Sul had just finished pulling the last of what loose materials lay inside the shuttle out into the clearing. Inspections of each revealed the generator to be old and worn but still functioning, if not barely. There was one crate, hidden beneath a pile of upturned others, that had survived the hungry scavengers of the forest. Ration packets left within enough for a few nights at most. Lindmon had pulled himself into the cockpit, busy trying to coax the systems back to life with whatever auxiliary power he could. The forest had grown darker as time passed, the slow tilt of the moon pulling more of the gas giant into view as it circled behind and out of view of the star. Around them life had broken back into its usual cadence. The sounds of wildlife calling in the distance and the skittering of creatures in the brush beyond the reach of the clearing. As of yet, whatever they had chased to find this place had decided it apt to deny them a second visit, a fact Lindmon had taken as both a blessing and a curse. The mystery of it still hanging over the area like a blanket, muddying the find with a sense of apprehension.
Lindmon pulled himself out from beneath the main pilot console, wiping sweat from his brow. Standing and moving to the back of the shuttle where Sul had started rummaging through the remainder of gear. "No luck so far… I'm hoping that some part of this rust bucket has some juice left to tell us what happened." He looked around at the internals, thumping his fist against the metal interior. "Better than dragging what's left of the generator out if we don't have to."
Sul picked one of the ration packages out and tossed it towards the Lieutenant, groaning as he settled back on one of the crates and tore one open for himself. "The Sssensor arrays seem to be in working order, the holo table as well. Likely the only reassson for that was the shelter of the main transport bay." He waved a long piece of protein supplements at the items as he listed them.
Lindmon caught the packet, listening intently as he too set about the meal. "We won't be able to load them, the Zephyr won't be able to break that canopy… our best bet is to hook them in and see what we can learn." His eyes swept out over the edge of the trees. His focus on the task had helped to temper the flood of his senses. "I don't want to have to leave this here overnight, but we need to work our way back soon if we want to make that rendezvous.. we haven't much longer before sunset."
Extensive alterations were done to this spacecraft that made it hard to identify from the outside, the retractable landing wings along with its Taim and Bak KV22 heavy laser cannons, had been entirely removed from the hull. However, after examining the cockpit extensively, Lindmon was able to come to the conclusion that it was a modified Zeta-class cargo cruiser. Specialized in airdropping military cargo to otherwise inaccessible troops among heavy fire, and a favorite among shipyards for its venerable operational capacity. Without the external wings it lost its distinct H-shaped profile, but the internal electronics and cockpit housings were unmistakable.
Without the stabilization provided by the wings this craft would be unfit to perform long range operations in any capacity. Therefore, Lindmon determined it must have launched directly from a Star Destroyer-class vessel, possibly from within the atmosphere. Any smaller craft would not have the capacity or resources to house such a large transport. He shifted around, scanning the interior deck curiously as he sat and ate the preserved ration pack. If this really was a Zeta-class transport it should have a ventral cargo hold, an auxiliary quick release container affixed to the underbelly of the ship. The interior power system may be nonfunctional, but the cargo supply may give them insight as to what was brought to this planet. He just needed to find the access hatch to the ventral hold—there!
Lindmon set the remainder of the meal aside, stepping over to the hatch. "Jackpot, let's hope there's still something in here worth a damn.." he gripped at a section of vines that had creeped in and tore them away, locating the manual release. It stuck hard, the years obviously not kind, but with an extra foot against a wall and a hard yank the release activated and the hold opened with a vague hiss as whatever leftover pressure in the pneumatics released. Their own tiny death knell.
Sul stood from the crate, moving up the ramp to get a better view of the goings on. His large jowls chomped down one the remainder of his meal as he waited for the word on their latest find. He watched cautiously as Lindmon lowered himself down the small ladder leading to the ventral cargo bay. A sharp and acrid stench of ammonia wafted into his sensitive reptilian sinuses, paired with distinctive traces of flesh and carcass. It was out of place and surely bizarre on an Imperial craft such as this…but he was sure that Lindmon was lowering himself into a predator's den. "Lieutenant, this may not be the bes—"
"Hey, make sure this door stays open." Lindmon called out from below, cutting off Sul's words of caution, "I don't want to be stuck down here." It was good that Sul was concerned for his safety, but the smell was so pungent even he could sense it. Lindmon felt confident that his military training and new powers as a Jedi would keep him more than prepared for whatever animal may be lurking in the cargo bay.
Lindmon's boots touched the deck, crunching down on a pile of small brittle bones. The cargo bay was unpowered like the rest of the Zeta-class transport and it left the ventral cargo bay cloaked in heavy darkness. He grabbed the lightsaber off his equipment belt and activated it, illuminating a portion of the room with a snap-hiss of white brilliance.
