Chapter 7
A young man's adventure begins
Following the final death of the Emperor Palpatine; Raww Le Klueze was still in the mists of gathering resources and information that he would eventually use in the future once the time to reveal himself to the universe was right. Now that Palpatine was dead; Raww was by all rights the only surviving true Sith Lord in the Galaxy. With only Dark Jedi groups and other miscellaneous dark side users running about; this would give the masked being the ideal cover since no one save for a few were aware of him. This will also give him the element of surprise when he reemerges in force in the coming years, but for now; Raww was going to carry out the late Emperor's instructions as contained within the droid.
The instructions had told him was to go to the Sith Planet of Korriban where he was to locate a Sith Holocron hidden deep inside the ancient ruins on the graveyard-like planet. Raww Le Klueze took a Lambda Class Shuttle and he traveled to the planet alone. Once he arrived the shuttle doors opened as Raww stepped out of the craft wearing only the robes of a Dark Jedi warrior while he wore his white mask on his face. The black robes he wore concealed most of his face, but his mask was could easily be seen as he walked pass the ancient ruins until he came upon a stone stairwell leading deep into the ancient catacombs. He ignited his lightsaber to use it as a torch to light his way though the dark, cold, dusty and damp corridors as he walked over falling stones and alien skeletal remains he came across that were covered in cobwebs; he had found in several different areas throughout the catacombs.
The fowl smell of the corridors was unbearable as Raww traveled deeper and deeper into the darkness looking for the item the Emperor wanted him to find. He had to cut his way through some fallen stone slabs that were blocking his path, but he eventually reached a large burial chamber that had a large stone slab blocking the entrance into the chamber. The door had Palpatine's symbol of the Empire on it, so using the force Raww moved the stone slab to the side as he stepped into the burial chamber. Upon entering Raww could tell the chamber was opened some time ago before the Emperor's final death. The chamber had several skeletal remains lying about the chamber as cobwebs covered them and most of the chamber, but at the heart of the room sitting atop a stone sarcophagus was a triangle shaped Sith Holocron.
It seemed almost brand new compared to most of the artifacts on the Planet, but once Raww seized with his hand; a holographic image of Palpatine had appeared before him above the Holocron. A surprised Raww glazed at the image as the ill Palpatine began speaking his message he had left for Raww upon the Holocron.
"If you are seeing this Raww Le Klueze then I have been killed for the final time and I shall never be able to rise again, but I can insure the survival of the Sith order and with it hope that one day someone will carry on and finish what I started. You Raww…I have chosen you as my heir of my empire and the heir of title of Dark Lord of the Sith. Within this Holocron contains all of my knowledge I attained about the Dark Side and Jedi lore that will complete your training. Once you have completed training then you must take on an apprentice. As the rules of the Sith order dictate that there can only be two; a Master and an apprentice at a time only, but then Inside the sarcophagus is the Dark Holocron once owned by Count Dooku during the clone wars; use that as well. Now learn and grown strong in the force so one day you can restore the Sith order and conquer this galaxy and your own home galaxy. Avenge my death as well." Raww kicked opened the lid of the sarcophagus and found the Dark Holocron inside. He took the item from its resting place.
With his new Holocrons in hand the masked man grinned as he said "I will rule this galaxy, but I will not only become the new Sith Lord. I shall be Dark Lord of the Jedi." Raww began laughing as his cruel laughter was echoing throughout the dark corridors of the Catacombs as Raww left the area, and eventually the planet. Raww spent much of his time mastering the secrets and arts Palpatine had once mastered. The masked man's suspicions about the Emperor's motives provided corrected although Raww could never figure out why he was chosen, but with the emperor gone that is one question which shall never be answered. Raww still had the two Holocrons with him and he still hadn't mastered all of its secrets yet, but he would master both Jedi and Sith ways soon enough. In another part of the Galaxy on a planet far away; a young man's adventure was going to begin in the later years in a time when heroes will be needed.
