The Dark Beyond the Light

Prologue

"Access denied..." a fist slammed onto the console as the Trandoshan growled at the voice. "Curse this thing, it better start talkin', or I'm going to start fryin'."

"Calm down, just let her have a look." said the Toydarian that hovered just behind the furious reptilian creature.

"If It set's off the alarm I'm not only going to disintegrate It but I'm also taking your head to add to my hunting trophies."

The Toydarian's head twitched at the idea. "Get to work."

The protocol droid, that had been standing silently behind the two creatures, walked towards the console and began entering all possible codes faster than the eye could see. The Trandoshan pulled out his blaster from his side and began looking over it for any possible problems in case he needed to use it to keep his promise to the Toydarian hovering behind him with those annoying as heck wings. He re-holstered it as he turned his head slightly to look at the flying bag of filth behind him. "How much longer puss-bat?"

The Toydarian flinched at the insult to his physique "My name is Putat, Zez, and not much longer."

Zez simply growled and leaned next to the console "Just tell him to hurry the heck up."

"Access granted." The positive slightly feminine voice came from the console as the protocol droid backed up.

"Finally." said the reptile as he shoved the droid towards the slightly pudgy bat-like sentient behind him.

Putat barely caught the droid before flying over to the Trandoshan's side. "Be careful with Betsy, she's an expensive bucket of bolts."

Zez's red eyes connected with Putat and the flying creature froze in place. "Does it look like I give a Womp Rat's..."

Putat's arm shot strait out at the console's screen as it filled with information. "Is that what we're here for?"

"Yesss." Slightly hissed the Trandoshan as his clawed fingers began typing in names and locations for his employer. As he finally found the information he was looking for his hands hovered in place, not moving as Zez began reading what was before him.

"Zez, what is it?" said the Toydarian as he noticed the creature's pause.

Without a word Zez stuck out his hand towards Putat. Confused a little at the sudden gesture, the flying sentient pulled out the data drive for the download and handed it to the Trandoshan. Zez jammed it into the console and began the download. As the progress bar appeared a loud blaring noise sounded.

Zez stared strait at Putat. Putat shook his and hands rapidly hoping they would hold off his wrath. "It wasn't me or the droid." Putat gulped and continued "It my have been trigured by the download."

With that Zez grabbed Putat by the neck, his claws causing a trickle of blood to snake its way down the Toydarian's back. "I don't care who set it off, I want it off now."

The droid, who had been standing quietly, pulled out its blaster as its eyes turned bright red. "That course of action would be pointless, they are coming in force." said the red protocol droid in its robotic feminine voice.

The Trandoshan let go of the flying puss-bag and gave a quick glance at the progress bar. What he gathered made him smile sickly. "How many?" asked Zez as he pulled out his blaster.

The droid's head twitched slightly as it scanned "No more than twenty Republic soldiers, and one, no, two jedi." the droid's hand pointed to a doorway at the other end of the room "Entering from there."

Zez's toothy smile widened and he chuckled "This is unfair, for them. Boulder with wings, you got their welcoming present ready?"

The Toydarian pulled out a small cylinder and placed his thumb on top of a red button. "Yep."

"Let's show these show-boats how a bounty hunter fights shall we?" as he said this he grabbed three thermal detonators from his fanny pack and primed them.

At the other end of the hall, past the vast collection of holocrons and other sources of data piled on top of each other in tall bookshelf shaped structures that lined the hallway, the doors slid open. The thermal detonators flew to meet whoever came through.