Beyond - Legends Forgotten Secrets (OC) 5,800 ABY - NaNoWriMo story (updated Ch.13 - 2/10)

I definitely enjoy the comments you guys are leaving, makes for good feedback.
No, usually thawed beings are a very bad thing, and they were put there for a reason. But sometimes you have to play the odds. They can't ALL be bad, can they?
Also, as for Cass being nice... Well, although he was a Sith, perhaps he wasn't your typical evil madman. Given the time period and the prevalence of the Sith, it could be safe to assume that there is a definite gray area when it comes to the Sith mentality.

 

Nyota's Heart
earlybird-obi-wan

AN: And just when you thought you knew all there was to know...
---

Chapter 7

The group of Sith and Mandalorians stood in awe at what they had just witnessed.

“By the Force...” Zeik-Vergif whispered.

“Killing unarmed scientists? What a coward!” Kel said, slamming his armored fist into the wall behind him.

Zentaris stood there in amazement.

“I knew Professor Cass,” he said quietly, “he was one of the few that actually treated me as an equal. He certainly was an anomaly among the Sith. Even my Master had little respect for the man.”

“Sith or not, no one deserves to die that way.” Torik said solemnly.

Kel looked to Varo.

“What else did you find? I think it’s pretty clear what happened to the team.”

Varo looked through the files.

“One is mostly just star charts. Old star charts mind you. Looks like there are six worlds that are highlighted on them, so who knows what that means. I have a picture of a pretty ship, with the name ‘Supremacy’ attached to it. Again, an old ship by our standards. Doesn’t look like anything special, really. This last file though…”

“What is it?” Manesh asked.

“Looks like a video. If the time stamp is correct, it appears to be about eight hundred years old. It might take me a minute to clear the picture up, if it will even play.”

An icon flashed in the corner, letting Varo know that the holo-recorder had finished downloading its files. Kel noticed this as well.

“Just pull those up for now. We can try and retrieve the other video later.”

Varo nodded and pulled the other files up on the screen.

“Looks like we were only able to retrieve three files from the recorder, all of them holo vids.”

He queued them up in the same manner as the previous ones and played them.

----

The camera was stationary, probably on a tripod of some sort, and faced the medical beds. On them were two beings: one human or near-human, and one Bothan. The two medical doctors on the team were walking around the bodies, performing various tests and taking various readings. As a few of the others started to place sensors on the bodies and insert I.V.s, it was clear that the beings were in bad shape. The humanoid one was an almost purple color, and by the attention being given him it was clear the doctors thought he wasn’t going to make it. The Bothan seemed to be faring a little better. He was closer to the camera, so it was easier to see the moisture on his fur. His clothing, although a little wet, was in remarkable condition. It was elegant and no doubt expensive for its day. The humanoid, on the other hand, had been stripped down to just his pants and boots. The team placed the last few sensors on him and took a step back.

“Anything?” One of the doctors asked.

“No, Doctor Shariz, not yet. Given their lengthy hibernation period, I’ll be amazed if we see anything of significance anytime soon.”

No sooner had his colleague finished his sentence than a single beep came from one of the monitors. The small team about jumped at the sound. Barely perceptible in the holo, the monitor for the Bothan was starting to send out readings of brain activity. A few seconds after his started, the other monitor for the humanoid also sent out a single beep. Slowly, both beings took a deep breath in. Letting it out with a slight cough, the heart monitors started to register heart beats, although no more than one per minute.

“We need to place the restraints on them.” Doctor Shariz ordered.

“Restraints? Why?” The other, Doctor Pal’Kun, asked.

“We don’t know the extent of their injuries due to the thawing process yet. Suppose they decide to get up and their legs don’t work. Not exactly the best way to wake up, if you ask me. Besides, I want to try and keep them in a semi-comatose state for the time being.”

“Are you serious?”

“It will be easier to treat them, and let their bodies recuperate, if they are less active mentally.”

“I see your point. Alright, let’s get started.” He looked behind, right at the camera. “And turn that thing off.”

One of the assistants walked over, filling the view with his chest, and turned it off.

----

The time stamp on the next recording was the following day. There were a couple of men checking the vitals of the Bothan and humanoid, while in the background more of the team seemed to be studying the cryo-tubes. The beeps from the monitors suggested that the two were doing as well as could be expected. Their heart beats were strong and regular, and their brain waves suggested that they were possibly dreaming. Suddenly the humanoid tried to lift himself up, his eyes wide open and locking in on the nearest assistant. The poor man jumped and dropped the data pad he was holding.

“Why am I restrained?!” He yelled. “Release me instantly!”

“Now… calm down,” stuttered the still bewildered assistant.

“Do you know who I am? Release me, and perhaps I will spare your life.”

“Doctor Shariz?! Doctor?!”

Running in from the other room, Doctor Shariz looked stunned.

“He shouldn’t be awake. Why is he awake?”

“You,” the humanoid said, now turning his attention to the doctor, “you will release me.”

“I can’t do that. This is for your own good. We don’t yet fully know the extent of any injuries you may have suffered.”

The purple humanoid closed his eyes for a second, trying to free himself from his restraints.

“You will release me,” he said in a lowered, calm tone, “and then you will release my friend.”

The doctor seemed to look nearly dazed for a second before he shook his head.

“No, I will not release you or your friend. Not yet at least. Give us time to make sure you’re perfectly ok, and then we’ll let you get up to walk around.”

Enraged, the humanoid howled at the man and pulled at his restraints even more. The definition in his muscles was clear on the recording, as were the veins bulging under the increase of blood flow. Next to him, his Bothan companion started to move slightly.

“We need to put these both under heavy sedation. Now!”

The assistants ran to a nearby med kit and pulled out two syringes. Each one went to the I.V. line for each patient and injected the contents. The Bothan stopped moving, but his vitals held steady. As the serum reached the humanoid, his vitals began to lower back to normal levels, and he slowly stopped pulling against the restraints.

“You’ll regret this,” he said with his eyes half open, “you will all regret this.”

His eyes closed and once again he was breathing deeply.

“We need to contact the Sith High Council immediately.” Professor Cass said, now walking into the room.

“We’ve been trying to get through to them for the past couple days, but we’ve been unsuccessful so far. We’re pretty sure it’s not on our end. It’s almost like our signal is being jammed locally.”

“Keep trying. I don’t know who these two are, but they are obviously volatile creatures. Perhaps the High Council will have a better time controlling them.”

“Professor,” came a voice from off the screen, “you need to come see what we’ve found.”

“What is it?” he said, looking in the direction of the cryo-tubes.

“Lightsabers.”

Professor Cass and Doctor Shariz exchanged glances and walked to the opening in the wall.

----

The scene appeared to be the same as it was just a few days before. The main difference was that no one was around the Bothan or humanoid. No one saw the vital signs becoming more active. Quietly, a lightsaber floated into view and rested next to the Bothan’s hand. Two more lightsabers gently floated over to the humanoid. His eyes opened slightly, no doubt trying to ascertain if anyone was nearby. He slowly turned his head to the Bothan and nodded. In a flash they simultaneously ignited their lightsabers, cutting the restraints that held them. Very briefly, when their backs were turned, Professor Cass could be seen about to walk in the room. Seeing they were free, his eyes as big as a Hutts, he dashed back into the room he was coming out of. Evidently the sound of the lightsabers was enough to get the attention of the others in the small chamber that held the cryo-tubes.

“Hey, you’re not supposed to be up. Who let them out?”

“Fools!” was all the humanoid said before unleashing something no one had seen in millennia.

