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AI generater artwork for my superhero Au
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 9
Another Enemy Revealed
In one of the hangar bays of Prime sat a DeepWater-class light freighter named the Iduna. Inside was the ship’s owner, Anna. She was Elsa’s younger sister and had joined the Rebellion after reuniting with her after years of separation following the Clone Wars. She was in her quarter’s and had on her black body glove. Over it was her gold colored Mandalorian armor.
She had obtained it and the skills to match after being adopted into a Mandalorian clan during her search for her sister. She’d suspended her goal for a time after deeming she lacked the necessary skills to face the dangers of the galaxy. So she trained with them, learning their customs and martial ways all in order to get stronger. After spending some time with them she left to continue her quest to reunite with sister.
She’d obtained her ship in the process, needing a makeshift home for the prolonged lengths of time she was sure to spend scouring every corner of the galaxy, chasing every whisper, and looking for any trace of the Jedi in hopes of finding her. She’d named it after their mother to honor her, and perhaps invoke her spirit to aid her in her travels.
As she finished putting her armor on, save her helmet and jetpack, she looked toward her pair of WESTAR-35 blaster pistols on her cot before reaching a hand out to grab them. She grabbed one and holstered it but before she could grab the other she stopped midway. She cocked her head and decided to try something. She closed her eyes, hand outstretched and took a few deep breaths.
She relaxed her mind and body. Focusing before opening her eyes and focusing her will on her pistol. Her hand trembled in effort as she attempted to call it to her hand. Anna, like her sister, was Force sensitive. Unlike her sibling however, her connection to the Force was somewhat weak.
Anna had never practiced with her power. Only discovering it upon reuniting with her sister. At first she was certain she didn’t need it, believing her skill set and combat abilities were more than enough. But recently she’d begun to reconsider. She figured that this could be another weapon in her arsenal. Perhaps one day even save her life.
So she’d asked her sister to give her some pointers and tips on how to use some of the abilities the Jedi could use. Anna’s Force powers were primarily used instinctually to enhance her reflexes. She also had a weak sensory ability, able to detect other Force sensitive beings or objects. Though this power was most strongly attuned to sensing her sister, as it had during her search for her. It was what led her to believe she was still alive, despite having not having seen her in years and having no evidence supporting her belief.
She also got bad feelings every now and then which would alert her to dangers that were hidden and beyond her awareness. A sort of precognition the Jedi were known to have.
The skill she’d been practicing at the most was her telekinetic ability. She found it to be the most useful to have, figuring it may one day mean the difference between life and death if she could learn to use it.
But it had so far proven difficult to master.
She grit her teeth, eyes narrowing and hand shaking. “Come on. Come on,” she muttered quietly.
The blaster gave an almost imperceptible tremble, and she could swear she saw it move just a tiny bit. But ultimately her most recent attempt proved as unsuccessful as the last as she dropped her arm with a defeated sigh.
“You’re trying too hard.”
Anna turned her head to see her sister standing there. She’d been so engrossed in what she’d been doing she hadn’t noticed her enter.
Anna sighed again and frowned. “You guys make it look so easy,” she whined.
Elsa chuckled before turning her attention to the blaster. She focused on it, and a moment later it rose from the bed before drifting through the air and to her. She grabbed it out of the air and walked to her sister, offering it for her to take.
Anna scowled at her. “Show off,” she muttered as she took and holstered it.
“You’ll get it in time,” Elsa assured her.
“But you could already move stuff when you were a kid,” Anna pointed out.
“True. But I had an unusually strong connection to the Force for my age,” Elsa explained. “And when I joined the Jedi it took me some time to fully master my ability. You just need to have patience.”
“I’m trying to.”
“Do or-”
“Stop. Just stop,” Anna said with a raised hand to cut her off.
Elsa gave a light laugh in amusement. She then commended Anna on her efforts in the previous raid on the Imperial city. Anna not so humbly accepted the praise with a grin. Anna was assigned to no particular squad or unit. Instead she tended to serve as what they dubbed a “force multiplier” to whatever unit or operation she was attached to, bolstering the offensive capabilities of the group she was assigned and increasing the overall chances for success.
Anna was skilled in a variety of weapons and had extensive training in hand-to-hand combat. She was also skilled in tracking, stealth(most of the time), and explosives. And she had quite the varied arsenal at her disposal. All of these factors made her a valuable asset. Her skills were considered second only to her sister and the other Jedi, and matched the upper echelons of even the most elite rebel officers.
She was generally considered a substitute for when a Jedi was needed, such as when facing an Imperial Force adept or other elite imperial forces.
“So what’s up Elsa? We got a mission?” Anna asked, sensing her sister hadn’t come just to make small talk.
“Indeed,” Elsa confirmed as they entered the cockpit. Anna took a seat in the pilot’s chair as Elsa took the co-pilot’s seat. “Merida asked me to make contact with one of our spies and I could use some transport,” she explained.
“Ah. Ok,” Anna said. She began hitting the ship’s controls and preparing the engines to take off. “I assume we’re clear then?” she checked to be sure as the ship rumbled to life.
“Yes,” Elsa confirmed.
“Should we get Kristoff?”
“Merida’s pulled him for something else,” Elsa revealed.
“Oh yeah? What?” Anna inquired curiously.
“She didn’t say.”
With a hum and a shrug in acceptance, Anna activated the repulsorlifts for the Iduna. After hovering off the floor of the hangers she activated the engines and directed the ship out of the bay and into space.
Elsa gave her the destination and she inputted the hyperdrive coordinates before sending the ship into hyperspace and shooting off into the void.
*******************************************************************************************
In another part of the galaxy two starfighters were flying over a forest. Their pilots were on the lookout for anything amiss. But so far all they’d made out were trees and fields as far as the eyes could see.
In one starfighter was Hiccup in his Delta-7 Interceptor. He flew with his fighter tilted at a slight angle to the side for a better view. He hummed to himself, eyes scanning the forest below. “Sharpshot, do another scan for any communication signals,” he said aloud.
His droid co-pilot replied with a series of beeps and complied. A small dish on the droid’s head popped out and rotated, scanning for any signs of communication on the planet. After a moment of silence the droid followed up with another string of beeps.
“Nothing huh?” he said in disappointment. “You getting anything Rapunzel?” he asked his comrade in the other fighter.
Flying a few meters at his side was a starfighter that was also from the Clone Wars era like Hiccup’s Delta-7. It was an Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. It was a bright yellow with a pink undertone to reflect Rapunzel’s personal tastes. Adorning its S-foils were golden suns, a reference to Rapunzel’s position as leader of Sun Squadron.
It was one of the few within the Alliance’s possession and Rapunzel had requested it for use as her personal fighter. She’d named it the Sundrop and had allowed Hiccup and Jack to modify it, granting it light shielding and hyperspace capabilities without the need for a hyperspace ring.
She’d just returned to base from her visit with the younglings and meeting with Eugene’s old friend when Merida had assigned them all missions. Merida had told her to go with Hiccup, which she gladly accepted. They’d been informed that they were on a search mission and that their combined powers may be able to find what scanners could not.
An Alliance astromech in the Sundrop’s astromech socket was also scanning for any signal or beacons on the planet. She hummed before replying, “No. I’m not getting anything either.”
“You feeling anything?” he asked.
“I’m not sensing anything through the Force. You?”
“No. Just the general stuff,” Hiccup answered. He hummed before righting his fighter. He thought for a while before opening his communication channel. “Let’s let Jack know what we got.”
Waiting in orbit sat a Consular-class cruiser with more rebel forces waiting for the Jedi to report their findings. Jack stood in the cockpit behind the pilot and co-pilot awaiting their report. They’d been sent to do some reconnaissance of the planet and look for any survivors after one of the scouting party had been found in space in an escape pod.
“Come in cruiser,” came Hiccup over the comm channel.
Jack stepped up to the controls and pressed a button to respond. “Go ahead Hiccup.”
“We’re not seeing anything down here,” Hiccup replied.
“Nothing with the Force either?” Jack inquired.
“No. No signals, no distress beacon, no signs of life save for what’s to be expected for a terrestrial planet.”
“Yeah, we’re not getting anything on our planet wide scans either,” Jack added.
“I’m thinking we need to get on the ground,” Hiccup proposed.
“Copy that,” Jack said in agreement. “Takes us down,” Jack said to the pilot. The pilot complied, directing the cruiser down and into orbit.
They found a large field within sight of the crashed Separatist frigate and set the cruiser down. A few moments later Hiccup and Rapunzel landed their fighters in the same field, but at the tree line. The Jedi exited their fighters to join the others after telling their astromechs to continue scanning and to keep the engines prepped in case a quick escape was needed. They gathered at the cruiser as the rebels filed out, bringing out speeder bikes as well.
There were 22 in total. Including the Jedi, Jack, and Toothless who’d come due to his experience navigating and tracking in forest environments. Alongside them were 18 more officers. Six of which were clone troopers from black regiment and another six that were members of Sun Squadron. The rest were an assortment of rebels of different species that’d come to help in the search.
They gathered as Hiccup began giving orders. “Alright, from what we know the scouting party was using that Separatist ship as base camp,” he said as he pointed at said ship. “We’ll use that as our starting point and spread out from there. Sun Squad, split into two teams and cover the area to the Starboard side. Black, you split into two teams and cover the port. Rapunzel and Toothless go with the rest of the group and cover the stern. Perform sweeping searches within half a mile diameter of the ship and we’ll go from there. Understood?” he finished as he looked at everyone.
They all nodded in confirmation. “Alright. Take the bikes to cover more area. Go.” With his orders given they broke away and split into their search groups before heading to their bikes.
As they left he raised his wrist comm to talk to the pilot in the cruiser. “Keep the engines warm gentlemen. And keep those scanners on alert for Imperial activity. Last thing we need is to be ambushed and we may need to make a quick escape if we are,” he ordered.
“Copy that, General,” came the pilot’s response in compliance.
Jack remained where he was in confusion. He hadn’t been given any orders. “What about us Hiccup?” he asked curiously.
“I want to check out the inside of the ship,” Hiccup answered.
A few minutes later Hiccup and Jack were walking through the corridors of the ship. They’d found the entrance in the ship's outer hull and were exploring with glowrods in hand. The lights in the ceiling were dim and flickering as they went.
“Guess they were able to restore some power to the ship,” Jack commented as he noted the lights.
“Guess so. Remind me why these guys were here again?” Hiccup asked.
“Looking for a potential ground base from what I understand. Somewhere the fleet can fall back to and regroup if everything went to poodoo,” Jack explained.
“Ah,” Hiccup replied in understanding.
“You think Imperials got them?” Jack asked.
“The survivor didn’t say?” Hiccup inquired.
“Nah, he wasn’t doing so hot when we found him. All he managed to get out was that they’d been attacked. Then he blacked out and hasn’t woken up since.”
Hiccup hummed thoughtfully. “Hard to say. Nothing to go on yet. Could be the Empire. Or maybe Mandalorians. Maybe pirates or scrappers,” Hiccup said to answer Jack’s earlier question.
As they walked through the ship they passed by a hole in the ship’s hull. Hiccup examined it closely. Running fingers over the scorch marks along the walls and picking up fragments of metal on the floor.
“This isn’t old, is it?” Jack asked.
“No. Definitely recent,” Hiccup confirmed.
They kept going, following a trail of dried blood until they reached a set of blast door with a large opening cut into it. On the other side of the doors was a body. They stepped through the opening and kneeled down to examine the body. Hiccup turned the man over to get a better look and let out a breath.
“Damn,” Jack muttered quietly. He reached a hand out and searched the body before recovering his ID tag. He pocketed it, intent on returning it to whatever loved one he might have had.
Hiccup inspected the body before homing in on a hole in the man’s shirt. He examined it closely alongside the exit wound. He grabbed the corpse by the shoulder and turned him over to look for the entry wound. After a brief examination he stood up before looking at the opening in the blast doors.
He took a step toward the doors before running a hand along the cut.
“What’s up Hiccup?” Jack asked, noting his intense expression.
“This door was cut open,” Hiccup said.
“You thinking fusioncutter?” Jack offered.
“No,” Hiccup replied. He stayed silent for a few moments in thought. “I’m pretty sure a lightsaber did this,” he revealed.
Jack’s eyes widened in surprise. “You sure?”
“I know a lightsaber wound when I see one,” Hiccup said as he motioned toward the dead man. Jack looked down and inspected the stab wound. “And this door was definitely cut by a lightsaber blade,” Hiccup confidently added.
“That’s…” Jack trailed off as he stood. “So we thinking Empire then? An Inquisitor or other Force user on their side.”
Hiccup looked down in thought. “Could be. But there was that bounty hunter we ran into a while back, he had a lightsaber,” Hiccup pointed out.
“Oh yeah. That guy,” Jack recalled. “Still, Empire seems more likely,” he reiterated.
“It does...but…” Hiccup began.
“But?” Jack pressed.
“I don’t know. Just got a feeling it's not,” Hiccup said with a shrug.
“Alright. We’ll leave it open for now,” Jack said in acceptance. He was still leaning toward the Empire, but he trusted Hiccup’s instincts and could wait till they had more evidence.
“Come in Master,” came a voice from Hiccup’s wrist comm.
Hiccup raised his wrist up and pressed on his comm link to reply. “Go ahead.”
“Found something off the port side. You should take a look,” she answered.
“On the way,” Hiccup said back. “Shall we?” he said to his comrade so they could leave.
Jack paused, looking down at their fallen comrade sadly. He didn’t know the man personally, but he still grieved for him as a comrade in arms fighting for a higher cause.
“We should bury him,” Jack decided.
Hiccup looked to the corps as well. “Yeah. It’s the least we can do for him,” he said in completed agreement.
After leaving the ship and burying their fallen comrade the pair met up with Rapunzel and Toothless’ group. They were greeted by the sight of what had definitely been the sight of a battle. There was broken and trampled flora everywhere. Blaster bolt scorch marks riddled the trees around them. Wood spikes were poking from the ground and log traps were hanging from rope and vines.
But the most telling evidence of all was the sight of a dead Wookie lying flat on the forest floor. The Jedi, Jack, and Toothless were gathered around their fallen comrade and did a brief inspection of the body to find the cause of death. When they had it they took a step back to allow Toothless to say a prayer for his dead brethren.
“His neck was broken,” Hiccup said. The others nodded in agreement.
“How’d it happen though?” Jack asked.
Hiccup glanced back as he spied Toothless picking up his fallen kinsmen before walking into the brush to bury him. With him gone he walked back over to the sight of his death and kneeled down to take a closer look.
“Come here Jack,” Hiccup said to his friend.
Jack arched a brow but obeyed as he walked over to him. When he reached him, Hiccup reached a hand out to his shoulder before gently coaxing him to turn around and put his back to him. He did so and waited.
“Can you get on your knees for me Jack?” Hiccup requested.
“Sure,” Jack complied. He lowered himself to his knees and after a beat he heard Hiccup move behind him. Then Hiccup’s arms came around to encircle his neck in a light choke hold.
After a moment Hiccup released him and stepped back. “Lay down for me Jack,” Hiccup asked. Jack complied as he let his upper body fall forward to lie on the ground on his stomach.
“I think we know how it happened,” Hiccup revealed.
Jack stood up and Rapunzel walked over as Hiccup pointed out indentations on the ground where footprints and knee prints could be seen upon a closer inspection.
“So you think they broke his neck like that?” Jack asked skeptically.
“It seems to fit.”
“Well I’m thinking pirates then,” Jack proposed. “No way a human could do that to a Wookie, which eliminates the Empire or Mandalorians.”
“One of my people could,” Hiccup chimed in.
“Well I doubt it was a Berkian,” Jack retorted flatly.
“Agreed,” Rapunzel chimed in. “It would have to be something bigger and stronger than a human. What about a Trandoshan?” she proposed.
“They didn’t take his pelt though,” Hiccup countered.
“That’s true,” Rapunzel said as she reconsidered.
They were offering alternative theories and suggestions when they heard a rustling. Everyone was on alert and grabbed their weapons. The Jedi drew their lightsabers and Jack drew his blaster, a white handled X-8 Night Sniper. The other rebels also drew their weapons, pointing them at a rustling bush tensely.
The group kept their gaze fixed on it, waiting as the rustling continued and came closer. The Jedi furrowed their brows as they attempted to sense what was coming their way, but they could feel nothing in the noise’s direction.
They waited until something small stepped out of the brush. Something bipedal and a vibrant green color. It peaked out at them and then retreated before peaking out once more, debating whether to fully step out.
Rapunzel blinked and lowered her weapon. “It's a droid,” she said in realization. The others relaxed, lowering their weapons as they continued to watch the small droid looking at them from the cover of the brush.
With their weapons down the small droid felt it safe to step out into the open. As it did it dragged its left leg slightly in effort.
“It’s hurt,” Rapunzel said in concern as she walked toward it. It froze before taking a few steps back and then shrinking in on itself as Rapunzel stood over it.
“It’s ok little guy,” she said softly. She lowered herself and sat down before reaching a hand out. “See, we’re friends,” she said. The droid’s optical sensor looked at her, zooming in and likely scanning her as it assessed her intent.
But seemingly sensing no danger it stepped toward her hand before nuzzling it and then continued to climb into her lap. “Aww. There you go,” Rapunzel cooed softly as she rubbed it’s head.
“It's a BD unit,” Jack commented aloud.
“Yeah,” Hiccup agreed.
“Those are used in exploration and research. It must be one of ours,” Jack surmised. “Guess so,” Hiccup said in agreement. They walked toward it and Rapunzel. It leveled them with a stare as it shook nervously.
“Hello little friend,” Hiccup said as gently as he could. “Are you the only one?” he asked. The droid responded with a nod and followed up with a string of binary. “I see,” Hiccup said dejectedly.
“You know, BD units come with holorecorders and projectors,” Jack reminded everyone.
“True,” Hiccup said before looking back to the droid. “You think you can show us what happened to your friends?”
The droid nodded before starting its holoprojector. It displayed a small hologram in the air. It was a recording of the scouting party as they explored a new area. They would have the small droid record landmarks they could use for navigation and building references. They would show him flora to scan and document fauna of interest they happened to come across.
It was peaceful until the sounds of blaster firing began to play out in the background. Things went rapidly downhill as they were ambushed. The group shouted and yelled before grabbing their weapons and putting up a fight.
Then the holo changed to an image of one of their attackers.
“Mandalorians,” Hiccup muttered in disdain. They watched as a small party descended on the group. Firing blasters and missiles.
Then a louder metallic shriek overshadowed every other noise on the recording. It switched to one of the rebels speaking directly to the droid and telling it to hide itself when something large pounced on it. They watched in horror as the man was ripped apart by something they could barely comprehend. Soon the sound of the man’s screams filled the quiet of the forest and everyone suppressed a shudder at the noise.
“That’s enough,” Hiccup said.
The BD unit shut off the recording and gave a sad beep before leaning into Rapunzel. She looked down at it ruefully as she stroked it’s head. The poor thing looked so sad. It must have been awful for it to witness the death of its friends.
“What the hell was that with them?” Jack asked in bewilderment. “Some kind of animal?”
Hiccup shook his head. He looked to him and opened his mouth to answer when his wrist comm went off. “One sec,” he said before answering it. “Go ahead.”
“General, we’ve found bodies and signs of battle about one klick northeast of the frigate,” came the response from one of his men.
“Survivors?” Hiccup asked.
“Negative sir.”
“Anything else?” Hiccup asked.
“It’s hard to say sir. It looks like a tank bulldozed its way through the forest. But instead of treads we’re finding claw marks. Got some prints too. It’s as if we’re tracking an animal,” the trooper said in bafflement.
“Got it. We know the situation. Found one of our droids. Looks like Mandalorians did this, and they had a bas-” Hiccup was about to explain before stopping.
He suddenly turned and stared out into the distance with narrowed eyes. Everyone stared at him in confusion and watched as Rapunzel turned in that same direction. She stood up with the droid in her arms as she kept staring in the same direction of Hiccup.
“Hicc?” Jack inquired.
“We need to leave,” Hiccup suddenly said.
“What?” Jack asked, perplexed by the sudden change in demeanor.
“We should leave. Now,” Hiccup said more firmly. He pressed down on his wrist comm. “All units return to the cruiser. We’re pulling out. Now,” he ordered. Everyone could see and hear he was serious as they made their way to their bikes.
“What’s up Hiccup? Are we in danger?” Jack asked as he looked in the direction his friend was. He couldn’t make out anything amiss.
“Not sure,” Hiccup admitted. “Don’t want to find out,” he added.
“Alright. Good enough for me,” Jack said in acceptance as he turned to get to his bike.
The Jedi remained on the spot for a moment, trying to assess what they were feeling.
“Rapunzel. You feel it too?” Hiccup asked.
She nodded. “Yeah. It feels like we’re being watched.”
*******************************************************************************************
A few miles away on a distant ridge five individuals were watching the group from afar. They had the scanners in their helmets zoomed in on them. Taking particular note of the two Jedi in the company.
The five individuals were Mandalorians. They were clad in dark, almost black, armor and well armed. Littered around them were six dead bodies belonging to others of their kind. They’d stripped off their armor and taken their weapons so as to not let their cherished metal fall into the hands of outsiders.
The leader of the group standing closest to the ridge’s edge had the only survivor at his feet. The man was hogtied and gagged, struggling uselessly as a foot pressed against the side of head to keep him pinned. He and his group had been lying in wait to ambush more rebels when they’d been pounced upon themselves.
The leader received a transmission. He raised a finger up and pressed a button on the side of his helmet to respond.
“Report,” he heard in his ear.
“Got the jump on a group of traitors lying in wait for an ambush,” he relayed.
“Any survivors?”
“One,” he answered, pressing down on the head of his foe beneath him in contempt. “Also got my eyes on a small company. Looks like a search party. I’m guessing it the rebels,” he added.
“How should we proceed?” he asked.
“Let them leave,” he ordered.
“They have two Jedi with them,” he added.
There was a brief pause from the other end before he got his response. “Your orders are to let them go. We’re not at war with the Jedi or Rebel Alliance...yet. First we have to deal with the blasphemer and his forces.”
“Acknowledged,” the Mandalorian said in acceptance.
He dropped a hand to watch the rebels retreat and go to their ships. One of his comrades came up behind him.
“What are our orders?” he asked.
“Leave them be,” he relayed. “We’ve got bigger gorg to fry at the moment. Get ready to move out once they leave the sector.”
“Got it,” his comrade said before going back to the others.
The Mandalorian watched the cruiser rise alongside the two Jedi fighters, climbing higher and higher before leaving the planet’s orbit. He silently wished he had a chance to face the Jedi. For he wanted to test his mettle against one of his people’s longest and greatest foes.
But, as their leader had made clear, their priority was overthrowing this fake Mandalore leading his people astray. Forcing them from the true way.
They had to destroy him and his forces before he permanently defiled the very heart and soul of their people.
*******************************************************************************************
Located in the Outer Rim Territories was the humid rainforest-covered planet of Elerion. It was infamously known to be a haven for gamblers. And to accommodate its most frequent and loyal visitors several major cities dotted the planet’s surface, hosting many large and small casinos where fortunes could be won, or lost, depending on one’s skill or luck.
Making their way through the planet’s capital city of Kushal Vogh were Anna and Elsa. They’d come to meet their contact, slipping under the notice of the Empire as it tended to turn a blind eye to the people who frequented the world for its dubious attractions.
Elsa had the hood of her cloak up so as to not draw attention to herself. Anna wore a brown hooded cloak as well as to not draw attention to her highly valuable beskar, which would make for quite the collateral in this gambler’s paradise.
As they walked through the dark city they skimmed the building signs on the lookout for their meeting location. They had the name, but weren’t told what kind of establishment they were meeting. They hoped for a diner or cantina. Anything but a nightclub and especially not a-
“A casino,” Elsa said in exasperation as they stood outside the entrances to a medium sized casino named the Veda Pearl. Just the type of place she hadn’t wanted to step one foot into.
“Come on sis, lighten up,” Anna said in good humor.
With a sigh she and Anna walked in and their senses were immediately bombarded. They could smell alcohol and the faint scent of spice. Various distinct incense aromas also permeated the air. All around they were surrounded by shady and rugged looking individuals of numerous species that drank and gambled, barely paying any mind to the two of them as they went.
They walked up to the bar and were greeted by a male Xexto serving as the bartender. The short, pale skinned, spindly, four armed alien with large black eyes smiled at Elsa and spread his arms out to gesture to the bar’s selections.
“Greeting new customers. What’s your poison?” he asked in a friendly tone.
Elsa paused before glancing to her left and right. There were several individuals at the bar. One of which should have been their contact. She’d been given a few phrases to discreetly signal them. Deciding to proceed she looked to the bartender and offered a friendly smile.
“I’ll have one Moognan Tea,” Elsa requested politely.
“One Moognan Tea coming up,” the Xexto said in confirmation. With a peppy whistle the Xexto’s hands reached out, grasping all the ingredients and a glass. With the length of his arms and his six fingered hands he barely had to move to grab everything.
Soon enough the frothy orange beverage was before her, smelling of spices and a sweet scent. Elsa smiled as she grabbed it and slid it to her. “Thank you sir,” she said as she reached into the pockets of her robes. She found a few credits before placing them on the counter.
The Xexto smiled as he secured them and thanked her for her patronage. He glanced behind her to Anna, asking for her request. She shook her head in rejection and he moved down the bar to serve another customer.
“Moognan Tea huh?” someone chimed in.
Elsa turned to her right and looked down to meet the eyes of a vulpine being. He was male Amaran and bipedal, holding a drink in hand with an easy going and relaxed expression.
“I like Arkanian sweet milk myself,” he continued.
Elsa kept her facial features smooth. His choice of drink was the code word to signal their identity. To verify, she added a confirmation phrase, “Not a bad choice. But I don’t believe anything can beat-”
“Tsiraki,” he and Elsa finished in unison. With that they’d each confirmed who they were.
“Follow me,” he said as he motioned away from the bar.
They followed him close as they weaved through the crowd. “Good to meet you mister-” Elsa started.
“Wilde. Just call me Wilde,” he responded evenly.
“Good to meet you Mr. Wilde. I’m-” Elsa started.
“I know who you are,” he interrupted. He led them to a corner of the room so they could talk in private. “Alright. Let’s chat.”
“I believe you know why we’re here,” Elsa said quietly, just loud enough for them to hear. Anna stood on guard, making sure no one got too close to them. “You had some valuable intel to pass onto us.”
“That I do. You gonna drink that?” he asked as he pointed to the drink she’d ordered earlier and had taken with her on impulse.
“Oh...not really,” Elsa said. She offered it to him.
He happily took it before taking a hardy swallow. “Thanks, you’re a peach,” he said in gratitude.
“So...I believe you had something for us?” Elsa continued.
“Yeah. Been in contact with the Governor of Balmorra. He was able to pass on some valuable info on the Empire. Convoy and shipment schedules, clearance codes, all that,” he explained.
“Excellent. We’ll take it and be on our way,” Elsa said happily.
“Woah, hold your blurggs lady,” Wilde said. “I don’t have it on me,” he revealed.
“Ok, where is it?” Elsa asked.
“Back at my place.”
“Ok. Shall we go get it then?”
He sucked in air through his teeth with a wince. “Yeah, you see there’s a small hitch,” he said with a weak chuckle. “You see while I was waiting for the meeting time I did a bit of gambling. Had a bit of a streak. Might have gone in too deep. I kind of owe the casino some money,” he explained.
He paused to point at the exits. She and Anna looked and saw that the exits were being guarded by several Nikto. They were glancing around the room and looking for signs of unrest, but Elsa didn’t miss how their gazes passed over them and Wilde and lingered a second too long before resuming their scan.
“They’re not just going to let me walk out unless I can turn things around,” Wilde explained. “And that's where you come in,” he said looking to Elsa with a cheeky grin.
“I doubt we have the credits on us to pay your debts,” Elsa said, annoyed.
“No. But I bet you could win it all back and then some,” he said with waggling brows.
“We did not come here to gamble,” Elsa said with a scowl.
“Yeah well we don’t have much choice,” Wilde argued.
Elsa frowned down at him. She didn’t come to gamble. She didn’t want to gamble. But the guards wanted Wilde and weren’t likely to let him go.
“C’mon sis,” Anna said to her. Elsa glanced back at her. “You just play a few games and we’re out of here. Worst come to worst we blast our way out. Not that we’ll need to,” Anna said with complete confidence.
Elsa held her sister’s gaze before looking back toward Wilde. He held his grin and kept waggling his brows. With a sigh and a shake of her head she agreed.
“Fine. But I’m only doing enough to pay your debts,” Elsa said firmly.
“Oh for sure,” Wilde said with a nod. With that he stepped around her before heading toward the floor. He looked back and held his hand out toward the floor. “Shall we?”
With a breath Elsa followed after him with Anna in tow as they went to find a game to play. The patrons of the casino and the establishment itself would soon understand the veracity of the old wisdom.
One should never gamble against a Jedi.
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Within an hour the trio were walking down the streets of the city. Wilde laughed loudly in triumph, having won back what he’d lost thanks to Elsa. Elsa only needed to play a few games, winning all of them and earning enough to pay back his debts.
Wilde tried encouraging her to play more. To earn him more credits. But Elsa was firm on her earlier statement to only play until they’d earned back what he owed. So to his disappointment they ended her winning streak and left the casino.
“”Woo man pale skin, that was some streak you had. I guess it really is true what they used to say. Never make a bet with a-”
“Wilde!” Elsa cut in sharply before he could finish his statement. He was so high off his win he wasn’t controlling himself.
“Oh yeah. Sorry,” he apologized. “Got a little carried away,” he said with a laugh.
“Now we’re heading to your place. Correct?” Elsa asked.
“For sure. A deal is a deal,” Wilde confirmed. “This way,” he said as he waved them along.
They continued on, eventually coming to an apartment building. A run down looking one at that. The halls were lit by flickering lights and insects scurried about the floor of the hall. They proceeded up to the 11th floor and came to a door to Wilde’s apartment.
“Here she is, home sweet home,” Wilde said as she fished around his pant pockets for before finding his keycard. “There we go,” he said before sliding it through the reader. It beeped and the door opened a moment later.
They all entered the apartment. Wilde hit the lights and they were greeted by an apartment of modest size, though rather shabby. It had a large window in the living room and there was a desk in the corner of the room with equipment and a dish. The women figured it was for monitoring Imperial chatter and communicating with the Alliance.
“Can I get you ladies a drink?” Wilde offered.
“Just the disk please,” Elsa rejected politely.
