Chapter 4

[Hutt Space, Toydaria]

Security Officer Walisi

We have all heard the news the king is dead or as good as death for that matter, he was taken from his palace and I am the only witness that remains of what transpired in it.

As security Officer my job is to monitor from a central control room the cameras and movements of the guards that is the only reason, I remain alive.

"Doing my duty saved my life, the things I saw that night will live with me for the rest of it, but I was debriefed already by my superiors…What do you want know?"

The human Infront of me was an officer of the Republic forces or he had presented himself as such, he wore non-descript clothes but with style and he had a guarded look in his eyes, he was here to record the events for posterity. Oh, and what an event I witnessed

"Tell me how it began, start with his arrival" his cultured voice had an odd accent to my ears perhaps someone that lived in the outer rim.

"Sure, let's begin, I remember everything as if had just happened telling the story again will not be a problem"

The night started as all do, the changing of the guard was going on and nothing seemed out of place, just another quiet night.

But everyone could feel something different in it. It was the feeling of restlessness before a battle or the coming of a storm something… something was about to happen.

Like a bird heralding doom, the cry of an alarm sounded, a ship was approaching the planet, it did not respond to any signal or threat we made and with its speed quickly entered the atmosphere.

How much time passed before we started gathering in the landing pad? …no more than two minutes, two minutes to prepare for the arrival of an unwanted visitor, it was nerve-wracking. We Toydarians are not really all as force sensitive as the Jedi even if we are mostly immune to their mind tricks.

But as the ship landed, the world seemed to stop for a moment, it became colder and the shadows made from the lights of the palace suddenly sprang to life.

I am not a very religious person… I am not proud to admit that I usually ignore the people from the Church of Toydaria, I respect our traditions and customs of peace, but I have never felt the need to pray to a higher power.

The moment the doors opened on the ship, even as I was watching through a camera, I could feel as the eyes that shone with an eerie light were looking at me.

It was the first time that I wanted to go to church, the first time that the Nine Corellian Hells that many spacers swore by finally became real.

Out of the shadows the biggest Zabrak I have ever seen anywhere came out shooting with one of the blasters that many clones use, his accuracy was unnatural hitting… every… single… target that he shot at. He moved with purpose as he kept mowing down the perimeter.

He didn't look angry or worried. What I could see from his face even as it was covered in all those tattoos was boredom and that scared me the most. More than twenty guards were trying to kill this demon and he looked bored.

Without missing a bit, he pulled out a lightsaber I could tell what it was instantly an object that represented the strength of the Jedi, he ignited it and crimson fire burned in the night. He was blocking every shot that came at him his movements like a dance or maybe a circle of fire.

I was shocked, an enemy Jedi, the nightmares that once hunted around the galaxy the empire that rose and fell many times thorough out history, The Sith had returned, more than a thousand years after they were last seen. And it was my duty to stop him from whatever goal he had.

Calling all available forces inside the palace to block the doors, to take positions and bring the biggest weapons we could carry to defend against a single individual, it was madness but the Sith proved that they were everything that is still whispered on the dark.

He strapped his blaster to his back, I knew then that he was starting to get serious, his blade ignited again a second blade sprang from the first.

And then he started running, when I say running I meant it.

it was like the aftermath of a speeder going out of control or a rancor if let free inside a city, the crimson from his blade illuminated the landing pad as he got closer to the door. The speed in which he moved both his body and blade made it seem like a ball of fire was destroying everything.

He must have been using the famous ability that force users have to telekinetically move or throw things too, because as he moved every half-hearted barricade and obstacle was thrown of the platform.

It was a scene from hell, carnage is too mild of a word for what happened. Pieces of good men were flying everywhere, some, where crushed without even a hint of remorse, others he brutalized by throwing them at other guards.

I could hear every sound perfectly, the ripping of bones, the sound as they broke from the weight placed upon them, the screams of the fallen and those dying at that very moment, men crying for salvation, deliverance that wouldn't come.

Those men died giving us precious minutes to prepare for the next assault their names, I have engraved them in my mind as heroes. I only wish their sacrifice wasn't in vain.

As a warrior I hope one day to face my death with such courage even as painful as it was, I have no doubt they are resting very well in the afterlife.

What I have described to you took no more than ten minutes and more than thirty guards were dead, the platform was thrashed, and he was unharmed.