Large steel boxes filled the narrow hold, multiple vertical slits were machined into each, allowing air to flow inside the individual crates. On the side of each crate was a small placard inscribed with the designation.
HYBRID - CERAXYN
A lingering sense of apprehension and danger had followed him since arriving on the Sinviri moon, an energy that thrashed violently in his mind, searching hungrily to snare itself to its next prey. Here however…Lindmon felt bathed in it. Surging around him like a continuous vibration in the Force.
Lindmon pushed the feeling of unease down and moved deeper into the fetid cargo hold, kicking away what may have been the bones of the previous crew as he went. A small piece of fabric snagged by one of the metal doors quivered ever so slightly in a light breeze. There must be an opening somewhere in the hull, a space that allowed some kind of circulation to the outside. He kneeled down and pulled it free. His fingers ran across the damp gray fabric, inspecting what remained of the small uniform patch. It wasn't a symbol he immediately recognized but there were certainly many classified and secret Imperial organizations beyond his knowledge. He folded the patch and tucked it away in his pocket for now.
Looking over the door, Lindmon held a hand out. Feeling the Force flow out from him as he wrenched the door open. As he peered into the darkness beyond, only the smallest portion visible from the light coming off his saber, he thought he saw a platoon standing ready on the other side. It was gone as soon as he blinked, and he shook his head to get the creeping sense of dread and memories to leave him in peace for the time being.
Raising his communicator, he spoke softly, not wanting to alert whatever may be down here if he hadn't already. "Sul, lots of broken open life form containers, all labeled 'Ceraxyn'. I get the feeling the imps were doing more than looking for Bridger during their stay. I found a door leading further in, kinda cramped, but there should be an outlet somewhere."
"Sssir, given our time limit I'm not sure it'sss wise to continue." The hissing voice responded, vaguely audible from the ladder well.
"I won't be long, start working on getting things stowed, somewhere we can get to them when we return. Drop a beacon so we can find this easier too."
"Aye Ssir." The response came, straight and to the point. The sound of large reptilian feet on metal rang out from above as Sul set about his new assignment.
As Lindmon continued in, his senses lit. The overwhelming smell slipping away as the ripples in the Force teased at the nape of his neck. Hunger, rage, protective instincts. He wasn't alone down here.
The room he entered was small. Just a portion of the ventral cargo bay that was separated from the rest of the animal cages stored within. Inside was a small desk, its normal accoutrements had been blown off the surface and lay scattered about the room. Hung on the wall were dozens of XV-09 chemical restraint harnesses, a pacifier with a refillable auto-hypo designed to inject a cocktail of behavior controlling drugs into an otherwise uncontrollable animal.
Whatever behavior or training the harnesses were supposed to assist with clearly did not work for the crew of the shuttle, Lindmon thought. Among the debris he found an undamaged data pad, its glass surface was surprisingly unmarred unlike many of the other objects in the room. He clicked the activation button on the side and it surged to life, with several Imperial insignias and prompts activating on the main screen. Lindmon attempted a few standard entry codes that he was able to recall but none of them were successful in gaining access to the data pads information.
Time was short, and Lindmon had no time to waste. He pulled a data spike from his coat pocket and inserted the device into the data pad. It sliced into the small computers' electronics, destroying a large portion of the potential data but allowing him to crack through the device via brute force. The lock screen dissipated, and the data pad presented Lindmon with a long text log, the white letters scrolling among a bright blue backdrop.
SERGEANT TARO REEL: GRAND ADMIRAL. DURING MY LONG TENURE AS AN ANIMAL TRAINER I HAVE NEVER FOUND MYSELF DOUBTING MY ABILITIES AS I HAVE DURING THIS EXPEDITION. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF MY MISSION, HOWEVER THESE CERAXYN HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ATTEMPTED TO BREAK FREE OF THEIR CONFINEMENT AS WE WERE ON ROUTE TO THE SPECIFIED COORDINATES.
THERE IS NOTHING CONVENTIONAL ABOUT THEIR MANNER IN THIS REGARD…SEVERAL OF THE ESCAPE ATTEMPTS I HAVE RECORDED DURING HYPERSPACE HAVE BEEN THEM UTILIZING MY OWN MEN. THEY PROJECT SOME KIND OF INFLUENCE OVER THEM, THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. I HAVE RESTRICTED THE REST OF THE CREW TO THE MAIN HOLD, OTHERWISE I FEAR THAT THEY WILL SET THEM FREE. WHETHER THEY INTEND TO OR NOT.
Lindmon attempted to access other portions of the data pad to no avail. The spike had done its job in opening the device, but it was only successful in bringing up this screen, likely the last text transmission sent by the late Sergeant Taro Reel.
