen troopers, she noticed a brief glimmer out of one corner of her eye, and stooped down to search the body. What she discovered was a number of credits, a repair kit, and a pair of concussion grenades. Nodding approval, she stashed the lot the utility pouches on her belt.

As she turned again, Trask fell into step behind her again, as they moved past the now inaccessible corridor, to the door at the other end of the hallway. As they neared, she pressed herself against the wall, Trask following her motions. One threat was apparently enough to convince him that she was in charge.

As the door open, a barrage of fire echoed down the hall past them. At her nod, Trask stepped forward, and began firing into the room. She reached down and freed one of her newly acquired grenades, and prepped it, before pitching it into the room with the Sith troopers.

"Grenade!" one of the Sith cried, as he attempted to key the door at the other end of the room open.

Too little too late, however, as the grenade exploded in a flash of light, and the Sith almost in unison gripped their heads, abandoning their defensive position. The scout and Trask both immediately opened fire on the two now pained Sith, a hail of blaster bolts piercing their armor, and sending the two crashing to the floor.

She paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the room for anything she could use. Against the wall immediately beside the door she stood in, lay the body of another Republic soldier. With a mutter that could have been anything, she kneeled down and searched the pack, removing a frag grenade that went into her utility pouches.

When Trask raised an eyebrow in her direction, her only response was to shrug. "It will do us more good than it will him," she rose, and moved to stoop down over one of the footlockers in the room, gesturing Trask over to a metal box that appeared to be ajar. Between the two of them, they managed to unearth two more frag grenades, one of which she passed to Trask, a pair of swords, a medpack, and a combat suit.

The suit she donned herself, and Trask seemed to not protest, instead turning his back on the woman so she could change. The woman simply shrugged at the gesture, not thinking a thing of it, as she fastened everything into place, and then lay a hand on Trask's shoulder, turning him back around and pressing her blaster into his second hand. Once she'd done so, she reached for the long, and short sword they'd managed to find.

A pair of blades to her, was always easier to wield than a pair of blasters. As she lifted both blades before her to ready herself, she reached at Trask's nod, to open the door into the next corridor.

As they neared the curve in the corridor, more fighting greeted them. A pair of Republic soldiers standing in the middle of the hall, exchanging fire with enemy troops, and a third, crouched around the corner, exchanging fire from his strategic position, with the Sith fighters at the other end of the hall.

Past the corner and out of sight, she could hear the clash of vibroswords, and then a scream of pain as one melee weapon, or the other struck home. It sounded like a Republic trooper.

One of the Republic soldiers ceased firing however, bringing his blaster rifle up to block the downward stroke of a Sith vibrosword. The trooper's left foot snapped out into the chest of the Sith soldier, and the sound of boot heel impacting synthmetal armor resounded amidst the other sounds of struggle.

The enemy stumbled backwards, and the Republic soldier took that opening to shift his grip on the rifle, and swing it around like a club at the head of the Sith he was engaged with.

But before the weapon made contact, the clank of a grenade hitting the ground sounded, and the woman pulled back, shielding her face as the grenade exploded, and all three Republic soldiers, along with the Sith melee trooper dropped to the ground, dead.

Cursing under her breath, she stepped forward from around the corner, or began to, before halting, pulling herself up just short. She counted, just out of view, the troopers down the hallway.

One hand lifted, and she raised three fingers towards Trask, who nodded, and reached for the frag grenade he'd been prepping earlier. She began doing the same, and they counted, as the sound of footfalls from further down the hall started ringing out. More soldiers were approaching.

"One.. two.. three..", the duo stepped forward, and launched their grenades down the hallway. The soft clank of the grenades rolling down the hallway was heard, before a gurgled moan, and the scout glanced around the corner again. All three troopers had fallen in the blasts.

She nodded to Trask, and together the two started forward again, only to struggle to retain their footing as the door in the left corridor at the intersection blew, sending shrapnel past the two of them. Just about that time, another pair of Sith soldiers began down the hallway towards them. With such a short distance between them, she shifted her blades in her grasp, and advanced on the pair, Trask hot on her heels.