“I’m good,” Anna added as well.
Wilde shrugged good-naturedly before walking up to his table and equipment. He reached out and pushed against the table. It slid a few inches across the floor with a loud creak before Wilde knelt down. He smacked his hand against a floor tile, causing it to jut up at a corner.
Wilde grabbed it by the corner and then pulled it up, revealing a hidden space beneath the floor. Under it sat a few items. A blaster, an ID card, and most importantly the data disk. He picked it up before standing and turning to present it to Elsa.
“One data disk. As promised,” he said with a sly grin.
“Thank you Wilde,” Elsa said gratefully before reaching out to take it.
She suddenly stopped. Her senses were immediately on alert. She sensed danger from something she couldn’t explain.
Wilde arched a brow in confusion at her sudden hesitance to take the disk. “Something wrong?” he asked.
Suddenly he felt a sharp sting on his shoulder. He flinched before looking at it. He found something small protruding from it. It was some kind of orb. He reached out and pulled at it, finding it was attached to a needle.
“Wilde!” Elsa yelped in shock. Wilde’s eyes glazed over and drooped as he fell sideways and to the floor.
Elsa whirled around, on alert. Anna too.
“We’re not alone,” Elsa said as her eyes scanned the room. Now that she was aware she could sense a presence. Someone was here.
“Yeah. I’m starting to feel it too,” Anna said as her senses also detected something amiss.
Elsa was still looking for their attacker when her eyes were drawn to a spot in the corner of the ceiling. They stayed there peering at something almost imperceptible hiding in the shadows of the dimly lit room.
Her eyes suddenly caught a glint of something in the air. On instinct she twisted her body to the side as another small projectile, a dart of some kind, sailed through the air her torso had just been. It hit the floor and bounced away.
Another glint alerted them to another dart coming at them. This time it was aimed towards Anna. Anna quickly raised her vambrace up and deflected it. The needle of the dart broke against her beskar before hitting the ground.
Following the trajectory it’d come Anna drew a blaster and began firing at the corner. Before her shots could land, something moved from its spot and fell to the floor. The women’s eyes fell on what could only be described as a being of living smoke or mist.
It danced around the room as Anna fired on it. Using furniture as cover that was blown apart before it leapt through the air at them. They saw a flash metal above it and broke away from each other as a blade swung through the spot Anna had just been.
Anna backed up and raised a vambrace as the blade swung through the air at her. There was a clang of metal and sparks flew as she blocked the strike from whatever was attacking her. Before she could counter the thing leapt and she felt something collide with the front of her helmet that caused her to stagger back.
The thing was definitely a person and had thrown a kick right at her head. It then turned on Elsa. It spun to gain momentum before slashing at her. Elsa intercepted the attack, throwing up her forearm and blocking her attacker's wrist before grabbing it.
Before she could apply any kind of hold the blade fell before being caught. Elsa twisted away from a stab at her stomach. The thing then proceeded to dive for Wilde. Elsa realized what it was going for and extended a hand out. The data disk flew from Wilde’s still hands before the being could pounce on it.
Elsa secured it in her left hand and watched as the thing lunged at her with its weapon poised to attack. Elsa held out her right hand, using the Force to catch the thing before it could reach her. It floated in the air, struggling wildly at the force holding her off the ground before thrust her hand forward.
The thing was sent hurtling away in a violent push before colliding with the wall next to the window. A split second after crashing against the wall the smoke evaporated away, revealing a person. Elsa and Anna saw a woman garbed in red, hiding her face behind a mask and cowl.
Anna had her blaster trained on the mysterious woman while Elsa held the data disk firmly in hand and awaited her next action. The woman glared spitefully at the two of them, eyes flicking to the data disk and the women, assessing the situation.
The woman tensed and Anna opened fire. Her blaster bolts hit the wall behind her head as spun away and dove out the window. The glass shattered with a crash and the two women rushed to it and looked out to see the woman falling several stories.
Anna was almost certain the woman had just leapt to her death. But Elsa felt otherwise.
The woman fell before landing in the street below in a crouch. A few passersby were startled at the sight of the woman literally falling out of the sky and stared dumbfounded as she looked back up at Elsa and Anna.
Elsa narrowed her eyes at her as the woman tensed before running away.
“Check on Wilde,” Elsa said as she tossed the data disk to her sister. She vaulted out the window and fell, cloak and robes flapping in the wind before landing on the street with graceful poise.
She looked at the woman’s retreating form before sprinting after her. Elsa was fast. Faster than any normal human woman should have been thanks to the Force empowering her body. But she could sense the woman wielding the Force as well as she too moved at remarkable speed.
The woman pushed through throngs of people and vaulted over speeders and obstacles as she fled. But Elsa managed to close the distance and keep her in her sights. The woman darted down an alley and Elsa rounded the corner to follow.
The alley was narrow and coming to a dead end. Elsa was almost sure she had her. But she watched in amazement as the woman leapt at the wall at the end and clung to it like some kind of insect. Elsa’s jaw dropped as the woman clambered up it with little effort.
But overcoming her surprise Elsa narrowed her eyes in focus. She leapt to her right and planted a foot against the wall before pushing off to the opposite. She ran a few steps to keep momentum before jumping back to the other wall. She repeated the process, gaining more and more height until she finally reached the top of the building.
The woman was still a good few yards ahead of her as Elsa continued her pursuit. They came to a building bordering a street. Not slowing down she sped up before leaping. She leapt a distance only possible by a few creatures in the galaxy before landing on a distant rooftop, rolling before getting her feet under her and continuing on.
Elsa did the same, making a Force enhanced jump as she cleared the streets below to land on the same building and also rolling to her feet and continuing the chase. The woman suddenly grabbed something from her back before spinning around and activating it.
Elsa flinched as the woman revealed an energy bow. A string of pinkish plasma connected to form a string at a grip. The woman pulled on the grip and quickly fired a few plasma bolts at her. Elsa quickly grabbed for her saberstaff and ignited both blades. She spun her weapon in both hands as she continued on, creating a wall of fast spinning plasma blades that knocked the plasma bolts away.
The woman continued to retreat whilst firing. Leaping over vents and ac units while trying to stop the pursuing Jedi. But Elsa nimbly dodged while deflecting and batting away her shots and closing the distance until finally the woman was forced to stop her retreat as she’d come to a dead end.
There was no other building close enough to leap to. She glanced around, debating as to whether she should jump back down to street level or try and finish off her pursuer. Elsa capitalized on her moment of hesitation and closed the distance. As the woman raised her bow to fire, she swung with a horizontal arc that cut through the middle of the bow.
As it fell away she reached down to her waist and started hurling knives at her. Elsa spun and weaved her way through the flying projectile before thrusting out her hand. The woman was pushed back, rolling across the rooftop until she hit the edge of the building.
She stood up and faced Elsa. As she reached down for her bladed weapon a plasma bolt came down, nearly hitting her feet. She froze and looked up to see Anna descending on them from the sky, her jetpack’s thrusters roaring and keeping her aloft.
She circled around to her back and cut off her escape.
“Surrender,” Elsa demanded as she pointed one of her blades at her. “You’re trapped.”
The woman glared hatefully as she glanced over her shoulder at Anna. What the Jedi said was true. She was trapped and she was sure she couldn’t fight her way out of this either. She could sense the Jedi was stronger than her, maybe as strong as her sister. The Mandalorian only made the matter more difficult.
She’d failed her mission and now the wise move would be to surrender and let herself be captured.
But she couldn’t allow that to happen.
Elsa watched the woman deliberate. As she did she inched closer slowly. She kept her eyes fixed to the woman the entire time before flicking them to Anna. She made a subtle gesture with her head toward the woman. Her sister nodded in understanding as she switched her blasters to stun so they could take her alive.
But when Elsa looked back to meet the woman’s gaze she was met with a mischievous glint. The woman tensed and Elsa readied to rush her. But before she could the woman turned and leapt off the roof. Anna fired a shot but the nerve pulse met the roof.
They watched as the woman reached the height of her jump but before gravity could take hold there was a bright flash of green fire and in an instant she was gone.
Both women blanched as they looked around for her. Anna landed and lowered her rangefinder on her helmet to scan the area. But she found no signs of anything but them close. Likewise Elsa’s senses couldn’t detect the woman anywhere nearby. It was as if she’d truly vanished.
“What the hell? She’s gone?!” Anna said in astonishment.
“Indeed,” Elsa said as she deactivated her saberstaff and clipped it to her belt. “How’s Wilde?” she asked.
“Alive, thankfully,” Anna revealed. “Guess she’d planned to bring him in alive or get some info out of him. We must’ve been unexpected,” Anna surmised.
“A good a theory as any,” Elsa said with a shrug. She looked down before picking up the woman’s destroyed weapon.
“What the hell was that sis?” Anna asked. “I could sense she was Force sensitive. Was that an Inquisitor?”
“No,” Elsa answered as she inspected the weapon. “She was of the dark side, no doubt. But it was different than anything I’ve ever felt before,” Elsa said, perplexed.
“So not an Inquisitor then.”
“Definitely not,” Elsa reiterated. She looked to her sister. “You have the disk?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Let’s return to Wilde quickly and then leave,” Elsa suggested. Her sister nodded in agreement.
Elsa took the weapon with her, intent on showing it to her fellow Jedi and the Alliance. She would regrettably have bad news to report. But they needed to know the full extent of what they were facing.
Not just Sith nor Mandalorians.
Now they had witches to worry about.
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ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 8
The Mandalore
On a terrestrial world a group of rebels sped through a forest on speeder bikes as they fled their pursuers. The group were part of the Rebel Alliance, and had been sent as a scouting party to survey the planet for possible location for a ground base for their forces. Everything had been going fine, and the planet seemed promising. They’d been out again, surveying the surrounding area for the perfect, whilst taking samples of the local flora and observing the fauna to make sure nothing on the planet was too dangerous when they’d been ambushed.
Their attackers, Mandalorians, had literally descended on them without warning. Their scouting party of six had lost two members almost immediately before they’d managed to get their wits about themselves and get to the speeder bikes. Now they were in a chase.
The four were now on three bikes and heading back to their base of operations. Three humans drove the bikes while one Ardennian clung onto the back of one of them, occasionally turning and firing blasters from two of his four arms in an attempt to slow down their pursuers.
The tree cover gave them some protection as the Mandalorians' ability to fly was impeded by the forest. They flew over it, occasionally firing from gaps in the tree line as they chased them down. But the Mandalorians in the sky were the least of their worries.
The Mandalorians had some kind of...beast with them. Something they’d never seen the likes of before. They actually weren’t even sure it was an animal. They could hear the metallic grinding and screeching of metal one might hear from a droid and it fired blasters bolts from laser cannons mounted on its shoulder.
A metallic shriek from behind sent a wave of terror through them. They could hear it in pursuit as it plowed through trees and ripped through the undergrowth with the huge claws that had ended the life of one of their comrades as it pounced on him. Their screams as it ripped him open would haunt them for the rest of their lives.
However long those lives might be.
“Missiles incoming!!!” the Ardennian shouted in alarm as he looked behind them.
His friends glanced back to see them coming. They swerved to dodge and the missiles hit their surroundings, blowing apart the tree trunks and sending bark everywhere. Missiles exploded a few feet away from another's path, kicking up dirt and debris that he swerved to avoid.
But one missile found its mark and with a scream their comrade and his bike were reduced to a smoldering pile as the wreckage went careening away into the forest. They looked on woefully but didn’t stop as they neared their base.
The Ardennian tried to contact his comrades back at their base to tell them to ready the ship to leave. But all he got was static. He assumed that could only mean the Mandalorians were jamming his signal. He just hoped they could get back to their friends and get out of this in one piece.
Finally their base was within sight. They came up on a Munificent-class star frigate from the Clone Wars. From what they’d gathered it’d crashed on the planet’s surface at the end of the war, and had remained since. They’d stumbled upon it, and decided it would make an adequate base camp as they surveyed the world.
A metallic shriek got louder and nearer and they pulled on the throttle as much as they could. Only when they were meters away did they slow before pulling back for a jarring halt. They leapt from the bikes, abandoning them as they sprinted through a hole cut away in the frigate's side they used for an entrance.
They entered the ship, hearing a loud crash as the beast slammed into the entrance and began to tear and claw at it. They navigated through the corridors on the way to the ship’s hanger bay to their own vessel. But as they were running the wall to their side exploded.
Their comrade trailing behind was thrown against the wall by the explosion. He let out a cry, having injured his shoulder and leg. His comrades stopped and ran to him before helping him up. His fellow human placed his shoulder under his to hold him up before they retreated.
But from the hole made by the explosion several figures entered. Walking through the dissipating smoke were four Mandalorians, armed to the teeth and looking to kill their hapless prey. Behind them their leader followed.
Emerging from the smoke was a taller, bulkier, and more imposing Mandalorian in black armor. His face was hidden behind a red visor that bore a crack in its left corner. Unlike his subordinates he wore an ancient armor set. A set that was worn by the Mandalorians of old, the Neo Crusaders.
He followed behind as one of his followers activated his helmet’s scanners. His scanners picked up a blood trail and he pointed after it to pursue.
Shambling away the rebels were doing their best to flee while helping along their wounded comrade. The Ardennian followed behind, four blasters in hand as he glanced back often, ready to cover them.
Suddenly one of the Mandalorians rounded a corner. With a battle cry he opened fire, discharging all his blasters at once.
“SUCK PLASMA MANDO!!!” he shouted in fury. The corridor was filled with blaster bolts as he covered their retreat.
The Mandalorians kept behind the corner while trying to peak out, occasionally returning fire. He gave them no leeway to advance. But not people to be easily deterred one spun out into the hall while activating a shield on their vambrace. They lowered their center of gravity while putting as much of their body behind the shield as they could.
Creating an opening as all fire focused on him another Mandalorian coped him. Then another. Soon a wall of them was advancing with raised shields. Anything that got by the shield struck their beskar armor, leaving them unharmed as they drew nearer.
The rebels further ahead of their Aredennian friend reached a set of blast doors. The uninjured one shuffled to the side while supporting his injured comrade to open it when it did so by itself. He was startled before relaxing, smiling in relief as his two comrades were waiting on the other side.
The Ardennian’s blasters had run out of charges when he heard the telltale clicking as he squeezed the trigger. He made to reload, fumbling at his pockets for more gas canisters as he watched the Mandalorians grab for their weapons to fire on him.
As one raised their weapon and took aim to fire a loud boom filled the corridor and a green blaster bolt flew over the Arennian’s head to strike the Mandalorian. Even with a raised shield the bolt knocked him back, he let out a cry of pain as hit the ground, his arm nearly shattered.
The Ardennian looked back to see his comrade, a Wookie, with his long-gun raised. He let out a roar for his comrade to fall back as he opened fire. His weapon carried so much power in each shot that it felled the Mandalorians who tried to defend against it. In fact, in the hands of almost any being besides a Wookie such a weapon was nearly impossible to use to do its recoil. Most that tried would be knocked off their feet
They fell back as the Ardennian ran up to his friend.
“Hey fuball, what took ya’?” he quipped.
The Wookie looked down at him and growled back a witty response, before jerking his head to motion him to get behind him. The Wookie laid down cover, each shot from his powerful weapon more than the Mandalorian’s could defend against. They backed up a few steps before the Ardennian slammed a fist down on the blast door control panel, closing them and cutting them off from their attckers before locking it down from their side.
The Mandalorians picked themselves up before advancing and reaching the door. They hit the control only to find they’d been shut out from the other side. They began talking about blowing the door open with explosives or trying another route when the Mandalore stalked up to them.
“Move,” he rumbled lowly. They did as commanded as he stepped up to the door and reached for his belt.
On the other side the rebels took a moment to recoup. Alongside the Wookie, a Halaisi female, their doctor and scientist was with them, examining their wounded friend.
“We came when he heard the explosion,” the yellow skinned humanoid said as she injected a mild sedative into her comrade to numb some of his pain. The Wookie growled in confirmation.
The other human pressed an ear against the blast door to see if he could hear their enemies. He could only hear a faint sound from the other side. He looked to friends.
“Guess we got them stumped,” he said with a light chuckle. “Let's get to the ship and get out of here,” he said as he turned his back on the blast doors.
His comrades nodded in agreement but before he could step away he felt something hot pierce through his chest. His comrades froze and pales in shock as their friend looked down at his chest to see something black protruding from it.
It pulled back and he fell to the ground dead. The Wookie bellowed in grief and the others watched in horror as the black thing began cutting through the door.
“Is that a lightsa-” the Ardennian began to ask in stunned shock.
“No time. Run,” the Halaisi shouted as she placed a shoulder underneath her human friend before helping him along.
The Ardennian snapped from his stupor as he followed behind with their Wookie friend bringing up the rear. Meanwhile, the black plasma was slowly cutting an opening for their Mandalorian pursuers to follow.
As they continued on they came to a fork in the corridor. One which would take them to their ship in the hair and another that could be followed up to the command deck of the ship.
The Halaisi looked back and shouted for her friends to hurry. “Come on. We’re almost there,” she said with urgency.
The Ardennian followed, rounding the corner to head to the hangar when he stopped. He couldn’t hear the heavy footsteps from moments ago any longer. He turned around to see his Wookie comrade standing in the center of the fork, staring back in the direction where the Mandalorians were.
“Come on Rook,” the Ardennian said as he ran up to him. He grabbed his hand and gave a tug to urge him to follow. “We gotta go.”
The Wookie let out a groan in response whilst shaking his head. “What? You’ll stall them?” the Ardennian asked incredulously. “Don’t be an idiot you big ball of fuzz! There’s too many! We gotta and we gotta go now!”
The Wookie growled defiantly, pounding a fist against his chest and pointing in the direction of the Mandalorians. He was determined to stay and buy time for his allies to get away.
The Ardennian growled in frustration as he glanced back and forth between his friend and the empty hall. “Come on Rook, don’t do this. We can get out of this. We just need to get to the ship,” he pleaded.
His friend turned to him before kneeling down and placing a hand on his shoulder. He gave a light squeeze as he held his gaze, showing his determination and willingness to sacrifice himself if it meant the others could get away.
Then he expressed his gratitude at having made such good friends, the Ardennian chief among them.
“Ah!” the Ardennian yelled out loud he could hear footsteps in the distance. Defeated, he surged forward and gave Rook a quick hug before pulling back. “I’ll miss you, ya idiot,” he said in goodbye.
Then he turned and ran in the direction of the ship. Rook smiled after him before standing up and raising his weapon. He kept it pointed down the corridor, his eyes narrowed in focus. As soon as he glimpsed something rounding the corner he fired.
His aim was true, striking a Mandalorian and downing him with a yell.
Rook bellowed a challenge as another rounded a corner and looked dead at him. They raised their weapons and fired and Rook ran in the direction of the command deck and out of sight.
“They went left,” the Mandalorian called out as he and his comrades pursued.
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In the Munificent-class’ hangar sat a Barloz-class medium freighter. The Halaisi helped her human friend up the boarding ramp before taking him to the medical bay for treatment. Moments later the Ardennian ran in and up to the cockpit. He jumped into the pilot’s chair and his four arms began moving in multiple directions at once as he began preparing the ship for take off.
“Where’s Rook his Halaisi comrade called up from the medical bay.
“He’s staying to hold off the Mandos,” the Ardennian called back.
“What!?” she shouted in angry concern.
“I told him it was a bad idea,” he answered helplessly.
The engines of the ship rumbled to life as he did a quick systems’ check.
“Hold on…” the Halaisi began. She suddenly realized yet another member of their party was missing. “Where’s my droid?” she yelled.
The Ardennian blinked, hands pausing over the controls. He slapped a hand on his forehead. “I don’t know-there were explosions and there was so much happening-we just ran for it,” he replied quickly. “I’m sorry.”
She entered the cockpit to give him an angry look in concern for her droid. But given the circumstances she knew there was no time for it.
“We have to go,” she said to him.
“We’re waiting for Rook,” the Ardennian said back.
“Rook can take care of himself, and if we die it won’t matter,” she argued.
“We’re waiting for him!”
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Meanwhile, Rook was in the command deck and waiting. He growled in anticipation as he heard the Mandalorians coming. They were many and he was one, but he wasn’t scared. He’d give them a hell of a fight, and if he died then at least he’d take a few of them with him.
He waited by the viewport with broken transparisteel windows. The door to the lift opened with Mandalorians at the ready. With a roar he raised his stalker pistol to fire a few shots. They dove out of the lift and ducked behind cover. With them hiding Rook jumped out the viewport, grabbing a trolley of a zipline he and his friends had set up to quickly get from the command deck to the forest.
He held on with one hand as he traversed it. In his other he held a device with a button. He pressed the button.
In the command deck the Mandalorians got up and headed to the viewport to see the Wookie escaping to the forest. They were about to pursue with their jetpacks, but they suddenly heard a loud whine followed by a series of beeps. They glanced back to see numerous thermal detonators attached to the walls and command deck computer they hadn’t noticed before.
With yells of panic the explosives detonated, filling the space with fire. Rook hit the forest floor before looking back to the command deck. He saw it engulfed in smoke and bits of flame. As it began to clear he spied a figure step through it to look down at him.
The Mandalore stared down from the viewport, ignoring the smoke and fire around him as spied the Wookie. He watched as the Wookie threw his arms to the side before bellowing out a loud call and then running into the forest. The Mandalore gave an amused hum.
Well, he certainly knew a challenge when saw it. He pressed a button of his vambraces and raised it up to speak into it. “Find the Wookie. He’s fled into the forest,” he ordered to all his subordinates.
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In the forest surrounding the crashed Separatist ship the Mandalorians searched. Many of them had their helmets scanning in the infrared to aid their endeavor. But the Wookie had yet to be found. They had several different search groups combing the area.
One such group was diligently searching, not having found anything when one raised a hand, stopping the group. He pointed with two fingers at his 11 o'clock, silently signaling he’d spotted something. Whatever it was tall and appeared to be humanoid, but was too far to say for sure whether that was the case. They weren’t well informed of the variety of lifeforms on this planet.
They began to advance on it quietly as they drew their weapons. They kept it in their sight as they crept through the underbrush. One was moving along without issue when he felt his foot snag on something.
He looked down to see he’d stepped into a tripwire. He heard something snap and from his periphery saw something coming toward him. He looked and screamed in shock and terror as a huge cut log suspended by vines swung toward him. Before he could react it collided with them and sent him flying with a yell before hitting another tree and blacking out.
As his comrades ran to check on him one was snatched up by a net. After overcoming his shock began trying to cut himself free, only to find the net was a metal mesh. A moment later an electrical charge began to course through it electrocuting its captor.
More traps were triggered. Log traps, pit falls, snares, and a barrage of raining wooden stakes. The Mandalorian that triggered the stake trap hit the ground and curled himself up into a ball to defend his vital areas. The stakes hit and bounced off his armor. Once the barrage ended he carefully stood up, almost expecting something else to happen.
As he looked up he heard a cry and he looked over to see another Mandalorian being gunned down by the Wookie.
“I’ve got eyes on the Wookie! Home in on my position!” he said on their shared channel. As he was calling for help the Wookie swung his long-gun around to aim at him.
With a growl Rook fired on another Mandalorian. His shot sent him to the ground with a yell. And with that he was out of charges for his main weapon. He heard the roar of thrusters and looked up to see more Mandalorians descending on him.
With another growl he drew his stalker pistol and began opening fire. He struck a few of them with weaker armor, dropping them to the ground while the others managed to dodge or shrug off an attack before landing. They drew their weapons and began to fire on him.
Rook fled, occasionally turning to fire back at his pursuers. He ducked behind a tree for cover and crouched as he ran out of charges for his pistol. He was running out of means to fight back. But still, he refused to give up.
He searched his person for anything he might have missed and happened upon one last item. He held a small metal orb. Not an explosive, but a smoke grenade. To be used as a final means of escape. He squeezed it as he prepared for his final stand.
With a roar he stepped from his cover and threw the grenade. It landed before the Mandalorians who stopped, preparing to leap away. But instead of the explosion they expected a cloud of black smoke filled the small radius around them.
They were blinded by their surroundings as they waited for it to dissipate. As one waited for the smoke to clear, looking for any sign of the Wookie something stepped through the smoke and at him. Before he could react Rook charged into the smokescreen with a thunderous roar. He had the barrel of long-gun in hand as he cocked it back for a swing.
With all his strength he swung it, striking the Mandalorian in the helmet. His attack was so powerful the Mandalorian was knocked off his feet and flipped before harshly hitting the ground.
He tossed aside his rifle and drew his ryyk blade at his waist. He rushed the others and swung his blade as he cut them down. Their armor could only do so much against the Wookie’s strength as even a guarded strike could break bone and dislocate joints.
As he finished off the others more Mandalorians began to gather to bring him down. With a bellow in challenge he met them with all his might. He cut them down with his blade before it was blasted out of his hand.
He grabbed a Mandalorian and used him as a shield to block another’s shot. He rushed his attacker before hurling his fellow Mandalorian at him. Then two grapple lines ensnared his arms. Two Mandalorian activated their jetpacks and tried to pull him off his feet.
With a growl Rook grit his teeth and dug his feet into the ground. Using the strength legendary to his people he pulled on the line. He pulled his enemies and with one mighty tug dragged them to the ground. He leapt on them and began to throttle and stomp them.
More Mandalorian arrived with the Mandalore in time to watch the sight of the Wookie beating their comrades. They watched in awe and respect of the Wookie’s spirit and strength. Even when outnumbered and disarmed he refused to surrender.
As Rook paused after defeating his next set of enemies and to look for his weapon a part of a tree behind him exploded into splinters off wood. He groaned in surprise before looking to see a smoldering hole blasted in the trunk above his head. He looked in the direction of the blast to see three Mandalorians. One was significantly larger, and he assumed to be the leader.
The Mandalore had his RSK-44 heavy blaster pistol in hand, having fired to get the Wookie’s attention. The two Mandalorians beside their leader began to draw their weapons when the Mandalore spoke, “Stay your weapons,” he ordered lowly.
Then he began to advance. “I’ll fight the beast myself,” he said. He held the Wookie’s gaze and dropped his blaster on his way toward him.
Rook glared at the large Mandalorian advancing toward him. He stood tall and turned to face him, on alert for whatever trick this new opponent might use. Then the Mandalorian stopped a few feet away. He spread his arms out, showing he had no weapons on him. Rook groaned in question, unsure if he’d be understood.
“Come beast. Let’s see who is stronger,” he said in challenge.
Rook narrowed his eyes and let out a roar before charging him. The Mandalore made no move as more of his people gathered to watch his battle. As Rook drew nearer he snatched up a large branch on the forest floor. Bigger than a human could carry and thick enough to serve as a makeshift bludgeon.
When he finally reached his opponent he cocked back his arms with the branch in hand and swung. He hit the Mandalore on his right, above the shoulder. The branch broke from the impact and the Mandalore stumbled to the side. Rook followed up with another attack with the remnants of the branch. He aimed at his left, this time at the torso. Once again he swung so hard the branch broke when it collided with the body of the Mandalore.
Mandalore barely staggered a few steps in the opposite direction. Then he stood up, showing no signs of pain or discomfort from Rook’s attack. Rook charged him. He plowed into him, tackling him back against a tree. He struck him with heavy blows across his face. As he attacked Rook began growing confused. He was landing powerful attacks and yet his opponent wasn’t showing any signs of pain.
Even the largest of beings, such as Trandoshans, would be rocked by his attacks. There was no way a human, even if larger than most, should be able to withstand his strikes. After a few more blows and the Mandalorian expressing no indication of injury Rook threw his arms around him and squeezed, intent on crushing him.
He squeezed as hard as he could. Knowing full well most beings would be snapped in half, spines broken from the strength of his bear hug. But after a few moments of intent pressure the Mandalore showed no sign he was feeling anything.
The Mandalorian threw an open handed blow to the Wookie’s right ear. Rook cried out and staggered away, dazed and ear ringing and throbbing from the attack. After shaking his head to clear it he turned his attention back to the Mandalore, who waited calmly with arms hanging at his sides.
With a bestial cry Rook stepped up to him and grabbed him by his upper arms before pulling them out to the sides. He was intending to do what his people were infamous for. Something that made people wary of crossing a Wookie in any way, even if it was simply beating one in a game of cards. Ripping limbs out of their sockets.
With a growl of effort he pulled, stretching the Mandalore’s arms out as far as he could. Yet he heard no tell tale pop of joints being dislocated. Or cries of pain from the Mandalore who stayed silent the entire time. His arms also seemed to stretch an impossible length possible for a human.
Rook stared in shock, not comprehending how this human’s arms weren’t being ripped out.
“Are you finished beast?” the Mandalore said. Rook snapped to attention and looked the Mandalore in the face when he threw his head forward. Rook staggered back with a pained cry after dropping the Mandalorian.
The Mandalore rotated his shoulder as they assumed their normal length before stalking toward the Wookie. As Rook recovered, Mandalore clapped both his hands on either side of Rook’s head, hitting him in the ears.
Rook was deafened, ears ringing as he threw a wild punch. The Mandalore blocked before returning a blow to the Wookie’s torso, landing a hard punch to the liver. Rook doubled over, clutching as his side as she struggled to stay on his feet.
The Mandalore’s blows kept coming as he beat the Wookie bare handed. His subordinates watched on in quiet shock and admiration as the Mandalore appeared to possess a strength that matched, or perhaps surpassed, the renowned strength of the Wookie people.
The Mandalore continued to throttle Rook. He grabbed him by the back of the head before driving a knee into his gut. Rook choked for air as it was driven from his lungs. Then the Mandalore threw a strike to his throat and then followed up with a solid punch to the face. Rook was spun by the blow, still struggling to breath. As he was trying to shake off the cobwebs, Mandalore kicked him in the back of the knee, causing Rook to fall to the ground.
Rook was doubled over, gasping for air to clear his head. Meanwhile the Mandalore closed in behind him, ready to end their battle. He wrapped his arms around Rook’s neck in a rear choke. He squeezed and began to cut off the Wookie’s airway.
Rook reached back, grabbing at the Mandalorian face to try and gouge his eyes to make him let go. But the Mandalore’s face was shielded by his helmet and visor. As the hold on his neck tightened he grabbed at the Mandalore’s arms in a last ditch effort to free himself. But his vision was starting to tunnel as his airway became fully constricted and his struggling began to cease.
“A well fought battle Wookie. You too were strong,” the Mandalore complimented his foe, who’s struggling grew weaker and weaker. “But only the strongest are fit to survive in my new order.”
The Mandalore’s arms began to bulge and swell, rippling as if there were something moving beneath them as he squeezed harder, applying an inhuman amount of force.