He set the device back on the desk and contemplated the message. Whatever animal this Ceraxyn was, it clearly had the ability to manipulate the Force. The Empire had brought this beast to Sinviri, likely for this talent alone, to hunt the Bridger boy. With a strong enough connection to the Force to influence the minds of others, it could have the ability to sense other Force sensitive beings like a hungry Kath Hound hunts a wounded womp-rat.
Lindmon left the narrow room, more cautious than before. The mysterious man in the forest, clouded by shadow…the vanishing platoon of soldiers. These may have all been the work of the Ceraxyn, the Force sensitive beast projecting false images into his and Sul's mind to lure them into the perfect position to pounce. But he would not become prey.
Surrounded by the empty cages of these animals, Lindmon shut off the power to his lightsaber and became cloaked in darkness. He embraced the flow of the Force around him and let its powerful stream guide his movements, just as the Ceraxyn must be doing to search for him in the dark. Lindmon was calm and let out a long steady breath. Even as his shoulder became damp with the trailing slobber of the Ceraxyn perched on the cage above him.
He could feel it fully now in the darkness, they had been the source of the rage…the malice that permeated the Sinviri moon. It was drawn to his luminous presence in the Force, a fanged moth to a brilliant flame. Lindmon felt the initial strike as his neck prickled sharply. He sidestepped and pivoted his heel, activating his lightsaber and shining its white glimmer upon the stalking predator.
The Ceraxyn's mouth was agape as it struck at Lindmon's previous position with a thick stringy epoxy projected from large glands under its tongue. It sensed Lindmon's presence shift in the cargo bay, the white radiance from his saber revealed its monstrous form. Six eyes were set in the Ceraxyn's wide flat head, milk-white with a near blindness caused by the genetic tampering of Imperial scientists. Its mouth was filled with long razor teeth, several were chipped away from gnawing at the hard plastoid of Stormtrooper armor. A light brown coat of fur covered its thick canid hide, stopping at the base of a long whip-like hairless tail, inset with a barb capable of filling its prey with a powerful neurotoxin. It would cause significant paralysis to the affected area and eventually death if untreated.
It was hunger, and rage, and animalistic fury. Lindmon felt it's presence thrashing in the Force, like so many tentacles reaching to twist around his body, to bring him to ruin within its thick jaws. The Ceraxyn scrabbled atop the cage, its six agile clawed legs scratching into the metal plating, it didn't need its eyes or a sensitive nose. It found him in the Force, and Lindmon felt the moment the Ceraxyn's cold ferocity lashed around his body before it pounced.
If he hadn't been preparing himself to face the beast only seconds before, the sudden appearance would have likely caught him by surprise. Instinct and training kicked in all at once as Lindmon pivoted away from the creature before it struck, trying to get behind it so he could hurriedly make his way back to the ladderwell. His lightsaber held tight in his grip, the small confines and physical nature of the creature making his usual tactic useless.
The Ceraxyn slammed into the metal cage, narrowly missing its prey. It snarled angrily and snapped its long tail at Lindmon as he rushed to escape. The sharp barb slapped him across the shoulder and tore into his coat, drawing some blood but failing to inject the paralytic toxin.
The beast leaped onto another cage and quickly scrambled across the surface, hungrily hunting Lindmon's escape. The Ceraxyn's mouth widened and spit out a long trail of its adhesive spit, attempting to fuse Lindmon's arm or leg to one of the cages in the narrow cargo bay.
Unfamiliar terrain and a sudden rush of adrenaline forced Lindmon to miss the tell-tale tingle in his neck as the webbing shot out, catching his foot and cementing him in place with a jarring snap as his momentum continued forward despite his physical inability to do so. He landed with a hard smack on the durasteel floor. Cursing to himself, he turned about and slashed out at the sticky material, trying to break free. 'Breath damnit, calm down, it feels you, and you can feel it just get your damn head on straight.'
The creature stalked along the cages above, sensing its prey's struggle and frustration. Saliva dripped from its toothy maw, the flicker of its form in the glow of Lindmon's lightsaber leaving haunting shadows on the walls.
His saber cleaved through with relative ease, though he was unable to remove the portion still stuck to his boot. He was fortunate that none had caught the bottom or his next moment would have ended with the same sickening thud as the first. Lindmon reached out, slamming the palm of his hand into the metal floor. A pulse of Force energy pushed him further towards his destination and into the more spacious section of the cargo hold, using the motion to flip himself into a crouch. He managed that breath, the one at least, before the creature leapt down from its crate and through the broken doorway. Its tail raised over its back, coiled like a serpent ready to strike.
