Operation Darkness: Until the Pain Comes
by Vickie Boyd



I gave the others a few minutes before I landed in the Bat Cave. The 
pain in my arm was getting to me again, so I steeled myself with the 
Force. Popping open the hatch, I jumped to the ground and promptly sank 
to my knees.

Thayer saw me first. He dashed to my side. "Jedi Boyd, are you all right?"

"The... Vong." I began to cough uncontrollably.

"We know." He helped me to my feet. "Come, tell us what you know." He 
led me to the table we had set up in the cave.

I sat down hard. Brad's brow furrowed a moment before he saw the bandage 
on my arm. "She's injured," he said, pointing to my arm.

"Vong... amphistaff."

Brad looked as if he were listening to someone, but I saw nothing. "The 
staff is poisonous. We must get her to the medbay immediately." He 
turned to face me. "Did you bring back any information on the Vong?"

I looked up at him. "How do you know," I asked slowly and firmly.

"Sci... he's..." Brad looked at the empty space beside him.

I could see nothing. "Dead, yet still on this plane?"

He nodded.

"Twitch has a little info, but not enough, I'm afraid. I followed a 
fleet through hyperspace." Suddenly, I screamed. I had dropped my 
concentration and the pain returned.

Becki grasped Thayer's arm. "We have to help her."

The King nodded to his Queen. "Brad, carry her to medical. Hopefully 
Sylvana is in better shape. She's our best hope. And someone let Rich 
know. He'll want to be there."

I barely felt Brad lift me into his arms. My vision was clouding. The 
poison was spreading. I could feel it. "I... I can't... control..." 
Everything went black.