Yes, you heard correctly my good man, he had not even a scratch. Not even one.

A dangerous opponent had revealed himself to the republic, his next movement was trying to open the door, but we had already locked it down and on the other side, my comrades were waiting with enough firepower that we could probably beat any invading force even if it was clones or droids none would pass.

Or so I thought anyway.

Through my camera I saw him taking a weird pose both hands together but not clasping, it was as if he was trying to trap air in them, I really didn't understand what he was doing but I could hear something like the sound machines make while they levitate, that kind of sound.

It was a warning signal. one I didn't notice in time. with lighting fast speed he released what he was guarding a force unlike anything I ever experienced, the movement of air from the platform as it entered the security camera made it sound like the wail of an animal.

A telekinetic push broke the door pushing it inwards, but it remained standing if barely and now pushing inside, I could see the spirit of the men who were guarding the other side breaking for a moment. Before it changed. A look had entered their eyes… determination.

These men would protect their home and would die fighting to the last to make sure no invader left it without paying for it in blood.

The Sith then kicked the door removing it from its hinges and entered the palace.

Hmm How many men we had inside and what weapons they used? Well, that is easy we had over fifty men inside the palace placed strategically for any incursion that might occur, in this case thirty were waiting for our new friend, the other were fortifying the king's abode.

As for weapons we had swords but the moment he revealed his lightsaber I ordered the troops to leave them, all were equipped with blasters, some grenades and we mounted two repeating blasters the EWHB-12 heavy repeating blaster the same one used by the clones.

With a narrow opening and our very fortified walls it was impossible for any to enter from any other side, a perfect defensive position one entrance and one exit, it would be madness to try an assault a position like that except for him.

Oh his name…right, I learned later that his name was Savage Opress, a fitting name if I say so myself…if I am not angry? Of course, I am angry but as warrior I can't help but admire that strength. as man I cannot help but envy such power, everyone wants to be the strongest at some point in their life right?.

Now where was I… oh yes, he entered.

As he took his first steps inside no sound was made until he spoke. You have all prepared to die I can feel it he said, so I will not waste any more time than this to tell you that I will remember your deaths long after you are gone he continued.

He looked towards each of them in a moment that could have lasted an eternity but were only seconds and as he finished paying his respects to the warriors, still standing at the entrance. He spoke to us for the last time.

…. what did he say you ask? He said Now Die.

With those words the world that was standing still moved again, we started shooting and he started parrying, evading, even redirecting the shots we threw at him.

His defense seemed impenetrable a dome of red that covered him perfectly at the front and sides, the grenades only barely got his attention as he launched them back at us when he could and let them blow near him but never too close to him when he couldn't.

But this time he was not unscathed some of my men hit him or to be more accurate Savage let himself be hit by anything not to dangerous his black armor absorbing the brutal blows without trouble.

He was advancing. Slowly, but every step he took inside was marked with bodies dropping to the floor. Step after step the weapons we had brought to bear were failing us, we were failing our home.

Finally, he got close enough to stop our mounted blasters with the force, the remaining warriors charged at him like heroes of old and died like them, he was moving like water I thought in that moment. a fluidity of moment that seemed new to him. he appeared as if entranced by his own moves, until it was time to strike.

They were all cut, some more than others, lost limbs, lost wings, some were even bisected in half vertically. When the last one fell, I quickly contacted the nearest outpost to the palace and ordered reinforcements.

King Katuunko was preparing to head out with the remaining warriors he would try to get away by securing a vehicle in the landing pad.

… The Jedi? Yes, it was at that moment they arrived, Anakin Skywalker The Hero With No Fear and Obi-Wan Kenobi The Negotiator. Quickly leaving their ship they ventured inside.

Finding the scene, they confronted Savage, but I could not hear them talking. the fight inside the palace had damaged the sound transmitters, so I could only watch from now on.

Obi-Wan seemed really upset about whatever Savage said, Skywalker simply had a look of anger and interrupted the words with his lightsaber, Obi-Wan didn't take too long in joining his attack.

Like twin suns they moved in perfect harmony born from countless battles and training. Where one attacked the other defended, two men, two blades one purpose, killing the enemy.

