Chapter One: The Cover Of Darkness

Earth – Six months after the portal was reopened by Matt

The days were long, and the nights seemed longer. It had been almost six months since she had gotten back to Earth, and found the uncertain situation. Now Lara Hall just waited, moving from place to place, to avoid Imperial detection. She knew that everyone that had been involved before was on their list of shoot on sight. She had wanted this. She wanted to come back to the normal world, because she felt she just didn't fit in over there… in that world with all that advanced technology.

So now she was back, thanks to Matt, who actually gave her what she wanted. And with her, came the empire. Not that she wanted them to join her, but… something went wrong. She wasn't sure what or how, but somehow, they followed her. And now, they were taking over the once beautiful, polluted, destroyed planet of Earth. She once cried herself to sleep, because she had been forced to watch an entire family get slaughtered shortly after she had returned.

Now, every night, she replayed that same scene. She watched, helplessly from the cover on the trash containers, as the storm troopers open fired on the small children, too young to know what was happening. The Mother, who was only protecting her young. The Father, hell-bent on protecting his family.

This was not what she wanted to come back to. She wanted to come back, and write a story, a book. Live life to the fullest, because before… she hadn't. Well, maybe she had. A little. But then she was thrusted into a Galactic war without any choice. But instead, she ran. Ran from Armored men. Large robots and tank walkers and space fighters.

As she lay on the thin blanket in the abandoned warehouse, she stared up at the blank ceiling, thinking. Wondering how her friends on the other side were fairing. If they even knew what was happening over here. To be honest, she hoped they did. She hoped with all her might that they would bust in here and save her and their wonderful planet that they all took for granted.

But they never did.

Mandalore

The breeze was flowing nicely today. It had been lacking from the air for the past week. But today, it was stronger then ever. Kal Skirata stood in the doorway staring out into the forest as he waited for his boys. Well, not his boys. Vau's boys. His boys were dead. Killed by that so called Jedi Prophet, Skywalker.

And even though those outcasts managed to kill the Jedi, or Sith, or whatever Skywalker was, Kal still wasn't happy about what happened. His men were trained to survive. But even he knew that the training he put his boys through would never be enough to withstand the Jedi's power. Vau's boys had managed to survive, the target had been taken off them in the heat of the battle by those outcasts, thankfully.

Kal heard the footsteps coming from the left of the doorway, scuffing the ground as they drew closer. "Ord'ika." The Null Commander stopped on the corner of the doorway, and nodded to Kal, who just nodded back. "Are they here yet?" He asked quietly. Kal shook his head. "Just the rest of your Null Brothers. Delta and the… Others are taking their time arriving."

Kal couldn't help but notice Ordo's hands curl into a fist when he mentioned them. The others. The outcasts. "Udesiir, Ord'ika…"

Ordo just walked in past Kal, muttering, "I am calm."

Moments later, Kal watched as a land speeder flew up, about 10 feet from the doorway. Several Teenage people got out, as did one blue Twi'lek, and Delta squad. Boss led the group up to the door, where Kal stood, leaning his right shoulder against the door frame, staring out at them with no emotion.

"Three-eight. Good to see you old friend."

"Skirata. It's been a while."

"Indeed. Who are your friends here?"

Boss looked up at Kal, with a confused look, but responded accordingly. "Jedi Master Aayla Secura, Jedi Knight Matthew Smith, and Captain Kirsty Harrington." Scorch walked past the doorway, not even attempting to go inside. "Kal. I'm going to drop off the gear. Be inside in a few." Kal nodded. "Six-two. I'll see you inside, son." Fixer followed him and Boss to a small barracks shack near the back of the house itself.

Kal blinked, and kicked himself mentally for forgetting that they also lost a comrade. Sev. Kal was suddenly furious – not only with the younglings, but with himself for forgetting just a commendable soldier. The Jedi called Matthew had stepped forward. Kal stood straight, no longer leaning up against the door frame, and took several stepped forward, to meet the three. Only he met them alright. Particularly Matthew. As his fist flew, he suddenly regretted the action. His rage had blinded him once again to the fact that both squads had volunteered to help the outcasts in the quest.

The boy touched his lip, drawing blood to his fingertips. But for some reason, the boy was unsurprised by Kal's action. He merely stood up and brushed himself off. "I have to be carefully not to mistake you for Walon Vau, I take it."

Kal just stared at the boy, surprised. "I'm… sorry."

"Understandable, after the events that have taken place." He said softly. Kal nodded, and motioned for them to enter the house. "They're waiting for us. Shall we?"

Matt nodded, with a neutral expression, and said, "Yes. We shall."