Chapter Two: Utapau

1

It was a ten hour journey, Zero proudly measured it himself. He told them so as they were torn from the portal and ripped back into real-time. The Utapau system looked pretty much the same, or so Darth Ryl thought.

"You're sure they followed us in?" He asked Darien.

"Right now the only thing I'm sure of is that the trip took a huge toll on this ship. It'll only be good for one more jump in hyperspace before needing some serious repairs," he replied.

If this really is sixteen years ago, then Utapau won't be under my control. But still, it's the best choice for refueling and repairs. "Land on this planet. We'll repair Ryloth Spear then see about dropping you and your droid off." Darth Ryl watched as the ship turned towards Utapau, activated it's repulsors and shot out towards the planet with a burst of speed.

"Brother," Darien corrected, patting Zero on the back as he did so. Sixteen years in the past huh? Maybe there is something I can do in this time.

"I don't know why you Sith insist on calling me such. Do I look anything like that deactivated astromech in the back?" Zero asked.

Darth Animosity returned after throwing up in the restroom just in time to chime in. "That's because you're not an astromech, stupid."

Before anyone could add anything else to the conversation, Ryloth Spear's sensors starting going off. Darien had flagged the enemy fighters prior to entering the wormhole, and now the sensors could only mean the wormhole was re-opening behind them again.

In the same spot that Ryloth Spear had appeared, so did the same wormhole. The first thing it spat out was a one man fighter that was broken into two pieces. It tumbled out and then exploded. Then two fighters came out and their velocity was too great so one was literally ripped apart, and the shrapnel from the first collided with the second, destroying it instantly. The remaining fighters made it out okay, swiftly dodging the floating wrecks of their squadron leader and squadmates.

It didn't take long for the remaining fighters to hone in on Ryloth Spear's signal. They immediately went after them, soon followed by the large transport craft.

"Six fighters incoming, t-minus forty seconds until they have weapons lock. Oh, and the transport from Yavin is here too," Darien said.

"It will be most exciting to see how good of a pilot you have become sir," Darth Kilvaari said.

"What? I just? Ugh. Nevermind. Thanks Darth.. Um, Kill something? I don't know, shut up, lemme focus." That was when the first ion shots flew past the ship.

"I'll return fire," Zero said.

"I hate flying but I still miss my ship," Animosity said, frowning.

"It's a good thing that wormhole must have screwed with their smaller ships even worse than ours, their target systems are complete bantha poo right now, and they can't even catch us." Darien said smiling, then: "So where should I land this thing?"

Darth Ryl took out a datapad connected to his ship and began typing coordinates into it. "The planet is made of sinkholes, so I'm sending us to the biggest one with the closest thing Utapau has to a capital city."

"Sinkholes? Wow this planet sounds fun," Darien commented.

"I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not computer boy, but if you like it so much we'd be more than happy to drop you in a different sinkhole somewhere along the way. We've got big boy work to do," Darth Animosity said.

"I actually don't know either. Never been off Taris before. Never been shot at this much either before I met you guys."

Then an ion shot impacted and most of the ship's systems shut down. The cockpit went dark for a moment, and then a back up generator restored power to the crucial systems. "See what happens when you start whining?" Animosity said.

"Enough! Everyone strap in. They're trying to disable us before we begin to get pulled into Utapau's gravity. We need to breach the atmosphere and prepare for a possible rough landing. Full speed ahead." Everyone listened, and did as they were told, although Animosity and Darien were muttering and mumbling incoherently.

The pursuing ships entered a formation of six and all fired their ion shots simultaneously. Darien spun the Ryloth Spear and danced around all of the ionized blue lasers, except the one that clipped the engine. When the lights shut off a second time, Darth Ryl and Darth Kilvaari understood that meant that the ship was going to crash.

Ryloth Spear was a dagger in the atmosphere, cutting through the thin air of Utapau. Darien managed to lift the ship's nose up, so when it collided with the surface it could do so as safely as possible.

