Chapter One.
"Target has been spotted." A male voice buzzed through the comlink, the thick layer of static caused some of the words to be harder to hear than others. Between the thick jungle tree tops and rough mountain terrain it was a miracle that the outdated comlink system could even get a signal, even with it only being broadcasted throughout the local area. The static screeched throughout the maze like jungle terrain as a single figure raced through the thick brush at lightening quick speed, taking large leaps over uprooted trees and rocky cliff sides. With every leap the figure gained more and more speed, each stride became longer and the distance it traveled to its destination became shorter.
The figure was an Echani female who looked in her late twenties, blowing in the wind behind her was her long silver hair which looked as if it hadn't been properly brushed in weeks but still kept its silky smooth appearance. Her grey eyes scanned her surroundings with every step cautiously and her ghostly white skin had a light tint of tan to it giving her a more human appearance than some Echani. She wore a collection of brown and tan garments that resembled a tunic like robe style, something that provided little armor by itself but allowed easy movement. However, strapped across her body was a collection of battle scarred and dented silver metallic armor. She wore a set of knee and shin guards for her lower body, a leather like battle skirt that had a collection of metallic studs on it, and she wore forearm guards that connected to her elbow guards and ran into her shoulder protectors. The battle tested armor bounced as the straps were still loose around her thin frame, but luckily she had ditched majority of the heavy armor for the lighter attachments thus allowing this to only slightly hinder her movement. From a distance with her trademark white skin that all Echani had made her resembled a ghost, a spirit of the forest that parents would tell children to keep them from wandering our into the wilderness.
"I think it's onto us." Another voice hissed over the comlink, this one had a strange accent compared to the last voice and even while they both spoke in basic it was obvious this one was not of human origins.
After a minute of silence the comlink hissed back to life, this time a male's voice similar to the first but with a different tone to it, "What's your ETA?"
"Two more minutes!" The armored women cried out, her breathing becoming heavier with every step as she nervously scanned the clearing to her right. Her eyes examining how the thick jungle suddenly came to an end and how the terrain took a plummet down, a steep rocky mountain slope ran down as the jungle was located on a steep mountain top that ran close to the planet's clouds.
The first voice weakly answered back, "That might be all the time we have left, before this things realizes the trap we set up for it."
The women now began to pump her legs even faster and almost as if some invisible force began to push her forward. Her speed nearly doubled and her legs pushed off a decaying log with great power leaving chunks of the dying bark to fly high into the air. Tree branches snapped like twigs as she swung off them and the odd foreign wildlife of the jungle hid at this sight of a possible predator traveling at such speed. The women grinned weakly at the sight of the clearing before her and with one final mighty jump she breached the jungle tree line, her eyes being greeted by the blinding arms of the sun. Her feet slammed into the hard mountain ground and she entered a roll before finally digging her heels into the ground, causing her once moving boy to come to a sudden halt.
The area she now was surrounded by was a rough mountainous landscape, the rocky surface curved around her creating an bowl like arena almost. Several large boulders were located within the arena, two collapsed trees from the nearby jungle were located not far from her, towards her left was a small pathway that led into the arena, and to her right was a large gap in the arena which lead to a cliff that ran right off the side of the mountain. She chuckled lightly at this sight as they had spent days traveling up the mountain side and it filled her with an unsettling amusement that days of climbing to the top could be matched with seconds of falling to reach the bottom.
"General Sola!" A voice called out, as emerging from the pathway to her left was a human male dressed in the armor of a Republic Clone Trooper. His armor was of the newly designed Phase II armor and even though only assigned months ago it carried countless scars that each belonged to a different story. His white armor was decorated with the crimson red markings of the 12th Assault Battalion. His armor was well designed in several personal markings ranging from the signature red number twelve which was located on the shoulder guards of every soldier of the 12th too the x like design that was displayed across his chest plate. His arm guards were completely covered in the crimson red paint along with his knee guards and below. His upper thighs had twin stripes on them and his helmet had a devilish grin design painted across the front. His armor had two additional traits, a black kama decorated in red coloring and a pauldron. Holstered on his hip were his twin DC-17 hand blasters and strapped to his back was his personal vibroblade, a tradition in the 12th was that all men carried bladed weapons as their General was of Echani blood which held swordsmanship at high regard.