Lindmon watched as the deadly Ceraxyn stalked forward in the thrumming glow of his lightsaber. His body tensed as the beast opened its jaws again, expecting another stream of sticky webbing. Instead it released a sharp, shrill scream that thrummed and echoed within the metal cargo container surrounding them. Lindmon winced as it ripped into his eardrums, not willing to yield his defensive stance to cover his ears to relieve him of the cacophony.
The beast howled incessantly as it vied for a strong position to strike. Lindmons vision blurred as if the soundwaves projected by the Ceraxyn were twisting his eyes' ability to perceive light. From the edges of his veiled view, dark shadowy figures like the ones in the forest materialized before him, without clear features or color besides a deep blackness. Their faces were twisted in permanent wails of agony as they pulled themselves across the floor, arms of shadow gathered at Lindmon's feet as they desperately tried to grasp his body. Despite knowing the shades weren't real, he couldn't help the sudden panic that set in. Kicking out at them as they tried to grab at his ankles. When Lindmon glanced back from the shadowy figures the Ceraxyn had vanished from sight. It had used the distraction to swiftly reposition itself in the darkness.
Lindmon took the opportunity to raise his communicator, his eyes scanning around the darkness. "Sul, the creatures held here are Force sensitive, that shadow we saw in the woods was one of its ambush tactics. Be aware, and whatever you do, don't trust your eyes. I'm making my way up shortly, soon as I can."
With the message passed Lindmon moved to the bulkhead, pressing his back against it and ensuring there wasn't a hiding place for the creature overhead. His saber deactivated once more; his eyes closed in the pitch black so he could better feel the creature's hunger.
'Feel, don't think. Let your instincts guide you down the right path.'
Ahsoka's words echoed in his mind. Feel. Easier said than done when everything around you feels like it wants to kill you. He could feel his muscles tensing, the sound of Sul's footsteps overhead as he apparently rushed about to fortify the main hold.
'Try to listen to the movements of the Force, instead of trying to get something out of it.'
Again, her teachings drifted into his consciousness. Her words from when he started down this path. His focus went not to his primary senses, but to that tingle. The ever-present sign his body had decided was the best way to quantify what he was feeling. He took another long breath, ignoring the smells, the sounds, the pain in his shoulder and knee. Focusing on the ebb and flow of the world around him, Lindmon waited.
The feeling came not as a gust of energy surging through him or a premonition of future sight. But instead as a raw impression and desire. Lindmon, with his senses blurring into the Force as he stood alone in the dark, felt what the beast was envisioning. He felt the creature plotting its leap, silent and swift now that the dark was all they both knew. The Ceraxyn's long razor teeth would sink into his side, pulling him to the ground exploding flesh and blood into the ravenous mouth of his dark stalker. Its barb would then plunge into his chest at the same instant, shocking his heart to stillness, and his life would be done.
Lindmon did not let the powerful visualizations of the Ceraxyn still him to inaction for fear of death. He understood that this creature, this genetically altered hunter, had found prey in its territory and had resolved to consume the intruder. This was the way of things. In war, in life…in the Force.
But he cannot be stopped here.
Not to satiate the belly of this poor creature, left behind by the Empire after it had fulfilled its purpose. Its hunt of a lost Jedi through its unique perception of the Force long past. Through this Force Lindmon's body shifted in the darkness, resolved to protect himself from the creature that sought to bring him to ruin.
In a single instant he ignited his saber, and it shocked the darkness away with its dazzling white glow. The long blade thrummed loudly as he swung the saber in a swift crescent arc, searing through the thick flesh of the Ceraxyn. The strike caught the beast in midair, separating its front leg from the rest of its body. The dead limb slapped to the floor as the beast yelped in pain, scrambling away in shock and agony.
Lindmon did not wait for the beast to recover. He surged up the ladder and slammed the ventral cargo bay hatch behind him. A few heavy breaths were all he allowed himself before pushing off the deck, running outside to meet Sul. He had finished installing the beacon, set to provide the Zephyr with a small, trackable signal that could easily lead them back to this shuttle. Sul moved with confused haste, unsure of what had occurred with Lindmon in the cargo bay, he resolved to shoving as many items of importance into his satchel as his clawed hands could. Ration packs, data spikes, even a few misplaced Imperial rank insignias were stuffed into the bag in his haste.
"I think we should go." Lindmon said quickly as he ran up to Sul.
Sul stopped gathering supplies and slung the satchel over his shoulder. Just as he was about to ask the Lieutenant what had transpired in the cargo bay, a powerful shriek pierced through the air.
