The Marshall is in

And then
 
We are yanked out of hyperspace by a huge blast of Cronau radiation and left with only life support, gravity, and minimal support systems. I see a squad of fighters come out and start scanning the multitude of ships stuck in this same mess. Some they escort back to the fleet - oh! I didn't mention the huge fleet that apparently created the radiation surge that pulled us out of hyperspace?? Well, it turns out that the mysterious Katana fleet is here and active. Found it! Wonder if there is a bounty or reward for that?
 
Anyway, some ships they escort back - I am sure those are either the ones with power, people, or cargo - others they destroy. I am about to order Hicks to hide our power signature, but we might need that to give us a fighting chance. I then ask for suggestions on ways we can get out of this. Hicks looks closer at the ship and identifies that as a targeted hyperspace drive that could do major damage. He tells me that there are only two weaknesses that he is aware of: the struts that provide power and the bridge connectors that provide the targeting instructions. As we do not have a way to do anything about that problem yet, we move on to discuss the more immediate problems. Which is when So'Zen walks onto the bridge and is his usual idiotic self. He finally leaves to go check on the children and the crystal- mentioning on the way out that Vandromas is to the starboard. I have Hicks pull some of the energy from the gravity generator and put it into the sensors and start a full scan of the surrounding area.
 
The sensor data downloads and I begin to scroll through the information. Life signs, species, ships, pirates (in heavily modified ships of course). I also do a sweep of the TIE's that are going through the ships pulled from hyperspace. They are unusual in that they have black panels and gray trim and their nose has an angled U design that would allow them to handle atmosphere better. They do have a meaner look about them and the cockpit is midnight black with silver trim. Standard twin lasers and SHEILDS! That is so unfair! I keep scanning to look for the Bloodsmith raider tech that Hicks says that Vondromas has in him. Then I discover a Medusa ship. I am about to look for the name and it is destroyed first. I need the black box and droid out of that debris!
 
I then see one of the TIE fighters surround a ship and I watch as storm troopers leap out of the air lock and fall on the ship. I do not recognize their armor. It is bulky and black with white shoulder bells and I can kinda see an image on there. I enhance an image of the white shoulder bells to see if I can get a better view of the image - and I see Black Templar troopers. I leave that problem for future Aerena and continue scanning for the digital signatures that could be Bloodsmith tech. I find an area that says there is tech there, but there is nothing there - except a VOR belt. That means Danar is here too and on a cloaked ship. So another problem. Up to four I think and I feel like I really need a drink or maybe four. One for each problem.
 
I quickly peruse the remainder of the derelict ships and it appears that the bulk freighters and transports that either have a lot of people or those that have replicators on board are the ones being boarded. I think that since we have the crystal there is a high probability we will be boarded. I send the image I grabbed over to Hicks and he is a bit stunned as well. He however feels that their bulk provides us an opportunity. We should be able to take them out one at a time and hopefully keep them from communicating to the rest of the fleet. I have Hicks begin work to cobble together a device and suggest he might be able to the ion barrel from one of his DC17s. I turn to leave and Lady Zay is suddenly just there. I share with her the situation and Hick's plan. She feels it is a good one as well. She agrees to help Hicks and that reminds me to turn on the maintenance droids and get them busy with ship repairs. As I am leaving, I hear Lady Zay saying not to use the hyperdrive right away since that is where children are stashed. Dratted Bishop - just like his master creating more problems.
 
I get to the cargo bay and find the crystal (or artifact or whatever) emitting a soft blue light. It has a crystalline structure with a blue pillar supporting it, but it ends in mid-air so not really a support?? Anyway I see So'Zen asleep on the job so I ignore him and walk over to the crystal to see if it reacts to me now that it has been activated. It doesn't. Nor does it appear to react to So'Zen. I guess I need to get him functioning so he can help. I try a stun blast, but that doesn't work so I get up very close to his ear so he can hear me and yell loudly "So'Zen!! Master Yoda needs you!!"
 
No reaction. Then Hicks calls me to say time is up. We determine a plan of action that puts Lady Zay on the bridge (with the coordinates to Danar's ship if she wants to call him) to confirm which airlock they pick with Hicks midway between them so he can head to the correct one with the device. I am closer to the aft hatch so we have one fighter in each third of the ship. Then over our comms we begin to hear the comm chatter from the assault shuttles and TIE fighters. There is also a commentary from Danar as he feeds us intel on where they ships are heading. Main force is going to hit our main hatch while someone Marshall is coming alone to the aft hatch. He is apparently a force user - yeah me.
 
A figure walks in with a stealth suit with a military vest and a hood. There is a rebreather (ow he made it through space obviously) and I fire a quick shot at his knee and I manage to take him down. He immediately rolled away and I fired my second shot which just missed. He steps up and hurls a knife at me and I dodge behind the door. It takes a furrow out of my jacket and it hits the bulkhead discharging electricity. I grab the knife and Hicks calls me to say he is moving on to plan B to handle the rest of the troopers and tells me to let Vanya know it wasn't her fault. Then he shoots force lightning at me. It hits me. I am jolted by the electrical power and it knocks me back and I am down to one knee and I feel stunned. Lady Zay contacts me to tell me about the change in plans which include leaving the first group of troopers on the ship for Lady Zay to handle while he floats across to their shuttle to take the fight to them (and a plasma cannon) to blow up their shuttle and come back - at least he better come back. She inquires if I need help and I say yes - if she can. She heads my way after handling her situation.
 
I look up, expecting Lady Zay, but it is So'Zen sliding into the doorway and finally does something. Which is to upset him more apparently. Then Lady Zay comes over the comms to say that Hicks is halfway between our ship and the departing shuttle and they are attempting to grab him with a grappling hook. I tell her to solve that situation now that So'Zen is awake and working.