The woman brought both blades down quickly across the body of the first Sith trooper, in a sharp diagonal slash from right to left, severing the Sith, both blades jerked quickly backwards, as she lunged forward at the surprised second trooper, her shoulder impacting his gut, as he was lifted off the ground, and thrown to the floor, his blaster dropping from his grasp to clatter against the floor.

The woman, who had landed in a kneeling position after shouldering him, brought her short blade down in a sharp stab, straight into his palm, as it reached for his fallen rifle. At the sound of his screaming, she started to twitched with irritation. However this was quickly remedied as Trask aimed his pistol downward, and shot the trooper in the face. As the woman raised her brow, and turned back to Trask, he shrugged, offering down his arm.

She took it, pulling herself into a standing position and drawing her blade from the mans hand, before moving further down the corridor. However this was haulted as the door, and the small T3 unit utility droid that had been attempting to repair the door, exploded, jamming the door entirely.

"We have got to stop doing this," she commented to Trask. This was the third droid, or door that had exploded on them.

"I know," he replied, as they back tracked down the hallway. Another quick search of the bodies revealed more of the same as before. Unused grenades. Perfect. Let their own weapons be used against them. It was a fitting enough end for the Sith that had invaded the Spire. She also managed to come up with several more medpacks, which she divied between her and Trask. While it seemed to slow them down, the packs could be vital for them, and she knew it.

Her search was ended quickly. And the two of them proceeded down the hallway. Her steps slowed, however, when the sound of lightsabers clashing was heard from the other side of the door. With a nod between the two now-companions, the door was opened, and they charged through, prepared for whatever would happen.

What greeted them however, was the sight of a bald man in black and silver, fighting a young blonde woman in yellow robes.

"Its a Dark Jedi!" Trask exclaimed. The scout nodded, watching the two fight, as lightsabers clashed again and again, sparks of light flying from their blades as they locked one another in combat. "This fight is too much for us - we'd better stay back. All we'll do is get in the way."

The scout watched the actions of both the man and the woman closely, as azure blade and crimson blade met. The dark Jedi moved stepped back to avoid a swing from the Jedi, before lunging forward in an attempt to press her back towards the wall. The Jedi woman sidestepped, using her blade to deflect his away, as she spun around in an attempt to use momentum against him.

An explosion shook the corridor, causing the Jedi to stumble forward. Pressing his advantage, the dark Jedi lunged at her again. Eyes rose however, and she arched to the side, and as the Dark Jedi was caught off guard with her movements, the Jedi woman leapt, planting her boot against his chest to drive him back.

The struggle continued, as blades began to clash again, before the blade of the Jedi took a final stroke downwards, slaying the Dark Jedi. As his body slumped to the ground, and the Jedi turned her head to face the two of them, an explosion behind her sent her forward, shrapnel embedded in her back.

"That was one of the Jedi accompanying Bastila! Damn!" Trask swore, his hands tightening on his dual blaster pistols. "We could have used her help!"

"No time to lament," the scout commented, as the sound of metal to metal came from the hallway, and she lunged forward, just as a pair of Sith troopers rounded the corner, their rifles leveling at the pair.

The scout seemed to dance forward, around the blaster fire, as Trask leveled his own pair of blasters, and let loose a barrage of fire that pierced one of the Sith troopers through the head, and chest.

As the trooper he'd been trained on fell, he turned to assist the scout, in time to see her block the blaster rifle of the other trooper with one blade, while jabbing the second blade forward, landing a killing blow in the weaker, midsection point of his armor.

The woman kneeled to search the body of the Dark Jedi briefly, before rising to follow Trask where he was already on his way down the hall.

"We're almost to the Bridge.", Trask called back over his shoulder, arriving at the door just before the scout did. No sooner had the door slid open than a pair of Sith soldiers were running full tilt at the duo. Seeing the scout, now in the lead with her dual blades, the Sith dropped their blasters, and moved forward to engage the woman.