With a grunt and a snap Rook was no more, finally bested by the Mandalore. The Mandalore released the Wookie, letting his body fall forward limply onto the forest floor as he stood over his vanquished foe in conquest.
His subordinates were silent in awe at their leader’s prowess in strength. Besting a Wookie without weapons was no easy feat. They weren’t sure any of them could have done it.
But the Mandalore could.
“All hail Mandalore!!!” one of them cried. The others joined in a chorus of worship and adulation as he stood before them like a god in the flesh.
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Back inside the Munificent’s hangar the other rebels were waiting and arguing. The Ardennian was adamant they should wait for Rook to return while the Halaisi said they should flee and return with help from the Alliance.
“We have to go!” she argued again.
“I can’t just…”
“He’s a Wookie, in a forest. There’s no place he could be safer,” she shouted.
“I know but-”
“If we don’t go now we’re all going to die,” she pushed. “We need to leave and get the Alliance.”
“But-” he began. He looked out the viewport, hoping to see Rook running in at any moment to join them. “AHHH!” he said in frustrated defeat.
“Alright, strap in,” he said as he took the controls. His comrade dropped into a seat and strapped herself in. He activated the repuslorlifts and got the ship off the ground.
It rose and rose, going up to the ceiling where the exit was. The freighter hit the ceiling, or more accurately the tarp they’d placed to cover the large hole in the ceiling and hide them from a bird’s eye view.
Once they were out of the ship he directed the ship to begin climbing into orbit. They cleared the cloud and the upper atmosphere and were in space.
“Oh Kri-” his comrade whispered as she spotted the huge battleship in the distance above the planet. He saw it too and swallowed thickly. He wasn’t familiar with that ship’s class.
But if it belonged to the Mandalorians it was sure to be packed with weapons and capable of blowing their ship out of the sky several times over.
“We’re out of here,” he said as he prepared to jump to lightspeed. He directed them away from the battleship as he set the coordinates. With the coordinates set he placed a hand on the lever in preparation to jump.
But suddenly the ship was rocked by a collision at the rear. They were both jarred around in their seats at the impact as alarms went off.
“Were we hit by a torpedo?” the Halaisi asked in dread.
“I don’t think so,” the Aredennian responded as he was trying to make sense of what was going on.
Suddenly they could hear the grind and screeching of metal coming from he rear of the ship. The control panels and alarms were alerting them to extensive damage to the engines and thrusters. They could hear more screeching outside the ship and drawing nearer when it finally clicked for the Ardennian.
“Oh Sithspit! It’s that thing from the forest!” he shouted in realization.
“What thing?” his comrade asked in confusion.
“It was some kind of animal or droid-I don’t know!” he shouted in a frantic reply. “But it's on the hull of the ship and it’s damaged our engine. We can’t make the jump.”
They stared at each other; eyes wide in panic. They frantically tried to think of an idea.
“Escape pods!” the Halaisi suddenly realized.
“Wha?”
“The escape pods have hyperdrives! We can use them to get out of here,” she explained quickly.
Immediately they leapt from their chairs and grabbed their comrades before going to the escape pods. She got to one and was helping him in when the ship suddenly rocked violently. The Ardennian was thrown back while she and their wounded friend were thrown inside.
The Ardennian was on the ground, rubbing his head with one of his fours arms before looking up at the sound of a bang. He looked up, hearing a repeated banging on the ship's outer hull as if something were hitting it repeatedly.
Suddenly a dent appeared. He paled and pushed himself up as the dent grew bigger and more appeared. He ran to the other escape pod, standing at the doorway inside as his friend looked out to see where he was.
“Come on!” she shouted as they stared at each other from across the ship in opposite pods.
“Just go!” the Ardennian shouted. He pointed up to the dent in the ceiling as an explanation as to why.
She saw it and immediately closed the hatch to the escape pod. Despite the urgency they both stayed there a moment as they looked at the ceiling slowly giving to whatever outside force was trying to tear or claw its way in.
There was a bright flash and a hole was suddenly blown in the ceiling. They both watched as everything not bolted down was sucked out into space. Then a pair of massive claws grabbed at the edge of the hole and ripped it wider. From outside a black monster began to force its way in as it tore away the hull of the ship to make room for itself.
The rebels stared in shock as they tried to comprehend the thing ripping their ship apart. It was black and moved like a beast with six legs, with two bearing massive claws and four smaller ones. They could see laser cannons mounted onto its form, alongside what looked like missile launchers. Its face or mouth was a series of rods with energy crackling between them.
They snapped from their stupor as the thing turned its attention to the Halaisi’s pod. She turned and rushed to the controls before ejecting the pod. The Ardennian did the same and both pods shot away from the ship. They piloted the pods away and began prepping the hyperdrives to jump.
The Ardennian set the coordinates and was about to initiate the jump to lightspeed when he looked out to see the beast tear its way out of the ship. A set of thrusters propelled it through the vacuum of space as it made a beeline for his comrades' pod.
“No!” he screamed in horror, helpless as he watched the thing grab onto it. He watched as energy crackled from the rods on its face as it sank its claws into the side of the pod for a firm hold.
Then with a flash of light the exterior of the pod was blown apart. He looked away, not bearing to see the bodies of his comrades being flung into space. He needed to escape. He directed the pod into the void and began accelerating away from the planet as the lightpseed jump was finally ready.
The beast turned its attention to his pod and surged toward it. Be it could jump to lightspeed it fired from its mounted laser cannons managing to land a hit at the last second before it disappeared with a crash into hyperspace.
*******************************************************************************************
Some time later the escape pod exited hyperspace. It’d been damaged before the jump, not reaching its destination. It’s life support systems were also damaged. The oxygen was leaking and the systems regulating temperature were failing.
The Ardennian was wearing an oxygen mask from a small reserve tank and shivering violently in his seat as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He had a beacon going on an Alliance frequency and was hoping he was close enough to any of their forces to intercept it and send a rescue.
Despite the bleakness of his situation he held onto hope. It was all he really had in this situation.
His eyes drooped as his vision began to tunnel and everything began fading to black. But before his consciousness faded he saw a flash of light illuminate the cockpit of his pod.
He smiled and gave a weak chuckle as he felt the pod rumble as it docked with another ship.
Looks like hope had won out that day.
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end
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 7
An Old Friend
Rapunzel smiled as she watched the children practice drills. It filled her heart with pride to see them so diligent in their studies. They’d taken well to it, all of them. They’d all grown so much in what seemed like a short spec of time. She could truly see the New Order starting to form.
There would still be some issues to iron out. Such as what to do when they became Padawans for example. There were only two who were qualified to take apprentice, which were Hiccup and Elsa. Both of whom were Knights while Rapunzel was only an apprentice herself.
And how silly would it be for an apprentice to take on an apprentice?
She really needed to get herself sorted.
As they practiced, Rapunzel would offer pointers and advice. Then they moved onto Force exercises, and she would demonstrate before watching them attempt the exercise next. They were in awe of her power and Rapunzel couldn’t help but blush bashfully while humbly accepting their praise.
“Hiccup, Elsa, and I are all very proud of you,” she told them as she gathered around. “You’ve all come so far, and we’re all sure you’re going to be great Jedi someday.”
The younglings smiled and exchanged glances of pride. But then there seemed to be a shift. They began to whisper to each other, occasionally glancing to Rapunzel as she was leading them in meditative time.
She looked at them with a peeked eye as they sat before her. “Ahem,” she chimed in to grab their attention. They stopped their hushed whispers before looking toward her. “Let’s try to be a little more quiet as we meditate, ok everyone?”
They murmured apologies before they began to meditate, try to feel and connect with the Force. The group lapsed into peaceful silence before someone interrupted it.
“How’s the war going Padawan Rapunzel?” Emma asked.
Rapunzel kept her eyes closed while she responded. “It’s still on going,” she said neutrally. The Jedi tried to keep most talk of war away from the younglings. It was so they could focus on their training without distractions or concern.
It was also to let them enjoy what was left of their youth. Before they committed themselves to the higher cause of protecting peace and the innocent of the galaxy.
“Are we winning?” Havolian asked.
She took a breath and thought of the best way to respond. “The tides of war are ever changing. But, we are growing every day, striking blows to the Empire, and freeing more worlds and people who rally to our cause,” she answered.
“So...not really?” Havo asked in summation.
“I think we should get back to meditating,” Rapunzel said to get them back on task.
Once again it was silent. She took in a relaxing breath before exhaling. She felt the steady rhythm. She could feel the energy within her, all around her, and in everyth-
“Padawan Rapunzel?” Emma cut in.
With a sigh Rapunzel opened her eyes to look at Emma. She noticed all the younglings were staring at her expectantly. She furrowed her brow curiously. She could tell they had something on their minds. “Yes Emma?” she inquired.
“There's something important the others and I want to discuss with you,” the white haired girl continued.
Rapunzel could sense the gravity of what they wanted to discuss. So leaning in she gave the younglings her full attention.
With a nod in understanding she gave her the go ahead to continue.
“Alright.”
*******************************************************************************************
Back at the Spirit, Eugene was lounging in the co pilots chair with his feet up and awaiting for communication from an old contact. This person was someone from his less than honorable days. Back when he tried his hand at thievery and smuggling jobs. He was a criminal through and through.
He chuckled. Well, that hadn’t changed much he supposed. He was still a criminal in the eyes of the Empire. Now he just committed crimes for a higher cause, instead of just putting credits in his pockets. He had really come a long way.
He’d called in a favor from his old associate, hoping it would be repaid. He was fairly confident it would be, as his friend and he went all the way back to their childhoods. But you could never know. Honor among thieves tended to be subjective.
Suddenly the long range communication went off. Eugene sat up to answer it. He smiled. Seemed like honor among these paid off.
Rapunzel blinked, completely caught off guard by the question asked by one of the younglings. She had no idea how to respond. They all stared at her expectantly for an answer.
"Padawan Rapunzel?" Emma asked, cocking her head to the side.
Rapunzel came to her senses, looking away, but still wasn't quite sure what to say to them. "Thats...I'm not sure," she answered vaguely.
But Emma and the younglings were persistent. "But we're ready. We've been training for this," Emma insisted.
"We want to join the war effort."
"I know Emma. But you're all still so young," Rapunzel countered.
"But this is what you've been training us for, right? We want to use what we've learned. What you and the Kinnarans have taught us. If we aren't going to help in this war why teach us at all?"
Rapunzel flushed, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. She could see the younglings had obviously been thinking about this for quite some time. And they had come far, all of them growing strong and wise in just two years. They were all special in their own way, and they wanted to fight, join the rebel soldiers and their teachers in battle for the sake of galaxy. But the Jedi were reluctant to take them into battle, not sure if they were ready for the war zone and the chaos of a battlefield.
“We want to keep you all safe,” Rapunzel said in reply.
“But if the Empire wins, nowhere will be safe,” Wrath pointed out.
“We think we could help,” Nemo chimed in.
“Yesa,” Lan Wu said in agreement.
The rest of the younglings responded in agreement. This left Rapunzel at a loss for words and on the defensive. She couldn’t give them an answer. She could certainly see their point. She also respected their unity on this matter.
"I'll have to speak with Hiccup and Elsa about this," was all she could give them in the end. With that, she directed them back to practice. But she knew she’d have to bring this up with Hiccup and Elsa the moment she returned to them.
A few hours later the group was preparing to move out. Rapunzel said her goodbyes to the younglings while promising she would discuss what they’d asked with her fellow Jedi. They understood and accepted her answer, promising to be patient and wait for the Jedi to contemplate on the matter.
Before they loaded up on the airspeeder to take them to the city Jack approached his baby sister to say his goodbye.
“Alright kid, see ya later,” he said to her. She murmured a goodbye while looking away with crossed arms. Jack had his arms out, ready and waiting for a goodbye hug.
Emma glanced over to him tight-lipped. She was still annoyed about their earlier spat and was reluctant to hug him.
“Aw come on Emma,” Jack pleaded. “I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
Emma remained frozen before giving a dramatic sigh. “Fine,” she grumbled. She turned and gave him a loose hug.
Jack accepted it all the same and gave her a squeeze. “I’m proud of you kid,” he said softly to her. “Mom and dad would be too,” he added.
Emma blushed and smiled before wiping it away. But she squeezed back, returning his embrace with equal fervor and burying her head into him. Annoying or not, they were their only family.
After a few moments Jack pulled away. With a smile and one final goodbye he stepped onto the sail barge as it flew from the temple and back to the city.
Emma watched it go solemnly. It was always difficult to say goodbye. She never knew if it would be their last and it couldn’t help but cause a dull ache in her heart.
But with a hand on her shoulder and a smile from her bestie she returned to the temple as her brother disappeared from view.
Soon enough the Spirit was flying away from the planet. Eugene gave Jack the rendezvous point for his contact and they shot into hyperspace, leaving Punjam Hy Loo and its people behind.
*******************************************************************************************
Having returned to base, Hiccup walked through the corridors and back to his quarters. He was lost in thought, his body on autopilot as he brooded over the prison incident and his almost engagement to Merida.
Are you upset about Merida?
Hiccup stopped and suppressed a groan. ‘Oh great,’ he answered mentally. ‘You’re back.’
Or perhaps you’re thinking about what the Inquisitor said?
Hiccup shut his eyes to calm himself, deliberating as to whether he should indulge the voice in his head or not. Since nearly two years ago the voice had suddenly entered his life, popping up seemingly at random to give him advice.
He wasn’t sure if he was insane, or if the voice actually belonged to someone looking out for him from afar. The voice always avoided the subject of its, or more likely, her, identity. He was fairly sure it was a woman. But assured she was no threat. She also seemed to know Hiccup personally.
If she was real that is. It made him hesitant to respond. He wasn’t sure if he was feeding his own delusions and in turn feeding his probable psychosis.
But another part of him just felt as if the voice had good intentions. She always seemed to give needed advice and guidance. Just like how it had encouraged his relationship with Merida. Or how it proposed that he and Elsa change the Jedi code with the New Order.
So like always he gave in.
With a sigh he replied under his breath, “A little of both I suppose.”
You shouldn’t let what the Inquisitor said get you. She wants you to doubt yourself. That would only serve the Emperor and his forces.
“Probably right,” Hiccup said as he resumed his walk.
And you should have a talk with Merida, she added. You need to properly express how you feel about marriage and your engagement.
“There’s nothing to say,” he responded in rejection. “She doesn’t want to get engaged yet and it's fine. We’re fine. I’m not dwelling on what is beyond my control.”
The voice tutted in disapproval. You’re not being honest with yourself and her, Hiccup. It's not good for either of you.
“And who are you to give me relationship advice, Voice in my head that I’m not sure is just me having gone insane or suffered one too many blows to the head?” Hiccup bit back.
I’ve already told you, you’re not crazy.
“Medical advice might disagree,” Hiccup quipped back.
“Hiccup?” came a voice that was definitely not in his head.
Hiccup froze before whirling around to face Elsa. She stared at him quizzically. “I’ve been calling your name for at least a minute. Who are you talking to?” she asked curiously.
Hiccup internally panicked at having been caught mid conversation with his inner voice. He had yet to reveal his communication with something he couldn’t understand inside his mind. He wasn’t sure if he should tell her. She might think he was insane.
“Oh...uh...just talking out loud,” he said with an awkward laugh.
Elsa stared at him with an arched brow. “I see,” she said in response, seemingly accepting his answer. She knew her friend to be a little odd and sometimes ramble to himself.
“Anyway, High Command convened and discussed the state of things,” she said as he stepped beside him. They began walking together as she brought him up to speed on High Command’s discussions.
“Rebel Intelligence actually suggested we torture the Inquisitor Rapunzel captured for information,” she revealed.
Hiccup stopped and looked to her in shock. “What? Torture?” he asked incredulously. She nodded in confirmation. “We would never be ok with that,” he said in revulsion at the idea.
“Yes, I made our stance on the matter very clear. I seemed to have persuaded the issue to be dropped,” she continued.
He breathed a sigh of relief before crossing his arms and frowning in displeasure. “This is why I hate war,” he said as he shook his head. “Bring out the worst in people.”
“Agreed. How was the prisoner transport anyway?” she inquired.
“Uneventful,” he responded as they resumed their walk. “The facility seems secure. The countermeasures seem sound. I believe she’ll be contained without issue.”
“Good. I don’t suppose she had a change of heart and decided to share anything with us?” she asked flatly.
“Oh yeah. She had something to share alright,” he said sarcastically. He gave her a recap of what she said.
“You believe her?”
Hiccup was silent as he stared ahead. “We have a long road ahead of us. But there’s something I’ve been considering.”
“Do you want to share it with me?” she asked curiously.
“Not at the moment,” he said back calmly. She gave a nod in understanding. As they reached the recreational and living quarters of Prime, Hiccup was about to say goodbye and make his way to his room when Elsa chimed in.
“Come spar with me Hiccup,” she requested suddenly.
He looked to her in surprise. “Now?”
“Unless of course you’re too tired,” she said with a shrug.
Hiccup deliberated for a moment before shrugging in acceptance. “Sure. Why not?”
*******************************************************************************************
Somewhere in the Atrivis Sector, the Spirit had landed on a breathable world and awaited the arrival of Eugene’s contact. They sat atop the ship, making idle conversation. Jack asked Rapunzel about Emma’s progress in Jedi training, with which she was delighted to share with him.
Eugene sat in silence, occasionally checking the time. His friend was late. Not exactly something new, but perhaps concerning. He huffed in annoyance as he kept glancing toward the sky. They’d sent him their coordinates, so he shouldn’t have had any trouble.
A light touch on his arm drew his attention and he glanced over to Rapunzel. She gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s ok Eugene. I’m sure he’ll show.”
He blinked at her before smiling back. He grabbed her hand and caressed her knuckled with his thumb. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right Sunshine,” he said affectionately.
“So this guy’s your old partner in crime?” Jack asked.
Eugene glanced over to him. “Oh yeah. Grew up together. Got into trouble together. We go way back. Tried our hand at smuggling but fighting off pirates just wasn’t for me.”
Jack gave a chuckle as he empathized. Smuggling was a dangerous profession without a doubt. You had to be quick, clever, and goddamn lucky to survive in it.
Suddenly they heard the sound of a ship. They looked up to see a dot approaching from the distance. Eugene and Jacked reached into their pockets to pull out a pair of binocs. They trained it on the approaching ship for a better look.
“Well it’s not Imperial,” Jack commented aloud.
“Must be him,” Eugene said as he lowered his binocs. He and Jack entered the ship to exit the loading ramp while Rapunzel simply leapt off to join them on the ground. They waited as the ship descended before turning in mid air in preparation to land.
“Hmm. A TL-1200. Not a bad ship,” Jack said as he looked it over. The ship was a neutral brown color with a red stripe down the middle. He knew the ship well, as it was somewhat sought after for smugglers and merchants. While it was nothing special it was known for being a well made and dependable ship that didn’t stick out much.
Excellent for transporting goods without drawing attention to yourself.
It touched down a few meters away from Jack’s ship and a loading ramp at the back began to lower. Walking down the ramp they were greeted by the sight of a tall, well built, dark skinned man wearing a beige collared shirt and an elegant gold embroidered red vest. He had on dark brown pants and he wore a large bluish-white gemstone that grabbed the eye around his neck set into place by a golden pronged necklace. He also had a long deep blue cape.
He was flanked by two IG-RM bodyguards droids that held blasters. Behind them two Loadlifter droids followed behind with heavy footsteps as they each carried a large metal crate.
Eugene stepped forward to greet the man as he smiled wide and threw his arms out. “FLYNN!!!” he called out in greeting.
With a laugh and a smile Eugene threw his arms around his old friend. “Oh man Lance. It’s been a looong time,” he said jovially.
Jack and Rapunzel got a little closer and the two men broke the embrace. Eugene turned to his comrades to introduce his friend. “Jack. Sunshine. I want to meet my old friend and partner in crime, Lance Strongbow,” he said as he gestured to said man.
“Charmed,” the man said warmly with a smile.
“Nice ship man,” Jack complimented as he looked it over.
“Oh, this old thing? Yeah,” Lance replied, pausing to look back at it. “I call this baby the Bowyer. My own personal chariot,” he said proudly.
“Cool. Got our bombs?” Jack asked, getting to business.
“Sure do,” Lance said proudly. He raised a hand up and snapped his fingers. “Alright boys, load em’ up,” he said as he gestured to Jack’s ship. The Loadlifter droids stomped by the group on the way to the Spirit with the bodyguard droids in tow to supervise.
“Mind if I look inside Jack?” Jack asked as he pointed a thumb at Lance’s ship.
“Sure, be my guest,” Lance said with a nod. With thanks Jack walked up the ramp and into the ship to check it out.
Lance led Eugene and Rapunzel to the side to let the droids finish unloading the rest of the shipment without being in the way.
“And you must be Flynn here’s girlfriend,” Lance said to Rapunzel.
“Fiancee,” Eugene corrected.
“Ah, that’s right,” Lance said.
Rapunzel giggled lightly and blushed at the mention of her engagement to her beloved. She offered her hand out for Lance to shake and formally introduce herself.
“I’m Rapunzel. It's a pleasure to meet you Lance,” she said in a chipper tone.
Lance smiled as he took her hand in both of his and gave a slight bow. “And it is a pleasure to meet you my lady,” as he gave her a shake. “My, my, you are truly radiant,” Lance said as he gave her a quick glance up and down and released her hands.
“Oh I’m nothing special,” Rapunzel said bashfully.
“Nothing special she says,” Lance said with a laugh. “Oh you got a good one Flynn,” he said as he looked to his friend.
“Thanks. And it’s actually Eugene now Lance,” he explained.
Lance looked at him oddly. “Seriously? You went back to your old name? I thought you hated it?”
He gave a shrug before looking toward the love of his life. “Well, someone helped me to appreciate it,” he said as he held her gaze. She gave him an adoring smile in turn.
“Huh. Didn’t think anybody could do that,” Lance said incredulously. “She’s way too good for you.”
“Lance!” Eugene said in offense.
“What? Look at her, now look at you,” as he gestured back and forth between them. Then he looked at Rapunzel, “Tell me girl, what are you doing with a man like Eugene here?” he joked.
“Eugene has a lot more to him than people know,” Rapunzel answered. “It helps that he’s pretty good looking too,” she added in jest.
Eugene preened in pride and smiled at her in thanks.
“If you say so,” Lance said with a shrug.
“So you and Eugene grew up together, Lance?” Rapunzel inquired.
“Yep. From orphans on the streets picking pockets to flying through the galaxy looking for our next big score. Eugene and I go way back,” he answered in the affirmative.
“We were thick as thieves. Partners for life. Until that is, he grew that tumor in his brain and went off to join the Rebellion,” he added.
Rapunzel cocked her head and looked at Eugene quizzically. “Tumor?”
“He means a conscience,” Eugene elaborated before she began to worry.
“I’m still convinced it’s a tumor,” Lance rebutted.
“So Lance, you seem to be doing well,” Eugene commented to change the subject. “What have you been up to?”
Lance puffed out his chest and smiled wide. “Yeah, times have been good, brother. I became an overseer of a mining facility on Mygeeto. We mine and refine Nova crystals,” he said as he grabbed the crystal and drew attention to it. “They’re highly valuable and business is good!” he said triumphantly. He paused and gave the crystal a kiss.
“Aren’t those highly reactive?” Rapunzel pointed out. She knew the gems to be volatile and explosive in their raw state.
“Well...the refining process took a little time to work out the kinks...but we’re mostly good now,” Lance admitted. “I even have my own shipping company. Strongbow Shipping Inc. And I got a few ships to transport those babies to market for jewelry, sensors, electronics, and some places in the Outer Rim use them as forms of currency. I’m raking in the credits hand over fist,” he said proudly.
“No interference from the Empire or mining guild?” Eugene asked.
“Not yet at least,” Lance answered. “We’re just small enough to go unnoticed.”
“And you use the money to fund your smuggling operation?” Eugene asked.
Lance placed a hand over his chest and looked aghast. He gasped dramatically. “Smuggling operation!? Eugene! I’m offended. I’ll have you know that I am a legitimate businessman,” he said in offense.
Fake offense, Eugene knew. They held each other’s gaze, Lance holding his serious expression before the corners of his lips started trembling.
In unison both men began to hysterically laugh. Eugene clutched at his stomach while Lance slapped his knees and doubled over. Rapunzel watched from the sidelines as the men guffawed.
“I know...I know…” Lance said between laughs. “I couldn’t keep a straight face,” he said as he and Eugene’s laughter began to fade. They both took a breath as they settled down.
But one look into each other’s eyes and a snicker from Eugene triggered another fit. “I said legitimate business man!!!” Lance shouted with a roar of laughter while Eugene howled alongside him.
Inside Lance’s ship Jack was giving himself a tour. He was impressed by the transport. It had nothing on his Spirit in his opinion. But it was a good ship nonetheless. As he explored he noted no live crew was present. It appeared that it was all droids. He stepped around pit droids and astromechs as they did their routine maintenance checks. He peeked into the medbay to find a 2-1B medical droid, powered down at the moment.
He made his way to the cockpit and was greeted by a RX-series pilot droid.
“You are not Mr. Strongbow,” it said, startled at the sight of him.
“I’m a friend,” Jack explained. “He said it was ok to look around,” he added.
“Oh. Understood,” the pilot droid said in understanding as it resumed looking over the controls and monitoring the ship’s condition.
Jack glanced over the controls and imagined what it would be like to fly the ship. He also surmised that Lance must be good at whatever he did to have all these droids working for him.
Back outside Rapunzel watched as the two men finally started to rein in their laughter. They’d thrown a shoulder around each other to keep themselves from falling to the ground from all their hysterics.
As they finally settled down they let go of each other to stand on their own.
Lance wiped a tear from his eyes as he composed himself. “Yeah, it’s a front for my smuggling operation,” he admitted.
“Thought so,” Eugene said as he wiped his eyes.
Jack walked out of the ship to rejoin them. “Nice set up you got Lance.”
“Thanks man.”
“All droids then?” Jack asked.
“Yeah. They can’t be bribed, what can I say,” Lance explained with a shrug. He noted that his droids should have been nearly done offloading his shipment.
“Hey Eugene,” he said to his old friend.
“Yeah?”
“Can I get a word,” Lance said as he motioned to the side with his head.
Eugene nodded before looking to his comrades. They nodded in understanding before he followed Lance a few meters away so they could talk in private.
“What’s up Lance?” he asked when he was sure they were out of earshot.
“So Flynn-” Lance began.
“Eugene,” Eugene corrected.
Lance blinked at him. “Oh...you’re actually serious about that,” he said in disbelief.
“Ok. ‘Eugene,’” he said, making air quotes with the name. “What’s the angle here?” he asked as he jutted his chin toward Rapunzel and Jack.
“Angle?” Eugene asked in confusion.
“Yeah, what’s the con?” Lance pushed. “You plan on selling the Alliance out? Or maybe turning in your girl?”
“Lance!?” Eugene said in outrage.
“What? I can see what she has at her belt,” Lance said, referring to Rapunzel’s lightsabers. “You’d make a nice cent turning her over to the Empire,” he said casually.
“There’s no angle, Lance. There’s no con. And Rapunzel is the love of my life! I would never sell her out!” Eugene almost shouted in indignation.
Lance blinked at him in surprise. “You mean you’re actually with the Alliance out of the goodness and kindness of your heart?” he asked in bafflement.
“Yes, Lance,” Eugene responded resolutely.
“Why?” he asked in confusion.
“Because Lance,” Eugene started in frustration. But he paused to take a breath. He could understand Lance’s skepticism. Half a decade ago he probably would’ve had the same reaction of the notion of doing something good for no other reason than it was the right thing to do.
“Because Lance, there’s more important things in life than money and the next big score,” Eugene began. “I’ve seen what the Empire does to it’s people, and I couldn’t sit idly by and do nothing.”
“It’s corrupt, and I feel like I have to try and bring it down. That’s why I joined the Alliance,” Eugene finished.
“Republic. Empire. Both had and have corruption. The only thing that matters is finding a way to make a living, no matter who’s in charge,” Lance countered.
“I don’t think like that anymore, Lance,” Eugene rebuffed.
“Look Eugene, you and I go way back. We’re more than ex partners, we’re the only family each other’s got,” Lance said warmly.
“I know Lance,” Eugene agreed.
“But the Empire is too big to fight, brother,” Lance continued. “And I don’t know if this mining operation will last forever, but I’m going to milk this bantha while the milking is good.”
He paused and threw an arm around Eugene to pull him close. “And from what I can recall I still owe you a few solids from way back,” he said lowly.
“Do you?” Eugene asked.
“Yessir. So, how about you leave this whole rebellion thing behind and I bring you into my operation?” Lance proposed. Eugene’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden offer. “I’ll make you an equal partner. We’ll split it right down the middle. 65-35,” Lance offered, speaking the latter bit in a hushed whisper.
“Wow Lance...do you mean that?” Eugene asked.
“Of course brother. What do you say?” Lance reiterated as he held Eugene’s gaze to let him know he was serious.
Eugene was touched by the offer. A few years ago he would’ve taken it without hesitation. But with a sigh and extracted himself from his friend and took a step back. He looked him in the eye to show him the seriousness of his answer.
“Sorry Lance. I gotta say no.”
Lance stared at him, searching his expression for any hint he wasn’t being honest. But he found none. With a shrug he accepted his answer before he and Eugene went back to the others, right as his droids finished their task and awaited his next set of orders.
“Well, looks like our business is finished,” Lance said. He offered a hand out to Jack. “Jack,” he said politely.
With a smile Jack took his hand and shook it. “Appreciate the donation,” he quipped.
Lance chuckled at the joke before turning to Rapunzel. “My lady,” he said formally as he gave a bob of his head.
She smiled and nodded. “It was good to meet you, Lance. I hope to see you again in the future,” she said truthfully.
“Of course. And I definitely want an invitation to that wedding,” he added. She nodded in agreement.
Finally he turned to Eugene. They smiled at each other, somber at their departure after not having seen each other for years. They hugged, clapping each other on the back before pulling away and saying their goodbyes.
Lance turned, following after his droids as they boarded the ship. But when he got to the top of the ramp he turned to look back at Eugene.
“My offer stands Fl-” he paused and chuckled, shaking his head before correcting himself. “My offer stands, Eugene,” he said to his old friend.
“I’ll let you know if my mind changes,” Eugene replied neutrally.
“Either way, you should come visit my facility on Mygeeto. I’ll show you my operation,” he offered.
“We’ll see Lance. We’ll see,” Eugene said back.
