Note: This set in the Great Jedi Purge, between the movies, a decade before the Corellian Treaty. Some might dispute Galen Marak's age as a teenager at this time, but that's the closes it's going to come to anything AU-like. Everything, EVERYTHING, else was painstakingly researched and analyzed. If you really have a problem with it, some reason, write a review or comment.
Read & Review!
Disclaimer: George Lucas holds the rights holds the rights to anything Star Wars like and his not sharing them with me. That's ok, because this short in not making any money for me. I wish it did, though.
Dark, blacken skies hung over had of the ancient industrial district of Corusant. The countless of factories packed 'The Works', blotting out the sun in the district with thousands of chimneys and exhaust pipes, some facilities as old as the Galactic City itself. Though, now it was called the 'Imperial City' and the numerous factories mostly abandon as hundreds of companies moved out to the Outer Rim for a cheaper, more economical work-base. The Phylon Metal Foundry rose up through the dark clouds, a ghostly hallow tower it's former glory. It's design was unorthodox and stupendous, climbing high into the sky with three massive chimneys circling around the even higher bulk of the central tower complex. The tower's shape edges and pointed apex remained one of a broadsword piercing from the depths of Corsucant, slicing the black clouds with it's dark gun-metal surface.
The Metal Foundry was built centuries before the rise of the Empire and had a great influence on the minds of young imperial architect. Some the Empire's most prominent buildings mimicked it's design, including the Imperial Palace. It sad site, however, to see the Phylon Metal Foundry nowadays, it's towers crumbling and it's insides being gutted out by construction droids. If a private sponsor hadn't taken up the expenses for the Metal Foundry, Phylon Freight would have had started tearing down the walls as well. Thankfully the massive building remained intact for future architects to enjoy and seek inspiration from.
However, Darth Vader had much more in mind for the Metal Foundry.
Positioned on the Seventy-Second Smelting floor, two figures faced each other atop a raised platform, blazing blades of light in hand. One figure raised his humming purple lightersaber up into a defensive stance, violet cascading across his light tan robes and dark skin. The other stood lose, his crimson blade held behind him in a reverse-grip. He looked no older than boy, a youngster in this mid-teenage years, but in his relaxed stance protected the confidence of a seasoned dualist. His crummy gray clothes cast a pure contrast to his pale white skin, similar to his opponents light robes and black skin contrast however in inverted tones. Their height, though, marked them most drastically apart. The purple-bladed fighter's bald top rose a head taller than his youthful adversary's buzz cut crown.
There was moment of perfect stillness, a quite atmosphere seeming frozen in time. Suddenly, the boy fighter rushed forward in a blurring speed straight to the taller foe. With a tooth clenched growl, the youth pivoted his shoulder blades and sent his red saber into a arch at his opponent's middle. Violet clashed with crimson and the boy's blade was parried as quickly as it had came. He didn't let it phase him, though, and with flick of his wrist he made another slash with his saber. Again it was parried. The young warrior, never letting his momentum slow, started rolling his lightsaber between each hand and whirled his crimson blade into circling arches. The darker fighter, however, merely swapped the red light away whenever it neared his person, keeping the deadly dance of purple and crimson alive as the boy scowled and grunted in increasing frustration. With wronging the taller figure sliced up hard, throwing the youth's blade above his head and opening him to attack. In slit-second, the dark skin opponent had his violet saber down and reared back for a thrust. The boy gasped! But as he gasped, instinct took over and he dropped down to his elbow as a purple hum raced past his face. As he landed, the younger fighter lashed out with foot for the other's legs to kick out. Unfortunately, there was no legs to be kicked as the figure leapt from his position and somersault to the opposite side of the platform.
The boy quickly jumped up to stand on the platform, raising his saber in defense across his mid-section. The darker fighter hesitated for a moment, then launch himself forward at the youth, who reciprocated with his charge and addition battle-cry. At the center the platform, the two met. A blind second of white light flew about the room as the blades roar against each other. The boy took a firm stance and pushed on his lightsaber, summoning his all strength with rasped breaths through clenched teeth, desperate to win this some struggle of dominance. His opponent was equally focused as he scowled down at the young fighter with his passionless eyes. Durasteel panels on the platform suddenly started to peel and curl away from the pair as the youth called out deeper and deeper to the unifying power of the universe, the Force.
