Prologue

Peragus is a large mining colony.  Peragus itself is a large planet, with a fuel filled core. It was surrounded by fuel-filled asteroids. If one of them blew, it could possibly blow up half the system. The mining facility is a major supplier for fuel and rare metals. After half the planet was once blown off, a large durasteel factory was built over most of the blast. The planet’s atmosphere is recovering and is a prime spot for resources. Peragus is the ideal place for a home base in the war that is to come.

The facility was a large, durasteel city covering the side of Peragus. In the centre was the main mining arena. A few miles off was the capital tower. In the monitoring room, Jic Bli was working at his station, surrounded by a large arsenal of other workers. His job was to monitor incoming ships. Everyone there wore the same uniform, a white suit with stripes that marked your rank. His stripes were red. He wore a small earpiece that connected him to everyone else. His hair was short and black. He was staring out the window in front of him. Nothing ever happened around here. Not even that Jedi had made things more interesting. He was just here for a reason Jic didn’t know. A light blinked on is monitor. He flicked a switch and looked over at his radar. A red light was coming towards the factory. “Sir, we have an incoming ship” Jic said as he spun his repulsor chair round to face a man sitting in a chair a few metres behind him. He was Lt. Grisdan.

“Run a read out on the ships ID,”

Jic’s fingers flew over the console, and a holo-image of the ship appeared in front of him. “We have a picture, but there seems to be no ID signature”

Grisdan frowned. “What layout is it?”

A few more buttons. “It appears to be a one man ship, capable of hyperspace. It looks un-armed, sir” He looked at the radar and saw it was coming in close. He pressed a few buttons and spoke into his comm unit. “Hello, incoming vessel, do you read me? Respond”. There was static. “Incoming vessel, do you read me, over?” More static. Suddenly, the blue blip on the radar turned red. It had gone from neutral to hostile. “Sir, its going hostile!”

Grisdan frowned and shouted “Shields up! Activate gun turrets!”

The outer turrets turned to face the ship. They fired. The heavy blaster fire streamed past the ship. It was executing complicated manoeuvres.

“Sir, it disappeared from radar!” The ship suddenly streaked past the large transparisteel and into the citadel.

“Are the shields up yet?” Grisdan shouted.

A worker turned round from her screen. “Not yet, sir. Just a few more seconds”.

They didn’t get another few seconds. A large holo-image of the entire citadel appeared in the centre of the room, from a small holo-player in the middle of the floor. The red light showed the incoming ship. Some green blips indicated ally ships. They were all seated in the hangar. There were white blips indicating people. There were two shield generators. The red blip was moving to one. “Shield up in five, four…” The red blip was close. “Three…” In firing range. “Two…” The shield generator nearest to the bridge buzzed and disappeared. The sky outside was slightly tinged with red. “We lost it”

“Can we release fighters?”

“They’re starting to take off, but the enemy is close. But even he can’t beat our fleet”

The red blip was headed to the south hangar. Ships were flooding out to intercept. Part of the hangar faded away, and most of the squadron were taken with it. Grisdan had his head in his hands. “Sir, the ship has landed!”

He raised his head “Call the Jedi. Tell him to get here at once!”

Polje stood up. He beckoned for the guard to go back to the bridge, with the message that he was on his way. Polje wore standard robes for a Jedi Knight. They were brown that concealed his white overalls. He had long, brown hair and a trimmed beard. He was relieved. Finally, something was happening. He had been sent here as his first mission. His Master had been killed a few months ago, and he had been knighted soon after. This was so dull, watching over a mining facility. He got up and walked out of his room, unaware that this was the last time he would ever see it.

The guards stood ready with their guns raised. There were at least twenty of them. The hostile had landed in the hangar bay. It sat in a large clearing surrounded by debris. Wrecked vehicles were spread all over the hangar with bodies lying strewn across the wreckage. The ship was a black, one man fighter. It was flat, with red strips. The hatch hissed as it opened. All the guards flinched as a tall, armoured man climbed out and dropped to the deck. His boots clanked on the durasteel floor. He had deep blue skin. His eyes were glowing, red slits. He had a lipless smile. But he wasn’t smiling. There were lines cut into the left side of his face. They were scarred into exotic patterns. Each scar was a deep red. There was a throbbing sound from his face as the scars glow grew and shrunk in perfect harmony. He wore black overalls that covered his body. He wore a patch of armour on his chest. A thick, red line extended from the top and then split halfway down and into the sides. The rest of the chest plate was black. It looked light, but strong. His right arm was covered in the black overall and had a red patch extending from his shoulder to his elbow. There was a curved, crimson knife wrapped around his wrist. The glove had a crimson ‘Y’ starting from the wrist and down to his fingers. The left arm was different.  It was uncovered, revealing the dark blue skin. His arm was covered in the same scars as his face. It too, hummed a deep red. The wrist knife was there, but melded into his wrist. His hand was un-gloved, but had the same pattern that was on the right glove. Only this was scars wound into a ‘Y’. His right leg had a shin guard that was red and black. He wore a boot with a red strip of metal that went from his ankle down to the toe. The left leg had no overall and more scars. The boot was the same as the right. He chilled the officer to thecore. Four others stepped out of their ships. They looked like droids. They had the same colour scheme as the leader. Their bodies were thin and they didn’t seem to have hands. Just small cylinders. The guard who seemed to be in charge strode up to the newcomer. “What is your objective here?” He asked in a very shaky voice.

The other replied in a sharp tone “I don’t mean to share my information with low level officers”

The officer raised his gun. ”I am required to bring you before my commanding officer.”

But the dark warrior raised his fist and knocked the gun to the ground. Before the guard could react, the black gloved fist cracked the guard’s neck back and the guard slumped to the ground. The other guards raised their guns to fire, but the black armoured man raised his hand and made a motion with his hand that seemed to crackle with energy. The Marauder’s four droids ignited red blades, one from each hand. The crimson blades began to weave their way through the guards, separating limbs and heads from their bodies. The Marauder walked calmly out the main hangar bay door and strode down the main corridor, leading to the control room. Guards continuously attempted to dart out and take a shot but ended up slouched in two halves. The intruder reached a large blast door that had shut firmly. He reached into a pouch on his belt and threw a small plate onto the front of the door. He reached towards a small control panel on his left wrist. He stopped and turned towards the corridor behind him. There was a man with brown robes. The man was holding a lightsaber in his hands. He walked towards the dark warrior. “My name is Polje. I am a Jedi stationed here. I demand to know who you’re and what you’re up to here”.