"Commander Hilt, where are the others?" Sola questioned the clone, her question simply being responded with a confused tilt of the head by him, "Commander, where are they?"
The clone looked around as if confused by the question, "General I thought you said they were with you."
"I never said anything like that." Sola responded cautiously, "You were in contact with me over the comlink. You all said you had the creature we've been hunting for weeks in the trap, we discussed it all last night."
Hilt removed his helmet showing off the trademark face of every clone. His hair was cleanly buzzed and his face was always cleanly shaved, however his eyes had an unusual hint of fear in them. A trait that wasn't common for Hilt, a collective solder when in battle very rarely letting anything get to him. Looking around once again he spoke up, "General my comlink has been down for the past two days. We left on our scouting mission three days ago, there was no planned trap for the creature."
Sola couldn't help herself from nervously laughing as she hoped Hilt was pulling a prank on her even though that was out of character for him, "Impossible. We all met up at the ridge near the lake and spoke about how we were gonna lead the creature to this location tomorrow at sun rise." Her eyes became wide at this moment and her heart sunk as she realized that the early morning sun was now replaced by an orange tainted sky, the sun now retreating behind the distant mountain tops and clouds. The realization that there was no discussed plan to set up a trap and that it was now hours passed sun rise.
"The damn thing tricked us." Hilt groaned nervously as he pulled out his twin hand blasters, "I thought you said its powers wouldn't effect you."
Sola bit her lower lips as she was ashamed at her foolishness, "This thing feeds off the planet."
"So it's a force user just like yourself." Hilt groaned once again this time in fear as he realized they had been set up the whole time. He was a trained clone commander who had faced countless odds against the droid army with the 12th, but he was no Jedi and knew that in a fight against a force user he wasn't much help.
"It would seem so. From what I've put together this whole planet is one living organism that is one with the force." Sola explained as she reached into her tunic, her hands fumbling for a certain item she always kept close. Grasping it she slowly began to pull it out, the silver cylinder item gleamed in the setting sun light. A collection of dark brown leather straps tightly hugged the metallic cylinder, a circular hilt located at one end of the cylinder almost as if it was the hilt of a sword with no blade. She gulped lowly as she got a sudden sensation that ran through her body, "I suspected this creature was always one with the force, but its connection with the planet is something it recently discovered. This is what allowed it to play tricks on our minds, it must of planted the memories of our conversations in my head and the voices on the comlink."
"I also felt a pull towards this area." Hilt admitted, "At the time I didn't think much of it but now I realize it must of been the creature."
An ear piercing humming filled the air as they both quickly covered their ears, their eyes falling upon the pathway to their left as Hilt quickly threw on his helmet to drown out the sound. Emerging from the darkness that now swallowed up the pathway was a tall figure. Standing at nearly eight feet it wore a dark black robe that moved as if it was part of its body, the creature had a collection of glowing white fungus that clung to its body like a child to its mother. The face of the creature resembled a skull which was shaped like a warrior's helmet, the mouth wasn't horizontal like a human's but it was vertical with only a handful of teeth still left within it. The creature looked like a shadow, it was far from anything they had seen before and almost resembled a monster from a child's story book. It wasn't the creature's appearance that was frightening, but the sensation that caused Sola to nearly drop to her knees in pain. The creature was consumed by the power of the dark side, it was powerful and savage like no foe she had ever faced before. However, she could sense it was new to the dark side and had never controlled power such like it.
"I am Kui." The creature hissed, "Wanderer of the catacombs below."
"You're the one who led us here and played tricks on our minds." Sola spoke up, as she could see that Hilt had his blasters aimed at Kui. His hands were visibly shaking as she could sense that the powers of the dark side that radiated off Kui was probably to much for someone that wasn't adapted with the powers of the force. However, Hilt stood tall and held his ground a trait that Sola admired him for. He was open to fear, but he never did show his back to it.
"Indeed I am." Kui hissed with a demonic laugh, "I once could only channel the powers of this planet while in meditation and deep slumber. I could never do such acts like I commit now, but ever since your arrival the heart of the planet has granted me with the ability to do such while I wander awake!" Its body moved almost as if it had no bones within its back, swaying side to side as it slowly approached them, "I have no knowledge as to why I've been granted with such abilities. It could be that the planet wishes you intruders dead, or it desires for me to be a test for you."