With a yeah, the boy broke away and flipped backwards. While in mid-air, he shot a out with the Force at the dark skin opponent. The other figure reached forward and countered the blast his own abilities, charging at the youth as landed. The young fighter quickly side stepped the attacker and slashed an arch as he passed. The opponent pivoted on his heel and parried the cut, then sent a powerful blow down at the boy's head. The youth dropped and rolled to the rear of the figure, popping up with a whirl slice. The darker fighter speedily throw his purple blade back and protected his back from the attack and twisted with a counter, though the young fighter was already a few paces back when he did. Rushing to his opponent, the youth had just had enough of this fight. Readying for to parry another red slash, dark skin figure was caught in surprise as the boy leapt up, stomped down on his light robed thigh with a foot, and springboard into a flip over head. The young warrior turned in the air and sliced through the other fighter's shoulder, lopping off his arm before landing on his feet. The darker opponent bellowed and fell to his knees, gripping his armless arm-socket. With a smirk, the boy walked around to the front of his opponent as deactivated his saber's crimson blade and folded his arms before him.
"Well done, Master!" The youth's opponent proclaimed with glee, his taking a robotic and uneven tone, "I truly thought would have you this time and finally kill you!"
"Not today, PROXY... ..." The boy related as his other got to his feet. In a dazzling display of lights that washed over the fighter, the dark skin and light robes faded away and a stripped-down, one armed droid took his opponents place, "I'm surprise that Mace Windu with his Vaapad form couldn't put up that harder of a fight."
"Master, in all honesty, that was only the first setting on Training Module J-5. The second setting should prove to be much harder!"
"Then, I'll just have to fighter harder" The young warrior replied in his hushed voice. He raised a cocked eyebrow at the droid's missing limb, "Maybe we should find your arm first-"
"Starkiller" A sudden boom called from the ceiling. The boy turned to the center of the platform as blue rays poured down and formed into the familiar long robed, dark armored demi-god of the youth's life. Even before the holo-image took full shape, the young warrior dropped to one knee and bowed as PROXY fell back down to his knees. Though, the sound of his mechanical breathes, in and out, was all the announcement the Dark Lord needed.
"My master..."
"You have done well today, young one. Everyday you find more and more power through the Force. But your mind loses focus and you forget the passion inside of you!!"
"Master...Forgive me... ..." The boy shook with despair. Losing Vader's approval was like losing the oxygen around him, he couldn't breath.
"Remember, youngling..." The Sith prodded a finger down at the youth as his tone filled with righteousness, "PEACE is the lie! Remember your passion and the Dark Side will always be with you." The young warrior pushed his mind to every feeling he had every felt and welled it up inside the pile of his belly. It burned there as raw energy and the boy sensed himself getting stronger, "That is good for now. One day, you will truly become my apprentice. For now, I have other users for you..."
"What is your will, Lord Vader?"
"A band of rebel politicians and undesirables have caused the Emperor to question the need of my new Super Star Destroyer design, as well as my continued expenses in the Works. Eliminate the group's leader, Senator Amurth of Shili."
"It shall be done...my master..."
The thing about roast gornt was that it was all about the sauce. Most people think that an damn gravy can be used to cover the gornt chunks, but if one were to asked Inari Dakini there was only one place in all of Coruscant that made the sauce right: Zhar's Dinner in the Twi'lek neighborhood, Invisec. It wasn't a nice part of the Alien Zone - though one couldn't say any part was - however, for Inari it was just another one of her stomping grounds. All long the walkways and shops a rainbow of yellow, green, blue, and red skinned Twi'lek could be seen, hurrying to some late evening task or just chatting away with old friends. The occasional patrol of stormtroopers and Coruscant Guards sliced through the crowds, there lack of head bound lekku tentacles marked them as outsiders even more so then their blasters and armor. Inari never had that problem, though. Being a Togruta, she had head-tails of her own...be it they were a little...small. Inari's Uncle Amurth always side that they were cute, along with her short montral, and her father said that Togruta would take a little longer to grow out there lekku. He said that they made her look cute, too. Everyone said that her head-tails were cute.
Well, everybody, maybe I don't what to be CUTE!! Inari screamed silently in her mind.
She sighed. Zhar's Dinner was an escape for Inari from life. Between being the daughter of Shili's High Chieftain, living with a well mean but annoy human senator, and going to humancentric Hirkenglade Middle School, the Togruta girl was a little taxed. However, at the Dinner, Inari was Zhar's little Orange Nerra or Orange Sister - nerra is Twi'leki for 'sibling', Inari eventually found out and the moment Zhar made with his lekku denoted feminine connotation. The girl would learn more and more about Twi'lek every day at Zhar's and would dress more and more so like Twi'lek females too. Uncle Amurth made big fuss about her high, open side skirts and revealing tank tops. He told Inari to dress more like a respectable Togruta. The girl suspected that her uncle had more of problem with Inari garbed as a Twi'lek than the fourteen-year-old dressing like a hussy.
