The Rise of Starkiller
A New Addition
I'm baaaaack with another chapter of the Rise of Starkiller! Thank you all for being patient. I don't have much to say today but I do have one note.
Who here saw the Force Awakens? I DID ON OPENING NIGHT! BEST FILM EVER!
A/N: I like to cut straight to more Mandalorian action, so I am skipping ahead to the episode Blood Sisters. Don't worry, I am going to be giving you guys a quick recap of what has happened since the last chapter. Kinda like the opening dialogue in the beginning of every Star Wars film. I know that it is nothing like the actual 'space sentences' because I am not nearly as talented as the guys who write the prologue dialogue XD
Read review and Enjoy folks!
Disclaimer: Refer to earlier chapters to know who owns what.
Chaos! The Rebel Alliance has been thrown into turmoil since the demise of Fleet Commander Sato, with their leader gone and their forces dwindling the Alliance entrusts Yitzhak Diluvium with the position of Fleet Commander. Quasar Company has enlisted the retired clones Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor to help the Alliance recuperate and expand.
Starkiller and his Stalker Company soldiers have vanished off the grid just as they had after killing Jedi Master Jelkin Pondrei. While the assassin's disappearance meant less opposition for the rebels, the worry of an imminent attack has swept through the Alliance. Rebel comm channels have been hacked into by Imperial listening posts, so couriers became a lot more used then before, but the risk is still as high as ever.
Such missions have spread the Ghost crew thin across the systems to safely escort the couriers. The rebel Mandos Leonidas Akaan, Sabine and Rosa Wren, Jacob Diluvium, HK-51, Johnson, and Maximus Oberus have been dispatched to escort a HVI carrying crucial Intel back to the Rebel Alliance. Armed and eager to fight, the Mandalorian pack is sent to the planet Garel to extract the courier and take another step towards dethroning the evil Emperor…..
Aboard the Reaper's Claw…
"Coming up on Garel, we'll be landing in ten minutes." Johnson reported through the ship's intercom.
"I finally get to go on a mission with my blood brother and future sister in law and it's on a boring courier extraction?" Maximus sighed; polishing off his Astromech Droid tools in an effort to lessen his boredom.
"These couriers give us opportunities for the 'action packed' missions you crave." Sabine reminded him, "The Empire will only flatten an unprepared assault."
Leonidas chuckled at the antics of his girlfriend and blood brother before he noticed Jacob shifting uncomfortably; while Yitzhak's son was normally confident he did get what Leonidas called 'The Pre-mission Jitters' a common anomaly experienced by young soldiers.
"You alright Jacob?" Leonidas whispered to him while Sabine continued to lecture Maximus on why the couriers played a key role.
"Guess it's just sinking in, fighting alongside my father's star student and sole survivor of Clan Akaan, I got some big shoes to fill." Jacob explained with a chuckle.
"I don't think you should worry, this is a simple courier mission; we are all just doing our duty to our cause." Leonidas reassured him.
"Right you are, Leonidas." A hologram of Yitzhak appeared on the ship's holoterminal.
"Commander Yitzhak!" everyone acknowledged their superior.
"At ease." Yitzhak stated; arms folded behind his back, "I've contacted you to give you a quick briefing on the mission to make sure you all know what to do; this is a limited secure channel so I don't have much time. As you know, this courier is of great value, the Empire is unaware of our activity on this planet, let's try to keep it that way."
"Yes Sir!" everyone saluted.
"The Courier will be arriving at the spaceport, landing bay CGMJ34, unfortunately the exact gender, species, age, and appearance of the courier is unknown so rule out no one as a possibility. The courier will respond to this phrase: 'It's a long way to Alderaan.'" Yitzhak continued, "Once the courier has been safely extracted see to it that he or she is taken to Outpost Havok."
"Understood sir."
"Good, do me proud, and make it back in one piece, Yitzhak out!" Yitzhak saluted before his hologram faded.
"Commencing descent." Johnson reported.
The Reaper's Claw descended through Garel's atmosphere and to the spaceport's vacant bay.
"Alright everyone, listen up." Leonidas told his comrades, "We must try to keep this mission quiet, but we need to be prepared for the worst in case things go south."
Everyone nodded and listened to the plan.
"HK-51, I'll need you on the wall tops to provide sniper support, use your holographic disguise to appear as a maintenance patrolman." Leonidas ordered his faithful companion.
"Understood, master." HK-51 bowed as he took on the appearance of an Imperial man in a patrol uniform. He grappled atop the wall in the blink of an eye; snapping the neck of the officer he was disguised as.