Dust flew up in a trail behind the ship, and the bottom of the ship's nose burst into flames. One of the wings had broken off several meters behind them. Darth Ryl took a deep breath. "We need to get down to that sinkhole I told you about. There should be an underground entrance somewhere, there always is. Take everything. I'm sorry to say, but this may be the last we'll ever be seeing of Ryloth Spear." Darth Ryl wasted no time gathering all of his possessions.

"That's two ships you owe us, hacker," Animosity said, with a snarl. Then he donned his Mandalorian armor and did his usual weapons check.

"Scans have picked up a passageway which might lead to the nearest sinkhole sir," Zero offered. "There's also a hyperwind storm seven kilometers out."

"Hyperwind storm?" Darien asked.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know. Let's just say the population of Pau'ans and Utai don't live underground and in the sinkholes for nothing. Let's get moving," the Twi'lek commanded. "You served me well. Thanks for keeping me alive," Darth Ryl said to his ship as they prepared to leave it behind. Darth Kilvaari bowed to honor the ship that has been by his master's side longer than he had, and then they set off into the wasteland's surface.

2

Darth Decimus landed the dropship forty meters away from Ryloth Spear. The fighters that were escorting him, circled his slower ship like flies, and then landed in a protective ring around his dropship.

"Sire," Darth Gauntlet said, saluting his superior. Darth Decimus looked at the newest recruit to his team of apprentices to High Lord Kren and nodded. "There is a strong storm coming this way. It could be deadly to the ships. I also have their life signs, so we know which direction they went."

"Then we will pursue them on the skiff we brought, and you will take this dropship and two of the fighters as escort to return to orbit and await the fleet." Darth Decimus wondered what would happen if Lord Kren's fleet didn't make it through. That would make him the new Lord of the Sith. But he didn't know what time he was in, or what he could even do with so few men under his command. If the storm proves to be a problem, I'll simply commandeer one of these one man fighters.

Darth Decimus, the highest ranking apprentice of the High Sith Lord Kren, stood at two meters tall, with a shaved bald head and thick layers of muscle. He graduated at the top of his class at the Sith Temple. He wore a simple black cloak over a medium layer of blaster resistant armor. On the armor was his master's sigil, the exploding planet.

As he walked off of the drop ship, he was flanked by two of Lord Kren's other elite apprentices. On his left was Darth Sniper, a human female with long beautiful dark hair, and armor-less tights for freedom of movement. On Decimus' left side, was Darth Eon, who wore the simple, but protective garb of a Sith Assassin. Unloading the Skiff from the dropship were a handful of other Sith Acolytes and apprentices. Decimus didn't bother learning most of their names until they had proved themselves. Many didn't live long enough to pique his interest anyway.

The pilots were lined up in an orderly row in front of his dropship, standing at attention. Darth Decimus and his two compatriots walked up to them. "Who is in charge of you lot?" He asked menacingly.

"I am sir. The Squad Captain's ship was torn to shreds in the wormhole. We think he was going too fast," the pilot answered.

"And the six of you decided to shoot down our prey?"

Alarm crept onto the pilot's face, but he did his best to keep it from interfering with his voice. "Yes sir. We used disabling weapons only. We had hoped-"

"To force our enemies to crash land on the surface?"

"No sir, not exactly. We-"

"-Failed," Darth Decimus finished for him. "If they had a pilot as worthless as your Captain, their ship might have blown up on impact. We need at least one of them alive. Go search the ship," Decimus ordered the pilots, but he wasted no time in gripping the second in command's neck with the force and lifting him up telekinetically. "I'm sorry my lord," the pilot struggled to say. One of the other pilots turned around just in time to see Decimus nod at the girl at his side. She threw her lightsaber like a spear, and it impaled the man. His body dropped at the same time the lightsaber returned to the woman.

"Two of you will escort my drop ship back to orbit," he called after the pilots searching the wreck. "The other three can join us on the skiff."

"We're going hunting," Darth Eon said through his mask's vocoder.

The dropship and two fighters lifted up, and took off. The remaining Sith boarded the floating sand skiff, save for Darth Decimus, who was on his personal swoop bike. "The Twi'lek is mine. I don't care what you do with the rest of them," he called out. Ruling and fighting weren't very different, he had decided. The strongest one is still the best suited no matter what.