Inari walked around last corner and the Dinner finally came into view. Zhar's was far from a majestic Upper City restaurant that Uncle Amurth took her to, with there fancy table dressings and...health standards... ... Ok, it wasn't the best place to eat, but at least Inari didn't need dress to impress at Zhar's Dinner. Stepping inside, the Togruta girl hit with the smells of rycrit stew and freshly made munch-fungus bread that instantly making her pallet water. The grimy Dinner was packed with Twi'leks of blues and greens, all enjoying the traditional Twi'lek food and cook specials. Inari noticed the chunky, gray skinned Zhar wave to her to come over to the counter.
"Little Orange Nerra!" The old Twi'lek cried with a warm small, lekku twitching as he spoke, "I almost thought you weren't come 'n."
"I almost thought I wasn't either." Inari smirked wearily and jumped up on a stool and leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her head atop of her hands, "But you know me. Only a blazing heat storm could keep me from my roast gornt...Sigh... ..."
"What's wrong, Nerra? Something with a the humans at school, again??"
"If only" Hands dropping flat atop the counter, the Togruta girl stared with pleading eyes to Zhar, "Do you think that locking your child in their room is the act of a caring parent, Zhar?! Uncle Amurth said he didn't want be coming down to the Twi'lek neighborhood by myself anymore, and then he locked the door of my room! I know Uncle Amurth is odd, but come on!!"
"Amurth is an odd human, yes" The gray Twi'lek replied, scratching his cheek thoughtfully, "but I think he did it because he loves you. The good Senator took you in and cared for you like his own since your father sent you to the Imperial City."
"Yeah, I know... "
It was the truth. Inari's father sent her to Coruscant to receive a better education from the major Core World. Shili had fine schools, but the High Chieftain wanted more for his daughter, the best. And that was on Coruscant. Inari didn't have much room to object, though, her father had just up and decided. Suddenly, one day, he went up to the girl and said that she was moving to Coruscant and before she knew it, Inari was on the capital meet her 'Uncle' Amurth. And here she is three years later. The human Senator representing Shili in the Imperial Senate was very kind in the most part, if a little strict... NO! He was too strict, Inari surmised. And too Togruta!! Ever since Amurth was stationed on Shili as a Judicial he went "native". Traditional Togruta robes, never wearing shoes - Inari wore shoes. Coruscant was home of millions of different alien and was notorious for public urination. You shouldn't touch the ground with ANY part of your body - and it Amurth could, he would grow headtails and montrals. It was probably why Shili's leaders choose him to be their representative, a human to get the anti-alien Senate's sway while being totally loyal to Togruta.
"Hey Leth! Get Little Orange Nerra's gornt!!" Zhar yelled to the back of the Dinner. The swinging doors that lead to the kitchen pushed open and a young male Twi'lek walked out with plate cubed meat in one hand and a cup of dark sauce. Oh...that sauce!! Inari was on the edge of her seat as gornt and cup were sat before, but she restrained herself just long enough to greet her friend.
"Hi, Leth!" With that, the Togruta girl dumped the sauce across the plate of meat and started digging into the gornt. The sweet, milky sauce played a heavenly number in Inari's mouth as her teeth chew thoughtfully on the gornt. The girl didn't need to try alcohol, tobacco, or spice, roast gornt at Zhar's Dinner was all the euphoria the Togruta needed.
"Hi...Inari...!" The girl heard Leth replied clumsy. Inari looked up to the Twi'lek and smiled, sauce running down her chin, before going back to the gornt. Leth was a year or so older than her and a red skin Lethan, hence his name. Lethan Twi'lek were rare in the universe and were normally the target of slaveries, though males were usually ingored...unless you had a slave master who didn't like women. Leth continued in a nerious voice, "Umm...You know I got an-another essay published by the Twi'lek Cultural Center...!"
"Ha ha ha! That's our Leth!!" Zhar exclaimed as he patted the young Twi'lek atop the head, "Me and wife couldn' be prouder of our boy."
"Wow, Leth! What's that, your twelfth essay published? That's amazing!" Inari looked in awe at red skin youth, quickly whipping the sauce off her chin. Leth was always nervous when she saw him and stumbled over simple words when they talked, but when it came to literature subjects she made her feel the lesser of the two. There was a lot of things Inari could do - like sneak out of her room whenever her uncle locked the girl in - but when it came to writing, Leth was the king. He was the main reason the Togruta girl knew so much about Twi'lek culture, with all the books he read, "Someday, I'm get you to tutor me on essay and grammar stuff. I'm really hopeless with it all."