Trask watched in awe as she managed to hold both Sith troopers off with her swords, a well placed boot here and there sending them back away from her just enough for her to land a killing blow on the first by way of severing his throat, as she slammed the hilt of her second sword into the helmeted head of the second.

The impact shattered the plating on the Sith's mask, and sent it backwards into his skull. As he dropped to the ground, she turned, looking over the bodies of the fallen members of the Republic, searching for one wearing a set of Jedi robes.

She shook her head at Trask, who appeared relieved, before stiffening. "Bastila's not here on the bridge - they must have retreated to the escape pods! We better head that way too."

The woman raised a brow momentarily, as if confused, and Trask went on to explain. "The Sith want Bastila alive, but once she's off the ship, there's nothing stopping them from blasting the Endar Spire into galactic dust."

The scout nodded, as they rounded the corner there on the Bridge, heading towards the door that led to the area which held the escape pods. They were almost home free. Almost.

As they entered the next room, she turned towards the left, heading for the doors that lead towards the starboard section of the ship. Trask however, moved past her, towards the far door that led back to the docking bay. "There's something behind here."

"Leave it Trask. The escape pods are this way," she attempted to draw him back to her, but the man shook free, moving closer to the door.

As Trask paused just shy of the door, it slid open. Standing inside was a black-garbed figure, with a bald head, and a trimmed black beard. The man reached to his left hip, drawing, and igniting a crimson lightsaber. This one was dual-ended.

"Damn! Another Dark Jedi. I'll try to hold him off," Trask retrieved a discarded vibrosword from the floor, moving forward into the room with the Sith. "You get to the escape pods!" he shouted back over his shoulder as the door slid closed behind him and the control panel sparked. It wouldn't be opening again.

"Trask!" the woman shouted as she lunged forward, one hand slamming against the door, as the sounds of blades clashing could be heard from within, followed by a muffled scream of pain, and the sound of dead weight hitting the floor. The scream had belonged to Trask.

"Damn you, Trask!" she turned, pushing off the door, and headed towards the starboard section door, as the door which held the dark Jedi began to shake, as if it were about to open. As she passed through the doors, a voice issued from her comlink.

"This is Carth Onasi. I'm tracking your position through the Endar Spire's life support systems. Bastila's escape pod is away, you're the last surviving crew member of the Endar Spire." the sinking feeling in her chest was confirmed. Trask was dead. Dammit all. They could have made it through. "I can't wait for you much longer; you have to get to the escape pods!"

"I'll be there as soon as I can," she commented to the now quiet comlink. She needed to get to those pods as quickly as she could. She could still feel the Spire shaking from the relentless assault by the Sith. Trask was right - without Bastila on board, the Sith were trying to bring the Spire down around her ears.

She started down the corridor, following its turn, before stopping as the flash of metal from the corner of her eye alerted her to the presence of a single Sith trooper just out of her blaster range.

Preparing both blades, she started at a run towards him, her blades coming down just as the startled trooper leveled his rifle to open fire on the woman.

As his shots went wide from her body, she brought her longsword down in a sharp strike against the rifle, knocking it from his grasp. He reached behind him and withdrew a vibroblade, bringing it in a sharp strike against her short sword, in an attempt to make her break her defensive stance.

The two exchanged strikes for several moments, the woman nimbly dodging each of the blasts that the man attempted to lay on her. A few well placed strikes against his armor, and a boot to his chest, sending him flat against the wall behind him, before she lunged forward, both blades piercing through his midsection, before she drew away, letting his body slump to the floor at her feet.

Her chest rising and falling with rapid breath, having vented a little of her anger at Trask for getting himself killed, she glanced down the two directions of the hallway. Straight ahead of her, the door was charred in places. There'd be no use in attempting to open that door. Even without extensive experience with ship mechanics, she knew that she'd never be able to get through the door.

Cursing, she turned left, the only direction remaining, and started down that corridor, around the next curve. As she approached the door, it opened. Behind it, of course, more Sith troopers. One frag grenade was immediately withdrawn from her utility pack, and tossed at the soldier standing on the left side of the room.