3

"So how does it feel to be responsible for the destruction of two ships? I think we oughtta deduct that from your pay kid," Darth Animosity said.

"You're as worthless as you are stupid," Darth Animosity's astromech droid added in its master's voice, presumably speaking to Darien. There didn't seem to be anything in sight for kilometers on end. They had been walking all night and were utterly exhausted. On the edge of the horizon, a huge storm was whipping up sand and gravel. It looked like an angry cloud was attacking the planet.

"Why didn't you just hack your dumb droid to have it's own vocoder, or any other preselected voice. Why can it only speak with your voice? It's creepy." Darien asked.

"Says the person who's droid thinks it is both human, and your blood relative. Interesting. I never told R1L1 to start recording my speech or phrases. He took it upon himself and stores them in his databanks." Out of everyone, muscular Darth Animosity was lugging the most equipment and gear on a huge backpack that was big enough to fit his astromech in it. Despite that, R1L1 was dragging a cart with extra food and gear as well.

"Enough bickering you two. You're making me want to kill you both," Darth Ryl spat. "Kilvaari, pass me the water."

Smiling as usual, Darth Kilvaari handed his Master the huge canteen they were sharing. "I must say Master, I never did like the weather on this planet. But it seems to have gotten worse, although I admit I haven't spent much time on the surface back in the future."

Darth Ryl took a large sip of the water and wished it were wine. "No, you're right. It has gotten worse." He thought about it as they walked. "Strange," he commented. We better find this cavern entrance soon. I have no doubt we're being followed by now.

It was the peak afternoon and it was so hot and arid they had to take a break. Darien was utterly exhausted, and even the Sith and their force enhanced stamina were tiring. They ate while they rested. "Zero, you're being even more quiet than usual. What's wrong?" Darien asked.

"I'm trying to figure out if the thing following us is hostile or not."

"What thing? Like a creature?" Darien asked. He stood up and began to look around, but he was yanked back down on his butt with the force.

"Are you a fool? Don't let them know we're on to them," Darth Animosity said. "I thought I sensed some enemies nearby, but the droid confirmed it. They'll either attack as we pack up, or tonight." He smiled deviously, as if he couldn't wait.

Darth Ryl fidgeted uncomfortably. Damn, I had no idea. Am I tired or distracted? How pitiful it would be to come this far, and literally travel through space and time just to get killed on the planet that I eventually rule over. Wait, that's it. I know some of the locals here. That might help us. "You're as sharp as ever Kelborn. Your perception skills are legendary, even among us Sith."

Mektar Kelborn nodded. "Even still, you have bested me more than I you, my old friend. One day your death will be my doing. That's why I've come to see you safely through everything else in the meantime." Darth Animosity took out a pack of death sticks, lit one, and then inhaled a puff.

"Hey uh, can I, um. Maybe have one. I'll toss you some creds," Darien Garr said meekly.

Darth Animosity glared at him. "Fifty for one."

"Deal."

"Would you like one for him?" Animosity mocked, as he gestured to Zero.

Zero replied nonetheless, "No thanks, they aren't very good for my lungs."

Darth Animosity looked at him stupidly. "I'm sure it isn't," he scoffed. "You very well might be the only droid I've ever met that's actually crazy. I guess you could say you're nuts!"

Then a laser hit a rock formation near them and they all jumped up. Animosity's helmet was already on, Ryl's double bladed lightsaber was out, and Zero's heavy blaster rifle was ready to return fire. "It's a sand skiff!" Darth Kilvaari called out, taking his own weapon out.

"R1L1, Darien, grab as much of our stuff as you can and make a break for the coordinates. We'll meet you there," Ryl commanded. Darien looked like he wanted to argue, but then another red laser came barrelling towards them. Kilvaari deflected it, but only barely. The lasers were stronger and bigger than regular bolts. The skiff was approaching rapidly, and it was becoming a bigger target while it's gunner's shots also came closer and closer to them.