The Marauder motioned his guards to step back, then clipped his own weapon of his belt. “My reasons are mine and mine alone. If you move now I may spare you your life”

The Jedi’s saber ignited into a green blade. “I shall not leave my post”

The black-armoured figure brandished his own blade. It shone a blood red blade of crystal energy that could cut through any object. They stepped towards each other. Polje swung his blade round towards the dark. The opponent blocked and forced the green light up and around. He thrust his own blade towards Polje. The Jedi ducked. He lunged to the side. He rolled sideways through the air. His blade met the others in a shower of sparks. The Warrior pushed back and brought it up. The energy of his hit knocked Polje back. His blade hit into the ceiling and cut through a wire. There were sparks and then the lights went out. Polje’s saber flew across the room. A red light flew out at him. He leapt to the side and felt the heat as it passed over his head. He rolled and his saber snapped back into his grip. Hid green light illuminated his face. He saw the Dark Warrior’s face illuminated by his own red blade. They charged and locked blades. The green and red moved back and forth in a blinding display of light. The Dark Warrior started to fall back and Polje charged. A second blade appeared in the Marauder’s hand. It was the same crimson colour as the last. Polje stepped back. Red lightning crashed down upon him. He struggled to keep hold of his grip. He fell back and his saber flew out of his hands and separated into the halves in the blink of an eye. He tried to regain his balance and stretched out his hand to reach something to hold onto. His hand found the searing hot kiss of pure energy burning through his arm. He dropped to the floor, clutching his stump of an arm. He looked up and saw the blade the colour of blood staring him in the face. He shut his eyes to block out the pain. He waited for the final blow. It didn’t come. He raised his eyes to the demon. The dark warrior reached down and picked him up by the throat. Polje was thrust into the wall. The other hand was raised and knocked Polje around the head. The world started getting darker. The red light started to fade out of his vision. There was a hissing sound and then the last thing he could feel was being thrown into the garbage disposable.

Jic saw the beginning of the fight on one of his monitors. If the intruder had won, he’d be walking into this control room in a few seconds. He looked back at the Captain. Now should be the time to flee. He noticed his own personal EV-suit hanging on the wall. He was very close to it… if he could just reach without being seen. He turned at a sudden noise. The door was on fire. Grisdan jumped to his feet, pulling out a blaster. They were supposed to be banned at the station. Everyone started rising. The door collapsed. A blast door started to close as one of the officers started typing into his console. A dark hand reached out from the smoke and the officer clutched his throat. There was a snap and he fell to the ground. The blast door retracted and the Dark Warrior stepped through. Every started to run, but the Warrior blocked the way. He wielded two red lightsaber. Could that mean… But they had been gone for millennia…. It was time to run. He grabbed his EV suit and ran to the door. An invisible wall knocked him down. His nose was starting to bleed. Grisdan fired some shots but they were deflected back into his chest. He opened his mouth into a silent “Oh” and then collapsed. When officers rushed to him they were similarly knocked down by something that wasn’t there. The Dark Warrior strode forwards and began typing at the shield console. As everyone got up to run, a red light flashed. The Marauder’s four guards walked in and cornered the crew. Jic was still on the floor. The room shook. Jic looked through the viewport and saw an entire fleet of fighter ships approaching. There was one capital ship. He counted around one hundred fighters. That wasn’t very much, but when they had an assassin of some sort hacking into and destroying all they’re defence systems, it didn’t matter. The entire crew ran. Everyone wanted to reach their ships. Jic turned into a detour. He turned and gasped as he saw the warrior slicing guards or crew members trying to flee. Jic ran and ran. He reached an emergency console and typed in a secret code. A red alarm flashed all around the station… the Evacuation signal. He continued to run and tuned into another detour. There were more people flooding around the normal exits. He turned a corner to see soldiers. Not guards, soldiers he’d never seen before. They wore black armour, carried large rifles and had a red X as a visor on the front of their black helmets. There had white markings similar to the first one. They were firing on guards. Jic turned into another detour and heard a moan. He turned to find no-one there. He saw a hand reaching out the garbage disposal chute. He reached and pulled the poor soul out. It was the Jedi! He was burnt and wet. There was lots of garbage sticking to him. Jic shook Polje. The Jedi opened his eyes. “Where’s the Dark Warrior?” He croaked.

Jic helped him up. “He took over the bridge. A fleet is attempting to capture the station. I sounded the evacuation signal as soon as possible”

Polje shook his head. “No one will leave. This warrior won’t let anyone pass. We must escape and warn the Jedi Council on Coruscant.”

“But we can’t leave”

Polje gestured “I have a hidden escape pod… we can… get there without being detected”

Jic helped him up and they headed to the secret hangar.

They finally reached a one-ship hangar with a single starfighter docked. Polje’s fighter was a simple design of an escape pod with steering and weapon systems. Jic realised with horror that there was only one seat. “There’s only one seat!”

Polje nodded. “It’s all right. I’m not coming”

“What?”

“My injuries will kill me in a few hours and my escape pod doesn’t have a decent hyperdrive. It was damaged a while ago.”

Jic lowered his head. “I’m sorry. Thank you. I will report this to your council”

Polje smiled a thin lipped grin. Then he turned and saw the Warrior who had started this. Polje pushed Jic. “Go”

“Good luck” he said as he climbed in. And he meant it. He ignited systems and shot off into hyperspace as soon as possible.

“Who are you” Said Polje.

The Warrior stared at him. Polje could feel his stony gaze from behind the other’s visor. “I only reveal such details when they are necessary. You have not earned it.”

Polje raised his remaining left hand and pushed with the Force. The warrior stumbled but pushed back. A dark aura seemed to engulf Polje. He got colder and colder. He collapsed to the ground and sank to his knees. He heard clicking and looked up to see soldiers surrounding him. His foe had turned. “Kill him” And they obeyed.