Eighteen years later: the whole galaxy was in a state of war from an outside aggressor known as the Yuuzhan Vong. A race of alien begins that had appeared from outside of the galaxy much like how Raww, Yzak, and the children originated from appeared. Their first assault upon a galaxy that was still adjusting to the idea of peace could perhaps be described by one word as vicious. Attacking the galaxy with formidable, but bizarre organic biotechnology the new enemies of the Galaxy had claimed many victories and destroyed many worlds as they were craving their way through the Galaxy. Their onslaught seemed unstoppable, but the New Republic stood firm and managed to fight off their attackers, but the cost of victory for them was costly. Millions upon millions of lives were virtually lost every day as the war raged on.
Now about two years and a half into the war; both sides were seemingly at a stalemate. But neither side showed signs of being defeated, but perhaps that is an understatement for the New Republic that was already crumbling not just from the war, but from within as well. Now one of the main forces defending the Galaxy from the Vong; the Jedi were being hunted down and given to the Yuuzhan Vong to appeasement hoping they were halt their attacks upon the Galaxy in exchange.
As battles was fought, and Jedi were now being hunted down by the Vong and their human supporters organized into a group known as the Peace Brigade. However now a new hunter was introduced into the mix; a weapon created by the Vong which sole purpose was to hunt down and exterminate Jedi warriors since they were drawn to force users such as the Jedi. Currently on a planet known as Chiron; a young man and a young female Chironian were at her home far out in the country-side. The two were moving through a flower filled meadow.
"So your uncle's mom is a Jedi trained by another Jedi from the Old Republic era?" the young woman said. The young man following her was a tall 173 cm teenager in his late eighteen's with dark blue hair hanging down almost touching his shoulders, but his hair was very similar to his father's. In fact the young man bore a strong resemblance to his father. However some of his expressions and facial features depending on his mood sometimes closely resemblance his mother. The young fellow gently moved from tall flowers that were in his way aside as he replied.
"Yeah, but my uncle has been taking some lesions from her. Believe me I think he is a little too stubborn to make a good Jedi."
"Is that so? I know some pretty stubborn Jedi and they were pretty good."
"So you are from Skywalker's academy right?"
"Yeah…hey if you like I can set up a meeting with you guys someday. I am sure my friends would like to meet you. We need a lot of help nowadays with the Vong if you know what I mean."
"Sure; I would be glad to help. Anything is better than sitting on the side lines, but I am not sure if my Uncle and Aunt would like that. We have been on the run for eighteen years from some pretty nasty people."
"You mean the Peace Brigade or the Vong?"
"Someone a lot worst I say."
"Who do you mean?"
"Not sure…till this day my Aunt and Uncle won't tell me who. They say I have to wait until I am twenty years old before they tell me."
"I see, so they are secretive huh?"
"More or less."
Suddenly in the distance a load ear pricing howl was heard in the distance as the minds of the two force sensitive teens felt danger coming towards them quickly. "Arthur we need to get away from here quickly." The young man didn't need to be told twice as the two started to run for their lives. Taking his lightsaber from his belt he held it in one arm ready to activate its blade if things became dicey. The design of his hilt was exactly like the lightsaber used by Qui-Gon Jinn, but the color of the saber's blade was purple.
The woman had her own lightsaber, but she was going to hold off from using it at the moment. The two made their way to the top of a hill where they were able to see a group of men carrying blasters along with two more men holding amphistaffs. They were would be no doubt Vong warriors using ooglith disguises, but they weren't their only problem. A pack of about five horrible looking creatures with a pair of pursed lips Baring a pair of yellow oval eyes eight bandy legs stood no taller than up to the human waist. The creature was eight meters long with a flattish head, an undulating body covered in black scales, a line of coarse sensory bristles ran down its spine and a white barb protruded from its flickering whip of a tail. They were the new creatures being used by the Yuuzhan Vong called the Voxyn.
A total of five of them were coming straight at them drawn by their sensitivity to the force. It didn't take the other men armed with blasters to open fire on them. Fortunately for the two their attackers had lousy aiming skills. Not wanting to chance taking on a pack of five Voxyn and a group of armed attacks the two Jedi ran for their lives, but were forced to stop momentarily when the creatures gave out a glass shattering paralyzing howl. Despite this the two Jedi weren't completely paralyzed yet due to that they had barely managed to shield their ears in time to prevent the howl from fully paralyzing them. The two pushed onward forcing themselves to endure it as they continued to shield their ears from it.