Holding his lightsabers in each hand, the humanoid took a small step forward and put his hands in front of his body. There was a low hissing noise, and then the room lit up with the glow of flames. The humanoid could be seen directing a flame from just in front of his hands that wasn’t there a second before. The sound was similar to that of a flamethrower, but the hissing sound seemed to come from the humanoid himself. Although the camera couldn’t see where the flame went, it was clear by the sounds of the screams heard. He stopped the flame and the sound of a lightsaber cutting through the air silenced the screams. An archaeologist with a lightsaber came running from the other room and tried to strike him down. Easily deflecting the inexperienced thrust, he used the Force and picked the man up off his feet, sending him into the ceiling. His head hit with a sickening crack. The humanoid could be seen smiling and opened his mouth. Once again flame took place where there was none, only this time he shot it from his mouth, like a fire breathing spider from Geonosis. It engulfed the man, but he didn’t scream. As the humanoid killed the flame from his mouth, he let the man go. As the man fell, he was cut in half by the humanoid. He looked back at the Bothan, nodded in the direction of the next room, and they both left. In the side view of the camera, the next room lit up, and more screams were heard.

----

“By the gods…” Was all Kel could offer.

“I knew there was something strange about those scorch marks,” Varo said, “but I never would have guessed that someone did it without a flamethrower. How is that even possible?”

“It is a very old, and very dangerous, Sith power.” Zentaris said plainly. “It was thought that no one had been able to master that in several millennia. Even then, the chance for self harm was so great that not many even attempted to see if they could harness it.”

“I thought you needed an existing flame to control?”

The group looked at Zeik-Vergif.

“I’ve heard of people controlling fire,” he continued, “but they always needed an existing flame.”

“Usually that is the case.” Zentaris confirmed. “However, this one particular power made it to where the user could use the Force to create a flame, and from there they could manipulate it at will. But this… There is nothing documented about control like this.”

“Kriffing wonderful,” Varo said in disgust, “a walking, talking, doesn’t need any fuel, flamethrower. You Sith are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

“I can assure you, not even the members of the High Council have power such as this.”

“We can discuss that kind of thing later.”Kel interrupted. “I’m more curious about the comment from one of those assistants.”

“Which comment was that?” Varo wondered.

“The one about their signal being jammed, possibly locally. Manshen.”

“Yes, General?”

“Have you noticed anything unusual around the spaceport lately? Any different ships… beings… anything out of the ordinary? If someone was jamming our team's signal, it could mean that someone knew what they had found and wanted to make sure no one else found out.”

Manshen stood there for a moment, visibly searching his memory.

“I did notice a couple of guys walking in on foot from the west gate. Not many people walk in from that direction. They were wearing cloaks though, so it was near impossible to see them. They went to the nearest freighter and boarded it, so I just figured they were part of the crew.”

“Great.” Kel growled. “They have a head start of at least a week, and they could have gone who knows where. Not only that, but someone most likely helped them.” He slammed his fist on the projector’s top, dropping his head.

No one in the room said a word, waiting on Kel’s next words. He lifted his head and looked at each one. Although the Sith and Mandalorians had their major disagreements, it was obvious that this group, at least, had a common enemy. Kel was certain that they would work to bring these beings to justice. The justice that they saw fit to enforce.

“There is nothing further to be gained by hanging around here. Varo, bring everything you pulled from the memory banks. You can try and clear up that other video back in the ship. Zentaris, how many books and scrolls were in the recess you discovered?”

“Pretty much the ones I have in my pouch. The other shelves were empty, besides the ashes on the ground, which now make more sense.”

“I’m sure you were already going to, but bring what you have. Maybe you can decipher something that will help us.”

Zentaris bowed his head slightly.

“Manshen, we need to make haste back to the spaceport. But there is one thing I want to be clear on: We don’t trust anyone outside of this room with any information we’ve found here, with the exception of our superiors. We don’t know who was jamming the reports of the team, but they could very well still be on the planet.”

Torik spoke up.

“What about the Overseer? We were supposed to report back to him.”

Kel nodded and considered the question.

“No, we don’t tell him either.” He finally said. “If he asks what we found, we simply tell him we didn’t find anything. If he asks about the dig site and the team… We tell him they were killed in a cave in.”

Kel picked his helmet up and put it on, activating the seals.

“Standing around here isn’t buying us any more time, so let’s get moving.” He said through the speakers. He switched to the private comm and talked to Varo.

“We need to sanitize this place, Captain. No trace, no records.”

“Give me fifteen minutes.”

“You’ve got ten.”

Kel gave Varo a rap on the shoulder on his way out of the room. Following his lead, the others too walked out, leaving Varo alone.

“I love sanitation duty.” Varo said with a smile.

Ten minutes later Varo was getting in the back of the cargo speeder. As he sat down there was an audible whump and the ground shook. A plume of dust and smoke rose from behind the mound.

“Sanitized.” He told Kel.

 

Exciting update. Who are they? The team should be careful

 

Great post and very sensible precaution not to tell anyone who doesn't need to know. Hope the video/other files hold more clues.

 

Who are they indeed!

Thanks. Yes, they need to proceed with caution, it seems there are too many uncertainties...

 

earlybird-obi-wan
Nyota's Heart


----

Chapter 8

Manesh had the group back to the spaceport within an hour. The road seemed a bit smoother this time, but maybe that was because he knew where to look for dips in the ground. The main door opened to his shop’s garage and he pulled inside, closing the door once the vehicle was all the way in. Shutting down the engines, the Sith and Mandos quickly filed out of the rear. Kel walked around the vehicle and met the Herglic.

“Thank you for your assistance.” Kel said, offering his hand.

Manesh looked at the armored hand, and then into Kel’s visor.

“I don’t know why you’re thanking me, I’m only trying to be a decent citizen.”

“Yes, but not all citizens would go to the lengths to help us that you have. We’ll be sure that you are compensated for your time.”

“Compensated? You make it sound like you’re finished with me.”

“Our business on this planet is pretty much completed. I figured you would want to get back to yours.”

Manesh crossed his arms.

“Oh no, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“Excuse me?”

“I saw what happened to those beings, both Sith and Mandalorian. I’m not going to sit idly by while those monsters roam free in the galaxy. No, I’m going to come with you. I’ve been tucked away on this planet long enough. You might need my skills if you come against them in battle.”

“Your skills?” Zentaris asked, approaching and clearly eavesdropping.

Kel didn’t turn to acknowledge the Pau’an, instead concentrating on the Herglic in front of him, awaiting his response.

“Yes, I’ve trained in the ways of the Force. I know more than a few tricks to get my opponents on uneven ground, as it were. As far as my lightsaber skills… well, I doubt any in your little group can wield a Great Lightsaber with any kind of proficiency.”

Kel turned to Zentaris.

“It’s your call, Varo and I will be outside.”

He brushed past Zentaris, walking to the door. There was no external communication between General and Captain, but Varo looked up, ever so slightly nodded, and followed Kel outside.

“I’m not sure if the council will allow us to bring someone else in on this mission.”

“I could duel you for the right to go.” Manesh answered, in more of a challenging than threatening tone.

Zentaris looked the Herglic up and down, as if calculating his chances of defeating the huge being. He instead smiled and held out his hand.

“Welcome to the Sith Alliance, Manesh.”

Manesh, in turn, extended his hand and shook Zentaris’.

----

The group that now totaled six beings walked to the Overseer’s building. It only took another twenty minutes for Manesh to call in for help to run his shop while he was away, as well as pack a few necessary personal items. He joined the group, with a toothy smile on his face. As they walked down the streets, more than one shop owner came out to say his goodbye to the Herglic. Manesh returned the gesture and reassured each one that he would be back soon enough.

“It looks like you have a lot of friends here.” Zeik-Vergif mentioned at one point.

“Yes, I do. I’ve been here for at least ten orbits now, so you could say I’m a bit of a staple.”

“It probably doesn’t hurt that you could probably just use your size to scare most beings into submission.”

Manesh let out a deep, rumbling laugh.

