Barriss/Potiti: The Klaw

Potiss: The Klaw

The war dragged beyond Planet Rhoona, and General Potiti found himself assigned to the Gorshin system, chasing the pirates that had been pushed off Rhoona.  He had helped Master Luminara and her Padawan, Barriss Offee, defeat a new kind of Sith.  Rasah Lapin, a snake woman who embraced the Dark Side of the Force.

But he still had a campaign to help win against the pirates who raided Rhoona.  His cruisers kept up pursuit.

"General Potiti!  We've picked up some interesting signals from the Altair system." One of the officers on the bridge called his attentions.

Potiti examined the report and looked up at the charts of the surrounding systems.  "Altair system.  There are ship movements out there."

"You think it's pirates?" the officer blinked.

The General scratched his chin, contemplating "It's not a very strategic place, but they could have been hiding there.  It might only be smugglers, but it's still worth checking out to see what is going on there.  Call the Captain.  Let's take a look."



Barriss Offee had been in the hospital bed for only a few short hours.  She had barely survived at the hands of a Naga Sith that was about to feast on her life energy, but now she was getting mentally prepared for duty again.  The medical droids prepped her as best they could with some booster medicine and  healing salves for the heated damage on her skin.

"I really would recommend you stay in bed and rest for a few more days.  You're still at risk for dehydration and heat stroke." The medic droid explained.

But Barriss could not, in good conscious, wait too long.  "My troops are fighting with worse wounds.  They don't get to rest, so I don't get to rest."  She gathered up her things and walked to the door.  After a quick shuttle ride to her Command cruiser, Barriss reported in with General Secura.

"It is good to see you well, Commander Offee" Aayla smiled.  They bowed to each other before the briefing.

"Master Secura.  It's good to be back and doing my part."  Barriss smiled and followed as they walked.

"We're going to need you for this new series of unexplained events.  I need you for a search mission, possibly a rescue mission."

They entered a briefing room with the Clone Captains, Bly and Galle.  Other officers were gathered and there was a large 3D hologram map of the surrounding systems.  Bly started the briefing as everyone settled in.

The Pirates that attacked Rhoona are in a state of retreat, but they still threaten the surrounding systems.  If anything, they are conducting other avenues of Business besides the war.  Gustarian the Hutt has taken to hiding with his fleet somewhere in the Iod system, while smugglers are involved in ship movements in various sectors.  Plus, we think that a kidnapped scientist is connected to some of the activities going on.  Mineralogist Professor Ganas was taken from the University of Rhoona by the pirates, and we have reason to believe the ship he is on went into this sector here, in the Hastur system."

Bly waved his hand in a sector of unknown space "They might be using him for a specific purpose, but we are unsure of what.  Jedi Knight Offee will conduct the investigation into that direction."

General Secura also spoke during the briefing "These pirates have been very organized, and I have no doubt they are doing various agendas with a single purpose.  I intend to investigate the asteroid field in this sector.  Hopefully, we can discover their purpose, and put it to an end."

The groups dismissed, and Barriss went to her Jedi craft with Commander Galle.  "I will do recon into the unknown system.  I will report back as soon as possible...."

"Good luck, Commander" Captain Galle saluted and went to gather up the troops for readiness.  Barriss launched from the hanger bay and jumped into hyperspace.




General Aayla Secura took her two cruisers to the Ustov-667 asteroid belt that separated several systems.  Cautious to not get stuck between large asteroids, she flew her squadron into the field.  They encountered a very organized pirate mining base, and its defenses.  But the pirates were no match for experienced fighter pilots of the GAR.  The mining operation was shut down, and soon Aayla realized they were mining a hidden cache of kyber crystals.  Large kyber crystals....



General Potiti's fleet reached the Altair system.  They scanned for any activity and spotted a convoy of cargo ships.

"That's damn odd" Potiti observed them "Hail the convoy.  Find out what their manifest is"

The officers communicated with the ships, reporting back.  "They're mining ships with simple ores, going to process at at facility orbiting Altair 4."

"This is pirate territory, and they have no defenses.  Why don't they have escorts?"  The General pondered.