"Damn what are those things?" Lusa yelled as she tried to ask Arthur her question as the two ran for their lives.
"I don't know, but let's put some distance between them and us."
"Agreed."
The two ran into a small gorge-like area as the cliffs were growing taller as the two proceeded deeper and deeper into the ravine with their pursuers hot on their trail. Seeing how narrow the ravine was; Arthur stopped and reached out with the force; he waited until he saw their pursuers before he caused an avalanche sending hundreds of pounds of rock crashing down on them. The muffled voices of Vong and human voices were heard along with Voxyn
It took moments before the dust from the collapsing rocks settled down. It was about a minute or two later that the two Jedi saw the rocks moving and three Voxyn along with the two Vong warriors with their disguises ruined in the avalanche didn't looked pleased with the Jedi's actions. Their foes were steady advancing on the two Jedi as the two Vong warriors said something in their own language, but the words Jeedai were heard. Whatever they were taking about it was not only directed at them, but it didn't sound good for that matter which was already obvious.
The first of the two Voxyn led the charge as the young Jedi coordinator who had hoped to avoid a battle activated his lightsaber as its violet blade emerged from the hilt. The other Jedi done the same as the Voxyn were upon them. Arthur took the initiative and leapt into the air to avoid the creature's deadly brown mucus it sent flying at one of the two force sensitive warriors. In mid air the young half coordinator threw his lightsaber down upon the creature's back. His aim was so accurate, precise and fast that the monstrous hunter found its spine cut through and impaled by the lightsaber before it even had a chance.
As he began to descend back towards the ground he reached out with the force and pulled his lightsaber forward until the creature was virtually cut in two. After returning to his hand; Arthur saw Lusa's predicament as the next Voxyn along with the last two Vong warriors were advancing on her. Arthur turned and twisted his body into spiraling down to the ground. Landing on his feet like the most graceful of feline creatures Arthur moved to the attack; the Voxyn after landing near Lusa as the woman went to join him. The Alien warriors were going to stand around and do nothing as two Jedi were going to decapitate their creature. With their weapons raised they moved forward crying out a type of battle cry in their own native tongue hoping it would intimidate their foes.
However the tactic failed; as Arthur and Lusa were going to move against the Voxyn first since it was the biggest threat to them present. They had only a few seconds to kill the beast before its handlers would join the battle making defeating them much harder. The creature was about to lunge at them with its claws carrying virus and other deadly toxins, but it was going to let out a paralyzing scream first. Unfortunately Arthur was reacted much faster than the Voxyn as he threw his lightsaber forward and embedded it within the monster's throat.Quickly calling his saber back into his hand using the force as the blade emerged cutting the dead Voxyn's head apart; it reached his hand right as the first alien warrior was posed to strike.
Lusa fought one Vong warrior as Arthur faced off against the other. Its staff managed to hold back the boy's lightsaber. Caught in a temporary deadlock; the Vong warrior was about to attempt a counter attack, but he saw Arthur kick him between the legs before punching him in the face sending the towering Vong warrior back. The last thing the warrior saw was Arthur's lightsaber going through his chest, and from that moment the alien warrior knew no more.
The female Chironian was struggling against the deadly warrior she was facing was pushing her back as his amphistaff came to life trying to bite her arm to inject some deadly venom into her body, but Arthur intervened as he took off the warrior's arm right before he turned the hilt of his saber right before sending its blade under his arm into his chest tearing through his enemy's lungs and heart killing the Vong in less than a second. After his body slumped to the ground; Lusa and Arthur put away their lightsabers and made a hasty retreat from the area.
An hour later at a small home build from stone and wood gathered around the area giving it the appearance of a small cabin that was nested besides a large cliff overlooking a massive lake. Arthur and Lusa entered the home they found one sliver haired coordinator standing by a table speaking with a young girl with short sliver hair wearing some brown robes. Yzak turned his attention to the two and in his usual pleasant tone of greeting he spoke to the two Jedi.