With a nod and one final look he turned and entered his ship. The trio moved away as the engines turned on and the ship began to rise into the air. They watched as it climbed, ascending into orbit before disappearing.
“Quite the character,” Jack said with a chuckle.
“Well I like him,” Rapunzel said with a smile.
Eugene kept his gaze fixed in the distance where his old friend’ ship had disappeared as he recounted their old adventures with fondness.
He gave a laugh as he turned away so they could get back to their mission.
“Yeah. That’s Lance for you. Never changes.”
*******************************************************************************************
Back at Prime, Hiccup and Elsa were engaging in some light sparring. They did this regularly to keep their skills up. They didn’t want to get sloppy and neglect their training, one mistake could be the difference between life and death after all.
Hiccup pressed the attack while Elsa defended. She opted for her saberstaff as she blocked with one blade before returning a strike with the other. Hiccup parried it away and they mostly repeated the process over and over, all while making conversation.
“Hiccup, do you remember what you, Rapunzel, and I discussed after the battle at DunBroch?” she asked as she brushed aside his blade.
“I do,” Hiccup said as he leaned back to avoid a blade arching a path toward his neck.
“Do you still think we’re right?”
“Well we have no evidence to support it,” Hiccup said as he jumped to avoid a low strike. He flipped his saber in hand with the blade pointing down in time to block a follow up at his midsection.
“But I feel that we’re right,” he continued.
Elsa nodded in agreement before spinning away. She spun her saber staff in hand at blurring speeds, making it appear to be a wheel of blue light. “Perhaps we should share our theory with the others?” she proposed.
Hiccup flipped the hilt of his lightsaber for the standard grip position as he mulled it over. He placed his other hands on the hilt and slowly inched forward. He stopped within striking distance of each other.
“Well I was hoping to have something more substantial before dropping the bomb that there might be another Sith Lord skulking about the galaxy,” he said before sighing. He thrust his blade toward her without warning.
But Elsa batted it away before countering with an upward slash from her bottom blade. Hiccup sidestepped the attack before spinning to gain momentum and unleashing a stronger attack of his own. Elsa intercepted and their blades clashed with a loud crackle.
They pushed against each other, but Hiccup was stronger and managed to bear down and push her back.
“But I think you’re right,” he said as he stopped advancing but didn’t relent.
With a deep breath Elsa’s muscles surged and she managed to push him back to gain some breathing room. “Ok. So we’re telling them?” She asked for clarification.
“Yeah,” he said with a nod. “But let’s confirm with Rapunzel before we say anything,” he suggested.
“Agreed,” Elsa said with a nod of her own. “Now, onto another matter,” she said as she grabbed her saberstaff by the middle and held it up horizontally.
“Something else?” Hiccup asked curiously.
“Yes. It’s about the subject of Grandmaster,” she revealed.
With a heavy groan Hiccup deactivated his blade. “Nope. Not doing this. Spar over, goodnight,” he said quickly. He bowed before turning on his heel. He stalked away, not wanting to rehash this topic.
But the sound of quick footsteps had him on high alert and the sound of a plasma blade humming through the air made him duck. He quickly reignited his lightsaber as Elsa came at him with a flurry of fast attacks, more intense than they were moments before.
“Elsa, stop,” Hiccup said, annoyed more than anything.
“Not until we talk about this,” Elsa said. She spun her blades through the air before advancing on him. She feinted with one blade before attacking with the other at the last moment.
But Hiccup wasn’t fooled and predicted this as he blocked. Their blades met and Elsa applied force and spun the blade as they were locked. Hiccup spun with the motion as to not lose hold before they broke away.
“We have talked about this,” Hiccup reminded her.
“So let’s talk once again. Why don’t you want to be Grandmaster? We’ll need one to truly re-establish the Order,” she argued.
Yes, she has a good point. Why don’t you want to be Grandmaster Hiccup?
‘NOT NOW VOICE!’ Hiccup shouted mentally to silence the unwanted third party in their discussion. He turned his attention back to Elsa.
“I just feel as if there’s someone better suited for the task,” Hiccup said. “Why don’t you take it, if it's so necessary?” he challenged.
“It's more fitting you take it. You’re the one that brought me back into the galaxy. I’ve followed your lead. Rapunzel and I generally defer to you, and we consider you to be our leader, being the most experience Jedi in the old Order,” she countered.
“Ok, those are good points,” he conceded. “But I think there’s a master out there somewhere. Someone who already has the experience and wisdom to lead us. I feel like they will reveal themselves in time.”
Elsa arched a brow skeptically. “Hiccup, it's been some time since we joined the war effort. News of the Jedi has become pretty widespread. If there was a master out there, I don’t see why they wouldn’t have shown themselves to us by now.”
“True...but,” he paused and deactivated his blade. Elsa cocked her head curiously. “You say you and Rapunzel trust my instincts right? So I think you should trust me on this.”
Elsa stared at him, considering his argument. With a breath she dropped her stance and deactivated her lightsaber blades. “So a master will reveal himself? That’s what you feel will happen?” she asked.
“I do,” he said with a firm nod.
She clipped her saber to her belt. “Fine. I trust your instincts. I guess we’ll have to be patient and wait for this master to be revealed,” she said evenly.
“Thank you,” he said in relief that she was willing to drop the subject. At least for the time being.
Hiccup gave a yawn, having been awake far too long and in need of some much needed rest. “Alright. Well I need some. So goodnight Elsa,” he said to his comrade.
“Goodnight Hiccup,” she replied politely as they went their separate ways.
*******************************************************************************************
Meanwhile, in another corner of the galaxy a large battleship loomed over a small planet. On the world below were enemies. Enemies that were soon to be destroyed. Inside the Keldabe-class battleship, an army of Mandalorians were preparing to deploy to the planet’s surface to hunt down and slaughter their rebel enemies.
The Mandalore stood on the flight deck and gazed out over the world. He knew they were down there, his scouts had confirmed it. His people would kill them all. Because they were weak.
And it was the destiny of the weak to be slain by the strong.
It was the true way.
The teachings his people had forgotten over the millennia, and why he’d come to remind them of the old ways.
This was the Way of the Mandalore.
end
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 6
When you gaze into the abyss
A CR90 corvette dropped out of hyperspace as it neared its destination. This well armed and well manned starship was part of the rebel fleet. Its interior had been modified to serve the role of a prison transport for captured prisoners of war. An abundance of holding cells with ray shielding were housed within and transporting a group of recently captured Imperial officers from the previous raid. But the most dangerous among the Imperial forces within was a member of the dangerous Force wielding Inquisitorious.
An Umbaran female sat in her holding cell with a pair of cuffs around her wrists. She was silent as she glared at her enemy, a Jedi, who’d joined as added security to ensure her smooth transition into holding. Hiccup leaned against the wall opposite her cell as he calmly held her gaze. He kept his attention fixed solely on her, his senses on alert for any change in the Force to ensure she’d didn’t try anything.
A black furred Wookie stood next to him with bowcaster in hand. He’d come along as a bit more added insurance. Though he was sure it wouldn’t be necessary. Regardless his presence was reassuring to the other rebel soldiers.
A rebel officer came up to Hiccup. “We’re coming up on our destination general,” he informed.
Hiccup gave a nod as he pushed off the wall. Outside the ship was coming up on a space station serving as the rebel prison. The station orbited a star and housed many prisoners. The location was kept a closely guarded secret of the Alliance.
As the ship came into dock with the station three armed rebel soldiers came up to Hiccup. Two had blasters in hand and another held a small remote in hand with fingers hovering over the button, ready to activate the cuffs to incapacitate the Inquisitor should she attempt an escape.
Hiccup stepped forward, pressing a button on the control panel outside the cell. The ray shield powered down and Hiccup stood before the Umbaran. “Time to go,” he told her. She glared into his eyes hatefully as Hiccup stared back with a neutral look. She made no effort to move from her spot.
“I’d like to do this as painlessly as possible,” Hiccup requested. He was referring to her cuffs. With a press of a button from the remote they could emit a painful shock both capable of neutralizing or eliminating her. They were also specially designed for Force sensitives, and any attempt to tamper with them would only cause them to tighten while emitting a shock to the wearer.
As a Jedi however it was against Hiccup’s principles to use pain or torture to force compliance. So he’d rather she just cooperate. He held her gaze in silence for a few minute before she finally relented. She stood, but resumed glaring daggers at him. Hiccup could feel the loathing for him practically oozing out of her.
He took a step back as he allowed her to exit the cell. Two of the armed rebels stood to one side while Hiccup, Toothless, and the rebel holding the remote to her cuffs stood at another. Hiccup motioned which way for her to go and they fell into step as they made their way to the docking tube. The two armed rebels led the way with the prisoner following behind and Hiccup at her back. He kept his attention fixed on her, watching for any signs that she may attempt an escape.
As they entered the prison station they were greeted by a contingent of armored prison guards. Standing before them was a blue Twi’lek male. The individual wore a neutral brown uniform with a rank insignia badge he wore above his right pectoral. He was the warden of the facility. The group came up to greet the warden with Hiccup stepping forward and extending his hand to greet him personally.
“Warden,” Hiccup said with a nod.
The warden gave a nod back while clasping hands and giving a firm but brief shake. “Master Jedi,” he said evenly. “I hear you have a special prisoner for me today,” he said as he motioned with his head toward the Umbaran.
“Yes Warden,” Hiccup said as he turned slightly as to keep her in his sight. “I was requested to join in her transport as an added security.”
The Warden gave a hum and nodded in understanding. “Come then. Let’s show our new guest to her quarters,” he said. He turned on his heel and his men split apart to make a path. The Inquisitor was ushered forward as all the rebels formed up around her.
Hiccup walked slightly ahead, feeling more assured by the added escort. He fell into step beside the warden as he began to explain the lengths they’d gone to prepare for their new addition. “When I was informed of the new prisoner I quickly saw to it that the appropriate preparations were made to hold her,” he began.
“We’ve placed her cell away from the general populace. She will remain cuffed at all times. She will be monitored around the clock from the control room. A guard stationed there will have his control panel keyed to her cuffs to neutralize her if necessary”
“If you’re going to have guards on her you’ll need to be careful. Umbarans have a natural ability to influence the minds of others. Being Force sensitive will make her a much greater risk. Any guards interacting with her may pose a danger,” Hiccup chimed in.
“Yes. I’ve already considered this,” the Warden responded evenly. “We’ve repurposed captured KX-series security droids to guard her cell and bring her bidaily meals and subdue her in the event of an attempted escape,” he explained.
Hiccup gave a thoughtful hum, finding this new information satisfactory to relive his unease. The warden went on to explain that an additional shock collar capable of monitoring her vital would be placed on her for added security and to monitor her health. Even if she was a prisoner the alliance tried to be humane.
Hiccup was impressed by the Warden’s thorough planning. He had a hard time picturing even himself escaping with all the countermeasures placed against him. He wouldn’t say it was impossible. For their was always the unforeseen variables, but he was fairly confident that the Inquisitor would stay contained.
“Though if she proves uncooperative, we may have to resort to keeping her in a containment field and supplying her nutrients intravenously. Or perhaps even freezing her in carbonite,” he added.
“I understand,” Hiccup acknowledged right as they came to the Inquisitor’s cell.
As previously mentioned two KX-series droids were standing outside of it and awaiting further orders. The droids had been repainted a dull red, a color more in line with the rebels, and their insignia had been added to replace the Empire’s. The Warden raised a hand up to signal a guard from the control room to power down the ray shield. A moment later the ray shield powered down. One of the guard placed his blaster at the Umbaran’s back to make her step forward. She did so with a growl.
“Collar,” the Warden said. Another guard lowered his weapon reached into a pocket to pull out said item. Hiccup frowned at the sight of it. It was something he generally associated with slavers or pirates. But he could understand the need for precaution.
As the guard stepped forward to collar her she suddenly whipped around with teeth bared and lunged. The guard scrambled back as he reached for his blaster. Every guard did the same as they prepared to put her down if necessary. But the Warden raised a hand to direct them to not fire as she stopped short of Hiccup’s face.
She snarled at him in spite. “You won’t win Jedi,” she spat at him vehemently. Hiccup remained calm, hands at his sides but prepared to grab for his weapons should she try anything.
“You can’t defeat my Emperor. His power is beyond you. The dark side of the Force empowers him. Makes him the most powerful being in the galaxy,” she said with a sneer.
“You can’t win Jedi. No matter how many of us you defeat there will be more. Our numbers are endless. Our cause righteous. And we won’t stop until every last one of you is wiped from every corner of the galaxy,” she whispered with dark fervor.
Hiccup said nothing. There was nothing to say. She believed what she was saying. She was engrossed by the Imperial ideology. She was ensnared by the teachings of the dark side. He doubted anything he could say would sway her mind.
“We’ll see about that,” was all Hiccup could say.
The Inquisitor’s nostrils flared and it looked as if she were going to spew more of her idolatry of the Emperor and his vision, but with a loud groan a heaving hand proceeded to knock the Inquisitor unconscious with one blow. She crumpled to the ground as the black furred Wookie had decided to put an end to her ranting. He growled down at her form, proud and glad to have stifled her venomous tirade.
With the prisoner down the guard lowered his weapon and placed the shock collar around her neck. Two guard then grabbed her by the shoulders before dragging her into the cell. Her cell was a simple rectangular space with a cot jutting from the wall and a vacc tube against another with a small sink. They placed her on the cot before exiting the cell. The Warden raised a hand and the ray shield powered on.
The KX droids took their posts as they stood before the cell and watched the prisoner. The group walked away and after giving their goodbyes they reboarded their vessel to return to base.
But as they flew from the prison the Inquisitor’s words echoed through Hiccup’s mind. He stared out the viewport as he pondered their ultimate enemy before the stars began to stretch and they disappeared into hyperspace.
*******************************************************************************************
Back at the rebel base members of the Alliance High Command were having a meeting. Some were present at the Prime station while others were attending via holoprojections. Joining the meeting via hologram was Toothiana of the Kinnaran people. In addition was the Mon Calamari General, Gill Zanclus. He was a white and black striped Mon Calamari with a robotic prosthetic for a right hand. He was a brilliant military strategist and had been one of the key individuals that led his people to successfully driving the Empire from his world.
Alongside them were various senators and politicians who sided with the Alliance in secret, providing them intel and resources whenever and wherever they could. There were also more commanders and generals that led the various other cells fighting the Empire across the galaxy.
Merida was also in attendance. Beside her was Elsa to represent the Jedi. Nearly all their meetings had at least one of the Jedi in attendance to keep the budding New Order up to date with the happenings of the Alliance.
High Command discussed the various battles and raids launched against the Empire. They discussed their victories and losses. They went over what resources need to be acquired and what needed priority. Future targets and operations were also brought up. This tended to be the general routine of every meeting as a prelude to the more serious discussions.
“I hear an Inquisitor was captured during the last raid on an Imperial facility,” someone finally chimed in. This person was a member of Rebel Intelligence. This was the branch of the rebel forces that oversaw their spy network and analyzed the acquired data before reporting it to the various other divisions.
“Indeed,” Elsa confirmed.
“Were we able to extract any valuable information from her?” the Intelligence officer inquired.
“Unfortunately, she wasn’t very forthcoming,” Elsa said with a shrug.
“I see,” the Intelligence officer said coolly. Elsa arched a brow, sensing he had more to add. “Perhaps there are other ways to get this information,” he offered ambiguously.
Merida and the other member of High Command arched a brow while Elsa dreaded what she guessed might be coming.
“And what might you be suggesting?” Merida prodded.
“All I’m saying is that an Inquisitor is a high ranking Imperial officer. And one who might have access to more valuable intel than the standard stormtrooper,” he continued. “So I believe what she may know may warrant more...forceful avenues to attain it,” he concluded.
Everyone was silent as they took in what he was hinting at. But it was Elsa who finally said the word.
“You mean torture?” Elsa finally asked.
“I’m suggesting we consider it in this situation. Yes,” the Intelligence officer confirmed with a nod.
“We don’t torture our prisoners,” Merida immediately cut in.
There were murmurs of agreement from the others. The Alliance did their best to fight the war as humanely as possible. They tended to avoid operations that may result in civilian casualties, they didn’t execute their prisoners, and they didn’t use or condone the use of torture.
At least most of the Alliance did. But with so many factions there were of course the small cells that would go to any lengths to achieve victory against the Empire. There were cells that executed their captured enemies, tortured their prisoners, that didn’t care for collateral damage and would attack civilian facilities, and would commit any crime to further the Alliance’s cause. But they weren’t condoned by High Command and were considered extremists.
“The Jedi won’t condone it,” Elsa stated firmly.
The Intelligence officer looked down his nose at her in distaste. “Ah yes, I believe torture goes against your Jedi code,” he stated flatly. “A code that failed to stop the rise of the Empire,” he threw out.
Elsa’s nostrils flared but she kept her face and stance neutral with her arm crossed. She squeezed her fists, determined to keep a cool head.
“We must bring this war to a swift and decisive end. People are suffering as we speak. We lose more and more soldiers while our enemies gather and grow. We cannot let his become a war of attrition, or we are sure to lose.”
High Command was silent as he spoke. What he was saying wasn’t untrue. There didn’t seem to be an end in sight to this war and they were severely outmatched in resources and manpower. They’d gained some momentum when the Jedi had joined the fight, alongside the legion of clones they’d managed to free from the Empire’s enslavement. Even now more worlds and people were rising to join their cause.
But it still wasn’t enough to match the what the Empire could throw at them. The Jedi were only three in number. And while they could certainly create miracles in the field they couldn’t be everywhere at once. The clones, while skilled, tenacious, and always ready to fight aged at twice the rate of standard humans. Many were starting to show their age and so it was unlikely they could last another decade of war.
With the addition of the Mandalorians they’d hit a wall. Then there was the fact that their sympathizers in the senate seemed to be dwindling, with rumors of assassinations and disappearances floating about their spy network.
They were being attacked from all sides. Sometimes it seemed like their defeat was imminent. So it could be understood why it was tempting to throw aside the rules of engagement, to stoop to any level and commit any act, no matter how wicked and devious to defeat their enemy.
“We must ask ourselves what we are willing to do to win. And if fighting honorably is truly worth the cost of our defeat?” he pressed.
Elsa stared at him before closing her eyes and taking a breath. She wasn’t particularly fond of the Intelligence division. They tended to hold a view or moral pragmatism that they could use to justify any act, no matter how grievous, to further the rebel cause.
But still...
“We cannot let ourselves become like the Empire,” Elsa finally responded. “How we fight is just as important as what we are fighting for,” she finished.
“We must show the people of the galaxy we will be better. For if we don’t have their trust how can we be expected to serve them in the Empire’s place?” she challenged.
The Intelligence officer was tight lipped at her response and stared in silence.
“So I ask all of you,” she continued as she looked around to all the member of High Command. “Is a victory at any cost worth the galaxy losing their faith in us?” she challenged.
Merida smiled at Elsa. Elsa was truly the diplomat of the Jedi. She had a way with words that her compatriots just didn’t have. This was why she’d taken the path of the Consular.
And why Merida truly come to admire her.
“I agree,” General Gill chimed in resolutely. “I have no intention of becoming like the Empire. We’ll win this war on our terms.”
“Here here,” Toothiana said in agreement.
There was a chorus of agreement and the Intelligence officer back down with a grimace. The meeting continued as they discussed other topics of importance. While they spoke, Merida exchanged a glance with Elsa and gave her an approving nod and a smile.
Elsa met her eyes and gave her a nod back in acknowledgment.
The Alliance would win the war.
But they would win it on their terms.
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Meanwhile, across the galaxy in the Colonies region of space was the planet of Balmorra. It was a planet with a temperate climate, and rich in metal and other resources that made it a suitable place to inhabit and industrialize for trade. Indeed, the planet was covered in factories and assembly lines and actually was one of the primary weapon suppliers to the Empire.
It was in face the main builder for the Imperial AT-ST walkers. Due to this connection to the Empire its government had been left relativily alone, with no Imperial overseer having been assigned and allowing the planet’s governor to oversee the politics of the sector.
Balmorr’a governor, a middle-aged human male, was returning home from a long day at the capital building of Bin Prime. He was eager to rest and put his mind off work, and hopefully even see his wife and child. He was being driven by his personal chauffeur in his private landspeeder while his bodyguard sat beside him quietly.
It wasn’t long before they pulled up to the gate of his residence. They paused at the automated gate as the drive hit the remote to open them. After a moment they opened and the speeder leisurely pulled in and up to his driveway.
The Governor looked out the window to see no lights were one, indicating his family had gone to sleep. He gave a small sigh in disappointment at not being able to kiss them goodnight. Such was a common occurrence when you were a man with as much importance as him.
His bodyguard exited the speeder first before coming around to open his door, all while keeping an eye out for anything amiss. The Governor stepped out before walking up to his door with his guard in tow. At his front door he was met with his home’s other guards. They exchanged words with him and his bodyguard, giving a brief summary of the day and informing them that his wife and child were safe and sound in his home.
He was happy to hear the news and nodded while thanking them for their service. He relieved his personal guard for the day before stepping into his home and leaving the other guards to patrol the ground and keep a look out for intruders.
He stepped into the entryway of his home and breathed a sigh of relief to have returned to his sanctuary. His oasis from his busy life that took far too much time away from his loved one. He began climbing his stair as he contemplated taking a holiday with his family. So he could get away and reconnect with them.
As he made for his office he stopped by his bedroom and peeked in. He could make out the form of his wife on the bed, asleep and snoring softly. He smiled in satisfaction before continuing down the hall and stopping at his daughter’s door. He peeked in, opening the door slowly and just enough to peer in and see her small form under her blanket with her nightlight on.
He smiled wide in love. She was his pride and joy. The light of his life. He loved her more than he could express. He shut the door as quietly as he could before walking away and finally reaching his study.
He entered before shutting and locking the door behind him. He went to the windows and closed the shutters. Before taking a seat. From his desk he controlled the ceiling light. Dimming them to near darkness while switching on his desk lamp.
He sat in brooding silence, head in hand as he contemplated his life and his decisions. Had he made the right choices? For his family? For his people? For his planet?
While his homeworld enjoyed relative independence from the Empire’s meddling it was only superficial. They were forced to supply and manufacture weapons for the new government, even though his people longed to able to participate in a free and open market. But the Empire wouldn’t allow such a thing.
So his planet had complied and accepted the new status quo. Supplying arms to the oppressive tyranny of their new overlords. For if he didn’t he would be replaced for someone hand picked by the Empire. Who would then be seated in his place to rule his people how he saw fit and he couldn’t allow that.
But he also couldn’t bow and submit to a government that ruled like it did and encouraged the uplifting of human accomplishment, while at the same time dismissing the efforts and contribution of other races.
For how could he look his daughter in the face and tell her she could never be as important as a pure blooded human. How would he explain to her that nothing she did would ever matter as long as she didn’t look like the Emperor and the majority of the Imperial regime.
He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
And that’s why he’d contacted the Rebel Alliance.
He started helping them. Passing on intel he obtained from his connections within the Senate. He acquired and liquidated assets as discretely as he could to pass on the funds to the rebel cause. He fed them shipment information so they could intercept weapons and ships. He did anything he could think to do in hopes that they would eventually topple the new government, and hopefully give his daughter a chance to grow up in a society where her accomplishments and efforts were acknowledged just as her human peers were.
But he knew he was doing so at great risk. He felt like it was only a matter of time before his involvement was discovered. He felt like he were constantly being watched. He found himself looking over his shoulder and feeling paranoid nearly all the time. He was plagued by perpetual anxiety that was beginning to affect his health. What’s worse is that he couldn't share his troubles with anyone. If the axe were to come down he wanted it to fall on his head alone. So he held it all within and plastered on a mask of normalcy to even the people closest to him.
He felt his anxiety on the rise again and he took deep breaths to steady his nerved. He pulled open a drawer and reached in to pull out a small glass and a bottle of Noonia fixer. He poured himself a drink before gulping it down. He let it burn down his throat, a momentary distraction as he finally steadied his nerves. He decided to sit for a few more minutes, perhaps have another glass or two, and then join his wife in bed.
Perhaps tomorrow he’d even discuss the possibility of getting away and taking her and their daughter on holiday. Maybe Glee Ansem.
As he contemplated the various possibilities he could take his family his desk lamp began to flicker. He looked to it in confusion as even the low lights overhead grew dimmer and dimmer. Then the lamp light went out altogether. He sat in darkness and he felt for the lamp. He traced his hand up it till he found the switch. He flicked it a few times but nothing happened.
He hummed curiously as he tried it a few more time before it suddenly came back on. Light returned to the room and he was glad to not be in total darkness anymore. But his glee evaporate as he no longer found himself alone.
For sitting casually in the chair across his desk was a person in black who had most certainly not been there moments before.
“Hello Governor,” the mysterious red skinned woman who had materialized in the room with nary a trace greeted quietly. “Might I have a moment of your time?”
The Governor managed to suppress the urge to shout as he stared dumbfounded at the woman sitting across from him. She wore a mask and cowl that concealed her face, but aside from his bewilderment he couldn’t help but be struck by her beauty.
“I know it’s rather late. But I’m afraid the matter I come with is quite important,” she continued.
Finally regaining himself the Governor leaned back in his chair slowly as he assessed her. He could clearly sense that despite her polite tone and relaxed demeanor her intentions were malicious. Slowly he lowered his hands to reach for a drawer where he kept a blaster, trying to do so as discreetly as possible while he held her gaze.
“I’m afraid its past the hours where I meet and discuss work affairs,” he said evenly as his fingers grazed the drawer handle. But before he could make to open it he felt a hard hand grip his shoulder, fingers digging in harshly and a something sharp and metallic press against his throat.
He froze and turned his head slightly to see another woman in red to his left in a similar outfit to the one sitting in front of him. She looked at him with hard yellow eyes that twinkled dangerously in warning should he attempt anything else.
From his periphery on his right he saw another figure casually lean onto his desk, and he turned to see yet another woman. She met his eye, holding no weapons but emitting an aura of deadliness just the same.
“Oh I promise this won’t take long,” the woman in black said in amusement.
The Governor raised his hands to place them on the table and within sight. The woman holding the knife released him and took a step back while the woman to his fight stood up off the table and remained off to the side.
“I suppose I can make an exception. Given the matter is so dire,” he managed calmly.
“Excellent. I was told you were a reasonable man. Though I find that rather delectable given the circumstances.”
“And who may I ask referred you to me? And who might you be?” he inquired, stalling really.
“My name is Heather. And I’m here on behalf of the Emperor,” she revealed.
Dread began to creep in from all around him. He felt his pulse begin to quicken. The atmosphere in the room felt heavy as he felt the urge to flee.
“How did you get past my home’s security measures?” he asked to bide more time. His mind was racing as he tried to think of a way to save himself.
“That’s not important,” she answered dismissively with a wave of her hand. “What you should be asking is why we’re here.”
“Ok. Why are you here?” he asked apprehensively.
Heather smiled darkly beneath her cowl as she looked him squarely in the eye to answer. “We’re here to kill you.”
Ice filled his veins at her answer and his life began to flash before his eyes.
“You see Governor,” Heather continued. “The Empire has discovered that you’ve been conspiring with its enemies. The Emperor can’t have that. So a message has to be sent.”
His heart thundered in his ears as she confirmed his worst fears. It was finally time to answer for his choices. All he’d done had led to this.
“But before I do,” Heather said to snap him back to the moment. She leaned forward in her seat. “I need to know about your contact. Where and how were passing off information?” she inquired.
The Governor blinked before stammering an answer, “I haven’t contacted the rebels. I am loyal to the Empire,” he lied. It was a desperation measure. He knew it.
Heather titled her head as she stared at him. She titled her head before leaning back in her seat. “Ok.” The Governor blinked and tried to hide his disbelief. “Oh don’t misunderstand Governor, I don’t believe you,” she chimed in
His hopes began to dwindle. His last ditch effort crushed.
“You see I just don’t really care. While my sisters and I want the Empire to win it’s in our best interest that it’s not an overwhelming victory,” she explained. “We need the Empire as weak as possible so the Emperor will lower his guard.”
With a pause she rose from her chair and the Governor swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Now then, time to-”
Suddenly the door creaked open and caught everyone’s attention. Heather turned to the side and looked in its direction to find a child standing partway in the room. She rubbed a small fist into sleepy eyes before speaking.
“Daddy? Can I have a glass of water?” she asked. As she rubbed away the vestiges of sleep she finally took notice of the additional individuals in her father’s study. She froze with a squeak, unsure of what she should do.
“Sweetie,” the Governor said as he stood in panic. Heather looked to him and glared a silent warning. “Now...now is not a good time sweetie. Daddy is working,” he said quickly in compliance.
Heather exchanged a glance with her sisters. The one with the knife had concealed it. They looked to her in question, making subtle motions to the girl and awaiting directions. Heather made a hand gesture, telling them to stay their hand.
Heather turned to fully face the girl and she began walking toward her. The Governor panicked and nearly shouted for her to stop. But Heather raised a hand and raised a single finger to silence him. He shut his mouth, watching in horror as his assassin stalked toward his daughter.
Heather stopped before the child. The child was red skinned like herself. But of a paler hue and she had yellow eyes with white hair. She stared bug eyed in fear and trembled as the strange woman bore down on her.
Heather met her eyes before reached her hands up. She pulled down her mask and cowl so the child could see her face. Then she gave her a friendly smile.
“Well hello sweetie. I must say its been quite some time since I’ve seen someone with my skin tone,” she said in a light hearted tone.
The girl was immediately put at ease. She was mesmerized by the woman’s beauty and she just seemed to give off an aura of amiability. Heather’s sisters watched on, knowing full well what was happening. Heather had used her charms on the girl.
“Hello Miss. Are you an Espirion too?” she asked curiously.
Heather chuckled as she squatted down to her level. “No sweetie I’m not Espirion like your mother and you,” she said to make conversation. “I’m hear to see your father,” she told her. She paused to glance over her shoulder and level the Governor with a sickly sweet smile.
“He’s a very important man,” she said with a menacing stare. She looked back to the girl. “You said you wanted some water dear?” she asked.
“Yes,” the girl responded with a nod.
Heather rose before turning to face the Governor. “Let’s go get your daughter some water, Governor.”
He nodded quickly as he slipped around his table. He was careful to avoid bumping the other women, lest he anger them and incur their wrath. He cross the room and toward his child as Heather moved aside. But right as he stepped by her she placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t try anything Governor. Cause if you do I’ll kill her and your wife. You do not want to test me. Understood?” she whispered in threat. ‘
He could tell by her tone that she wasn’t bluffing. “Understood,” he said quietly in response.
