Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars
4
Location: Darkron Canyon
Status: Quiet
Depa led her subdued company through the dark canyon. It had taken them several hours to navigate slowly down from where there ship had crashed. They were now on the canyon floor, surrounded by darkness, hunted by their unseen enemy. And also by a host of other, smaller and nastier ones.
"Master?" Orow, a small, one eyed Abyssin asked Deena.
"I see them. They are cannoks, creatures from the moon of Dxun. Not nice. They hopefully wont attack us." she whispered.
Depa frowned as the small band made its way through the canyon. Cannoks weren't the only problem. Droids had definitely landed, and there was a Force user after them.
And there were now other creatures appearing, and if they had to fight, their presence would be given away by the light from their weapons.
Other creatures were now starting to take notice of the party, and several pairs of eyes started to peek out of crevices, and howls echoed across the wind. Crimson eyes followed their progress through the eternal night. Depa could feel the rising fear of the apprentices. To be truthful, she felt scared herself.
Raxin walked beside Depa.
"They are getting frightened. The med droid will slow us down if we're attacked by creatures. The children will panic and scatter, and then we've all had it." he whispered.
"Quiet." she retorted.
They trudged on, and Depa felt rising anxiousness. The beasts were certainly getting ready to attack.
"Master, what's that noise?" Krass, a Bothan boy asked fearfully.
There was a sound like footsteps approaching from the turn in the canyon.
Depa looked around fearfully. Nowhere to hide. As soon as whatever it was came around the corner, they would be spotted.
"Get ready. Younglings, behind us please." Freda ordered calmly.
The others and the Padawans took their positions.
"Under no circumstances…" Depa began.
The thing that was approaching came around the corner before she finished, and Raxin and the three Padawans lit their sabers.
"NO!" Depa screamed, letting out a Force wave.
The others fell to the ground, and their sabers turned off, plunging them back into the darkness.
"Hold fire!" a voice boomed.
The thing that had been approaching was another group of survivors.
"Master Billaba, a relief as always to see you my dear." Gravix said, coming forward and taking her hand.
"It is good to see you my old friend, even in this Force-forsaken place. And who is with you?"
"Captain Worikil of the cruiser that was blown up, Master Thalin Te and his Padawan Teelin and a group of clones. Yourself?"
"Master Deena Vixx, Raxin Quille and Freda Habat, and nineteen younglings. We must get off this moon. We are being hunted."
Thalin nodded gravely.
"We know. We felt it also. And heard her voice."
Worikil stepped forward and shook hands with Depa.
"Her name is General Xalma. Aside form that, your guess is as good as mine." he said.
Depa frowned. The brief flare of light may have gone unnoticed, but she didn't bet on it.
"Come with me, and quickly." she said.
The two teams joined together, but then found the canyon blocked. It was a vaapad, the same beast as Depa's lightsaber form was named for.
"Master!" Greeta cried, as the spider thing charged, and with it all the other monsters in the area.
"Sod it all, lightsabers!" Deena yelled, her green blade blazing to life.
Depa lit her own saber, and felt Greeta beside her, her own blue blade singing.
"Master?" Greeta asked, readying her blade.
"Go low, I'll take high!"
The vaapad was their target, while the others dealt with the malraas that had appeared, and more dealt with hawk-bats, mynocks and cannoks.
The vaapad was massive, with twelve tentacles. It's two evil eyes glowered at them as the pair attacked. Greeta slid to the ground on her knees, swinging her blue blade as she did so, cutting the tips off several tentacles. Depa attacked from above and cut off several tentacles, and then stuck her blade into the creature's head.
Around them, as the vaapad gave a mournful roar, the other creatures were forced off, the injuries only being a slight graze on a couple of elbows.
Deena frowned.
"The enemy is bound to have seen that. Come, follow me!"
They dashed away from the site of the battle.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Location: Malicious
Status: Expectant
"General, we have identified light on the moon." a droid said.
Xalma grinned as they replayed a small piece of footage. The lights were miniscule, and quick, but were there, if you knew where to look. On the darkness of the moon, all light stood out.
"Excellent. Prepare my shuttle."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Location: Darkron canyon
Status: Exhausted
"Master, we're too tired! We have to stop!" Growe, a Chiss male protested.
Raxin nodded at Deena, who relented.
"I know you're tired little ones, but we cant afford to delay." Freda said sadly.
Gravix frowned.
"What is it Gravix?" Thalin asked.
Teelin frowned too.
"They're coming Master."
"We cant go any further!" Growe protested.
"Tough. Move or die kid." a clone said.
"That's enough Captain Ordin." Worikil said, as he drew his blaster.
"Run! Freda, lead them on!" Raxin ordered as his saber erupted.
The Ithorian nodded, and used her green saber to lead the students on.
"Master Freda!" Freyl yelled.
Freda quickly reversed her grip and swung her blade through the neck of a malraas. There was then a great cry, and a massive pack of about one hundred malraas suddenly bounded down from crevices in the rocks, as did cannoks, hawk-bats, mynocks, and bomas. The beasts crashed to the canyon floor and started to head towards the long column of children.