They both slapped their hands to their ears to dampen the hellish noise. Lindmon found that it was coming from the far end of the shuttle he had just left. The wounded Ceraxyn was wriggling its body out through a small hole in the ventral cargo bay, the same hole that must have let in the slight breeze of outside air he had felt before. The beast dug its claws into the dirt and pulled itself out of the shuttle's hull, emitting terrifying snarls and barks that reverberated into the forest.
Lindmon's blood ran cold as he heard a howl in response somewhere deep in the forest. The same loud and piercing cry thundered through the brush behind them. And then again, several hundred meters to the east…and another just above that. The Ceraxyn was calling out to its pack mates scattered around the forest, and they were replying in turn. Sul's reptilian eyes went wide and he looked to Lindmon as several more of the beasts shrieked throughout the forest, calling to respond to the wounded Ceraxyn's cry.
"We're going." Lindmon reiterated, darting from the back of the shuttle and back down the path they had taken to get here. The pair weaved through the broken branches and felled trees. Lindmon's saber thrummed in his hand as he cut through any brush in his path, not wanting to waste time getting around the dense growths in their attempt to flee their new pursuers.
He could hear Sul's heavy footfalls close behind, the massive vibro-axe forcing its way through thanks to the Prime's formidable strength and the adrenaline now coursing through the both of them.
The sounds of the forest had ceased, the sounds of wildlife skulking in the brush gone as their sources fled the area upon the Ceraxyn's hunting call. Shadows flickered in the trees, figures ducking behind logs and chasing after them. Had they not known already that the figments were created by the beasts, they may have thought a squadron of troopers had fallen on them, trailing them down the path.
"Lindmon to Sabine, we've come across a creature and are making our way to the rendezvous, be there ASAP!" Lindmon shouted into his comm, too drugged on his body's own internal flight reflex to see if it had gone through.
The pair broke onto the main path they had carved previously, turning sharply to continue their mad dash. The tingle crept up the back of Lindmon's neck once more and the feeling of hunger returned to his senses.
"They're getting close Sul!" Lindmon cried over his shoulder.
His wrist comm warbled some response but he could not hear it over the shrill cries of the Ceraxyn. Lindmon could feel one of them to his left, the cold entangling grasp of its Force presence choked his mind making it difficult to feel anything other than their pursuit. To feel only fear as the beast continually projected images of their desire, Lindmon and Sul's throats encased in a vice of crushing fangs. The Ceraxyn's tongue slurping founts of blood from their prey.
It was close, not more than ten meters away, running alongside as they sprinted through the chopped path in the forest. The beast barked from the underbrush as it ran, a warbling snarl escaped its fanged jaw as it panted for breath. Another of the beasts called in response. This one from the other side of the path, they were flanked on either side. The Ceraxyn on the rightmost side flung itself further and faster through the forest, they were communicating through their calls. They were maneuvering around Lindmon and Sul in the forest, attempting to cut them off of the path and lead them somewhere else in the forest. Without the path, Lindmon and Sul would be slower, and face extreme trouble counter attacking the pack's swift strikes.
Lindmon's mind was racing, trying to sort through his options as quickly as possible and finding the oppressive presence on his mind serving the dual purpose of terrifying and muddying his thoughts. "Get close!" He shouted out as he threw his blade. Forcing it to spin at even greater speeds, he directed it up and into the branches overhead. Sweat beaded on his brow as the bows began to fall and he had to concentrate to keep them from caving down on the pair.
Sul slid to a halt, turning quickly to be back to back with his commander. Twin sets of eyes darted back and forth as the forest came crashing down around them. He could smell them, the pheromones leaking off the Ceraxyn's bodies creating an overwhelming scent that further impaired his perception. Branches rained down and landed in a circle around their feet, stacking to create a vague makeshift barrier between themselves and the beasts. He could feel his Lieutenant's struggle, smell the sweat on him but there was nothing more he could do but stand at the ready. His hands flexed around the haft of his axe, readying to swing on whatever came through the brush towards them. The sounds of the Ceraxyn came from all around them now. Their numbers were hard to distinguish; Sul guessed at five, maybe six hiding just out of sight. Shadowy figures crept forward and hid behind trees, blaster rifles at the ready.
Lindmon's efforts to create a clearing were going slowly, the extra effort of keeping himself and Sul safe from falling debris along with the oppressive presence of the Ceraxyn on the Force throwing his attention. Jagged branches still sat over their heads, but the majority of the growth seemed to have been cleared. At least they would be safe from an attack from above, mostly. He took a deep breath, wicking the sweat from his brow and calling the blade back to his hand.
The forest was tense for a few moments, with only the soft rustle of clumps of leaves and splinters making their way down to the thick earth. Lindmon gauged his surroundings as he waited, ready for the Ceraxyn pack to pounce. Now with some of the overhanging forest brought down the steep edge of the cliff loomed into view. How they were both supposed to clamber up the rock face with the pack of hungry beasts on their trail was beyond him, but they need only get to the top and wait for the Zephyr to come.