“Well, I have been known to discourage certain actions over the years. The shop owners appreciate that, I guess.”

Manesh and Zeik-Vergif were at the rear of the small procession into the Overseer’s office, laughing and exchanging verbal jabs. Overseer Wengell Chungress met them in the lobby, and escorted them back into his office. As most of them took seats, Wengell looked at Manesh, almost as if he wanted to know what he thought he was doing. The Overseer asked no such question, but instead returned his gaze to the Sith in front of him.

“So, did you find what you were looking for?”

“You mean the archeological team?” Torik quickly answered.

“Yes, and any evidence as to why they stopped transmitting.”

“We did find the team,” Zentaris cut in, “but they were already dead.”

“Dead?” Wengell answered, genuinely shocked.

“Yes, we found no survivors. Our Mandalorian companions used the many sensors they have equipped in their armor, but didn’t find a living soul, other than ours.”

“Maybe the rocks blocked their sensors.”

“Not likely.” Varo shot back.

Wengell furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Varo.

“Maybe the Sith should send an appropriate party to go search the area?” He said, clearly aiming question at Zentaris, while still looking at Varo.

Zentaris spread his arms with palms facing up.

“I’m afraid that I used my connection with the Force to try and find any survivors. There were none, Overseer. Evidently there was a cave in. We were unable to reach any of the bodies.”

“Did you find anything useful? Anything that might give us more insight as to what they were looking for?”

Zentaris regarded the man for a brief moment.

“No, nothing of any use to us. Evidently all the equipment that would have given us any clues was with them when the cave collapsed.”

“I see. I assume you are going to give a full report to the High Council?”

Zentaris stood, towering over the sitting man.

“What I report to the High Council is of my concern, Overseer. Do not attempt to overstep your boundaries any more than you already have.”

“I didn’t mean…”

“I don’t care what you did or didn’t mean, Overseer. I grow tired of you and your inquiries. You are not part of the High Council and I do not answer to you.” Zentaris leaned on the man’s desk and brought his face within a few inches of Wengell’s. “You should thank me for sparing your life right now. I could kill you and no one would care.”

Wengell looked at Zentaris, his face drained of color.

“I think I’ve asked all the questions I need to. You’re free to go. Have a safe trip.”

Zentaris stood, a grim smile on his face. He turned and left the room, not waiting for the others to follow. One by one the group left the Overseer’s office, none saying anything to the man, who had now buried his face in busy work on his desk. Outside of the building, Zentaris waited for the others.

“Clearly, we need to return to Prakith and inform the High Council about what we’ve found.”

“Agreed.” Kel nodded.

“So, you have everything packed?” Varo said, turning to Manshen, “Toothbrush, change of underwear, sleeping bag?”

The Herglic chuckled.

Kel held his arm out to his side.

“After you.” He indicated to Zentaris.

The Sith led the way, with Kel and Varo taking up the rear.

“Any word on how things are progressing?” Varo privately commed to Kel.

“Not yet. I’ll send a direct communiqué to the Mandalore once we arrive on Prakith, from the Mandalorian Consulate. I’m not going to send an unencrypted message from here.”

“Probably a good idea.”

The walk back to the awaiting Sith ship was fairly quiet, with only Manshen and Zeik-Vergif making a little bit of small talk along the way. The sun was setting and the winds were picking up once again. As the group boarded the ship, the pilot looked at Manshen warily as he passed by. Varo saw the look from the captain.

“What’s the matter, afraid this bucket of bolts won’t be able to hold the extra weight?”

The pilot looked a Varo.

“It would take a lot more than one Herglic to exceed this ships weight capacity. I mean, if it can handle the size of your head, it should be able to handle him.” The pilot responded with a smile.

Varo stood there for a moment, looking at the pilot through his visor. He finally laughed.

“Kandosii!” he said as he slapped the pilot’s shoulder.

Still chuckling to himself, Varo went to his quarters.

 

Enjoyed Zentaris' putting Wengel in his place. Mannich coming along -- that is an interesting turn. Probably, hopefully, it'll turn out to be a good thing.

 

Love to see Mannich getting a place. He is a great character

 

The more the merrier!

Thanks. I know my friend Kelly had fun with him.

 

Nyota's Heart
earlybird-obi-wan

----

Chapter 9


The trip back to Prakith took about a day. It was a mostly reddish brown colored world, with mottled spots of green and deeper red spread across the planet. Many improvements had been made to the capital since the founding of the latest Sith Alliance, including planetary shield generators and planetary based anti-aircraft batteries. There were a few dozen orbital defense stations as well, each usually controlled by a different high ranking Sith Lord. The Mandalorians, of course, knew all this, but Zentaris was talking to Manshen, trying to show him the grandeur of the Sith Alliance.


“Impressive.” Was his only response.


The Sith craft flew straight to the capital of the world, landing a mile from the building that housed the Sith High Council. Along the way, Kel noted the location of the Mandalorian Consulate, as pointed out to him by the pilot. Once the ship landed, they disembarked, where an official transport awaited them. There were two Sith Guards wearing a mixture of black and red armor, one on each side of the door to the transport, with a young human female a few paces ahead of them. She was dressed in what looked like an all red officer’s uniform, although clearly cut for a female body, and her red hair was pulled back in a pony tail. She walked up to the group.


“Zentaris Aeterna, Torik Vaal, and Zeik-Vergif.” She said bowing at the waist.


The three Sith returned the bow.


“And to our Mandalorian guests, Olarom, Me’vaar ti gar?” she said in slightly broken Mando’a.


Kel stepped forward and bowed his head slightly.


“I do well. Your Mando’a is a little broken, but good for one that probably doesn’t get to speak it that often.”


“I try to learn as much of the language of our foreign delegates as I can.”


“Tal’onidir, Kandosii!”


“What did they say?” Zeik-Vergif asked.


“She said Welcome, How are you doing?,” Zentaris answered in a lowered tone, “Then he told her Well done for the extra effort.”


“Ah.”


She bowed to Kel and Varo in the same fashion she did the Sith. As she stood back up, she looked up at the Herglic.


“I have no record of a Herglic in your party. Who is this?”


“My name is Manshen, ma’am. I’m here to help.”


“That remains to be seen. I’ll have to notify the Council that you picked up another being along the way.”


“He came at my approval.” Zentaris interjected.


“Good, then I know who to throw at the mercy of the Council.”


“Oh, I do like her.” Varo commed over to Kel, both chuckling at the comment.


“If you will all follow me, the High Council should almost be ready to see you.”


She turned sharply on her heels and headed toward the waiting transport. The small party quickly followed her, and each took a seat. As soon as the two Sith guards came in, the door shut and the transport lifted. Manshen took the rearmost row of seats to sit in, taking up two of the three. He looked a bit cramped, but he never said a thing complaining about it. Kel even had a hard time fitting in the seat he had chosen, lifting the arm rest so he could sit comfortably in his armor.


“I take it you don’t get too many visitors that are on the bigger side?” Kel asked the woman.


She looked back from the passenger seat of the open cockpit.


“Not really, no. We have a different transport for any of the bigger species that may visit our world. Had I known I would have needed more spacious seating, I certainly would have brought one of those instead.”


She turned back around and said something inaudible to the pilot.


Setting down in front of the High Council building, the group was escorted by the two Sith guards and the female officer. They entered the main doors to the building, each around twenty feet tall, and walked through the foyer. Inside, the ceiling was easily fifty feet above them, with multiple floors opening up to look down on the area. She escorted them down a series of hallways, which Varo and Kel noted seemed to go in a circular fashion before they doubled back along a different hallway. Evidently, if a ground force wanted to invade and kill the Council members, they were going to have to earn every inch of real estate. After about five minutes of walking, they finally went through a doorway and into a fairly large room. There was posh seating against the walls, with a water feature set between a statue of two lightsabers clashing, a gentle column of water being pushed up between them.