"Johnson, I need you to sync your airspace radar to your HUD, keep an eye out for any TIE patrols that look like they suspect our presence." Leonidas addressed the Shark painted Mando.
"Consider it done." Johnson saluted.
"Everyone else, you're with me, the transport ship will be landing within minutes, so be sure to use the code phrase with everyone, this may get awkward." Leonidas finished.
Everyone chuckled at the last part, but knew that they had to do what was necessary for the rebellion.
"Alright, let's move out." Leonidas declared as they walked through the spaceport's halls.
As they advanced, a unique graffiti symbol on the wall caught Sabine's eye. She stopped and examined it; Rosa noticed her sister had stopped and walked beside her.
"What is it, sis?" Rosa asked her older sister.
"A symbol, one that I haven't seen in a long time." Sabine replied cryptically.
"What do you mean?" Rosa asked as they resumed walking, catching up with their male compatriots.
"It was when you were still at the academy, when I had fled." Sabine sighed, "Can we talk about this another time, Rosa?"
"Of course, sis." Rosa nodded.
Sabine smiled underneath her helmet and gave her sister a nod of gratitude.
When Sabine caught up to her boyfriend, he immediately knew that something was on her mind.
"Something wrong?" Leonidas asked Sabine, "I saw you examining that symbol back there."
"It looked, familiar", Sabine whispered to him; deciding to confide with him, "Before I joined the Ghost crew, I worked alongside another Mandalorian, she painted symbols just like that."
Leonidas nodded; signifying he would like her to continue.
"Our dream was to join the Black Sun." Sabine continued.
"One of the most notorious criminal empires." Leonidas said.
"We went our separate ways when I finally got some common sense, I didn't want to kill the innocent for money like the Black Sun do, I wanted to honor the Mandalorian code. Otherwise I'd wind up like the fallen Mandalorians known as Death Watch. I guess she preferred credits over friends, she left me for dead."
"You made the right call, I don't think I'd have joined the Ghost crew had I not met you." Leonidas said with a smile that was concealed behind his helmet.
"All's well that ends well." Sabine agreed.
The crew walked into the designated landing bay, where the shuttle had just landed, allowing its passengers to get out. Maximus was the first to say the key code; he told it to a Mirialan woman.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." He stated; earning him an awkward look from the Mirialan and a punch in the face from her husband.
The team chuckled at the event before spreading out and trying the key phrase with every passenger they could intercept.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Jacob addressed a Chiss male, who snapped at him in Huttese before walking away.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Sabine told a Rodian.
"No kidding." The Rodian replied sarcastically with a roll of his star dotted eyes.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Leonidas told a Weequay with a few tattoos of famous crime syndicates on his arms.
"Does it look like I care!?" the Weequay asked with a big temper before walking away just like the others.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Maximus told a human woman.
"I'm not interested in filling out a survey." The woman rolled her eyes.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Sabine told an Ithorian who just ignored her and continued on his merry way.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Jacob tried an Ugnaught; kneeling down to the small alien's eye level.
The little pig-like munchkin kicked Jacob where the sun doesn't shine before leaving, mumbling things about personal space.
Sabine kinda felt sorry for her male compatriots, they were receiving slaps, punches, and other means of blows from some sensitive individuals. Maximus more so than the others; since he tried it with only females.
"It's a long way to Alderaan." Rosa told a Gran.
"Can't argue there." The Gran shrugged nonchalantly before walking away.
After what seemed like hours, the bay was vacant, and the courier was still absent. Maximus was lying atop some crates that were unloaded from the transport; getting hit in the face and equator multiple times tends to weaken you.
"I'll be the first to admit it: that was…. Interesting." Rosa sighed.
"No kidding, I had no idea that Garellians were so hostile." Maximus agreed; having received the majority of the blows.
"Are you sure we got the code phrase correct?" Jacob asked; rubbing his eyelids.
"Yes, 'it's a long way to Alderaan.'" Maximus replied only for the crate underneath him to come to life.
"Woah!" Maximus fell off the crate; or Gonk Droid as it turned out.
"Is that the Courier?" Leonidas asked.
The Gonk Droid gave its usual series of 'gonks' in reply.
"Apparently so." Rosa stated, "His name is EG-86."
"Man, I really wish we had considered the possibility of it being a droid." Maximus rubbed the back of his head.
"This is Nightwolf to HK, do you read me?" Leonidas spoke into his wristcom.
"Loud and clear master, have you found the Courier?" HK-51 replied.