"Where the hell have you been Arthur?"
"Seeing my friend and fighting some Vong."
"WHAT?"
"We ran into some trouble on the way here."
"Oh great." Yzak said as he put one hand on his face before turning to face Arthur's friend. "Oh who is this by the way?"
"This is Lusa a Jedi from Skywalker's academy. I met her a few days ago."
"Greetings...Arthur has told me a good deal about you two, and your daughter."
"The name is Ezalia Jule." The young girl said with a smug expression matching her father's signature smug expression. She really was Yzak's daughter; there were no doubts about that. A moment later Cecile walked in and saw the group; she walked up to Lusa and offered her hand.
"I am Cecile Grell Jule. Pleased to meet you."
"So all of you are Force Sensitive users?"
"Actually we are all Jedi. My father was a Jedi from the Old Republic Era and everything he knew about the ways of the Jedi were passed onto me and eventually to young Arthur. Currently I am still working with Yzak and our daughter on training them." The female Jedi Knight explained to the group.
"Interesting...I thought all of the Jedi that existed in the Old Republic era were all but wiped out save for a few."
"Well my father was one of those few."
As the young man heard the two women talk for a few minutes thoughts went in and out of his mind as he recalled all of the news reports and the recent incident that happened. "Excuse me, but I think we should leave this planet and join with the other Jedi." Arthur said without hesitation. Yzak turned to him not looking happy at the boy's sudden outburst.
"We can't do that?"
"Is it because you are afraid of him? Uncle we have more serious problems; the Vong's new weapon tracks force users. I think its time we stop sitting on the sidelines and get out there and do something before the Vong hunt us down. I think you and I already know enough about recent events to do so."
"But?" Yzak was about to say, but Arthur interrupted him.
"But nothing...as we stand around here doing nothing as millions of people are dying each day and I for one will not stand by and watch as it continues around us. If you guys don't want to come then I'll go alone." Arthur said as Yzak looked at him and replied simply.
"You were planning on asking this regardless if you were attacked or not when you came home right."
Arthur remained silent.
With a grin Yzak looked to his wife and said "You know living in hiding has become boring. I believe it's high time that we go and do something together as a family. How dose joining the fight with Skywalker and the other Jedi against the Vong sound?" Yzak asked with one of his cocky smiles. His wife smile in agreement as Arthur smile and answered.
"I think you know the answer to that one already?"
"Alright then, but where do we find Skywalker and the others?"
"I can help you with that?" Lusa stepped up and said as the others turned to her. "I can lead you guys to where they are."
"Ok now that is settled lets leave before any unexpected company arrives." Cecile suggested.
"Agreed...we'll take the transport ship and leave."
After hearing Yzak's suggestion the female Jedi asked "Then let's raise it from the Lake."
A short time later once their things were packed; the group was gathered by the edge of the lake where Arthur, Yzak, Cecile and Ezalia were using their force powers to raise something buried under mud and dirt to the surface. As it rose up from under the water as last of the mud that covered it was washed away. The ship was about close to the shoreline. Yzak walked up to the hatch of the ship and opened up the hatch. "Alright everyone get aboard."
Elsewhere in the vast Galaxy in a dimly lit chamber sat someone on a black metallic throne exactly like the one used by Gilbert Dullindal at the Space Fortress Messiah. A figure wearing black robes was seated there with a chess board sitting before him on a floating table. He moved a black pawn forward before moving a white knight towards it. The figure was using the white pieces as he thought to himself.
They are moving towards them. Now we can begin.
The figure pushed a button on the side of his chair as a holographic image of an Imperial Captain appeared before him asking "Yes my Lord." The figured remained closely hidden by the darkness as a faint smile appeared upon his lips before he spoke his thoughts to the Captain.
"Has the pawns arrived...did they pass Aizoc III yet?"
"Yes sir...we have continued tracking them ever since they left their home Galaxy."
"Good...make sure they find their way to Skywalker and the others as for Yzak and the others continue to leave them be for just a little longer."