“Please, have a seat,” she motioned to the group, “I’ll let the Council members know you’re here.”


As she walked through a set of heavy looking doors, the two guards went and stood on either side. They didn’t have to wait but a few minutes before she walked back out.


“The High Council is ready to see you.”


The guards held the doors open for the group and she escorted them inside. The main room was just as ornate as the room Zentaris, Torik, and Zeik-Vergif had been summoned to on Korriban, but this one was set up differently. Instead of the chairs being in a circular fashion, there were, what looked to be, desks assembled six rows high. Each row had five desks, and each one had multiple computer monitors. It was clear that the forty Sith Lords that made up the High Council could control their assets from this room. There was a series of focused lights in the middle of the room, and that’s where the group was led. There was no place for them to sit in front of the Council, so they stood. In each of the forty seats was a being, most of them human, and most of their faces concealed in the shadows of their cloaks.


“You have all done a great service to the Alliance.” One of the Lords began. “And to the Mandalorian Empire. It is a shame that there were no survivors of the expedition team. We will go over the information that you brought back to us. Until we have further information, you are free to stay on the planet. We will summon you when you are needed again.”


The female officer came back to the group and motioned to the doors with her arm.


“Well, that was short.” Commented Manesh.


“We are not ones to question the High Council.” Zentaris responded quickly. “At least we will be given accommodations.”


“You can stay where you like,” said Kel, “but I know I could use some home cooking. I think Captain Taan and I will stay at the Mandalorian Consulate. There’s a few things I need to check on anyway.”


“I’ll be sure to have a private transport ready for you.” The woman offered.


“Thank you.”


By the time the group arrived to the main entrance, there were two transports waiting, one specifically for the Mandalorians. As Varo and Kel entered the small craft, they noticed that is seemed to be made more for armor wearing beings. They looked at the pilot, which had been near invisible from the outside, and were pleasantly surprised to see a fellow Mandalorian.


“Where to, ner vode?”


“How about someplace to get some good skraan?”


“I know just the place.”


The transport lifted into the air and shot toward the Mandalorian Consulate.


The other transport carrying the Sith also lifted, but instead shot in the other direction, toward the main residence building for visiting delegates.


----


It had been a week since the group had arrived on Prakith, and during that time the Sith and Mandalorians had rarely spoken. The Mandalorians, for the most part, had different meetings they needed to attend via holo-feed, as well as other more discreet things that took up their free time. The Sith were, with the exceptions of Manshen and Zeik-Vergif, in contact with their masters, as well as meditating and training. Finally, toward the end of the week, the group was notified that they would be meeting with the High Council in two days.


They arrived at the Council building at nearly the same time, and waiting in front was the same female officer, wearing nearly the same clothing. She greeted each individual and waited until the entire group was assembled. Then she led them, the same way she had when they first arrived, to the chambers of the High Council. Once again the group stood before the forty Sith Lords.


“We have reviewed the data you brought back,” A Twi’lek Sith Lord, about in the middle of the grouping, said as he looked at his screen, “and the situation is more dire than we had originally thought. The two Sith that the archaeological team discovered had been in cryo stasis for about eight hundred years.”


“Yeah, we know that,” Varo said under his breath.


Kel gave Varo a discreet elbow to the arm, reminding him to keep quiet.


“After looking back on certain records,” the Twi’lek continued, not noticing the comment or exchange, “it has come to our attention that there was a kill order placed on them.”


The group quickly exchanged glances.


“A kill order? Is there a reason given in the ancient records?” Manesh asked the council member.


“Yes. It appears that the two Sith, by themselves, were of little consequence. Together, however, they were a formidable foe. It appears that they were going to try and have someone assassinate the Mandalore of their day, try to place the blame on the Sith Alliance, and have the Mandalorians rally behind them in vengeance.”


“That seems like quite the scheme to try and hatch, a couple of Sith trying to overthrow the entire galaxy. It seems highly unlikely.” Manesh retorted.


Another Lord scoffed.


“Then you are not a well educated Sith. It was done once before by Darth Sidious. He deviously orchestrated a scenario in which the Jedi unwittingly served him, and carried out his will. It wasn’t until they were almost wiped from existence, in a single day, did they figure out what happened. But that is neither here nor there. These two Sith that the archaeological team thawed out are probably aware of the time period they are now in, and no doubt still have the same intentions. It would not surprise us if they are trying to rally any followers they may still have.”


“Forgive the interruption, my Lords,” Torik spoke up, “but what are the names of these Sith Lords?”


“We were just coming to that, young one.”


A holo-imager just in front of the rows for the High Council flickered to life.


“This is Darth Serkan. This was one of the few pictures we could find of him.” The image was of a Bothan wielding a lightsaber, clearly dressed in old Jedi attire. “At that time he was infiltrating the Jedi, and feeding the Sith Alliance vital information. He is a Bothan, as you can see, and was very close to the other Sith he was entombed with.”


The image changed to one that the group had seen before. It was one of the last images the camera caught of the Sith, after he had killed Professor Cass.


“This is Darth Valere. Of the two, he is the most dangerous and ruthless. Based on this recent picture, he seems to have been discolored during the thawing process. He was, or rather is, a human.”


The holo-imager turned off, the last image of Darth Valere quickly fading to black.


A Lord closer to the group spoke up.


“Our network of spies has informed us that these two, or two beings very similar in appearance, were seen most recently on Bothawui. It was thought that Darth Serkan had some followers there before he… disappeared. It is possible they went to see if that group was still around.”


“Would they still have followers, after all this time?” Zentaris wondered.


“They had a certain power over anyone that devoted themselves to following their path, Aeterna. Just because a few generations may die, doesn’t mean their philosophies and ideals do. If that were the case, the Jedi and Sith would have died out long ago. Nevertheless, it is the order of this Council, and that of your Mandalore,” he said looking at Kel and Varo, “that you travel to Bothawui and determine if they are still there. And if you find both of these Sith, you are to bring them here before us.”


“And if they refuse?” asked Varo.


“Then you are authorized to use deadly force. May the Force serve you well.”


The forty Sith Lords repeated the last sentence in unison before standing and leaving through the doors that were at the end of each row. The group stood there and waited a moment before the female officer came back to them.


“The ship that brought you to Prakith will serve as your vessel to Bothawui as well. In fact, the pilot has been ordered to take you wherever you may need to go, in searching for the renegade Sith Lords.”


“That is most kind of the Council.” said Torik.


“Yes, generous indeed.” Zeik-Vergif agreed.


The woman nodded politely and walked past the group, leading them to the doors. As they opened, she stopped and took a step to the side.


“The guards will escort you to the transport out front, which will take you back to your ship.”


Kel and Varo gave a slight nod and walked into the main room, where they were greeted by two of the Sith guards. The rest of the group was just a few steps behind them. One of the guards took the lead, while the other took the flank. As the small procession wound its way through the halls, the group noticed that they were getting odd looks from beings every now and then. It was no doubt odd to see such a menagerie walking through the halls like this. They made it to the transport with no issues, however, and soon they were heading to the ship the High Council had offered to them. Once on board, they quickly settled into their quarters and headed to the bridge. In a few minutes they were out of Prakith’s atmosphere. It only took a few more minutes for the pilot to load the nav computer with the needed coordinates to Bothawui, and soon they were once again traveling through hyperspace.

 

Great to see more of the Sith world and their lords.
Up to more adventure and danger

 

Nice, bringing the mystery into the present with more trails to follow

 

Thanks.

Again, thanks.