"They say they don't need protection." The officer replied.

Potiti was unconvinced.  Something was wrong.  "Scan those ships.  Find out what they are carrying!"

After a preliminary scan, the officer looked intrigued "Sir, we are detecting compounds that make up the crystal Kyber structures.  In large quantities."

"Kyber crystals!" Potiti concluded "Valuable to Jedi, maybe worth a little on the matrket, but no one else uses it.  What could THEY be doing with it?"  Potiti exited the bridge to to go to the hanger bay "I'm going to take a closer look.  My nose tells me there is more to this than meets the eye."

Potiti followed the cargo ships from a distance to a space station that processed the minerals in zero-G conditions.  "Amazing..." he whispered to himself.  He watched s large chunks of crystrals were processed by droids and men in space suits.  Processed not to be ground up, but cut into a specific shape.  The large Kyber crystals were being shaped in a strange way, as if to fit a certain design.

"These crystals hold great power when used by Jedi, but what could these pirates want with it?  They don't use light sabers...."

One of the finished Kyber crystals is hauled into a freighter which leaves the station.  Potiti followed it and attached his craft to the freighter's hull as it jumped into hyperspace.  "Let's hope I can ride this unnoticed for a while..." he thought to himself.



Barriss Offee did not search long in the Hastur system for pirate activity.  She saw the pirates were sitting in a large space station shaped like a clawed hand!

"Incredible!  Who could build such a base!?" she wondered, but her thoughts were interrupted by an enemy patrol.  Three fighters found her on their sensors and engaged to destroy!

"R3!  Evasive maneuvers!" Barriss pulled up and hit the thrusters to speed out of blaster range.  The pirate fighter pursued and fired around her.  But Barriss stayed focused and soon used their advantages against them.  Swiftly, she pulled up and around, straining her Jedi fighter into a u-turn and headed straight for them.  She stared at the center fightercraft, blasting her guns.  The pirate craft was obliterated, scattering the other two craft.

R3v and Barriss coordinated between the other two opponents.  She chased one, damaging the fighter's engines and quickly turned on the last fighter.  Barriss twisted her steering wheel, spinning her fighter in a spiral difficult to hit.  The third pirate tried to blast her to dust, but Barriss piloted on a faster level, and clipped the enemy's wing, sending him careening into the second fighter craft.

"All right, R3, they will soon figure out that we are out here, we need to fly under their scanners and get close to that space station!"

The station went on alert, but Barriss flew the ship quickly up against the massive hull and shut down all her systems except life support.  With meditation, she also slowed down her own breathing to mask herself from any scans the pirates attempted.  She would break from the meditation soon, and investigate this monstrosity of a base.




Potiti stayed connected to the cargo freighter as it dropped out of hyperspace and made its final approach to its destination.  His jaw dropped as he got closer.  "You have GOT to be kidding me!" he saw the giant space station in its "open hand" position.  The hand shaped structure was foreboding and dark with a few lights activated around it.  Staying attached to the freighter allowed him to slip past the patrols and enter the docking bay without incident.  His secure position did not comfort him, however.  Something was wrong, amiss.  He sensed a presence nearby.  The inside of the station had an atmosphere, allowing him to exit his craft and climb along the length of the freighter towards a landing.  He snuck past some flight crew personnel to enter the hallways.

The station was full of pirates, and they seemed to be gearing up for hostile activities.

Then he felt the sensation again.  He wandered down the hall, mingled within the crowds.  No one glanced at him, thinking he was just another brigand.  But he felt as if he were being watched.

He felt compelled to enter a small Elevator.  He punched a button to go to the engineering section.  A panel opened from the ceiling, startling him for a second.  But relief washed over him as Barriss Offee dropped down.

"Fancy meeting you here!" almost smiled.

"We must stop meeting like this, General Potiti.  t least, not in such disparaging places." She greeted him and almost smiled as well.

"For pirates, they are well organized and seem to be keeping themselves occupied."

They exited the lift quickly in the lower levels of the station.  "This Space station is being transformed into a weapon of immense power!" Barriss updated him "They kidnapped a scientist to help them with a weapon that uses Kyber crystals in its design.  A giant laser cannon, capable of incredible destruction!"