With that he took his daughter by the hand and guided her to their kitchen downstairs. He got her a glass and asked her about her day. She responded happily, recounting her lessons and her playtime with her friends. He laughed alongside her as she giggled. Her laugh was music to his ears.
All the while he could feel Heather’s eyes on him and he could see her in his periphery, always nearby. Looming like a dark cloud. Or like death itself, waiting in wings to collect her bounty.
But he pushed it aside. He was determined to enjoy these last few moments with his child. His treasure. His life.
Eventually the child finished her glass and let out a yawn as her drowsiness began to creep up on her. He took her by the hand and led her to her bedroom. He tucked her in and wished her goodnight. He kissed her on the forehead and cheek and she smiled at him. He blinked away tear, knowing it would be the last he’d see.
Then she settled down and shut her eyes before drifting back to sleep. He caressed her cheek lovingly for the last time and stared at her face in adoration.
“Time to go Governor,” Heather cut in.
The Governor closed his eyes and took a breath, preparing to accept his fate. “So it seems,” he said before standing. He walked to the door and met her there. “I’m ready,” he said with a nod.
Heather hummed in response before her eyes shifted to his child. She stepped past him and toward her. In panic he grabbed her wrist. She looked to him with narrowed eyes.
“Please, I did as you asked. She’s just a child. She doesn't know anything,” he pleaded desperately.
Heather stared at him blankly. “Not to worry Governor. We had a deal and I’ll uphold it,” she said. She pulled her wrist free before continuing on and stopping before the sleeping child. She stared at her before reaching her hand out.
“What are you doing?” he whispered, trying to keep voice low.
“Just going to make some...adjustments to her memory,” Heather said. She closed her eyes and a faint green glow emanating from her palm.
The Governor watched in bewilderment as he watched faint green light flicker and dance between the space between his daughter head and Heather’s hand. He didn’t know what he was looking at. But his daughter didn’t seem to be experiencing any discomfort as she remained sound asleep.
Soon Heather withdrew her hand and opened her eyes. She’d used her power to edit the child’s memories. She didn’t need to do much. Just remove her and her sister’s. When she recounted the last moments with her father there would be a fog on her memories that would conceal them from her conscious.
With that she turned to the Governor and returned to him. “Move,” she said. He stepped out of the room and began walking back to his study with Heather in tow.
“Thank you,” he said as he glanced back.
“Don’t thank me. You’re still going to die,” she said lowly. “But your daughter won’t remember us. Her last memories with you will be that you loved her.”
He managed a smile. At least he’d have that.
“Why?” Heather said out of the blue.
He stopped as he reached the door. He looked to her with his hand curled around the knob. He arched a brow in question.
“You and your planet have peace. You’re mostly allowed to govern yourself. You have a wife and child. Now the Empire will put someone else in your place, an Imperial at that. And your wife and daughter are going to lose you. Why do this?” she asked in genuine confusion.
The Governor looked away to consider his answer. Then he looked to his daughter’s door. “For her,” he answered. “In the Empire’s eyes she’ll never be as important or as special as a pure blooded human. I did it for her.”
Heather crossed her arms and stared at him skeptically. “She’s going to hate you,” she responded. He blinked in surprise at her response. “To her it’s going to be like you just disappeared. She’ll never even have said goodbye. Every milestone, you won’t be there. Every achievement, she won’t be able to share it with you.”
The Governor considered her words. Perhaps she was right. Life would be hard on her. She would suffer. She would know pain for many years to come. And it could have all been avoided if he’d made a different choice.
“Hopefully, one day she’ll understand,” he said solemnly.
Heather stared at him before shaking her head. “Fool,” she said under her breath. She wouldn’t consider him anything but.
With that they entered his study. She directed him to sit at his desk. He sat down and straightened up as he prepared to meet his fate.
“I’m ready,” he said.
Heather nodded before drawing a knife from her waist. She placed it at his neck. He closed his eyes in acceptance and waited.
“But…” she suddenly said. He opened his eyes in confusion, wondering what was left to be said. “I still need to know about your contact,” she revealed in a serious tone.
“I...I…” he said as he clenched a fist.
“Proud man,” Heather quipped in amusement. “I could still kill your daughter,” Heather pointed out.
He met her gaze and held it. “But you won’t,” he said, confident he was right.
Heather narrowed her eyes at his response, annoyed he’d called her bluff. But then with a roll of her eyes she sighed, “Well I suppose I did give my word now didn’t I?”
“Still,” she said as she looked him back in the eye. “I don’t need you to tell me anything. So Governor, do me a favor,” she began.
She narrowed his eyes in confusion, searching her face for an indication to what she meant.
“Try not to think about your contact,” she said. Then she just stared at him in silence, eyes to focused on his face yet appearing to be looking at something else entirely.
His mind raced and of course her psychological trick made him think about his contact. He remembered what he’d seen her do with her daughter and knew she must have some kind of power like Jedi. He tried to think of anything else. Anything but his contact with the Alliance.
Then Heather smiled in satisfaction, and he knew he’d failed. “Thank you Governor. You’ve been a great help,” she told him in mock thanks. He looked down in shame while she withdrew her knife. “You can take solace in the fact that you didn’t sell out your allies.”
He let out a defeated breath. He reached to his side and poured himself one glass of his favorite alcohol. He paused and looked up to Heather. “Don’t suppose I can have this one last drink?”
“Go ahead,” Heather allowed with a nod. The Governor smiled and raised it to his lips and began to take slow sips to savor his last worldly vice.
Heather looked to her sister at his left and nodded. She drew a blade and took a step toward the Governor who had just finished his drink.
*******************************************************************************************
On a tall building overlooking the Governor’s mansion the three Nightsisters stood after having slipped out once they’d eliminated their target. They’d left him in his office. His body would be found in the morning, probably by his wife. Heather had cast her magics on the daughter to keep her deep asleep. It’d be the best of her life, the least they could do considering the life she’d have to wake up to the next day.
“We should’ve killed the girl,” one of her sisters said.
Heather kept her gaze on the mansion. “It’s fine. I wiped her memory of us,” she said in rejection.
“We were to send a message. Killer the wife and the child would have-” the other witch began to insist when she was cut off by Heather hand shooting out and wrapping around her throat.
She was forced to her knee as Heather turned to meet her eye. Heather tightened her grip ever so slightly and the other witch shrank back a few steps. “I said it’s fine,” Heather reiterated in a low whisper. Her voice echoed with power to emphasize her words.
The other witches were frozen in fear as they felt her power seep from her. Her powers of the Spirits was the greatest in their clan. Only falling short of the Matriarch herself.
Her tone left no room for further debate. Least not without serious peril.
“Yes Sister,” the kneeling witch choked out.
Satisfied her point had been made Heather released her. She reigned in her power and her sisters took a breath in relief. Heather offered a hand out to the kneeling witch. She accepted it some hesitation before Heather hoisted her to her feet.
With that she turned and began making way back to their transport to return to the Emperor and give her report.
But she felt as if she would remember the red skinned child for some time to come. She’d probably wonder how she’d come to cope with losing a parent so young.
For a story like hers struck Heather far too close to home.
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end
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 5
The Younglings
On a tropical planet in the Outer Rim filled with lush plant life sat a floating bronze city nestled between the mountains. This planet was the known as Punjam Hy Loo and was home to one of the Rebel Alliance’s staunchest allies and supporters, the Kinnaran people. The Kinnarans were avian humanoids, birdlike and adorned with feathers in a spectrum of colors. They were strong willed and large in spirit despite their small frames.
They had joined the Alliance after their queen, Toothiana, had been saved by its members. For a time the Alliance had placed their main base in their planet’s orbit. But they’d moved for the safety of their friends, despite the Queen’s insistence that her people knew and accepted the risks.
Despite this many of the Kinnaran people had enlisted, joining rebel cells as pilots, doctors, and engineers. Queen Tooth served on the Alliance High Command, the governing council of the Alliance. She now tended to stay on her home world to rule her people while maintaining he presence through consistent communications and holomeetings.
She’d also done their Jedi allies a favor by agreeing to take in and care for their younglings, the young children they’d managed to find for Jedi training. The younglings were trained by the Kinnaran warriors who specialized in sword play, sharpening their bodies and minds while the Jedi periodically stopped in to to give them lessons regarding the Force and to view their progress. The Kinnarans’ contribution on the younglings’ training was so influential that it had forever changed the Jedi style. With the Kinnaran sword play leading to the development of new katas and techniques that blended well with the traditional Jedi forms.
Carved into a mountain near the Kinnaran capital city that shared the planet’s name was the Temple of the Sisters of Flight. A sacred place to the Kinnaran people where all their young eventually attended to undergo warrior training to learn the martial ways of their people. This was also where the younglings were housed and trained.
In the deeper parts of the temple a young woman with pale skin and white hair ran through a twisting and turning pathway, her senses on high alert for the unseen hazards all around her.
The girl wore a light grey tunic over a dark grey undertunic. She wore a light blue tabard held in place with a dark blue obi with a blue leather belt. Her forearms were adorned with dark grey arm guards. He wore pale leggings that matched her skin tone with a pair of grey and dark blue ankle length boots. Her face was framed by choppy bangs and her hair extended just past her elbows.
Her name was Emma. She was a Burgessian, a pale skinned human species from the planet Burgess. She was the first of the Jedi’s students and had spent the last couple of years in training alongside her classmates.
At the moment she was running through a maze beneath the Kinnaran temple. The maze was rigged with booby traps and hazards. All to test her skills and reflexes and strengthen her connection to the Force.
She suddenly skidded to a stop and jerked her head back as a shaft of wood lunged out in front her face. If she hadn’t pulled her head back she would’ve received a painful blow to the side of her skull. Then she twisted and spun as more jutted out from hidden holes in the walls. She dodged before managing to advance. She broke into a jog before breaking into a full sprint. All the while she ducked and weaved around the headless spears.
Then with a spring she began to flip and cartwheel down the hall. She dodged each and every one, the Force allowing her know where the next one would come out. She ended her acrobatics and switched to a normal run, pausing as she jerked back one last time and through a chop. Her hand broke through the shaft of one final headless spear. She snatched the long piece out of the air and kept running.
After a few meters she reached another length of rigged hallway. She heard small puff of air coming from the walls. She began spinning her polearm in her hands, using it to defend as a barrage of darts fired from the walls and at her as she went. She deflected every one that came at her before she cleared this trap as well.
She was near the end of the maze. She sprinted at full speed and saw the light at the end of the tunnel, the way out. Then the floor split open as a pit fall trap revealed itself. She yelped as she fell, gravity dragging her down. But she recovered quickly, the length of her staff to wedge into the gap of the pitfall. She stopped and the staff bent. She used the moment of her fall to spin around it to gain speed, doing a full turn before springing up to the ledge of the pit and landing in a crouch.
She rose up and ran before finally clearing the maze. She hunched over, hands on her knees and panting. She heard hands clapping and looked up to be met with a black feathered Kinnaran hovering toward her, carried aloft by fast beating wings.
“Excellent work Emma,” her teach, Thrush, said impressed.
“Thank you Master,” Emma said as she caught her breath and stood.
“That was your fastest time yet. But you’re still slower than Havo,” Thrush continued, referring to one of her classmates.
Immediately Emma’s face formed into a scowl. “How much slower?” she asked.
“Four seconds.”
The young girl’s mouth fell open. “Four seconds!? Are you serious!?” she cried in outrage. “Ugh. He’ll never let me live that down!”
Thrush laughed before consoling her and leading her back to training with the others. Meanwhile Emma’s peers were training throughout the temple. Her classmates were of varied species. But they got along for the most part. They’d all grown in their own ways, displaying different talents that their masters encouraged them to cultivate on their own.
There was the youngest, Nuna. She was a Pantoran child of 10 years old while the rest of her classmates ranged from 14 to 15 years of age. She had the blue skin her species was known for a lilac colored hair with golden yellow eyes. Her lilac hair was parted to the side, with the left side being tucked behind her ear and the other kept out of her face with a clip. She wore a long dark blue sleeved dress that extended to just above her knees and was secured by a red sash she tied around her waist. She wore white legging with boots that matched her dress and wielded a white bladed lightsaber that was tucked into the sash at her middle.
She had her eyes closed and her arms out in front of her. Surrounding her were a circle of stones that she was controlling, practicing her precision with moving many things with the Force. She waved her arms about and the stones moved in time with her movement. She made patterns like figure eights and circles while spinning on her heel, all while maintaining her focus.
Away from her another girl was practicing. She had red hair that she tied into a long single plait that that fell to her lower back. She wore a far less traditional outfit that would be expected of a Jedi. She wore a tight black sheer top that left her shoulders and back bare. Over that she wore a cropped red tank top with a black skirt. She wore a criss crossing red belt with a turquoise buckle that matched her boots that went up to her shins. She wore black leggings and long grey gloves that covered the majority of her arms, stopping just beneath her shoulders.
Claire was a girl who’d come from Alderaan and her style was apparently the current in style fashion trend that was all the rage. She had a green hilted orange bladed lightsaber clipped to her belt that resembled a flower. She was practicing with a seeker droid, a small floating round droid that moved in random patterns and fired non lethal blaster bolts at unpredictable intervals.
The girl watched it closely as it circled around her. She waited hands slightly raised in preparation when it fired. She responded quickly, raising a hand and channeling the Force. The blaster bolts hit an invisible wall and dissipated before the droid moved to a new location and fired again. She did the same, throwing up her other hand and the bolts were blocked yet again. The girl had begun learning to erect barriers with the Force. It was skill she proved to be quite adept at and was eager to hone.
In another part of the temple two of the younglings were sparring. They were performing velocities, lightsaber drills practiced repeatedly at ever increasing speeds until one of them took a hit. They were two young males of different species. One was a Zabrak and the other a Sephi.
The Zabrak, Wrath, wielded a crossguard lightsaber with forest green blades. He was on the defensive, which for him was his forte. He wore a dark blue sleeveless tunic over a light blue sleeveless undertunic. He wore dark cloth wraps around his arm and a matching obi around his waist. Her wore dark pants with grey boots. As a Zabrak he had a crown of horns growing out of his head. In addition the boy had undergone his peoples’ right of passage that marked his ascent into adulthood. His face was adorned with black tattoos, symmetrical and jagged that gave him a fierce look.
Sparring with him was his close friend and fellow youngling Havolian. A Sephi. The young Jedi in training had the pointed ears his people were known for. He had white hair that was cut short and styled into a widow’s peak. At first glance it would appear the boy was swinging a blaster with a plasma blade coming out of it. But it was the clever design of his lightsaber. His lightsaber’s blade was a spring green and the hilt was curved, a style that emphasize dueling. Which was what the young man excelled at.
The Sephi wore a loose long sleeved olive green tunic over a dark brown long sleeved high collared undertunic. Over his tunic he wore a light brown tabard with a dark brown obi around his waist. He had dark brown pants with matching olive green boots. The young man was the best lightsaber duelist out of his comrades, displaying amazing form as he launched a quick series of attack that his friend met with a stalwart defense. They’d been going at it for several minutes straight without either of them taking a strike.
Alongside them was a more bestial youngling. A young Shistavanen male with brown fur. His people were a canid and wolf like sentient species and usually xenophobic, making him a rare sight to see alongside his classmates. The fur on his head was longer and spiked up like a mohawk. He wore a black vest with a black leather sash tied around his waist that held up his black pants. He wrapped his feet in strips of black cloth and wore a yellow spiked collar around his neck. He wore a pair of black fingerless gloves that allowed for free use of his claws.
He wore a bone encased lightsaber wrapped in leather with a sky blue blade that was secured to his belt. Unlike his friends he possessed a unique ability to sense things with the Force. His Force senses could be linked to his sense of smell, allowing him to essentially smell Force signatures like they were unique scents and odors.
In another area of the temple another youngling was training with their Kinnaran caretakers. She was perched on several rows and columns of high wooden pillars. She was moving from one to another, all the while the Kinnaran helping her practice were attacking her, swinging at her with wooden staffs. She ducked and dodged, twisting and bending her body as she sprung to another pole to dodge.
This female youngling was dark skinned with dark brown curly locks. She wielded a bronze colored lightsaber hilt with a sky blue blade. She was wearing tight blue sleevless crop top with a high collar that exposed her midriff. She wore shorts and a long kama that covered the front and back of her legs. She wore dark grey boots that went up to just below her knees. She wore a long orange sash that she tied several times around her waist and knotted in front of her.
The girl was very skilled connecting with animals. She seemed able to commune with and calm all but the most vicious of creatures. She also had a special connection to the jungle, something the people of her home planet shared when they were still alive.
In a chamber filled with pools two more non human youngling were practicing on their own. They stood on either side of a pool with their hands outstretched and eyes closed. Before them were floating orbs and streams of water. It was a new technique they were trying to develop. Which was proving difficult as water was ever shifting and harder to manipulate that solid objects with a defined shape and structure.
One was a young Mon Calamari male. He was a fish like humanoid who was orange with black and white spots, a rare coloration for his species. He wore a light blue under tunic and over it a navy blue tunic. He had a robotic right hand and wore white gloves over it and his normal three fingered one. He had a silver hilted lightsaber with a deep blue blade hanging from his belt. He wore dark pants with navy blue boots.
Across from was a female Gungan. She was a blue Otolla Gungan. She had a slender frame and a beak like mouth with large ear flaps. She didn’t tie hers back like most of the females of her species, which made her look tomboyish by her peoples’ standards. She wore a dark leather vest she kept buttoned over a strapless brown dress. She wore brown pants and no shoes. Her lightsaber hilt was fashioned out of a Gungan atlatl, a tool they used to hurl their boombas and had a purple blade.
The girl could leap higher and farther than any of her classmates given her kinds’ naturally strong legs. This extended to her kicks which were devastating, capable of shattering rock and stone. She was a great swimmer like Nemo and the two often swam the Kinnaran lakes together.
The younglings were the next generation of Jedi and had taken diligently to their teachings. They awaited the day when they too would defend the galaxy like their masters.
Until that day they would train and keep training.
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At the floating Kinnaran city the Winter Spirit was set down on a landing platform at the city’s edge. Jack and Rapunzel got off while Euegene stayed on board so he could continue to try and reach his contact.
Rapunzel decided to go to Tooth’s palace to pay the queen a visit while Jack was eager to head to the temple to see his sister. They went their separate ways, agreeing to meet up at the temple later. Jack took a sail barge to the temple, smiling as it drew closer. He was looking forward to seeing his little sister. They were the only family each other had and she always greeted him with a big hug and a happy smile that always made his day.
He couldn’t wait for that hug.
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“Alright children! Break time!” Thrush called out.
The younglings all stopped what they were doing and smiled. They began to run through the temple and converged into a single hallway.
Jack rounded a corner and stopped as the younglings began to run by him. He watched the procession before seeing his sister heading his way.
He smiled and stepped into her view with outstretched arms. “Hey! Baby sister! Big bro is-”
“Yeah hey Jack see you later!” Emma said as she ducked his arms and kept going, following behind her comrades. Jack blinked in shock and followed after her as she kept on going, not even bothering to look back.
Meanwhile the younglings navigated through the temple to head straight for an open entryway carved into the mountain side. Being capable of flight the Kinnarans mostly had entrances in the mountain face they could just fly right into. There were some paths for the more elderly Kinnarans to reach the lower levels but they were few.
In the past the younglings would use one of these paths, following down to the jungle floor. But not anymore. One by one they all leapt out of the temple to free fall toward the jungle floor below. One might think them mad, but of course they were no ordinary children.
They fell through the clouds as the wind whipped past their bodies and they felt the windchill. But they found it all exhilarating. It was a rush and one of the most exciting parts of their day. The tallest tress of the jungle drew nearer and nearer they spread their limbs to catch as the air and slow themselves down. They also began to focus their powers, ready to unleash it to soften the impact of their fall.
Some of them chose a more flashy way break their fall. Ella who was accustomed to jungles grabbed one of the large leaves at the top of a tall tree. The leaf bent and she let go, grabbing onto another beneath it and repeating the process as she descended.
One by one the younglings hit the jungle floor in soft landing before they began to run and gather into file. Havolian led the way. Followed by Emma and then Ella. Wrath followed behind the latter with Claire and then Wally coming up behind him. Then Nemo and Lan Wu fell into step with little Nuna bringing up the rear.
They ran through the jungle at incredible speeds, following the familiar trail they’d run time and time again nearly everyday since they'd begun their training as they made way to their hangout spot.
Finally they broke through a clearing to arrive at their lakeside resting spot and began to settle down to relax for their free time. All save Lan Wu and Nemo who dived right into the lake to go for a swim. They hit the water with two big splashes before surfacing and then laying back in the water to leisurely float as they paddled circles.
The younglings lounged about and talked. All while Emma stood at the edge of the look and began to fiddle with her hands as she geared up to practice something.
“Was that your brother Emma?” Clair asked her.
“Yep,” Emma answered simply as she rubbed her hands together. She cupped her hands over her mouth and blew into it. “C’mon. C’mon,” she said between breaths. She was feeling the temperature of her breath. Waiting until it was the right temperature.
The younglings watched knowingly. They were curious to see if she’d finally got it down. Finally with one last breath Emma could feel the chill. She smiled as she spied the faint mist wafting from her clasped hands.
She began to rub her hands together and focusing.
Then with a final breath she threw both her hands out. But nothing happened.
“I...don’t think that was it,” Claire commented with a wince.
“Yeah. Definitely not,” Emma agreed with a frown. She cupped her hands over her mouth and breathed into it, waiting for her warm breath to turn cold. After a few moments it had, and she tried again.
Once again...nothing happened.
“Ahhh. Kriff,” she swore aloud.
Claire gasped and she clapped her hands over Nuna’s ears. “Emma! Don’t swear in front of Nuna!”
Nuna’s face was neutral. “I know curse words,” she said flatly.
“Sorry,” Emma said, more for Claire than the Pantoran. “This technique is just so hard.”
“Well Elsa said it would be,” Havolian pointed out.
Emma was and had been attempting to replicate Elsa’s Force Ice techniques. But with little success. She’d asked Elsa how she did out of curiosity, and the knight had offhandedly explained how she did it before telling Emma she shouldn’t attempt it until she was a few more years into her Force training.
So of course, Emma decided to see if she could figure it out now.
Emma was hellbent on learning how to perform Elsa’s technique. She felt this would only further cement her place as the knight’s Padawan in the future. Though it was already more or less guaranteed and confirmed by Elsa herself.
So really it was more out of pride than anything else.
“Come on. I can do this,” she whispered to herself as she felt her breath once again. She took more time to prep, slowly breathing in and out and quieting her mind. She waited for the coldness of her breath. For the frosty mist to seep from her hands.
She felt and saw it and knew it was time. With a yell she threw both her hands out, feeling like this was it. This was her moment.
From her hands flew a single glittering blue snowflake. It drifted and danced through the air before falling to the surface of the lake and then melting into the water.
Everyone was quiet as the atmosphere grew awkward. They felt a little bad for the white hair girl. All that practice and this was the extent of it.
“Keep trying and you’ll eventually have an ice cube,” Havo quipped to break the silence.
“Shut up Havo!!!” Emma barked at the Sephi. The exchange earned a few chuckled from the group as Emma went to sit beside them with a deep frown.
With that, they settled back to relax.
“I think of of the Jedi is here,” Wally chimed in.
The group exchanged a glance as a silent message passed between them.
“So, we all still agree?” Emma asked. They all gave a nod to confirm that they were aligned.
“Ok. So we’ll bring it up with whoever is here,” Emma said her mind set on what was going to come.
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Dread walked through the Imperial palace alone. He scowled to himself, is conversation with Drago fresh in his mind. Dread was wary of the Emperor's choice of allies, the Mandalorians and the Nightsisters. And when he'd voiced his concerns Drago dismissed them.
The Mandalore was a powerful ally, and at the same time a significant threat. He and his warriors were warmongers. Already beginning to conquer planets and acquire territory of their own. The Empire had left them to themselves, keeping in their graces by paying and hiring their services against the alliance.
Dread wasn't sure if Drago was unconcerned by the threat they posed or didn't believe they posed the significant threat Dread thought they did. But in the end it wasn't his place to question Drago.
As Dread walked to his quarters he passed by several Nightsisters. The witches smiled coyly at him, winking as they passed by. He noticed they were new, likely having just come from Dathomir to replace the ranks of their sisters who'd gone back home with child.
Dread continued on his way, walking the halls of the palace that was once the Jedi temple. Drago had converted the Jedi's sanctuary into a monument of the Sith's power and victory. As he went on his way he stopped. He turned his head to find yet another Nightsister sitting at a temple window, gazing out and over the city of Coruscant.
Heather.
Dread stared at her as she kept her gaze out over the illuminated city. She was different than her sisters. She was more powerful than any of the other witches. Apparently she was the right hand of their leader. She could easily defeat members of shadow guard. And even the Inquisitors, the Empire's most powerful collective of Force sensitives, stood no chance against her.
And the most obvious difference she had from her sisters was that she was not human, Dathomiri, or Zabrak. She had reddish skin and a natural, almost hypnotic, charm about her. Dread had his suspicions as to what species she was, but kept his opinions to himself.
Unlike the other witches she wore black instead of red. She had long black hair that she wore in a braid over her left shoulder. Her outfit consisted of long black boots that extended just up below her knees and black leggings that went up and stopped at her thighs, displaying the red skin of her thighs with a pair short black trunks. She wore a black top with a hood and cowl that concealed her face.
It annoyed Dread that she always kept her face concealed. She herself was a mystery.
"Beautiful. Isn't it?" she suddenly asked aloud.
Dread blinked, realizing he'd been staring at her. It irked him, how even he found himself enraptured by her without his knowledge.
She turned her attention from the city and to him. He could tell she was smirking at him. Her eyes twinkled with mirth. She crossed her legs and stared at him, awaiting an answer.
"Quite. The Empire's capital city is a sight to behold," Dread said evenly. He remained silent as he continued to stare at her, ensnared by her green eyes and noting how the light shining from the window bathed her in light. He almost wondered if she'd planned this beforehand.
"Something on your mind Dread?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.
"Just wondering why I find you alone, Sister? Wouldn't you prefer the company of your clan?"
She chuckled. "I enjoy my solitude. Besides, most of my sisters find themselves in the company of Drago's dark side adepts," she explained with the shrug of a shoulder.
"And why not you?" She arched a brow in question. "I noticed how many of your sisters find themselves with child. Yet you-"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I seek only the strongest male to be my mate."
"And the members of the Shadow Guard or the Imperial Inquisitors?"
"Those imitations of Sith?" she asked in disgust. "They're weak, unworthy of fathering my children."
"Oh?" Dread asked curiously. He smirked, standing at full height. "And me?"
"I am a Sith Lord. I am one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. My strength in the dark side is second only to my master," he pointed out. "Do I not meet your standards?"
Heather hummed as she uncrossed her legs and stood up. She took a step toward, slowly, holding his gaze all the while. She raised her hands up and placed her palms on the front of his chest armor. Even with the layers between them Dread had to suppress a shudder.
He stared down at her as she traced her palms over his armor. He could feel his pulse quicken as she asserted her charm over him. And try as he might, he couldn't get away.
"Well," she said as she rose up slightly on her tip toes, hovering just a few inches away from his face. "I just don't like you."
And just like that she took a step back. Dread scowled at her while she only smiled in amusement. "If you are in need of female companionship, my sisters will be more than happy to share your bed with you."
With that she walked around him and went on her way.
"How will you know when you've found him? This worthy male?" Dread asked as he stared after her, glaring at her back.
Heather stopped, not turning around as she answered him.
"He will defeat me."
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Jack walked the halls of the Kinnaran temple and to his sister's room, wondering why she'd run out after training so suddenly. The girl had been acting...different. She was moody, more withdrawn, and less openly affectionate with him. He used to remember the times when she'd run to him with a happy smile and throw her arms around him in joy. Now he could sometimes barely get a nod to acknowledge that he was there. Elsa assured him that she was simply growing up, maturing into a beautiful and independent young woman. Who, as a maturing adult, simply didn't need her older brother around watching her all the time.
The very thought made Jack shudder.
As he turned down the hall where Emma's room was he nearly ran into someone. He took a step back and glanced down at a different youngling. A young red headed human girl he recognized as Emma's closest friend, Claire. She stood before him, arms crossed behind her back and smiling up at him.
"Hello Jack, whatcha' you doing?" she asked casually.
"Hey Claire. Just going to see my sister," Jack answered as he shuffled to the side to walk by her, only to be halted as she quickly stepped in front of him.
"Oh she's busy right now. I can tell her you stopped by and she can call you later," Claire offered.
"If it's all the same I'd rather speak to her now," Jack replied simply as he stepped to the right, only to have Claire copy him. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Ok Claire, what's going on?" Jack asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Going on? Nothing is going on. Emma is just really busy and would rather not be disturbed," Claire answered.
"Yeah, well I'm her big brother. So I'm going to go see her," Jack answered. He tensed, quickly moving side to side in an attempt to get by the youngling. But her Jedi training and reflexes made her fast and able to predict where he'd move next before he even did it.
Her determination to stop him only made him more curious as to what Emma was doing.
"Hey Claire is that a zit?" Jack asked out of the blue as he pointed at her face.
The young girl gasped, hands flying up to feel her face. "Where?" Using her distraction Jack quickly spun by her before proceeding towards Emma's room. Jack paused outside when he found a large slap of stone partially blocking the entry, he peeked inside to see what his sister was up to.
He found her sitting on a cushion with a small holoprojector in front of her. The thing was displaying a person right before her. He stared at what appeared to be the hologram of a young boy around her age.
"I wish you were here," Emma said wistfully as she hugged herself, smiling at the hologram.
"I know. I wish I could be there too," the boy's hologram said back. Jack suppressed a gasp, staring in shock and horror as Emma blushed and brushed some strands of white hair out of her eyes.
Jack's mind didn't want to believe what he was seeing. But there was no other explanation.
Emma had a boyfriend!
"How's the fleet?" Emma asked curiously.
The boy shrugged. "We're good. Fighting the Empire where we can, saving lives and all of that," the boy answered casually.
"My Hiro," Emma said with a smitten sigh. Jack gagged as he stared, feeling a flaming pit of brotherly protectiveness flare up within him. He reached his hands out and grabbed at the edge of the slab before he started to pull with all his might. But even with his full strength the slab barely gave an inch.
"I wish I could fight out in the galaxy like you do. The only missions the Jedi ever take us on are ones with pretty much no danger."
