Before - Legends The Death of Coruscant (semi-original story) - set 30 years before TPM ... CHAPTER 2 NOW UP!

TITLE: The Death of Coruscant
AUTHOR: Darph_Nader, loosely based on a story by Greg Rucka
TIMELINE: 30 years before TPM
SUMMARY: A planet-wide quake strikes Coruscant, destroying everything. The survivors must live through the harsh elements.
DISCLAIMER: All characters are my creations. If you wish to use them (probably no one), PM me.


PROLOGUE


The sun set on the skyline of Coruscant. The orange light cast shadows on the massive buildings as speeders bustled to and fro on the air lanes. However, the sun did not set on the scientific division building.

Several scientists were hard at work in a large room with measuring equipment lining the wall. The machines measured barometric pressure, temperature, oxygen and pollution levels, and movements under the planet?s surface.

One young scientist, Rak Derin, was watching the machine that monitored land plate movement. He was a young man, in his early twenties, with short brown hair. He watched as the graph?s vibration systems didn?t move. Typical.

But then they twitched. Rak perked up, and took measurements. The system began to measure larger and larger figures, the numbers going up at intervals of ten seconds.

?Guys!? Rak hollered, his thin frame vibrating.

Several scientists ran over to the machine. ?What is it?? the man in charge asked.

?The readings are going up. The plates are moving more than they should,? Rak hurriedly said as he scribbled down more figures. The graph on the screen was now moving violently back and forth across the screen.

?There?s going to be a quake,? the man in charge told the group of scientists. ?We need to tell the Senate.?

The graph slowed down, and resumed its usual stationary position.

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The Senate was silent. The huge chamber, filled with hundreds of ambassadors from hundreds of worlds, were now in shock.

?There is a full scale quake coming. It will be all over the planet,? Rak nervously spoke as he pulled out his pad which had his figures on it.

?I have figures from?? Rak flipped through his pad. ?Uh, it started at five, then went to fifteen? thirty? fifty?? Rak continued going through the numbers, each getting rapidly higher.

The Supreme Chancellor sat back in his chair. ?How long until the quake hits??

The Supreme Chancellor pondered this for a moment. ?We must evacuate all important staff. We mustn?t let the people know - there would be hysteria.? The Chancellor paused again. ?Evacuate all Senators, Jedi, and any other persons of importance.?

?What about the others?? Rak asked.

?I?m afraid we don?t have the time,? the Chancellor sighed.

Rak was quiet for a moment, and then spoke up. ?Sir? Perhaps I could stay - you know, to watch the effects of this quake, and record all that happens.?

?I don?t want to take a risk of losing a top scientist,? the Chancellor spoke.

?It will be my problem, sir,? Rak said, ?and I will hold only myself responsible for what happens to me.?

The Chancellor was silent again. ?If it is alright with your superiors, then it will be approved.?

Rak looked hopefully back at the head scientist. The large man nodded his head.

?Then this meeting is adjourned. Begin packing your belongings and we will leave as soon as possible.? The Chancellor rose, and began to walk towards his flotilla that would escort him outside the Senate chamber. ?And may the Force be with those left behind.?

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It was dark in the Coruscant Prison. The musty halls were long and forbidding, with rusty iron doors lining the walls. Small slabs of metal, once nameplates, were now rusted over with time, making the residents nameless prisoners. Every now and then screams could be heard echoing through the halls. Nothing unusual. For the Coruscant Prison was, to anyone, a building from Hell.

In one particular cell, a burly man sat in the corner, staring at the pitiful excuse of food in front of him. The food

 

Sounds like it's going to be quite interesting.

Good opening.

 

Thanks! Hopefully this isn't objectionable. It is probably the roughest part of my story, so sorry if this exceeds the PG rating. If it needs editing, I will do so.



CHAPTER 1
THE DEATH OF CORUSCANT

Ker Heras began his morning as usual - he brewed his drink, took a shower, and hurriedly ate his breakfast. His wife walked into the room, and greeted Ker with a kiss. Ker brushed aside his black hair, and returned the kiss. His wife, a beautiful woman with brown hair and eyes, walked over to the counter, and poured herself some coffee. As she sat down across from him, Ker began devouring his breakfast.

?Ker?? his wife asked.

?Yes, Katuri?? Ker replied softly

Katuri chose her words, and resumed talking. ?You know how you said once we got settled, we could go on a vacation??

?I have to get help first, Katuri. You know that.? Ker paused for a moment. ?I really want to get away from here too, but I can?t just leave the shop.?

?Yeah, I know. I just wish it could be sooner.?

Ker thought for a moment, then smiled. ?Next week is the start of my off time. I have two weeks off, and we could go wherever you want!?

Katuri smiled. ?Let?s go to Dantooine. Nice and solitary. No traffic outside your window, no noise - just the sound of wind blowing through the grass.?

Ker ate the last bit of his meal, and stood up. He walked over to his wife, and kissed her on the cheek. ?I?ll see you when I get back, okay??

As he walked towards the door, he stopped next to a small case stuck on the wall. Ker opened it, to reveal a light saber - his light saber. He used to be a Jedi, but left for reasons that not even his wife knew. But he shouldn?t dwell on the past. He had a new life, and one he would enjoy. After placing the light saber in its place, he closed the case.