A loud crack broke the silence of the forest and one of the weakened branches brought a Ceraxyn tumbling down to the ground. It slammed into the fallen branch with such force that the jagged splinters pierced into its soft underbelly. The beast howled and yipped in pain as it scrabbled on the floor, hurling its body off the ground and escaping into the wild in a panic.
Feeling the pain and distress of their packmate, the other Ceraxyn turned their multi eyed heads towards the wall of debris surrounding Lindmon and Sul. All at once, the remaining four Ceraxyn lunged with bestial rage at the wall, gnashing at the branches with dagger-like fangs. The debris was ripped and broken as they clawed openings with their powerful forearms inset between their hind and front legs, spewing seeds and splinters at Lindmon and Sul.
The four beasts did not relent in savaging the barrier, but they knew their prey was behind the wall. All soft flesh and warm innards. The pack alpha carefully positioned itself, gripping larger sections of the fallen branches and used its whip-like tail to pierce through small gaps in the wall. With one strike it would inject its powerful neurotoxin, fully paralyzing its prey within minutes.
Sul was prepared for the attacking masses, the tail however took him by surprise as it darted in through a small hole and narrowly missed his shoulder. The acrid scent of the toxin dripping from the coiled tip caught his nose and turned his stomach. "We can not ssstay here ssir." He hissed, Vibro-axe slashing out as a toothy snout clambered into view.
"Thank you, Sul I had no idea." Lindmon growled in response, saber slashing forward to sever a claw that had cut through the debris, only for it to withdraw before his blade met flesh. "If you have any ideas for getting to the top of that plateau before these damned things can get us, I am all ears." His head was starting to swim with the efforts of the day. It had been some time since he last used his powers to such extent, taxing as they were normally. The chances that he could send the both of them hurtling up the steep cliff face was next to zero, and he wasn't even sure his arms would last him the whole of the climb.
The Ceraxyn alpha slunk around the outside of their makeshift wall, saliva dripping from its maw. All around them, the sounds of the forest had exploded into the cacophony of a battlefield as the Force phantoms fired on the pair. Red-black bolts flew overhead, imagined heat following their trail. The distorted voices of soldiers calling orders could be heard drifting in from the forest's edge. One bolt managed to get through their barrier, drilling a burned hole by Lindmon's thigh. The tail of the alpha recoiled, having flashed in with the phantom bolt and missed its prey's leg by a hair.
"Blast them away!" Sul shouted over the hideous barks, "Usse your magic and keep pushing them back. Then we just have to hope they can't climb!"
Just as he finished speaking a Ceraxyn snapped at Sul's thigh, tearing away some of the fabric of his flight suit and just narrowly missing his scaly skin. It had worked its torso through the broken gaps of the branch wall and was rapidly pulling the rest of its body into Lindmon and Sul's sanctuary.
Sul lifted his foot high and stomped on the creature's skull with a satisfying crunch. The force of the strike burst one of its six milky white eyes and blood gushed rapidly from the wound. Immediately, the wounded Ceraxyn screeched and thrashed on the ground in agony. The strike paralyzed the beast from advancing further, but it's vicious wail sent Lindmon and Sul's hands to their heads. They groaned against the sharp vibrations pounding against their inner ears and covered them as best they could to shield from the pain.
The cacophony assaulting his ears certainly made it easier to ignore the other various sensations. Focusing his mind and thoughts on one thing Sul had said, "Push them back." Letting out a shout of his own, Lindmon did the best he could to create a wave of force out from their position. The tingle turned to a torrent of prickling stings down his spine. His ears were ringing from the strain of it all, to the point that the crashing sounds of shrubbery and fleshy bodies around him went unnoticed. It wasn't until Sul's heavy hand came down on his shoulder and pulled him away that his feet caught word of the plan and carried him towards the high cliff wall.
The sudden blast had caught the Ceraxyn by surprise, howls and screams echoed through the woods as their bodies flew back and smashed into trees. Clamoring to their feet, the creatures regained their heading and darted off into the woods. The alpha and the injured remained behind, the former watching its prey flee further and letting out a number of vocalizations to direct his pack. The latter seemed to be struggling from the wound, its legs not doing what they were told. The alpha leaned down and quickly tore its throat, releasing it from its suffering, before slipping into the brush.