"Don't be mad, but I'm kind of glad for that. I like the thought of you safe."
"Awww," Emma gushed at his concern for her well-being. "I hope I get to see you again Hiro."
"Me too Emma."
Jack paused, taking shallow and quiet breaths outside the door after failing to budge the slab. He peeked inside, only for his eyes to bulge at the sight of Emma leaning in with eyes closed, like she were about to kiss the hologram.
This would not stand!
"Emma you stop that!" Jack cried as he made his presence known.
Emma gasped as she and the boy's hologram looked to the door. Emma's face burned in embarrassment. "Jack!?" she shrieked in indignation.
"That's right! Me!" Jack said as he tried to squeeze through the crack and into her room. He strained, pushing against the door to get a few more inches of space as Emma shouted at him to stop and get out. "Damn this thing is heavy," Jack muttered as he slowly but surely wiggled his way through and into the room.
He fell inside ungracefully before leaping to his feet and stalking to tower over the boy's hologram.
"Who are you?" he demanded of the boy.
"Uhh..." the boy said as his hologram looked up with wide eyes.
"Jack!" Emma shouted as she stood in front of him and shoved him back. "This," she said as she gestured back to the boy. "Is Hiro. My boyfriend."
"Like hell he is," Jack growled. He peeked over her and at the boy. "Who the heck are you? And what are your intentions with my sister?" he demanded.
"I'm going to go Emma," the hologram said quickly. "Bye," the boy said before the transmission ended.
"No!" Emma cried angrily as she stared at the space where his hologram had been. She whirled around angrily to scowl up at her big brother. "Nice going Jack. Do you know how often we get to talk?"
"How long has this been going on?"
"I don't know. A few months."
"And you're what, actually dating this...Hello?"
Emma narrowed her eyes at him. "His name is Hiro, and yes. He's my boyfriend."
"Oh no he is not. You do not get to have a boyfriend."
"You can't tell me what to do!"
"Big brother," Jack said as he jerked two thumbs toward himself. "Little sister," Jack said as he gestured at her. "I think I can."
"What do you care? We're in a long distance relationship anyway. Like, lightyears away, long distance," Emma said with a note of bitterness.
"You're not in any relationship with him. Long distance or otherwise. My baby sister does not need to have a boyfriend."
Emma turned a red in anger. "I'M NOT A BABY!" she shouted at him. "My hair is completely white," she said as she pointed to her snow white locks, which by their people's standards indicated sexual maturity. "And I have-"
Jack slapped his hand over his ears as her hands came up to gesture at the budding lumps on her chest. "LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALAL! LALALALALALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Jack sang to drown out the dreaded word he believed had absolutely no business associating itself with his baby sister.
"Boobs Jack! I have breasts!" Emma shouted at the top of her lungs.
"AHHHHHHH!" Jack cried, ears bleeding, after hearing the awful word despite his attempts to drown her out.
"Get out of my room Jack!" Emma shouted as she shoved him back towards the door. She paused, raising a hand and concentrating, with some effort she used the Force to drag the slab out of the way to make the exit bigger. Then she thrust her hand toward Jack.
She used the Force to shove him out, not enough to send him flying out of the room but to make him stagger out of it and fall onto his backside. He gaped at her, almost in disbelief she'd used the Force on him. With one final glare she waved her hand, dragging the slab back into place to completely seal herself into the room.
Jack sat there for a moment in shock. Then he picked himself up and dusted himself off. He stared at the slab, wondering where the time had went. He tried to think back, searching his memory for the time when he blinked and she was no longer a little girl who would cling to him whenever she saw him.
"I told you."
Jack turned his head to see Claire, staring at him in disapproval. She had the nerve to shake her head before turning on her heel and walking away. Jack stood there, before looking back to Emma's room. He let out a breath and bowed his head.
"Teenagers."
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done
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkess chp 4
The Proposal
Dread walked beside Heather from his ship and straight into the Mandalorian camp. He kept his head up, making sure to show no weakness as many eyes turned to him and his companion. All around them, Mandalorian warriors clad in their armors were sizing them up. They were all armed and highly dangerous, clutching various weapons and blasters as they trained, worked on their ships, and planned their next set of attacks.
They were left alone as they reached the largest tent in the camp. Two Mandalorians were waiting outside, arms crossed over their chests and fully armed. Dread stood before them, looking both in the eye. "I've come to speak to Mandalore," Dread stated. He raised the container of credits at his side to show his purpose for being here.
The two Mandalorians exchanged a glance before one of them stepped to the side and pulled back the tent flap. Dread nodded and stepped forward to enter the tent, but as Heather made to follow him one of the guards raised a hand. "You wait out here...witch," he said in disgust as he looked her up and down.
Heather and Dread exchanged a glance before Heather stepped back with a huff. Dread left her there. The tent flap closed behind him as he stepped inside. He was greeted by the sight of the Mandalore, a hulking humanoid being in black armor. The Mandalore was leaned over a table with a holoprojector, going over the designs of a rebel base they were planning to destroy.
Dread stopped a few feet away before announcing himself. "Mandalore," he greeted.
Mandalore stopped, shutting down the holoprojector before standing. He turned around, staring at Dread from underneath his helmet. "Dread," Mandalore said in a rumbling growl like voice.
"I've come to deliver the credits," Dread stated as he showed him the case. "It's all there, and in the amount agreed upon by you and my Master," Dread assured him.
Mandalore was silent, staring at Dread with indiscernible thoughts. Then he just chuckled. "Well, aren't you a good little errand boy...apprentice," he drawled out mockingly.
Dread frowned but held his tongue. "I only sought to ensure our continued alliance. Nothing more," Dread stated flatly.
"Alliance?" Mandalore asked. He laughed some more, as if Dread had told a joke. Then he approached, stalking up to Dread to tower over him. Any lesser being would shirk and tremble with fear standing before the Mandalore. But Dread held his ground, staring into his visored face defiantly.
"Make no mistake...Sithling," Mandalore bit out. "I have no allegiance to Drago. What I do, I do strictly out of business," he said before quickly grabbing and yanking the container of credits from him. He turned, walking back toward the table. "And enjoyment I suppose. I do love killing Jedi," he added more to himself than to Dread.
"Sith and Jedi are no different to me. You fight the same. You die the same," he said as he placed the container of credits down on the table. "Once the alliance is crushed and the Jedi are dead. I will crush the Sith next."
"Tell your Master that the next set of targets will be destroyed. Go," Mandalore growled out. With his task complete Dread turned and walked back to the entrance. The Mandalore reactivated the holoprojector to continue his planning.
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Heather waited for Dread outside of the tent. She placed her hands on her hips, staring straight ahead, and ignoring the looks of the Mandalorians standing in front of her.
The Mandalorians before her looked her up and down. Blatantly. Taking in her body hugging outfit and generous curves. One of the Mandalorians drew a blaster at his hip, chuckling under his breath.
"So you're a witch?" he said lowly. He began to circle her as Heather ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on the tent flap. "I've heard of the Dathomiri witches. How they dabble in their magicks. I hear they're some of the best assassins in the galaxy," he rambled on. "Still, you don't exactly match their description," he noted aloud as he observed her skin tone.
She continued to ignore him, something that irked him. To get a rise out of her he reached out his hand, intent on brushing some hair out of her face. As he reached a hand out she swatted his it away.
"Don't touch me," she spat with a glare.
The Mandalorian got in her face, standing before and leaning down, placing his helmeted face a few inches from her. "Or what? Witch? You going to put a curse on me?"
Heather glared at him as he awaited her to act. She could simply back down. But she wouldn't show weakness. Not to them. She gave him a sweet smile as she raised her hand and up and made a fist. The Mandalorian began to float, dropping his blaster and gasping for air. He slapped at his throat, finding his airway constricted by an unseen force.
"I don't need to curse you," Heather said dangerously. "Not when I can just kill you."
Suddenly the Mandalorian's companion raised and pointed his blaster at her. "Put him down witch!" he commanded. Heather looked to him, glaring at him but not dropping his partner. It was a standoff, both awaiting the other to do something.
Then Dread exited the tent. "We're leaving Heather," he said as he walked by the whole scene, unconcerned. Finally, Heather dropped the Mandalorian.
The Mandalorian dropped to his knees, gasping for air before looking up at Heather. She smirked down at him. "You shouldn't mess with a witch," Heather advised tauntingly. She gave him a wink before following after Dread.
The Mandalorian grabbed for his blaster and raised it up, aiming at her back. But his companion pushed his blaster down, shaking his head and telling him to let it drop.
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At the rebel base Merida stood stock still and continued to stare in stunned silence at Hiccup and his ring. Hiccup remained on one knee and held a smile as he patiently awaited her response. But after a long and awkward pause and a growing ache from holding his position his smile fell and he cleared his throat break the silence.
“Ahem.” Merida blinked and he saw the focus return to her eyes. “So uh...not trying to rush you or anything Merida-” he began with an awkward chuckle. “But I think this is the part where you give me your response.”
Merida blinked as her brain caught up. “Oh! Yes! Right!” she sputtered out. She swallowed as she looked to him and then back at the ring. “Wow. This is...wow. I mean...wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.” she stammered out.
She swallowed as she tried to gather her racing thought running rampant through her mind. She became more and more aware of the tension hovering in the room and growing thicker as her answer refused to come.
“It’s pretty,” she finally said.
“Uh…” Hiccup replied with an arched brow. This wasn’t going as he’d thought it would. He’d thought he’d have an answer and fiancee by now. But he still saw a chance to turn this around. “Yeah. It’s gold and the gemstone is actually a small fragment of my lightsaber’s kyber crystal,” he explained.
“Really now?” Merida asked, stalling.
“Yeah. But back to the original question,” Hiccup said to steer the conversation back to his proposal. He raised the ring up and smiled to remind her of its significance.
“Oh right. Uhmmm…” Merida began as she stared at the ring. ‘Oh god this is actually happening’, she said in her mind.
Merida loved Hiccup. She really did. More than she could ever express in words. She had no doubt in her mind that he was the one she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. And he obviously felt the same. She knew one day in the future they would probably get engaged to marry and she was looking forward to that day.
But now the day was actually here. Staring her in the face and she wasn’t prepared. At all!
“Merida?” Hiccup said.
She blinked, realizing she’d gone silent for an uncomfortable amount of time once again and she’d yet to give Hiccup and answer.
“Hiccup I...I just...do you think now is the best time?” she finally responded.
Hiccup arched a brow as he felt something in him beginning to sink. “What do you mean?” he asked apprehensively.
“Well I mean,” Merida began as she paused to swallow. “There’s just so much on our plates right now,” she said as she turned away and began pacing back and forth in front of him. “I mean we’re in the middle of a war. We’re consonantly engaged in life and death battles. I have to constantly plan and discuss with potential allies while maintaining the relationships with the allies we already have. And I’m still trying to make up for the thing with my home from two years ago which set us back and we don’t even know if either of us will survive to see the end of this war. And-”
She stopped in front of him before turning to look at him. “And I don’t think I have the mental capacity for an engagement and wedding planning right now,” she concluded.
Hiccup’s shoulders sagged and his eyes dropped to the floor in disappointment. “So you’re saying no?” he said quietly.
“NO!!!” Merida shouted.
He looked to her, even more confused. “So...yes?” he asked tentatively as he felt a small ember of hope within.
“No,” Merida replied quickly she said with a wince. “I’m not saying that either. More like...not yet,” she finally got out. She reached down and grabbed Hiccup’s hands with her own while closing the ring box. “I do love you Hiccup. More than anything. But I just don’t think I’m ready for marriage just yet.”
“I mean...we would need to have a wedding or anything anytime soon Merida. We can postpone and have a long engagement I just-”
“I know,” Merida cut in. “But I’m just not. So...do you think we can wait. At least until after the war is over? Then we have the rest of our lives,” she said as gently as she could manage.
She stared into his eyes and hoped beyond hope that he would understand. She scanned his face. His expression was unreadable. He just stared back, maybe trying to discern her feelings? She began to grow anxious at his silence as she searched for any trace of emotion.
Finally he smiled before standing up. “I understand,” he said with a nod.
Merida let out a breath she hadn’t noticed she’d been holding as relief flood through her. “Really?”
“Of course. I mean you’re right. Our live are so busy right now. We can hold off on the engagement,” he confirmed.
“Oh thank you,” Merida said happily as she threw her arms around him in a crushing embrace.
“Ow. Easy Merida,” Hiccup said in amusement.
“Sorry,” she replied as she loosened her hold but continue to hug him.
Hiccup pocketed the ring as he hugged her back. He buried his face into her hair and kissed her with a smile. But it faded as he stared at the floor behind her.
“Ah love you,” Merida whispered to him softly.
Those words from her would normally send his spirts soaring. But at the moment they felt as low as the floor he kept his stare fixed to.
But he loved her. He could get past this. This wouldn’t change anything between them. For her he would accept her answer.
“I love you too.”
*******************************************************************************************
“Sir we need to discuss the maintenance schedules for our bombers,” one rebel soldier said.
“Ok-”
“Sir, we need to discuss getting more proton bombs, our last engagement has nearly depleted our stockpile,” said another.
“Yeah I’ll bring that up with-”
“Sir I think my bomber shield generators are malfunctioning, I keep noticing that they seem to lose power too quickly.”
“I’ll talk to maintenance,” Jack said as his squad bombarded him with requests and reports. Jack suppressed the urge to scream in frustration and run away as he tried to handle everything that came his way. He was still getting accustomed to his new role as a leader, and actually being someone that other people reported to.
“OK EVERYONE THAT’S ENOUGH FOR NOW!” he spoke up as she reached his limit. His squad looked to him in question. “Let’s reconvene in an hour,” he said before he left. He walked briskly through the rebel headquarters, Prime, and headed for the hangar of his ship.
He ran a hand through his hair as he tried to relax himself. He needed to get out of Captain mode and just be himself for a moment. Finally he made it to the hangar and saw his ship waiting for him. He immediately brightened and smiled at it.
“Hello beautiful,” he said aloud as he approached. Jack had been quite heartbroken when he’d lost the Snowflake nearly half a cycle back. It’d been like he’d lost a piece of himself. He wasn’t sure he’d ever recover. But then he found her.
He touched the walls as he entered from the open ramp. “Sorry beautiful. Had to deal with Captain stuff, you know how that goes,” he said as he made his way to the cockpit.
“Yeah it always maintenance schedules this, flying practice that, formations this and on and on,” he said in exasperation. “Man I miss those days as a smuggler. Just me and my ship, cruising through space. Outrunning pirates. Or the Empire,” he said with a fond smile as he remembered his life before the Rebel Alliance.
“Oh man beautiful it would’ve been great if we’d known each other then. We would’ve had a blast. Just you and m-,” he began before stopping short as he entered the cockpit to find Elsa sitting there in the plot’s seat with an arched brow.
“Should I be jealous?”
“Jealous? Jealous of what?”
“Your relationship with your ship,” Elsa clarified as she gestured around them. “You call it beautiful and confide in it as if its your lover.”
“A man just had a special relationship to his ship is all Elsa. But don’t worry. You’ve got no competition.”
Elsa sat back in her chair with crossed arms and smiled in self-satisfaction. “Just making sure.” Then she cocked her head, “Are you struggling with your duties Jack?”
Jack sighed as he dropped down into the co-pilots chair. “Guess you heard all that huh?”
“I did,” she confirmed. “For what it’s worth I think you’re doing a good job.”
“Thanks Elsa. That means a lot.” Elsa nodded before staring at him in silence. “What?” he asked curiously.
“Do you really miss your smuggler days?”
“Well…” Jack paused to gather his thoughts. “I mean a little. Like I said, life was a lot...simpler back then. You know, it was get the thing, take the thing to that place, and don’t die. Now it all targets this, formations that and everyone’s looking to me,” he said in exasperation. “But I’m proud of what I’m doing now. I don’t regret joining the Alliance. I’m…” he stopped before correcting himself, “we are making a real difference.”
She watched him, assessing his feelings through their bond. She could feel the truth in his words. He meant every word. She could also understand his frustration toward his new responsibilities. She knew he’d been hesitant to accept his new title but had encouraged him to do so because she believed he was the best suited for the task.
Jack was more cunning than he gave himself credit for. He could think on his feet and make quick decisions under pressure without panicking. She supposed these qualities stemmed from his days as a smuggler where he’d had to act on a moment’s notice and trust his instincts to avoid death, or worse, at the hands of the Empire or pirate.
With a smile she rose from her seat before leaning over to him. She placed her hands on the arms rests of his chair bent down for a kiss. Jack smiled as he titled his head up to meet her. Their lips met and he felt is worries disappear, if only for a few short moment. Elsa definitely had profound affect on him. Serving as a distraction for his worries and a listening ear that he could share his troubles with.
She definitely brought out the best in him.
After a few moment Elsa pulled away and pressed her forehead against his. They stared into each other’s eyes as Elsa raised a hand up and stroked his face.
“You have duties to attend to...Captain,” she whispered, adding the last bit playfully. Jack chuckled and sighed as she kissed his cheek before standing to leave. She made her way to leave the cockpit before stopping and turning to look at him. “After you’ve finished with your squad I was hoping to ask something of you Jack?” she requested.
Jack smiled at her. “Anything for you babe.”
*******************************************************************************************
Hiccup walked through the halls of Prime in solemn silence. The rebels around him gave him a wide berth, as if they could sense something about him that warned them to steer clear. He was lost in thought as he replayed his entire relationship with Merida over in his mind. He’d thought for sure she’d say yes. Was this not what two people in love did one they’d been together for some time.
Hiccup being a Jedi was of course new to the experience of romantic love and relationships. Merida was his first. But everything had felt right. He knew they both wanted to marry. He was even willing to have a prolonged engagement for perhaps as long as the war lasted. Which would likely only be a few more years...or longer.
Not that he was upset or anything. Merida had only said not yet after all. So she hadn’t really rejected him. This was fine. They were fine. Everything was fi-
“Hiccup,” came a call from behind him. He stopped and turned to be greeted with Elsa coming his way. She smiled at him and he managed a smile back.
“Elsa,” he greeted. Elsa’s smile faded as she reached him. She furrowed her brows and tilted her head. “What?”
“Hiccup are you...ok?” she asked, concerned.
“Yes. Why?”
“Has something happened? You seem...gloomy,” she explained.
“Nothing has happened.” But he could tell she hasn't convinced. Elsa was his oldest friend. They’d known each other since they were children. Their connection was powerful meaning they could read each other very well.
Elsa seemed better able to read him than he did her though.
“Is it Merida? Did you two fight?” she pressed. She could sense Merida was involved in this.
“It nothing,” Hiccup said as he looked away.
“Hiccup?” Elsa insisted.
Hiccup sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. She wasn’t going to let this go. “I asked Merida to marry me,” he revealed.
“Oh my,” Elsa said in surprise. “Congratulations,” she said automatically. But then her brain caught up as she realized she wouldn’t be feeling this from him if she’d said yes. “Oh...she said no?”
Hiccup sighed. “No.”
“So she said yes?”
“No.”
Elsa pursed her lips. “Well then I’m afraid I don’t understand then.”
“She said...not yet,” Hiccup answered.
“Not yet?”
“Yes.”
“I see,” Elsa said carefully.
“Yeah I mean with our live being what they are, with the war, and our lives in constant danger,” Hiccup explained. Elsa only listened as he vented. “I mean it makes sense we’re just so busy and all.”
“Indeed,” Elsa agreed.
“Right? So busy. But it’s ok. It’ll happen eventually when the war is over just not yet. Everything is fine,” he rambled.
Elsa stared at him, feeling a myriad of emotions coursing through him. He was bothered by this. More than he was willing to show. She wasn’t sure how to console him. This was something he and Merida had to work out on their own.
“Yes. I’m sure everything will be ok,” she said in agreement.
Hiccup smiled and nodded. “I was going to see Rapunzel.”
“I shall join you.”
The two Jedi walked side by side as they went to visit their compatriot.
*******************************************************************************************
Rapunzel sighed to herself as she sat in her room. She sat in the center of her bed, knees to her chest and fingers pinching and rolling her Padawan braid back and forth. It had been nearly two years since Hiccup had taken her as his Padawan, and in the time she'd spent learning from him she'd come far. Farther than she could have ever come on her own.
By both Hiccup and Elsa's assessment her skills were at the level of a Jedi Knight now. They'd even told her she may as well remove her braid and assume the status. But for some reason...she just couldn't. She didn't fully understand why. She'd spent years training, hoping, and waiting to finally become a Knight. To finally take the inevitable next step that all Jedi took before they became a Master. But she couldn't shake some deep innate feeling that she just wasn't worthy.
As she was lost in thought the door to her room slid open. Rapunzel looked up and smiled lovingly at her fiance. Eugene smiled at her in greeting as he came over to the bed. He crawled onto it to sit beside her before leaning in. With a wide smile Rapunzel did the same, meeting him for a soft kiss. They pulled away, looking into each other's eyes as Eugene wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to him.
Rapunzel sighed happily as she enjoyed Eugene's presence.
"You thinking about your braid again?" he asked out of the blue.
"Yeah," Rapunzel muttered softly.
"Well why don't you just take it off already? You're practically a Knight already," Eugene tried to point out. "Anna told everyone how you took on that Inquisitor. And from what I'm told you didn't break a sweat."
Rapunzel blushed bashfully before sighing. "Being a Jedi Knight is about more than being a good fighter."
"Hiccup and Elsa say you're ready. And Hiccup is your Master. Isn't that proof enough?" he tried to argue.
"It should be...but it just isn't. Not to me," Rapunzel muttered as she shook her head. "I feel like I haven't proven it to myself. I don't know why. I just feel that there should be something more. Something that will let me know that I'm ready."
Eugene hummed, trying to help her but not sure how. The ways of the Jedi were still a mystery. There were just some things he'd never quite grasp. "Well how would you know in the old days. Before the Empire I mean?" he asked.
"Well, when a Padawan had been apprenticed to their Master long enough, usually a decade, and their Master felt they were ready, they would go to the council and the Padawan would take the Trials of Knighthood," she explained.
"What are those?"
"They're tests a Padawan would take to prove that they were ready to become a Knight. There were five of them," Rapunzel said. She raised a hand to count off on her fingers. "They the trials of Courage, Skill, Flesh, Spirit, and Insight."
"Oh," Eugene said as he took in that new piece of Jedi knowledge. "Well what happens if you failed?"
"Then you wouldn't be knighted. But you could take them again eventually when you felt you were ready again," Rapunzel answered.
"So you wish you could take these trials? That way you could prove to yourself?"
"Exactly. If I passed then I'd know. If I failed, well then at least I'd still know. You know?" she asked as she looked up to Eugene.
"Yeah. I think I get it," he said with a nod. He gave her a kiss on the nose, earning a giggle and a blush in response. With that she placed her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it relaxed her.
"Hey Sunshine?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why does your lightsaber look like it does?" He felt her tense up. "Sorry. Something wrong?" he asked in concern. Rapunzel sat up beside him and shook her head. She extended a hand, using the Force to pull her lightsaber from her nightstand and into her palm.
She stared down at it. Her yellow bladed lightsaber she'd had since before the Empire. Since the time of her first master.
"It's common practice for a Padawan to construct their lightsaber with a design similar to their master's. Kind of as a sign of respect."
"So is yours similar in design to your old master's?"
Rapunzel nodded before quietly answering, "It was."
Eugene could sense the sadness in her and cursed himself for dredging it up. He quickly searched his mind for something to distract her thoughts.
"Hey Rapunzel. We should really start planning our wedding," he said out of nowhere.
Rapunzel looked to him and arched a brow. "I thought we agreed to wait till after the war?"
"Well yeah...but they say you can never start to early."
Rapunzel stared at him, blinking in in thought. Then her somber expression melted away into a beaming and radiant smile. One that he loved to see because it lit up his life.
"Ok, I want to get married somewhere sunny. And I want all our friends to be there. And I want music and dancing and..."
Eugene smiled and nodded along as Rapunzel gabbed about how she pictured their future wedding would be. Eugene wasn't too concerned about that. He wanted to focus on that moment, in the short reprieve that had during the war effort.
But he knew that it would come eventually.
And then he'd be living his new dream for the rest of his life.
Suddenly there came a knock on the door to her room. She sat up from Eugene’s embrace and answered, “Come in.”
The door slid open and Hiccup and Elsa entered. Rapunzel stood from her bed to greet them. “Masters,” she said, smiling warmly before giving a respectful bow.
“Rapunzel,” Hiccup greeted.
“Rapunzel,” Elsa greeted.
“I’ll leave you three alone,” Eugene chimed in before leaving the room to let the Jedi speak alone.
They watched him go before the knights spoke to Rapunzel. “I heard your mission was a success,” Hiccup started.
“Yes Master,” Rapunzel said formally.
“And that you defeated an Inquisitor,” Elsa added.
Rapunzel blushed bashfully. “Yes Master,” Rapunzel confirmed.
Hiccup smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Excellent work Rapunzel. I’m very proud of you,” he told her sincerely.
“Thank you Hicc-” she paused and was about to readdress him but he cut her off.
“It’s fine Rapunzel we don’t need all the formality,” Hiccup said as he waved his hand.
“Yes, thank you. Hiccup,” she finished with a laugh.
Hiccup and Rapunzel had a unique relationship. They weren't very far apart in age, with Hiccup being slightly older. But Hiccup was above her in rank and was her Master. So he was both mentor and friend. Elsa too.
“We are both very proud of you Rapunzel,” Elsa added in agreement.
“Thank you Masters,” Rapunzel said in acceptance of their praise.
“I think this is further proof that you’re ready to be a Knight now,” Hiccup told her.
“Agreed,” Elsa added.
“I know Masters,” Rapunzel said. She sat down as she pinched the braid between her fingers nervously. “It’s just…” she trailed off.
The knights stared at her. They’d told her time and time again that she was ready. But there was something holding the Padawan back. Something that wouldn’t let her accept the rise in rank.
“Rapunzel, how about you go with Jack to check on the younglings,” Elsa proposed.
Rapunzel perked up immediately. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and joy. “Really?”
“Yes,” Elsa confirmed. “Jack wants to see his sister and we need to check their progress.”
“Ok.” She jumped up. “What about you two? You’re not coming?” she inquired.
The knights shook their heads. “They want me to escort that Inquisitor you captured to a rebel holding facility,” Hiccup explained.
“And they want me to help with some logistics for potential targets,” Elsa stated.
“Eugene can go with you too,” Hiccup added. “From what I understand he’s got a possible lead on getting some more proton bombs. So if that checks out you guys can make a detour on your way back.”
“Understood Masters,” Rapunzel said enthusiastically. With a bow she ran out of the room.
The knights watched her go but a moment later she stepped back into sight. She looked at Hiccup with a tilted head a brow knit in concern.
“Something wrong Rapunzel?” Hiccup asked.
She paused a moment before replying. “Is something...wrong Master?” she asked curiously.
She could sense Hiccup’s inner turmoil. She may not have known Hiccup for as long as Elsa had, but they were Master and Padawan. Their bond was unique and just as strong.
Hiccup kept his face neutral before plastering on a wan smile. “I’m fine Rapunzel. Go on now. Jack is waiting,” he said to dismiss her.
She stared at him for a moment. She didn’t really believe his words. She could feel something was bothering him. But she decided to leave it for now. With a nod she left to meet Jack who was ready and waiting in the Spirit with Eugene in two.
After quick systems check they were flying away from Prime and another moment later they shot away into hyperspace to Punjam Hy Loo.
*******************************************************************************************
Done
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp3
The Battles of Light and the Dark
A rebel base was on high alert. Their compound had been compromised. They were under attack, forced to fall back and attempt to evacuate. Stormtroopers were closing in on the compound, advancing with their two-legged walkers that bombarded their defense turrets.
What made it worse for the rebels was that joining the troopers in the attack were the Imperial Force adepts. The darksiders brandished their red blades as they deflected blaster bolts and cut through the enemy.
And leading the charge was a darksider whose powers greatly surpassed his comrades’.
For he was no ordinary darksider. He wasn't a member of the shadow guard. Nor was he an Inquisitor.
He was a Sith Lord.
Darth Dread, new apprentice to the Emperor and Sith Lord Darth Drago, marched forward slowly, pausing only to cut down a hapless rebel who happened to have the misfortune to get in his way. His weapon had changed from his lightsaber pike. He now wielded a long handled lightsaber with a black metal hilt, circled with black spikes around the emitter end, and a wicked spiked point at the bottom of the hilt.
He no longer wore his helmet, allowing friend and foe alike to gaze into his menacing amber eyes. He was a tall man with a fit build. He had auburn colored hair with prominent sideburns. He wore entirely black, from his cloak, to his armor, and his boots.
His saber's red blade was active and cutting a scorched line in the ground as he went. Eventually his forces pushed the rebels back into their compound where they proceeded to shut the door and lock it to seal themselves inside a feeble attempt to hold out.
Dread paused just outside, smirking and snorting in amusement before he raised a hand and presented his palm toward the door. He focused his power on it.
On the other side the last of the rebels stood at the ready, weapons raised, and hearts hammering in their chests. Their hands were slicked in sweat, weapons trembling. Many of them couldn't help but think the same thing.
This was the end.
The metal door suddenly gave a loud creak. They tensed, staring at the door as it began to bend inward. Then both doors were suddenly blasted inward, flattening several of them in the process. Those that remained standing began to open fire as Dread walked in.
He waved and twirled his lightsaber around in a red blur as he deflected fire, forcing them back as he began to dwindle their numbers with their own fire. When only one rebel remained he extended his hand and used the Force to rip is weapon from his grip. The blaster flew to his palm, and within moments he curled his fingers around the barrel and crushed it.
As the last rebel contemplated running away Dread extended his hand once again. With a yelped the rebel slid across the floor before he stumbled before Dread. In an instant Dread's fingers were curled around the man's throat, constricting his airway with an unnaturally strong grip.
With a dark smile Dread stabbed his lightsaber into the man's chest, smirking as his eyes bulged and the life faded.
"Enjoying yourself?"
Dread glanced over his shoulder, eyes landing on a woman leaning against the doorway. "Immensely," Dread replied as he dropped the dead rebel. The base was taken, the rebels wiped out until only a single officer remained.
Dread wanted information. He wanted the locations of other bases, names, and of course information on the Jedi.
Dread slammed the man against the wall with his power, making him cry out in pain as he was held there.
"Tell me what I want to know and I promise to make your death quick," Dread said lowly. The rebel groaned and growled in pain before glaring at him. Dread dropped the man to the floor before advancing on him. He kneeled before him and held his hand up.