The troops had easily captured the facility and reworked the factories to suit their needs. The army was now in full production. A small shuttle had just docked. It had come from the Capital ship that was now orbiting the planet. Lots of cranes had been attached to it and work was being done. This pathetic planet would serve its purpose for the time being. The shuttle was docked in the main hangar that was undergoing repairs. The Dark Marauder stood at the entrance, awaiting his Master. Troopers flanked him as he walked to towards the shuttle. The ramp had lowered and there was a hissing noise as the shuttle decompressed. He knelt and waited until the dark robed figure had fully descended. His head was concealed by fully by his hood and his skeleton hands were the only piece of flesh that weren’t concealed. He spoke in a hoarse voice. “You may rise”

The Dark marauder stood. He was a good head taller than his hunched master. “My Lord” he spoke.

“You have done well, My Apprentice” They turned and walked towards the door. “Soon the Galaxy will be ours, Apprentice. Soon will be our time to strike”.

The Apprentice nodded approvingly and looked down at his fist and clenched it. Soon would be the time to complete the circle. Sith would rule the Galaxy once more.

Chapter I

There was a blue light and a dark shape. Blades of energy flared from both of them. The blades clashed and spun. Blue against Red. There was a woman of to the side. She was a deep hue of red. She was lying on the ground. The dark shape was screaming at the other. Blue and Red lightning clashed around them. The woman looked dead. There was a blonde haired woman watching from the top of a ridge. The dark started to fade away. There was screaming and then the darkness grew and grew. The light tried to defend but was overwhelmed. The blue blade vanished and the light fluttered out as the darkness consumed everything. The floored woman looked up at the last moment and everything faded into nothingness.

He opened his eyes. He was sweating and breathing hard. He felt as though he’d had all feeling sucked out of him. The last image he had seen had been the blonde woman. She had been glowing bright silver. She felt familiar. He shook his head. He leaned up straight to get his bearings. Ray remembered where he was. He was in his quarters in the Temple. The bright lights of Coruscant shone through the blinds. He glanced at his watch. It was 3.00am standard time. He groaned and fell back. He was bare-chested and a silver chain hung around his neck. There was a small shard at the end. He had had the same dream for a long time. Each time it was stronger and stronger as though warning him of something. His Quarters were filled with the standard equipment. He reached out and picked up his Lightsabre from the desk beside his bed. He focused and used his unique method of opening his unique weapon. He slotted the focusing crystal out and held it for a moment. There seemed be something pulling from the shard around his neck to the crystal in his hand. Something strong. This pull had been getting greater through the past weeks. He slotted the crystal back in its place and placed the weapon back on the desk. He lay back down and drifted back into sleep.

The escape pod battered its way through the barrage of laser fire. There were four very advanced fighters chasing it to Coruscant. One of the three engines winked out and the pod lost control. A large plate was torn off as it hit the atmosphere. Smoke started to trail as four missiles closed in. The torpedoes found their target and the pod lost all power and tumble down towards the planet. The fighter turned and jumped to hyperspace. Republic fighters flew towards the pod and attempted to catch it with grapples. The pod continued to fall until it smashed into the top of a building and rolled down onto a landing pad. People ran and screamed as it continued to roll and bounce. A tall, tanned man extended his arms and built his presence into a grip. The pod began to slow, and then finally crashed to a halt. Rescue teams began to extract the passenger.

Ray Larel walked out onto a balcony over looking the entrance to the Temple. It was quite near his room and had been a favourite for him and his Master to meet. He was already waiting for him. Master Oreh Jand had been Ray’s for the past ten years of training. Ray was currently eighteen. He had a handsome face and a muscular body. He had light, brown hair that was seemingly untidy and extended into his Padawan braid that hung on his left shoulder. He was wearing a black top with a brown jacket. There were a few tears and his jeans had a couple of black marks on them. He was just like the average Apprentice was, untidy. Oreh was the same height as Ray and wore a brown jumpsuit that seemed to be a robe cut down for easier use. Oreh had tidy, black hair and a plain face. Oreh had been handpicked by the Council for a reason that was still unknown to Ray. All he knew was that Oreh had known his Father. All he knew about his father was that he had been a Jedi too and had been killed in an important mission. He had had an illegal relationship with a beautiful woman who had left her role as an Advisor for the Chief of State when her greatest companion had died. She had raised Ray for a year or so before he was told that he could be trained to be a Jedi. He went back to visit once in a while when he was off duty. Even as an Apprentice he had a lot of work to do. Border disputes along the Outer Rim were becoming more and more serious. More and more Systems had been leaving and gathering along the Outer Rim. Everyone was being pressured to bring order back. Many threats had been made but none carried out. Many feared an all-out war but it was doubted. The Grand Army had focused defence on many important planets. The Army was growing heavily. Once you signed up you were authorizing cloning of yourself. Many planets in the Outer Rim were being forced out and contact had been lost with the planet Peragus IV. It was vital for fuel and resources. Ray stepped onto the balcony and felt a wave of calm wash over him. Then he reached out and found something that trouble Oreh, though he didn’t know what. He let go and bowed to his Master. Oreh bowed back. The Sun was still rising in the distance, turning the sky a deep orange. “Something troubling you, Master?” he asked.

Oreh shook his head. “We have been summoned by the Council”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Oreh smiled. “Not yet” He put his arm round Ray and led him out the door. “We must be there in a few minutes” He stopped smiling. “What’s troubling you?”

Ray sighed. “I had the same dream last night. Only I saw my Mother this time, and another woman lying on the floor.”

He felt something jerk inside Oreh, but it was gone. “Don’t worry about it. Keep your mind on your work. We do have a job to do”

The large and circular council chamber was quiet, despite the amount of people in there. The Council sat in a circle around the room, with a couple of dozen Knights and their Apprentices sitting in a semi circle at the back of the room. There was more than enough space. The Master to the right of the very middle called for attention. He was Master Harnan. He was tall and had a golden tan from his youth on a desert planet. He was a senior member of the council. “I have called you here today for a very important matter. As you know, we have lost contact with the Peragus system. At first a communications error was blamed but we have recovered a survivor trying to escape the planet” He gestured towards the door and a man walked in. He was wearing a tattered uniform and his hair was a mess. He had bags under his eyes and he was shaking slightly. “This is Jic. He was the only survivor we have found. His escape pod crashed a couple of hours ago. He is in slight shock from the crash, but can provide us with information”

Jic spoke. “Everything was going normal until an unidentified craft entered the system and attack us. The pilot managed to break his way through our defences and killed our defending Jedi”

Ray moved to make a question but Oreh stopped him and motioned Jic to continue.