"There's only eight, but they're only pitiful peons. Kilvaari, use the force to grab the rest of our stuff and escort Darien."

"But Master, you're tired and haven't slept!"

"If I wanted to be babied, I would seek out who my mother was. Now GO!" This time the Nautolan did as he was bid. The skiff continued to open fire. Either Zero or Animosity was able to pull off a headshot on one of the skiff's gunners. About five lightsabers were ignited and they got in defensive stances. The skiff charged their former campsite and both sides lit each other up and deflected bolts back at one another. Three of the Sith flipped off of the mobile transport, but Ryl flipped onto their transport, taking their place. He beheaded a gunner, and then impaled a Sith Acolyte before they could even react. The last living gunner foolishly took out a knife and charged Ryl while he was dueling another apprentice. Darth Ryl did a reverse stab and impaled the Sith pilot without even looking, then spun his blade to block the apprentice's strike and sever his arm too.

A masked Sith Apprentice with a double-bladed lightsaber rushed Zero, who extended his arm blade to catch the saber before it could behead him. Meanwhile the girl in the group stood ten meters away from Animosity but she attacked him with her lightsaber telekinetically, swinging from all sides and angles so he could only defend himself with the darksaber.

"Don't think we didn't study our opponents. I'm the perfect counter to you Master Animosity, the Sith Warrior who some say might be as famous as Darth Malice one day. With my force sniping ability, I can wield my saber as good as any duelist without even touching it," the girl laughed. "Without concentration you can't use your pistols. I will ascend to the rank of Sith Marauder after killing the likes of you. One day I will be Lord Sniper," she laughed once more. The third Sith ran after Darien, R1L1, and Darth Kilvaari.

"One day you'll be dead," Animosity replied while blocking her telekinetic slashes.

Darth Ryl hadn't piloted a sand skiff before. If he had grown up on Ryloth, or Tatooine it would have been common knowledge, but he had been abducted to be a Jedi. Sure they taught you how to pilot many ships, but Ryl often didn't pay attention. Now he wished he had. He finally got in control of skiff, and kicked the corpses off it. Then he realized he could hear the Hyperwind storm brewing nearby. He turned to see that he could actually see the particles of Utapau as they were ripped from the surface. It wouldn't be easy to outrun the storm on foot in their tired state.

Darth Ryl swung the skiff around so that the dark haired girl was in his path. She side flipped over the skiff, not that you could really kill someone by running them over with a hovering vehicle anyway, Ryl thought. He was happy he didn't need to call out to Animosity. He had already grabbed the skiff's railing by the mounted turret and climbed in. He manned the gun and opened fire on them. "Spin us so I can get a good shot!" He called, but Darth Ryl only swooped up to where Zero stood.

"Leave them to the storm," Ryl said. And then Darth Animosity cursed in Mandalorian when he saw how close it had gotten during their fight. Animosity put a well placed shot in the shoulder blades of the Sith Zero was fighting, and then Zero climbed in the same way Animosity had. "No small feat surviving a duel with a full blown Sith Apprentice, Zero."

"You have my thanks, but I would have had him if you guys hadn't intervened. I have learned from the best sword duelists on Taris."

Darth Ryl chuckled when he thought about the idea of a droid getting trained by a human, when some droids were literally created just to train sentient beings how to fight or duel. He might need to test the droid himself one day. But Darth Ryl's humor was drained from him when he saw two red lightsaber's clashing, and another one moving towards Darien rapidly. Darien Garr opened fire on the Sith Apprentice, but the attacker just deflected into the sand.

"DARIEN!" Zero called out, in a nauseatingly human sounding voice. And then the Sith apprentice was within striking range of the hacker. Darth Ryl sped the skiff as fast as he could, but he knew it would be too late.

4

Darth Kilvaari was getting pushed back by Lord Kren's top apprentice, Darth Decimus, when he heard the droid Zero yell as loud as he could. Darth Animosity's astromech droid fired a flare ten meters into the sky, and then it exploded, sending a blinding white light out in all directions. Kilvaari had his back facing a rock, so the flash only dazed him for a second. But everyone else, including Darth Ryl and his skiff were blinded.