Ker walked outside of his house, and across a small bridge to his shop. As he did, he noticed less traffic than usual. Odd? Ker thought. His shop was a racing repair shop, and his shop would work on pod racers, racing speeders, and other racing equipment. As he walked into the garage, he saw his task of the day - a green quad engine pod racer.

Several of the workers were already welding and replacing parts to the racer, so Ker started by inspecting the progress. He was younger than most to be owning a shop as large as he did - for he was only twenty-five - but loved his job. He looked to the control cables connecting the pod to the engines. The protective casing around the wires was worn through, exposing several wires, and some had snapped.

As he began to loosen the cable, he felt a vibration. He stopped for a moment, and it went away. Ker began to loosen it again, and the vibration returned, this time much stronger. Ker stopped his work, and looked outside the nearest window. He saw several buildings reeling from the shaking, and several speeders swerving this way and that. He heard screaming, and turned to see his wife running towards the shop. Ker ran outside the building, and ran towards her. As he did, though, he saw the first of many terrors in that short time.

A speeder, shoved off the airway, had begun spiraling out of control. It connected with the bridge, knocking the ground right out from under Katuri. The last image Ker saw of her was a look of anguish and terror as she fell the several thousands of stories down to the planet?s surface. Several buildings began falling as the quake became more intense. It sounded like a fleet of cruisers had descended on his head as his house sunk to the surface, along with his shop, and the bridge Ker stood on.

As air rushed around Ker, his feet began to lift from the bridge, and after a short while he was free falling. A speeder must have seen him descend, because the next the Ker knew, and speeder had picked him out of the sky. Only to destroy Ker?s hopes, a large chunk of a building drove itself through the engine.

Now the only thing Ker could hear was the rumble of the planet

 

Hey I just found this story, please don't give up on it, It has amazing potential and I'm loving what I see so far.

Keep up the good work.

 

Chapter 2 should be up sometime tomorrow.

D_N

 

Sorry this wasn't up sooner... Darth RL dueled me all day...


CHAPTER 2
TRUTH REVEALED


Rak was in awe. Absolute, pure, unadulterated awe. He had seen many spectacles, but this by far topped them all. What he was looking at was the first of its kind - a planet-wide quake, causing mass annihilation. He would record every bit of what he saw on his data pad, and holo-camera. The buildings, thousands of stories tall, buried.

?This is going to be big,? Rak said to himself.

?It IS big,? a voice said behind him.

Rak jumped. He turned around to see a tall man with black hair, dressed in dark clothes. Suspecting the worst, Rak pulled out a blaster pistol. ?Don?t hurt me! I mean it!? Rak threatened.

?I?m not going to do anything to you,? the man said as he pushed the blaster down. ?I?m Ker Heras. If you need shelter -?

?Yes, I could use some,? Rak interrupted. ?I?m Rak. Part of Coruscant?s Scientific Building.?

Ker?s eyes widened. ?What are you doing here??

?I?m studying the results of this disaster,? Rak quickly said.

?What are saying? You mean you knew it was coming??

?Well, yes. You see, the Jedi, governement, pretty much everyone but me left, and..."

Ker?s eyes filled with rage. He grabbed Rak?s small neck and picked him up off the ground. Ker slammed Rak against the wall, and put his face right up next to Rak?s.

?Why didn?t you tell us!? Ker yelled in his face.

?There wasn?t any -?

?Don?t give me your excuses! Because of you, my wife died!? Ker continued yelling in Rak?s face, not giving him one moment to justify himself.

After Ker?s tirade settled a bit, he dropped Rak, and began wandering the rubble.

?We were supposed to go on vacation? we were supposed to be happy?? Ker fell on his knees, and began sobbing. Tears streamed down his cheeks, as reality set in. His wife was gone, his house was gone, his entire life was ruined.

It was not the first time his life was destroyed, though?

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Jek had taken over the surrounding area. His minions were patrolling the area for survivors to persecute - yet there were none. Jek had hoped for a scrap or two, but was disappointed to find the area deserted.

One minion hustled over to Jek, and gave a report. ?We found traces of a small group of survivors, Jek.? The man panted, and continued. ?They don?t have much to defend themselves with, so they should be easy game.?

Jek pondered for a moment. ?We should entrench ourselves here first. In case anybody comes and tries to stop us, we can be ready for them. Then we can get these survivors you?re talking about.

The man spun on his heel, and hurried off. Jek watched as his empire began. From the ashes of the government that had imprisoned him, would come a military that would destroy all of those senators. He would take revenge on all who had ruined his life. It was all taking form in front of him.

As Jek walked, he clutched his hand, rubbing the stubs of what used to be some of his fingers. They had been cut off a long time, ago, and Jek would never forget who cut them off. He would wreak his innermost rage on that man?

- - - - - - - - - -

Ravan watched for Ker to return. She was handling it just fine. She had an adequate shelter, she was helping her sister back to recovery, and she had managed to survive. She was doing okay. She didn?t need help.

As she watched, she saw Ker and someone else make their way back to the hut. Upon entering, they were greeted by the ever-so-friendly Ravan.

?What is that guy doing here?? Ravan snapped.

?He can help us,? Ker said as he put the bag on the ground.

Rak nervously stepped forward. ?I?m Rak Derin. Part of the science division.? Rak put out his hand.

Ravan stood up, and studied the man. ?I think I?ve see

 

Very good. Keep 'em coming. lol