“He fought with dual, red blades and used a fighting technique I didn’t recognize. He had an effect on anyone he looked at. A dark presence that sucked your light out. He could use the Force!”

“Tuot” Oreh mumbled.

Everyone looked at him. “Who is Tuot?” A junior member inquired. He was a blue-skinned Chiss who had reluctantly accepted to become a Council member. His species weren’t usually Force-Sensitive.

“Tuot was a Jedi I knew years ago. He fell to the Dark and was thought killed. I never believed he was dead and this outburst of chaos in the Outer Rim could mean anything”

This time a purple skinned, male Twi’Lek spoke. “Do you believe this Dark Warrior, Tuot, could be the attacker on Peragus IV?”

Oreh shrugged. “Could very well be”

Jic spoke up again. “It wasn’t just him. There was a fleet as well. They’re building something in the orbit of the planet. I saw workers connect it to the station”

A debate grew up inside the chamber. Harnan called for attention. Before he could speak the woman next to him spoke up. She was a head or two shorter than Ray and seemed to generate calm and light. She had white hair and the same coloured robes. “I have been growing more aware of the Dark Side growing. I would suggest that we send a team of Jedi to investigate” Her voice was soft and seemed to calm the chamber down.

“Which Jedi should we send? We are spread thin at the moment and we cannot spare any Council members at this time” Chiss again.

An argument began to erupt but Harnan silenced the room. “We shall send six Masters and their Apprentices to investigate. I shall choose them and Master Vi will prepare a shuttle for their departure tomorrow”

Grisdan walked through the control room, surveying the damage. The Marauder had taken control and his army were reworking the factories. A large ship hung in orbit. There were many workers wearing EV suits, building structures and all sorts. The Dark Lord stood at the main port, watching the construction of the Capital ship. He had only survived because of his deal. The blaster that had struck him had been set to stun.

“My Lord” Grisdan lowered to one knee. “The factories are working to your specifications”

The Lord did not turn.

“My Lord?”

The Lord turned, his helmeted face casting fear into Grisdan’s heart. He turned back to the window. “You shall be rewarded. His voice was deep and hollow. There was no hint of emotion. He waved his hand, slowly but unwavering. Three of his elite unit moved towards Grisdan and grasped him in their magnetized arms.

“My Lord, what are you doing?”

“Your reward”

Grisdan twisted his face in anger “This was not part of the deal. I shall not serve you as one of them!” A metallic fist smashed into Grisdan’s stomach. The guard who had done it stared down at Grisdan with unfamiliar eyes. All that was left of the man (or woman) was the brain in a metallic body. He struggled and tried to get away. The guards tightened their grip. “You will pay, you twisted monster! I will never join you!” He screamed as the grip tightened.

“The choice is not yours to make”

The Dark Lord did not even turn as Grisdan was dragged along the corridor towards the labs, where he would meet his fate as one of them.

Chapter II

Ray stared around the hangar. There were two shuttles being prepped for launch. Oreh had been chosen as one of the six Knights for the mission. Ray knew most of the Knights preparing. Nearest the shuttle was a green Twi’Lek female. She was Fulcia with her blue Twi’Lek female Apprentice Lami Pli. Fulcia wore traditional robes while Lami wore a more revealing set of clothes. Most Twi’Lek girls felt most comfortable when at least slightly revealed. To the left of them, using the force to load up the cargo bays, was a Kel Dor male. His name was Ocha Nime. He wore brown robes with lots of scorch marks. He had yellow skin and a breath mask to let him breathe, as his species didn’t breathe normal oxygen. He was scarred and had a scorched jumpsuit. His Apprentice, Jol Nind, was slightly shorter but was in better condition. He was a Nautoan. Nautoans had green skin and four head tails. Jol only had a few rips in his jumpsuit and a small burn on one of his head tails. They had been called to the front of a border dispute and somebody had supplied both sides with a supply of weapons. He saw the Wookie Jedi, Grobacc, lifting cargo. He had brown fur with lots of ammo-packs strapped round his belt. He had shreds of white fur intertwining with brown. His Togorian Apprentice was in the cockpit of the ship nearest Ray, looking at controls and talking to one of the Sullustan pilots who were flying them to Peragus IV. The Apprentice, Darnack, started shouting at the pilot. Darnack was a large feline the size of a human. He stood on his hind legs and had a series of weapons buckled to a belt. The belt was the only item he needed to wear. He had been very active and so was given to a Wookie as an Apprentice. An Ithorian Master, Wor Tanner, was tutoring his Mon Calamari Apprentice, Quarek, the way Sullustans worked. Quarek was a keen Apprentice, willing to listen to his Master. He didn’t see much action and Wor was usually used in diplomatic missions. Ray had always won sparring matches against Quarek. And finally, standing on the other side of the hangar, was a human girl with her Bothan Master, Jo’rla B’sk. Jo’rla stood tall and had very bright fur. She had a strong danger sense and was a very useful scout for information. That was why she had been picked for this mission. Her Apprentice was Sari. Sari was a human girl the same age as Ray. She had blonde hair that was smooth and ended at her shoulders. Her face was like an angel’s. Because Jedi rules had changed in the past thousand years, love was allowed, but commitment was final, and therefore, not many were willing to take the risk of marriage. There were plenty of couples but not so many weds. Though he was allowed, he hadn’t been able to talk to her much. But, hopefully, he’d be able to get to know her on this mission. She wore a red top that had short sleeves. Her jeans were cut short near the feet. Sari had been known to attract guys, but never wanted a partner. Near her was a pair looking out of the hangar bay and into Coruscant. The Apprentice was a Zabrak. He had a scarred face and a very dark brown set of clothing. He had a shoulder pad on his right arm. He had short, black hair. His name was Firrex. He had a Whipid Master, Kolik. Kolik was two meters tall and very powerfully built. He wore very tattered robes and only his Jedi training had prevented him from becoming a fearsome beast. At the far side, a Barabel was helping to load cargo. She had pure black scales and a specialised jumpsuit. Her tail had grown long and powerful, and she was gentle soul, but a vicious warrior. Her name was Feran Tiyne. Her Apprentice stood at the wall at the far side of the room. He was a human, Jamos. He was slightly older than Ray. His hair was black and reached his shoulders. It was rugged and his robes were stained. There were a couple of scars on his face and his eyes were closed. He always kept himself from others and had been very powerful from a young age. Jamos had been flirting with the Dark Side until he had been Apprenticed to Feran. He was a powerful warrior and rarely spoke to anyone. Any time he did it was never kind. He wore all black. A Sullustan tapped him on the shoulder from behind. One eye opened and the Sullustan struggled to breathe. Feran looked at him and Jamos released his grip. Instead he flung the Sullustan across the hangar, and then went back to his gazing. Oreh was helping load cargo. He stopped and came over to Ray. “Are you alright?”