"Oh! It's really an easy subject." Leth smiled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Then his eyes flicked wide as he realized what he was saying, "N-not that your stupid, Inari! NO NO!! Anyone c-could have a problem with that stuff! It's just I-I'm really good at it and you are... HA HA HA HA....mmh...!"
"Well, first we'll have to see I can come back here first." Inari sat her cheek again her propped hand with a huff, "My uncle is definitely going to flip when I get home. I'll probably only be able to come do here if I had an armed bodyguard."
"Or a boyfriend!" Zhar barked a snicker, slapping the Lethan youth on the back, "How about you, son? I wouldn't want to thrust Nerra to some stranger."
Leth looked up to his gray father with look of pure terror. Inari giggled at the funny idea. The two were just good friends as far as she cared, and the Togruta girl danced with the thought of finding herself a boyfriend, especial in Leth. If the girls at her school had every seen Leth and her together, they might have came to that conclusion and bug Inari about it class. But to her, Leth was just her awkward acting comrade of teens age, another friend from Zhar's Dinner. What would Inari want in boyfriend, anyway? The thought pledge the girl for a minute as she watch Leth and Zhar clean up the empty dishes that at once held roast gornt and beautiful, beautiful sauce.
Let's see...he would have to be handsome, of course. Couldn't be too rash, seeing that I'm rash enough, and would have to complament me almost all the time. Maybe be welling to pay for things I want, not roses or anything big...just...you know stuff. OH! And he should be the kind's person in the whole galaxy. Not even be able to hurt a fly... ...
SLAP!!!
"Damn! That has to be the eighth fly I killed down here!! I hate using the trash chute..."
Starkiller was knee deep in 500 Republica's waste, even the better half of society had garbage...smelly garbage. The young warrior focused on his feelings, letting his passion recieved from fulfilling his master's wishes ease his mind away from stench. It was simple task finding the trash unite that the senator's waste fell into and even easier finding his chute. All he had to do know now was climb the half a kilometer straight up the narrow passageway that smelled like Hutt with a stomach flu. Starkiller was focused, though. Nothing would stop him from destroying Amurth, especial not garbage. Point the mini-glowrod in his hand and looking to the ceiling of the chamber, the boy a number of chutes to many different apartments. Each shaft was probably about the right size for the young warrior to fit through...probably. In the dim light, Starkiller made out a series of number codes next to each chute.
"PROXY" The boy said into his wrist bound comlink, "I'm in the trash unite. Which leads the Senator?"
"I am searching through the Imperial records now, Master... ...It appears, from the building's floorplans and schematics, that if you were to go up service chute Five-R-One-One-Three-Eight is Senator Amurth's." Starkiller walked a little down through the waste, scan each set of numbers until he found the appropriate shaft. Relay that he was at the chute, his droid replied happily, "Ah, good, Master. Know all you have to do is shimmy up the chute five hundred and twenty six meters to the Senator's apartment."
"Thanks for remaining me... " The young warrior try to refocus on his feelings again. He tighten the ties on his hooded cloak and felt along his belt that his lightsaber was secure, "Are you in place?"
"Yes, Master. In in the open-air taxi speeder you stole and I'm waiting on a landing platform on the building across from Five Hundred Republica."
"What do you look like..." An odd request for a droid that the boy knew from early childhood, but not so if the robot was a holodroid who could be anyone.
"I'm in the form of a dark brown Wookiee with a large white splotch across my chest. You should be able to spot me even at that height, Master."
"Copy that. A little flamboyant, though..."
"Oh, Master, do be careful. I would hate for you to die before I had a chance to kill you!"
As unsettling as that sounded, Starkiller took it with pleasant smile. Perhaps the only constant in his life, PROXY goal of terminating the boy was one of his longest on going memories he had. He had little foundation in life given that homes and hiding places were abandon as quickly as the youth had arrived at them, and Vader was more of a force of nature, coming going whenever he pleased. PROXY was his rock, loyal to his every command and to his primary directive of kill the boy. It was far from a secret, the droid talked about it all the time. Good night, Master, he would say, I'll must probably try to kill you in the morning. Pleasant dreams. Kindness and cold blooded murder, both seem to put Starkiller at ease when it came from PROXY.
"Here I go." The boy related, pushing the hood back as he grabbed the edges of the shaft. The hood would only have gotten into the way had he kept is up. The trash chute was even narrower then he originally assumed, but the youth wiggled and pushed off his feet on the chute's sides, starting his long climb up. The shaft seemed to be lined with a sticky substance and it smelled of rotten food. The staff must not wash the chutes often, a something that Starkiller wouldn't mind dicussing about with one them and lightsaber. Sigh...at least in wasn't septic waste chute. The young warrior activated his comlink again and spoke to his droid in a strained voice, "PROXY...track my signal. I don't want... I don't want to get stuck in here and have no way out."
