Mandalore - Outer Rim Territories
Jarik POV...
The ship dropped out of hyperspace just outside of scanning range from any Imperials that may be surrounding Mandalore. The ship that I used nowadays was a VCX-150 freighter, developed by Corellia of course, because who doesn't enjoy their ship building companies? R5 was in charge of making sure the engines and machinery were in the best condition possible, while I kept up on electrical circuits and communications abilities within it. Despite behind older, slightly beat up and at times sketchy, it still ran satisfactory, able to go at fast enough speeds to outrun Imperials.
"Wow. Certainly got quite the audience," I remarked warily.
In orbit around the planet were three Imperial Star Destroyers, the full cruiser class. Not a good sign. R5 expressed his complaints next to me in the cockpit.
"Yeah I know it looks bad but we've gotta go through this!" I stress urgently with him.
He beeps angrily again and I let out a sigh.
"You know, if we don't do this, we don't see Ahsoka again. And I know for a fact that you absolutely adore her, so you're going along with this," I tell him sternly.
He sinks glumly on his axels, letting out a low beep before going quiet, much to my satisfaction.
"Good. Time to sneak past a blockade," I say confidently.
What losers. For such a strong and mighty Empire capable of many great feats and boasts, that's all they are; hollow words. I'm willing to bet my Force bond with Ahsoka that the majority of its high ranking military officers are a bunch of arrogant, incompetent punks who only got their ranks through privileges with family or close friends. I was prepared to patiently, but agonizingly wait out the blockade, speeding towards Mandalore before shutting the entire thing down, allowing my burst of speed to continue flinging me towards the planet, gravity helping the journey along as well.
However R5 informed me that the Star Destroyers apparently weren't searching very hard at all for unauthorized ship access, so I gunned the engines straight underneath them, not suffering any problems at all. I doubt they even noticed me! Then once I reached the surface near the capital city, there was another Destroyer docked with it. This time I didn't take the risk and landed far from the dome, although not so far that it would be over 45 minutes of walking. Walking down the exit ramp, I pulled my hood back up, making sure my lightsaber was well hidden in my cloak.
R5 beeps at me again questioningly, and I turn to look at him.
"Do you want to come along this time, or stay with the ship?" I ask him.
He beeps again, heading back inside and I roll my eyes. Whatever.
I exit the ship, and the ramp closes as I take a good look at my surroundings. Barren, destroyed land ravaged by centuries of war are all that greet me, dust blowing through the wind. The domed city capital of Sundari loomed in the distance, the single Star Destroyer parked there. With a sigh, I trudged forwards to brave the hot desert climate towards the dome, wondering what sort of clue I would find here in Mandalore.
Sundari - Mandalore
3rd person POV...
He stood there, overseeing the excavation that was by the limits of the city, far from anyone's view, and thought carefully about what was to come next. He knew who was coming, based on the report from that former Death Watch member hoping for a reward and satisfaction, of which he would get none. And he knew exactly who was coming: Jarik Shan.
The Jedi was no doubt searching for the one he had a close connection to, drawn here by something, of which he had already found after Order 66, when he was appointed to his task. Using the item acquired by Lord Vader would lure the Jedi into a trap, as his Force bond with the late Ahsoka Tano would sense the presence of it.
Originally, Lord Vader was going to be the one who would capture Shan with this trap laid out for him, but the Emperor had him on another assignment at the moment, and thus he was assigned the task of capture the Jedi instead. And he will.
Jarik POV...
After what felt like forever, I had finally gotten close to the city itself, so now was when I had to be extra cautious and careful with what was going on. The entrance to Sundari was far up by the docks, which was an obvious no for me, which meant I had to go through more secretive ways in order to find a way inside. Frowning, I glanced around the place warily, feeling there had to be some sort of defense of shield around the dome, regardless of the Star Destroyer hovering nearby. I could still hear the massive thrusters roaring as they kept the ship in the atmosphere and docked even from all the way down here.
"R5, anything I should be concerned about here?" I ask through the comlink.
He beeps back in reply, saying that his scans are picking up a faint energy pulse coming from the dome, and theorizes it to be a ray shield. Sighing in irritation, I thank him before rushing up to the wall as fast as I could, stopping just before it. I picked up a small pebble, tossing it against the dome wall. immediately, the pebble disintegrated into dust, being vaporized by the shield, which I could glimpse a small red light come from where the pebble hit.
"Ok, time to work my magic," I mutter, pulling a device out of my pocket.
I hold it up, pressing a few buttons, and a small scanner comes out, the blue light reflecting out of the wall. Judging the strength and energy used to power the ray shields, my wonderful little device properly accounts for it and brings out four little modified electro-magnets. I'll be able to use these to temporarily deactivate the area radius within the square long enough to cut a hole through the wall.