"A test?" Sola repeated, she knew that planet was living and in tune with the force. Yet, she was unsure if the planet could think in the way that Kui was describing. She had never heard of a planet thinking like a living creature did, formulating plans and having a train of thought. A part of her thought it was fascinating, but another part of her was terrified that a planet could do such a thing.
"I honestly don't care what it has planned for you." Kui laughed demonically once again, "I simply wish to see you trespassers dead!"
Kui's upper body launched forward as his lower body never left the ground it stood on, his right hand high in the sky as he now wielded a silver metallic looking sword. Sola wasted no time as she activated the metallic hilt she held, allowing it to create an icy blue blade of plasma. The glowing blue blade cut through the air and met the sword with a powerful block, the two sword wielders locking eyes as they both applied pressure hoping the other would give in. Hilt quickly aimed his blasters at Kui and fired off two shots, but Kui simply raised his left hand and using the force he created an invisible shield that blocked the incoming blaster bolts.
"His sword isn't being cut by your lightsaber!" Hilt called out, as Sola quickly leaped backwards just avoiding Kui's blade as it broke through her defense and shattered the ground that she once stood on.
"Must be some sort of lightsaber resistant material!" Sola reported back, "I've ran into plenty of that material while on this planet."
"You've also ran into some other things." Kui snickered devilishly, as he was commenting on the armor she wore. They had stumbled upon what seemed to be a temple on their first couple days on the planet, skeletons of dead beings were found at the entrance all wearing metal armor and wielding melee weapons that had odd carvings on them. It only took Sola and the others a few days to return to the temple and collect the armor, the metallic material was stronger than most metals the Republic knew about. Hilt and his men continued to use their armor was it was better to have a full set than scattered pieces of armor.
"What do you know of those beings?" Sola questioned Kui, she assumed they had been intelligent lifeforms as they crafted weapons and wore armor. The two began to share blows, each swing being met with a block and every jab being greeted with a dodge. Their movement matched each other and it became more obvious that Kui was a master of sword play, he easily blocked her attacks and viciously swung his sword with ease.
"Nothing I require to tell a Jedi like you!" Kui laughed loudly, his blade just barely missing her throat as he back stepped just in time.
"You know of the Jedi Order?" Hilt called out, watching from the sidelines as he was unsure what to do.
Kui smirked at the question "I only know what your minds allow me to hear!"
Sola rushed forward, swinging her blade at Kui without mercy. Her foot work was perfect as she dodged several swings of his blade and followed up with some swings of her own, "He's reading our minds! Don't allow him access, if he reaches any deeper your sanity will become lost!"
"You assume because you share an ability like mine that you are resistant to my power!" Kui laughed widely, he could sense her connection to the light side of the force. He knew that Hilt lacked this connection, thus making him the perfect target for his mind prying powers of the dark side. He hissed violently as he locked blades with Sola once again, however this time he opened his mouth and the same ear piercing hum from before escaped out of it, "I can read your darkest secrets! You fear being discovered, but you also fear that you'll never be found here! These Separatists you hide from are the least of your fears! This Order you follow has lost their way, but you realize that you can't leave it behind! You struggle to stand within the light, you know the darkness is strong!"
"Get out of my head!" Sola cried out, her eyes becoming wide as she unleashed a wave at Kui and sent the creature flying back. The long body crushing several boulders in his way as he rolled across the arena floor and towards the cliff side. His sword disappearing within a black mist and the dark sensation that engulfed him slowly disappearing, his once soulless black eyes now emitting a weak yellow glow as he glared at Riley in shock.
Kui grew angry as he slowly began to rise up, "I have been gifted with this power and I will not allow a trespasser like yourself make a fool of me!"
Sola growled loudly as she swung her hand forward, unleashing another powerful wave at Kui. The creature flying back a few feet as he cried out in pain, his robe like body now flickering like a fierce fire. Slowly raising his head he went to lock eyes with Sola, but the sound of a blaster going off caught him off guard. Two blue blaster bolts cut through the air, Kui quickly blocked one with the force but the second one slipped past his defenses. He cried out in pain as the blaster bolt caught him on the right side of the face, a blackened scorched mark stained his once white skull like face. Unleashing another screech, Kui began rush forward.