 

Nyota's Heart
earlybird-obi-wan

---

Chapter 10


The planet of Bothawui, located in the Mid Rim of the galaxy, was one of the few planets left in the area that still had a thriving populace. An even mixture of oceans and land mass was an ideal place for immigrants, as well as pleasure seekers. It was also the long standing home for spy networks and information brokerage. As the Sith vessel received clearance to land, Kel motioned for Varo to follow him. They walked along the port side of the vessel to the small cargo area in the aft section. Kel glanced around, making sure that they were alone, since neither he nor Varo were wearing their helmets.


“I made contact with the Mandalore and gave him a status update.” Kel finally said, convinced they had a measure of privacy. “We are to proceed as planned.”


“And what of the search for the two Sith?”


“He said that we need to keep searching for them. If we find them, we need to take them to Mandalore, where the Mandalore will question them personally.”


“What should we do if the Sith refuse to let us take them?”


Kel stood there with a small grin on his face. Varo needed no explanation of the meaning, as he had seen it several times before.


“Got it. Any news on the progress of the project?”


“It’s on schedule, actually a bit ahead of schedule, according to my sources. We should have something tangible very soon is what I was told. Evidently they have been doing extensive tests as of late.”


“What kind of tests?”


“They didn’t say. They just assured me that it would be completed by the deadline.”


The ship jostled a bit to the side, a sign that they were in the atmosphere of Bothawui.


“We’ll discuss this again later.”


Kel didn’t wait for a response from Varo. He led them back to the bridge of the ship, noticing that Zentaris was looking at them when they entered. He said nothing, but turned his attention to the skyline in front of them.


It was morning on Bothawui, and the sunrise was majestic. The sun’s rays were reflecting off the glass of the different towers at Drev’starn, the main city on Bothawui, and the air was filled with different species of aviary. In all, it seemed like a veritable paradise compared to Prakith, or even Kalist for that matter.


“Have you ever been to Bothawui?” Zeik-Vergif asked Manshen.


He shook his giant head.


“No, but I’ve always heard of the natural beauty of the planet. I see now that I wasn’t told the half. Have you?”


“Once, long ago.” Was all Zeik-Vergif offered.


Torik turned to the group.


“There is a Sith informant here in the city. We should probably go see him first, to see if he knows anything about the sighting of the two renegades.”


The scenery in the background shifted as the pilot rotated the ship to land on the platform. Setting down smoothly, he shut the engines down and lowered the boarding ramp. The four Sith made their way to the rear of the ship, while Kel made a quick stop in his quarters. Varo walked up to the pilot.


“I must commend your skills as a pilot.”


The man just sat there and shrugged his shoulders.


“Just doing my job.”


“Perhaps, but not many beings can pilot a vessel as smoothly. Especially not a vessel with such limitations as this one.”


The man turned to face Varo.


“My ship might have limitations, but it’s mine. Sure, I work for the Sith, and maybe perhaps this is technically their vessel, but it’s my blood and sweat that makes this what it is.”


Varo held his hands up.


“I meant no disrespect. I’m truly paying you a compliment. Had you been in the Mandalorian Navy, I don’t doubt you would have had the opportunity to pilot any vessel you wanted.”


The pilot looked at Varo. Without saying a word he turned his attention back to the different readouts. One didn’t have to be a telepath to see the conversation was over. Varo said nothing as he turned to leave the bridge.


“We don’t always have a choice in the path life gives us.” The pilot finally said as Varo neared exiting the bridge. “It’s how you walk that path that matters. Perhaps in a different life.”


Varo turned to regard the pilot, but noticed that he had not turned around to further engage in conversation. He was still checking the different systems on board. Varo said nothing. He simply nodded in agreement with what the man said. Walking to his quarters, Varo grabbed his helmet and a few supplies. He soon met the rest of the group on the landing platform.


“Forget something?” Kel asked as Varo joined the group.


“Nope, just figured I would shine my helmet real fast.” He had barely finished his sentence before he donned his helmet, securing the environmental seals.


Torik looked at the two Mandalorians and shook his head.


“This way.” He said, motioning for the group to follow him.


They walked down the staircase that wound its way fifty feet to the main street level. Torik looked at something on the data pad he held and pointed to the left, before leading the group once again. Although they were on a planet that was fairly neutral when it came to welcoming species, the group was given odd looks from several passersby and shop owners. As they rounded a corner he looked up at the signage for one of the doors.


“Ah, here we are.”


The sign above the door read ‘Melan Trading Corp’, and Torik opened the door and walked in. The group noticed, as they went inside, that Torik had walked up to the receptionist and was saying something to her. She quickly nodded and quietly commed someone. Torik walked back to the group.


“That was fast.” Manesh commented.


“There are ways to grease the wheels, my friend.” He gestured by rubbing his thumb and his forefinger together.


“Greed is a powerful thing.” Zentaris added.


“Mr Eg’dar will see you now.” The receptionist called to the group. She walked out from behind her desk and led the group down a hallway to a lift. She pressed the only button and a second later the doors opened. There was plenty of room for the entire group inside. She pressed the last button on the top, indicating they were heading to the top floor, fifty stories up. A few moments later the lift came to a slow, gentle stop and the doors opened. Standing not too far from the doors was a male Bothan with brown fur. He was well dressed, and his office was decorated with various pieces of art and collectibles.


“Welcome, welcome,” he said cheerfully as the group exited the lift.


The receptionist stayed in the lift as the doors closed.


He motioned to a conference table that was near the north side of the room, next to a window that looked out onto the city. He waited for his guests to sit down before he took his seat.


“Can I get any of you anything to drink? A snack perhaps?” he offered, looking to each one in the party, but each declined. “Ah, down to business then. What do I owe the pleasure of a personal visit from the Sith and Mandalorians? At the same time, no less.” He leaned back in his chair, with his hands resting on the table.


“We are looking for a Bothan and a human that may have arrived recently. They were more than likely travelling together. Our informants have placed them on the planet within the past week or so.” Zentaris answered.


“I see. Might I inquire as to why you are looking for them?”


“They are needed for questioning.” Kel said in a firm tone.


“Well, as I am not in immigration or tourism, I don’t really keep tabs on beings that come and go from Bothawui.” He began thrumming on the table with this fingers.


“Perhaps ten thousand credits will… help your memory?” Zentaris offered, sliding a credit chip over to the Bothan.”


He discreetly took the chip, slipping it in the pocket on the inside of his coat.


“Ah, yes… I do seem to recall some chatter about two odd looking beings that landed here about a week ago. I don’t recall exactly if they were a Bothan and a human, but there were two of them. However, they were only here for a few days. There were some transmissions that were accidentally intercepted…”


Zentaris caught the hint and slid another credit chip to him. He followed the same pattern as with the previous chip.


“What were the messages? Do you know what they said? Where did they come from?” Manesh quickly asked.


“All in due time, my friendly Herglic.” A quizzical look came on the Bothan’s face. “You look familiar… Have we met before?”


“I don’t think so. This is my first time to your world.”


“Are you certain? I never forget a face.”


“Positive. Perhaps you’ve seen a Herglic that looks similar to me. Now about those messages?” he asked, clearly changing the subject.


“Yes, perhaps I am mistaken. My apologies.” He said with a slight bow of his head. “As for the messages, they only really spoke of someone being back and that they were preparing to rendezvous with them. No location was given, but we did trace the signal to these coordinates.”


He pulled a data pad from inside his jacket and handed it to Zentaris.


“The coordinates, as well as the full messages, are on there.”


“Excellent.” Zentaris said, quickly looking at the data pad. “The Sith Alliance is grateful for your service. Where are these coordinates located?”


“In the mountains, to the north of the city. I’ll arrange for my personal shuttle and pilot to take you there.”


He stood from the table, and the group followed his lead.


“Many thanks.” said Zentaris, bowing.


He walked the group to the lift and pressed the button.


“I’ll be sure to have my receptionist make the necessary arrangements. It should only take a few minutes.”