"All clones to me! Kill these beasts!" Freda ordered.
"Padawans, follow her! Greeta, stay with Depa!" Raxin barked.
The other three Padawans went with Freda, who was leading the way. Her green blade was slicing through beat's hides as she ran along the canyon, taking out two bomas that lunged for Palloo. Her blade was a maelstrom of energy, lighting up the darkness, slicing her way through the dark creatures. The Padawans were also good, three blades of blue cutting away at the monsters that threatened their young brotherhood. The clones were using rapid fire to kill the creatures, as Freda led them away, monster body parts lying all along the floor.
Freda panted as she led her charges away. She wasn't built for this. She was too old for it now. Then there was a terrible roar, and she paled. The creature was a zakkeg. Another creature from Dxun, dumped her many years before, it was covered in spikes, and a ferocious hunter.
"Back! Sammy, Freyl, Allya, protect the younglings while I deal with this monster!"
The zakkeg charged at her, but the Ithorian was already on the move, leaping up into the air. She then plummeted down and dug her blade into the scales of the creature, which gave an enraged roar. One scale came off, and the beast gave a lurch, and Freda slammed into the canyon wall. She then sprang at the beast as it turned to her, slicing the jaw of the thing as it turned. It gave another roar, and Freda dropped to the ground and plunged her saber into it's stomach. Giving a cry, it tried to trample her, but she rolled out and lunged at the creature as it gave a roar. She stuck her blade into the back of the zakkeg's mouth and brought in a half circle. With that the thing thudded to the ground, defeated.
Freda gave an exhausted gasp as the younglings cheered her effort.
"Are you alright Master?" Freyl asked.
"You okay General?" Ordin asked.
"I'm fine." she said wearily
Another clone steadied her.
"There you go General. I'm Commander Rocket. You alright?"
Freda nodded.
"I'll be fine."
The danger over, and the droids far behind, Freda led the group slowly on through the darkness, preying they wouldn't be found. They came to the top of the canyon, and looked down the other side.
There was a wooden gate.
"A gate? I thought this place was uninhabited." Rocket said worriedly.
Freda frowned.
"It's meant to be. I have a bad feeling about this."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Location: Darkron canyon, 1 mile away
Status: Defending
The droids had arrived in the canyon. Blasterfire was streaking at them, and the Jedi were on the defensive. Super battle droids, dwarf spider droids and destroyed droids were steadily progressing forward as the Jedi.
"Greeta, go high!" Depa yelled.
Greeta sprang into the air, her blue blade deflecting as she landed in the throng of milling droids. She stabbed a spider through the head, and then proceeded to wreck the droid ranks from within.
Depa meanwhile shot forward in a Force dash, cleaving through two SBDs in the process. She deflected shots back towards two destroyers and blasted them with a push.
Raxin then dove into the throng, his lightsaber hacking away at droids.
There was then a sinister whine as a flight of STAPs came bearing down on them. Deena gave a feral snarl and sprang upwards, slicing one platform in half, blasting one into the wall with a Force push, throwing her blue lightsaber to decapitate the pilot of another and finally plunging her saber into the balance gyro on the last. The platforms crashed, and she landed on the ground, halving a destroyer that picked the wrong moment to lower it's shields.
Gravix snarled as the droids regrouped and marched forward.
"Everyone behind me please." he said, putting away his green saber.
The others all sprang behind him, and he let loose a massive Force wave that dislodged several boulders and crushed some of the droids.
"Attack!" he said, taking out his saber again, and the Jedi leapt onwards, their blades cutting into their enemies.
"Teelin, to me!" Thalin yelled.
The team cut their way up the left flank, and sprang upwards to the top of a small outlook. Then, they saw a shuttle come and land above them.
"A Sheathipede shuttle?" Teelin asked in shock.
Thalin narrowed his eyes.
"We're about to meet our enemy."
The shuttle disgorged four new droids. They were tall and skeletal, with glowing red eyes and long staffs.
"What are they?" Deena asked worriedly as her saber burst into life once again.
"They are my MagnaGuards Jedi. Like them? They are more the capable of taking you on. Kill them." a woman's voice ordered.
The four droids gave sinister laughs, and leapt down to the canyon floor.
"I have a very bad feeling about this." Worikil said worriedly.
The Jedi raised their lightsabers, but Depa was more interested in their new enemy.
She then came forward and allowed herself to be seen.
She was tall, almost taller than Master Ki Adi Mundi. Long, dexterous fingers were the colour of alabaster. Dark wicked yellow eyes shrouded red pupils. Her lips were black on top and red on bottom. At her supple waist was a lightsaber. She was dressed totally in black, with her clothes having a ragged look as though she had fought to be there. A cape streamed from her shoulders and fluttered in the wind. She had pure white teeth, two of which were fangs. Black lightning bolts were tattooed diagonally across her face.
"Greetings Jedi. I am General Xalma." she purred, and raised her hands.