Ray’s eyes came back into focus. “Yeah, I’m fine. When do we leave?”

“In a few minutes”

He turned and saw Harnan walk into the room. He held his hand to Oreh. “Have a safe trip. We’re sending an escort to make sure you get there. No telling what could happen”

Oreh took the hand. “I’ll see you soon, Master”

Even Oreh called Harnan ‘Master’.

Harnan made a shooing motion with his hands. “You should get seated. The shuttles are almost ready”

With that, Ray and Oreh prepared for launch.

The two shuttles exited the hangar bay, with two pairs of escort fighters. The woman who was watching aimed her rifle at the cockpit of the one closest. The glass wouldn’t be bullet-proof. As she reached for the trigger, her companion laid a hand on her shoulder. Not yet. He said through his lekku. She tensed her lekku in response.

I can’t wait any longer. Let me get this over with.

He shook his red skinned head. There are too many people. When they leave the system, we will strike.

She lowered the rifle. You win. She wrapped her left lekku round her neck, coiling into her soft, red skin. Alright then. When they leave the system.

The black fighters jumped out from hyperspace. The pilot of the leader wore black armour and was connected by a series of tubes into his fighter. This should be fun He thought. He armed his weapons and heard a reassuring whirr. The shuttles were right in his view. HE grinned behind his helmet and took aim.

Ray was sitting on a surprisingly comfortable seat in the shuttle. There were four rows of seats and plenty of cargo space. He was in the shuttle with Oreh, Feran and Jamos, The Nautoan and the Kel Dor and Sari and her Master. Jic was sitting near the back. He looked weak and distressed. It wouldn’t be easy to go back to Peragus. He noticed Sari was looking bored. Her Master was in meditation. He got up and sat next to her. “You alright?”

She nodded. “Just a bit boring. Why aren’t you meditating?”

He shrugged. “I’m not into meditation. You’re not either, I take it”

She shrugged back. “It’s not always for me” She tipped her head to the side and smiled. “Are you looking forward to arriving?”

“Sort of. It’d be good to see some action. You?”

“Well, I…” She didn’t finish as an alarm sounded. The Sullustan co-pilot screamed.

“Hostile ships are attacking! Our escorts have been taken out!”

The ship started to shake. “Any weapons?” Oreh asked.

“Those were what the escorts were for!”

“Any weapons?”

“NO!”

All the Masters, including Oreh, closed their eyes. Ray felt Oreh urging himself to enter the Force-Meld. He closed his eyes and saw the outside of the ship in his mind’s eye. He saw a missile heading for his viewport. He pushed it away. It hit the top of the shuttle instead. He felt his view shake and then he was back to normal. Sari had fallen into his arms and everyone was sliding around. The Kel Dor stood his ground. The Nautoan fell back and hit into the viewport. Ray jumped to the console and slapped a button. The ship spun and gravity took its effect. All power sent it tumbling through space. He saw a planet out the viewport and braced himself.

The shuttle tumbled through the atmosphere. It was on fire and trailing bits of metal. The terrain on the planet was a swamp. The shuttle crashed through the trees and skimmed across a lake. It slowed and started to sink into the lake.

Lami was sitting in the shuttle that hadn’t crashed into the planet. The shields were failing fast and she was being thrown around like a rag doll. The Sullustan pilot was madly pressing buttons. The Wookie was howling and consistently trying to activate the hyperdrive. Lami saw a disconnected cable underneath the console. She tried to leap for but was thrown against the wall by another blast. She reached out and connected the wire with the Force. She felt others pouring their power to the engines. The ship shook and then jumped to hyperspace.

Ray opened his yes. There was lots of smoke and Oreh had finished cutting a hole in the ceiling which was once a floor. Everyone began to climb out. As Ray began to climb out, he saw Sari lying, unconscious, on the wall. There were holes in the ship and water was seeping through. Ray let go and fell towards her. The floor was getting steeper and water was filling up. He hit the wall, which was becoming more of a floor. He shook Sari by the shoulder. She groaned and opened her eyes. There was blood trailing from her forehead. “Where are we?”

He jerked her up. The water had reached his waist. “The ship crashed. We need to get out”

She instantly stood up. They began to climb for the hole when she collapsed. Ray picked her up and slung her over his back. He reached the hole, which was now vertical. He crawled through and held his nose. “Hold your breath”

He heard an intake of air and then he leapt out of the burning shuttle. They splashed into the lake. Sari slipped from his grip and started to wake. She swam for the surface. Ray followed. They appeared from out of the water and then Sari started to sink. Ray caught her and noticed her eyes were closed. He swam for the shore, pulling her behind him. His senses were beginning to swim. He started to lose focus but kept going. His legs and arms began to feel like heavy weights. He finally pulled himself onto the shore and let go of Sari. She tried to stand and started coughing. They turned to find the rest of the team swimming for the shore. The hole Oreh had cut had been facing the other direction when the others had jumped out. Ray collapsed onto his back, gulping in big takes of air.

Ray sat, with a blanket round him, staring into the fire. All of the team were drying off and a fire had been lit. The weather on this planet was warm and humid and the sky seemed to be in constant night. When it was at its brightest, the sky wasn’t more than a dull grey. He shivered. Jamos was the only one not basking in the fire. He wasn’t very wet at all. He had smashed a viewport and leapt out when the shuttle was still falling. He had a few cuts and bruises but was still in good condition. Ray glanced at Sari. She had her eyes closed. She had a slight concussion and was expected to be better in a couple of hours. She was in meditation now. Jol was sitting next to Ray. She had been talking for a while. Jol’s Master had been missing for a couple of hours. He had been expected to have fallen out Jamos’ hole and was somewhere in the swamp. He wouldn’t take long to find. Jic was missing as well. They needed to find him. They were still trying to figure out what had happened. Oreh and Feran were concentrating on lifting the shuttle out of the water. They would be able to find supplies that could be vital for rescue and survival. He could see a shape rising from deep below the surface. Jo’rla was tending to injuries and keeping the fire going. Jamos wouldn’t let her near him. Why’d he have to be here? When you’ve crash landed on an unknown planet, it helps when all the team members can co-operate. He shook his head, sending droplets of water everywhere. Jol leaned away, not wanting to get wet again. At least his skin dried quickly. “Any idea what happened to our partner team?” Ray asked.

