the tale of the brotherhood
Chapter four: Calm before the storm
Karrk awoke in cold sweat. The three dead soldiers kept and kept returning in to his mind. His shoulders sank. Am I a murderer? Reluctantly, he returned to the embrace of sleep, but knew that dark dreams would haunt him.
Morning came and Karrk was freed of nightmares. He pulled on his robes, and left to eat in the lounge. His robes weren't identical at all to the ones the Jedi wore. They were more elegant, each one making a robe that appealed to him. In the corridor, he met the Annoo-Dat who had helped him yesterday. "Hey, remember me?" Karrk greeted. The Annoo-Dat pondered a moment, and then his eyes glinted when he remembered. "Ah, the one who promised to meet his friend, good morning," the Annoo-Dat smiled. "Umm, yeah, that's me" Karrk said, bothered. The Annoo-Dat of course noticed this. "Do not worry, but did you meet him?" he asked. "Well, only after he had been attacked by three rather uncommonly good- skilled republic soldiers and he had also stumbled into a stunner bush," Karrk said. The Annoo-Dat grimaced. "I know what it feels like to drop in one of those," he said. "These jungles are rife with stunners. Who wouldn't know what it feels like?" Karrk chuckled. The Annoo-Dat also saw the humor in Karrk's comment. Karrk turned serious. "What was there at that courtyard?" Karrk asked his eyes worried. The Annoo- Dat looked down. "A group of soldiers had landed there, and were attacking some longspits," the Annoo-Dat said sadly. Karrk eyes grew sad. "Ten were killed and six wounded. If my sword hand would have been used any more at all, it would have died of strain," the Annoo-Dat said. "This wasn't typical republic," Karrk said. The Annoo-Dat nodded in agreement. "But we discussed enough of that. I'm Karrk," Karrk said and offered a hand. The Annoo-Dat took it. "I am Jetak," Jetak said and shook hands with Karrk. "C'mon. Let's go grab something to eat," Karrk said. Jetak followed.
Raset was finally allowed to leave the medical chambers, eager to go get some food. He reached the lounge and saw Karrk talking agitatedly with an Annoo-Dat. Karrk looked up from his conversation and smiled widely as he saw Raset. "You better?" Karrk asked. "'course I am," Raset answered cheerily. "Hey, I'd like to introduce you to Jetak. You owe your life to him, sort of," Karrk said. "How come?" Raset asked, totally puzzled. "Yesterday, when I was coming to you I heard fighting in the courtyard. Jetak was there and he went there so I could get to you," Karrk said. "And if you hadn't that soldier would've gutted me. I see. Thanks Jetak," Raset said, shaking hands with Jetak. They started eating.
Karrk and Raset were informed that Gaalakkis wished to speak with them. They left for the personal chambers of the honored wisdomlord. They entered and greeted Gaalakkis, and also Teela who was there. Karrk and Raset sat down. Gaalakkis was grim. "We cannot risk a war with the republic," he stated. This was clear to everyone. "We sent patrols that scouted the entire forest three times. None found any sort of shipwrecks of these smugglers that the Supreme Chancellor said to be there," Gaalakkis went on. Karrk's eyes widened. "This seems like the republic is directly trying to brew a war with us," Karrk said in amazement. "Let's not jump to hasty conclusions. They might have received incorrect information," Teela said. Raset laughed emptily. "And didn't do any kind of double-checks. This strikes me very suspicious," Raset said. "But even that leads to one thing," Gaalakkis said. "That if not republic, at least someone does want to get rid of us," Karrk continued. The room fell silent. Gaalakkis broke it. "There is only one chance of act. The wise one must be informed," Gaalakkis said. "Who are going?" Raset asked. "Teela, a steelwing named Hyrsai, a soarclaw named Nargati" Gaalakkis said, then smiled widely. "And you two," "What!?" Raset and Karrk shouted in unison. Gaalakkis just chuckled. "Surely it isn't that surprising," he said. "Heck, it is surprising," Karrk muttered. "Consider this; you two are the best lightclaws we have, you've bested some of our best lightmasters, and you are just suitable to escort Teela, considering the importance that the message reaches the wise one," Gaalakkis said. "We leave in two hours. Be ready and meet me at my ship," Teela said, leaving the room for preparations. Karrk looked after Teela as she stormed off. "What's her problem?" Karrk asked in amazement. Gaalakkis chuckled at the fact that Karrk probably forgot that he was talking about the High Ambassador and Gaalakkis himself was there. Karrk of course noticed this. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Oh nothing," Gaalakkis said, still smiling. "But go and get ready, time is short," Gaalakkis continued. Karrk and Raset understood that this was the cue to leave and went for their rooms to get their belongings.
Karrk and Raset met the steelwing Hyrsai along with Nargati who was to pilot Teela's ship. Both were nice enough, being Barabels. Karrk stared eyes wide with the two being so friendly together. "You relatives or something?" Karrk asked. "No, but we share the same hometown," Hyrsai laughed. "Okay, whatever," Karrk said and boarded the ship. Raset spun after him. "Wait!" he shouted. Hyrsai and Nargati came soon behind and left to the cockpit for flight checks. Teela came soon after. When everybody got to the cockpit of Teela's ship, The Last Dragon and strapped in, Nargati activated the motors. "Hold on," Nargati muttered. Soon the ship gunned to outer space, set course to Yavin V, and vanished to the blue eternity of Hyperspace.