Darth Kilvaari swung his lightsaber in a buzzing flurry, and amazingly Decimus blocked three slashes in a row, but the fourth cut right through the meat in his leg, and he dropped to one knee. Darth Kilvaari put all of his strength in his legs, and fired out the energy below him in a massive force jump. He landed right behind the other sith apprentice who was swinging his blade wildly trying to kill the hacker, who was on the ground rubbing his eyes and trying to crawl away. When his sight had returned, Kilvaari's blade was already plunged into his chest.

"You pitiful weakling, you just got lucky. I will be your demise. Come fight me!" Decimus called out blindly. Nearly everyone's sight was returning, and Zero was helping Darien unto the sand skiff. Darth Animosity fired the skiff's turret at Decimus, but he blocked the shots with ease.

"Leave him, the storm will be upon us any moment," Zero said. The Sith team used the force to lift up all of the items they brought from the ship, and R1L1, and then they left Darth Decimus there, limping and cursing.

A kilometer away, they found the entrance to the cavern. They trekked deep enough down to be safe from any surface activity, and then set up another camp in the cavern that was deemed roomy enough. Most of the silent passage ways could only fit two or three of them walking side by side, but this area could have almost fit the lost Ryloth Spear. Darth Ryl ordered the droids to stand watch while they slept, but the adrenaline was still in their blood and sleep did not come easy.

"Thank you for saving my life," Darien said. "R1L1, Darth Kilvaari. That was a little closer than I would have liked."

"I am sorry little brother. You were too close together for me to get a shot," Zero said, with a hint of shame. He was standing behind the group, where the tunnels lead up. He had his blaster rifle in hand. R1L1 did not respond, so Darien assumed he didn't have any fitting responses to answer with. Kilvaari smiled, but his tired eyes answered well enough. Darien let him rest.

"R1L1, don't forget to map out these caves. I would not want to get lost and die in here. I would shame my people." Darth Animosity used a rag to wipe some of the blood and dirt off of his face. The droid gave a quiet beep in answer. "I wonder how much different the galaxy is right now. Sixteen years isn't a lot, but across the entire span of the universe a lot can happen. And what of us? Are there versions of ourselves in this timeline?" Darth Animosity let that sentiment hang there.

"Well, I'm sure we can connect to the holonet and find out when we get to a city or ship. And if there is another Darien Garr out there, I'm gonna get five year old me drunk and tell him how much his life is gonna suck." Darien looked at each of the people in his party. Zero Garr, his adopted android brother, standing guard with his trademark blaster rifle in his arms. R1L1, an astromech droid almost as peculiar, standing guard at the other end of the path. Or at least as much as an astromech could be considered a guard that is.

Then there was the Master and Apprentice. His most recent client, Darth Ryl, formerly known as Ulon Belamish. The blue-skinned Twi'lek even looked fearsome in his sleep. Darien wondered what he dreamt about, and why he had risked his life to go sixteen years into the past. His Apprentice, Darth Kilvaari, the Smiling Sith. Darien felt like he should like Kilvaari the best out of the group, especially since he saved his life, yet, something about him just felt… off. Finally, there was the Mandalorian Sith. Darien couldn't think of a meaner combination, and yet there was a kind of softness about him. He slept in his armor save for his helmet, which made Darien speculate as to whether he did so for battle-readiness, or perhaps because the armor was the only thing that made him feel safe. And then there was Darien himself.

Honestly, what am I doing here? I'm gonna die for five hundred thousand credits on a world I've never known, with people who fight to rule the galaxy? Is that my path? What would you think of me Zy? Darien Garr fell asleep thinking of his near death experience and his new, friends? Comrades? Partners? He couldn't think about it anymore with his tired mind. And so, he slept. They all did save the astromech droid.

5

"My lord," the officer said. His sigil on his chest was the fiery sphere that marked him as one of Lord Kren's men. The sphere was modeled after the first planet Paxar Kren had destroyed and burnt until it was uninhabitable.