"Hmmm, that explains the mining operations in the Altair system.  They bring in the Kyber ore, shape it to a certain specification and size, then bring it here!"

"This station may very well be fully operational.  If they counterattack our Forces in the Rhoona system..." Barriss trails off, contemplating the horror.

"It'll be a slaughter!" Potiti's expression became serious. "We have to contact Master Unduli and Master Secura.  Bring their fleets to bear on this installation....."

"We need to rescue Professor Ganas, and find a way off the station-"

Their planning was interrupted by alarms and klaxxons wailing.  The station rumbled and started to move.

"We're....traveling!  We're moving!" Potiti gasped.

"They've stepped up their plans perhaps." Barriss frowned and looked at him with a sense of guilt "I destroyed a patrol when I discovered this station.  They may have realized the Republic might know of their plans and they are on the move.  I have tipped our hand too soon."

"You can't help being a good pilot.  It's all spilt milk at this point.  We must send out a signal and rescue the Professor.  Then escape as best we can!"

"They'll spot our signal when we send it.  The whole station will be on alert." She reminded him of complications.

Potiti shrugged "If we can make the Klaw station vulnerable before it's at full power, we can crush the pirates in this sector forever.  One life for millions."

Barriss held her breath for a moment, then put her hand on his "Two lives for millions".





They held their hands together for a long moment, and Potiti's heart felt it could burst with a sense of happiness.  In the midst of dark realization that they might not make it out alive, his heart was filled with joy as Barriss smiled at him, completely ready to take this mission to its conclusion with him.

They split up in the lower levels.  The Klaw stations pipe filled lower engineering areas were a clutter of hallways, random terminals stations for maintenance and technical droids that they easily cut down with light sabers.  Barriss made her way to the Klaw's dungeon holdings, prison cells where Professor Ganas would be held.  There were few guards there, and it was easy to dispatch them.  Cutting them down, she made her way to his cell.

"Professor Ganas!  I'm here to get you out!"

"It's too late!" Ganas bemoaned his freedom "I was forced to help these scum build a terrible weapon to be used against the Republic.  It is my fault!"

Barriss guided him out of the cells "There is still a chance!  We will do our best to sabotage the station.

Potiti made his way to a communications relay, and opened a channel to several Generals.  He contacted General Secura, Master Unduli, General Mink Nightstorm, as well as his own fleet admiral and the 501st HQ.  "This is a transmission by General Potiti" he started out "I am transmitting coordinates from a secret pirate space station, the Klaw.  They have acquired a dangerous weapon of planet killing status.  The Space Station is on the move and will wreak destruction through the quadrant.  It must be stopped at all costs....."

The pirates had detected Potiti's rogue com link and sounded the alarm.  Potiti only hesitated for half a second "This is my final transmission from the Klaw.  Lock in on these coordinates, and destroy it!  May the Force be with you...."

The transmission ended before anyone could respond or react.  Potiti searched out Barriss in the corridors and fought off several pirates as he moved quickly.

Barriss and Ganas heard the alarms.  She knew they would be cornered soon.  She ran to a maintenance dock near the engineering section, and found an escape pod.  She quickly helped Ganas inside.

"But what about you!?" Ganas panicked.

"There is only room for one, Professor.  Our fleet will rescue you in time." Barriss calmly started to close the hatch.

"You're not going to make it!!" Ganas felt very undeserving of his rescue, the weight of guilt for his forced participation in building a terrible device with the Kyber crystals.

Barriss gently shook her head.  "No, but you will."  She closed the hatch and launched the pod.

Explosions started to rock the space station, more alarms sounded.  Barriss ran through the station to find Potiti.  They met in the hallway.

"The battle has started!" Potiti said excitedly "We just might be able to stop them!"

Barriss smiled and hugged Potiti, but they felt the station move again.  A powerful hum started to vibrate throughout the Klaw.