"Your will shall be carried out Darth Sidious."
A couple hours later somewhere along the outer rim approaching the inner rim territories were a group of three ships trying through Hyperspace. However these ships weren't your typical craft you would find in the Galaxy. They like the Yuuzhan Vong came from outside the Galaxy. The three ships were the Minerva, Archangel, and the Eternal. All three ships had dared the Intergalactic void and survived making it into a Galaxy that was currently at war with one another. The ships were passing the Naboo system when suddenly something pulled them out of hyperspace. They were about a light-year away from Naboo when the three ships came across a single Imperial Class Star Destroyer using its Gravity Well generator to bring the three ships out of Hyperspace. Several moments later as Tie fighters were sent out to deal with the three battleships the mobile suit hangers of each ship opened up and deployed their mobile suits. From the Minerva a black and yellow colored ZAKU phantom equipped with a Blaze wizard pack was deployed along with five GOUF command units and two more ZAKU warriors carrying a Gunner Pack and a Slash pack. The Eternal deployed the Gaia Gundam, and its DOM units while lastly from the Archangel. The golden mobile suit known as the Akatsuki followed by nine Murasame units, but one of the units were painted Red. The last mobile suit to launch from the Archangel was the Strike Rouge equipped with the Aile pack and it was using the original Strike Gundam color configuration.
"DOM units defend the Eternal and the other ships. Kira and Athrun you two and I will attack that Star Destroy after we fight our way through those Ties. Mwu; can you, Dearka and the rest handle them?" One Andrew Waltfeld asked from the cockpit of the Gaia Gundam. Although the Desert Tiger was pushing very close to his sixties, but was currently about fifty five years old; he was still a very capable MS pilot in the Gaia Gundam.
"Roger that we are more than a match for these Ties." Mwu said as he deployed the DRAGOON beam cannons and beam turrets from the Shiranue space pack the golden mobile suit wore. The beam weapons spread out and began attacking the Tie fighters. A couple of ties were blown apart as the DRAGOON controlled weapons flew about firing upon the Tie fighters. Athrun Zala in his machine a red colored Murasame unit transformed from its mobile armor mode and drew its beam saber to cut through a charging Tie fighter as it was firing at it with its weapons, but Athrun's pilot skills managed to evade the attacks and get close to his foe to cut it down.
"I think we can handle them and sink that Star Destroyer."
"Athrun do you suppose they were waiting for us?" Kira Yamato asked from the cockpit of the Strike Rouge as he fired multiple shots from his beam rifle in rapid fire secession destroying at least two Tie fighters with precision aiming proving that it didn't matter how old you got. For coordinators they would have to hit seventy years old before any decrease in their skills began to show due to age.
"No doubt now; our departure from our own Galaxy without any intervention or attempt to stop us proves that. He wanted us to make it here that I know for sure, but why? What is Le Klueze up to now?" Athrun asked as he whipped out the beam rifle to shot down another Tie fighter attempting to make an attack run on the Archangel. "Another thing; why would he only send this many troops to stop us? He should know we can defeat a group of Tie fighters and a Star Destroyer? What is the purpose of this battle?"
"I don't know, but let's just focus on the matter at hand." Dearka announced as he fired a swarm of missiles at the enemy. The ties evaded them, but a few flew into the line of fire of Dearka's beam rifle and the line of fire from the ZAKU Gunner's beam cannon. A total of six were taken out.Suddenly the ZAFT ship launched another mobile suit into the battle. Parts of it were sent out before combining into the Blast Impulse Gundam.
"How dare you guys start the battle without me?" Lunamaria Zala asked over a com channel as she fired both of her beam cannons at the enemy. She damaged one enemy craft as it was sent hurling into another Tie fighter destroying both of them in the collision. Athrun replied to the woman's com.
"Don't worry about it dear...we still got plenty to go around."