"Of course, Master.... ... Master? Would you like a sitrep on Senator Amurth?"
"Sure! Go a ahead!" The boy struggled as he got further up the chute. Putting his mini-glowrod into his mouth, he resolved to push with both is hands and feet.
"Very well. Senater Amurth was born on the planet Grizmallt, one of the Core Worlds, in the year Forty-Five Before the Rise of the Empire. In the year Twenty-Three, he joined the Judicial Department and worked his way up to Commander in the Starfleet's Logistic Corps. In the year Ninteen, he was assigned to a Logistic Corps depot on Shili. In the year Nineteen, six months later he left the Corps to, quote: "Find his past life." End quote. In year Zero, Amurth was elected Senator of Shili by the planet's Chieftain Council. In the year Four After the Rise of the Empire, he took guardianship of Princess Inari Dakini, daughter of Troguta Chieftain Dakini-"
"Wai, WHA...??" Starkiller halted his climb and took the glowrod from his between his teeth, "What are you say? Someone else is up there?!"
"Why, yes, Master! Princess Inari Dakini, born in the year Seven Before the Rise of the Empire. Daughter of-"
"Is she in the apartment." On the other end of the com, PROXY paused as he sliced into the building's security systems.
"... I believe only the senator is currently in the apartment. Giving the age, a weight of Four-Eight kilograms, and species of Inari Dakini, the heat signature detected is too warm."
"Any idea if she's coming back soon?"
"Master, I'm a holodroid, not a soothsayer." With a frustrated grunt, the boy gripped his teeth around the mini-glowrod and started going up the chute again.
First I have to wade around in waste, then crawl up a half kilometer shaft straight up, now I have an unknown possible walking in me when I make the kill. Starkiller shook his mind free of his frustrations and focused on his deeper latent hate and the pride he bring to Lord Vader. My master will surely consider making me his true apprentice after this mission. Perhaps give me better living contains in our next hideaway.
After an hour or so of pushing and pull up the chute, the boy reached the top of the shaft. The glowrod in his mouth revealed a small door directly in front of him which he should be about to fit through. Putting out his light, the youth secured his footing and felt along the outline of the door. If he remembered right, the switch to the door release should be... Without a warning, the chute's door opened and filled the shaft with light. It wasn't of his doing, someone else must have opened the door from the other side. The boy instinctively shut his eyes from the suddenly illumination, but quickly forced them open again to meet whatever entity that had discovered him.
"Oh my! A human youth in the trash chute!!" The mechanical voice related, feminine and evenly toned in comparison to PROXY's. From what Starkiller could see, it was a blue protocol droid, "This is far from the usual. Might I inquire as to way had lead to you being here, young master?"
"Help me out of here." The boy commanded.
The droid, knowing nothing other than following orders reached into the chute and gentled grasped the youth's shoulders. The young warrior felt himself being pulled away as his head exited the shaft. The room the door conjoined to was white, white walls, white tile floors, white counters and cabins, white. As Starkiller pulled himself out further, he noticed a medium sized table and a chrome colored conservator. He had ended up in the kitchen...figures. The boy turned back to the protocol droid as it tossed what looked like old leftover of meals. The droid's original task, no doubt, before finding the youth in trash chute.
"Your master is Senator Amurth, right?" Starkiller posed as he covered his head with the hood of his cloak again.
"Yes. I am MK-Three-P-O of Human-cyborg relations. Shall I tell the Senator he as a guest?"
"No. Stay here and don't make a sound..."
"It is only proper that I inform the master, since he might lose face if you were to rush in on him."
"That's the idea. Stay here and be quite."
"As I said, it was only proper-"
"This is ridiculous." With a quick Force Grip and Pull, the boy brought the droid to him and caught it at it's neck joint with his hands. The robot squealed in it's subdued feminine, automated voice and flailed it's arms until the youth's finger hit it's power switch. Now a becoming rigid and heavy, Starkiller slowly carried the droid down to the white tiled floor without making a sound. The boy didn't know if he should snicker or groan at what just happened, though groan to be on safe side. Pulling is wrist up, he commed his own droid, "PROXY, shut down all the servant droids still operating. I just met a persistent protocol droid and down want to do it again."
"I shall see what I can do, Master." PROXY replied sounded doubtful, but the young warrior was total confident in his slicing abilities.