Lindmon and Sul reached the cliffside without incident. Their hasty climb up the rocky wall was quiet. Neither of the two wanted to break the silence or comment on how narrowly they escaped and bring some sudden misfortune upon them. They fell into a pattern of quickly moving from one large stone outcropping to another until Sul invariably had to wait on Lindmon to catch his breath. The Annoo's reptilian strength gave him such an advantage scaling terrain like this he wondered if it would be faster if he hoisted Lindmon on his back and carried him the rest of the way…but it didn't look as if the beasts were pursuing them anymore so he was content with these few stops so that Lindmon could rest and ease the strain on his aching forearms.
They were nearing the top of the ridge when they heard the roar of the Zephyr's engines overhead. It's sleek half-moon shaped hull descended upon the rendezvous point. The three occupants rushed out of the craft as soon as it set down, worried about their comrades they rushed as fast as they could once they heard Lindmon's distress call.
"Are you alright down there!?"
Lindmon let out a final cry of exertion as he hoisted himself over the final ledge, breathing hard. His vision swam as the stress of the moment, the adrenaline, and the strain of his Force powers crashed down on him all at once. Endorphins dissipated, he managed to pull himself to his feet with the help of his companions and made way for the load ramp of the Zephyr. "Aside from a few scratches and sore muscles, I would say we are none the worse for wear. Glad you all made it when you did." He groaned, wiping at his brow. "Water, then we can go through our findings."
The crew clambered up the ramp and into the refresher, Lindmon and Sul collapsing into a seat to catch their breath and a well deserved break. Giz was the first to start once drinks had been passed around; she explained excitedly about the crash, the trap, and the mural the pair had come across. Sabine shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as she mentioned the latter, looking concerned about what it could mean. A raised brow from Lindmon prompted her to speak.
"The mural matches one we came across many years ago at a dig site. It acted as a portal of sorts. What was on the other side I can't say. Ezra went through a lot of trouble to duplicate it, and the empire seemed keen to remove a large portion. I doubt they were able to use it, Ezra on the other hand...If he managed to get it to work, he could be anywhere..."
"Anywhere, huh?" Lindmon sighed as he rested his head on the back of the bench. This mission couldn't get any worse now, he thought. It took them several months to work through what little leads they had and after searching a small splinter thin slice of the galaxy which held countless thousands of systems. They came to the edge of the galaxy to find that their lost Jedi could be. Anywhere…
He took a deep controlled breath, not wanting the frustration of the new boundless scope of the mission to overwhelm him. But he still felt the creeping sensation of irritation flood through his body and mind. Could this all be worth the effort? The resources displaced during this search? Lindmon's skin prickled as his thoughts turned to panic. The Empire was struck a huge blow, but they weren't erased from the galaxy, numerous systems would still be nearly unaffected by the Rebellion's seizure of the Empire's capital. Willing to funnel their support to the fractured command structure of the Imperial fleet for greater positions of power when they regain control of the galaxy. They've been on this mission for several months, that was more than long enough for their enemies to regroup, and The Empire could even be positioning for a counterattack at this moment…and he led half a battlegroup into the Unknown Regions…and…and—
Focus. He needed to focus on the task. Lindmon suffused himself with the Force, pulling the energy that was all around him, into himself and let it cleanse the frustration, the doubt. He exhaled his breath and visualized the useless corrupt thoughts being expelled from within him. All those long-and frankly boring-meditation sessions with Ahsoka seemed to be paying off and he was able to think clearly once again.
"So, we have just a few things to go off now." Lindmon said as he reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out the torn uniform patch. He held it up for a moment allowing the crew to gather around before placing it on the glossy durasteel surface of the holotable. "This is an Imperial Specialist patch we found in the underbelly of the shuttle. It's torn-up and hard to identify, but the shape indicates it belonged to some branch of scientific research."
Sabine picked up the patch carefully, slowly turning it over in her fingers as she regarded the detailing and color of the frayed threads. "I should be able to recreate enough of this patch for us to identify it. The name of the organization is completely ruined unfortunately but there is enough of the emblem to work with."
"Good. Once you're done, we can cross-reference with the New Republic system and see if there are any matches." Lindmon sighed, "Though I doubt that any normal organization would be able to manufacture monsters like those Ceraxyn. Still, we ought to check."
"Ceraxyn?" Giz piped up, throwing a glancet owards Sabine "Is that the creature you mentioned on the comm?"
"The same. It was some kind of genetically modified super-predator." Lindmon replied, "Intelligent, ruthless, and it could find me in the Force. Sniff me out, and when they found me…well, it wasn't a pleasant experience."
Sul snorted in response, as if Lindmon's comment was an understatement.
"We heard the name on a recording pulled out of a dead droid, Reed's got it sealed up in his noggin." Giz chimed in, giving the droid a quick tap on its dome. "Something the Imps brought specifically to hunt Ezra."