"Open fire!" A voice cried out the same one from earlier with the accent. As emerging from the tree line was a male Zabrak looking around the same age as Sola and carried himself proudly, a grin displayed on his face with his sudden arrival. His skin was a tan color with a line of horns that created a row on his upper forehead. Jet black hair covered his head which was pulled back in a warrior style ponytail. His face itself while of a young man, was tested by the years he had spent at war and carried itself as a battle tested warrior. A collection of thin dark line like tattoos was displayed on his cheeks, a tradition among Zabraks. His clothing was similar to Sola's as he wore a collection of brown pants with a brown long sleeved shirt, covered by a dark gray tunic in the same fashion that she wore. Like Sola also wore the armor of the fallen they had discovered in the temple. His armor was better fitted, his chest plate tugged his chest tightly and his extra guards on his limbs were secured against his muscles. In his right hand he grasped a lightsaber, not silver like Sola's but a bronze like color with an interesting design carved across it. His blade however created a yellow blade, the symbol of a Jedi Sentinel a group that had slowly disappeared as the ages went on but some still practiced the art within the order.
"General Ryker!" Hilt called out, as he was more than happy to have the support of a second Jedi in this fight.
"You heard the General men!" A voice called out, as emerging from the tree line was another clone trooper. This one wore the armor of an Advanced Recon Force (ARF) trooper, in hand he carried a DC-15 blaster rifle which he had aimed right at Kui. The ARF trooper wore the trademark brown and dark green colors of the 56th Elite Company, a small unit that specialized in fast reaction tactics. The ARF trooper wore a dark brown kama that blended in with the dirt and a single supply bandolier strapped across his chest. The sides of his legs was covered in a jungle like camouflage design of green and brown, the same design ran up the side of his arm plates in a thick strip. His chest plate had a brown strip going down it, with a green diamond in the center. His ARF trooper helmet carried a slight personal touch as it not only had an antenna attached to the side, it had three stripes of green and brown on both sides.
Just as if planned a hundred times the tree line unleashed groups of clone troopers, all moving in sync as they slid down the ridge and into the arena. Some wore the crimson red colors of the 12th and others wore the green with brown colors of the 56th, regardless of their affiliation they all unleashed a volley of blaster fire upon Kui. The creature quickly creating a shield like bubble with the force, the appearance of Ryker and the first ARF trooper had given him enough time to properly prepare a defense. However, he knew he couldn't hold his on for long and without a loud growl he threw both his arms to the side. A powerful shock wave shook the ground and the clones were sent flying back several feet. Ryker and Sola stood strong against the attack, but before they could strike Kui leaped backwards and flew off the cliff side. His body dropping towards the ground before he was engulfed by the clouds around them.
Silenced filled the air.
"Is it dead?" A clone with the 12th asked, slowly approaching the cliff side as he nervously aimed his DC-15S blaster that direction.
Sola shook her head, "I don't think that's the last we'll see of this Kui creature."
The clone began to distant himself from the cliff side upon hearing this. Ryker and the other clones gathered up in the arena like area, several squads creating a defensive formation in case anything else showed up. Sola happily greeted Ryker with a warm smile, "I'm glad you found us my friend."
"On my second day on the scout mission I felt something uneasy and quickly realized you were the prey of something dangerous. I returned to our base and gathered up a platoon size of men from both our units." Ryker explained, his time as a sentinel before the war allowed him to gain a rather strong sense of danger when surrounding by the unknown. He had spent years traveling space searching for force sensitive beings to recruit, it wasn't until the war erupted that his duties as a sentinel were placed on hold but his lessons he learned from the years carried onto the battlefield, "I'm glad I arrived when I did."
"Glad you could join us, Lieutenant Rover." Hilt greeted the ARF trooper who had arrived with Ryker moments ago.
"Glad I could save you." Rover shot back, grinning under his helmet.
"That's the creature we sensed." Ryker sighed, "He's powerful."
Sola nodded as the two spaced themselves from the clones, "He has more power then he realizes."
Ryker nodded, "We should return to base. We have much to discuss with the others."
"I agree." Sola nervously glared at the setting sun, "Men lets move out!"