Immediately the rebel clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his neck as Dread attempted to rip the information he desired out of his mind.
"Your will is quite strong," Dread commented as the man managed to resist him. Dread stopped his forceful invasion as he stood up and grabbed his lightsaber. "Talk or I begin cutting," he threatened. The man glared up at him. Dread cocked back his arm.
"Really Dread?" Dread paused as he glanced back once again. "There are other ways to get what you want," she said, cocking her hip and smirking beneath her black masked cowl.
Dread frowned as he lowered his weapon. "And what would you suggest, Sister?"
The Nightsister rolled her eyes before stalking forward. She brushed past the Sith Lord before kneeling down. "Sometimes a softer touch can be just as effective," she said. She cupped the man's face, looking into his eyes. She trailed a red finger over his cheek before pulling her cowl back and lowering her mask to reveal her face to him.
Dread watched on curiously, having never seen her face. He watched as the man's eyes widened with a gasp. And while he looked stunned she pressed a finger to the center of his forehead. Immediately the man fell into a trance, his eyes glazed over and he became completely compliant.
He began to tell them everything he knew. The Nightsister stood up, pulling up her cowl and mask before turning to face Dread with a smug smile.
"Sometimes all you need is a woman's touch," she said before giving dread a condescending pat on the cheek before waltzing past the Sith Lord proudly.
Dread stared after, deactivating his weapon with a snort.
He didn't like that woman.
He didn't like her at all.
*******************************************************************************************
An Imperial base was under siege. The rebel alliance was determined to take the compound, making off with their ships, weaponry, and whatever valuable intel they could find inside. The troopers inside were fortifying their base, trying to hold out until backup arrived to drive off the rebel insurgents. A majority of the troopers were gathered at the front entrance of the compound, knowing this was the most likely place where the enemy would get in and attempt to overrun them.
They kept their weapons at the ready, focused, and patiently waiting.
But the one leading the attack had decided to take a different approach. Above them they failed to notice the screws of a vent grate mysteriously start to unscrew themselves from the vent system. One by one the screws fell, unnoticed as they hit the ground.
They only looked up as the grate came off altogether. But before they could take aim a figure dropped down from the ceiling and into the room. The figure landed without a scratch, using the Force to soften her fall. As the stormtroopers lowered their weapons to take aim at her she raised a hand up. She channeled the Force into the palm of her hand, manifesting the light side into one powerful burst.
The stormtroopers cried out in pain as a blazing flash of golden light blinded them. They shook their heads to clear their vision, too afraid to fire given their state. Then they heard the familiar hiss of plasma blades. In the next few moments the enemy, a Jedi, was moving around the room in a blur of pink and gold, while her yellow and pink lightsabers moved swiftly in brilliant archs of light.
When she was done she deactivated her weapons and stood in the room's center.
The stormtroopers' visions began to clear. They took note of the Jedi standing before them and raised their weapons up to take aim. Only for them all to immediately realize their weapons were useless, cut right through the barrel, metal still hot. They looked back to the Jedi as she threw her hands out to side. In the next moment all the troopers were sent flying back in shouts of alarm, hurled against the wall of the compound and each other.
The Jedi surveyed the room with grass green eyes and smiled. She activated her wrist comm, contacting her comrades who awaited her signal. "Anna. It's safe to come in now."
She awaited for her comrade to answer, only for the door connecting the outside to the room suddenly being blasted open by a powerful explosion from outside. Smoke and dust were kicked up, obscuring the new opening before people began to enter.
The first to enter was a person dressed in golden armor. Mandalorian armor, marked with blue designs and the mark of the alliance. Following close behind her were rebel alliance soldiers and clone troopers whose armors were painted with black designs with the addition of golden suns.
The mandalorian walked up to the Jedi, smiling at her from underneath her visored helmet. "Good job Rapunzel," Anna said impressed as she swept her head around the room, taking note of all the downed troopers.
"Did you really have to blow the door open? Everyone was already down," Rapunzel asked and pointed out in amusement.
"No," Anna acknowledged with a shrug. "But I like to make an entrance."
Rapunzel chuckled in amusement. Before directing the rebels to take the compound and start securing the enemy. The Padawan had grown over the duration of the war under the instruction of her new master. Both in power and wisdom. Her skills in battle and her strength with the Force had come farther than she ever thought possible.
She'd changed very little in physical appearance, with her brown hair falling down just past her shoulders. Her outfit had changed only slightly, with her top a pink tunic with golden edges with no sleeves that bared her shoulders and upper biceps while the rest of her arms were covered in long lilac colored fingerless gloves that extended to just below her elbows. On top of them were golden cortosis weave armguards and bracers for added protection. Covering her lower body were creme colored pants and dark brown boots with a utility belt at her waist with several pouches.
And at the side of her head was a long piece of braided hair, symbolizing her status as a Jedi Padawan.
As the group was about to move onto the next room the door suddenly slid open with a hiss to reveal a figure in black. Rapunzel, Anna, and the others immediately took note of them and recognized what they were.
An Inquisitor.
The being before them was an Umbaran. Pale and slender to the point of what looked like emaciation. Her eyes were colorless with grey markings around them. She was bald and staring at them, specifically Rapunzel menacingly. She reached behind her, drawing her unique ringed lightsaber from her back and igniting the blade.
Anna began to raise a blaster up alongside the other rebels, only for Rapunzel to raise a hand and stop them. The rebels backed down, lowering their weapons and giving her space as she approached the Inquisitor. She stood right before her, well within striking range, something that made the Inquisitor cock her head to the side curiously.
"This compound is taken. You've already lost," Rapunzel told her. She shook her head, "There's no need to fight anymore." She awaited the Inquisitor's response, hoping that she could see reason and simply surrender.
The Inquisitor responded with violence. She quickly raised her saber up and took a swipe at Rapunzel, aiming for her head. Rapunzel simply leaned back, letting the blade sail over her face before she counterattacked. With a peaceful surrender obviously not an option she kicked the Inquisitor squarely in the gut.
The Inquisitor staggered back before thrusting her saber forward for a stab. Rapunzel side stepped the attack, and as the Inquisitor attempted a swing she halted her mid attack as she grabbed at her wrist. The Inquisitor growled in aggravation as she pulled her hand free and began attacking viciously.
Rapunzel backed away, dodging every strike with relative ease, not even bothering to draw her own sabers in defense. As the Inquisitor attempted an overhand swing Rapunzel jerked out of the way. She grabbed her sword arm, keeping it angle downward before kneeing her in the stomach. As the Umbaran gasped for air Rapunzel tugged her arm forward and flipped her, throwing her to the ground on her back.
The Umbaran took a wild swing at her while she was on the ground. Rapunzel leapt back as the Umbaran leapt to her feet and turned to face her. Rapunzel threw her palm forward. With a cry the Umbaran was sent flying, hitting the ground hard before rolling and eventually coming to a stop when she hit a wall.
Rapunzel stared after the Umbaran who struggled to get up. She let out a breath, hoping the Umbaran would see she was severely outmatched. The Umbaran rose, lifting her head to glare at the Jedi before changing her lightsaber to it's ringed saber staff form. Rapunzel started to rush her. The Umbaran tensed before making the blades on her weapon spin in a blur of red before she cocked back her arm and threw it at the approaching Padawan.
Rapunzel didn't stop, simply kept going as she approached the flying blades. Before they could touch her she leapt, flipping over it before snaking her hand out and grabbing it by the handle. The Umbaran gaped as her enemy took hold of her lightsaber mid-flight and whilst in the air. Rapunzel landed on her feet and threw the weapon back at her opponent.
The Umbaran flinched, jerking her head out of the way as one of the red blades sank into the wall to the right of her head. She gripped her weapon and yanked it out of the wall before she began to attack Rapunzel. Rapunzel nimbly dodged the Umbaran's flurry of attacks, feeling her frustration and anger grow.
As they spun away from each other Rapunzel finally curled her hands around the hilts of her lightsabers. She unclipped them from her belt and ignited both blades. The Umbaran stared at her, scowling in anger before gripping the hilt of her saber firmly in hand and rushing her. She alternated hands as the blades spun, blurs and wheels of red light almost too fast to follow.
Almost.
Rapunzel waited until just the right moment before lashing out. With a loud hiss she cut the ring at the center apart, sending the two halves of the blade flying away and leaving the Umbaran defenseless. The Umbaran froze in shock before raising her hands up in surrender as Rapunzel pointed her yellow saber in her face.
A crippling nerve pulse hit the Umbaran from behind, making her crumple to the ground unconscious. Anna stood behind her, blaster up.
Rapunzel smiled as she deactivated her lightsabers and clipped them to her belts. She looked to the other rebels, motioning with her head for them to continue their operation. They nodded, surging past her and securing the compound and prisoners.
Rapunzel and Anna both beamed in pride as they called up their allies to tell them they'd succeeded.
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Meanwhile across the galaxy someone watched the Padawan from a dark place. A woman stared at her glowing green ball that displayed the young Jedi. She smiled with pride, but also ill intent. For she had plans for her.
“My little flower. You’ve bloomed so beautifully,” she said lowly with a hungry grin. The child had grown very powerful. It seemed losing her to the Jedi all those years ago hadn’t been for nothing after all.
“But it’s time you return to your sisters my little flower. It’s time you to come home to mother.”
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The door to Hiccup's room slid open with a whoosh, allowing the Jedi to limp inside with the help of his girlfriend. Merida held him up, slowly assisting him over to his bed while watching his face for signs of pain.
They’d returned to the main rebel base, and after giving a debrief Merida had escorted Hiccup to his quarters for some well needed rest and recuperation.
"Easy now Hic," she whispered to him. Hiccup nodded as they finally reached the bed. She helped him ease down and sit on the edge. "How do you feel?" she asked in concern.
"Fantastic. We Berkians love pain," Hiccup responded sarcastically.
Merida rolled her eyes. "You should consider yourself lucky you survived a fight with all those Mandalorians," she reminded him. Hiccup sighed and gave a nod. Merida grasped one of his hands, causing him to look up and into her eyes.
"I was worried about you," she whispered softly. She kissed his knuckles before placing his hand against her cheek.
Hiccup smiled as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Can't get rid of me that easily," he replied with a small chuckle. She let out a small laugh along with him before staring into his eyes lovingly. This had only been one of many close calls where Merida feared she'd lose him to their enemies.
But, out of sheer dumb luck, or maybe even the will of the Force he'd pulled through once again. She held his gaze as she bent down and leaned in. Hiccup closed his eyes as she gingerly placed her lips against his. He focused on the softness of her lips as he felt her emotions sweep over him.
Relief, joy, tenderness, and most of all love enveloped him, making him forget about all the worries of their dangerous and busy lives.
He moved his hand from her cheek to cup the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. Merida responded eagerly, moaning as she scooted closer, preparing to straddle him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed both her legs on either side of his thighs, but as she did her knees brushed against something in his pocket, pressing it against his leg and reminding him of its presence.
As Merida made to lock her arms around his neck he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and gently pushed her away. Merida stared at him in confusion, only to find him looking strangely nervous.
"Actually Merida…there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," he said. Merida arched a brow but sensing the seriousness in his tone got off of him and took a step back before waiting patiently for what he had to say.
Hiccup took a few breaths, gathering is nerve and wits for what he was about to do. He stood up and held her gaze as he attempted to organize his thoughts.
"So…I've been meaning to do this for a while now. But I guess I've been putting it off, hoping for a better time," he began nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck and flushed. "Nothing like almost dying to make you realize that you have to do things while you can," he said with a chuckle.
"Ok?" Merida said, not understanding where he was going with this.
Hiccup cleared his throat as he prepared to speak. "Merida. I can't even begin to describe how happy I am that we met. Fighting alongside of you, falling in love with you, changing the code…it's opened up so many possibilities that I never considered for myself."
Merida flushed and smiled warmly at him.
"I've lost a lot. But I've gained much in you. A friend, a comrade, a lover, and now I'm hoping…" Hiccup paused as he reached and hand into his pocket and began to kneel down.
Merida's eyes widened as she realized he'd dropped down onto one knee. They became the size of dinner plates when she caught the metallic gleam from whatever Hiccup had pulled from his pocket.
"A wife," Hiccup finished as he held up a golden ring with a glowing green gemstone adorned onto it.
Merida had forgotten the biological need for air as she simply stared down at Hiccup in frozen shock. Her jaw hung low, leaving her with a gob smacked and stupefied expression.
"Merida DunBroch, will you marry me?"
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done
More rotbtfd star wars au story stuff
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp2
Battle of Hoth
The snowtroopers stood frozen on the spot as they stared at the Jedi before them, who’d just destroyed two walkers single handed. The Jedi stared back with his lightsaber ignited and pointed at the ground. He made no move, almost as if he was waiting for them to move first.
The snowtroopers' fingers twitched as they squeezed their weapons in hand. They began to sweat beneath their helmets as they tried to control their nerves. They wanted to flee. But they couldn’t. They were ordered to kill this Jedi and failure to do so when he was standing right before them would lead to severe punishment from the Empire.
So the five troopers stood their ground as they prepared to meet their fate, whether it be the death of the Jedi by their hands or the other way around.
Kill or be killed as it were.
One trooper finally broke the stalemate and tensed before beginning to raise his weapon so he could take aim and fire. His comrades did so as well a millisecond later.
But the Jedi was faster.
He thrust his left palm toward them as he let loose his power. The troopers were struck by an invisible force and sent flying back a good ten feet. Their bodies flailed and rolled through the air helplessly like ragdolls as they shouted in panic.
They hit the ground, the only saving grace being that they landed in a layer of snow. They scrambled to get up, ignoring the pain in racking their bodies as they quickly tried to get eyes on their enemy.
As one trooper whipped around to face them he was met with a sight of the Jedi already within striking range. He let out a startle yell as he attempted to jump back, but he was too slow as the Jedi cut him through with his lightsaber, making a diagonal slash across his torso from hip to shoulder.
As their comrade was cut down another trooper finally got his wits about himself and attempted to avenge his fellow soldier only for the Jedi to extend his left hand out toward him. A moment later he was violently pulled forward. He screamed and flailed in confusion before stopping when the Jedi placed a hand on his shoulder and thrust his lightsaber through his chest, killing him almost instantly.
As his comrades took aim to fire the Jedi pulled hit lightsaber free before tossing the dead trooper to the side. They began to fire on him with everything they had while the waved his plasma blade batting away their fire. He twirled his lightsaber rapidly as he advanced on them. They in turn backed away to put more space between them in hopes one of them could get a shot on him.
As he deflected another barrage he dashed toward one at his left. He moved so fast that he was a black blur that seemed to dissapear and reappear a moment later. The stormtrooper blanched and recoiled while trying to fire but the Jedi raised his leg to land a high kick to the front of his helmet.
The force of the kick actually lifted his off his feet began to sent him falling back when the Jedi followed up with a slash across his mid section. He died before hitting the ground in halves as the Jedi raised his weapon to deflect a blast bolt back towards another trooper.
The blaster bolt flew back towards the trooper and hit him in the chest, straight in the heart. He crumpled to the ground with a dying throe and the Jedi turned his sight on the last trooper.
The trooper screamed and fired on the Jedi as he advanced. The Jedi blocked his assault before ending it, deflected a blast right back to him to the head. The trooper fell, dying before he hit the ground and sinking into the snow.
The Jedi took a moment and looked around to see where his assistance was needs next before suddenly moving away to the side in a blur. A moment later the place where he’d just been standing was reduced to a smoldering crater. He looked to see the very last walker advancing toward him, all weapons aimed at him.
With a breath he charged it. He moved at astounding speed and the snow exploded out behind him. He was barely perceptible as he serpentined his way toward it, all the while the walker was unleashing a barrage from it weapons to try and stop him. His foresight and speed allowed him to avoid the heavy fire that left nothing but fiery pits where he’d been just a moment before.
Finally when he was almost under it he leapt at it. He leapt toward its right front leg. He sailed through the air while cocking back his lightsaber. He plunged it into the metal length of leg just above it’s “knee” and sliced through it. He kept going, spinning in mid air to keep momentum as he cut through the right back leg below the “knee.”
He landed at its rear and rolled before getting right back to his feet before glancing back. The walkers weight caused it collapse as the cut meant it could no longer stand on two of its four legs. It collapsed onto its right with a grind and screech of metal before hitting the ground with a loud rumble before a series small explosions rattled within.
Satisfied the Jedi turned to walk away only for a new vehicle to advance on him. He spied the small bipedal AT-ST walking toward him. He stood there and waited it aimed it side rocket launchers on him and fired.
A singular rocket came flying toward him in an attempt to blow him to smithereens. But with a calm raise of his arm and a wave of his hand he redirected it, sending it back toward the bipedal walker. He aimed at the area behind the viewport visor, a known weakness. It went up in a fiery mess as the other rockets were detonated from the impact. It crashed the ground in a heap of scrap.
He leapt atop it right as an injured trooper flung open the top entrance hatch. He quickly grabbed for his weapon in one last attempt to kill his enemy only to be cut down with a quick slash across his torso.
The Jedi took a moment to look for another threat. Eyes scanning the battlefield the next threat. He stiffened as his senses alerted him to danger, but a moment too slow as a stray blast bolt stuck his head and he fell from atop the downed AT-ST.
The surrounding rebels took a moment to look to their Jedi savior, right in time to see him fall.
“The general is down!” he communicated through the rebel channels. “I repeat, the general is down,” he said frantically. His eyes were then drawn to something approaching the general’s location.
His eyes widened and his stomach dropped. He could make out five individuals, carried aloft with jetpacks, clad in different colored armor, and sporting the all too familiar helmets their kind was known for.
“We got Mandos!!!”
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In orbit above the planet vicious dogfights were being fought between the rebel and imperial forces. The imperial forces were on the losing end of the skirmish. Engaging them were two Star Destroyers piloted by rebel forces and being supported by two Mon Calamari ships, a MC40a light cruiser alongside an MC30c frigate.
On the command deck of one Destroyer were the various officers and technicians communicating the fleet and the rest of the personnel on board to assess the ever shifting battle situation and any damage or losses sustained to the rebel’s side.
Watching the battle before her with sharp blue eyes was one of the Alliance’s many leaders, Merida Dunbroch. The young redheaded woman stood calmly on, hands behind her back and breathing steady. This was an all to normal sight for her, watching her people fight while she stood by and waited to give order.
“We’ll end this fight shortly Merida,” said her companion at her side. She glanced over at her tall, pales skinned ally. The woman dressed in a powder blue robes and a white cloaked hood kept her focus straight ahead.
She was a Jedi as well, with the proof residing at her waist where her two lightsaber waited idly by. She was a perfect example of calm, cool, and collected. Merida couldn’t help but admire that about her and hoped she too could one day radiate that same sereneness.
“Ma’am,” one of the rebels soldiers piped.
“Aye?” she responded.
“We’ve thinned their forces ma’am.”
She gave a firm nod before relaying orders. “Contact th' Mako 'n' tell em tae shift intae battle position,” she ordered.
The soldier replied with a swift confirmation before following her command.
“Ma’am. We’ve got a communication from the ground forces! Its about General Hiccup!”
Merida’s eyes widened as panic and worry began to set in. “Let it thro’.”
A transmission from the ground forces came through the flight deck’s comm.
“The General is down! I repeat, the General is down!” came the cry of a rebel. “We got Mandos!”
“Hiccup,” Merida whispered in dread. “Someone get eyes on him! Tell me if he’s alive!”
*******************************************************************************************
Back on the ground the group of five mandalorians landed before the downed AT-ST, looking to confirm the kill of the Jedi. They each wore different colored armor, one in red, green, blue, yellow, and one in black.
The one in red led the way, walking briskly with a blaster carbine to claim his prize. He’d been the one to take the shot. He’d caught the Jedi unaware.
“Slow down youngblood,” one of his companions said with a laugh.
“Boy’s eager,” another said. “Really wants all that glory from being the one to kill the Jedi.”
“He got lucky. That’s it,” another said sourly. He was jealous but would never admit it.
The young mandalorian slowed his advance as he raised up his carbine into firing position. He paused, taking a moment to steel his nerves before rounding the other side of the downed vehicle.
He came around only to be met with the sight of...nothing. There was no body laying there. He advanced, confused and sure he’d hit the Jedi in the head with his shot. He could make out an indent in the snow, and boot prints. He kneeled down to get a closer look before something collided with the side of his helmeted head.
Whatever had hit him had come from above. He rose up and swung his carbine upward right as he heard the sounds of plasma blades igniting. He was met with the sight of the Jedi descending on him, sans helmet, and two lightsabers in hand.
The Jedi cut through the barrel of his blaster carbine and rendered it useless. Then he last out with his shorter orange bladed saber, aiming a strike at his neck. The mandalorian managed to recover quickly as he jerked back to narrowly avoid being decapitated.
He quickly righted himself and drew a blaster at his right hip before firing off a quick series of shots that the Jedi managed to deflect before thrusting his palms toward him. The mandolarian was thrown backward, rolling through the snow managing to get his feet under him. He looked at the Jedi who was about to advance before drawing another weapon at his left hip. He took aim and fire off a shot quickly.
The Jedi deflected it with his short saber. But it felt off. His saber was nearly ripped from his grip as he batted aside whatever had been shot from the new blast. It had felt more solid and heavier than a normal blast bolt. A moment later his orange bladed lightsaber, his shoto, gave a sputter and spark before the blade retracted back into the hilt.
He had no time to ponder as the mandalorian kept firing. This time however the Jedi could make out a metallic silver glint coming off the projectile ammunition being fired his way. Not wanting to lose his green bladed saber he dodged, ducking and weaving out of their path.
The mandalorian stopped firing to take a breath to recover. The Jedi did the same, staring him down before glancing at his sides and over his shoulder. The other mandalorians had surrounded him. Two were at his back with another at his left on top of the destroyed AT-ST and another to his right. Not an ideal situation.
“Thought for sure my blast killed you Jedi,” the red garbed mandalorian said.
“Well you put a hole in my favorite helmet…so there’s that,” Hiccup replied all the while shifting his focus between the warriors surrounding him.
“You’re that Berkian Jedi, right?” the mandalorian asked.
“I am,” Hiccup answered honestly, stalling while he thought of a plan.
“Yeah. I’ve heard of your people. Said to be giant warriors who lust for battle and conquest. A lot like the Mandalorians,” he continued. “Strange to see one of them as a Jedi.”
“Well its a long story,” Hiccup replied flatly.
The mandalorian chuckled before standing at full height. “Truth be told Jedi, I’m glad that first shot didn’t kill you. Would’ve been too easy. Nah, I wanna watch the life leave your eyes as I finish you,” the mandalorian said icily.
“So lets have us a fair fight,” he proposed.
“Oh yeah, five on one, so fair,” Hiccup replied sarcastically.
With that the mandalorian holstered his blaster and pointed at him in challenge. “I challenge you to single combat,” he declared.
Hiccup arched a brow. “Your allies won’t interfere?” he asked while he motioned his head toward the other mandalorians surrounding him.
“By creed they will not,” he assured. He looked to his companions, each of which gave a swift nod in confirmation. All save the one in black who paused. “I will fight him alone,” he reiterated.
The mandalorian in black held his comrade’s gaze silently before giving his answer. “Fine youngblood, but make this quick.”
Hiccup glanced around at the five mandalorians. They all had different colored armor. In addition he could make out different emblems adorning each of their armors. He was guessing they were from different clans. But the one in black bore a symbol he’d been starting to see far too often lately. He could spot a pair of crossed twin head axes emblazoned on his right pectoral.
More often than not he encountered mandalorians sporting that particular symbol. It was apparently the symbol of the Mandalorians’ current leader and members of this clan seemed to have a rather contentious relationship to mandalorians belonging to other clans.
With a breath he looked to his shoto. He tried igniting the blade but found it not to be working.
“A cortosis metal slug,” the red garbed mandalorian said aloud.
“Thought so,” Hiccup said with a sigh. The metal in its pure form could short out a lightsaber. He’d never encountered it in projectile form before. This is what made fighting mandalorians so dangerous. They were a people who’d developed their strategies and arsenal specifically to counter Jedi.
Give him ten or twenty stormtroopers and he’d have no problem. But even one mandalorian and he couldn’t guarantee how that fight would go. Five made it all the worse. He was lucky this one was so eager for glory to challenge him alone. He wasn’t sure he could take all five at once.
He clipped his shoto to his belt as he took firm hold of his green lightsaber, holding it out in challenger. “Fine. I accept your challenge to single combat,” he finally answered.
The mandalorian gave a chuckle before moving his right hand to hover over his holster on his right. They stare at each other. Each waiting for the other to make the first move. Hiccup fingers curled and uncurled around the hilt of his lightsaber and the mandalorian’s fingers twitched in anticipation.
A cold wind blew between them as Hiccup’s body tensed to charge while the mandalorian’s hand went for his blaster.
Their battle to the death had begun.
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Back in orbit Merida awaited any news on the status of her beloved. At her side Elsa stood in silence. She could feel her fellow Jedi and longtime friend was alive. But with several mandalorians on the battlefield that could change quickly. They had to get to him.
“I got eyes on him,” came the call of a rebel over the comms.
“He’s alive?” Merida asked.
“Yes ma’am. But looks like he’s fighting with the mandalorians.”
“How many are there?” Elsa inquired.
“Look like there’s five of them.”
Merida and Elsa exchanged a look. Even Hiccup was likely to struggle against that match up. They needed to break through to back him up.
“Contact the Hammerhead. Get in touch with Blizzard squadron. Let’s tell them they’re up,” Merida ordered.
On the MC40a light cruiser, the Hammerhead, a squad of Y-wing bombers were awaiting their orders to join the battle. All pilots were in their respective fighters while the leader of the squad was in his own ship.
“Come in Blizzard squadron,” came the call from Merida. The squad leader didn’t answer immediately as he finished up one last system’s check on his ship. “Come in Jack,” came Merida’s more insistent call.
The white haired man finally responded. “Go ahead Merida,” came his easy going reply.
“You and your squad are up Jack. We need to take out those flag ships and get our people on the ground. Hiccup needs help.”
“Got it. Blizzard leader out,” he said. With a breath he began initiating the take off procedure for his ship. He switched his comms to the channel his squad was using to give his order. “Alright Blizzard squad we’re up. Prepare for takeoff and role call.”
One by one his unit checked in and prepared to take off. The hangar doors of the Hammerhead’s port side opened in preparation. Jack quickly activated the local comm channel for his ship.
“Eugene, you ready?” he asked.
His comrade responded. “Manning the dorsal gun Jack.”
Jack gave a nod before continuing. “Furball, you ready?”
A growl came over the radio from their wookie comrade as he confirmed he was on the ventral gun.
“Kristoff, I need you up here,” he called. A moment later a tall and burly blonde haired man entered the cockpit before falling into the co-pilot’s seat.
“Sorry, just checking things over,” he said as he strapped in.
With a nod in understanding he turned his attention to the hanger bay doors. “Let’s go,” he murmured to himself.
With a pull of the controls he got his ship into the air before flying it out into space. Flying out toward the battle was a squadron of twelve Y-wings and leading them was a modified YT-2400, the Winter Spirit.
Jack had lost his old ship, the Snow Flake, during a previous mission. But perhaps through the will of the Force or whatever power that be he’d acquired his new vessel. He and Hiccup had heavily modified it for speed and combat, making it far better then its predecessor.
In his time with the Rebellion, after the Battle of DunBroch, Jack had been promoted and had received the official military rank of Captain. In addition he’d been given his own squad of bombers to lead. He’d been hesitant to accept as Jack was no military man.
But his love, Elsa, had encourage him to take it. Saying that Jack would make an excellent squad leader. He’d been skeptical but ultimately had accepted, believing that if she believed he could do it then maybe there was something more to him than he thought.
“Alright Blizzard squad. Let hit them hard. Let’s him them fast.”
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Back on the ground Hiccup sprinted around the battlefield as he dodged the barrage of blaster bolts coming from his opponent. The red mandalorian was keeping him at a distance with blaster fire and the occasional thermal charge.
The other mandalorians were staying out of their battle. Something which Hiccup was grateful for. Though he assumed if he tried to flee they would likely try and stop him by any means necessary.
Tiring of playing defense Hiccup came to a stop. He blocked a few blaster bolts before thrusting his left and forward. He focused his power on the snow, sending toward the mandalorian. It was a little trick he’d picked up from his fellow Jedi.
The mandalorian was buffeted by wind and snow, almost like he was standing in a blizzard. His vision was obstructed as snow and ice began forming on his visor. He held his free hand up in front of his face to try and block out the worst of it when he noticed the gust beginning to die down. He quickly wiped off his helmet when the Jedi leapt through the fading mist with his lightsaber cocked back to strike.
The mandalorian tried to get his gun on the Jedi to fire, but before he could the Jedi swung and slice through the barrel of his blaster. As the Jedi landed he spun before throwing out a kick that hit the mandalorian straight in the stomach. The mandalorian coughed and stumbled back a few steps as he tried to catch his breath but the Jedi stayed on him.
Hiccup closed in on the mandalorian and raised his lightsaber above his head before swinging downward, aiming for his opponent neck. But before his strike could find his mark the mandalorian raised his right vambrace into the plasma blade’s path.
There was a sharp ring of metal and spark flew from the impact but the plasma blade was halted. Hiccup looked at the point where his lightsaber’s blade made contact to find it hadn’t cut through, meaning only one thing.
The mandalorian raised his left vambrace and Hiccup heard a small whistle and jerked his head to the side as something blew by his cheek. The mandalorian grunted and pushed the plasma blade away as he drew a vibroknife with his left took a swipe at Hiccup’s midsection. Hiccup spun away to dodge before pausing to breath and reassess.
“Lucky,” he commented aloud.
“Not luck, beskar,” the mandalorian said proudly as he tapped the blade of his vibroknife against one of his vambraces.
Beskar, sometime dubbed as Mandalorian iron, was one of the few substances in the known galaxy that could block a lightsaber. And the mandalorians were one of the few people skilled enough to forge it into weapons and armor. It was part of the reason that they had always been one of the most dangerous enemies to the Jedi
In recent year it was a toss up if any given mandalorian had a full armor set of pure beskar. With the veins depleted through time on their planet many had been forced to forge armor with inferior metal like durasteel.
The mandalorian shifted his his vibroknife to his right hand and lowered himself into a battle stance. Hiccup surmised that he’d exhausted anything that could be used for long range combat and must be trying for close range.