Chapter four: Calm before the storm
Karrk awoke in cold sweat. The three dead soldiers kept and kept returning in to his mind. His shoulders sank. Am I a murderer? Reluctantly, he returned to the embrace of sleep, but knew that dark dreams would haunt him.
Morning came and Karrk was freed of nightmares. He pulled on his robes, and left to eat in the lounge. His robes weren't identical at all to the ones the Jedi wore. They were more elegant, each one making a robe that appealed to him. In the corridor, he met the Annoo-Dat who had helped him yesterday. "Hey, remember me?" Karrk greeted. The Annoo-Dat pondered a moment, and then his eyes glinted when he remembered. "Ah, the one who promised to meet his friend, good morning," the Annoo-Dat smiled. "Umm, yeah, that's me" Karrk said, bothered. The Annoo-Dat of course noticed this. "Do not worry, but did you meet him?" he asked. "Well, only after he had been attacked by three rather uncommonly good- skilled republic soldiers and he had also stumbled into a stunner bush," Karrk said. The Annoo-Dat grimaced. "I know what it feels like to drop in one of those," he said. "These jungles are rife with stunners. Who wouldn't know what it feels like?" Karrk chuckled. The Annoo-Dat also saw the humor in Karrk's comment. Karrk turned serious. "What was there at that courtyard?" Karrk asked his eyes worried. The Annoo- Dat looked down. "A group of soldiers had landed there, and were attacking some longspits," the Annoo-Dat said sadly. Karrk eyes grew sad. "Ten were killed and six wounded. If my sword hand would have been used any more at all, it would have died of strain," the Annoo-Dat said. "This wasn't typical republic," Karrk said. The Annoo-Dat nodded in agreement. "But we discussed enough of that. I'm Karrk," Karrk said and offered a hand. The Annoo-Dat took it. "I am Jetak," Jetak said and shook hands with Karrk. "C'mon. Let's go grab something to eat," Karrk said. Jetak followed.
Raset was finally allowed to leave the medical chambers, eager to go get some food. He reached the lounge and saw Karrk talking agitatedly with an Annoo-Dat. Karrk looked up from his conversation and smiled widely as he saw Raset. "You better?" Karrk asked. "'course I am," Raset answered cheerily. "Hey, I'd like to introduce you to Jetak. You owe your life to him, sort of," Karrk said. "How come?" Raset asked, totally puzzled. "Yesterday, when I was coming to you I heard fighting in the courtyard. Jetak was there and he went there so I could get to you," Karrk said. "And if you hadn't that soldier would've gutted me. I see. Thanks Jetak," Raset said, shaking hands with Jetak. They started eating.
Karrk and Raset were informed that Gaalakkis wished to speak with them. They left for the personal chambers of the honored wisdomlord. They entered and greeted Gaalakkis, and also Teela who was there. Karrk and Raset sat down. Gaalakkis was grim. "We cannot risk a war with the republic," he stated. This was clear to everyone. "We sent patrols that scouted the entire forest three times. None found any sort of shipwrecks of these smugglers that the Supreme Chancellor said to be there," Gaalakkis went on. Karrk's eyes widened. "This seems like the republic is directly trying to brew a war with us," Karrk said in amazement. "Let's not jump to hasty conclusions. They might have received incorrect information," Teela said. Raset laughed emptily. "And didn't do any kind of double-checks. This strikes me very suspicious," Raset said. "But even that leads to one thing," Gaalakkis said. "That if not republic, at least someone does want to get rid of us," Karrk continued. The room fell silent. Gaalakkis broke it. "There is only one chance of act. The wise one must be informed," Gaalakkis said. "Who are going?" Raset asked. "Teela, a steelwing named Hyrsai, a soarclaw named Nargati" Gaalakkis said, then smiled widely. "And you two," "What!?" Raset and Karrk shouted in unison. Gaalakkis just chuckled. "Surely it isn't that surprising," he said. "Heck, it is surprising," Karrk muttered. "Consider this; you two are the best lightclaws we have, you've bested some of our best lightmasters, and you are just suitable to escort Teela, considering the importance that the message reaches the wise one," Gaalakkis said. "We leave in two hours. Be ready and meet me at my ship," Teela said, leaving the room for preparations. Karrk looked after Teela as she stormed off. "What's her problem?" Karrk asked in amazement. Gaalakkis chuckled at the fact that Karrk probably forgot that he was talking about the High Ambassador and Gaalakkis himself was there. Karrk of course noticed this. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Oh nothing," Gaalakkis said, still smiling. "But go and get ready, time is short," Gaalakkis continued. Karrk and Raset understood that this was the cue to leave and went for their rooms to get their belongings.
Karrk and Raset met the steelwing Hyrsai along with Nargati who was to pilot Teela's ship. Both were nice enough, being Barabels. Karrk stared eyes wide with the two being so friendly together. "You relatives or something?" Karrk asked. "No, but we share the same hometown," Hyrsai laughed. "Okay, whatever," Karrk said and boarded the ship. Raset spun after him. "Wait!" he shouted. Hyrsai and Nargati came soon behind and left to the cockpit for flight checks. Teela came soon after. When everybody got to the cockpit of Teela's ship, The Last Dragon and strapped in, Nargati activated the motors. "Hold on," Nargati muttered. Soon the ship gunned to outer space, set course to Yavin V, and vanished to the blue eternity of Hyperspace.