"Affirmative, we are heading back to the Reaper's Claw, keep an eye out for any hostiles." Leonidas ordered.
"There actually is a contact coming towards you and it isn't imperial." HK-51 reported.
"Maintain eyes on but hold your fire." Leonidas told the Assassin Droid, "I'll send you a signal via wristcom when I need your manslaughter prowess."
"Understood, master." HK cut the transmission after acknowledging his orders.
"Well if someone is looking for a fight", Maximus activated his Vibrosword; the blade was released from the hilt, "I say we give it to 'em."
"I agree with Maximus", Jacob concurred, "Better that we deal with em here than in an active location."
"Chances are he or she is a bounty hunter, most Imperials are too cowardly to travel alone." Maximus deduced.
"How very sweet and perceptive of you." A feminine voice stated.
The attention of the group was directed to an armored female with a metal staff on her back, perched atop the rooftop.
The female jumped down and landed gracefully on her feet, she took her weapon off of her back and held it ready.
"It was really nice of you to find my target for me, I definitely wouldn't want to go through what you boys endured." The female chortled.
Sabine immediately recognized the female.
"Ketsu Onyo." Sabine growled.
"Sabine Wren, it's been too long", Ketsu chuckled before turning to Leonidas; who was ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"So, you're the one who betrayed Sabine in favor of fattening up your wallet?" Leonidas asked; his voice adopting a growl.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Ketsu asked quizzically before analyzing how protective the male Mando seemed to be over Sabine.
This realization made Ketsu chuckle.
"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" Ketsu asked; stifling a laugh, "I didn't know you had it in you with your stuck-up attitude."
"I've changed, I am part of a cause larger than myself, something you will never understand." Sabine snapped back; drawing her blaster pistols but not firing them.
"Ha, I feel so left out." Ketsu remarked sarcastically.
"Look darling", Maximus spoke up; mimicking the tone in which Ketsu spoke, "We have some credits on us, you can either fight us and risk being sent to an imperial prison; with us collecting a bounty that may be on your head, or you can take what we offer and leave us alone."
"How generous of you 'darling'", Ketsu chuckled as she stared Maximus down, both had their metal weapons drawn and at the ready, "Here's my counter, I take the courier to my client and you to the Empire to collect the bounty on your head, an extra fifty thousand credits to fatten up my pockets is definitely a plus."
"You want my friends, you'll have to go through me first." Maximus said firmly as he held his sword at the ready.
"With pleasure." Ketsu twirled her staff; showing that she was no stranger when it came to using it.
"Get the courier out of here, I'll hold her off." Maximus whispered into his helmet comm.
"Good luck, brother." Leonidas replied silently with a nod.
The trip to the exit was cut off by HK-51.
"Avoid the exits, I say again, avoid the exits!" HK-51 said with urgency, "I'm detecting an imperial patrol squad, wait for them to pass."
"Very well, we'll assist Maximus…" Jacob began only to be cut off by the Assassin Droid.
"I would advise against it", HK continued, "Any more commotion and they might hear you, Yitzhak wants us to remain incognito."
"Then what should we do?!" Sabine whispered loudly.
"Pray that Maximus's fighting hasn't rusted."
Maximus charged Ketsu and swung his Vibrosword at her, only to have it deflected by her metal pole. Ketsu swung at his ankle but was blocked by the sword. Maximus elbowed her helmet's faceplate, knocking her back a few feet, allowing him to low sweep her feet. Ketsu was knocked flat on her back but rolled out of the way when Maximus swung his Vibrosword at her; instead colliding with the ground space she once occupied. Ketsu sprung back up and struck Maximus across his helmeted head, knocking off his helmet in the process; revealing his green eyes and spiky brown hair. Maximus returned the favor with a rocket powered uppercut to Ketsu's chin knocking off her helmet as well, revealing a woman around his age with buzz cut brown hair and a Mohawk style streak of brown hair going down the middle of her scalp, tanned skin; much like Sabine's, purple eyes, and a Black Sun tattoo on the back of her skull.
Maximus saw why Sabine used to be friends with her, she had the same tanned skin, an independent attitude and a tenacious fighting resolve. Maximus had to admit she was quite pretty; wait what!? Maximus shook his head to get those thoughts out of his mind. When he regained focus, Ketsu was swinging her Bo staff at his exposed head; he managed to deflect her weapon with his own, but barely.
"Listen, this is between me and Sabine." Ketsu growled.
Before Maximus could respond, a squad of Stormtroopers entered hangar with their blasters pointed at the Mandalorians.
"Freeze, don't move a muscle!" the trooper with an orange pauldron barked.