"Less chatter everyone. We need to sink that Star Destroyer." Andrew said as he flew pass the swarms of Tie fighters destroying one whenever he had one in his slights and evading their fire at the same time. Mwu was following suit as he fought his way through a squadron of Ties and began flying up long the top of the Imperial battleship evading enemy fire as it rained down upon him, but even if a shot hit him. The Akatsuki's beam reflection armor bounced the beams harmlessly away or if the angle was right send the beam right back at the sender.
As the mobile suit forces of the ship fought off the Tie fighters and received support fire from the Archangel, Eternal and the Minerva. To help inflict some damage to the enemy ship; the Archangel and the Minerva began powering up their ship's Positron Blaster Cannons. Once armed and ready the ships fired sending three powerful crimson beams at the Star Destroyer. The beams ripped thorough lines of Tie fighters after the MS units evaded and got out of the beam's path. Only about a little more than a dozen were vaporized in the blast when they failed to evade the beams in time. The three beams continued on until the one fried from the Minerva stuck the front of the ship close to the neck of the Star Destroyer where the bridge rested at the top of. The other two from the Archangel hits the side of the ship inflicting enormous damage to the areas hit.
As the ship was recovering from the damage dealt to it; the Akatsuki reached the bridge of the ship and took out its beam saber and stabbed it into the bridge. As the ship was rendered virtually disabled; the Archangel and the Minerva targeted the Star Destroyer's engines before firing their Positron Blaster Cannons again as the Eternal followed by their mobile suit forces having finished off the Tie Fighter attack group began assaulting the Star Destroyer with overwhelming assaults on it until a series of explosions from both within and could be visibly seen on the outside of the ship's hull. The ships and mobile suits moved away from Star Destroyer before it exploded into a massive fireball. After the ensuring explosion one of the DOM units caught eye of an escape pod that had escaped the blast.
"This is pilot of DOM unit seven. I have located an escape pod. It was probably launched from the ship before it went down."
"Advance with caution. It could be bobby trapped. Scan it first." Murrue La Flaga from the Archangel advised.
"Yes sir." the Dom pilot said as he scanned the pod before grabbing it and making his way back to the ship with it. Once inside the Archangel's hanger; the pod was opened only finding a dying Imperial Solider holing a disk in his hand. He died seconds later. It seemed the impact from the explosion or something else that might have happed contributed to his death. Kira looked down at the man and picked up the disk.
"What is on that?" Mwu asked as he approached holing his flight helmet under his arm.
"I don't know?"
A short time later in her cabin; Murrue popped the disk into her computer as Athrun, Mwu, and Kira stood near by waiting to see what was on it. A video recording of Raww began to play. "Captain Wills...after you terminate the three ships as instructed you are to head to these coordinates and terminate the Jedi at their base located at Eclipse. I have already sent another team to handle it. They will arrive within a couple days from now so hurry and join them." The video message ended after that as a list of coordinates was shown.
"Well these coordinates will work will the nav computer will installed on the ships we salvaged from those enemy ships and that world devastator. But this seems a little too convenient." Mwu commented as Kira replied.
"True, but if that information we learned about the Jedi is right then we need to find them and warn them quickly."
"Agreed, but will they believe us?"
"Only one way to find out?" Mwu said as Murrue added in.
"Regardless if it's a trap or not we have nowhere else to go so we must go to Eclipse."
"Then it's settled...I'll inform Dearka and Lacus." Kira offered as he turned and left the room leaving Athrun and Mwu to discuss some details. Fifteen minutes later Kira entered their cabin where he saw his wife Lacus sitting in front of her desk as their daughter Fllay who bore a great resemblance to her mother with some of her father's features was sitting on a bed playing with Haro. "Lacus we may have a lead on the Jedi."
"Is it a solid one?"
"Not one hundred percent, but it's the only certain one we have."
"I see...what are the details?"
"We discovered a disk detailing a plan to assault the Jedi's hidden base. We have the coordinates, but we have to get their before Raww's assault force does."
"However you are concerned about something aren't you?"
Kira grinned admiring his wife's astuteness to know whenever he was questioning something. "Well all of this information falling into our lap seems a little too convenient" Lacus looked at him blankly for a moment before answering.
"As you said we have nothing else to go on."
"Then we'll head to this place detailed on the disk."