The doors to the lift opened and the group went inside. Zeik-Vergif pressed the button that would take them to the lobby. The doors closed and soon they were heading down. The Bothan stood and looked at the doors for a moment longer before turning to walk back to his desk.


“I never forget a face.”


He sat in his chair and started entering commands into his computer.

 

92SE-R - enjoyed the conversation between Kel and Varo. A necessary contingency type discussion. Very true statement the pilot made about life paths. Interesting - very very - that the Mazzich was recognized. Hmmm. Makes you wonder how much of his personal history he's giving out is actually how he's presenting it?

 

That Bothan is up to something. What is Mazzich hiding and the pilot?

Nice update

 

Thanks. Tried to add a little something for the Mando's.

Whatever do you mean?

 

Nyota's Heart
earlybird-obi-wan

Sorry for the late post. DRL and all that fun stuff.

----

chapter 11


The aerial transport that awaited the group was luxurious, to say the least. It had space enough inside for at least twenty humans of average size. The seats were made from soft leather, each with a small touch screen on the left arm rest. There was a small mini-bar that was well stocked with different liquors and drinks from many different planets. It was clear that this was more of a shuttle to impress wealthy guests, than a personal transport. As the shuttle lifted into the air, the windows darkened slightly, reducing the glare of the morning sun. The shuttle rose gently, soon clearing the nearest building. The pilot turned the ship and headed to the north. The mountains to which they were heading seemed in stark contrast to the plains they had left not too long before. Reaching heights of ten thousand feet in places, their permanent snow caps seemed like the buttresses of a giant fortress. It was only half an hour before the pilot informed the group that they were coming close to the coordinates. Kel leaned in through the narrow opening to the cabin of the craft.


“Bring us in low, and set us down at least a mile from our destination.”


“You got it.”


Kel returned to his seat, catching the look from Manesh.


“What?” Kel asked him.


“Why so far away?”


“Pure strategy, really. If we were in a warship of some kind, I would drop in right where the Bothan’s had pinpointed the signals origin. As it is, we’re not. I doubt this thing even has simple blaster cannons. I, for one, don’t feel like dropping in on what could potentially be a hostile zone and endangering this ship, or everyone on board.”


“If I didn’t know better, I would say that you’re trying to avoid a fight. I thought Mandos loved to fight.”


“Fighting and dying honorably are one thing. Dying without a fight because your ego was too big? No. We might love a good fight, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try and use our brains.”


“I guess that makes sense. And here so many beings think of you guys simply as a bunch of savages.”


“Savages that have conquered nearly half the galaxy.” Kel said with a bit of finality in his voice.


Manesh didn’t respond. He just looked out the window of the shuttle.


“Looks like it might be cold out.” Zeik-Vergif said, trying to change the mood.


“Current temps are in the mid to lower forties,” the pilot called back, “it will drop with the wind chill, though. Hope you at least brought some all temp cloaks.”


The shuttle subtly shifted direction, and the whine of the engines became a bit higher. It was only a few more seconds before the soft thump of solid ground was felt on the floor. The pilot powered down the engines and came through the opening.


“I’ll go ahead and wait here for you guys, just in case. The coordinates are about a mile in that direction,” he pointed to the west, “through a small pass. You should find it easily enough. It looks like there has been some recent ground craft traffic in the area, so you should have an easier time with the terrain.”


Varo opened the hatch to the craft, and was greeted by a blast of cold air. He was glad he was in his full armor, as the heating elements in the suit quickly activated, taking the bite of the cold away. The Sith, with the exception of Zeik-Vergif, quickly put their cloaks on. As they exited the craft, Varo armed himself with the carbine he brought. He walked a few paces from the shuttle and looked at the ground. Behind him, Kel was holding his heavy assault blaster rifle. Varo looked back at him.


“Expecting a bit of a fight?”


“Better to have too much than not enough. Find anything?”


“Yeah, it looks like the pilot was right. Tracks are leading off toward the west. I don’t think they are too old either, maybe a few hours at the most.”


“Excellent. You take point, Captain.”


Kel turned to the others, who were huddled around the shuttle, and motioned for them.


“This way.” he said over the wind.


The Sith wrapped their cloaks tighter around their bodies as the wind picked up. The pilot had been correct; the temperatures plummeted with each gust of wind. The snow in the area drifted with the wind, making it that much colder. It only lasted a few seconds, and then the wind stopped and the sun warmed the area up again.


“Oh, this should be a pleasant walk.” Torik said under his breath.


----


The wind gusts had increased as they made their way over the pass. The pilot had once again been correct in stating the pass was small. Kel couldn’t see a vehicle much bigger than a cargo hauler being able to squeeze through some of the outcroppings of ice and snow. It had taken the group about two hours to walk from the shuttle through the pass, but soon it opened up. The road they had been walking went up the face of a hill in front of the group, and disappeared over the top. The terrain had changed just outside the pass, becoming more level and spacious. The area was surrounded by the mountains and made a good natural defensive position. Cautiously, they made their way into the open. After a few hundred feet, they noticed that there were several containers haphazardly laying on the ground, and that the snow had nearly concealed mounds if differing size. Some of the mounds were barely a couple feet tall, but some rose to nearly fifteen feet. It was from the side of one of the larger mounds, about fifty feet up the road, where a young human male came walking out, oblivious to the presence of the group. They quickly froze in their tracks. The young man was carrying a crate of some sort.


He stopped and looked in their direction. In a blur he dropped the box he was carrying and ran up the road. Not wanting to waste any time, the group took off after him, despite his lead on them. As he ran, he pulled away from them, rounding the top of the hill. It wasn’t long before the group also rounded the top of the hill, but stopped as there was no sign of the human. The hill they had been walking up leveled out, and in front of them was a high wall that went from one edge of the small valley to the other. It appeared there were several small buildings on the other side, probably used as housing of some sort. A few hundred yards further was a building that was easily a warehouse, standing about twenty feet high, and at least two hundred feet in length. There was little doubt that the human had run behind the safety of the wall. The area in front of the wall was scattered with tables, crates, and other items. It was clear someone was in a hurry.


Kel looked up at the wall, trying to determine the best course of action. The gates were opened, and it appeared that there was no one on the sentry posts at the top. In fact, he saw no one at all. It gave him an uneasy feeling.


“I don’t like this.” He said flatly.


Zentaris walked up beside him.


“I agree. I can feel their presence in the Force, but where are they?”


Scarcely had he finished when a shot rang out and the snow between Kel and Zentaris exploded into vapor. Kel instinctively pushed Zentaris back, while he dove away from the impact.


“Everyone, take cover!” he yelled.


Varo ducked behind a small table that was already overturned, checking his carbine to make sure the safety was off. Both Torik and Zeik-Vergif tried to conceal themselves behind a small stack of crates. Manshen took cover, as best his large frame allowed, behind a sealed drum. Again a shot rang out, and the shot impacted the ground in front of Zentaris, who was trying to crawl where Torik and Zeik-Vergif were. Varo looked at Kel, who had found a small bit of cover, and nodded his head. Carbine readied at his shoulder, Varo popped his head up from the relative safety the table offered him. He quickly dove back behind the table, as the next shot hit the top of the table just to his left, leaving a gaping hole. Varo cursed in frustration.


Although pinned by fire coming from an unknown direction, Kel watched the wall, making sure that it wasn’t something to distract them while attackers tried to flank them. The attack never came, and soon everyone noticed that the sniper fire had stopped. Both Kel and Varo carefully popped their heads over their cover. Zentaris and Torik looked at each other, said something and then stood up, wiping the snow from their cloaks.


“We are no longer in danger from the sniper.” Zentaris smirked.


“How can you be so sure?” asked Varo, not looking at them.


“We were able to reach out with the Force. The being that had us pinned down is no longer in the area. The only beings that we can feel in the Force are behind that wall now.” Torik answered.


“Did the Force tell you anything else?” Kel asked, as he too stood.