"They must be getting ready to fire the super weapon!" Potiti gasped.  More guards appeared in the hallway to shoot the Jedi.  Barriss and Potiti raised their sabers and charged.  Deflecting the shots, they moved quickly to eliminate the enemy pirates or push them away with the Force.

They could feel the pulsing of the cannon fire!  "We have to disable that weapon, or else our fleet will suffer!" Potiti looked at her with a desperate urgency.  They ran through multiple corridors of the massive station.  Through some of the glass portals, they caught glimpses of the space battle raging around them.  Dozens of Republic fighters stinging their way through pirate fighters while the Republic cruisers vollied their cannons at the massive hand shaped structure.

They also caught glimpse of the super weapon firing upon the fleet.  One of the Cruisers is ruptured by the large green laser blast.  Not destroyed, it burned with critical hull damage but kept closing in.

"That's Master Unduli's command ship!" Barriss gasped, and they doubled their efforts to reach the command room where the gun crew was stationed.

In a flash, Potiti and Barriss launched themselves at the crew and the machinery that operated the massive gun.  Pirates scrambles and ran in all directions as the Jedi slashed their equipment.  Scanners showed the Kyber crystal in the vast Station's machinery operating the super cannon.

"It's being re-energized!" Barriss pointed out on the computers.

Potiti twisted some dials and sent the re-charger into overdrive "Let's feed it more!" He smashed the computer with his light saber and they watched as the Kyber crystal was now overloading with energy.  Barriss contacted the fleet, warning them to pull away.

"Barriss!!?" Master Unduli called out on the comlink "What is your situation?"

"Master, Geneal Potiti and I are shutting down the station!  Pull back to a safe distance!  We will find a way to reach you!"

"No!  I will find a way to reach YOU!!  Get to the hanger bay!!"  Luminara rushed to a LAAT and launched with precision and went full speed past a flurry of pirate fighters and Republic defenders that paved an opening for her.

Barriss and Potiti held hands as they ran.  The Kyber crystal began to disintegrate under the pressure of recharging.  Explosions ruptured all around the space station.  Pirates began to evacuate by ship and escape pod.  Chaos was all around as ceilings and floors collapsed, corridors caved in and fires burst.  The hull began to break apart.

Most of the fleet moved to a safe distance, save for one small fast gunship that barreled its way into the station and almost crashed.  With no time to delay, Barriss and Potiti jumped on board and braced themselves as Master Unduli fired the engines to maximum and blaster way past the collapsing bay doors.

"Are you alright!?" Master Unduli called out.

"Yes.  We are fine" Barriss and Potiti held each other close.  Gasping for breath and holding onto the ship tightly, they braced for the explosion that soon consumed the Klaw Space Station.

"Shock wave!" Potiti held her close.  The shock wave hit and rocked the little gunship almost out of control.  Master Unduli was a skilled pilot, however, and kept a calm control over the ship, moving fast to avoid debris as she landed in her command ship.

Potiti ad Barriss held their breath for one safe moment together.  No one was looking as they simply held each other.

"You did very well, Barriss" Potiti blushed and straightened himself up.

"As did you, General." She bowed to him.

Master Unduli opened the gunship door with haste, but also calmed down as she saw the two Jedi unharmed.  "It is good to see you well, my padawan."

"Thank you, Master." Barriss bowed and smiled.

"Come, we must help see to the wounded.  General Potiti, you have done well also.  Destroying that Klaw station....you have saved many lives today."

Potiti bowed humbly as Luminara exited.  But he smiled at Barriss as she turned to him.

"Until we meet again.  Let us hope the war is one day closer to ending."  Barriss went over to him and kissed him on the cheek

Potiti blushed again, his heart skipping a beat "What was that for?" 

"For making us both feel alive when we both thought it was the end." Barriss bowed to him, her heart also skipping a few beats.

Barriss followed her Master to help with the wounded.  Potiti sat in the gunship and drifted to another world for a few seconds.  Normally, he would become detached after each battle, becoming less involved emotionally.  But that kiss.....he drifted to a place where he did become what Barriss claimed.  He became truly alive.  And he looked very much forward to the next time with Barriss.  Her kiss gave him hope that they would celebrate the end of the war very soon.