Moving to an open doorway, the boy peeked out into a hall with dull shaded walls and dark blue carpeting. The Force told him that it was clear and he remembered PROXY saying that the Senator was alone. Reaching out with his feelings, Starkiller let the Force guide him to his kill. Walk down the hall, he stopped at the second door on the left. The youth probed the room on the other side with is mind. There was only one being in the room, Senator Amurth without a doubt. From what the boy could sense, he seemed calm and yet, uneased. Perhaps he was reading a nasty letter, it wouldn't matter soon.
As the door opened with a slight hiss, Starkiller glided in and melted into the shadows along the walls. The room was dark, it's only source of light was the fleeting glow of the setting sun through a large permaglass double-doors, leading out to a balcony overlooking Coruscant's skyline. Still, though, the boy see the collection of primitive tribal shields, masks, and war spears lining the walls of the chamber. The masks and shields were decorated with colored lines of dark reds and blues that criss-crossed their surfaces. Sitting on the floor just underneath lied tall pottery with simpler line designs. Close to the rear of the room, an elegantly made arm-chair sat facing the balcony. The Force flowed through the boy, telling him that his target, Senator Amurth was in the chair. He could feel that the senator was still very calm with slight despair...and something else...determination... ...
"Finally. I was beginning to think that you weren't coming." A deep voice proclaimed from the chair. Starkiller's minded whirl with shock and confusing, he hadn't done a thing to alert his presence in the room.
A Force-sensitive? No, I would have sensed it by now.
"It's odd, isn't it." The voice, which the boy surmised must be the senator, continued, "When I first came into politics, I never thought I would have to prepare for assassins and spies invading my home. How much things have changed with the come of the Empire."
"The Empire is of little concern to you now, Amurth..." The young warrior stepped out of the shadows, abandoning stealth as the senator was bluntly aware of him now, "All you have to worry about now is the Here-After... ..."
The boy took his saber into a reverse hand-grip and ignited the crimson blade behind his back. The red light cast way more of darkness with sinister shades, illuminating his figures under his hood. Senator Amurth, standing from his chair, turned to face his assassin with a hard look in his eyes. The man definitely did not look like a senator, standing over 2 meters tall with a shaved head and an aged, tattooed face. He was supposedly human, but to Starkiller he seemed something more primal. The tribal looking robe Amurth was wearing only came down to his shins, revealing his bare legs and feet, completed the senator's primordial appearance.
"I am not afraid of death" Amurth related, "but I come to the belief that one who doesn't fight to stay alive has never truly lived. So eye shall resist you with everything that I am! To defeat you, if I can!!"
"You will try... ..."
From the sleeve the senator's robe, a hand appeared with a small device in it. The boy pulled himself into a defensive stance, readying himself for whatever Amurth would throw at him. Suddenly, a sound alerted the youth to his right. One of the taller vases was beginning to shake and tremble, nearly jumping on it's own off the floor. Another to the other side of him and Starkiller saw second vase begin to tremble as well. Their surfaces cracked and shatter apart, exposing a set of four heavy mechanical legs at each the two vases. More of the pottery crumbled away and revealed a blaster turret, with dozens of barrels on either vase. The boy changed his stance into more advance Shien form to prepare for the turrets laser fire.
"Master!" PROXY called over the comlink, "I've just detected two heavily armed security droids activate!!"
"A little late PROXY..." The youth grunted through is teeth.
"Master! Their Hex Five-Q Super Assault Droids!! Their rate of fire is too much for your abilities to deflect."
"WHAT!!!"
The Force tugged on the boy, prompting Starkiller to leap up into the air as a wave of blue blaster bolts washed over where he had stood. The wall was eviscerated within a second by the bolt torrent, to point where it didn't exist any more and the floor was stripped to to the service pipes and wires were visible, half a meter under durasteel. As the young warrior landed, one of the assault droids targeted him, it's barrels starting to whirl as started to fire. The boy raced to his left, push the Force in his legs as started running up and across the wall. The droid follow his movements with it's blaster fire, tearing away the wall behind the blur of Starkiller, until the blur passed by the droid. It's guns suddenly halted and after a moment dropped to it's side in a heap of sparking metal.
The second droid took several heavy steps to the middle of the room and started firing it's guns at the boy. With mighty Force assist leap, the youth flow up, twisting as he soared, and hit the ceiling with his feet to send himself sailing to the last droid. Before he reached the assault mech, Starkiller throw his saber at the droid. The crimson blade sank in, stopping at the joint that let the guns pivoted and turn. The boy landed on his hands atop the killing machine and sprung off it's "head" to a flipped harmlessly on the other side of it. The droid kept it's guns blazing, though, washing the remnants of the walls away as it slowly turned around to where the young warrior was. Quickly taking the assault droid up in a Force Grip, Starkiller sent the mech zooming at the senator. Amurth was swift, however, and was able to skid away from the flying droid as it slammed through the permaglass doors and into the balcony behind him.