I place the four magnets on the wall carefully, large enough for me to get through, and they sizzle slightly before setting properly, activating a thin laser which connects to all four. The area within that square is now empty of a ray shield. Immediately, I pull out my lightsaber and activate it, cutting through the wall as fast as possible. The electro-magnets begin to beep quietly and I cut through faster, since the shields are about to come on soon. If I keep the shield blocked for too long then the Imperials would begin to notice, which I do not want.
Finally, I finish the cut, and slam into the wall, pushing through the thick metal. The moment I get passed the outer layer, the ray shield comes back on just a few centimeters away from me, and the electro-magnets are destroyed, falling off and too the ground, now useless. I let out a sigh of relief before pushing the cut up section again, going all the way through. The metal falls to the ground in front of me, and I enter the dark area, probably a forgotten section of the outer edges of the city that nobody would ever visit. Better for me.
A few minutes later, I was now in an area where there were some people milling around, in a more industrial area of Sundari. Like I suspected, there were Stormtroopers patrolling the streets, with civilians shuffling along orderly, giving the Imperial troops a wide berth. I have my hood up, my lightsaber concealed once again and walk through the streets as casually as possible, staying out of the crowded area. I still don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for, but there has to be something somewhere around here. I'll search the entire dome if I have to, although I am most definitely not looking forward to that possibility.
I then sense a small shift in the Force... lightly, but something. I shift my head slightly with a frown, probing along it before coming to a conclusion. What it is, I don't know, but I am going to trust in the Force to guide me. I begin heading down another direction away from the other people before a Stormtrooper rounds the corner in front of me, and makes for my direction. Great.
"What's your destination?" he demands, a little rudely.
"Just heading for my workplace. I'm late as it is sir," I respond meekly, keeping my head bowed in a submissive posture.
"Let me see your identification," he tells me.
Now that won't do. Not at all. Looking back up, I focus on the Force and wave my hand by his head.
"You don't need to see my identification," I tell him.
"I don't need to see your identification," he replies in a trance.
"I must be on my way with no interruptions."
"You must be on your way with no interruptions."
"Carry on."
"Carry on, carry on," he says, waving me forwards.
"Thank you kindly sir," I say with a smile, walking past him.
Once I go by, he continues on his way as well, not remembering his meeting with me at all. Absolutely genius.
I continue through the city, feeling along with the Force for whatever I should be looking for. To my delight, the sensation I am getting is slowly getting strong, however I can't make out what it is yet. Luckily I'm in the more abandoned areas of the city, so I don't have to worry about Stormtroopers getting in my way again as much. I've heard rumors that those guys suck at their jobs anyways. Clone troopers were said to be much better...
I still slightly in remembrance of the good friends and great fighters under my command in the Clone Wars, before shaking my head, continuing onwards. There wasn't anything I could do, and it was not their fault. Sidious played us all, even his own apprentice Count Dooku. I have to wonder how Boil is doing, if he found Rex and whoever else was still free of the Empire's control.
Turning around a few more corners, the area begins to be filled with more dirt than roads and cracked streets, which is interesting. And the sensation from the Force that i'm am getting is only growing stronger. I then widen my eyes in surprise at the familiarity I'm finding from it, taking comfort in the Force from this. What is over there?!
Moving on quicker, I follow the pathway to its destination, eager to know what I will find.
3rd person POV...
Following along with Shan's progress, he smiled to himself. He had the Jedi right where he wanted him, lured into the trap that he had set up. Soon it would be time for him to make his move, and bring Shan to the Emperor and Lord Vader.
"Ready the trap," he says into his comlink, moving out.
The original leader and Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisitorius, Barriss Offee, failed on Mustafar; he would not.
Jarik POV...
I was absolutely dying to know what there was for me to find now, yet I could sense I was very close! I turned another corner around an abandoned old building made of stone to find a door. Easily slicing through it, I entered the room, finding a small courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls on all sides. Most of the place was covered in dirt and dust, small crates left discarded from whatever the room used to be. But what was in the middle had my attention immediately.
A small grave stone, with different markings on it. I frowned, moving forwards when I sensed this was what the Force was leading me towards. I couldn't understand it. A grave stone...?
That's when a tiny bit of gleaming silver just visible in front of the grave stone caught my attention. I focused in on the metal shine, feeling a slight pull through the Force towards it. Curious, I make my way over to the metal shimmer and the crouch down in front of it, realization dawning in my mind as I get a closer look. I use my hands to brush through the dirt in order to better expose the metal object, widening my eyes in astonishment at the sight of Ahsoka's lightsaber.
I sit there quietly in shock for a few moments, gingerly picking the lightsaber up with my hand and freeing it from the dirt. The hilt is a bit worn down and corroded, the metal alloy covered in superficial scratches. I tentatively reach out with the Force to the kyber crystal in the lightsaber, unable to help but gasp softly at feeling the familiar presence of Ahsoka, a bit of emotion swelling up inside me.
