{"id":293,"date":"2011-03-16T11:46:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-16T15:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.auroraforce.org\/blog\/?p=293"},"modified":"2011-03-16T11:46:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-16T15:46:00","slug":"vong-war-annals-groundings-03-16-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.auroraforce.org\/blog\/?p=293","title":{"rendered":"Vong War Annals – “Groundings” 03.16.2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dorrin stared at the mottled ball of blue, green, brown, and white below them, looming large after the microjump.\u00a0 He glanced at Molly, who was back at the Legacy<\/em>\u2019s controls.\u00a0 \u201cY\u2019sure you can handle landing this thing?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just like landing a shuttle, Dorrin.\u00a0 Except about ten times bigger.\u201d\u00a0 She smirked at him.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll be fine.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He didn\u2019t feel that reassured as he pressed himself back down into the command chair.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d\u00a0 He hit a control, giving him ship-wide intercom.\u00a0 \u201cAll hands, assume positions for atmospheric reentry.\u00a0 Repeat, all hands, assume positions for atmospheric reentry.\u201d\u00a0 He toggled ship-wide communications off.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEngineering reports ready for reentry, Commander.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dorrin nodded.\u00a0 \u201cDo we have clearance from Shay Control?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYessir.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood.\u201d\u00a0 He looked at Molly.\u00a0 \u201cGive me a five count, then take us in.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She nodded, focusing on her boards.\u00a0 \u201cFive.\u00a0 Four.\u00a0 Three.\u00a0 Two.\u00a0 One.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The ship nosed down slightly, toward the atmosphere.\u00a0 Dorrin took a deep breath.\u00a0 By the Force.\u00a0 I hope she really <\/em>does know what she\u2019s doing.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was a little after 0730 when Chance Kel-Solan peeked into her mother\u2019s training room, blinking in surprise to see her mother in full armor, squaring off with a staff against Les Wyler.\u00a0 Tag Rendar sat nearby, watching like a hawk with mismatched eyes, perched on a crate of artifacts Karinlyyn hadn\u2019t unpacked yet.\u00a0 The teenager swallowed, watching for a moment, then cleared her throat.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Karinlyyn\u2019s head whipped around.\u00a0 \u201cChance, what are y–acch!\u201d\u00a0 Karinlyyn bit back a curse as Les landed a blow square in her ribs while she was distracted.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He spun the staff to land another blow, but Karinlyyn was back in the fight, blocking it before it made contact with her again.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHold up, Les, please.\u201d\u00a0 Karinlyyn paused another moment to make sure he was letting up before glancing at Chance.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019re you doing down here this early in the morning, Chance?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMom, it\u2019s half past seven.\u00a0 I was having cereal and I heard you down here.\u201d\u00a0 The teenager scratched the back of her neck, peering at Les for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019re Les and Aunt Tag doing here?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust some sparring,\u201d Karinlyyn said.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Seeing Chance, Les relaxed and grinned at her. But remembering the circumstances that had landed him here, his face fell, and he looked away.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chance\u2019s brow furrowed.\u00a0 \u201cSparring for hours before eight in the morning?\u00a0 That\u2019s a little extreme even for you, Mom.\u00a0 What\u2019s going on?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI, ah, like training early in the morning. It\u2019s invigorating,\u201d Les put in, then looked away again, knowing she would either see through it or figure it out in a moment. It was no mystery around base or among his friends what a mess he had made of his life, his knighthood; the pain his actions had brought upon his family.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c\u2026but with my mom?\u00a0 You\u2019ve never squared off against Mom before.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tag cleared her throat then, drawing the girl\u2019s attention.\u00a0 \u201cLes and I talked and we decided that he\u2019s in need of some additional training, since Jinx absented himself so early after he knighted Les, he wasn\u2019t aware of how much Les had left to learn.\u00a0 So I\u2019m going to teach him.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou, Aunt Tag?\u00a0 No offense, but you haven\u2019t taught anyone outside of the family since before I was born.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSome things you don\u2019t quite forget how to do.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chance frowned, looking skeptical as she glanced back at Les.\u00a0 Tag\u2019s comm started to beep at her belt.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With gratitude to Karinlyyn, Les was able to meet eyes with Chance again, and even managed a smile. Maybe there was hope for him, after all. They seemed to think so. Feeling a flush creep into his cheeks, he turned his attention to Tag, who was answering her comm.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Jedi exchanged a few words with whoever was on the other end of the comm line and stood up.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like it\u2019s time to get back to work.\u00a0 Want to come, Les, or are you going to stay here and make googly eyes?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The flush turned into a full-blown blush. \u201cI\u2019ll…come along with you, if it\u2019s all right.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chance blushed as dark as Les and she covered her face with her hand in an attempt to hide it.\u00a0 Her mother just grinned.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tag nodded.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s fine.\u00a0 Thanks for letting me impose, Arin.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo problem, Tag.\u00a0 Something up?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tag shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cYes and no.\u00a0 Legacy<\/em> is coming to ground with a freighter that took on the Vong.\u00a0 Pilot lived to tell the tale, so we\u2019re going to go relieve the kiddies of him.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAh.\u00a0 Sounds like fun.\u201d\u00a0 Arin glanced at her daughter.\u00a0 \u201cGo on upstairs, I\u2019ll be up in a minute.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chance nodded a little, casting a quick glance toward Les.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not going off-world again anytime soon, right?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He shook his head. \u201cProbably not for some time.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She nodded.\u00a0 \u201cGood.\u00a0 \u2018cause I wasn\u2019t going to let you go anywhere alone.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tag, standing near the door out to the garden, cleared her throat.\u00a0 \u201cCome on, Les.\u00a0 Legacy<\/em>\u2019s coming down right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ten minutes later, the Legacy<\/em> had settled onto the field at the edge of base, her hangar doors opening slowly so a waiting ground crew could move the Seraph\u2019s Wake<\/em> onto a waiting hovertruck.\u00a0 Tag hoisted herself off the hood of her speeder and started walking, motioning for Les to follow.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is more NRI than Jedi,\u201d she said quietly to him as she walked, \u201cbut sometimes, the jobs end up meshing pretty well.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She stopped near the edge of the ramp and waited to meet the freighter captain who had squared off with the Vong and lived to tell the tale.<\/p>\n

~ Joint post between Erin and Skyy<\/p>\n

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