The boy moved to Amurth, called to his saber back to his hand where he whirled it around once or twice before grip in a reverse hold. The senator was still calm, despite having a ton of droid throw at him, with the cool character of a calculating warrior as the carefully retreated back. As his bare foot touched some of the former walls surviving decorations, Amurth rolled backwards and grabed a spear and shield from the ground before landing back on his feet. Ripping is rob off and taking what seemed like a fighting stance, the senator sent out a battle cry. Amurth's body was perfectly cut, without an once of fat, and he seemed to still be in his prime despite his ago. Clad in nothing but a dark leather loincloth, Amurth truly looked like a prehistoric hunter from the another time.
"You can't be serious..." The boy smirked and raised his lightsaber in defensive stance. He would see just how this modern day tribal warrior fought.
The senator stomp his feet against the floor and made a whooping cry, then charged the youth. Amurth sent a thrust with spear, but the boy simple sliced the head off with a flick of his crimson blade. The senator continued to thrust, though, regardless and Starkiller had to side-step to avoid the smoldering clunk of wood. Before the boy could counter back, Amurth slammed his shield into the youth's face, causing him to stumble back with grunt. The senator yelled and followed his shield pound with crack to Starkiller's head with his spear. The boy was knocked to the floor, still in fluster from the blows, and barely rolled out of the away of Amurth's stomping foot. Whirling up back to his feet, the young warrior gasped as he saw a tipped spear fly at him and flicked his lightsaber, vaporizing half the weapon and knocking it away. He caught a glimpse of Senator Amurth before throw another spear the boy. Starkiller scowled and sent the primitive weapon aside with a Force Push. With a swiping motion of his arm and several pieces of the previously sliced assault droid flow across the room and soar into the senator. Amurth was grunted, taking a few steps back as the boy sent another Force Push and tossed him out onto the balcony.
Senator Amurth struggle to his feet, leaning heavily against the railing of the balcony. Each of his breaths were labored as blood trickled down from his mouth. He most likely had serious internal bleed and a few fractured bones. The senator watched Starkiller in failing light of dust as he exit onto the balcony to join him, stepping over the other defeated droid. The boy stood, rising his red lightsaber above his with both is hands, ready to delivery the ending blow to Senator Amurth. He stopped, halting himself. The youth sensed something...an off feeling...another presences!
"Master, the security sensors are detecting another person entering the apartment!" PROXY proclaimed over his wrist bound comlink, "It's the Togruta princess, Master!"
"Inari... NO!" Starkiller looked down on Amurth, for the first time seen and sensing a strong emotion protect from him.
"Call to her" The boy commanded, lowering his saber.
"Never..." The senator clenched his chest and coughed out a small pool of blood, but still manged to pull himself up, "You will just kill her along with me. Why should I help you?"
"A quick death is better than me hunting her down..." Amurth fell silent for a moment, bowing his head as he retreated into thought. Glancing back to Starkiller, he made a decision... ...
"I will call to her if you let me say what I will to her and you."
"I'm not much for sentiment, old man-"
"Then maybe for information. Like about the organization I am part of..." The boy blinked, forcing his features to remain neutral, but the look of surprise and confuse still popped up, "Oh yes...I thought your master would believe me to be the leader. Whoever he is, he doesn't seem to have as good as spies as he thought."
"Tell me, now!"
"Spare Inari and I will tell you what you want." The young warrior sent a low growl through his teeth as he gripped his saber's handle in his grasp. The crimson blade disappeared and he nodded with a displeased grunt.
Inari, for the life of her, couldn't think of a way out of a confrontation with her uncle. That annoyed her, the girl could normally find an exist for Uncle Amurth's rage - like making an debate/rant about new imperial alien laws. Her uncle would then go off into his own little world and session of the senate. A few hours later, he would have forgot whatever Inari had done - however, she had zilch. Everyone had their off days, she supposed as she moved to her apartment door and punched in the security code into the panel. As the door slid open, the Togruta girl was faced with a weird smell...it was series of smells really. Inari ignored them. There was also an odd noises coming from across the common room of the apartment, from corridor that lead to Uncle Amurth's study. She ignored those as well, walked to the kitchen. Her uncle would normally performed some bizarre Togruta ritual that was too odd for her to want to take part in. Inari walked in on a few see never what's to remember seeing ever again. She only hoped that whatever outlandish thing Uncle Amurth was up too preoccupy him till morning and then she wouldn't have to see him.