Lord Kren stood up from his private quarters. He looked at his two guards, and then the officer, whose rank above his sigil denoted him to be a Captain. "Yes Captain?" Kren said, still sleepy.

"We have finally exited the wormhole. I was told you wished to be awoken at once."

"At ease officer," Kren said. The officer relaxed slightly. "I'll be on the bridge in ten minutes. Make sure that either Darth Raven or Admiral Motley is there to brief me about everything of interest." Kren stretched his limbs, and wondered how long he had been asleep for. He never imagined they'd be travelling through time for so long. In the end, it still must have been shorter than most trips through hyperspace.

"Yes sir. I'll see to it at once." The Captain saluted once more, and marched off. Kren donned his Sith Battle Armor so he would look the part of a conqueror, and grabbed his lightsaber, although he hadn't needed to use it in several years. Not having his blade with him would still hinder his command over his men. As Kren left his solar, his door guards locked his quarters, and followed behind him. It was a five minute walk to the bridge of Tenebris, but when he arrived, everyone of importance was waiting to brief him.

"My lord!" All of the bridge crew echoed at once, save for Darth Raven. The officers on deck that were standing gave a bow. The troops guarding the bridge saluted.

"Update me," he commanded.

"High Lord Kren, we have arrived at the same coordinates as we entered,"

Darth Raven began. "We've scanned the planet. We've found it interesting that they seem to be ruling themselves, with small local militias and no outside presence. A few small cities in sinkholes. We have also found-"

"I don't care about this worthless planet, update me on the fleet," Kren

interrupted."

Admiral Motley seized the opportunity instantly. "Well sire," the pilots we sent pursued the traitors onto the surface of the world Utapau. The survivors joined up with Darth Decimus, and your other apprentices. We've been in contact with one called 'Darth Gauntlet' that Decimus sent to update you when we arrived."

Darth Raven glared at Admiral Motley with white-hot hate. Admiral Motley sensed the stare despite his lack of force sensitivity, and turned to to meet it with a devious smile. This one has grown bold, Darth Raven thought.

"Speaking of that, how long has it been since we entered the portal?" Kren asked. This time Raven was quick enough to answer.

"Eighteen standard hours. And the good Admiral should also mention the capital ship we lost. Annihilator didn't make the portal in time. Darth Daephro is dead, along with almost all of his crew. Upon our arrival, all of the capital ships sent out scavenging teams to bring back anything useful from the pieces of the wreck that did make it into this time period."

"I expected worse," Lord Kren admitted. Truly he had not read anywhere of the ancient Sith bringing fleets or large capital ships into the wormhole, but he had figured if the portal was big enough, he'd be damned if he didn't try. "Okay. Since Syntheon has the most replaceable forces, order him to deploy his army on-world. We'll capture the traitors before we do anything else. The rest of us will assume blockade positions and send out fighters to scout the gaps." Lord Kren smiled. He had thousands of men at his command and a small, but powerful fleet. Kren was pulled from his internal plotting by a lesser ensign.

"SIR, we've connected to the Galactic Holonet, and I think some of this information may be of great interest." Admiral Motley nodded, and walked towards the man, with Darth Raven and Lord Kren joining him. The ensign was clearly nervous, but Lord Kren's mood changed drastically as the ensign rambled on about the time they were in and the state of galactic affairs.

How could this be…? Lord Paxar Kren thought, but it was reasons like what he had just learned that caused him to bring such a well trained and powerful fleet. "Raven, contact Decimus and tell him I want those traitors captured immediately. He'll be a true Sith Warrior once his task is completed." Darth Raven nodded. So there's a galactic conflict going on right now, and the Sith are presumed to be extinct? Things are very interesting, very interesting indeed.

6

They spent hours travelling through the underground passages. It was dark, cold and damp, the opposite of the surface. They had depleted the last of their food, and water was scarce. Darien dreamt of showering. Kilvaari's thoughts were of oceans. Animosity was thinking of the Sith Apprentice who he fought. She managed to cut him on the leg. Zero had offered to heal his wound with bacta, but Darth Animosity argued against it. "A true warrior, let's his fighting spirit heal himself. Only life threatening damage necessitates outside help," and so Zero let Darth Animosity tend to his own wounds in his own way.