Not everybody could have could have resisted such a performance by the Jedi, but Savage Opress while not well known was not just anybody, he was a beast, resilient, determined and like his name a savage when it came to attacking.

He retaliated with force blasts sending the broken bodies that littered the floor everywhere, moving the fallen blades of the guards along with his own forcing the Jedi to defend, he jumped around the room, his body like a mirage as he circled around them as a predator.

But Anakin Skywalker is not called The Hero With No Fear for no reason, without pause or any hesitation at all he went on the offensive determined to pin Savage down so Obi-Wan could attack any opening he presented and so it was, that while they were locking blades, Obi-Wan struck.

He moved towards Savage's back and prepared to decapitate him, at the last moment Savage dodged but the lightsaber was so close to him I was sure he could feel the heat. Then Anakin with his mechanical hand punched Savage with all his strength in the face.

The force of a piece of metal hitting the head must be devastating to anyone, one that carried all the strength of a Jedi even more…if I thought that would be it for Savage? You clearly haven't been paying attention.

I am sure that if any of my brethren perhaps any other human even, had received such a blow they would be out of the fight permanently, but Savage Opress is made of sterner stuff. With barely any indication of pain, the jaw that I could clearly see was dislocated maybe even broken, was put back into place.

Then like in the landing pad Savage became a ball of fire, from what I could analyze with the better footage of the inside of the palace he did this by moving his lightsaber in a sweeping motion at an extreme velocity, something that I'm sure takes tremendous effort and stamina.

But he did it continuously for over a minute putting the Jedi on the backfoot, they could not even retreat with the way Savage was moving all around the room cutting anything in his way and anything they put in his path to stop him, a truly hopeless situation for the Jedi.

Finally, king Katuunko arrived with the rest of the warriors, just in time too, he entered like a conqueror without any hesitation and started shooting. As he did the rest of his entourage followed suit, a wall of energy launched itself at Savage.

He, once a ball of fire, stopped for a moment at what seemed as a ridiculous turning of fortune. Just when he had the Jedi against the wall he was blindsided by a courageous king. I have never been prouder to serve my king as I was then, truly a monarch that would have faced any situation at the front.

Regardless of this, Savage was prepared with the force he grabbed the fallen door and used it as a shield, the door was holding but under all that power even it wouldn't hold for long. The Jedi were not just standing by either.

Together, they were forcing the door to move, barely, at first but as they continued it moved more and more. The king spoke then, I later learned what it was, an offer of surrender. It seemed that the battle was won, the enemy on the back foot, surrounded by Two legendary Jedi and a platoon of guards.

But you wouldn't be here if that was where it ended. Savage laughed or at least it looked like it, that was answer enough for the king, this man would not surrender against such odds.

I was the first to realize it, the view from my cameras let me see every detail of the room, the weapons we had left turned on us, He activated the grenades that were left on the ground.

It was suicide there were enough left to kill everyone in that room and no one noticed, the Jedi were too concentrated in removing his shield, my king and brethren too busy firing.

As I told you before the sound transmitters were broken so I couldn't even tell them what was about to happen, I thought every one of them was dying, then the Jedi noticed I don't know if it was their warrior instincts or the force but whatever alerted them gave them enough time to make a shield for them and the king and those directly beside him.

Sixteen men died instantly, four guards, the king and the Jedi survived the blast. You already know Savage survived too, the reinforced door in which he was hiding behind had launched him against the wall he was getting up, beaten and bloody but not yet defeated.

He quickly killed the remaining guards with his blaster, the Jedi after protecting themselves and the king were tired, gasping in the floor trying to stand up.

Savage seemed to hesitate for a moment in killing them, I guess he decided the mission was more important whatever the case after kicking the fallen Obi-Wan he grabbed the king and fled down where he came from, for me the nightmare was finally over.

The Jedi waited a bit to catch their breaths, having recuperated they also followed leaving a destroyed palace full of death, not long after the reinforcements I had called arrived, but it was too late. The fight was over.

"That's what happened, a battle straight out of legend, occurred here. Something that the galaxy will never forget" without looking at him I got up from my seat and prepared to leave.

"Indeed, the galaxy will never forget this separatist attack, but it will remember it in our own version" as I heard him speak, I turned back to face him, and I saw a gun pointed at me.

"Goodbye"

Brilliant blue illuminated the room for a moment, and I knew no more.