“Last thing I managed to see, they managed to jump”

Ray nodded. “Hopefully to the right planet”

They looked over as the shuttle began to rise out of the water. They pushed with their remaining energy. The shuttle rolled onto the shore and stopped. It thudded as the grip was released. It didn’t move. A cheer went up. “Great work” Jol whispered.

Ray nodded. “You want to have a look?”

The Nautoan shook his head. “Let’s let them do the work”

Chapter III

Oreh opened the shuttle main door. Jo’rla was unloading supplies with Feran. He climbed into the cockpit. The Sullustans had been swept out from their seats when the front viewport had smashed. Oreh checked the radar. There was nothing for a couple of miles. He sighed and tried the comlink. Static. He tried extending the range. Suddenly he had a signal, and then a Wookie growl came over the link. He grinned. “Grobacc, this is Master Oreh. Do you copy?”

The static came back. Then another growl.

“Just hold tight and we’ll contact you soon. Keep on track of the mission!” Oreh replied. Then the comlink went blank. He walked back into the main room. Everything was burnt and amp. The chairs had been ripped up and the hull was battered. The Knight climbed out the door and dropped back onto the ground. He walked towards the fire and sat down. Everyone looked at him. “I made contact with Grobacc. He says he’s reached the Peragus system and everyone’s okay. I told him to continue the mission and we’ll catch up shortly”

Everyone nodded. “That would be wize” Feran hissed. Her black scales were slightly crooked and she had one eye half-closed. “But firzt we muzt find civilization”

Jo’rla nodded. “We should send someone to scout, later” Everyone looked at her. She sighed. “I’ll go see what I can find”

She turned and Feran got up to follow. “A good hunter cannot let her zizter go alone”

A few hours later, Ray was woken by a screeching. He jumped off the floor and brought his weapon to his hand. Everyone else jumped up as well. There were winged, black things flying around the sky. They were emitting a loud hissing and screeching. One of them swooped down and tried to take a bite out of Jol. A green blade cut through the creature and sent it tumbling away. The rest of the creatures screeched and attack. Ray unleashed his blue blade and cut clean through a wing. He leapt through the air and slashed at another. “They look like mynocks!” He commented.

“They’re too good to be mynocks!” Oreh shouted.

Jamos was still standing to the side. A creature swung down to him and bit into him. Before the poison was injected, he gripped the mynocks-thing and threw it away. More and more swooped down; bearing fangs that contained a dreaded poison. These were twice the size of a normal mynocks. There were a deep black rather than a light brown, and had red slits for eyes. Ray saw Sari batting her way through the attackers. Her purple blade plunged into the jaw of the nearest attack and one came at her from behind. Ray leapt over and sliced his blade through the rear attacker. She smiled her thanks and then prepared to defend once again. He felt a wave of power as Oreh threw a tree at the main swarm. Most of them were batted to the ground. A horrible screech sounded through the swamp and all the attackers flew away. “What were those?” Sari asked.

Ray noticed a small piece of metal in one of the creatures’ gut. He pulled it out and handed it to Oreh. “It appears these are mutated mynocks!” Oreh concluded. “They’re being controlled by these chips”

“So that means…”

“Someone knows we’re hear” Ray finished. Then a horrible thought struck his mind. “Jo’rla and Feran!”

Oreh didn’t seem as concerned. “No need to worry. I’ll warn them with my comlink” He reached down to find the comlink on his belt chewed and unusable. “Now I’m worried”

Feran and Jo’rla heard the screeching and brought their weapons to their hands. “Zomething iz wrong” The Barabel hissed.

A large swarm of mutated mynocks hurled down towards the duo. Feran ignited her green blade and leapt at the incomers. She hacked through the first few and batted away another. Jo’rla was swinging her silver blade around her head, making contact with any mynocks foolish enough to attack. A mynock bit into Feran’s arm. The Barabel bit back. The mynock dropped to ground before it could inject the poison. “Into the treez!”

The duo leapt for the trees and started to climb. Feran batted away mynocks and finally reached the top. She stuck her scaly head through the top of the branches and realised how high the trees were. She squinted her eyes and spotted a tall tower, rising out of the jungle in the distance. It looked like a citadel. Then the tree started to shake. The mynocks were gnawing away and it was starting to fall. The same was happening to Jo’rla. The trees fell and Feran hit the ground. Her eyes went out of focus and she felt mynocks swarm her. She felt for her lightsabre and couldn’t find it. Suddenly, a yellow blade struck a mynock and then hacked through the rest. Feran opened her eyes and saw Ocha Nime holding out his hand. “Need a hand?” He asked, his voice echoing through the swamp in a deep voice. Feran hissed her amusement and took his hand.

Ocha Nime’s wounds were being treated by Jo’rla while he was explaining his story. “When Jamos jumped out, I tried to stop him. I was too close and the vacuum got me. I landed in a nest which seemed to be home to those mynocks that attacked you. I got away relatively unharmed and used the Battle-Meld to try and track you. I could only get a real signal when the mynocks attacked” When asked about Jic he shook his head. “I don’t know where he is. Probably with the Sullustans”

Everyone lowered their heads. They would have to do without. Jo’rla continued to treat Ocha’s wounds when Feran started telling what she had seen in the trees. “There waz a Citadel that zeemz to be well populated. There were lotz of lightz and zpeederz flying around. It iz faraway but may be the only civilization on thiz planet”

She glanced around. Oreh lowered his head. “It seems like our only choice”

Nime nodded. “We leave in the morning”

Lami was sitting on top of the crashed shuttle. They had landed on the wrong side of Peragus IV and had to wear EV suits. Grobacc and Darnack were scouting for civilisation. There were plenty of Cities on Peragus for anyone that wanted a quick credit. There had been nothing so far. Fulcia was working with Wor Tanner and Quarek on the shuttle’s systems. Grobacc had made contact with the other shuttle earlier and they were alright. Lami had no idea where the other shuttle had landed, or more likely crashed, because their radar had been knocked out. Firrex was scavenging parts from the engine and Kolik was pacing around the crash site. She turned her head at the sound of a Wookie and Togorian. She banged on the viewport and leapt off the hull. The low gravity sent her tumbling through the air until she hit the ground. Grobacc and Darnack’s EV suits seemed slightly tight, or at least Grobacc’s did. Tanner stuck his head out of the doorway. “Ah, Master Grobacc, you have arrived. What did you find?”