"Are you sure those things will work?" Darth Ryl asked Zero.

"Of course! My remote sensors are ninety-nine point eight percent accurate. If we're being followed in these tunnels, we will know it. I've set it to scan humanoid lifeforms only," Zero declared confidently.

"I sense life up ahead," Darth Animosity said through his helmet's vocabulator.

"Yes," Darth Ryl said. "It makes sense that these caverns have been made or used by the local fauna. We just need to watch out for some of the more dangerous creatures. I only know of the Varactyl and Dactillions which are both harmless. I can't imagine anything on this rock being more deadly than Ryloth's native species." His head tails twitched, possibly to show how proud he was to be born on such a dangerous world.

The only things they could see were in front of them. Their only light source was a flashlight on Zero's blaster rifle, and the light on Darth Animosity's Mandalorian helmet. Darien made sure he wasn't the last one in the group, since behind them was utter darkness. Instead, R1L1 strolled peacefully at the rear.

Darth Animosity halted, and so did the rest of the group except for Darien, who clumsily walked into Darth Kilvaari's back. "Oops, sorry," he said, but Darth Ryl shushed him. Darth Animosity activated his darksaber. The black blade was completely invisible in the darkness. It could only be seen when Animosity's helmet faced it. The other two Sith activated their blades as well, and suddenly the whole tunnel was illuminated an evil red. The glow made each person appear to have red skin.

"There!" Darth Animosity yelled, and a flock of winged creatures descended and flew towards them. Darien had no clue that the tunnel had gotten that big in the darkness. He thought the ceiling was only a meter above his head like it was at the start, but now you couldn't even see the top with the flashlights.

Zero fired the first shot, hitting one of the winged creatures in the face. It screeched, but kept coming. Darth Animosity jumped and cut the creature in two. The rest of the flock began to swarm him, so Darien hesitated. Then one of the creatures picked him up with sharp talons. In that moment, all Darien could think of was how it had almost as many tongues as it did eyes. He saw it's sharp teeth and struggled to aim his clutched arm upwards for a shot. Darth Ryl backflipped and cut the creature's legs. Darien fell to his his knees, then rolled on his back and opened fire another creature that was barrelling towards him. After three quick shots it fell unto him, singed and dead. The smell was horrific.

By the time Darien lifted the corpse off of him, the battle was done. The smell was even worse. The entire cave stunk of scorched meat. Darth Ryl was the only one with his weapon still out. He held it behind him casually. "Well?" he asked. Then Darien realized Darth Animosity was poking at one of the dead cave dwellers.

"We should be able to eat it, if we have to," he finally declared. He cut off both of it's wings, and then it's tail. "This should be sufficient just in case we don't reach that sinkhole soon." He grabbed the remaining parts of the creature, and stuffed it into a pack.

"Um. I am not eating that." Darien said, matter-of-factly. "Nooo way. No how. I'll eat my death sticks before I put a fork in that thing." He was brushing the dirt off of his knees and back, when Darth Ryl responded.

"Aw, the rich little Taris boy never had to kill his own food?" he scoffed. "City folk. You can't hack your way into a steak. So either you eat that thing, or we let the next one eat you." He spun his saber in a whirling arc around his body, and then deactivated it. "Let's keep moving."

They kept moving, leaving behind a big pile of mostly untouched corpses. As they walked, Darth Kilvaari whispered to Darien. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll reach the city soon." Darien couldn't help but smile back at the Nautolan. "If not, I'm sure we'll come across some edible bugs along the way."

Suddenly, that winged creature isn't sounding so bad, Darien thought. He hoped they wouldn't need to spend another night in the caverns. The darkness was starting to get to him.

Later that night, they came to a stop in another defensible spot. They unpacked their equipment, set up a perimeter, started a small fire, and then they shared the charred remains of the creature they killed that morning. "The strong survive, the weak die. That's the way of the universe," Darth Animosity had said. Darien Garr couldn't offer much to argue that point, so he ate quietly. He ate a lot.