His breathing echoes through the air, cold, foreboding, more machine-like than human. He comes to a stop before the wreckage of a Venator-class Star Destroyer, it and the landscape covered in snow. He looks around, his breathing a constant sound aside from the whistle of the wind as he takes notice of the few helmets propped up on rusted metal pipes, many of them bearing orange and white markings... her markings...
Spotting something in the snow at his feet, he crouches down to get a better look; reaching out with his gloved hand, he grabs the small object and stands to his feet, looking down at it with recognition. With his other hand he tenderly brushes away from of the snow covering the hilt of the lightsaber... her lightsaber. Gripping the saber with both of his hands now, he ignites it, watching as the shimmering green blade shot out of the hilt, humming with energy. He gazes heavily at the blade, thinking about the many times he went into battle with the wielder of this saber at his side.
The long, whistling cry of a bird permeates the air, and he lowers her saber to look up at the sky, seeing a bird soaring away in the distance. He watches the bird with blue eyes, almost feeling her presence through the Force, no more than a whisper. He looks back down at the saber with yellow eyes, breathing through his helmet. Deactivating the green lightsaber, he turns around and marches away; the wreckage and old clone helmets lay in the snow left behind, no more than relics of his buried past.
I jerk myself back to reality with a startled gasp, breathing heavily as I attempt to calm myself down, struggling to comprehend what I just saw. Ahsoka's lightsaber wasn't left behind here on Mandalore, it was somewhere else... it was left behind somewhere else, at the wreckage of an old Star Destroyer. And the only reason the lightsaber made its way here is because... it's only here because...
He found it. He brought it here.
Vader.
This was no clue to help me in finding Ahsoka; it's a trap to lure me in! I quickly jump to my feet, alarm filling me as I sense a sudden warning through the Force; at that moment, reinforced doors slammed down all around me, replacing the otherwise old and cracked stone with thick impenetrable walls. I whip around upon sensing a dark presence in the Force, finding someone step through the door I had entered earlier. And he wasn't some common Imperial.
"I see you've found Tano's lightsaber young Shan," the Pau'an stated with a smirk, hands behind his back.
I scowled, sensing the dark side swirling within him, and his glowing yellow eyes was all the confirmation I need to assure myself that this was another Jedi hunter, although I was already more wary of him than the other laughable slack jobs I had come across previously. His demeanor and presence in the Force exuded confidence, not just arrogance; he was stronger, deadlier than the others I've faced.
"Who are you?" I demand, holding Ahsoka's lightsaber tightly in my hands as I turned to face him.
"I am the Grand Inquisitor," he states, stepping forwards and bringing his right arm forward.
In it was held the same lightsaber design I had seen the other two wielding, a blade that had a circular attachment around the hilt, which could extend further for it's spinning feature. The red lightsaber sprang to life from his weapon, and he held it at his side, mirroring a Makashi stance. Well at least I now know what he uses.
"Welcome," he says with a smirk, fangs in his mouth visible.
I activated Ahsoka's green lightsaber in my hand, holding it up to my side.
"I'll have you know that I won't be so easy to defeat," I warn him.
"Oh I'm well aware of your abilities, having been able to defeat Barriss Offee on Mustafar, and I assure you it won't happen here," he says confidently.
Narrowing my eyes, I rush forwards and swing my lightsaber at his side. He catches it with his own blade, and we exchange a quick series of blows with each other. I take notice of the fact that he fights very similar to Count Dooku, although not at the same skill level as him of course. Seeing this, I made a quick jab towards him, which he sidesteps, swinging for my unprotected side. Anticipating this, I jump over him I lash out with my green saber, which he blocks by activating his second lightsaber, now holding a saberstaff. I land behind him and whip around, pulling out my own blue lightsaber, getting into a Jar'Kai stance as the Inquisitor turns around, brandishing his saberstaff.
"You use Makashi?" I observe.
"Quite so. You've stayed in practice as well," he also notices.
"Doesn't hurt when I have to take out people like you," I say challengingly.
"Admirable, but confidence can only get you so far," he remarks, rushing forwards again.
I bring up both of my lightsabers, blocking both ends of his before shoving him back, twirling my blue blade around and swiping at him. He deflects the attack, bringing the other end of his saber up for an vertical swipe, and I sidestep out of the way, bringing Ahsoka's blade down on him. He easily blocks it, and we continue our small bout, circling around each other before he kicks me in the stomach, sending me back a few feet.
"Is that all you've got young Padawan?" he says mockingly.
I eye the door behind him and answer with a smirk on my face.
"No. And I'm also a Knight for your information," I state confidently.
Thrusting my hands forwards, I unleash a powerful Force push. He widens his eyes and leaps to the side, while my blast continues onwards, smashing into the closed door and blowing it off of its hinges. Deactivating my lightsabers, I immediately run out of the room, and the Inquisitor follows after me, anger pouring off of him.