Hiccup raised his lightsaber, pointing the blade straight up in a battle ready stance with his dominant foot back. He held his gaze on the mandalorian’s helmeted face before he began to inch forward. The mandalorian did the same, slowly shuffling forward until he could get him within striking range. Of course with Hiccup’s longer weapon it meant the mandalorian would be within attacking distance of him a lot sooner.
Hiccup lashed out, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes from multiple angles. But the mandalorian was well versed in close quarters as he guarded the strikes with his vambraces. He kept his stance compact as watched closely to see where the next attack was coming from.
Sparks flew and metal rang as his vambraces took each strike without damage. As Hiccup tried for an overhead strike the mandalorian quickly raised his hand up and caught Hiccup’s wrist. He went for a stab at Hiccup’s midsection but Hiccup quickly intercepted the attack, catching his wrist with his free hand. He pointed the blade of the knife away from his body as they grappled.
The mandalorian growled as he struggled to keep the lightsaber blade away from himself whilst trying to get his knife toward his enemy. But Hiccup, Berkian that he was, was far stronger than his frame and build belied.
He began to overpower the mandalorian as he began to direct his lightsaber toward him. The mandalorian could see he was losing the struggle and threw his head forward, catching Hiccup in the face. Hiccup stumbled back and released his foe but recovered quickly as he used his left hand to brush aside the mandalorians knife hand but was met with a painful punch that the mandalorian threw with his other. He shook off the blow while backing away as he jerked and twisted away from swipes and stabs before he stuck back with a quick slash that cut through the mandalorian’s knife blade.
The mandalorian tossed aside his weapon before pressing a button on his vambrace, letting out a stream of fire from it aimed at Hiccup’s face. Hiccup blocked with his palm as the mandalorian put some distance between them as his jetpack roared to life. He took to the air as he kept his flamethrower aimed at the Jedi before landing a good distance between them.
He figured that must’ve gotten him good and watched as the fire began to recede. But instead of dispersing it was like it was being drawn to single point. He watched as the flames converged at the Jedi’s left hand and then held it above his palm in a crackling fireball.
Hiccup stared at the mandalorian, ball of fire in hand before he took the flames and began to wrap them around the blade of his lightsaber. This idea was a technique he’d created after learning of a type of beast from his home planet’s ancient past. A beast that would surround itself in flames and was one of the most fearsome his people had ever known.
The mandalorian watched as the flames wrapped around the lightsaber blade. The Jedi stared at him, his eyes different than they’d been moments before. His pupils were thin slits like an animal’s and wild, with an intense but constrained fury hiding just behind them.
The Jedi moved and managed to close the distance between them within a heartbeat. The mandalorian staggered back as he threw up his vambraces to defend. The Jedi’s attacks were more intense than ever and each blow was coupled by a small explosion that sent his limb jerking violently with each guarded strike.
His attention was fixed on the fiery blade. Just as Hiccup intended. The Nightmare technique was mostly just for intimidation and to rattle his opponent. Though it also added a bit more ‘oomph’ to his attacks as well.
The mandalorian became too focused on the blade itself and not his opponent and Hiccup capitalized on this with a quick sweep. The mandalorian’s legs fell out from under as he hit the snowy ground on his back. Hiccup rose up and poised his lightsaber up to strike, intending to decapitate his foe.
Before he could deliver the blow he felt something wrap around his leg. His looked down to see a length of wire had wrapped around his left shin. Suddenly it was tightened and pulled as he fell to the ground and was dragged backward.
He lost his grip on his lightsaber in surprise as it laid in the snow and he was pulled away from it. He managed to look back to see the black armored mandalorian in the air with his vambrace aimed toward him and the currently around his leg.
“What are doing?” the green armored mandalorian shouted in outrage. “This was supposed to be single combat,” he shouted angrily.
“The youngblood had his chance,” the black mandalorian said coolly. “He lost. We came to kill Jedi, and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said over their shared comms as he dragged the Jedi across the ground.
“You shouldn’t have interfered,” the blue mandalorian said lowly.
“They’re right,” the red mandalorian said as he picked himself up and watched his opponent. “There’s no honor in this kill.”
“Honor means nothing. Victory is all that matters,” the black mandalorian replied.
“How dare you!” the yellow mandalorian yelled sharply.
The black mandalorian looked to all of them. “You’re all stuck in the past. The Mandalore is showing us the new way. Honor is meaningless. Ruthlessness. Brutality. Anything to achieve victory. This is the way!!!” he spat at all of them.
The other mandalorians clenched their fists. They raged and warred with themselves internally. Everything the new Mandalore was trying to instill went against the code and the creed they’d known. But the Mandalore wasn't tolerant of failure or excuses. They’d no doubt he’d listen to the words of one from his own clan.
“This is the way,” the green mandalorian said in compliance as he shot a length of wire from his vambrace to ensare the Jedi’s right arm as he took to the air.
“This is the way,” the other mandalorians muttered lowly as one by one they ensnared his left arm and neck. Hiccup was bound, struggling as he was on his knees.
The red mandalororian hung his head in shame. “Dank farrik,” he muttered lowly. He felt disgusted at the turn of events. It was bad enough he’d lost. But for his battle to be trod on and for him to be given his victory like this. It was a shame he’d live with a for a long time.
“Finish it youngblood. Claim your kill,” the black mandalorian demanded.
With a growl the mandalorian reached down, pulling a vibroknife hidden at his leg. With a frustrated cry he he charged with the knife poined in the air to finish the fight quickly. He didn’t want to relish this moment. He just wanted it to be over.
Hiccup watched his opened charge at him with intent to kill and tried to think of a plan. A glint behind his enemy drew his eyes and he oculd make out his lightsaber laying halfway buried in the snow. He focused on it, fingers flexing and brow knit in concentration. It flew from the ground and sailed past his enemy’s head before flying to his right palm.
He quickly activated it and with a with a quick twist of his arm he cut through the wire binding his wrist. He then cut through the one at his left wrist before thrusting his freed hand toward the red mandalorian charging him to send him rolling backward. Then he twisted his upper cut the one at his neck and finally the one at his leg.
Freed he stood up and looked upward at his flying enemies as they began to draw blasters. He leapt up at the one in black who climbed high to avoid his attack. The mandalorian assumed he was safe as he prepared to fire. But he blanched in shock as the Jedi didn’t reach the height of his jump and then fall like he’d expected. Instead the Jedi kept rising, climbing higher until he was at his level.
With a quick swipe Hiccup cut the black mandalorian’s head off. His body fell after it, flying wildly due to the thrust of his jetpack before hitting the ground and exploding.
The other mandalorians stared in shock as Hiccup stayed in the air, floating there. They’d never seen or heard of a Jedi who could do such a thing. But Hiccup couldn’t maintain this for long, already he could feel the strain on his mind and stamina. So after a beat he turned his body and began to fly away.
“After him,” he heard one of the mandalorians call aloud. Hiccup flew away, flying low to the ground as he heard the discharge of blasters behind him. He flew around the battlefield with his enemy in pursuit eventually leading them away from the combat zone.
He looked around before being struck in the shoulder. He went spinng and let out a cry of pain before righting himself and contuing on. Luckily he had shoulder armor on. But the impact of the bolt had nearly dislocated his shoulder.
Finally he found what he’d been on the lookout for. He saw the mouth of an ice cave. He sped toward it and entered. He went deeper and deeper, avoiding icy pillars and stalactites and stalagmites before he deemed he’d gone deep enough.
He dropped to the ground and skidded to a stop before turning to face his pursuers. They landed one by one and drew their weapons.
“You’re trapped Jedi. It’s over,” the green mandalorian said.
“Yeah. About time to end this,” Hiccup said with shallow breaths. The flight to this spot had left him drained and his shoulder throbbed painfully. He oculdn’t prolong this battle anymore and he was outnumbered.
With a breath and his lightsaber at his belt he clapped his hands together. A thunderous boom sounded from his palms and rocked the cavern. The mandalorians shouted in pain as the sound rattled all around them.
Hiccup repeated it a few more times, each booming clap shook the cave and cracked formed along the walls, ceiling, and floor.
The mandalorians looked around and saw the cracks forming around them. They could see that the Jedi was likely to cause a cave in if he continued so they levelled their weapons to stop him.
As the blue mandalorian took he was suddenly swiped away to the side by a powerful blow. The mandalorians heard their comrade cry out and turned to see a giant white beast with horns and a gaping black lipped mouth filled with sharp teeth. The thing was almost fifteen feet tall and let out a roar as it stomped toward the prey that had entered its home.
Hiccup had led them into the lair of a Wampa. Not on purpose. But the development was not unwelcome. The mandalorians were forced to focus their attention on the beast trying to devour them.
Hiccup meanwhile began to focus the Force between the palms of his hands. The air between them began to sizzle as heat began to build between them. Suddenly a glowing purplish blue orb appeared.
One mandalorian managed to take his attention off the wampa as his comrades blasted to watch as Hiccup through the orb upward. It collided with the ceiling and exploded in a great flash of fire and light as the cracks in the ceiling grew bigger and a large chunk of it began to collapse toward the ground.
With a piece of the cave ceiling giving out and hitting the floor the cavern grew more and more unstable as the walls and ceiling began to crumble.
With that Hiccup deemed it was time to go. He dashed away from the distracted mandalorians as he ran for the way he’d come in. Everything was falling all around him as he weaved and zigzagged out of the way of falling ice.
He saw a clear path ahead with the light at the end but before he could reach it a missile flew over his head and collided with the entrance’s ceiling. Immediately the opening started to become blocked off. Hiccup stopped and whirled around to see the red mandalorian hunched over, missile missing from his jetpack.
Seemed he was determined to take the Jedi down with them.
“Sorry Jedi, but if we’re going down you’re coming with us,” he confirmed before being crushed as the ceiling fell onto him and he disappeared from view.
Trapped Hiccup could only looked up as the ceiling above his own head began to fall toward him. Doing the only think he could think to do he raised his hands up and channeled the Force in an attempt to not be crushed.
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Back in orbit Merida and Elsa watched as the two Imperial Star Destroyers were riddled with explosion from Blizzard squadron. It had been quick work due to the Y-wings ions cannons ripping apart the shielding. Allowing their fighter and Blizzard squadron to attack with everything they had.
Beside her Elsa gave a hiss. Merida looked to her as the Jedi raised a hand up to rub her temple.
“Elsa, what’s wrong? Is it Hiccup?” Merida asked on concern.
“Yes. I believe so,” Elsa said as she looked planet side.
Merida immediately called out order for shuttles and rebel troops to prepare to go planetside. She and Elsa turned to leave the command deck to join them.
In space Jack was looking planetside as well. The battle was more or less over and he’d caught Merida’s order for troops to get to the ground. With a jerk of the controls he began to direct the Spirit into the planet’s orbit.
“You guys can take it from here,” Jack said to his squadron over the comm line. “I’m heading topside.”
“Roger that Captain,” came a response from one of his men.
As he descended he and his co-pilot looked over the battlefield, seeing downed walkers, speeders, destroyed defense turrets and many bodies from both sides. But it appeared the rebel forces had won. He could make out rebel forces charging to take out the remaining Imperial forces.
He looked around some more to see a large mass of rebels running and gathered at a spot away from the battlefield at the foot of a small mountain. They looked to be frantically shoveling ice and snow. Curious he set the Spirit down a few meters away before exiting to see what was going on.
“Hey guys, what’s the deal?” he called out as he and the others in the Spirit came out the hatch.
One of the rebels turned to him to reply, “We saw the general leading the mandos in there. Now the cave’s collapsed and no one saw him come out.”
All eyes widened as they surged forward to help.
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Minutes later Merida and Elsa were exiting a U-wing. A small company of armed rebel forces got out with them and formed a perimeter for the former's protection. They’d seen the gathering at the base of the mountain too.
They were greeted with the sight of the rebels shouting and doing their best to shovel and move aside ice and snow.
“What’s happening here?” she called out.
Eugene looked over his shoulder and shouted. “Hiccup’s trapped inside. We need to get him out,” he said, not even stopping as he tossed away a heavy block of ice.
Merida’s eyes widened and she was about to charge forward to begin helping when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked to Elsa as the Jedi calmly strode forward.
“All of you, move!” she called out. The rebels stopped and stared as she got closer. But they obeyed her command as they backed away from her and what had been the cavern opening.
Elsa took a moment to take a breath before raised both hands up. She channeled the Force and the shards of ice began to float and lift away from the each other. The rebels gave her more room as she did alone what it would take all of them hours to do.
Soon all the ice had been moved away, hovering around her form as the rebels gaped in awe. Tons of rock and ice was being lifted above the ground, suspended by the invisible power she wielded.
Elsa was met with a wall of snow blocking the cavern entrance. She threw her hands to the sides and the ice and stone separated and fell to the ground. Everyone watched as she walked up to it before stopping in front of the mound of snow. She eyed it, glancing around like she was looking for something.
She suddenly glanced down and to the left. Then she took two steps in that direction before extending a hand out. Everyone watched in confusion before a moment later something burst out of the snowy pile.
It was a hand. It flailed around before meeting Elsa’s and grasping it. The others watched as Elsa grasped it with her other hand before pulling, and to everyone’s relief Hiccup was the being attached to said hand.
He spat out snow and gasped for air. He looked disheveled with ice and snow absolutely covering him. He felt just as bad with it burying into nooks and crannies throughout his body.
“You ok?” Elsa asked with a smile, glad to see he was otherwise fine.
Hiccup shivered, teeth clacking as he answered, “I’ll live,” he said hoarsely through shivers.
“Hiccup!!!” Merida shouted as he ran to embrace him. He wrapped his arms around her, thankful for the warmth.
“I need a hot bath,” he muttered.
She nodded in reply as she slid under a shoulder to help support his weight. She could tell he was injured. She gave orders for all forces to evacuate and abandon the base. The rebels nodded as they ran to comply and gather everything to leave.
Merida’s helped Hiccup to the U-wing as Elsa stood there watching the couple go with a smile.
“Awesome job babe,” Jack said as he approached her.
She looked to him with a gracious smile. “Thank you Jack.” She suddenly frowned at him. “You shouldn’t have left your squad,” she pointed out.
“What? The battle was over,” he said in defense.
She gave a small sigh and shook her head. “That’s not the point Jack,” she said admonishing him. Before he could reply she stepped forward and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you at base,” she said quickly before making her way back to her transport.
Jack sighed, expecting a lecture later as he made his way back to his own ship.
The battle of Hoth had ended. The rebels had survived another day though not without losses. Such was a common occurrence in what was the fight for the future of the galaxy.
And this was sure not to be the last.
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Chapter 2 end
God that was long!!!
More star wars au stuff. Characters' weapons
New concept art for star wars au
ROTBTFD Star Wars: Wrath of Darkness chp 1
The War Rages On
Two years have passed since the death of Darth Skrill, apprentice to the Sith Lord who rules the galaxy, and while a major blow was struck on that day the Empire has since then renewed its efforts to wiping out the Rebel Alliance and its allies. The resistance has stood strong, and with the Jedi leading the charge they continue to be the light of hope for a future without the Empire. One where there is freedom for everyone.
The war is at a stalemate. With every victory for the rebels being counterbalanced by a loss. The Emperor has recruited allies. Mandalorians, a fierce warrior people who are merciless in battle, and from the shadows the dark side warriors of Dathomir are rooting out the rebel sympathizers hiding amongst the Imperial Senate. With its allies and benefactors dwindling and their enemies growing the alliance may soon find itself on the verge of defeat.
But lurking in the darkness, unseen by both Sith and Jedi, is another force.
One that has been slowly gaining strength in preparation to destroy both sides of the conflict and fill in the power gap left behind.
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Hoth. An icy planet serving as the battle ground for the rebel alliance and the Imperial forces. Stormtroopers and rebel soldiers ran around the frozen tundra, the stormtroopers pressing the attack on the rebel base while the rebel soldiers held the lines, running through the snowy trenches whilst firing at the enemy.
The rebels were holding out, for the moment. But with the Imperials' superior numbers and firepower provided by their massive Walkers slowly making their way toward the base, coupled with the TIE fighters providing air support and slowly dwindling their own fighters they found themselves backed into a corner.
The rebel commanders inside the mountain base, were desperately trying to call for reinforcements. For if they didn't; they'd surely lose.
In orbit above the planet monitoring the battle were two Star Destroyers. Both of which were filled to the brim with even more soldiers and ships ready to lend their support should the rebels somehow turn the battle around.
The commanding officer of one of the massive battleships smirked to himself in victory. The rebels on this planet were doomed. They were outmanned and outgunned and with nowhere to run.
He was certain that on this day, under his command the Empire would taste vic-
"Admiral! We're reading ships coming out of hyperspace!" one of his subordinates informed him.
The Admiral furrowed his brows and looked out into the void as with a loud crash two more Star Destroyers suddenly appeared.
"We didn't request backup. Establish a communication's line," he ordered.
His subordinates obeyed, but after several moments the approaching ships did not respond.
"Admiral more ships!"
With another crash more ships dropped out of hyperspace behind the Destroyers. These however, were recognizable.
"Sir! Those are Mon Calamari ships!" one of the officers shouted in alarm.
"It's the rebels!" the Admiral shouted. "All hands to battle stations! Prepare the forward cannons! Scramble all remaining fighters!" he commanded.
His orders were relayed, being passed along throughout the entire ship while alerting the other Destroyer.
The Admiral observed as from the bay of the approaching ship fighters were flying out and toward them. X-Wings, A-wings, and a handful of fighters reminiscent of birds began to swarm out.
And leading the line of fighters was a rare sight.
A Clone Wars era fighter; a black Interceptor that looked to have been heavily modified.
A Jedi fighter.
The rebel fighters all checked in. Their pilots were both brave and of many different species as they drew nearer to the enemy and prepared to engage the TIE fighters. Suddenly the bird like fighters began to spread out and surge ahead to meet them.
The two sides began to exchange fire as the X and A-Wings continued on, leaving the bird like ships to engage the enemy while other fighters began descending into orbit.
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On the icy plains the battle raged on. The rebels were being decimated. Forced to fall back as the giant four legged AT-ATs pressed forward, their thick armor allowing them to march forward relentlessly while blasting away at the rebels' defenses.
A group of rebels ran through the trenches in retreat, occasionally pausing to turn around and fire at advancing troopers, passing TIE, or AT-AT. As they fled the AT-AT turned its attention on them. It fired, blasts impacting and exploding right behind them and sending them flying.
With ringing head and sore bodies the ones who survived crawled to their comrades and helped each other up. A Rodian male helped up his human comrade, putting an arm under his shoulder as he attempted to carry him to safety.
The Rodian looked around the battlefield, taking note of his comrades' bleak situation. They were doomed.
"Look," his comrade muttered hoarsely. He was smiling, his eyes shining with renewed hope.
The Rodian looked in the direction of his gaze. And that's when he saw them. A line of X and A-wings roaring over the tundra, leaving nothing but white in their wake.
And leading the line was a fighter everyone in the rebel alliance knew. A black Interceptor piloted by one of the best pilots the alliance had. Following him was Dragon Squadron. A squad composed of the best pilots the alliance had to offer.
The rebels across the tundra ceased their retreat and turned to meet their enemy.
The battle was far from over.
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The fighters above the battlefield began to scatter, picking targets to engage. The TIE fighters were forced to turn their attention to the new aerial threat. This granted the forced on the ground some time gather themselves for a counterattack.
Meanwhile the walkers also turned their cannon skyward to blast the enemy ships. Many of A-wings began swarming around the walkers, firing and aiming for their legs and joints while their comrades piloting X-wings engaged the enemy fighters. Their blinding speeds proved troublesome for the walkers as they made quick passes while unleashing a volley of fire before veering away at high speeds to prepare for another strike.
The stormtrooper manning the cannons inside one walker growled in frustration as he shot at the enemy fighters. Their speed made them difficult targets as he fired shot after shot while the walker shook and rattles from the return fire.
"Attention all units," came an alert over communications. The gunner paid it little mind as he focused on the fighters swarming his vehicle. "All units be on the lookout for Clone Wars era fighter. I repeat, be on the lookout for a Delta 7 Interceptor."
The gunner paused before looking to his comrade in confusion. An old fighter from the days of the Clone Wars? How could such a thing be threat to a walker and their comrades piloting TIE fighters.
Their silent confusion was cut short as a low whistling noise began to fill the air. They at first mistook for the tell tale sound of their side's fighters, but they soon realized that wasn't where the sound was emanating from. It began to get higher and louder as they looked around to try and locate the source.
Above the walker a black streak began to descend on it like some kind of flying beast homing in on prey. Inside the pilot took aim, targeting the walker's weak spot before opening fire. A proton torpedo shot out, aim true as it struck the walker in the neck.
Inside the stormtroopers screamed as an explosion rocked the walker. The stormtroopers were deafened by the sound and blinded by the light as a wave of heat washed over them. The walker gave a lurch as its systems began to fail before it collapsed forward while giving off a smokey plume.
The fighter that had taken it out zoomed over its downed form before taking a sharp turn upward at blinding speeds. It fired it cannons as it went, picking off whatever hapless enemy fighter that happened to cross its path.
On the ground the rebels gave a cheer and threw their hands up as they watched the black fighter roar through the air, dominating the sky. Their spirits soared as they knew full well who was piloting that fighter.
"All fighters! Take out that that Interceptor," came the command over the Imperials' communication. Command knew that fighter all too well. It was quickly becoming burdensome to the Imperials' schemes, scoring their enemies victory after victory and snatching it away nearly anytime it appeared on the scene.
Eliminating it was a top priority. For the fighter had no ordinary pilot.
"Eliminate the Jedi!" came the decisive command.
Immediately several TIE fighters set their sights on the Jedi fighter before breaking away from their previous skirmishes to give chase.
Six Imperial fighters soon began to pursue as it began to fly away from the immediate area. The rebel fighters took note before opening comms to relay the info to the Interceptor's pilot.
"General, you got three eyeballs and three squints on your six," came a voice over the pilot's comm system.
"I'm aware," came the pilot's calm response. He could hear the screaming of the twin ion engines in the background.
"Breaking away to assist sir."
"That won't be necessary," the pilot responded quickly. "I'll handle this myself."
"But sir-"
"Focus on providing support to our forces and taking out those walkers. You have your orders," he cut in firmly.
"Sir yes sir," came the response of one his squad.
With that the pilot gave a smile as he kept straight ahead. A series of beeps sounded inside his cockpit from his droid companion and co-pilot "Nah, we got this," he said in response. Another series of beeps responded in question. "Yeah I'm sure. I mean there's only six of them."
As his fighter sailed over the icy landscape he spotted a mountain range to his left. He stared at the rare sight on the planet's surface as he began to form a plan. He could spy a dense mist hovering over the peaks and canyons and with a jerk of the controls he sped toward it with his pursuers in tow.
A few miles behind the Imperial pilots maintained pursuit of their enemy. The faster TIE Interceptors led the chase, followed closely behind by their standard TIE predecessors.
"How is that relic so fast?" one of the Imperial pilots said aloud over their shared comm line.
"Looks heavily modified," another responded in reply.
Ahead the rebel pilot spoke up as he began to fly over the mountain range. "Sharpshot, reduce power to the engines," he said aloud. His droid beeped in response and complied. He felt his fighter slow whilst hearing the sound of the twin ion engines of the enemy ships getting louder as they closed the distance.
Just as he wanted.
As they gained they began to open fire. He watched as a few green laser bolts flashed over his head before directing his fighter into a dive. The TIE dived after while the ones leading the pack waited for the fight moment to fire.
The lead TIE found the air becoming thicker with mist and his sight on the enemy starting to obscure. Still he held the chase, managing to make out the black blur just ahead. He put on speed to get within firing distance and give himself a better visual while pulling ahead of his comrades.
He closed the gap between them as the Jedi fighter came into better view while the surroundings became more and more concealed by the mist. His hands clutched his controls tightly as his thumbs hovered over the triggers as he prepared to fire.
"So long Jedi," he muttered lowly as he smirked beneath his helmet. He could practically hear the praise he was sure to get for being the one to take out this fighter.
Suddenly the Jedi fighter took a sharp turn right. The TIE pilot made to follow only to spy a pillar of ice coming up fast ahead of him.
Too fast!
With a scream and a desperate jerk of the controls he attempted to avoid pillar but clipped his left wing. It was torn off, sending him into a wild spin as he screamed his last before colliding with a canyon wall.
His comrades only spared his fighter's remains a glance for a brief moment before they resumed focus on the chase.
Another of the TIE Interceptor pilots took the lead. This time maintaining a more wary distance lest he come upon an obstacle he couldn't avoid in time like his comrade.
The Jedi pilot smiled as he maneuvered through the canyon, dropping lower and swerving and weaving his way around hazards he couldn't see but knew to be there. He had the edge here. That's why he'd baited them into this canyon with low visibility. They were hampered by their need to see while he could see without his sight.
The TIE pilots did their best to follow maneuvering their way around obstacles, albeit with more difficulty than their target. The lead TIE watched as the Jedi fighter made a sudden roll to the left a split second before a jet of water erupted from the ground.
They'd flown so low to the canyon floor that were right above a series of active volcanic fissures. They began to swerve side to side as more jets of boiling water shot from the ground all around them.
A fissure erupted in front of the lead TIE's path and the boiling water covered his fighter's view port before immediately freezing over.
"I can't see anything!" he shouted in panic as he tried to peer through the layer of ice hampering his view. He began to pull up to leave the canyon that had become a death trap for him when his comrade radioed to him.
"LB-559 don't pull!"
But the warning came to late as the impaired pilot crashed into an icy peak jutting out of the side of the canyon.
Ahead the Jedi pilot sped on. "Sharpshot, give more power to the engines," he said to his droid companion. The droid beeped in response as his fighter accelerated.
The mist began to lighten and ahead he could make out an icy cliff face. He began pulling up while firing a proton torpedo at the wall in front of him. The torpedo hit the wall and exploded, triggering a massive collapse of rock and ice.
As the TIE fighters made to follow they were greeted by a rain of gigantic pieces of ice and stone coming at them. The pilot of the TIE Interceptor steered for his life and thanks to the improved performance his TIE model offered fare better than his comrades.
The three TIE behind him maneuvered madly around the rock slide but one wasn't so lucky. He jerked to the right of one piece of the cliff face, only to be met with one that dwarfed it. He screamed in panic before it collided with his fighter and exploded in a fiery flash.
The Jedi continued to climb straight up as he cleared the top of the cliff before pulling back to execute a quick turn to level out. His timing was perfect as the TIE Interceptor came into his cross-hairs, having just cleared the cliff face. He opened fire, blowing it up before barrel rolling the side to avoid its smokey remains as they began to fall.
The remaining TIE finally came out of their climb before leveling out to pursue. They began to open fire as the Jedi weaved and rolled to avoid as much fire as he could. The green blaster bolts sizzled as they hit his fighters deflector shields and his droid companion alerted him to their decreasing energy levels.
"Yeah I know," the Jedi said in acknowledgment. His fighter had shields but they were very light, meaning he couldn't afford to take anymore shots.
"On my mark kill the engine. Then when I give the word turn them back on," he said. His droid beeped in response. He waited a beat and took a breath. "Now!"
His fighter's engines switched off and the air hit his fighters broad surface and flung it backward. It went hurtling toward the TIEs that swerved to avoid being hit as it flew right between them.
"Turn them on!" the Jedi shouted. His fighter's engines roared to life a moment later as he quickly resumed control and straightened out.
Now right behind his enemies he opened fire. The TIEs went up in flames as they went spinning to the icy planet in smoldering remains.
The Jedi let out a breath, taking a moment to bask in victory before making a quick roll over turn in the opposite direction to get back to the battlefield.
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Back at the battlefield the rebels had managed to fell five of the eight walkers. The rebels spirits were climbing as they pressed the attack. All defenses were devoted to taking out the remaining walkers as their aerial comrades harassed them from above.
But the walkers were tenacious. Fighting back with powerful weaponry and armor. One walker had its cannons aiming down at the many rebels running around the battlefield. One blast from its laser cannon left craters in the ground and blast apart even the hardiest fortified defenses as it marched forward relentlessly.
Above the Jedi fighter had returned. The pilot inside surveyed the situation and deemed it time to join the fight on the ground.
"Alright Sharpshot I'm getting out there," he said aloud as he flipped the fighter over. He looked up, which to him was in the direction of the planet's surface before ejecting. His cockpit opened as he went flying out and downward while his droid companion took full control of the fighter.
The Jedi fell at a dangerous speed, black robes flapping in the wind as he steered himself toward one walker. He set his sights on its head and continued to fall. When he was a few hundred feet above it his flattened himself out and spread his limbs to catch as much air as possible to slow him down. With the added assistance of his power he flipped to land on the walker feet first, landing on the walker in a crouch with barely a thump.
Inside the stormtroopers were unaware of their new passenger riding their vehicle aloft, focus on the battle and supporting their ground forces. Suddenly alarms went off as the pressurized cabin was breached and sparks went flying as they looked up to see something cutting through the top of their walker.
Meanwhile another walker was blasting a trail toward a group of fleeing rebels while a squad of snowtroopers followed behind to push the offensive. The rebels dived into a trench and stayed down to avoid the assault.
The walker kept its attack up before being blasted in the side with a sudden series of blast that began rocking the entire vehicle. The driver turned the head to locate the source of the attack to find a different walker firing upon them.
He quickly surmised it had been commandeered by the enemy before making to turn so they could return fire. But the enemy walker's heavy cannons began to fire. The heavy blasts pierced the thick armor, damaging essential systems before striking the head.
The squad of snowtroopers ceased their rush as they turned to see the walker that had been supporting them going up in flames and toppling over, collapsing forward with a loud screech before hitting the ground with a rumble.
Explosions drew their attention as another walker began to go up in smoke, with blast coming from inside all over its form for falling forward like some enormous animal. But not before something leapt out the hole in its head.
As it hit the ground it kicked up a snowy white mist that blocked it from view. But as the wind blew they could see the dark silhouette of a person standing before the walker like some ancient warrior of legend standing before a great slain beast, and faint green glow from beside it.
Then a gust blew the mist away to reveal a man standing before them. Clad in black from his robes, to his armor, and spiked black helmet that concealed his eyes.
They knew immediately what stood before them. A survivor of the Jedi purge and the fall of the Republic, a general in the Rebel Alliance, known as the unholy offspring of lighting and death during his days in the Clone Wars, and one of the most wanted beings in the entire galaxy.
Before them stood the one known as Hiccup, Jedi Knight of the Republic, enemy of the Empire, and their doom.
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chapter 1 finito
Dagur in Skrill armor for my Big Four superhero au
Cassandra from Tangled series as the Owl in my superhero au
Limelight costume ver. 2