Darnack answered “We found what looks like a city. It’s not far and we should be welcome there”

Grobacc growled his agreement and patted his Apprentice on the back. Fulcia and Quarek came out of the shuttle. “All the systems are trashed” She said. “Maybe we can contact the others from the city”

“Let’s go then” Lami said. She wanted to find civilisation as soon as possible. Her EV suit was not to her standards.

Jic lay on a branch, dazed. He was bleeding from a variety of different cuts. The Sullustans next to him were dead. He clutched his head and groaned. Off the branch and landed in a river. He felt like letting himself drown. He would forget his troubles and leave the Galaxy/

Ray trudged through the swamp. He was soaked from his feet to his chest. It was hot and still dark. He was carrying a large bag on his back, carrying supplies. Everyone carried something. A bird flew into his face. He shooed it away and kept walking. He was in the middle of the line and his thick hair was wet and untidy. His Padawan braid was dirty and soggy. He shook hair out of his face. Something rumbled past his leg. He was knee deep in the water. Something knocked his feet out from underneath him. As he fell he caught his balance and flipped to the front of the line, splashing back into the water. “There’s something here that doesn’t seem friendly”

“There never is” Jol agreed.

A large snake spurted from the water and roared. Oreh raised his hand and brought a tree down on its head. While it was stunned, Feran cut her claws through the serpents head. Thick blood spurted onto Feran’s face and she licked it up. The serpent fell into the water and swam away. Feran licked the rest of the blood from off her claws and hissed. “Thiz one thinkz the creaturez here are good. Tazte like home”

He tried not to think about what that meant. They continued to trudge through the swamp. He wondered what they would find at the Citadel. He took a step back to get in line with Sari. “You alright?” He asked.

She nodded. Her face was pale and she was sweating. “Just a side effect from the crash. I’ll be good in a few hours” She looked at him. “What are you expecting at the Citadel?”

Ray shrugged. “I don’t know. All I want to do is get off this rock and to Peragus. Something’s definitely fishy here” As he finished his sentence, he dropped to a roll and plunged under the water as a volley of laser barrage shot through the swamp.

Feran turned. There were warriors on the either side of the swamp, firing into the middle. She hissed and leapt for the nearest warrior. He wore green armour with cyan markings. He wore the distinct Mandolarian helmet and armour. She sank her teeth into his neck and tore away. He dropped to the ground and found the hunters shooting at another target. This target looked like another Barabel. He was running and jumped at a tree. He pulled himself up and into the branches. Snipers fired at him. The rest of the team were trying not be caught in the crossfire. A shot hit the escaping Barabel in the leg and he howled. A stun shot hit him in the back and he collapsed. Feran caught him and all guns were turned on her. A blue-armoured officer stepped towards her. “Hand us our prisoner”

She hissed back “Not until you tell me what he haz done”

He shook his head and raised a hand. Stun shots erupted from the hunters and Feran fell.

Chapter IV

Darnack hissed. His suit was uncomfortable and he was tired of holding his claws in. He heard movement and turned. The strike team were still there but something felt different. He rolled to the ground and leapt into the air. The spot he had been standing on erupted as blaster fire hit it. He heard the snap-hiss of the strike team’s weapons. He unhooked his own and activated an orange blade. Without air resistance, he hit the ground too hard and bounced off. He hissed and deflected shots. He couldn’t see the attackers, yet there was laser fire from all directions. He knocked a bolt away and heard a yelp as an armoured warrior appeared, a black hole in his shoulder. Darnack leapt and slashed at the armour. His padded claws didn’t make a dent. The amour was black and covered in silver markings. There was a red X as a viewport on the helmet. He appeared to be a scout. His armour wasn’t very bulky and there were lots of open patches where black leather showed through. Darnack hissed in frustration and took the scouts head off. His eyes became slits as he spotted the other scouts. He joined the battle-meld and pointed this out. He received acknowledgement. The feline leapt into action.

Lami swung her blue blade through a scout. They were hard to see because of the matching colour of their armour and the sky. She hacked through his arm and then cut back up, through his chest. She felt excitement through the meld. Then a shot hit her leg. Her excitement turned to worry and she spread through the meld. Firrex leapt towards her and she felt her air hissing out through the hole in her suit. Her vision went cloudy and she collapsed.

Firrex caught Lami before she hit the ground. Her blue skin was darkening and her lekku were writhing. He called on the Force to hold her air in. He reached into the pack on his leg and pulled out a bandage. He sighed. That wouldn’t work. He dropped her for a second to slice through the arm of a scout. Firrex cut a piece of armour off the arm and held it over the hole in Lami’s suit. The hissing stopped. He grinned and used the bandage to hold it in place. Lami opened her eyes and looked at him. Then she fainted. Firrex remembered they weren’t away yet. A scout appeared behind him. Firrex brought his blue blade of energy through the gun and glared a triumphant expression at the warrior. The scout stared into the Zabrak’s eyes. A short blade extended from his wrist. It started vibrating. Firrex leapt back and the blade cut through his back pack, spilling medical supplies everywhere. He dropped his saber and it floated away. There was no time to reach for it. He brought his fist into the scout’s face and gripped the wrist. Firrex grunted and twisted it round. The scout started to scream, behind his helmet. The blade rammed into the unprotected part of the neck. The scout collapsed and Firrex brought his blade back to his hand. He saw that the scouts were retreating. “We can’t let them get away!” He heard Darnack howl. “They’ll tell people we’re here!”

Firrex shouted back. “Not with Lami injured! We have to find the City!”

He felt a ripple of agreement through the meld and he turned back to the direction they were going before the interruption.