“They are in a hurry.”


“Then I suggest we get moving.”


The rest of the party stood, knocking any snow off their clothing. Kel, Varo, and Zeik-Vergif double checked their blaster rifles, while the other Sith produced their lightsabers, although not activating them.


“Can you sense if anyone is in any of those smaller buildings just on the other side of the wall?” Kel asked Zentaris and Torik.


They closed their eyes momentarily, then shook their heads.


“I feel nothing, until those warehouses.” Zentaris answered.


Kel looked at Torik.


“Me either. We should be ok to rush the buildings.” Torik responded.


Kel regarded them for a second more before looking again through the open gates of the wall. He turned his attention back to the group.


“Ok, here’s the plan: Varo, Zentaris, and Torik, I want you to take that side of the compound.” He said, pointing to the far gate entrance. “Manshen, Zeik-Vergif, and I will take this side. Man over man, and a quick sweep between buildings, nothing fancy. Try to stay behind the cover of the buildings as much as possible. I don’t want those guys knowing where we are exactly and try to mount a counter offensive. Our objective is the warehouse closest to us. If Zentaris and Torik are correct, I want to catch these beings before they complete whatever it is they are doing. Does everyone understand what we need to do?”


The only response was a look of grim determination on their faces.


“Then let’s move out.”


The party split into the two designated groups. With Varo taking point, Zentaris trailed a few steps behind, while Torik was just a bit behind Zentaris. Kel took point for his group, and was followed by Manesh, then Zeik-Vergif. The two groups hit the edge of the wall in a matter of seconds, and both Kel and Varo did a quick sweep of the immediate area. They waved the others through, and quickly joined their groups. Systematically the two groups moved around the buildings, quickly stopping and making sure they were secure. It didn’t take long before they were at the last row of buildings.


“See anything?” Kel commed over to Varo.


Varo looked around the corner of the building. In front of the door to the first warehouse were two young Bothan males. Each had a lightsaber hooked onto his belt, and each seemed to be surveying the area. There was little doubt in Zentaris’ mind that they had felt their presence. He told Varo this in a hushed voice, and Varo relayed the message to Kel. Still watching the Bothans, Varo saw them unclip their weapons and ignite them.


“Well, looks like they know we’re here.” Varo commented.


“Might as well go say hello at this point.” Said Kel.


Slowly the two groups came out from behind their respective buildings and formed a large group once again, and walked toward the two Bothans. Behind the Bothans, the hill sloped down and the group could see the roof of at least one more building. They weren’t sure, but the group thought they could hear, and feel, a low rumbling. Undeterred, they advanced on the two Bothans.


“You know there’s six of us and only two of you.” Varo taunted, “You might as well surrender now.”


“We were just about to tell you the same thing, Mando.” One of them responded.


To each side of Kel and Varo, the three Sith ignited their lightsabers. Zeik-Vergif lifted his rifle and took aim. Ahead of them the two Bothans lifted their lightsabers, as if in a salute, before they ran toward the group. Kel, Varo, and Zeik-Vergif simultaneously shot at the two Bothans, but their shots were either deflected or missed. It was only a second longer before they were on top of the group, slashing with their blades. One of the Bothans threw himself at Kel, Manesh, and Zeik-Vergif, while the other went after the remaining three.


With a long swing, the one Bothan’s lightsaber glanced off Varo’s armor as it headed toward Zentaris. Zentaris met the lightsaber with his own, the clash and static filling the space between them. Torik saw the opportunity and brought his own lightsaber down, but the Bothan seemed to predict this move and stepped to the side, letting the blade pass by. In response, he kicked Torik in the ribs, sending Torik stumbling back a few feet in response. Zentaris pressed his attack, pushing off on the younger Bothan and quickly brought his lightsaber up to his right, and then swung it down to the left. The Bothan redirected the angle of the attack with his lightsaber, bringing both up over their heads. Disengaging his lightsaber from Zentaris’, he took a quick strike at Zentaris’ leg. Zentaris wasn’t fast enough to dodge the attack entirely, the lightsaber cutting through his cloak and grazing his leg. He fell back, howling in pain. Slightly distracted, the Bothan lost focus on Varo, who had stepped in behind him. Varo swung and hit the Bothan in the back of the head, knocking him off balance and stumbling forward. Torik by then had recovered and saw the opening he needed. He held his lightsaber with both hands, stepped toward the Bothan, and swung, cleaving the male in half.


Kel and the others were facing a similar foe, one that was young and swift. This one, however, tried to focus on attacking Kel. Despite his size, however, Kel was able to dodge the attacks, and in response fired his blaster at the Bothan. One shot was deflected, while another found the Bothan’s leg. He grimaced in pain, almost as if he enjoyed it. He lifted his hand at Kel, and sent the Mando sprawling back about ten feet. Manesh swung his Great lightsaber down at the being that was nearly half his size. Despite his greater strength, the Herlgic’s attack was deflected. Zeik-Vergif shot at the Bothan, hitting his other leg. The young man dropped to his knees, and Manesh quickly ended the Bothan’s life.


It had felt like hours, but the skirmish had only lasted perhaps a minute. Varo walked over to Kel, helping the General to his feet. Torik was holding his side as he walked over to Zentaris. The Pau’an was holding his leg where the lightsaber has struck. Torik bent down to look at the injury.


“It doesn’t appear to by anything too serious. Here,” Torik reached into his pouch and pulled out a bacta patch, “put this on the injury. It should help with the pain, and make medical treatment easier when we get back.”


He applied the patch to the wound, and in seconds Zentaris felt the pain subside. He put his hand on Torik’s shoulder, and he helped Zentaris to his feet. The group looked at the two dead Bothans, then over to the warehouse door they had been guarding only moments before.


“Well, looks like they were the welcoming committee. I say we go show them how to throw a real party.” Said Varo.


The group started to make its way to the door, Zentaris with a slight limp.


“Yes, right now.” Manesh said from behind the group.


Kel turned and saw the Herglic holding a small comm unit.


“I’m sorry, but you’re all going to die here.” Manesh said menacingly, with a venomous look on his face.

 

Aha! So I was right to be suspicious of Manesh's "helpfulness". Comes from liking mysteries and profiling shows. He didn't act odd or inconsistent beforehand, but no one in the group took precautions, just in case the bonhomme was a put-on.

 

Great action update. And Manesh what's he doing?

 

Indeed you were! My friend Kelly loved that part of the character.

Thanks. And you're about to find out.

 

Nyota's Heart
earlybird-obi-wan

AN: Sorry all for the delay. DRL sucks sometimes. I'm still trying to find time to write out the next few sessions. LOL


---

Chapter 12


Manesh lifted his hand into the air, using the Force to lift the ground slightly beneath the group, then dropped it a few inches lower than the rest of the area. It knocked most of them off balance and Manesh used that to his advantage. In the same instant he jumped in the air, bellowing a terrible war cry as he came crashing down with his blade. Zeik-Vergif would have been impaled or crushed had he not rolled out of the way at the last second. Manesh swung his arm to the side, hitting Torik in the ribs where he had already been kicked. Torik fell to the ground, gasping for air. Kicking in front, Manesh connected with Varo, sending him, hard, face first into the ground. Kel rolled to the side and brought his rifle to bear, squeezing the trigger. One shot grazed by Manesh, while the Herglic deflected the other shots into the ground in front of Kel. From behind, Zentaris unleashed a volley of Force Lightning, catching Manesh by surprise. The Herglic let out a painful cry, turning and bringing the full speed and weight of his lightsaber around with him. Zentaris held his ground, despite the coming attack. He leaned back as the blade of the lightsaber came within an inch of his throat. With the lightning interrupted, Manesh stepped up and punched Zentaris, knocking him to the ground. Zeik-Vergif finally had a clear shot, when suddenly Manesh turned and picked him up with the Force, flinging him into Kel. There was a hard crack as Zeik-Vergif hit Kel’s armor and both of them tumbled to the ground. Varo stood and fired at Manesh, hitting him in the shoulder. Turning, Manesh leapt in the air, bringing his lightsaber over his head. Kel pushed Zeik-Vergif off him and unleashed a volley of blaster fire, hitting the Herglic in the head multiple times. In mid-air, his momentum already taking over, the great being fell limp, crashing to the ground not far from Varo.