Sabine casually put her hands up and approached the leader slowly.
"What seems to be the problem?" Sabine asked; pretending not to know why the troopers were threatening her friends.
"This hangar closed an hour ago, staying after hours is a crime punishable by years incarcerated." The commander stated firmly; also approaching the female Mando with his rifle pointed at her and finger on the trigger.
"Pretty steep crime for such a light crime." Sabine gave a humorless laugh.
When they were close the trooper realized something.
"Wait, you are the re…" the trooper began only to have his neck snapped by Sabine.
Sabine held the commander's corpse in front of her as a human shield and shot three other Stormtroopers.
"It's the rebels, open fire!" A trooper shouted before getting sniped by HK-51.
Sabine held onto her human shield while the others; including Ketsu, ducked for cover. Ironically Ketsu wound up with Maximus behind a gurney stacked with crates while the others and the Gonk Droid were taking cover behind individual crates that were erroneously placed throughout the docking bay.
"We can settle our little disagreement later, right now we need to take care of these imperials." Maximus said loudly so he could be heard over the blaster fire.
"On that I agree." Ketsu nodded while placing her helmet back on and drawing her pole and hitting the bottom of it into the ground, allowing electrical sparks to come to life on both ends of her weapon.
Ketsu spun it like a pro and deflected the incoming blaster shots, hitting them either into the air, the wall, or into the trooper who fired the round. Sabine activated her wrist shields and deflected incoming fire back at their owners. Ketsu slammed her staff across one trooper's face, plunged it into the chest of another, and hit the place where the 'stars don't shine' of a third stormtrooper. Rosa herself was taking action, she drew her pistols cowboy style and gunned down the Stormtroopers with amazing speed and accuracy, rolling to cover every now and then to return fire.
The males of the rebels watched in silence.
"Should we help them?" Maximus asked; a trooper skidded across the ground and collided with a stack of supplies next to him.
"I think they have it under control." Leonidas stated casually; another trooper's screams where heard.
The three females had soon disposed of all the troops; Sabine and Ketsu were staring each other down, ready to attack at any given moment.
"We were friends once Ketsu, just let us go and we'll work something out." Sabine tried to reason, but her tone of voice suggested that she was anticipating a fight, "You are outnumbered, outmatched, and outgunned."
Sabine gestured for Ketsu to look at her chest guard; the tanned girl complied and saw a red dot lined up with her heart. She traced the source of the laser sight to see HK-51 in a prone position, his finger on the trigger. Ketsu laughed a bit to herself.
"You've changed Sabine, you were anticipating me weren't you?" Ketsu scoffed.
"The minute I saw your signature on the wall." Sabine said; a smirk hidden behind her helmet, "But there may be a place for a woman of your talents in the alliance, just come quietly and you can see what you should be fighting for."
Ketsu reached for her utility belt slowly and quietly so Sabine wouldn't notice.
"I prefer not!" Ketsu shouted and released a smoke canister, covering her escape.
"Don't let her escape!" Sabine shouted as she shot at Ketsu through the smoke; missing her target.
Ketsu sprinted towards a trooper who was leaning against some crates; Ketsu herself hit him into the crates. Ketsu drew her staff and pointed it at the trooper.
"Oh no, not again." The trooper panicked as he tried to cover the area where he had been hit before.
Ketsu missed the protected area by inches before vaulting over the wall and into her own ship: Shadow Caster.
The Shadow Caster took flight and was ascending into orbit. Sabine sprinted to the docked transport shuttle that carried the courier and took the controls to pursue her former friend. Only Leonidas and Maximus managed to get on before she took off. Leaving the Gonk Droid Courier, HK-51, Rosa, and Jacob behind.
"This is Excalibur to Star Hawk", Jacob used his father's code name, "We have the courier but we seem to have a bit of a problem."
In the dunes of Lothal….
A green skinned Devaronian was scanning the skies for his anticipated targets, and sure enough he had eyes on a transport shuttle pursuing a dropship.
"Excellent, time for Cikatro Vizago's payday." Vizago referred to himself in third person.
Two Thug Droid aimed their rocket launchers at the two ships. A beeping was heard from the launchers, increasing its pace until it was insanely fast. The droids then pulled the triggers and launched their projectiles at the ships to bring them down.
Cliffhanger! What will happen next? Tell me what you think will happen in the next chapter with Cikatro Vizago back in the picture? Read, review, and Enjoy!
I know it isn't the 25th yet but I'd like to wish you all a Merry Christmas!
Glory to Mandalore!