Ray awoke with a throbbing in his chest. He touched the spot and winced. He must have been stunned when the Mandolarians attacked. He sat up and groaned. His back was stiff. The rest of the team were lying in the room. It was like a prison. It was the right colour at least. He frowned. Jamos was missing. Had he escaped? Would he come back? He shook his head. Not like Jamos to come back for someone. A Mandolarian walked in. He pressed a button on his wrist. A shock ran through Ray’s back. He felt the back of his neck and found a small chip attached. They were captives. The rest of the room awoke from the shock. The guard was the one who had captured them. He had black armour and a red visor. He had a jetpack and a large array of weapons. He was holding a small pistol. “Mandalore wants to see you all now” He said. “I will escort you” Another shock rippled through the group. Ray felt it and clenched his fist. He got up and walked out the door. He was hit by a cold wind and the sky was still dark. The camp seemed to be based in a plain, trees blocking out the little sun there was, obscuring their presence. Ray had thought the Mandolarians extinct, but there would always be one left. Like the Sith. But they were all dead. The Council had seen to that. But this Mandolarian was advanced. There were warriors training and small bunkers that took up most of the space. He heard laser fire in the swamp and thought of training. They were led into a large bunker that led underground. They quickly reached a large room. It was filled with panels and a couple of doors. Screens monitored every movement in the camp. A Mandolarian was standing, his back facing them. This must be Mandalore. Ray looked over at a bleary eyed Sari. Her hair was dirty, but she still had the perfect features. Mandalore turned. He wore a full set of silver armour which looked thicker than normal. The sergeant held out a bag. “They were armed with these”

Mandalore took the bag. Ray realised with a shock that his weapons were missing. Mandalore took the bag and dumped it on the desk in front of the main console. He moved his head, taking in his new prisoners. He nodded at the sergeant who stepped back. Mandalore began to speak. “What are a group of Jedi doing this far in the Outer Rim?” He said. His voice was sharp and commanding.

Oreh stepped forward. He radiated calm. “We are on a mission to Peragus IV and were shot down here” He paused, glancing at the sergeant. “We were attacked for no reason and captured”

Mandalore looked to the sergeant. “Is there a reason for capturing them, Sherod Fett?”

Ray recognized ‘Fett’. Fett had been the name of a Mandolarian bounty hunter, the best in the business, a thousand years ago. Fett spoke. “We have reason to believe they are working with our current captive.”

“What evidence do you have?”

“He was seen running towards them and was rescued by another Barabel, who killed one of my men” He glanced at Feran.

Feran hissed. “What waz he charged for?” She asked.

“He was charged with assaulting the camp and almost shut down our defence systems. He has been a captive for a month and escaped two days ago. He’s in the prison now” He explained.

Mandalore glanced at Ray, then to Oreh. “Do you object to Fett’s statements?”

Oreh replied. “We did nothing to agitate you. The Barabel ran to us and we were forced into the battle. We have done nothing to harm you intentionally”

Mandalore considered. Fett asked him “What shall I do with them, Mandalore”

Mandalore came to a conclusion. “You shall remain at this camp until we admit you to leave. You will be under my command and Fett, here, will take care of you” He turned to Fett and mumbled something in Mandolarian. Fett nodded.

“I shall take you to your quarters. You may leave, but must stay within the compound. This is for your own safety. Our turrets are programmed to shoot anything not under our supervision” Fett motioned and a shock ran through Ray’s spine. He turned to go and heard Feran ask “May I see this Barabel?”

Ray was led into a bunker and down a flight of stairs. There was a long corridor, with doors on either side. Fett would stop and issue a room every now and again. Eventually he opened the door to Ray’s room and closed it behind him before Ray could comment. He looked around. His room consisted of a single bunk that was place on the far side of the wall. A door led into a refresher. The main room was only just long enough to lie down in. He sat on the bed. His legs were sore. The walls were grey and scorched. He took a look in the ‘fresher. The colouring was the same, though there was a shower and a toilet. He decided to have a shower. The cold water felt good against his sore body. He had a lot of bruises and cuts. He let the water stream down his face and down his body. He got dressed again and sat down on the bed. The Mandolarian definitely weren’t so bad as to ignore hygiene. He lay down and stared at the ceiling. There was a large burn mark. He stood up and reached for it. He pressed his hand against the burnt metal and felt something. He closed his eyes and opened them to fire.

Flames were swirling around and he heard blaster fire. A grenade rolled into the room. Ray yelled and jumped. He heard someone shouting. “Take him out! He’s heading for the dormitories”

A man ran past the door and looked at Ray. He seemed to see him there. He had a scar down his cheek and a short beard from the bottom of his lip to his chin. He had an almost bald head. He was holding a red lightsabre in his hand. A grenade rolled down the corridor and into the room. The man ran. Ray yelled at tried to leap from the grenade and hit the wall.

As soon as his hand left the ceiling, the room went back to normal. The fire disappeared. He hit the ground and swore. He reached up to touch the ceiling again and nothing happened. He frowned and sat down. What just happened? He had felt no pain. The grenade must have caused the mark. But why would someone attack this camp. The Mandolarians were a secret. This was confusing. Who was that man? And how did he see Ray? He got up and stretched. He needed a walk. He walked out his room and up the stairs.

Feran walked into a large room, guarded by two warriors. The room was filled with burns and scratches on the wall. In the centre, there was a Barabel in a tattered jumpsuit and chained to the floor. He was the one that Feran had saved earlier. Feran knelt down to look into his eyes. The Barabel looked back. “What are you doing here?” She asked.

 “I didn’t do anything” The Barabel spat out the words. “They put me in here for being here”

Feran soothed him. “What happened to you?”

He hissed. “I crashed here with my Mazter a month ago. We were on a mission to a communications disruption on Dantooine”

Feran hissed. “You’re a Jedi!”

He nodded. “My Mazter dizappeared and I was forced to break into the food ztoragez. They locked me up and I managed to ezcape”

“Who was your Mazter?”

“Fonla Jine”

“I heard of him. He waz a Rodian, waz he not” He nodded. “And what is your name?”

“You first”

“My name is Feran”

“Griz”

Feran nodded. She told Gris what had happened. He listened and nodded, his tongue flickering out to lick the air. When she had finished he said. “You could get me free and I could show you the way to the Citadel. They turned me away after Jine dizappeared, but I can remember the way back”

Feran nodded. “I will consider your offer”

She turned to go but Gris stopped her. “Don’t leave” He whispered. She felt a ripple of fear.

“How old are you?” She asked.

“Twenty Standard years”

“I have lost a Padawan recently” She said and left the room.