“Well, that was unpleasant.” Quipped Varo.


The Herglic lifted himself on one arm, and the group trained their weapons on him.


“Long live Lord Serkan!” he yelled, and then slumped to the ground.


No sooner had he hit the ground than the ground shook, and the unmistakable roar of giant atmospheric engines engulfed the group. Lifting up from behind the last warehouse, a freighter came into view. It rotated away from their view and hit the thrusters toward space. They looked at it in stunned disbelief. They were so close.


“We should still check out the warehouses.” Kel said as he helped Zeik-Vergif to his feet.


“Agreed.” coughed Zentaris, also climbing to his feet.


Varo looked down at the dead Herglic and fired three more shots into his skull. The Sith looked at him.


“What? Just wanted to make sure he’s dead.”


Holstering his rifle, Varo led the group through the door of the warehouse.


“I’m probably going to have some cracked ribs because of this, you know.” Torik sulked as he entered.


“Yes, whatever will you do with that hideous deformation?” Varo mocked.


Torik said nothing, but glared at the back of Varo’s helmet.


“It could be worse,” Zentaris offered, “you could be dead. Or you could have been maimed. Although to your people that is worse than being dead isn’t it?”


“Shut up!” Kel ordered.


“I beg your pardon?” Zentaris hissed.


“Listen.” Kel held up his hand and tilted his helmet, looking at the ground. “You hear that?”


Almost at the same time, Zentaris’ and Torik’s eyes grew wide.


“We need to leave this building, now!” Torik let out, making a run for the door, with Zentaris hot on his heels.


The others didn’t question what they had just been told. They too ran for the door. Just as Kel, the last in the group to leave, cleared the door, the warehouse behind where they were exploded. The fireball shot high into the air, and the concussive force knocked the group off balance a bit. Not more than two second later, the warehouse they had just been in erupted with an explosion, sending shrapnel out at a high velocity. A support beam flew through the air and hit Kel square in the back of his armor, knocking him, unconscious, to the ground. Zentaris, too, was the unfortunate victim of a piece of shrapnel, catching a bar of metal through his already injured leg. Falling in pain, he clutched at the fresh injury, before slipping into unconsciousness from the pain. The blast knocked the rest of the group to the ground, as if they had been hit by a giant tidal wave. They didn’t move as pieces of flaming debris rained down on them, most of them too small to do any real damage.


“Is everyone all right?” Varo asked, pushing a flimsy piece of siding off himself.


“By the Force…” Zeik-Vergif moaned, putting out a small fire that had caught on his clothing.


“I think Zentaris is hurt.” Torik called to Varo. “It looks like he’s got a good sized chunk of shrapnel sticking out of his leg.”


“Is he dead?” asked Varo, while looking around the area.


“No, he’s breathing.”


“Good. Make sure you leave that shrapnel in his leg, otherwise he might bleed out on us.”


“Where is General Alaris?”


Varo looked around some more, using different scanners in his helmet to try and locate his brother, but to no avail.


“Kriffing blast must have knocked some of them offline.” He said to himself.


“Captain Taan!” Zeik-Vergif called, waving to Varo. “Captain Taan, over here!”


Varo ran over to where he was calling, and saw Kel lying face down in the dirt, a big section of the building’s support on his back. He wasn’t moving and Varo couldn’t get him on the comm. He looked around and found a long pipe. Grabbing it, he wedged it between the support and the ground.


“When I tell you, you grab him and pull him out. Got it?” he said to Zeik-Vergif.


Zeik-Vergif grabbed Kel’s arm and nodded to Varo. Varo squatted under the bar, resting it on his shoulder. He grunted slightly as he started to stand, pushing with his legs as high as he could.


“Now!” He said between breaths.


Zeik-Vergif pulled on Kel’s arm, slowly dragging him from under the support. Varo stood to his full height and started to push on the bar with his arms, lifting it a bit higher.


“I’ve almost got him.” Zeik-Vergif said, clearly struggling with the mass of the Mando.


Varo watched as Zeik-Vergif pulled, finally letting the support fall back to the ground when Kel had been pulled clear. Varo walked, with a slight stumble, over to Kel. He put his hands over the environmental seals of the helmet and released them. Pulling Kel’s helmet gently off his head, he felt for a pulse. There was a faint one, but at least there was a pulse. Varo looked up at Zeik-Vergif.


“He’s alive. Thanks for your help.”


Zeik-Vergif smiled slightly.


The comm in Varo’s helmet crackled, a distorted voice becoming audible.


“…blast…assistance…alive…hello?”


“This is Captain Varo Taan of the Mandalorian Empire, do you read me?”


“Captain Taan? Do you need any assistance? I saw the plume of flames erupt not too long after that ship left. I wasn’t sure if you guys were still alive, or on the planet for that matter.”


“Well, most of us are alive. We’ll be short a few hundred pounds on the way back to Drev’starn. Any chance you can come pick us up? We’ve got wounded.”


“I’ll be there momentarily.”


Varo took in the scene around him. As the wind blew, the sky darkened from the smoke and ash coming from the fires still raging in the skeletal remains of the warehouses. He noticed a smoldering lump, and quickly determined it was Manesh, the being they thought was helping them. It was one more reminder why Varo didn’t trust anyone but Mandalorians, and even then he knew not all of them could be trusted to do what they swore to do. Torik was attending to Zentaris’ wounds the best he could without causing further bleeding. As the transport came overhead, it circled a couple of times looking for a clear spot to land. Finally finding a clear enough area, the ship landed and the pilot came over to Varo.


“Is he ok?”


“Without proper medical equipment it’s hard to say, but for now he seems to be.”


The pilot looked over to where Torik was sitting with Zentaris.


“And them?”


“They may need your assistance more than we will here. One of them is badly injured, and the other is injured but still awake.”


The captain patted Varo on the shoulder and made his way over to Torik. They exchanged a few words and looked down at Zentaris. The captain motioned to the ship, and knelt down to put one of Zentaris’ arms over his shoulder. Torik did likewise, and the two lifted Zentaris, dragging his limp body to the transport. Varo looked at Zeik-Vergif.


“Looks like you and I get to haul the lightweight.”


Both grabbed an arm and pulled Kel to his feet. They balanced him a bit, getting one of his arms over each of their shoulders. Being a bit taller than either of them and weighing quite a bit more as well, it was slow going back to the transport. When they had him in the transport, they gently set him on one of the couches. Varo looked over and saw the captain putting a tourniquet on Zentaris’ leg, who was on the floor of the ship. It was only a couple minutes more before they were once again in the air and heading back to Drev’starn. Varo looked at the Sith around him, and noticed how drained they looked. He guessed that most of them had never been through a combat situation before, despite their training. He felt the same fatigue they probably felt, he thought, since it probably wasn’t just physical, but mental as well. He walked over and popped his head in the cabin.


“Hey, any chance I can get you to let the pilot of our ship know we are on our way? I want to be sure that he’s prepped the med bay and ready for launch when we arrive.”


“You got it.”


Varo went back and sat in one of the well cushioned chairs, closed his eyes, and drifted to sleep.

 

Whew! Great action, and definitely the injuries could've been worse. Wondering if this adds to or sets back the info-gathering.

 

Excelent action and update. Now some medics taking care of the wounded and more action?

 

Love it! Please keep it coming.