"Three-P-O!" Inari called as she stepped into the kitchen, "MK-Three-P-O!! Where is that droid?"
"Inari! Come here, NOW!" The Togruta flinched. So much for forget about her.
The girl walked over the doorway that joined the kitchen to the hall, but as she moved around the table she noticed a figure laying across the floor. Three-P-O!! Droid was stretched across the white tile floor, it's face down. Inari was about to go to the protocol droid, until she happen to glance back into the hallway. Or at least what was left of it. The Togruta girl gasped as she gaped at the torn out walls and smoldering burn marks. Even the floor was in tatters. Inari rush down hall her uncle's study, her heart beating against her chest as she looked through the holes in the walls. The corridor was unrecognizable.
"Uncle!!" Inari cried as she ran through door of the study. The room was in shambles, chewed up by some unknown force, "Uncle Amurth!!!"
"Inari...I'm here." Across the ruined study, her uncle stood out on the balcony along with a black cloaked person. Inari dashed out to Uncle Amurth, wrapping her arms around him.
"Uncle! Uncle, what happened?!" The girl looked up into her uncle's face, tears welling up in her eyes. Her uncle was bleeding from the mouth, Uncle Amurth was bleed!! Inari glanced back to the cloaked figure. Had he something to do with this?
"Inari..." Her uncle's ragged voice brought the Togruta back to him, "Inari. My beautiful Togruta girl. I'm sorry." Uncle Amurth was beginning to scary her. What was wrong? She wanted to know, "There will be times when you want to asked why I had done things I've done. Don't be afraid to ask. All I can tell you now is that did it so that you and everyone could life better, in a world without barriers."
"Uncle" Inari pressed her face into the mans bare chest. Uncle Amurth stroked his hand down the down the back of her head, from her montrals to her neck. Inari looked up into her uncle's heavily tattooed face as he smiled down at her. His wrinkles turn up under the facial markings to smile too.
"That's good enough. Tell me the names." The Togruta glared back at the cloaked person. With a second look, Inari could see that the one in the cloak was extremely young. Maybe not as young as her, but he was definitely in his mid-teens. Yes, he, there was human boy under that cloak, though most of his features were hidden.
"To tell you the truth, I am merely a pawn." Uncle Amurth told the boy, "I am so low in the organization that name I'm about to give you maybe another pawn like me. Still the same, Ryoo of Rori was the one giving me my orders. Her connections to the organization, what the organization's main plans are, I do not know..."
"Feh..." The cloaked boy grunted in disapproval. Inari could see him gritting his teeth from what little the hood of his cloak revealed. He was upset, but the girl wasn't sure how upset he should be seen that he might have being the one to do this to her uncle, the Togruta wasn't sure though.
"Inari..." The girl turned back to her uncle, "You must go now. More shall come soon."
"More?"
"What are you talking about, old man..." The boy demanded.
"This Empire of ours is more divided then you know, young one." Uncle Amurth pushed the Togruta girl way from him and kept her at arms length, "Inari, go back to Shili while there's still time."
"Uncle...I don't want to leave you like this!"
"*Sigh* go and-"
Her uncle stopped and twisted to looked over the railing as Inari heard faint noise in the distance. Whoop-whoop-whoop. Then it suddenly appeared. Rising up above the balcony, a military gunship - one that had been used since the Clone Wars - loomed down at them as a blind spotlight cast down on them. The three raised their arms to block the light. Inari expected to her a loudspeaker announce that they were under imperial arrest or something along those lines, screaming above the sound of repulsor engines. Unfortunately, the only sound that came was the mechanical whining of the gunship's laser cannons aiming at the trio. Uncle Amurth grabbed the Togruta girl's arm and thrust her at the cloaked boy. Seemingly in surprise, the boy caught her.
"Go! Take her!!" Her uncle bellowed and turned to the hovering gunship, climbing up on the railing with a few pain grunts, "Is it me that you want?! Don't you know...I'M A TOGRUTA WARRIOR!!!!"
"UNCLE!!!!!" Flashes of ember tore through the man's body as Inari felt herself being carried aloft.
She instinctively hugged the boy, but kept watching Uncle Amurth as his body fell back onto the balcony, a charred ruin. As Inari felt herself falling, she want scream. Scream because of her uncle, scream because she was falling, scream because her life was totally up ended, scream because she didn't understand a lick of what was happening. But she couldn't scream. So so sobbed and hung on to the cloaked boy, the only solid thing in her life at the moment. Sinking her noise into his should, Inari did find some scrap of solace in the boy's body warmth.
Author's Note: Feedback, feedback, feedback! Review!!!
My God! A forum? On the Internet?? For opinions?!!!