Jagged bolts of Force Lightning suddenly burst forth, as her droid bodyguards sprang towards the Jedi.
Deena gave a shriek and raised her hand, conducting the attack towards her while the others dealt with the droids.
The MagnaGuards attacked, and the Jedi were suddenly on the defensive. Depa leapt at one of them, and aimed her blade right through the shaft of its weapon. She was very surprised when it didn't go straight through. The droid made an eerie sound like a laugh and attacked. Depa was suddenly forced back by the ferocity of the droids attack. The thing was masterful at combat, easily deflecting even her Vaapad attacks. The staff was made of phrik alloy and stopped her saber. She was up to skill alone. She leapt over the droid and came down behind it, only to be caught in the stomach by the end of its staff. As the wind was knocked out of her, the droid twirled its staff and came at her.
Greeta then appeared from nowhere, her lightsaber blocking the attack while her Master got her strength back. However Greeta was no match for the droid, and she was quickly forced backwards. That was when Depa re-entered the fight, her lightsaber arcing around to take off the droids head. The droid blocked her attack, but underestimated Greeta. Greeta's blade sliced the droid's head off and she cheered in victory.
Then the staff twirled around the body, and the Jedi were taken aback. The headless droid still fought them just as well as if it had a head. The two were off-footed, and couldn't recover in time to stop it. The staff hit Greeta on the shoulder and sent her spinning, allowing the droid to focus solely on Depa. Depa blasted it with a Force push, but the droid just went back two steps and came at her. Depa paled and raised her saber, but suddenly Greeta was there, her blade slicing the droid in half as it focused on her master.
"That's better." she said grumpily.
Raxin was on the defensive, both ends of his blue saber humming as he blocked the attacks of the sinister new droid. The droid span its staff, but Raxin was on the move, leaping over the droid and coming down behind it to run his blade through the centre of the droid. The droid gave a snarl, and jabbed his staff into Raxin, who leapt to a precipice and summoned his blade towards him. He then wrenched loose a rock and threw it at the droid.
The droid couldn't avoid it. It gave a sickening crunch as it was crushed.
Thalin span at the droid while Teelin dashed at its legs, taking them out from under the droid. The droid hissed as it toppled over, allowing Thalin to slice off an arm. The droid rolled as he did so, getting to its feet and crashing the staff into the Togruta. Thalin tumbled into the rocks, while Teelin was left alone. The Snivvian girl was quickly on the move, running along the edge of the canyon as the droid tracked her progress, firing lasers from its fingers. She outran them, then leapt at the droid, which was totally unprepared for the move. She crashed into it and gripped it in a Force grip, throwing it upwards. She then put it into the torrent of lightning passing between Deena and Xalma, and the droid gave several electronic shrieks. She then lost her concentration as the droid rushed at her, smoking and staggering. Then Thalin was there, his blade slicing the droid into quarters.
"Excellent my Padawan." he said breathlessly.
She smiled at the praise and they got ready to return to the fight. She ignored the fact that the droid had outsmarted her master so easily.
Gravix was a cyclone of energy as he battled his droid. The Anx Jedi as powerful, using the Force to augment his skills as the droid attempted to get past his defences. He was a master of Form V, and the droid was hard pressed to stop him as he unleashed his strength upon it. He leapt upwards and blasted the droid with a Force push, trapping the droid in a large hole. He then hurtled down at the droid, but the droid was better than that, raising its staff to block the attack. He hit Gravix with its arm, but the Anx was rolling as he did so, leaping to his feet at the end of it. He then lunged forward with his saber, stabbing the droid through the chest and jerking his blade upwards. The droid was defeated and toppled to the ground.
Deena was struggling. Xalma was very powerful. Her Force lighting was taking it out of Deena to deflect.
However, the others were bow free, and Depa joined in, adding her strength to Deena's. Xalma hissed and was blown back by her own attack.
"RUN!" Worikil yelled.
They ran, while Xalma cursed as she got to her feet.
"Fool Jedi." she snarled, and used the Force to wrench a man sized boulder and threw it at them.
Thalin sensed her intention and reversed it before she could react.
She saw it hurtling towards her.
"Shit." she said stoically, and was then knocked into the air and out of sight.
The Jedi slowed to a pace as they got away from Xalma.
"What were those things?" Worikil demanded.
"Nasty." Thalin said wearily.
"Come. We must find Freda." Deena said tiredly.
They found Freda a while later.
"You look terrible." she said as they arrived.
"They have nasty new droids…." Depa began, breaking off when she was the gates.
"Yes, noticed have you?" Freda asked lightly.
"Who do they belong to?" Teelin asked in a scared voice.
"Them perhaps?" Ordin asked, pointing.
They turned to observe a large group of blood red beings, armed to the teeth with spears and rocks and bows, glowering at them.
"We're in trouble" Tiki said in a small voice.
Ha! Told you I'd finish this chapter tonight!
Who are these strange inhabitants? Is Xalma defeated? Is Teelin right to be worried? What will happen next?
All will be revealed soon!
Please read and review!
And check out my poll, if it went up...
Bye for now!