She moved forward, as the second trooper, jolted by the explosion of the thrown grenade was tipped off balance, and she brought forward her boot, planting it straight into his stomach. Lifted upwards by the kick, and still off balance from the explosion of the grenade off to the side, he doubled over grasping his midsection. As he did, her knee shot upwards, slamming into his helmet, and sending him skittering backwards, into the disabled combat droid on the right side of the room.

She took advantage of his position to drop one of her swords, leveling the blaster at him in her off hand, one searing bolt melting its way through his helmet, and scorching the floor behind him.

Impassively, she reached to retrieve her sword, as once again, her comlink sounded off.

"Be careful," it was Carth. "There's a whole squad of Sith soldiers on the other side of that door. You'll have to find some way to thin their numbers."

"Thanks for that," her tone was dry. The woman immediately started rifling through the footlocker that was a mere four or five feet from the body of the man she'd just decapitated with her blaster pistol. Coming up with some various parts, she weighed her options. Droid, or slice the computer systems.

She moved forward to the computer terminal, she deftly sliced into the system, bringing up the security view. As her hands slid easily across the computer panel, she hacked into the main defense systems of the Spire. She quickly accessed the menu that displayed the ship's grid of power conduits.

Locating the conduit on the other side of the door, she entered a few commands, and the camera switched to a security view briefly, as the settings on the conduit changed, and roughly at the same time that one of the Sith soldiers noticed the change, the power conduit blew, electricity arcing throughout the room.

The slump of five dead bodies hitting the floor could be heard, and she logged off the computer system, stepping away from the security panel and turning to open the door. She moved through, checking the bodies with the brief amount of time she had. Around the body of the Sith trooper in red, she noted a vibroblade, and a blaster laying on the ground, likely dropped when she'd overloaded the conduit.

She retrieved both, and then headed forward through the last door. At the sight of the man on the other side, she hesitated. Once he started talking though, she strode through the door.

"You made it just in time! There's only one active escape pod left. Come on, we can hide out on the planet below!" Carth gestured towards the final pod, before moving towards it.

Something inside her caused a brief twinge, and she turned her head from the escape pod, back to him. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Carth sighed, "I'm a soldier with the Republic, like you. We're the last two crew members left on the Endar Spire." he shook his head. He could understand her distrust, but their escape was more important than questions.

"Bastila's escape pod's already gone, so there's no reason for us to stick around here and get shot by the Sith. Now come on - there'll be time for questions later!"

As if reassured by his words, she stepped forward, and maneuvered her way into the escape pod. Carth quickly followed, taking the pilot seat position, and sealing the hatch behind him.

"Lets get out of here." Carth's hands moved up, and he prepared the pod for launch

The outer hatch of the escape pod launch tube opened, a series of flashing lights around the outer rim signaling preparation for release, as the escape vehicle shot free of the Endar Spire.

As Carth kept the pod on a steady course towards Taris, the woman behind him stared out the viewports, at the Endar Spire, where it was becoming a dot in the distance behind him.

As the sith fighters started to converge on the warship that had been her temporary home, she forced herself to watch the battle cruiser that came up alongside the Republic ship.

As volley after volley of turbolasers, and raw firepower from the smaller fighter ships raked up one side, and down the other of the Spire, she could see the deep gouges the Sith fleet were making in the warship.

As the barrage of fire being unleashed upon the Spire increased, she watched as the ships reactor core finally gave out, explosions threading their way through the ship, destroying whatever remains had been left of its loyal crew. As one final explosion shattered the war vessel, and the shards of durasteel, all that was left, were flung through space, she felt a brief moment of regret.

And then, anger, as she saw the Sith cruiser only slightly rocked by the massive explosion that had just occurred beside it.

"Hold on back there," Carth called to her. She turned around, just in time to see Taris rushing up to meet them. "We're entering the atmosphere. Its going to be rough."

The woman strapped herself in, securing both of her blades, the shaking of the pod as it burned through the layers of atmosphere enough to rattle her teeth inside her head.

"Damn, I don't know if I can hold it steady!" the escape pod jerked, and the next thing she knew, the ground was lunging up to meet them, and then, there was darkness...