"Secure the city!" I hear him say into a comlink.
Great.
I press a button on my own comlink, signaling to R5 that I need an evac immediately. He won't be happy that's for sure. I vault over a large crate and continue running, before another destroyed section of wall is suddenly flung into my path, I skid to a stop, whipping around and activating my blue lightsaber as the Inquisitor slams his down onto mine. He pushes me back into the wall, and I grit my teeth as he attempts to shove our lightsabers into me.
Thinking fast, I let go with my mechanical hand and shove him back, jumping up onto part of the wall and then using that as momentum to hurl myself like a spear at the Inquisitor. He bats my attack to the side, and I land on the ground with a roll, leaping back up to dodge his next attack before jumping on top of a building.
I continue running away as fast as I can, and once more he continues to follow after me at a furious pace while we exit the abandoned parts of the city. I was looking desperately for an exit, and once we got into an area where people were milling around, some looked up at me and gasped in surprise as I jumped from building to building, the Inquisitor following. Stormtroopers on the ground looked up as well and began to fire their blasters at me. I deflect the shots while running along, glancing around before spotting a speeder hanging around nearby.
Not caring for who is nearby, I leap over towards the speeder and hop on, firing the engine. I look up to see the Inquisitor's lightsaber hurtling straight towards my face, and yelp, quickly brining my lightsaber up and slamming the saberstaff away, where it falls on the ground a few feet from me. I see the Inquisitor jump towards the ground, calling his lightsaber to him and gun the engines, lifting the speeder from the ground.
Immediately I take off, and he watches me go with fury in his eyes while I give him a two fingered salute.
However this isn't over yet I'm sure, as he no doubt will call for reinforcements to chase me down, which means I have to leave Mandalore fast. Obvious Ahsoka's lightsaber is what I came here for, probably something she had to give up to make it seem like she was dead.
Not a few moments later three speeder bikes whip around the corner and chase after me while I fly through the bustling speeder lanes on Mandalore. Stormtroopers open fire, and I deflect a few shots away from me to the best of my ability, searching for the docks in order to get out of the city. If I wasn't there by the time he arrived, we both agreed that he would be forced to leave me until I found a safer spot for him to pick me up.
I continued to draw closer to the direction of the docks, and more Imperial speeder backs began to enter in on the chase, making it more difficult to deflect or evade the constant blaster fire while also concentrating on driving. IT felt like ages after going through multiple turns and open areas before I noticed the docks in the far distance. As predicted, the large doors that keep the place sealed off were closed, and a large group of stormtroopers were there waiting, even what looked to be Mandalorians dressed in the colors of the Empire.
They aimed their blasters all at me and I scowled, pressing up the speed on the speeder bike. They opened fire, but I managed to weave around the blaster fire, internally agreeing with the rumors I had heard. Aside from the Imperial Mandalorians, these stormtroopers sucked at shooting. Once I was close enough, I aimed the speeder at the center of the door, gunning it to full power before leaping off at the right moment, slashing through the speeders engine in the middle of my flip. The Imperials in front of me all leaped out of the way of the speeder, which exploded in a huge fireball upon hitting the large doors. My lightsaber slash through the engine would have made it even more unstable, causing a larger explosion upon contact with the wall.
Thankfully, the explosion was large enough that it provided a way for me to exit from the inside of the dome, and I took the chance, running for the hole while the Mandalorians flew after me, since some had jetpacks. Just out of my view, I could see the Grand inquisitor leaping out of a drop-ship before running in my direction. R5 you better be there when I get out of here.
Entering into the broad daylight, Stormtroopers outside patrolling the platform took notice of me running and opened fire. I deflected the blaster fire back as I continued to run for the very edge of the docks, stopping once I had no where left to run. I glanced back to find the Inquisitor and several Mandalorians headed straight for me. My comlink beeped in reply, and I smirked, turning around to look at them before leaping backwards off of the platform. Beneath me was the ship, R5 waiting just below the docks. I landed on top, getting inside through the emergency hatch while R5 blasted off to orbit. Entering the cockpit, R5 squealed angrily at me and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah yeah, you can complain later, now let me drive!" I say, sitting in the pilots seat.
Just around the planet, the tree orbiting Star Destroyers turned to my direction, unleashing TIE Fighter's from their hangers, flying straight for me.
"You got a hyperspace jump?" I ask my astromech as the TIE's open fire.
I roll the ship out of the way, pressing the trigger to fire back at them, although these guns were not very good. He beeps in reply, and the Star Destroyers move in closer, turning their turbolasers to us.
"Then punch it!" I exclaim.
He turns the plug in his astromech socket, beginning our hyperspace jump, and just as the Star Destroyer's open fire with their cannons, our ship blasts off into hyperspace.
