Project Boussh: Atner's Lease Is Up
by Alison Sky and Scifantasy

A blinding flash of red filled Sci's vision, and when it cleared,
Atner lay on the floor next to him, dead with a smoking wound in his
heart. Thayer Atner, son of the last True Dictator of Mendellia,
nephew of Eugor, was standing in the entrance to the room with a
blaster in his hand. Sci bowed to him.
It wasn't until the end of the kodak moment happening before her that
Alison suddenly felt very weak.  She looked down at her hip, and saw
that she was bleeding rather heavily.  "He must have gotten me worse
that I thought."
"What was that?" Corran asked, turning his head towards her.  He
looked down and saw her injury.  "Sithspit!"
"It's just a scratch," Alison said, and suddenly her hip went out.
She fell sideways, using her sword to keep her from falling flat on
her butt.  Ooryl reached over and grabbed her.  "Whoa..."
Sci turned his attention from Thayer to them. "What's wrong?"
"She has no strength left," Corran said.
Sci looked over the swordswoman.  Her hip was still bleeding, and her
face was turning black and blue from where Atner had backslapped her.
"Take her back to med bay, Ooryl.  We can handle the rest here."
Ooryl nodded.  He slipped an arm around Alison, the side that didn't
have the swords hanging from her belt, and started down the hall.
Before they left the room, Alison turned her head back to the others.
"Corran."
The Jedi looked back at her.  "Yeah?"
"Can you blast my bronzed hair?"  She smiled.  "I don't think I want
it anymore."

As Ooryl and Alison left the room, Sci turned to Thayer and bowed
again. "My lord Thayer, give me the honor of presenting you the throne
of Dictator of Mendellia." Dedul quickly snapped to military
attention. Thayer smiled, and crossed the room to where Atner's chair
was, and sat. Already he had taken on a slight regal air.
"Lord Atner..." Dedul began, obviously confused. "If you don't mind me
asking, what are you doing here? Last we heard, you were still in the
air battle."
"The air battle is all but over, soldier," explained Thayer, his voice
light and happy for the first time in months. "The New Republic's
pilots made short work of my uncle's air forces. Sci called me on the
comlink and let me know that they were going after my uncle. He
suggested that it might be more legitimate if I claimed power as soon
as possible."
Thayer then turned to where Atner had been, and frowned. "How did he
get free of his constraints?"
Corran walked over and picked something up from the ground. "An
electronic lockpick for binders. Typical."
Sci bowed once more. "Thank you for saving my life, Lord Thayer."
Thayer smiled, relief evident on his face. "That was for everything
you and your team have done for me. It is done, then."
"Not for us, Lord. We still have another target."
"Yes, your friends on the Admonitor..."

Face was sitting with Emily and Mike when the Ewok sentry ran back
into the med bay.  He started yubbing madly and ran straight for
Crispy.  Face stood and looked down the hall.  "What is he saying,
Crisp?"
Crispy raised an eyebrow at him.  "Someone's coming down the hall."
"It's Alison and Ooryl!" Becki shouted from the doorway.
The Terrans ran to the doorway just as the Gand entered, half-carrying
Alison into the room.  Kristy helped support her other side and they
led her to a chair.  "What in the name of TAWG happened?"
Ooryl looked at the group.  "We got Atner."
A cheer of victory went up from everyone in the room.  "How did it
happen?" Mike said, twirling his lightsabre in celebration.
"Ooryl will explain later.  First we must get Alison treated."

Thayer turned to Atner's control station, and pressed a few controls.
"Now hear this," he began, and every communications system in the High
Palace--in fact, every one on the island--acted as a speaker. "I,
Thayer Atner, righful heir to the throne of Mendellia, son of Enad
Atner, the last True King of Mendellia, hereby claim rule of
Mendellia. I plead, in the name of the people of Mendellia and their
history, that you support me in putting the past, and the rule of my
uncle, Eugor Atner, behind us forever." He closed the connection.
Cheers were audible down the hall, from the direction of the med bay.
"Not bad for a first speech, Lord Thayer." Sci smiled.
Thayer smiled back. "Your group is in the med center?"
"Most of them are. You want to meet them?"
"Yes," Thayer nodded. "I wish to express my gratitude for everything
they have done. Besides, Rekla is being brought there to heal, and I
wish to see him."
"I would be honored to escort you," Sci responded formally. 

Emily went to her wingmate's side, and saw both swords in her belt.
"HEY!  You took my sword!"
Alison looked up and smiled at Emily.  "I had to.  Nothing else would
be able to block my sword's razor edge."
Emily growled and took the weapon from her side, accidentally slitting
the pant leg of Alison's suit.  Alison hissed as she felt the tearing
of the fabric and the tingle of the metal too close to her skin.
Crispy came up behind her and slapped Emily upside her head.  "Good
move, flygirl.  Next time aim for her chest."
Emily turned, holding up her sword in an offensive position.  Mike
laughed.  "Careful, Crispy.  She's deadly with that thing."
"We've got one bacta tank prepped and ready for her," Sharon said,
coming forward with a set of clothing.
Alison's eyes instantly opened wide and she looked around.  She was
trapped in the chair with Becki, Kristy, Morwen, Ooryl, Mike, Emily
and Crispy surrounding her.  "I'm NOT going in a bacta tank."
"It's not that bad, Alison," Ooryl stated.  "You will be out before
you know it."
"You're gonna need it if you want to keep fighting," Kristy stated
factually.
"It heals like magic," Crispy said.
"Yes?" Mike said.
"I said LIKE magic... though it DID heal Majick too," Crispy stated.
"Just hope that it doesn't have an indoctrination tape playing."
"That's it!" Alison shouted, trying to get to her feet.  "There is NO
WAY I'm getting in one of those-"
Everyone was surprised as Alison slumped forward into Ooryl and Mike's
arms.  The group turned around and saw Face standing a few feet away,
a blaster in his hand.  "I told you I was going to stun her."
Kristy shook her head.  "Let's get her into bacta, then wait and see
what news comes from the others."
The group nodded, and Becki and Morwen took Alison from the boys and
led her back to where the bacta tanks were.  They changed her and
dumped her into the pink liquid.  Next to her still floated Josh
Cochran, the new Terra Group member, and the injured Ewok.  Within a
few days, the group would be back to it's full fighting force, and
then woe to the people on the Admonitor.