A brow raised, Lindmon made a note to review the recording once his mind managed to catch up with his haggard body.
He took a moment to shake off the near bloody encounter before continuing. "Giz, you said you found a communicator in the survey sector? You kept hold of it right?"
"Of course, Lieutenant!"
That's good. If it's Giz she can have it repaired in no time. Unfortunately, they'll have to wait before they can put a trace on it and ping the location of its last known contact. To do that they'd need access to the Holo-net. The Zephyr wasn't outfitted for long-range communication, but once they were back at Palatine it should be no problem to connect via the multiple comm buoys they had in place. With the uniform patch and the holo device they should be able to make a connection somewhere. If they can't reliably find Ezra's trail, then they'll just have to find the ones who were after him first.
Lindmon set his elbows on the table and laced his fingers, his mind running through what Giz told him had happened on the other side of the Sinviri moon. It sounded ridiculous and fantastical. Being able to carve a picture on a wall and be transported somewhere else, however he had been steeped in the mysterious ever since he started this mission. The Force was a strange factor, able to project images and alter reality seemingly at the will of the user. He concluded that it may not be impossible at all, and if so…
"Sabine, tell me about this portal." He asked intently, the more he knew about this strange portal the better. "You said Ezra used it before, is there a specific way it works?"
Sabine had already begun sketching an image of the Imperial Specialist patch on a piece of flimsy, as she worked, she quickly told the crew about the temple on Lothal, and how she and Ezra unlocked the puzzle of the mural that depicted the old Mortis Gods by way of a strange keystone. She furrowed her brow as she tried to remember the exact way Ezra described the other side of the portal "A collection of doorways connected by perfectly glass-clear pathways." What that meant exactly, she had no way of knowing.
"After he came out, we sealed the portal and the whole temple vanished." Lindmon groaned inwardly, he had hoped that it was somehow still functional, but it seemed fate had other plans. "Later he told me that in that place, he was able to bring Ahsoka back." Sabine concluded.
"What." Lindmon stated flatly. He wasn't sure what Sabine meant, but something about what she said unsettled him. "What do you mean he brought her back, like he brought her through the portal from somewhere else?"
Sabine started, realizing she had brought up something that would have been better left unsaid. "Umm, not exactly…you see, a few years before that Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka went to investigate how to defeat the Sith." She mumbled and shifted her eyes nervously away from Lindmon. "Something went wrong and Ahsoka…didn't make it."
Lindmon remained quiet for a moment, waiting for the 'but' which wasn't forthcoming. Sul, still catching his breath as well, threw back the last of his water and poured a second glass, one pair of eyes half lidded and tired while the others gazed intently at Sabine.
Shifting from one foot to another, Sabine groaned at the extended silence, waving her arms exasperatedly, the whole situation was confusing enough as it was with having not been present. "She died, we were sure. She got trapped inside a Sith temple and the whole thing caved in. I wasn't there, but they were certain. Then a short while after the incident at the mural..." her gaze drifted, capturing the moment in her mind. It was a rough situation, the days leading up to his disappearance. "He told me, said he saw her in that strange world between worlds and dragged her out before the temple could collapse, then she vanished through another door… that's all I know, I didn't hear from her until she contacted me just before all of this began."
Lindmon stayed quiet through her explanation, leaning forward in his seat with a look of dumbfounded surprise. Dots connected, albeit slowly, but Sul was the first to speak up. "You're sssaying...she was to pass in the temple...and Bridger reached into the passst…?"
"Is that even remotely possible?" Lindmon followed, his look of surprise construed to one of confusion. "I mean...time travel. You have got to be kidding me."
"So…" Giz chimed in after managing to pull her chin from the floor. She waved a finger about in the air a moment as though sewing the words of her next statement together. "If he managed to duplicate it, not only could he be anywhere...but anywhen?"
The exasperated Mandalorian's mouth was slack, only a few confused sputters escaped as she gave a dubious shrug. Lindmon pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, in every mission there came a point when something unplanned occurred. Something that no one could have foreseen or considered, and they had just reached it. Ezra Bridger could be hiding away in any location in the known galaxy and quite possibly at any time as well. "It seems like we have a lot of ground to cover then." He said, maddened by the exponential scale of the mission.
Sabine considered this for a moment. Nothing made sense now. The damaged droid's recording they found in the valley clearly made it sound like Ezra got free and made a break to the mural. Since the Empire took only that one and no others, it would seem that it did-indeed work. Or at least was found to be important enough to spend the time removing it.
And if that was the case. If he escaped into the world between worlds, a super-vergence of interconnected pathways throughout time and space across the galaxy, he could have transported himself anywhere in the galaxy at any moment. So, why didn't he come home…